Macapagal-Macaraeg Heritage House

This is the former house of two former presidents of the Philippines, President Diosdado Macapagal (9th, reigned 1961 to 1965) and his daughter President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (14th, reigned 2001-2010). It was the father of Diosdado who lived in Iligan City. Diosdado and Gloria lived there momentarily . 

At the entrance.

The residents of the house and other workers in the photo.

The bust of former Pres Macapagal.

Before running for president he run for office of vice president.

 

The place was declared by the National Historical Institute as a heritage house last August 2002. This is despite the dispute of some historians. Since then the house has been donated by the former President Arroyo to the government.

It is a typical 50's house. It is not that big like the mansions of politicians but it is spacious and inviting. What sets this house apart is that it has a big ballroom, a political house you may say and many among the visitors are from other places not from Iligan. In fact, my companion have never been here even though he is a resident of the area for 27 years.  

View outside the house.

A very beautiful 1950's sala.

Former President Arroyo's oil painting of her self displayed in the sala.

Gloria's playhouse replica.

The sculpture of the two former president's swinging at the house playground.

The house is located in Buru-un, Iligan City near the famous spring pools, Timoga and a few meters away from Maria Cristina Falls. It can be reached by riding private vehicles, Buru-un and Linamon jeepney lines.

For more details, read the following:

http://www.markmaranga.com/macaraeg-macapagal-ancestral-house/

http://purpleslipperz.blogspot.com/2011/09/iligan-city-macaraeg-macapagal.html

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Spiritans - ILIGAN

When my sister was at her senior year in medicine, everyone is required to do community service wherein they were immersed in local remote areas. Those remote areas are usually not reached my medical assistance due to distance and lack of medical personnel.

The place where they were settled was Digkilaan, Iligan City. They found the locals and luckily found a friend in the parish priest there, Fr. Medjo M. Henri. Father Henri is one of the tributes of Spiritan's Congregation in Cancun, South Africa, a French colony thus he speaks fluently in french. Eversince that day, our family have been friends with the Spiritans who were delegated here in Iligan.
 

Spiritans Formation House, Pindugangan, Iligan City. Photo credit from:

httpspiritainsiligan.wordpress.compindugangan

What is the Spiritans? The Spiritans are missionary congregation of priests and brothers. In 1679, Father Claude Francis Poullart des Places founded the Spiritans, congregation of the holy spirit in France. There mission is to spread God's word while helping poor communities. For more information please see the link, http://www.spiritansphilippines.com/.

Some of the breathtaking views in the Spiritans Formation House, Pindugangan, Iligan City.

The influence of the Spiritans in Iligan City has been wonderful. Apart from spreading the word of God, they have been helping the communities of Pindugangan and Digkilaan. In Pindugangan the Spiritans House houses the priests Fr. Illah, Fr. Martin and Fr. Ben. Currently, they have also been housing medical students and Jay from France. Jay is a farmer entering a program that sends them here in the Philippines. There are others previously. I know some of them JB, Mathew and Alex, they have already gone back to France.

John Baptiste Petreaux and Father Illah Agbene with my sisters and me at the Spiritans plant and bee farm.The picture in the lower right is a day care center.

Having these people around Pindugangan and over Iligan City has made so much contribution in my spiritual and charitable life. It urges me to become a better person for these people have no biases in color, religion, status and nationality. I cherish my relationship with them.

Visit and/or donate to this congregation. There good cause is perpetually deemed in the lives that they have changed and it may change yours too. Please visit their website above. 

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Commemorating Sendong

At exactly 12 midnight of the 17th of December 2011, my father and I were ought to go to Orchids Subdivision, Santiago, Iligan City. We were out to save my cousins who were trapped from the downpour of rain in their ceiling, only to find out that our doorway was flooded with raging waters. By ten minutes, our house was full of water about 8 ft or more. Me, my mother and father were in the house roof for safety. It was the darkest of the night, hearing the waters, our dogs barking and our frantic neighbors asking for each others help.

Mandulog River, the river has widened ever since Sendong washed the best of it.

By the dawn of light, the waters were gone but the houses were full of mud and some were dead. A disaster has fallen to Iligan City and as well as the neighboring City of Cagayan de Oro. A first of its kind and at its worst killing thousands of people. We survived Sendong. 

A year has passed but the event seems fresh. On the same day on the year of 2012, people commemorated Sendong. A painful and dark event but a miracle indeed. Never has Iligan seen more hope than after that day. 

Sendong Commeration, at Gerona, Iligan City December 17, 2012

To those who lived, live your life to the fullest. To those who lost families, have hope and be still the Lord is with You. To those who lost their homes, stand up and build again. To those who shared their time, money and strength, we thank you for your immense help. This circumstance that we live by will only make us stronger.

The Sendong Memorial Statue

Location: Sendong Memorial Park at Gerona, Iligan City

A creation by artist Julie Lluch, this masterfully crafted bronze sculpture depicts a little girl riding a log. The girl was one of the survivors of Typhoon Sendong. She apparently rode the log from Brgy. Digkilaan and was safely recovered in the municipality of Bacolod, Lanao del Norte. Amazingly, she survived, despite of the snake at the other end.

Photo by Lawrence Rahem

(This Photo and Caption were taken from Explore Iligan 9200 Facebook)

I lived past Sendong. I survived.

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