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Mirador Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park (Baguio City, Benguet)

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The 5-hectare, multi-tiered  and enchanting Mirador Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park, one of the newest tourist attractions in Baguio, is located on top of the Jesuit-managed Mirador Hill, near the famed Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto. It houses one of two bamboo plantation sites in Baguio City (the other is the Baguio Bamboo Educational Demo Farm, within St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Purok Liteng, Brgy. Pacdal).

Check out “Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto” and “Baguio Bamboo Educational Demo Farm”

 

During the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic, the Jesuits managing the hill and the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto started developing the heritage and eco-park around the rest of Mirador Hill and the park was opened in late November 2020.  It has different sections and attractions and has a commanding panoramic view of the hills and valleys of the western section of Baguio City.

 

The park has several hiking trails that lead to different areas, with lots of signages, many Instagrammable spots and several benches and gazebos along the trail where you could sit down whenever you get too tired from walking.  The walkways are paved, not with concrete, but with carefully cut blocks of rock and furnished with metal handrails on the more difficult ascents.

 

Some parts of the park are based on known tourist destinations in Kyoto, Japan, including the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (its namesake is near the Tenryu-ji Temple) and the iconic red Torii Gate at the Mirador Peace Memorial (inaugurated on December 14, 2020).

 

The former, near the park entrance, is a gift of Caesar and Melissa Wongchuking Family. This dense bamboo forest was laid out amidst the landscaped rock gardens, providing a good shade from the piercing heat of the late morning and afternoon sun.

 

Here, you pass through rows of tortoise shell bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis “Heterocycla”), so called  because the lower part of the bamboo, from the root to about 60 centimeters, can display the habit of shortened internodes, alternately facing each other, so that the internodes resemble a tortoise shell. In Japan, it is called kikko (Japanese word meaning “tortoise”) and is related to the edible Moso bamboo.

 

The latter has a hanging bell made from an unexploded and neutralized front end of a World War II bomb.  The gate faces west toward the lowland and Lingayen Gulf, in nearby Pangasinan province, where American troops landed in 1945. On a clear day it is even possible to see as far as the gulf.

 

Here, you will encounter lots of couples and families lining up just to get a photo with the famous Japanese Torii gate. Walking further to the right side, you can see an exit gate going to the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto.

 

Gardens include:

  • La Storta Gardens – named after the vision of St. Ignatius de Loyola at the Chapel of La Storta, near Rome, is a gift the Christian Life Community in the Philippines and was inaugurated last May 20, 2021, the anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius de Loyola.
  • Garden of God’s Reign, donated by Raymond and Marrot Moreno, features the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary and was inaugurated last October 27, 2021.
  • Garden of St. Therese of the Child Jesus – donated by Wilfredo “Ike” and Evelyn Eslao and Lucio and Sylvia de Ayre.
  • Gardens of the First Companions – donated by the Ateneo High School Class of 1976, it has statues of St. Peter Savre, St. Francis Xavier, St. Ignatius de Loyola, St. Dominic Guzman and St. Theresa of Avila.
  • Garden Shrine of Our Lady of Peace

 

Rock gardens include:

  • Loyola Rock Garden
  • Manresa Rock Garden – donated by Manuel and Juanita Tiankiansee, it was inaugurated last May 20, 2021, the anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius de Loyola.
  • Our Lady of Montserrat Rock Garden
  • Our Lady of Aranzazu Rock Gardens – donated by the Banez Family

 

The park also houses the Jesuit Villa, native Ifugao huts, vantage points, Beatitudes arches, pandemic healing memorial, prayer houses, Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing Park), Jesus Apostles Dap-ayan, Blue Moon Gate, Kapilya Nina Jesus at Maria, Cordillera Heritage Garden, Marian Salubong View Deck and Christ the Redeemer, and the Retreat House.

 

The tiny Cafe Inigo by Ebai, offering al fresco dining (cakes, pastries, specialty drinks, etc.) with great views, was once a long distance station of PLDT and a caretaker’s house before being repurposed.

 

Mirador Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park: 15 St. Theresa Extn., Barangay Dominican Hill-Mirador, Baguio, Benguet. Tel: (074) 300-4789.  Mobile number: (0906) 570-1634 (Ms. Fatima Castillo). E-mail; miradorjesuitvilla@gmail.com. Website: www.miradorjesuitvilla.com. Open daily, 6 AM to 6 PM. Admission: Php100 (adults), Php80 (senior citizens and persons with disability) and free for children below 12 years old.  Pets and the bringing of food is not allowed.

How to Get There: In the city proper, take a jeepney at Kayang Street and ask to be dropped off at the Mirador Jesuit Villa Retreat House near the barangay hall of Dominican Hill-Mirador and the jeepney terminal area.  Near the registration area is a parking lot (parking fee: Php25).

Laperal White House (Baguio City, Benguet)

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Laperal White House

The Laperal White House, also known as  Laperal Guesthouse, is known today as the “White House” due to its noticeable white exterior paint.  It was built by Filipino businessman Roberto Laperal, Sr. (1890-1966, he also built the Arlegui Guest House in 1929) in the 1930s. He and his wife Victorina (nee Guizon) Laperal made the house as their summer vacation home.

