Category Archives: Philippines, Republic of the

Balangay Boat Building Site (Butuan City, Agusan del Norte)

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The author (left) at the Balangay Boat Building Site

Part of Almont Inland Resort-sponsored Tour

After our short ocular visit to Magsaysay Bridge, we next drove to the 10.6-acre Balangay Boat Building Area Tree Park, along the Agusan River, where the quincentennial balanghais, Raya Siyagu (with 10 gross tonnage), named after the ruler of Butuan-Caraga, and Raya Kolambu (with 8 gross tonnage), named after the former’s sibling, who was the ruler of Mazaua, are drydocked.  The former was in urgent need for repair while latter still looked seaworthy.

The story of the balanghai (also called balangay) replicas begins in 2009 when the Kaya ng Pinoy Inc., the team (headed by Arturo “Art” Valdez, former undersecretary of the DENR and DTI) that conquered Mount Everest in 2006, announced plans to reconstruct a balanghai boat, with the help of the Sama-Bajau (Sama Dilaya) and other tribal members, from Sibutu and Sitangkai Islands of Tawi-Tawi, who retained the lashed-lug boat-building techniques which were mostly lost in other islands.

Raya Kolambu (formerly the Lahi ng Maharlika)

Three balanghais, namely the Diwata ng Lahi, Masawa Hong Butuan, and the 75 ft. long, 15 ft. wide and 9 ft. high Sama Tawi-Tawi (launched 16, 2010)  were constructed, with old doongan (Heriteriera littoralis) and other Philippine hardwoods (all donated by former Sulu governor Abdusakur Mahail Tan), by the team of Arturo Valdez at Manila Bay, at a 1,000 sq. m. site at Liwasang Ullalim at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex. The special wood for construction came from the established traditional source in southern Philippines, specifically Tawi-Tawi. The team have pinpointed Sama-Bajau master boat builders, whose predecessors actually built such boats, and used traditional tools during the construction.

A replica balanghai at sea

The boats will try to retrace the 1417 voyage of Sultan Paduka Batara (with 340 followers) of Sulu, from the Philippines to Fujian province in China (to pay tribute to the third Ming Dynasty Chinese emperor Zhu Di (or Yongle).  In September 1417, he arrived in Quanzhou but died there, from natural causes, and is buried in in Dezhou, Shandong, 320 kms. south of Beijing.  Kamulin, the sultan’s wife, and two sons (Andulu and Wenhalla) remained in China to tend to his tomb.  The emperor granted them lands and resources.  About 3,000 to 6,000 of their descendants still live there.

On September 1, 2009, all three journeyed, from Manila Bay, to the southern tip of Sulu,  tracing the routes of Filipino ancestors during the waves of Austronesian settlement through Maritime Southeast Asia and the Pacific.  On May 1, 2010, after an 8-month cruise, they arrived in Zamboanga City, after 70 multiport stopovers, covering 2,500 kms. The balanghais were navigated via the old method used by the ancient mariners – steering by the Sun, the stars, the wind, cloud formations, wave patterns and bird migrations.  Covering a distance of 3,908 kms. (2,108 nautical mi.), along the way, they stopped off at numerous Philippine cities to promote the project.

The second leg of the voyage, from 2010 to 2011, saw them navigate around South East Asia – Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand and up to the territorial waters of Vietnam, before heading back to the Philippines.

The bow of the Raya Kolambu

In April 2017, two more balanghai replicas, namely the Lahi ng Maharlika and Sultan sin Sulu were assembled, without any blueprints, in Maimbung, Sulu, by 7 members of the Sama-Bajau (Sama Dilaya), from Tawi-Tawi, led by master boat builder Nur Usman.  On May 10, 2017, both began sailing, from Sulu, in a mission to relive the 600 years of diplomatic connection between Sulu and ancient China.  They navigated without the use of modern instruments, and only through the skills and traditional methods of the Filipino Sama people.

Raya Siyagu (formerly the Sultan sin Sulu)

On April 28, 2018, the 33-man Philippine Balangay Expedition (headed by Valdez), on board the Sama Tawi-Tawi (the lead boat skippered by John Manginsay), Lahi ng Maharlika and Sultan sin Sulu, sailed from the Manila Yacht Club and finally reached China, arriving in Xiamen at 3 PM, May 2.  The first two boats had small engines, allowing it to move at 30 knots, while the third was propelled by sail only, with a maximum speed of 10 knots.  They returned to Manila on May 22, after a 25-day journey.

