Category Archives: Churches

Labo Town Proper (Camarines Norte)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

About 15 kms. out of Daet, we again made a short stopover at the busy, 648.84 sq. km. (more than 25% of the province’s total land area) and first-class municipality of Labo (2010 population: 92,041, the province’s most populous) where Bernard and I bought some shades at the market.

Labo town proper

Labo town proper

From the market, I walked over to the nearby Church of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist and the modern, 2-storey municipal hall for my own photo ops.

Labo Municipal Hall

Labo Municipal Hall

The church was built in 1890 by Fr. Sotero Martin (parish priest from 1891 to 1894).

Church of St. John the Evangelist & Apostle

Church of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church has a 2-level, Baroque-style coralstone facade with a triangular pediment with a centrally located, semicircular arched statued niche and topped by a square bell tower.

The lower level has a centrally located, semicircular arched main entrance flanked by fluted pilasters (topped by urn-like finials) and semicircular arched statued niches.

Church of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist: Brgy. Burgos, Labo 4604. Tel: ()54) 447-6325. Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist: May 6.

Labo Municipal Hall: National Highway, Labo 4604. Tel: (054) 721-7412.  E-mail: inquiries@labo.gov.ph. Website: www.labo.gov.ph.

Back to Camarines Norte

Posted on by — Leave a reply
Municipal Guest House

For the third time this year, I was again invited to visit Daet, in Camarines Norte, this time to cover its Pinyasan Festival as well as the 150th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal, the town being the site of our National Hero’s first monument.  I was joined by event organizer Mr. Bernard Supetran, professional photographer Mr. Lee Llamas, travel writers Mr. Timothy Jay “TJ” A. Ibay of What’s On and Ms. Karla Marcia Rey, and travel blogger (and Karla’s boyfriend) Mr. Orlando “Lan” Cajigal.   We all left via a 9 PM airconditioned bus at the Philtranco terminal in Pasay City, all sitting at the rear of the bus.  This was to be my first long-haul bus (8-9 hrs.) trip to Daet, my first being by plane to Naga City (plus a 2-hr. van drive back to Daet) and the two others by van.

Surfer’s Dine Inn

Our 6 AM arrival at Daet was heralded with a crash as our bus’ roof  scraped the low ceiling of the bus shed.  Poor bus driver (salary deduction).  Our trusty driver from the Provincial Tourism Office, Mr. Amable Miranda, was on hand at the terminal to pick us up with a van.  We were first brought to Surfer’s Dine Inn, along Bagasbas Blvd., for an early Filipino breakfast (mine was pork chops). Here, we were met by Provincial Tourism Officer and good friend Atty. Debbee Francisco.  Amable then brought us to the Municipal Guest House, also along Bagasbas Blvd., where we freshened up and rested for a short while.   We were all slated to go overnight camping at Tinaga Island, one of the famed Calaguas Islands.  This was to be my second visit and the first for the rest.We left Bagasbas by 8 AM for the leisurely drive to Minaongan Fish Port in Paracale, bringing along just enough personal necessities for our overnight camping (plus some borrowed pillows and blankets from the guesthouse).  The national highway unusually passed through the gated property (which was closed at night) of the modern Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity (consecrated on  September 1, 1984).  Here we made a brief stopover for photo ops.

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity

Chao Phraya River Cruise (Thailand)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

After our Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit tour in Ayutthaya Historical Park, we all returned to our coach and were all brought to Potangtai Pier near Bangsai (the royal folk arts and handicrafts center) for the start of our 2.5 hr. Chao Phraya River cruise from Ayutthaya back to Bangkok on board the modern and luxurious cruiser Grand Pearl.  From Ayutthaya, we would be passing through Pathumthani and Nonthaburi provinces before arriving in Bangkok.

The Grand Pearl

On board, we were in for a late but delicious buffet lunch of mostly spicy Thai and international cuisine served within the luxurious confines of the cruise boat.  All 4 of us sat in a comfortable, u-shaped booth beside a large viewing window.

Dining, Buffet-Style, on Thai Cuisine

Throughout our lunch, we watched the scenery along the banks Chao Phraya River banks within the refreshing airconditioned cabin lounge.  By 3:30 PM, midway through our cruise,  a refreshing beverage of tea or coffee and cookies were also served to the guests.