The narrow and elongated house, made with narra and yakal wood, was designed in Victorian style with its wooden planks and gables and steep roof. Inside are four rooms and a narrow, winding staircase.  The house withstood many natural and man-made disasters, such as the July 16, 1990 Luzon earthquake.

In 2007, the house was sold, by Roberto Laperal Jr. and his wife, Purificacion Manotok Laperal, to  Chinese Filipino billionaire tycoon Lucio Tan who had it renovated and refurbished, with proper maintenance, then made it into a tourist attraction. From then on, the house was opened to the public.

In 2013, the tycoon’s Tan Yan Kee Foundation transformed the ground floor of the house into a Philippine Bamboo Foundation (PBFI) museum (Ifugao Bamboo Carving Gallery) which houses Filipino artworks made of bamboo and wood. Today, it is the home of a new, upscale fine-dining restaurant called Joseph’s (owned by the older brother of ABS-CBN News broadcast journalist, Bernadette Sembrano) which was opened in December 2022 and serves Continental and contemporary French cuisine.

According to believers, the house is haunted, with stories of sightings of a little girl (said to be the three-and-a-half year old child of the owner who was killed while running, across the street, towards her nanny) standing motionless on the third step of the staircase fronting the house; a woman (said to be the nanny who killed herself in one of the bedrooms) looking out the third floor glass windows; and a white figure coming down, from the attic, down to the front entrance.

During World War II, the basement of the house was used by the Japanese as a garrison where, if stories are to believed, many were brutally tortured and executed, including members of the Laperal family.  Don Roberto survived the war but accidentally slipped, and fell to his death, from the stairs in front of the house.  He, as well as ghosts of family members, the torture and execution victims, as well as Japanese soldiers (seen in the upper bedrooms), still haunt the house.  These spirits are believed to violently push and scratch visitors to the place.

The front porch of the house. Don Roberto died here and the ghost of a little girl also appears here

Lucio Tan never stayed in the place during his trips to Baguio.   The 2010 horror movie White House, starring Gabby Concepcion, Lovi Poe, Iza Calzado and Maricar Reyes, was shot inside the building.

Laperal White House: 14 Leonard Wood Rd., Baguio City, 2600 Benguet. Coordinates: 16°24′40″N 120°36′17″E.

Baguio Bamboo Educational Demo Farm (Baguio City, Benguet)

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Baguio Bamboo Educational Demo Farm

The tranquil, 3-hectare and very Instagrammable Baguio Bamboo Educational Demo Farm (also called the “Little Kyoto” and the “Kawayan Ecopark”), a nature reserve within St. Francis Xavier Seminary, stands on the former site of the Irisan (Baguio City’s largest barangay) open dumpsite.

St. Francis Xavier Senior-High Seminary

Entrance to bamboo sanctuary

The bamboo farm, part of the legacy environment program of the late Bishop Carlito Joaquin Cenzon (1939 – 2019), C.I.C.M., D.D., was established in 2011.

Alphonse Karr Hedge Bamboo (Bambusa multiplex “Alphonse Karr”) is a strikingly beautiful clumping bamboo variety noted for its vibrant and uniquely colored culms.

Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica) is a vigorous bamboo that forms thickets up to 6 m. (20 ft.) tall, with shiny leaves up to 25 cms. (9.8 in.) long.The culms are typically yellow-brown and it has palm-like leaves.

The legendary Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra), the first hardy oriental bamboo, was introduced to the world in 1827, A true masterpiece of nature, it embodies grace and sophistication in every aspect.

The Kawayanihan sa Benguet is an environmental project of the Philippine Bamboo Foundation, Inc. (headed by Pres. Edgardo Manda), in collaboration with the Diocese of Baguio’s Commission of Environment.

The author at the Baguio Bamboo Educational Demo Farm

 

Bamboo Nursery

Jandy at the Cardio Trail.  Here, bamboo gives way to pine trees.

This popular tourist destination, where people can relax and enjoy nature, has paved trails, a bamboo nursery, a bamboo bridge and a meditation garden.

Castillon Bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides), bright yellow at sheath fall, is one of our most beautiful bamboos. This bamboo flowered, along with Phyllostachys bambusoides, in the 1960s. It was saved in China and Japan, from where it was re-imported to Germany and then, into the United States, by The American Bamboo Society. It is slower spreading than most other Phyllostachys.

Female Bamboo (Bambusa balcooa), a tropical clumping bamboo originating from Northeast India, is often used as a food source, in scaffolding, for paper pulp or wood chips.

One of two bamboo plantation sites in Baguio City (the other is the Mirador Heritage and Eco-Park at Dominican Hill), it was opened in late 2019 but was gaining traction with local tourists in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic started and the park had to be closed.

Check out “Mirador Heritage and Eco-Park”

Fernleaf Hedge Bamboo (Bambusa multiplex) is, because of its thick nature, is highly prized as a short, thick, deer-resistant hedge.

