As a relatively recent town, Pinili has few heritage structures. The only one remaining is what is left of the old secondary school, a small structure made entirely of wood except for its roofing of galvanized iron. Interesting features of this ruin include the small wooden brackets with a motif which resembles tools used to scrape the meat off from certain fruits as well as the massive posts which carry the structure.
Outside the town proper in Kullabeng is the Aglipay Shrine which is a cluster of modern structures around a statue of a wind-swept Gregorio Aglipay. Throughout the garden are metal plates inscribed with the writings of Aglipay and documents pertinent to his movement.
Pinili continues to be a productive agricultural town. The road by Darat, on the junction of the town center, is the best place to purchase garlic and onions. Pinili also has a thriving weaving industry, with hand-wovern materials featuring the binacol, an intricate geometric design likened to an optical illusion. The traditional method of weaving using hand looms has been preserved by contemporary weavers.
Another significant cultural preservation is a municipal resolution in 1995 which institutionalized the dap-ayan, a word signifying a gathering place, as the permanent community center for the barangays.
The above information was lifted from ILOCOS NORTE: a travelguidebook, published by Gameng Foundation Inc. (Museo Ilocos Norte).
Philippine copyright 2004 Gameng Foundation - all rights reserved. (63-77) 770-4587; gameng@Laoag City.net