National Cultural Treasure Series - SAN CARLOS BORROMEO PARISH CHURCH, Mahatao, Batanes - PH-02-0001-NCT

San Carlos Borromeo Church (Iglesia Parroquial de San Carlos Borromeo), also known as Mahatao Church, is in Mahatao, Batan Island, Batanes. The church's beauty and excellent state of preservation made it a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines on July 31, 2001.

The church is made of stone and lime, common building materials in Batanes. An espadaña belfry is located on top of the facade's pediment with one of its bells dated 1874. The church has uneven wall thickness due to addition of step buttresses and even buttress walls. Its interiors, decorated in Baroque style, showcase floral designs sunburst ornaments painted in polychrome and gilt which lends a golden glow among the statuary.

On the right side of the facade is the church convent. The second floor of the convent is not the typical volada or cantilevered gallery for convents in the Philippines but an open extended deck. At the back of the convent are remains of an old circular well. Located on the left side of the facade is a beacon used for navigation.

Source:WIKIPEDIA

High Adventures at CEBU CITY's Sky Experience Adventure

Want an adrenaline rush in at the heart of Cebu? Well, sure this is the best choice for thrill seekers. We tried everything, the Skywalk Extreme, Edge Coaster, Paramount Wall Climbing, the Tower Zip, and the Vertex. Of all the rides, I love the Skywalk the most since it gives us a 360 degree view of the city in a little relaxing way compared with the Edge Coaster. Though, if you want an exciting way of looking at the city you can give a shot. Another thing, I love about this is in our case we are offered with a package in a reasonable price. Definitely a must-visit site in Cebu City especially for the adrenaline junkies.

National Cultural Treasure Series - WATCHTOWERS OF LA UNION, Luna, La Union - PH-01-0009-NCT

There are a number of watchtowers still exist in La Union which can be found ashore in the towns of Bacnotan, Balaoan, Luna, San Fernando and San Juan. I haven't seen or visited any of them except for the Baluarte in Luna.

The Baluarte, as it is commonly called, is a massive watchtower standing lonesome in the pebbled shore of Luna, one of the largest and most intact of the watchtowers known. It is the most visited and the most popular among the other old Spanish watchtowers here in La Union.

Built by the Spaniards during their occupation in the Philippines, Baluarte was used as watch tower and observation post for impending danger from the sea. Not from typhoons or tsunamis, but from the the Japanese, Chinese and Moro pirates who took pleasure in raping coastal towns and settlements.

The structure has been damaged due to big waves. Erosion caused the structure to crack and divide it into two. As of my last visit, the cracked half of the tower leans, almost down. Some concrete support prevented it from further leaning.

But this never prevented the tower from further destruction. On October 21, 2015, Baluarte was toppled by typhoon Lando, which lashed through several provinces in Luzon that week. The historical landmark and a national treasure, that 5.6-meter tall Baluarte of Luna, and was one of La Union’s popular tourist destination, now destroyed.

National Cultural Treasure Series - SANTA CATALINA DE ALEJANDRIA PARISH CHURCH, Luna, La Union - PH-01-0008-NCT

Santa Catalina de Alejandria Parish Church (Iglesia Parroquial de Santa Catalina de Alejandría), most commonly known as the Namacpacan Church, is located in Luna (formerly Namacpacan), La Union.

Like other Philippine churches built in earthquake-prone areas, Namacpacan Church is classified as an Earthquake Baroque church with thick walls and buttresses connected to a brick exterior stairway of different designs and shapes. The church was reinforced with masonry and galvanized iron roof. It was heavily destroyed by an earthquake in 1854. In 1876, the church was restored and the convent was widened. Its 1872 white and yellow facade falls under the Baroque style with the presence of rounded pediments.

It was told that the wooden image of the Blessed Virgin Mary named and to honor Our Lady of Namacpacan (locally known as Apo Baket) in Luna was ordered from Spain by an Augustinian priest assigned in the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Vigan in 1871.While on its way to Vigan, the galleon ship from Mexico carrying the image of our Lady took shelter in Darigayos due to a storm. When the sea was calm, they resumed their journey but strong winds forced them to return to the port of Darigayos. The captain of the ship decided to send the image by land and it was temporarily placed in the church's convent. However, the image was too heavy to be transferred onwards overland. Father Camilo Naves, an Augustinian priest, interpreted the incident as meaning that the image of the Virgin Mary wished to be enshrined in the town of Namacpacan

The image of the Our Lady of Namacpacan, standing 6 feet 4 inches (1.92 m) tall, is the tallest-known Marian image in the Philippines and is known as the patroness of Ilocano travellers.