Fishpole Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) is a strong but graceful evergreen bamboo with tall, upright, bright green canes changing to yellow-green with age.

In November that same year, a few months after its reopening, it was temporarily closed due to vandals engraving their names and words on various bamboo culms (or poles) as well as urinating along the pathways.

Giant Sour Bamboo (Acidosasa gigantea), found primarily in Southern China, with 1 species in Vietnam, its name is formed from Latin acidum (“sour”) and Sasa (another bamboo genus), referring to its edible shoots.

Golden Chinese Timber Bamboo (Phyllostachys vivax), one of the hardiest timber bamboo is, in most circumstances, will mature to 45 feet in height, with 3-4 inch diameter canes.

To showcase the beauty and diversity of bamboo, there are a number of walking trails (Aurea Trail, Vivax Trail, Cardio Trail, Dulcis Trail, etc.) that you can follow where pathways are lined with lush bamboos trees and bordered by vibrant red bamboo fences.

Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla), the most common source of bamboo timber in China for manufacturing and bamboo textiles, grows best in temperate climates, or cool sub-tropical regions.

Oldham’s Bamboo (Dendrcalamopsis atrovirens), a large species of bamboo, has been introduced into cultivation around the world. It is densely foliated, growing up to 20 m. (65 ft.) tall in good conditions, and can have a diameter of up to 10 cms. (4 in.).

The farm is home to 21 different species of bamboos, with 17 temperate (monopodial) and 4 tropical (sympodial) varieties from China, some towering over 15 m. in height, that were planted in the park.  They include:

  • Alphone Karr Hedge Bamboo (Bambusa multiplex)
  • Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica)
  • Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra)
  • Castillon Bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides)
  • Female Bamboo (Bambusa balcooa)
  • Fernleaf Hedge Bamboo (Bambusa multiplex)
  • Fishpole Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea)
  • Giant Bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper)
  • Giant Sour Bamboo (Acidosasa gigantea)
  • Golden Chinese Timber Bamboo (Phyllostachys vivax)
  • Hedge Bamboo (Bambusa glaucescens)
  • Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens)
  • Oldham’s Bamboo (Dendrcalamopsis atrovirens)
  • Purple Bamboo (Chimonobambusa neopurpurea)
  • Screen Bamboo (Plelobiastus chino)
  • Spiraled Grass Bamboo (Plebobiastus gramineus)
  • Sweet-Shoot Bamboo (Phyllostachys dulcis)
  • Vivax Bamboo (Phyllostachys vivax)
  • Yellow Striated Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris)

Screen Bamboo (Plelobiastus chino), an excellent screen or hedge about 10 ft. tall, becomes very thick with leaves, and the canes grow close together. It is vigorous and tough.

Spiraled Grass Bamboo (Plebobiastus gramineus), desirable for a thick screen, grows many canes in close proximity so that nothing can be seen through a hedge merely a foot or two thick. The long graceful leaves are distinctive.

Part of the National Greening Program, the bamboo plantation is located behind the seminary just past the basketball court. This is part of the 1 million hectare project of the ASEAN commitment of reforestation of 20 million hectares by year 2020.

A forum was conducted before and it was decided that this is the feasible area to put up a plantation. These bamboos were fit for tropical and high elevation places like Baguio and Benguet.

Cardio Trail

There are many benefits derived from bamboo, such as for climate change mitigation and livelihood generation.  Bamboos, an erosion control mechanism in the Cordillera, are known to hold the soil because of its roots’ long reach as far as 20 kms. which is effective for erosion prevention and they multiply quickly. They also help in carbon sequestration and, in turn, releasing oxygen to the environment.

As you walk along the bamboos, you can feel that positive, refreshing feeling that the trees are providing. There are multi-levels, but the main walkway has the most beautiful view. Up the Cardio Trail, the bamboos were slowly replaced by large pine trees and led us into an open overlooking spot. There’s public restrooms and bamboo benches, available by the exit, where you can rest.

Baguio Bamboo Educational Demo Farm: St. Francis Xavier Senior-High Seminary, Purok Liteng, Brgy. Pacdal, Baguio City, 2600 Benguet.  Mobile number: 0921 877 6655.  Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.  Entrance is free but donations, for the upkeep of the sanctuary, are accepted.  Pre-nuptial pictorials are not allowed on Saturdays and Sundays to avoid overcrowding.  No drones are allowed.

How to Get There:  the farm is a 15 to 20-min. drive from Burnham Park.  They have a wide parking space.  By public transportation, take a jeepney conveniently situated behind the Patriotic School along Harrison Road.  The road leading to it is narrow and steep and the drop-off point for the park is right at the turning point.

Igorot Stone Kingdom (Baguio City, Benguet)

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Igorot Stone Kingdom

The 6,000 sq. m. Igorot Stone Kingdom is a man-made theme and amusement park, surrounded by tall trees, built on a mountainside, by owners Engr. Pio (also known as Ama Bag-owan) and Haiji Velasco, to showcase the indigenous culture of Cordilleras, as well as the practices, traditions, values and way of life of its people.

