Waterfront Station (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

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

Waterfront Station

The stunningly grand and majestic, 6-storey, 146-m. (480-ft.) long Waterfront Station (Station Code: WF), located on Burrard Inlet, is a major intermodal public transportation facility and the main transit terminus in Vancouver. It is within walking distance or the vicinity of Vancouver’s historical Gastown district, Canada Place, Vancouver Convention Centre, Harbour Centre, Sinclair Centre, the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre float plane terminal (approximately two blocks west of Canada Place), the heliport operated by Helijet, (adjacent to the SeaBus concourse, therefore allowing passengers to connect to Waterfront Station‘s main terminal building) and the downtown campuses for Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

The row of Ionic columns

The current Neo-Classical-style main station building, designed by Barott, Blackader and Webster (a Montreal architecture firm) and built by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), is CPR’s third station. It replaced a smaller station, built in the 1890s and previously located at the foot of Granville, one block west, built in chateau-like “Railway Gothic” style like the CPR’s many railway hotels. Its symmetrical red-brick facade is dominated by a row of smooth, white limestone Ionic order columns which are repeated in the grand interior hall, flanking the perimeter of the space.

The Neo-Classical-style facade

The main hall features two large clocks facing each other high on the east and west walls while paintings depicting various scenic Canadian landscapes, by Adelaide Langford (wife of a CPR executive), line the walls above the columns.

One of two large clocks at the Main Hall

Rouge Kitchen & Wet Bar, on the street level, occupies the east wing. Other restaurants located within the station include A&W, Jugo Juice, La Prep, Subway, Starbucks and SKK Italy. On the upper floors, some rooms are occupied by business offices.

Rouge Kitchen & Wet Bar

Subway and Jugo Juice

The bronze statue of Angel of Victory, one of an originally identical trio (the other two angels are in Winnepeg and Montreal), at the front of the extreme east end of the building, was created by Couer de Lion MacCarthy (1881-1979) and was installed in 1921.

Angel of Victory (Couer de Lion MacCarthy)

A war memorial honoring CPR employees who were killed during World War I, it depicts an angel carrying a dead soldier to heaven. At one time, she was holding s small wreath in her raised hand but, at some point, the wreath was broken and now she holds just a few leaves in her hand. After World War II, the writing on the plaque at the base of the statue was added.

Historical Plaque

Here’s the historical timeline of the station:

On May 1912, the construction of Waterfront Station began
On August 1, 1914, right at the start of World War I, the station was opened as the Pacific terminus for the CPR’s transcontinental passenger trains to Montreal, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario. Canadian soldiers, on their way to the war, departed on this depot.
In 1916, the paintings lining the walls above the columns were completed.
On May 29, 1939, residents welcomed King George VI and Queen Elizabeth here (British Columbia’s first visit by a reigning monarch)
In 1977, Waterfront Station‘s transformation into a public intermodal transit facility began.
In 1977, SeaBus began operating out of a purpose-built floating pier that was connected to the main terminal building via an overhead walkway above the CPR tracks.
In 1978, when Via Rail took over the passenger operations of the CPR and the Canadian National Railway, it continued using both railways’ stations in Vancouver
In 1979, Via Rail ceased using this CPR station when it consolidated its Vancouver operations at Pacific Central Station, the CN station near False Creek.
On October 27, 1979, the last scheduled Via Rail passenger train to use Waterfront Station departed, with 200 passengers (plus 50 train aficionados who tagged along to Mission), for Montreal, 15 mins. late.
In the early 1980s, the CPR’s passenger platform and some of its tracks were torn up to make way for the guideway of the original SkyTrain line (Expo Line).
On December 11, 1985, the Expo Line was opened.
During Expo 86, SkyTrain operated special shuttle trains between Waterfront Station and Stadium–Chinatown Station(then named Stadium station), connecting the Canadian Pavilion at Canada Place to the main Expo site along False Creek.
In the early 1990s, Royal SeaLink Express, a private ferry company, ran passenger ferries from a new dock on the west side of the SeaBus terminal to Victoria and Nanaimo but ultimately folded.
In 1995, platforms were built adjacent to the SkyTrain station for the West Coast Express, which uses the existing CPR tracks. The platforms for the West Coast Express were built in the same location as the old CPR platforms.
In 2002, Millennium Line trains began to share tracks with the Expo Line at Waterfront Station.
In 2003, HarbourLynx began operating out of Royal Sealink’s old facility at the SeaBus terminal.
In 2006, following major engine problems with their only vessel, HarbourLynx folded as well.
In late 2016, an Expo Line branch to Production Way–University station was created in replacement of the Millennium Line service between VCC–Clark and Waterfront Station.
In 2009, the Canada Line opened
In 2018, as most Canada Line stations were built with only up escalators initially, TransLink announced that Waterfront Station‘s Canada Line platforms, as well as two other stations on the line located within Downtown Vancouver, would receive an accessibility upgrade which includes additional escalators.
In early 2019, construction began on the additional escalators
In December 2019, the installation of additional escalators was completed.
In 2020, work on replacing the escalators connecting to the Expo Line was started by TransLink.
For three weeks in June 2020, access to the Expo Line from Cordova Street was closed, forcing passengers to access the Expo Line from the Howe Street entrance. Because the construction blocked access to the elevators to the Expo Line platforms, a temporary shuttle bus service between the SeaBus terminal, the main concourse area, and Burrard Station was instated.

Ionic columns inside the main hall

Waterfront Station was one of the first stations to receive TransLink’s “T” signage (denoting a transit station). Originally installed in the downtown core of Vancouver, this signage helped visitors during the 2010 Olympics as it made transit hubs easier to identify.