The Airconditioned Cabin Lounge

After our filling lunch, some guests proceeded to lounge at the wooden sun deck  at the front of the cruiser while the majority, including us, opted to remain in airconditioned comfort at the cabin lounge.

The Sun Deck of the Grand Pearl

Sometimes, I would also go up the sun deck, amidst the fresh cool tropical air and warm, afternoon sun, to get an amazingly clearer view of the life of the inhabitants that dwell along the river and the unforgettable scenery of children as they greet the visitors going by.

Houses Mounted on Stilts

We would watch various kinds of river craft, from barges, smaller wooden pleasure cruise boats to traditional, long-tail boats, their engines invariably mounted on an inboard, turret-like pole which can rotate through 180 degrees, allowing steering by thrust vectoring.

Long-Tail Boats

The architectural scenery also varies; from simple houses on stilts to modern villas, to modern medium-rise (Mandarin Oriental Hotel) and high-rise (The Peninsula Bangkok) hotels, from traditional Thai temples (the graceful Wat Arun,  Wat Kanlayanamit, Wat Rakang Khosittaram, Wat Pathum Khongkha) to old Roman Catholic churches (Church of the Holy Cross) and from magnificent palaces (Grand Palace, Bang Khunprom Palace, etc.) to engineering marvels (King Rama VIII Bridge).

Royal Barge Museum

The Royal Barge Museum, on the banks of the Bangkok Noi Canal , is a huge boathouse that displays 8 finely-crafted Thai royal barges (including 4 for the king). The majestic Suphannahongsa (“golden swan,” the personal barge of the King, carved out of a single teak tree trunk, was completed in 1911.

King Rama VIII Bridge

The asymmetrical, cable-stayed, 2.45 km. long (including approach spans) Rama VII Bridge, opened on September 20, 2002, has a single, inverted Y-shaped tower, a sleek superstructure and gold-colored suspension cables arranged on single and double planes.

Bang Khun Phrom Palace (Bank of Thailand Museum)

The Baroque cum Art Nouveau Bang Khun Phrom Palace, the former residence (until 1932) of HRH Prince Paribatra Sukhumbhand, the 33rd son of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), now houses the Bank of Thailand (BOT) Museum. The museum has 14 rooms many of which display the history of Thai currency and the Bank of Thailand.

Wat Arun

Wat Arun, recognizable by its central, 66.8 m. high prang (Khmer-style tower) topped with a 7-pronged trident, was started in 1809.  It is called the “Temple of the Dawn” because the first light of morning reflects off the surface of the temple with a pearly iridescence.  By the side of the river are 6 Chinese-style pavilions made of green granite and containing landing bridges.

Wat Rakang Kosittaram

Wat Rakang Kosittaram (Temple of the Bells), built during the Ayutthaya period, was later reconstructed and upgraded as a Royal Temple by King Taksin. The main features of the temple is the bell tower whose bells gave the name temple the name “Rakang” (Thai for “bell”).

Wat Kalayanamit

The massive, mid-nineteenth century  Wat Kalayanamit is well known for its 15.45 m. high and 11.75 m. wide Phra Buddha Trai Rattana Nayok (Luang Po To), called Sum Po Hud Kong in Chinese, which is Bangkok’s biggest Buddha image.

Sunanthalai Building (Royal Seminary)

The elegant, century-old Neo-Classical Sunanthalai Building, within the compound of Rajini School (the first girl’s school operated by Thais, founded by Queen Saowapa), was built  by King Rama V in memory of Queen Sunantha Kumariratana who drowned in the Chao Phraya River  on May 31, 1880.  It was restored after a fire in 2005.

Church of the Holy Cross

Nestled among old houses on the river banks and newer buildings inland, recognizable by its reddish dome, is the Church of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz Church), one of Bangkok’s many old Catholic churches.  First built in wood in 1770 during the reign of King Taksin (1867–1782), it was rebuilt in 1835.  The present church, built in 1916, was designed by Italian architects Annibale Rigotti and Mario Tamagno.

River City Shopping Complex

Other sights along the river include  Thammasart University (Tha Prachan Center), Pom Pra Athit, and the Holy Rosary Church (the oldest Catholic Church in Thailand, also known as Wat Kalawar).  Our cruise ended when we docked at the River City Shopping Complex Pier, Si Phraya in Bangkok by 5 PM.  Altogether, it was a worthwhile experience.

