Laoag | |
|---|---|
.jpg)    .jpg) From top, left to right: Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol, Exterior ofLaoag International Airport,La Paz Sand Dunes,Laoag Cathedral, Sinking bell tower of Laoag | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Etymology:Ilocano:lawag ("light") | |
| Nickname: The Sunshine City | |
| Anthem: Marcha de Laoag (Laoag March) | |
 Map of Ilocos Norte with Laoag highlighted | |
 Interactive map of Laoag | |
.svg)  Laoag Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:18°11′52″N120°35′37″E / 18.1978°N 120.5936°E /18.1978; 120.5936 | |
| Country |  Philippines |
| Region | Ilocos Region |
| Province | Ilocos Norte |
| District | 1st district |
| Founded | 1580 |
| Cityhood | June 19, 1965 |
| Barangays | 80 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Panlungsod |
| • Mayor | James Bryan Q. Alcid (Nacionalista) |
| • Secretary | R n'B Flores |
| • Vice Mayor | Rey Carlos V. Fariñas (PDR) |
| • Representative | Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos (PFP) |
| • Mayor-council government | Members
|
| • Electorate | 82,688 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 116.08 km2 (44.82 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 57 m (187 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 759 m (2,490 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 112,117 |
| • Density | 965.86/km2 (2,501.6/sq mi) |
| • Households | 27,875 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 3rd city income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 3.38 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 1,134 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 20,971 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 734.3 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 640.3 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 2900 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)77 |
| Native languages | Ilocano Tagalog |
| Website | www |
Laoag ([laʊˈag]), officially theCity of Laoag (Ilocano:Siudad ti Laoag;Filipino:Lungsod ng Laoag), is acomponent city and capital of theprovince ofIlocos Norte,Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 112,117 people.[5]
It is the province's most populous settlement, as well as its political, commercial, and industrial hub. The Ilocos Region's busiestcommercial airport is also built in Laoag. It is also the northernmost city in the Philippines.
The municipalities ofSan Nicolas,Paoay,Sarrat,Piddig,Vintar, andBacarra form its boundaries. The foothills of theCordillera Central mountain range to the east, and theSouth China Sea to the west are its physical boundaries.
Laoag experiences a prevailingmonsoon climate of NorthernLuzon, characterized by a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. Despite being battered by powerfultyphoons occasionally, Laoag can still be referred to as the "Sunshine City".
Long before the coming of the Spaniards, there already existed an extensive region consisting of the present provinces ofIlocos Norte,Ilocos Sur,Abra, andLa Union renowned for its gold mines. Merchants fromJapan andChina would often visit the area to trade gold with beads, ceramics, and silk. TheAustronesian inhabitants of the region called their placesamtoy, fromsao mi itoy, which literally meant "this is our language."[citation needed]
In 1571, when theSpanish conquistadors hadManila more or less under their control, they began looking for new sites to conquer. Legaspi's grandson, Juan de Salcedo, volunteered to lead one of these expeditions. Together with eight armed boats and 45 men, the 22-year-old voyager headed north.[citation needed]
On June 13, 1572, Salcedo and his men landed inVigan and then proceeded towards Laoag, Currimao, and Badoc. As they sailed along the coast, they were surprised to see numerous shelteredcoves (looc) where the locals lived: as a result, they named the region "Ylocos" and its people "Ylocanos".[citation needed]
As theChristianization of the region grew, so did the landscape of the area. Vast tracts of land were utilized for churches and bell towers in line with the Spanish mission ofbajo de las campanas ('under the bells') – a proclamation by King Philip's 1573Law of the Indies. In the town plaza, it was not uncommon to see garrisons under the church bells. The colonization process was slowly being carried out.
TheSpanish colonization of the region, however, was never completely successful. Owing to the abusive practices of manyAugustinian friars, a number of Ilocanos revolted against their colonizers. Noteworthy of these were the Dingras uprising (1589) and Pedro Almasan revolt in San Nicolas (1660). In 1762,Diego Silang led a series of battles aimed at freeing the Ilocanos from the Spanish yoke. When he died from an assassin's bullet, his widow Gabriela continued the cause. She too was captured and hanged. In 1807, thesugar cane (basi) brewers of Piddig rose up in arms to protest the government's monopoly of the wine industry. In 1898, the church excommunicated Gregorio Aglipay for refusing to cut off ties with the revolutionary forces of Gen.Emilio Aguinaldo. Unperturbed, he established theIglesia Filipina Independiente. Aglipay's movement and the national sentiment it espoused helped restore the self-respect of manyFilipinos.
