The town of Angono in the province of Rizal is known as an artist’s
haven. Aside from being the home of two National Artists (Carlos V.
Francisco for painting and Lucio D. San Pedro for music), it is also
boasts of having the country’s oldest prehistoric work of art, making it
an interesting destination for a quick ride.
One point of interest is the Angono Petroglyphs, which sits along the
boundaries of Angono, Binangonan, and Antipolo. The petroglyphs are
included in the list of the National Cultural Treasures of the country
and World Inventory of Rock Art, and are thus considered a highly
significant cultural landmark.
Getting there requires a drive up a steep uphill road with some great
vantage points of the scenery of Rizal below and a short hike through
an artificial tunnel leading to the site. Scribbled on the volcanic turf of the cave walls are engravings of
stick figures resembling animals and humans dating back to circa 3,000
B.C. However, it was only in 1965 that the site was discovered by the
late renowned muralist and National Artist, Carlos “Botong” Fransisco
during a field trip with a troop of boy scouts.
