MARCELA AGONCILLO HISTORICAL LANDMARK

1The Philippine flag was created through the painstaking craftsmanship of Marcela Mariño de
Agoncillo. Born on 24 June 1859 to Eugenia Coronel and Francisco Mariño in Taal, Batangas,
Marcela studied at the Beaterio de Santa Catalina in Intramuros, Manila. In 1889, she married
fellow Batangueño, Felipe Encarnacion Agoncillo. Felipe was born on 26 May 1859, the third son
of Ramon Agoncillo and Gregoria Encarnacion, a prosperous family in Taal, Batangas. He studied
at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila for eight years (1866-1874) and moved to the Colegio de San
Juan de Letran where he obtained his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1875. After finishing his law
degree at the University of Santo Tomas in 1879, he apprenticed with Don Francisco Godines, a
prominent lawyer in Manila, before returning to Taal in 1881. There, he became famous for giving
free legal services to the poor and for frequently winning his cases. Felipe was appointed fiscal in
the province of Batangas (1885-1890, 1894) and elected as a delegate of the advisory council to
the Governor General (1894).Felipe was accused of being a filibustero, the term applied to an
opponent of the church and the Spanish government. In 1896, Felipe escaped to Hong Kong after
an order for his arrest and deportation to Sulu was issued by the colonial government. His family
followed him into exile and established residence in Hong Kong. The Agoncillo home became the
meeting place of other Filipino expatriates dedicated to the movement for independence from
Spain. Among them was Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, exiled to Hong Kong after the signing of the Pact
of Biak-na-Bato in December 1897. Felipe and Aguinaldo founded the Hong Kong Junta, which
closely monitored political developments in the Philippines.Learning of Marcela’s skilled
needlework, Aguinaldo asked her to make the Philippine flag. Within five days in May 1898, she
meticulously sewed the flag using silk cloth. She was helped by her daughter, Lorenza, and Rizal’s
niece, Delfina Herbosa de Natividad. Marcela delivered the flag to Aguinaldo before his departure
for Manila aboard the USS McCulloch on 17 May 1898. The Philippine flag was unfurled at
the Teatro Caviteño in Cavite Nuevo (now Cavite City) to celebrate the revolutionary army’s
victory over the Spanish forces at the Battle of Alapan in Imus, Cavite on 28 May 1898. Marcela
supported Felipe while he represented the country as the country’s first diplomat. He worked for
the rejection of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, in which Spain transferred control of the Philippines
to the United States. He also led the campaign to secure recognition by foreign countries of
Philippine independence. When the Agoncillo family returned to the Philippines, Felipe entered
public service, while Marcela engaged in charitable activities.

2The house of Marcela Agoncillo is probably the oldest of the Taal heritage house, built in the
17oos by her grandfather. It is in this house where Marcela sewed the first Philippine flag, but
not to be mistaken with the flag of the first philippine Republic which she sewed while in exile in
Hongkong with her husband Felipe, the first Filipino diplomat and patriot.As one enters the
house, tidbits on history can be read. At the bottom of the stairs is a diorama that shows Marcela
sewing the flag. The Agoncillo family has kept their furniture and other memorabilia in this house,
including laminated certificates of commendation for the illustrious members of the family,
mostly in the library at the entresuleo.

1
http://nhcp.gov.ph/museums/marcela-agoncillo-historical-landmark/

2
https://www.google.com/amp/s/boyplakwatsa.com/2014/10/01/marcela-agoncillo-historical-
landmark/amp/
 KUTA CHURCH RUINS

1
The Ruins of the Church of Kuta or Fuerza de Bongabong are the remnants of an 18th-century
church built by the Recollects in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. The Recollect mission of
Bongabong was first mentioned in the Libro de Registros in 1737; the church served as garrison
for the townsfolk in times of Muslim raids. It was destroyed during the Muslim raids between
1753 to 1754. On 25 June 2012, the site was declared by the National Historical Commission of
the Philippines as a National Historical Landmark.
2Now overgrown with humongous balete trees (strangler tree), Kuta Shrine is a relic of the 400-year-
old Kuta Church. The church was built from corals and limestone by Augustinian
Recollects in the early 17th century. At that time, the church served as a place of worship and a
walled fortress against Moro invaders. While legends have it that the church was constructed
overnight, studies from the UP Archaeological Studies Program show that the church was
constructed over time, through many years of constant renovations. In 1737, however, the church
was abandoned due to the Moro's constant attacks. The church is believed to have been burned
down. Today, the shrine merely serves as the town's symbolic feature. Local visitors light candles on
the spot where the church altar used to stand.
________________________

