Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur
| Santa Maria | ||
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| Municipality | ||
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| Motto: Isem Sta. Maria! | ||
 Map of Ilocos Sur showing the location of Santa Maria |
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 Santa Maria
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| Coordinates: 17°22′N 120°29′E / 17.37°N 120.48°ECoordinates: 17°22′N 120°29′E / 17.37°N 120.48°E | ||
| Country | Philippines | |
| Region | Ilocos (Region I) | |
| Province | Ilocos Sur | |
| District | 2nd District | |
| Founded | April 25, 1765 | |
| Barangays | 33 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Edgar C. Florendo | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 63.31 km2 (24.44 sq mi) | |
| Population (2015 census) | ||
| • Total | 30,321 | |
| • Density | 480/km2 (1,200/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Sta. Marians | |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | |
| ZIP code | 2705 | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)77 | |
| Income class | 3rd class | |
Santa Maria is a third-class partially urban municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 30,321 people.
The town is home to the Our Lady of the Assumption Church (Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The townspeople celebrate their patronal fiesta in honor of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Assumption (more commonly known as Apo Baket) every August 15 and lasting for several days.
Situated at the western coastline of the island of Luzon, Santa Maria is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. It lies in the central part of the province of Ilocos Sur. It is bounded to the north by the Municipality of Narvacan; to the east by Municipality of Pilar, Abra province and the Cordillera range; to the south by the Municipality of San Esteban; to the southeast by the Municipality of Burgos; and to the west by the South China Sea.
Santa Maria is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.
The community of Santa Maria must have been already an organized settlement before the Spaniards came to the Philippines. When Captain Juan de Salcedo conquered the Ilocos in 1572, they found out that the people were already engaged in a brisk trade and commerce with the Japanese and the Chinese. The people’s main industries were fishing and farming and to some extent weaving of cotton cloth and pottery. The people were noted for their religiosity. They worshiped the anitos, spirits and local Gods. Although the conquest of the Ilocos Region was a slow and painful process for the inhabitants resisted, they were later conquered through the use of the sword and hand in hand with the Cross. It was the religious nature of the people that the friars greatly exploited to convert the Ilocanos to the new faith – Christianity.
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Wikipedia