The road home still leads North to Ilocos
I’m Ilocano through and through.
Even though I grew up in the nearby Cagayan Province, I’ve been made abundantly aware that my roots lay in Ilocos Norte.
Dusty journeys
I remember my grandparents’ stories about the old days, when visiting relatives meant long, dusty journeys in carabao-drawn carriages.
Nowadays, we continue to make that journey–on a car thankfully. When my sister and I are home, my mom and dad would still arrange get-togethers with our aunts and uncles in Paoay, who always welcome us with big smiles and endless hugs.
My late maternal lolo and lola, with whom I spent much of my childhood, used to tell me they or their parents left Ilocos Norte to search for greener pastures.
Poverty was a heavy reality, and for many, life in the province felt a bit dull and repetitive. They wanted to go elsewhere to build something better.
Transforming landscape
But how things have changed.
You’ll now see a landscape transformed. Modern malls, towering offices, and tourist destinations have replaced that old stillness.
One would not be wrong to notice “reverse migration” or “dual citizenship” (from somewhere else but living, happily, in Ilocos Norte). Aunts and uncles, cousins and friends of mine who’ve made that choice could spend hours explaining why, and I’d be left nodding.
World-class schooling. Tertiary education has drawn in youth from all over the North. Kids from relocating families will have no problem accessing some of the nation’s top tier schools. Local gems–such as Mariano Marcos State University and Northwestern University Inc.–are even on the 2025 World University Rankings for Innovations, a global listing of 400 top higher education institutions.
Career pathways. Thousands stay in Ilocos Norte as students but never leave, taking advantage of the career pathways that abound. Various industries–from agriculture, tourism and education to retail, government service and power generation–are booming. Laoag, its capital, is part of the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s “Digital Cities 2025″.
Perfect mix. Whether you love visiting natural and historical sites or busy marketplaces and resorts, Ilocos Norte has it all for you. You can visit stunning Spanish-era churches and legendary gastronomy (empanada, please), but it also has national and local real estate players running or building resort developments and retail hubs–both economic engines and excitement generators. All those locations are accessible via air, land, and sea.
Simpler living. We, Ilocanos, are famous for being practical. We value a good deal and a stable future, especially when it comes to what we make a home. In Ilocos Norte, you will find a big win– beautiful residences that offer urban conveniences at a fraction of the price you’d pay in Manila. That is one reason Ilocanos wind up longing for our roots, wherever our journeys may take us.
It does not hurt that, when we decide to stay, whether long or short, Ilocos Norte gives us the perfect marriage of a slower pace and an urban energy.
