Church of St. William of Aquitaine (Magsingal, Ilocos Sur)

Posted on 18 February, 2017 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Church of St. William of Aquitaine

Magsingal‘s 3-storey, cream and white Church of St. William of Aquitaine, the town’s second, was built in 1827, restored in 1848 and again by Fr. Jose Vasquez. Its Neo-Classical facade, built within a light wall frame and supported by steep and imposing buttresses (like other Ilocos churches), is divided into 3 levels.

The church complex

The first level has a semicircular arched portal flanked by two statued niches and topped by triangular canopies between paired and single Tuscan columns. A rectangular piece, atop the main entrance’s keystone, contains the Augustinian symbol.

The Neo-Classical facade

The second level, a repeat of the first, has a large semicircular window at the center flanked by two windows with triangular pediments, with all 3 having baluster shafts. The third level has a single, semicircular niche (with the statue of St. William the Hermit) flanked by two occoli (small circular windows). The elaborate curvilinear pediment ends up in finials. Its tympanum also has a circular window

The adjoining convent

The church is linked to the 2-storey convent/school by a capiz window-lined upper corridor mounted over two arches.

The octagonal bell tower

The nearby 30-m. high, 4-level octagonal brick bell tower, with blind and real semicircular arched fenestration of various sizes, was allegedly built in 1692 and finished by Fr. Pedro Berger (parish priest from 1824 to 1829).

The church interior

On July 31, 2001, it was one of the Philippine colonial churches declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) had identified and selected it as one of 26 Spanish Colonial Era churches to be under its conservation program.

Side altar

Inside are the most important examples of Baroque-influenced art in the Ilocos notably the ornate Baroque reredos made of molave (which contain no nails), a choir loft, molave columns, a well-preserved retablo (a total seascape) and an incomparable pulpit.

The altar retablo. The statues of the mermaids are on the sides of the topmost niche

Atop the topmost niche (housing the statue of St. William) of the retablo are two nude mermaids. It is said that the sculptor, Nepomuceno Tolentino, a Magsingal native, used his pregnant wife as a model for the pregnant mermaids.The whole retablo is topped by a clam shell and the ceiling of the niches are also in clam shell form. On the sides are Classically designed seahorses, above which are big waves (with moderate forms of starfishes on their hold) accented with smaller waves.

The altar

The richly-carved main altar features Salomonic columns adorned with plant motifs. The pulpit has a statue of a boy with a tambuli or native horn, both made by a certain Pablo Tamayo, a talented Magsingal fisherman. He also designed the choir loft.

The richly carved pulpit

Commencing from the church and linking various streets are the 14 stone shrines of the Via Crusis (Way of the Cross).

Stairway leading up to the pulpit. On top of the canopy is the statue of the boy with a tambuli (native horn)

Address: Manila North Road, 2730 Magsingal, Ilocos Sur. Tel: (077) 726-3565. Feast of St. William of Aquitaine: February 10.

How to Get There: Magsingal is located 419.2 kms. from Manila and 11.2 kms. north of Vigan City.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse Museum (Burgos, Ilocos Norte)

Posted on 24 March, 2016 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

After touring Bacarra Church, Melissa, Almira, Albert, Jandy and I again boarded our bus or the 33-km./40 min. drive to the century-old (first lit on March 30, 1892) Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, the most accessible of all the lighthouses in the island of Luzon and the highest elevated (the tower of the Cape Melville Lighthouse is the tallest at 90 ft/27 m.), still original and active Spanish era lighthouse in the country.

NHI Plaque

Last April 6, 2004, on our way to Bauang (La Union) from Pagudpud, my family and I dropped by to visit the lighthouse but wasn’t able to go in as it was then being rehabilitated. A few months after our visit, on August 13, 2004, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse was declared a National Historical Landmark and, on June 20, 2005, was also declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure. Recently, the lighthouse was used as the backdrop for the romantic scenes of Coco Martin and Julia Montes in ABS CBN’s 2012 teleserye “Walang Hanggan.”

