About the Seal

Shield, derived from the seal of Ilocos Norte

Seal as a whole, shows that Dingras is highly agricultural, being known as the rice granary of Ilocos Norte and that farming is the basic occupation of the people as depicted in the foreground

Plow, represents one of the agricultural implements used by the farmers.

Hat, a native hat used and made by the farmers by himself, from matured white squash locally known as TABUNGAO to protect him for from the inclement weather.

Ricefields, represents the vast agricultural lands where most of the people derive their income. Aside from palay, many other products have been introduced to augment their meager income like hybrid corn, tobacco, garlic, vegetables and others

Mountain Ranges, represents the Cordillera with its virgin forest and minerals where the sun rises giving hope everyday

Circular Line, symbolizes oneness, unity and harmony

Gold, symbolizes that agriculture brings wealth

Brief History

Dingras is bounded on the north by the municipality of Piddig; on the east by Banna; on the south by Batac; and on the west by San Miguel (Sarrat). It is an expensive plain surrounded by mountains. The land is highly fertile. Its plains are drained by the Padsan River and its tributaries hence, its distinction as the rice blows of Ilocos Norte. It has a land area of 96 square kilometers, with the population of 31,485 in 1995.

The town was said to have derived from the names of Ding and Ras. Ding was the son of a chieftain called Naaslag, who ruled the northern part of the river of Dingras. Ras, on the otherhand, was the daughter of Allawigan, the chief of the southern part of the river. At one time, these two chiefs were in perennial war with each other. One day, son Ding defeated the warriors of Allawigan. Ding took ras as his prize from the conquered northern ruler and married her. The union ende the feud between Naaslag and Allawigan. As the two kingdoms merged as one great power in the valley, their place became known henceforth known as Dingras.

In 1598, the Augustinians founded Dingras as Ginglas. On the same year, it was placed under the patronage of San Jose. Dingras became one of the oldest and biggest ministries in the entire Ilocos region until year 1690. It was one of the visitas of batac in 1589. On July 8 of that year, Dingras was made a ministry with Fray Bartolome Conrado as its first parish priest. As such, it remained as one of the six encomiendas in Ilocos of the King of Spain in 1591. However, on October 31, 1603, Dingras was given back as visita to Batac, perhaps, because of its failure to become the mission center for the conversion of the interior settlements in the Ilocos.

In 1680, the Augustinians built a church. However it was destroyed by a strong earthquake in 1707. Another church which was more spacious and massive was erected by Fray Damaso Vieztez. In 1838, Fathers Deza and Franco remodeled the church impressively. But fire later gutted the edifice. Te ruins still evidence of a once splendid structure, regarded by historians as one of the three earthquake baroque churches. The others are those of Magsingal (Ilocos Sur Province) and Laoag City.

Rice has remained the major agricultural income earner with tobacco coming in as a closed second. The farmers of Dingras also hybrid corns, garlic, vegetables bananas and coffee. They are engaged in poultry raising piggery, as well as in weaving. The streams across rivefields yield fish in abundance.