Several baluartes (watchtowers) can be found on the coast of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union built by the Spanish authorities to guard and warn coastal communities of any suspicious ship coming to shore and thus warn people of impending danger from marauders, usually Moro or Chinese pirates slave traders, snatching young girls and women during summer. The watchtowers were mostly constructed about 400 years ago, made of adobe blocks and coral stones joined by lime and egg whites, typical construction styles of Spanish churches.

Watchtowers: the sentinels of the sea against marauding pirates and unwelcome visitors

Tutubi already visited and posted several of the watchtowers and this one, located in the town of Luna, La Union (formerly called Namacpacan and now named after one of the towns famous sons, Gen. Antonio Luna (brother of Juan Luna)) is no different but in such sad and forlorn state, just waiting for a strong typhoon, tsunami or apathetic humans to topple it down to oblivion. The watchtowers foundation is already eroded probably due to seepage of seawater making it look like the leaning Luna watchtower that urgently needs restoration, if there are still people out there who appreciate heritage.


the ruins of the Luna Watchtower sits on a pebble beach, where people make a living of gathering pebbles to be sold to traders and exporters of white, gray or sometimes colored pebbles for use in landscaping, construction and aquariums here in abroad

the leaning watchtower, held in check by crude wooden planks, children nearby add scale to the photograph

the watchtower has been split in two due to cracked foundation and a tree further poses risking damage to the heritage structure

Other baluartes in La Union province can be found in Carlatan, San Fernando (a small town formerly known as Pindangan), Balaoan, Bacnotan and San Juan, all yet to be visited by Tutubi.

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Luna Watchtower,
Barangay Victoria, Luna, La Union
GPS Coordinates: N16 51 24.8 E120 22 22.0

Related Posts:
Bateria Watchtower
Santa Watchtower
La Union Beach Resorts

Labels: Ilocos Region, La Union, Watchtowers

Watch towers line the vast coastline of the archipelago to act as guard posts against foreign invaders, pirates and slave traders of yore. These watchtowers now serve no purpose but reminds people of their importance in protecting the coastal community. Watch towers in Ilocos Sur can be found in the towns of Santa, and in San Esteban's Barangay Apatot and Bateria but Tutubi was only able to find the one featured in this post (he found, too, the ruins of another watchtower in La Union en route to Manila)

Tutubi's GPS in action in Ilocos Sur

Sought but was not found by Tutubi on his first try by just asking locals, on the second attempt, he used Wikimapia then inputted the coordinates to his Garmin nuvie GPS PDN (personal navigation device) that later guided him correctly to the "missing" watchtower in barangay Bateria, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur on his way from Vigan to Sta. Cruz.

In search of the Bateria watchtower, Tutubi was greeted with a stone structure that's almost completely obscured by a tree, built on the beachfront of Bateria, with Villa Bateria (some sort of beach resort), a pantalan where you can catch a great view of the sea, and a service road that leads to Apatot Beach and the surprisingly beautiful Sabangan Beach of Santiago Cove.

the watchtower seeks "shelter" from a tree that almost hides it completely from view from passersby, nearly missed again by Tutubi if not for his GPS.

bateria watchtower stands guard on the beach of Bateria, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur. here you can find locals taking a swim and using a bamboo raft

Tutubi didn't notice any historical marker near the supposedly "famous tourist spot" of Ilocos Sur. Seems too that the historical landmark is left on its own, where no sentries stand guard to look out for marauding pirates and slave traders to alert townspeople of the impending danger from the sea.

This place should be preserved by the locals if they can't find help from the local or national government.

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Bateria Watchtower
Barangay Bateria, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur
Coordinates: 17°20'20"N 120°26'21"E

Labels: Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Watchtowers