Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 4): Bagacay Point Lighthouse

There is only one town in the whole Philippines that have a lighthouse (or light tower) in the middle of the highway. That town is the Cebuano town of Lilo-an, which is commonly misspelt as Liloan.

Actually, the tower in middle of the highway is just the replica of the Bagacay Point Lighthouse. The people of Lilo-an are so proud of their lighthouse that they made it a symbol of their town.

It is my second time to visit the town of Lilo-an. My first time was four years ago when I dropped by Titay’s just to buy their famous and super yummy Rosquillos. I didn’t visit the light tower because I immediately rode a bus to catch my flight back to Manila.

The true lighthouse is located about 3 kilometers from the replica so I had to ride a tricycle.

On my way to Bagacay Point Lighthouse.

The trike had to cross a bridge that spans the small inlet to Silot Bay.

There is a story that in the sea off the town, at the place called Silot, there is a whirlpool created by the flow of water in and out the bay. Lilo is the Cebuano word for whirlpool thus the town was called Lilo-an, which means a place where there is lilo.

I did not saw any whirlpool when I crossed the bridge but there is a different whirlpool in Lilo-an because of Silot Bay. I read in the news that a certain family blocked public access to Silot Bay. It was reported that armed guards threaten the poor fishermen with gunshots if they try to fish in the area.

This issue explains the “Free Silot” flaglets placed on the bridge.

A few minutes of tricycle ride brought us to true Bagacay Point Lighthouse.

It was my first time to see a lighthouse up close that’s why I was very eager to visit it.

I have a hunch that the Bagacay Point Lighthouse was built to warn mariners of the lilo. It would be devastating for Spanish galleons to be caught in a whirlpool because all of the goods and gold in the ship will sink to Davy Jones’ Locker.

The first tower of Bagacay Point Lighthouse was erected by the Spaniards in 1857 to serve as a guide for ships calling at Cebu port from the north. Unfortunately, that tower was destroyed for unknown reason.

The light tower that is now standing on Bagacay Point was built in 1904 during the term of the first American Governor General of the Philippines: William Howard Taft.

Bagacay Point Lighthouse stands 72 feet. Its light can reach ships that are 17 miles away. It is considered as one of the remaining example of American structure in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu Province.

Bagacay Point Lighthouse is operational and the Philippine Coast Guard is the one taking care of it.

I was shocked when I reached Bagacay Point, not because of the lighthouse, but because of the presence of an Ayala Subdivision.

The once remote tower is now surrounded by houses and residents of the posh Amara Subdivision.

Google Earth showed that all the land surrounding Bagacay Point Light is now occupied by the Ayala Empire.

Ayala even used Bagacay Point Lighthouse as their selling point. I guess many people are drawn to live near the scenic view of a century-old lighthouse.

(Screen grab from AyalaLand Premier)

Thankfully, the lighthouse can be accessed by the public since it is outside of Amara. If not then these lovebirds have no choice but to go to a less scenic spot:

It is right for the people of Lilo-an to be proud of their century-old lighthouse, not only because it is a magnet for tourists, but because of centuries and centuries of service to the mariners navigating the sea of Cebu. Just imagine the number of lives saved just because of guiding light emanating from Bagacay Point Lighthouse.

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Read more about my latest adventure in Cebu:

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 17): A Great View of Cebu City from Tops Busay
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 16): A Taste of Mandarin in Cebu City
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 15): Taboan the Pasalubong Center of Cebu City
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 14) – My Accidental Visit to Mt. Carmel Church
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 13): Another Visit to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 12): Why Cebuanos Call Mama Mary as Birhen sa Regla?
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 11): Sto. Niño Basilica - Mother and Head of All Churches of the Philippine Islands
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 10): A Visit to the Fake(?) Magellan’s Cross
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 9): The Story of Rajah Humabon - King of Cebu
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 8): Calle Colon, the Oldest Street in the Philippines
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 7): The Worst Cebu Hotel
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 6): The Colorful Lighthouse of Lilo-an
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 5): The Mysterious Church of Lilo-an

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 3): Feasting on Consolacion’s Fresh Talaba
Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 2): Finding Consolation in Consolacion Church

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 1): My Boat Ride Under the Bridges of Mactan Channel

A Foretaste of Cebu in Mactan Cebu International Airport

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