History

Name Origin

During the Spanish regime, when Galleon Trade was still flourishing, Moro pirates frequented the coast of the China Sea. To protect the natives, the Spanish authorities built watchtowers at two strategic points, one at the tip of what is now called Arboledan Point and the other at Barangay Torre. Whenever pirates appeared on the horizon to attack the villages, the people manning the watchtowers warned the people by shouting "CORRER" which means "to run". As soon as the natives heard the shouts, they would hide to save themselves. During those times, the pirates were known among the natives as "CUMAWS", a name which struck the fear and terror among the people. It was from these two words that name CURRIMAO was derived.

Political History

Currimao was once a barrio of the Municipality of Paoay. It was created as a Municipality by Executive Order No. 59 of the then Governor General Francis Burton Harrison on December 28, 1920. It was inaugurated on January 21, 1921 with the late Don Julian Aglipay as the first Municipal President.

The municipality came into existence by a joint and unanimous petition of the then Union Obrera and the people of the then barrios of Currimao; Pias, Maglaoi, Gaang and Pangil which now form an integral part of the municipality.

Because Currimao is the only navigable part of Ilocos Norte, the early settlement of the place which was then a barrio of Paoay could be traced back as early as the later part of the 19th century. Traders in the port, sold or bartered their goods with those of the few inhabitants.

Permanent settlement in the place actually began in 1895 when the "Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas" inaugurated its trade line between Manila and Aparri, thus
eventually making Currimao an intermediate port. The creation of Currimao in 1869 as a permanent storehouse of the Compania greatly contributed to the growth of this town. People from Paoay, Batac, and some towns of Ilocos Sur who were originally
peddling and trading with the inhabitants of Currimao finally decided to settle in the place permanently.

Recent Growth

Currimao, 80 years after its humble origin, had metamorphosed into an urban town, eventually sealing its identity within the map of Ilocos Norte and to a considerable degree, inched its way to economic prosperity.

From a lowly, unnoticed small town, Currimao had risen gradually, unmindful of the test of time and unperturbed by the fast changing style of its leaders. Some of the notable infrastructure projects undertaken by the Municipal Government which has substantially changed the town's facade are the re-construction and renovation of the Municipal Hall into a modern structure, and the construction of a Sea Wall along the shorelines of the town proper which virtually reclaimed a portion of the Currimao shores to protect from erosion.

Other face-lifting projects are the four lane boulevard fronting the Municipal Hall complete with hexagonal street lights, and the beautification of the Municipal Plaza with fountains, as well built whole basketball court, a kiosk, and a spacious municipal auditorium and amphitheater.