The Marinduque Sperm Whale that's taking the National Museum by storm and other Torrijos sea monsters before that

1979 Torrijos sea monster

Beached or caught in the waters of Torrijos near Cagpo. This shark (or is it a butanding, whale shark, sperm whale, balyena, or plain sea monster really?), is said to have been caught by local fishermen in the open sea off Torrijos in 1979 and brought ashore. Other accounts claim it was found by fishermen dying at the shoreline. Photo: Junmel Tan

Then in the 80s, this balyena, whale was caught in the same waters and brought ashore in Brgy. Cagpo. 

Above photos of shark and whale courtesy of Junmel Tan of Torrijos.

This photo shows similar skeleton of a sperm whale beached in Silago, Southern Leyte in 2000 that measured 52 feet in length. The said skeleton is now housed in a temporary shelter for Southern Leyte tourists to see. A permanent edifice with glass casing to be constructed to house the reconstructed bones. 

In 1994 the Archaeology Division of the National Museum received a report from a certain Porferio de Guzman of Brgy. Buangan, Torrijos regarding a sperm whale stripped of its flesh, cleaned and kept by Mr. Luciano Matienzo.
The complete set of the said whale skeleton measured 43.5 ft. long and was identified by the Museum as belonging to a male sperm whale, a highly specially toothed whale of the species Physeter macrocephalus.

The whale skeleton was purchased by the Museum after further verification for a negotiated price. The whale skeleton is now housed at the NM Building as rare osteological material.

Ngipin! A display case at the National Museum of the Philippines now keeps the Marinduque sperm whale's (Physeter macrocephalus) teeth for viewing (above). 
Photo: Eli J. Obligacion
And today, 18 February 2019, this Marinduque Sperm Whale has taken center stage at the newly-opened National Museum of Natural History, Rizal Park, Manila.

Whale takes center stage at National Museum

by Rhodina Villanueva (The Philippine Star), 2/17/19

Photo: Walter Bollozos, Philstar

MANILA, Philippines — To celebrate World Whale Day, the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Rizal Park, Manila, yesterday unveiled to the public its newest permanent display: the Marinduque Sperm Whale.

“At the Hyundai Philippines Entrance Hall of the NMNH was the Marinduque Sperm Whale, a 13.25-meter (43.5 feet) long sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) skeleton suspended from the ceiling,” the National Museum said in a statement.

 “The story of how the skeleton of the whale came to the National Museum began in 1994, when a report from Porferio de Guzman of Barangay Buangan, Torrijos, Marinduque regarding a sperm whale found on the beach there was received. Recovered, cleaned, preserved and kept by another local, Luciano Matienzo, the almost completely intact male skeleton was purchased from him and brought to Manila as a prominent highlight of the museum’s collection of osteological specimens. Twenty-five years later, the Marinduque Sperm Whale will now welcome visitors to the National Museum of Natural History as they walk through its doors,” it added.

  

Photo: Walter Bollozos

The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale in the world. It is one of the most iconic species of whale, made popular by Herman Melvilles’ classic novel Moby Dick. 

“This deep-diving whale was once abundant in seas all over the world, including in and around the Philippines, but was hunted heavily by humans from the 18th to the early 20th centuries for its oil,” the statement noted. 

In the Philippines, sperm whales can be seen alone or in groups in Bohol Sea and Sulu Sea and around the Batanes group of islands.

“Now considered endangered, they are protected by local and international laws,” the group added.

World Whale Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness of these majestic creatures and their plight. Founded in Maui, Hawaii in 1980 to honor the humpback whales that migrate to its waters to breed, this special day is now celebrated all over the world to show support for whales everywhere.