Bangar La Union

The town of Bangar got its name from the bangar tree which was growing abundantly in the place were the town now stands. The bangar tree which is more known because of the foul odor that emanates from its fruits had other valuable usage's. However, planks made from the dried tree were prized boars for the interior of houses. The fruits were soaked in oil and used as deep red dye for the hand-woven products. The "indios infiele" (this term was given to the people who were not yet Christianized) used the spacious shade of the tree in performing their superstitious cult.

Today, Bangar which is still now a fourth class municipality had grown into a rich agricultural town. Its principal crop is rice while Virginia tobacco comes next. However, farmers find planting corn, sugar cane, peanuts, sweet potatoes, eggplants, string beans, amplaya, squash and other vegetables quite lucrative and in-between the rice and Virginia tobacco season farmers crop-rotate these vegetables. Only recently, cotton planting was reintroduced and the farmers are happy to note that the soil is still good the new-found source of income.

Fishing occupies a greater time of the people from the coastal barangays of Bangar. "Ipon" which comes out from the month of August to April is caught abundantly along these coastal barangays. Bangus fry is also caught from March to the earlier part of July. Tuna fish locally known as "oriles" and codfish abound in the coastal waters of Bangar. The Amburayan river also teems with "purong" during the early part of the dry season.

Loom-weaving is the prime home industry of Bangar. The big bulk of orders for placemats, towels, draperies, curtains and blankets from allover the Philippines and even abroad speaks well of the quality of the Bangar woven products.

Incidentally, Bangar loom-weaving was entered in the livelihood Project Contest which was sponsored bye the KKK. After winning the Provincial and Regional First Prizes, it went on to win first prize in the National Contest which was held at the University of Life on November 8, 1986.