Philippines Lighthouses

The Philippines include more than 7000 islands stretching over 1750 km (1100 mi) of the western Pacific. The archipelago was a Spanish colony until the Spanish-American War of 1898, which brought the islands under U.S. administration. Japan occupied the islands during World War II (1942-45), and the country became independent shortly thereafter (1946).

Luzon, the large island including the capital city Manila, dominates the northern part of the country. Mindoro and Palawan lie southwest of Luzon, stretching toward Borneo. Luzon has a long "tail" extending to the southeast, and south of this tail are the numerous islands known as the Visayas. The principal Visayas, grouped roughly in a circle around the Visayan Sea, are Masbate, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, and Samar. To the south of the Visayas, Mindanao is the largest island of all.

In the list, lighthouses are grouped under the closest major island, although a great many of the lighthouses are actually located on small islands in the nearby shipping lanes.

The lighthouse preservation movement is still getting started in the Philippines. Most of the historic light stations have been in very poor condition. However, the Philippines Coast Guard, which operates aids to navigation in the country, has recently repaired and renovated many of the towers. An"adopt a lighthouse" program has taken hold, and there's hope that some of the light stations will be restored within the next few years.

Philippine lighthouses are often called parolas. Many Philippine lighthouses are not well known, so better information and photos are needed.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.


Capones Light, February 2007
photo copyright Jazz Ramiro; used by permission

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General Sources
Philippine Lighthouses
8 historic photos posted by Johann Stockinger.
Spanish Lighthouses of the Philippines
This is my own list of the Spanish light stations, with notes on their current status.

Batanes Lighthouses
Note: The Batanes, or Baton Islands, are located in the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and Luzon, the northernmost main island of the Philippines. In 2000, the provincial government of Batanes announced a plan to build three lighthouses, primarily as tourist attractions in the islands and secondarily as navigational aids.
*** Basco (Naidi Hills)
2003. Active; focal plane unknown; white flash every 4 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a round rubblestone base and attached to a small 1-story rubblestone "cottage" that serves as a visitor entrance. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern painted red. NGA lists the light as having a red flash, but the lamp is clear. A good photo is available, and another photo has a view of the location. Located on a hill on the north side of Basco, the principal town of Batan Island. Accessible by a walk of about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) from the town. Site open, tower open for climbing but no schedule is available. Admiralty F2822.5; NGA 13990.
* Mahatao
2004. Active; focal plane and characteristics unknown. Approx. 18 m (59 ft) hexagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a hexagonal rubblestone base and attached to a small 1-story rubblestone "cottage" that serves as a visitor entrance. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern painted red. Xave Ignacio has a nice photo of the station, and a closeup is also available. This light is not listed by NGA. Located on a hill on the east side of Batan Island opposite Mahatao, about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of the Basco lighthouse. Site open, tower status unknown.
* Chavayan (Sabtang Island)
2006. Active; focal plane unknown; white flash every 5 s. Approx. 18 m (56 ft) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted; the watch room and trim are painted white and the lantern red. An adjoining rubblestone cottage had not been completed as of spring 2007. A March 2006 photo and an April 2007 photo are available, also an October 2007 closeup. Evidently the funds to complete this project ran out. Located on a rocky promontory on the southeast side of Sabtang Island, which is south of Batan Island. Site open, tower appears closed. Admiralty F2819.5; NGA 13991.5.
Basco Lighthouse
Basco Light, December 2006
anonymous Creative Commons photo

