I'm finally back in Davao City. This was thanks to another of those one-peso fare tickets on Cebu Pacific I had booked earlier this year. And I'm simply reaping the fruits of my foresight. Hehe! I had taken a flight just a month ago and a lot's changed since then. Imagine what one "terror expert" could do to the entire security system! I knew about the ban on liquids which is why I purposely did not bring any gel, toothpaste and other liquids so that I would not have to check-in my backpack. But I ended up having to check it in because anything with wires is not allowed on hand-carried luggage as well, phone chargers included!
As I entered the waiting area, I had to wait a bit since passengers were taking off their shoes for the x-ray. The security personnel also asked us to remove our belts, eyeglasses and everything else in our pockets. Anyway, I guess this is for our safety.
I arrived in Davao City at about 5:30 p.m. just in time for dinner. My brod Jepri passed by for me at the Davao International Airport which is a new airport by the way. I was impressed with the facilities especially since the Manila Domestic Airport is such a shame!
We ate at this new place called Gardena Fresca which was a garden restaurant that served ihaw-ihaw among others. We got ourselves some pork ribs if I'm not mistaken and an order of guso or seaweed salad. I spent PHP90 for the package meal which comes with fruits and juice and an extra PHP45 for the guso.
After dinner, we met up with my SSEAYP batchmate Steve, who was meeting with other SSEAYP alumni from Davao at a coffee shop. Didn't stay that long since I was craving for durian. And we ate some at Magsaysay Park. Yummy! Hehe! The arancillo variety was PHP50 a kilo.
After that heavenly snack, they say durian tastes like heaven but smells like hell, we went for a Swedish massage. I'm going to bed quite early since we have a lot planned tomorrow. Anyway, more tomorrow.
I made another trip to Lingayen, Pangasinan today to attend to some business at the elegant Pangasinan Provincial Capitol. I left Pampanga together with my brods Ryan and Adrei at 6 a.m. We were rushing since we had to be there at 9 a.m. So the only stopover we made was at the Jollibee drive-thru in Luisita.
The fastest route to Lingayen is via Santa Ignacia and Camiling, Tarlac passing through the town of San Clemente before reaching the first town of Pangasinan which is Mangatarem. Camiling used to have a grand church, the oldest and largest church in Tarlac. But unfortunately, this heritage church got burned in April 1997. I noticed that Camiling still has a lot of heritage structures around the poblacion area. If the local government unit is able to do things right they could still save the character of the town.
As we entered Pangasinan we were greeted by some of the best views of the Philippine countryside. The rice crop was just about ready for harvesting so the fields were immaculately green with the rice grains at a golden brown. Behind the fields were the foothills of the Zambales mountains. If only we had time to stop over. Sigh!
Anyway, Mangatarem had a really old church and intact convento. You would immediately notice it because of its oversized turquoise blue dome. I promised myself to check it out on the way back. There were several Gabaldon schoolhouses and a colonial period town hall as well. The next town Aguilar had an equally impressive church as well as an intact covento very similar to the one in Mangatarem.
After passing through the town of Bugallon, we made a right at the intersection following the road to Dagupan. Lingayen was just a few kilometers away. You could immediately see the belltower of the church as you neared the capital town of Pangasinan. As you enter, you are greeted by several ancestral houses.
Although there are still a large number of heritage structures in the town, Lingayen is on the verge of transforming itself into another nondescript Filipino community without character. The stupid parish priest had demolished a centuries-old brick convento and replaced it with commercial stalls (left). The parish priest could have preserved the convento by employing adaptive re-use, altering the interiors to accomodate commercial stalls.
In the center of town is a modern public market. But just beside it is one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial period casas reales in the country (right) which is now used by the Sangguniang Bayan of Lingayen. If only the local government in Lingayen was able to regulate the designs of these new buildings. There is a proper way of building new structures in old districts. Scale and proportions are very important.
We finally made it to the Pangasinan Capitol after two hours and thirty minutes traveling. It was the second time for me to visit the building. And looking at the stately building which the provincial government painstakingly restored to its pristine condition gives me hope for heritage. The governor is in the process of landscaping the boulevard and open spaces that lead to the said building. For this I say, "Bravo Governor Agbayani!" It's sad that he is on his third term.
After our meeting we visited the beach right at the back of the Capitol which was the landing site of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Lingayen. On display are some World War II relics such as a fighter plane and a tank, as well as old photos in an exhibit area built by the LGU. We made our way to the fine gray sand beach which had a hotel and huts-for-rent.