"The great increase in population from 1715 to 1818 from 18,980 to 282,845 made the administration of the province very difficult. Due to the excessive monopolies and forced labor, there were several uprisings: first by the people of Dingras in 1589; one that was led by Pedro Almazan in 1616; the revolt ofDiego Silang in 1762–1763; by Ambaristo in 1788; by Pedro Mateo in 1808 (also known asBasi Revolt) and uprising of Sarrat in 1815. For this reason, the division of the Ilocos into two provinces was recommended by the local authorities. On February 2, 1818, a Spanish Royal Decree was promulgated dividing the Province of Ilocos Norte from Ilocos Sur. Laoag, which was then the biggest center of population, was made the capital of Ilocos Norte."
Laoag was captured by the Japanese Army on December 12, 1941, two days after the landing at Vigan and Aparri. Its airport was then used by the Japanese for most of World War II.
On June 19, 1965, Laoag changed from municipality to city status, following aplebiscite and passed into law by the Senate PresidentFerdinand Edralin Marcos. It remained the capital ofIlocos Norte. Mayor Eulalio F. Siazon and Engineer Trinidad Lucas Aurelio were part of a team that led the drive to convert Laoag into a city. Another members of the group was Simeon M. Valdez who filed the bill in congress, co-authored by Antonio V. Raquiza. The first city mayor was Eulalio Fonacier Siazon.[6]
The City of Laoag is located at the west-central part of the Province ofIlocos Norte bordering theSouth China Sea. It is bounded on the east by the Municipality ofSarrat; in the southeast by the Municipality ofSan Nicolas; in the southwest by the Municipality ofPaoay, in the northeast the Municipality ofVintar; in the northwest by the Municipality ofBacarra; and in the west by theSouth China Sea. It is one of the largest cities in theIlocos Region.[7]
Laoag is situated 482.95 kilometres (300.09 mi) from the country's capital city ofManila.
Laoag is politically subdivided into 80barangays. Each barangay consists ofpuroks and some havesitios.
| Conventional Long Name | Barangay Number | Name | Former Name/Territory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barangay No. 1, San Lorenzo(Poblacion) | 1 | San Lorenzo | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 2, Santa Joaquina(Poblacion) | 2 | Santa Joaquina | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 3, Nuestra Señora del Rosario(Poblacion) | 3 | Nuestra Señora del Rosario | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 4, San Guillermo(Poblacion) | 4 | San Guillermo | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 5, San Pedro(Poblacion) | 5 | San Pedro | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 6, San Agustin(Poblacion) | 6 | San Agustin | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 7-A, Nuestra Señora del Natividad(Poblacion) | 7-A | Nuestra Señora del Natividad | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 7-B, Nuestra Señora del Natividad(Poblacion) | 7-B | Nuestra Señora del Natividad | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 8, San Vicente(Poblacion) | 8 | San Vicente | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 9, Santa Angela(Poblacion) | 9 | Santa Angela | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 10, San Jose(Poblacion) | 10 | San Jose | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 11, Santa Balbina(Poblacion) | 11 | Santa Balbina | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 12, San Isidro(Poblacion) | 12 | San Isidro | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 13, Nuestra Señora de Visitacion(Poblacion) | 13 | Nuestra Señora de Visitacion | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 14, Santo Tomas(Poblacion) | 14 | Santo Tomas | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 15, San Guillermo(Poblacion) | 15 | San Guillermo | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 16, San Jacinto(Poblacion) | 16 | San Jacinto | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 17, San Francisco(Poblacion) | 17 | San Francisco | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 18, San Quirino(Poblacion) | 18 | San Quirino | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 19, Santa Marcela(Poblacion) | 19 | Santa Marcela | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 20, San Miguel(Poblacion) | 20 | San Miguel | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 21, San Pedro(Poblacion) | 21 | San Pedro | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 22, San Andres(Poblacion) | 22 | San Andres | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 23, San Matias(Poblacion) | 23 | San Matias | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 24, Nuestra Señora de Consolacion(Poblacion) | 24 | Nuestra Señora de Consolacion | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 25, Santa Cayetana(Poblacion) | 25 | Santa Cayetana | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 26, San Marcelino(Poblacion) | 26 | San Marcelino | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 27, Nuestra Señora de Soledad(Poblacion) | 27 | Nuestra Señora de Soledad | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 28, San Bernardo(Poblacion) | 28 | San Bernardo | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 29, Santo Tomas(Poblacion) | 29 | Santo Tomas | Poblacion |
| Barangay No. 30-A, Suyo | 30-A | Suyo | – |
| Barangay No. 30-B, Santa Maria | 30-B | Santa Maria | – |
| Barangay No. 31, Talingaan | 31 | Talingaan | – |
| Barangay No. 32-A, La Paz East | 32-A | La Paz East | – |
| Barangay No. 32-B, La Paz West | 32-B | La Paz West | – |
| Barangay No. 32-C, La Paz East | 32-C | La Paz East | – |
| Barangay No. 33-A, La Paz Proper | 33-A | La Paz Proper | – |
| Barangay No. 33-B, La Paz Proper | 33-B | La Paz Proper | – |
| Barangay No. 34-A, Gabu Norte West | 34-A | Gabu Norte West | – |
| Barangay No. 34-B, Gabu Norte East | 34-B | Gabu Norte East | – |
| Barangay No. 35, Gabu Sur | 35 | Gabu Sur | – |
| Barangay No. 36, Araniw | 36 | Araniw | – |
| Barangay No. 37, Calayab | 37 | Calayab | – |
| Barangay No. 38-A, Mangato East | 38-A | Mangato East | – |
| Barangay No. 38-B, Mangato West | 38-B | Mangato West | – |
| Barangay No. 39, Santa Rosa | 39 | Santa Rosa | – |
| Barangay No. 40, Balatong | 40 | Balatong | – |
| Barangay No. 41, Balacad | 41 | Balacad | – |
| Barangay No. 42, Apaya | 42 | Apaya | – |
| Barangay No. 43, Cavit | 43 | Cavit | – |
| Barangay No. 44, Zamboanga | 44 | Zamboanga | – |
| Barangay No. 45, Tangid | 45 | Tangid | – |
| Barangay No. 46, Nalbo | 46 | Nalbo | – |
| Barangay No. 47, Bengcag | 47 | Bengcag | – |
| Barangay No. 48-A, Cabungaan North | 48-A | Cabungaan North | – |
| Barangay No. 48-B, Cabungaan South | 48-B | Cabungaan South | – |
| Barangay No. 49-A, Darayday | 49-A | Darayday | – |
| Barangay No. 49-B, Raraburan | 49-B | Raraburan | – |
| Barangay No. 50, Buttong | 50 | Buttong | – |
| Barangay No. 51-A, Nangalisan East | 51-A | Nangalisan East | – |
| Barangay No. 51-B, Nangalisan West | 51-B | Nangalisan West | – |
| Barangay No. 52-A, San Mateo | 52-A | San Mateo | – |
| Barangay No. 52-B, Lataag | 52-B | Lataag | – |
| Barangay No. 53, Rioeng | 53 | Rioeng | – |
| Barangay No. 54-A, Camangaan | 54-A | Camangaan | – |
| Barangay No. 54-B, Lagui-Sail | 54-B | Lagui-Sail | – |
| Barangay No. 55-A, Barit-Pandan | 55-A | Barit-Pandan | – |
| Barangay No. 55-B, Salet-Bulangon | 55-B | Salet-Bulangon | – |
| Barangay No. 55-C, Vira | 55-C | Vira | – |
| Barangay No. 56-A, Bacsil North | 56-A | Bacsil North | – |
| Barangay No. 56-B, Bacsil South | 56-B | Bacsil South | – |
| Barangay No. 57, Pila | 57 | Pila | – |
| Barangay No. 58, Casili | 58 | Casili | – |
| Barangay No. 59-A, Dibua South | 59-A | Dibua South | – |
| Barangay No. 59-B, Dibua North | 59-B | Dibua North | – |
| Barangay No. 60-A, Caaoacan | 60-A | Caaoacan | – |
| Barangay No. 60-B, Madiladig | 60-B | Madiladig | – |
| Barangay No. 61, Cataban | 61 | Cataban | – |
| Barangay No. 62-A, Navotas North | 62-A | Navotas North | – |
| Barangay No. 62-B, Navotas South | 62-B | Navotas South | – |
| Conventional Long Name | Barangay Number | Name | Former Name/Territory |
| |||
Laoag has atropical savanna climate with warm to hot temperatures year round. Temperatures dips sightly during the winter months between December and February. Characterized by two well-pronounced seasons; dry and wet and is classified as mild and pleasant climate. Dry season usually starts in November until April and wet during the rest of the year. The city is shielded from northeast monsoon and trade winds by the mountain ranges ofCordillera andSierra Madre but it is exposed to the southwest monsoon and cyclone storms.