View of Cape Bojeador and the West Philippine Sea

In Brgy. Paayas in Burgos, a sign on the right side of the Maharlika Highway indicates the winding and narrow, two-lane concrete road that leads to the base of the lighthouse. From the base, we boarded two tricycles (PhP50/each way) that took us to the small parking lot where there are stalls selling ice candy, canned soda, some finger foods and souvenirs (including a wooden craft replica of the lighthouse with a pen stand).

The courtyard with cistern in the middle

Service building

Upon arrival, we climbed a flight of concrete stairs to the perimeter wall. Here, we had a good view of the rough and rocky Cape Bojeador coastline and the whitecaps of the West Philippine Sea. We then proceeded to the courtyard where the service buildings and the cistern are located.

T-shaped stairway

The main pavilion

An elegant T-shaped stairway then lead us up the verandah of the main pavilion, with its 3 apartments, 2 offices, capiz and louvered window panes and decorative iron grilles, where a hallway took us to the foot of the covered stairs that that lead to the entrance of the 20 m. (66-ft.) high octagonal stone tower.

Albert, Almira, Melissa an Jandy at the veranda of main pavilion

This was as far as we could go as no visitors were allowed to go up, via a steep spiral metal staircase (not recommended or senior citizens), to the lantern room (now a modern electric lamp powered by solar panels) on top. Only a certain number of people are allowed in the tower at a time and access to the viewing gallery (surrounded with decorative iron grille work) depends on the outside wind condition. As it was Holy Week, it was closed to visitors.

The lighthouse tower

One place we had access to was the small, newly restored Cape Bojeador Lighthouse Museum. Housed in the pavilion at the foot of the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, the rooms lining the hallway used to be shut but, since its inauguration last November 21, 2015, it is now open to the public. At the time of our visit, the rooms were sparsely decorated with low wooden furniture, including four-poster beds by the windows.

The author at one of the apartments

One room was filled with items that were once used to run the lighthouse (the original kerosene lamp, batteries, a part of the original first order Fresnel lens, etc.), perhaps the most striking in the area, plus samples of original brick work and old photos.

The lighthouse museum

Original kerosene lamp

We also dropped by the Paru de Kabo Bojeador, the new tourist center which has stalls selling souvenirs and a safe resting area on what had previously been a construction road. The pavilion has also been transformed into lodging for people seeking basic accommodation (except for shared cooking facilities and water from the cistern, no other amenities are provided).

Original brick work

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse: Vigia de Nagpartian Hill, Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Admission: PhP40 for adults and PhP30 for children aged 7-12 years old.

Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria (Luna, La Union)

Posted on 29 October, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 4 Comments ↓

Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria

After a merienda of bibingka at Orang’s in the town proper, we walked to the nearby Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria. Built by Fr. Mateo Bustillos (parish priest from 1695 to 1697) at its original site in Darigayos (a barrio of Namacpacan), it was transferred to its present site in 1741. In 1829, it was reinforced with masonry and covered with a galvanized iron roof.

The Baroque facade

The church was severely damaged during the 1854 earthquake, repaired in 1863 and restored by Fr. Marcelino Ceballos. The convent, also damaged during the 1854 earthquake, was also enlarged by Fr. Ceballos in 1876. The church is now listed as a National Cultural Treasure.

Side entrance

Just like other Philippine churches built in earthquake-prone areas, this Earthquake Baroque church has thick muros (walls) of brick and stone and buttresses connected to a brick exterior stairway of different designs and shapes. At the church’s entrance is a capilla possa (ceremonial archway). Its 3-level Baroque-style façade, built in 1872, is painted in an eye-catching white, light blue and pale gray, the official colors of the Image of Our Lady of Namacpacan, the church and the town. Even tricycles are painted in light blue.

One of the church buttresses

A unique step buttress that leads up to the roof

The first level has 3 sets of two pairs of engaged columns and 2 sets of single columns while the second level has two sets of Tuscan columns, all with double capitals, plus 6 sets of paired columns at the center. The curved pediment, complemented by semicircular arched openings and blind niches, is reinforced by the heavy architrave.

Plaque

The twin 3-storey, hexagonal bell towers, flanking the facade, have blind and real fenestrations and is crowned by a pointed Baroque-style, balustered dome. Part of the brick convent ruins is now used as a school (Sta. Catalina Academy). Inside the church is a wooden altar, a Spanish-era stone pulpit and a wood relief of the Baptism of Christ, probably polychromed.

