How laidback can you get when travelling in La Union or LU for brevity? Welcome to Luna, where religion and nature are best expressed in its culture as culled from the town’s history. In the early years, Luna was known as “Namacpacan”, an Ilocano word which means “one who had provided for food”. From historical accounts, the place had a church which was frequented by non-resident clergies in as early as 1587. A settlement along the national highway, Namacpacan was the usual stopovers of travelers. During the period when pit stops, diners, and your usual convenience stores were not yet in place, the locals offered the travelers food and shelter, similar to that of the early times when people still rode on horses and carriages to reach their destination.
In some account and if we were to lend credence to some legends, the settlement was named Namacpacan in honor of the great lady who fed soldiers during the war. The locals believed that the lady was Virgin Mary, hence, the now famous Our Lady of Namacpacan Shrine. To date, the town is still predominantly Catholic owing hugely to Spanish influence.
Thru the initiative of the then Mayor Primitivo Resurreccion Novicio and the municipal council, Namacpacan was officially named “Luna” on October 18, 1906 by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 1543 in honor of the famous Luna brothers General Antonio Luna, and the Great Painter Antonio Luna, whose mother Laureana Novicio Luna was a native of the locality. This was during the incumbency of then La Union Governor Joaquin Luna.
What makes Luna unique is their beaches. While one would normally see fine sand beaches, in Luna you will be awed by the abundance of the stones or pebbles of various shapes and colors along the shores of its coastal barangays. At a glance, one might easily surmise that the stones which seem to be inexhaustible are naturally occurring at the beach and from the sea itself. Well it does, but folktales believe it is from the graces of a higher order of being, the Lady of Namacpacan. Some say it is from the Amburayan River. We will leave the scientific study to the authorities. Indeed, Luna is a marriage between nature and religion.
Situated at the northwestern part of La Union, Luna is bounded on the North by Bangar, LU and on the east and south by Balaoan LU; on the west by the West Philippine Sea. There are two ways of reaching Luna when traversing the McArthur Highway. Using City of San Fernando La Union as point of reference, one may opt to turn left upon reaching Bacnotan town proper and drive through the stretch of Barangays Quirino-Darigayos-Paraoir road all the way to Luna or one may choose to drive farther north until Balaoan town then turn left westward all through Luna. Both roads meet right smack in the center of the town where a monument of General Antonio Luna proudly stands and serves as a landmark of this peaceful town.
The Quirino-Darigayos-Paraoir road is recommended for those who want to have a feel of the winding scenery of coral formations and the sea along Quirino. The white sand with tiny white pebbles beach of Darigayos is quite a sight. You may want to pull over for a selfie/groufie on the curb and on the bridge. Just be mindful of the delay you might cause. The view of the sunset where the sea meets the river is breathtaking. Moving on to Paraoir, the serene tree-lined road is perfect for pre-nup photoshoot. It’s simply romantic, clean, and green. Awesome. Want to have a feel of the locals? Reduce speed to about 30kph (20kph if you must), it’s a two-lane road and you may catch a glimpse of rural kids crossing the road not having a care in this world and the roadside vendors offering to sell the day’s catch such as octopus, tuna, squid, and other fishes that thrive mostly on rocky or stony seas. Yes, some fish have a distinct taste which leaves a hint of what they naturally consume in their habitat. Ask for the famous “Barangan” or “Sungayan”. Seaweeds abound as well. Yummy.
Since we are on the subject of food, do not leave Luna without trying their bibingka and tupig – baked Ilocano delicacies the main ingredients of which are malagkit rice and coconut. Nacionales Bibingka is recommended.
The Municipality of Luna was founded on November 25, 1690. It is a third-class municipality with a political subdivision of 40 barangays. It has a total land area of 4,289 hectares with a population of 38,347 based on the Municipality’s BNS Survey. With the diversity of mother tongue, Ilocano is widely spoken like the rest of La Union. Tagalog and English are likewise spoken as well. The economy of Luna is derived mostly from agriculture. Fishing and stone-picking are also sources of livelihood. Interestingly, the town is slowly picking its peak in tourism owing to its unique pebble beaches. The Bahay na Bato in Luna is trending in social media. The influx of tourists opened an avenue for the town to develop its tourism potentials. Indeed, the town is now on the travel map.
The tagline of Luna is: “Luna kakaiba, tara na!”. The town celebrates its fiesta every 25th of November in honor of their Patron Saint Catherine of Alexandria. For 2017, a week-long celebration is scheduled for various activities like basketball tournaments, talent competition, and highlighted by the most awaited event, the Search for Miss Jewel of Luna. Very aptly called for indeed, Luna is a gem of a town with its natural resources and beautiful people. Simple and laidback but never out of sync with the world. Tara na!
PLACES OF INTEREST:
- Shrine of our Lady of Namacpacan in the heart of the town
- Spanish Watch Tower in Victoria
- Darigayos Cove
- Ukkalong Falls in Cabalitocan
- Resorts and Sheds at Barangay Nalvo
- Barrientos-Magallanes-Sto. Domingo-Nalvo Coasts