Dihua Street and Dadaocheng Walking Tour (Taipei, Taiwan)

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Dihua Street

After lunch at Jia Tian Xia, we again boarded our bus for the short drive to the old Dadaocheng area in Taipei City.  We all drop by the Dadaocheng Visitors, the start of Dihua Street. Here, some of the ladies in our entourage tried on traditional Chinese clothes for free and posed wearing these to spice up their Dihua visit.  After this, we started our walking and shopping tour of the district. 

The ladies (Jay, Lenlen, Joyce and Melissa) trying on traditional Taiwanese attire

The streets and alleys of this district presented us with a rich mix of East and West, history and the future, tradition and modernity.  At its heart is narrow Dihua Street which is lined with beautifully restored shophouses with southern Fujian, Baroque Revival, early Modernist and other Western architectural facades and elements, all  occupied by long-established businesses and recently opened cultural-creative enterprises.

Running south to north, parallel to the Tamsui River, Dihua Street is considered to be the oldest street in Taipei, with a few sections that date back to the period of Dutch rule in Taiwan (1624–1661), but mainly it was constructed from the 1850s. Originally called Central Street, its southern and northern sections were called South Street and North Street, respectively.

In the latter part of the 19th century, Dihua Street rose to prominence as a major commercial throughway in the bustling Dadaocheng river-port community (where one of its major industries was tea) and many businessmen made their fortunes here. By 1872, there were already five British trading firms plus a sizable Western population in Dadaocheng.

In the 1970s, the fortunes of Dihua Street and Dadaocheng, as a whole, started fading when Taipei’s commercial center shifted eastward. In 1988, in the face of heritage-preservation protests, a government plan to widen Dihua Street was shelved.

In 1996, however, the establishment of the Taipei Lunar New Year Festival’s traditional New Year goods market drew public attention back to the street.

In 1998, a heritage/renovation plan for Dadaocheng was finalized and soon cultural-creative entrepreneurs were reinventing the old buildings, using the unique structures in interesting ways. 

Though only about 800 m. long, the atmospheric Dihua Street’s many identities provides a whole day of exploration (and shopping). Its well-preserved or reconstructed buildings now house traditional shops selling dried goods and herbal medicines, chic cafés and mini art galleries.

The buildings, though narrow, are deep and often have a courtyard toward their middle that divides them into two sections. 

One of its early shophouses is a century-old building that once housed A.S. Watson and Co., Taiwan’s first Western-style drugstore built in 1917 by Lee Chun-chi as a franchise of the Hong Kong-based parent company. This building’s Modernist gray exterior has wood-frames windows with some Asian-style decorations also adorning the façade. It now houses a cute crafts and souvenir store, a bookstore and the ASW Tea House, an English-style teahouse, at the second floor, which preserved the original drugstore’s initials in its name.

A.S. Watson & Co. Building

It now serves classic Western culinary items using locally grown ingredients (dried pineapple in the scones, fruit juice in the pate de fruit, the black sesame in the madeleines, etc.), all washed down with local Taiwanese tea (except for the Ceylon BOP, which is a mixture of Sri Lankan and Taiwanese leaf). A couple of sandwich selections include an apple, cheese and olive oil creation featuring mullet roe sourced directly from Li Ly Sun, a long-established seafood and dried-goods store just down Dihua Street. 

Yongle Textile Market

Yongle Fabric Market, a Dihua Street institution dating to the Japanese colonial area, remains the largest fabric market in Taiwan. The first floor houses a small wet market while the second floor houses the actual fabric market.

The third floor is where people can take their fabric to be tailored. The 8th floor houses cultural exhibitions while Dadaocheng Theater can be found on the 9th floor. Inside, there are also several sushi bars, including one with a good range of craft beers.

Dihua Street, with new businesses constantly opening up in this area, is definitely a place that deserves multiple visits, given enough time.  Aside from the abovementioned, other places to visit along Dihua Street include:

  • Sin Hong Choon Tea Museum – in a building, built in 1934, featuring a mix of Taiwanese and Western design elements, it once housed the area’s largest tea-processing workshop and was the Wang family’s (the original owners who moved to Taiwan from mainland China in the 1910s) base for the export of tea to Southeast Asia. Its quaint interior, with terrazzo stairs and red-brick walls, was featured in La Grande Chaumière Violette, a 2016 Taiwanese TV period drama series  which told the story of the son of a wealthy tea merchant. The museum, providing a fascinating look into the tea trade of that time, is a place to learn more about Dadaocheng’s tea trade. Here visitors get to see old tea-processing machines as well as the family’s living quarters.
  • A Design & Life Project – a modern business in an old building, it is stocked to the brim with all sorts of antique knickknacks such as vintage American and industrial-style design items (cast-iron door handles, old-fashioned keys, gold-leaf lettering, etc.) plus new redesigns created by the store.
  • Earthing Way– a dose of local-flavor nostalgia, it features aramono (a Japanese term that refers to simple, austere tools and utensils most often made from natural materials, such as bamboo baskets, wooden spoons, and ceramic bowls) from local craftsmen.
  • Museum 207– housed in a relatively new structure built in 1962, has a faux-brick and somber, red wood facade. The exhibits, focused on Taiwanese traditions such as on the art of terrazzo flooring in the past and the current show on the complex art of Taiwanese gift-giving, displays items such as mirrors with auspicious messages and lucky red envelopes. At its roof, you can take in a stunning panorama of the neighborhood and beyond.
  • Ama Museum– Run by the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation, it  was opened in December 2016 to tell the story of the estimated 2,000 Taiwanese “comfort women” (it has only been able to track down 59 but has worked closely with them since the early 1990s) forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.
  • Yehjinfa Rice Mill– still owned by the Yeh family (though at one point they stopped doing business for many years), it reopened in 2016 as a boutique rice/grocery/daily-use item shop.  Its sleek and non-intrusive interior features Minimalistic, free-standing wooden trusses and wooden boxes used as display shelves. The rice selection was expanded to 10 Taiwanese grains (including red sticky rice and black rice sourced directly from an indigenous village as well as the popular Taiken No. 9 Premium). To preserve freshness, the rice is sold in small packets. The other food items, all local and/or eco-friendly, or produced using unique methods, includes curry sauce (made with ingredients sourced from Hualien County), chili oil (from a 70-year-old shop) and dried mushrooms (grown using zero-waste methods). Kitchen items that revolve around rice include bowls, dishes and steamers.
  • URS329 – located toward the north end of Dihua Street, this restaurant serves a selection of culturally representative dishes that complement rice. Its grains are milled in-house with a miniature machine.
  • Taiwan Cooking 101 School 
  • Xia-Hai City God Temple 

Check out “Xia-Hai City God Temple“

 

Dadaocheng Visitor Center (URS44 Dadaocheng): No. 44, Sec. 1, Dihua St., Datong Dist., Taipei City 103.  Tel: +886-2-2559-6802.  Open daily (except Tuesdays), 9 AM – 5 PM.