We didn't have much time since we wanted to be in Pampanga before 5 p.m. So we made our way back after a quick lunch.
We were able to take photos at the Aguilar Church which was still very much intact except for the fact that they had replaced the old floor tiles with cheap marble. We really need to educate our priests and parish pastoral councils. I saw remnants of the black and white tiles outside and could imagine how much more charming the interior of the church would have looked with those tiles.
The ceiling, choirloft, pulpit and retablo were intact as well and I hope it remains that way. Right beside it was the original convento which except for the cement palitada inside, was very much the same structure. FYI, there is a proper mixture of palitada for these old churches and the current cement mixture is too strong and does not allow the structure to breathe.
After Aguilar, I can't remember what happened since I was too tired and lacked sleep having slept for only an hour the night before. So I was asleep for most of the trip back and thus missed stopovers at Mangatarem and Camiling. Oh well, maybe next time!
It was the first time I attended the festivities of the Virgen de los Remedios last Friday. Malcañang had declared it a non-working holiday in Pampanga since this year is the 50th anniversary of the canonical coronation of the said image. What I saw touched me and just proved that culture is very much alive in San Fernando and the province of Pampanga!
Although not as widely-known around the country as the Peñafrancia festivities in Naga City or the La Naval de Manila of the Sto. Domingo Church, the feast of Pampanga's patroness has a large following locally. Literally thousands lined the streets of San Fernando along the procession route from the Metropolitan Cathedral to the Mass site at Villa del Sol a little over two kilometers away. Amidst the loud applause of adoring devotees, the pealing of San Fernando's Cathedral bells and the music of several brass bands, the image was brought out together with the Santo Cristo del Perdon on a charming anda borne on the shoulders of devotees.
Here is a video I took. Pardon the quality since I had my camera on the wrong settings...
Despite the scorching heat of the early afternoon sun (PAG-ASA had said that it would feel like summer during that day) Kapampangans walked the entire two kilometers to the Mass site. I heard that Cardinals Rosales and Vidal were supposed to attend. But rumor has it that they begged off after hearing GMA was going to crown the image. Ironically, GMA was a no show too! Oh well!
After one day resting at home, I woke up quite early today for another cultural activity, the unveiling of the marker of the National Historical Institute (NHI) in honor of revolutionary heroine Nicolasa Dayrit-Panlilio. This marker is the tenth located in San Fernando, Pampanga and I'm crossing my fingers we will have more within the year.
In attendance were none other than NHI chairman Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo and board member Dr. Serafin D. Quiason, both fellow Kapampangans; San Fernando Mayor Oscar S. Rodriguez and the city council, members of the San Fernando, Pampanga cultural community, as well as the family of Doña Nicolasa, particularly her surviving children who are all in their 90s.
One thing I always tell the city is that we should do these ceremonies properly, strictly following all the necessary protocol accompanied with dignified pomp and pageantry befitting these kinds of ocassions. Way back in 2004, we brought back the remains of Nicolasa Dayrit to San Fernando from the Loyola Memorial Park in Sucat. And as a revolutionary hero, her remains had to be accorded certain ceremonies and military honors as part of the transfer.
I'm sharing with you the videos of those ceremonies two years ago...
I'm finally back in Davao City. This was thanks to another of those one-peso fare tickets on Cebu Pacific I had booked earlier this year. And I'm simply reaping the fruits of my foresight. Hehe! I had taken a flight just a month ago and a lot's changed since then. Imagine what one "terror expert" could do to the entire security system! I knew about the ban on liquids which is why I purposely did not bring any gel, toothpaste and other liquids so that I would not have to check-in my backpack. But I ended up having to check it in because anything with wires is not allowed on hand-carried luggage as well, phone chargers included!
As I entered the waiting area, I had to wait a bit since passengers were taking off their shoes for the x-ray. The security personnel also asked us to remove our belts, eyeglasses and everything else in our pockets. Anyway, I guess this is for our safety.
We ate at this new place called Gardena Fresca which was a garden restaurant that served ihaw-ihaw among others. We got ourselves some pork ribs if I'm not mistaken and an order of guso or seaweed salad. I spent PHP90 for the package meal which comes with fruits and juice and an extra PHP45 for the guso.
After dinner, we met up with my SSEAYP batchmate Steve, who was meeting with other SSEAYP alumni from Davao at a coffee shop. Didn't stay that long since I was craving for durian. And we ate some at Magsaysay Park. Yummy! Hehe! The arancillo variety was PHP50 a kilo.
