Taft Street - Streets of Bangued

At the foot of Casamata Hill and the entrance to Victoria Park, where the Abra-Ilocos Sur road turns left is the main street of Bangued called Taft Street.
Named after William Howard Taft runs westward for 1.2km from the provincial road to its junction with Mabini Street.
In 1901, President William McKinley appointed William H. Taft to serve as the first civilian Governor-General of the Philippines from 1901 to 1903, during the early years of American rule after Spain ceded the Philippines to the U.S. in 1898.
Taft was known for promoting civil governance, education, infrastructure development, and legal reforms in the Philippines.
Taft served as the 27th president of the United States from 1909 to 1913.

William Howard Taft visited Abra in August 1901, accompanied by Fr. Gregorio Aglipay riding by balsa up the Abra River.

Mabini Street is at the far west end of Taft. Its just a short street that connects Taft with Penarrubia Street.
Mabini Street is named after Apolinario Mabini (1864–1903) who was a Filipino revolutionary, political philosopher, and key adviser to President Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine struggle for independence. Despite being paralysed from the waist down due to polio, Mabini’s intellect and unwavering nationalism earned him the title “The Brains of the Revolution.” He advocated for democratic reforms and the establishment of a constitutional government, and played a vital role in drafting the fundamental laws of the First Philippine Republic.

Mabini’s influence extended beyond politics—he was a fierce defender of Filipino sovereignty and a critic of both Spanish and American colonial rule. Arrested and exiled by the Americans for his refusal to swear allegiance, he remained steadfast in his principles until his return shortly before his death in 1903.