Yongle Fabric Market: 1 Minle St., Datong District, Taipei City
Sin Hong Choon Tea Museum: Minsheng West Road, Datong District, Taipei City
A Design & Life Project: Nanjing West Road, Datong District, Taipei City
Museum 207: Dihua Street, Datong District, Taipei City

Maokong Gondola (Taipei, Taiwan)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Maokong Gondola

On our last full day in Taiwan, right after breakfast, we all checked out of our hotel and loaded all our luggage into our tour bus.  We still had a full day of touring ahead of us and first on our itinerary was a ride on the Maokong Gondola, a gondola lift transportation system (the first in Taiwan) that operates between Taipei Zoo and Maokong.

Taipei Zoo Station

Mr. Vincent Chen, our Eagle Tours guide, informed us during the trip that, after two days of bad weather, the gondola was open for the day. And the weather did improved as we traveled the 19 kms. to Maokong and the sun was already up when we arrived at the Taipei Zoo Station.

Waiting in line for our car to arrive….

This 4.3-km. (2.7-mi.) line has 6 stations – 4 passenger stations (Taipei Zoo, Taipei Zoo South,  Zhinan Temple and Maokong) and 2 angle stations to allow for direction changes along the route. It rises a total of 275 m.  in height between the start and end stations at Taipei Zoo Station and Maokong Station.

Started on November 10, 2005, it was opened on July 4, 2007.  The facilities of the gondola were contracted to the French company Poma. The line now has 147 cabins and 47 support towers.

Our car arrives…..

Since March 30, 2010, 30 of its cabins (5 persons per cabin), operating with a service interval of 3 mins., have been retrofitted with 48 mm. thick, triple layered, reinforced glass bottoms, each weighing 213 kgs. and each cabin modification costing NT$200,000. It allows passengers to look down at the view beneath their feet.

The author boards his car…..

These Crystal cabins, also called “Eyes of Maokong Gondola,” provide more viewing angles and opportunities.  They have their own waiting queue and a computer managed ticketing system that instructs passengers to enter the queue at a specified time. Currently, the price for taking a crystal cabin is the same as that of regular cabins.

L-R: the author, son Jandy, Melissa Ablan and Bhaby Paycana

Our group was to travel only up to Zhinan Temple Station as alighting at the Maokong Station terminus would entail a long queue on the return (it being a Sunday, crowds were expected). We were hoping to ride one these Crystal Cabins but wasn’t so lucky as a regular cabin  (there’s probably like 1 crystal car for every 8-9 regular cars) was assigned to Jandy, Melissa, Bhaby and me.

The Zhinan River Valley. Seen at left is Taipei 101 Building

The ride was pretty long (10-15 mins.) but it was leisurely and scenic all the way,with views of  the city skyline (including the iconic Taipei 101 Building) and the lush Zhinan River valley.

View of Taipei’s skyline

Too bad we didn’t make it up to Maokong where we could have visited various attractions and activities related to tea (tea-tasting; see how tea is being grown and picked at plantations in the Zhanghu and Watsuo area; admiring handmade teapots at the Chang Nai-miao Memorial Tea Museum; and learning about the different types of tea and how it is preserved, brewed and distributed at the Tea Promotion Center) as well as visiting Tianen and San Xuan temples. Still, the gondola ride was as much an attraction as a mode of transport. .

The Philippines travel agents tour group at Taipei Zoo Station

Maokong Gondola: Wenshan, Taipei, Taiwan.  For safety reasons, the gondola service is contingent upon the weather situation.  However, it is generally open from 8:30 AM to 9 PM (10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays). The Taipei Zoo South station closes at 4 PM.  For more information and current status of the gondola, check out the official website.

Fares (based on the number of stations traveled) are NT$70 (1 Station), NT$100 (2 Stations) and NT$120 (3 Stations).  Persons with disability and seniors aged over 65 pay NT$15 (1 Station), NT$20 (2 Stations) and NT$25 (3 Stations).

Fares can be paid by either purchasing the tickets at the stations or using EasyCard or stored-value card. Each adult ticket can bring 2 children (under 6 years of age) for free. Easycards are given a 20% discount on weekdays, and also receive a NT$20 discount when also used for zoo entry.

Discounts are available for group travelling. Groups of 10 or above will receive 20% off their ticket price while groups of 40 or above will receive 30% off. Tourists can also purchase the Maokong Gondola version of the one-day Taipei Pass for unlimited rides on Taipei buses and MRTs, and up to 3 gondola rides in one day. This special one-day TaipeiPass costs NT$350.

How to Get There: By bus, Take the Brown Line (1) to the terminus station, Taipei Zoo (動物園) then transfer to the Maokong Gondola.  By MRT, Bus S10 operates between MRT Taipei Zoo and the peak at Maokong, with a stop at National Chengchi University (國立政治大學).

Pingxi Sky Lantern Experience (Taipei, Taiwan)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Shiufen – Site of Pingxi Sky Lantern Experience

After our visit to Jiufen, it was back again to our bus for the nearly hour-long, 27-km. drive to the Pingxi District of New Taipei City where we were to participate in the beloved local tradition that has been practiced for over hundreds of years in Shifen – building and flying sky lanterns, symbols of peace and good fortune. Shifen, a historic and remote, hillside coal mining town, is one of several towns alongside Highway 106, a narrow back road that runs between southern Taipei and southern Keelung. It is the only place where lanterns can be released in Taiwan.