1
https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Kuta_Church_Ruins
2
https://explora.ph/attraction/184/kuta-shrine

PAMITINAN CAVE HISTORIC SITE

1Pamitinan Cave is a limestone cave in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range
near Wawa Dam in Rizal, the Philippines. It is located in the Pamitinan Protected Landscape, in
the barangay of San Rafael, municipality of Rodriguez; the cave was formerly known as the "Cave
of Bernardo Carpio". Its former name was derived from Bernardo Carpio, a figure in Philippine
mythology who was rebuked by the gods because of his insolence. Legend states that he was
chained forever in the Montalban gorge, cursed to keep two mountains from colliding with each
other. On April 12, 1895, Andres Bonifacio along with eight other katipuneros declared the
Philippines independence from the Spanish empire inside of this cave,the walls still bear
inscriptions of "Viva la Independencia Filipina" from the time of the Philippine Revolution. On
June 21, 1996, Pamitinan cave was declared a historic site by the National Historical Commission
of the Philippines. During World War II, Japanese soldiers occupied the cave and used it as a
camp.
2Spelunking is among the activities in Rodriguez, Rizal. The eminent Pamitinan cave draws
attention to tourist not just for the beauty it holds but also for the remarkable history of Japanese
soldiers during World War II; the cave became their basement during the war.In the foothills of
the Sierra Madre mountain range lies the Pamitinan cave. It is located in Brgy.San Rafael,
Rodriguez Rizal. It is also near Wawa Dam. The cave is formerly known as the '"Cave of Bernardo
Carpio"'. Its former name is derived from Bernardo Carpio, a figure in Philippine mythology who
was rebuked by the gods because of his insolence. Legend states that he was chained forever in
the Montalban gorge, cursed to keep two mountains from colliding with each other.
On April 12, 1895, Andres Bonifacio along with eight other katipuneros declared the Philippines
independence from the Spanish empire inside this cave. The walls still bear inscriptions of "Viva
la Independencia Filipinas" from the time of the Philippine Revolution. On June 21, 1996,
Pamitinan cave was declared a historic site by the National Historical Commission of the
Philippines.
________________________

1
https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Pamitinan_Cave
2
http://denciotravel.blogspot.com/2015/07/pamitinan-cave-cave-of-bernardo-carpio.html?m=1

