Getting Farther in Baler | Heritage Tour in Baler Town Proper

The facade of Baler Church

Baler earns its title of being one of the "Surfing Capitals" in the country because of its unstoppable waves from the Pacific Ocean. Apart from the ideal nature trip and beach hopping, the provincial capital is known for its heritage sites reflected on their colorful past and rich history in the town center. 

The rhythmic, foamy waves of Baler, ideal for surfing in a summer weather.

The town marker in the center of Baler.

Baler was founded by the Augustinian missionaries in 1609 and it became a pueblo in 1658. It also became one of the sites of Philippine revolution in 1898 known as the Siege of Baler where Filipino troops attempted to get the Spanish forces to surrender. Furthermore, the Spaniards defended the fortified church for 337 days until 1899 when they surrendered to the Filipinos in the midst of the early years of American occupation in the country.

The San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Church, also known as the Baler Church located in the town center.

The church interior as residents praying the novena.

Baler Church, also known as San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, is one of the places you should visit once you go to Aurora. Built in 1611, this historical church became witness of Siege of Baler, a significant event in the last years of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines.

The Aurora Aragon-Quezon Ancestral House is now a museum.

The wooden facade of Aurora Aragon Ancestral House.

Baler is also the birthplace of prominent political and historical figures in the country such as the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon and his First Lady, Aurora Aragon-Quezon, as well with the longest-serving senator Edgardo Angara, his wife Bella Angara, and his son, Sonny Angara, an incumbent senator.

A visit in Museo De Baler during rainy weather in the town.

Some artifacts reflected in the history of Baler.

The facade of Museo de Baler.

Adjacent to the church, you can find the Aurora Quezon Ancestral House which was owned by his father Pedro Aragon and it is now a museum. You can also find a few walks away from the church is Museo De Baler, a museum that provides an account of Baler's history, exhibits and artifacts and in front of the building, the monument of Manuel L. Quezon, a native of Baler.

Aurora was actually part of Tayabas, which is now known as Quezon Province today until it became an independent province in 1978, named after the First Lady of Manuel L. Quezon. Aside from Baler, you can also visit other coastal towns known for its strong waves and aquamarine waters from the Pacific Ocean which makes a new summer destination starting from Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, San Luis, Dingalan, and the provincial capital, Baler, as well with its only landlocked town, Maria Aurora.

The oldest balete tree in the country.

An interesting tourist spot which is 600 years old.

This balete tree is plenty of leaves and sturdy.

Hanging roots in balete tree.

Don't forget to visit also the Millennium Tree in the neighboring municipality of Maria Aurora, known for its 600-year-old balete tree which stand more than five storeys high. It is one of the biggest and oldest trees in Southeast Asia located in Ronquillo Balete Eco-Park in Brgy. Quirino and you can also souvenir shopping in the said place.

The marker of Balete Eco-Park.

A tourist attraction which can be preserved for a lifetime.

Despite of the rainy weather, the tour in Baler was such a memorable experience and definitely, a place to come back soon because of the summer vibes, heritage tour, and nature excursions in the province. 

Date of Travel: March 21-23, 2024

Visita Iglesia | From Historical to Contemporary Churches of Manila and Pasay

Two years ago, I decided to have a Visita Iglesia in the churches of Metro Manila. Some of these churches I have visited before, so I need to take a chance to take on the route from Manila to Pasay.

The Manila Cathedral located in front of Plaza Roma.

First stop: The Manila Cathedral. Located in the heart of Intramuros, it is known as The Mother of All Churches, Basilicas, and Cathedrals in the Philippines. It is renovated last 2014 and it is open for the public until today. Pope Francis celebrated his first Papal Mass in the Philippines in this Cathedral. 

The San Agustin Church

Second stop: The San Agustin Church. One of the UNESCO Heritage Sites for the category of Baroque Churches in the Philippines. Just a walk away from the Manila Cathedral, you can also visit one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

The facade of Santa Cruz Church.

Third stop: Santa Cruz Church. Located in the heart of the busy streets of Santa Cruz, which can be adjacent to Escolta and Binondo, this church is noted for its Baroque architecture. 

The busy crowd in front of Quiapo Church.

Fourth stop: Quiapo Church. In the hustling and busy streets of Quiapo, this church is very popular among the Catholics because it houses the religious icon, the Black Nazarene, and it also held the festivity of the Black Nazarene on January 9.

The only metal church in the Philippines.

Fifth stop: The San Sebastian Church. The only metal church in the country, this church is noted for its Gothic-Revival architecture located in the district of Quiapo, Manila.

The façade of Baclaran Church.

