2010 saw the birth of Libotero.com which initially featured family trips around Luzon from the previous years. I’ve always had the passion for travel but was limited by my fear of travelling alone. June 2010 marked a breakthrough as I embarked on my first solo trip ever, and to Mindanao at that. From that point up to the end of last year, I was able to visit 5 new provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.

There are various reasons for travelling. As for myself, I’ve always been inspired by these travel shows on television and wanted to personally experience the places away from home, to discover a colorful mix of cultures in different settings, and more.

Travel has shaped me. It made me realize that life can also be about doing things you love, and not just about things you’re supposed to love. This blog is a reflection of how I live the dream and I’d like to grab a few lines from a song, “Believe in the dream, believe in the promise, that you can be all that you wanted to be…”

And so, for the 2nd part of this Year-Ender series, I share to you a round-up of my travels and lifestyle gigs for the 2nd quarter of 2011. Cheers!

Read Part 1 here.

April

April 8 – Ayala Center Cebu Lenten Exhibit opening – Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma opened the mall’s annual Lenten exhibit which features life-size statues owned by Msgr. Cristobal Garcia. These statues depict the Passion, suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The event was memorable for me as this was my first encounter with the newly installed archbishop of Cebu. He’s one tall guy was my first impression.

April 12 – Intel launches 2nd generation core processors – Intel launched the long-awaited, revolutionary computer processor that features a smart visual experience for end-users at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel. Code-named “Sandy Bridge”, these new processors will attract everyone who are into visual content.

April 13 – Kadaugan sa Mactan launching – This brainchild of the Lapu-Lapu City Government, through the initiative of the Commission on Tourism and International Relations, the Kadaugan Street Party will be true to its name, a street party, from sun-down ’til the wee hours! It will feature a street parade wherein contingents in their Samba-inspired costumes from all-over the city and all-over the province of Cebu.

April 14 – Sumilon Bluewater launches Glamping – Perfect for that ultimately unique summer getaway, Bluewater Resorts introduced Glamping, short for Glamour Camping. An innovative camping option, glamping provides the experience of the great outdoors while enjoying the amenities never experienced before in traditional camping. With this idea, Bluewater Resorts aims to be the first to provide this luxurious adventure to the Cebuanos and visitors.

April 16 – Mr. Lapu-Lapu 2011 – The day has finally arrived when the modern day hero of Lapu-Lapu City was declared at the Hoops Dome in Barangay Gun-ob. Jumar Andrew Bilocura bested 15 other hopefuls in the search for the someone not just with a remarkable physique but a remarkable character as well.

April 17 – Pineda Family Summer Outing – I can still very well remember that the whole Pineda family often went on beach outings back when we were kids but this went to a pause when we were all busy with our school life and our parents were occupied with their work. Gladly, we all found the time to gather once more at the Costabella Tropical Beach Resort and Hotel in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.

April 21 – Holy Thursday 2011 – Every Holy Thursday, it has been a tradition of my family to observe the Visita Iglesia wherein we visit 7 churches in Cebu City after the mass commemorating the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet to visit, pray and adore each of the churches’ Altar of Repose.

April 23 – Family Summer 2011 – Our annual family summer vacation in Luzon begins!

April 24 – Easter Sunday – We started Easter Sunday by attending mass at Festival Mall in Alabang followed by a sumptuous lunch at Racks in the same mall. We then proceeded to McKinley Hill where we did a site inspection of dad’s condo unit which is due for turnover next year. After that, we spent the whole afternoon strolling around Eastwood City. We ended the day with a dinner at Oyster Boy in Metrowalk, Ortigas.

April 25 – First International Trip – One of my dreams as a traveler finally came true as I set foot on my first international destination, Hong Kong, with my family. When I started this blog, I promised you my readers that I will not go beyond borders if I have not visited at least half of the provinces we have, and I did not break that! From Manila, the flight to Hong Kong took us one hour and fifty-five minutes. We were on a package tour so after arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport, we were picked up by a tourist bus and sent to our Hotel, Wing Sing Hotel along Temple Street. We spent the whole afternoon around the vicinity of the Avenue of the Stars where we waited for the world-famous Symphony of Lights held every 8pm. After the mesmerizing lights show, we had late dinner at a local restaurant with a catchy name and funny tagline, “Man’s Paradise: Enjoy Yourself!”. Then, we checked out the Temple Street Night Market for some good finds and called it a day.

April 26 – Hong Kong Day Two – Day Two of our package tour brought us to Avenue of the Stars (again!), Jewelry City, Ltd., and Aberdeen Fishing Village which gave us a chance to see families living on boats. Also located in Aberdeen is Jumbo, the world’s largest restaurant on three floating ships. We then proceeded to the Victoria Peak observation deck which gave us another vantage point of one of the world’s best skylines. The rest of the day was spent in the ever-magical Hong Kong Disneyland.

