Last November, I went to Rizal for the CALABARZON heritage caravan organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA). I know this post is way behind schedule, but I still wanted to share my experience here. I got to experience the Higantes Festival for the first time, and I witnessed the works of our national artists in Angono, which is why this town was referred to as the art capital of the Philippines. Despite its small geography and population, it is the only town that has produced and home to two National Artists, namely Carlos ‘Botong’ Francisco for Painting and Prof. Lucio San Pedro for music.

According to our tour guide, Angono boasts of more than 500 painters alone, excluding other artists such as musicians, writers, video and film editors, theater people, craftsmen, and church-based heritage and cultural workers.

We went to the museum of our National Artist, Botong Francisco, where you can find his memorabilia, paintings, and other works of art.

I recommend going here around November to witness the Higantes Festival Parade. It was fun seeing these giants on the street!

Another must-visit place here is the Blanco Museum, which is my favorite! The museum accommodates an anthology of paintings by Jose Blanco, his wife, Loring, and their seven children who are artists in their own rights. (Read more about Blanco Museum here)

This is the St. Clement Church, the historic 445-year-old Church that still stands along the art street of Angono.

The town traces its artistic roots to Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan, the oldest rock art in the Philippines. In the cave, you will see the different carvings of the tribes settling in this cavern. It is said to be the oldest, known art carvings found in caves in the Philippines.

Angono is a bit underrated compared to other towns. But if you’re into folk art, it can be an exciting destination for those people who live in the metro. It’s easy enough to get here by public or private transportation. If you’re up for a food trip, there are also restaurants like Balaw-Balaw, which has an art gallery, and Inang Bina’s Cafe and Restaurant. Both of these food places serve good food!