Waterfront Station serves as a common terminus point for both the Expo Line (through Vancouver to Northeast/South Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey) and the Canada Line (through Vancouver to central Richmond and Vancouver International Airport). They have separate platforms which are accessible via the main station building, but require leaving the fare paid zone when transferring between other modes.

The SeaBus passenger ferry, to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, stops on the Vancouver side at Waterfront Station, near the Vancouver Convention Centre. Additionally, Waterfront Station provides West Coast Express commuter rail (Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and Mission) a connection to the SeaBus passenger ferry. The station is also accessible to various local, suburban, and express bus services provided by TransLink.

Escalator to Expo Line

Expo Line

Waterfront Station: 601 West Cordova St. (between Granville and Seymour Sts.), Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 1G1, Canada. The station has also two street-level entrances – Howe Street to the west (for direct access to the Expo Line) and Granville Street to the south (for direct access to the Canada Line). Coordinates: 49°17′09″N 123°06′42″W

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.

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.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Pasig City, Metro Manila)

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

Immaculate Conception Cathedral

The mother church and the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Pasig, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also called the Pasig Cathedral, is one of the oldest structures in the city. This church was first built by Augustinian missionaries in 1575. Initially consecrated to the Visitation of Our Lady (consecrated on July 2, 1573), on April 25, 1587, the parish was changed to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the Augustinian priests during that time.

The Neo-Classical and Colonial Baroque facade

The present structure, started before 1639, was said to have been finished during the brief British occupation of Manila from 1722 to 1747 (when it was converted into horses’ stables and served as the British military headquarters) and its belfry used as a watchtower against the Spanish defenders. In 1764, it underwent repairs.

Historical Plaque

The stone convent was built by Fr. Felix Trillo. In 1879, the church was restored by Fr. Simon Barroso who also replaced the roof with galvanized iron. From 1910 to 1979, the parish was administered by the CICM Fathers, after which the Filipino clergy took over the pastoral leadership of the parish.

The four-storey bell tower

In 2000, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral was declared one of the Jubilee churches in the Archdiocese of Manila (the parish was a part of this archdiocese until August 21, 2003 when the district was elevated as a separate and independent diocese on October 2001, with the elevation of the parish into the status of a cathedral).

Porta Sancta

On December 7, 2008, the Solemn Canonical Coronation of its patron as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Pasig was led by Edward Joseph Adams (the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines), the Bishop of Pasig, and the entire faithful in the diocese.

The cathedral interior

In February 2021, as part of the Celebration of the 500th year anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, the cathedral was named as a Jubilee Church in the Diocese of Pasig along with the Diocesan Shrine of St. Martha and Parish of St. Roch in Pateros and the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne in Taguig City.

The choir loft

The main altar and retablo

On March 25, 2022, after a 7 year-long restoration and renovation of the cathedral (including the addition of ceiling paintings), the cathedral was inaugurated and blest by Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara.

Ceiling painting

Its plain Neo-Classical and Colonial Baroque façade has triglyphs that separate the first level from the second and third level; semicircular arched doors and windows, and small rose windows and the Augustinian symbol of the stylized heart on the second level.

Left side altar

Right side altar

Its triangular pediment, with its centrally located statued niche and supported by slender Doric columns, is topped by a Renaissance-influenced min-balustrade lacing the raking cornice. The massive five-level bell tower is located on the church’s left.

Old church bells

Candle gallery

Immaculate Conception Cathedral: Justice Hubson St., Plaza Rizal, Brgy. Malinao, Pasig City 1600, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8641-1784 and (632) 8864-6197. Fax: (632) 641-3460. E-mail: iccpasigdop@gmail.com.

Bahay Nakpil-Bautista (Quiapo, Manila)

Posted on 19 March, 2022 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

Bahay Nakpil Bautista

Our Quiapo Heritage Walk ended at the stately and elegant Bahay Nakpil-Bautista (Nakpil-Bautista House), one of the old heritage houses found in the district of Quiapo, Manila. As it was still open, Jandy and I, as well as other participants of the Quiapo Heritage Walk, decided to explore it.

Check out “Quiapo Heritage Walk”

The house is typical of its period,with wood and stone as primary construction materials. Typical of many Manila houses of the period, it had two entrances–a large wooden street door (postigo) and a large iron gate that leads to the Estero de Quiapo behind.

Estero de Quiapo

A perfect example of “adaptive reuse” (where old structures find new life and new uses so they remain relevant to the present time), Bahay Nakpil-Bautista was a bahay na bato built in 1914 by Arcadio Arellano (architect of the Gota de Leche Building) for Dr. Ariston Linpingco Bautista (1863 – 1928), a known physician, patriot (he was a member of the Propaganda Movement), philanthropist and patron of the arts.

Check out “Gota de Leche Building: A Heritage Conservation Success Story”

Ariston Bautista

Dr. Ariston Bautista was also one of the first professors in the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. He discovered a treatment similar to paregoric, which helped end the cholera epidemic that plagued the country in 1880. He was also the founding President of Germinal Cigar and Cigarette Company. His wife, the painter and jewelry designer Petrona Nakpil, was one of the first women artists in Quiapo.

National Historical Institute (NHI) Plaque

Originally, there were two houses sitting on two lots (with a total area of 500 sq. m.). On August 25, 2011, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines declared the house as a National Historical Landmark.

The Tahanan ng mga Katipunero exhibit at the zaguan

Today, the house is a museum showcasing items of the Katipunan, paintings, among others. After a long closure due to the COVID pandemic, the museum reopened last November 30, 2021. The exhibits were set up by architect Dr. Mary Ann Venturina-Bulanadi, a UST interior design professor, interior designer and cultural heritage restorer.

