BRIEF HISTORY

            One of the southernmost Barangays of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur Is Barangay Pudoc.  This barangay is no longer a single place but divided into two barangays namely : Pudoc West and Pudoc East.

 

            There are two(2) versions on how the barangays got their names. 

 

            The first version is that the place during the early colonization period by the Spaniards was bountiful of a certain type of plant which was known as “pedped”.  This plant is medicinal.  People during those days, according to old folks, called the place as “KAPEDPEDAN” or a place where “pedped” plants are abundant.  As the years passed, the people who settled in the area started to cultivate the lands, destroying these medicinal plants.  Because of this, the name of the place was changed to “PEDPEDEC” and eventually some letters were dropped until finally it became “PUDOC” and the people got used to it and adopted the name.

 

            Pudoc is about four and a half kilometers (4 ½) from the town of Tagudin.  Before the place was divided into two(2) barangays, there were almost five hundred hectares abundant with fishes because of the waters flowing from the Amburayan  River that reach its many ponds.  The soil is very rich because of the yearly flow of loam soil from the mountains during rainy seasons when the Amburayan River flows.  Some parts of its lands are planted with malunggay, corn, rice, sugarcane, camote and other vegetables.

 

            The other version on how PUDOC got its name was about a great warrior during the Pre-Spanish Period.  It was known long, long ago that many traders came to the Philippines like the Chinese, the Malayans and other oriental people.  It was known that before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the Filipinos had already their own method of writing and had a form of education being handled by the parents.

 

            The early Filipinos were taught about their barangay laws and traditions.  However, in their education, self-defense was very much emphasized because tribes fought and engaged in wars with other tribes.

 

            Arnis was taught to every male and other interested female in the tribe.  Due to tribal conflicts, barangay leaders were selected not simply by their greatness in war but also in thinking or they should possess the quality of a reliable leader both in peace and at war.

 

            Barangay Pudoc was not yet known before as Pudoc but it was called “Guitan”.  The Barangay of  “Guitan” was composed of few families who came from the south.  The place was located strategically.  It was good place for fishing, farming, and at the same time, a nice place for hide out as it is located just north of the main flow of the Amburayan River and along the China Sea.

 

            The place, according to the old folks was not so small as today because the edge of the sea was about a kilometer from the present shoreline during those days.  It was thickly  forested that it was an ideal place to hide when enemies raided the area.  Pirates frequently marauded the area that every time the enemies came, the people residing in the area simply ran to the thick forest to hide until the enemies were gone.  Most of their huts were burned and their animals stolen.

 

            For many years, the place was a favorite marauding area by the pirates and other enemies.  The people wanted to leave the place but they were reluctant to go to other places because they were already used to the place and its bountiful supply of fish.  Fishing then, was their main source of food.  Farming was not very much done, although all of the people have their domestic animals like chickens and pigs.

 

            It was then decided by the old folks of the place to train their young ones to become warriors.  The youths were trained to become expert bow and arrow shooters, very good in hand combat and arnis.  Aside from being trained to become good fighters, they were also trained to become good fishermen and swimmers.  Since food was not a problem in the place, the training of the youths to become warriors was intensified.  They were also trained to be good hunters of deers, birds and wild pigs.

 

            When the training was finished, a leader was selected to direct the male warriors once the barangay will be raided by the pirates.  There were about thrity(30) young warriors led by the greatest among them.  The group was further divided into three smaller groups, with each group led by selected leaders.  One of these three leaders was Pud-oc.  He was supposed to be the over-all leader but he was too young so the old folks made him the leader of nine warriors.  Pud-oc was about eighteen(18) years old then.  He was strong and well-built.  He was the best in hand-to-hand combat as well as in the use of the bow and arrow.  Aside from his father, he was the best hunter and fisherman in the place.  He was very much a favorite of both the young and the old.

 

            Pud-oc’s brother was then selected as the overall leader of the warriors because he was older and had more experience in leading men.  When there was a tribal conflict, the warriors engaged in war against their neighboring tribes.  Pud-oc became famous due to his greatness as a warrior and as a leader.

 

            His brother was killed during a raid by three barangays of pirates.  The pirates were either killed or captured when Pud-oc learned the death of his brother.  He became so angry that all the captured pirates were put to death.  After the incident, the old folks of the tribe decided to make Pud-oc as the overall leader of the thirty warriors.

 

            Pud-oc was very vigilant in securing the stability of Guitan.  He established his camp near the seashore.  He posted sentinels along the shorelines so that no surprise attacks will be made by pirates or other tribes near the sea. His camp was located near a big lake (now a pond of about two to three hectares) which was also about fifty meters from the sea.

 

            Pud-oc kept the place very peaceful and free from tribal or pirate attack.  He became very famous.  The neighboring tribes entered into peace agreements with him because he had already trained a big number of warriors.  Many of the other tribes established peaceful pacts with him – written in blood in the old Ilocano method of writing.

 

            Guitan was very popular to all the neighboring barangays.  Other places would even ask help from Pud-oc when their barangays were raided by enemies.  Since the place was already well-secured, most of the people from the other barangays visited the place just to see the Great Warrior, Pud-oc.

