|
Friday, March 19, 2004
100-yr-old lighthouse to get major makeover
NEGLECTED and taken for granted for the past 100 years, the light station in Bagacay Point in Barangay Catarman, Liloan, Cebu will undergo a major transformation. This is part of the 10-year development program the barangay is undertaking wherein this area has been designated a tourism zone.
The move is also timely because the Philippine Coast Guard has launched “Adopt a Lighthouse” program. A private group, the Coastal Highpoint Ventures Inc., is supporting the municipality in this project.
“The light station is one of the country’s historical landmarks and we feel that it deserves attention. We are very happy that a private institution is helping us with this program. This will boost tourism in Cebu,” Catarman Barangay Captain Jimmy Maglasang said.
“When you look at the lighthouse, it’s just a piece of old concrete. But it has contributed so much to the maritime industry as well as the fisherman,” he added.
The lighthouse is at the tip of Liloan, lighting the Mactan Channel.
Plans for the project
In a separate interview, Coastal Ventures Highpoint president Antonio Chiu revealed the company’s plans for the beautification of the light station.
They will start with the cleanup of the surroundings, restore some of the remaining structures and install three powerful spotlights to “light up” the parola. Then, it will be converted into park.
“In the United States and in Europe, their light station is one of the primary tourist destinations. But we are not going to interfere with history. We can only try to restore and preserve it,” Chiu said.
Tomorrow, the weeklong centennial celebration of the parola will kick off. One of the highlights in the activity is the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Barangay of Catarman and Coastal Ventures.
Vice Admiral Arthur Gosingan, PCG commandant, will be in Cebu for the signing.
Very little history
The Liloan parola was built in 1904 by virtue of an executive order made by the American Civil Governor William Howard Taft on July 28, 1903. The parola was then constructed the following year.
No other historical documents have been written since.
“We are appealing to anyone who knows anything about the lighthouse to come out with any information. We are also trying the document its history,” Maglasang said. EAP
(March 19, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
