Bagacay Point Lighthouse was built in 1904

We embarked on a Monday afternoon trip to Liloan, a municipality north of Metro Cebu. Liloan is about an hour away from the city proper. The only memory I have of this suburb is the Manila Memorial Park where my dad was buried four years ago. Apart from that, I found nothing in it that piqued my curiosity.

Parola overlooking Mactan Channel

But when you’re in the company of adventurous true-blue Cebuanos, things are bound to change. Liloan, in particular, ceased to exist in my mind as a backward town accessed by multi-cabs breezing through dusty roads. Not even the fabled aswang from neighboring Negros Island could still cohabit in the region’s busiest city.

Standing tall at 72 feet

After paying my respects to my late dad and meditating on things to stock up in my luggage I hoped was a Zero Halliburton, we decided to see the lighthouse at Bagacay Point in Catarman. The locals call it “parola”. It was a trip that took us to more laidback parts of the place where schoolchildren would endure walking to home from school on those tired rubber shoes. We were also met by rocky roads and tall grasses that somehow never saw trimming for years. We’ve been through almost every alley in Bagacay but the lighthouse was still out of sight.

Towering beacon of light

We got lost on our way but thanks to people who pointed us to a shortcut that led to an Ayala real estate project. There we caught a good view of the century-old tower, standing tall at 72 feet, proud and unmovable. It is a solar-powered lighthouse.

Sugba sa Parola

The Bagacay Point Lighthouse has served the mariners crossing Mactan Channel and provided shelter to seafarers for more than a hundred years. It was constructed in 1904 by order of Governor-General William Howard Taft to replace the original lighthouse built by the Spanish authorities in 1856.

Cat and me

Many thanks to the trip’s official photographer, Atty. Cat. I borrowed from her all the photographs used in this entry.