The lighthouse at the end of Palawan
First lit in 1892, the Cape Melville Lighthouse still looks out over the strait between Palawan and Borneo.
Written from public sources to get this page started. We'll replace it with the story as Balabac residents tell it.
At the southern end of Balabac Island, where Palawan runs out of land, a stone tower rises above the trees. Spain built it to guide ships through the Balabac Strait, a busy channel full of reefs.
Spanish records show that engineer Guillermo Brockmann designed a first-order light in 1889, named María Cristina. Mariners were told about the new light in August 1892, and it was first lit on August 30 that year. The tower is about 27 meters tall.
In 1996, the National Historical Institute, now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, declared the Parola ng Cape Melville a National Historical Landmark.
The old Spanish light is reportedly no longer used. The Coast Guard runs a solar-powered light on a separate tower nearby. Fishing bangkas, cargo boats and families still pass beneath it. For people in Melville, the tower is less a landmark than a neighbor.
Visiting
The lighthouse is in Barangay Melville. Go with someone from the community who knows the path, and ask about conditions before you set out. Bring water, wear closed shoes, and leave nothing behind.
Old structures need gentle feet. Don't climb anything that looks unsafe, and don't carve or write on the walls.
