LakbayLoyd Lighthouse Series 12: EL FARO DE ISLA DE CABRA, Lubang Group Of Islands, Occidental Mindoro

Tess and I embarked on another journey in search of one lonely historically significant lighthouse, the Faro de Isla De Cabra. 

Located in Cabra Island, the southernmost island of the Lubang Group of Islands, Occidental Mindoro, the farola’s construction started in 1885 and was finished and first lit on March 1889. It was intended to guide vessels entering the Philippines from the South China Sea towards Manila Bay or towards the center of archipelago. Its design is almost similar to Faro De Isla Capones in Zambales. And just like any other centennial lighthouses we’d visited, the facade plus the entire edifice were either dilapidated, collapsed or delinquently left for decay.

Our journey to Lubang Island was planned thru some information gathered from blogs and other local websites. Following my research, we have to take the 12:00 noon scheduled trip via God’s Grace Shipping Lines from Calatagan Port to Tilik Port in Lubang. Therefore, we galloped the familiar route from Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite to Lian, Batangas, rode on a bit slow jeepney ride from Lian to Calatagan town, then a hurried tricycle ride to Calatagan Port.

We hardly had any idea what’s waiting for us in Lubang Island aside from the nice pictures of white sand beaches and the scenic view of lighthouse we saw from the internet. Thanks to my inquisitive instinct, we were able to find a group of wonderful people who provided us with everything we need – transportation, accommodation, food, security, guidance – and the most important, their heartwarming friendship. Our journey would never be that fun, exciting, memorable, and stress-free if not for them.

Tess call them Loyd’s Gangsters! They are Santy (married, the youngest among the group, witty, boy-next-door shy guy type); Ed (single, the Captain, the happy-to-serve Bantay-Dagat representative); Sammy (married, the humble but well-to-do guy who tenders the resort and chose to live a calm and laidback life), Herman or Bai (in a complicated relationship, originated from GenSan, the joker, the handyman). You guys are the best tour guides we ever had.

If you need a vacation to have some time away from the stresses in your life, you will find it relaxing and comfortable in Lubang.

Lubang Island is one lovely island, uniquely blessed with untouched natural wonders which any island visitor would admire, its waters, natural resources, magnificent landscape, and its people. With a strong effort to boost tourism in this part of the country, many locals, including “My Gangsters” would significantly benefit thru this undertaking.