Check out “Jiufen Old Street“

Pingxi Small Railway Line track (photo: Ms. Tine de Jesus of Xandei Travel)

This fascinating and creative practice is believed by the locals to bring good health and fortune. Sky lanterns, essentially hot air balloons made mostly of rice paper, were introduced to Taiwan from China in the nineteenth century. Being isolated by mountains all around, the Pingxi area was prone to banditry, and the sky lanterns were used as a signaling system for those living and working in the railroad industry to warn their women and children to run into the mountains for safety or to signal when it was safe to return.

One of Shiufen’s side streets

They soon developed into a form of prayer, and have been released annually around Chinese New Year for generations. Today, your wishes and prayers are painted onto the sky lantern before being released towards the sky.

As our bus approached Shifen, we could already see dozens of these sky lanterns floating in the now gloomy sky and, as we reached Pingxi, it was raining heavily. Still, despite the wet conditions, the streets were still filled with tourists and locals eager to release their own lanterns into the sky.

Vincent (center) assigning us to our respective lanterns at the lantern cum souvenir shop

Upon alighting from the bus, Vincent Chen, our Eagle Tour guide, directed us to the tracks of the Pingxi Small Railway Line , one of three remaining open, from the Japanese Colonial era and, by far, the most accessible for short-term visitors to Taiwan. Shifen, the first main stop of trains coming from Sandiaoling, is the only place remaining in Taiwan where the train passes just a few meters from the road on either side.

Writing down my own request on the lantern

The narrow gauge railway tracks are lined, on both sides, by lantern shops (visitors can get a lantern for around NT$150), which also doubles as souvenir shops, and eateries.

Jandy writing his own request on another side of the lantern

The shops were also crowded with tourists, mostly decorating sky lanterns and awaiting their turn for release. At one shop, we were assigned to lanterns on racks where we were asked to write down, using paint brushes and black ink, our wishes on the four sides of the lanterns, not forgetting to write down our names. It’s believed our wishes will be sent to the heaven.

author and Jandy set up their lantern near the tracks

The shopkeepers taught us how to launch the lantern and also offered to take photos of us launching our lantern. However, before we could do so, we had to wait for a break in the rain. Once we were cleared to launch, the lamp inside the lantern was lit by the shopkeeper and we finally released our lantern from the tracks itself.

Our lantern is lit…..

The annual, 3-day Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, the biggest lantern festival in Taiwan, is celebrated the night of the first full moon of the lunar year. The festival, originated from settlers from southern China who migrated to Pingxi in the era of the Qing Dynasty, made it to the list of Fodor’s Festivals To Attend Before You Die and is also one of 52 Things To Do by CNN. Attracting more than 100,000 visitors, thousands of paper sky lanterns, released by villagers, light the skies of Pingxi District during the festival.

….. and finally released into the sky

How to Get There: From Taipei’s Ruifang Station, you can catch a train to Pingxi. Many shuttle buses to Pingxi, departing from the Muzha MRT station, are also operated by tour operators in the capital. There are also many taxis operating the Taipei-Shifen route.  One-way costs about 1,000 NTD (US$33).

Eagle Tours: +886-910-130-180 (Mr. Vincent Chen) and +886-932-013-880 (Ms. Joyce Chen). 

Fushan Temple (Jiufen, Taipei, Taiwan)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Fushan Temple

While walking up the main road during my joint exploration of Jiufen with Joyce Ventura, we reached the top of the hill  where the road split. I  decided to try the right (the left road, I learned later, goes to Jinguashi) and, after a nearly 1 km. hike, we espied the gaudy Fushan Temple.

The temple’s gray and deep, dark green facade

The 200-year-old Fushan Temple in Jiufen is one of several temples (the others are at Shuinandong and Jinguashi) that worship Tudigong (The God of Neighborhood or the Earth God, one of the least important gods in the Taoist religion). During the Japanese Colonial Era, Jiufen’s Fushan Temple was the biggest Tudigong Temple in Taiwan.

Check out “Jiufen Old Street“

The temple’s brightly colored  interior

At the time of the gold rush, residents and mine workers prayed in this temple for safety and good fortune as they go in search of gold. Even today, locals believe that the gods here still guard them with things other than gold.

The main altar

An interesting blend of Japanese, Chinese and European decorative motifs, this “temple within a temple” initially just worshiped Tudigong but, in 1935, Weng, Shan-Ying (the director of the Jiufen department of Taiyang Mining Company) initiated the renovation of this temple, building 2 halls beside the temple so that people can also worship Avalokiteshvara and the Goddess of Child-giving.

An intricately carved column

At the exterior are two old stone lamps while the interior sports a beautiful arched post-and-beam structure (made without nails and rarely seen in Taiwan), intricately carved stone pillars, and panels, including one over the main altar with several nude Western-style angels. Its stone sculptures were made with local sandstone.

An equally intricately carved panel

At the temple atrium is a wishing well. The temple is surrounded by a Japanese style garden.Visitors and photographers can enjoy the cherry blossoms in March and April.

Fushan Temple: 1 Lunding Road (on the east side of 102 County Road and Lunding Road intersection), Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224. Open daily, 6 AM – 6 PM.

Eagle Tours: +886-910-130-180 (Mr. Vincent Chen) and +886-932-013-880 (Ms. Joyce Chen). 

How to Get There:  There is a bus station here and bus service between RuiFang and Fushan Temple.

Jiufen Old Street (Taipei, Taiwan)

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

The scenic mountain village of Jiufen

After our arrival in Taipei and a deliciously filling lunch at Chien-Yen Shabu Shabu, we all boarded our tourist bus for the nearly one-hour drive to Jiufen (also spelled Jioufen or Chiufen), a small village in the mountains, arriving there by 2:45 PM. The weather was overcast, with some light rain. The town of Jiufen is built into the side of the hills, slightly inland from the Pacific Ocean coastline.

