San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte

San Nicolas (Ilocano: Ili ti San Nicolas; Filipino: Bayan ng San Nicolas), officially the Municipality of San Nicolas, is a municipality in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 38,895 people.^[5]

San Nicolas
Municipality
Municipality of San Nicolas
San Nicolas Church
Flag Seal
Map of Ilocos Norte with San Nicolas highlighted
OpenStreetMap
San Nicolas Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 18°10′23″N 120°35′38″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos Region
Province	Ilocos Norte
District	2nd district
Founded	1584
Named after	St. Nicholas of Tolentino
Barangays	24 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Ed Mar Vincent L. Bonoan
• Vice Mayor	Napoleon L. Hernando
• Representative	Eugenio Angelo M. Barba
• Municipal Council	Members Efren C. Butay Moera Joy N. Galing-Luna Erico R. Ruiz, Jr. Cesar R. Agustin Luciano R. Caraang Juanito P. Ulep, Jr. Chona P. Hernandez Norberto S. Dadiz, Jr. Pete B. Duldulao (ABC President) Aaron Dean R. Valenzuela (SK President)
• Electorate	26,471 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	40.18 km2 (15.51 sq mi)
Elevation	22 m (72 ft)
Highest elevation	137 m (449 ft)
Lowest elevation	1 m (3 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	39,116
• Density	970/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
• Households	9,404
Economy
• Income class	2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	4.15 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 326.5 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 1,142 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 251.9 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 190.7 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2901
PSGC	0102820000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)77
Native languages	Ilocano Tagalog
Website	www.sannicolasilocosnorte.gov.ph

Etymology

San Nicolas is the only town in Ilocos Norte that is named after a saint - St. Nicholas of Tolentino. Since 1733, it is believed that he has protected the people against floods, earthquakes, fires, typhoons, and other calamities.

History

Like any other town in the then singular province of Ilocos, San Nicolas was established by Augustinian missionaries. Vigan, the first Spanish mission center in this region, was founded in 1572. In the year 1575, when the Spaniards first explored the Laoag (Padsan) River, they met hostile resistance from the natives of San Nicolas and Laoag. In another expedition dispatched from Vigan in 1584 San Nicolas was established and Laoag followed a year later.

San Nicolas Catholic Church built in 1701 is one of the oldest buildings in this province. Its original structure is one of the must see places of the town. The Church and the attached Santa Rosa Academy Building, the well preserved Municipal Hall and the old Town Plaza sprawled between them constitute the heart of the town center. These buildings and structures are originally built and continue to be festooned with earthen bricks, which is among the products of the surviving locals.

Geography

San Nicolas is situated 3.06 kilometres (1.90 mi) from the provincial capital Laoag, and 479.98 kilometres (298.25 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

San Nicolas is politically subdivided into 24 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

There are 13 barangays that are considered urban (highlighted in bold). In parentheses are respective local names.

• San Agustin
• San Baltazar
• San Bartolome
• San Cayetano
• San Eugenio
• San Fernando
• San Francisco
• San Gregorio
• San Guillermo (Catuguing)
• San Ildefonso
• San Jose
• San Juan Bautista
• San Lorenzo
• San Lucas
• San Marcos (Payas)
• San Miguel
• San Pablo
• San Paulo
• San Pedro (Bingao)
• San Rufino
• San Silvestre
• Santa Asuncion (Samac)
• Santa Cecilia (Barabar)
• Santa Monica (Nagrebcan)