Grand Pearl Cruises: 19/394 Chaovalitr Village, Rimklong Bangkor Rd., Chomthong, Bangkok, Thailand.  Tel: 084-1361199 and 081-9005429.

Church of the Holy Child (Mabini, Pangasinan)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Church of the Holy Child

The Church of the Holy Child, already in existence in the 19th century, has withstood several natural and man-made calamities over the past decades.  In 1832, a great flood submerged the convent and, in 1852, the church was struck by a lightning. It was repaired by Fr. Mariano Torrente (1858 to 1872) and, after a flood in 1881, by Fr. Epifanio Vergara (1893 to 1898).

The church’s Early Renaissance facade

A strong earthquake on December 12, 1999, destroyed the 1830 church, collapsing the stone walls, facade, and the altar but leaving a few structural components and the foundation intact. In 2005, the church was restored and blessed and, in 2006, the old convent and the parish office were transferred to the other side of the church which used to be a chapel before the restoration of the church.

The altar retablo

The church’s Early Renaissance facade has tall, paired Doric columns on pedestals reaching up to the pediment and flanking the semicircular arch main entrance.  Above it are semicircular arched windows while the pediment has a statued niche flanked by circular windows.  The bell tower is a later addition.

Plaque commemorating the quadricentennial of the parish

Church of the Holy Child: Sto. Niño St., Brgy. Poblacion, Mabini, Pangasinan. Feast of the Holy Child: Third Sunday of January.

How to Get There: Mabini is located 322 kms. from Manila an 54.5 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Lingayen via the Olongapo-Bugallon Rd..

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

Posted on by — 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.

Church of St. Peter the Martyr (Sual, Pangasinan)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Fr. Gabriel Perez began the construction of the town’s first church and convent (which was later completed by Fr.Juan Gutierrez) The church was completed by Fr. Pedro Villanova in 1870.

Church of St. Peter the Martyr

Church of St. Peter the Martyr

A second church, started in 1883 during the term of Fr. Felix Casas, was completed by Fr.r Eugenio Minguez in 1891 and later consecrated on June 8, 1893. It was destroyed during the liberation in 1945. 

The church's interior

The church’s interior

The present church is the town’s third.  Since 1949, the parish has been under the administration of the Columban Fathers.

The main retablo

The main retablo

Its fancy post-Baroque or Early Spanish Colonial Revival facade has a low entablature (which does not fit the classical proportions of the Renaissance style) and staggered placement of columns on the first and second levels (which provides an element of irregular rhythm). On the church’s left is the bell tower.

Retablo on the left

Retablo on the left

Retablo on the right

Retablo on the right

Church of St. Peter the Martyr: Brgy. Capantolan, Sual 2403, Pangasinan. Tel (075) 548-2072.

How to Get There: Sual is located 352 kilometers from Manila.

Church of St. Monica (Sarrat, Ilocos Norte)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
Church of St. Monica and bell tower
After visiting the Marcos Museum in Sarrat, we returned to our bus and proceeded to the nearby Church of St. Monica, also located along the Padsan River.  Probably the largest church in the province, it was first built in 1779 by Augustinian friars, the last Spanish-era church built in the Ilocos.  Its red brick exterior facade blends simple and formally organized Neo-Classic proportions (a central main entrance and smaller side windows, all decorated by triangular pediments) with Baroque features (massive, heavily-rounded pilasters on solid rectangular pedestals with elaborate and curvilinear scroll-like pediments with heavily outlined volutes).
 
Convent

The impressive convent, known as the Casa del Palacio Real, was first built in 1779, reconstructed  in 1817 and 1886 and completed by Fr. Celedonio Paniagua. It was, at times, used as a Presidencia Municipal.  Within its environs then were a jail where criminals and political prisoners were incarcerated and tortured, a sala court, a strangulation room and other secular sections. It also served, for a time, as the Colegio de Santa Monica (a branch of the Liceo de Manila). The convent is now a parochial museum (Casa Paroquial Sarrat).  A unique, massive and attractive brick staircase connects the convent with the  church.

