Monthly Archives: February 2014

Church of St. John of Sahagun (Tigbauan, Iloilo)

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Just 5 kms. from Guimbal, I made my last stopover at Tigbauan where I visited its  old reddish coral and limestone church which was built, together with the convent, by Fr. Fernando Martin in 1867.  The convent was destroyed during the January 25, 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake.

Church of St. John of Sahagun

Church of St. John of Sahagun

Its facade has fine Spanish Churrigueresque stone carvings; a sustained crescendo rising from the elaborate Baroque main entrance arch (with a cherub with bent wings marking its keystone) upwards through its 3-storey height into cornice, keystones, pilaster and spandrels, prolix with whorls and scrolls following foliate and floral designs.  Its pilasters, reminiscent of Mexican estipites, are decorated with floral motifs.

The fine Spanish Churrigueresque facade

The fine Spanish Churrigueresque facade

The main entrance

The main entrance

The image of the Augustinian St. Nicolas of Tolentino, ensconced in an elaborately carved rectangular niche in the first tier, is flanked by pilasters embellished with flowers and upon it is a depiction of San Juan.

A cherub with bent wings marking the main entrance's keystone

A cherub with bent wings marking the main entrance’s keystone

The Augustinian motif

The Augustinian motif

The little image of the Holy Jesus (Sto. Nino) is on the following tier.  The finely carved Augustinian motif of the pierced heart and bishop’s hat, capping the exquisite masterwork of unknown artists, is surrounded by a retablo-like floral frieze which fills the central section.

The image of the St. Nicolas of Tolentino in an elaborately carved niche

The image of the St. Nicolas of Tolentino in an elaborately carved niche

The little image of the Holy Jesus on the following tier

The little image of the Holy Jesus on the following tier

A pair of little angles is located at the sides and floral designs rest on the base of the triangular pediment.  Behind its rectory was the first Jesuit school for boys in the Philippines established in 1592 by Fr. Pedro Chirino, S.J..

How To Get There: Tigbauan is located 22.48 kms. from Iloilo City, 4.8 kms. from Guimbal and 11.2 kms. from Oton.

Church of St. Nicolas of Tolentino (Guimbal, Iloilo)

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About 20 kms. past San Joaquin and 8 kms. past Miag-ao, I again made a stopover at Guimbal where I visited its gorgeous and ornate church.  It was started by Augustinian Fr. Juan Aguado (parish priest from 1742 to 1744, 1753) using yellow sandstone/coral rock called igang quarried from Guimaras Island   Fr. Juan Campos (1769 to 1774) finished it by adding the half dome covering the segmental pediment as well as the paired columns with lintel.

The gorgeous Church of St. Nicolas of Tolentino

The gorgeous Church of St. Nicolas of Tolentino

The church was damaged during the July 13, 1787 earthquake, further enlarged in 1893 by Fr. Jose Orangren, burned in December 1895 and restored a month later by Fr. Agustin Llorente (who also built the current bell tower).  It was  also seriously damaged during the Japanese Occupation and the January 25, 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake.

Rosettes on the main entrance arch

Rosettes on the main entrance arch

The church’s facade has paired, rounded pilasters, with Corinthian capitals; archetypal, classic finials; Morrish-inspired spires; and a lintel that seems to support a half dome, which almost covers the segmental pediment.

Statued niche on the right

Statued niche on the right

Statued niche on the left

Statued niche on the left

The curved lines of the upper side wall starts from the ends of the lintel.  The semi-circular arched doorway, flanked by statued niches, has decorative, Asian-inspired rosettes following the outline of the arch.

The paired Corinthian pilasters

The paired Corinthian pilasters

 

Detail of Corinthian capital

Detail of Corinthian capital

The 4-storey bell tower, on the church’s right, has semi-circular arch windows on the square-shaped second and third storeys, and pointed arch windows on the hexagonal-shaped fourth storey.

