BRIEF HISTORY

 

 It cannot be fully determined which is older - the famous Tagudin Sundial (erected in 1848) or the grand old man of Bitalag, Apo Marcos Dauz. But at about that time, Apo Dauz thought of pooling the resources of the small neighborhood where he was the leader for the purpose of constructing a well from which the people around the area could draw their drinking water.   Spanish time as it was, diarrhea epidemics were frequent, and they had a way of attributing the disease with water just drawn from brooks, creeks and ricefields, hence the need for a safe water source. Under the able leadership of Apo Marcos, a 30-feet well was dug by the people.  This was strengthened by Spanish bricks-radrilyo - as sidings. The well survived for more than two hundred years(200) as it sills exists up to this day. In the local dialect, the well is called “BITO”.

 

The  “bito” served its purpose of providing water to the villagers. During critical times residents from surrounding villages of Libtong, Borono, and Baringcucurong also drew their drinking water from the “bito”. It is ten(10) meters away from Baringcucurong.

 

The small schoolhouse in the village with its spacious surroundings provided an appropriate venue for transactions, such as barter, exchange of horses and work animals, agreements, village meetings and similar activities where bilateral and collective arrangements were agreed upon. Agreement in the dialect is “TULAG”.

 

The two terms “BITO” and “TULAG” have become inseparable twin ideas inculcated in the minds of the villagers that their small neighborhood soon adopted the name “BITULAG” for their place. When the government thought of defining barrio boundaries and necessitated the assignment of names thereof, the then government recording clerk might have misheard the name for he entered in the official registry not Bitulag but Bitalag.

 

Another version states that Bitalag was established in the middle of the nineteenth century. It got its name from the following version. There was once a well (bito). Inside this well lived a big mudfish (dalag). So putting the two words together , it resulted to “bito-dalag”, hence the name  Bitalag.

 

Bitalag is comprised of four sitios. (a) CURVA, meaning curve or junction. (b) PUROKEN, meaning group of houses. (c) BARONABID because the houses are located along both sides of the creek, and (d) CENTRO, where the schoolhouse is located.

 

During the Japanese occupation, Bitalag was called the “Fort Santiago of Ilocos Sur”. Several executions, and indescribable tortures inflicted by the ruthless soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Forces on many innocent Filipinos, men and women alike, took refuge here. After the liberation, the “War Vets” of the defunct USAFIP-NL constructed a monument of the unknown soldier. With the help of the Philippine Committee, this so-called landmark has inscriptions engraved on it.

 

PROFILE

SOCIO- ECONOMIC PROFILE

A. Total Land Area :           136.4773 has.

B. Boundaries

            North   :           Barangay Borono

            South  :           Barangay Lubnac

            East    :           Baringcucurong, Suyo, Ilocos Sur

            West   :           Barangay Libtong

C. Population:         1422 (as of Januray 2009)

D. IRA                        PhP 712,032.00 (as of FY 2009)

E. Income from Local Sources

            E1. Community Tax Certificate      

            E2. Barangay Clearance    

            E3. Others                 

F. Sources of Income of Residents

            F1. Farming              

            F2. OFW                   

            F3. Professionals

            F4. Others     

G. Fiesta Date          April 28-29

 

H.    Existing Barangay Hall              

I.        Existing Barangay Day Care Center   

J.      Existing Barangay  Health Center        

K.    Other Facilities   

Stage                               

Basketball Court            

 

List of Tourist Spots/Sites and Tourism Facilities

 

            1. ASAP Tagudin Pasarabo Center and Rest Area

            2. Bitalag Junction Marker

            3. Inns

 NISSON Lodge

 FOOTHILL Mini-mart and Lodging House

            4. “Bito”

            5. Bitalag Satellite Market

            6. St. Louise School ICM Landmark

            7. ASAP Tagudin Samahan ng Magkakalamansi Development

Cooperative (AT-SMDC) Processing Center.

 

L.  Barangay Officials

                       

Brgy. Captain	Manuel Latorre
Brgy. Council	Ernesto Calibuso
	Adelina Vedania
	David Acosta
	Dominador Lazo
	Israel Mon
	Raynaldo Ladia
	Nelson Ladia
Brgy. Secretary	Lilia Navarro
Brgy. Treasurer	Maylin Espinosa
SK Chairman	Jinavelle Kyle Mon
SK Kagawad	Wilbert Jimeno
	Melvin Ray Tejada
	Rachelle Ann dela Rosa
	Edison Asistin
	Marvin Lasquite
	Jenny Calibuso
	Rica Jimeno
Chief Tanod	Julius Avecilla jr.
Members	Perlita Gao-ay
	Michael Lopez
	Alfredo Jimeno
	Armando Ladi
	Herminiano Lardizabal
	Romeo Oriendo
	Joey Respicio
	Salacnib Lasquite
	Jerry Ingoy
BNS	Zenaida Villanueva
BHW	Elsie Lacusong
	Nimfa Sarno
	Angelita Jimeno
	Nerina Lazo
	Felicitas Ringor