When in Laoag: {Marcos Museum & Sta. Monica Church} + Where to Stay

{ 1981 calendar in the Marcos Museum—my birth year 🙂

{For Sunset Goddess Manila’s TRAVEL GUIDE TO ILOCOS, click here}

Our fifth and final day in Ilocos was spent seeing the sights in and around Laoag City. We hired the services of Manong Greg who took us around and brought us to the airport for our 730 pm flight in an airconditioned van for P4,000, inclusive of gas. Since the sights are very far from each other, this is really the best way to go around the various places to see.

Chilling in Manong Greg’s van 🙂

First is the President Ferdinand E. Marcos Museum in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, the birthplace of President Marcos.

It had interesting stuff and we were also shown around by a caretaker. But after the informative and colorful Rusty of Syquia Museum in Vigan, I’m afraid this museum can’t compare well enough. I kind of felt sad for the items in the museum which were just scattered about and didn’t look well-preserved at all, and sad for the caretaker too 🙁 I hope they make a real effort to professionally curate the museum as it is really part of our history too.

Fellow alumni. Marcos’ graduating class from the UP College of Law

by a painting of the most famous political couple of their time

the museum’s caretaker

Presidential license plates

A reproduction of an old family photo

We then went to the Sta. Monica Church also in Sarrat. It’s a beautiful church built way back in the 17th century during Spanish colonial times. For its age, it still looks remarkably well-preserved, especially with the fact that it’s made of red bricks which is quite rare even for colonial churches in the country. This is also the church popularly known for being the venue of the wedding of Irene Marcos-Araneta, one of President Marcos’ daughters and that wedding was said to be the grandest of its time.

By the way, if you’re looking for budget accommodations in Laoag, may I suggest the hotel where we stayed, Isabel Suites. If you’re like us who basically just needed a nice bathroom and a place to crash for the night (since we checked out early the morning after for our tour), then you can’t go wrong with Isabel Suites. The rooms and bathrooms were nice and clean and the hotel has a prime location in the center of Laoag.

The room rates can’t be beat (P2,800 for all four of us in one room, with breakfast). The only off thing I will mention is the complimentary breakfast. We had no choice but to eat their breakfast of hotdog with rice and egg. But it’s ok, because you can just walk to Jollibee, which is right next to the hotel 🙂

Wishing us all more travels. Cheers! 🙂

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