 
Northern Luzon Lighthouses
Cape Engaño
1893. Active; focal plane 100 m (327 ft); white flash every 5 s. 14.5 m (47 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower, painted white, attached to 1-story stone keeper's house. Lantern removed and replaced with a solar-powered light. The keeper's houses and other light station buildings have fallen into ruin and chunks of the tower have fallen. A photo of the tower and another photo show the poor condition of the building. Stockinger has a historic photo and Gio Sabio has posted an account of a visit. The lighthouse stands at the extreme northeastern corner of the Philippines and is a traditional landfall for ships arriving from the Pacific. Located at the northern end of Palaui Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS PHI-013; Admiralty F2732; NGA 14020.
[Linao Point (Aparri)]
1896. Inactive. 9 m (30 ft) steel tower recently collapsed into the sea; Manuel Noche visited the site and found only rubble in the surf. The tower, known as a tourelle, was pefabricated in Paris by Sautter Lemonier & Cie. Located at the entrance to the Cagayan River north of Aparri on the north coast of Luzon. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-085; Admiralty F2728; NGA 14008.
**** Cape Bojeador (Burgos)
1892. Active; focal plane 118 m (386 ft); three white flashes every 5 s. 20 m (65 ft) octagonal cylindrical brick tower, painted white, attached to 1-story brick keeper's house. The original 1° Fresnel lens, badly damaged by an earthquake in 1990, remains in the lantern; a small modern lens is mounted inside the lantern. The original rotating mechanism is intact. Assistant keeper's houses and other light station buildings. This is a staffed station. A photo appears at right; another photo is available, and John Ryan Cordova has a closeup of the tower. This historic lighthouse, with its classic Spanish colonial architecture, is easily the best known and most visited light station in the country; the keepers often provide tours. It has been in dilapidated condition for years and was further damaged by Typhoon Feria in 2001. In 2003 the Coast Guard signed an agreement with Cape Bojeador Lighthouse Development Inc., a quasi-public, nonprofit organization that plans to restore and operate the lighthouse. This effort is supported by the government of Ilocos Norte province. Located at the northwestern corner of the island and the country 45 km (28 mi) north of Laoag. Site and tower open. ARLHS PHI-012; Admiralty F2722; NGA 14000.
* Arboledan Point (Currimao, Gaang Bay)
Date unknown (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) white concrete tower. No photo available, but several Currimao tourist sites list the lighthouse as an attraction. There are also two Spanish watchtowers on the point, and one of them may have been used as a lighthouse; a 1920 light list describes the 1906 light as an "old fort." Located at the southern entrance to Gaang Bay and Currimao, about 32 km (20 mi) south of Laoag City. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-004; Admiralty F2720; NGA 13996.
Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
Cape Bojeador Light, October 2005
anonymous Creative Commons photo
San Fernando Point (Poro Point) (1)
1885. Inactive. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical steel tourelle, prefabrictaed in France. U.S.-built keeper's house nearby. Lantern removed. One of eight steel towers prefabricated in France for the Philippines. No photo available. In February 2005, the Poro Point Management Corporation was negotiating for the right to restore the lighthouse. Located at the edge of the cliff near the modern lighthouse (next entry). Site and tower closed (military installation). ARLHS PHI-097.
San Fernando Point (Poro Point) (2)
1905. Active; focal plane 33 m (107 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 8 m (27 ft) concrete tower with gallery but no lantern, unpainted. Several small buildings around the base of the tower. A distant photo is available, the lighthouse appears on a postage stamp, and it is visible in an aerial photo of Poro Point. Located on a headland about 5 km (3 mi) west of San Fernando, at the eastern entrance to Lingayan Gulf; a Google satellite view is available. Site and tower closed (military installation). ARLHS PHI-053; Admiralty F2698; NGA 14408.
Dagupan (2)
1920s (station established about 1885). Inactive, probably since World War II. 4 m (16 ft) octagonal concrete structure with lantern centered on the top, now in ruins. No photo available. The original lighthouse was a cast iron tower similar to San Fernando (1). Located on the north side of the entrance to the Dagupan River. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-104.
* [Lucap (Alaminos)]
Date unknown. Active; green flash every 5 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) slender square concrete tower, with an external concrete stairway winding around the tower. No lantern. Gerard Castaneda has a good photo. Located on the waterfront at Lucap, on the west side of Lingayen Gulf about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Alaminos. Site open, tower can be climbed. ARLHS PHI-116; Admiralty F2691; NGA 14398.
* Bolinao Harbor
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white flash every 5 s. 13.5 m (44 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower with gallery, painted white and floodlit at night. Angel Maramot has posted a photo. Located on the waterfront in Bolinao. Site probably open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-068; Admiralty F2690; NGA 14396.
*** Cape Bolinao (Pietra Point, Patar)
1905. Active; focal plane 90 m (294 ft); white flash every 5 s. 27 m (89 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with octagonal watchroom, lantern, and double gallery, mounted on an octagonal pyramidal base. Lighthouse painted white with red trim. 1-story keeper's house. Probably the best known U.S.-built lighthouse in the Philippines. The Bolinao Bank has posted some history of the light station. Evidently this lighthouse has been restored recently. A photo shows the lighthouse with the original lantern, painted all white. The lantern was removed at some point; a photo is available showing the tower with no lantern, but another photo, like the one at right, shows the renovated tower painted white with gold trim and with a smaller lantern. A nice closeup of the tower is available. In 2005, the Municipality of Bolinao signed an agreement to maintain and restore the lighthouse. Located on the cape at Bolinao, marking the western entrance to Lingayan Gulf. Site open, tower open for climbing but the schedule is unknown. ARLHS PHI-015; Admiralty F2688; NGA 14392.
Cape Bolinao Lighthouse
Cape Bolinao Light, June 2006
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Central and Southwestern Luzon Lighthouses
Capones
1890. Active; focal plane 75 m (245 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) square cylindrical brick tower, with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story brick keeper's house. Tower painted white with red trim. The original 1° Fresnel lens and lantern have been replaced with a Japanese aluminum lantern and a modern solar-powered light. The keeper's houses and other buildings are in a ruined condition. A photo appears at the top of this page, and another good photo is available. The lighthouse traditionally marks the beginning of the northern approach to Subic and Manila Bays. Stockinger has a historic photo. In March 2004, the Philippines chapter of the Environmental Protection of Asia Foundation proposed that the island be set aside as a marine sanctuary and the light station restored by the Foundation as a showcase for its programs. The light tower has been restored and repainted, as seen in Jazz Ramiro's photo at the top of the page and a set of November 2005 photos, but nothing has been done to restore or rebuild the keeper's house. Located on an island off the coast of Zambales province about 15 km (9 mi) north of the entrance to Subic Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS PHI-018; Admiralty F2680; NGA 14380.
Sueste Point (Subic Bay) (1)
1905. Inactive. 9 m (30 ft) cylindrical cast iron tower; lantern removed. This is one of the French tourelles purchased by the Spanish government, but it was not activated until the U.S. administration took control. The historic lighthouse is in very poor condition, and the keeper's house is in ruins. Thanks to Jun Avecilla for the photo at right. There is also a distant photo of the lighthouse, painted white, in service during the 1950s. Located on a headland at the west side of the entrance to Subic Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site believed to be open, tower closed.
Sueste Point (Subic Bay) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 63 m (207 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round hourglass-shaped white fiberglass tower. Jun Avecilla's photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland at the west side of the entrance to Subic Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site believed to be open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-059; Admiralty F2673; NGA 14364.
Kalaklan Point (Subic)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); green flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower with lantern and several buttresses at the base, painted white. Edgar Millan has posted a photo (about 2/3 the way down the page), and a Google satellite view is available. Located at the north side of the entrance to the Subic Bay naval harbor, south of Olongapo. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-115; Admiralty F2675; NGA 14376.
Sueste Point Lighthouses
Old and New Sueste Point Lights, July 2007
photo copyright Jun Avecilla; used by permission
** Subic Bay Lighthouse Marina
2006. Active (privately maintained); two white flashes every 8 s. 27 m (89 ft) octagonal pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with red trim, lantern red. A photo and a closeup are available. This lighthouse was built as part of a large marina development. There is a bar in the lower level, and the second floor has an observation deck. The owners have applied for official recognition for the light. Located about 1.5 km (1 mi) southeast of Kalaklan Point, on the southwest corner of the Subic Bay Free Port, which has been developed on the grounds of the former U.S. Navy base. A Google satellite view is available. Site open, first and second floors of the tower open. Owner/site manager: Lighthouse Marina Resort.
**** Corregidor Island (2)
1950 (station established 1835). Active; focal plane 193 m (633 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 14.5 m (48 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and double gallery, rising from the center of 1-story stone keeper's house. Windows on the four sides of the tower are arranged in the shape of crosses, and light shines through them at night. Buildings painted white. A photo appears at right, and another good closeup is available. Corregidor, a rocky island in the entrance to Manila Bay, is famous as the heavily armed fortress where American troops resisted Japanese invaders until forced to surrender in 1942. The lighthouse was heavily damaged during the war; Lighthouse Digest has a 1945 photo. This historic light station was recently restored with funds from the Spanish government; the lantern was replaced with modern equipment by the Japanese government. The Pacific War Memorial is nearby. Located at the highest point of the island, known as Topside. Site and tower open. ARLHS PHI-021; Admiralty F2634; NGA 14272.
* Pasig River (3)
1992 (station established 1642). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) round concrete block tower with lantern and gallery. The Philippines Coast Guard station for Manila is adjacent to the lighthouse. This is the oldest light station in the Philippines. The present tower replaced an elegant Spanish tower built in 1846; Klaus Huelse has posted a postcard view of that lighthouse. The new tower is built on the base of the old one, according to Manuel Noche. Located on the dike on the north side of the entrance to the river from Manila Bay. The location is downstream from downtown Manila but upstream from the main port area, next door to a shantytown neighborhood called Parola; Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-095; Admiralty F2669; NGA 14324.
Corregidor Lighthouse
Corregidor Light, March 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo
* Manila Customs House
Late 1930s? Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); red flash every 10 s. Light mounted atop the central tower of the Customs House. Jazz Ramiro has contributed a photo, and the building appears at the lower left in a historic aerial photo. According to the Philippine Star, the Customs House is a Neoclassical building designed by the architect Antonio Toledo in the late 1930s. Located on the Manila waterfront on the Muelle San Francisco about 800 m (1/2 mi) south of the Pasig River; Google has a great satellite view. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-117; Admiralty F2653; NGA 14320.
* Cape Santiago (Punta de Santiago)
1890. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 15.5 m (51 ft) brick tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; the modern Japanese aluminum lantern is silver in color. 1-story keeper's house painted white with a red roof. A good January 2006 photo is available; a March 2007 photo shows the need for some fresh paint on the tower. Stockinger has a historic photo, and Lighthouse Digest has a feature article on the lighthouse by Clarita Amora Gultiano. A relatively well-maintained light station, renovated in the 1990s by the Coast Guard. However, by 2007 there were concerns about its deteriorating condition. In October 2007 the region's Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary proposed to adopt and restore the lighthouse as its headquarters. Located on the cape at the southwestern corner of Batangas province. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-078; Admiralty F2614; NGA 14244.
* Malabrigo Point
1896. Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) cylindrical brick tower with modern aluminum lantern and double gallery, rising from 1-story keeper's quarters. Buildings painted white; keeper's house roof is red. Stockinger has a historic photo. This is one of the better-preserved Spanish Philippine lighthouses. The tower has been refurbished and solarized by the Coast Guard. In February 2004, the Olympic swimmer Akiko Thomson, who has a vacation home adjoining the light station property, organized the Friends of Malabrigo and signed an agreement with the Coast Guard allowing them to develop the station as a site for youth swimming and sailing competitions. When Jazz Ramiro visited in 2007, nothing had been done to improve the facility but the house appeared to be in fairly sound condition. Located on the southernmost point of Batangas province in southern Luzon, about 5 km (3 mi) from Lobo, overlooking the Verde Island Passage. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-046; Admiralty F2604; NGA 14220.
Malabrigo
Malabrigo Point Light, April 2007
photo copyright Jazz Ramiro; used by permission