The 4-storey bell tower

The 4-storey bell tower

The convent, built by Fr. Juan Campos in 1769, was destroyed during the 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake. Fronting the church is a beautifully manicured park while nearby is the new municipal hall as well as old municipal hall (Casa Real).

Side facade

Side facade

The Casa Real, the first municipal building of Guimbal, was also the site of the tribunal and a school.  Recently renovated, it now houses the Hall of Justice (Regional Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Guimbal Municipal Police Station and the Bureau of Fire Protection).

New Guimbal Municipal Hall

New Guimbal Municipal Hall

Old municipal hall (now Hall of Justice)

Old municipal hall (now Hall of Justice)

How to Get There: Guimbal is located 28.48 kms. (a 30 to 35-minute drive) from Iloilo City, 4.8 kms. from Tigbauan and 8 kms. from Miag-ao.

Taytay Boni (Miag-ao, Iloilo)

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On your way to Iloilo International Airport, we again passed the town of Miag-ao.  Here, we made a short stopover at Taytay Boni, a Spanish-era bridge that once passed through a creek and connected Miag-ao with Guimbal, before the construction of the national highway.

Taytay Boni

Taytay Boni

Now enclosed within a small park, this stone bridge’s name was derived from the Ilonggo term taytay  (meaning “ bridge”) while “Boni” is the name of  its construction foreman and cantero-mayor (major carpenter) Bonifacio Neular.

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It was built in 1854 through forced labor, during the term of gobernadorcillo Miguel Navales. The large, yellow-colored coral stone slabs (tablea or tabreha) used for its construction were transported from Igbaras, located 5 to 6 kms. from the site, by means of karosas, sleds pulled by carabaos. Lime was used to hold the stone slabs together.

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The bridge was still passable before and after the World War II but was partly damaged during the January 25, 1948 Lady Caycay (magnitude 8.2) earthquake. The bridge now rests on dry land, a result of the ground opening up during the earthquake and sucking in large amounts of water. The bridge is located at Crossing Kamatis, about a kilometer from the town proper, between Brgys. Kirayan Sur and Igtuba.

How To Get There: Miagao is located 40.04 kms. from Iloilo City, 12.2 kms. from San Joaquin and 8 kms. from Guimbal.

Church of San Joaquin (Iloilo)

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During the start of the Antique Heritage and Media Familiarization Tour, we passed by San Joaquin town on our way to Antique, making a short stopover at the town;s Spanish-era cemetery (Campo Santo) and its iconic mortuary chapel (capilla).

San Joaquin Church

San Joaquin Church

Too bad we didn’t make a stopover at its equally iconic, Spanish-era church, a listed National Cultural Treasure.  On our way back to Iloilo International Airport, I specifically requested our driver to make a slight detour to make a stopover there.

Statue of St. Francis of Assisi

Statue of St. Francis of Assisi

Statue of San Pedro Regalado, patron saint of bullfighters

Statue of San Pedro Regalado, patron saint of bullfighters

This church, the country’s most militaristic, was started in 1859 and completed in 1869 by Augustinian Fr. Tomas Santaren (parish priest from 1855-86) using gleaming white coral rock quarried from the shores of Punta Malagting, Brgy. Igcadlum in Igbaras town.

The Augustinian seal on top of the main entrance

The Augustinian seal on top of the main entrance

The church’s simple, three-level, old weathered stone facade has a central arched main entrance flanked by paired columns (which divide the rectangular sections into three segments) and the two statued niches of St. Francis of Assisi and San Pedro Regalado, the patron saint of bullfighters.

The single, tapering bell tower

The single, tapering bell tower

The choir loft level, decorated by two horizontally arranged niches and round central window, is set apart from the two levels by a simple architrave.  Ornamentation can be found in rosettes along the cornice and around the edges of the niches and capitals.

