Church of Our Lady of the Pillar (Pilar, Bataan)

Church of Our Lady of the Pillar

The second pilgrim church we visited in our visita iglesia was the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in the town of Pilar.  This church, with pilasters and adobe stone walls, was started in 1834 by Dominican Fr. Jesualdo Minaño. Fr. Jose Diego (1851-1864) completed the second row of windows and Fr. Francisco Govea (1864-1867) constructed the church’s walls. Fr. Miguel Vasquez (1882-1886) galvanized the roofs in 1885.

The left side of the church

On May 28, 1898, local revolutionaries burned the church, including the rectory.  The image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar survived. In 1931, Dominican Fr. Fermin de San Julian built a new stone church while Fr. Renato Manansala (1977-1979) rebuilt the still standing old rectory.

The right side of the church

Fr. Roberto Tayao (1996-2003) installed stained glass windows at the sanctuary and new flooring for the entire church. On March 4, 2001, the church was consecrated by Ricardo Cardinal J. Vidal.  Surprisingly, unlike the six other pilgrim churches and in spite of its history and age, this church doesn’t have a historical plaque installed by the Philippine Historical Commitee (PHC).

The church interior

Its two-level, Baroque facade has a projecting central section with a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by coupled flat pilasters.

The main altar

The second level has three semicircular arched statue niches and is topped by a balustrade and a central square bell tower.  Interestingly, it is the only church in Bataan built facing the mountains instead of the sea.  Near the church is the Museo ng Kagitingan.

Check out “Museo ng Kagitingan

One of the church’s bells

Church of Our Lady of the Pillar: Poblacion, Pilar, Bataan.  Tel: (047) 237-2923. Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar: October 12.

How to Get There: Pilar is located 131.4 kms. (a 2.5-hr. drive) from Manila and 15 kms. (a 25-min. drive) from Balanga City.

Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Orion, Bataan)

Church of St. Michael the Archangel

The first pilgrim church we visited in our visita iglesia was the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in the town of Orion.  The town’s present day 19th-century church was repaired by the Dominicans upon their return in 1832.

The church complex

It was extensively damaged during the September 16, 1852 earthquake but was rebuilt in 1854 by Fr. Jose Campomanes, OP.   Fr. Ulpiano Herrera constructed the beautiful sacristy and the marble altars.  The church was repaired by Fr. Miguel Fuster and its dome was added by Fr. Jose Auli.

Statue of St. Michael the Archangel

The church’s three-level, barn-style  Baroque facade has a balustraded semicircular arched concrete porte cochere (a later addition) at the main entrance and is flanked by flat pilasters (that divide the façade into five segments) topped by urn-like finialsCornices divide the expanse of the wall into two levels.

PHC Historical Marker

The undulating pediment, with its raking cornice and a square window at the tympanum, ends into two small volutes before tapering down to the sides. It has a framed statued niche, within a post and lintel arrangement, flanked by two hexagonal windows.

The church interior

On the church’s left is its slender four-storey bell tower whose two uppermost levels are octagonal.  It is pierced with rectangular, circular and semicircular arched campanile windows.

The main altar

The dome above the main altar

The early 18th century main altarpiece (retablo), done in the Rococo style, features the seven archangels and a tableau of the Holy Family

The left side altar

The right side altar

Church of St. Michael the Archangel: Brgy. San Vicente, OrionBataan. Feast of St. Michael the Archangel: May 8.

How to Get There: Orion is located 132 kms. from Manila and 6 kms. south of Balanga City.

Bisita Iglesia: Bataan

It was now Black Saturday in Mariveles, Bataan and, to avoid the rush of tourist returning to Manila the next day, Maricar, Norman, Jandy and I opted to leave The Oriental Bataan in the morning, right after breakfast.  Normally, returnees take the Roman Superhighway (Bataan Provincial Expressway) to avoid the traffic gridlock in towns along the MacArthur Highway but we chose to travel via the latter to go on our own Lenten tradition of Bisita Iglesia (visit to 7 churches).

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: The Oriental Bataan

Jandy and Maricar at Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Orion

Aside from the old Spanish-era churches along the MacArthur Highway, you’ll also pass a lot of interesting Death March Markers as well as World War II monuments, museums and shrines.

Check out “Bataan’s Death March Markers” and “Museo ng Kagitingan

Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in Pilar

The churches we visited were:

  • Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Orion) – this 352 year old church, the third oldest in the province, was repaired by the Dominicans upon their return in 1832.

Check out “Church of St. Michael the Archangel

Church of St. Michael the Archangel

  • Church of Our Lady of the Pillar (Pilar) – this 218 year old church, the seventh oldest in Bataan, was burned by revolutionaries on May 28, 1898.  The image of Nuestra Senora del Pilar survived.

Check out “Church of Our Lady of the Pillar

Church of Our Lady of the Pillar

  • Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral of St. Joseph (Balanga City) – this 305 year old church, the fifth oldest in Bataan was, during World War II, used by the Japanese 14th Army as an artillery emplacement to bombard Mt. Samat.  On March 19, 2015, the cathedral was formally declared as a Diocesan Shrine.

Check out “Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral of St. Joseph

Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral of St. Joseph

  • Church of St. Dominic of Guzman (Abucay) – this 431 year old church, the oldest in Bataan, housed one of the earliest printing presses in the country and its court was the site of a fierce battle between the Dutch and PPampango natives on June 23, 1647.

