San Juan Ilocos Sur Philippines

History of San Juan

The name of the Municipality of San Juan, Ilocos Sur has gone through a series of changes. The early settlers and occupants called it "Lapo", short for "Lapo-Lapo", a tall grass which grew everywhere in the area. In the year 1772, Don Tomas Aquino, the first local leader, initiated the organization of the scattered communities into one, calling the place "Lapog", a derivative of local vernacular "Lap-Lapog" which means unirrigated land. For 189 years, "Lapog" remained in the records as the official name of the town until it was changed to San Juan. Since most of fue inhabitants were of the belief that religious names bring peace, happiness, and prosperity, the town was renamed "San Juan", after the name of its patron saint, Saint John the Baptist.

On June 18, 1961, Republic Act No.3386 was enacted affirming the township of "Lapog" and officially proclaiming it as Municipality under the present political set-up.

Historical Events of San Juan

Many important events took place in this town from the time of Spanish Regime to the present. Among these events were the foundation of the Municipality in 1712. The Ambaristo in 1807; the small pox epidemic that claimed many lives in 1908; the cutting through a hill to make way for the construction of a road in south of the town called Bessang in 1874; the building of the Municipal Hall by the Americans in 1900; plaque of locust that destroyed crops in May, June and July in 1903; the plaque of wonns (arabas) that again destroyed crops in 1905; the recurrence of the small pox epidemic that claim lives of 80% of the younger generation in 1918 to 1919 and the beginning of the Virginia tobacco boom in 1955 to the present.

Whether good or bad omen, in the year 1910, Comet Haley, the largest comet ever, appeared in the town of San Juan. The surrender of revolutionary leaders to the Americans in 1901, the leading of the Japanese Imperial Forces on December 10,1914; the establishment of Japanese Puppet government from 1942 to 1944;the burning and bombing of the town on the day of liberation and the proclamation of the American Military Government in 1945.