The zaguan or garahe

We first entered the lower storey of the house, with its thin (21 cm.), narrow, brick walls pressed together by wooden studs.It now houses the Tahanan ng mga Katipunero, a permanent exhibition which was curated and opened in 2014, during the 100 years celebration of the house. Before that, the house used to be a dorm, a halfway house and even a pansiteria.

The altar housing the replica of the Nazareno. At the back is the old workshop (plateria)

Upon paying the admission fee, we were assigned a lady volunteer guide for our 45-min. tour. The cavernous zaguan or garahe (parking area for horse-drawn carriages and, later, cars) has flooring made of piedra china (stones used as weights in trade ships that disembarked in Manila). A mirror, a traditional innovation (similar to a modern-day CCTV camera), was propped on the ceiling (near the wooden guide), enabling the house occupants to see anyone standing outside the door.

Replica of the Black NNazarene

On the farthest side was a replica of the original Black Nazarene (Nazareno) statue of Quiapo Church which was brought to the zaguan areaof Nakpil-Bautista House during the bombings of World War II to prevent it from being destroyed or looted. Behind the statue was the plateria (old workshop for designing jewelry).

The old plateria (workshop)

Bahay Nakpil-Bautista was the home of fine jewelry makers (Plateria Nakpil). Before World War II, he atelier’s artisans handcrafted outstanding pieces of gold-and-diamond jewelry (such as Art Deco, flower-inspired pieces set in white gold) which were highly prized by Manila society from the 1900s until it closed in the 1960s.

Puente de Claveria, Tuberias and Tranvia, El Renacimiento and La Quinta

Visual aids also illustrate the history of Quiapo and its notable landmarks, some still existing and others long gone, such as the Quiapo Church, Puente de Claveria, Tuberias,Tranvia, El Renacimiento, La Quinta,schools, the Enriquez and Santiago Houses, Golden Mosque, Life Theater and Main Theater.

Julio Nakpil

Ariston and Petrona were a childless couple so they invited her brothers Julio and Ramon, with their families, and Francisco (a life-long bachelor) to share the house. Francisco Nakpil (1865 – 1906), an expert platero (silversmith), was a member of the reform movements La Liga Filipina and Cuerpo de Compromisario.

Machuca Tiles

Machuca tiles from Mexico led us to a short flight of stairs going up to entresuelo (raised area or mezzanine floor) whose the cuarto (bedroom), sala (living room) and patio served as the residence of musical composer Julio Nakpil (1877 – 1960)

Antesala leading to Julio’s and Gregoria’s quarters

Julio was the president of the Northern Council of the Katipunan who was a pianist who composed Marangal ng Dalit ng Katagalugan (“Noble Hymn of the Tagalog Nation,” this would have been the national anthem had Andres Bonifacio lived to be president).

Gregoria de Jesus

After Bonifacio’s death, he married his widow Gregoria de Jesus (1873 – 1943), organizer of the women’s chapter of the Katipunan (nicknamed Oryang, she was the “Lakambini” or First Lady of the Katipunan).

Julio and Gregoria’s bedroom

Gregoria and Julio had six children. The children’s room, with persiana (sliding louvered panels), has now been converted into an activity area for local kids where they can read books and listen to stories.

Children’s Room

Juan Felipe Nakpil (1899 – 1980), their son and godson of Francisco, was the architect of Quiapo Church after the 1929 fire. In 1973, he became a National Artist for Architecture. At the southern side of the zaguan, a staircase leads to another suite of apartments where Ramon, Julio’s youngest sibling, lived with his family.

Juan Nakpil- National Artist for Architecture

Angel Nakpil

According to our guide, the house was not called Tahanan ng mga Katipunero because it was a meeting place of the Katipuneros. Instead, it was called such because it was the home of these key figures in Philippine history. Other prominent people who lived there include Angel Nakpil (1914 – 1979), the first cousin of Juan, who was the architect of the National Press Club Building and the Picache Building (Manila’s first skyscraper).

Grand Staircase

Visual aids at the zaguan also tell the story of these famous house residents. After our tour of the ground floor, we all proceeded to the descanso (main stairway landing), then went up to the caida (hall) of the second floor (measuring 22.45 by 15.9 m. excluding the kitchen and azotea) which was built with wood (to resist earthquakes), aired by large calados and shaded by sufficient media aguas. Two orchestras (the doctor loved to throw parties) could play in the public rooms.

Top of the staircase

In the past, ladies who ascended the stairs would have to carry the extended hems and frills of their saya over their arms. Upon reaching the top steps of the caida, they would make their grand entrance by letting down (incidentally, the word caida means “fallen”) the trains of their dresses and then wait at the ante sala (anteroom) before they could proceed to the sala or comedor.

The Red Roof (1971, crayon on collage) by Fernando N. Zialcita, son of Mercedes Nakpil-Zialcita, daughter of Julio

Two Forest Birds (1964, print woodblock) by Milagros Sy Faustino, daughter of Caridad Nakpil Santos-Viola,

The house is also decorated with contemporary works of art by Ral Arogante, Egai Roxas, Fidel Sarmiento, and Manny Garibay as well as Nakpil descendants such as Assunta Nakpil, Mark L. Mallari, Caridad Nakpil Santos-Viola, Fernando N. Zialcita, Arlene de Castro, Francisco J. Nakpil, Tapales, Maria Milagros Sy Faustino and Dominic Sy Faustino.

Exhibit of Ding Royales paintings. In the foreground is “Sueno Eterno” while on the left is Cefiro, 1888 (15 x 20, mixed media – collage)

One room displays a number of paintings of Marcos Antonino “Ding” Royales XI, a volunteer artist for Bahay Nakpil-Bautista since 2013. He also conducts art classes there.

