Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Vancouver)

Posted on 17 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

Five days after our arrival in Vancouver, Grace, Jandy, Kyle and I had our first mass at the late 19th-century, 700-pax Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

Grace and Kyle making their way into the cathedral

Commonly known as Holy Rosary Cathedral, serves as the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver. Located in the downtown area of the city, it is listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register and is a legally protected building.

The cathedral’s French Gothic Revival style facade

Designed by architects Thomas Ennor Julian and H.J. Williams in the classic cruciform form (with narthex, nave, transepts and an apsidal chancel), it was constructed under the charge of R. P. Forshaw and Company and the church was completed in just 491 days. At the time it was finished, the building was praised as “the finest piece of architecture west of Toronto and north of San Francisco.”

The right side of the cathedral

The left side of the cathedral

Here’s the historical timeline of the cathedral:

In June 1885, the parish was established with Father Patrick Fay, the chaplain to Canadian Pacific Railway(CPR) workers, chosen as pastor.
In 1886, construction began for a wooden church
In 1888, the wooden church was completed the following year and blessed.
In 1890, the church was enlarged and a bell tower was added.
On July 16, 1899, the cornerstone for the new church was laid by Archbishop Adélard Langevin of Saint Boniface.
In the autumn of 1900, the cathedral’s pipe organ was inaugurated.
On October 21, 1900, the church’s seven bells were blessed
On December 8, 1900, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the new Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was opened and was blessed the day after by Archbishop Alexander Christie of Portland, Oregon.
In 1906, eight bells were reinstalled in the cathedral
In 1911, on Dominion Day, the church’s bells were rung, the first peal ever to be rung in Canada .
In 1916, the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral.
In February 1922, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for beloved local lifeguard and swim instructor Joe Fortes. The cathedral filled to capacity, with thousands of others braving the rain and cold weather to view the funeral procession on the streets of Vancouver.
In 1927, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), which administered the parish since 1893, left after difficulties arose from the mortgage agreement that had helped pay for the construction of the cathedral. This was coupled with the “growing manpower shortage” caused by a declining number of members joining the order.
In late 1932, the “tin scales” that covered spire of the taller steeple were cleaned and repaired, and the cross atop of it was repainted.
In 1936, it hosted an archdiocesan-level Eucharistic Congress, the first congress ever to be celebrated in Western Canada.
In 1939, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for Pope Pius XI.
On October 7, 1952, the feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, a gunman entered the church and fired a round from his rifle at the altar. No one was hurt and he was arrested shortly after.
In April 1959, a minor tilt in the bell tower of the cathedral was detected probably due to the drilling and blasting of a nearby tunnel.
On October 3, 1953, the rite of consecration as a cathedral, officiated by the Archbishop of Vancouver William M. Duke, was held. The subsequent solemn pontifical Mass was celebrated by Michael Harrington, the Bishop of Kamloops. Approximately 35 bishops from across Canada and the United States attended the event, which coincided with Duke’s golden and silver jubilees of his priestly ordination and consecration as a bishop, respectively.
In 1961, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for former Vancouver police commissioner William Cameron Murphy.
In the 1960s, after the Second Vatican Council, the reordering of the sanctuary took place.
In 1967, an interfaith requiem was held at the cathedral for former Governor General of Canada Georges Vanier.
In September 1981, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for internationally-acclaimed actor Chief Dan George of the Tsleil-Waututh
On September 19, 1984, Pope John Paul II visited the church as part of his pastoral visit to Canada. Refurbishing took place prior to his visit.
From 1995 to 1997, the cathedral was completely re-roofed, with zinc being utilized on the roof to resemble slate.
In 1999, the organ was dismantled and transported to Casavant Frères in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec for a two-year restoration.
In Easter of 2000, the rehabilitated pipe organ was blessed. That same year, an organ concert series was hosted at the cathedral for the first time.
In late September 2001, the cathedral became the first place in Canada to host the relics of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux during her reliquary’s three-month-long tour of the country.
In December 2002, some of the carpeting was removed and replaced with Italian ceramic tiles.
From 2004 to 2006, the inside of the church was repainted.
On April 1, 2005, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for Pope John Paul II.
On March 23, 2008, during an Easter Sunday Mass at the cathedral, First Nations protesters disrupted the mass by demonstrating on the outside steps. They ordered the Church to “get off native land” and demanded that they disclose the burial locations of children who died in residential schools.
On February 12, 2010, the cathedral’s bells were rung during the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
On October 30, 2011, a splinter group from the Occupy Vancouver movement marched to the cathedral from the Vancouver Art Gallery, attempting to enter the cathedral and occupy it but were thwarted by Vancouver police officers and Knights of Columbus.
In the spring of 2017, the copy of the bronze sculpture Homeless Jesus by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz was installed in front of the cathedral.
In 2018, new light fixtures, pews and an upgraded sound system were added.
On March 22, 2020, as a result of the Archdiocese suspending all public masses starting from March 21 onwards, in response to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, Sunday Mass was celebrated without a congregation for the first time in the cathedral’s history.
In June 2020, public masses at the cathedral resumed with capacity reduced to 50 people per Mass in order to adhere to the physical distancing requirements set out by the provincial health authorities.

The 49 m. (161 ft.) long, 32 m. (104 ft.) wide (across the transepts) and 19 m. (62 ft.) high (from floor to ceiling) cathedral, built in the French Gothic revival style, has been described as resembling the medieval Chartres Cathedral in France. Cruciform, in the shape of the Latin cross, it is 19 m. (62 ft.) across the nave and the aisles.

The taller bell tower

Its foundations were made of granite while its exterior walls were built from sandstone originating from Gabriola Island. The cathedral’s “most prominent visual feature” is its two asymmetric bell towers. The taller, 66 m. (217 ft.) high steeple was originally designed to have flying buttresses at the bottom.

The cathedral interior looking towards the main altar

The cathedral interior looking towards the choir loft

The nave arcades at the interior which, in turn support a Gothic tunnel vault, are supported by Norman columns made from highly polished, red Scagliola marble. Non-structural ribs decorate the vault, with simple molding accenting the intermediate ribs.

