San Gabriel, La Union

[4] The name of the town is derived from its patron saint, Gabriel, one of the archangels in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic traditions, known as a messenger of God.These games were often held between the Igorots, predominantly from the Kankanaey tribe who migrated from the Mountain Province to escape tribal conflicts, and Christian settlers from the lowlands.[6][7] The sitio’s location, characterized by a wide plain suitable for animal grazing and farming, as well as a nearby river for irrigation, made it an ideal place for settlement.Indigenous settlers, referred to as “non-Christian tribes” in official documents, were integrated into municipal governance, with local leaders appointed to oversee their communities.[7] Today, San Gabriel stands as a municipality with a rich history of cultural integration, resilience, and adaptation to changing political landscapes.Its roots as a Kankanaey settlement and its evolution under Spanish and American rule are central to its identity, making it a significant part of La Union's history.The town’s topography is predominantly mountainous, gradually ascending eastward, with a mix of scrubland, grassland, and wetland ecosystems.Its landscape is traversed by the Baroro River, the town's major waterway, which also features the renowned Tangadan Falls, a popular tourist destination.The perseverance of the people in constructing rice terraces and irrigation system along the hills and mountains of San Gabriel caused agricultural productivity to rebound.Bananas and tiger grass ("Thysanolaena maxina") are also abundant in San Gabriel, which harvests materials for soft broom production on a weekly basis.
Statue of St. Gabriel the Archangel
Tangadan Falls
Baroro River along San Gabriel
MunicipalityPhilippinesCountryRegionIlocos RegionProvinceLa Union 1st districtFoundedNamed forSaint GabrielBarangaysSangguniang BayanVice MayorMunicipal CouncilHouseholdsEconomyPoverty incidenceRevenueAssetsExpenditureLiabilitiesTime zoneZIP codearea codeNative languagesIlocanoFilipinoGabrielChristianJewishIslamicKankanaey peopleAugustinian friarsAmburayantug-of-warPhilippine buffaloIgorotsMountain Provinceevangelizationcogon grassChristianitySaint Gabriel the ArchangelPhilippine CommissionLepanto-Bontoc ProvinceMunicipal DistrictWorld War IIPresident Manuel RoxasCity of San FernandoManilascrublandgrasslandwetlandBaroro RiverSantolKapanganBenguetBacnotanBagulinSan JuanpurokssitiosPoblacionprecipitationPhilippine Statistics AuthorityThysanolaena maxinafirst congressional districtSaint Gabriel the Archangel Church (DILG)Official Gazette (Philippines)Government of the PhilippinesCommission on AuditLocal Water Utilities AdministrationSugpon, Ilocos SurKapangan, BenguetSan FernandoMunicipalitiesAringayBalaoanBangarBauangBurgosNaguilianRosarioSanto TomasSudipenList of barangays in La Union