Sala (Living Room)

The hall had doors on all four sides leading to the surrounding rooms – the comedor (dining room), sala (living room) and the two suites of cuartos (bedrooms).

Two sets of doors slide, like Japanese shoji screens, on sills, to be pushed on the sides, creating a wide room with a series of doorways opening vistas extending from street to the estero behind the house.

The wide exterior window, made of Philippine hardwood with capis shell panes, brought in plenty of light. Ventanillas allow air to circulate at feet level.

A butaka

Juan Luna’s celebrated Impressionist painting, “The Parisian Life,” a gift of Juan Luna to Dr. Ariston Bautista, was originally displayed on the wall of the sala. The original painting, formerly displayed at the GSIS Museum, is now at the National Museum of Fine Arts.

Replica of “The Parisian Life” of Juan Luna

Today, in its place, a reproduction hangs in the same spot while a life-size cut-out of the lady in the painting, identified as a courtesan or prostitute (representing “fallen womanhood”), is seated at the sofa.

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Life-size cut out of the seated courtesan featured in “The Parisian Life”

The comedor houses an antique 24-pax dining table and display cabinet with fine china. It leads to azotea overlooking the estero where, during formal dinners, the children had their own table.

The Comedor (Dining Room)

The nearby pantry houses an antique, hand-cranked coffee grinder and hand-carved kitchen utensils such as kutsaron (small dipper), sandok (medium dipper), sandok sa kawa (large cauldron dipper), sandok (ladle), panghalo (cauldron ladle), palu-palo (mallet), paleta (spatula) and a salaan (srainer), all belonging to Oryang.

The antique, hand-cranked coffee grinder of Oryang

Here, one could simply shout out to peddlers on passing provincial cascos (merchant boats) when interested in buying their goods. Oryang would also fish at this then clean and abundant Pasig River estuary.

China cabinet at Comedor (Dining Room)

The Dambana ni Oriang has three oil on paper paintings, done by Fred Esquilo, of Gregoria de Jesus-Nakpil.

Dambana ni Oriang

The first painting, Ang Rebolusyonara (The Revolutionary), highlights her role as a revolutionary and keeper of the Katipunan’s documents.

Ang Rebolusyonara (The Revolutionary)

The second painting, Ang Dalawang Kasal (The Two Marriages), highlights her role as wife to Andres Bonifacio and Julio Nakpil.

Ang Dalawang Kasal (The Two Marriages)

The third painting, Ang Ina (The Mother), highlighted her role as a doting mother who loved to cook.

Ang Ina (The Mother)

It was said that she could recreate a dish after she had tasted it just once. Framed reproductions of hand-written recipes of her morcon are hung on the wall.

Oryang’s payneta, an ornamental, tortoise shell hair comb

She is also portrayed reading to her grandchildren stories from Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (published in Liwayway Magazine) at the azotea of their house.

The library, now the Bulwagan ng Katipunan, with flags of the Katipunan and a portrait (left) of Andres Bonifacio on the wall. The table doubled as the Katipunero’s ballot box.

The library, now the Bulwagan ng Katipunan, displays paintings, by the Contempo group, of Katipunero soldiers; vitrines showcasing the Kartilya ng Katipunan, a collection of Katipunan flags, documents written in blood, a vintage safe, a sky roof; plus other memorabilia of the revolutionary movement.

Vitrines showcasing Ang Kartilya ng Katipunan

A timeline cabinet here shows the Philippine Revolution vis-a-vis the democratic revolutions in the West and Asia .

Paintings of Katipunan Soldiers (Contempo Group)

Furniture within includes an interesting table which doubled as the Katipunero’s ballot box, and three chairs where Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini and Jose Rizal sat when the La Liga Filipina was founded in 1892.

An antique wall safe

Dr. Bautista inkwell and jewelry case of Petrona.

The Joyeria Nakpil (southwest corner room), the oficina (office) next to the library, used to be the office for the Nakpil’s jewelry business. Here, Petrona , who handled customer relations and sales for Plateria Nakpil, would meet clients in this special room.

Joyeria Nakpil

During our tour of the second floor, we met and chatted with Ms. Ma. Paz “Bobbi” Nakpil Santos-Viola, current president of Bahay Nakpil-Bautista Foundation, Inc., who now manages the house. She used to work at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City, USA but decide to return to the Philippines over 10 years ago.

The author with Ms. Bobbi Nakpil Santos-Viola

She is also the middle daughter of Caridad Nakpil Santos Viola, the youngest daughter of Gregoria de Jesus and Julio Nakpil. Her father, Carlos Santos Viola, the nephew of Maximo Viola, is known and recognized for his Gothic-inspired Iglesia ni Cristo houses of worship.

JJandy with Ms. Bobbi Nakpil Santos-Viola

The house does not have ornate decorative details. Its inspiration is the Vienna Secession, a 1900s European art movement style with a contemporary character not well known in the Philippines during this time. The Austrian version of Art Nouveau, it was made known by Gustav Klimt and Otto Wagner. It encouraged plurality and favors clean lines, symmetry and geometry.

Natural forms, such as vines and flora, were reinterpreted in a very linear manner and abstract fashion than the representational, curvilinear forms of the Art Nouveau preferred by Filipinos. After Ariston Bautista and Petrona received a gift, from the Prieto family, of Secession furniture (high-backed chairs, low sala table, a desk, vitrines and glass-walled cabinets to display porcelain and crystalware), Ariston asked Arellano to designed their entire house around the furniture motifs.