Left side aisle

Right side aisle

The cathedra, situated at the center of the sanctuary, is surrounded by a Gothic-style, oak altar-piece, with richly detailed gold foliage and angels set in relief, and two towers of reredos decked with delicately carved angels carrying torches, thuribles and sacred books.

Left transept

Right transept

The cathedral originally had seven bells (representing the sacraments) cast at the Fonderie Paccard in Annecy-le-Vieux, Savoy, France. However, when they were found to be out of tune, they were sent to a foundry near Bristol where eight bells were made to complete an entire octave when rung.

Baptismal Font

Two of the14 Stations of the Cross

Statue of the Pieta

Operating on change ringing, they are one of the few peal of bells hung in the English style found in North America, and one of three in British Columbia (the others are located at Westminster Abbey in Mission and Victoria‘s Christ Church Cathedral).

Grace and Kyle

The cathedral’s pipe organ, manufactured by the Karn–Warren Organ Company in Woodstock, Ontario, is the “oldest romantic-style organ” in the province “remaining in its original location.” An organ concert is held at the cathedral annually since 2000. One of the most beautiful organs in the West Coast, it has three manuals, 4 divisions, 42 stops, 51 ranks and 2,899 pipes.

The cathedral’s pipe organ

Of the current 21 stained glass windows (documented by the Institute for Stained Glass in Canada) at the cathedral, the oldest is The Church Triumphant with the Risen Christ among Saints and Martyrs, on the east wall of the sanctuary, next to the shrine of the Blessed Virgin.

Stained glass depicting The Church Triumphant with the Risen Christ among Saints and Martyrs

The most renowned ones are the five windows made by Canadian artist Guido Nincheri whose work can be found in over 60 churches in North America.

Stained glass depicting Jesus with the Children (Guido Nincheri)

They depict Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, on the north side of the west transept; the Baptism of Our Lord (completed in January 1954), Jesus Healing the Sick, Jesus with the Children and the Assumption (completed and shipped out of the Nincheri studios in November 1953 and installed later that year). Started in 1941, it would take 13 years for the work on the stained glass to be completed.

Stained glass depicting The Assumption (Guido Nincheri)

The stained glass depicting Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was featured on Canada Post‘s annual Christmas stamp in 1997.

Stained glass depicting Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Guido Nincheri)

In front of the cathedral is a copy of the bronze sculpture Homeless Jesus by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz. Showing a life-size statue of a man with a long overcoat lying on a park bench, his face is hidden underneath a hood and his bare feet with stigmata.

The author beside the copy of the bronze sculpture of the Homeless Jesus by Candian artist Timothy Schmalz

According to Stanley Galvon (the rector at the time), the statue is intended to be “a catalyst to make people think about” the city’s homelessness crisis.

Jandy

Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary: 646 Richards cor. Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 3A3. Tel: (604) 682-6774. Fax: (604) 331-8406. E-mail: office@vancouvercathedral.org. Website: www.holyrosarycathedral.org. Sunday mass schedule: 8 AM, 9:30 AM, 11 AM, 12:30 PM, 5 PM.

How to Get There: by Metro, take the Expo Line to Granville Station or the Canada Line to Waterfront Station. Both are a 5 minute walk away.

Julio’s Bed and Breakfast (Loay, Bohol)

Posted on 2 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Julio’s Bed and Breakfast

Our final stop in our Bohol culinary tour was at Julio’s Bed and Breakfast, a stone’s throw away from an exquisite shoreline, pristine waters and calming sunset view of Loay Bay.

Loay Bay

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by its eponymous proprietor, Mr. Pio Araneta and his wife Dra. Grace. The restaurant here is the highlight of our visit.

Mr. Pio Araneta explaining how a pasgong (traditional bamboo trap) works

At the restaurant’s kitchen, we first experienced how the popular siakoy (also spelled as syakoy, siyakoy and shakoy) snack, also known as lubid-lubid (“little rope”), was made.

Siakoy making demonstration

This long, braided, soft, puffy and airy pastry, with a similar taste to the sugary doughnuts sold on streetside bakeries, is traditionally made with flour, sugar, salt, and yeast and deep-fried and then sprinkled with white sugar.

Ready-to-eat, deep-fried siakoy

It was best paired with tableya sikwate, native hot chocolate made using the traditional batirol (wooden whisk), and latik (coconut caramel).

Siakoy is best paired with sikwate (hot native chocolate drink)

Pio then demonstrated how generations of locals in the area prepared nilubihang or ginataang kagang (land crab with niyog), an heirloom recipe which incorporated the fat of native land crabs (kagang) with fresh coconut meat and water plus herbs, vegetables and spices.

Nilubihang kagang ingredients

Pio cooking nilubihang kagang

While waiting for the kagang to cook, Ms. Lily Busano (president of the Albur Calamay Makers Association) showed us how kalamay, Bohol’s most popular pasalubong, was prepared and cooked.

Ms. Lily Busano (president of the Albur Calamay Makers Association) with finishe kalamay products

This sticky, sweet delicacy is made with grated coconut, coconut milk, brown sugar, muscovado sugar, peanuts and pilit (ground glutinous rice).

The thick sugary mix being stirred continuously in a giant wok

To create the smooth, sticky consistency, the thick sugary mix was stirred continuously in a giant wok for up to 8 hours. Upon cooling, the kalamay is then transferred, preserved and sold in a type of packaging is known as kalamay-hati, inside signature halved smooth mesocarp of coconuts, locally known as bagul or paya which are then sealed shut with a characteristic red papel de japon (crepe paper).

It can be eaten on its own or turned into a spread for bread or siakoy. The sikwate, siakoy and kalamay are perfect for breakfast, merienda and dessert.

Kagang (Land Crab)

Before we ate the nilubihang kagang, Pio checked out the pasgong, traditional handmade bamboo traps used for catching kagang. The mouths of the traps were previously poised outside the crab holes and left overnight.

Pasgong, a traditional bamboo trap used to trap kagang

Sure enough, two of the traps we observed had crabs caught inside them. There’s no need for bait for this quick and efficient process but each trap could fit only one crab.

