Dingras, officially the Municipality of Dingras (Ilocano: Ili ti Dingras; Filipino: Bayan ng Dingras), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 40,127 people distributed over 31 barangays.

Etymology

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The Legend of Dingras

As in other communities, the town of Dingras has an interesting legend as to how its name evolved. The legend, as handed down from generation to generation, was classically romantic, a gallant heir - warrior fighting for a lady's love.

In the early times, there were two prosperous barangays in the present site of the town each one ruled by a powerful chief or datu. They were bitter and mortal enemies. Naslag was the powerful chief of the barangay north of the river while Allawigan was the chief of the south of the river. One day, Allawigan and his warriors went to hunt. Rass, his son, was the bravest among them. During the hunt, Ras followed the deer, which went north across the river. While he was watching the fleeing deer, he saw a beautiful damsel gathering wild flowers on the opposite side of the riverbank. She was Ding, the daughter of Naslag. To help the lady, Ras gathered the most beautiful flowers near him; put them at the head of his arrow and shoot near the lady's feet. Ding looked at the other side of the river and waved her hands. Ras went home happily.

Ras begged his father for permission to win Ding for his wife. But because the fathers of Ding and Ras were bitter enemies, the only way he could win her was in the open battle fiercely fought between the two tribes. Ras led his father's warriors. They fought valiant and came out victorious in the end. Ras asked for Ding as a prize but Naslag refused. This angered him and hurled a challenge to the bravest warrior of Naslag in single combat with Ding as prize. The challenge was accepted. The combat was fought and again, Ras was victorious. He brought Ding triumphantly to Allawigan, his father. Thereafter, the people named the two barangays Dingras, after Ras, their valiant warrior ruler, and Ding, his wife.

History

On January 27, 2000, Mayor Robert Castro was forcibly removed from his office by the police due to defying orders from the regional trial court issued nine days prior to step down after losing an electoral contest to Oswaldo Parado, who was found to have won the 1998 mayoral race by over 370 votes.

Geography

Dingras has a total area of 17,962 hectares, ranking 8th in size among the 23 municipalities and cities in the province. It accounts for practically 5.2% of the total land area of Ilocos Norte and corresponding percentage to the municipal area composed of 31 barangays. Six are on the Poblacion and 25 in the rural area. Out of the total area 6,305 hectares is devoted to rice and corn production. Other non-productive areas are devoted to livestock production, swine production and other livelihood projects. Most of the population are engaged in farming as the primary source of income.

Dingras is 21 kilometres (13 mi) from Laoag and 502 kilometres (312 mi) from Manila.

Barangays

Dingras is politically subdivided into 31 barangays.  Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Population census of Dingras

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 15,792 —     1918 21,388 +2.04% 1939 22,434 +0.23% 1948 24,481 +0.97% 1960 28,308 +1.22% 1970 22,751 −2.16% 1975 25,530 +2.34% 1980 26,511 +0.76%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 30,519 +1.42% 1995 31,485 +0.59% 2000 33,310 +1.22% 2007 35,793 +1.00% 2010 37,021 +1.24% 2015 38,562 +0.78% 2020 40,127 +0.79%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

In the 2020 census, the population of Dingras was 40,127 people, with a density of 420 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,100 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Dingras

5 10 15 20 2006 19.50 2009 16.27 2012 15.60 2015 11.69 2018 6.04 2021 8.19 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Longest Bibingka

On October 9, 2007, Dingras, Ilocos Norte, Philippines sought a Guinness World Record certification after baking a kilometer-long "cassava bibingka" (native cake) made from 1,000 kilos of cassava and eaten by 1,000 residents.

List of Cultural Properties of Dingras

Cultural Property wmph identifier	Site name	Description	Province	City or municipality	Address	Coordinates	Image
	Versoza House Ruins	Destroyed by earthquake	Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Padawin Street, Barangay Madamba, Poblacion,	18°06′09″N 120°41′51″E / 18.102366°N 120.697444°E / 18.102366; 120.697444 (Versoza House Ruins)
	Silvino Madamba House		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Barangay Madamba	18°06′10″N 120°41′50″E / 18.102799°N 120.697235°E / 18.102799; 120.697235 (Silvino Madamba House)
	Taylan House		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Barangay Madamba	18°06′07″N 120°41′54″E / 18.101981°N 120.698360°E / 18.101981; 120.698360 (Taylan House)
	Albano House		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Barangay Madamba	18°06′06″N 120°41′55″E / 18.101802°N 120.698647°E / 18.101802; 120.698647 (Albano House)
	St. Joseph Educational Center of Dingras	Built in the 1940s-1950s; formerly the parish church of Dingras	Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Barangay Madamba	18°06′08″N 120°41′56″E / 18.102133°N 120.698983°E / 18.102133; 120.698983 (St. Joseph Educational Center of Dingras)
	St. Joseph Parish Church of Dingras		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Poblacion, Barangay Madamba	18°06′11″N 120°41′55″E / 18.102967°N 120.698733°E / 18.102967; 120.698733 (St. Joseph Parish Church of Dingras)
	Boy Scouts Monument		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Poblacion, Barangay Madamba	18°06′09″N 120°41′54″E / 18.102450°N 120.698333°E / 18.102450; 120.698333 (Boy Scouts Monument)
	St. Joseph Institute of Dingras Building		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Poblacion, Barangay Madamba	18°06′12″N 120°41′54″E / 18.103450°N 120.698417°E / 18.103450; 120.698417 (St. Joseph Institute of Dingras Building)
	Unknown House		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Rang-ay, Barangay Madamba	18°06′14″N 120°41′50″E / 18.103966°N 120.697130°E / 18.103966; 120.697130 (Unknown House)
	Puruganan Ancestral House	Currently used as Community Rural Bank of Dingras, with NHCP historical marker	Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Barangay Madamba	18°06′15″N 120°41′51″E / 18.104150°N 120.697385°E / 18.104150; 120.697385 (Puruganan Ancestral House)
	Josefa Llanes Escoda Monument	House where Josefa Llanes Escoda was born.	Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Dona Josefa Llanes Escoda National Highway, Barangay Madamba	18°06′15″N 120°41′52″E / 18.104186°N 120.697669°E / 18.104186; 120.697669 (Josefa Llanes Escoda Monument)
	Dingras Cemetery		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Dona Josefa Llanes Escoda National Highway, Barangay Madamba	18°06′53″N 120°41′32″E / 18.114681°N 120.692351°E / 18.114681; 120.692351 (Dingras Cemetery)
	Tabacalera de Dingras		Ilocos Norte	Dingras	Dona Josefa Llanes Escoda National Highway, Barangay Madamba	18°06′50″N 120°41′31″E / 18.113960°N 120.691828°E / 18.113960; 120.691828 (Tabacalera de Dingras)

Government

Local government

Dingras, belonging to the second congressional district of the province of Ilocos Norte, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022)

Position	Name
Congressman	Eugenio Angelo M. Barba
Mayor	Joefrey P. Saguid
Vice-Mayor	Erdio E. Valenzuela
Councilors	Ruben Felicito C. Marcos
	Lester S. Ballesteros
	Elsie P. Garces
	Nathaniel Ruben P. Taylan
	Charles L. Tadena
	Rowena Celerina P. Verzosa
	Jimmy T. Aguinaldo
	Joey S. Apostol