The triangular pediment

The triangular pediment

The church’s central attraction, however, is the fascinating high bas-relief sculpture of intricately carved (even the expression of agony by soldiers are visible) stonework spread on mosaic blocks (each carved and set in place) on its triangular pediment (with the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows on its top), entitled Rendicion de Tetuan. It was added halfway through construction by Fr. Santaren with the assistance of Spanish Engr. Felipe Diez and a Filipino (some say Chinese) carver.

The bas relief

The bas relief

Detail of bas relief

Detail of bas relief

Originally pigmented red, blue and yellow, it depicted the Battle of Tetuan (Morocco, 1859), part of the Spanish-Moroccan War of 1859-1860, in which Spanish troops under Prime Minister  Leopoldo O’Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan,  defeated the Moorish troops of Moroccan Crown Prince Muley Abbas and recaptured the Spanish city of Tetuan on February 6, 1860.

Plaque

Plaque

Black soot covers many areas of the facade, a result of the January 29, 1943 fire ordered by Col. Macario Peralta to prevent the church from being used by the Japanese. The church was also heavily damaged during the January 25, 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake.

The church's interior

The church’s interior

Spanish infantry and cavalry are shown breaking the Moorish defense against a backdrop of minarets and date palms.  It is a larger than life depiction of the struggle between Christians and the Moros of Mindanao and Sulu.  Inside are three carved limestone retablos.  The sprawling ruins of the convent have an oval well and a kiln for baking bread.

How To Get There: San Joaquin is located 53.5 kms. from Iloilo City and 12.2 kms. from Miag-ao.

San Jose de Buenavista (Antique)

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On our way back to Iloilo, we entered the Antique provincial capitol of San Jose de Buenavista to drop off Leah at her residence.  Along the highway, as we were about to enter the town proper, we passed by the ruins of the old San Pedro Church.

San Jose de Buenavista

San Jose de Buenavista

San Pedro Church Ruins

San Pedro Church Ruins

Locally called Lumang Simbahan (“old church”), it was built by Augustinian friars during the Spanish era. This 77 m. long and 14 m. wide, Latin cross-shaped church has 3 gates.  According to legend, the church was burned by the pet monkey  of a priest.  The church  remains unrestored to this day.

Provincial Capitol

Provincial Capitol

Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park

Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park

We soon entered the capitol proper and made a short stopover there.  In front of the Antique Provincial Capitol building is the EBJ Freedom Park, named in honor of the late Gov. Evelio B. Javier who was assassinated on February 11, 1986 by an unknown assassin. A marker here marks the spot of his assassination.

Museo Antiqueno (Old Provincial Capitol Building)

Museo Antiqueno (Old Provincial Capitol Building)

Nearby is the old, American-era Provincial Capitol building, now the Museo Antiqueno.Operated by the Binirayan Foundation, Inc. (BFI) and was inaugurated on April 27, 2007, this museum houses the Lola Masing Center for Culture and Peace, a multimedia resource facility that provides learning and instructional materials and services on culture, gender and peace studies, as well as  the memorabilia of the late governor Evelio B. Javier at the EBJ Gallery.

How to Get There: San Jose de Buenavista is located 97 kms. (a 2.5-hr. drive) from Iloilo City.

Dinner at Ucoy Beach Resort (Libertad, Antique)

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After watching the sunset at Pucio Point, we boarded the big motorized outrigger boat bound for the 45-min. trip to the charming, 3-star Ucoy Beach Resort, along Libertad Bay.  Our boat landed at the beige sand Sulu Beach in front of the resort. At a picnic shed along this beach, the LGU of Libertad treated us to a dinner of tinolang manok, beef steak tagalog, grilled talakitok with vignarette and chicken afritada.

Check out “Resort Feature: Ucoy Beach Resort”

Dinner by the beach

Dinner by the beach

The resort is a popular choice amongst business travelers and tourists in Antique, whether they’re exploring or just passing through.  Its patio has views of Libertad Bay, the garden, swimming pool or lake.