Damage to the Raya Siyagu

In 2019, the Lahi ng Maharlika (now renamed Raya Kolambu), manned by 10 personnel, and Sultan sin Sulu (now renamed Raya Siyagu), run by 8 personnel, set sail, from San Vicente, Palawan to Butuan, in a 6-day journey crossing the Sulu Sea, making stops in Palawan (Linapacan, Cuyo), Antique (Anini-y), Negros Occidental (Sipalay), Negros Oriental (Dumaguete City), Camiguin and, finally, to Butuan Bay.  From Butuan, the balanghais entered the Mactan-Cebu waters on the morning of December 14, arriving in Lapu-Lapu City to commemorate the quincentennial (500th) anniversary of the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 2021.

A small-scale model of a balanghai

Today, the 15 m. long Diwata ng Lahi is on permanent public display at the back of the National Museum of Fine Arts while the Masawa Hong Butuan is on a special pavilion in Butuan City.

Balangay Boat Building Site: Butuan Global Forum, Inc., Luna Compound, 861 R. Calo St., Brgy. Bading, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte. 

How to Get There: Cebu Pacific Air has 20 daily flights from Manila to Butuan City. From the city center, take a habal-habal (motorcycle) ride to the site. 

Almont Inland Resort: J. C. Aquino Ave. (formerly Zamora St.), Brgy. Imadejas, 8600 Butuan City.  Tel: (085) 300-0296. Mobile number: +63977 674 3412. Email:  fo.inlandresort@almont.com.ph. Website: www.almont.com.ph/almontinlandresort.

Bood Promontory and Eco-Park (Butuan City, Agusan del Norte)

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Bood Promontory and Eco-Park

Part of Almont Inland Resort-sponsored Tour

From Delta Discovery Park, it was a 9.3-km. (15-min.) drive to Bood Promontory and Eco-Park (or First Easter Mass Eco Park).  The highest elevation nearest to the seaside village of present-day Masao, it is located at a bend in the Masao River on a hill (called bood in Butuanon) overlooking the city.

Check out “Delta Discovery Park”

Magellan’s Cross

Grotto of the Virgin Mary

The park has a historical marker commemorating the contested first Catholic mass in Mindanao held on April 8, 1521 plus a memorial cross and a tableau with statues of Ferdinand Magellan, Rajah Kolambu (King of Butuan) and Rajah Siyagu (King of Mazaua), among others.

Tableau with statues of Ferdinand Magellan, Rajah Kolambu (King of Butuan) and Rajah Siyagu (King of Mazaua), among others

Nearby is a one-storey building housing an open-air function area plus oversized replicas of the Golden Tara (a 2-kg. (4.4-lb.), 21-karat gold statuette found, in 1917, at the banks of the Wawa River near Esperanza), and the Butuan Ivory Seal (an ivory stamp, seal stamp or a privy seal, dated 9th – 12th century, found in Brgy. Libertad).

Function Hall

Open-air function area

The park, situated in a non-protected 72-hectare agroforestry land, is also home to a small grotto of the Virgin Mary, walking trails and picnic spots. About 75% of the area is dominated by mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), yakal, Philippine teak (locally called hadlayati in Butuanon), Antipolo, narra and molave trees.

Replica of Golden Tara

Replica of Butuan Ivory Seal

Bood Promontory and Eco-Park: Brgy. Pinamanculan, Butuan City. 8600 Agusan del Norte.  Tel: (085) 300-0270. Open 8 AM to 5 PM. Admission: Php50/pax. 

How to Get There: Cebu Pacific Air has 20 daily flights from Manila to Butuan City.  A 30-min. tricycle ride from Masao Beach, to get to the park you have to cross a hanging bridge. 

Almont Inland Resort: J. C. Aquino Ave. (formerly Zamora St.), Brgy. Imadejas, 8600 Butuan City.  Tel: (085) 300-0296. Mobile number: +63977 674 3412. Email:  fo.inlandresort@almont.com.ph. Website: www.almont.com.ph/almontinlandresort.

Delta Discovery Park (Butuan City, Agusan del Norte)

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Delta Discovery Park

Part of Almont Inland Resort-sponsored Tour

On our second day in Butuan City, Ms. Debra Rutz Tanginan (Media Marketing Officer of Almont Inland Resort) brought Jandy and I to the 15-hectare (36.8 acre) Delta Discovery Park, a 7.6-km. (15-min.) drive from the resort.

Welcome Pavilion

Opened in May 2011, this captivating eco-tourism destination, offering a rich blend of adventure and nature, is home to what is touted as the longest zipline in the country (and in Asia) at 1.3 kms. long and, for adrenaline junkies like us, this was an opportunity we just shouldn’t miss out on.

Two A-frame cottages with a view deck in between

Upon arrival, we registered and paid for the zipline ride (Php500/pax) at the reception area of the park’s Welcome Pavilion.  That done, we walked all the way to the base of a concrete stairway that winds up a hill.

A-Frame Cottage

Before reaching the stairway, we passed a couple of A-frame, airconditioned cottages, along a ridge, where guests can stay overnight (check out video here).

