A brighter North begins in Laoag
The future shines bright for the City of Laoag as it rises to become a prime investment destination in the north.
Dubbed as the “Sunshine City,” the capital of Ilocos Norte warmly welcomes investors and tourists to bask in its vibrant culture, rich heritage, and promising economic opportunities.
Regional growth center
Designated as an economic zone under Republic Act. No. 7916 or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, Laoag is recognized as a regional growth center, owing to its infrastructure, skilled labor force, and strong potential for profitability.
Currently, Laoag’s economy remains primarily agriculture-based, with the city focused on cultivating rice, tobacco, and garlic. Artisanal crafts such as pottery, blacksmithing, furniture making, and weaving continue to thrive as well.
However, commercial and light manufacturing activities are steadily expanding in the city, too, helping prime Laoag as an attractive agro-eco or light industrial hub in the region.
Connectivity
Laoag also benefits from its income-generating tourism, thanks to its improving connectivity.
By land, Laoag is connected to the capital region and neighboring provinces via the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway. The Laoag International Airport, the only international airport north of Clark and Metro Manila further makes the city highly accessible for domestic and international travelers.
Just a 50-minute flight from Manila, tourists can ride the 4×4 Sand Dunes, go sandboarding, take a calesa ride, or taste the famous bagnet, pinakbet, longanisa and empanada. You can also visit landmarks like the iconic Sinking Belltower, as well as the Gabu Watch Tower and Tobacco Monopoly.
Realizing potential
In 2025, the city welcomed a new wave of tourists as Star Cruises’ Star Navigator launched a new route via Currimao Port. This marked Ilocos Norte’s debut as part of Star Cruises’ Discover Philippines program for the Taiwan market.
Laoag also serves as a jump-off point to other tourist destinations in Ilocos Norte, and a gateway to the North Luzon Tourism Hub or what is known as the Growth Quadrangle, where bus stations, and jeep and van terminals link travelers to nearby municipalities.
With improved connectivity and a thriving tourism sector, Laoag is steadily realizing its development potential.
Tourism did not only attract visitors to its historical landmarks, heritage sites, and natural landscapes, but also encouraged new commercial investments and infrastructure development in the province.
‘Next wave city’
In 2014, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) awarded Laoag for having the best information technology and business process management infrastructure (IT-BPM).
In 2016, Laoag was in the list of 10 Emerging Cities that potentially have the foundation to attract IT-BPM locators and to soon become one of the next wave cities recognized by DOST-Information and Communications Technology Office, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, and Leechiu Property Consultants. This facilitated the entry of major BPO companies to establish operations in the province, providing stable job opportunities for Ilocanos.
Laoag is also home to one of Southeast Asia’s first wind-driven power plants, established by Danish investors.
Meanwhile, real estate development has similarly surged in the city, with notable projects from local and national developers. Megaworld Corp., for instance, is developing Ilocandia Coastown, an 84-hectare beachfront development in Laoag.
As the “Sunshine City”, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte is indeed living up to its reputation as the vibrant and dynamic growth center in the North.
Sources: Inquirer Archives, laoagcity.gov.ph, cms-cdn.e.gov.ph, City Tourism of Laoag Facebook page, meco.org.tw, vistalandinternational.com