Sixth stop: Baclaran Church. It is also known as The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help or the Redemptorist Church. This church is located in Barangay Baclaran, a boundary between Pasay and Paranaque which can be found in the streets of Roxas Boulevard. The church is also the shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and there is a novena every Wednesday. This church was first visited by Karol Wojtyla, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Krakow, Poland in 1973, and later, when he became Pope John Paul II, he blessed it in 1981 during his Papal Visit.

A contemporary church adjacent in the SM Mall of Asia.

Seventh stop: Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus, The Way, The Truth and The Life. Located in the Mall of Asia compound, this church was first built in 1999 and it is noted for its Spanish Baroque architecture.

Before the pandemic, Visita Iglesia is one way to commemorate the Holy Week as a devout Catholic. Due to restrictions and lockdowns, it is better to stay at home and check some Visita Iglesia posts and conduct a virtual Visita Iglesia. Everyone is praying that this pandemic will be over and everything will be back to normal without any travel restrictions, lockdown, and the COVID-19 virus will be vanished. 

You can also check the following blogs:

Visita Iglesia | Heritage Churches in Manila

Travel Throwback: A Visit to the Iconic Churches of Metro Manila

Date: April 1, 2019

First Ilocandia Escapade | An Afternoon Visit in a Historic City of Vigan

The Philippines is noted for its several cultural heritage sites traced back to its history. Most of these places are preserved since the pre-colonial times such as the Banaue Rice Terraces, while others are maintained since the Spanish era. Therefore, these historical sites are visited by tourists in order to explore the history and culture of our country.

The UNESCO World Heritage City of Vigan in an afternoon visit.

In this blog, there are posts which are featured heritage cities which are preserved dating back from the Spanish colonial period. Some of these were visited and featured in blog such as Intramuros in Manila, Pila in Laguna and Taal in Batangas. These three heritage sites were featured in my blog which expressing my thoughts of traveling back in time because of the architecture in ancestral houses and structures which are made during Spanish colonial times. Therefore, I visited another heritage city which made my bucket list complete in this tour - the Heritage City of Vigan.

Vigan City is one of the New 7 Wonders Cities.

Before we go home to Cavite, we never missed the opportunity to visit this old Spanish city of Vigan. Located on the western coast of Ilocos Sur, Vigan is one of the few towns left in the Philippines whose old houses and structures are remained intact. The city is known for its sett pavements and a unique architecture of the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. There are abundance of bahay na bato (literally house of stone) houses and an Earthquake Baroque church. In fact, the entire city was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage City after being declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. In 2015, Vigan City was officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities.

The Saint Paul Metropolitan Cathedral located in Plaza Salcedo.

The bell tower of Saint Paul Metropolitan Cathedral.

Before we begin the roaming tour in the city, we visited the Saint Paul Metropolitan Cathedral. It serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Nueva Segovia in Ilocos Sur. It was built in 1574 as a church made up of wood and the present day church was built from 1790 to 1800 under the supervision of Augustinians.

Plaza Salcedo

Plaza Burgos

Ilocos Sur Provincial Capitol

The church is located within the Plaza Salcedo which featured a dancing fountain and light show in the evening and an adjacent plaza called Plaza Burgos which is noted for its food stalls. You can also find the Ilocos Sur Provincial Capitol within the vicinity of the town center.

Faded walls and capis windows are evidences of the 

There are many tourists walked in this century-old street.

It is amusing to see Mamang Sorbetero (ice cream vendor) with his ice cream cart.

The Kalesa or horse-drawn carriage is very common in the Philippines until today.

The sights and sounds of Calle Crisologo.

Then, we entered at the Calle Crisologo, the most popular ancestral street in Vigan. You have this time traveling back in time because of the stone houses which were preserved since the Spanish era. The sett pavements (also known as Belgian blocks or sampietrino) which are common during the colonial era and the calesa (a horse drawn carriage) is the most common mode of transportation in the street. Seeing those bahay na bato (stone houses) made and preserved since the Spanish era are quite amusing because it remained intact in the actual place. Nowadays, the ancestral houses are business establishments, historical museums and transient houses and hotels, however, the structure and architecture remained intact.

The Ilocos Sur Provincial Tourism Office.

The ancestral house of Leona Florentino, the first female Filipino poet and her son, Isabelo Delos Reyes
the first Filipino who organized a labor union.

Aside from roaming along the old streets of Calle Crisologo, you may also visit the ancestral house of Leona Florentino, the first Filipina poetess and noted for her poems such as "Blasted Hopes." Her son, Isabelo Delos Reyes played an important role in history which he organized the first labor union in the Philippines and he did a major role in the Aglipayan Church. Today, there are two establishments shared in their ancestral house - a restaurant named Cafe Leona and the Ilocos Sur Provincial Office. In addition, Elpidio Quirino was also born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

An afternoon scene in Calle Crisologo.