Convent ruins

Sta. Catalina Academy

The church interior also enshrines the supposedly miraculous 6-foot 4-inch high (the tallest known image of the Virgin in the country) wooden image of Our Lady of Namacpacan (the original name of the town, it is an Ilocano term meaning “one who feeds), enshrined in the church in 1871. The patroness of travelers and of the town, it is said by experts to be the image of Our Lady of the Cord.

Church interior

Main altar

Also called Apo Baket, the image has been credited with many miracles and devotees flock here every year to honor her. On November 24, 1959, by a special decree of Pope John XXIII, Our Lady of Namacpacan was canonically crowned by the high-ranking officials led by Papal Nuncio Salvatore Siino.

Statue of Our Lady of Namacpacan

In 1871, an Augustinian priest ordered an image of the Virgin Mary from Spain to be brought to the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Vigan, Ilocos Sur in a galleon. However, a typhoon forced the ship and its crew to seek refuge at Darigayos (a barrio then named Namacpacan). When the storm subsided, they tried to resume their voyage, but the high winds forced them to return to the port.

The captain of the ship then decided to bring the statue to the port and then have it carried overland to its original destination. While making preparations, the statue was brought to the convent. The church at that time was undergoing repairs on the damaged portions brought about by a strong earthquake. The following morning, they commenced their trip to Vigan but the natives had some difficulties in carrying the box containing the figure of the Blessed Virgin. So, after several failed attempts, they presumed that the Blessed Virgin has chosen the town of Namacpacan as her haven.

Rev. Fr. Marcelino Ceballos, the parish priest of Namacpacan, negotiated with the Augustinian friar Camilo Naves to let the image stay in Namacpacan. It was agreed upon that the Catholics from Namacpacan would reimburse all expenses incurred. The parishioners contributed joyously and generously to the extent of selling portions of their fields to raise the amount. An altar at the northern portico side of the church was constructed to house the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, now Our Lady of Namacpacan.

Later on, many miracles happened. The lame, 13 year old Rosa Roldan, claimed that, one day, an old woman knocked on the door of their home and asked for drink and food. She let her in and gave her some leftover food.

The old woman drank some water and some of it fell on Rosa’s feet. Before she left, she told Rosa to meet her at the shrine and from there, Rosa began to walk. When she came to the shrine, she was surprised to see the figure of the Our Lady of Namacpacan and recognized her as her visitor. Since then, Rosa has become a devotee of the Our Blessed Lady and started healing the sick and offering charity service to those in need.

Left side altar

Right side altar

The stone pulpit

Today the church is flocked by devotees who are expected to fetch water from a well that is believed to cure diseases. The well was created because of a dream of a “balikbayan” woman, who said that Apo Baket appeared in her dream and told her to dig a well near the church. The woman then asked volunteers to dig a well and some people, after attending the mass, drank water from the well and many professed that they felt stronger. A physically ill man also claimed that the water from the well cured him. Afterwards, the Department of Health (DOH) sent a delegate to investigate the water’s chemical substance and discovered that it is alkaline which is safe for drinking.

Well

Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria: Namacpacan Rd., Luna 2518, La Union.

How to Get There: Luna is located 267.48 kms. from Manila and 34.8 kms. north of the City of San Fernando. Air conditioned buses from Dominion Bus Lines, Philippine Rabbit, Partas, Fariñas, Maria de Leon, and Viron depart from terminals in Manila that is bound for Ilocos. Destinations can either be La Union, Narvacan, Vigan, Laoag or Abra. Just tell the bus attendant that you are going to Luna.

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer (Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya)

Posted on 14 March, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

After covering the Kalanguya Festival, Roel, Alex and I boarded our van for the 2-hour trip to the town of Dupax del Sur where we dropped by its Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, one of the oldest and biggest churches in North Luzon and the best-preserved church complex in Nueva Vizcaya. Here, we met up with parish priest Fr. Ferdinand E. Lopez.

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer – a National Cultural Treasure

Declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in July 2001, this 18th-century church, under the advocation of Saint Vincent Ferrer (though its original titular patron was the Nuestra Señora del Socorro), is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bayombong.

