Hush Your Voices in Vigan's Calle Crisologo

I'd post this in bold: Please observe silence or toned down voices when touring Calle Crisologo (or neighboring streets) late at night until the break of dawn. There are residents that live in these heritage shop houses.

Maari pong hinaan ang inyong boses kapag gagala po ng Calle Crisologo o mga karatig-daanan nito kung gabing-gabi na hanggang madaling-araw. Meron pa ring mga nakatira sa mga lumang bahay.

Early morning riser. This souvenir shop takes opportunity opening up early since tourists in Vigan start to arrive early dawn from Manila. Land trip journeys from Manila usually leave around night time and arrive Ilocos early in the morning.

A few minutes after i arrived, 15 minutes before 5am, some tourists have managed to reach Vigan through land trip. Speaking in Tagalog, they took time to pose in the still empty Calle Crisologo. Only 2 shops were opened, but the entire street was silent.

Then some young tourists started to talk and chat loudly, like they are in a marketplace. “Wan, tu, tri!” said one. And they manage to walk all the way—still chatting loudly. I sighed.

Inside a heritage house in Vigan. Take note, second floors are residential areas in Vigan houses.

As I have resided several times in Crisologo within different times of the year (for already almost a year), I have noticed this early morning noise from the streets. Di pa sumisikat ang araw, there seem to be tourists that are inconsiderate of their surroundings.

Tourists at Calle Crisologo on a weekend

Kung ako lang ang nakatira doon at very suplado lang, baka nabuhusan ko na mga kabataang iyan ng laman ng arinola nang matigil sila sa kasisigaw! (If only I am resident of this place and very grumpy, I may have poured the contents of the arinola so that they would shut up!)

There is a general perception from non-locals that these houses don't have residents, or only ghosts live in there. Probably that may be the reason why some dare to take their voices up. Wala namang madidistorbo kundi multo (Nobody will be disturbed except ghosts and spirits).

Early morning on a weekday

However, there are still residents in this very famous street. Mestizo District is still primarily a mix of commercial and residential spaces, and early in the morning there are people who wants to have a good night’s rest after a long day. Vigan, though a city, is still has a “probinsya vibe.”

The city has also an existing curfew ordinance for minors from 10 in the evening to 4 in the morning. Unaccompanied minors are not allowed to loiter around public places at this time.

Early morning walk at the old city center

I am no Bigueño resident myself, yet our appeal for fellow travelers or tourists is to please be considerate and responsible of your surroundings. If you arrive before dawn and decided to tour Calle Crisologo (or surrounding areas) and enjoy it without the crowd, please tone down your voices. Huwag po tayo magingay at huwag dalhin ang pagiging skandaloso dito. May mga nakatira pa rin sa mga lumang bahay na iyan, at hindi lang mga kaluluwa, kundi mga buháy na mga taong gusto lang matulog ng mahimbing. Nakikibisita lang po tayo sa kanilang lugar. Buhay po ang lungsod na ito. (Please don't be noisy and don't be scandalous here. There are still residents living in those heritage houses that would love to sleep soundly, especially late at night to early in the morning. Remember that we're only visiting their place. This city is alive).

Late night on the eve of Typhoon Rosita, on weekday. The restaurants here have an "al fresco" dining at the street, yet they still observe certain times to close.

Let us learn to appreciate the place in hushed voices—especially late at night to early morning.

After all, sino bang gustong bulabugin ang mahimbing na tulog, di ba? (Who wants to disrupt a peaceful sleep, right?)