Media colleagues try their hand at weaving pouches for puso (hanging rice)

Nilubihang Kagang

While waiting, cocktails were also served. Others also tried their hand in weaving a pouch of palm leaves for puso or tamu (hanging rice). Soon, the nilubihang kagang was done and this was eaten with puso and pork barbecue. Dessert consisted of turon (banana spring rolls).

Media group (L-R): the author, Mr. John Paul Dacuycuy, Mr. Nickie Wang (Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, Manila Standard), Mr. Anton Delos Reyes (Writer, Malaya Business Insight). Ms. Raye Sanchez (Lifestyle and Entertainment Writer, Daily Tribune), Ms. Christine Alpad (Senior Reporter, Manila Times Lifestyle and Entertainment Desk), Mr. Alvin Alcantara (www.thediarist.ph), Ms. Lourdes Sultan (Travel Village Tours and Travel), Mr. Mario Alvaro Limos (Features Editor, Esquire Philippines), Ms. Roxanne M. Gochuico (Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Cebu Pacific), Mr. Pete Dacuycuy (Publicist) and Mr. Pio Araneta

Julio’s Bead and Breakfast: Del Carmen St., Villalimpia 303, Loay. Mobile number: (0922) 515-7594.

Bohol Provincial Tourism Office: G/F, New Provincial Capitol Bldg., C. Marapao St, Tagbilaran City, 6300. Tel: (038) 411 3666. Email: inquire@boholtourismph.com. Website: www.bohol.ph.

Department of Tourism Regional Office VII: G/F, L.D.M Building, Legaspi St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu. Tel: (032) 254 6650 and(032) 254 2811. E-mail: dotregion7@gmail.com. Website: dot7@tourism.gov.ph.

Bluewater Panglao Resort: Bluewater Rd, Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol. Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697. Mobile numbers: (0998) 843-0262, (0998) 964-1868 (Ms. Margie Munsayac – VP-Sales and Marketing), (0998) 962-8277 (Ms. Louee Garcia), (0919) 912-9663 (Mr. Manuel Sandagaon) and (0908) 890-9013 (Ms. Kate Biol). Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph, resrvations.panglao@bluwater.com.ph, margie.munsayac@bluewater.com.ph, louee.garcia@bluewater.com.ph, manuel.sandagon@bluewater.com.ph and kate.biol@bluwater.com.ph. Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph. Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348. Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Cebu Pacific Air currently flies seven times daily from Manila and thrice weekly from Davao City (every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to Bohol’s Panglao International Airport. Visist www.cebupacificair.com to learn about their latest offerings, safety protocols and travel reminders.

Asinan ni Tan Inong (Alburquerue, Bohol)

Posted on 2 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Asinan ni Tan Inong

From Loboc, we proceeded to Alburquerque (Albur for short) where we visited a remote village to see how the legendary asín tibuok (literally meaning “unbroken salt” or “whole salt” in the Cebuano language of the Boholano people), a rare Filipino artisanal sea salt from Bohol, is made at the Asinan ni Tan Inong.

Made by filtering seawater through ashes, it is usually consumed by being traditionally dusted lightly over plain hot rice, with a few drops of oil, and eaten as is, it is also used to season sinangag (traditional fried rice). Asín tibuok could be grounded and used like regular table salt or chunks can also be broken off and dipped into stews and dishes. A variant of the salt, also known as túltul (meaning “lump”) in Guimaras or dúkdok (meaning “pounded” or “pulverized”) in Capiz, is made similarly to asín tibuok but is boiled with gatâ (coconut milk).

Coconut husks in special pits filled with sea water during the tides

Due to the time-consuming traditional methods of producing salt and the hard work that go with its manufacture, the passing of the salt iodization (ASIN) law (Republic Act No. 8172) in 1995, as well as competition with modern and cheap imported salts prevalent today in the Philippines, the tradition of making asín tibuok and túltul is nearly extinct as it placed further stress on local artisanal salt-makers, forcing many to give up the industry altogether. Today, only a few families make asín tibuok and túltul and, due to their rarity, are considerably more expensive than regular salt.

Coconut husks slowly being burned in a pile

Commonly sold for the tourist trade (for their novelty) as well as to gourmet restaurants that feature Filipino cuisine, the demand for asín tibuok and túltul is usually high but the supply simply cannot keep up. Offering an equally special flavor that undoubtedly makes it one of the rarest kinds of salt in the world, asín tibuok is now listed in the Ark of Taste international catalogue of endangered heritage foods by the Slow Food movement.

The funnel-shaped bamboo filtering device

At the Asinan ni Tan Inong, the 72 year old Nestor Manongas explained the unique and meticulous process in the manufacture of asin tibuok. The Manongas family is the only one family still upholding this tradition in Poblacion, preserving a part of their history that makes use of nature’s best without harming it.

Sea water storage tanks. Sea water is poured into the gasang to leach out the salt from the ashes

Firstly, for several months, coconut husks are left to soak in special pits continually filled with seawater during the tides so that they can absorb the natural sea minerals along the coastline, giving us an idea of how long it takes just to acquire the natural minerals required for asin tibuok’s unique taste which gives off a unique smoky and salty flavor which is tastier and sharper than the kinds of salt you would find in grocery.

The non-iodized salt ready to be packed

Next, the coconut husks are then chopped into small pieces and sun-dried for at least 2 to 3 days. After that, for about a week, these husks are slowly burned in a pile, strictly using native hardwoods such as ipil-ipil, mahogany and duhat, until reduced completely to an activated charcoal (called gasang) which are gathered into a funnel-shaped bamboo filtering device. Seawater is poured into the gasang, allowing the water to leach out the salt from the ashes. The brine or filtered seawater (known as tasik) is then collected into a hollowed out coconut trunk beneath the funnels. This coconut charcoal combination provides the unique aroma of asin tibuok.

Dinosaur-shaped clay pots

The tasik is poured into special dinosaur egg-shaped clay pots and hung in walls in a special furnace where it is boiled for a few hours. Once some evaporate, the pots are continually replenished with more tasik. As both the heat and salt must not be left alone, this final process requires focus and dedication. As more water evaporates, the sea salt gets harder and the process continues until the clay pot gets filled with hard rock salt.