The fire hoop performance

The fire hoop performance

After dinner, we were treated to a fire performance show, a very dangerous but popular fire-oriented performance art that involves manipulation of objects on fire.  Avic Magsipoc and Joon Dejuan Alonsagay, both performers at Boracay’s West Cove, regaled us with the fire hoop, swinging flaming tethered weights through a variety of rhythmical and geometric patterns.

Watching the performance up close

Bravely watching the performance dangerously up close

Its performance in the dark, choreographed to music, produced a dramatic effect that enthralled us, as well as the Libertadnon crowd and resort guests present.  Clelia and I, as well as some resort guests, even watched it performed up close, with the flaming hoops just inches from our faces. They also did fakir skills such as body burning and fire breathing.  After this performance, we said goodbye to and thanked our Libertadnon hosts, boarded our van and returned to Pandan Beach Resort for a well-deserved rest.

Members of media with resort owner

Members of media with resort owner Ms. Lucia D. Schotz

Ucoy Beach Resort: Brgy. Union, Libertad 5710, Antique.  Tel: (036) 278-1681. Mobile number: (0907) 640-2418 and (0919) 594-9451. E-mail: info@ucoybeachresort.com. Website: www.ucoybeachresort.com.  It is located 19.5-kms. (a 1 hr. drive) from Brgy. Caticlan (Malay), and 52.8 kms. (a 2-hr. drive) from Kalibo, both in Aklan.

Sunset Viewing at Pucio Point (Libertad, Antique)

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From our spelunking tour of Maanghit Cave, we again returned to Libertad town proper on our van but, instead of dropping down, we were just handed bilaos of kakanin and then proceeded on our way to Pucio Point, where, hopefully, we could make it in time to catch the sunset.  The westernmost point of Panay Island, Pucio Point is located at the Libertad-Buruanga (Aklan) border.

Pucio Point

The author at Pucio Point

The 13 km. travel distance seemed short but we would be traveling along a very narrow and dusty barangay road along the coast.  Again, our motorcycle escorts led the way to make sure there wouldn’t be any road delays, and Tony Liakhovetsky hitched a ride with one of them.

The colorful drum and lyre marching band

The colorful drum and lyre marching band

The Flores de Mayo-like parade

The Flores de Mayo-like parade. I noticed the discrepancy in heights

Just the same, unavoidable delays do happen but it came in the form of a delightful Flores de Mayo-like parade of children, the pairs of boys (some shorter than the girls they’re escorting) and girls of which were dressed in barong tagalogs and evening gowns, respectively.  Leading the way was a children’s drum and lyre marching band, all suitably dressed in striking blue and white uniforms.  We waited for them to pass us by before continuing on our way.

The view deck at Pucio Point

The view deck at Pucio Point

An array of kakanin from Brgy. Tinigbas

An array of kakanin from Brgy. Tinigbas. These were brought to Pucio Point

We arrived at the Pucio Point with still some time to spare, giving us enough time to feast on the kakanin which we brought along, washed down with fresh buco juice as well as bottles of ice tea and water. Below us, a large, motorized outrigger boat was moored along the shore. We were in for a beautiful sunset as there were only a few clouds on the horizon to block the view.

The magnificent sunset at Pucio Point

The magnificent sunset at Pucio Point

Flord in a U.P. Oblation pose, sihouetted against the setting sun

Flord in a U.P. Oblation-like pose, sihouetted against the setting sun

Pucio Point has two huge rock formations with the concrete viewing deck built on top of the nearer of the two to the shore.  As such, the second rock formation in front of the view deck provided an interesting foreground subject that complements the beautiful sunset in the background.  Flord made the great effort to climb down the view deck, wade across and then climb up this rock formation just to pose on top, with the setting sun behind his back.

Spelunking at Maanghit Cave (Libertad, Antique)

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After our banig making demonstration, we again boarded our van as we headed for Brgy. Union, the jump-off point for our hike to Maanghit Cave, located inland, 4 kms. north of Libertad. The  cave entrance is located near the river.

