June 12, 1898, is probably one of the most memorable and important days in the Philippine history. It was the proclamation of our independence, the day we won our freedom from more than 300 years of Spanish colonization. It was the day the Philippine flag was unfurled for the first time while the national anthem played in the background by the band of San Francisco de Malabon. Imagining this scene alone gave me goosebumps on my recent trip in Cavite El Viejo presently known as Kawit, Cavite.
Through the help of our friend John Ray Lomugdang of Travelbook.ph, I and some travel bloggers were invited by Ms. Kara Garilao, program director of Fundacion Santiago for a heritage tour in Kawit. Fundacion Santiago is a private, development services delivery organization founded in 1993. Kara explained that their organization aims to make historical awareness to the community so that people can see the value of their historical sites, which in turn may encourage them to help sustain and protect them. After training some people, they could now work as tour guides, which could be another source of income.
I didn’t think twice accepting this invitation because it’s a great opportunity to understand our history beyond what was written on our elementary textbooks.
Less than an hour away from Makati, we arrived at Kawit 2 hours before noon time. Seeing Emilio Aguinaldo shrine for the first time made me excited to discover and learn more things about the birthplace of the Philippine independence.
Our tour began at St. Mary Magdalene Church of Kawit, considered as one of the oldest churches here in the Philippines. The first wooden church was constructed in 1638.
Some interesting facts about Kawit Church
- Emilio Aguinaldo was baptized in this church.
- The body of Emilio Aguinaldo’s father was buried in the church.
- From the aerial, it can be seen that the church is shaped like a cross.
- The church is earthquake-proof.
- According to some researchers, Mary Magdalene is not the original patron saint of the town, but Our Lady of Loreto.
- It was declared as a historical structure in the Philippines in 1990.
Our next stop was the Pandayan (Blacksmithing) owned by Nanay Germinia Santulan. It is one of the few pandayans that can be found in Kawit. Sadly, once a booming industry is now a dying business in the province of Cavite. On this part of the tour, we met Kuya Waldy Cabigona one of the blacksmiths who showed us the art of blacksmithing. If today’s generation will not show support and will no longer be engaged in this kind of industry, we may no longer see the masterpiece of a true panday.
Moving to our next destination was the house built by Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo in 1906. He is the cousin of Emilio Aguinaldo, one of the organizers of Magdalo Chapter of the Katipunan, and the president of the said council.
The architecture of Baldomero Aguinaldo Shrine reminds me of the houses I visited in Vigan and Las Casas in Bataan, which normally have bodega or basement. It’s a two-story well-ventilated house predominantly painted with white, blue and green colors. The sala, which faces the street has big windows allowing the air to circulate inside. You will also see their 2 bedrooms, dining area, and kitchen on the second floor. The body of the late Aguinaldo was originally interred at Manila North Cemetery but was moved in this house.
By simply looking at their furniture and knowing his state of life during his era, I could say that he had a modest kind of living but still above than most Filipinos during that time.
We came now to the most exciting part of the tour, the house that has witnessed a bloody part in history, the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine. This is the ancestral house of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the first Republic of the Philippines. Because of its significance to our country’s history, it was declared as a National Shrine in 1964, the same year Aguinaldo died at the age of 94.
In front of the mansion is a park created for the centennial celebration of our independence in 1998. Here you will see the highlight of the place, a large bronze statue of Aguinaldo that added artistic beauty in the house.
The house is surrounded by a wide garden and a river at the back. It has a relaxing ambiance, which is a perfect place to sit, talk to your friends, read a book, or do nothing. Right in the middle of the garden is a tomb where the body of Aguinaldo was laid to rest.
The entire mansion is over 14,000 sq. meters. Imagine how big this is but only a few lived in there. I wonder how often the people in the house saw each other. The first level of the mansion serves as a museum that houses some memorabilia of Aguinaldo. On the second level, you will see some fine antique furniture showing that without a doubt, Aguinaldo came from a prominent family.
Living and dining rooms are grand and wide, ceilings and walls are decorated with symbols, such as flag and map. The bedrooms are too large for just one person. Indeed, everything you will see here reflects how comfortable life had been to the Aguinaldo family.
Furthermore, the mansion has grand halls that can hold a large meeting, a library, a swimming pool, and a hospital. Yes! You read it right, they had their own hospital inside the house. What interest me more is how the house was designed. Evidently, with secret passages for quick escape and types of furniture that can safely hide documents and weapons, this mansion showcases how revolution influences its design.
One advantage of availing the tour with Cavite el Viejo Heritage Tourism Association was an access to the five-story tower built in the middle of the house. Not everyone is allowed to enter that place so I felt privileged to see it. We even went to the very top of the house where they say, was used to by Aguinaldo’s snipers.
We ended our tour by visiting a salt farm, which is another dying industry of Kawit because of climate change. It is a vast farm, which I first saw from an aerial view after taking off from NAIA. I didn’t know that it was a salt farm until I visited the place. The process of salt farming is fairly simple; farmers take sea water, filter it for a number of times, then leave it on the bedrock until it evaporates. They then collect the salt after a few days.
I hope that Pandayan and Irasan (salt farming) industries would receive equal support from the government before they’re gone. It would be such a shame if they would end and just be a part of our colorful history.
I would like to thank Fundacion Santiago and Cavite el Viejo Heritage Tourism Association for the invitation. If you are interested to avail of their heritage tour you may contact, Lean at 0923-2389768 and Lotlot at 0928-9390917. You can also like and follow them on Facebook.
Rate per person is at 1200php (Group Discounts and other packages available) inclusive of transportation within Kawit, morning snack and lunch, bottled water, and tour guide fees. Together let us support and be part of the promotion of the heritage tour of Kawit, Cavite.