The brick staircase connect church and convent

The church and convent survived many calamities – fire on February 3, 1816 and 1882 and an earthquake on March 19, 1932 (its bell tower was damaged).     The church interior, along with the houses surrounding the plaza, were renovated in 1983 for Irene Marcos‘ (the youngest daughter of the late Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos) June wedding to Greggy Araneta.  The lavish ceremony was attended by 5,000 guests and cost an estimated US$10.3 million.  Food was provided for over 100,000. A few months later, on September 7, 1983, an Intensity 7.8 earthquake severely damaged the church’s main altar and upper facade. The former 3-storey square brick bell tower of diminishing sizes lost its top storeys. 

Church of St. Augustine (Paoay, Ilocos Norte)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
Church of St. Augustine

After our delicious lunch at Cafe Herencia, we still had time  to visit Paoay‘s most notable landmark, its Aztec-like Church of St. Augustine, situated near the banks of the Wawa River.  This fortress-like church, a premier example of Philippine Earthquake Baroque architecture, has been declared a National Cultural Treasure for its architectural style and cultural value and was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1994.  This will be my second time to visit the town, and the church for that matter, but it was only a stopover for photo ops and I never got to enter the church.

The gracefully curving and flowing, 
scrolled stone buttresses

Built from 1699 to 1702 by Augustinian Fr. Antonio Estavillo, the church was repaired in 1865 by Fr. Ruperto Rodriguez and Fr. Baldomero Real did major restoration work from 1889 to 1898.  The church was officially inaugurated on February 18, 1896.  The church has 24 2.5-m. thick, massive but gracefully curving and flowing scrolled stone buttresses that ballast the walls (found nowhere else in the country) and two exterior stone staircases (near the main altar transept) on both sides that reached the church’s roof.  Its 1.67-m. thick coral block walls were faced with bricks and sealed with a particularly hard lime mortar mixed with sugar cane juice.  The main nave, supported by 14 molave posts, is 60 m. long, 15 m. wide and 5.10 m. high.  The transept is 7 m. high. The church’s unique two-level triangular facade, divided by horizontal string courses, combines Gothic, Baroque and Oriental (Indian Madjapahit) designs. The buttresses are Baroque features and the decorative pinnacles are reminiscent of Gothic architecture.  Chinese elements are seen in the gable, while the crenellations and five niches (each with a large statue of a saint) topping the walls suggest Javanese influence.    

The church interior

Inside is a 3-storey main altar and two side altars each fitted with gilded retablos.  Over the wooden rail of the choir is a large wooden statue of Christ.  Its intricately designed pulpit and a statue of the Holy Family where brought from Spain in 1891.  Its separate three-storey, coral stone bell tower, was first built with 3.5-m. high wooden posts and three bells and enlarged from 1753 to 1756 by Fr. Tomas Torres with chopped 12 inch by 16 inch coral stones and molave braces put together.  The main entrance door was installed in 1793 and five bells were installed by Fr. Jose Nieto in 1818.  The bell tower was used as a watchtower by Katipuneros in 1898 and by local guerillas during the Japanese occupation.

Pabirik Festival (Paracale, Camarines Norte)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓
Pabirik Festival

Paracale was one of three parishes (the others were Daet and Vinzons) celebrating the quadricentennial of their parish’s foundation, an event which I, event organizer Bernard Supetran, blogger Mark Vincent Nunez and mediamen Kara Santos (Sunday Inquirer) and Joselito “Lito” Cinco were to cover.  Our second day in the province was, coincidentally, also the high point of the town’s Pabirik Festival.  We arrived just as the street dancing parade was making its way into the town’s gym for the final judging.  We first dropped by the town’s Spanish-era Church of Our Lady of Candles which was reconstructed between 1888 and 1898 under the direction of Fr. Jose Cardenoso, the last Spanish priest to serve the parish.  After that, we proceeded to the gym to watch the contingents perform.

Church of Our Lady of Candles

The festival showcases the rich mining industry of the town (the pabirik is a tool used in gold mining) which started when a large gold mine was discovered here in 1626. Locals here still pan for gold.  In fact, the town’s name was derived from para cale, meaning “canal digger.” Paracale  is still the center of the jewelry-making industry and, although the art has declined in importance, the town is still regarded as a good place to buy finely-crafted gold jewelry such as the agimon (or alakdan), a flat necklace chain of the 19th century.  The festival  also coincides with the feast of Our Lady of Candles (Nuestra Senora del Candelaria), the town’s patroness and, as such, her statue is borne by most participating contingents in the street dancing competition, together with cardboard or wood replicas of the gold panning trade. Check out my Business Mirror article “Camarines Norte: 400 Years of Keeping the Faith.”

