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Philippines

Lights of the world
Source: Inquirer
Author: Manuel M. L. C. Noche
Date: 2002-06-16
 
IN THE 1880s, the Spanish colonial government undertook a massive construction frenzy. Its main goal: to protect the ever-increasing maritime trade the Philippines was then experiencing. With the end of the famed Manila-Acapulco Galleon trade, the Philippines was opened to a wider network of international trade. This required more shipping routes to and from the islands, as well as more connection between Manila and beyond.



In the absence of modern satellite or radar technology, navigators at that time relied heavily on astronomy, on stars to map and chart their courses. Though medieval, this proved adequate, considering that explorers were able to find their way around the globe with nary an accident. But to further ensure the safety of the galleons -- by these time coal-burning transport ships laden with precious commodities -- further guides were needed to bring the ships safely into harbor or open waters. This brought about the construction of faros (lighthouses) throughout the archipelago.



Lighthouses in the Philippines are nothing new. The oldest lighthouse in the country was erected in the 16th century, almost at the onset of Philippine colonization. This lighthouse, located at the mouth of the Pasig, guided navigators to the banks of the river, which served as the main port of Manila, the capital of colonial Spain in the Orient. Centuries would progress with the Philippines comfortable with the wealth that the Galleon trade would bring, but not a single lighthouse-except for the one located in the mouth of the Pasig as well as fires lit on top of Corrigedor Island-was built.



By the 19th century, toward the end of Spanish colonization, the Spanish colonial government undertook a massive lighting of our seas. The Plan General de Alumbrado de Maritimo de las Costas del Archipelago de Filipino (Masterplan for the lighting of the Maritime Coasts of the Philippine Archipelago) was undertaken by the Inteligencia del Cuerpo de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (Corp of Engineers for Roads, Canals and Ports).



The task was to light the seas and channels of the country to guide ships in and through the most important sea channels to the ports of Manila, Iloilo and Cebu. This plan, which was drafted in 1857, was immediately set into action with the preparation and eventual construction of roughly 70 lighthouses all over the archipelago. Of these, 22 were of major construction works while the rest were of lower classification lights.



Spanish engineers were tasked in the preparation and supervision of these lighthouses, such as Guillermo Brockman, Magin Pers, Eduardo Lopez Navarro, Ramon Ros, Enrique Trompet Vinci, Alejandro Olano, who designed structures that were functional, comfortable and beautiful as well.



These structures located in the most beautiful and spectacular sites, lonely isolated islets, cliffs, barren rock outcrops, bluffs, capes and points are testament to the commitment the Spanish colonial government to modernize the Philippines and make it competitive at the dawn of the 19th century.



Designed in the prevailing renaissance revival style as well as the Victorian style of architecture, these structures, composed of tower, pavilion and service buildings, were built to house the lights as well as the keepers who would man them. The tower, the most significant part of any lighthouse, was made strong and tall to ensure visibility at any given condition.



The pavilion, on the other hand, was designed to accommodate the lighthouse keeper and his family whose role it was to ensure that the lights were lit every evening and that the prisms or fresnel lens were rotating. Two service buildings, usually flanking a grilled courtyard, would contain kitchens and almacenes or storage rooms for the combustible materials that were used to light the tower. An outhouse situated a few meters away from the complex served the toilet needs of the keepers.



Different towers were designed by the Corp of Engineers. The most significant were those made of masonry of either brick of stone. We visited several of the lighthouses and of these, 13 towers were built of masonry: Faro de Cabo Enga¤o, Isla Palaui, Santa Ana, Cagayan; Faro de Cabo Bojeador, Burgos, Ilocos Norte; Faro de Punta Capones, Islote de Capon Grande, San Antonio, Zambales; Faro de la Isla de Cabra, Lubang, Mindoro Occidental; Faro de Rio de Pasig, Binondo, Manila; Faro de Isla Corrigedor, Cavite; Faro de Punta Malabrigo, Lobo, Batangas; Faro de Cabo Santiago, Calatagan, Batangas; Faro de Islote de San Bernardino, Bulusan, Sorsogon; Faro de Punta Bugui, Aroroy, Masbate; Faro de Isla Gintotolo, Balud, Masbate; Faro de Cabo Melville, Isla Balabac, Palawan; and Faro de Punta Capul, Capul, Samar del Norte.



Towers of metal were also fabricated. These towers, known as tourelle, were made and manufactured in France and could easily be assembled on site. Such towers are found still standing at Luz del Puerto de San Fernando, San Fernando, La Union; Luz de Isla Bagatao, Magallanes, Sorsogon; Faro de Islote de Siete Pecades, Dumangas, Iloilo; and Faro de Punta Luzaran, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.







Towers of metal were also fabricated. These towers, known as tourelle, were made and manufactured in France and could easily be assembled on site. Such towers are found still standing at Luz del Puerto de San Fernando, San Fernando, La Union; Luz de Isla Bagatao, Magallanes, Sorsogon; Faro de Islote de Siete Pecades, Dumangas, Iloilo; and Faro de Punta Luzaran, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.



Though the towers of Faro de Islote de Manigonigo, Caries, Iloilo; Faro de Sibulac-Babac de Gigantes, Estancia, Iloilo; and Faro de Isla Calabazas, Ajuy, Iloilo have been replaced with modern aluminum towers and lights, they originally contained metal tourelle towers. Metal towers, too, were used for Faro de Islote de Tanguingui, Bantanyan, Cebu, and Faro de Islote de Capitancillo Tobogon, Cebu, supported by metal framework. These towers were able to rise taller than the tourelle, which had a standard height of six meters.



The main pavilion of the lighthouse, which is elevated from about a meter to over 3 meters above ground, is used primarily as an office for the assigned engineers as well as living quarters for the lighthouse keepers and their families. For first-, second-, third- and even to some extent sixth-order light stations, complete dwelling facilities are provided for. Though those which are within easy access to communities are provided only with the most basic of shelters, as surmised in the Luz del Puerto de San Fernando and Luz de Isla Bagatao. Both being sixth-order stations, their original quarters were of light materials. Only during the American Commonwealth Period were permanent quarters built.



The pavilions were built of the same materials as the tower, either locally sourced granite or locally made bricks. Hard wood, such as molave, tindalo and narra, were used for the beams, joists, trusses, floors, nailers, doors and windowsills. Walls were plastered and painted with some examples stenciled with interesting. Marble, clay tiles or plain cement finishes were used for the verandah. Decorative metal grilles surround the fence, balconies as well as the bottom level of windows. Corrugated iron sheets cover the roof.




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