Vienna Succession-inspired grille

The window grilles, overlooking the estero, have vertical floral stems with flowers sized to small squares. The ventanillas (grilles) facing the street display abstract interpretation of the highly stylized lyres. The upper exterior wooden wall, as well as the wooden stair railings and window grilles, are simply decorated with a band of small, recessed square insets on long vertical bars. On the calado (tracery) of the interior transom walls are abstract interpretations of the kiyapo plant.

Kiyapo-inspired calado

After the house was finished, Dr. Bautista designed new furniture with the same motifs and had them executed by his Pampango carpenter in residence. However, in the 1970s, these original furniture were divided among the heirs. Some of the present pieces were commissioned to suit the museum’s purposes.

Room which could be used for seminars

Today, the Bahay serves as an arts and culture space for select events (Php4,000 for two hours, inclusive of electricity and water), photo shoots and activities for the community, hosting cultural performances, lectures, and discussions on history and heritage, and art exhibits. The type of event to be held is studied to ensure that it is respectful to the house’s history.

Bahay Nakpil-Bautista: 432 A. Bautista St.(formerly Barbosa St.), Quiapo, Manila 1001.Tel: (632) 8731-9305. E-mail: info@bahaynakpil.org. Website: www.bahaynakpil.org. Mobile number: (0917) 851-7455. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (except holidays), 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission: Php80 (Php50 for senior citizens and students). Coordinates: 14.598404°N 120.984739°E.

How to Get There: Board a jeepney bound for Quiapo and get off at the corner of Hidalgo St. and Quezon Blvd.. Walk towards Hidalgo St. (east side going to the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian) and then turn left at A. Bautista St..

Minor Basilica of San Sebastian (Manila)

Posted on 19 March, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Minor Basilica of San Sebastian

The earthquake-proof Minor Basilica of San Sebastian (better known as San Sebastian Church), an example of the Gothic Revival architecture in the Philippines, is the first and only steel building in the Philippines and in Asia, the second in the world after the Eiffel Tower of Paris and probably the first prefabricated building in the world.

The basilica complex

It is the church of the Parish of San Sebastian and also a Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Nuestra Senora del Monte Carmelo) and is under the care of the Order of Augustinian Recollects (who also operate the San Sebastian College-Recoletos adjacent to the basilica).

The author with son Jandy

This church was originally founded by Fr. Rodrigo de San Miguel as a nipa and bamboo church in 1621 (on land donated by Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a devotee of the 3rd-century Roman martyr Saint Sebastian). The original structure, made of wood, burned in 1651 during a Chinese Filipino uprising and rebuilt with bricks with a single tower. Succeeding structures, which were built of brick, were destroyed by fire and earthquakes in 1859, June 3, 1863 and July 19, 1880.

The Neo-Gothic facade

In the 1880s, Fr. Esteban Martínez, the parish priest of the ruined church, proposed construction of a new church and approached Spanish Engineer Genaro Palacios y Guerra to build a church that will withstand the earthquakes. Planning to build a fire and earthquake-resistant structure made entirely of steel, Palacios completed a design that fused Earthquake Baroque with the Neo-Gothic style.

Augustinian Recollect Fr. Jesús Pastor Paloma noted that the bottom part of the church was designed to resemble a ship’s hull, so that it would sway during an earthquake. Palacio’s final design was said to have been inspired by the famed 14^th century Gothic Burgos Cathedral in Burgos, Spain.

Side entrance

It has long been reputed that Gustave Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer behind the Eiffel Tower and the steel structure within the Statue of Liberty, was himself also rumored to have been involved in the design and construction of San Sebastián, but this was never confirmed.

One of the twin openwork bell towers with pyramidal spires

However, later on it was confirmed that Eiffel was involved in designing and supplying the metal framework for San Ignacio Church in Intramuros, thus confirming the contribution of Eiffel in Philippine church architecture, if not in the Minor Basilica of San Sebastián.

The church was started by Fr. Gregorio Serma while the 52 metric tons (51 long tons; 57 short tons) of prefabricated steel sections manufactured in Binche, Belgium were ordered from the Societe anonyme des Enterprises de Travaux Publiques in Brussels by Fr. Toribio Minguella, imported, piece by piece, in eight separate shipments (total load: 50,000 tons) from Antwerp to Manila.

In 1888, the first shipment arrived and Belgian engineers supervised the assembly of the church, the first column of which was erected on September 11, 1890 under the supervision of Fr. Bernardo Muros. To achieve greater stability and regulate the church’s exterior temperature, the walls were filled with mixed sand, gravel and cement.

Historical Reasearch and Landmarks Committee plaque installed in 1934

According to Fr. Paloma, the church was also supposed to have a prefabricated retablo (reredos) altar. However, it was lost at sea when the ship carrying it from Belgium capsized in a storm so a wooden altar was made locally in its stead. The foundation was done by a French contractor, construction was supervised by a British foreman while the floors were done by Chinese craftsmen.

Plaque installed by the National Museum in 2011 declaring the basilica as a National Cultural Treasure Plaque

The church was finally completed by Fr. Francisco Moreno. On June 24, 1890, it was granted minor basilica status by Pope Leo XIII and, on August 16, 1891, the Basílica Menor de San Sebastián was blessed by Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa , OP, the 25th Archbishop of Manila.

Rust – the number one enemy of steel

Sitting on a 704 sq. m. site, it has central nave 12 m. (39 ft.) from the floor to the springing dome and 32 m. (105 ft.) to the tip of the spires. The basilica has two openwork towers with pyramidal spires and steel vaulting. The interior, incorporating groined vaults in the Gothic architecture style (permitting very ample illumination from lateral windows), was repainted to make it appear like faux marble.

