Salomague, Philippines

Salomague village and port lie in the province of IIlocos Sur at the NW of Luzon Island in the Philippines. This was an ancient port of call for seafarers, merchants and traders from different Asian countries. During the American occupation (1901-1944) it served as a mooring place from boats that ferried across the Pacific where thousands of Ilocanos worked at sugar plantations in Hawaii and California. There’s a statue at the port to commemorate the thousands of workers (sakadas; the last 6000 left for Hawaii in 1946).