Rosario, La Union

Rosario, officially the Municipality of Rosario (Ilocano: Ili ti Rosario; Pangasinan: Baley na Rosario; Filipino: Bayan ng Rosario), is a 1st class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 55,458 people. [3]

Rosario
Municipality
Municipality of Rosario
Rosario town center
Seal
Map of La Union with Rosario highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Rosario
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°14′N 120°29′E
Country Philippines
RegionIlocos Region (Region I)
ProvinceLa Union
District2nd District
Founded1869
Barangays33 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorBellarmin A. Flores II
 • Vice MayorBellarmin C. Flores III
 • RepresentativeSandra Y. Eriguel
 • Electorate35,243 voters (2019)
Area
 [2]
 • Total73.98 km2 (28.56 sq mi)
Elevation
202 m (663 ft)
Population
 (2015 census) [3]
 • Total55,458
 • Density750/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
 • Households
12,009
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence6.44% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue PHP 257,821,461.28 million (33.8%) (2018)
 • Assets PHP 319,163,558.80 million (16.8%) (2018)
 • Expenditure PHP 214,290,929.23 million (26.5%) (2018)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
2506
PSGC
013313000
IDD : area code +63 (0)72
Climate typetropical monsoon climate
Native languagesIlocano
Pangasinan
Tagalog

The Kennon Road starts from this town and ends at Baguio. It is accessible via the MacArthur Highway, or via the NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) and TPLEX (Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway) which will have its terminus at this town.

Etymology

There are several legends that explain how Rosario first got its name. The best known says that the name "Rosario" came from the phrase “rosas del rio,” a reference to the beautiful landscape of the area when it was first discovered by Spaniards, with narrow valleys, wild animals, birds, rivers, brooks, dense forest, and the riverscape.

Another version or story suggests that name was a reference to the long range of foothills visible to the west of the Poblacion, which appear like big Rosary beads, forming a long, rocky, giant rosary.

Yet another legend first documented in 1887[5] associates the name of the town with a legendary creature called a Marukos (spelled "manrukos" in the 1887 text). In the legend, a group of youths were playing around and being noisy while loitering around near the floodplains of the Bued River between Rosario and Sison on a Sunday. They were then confronted by an old man in white garb, whose flesh looked like a corpse - the Marukos. The creature accused them of engaging in leisure activities on a holy day and put a curse on them, causing them to lose their sense of direction. As a result, they failed to notice that they were about to be swept away by one of the flash floods that often plagued the river. In the end, only a young girl survived the encounter with the Marukos, by clinging to a "Balingkawanay" (Pittosporum pentandrum) tree.[5] According to the account, some stories claim that the girl had survived by praying the Rosary, while other stories say that her name was Rosario. Either way, the story of the Marukos became closely associated with the etymology of the town of Rosario, which used to be part of Pangasinan.[6]

Geography

Rosario is the southernmost town of La Union, so it is referred to as the “Gateway to Ilocandia”. Rosario's national highway passes along a mountain at barangay Agat (of Sison, Pangasinan), then into the Bued bridge (the boundary marker between La Union and Pangasinan).

Rosario is 215 kilometres (134 mi) away from Metro Manila and 54 kilometres (34 mi) from San Fernando, the provincial capital. The flight distance between Manila and Rosario is 189 kilometres (117 mi).[7]

Climate
Climate data for Rosario, La Union
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 30
(86)		 31
(88)		 32
(90)		 33
(91)		 32
(90)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 30
(87)
Average low °C (°F) 19
(66)		 20
(68)		 21
(70)		 23
(73)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 21
(70)		 20
(68)		 22
(72)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 15
(0.6)		 16
(0.6)		 24
(0.9)		 33
(1.3)		 102
(4.0)		 121
(4.8)		 177
(7.0)		 165
(6.5)		 144
(5.7)		 170
(6.7)		 56
(2.2)		 23
(0.9)		 1,046
(41.2)
Average rainy days 6.3 6.6 9.5 12.8 20.6 23.5 25.4 23.4 23.2 21.4 14.0 8.2 194.9
Source: Meteoblue [8]

Barangays
The 33 barangays of the Municipality of Rosario[9]
Barangay Population
Alipang 928
Ambangonan 497
Amlang 2,088
Bacani 1,285
Bangar 916
Bani 1,554
Benteng-Sapilang 1,187
Cadumanian 1,033
Camp One(Saytan) 2,823
Carunuan East 1,425
Carunuan West 1,297
Casilagan 587
Cataguingtingan 2,528
Concepcion 3,206
Damortis 2,352
Gumot-Nagcolaran 1,695
Inabaan Norte 1,769
Inabaan Sur 1,312
Marcos 1,396
Nangcamotian 789
Nagtagaan 1,632
Parasapas 1,757
Poblacion East 2,093
Poblacion West 1,642
Puzon 824
Rabon 990
San Jose 522
Subusub 2,586
Tabtabungao 2,460
Tanglag 637
Tay-ac 2,362
Vila 2,245
Udiao 2,214
Total 52,679

History

Rosario was formerly a part of Santo Tomas and became a municipality in 1869 by a decree. Natives of Rosario emanated from Santo Tomas and Magsingal (Ilocos Sur), and also from Agoo, Tubao, Aringay, San Fernando and Bacnotan.