Check out “Church of St. Dominic of Guzman

Church of St. Dominic of Guzman

  • Church of St. Catherine of Sienna (Samal) – this 423 year old church, the second oldest church in Bataan, was burned by Katipuneros in 1898 to drive out their enemies in the convent.  The present church and convent were rebuilt from 1903 to 1905.

Check out “Church of St. Catherine of Sienna

Church of St. Catherine of Sienna

  • Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (Orani) – this 309 year old church, the fourth oldest in Bataan, is one of the best in the province.  Repaired by Dominican friars in 792, it was badly damaged during the September 16, 1852 earthquake.

Check out “Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

  • Church of St. Peter, Martyr of Verona (Hermosa) – this 263 year old church, the sixth oldest in Bataan, was built in stone by Dominican friars,  destroyed by fire several times but was renovated in 1869.

Check out “Church of St. Peter, Martyr of Varona

Church of St. Peter, Martyr of Varona

Bataan Provincial Tourism Office: Roman Superhighway, Balanga City, Bataan.  Tel: (047) 237-4785

Bataan’s Death March Markers

Starting Point of Death March Marker

Passing along the National Road on our way to visit Bataan’s pilgrim churches, we passed a number of Death Mark Markers, silent white obelisks, created over a decade ago, that stand as mute reminders of the path, from Mariveles and Bagac to the gates of the former Camp O’Donnell (now the Capas National Shrine), taken by nearly 75,000 soldiers, both Philippine and American, after the Fall of Bataan.

Jandy beside the historical plaque at KM 0 Marker

From Bataan to Tarlac, there are 138 Death March markers in all – 97 in Bataan, 33 in Pampanga and 8 in Tarlac. Each kilometer (KM) is marked by a concrete obelisk. The Zero Kilometer Death March monument (“Pinagsimulan ng Death March”), in Mariveles, marks the spot where, on April 10, 1942, thousands of Filipino and American soldiers started their grueling 160-kilometer march to Capas in Tarlac. For the three days that they marched, they starved, saw thousands of their companions die, and faced the brutality of the Japanese captors, all the while showing strength and integrity.

Plaque at KM 6 Death March Marker

Their construction and installation all paid for through donations, the funds for the perpetual maintenance of the markers, however, have not been sufficient. The tile plaques have degraded to illegible and paint peels due to tropical weather conditions of excessive heat, rain, as well as mildew and flooding in typhoon season. Furthermore, given that these obelisks are placed beside the National Road, they inevitably suffer some accidental, negligent or intentional (vandalism) damage. Many plaques have simply disappeared and need to be replaced.

Dedication plaque at KM 6 Death March Marker

Either due to negligence or ignorance, some of these mute mementos  were also destroyed, damaged, uprooted, covered with rubble or neglected by road crews of contractors hired by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), notably the 6th and 109th kilometer in Mariveles (Bataan) and at the Calumpit Bridge (Capas, Tarlac) respectively. Some were left ignored by residents on grassy lawns (which may soon grow out of hand and hide the marker behind its tall leaves) and a lot were removed from their original locations and dumped somewhere else.

KM 21 Death March Marker

There is hope though via the Filipino-American Memorial Endowment (FAME).  To provide for the perpetual maintenance on all 138 Death March markers, this non-profit foundation’s goal is to raise at least enough money to annually provide for the maintenance and replacement of 20% of the plaques.

Km. 35 Marker in Orion

According to Robert Hudson, FAME vice president whose father was one of the survivors of the Death March, to replace an entire obelisk, it would cost at least US$350 (P18,270) while, on average, it would cost about US$200 (P10,440) to install a porcelain tile plaque in an obelisk.  Cleaning an obelisk (including materials and travel), on the other hand, averages $25 (P1,300) for each obelisk. Any fund donated in excess of annual maintenance needs will be used for other solutions (better coatings, purchasing permanent land for placing the markers, and better materials for future replacement markers).

Km. 58 Marker in Orani

Filipino-American Memorial Endowment (FAME): Tel: (632) 818-7911. E-mail: fame@amchamphilippines.com.  Website: www:filipino-americanmemorials.org.

Sisiman Lighhouse and San Miguel Peak (Mariveles, Bataan)

Sisiman Beach with rows of cottages along its coast. On the left is the foot of San Miguel Peak while at center is Sisiman Lighthouse

It was now our second day in Bataan and, come late afternoon at The Oriental Bataan, Maricar, Norman, Jandy and I embarked on our first outdoor adventure as we boarded my Toyota Revo for the 20 min. (4.6 km) drive, via the Baseco-Sisiman Highway/Mariveles Diversion Rd., to Sisiman Beach along picturesque Sisiman Bay.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: The Oriental Bataan

Sisiman Lighthouse

Upon arrival, we parked the Revo beside the roofless shell of a building and then walked down for about 20 mins.along a rocky trail that lead to the new functioning fenced lighthouse.

The flight of stairs leading up to the top of the lighthouse

This is a relatively new lighthouse as the old, original lighthouse on the site was destroyed by 194 km/hr. (121 mph) winds of Typhoon Pedring (International name: Nesat) which struck Luzon last September 27, 2011.

Rocky and pebbly Sisiman Beach as seen from the top of the lighthouse

At the southernmost tip, the area is filled with cliffs which provide you an overlooking view of the ocean.

