San Fernando, La Union

From 1896 until 1898, during the

The Battle of Bacsil Ridge ended the month-long battle for control of San Fernando. The Japanese defenders called the Hayashi Detachment, composed of 3,000 armed troops and 2,000 unarmed support forces, took hold of San Fernando and its surrounding areas and denied entry to the port of the city and a road leading to Baguio. As part of the San Fernando-Bacsil Operations, the 1st Battalion of 121st Infantry were sent to loosen the enemy positions starting late February with the assistance of the Allied Air Force.

The 1st Battalion made a general attack to the ridge on March 16, 1945 and fought the Japanese defenders until the capture of Bacsil on March 19. On the same day, the 3rd battalion captured Reservoir Hill. The Battle of Bacsil Ridge between the Filipino guerrillas and the Japanese Forces resulted in the recapture of the city of San Fernando, La Union. which resulted in the capture of San Fernando, La Union on March 23, 1945, and Bacnotan, La Union and the military offensive throughout the province ended on March 24 after two months of fighting.^[10]

Martial law era

Although Ilocanos are perceived to have been largely silent about the

San Fernando became a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 8509 signed into law on February 13, 1998, and ratified on March 20, 1998, by a plebiscite.^[16]

Geography

The city is bounded by

San Fernando is 269 kilometres (167 mi) from Metro Manila.

Barangays

San Fernando is politically subdivided into 59

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of San Fernando, La Union, was 125,640 people,^[3] with a density of 1,200 inhabitants per square kilometre or 3,100 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty Incidence of San Fernando

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[23][24]
[25][26][27][28][29]}

San Fernando is mainly agricultural (rice, legumes, leafy vegetables, root crops, fruit trees, corn, and tobacco). But residents treat fishing in coastline and seashore areas as secondary means of livelihood. The natives also have

“

San Fernando has many class A hotels and resorts and night clubs such as Aureo La Union Thunderbird Resorts and Casinos Poro Point

Government

Local government

San Fernando, belonging to the first congressional district of the province of La Union, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a city council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

The mayor and other elected officers hold office at the city hall of San Fernando. The city council, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, is housed in the Don Mariano Marcos Building beside the city hall.

Elected officials

List of chief executives

Annual community events

The city has a yearly fiesta, celebrated from January 28 to February 15, where a trade fair is opened near the city hall.

Celebrations are also done around March, in celebration of Cityhood.

The following events happen annually: Annual City Fiesta, February 10; Bacsil Ridge Celebration, March 19; Pindangan Festival, March 20; Ma-tzu Festival, September 16.^[32][33]

Tourism

• Poro Point
  • Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone [1] (formerly American Military Base –
    Wallace Air Station
    )
  • Thunderbird Resorts
  • Boardwalk
• The La Union Botanical Garden (8 kilometers from the city) – is a 10 hectare garden (Barangay Cadaclan), the home of various species of rare plants and a sanctuary of wild animals.
• Battle of Bacsil Ridge Marker
• Pindangan Ruins (Barangay Parian)
• Hobbitat Forest Park
• Poro Point Baywalk (Barangay Poro)
• Seven Hills
  • Capitol Hill (Barangay II) home of the Provincial Capitol
  • Pagoda Hill also known as Filipino-Chinese Friendship Park or Chinese Pagoda (Barangay II)
  • Heroes’ Hill & Freedom Park Stairway (153 steps) located at the eastern portion of Capitol Hill
  • Bethany Hill (Barangay II)
  • Mirador Hill (Barangay II)
  • Mariner's Hill (Barangay Catbangen)
  • Miracle Hill (Barangay Pagdaraoan)
• Christ the Redeemer (25-foot statue, Reservoir Hill, Barangay I)
• Poro Point Lighthouse
• Moro Watch Tower (Barangay Carlatan)
• La Union Science Centrum & Museum (LUSCM has 5 Galleries: Kadaklan Burial Site and Environmental Gallery, Museum, Dark Room, Main Science Gallery and Portable Planetarium (Barangay Cadaclan)
• Ma-Cho Temple
• Tomb of Unknown Soldier (Barangay Madayegdeg)
• Cathedral of St. William the Hermit (Barangay II, Poblacion)[2]
• Kasay Marine Sanctuary: 30 hectares MPA, featuring the 50 years old Giant clam or Tridacna gigas (Barangay Canaoay)
• Children's Park (Barangay II, City Plaza)
• 10.6 hectares Engineered Sanitary Landfill (Barangay Mameltac)^[34]
• La Union Trade Center (beside the City Hall)

Notable personalities

• Armando Palabay, human rights activist and martyr honored at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani
• Ashley Ortega, actor
• Roger Casugay, Filipino surfer
• Lucrecia Kasilag, composer, Dean of the Philippine Women's University College of Music and Fine Arts (1953-1977), president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
  (1976-1986), awardee of the Order of National Artists of the Philippines
• Jessica Soho, journalist, narrator and magazine TV host

Sister cities

• Ansan, South Korea
• Coatzacoalcos, Mexico
• Naga, Camarines Sur
• Valenzuela City

References

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for San Fernando, La Union.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to San Fernando, La Union.