🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN » (2012) Tugot ni Angalo: a Search for the Giant Footprint

This legend forms a part of the living culture and the richness of the traditional oral literature not just in this little village but also in the rest of the Ilocandias.

» Once upon a time, there were two giants who inhabited the planet named Angalo and Aran. These two giants were believed to be the first two inhabitants of the planet.

» When we arrived in Brgy Palang, no one could help me go near the footprint.

🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN » ABRA

In the presence of modern technology, under a digital ecosystem where children engage the world through digital citizenship, I reached a quiet village engulfed by mountains and isolated by a great river. The village is called Brgy Palang which could be accessed by crossing the Abra River in the town of San Quintin in the province of Abra. From this village, you could visualize a geolological feature that is associated with a local legend—especially for Ilocanos.

This legend forms a part of the living culture and the richness of the traditional oral literature not just in this little village but also in the rest of the Ilocandias, and it intertwines with the trajectory of the world to modernity. In this part of the country, there exists the most legendary of all the footprints of Angalo: a mythical giant. This giant footprint is related to the local folklore of Angalo and Aran (characters of an Ilocano mythology).

In 2012, I had this perception that only a few are knowledgeable of the existence of this footprint. Even a quick Google search back then wouldn't give you plenty of blogs about the Tugot ni Angalo. So where is this legendary footprint?

 ►  Backstory

Swipe/drag to left or right to view more vertical photos. Tap or click the photos to enlarge.

I remember the person who talked to me at the San Quintin Town Hall. He said that the Angalo footprint is the most famous landmark in this town. The only predicament I had to face at that time is the fact that reaching the place would be difficult. However, he said to me that as I cross the river (which I just did), I would be able to visualize the footprint.

I discussed the story of the legend of Angalo in a ▼ PREVIOUS POST

🇵🇭 SUDIPEN » (2012) Angalo Footprint at Amburayan River by a Mythical Giant

, where I narrated how I encountered one of the footprints in Sudipen, La Union. However, like what I said, this one in San Quintin is the most famous footprint. The other famous footprint is located at the higher cascades of the PINSAL FALLS. This footprint I was chasing at that time in San Quintin is the right foot. Meanwhile, the other one in Pinsal Falls is the left foot. I have to say that this is the most famous pair. Yet, there are many footprints scattered in different towns up north.

 ►  Did I See the Giant Footprint?

So now, I would tell a story like an elder, as I narrate the story of Angalo and Aran: an Ilocano folklore that has been passed from generation to generation. These two giants are the Ilocano version of Adam and Eve. The notable difference, though, is that they are super-sized.

Once upon a time, there were two giants who inhabited the planet named Angalo and Aran. These two giants were believed to be the first two inhabitants of the planet.

Unfortunately, the woman (Aran) was missing; and so the giant male Angalo's longing to see the woman was infinite. He continually searched for Aran; and to be able to look for Aran, he roamed the whole Ilocos Region.

Along the process of his search, he left massive marks; and these are the gigantic footprints carved into the young earth. Angalo also drank from the springs of what is known now as Pinsal Falls in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur; and he had to kneel, thereby creating other depressions. Those depressions are now the natural pools on top of the waterfalls, and the largest of those natural pools with the shape of a footprint is claimed to be the footprint of Angalo.

In San Quintin, the footprint was carved in a village called Labaan. The place was still far from the place where I was standing at that time. Even so, the man I talked with at the town hall assured me that I could see the footprint by going to Brgy Palang. I pursued the adventure.

That seemed like a very gigantic footprint. Angalo must have been very super-sized man!

🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN » We crossed the Abra River to reach Brgy Palang.

🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN » Where is the giant footprint?

When we arrived in Brgy Palang, no one could help me go near the footprint. So, I had to stay at the riverbanks to see the footprint from afar. Nonetheless, I still longed to see it up close. According to my local sources, the depression is about 3 meters deep, five meters wide, and 15 meters long!

Using my camera, I zoomed in; and I noticed a depression in the area.

🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN » I zoomed in my digicam from the distant barangay of Palang.

My bad, that's the only photo I could post mean time; but I hope this would facilitate our appreciation to this unwritten Ilocano mythology. Its story has been passed through oral medium. Mind you, there are more footprints in various towns; and that makes this myth more interesting to probe.

I borrowed some photos from a username "jojof" who captured that landmark in a closer scale. It was originally uploaded on the defunct Panoramio website.

🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN » Closer photo of the Tugot ni Angalo

🇵🇭 SAN QUINTIN » Closer photo of the Tugot ni Angalo

The search is not over yet. This is only the second footprint, and I am still warming up. The search for the other footprints would be more epic I suppose.

As I crossed the river back to where I came from, I observed one thing that was as interesting as the Angalo Footprint. I noticed this one after I saw the footprint from afar. To be continued...

This is Part 6 of the series: "My First Abra Ride Adventure in 2012"

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
LATEST STORIES COVERING SAN QUINTIN • SEE ALL IN A SEPARATE WINDOW

MORE BLOGS YOU MIGHT LIKE. SEE TABS BELOW.

▼ ABRA ▼ GEO FEATURES ▼ GEOLOGICAL FORMATION

 ►  More 'Abra' Blogs

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 ►  More 'Geo Feature' Blogs

MORE STORIES COVERING "GEO FEATURES" | SEE OLDER STORIES

 ►  More 'Geological Formation' Blogs

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UPDATE HISTORY FOR THIS BLOG POST

2025-August-21:
• The article was rewritten, proofread, and revised (injecting both 2012 and 2025 perspectives). 2025 lay-out update applied.

2012-October-12:
• This post was published.