Check out “Restaurant Review: Chien-Yen Shabu Shabu“

Panoramic view of the Pacific coastline

In 2001, the village has been made more popular largely due to its similarity to the downtown in Hayao Miyazaki’s popular, Oscar-winning Japanese anime movie Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli. Jiufen soon became a must visit place among Japanese tourists, with many Japanese travel magazines and guide books about Taiwan introduced Jiufen. However, Miyazaki himself denied that Jiufen was the model city of the movie

The author at the entrance of Shan Yu Hai B&B

The village can be explored in under 3 hours but, as we were pressed for time, Mr. Vincent Chen, our friendly Eagle Tours guide, allotted us just an hour to explore the village. From a viewpoint at the Taiyang parking lot, we had sweeping but hazy views of the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Map of Jiufen Village

I, together with Joyce Ventura, explored all the way up to Fushan Temple while Jandy and most of the group explored the bustling, 24-hour, extremely touristy and crowded Jiufen Old Street, a narrow alleyway lined up with small food stalls, authentic tea houses, souvenir shops, and pottery stores.  They got there via Qiche Road, climbing up the long series of stairs that crosses over to the heart of Jiufan.

Check out “Fushan Temple”

The approach to Fushan Temple (top right)

Jiufen Old Street is actually composed of three parallel streets – Jishan Street (which runs along the ridge line), Cingbian Road and Qiche Road.  Jishan Street is the most densely populated with snacks and specialty shops.

Shuqi (or Shuchi) Road, perpendicular to the three, runs up and down the slope of the hill and comprises hundreds of stone steps with many teahouses.

The long, steep and narrow stairway leading to the center of the village

Shops here sell street food such as beef noodle soup, fish ball soup, ice cream peanut pancakes and Jiufen’s famous country snacks such as Ah Lan Glutinous Rice Cake, Taro Glutinous Rice Cake, Hongzao (Oxo Cubes) Meatball, cold or hot Ah Gan Taro Balls,  A-Zhu Peanut Ice Cream Roll, Taiwanese Sausages (Wu Di ‘Flower Lady’), Zhang Ji Traditional Fish Balls.  You can also buy locally produced ginger tea and plum wine.

Red lanterns were everywhere….

The century-old, richly decorated and picturesque, multi-storey A-Mei Teahouse, said to be the inspiration behind the Bath House in Spirited Away. Popularly known as the Grand Tea House, it is the most famous structure in all of Jiufen.  Perched on top of a hill, it is strategically located just a little off the main street. From its balcony, it has a picturesque view of Keelung Mountain to the right and northern shores of Taiwan on the left. You definitely need to book ahead if you want to have a tea here.

Souvenir store

Another noted teahouse is the City of Sadness Restaurant, an eatery overlooking the square, where A City of Sadness, another critically acclaimed movie (and the first film to touch on the February 28 Incident of 1947, in which thousands of people were massacred, then a taboo subject in Taiwan) by Hou Hsiao-hsien was filmed.  This film masterpiece bagged the  Golden Lion Award during the 1989 Venice Film Festival.

Railway tunnel

Jiufen was also known as a gold mining town.  In 1890, flakes of gold were discovered by workmen constructing the new Taipei-Keelung Railway and the resulting gold rush hastened the village’s development into a town.

Jandy beside a statue of a miner

During World War II, Kinkaseki, a POW camp for Allied soldiers captured in Singapore, was set up in the town and the POWs here were made to work in the nearby mines.

Mine entrance leading to the Taiwan Sweet Potato Teahouse

After the war, gold mining activities declined and the mine was shut down in 1971 for safety reasons.  A graffiti-filled mining tunnel, located right next to the A-Mei Teahouse, serves as a quaint entrance to Taiwan Sweet Potato Teahouse.

Teahouse at Taiyang parking lot

At Jiufen Gold Ore Museum, you can learn more about Jiufen’s history as a mining town.

Jiufen Police Station

Jiufen Old Street: Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224. Tel:  +886 2 2496 8978.

Eagle Tours: +886-910-130-180 (Mr. Vincent Chen) and +886-932-013-880 (Ms. Joyce Chen). 

How to Get There: Take the MRT blue line to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station Exit 1, then take bus 1062 to Jiufen Old Street Station. The town is served by buses that run from Keelung, Taipei, etc. The nearest train station is Rueifang Station of the TRA Yilan Line, which is 15 minutes away by bus.

National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels (Manila)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels

The century-old National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels, also known as San Miguel Church or Malacañang Church (as it adjoins the Malacañang Palace complex, the official residence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines), is located on the former site of La Fábrica de Cerveza de San Miguel (now San Miguel Brewery).

The church’s Neo-Classical facade

This Catholic church of the Latin Rite is dedicated to the seven archangels who fought against the Lucifer, the fallen angel who rebelled against God – Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, Saint Raphael, Saint Uriel, Saint Selatiel, Saint Jhudiel, and Saint Barachiel.

An archangel is supposedly assigned to a person depending on the day he is born – St. Gabriel for Monday, St. Raphael for Tuesday, St. Uriel for Wednesday, St. Sealtiel for Thursday, St. Jhudiel for Friday, St. Barachiel for Saturday and St. Michael for Sunday.

Historical plaque

Here are some interesting trivia regarding this church:

  • It is the only shrine in the whole world dedicated to the aforementioned seven archangels
  • As it almost next door to the most important address in the country, a number of presidents have heard Mass at the shrine – Carlos P. García, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (usually accompanied by her husband Mike Arroyo) and Fidel V. Ramos (who is not even Catholic but Protestant). Then-Ilocos Norte Representative (and later President) Ferdinand E. Marcos also married then-beauty queen Imelda Romuáldez in the shrine (at that time a pro-cathedral) on May 1, 1954. Their wedding, tagged as the “Wedding of the Year,” followed almost two weeks of courtship.  President Ramon Magsaysay stood as Principal Sponsor.
  • Unlike most Catholic churches in the country that are usually overflowing with parishioners on Sundays, the prominent location of this church seems not to entice parishioners to hear Mass here. St. Michael only has about 1,500 parishioners, some of whom are descended from old-rich families (who were the benefactors of the church) in San Miguel District (most of these families, however, left this district during Marcos’ time).  One reason churchgoers might be staying away is the abundance of checkpoints all over the Malacañang Complex.
  • It only holds three Masses on Sundays – two in the morning and only one in the evening.
  • The national shrine is also, notably, the only Catholic church in the country where priests (instead of bishops) are canonically permitted to administer the sacrament of Confirmation twice a week (on Thursdays and Sundays).
  • A few blocks away is the National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of desperate cases
  • Among those buried in San Miguel are Don Enrique M. Barreto (founder of San Miguel Brewery) and Don Domingo Roxas (patriarch of the Zóbel-de Ayala-Roxas-Soriano clans). Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes, the Archdiocese of Manila’s first Filipino ordinary (served from 1949 to 1952), was initially buried in the shrine before his remains were transferred to the crypt of Manila Cathedral.