The author at the entrance

The newest and one of the most popular attractions in Baguio City, it is based on the legend of Sab-angan which is believed to be an Igorot Kingdom, ruled by King Alapo Baguwan, that once existed thousands of years ago.

His concept for the man-made kingdom was an “Igorot child’s castle fantasies, his childhood in Mountain Province, and a caring God and family culture brought by the Igorot’s skill of stone laying.  The stone park was also built as a tribute Velasco’s strong and patient Igorot mom, Rita C. “Rosing” Gal-Velasco (1928-2012) who taught her five children patience and strength.

Jandy seated on the King’s Throne

The attraction, though built for tourism purposes, is also a place to learn about the rich culture of the Igorot people.  Described as a “cultural revolution,” it aims to correct the misconceptions about Igorots by showing people that the Igorots are civilized and culturally advanced, and that they take pride in their skills and heritage.

Igorot Golden Bridge

Construction of the Igorot Stone Kingdom began on March 15, 2020 and it formally opened to public in May of 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming viral in social media. However, last November 9, 2022, the site was closed due to permit and safety reasons. It only reopened again this April 3, 2023 in time for Holy Week.

Igorot Gold Mine

Temple of Kabunyan

The highlight of Igorot Stone Kingdom is the stone walls, inspired by the ladder-like layout of the rice terraces of Batad in Banaue, that were built in in traditional riprap (locally called kabite) where stones or boulders are interlocked together to form a wall. Traditionally, a riprap does not involved the use of cement but for purposes of reinforcement, cement are put on top.

The White Carabao

The Igorot Stone Kingdom features different towers and monuments such as the:

  • Fertility Tower
  • Tower of the Igorot God Kabunyan
  • Tower of Gatan and Bangan – depicts their fantasy story of how this Igorot man and woman survived the great holocaust.
  • White Carabao Monument – according to Pio, this was the exact location where he had a sighting (on March 1, 2020) of a white carabao (In Igorot culture, it symbolizes good luck and prosperity) which he took as a sign to build the Stone Kingdom.
  • Igorot Gold Mine
  • Igorot Golden Bridge – a steel bridge
  • Bangan’s Dome
  • Igorot Heroes Hall – houses life-size statues of prominent Igorots.
  • King’s Throne
  • King’s CR
  • Wishing Well

Nacagang Plaza

Sabangan Plaza

There were also modern-day castles made of cement and hollow blocks, among others, all showcasing the talent and skills of the Igorot. What captured our attention was the beautiful layers of stone-formed castle structure resembling rice terraces which, from a birds-eye view, the place looks like a ruin of an old Roman castle. For photo-ops, you can rent Igorot costumes.

Bangyol’s Point

It also looks like a maze, with its concentric stone corridors, which lets you roam around and admire every nook and cranny of the entire castle. There are just so many things to see and discover in this attraction that are all picture-worthy.

The King’s CR

There’s also a coffee shop (King’s Coffee Shop), a fastfood area (Ina Rita’s Food Court), toilets and view decks.  Still a work in progress, you can expect the park to add more attractions including life-sized statues of prominent Igorots as it completes its construction.

Wishing Well

Igorot Stone Kingdom: 362 Long-Long Benguet Rd., Brgy. Pinsao Proper, Baguio City, Benguet. Mobile number: (0945) 311-2286. Open daily, 6 AM to 6PM. Admission: Php 100 (adults) and Php80 (kids). Toddlers 3 years old and below can enter free of charge. Discounts are offered for senior citizens and persons with disability (PWD).

How to Get There: Located 5 kms. from the Central Business District, you can ride a jeep bound for Tacay-Longlong in Otek St. You may also ride a taxi from CBD, which may cost you at least Php 175.  The park is 500 m. from Tam-awan Village.

Baguio Convention and Cultural Center (Benguet)

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Baguio Convention and Cultural Center

Originally built as the Baguio Convention Center (BCC), this facility, sitting on a 10,000 sq. m. lot, with over 3,000 sq. m. building footprint, was established for the holding of conventions, gatherings, and other big events in the city.

Designed in the Brutalist architectural style by Architect Jorge Y. Ramos, it was inaugurated on July 17, 1978 by the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos during the opening of the World Chess Tournament championship series between Russian grandmaster Anatoly Karpov and Russian defector Victor Korchnoi.    From 2017 to 2020, it was renovated to provide a better venue for cultural and creative endeavors and, in 2022, it was renamed as the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center (BCCC).

Entrance portico with their four huge columns with halipan ((rat guard) motif

Situated across the University of the Philippines College Baguio and flanked by the summer courthouses of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, it exudes an ethnic flavor, with its pyramidal roof and huge concrete posts, resembling a traditional Ifugao bale with its halipan (rat guard) on its four posts at the entrance.  Considered the most spacious edifice North of Manila, it continues to cater to conferences, conventions, meetings, and other social functions in the city.

