San Fernando, La Union
San Fernando, officially the City of San Fernando, is a component city and the capital of the province of La Union, Philippines. It serves as the regional and administrative center of the Ilocos Region. The city also functions as a hub for trade and commerce in northern Luzon and as a center for the culture and heritage of Ilocandia. According to the, it has a population of people with 77,490 registered voters as of 2025.
The City of San Fernando is a coastal city facing the South China Sea to the west and bordered by the Cordillera Central mountain range to the east. It consists of 59 barangays and has a total land area of 105.26 square kilometers. The city's majority ethnolinguistic group are the Ilocano people who speak Iloco language, as the city has historically been an Ilocano stronghold. It is one of two capital cities in the Philippines named San Fernando, the other being San Fernando, Pampanga.
As the regional center of the Ilocos Region, San Fernando hosts several regional and field offices of national government agencies, regional branches of government financial institutions, and various government-owned and controlled corporations. The city is also home to key educational and medical institutions, including the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, which serves as the primary public health and medical facility in the region.
Etymology
The name San Fernando traces its origins to its former designation, Pindangan, an Iloco term derived from pindang, meaning "to dry fish or meat with salt." Pindangan referred to a place where this process was carried out, signifying the area's early economic activities centered on fish and meat preservation.On May 6, 1786, the settlement was renamed San Fernando by Father Fernando Rey, in honor of Ferdinand III of Castile, also known as Saint Ferdinand III of León, a 13th-century king who reigned as King of Castile from 1217, King of León from 1230, and King of Galicia from 1231; he is celebrated for his successful Christian conquest of Seville during the Reconquista and was canonized for his piety, military leadership, and promotion of Christian unity.
History
Early history
The early history of the city can be traced back to its initial settlements by the Samtoy people and a small community of Pangasinan traders who inhabited the coastal shores and riverbanks. In the highland areas, the early inhabitants included the Cordillerans, particularly the Kankanaey people. These early communities were animist-pagan believers and were renowned for their farming, hunting and seafaring skills.According to historian William Henry Scott, the coastal area of the Ilocos region, including San Fernando City, served as a significant hub for gold trading with the Cordilleran people from the highlands. The settlers also engaged in trade with neighboring communities, such as the Pangasinan, Sambal and Tagalog peoples, as well as with foreign traders from Maritime Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. Japanese traders later established a trading port in Aroo, a northern section of Caboloan a pre-colonial polity in Pangasinan.
Commonly traded goods included gold, jewelry, earthen jars, silk, rice, cotton, beeswax, honey, wine, metals, and ceramics or porcelain.
Spanish Regime
In June 1572, Spanish conquistador Juan de Salcedo arrived in the area now known as San Fernando, following his successful pacification of native and Japanese settlers in Aroo or Agoho. Miguel de Loarca in 1582 describe the settlement as "el puerto de Japon" due to its significance as a Japanese trading post.Upon reaching San Fernando, he encountered the indigenous inhabitants and demanded tribute on behalf of the Spanish Crown. The locals requested time to gather the tribute from the mountains but never returned. Salcedo then continued his journey, sailing and exploring northward until he established Vigan as the administrative center of Spanish governance and influence in Northern Luzon. This development marked the beginning of efforts to convert the local population to Christianity.
By 1759, the early settlements of San Fernando consisted of two barrios established by Augustinians friars: San Guillermo de Dalangdang, situated at the foothills of the Cordillera mountains, and San Vicente de Balanac, a coastal village. San Guillermo often became a target of headhunting by the Igorots during the blooming of flowering trees, as such acts were believed to appease their deities.
Meanwhile, during the calm summer months, San Vicente de Balanac suffered raids by Tirongs and Moro pirates, who abducted women and children and left widespread destruction. In response to these relentless attacks, Father Jose Torres, an Augustinian friar, encouraged the remaining populations of San Guillermo de Dalangdang and San Vicente de Balanac to unite for their mutual protection.
In 1762, they established a new settlement called Pindangan, named after the Iloco term pindang, meaning "to dry fish or meat." The name "Pindangan" reflected the area's role as a site for fish-drying activities. A large church was constructed in the settlement, serving as its central landmark. However, the church was later destroyed by a devastating earthquake.
In 1764, Don Santiago Olarte was appointed as the first gobernadorcillo of Pindangan, a position equivalent to that of a modern-day mayor. Following the destruction of the original church by an earthquake, the Franciscans decided not to rebuild it in its original location. Instead, during the rainy season, they relocated the church to a more suitable site. This structure eventually became known as the Cathedral of St. William the Hermit, now part of the Diocese of San Fernando, La Union.
