Visiting Balangiga: The Home of Balangiga Bells

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The Philippines is rich in history and culture. Almost every town has its unique story to tell. But one of the most famous historic towns in Samar Island is the humble town of Balangiga in Eastern Samar.

Balangiga is a fourth-class municipality in the province of Eastern Samar. It is the site of the Balangiga massacre, which is considered one of the bloodiest events during the Philippine-American war. And the home of the famous Balangiga Bells.

The Balangiga Bells

There is a total of three bells in San Lorenzo de Martir Parish Church. The first bell was acquired in 1863 under the initiative of then, parish priest R. San Francisco, whose name was inscribed on the bell. It has a mouth diameter of 31 ¼ inches and a height of 30 inches.

In 1889, the second bell was acquired. It has a mouth diameter of 27 ¾ inches and 27 ½ inches in height. The acquisition was initiated by Fr. Agustin Delgado. His name is also inscribed on the bell.

The last and smallest bell was acquired in 1895 by FR Bernardo Aparecio.

The bells were taken by the US army from the Balangiga Church as a war trophy after the Battle of Balangiga in 1901.

In 2018, the bells were returned to Balangiga after years of effort. Today, the bells have become one of the tourist attractions in the province of Eastern Samar.

The Balangiga Massacre

The Battle of Balangiga was one of the battles that occurred during the Philippine–American War. It is also known as the "Balangiga massacre" and is considered one of the bloodiest events during that time. The US considers this as their “worst single defeat” in the history of the Philippine–American War from 1899 to 1902.  

The “Balangiga massacre” happened when Filipinos attacked US soldiers killing at least 48 out of the 78 American soldiers. 

The next day, US soldiers retaliated. General Jacob H. Smith vowed that he would turn the town into a “howling wilderness,” earning him the nickname “Howling Jake.” Around 2,000 – 2, 5000 Filipinos were killed and villages were also burned until the end of the “massacre”.

PASALUBONG

Aside from being a historical site, you can also buy some pasalubongs at the Balangiga Public Market which is just a few steps from the church.

There are dried fish, fruits, and fresh seafood that you can purchase in the market.




HOW TO GET THERE:

AIR TRAVEL FROM MANILA (NAIA) TO TACLOBAN (TAC); TRAVEL TIME: 1-1.5 HRS

VAN RIDE FROM TACLOBAN TO BALANGIGA (300 PESOS); TRAVEL TIME: 1.5-2 HRS



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