Jandy at the entrance

It boasts a large, pillar-less main hall, equipped with high-definition audio-visual equipment, that can accommodate more than 2,000 persons (500 on each side), making it ideal for conferences, exhibitions, trade shows and conventions.

The lobby with its two murals

It also has several function rooms for meetings, break-out sessions and other smaller events.   The center is also the venue for the Baguio Arts Festival, housing a permanent exhibit hall where local artists may have their works displayed and showcased. The basement also houses the city’s command center.

The center’s main hall

Two murals, an interconnected diptych with a red string running through it, were painted by local Baguio artists Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera (National Artist for the Visual Arts in 2006), Leonard Aguinaldo, Roland Bay-an, Kawayan de Guia, Venazir Marinez and John Frank Subido.  Based on the quincentennial of the arrival of the Europeans in the Philippines, both are permanently displayed at the lobby.

Seating area

Baguio Convention and Cultural Center: Governor Pack Rd., 2600 Baguio City.  Tel:  (074) 446 2009. Mobile number: (0928) 193-7336. E-mail: baguiocc2022@gmail.com.

Church of St. Rose of Lima (Gamu, Isabela)

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Church of St. Rose of Lima

This church, constructed in 1738 by Fr. Martin Fernandez, OP, was, together with the convent, destroyed by the strong Intensity 6 earthquake on December 29, 1949. From 1950-1951, a wooden church was constructed, next to the ruins of the Spanish church. La Salette missionary, Fr. Maurice Cardenal, started the restoration of the Spanish church. In 1968, a new roof was constructed together with the flooring.

The Baroque-style, brick facade

In March 1978, CICM missionary Fr. John Couvreur, the 75th parish priest, completely renovated the interior of the church and, in March 1979, the ruins of the sacristy were restored and transformed into a week day chapel.  From 1950 to 1951, a new brick bell tower, in Spanish style, was built but was later dismantled and the recovered materials were used to build chapels in several barrios.  From the ruins of the convent, a multi-purpose hall and dormitory were put up for seminars and meetings.

The paired columns (round and square) flanking the main entrance

On June 24, 1993, the roof and ceiling of the church was destroyed by typhoon Goring.  It was restored, in a short time, and a beautiful ceiling was built.  The church houses a life-size image of the Peruvian nun Rose of Lima, the patron saint of embroidery, gardening, and cultivation of blooming flowers.

The National Museum historical plaque

On June 27, 2019, the National Museum of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) recognized the church, and its surrounding complex, as an Important Cultural Property and, on May 12, 2023, a historical marker was installed. This church, as well as the Church of Our Lady of Atocha in Alicia, and the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in Cauayan City, are examples of what is called as the “Cagayan Style” of Spanish churches that was inspired by the Tuguegarao church.

Check out “Church of Our Lady of Atocha“ and “Church of Our Lady of the Pillar“

The modern interior

AUTHOR’S NOTES

The church’s Baroque-style, brick façade has a semicircular arch main entrance flanked by paired (one square and one round) pilasters, above which are semicircular arched windows, and semicircular arch niches for statues (currently empty).  The undulating pediment, capped by pinnacles, has a small, centrally located rose window.

On the church’s right is a three-storey, square bell tower, with receding storeys, semicircular arch blind window on the first storey, segmental arch open windows on the two upper storeys and a pyramidal roof.  On the church’s left is the brick convent which is now a multipurpose hall, used for seminars and meetings, and a dormitory.

The main altar and retablo

Church of St. Rose of Lima: Poblacion, 3301 Gamu, Isabela.  Mobile numbers: (0916) 680-3680 and (0936) 360-1064.   E-mail: srlgamu@zoho.com. Feast of St. Rose of Lima: August 23.

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: Gamu is located 413.4 kms. (a 7.75-hour drive) from Manila and 21.5 kms.(a 30-min. drive) from the City of Ilagan.  The church is located in front of the town’s municipal hall.

Philippine Crocodile Conservation Center (San Mariano, Isabela)

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The Visitors Center of the Philippine Crocodile Conservation Center

After our second visit to Meraki Garden in Reina Mercedes, a 29-km. (45-min.) drive brought us  to the Isabela State University campus in San Mariano where we were to visit the Philippine Crocodile Conservation Center (PCCC).  From the entrance, it was still a 750 m. walk to the center.  Inaugurated last April 19, 2022, the PCCC is a joint project of Isabela State University, the local government of San Mariano and the Mabuwaya Foundation, and supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) which plays an important role in sustaining and promoting the project as a tourism destination.

Check out “Meraki Garden”

Isabela State University

The remote rivers and wetlands of the town hosts one of only two viable wild sub-populations (the other is in Southwest Mindanao), of the endemic, Luzon-origin Philippine freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis or burakot in the Ilocano tongue) which is classified as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and is not found anywhere else in the world. Close to extinction, less than 100 mature individuals remain in the wild, making the animal even more endangered than the Philippine eagle.

