Lighthouses of the Northern Philippines

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).

This page lists lighthouses of the western coast of Luzon, the largest island of the country. Site of the capital city Manila, Luzon dominates the northern half of the Philippines. Also included are lighthouses of the Batanes islands to the north of Luzon.

The Philippines is divided into 79 provinces, and the lighthouses are listed by province.

The lighthouse preservation movement is gaining some momentum in the Philippines. Until recently, all of the historic light stations were 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 more extensive restorations will be carried out within the next few years.

Philippine lighthouses are often called parolas, an apparent adaptation of the Spanish word farola. 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
General Sources
Philippine Lighthouses
8 historic photos posted by Johann Stockinger.
Spanish Lighthouses of the Philippines
Posted by the Philipings Coast Guard, this page has brief notes and undated photos.
Spanish Lighthouses of the Philippines
This is my own list of the Spanish light stations, with notes on their current status.
Batangas Lighthouses
* 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. Jazz Ramiro's photo is at right, another 2007 photo is available, Cesar Cambay has a 2009 photo, and Stockinger has a historic photo, but Google's distant satellite view has no detail in the area. 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. In 2006, a crew filming a movie without authorization did some damage to the light station. 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.
Matoca Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; white flash every 8 s. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) hexagonal cylindrical white concrete tower with gallery. A view from the sea is available, the tower is at the left in a second view, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a steep promontory at the eastern entrance to Batangas Bay. Site status unknown; there's a good view from ferries between Batangas and Mindoro. Admiralty F2604.8; NGA 14226.
Malabrigo
Malabrigo Point Light, April 2007
photo copyright Jazz Ramiro; used by permission
* Batangas Customs House
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. Lantern centered on the roof of the 3-story Bureau of Customs building. Ground-level photos of the building do not show the lantern, but it is seen in a Google satellite view. Located on the waterfront of Batangas City. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2604.9; NGA 14229.
* 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. Jazz Ramiro has a photo, a good January 2006 photo is available, Jena Gonato has a March 2007 photo showing the need for some fresh paint on the tower, Rex Dimaala's 2008 photo shows little improvement, Stockinger has a historic photo, Lighthouse Digest has a feature article on the lighthouse by Clarita Amora Gultiano, and Google has a satellite view. 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.
Fortune Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 126.5 m (415 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) white concrete tower with gallery. No closeup photo available, but the light is visible in Rudy Fuentes's photo of the island (click on the photo for enlargement). The island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Fortune Island is a small island 14 km (9 mi) west of Nasugbu in northern Batangas. A notorious hazard for ships northbound to Manila, the island has been the site of countless shipwrecks. Located at the highest point of the island. Site status unknown; the island is a privately owned resort. Admiralty F2624; NGA 14260.

Cavite Lighthouses
**** Corregidor (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, Laz'andre Cawagas has a good closeup, and Google has a very distant satellite view. 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 showing the damage. This historic light station was recently restored with funds from the Spanish government, and 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.
San Nicholas Shoal (4?)
Date unknown (station established 1880). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 5 s. No information on the present tower is available. This is a historic light station. The original prefabricated iron tower was overthrown by a typhoon in August 1881. The Spanish built a second tower on the shoal late in their administration; U.S. authorities put it in service in 1905 and replaced it with (probably) a sturdier tower in 1914. Located on a shoal on the south side of Manila Bay about halfway between Corregidor and Cavite. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-055; Admiralty F2643; NGA 14284.
Corregidor Light
Corregidor Light, December 2009
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Metro Manila Lighthouses
* 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, another good photo is available, the building appears at the lower left in a historic aerial photo, and Google has a great satellite view. 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. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-117; Admiralty F2653; NGA 14320.
* 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. Stephen Wong's photo is at right, and the Coast Guard has a fuzzy photo, but the lighthouse is hard to find in Google's satellite view. 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, and Wikipedia has two historic photos. 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. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-095; Admiralty F2669; NGA 14324.

Bataan Lighthouse
* #[Sisaman (Mariveles)]
Date unknown. Destroyed in 2009, this was an 11 m (36 ft) concrete post light with an external stairway spiralling around the tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Timothy Adams has a photo, a 2008 closeup is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Keith Kennedy visited this site in 2011 and found only ruins of the light; it was destroyed in September 2009 by Typhoon Ketsana (known as Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines). Built on the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula, this light marked the east side of the entrance to the bay of Mariveles. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-119; Admiralty F2631; NGA 14270.

