Exploring Vigan City And it's History

January 24, 2024

Exploring Vigan City And it's History

One of the oldest towns in the Philippines, Vigan is a Spanish Colonial fantasy town with clattering kalesa (horse-drawn carriages), cobblestone lanes, and dark wood palaces. It is actually a Unesco World Heritage site and the best example of a Spanish Colonial town that has survived in Asia. Apart from the beautifully renovated Crisologo Street, which is off-limits to cars, and a few neighboring streets, it's just another boisterous Filipino town, just like many others.

It is distinct from other towns in the Philippines since it is the largest and only historic city in the nation, built during the Spanish colonial era of the sixteenth century. Pre-colonial Vigan was a significant coastal commerce hub. One of the New 7 Wonder Cities of the World is Vigan.

When I visited Vigan City, it has a lot of history that you can know about. In January 20, 2024, Vigan City held a celebration for DepEd Day. They celebrated this by having a parade called Education Day Institutional Parade and having a various events involving education. One is Marching Band Competition, Diego And Gabriela Silang Short Film Competition, Debate Competition and many more.

Students from different schools share their talents like dancing. RD Aquino's message was themed as "Education Day 2024: Pagkakaisa Tungo sa MATATAG na Kinabukasan". He shared that in order for us to guarantee a bright future for Bigueño youth and to develop the education sector, we should embrace cooperation and unity.

In January 22, 2024, Vigan City also had a 10-day celebration for Longganisa Festival. Featuring a longganisa cookfest and longganisa street-dancing competition. The Festival, which extends until January 27, is a fitting celebration of Vigan's annual gratitude to St. Paul and the anniversary of its cityhood. Thirteen participating groups from the various Ilocos Region will compete in three classes in this road moving battle.

The groups, which consist of undergraduate and secondary school students, will dramatize the process of creating longganisa. The festival will help the city's economy since it will have a cascading effect, meaning that more visitors will mean more income for the Bigueños.

In conclusion, my trip to Vigan City demonstrated not only its rich past but also its lively and active present. A fascinating reminder of the Philippines' Spanish colonial history is Vigan. The town provides visitors with a unique glimpse into the past with its well-preserved Spanish Colonial architecture, cobblestone lanes, and the allure of horse-drawn carriages. The DepEd Day celebration on January 20, 2024, demonstrated the city's dedication to education with a range of events and competitions that highlighted the skills and fellowship of students from various schools.

The 10-day Longganisa Festival, which took place from January 22 to 27, 2024, imposed my experience a vibrant and delightful twist. All in all, Vigan City's two festivals demonstrated a well-balanced fusion of customs, learning, and togetherness. It showed how the city actively participates in modern celebrations that benefit both locals and tourists while maintaining its historical legacy. This journey has taught me that traveling offers a priceless combination of personal development and adventure, as well as a chance to meet people from all cultures and make lifelong memories.

References

I. (2024, January 25).

Exploring Vigan City And it’s History.