Mindoro Lighthouses
Cabra Island
1889. Active; focal plane 66 m (216 ft); white light, occulting every 5 s. 20.5 m (67 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to 1-story keeper's house. This lighthouse may still have its original lantern and 1° Fresnel lens. Manuel Noche found the station reasonably intact but badly in need of restoration. No current photo available, but Stockinger has a historic photo, and the lighthouse appears on a postage stamp. Cabra Island marks the western entrance from the South China Sea to the Southern Passage through the center of the archipelago. In addition, it is located about 80 km (50 mi) southwest of the entrance to Manila Bay and marks the beginning of the southwestern approach to the capital. Located at the west end of the island off the northwestern tip of Lubang Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS PHI-071; Admiralty F2620; NGA 14256.
Cape Calavite
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 m (137 ft); white flash every 5 s. 19 m (62 ft) steel tower, painted white. No photo available. More information is needed on this station. Located in a remote area on the cape at the northwestern corner of Mindoro. Probably accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-016; Admiralty F2568; NGA 14448.
* [Escarceo Point (1)]
1915. Inactive. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) slender square concrete tower, with an external concrete stairway winding around the tower. No lantern. A distant photo is available (fourth photo on the page). This lighthouse is close to popular beach resorts and is a well-known site for scuba diving. Located a few feet from the modern lighthouse. Site open, external stairway open for climbing.
* Escarceo Point (2)
Date unknown (station estabished 1915). Active; focal plane 41 m (136 ft); white flash every 10 s. 14.5 m (47 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with gallery. P.R.L. Stevens has a closeup photo, and a distant photo is also available (fourth photo on the page). This lighthouse is close to popular beach resorts and is a well-known site for scuba diving. Located on a headland at the end of a narrow peninsula jutting into the Verde Island Passage about 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Puerto Galera. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-023; Admiralty F2560; NGA 14452.
Dumali Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 53 m (173 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) steel tower, painted white. No photo available. More information is needed on this station. Located on a prominent headland on the east coast of Mindoro about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Pinamalayan. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-022; Admiralty F2554; NGA 14468.
Baltasar Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 127 m (417 ft); white flash every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) steel tower, painted white. No photo available. More information is needed on this station. Located on a remote island, one of the Tres Reyes (Three Kings) Islands between Marinduque and Mindoro. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-008; Admiralty F2580; NGA 14184.
[Sablayan Point]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) square concrete tower, painted white, with a small gallery and an external spiral stairway encircling the tower. A photo is available (third photo on the page). The neighboring building appears to be a 1-story keeper's house, painted white with a red roof. Located on a headland at Sablayan on the southwestern coast of Mindoro, overlooking the Mindoro Strait. Site open; external stairway open for climbing. ARLHS PHI-051; Admiralty F2570; NGA 14488.
Apo Reef (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 10 s. 33.5 m (110 ft) white concrete tower with two galleries; no lantern. The building has an enclosed 2-story square base, an octagonal skeletal section topped by a gallery, and then a square cylindrical section topped by the octagonal second gallery. There is a good closeup of this remarkable modern lighthouse. There are a number of lighthouses of this type in the Philippines, and I refer to them below as "Apo Reef" towers. Apo Reef is an atoll placed dangerously in the center of Mindoro Strait, the shipping route between the South China Sea and the central and southern Philippines. The atoll is preserved as the Apo Reef Natural Park. The original lighthouse here, built early in the U.S. administration (1906), was a hexagonal skeletal tower with central cylinder. Note: there is also an Apo Island lighthouse in Negros (see below). Located on the atoll 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Sablayan. Site open; visitors can climb the stairs to the top of the skeletal section. ARLHS PHI-002; Admiralty F2574; NGA 14492.

