La Union Watchtowers
Native name Mga Bantayán ng La Union (Filipino)
Baluarte inLuna, La Union
Type	Watchtowers
Location	At least fiveLa Union municipalities: Balaoan Bacnotan Luna San Fernando San Juan
Architectural style	Spanish colonial
National Cultural Treasures
Official name	La Union Watchtowers
Designated	2014

The province ofLa Union in thePhilippines has variousSpanish colonial watchtowers (bantayan) which are recognized asNational Cultural Treasures since 2014.^[1]

In June 1572, Spanish conquistadors led byJuan de Salcedo arrived in theIlocos Region to subdue the native people and pacify the area. In October 1849,Governor-General Narciso Clavería issued a decree that led to the creation ofLa Union province, formed by merging towns fromIlocos Sur,Pangasinan, and the western part of thePaís del Igorrotes (now theCordillera Administrative Region). This decision was formalized on March 2, 1850, by Governor-General Antonio María Blanco, making La Union the 34th province established since the founding ofCebu in 1565.^[2][3]

Baluarte Watch Tower, Luna

San Juan Watchtower, La Union

Historically, the coastal areas of the Ilocos Region were frequent targets of raids byMoro andChinese pirates, who looted villages (barrios) and captured women and children for enslavement. These attacks led to a persistent need for defensive measures.^[3]

During the 18th and 19th centuries, conflicts between Moros andChristian Filipinos were common in the coastal areas ofNorthern Luzon.^[2] One notable encounter occurred on October 8, 1846, when Moro pirates landed on the northern shores ofPangasinan, specifically inBauang, due to adverse weather conditions.^[2] The localgobernadorcillo (town mayor) organized a defense, resulting in a bloody clash in which the Christians killed four Moros, captured 29 prisoners, and seized a warship armed with fourcannons.^[2] However, the attackers managed to free six Christian captives. This event illustrated the determined and defensive spirit of thePangasinenses andIlocanos in protecting their communities. However, the number of Moro seamen involved in the attack remains unclear in historical accounts.^[2]

Oral traditions in coastal towns such as Bauang,San Fernando,Bacnotan,San Juan,Balaoan, and Namacpacan (nowLuna) recount that the Moros were referred to as"Tirongs" (raiders, attackers, or pirates).^[2] The 6- to 7-meter-high circular adobewatchtowers (baluartes), constructed mainly fromcoral blocks and held together bylime andegg whites, stand as historical monuments to the vigilance of these communities against potential attacks.^[1] These fortifications dot the coastline of Luna, Balaoan, San Fernando, and Bauang, serving as enduring symbols of the local people's defense againstpiracy.^[2]

In Namacpacan, a gobernadorcillo recorded in his diary the“maikaddua nga iyaay daguiti tirong” (second arrival of the marauders). Furthermore, a secret report from Spanish civil servantSinibaldo de Mas in 1842 noted that, on September 8, 1841, the Namacpacan gobernadorcillo sent a dispatch toGovernor-General Marcelino de Oraa Lecumberri, reporting the sighting of "eight Moropancos with six launches" and, the following day,"another fleet of 17 pancos and 5 launches."^[2] In response, the Governor-General ordered all neighboring provinces to remain on alert, as the Moro fleet had passed through Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, andCagayan.^[2]

On July 31, 1870, the Namacpacan gobernadorcillo reported toGovernor-General Carlos María dela Torre that"two bands of Moros were seen towardBangar."^[2] Several days earlier, the alcalde mayor of Pangasinan also reported sightings of Moro bands. In response to these threats, precautionary measures were implemented in La Union and Pangasinan to guard against surprise attacks.^[2]

The formation of La Union as a province in 1850 was part of broader administrative changes in the Ilocos Region. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, the originalYlocos province was divided.^[2] In 1818, the region waspartitioned intoIlocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, and in 1846, the province ofAbra was created. La Union was formed by combining the southernmost part of Ilocos Sur, the northern portion of Pangasinan, and the western area ofBenguet.^[2]

Maps from 1832, created byAugustinian friar Manuel Blanco, indicated the existence of establishedpueblos in the region, with populations steadily growing.^[2] By 1838, the combined population of 12 towns was estimated at 51,163 inhabitants, and by 1848, this figure had risen to 61,472. These figures excluded theIgorots, the indigenous mountain peoples.^[2]

During theAmerican colonial period and theJapanese occupation inWorld War II, the watchtowers of La Union were repurposed asmilitary installations for monitoring potential threats along the coastline, such as enemy ships or aircraft. These structures played a crucial role in maintaining maritime security and order in the region.^[4]

After over 400 years, many of thebaluartes have fallen into disuse and decay, with several in a state of neglect. The once-imposing fortifications, which once stood as critical defenses against invaders, now serve as historical remnants. For instance, the watchtower in Bauang no longer exists, having been demolished due to commercial development in the area. Despite their deterioration, these watchtowers remain symbols of the region's resilience and its people's longstanding efforts to protect their communities from external threats.^[1]

• National Cultural Treasures of the Philippines
• Spanish colonial fortifications in the Philippines
• Buildings and structures in La Union

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