April 27 – Hong Kong Day Three – The whole of our 3rd day in Hong Kong was spent in Ocean Park, one of South East Asia’s largest oceanaria and theme parks. This particular attraction remains to be on the top of the itinerary of many visitors to Hong Kong, especially first-timers.

April 28 – Macau Day Tour – Located just an hour away by ferry, Macau usually has the spillover tourists of Hong Kong or those who’ve “had enough” of the big city bustle. Although Macau is a big city itself, it offers a quaint, laidback Portuguese charm. After the necessary immigration procedures, we hopped on a bus and stopped at the Lotus Square. The sculpture of a Golden Lotus Flower in full bloom commemorates the return of Macau’s sovereignty to China, a very important moment in history for Macau. Located nearby is the Macau Tourism Activities Centre. Our next stop was at A-Ma Temple, the oldest in Macau. Around the temple are several stalls selling the famed Macau beef tapa. The best thing about it is that you could actually taste a bit of everything, for free. We then proceeded to the Macau Museum, which explained the history, traditions and various cultures of Macau, and the Ruins of St. Paul, the most famous landmark in Macau. We then had sumptuous lunch at New Camões Portuguese Restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf. Finally, we conquered Macau Tower, which offers the best panoramic view of Macau. Before sunset, we were already back in Hong Kong!

April 29 – Hong Kong Day Five – Basically a free day. Free day = Shopping day. Our flight was scheduled for 9:50pm yet!

May

May 7-8 – We spent our weekend in Real, Quezon, passing through the scenic countryside of Laguna dropping by some of the churches along the way. We visited the town of Infanta and stopped by the Agos Bridge which connects the town to the next, General Nakar. We also had an awesome time at Balagbag Falls, and the breath-taking rugged coastal views along the way at the Real-Mauban Road. Finally, we settled at Ocean Blue Resort and enjoyed the fresh grilled seafood we bought from the Real Market.

May 14 – Evoliving at Nuvali – Nuvali is the burgeoning mega-eco-city of Ayala Land in Laguna. Solenad at Nuvali is perfect for a family weekend. We had lunch at Pig Out then did some fish feeding by the man-made lake. It was really a heartwarming feeling to see all the fish wrestle just to get a bite of the pellet-sized food. We then rode a water taxi which toured us around the man-made lake in Nuvali. Indeed, Nuvali is the city of the future.

May 20 – eBloc 2 tops off – Cebu Holdings, Inc. and mother company, Ayala Land, Inc., celebrate the topping off of their latest office tower development in the south, eBloc 2.

May 28 – The Amara Lifestyle – What perfect way to cap off a great summer than great food with my CTowner friends at the most-fitting venue, Amara, a master-planned community by Ayala Land Premier nestled by the sea and undulating hills accentuated by the eternal warmth of a century-old lighthouse.

June

June 3-4 – Close encounter with celebrities – Ayala Center Cebu’s Back to School Sale brought in some of the hottest stars today: Jake Cuenca, Nina Dolino, Guji Lorenzana and my ever-favorite, Asia’s Diamond Soul Siren, Nina.

June 6-10 – First solo trip of the year – ..and my first new province for 2011, Negros Oriental. Very “chillax” trip as I only visited Robinsons Dumaguete, Silliman University, Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete Cathedral and Belfry, the Provincial Capitol, Bacong and Dauin, and the ever-sweet Sans Rival. The rest of the time was spent for “soul-searching”.

June 14 – Double food events – Max’s Restaurant launched their Chicken-All-You-Can promo. For only P199, all you can eat chicken quarters! After lunch, members of the Cebu Bloggers Society were also invited to the opening of one of the latest branches of Coffee Dream in Benedicto College, A.S. Fortuna, Mandaue City where we were made to taste some of their cakes and breakfast offerings.

June 15 – Phoebe’s Cupcakery – The best red velvet cupcakes I’ve ever tasted! A home-based cupcakery in Cebu, all of Phoebe’s cupcakes are baked fresh daily from their home kitchen. Phoebe Roxanne Ouano, a young entrepreneur introduced her four initial cupcake flavors: Mocha Loca – chocolate-y with a hint of caffeine, Scarlette – the best-seller, red-velvet cupcake, Cookie Monster – cookies and cream, and Nuts for Nana – banana plus Nutella!

June 26 – Leyte exploration – I, and some blogger friends from Manila, Don, Fitz, Rina, and Alvin, flew in to Tacloban to experience the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival 2011. They arrived one day ahead of me so as soon as I exited the airport, they, together with Ma’am Ludette and Sir Gerry of Leyte Gulf Travel and Tours, picked me up aboard an e-jeepney! We then proceeded to the Leyte Landing Memorial in Palo. By sunset, we relaxed at Cafe Lucia in Tacloban. We then checked-in at Luxury Suite Hotel and freshened up before dinner at Cafe Z. The crispy tenga is a must-try! After dinner, we then witnessed Bituon Han Leyte, the search for the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival Queen! We were even fortunate enough to talk with Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla!