Stairway going up to the waiting shed

Jandy and Debra at the waiting shed

Between the two cottages was a concrete view deck with a spectacular view of the valley below. We then went up the stairs (check out video here) to a wood and nipa waiting shed where we rested for a while.  Across the shed was a steel zipline landing platform.

The 1.3-km. (top) and 400-m. (below) zipline platforms.

The 4 x 4 Jeep we rode going up the hill

After a few minutes, a beat up, canvas soft top 4 x 4 Jeep arrived to bring us to the top of the hill and the zipline staging area.  The 5-min. long Jeep ride was part of the adventure and a thrill in itself as we were driven, on off-road tracks, over rocks and potholes.

All aboard…..

Debra, our driver and Debra on board our Jeep

Midway through the trip, we passed a building, this time a dorm where groups can also stay overnight. Like the zipline, the Jeep ride was not for the faint-hearted but, for us, it was fun as we literally jump on our seats with each pothole (check out video here).

The 1.3-km. zipline platform

Jandy, the author and Debra

All suited up….

The piece de resistance, of course, was the zipline ride.  Upon reaching the top of the hill, we disembarked from our Jeep and climbed the steel stairs up to the concrete and steel platform.  I decided to try the zipline first, followed by Jandy and, lastly, Debra.

The author all suited up and ready to go Superman style …..

Jandy’s next….

After donning my helmet, I was strapped into the horizontal, Superman zipline harness.  Once strapped, suspended and ready and facing forward, I was shoved down the line and on my way to the ultimate exhilarating “flying experience” as I “flew,” head first, with the wind blowing into my face, down the zipline (check out video here)

For nearly two minutes, I glided, at high speed (probably in excess of 60 kms./hour), 120 m. above the ground, over the green canopy of a scenic valley, then zip through the middle of a narrow gulley (giving me the feeling that I might scratch the sides), before emerging into another green valley as I approached the end of the line.  Truly an adrenaline rush of speed and the mesmerizing beauty of the green landscape and the winding Masao River….

The first valley I crossed…..

Jandy and Debra followed one after the other, all feeling the same rush as I did.  After our thrilling zipline, we descended down stairs and walked backed to the Welcome Pavilion.

The narrow gulley….

The park also has another shorter, more relaxing 400-m. long zipline (Php350/pax) that goes over a small canyon.  These 2 ziplines gives it the capacity to entertain up to 250 riders per day. They also have a swimming pool fed by a small waterfall, a butterfly sanctuary and eco-trails.

Approaching the end of the line…..

Delta Discovery Park: Purok 7 Ugabang, Brgy. Bonbon, Butuan City, 3600 Agusan del Norte.  Tel: (085) 345-8891.  Mobile numbers: (0975) 717-4505 and (0912) 444-2946.  Open daily, 9 AM – 5 PM.  Other rates: Entrance viewing (Php35/pax), Swimming Pool (Php50/pax), Cottages (Php350, Php400 and Php500), Table (Php200).  A-Frame House Overnight Rate (Php2,500, maximum of 5 pax, 2 PM to 10 AM).  Short Time Rate (Php500 for first 3 hours, maximum of 5 pax). 

How to Get There: Cebu Pacific Air has 20 daily flights from Manila to Butuan City. From the city center, ride a jeepney and drop off at the turn-off to Brgy. Bonbon.  From there, take a habal-habal (motorcycle) ride to the park. 

Almont Inland Resort: J. C. Aquino Ave. (formerly Zamora St.), Brgy. Imadejas, 8600 Butuan City.  Tel: (085) 300-0296. Mobile number: +63977 674 3412. Email:  fo.inlandresort@almont.com.ph. Website: www.almont.com.ph/almontinlandresort.

Banza Church Ruins (Butuan City, Agusan del Norte)

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Banza Church Ruins.  On the left is the mighty Agusan River, the third longest in the country

Part of Almont Inland Resort-sponsored Tour

From the Butuan Regional Museum, a 6.6km. (15-min.) drive brought us to the Banza Church Ruins, the oldest stone church ruins in Mindanao.  Getting there was very difficult, for first time visitors like us, as there are hardly any signs to point us in the right direction.

Check out “Butuan Regional Museum”

The balete tree enclosing the ruins of the church bell tower

This church, built by Augustinian Recollect friars beside the Agusan River (the third longest river in the country and the widest and most navigable in Mindanao) in 1625, was reputedly one of the most beautiful stone churches in the region.

The author and son Jandy beside the balete tree

However, in 1753, Moro pirates burned it down. Although the old church was rebuilt, it succumbed to decay and disuse when, in 1865, the town center was ordered transferred, by Surigao Province Gov. Manuel Boscasa, from Maug (Banza) to Baug (Magallanes).