The lens of Sisiman Lighthouse. In the background is the summit of San Miguel Peak

The lighthouse was a picture-perfect spot, with the beautiful, 213 m. (700 ft.) high, San Miguel Peak, a seafront rock mountain  noted for its rock formations, at its rear and the pebbly and rocky Sisiman Beach at its front. The mountain’s profile reminded me of the famous Matterhorn of Switzerland.

Jandy, the author and Norman at the top of the lighthouse.  In the background is the Aboitiz Power Plant

As the lighthouse gate was open, we made our way up the narrow cantilevered concrete steps to the top of the lighthouse and its lens.

San Miguel Peak – I’ll dub this as the “Matterhorn” of the Philippines”

The actual Matterhorn (photo: Wikipedia, www.Camptocamp.org)

Lighting for the lens seems to partially or fully provided by solar panels attached nearby. Here, we had a good view of Sisiman Beach below and San Miguel Peak behind us.

A lone tree precariously clinging to rocks along the side of the mountain

We next made our way along the trail that leads up San Miguel Peak. Along the way we could see, from the distance, the Aboitiz Power Plant.

The Aboitiz Power Plant

With my osteoarthristis, I decided against climbing the peak but I allowed Jandy to join Maricar and Norman, both seasoned mountaineers, as they made the 20 to 30-min. hike, past knee-high cogon (spear) grass,  to the summit.

Norman and Jandy make their way up the mountain

At the summit, they had a more breathtaking view of Bataan, Corregidor Island, La Monja Island and Gordo’s Peak as well as a view of a breathtaking sunset.

View of Corregidor and La Monja Islands halfway up the peak

San Miguel Peak, a favorite for climbing and rappelling, is frequently visited by mountain climbers from Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon.

Beginners start rappelling at a height of 130 m., but veteran climbers rappel from the peak. No admission fee is collected but mountain climbers, for a minimal fee, can make use of local guides and instructors.

Norman and Maricar making their way down the mountain

Along the public beach are many huts available for rent from PHP150 without videoke, to PHP500 to PHP1,000 with free use of videoke.

Jandy, the author, Maricar and Norman with San Miguel Peak in the background

Dusk at Sisiman Beach

Sisiman Beach and Lighthouse: Sisiman-Agwawan Beach Rd, Brgy. Sisiman, Mariveles 2105, Bataan.  Admission is free.

Malcapuya Island (Coron, Palawan)

Malcapuya Island

Part of Bacau Bay Resort-sponsored Island Hopping Tour

After our short visit to Waling-Waling Island, we again boarded our motorized outrigger boat for the short 15-min. trip to Malcapuya Island, located 2 hours away from the town of Coron.  The most beautiful island in Coron, it is also renowned throughout the region as one of the most singularly beautiful islands in the archipelago.

Check out “Resort Review: Bacau Bay Resort Coron

Southern beach

The privately-owned Malcapuya Island was supposed to be the third and last stop of our island-hopping tour but we skipped Banana Island (or Dicalabuan Island) due to time constraints. Although still part of Coron, the sparsely populated Malcapuya is located about 30 kms. south of Coron town and actually lies off the south-western coast of Culion Island in the east.

Past clear waters where we clearly saw corals of different sizes, shapes and hues, our boat slowly glided into and docked along the beige sand beach on the island’s western side.  Boats are only allowed to dock on the western beach because the island’s owner wants to preserve the beauty of the picture-perfect southern beach.

Boat docking site at western beach

Upon disembarking, we slowly made our way past the beach into a clearing and then, over a small hill across a narrow inland portion of the island, to the southern beach.

The path leading to the southern beach

Via Baroma, Sara Grace Fojas and Leica Dacuycuy making their way to the southern beach

The heavenly idyllic southern beach, suitable for swimming, sunbathing, or even snorkeling, consists of a long stretch of powdery fine, white sand with shallow waters of varying shades of aquamarine, turquoise and emerald. A nice, but shorter, stretch of white sand beach, along the island’s northern shores, is a long walk from the southern beach.

White party tents, under coconut trees, along the southern beach

There’s a long line of coconut palm trees that provide a good shade for visitors. Underneath the coconut palms are a few bamboo and thatch huts and white canvas party tents with tables and chairs for  lunch and snack breaks.  They also provide more shade and a place to store one’s personal effects.  Hammocks are also available.

Nipa and bamboo picnic huts

There’s a decent public restroom where you can also take a bath, but don’t expect much here. Mobile phone signal is not that consistent on the island. Refreshing coconut juice and meat is sold by the island’s caretakers.

Karst limestone formations

We chose a picnic hut and, while our food was being laid out, I decided to explore the quite rocky but more quiet western portion of the beach which offers a great picturesque view. Less frequented by tourists, it contains tall karst or limestone rock formations that provided excellent photo opportunities for me.

Though perfect for swimming, there is a growth of sea grass several meters from the shore (bad news for swimmers looking for a nice, perfectly clean beach).  Not 100 meters from the shore, beyond the sea grass,  is an extensive bed of corals.

A good snorkeling spot, it is home to a wide variety of colorful marine life including giant clams and a few species of clownfish. Beyond the corals, is a sudden drop of the sea floor as evidenced by the deep blue color of the water.