Philippine freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)

The Mabuwaya Foundation, a Filipino-Dutch non-government organization, works with local communities to conserve the remnant wild populations of the Philippine crocodile and its habitat. Apart from dedicated conservation and outreach programs (supported by luxury fashion brand Lacoste, founder Michel Lacoste even visited the park in 2012), they train community volunteers/sanctuary guards in Philippine crocodile monitoring activities and environmental law enforcement, thus becoming their partners in the field. Together with our community volunteers, they also assist in the recovery of the population of the Philippine crocodile by searching and protecting nests.

Holding pens

The PCCC was made possible through donations to the Mabuwaya Foundation and financial support from international zoos in Australia (Zoos Victoria) and Europe (ZSL London Zoo, Crocodiles of the World and Wild Discovery in the United Kingdom; La Ferme aux Crocodiles in France; Koln Zoo in Germany; Bergen Aquarium in Norway; The Blue Planet, Krokodille Zoo and Terrariet – Reptile Zoo in Denmark; Zagreb Zoo in Croatia; and Protivin Crocodile Zoo in the Czech Republic) that have the Philippine crocodile in their collection.

Hatchling crocodiles in the holding pens

The center consists of a Visitors Building and crocodile holding pens used to house adult crocodiles for the first conservation breeding program for the critically small population of Philippine crocodiles, and for wild-born hatchling crocodiles. Larger juvenile crocodiles raised in the center are then transferred to enclosures before they are released back into the wild to augment the critically small wild population of the rarest crocodile in the world and one of the rarest animals on the planet. The PCCC will play an important role in sustaining crocodile conservation activities in San Mariano and in generating income for communities conserving crocodiles.

Media team at the Visitors Center

The Visitors Building will be used for environmental education and as the gateway for visitors who want to explore the wilderness areas, of San Mariano and the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, to see Philippine crocodiles and many other rare endemic species in the wild.  A municipal rearing station, near the Pinacanauan River, was also established in Brgy. Mananga, where a significant population was discovered in 1999.

Dutch biologist Merlijn van Weerd (CEO of Mabuwaya Foundation)

During a briefing held at the Visitors Building, Dutch biologist Mr. Merlijn Van Weerd, Chief Executive Officer of Mabuwaya Foundation, highlighted that the area is not a zoo, but a conservation center and that Mabuwaya Foundation looks forward to make it a self-sustaining conservation center.  He also shared how the conservation of the Philippine Crocodile came into being. It started in 1999 but it was in 2001 when the sanctuary in San Mariano, Isabela was declared as the first Philippine Crocodile Sanctuary in the Philippines and the first community crocodile sanctuary in the world.

Ms. Marites Gatan-Balbas

Ms. Marites “Tess” Gatan-Balbas, Chief Operating Officer of the Mabuwaya Foundation, said that this reclusive and nonaggressive endemic species is nationally protected and because of its relatively small size (most adults measure five feet in length, with some known to reach maximum lengths of 10 feet), it does not pose a threat to people, as compared to the more common and larger Indo-Pacific saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), the other crocodile species in the Philippines, which most people are familiar with.

The author with a juvenile croc

According to Tess, even though Philippine crocodiles are too small to be man-eaters, they have a very bad image in the Philippines as they were regarded as pests and a threat to livestock and humans. They are even associated with corrupt politicians. The population of this species is very small due to habitat loss, hunting and killing out of fear. However, the Philippine crocodile was not always hated as indigenous communities revered, and sometimes still do, this species as a protector of forest spirits or even as their ancestors or twins. Philippine folklore has lots of stories about mythical crocodiles, often portraying the species in a positive way. The general message of many of these stories is: if you don’t harm the crocodile, the crocodile will not harm you.

Hatchling crocodiles

 

The Philippine crocodile, the key predator in wetland ecosystems and an indicator of healthy natural river systems, is as much part of the natural and cultural heritage of the Philippines as the Philippine eagle or the Philippine tarsier. Though nationally protected by virtue of the Republic Act 9147 (the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001), enforcement of this law is, however, very weak, and Philippine crocodiles remain severely threatened in the Philippines.

Skeleton of a Philippine crocodile

After the briefing, we proceeded to the holding pens to observe the actual crocodiles, seeing one mature crocodile and a number of hatchlings.   With the supervision of the caretakers, some of us handled the crocodile hatchlings.

 

Philippine Crocodile Conservation Center: Isabela State University-San Mariano Campus, San Mariano, Isabela.  Mobile numbers (0917) 50-0558 (Ms. Corazon M. Pua – Community Affairs Officer) and (0920) 974-2379 (Ms. Marites Gatan-Balbas).  Visits to the rearing staion or the crocodile sanctuarieswithin the park must be arrange at the municipal hall.

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: San Mariano is located 432.8 kms. (an 8-hour drive) from Manila, 35 kms. (a 45-min. drive) from the City of Ilagan and 40.6 kms. (a 55-min. drive) from Cauayan City.  The junction to San Mariano lies between the cities of Cauayan and Ilagan and the town of Naguilian. Alight at the junction, and hail a passing jeepney (from Ilagan or Cauayan) for the final 20-km. stretch to San Mariano, via Benito Soliven.