Sulu Sea and Palawan Lighthouses
*
Cuyo Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (42 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 8 m (27 ft) concrete tower. There are some Internet references to this tower as being a lighthouse, but no photo is available. The Cuyo group is a collection of low islands at the northern edge of the Sulu Sea, northeast of Palawan. Located on the pier in Cuyo. Site presumably open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-081; Admiralty F2286; NGA 14508.
* Tubbataha Reefs (2)
1980 (station established 1938). Active; two white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 15 m (50 ft) octagonal concrete tower with gallery rising from the center of octagonal concrete keeper's house. It appears that the lantern has been removed and replaced by a light on a short mast. Leon Steber has a view from the sea, another distant view is available, and the lighthouse also appears on a postage stamp. The Tubbataha Reefs are two atolls in the center of the Sulu Sea. The uninhabited islands are one of the best known scuba diving locations in the Philippines. The lighthouse(s) are on South Tubbataha. It is not clear if the 1980 lighthouse is a reconstruction, replacement, or addition to the 1938 lighthouse. Site presumably open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-063; Admiralty F2340; NGA 14528.
* Culion Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); red flash every 5 s. 3.5 m (11 ft) post mounted atop the watchtower of a small Spanish fort. Culion is an island in the Calamian Archipelago, northeast of Palawan and southwest of Mindoro. Located on the north side of the entrance to Culion harbor, on the northeast side of Culion Island. Site open; visitors are free to climb to the watchtower. Admiralty F2174; NGA 14496.
Langoy Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 111 m (364 ft); white flash every 5 s. 11 m (35 ft) white tower. NGA mentions a "white dwelling." No photo available. Located on a small, high island off the northeastern end of Damarucan Island at the northeastern corner of Palawan province. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-036; Admiralty F2168; NGA 14516.
* [Brooke's Point (3?)]
Date unknown (station established about 1850). Inactive. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) square concrete tower, painted white, with a small gallery and an external spiral stairway encircling the tower. Similar to the light at Sablayan Point, Mindoro. Many web sites report that a lighthouse was built near here by Sir James Brooke, the legendary White Rajah of Sarawak, in Borneo, to mark his northernmost outpost in southern Palawan. As far as is known this historic lighthouse does not survive. The 1920 light list mentions a light mounted in 1910 on the "government blockhouse." Brooke's Point is an active seaport 192 km (120 mi) southwest of Puerto Princesa. Site open, tower closed.
* Brooke's Point (4?)
Date unknown (station established about 1850). Active(?). Approx. 18 m (60 ft) cylindrical metal tower, flared at the top and bottom. No lantern. A distant view is available. This light has solar panels and appears to be active, but it is not listed by NGA. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-069.
Espina Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower; NGA mentions a dwelling. No photo available. Located on Balabac Island about 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Cape Melville. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-024; Admiralty F2156; NGA 14536.
* Cape Melville
1892. Active; focal plane 90 m (296 ft); white flash every 5 s. 27.5 m (90 ft) octagonal stone tower, unpainted, with lantern and gallery. 1-story stone keeper's house and other light station buildings. A photo is available. This historic Spanish lighthouse is located at the southern tip of Balabac Island in southernmost Palawan, marking the southwestern extremity of the Philippines. More information is needed on access to this site. Site and tower reported open. ARLHS PHI-014; Admiralty F2152; NGA 14540.