Even if this day was blisteringly hot, a beach this beautiful deserves a long walk from end to end. As lunch was still being prepared on my return to the hut, I walked to the eastern end of the beach. At the left most end of the beach is a cliff accessed by a stair carved on the slope.

A seal-like rock formation

On top of the cliff is a view point with magnificent and panoramic views of the whole southern beach, the rich growth of corals surrounding the island, a portion of the island’s eastern shores and distant views of Banana Island and Bulog Dos/Malaroyroy Peninsula.

Check out “Waling-Waling Island (Bulog Uno)

View of the eastern shores of the island from the top of the cliff

 

Another view of the southern beach from the top of the cliff

For overnight accommodation, there’s a simple enclosed thatched hut by the beach (PhP750/person) provided with an electric fan and a mattress on the floor plus outlets where you can charge phones and camera batteries. Two restrooms, with open air showers, are located a few meters away from the huts.

A villa that could be rented

Though the island does not have electricity, there is a generator which provides light and electricity at night.  There’s also a simple villa, on an elevated portion a few meters from the shoreline, which can also be rented.  It has a single room, with basic but comfortable beds, plus a decent restroom.

Among all the beaches I have visited so far, Malcapuya’s white and powdery sand, forested knolls and postcard-perfect, crystal clear blue waters rivals the famous Boracay Island. Malcapuya’s long stretch of  beaches almost spans the entire length of the island, equivalent to about two boat stations of Boracay.

Bulog Uno (Waling-Waling) Island and Bulog Dos Island with the sandbar in between the two

Because of its distance from Coron, its many deserted and protected beaches has remained relatively underdeveloped like those in Banana and Bulalacao Islands, which only adds to its charm.

The author goes exploring ….

But not for long.  The upscale Two Seasons resort has already opened at Malaroyroy Peninsula in Bulalacao.  Development, specifically by the same folks who developed the Boracay Regency Hotel, is soon underway to turn Malcapuya Island into a private resort, eventually becoming Coron Regency Resort.

Our rented picnic hut.  L-R- Ms. Armina O. Mangune, Mr. Pete Dacuycuy, Ms. Leica Dacuycuy, Mr. Feliciano Rodriguez III, the author, Ms. Via Baroma and Ms. Sara Grace Fojas

Business and development may mean good news for the local economy of Coron but it means that fewer people would get to bear witness to the beauty of this island. So, it is uncertain how long it will remain open to the public. Still, I am glad to have visited Malcapuya before it’s closed off from the public.

Grilled fish

Boodle fight

Malcapuya Island: Coron, Palawan.Entrance fee: PhP200 per person.

How to Get There: Those who want to visit Malcapuya usually go on a tour package that includes the 2 other islands of the cluster, namely Bulog Dos and Banana Islands. The boat ride to this island can be a little rough because of the strong waves but it’s definitely worth it. One can also charter a boat (its advantage being you get to choose the islands you want to visit) to get there. If there are 10-15 people in your group (the normal complement of boats traversing this route),you can keep the cost down.  Otherwise, it will be a bit more expensive.

Bacau Bay Resort Coron: Governor’s Drive, Sitio Jolo, Poblacion 5, Coron 5316, Palawan.  Mobile numbers: (0995) 760-3444 and (0995) 760-3445. E-mail: info@bacaubaycoron.com.   Website: www.bacaubayresortcoron.com.

Manila Sales & Marketing Office: Anya Hospitality Corporation, 5/F Pilgrim Building, 111 Aguirre St., Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229, Metro Manila.  Tel: +63-553 8888 loc. 34-36.  Fax: +632 874-0426.  E-mail: reservations@bacaubaycoron.com.  Website:www.anyahospitalitycorp.com.

Bahay Tsinoy: Museum of Chinese in Philippine Life (Intramuros, Manila)

Kaisa Angelo King Heritage Center

After attending the opening day exhibit “Kuwentong Kutsero” of my Don Bosco Makati batchmate Gerardo “Ged” Merino at the St. Ignatius Church with in the Walled City of Intramuros, Jandy and I still had some time to kill so we proceeded to the Bahay Tsinoy (literally Chinese-Filipino House), a museum, within the Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center, I have been wanting to visit for a very long time.

Check out “Ged Merino: Turning Thread and Fabric into an Art Form

I consider myself as Tsinoy, being a member of the Locsin clan which had its beginnings sometime in the middle part of the 18th century, between the years 1747 and 1750, when an adventurous young man named “Wo Sing Lok” or “Sin Lok” from Amoy (old name for Xiamen), arrived in the Philippines. He permanently settled at “Parian,” now Molo in Iloilo City. In 1780, Sing Lok was christened as Agustin Locsin when he married Cecilia Sayson, a mestiza daughter of an Ilongga and a sangley (local Chinaman) who were both devout Catholics.

Check out “9th Locsin Reunion”

Replica of Terra Cotta Warrior

Jose Rizal

Designed in the American Colonial style by Eva Penamora in collaboration with my late U.P. College of Architecture professor Arch. Honrado Fernandez, the Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center was started in 1996 and completed and inaugurated in 1999.

Shoreline Tableau

After the acclaimed bi-lingual children’s educational television program Pinpin in the early 1990s, this museum project was envisioned by  the Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran, Inc., a non-profit organization co-founded by Teresita Ang-See, to provide another venue for advocating patriotism to the Philippines and promoting cultural identity and understanding between the local Chinese and Filipino communities.