Opening in the balete tree where you can see the interior wall of the bell tower

What is left of its former beauty is a bell tower engulfed inside a giant banyan (Ficus benjamina, locally called balete) tree.  From a small opening on the side of the tree, you can take a peek at the ruins and see its coralstone wall.

The steeple-like kiosk with pyramidal roof and balustrade

The ceiling of the kiosk

The steeple-like kiosk, with its pyramidal roof and balustrade, besides it houses a marble marker (its upper right hand corner chipped off) narrating the history of the place.  The place is a great spot to view the mighty 349 km. long Agusan River and to watch the sunset.

The slightly damaged marble historical plaque

Banza Church Ruins: Lilo, Brgy. Banza, 8600 Butuan City.

How to Get There: Cebu Pacific Air has 20 daily flights from Manila to Butuan City.  Located 6.8 kms. (a 15-20 min. drive) from the city center, from the main highway, travel 2.5 kms. then take the track on the left. After 500 m., veer left again.

Almont Inland Resort: J. C. Aquino Ave. (formerly Zamora St.), Brgy. Imadejas, 8600 Butuan City.  Tel: (085) 300-0296. Mobile number: +63977 674 3412. Email:  fo.inlandresort@almont.com.ph. Website: www.almont.com.ph/almontinlandresort.

Balanghai Shrine Museum (Butuan City, Agusan del Norte)

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Balanghai Shrine Museum

Part of Almont Inland Resort-sponsored Tour

After arrival and lunch at Almont Inland Resort, Jandy and I, accompanied by Mr. Carl Ballesteros and Ms. Debra Rutz Tanginan, Sales and Marketing Manager and Media Marketing Officer, respectively, of the resort, boarded a Starex van to begin our tour of Butuan City. From the resort, it was a 4.9 km. (15-min.) drive to the Balanghai Shrine Museum.

Located between the city and the airport, this small but innovative, one-storey open-air museum, a field museum of the National Museum of the Philippines, celebrates the rich maritime heritage of the Philippines.  Upon arrival, we were toured around the quaint little museum by the very able and knowledgeable Ms. Gloradel T. Tamayo.

Ms. Gloradel T. Tamayo

The museum displays, in a specially made glass case, is Butuan Boat No. 1, the more than 1,700-year old balanghai (or balangay), the oldest of nine boats discovered in September 6, 1976 by pothunters in search of Chinese ceramics at Brgy. Ambangan.  It originally measured around 10.2 m. (33 ft.) in length and has been dated to 777-988 CE. The timber used in its construction are identified as toog (Petersianthus quadrialatus),  narig (Vatica sp.), and lawaan (Shorea sp.).  Three of these water-logged timber boats have been excavated while the others are still in situ.

The 1,700 year old balangahai, the oldest of the nine discovered

Another view of the balanghai

On March 9, 1987, the balanghais were declared a National Cultural Treasure by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 86, series of 1986, signed by the late Pres. Corazon C. Aquino.   The establishment of the shrine was made possible by the donation of land by Felix A. Luna, a resident of the area, in 1979.

Photo of 1976 excavation

Photo of the balanghai found on site

These large sea-going wooden plank-built (Heretiara litorales, locally called dongon) and edge-pegged outrigger boats are 15 m. long and 3 m. wide across the beam.  Carbon-14 dating indicates it belongs to the 4th and 13th to 14th century AD. The oldest was dated to 320 AD by Tokyo’s Gakushuin Uniiversity.

The sugar palm fibers found on site

Sugar palm fibers, locally called cabo negro, hibyok or hidyop (Arenga piñata), were used to tie the boat planks together. Two others were dated to 990 and 1250 AD. These predate the relics of Viking ships in European museums and they represent the oldest fleet of boats excavated in one place.

Wooden coffins

Wooden coffins

Also on display are 3 m. long wooden coffins and deformed skulls (showing clear signs of cranial deformation, a cultural practice, at that time, either to signify group affiliation, social status or for aesthetic purpose) dating to the 14th and 15th centuries. The coffins were found 16 m. east of the boat, though proximate to the boat, the coffin burials have no chronological reference to the 12th and 13th century middle layer, being situated on the high ground beyond the eastern limits of the midden.

Deformed skulls

Infant skull

Displayed on the walls are actual photos of the 1976 to 1986 excavation as well as the rope used to tie the boat planks together.  At the back of the museum is the actual excavation site, a single trench, which is part of the Agusan River Delta System.  Another excavation site, not open to visitors, is located at the back of the Toyota Showroom. 

The excavation site today

  

Balangay Shrine Museum: 6th St., Sitio Ambangan, Brgy. Libertad, Butuan City, 8600 Agusan del Norte.  Mobile number (0919) 077-9854. E-mail: butuan@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Opened Tuesdays to Sundays (closed on Mondays), 9 AM to 5 PM.

