Vintar is the largest municipality in Ilocos Norte. Its patron saint is Saint Nicholas de Tolentino. It is home to one of the biggest convents in the province where it houses the Saint Nicholas Academy. It is also where Vintar Dam is located, first dam funded by the World Bank in Southeast Asia- an important cultural property listed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and is also the site of the Umok ni Siwawer Eco-Tourism Nature Park, the town's popular picnic resort.
Etymology
Vintar derived its name from the Ilocano word, "intar", which used to describe the formation or order taken by the subject from their ruler whenever the chief called them to attention. It is said that a visiting Spanish missionary heard the word and added the letter V, referring to the “V” formation that the missionary saw.
History
The town's earliest settlers are believed to be of Malay in origin. They first settled on a hill overlooking the Bislak. The town was founded by the Spanish missionaries who got lost in the woods while hunting between Sarrat and Piddig. Vintar became a visita of Bacarra but it was later established as a Parish of San Nicolas de Tolentino. Earlier in 1763, Vintar was reverted to a visita until it became independent in 1774.
In 1903, Vintar was annexed as a barrio of Bacarra. It gained its separation and independence in 1909.
The town is home to one of the biggest convents in Ilocos Norte. In 1931, an earthquake partially destroyed its church and convent. Five years later, it was restored. The convent which houses the Saint Nicolas Academy was restored in 1982.
Vintar was one of the Ilocos region municipalities where various human rights violations were documented during the martial law era, despite public perception that the region was supportive of the Marcos administration.[5] Three indigenous community members in Vintar are documented to have been "salvaged" in 1984,[5] the same year as eight farmers in Bangui also disappeared, while farmers from the towns of Vintar, Dumalneg, Solsona, Marcos and Piddig were also documented to have been tortured.[5]
Culture
Vintar celebrates the feast of St. Nicholas every 10 September- a religious tradition inherited from the Augustinians lives that still practice the distribution of “tinapay ni San Nicolas” (unleavened bread). But the Siwawer Festival, the annual town fiesta of Vintar is held from December 26–30 of every year.
The people of Vintar engage in farming, fishing and herding. The town is generally rural but famous all over the province for its beautiful women with strongly Spanish features. Hence the town has its monicker, “The Home of Beautiful People”.
Vintar is also the site of four (4) important cultural properties listed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. These are Vintar Dam, the Old Municipal Building, San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church and the Gabaldon Building.
Vintar was once known for Abel Iloco or Inabel, especially the classic Binandera Abel, which flourished “in the north of the river,” as proven by a loom displayed at the Museo de Siwawer in Barangay Abkir.[6]
Geography
Vintar is located on a plain land surrounded by mountains. Vintar is surrounded and bordered by:
The town is considered as the sixth major river system in the region. Its head waters are on the western Cordillera slopes at the Kalinga and Apayao borders. It flows eastward and irrigates most of the flat lands of Ilocos Norte before making its exit into the China Sea. Vintar has the largest land area in Ilocos Norte.
Barangays
Vintar is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.[7] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Abkir
Alejo Malasig
Alsem
Bago
Bulbulala
Cabangaran
Cabayo
Cabisocolan
Canaam
Columbia
Dagupan
Dipilat
Esperanza
Ester
Isic Isic
Lubnac
Mabanbanag
Malampa (Malampa-Paninaan)
Manarang
Margaay
Namoroc
Parparoroc
Parut
Pedro F. Alviar
Salsalamagui
San Jose/Santo Tomas (Lipay/Saricao)
San Nicolas (Poblacion)
San Pedro (Poblacion)
San Ramon (Poblacion)
San Roque (Poblacion)
Santa Maria (Poblacion)
Tamdagan
Visaya
Sub-divisions
Poblacion
Poblacion is the center-most subdivision of Vintar. Poblacion is composed of 5 barangays namely:
1- San Roque
2- San Nicolas
3- San Pedro
4- Santa Maria
5- San Ramon
Metro Poblacion
Metro Poblacion is located on the outer-most of the center of the poblacion and composed of 5 barangays namely:
6- Parut
7- Alejo Malasig
8- Margaay
9- Lubnac
10- Parparoroc
15- Visaya
Pallas Valley
It is located at the north-east of Vintar. Pallas Valley is composed of 4 barangays namely:
11- Bulbulala
12- Namoroc
13- Mabanbanag
14- Ester
North of the River (Amian ti Karayan)
North of the River or "Amian ti Karayan" is located north of the Bislak River from Poblacion. It is called so after the Ilocano word "Amian" which means north. Amian ti Karayan is composed of 8 barangays namely:
16- Salsalamagui
17- P.F. Alviar
18- Abkir
19- Columbia
20- Cabisuculan
21- Malampa
22- Manarang
24- Alsem
Lower Surong Valley
23- Dipilat
25- Tamdagan
26- Canaam
27- Esperanza
28- Bago
29/30- San Jose/Sto.Tomas
Upper Surong Valley
Upper Surong Valley is composed of 4 barangays namely:
Mount Baguinsuso, also known as Mount Masadsada (Ilocano which means "passable valley"), is among the most recognized landmarks located in Barangay 15- Visaya.
