Long before the creation of this place into a barrio, a certain plant called “bilis” a tall and slender plant of the banana family that likely resembles a tall “espaniola” plant, abundantly grow in the area, the name “Bilis” was used to refer to the place.  In fact, there is still at present part of this barangay situated near the north eastern boundary between Bilis and Sablan that is called Bilis, of which according to the old folks, an area where they saw the last remnants of this kind of plant.

            By virtue of Executive Order No. 54, issued by then Governor General Leonard Wood on November 27, 1925, Bilis, together with Pappa, Ribsuan, Libtong North and Bayabas West, became among the barrios organized into a Municipal District of the Province of La Union which took effect on January 1, 1926.

            During the pre-war period, the first to be designated “Teniente del Barrio” was Ocbus Abansi.  A young leader by the name Batil Guillao took over as Barrio Captain after the war.  Bilis was then a wide barrio traversed by a main road (now Elpidio Quirino Highway) until its western portion was segregated to form another barangay in 1968.

            Bounded on the East of Sablan, Benguet; on the West by New Poblacion; on the South by Agpay; and on the North by Upper Tumapoc, Bilis lies as part of the Cordillera ranges.  It occupies an area of 365.7954 hectares and is inhabited with 1,130 (in 2015) people.  It has five sitios namely: Sitio Conig, named after a “Conig” plant also of the banana family, with roots that likely to resemble a long Hawaiian Ginger that grew in the area; Sitio Pilig, from the Nabaloi dialect “pilig” which means “at the other side” and it is truly located at the other side of the mountain; Sitio Sulbuan or Suyboan, named after a tree that bear small but numerous fruits that was to be eaten by abruptly sipping the contents; Sitio Calaticat, from the Nabaloi dialect “kala shi alkat”, which means “come to the forest”; and Sitio Upper Bilis which is located near the road boundary of Burgos, La Union and Sablan, Benguet.

            Considering its proximity with the lowlanders and highlanders, different cultures intertwined among the people.  Ibalois, Kankanaeys, Ilocanos and other tribal groups now share the grandeur of resources of Barangay Bilis. They also enjoy the temperately hot climate of the place.

            While farming may be considered as the main source of income of the people, many of them are engaged in business, various professional jobs, brooms and handicraft making, and other skilled works.  Tiger grass, palay, root crops and other highland vegetables are being produced by the farmer residents. 

            The barangay could be reached in an about an hour ride from Baguio City and from the City of San Fernando, La Union.