How to Get There: Cebu Pacific Air has 20 daily flights from Manila to Butuan City.  The museum is 5 kms. east of the city. From Gaisano Mall/Butuan City Integrated Transportation Terminal, take a tricycle (locally called a trisikad) to the museum.

Almont Inland Resort: J. C. Aquino Ave. (formerly Zamora St.), Brgy. Imadejas, 8600 Butuan City.  Tel: (085) 300-0296. Mobile number: +63977 674 3412. Email:  fo.inlandresort@almont.com.ph. Website: www.almont.com.ph/almontinlandresort.

Nasugbu Landing Monument (Batangas)

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Nasugbu Landing Monument

This monument, along the 4-km. long beachfront, across the street from the Nasugbu Tourism/Information Office, includes a memorial and plaques commemorating the Nasugbu amphibious landings, in January 1945, 5 AM, of 8,000 men of the 11th Airborne Division, that were part of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Luzon campaign to capture Manila, aided by guerilla units (ROTC Hunters, Blue Eagle, Fil-American, LICOPA and CAGALAC guerillas).

It commemorates the heroic joint operations of Filipino-American forces involved in the Allied Landing in this area which paved the way for the liberation of South Manila and South Luzon, in general, and Nasugbu in particular, on the January 31, 1945.

The author (left) and his son Jandy

The monument consists of the statues of Lt.-Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger (Eighth United States Army Commander), Maj.-Gen. Joseph M. Swing (11th Airborne Division Commander) and Rear-Admiral William M. Fechteler (Group VIII Phib Commander), walking onshore out of an amphibious landing craft, resembling a LCM-3 (Landing Craft Mechanized MK3, they were about 50 ft. long), with an explanatory plaque in the front.

A second marker, a National Historical Institute (NHI) marker installed in 2007, is located on a concrete pedestal at the rear part of the monument inside the well deck of the replica landing boat.

The plaque in front

The English text, on the plaque in front of the monument, reads:

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF NASUGBU

FIRST DISTRICT BATANGAS

VETERANS FEDERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES

PHILIPPINE VETERANS LEGION

(FIRST BATANGAS VETERANS ASSOCIATION)

In

AMERICAN FORCES

U.S. Eight Army Lt. Gen R. EICHELBERGER, CG

11th Airborne Div.  US Army, Lt. Gen. Joseph SWING, CG

Group VIII ‘Phib- Rear Admiral FECHTELER

FILIPINO FORCES

Col Terry Magtauggol Adevoso, Overall Commander

47th (ROTC) Division – Hunters Guerillas

Calixto Gaglino (Hunters- ROTC) Organizer of

Filipino-American Irregular Troops with

Francisco Orlondo, Mariano Madrid, Miguel David

With the Support of Independent Units:

Filipino American Irregular Troops, Col T. Enriquez, CO 2nd Reg.

Filipino-American Irregular Troops, Col Clemente U. Baum, Co, 1st Reg.

This MEMORIA is dedicated by the Municipal Government of Nasugbu,

Batangas, …… On the 47th Anniversary of the ALLIED LANDING

On the 31st of January 1992.

 

The second historical plaque, written in Filipino, is translated as:

In this area the soldiers of the 1st Battalion and the 188th , 11th Airborne Division led by Lt. General Robert Eichelberger, landed on January 31, 1945. The Filipino guerrillas led by Lieutenant-Colonel Marcelo Castillo and Colonel Eleuterio L. Adevoso served as the Filipino leaders alongside of the American army.

The National Historical Institute (NHI) plaque installed in 2007

Nasugbu Landing Monument: 63 Apacible Blvd., Nasugbu, Batangas. Coordinates: 14.07139°N 120.62513594012702°E.

Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Bacoor City, Cavite)

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Church of St. Michael the Archangel

The original church, in one of the oldest parishes in Cavite (established as a separate parish, from Kawit, on January 18, 1752), was made from wood, stone, bamboo and nipa in 1669 and used to face Bacoor Bay.

The church’s Baroque facade

In October 1762, due to its strategic location, the church and convent was destroyed by the British on their way to occupy Cavite Puerto (now Cavite City).  In 1774, it was rebuilt in stone and, from 1788 to 1820, Fr. Domingo Sevilla Pilapil rebuilt the church in stone and mortar, adding the retablo, bell tower and patio.

Plaza Gomes

After the June 3, 1863 Manila earthquake, the church was reoriented inland (to prevent entry of sea water during high tides),  rebuilt, and enlarged with adobe, from 1863 to 1870, by parish priest (from June 2, 1824 to 1872) Fr. Mariano Gomes delos Angeles (of GOMBURZA fame) and Architect Felix Rojas (who later designed the Neo-Gothic Church of Sto. Domingo in Intramuros, Manila).  In 1872, after Fr. Gomes’ execution on February 17, the administration of the church was turned over to the Augustinian Recollect Fr. Juan Gomez.