Far Southeastern Luzon Lighthouses
* Lolong Point (Panay Island) (2?)
Date unknown. Reported out of service since 2006; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); white flash every 5 s. 30 m (99 ft) white concrete tower with two galleries. The building has an enclosed 2-story square base, an octagonal skeletal section topped by a gallery, and then a square cylindrical section topped by the octagonal second gallery. This is a structure of the "Apo Reef" class. Marc Capistrano's photo is at right. The Municipality of Panganiban calls this tower "the most modern and sophisticated Panay Lighthouse." However, Capistrano reported after a May 2008 visit that the light had lost its keeper in 2006 and had been out of service since. The lighthouse marks a right-angle turn in the direction of the east coast of the Philippines. Located on Panay Island, a small island off the northeastern corner of Catanduanes province. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-086; Admiralty F2794; NGA 14112.
Ungay Point
1911. Active; focal plane 94 m (307 ft); white flash every 7 s. 15 m (50 ft) concrete tower. No photo available. This lighthouse marks the outer approach to the seaport of Legazpi, the largest city of southeastern Luzon. Environmentalists are protesting mining operations in the area. Located at the eastern end of Rapu-Rapu Island. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-064; Admiralty F2808; NGA 14136.
San Bernardino Island
1896. Active; focal plane 41 m (136 ft); white flash every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) granite block tower with gallery, painted white. Original lantern and 3° Fresnel lens removed in the late 1990s. 1-story keeper's houses in ruins. No photo available. The Coast Guard has repaired the tower and installed a modern lighting system. Located on an island at the eastern entrance to San Bernardino Strait, the passage into the central Philippines between the islands of Luzon and Samar. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS PHI-052; Admiralty F2488; NGA 14148.
Bagatao Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (29 ft) tourelle steel tower with octagonal lantern and gallery, painted white. Keeper's houses demolished. No photo available. This small lighthouse is rusty but appears reasonably sound. Located at the eastern end of the island, in the entrance to the Bay of Sorsogon west of Magallanes. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown; the island is accessible by passenger ferry from Magallanes. ARLHS PHI-006; Admiralty F2536; NGA 14164.

Lolong Point Light
Lolong Point Light, May 2008
photo copyright Marc V. Capistrano
used by permission


Masbate Lighthouses
*
Colorado Point
1908. Active; focal plane 33 m (109 ft); two red flashes every 5 s. 5 m (16 ft) concrete tower with keeper's house. No photo available. A tourist site says the light station may date from Spanish times but the present lighthouse is American. Located on the east side of the entrance to the harbor of Araroy, on the north coast of Masbate. Site apparently open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-020; Admiralty F2508; NGA 14604.
* Bugui Point
1903. Active; focal plane 66 m (218 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) masonry tower. Keeper's house. No photo available, but the lighthouse appears on a postage stamp. A tourist site says the lighthouse was constructed by the Spanish, but it does not seem to have been in service by 1898; apparently the Americans completed it. Located at the northwestern point of Masbate, a landmark on the traditional Southern Passage to Manila from San Bernardino Strait. Site apparently open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-070; Admiralty F2510; NGA 14600.
* Jintotolo (Gintotolo) Island
1890s. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 15.5 m (51 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. 1-story keeper's house. No photo available, but the lighthouse appears on a postage stamp. Located on an island off the southwestern tip of Masbate in Jintotolo Strait, an important shipping route to and from the central Philippines. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-035; Admiralty F2292; NGA 14624.