Pasig River Light, 2010
photo copyright Stephen Wong; used by permission

Zambales Lighthouses
** Subic Bay Lighthouse Marina
2006. Active (privately maintained and apparently unofficial); 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. Grisel Garcia has a photo, John Willy Uy has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. 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. Site open, first and second floors of the tower open. Owner/site manager: Lighthouse Marina Resort.
Kalaklan Point (Subic) (2)
2007 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); green flash every 6 s. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) concrete post light, mounted on a 1-story equipment shelter and carrying a large lantern structure. Entire lighthouse is white. A 2009 photo is available, Christian Lucas Sangoyo has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Edgar Millan has a photo (about 2/3 the way down the page) of the original lighthouse, a 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower with lantern and several buttresses at the base, painted white. 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.
Grande Island (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 25 m (82 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery. NGA lists a concrete tower at this location, but a view of the island shows the top of a skeletal tower. Google has a satellite view. Grande Island, about 1.5 km (1 mi) long, is located in the center of Subic Bay. The light is at the northwestern tip of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F2675.8; NGA 14366.
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.
Sueste Point Lighthouses
Old and New Sueste Point Lights, July 2007
photo copyright Jun Avecilla; used by permission
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 1st order 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. Jazz Ramiro's photo appears at the top of this page, Bing Ramos has a March 2008 photo, Stockinger has a historic photo, and Google has a good satellite view. The lighthouse traditionally marks the beginning of the northern approach to Subic and Manila Bays. 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 Ramiro's photo 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.
Hermana Mayor Island (2)
Date unknown (station established 1914). Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round white concrete tower with gallery. Keeper's house in unknown condition. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This is a landfall light for the city of Santa Cruz, in northern Zambales. The original light was on a wood skeletal tower of the same height. Located on the highest point of the island, in Dasol Bay about 13 km (8 mi) due west of Santa Cruz. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-028; Admiralty F2684; NGA 14388.

Pangasinan (Southern Lingayen Gulf) Lighthouses
* Agno (Sabangan Point, Rena Point)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; green flash every 5 s. Light lists provide no description of this light, but Google's satellite view suggests a concrete tower with gallery. No photo available. Curious "umbrella rocks" on the beach below the lighthouse are a tourist attraction. Located on a promontory on the north side of the Mabini River entrance northwest of Agno. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2686.6; NGA 14391.
*** Cape Bolinao (Piedra 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. A photo by Reymond Galvez is at right, a 2009 photo, a 2008 photo, and a closeup of the tower are available, and Google has a satellite view. Probably the best known U.S.-built lighthouse in the Philippines. The Bolinao Bank has posted some of the history of the light station. In 2005, the Municipality of Bolinao signed an agreement to maintain and restore the lighthouse. The lantern was removed during the restoration; a photo is available showing the tower with no lantern. A photo showing the previous appearance of the lighthouse is also available. Located on heights about 25 km (15 mi) southwest of the point of the cape. Accessible by road. Site open, tower open for climbing but the schedule is unknown. ARLHS PHI-015; Admiralty F2688; NGA 14392.
* [Bolinao Harbor (Port Bolinao, Guiguiwanen) (2?)]
Date unknown (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white flash every 5 s. 13.5 m (44 ft) slender square concrete tower, with an external concrete stairway winding around the tower. The tower is floodlit at night. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Port Bolinao is a sound sheltered by Santiago Island at the northern tip of the Cape Bolinao peninsula. Located on a promontory at Guiguiwanen Beach, on the south side of the sound. Site probably open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-068; Admiralty F2690; NGA 14396.
* Silaqui Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 17 m (56 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round hourglass-shaped white fiberglass tower. Angel Maramot has posted a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small (but inhabited) island off the northern tip of the Cape Bolinao peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2689; NGA 14397.
* [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, a 2010 photo and a view from the sea are available, and Google has a satellite view. Small lights of this distinctive design are common in the Philippines. 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.
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.
Cape Bolinao Light
Cape Bolinao Light, August 2009
Creative Commons photo by Reymond Galvez

La Union (Eastern Lingayen Gulf) Lighthouses
* Santa Rita
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; red flash every 5 s. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical concrete church steeple; the light is shown from a bracket mounted in the belfry. A photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located in the village of Santa Rita, on the east side of Lingayen Gulf about 40 km (25 mi) north of Dagupan. Site open, tower status unknown. Admiralty F2697; NGA 14406.
San Fernando Point (Poro Point) (1)
1885. Inactive. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical steel tourelle, prefabricated 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 2012, after years of negotiation, the Poro Point Management Corporation signed an agreement 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. Google has a satellite view of the station. In 2012, after years of negotiation, the Poro Point Management Corporation signed an agreement to restore the lighthouse. Located on a headland at the end of a club-shaped peninsula about 5 km (3 mi) west of San Fernando, at the eastern entrance to Lingayan Gulf. Site and tower closed. ARLHS PHI-053; Admiralty F2698; NGA 14408.

Ilocos Sur Lighthouse
* [Candon]
1950s. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 5 s. Approx. 11 m (36 ft) concrete post light with a buttressed base. The city has posted a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of Darapidap Beach in Candon, in Ilocos Sur province. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2712; NGA 14432.