A Chinese goldsmith at work

A Chinese Cobbler and a Public Reader

Funding for the land and building structure, initially advanced by Angelo King Foundation, was eventually raised through generous contributions from different levels of Filipino-Chinese community, from tai-pans to average wage-earners.

Carpenters

The Galleon Trade

As we entered the center, we were welcomed by a replica of a terracotta warrior. Upon payment of admission fee, we entered the museum and first encountered a large ship introducing a brief history of the early contacts between the Chinese and the Filipinos prior to the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan.

Barber

Food Peddler

As we made our way further into the hall, we were greeted by an impressive and permanent heritage exhibit of a presentation of dioramas of almost life-size wax figurines tracing the history of the Philippine Chinese or sangley (meaning “itinerant merchant” in the Hokkien dialect), from Pre-Hispanic times to the Colonial Period.

Embroidery at  the Replica of a Whole Household

The Illustrado

A detailed impression of Chinese and mestizo (mixed Spanish Filipino) life in the parian (Chinese ghetto) in the 1800s is depicted via a replica of a whole household complete with Chinese-influenced furniture such as chairs and beds.

The Ah Tay Bed

There are also copies of marriage certificates contracted between Chinese husbands and Filipina or Chinese mestiza wives during the 18th and 19th century as well as their children’s baptismal records.

Colonial Culture – Shared Hands – Painting of Nuestra Senora de Pronto Socorro and Tombstones

Gallery of Rare Prints and Photographs

We also examined rare prints; a collection of excellent photographs; an interesting collection of rare porcelain unearthed in the country; old coins; religious artifacts reflecting Chinese influence; an exhibit of magazines, books, and even TV shows which promote the Chinese culture; and an exhibit of lives and contributions of famous Filipino-Chinese in the Philippine life and history.

Rare Philippine Shell Collection

In Defense of Freedom – Shared Cause

Ching Ban Lee Ceramics Gallery

At the third floor, we capped our tour at a dark section of the hall where we sat down and watched a hologram of a Tsinoy talking about how the early Chinese integrated themselves to the Philippine society.

Betty Go-Belmonte

Washington SyCip

The fully air-conditioned museum is divided into the following sections:

  • Early Contacts
  • The Parian
  • Colonial Culture
  • Emergence of the Chinese Community
  • In Defense of Freedom
  • Life in the 1800s
  • National Leaders of Chinese Descent
  • Gallery of Rare Prints and Photographs – scenes depicting old Chinese occupations, streets of Binondo, prints on turn of the century Chinese life.
  • Martyr’s Hall – dedicated for Filipino heroes who have Chinese ancestry and have made a significant impact in Philippine history.
  • Ching Ban Lee Ceramics Gallery – displays Chinese ceramics dating from 10th to 17th century that were unearthed in the Philippine,s tangible artifacts testament to centuries of trade between our two countries
  • Rare Philippine Shell Collection
  • Tsinoys in Nation-Building (Jimmy Ongking Hall) – inaugurated in 2004, it points out the influence of modern-day Tsinoys in business, politics, art, science, religious and social life. Some of the most important personalities, of (partly) Chinese origin, in Philippine history include national hero Jose Rizal, Pres. Corazon Aquino and Cardinal Jaime Sin.

Jaime Cardinal Sin

Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee and Pres. Corazon Aquino

The center is also home to the following:

  • Chinben See Memorial Library – named in honor of Prof. Chinben See, the late anthropologist and renowned scholar on overseas Chinese, this library holds 8,000 books, documents, magazines, dissertations, and other articles particularly on the Chinese in the Philippines and other parts of the world; an extensive Filipiniana collection of books on Philippine society, economy, culture and politics; rare books (some almost 200 years old) that have mention and photographs of the Chinese in the Philippines. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 9 AM to 5 PM.
  • Office of Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran
  • Benito Cu Uy Gam Hallavailable for parties & other events
  • Pao Shi Tian Seminar Room
  • Madame Teh Siu Yong Limpe Seminar Room
  • Research and Data Bank Center – contains a collection of current research materials, clippings, microfilmed archival materials, old Chinese newspapers, data base from Chinese tombstones all over the country, etc. The center plans to output policy papers that will help government. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 8 AM to 5 PM.
  • Awat Keng Auditorium – named in honor of Dr. Angelo King’s late younger brother, the auditorium seats 380 people and is used for seminars, conferences, theater productions.

Office of Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran

Chinben See Memorial Library

Bahay Tsinoy: 2/F Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center, 32 Anda cor. Cabildo St., Intramuros 1002, Manila. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 1 to 5 PM.  Tel: (632) 527-6083 and 526-6796 and 98.  Fax: (632) 527-6085. Mobile number: (0922) 890-1357. E-mail: info@bahaytsinoy.org. Website: www.bahaytsinoy.org. Admission: PhP100 for adults and PhP60 for children and students.

How to Get There: Take the LRT-1 (yellow line) and get off at Carriedo Station.  In front of Santa Cruz Church, ride a Pier-bound jeepney and get off at BahayTsinoy.

