Culion Museum and Archives (Culion, Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Culion Museum & Archives

From the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Culion Fort, we moved on to the Culion Sanatorium where we were to visit the Culion Museum and Archives. Here, we met up with Pastor Hermie Villanueva of the Coron Tourism Office, a resident and the grandson of a former leper patient, who gave us a guided tour of its exhibits. Though this was my first time to visit this museum (as well as Culion town), I featured it in my book “A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums” (New Day Publishers, 2010).

Main entrance

Pastor Hermie Villanueva

This unique two-storey museum, established in 1997, is housed in what was the first laboratory for leprosy research in the Far East. It was damaged during the November 8, 2013 super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) but was rebuilt through contributions and support of Tokyo BMC and the Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation (SMHF), in partnership with the Culion Sanitarium and Gen. Hospital (CSGH).

Timeline of Culion’s History

Leprosy Treatment/Quest for Cure

The museum documents the discriminatory legislation enforcing compulsory segregation in Culion and the research and clinical trials carried out using chaulmoogra oil and its esters within the colony. It has 6 galleries – “The First Contingent of Patients Arriving in the Colony,” “Leprosy Treatment / Quest for Cure,” “Community Life,” “Timeline of Culion’s History,” “Segregation and Service” and “Old Equipment.”

Chaulmoogra oil

A Culion-style ambulance

The resultant effects on colony life are recorded in relation to the community interaction of patients, the segregation of children of leprous parents, the use of special currency to prevent (it was believed) the disease being transmitted elsewhere, the results of different research on childhood leprosy and other pioneering research on bacteriology, pathology and epidemiology of leprosy.

Coins used in the colony

Old Equipment

The museum houses and protects numerous reference works related to leprosy. On display are complete set of old, specially made Culion coins, examples of the different laboratory apparatus and instruments used in early leprosy research (including syringes with which patients were injected with chaulmoogra oil), a wealth of old and detailed Culion pictures and Dr. Windsor Wade’s (the founding editor of the. International Journal of Leprosy) memorabilia, and other items that reflect the community life of leprosy patients.

Musical intruments used by the leper colony band

Religious paraphernalia

The museum is also a repository for old clinical records and a registry of patients admitted to the “Culion Leper Colony” from different parts of the Philippines since 1906. Also on exhibit are musical instruments used by the Culion Leper Colony Band, religious paraphernalia, stamps, sea shells and insignias and badges of the Culion Police Force.

Insignas and badges of Culion police force

Sea shells of Culion

Culion Museum & Archives: Open Mondays to Fridays, 9 AM to 4 PM. Curator: Mr. Ricardo Punzalan. Admission: PhP150. Mobile numbers: (0912) 797-1077, (0947) 603-0983, (0921) 760-7239 and (0909) 560-7350. E-mail: artculsan@yahoo.com, lotgante@yahoo.com and doh_culsan@yahoo.com.ph. Website: www.culionsanitariumandgeneralhospital.com.

Culion Tourism Office: mobile number: (0921) 394-7106 (Pastor Hermie Villanueva). E-mail: herme_1670@yahoo.com.ph.

How to Get There: Culion is a 1.5 to 2-hour motorized outrigger boat ride from Coron town.

How to Get to Coron: Skyjet Airlines has 4 times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, 10:30 AM) flights from Manila (NAIA Terminal 4) to Coron (Francisco Reyes Airport). Travel time is 30 mins.

Asia Grand View Hotel: Governor’s Ave., Jolo, Brgy. 5, Coron, Palawan. Tel:(+632) 788-3385. Mobile number: (0999) 881-7848. E-mail: gsd@asiagrandview.com. Manila sales office: Unit 504, Richmonde Plaza, 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Tel: (+632) 695-3078 and 531-8380. Mobile number: (0917) 550-7373 to 75 Fax: (+632) 695-3078. E-mail: info@asiagrandview.com. Website: www.asiagrandview.com.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Church of the Immaculate Conception and Fort Culion (Culion, Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 6 Comments ↓

The Church of the Immaculate Conception

From the town proper, we all boarded tricycles to take us, up a high promontory, to the town’s magnificent Church of the Immaculate Conception, originally built in 1746 by the Recollects. It is located within the quadrilateral Fort Culion which was built in 1683 by Fr. Juan de Severo and renovated in 1740.