June 27 – Pintados-Kasadyaan 2011 – We were eagerly waiting at Bo’s Coffee Tacloban for the streetdance but it did not push through due to political conflict between the City Government and Provincial Government of Tacloban, (The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival is organized by the provincial government while the city government produced its own “spin-off”, the Sangyaw Festival, held on the same dates!) so we decided to have lunch at Gerry’s Grill. After lunch, the show must go on. The participating contingents performed for the whole afternoon at the Leyte Sports Development Center. I was really-awed by the world-class performances of the participating groups and I can’t help but appreciate that the festival is like Sinulog, in terms of production. The event was capped off by a 15-minute pyromusical.

June 28 – Torpedo-ing in Samar – Before the experience, I was very anxious but then it was a very enjoyable and rewarding experience after all. In fact, I consider it as one of the best things that I’ve experienced in my life! To get to Paranas, we had to go on a two-hour roadtrip, passing through the iconic San Juanico Bridge. Because of the early call time, we slept on our way there. The torpedo adventure involves riding a motorized banca with no outriggers to traverse the Ulot River downstream for about an hour navigating through portions with rapids. Expect to get wet! Splashes and screams made the experience more exciting. As we arrived at the tip of the ride, we trekked for about 500 meters, carefully hopping from one slippery rock to another to get to the picnic area for lunch. Lunch was packed by Leyte Gulf Travel and Tours as part of the tour packages they offer. After lunch, we also got the chance to do some water tubing. My blogger friends were more daring as they jumped off the rock and just let the river current sweep them through the river. A rope was set at some point for them to hang on or else they’ll go all the way to the Pacific Ocean lol. As we relaxed for a few minutes, rain poured so we decided to get back to our boats before the river current gets too strong. The ride back upstream was even more exhilarating. Such an awesome experience I want to try again soon!

(…to be continued)

Part 6 of the Libotero Negros Occidental Heritage Series

From Hinigaran, I took a mini-bus towards the next town up north, Pontevedra. The short trip only cost me the minimum fare of ten pesos.

The town of Pontevedra is a 3rd-class municipality, in terms of income. Based on the latest census, it is home to at least 42,089 people.

Pontevedra’s small and simple green municipal hall-cum-police station blends well with the surroundings. Cool!

Just across the street is the newly renovated St. Michael the Archangel Parish.

One of the prominent features of the church is a sword-carrying gold sculpture of St. Michael on top of the church dome

Clean and modern interiors

Pews

Inside, the church is characterized by an altar adorned with gold and brown carvings

National Highway, Negros Occidental

After offering my prayers, I went back to the highway and waited for a mini-bus to pass by so I could hop in and proceed to the next town up north.

(…to be continued)

Part 4 of the Libotero Negros Occidental Heritage Series

From Kabankalan City, the town of Hinigaran is about an hour away. Hinigaran is perfectly located just between Bacolod and Kabankalan and one of the landmarks of this bustling town is their century-old church. Since the church is along the national highway, it is difficult to miss! So, as soon as we passed in front of the church, I hopped off the bus.

The church is located directly by the highway with almost no sidewalk! Quite dangerous for pedestrians if you actually think about it

The church was built in the 19th century through forced labor under the Spanish colonization. The local faithful were said to have been required to work for 15 days and were only paid 15 centavos, thus, the place where the church stands is known today as Kinsehan or Quinchihan.

The church features Romanesque architecture which can be noted on the semi-circular arches on its facade and belfry.

The church was made using chicken eggs, limestone, corals, and bricks. The walls are 2-meters thick so hopefully the church would be able to withstand any natural calamity in the future.

At the left side of the church is a three-level belfry that is functional up to this day.The church bell is said to be made of silver and gold, that weighs an enormous 480 kilograms

Meanwhile, just beside the church, fronting the convent, are five old bells, that are as old as the church! Amazing. The church was completed in 1881.

It’s quite sad to see though that the bells look quite neglected as the immediate surroundings are full of scrap

See above photos: the bells are surrounded by scrap metal, wood, chairs, a removed gate, trash, an unused restroom, etc.

As I entered the church, I was very much surprised to see that the interiors have been heavily renovated, and in bad taste at that!

Disappointing! Sigh! I do not see any connection between the newly renovated interiors and the exterior design. Only the facade, walls and the belfry of the church remain original and untouched and I hope it remains that way, preserved for the appreciation of the next generations to come.

