From A Simple Municipality To A Thriving City

 Have you ever been in the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia? The historic town of Vigan City, located in Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital city of Ilcoos Sur. In fact, Vigan City is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New7Wonders Cities.

The state of Vigan then was far from Vigan now. Up until 1999, before Vigan became a city, it was just a third-class town, and its popularity almost faded and disappeared. Despite Vigan's historic charm, it wasn't as popular and developed as it is now. One reason why it was not popular was that it was not easy to travel to Vigan. The roads in Vigan were not as developed as they are today. There were fewer paved roads. Second, Vigan lacked the resources to promote itself as a tourist destination. While it had many historic sites, such as Spanish-era buildings and churches, the town did not have the facilities or government support to preserve these sites or advertise them to a broader audience. As a result, it remained largely unknown to many Filipinos and foreign visitors; people outside the region didn’t know much about it. At that time, Vigan did not receive much attention, and many people didn’t realize its potential as a cultural and historical destination.

However, the conversion of the Municipality of Vigan in the Province of Ilocos Sur into a city on December 28, 2000 through Republic Act No. 8988, otherwise known as “An  Act Validating and Recognizing the Creation of the City of Vigan" strengthened its historical significance. This law officially recognized Vigan's status as a city, further highlighting its cultural heritage and historical importance. Vigan became popular and even garnered the recognition  as one of the New Seven Wonder Cities of the modern world in 2015. From then Vigan received more attention from the national government, gained access to more resources, including funding for infrastructure and public services. So they began to develop Vigan's roads, transportation systems, and tourist facilities.  With better accessibility, more tourists began to discover Vigan’s historical beauty. The local government officials of Vigan also took more steps to improve the City of Vigan, such as Mayor Eva Marie Singson-Medina. Under Mayor Eva Marie Singson-Medina in the early 2000s, Vigan expanded tourism beyond Calle Crisologo by promoting industries like loom weaving, jar-making, and terracotta crafting, accessible by horse-drawn carriages. She also initiated the Vigan Conservation Complex, which includes museums, a school for restorers, and a research center. The city developed streets parallel to Calle Crisologo to reduce congestion and strengthened heritage conservation through the Vigan Conservation Council. Vigan also earned recognition as a child-friendly city for three consecutive years from 2009 to 2011. It was only when Vigan started to develop more infrastructure and gained recognition for its preserved Spanish architecture that it began to attract more visitors

The transformation of Vigan from a municipality to a city has changed the journey of Vigan. From a municipality with a simple community to a city with remarkable historic beauty.

REFERENCE/S

Cabillen, J. (2024, July 17). Top 13 Vigan City Tourist Spots: Historic UNESCO World Heritage site. Guide to the Philippines. https://guidetothephilippines.ph/articles/what-to-experience/vigan-ilocos-tourist-spots

DepEd Vigan City. (n.d.)Our History | https://depedvigancity.com/index.php/our-history/#:~:text=8988%2C%20otherwise%20known%20as%20%E2%80%9CAn,plebiscite%20conducted%20in%20Ilocos%20Sur.

Flores, J., Dela Cruz, M.(n.d) VIGAN: a THRIVING HERITAGE CITY. League. https://www.league.ph/items-8/vigan%3A-a-thriving-heritage-city

Patrick. (2024, April 25). Vigan City Visitors Guide. Discover the Philippines. https://www.discoverthephilippines.com/vigan-city-visitors-guide/

Walker, J. E. (2021, May 14). Travel & food stories. Travel & Food Stories. https://travelandfoodworld.wordpress.com/