Panay Lighthouses
Floripon Point
Date unknown (station established 1910). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 11 m (36 ft) metal tower. Located at the entrance to the Aklan River at New Washington on the central north coast of Panay. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-083; Admiralty F2302; NGA 14628.
Manigonigo Island
1894 (?). Active; focal plane 21 m (68 ft); white flash every 7 s. 9 m (29 ft) tower with dwelling. This is probably a "Tourelle" steel tower. Located on a small island about 6 km (4 mi) off the northeastern point of Panay. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-090; Admiralty F2308; NGA 14644.
North Gigante Island
1895. Active; focal plane 23 m (77 ft); white flash every 10 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) tower, painted white. Keeper's house painted white with a red roof. No photo available. Located on an island in the northwestern corner of the Visayan Sea about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of the northeastern point of Panay. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-094; Admiralty F2294; NGA 14648.
Tanguingui Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 39 m (128 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 34.5 m (113 ft) steel tower, painted black, with lantern painted white. Concrete keeper's house painted white with a red roof. No photo available. Located on an island in the middle of the Visayan Sea about 100 km (60 mi) east of the northeastern point of Panay. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-100; Admiralty F2296; NGA 14652.
Baliguian Island
1916 (?). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 7 s. 20 m (66 ft) white octagonal tower. This could be the 1916 tower, or it might be a modern "Apo Reef" tower. No photo available. Located on the island about 22 km (14 mi) east of Conception in northeastern Panay. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-007; Admiralty F2314; NGA 14668.
Calabazas Island (2)
Date unknown (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); green flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) white octagonal concrete tower with gallery. The 1-story keeper's house of the original light station survives, probably in poor condition. The Degree Confluence Project has a photo taken from the sea. Located on an island southeast of Ajuy in northeastern Panay. Accessible only by boat, but apparently there is ferry service available from Ajuy. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-072; Admiralty F2316; NGA 14688.
Siete Pecados
1904. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (32 ft) tower, painted white. A distant photo appears to show a keeper's house next to the lighthouse. "Siete Pecados" is Spanish for "Seven Sins." Located on the largest of 7 tiny islands off the northern tip of Guimaras Island, marking the entrance to Iloilo. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-058; Admiralty F2320; NGA 14692.
Lusaran Point (Guisi Point, Guimaras) (1)
1894. Inactive. 17.5 m (58 ft) cylindrical tower cast iron tower. Ruined 1-story stone keeper's house. Jazz Ramiro's photo appears at right, and another photo is available, plus a view from the sea. Gravely endangered: only the iron shell of the tower survives, and it looks about ready to collapse. Located on Guimaras island opposite Iloilo, probably but not certainly next to the current Lusaran Point Light (next entry). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-121.
Lusaran Point (Guisi Point, Guimaras) (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 34 m (111 ft); white flash every 15 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) hourglass-shaped metal tower, painted white. No lantern. A closeup photo is available, and the top of the tower is seen in Ramiro's photo at right. Located on the point on Guimaras Island opposite the port of Iloilo, Panay, marking the western entrance to Iloilo Strait and Harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-047; Admiralty F2328; NGA 14708.
Nogas Island (2)
1990s (station established 1917). Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with gallery mountedon a concrete skeletal base. This is a modern tower of the "Apo Reef" class. A good photo is available. The original light tower is known to have been replaced sometime in the 1990s. Located on an island about 5 km (3 mi) off Anini-y in southernmost Panay. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-093; Admiralty F2332; NGA 14720.
Maniguin Island
1906. Active; focal plane 58 m (191 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (99 ft) concrete tower, painted white. Keeper's house occupied by a resident keeper. No photo available. The lighthouse marks the Cuyo East Passage, a main shipping route south into the Sulu Sea. Located on a cliff on the west side of the island, 37 km (24 mi) northwest of Culasi, Panay. Island accessible by charter boats; it is a popular scuba diving destination. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-091; Admiralty F2288; NGA 14500.

Lusaran (Guisi) Point lighthouses
photo copyright Jazz Ramiro
used by permission

Negros Lighthouses
Refugio Island (Sipaway Island)
1913. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white flash every 7 s. 17 m (55 ft) "white steel tower" with "concrete dwelling." No photo available. Located on Refugio (Sipaway) Island, which protects the harbor of San Carlos City on the eastern coast of Negros. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-049; Admiralty F2354; NGA 14744.
** [Apo Island (1)]
Date unknown. Inactive since about 2005. 10.5 m (35 ft) concrete tower with gallery and external ladder, no lantern. 1-story keeper's house, abandoned. A photo taken from the tower appears to show the new lighthouse being completed. Located at the highest point of the island southeast of Zamboanguita in southernmost Negros. The island is a popular resort, and the lighthouse is accessible by hiking trails. Site open, tower can be climbed.
* Apo Island (2)
2005(?). Active; focal plane 130 m (428 ft); white flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) hourglass-shaped white fiberglass tower with gallery; access to the gallery is by an internal ladder. A photo taken from the old lighthouse is available. Located close to the older tower. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2344; NGA 14796.