Ilocos Norte (Northwestern Luzon) Lighthouses
* Arboledan Point (Currimao, Gaang Bay) (1)
1906. Inactive. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) stone tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view of the station. This lighthouse is believed to be an old Spanish outpost, built to warn of attacks by Moro pirates and then used under U.S. administration as a lighthouse. A 1920 light list describes the light as an "old fort". Several Currimao tourist sites list the lighthouse as an attraction. Located at the entrance to Gaang Bay and Currimao, about 32 km (20 mi) south of Laoag City. Site apparently open, tower status unknown. ARLHS PHI-004.
* [Arboledan Point (Currimao, Gaang Bay) (2)]
Date unknown (station established 1906). Approx. 7 m (23 ft) slender square concrete tower, with an external concrete stairway winding around the tower. A 2010 photo is available.
* Arboledan Point (Currimao, Gaang Bay) (3)
Date unknown (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower, painted white. A 2010 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view of the station. In the satellite image the newer lighthouse appears a few feet to the left (west) of its predecessor. Site apparently open, tower closed. Admiralty F2720; NGA 13996.
**** Cape Bojeador (Burgos)
1892. Active; focal plane 118 m (386 ft); three white flashes every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) octagonal cylindrical brick tower, painted white, attached to 1-story brick keeper's house. Portions of the original 1st order Fresnel lens, badly damaged by an earthquake in 1990, remain in the lantern; a small modern lens is mounted inside what's left of the original lens. 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, John Ryan Cordova has a closeup of the tower, and Google has a satellite view. 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 reported to be supported by the government of Ilocos Norte province. However, a December 2009 photo by Aja Lorenzo Lapus does not show much improvement in conditions, and a January 2010 photo is nearly identical to the 2005 photo at right. Located at the northwestern corner of the island and the country 45 km (28 mi) north of Laoag. Accessible by road. Site and tower open. ARLHS PHI-012; Admiralty F2722; NGA 14000.
Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
Cape Bojeador Light, October 2005
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Cagayan (Northeastern Luzon) Lighthouses
Pata Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); white flash every 5 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) lantern mounted atop a 1-story keeper's cottage or equipment building. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This appears to be a historic small lighthouse; more information is needed on its history. It is perched atop a giant monolith that is the only conspicuous landmark on a low, sandy coastline. Located above the beach about 10 km (6 mi) east of Claveria. Site status unknown. Admiralty F2724; NGA 14004.
* [Linao Point]
Date unknown (station established 1896). Probably inactive, although still listed; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) "white metal tower and dwelling," according to NGA. This sounds like a description of the original lighthouse, a typical French tourelle, prefabricated in Paris by Sautter Lemonier & Cie. Manuel Noche visited this site around 2002 and found only rubble in the surf, but we don't know if these remains were of the French lighthouse or of a later replacement. Located on the west side of the entrance to the Cagayan River opposite Aparri on the north coast of Luzon. Site status unknown. ARLHS PHI-085; Admiralty F2728; NGA 14008.
* Aparri
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower, painted white. A November 2008 photo and a January 2009 photo are available, and a Google satellite view probably shows the lighthouse. Clearly this light replaces the historic Linao Point Light (previous entry). Located on the east side of the entrance to the Cagayan River in Aparri. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2728.5; NGA 14009.
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. Gravely endangered. The keeper's houses and other light station buildings have fallen into ruin and chunks of the tower have fallen. Arnold Manzanal's photo at right, a photo of the tower and another photo show the poor condition of the building. Stockinger has a historic photo, but Google has only a very distant satellite view of this location. Free-lance author Jacqueline Ong visited in the summer of 2008 and found the lighthouse seriously deteriorated. In March 2010, the National Museum declared the station to be an "important cultural property," which qualifies it for federal restoration funding. The lighthouse stands at the extreme northeastern corner of the Philippines and is a traditional landfall for ships arriving from the Pacific; it marks the eastern entrance to the Babuyan Channel, which provides the shortest route around the north end of Luzon. Located at the northern end of Palaui Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-013; Admiralty F2732; NGA 14020.
Cape Engaño Light
Cape Engaño Light, April 2007
Panoramio Creative Commons photo
by Arnold Manzanal

Aurora (East Coast) Lighthouses
* [Baler]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); red flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) slender square concrete tower, with an external concrete stairway winding around the tower. Gerard Casteneda has a 2010 photo, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the area. Located on the beach at the west side of the harbor entrance at Baler, a beach resort and the capital of Aurora province. Site open, and there's no obstacle to climbing the stairway of the tower. Admiralty F2742; NGA 14024.

Batanes Lighthouses
Note: The Batanes, or Batan Islands, are located in the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and Luzon. Lying about 160 km (100 mi) north of the Luzon mainland, they are readily accessible by air from Manila. 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.
* 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 and an August 2008 photo by Christie Manguiat. Evidently the funds to complete the cottage ran out. Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the location. Located on a rocky promontory on the southeast side of Sabtang Island, which is a short distance south of Batan Island. Site open, tower appears closed. Admiralty F2819.5; NGA 13991.5.
* 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, Oggie Ramos has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. 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. This light is not listed by NGA.
*** 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 photo is at right, another good photo is available, Bing Ramos's photo has a view of the location, and Google has a satellite view. 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.
Basco Lighthouse
Basco Light, December 2006
Creative Commons photo
by Gamalielh Ariel Benavides

Information available on lost lighthouses:

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Notable faux lighthouses:

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Adjoining pages: North: Taiwan | Southeast: Eastern Philippines | Southwest: Southwestern Philippines

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Posted July 24, 2005. Checked and revised September 28, 2011. Lighthouses: 32. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.