Category Archives: Philippines, Republic of the

Bohol Biodiversity Complex (Bilar, Bohol)

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Bohol Biodiversity Complex

Part of the Panglao Bluewater Resort-sponsored CountrysideTour

After our visit to Loay, we boarded our coaster for 24-km. (40-min.) drive, via the Loay Interior Road, to the 25-hectare (6.5 hectares occupied as ecotourism site) Bohol Biodiversity Complex (BBC) in Bilar. Along the way, we passed its man-made forest of mahogany trees.

Check out “Church of the Holy Trinity” and “Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano“

Our lecturer….

We were slated to do the Tree Planting for Legacy eco-tour (individual tree planting), undoubtedly the highlight of a visit here but, due to our tight schedule, just attended a lecture (with fresh buko juice) on sustainable development and toured its facilities.

The BBC, surrounded by 1.2 hectares of rainforest, is perfect for the nature lover and the environmentally-conscious. It showcases various endemic tree seedlings and continues to raise awareness and conservation concerns among both locals and tourists.

This facility, and the eco-tour it offers, is the fruit of the Bohol Environment Code of 1998, which had the Bohol provincial government and the DENR sharing the responsibility of protecting and conserving Bohol’s amazing plant and animal species, particularly its endemic tree species.

Glamping Area

The complex, a unique and memorable alternative to a typical Bohol tour, houses a training center, organic vegetable gardens, a greenhouse, vermin-composting facility, farm animal sheds, reforestation area, Karst trail, gene bank, a dipterocarp mini laboratory and lodging quarters for anyone keen on lending a hand to sustainability and tackling all the BCC has to offer.

Setup inside tent

The sprawling grounds of the complex also make it ideal as a camping ground or a picnic site. Our guide showed us the glamping site with tents set up.  Each tent, which can accommodate 5 pax, is rented out for PhP2,000/per night (breakfast not included).  Near the site is a cottage housing communal shower and toilet facilities and a dining facility.  We culminated our visit with a merienda of corn coffee, steamed kamote, puto and fried saging na saba.

A honeymooner’s setup

The Tree Planting for Legacy eco-tour is a great way, whether going solo or traveling in a group, to proactively support conservation while having fun. It takes travelers beyond sightseeing and into environmentally-friendly and fun activities, letting everyone join and pitch in the efforts of restoring the breathtaking forests of Bohol by giving them the chance to leave a “tree for legacy,” their very own green thumb mark on the island of Bohol.   The endemic tree saplings they planted are taken care of by the center until they reach maturity.

Cottage housing shower and toilet facilities and dining area

Currently, with the help of the Provincial Government Offices of Provincial Economic Enterprises Management Office, Bohol Environmental Management Office, Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, Bohol Island State University and NGO Soil and Water Conservation Foundation Inc., the complex is undergoing development to help improve its services, Aspiring to become a model eco- agritourism site in Bohol, it promotes conservation of Bohol’s unique flora and fauna and appreciation of Boholano culture, especially in its agricultural industry.

Bohol Biodiversity Complex (BBC): Bilar, Bohol. Mobile number: (0950) 124-6588. E-mail: boholbiodiversity@gmail.com. Admission: PhP100/pax. Tour Group Price: PhP1,850/15 pax maximum. Admission includes seedling, name plate, laminated label and corn coffee/bottle of water (included only for group tours).  Open Mondays to Fridays, 8 AM – 5 PM, on request basis for holidays and weekends (Saturdays and Sundays).

Bohol Tourism Office: Governor’s Mansion Compound, C.P.G. Ave. North, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol.  Tel: +63 38 501-9186.  E-mail: inquire@boholtourismph.com. 

Panglao Bluewater Resort: Bluewater Rd., Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol.  Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697.  Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph. Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph.  Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348.  Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano (Loay, Bohol)

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Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano.  The escuela de los Ninos is on the left and the Casa Tribunal on the right

Part of the Panglao Bluewater Resort-sponsored CountrysideTour

After lunch at Panglao Bluewater Resort, we met up with Mr. Christopher “Boyet” Boncales, our guidefor our resort-sponsored Countryside Tour, at the reception area.  Boyet, 43, a tour guide of 25 years, has been guiding VIPs, ambassadors and other high ranking officials to Bohol. We all boarded our Travel Village coaster for the 33-km. (1-hour drive) to Loay’s Holy Trinity Church Compound.

Check out “Resort Review: Panglao Bluewater Resort“

Check out “Church of the Holy Trinity“

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by Ms. Perlina Alo, curator of the Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano (Museum of Boholano Heritage and History).

The 2-storey Casa Tribunal. Notice the non-centering of openings. Above the main entrance is an anagram of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Anagram of the Blessed Virgin Mary above the entrance door of Casa Tribunal

Under the jurisdiction of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the museum is housed within two buildings at the compound– the 2-storey Casa Tribunal (the old tribunal or municipal building) and the single-storey Escuela de los Ninos (school for boys).

