Badoc
About the Seal
Shield, derived from the seal of Ilocos Norte
Bust Picture of Juan Luna, the famous Filipino-patriot-diplomat who was born in Badoc, Ilocos Norte
Garlic and Virginia, the principal cash crops of Badoc and one of the principal cash crops of Badoc and one of the principal sources of income of the famers
White background, signifies purity and sincerity
Blue Lettering, loyalty to the aspirations of the people
Brief History
Badoc is bounded on the south by the Province of Ilocos Sur; on the north by the town of Pinili; on the west by the Luzon Sea; and on the east by the Municipality of Nueva Era. The town got its name from badok-badok (phleum-pratense), a plant which abounds in the locality, It has land are of 66.41 square kilometers, with a population of 26,737 in 1995.
The town’s first settlers were people belonging to a tribe known officially as Tingguian but whom the Ilocanos commonly called Itneg. The Spaniards first explored the area in 1572 when Juan de Salcedo made an expedition to the north. He came back in 1574 to formally organize the government of Ilocos. He made Badoc an encomienda of Juan de la Pena. Badoc became an independent parish in 1714.
The zealous Augustinians taught the natives advanced agriculture like the cultivation of sugar cane, cotton, corn, rice and indigo. The cultivation of indigo became a lucrative business not only in Badoc but also to the rest of the Ilocos in the late 18th and the first half of the 19th century.
During the Philippine Revolution of 1898, Badoc was occupied by the revolutionary forces of General Manuel Tinio. When the war shifted against the Americans, the town and the surrounding areas of Batac and Paoay became the fields of operation of the guerillas of Gregorio Aglipay.
When Gregorio Aglipay established the Philippine Independent Church, Badoc became one of the centers of the newly established religious sect. But while Aglipayanism had taken a great stride in Badoc, the town, however, remained a great mecca of Catholicism in the north. Today, the church of Badoc, an imposing structure of bricks and stones houses the Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc, the patroness of the province.
Another object of interest in Badoc is the Juan Luna National Shrine, a two-story edifice which houses the memorabilia of the Filipino genius of the canvass and the creator of internationally-acclaimed masterpieces, whose family – the Lunas were natives of Badoc.
Badoc today remains an agricultural town but continues on its march towards progress. Farming, fishing, salt-making and cottage industries like the weaving of cotton cloth and the making of basi wine are the major sources of income of the people, the majority of which own the lands they cultivate. An irrigation system serves over 500 hectares of agricultural lands producing primary crops like tobacco, garlic and onions.