To give the appearance of marble and jasper, the steel columns, walls and ceiling were painstakingly painted by Lorenzo Rocha (multi-awarded portraitist and royal court painter) and turn-of-the-century artists Isabelo Tampingco and Félix Martínez.

The trompe-l’œil paintings of saints, angels, evangelists and martyrs were done by the students of the Academia de Dibujo, Pintura y Arte headed by Lorenzo Rocha. True to the Gothic revival spirit of the church, the confessionals, pulpit, altars and five retablos were designed by Lorenzo Guerrero and Rocha. The statues of holy men and women were carved by sculptor Eusebio Garcia while the six holy water fonts were each crafted from marble obtained from Romblon.

The beautiful stained glass windows, depicting the life and story of Jesus Christ, were imported from the Heinrich Oidtmann Company, a German stained glass firm (local artisans assisted in applying the finishing touches).

The basilica interior

Inside, on a prominent place above the main altar, is the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Nuestra Señora del Carmen). A gift of the Discalced Carmelite Sisters from San Jose Monastery in Mexico City, it was brought here in 1617 by Recollect Reverend Fr. Provincial Rodrigo de San Miguel. The image survived all the earthquakes and fires which had destroyed previous incarnations of San Sebastian Church but, unfortunately, its original ivory head was stolen in 1975.

The main altar with the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. At the back you can see the scaffolding used for the Phase 1 restoration

Devotion of this image (feast day on July 16) was propagated in conjunction with the wearing of the scapular which promised the wearer quick deliverance from the suffering of purgatory. During the translacion of the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene in January, the image of Our Lady meets the Black Nazarene in the so-called dungaw.

On August 1, 1973, through Presidential Decree No. 260, it was declared a National Historical Landmark by President Ferdinand Marcos. On August 15, 2011, with the unveiling of the marker on January 20, 2012, the church was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.

The vaulted ceiling

On May 16, 2006, on account of its architectural and historical heritage, the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian was included by the National Historical Institute (now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) in the Philippines’ Tentative List for possible designation as a World Heritage Site. As of 2017, the church is no longer included in the Tentative List.

The intricately designed rose window above the choir loft

In recent years, the steel structure has encountered threats to its structural integrity in the form of rust and corrosion due to sea breezes from nearby Manila Bay. In 1982, when state funding was accorded to the church through the National Historical Institute, restoration was undertaken. Likewise, the Augustinian Recollect community has expended funds for the church’s maintenance and restoration.

During the 2000 and 2010 World Monuments Watch (a global program of the World Monuments Fund), it was placed, along with the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras and Santa Maria Church, on the biennial watch list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites. In 2011, after the passage of the National Cultural Heritage Act, all of the sites were taken off the list.

The pulpit designed by Lorenzo Guerrero and Lorenzo Rocha

It used to be in the UNESCO tentative list but, in 2015, was removed due to structural decay. To re-establish the site’s integrity and re-inclusion in the tentative list, the basilica will have to undergo another massive restoration program.

The basilica’s pipe organ which was constructed as a pure pneumatical organ by Walcker in 1914. After World War II, a new console was added.

After an exhaustive two-and-a-half year diagnostic study (funded by a 2012 grant from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, made possible by the U.S. State Department), using state-of-the-at equipment and science, it was found that there were 300 leaks in the building with up to 3 m. of rainwater collected in the church’s hollow columns.

The Gothic-inspired confessionals also designed by Lorenzo Guerrero and Lorenzo Rocha

Some of the leaks have already been taken care of by a team of hired graduates from Escuela Taller, a craft school for economically challenged youth. Advanced stages of corrosion have also caused parts of the basilica (around 40 kgs. of steel) to literally fall off.

Scaled model of the basilica

With regards the stained glass windows, some soiling, sagging, missing panes and a few cracked frames were noted. Talks are ongoing with the Heinrich Oidtmann Company, the German firm that supplied the stained glass, to convince the studio to run a training program to teach Filipinos how to make the colored glass.

Stained glass window depicting scenes from the life of Jesus Christ

The trompe-l’œil ceiling is another concern as corrosion has caused the delicate oil-based paintings on the steel canvas to flake. A varnish treatment on one of the panels done 20 years ago may delay the deterioration of both the panel and its painting.

The San Sebastian Basilica Conservation and Development Foundation is looking to a complete and comprehensive restoration in a little over 10 years. Phase 1 (repairs to the dome and roof), from 2022 to 2026, is now ongoing with some areas sealed off beginning 2021.

Scene depicting Jesus carrying his cross

A 24-m. high, custom-made scaffolding has been installed, allowing assessment and repair of the dome columns and its surrounding area (dome crockets, stained glass windows and original paintings). Phase 2 is projected for 2027 to 2029 while Phase 3 is scheduled for 2030 to 2033.

Another greater threat looms over the horizon. On October 1, 2018, it was revealed that Summithome Realty Corporation was planning to construct University Home Recto, a 31-storey residential high rise building beside the historic church. As the area around the church is integral to the site as a “buffer zone,” it would negatively affect the site’s possible re-inclusion in the UNESCO tentative list.

Check out my Business Mirror article “Seriously Saving San Sebastian”

With the looming threat of the high-rise building, the site’s inclusion in the UNESCO tentative list is bleak as, without the site managers being initially informed, Summithome was able to acquire a barangay clearance supporting their application for a building permit from the barangay chairman.

