Sugbu,
known as Cebu in contemporary times is the Philippine’s oldest City and where
Christianity in Asia started with the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in April 1521
during his voyage to find a westward route to the Indies.
So
many have been written on the Province or the City but mostly in historical, cultural and tourism perspectives.
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Cebu nights at Fuente Osmena Rotunda |
Recently
I had the opportunity to visit Cebu and its neighboring places on vacation,
rather than on business that I was able to appreciate the simple implications
of the trip which was full of surprises and new insights.
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Night life is alive, and Cebuanos are good singers |
Visiting
places on official business are oftentimes impersonal that may dwell on
inconveniences given the constraints of time, while personal travels may give a
different angle on the deeper or intimate side of places and events while on
travel, as one is not bothered by official concerns and budget limitations.
The
constraints encountered though all add up to the experience, like three hours
before the flight I was still down to my last 500 pesos and a check still
waiting to be encashed.
Our
group were supposed to take the direct flight to Mactan-Cebu International
Airport from Legazpi City, which would only take a mere 35 minutes of flying
time. But due to delays and that the
plane would leave at 6:00 o’clock in the evening, we were accommodated (without
extra costs) to the Legazpi – Manila flight, which after a several hours of
delay and partly turbulent flight, we have to take another plane to Cebu at
Ninoy Aquino International Airport, with barely having time to pee between
boarding gates.
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Rainy take off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport |
The
airline’s sales pitch is “Now every Juan can fly”, referring to its budget
fares and promotional sale seats hitting as low as 1.00 Php excluding some
charges. We were not on promo fare but
the airline did extended our travel time to over two (2) hours from the direct
flight of 35 minutes. What an experience
rather than an inconvenience, as Guy K. Chesterton may put it, especially if
you’re travelling with first timers.
The
flight to Cebu from Manila was relatively tranquil until before thirty minutes
from our destination. There was nothing
but dark clouds that visibility was limited to a few hundred meters.
It
was interesting though that before the dark clouds the plane first passed by a
small rainbow on immaculately white clouds, and later into a huge rainbow,
almost circular, on dark clouds.
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Rainbow over the island of Masbate |
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Huge rainbow before the dark clouds |
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Mactan - Cebu International Airport |
The
plane landed at dusk.
Sunsets
always bring back some kind of melancholia, particularly landing in an airport
after some rain. But using the jet
bridge, that service tube from the plane to the terminal, is some kind of
exciting after repeatedly having to take a bus, climb stairs, ramps and all at
the Philippine’s premier airport.
Cebu,
compared to many cities, is unique by itself.
It has the amenities of highly urbanized metropolis but still tempered
by rural personal life. Some centers may remind one of Ayala developed
commercial complexes in Makati and Alabang but minus the monstrous traffic
congestions and excessive pollution.
Tricycles
are noticeably absent in the City proper, all motorcycle riders wear the
prescribed helmet, and jeepney drivers won’t pick nor drop passengers outside
of the designated places.
At
a mall I hailed a cab but the driver refused to take me as “non- citizens” are
to take a ride from a designated taxi bay. The driver mistook me to be a
foreigner, a Malaysian perhaps, but I was amused as in other urban centers
public utility drivers won’t hesitate to “victimize” foreigners for extra dollars
in fare or tips. Call
it self- discipline and assertive governance.
Cebu
is a gastronomic haven to those who are not afraid of rising cholesterol and
blood pressure levels. I’m referring to
the “sinugba” or grilled delicacies, including the “Zubuchon” roast pig that
are conveniently pre-packaged frozen or fresh for travelers.
I
swear to its tastiness and relative “freshness” even after reheating. At 650.00 per kilo it’s more expensive though
than the regular lechon sold at roadside stalls.
As
I’ve learned, one can pay about 50.00 Php cheaper in downtown Cebu outlets and
pick up the merchandise at the airport’s pre-departure area. Zebuchon also ships for pick-up at the
airport of destination, which an FB user says costs 4,500.00 Php to Singapore.
For how many kilos he didn’t specify.
There
is a place near Fuente Osmena Rotunda, adjacent to the Chong Hua Hospital,
called Larsian where food stalls serve grilled fish, squid, pork belly, pork
bar-b-q, seafoods and the trademark “puso” – rice steamed in heart-shaped vessels
made of coconut frond.
