Narvacan

Narvacan
Municipality
Official seal of Narvacan Seal
{{#property:P242}} Map of Ilocos Sur showing the location of Narvacan
Narvacan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country	[[{{#property:P17}}]]
Region	Ilocos (Region I)
Province	[[{{#property:P131}}]]
District	2nd District
Barangays	34
Government
• Mayor	Zuriel S. Zaragoza
Area
• Total	122.21 km2 (47.19 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	42,803
• Density	350/km2 (910/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	{{#property:P281}}
Dialing code	{{#property:P473}}
Income class	2nd class

Narvacan is a second class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 42,803 people.

Barangays

Narvacan is politically subdivided into 34 barangays.

3

History

Narvacan was discovered by a Spanish expeditionary force sent from Vigan by the military officer and navigator, Captain Juan de Salcedo. The Spanish expeditionary force was shipwrecked along the town's coast. When they were being rescued by the natives, the Spaniards asked the natives what was the name of their place. The resident's leader replied in an Ilocano dialect by asking the Spaniards "Nalbakan?" (Are you shipwrecked?). The Spaniards thought this to be the answer to their question, and from then on the place was referred to as Narvacan.

Salcedo befriended the small tribe of indigenous valley peoples that resided in the area while Spanish families established a township in 1576. As part of the modern township, a Roman Catholic parish was established by the Augustinian religious order on 25 April 1587. The Narvacan parish would become one of the first Roman Catholic parishes in present-day Ilocos Sur.

Narvacan was organized under the traditions of the royal government of Spain. The Habsburg royal family served as the heads of state which in turn appointed Santiago de Vera as President of the Royal Audiencia – governor over the region in which Narvacan was situated. In 1589, Governor Vera appointed Nicolas de Figueroa as the first Encomendero de Narvacan – principal administrator of the town and its neighbors in the encomienda system. His role eventually evolved into the office of alcalde —

Demographics

Population census of Narvacan
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	35,153	—
1995	35,489	+0.18%
2000	38,435	+1.72%
2007	41,578	+1.09%
2010	42,803	+1.06%
Source: National Statistics Office

Its residents are largely Roman Catholic. A sizeable minority of Iglesia ni Cristo, Methodist Christians, and Jehovah's Witnesses are present. The local language is Ilocano.

Economy

Situated near the western coastline of the island of Luzon, Narvacan is located in a valley surrounded by mountains. A fertile region with a cool tropical climate, the principal crops of Narvacan are corn, cotton, indigo, rice, sugarcane and tobacco.

Education

The Narvacan School of Fisheries, a branch of the Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC), has been located in Sulvec since 1964. It is also the base of operations of the Philippine Army’s 503rd Infantry Brigade which oversees the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Units.

External links

• Municipality of Narvacan Homepage
• Pasyalang Ilocos Sur
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System