LakbayLoyd Lighthouse Series 13: EL FARO DE LA ISLA MANIGUIN, Maniguin Island, Culasi, Antique

The Faro De La Isla Maniguin or the Maniguin Island Lighthouse is located in Maniguin Island, also called by locals as Maningning Island, also has an international name Hammerhead Island. 

The internet does not have that much to show or publish about this lighthouse. But according to Wikipedia, it was the Spanish Government’s plan to build this second order lighthouse in Maniguin Island as part of the plan to illuminate the entire archipelago in the latter part of the 19th century. The original design was exactly similar to the Cape Melville Lighthouse but was later changed to a more economical design when the Americans took control of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War. The design of the Maniguin Island Lighthouse is similar to Bolinao Lighthouse in Pangasinan and Batag Lighthouse in Northern Samar – all constructed and lighted during the American occupation in the Philippines. 

Work on the lighthouse was completed in 1906 and the fourth-order light was lit for the first time.

Although Maniguin is one of the barangays of Culasi, Antique, it is 42.6 km off the coast off the main island of Panay from Culasi Proper, Antique and will take 4 to 5 hours to reach the island on a pumpboat. Having able to contact a number of people from DOT in Culasi (c/o Mr. John Sumanting),I took the advice of Maniguin Island's Barangay Captain Nica Torres, to take the shorter route instead, via Libertad, Antique. Her son, Wilbert Torres, a barangay kagawad from Tinigbas, Libertad, helped me get to the island using his pumpboat. It only took us a little less than two hours to reach Maniguin Island.

Maniguin Island was badly hit by typhoon Yolanda but the people remain to be optimists and bit by bit rebuilt their properties. The remnants of the previous disaster is still evident, reason they continue to seek help from private and local agencies for livelihood support.

Its distance from the the main island of Panay plus the limited means of transportation are the big challenges facing this part of the Philippines. Promoting this island maybe difficult albeit conquering Maniguid will give one an awesome feeling this off the beaten piece of wonder, where nature is unspoiled, and the beaches - amazingly untouched.