The one-storey Escuela de los Ninos

The former’s solid stone architecture and non-centering of openings probably makes it one of the earliest structures in the compound and the 18th century anagram of Blessed Virgin Mary over main door belies its construction under the supervision of Recollect parish priests.

Ms. Perlita Alo (center) briefing our media group

The latter, one of two schoolhouses (the other one, for girls, faces it from across the plaza), was also built by the Recollects and dates from the last quarter of the 19th century.

Religious paraphernalia and statuary

Paintings of Four Evangelists by Ray Francia

Ms. Alo first toured us inside the Casa Tribunal. The exhibit on the ground floor centers on the materials used in the construction of the church complex – coralstone, limestone, batikuling (Litsea leytensis, wood used for religious images), apitong (Dipterocarpus grandiflorus, a local hardwood), narra (Pterocarpus indicus); bakan (Melia azedarach); etc.

Scaled model of the church compound

Face Value: The Faces of Philippine Numismatics

Also on exhibit are religious statuary and paraphernalia; a scaled model of the church complex and currently being restored paintings (from the spandrels at the church dome ceiling) of the Four Evangelists (Luke, John, Matthew and Mark) done by Ray Francia.

Gallery 1

Gallery II

At the second floor are exhibits on the methods of construction; the evolution of churches in the 1600s; the restoration methodology of the NHCP plus 3 scaled models of Loay’s church.  Also at the second floor is the exhibit entitled:” FACE VALUE: THE FACES OF PHILIPPINE NUMISMATICS” ongoing from October 30 to November 10, 2019.

Scaled Models of Ancestral Houses

Scaled model of Loay Church

Moving on to the Escuela de los Ninos, we watched an audio-visual presentation of the history of Bohol at the foyer.  Exhibits at the two galleries centers on episodes in Bohol’s history – Early Boholano History; Arrival of the Spaniards; Changes Under the Spanish; Tamblot’s Revolt; Dagohoy’s Revolt; The Cantonal Government; Resistance Against the Americans; Change Under the Americans; Resistance Against the Japanese during World War II; and Rehabilitation and Growth.

Copy of Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde’s Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas (1734, A Hydrographical and Chorographical Chart of the Philippine Islands)

Also on display here are scaled models of Bohol’s bahay na bato or stone houses (Zarraga Ancestral House and Clarin Ancestral House in Loay; Rocha Ancestral House and Balili Heritage House in Tagbilaran City; etc.); a copy of Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde’s (1696-1753) Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas (1734, A Hydrographical and Chorographical Chart of the Philippine Islands); a painting of the Blood Compact; a church confessional; seals of the Cantonal Government; and a bust of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia.

Bust of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol’s first and, so far, only native-born Philippine president

Painting of the Blood Compact

Check out “Balili Heritage House” and “The Ancestral Houses of Sitio Ubos“

Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano: Holy Trinity Church Compound, Loay, Bohol. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 8 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free.  Mobile number: (0915) 178-0325.

Bohol Tourism Office: Governor’s Mansion Compound, C.P.G. Ave. North, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol.  Tel: +63 38 501-9186.  E-mail: inquire@boholtourismph.com. 

Panglao Bluewater Resort: Bluewater Rd., Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol.  Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697.  Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph. Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph.  Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348.  Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Bohol–Panglao International Airport

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Panglao International Airport

The PHP8.9 billion (US$169 million) Bohol–Panglao International Airport (also known as New Bohol International Airport), on a 216-hectare area in Panglao Island, serves as the gateway to Tagbilaran and the rest of mainland Bohol for domestic air travelers, replacing Tagbilaran Airport (which is 10 times smaller), to support Bohol’s increased passenger traffic due to tourism.

This airport is officially classified as the international airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and though Philippine Airlines ended its Tagbilaran-Seoul flights on February 9, 2019, it welcomed the twice weekly (Mondays and Fridays) Royal Air Philippines’ Hong Kong-Bohol-Hong Kong flights which started last September 30.

Covered area in front of the terminal building

Bohol’s new international airport was partially funded with PHP5.862 billion (US$123.5 million, about 79% of its total project cost) by an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the remaining amount coming from the general appropriations fund of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTr). JICA also  provided JPY4.37 billion ($38.96 million) for the second phase of the airport project.

The airport apron

A Japanese consortium of Chiyoda Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation was the prime contractor for the project. EEI Corporation, the sub-contracting partner, handled the civil works while the design and consultancy work on the projectwas awarded to Japan Airport Consultants (JAC) in association with Phil JAC.

The airport was inaugurated on November 27, 2018. After the DoTr upgraded the airport’s navigational equipment to allow it to handle planes landing at night, the Bohol gateway began operating flights up to 10 p.m. on September 1, 2019.