Minor Basilica of San Sebastian: Pasaje del Carmen St., Plaza del Carmen (at the eastern end of C.M. Recto Avenue), Quiapo, 1001 Manila. Tel: (632) 734-8908, 734-8931, 742-3510 and 742-3331. Fax: (632) 736-1185. E-mail: sansebastianparish@gmail.com. Coordinates: 14°35′59″N 120°59′21″E.

Old Legislative Building (Manila)

Posted on 17 February, 2022 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

The monumental Old Legislative Building (also the Old Congress Building), now the home of the National Museum of Fine Arts (operated by the National Museum of the Philippines since 1996), was formerly the home of the bicameral congress from 1926 to 1972, and the Philippine Senate from 1987 to 1997. The building was originally designed by Ralph Harrington Doane (Consulting Architect of the Bureau of Public Works, precursor of the Department of Public Works and Highways). Doane, with the assistance of Antonio Mañalac Toledo, originally designed the building as the future home of the National Library of the Philippines, according to the plan of Manila of Daniel H. Burnham.

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Old Legislative Building – West Facade

Began in 1918, it was built under the supervision of the architecture firm of Pedro Siochi and Company but construction was delayed due to lack of funds. In 1926, the Philippine Legislature (established on October 16, 1916) decided to move into the Library building and changes to the building’s layout were done accordingly by architect Juan M. Arellano who added the fourth floor and the chambers for legislators, changed the central façade and incorporated the ornamentation and sculptural work.

The Neo-Classical facade

On July 16, 1926, the building was inaugurated with the formal opening of the Second Regular Session of the 7th Philippine Legislature in the presence of Governor-General Leonard Wood, then Senate President Manuel L. Quezon, House Speaker Manuel Roxas, and Colonel Carmi A. Thompson (envoy of United States President Calvin Coolidge). From 1928 to 1944, it was concurrently the headquarters of the National Library.

In 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was proclaimed and the inauguration of President Manuel L. Quezon was held outside the building which became the home of the National Assembly of the Philippines (it was subsequently known as the National Assembly Building). In 1940, a bicameral Congress of the Philippines, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives, replaced the National Assembly, with the Senate occupying the upper floors and the House occupying the lower floors. The building would serve as home of the Commonwealth Congress until 1945.

East facade

In February 1945, during World War II, Japanese forces used the building and its premises as their stronghold, modifying it with defensive installations. Surrounding the building were obstacles, roadblocks, trenches, pillboxes and barbed wire and guns and other heavy machine guns were strategically installed on the building floors. For several days until February 27, the American forces bombarded the building with artillery fire and the building’s north and south wings were heavily damaged. Most of the structure was beyond repair, except for the still-standing central portion.

Pediment at east facade

In 1946, with the inauguration of the Republic of the Philippines, the building was rebuilt, mostly from memory and with the aid of a few remaining blueprints, by the U.S. Philippine War Damage Corporation who maintained its original building four-storey height, footprint and dimensions but with less ornate interior and exterior ornamentation. Reconstruction began in 1949 and, that same year, the Congress moved back in. In 1950, the two wings of the building were completed.

Historical plaque (Old Legislative Building) installed by the National Historical Commission in 2010

The building, now known as the Congress Building, continuously served as home of the Congress of the Philippines until 1972 when the Congress was effectively dissolved and the building was padlocked with the declaration of martial law. For a short time, the fourth floor of the building became home of the offices of the Prime Minister of the Philippines (a position established under the 1973 Constitution of the Philippines). Offices of various government branches were also housed here, with the Ombudsman occupying the third floor, the National Museum on the second floor, and the Sandiganbayan on the ground floor. For the duration of that time, the building was called the Executive House.

Historical plaque (Pambansang Museo) installed by the National Historical Institute in 2001

With the ratification of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines was reestablished with the Senate using the original Congress Building for their plenary sessions until May 1997 (when it moved to the Government Service Insurance System Building on reclaimed land on Manila Bay in Pasay)) and the House of Representatives moving to the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Constitution Hill, Quezon City. The former office of the Prime Minister was taken as the Office of the Vice-President.

Bronze statue of Sergio Osmena, sitting on a marble pedestal created by Federico S. Ilustre, was created by Guillermo Tolentino and cast by Fonderia Berdicando Marinelle in Italy. It was unveiled in 1966. In 2019, this statue was declared as an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines.

In 1998, the building was then turned over to the National Museum of the Philippines. On September 30, 2010, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) declared the building as a “National Historical Landmark” by virtue of Resolution No. 8 (dated September 30, 2010). A marker commemorating the declaration was unveiled on October 29, 2010.

Bronze statue of Manuel L. Quezon, sitting on a marble pedestal created by Federico S. Ilustre, was created by Guillermo Tolentino and cast by Fonderia Berdicando Marinelle in Italy. It was unveiled in 1965. In 2019, this statue was declared as an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines.

On October 29, 2012, the restored old Senate Session Hall was inaugurated after a two-year restoration project aimed to bring back its pre-war architectural glory that is intended to be part of the learning tours of museum visitors. On July 16, 2019, the NHCP unveiled the Philippine Flag Hoisting marker to honor the site’s historic value. In view of this, the Philippine Flag is to be permanently hoisted and lighted at night at the National Museum of Fine Arts.

The author at the Old Legislative Building

The four-storey building has a rectangular plan with a layout oriented with its line of symmetry in an east-west axis, longitude in a north-south axis, and its main entrances on the east and the west. Courtyards at the north and south flank the building’s central core spaces. Organized around these courtyards are the associated rooms, with single volume hallways east and west, and double volume hallways north and south. Staircases are located at both ends of the entrance halls and the four corners of the building.

The columned portico, at the second floor, signals the west entrance which is accessed via a flight of stairs and the carriageway ramp coming from ground level along Padre Burgos Street. The west portico has four Corinthian columns that rise the full height of the building.