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[8]
Vintar is divided into two types of climate:
90% or the Western Part: Two pronounced seasons, dry from December to May and wet from June to November. Maximum rain period is from June to September.
10% or the Eastern Part: No very pronounced maximum rain period, with a short dry season lasting only from one to three months.
In the 2020 census, the population of Vintar was 33,339 people,[3] with a density of 54 inhabitants per square kilometre or 140 inhabitants per square mile.
Vintar can be reached through air via Laoag International Airport at Laoag City, then hiring a tricycle or any other public transportation. From Manila by bus, it will take about 10 to 12 hours in reaching the center of Vintar. Farinas and Maria De Leon are the major companies that have a daily trip to Vintar.
Festival
Siwawer Festival is the annual festival of Vintar. This festival of the town is being celebrated in honor of the siwawer the local name of the brahminy kite species of eagle that soars the skies of Vintar. The Festival starts on December 4 which is also the Vintar Day, the foundation of the municipality when it was separated from the town of Bacarra in 1909.
Vintar, belonging to the first congressional district of the province of Ilocos Norte, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
Municipal Elected Officials
Members of the Municipal Council (2022–Present)[21]
Presiding Officer/ Chairperson, Committee on Health and Sanitation
Sangguniang Bayan Members
Hon. Amando Federico "Rik-Rik" E. Ong II
Chairperson, Committee on Social Welfare and Community Development/ Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management/ Committee on Zoning, Urban and Rural Development Housing and Land Utilization
Hon. Randy "Antikel" A. Degala
Chairperson, Committee on Ways and Means/ Committee on Education, Manpower, Development and Public Information
Hon. Maricel "Marie" B. Foronda
Chairperson, Committee on Women, Children and Family Welfare/ Committee on Labor and Employment
Hon. Antero A. Caluya
Chairperson, Committee on Peace and Order, Public Safety and Human Rights/ Committee on Agriculture and Food Security
Hon. Josey Florian C. Foronda
Chairperson, Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Industry/ Committee on Environmental Protection, Natural Resources Conservation and Ecological Security
Hon. Jobel Fred M. Foronda
Chairperson, Committee on Cooperatives and Livelihood/ Committee on Markets, Slaughterhouse and other Municipal Economic Enterprises/ Committee on Games and Amusements
Hon. Lindbergh "Lindy" S. Castillo
Chairperson, Committee on Laws, Rules, Ethics and Privileges/ Committee on Appropriation and Finance/ Committee on Infrastructure and Public Works
Hon. Carlito V. Rasdas
Chairperson, Committee on Good Governance, Public Ethics and Accountability/ Committee on Tourism, Culture and Arts/ Committee on Transportation, Communications, and other Public Utilities (Power and Water Facilities)
LNB President/SB Ex-Officio Member
Hon. Rolando B. Boque
Chairperson, Committee on Barangay Affairs
PPSK President/SB Ex-Officio Member
Hon. Kyle Vincent R. Dalere
Chairperson, Committee on Youth Welfare and Sports Development
Municipal IPMR/SB Ex-Officio Member
Hon. Macario "Chieftain Macky" B. Gudayan
Chairperson, Committee on Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples
Municipal seal
The shield is derived from the provincial seal of Ilocos Norte.
The letter V stands for the word Vintar, the name of the municipality.
The eagle represents the native hawk, commonly called Siwawer by the old folks and after which the people of Vintar are referred to.
Landscape, plow, rice stalk, onion, garlic, mango, eggplant and tobacco leaf, at the left side of the shield representing the municipality's principal farming industries.
Dam, gate valve, water and fish at the right side of the shield represent Vintar-Laoag-Bacarra irrigation system. The dam also stands for the Umok ni Siwawers, a resort the town is famous for; the fish symbolizes one of the main income-generating products of the locality.
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