The church’s three-storey bell tower

The National Historical Commission plaque installed in 2022

On May 31, 1898, during the Philippine Revolution, revolutionaries raised the Philippine flag on the bell tower.  After the revolution, the church was returned to the secular clergy. 

Important Cultural Property Marker

The present structure is what remained of this once longest church in Cavite, which once measured 20 brazas (33.4 m.) long and 5.5 brazas (9.9 m.) wide), after a third of the church was destroyed, on June 13, 1899, during the Philippine-American War.

The church interior

The choir loft area

On December 28, 2020, the church, as well as the nearby Cuenca House, were declared as an Important Cultural Properties by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and the National Museum of the Philippines.

The main altar

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s Baroque façade has a segmental arch main entrance (topped by a segmental arch statued niche), flanked by coupled flat pilasters, with Doric capitals and urn-like finials, and narrow, semicircular arched windows.  The triangular pediment has a centrally located, semicircular arch niche with a statue of St. Michael the Archangel.

The three-storey bell tower, on the church’s right, has a square base with coupled flat pilasters (also topped by Doric capitals) and a segmental arch open and blind (where the “Simbahan ng Bacoor” plaque is mounted) windows.  The upper two storeys, in receding planes, are octagonal, with blind and open, semicircular arch windows.

Inside is a narrow nave, exposed roof trusses with no ceiling, a main altar and two side altars.  Along the walls are burial niches.

One of the burial niches along the walls

In 2021, a historical marker and a bust of Fr. Mariano Gomes was installed front of the church convent, built in 1843 by Fr. Gomes.

The convent on the church’s left

The Padre Mariano Gomes Marker

Church of St. Michael the Archangel: Gen. E. Evangelista St., Poblacion, 4102 Bacoor City, Cavite.Tel: (046) 436-0456, 434-5679 (office) and 434-6466 (rectory). E-mail: sanmiguelbacoor@gmail.com.  Feast of St. Michael the Archangel: May 12.

How to Get There: Bacoor City is located 24.5 kms. (a one-hour drive) from Manila and 26.5 kms. (a one-hour drive) from Trece Martires City.  The church, right in front of the city’s Hall of Justice and Justice B. Ocampo Park, is located near the City Hall.

Jeaox Breeding Farm (City of Ilagan, Isabela)

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Jeaox Breeding Farm

On our seventh day in the City of Ilagan, after breakfast in our hotel, we again boarded our coaster for the 8.9 km. (20-min.) drive to the 20-hectare Jeaox Breeding Farm, home to almost a thousand non-native cows (American Brahman, Jersey and Holstein-Friesian) which are cross-bred to adapt to the climate of the country. It has been in operation for almost three years but only started its dairy operations in July 2023.

Media team at Jeaox Breeding Farm

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by Ms. Bernadette “Bea” Bayabo, the farm’s General Manager. Jeaox Farm has two cow sheds – one for fattening American Brahman cows, which are raised for their meat, and the other for almost 200 cross-bred Holstein-Friesian cows which are bred for its milk. It produces an average of about 1,000 liters of milk per day. Currently, the farm has 70 employees, 30 of which are in dairy production.

A cow with visual ear tags

Cows here wear visual ear tags to better manage the herd, keep accurate records and make decisions for herd management. Each tag has its own number and code with information on its sex, year of birth, type of breed and health history.

The author

Most of the cows that arrive in the plant are pregnant. To increase their numbers, sexed semen (or sex-sorted semen) technology is used for artificial insemination in the farm to produce cross-bred females. It is produced using a flow cytometry and sorting process, or via another process, that selectively destroys sperm cell carrying undesirable chromosomes.

Cow Milking Parlor

The farm’s herringbone-type milking parlor facility is capable, at a time, of milking 32 cows and storing 3,000 liters of raw milk. The cows are milked twice a day (4 AM and 5 PM).

The herringbone type milking parlor, the most common design used on dairy farms with smaller herds. Here, cattle stand at a 45-degree angle, offering the milker a different access point to the udder than the parallel or tandem designs, and also allows access for different types of equipment to be used.

Cow Milking Claw Assembly

The raw milk is then transported to the cooling tank of the milk plant, within the complex.  For every 100 liters of milk that goes into the plant, 40 liters is for fresh milk, 40 liters for yoghurt and 20 liters for pastillas making.

Mr. Moo Milk Plant

At the plant, the raw milk undergoes homogenization and low-heat (75 degrees Centigrade) pasteurization. Then, it is transformed into a number of products for Mr. Moo, a 20 year old company, owned by Mr. Juan Miguel Mercado, that started in Tagaytay City.

