"Existing for more than a hundred years, this structure is now adopted by the villagers to serve as a reminder of things that had happened in the past as well as a viewing deck at the heart of the village"-pagnapagna
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-my pagnapagna-
It was 3:46 am when the bus departed from San Fernando City, La Union. I went down at a bus stop along the national highway in Badoc, Ilocos Norte at 7:31 am. Since Badoc town proper is some few meters away from the national highway, i rode a tricycle (3 minutes ride) to get to the town center.
Lingered for awhile around the town and at some few minutes before 8 am, i went to the Municipal Hall to inquire about the old watchtower. Thanks to "Zenaida" an Admin-aid 4 employee whom i got an answer to my inquiry.
At 8:08 am, i rode a tricycle from the town proper going farther north through the national highway and passed by the welcome arch of the municipality of Pinili then to a barangay road going west to barangay Gabut Norte of Badoc, Ilocos Norte.
I arrived at the watchtower area at 8:23 am.
I have asked permission from a barangay employee "teaching" little kids at the barangay daycare center because the watchtower is at their backyard.
After i took photos, videos and done with my sketch of the watchtower, i departed from the area at 10:26 am and arrived at the national highway 2 minutes later to get to my next destination which is the watchtower at the municipality of Currimao, Ilocos Norte.
-end of pagnapagna-
Watchtower at Gabut Norte
Badoc is the first Municipality of the province of Ilocos Norte when
coming from Manila and its town center (Municipal hall, plaza, Badoc
Church, etc.) is a distance away from the national highway with Gabut Norte being a Northwestern Barangay of the said municipality.
Located at the Backyard of the fenced Day-care center of Barangay Gabut Norte, this brick watchtower resembles the crenelations of a typical rook of a chess set (the board game). It has arched main entrance as well as arched openings on its walls. This watchtower as well as the other watchtowers of the Ilocos Region were constructed during the Spanish colonial period (17th -18th century) that were used as look-out point from possible marauders coming from these sides of the seas.
From my inspection:
- 5 reinforced concrete square columns are recently constructed attached to its interior walls as well as a central circular column to support a reinforced concrete floor slab that serves as a viewing deck
- a winding stairs is attached to the central column (part of the recently constructed)
- its crenelation are of the typical battlements just like that of the Sulvec watchtower
Time Duration:
Manila to Badoc, Ilocos Norte (big bus) - 10 hours average
San Fernando City, La Union to Badoc, Ilocos Norte (big bus) - 4 hours average
Badoc town proper to Brgy, Gabut Norte (tricycle) - 20 to 30 minutes
From national highway- Gabut Norte Welcome arch to Watchtower (tricycle) - 2 to 5 minutes
Subject : Watchtower at Gabut Norte
Location : Barangay Gabut Norte
Municipality of Badoc
Province of Ilocos Norte
How to get there:
From Manila, take a bus ride going to Laoag City.
You have to get down at the National highway in the Municipality of Badoc, Ilocos Norte and ride a tricycle going to barangay of Gabut Norte where the watchtower is located or from the bus get down at the Welcome arch of barangay Gabut Norte. The welcome arch is located farther up north from Downtown Badoc and even passing by the Welcome Arch of the next Municipality which is Pinili, Ilocos Norte . At the corner of the barangay Gabut Norte welcome arch would be tricycles waiting for passengers. Ride on one of these and go to the Barangay Hall area where you can see the Watchtower.
For the other Ilocos Watchtowers:
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