The church promontory

The fort was partially demolished in the 1930s by American Jesuit Fr. Hugh McNutty to build a larger church, with some of the fort’s original coral rock used for the nave. The church was completed in 1933. Both the fort and church share the same main entrance.

Royal seal of King Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain

Royal seal of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain

AUTHOR’s NOTES:

The church’s 2-level Baroque facade has semicircular arched main entrance flanked by pilasters and seemingly topped by the royal seal of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. The entrance, in turn, is flanked by niches with statues of angels.

The church’s interior

The second level has a centrally located niche with the statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception flanked by semicircular arch windows. Above is a segmental (half-moon) pediment with a centrally located oculus. On the church’s right is a bell tower.

Part of the remaining fort walls

The painted ceiling inside the church is obviously new, but before it was repainted, the original ceiling was painted in 1978 by leper patient Ben Amores, based on the design of Jesuit Fr. Javier Olazabal. To do the paintings, the handicapped Amores, who had no hands, had brushes tied to his arms and was lifted up. In 2003, Jesuit Fr. Gabriel Gonzalez initiated the restoration and renovation of the church.

One of the fort’s two remaining cannons

Today, only a round bastion (turned into a lighthouse), with two carriage-less Spanish-era cannons (one I noticed had 1762A stamped on it, probably indicating the year it was cast), located behind the church sanctuary, and part of the wall are all that remains of Fort Culion. Here, the view of the ocean and Culion town is spectacular.

Our media group at the fort’s remaining round bastion

View of the town and sea from the bastion

Culion Tourism Office: mobile number: (0921) 394-7106 (Pastor Hermie Villanueva). E-mail: herme_1670@yahoo.com.ph.

How to Get There: Culion is a 1.5 to 2-hour motorized outrigger boat ride from Coron town.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Culion (Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 11 Comments ↓

Come early morning of our second day in Coron, we all woke up for an early breakfast at Asia Grand View Hotel. We had a full day of resort sponsored activities and the whole morning was to be devoted to a visit to the 390-sq. km. Culion Island and its only town of the same name. Once ready, we were all transported, by batches, to Ligaya Pier where our big motorized outrigger boat awaited us. We all left the port by 9 AM and the trip took us 1.5 hours.

Culion Island

Formerly a part of Coron, until recently, most people have either never heard of Culion or only knew it was once the world’s largest leper colony which was established in 1906. Patients, from different parts of the Philippines, and doctors, hospital staff and church missionaries were brought to Culion which was isolated for over a century.

The iconic Eagle logo on Agila Hill with the statue of Christ the Redeemer above it

By its 25th year, there were already 16,138 patients on Culion’s roster making it the largest leper colony in the world. It became a separate municipality on February 1992 by virtue of Republic Act No. 7193 and ratified by a plebiscite held on September 12. The cure for leprosy, a multi-drug therapy, was developed in the 1980s and, in 2006, the island was declared leprosy-free by the World Health Organization.

Culion Port

As our boat neared the island, we could already see the Aguila (“eagle’), a gigantic replica of the Philippine Health Service’s iconic eagle crest, the town’s famous marker. Located 330 steps from downtown Culion, the Eagle, seated above the Philippine medical emblem, was constructed in 1926 by ingenious lepers who, in appreciation for the dedication of the health workers who worked in Culion, meticulously arranged the boulders on the slope of Agila Hill which overlooks Culion Bay and the quaint town of Culion. Just above it is a statue of Christ the Redeemer.

Culion town proper

We landed right at the doorstep of Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant, one of the town’s three inns. At its restaurant, we were welcomed by Ms. Marche Mercado-Sanchez, the lodge’s Operations Manager. Here, we were served snacks and juice drinks.

Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant

The lodge has basic but clean and comfortable accommodations, with twin sharing, fan-cooled rooms with common toilet & bath and airconditioned family rooms with private toilet & bath (PhP650-1,500). A television is found in the common dining area while a convenience store is located at the ground floor of the lodge.. They have a back-up generator which they use when there are lots of guests as electricity in the town only runs from 12 noon till 12 midnight only.

The Lower Gate

Just outside the lodge is the “Gate” which formerly divided Culion into two worlds. The upper gate is where the sano (non-lepers) resided and the lower gate is where the leproso (“lepers”) were secluded. The gates were heavily guarded. Strict rules were imposed (the lepers even had their own police force), especially on the lepers who were not allowed to go through the upper gate.

Plaque beside the gate

The sano also had to wash their hands and feet as well as wipe their shoes and slippers with antiseptic and leave their clothes before they could enter. After work, they had to wash again and change their clothes before going home.

The giant clam shell used for wahing hands

The giant clam shell used for washing hands displayed at Culion Museum & Archives

Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant: Sandoval St., Brgy. Balala, Culion 5315, Palawan. Mobile numbers: (0999) 656-7769, (0917) 528-2433 and (0918) 214-2222. Email: tabingdagatlodge@yahoo.com, cecille1025sanchez@google.com and mcm.sanchez@yahoo.com.

Culion Tourism Information: mobile number: (0921) 394-7106 (Pastor Hermie Villanueva). E-mail: herme_1670@yahoo.com.ph.

How to Get There: Culion is a 1.5 to 2-hour motorized outrigger boat ride from Coron town.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Maquinit Hot Springs (Coron, Palawan)

Posted on 15 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Maquinit Hot Spring

After making our way back to our boat from Kayangan Lake, we returned to Coron Port where our van awaited us to take all of us to Maquinit Springs, the final stop of our Asia Grand View Hotel-sponsored first-day tour of Coron. We arrived at the springs by 6:30 PM.

Maquinit Hot Springs, believed to be one of the rarest hot springs in the country and in Asia. is unique for its saltwater pools, one of only a few in the world. One of the best mineral hot spring sites in the country, it has hot sulfuric, mineral-rich salt water emanating from the ground and collecting in several waist-deep pools 5 m. from the seashore.

The author at Maquinit Hot Spring

Its waters flow right into Coron Bay, causing a misty mirage seen from the shoreline of Coron town. Water temperature here can rise to a scorchingly hot 32 to 40º Celsius, especially between 10 AM and 3 PM. It is cooler during sunset. The waters are reputed to cure skin ailments while the green moss lining the pool are said to be a remedy for sunburn (it also makes the floor slippery).

It was almost unbearable at my first dip at the volcanically heated water of the 2 main pools but I soon got used to it and it soothed my aching muscles. The others followed suit.

Visitors with respiratory and skin problems have observed improvements in their condition after a dip. For those with high blood pressure (like me), they are advised to minimize their time in the pool and later take a cold shower to normalize their body temperature.

A wooden boardwalk where one can view the esa and the nearby mangroves

A wooden boardwalk where one can view the islands of Coron Bay and the nearby mangroves

For generations, Ms. Lia Ramos and her family has been taking care of the hot springs. According to Lia, the pools have spirulina, a substance used to produce animal feeds, medicines, vitamin supplements and cosmetics.

View of Coron Bay

How to Get There: By land, the springs are accessible by a 30-min. tricycle ride from the Coron town proper (PhP300-400 round trip). By sea (during high tide), boats dock at a boardwalk leading to the sea. From the boardwalk, you can see the islands of Coron Bay. By air, Skyjet Airlines has regular flights from Manila to Coron.

Maquinit Hot Springs: Sitio Maquinit, Brgy. Tagumpay, Coron, Palawan. Open daily, 8 AM – 8 PM. Admission: Adults (PhP200), Senior Citizens/Students (PhP160), Children 5 to 10 years old (PhP100), Children Below 5 Years Old (free). Mobile number: (0918) 344-4633. E-mail: maquinit.hotspring@yahoo.com.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Lake Kayangan (Coron, Palawan)

Posted on 15 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Lake Kayangan

After a late lunch and check in at Asia Grand View Hotel, we all boarded our van for the first of two hotel-sponsored activities – an excursion to Lake Kayangan, one of seven enchanting lakes located in the center of Coron Island. Kayangan is a Tagbanua word meaning “entrance.” Lake Kayangan is the more popular of two lakes (the other is Barracuda Lake or Luluyuwan Lake) open and accessible to visitors.

