Santiago, Ilocos Sur

As soon as the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, Spain sent missionaries to proselytize Christianity, one of their purposes for colonization. Christianity then spread throughout the Philippines. The Spaniards established settlements called pueblos and divided these into sitios for easier proselytization and evangelization. From then on, tribunals were built for the Spanish government, and churches and convents were constructed for the missionaries to live.

In June 1578, Spain started the Moro Wars in Jolo. This aggressive act marked the beginning of a long, bloody conflict between Spaniards and the Moros in the Philippines. In 1602, Spain sent punitive expeditions to Zamboanga, Cotabato, and other places to curb the rising tide of Moro depredations. Numerous watchtowers were built along the seacoasts from Mindanao to Luzon. Armed galleys and frigates patrolled the sea-lanes. The Moros stopped the raids for a while.^{[citation needed]}

The Moros renewed their piratical forays. In 1717, they swept the Visayan Islands and attacked Aparri and Northern Luzon. According to an old resident, Moro pirates entered the pueblo known today as Santiago prior to their return to Jolo. Guards in the watchtowers sounded their trumpets warning all the people of the pueblo of the arrival of the pirates. The church bells also rang alarming the people that pirates were fast approaching the shore. The people rushed and got their available arms like bolos, bows and arrows and fought the pirates boldly. Sporadic battles ensued for hours.

As the battle went on, the missionaries brought forth an image of St. James the Greater which they bought with them from Spain, and held it high to face the seashore - praying the rosary fervently for the safety and victory of his Christian followers, The Moros retreated and fled southward in their kumpits leaving behind their dead. After the battle, a solemn mass was held in the church. The missionaries told the people that due to the great intercession and miraculous protection of the image of St. James the Greater from the Moro Pirates, this pueblo was saved and in his honor, this town was named Santiago (Spanish for Saint James).^{[citation needed]}

Santiago is situated 48.20 kilometres (29.95 mi) from the provincial capital Vigan, and 355.92 kilometres (221.16 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

In the 2024 census, Santiago had a population of 19,771 people.^[14] The population density was 430 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,100/sq mi).

Poverty incidence of Santiago

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]}

Santiago is the headquarters of the Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative (ISECO), which distributes electricity to the entire province.

The Santiago Schools District Office governs all public and private education system within the municipality.^[24] The Schools District Office (SDO) oversees the operations of private and public elementary and high schools.

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  A field of tobacco growing in Baybayabas
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  A man fishing just offshore near Gabao Beach.
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  A beach in Ambucao