The church has a Neo-Classical façade with a semicircular arched main entrance and windows, a rose window at the second level and flanking, symmetrical bell towers with melon-shaped domes topped by turrets.

The church’s interior

Here is the historical timeline of the church:

  • In 1637, San Miguel Church was first built in stone by the Jesuits, along the left bank of the Pasig river (where the Tabacalera,  Mirador Hotel and the old PCSO office are now located) in Paco, Manila (formerly known as Dilao).
  • During the 1645 Luzon earthquake, the church was damaged.
  • In 1779, a provisional church, along the north bank of the Pasig River, was started by Fr. Malo de Molina.
  • In 1783, it was transferred to its present site and placed under the jurisdiction of the Quiapo Parish.
  • In 1835, the first church on this site was built by Franciscan Fr. Esteban Mena
  • In 1852, after an earthquake, Fr. Francisco Febres repaired the church and rebuilt the destroyed bell tower.
  • During the July 19, 1880 earthquake, the church was destroyed.
  • In 1886, the church and its bell towers were repaired by Fr. Emilio Gago.
  • In 1913, the church was rebuilt by Fr. Hipolito Arce (parish priest from 1900 – 1940), through the generous assistance of Doña Margarita Róxas de Ayala, on its present site and inaugurated on September 29, 1913.
  • From 1946 till December 8, 1958, following the city’s destruction in World War II, the church was designated as the pro-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Manila by Monsigñor Michael O’Doherty while Manila Cathedral was being rebuilt.
  • On February 22, 1986, the church was elevated to the rank of National Shrine by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), with Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of the Archdiocese of Cebu and Papal Nuncio Bruno Torgigliani in attendance.  The CBCP made the decision via de jure, citing the church’s rich history.

Its main altar, built with fine wood and stately marble and designed by Fr. Ramon Dodero, an Opus Dei priest, in 1985, is a replica of the old altar built in 1800.  It has a statue of St. Michael crushing the enemy, in the center, with the other six archangels flanking him.

In front of the church is the beautiful 12-ft. high bronze statue of St. Michael in his traditional pose, triumphantly looming over a dragon (Satan). Done by renowned Filipino sculptor Florante “Boy” Caedo, it was blessed in September 29, 1984 by Papal Nuncio Bruno Torpigliani with His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, D.D. and Col. Antonio Cabangon Chuas as unveilers.

Bronze statue of St. Michael the Archangel

National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels: 1000 Jose Laurel St. cor. General Solano St., San Miguel district, Manila, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 735-1611 and 734-1271.  Fax: (632) 736-1105.

Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy (Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy

We still had extra time for some sightseeing prior to our Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila so, on our drive to Dipolog Airport from Sindangan, we made a short stopover at the Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy.  Before we drove up the hill, we already espied the Statue of the Virgin Mary along the highway.

Entering the chapel

The interior of the chapel

Stairs lead to the foot of the Statue of the Virgin Mary, located on another mountain below the Divine Mercy Shrine, while another flight of stairs lead directly to the Divine Mercy Shrine.  An arch along the highway marked the entrance to the shrine. The shrine, administered by Rev. Fr. Danilo Alpuerto, was declared as one of the pilgrim spot for the 2015-2016 Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Statue of the Virgin Mary

The shrine has a whitewashed chapel with the words “Jesus I Trust in You,” “Jesus Misalig Ako Kanimo” (Cebuano translation) and “Jesu Ufam Tobie” (Polish translation) painted into the upper façade. To the left of the chapel is a tower with a square base and octagonal upper storeys with a cross on top of the pointed roof.

The tower on the chapel’s left

Inside the chapel are walls of clear glass panels, which afford a scenic view of the ocean, while above them are stained glass windows. On the flanks of the chapel are outdoor shrines, with boxes for petitions or prayers, dedicated to the Divine Mercy and Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, Polish nun who inspired the Roman Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy and earned her the title of “Secretary of Divine Mercy.” There is also a statue of the St. Michael the Archangel and the Virgin Mary on a boat.

Outdoor shrine dedicated to Sister Faustina Kowalska

Outdoor shrine dedicated to the Divine Mercy

A flight of stairs lead to the chapel’s roof deck with railings where the huge statue of the Divine Mercy is located.

Statue of the Divine Mercy

The deck has a panoramic view of the expanse of mountains at the rear and the verdant lowlands and blue ocean in front.

Panoramic view of the verdant lowlands and ocean

There’s also a “Healing Walk,” leading down from the shrine, where you are required to observe silence and remove your footwear to enter.  A sign quotes Exodus 3:5 – “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

The Healing Walk

Along the way are rows of statues of 30+ saints and the Gethsemane Garden with its statue of a kneeling Jesus Christ.

Alcove with statues of saints

Also within the shrine is a candle gallery, the shrine office, a souvenir shop and public toilets. 

Statue of a kneeling Jesus Christ at the Gethsemane Garden

Diocesan Divine Mercy Shrine: Siari Hills, Brgy. Siari, Regional Highway Dipolog – Sindangan, Bayan ng Sindangan, 7112 Zamboanga del Norte. Admission is free.  There is a dress code in the shrine.  No wearing of short pants (as well as long pants for females) and sleeveless shirts or blouses.

How to Get There: Buses and vans going to Ipil and Zamboanga City from Dipolog, and vice versa, pass by the Regional Highway. Under the shrine’s entrance arch are habal-habal drivers who charge P20-50 for a one way trip to the Shrine.

