By Danny Estacio
PAGSANJAN, Laguna – Local officials, headed by Mayor Girlie Ejercito, welcomed the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) conferment, declaring the town’s main gateway, known as Puerto Real, as a national landmark.
NHCP (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
The declaration was made by NHCP Deputy Executive Director Veronica Dado, with Department of Tourism (DOT) 4-A (Calabarzon) Acting Director Marissa Castro, during the unveiling rites of the marker that coincided with the town’s 350th founding anniversary celebration.
In her speech, Ejercito said that, based on history, Puerto Real was built in 1878 until 1880 by the people of the town under the leadership of friars Cipriano Bac and Miguel dela Fuente.
It was to express their gratitude to a beautiful luminous lady holding aloft a shining sword that appeared to stop a group of bandits led by a certain Tankad from looting and plundering the town on December 8, 1877.
That lady turned out to be the Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the town, and the gate was built right at the line drawn by her sword, and this has now became a part of local folklore.
Ejercito expressed her gratitude to NHCP for declaring the gate a national landmark as it also depicts the history and culture of the town.
NHCP (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
The declaration was made by NHCP Deputy Executive Director Veronica Dado, with Department of Tourism (DOT) 4-A (Calabarzon) Acting Director Marissa Castro, during the unveiling rites of the marker that coincided with the town’s 350th founding anniversary celebration.
In her speech, Ejercito said that, based on history, Puerto Real was built in 1878 until 1880 by the people of the town under the leadership of friars Cipriano Bac and Miguel dela Fuente.
It was to express their gratitude to a beautiful luminous lady holding aloft a shining sword that appeared to stop a group of bandits led by a certain Tankad from looting and plundering the town on December 8, 1877.
That lady turned out to be the Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the town, and the gate was built right at the line drawn by her sword, and this has now became a part of local folklore.
Ejercito expressed her gratitude to NHCP for declaring the gate a national landmark as it also depicts the history and culture of the town.