The year 1998 ushered forth the fulfillment of the dream for the City of San Fernando, known as the gateway to the Ilocandia, the seat of National Government Offices in Region I and the center of trade, commerce, financial and educational institutions, among others. From a deep rooted potential stable community governance to the best gift of Mother Nature - a seaport responsive to international shipping, an airport with viable capacity to accommodate international air traffic, natural terrain conducive to unlimited tourism development, and a people endowed with cultural and virtuous heritage of industry, spirituality, nationalism and aspiration for growth, peace and prosperity, the City of San Fernando has emerged as the booming Metropolis of the North.
The consistent popular clamor and aspiration of its barangay officials and residents served as the impetus which ushered forth the enactment of Resolution No. 20 dated May 14, 1996 by the Sangguniang Bayan of San Fernando, La Union requesting the House of Representatives, Congress of the Philippines for the conversion of the Municipality of San Fernando, La Union into a Component City.
San Fernando City is a 3rd class city in the province of La Union, Philippines. It is the capital city of La Union and the regional center of the Ilocos Region (Region I). According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 102,082 people in 20,755 households.
San Fernando is the financial, industrial and political center of the province, engaged in agriculture, aquaculture, shipping using the port of San Fernando, and other industrial sectors. Its ethnic population is predominantly Ilocano and Christian (Roman Catholic).
San Fernando belongs to District 1 in La Union province.
History
The earliest settlement in San Fernando is believed to have existed before the early Ming Dynasty. Archeological findings revealed porcelain, beads, spearheads and other objects indicating that early settlers traded with mainland China and the Middle East.
The ancient villages were often raided by pirates -- Muslims from the south or the Chinese from the north -- that plied the South China Sea or at war with tribal groups from the highlands of the Cordillera.
Pindangan, as it was then called, became San Fernando in 1850 and was made provincial capital of the new province of La Union.
Dissent against the Spanish authorities found their outlet through numerous uprisings. In San Fernando, the climax came in 1896 when the Spanish garrison was attacked by Filipino insurgents.
The Americans ruled the Philippines after the shortlived Spanish-American War in 1898, when Spain ceded the country to the United States for $20 million, along with Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guam. San Fernando experienced naval bombardment by the Americans as well as actual fighting on land.
The Japanese bombed San Fernando on December 8, 1941. After three years of Japanese occupation, American planes reappeared over San Fernando on September 22, 1944. The Japanese retreated in 1945.
San Fernando was designated a component city in 1998.
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