"BRIEF HISTORY OF PIDDIG ILOCOS NORTE"
The earliest
settlers of the place were the Itnegs. As early as 1770, they cleared the land,
tilled the soil and enjoyed bountiful harvests. Years later, the villagers from
nearby La Union and Ilocos Sur arrived at the settlement and drove the Itnegs
away. Fearing for their lives, the Itnegs fled to the hills and mountains. They
called their new sanctuary Pidipid, an Ilocano term for a hilly place. The town
was called Pidipid for hundreds of years until the Americans arrived and changed
its name to Piddig, which literally means a hilly place at the foot of
the mountains.
The people of Piddig are known to be religious as well as
God-fearing. Records of Augustinian monks indicate that they had an easy time
converting the people to Christianity. In 1902, another religious sect was
organized by Monsignor Gregorio Aglipay. His was the Philippine Independent
Church with Rev. Jose Castro as the first priest.
Like the Itnegs before them, the people of Piddig
consider agriculture their most important industry. The farmers raise corn,
rice, sugarcane and tobacco. Basi, an Ilocano wine, is grown in almost all
barangays and is considered one of the town's principal products.