Passenger boarding bridge

The BPIA (IATA code: TAG) has a 2.8 km. (9,184 ft.) long asphalt runway with a width of 45 m. (147.6 ft.) and running in a 03/21 direction. It has a 55,585 sq. m. concrete apron that features four parking bays for aircraft as large as the Airbus A330 or a maximum of seven parking bays for narrow bodied aircraft and is flanked by two taxiways which allows 10 takeoffs and landings per hour.

Bridge

Currently, the airport’s parking tarmac can hold, at a time, up to seven Airbus A321 aircraft or four Airbus A330 or Boeing 777 aircraft, enough to handle the deluge of foreign and local travelers even during peak seasons. The airport also has enough space to build another terminal in case expansion is needed in the future plus the runway could also still be extended up to 3.2 kms., making it possible to accommodate as many as 3.4 million passengers annually.

Baggage handling conveyor belt

The airport, dubbed as the first eco-airport in the Philippines and the country’s green gateway, boasts of environment-friendly features with advanced Japanese technology such as:

  • A photo voltaic power generation system set-up that aims to eventually power all of the airport’s energy requirements
  • A rainwater catchment mechanism that would utilize the abundant rainwater that the province gets for various uses
  • A sewerage disposal system that is at par with those often found in eco-conscious Scandinavian nations
  • An energy-efficient air-conditioning system, powered by solar energy, is available only in the pre-departure area.  The airport’s primarily uses  natural ventilation.
  • Geotextile sheets are used in the soaking yard to avoid the drainage water from seeping into the surroundings.
  • Energy-saving features integrated in the airport’s design include installation of LED lights, natural lights and ventilation for most public areas.

The single-level passenger terminal, spread over 8,500 sq. m., has a multi-curved roof that appears to be floating over the building and takes inspiration from the rolling Chocolate Hills, one of the province’s famous landmarks. The external 1,958 sq. m. covered area in front of the terminal building is dedicated for sending off and welcoming passengers’ relatives.

This new international airport can annually accommodate 2,000,000 passengers, more than double the 800,000 capacity of the decommissioned Tagbilaran Airport (the provincial government is eyeing to manage the 26-hectare property and convert it into an information technology hub or a commercial park).

BPIA’s location also makes it ideal to divert aircraft bound for Cebu (it is only 90 kms. away, way nearer than Manila or Clark, which are 600 and 700 kms. away, respectively) in case the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, a gateway to the Central Philippines for international tourists, in Mactan is closed due to unfortunate circumstances. Panglao is also accessible by fast craft from Cebu City.

Bohol–Panglao International Airport: Panglao; 6340 Bohol. Mobile number: (0936) 277-9019.

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

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

Museo ni Jose Rizal (Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte

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Museo ni Jose Rizal

The first building you encounter upon entering the 10-hectare Rizal Shrine (site of national hero Jose Rizal’s exile from 1892 to 1896), immediately to the right, is the 2-storey, fairly new and modern Museo ni Jose Rizal which was originally built in 1971.

Check out “Rizal Park and Shrine“

The museum interior

The museum was later modernized (part of an overall plan to modernize around 15 more local museums nationwide, including those of Loay in Bohol, Iloilo City, Naga City, Baliuag in Bulacan, San Juan and Quezon City) by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), chaired by Dr. Maria Serena I. Diokno, and inaugurated on June 19, 2016 (the 155th birth anniversary of Rizal).

Gallery 1: Pagtapon sa Dapitan (Exile to Dapitan)

Gallery 2: Gawaing Pang-Aghamat Sining ni Rizal (Rizal’s Scientific and Artistic Pursuits)

Gallery 3: Mga Alaala ng Dapitan (Memories of Dapitan)

Gallery 4: Landas Tungo sa Pagkamartir (Road to Martyrdom)

It now has an e-learning room for online lessons of the National Historical Commission on Philippine history plus a variety of interactive features such as light-and-sound tableaus, a holograms (showing him talking about his last thoughts as he treks the road to martyrdom) and touch screen terminals featuring Rizal’s everyday activities as a political exile in Dapitan.

Ang Dulce Extranjera ni Rizal

Ang Guro (The Teacher)

Audio visual presentations in the museum include the Talisay waterworks system (also known as the Linao Aqueduct) which Rizal surveyed and helped build with the blueprint he made. Rizal harnessed the natural spring of Linao Creek, giving the public a potable-water system. Later, he connected pipes to the aqueduct and, with his students, built the pipe works that served his household and farm needs.