A funeral service was ongoing during my visit so I did not stay long inside the church. As I exited, I noticed that there seems to be something going on at the town plaza, so I crossed the street and explored.

(…to be continued)

Part 8 of the Libotero Pampanga and Malolos Heritage Series

DAY 2.

From SM City Pampanga, I was planning to visit Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan. I searched around the transport terminal looking for any means of transportation that would bring me to the historically significant church.

Since I was a child, I’d always look at the Barasoain Church in the ten-peso bill and say to myself, “I’ll go there someday” and my Pampanga trip was the perfect opportunity to make a short stopover at Malolos.

Fortunately, there are several jeepneys and vans that serve several points in Bulacan. A GT Express service was available for Malolos so I immediately hopped in. Fare was at P40, not bad.

For the entire duration of the trip, I was asleep, so I had no idea where we passed through, but I was quite sure we did go through the North Luzon Expressway. 30 minutes later, Manong Driver was poking me already as we had arrived at the van terminal in the Petron station along MacArthur Highway, Malolos City and I was the only passenger left inside the van. I felt quite embarrassed so I quickly jumped off the van, LOL. I immediately walked away and started looking for locals whom I could ask for directions. Passing by BPI, Greenwich and Chowking, I reached an intersection and then saw a queue of tricycles so I approached them. “Manong, sa’n po ba dito ang Barasoain Church? Malapit lang po ba? Pwede n’yo po ba akong dalhin du’n? Magkano po ang pamasahe?”, (Manong, where is the Barasoain Church? Is it nearby? Can you take me there? How much is the fare?) I asked. This old driver I asked gently replied, “Dayo ka ano? Malapit lang naman. Labinlima lang. Sige sakay na” (Hmm, you’re a tourist? Well, it’s just near. [Fare's] P15 only. C’mon hop in). And so I did. The engine started and we crossed the MacArthur Highway towards Paseo del Congreso St. We basically travelled just a straight line, about a kilometer long and in less than five minutes, we were already by the entrance of the Barasoain Church!

The Barasoain Church (also knows as the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish) was built in 1630 in Malolos. It has earned the distinction as the Cradle of Democracy in the East and one of the most important religious structures in the Philippines and the palace of General Emilio Aguinaldo.

The church is also known for its architectural design and internal adornments. The original church was burned during the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. However, it was renovated.

The church became a witness to three significant historical events, among them are:

- The convening of the First Philippine Congress (September 15, 1898)
- The drafting of the Malolos Constitution (September 29, 1898 to January 21, 1899), and
- The inauguration of the First Philippine Republic (January 23, 1899).

Because of this, the church was proclaimed as a National Shrine by President Ferdinand Marcos on August 1, 1973 by virtue of Presidential Degree No. 260.

Aside from the three events listed above, General Emilio Aguinaldo and Former President Joseph Estrada were also inaugurated in the Church as duly-elected president of the Republic of the Philippines during their time.

Right in front of the Barasoain Church is an imposing statue of Emilio Aguinaldo. He is the first president of our country and he made the church his home during his term of office. Behind his statue, are the flags used by the Philippines from the oldest to the current flag.

Even though the church isn’t part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List, I was very glad to have finally visited the church as it is the most important church in our country’s history. Some of you might find it weird that a 20-year old like me is more interested on old churches than bumming in the beach but that’s me. Although I really love the beach, and other natural attractions, I also really appreciate structures with historical value.

* The Barasoain Church is located approximately 42 kilometers north of Manila.

(…to be continued)

Part 6 of the Libotero Pampanga and Malolos Heritage Series

DAY 2.

From the Church of Santa Lucia in Sasmuan, Pampanga, I walked back to the main highway and hired a tricycle back to Lubao. This time, to my surprise, the driver only asked for P15. Weird, but good for me, hihi.

I waited across the Lubao Municipal Hall for a jeepney that would take me back to Guagua. I didn’t wait that long as jeepneys passed by every few minutes. In less than 30 minutes, I already found myself back in Guagua, Pampanga. From there, I looked for a jeepney bound for San Fernando as it’d pass by the next church on my list, the San Guillermo Church of Bacolor, Pampanga.

Finding one wasn’t that hard as there were tens of jeepneys to San Fernando that were lined up around the Guagua Town Plaza. A few minutes later, I was already in the town of Bacolor. Jeepney fare was P7.

Bacolor is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,238 people in 3,029 households.

From the main highway, I already saw the massive church of Bacolor. I still had to walk at least 500 meters to reach the church. It was a very hot afternoon and I was kinda dehydrated already. Good thing I came across a convenience store halfway through the church. I stopped for a while and enjoyed ice cold softdrinks, lol. Once I got pumped up again, I continued walking towards the church.

