When the Augustinians were Christianizing the Ilocos Region, a group of missionaries sailed westward through the river known as "El Mestizo" to the place now called Santa Catalina.

A replica of the cross once planted by Salcedo and his party—to signify that the Spanish had conquered the area—stands near the entrance to the municipality.

This is among the results of the Poverty Mapping Project implemented by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) with funding assistance from the World Bank ASEM Trust Fund in response to the increasing demand for local level poverty estimates.

It is evidenced by the numerous mansions and large houses that dot the area along with the vast expanse of active farms and fields.

Santa Catalina is only four (4) kilometers away from Vigan City, which is the province's center of commerce and trade, and because of this; there are few establishments in the locality.

Residents currently go to Vigan to sell their produce and at the same time buy their household needs and other goods and merchandise that will be retailed in the locality.

There are also service-oriented industries such as gravel and sand businesses that cater to the needs of the Housing Sector and the metal crafts that manufacture sidecars for motorized-tricycles.

Next to rice/corn season, farmers also plant vegetables with a total effective area of 1,150 hectares or 165.09 percent of the agricultural lands.

Because of the limited agricultural land in the municipality, inter cropping farming system are commonly practiced.

Livestock such as cows and water buffalo were being raised to help farmers in their farm needs and serves as working animal.