Cebu and Bohol Lighthouses
Guintacan Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); white flash every 10 s. 20 m (66 ft) white octagonal tower, very likely of the "Apo Reef" class. Located on the island about 20 km (13 mi) northwest of Daanbantayan at the northern end of Cebu. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-027; Admiralty F2297; NGA 14665.
** Malapascua Island (2)
1994 (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) octagonal cylindrical steel tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The lighthouse is listed at 11m (37 ft) by NGA but it appears much taller in photos, such as this November 2007 closeup. Located on an island about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Bogo in northeastern Cebu. Site open, tower can be climbed if you locate a local guide who has a key. ARLHS PHI-089; Admiralty F2412; NGA 14812.
Capitancillo Island (2)
1950s (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 25 m (83 ft) slender cylindrical steel tower with lantern, painted white. Two photos are available (1/4 the way down the page); they show two towers: an aerial view of the older, more traditional lighthouse and a recent view of the current lighthouse. Another photo is also available. Located on a small island about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Bogo in northeastern Cebu. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-079; Admiralty F2406; NGA 14800.
* Bagacay Point (Punta Bagacay, Liloan) (2)
1874 (station established 1857). Inactive at least since 1908. Approx. 5 m (17 ft) round stone tower. A photo is available, and a second photo shows the former entrance. In a third photo the present lighthouse appears in the background. If it is indeed the original tower, this would be one of the oldest lighthouses in the Philippines. Site open, and the ruined tower is also open.
* Bagacay Point (Liloan) (3)
1908 (station established 1857). Active; focal plane 44 m (146 ft); white flash every 5 s. 22 m (72 ft) octagonal concrete and stone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted; lantern painted white. One of the earliest lighthouses to be built in the Philippines by the U.S. administration. Reported in poor condition, but in March 2004 a group called Coastal Highpoint Ventures Inc. signed an agreement with the Coast Guard to restore and renovate the light station. The lighthouse looks to be in rather good condition in the photo at right and in an October 2007 photo. Located on the point near Liloan, about 18 km (11 mi) northeast of Cebu City, marking the entrance to the Mactan Channel, which leads to the city. Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-066; Admiralty F2402; NGA 14824.
Liloan Lighthouse
Bagacay Point (Liloan) Light, 2007
Creative Commons photo by Loren S. Gibb
* Cebu Capitol
Date unknown (1937?). Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); flash every 5 s, white over the clear channel from the south, red elsewhere. Light mounted atop the dome of the Cebu Provincial Capitol. The building was built in 1937. Located at the northern end of Osmeña Boulevard about 3 km (2 mi) north of the waterfront in downtown Cebu City. Google has a satellite view. Site and building open. ARLHS PHI-102; Admiralty F2392; NGA 14840.
* Balicasag Island (1)
1909. Inactive. 5-story square "stepped" tower, each story smaller than the lower one. No lantern. Jazz Ramiro's photo is at right, and Jeroen Hellingman has also posted a photo. This building is called an "old fort" on the 1920 light list. The island is a very well-known scuba diving resort, located off the southwest tip of the much larger Panglao Island off the southwest coast of Bohol. Located near the center of the island. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-120.
* Balicasag Island (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white flash every 7 s. 30 m (98 ft) octagonal cylindrical "Apo Reef" tower on an octagonal platform. Lighthouse painted white. Jazz Ramiro's photo is at right, and another fine photo is available. The light marks the southern entrance to the Bohol Strait, which separates Cebu and Bohol. Located close to the older tower. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-067; Admiralty F2374; NGA 14884.
* [Toledo]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unlisted, red flash every 5 s. Approx. 12 m (36 ft) hexagonal (possibly octagonal) concrete post with a small lantern reached by an external spiral stairway. Located in Toledo City, a town on the west coast of Cebu about 70 km (45 mi) west of Cebu City. Site open, tower status unknown; it may be possible to climb the external stairway. ARLHS PHI-122; Admiralty F2363; NGA 14760.

Balicasag Island Lights
photo copyright Jazz Ramiro; used by permission

Leyte Lighthouses
Canigao Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (78 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) white octagonal tower. A distant photo is available. Located on an island in the Canigao Strait, which separates Leyte from Bohol, off Matalom in southwestern Leyte. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-074; Admiralty F2434; NGA 14952.
Abuyog
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (77 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) white octagonal tower, probably of the "Apo Reef" class. Located in or near Abuyog, a town on the east coast of Leyte about 100 km (60 mi) south of Tacloban. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-065; Admiralty F2454.7; NGA 14932.
Canuay Islet
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) white octagonal tower, probably of the "Apo Reef" class. Located on an island marking the southern entrance to the narrow strait separating Leyte from Samar, about 25 km (15 mi) northwest of Tacloban. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-075; Admiralty F2420; NGA 14908.

