BULAG

        Barangay Bulag is bounded on the North by Brgy. Malingeb, on the East by Brgy. Naguiddayan, on the West by Brgy. Cabalanggan (its former ‘sitio’) and on the South by Brgy. Taguiporo. It tops in term of voting population with 1,105 registered voters (followed by Brgy Tay-ac and Balaleng, at page 72 and 41, supra) with three sitios – Bulag West, East, and Centro. There were initiatives of residents of sitio Bulag East to create/constitute it as an independent/separate Barangay, the latest was filed and deliberated by the Sangguniang Bayan on January of 2008, however failing to quality as to population and income requirements, such move remains a wishful thinking. During local elections/campaign period, this Barangay is typically lobbied and patronized by candidates because of the votes it can deliver that would ensure them of great edge.      

          It is said that in the olden days, there live an old blind man that despite his infirmity, he can perform, or even outdo, activities which an able-bodied individual can accomplished. Despite his disability, he can do farming and other domestic chores and was very industrious working from sunrise to sunset with only a twelve year old boy guiding him in his everyday tasks.  When the Tagalogs and Zambals came to Bantay to possess the miraculous Image of Our Lady of Charity, they heard about the astonishing information about this old blind man, so they looked for him for they want to see it for themselves. When they found him, they can not believe what they saw as they witnessed that the news about this extraordinary ability and skills of the old blind man were true.  To their delight, they exclaimed: ‘ang dakilang magsasakang bulag” (the great blind farmer). Time passed and the inhabitants simply called the place as bulag – referring to, and in honor of, the place where the famous blind farmer lives or was found.

          It is along the national highway with a vast tract of agricultural lands. Predominantly, residents are engaged in farming but in the early days, weaving ‘abel iloko’ was a main home industry.  It is the site of ‘hacienda tamdagan’ [agricultural estate owned by the Municipal government that was subjected to and covered by land reform (PD 72 of the Marcos era)] and to the Ilocos Sur PNP-Provincial Headquarters (Camp Elpidio Quirino) which was established (transferred from Vigan) in the late 60’s because of the growing mayhem in nearby Barangays.  Now stands in this barangay is the Bantay National High School, the very first public high school of Bantay, which was made operational in SY 1997-1998, through the initiatives of then Mayor Samuel Parilla and District Supervisor Rosalino Javier, and administratively approved on July 15, 1997 by the DECS Secretary (Ricardo T. Gloria).