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Poblacion, Paracale, Camarines Norte.  Tel: (054) 449-1008.

Celebrating Four Centuries of Christianity in Camarines Norte

Posted on by — Leave a reply
Courtesy call on Gov. Edgardo A. Tallado

The year 2011 marks the quadricentennial of the University of Sto. Tomas, the oldest university in Asia. In Camarines Norte, it marks a different milestone – the 400th year foundation anniversary of the three parishes of Daet, Paracale and Vinzons.  Although all these towns were founded by Franciscan missionaries in 1581, it was only in 1611 when permanent parish priests were assigned. Yours truly, together with events organizer Bernard Supetran, travel blogger Mark Vincent Nunez (L.E.N.S.) and mediamen Mr. Joselito “Lito” Cinco and Ms. Kara Santos (Sunday Inquirer), were invited to cover the quadricentennial activities in these towns. All five of us met up at Starbucks in Magallanes Village in Makati City where our transportation and our hosts, Mr. Amable Miranda and Roufel “Raffy” de Vera of the Provincial Tourism Office awaited us.  We left the place by 5:30 PM and the 350-km. long-haul drive took all of 8 hrs., including stopovers for toilet breaks and dinner at a Chowking outlet in Quezon, snatching sleep in between.

Bulawan Museum

We arrived at Bagasbas Lighthouse Resort in Daet, our home during our 3-day stay in Camarines Norte, by 2 AM and were soon checked in and back on the sack.

Check out “Resort Review: Bagasbas Lighthouse Hotel Resort“

Come morning, right after breakfast, we were picked up by Amable and Raffy to visit Bagasbas Park and the First Rizal Monument (unveiled on December 30, 1898) then meet up with Atty. Debbee G. Francisco, the Provincial Tourism Officer designate, at the Provincial Capitol as well as visit the Bulawan Museum with its collection of old photos, portraits of past governors, busts of local heroes, family heirloom pieces, numismatic collection and paintings.

Church of St. Peter the Apostle in Vinzons

From Daet, we moved on to Paracale where we were to attend its Pabirik Festival which showcases the rich mining industry of the town. We next left for Labo where we checked out the Museo de Labo, the Church of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist and a showcase of the town’s handicrafts.  After a few hours rest bit back at the resort, we proceeded to the town of Vinzons where we interviewed Fr. Francisco P. Regala, Jr., the parish priest of the town’s Church of St. Peter the Apostle, the oldest in the province (first built in 1611 by Fr. Juan de Losar and rebuilt at its present site in 1624).  Fr. Regala, narrated in detail, the town’s town’s quadricentennial plans on June 29, the town’s fiesta.  We capped this evening with dinner at the residence of Atty. Francisco where I stuffed myself full with angko, a glutinous, rice-based and thumb-size native delicacy with a filling of sweet, grounded peanuts.  We left right after this as we were scheduled to leave early in the morning for overnight camping at the Calaguas Islands.  That night it started to rain heavily.

Daet Heritage Center

That same heavy rain welcomed us early in the morning and a phone call confirmed our worst fears – the trip to the Calaguas Islands was cancelled.  Regretfully, we switched to Plan B – hiking to Nakali Falls in San Lorenzo Ruiz town, rain or shine.  The physically draining hike took all day. It was raining less the next day and all had lunch with Daet Mayor Tito S. Sarion at Golden Palace Restaurant followed by an ocular tour of the newly-established museum at the Daet Heritage Center (formerly the old municipal hall), a courtesy call to Gov. Edgardo Tallado at the Provincial Capitol and a farewell visit to Atty. Francisco who gifted us with daing, dried dilis (anchovies) and my favorite angko.  Amable and Raffy accompanied us on our return trip to Manila, with a delicious dinner stopover at Lita’s Carinderia along the way.  We made it back by midnight. Check out my Business Mirror article “Camarines Norte: 400 Years of Keeping the Faith.”

Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, Daet, Camarines Norte.  Tel: (054) 721-3087.  E-mail: come2camnorte@yahoo.com.