Just before the Bacolor Church stands this interesting old house whose entire frontage has been covered by “talahibs”. I wonder if it has some historical significance.

A view of the massive belfry just a few meters before I reached the church grounds

I walked a few more steps and I finally reached the gates of the San Guillermo Church and from where I was standing, I was blown away by what I saw.

The Church of San Guillermo is one of the oldest and largest churches in Pampanga. The church was originally built in 1576 but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1880. The church was rebuilt on 1886 using baroque architecture. On September 3, 1995, lahar flow from the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo which erupted on June 15, 1991, literally erased some towns of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga. The town of Bacolor was not spared and the church was buried at half its height of 12 meters!

The Church was named after the town’s former patron saint San Guillermo Ermitaño (St. William the Hermit). In November 1786, the town’s patron was changed to La Naval de Bacolor in honor of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

The main door of the church used to be the ornamented windows of the choir loft and has been its new entrance since the tragic event. As I entered the church, I noticed some openings on the ground. I was amazed to see windows right on the ground. These actually used to hold some stained glasses before lahar covered the town.

The church’s floorings are made of pure concrete, that covered the layers of lahar beneath the surface.

As I was taking this photo, I just imagined how grand the church interior was before it was half-buried

Fortunately, the church’s main retablo, which is coated in gold leaf, survived the mudflow. After the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, the people of Bacolor persistently dug up the altar and retablo and relocated them under the Church dome in order for the tall wooden retablo to fit in vertically. As a result, the church feels much, much smaller now.

The retablo’s niches feature centuries-old statues which were saved from destruction of the lahar. The citizens of Bacolor take much pride in their rich heritage which is why they really took the effort to restore the church altars and preserve them in mint condition.

The church was already a famous tourist destination even before the lahar tragedies, more so even after the eruption. But just last year, tourist arrivals in Bacolor skyrocketed exponentially after the church was used as one of the main venues of the ABS-CBN primetime series May Bukas Pa. Visitors would often explore the rooms where the show’s lead character “Santino” used to play around. Many also want to see “Bro”, an image of the risen Christ who often communicates with Santino in the story.

Bro

The old convent at the right side of the church has since then been converted to a museum. Among the interesting stuff at the museum are old photographs of the Bacolor Church before, during, and after the tragic series of mudflows. The museum also features religious images from all over town, that were spared from the lahar.

An adoration chapel can also be found inside the museum.

After exploring the Church, I checked out the back portion of the Church but did not stay long as the tall grass gave me an eerie feeling LOL

(…to be continued)

Part 5 of the Libotero Pampanga and Malolos Heritage Series

DAY 2.

Next on my list after the St. Augustine Church in Lubao is the Sasmuan Church. So, while at the Lubao Municipal Hall grounds, I asked around on how I could get to the town of Sasmuan. The ever-friendly locals instructed me to hire a tricycle and not pay more than P30.

The town of Sasmuan is located to the east of Lubao.

Sasmuan (formerly Sexmoan) is a 4th class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 26,630 people in 4,343 households. The town’s former name of “Sexmoan” was the mispronunciation by the Spanish friars of “Sasmuan”, the original and current name. It was derived from the Malayo-Polynesian word “pitagmuan” or “meeting place of the datus”.

While on the way to Sasmuan, it felt like I was being transported to another world as the road towards the town was surrounded by what seemed to be lakes. Later on, I learned that those were fish ponds. Sasmuan has a one-of-a-kind geography as it is surrounded by fish ponds. Therefore, the town relies on aquaculture as the main industry to drive their economy.

The tricycle dropped me off by the municipal hall of Sasmuan. When I asked how much the fare was, the driver smiled and said, “trenta po”

Sasmuan Municipal Hall

From the municipal hall, I already saw the church of Sasmuan, and gawd, the place is cramped. The church is surrounded by the public market and a lot of houses by the river. I guess this resulted from neglect and poor planning on the part of the government.

Before this trip, my research about the church informed me that it is the only old structure left standing in the town of Sasmuan. But when I stood in front of the church, I noticed that it appeared quite new. I just found out that the church was renovated in 2003, under the order of Fr. Ted Valencia, former parish priest. Everything, except for the first layer of the facade and the belfry, was destroyed and replaced by a new structure. Disgusting!

The sad fate of the church overshadows it’s unique feature as one of the few, if not the only church in the country where the single belfry is sandwiched in between the church and the convent building.

Look at that gargantuan dome which could be easily mistaken for an unidentified flying object, especially at night. Imagine!

More than the physical damage to the church, it is said that the remains of prominent citizens of Sasmuan that used to be interred at walls of the church were collected and thrown into a common grave, making it almost impossible to identify them anymore.

