Filipino Sojourner: Philippine Lighthouses

The town of Lilo-an, aptly dubbed as the Light of the North, has two lighthouses. The old light tower, erected by the Americans, is located on Bagacay Point. The other one, which is more recent (and I daresay more colorful) is located inside Porter Marina Bar and Grill.

I really wanted to visit the lighthouse when I first heard about it. So, despite the bad weather, I hopped on a habal-habal and went to the marina.

It was a 15-minute ride on rough road. The motorcycle passed through places that have more talahiban than houses. The place is so remote that I expected to be ambushed by commie NPAs.

The place is closed and almost deserted save for the security guard, who welcomed us and brought us to his boss.

After a few minutes of chat and asking their permission, the owners of Porter Marina allowed us to visit the lighthouse without paying the entrance fee. (Yey!)

We found an orange buoy on our way to the lighthouse.

A buoy is a floating device that is used to mark shallow areas. Some of the buoys are lighted so as to help ships navigate during the night.

Lo and behold! We finally saw the colorful Porter Lighthouse up close.

We discovered that the lighthouse was named after the parents of the owner of the marina: Capt. Edward James A. Porter and Rear Admiral Norma Y. Porter.

Memoriam to the Porters at the Porter Lighthouse in Lilo-an, Cebu

Captain Porter and Rear Admiral Porter were members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, which is a sort of a reserve force of the Coast Guard. The Porters were very active in promoting the safety of life at sea that's why they were honored by the Philippine Coast Guard.

This means that the lighthouse not only serves as an attraction for the marina but also as a true lighthouse that guide ships going to the Port of Cebu. The proof of it is the plaque placed by the Philippine Coast Guard on the lighthouse.

Plaque from Philippine Coast Guard showing Porter Lighthouse's registration in the agency

I read in some blogs that Porter Marina offers seafood delicacies. Visitors can also catch their own fish in the lagoon and in open sea. I saw pictures of people catching bangus and lapu-lapu just using their fishing rod.

The marina near Porter Lighthouse in Lilo-an, Cebu

Too bad that we didn’t do any of those activities. The truth is that visiting the lighthouse was my only objective.

The two-storey building, where the lighthouse stands, serves as function room and can be rented for events.

Porter Marina also has facilities for fixing boats and yachts. Thus, I was not surprised to see some yachts docked in their marina.

Yachts parked near Porter Lighthouse in Lilo-an, Cebu

We were allowed to go near Porter Lighthouse. So, I had a close up photo of the colorful lighthouse…

The colorful Porter Lighthouse in Lilo-an, Cebu

…and a good view of Magellan Bay, which is the place where I boarded the boat when I journeyed along the Mactan Channel. The bay was so named because it the place where the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan clashed with Mactan chieftain Lapu-Lapu. In fact, the Lapu-Lapu Shrine is located along Magellan Bay.

Magellan Bay as viewed from Porter Lighthouse (Lilo-an, Cebu)

Those who wish to visit the Porter Lighthouse or do some fishing can visit the Porter Marina at Sitio Baybayon, Brgy. Calero, Lilo-an, Cebu. They may be contacted at telephone numbers (032) 406-9239 and (032) 318-8807.

L’Nor Marine Services, which is the company inside the marina the deals with repairing yachts, may be contacted at telephone numbers (032) 406-9239 and (032) 406-0378, and mobile number 0917-305-0218, and email lnormarine@hotmail.com

No trespassing warning at Porter Lighthouse is Lilo-an, Cebu

Trespassing is strictly prohibited in Porter Marina so you better enter through the front gate unless you wished to be shot (and survivors will be shot again).

---

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

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.

Bagacay Point Lighthouse replica located along the highway in Lilo-an, Cebu

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.

Bagacay Point Lighthouse Replica in Lilo-an, Cebu

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.

Bagacay Point Lighthouse in Lilo-an, Cebu

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.

Door of Bagacay Point Lighthouse in Lilo-an, Cebu

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.

---

Read more about my latest adventure in Cebu:

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

Pages

Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 6): The Colorful Lighthouse of Lilo-an

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