Posts Tagged ‘World War II’

Aside from Vigan City Philippines’s ancestral homes, Sta. Maria Church, Tirad Pass National Shrine, and Bessang Pass, there are cultural heritage sites one could visit and witness at Ilocos Sur Philippines, namely, beautiful museums and churches.

One of these is the Bantay Church or the St. Agustine Church and the Bell Tower aloof only a few meters away from it. Both the St. Agustine Church and the Bell Tower were said to be built during 1530s at Spanish occupation in the Philippines. They were just reconstructed after they were hit by the calamities brought by World War I and II. St. Agustine Church and Bell Tower can be found at Bantay, Ilocos Sur Philippines.

Another cultural heritage of Ilocos Sur in the Philippines is the Father Burgos Museum. This Museum was erected in memory of Father Burgos or one of the three known martyred priest. The museum which is of course the former house of Father Burgos is full of memorabilia’s of Father Burgos as well as classical paintings Of Esteban Pichay Villanueva depicting the times of Father Burgos or 1800s. The museum is filled with antique collections, a library, dioramas, archeological and ethnological treasures and other artifacts. Father Burgos Museum is located at Vigan City Philippines.

Another cultural heritage of Ilocos Sur at Vigan City also is the Archbishop Palace and Museum or the Palacio Del Arzopispado. This archbishop palace is the only surviving 18 century palace in the Philippines which miraculously survived the vehement blows of World War II. This archbishop palace also serves as headquarters of Emilio Aguinaldo during 1898 and a garrison place during 1899.

There is a Museum within this palace, which is the Museo Nueva Segovia. It is a museum that preserved a large collection of ecclesiastical artifacts and relics from all the region of Ilocos Sur.

Another cultural heritage of Ilocos Sur Philippines is the Crisologo Museum which is also of Vigan city Philippines at Liberation Boulevard. It caters Crisologos memorabilia’s. By the way, who are the Crisologo? This ancestral house turn into a Museum is a former house of the former congressman of Vigan, which is Floro Crisologo. In the Museum you could see a lot of paintings and pictures of the Crisologos and their vintage car that almost eaten up by rust but however, preserved in any way. Moreover, you could also see a vintage vehicle there which is somewhat a modern calesa with four to six seater on the back.

Another Cultural church in Vigan city Philippines that is beautifully crafted is the St. Paul Church or St. Paul Cathedral. The Cathedral has an earthquake baroque architecture style with white cream in color. Aloof a few centimeters away are its separate Bell tower. Its present baroque style is only a reconstruction of the original church during 1574 which was damaged by an earthquake during 1600s.The reconstruction took place during 1800s.

Another cultural heritage of Ilocos Sur is the Leona Florentino House and Statue where a large Statue of Leona Florentino was erected in front of the house. I guess the house already houses the Max restaurant. Leona Florentino is a famous Ilocano poet, satirists and playright artist during the Spanish times.

Arayat Philippines is a region in Pampanga Philippines where Mt. Arayat seated where residence of it were at the slope of the mountain. Yap, most residence of Arayat in the Philippines or rather Arayat Pampanga Philippines was living beneath the slopes of foot of this inactive mountain. The closest barangay at Arayat Pampanga Philippines to Mt. Arayat is San Juan Bano where the Mt. Arayat National Park is. The park itself have a direct access to mountain itself because it has man-made so called “hundred steps” that will lead you already on the mountain itself once you reach the hundredth step.

Mt. Arayat National Park is the one that makes Arayat Philippines famous or known in the Luzon part of the Philippines as well in Pampanga in the Philippines. It is noted for its very cool swimming pools which of course best during hot weather or summer time. The Park is indeed a very refreshing place due to its natural flora surrounding it. Mt. Arayat National Park is originally a project of the wife of former late Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon during the post war times.

Arayat Pampanga Philippines is located at Central part of Luzon Philippines and is nestled at the foot of Mt. Arayat. Actually, Arayat Philippines is not the only place in the world that has its name, for there is a place in Spain which is also called “Arayat”. Arayat Philippine historians say that it is from this place Arayat Pampanga in the Philippines gets its name.