EMILIO AGUINALDO SHRINE

1More than just being the site where the Declaration of Philippine Independence was first
read, this Kawit, Cavite mansion reflected a unique period in history. Its structure with its
secret passages, hidden compartments and camouflaged shelves showed how the
revolutionary fervor pervaded even the comfort and sanctity of Filipino homes at the turn of
the century.The Aguinaldo mansion in Kawit, Cavite, site of the historic Proclamation of
Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 was declared a national shrine in June 1964 shortly
after the death of General Emilio Aguinaldo.A year before he died, the General donated the
house and part of its ground to the Philippine government, a fitting last act and grand finale,
it seems, for the man who played so crucial a role in the history of his country.The house was
first built in 1845 from wood and thatch materials. Emilio Aguinaldo was born there on March
22, 1869. It was reconstructed in 1849, and then again in the early 1920s.The main section of
the house is a pyramid-like structure capped by a spired tower at the very top. It takes five
flights of stairs and a ladder to complete the climb from the first to the highest floor.A museum
occupies the ground floor, an area which used to be unwalled as was the architectural fashion
of the past eras. Perhaps this area was used for storing grain.The second floor consists of the
General's bedroom, the grand hall, the dining room and kitchen, a conference room and an
azotea.The next floor features a mezzanine library which overlooks the grand hall like an
alcove or balcony. A corridor leads to the eastern wing of the mansion where the General's
daughters used to live with their families.Another flight of stairs takes one to the Ambassador
Room, once used as a study by the late Ambassador Jose Melencio, the General's son-in-
law.The next set of stairs leads to the General's other bedroom, said to be the one he used in
his last years. A brass bed, and a huge roll-top escritoire the latter being a baffling
phenomenon since its size couldn't have permitted it to be transported through the narrow
stairway are the features of the room. From the tiled terrace, one may have an excellent view
of the Manila Bay and the shoreline of Cavite.A narrower flight of stairs, now barely a foot
wide and almost ladder-like, leads finally to the tower, said to have been the General's favorite
spot.The house interiors are a collector's dream: four poster canopied beds, an armoire,
loveseats with inlaid ivory, Vienna rocking chairs, and China cabinets.Most of these are of
varnished Philippine hardwood, the kind that, in this day and age, are either rare or too
expensive. Furniture, and even pillars and doorways, are carved ornately in varied styles:
rococo, baroque, and Gothic.Some of the pieces yield certain delightful surprises. The clams
for instance, which adorn every post or pillar in the spacious reception hall, can actually be
pulled out from the wall to serve as pot stands.A number of chairs and cabinets have secret
compartments, which, one might imagine, must have served a critical purpose in the past: to
conceal important documents, or even weapons, perhaps.There are secret passages too. One
that leads to the General's bedroom on the second floor is camouflaged by a wall of shelves
at the landing of the main stairs. Another leads from the kitchen to the air raid shelter below
the ground floor. This one is concealed by a slab of wood which served as a dining table.Along
the narrow stairways to the upper rooms, wall panels may be opened to reveal storage areas
for mattresses, brooms and other utilities. Similarly ingenously hidden cabinets are found in
the bedrooms.The main spectacle, of course, is the grand hall. Here, revolutionaries long gone
must have held secret caucuses and made fateful state decisions. At the end of this
rectangular room, is the historic window a balcony had been added and used often by the
General and state officials during Independence day celebrations from which the Act of
Declaration of Independence was read eight decades ago.This room is a vital expression of
one man's affair with history and his country.The floor is a mosaic of wooden trapezoids, a
waxed-and-polished jigsaw puzzle of flags. Even the pillars on the way to the dining room
exhibit these mosaic flags.The ceiling is a gallery or soaring symbols: "Inang Pilipinas," the
eight-rayed sun depicting the revolt of the eight provinces; and the furled flags and dove. The
latter is a symbol of the hero's aspiration for Philippine recognition as a member of the League
of Nations.A relief map of the Philippines adorns the ceiling of the dining area.Behind the
mansion is the tomb of General Emilio Aguinaldo, who died of coronary thrombosis on
February 6, 1964