Ms. Bernadette “Bea” Bayabo (left), Jeaox Breeding Farm General Manager

Mr. Moo, whose branding is represented by a Holstein-Friesian cow, partnered with the Ilagan-based Jeaox Breeding Farm since corn silage or burong mais, the cow’s main diet and principal energy source, is cheaper in Ilagan (Php2.15 per kilo) compared to the corn-producing provinces near Tagaytay (Php10 per kilo). Corn silage is made from the leaves, briquettes (busil) and stems of corn mixed with grass and other feeds.

High pressure homogenizers are mixing equipment used to create a uniform and consistent mixture. It works by breaking the components and evenly distributing them throughout the solution. Homogenizers were invented by Auguste Gaulin for homogenizing milk.

These highly perishable milk drinks, with eight flavors (plain, chocolate, dark choco, vanilla, strawberry, melon, buko pandan and ube), are package in small plastic bottles with a shelf life of 5 to 10 days when refrigerated.  Starting from November 2023, aside from the City of Ilagan, these products were also transported to Tagaytay.

Milk retort machine eliminates all viable microorganisms, including spores, in milk.

Pastillas being manually wrapped

They are also packaged in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers (which extends, from to 6 to 8 months up to one year, the shelf life) which are intended for the city government’s milk feeding programs (which Mr. Moo participates in with the help of the Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development) for young students.

Mr. Moo Milk Drink

Currently, Mr. Moo has five franchises and six outlets, two in the Cagayan Valley Region.  One is along the Maharlika Highway in Brgy. Baligatan (across the Giant Butaka) in the City of Ilagan (inaugurated on February 1, 2024) and another is in Cauayan City (formally inaugurated on April 6, 2024). Another branch will soon to open in Tuguegarao City (Cagayan).

Mr. Moo in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers

Their products also include four variants of yoghurt (plain, ube, strawberry and mango) and four variants of pastillas (plain, buko pandan, cheese and ube). Ice cream products are still under experimentation, with four flavors in the works.

Pastillas in multi-colored wrappers

Jeaox Breeding Farm: Sitio Bating, Brgy. Namnama, City of Ilagan, 3300 Isabela.

City Tourism Office: 2/F, City Hall Bldg., 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 624-1511. E-mail: tourism@cityofilagan.gov.ph.

City of Ilagan Tourist Information and Assistance Center: Bonifacio Park, 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 324-7769.  E-mail: ilaganinfocenter@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: The City of Ilagan is located 429.3 kms. (an 8-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Cauayan City.

Balai na Ilagan (Isabela)

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Balay na Ilagan

Balai na Ilagan (“House of Ilagan”), also known as Friendship Hall and Balai na Maguili, is located beside St. Ferdinand Parish Church and Rizal Park.  Brimming with art in every nook, it was built in 2009 and is a testament to the vibrant arts, culture, music and literature scene in the province. Here, artists can learn from workshops, hold concerts or just find solace in the peaceful surroundings.

This multi-purpose hall and former convent and town clinic, within the grounds of the diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, was set up by Stewards and Friends of Ilagan Inc. (the corporate social responsibility arm of the S.M. Lazo Group of Companies based in Malate, Manila) to give Ilagueños a communal space to nurture the artistic talents of Ilagan’s residents.

Interior

They also conduct youth development activities and livelihood training courses for the less fortunate, and ties up with institutions that promote productive skills such as TESDA to enrich the lives of the locals.

Wall-to-wall murals painted by local artists

Balai ni Ilagan promotes culture and the arts by showcasing audio-visual presentations of native and international literature, music, arts and sciences; inviting speakers for cross-cultural learning; and holding competitions related to music, as well as painting and photography contests.

Grand piano

Adorning the interiors are wall-to-wall murals, painted by local artists, of forest scenes and jungle foliage interspersed with bright flowers, wildlife, mythical creatures, waterfalls, and birds in flight.  On one side of the hall is a grand piano for aspiring musicians.  There’s also a well-preserved 18th century chapel in the compound.

Balcony

At the main entrance is an ornate, restored wooden door, from the old convent, carved with flowers and intricate details. The clean and orderly grounds are used by students, to practice plays, presentations and musical numbers.

The clean and orderly grounds used by students

The library, offering a wide range of reading materials, also displays promising artwork by students from workshops.

Balai na Ilagan: Sta. Ana cor. Rizal St., Brgy. Bagumbayan, 3300 Cityof Ilagan, Isabela.

City Tourism Office: 2/F, City Hall Bldg., 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 624-1511. E-mail: tourism@cityofilagan.gov.ph.

City of Ilagan Tourist Information and Assistance Center: Bonifacio Park, 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 324-7769.  E-mail: ilaganinfocenter@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com. 

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: The City of Ilagan is located 429.3 kms. (an 8-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Cauayan City.