Mr. Nestor Manongas with the finished product

Eventually, the pots will crack, revealing the solidified pinkish mass of salt which is initially very hot. After following this heating process all day, it then requires a whole evening before it will be cool enough to be handled. The finished product is a salt orb in various shades of white, grey and brown and weighing roughly a kilo. As they are sold along with the broken domed pots, they are given them the nickname, in international markets, “the dinosaur egg” due to their appearance. Only 120 pieces of asin tibuok’ are made per batch and these are usually sold out for weeks.

The packaged product

Asinan ni Tan Inong: Brgy. Eastern Poblacion, Alburquerque 6301, Bohol. Mobile number: (0907) 168-0961. Open Mondays-Saturdays, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Fox & Firefly Cottages (Loboc, Bohol)

Posted on 2 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Fox and Firefly Cottages

Lunch during our Bohol Food Trip was to be at Fox & Firefly Cottages, a bed and breakfast place located in the forest areas of Loboc. Upon arrival, we were welcomed with organic, homemade kombucha, an effervescent, sweetened black or green tea commonly consumed for its purported health benefits.

Also on hand to welcome us was owner Ms. Joan Christine Soupart, one-half of the husband-and-wife team (the other is avid Belgian paddle boarder Frederic “Fred” Soupart) behind this quaint inn and its SUP Tours Philippines Sports Center. Joan is a registered Sivananda yoga teacher and ASI SUP yoga flow (Vinyasa) instructor.

Fred and Joan fell in love with the riverside town of Loboc, seeing it as an ideal place to exercise their passion for sports and adventure as well as to live with nature. They built a three-bungalow inn (initially called Paddle’s Up Guesthouse) beside the ever flowing Loboc River in 2013.

Front Desk

Here, they could operate stand-up paddling (SUP) tours. Now it is a favorite destination for adventure seekers, backpackers and nature lovers. According to Joan, the place was renamed (in 2014) after their beloved Pomeranian-Japanese Spitz dog Fox as well as the occasional firefly that flutter around amid the trees along the Loboc River at night.

Fox and Fable Restaurant (second floor)

Lunch was served at their in-house Fox and Fables (also named after their dog Fables) Restaurant along the banks of the Loboc River.

Vegan fare at Fox and Fables Restaurant

Here, they serve traditional, Western, vegetarian and vegan meals anytime of the day. We feasted on healthy meals and vegan dishes such as monggo soup, avocado salad, somtom (Thai papaya salad), talong salad, G-chili shrimps, maranding manok (dry coconut chicken curry), chicken halang-halang soup (a Visayan version of tinola with coconut leaves and moringa leaves) and their vegan kare-kare which was paired with a bagoong alternative made from locally sourced mushrooms.

Author (foreground) at Fox and Fables Restaurant

They also offer specialty beverages such as organic drinks and shakes, cocktails, wines and authentic Belgian beer.

The place also suffered during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) and, after repairs and renovation, reopened again on May 1, 2022.

We checked out one of the simply furnished, clean and comfortable cottages, one of 11, of this riverside accommodation facing a rice field.

Suite

Designed in the Filipino traditional architecture, with a modern but cozy feel, it featured a queen-size bed, a spacious patio with hammock, bamboo furnishings, fan (the cool, riverside breeze passes through naturally), mosquito nets and a private, nature-inspired outdoor bathroom.

Outdoor bathroom

Other facilities include a common lounge. They offer mountain biking tours and stand-up paddleboard activities. You may also practice yoga, join a class or meditate at their Santosha Yoga Shala.

Paddle boards for rent

Mountain bikes for rent

The inn also exhibit and sell artworks, inspired by nature and Boholano surroundings, by young Boholano artists. Proceeds from the sale go to a village livelihood program called “Build a Boat, Build a Barangay.”

Artwork of Boholano artists for sale along the hallway

Fox and Firefly Cottages: Barangay Rd., Brgy. Valladolid, Loboc 6316. Tel: (038) 537-9011. Mobile number: (0917) 713-7577, (0947) 893-3022 and (0917) 703-9979. E-mail: info@suptoursphilippines.com. Website: www.foxandthefireflycottages.com and www.suptoursphilippines.com.

Bohol Provincial Tourism Office: G/F, New Provincial Capitol Bldg., C. Marapao St, Tagbilaran City, 6300. Tel: (038) 411 3666. Email: inquire@boholtourismph.com. Website: www.bohol.ph.

Cornerstone Pottery Farm (Silang, Cavite)

Posted on 28 May, 2022 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Cornerstone Pottery Farm

Part Five of “Drive, Dine and Discover” Cavite Caravan

From Likhang Maragondon, we made the long 36.2-km. (one-hour) drive to Silang’s charming Cornerstone Pottery Farm, a producer of world-class handmade stoneware using locally and internationally sourced clay. It was raining heavily when we arrived. Owner Mr. EJ Espiritu was on hand to welcome us. Their beautiful and unique wares can be found in your favorite neighborhood coffee shops, monthly bazaars, and yearly art fairs in the metro. Through the years, Cornerstone Pottery Farm has undoubtedly carved a name for itself in the local pottery business.

Check out “Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center”

EJ Espiritu

It started from humble beginnings. EJ and his wife Eva, the brilliant minds behind Cornerstone, have created this whimsical space for creators and purveyors alike.

Workshop

EJ, who finished ceramic engineering at the Adamson University, worked with several ceramic companies for 10 years before going to the US, working as a rank and file employee – laboratory technician, section head, sales engineer for a ceramic materials company, then a plant manager for an export firm.

In 1996, as soon as EJ and Eva arrived from the US, where they tied the knot (they had a civil wedding in October 1994 in Wisconsin and a church wedding in June 1995), the first business that they ventured into was ceramics in the garage of the house that they rented at St. Joseph Subdivision in Bacoor, Cavite. After two to three months, as Cornerstone Ceramic Manufacturing, they were offered to be a subcontractor for an export company making ceramic items.

After four years of being a subcontractor in Cavite, they started making functional items and joined trade fairs. That really helped propel the business into the right direction. By year 2000, they started developing the stoneware product line.

