ORIGIN/ HISTORY OF THE LIGHTHOUSES

Lighthouses were believed to be introduced first

by nature in the form of stars and glowing
volcanoes.

Image: Cape Santiago at night by JV Noriega

(2014)

The need for actual lighthouses as warning

signals arose when wooden trading ships sailed
long distances to buy and sell goods during the
ancient times of the world. These wooden ships
can be easily pushed against rocks due to waves
and wind, wrecking them as a result.

Image: An artists view of the San Agustin

wreck in 1521

As early as 280 BC, the first recorded lighthouse

in history was built. It was the Pharos of
Alexandria in Egypt, also hailed as one of the
seven wonders of the ancient world.

Image: An illustration of the Pharos of

Alexandria before being destroyed by an
earthquake.
 Trade and commerce
played an important
role to the success of
civilization. Countries
cant produce by
themselves everything
they need to survive.
Thus, trade keeps the
populations of the
world running. For
this to be possible,
every countries
should ensure that the
vessels carrying the
goods will arrive
safely in their
coastlines.

Aside from goods, there was also a sharing of culture that emerged in trade. Inventions, religions, arts,
languages, and social customs were conveyed by people moving from one place to another to conduct
business.

The Galleon Trade was the productive economic activity in the Philippines from 1575 to 1815.
However, the Spanish government later realized that galleon trade and Mexican subsidy would not be
enough sustain the colony. The failure of tobacco monopoly and Mexicos independence lead to the
liberation of foreign trade. Laissez-faire as the economic doctrine of Europe and United States free
market was accepted by the Spanish colonial government to give way to the foreign traders.
 The Spaniards aided for the
construction of lighthouses all over
the archipelago for the goods to be
traded safely and successfully. The
Inteligencia del Cuerpo de
Ingenieros del Caminos, Canales y
Puertos (Corps of Engineers for
Roads, Canals and Ports)
constructed 55 lighthouses by the
end of Spanish rule in the
Philippines. It increased to 193
during the American period.
Out of the 55 lighthouses, there were
24 ones recorded by Ar. Manuel
Maximo Noche in his book Lonely
Sentinels of the Sea: The Spanish
Lighthouses of the Philippines
throughout Luzon and Visayas. The
book displayed 16 lighthouses in
Luzon and 8 in Visayas. According
to him, The ports on the southern
island of Mindanao like Dapitan,
Zamboanga, Davao and Jolo were
only beginning to gain significance
during the latter part of 19th
century. Therefore, lighting of the
routes leading to these ports were
not prioritized.

Basing the regional development

during the Spanish period,
Philippines as a colony served as
the primary source of raw
materials. Among the regions of
Philippines, Southern Tagalog is
the largest in terms of land area at
46,844 square kilometers. The
vastness of the agricultural lands
made this region the supplier of
primary exported products, sugar
and coconut. Even after conceding
to USA at the Treaty of Paris,
Southern Tagalog remained as the
region producing these products,
together with other regions
producing rice, hemp, and tobacco.
Southern Tagalog is also known as the Region IV today. It was divided into two: CALABARZON (IV-
A) and MIMAROPA (IV-B). The administrative region was partitioned on May 17, 2002 by the virtue of
Executive Order No. 103. Region IV-A (which is composed of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and
Quezon) was formally known as the Southern Tagalog Mainland.
According to the paper presented by Maria Eloisa G. Parco de Castro during the International Conference
on Philippine Studies in 2008, the close links of the mainland regions coastal areas, especially Cavite,
Laguna and Batangas for commerce and defense, as well as the cultivation of the certain products in its
upland and lowland regions shaped the (1) Spanish colonizers and indigenous community relationship;
(2) property (specifically land) ownership and; (3) access to foreign trade. The mainland became an
important center of trade and first shipyards were also established here. Together with Manila, they served
as main ports of the country. Thus, the need for lighthouses to guide the ports and ships were established.
 AMENITIES
CORREGIDOR ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
 AMENITIES
CAPE SANTIAGO LIGHTHOUSE
 AMENITIES
MALABRIGO POINT LIGHTHOUSE