St. Ferdinand Parish Church (City of Ilagan, Isabela)

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St. Ferdinand Parish Church

The St. Ferdinand Parish Proto-Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Isabela, is located beside St. Ferdinand College and Rizal Park.  The present foundations of the present church was built, from 1696 to 1700, by Fr. Miguel Matos, O.P.,  as a mamposteria and brick church.

In 1777, the solid belfry (existing up to present) was started by Fr. Pedro de San Pedro, O.P., and finished, in 1783, by Fr. Joaquin Sancho, O.P.. In 1786, the bell of the church was forged.  On December 20, 1803, the church became the final resting place of Nueva Segovia Bishop Agustin Pedro Blaquer, OSA, who died in Ilagan on December 19, 1803 after he got sick during his visit to Cauayan. He was interred at the Epistle side of the church.

Old photo of the church probably showing the 1930 facade (St. Ferdinand Official Facebook account)

In 1829, Fr. Luis Garcia, O.P., constructed the sacristy  of ladrillo and finished in 1833. The 1866 typhoon destroyed the church dome and Fr. Pablo Almazan, O.P., demolished major portions of the church’s solid walls in order to build a bigger one.  In 1892, Fr. Isidro Martinena, O.P., established a campo santo (cemetery) in Barangay Santo Tomas, located outside of Ilagan poblacion.

Another old photo of the church, probably showing the 1960s renovation as the buttresses are now more prominent and entrance and stained glass windows have been modified. (photo: hiSTORYA)

The present façade and major parts of the church were constructed in the 1930s. It was renovated in the 1960s. The bell tower, sanctuary, sacristy, parish hall and the old campo santo are the remaining traces of the Spanish-era church.

The present Baroque facade. The buttresses  are now rounded and the stained glass windows and blind arches have also been modified.

During a recent renovation, the ladrillo details of the sanctuary, the Epistle side and Gospel side of the church were once again revealed after the cement were chipped-off.  The ladrillo fence of the campo santo could still be recognized.

AUTHOR’S NOTES

The church’s single level Baroque façade has a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by massive circular buttresses (in turn topped by urn-like finials) and semicircular blind arches (with two smaller semicircular arches within).

Above  the main entrance is a corbelled cornice with a blind semicircular arch enclosing three (one big flanked by two small) semicircular arch stained glass windows.  The triangular pediment, with broken curves along the top, has a centrally located blind rose window.

On the church’s left is the original four-storey square bell tower.  It has narrow semicircular windows, paired Solomonic columns (topped by urn-like finials) at the corners and is topped by a pyramidal roof. 

 

In 1973, the church became the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan, a suffragan diocese (founded on January 31, 1979) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao. However, in 2003, the diocese was transferred to the new Cathedral Church (and Bishops’ Residence) in Barangay Upi, in Gamu, Isabela.  In 2013, the present cathedral was placed under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel. Despite the transfer, both city and diocese still remain under the patronage of St. Ferdinand III of Castile, whose feast day is celebrated on May 30. At present, the centuries-old structure is designated as a proto-cathedral by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan.

The 4-storey bell tower is all that remained of the original Spanish-era church

On October 29, 2023, a mass was held for the celebration of the first Holy Rosary Festival wherein the pilgrim image of the St. Ferdinand Parish – Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary was episcopally crowned by Most Rev. David William V. Antonio, D.D., STHD., bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan.

The April 22, 2024 fire that engulfed the church (photo: Rappler)

On April 22, 2024, Monday, at around 11:40 AM, a devastating fire started from the roof of the church while workers were installing steel trusses on the church’s ceiling,  It was extinguished after an hour but most of its interior was destroyed. The final investigation report of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) identified the total cost of the damages is estimated to be around P35-40 million which include antique religious items among others. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Ilagan City Engineering Office conducted a series of tests and studies which revealed that only around 20-30% of the structural integrity of the church remained after the fire took down most of its interior.

The burnt out interior of the church (photo: Philippine News Agency)

Just days after the fire that destroyed the proto-cathedral, the City Government of Ilagan, in coordination with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan, were able to put up a temporary altar and steel benches covered with aluminum roofing sheets and steel trusses in the church-front courtyard (often referred by locals as the Family Park). Since April 28, 2024, while the clearing and restoration of the church is still ongoing, all regular masses of the parish were temporarily being held, by parish priest Fr. Ric-Zeus Angobang (he became parish priest in August 2023), in the make-shift altar.

St. Ferdinand Parish Church: Centro Poblacion, 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 624-2467.  Mobile number: (0997) 068-9967.

City Tourism Office: 2/F, City Hall Bldg., 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 624-1511. E-mail: tourism@cityofilagan.gov.ph.

City of Ilagan Tourist Information and Assistance Center: Bonifacio Park, 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 324-7769.  E-mail: ilaganinfocenter@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: The City of Ilagan is located 429.3 kms. (an 8-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Cauayan City.