Trekking the well-trodden trail to Maaghit Cave

Trekking the well-trodden trail to Maaghit Cave

The local word maanghit, meaning “having a foul odor,” comes from the foul smell of the huge deposits of guano (bat droppings) which fall on the cave’s floor and are mined by the townspeople.  That said, we were in for a muddy and slippery tour.

Bungan-Bungan Spring

The blue lagoon at Bungan-Bungan Spring

Series of pools at Bungan-Bungan Spring

Series of crystal clear pools at Bungan-Bungan Spring

Upon arrival, we were all assigned local guides equipped with hard hats and flashlights.   No hard hats for us though. It’s a good thing Jandy and I wore hats to protect our heads.  Just 5 mins. into our hike, along a well-trodden trail through a light forest,we arrived at Bungan-Bungan Spring.  It has a blue lagoon and a series of small pools of crystal clear water walled in with stacks of river rocks.

Entering the low cave entrance

Entering the low cave entrance

Into the recesses of the cave

Into the recesses of the cave

We again proceeded on our trek to the cave, passing as well as hopping over a number of forest trees felled by the fury of Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) which struck the town.  After about 20 mins., we espied the low and wide cave entrance on the rock face which we accessed via carved steps and rope railings.

Flowstone formations

Flowstone formations

Maanghit Cave is not big nor is it deep (just about 250 m. in depth) and it would just take us a few minutes to explore the cave until its terminus.  How I wish we carried Petromax lamps, not the flashlights we brought, to light our way better as well as illuminate the stalactite and stalagmite formations which, somehow, still continuously drip water.

A stalactite and stalagmite bout to meet (in a million years) to form a column

A stalactite and stalagmite about to meet (in a million years) to form a column

Though largely unseen, the sounds of bats congregating on the ceiling could easily be heard. Near the cave entrance are two small sinkholes where, when lighted, you hear and see running water, evidence of a small underground river within the cave itself.

A sinkhole with flowing water underneath

A sinkhole with flowing water underneath

After our spelunking tour of Maanghit Cave, we made our back to Bungan-Bungan Spring where we washed off the guano and its smell from our bodies. We then continued on our way back to Brgy. Union where we again boarded our van for the trip back to town.

The Banig Weavers of Libertad (Antique)

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From Mayor Raymundo’s house, we moved on to the town proper where we were to watch a demonstration on how banig mats are made. The brown, handwoven banig mats, made of drift bariw leaves, are commonly used as beds in bamboo floored houses where its cooling effect to the body makes old-fashioned folks choose it over modern mattresses. Others use it to cover their wooden beds or even the cushioned ones in their sleeping quarters.

Banig products

Banig products

A woman's terno made with banig

A woman’s terno made with banig

The versatile bariw (Pandanus copelandii) plant, indigenous to this mountain and coastal town, is a close relative of pandan plant that some Filipinos use to make their cooked rice more fragrant.  Its longer blades contain durable fibers that can be extracted by pounding and scraping.  The banig is the main product of the municipality and the importance of banig (bariw) weaving as a major means of livelihood of the Libertadnons is celebrated during the Banigan Festival held from March 14 to 16.

Beating dried bariw leaves with a wooden club (pagpalpag)

Beating dried bariw leaves with a wooden club (pagpalpag)

The leaves are tightly rolled (paglikid)

The dried bariw leaves are tightly rolled (paglikid)

It seems that the whole town was present at the plaza when we arrived.  On display were various export-quality products produced from banig including place mats, hats, coasters, bags, purses and other home accessories plus, uniquely, a woman’s terno.  All these products are sought by local and foreign markets because of their unique and complex designs.