We've done a lot of things in this place from souvenir shopping, photo sessions, and strolling in the streets of Calle Crisologo. We enjoyed the last part of our Ilocos Tour and definitely, memories will be treasured and if we were given a chance to come back, definitely, we will grab the opportunity to explore more about the Ilocandia. 

Date: August 27, 2018

First Ilocandia Escapade | A Day Tour on Ancestral Heritage Treasures of Ilocos Norte

Every Philippine city has its hidden beauty, a cultural heritage and a colorful history. From the previous travel experiences I've had, I never forget to check the heritage sites in every place that I visit. For the third and final day of our tour, the weather is fine and it is the perfect time to go home. Before that, we visited some of the cultural heritage sites from Ilocos Norte back to Ilocos Sur. Let us have first the tour in the historical treasures of Ilocos Norte.

DIY Laoag City Tour

Laoag City

The facade of Ilocos Norte Capitol taken from the bus.

The Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol

The fountain at the Aurora Park

While waiting for my colleagues to come back while having their morning exercise, I decided to go alone on a city tour to explore some of the heritage sites that you can find there. First, I visited the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol and roamed around the Aurora Park where you can find the monument of the Abolition of Tobacco Monopoly. 

The Sinking Bell Tower in Laoag City.

The Saint William's Cathedral or the Laoag Cathedral is a Baroque church in Ilocos Norte.

Therefore, the most important highlight in this do-it-yourself walking tour is the visit to the Laoag Cathedral. Also known as Saint William's Cathedral or Catedral de San Guillermo, this Spanish-era Baroque church was built in 1612 by the Augustinian friars. Don't forget also to visit the Sinking Bell Tower. This belfry is literally sinks into the ground at a rate of inch per year. It survived several minor earthquakes. The tower is made up of old brick and stone-faced with lime stucco plaster, the tower rises in four tiers.

Santa Monica Church
Sarrat

The Santa Monica Church, also known as Sarrat Church, another Baroque church in Ilocos Norte.

The belfry made up of bricks and covered with plants (Left) and the facade of the century old church (Right).

After my me-time in the city, I decided to pack up my things and join the team going to our next destination - Sarrat. The town is known as the birthplace of Ferdinand Marcos and for the Sarrat Church, the largest church in the province and with the longest nave in the country. In fact, we visited this cultural treasure known as the Santa Monica Church.

The old convent known as the Casa Palacio del Real.

The structure is made up of red bricks, but you need to be extra careful with these mosses.

This is the biggest church in Ilocos Norte which is made up of bricks built in Earthquake Baroque and Neoclassical architecture. It was first built in 1724 and the church witnessed several historical events especially the venue of the grand wedding of Irene Marcos, daughter of President Ferdinand Marcos and Gregorio Araneta in 1983.

Malacanang of the North 
Paoay

The entrance to Malacanang of the North.

It is a presidential museum of the Marcos family and the official residence
 of President Marcos during his administration.

The view of Paoay Lake.

Opening new doors for a bright future... taken from the doors of Malacanang Ti Amianan.

A few minutes away from the town of Sarrat, we returned at Paoay to visit the Malacanang of the North (Ilocano: Malacanang ti Amianan). The two-storey mansion is known as the presidential museum of Ferdinand E. Marcos and the official residence of his family during his administration. Inside the mansion, you can see different historical events during the Marcos administration and some memorabilla of the Marcos family.

Paoay Church
Paoay

Local and foreign tourists include Paoay Church in their bucket list of Ilocandian Tour.

The facade of the church.

The belfry played an important role in the history of this place.

After lunch, we had a chance to visit the Saint Augustine Church, simply known as the Paoay Church. Your Ilocandia tour will not be complete if you don't visit this iconic church in the North. The parish was founded by the Augustinian missionaries in 1593, the building of the present church was started in 1694 and completed in 1710. The church showed an example of Earthquake Baroque architecture made up of large coral stones on the lower part and bricks on the upper levels and its walls suggest Javanese architectural styles. Adjacent to the facade is the bell tower which served as a protection against earthquakes and an observational post by the Filipino revolutionaries against Spain in 1896 and by the Filipino guerillas against the Japanese forces during World War II.

The Paoay Church is one of the National Cultural Treasures in the Philippines and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Therefore, Paoay Church was declared  as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 1973. In addition, the church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 11, 1993, together with other Baroque churches - San Agustin Church in Manila, Miag-ao Church in Iloilo and Santa Maria Church in Ilocos Sur.

For this day, the weather is very fine and we enjoyed the heritage tour for the final day of our Ilocandia Escapade. It feels like visiting those churches from Laoag, Sarrat and Paoay makes you feel like you already had your Visita Iglesia in Ilocos plus interesting historical sites which creates an insight of traveling back in time. The second part of this post will be our afternoon visit in the Heritage City of Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

Date: August 27, 2018