Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine - Cavite
Located in Caridad, Cavite City in the province of Cavite, Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine is the resting place of Don Ladislao Diwa - one of the founders of the KKK (Kataastaasang, Kagalanggalangan, Katipunan) which is the revolutionary group that fought for independence of the Philippines.
It was on November 30, 1996, that Don Ladislao Diwa's mortal remains were transferred to the mausoleum on the grounds of what is now known as Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine. During my visit to Cavite City, I brought with me a list of places to visit in the said place and the shrine was one of those that I highlighted and planned to visit.
Since I was not using GPS at that time, I had a hard time locating Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine. The funny thing was, the locals seem to not even know about its location too. Lucky for me though, I got to ask an old lady who remembers very clearly the unique-looking shrine and its location.
Upon my arrival at Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine, I was disappointed to find that it was locked and I had no way to get closer to it. I actually had to take pictures of it from the outside relying heavily on the zoom and wide-angle capacity of my camera lens. The shrine looked well maintained but it's evident that it is seldom visited. Well, we can't blame anyone though because Don Ladislao Diwa's life is rarely highlighted in our history books despite his contributions to our revolutionary cause.
Don Ladislao Diwa NHI Marker |
Speaking of his contributions, I think it's more beneficial if we talk about Don Ladislao Diwa rather than his shrine...
He was born on June 27, 1863, in San Roque, Cavite. Ladislao Diwa almost became a priest but had to abandon his ecclesiastical studies to pursue law. It was during his law school days that he met and became close friends with Andres Bonifacio and Teodoro Plata (the other founders of the Katipunan).
The shrine has the KKK on the edges of a triangle like in one of the flags of the Katipunan |
After finishing his law studies, he worked as a clerk in a district court of Quiapo, Manila. He later joined the La Liga Filipina which was established by Dr. Jose Rizal (the National Hero of the Philippines). Upon hearing Rizal's capture and deportation Diwa, Plata, and Bonifacio became convinced that an armed uprising is necessary. Ladislao Diwa's name would then be etched in history as one of the founders of the Katipunan.
He was an active member of the said (then) secret organization until his capture in Betis, Bacolor, Pampanga. He was lucky to be released as part of a prisoner exchange between Spanish authorities and the Filipino revolutionaries. Ladislao Diwa then went to Cavite and rejoined the armed struggle against the Spanish colonizers. After the Spanish left, he then fought against the Americans in the Filipino-American War of 1898. Sadly, he surrendered shortly after the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo (1st Philippine President) in Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901. He lived a long and productive life after the revolution. He died of nephritis on March 12, 1930.
The Backpack Adventures visits Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine |
Overall, visiting his final resting place made me more eager to visit the other historical sites of the Philippines particularly the resting place of the important people in history. On the side, I already visited Bonifacio and Diwa's resting places/shrines. Sadly, there were no written accounts of where the remains of Teodoro Plata, Valentin Diaz, and Deodato Arellano (the other founders of the Katipunan) were buried.
Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine Entrance Fee:
It's FREE to visit Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine.
Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine Opening Hours:
Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine is often closed and is only opened on special occasions or if you coordinate with the local tourism office of Cavite City. Regardless, you can still view and admire the unique-looking facade from the gate.
Why visit Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine?
There is nothing much to see in Don Ladislao Diwa Shrine, however, if you are a history buff like me, then visiting this shrine is a must as it is the final resting place of one of the Filipinos who paved the way for Philippines Independence.
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