The 4-level, rectangular brick bell tower

Made of brick, lime, coral or river rock and wood plastered over with stucco, the church covers an area of 7,200 sq. m. and its architectural design is similar to that of St. Peter Cathedral in Tuguegarao City, only less in ornamentation and lower in height with no spiral columns and pilasters to offer support to the structure.

The semicircular arched main portal, embellished with clay insets

The present structure (an earlier church structure of modest design might have been erected before 1773), built by Dominican Fr. Manuel Corripio, OP with brick in 1776, mimics the silhouette of the earlier Tuguegarao Cathedral and is reflected on the churches of Bayombong and Bambang. During its construction, Fr. Corripio had two kilns made near the church complex, one for firing bricks and the other for preparing lime.

Window framed by embossed carvings

The Baroque-style façade, divided by cornices into horizontal segments of plastered brick, features a semicircular arched main portal, embellished with clay insets (representing symbols of the Dominican Order), and a main doorway flanked on both sides by two blind windows with an embossed image of the Holy Eucharist, all at the first level. The second level features a niche and two windows framed by embossed carvings.

Blind window with an embossed image of the Holy Eucharist

The entire triangular pediment, divided into two horizontal sections, is capped by undulating cornices and 7 finials, with the central finial crowned with a cross. The lower half is pierced by a deeply-recessed oculus while the upper part features a small relief of a cross.

The triangular pediment

To the right of the façade is the unplastered, 4-level, rectangular bell tower whose base features a niche with the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer, similar to that found on the second level of the façade. The tower’s second level features long, narrow windows framed with bracket columns. It is capped with a decorative parapet and a small cupola surmounted by a cross.

Niche with the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer at the bell tower

Long, narrow windows framed with bracket columns

Each level bears inscription of the years when it must have been completed. We climbed all the way to the top of the tower via a very narrow, dark and steep stairway. Two of the four bells were cast in 1858 and 1888. Up on the tower, we had a panoramic view of the whole town and the mountains of the Sierra Madre.

View of the town and mountains from the bell tower

Inside the church are two, white-washed narthex pillars, supporting the choir loft, embellished with finely-carved stucco reliefs of cherubs, shells, florals and arabesques. Similar motifs can also be found on the baptistery. The original main retablo (altar backdrop) and pulpit are still intact but the heads of the statues in the retablo are believed to be just reproductions of the ivory ones stolen over the course of the church’s history.

The church interior

White-washed narthex pillars embellished with finely-carved stucco reliefs

The 2-storey church convent, connected to the church, still retains slits on the outer walls for archers to defend against attacks and target marauders. The church plaza is enclosed by a low perimeter wall and a replica of an earlier atrial cross.

The similarly ornate carvings in the baptistery

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer: Aritao-Quirino Rd., Brgy. Dopaj, Dupax del Sur, 3707, Nueva Vizcaya. Tel: (078) 808 1016.

The church pulpit

How To Get There: Dupax del Norte is located 248.26 kms. from Manila and 26 kms. south of Bayombong.

Church of St. Peter the Apostle and the Alfonso L. Uy Promenade (Loboc, Bohol)

Posted on 1 October, 2014 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

From the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary, we returned to our airconditioned coach and proceeded, via the Tagbilaran City-Corella-Sikatuna-Loboc Rd., on our 14.5-km./15- min. drive to Loboc where we were to have a late lunch while cruising the Loboc River. We arrived at the Loboc Tourism Complex by 1:30 PM. Across the complex is the Church of St. Peter the Apostle, the second oldest church in Bohol and its first declared National Cultural Treasure. Built in 1602 by Fr. de Torres, it was destroyed by fire in 1638. The present church was built in 1734.

The church facade 11 years ago

The ruined facade

The church I saw was just a broken shell of what I saw 11 years ago as the church sustained major damage during the devastating October 15, 2013, 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Its Early Renaissance façade was completely destroyed while major damage could be seen at the lateral walls and ceiling of the church as well as its convent. The whole church has been fenced in as its collapsed middle section cannot be entered at all. The pipe organ was said to among the elements of the church that were spared from damage.