Museo de San Luis (Cauayan City, Isabela)

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Museo de San Luis

The Museo de San Luis, inaugurated last October 9, 2022, is housed in a one-storey, wooden structure with a wrap-around porch, within the Hacienda San Luis Eco-Tourism Park.  It showcases how tobaccos were made for the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade.

 Check out “Hacienda San Luis Eco-Tourism Park” 

Museum porch

Museum interior. At the center is a manual, iron tobacco bale press used in 1970

On display here is a huge sculpture of St. Louis Bertrand (San Luis  Bertran), a photo gallery of Cauayan’s 27 mayors, from 1900 to the present; a traditional wooden press for cigar making (people use the apparatus to flatten the dried tobacco leaves); wooden relief carvings of Cauayan’s indigenous people, male and female (Gaddangs, Ibanags, Yogads and Itaois) mounted on easels; a manual tobacco bale press used in 1970; a butaka (a chair with long armrests); a tobacco hogshead (a large wooden barrel used to store and transport tobacco); and framed La Flor de la Isabela posters mounted on the walls.

Statue of St. Louis Bertrand (1526-1581; Luis Beltrán). He was a Spanish Dominican priest who preached in South America during the 16th century, and is known as the “Apostle of the Americas.”

Traditional wooden press for cigar making and a tobacco hogshead

Diorama of Cauayan – The Ideal City of the North in the New Millenium

Also mounted on two glass display cases are the different kinds of cigars produced – Coronas, Corona Large, Double Robusto, Panatelas, Half Coronas, Native Coronas with Head, Higantes Double Head Small, Triple Rebusto Long, Imperiales, Higantes Double Head Long, Cortados, Higantes and Panatelas Largas.

The handcrafted butaka, usually measuring 70 cms. x 57 cms. x 118 cms. and made of narra hardwood, has long armrests that weren’t really meant for arms; they were used for legs. During the Spanish era, it was commonly called the “lazy chair” of rich families. After a day’s work in the fields, hacienderos sat on the butaka as their resting chair. It was also used as a home style birthing bed, the rests passing for the more modern stirrups we have now at birthing hospitals. The chair’s style is Luis Quince-style sillon peresoza, common among lounging chairs found in Spanish Colonial Era in the Philippines. The seat is double caned ovate-shaped back with scroll arms with extended armrest on slightly curved stumps.

Different kinds of cigars produced

Wooden relief carving of an Itaois male and female

At the center of the rooms are five dioramas, in glass showcases, depicting the history and growth of Cauayan – Calanusian – Ang Unang Cauayan, Cauayan – Isang Bayan sa Lalawigan ng Isabela, La Flor de Isabela, Cauayan sa Panahon ng Commonwealth and Cauayan – The Ideal City of the North in the New Millenium.

 

La Flor de Isabela posters

Museo San Luis: Hacienda de San Luis Eco-Tourism Park,  Brgy. San Luis, Cauayan City.  Tel: (078) 652-2017.  Mobile numbers: (0905) 390-1255 and (0926) 204-4429.  Open daily, 7 AM – 8 PM.

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: Cauayan City is located 394.8 kms. (a 7.5-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 45-min. drive) from the City of Ilagan.

Hacienda de San Luis Eco-Tourism Park (Cauayan City, Isabela)

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Hacienda de San Luis Eco-Tourism Park

Hacienda de San Luis Eco-Tourism Park, the first eco-tourism park in Cauayan City, gives a flashback of what Cauayan City was in 1740 as well as the city’s indigenous people’s (Gaddang, Ibanag, Itaois and Yogad) culture.

La Flor de Isabela Function Hall (forner tabacalera warehouse)

 

Function hall interior

The park is home to the Museo de San Luis, the Cagayan Valley Regional Science Centrum, the La Flor de Isabela Function Hall and the Gawa-Gawayan Museum.

 

Here is the historical timeline of the hacienda:

  • In 1887, a portion of Barrio Mabantad, of about 3,940 hectares, was acquired, for 22,000 pesos, by the Compaña Casal owned by Mr. Antonio Casal. Mr. Federico Corea was appointed as the first administrator of the hacienda. Mr. Corea, named the locality as San Luis, after Saint Louis Bertrand, O.P.(1526-1581; Luis Beltrán), a Spanish Dominican who preached in South America during the 16th century, and is known as the “Apostle of the Americas.” The population of the hacienda grew and the area was converted into a formal barrio of Cauayan.
  • In 1909, the compaña expanded the area of the hacienda with the purchase of 19 hectares from Mrs. Engracia Maragun de Lacaste.
  • In 1910, another 540 hectares were bought from the government (Friar Lands Estate).
  • In 1913, the first administration building stood in the Cabeceria Especial (the poblacion of San Luis) was razed to the ground by fire. In its place, a more spacious building was constructed. In time, when the compañaacquired enormous business footing, other big buildings were constructed.
  • In 1923, the Catholic Church was erected. A school building was also constructed to provide the farmers’ children their elementary education with Mr. Pio Tominez as the first teacher.
  • During the Japanese Occupation, the headquarters of the 1st Batallion, 7th Infantry of the 34th Division Guerilla Unit, Isabela Area, was established here. Houses in Cabeceria No. 3 were burned, in punitive actions, by the Japanese.
  • On October 9, 2015, Hacienda San Luis was inaugurated as the first eco-tourism park in Cauayan City. 