Coron Port

L-R – Angelo, the author, Pete, Lindy and Mike (photo: Mike Potenciano)

However, before they were opened to the public, a meticulous ritual was performed by the indigenous Tagbanuas to transfer the spirits that are believed to inhabit the place, from Lake Kayangan and Barracuda Lake, to Lake Cabugao. Tagbanuas do not allow visits to the other lakes because they are panyaan (sacred sites) plus they do not want the swiftlet’s (balinsasayaw) nests to be disturbed.

Magnificent limestone karst formations seen along the way

Boat Landing Area

After a short 5-min. drive,we arrived at Coron Port, beside the Coron Public Market, where we boarded a big outrigger boat that would take us to the lagoon. The boat ride took us 30 mins.

Stairway entrance

The climb begins…..

Upon arrival at the boat landing area, we made a short (10-15 min.) but steep and somewhat challenging climb up an uneven, 150-step paved stairway up a hill to a small cave which is used by Tagbanuas as a shelter during storms.

The small cave

Cave stalactites

Here, we had a breathtaking view of the iconic, awe-inspiring and truly beautiful cove entrance, probably the most photographed site in Coron. Justifiably, the view from the top is something to look forward to and we took our time taking photographs. From here, it is another 174 steps down to the lake.

The postcard pretty view

Lake Kayangan is a volcanic mountain lake, with crystal-clear, turquoise, brackish and cold, 5-10 m. deep waters hidden among steep and jagged but spectacular and beautiful limestone cliffs. It is served by a hot spring and has a halocline, a division between the much colder freshwater (70%) and the denser salt water (30%) below, at 14 m.. The lake is a Presidential Hall of Fame Awardee as the cleanest and greenest inland body of water for three consecutive years (1997-1999).

The wooden boardwalk

Upon arrival at the lake, we stashed our things at a little wooden walkway and platform, donned our mask and snorkel and went for a swim. Diving is not allowed as the rocks underwater are sharp. Underwater, it was like a moonscape. I felt like it’s out of this world. With my snorkel, I saw schools of small (2-3 inches), odd-looking needle nose fish and shrimp swimming about the awesome rock formations.

The crystal clear waters of the lake

The water does not seem to have any current or waves at all. I am not a qualified free diver with cave experience, but I joined Mike, Libby, Angelo and Ay Lyn as we entered a nice little swim through cave. Diving is allowed in Barracuda Lake, said to be the home of a solitary, giant barracuda. The lake is a short 5-10-min. hike along a tricky limestone path to the top.

Inside the swim through cave (photo: Mike Potenciano)

The lake water’s varying blues and greens, with the limestone cliffs as backdrop, is just gorgeous. Describing Kayangan Lake as just enchanted is probably an understatement as it is, perhaps, the crown jewel among the best that Coron has to offer. A trip to Coron would not be complete without a visit to Kayangan Lake. Never miss the opportunity to kayak or board a bamboo raft to get to the middle of it. A PhP200 entrance fee, for maintenance, is collected by a Tagbanua guide. Visiting time is 8 AM to 4 PM.

The author

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Visit of the MV Logos Hope (Cebu City, Cebu)

Posted on 9 May, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

From Fort San Pedro, Grace, Jandy, Cheska and I walked over to the Malacañang sa Sugbo berth in Pier 1 where the MV Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating library, was docked. This world-traveling vessel, operated by the non-profit German Christian charitable organization GBA Ships e.V (Gute Bücher für Alle, English: Good Books for All) and captained by Tom Dyer, arrived in Cebu City last April 28 and was to remain there until May 29.

