Luna, La Union

Luna Namacpacan
Municipality
Municipality of Luna
Luna town center overlooking the Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church
Flag Seal
Map of La Union with Luna highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Luna Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°51′N120°23′E / 16.85°N 120.38°E / 16.85; 120.38
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos Region
Province	La Union
District	1st district
Named for	Juan Luna Antonio Luna
Barangays	40 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  mayor of Luna [*]	Rachel N. Pinzon
•  Vice Mayor	Oscar B. Reyes
•  Representative	Pablo C. Ortega
•  Municipal Council	Members Imee V. Villa Alex A. Nuval Teofilo A. Nievera Jr. Madonna A. Nera Delfin G. Canaoay II Robert Jeffrey N. Nobleza Albino N. Reyes Sr. Richard N. Flores
•  Electorate	25,135 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	42.90 km2 (16.56 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Highest elevation	169 m (554 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	37,318
• Density	870/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
•  Households	9,756
Economy
•  Income class	3rd municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	8.73 % (2021) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 127.2 million (2020)
•  Assets	₱ 243.8 million (2020)
•  Expenditure	₱ 147.4 million (2020)
•  Liabilities	₱ 36.95 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	La Union Electric Cooperative (LUELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2518
PSGC	013310000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)72
Native languages	Ilocano Tagalog
Website	www.luna.gov.ph

Luna, officially the Municipality of Luna (Ilocano : Ili ti Luna; Filipino : Bayan ng Luna), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 37,318 people. ^[3]

Luna is 34 kilometres (21 mi) from San Fernando and 303 kilometres (188 mi) from Manila.

Etymology

The town got its name in order of the Luna brothers: Antonio Luna and Juan Luna.

History

Luna was once called Namacpacan, which is an Ilocano word meaning "one who feeds".

As early as 1587, Namacpacan was recorded as a visita (satellite mission, whose church is manned by non-resident clergy based in the cabecera) of Purao (now Balaoan). It was a settlement along the camino real (national road) from Vigan to Manila, and travelers stopped there to refresh themselves. Since restaurants were not yet in vogue, local families offered the travelers food and lodging, hence the name.

On 18 October 1906, during the terms of Governor Joaquin Luna and Mayor Primitivo Resurrección Novicio, the town was renamed "Luna" through Philippine Commission Act No. 1543. It was the first town that altered its name since the creation of the province in 1850. The change was to honor the famous Luna brothers: Revolutionary General Antonio and Spoliarium painter Juan; their mother, Doña Laureana Novicio Luna, was a native of Namacpacan.

Geography

Barangays

Luna is politically subdivided into 40 barangays.  ^[5] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Alcala (poblacion)
• Ayaoan
• Barangobong
• Barrientos
• Bungro
• Busel-Busel
• Cabalitocan
• Cantoria No. 1
• Cantoria No. 2
• Cantoria No. 3
• Cantoria No. 4
• Carisquis
• Darigayos
• Magallanes (poblacion)
• Magsiping
• Mamay
• Nagrebcan
• Nalvo Norte
• Nalvo Sur
• Napaset
• Oaqui No. 1
• Oaqui No. 2
• Oaqui No. 3
• Oaqui No. 4
• Pila
• Pitpitac
• Rimos No. 1
• Rimos No. 2
• Rimos No. 3
• Rimos No. 4
• Rimos No. 5
• Rissing
• Salcedo (poblacion)
• Santo Domingo Norte
• Santo Domingo Sur
• Sucoc Norte
• Sucoc Sur
• Suyo
• Tallaoen
• Victoria (poblacion)

Climate

Climate data for Luna, La Union
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30 (86)	31 (88)	33 (91)	34 (93)	32 (90)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	20 (68)	21 (70)	23 (73)	25 (77)	26 (79)	26 (79)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	23 (73)	22 (72)	21 (70)	24 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	27 (1.1)	31 (1.2)	40 (1.6)	71 (2.8)	207 (8.1)	237 (9.3)	286 (11.3)	261 (10.3)	261 (10.3)	254 (10.0)	88 (3.5)	46 (1.8)	1,809 (71.3)
Average rainy days	9.4	9.3	12.7	17.0	25.4	26.8	27.4	26.1	25.0	21.0	15.5	10.6	226.2
Source: Meteoblue [6]

Demographics

Population census of Luna

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	11,116	—
1918	13,542	+1.32%
1939	14,624	+0.37%
1948	17,258	+1.86%
1960	18,595	+0.62%
1970	22,767	+2.04%
1975	24,065	+1.12%
1980	25,081	+0.83%
1990	28,308	+1.22%
1995	29,974	+1.08%
2000	32,259	+1.59%
2007	35,372	+1.28%
2010	35,380	+0.01%
2015	35,802	+0.23%
2020	37,318	+0.82%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [7] [8] [9] [10]

In the 2020 census, the population of Luna, La Union, was 37,318 people, ^[3] with a density of 870 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,300 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Luna

5 10 15 20 25 30 2006 23.50 2009 24.72 2012 12.07 2015 5.95 2018 3.25 2021 8.73 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Luna, belonging to the first congressional district of the province of La Union, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022) ^[19]

Position	Name
Congressman	Pablo C. Ortega
Mayor	Gary N. Pinzon
Vice-Mayor	Romeo L. Resurreccion
Councilors	Decson C. Galvez
	Imee V. Villa
	Zaldy Ramirez
	Beverly M. Kim
	Albino N. Reyes Sr.
	Robert Jeffrey N. Nobleza
	Alex A. Nuval
	Richard N. Flores

Tourist attractions

Baluarte, an old Spanish watch tower

Luna is also known for its pebble beaches, particularly in Nalvo Sur and Darigayos. Beach shades, cottages and resorts are found in these barangays. The municipality is also known for its native delicacies and pottery products which are comparable to San Juan's.

The town is a pilgrimage site as it enshrines the Apo Baket Namacpacan, a wooden Marian image.

On the beach of barangay Victoria rests the ruins of an old Spanish watchtower, locally named as Balauarte. The tower was intended to guard the shores of the town primarily from Muslim and pirate attacks during the Spanish period. During World War II, the tower served as the communication tower post for a temporary airfield for the USAFIP-NL forces. Due to years of quarrying within the site of the tower (1980 to 2000), the coastline receded and sea waves severely damaged the foundation of the tower, which eventually caused major damage to its structure. At present, efforts were initiated to preserve the tower from further damage.

Education

Luna has Public Elementary schools in each barangay except Barangobong. There are 6 public high schools (Luna National Science High School - Central in Barangay Barrientos, LNHS - Rimos and Cantoria Annex; and Oanari National High School) Bungro-Sucoc Integrated School in Bungro, Luna Technical Vocational High School and 1 Private High School (Santa Catalina Academy).

Gallery

• 
  Municipal hall
• 
  Police station
• 
  Town center
• 
  Luna Sports Center
• 
  Street view

References

1.   Municipality of Luna | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. Census of Population (2020). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. "Province: La Union". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 12 November 2016.
6. "Luna: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
7. Census of Population (2015). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
8. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region I (Ilocos Region)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
9. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
10. "Province of La Union". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
11. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
12. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
13. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
14. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
15. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
16. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
17. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
18. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
19. "2019 National and Local Elections" (PDF). Commission on Elections. Retrieved March 5, 2022.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System