San Juan, Abra

The present-day town of San Juan was once inhabited by Tinguians, belonging to the Inlaud Tribe. Before the Spanish colonial era, the natives were believed to have traded with the Indo-Chinese. They were believed to have bartered with them as evidenced by the presence of antique jars, big bowls, gongs, arrows and shields, beads, jewel and gems.

During the Spanish colonial era, a church was established and many of the people got baptized as Christians. The Spanish named the place San Juan.

From 1907 to 1929, San Juan was a barrio of Dolores. By virtue of a Philippine Legislature bill sponsored by Abra's then-Representative Quintín Paredes and through the initiative of Dolores's then-Vice Mayor Manuel Magala, San Juan became a separate municipality. The new municipality was inaugurated on February 28, 1929.[5]

In the early hours of March 16, 1988, around 120 members of the New People's Army raided and burned down the town's municipal hall, though after four hours of fighting the responding government troopers were able to retake the establishment.[6]

San Juan is located at 17°41′N 120°44′E.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 64.08 square kilometres (24.74 sq mi) [7] constituting 1.54% of the 4,165.25-square-kilometre- (1,608.21 sq mi) total area of Abra.

Barangays

San Juan is politically subdivided into 19 barangays.[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020[3]		2010[9]
140122001	Abualan	6.5%	698	885	▾	−2.35%
140122002	Ba-ug	10.4%	1,107	1,104	▴	0.03%
140122003	Badas	3.4%	363	463	▾	−2.40%
140122004	Cabcaborao	9.6%	1,021	1,032	▾	−0.11%
140122005	Colabaoan	2.9%	308	295	▴	0.43%
140122006	Culiong	4.3%	455	483	▾	−0.60%
140122007	Daoidao	1.5%	160	152	▴	0.51%
140122008	Guimba	3.5%	371	369	▴	0.05%
140122009	Lam-ag	5.2%	558	546	▴	0.22%
140122010	Lumobang	3.4%	363	363		0.00%
140122011	Nangobongan	3.7%	393	393		0.00%
140122012	Pattaoig	1.1%	117	122	▾	−0.42%
140122013	Poblacion North	7.7%	828	980	▾	−1.67%
140122014	Poblacion South	3.7%	397	542	▾	−3.06%
140122015	Quidaoen	6.4%	680	679	▴	0.01%
140122016	Sabangan	2.9%	311	244	▴	2.46%
140122017	Silet	4.2%	449	495	▾	−0.97%
140122018	Supi-il	5.9%	628	680	▾	−0.79%
140122019	Tagaytay	6.2%	660	719	▾	−0.85%
	Total		10,688	10,546	▴	0.13%

In the 2020 census, San Juan had a population of 10,688.[3] The population density was 170 inhabitants per square kilometre (440/sq mi).

San Juan is an agricultural town. Its major products are rice, corn and tobacco. The town has two major rivers: the Malanas River and Tineg River. These two rivers supply the townspeople with fish and they are also used to transport bamboo which is sold to resort owners in Vigan.

During the dry season, the townsfolk also plant string beans, eggplant, peanuts, bitter gourds, squashes, okra and tomatoes. Some also cultivate mangoes.

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• Philippine Standard Geographic Code