MV Logos Hope

Here, we checked out its library, occupying one air-conditioned deck of the ship. It carries some 500,000 educational and Christian books of different titles, covering a range of subjects including fiction, economics, science, sports, hobbies, cookery, arts, medicine, languages, general reference and philosophy, for sale “at a fraction” of the books’ retail price. Price ranged from PhP100-200 for the cheaper books, while the more expensive ones cost around PhP400-1,000.

The newly created Logos Hope Experience, situated on a deck that was installed into the original ferry’s car area, holds up to 800 visitors at any time, with capacity to host an additional 500 in the Hope Theatre and Logos Lounge. This publicly accessible deck offers visitors an introduction to the vessel and the organization. There’s also the “Journey of Life,” a visual presentation which is based on the story of the “Prodigal Son,” and the International Cafe.

The vessel’s 400 all volunteer (they live on board for two years) crew and staff, headed by Managing Director Seelan Govender, come from 45 countries, many of them humanitarian activists and people interested in social service who took part in the journey to sell books as well as to perform charity activities. Knowledge, Hope and Help is the aim of the vessel and wherever the ship goes, the needy and the destitute get sighs of happiness and hope. The revenue from the book fair is used for building orphanages, providing computer training, for awareness and educational programs for people with HIV, offering free health checkups and for donating to charity funds.

The fourth ship in the Logos line up, after the MV Logos (its wrecked hulk now sits on a rock shelf on the Chilean coast), the MV Logos II (retired in the fall of 2008) and the MV Doulos (sold in 2009 to a company in Singapore) and twice bigger than its predecessors, it is better than other ships operated by the organization when it comes to providing comfort, convenience and a quality cruise to visitors, guests as well as the crew of the ship. The MV Logos Hope was built in 1973 as the ferry MV Gustav Vasa for car ferry service between Malmö (Sweden) and Travemünde (Germany), a route she ran for 10 years. In April 1983, she was sold to Smyril Line, a Faroese ferry company, and renamed MV Norröna, providing a ferry service to the Faroe Islands. Each summer, she sailed from Tórshavn, the Faroese capital, to Lerwick (Shetland Islands), Bergen (Norway), Hanstholm (Denmark) and Seyðisfjörður (Iceland).

In winter, she was often chartered to cover other operators’ overhaul schedules. When Smyril Line delivered a new Norröna in 2003, the old vessel became MV Norröna I and was put up for sale. In March 2004, after much deliberation, inspection and prayer, GBA purchased the vessel.

Completely refitted over a period of 5 years, it was launched into active service in February 2009 and has visited more than 150 countries in Northern Europe, the Caribbean, West Africa, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and most recently south Asia, docking in a port for approximately 2 weeks. A total of 44 million book lovers have checked out its store. It last visited the Philippines in 2013.

MV Logos Hope: open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 AM to 9:30PM, and Sundays, 1 to 9:30 PM. Admission: PhP20 per person. Children under 13 years old and senior citizens may enter for free.

Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great (Legaspi City, Albay)

Posted on 1 May, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Also called the Albay Cathedral, the first church was buried in 1754 and destroyed during the February 1, 1814 eruption of Mayon Volcano. The present cathedral, located near Penaranda Park, was built in 1834 mainly through the generosity of Pedro Romero. During World War II, the church was damaged by American bombers and its reconstruction continued until 1951.

The Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great

That same year, when the Episcopal Seat of the Diocese of Legaspi was established, the church was elevated to become a cathedral. Its nominal patron is Our Lady Mother of Salvation while its secondary patron is Pope St. Gregory the Great. In 2001, during the golden jubilee of the church, a gate with monolithic pillars and arch was constructed.

The simple Romanesque-style facade

The church’s simple Romanesque-style façade has a semicircular arched main entrance with a projecting portico, both flanked by niches with statues of St. Raphael and St. Peter, and superpositioned coupled columns on pedestals supporting a triangular pediment. At the ends are single superpositioned columns with a pinnacle on top. The pediment and second level are separated by an entablature.

The centrally located square bell tower

The second level has a centrally located rose window flanked by rectangular windows. Above the pediment is a centrally located square bell tower. The side entrances have semicircular arched entrances flanked by superpositioned fluted columns. Above the entrances are statued niches.