Caleruega Retreat Center (Nasugbu, Batangas)

Dominicum (Caleruega Retreat Center)

After a filling lunch at Josephine’s Restaurant in Tagaytay City, Mark, Jandy, Vicky, Marc, Bryan and I opted to go on a sightseeing trip.  Back on Mark’s Starex van, we traveled a further 15.7 kms. (25 mins.) to the town of Nasugbu, in the adjoining province of Batangas, where we were to visit the much hyped up retreat center and wedding venue called Caleruega. Designed by Arch. Yolanda D. Reyes (Dean of UST’s College of Architecture) and built in 1995, Caleruega was set up as a venue for retreats and seminars of the Dominican institutions.

Mark (center) and Vicky (right) exploring the grounds

 

The much-publicized wedding of Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong gave Caleruega its early exposure and, today, it is a lovely setting for an out of town wedding for brides and grooms.  Even movies and television ads producers have taken notice.

United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) 1996 Design Award in Architecture

From the highway, we turned into of a long, rough, bumpy and isolated road, at the end of which is the sprawling, 8-hectare property owned by the Dominican Fathers. We parked our van just outside.  Past brick-paved rotunda and fountain is the Dominicum (which we mistook to be a chapel), the receiving hall for visitors and those having their retreats at the place.

Perched atop an elevation with a 21 steps leading up to it, its two level Moorish and Spanish-style facade has a segmental arched main entrance flanked by square pilasters and niches with statues of Thomas Aquinas and Catherine of Sienna, both doctors of the church, at the ground level.

Stairway leading up to the Dominicum

The main entrance is topped, at the second level, by a semicircular arched window with the stained glass image of St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican order.  This window is flanked by smaller semicircular arched windows with stained glass images of his father’s coat-of-arms on the left and his mother’s coat-of-arms on the right.

Stained glass window depicting St. Dominic

The four square pilasters (two reaching up to the pediment) are topped by pineapple (probably hinting at its proximity to Tagaytay)-shaped finials.  The undulating pediment has a bell-gable (espadana) at the center.

Grand stairway

Inside is a grand, elegantly curving staircase (unfortunately, off limits to visitors), a gift house (where one can buy souvenir shirts, trinkets and religious items) on the left, a mess hall on the right and a corridor that leads to the gardens.

Mess hall

From the Dominicum, pathways, following the natural curves and slope of the hill, lead us into a garden bursting with color and life. It was easy to fall in love with the serenity and beauty of this gorgeous retreat sanctuary with its abundant and colorful varieties of flowers, lush plants and trees and walking paths.

In the comforting company of nature, one can sit on solitary park benches, found in niches, and gaze at the 180-degree view of cobalt-blue skies,  the rolling, verdant hills and mountains and the plains. Caleruega’s tag line, “Closer to Nature, Closer to God,” is a fitting description of this nourishing sanctuary.

Lining the pathway are functional dormitories, cottages and overnight guests plus an interesting gazekubo, a conference hall that mixes the elements of a gazebo and a bahay kubo, with adobe stone walls roof made with once brown pawid (now green with small plant growth).

Gazekubo

The many signs and symbols of the Dominicans were abundantly integrated into the architecture.  The motif of the Dominican star (Joanna of Aza, St. Dominic’s mother, saw a star on her son’s forehead, a sign that he would eventually spread light to the world), as well as the sun, can be consistently seen in the refreshing fountain on the driveway, capiz windows, grilles and even inside cottages in the retreat center.

There were also viewing decks where one can witness the stunning show and the magical moment of the sun setting between the two rugged peaks of Batulao (incidentally, the name Batulao is derived from the words bato, meaning “stone,” and “ilaw or “light”), creating the perfect mood for love. St. Dominic’s Point, another beautiful vantage point, has a statue of St. Dominic, his feet lined with a star formation of fuchsia plants.  Rosary Lane, framed by the rolling hills of Mt. Batulao, has a statue of the Mother and Child sitting in prayer, each clutching a rosary.

At the peak was the famed, stunning and quaint Transfiguration Chapel with its Moorish-style facade done in red brick and painted concrete. When we arrived, a wedding was ongoing inside the chapel.  Patterned after the original Caleruega Chapel in Spain, it can fit only 150 people.  Its door has a brass sculpture of seven grapevines (symbolizing the Seven Sacraments).

Transfiguration Chapel

The chapel’s interior, finished with varnished wood and painted concrete, has a lectern with Biblical images of the mustard seed while the tabernacle has a burning bush design.  The altar, made from a carved tree trunk, signifies the Stem of Jesse in the Book of Isaiah. The birds, at the communion table, symbolize God’s providence.

The chapel interior with its centerpiece stained glass window featuring the Transfiguration – Moses on the left, Jesus at center and the prophet Elijah at the right

The stained glass windows of the chapel, giving a very soft and warm glow to the interior (an atmosphere conducive for prayers and reflections), were impressive. On the facade is the seal of the Dominican Province of the Philippines. Inside is the centerpiece of the church floor to ceiling stained glass of the figures of Transfiguration (Jesus, Moses and Elijah).

The author at the Transfiguration Chapel

In front of the chapel is “Thy Will Be Done,” a metal sculpture with arms outstretched done by Baguio City artist Benhur Villanueva. Surrounding the chapel are carefully selected plants and trees (the planted pine trees even mimic the Mediterranean setting where St. Dominic was born in 1170 in Caleruega in Old Castile).

