Museo de Guinobatan, aka Ola Museum — Guinobatan, Albay
Gen. Simeon Arboleda Ola, a Guinobateño, was the last Filipino general to surrender to the Americans during the Philippine-American War, that is why this town in Albay is proud to also call its Museo de Guinobatan the Ola Museum.
Just outside the museum, there is a statue of Gen. Ola on horseback. The general also became a mayor in this town, becoming the first ever to win a second term.
Inside the museum, you can find his saber, his tambuli (budyong) his saddle, and his Bicol translation of Jose Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios.”
This Sept. 2, 2025, during Ola Day, the town will celebrate the local hero’s 160th birthday with a mass and a short program outside the museum. Sept. 2 is also a non-working holiday through the province of Albay because of this.
Some criticize the local hero’s strategy for combat. Ola used guerilla warfare strategies during his troop’s skirmishes against the Americans, but this was what he had to do given that they had limited resources. They would even sometimes bring guns with no bullets during battles.
Because of this heroism, Bicol Region gave Ola a recognition by naming the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police after him.
This is part of a series called Bicolana Obscura. Feel free to suggest lesser known destinations or places that almost never make it to people’s itineraries either because they just don’t seem “Instagrammable” by certain standards, or they’re too far away, or they are just neglected. Send your suggestions to contact@visitbicol.com. Visit Bicol would happily attribute the suggestion to you.
See other places in Bicolana Obscura here:
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