Climate

Climate data for San Nicolas
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30.0 (86.0)	30.8 (87.4)	32.0 (89.6)	33.4 (92.1)	33.8 (92.8)	32.5 (90.5)	31.8 (89.2)	31.0 (87.8)	31.3 (88.3)	31.9 (89.4)	31.2 (88.2)	30.5 (86.9)	31.7 (89.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	24.4 (75.9)	25.0 (77.0)	26.5 (79.7)	28.2 (82.8)	29.1 (84.4)	28.4 (83.1)	27.8 (82.0)	27.4 (81.3)	27.5 (81.5)	27.4 (81.3)	26.5 (79.7)	25.4 (77.7)	27.0 (80.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	18.8 (65.8)	19.2 (66.6)	20.9 (69.6)	23.1 (73.6)	24.4 (75.9)	24.3 (75.7)	24.0 (75.2)	23.9 (75.0)	23.6 (74.5)	22.9 (73.2)	21.9 (71.4)	20.2 (68.4)	22.3 (72.1)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	11.8 (0.46)	1.1 (0.04)	2.5 (0.10)	19.8 (0.78)	125.1 (4.93)	376.8 (14.83)	386.4 (15.21)	547.3 (21.55)	324.1 (12.76)	86.1 (3.39)	45.1 (1.78)	10.2 (0.40)	1,936.3 (76.23)
Average rainy days	1	1	1	2	8	15	17	20	15	8	5	2	95
Source: PAG-ASA[6]

San Nicolas has a tropical savanna climate with warm to hot temperatures year round. Temperatures dips sightly during the winter months between December and February.

Demographics

Population census of San Nicolas

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 10,880 —     1918 12,244 +0.79% 1939 13,958 +0.63% 1948 15,567 +1.22% 1960 17,721 +1.09% 1970 20,182 +1.31% 1975 22,175 +1.91% 1980 23,384 +1.07%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 27,632 +1.68% 1995 29,083 +0.96% 2000 31,688 +1.86% 2007 33,642 +0.83% 2010 34,237 +0.64% 2015 36,736 +1.35% 2020 38,895 +1.21% 2024 39,116 +0.14%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[7][8][9][10][11]

In the 2020 census, the population of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, was 38,895 people,^[12] with a density of 970 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,500 inhabitants per square mile.

Religion

Christianity is the predominant religion in the Philippines and is likewise the same in San Nicolas. Among the Christian denominations, the Catholic and Philippine Independent Churches make up the majority. Other Christian denominations represented in the town include Baptists, Pentecostals, Mormons, Charismatics and Jehovah's Witnesses, Church of God World Missions Phil. Inc. Below are the religious buildings situated in San Nicolas:

• Calvary Baptist Church (Barangay 14)
• Everlasting Baptist Church (Barangay 15)
• Solid Rock Baptist Church (Barangay 20)
• Free Gospel Church (Barangay 2)
• Victory Church (Barangay 3)
• Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses (Barangay 2)

Saint Nicholas de Tolentino Parish Church

• Saint Nicholas de Tolentino Parish Church (Barangay 3)
• Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Barangay 3)
• Church of Jesus Latter-Day Saints (Barangay 2)
• Church of Jesus Latter-Day Saints (Barangay 21)
• Iglesia ni Cristo (Barangay 1)
• Jesus is Lord (Barangay 12)
• Church of God World Missions of the Philippine Inc. (Barangay16 & 17)
• Seventh-day Adventist Church (Barangay 19 San Lorenzo - Tamurong)

Economy

Poverty incidence of San Nicolas

5 10 15 20 25 30 2000 16.23 2003 20.17 2006 7.30 2009 12.26 2012 6.22 2015 7.66 2018 2.91 2021 4.15 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Pottery-making is the main trademark of San Nicolas. It was introduced by the Spaniards mainly in Barangay 8, and they called it Alfareria, meaning "Art of Pottery". Other traditional crafts include the making of Tagapulot, Lapida, Chicharon and Longganisa. The town also has large ricefields.

San Nicolas also has a number of car stores and shops. Robinsons Ilocos, the largest mall in the province is located in the town center.