An array of mugs of different sizes, colors and shapes

They were challenged to constantly develop new concepts and product lines, deal with clients and innovate. With the new lines they had, they were overwhelmed by the response of the market and they were able to meet some institutional buyers like Regalong Pambahay, Rust, Kultura and other stores and shops. In 2005, they opened their doors as Cornerstone Pottery Farm in Silang.

One of the shop’s three kilns

Before the pandemic happened, sales were very encouraging, with a lot of restaurants in Manila, BGC (Bonifacio Global City), Makati and Alabang actually getting from them like Rambla, Las Flores, Tomatito, James and Daughters, and Black Pig, to name a few. For nearly two decades now, they have also been making mugs for Bag of Beans in Tagaytay.

Showroom

Cornerstone Pottery Farm also had projects with The Fore of Kim Jones, and Tropa Lifestyle Store of Borgy Manotoc and girlfriend Carla Sison. Moreover, the pottery farm regularly joins Art in the Park, Artefino, the Gallery 9 exhibit and American Women’s Bazaar.

Celebrities, who got wind of their unique creations, have trooped all the way to Silang, Cavite to visit their factory and showroom where their handmade ceramic products, earthenware jars and stoneware can be seen.

An array of deformed pottery in the foreground

Normally, they post schedules of workshops that EJ occasionally conducts and people register online. Participants were people from the city who want to try their hands on pottery, learn new skills or make something with their hands (expats, a group of friends, office mates, etc.) or even like a team building exercise or amazing race type of exercise. Some, like Jericho Rosales and his wife Kim Jones, Melai Cantiveros, Drew Arellano and Andi Manzano, have even participated in the pottery workshop.

The production area is where they do the quite labor-intensive process by hand, starting from pouring the clay into the molds, down to assembling, drying, firing, and glazing the items.

Because of the lack of local suppliers of processed clay, they use only 10 to 20% of local materials, with the rest imported clay from a few of companies that import the materials and distribute locally as it is very hard to import materials on their own. Apart from the production area, you can also find the workshop area where EJ usually creates premium items and conducts pottery workshops.

For EJ, pottery, an intricate form of art and it takes a lot of effort to produce both a functional and aesthetic stoneware, let alone find authentic and handmade ones, is his profession, his means of income and his passion.

He takes charge of the technical and production areas in the factory and is also visible in manning the booths, every time they join exhibits and national trade fairs organized by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions and other exhibitions. Eva and Angelo, his son, also helps him. During exhibits, Angelo is also very good in talking with clients.

EJ kneading clay

EJ also does purchasing, delivery sometimes and meeting clients while Eva, a natural born artist, designer and IT expert, does the marketing, maintaining the social media presence, developing concepts and themes for upcoming shows or exhibit and designing the booths.

Shaping the kneaded clay using a potter’s wheel

At the shop, Mr. EJ Espiritu demonstrated, using his hands and an electrically driven potter’s wheel, the first two steps in pottery making. To prepare the clay for pottery, EJ kneaded (or wedged) it by hand to push the “air bubbles” out and make it pliable and clean, with an even consistency and right water content.

EJ explaining the pottery making process to Cavite Caravan participants

Next was the actual shaping (or “pinching”), with EJ inserting the thumb of his hand into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers while it is rotating. Soon, a bowl came into shape. This was as far as he went. The succeeding steps involved a long drying process until the pottery is bone dry (to prevent cracking and breaking) before firing in the kilns (the shop has three) and glazing. The entire process takes about three weeks to a month.

After the demonstration, EJ ushered us to the showroom where all items on display are for sale. Here, you can purchase pots, hand rolled dinnerware, mugs (ranging from Php 350 to Php 750), tea sets, chimes, vases, sculptural pieces, centerpieces, table top fountains, incense chambers, oil burners and various other ceramic wares. All their glazes are food safe and lead free.

L-R: Arabelle Jimenez, Bernard Supetran, the author, Pam Lee and EJ Espiritu

Cornerstone Pottery Farm: Balubad 1 Cornerstone, B1084 Balubad 1st Road, Service Road, Silang, 4118 Cavite. Mobile numbers: (0919) 995-2022 and (0932) 851-6444. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 8:30 AM to 5 PM. Website: www.cornerstonepotteryfarm.com. E-mail: eve@cornerstonepotteryfarm.com. Facebook: facebook.com/cornerstonepotteryfarm. Coordinates: 14.1948235714, 120.950244642.

How To Get There:

By car: From Makati take the SLEX and turn right to Carmona Exit. From Carmona Exit, continue on Governor’s Dr. to Emilio Aguinaldo Hwy. Turn right at Balubad 1st Rd. There is a signage going to Cornerstone on the right side. Turn right and you’ll find Cornerstone Pottery Farm.
By public transport: From the Ayala triangle, take the Erjohn and Almark bus bound to Tagaytay and then get off at Balubad 1st Rd., then ride a tricycle going to Cornerstone Pottery Farm. Tricycle fare is Php 15 one way.

Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP): AAP Tower, 683 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City 1112. Tel: (632) 8723-0808 and (632) 8705-3333. Website: www.aap.org.ph. E-mail: info@aap.org.ph.

AAP Lakbay, Inc.: G/F, Sea Tower Bldg., 332 Roxas Blvd. cor. Arnaiz St., Pasay City. Tel: (32) 8551-0025 and (632) 8403-543. E-mail: aaplakbay.caravan@gmail.com. Coordinates:
14.5456531, 120.9914728.

Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center (Cavite)

Posted on 28 May, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center

Part Four of “Drive, Dine and Discover” Cavite Caravan

Before proceeding to Silang, we made another 1-km. drive, from Caingin Port (gateway to our Maragondon Cultural River Cruise), for souvenir shopping at Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center, an award-winning native products enterprise which is helping revive the town’s age-old weaving tradition and bamboo craft by making them available to a bigger market.

Check out “Maragondon Cultural River Cruise”

Ms. Catherine “Therine” U. Diquit, Likhang Maragondon founder

Operating since 2019, it taps into the traditional craftsmanship of local-based and eco-friendly weaving and bamboo products made by 12 skilled Maragondon-based weavers and sewists, most of whom are housewives.

