Angono Petroglyphs - The oldest known work of art in the Philippines

Angono Rizal is described as the "Art capital of the Philippines" and it is because of its locals that has an impressive talent with arts. The town is also famous on its gigantic "Higantes Festival" that showcases 10 to 13 feet colorful paper-mache giants. Angono Rizal is also the home place of national artist, Carlos "Botong" Francisco who discovered the First known work of Art in the Philippines: The Angono Petroglyphs.

Brief History of Angono Petroglyphs:
The Angono Petroglyphs site museum is situated at the municipality of Binangonan Rizal, Philippines. This oldest work of art in the country was discovered by the national artist, Carlos "Botong" Francisco while having a field trip in 1965. While resting in the place, he recognized the drawings that is called 'primitive quality' by the artists. After discovering the site, Mr. Botong immediately reported it to the national museum and the institution conducted its research immediately.

The National museum of the Philippines confirmed the authenticity of this work of art and confirmed that 127 drawings are still visible in the form of animate figures. Aside from the drawings, artifacts to support the authenticity of this site has also been found like stone tools, obsidian flakes, fragments of earthenware and shells. The artifacts yielded has been studied by archeologists and suggested it was used during the Neolithic age (10, 200 BC - traditionally considered the last part of stone age).

Angono Petroglyphs were declared as the oldest known work of art in the Philippines and it is considered as one of the Natural Cultural Treasure of the Philippines. The petroglyphs are also included in the World Inventory of Rock Art under UNESCO and considered as "100 most endangered site in the world". At present, the authorities are conducting efforts in preserving this Neolithic - old national treasure.

Discovering the Angono Petroglyphs:
The Angono Petroglyphs is 1 to 3 kms. from the main town of Angono Rizal. It is hard to reach the site via public transportation because it is located on the mountain where Thunderbirds Rizal Resort and Casino is located. The Petroglyphs will be accessible via private transport from the town proper of Angono.

To reach the Petroglyphs, visitors must drive to the mountains going to Thuderbirds Rizal. Prepare your car because the road going to the site is so steep. Upon reaching the top road of the mountain, this guard house entrance will welcome you and will serve as your gateway to the Petroglyphs.

The guardhouse going to the Petroglyphs.

Visitors will also found this statue that represents the festival of Angono Rizal, the Higantes.

While driving on the way to the Petroglyphs site, visitors will enjoy the breathtaking views of its surroundings. The place is peaceful and green, we even had a stop over to enjoy the windy fresh air of the place and to take some photos.

Beautiful golf course beside the road.

The wide road of the place.

After enjoying the surroundings, visitors will pass by this tunnel. It serves as a landmark that the Petroglyphs will be near. This tunnel to Petroglyphs cave will took 2 to 3 minutes of driving.

The car tunnel of this mountain.

Just straight ahead after this tunnel and a sign will show where the Petroglyphs is. Upon seeing a cave-like tunnel, park your vehicles outside because it is not allowed inside.

Angono Petroglyphs signage.

Upon turning, the security guard will welcome the visitors for registration and will be collecting entrance fees. It costs P20.00 for adult and P10.00 for students, not bad just to see the arts older than all of us. Take note of the reminders to help the authorities preserve the Petroglyphs.

Welcome sign of Angono - Binangonan Petroglyphs.

The Angono Petroglyphs is managed by the National Museum of the Philippines. 

After paying the corresponding entrance fee, visitors must enter this man made cave-like tunnel to reach the Petroglyphs. it is cold inside and it is cool for some selfies! 

The man-made tunnel going to the Petroglyphs.

This tunnel was built for the easy access of visitors visiting the Angono Petroglyphs.

Cold winds will refresh the visitors inside.

At the end of this tunnel, I found writings on the wall, I though that this was the Petroglyphs already, but it is only a vandalism done by careless people visiting the place. Oh well, maybe this vandalisms can be part of discoveries of the next generation after our existence. Who knows? They might consider it as the modern Petroglyphs. Haha. But please, don't contribute to this vandalisms when you visit.

Vandalism of modern ages.

After the tunnel, visitors must walk few more steps to reach the viewing deck of Angono Petroglyphs Museum. While enjoying the forest and the environment, please take note of the common rules while traveling, "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but memories and kill nothing but time".

The walkway to the Petroglyphs' viewing deck

While walking, the sign of the Petroglyphs' information will welcome the visitors. The tour guide managing the place will also greet and guide the people visiting this place. Before climbing the viewing deck, the guide will ask you to enter a small museum that shows the history of the Angono Petroglyphs.

Brief information about the site.

The small museum containing the collections of the Petroglyphs.

The detailed history of the Petroglyphs.

After the small museum, there is a stair beside it that will lead you to the viewing deck of the Petroglyphs where you can see the oldest known work of art in the Philippines. The national museum decided to make a viewing deck to prevent the visitors from going near the wall to avoid further damages. 

Stairs directing visitors to the viewing deck.

The viewing deck of Angono Petroglyphs

This deck has been built to protect the Petroglyphs wall from visitors.

The bamboos beside the wall is just temporary. It is there because the caretaker is using it as ladder to remove the creeping roots coming near the drawings. It is really a photo bomber.

On the viewing deck, witness and be amazed on the oldest work of art in the Philippines. The carvings on the wall are belief that it was drawn on Neolithic age (around 10,000 years ago). The inscriptions on the cave wall clearly shows human figures, frogs and lizards and it was said by the experts that it is a symbolic representations of rituals during Neolithic age.

The magnificent old cravings on the walls of Angono Petroglyphs.

This is how Neolithic age people draw humans.

Frog and Lizards carvings.

Thinking how old this art amazes me.

Human figures on stone carvings. 

The wall full of Neolithic age drawings.