Thy Will Be Done (Benhur Villanueva)

Caleruega is a lovely, quiet and soothing addition to the 39 Catholic houses (retreat houses, formation houses, seminaries and contemplative groups) tucked along Tagaytay Ridge as well as over a dozen Christian lay communities and prayer houses.

Caleruega Retreat Center: Bgry. Kaylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas.  Mobile number: (0921) 270-9890 and (0921) 830-4226.  E-mail: caleruega_philippines@yahoo.com. Open daily, 8 AM – 12 noon and 1 – 5 PM. A mass is held every Sunday at 11 AM.

How to Get There:
Coming from Tagaytay City, board a Nasugbu bound bus and ask the driver to drop you off at Evercrest where there’s a tricycle station.  Here, you can hire a tricycle for a two-way trip to Caleruega.

Ten Commandments Building (Baguio City, Benguet)

Dominican Hill in Baguio City is now famous for two things – the century-old, haunted Diplomat Hotel Ruins and the newer, giant Ten Commandments Building. This new tourist attraction in Baguio, right beside the Diplomat Hotel ruins, serves as a symbol that drives away evil spirits.

Check out “Diplomat Hotel Ruins

Front view of building

This A-shaped, 12.19 m. high “prayer building” has two slanting slabs of stone carved with the imposing 152.90 sq. m. (1,645.8 sq. ft.) Bible’s Ten Commandments (a copy of the rules supposedly handed down by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai) that broke the Guinness World Records as the world’s first and tallest facility that features the Ten Commandments.

Concrete slab carved with the Ten Commandments

This PhP5.5-million building was commissioned last February 2011 by Nueva Vizcaya businesswoman Grace Galindez-Gupana, chief executive officer of ABS Gen Herbs International Corp. and founder of  the Kingdom of Jerusalem Halleluyah Foundation International (KOJHF, a religious group), and built by contractors from Nueva Ecija. The Ten Commandments building topped her previous world record, attained in 2009, when she built a similar 65 sq. m. tablet on a hill outside Manila.

It was turned over to the city government in July 2011 and officially unveiled on October 26 in the presence of  Baguio City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, Menashe Bar-On (Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines), Minister Abraham Okoliko of the Nigerian embassy and the Guinness representative Vic Fabellana. The Israeli ambassador also led a “tree planting” of an authentic Jerusalem-grown olive tree in front of the Ten Commandments building. It houses an altar and a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.

Gupana, who seems to have a penchant for setting world records, claims her company now holds seven records, including developing the world’s largest national flag (an 18,847-sq. m. Israeli banner which can cover an area of two football fields) unveiled at the Baguio Athletic Bowl; producing the longest banner (composed of giant flags representing the Philippines, Israel and the two Koreas); the longest drawing of the Biblical serpent, dragon and beast mentioned in the Book of Revelations (5 kms. long and 7 m. wide), and the largest blood pressure checkup session that gathered 2,302 people and organizing the largest diabetes screening session for 503 people, the largest blood identification session involving 260 people, and the largest cholesterol test session for 527 people. The authenticity of these world records could not be independently confirmed.

Replica of the Ark of the Covenant

Ten Commandments Building: Dominican Hill Property, Diplomat Road, Brgy. Dominican Hill-Mirador, Baguio City, 2600 Benguet

Diplomat Hotel Ruins (Baguio City, Benguet)

The author outside the Diplomat Hotel Ruins

The Dominican Hill Retreat House, an abandoned structure atop Dominican Hill commonly known as the Diplomat Hotel, is a favorite spot for photography, airsoft tournaments, film making, wedding receptions and photography, cosplay photoshoots and many more. In spite of it being in ruin, almost every tourist that goes to the City of Pines makes it a point to visit this place because it is one of the most panoramic and picturesque spots in the city. However, due to its brutal and grim World War II history, it is considered by paranormal believers to be haunted.

The century-old Diplomat Hotel Ruins. At far right is the Ten Commandments Building

The building had its beginnings in May 1911 when American friars of the Dominican Order (or Order of Preachers), along with a few Spanish members, made plans for the construction of a vacation house for them and the nuns of their order in Baguio. A 17-hectare hill property was first acquired from Americans who reside in Baguio. The hill where the building was to stand was christened as “Dominican Hill.”

Plaque installed by the National Historical Commission

The building was designed by Fr. Roque Ruaño, O.P., a civil engineer and one of the members of the order.  He was the same architect of the main building of the current campus of the University of Santo Tomas.

The cross at the front of the hotel. Below it is a bas relief of a probable Dominican shield with a crown on top and a dangling rosary

Construction, said to have started in 1913, was supervised by Fr. Ruano himself. On May 23, 1915, it was then inaugurated. At the time of its construction, it was considered the grandest and most expensive stone structure in the city.

Prayer Mountain and Tourism Center

On June 1915, to take advantage of tax exemptions, the order set up a seminary named Colegio del Santissimo Rosario.  However, due to the very small enrollment (only 6 students enrolled in 1917), the school closed two years later and the building was reverted to its original use.

Baroque scroll ornamentation at jambs and the top of the main entrance

During World War II, the people fleeing from the Japanese sought refuge within its walls. Because of its commanding view of the city, the Japanese Imperial Army turned the compound into their headquarters and garrison. Within the courtyard and its grounds, the Kempeitai (Japanese secret police) committed barbaric acts such as torture, rape and decapitation of priests and nuns, as well as refugees.

