Even before the
Spaniards came, Vigan was already a trading port. Chinese traiders sailing from
the South China Sea usually came to Isla de Vigan (Island of Vigan) by the
Mestizo River that surrounded the island. They used to trade with the local
settlers golds, beeswax, and other mountain products.
Vigan City is a
World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the
Philippines, and is well known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique
architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and
construction, with colonial European architecture.
The city is the trading hub of the province
but agriculture is still the mainstay of the local economy. Main farm products
include rice, tobacco, rootcrops, vegetables, livestock and poultry. Fishing is
an important source of income especially in the coastal area. Fishponds are
also sources of fish supply for the city. Vigan is well-known for its jars
called burnay. It has a long tradition of making bricks called Damili. These
materials were used to build the colonial houses and churches not only in the
city but also in the region. Another popular cottage industry is the Abel-weaving
from which fine fabrics are produced. Prominent personalities in the city and
province are helping in the revival of this industry. With much help from the
government, tourism is now playing an increasing role in the economy of the
city.
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