View of the church from the side

The collapsed middle section

Its separate 21-m. high, 4-storey octagonal stone bell tower, located about 30 m. (98 ft.) across the street from the church, also collapsed leaving less than half the tower standing. Years ago, the timely objection by the Lobocnons prevented the bell tower’s destruction when a huge concrete bridge, not justified by any traffic, was being built.

The bell tower prior to the earthquake

What remains of the collapsed bell tower

At that time, the townspeople had expressed their apprehension that driving the piles to support the ramp, from the superstructure to ground level, might destroy the church, the belfry or both.The project was thus discontinued and this unfinished white elephant of a bridge, that stuck out like a sore thumb in the town center, has somehow been put to good use, having been converted, in 2008, into the Alfonso L. Uy Promenade. Sadly, what man failed to destroy, nature almost succeeded in doing.

The Alfonso L. Uy Promenade

The unfinished bridge today

To turn the bridge into a promenade, Arch. German Torero, a National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA)-accredited architect, was tasked to carefully design it so that it will blend with the design of the nearby church and bell tower. Some PhP4 million in corporate funds was also spent to install tiles, build a stairway on the Poblacion side and adding enhancements. Today, the promenade, now a tourist attraction, is used as a park as well as viewing platform to see the damaged (and, hopefully, soon to be repaired) church and bell tower

Church of Pope St. Gregory the Great (Majayjay, Laguna)

Posted on 26 August, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

From Lucban, we finally crossed the Quezon-Laguna boundary, into Majayjay where we made a short stopover at the town’s Church of Pope St. Gregory the Great. This would be my second visit to the town, having done so 12 years ago (October 13, 2002) with Jandy. This Augustinian-built church is now listed, by the National Museum, as a National Cultural Treasure.

Church of Pope St. Gregory the Great

The moss and vine-covered side of the church

I featured the town and its church in my article Hay Hay! Majayjay which appeared in TODAY (November 10, 2002) and a previous B.L.A.S.T. blog entry. Its unusually tall, stone and brick colonial Baroque facade, with its 6-m. thick adobe walls (though still covered with unsightly vines and moss), was still impressive even after all those years.

The church’s long rectangular nave

The plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (NHI)

During my first visit, I wasn’t able to explore the church interior in detail as a wedding was ongoing at that time. This time there wasn’t any wedding as we walked the azulejo-tiled floor of the 60-m. long and 17-m. wide, rectangular nave, admiring the antique relief statues of saints lining it, the wooden balconies above it on both sides, an elaborately decorated wooden pulpit accessed by a stair, a Sto. Entierro, and the 3 elaborate retablos (altar backdrops) with its pantheon of saints.

The 3 impressive retablos

The wooden pulpit

Violeta, Lanny and I were also able to go up the hexagonal bell tower, via the choir loft, just as we did in Pagbilao. Jandy and Maricar stayed behind. Of equally huge proportions as the church, the bell tower was supported by unusual 16.5-m. high solid buttresses. The catwalk above the ceiling (called langit-langitan), leading to the crossing above the transept, can no longer be accessed as it has deteriorated.

The dome above the altar

Violet and Lanny climbing the stairs going up to the bell tower

Unlike the bell tower of Pagbilao, the stairs going up was sturdy concrete with steel railings. And just like in Pagbilao, we also had a commanding view, upon reaching the top, of the town as well as Laguna de Bay . The tower had 5 century-old bells. its main bell was said to weigh about 3,000 kgs. and its thunderous peal can be heard 3 kms. away.

One of the church bells

View of the town from the top of the bell tower

Church of Pope St. Gregory the Great: Poblacion, Majayjay, Laguna. Tel: (049) 258-1012.

How To Get There: Majayjay is located 120 kms. from Manila and 18 kms. from Sta. Cruz.

Church of San Joaquin (Iloilo)

Posted on 27 February, 2014 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

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

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 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 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 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 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

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

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

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.

Church of Our Lady of the Gate (Daraga, Albay)

Posted on 27 June, 2012 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

From the Cagsawa Ruins, we next proceeded to Daraga town proper then drove up Sta. Maria Hill to the town’s Church of Our Lady of the Gate (Nuestra Senora de la Porteria). The church compound has an awesome view of the sea and majestic Mayon Volcano.