The interiors

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard stories about churches with great historical value being defaced by ignorant/irresponsible parish priests. Take for example the altar of Argao Church in Cebu whose main retablo was painted over entirely by gold leaf. It could have been a UNESCO World Heritage site by now if not for the destruction of the church’s heritage value. Sigh. Parish priests should be lectured about heritage conservation!

(…to be continued)

Part 4 of the Libotero Pampanga and Malolos Heritage Series

DAY 2.

After a visit of the Betis Church, I took a jeep back to Guagua Town Proper. Since it was only a few kilometers away, it only cost me the minimum fare (P7). I jumped off at the town plaza and decided to have lunch at their newly-opened Chowking! It was a super-hot day and the halo-halo was just what I needed to cool down.

Having been refreshed by the popular Pinoy dessert, it was time to continue church hopping. Next on my list was the Church of St. Augustine in Lubao, Pampanga.

Lubao is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 143,058 people in 23,446 households.

The most notable people from the town of Lubao are former president Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo and his father, the late former president Diosdado Macapagal.

From the town plaza of Guagua, I took a jeepney to Lubao. Jeepneys to other points of Pampanga, and even Zambales are parked surrounding the town plaza. Lubao is around seven kilometers from Guagua and the jeepney fare only costs P10. From Guagua, we traversed the national highway towards the direction of Lubao. In less than 15 minutes, we were already in Lubao.

Upon entry to the town, we encountered a fork in the road and the jeepney took the road to the left to the interior of the town. The jeepney passed by directly in front of the church so I jumped off there.

The Church of St. Augustine in Lubao, Pampanga is the province’s oldest church. Founded on 1572 in Barrio Sta. Catalina, it was moved to its present site thirty years later due to constant flooding.

The church was constructed in the early 17th century, headed by Augustinian priest Antonio Herrera, out of locally-made brick and sand, mixed in egg white, contributed by the townsfolk of Lubao.

The facade of the Lubao church is typical of a Filipino church, consisting of the main church building, the adjoining belfry and the convent.

Unfortunately, the church was closed when I dropped by so I wasn’t able to explore, take photos and pray inside the church. Meh.. But that just means, I should visit this place again soon!

From the church, I walked towards the Lubao Municipal Hall which is just a block away from the church, along the main highway (JASA)

Lubao Municipal Hall

(…to be continued)

Part 3 of the Libotero Pampanga and Malolos Heritage Series

DAY 2.

After the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Guagua, the next church on my list was the Church of St. James the Apostle in Betis, still in Guagua.

I asked around for directions on how to get there and the best option was to take a tricycle and so I did. Betis is actually a barangay located a few kilometers away from the town proper. Although the barangay is now known as San Miguel, locals and old-timers still prefer to call it Betis (same as how we Cebuanos still refer to Osmena Boulevard as Jones Avenue). The tricycle ride cost me P30 and I was dropped right in front of the Church.

As I saw the Church, my jaw dropped in awe. The Church was so massive and pretty in pink! I knew about this church since my good friend, Eric would always mention about it everytime we’d talk about beautiful churches. And when I finally saw it in person, I could say that it’s not just beautiful, it’s marvelous!

Built in 1754 and completed in 1770, the Betis Church is marked by Baroque-inspired architecture which was predominant during its period of construction.

Although the exterior is massive, I wasn’t really that impressed, especially that I’ve seen tens of churches all over the country. But as the saying goes, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. The true character of the Betis Church lies within.

The main door was locked but I managed to sneak in through the Convent while everyone else was busy with the Pre-Jordan seminar. Evil me!

As I got in, I felt goosebumps as my eyes began to wander around every detail of the church interiors. I’ve heard and read that this church is often called the “Sistine Chapel of the Philippines” and at that moment, I had no reason to doubt it.

No amount of descriptive words could accurately present the real beauty of the Betis Church. You have to be there to really appreciate and experience the art!

Let’s start with the main door. The entrance to the Church features some heavy details. The carvings portray the “Gates of Paradise”. It’s like a grand welcome to heaven!

The intricately painted ceilings, which were painted in a way that would make them look 3-dimensional, shows various biblical scenes and reminds us of the power of faith in God to influence and inspire people from all walks of life. Someone named Simon Flores, is said to be the man originally behind the amazing artwork. In the early 1900s, the church interiors were said to be extensively beautified and restored.

The dome is spectacularly breathtaking! And take note, those railings are not paintings, they’re real!

Finally, all of the beautiful grand details of the interiors meet at the retablo. Religious icons are placed inside niches in successive levels, made of carved grand old timber, showcasing the patrons of the various communities under the Betis Church. The characteristic is common among Church built during the Spanish Colonial Period.

The church’s interior is nothing short of an art masterpiece. And for its beauty and historical significance, the Betis Church has been rightfully declared as a National Cultural Treasure. As I take a look at all these details, I feel very much thankful to the artists for sharing their craft for everyone to appreciate. And ofcourse, major thank yous should go to the locals and everyone else responsible for the efforts to restore and preserve this one-of-a-kind Church!

