The province of La Union is a famous tourist destination among local and foreign tourists.

It is known for its rich history and historical landmarks such as the Luna Baluarte Watch Tower that serves as a living proof to remind us about the important events in our past that is more than a tourist site. 

For those who want to visit the place, take a jeepney at San Fernando City and alight at Luna’s town center in less than an hour of travel time. 

From the town proper, take a tricycle going to Baluarte where the watch tower is located.

The Luna Watch Tower was built to conquer the frequent raiding of Chinese, Japanese, and Moro pirates in the coastal towns of La Union and was used by the Spaniards to warn its residents against the looters. 

The fortress also served as the communication tower post for a temporary airfield for the United States Army Forces in the Philippines - Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL).

The other four towers are situated in Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, and San Fernando City.

This 400-year-old watchtower faces the West Philippine Sea at 5.6 meters high made from reddish bricks. 

In 2007, the Provincial Engineering Office held up the ruins with concrete columns. 

It also established the prohibition of picking of stones 50 meters around the Baluarte to minimize coast erosion and guard the walls from inclining some more. 

In 2013, studies were made to preserve the structure built on the picturesque beach.

Unfortunately, the advocacy behind its preservation lost in the race against time and tide and Typhoon Lando had led the fortress to collapse and be divided in half. 

But through the collaboration of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Provincial Government of La Union, the watch tower was finally restored in April 2017.

At present, the damaged tower, like the Leaning Tower of Pizza, has met its perfect shape with a metal door of hanging padlocks and a perfect place to have a time-lapse view of the ocean. (JCR/AMB/KJCR, PIA La Union)