Globe Sponsors FEED to Plant 160 Mangroves to Spur FEED’s Collaboration with Fisheries Research & Training Institute, La Union for World Water Day

22 March 2017, Barangay Paraoir, Balaoan, La Union. Globe Telecom opted to sponsor 160 mangrove seedlings to be planted in La Union as a part of the company’s environmental awareness campaign promoting youth leadership in helping support communities facing climate change challenges.
After FEED’s nomination as the independent NGO for the #PledgeToPlunge #PlungeForLaUnion beach clean-up campaign, the same film crew opted to engage FEED and, by doing so, FEED’s latest membership partner the Lupon ng mag Indibidwal na Nangangalaga sa Kalikasan” (LINK) – with whom FEED planted 100 Mangroves by Carlatan River, La Union last 10th of March.

Paraoir town is Balaoan’s pristine coastal community on the South China Sea is one of the oldest municipalities in La Union, having been founded in 1704.

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Paraoir is situated north of Bacnotan, south of Bangar, east of Luna and west of Santol. Located 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of San Fernando City, the provincial capital of La Union and the regional capital of Region I. Balaoan is 299 kilometres (186 mi) north of Metro Manila. Its land area of 6,870 hectares (17,000 acres) consists mostly of agricultural lands, and occupies 4.3% of the total area of the province, politically subdivided into 36 barangays (towns).

History

Balaoan, formerly “Puraw” (meaning “white’) was originally part of Ilocos Sur. The town’s present name originated during the Spanish colonial era. A group of Spanish soldiers were on patrol and went on to rest on a sitio. The villagers were curious about the soldiers because of their unusual descent and fair skin color. They flocked the soldiers touching their guns, too afraid that the guns might explode accidentally, one villager asked the soldier in a local vernacular.. “Aoan bala?” (meaning “No bullets?”). The soldier did not understand what the villager meant, he uttered the last word first, and remembering the last, he said “Bala-aoan”.

During the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, a secret society of insurrectos was organized in the municipality. Its purpose was to fight and revolt against the Spanish Government in the area. On the eve of the revolution, a traitor told the Spanish of their plan. The Spanish soldiers, without any investigation arrested seven members of the secret society, and executed them the same night. Only one, Fernando Ostrea, escaped with leg wounds. He informed the people about what happened. In memory of the seven Martyrs, a masonic lodge, Siete Martires Lodge No. 177, was organized.

Balaoan is one of the oldest municipalities in La Union, having been founded in 1704. Its first Capitan is Ignacio Duldulao.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaoan