Piddig Ilocos Norte Philippines

Brief History of Piddig

The earliest settlers of the place were the Itnegs. As early as 1770, they cleared the land, tilled the soil and enjoyed bountiful harvests. Years later, the villagers from nearby La Union and Ilocos Sur arrived at the settlement and drove the Itnegs away. Fearing for their lives, the Itnegs fled to the hills and mountains. They called their new sanctuary Pidipid, an Ilocano term for a hilly place. The town was called Pidipid for hundreds of years until the Americans arrived and changed its name to Piddig, which literally means a hilly place at the foot of the mountains.

The people of Piddig are known to be religious as well as God-fearing. Records of Augustinian monks indicate that they had an easy time converting the people to Christianity. In 1902, another religious sect was organized by Monsignor Gregorio Aglipay. His was the Philippine Independent Church with Rev. Jose Castro as the first priest.

Like the Itnegs before them, the people of Piddig consider agriculture their most important industry. The farmers raise corn, rice, sugarcane and tobacco. Basi, an Ilocano wine, is grown in almost all barangays and is considered one of the town's principal products.