Unwinding to straighten the spiraled bariw leaves (pagbuntay)

Unwinding to straighten the spiraled bariw leaves (pagbuntay)

Shredding of bariw leaves (pagkulhad)

Shredding of bariw leaves (pagkulhad)

Prior to the demonstration, the extracted fibers were first sun or air-dried (pagbulad) to give it a shiny brown tone as well as to strengthen it, then the leaves are beaten with a wooden club (sampok) against a flat stone until they become soft and pliable (pagpalpag).  Next, it is tightly rolled one after the other, in a round form, to sustain its softness and elasticity (paglikid), then unwound to straighten the spiraled bariw leaves (pagbuntay).

The bariw strands are folded into halves (pagkyupis)

The bariw strands are folded into halves (pagkyupis)

The actual weaving begins ....

The actual weaving begins ….

Prior to the arduous and very tedious process of weaving by the manugbanig, the dried bariw leaves are shredded through a wooden-based kurulhadan (splicer or shredder) to form long twines of different thicknesses (pagkulhad). Then, the bariw strands are folded into halves (pagkyupis).  After that, the four strands are folded together in pairs; horizontally and vertically, with the glossy brown color in the outer surface.

The finished banig mat

The finished banig mat

Media with the banig weavers

Media with the banig weavers

Then, the weaving begins with the taytay, the framework of the entire mat. During this stage, the size and the length of the mat is already assured while the dimensions of the width are determined by weaving with the sides forward.  Then, edge-lines (sapay) are made on both sides of the mat, followed by the folding (hurip) of the remaining strands on the sides (or edge-line) to keep the weave tightly locked in place. Finally, unwanted and excess strands in the mat are cut (gutab).

How To Get There: Libertad is located 143 kms. (a 4-hr. drive) from San Jose de Buenavista and 77 (a 1.5-hr. drive) kms. from Kalibo (Aklan).

A Warm Libertad Welcome (Antique)

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After merienda at Le Palme Beach Resort in Pandan, we said goodbye to our host Ms. Gigi Bautista, who had to fly back to Manila, and return to our van for the 12-km. drive to the next  town of Libertad where we were to have lunch at the residence of Mayor Norberto P. Raymundo Jr..

Our motorcycle escort

Our motorcycle escort

As we entered the poblacion, welcome banners and a motorcycle escorts, with tour guides on board to accompany our van, greeted us.  They first accompanied us to the Municipal Tourist Information Center before proceeding to the mayor’s residence.  This town really pulled out all the stops to welcome us.

The banig welcome banner. A nice touch

The banig welcome banner. A nice touch

Libertad is noted for its banig weaving and another sign, this time made with banig, welcomed us at the mayor’s residence.  After introducing ourselves to Mayor Raymundo, another feast awaited us for lunch – grilled tuna, adobong pusit, freshwater shrimps, etc., plus dessert of ripe mangoes.  The eating goes on and on.

Adobong pusit

Adobong pusit

Freshwater shrimps

Freshwater shrimps

Grilled tuna

Grilled tuna

Standing out among the guests was, aside from Clelia, was another foreigner – the bearded and thin Tony Liakhovetsky, an Israeli from Haifa.  This hardcore guy, who speaks 6 languages, has literally hitchhiked his way around the region.  Checking on his Facebook account, he came from Japan and Taiwan before entering the Philippines and exploring Luzon and the Visayas.  Korea is next in his itinerary.

The hitchhiking Tony Liakhovetsky (photo from his Facebook page)

The hitchhiking Tony Liakhovetsky (photo from his Facebook page)

We were invited to observe an actual banig making demonstration, explore Maanghit Cave and watch the sunset at Pucio Point, but before all that, I had to buy a pair of trekking sandals to backup my damaged pair.  A policeman brought me to the town’s market on his motorcycle but, as there were none available, I had to settle for rubber flipflops.

Media group with Mayor Raymundo (center, in red)

Media group with Mayor Raymundo (center, in red)

How To Get There: Libertad is located 143 kms. (a 4-hr. drive) from San Jose de Buenavista and 77 (a 1.5-hr. drive) kms. from Kalibo (Aklan).