Dapitan City Plaza (Zamboanga del Norte)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Dapitan City Plaza

In front of the Church of St. James the Greater is the  Dapitan City Plaza (“Liwasan ng Dapitan”), also known as the City Square.  During his exile, Dr. Jose Rizal beautified and developed this plaza.  With the assistance of Spanish Politico-Military Governor of Dapitan, Gov. Ricardo Carnicero, he made the plaza comparable to the ones he saw in Europe.

Check out “Church of St. James the Greater”

With an estimated land area of 1 hectare, the plaza was laid out in the traditional rectilinear Spanish colonial manner. The plaza was already in existence when Dr. Jose P. Rizal arrived in on July 17, 1892.

With the P500 one of his patients paid him, Rizal equipped the town with lighting system, as part of Carnicero’s project, using coconut oil lamps hung on trees and cut tree trunks placed around the plaza. Rizal also beautified Dapitan by planting white santans, red gumamelas and acacia trees.

Relief Map of Mindanao

With the help of Francisco Paula de Sanchez, his teacher in Ateneo de Manila (he studied here from 1872-77), he also made a huge relief map of Mindanao (based on the map done by French Jesuit Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde in 1752) out of earth, stones and grass during his first two months in Dapitan. Located in the southeast part of the plaza, he intended it to be a teaching aid for geography and history lessons. On June 20, 2005, the Relief Map was declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure.

The Jose Rizal Monument (center). On the left is the kiosk

Before Dr. Jose P. Rizal became the country’s National Hero, a kiosk was located in the center of the plaza. Later, the kiosk was moved to the northwest side to give way to the monument in honor of Rizal. The two cannons, formerly placed on top of Ilihan Hill, can now be found in the north of the plaza. Except for its elevated border (constructed in 1996), the City Plaza has maintained its original design.

Dr. Jose Rizal Monument

The plaque at the Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s monument has snippets from one of his letters written in Spanish in 1893. It states: “Yo estoy dispuesto a hacer todo lo que pueda en obsequio de este pueblo. No tengo inconveniente ninguno en quedarme para siempre en este distrito” (“I’m willing to do everything I can for the sake of the people. I have no problem to stay forever in this district”).

Casa Real Historical Plaque

Near the plaza is a plaque marking the site of the Casa Real where Dr. Jose P. Rizal stayed with Governor Ricardo Carnicero, from his arrival until he moved to Rizal Shrine at barangay Talisay in March 1893.

Check out “Rizal Park and Shrine”

Pablo Page Ancestral House

Around the plaza are a number of old structures and ancestral houses, all part of t he Dapitan Heritage Zone or Dapitan Historic Center. Most are in dire need of major repair.

Office of the Sangguniang Panglungsod

They include the Antera Adaza Bajamunde residence (Justice Florentino Saguin St.), the Philippine Coconut Authority Office, the Public Services Division of Dapitan, the Office of the Senior Citizens Association and the Office of the Sangguniang Panglungsod.

Office of the Senior Citizens Association

Philippine Coconut Authority Office

The Antera Adaza Bajamunde Residence, more popularly known as the Pablo Page Ancestral House, was built in 1919.

Public Services Division of Dapitan

Dapitan City Tourism Office: Josephine Bracken St., Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.  Mobile numbers:(0977) 803-1497 (Globe) and (0908) 884-1650 (Smart).

Church of St. James the Greater (Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Church of St. James The Greater

The last destination in our tour of Dapitan, prior to our trip to Sindangan, was the Church of St. James the Greater.  As we arrived just 5 days before their patron saint’s feast day (July 25), small, colorful flag-shaped banners were strung up all over the plaza and the church.

The Dapitan parish was established in 1631 by Jesuit Fr. Pedro Gutierres.  The present church, a 5 minute walk from the foot of Ilihan Hill, was originally built with galvanized iron walls and wooden floors in 1871 under Fr. Juan Gelabert, S.J. .

The church’s simple Gothic-style facade

 During his exile from July 17, 1892 to July 31, 1896, national hero Jose Rizal painted a backdrop, inspired by a church in Barcelona, for the church altar. However, the painting was later destroyed by fire.  A marker here, near the entrance, also marks the spot where Rizal usually stood when he heard Mass every Sunday. He could not go near the altar during Mass because of his excommunication from the Catholic Church.

Spot where Rizal stood during mass

National Historical Commission (NHC) plaque

From 1904 to 1909, the church was repaired and renovated under the guidance of Fr. Antonio Obach, S.J.  The original galvanized iron wall was replaced with the present solid masonry and the wooden floor changed to mortar. In 1915, the floor was concreted and the sanctuary was remodeled in 1921 by Fr. Eliseo Gil, S.J..

Historical plaque

For about five days in 1944, Japanese soldiers used the church as a resting/sleeping area. Through the years, it has undergone several reconstructions including a major renovation in 1964 when the whole structure was almost completely reconstructed with reinforced concrete by Fr. Antonio Hamak.  The new church was inaugurated on July 23, 1967.

The church interior

It’s simple Gothic-style façade, devoid of much decoration, is flanked by twin square bell towers with pyramidal roofs and semicircular arched openings.  The protruding central portion at the lower level is flanked by lancet windows and rounded pilasters. The Gothic arch main entrance, above which is a lancet window, is flanked by rounded pilasters and is topped by a triangular pediment with a centrally located oculus.

The beautiful church ceiling

Inside the church is its beautifully designed ceiling of interlocking orange and white rectangles forming a swirling pattern around the dome and arches, creating an optical illusion of depth and motion. As a whole, it drowns the audience far below in dizzying disarray.

View of interior from choir loft

At the choir loft is a German made manual pipe organ, with European pipes and a manual pump, that bears the year 1827. It was brought to Dapitan in 1864 by the Augustinian Recollect fathers.

Church of St. James the Greater: Fr. Francisco Paula de Sanchez St., Potol, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte 7101.  Tel: (065) 212-6202. Email Address: dapitanparish1631@gmail.com. Feast of St. James the Greater: July 25.