It was Don Mariano Posadas, Don Mariano Narcelles and Don Gavino Ordoña, who filed a petition with the authorities for the conversion of Rosario to a town from sitio or barangay. In 1869, the Spanish Provincial Governor created Rosario town and appointed Don Agustin Isidro de Guzman as its first Capitan Municipal.

Demographics
Population census of Rosario
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 3,028—    
1918 6,806+5.55%
1939 11,280+2.44%
1948 12,869+1.48%
1960 18,045+2.86%
1970 22,118+2.05%
1975 25,354+2.78%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1980 29,331+2.96%
1990 35,010+1.79%
1995 38,376+1.73%
2000 43,497+2.72%
2007 49,025+1.66%
2010 52,679+2.65%
2015 55,458+0.98%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [3] [10] [11][12]

In the 2015 census, the population of Rosario, La Union, was 55,458 people, [3] with a density of 750 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,900 inhabitants per square mile.

Local government

Just as the national government, the municipal government of Rosario, is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judiciary. The judicial branch is administered solely by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The LGUs have control of the executive and legislative branches.

The executive branch is composed of the mayor and the barangay captain for the barangays.Local Government Code of the Philippines, Book III, Department of Interior and Local Government official website.

The legislative branch is composed of the Sangguniang Bayan (town assembly), Sangguniang Barangay (barangay council), and the Sangguniang Kabataan for the youth sector.

The seat of Government is vested upon the Mayor and other elected officers who hold office at the RosarioTown hall. The Sangguniang Bayan is the center of legislation, stationed in Rosario Legislative Building or Town hall.[13]

Tourism

Rosario has the following landmark attractions:

  • Beach resorts
  • Zoo
  • The Queen of Peace Priory
  • The Tree House
  • World War II Vintage Canons located at the Town Plaza
  • The Rosario Nature Park is hectares of lush green (La Union’s biggest camping site. It is the venue of the Boys and Girls Scouts of the Philippines' Jamborees. It is also the meeting place of Air Soft Enthusiasts' War Games.
  • Agoo–Damortis Protected Landscape and Seascape
  • Public Market (near the Rosario-Pugo Junction Road and a new Slaughter House which, unlike its predecessor, was built away from residential areas.
  • Yearly, on December 8, the Feast of Immaculate Concepcion, the town celebrates its fiesta. But it centers on the Linubian Festival (local cassava and banana cake) held from April 17 to 19. Rosario holds an Agri Trade Fair, showcasing its harvests topped by street-dancing competitions.[14]
  • La Union Welcome Arch at Rosario
  • Municipal hall
  • Public market
  • Rosario intersection
  • Rosario rural landscape

1869 Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church

The Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church was canonically erected in 1869. It is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Fernando de La Union (Dioecesis Ferdinandopolitana ab Unione, Suffragan of Lingayen – Dagupan, which was created on January 19, 1970 and erected on April 11, 1970, comprising the Civil Province of La Union, under the Titular, St. William the Hermit, February 10). The Church is under a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines from the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.

The Rosario Church is under the Vicariate of St. Francis Xavier with Vicar Forane, Fr. Joel Angelo Licos. [15] [16] Its Parish Priestis Fr. Raul S. Panay.

The church is located on the eastern side fronting the National Highway and the Municipal Building. It has an access road to the Rosario-Pugo-Baguio Road.

  • Church facade
  • Church gate
  • Convent and Parish rectory
  • Interior and choir

References
  1.  Municipality of Rosario | (DILG)
  2. "Province: La Union". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. Census of Population (2015). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. de los Reyes, Isabelo. (1887) Ilocandias.
  6. Demetrio, Francisco R., Ed. (1991) Encyclopedia of Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs Volume II. Cagayan de Oro: Xavier University Press
  7. 189 Km - Flight distance between Manila and Rosario - La Union Philippines
  8. "Rosario: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  9. "2010 Census of Population and Housing: Population Counts - Cordillera Administrative Region" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority, April 4, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  10. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  11. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  12. "Province of La Union". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  13. Local Government Units: Municipality of Rosario-Government - Province of La Union :: Official Website
  14. Local Government Units: Municipality of Rosario - Province of La Union :: Official Website
  15. "Diocese of San Fernando de La Union". Claretian Publications. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  16. "Diocese of San Fernando de La Union". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
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