Luna, Province of La Union, Ilocos Region, Philippines

🇵🇭 Luna, officially the Municipality of Luna (Ili ti Luna; Bayan ng Luna), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines.

Luna is 34 km (21 mi) from San Fernando and 303 km (188 mi) from Manila.

Etymology The town got its name in order of the Luna brothers: Antonio Luna and Juan Luna.

History Luna was once called Namacpacan, which is an Ilocano word meaning "one who feeds".

As early as 1587, Namacpacan was recorded as a visita (satellite mission, whose church is manned by non-resident clergy based in the cabecera) of Purao (now Balaoan). It was a settlement along the camino real (national road) from Vigan to Manila, and travelers stopped there to refresh themselves. Since restaurants were not yet in vogue, local families offered the travelers food and lodging, hence the name.

On 18 October 1906, during the terms of Governor Joaquin Luna and Mayor Primitivo Resurrección Novicio, the town was renamed "Luna" through Philippine Commission Act No. 1543. It was the first town that altered its name since the creation of the province in 1850. The change was to honor the famous Luna brothers: Revolutionary General Antonio and Spoliarium painter Juan; their mother, Doña Laureana Novicio Luna, was a native of Namacpacan.

Geography: Barangays Luna is politically subdivided into 40 barangays.  Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. • Alcala (poblacion) • Ayaoan • Barangobong • Barrientos • Bungro • Busel-Busel • Cabalitocan • Cantoria No. 1 • Cantoria No. 2 • Cantoria No. 3 • Cantoria No. 4 • Carisquis • Darigayos • Magallanes (poblacion) • Magsiping • Mamay • Nagrebcan • Nalvo Norte • Nalvo Sur • Napaset • Oaqui No. 1 • Oaqui No. 2 • Oaqui No. 3 • Oaqui No. 4 • Pila • Pitpitac • Rimos No. 1 • Rimos No. 2 • Rimos No. 3 • Rimos No. 4 • Rimos No. 5 • Rissing • Salcedo (poblacion) • Santo Domingo Norte • Santo Domingo Sur • Sucoc Norte • Sucoc Sur • Suyo • Tallaoen • Victoria (poblacion).

Tourist attractions Luna is also known for its pebble beaches, particularly in Nalvo Sur and Darigayos. Beach shades, cottages and resorts are found in these barangays. The municipality is also known for its native delicacies and pottery products which are comparable to San Juan's.

The town is a pilgrimage site as it enshrines the Apo Baket Namacpacan, a wooden Marian image.

On the beach of barangay Victoria rests the ruins of an old Spanish watchtower, locally named as Balauarte. The tower was intended to guard the shores of the town primarily from Muslim and pirate attacks during the Spanish period. During World War II, the tower served as the communication tower post for a temporary airfield for the USAFIP-NL forces. Due to years of quarrying within the site of the tower (1980 to 2000), the coastline receded and sea waves severely damaged the foundation of the tower, which eventually caused major damage to its structure. At present, efforts were initiated to preserve the tower from further damage.

Education Luna has Public Elementary schools in each barangay except Barangobong. There are 6 public high schools (Luna National Science High School - Central in Barangay Barrientos, LNHS - Rimos and Cantoria Annex; and Oanari National High School) Bungro-Sucoc Integrated School in Bungro, Luna Technical Vocational High School and 1 Private High School (Santa Catalina Academy).