Balangiga: a town rich in history

It is my first time visiting the province of Eastern Samar, and if there is one thing that excites me is the possibility to visit the town of Balangiga. Not everyone knew about this humble town. The first time I heard about it is the news on the return of the Balangiga bells after a century. This news sparked my interest and I even watched the Balangiga movie on Netflix.

The Balangiga Bells

Balangiga became a separate paring in September 1859, but it took them years to raise funds to acquire church bells.

The first bell was acquired in 1863. It has a mouth diameter of 31 ¼ inches and a height of 30 inches. The name R. San Francisco was also inscribed in the bell, who believed to be the parish priest of Balangiga at that time.

The second bell was acquired in 1889 with a mouth diameter of 27 ¾ inches and 27 ½ inches in height. The bell was acquired through the initiative of Fr. Agustin Delgado whose name is also inscribed on the bell.

The last and smallest bell was acquired in 1895 through the initiative of FR Bernardo Aparecio.

The three bells were taken by the United States Army from the Church of San Lorenzo de Martir in Balangiga, Eastern Samar, after reprisals following the Battle of Balangiga in 1901.

These bells have been a symbol of patriotism and pride for the Philippines. After years of effort, the bells were returned to their home country in 2018. The bells were flown by Force plane Spirit of MacArthur back to the Philippines by the US Department of Defense.

The Balangiga Massacre

The Battle of Balangiga was a battle that occurred during the Philippine–American War between Philippine forces and American troops. The battle is sometimes termed the "Balangiga massacre," usually in accounts describing occupying American troops as victims of a massacre by townspeople. In return, the US made attacks on the island killing 2,000 – 2,500 people.

I am very happy to personally visit Balangiga and see these bells which remind us of our history as well as the sacrifices of our ancestors to give us the freedom that we are enjoying today.

After visiting the church and the bells, you can also walk to the market where you can find fresh seafood and dried fish at a very affordable price.

HOW TO GET THERE:

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

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

The town proper is along the highway. You can walk after the van drops you at Balangiga.