The rainy seasons, which has an average monthly rainfall of more than 100 millimetres (3.9 in). is from May to September with its peak in June, July and August. Rainfall during the peak month represents 68% of the annual rainfall with an average of 200 millimetres (7.9 in).
In the afternoon of May, temperature reach up to 36.2 °C (97.2 °F) and drops down to 11.4 °C (52.5 °F) in the early mornings of January. The city recorded an average temperature of 27.25 °C (81.05 °F) with a relative humidity of 75.5% in 1996. The city experiences an average of four to fivetropical cyclones every year.
| Climate data for Laoag City (1991–2020, extremes 1908–2023) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 36.0 (96.8) | 36.8 (98.2) | 39.5 (103.1) | 39.6 (103.3) | 41.8 (107.2) | 38.3 (100.9) | 37.8 (100.0) | 36.7 (98.1) | 37.1 (98.8) | 37.1 (98.8) | 37.2 (99.0) | 37.1 (98.8) | 41.8 (107.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) | 31.2 (88.2) | 32.5 (90.5) | 33.6 (92.5) | 33.7 (92.7) | 33.1 (91.6) | 32.2 (90.0) | 31.6 (88.9) | 31.8 (89.2) | 32.1 (89.8) | 32.0 (89.6) | 31.1 (88.0) | 32.1 (89.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.2 (77.4) | 25.8 (78.4) | 27.2 (81.0) | 28.6 (83.5) | 29.2 (84.6) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.0 (82.4) | 27.9 (82.2) | 27.8 (82.0) | 27.4 (81.3) | 26.3 (79.3) | 27.6 (81.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.8 (67.6) | 20.4 (68.7) | 21.9 (71.4) | 23.6 (74.5) | 24.7 (76.5) | 24.8 (76.6) | 24.5 (76.1) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.1 (75.4) | 23.5 (74.3) | 22.8 (73.0) | 21.4 (70.5) | 23.0 (73.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.1 (52.0) | 11.9 (53.4) | 13.0 (55.4) | 16.3 (61.3) | 20.4 (68.7) | 18.9 (66.0) | 19.5 (67.1) | 20.9 (69.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 16.1 (61.0) | 13.3 (55.9) | 12.0 (53.6) | 11.1 (52.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 6.1 (0.24) | 3.0 (0.12) | 5.3 (0.21) | 21.8 (0.86) | 218.8 (8.61) | 286.5 (11.28) | 478.9 (18.85) | 593.7 (23.37) | 412.9 (16.26) | 117.2 (4.61) | 36.6 (1.44) | 6.2 (0.24) | 2,187 (86.10) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 1 mm) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 86 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 75 | 75 | 74 | 75 | 78 | 82 | 86 | 87 | 87 | 80 | 78 | 75 | 79 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 246.4 | 256.1 | 294.4 | 291.9 | 249.1 | 229.3 | 218.1 | 196.8 | 201.5 | 227.7 | 227.9 | 242.7 | 2,881.9 |
| Source 1:PAGASA[9][10] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:Deutscher Wetterdienst (sun, 1961–1990)[11][12] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 34,454 | — |
| 1918 | 38,469 | +0.74% |
| 1939 | 41,842 | +0.40% |
| 1948 | 44,406 | +0.66% |
| 1960 | 50,198 | +1.03% |
| 1970 | 61,727 | +2.09% |
| 1975 | 66,259 | +1.43% |
| 1980 | 69,648 | +1.00% |
| 1990 | 83,756 | +1.86% |
| 1995 | 88,336 | +1.00% |
| 2000 | 94,466 | +1.45% |
| 2007 | 102,457 | +1.13% |
| 2010 | 104,904 | +0.86% |
| 2015 | 111,125 | +1.10% |
| 2020 | 111,651 | +0.10% |
| 2024 | 112,117 | +0.10% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17] | ||
According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 112,117 people,[18] with a density of 970 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,500 inhabitants per square mile.