Ang Inhinyero at Arkitekto (The Engineer and Architect)

Ang Magsasaka at Mangingisda (The Farmer and Fisherman)

The Museo ni Jose Rizal Dapitan has four galleries:

  • Gallery 1. Exile to Dapitan
  • Gallery 2. Rizal’s Scientific and Artistic Pursuits
  • Gallery 3. Memories of Dapitan
  • Gallery 4. Road to Martyrdom 

Clothes of Rizal

Prominently on display at the center of the ground floor are some of Rizal’s personal wardrobe – a beige long-sleeved shirt and trouser, a brown wool vest and trouser and a black textile coat.

Haec Est Sibylla Cumana

Four sets of Haec Est Sibylla Cumana, a book of oracle or “spin-the-top-and-learn-your-future” game created by Rizal in Dapitan, also occupy a prominent spot in the museum. A family heirloom, the book was only made public in 2011 (the 150th birth anniversary of the National Hero) upon publication by Cruz Publishing.

The blackboard and table Rizal used to teach his students

Nearby are the original blackboard, table and chairs used by Rizal for teaching his pupils at Casa Cuadrada.

List of animal specimens sent to Dresden, Germany

Shell collection

Some ethnographical material collected by Rizal

Also on display are all Rizal’s personal writings (books, letters, poems, etc.), periodicals, replicas of his artworks (including paintings of his wife Josephine Bracken), his tools for fishing, the original medical instruments used by Rizal in operating the cataracts of his mother, Teodora Alonso, and many other patients from far and wide plus other historical exhibits.

Ang Manggagamot (The Physician)

Mga Gawaing Pang Agham

There are also reproductions of old Rizal photographs including those of his lady loves – Leonor Rivera, Segunda Katigbak, Josephine Bracken, Gertrude Beckett, Nellie Boustead, O-Sei-San, Suzanne Jacoby.

Museum corner for Josephine Bracken

Reproductions of Rizal’s sculptures

Part of the building serves as the office of the Rizal Shrine Curator.  Nearby is a monument of Rizal erected on March 8, 1987 by the Order of the Knights of Rizal.

Ang Malikhaing Rizal (Artistic Rizal)

Ang Manunulat (The Writer)

Mga Gawaing Pang-Iskolar (Scholarly Activities)

Museo ni Jose Rizal: Brgy. Talisay, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 8 AM to 5 PM. Mobile number: (0917) 656-4168. E-mail: museonijoserizaldapitan@gmail.com. Admission is free. Curator (since 1992): Gabriel M. Cad.

How to Get There: The museum is situated near the shrine’s main gate and the shrine is located 2 kms. from the Dapitan City Hall. 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.

Rizal Disembarkation Site (Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte)

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Rizal Disembarkation Site) (Desembarco de Rizal)

Upon arrival in Dapitan City, we first visited the Rizal Disembarkation Site (Punto del Desembarco de Rizal) along Sunset Blvd. where Dr. Jose Rizal first set foot on Sta. Cruz Beach in Dapitan, the start of his 4 year exile.

Check out “Rizal Park and Shrine”

The author at the Rizal Disembarkation Site

Rizal, under maximum security, left Manila after midnight, 14 July 1892, on board the steamer SS Cebu along with military corps as well as prisoners (one due for execution). On July 17, from the steamer, the ship captain Delgras and three artillery men accompanied Rizal to the small boat that would take him to the shore. The sea was rough and, in his account of his journey to Dapitan, Rizal described the beach as “very gloomy,” perhaps reflecting his mood about his exile. 

At 7 PM, they landed on the beach in Santa Cruz on to begin his life in exile. Accompanied by Delgras and the artillerymen, Rizal walked, with a farol de combate that lit the dark Sta. Cruz Street, to the Casa Real where he was presented to Don Ricardo Carnicero, Spanish military governor of the district.  He stayed here for eight months (17 July 1892 to March 1893).  Acting as his warden; Carnicero was supposed to send reports of his “prisoner” to higher authorities. However, he didn’t see any threat in him and Rizal was allowed to freely move around and lived a normal life in Dapitan. On the occasion of the commandant’s birthday on August 26, 1892, Rizal wrote a poem entitled “A Don Ricardo Carnicero.”

Bronzed statues of Rizal, Delgras and the 3 artillerymen

Marking the spot along Sta. Cruz Beach is a monument conceived by Antonio Tuviera and designed by Arch. Nilo Ajo. Ferraren.  The monument was unveiled on December 28, 2009 during the 4th Handuraw Festival celebration.

NHC historical plaque

Inauguration plaque

It consists of a raised podium with bronze statues of Jose Rizal, ship captain Delgras and three artillery men (one holding the farol de combate).  The statues were installed and bronzed by Ronel Roces.

Sta. Cruz Beach

Sunset Boulevard, the road along the landing site, is a good spot to watch the sunset. Across the landing site is a 20-foot cross was erected to symbolize the propagation of Christianity in the locality of Dapitan.

The 20-ft. high cross

Rizal Disembarkation Site: Sunset Blvd., Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.