P.S.: After I took all of the above photos, a guy approached me and asked me if I was taking pictures. I said “yes, but I deleted them”. He then replied, “Good, because taking pictures is prohibited here. You have to ask permission from the office first before you can shoot”. Then I sneaked out of the Church, LOL. I’m sorry but I was only reprimanded after I took all of the photos and therefore, I should share them with you here, hehehe!

(…to be continued)

Part 2 of the Libotero Pampanga and Malolos Heritage Series

DAY 1.

After a brief visit to the San Fernando Metropolitan Cathedral, it was time to return to Angeles. At the public transport terminal, I was trying to look for mini-buses, like the one I took to San Fernando, but there were none. I then saw a jeepney marked Angeles and it was starting to get filled so I jumped in. At first I thought, “OMG, what am I doing?”, but on the other hand, I am a lover of adventure, so yeah, whatever, come what may, hahaha! Before the jeepney left, the conductor collected the fares. Compared to the bus fare of P30, the jeepney ride to Angeles only costs P24 as it will be taking the Manila North Road instead of the parallel North Luzon Expressway. Throughout the 30 minute trip, I really had no idea where and when I should get off the jeepney. When we passed by the Holy Rosary Cathedral, I breathed a sigh of relief as I knew that we were already in Angeles City. When all the other passengers disembarked, I joined them.

When I got off the jeepney, I was totally clueless as to where my exact location was as I left my map in the hotel room. The landmark I remember is Puregold Angeles. It seemed to be a busy area, with a lot of people, vehicles and urban noise, probably their downtown area. I then started to ask around how I’d reach Fields Avenue in Clark. Again, the locals were very helpful. They instructed me to take a jeep marked “Henson” and so I did. A few minutes later, I found myself on Fields Avenue, yey! I then walked towards 950 Condotel and called it a day… Zzzzz!

DAY 2.

My alarm woke me up at 9am. I immediately took a shower then proceeded to the rooftop of the hotel for my complimentary breakfast. After breakfast, I was ready for the long day! Same as what I did on the first day, I took a tricycle from the hotel to Dau Bus Terminal for P70. I quickly jumped off the tricycle upon seeing that the bus for San Fernando was almost full. With lessons learned from Day 1, I took the aisle seat. I still felt the winds, but it was pleasant unlike the “in-your-face” winds on my first Dau – San Fernando bus experience, hehe.

The night before, I researched on how I could get to Guagua and learned that jeepneys bound for Guagua are usually parked near the San Fernando Flyover. Just to be sure, I informed the conductor that I wish to be dropped off at the area where I could easily find jeepneys bound for Guagua and it was very kind of them to actually do that. As soon as I disembarked the bus, I got in a jeepney marked “Bacolor-Guagua”. I wanted to visit the Bacolor Church first but I had no idea where I should get off. Later on, I was just dumbfounded when I saw that we already were way beyond the Bacolor Church, waaah. I just decided to visit Guagua Church first as it seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere and if I chose to get off the jeepney and walk back to the Bacolor Church, I’ll be roasted halfway through as there was no shade whatsoever.

A few minutes later, we were already in Guagua, Pampanga..

Guagua is a first-class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 104,284 people in 18,438 households.

The town of Guagua belongs to the Second District of Pampanga, along with the towns in the southwestern part of the province. It is about 9.5 kilometers off the capital city of San Fernando.

The name Guagua comes from Wawa which means “mouth of a river” or “alua or bukana” in Kapampangan. Wawa was the original name of the town of Guagua as first known in the year 1590. Evidently, the town is strategically located along a river which played a vital role in trade and transportation in the town’s early years. Guagua was already a prosperous community way before the Spaniards came to take control of the town in the year 1561.

The jeepney passed through the town’s interior roads until it finally dropped us off at the Guagua Public Market. There were a lot of roadwork during my visit so traffic could get clogged in a lot of areas. I hope they’re completed by now.

From the public market, I already saw the massive dome of the Guagua Church. I immediately got excited and walked all the way towards the direction of the Church, not minding the scorching hot sun! After walking for about a kilometer, I finally reached the left side of the Church. A mass was still going on but was about to end so I waited before I took photos and explored the place.

The facade.

It’s a pity that spaghetti wires distract the viewer from appreciating the beauty of the Church’s exterior

The first church edifice was constructed in 1587 but was unfortunately razed by fire. The current Church structure was constructed in 1772 under the administration of the Augustinians. The Church was greatly improved in 1862 until 1870.

The massive dome

The interiors are simple and the centerpiece attraction is the main altar, a creation of noted local artist Willy Layug.