Samar Lighthouses
* Capul Island
1896. Active; focal plane 43 m (142 ft); white flash every 7 s. 12 m (39 ft) round granite block tower with gallery, painted white with red trim. The keeper's houses are in ruins. Japanese gun emplacements nearby. Manuel Noche found the light station to be in "deplorable" condition around 2000, but obviously it has been restored recently. A distant view is available, Stockinger has a historic photo, and the lighthouse appears on a postage stamp. Located at the northern tip of the island facing the western entrance to the San Berbardino Strait and also marking the northern entrance to the Samar Sea. The island, site of a 16th century Spanish mission, is accessible by passenger ferry from Allen in northwestern Samar. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-045; Admiralty F2492; NGA 14152.
* Batag Island (1)
1907. Inactive. 31 m (101 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery, unpainted. The accompanying keeper's houses are in ruins. No photo available. Built early in the U.S. occupation, this historic tower marks the northeastern corner of Samar and the southern entrance to San Bernardino Strait. Located at the northeast corner of the island about 20 km (12.5 mi) northeast of Laoang. Accessible only by boat, but ferry service to the island from Laoang is available. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-010.
* Batag Island (2)
Date unknown (station established 1907). Active; focal plane 95 m (313 ft); white flash every 10 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical tower. Entire lighthouse is white. No photo available. Located near the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2448; NGA 15004.
Divinubo Island
1906. Active; focal plane 41 m (136 ft); white flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) tower, described by NGA as "white framework tower on house." Several tourist sites mention it as a "beautiful lighthouse," but no photos are available. Apparently located on a small island southeast of Borongan, in southeastern Samar, marking the entrance to the harbor of that town. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-082; Admiralty F2450; NGA 15012.
** Suluan Island
1909. Active; focal plane 138 m (452 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical metal tower, painted white. A photo is available. This lighthouse marks the northern entrance to Leyte Gulf, off the southeastern corner of Samar. American forces raided a Japanese garrison here on October 17, 1944, a skirmish several days prior to General McArthur's famous landing. Located at the highest point of the island about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Guiuan. Accessible only by boat; transportation from Guiuan is available. Site open, tower apparently open for climbing. ARLHS PHI-060; Admiralty F2454; NGA 15020.

Mindanao Lighthouses
[Loreto]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) square concrete post mounted on a round concrete pier; a stairway spirals around the post. Located in the harbor of Loreto, near the northern tip of Dinagat Island, an island off the northeastern tip of Mindanao. Accessible only by boat. Site open; there's no impediment to climbing the stairs. Admiralty F2253.5; NGA 14935.5.
#Macabalan Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (58 ft); green flash every 5 s. A 16 m (53 ft) "white steel tower" is listed by NGA. Jazz Ramiro visited this station in 2007 and found that the steel tower had been removed, apparently around 2001. Part of the steel framework of the tower was being used to construct a house on the site. Located on the point marking the entrance to the harbor of Cagayan de Oro. Site open. ARLHS PHI-088; Admiralty F2266; NGA 15092.
** Misamis Point (Ozamis)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (55 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) concrete tower mounted on the eastern bastion of the historic Spanish Fort Santiago (1756), known locally as the Cotta of Misamis. The tower can be climbed by an external stairway. A photo is at right. Located on a headland at the eastern entrance to the harbor of Ozamis. Site and tower open. ARLHS PHI-092; Admiralty F2274; NGA 15080.
Polo Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (60 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 16 m (53 ft) "white steel tower." No photo available. Located on the point about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Plaridel, marking the western entrance to Iligan Bay. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-096; Admiralty F2280; NGA 15064.
** [Tag-ulo Point]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 33 m (109 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) concrete post with gallery and external stair. A photo is available. The City of Dapitan, in northwestern Mindanao, lists this light as a possible tourist attraction. Located on the point about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of downtown Dapitan, overlooking the Sulu Sea to the northwest and the Mindanao Sea to the northeast. Site apparently open, tower can probably be climbed for the view. ARLHS PHI-098; Admiralty F2282; NGA 15052.
Sibago Island
1915. Active; focal plane 215 m (705 ft); white flash every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) "galvanized metal tower." No photo available. The 1920 light list refers to this as a "steel frame" tower. Located on a high island sheltering the harbor of Zamboanga, at the southwestern tip of Mindanao. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-057; Admiralty F2214; NGA 15216.
[Malamaui (Malamawi) Island]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light with an external stairway winding around the tower. Malamaui is a small island off the northern tip of Basilan, about 25 km (15 mi) southwest of Zamboanga. The lighthouse marks the entrance to a narrow passage leading to Islabela, the principal town of Basilan. Located on the northeastern tip of Malamaui. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower probably can be climbed. Admiralty F2216; NGA 15220.
Pearl Bank
1917. Active; focal plane 19.5 m (62 ft); white flash every 5 s. 17 m (57 ft) "red round steel tower." No photo available. Located on a low island on the bank, a well-known navigational hazard about 170 km (110 mi) southwest of Jolo in the Sulu Archipelago. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-040; Admiralty F2194; NGA 15244.
Misamis
Misamis Point Light, April 2007
photo copyright Jazz Ramiro; used by permission

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Posted July 24, 2005. Checked and revised January 2, 2008. Lighthouses: 73. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.