Their tagline is “Heritage in Your Hands, Crafted with a Purpose.” Upon our arrival, we were welcomed by a duo serenading us with native songs and Ms. Catherine “Therine” U. Diquit, the social entrepreneur and founder behind the business.

A duo performing native folk songs

They make all sorts of bamboo products such as lanterns (Php1,100); dinosaur lamps (Php3,000-3,500); dog lamp (Php2,200); hanging lamps (Php1,600); tube lamp (Php1,600); speaker calendar (Php1,500); 3-layer rack (Php3,500); trapezoid lamp (Php1,500); double rectangle lamp (Php1,650); double trapezoid lamps (Php1,600); vase stand (Php2,500); alcohol pump dispensers; planters (Php480); trio containers (Php380); trays (Php380); and frames (Php500). Their energy-saving and eco-friendly bamboo speakers (Php475) have a center slit where you can insert your cell phones and play music.

Other eco-friendly products include hand-painted refrigerator magnets (Php50); pins and key chains; vases; mugs (Php150) and crochet accessories.

Their very fashionable and comfortable handwoven Maragondon habing face masks (Php350 each), the first locally made mask to conform with the recommended minimum specifications, for non-medical masks for community use, of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), Department of Health (DOH), DOST-PHST (who conducted several tests on the mask) and World Health Organization (WHO), are made by the last three weavers of Maragondon using antique wooden looms.

These face masks are composed of four layers, two inner made with hydrophilic materials, and two outermost made with locally hand loom-woven fabric made with 40% upcycled thread from garment factory rejects. These have been shipped to 13 Philippine regions and 21 countries, including North Africa, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and Canada.

A habing dress for sale

Other habing products include boleros (Php2,500-3,400); blankets (Php1,400); table runners (80” x 8.5,” Php395); throw pillow cases (18’ x 18,” Php800 for a set of 2), toiletry pouches (9.5 x 7,” Php780); pouches (Php270); refrigerator and water dispenser covers; passport/vaccination card holder (Php350); handbags (Php1,500); hair bun twist (Php280); hand towels (Php390 for set of 3); turbans (Php380); place mats (Php1,400 for 8 pieces); braided bracelets (Php120); tote bag (Php975-1,750); aprons (Php480); laptop/document bag (Php1,400); Amigurumi dolls (Php180-200); shades pouch (Php300); coin purses (Php225); clutch bag (Php1,250); kitchen towel set (Php350 for 2); wall mail organizer (Php320); accordion wallet (Php365); kimonos; ponchos (Php900); jackets (Php1,400); ribbon scunchies (Php80); scarves; key holders (5” x 1, Php280); etc.

Several local artists, such as Pastor Lito Gestiada (acrylic paintings) and Dan Turiano (oil pastel ‘Starry Night’ version of Mt. Buntis) have commissioned their masterpieces at Likhang Maragondon. Some artists have also painted the bamboo products to give more colors and design.

They also sell native delicacies such as delectable puto with dinuguan (Php600 for 20 pieces); peanut butter (Php250); yema (Php70); onde-onde; gourmet tinapa (Php250); chili garlic oil (Php120); adobong mani (Php110); biko; atsara (Php250); Ala Carding Backfat chicharon (Php110); Kusina ni Ingga vinegar (Php90-120); ube; flavored palitaw; etc.

Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center: Brgy. Garita A, 4112 Maragondon, Cavite. Mobile number: (0995) 138-1813. E-mail: likhangmaragondon@yahoo.com. Website: www.likhangmaragondon.com.

Maragondon Municipal Tourism Office: G/F, Municipal Bldg., Brgy. Poblacion 1-A, Maragondon, 4112 Cavite. Tel: (046) 686-3139. Mobile number: (0926) 237-6537.

Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP): AAP Tower, 683 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City 1112. Tel: (632) 8723-0808 and (632) 8705-3333. Website: www.aap.org.ph. E-mail: info@aap.org.ph.

Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (Cordova, Cebu)

Posted on 23 April, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

The Php30 billion Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), also known as the Cebu–Cordova Bridge and the Third Cebu–Mactan Bridge (colloquially known as the Third Bridge locally), is a toll bridge expressway in Metro Cebu which links Cebu City with the municipality of Cordova, Cebu. The artistically designed CCLEX, with its iconic crosses on top of the twin pylons, has now become part of Cebu’s iconic landmarks.

Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (photo: Pete Dacuycuy)

Here are some interesting trivia regarding this bridge:

After the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge and the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, it is the third road link between Cebu and Mactan
At 8.9-kms. (5.5 mi.) long, it is the longest and tallest bridge in the Philippines, surpassing the San Juanico Bridge, which crosses Leyte and Samar, and the Candaba Viaduct along the North Luzon Expressway in Luzon.
It the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Philippines surpassing the Marcelo Fernan Bridge which also crosses the Mactan Channel.
It the first toll road project of Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC) outside of Luzon

Cordova mayor Adelino Sitoy first proposed the bridge to connect his municipality with Cebu City in mainland Cebu. After numerous studies were conducted, the local government of Cordova and Cebu City entered into a public-private partnership with Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC). Then chairman of the Regional Development Council of Region VII Michael Rama also lobbied for the construction of the Cebu-Cordova bridge. Rama later became Mayor of Cebu City when the Cebu–Cordova Bridge project was already awarded to a company.

Here is the historical timeline of the bridge:

In January 2016, the Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp.(MPTDC, the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. which is a publicly listed infrastructure company and a member of the Manny V Pangilinan Group of Companies), through a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, announced that the construction of the bridge that was to commence in 2017. In the same announcement, MPTDC said that they will be responsible for the construction and financing of the bridge and, once it is completed, its operation as well.
On March 2, 2017, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Cebu–Cordova Bridge was held.
On April 15, 2021, eight ecumenical “Iconic Crosses,” placed on the two main pylons of the bridge, were lighted during the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines to highlight Cebu’s title of being the Cradle of Christianity in the Far East.
As of September 30, 2021, the bridge is 85.38% complete.
On October 5, 2021, the final concrete pouring in the main bridge deck was held effectively completing the main bridge deck. The entire expressway is expected to be completed in December 2021, with opening slated for the first quarter of 2022.

