Santo Domingo, officially the Municipality of Santo Domingo (Ilocano: Ili ti Santo Domingo; Filipino: Bayan ng Santo Domingo), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,041 people.^[3]

This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2013)

Quick Facts Country, Region ...

Santo Domingo
Municipality
Municipality of Santo Domingo
St. Dominic of Guzman Parish Church of Santo Domingo
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Arangkada Todo-Todo, Santo Domingo
Map of Ilocos Sur with Santo Domingo highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santo Domingo Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 17°38′29″N 120°24′39″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos Region
Province	Ilocos Sur
District	1st district
Named for	Saint Dominic
Barangays	36 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Bryan Dexter V. Tadena
• Vice Mayor	Michael Emili V. Figueras
• Representative	Deogracias Victor B. Savellano
• Municipal Council	Members Cristina Jane G. de Vera Rizaldy S. Rosario Eugene R. Tadeja Godofredo T. Ingan Henry Q. Palpal-Latoc Joan T. Tabangcura Luciano F. Manuel
• Electorate	19,871 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	55.49 km2 (21.42 sq mi)
Elevation	17 m (56 ft)
Highest elevation	185 m (607 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	29,041
• Density	520/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
• Households	7,346
Economy
• Income class	3rd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	4.30 % (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 118.7 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 907.2 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 112.9 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 70.56 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative (ISECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2729
PSGC	012928000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)77
Native languages	Ilocano Tagalog
Website	www.stodomingo-ilocossur.gov.ph

Close

The name of the municipality came from its old moniker, "Paggappuan ti Santol ti Domingo," an Ilocano term meaning "The source of the Santol sold every Sunday." Santol (Sandoricum koetjape) is the name of the tree bearing round, yellowish fruits growing in abundance in the municipality, notably in Barangay Pussuac.

During the Spanish era, an enlisted man of the Spanish Civil Guard, Pablo Arquero, looked for the source of the santol being sold in the markets of Ciudad Fernandina (now Vigan City) on Sundays during the months of June to August. To do so, he asked for a leave of absence from his platoon leader to trace the source of the fruits. With his Ilocano guide, he searched the lands north of Villa Fernandina. He found nothing in the neighboring towns of Bantay, Santa Catalina, San Vicente, and Bantaoay (now San Ildefonso). He finally found many santol-bearing trees in a place north of Bantaoay now called Barangay Pus-uac. He has found the "Paggappuan ti Santol ti Domingo." The town was named Santo Domingo on account of this feat.

Don Pablo Arguero was claimed to be the founder of the municipality on May 12, 1742, with Father Tomas Millan as the first parish priest. Father Millan laid the foundation of the belfry, where the great Filipino hero Diego Silang once worked as a boy.

In 2010, the University of Northern Philippines opened a campus in Quimmarayan. It houses the university's agricultural, fishery and research courses; and the Environmental Research and Training Center.

Santo Domingo is 413 kilometres (257 mi) from Metro Manila and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Vigan City, the provincial capital.

In the 2020 census, Santo Domingo had a population of 29,041.^[3] The population density was 520 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,300/sq mi).