Centuries ago during the Spanish-Moro war, the Moro raiders stationed themselves in between Luzon and Samar, infesting the waters of the Samar Sea and conducted non-stop raiding of the islands for food and people to sell as slaves.

        Not escaping from these brutal assaults was the town of San Miguel, previously known as Pueblo de Sabang, which is located along the Carigara Bay facing the Samar Sea.

        Like in all other towns, a watchtower was built along the coastal area of Santa Cruz to help guard against the raiders during the 16th century. These watchtowers dotted the coastline of many provinces, some of them declared in 2015 as National Cultural Treasures of the Philippines.

        The watchtower stand as a testament to a bygone era, proof that San Miguel, Leyte was already prosperous with a coastal town center even the early Spanish period. Exposed to the harsh elements and centuries of times passed, the value of this local heritage structure must be recognized and appreciated.

        In the past these watchtowers were sentinels of the sea to warn residents of pirate attacks. Today, their inclusion in the tourism map is a stimulus to create awareness for people about the need to preserve treasures of the past. Therefore, the watchtower has evolved from sentinel of the town to guardians of our heritage.