The rehabilitated west wing of the building

On April 1945, during the liberation of the Philippines, the American forces bombed the place, partially hitting the right wing of the building while Japanese forces committed suicide. Between 1945 and 1947, the building underwent restoration.

The east wing of the building

In 1973, Diplomat Hotels, Inc. acquired ownership of the property and thoroughly remodeled the interior into a 33-bedroom hotel, all the while retaining the unique features and Dominican ambiance (the large white cross and the emblem was retained) which were earlier established by the Dominican friars.

Fireplace at hotel lobby. Tony Agpaoa is said to haunt this area

The hotel was managed by Baguio-based entrepreneur Antonio Agapito “Tony” C. Agpaoa, the sensational and controversial faith healer (later branded as a hoax by many) famous for psychic surgery who claimed to perform surgery with his bare hands without anesthetic.  The hotel became the haven of his patients that came mostly from abroad and they stayed here while being healed.

Multi-tiered fountain at Courtyard No. 1. Babies and little children were said to have been murdered here during the war

In the 1980s, Agpaoa suffered a heart attack and was diagnosed with brain hemorrhage. On January 1982, the 42 year old Agpaoa died of his ailments. Since his death, the hotel ceased operations and was abandoned. Following its abandonment, the place was looted and sacked.

Similar fountain at Courtyard No. 2

The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, formerly known as the Ministry of Human Settlements, took over the ownership of the hotel. The Presidential Management Staff (PMS) came next.  During the June 16, 1990 Luzon earthquake, the building also sustained significant damage.

Exhibit at west wing

The property on the hill (currently named as Dominican Heritage Hill and Nature Park) was conveyed to the City Government of Baguio in April 2004 and, on April 5, 2005, was declared a National Historical Site through TCT No. T-85948.

Grand stairway leading to second floor

The entire property was declared as a historical site through City Resolution No. 168, series of 2013. The Deed of Conveyance and City Resolutions provided for the rehabilitation of the old building and the development of the property into a park by obligating the city.

One of the 33 hotel rooms

It is now under the maintenance of the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO). In May 2012, as part of the development of Baguio Dominican Heritage Hill and Nature Park as a preserved heritage site and to promote tourism, two new function halls for weddings, training and workshops in the hotel’s west wing were inaugurated. On September 1, 2014, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines declared it as an Important Cultural Property. 

Still intact bathtub at bathroom of one of the hotel rooms.

This 2-storey building, an example of classic Baroque architectural design with its striking details and admirable design, is a fusion of European church design, blended with local materials and motifs. Its rusticated facade has a porte cochere over a driveway.

The author

The ground floor, with semicircular arched windows, and the second floor, with rectangular windows, are separated by a horizontal cornice. The cornice, at the roof deck level, is located above corbels.

Headless ghosts of nuns and priests are said to haunt these hallways.

Planned out as a castle complete with crenelations, it has a massive fortress-like character. This is also the first hotel in the country, and even in Asia, to have a cross on its gabled main entrance. From this stone crucifix on the roof deck, a panoramic view of the city can be seen. Its roof also has water collecting devices. Inside are two courtyards, both with multi-tiered fountains.

Second floor hallway.  Note the still intact, circa 1970s crazy-cut marble flooring.  Floor beams are supported by decorative coorbels

If ghosts, spirits and the paranormal tickle your fancy, then this so famously haunted, eerie, bleak and abandoned building is definitely for you.  Considered as one of the most haunted places in Baguio City and the Philippines, even since the Diplomat Hotel was open, employees and guests would report hearing strange and eerie noises coming from the building and seeing headless ghosts, with their heads on a platter, constantly roaming the hallways.

Secondary stairway

However, even after the hotel shut down, those sightings would continue.  The people living nearby were often disturbed at night by sounds coming from the Dominican Hill. They would hear banging of doors and windows, clattering of dishes, voices of screaming people who seem to be agonizing, as well as rattling and clanging sounds alternating with total silence.  Adding to the eerie atmosphere is the derelict condition of the hotel.

Fireplace at east wing

As previously mentioned, during the World War II, numerous nuns and priests (forced to serve as helpers for the soldiers) were beheaded here and this is believed to be the reason why headless apparitions are often seen, during the night, inside the hotel. Crying coming from kids and babies, a common noise, are attributed to the massacre of numerous children done at the fountain.

Roof deck

Others say these are the restless spirits of Agpaoa and his patients.  Many years ago, a fire broke out in a portion of the hotel and several guests who were then staying at the hotel were trapped inside and died.  According to one of its caretakers, a woman who used to work there as a nurse committed suicide, for unknown reasons, by jumping from the rooftop where the cross is situated.

Cross seen from the roof deck.  A nurse was said to have jumped to her death at this area

A lot of documentaries have been written about this mysterious hotel.  It was featured on television programs such as Magandang Gabi, Bayan‘s 2004 Halloween Special, AHA! and Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. Right beside the Diplomat Hotel ruins, is the fairly recent, A-shaped Ten Commandments Building, a “prayer building” which serves as a symbol that drives away evil spirits.

Check out “Ten Commandments Building

 

View of Baguio City from Diplomat Hotel Ruins

Diplomat Hotel: Dominican Hill, Diplomat Road, Brgy. Dominican Hill-Mirador,  Baguio City, 2600 Benguet. Open 6 AM – 6 PM.