________________________
1
http://www.msc.edu.ph/centennial/shrine.html

TAAL CHURCH HISTORICAL LANDMARK

1A giant scaffolding rose right before the basilica’s altar at the point where the nave and the
transept meet. Apparently, the church’s interiors were undergoing a minor renovation. The top
of the bamboo scaffold reached to the ceiling of the dome which was being painted. I could not
imagine how difficult it was for the painters. After all, they were inside the biggest Catholic church
in the Philippines and in the whole of Asia.The Basilica de San Martin de Tours, simply known as
Taal Basilica, is Asia’s largest church and it was not very difficult to see. Sitting on top of a hill, the
basilica towers over the old heritage town of Taal. It is a very dominant structure and is visible in
most parts of the town proper and even in some parts of the neighboring town Lemery.The
original town of Taal was founded by Augustinian missionaries in 1572 on the banks of the Taal
Lake (where the municipality of San Nicolas now lies). Fr. Diego Espinar led the construction of
the town’s very first church in 1575. In almost two centuries, the church continued to improve
and was rebuilt only to be utterly destroyed in 1754 after the biggest explosion of nearby Taal
Volcano. It wasn’t just the church, though, as the whole town of old Taal was so devastated. The
town moved to its current location, on top of a hill overlooking Balayan Bay. In 1755, the
construction of a new church was launched under Fr. Martin Aguirre. Over several decades, new
elements and features were added for the beautification of the church. However, on September
16, 1852, tragedy struck yet again. A massive earthquake hit the province and destroyed the
church.Four years after the catastrophe, another church was built at the same site under Fr.
Marcos Anton, who commissioned architect Luciano Oliver to create the design and run the
construction. In 1865, almost a decade later, the newly erected church was inaugurated despite
its unfinished state. The construction was finally completed in 1878 with the addition of its
gigantic 79 ft altar under the supervision of Fr. Agapito Aparicio. It was a massive church, the
biggest at the time and would remain the biggest even centuries later. On January 16, 1974, it
was declared as one of the country’s National Shrines. Certainly the biggest church in Asia, Taal
Basilica is 96 meters long, 45 meters wide, and 96 meters tall. This colossal Baroque structure
was made of coral stones and adobe. The most noticeable features of its facade were the 24
classical columns in pairs and lined up two rows of six on top of the other. It has 10 windows and
5 doors. The edifice is topped with a triangular roof and gable on each side and one in the center.
On the left side rises the bell tower.
LUZ KATIGBAK HOUSE

1
Casa de Segunda was built in the 1880s, damaged in 1942 during the war, remodeled in
1956, and restored in 1996. The house is named after Segunda Solis Katigbak, considered to be
Jose Rizal's first love. Segunda Solis Katigbak was born in 1863 to parents Don Norberto Kalaw
Katigbak, the gobernadorcillo from 1862 to 1863, and Doña Justa Metra Solis. It was while
Segunda was studying in Colegio de la Concordia (now called Concordia College) in Santa Ana,
Manila, that a schoolmate, Olympia Rizal, invited her to a party where Segunda met Olympia's
brother, Jose Rizal. The 16-year-old Rizal was so taken by the 14-year-old Segunda, that he sent
her flowers, poems, and sketches. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be for Segunda was engaged to
Manuel Luz, who the Katigbak family favored because the family wanted her to marry a local man
(Manuel Luz was from Lipa, Batangas and Rizal was from Calamba, Laguna). Segunda married
Manuel in 1879, at the tender age of 16.

2
Partly damaged by the Second World War in 1942, the house was remodeled in 1956 by
Segunda Katigbak's daughter, Paz Luz Dimayuga. The grandchildren of Paz, who were born and
raised here, restored the house in I996 to its original form and grandeur, its fountain, fishponds,
and orchards.Casa de Segunda is named after Segunda Solis Katigbak who is known as the first
love of Dr. Jose Rizal. To quote his biography, "His first infatuation was a little Lipeña by the name
of Segunda. She was not the most beautiful woman I had ever seen but I have not met another
more alluring and beguiling. I have already heard about her and that she was going to get married
to a relative of hers. Indeed, I noticed a tall man neatly dressed who seemed to be her fiancé,
thus, ended his first love which mourned in his journal."That tall man was Manuel Metra Luz who
came from one of the most prominent families of Lipa (Katigbak, Luz, Roxas, Altamirano, Calao).
The Luz Clan were a family of poets and scholars. Manuel married Segunda at the young age of
16 in 1879 and in that very house was blessed with nine equally bright and gifted children namely
Cristeta, Manuel Jr., Flora, Justa Ynes, Arsenio, Valeriano, Maria Paz, Julio, and Fernando.

________________________
1
http://mustachioventures.blogspot.com/2015/03/casa-seRunda-san-sebastian-carmel-church-
lipa:batangas.html?m=1
2
https:/lipatourism.wordpress.com/attractions/casa-de-segunda-luz-katigbak-ancestral-house
________________________
1
https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2012/04/basilica-de-san-martin-de-tours-taal-batangas/amp/

BONIFACIO TRIAL HOUSE

1The plan for a new government was established since the emergence of the revolution in August