Laoag City had a total population of 94,466 for the year 2000 as per NSO official report. In 1995, the total inhabitants of the city was 88,336, an increase of 6,130. Based on the 1995 and 2000 intercensal periods, the Average Annual Growth Rate of the city was 1.35%.
The number of households is 19,751 and the average household size is five (5) persons per household. Male-female ratio is 1:1; Birth rate is 26.44% while Death rate is 4.28%.
In the city of Laoag as of year 2000, Urban barangay San Lorenzo had the largest number of population at 2,883, followed by Rural barangay Buttong at 2,277, and then by Barangay 2 Santa Joaquina at 2,048. With the least inhabitants was Rural Barangay 39 Santa Rosa, 592, and then Barangay 52-A San Mateo, 594. Noticeably, the residents of Barangay 23 San Matias decreased by 740.
The dominant dialect spoken in Laoag City isIlocano.
The Roman Catholic and theAglipayan Church are the dominant religious affiliations. The rest of the existing religions in the city include theIglesia ni Cristo, and otherProtestant groups with a significant number of adherents.
Strategically located at the northern tip of the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle. It is within hours of air travel to any one of East Asia's economic tigers such asHong Kong,Mainland China,Japan,South Korea andTaiwan by way of theLaoag International Airport.[7]
A banking system is also found in the city with more than twenty different local, domestic, and foreign banks ready to serve any financial needs.[citation needed]
With a 12,747.35 m2 (137,211.3 sq ft) total land area, Laoag City provides a large opportunity for economic expansion. The historic scenic tourist spots, availability of internationally competitive accommodations and facilities, and the presence of supportive national government agencies, makes Laoag an ecotourism center, as classified by theDepartment of Tourism. The Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle – fondly called the North Quad – also aims to develop rural areas through an integrated countryside agri-industrial development approach with emphasis/focus in attaining sustainable and equitable growth; increase the productivity of agriculture and fisheries; and encourage industrial competitiveness in the local and foreign markets.
Laoag and the surrounding municipalities also bolster a strong workforce. At present, most industries in the city are small-scale, consisting of small-scale food-processing factories, rice mills, jewelry-making, hollow blocks factories, and metal crafts. Retail giants likeSM Prime Holdings with three stores (SM Savemore, Savemore Market, SM Hypermarket), and two stores owned byPuregold, with one branch in the downtown area, and aPuregold Jr located along Pan-Philippine Highway.SM City Laoag is located south of Padsan River in Barangay Nangalisan West, along Airport Road. Unitop, Mart One, Novo, New India, ME, JTC, and ØNE Ø 5IVE are popular shopping centers.RobinsonsIlocos located in Barangay Nangalisan East (Laoag) and San Francisco (San Nicolas) is only 5 minutes ride from Laoag City Hall.
Megaworld has also secured₱15 billion project to be developed in Barangay Calayab along the coast to be called "Ilocandia Coastown," its 34thtownship. Themixed-usebeachfront is an 84-hectare parcel of land with 1.4-kilometer (0.87 mi) beach line adjacent to Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel.Other townships under construction are theEL Sands Residences in Barangay Talingaan, andBramasole Residences in Barangay Zamboanga.Robinsons Homes, Hanalei Heights, andCamella are located closely to the airport.[27]
Meanwhile, San Guillermo Complex located east of Aurora Park is on its first phase of construction. It will feature a modern shopping center, a high-rise hotel and Saint Luke's Medical Center.
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Laoag, belonging to thefirst congressional district of the province ofIlocos Norte, 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.