Museo de San Luis

The Museo de San Luis, open last October 9, 2022, showcases how tobaccos were made for the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. The one-storey, former tabacalera (tobacco warehouse) is now the La Flor de Isabela Function Hall, an events place. 

Check out “Museo de San Luis”

Gawa-Gawayan Museum

The one-storey Gawa-Gawayan Museum exhibits Gawa-Gawayan Festival memorabilia such as the Festival King Queen costumes, designed by Bonsai Cielo, of John Paul Domingo and Sue Francesca Galingana; headdresses; hats and the 4 x 8 ft. Bamboo de Cauayan, the Bambanti Festival 20019 grand champion  in the agricultural booth category.

Bamboo de Cauayan

2019 Bambanti Festival King and Queen Costumes

Also within the grounds is the two-storey Cagayan Valley Regional Science Centrum (CVRSC), which children will find enjoyable.  Inaugurated last January 28, 2020,

Cagayan Valley Regional Science Centrum

It aims to promote awareness and appreciation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  It houses four interactive science exhibits – Science Adventure, Science at Work, Science Sparks and Health Science.  Its exhibits include an Anti-Gravity Mirror and a Van de Graff Static Ball.

Zipline Towe

The park also has a picnic area, a rappelling and climbing wall plus a 250 m. long and 9.15 m. (30 ft.) high zipline where you can get a majestic view of Cagayan River.  Other activities offered here are biking and horseback riding.

Horseriding Stables

Hacienda de San Luis Eco-Tourism Park:  Brgy. San Luis, Cauayan City.  Tel: (078) 652-2017.  Mobile numbers: (0905) 390-1255 and (0926) 204-4429.  Open daily, 7 AM – 8 PM.

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: Cauayan City is located 394.8 kms. (a 7.5-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 45-min. drive) from the City of Ilagan.

Bonsai No Sato Park and Resort (Cauayan City, Isabela)

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Bonsai No Sato Park and Resort

The peaceful and relaxing Bonsai No Sato Park and Resort, a botanical garden in Cauayan City, features an ever growing collection of over 300 exquisite bonsai trees, some on sewing machine stands.

Its owner, Ms. Librada Gatan-Africano, a retired school teacher, has been fascinated by bonsai, the Japanese art of growing and shaping miniature trees,  since 1986.

Ms. Librada Gatan-Africano

The grounds are also planted with colorful flowers, celosias (Konnichiwa Flower Garden), tall and graceful bamboo, fruit trees, ornamental plants, melons and strawberries. Every spot in Bonsai No Sato, is Instagram-worthy.

Events Center

It also has an events center, for weddings, birthdays, and meetings, which can accommodate 400 guests.  The Japanese Village has a kominka built using traditional Japanese architectural methods.

Its Kissaten Restaurant offers halo-halo (Php150),  fresh from the farm fruit shakes, classy yet delicious pansit bihon and their bestseller Bonsai No Sato Pizza.

The Farmhouse

The garden also has a kiosks, two swimming pools, and picnic huts (Php300).  For children, there’s also a playground, trampoline, inflatable island, bikes and electric go karts.

The long-lived and slow-growing sampalok (tamarind, Tamarindus indica) tree, a great outdoor bonsai, is prized as a bonsai due to the very attractive rough bark that it develops.

The popular Argao (or Alagao) Taiwan (Premna microphylla), one of the easiest bonsai trees to culture, was imported to the country from Taiwan, by bonsai growers from Luzon, sometime in the 1980s and 1990s.

Tugas (Vitex parviflora), also called the Smallflower Chastetree or the molave tree, is a favorite bonsai specimen inthe country due to its relatively pliant stems, ease of propagation, tolerance to harsh climatic conditions and its gnarled and twisted trunks.

Every Thursday to Sunday and holidays, eat-all-you-can grilled food (pork, chicken, fish, Php299) is offered from AM to 9 PM. A live band plays every weekend.

For overnight stays, they have a Japanese villa (standard, family, Php1,900-3,600) and farmhouse with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, dining room and a kitchen for Php10,000 (Php12,000 with exclusive pool).

The author at Konnichiwa Flower Garden

Bonsai No Sato Park and Resort: Brgy. Faustino, Cauayan City.  Mobile numbers: (0945) 572-9401, (0960) 293-2262 and (0956) 068-2101.  E-mail: klengguimbarda@yahoo.com.   Open daily (except Mondays), 9 AM – 8 PM (9 PM, Fridays to Sundays).  Admission: Php50.

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: Cauayan City is located 394.8 kms. (a 7.5-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 45-min. drive) from the City of Ilagan.  The park is located beside Villa Virgilia Resort.