The interiors

The main altar

While still simple, the exteriors on the other hand, are marked by massive strength.

The belfry

The Cathedral-type church is located immediately adjacent to the Guagua Municipal Building and houses the Cardinal Santos Catholic Center and the Immaculate Conception Parochial School.

The Rufino Cardinal Santos Catholic Center

(…to be continued)

Part 1 of the Libotero Pampanga and Malolos Heritage Series

DAY 1.

As I arrived in Clark, I was picked-up by 950 (read as nine-five-OH) Condotel’s shuttle service. I already pre-arranged this before my trip as I am aware that public transportation to and from the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark can be quite a hassle. The ride from the airport to Fields Avenue where the hotel was located took not more than fifteen minutes.

Upon arrival at the hotel, I immediately checked-in, settled my things and wasted no time and said hello to the outdoors! From the hotel, I took a tricycle to Dau Bus Terminal. As I disembarked and asked Manong Driver how much the fare was, he said P70. I was in disbelief so I asked again and indeed it was P70. Wow! If there was a taxi available, I’m sure it would have cost the same amount for the same distance, but oh well.

Dau Terminal. Why Dau? The terminal is actually located in Barangay Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga, thus the name. The Dau Terminal is one huge terminal. It serves both northbound and southbound buses, clearly separated for commuters’ convenience. “Mini-Buses” and GT Express for short-haul routes (e.g. within Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Zambales, etc.) can be found just by the entrance of the terminal.

First on my itinerary was the San Fernando Metropolitan Cathedral so I searched for a mini-bus marked San Fernando. I easily found one with the help of the barker who was shouting, “San Fernando, San Fernando, konti na lang!”. It was hard not to notice his yelling. Haha.

I got a window seat at the middle section of the bus and waited for a few more minutes for the bus to get filled. As soon as the bus got full to capacity, the bus left the terminal and the conductor collected the fares. The cost of the trip was P30. Not bad, but getting a window seat was a big big big mistake! I totally forgot that the bus wasn’t airconditioned and that we were going to pass through the expressway. A speeding bus in an expressway means a windy trip. My hair was standing as if it was struck by lightning haha. Anyway, the trip took us about thirty minutes more or less.

From the Dau Terminal, the bus took the Dau Entry to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and then proceeded all the way to the San Fernando Exit, towards Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA), then to Manila North Road until we reached the terminal in the City of San Fernando.

From there, I was totally clueless, hahaha. I didn’t know how I’d reach the Cathedral. I did notice that while we were on the bus, we seemed to revolve around the Cathedral, so I just asked around and the locals were really very helpful. They just advised me to take any jeepney as all routes pass by the Cathedral, and so I did. It just cost me the minimum fare of P7.

A few minutes later, I was already at the Cathedral of Saint Ferdinand in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the City of San Fernando is the seat of the Archdiocese of San Fernando. The original structure of wood was built by the Augustinians in 1755. Later on, in 1788, the church was transferred to the care of secular priests.

In 1948 the church was elevated to the status of “Cathedral” when it became the seat of the Diocese of San Fernando which was canonically created by Pope Pius XII. . In 1975, the diocese was elevated by Pope Paul VI, to Archdiocese of San Fernando. Its first bishop was Monsignor Cesar Ma. Guerrero, D.D.

The Cathedral is located at A. Consunji Street in Barangay Santo Rosario, fronting the City Hall, within the Heritage District of the city.

There are currently plans to build a 6-level SM mall right at the center of the poblacion. This plan has been strongly opposed by heritage advocates and citizens of the city. But it seems like SM is having it their way as they promised to pattern the mall’s architecture to blend with the atmosphere of the heritage district. Will SM deliver? We’ll see. But the thought of a 6-level mall towering over the Cathedral is already disturbing. It will definitely ruin the charm of the heritage district! Dear SM, are 40 malls not enough?!

After visiting, appreciating and offering my prayers at the Cathedral, it was time to go back to Clark. Once again, I did not have any idea of how to commute back to Clark so I tried to observe and follow where most of the pedestrians were walking to. I walked by the left side of the Church and reached the heart of downtown San Fernando, where the back part of the Cathedral could be seen in its glory and that was where I was able to appreciate the beauty of the heritage district.

Did you know that the City of San Fernando may be the only city in the country which prohibits motorized tricycles in its downtown area? Instead, kalesa rides are readily available on this side of town. I would have wanted to ride in one so I could tour around the city’s heritage district (which features almost twenty heritage landmarks), but it was starting to get dark already so I had to skip that, meh!

I then asked around, again, and locals gave me directions to the jeepney terminal. It was another awkward scene as the jeepney terminal was just in front of me. Meh! Next time, I’ll have to open my eyes and observe more before I open my mouth, LOL..

(…to be continued)