Source : wikipedia.org/wiki/Namacpacan_Church

National Cultural Treasure Series - SAN ANDRES APOSTOL PARISH CHURCH, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte - PH-01-0006-NCT

Number 6 on the list - the San Andres Apostol Parish Church (Iglesia Parroquial de San Andrés Apóstol) or most commonly known as the Bacarra Church is famous for its centuries-old, domeless or "beheaded" belfry known as Torre ti Bacarra. This is the town's most prized heritage.The original bell tower, which is detached from the main church building and made of coral bricks dates back to the 16th century and stands 50 meters.

Indigenous materials were used for the construction. Coral bricks made of sticky clay and molasses mixed with leaves and tree trunks of a tree soaked in water or “sablot” were used instead of cement, granite or adobe stones. The mixture resulted in a sticky fluid which was then combined with lime from ashes of burnt shells. The bricks were pieced together with stucco, the mixture beaten to paste. All the labor was manual.

The tower is known as the "Acrobatic Bell Tower of Bacarra". The locals also called it the “Bowing Belltower of Bacarra” while the tourists referred to it as the “Leaning Tower of the North.

The church museum, known as Museo de Bacarra, is housed in the former church convent. The two-story restored convent, which dates to the Spanish colonial era, features religious artifacts from archival photos and documents and church relics and cultural artifacts mostly contributed by the people of Bacarra.A mysterious underground staircase leading to three tunnels – believed to be connected to the Bacarra river, the church tower, and the altar – was uncovered at the back of the old convent.

The church's facade was originally of Baroque architecture. In 1973, the tower became a National Cultural Treasure by virtue of Presidential Decree 260.

National Cultural Treasure Series - PAOAY CHURCH, Ilocos Norte - PH-01-0004-NCT

Paoay, Ilocos Norte's most famous landmark, the Paoay Church,also known as the St. Augustine Church, is #4 in the National Cultural Treasure's list. Paoay Church is also one of the four Baroque churches in the Philippines declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Built of coral blocks and stucco-plastered bricks, the architecture is a unique combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental. Construction of the church was started in 1704 and completed in 1894. A few meters away is the coralstone belltower which served as observation post of the Katipuneros during the revolution.

National Cultural Treasure Series - CAPE BOJEADOR LIGHTHOUSE - PH-01-0002-NCT

Travellers to North Luzon will definitely recognize and visit this historic landmark.

Faro De Cabo Bojeador, or commonly known as Cape Bojeador or Burgos Lighthouse, is located in Vigia de Nagparitan Hill, Burgos, Ilocos Norte. This magnificent structure was built in 1890 and still functions as a welcoming beacon to international vessels entering the Philippines from the north. From top of the hill or top of the light tower, the spectacular view of the West Philippine Sea and the awesome Ilocos seascape can be seen.

Completed on the 30th of March, 1892, the design and construction of the Lighthouse of Cape Bojeador was initially undertaken by the Engineer Magin Pers y Pers but was subsequently reconfigured and finished by the Engineer Guillermo Brockman. Built of locally made brick, the tower is octagonally-shaped and has an inner dimension of two meters and an exterior dimension of three and half meters.

As one of the few remaining active lighthouses built by the Spaniards, Cape Bojeador was declared as a National Cultural Treasure in 2005 by the National Museum. Currently, it is the most visited lighthouses in the country because of its iconic design and accessibility. The paved road leading to the lighthouse is well maintained and convenient for any type of transportation. Even hiking up the hill is pleasurable.

New List, New LakbayLoyd Series

I came up with a list of historic Lighthouses in the Philippines in 2014 and made a commitment to visit all of them.  To date, I only have one lighthouse left in my list, the El Faro De Cabo Melville, which I am scheduled to visit in July 2016.

Therefore, I decided to come up with another list with new agenda and purposes. This time I intend to visit every structure declared as National Cultural Treasure. I realized I am done with almost half fo the list therefore I still have the other half to fulfill and get someplace.

Here's my new list.