How to Get There: Dapitan City is located 15 kms. from Dipolog City. GPS Coordinates: 8.654734,123.42465

Rizal Park and Shrine (Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte)

Posted on by — 4 Comments ↓

Rizal Park and Shrine

The highlight of our visit to Dapitan City was our tour of Rizal Park and Shrine (also known as the  José Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape), a protected landscape and memorial to the Philippines‘ national hero which preserves the farm site in barrio Talisay where José Rizal was exiled from 1892-1896 (4 years, 13 days and a few hours) after being accused by the Spanish colonial authorities of sedition and plotting the Philippine revolution in Manila.  Occupying a hilly peninsula facing the Dapitan Bay, it is located in the seaside barangay of Talisay, about a kilometer northwest from Dapitan city proper.

EGI president Eulalio “Loy” Ganzon, Ms. Mamel Yap and my wife Grace entering the shrine

After his stay at the Casa Real, Rizal was transferred to Talisay, staying in a 24-hectare estate in the seaside barangay Talisay, bordering on Dapitan Bay, which he acquired by purchase.  In August 1892, two months after arriving in Dapitan, Rizal together with Gov. Carnicero and Francisco Equilor (a Spaniard living in Dipolog), luckily won the second prize of PhP20,000, via a lotto ticket with the permutation 9736, of the government-owned Reales Loterías Españolas de Filipinas (English: Royal Spanish Lottery of the Philippines).

Touring the grounds of the shrine

Rizal’s share was PhP6,200 and he gave PhP2,000 to his father and PhP200 to Jose Ma. Basa, his friend in Hong Kong. His share also financially enabled him to buy (for PHp4,000), on July 17, 1892, the Talisay Estate, a 10-hectare piece of land, from Lucia Pagbangon, enlarging his property to 70 hectares.

Map of shrine

In March 1893, Rizal transferred to this place. Later on, his mother Doña Teodora Alonso, his sisters Narcisa, Maria and Trinidad, and nephews Teodosio, Estanislao, Mauricio and Prudencio from Calamba, Laguna came and lived with him in Talisay until 1896. Pio Valenzuela also visited Rizal here, confiding to him about their planned armed revolution and the group’s offer to help Rizal flee Dapitan.

An array of Masonic structures and symbols

On this land he built three houses and decided to be a farmer, clearing a part of the forest and planting a large number of fruit trees (mangoes, lanzones, guyabano, nangka, macopa, langka, santol, mangosteen, batuno, etc.), 6,000 hemp plants, 1,000 coconut trees, coffee and cacao.

Here, he established a hospital and a school for bright boys (beginning with 3 pupils, it increased to 16 and eventually 21, 16 of which did not pay tuition), collected botanical and zoological specimens (the Draco rizali, a flying dragon; Apogonia rizali, a small beetle and the Rhacophorus rizali, a rare frog, were named after him) for some European museums (especially the Dresden Museum).

He also gathered 346 shells of 203 species, created sculptures from clay (Oyang Dapitana and Mother’s Revenge), embarked in the business of buying and selling abaca and copra, drained the marshes to get rid of malaria that was infesting Dapitan, and wrote some of his poems, articles and scientific treatises, as well as letters to his family and friends.

The Casa Residencia with the comfort room at the rear

He also learned, as well as grammatically analyzed and compared, the Subanen, Bisaya and Melayu languages, adding to the 22 languages he already knew (Tagalog, Ilokano, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan, Latin, Italian Greek, Chinese, English, Japanese, French , Portuguese, German, Swedish, Arabic and Russian).

It was also here that he fell in love with the 18 year old Josephine Bracken (her parents James Bracken and Elizabeth Jane MacBride were both Irish in citizenship), adopted daughter of George (who adopted Josephine after her mother died of childbirth), one of Rizal’s patients.  Rizal wrote the poem A Josefina for Josephine.

El Canto del Viajero (“Song of a Traveler”) – a poem by Dr. Jose Rizal written on a pathway. Rizal wrote it upon receiving the acceptance of his offer to go to Europe then to Cuba (then under a revolution) to help in the curing of patients suffering from a raging yellow fever epidemic.

His exile here ended when he departed, on the steamer Espana, for Manila, and eventually Cuba, on July 31, 1896. On the day of his departure, accompanied by Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his three nephews and six pupils, a marching band solemnly played Frederic Chopin’s dolorous Marche funèbre as Dapitanons turned out en masse to see him off.

Rizal the Traveler (Julie Lluch)

On January 15, 1897, after Rizal’s execution on December 30, 1896, Rizal’s properties in Dapitan were confiscated.  Don Cosme Borromeo, a good friend of Rizal, was appointed custodian of the confiscated property.  After the end of Spanish rule, the Talisay hacienda and home were neglected.  However, in 1913, the place was converted into a public park to the memory of Rizal.  It was reconstructed during the term of Zamboanga Gov. Jose Aseniero (1925 to 1928), one of Rizal’s brightest pupils.

On September 3, 1940, Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon, through Proclamation No. 616, reserved about 10 hectares (25 acres) of the land in Talisay and turned it into Rizal National Park.  On June 19, 1965, by virtue of Republic Act No. 4368, the administration of this shrine was turned over to the National Historical Commission (later National Historical Institute on September 24, 1972) from the National Heroes Commission.

On January 24, 1973, through Presidential Decree No. 105, the Rizal Shrine was then declared by then president Ferdinand E. Marcos as one of the National Shrines. On April 23, 2000, it was enlarged to its present size of 439 hectares (1,080 acres), with a buffer zone of 15 hectares (37 acres) and was declared, through Proclamation No. 279, as a protected landscape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System.

The park has a collection of five reconstructed houses of bamboo and nipa, originally built by José Rizal, as well as other auxiliary structures, all in their original location.

Casa Residencia

Casa Residencia, the faithfully reconstructed (in 1960) main house of Rizal, is the biggest structure in the place.  Rectangular in shape, it is made of bamboo, wood, nipa and palma brava leaves and is located at the foot of a verdant hill studded with baluno (Mangifera caesia) and bitaong (Callophylum inophylum) trees.

The house had three verandas  (front and sides) with views of the Dapitan Bay, a main room (8 sq. yards), a lone bedroom (with a replica of Rizal’s bed made of narra with intricate carvings) and a wooden staircase leading to the main house.

