Words by John Peter Himor
The recent Typhoon Ompong devastated much of Northern Philippines, and one of the country’s most prized tourist destinations was not spared. The city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur, and its heritage houses, one of the Philippines’ UNESCO world heritage sites, are in a wreck after Typhoon Ompong slammed the Northern part of Luzon last weekend.
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Here are some photos of the heritage site gathered from Ilocos’ Tawid News Magazine and netizen John Noel Mendoza Andaya:
Photo: www.facebook.com/tawidnewsmagasin
Photos from John Noel Andaya’s Facebook (@john.n.andaya)
Hundred-year-old heritage houses were damaged by the typhoon’s strong winds, with their roofs strewn over and the exteriors removed. Previously a buzzing area for tourists all over the world, Calle Crisologo and Vigan were seen practically empty last week except for the uprooted trees and wood and yero that litter the city’s heritage core zone.
Photo from John Noel Andaya’s Facebook (@john.n.andaya)
Because of Vigan’s important place in our country’s history, its devastation is a major loss for our Filipino culture. It will take a long time before the city is fully repaired, but hopefully we still get to see and experience Vigan as the historic place we know it to be.
See more photos of the destruction in Vigan here:
Have you been to Vigan? How do you feel about this? Share your thoughts in the comments!