 

            As the years passed, the people coming to Guitan were asked where they were going and they answered that they were going to see Pud-oc.

 

            When the great warrior Pud-oc died due to old age, the place was called “Kimpud-oc” which means the “place where Pud-oc lived. 

 

            Many years had gone by and the place had been known as “Kimpud-oc” in honor of the great leader.  When the Spaniards came to the country, Kimpud-oc was changed to PUDOC, removing the hyphen.  Until now, the place is still called as Pudoc with Guitan being the name of the pond where Pud-oc had established his camp.

 

            Today, Pudoc is already divided into two(2) barangays.  The western being call as PUDOC WEST and the other as PUDOC EAST.  The barangay was divided during the administration of Mayor Jose B. Bunoan of the Municipality of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.

 

            Boundary posts were also established between Tagudin and La Union where there had been a controversy.  While the boundary posts had been erected just along the old flow of the Amburayan River, most of the lands within the boundary of Ilocos Sur (which were supposed to be part of Pudoc East and West), they were registered under the ownership of Bangar, La Union since the owners of these lands were residents of Bangar, La Union.  Registration of these properties were made during the American Regime.

 

            Sometime in 1964, Pudoc was mysteriously under epidemic.  Many people died of capillariasis.  Foreign doctors came to study the disease and later discovered the remedy.  The Disease Research Center of the Department of Health led by Dr. Ernesto Zerrudo and Dr. Tirso Banzon discovered the disease.  Through their expertise, the spread of the disease was controlled and all the residents of the two barangays   returned to reside.

 

            A public primary school was established in the place (Pudoc West) in the 1930’s.  For so many years, no intermediate classes were offered until the 1950’s.  Today, a complete elementary and high school is fully operational.  Most of the youths are still trying to attain secondary and tertiary education.  The two barangays are still short of professionals.

 

            At present, the two barangays almost have the same number of residents.  They are bounded on the north by Barangay Baritao and Pacac, on the east by Barangay Bio and on the south by Barangay Alzate and Terrero, Consigra and Maria Cristina of Bangar, La Union.

 

 

PROFILE

        I.            SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE

A.     Total Land Area:           101.6422 has.

B.    Boundaries

North   :           Barangay Pacac

South  :           Amburayan River

East    :           Barangay Pudoc East

West   :           China Sea     

C.    Population :                   1,168  (As of 2009)

D.    IRA:                                  Php   787,224.00 (As of 2009)

E.     Income from Local Sources

E1. Community Tax Certificate (50%) 

E2. Barangay Clearance/Permit

E3. Others           

F.     Sources of Income of Residents

F1. Farming                                                                                

F2. Fishing                                              

F3. Overseas Foreign Workers           

F4. Teachers      

F5. Others                                               

G.    Fiesta Date                                 April 21

H.    Existing Barangay Hall                

I.        Existing Barangay Day Care Center   

J.      Existing Barangay  Health Center        

K.    Other Facilities   

Stage                                           

Basketball Court                        

 

                        L. BARANGAY OFFICIALS

MARIO A. GOROSPE                                  Barangay Captain

MIGUEL B. MANZO                                      Kawagad  #1

ESTRELLITA GOROSPE                            Kagawad  #2

FEDERICO LAZAGA                                   Kagawad  #3

ARSENIA VILLANUEVA                             Kagawad  #4

MONICO A. NUTO                                        Kagawad  #5

ROLANDO LACASANDILE                        Kagawad  #6

ALBERTO GOROSPE                                 Kagawad  #7

RIZALYN VILLANUEVA                               SK Chairman

ANNALIZA GAVINA                                     Barangay Secretary

ALMA MANZO                                              Barangay Treasurer

 

SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN

            RIZALYN VILLANUEVA                                               SK Chairman

            CHASTINE DELA PENA                                             SK Kagawad

            MARIE JEAN PAYUMO                                               SK Kagawad

            JOHN AGUSTIN WASAN                                            SK Kagawad

            JOVANY ESCOBAR                                                   SK Kagawad

            RONNIE GOROSPE                                                   SK Kagawad

            RUSSEL PAYUMO                                                     SK Kagawad

            ANNIE MANZO                                                            SK Kagawad

 

BARANGAY TANODS

            Chief Tanod                BENEDICTO SANTOS

            Members                     CONSTANTINO LORENA

                                                RUBEN GAVINA

                                                FEDERICO RAQUEPO

                                                GUILLERMO TEJADA

                                                MONICO MANZO

                                                MELICIO LACASANDILE

                                                JUANITO NUTO

                                                WILFREDO NUTO

                                                FERNANDO NUTO

                                                ALFREDO LEGASPI

                                                ZENAIDA LAGRANA

                                                ARTEMIO LORENA

                                                TIRSO ACOSTA

                                                SILVINO LAZARO

                                               

BARANGAY NUTRITION SCHOLAR          ARSENIA VILLANUEVA

BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS

1.      PRAXEDES ACOSTA

2.      GEMMA LACASANDILE

3.      FLORDELIZA BARNACHEA