During the Spanish times, an encomiendero who conquer Arayat whose name is Fernando de Arayat has renamed Arayat which formerly known then as “Alaya” which means “East” and Mt. Arayat was then called Mt. Alaya. And the inhabitants of it were Aetas. It is said it is kind of wilderness ambience at the foot of Mt. Arayat which the Spanish encomienderos has transformed it into a farm land irrigations.

By the way, aside from the Mt. Arayat National Park which some tourist visit, Arayat Pampanga is also well known of its dignitaries who live at early times like Jose Alejandrino (the statue at the Arayat municipal) who is a companion and contemporary of Dr. Jose Rizal (Philippines national hero), who is also my forefather in my mother’s lineage or genealogy. Dr. Emigdio C. Cruz whose name bears a district hospital at San Agustin Norte Arayat Pampanga is known or said to be lived during World War II.

Moreover, Amelito Mutuc and Leoncio Parungao is both secretary during Diosdado Macapagal Government who made also Arayat proud. There are also military dignitaries, like Major General Rene R. Cruz who is former RaCom Commander and PC-INP Commander, Col. (Ret.) Vicente A. Pascual who is former a Deputy Judge Advocate General, and Commodore Lodovigildo L. Gantioqui who of the Philippine Navy.

Another well known at Arayat Philippines is Arayat’s well known organized tricycle association which is the famous New 06 Association, Inc. Wherein, my father is the founder and I too have work as an assistant secretary of the associations during the 1990 and early 2000.

The Historical Leyte Philippines

If you are looking for a rich historical tourist attraction in the Philippines, Leyte Philippines is the one you are looking for. That is if you are up to historical trip and adventure. Let us just summarize like this, Leyte Philippines is filled mostly with vestiges of World War II remains which has developed into a historical tourist spots. However, there is some other historical sites goes way back before World War II. So our trip to Leyte is like a flashback in the past.

Take for example the landing site of General Douglas MacArthur (remember his famous word “I shall return”?).As you recollect your mind who is General Douglas Macarthur, in case you do not know him or have forgotten your history class about him, I will refresh you about his landing site at Leyte Philippines. He and his companions of American Liberation Forces step in the beach shores of Palo Leyte Philippines in 1944.This Palo beach has now become the tourist-known Red Beach Resort. It is indeed a very beautiful beach in Palo Leyte, where of course, a memorial bigger than life-size statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur was erected there at the lagoon site of the beach. This particular site is called MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park, just like the Rizal Park or Luneta at Manila Philippines. The statue erected on the lagoon was not only him but also with his Allied forces then, in a reenactment act or mode. You better visit Palo Leyte to see these reenactment statues on the lagoon. However, if this not your trip and but want to climb up high from this body of water to keep your foot from getting wet, well try climb the three historical hills of Leyte.

Hill 522 and Hill 120 and Buga-Buga hills are historical tourist hills in Leyte Philippines where one could still see the remnant of World War II between Americans and Japanese, like for example the foxholes which the Japanese soldiers then made at Hill 522 which is also called Guinhangdan Hill. However, there is also a panoramic view of Leyte gulf at Hill 120 where one could relax at concrete canopies and tables surrounded with the landscape of flowers and shrubs while viewing the Leyte Gulf and the coastal lines around the town. But at Buga-Buga hills you will have a creepy feelings while up on it, because thousands of Japanese soldiers died on it and were buried on it as well as hundreds of American soldiers died on it during World War II. Actually, there a bone hunting expedition on it to those who do pilgrimage and foreign tourist.

But if you like banging and get noisy on your historical adventure trip to drive away the spirits of the past lest you will spirit possess by your historical creepy adventure, why don’t you ring a bell at Hilongos Bell Tower at Hilongos Leyte? You could see a huge highest existing Spanish inspired Bell tower here where you could climb it and get Leyte’s attention.

Scared already at your Leyte trip, relax and rest for a while at Japanese War Memorial Cemetery, a site where the fiercest battle for freedom in Leyte took place during World War II. Oops! Seems it is really scarier place for relaxation or rather a wrong place. So let us rather go to this place which they call Dio Mainland Resort. This place they say have native cottages, native beach kiosk, swimming pool, and other you could find in a resort. However, we heard that this resort if formerly called Baluarte San Jose, where remnants of Japanese pill boxes and canon of World War II still exist. Ngek! It seems, there is no place in Leyte where there are no historical vestiges of World War II.