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 Luzon Region. A large island including the capital city Manila, Luzon dominates the northern half of the Philippines. Also included in the Luzon Region are the Batanes and Babuyan islands to the north, and the main and outlying islands of Catanduanes, Marinduque, Romblon, and Mindoro in the south. The remaining two regions of the Philippines, the Visayas and Mindanao, are covered by the Southern Philippines page.

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 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. 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
This is my own list of the Spanish light stations, with notes on their current status.

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.
*** 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.
* 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.
* 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. 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
Creative Commons photo
by Gamalielh Ariel Benavides

 
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. Free-lance author Jacqueline Ong visited in the summer of 2008 and found the lighthouse seriously deteriorated. 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 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.
* Linao Point (Aparri) (2?)
Date unknown (station established 1896). 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 is available, and a Google satellite view probably shows the lighthouse. The original tower, a typical French tourelle, was prefabricated in Paris by Sautter Lemonier & Cie. Manuel Noche visited the site around 2002 and found only rubble in the surf, but we don't know if this was the French lighthouse or a later replacement. Located on the east side of the entrance to the Cagayan River in Aparri on the north coast of Luzon. Site open, tower closed. 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 (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, 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 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. 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.
* 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 watchtower, 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). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) white concrete tower with gallery. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view of the station. In the satellite image the newer lighthouse appears a few feet to the left (west) of the original. Site apparently open, tower closed. Admiralty F2720; NGA 13996.
Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
Cape Bojeador Light, October 2005
anonymous Creative Commons photo
* [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.

Lingayan Gulf Lighthouses
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 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. Google has a satellite view of the station. 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 (military installation). ARLHS PHI-053; Admiralty F2698; NGA 14408.
* 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.
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, and a view from the sea is available. 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.
* 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. 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 2009 photo, a 2008 photo, and a closeup of the tower are available, and Google has a satellite view. 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 Light
Cape Bolinao Light, August 2009
Creative Commons photo by Reymond Galvez

Subic Bay Area 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. 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.
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) (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, and Christian Lucas Sangoyo has a 2008 photo. This light seems to be quite new. 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. A Google satellite view appears to show the older tower. 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. 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.

Manila Area 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.
* [Sisaman (Mariveles)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 3 s. 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. Built on the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula, this light marks the east side of the entrance to the bay of Mariveles. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-119; Admiralty F2631; NGA 14270.
* 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.
* 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.
Corregidor Lighthouse
Corregidor Light, March 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo
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.

Batangas Province Lighthouses
* 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, 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, 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. Jazz Ramiro's photo is at right, another 2007 photo is available, and 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. 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.
Malabrigo
Malabrigo Point Light, April 2007
photo copyright Jazz Ramiro; used by permission

Mindoro Lighthouses
Cabra Island (1)
1889. Inactive. 20.5 m (67 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. This deactivated lighthouse still has its original lantern and 1° Fresnel lens. A 2008 closeup photo is available, there's also a 2000 photo, Stockinger has a historic photo, and the lighthouse appears on a postage stamp. Manuel Noche found the lighthouse reasonably intact but badly in need of restoration; clearly its condition has continued to deteriorate. Cabra Island is located off the northwestern tip of Lubang Island, an inhabited island at the northwestern corner of Mindoro. The lighthouse was built to mark the western entrance from the South China Sea to the Southern Passage through the center of the Philippine archipelago. In addition, the station 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. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS PHI-071.
Cabra Island (2)
Date unknown (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 66 m (216 ft); white light, occulting every 5 s.Approx. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical tower, painted white. A 2008 photo is available. Located about 100 m (110 yd) from the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. 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.

Cabra Island Light
Cabra Island Light, January 2008
photo copyright drunkwithyakult; permission requested

* [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 photo shows the top of the older light, and a closeup is available. 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. A photo is available, P.R.L. Stevens has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. 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. Keeper's house with red roof. 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.
Pinamalayan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical tower with a flared top. Entire lighthouse is white. A closeup photo is available. Located on the waterfront in the harbor district of Pinamalayan, a town about 16 km (10 mi) southwest of Dumali Point. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F2552; NGA 14476.
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.
Ambulong Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 136 m (446 ft); white flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available. This lighthouse marks the southern entrance to the Mondoro Strait. Located on the highest point of Ambulong, an inhabited island off the southern tip of Mindoro. Site status unknown. Admiralty F2576; NGA 14480.
[Sablayan Point]
Date unknown. Inactive. 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. A 2008 photo indicates that the active light (focal plane 48 m (157 ft); three white flashes every 10 s) has been moved to an hourglass-shaped white fiberglass tower. Located on a headland at Sablayan on the west 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. A photo is available, and there is a good closeup of this remarkable modern lighthouse. There are a number of lighthouses of this type in the Philippines, including the Lolong Point Light pictured below. 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. Accessible only by boat. Site open; visitors can climb the stairs to the top of the skeletal section. ARLHS PHI-002; Admiralty F2574; NGA 14492.

Far Southeastern Luzon Lighthouses
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.
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 3rd order 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.
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.
* 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.

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

Information available on lost lighthouses:

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Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted July 24, 2005. Checked and revised December 7, 2009. Lighthouses: 37. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.