Laoag City elected officials, term of office June 30, 2025 – June 30, 2028
| Mayor | James Bryan Q. Alcid |
|---|---|
| Vice Mayor | Rey Carlos M. Fariñas |
| Councilors |
|
| ABC President | Roque Benjamin C. Ablan |
| SK Federated President | Michael Christophe R. Agustin |
Tourism has become a major economic driver of Laoag City, paving the way for new commercial investments and infrastructure development. Fort Ilocandia Resort, first and only 5-star hotel in the north, continues to attract foreign and domestic tourists. Other places of interest include a tour of heritage sites featuring Spanish colonial buildings,baroque churches,La Paz Sand Dunes, white-sand beach resorts ofPagudpud, and Marcos-era mansions.
TheLaoag Cathedral was built in 1612 byAugustinian friars to replace a woodenchapel. It also serves as the seat or central church of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Laoag. Built with anItalian Renaissance, the church has an unusual two-storyfaçade, supported by two pairs ofcolumns on each side of the arched entrance architecture design and at the top of the facade holds a recessedniche that showcases the image of the city'spatron saint,William of Maleval.
The dramatic increase in tourist arrivals also prompted the establishment of aChinese consulate to oversee the security of Chinese citizens living or visiting the city. A new immigration policy was made to simplify entry of Chinese tourists into the country by issuing visitor visas at the airport upon arrival to entice more guests to come. Laoag City has been named as one of the top tourist destinations inRegion I and in the country.
Laoag International Airport services flights byPAL Express,Cebu Pacific andSky Pasada with destinations to and fromManila,Cebu,Calayan Island, andBasco, Batanes. TheHonolulu – Laoag vice versa will soon resume its direct flight withPhilippine Airlines as its carrier. Foreign airlines offer direct charter flights to Laoag as part of travel packages with optional excursions to tourist destinations outside the city. Tourists can find travel agencies including ticket offices of several airlines at the terminal building.
Several large bus companies serve Laoag City making connections to North and Central Luzon provinces including Metro Manila. These transportation services are provided byGV Florida Transport,Viron Transit, Maria de Leon Bus Lines,Partas andFariñas Transit Company. Laoag is 487 kilometres (303 mi) fromManila via South Road Access of Laoag and 750 kilometres (470 mi) via North Access of Laoag fromMetro Manila.
Mode of transport within the city includes taxi, jeepney, tricycle, and kalesa. Mini buses have daily routes to and from Pagudpud, Batac, Vigan and Carmen among others.
The Laoag bypass linkingPaoay on the western part serves asdiversion road to long wheeler trucks without crossing the city proper. Another bypass road east of the city is under construction linkingBacarra andSan Nicolas towns will help decongest traffic upon completion.
As the provincial capital, Laoag is the center of social and economic activity with almost all major commercial and institutional establishments gravitating towards it. The importance ofeducation in socializing its population is shared by both the local government and the private sector, which has invested heavily in the development of the academic infrastructure.
The Schools Division Office of Laoag City governs all public and private schools within the municipality. There are three schools district offices which manage the operations of elementary and high schools, namely Laoag City Schools District I Office, Laoag City Schools District II Office, and Laoag City Schools District III Office.[28] Most of the lower-level schools are government-owned comprising a total of thirty-three elementary schools. Ten private elementary schools are also present including aChinese school. In addition, there are eight private and six public high schools, and significant rise of integrated schools.
The Rodolfo CG Fariñas Jr. National Science High School which is the second being established inIlocos Region under the Department of Science and Technology, located in Barangay Vira east of bypass road, has already opened since 2024 for Grades 7 and 8. The following are full list of secondary schools:
AM Stations
FM Stations
Also found in Laoag arevocational schools namely:
In order to provide continuing education to sustain the economic momentum of the region, the government has established tertiary public learning institutions in the city: the College of Teacher Education (CTE) and the College of Industrial Technology (CIT) of theMariano Marcos State University.
Other higher education institutions in the city:
Vigan,Ilocos SurOzamiz,Misamis OccidentalCaloocan,NCRDagupan,Pangasinan
Xiamen,ChinaChangsha,ChinaLaibin,ChinaHuangshan,China
Honolulu,HawaiiKauai,Hawaii
Places adjacent to Laoag | |
|---|---|
 Province ofIlocos Norte | |
|---|---|
Laoag (capital and largest city) | |
| Municipalities | |
| Component cities | |
| Barangays | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