Side entrances with a statued niche above it

A side entrance. A niche with the statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz is above it

Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great: Mons. F. Reyes St., Old Albay District, Legazpi City, 4500, Albay. Tel (052) 820 4603.

City Mayor’s Office: City Hall, National Highway, Legaspi City, 4500, Albay. Tel.: (052) 820-1400.

City Tourism Office: Legaspi City, 4500, Albay. Tel: (052) 480-2698 and (052) 820-1843. Website: www.legaspi.gov.ph.

How to Get There: Legaspi City is located 556 kms. southeast of Manila.

Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Malilipot, Albay)

Posted on 30 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

The town’s church was first built in 1789 by Fr. Simeon Vasquez. The present church was started in 1851 and completed in 1877.The church grounds have a good view of Mayon Volcano.

The Baroque-style, 2-level facade

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

Its 2-level Baroque façade has a semicircular, recessed arched main entrance, in varying widths, flanked, on each side, by 3 pilasters (the center one taller and wider than the other two), all mounted on pedestals. These, in turn, are flanked by semicircular arched windows.

A trio of columns

The main entrance with recessed arches in varying widths

The second level has a semicircular arched niche with a statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (below which is stamped the year “1877”) flanked, on both sides, by a pilaster and a semicircular arched window. All throughout the façade are decorative scrollwork while the statued niche has a fleur de lis keystone. The triangular pediment has a centrally located oculus.

Niche with statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Detail of decorative scrollwork

The whole façade is flanked by two 4-storey, hexagonal bell towers topped by domes. The two levels are separated by an entablature with a frieze of decorative, alternating diamond and floral patterns which continues around the bell towers.

The modern church interior

The bell tower with Mt. Mayon on its left

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church: Poblacion, 4510 Malilipot, Albay. Tel: (052) 325 8965 and 558-2379.

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Poblacion, 4510 Malilipot, Albay. Tel.: (052) 820-7950

Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne (Malinao, Albay)

Posted on 30 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

The Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne was built by Franciscan Fr. Francisco de Sta. Ana in 1619, destroyed by lahar triggered by a typhoon during the 1766 Mayon Volcano eruption and later rebuilt.

Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne

Author’s notes:

This church’s simple Romanesque façade has semicircular arch main entrance (above which is a rose window) flanked by rectangular windows and superpositioned coupled columns on pedestals that extend to the second level. At the ends of the facade are single superpositioned columns topped by pinnacles. On the church’s right is the four-storey bell tower.

The church facade

The 4-storey bell tower

Its triangular pediment above the second level features a remarkable relief sculpture of St. Anne holding baby Mary, riding a cow and chasing off pirates. St. Anne is credited with saving Malinao from a pirate attack.

Bas relief at the triangular pediment

The church’s modern interior

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Poblacion, 4512 Malinao, Albay. Tel.: (052) 488-4550

How to Get There: Malinao is located 545 kms. from Manila, 5 kms. from Tabaco City and 32 kms. northeast of Legaspi City.

Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr (Tiwi, Albay)

Posted on 30 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr

Tiwi’s present church, built in 1829, replaced the town’s original church which was built in 1776, by Franciscan Fr. Pedro de Brosas at the mouth of a site called Tuytoy (“bridge”) Swamps. The church was burned by Moro pirates and later abandoned due to its vulnerability to typhoon-induced tidal waves.

The centrally located, square bell tower and triangular pediment

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s dark, simple but charming façade is dominated by a centrally located, square bell tower, and it’s gently protruding, semicircular arched main entrance, flanked by coupled columns, is topped by a triangular pediment with a centrally located oculus.

Superpositioned coupled columns with pinnacles

Flanking the main entrance are two statued niches and another set of coupled columns capped by pointed pinnacles. The first level is separated from the triangular pediment by an entablature.

The modern church interior

Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr: San Lorenzo St., Sitio Basag, Brgy. Tigbi, 4513 Tiwi, Albay. Tel: (052) 488 5107. Feast of St. Lawrence the Martyr: August 10.

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Poblacion, 4513 Tiwi, Albay. Tel.: (052) 435-4866.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.