Church of Our Lady of the Gate

This church, built in 1773 by Franciscan monks, has an ornately carved Baroque (others say it is a mixture of Mexican Baroque and Renaissance Gothic) facade divided into 3 segments by 4 tall, twisted columns with medallions, bearing images of the Four Evangelists, at each column’s center. The church also has a semicircular arched main entrance topped by floral decorations and is covered with an image of Our Lady of the Gate, statuary, alcoves, religious seals, the coat-of-arms of the Franciscan Order, and niches on the walls and pedimentcontaining statues of Franciscan saints articulately carved on volcanic rock.

The facade’s pantheon of saints

The right side of the church

Because its facade was made with volcanic rock, the church originally had a black facade as depicted on old photos. However, during my visit, its much-admired Old World look was gone as it was painted, during restoration work (done in close coordination with and approval of the National Museum, National Historical Institute and National Commission on Culture and Arts) in 2008, with a white lime coating (containing chemical ingredients that turned it white) which, according to its conservationists, would protect the facade from exposure to the elements and from further deterioration. This intervention, also done in historical landmarks in other countries, was deemed acceptable as it does not adversely affect its cultural significance.

Twisted column detail

The NHI plaque

The octagonal bell tower (or belfry), on the church’s right, carries images of the 12 Apostles engraved on the sides of the angles. As per my visit, it still retains its volcanic black color as well as the unwanted foliage protruding from its volcanic stone facade. On the church’s left is the unremarkable convent. Compared to the church’s exquisite face, the church’s white interior is bland and simply adorned, a result of what historians refer to as “unregulated reconstructions and modifications.” However, it still houses priceless old santos (statues of saints).

The unpainted octagonal belfry

During the Philippine-American War, the church was used as headquarters by the U.S. Cavalry and, during World War II, as headquarters by the Japanese. Damaged during the liberation in 1945, the church was repaired from 1971 to 1973. On October 29, 2007, this church was declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure (specifically cited were the eastern and western facade, the bell tower and the baptistery), the second in Albay after the Church of St. John the Baptist in Tabaco City and, one year later, on October 16, 2008, it was likewise declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute (NHI).

The bland interior

Church of Our Lady of the Gate: Sta. Maria Hill, Brgy. San Roque, Daraga, Albay. Tel: (052) 483-4416. E-mail: daragaparish@gmail.com.

Stopover at Tayabas (Quezon)

Posted on 13 July, 2011 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel

Last July 13-14, I, together with fellow travel writer Bernard Supetran, were invited by photographer friend Lee Llamas to cover the Maubanog Festival in Lee’s hometown of Mauban in Quezon. Bernard and I met up at Starbucks Magallanes were we were picked up, around 11 AM, by a chartered Nissan Urvan. Joining us were Lee’s photographer friends Ms. Baby de la Cruz (a just returned overseas contract worker from Kuwait), Mr. Dax Cruz (a balikbayan from Canada) and Dr. Omar Cacabelos (a dentist). All, including Lee, are members of Gruppo i4i (eye for eye), a band of professional photographers who offer a wide range of services to clients. We were in for a long haul, the trip to Mauban taking all of 190 kms. Along the way, we made stopovers for toilet breaks, lunch at Chowking and a photo ops at Tayabas City.

The church’s beautiful interiors

This wasn’t my first visit to this city, the first being during a Holy Week break in 1999 when Tayabas was still a municipality (it only became a component city in 2007). Still an eye opener was its 103-m. long Minor Basilica (it became such on October 18, 1988) of St. Michael the Archangel, the best preserved and the most beautifully-decorated church complex in the province. It is also the longest Spanish colonial church in the country and also one of the oldest. Its bell tower contains an 18th century clock (the only one of its kind in the country) that chimes every 30 minutes. The church interior has seven altars, all done in the Neo-Classical style, an antique organ at the choir loft, a balcony below the beautiful dome and beautiful trompe l’oeil ceiling paintings. The adjacent convent was used as a Japanese garrison during World War II. This beautiful church is now listed, by the National Museum, as one of 26 National Cultural Treasures.

