December 14, 1890
In the Philippines, Cape Santiago Lighthouse on the island of Luzon first went into service. This lighthouse is specifically located on Cape Santiago in Calatagan, a municipality that is about 81 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of Manila, in the Province of Batangas. Cape Santiago Lighthouse helps guide vessels traveling through the strait known as the Verde Island Passage and entering Manila Bay. At the time of this navigational aid’s inauguration, the present-day Republic of the Philippines was under Spanish rule.
Cape Santiago Lighthouse was built by the Spanish colonial government as part of its Masterplan for the Lighting of the Maritime Coasts of the Philippine Archipelago. After conducting a site evaluation at Cape Santiago, Spanish engineer Magin Pers y Pers formally submitted a proposal in 1887 to construct a lighthouse there. Don Santiago Zobel, a wealthy landowner in that part of the Philippines, donated the 2.5-acre (1-hectare) property where the lighthouse was ultimately installed. Cape Santiago Lighthouse, which can be seen in the accompanying photo taken in 1903, was designed by Spanish engineer Guillermo Brockman.
Cape Santiago Lighthouse was automated in 1978 and it remains in service today. This lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse still in operation in Batangas. It also has the distinction of being one of the oldest working lighthouses in the entire Philippines. In addition, Cape Santiago Lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark. On March, 12, 2018, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines mounted a marker at the site to confirm this official designation.
Photo Credit: Public Domain
For more information on Cape Santiago Lighthouse, please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Santiago_Lighthouse,_Philippines
Transportation History 
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