With the abundance of bamboo in the community whether at the upland, midland or coastal barangays, the people developed and learned the skills in utilizing the heaven-sent resource. Many farmers have engaged in the local cottage industry making furniture’s, beds, decorations, lamp shades during off-season.

The broom making industry is the alternative source of livelihood next to farming in this upland municipality, Tiger grass, the main raw material for brooms, grows abundantly in this town. For years, soft broom, produced from this upland municipality, is sold popularly in the City of Pines as a Baguio product. It can be that the kind of soil and just the right climate makes tiger grass adopt well only in the area. Towards the development of the industry, the LGU of Burgos has constructed a trading post in front of the Municipal Hall where the brightly colored soft brooms are traded.

Oyster Mushroom or pleurotus ostreatus is a common mushroom prized for its edibility. The Latin Pleurotus (sideways) refers to the sideways growth of the stem with respect to the cap while the Latin ostreatus (and the English common name, oyster) refers to the shape of the cap which resembles the bivalve of the same name. The municipality of Bacnotan invested in their Isang Bayan, Isang Produkto, Isang Milyon Fund to the Mushroom Industry. They selected the Oyster Mushroom over the Banana Mushroom for its high yield and marketability.

Milkfish or bangus is cultured in pen areas with over 400 fish pen operators engaged in the bangus industry. It is comparable to the Dagupan or Bonuan bangus as to its quality and palatability. Its abundance has helped locals to involve themselves to livelihood through bangus deboning and smoking.

A by-product of rice commonly called as “kankanen” in Iloko, “kakanin” in Tagalog or native cake is often used as merienda by Filipinos. It can be bought in the market or even from roaming vendors in the community. Balikbayans also love to bring these native cakes to their destined countries as pasalubong. Among these are bibingka, sumna, patupat, tinudok, butsi, binobodan, bilo-bilo, palitaw, buyos and the like.

Softbroom is manufactured from tiger grass that grows abundantly in the eastern part of the city. For years, soft brooms which are produced from five upland municipalities of La Union including three barangays of the city are sold popularly in Baguio. It can be that the kind of soil and just the right climate makes tiger grass adopt well only in such places. 40-50% of the total land area of barangays Nagyubuyuban, Pacpaco and Baraoas are planted with tiger grass.

CAPITAL: San Fernando City

• 273 kms. North of Manila
  
•  57 kms. Northwest of Baguio City
  

POLITICAL BOUNDARIES

• North : Ilocos Sur
  
• South : Pangasinan
  
• East : Benguet
  
• West : South China Sea
  

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SUBDIVISIONS

• Land Area : 1,493.09 sq.km.
  
• Terrain : Predominantly Hilly
  
• Climate : Wet and Dry Season
  
• Municipalities : 19
  
• City : 1
  
• Barangays : 576
  
• Congressional District : 2
  

DEMOGRAPHICS

• Population : 730,224 *
  
• Growth Rate : 1.27 %
  
• Population Density : 489 persons/sq.km.
  
• Households : 148,372 **
  
• Major Dialects/Languages : Ilocano, Filipino and English
  
• Religion : Predominantly Roman Catholic
  
• Literacy Rate : 96 %
  

EMPLOYMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCE

• Labor Force : 445,000
  
• Employment Rate : 95%
  
• Employment Distribution
  
  • : Agriculture : 53%
    
  • : Industry : 10%
    
  • : Services : 37%
    
• Poverty Incidence : 27.6% ***
  
• Classification : 1st Class Province
  
• Provincial Gov’t Revenue : P 572,356,791.45
  
• Number of Banks : 46 (Rural Banks, Government and Universal Banks- including branches)
  
• Number of Cooperatives : 889
  

AGRICULTURE/FOOD SUFFICIENCY

• Rice : 128%
  
• Fish : 100%
  
• Livestock : 127%
  
• Fruits : 163%
  
• Vegetables : 115%
  

BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS

• Trading : 51%
  
• Services : 42%
  
• Manufacturing : 7%
  

TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS

Softbrooms, baskets, hand-woven blankets (Inabel), pottery, rice wine (Tapuey), sugarcane wine (Basi),sugarcane vinegar, wood craft, bamboo craft, native rice cakes, antique-finish furniture and dried fish

INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES

• Road Network : 1,785.510 Kilometers ****
  
• Bridges : 453 bridges or 19,469.71 Lineal Meters ****
  
• Airport : 1 (Domestic)
  
• Seaport : 1 (International)
  
• Power : all barangays electrified
  
• Water : 94% households with potable water; 5 water districts
  
• Telecommunication : 100% postal and telegraph coverage; 22,132 telephone connections
  

SOCIAL SERVICES

Number of Hospitals /clinics : 21 (Government and Private)

Number of Schools

• : 402 (Public)
• : 124 (Private)

Source of Data: Provincial Planning and Development Office

POLITICAL BOUNDARIES
North            : Municipality of Aringay
South            : Municipalities of Rosario and Sto. Tomas
East            : Municipality of Pugo
West            : Municipality of Agoo

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SUBDIVISIONS
Land Area            : 60.31sq. km.
Climate            : Wet and Dry Season
Number of Barangays    : 18

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population        : 26,635 *
Growth Rate        : 0.88%
Population Density        : 442 persons/sq.km.
Households        : 4,847 **
Major Dialects/Languages    : Ilocano, Filipino and English
Religion            : Predominantly Roman Catholic
Literacy Rate        : 87%

EMPLOYMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
Labor Force        : 6,997
Labor Force Participation Rate    : 55%
Employment Rate        : 56%
Poverty Incidence        : 37.22%***
Classification        : 4th Class Municipality
Average Annual LGU Income    : P 35,714,778.91
Number of Banks        : 1 (Rural Bank)
Number of Cooperatives    : 35

AGRICULTURE/FOOD SUFFICIENCY
Rice            : 153%
Fish            :    6%
Livestock            :  76%
Fruits            :   40%
Vegetables        : 136%

BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS
Trading            : 68%
Services            : 32%
Manufacturing        : -

INDUSTRIES: Farming, processed food

RESOURCES:  Ube, corn

TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS: Rice, corn, tobacco, vegetables, livestock, root crops

INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES
Road Network        : 53.15 Kilometers ****
Bridges            : 17 bridges or 338.58 Lineal Meters ****
Power            : all barangays electrified
Water            : 100% households with potable water
Telecommunication        : 100% postal and telegraph coverage; 212 telephone connections

SOCIAL SERVICES
Number of Hospitals    /Clinics    : -
Number of Schools        : 20(Public)
            : 2 (Private)
            
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: Town Plaza, St. Isidore Church

TOWN FIESTA: May 11 - 15

PATRONAL FIESTA:  May 14 (St. Isidore)

___________
Note: *    - PPDO Projection    **** - National, Provincial, Municipal and Barangay
         **    - PPDO Projection
         ***    - NSCB

Source of Data: Provincial Planning and Development Office