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

San Nicolas, belonging to the second congressional district of the province of Ilocos Norte, 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

Local Government Officials
(2025–2028)^[21]

Position	Name
Congressman	Eugenio Angelo M. Barba
Mayor	Ed Mar Vincent L. Bonoan
Vice-Mayor	Napoleon L. Hernando
Sangguniang Bayan Members	Efren C. Butay
	Moera Joy N. Galing-Luna
	Erico R. Ruiz, Jr.
	Cesar R. Agustin
	Luciano R. Caraang
	Juanito P. Ulep, Jr.
	Chona P. Hernandez
	Norberto S. Dadiz, Jr.
	Pete B. Duldulao (ABC President)
	Aaron Dean R. Valenzuela (SK President)

Municipal seal

• Shield, derived from the Provincial Seal of Ilocos Norte
• Gear, symbolizes the systematic livelihood of the people of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte
• Tong and Hammer, represents the blacksmithing and labor
• Jar, signifies the pottery industry which dates back to the Spanish time
• Hide, denotes tannoing and leather craft
• Water, represents the irrigation system that produces two croppings a year
• Carabao Head, the common work-animal; friend of the farmer; symbolizes agriculture

Tourism

Balay San Nicolas

San Nicolas is a place of historic buildings. Examples are San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church and San Nicolas Municipal Hall.

• Damili Festival- A festival annually celebrated at the last week of December to showcase the tradition of San Nicolenos. And the highlights of the festival is the Damili Street Dance and Showdown Competition usually held every December 28.
• Valdez Center-The biggest project of Venvi Group of Companies. Robinsons Mall, 365 Plaza, Freddo, Balai Condominium, and McDonald's San Nicolas, Venvi IT Park (Accenture, a BPO Company), VYV San Nicolas (EGS, a BPO Company) are situated here. More infrastructure is seen to rise in this place. This area is the business district of San Nicolas and is also an emerging business center in Ilocos Norte.
• Robinsons Ilocos - the first full-service and currently the largest mall in the province. It was opened on December 3, 2009. It contributes to the town's revenues and to the province as well. The mall has undergone expansion to cater the growing market of the province.
• Northwestern University Ecotourism Park and Botanical Gardens-A member of the Botanic Garden Conservation International (BGCI), which caters to the conservation of important indigenous plant species of the province which are now on the verge of extinction.
• St. Nicholas de Tolentino Parish Church
• San Nicolas Town Plaza
• Buabo-Buabo
• Valdes Residencia
• Valdez-Lardizabal House - used in World War II as a Headquarters of the Japanese Army and also used in the American Regime.
• San Nicolas Municipal Hall
• Tey Balay ti Tao - used as the main storage house of the people that lived there and as evacuation area for the people

Healthcare

• The Black Nazarene Hospital, Inc - located in Barangay 2
• Municipal Health Center - located in Barangay 3
• Gertes Hospital - located in Barangay 15
• Mamaclay Clinic - located in Barangay 7

Sports

Basketball is widely played in the town. Every year, there is a competition in basketball sponsored by the local government. As the countries' National Game, Sepak Takraw is also played. Volleyball, baseball, softball and badminton are also played mainly in schools.

Events

Damili Festival

• San Nicolas, the home of the famous "damili," a product of a rare soil given by God.This is a lively song 'Agdamdamili' at the same time a graceful occupational dance that was adopted into the town fiesta which falls in December. This is the highlight of the festivities for which the 24 barangays of the town prepared a month before. The colorful costumes, the gracefulness of the dancers, and the different intricacies of making damili give life to the contest.
• In the municipality of San Nicolas, there is a contest where students are encouraged to join in that could measure their knowledge of the pertinent facts of the said municipality. According to the author of the book "History of San Nicolas", Fiscal Manuel Flores Aurelio, a noted historian, digested and elucidated all the pertinent facts about San Nicolas from where it started as a pueblo, now a second-class municipality.

Education

The San Nicolas Schools District Office governs all public and private elementary and high schools within the municipality.^[22]

Primary and elementary schools

• Asuncion Elementary School
• Barabar Elementary School
• Bingao Elementary School
• Bugnay Elementary School
• Catuguing Elementary School
• Cayetano Bumanglag Elementary School
• Delasan Learning Center
• Early Childhood Learning Center of St. Therese
• Eladio V. Barangan Memorial Elementary School
• Filipinas East Elementary School
• Filipinas West Elementary School
• Pasion Barangan Memorial Elementary School
• San Nicolas Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Bingao National High School
• San Nicolas National High School

Sister cities

• Agoo, La Union^{[citation needed]}
• Licab, Nueva Ecija^[23]