Brief History

The place now called the Municipality of Santa Ana was formerly called “Palawig”. Its first inhabitants were the Negritoes and “Hacheros” (meaning woodcutters) under the Don Julian Astigarraga, a concessionaire from Aparri.

In 1917, a group of Ilocanos came to San Vicente to survey agricultural lands. Seeing that the place is suitable for farming, they filed homestead applications but were disapproved.

When Gonzaga, the mother town, was created in 1918, Pedro Agarpao and son Felipe with some other fishermen from Minanga (still a barangay of Gonzaga today) settled at the river banks of Palawig (from the negrito word “pasawig,” meaning “mouth of the river”). From thence, “Palawig” became the popular name of the place.

In 1919, Felipe Agarpao with some settlers organized a “gimong” (meaning association) called “Inanama.” The purpose of this organization was to acquire and occupy lands around the place. Soon, Briccio Campañero of Lapog, Ilocos Sur together with some others from Ilocos, came to Palawig to apply for homesteads in the sitio of Marede. Through the leadership of Federico Navarro, six homesteads were approved for the settlers of Marede. These settlers organized another “gimong” called “Dagupan.” The same was so called because the members came from different places.                                                                                                                                                           The Municipal Town Hall of the Municipality of Sta. Ana

The fruit of the labor came only in 1949. The municipality was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 289 signed by then President Elpidio Quirino on October 21, 1949. “Palawig” and other barrios were separated from the municipality of Gonzaga effective January 1, 1950 and at the same time it was then called Santa Ana.

Santa Ana Ana was not named after a saint who triumphed over a sin. It emerged from the figment of the minds of three great men whose family names begin with letters which spell the word ANA of former governor Arranz and Board Members Navarro and Avena, who were the incumbent provincial officials during the birth of Santa Ana.

1.2 Creation

In 1935, the groups “Inanama” and “Dagupan” fused into one called “Da Inanama.” The members thought it wise to work for the separation of Palawig from its surrounding barrios and become a municipality independent from Gonzaga. Application and other necessary papers were submitted to the Municipal Council of Gonzaga, which in turn endorsed them to the Department of Interior and Local Government. The committee received an answer stating that the application for a new municipality was held in abeyance because the population of 3,000 did not meet the needed 5,000 population as required by law.

During that time, settlers hiked to Santa Ana and others came by water transport using boats considering the national road was underdeveloped. Hence, it was one of the main causes of the slow increase in the number of population.

A national road from Dugo, Camalaniugan to San Vicente (DSVR) was constructed and later it was opened two years before the war in 1941. However, the move to make “Palawig” as a municipality was not pushed through because of the outbreak of World War II.

1.3 Socio-economic and Political Development

In 1946, someone named Navarro was appointed Mayor of the municipality of Gonzaga, he resumed his project to work for the separation of Palawig from Gonzaga. As member of the provincial board in 1947, he continued to work on the same, aided by the members of the provincial board.

Due to the conflict of boundary between Gonzaga and new Santa Ana, it was only on March 6, 1950 when the new municipality was inaugurated. The first appointed Mayor was Venerando Udarbe, Sr. and Elpidio A. Tobias, Sr., Vice Mayor. The first appointed councilors were Sulpicio Leaño, Jose Manzano, Rosendo Medrano, and Toribio Peneyra.

The first town hall was located in the heart of Palawig at the house of former councilor Pantaleon Recolizado. It was only in early 1956 when the construction of the present town hall at the new site was started through the initiative of the appointed Municipal Officials. On June 1, 1957 the municipal government was transferred to its present home, serving as the administrative seat of its sixteen (16) barangays.

1.4 Inter-LGU and Inter-Government Bodies Existing

Inter-Local Government Unit (LGU) cooperation allows to occur through Memoranda of Agreement for mutually beneficial purposes, with agreed contributions of staff, financial and capital resources in whatever manner that suits the LGU concerned. Among the inter-LGU and inter-government bodies existing are: the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the Philippine Fisheries Code; the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act; the Department of Health (DOH) for Executive Order 205 series of 2000 for the establishment of Inter-Local Health Zones; the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB)-now the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for the Urban Development and Housing Act.

For the municipality of Santa Ana, this inter-local cooperation is considered as significant mechanism in the realization of political and administrative decentralization and local autonomy. Not to set aside the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which regularly assists LGUs to effectively and efficiently deliver services to their constituents. The DILG formulates policies, plans, and programs to enhance local autonomy, focusing particularly on the administrative, technical, and fiscal capacities of LGUs. Also, there’s the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) responsible for national roads while local roads are under the responsibility of the Local Government Units, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which coordinates with the respective Local Government Units (LGUs) through its Negosyo Center and other National Agencies with regular link to the LGUs.

1.5 Other Significant Local Institutional and Government Platforms and Programs Adopted / Innovations 

            The Local Government Unit of Santa Ana adopts the national government platforms and programs in vertical consistencies of its land use policies. Part of it is the functionality of the different local special bodies and institutions such as: The Local School Board for education, Local Health Board and a variety of other special purpose institutions. These institutions provide services needed by the local residents, such as land use planning, roads, utilities, public transit, economic development promotion, education, health services, and infotainment.                         Other significant local institutional and government platforms include an open platform to build upon for new public infrastructure a short-hand for co-production of policy, and paving the way for new institutions that are fit for the digital age.

Demographic Profile