ABW Sept 2018-1

Luzon Datum
Thus a geodetic station is
said to be in the Luzon
Datum if it is connected by
continuous triangulation
from Station Balanacan.
56
Philippines of the then
United Sates Coast And
Geodetic Survey (USCGS).
With the new territorial
claim of the US following
the Spanish-American
War, the responsibilities of
the USCGS grew to include
various scientific and
cartographic initiatives
in the Philippine islands beginning in 1901. The
charting of insular waters and harbours and the
development of a geodetic network had to be done
from scratch, both military and commercial factors
were considered in the initial surveys. The military
telegraph and cable aided in the establishment of
astronomical stations in Legaspi, Vigan, Ormoc,
Tacloban, Iloilo, Bancalan Island, Cagayan, Sulu
Island, Davao, Iligan, Misamis Oriental and
Zamboanga, each having its own datum. The
Station Balanacan (Latitude 13° 33’ 41”.000 North,
Longitude 121° 52’ 03”.000 East) in the province
of Marinduque defined the datum origin of the
Luzon Datum of 1911, with Clarke Spheroid of
1866 as reference ellipsoid. The historical document
on the triangulation of the Philippine islands gives
the establishment of Station Balanacan as 1906.
All surveys in the Philippines from 1901 to 1927
were based on the position of this station. Thus a
geodetic station is said to be in the Luzon Datum
if it is connected by continuous triangulation from
Station Balanacan. Now for the fit and healthy there
is a 439 step climb to top. The climb is demanding
but if you just take your time, stopping frequently
on the way up to enjoy the view, the effort is well
worth it when you reach the top, with a commanding
view of some of the most spectacular views you will
encounter, there is also a two level viewing deck to
make it even more spectacular than it already is.
Boac
The main city of Marinduque is Boac, where the
local people are amazingly friendly. A Franciscan
missionary Fray Estevan Ortiz established the town
in 1580 and named it Montserrat de Marinduque.
From this point foundations were laid for two other
towns, San Juan de Marinduque and San Bernardo
de Marinduque.
Boac is home to most of the province’s commercial
businesses. Barangays San Miguel, Murallon, and
Mercado are the town’s business district where the
public market, medium-rise buildings, sports arena
and Boac Town Arena, now Moriones Arena are.
Meanwhile, Barangay Isok is home to the town’s
education district. Marinduque National High
School, St. Mary’s College of Marinduque, Don
Luis Hidalgo Memorial School, Barangay Day Care
Centers, Boac North District Office and the Division
of Marinduque DepED Office are in Barangay Isok.
The Municipal Building Hall is at Brgy. Tampus,
adjacent is the Marinduque Museum at Brgy.
Malusak.
The Marinduque Provincial Capital is in Barangay
Santol near the Dr. Damian Reyes Memorial Hospital
(formerly Marinduque Provincial Hospital) and
Camp Maximo Abad. The name Boac is derived from
the Visayan word bu-ak, which means “divided”.
The town had been divided in two by a river running
from the eastern hinterland to the western plains
down to the sea. The two were the Northern and
the Southern areas.