Carabaos are a genetically distinct population of swamp-type water buffaloes from the Philippines. They descended from domesticated swamp buffalo populations from Taiwan that were introduced to the Philippines in the Neolithic via the Austronesian expansion. They were also further introduced to Sulawesi and Borneo of eastern Indonesia and Malaysia.
Ilocos Sur, officially the Province of Ilocos Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital of Vigan while Candon is the most-populous city. Ilocos Sur is bordered by Ilocos Norte and Abra to the north, Mountain Province to the east, La Union and Benguet to the south and the South China Sea to the west.
La Union, officially the Province of La Union, is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in the island of Luzon. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, which is the most populous in the province and also the regional center of the Ilocos Region.
The culture of the Philippines is characterized by cultural and ethnic diversity. Although the multiple ethnic groups of the Philippine archipelago have only recently established a shared Filipino national identity, their cultures were all shaped by the geography and history of the region, and by centuries of interaction with neighboring cultures, and colonial powers. In more recent times, Filipino culture has also been influenced through its participation in the global community.
Vigan, officially the City of Vigan, is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,935 people.
A kalesa, is a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage used in the Philippines. It is commonly vividly painted and decorated. It was the primary mode of public and private transport in the Philippines during the Spanish and the American colonial period. Their use declined with the increasing use of motorized vehicles in the 20th century, until the kalesas stopped being viable in the 1980s. In modern times, they largely only survive as tourist attractions, such as in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
San Nicolas, officially the Municipality of San Nicolas, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 38,895 people.
Caoayan, officially the Municipality of Caoayan, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 19,574 people.
Dagupan, officially the City of Dagupan, is a 1st class independent component city in the Ilocos Region, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 174,302 people.
The Ilocanos, Ilokanos, or Iloko people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. They mostly reside within the Ilocos Region, in the northwestern seaboard of Luzon, Philippines. The native language of the Ilocano people is the Ilocano language.
Tourism is an important sector for the Philippine economy. The travel and tourism industry contributed 8.6% to the country's GDP in 2023; this was lower than the 12.7% recorded in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Coastal tourism, encompassing beach and diving activities, constitutes 25% of the Philippines' tourism revenue, serving as its primary income source in the sector. Popular destinations among tourists include Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Siargao. While the Philippines has encountered political and social challenges that have affected its tourism industry, the country has also taken steps to address these issues. Over the past years, there have been efforts to improve political stability, enhance security measures, and promote social inclusivity, all of which contribute to creating a more favorable environment for tourism, such as the Boracay rehabilitation.
The Philippine Independence Day Parade or Philippine Day Parade in New York City, the world's largest outside Manila, takes place annually in the United States along Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The parade is held on the first Sunday in June. Its main purpose is to create awareness of Philippine culture and to raise funds for charity projects in the Philippines and the United States. The Philippine Independence Day Parade is increasingly being attended by both American politicians and Filipino celelebrities as well as diplomatic officials who are keenly aware of the significant and increasing political and economic power exerted by the Filipino diaspora in New York and neighboring New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
The arts in the Philippines reflect a range of artistic influences on the country's culture, including indigenous art. Philippine art consists of two branches: traditional and non-traditional art. Each branch is divided into categories and subcategories.
Partas Transportation Co., Inc. is a bus transportation company in the Philippines. It operates a 24/7 service for passengers and freight between Metro Manila and northern Luzon, with services also running to the Cordilleras in Baguio, Bangued in Abra, and also to the south Occidental Mindoro. Partas also offers chartered service for tour groups.
The Panagbenga Festival, also called the Baguio Flower Festival, is a month-long annual flower occasion in Baguio, Philippines. The festival, held in February, was created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise from devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake. The festival includes floats that are covered mostly with flowers. The festival also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes, that is inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordilleras.
The Palarong Pambansa is an annual multi-sport event involving student-athletes from 17 regions of the Philippines. The event, started in 1948, is organized and governed by the Department of Education.
The Museo de Iloko,, is a heritage building and museum located in Agoo, La Union, Philippines, known for its collection of "artifacts and other pieces of cultural importance to the Ilocanos", and for being one of few surviving examples of American Colonial Era architecture in the Ilocos Region.
Inabel, sometimes referred to as Abel Iloco or simply Abel, is a weaving tradition native to the Ilocano people of Northern Luzon in the Philippines. The textile it produces is sought after in the fashion and interior design industries due to its softness, durability, suitability in tropical climates, and for its austere design patterns.
On July 27, 2022, at 8:43:24 a.m. (PHT), an earthquake struck the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.0 Mw , with an epicenter in Abra province. Eleven people were reported dead and 615 were injured. At least 35,798 homes, schools and other buildings were damaged or destroyed, resulting in ₱1.88 billion (US$34 million) worth of damage.