Designed by the Spanish firms Carlos Fernandez Casado (CFC) and SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas, the local firm DCCD Engineering Corp and the Danish firm COWI did the engineering works. Built by a joint venture between Spanish firm ACCIONA, and Philippine firms First Balfour and DMCI, the bridge was meant to serve as an alternate route serving the Mactan–Cebu International Airport.

The 390-m. long (1,280-ft.) cable-stayed main span of the CCLEX is supported by 145-m. (476-ft.) high twin tower pylons whose design was inspired by the historic Magellan’s Cross Pavilion. The main span of the 27–m. (89 ft.) wide bridge has a 51 m. (167 ft.) navigation clearance for maritime traffic which allows ships to traverse the bridge. Viaduct approach bridges and a causeway, as well as toll road facilities (its design inspired from the eight-rayed sun of the Philippine flag) on an artificial island, also form part of the CCLEX. It has two lanes in each direction, with a design speed of 80 kms. per hour allowing it to serve at least 50,000 vehicles daily.

The planned expressway extension to Lapu-Lapu City will have a direct connection to the Mactan–Cebu International Airport and will add roughly 5 to 8 kms. (3.1 to 5.0 mi.) to the expressway, and is estimated to cost ₱10 billion to ₱15 billion.

To provide safe and seamless travel between Cebu City and Mactan, which hosts the Mactan–Cebu International Airport, Mactan Export Processing Zone, and some of the country’s premier resorts and hotels, the CCLEX will use an all-electronic toll collection system. The toll plaza, with eight toll lanes (our lanes in each direction) will use radio-frequency identification or RFID electronic payment for toll collection.

Cebu Provincial Tourism Office: 3/F, East Wing, Capitol Executive Bldg., Capitol Site, Cebu City 6000. Tel: (032) 888-2328. E-mail: sugbuturismo@gmail.com.

Department of Tourism Regional Office VII: G/F, LDM Bldg., Cor. Legaspi and M.J. Cuenco Sts., 6000 Cebu City. Tel: (032) 412-1966, (032) 412-1967, (032) 254-3534, (032) 254-6650 and (032) 254-2811. Fax: (033) 335-0245. Email: phdot7@tourism.gov.ph. Airport Office Tel: (032) 494-7000 loc. 7548.

Cebu Pacific Air has daily flights from Manila to Cebu’s Mactan International Airport. It also has flights from Clark (Pampanga) and Davao City. Book via www.cebupacificair.com.

Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne (Taguig City, Metro Manila)

Posted on 16 April, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne

The Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne, also known as St. Anne Parish Church or Santa Ana Church, is situated next to the Taguig River and across Plaza Quezon, where the statue of the late Manuel L. Quezon was erected when he was still serving as President of the Philippines. Saint Anne is the patroness of the church.

The church complex. On the left is the convent

This church, as well as the convent, was first built, in 1848, of nipa and bamboo by Fr. Diego Alvarez, O.S.A.. The construction of the present concrete church, from 1609 to 1611, was supervised by Fr. Hernando Guerrero, O.S.A..

The rightside of the church. On the foreground are statues of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod

During the November 30, 1645 Luzon earthquake, both were considerably damaged and later repaired. Both survived the June 3, 1863 earthquake but the June 20, 1880 earthquake cracked the bell tower sending its bell crashing on the church roof, destroying the choir loft and part of its framework.

Bas-relief of St. Anne

In 1881, the reconstruction of both buildings was started by Fr. Patricio Martin, O.S.A. and, in 1885, continued by his successor Fr. Guillermo Diaz, O.S.A.. In 1898, the buildings were occupied by American soldiers and used as their headquarters. Both were restored by Filipino secular Frs. Vicente Estacio (1905 to 1916, he oversaw the installation of the church’s sawali ceiling) and Gerardo Maximo (1938 to 1951). The fence was left unfinished.

The four-storey bell tower

In August 1943, during the Second World War, hundreds of male inhabitants were incarcerated by the Imperial Japanese, for a number of days, inside the church. In 1987, in preparation for the parish’s 400th anniversary, more improvements in the edifice were undertaken by Msgr. Augurio Juta and Msgr. Emmanuel Sunga.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) in 1987

On July 25, 1987, a historical marker was installed on the church facade by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. The church was also declared and recognized by the government as a cultural property based on the official list provided by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Museum of the Philippines.

The church interior

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s barn-style Baroque facade has flat pilasters, a first level with a centrally located arched main entrance flanked by statued niches; a second level with a centrally located rose window flanked by semicircular arched windows and a triangular pediment with a centrally located statued niche.

The four-storey bell tower, on the church’s right, has a two-storey square base (with a bas-relief of St. Anne), an octagonal third storey (with semicircular arched windows) and a round upper storey topped by a dome.

The choir loft area

The church houses the Museo de Sta. Ana which contains religious relics and a repository of artifacts detailing the rich religious culture and history of Taguig since 1857.

The main altar area

Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne: 1 Liwayway St., Brgy. Sta. Ana, Taguig City 1637, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8642-4434. Fax: (632) 8643-5204.

Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Light (Cainta, Rizal)

Posted on 14 April, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Light

The only church in our bisita iglesia outside of Metro Manila was the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Light in Cainta. When we entered the churchyard from the main road, we only saw the side entrance near the altar. To see the beautiful façade, we had to first enter the church then go out the front door.

This town’s original church (at the time was under the patronage of Saint Andrew the Apostle), designed by Fr. Juan de Salazar, S.J., was first constructed in stone by Jesuit Fr. Gaspar Marco in 1707 and completed in 1716, during the time of Joaquin Sanchez, S.J, while he was still the parish priest.

Check out “Church of San Felipe Neri” and “Immaculate Concepton Cathedral“

In 1727, a painting of Our Lady of Light was brought in from the Kingdom of Sicily and was chosen as the new patroness of the church and, by 1760, the church was officially declared a separate parish.