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A bowl of hot shell fish soup |
There
are many customers on any given night, drawn by good food and reasonable cost.
Cebuanos
are less inclined to the traditional rice, but are more on the corn grits that
tastes just the same. They say it’s a
better source of energy than the regular rice.
As
a first timer in Cebu in 1980, initially I was served pure rice which later was
gradually replaced with corn to enable my digestive system to gradually adopt.
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LARSIAN food stalls |
The
concept of Larsian should be replicated in other local government units if
sanitation and orderliness are to be assured, provide business opportunities
and as local revenue source. It
is a big improvised hall with a common grill at the center, to reduce smoke
pollutants than stalls having their individual grills. Tenants have their
stalls around the common grill and provides some tables and chairs for their
customers.
At
a rental rate of 8,000.00 pesos for a 1 meter by 11/2 stall and space for two
to three tables may be high, but tenants are assured of regular customers even
on rainy days because of the facility’s covered design.
In
Legazpi City for example, food stalls have become eyesores and even add up to
traffic congestion because they are not organized and uses portions of public
roads that it seems there is less government control. Much more, there are less customers during
the rainy season.
The
only constraint though would be the regular source of sea foods at lower price.
There
are also other regular delicacies that Cebu is known for which are basic
“pasalubongs” like the Krispy Cream or J-Co doughnuts when leaving Manila.
Perhaps
top in the list is Otap, the flaky crisp sugar coated biscuit under the famous
brand names Shamrock or Titay’s.
This golden,
slipper-shaped delicacy is daintily wrapped in wax paper to seal its oven
freshness and crispiness. Made from flour, sugar, and shortening, each delicate
layer crackles into tiny flakes in every nibble. I call it Mille-Feuille (thousand leaves) de Cebu, referring to the French puff
pastry.
Both companies also have other baked
take-home delicacies like the hojaldres,
galletas de huevo, baked polvoron, lady’s finger, patatas, rosquillos and other
baked specialties such as raisin bread, potato bread, pan de sal
and meatroll. The list could be endless,
not to include the candied peanuts or durian.
Chorizo or
longaniza de Cebu, candied dried mangoes, danggit (dried boneless rabbit fish),
and the chicharon (crispy pork rind) of Carcar City are included in the list of
presents that may be brought from Cebu.
Cebu
also boast of its guitars, made in Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan island, or even the
handguns at Danao. Carcar City has also its thriving footwear manufacturing
industry that may one day compete with Marikina City in Metro Manila.
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Oldest guitar made |
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Footwear made in Carcar on display |
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Guitars of Lapu-Lapu City
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Plantation Bay Resort & Spa, Mactan, Cebu |
Of
course visitors should not forget the resorts like Plantation Bay Resort and
Spa or Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort and Spa.
There are so many of them.
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The author at Plantation Bay Resort |
Travelling
to Cebu, particularly for the Roman Catholics, is not complete without visiting
the Basilica Minore of Sto. Nino, where
the centuries old image of the Holy Child Jesus is enshrined and venerated by
Filipino Catholics who believe it to be miraculous.
They
say that the Sto. Niño will pout or sulk if one ignores Him. This explains why residents and devotees who
merely pass by the open church would wave to the image. The gesture may be associated with the Christ
portrayed as a child hence with child-like characteristics, but I have fondly assimilated
the custom.
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Centuries old miraculous image of the child Jesus venerated in Cebu |
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Devotees lining up to touch the image |
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The Basilica Minore of Sto. Nino de Cebu with its damaged belfry |
The
image of the Holy Child of Jesus is carved from wood and stood 30 centimeters
high. A golden sphere, a replica of the
world, is in the left hand, and the right hand is slightly raised in
benediction.
It is
claimed to be the oldest religious icon in the country, having been originally
given as a baptismal gift by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in
April 1521 to the wife of Raja Humabon, Humamay, that given the Christian name Juana
after Joanna of Castile.
From history
books, Antonio Pigafetta, the Italian chronicler to the Spanish expedition,
personally presented the Santo Niño to the newly baptized Queen Juana as a
symbol of the alliance, and her newly baptized husband King Carlos.