By 1785, During the administration of Governor-General José Basco in 1785, San Fernando along with its neighboring pueblos, was placed under the northern territorial jurisdiction of Pangasinan province as part of broader efforts to improve governance and economic productivity during the Spanish colonial period.
On May 6, 1786, Pindangan was officially renamed and established as the Ministerio de San Fernando by Father Fernando Rey, in honor of King Ferdinand of Spain. However, between 1792 and 1831, a shortage of priests led to San Fernando becoming a visita of the nearby towns of Bauang and San Juan. It was only in 1831 that Fr. Juan Sorolla, who had served as the parish priest of Bauang since 1829, was assigned to San Fernando, further cementing its religious and administrative significance.
San Fernando society during this period was divided into two classes: the babaknang and the cailianes. The babaknang or baknang referred to the wealthy and the local elite, often landowners and educated individuals, many of whom were part of the principalia or insulares who spoke Castilian. The cailianes, on the other hand, were the idios or the common folk, often landless or with limited resources, speaking Iloco, Kankanai, and Ibaloi. The Mestizos de Sangley or Chinos, tracing their ancestry to Chinese settlers, were also prevalent in the town. Ilocano served as the town's lingua franca.
By 1850, San Fernando had a population of 4,805, including a single ranchería called San Ramon, located in the mountainous areas of the town with 798 population. Don Bagulin served as the gobernadorcillo of San Ramon, which was primarily inhabited by the Vagos or Bago people—Christianized Igorots or Nuevo Cristianos of Kankanaey and Ibaloi descent.
San Fernando as the Cabecera
On October 29, 1849, Governor-General Narciso Zaldua Clavería issued a promovido that unified eight northern towns of Pangasinan including San Fernando, three southern towns of Ilocos Sur located south of the Amburayan River, and 40-45 rancherias of the Eastern País del Igorotes in the Cordilleras to form the province of La Union. Subsequently, on March 2, 1850, Governor-General Antonio María Blanco signed the Superior Decreto, officially establishing La Union and designating San Fernando as its capital, or cabecera. Captain Toribio Ruiz de la Escalera was appointed as the first Gobernador Militar y Político.The creation of La Union was officially ratified by a Royal Decree issued by Queen Isabella II of Spain on April 18, 1854. By the late 19th century, the migration of settlers from the Ilocos provinces resulted in San Fernando becoming predominantly inhabited by Ilocanos, alongside Ilocanized Pangasinenses and Bago people. By 1879 San Fernando population had become 10,604 since the formation of La Union province.
Philippine Revolution (1896-1898)
On September 10, 1896, shortly after the Cry of Pugad Lawin, a significant event unfolded in San Fernando when Spanish authorities uncovered a conspiracy against the colonial government. Leading the crackdown was Fray Rafael Redondo, the Vicar Forane of San Fernando, who acted swiftly against suspected revolutionaries. Among the first arrested was Dr. Lucino Almeida, a respected community figure targeted for his alleged involvement in the revolutionary movement, which had gained momentum following the events of Pugad Lawin and the increasing influence of the Katipunan, led by Andrés Bonifacio.On September 17, 1896, three native coadjutor priests from La Union, including Padre Mariano Gaerlan of San Fernando, were tortured for their alleged participation in a conspiracy against the Spanish colonial government, deepening the people's resentment toward Spanish rule.The revolution in San Fernando began on May 22, 1898, after the killing of a priest in Santo Tomas. San Fernando guerrillas stormed and burned houses and killed pro-Spanish sympathizers in the town. Women also became victims of brutal acts, with one storekeeper left mentally deranged.
The Philippine Revolution erupted in 1898, sparking a nationwide movement for independence. On July 22, 1898, Filipino insurgents, led by General Manuel Tinio, General Mauro Ortiz, and Major Joaquin Alejandrino, attacked the Spanish garrison in San Fernando with over 600 men. The Spanish, commanded by Colonel Jose Garcia Herrero, fortified key buildings and awaited reinforcements. Despite Tinio's attempts at peaceful negotiation, the Spanish forces refused to surrender. After several days of deadlock, Tinio launched an assault on July 31, resulting in a fierce battle that culminated in the Spaniards' surrender.
This event marked the signing of the Actas de Capitulaciones. San Fernando became the 13th of 29 towns and cities to witness the Spanish capitulation, with 400 soldiers, eight officers, and substantial military resources surrendering. After a century of Spanish colonization, San Fernando was finally liberated, and for the first time since its founding on March 2, 1850, a Filipino assumed authority over the Casa Real.