Imagine the hands of the living thing behind this art.

Seeing this heritage site in the country amazes me so much and I can't contain my amusement to this oldest work of art in the Philippines. It seems that this exhibition is just simple because it's just a wall that has simple drawings, but considering the history and the age of this site will change your perception on how you see the Petroglyphs. The peaceful environment of the forest surroundings will wonder the viewers while listening to the birds tweeting while imagining the artists behind the Angono Petroglyphs. I now understand why Angono is described as "The artist capital of the Philippines", they maybe inherited their artistic talents from their ancestors.

After appreciating the Angono Petroglyphs, visitors will also appreciate the tunnel more that they used to enter the Petroglyphs. Upon coming back, the entrance of the tunnel is amazing. Take note, this is man-made created for easy access to the viewing deck of the carvings.

The end of the tunnel from the main entrance.

Inside the tunnel going out.

The Angono Petroglyphs is not too famous and tourists in this place are few. When we visited the place, I ask the security guard if how many tourist they had that day, and he said that it was only 4 visitors. Well, maybe because it was weekday that time.

The National museum and the government of Rizal are dedicated to preserve and protect the area. It is in line to be declared as one of the UNESCO heritage site and they are hoping that it would be considered as one. If you plan to visit this place, I am sure that you will love the history and you will appreciate the oldest known work of art in the Philippines.

The Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs

Mondays to Sundays

8:00AM to 5:00PM

Entrance Fees:

Adult: P 20.00

Student: P 10.00

The Angono Petroglyphs site is managed by the National Museum of the Philippines

Bohol, Philippines (Top 10 things to do)

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines, located at Central Visayas region, we can find the beautiful island of Bohol. This island is well known on its unique chocolate hills and small cute animal called Tarsier. Going in this place will give tourists a lot of activities and destinations to visit, explore and enjoy. In this post, I will be showing the top 10 things that I've done at the island of Bohol and a must thing to do by tourists visiting the island.

Tagbilaran City is the capital of Bohol where its airport is located, beside the city is the beautiful island of Panglao where stunning white sand beaches is. When I visited Bohol, I decided to visit the different tourists spots first before I set a free day just to relax on the beach. Here's the top 10 on my list that I consider a must do in the island of Bohol.

1. Rent a Motorcycle



If you know how to drive a motorcycle, renting one is the best way to explore Bohol on your own. There are many bike rentals around the island that costs P400 to P800 per day, depending on the type of bike you want to use. The rentals include a helmet, Bohol map and a few gas. Prepare some peso to full tank your rented bike because each destinations are far from each other. A lot of locals and foreign tourists prefer to rent motorcycles while in Bohol because it is more fun and you own the whole time. Renting one is ideal if are traveling alone or two, but if tourists will travel in a huge group, renting a van would be better.

2. Explore Hinagdanan Cave



The Hinagdanan cave is truly a magnificent creature. This place is located at Panglao island and it is just 20 to 30 minutes away from Tagbilaran city. The entrance fee is P50.00 each and visitors can discover this small cave that has beautiful rock formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Our guide mentioned to us that the lake inside this cave is a combination of salt and fresh water. There's a lot of Balinsasayaw birds flying inside too, I thought that they were bats, but our guide says that those creatures do not stay on this cave because it's too bright in the morning. If you have extra clothes and if the water is calling you to take a dip, you can do so for an extra fee. The guide who will attend to you will also serve as a photographer, make sure to prepare your camera because they will ask it from you.

3. Take a picture at Blood Compact Shrine



Tourists can have a quick stop at Blood Compact Shrine for free to take some photos. This place is actually a historical site and not just a simple statue. The Blood Compact shrine was built to represent one of the important events in the Philippines, the first treaty of Spaniards and Filipinos.

4. See the Tarsiers



If you want to see Tarsiers in the Philippines, they can only be found at Bohol. The island has their own conservation area where tourists can visit to see the Tarsiers for P50.00 per head as entrance fee. Please be careful in exploring this cute creatures because they are suicidal when they get stressed.

5. Have a lunch at Loboc River cruise

Loboc River Cruise offers a lunch buffet that is eat all you can. This restaurant is not a typical floating restaurant because while eating, the float will tour you around the peaceful Loboc River for 30 minutes with some bands playing music for you. At the end of the river, you can witness the serene waters of this mini falls before the float have a u-turn.


  
6. Relax at Bilar Man-made Forest



While on the way to Chocolate hills, you will be mesmerised by the beauty of this 2km Mahogany Man-made forest. The place is so quiet and peaceful and you can even shout and wait for the echo to answer you.

7. Visit Historical Churches



There's a lot of beautiful historical churches at Bohol but some are being destroyed by the recent earthquake that struct the island last 2013. The people of Bohol are very religious and churches are very important to their culture.

8. Witness the beauty of Chocolate Hills




Who will visit Bohol without seeing this magnificent hills? Tourists can enjoy the breathtaking view of the Chocolate Hills on its viewing deck for P50.00. There are at least 1,260 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers. They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season.

9. Have an adventure at Chocolate Hills Adventures Park (CHAP)





Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (CHAP) offers camp like adventures. It is a must try after witnessing the beauty of Chocolate hills. There's a lot of things to do in this park from adventures to sight seeings. They also have the hanging bridge that tourists can climb.

10. Eat dinner at Bohol Bee Farm



Bohol Bee Farm is located at Panglao Island and their food is famous because they have organic ingredients. They also have the best Ice Cream in town!

The Island of Bohol has a lot of tourist spots to discover and these are the top 10 of the list of places that every tourists of Bohol must visit for me. Bohol also has beautiful beaches that has clear waters where you can swim and few islands to visit via boat rental. Experience Bohol and I guarantee that you will surely fall in love in this place!