Vigan will never be unfamiliar to any schooled Filipino because several significant and memorable events in Philippine history took place in the city. Regardless of whether they call the high school subject Sibika at Kultura, Araling Panlipunan, or HEKASI, its books contain “Vigan”. People like Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo, Padre Jose Burgos and many others walked along its streets.
Despite its popularity, it was to me just history until it became part of me that fateful night of June 30, 2010.
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| Calle Crisologo in Vigan, Ilocos Sur |
We arrived at Laoag Airport straight from Manila close to 6PM, rode on a jeepney and headed straight to the bus in the terminal which brought us to Vigan Public Market. Vigan is 80 kilometers away from Laoag and takes about 1½ hours to commute. Once you are there, trikes are the other popular means of transportation let alone a few traditional kalesa. Seven pesos per passenger will take you to any destinations within the city – the same took us to Villa Angela.
Villa Angela Heritage House is a beautiful Spanish house which was built by Gobernadorcillo Agapito Florendo y Bonifacio in 1870 and originally owned by Engr. Candelario V. Verzosa, Sr. and Dra. Purificacion Lahoz-Verzosa before they bequeathed ownership to their own present-day generations . Although online marketing does not make mention of visits and short stays by local and foreign artists, Piolo Pascual’s framed picture with his affixed signature hangs proudly on its hallway wall. Other than that, the attendant revealed about Tom Cruise’s 6-month stay in the place
