LINGSAT

        Lingsat is a barangay nestled at the foot of the eastern most tip of Bantay resting at the foot of the Cordillera mountains.  It is the farthest and one of the original barrios of the town, 14 kilometers away from the seat of the Municipal government, with 469 registered voters. At the time when infrastructure for social development was not yet known, the place was the shortest connecting link or passageway on foot between the places north of Vigan and the Provinces of Abra, Ilocos Norte, the Cordillera and Cagayan.

        To reach the place, one has to negotiate a river that is part of its territory. The ‘burayok’ river, which is most of the time dried up, is both an advantage and disadvantage to the Barangay.  For one, it provides stone aggregates, quarry resources and the only access road leading to the barangay; however, during rainy season the riverbed becomes a mudflow channel making the barangay literally isolated and inaccessible. 

        It derived its name from the contraction of two Ilocano words – ‘linglingay’ (to rest or have fun) and ‘lumasat’ (to traverse or cross) due to its strategic location where travellers used to stop and took a rest.  Until now, there still stands a gigantic balete tree believed to be centuries old, as a distinguished landmark, which served as a resting place for voyagers in the early days.

        During the Japanese occupation, it was known as the hiding lair of local guerrillas from nearby towns. A clandestine command post was established herein taking advantage of its concealed location and remoteness which the Japanese armies found difficult to penetrate.

        The barangay is proud of its contribution having supplied the timber requirements of the religious structures in neighboring places.  There are minuscule spring sources in the area waiting to be tapped.  Situated at the foot of the mountain, many are engaged in carpentry, firewood gathering, charcoal production, wildlife hunting and planting along the forested slopes.  It has fertile soil and grazing land fit for agricultural production and pasture of swine and other livestock animals, though farming is the main occupation of the people.  Its corporate existence is RA 3590 (1963, The Revised Barrio Charter, supra, at page 9).