23, 1896, its aim was to unite the Katipuneros under a single leadership. The Magdalo faction
nominated Emilio Aguinaldo while Magdiwang faction retained Bonifacio, who was the
"Supremo" of the Katipunan. On March 22, 1897, the revolutionary government was established
at the Tejeros Convention. Emilio Aguinaldo was the president of the new government while
Bonifacio was declared as the Minister of Interior. However, Daniel Tirona of Magdalo,
questioned the Bonifacio's qualifications for the said position. Upon his authority as the presiding
officer, he declared all the proceedings null and void. Bonifacio, then, established his own
government in Naic, Cavite, he was arrested for refusing the revolutionary government, upon the
orders of Emilio Aguinaldo, at Indang, Cavite. His wife, Gregoria de Jesus, and his
brother, Procopio, was also arrested. Andres Bonifacio was brought to a military court
in Maragondon for a pre-trial hearing. On May 5, 1897, the brothers of Bonifacio were charged
by the court with treason and sedition. On May 6, 1897, they were sentenced with death penalty.
His brothers were brought by Major Lazaro Macapagal to Mount Tala on May 10, 1897; as soon
as they reached Hulog, a barrio within the vicinity of Mount Nagpatong, Major Makapagal
opened his sealed orders, upon Bonifacio’s insistence. The order revealed that severe
punishment awaits for him if he would fail to execute the two brothers of Andres Bonifacio; the
death of the Father of the Revolution, Andres Bonifacio, still remains to be controversial at
present.

2This house-turned-museum witnessed the trial of revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio. Its
centerpiece is a life-size diorama recreating the trial scene. The Spanish-era revolutionary
society Katipunan was founded and led by Andres Bonifacio in 1896. The group later broke into
2 factions, with the other faction led by Emilio Aguinaldo. The society then convened to form a
revolutionary government with Aguinaldo as president and Bonifacio as Minister of
Interior. Bonifacio's credentials were questioned by another Katipunero which the former
found insulting, resulting to Bonifacio's declaring the proceedings null and void on his authority
as presiding officer. He subsequently formed his own goverment in Naic, Cavite. Aguinaldo had
Bonifacio arrested and tried for sedition and treason. He was found guilty and sentenced to
death, together with his brother Procopio. The 2 Bonifacio brothers were executed in a nearby
mountain in 1897.
________________________
1
https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Bonifacio_Trial_House
2https://sites.google.com/site/museumsofthephilippines/directory/Luzon/bonifacio-trial-house

RODRIGUEZ HOUSE

Don Catalino Rodriguez Ancestral House, also known as Villa Sariaya, is one of the three
1

houses declared by the National Historical Institute (Now called the National Historical
Commission) of the Philippines as Heritage house in Sariaya, Quezon. It was owned by Don
Catalino Rodriguez, Sariaya’s town Presidente (Mayor during the American occupation period)
from 1908 to 1909. The house occupies an entire block near the church park. Its main entrance
faces south along Calle Daliz and is bounded by Calle Rizal on the west and Quezon Avenue
(formerly Calle Talavera) on the east. This house has already been transformed into a Museum
and visitors can choose to wear period costumes for reasonable fees and pose for souvenir
photos. Don Catalino Rodriguez Ancestral House is listed as one of the Ancestral Houses in the
Philippines, under Region IV-A.

Once home to wealthy coconut tycoons, Sariaya flourished with many art-deco mansions
2

in the early 20th century. Among the most visited is Villa Sariaya, also called Don Catalino
Rodriguez Heritage House. This two-storey mansion covers an entire block, and surrounded by
other old houses. Inside, the mansion is spacious with a grand staircase and many ventilated
rooms rich with antique furniture, wood carvings, and murals. One room offers costumes for rent
at P200 each. Guests can choose among various designs of Barong Tagalog and Baro't Saya, and
have their photos taken as if they're coconut tycoons themselves. Built in 1922, Villa Sariaya was
declared a heritage house by the National Heritage Institute. In the past, the house served as a
venue for important occasions, such as victory parties in honor of President Manuel Quezon and
nationalist Claro Recto.

________________________
1 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Catalino_Rodriguez_Ancestral_House
2 https://explora.ph/attraction/162/villa-sariaya-don-catalino-rodriguez-heritage-house

RODRIGUEZ HOUSE
Location: SARIAYA, QUEZON