The Casa Communidad de Tayabas

Nearby is the Casa de Communidad, the biggest stone house ever restored by the National Historical Institute. It was first built in 1776 as a tribunal by gobernadorcillo Francisco Lopez and made into a lavish edifice from 1831 to 1837 by then gobernadorcillo Don Diego Enriquez. Apolinario dela Cruz (a.k.a. Hermano Pule) was hastily tried and sentenced to death here in 1841 by a Spanish court for leading a revolt. It was later used as a Spanish Armed Forces headquarters (May 29, 1898), as the Central High School Building (March 12, 1901), as the Tayabas Provincial Hospital (1941) and the Japanese Army headquarters until it was burned by American bombing on March 15, 1945. In 1950, it was used as the Central School Building No. 2. The building was renovated in 1973 (Exec. Order No. 2601) and 1974 (Exec. Order No. 3750) and was declared a National Historical Landmark on June 1, 1978. It now houses a museum, municipal library, art and culture center, and tourism office. The building was in a sorry state of disrepair when we arrived and is currently being restored again.

The Spanish-era Malagunlong Bridge

Back on the road to Mauban (now just 14 kms. away), we gain made a short photo op, 2.4 kms. outside of Tayabas City, at a modern, girder-type concrete bridge along the highway to view, at the upstream side, the Malagunlong Bridge, the oldest in the province and one of the few remaining Spanish colonial, arch-type bridges in the country. The bridge, now unused, was built of adobe stone, limestone and molasses and started by Spanish Franciscan parish priest Fr. Antonio Mateus in 1840 and completed 10 years later. It is 445 ft. long and has five spans. About 230 m. after this bridge, we arrived at the junction going to Mauban.

Gruppo i4i: Suite 609, Angelica Manor, San Antonio Village, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Tel: (632) 775-6017. Mobile number: (0919) 427-0754. Website: www.gruppoi4i.com

City Mayor’s Office: City Hall,J.P. Rizal St., Tayabas City, Quezon. Website: http://tayabas.ph.

Church of St. James the Great (Bolinao, Pangasinan)

Posted on 5 April, 2011 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Church of St. James the Great

After an early morning breakfast at the Capitol Resort Hotel in Lingayen, we again boarded our van for the premier tourism town of Bolinao, a major destination during our 3-day (April 4-6, 2011) Pangasinan Media Tour. Here, it 69,568 townspeople speak the unique Bolinawen dialect. This wasn’t my first visit to this paradise place, having gone there during a 2005 Holy Week break with my son Jandy and two friends at Patar Beach. Four years after my first visit, on May 7, 2009, super typhoon Emong (international code name: Chan Hom, packing winds of 150 kph with a gustiness of 185 kph) made a 7 PM landfall in Bolinao and, in less than an hour, damaged 80-90% of its houses, blocked roads with fallen trees, destroyed 95% of its aquaculture industry and killed at least 20 people (with 4 missing), mostly fish cage caretakers who stayed on their makeshift huts.

Municipal Hall

However, nothing could really bring a good town down and, through the cooperation of its townspeople, the town has somehow recovered. We arrived in town in the midst of a high school graduation in front of the town hall and first visited its venerable Church of St. James the Great. This solid, stone church, built by the Augustinian Recollects in 1609, used to double as a fortress against attacks by pirates, the English, Japanese and Americans. Today, this church (as well as 25 other churches) is listed by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure.

The church interior

The church’s roof and ceiling were damaged during the typhoon but its roof and its trusses (now steel) have since been replaced though still ceiling-less. However, the impressive High Renaissance façade, with its weathered wooden santos in the niches, the bell tower and the beautiful, intricately carved retablos and pulpit remain intact.

Fr. Odorico Marker

In front of the church is a memorial marker which challenges the accepted historical fact of the March 31, 1521 first Mass held at Limasawa in Southern Leyte. Instead, the town claims that, in 1324, an Italian (from Friuli) Franciscan Fr. Odorico, en route to China for missionary work, encountered stormy weather and sought refuge at Bolinao Bay. While on land, he celebrated a thanksgiving Mass and also baptized the natives, making him the first evangelizer in the Philippines. The marker was donated by Italian priest Fr. Luigi Malamocco, 62, also from Fr. Odorico’s hometown of Friuli, Italy.

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.