Manikin of Josephine Bracken seated at the sala (living room)

Hanging on the walls are framed photos of Rizal’s relatives, friends (including Fernando Blumentritt) and acquaintances as well as pictures of relics he or his relatives owned and used (including a hankerchief and a pin cushion of his sister, Saturnina). A comfort room, at the rear, is accessible by a bridge.

A side veranda

Jose and Josephine Bracken lived as husband and wife.  Jose’s mother, sisters Maria, Trinidad and Narcisa, and niece Angelica also stayed here during their visits and Jose asked his family to accept her as one of their own.

Cocina (outdoor kitchen)

The Cocina (outdoor kitchen), located to the left and a little lower than the main house, is about 14 ft. by 10 ft. and its walls are open from the waist up. With thatched roofing and open walls for ventilation, it features a traditional banggerahan (scullery) and kalan (firewood-fueled clay stove).

Casa Cuadrada

Casa Cuadrada (Square House), at the base of the hill, towards Rizal’s clinic, is about 14 by 14 ft. and doubled as a secondary dormitory for Rizal’s students.

Interior of Casa Cuadrada

The area underneath the hut served as vocational workshop where Rizal taught his students (2 – 4 PM) carpentry, Math, English, and Spanish. In turn, during recess, his students helped him with farming, feeding the chickens, building fires to drive away insects, pruning fruit trees and manuring the soil. Outside class hours, students had gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, stone- throwing, swimming, arnis and boating.

The octagonal Casa Redonda

The Casa Redonda, an octagonal stilt house which served as the pupil’s quarters, was later converted to a clinic where Rizal operated on George Taufer, Josephine Bracken’s foster father.

It was also here where he removed his mother’s cataracts. The house is 16 ft. wide, 16 ft. long and 7 ft. high.

Casa Redonda Pequena

The hexagonal Casa Redonda Pequaña, on the right of the main house, served as a chicken house that can accommodate a few dozen chickens.

Casitas Hospitales (Casitas de Salud)

The Casitas Hospitales (or Casitas de Salud) are two structures (one each for male and female) huts perched atop a low hill originally intended as tea houses but later converted into clinics to each accommodate 2 patients from far flung municipalities. Each has a floor area of 70 sq. ft..

Aqueduct system (Patubig sa Talisay)

The aqueduct system or lagoon, cutting across the shrine, feeds a water reservoir connected by bamboo tubes to the kitchen and lavatory.  It is 110 m. long and has inclined walls about 2.5 m. deep.  As a perito agrimensor (expert surveyor), Rizal applied his engineering knowledge by constructing this system of waterworks in 1895 with the help of his pupils.  The water system provided adequate and year-round water supply for Rizal‘s farm and household needs.

The top of the dam with the bust of Don Ricardo Carnincero and his wife on the left

It connects to the still existing and original dam where Rizal gave swimming lessons to his students.  Accessed by a long flight of cemented steps, its top has a bust of Don Ricardo Carnicero and his wife.  Near the dam is a four by 2.5-m. concrete water reservoir built in 1968. 

The natural, heart-shaped Mi Retiro Rock

Mi Retiro Rock, a natural heart-shaped rock reclaimed from the sea and set in an artificial lagoon, is where Rizal scribbled the beautiful poem Mi Retiro (A Mi Madre) which described his place of exile as a tranquil haven from political persecution, and the song Himmne a Talisay (Hymn to Talisay) written for his pupils and paying tribute to individual excellence and holistic education.

Rizal exchanged commitment vows with Josephine Bracken at Mi Retiro Rock. Rizal also spent many hours watching the sunset here.

Because they could not be married under the Catholic Church (Fr. Antonio Obach refused to marry them without the permission of the Bishop of Cebu), this is also where he exchanged commitment vows with Josephine Bracken. Rizal also spent many hours watching the sunset here.  It is also called Batong Lumayag because it appears to be afloat during high tide.

The 500-seat, open air amphitheater where lectures on Rizal are held

A 500-seat, semicircular and open-air amphitheater, built in 1978 by the city government from funds from the office of the Regional Commissioner headed by Rear Admiral Romulo M. Espaldon (Minister for Muslim Affairs), is located beyond Mi Retiro Rock.  Situated at the slope of a hill, it is 20 m.long and has eight elevated steps.  Lectures about the life of Rizal are conducted here, usually by the curator.

Visit of Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan (Julie Lluch). Pio was the emissary sent by Andres Bonifacio to Dapitan to inform Rizal of the plan of Katipunan during the meeting at a little river called Bitukang Manok. Valenzuela arrived in Dapitan on board the steamer Venus with Raymundo Mata, a blind man who came with Valenzuela to camouflage his mission. Rizal objected to Bonifacio’s project because the people were not ready for a revolution and arms and funds must first be collected before raising the cry of revolution..

Strategically located within the sprawling shrine are Julie Lluch’s beautiful life-size brass sculptures, all unveiled on June 19, 2016 (the 155th birth anniversary of Rizal), depicting José Rizal as traveler, Rizal and Pio Valenzuela in a huddle, and Josephine Bracken.

Museo ni Jose Rizal

The Museo ni Jose Rizal, an addition to the shrine, was built in 1971.  Located at the foot of a hill, near the shrine’s main gate, it houses all Rizaliana books, periodicals and other historical exhibits.  Part of the building serves as the office of the Rizal Shrine Curator.  The shrine is administered and maintained by the National Historical Institute (NHI).

Check out “Museo ni Jose Rizal“

Masonic structures and symbols, beside the museum, dedicated to Rizal.  Rizal was a prominent member of Masonry.

Members of organizations dedicated to the promotion of Rizal’s ideals (Knights of Rizal, Kababaihang Rizalista, Kabataang Pangarap ni Rizal, Kingdom of God Inc., etc.) live in a community atop the hill of the Rizal Shrine.

Other Masonic monuments

Rizal Park and Shrine: Brgy. Talisay, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte. Open daily, 8 AM to 5 PM (The Museo ni Jose Rizal is closed on Mondays). Admission is free. 

How to Get There: The protected landscape and memorial is located some 9 kms. (5.6 mi.) north of the Dipolog Airport. It is accessible via the Dipolog–Oroquieta National Road and Jose Rizal Avenue in Dapitan.