Porte cochere

On February 23, 1853, the church building was damaged by an earthquake, both its roof and one wall collapsed while the walls of the parish rectory or convent sustained cracks. By 1884 the parish had been named Our Lady of Light (Virgen ng Caliuanagan or Madre Santissima del Lumen in Tagalog and Spanish languages), as attested in the August 5, 1884 letter by Don Mariano de San Juan (the pastor of Cainta) to Fray Pedro Payo, O.P., the Archbishop of Manila.

The four-storey bell tower

In March 1899, during the Filipino-American War, the church and parish rectory, including the venerated Marian image within, were burned down. The stones from the church walls were later used to build roads. The monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus “IHS” (Latin: Iesus Hominum Salvator), attached at the top portion of the church’s façade, was the only mark left of its Jesuit beginning.

NHI historical plaque

For 67 years, the church was left in ruins, without any significant restoration. On June 10, 1966, after Archbishop of Manila Rufino Cardinal Santos gave permission for the church’s reconstruction on February 15, 1965, the reconstruction of the church began. The facade was kept untouched. When one of the beams collapsed, the reconstruction was halted and further study was conducted to determine if it could withstand earthquakes.

The church interior

On June 15, 1967, reconstruction resumed and it was completed and blessed by Rufino Cardinal Santos on February 25, 1968. In 1975, the administration of the parish was turned over, by the CICM Missionaries, to the Archdiocese of Manila, with Monsignor Alfredo Santa Ana, HP, as its first diocesan parish priest. Until 1998, the church was the sole parish in the entire municipality of Cainta.

The main altar and retablo

In 2007, the church was declared as a historical site by the National Historical Institute (NHI), now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), for its significant role during the Philippines-American War.

Te choir loft

On December 1, 2007, the newly renovated altar and the new historical marker of the church were blessed. On December 1, 2012, an episcopal coronation, coinciding with the parish fiesta, was performed by the local bishop with the assistance of Ms. Henrietta De Villa, former ambassador to the Vatican.

After the burning (during the Filipino-American war in 1899) of the original enshrined icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a painting of Our Lady of Light brought to Cainta in 1727 from Ferrara, Italy by Fr. Bartolommeo Cavanti, SJ.), the venerated Marian image was recreated by Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.

On December 6, 2017, the image was granted the papal bull of canonical coronation by Pope Francis and it was crowned on December 1, 2018, the first Marian image in Philippine history to be pontifically crowned as an artistic painting. On the same day as its canonical coronation, the parish church was consecrated and elevated into a Diocesan Shrine.

Statue of Our Lady of Light

The original church, including the sacristy and rectory, measured approximately 44 m. (144 ft. long), 15 m. (48 ft.) wide and 11 m. (36 ft.) high. Made of stone and limestone (calycanto), its roof was tiled and had a dome (media naranja), transepts (crucero) and five buttresses (contrafuertos).

Old church bells

The nave’s spacious presbytery had windows and skylight (claraboya) while the belfry had four bells, two of which were small bells rung by rotation (esquitas). The baptistery, with an arched ceiling, was situated at the bottom of the belfry. Flooring was made of wood. It also had a choir loft, communion rail, pulpit and three doors. Five retablos are found inside the church, with the original picture of the Our Lady of Light enshrined at the central niche.

Parola ng Panampalataya

The sacristy measured approximately 8.2 m. (27 ft.) long, 7.3 m. (24 ft.) wide and 5.5 m. (18 ft.) high. The parish rectory, with a kitchen, two brick chimneys, four rooms and offices, measured approximately 37 m. (120 ft.) long, 15 m. (48 ft.) wide and 7.3 m. (24 ft.) high.

Statue of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

The larger reconstructed church measures 68 m. (223 ft.) long, with a transept 42 m. (138 ft.) wide, and with walls 10.5 m. (34.4 ft.) high. It has a semicircular arch main entrance and four lateral doors. There are separate chapels for the Blessed Sacrament and for Our Lady of Light and Saint Andrew, both enshrined at the sides of the sanctuary.

Statue of Resurrected Christ

It’s simple, two-level Early Renaissance façade, with superpositioned paired columns, has semicircular arch statued niches, a square window at the choir loft and a circular window at the tympanum of the triangular pediment. The attached four-storey bell tower, on the church’s right, has semicircular arched windows.

Statue of the Crucifixion

Church of Our Lady of Light: Andres Bonifacio Ave. (near Cainta Junction), Brgy. San Andres, Cainta 1900, Rizal. View Map>>> Tel: (02) 8655-0840. Feast of Our Lady of Light: December 1.

How to Get There: Cainta is located 29.1 kms. from Manila and kms. (a drive) from Antipolo City.

Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Light (Cainta, Rizal)

Posted on 14 April, 2022 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Church of Our Lady of the Light

NHI plaque

Church transept

The four-storey bell tower

Parola ng Panampalataya

Statue of Our Lady of Light

Statue of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Old church bells

Bell inscribed with “Ano D 1835 – N.TRA SENORA D LALVZ” (Year 1835 – Nuestra Senora de la Luz”)

Old bell inscribed with “S. ANDRES APOSTOL – SIENDO CURA EL PRESVITERO D. AGUSTIN MENDOSA – SE PVNDIO ESTA ESQVILA MAYO 15 D 1847” (“St. Andrew the Apostle – When Don Agustin Mendosa was parish priest – who built this small bell on May 15, 1847”

Statue of Resurrected Christ

Flooring was made of wood. It also had a choir loft, communion rail, pulpit and three doors. Five retablos are found inside the church, with the original picture of the Our Lady of Light enshrined at the central niche.

Statue of the Crucifixion

Church interior

There are separate chapels for the Blessed Sacrament and for Our Lady of Light and Saint Andrew, both enshrined at the sides of the sanctuary.

Main altar

When we entered the churchyard from the main road, we only saw the side entrance near the altar. To see the beautiful façade, we had to first enter the church then go out the front door.

Side altar

Choir loft

Church of Our Lady of Light: Andres Bonifacio Ave. (near Cainta Junction), Brgy. San Andres, Cainta 1900, Rizal. View Map>>> Tel: (02) 8655-0840. Feast of Our Lady of Light: December 1.

How to Get There: Cainta is located 29.1 kms. from Manila and kms. (a drive) from Antipolo City.

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.