Santol, La Union

Motto: Anthem: Santol Hymn16°46′N 120°27′E / 16.77°N 120.45°E / 16.77; 120.45CountryPhilippinesRegionIlocos RegionProvinceLa UnionDistrict 1st districtBarangays11 (see Barangays)Government • TypeSangguniang Bayan • MayorMagno A. Wailan • Vice MayorMonico A. Oriente Jr. • RepresentativePablo C. Ortega • Municipal Council • Electorate9,587 voters (2022)Area • Total93.70 km² (36.18 sq mi)Elevation226 m (741 ft)Highest elevation798 m (2,618 ft)Lowest elevation17 m (56 ft)Population • Total14,166 • Density150/km² (390/sq mi) • Households3,325Economy • Income class4th municipal income class • Poverty incidence% (2021)^[4] • Revenue₱ 84.29 million (2020) • Assets₱ 490.1 million (2020) • Expenditure₱ 120 million (2020) • Liabilities₱ 24.11 million (2020)Service provider • ElectricityLa Union Electric Cooperative (LUELCO)Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)ZIP codePSGCIDD : area code +63 (0)72Native languagesIlocano
Tagalog
KankanaeyWebsitewww.santol.gov.ph

Santol, officially the Municipality of Santol (Ilocano: Ili ti Santol; Filipino: Bayan ng Santol), is a 4th class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 14,166 people.^[3]

Santol, a Balaoan northeastern Rancheria, became a township in 1908 under the sub-province Amburayan, Mountain Province. An Igorot named Lakay Camilot was its first municipal president.^[5]

In 1920, a new province out of the old Lepanto-Amburayan sub-province was planned to showcase the socio-cultural integration amongst lowlanders, mountaineers and the Bagos. Three towns (San Gabriel, Sudipen and Santol) were proposed for the planned province to be named Harrison, a former American Governor-General who championed filipinization and integration.^[5]

However, protest resolutions were filed by the leaders of these municipalities unanimously objecting to their inclusion because of historical, economic, cultural and geographical reasons. As a result, the proposal did not push through.^[5]

In 1922, Mountain Province relinquished Santol which became a municipal district of La Union. Santol was elevated into a regular municipality status in 1949 by virtue of Executive Order No. 214 issued by President Elpidio Quirino.^[5]

The town of Santol is considered a safe harbor for there had been no distinct destruction of lives or properties during the historic events regarding wars and calamities. Such was true during the Spanish regime and Japanese occupation. Evidence of this is that Barrio Mangan was set aside as the place of the military emergency hospital. It was also here where the center of distribution of food supplies for army personnel was located. Barrio Banbanaba was the site of message center which is directly in touch with all the barrios of Balaoan, Santol, San Gabriel and Sudipen.^[5]

Santol Central and Cadanglaan served as the grounds for training volunteers during the days nearing the landing of the Liberation Forces while Sammauting was the hiding place for the guerillas.^[5]

There are two accounts as to how Santol derived its name. the first version states that the place was once a favorite hunting ground for people interested in sculpture of religious images. In one of their hunts for material sculpture, they saw a huge tree called Santol. The size of the tree was so remarkable that several images were carved out from a single trunk, thus made it their main material in wood carving.^[5]

The second version states that during the Spanish occupation, soldiers passed by the area, but the women did not understand Spanish and presumed the soldiers were asking for the name of the fruits they were carrying. One of the women answered – “Santol, Apo.”. the soldiers also did not understand the dialect and all they remembered was the word Santol, hence, the name of the place.^[5]

Santol is situated in the north-eastern part of the Province of La Union. It is bounded on the north by the Municipality of Sudipen, on the north-east by the upland Municipality of Sugpon in Ilocos Sur, on the south by the Municipality of San Gabriel, and on the west by the Municipality of Balaoan. The town center of Santol is 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of the City of San Fernando, the provincial capital and regional administrative center; 310 kilometres (190 mi) north of Manila and 113 kilometres (70 mi) of the country's summer capital Baguio via the Naguilian Road.

Santol is politically subdivided into 11 barangays. ^[6] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Population census of Santol

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1918	3,536	—
1939	4,901	+1.57%
1948	5,060	+0.36%
1960	6,125	+1.60%
1970	7,316	+1.79%
1975	7,686	+0.99%
1980	7,836	+0.39%
1990	9,544	+1.99%
1995	10,209	+1.27%
2000	11,202	+2.01%
2007	11,712	+0.62%
2010	12,007	+0.91%
2015	12,476	+0.73%
2020	14,166	+2.53%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11]

In the 2024 census, the population of Santol, La Union, was 12,166 people,^[3] with a density of 150 inhabitants per square kilometre or 390 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Santol

10 20 30 40 2006 39.70 2009 32.74 2012 20.64 2015 12.57 2018 5.31 2021 16.93 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

Santol, belonging to the first congressional district of the province of La Union, 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.

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022)^[20]

Position	Name
Congressman	Pablo C. Ortega
Mayor	Magno A. Wailan
Vice-Mayor	Monico O. Oriente Jr.
Barangay Officials	Jojo O. Ominga
	Claudio O. Galos Jr.
	Edith R. Millares
	William O. Agtarap
	Olympio O. Millares
	Loreto A. Wailan
	Roxanne M. Dangle
	Tirso A. Ledda

• The Jesus Church - Santol Mission
• The Lady of the Victory Church
• All Christians Pavillion
• The Jesus Church - Sapdaan Santol, La Union

• Santol Vocational High School "Main"
• Corro-oy integrated School
• Corro-oy National High School
• Liguay National High School

• 
  Municipal hall
• 
  Town center
• 
  Town center
• 
  Street view and landscape
• 
  Santol Arch