National Cultural Treasures of the Philippines

1 Burial Caves in Sitio Alabok, Cambali, Bagulin, La Union
2 Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Burgos, Ilocos Norte
3 Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church, Calasiao, Pangasinan
4 Paoay Church, Paoay, Ilocos Norte
5 San Andres Apostol Parish Church, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte
6 San Guillermo de Aquitania Parish Church, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur
7 Mestizo Section, Vigan, Ilocos Sur
8 Santa Catalina de Alejandria Parish Church, Luna, La Union
9 Watchtowers of La Union: Bacnotan, Balaoan, Luna, San Fernando and San Juan Bacnotan,Balaoan, Luna,San Fernando and San Juan, La Union
10 San Carlos Borromeo Parish Church, Mahatao, Batanes
11 Saint Matthias Church , Tumauini, Isabela
12 San Raymundo de Peñafort Parish Church, Rizal, Cagayan
13 San Vincent Ferrer Parish Church, Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya
14 San Andres Apostol Parish Church, Masinloc, Zambales
15 Santa Monica Parish Church, Minalin, Pampanga
16 Santiago Apostol Parish Church, Guagua, Pampanga
17 San Juan Bautista Parish Church, Tabaco, Albay
18 Nuestra Señora de la Porteria Parish Church, Daraga, Albay
19 San Joaquin Parish Church, San Joaquin, Iloilo
20 Panay Church, Panay, Capiz
21 Santa Barbara Parish Church, Santa Barbara, Iloilo
22 Watchtowers of Bohol: Maribojoc, Dauis, Panglao, Pamilacan, Loay and Balilihanm Maribojoc, Dauis, Panglao, Pamilacan, Loay, Balilihan, Bohol
23 Inmaculada Concepcion Parish Church, Baclayon, Bohol
24 Nuestra Señora de la Luz Parish Church, Loon, Bohol
25 Santisima Trinidad Parish Church, Loay, Bohol
26 Santo Niño Parish Church, Cortes, Bohol
27 Dimiao Church, Dimiao, Bohol
28 San Pedro Apostol Parish Church, Loboc, Bohol
29 Santa Cruz Parish Church, Maribojoc, Bohol
30 Dauis Church , Dauis, Bohol
31 Nuestra Señora de Patrocinio Parish Church, Boljoon, Cebu
32 San Isidro Labrador Parish Church, Lazi, Siquijor
33 San Agustin Parish Church, Bacong, Negros Oriental
34 Inmaculada Concepcion Parish Church, Guiuan, Eastern Samar
35 San Ignacio de Loyola Parish Church, Capul, Northern Samar
36 Relief Map of Mindanao, Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte
37 Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur
38 Inmaculada Concepcion Parish Church, Jasaan, Misamis Oriental
39 Iglesia Parroquial De San Juan Bautista, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental
40 Balangays in the Vicinity of Butuan, Butuan, Agusan del Norte
41 Karim Ul-Makhdum Mosque, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi
42 Kawayan Torogan , Tugaya, Lanao del Sur
43 Ifugao Rice Terraces, Banaue, Ifugao
44 Mummy Caves of Alab, Bontoc, Mountain Province
45 Mummy Caves of Kabayan, Kabayan, Benguet
46 Mummy Caves of Sagada, Sagada, Mountain Province
47 Petroglyphs of Alab, Bontoc, Mountain Province
48 Stone Agricultural Calendars of Dap-ay Guiday in Besao, Bontoc, Mountain Province
49 Santa Catalina de Alejandria Parish Church, Tayum, Abra
50 San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila, Metro Manila
51 Santa Ana Site Museum, Santa Ana, Manila, Metro Manila
52 Camarin de la Virgen of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados Parish Church, Santa Ana, Manila, Metro Manila
53 Manila Metropolitan Theater, Manila, Metro Manila
54 Bonifacio Monument, Caloocan, Metro Manila
55 University of Santo Tomas Main Building, Central Seminary, Arch of the Centuries and Open Spaces, Sampaloc, Manila, Metro Manila
56 San Sebastian Church, Quiapo, Manila, Metro Manila
57 Santo Domingo Church Complex and its Liturgical Objects, Quezon City, Metro Manila
58 Rizal Monument, Manila, Metro Manila
59 Las Piñas Bamboo Organ, Las Piñas City, Metro Manila
60 Basilica Minor of San Miguel Arcangel, Tayabas, Quezon
61 Immaculate Concecption Parish Church, Balayan, Batangas
62 Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church, Maragondon, Cavite
63 Angono Petroglyphs, Angono, Rizal
64 San Gregorio Magno Parish Church, Majayjay, Laguna
65 San Ildefonso Parish Church, Tanay, Rizal
66 Historic Bridges of Tayabas: Alitao, Isabel II, Francisco de Asis, Gibanga, Malagonlong, Lakawan, Mate, Ese, Despedida, Tuloy and Princesa,Tayabas, Quezon
67 San Jose de Romblon Cathedral, Romblon, Romblon
68 Petroglyphs in the Caves of the Tao't Bato Area, Quezon, Palawan
69 Tabon Cave Complex, Quezon, Palawan
70 Twin Forts of Romblon: Fuerza de San Antonio and Fuerza de Santiago, Romblon, Romblon