Entrance lobby

The Neo-Classical façade is articulated with giant Corinthian columns and pilasters rising from the second floor level to the height of the two storeys of the building, with the first storey resembling the one-storey high plinth where these columns and pilasters rest.

Bronze statue of President Manuel A. Roxas, created by Guillermo Tolentino, was cast by Fonderia Berdicando Marinelle in Italy. Commissioned by Gerardo M. Roxas in 1968, it was unveiled in the lobby on April 15, 2016.

The columns and pilasters surrounding the entire wall are topped by decorative entablatures. The projecting central bay, featuring a group of four columns, has corbelled balconies on the third level. Another group of four columns, with similar Corinthian capitals, are also featured at the corner bays.

Fenestrations consist of rectangular windows decorated with grillwork. Except for the west central bay with the columned portico, both the east and west façades are identical. Identical east and west pediments, with relief sculptures, surmount the central part of the building. Relief sculptures on the tympanum of the pediment, depicting “Inang Bayan” surrounded by Greek deities, emphasizes grandeur and nationalism and ennobles the edifice. From the west and south of the building, respectively, you can enjoy a splendid view of Intramuros and Rizal Park.

Statue of Diwata , a sculpture of a winged fairy done in reinforced concrete by Guillermo Tolentino, welcomes visitors tot the museum.

An arched porte-cochere, protecting the east entrance at the ground level, is approached via the east driveway from the present east open space (formerly a southward radial road with Agrifina Circle as its terminus).

Old Legislative Building: Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Co Ban Kiat Buiding (Binondo, Manila)

Posted on 19 December, 2021 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

The Co Ban Kiat Buiding, standing in a busy portion of Juan Luna Street in what was once called “Chinatown’s Wall Street,” was the former SJ Wilson Building, named after the American expatriate Samuel J. Wilson who was behind the printing business Carmelo and Bauermann before World War II.

Co Ban Kiat Building

Built in 1937, the SJ Wilson Building, in its heyday, also housed the Standard and Chartered Bank, the Manila Stock Exchange and even the Japanese Consulate General. In 2011, the building came under the ownership of Binondo-based Co Ban Kiat Inc. (CBCI), the biggest supplier of hardware in the Philippines for retail, commercial and industrial projects.

Our guide Mr. S.J. Go of Renacimiento Manila narrating the history of the building

Initially, company president Johnny O. Cobankiat, the third-generation scion, as well as his colleagues in the real-estate industry and immediate family members, had no inkling of the building’s architectural and heritage value. Not seeing any value in it, they saw demolition as the most convenient way to redevelop the property. Fortunately, the owner was convinced by Deogracias B. Degala, the in-house architect, and other conscientious minds to take the path of conservation.

During the two-year, trial-and-error restoration, a full diagnosis of the building’s structural integrity was undertaken. Also, for the refurbishment of the façade, interiors and ceiling roof, the owner and architect were guided by the principle of keeping as much of the original details as possible. No details were removed, and ornaments, such as the cornices, moldings and the striped pilasters were restored.

In keeping with texture that followed the patina of the old building, the late 1930s period, Art Deco, boxy and geometric façade was painted with China white, an off-white/light-beige tone. Now, heritage-conservation advocates and concerned members of the Chinatown community are celebrating this building’s rebirth.

Viewing this building’s massive bulk from the street, the heavy façade of the Co Ban Kiat Building, looming like a behemoth, is somehow softened by its tall, rectangular, encased windows protected by original wrought-iron grillwork.

The main entrance, along obscure Nimfa Street, is located at the southern portion of the building’s façade. Its doorway, flanked by a pair of Ionic columns and topped with an escutcheon, opens up the ground floor and main office of the company. Welcoming customers at the main entrance are details from the original company address on Quintin Paredes Street (ironically torn down) such as the old glass panels, originally a form of street-level advertising, with the embellished gold-gilt company name.

The still original decorative window grilles

The design firm Atalyer, led by chief integrating officer León Araneta, created what is probably one of the most delightful commercial interiors in all Chinatown, with a high and airy ceiling evoking a Commonwealth-era downtown-Manila spirit. The white walls and massive support columns are softened by brown veneer wood cladding. Wood partitions, with fence-like railings acting as partitions, demarcate the spaces within, giving a nostalgic twist reminiscent of old banks from that era.

At the center of the hall hangs the Chinese characters zhit tiak ti giap, a visual link to the company’s ethnic Chinese origins, honors Mr. Co Ban Kiat, the current owner’s great-grandfather and the founder of the company. Traditional black signboards, with gold-leaf lettering, are widely used among old Tsinoy businesses in Binondo to indicate the business name and its purpose.

The fourth floor cafeteria, reached via the original hand-cranked elevator, combines modern edgy lines with nostalgic black-and-white photos of Manila. Miniature wooden signboards of past tenants, adorning the support columns, subtly integrates more of the building’s history. A lovely open deck has a front view of downtown Manila’s architectural symphony.

The eighth floor, the most striking feature of this building, has stylized buttresses and a mansard-like concrete roof. Envisioned to be a museum of sorts, here you will still find remnants of the building’s past activities such as a gold-smelting facility. The uneven framed outline of the exposed, largely deformed, web-like roof trusses, conserved as a vestige of the structure’s history, came when a major fire in 1969 resulted in the twisting of the cast-iron support.

Co Ban Kiat Building: 231 Juan Luna St, Binondo, Manila, 1006 Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 843-1931, 843-2734 and 8243-5265. E-mail: jao@cobankiat.com.ph. Website: www.cobankiat.com and www.cbkhardware.com.

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.