Casiguran Settlement
Part of Sorsogon Countryside Tour
After breakfast and checking out at Villa Isabel Hotel in Sorsogon City, we again boarded our coaster for the short 22.5 km. (30 min.) drive to Casiguran town. Accompanying us was Mr. Angel Ayala, the former Information and Tourism Officer of Casiguran. Our destination was to be the Casiguran Settlement, a housing project of Gov. Jose Edwin “Boboy” B. Hamor when he was still mayor (2016-2022) of Casiguran. The sight of a monumental, multi-arched portal along the road signaled our arrival at our destination.
A row of brightly painted, pastel colored housing units
Sitting on 14 hectares of land reclaimed from the sea, this settlement houses 500 plus units for informal settlers whose income mainly relies on fishing and farming. Built in 2017, the LGU awarded one 35 sq. m. (5 by 7 m.), one-storey unit per family, giving them a more decent and spacious home within this well-regulated community. All the families need to do is pay 10 pesos per day for five years after which their units will be fully awarded to them. They are not allowed to sell or rent out their units.
The monumental, multi-arched portal and Plaza Escudero
At the center of Casiguran Settlement is Plaza Escudero, a vast,, grassy open space for recreational activities such as biking, jogging and other exercise activities. Here, we had a stunning view of the Sorsogon Range. Opposite the monumental portal is the equally monumental Statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, modeled after the image of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila, it serves as the community’s main attraction.. The statue sits atop a terraced mound and can be reached by a flight of steps.
Statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Flanking these monumental structures are the housing units painted in bright, eye-catching pastel colors. The Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is a few streets away from the Casiguran Settlement,
AUTHOR’S COMMENT:
With its monumental structures, vast open spaces and majestic and pleasant views of the mountains and the sea, the Casiguran Settlement has the potential to be a major tourist attraction and pilgrimage site of the town as well as the province.
Casiguran Settlement: Brgy. Central, Casiguran, Sorsogon.
How to Get There: Casiguran is located 537.9 kms. (a 12.5–hr. drive) from Manila and 23.2 kms. (a 30 min. drive) from Sorsogon City, all via the Pan-Philippine Highway/AH26.
Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Culture and Arts Office: Ground Floor, Capitol Building, 4700 Sorsogon City. Mobile number: (0968) 624-6279. E-mail: tourism@sorsogon.gov.ph. Facebook: www.facebook.com/sorsogonprovincialtourismoffice.
Casiguran Tourism Office: www.facebook.com/LGU Casiguran Sorsogon.
Ur Place Travel & Tours: OLV Pangpang, Sorsogon City, Sorsogon. Mobile number (Viber): (0927) 950-3927 (Ms. Annie Gueb). Facebook: www.facebook.com/urplacetravel