Forty-four
years after Magellan's soldiers left, on April 27, 1565 Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
arrived. He found the natives hostile and fearing reprisal
for Magellan's death, an armed conflict ensued and the village caught fire.
The next day
Spanish mariner Juan de Camus found the image of the Sto. Nino among the ruins of a burnt house.
The Minor
Basilica of Santo Niño was built on the spot where the image was found by Juan
de Camus. The parish was originally made out of bamboo and mangrove palm and
claims to be the oldest parish in the Philippines. Pope Paul VI elevated
its rank as Minor Basilica on
its 400th year anniversary.
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The Basilica Minore |
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Main altar of the Basilica which is temporarily closed to the public |
During the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on
October 15, 2013 the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño lost its coral stone belfry. It is however set to be restored by 2015, in time for the celebration of
450th year of the finding of the image of the Senor Sto. Nino,
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Cross of Magellan, undergoing repairs after being damaged by a strong earthquake |
Adjacent
to the Basilica is the cross which Magellan planted upon landing in the island. A sign says that the original cross is
encased inside the wooden cross that is found in the center of the chapel to
protect the original cross from people who chipped away parts of the cross for
souvenir or in the belief that the cross possesses miraculous powers.
Some people,
however, believe that the original cross had been destroyed or had disappeared
after Magellan's death, and the cross is a replica that was planted there by
the Spaniards after they successfully colonized the Philippines. Whatever is true, the fact remains that it
was there that Europeans first set foot in the archipelago and Christianity
began.
Another interesting religious site is the national
shrine Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Regla in Opon, Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan
island, Cebu, where the original image of the Virgin de la Regla is venerated.
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Façade of the church |
I’ve not heard of the black image of Virgen de la Regla
before, until one of our officemates suggested that we visit the shrine in the
town of Opon (the local name of cogon grass) in Mactan island of Cebu. But I
have learned that in terms of local devotees, Virgen de la Regla, whose feast day is celebrated from
November 12 -20, is among the most
popular pilgrimage destination, together with the Sto. Niño of Cebu City.
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Replica of the image venerated at the back of the main altar |
The people of Opon first saw a picture of the Virgen de la Regla in 1735, when the first parish priest, Francisco Avalle, an Augustinian monk, showed it to them.
Many visitors would ask why “Regla”, since it’s the Filipino
word for menstrual period. This,
according to write-ups, was based in Spanish, because menstrual period follows
a “rule” of dates.
The word “sa
Regla” actually refers to “of the order” or “ of rules”, so the
English name is the
Virgin of the Rule but since locals refers to it as Birhen sa
Regla, most tourist are left wondering what’s with the name.
The second common question is why is it black? The
concept of a brown Virgin came from Hippo, where St. Augustine purposely made
the Virgin dark because he was evangelizing Africans.
The venerated statue of the Virgin in Opon church is said
to be almost 300 years old and was formed after the likeness of the Saint’s
“Virgin of the Rule”. It was canonically
crowned by the late Julio Cardinal Rosales on November 27, 1954 (almost on my
birthdate) at the conclusion of the First Archdiocesan Marian Congress of the
Archdiocese of Cebu.
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Original image at the main altar |
The canonical coronation, the crowns for the Virgen and
for the child Jesus were earlier blessed by Pope Pius XII in Rome, was attended
by an estimated 300,000 people at the Capitol Site.
The devotion of the Opon locals to the Virgin is truly
inspiring, a testament to the endearing power and love of the Virgin Mother of Opon
to those who seeks her help.
We also had
the chance of visiting the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist, also known as “Birhen sa Simala“, that is not just
well known for miracles and divine favors granted, but also of the shrine’s wonderful
architecture .
It’s located
at the southern part of Cebu, specifically, Marian Hills, Lindogon, Simala,
Sibonga, Cebu, a 2-hour drive from the
city.
One from our
group had said that the image of the Blessed Virgin is miraculous that no
visitor of Cebu should fail to visit the shrine.
Our concern however
was that since dinnertime the coordinator for
the bus that we borrowed to take us to Talisay City, and later to Carcar
and Simala in Sibonga town, has not texted back to confirm on its availability.
While we
were having breakfast at the hotel, Tomas, not the doubting apostle nor the
saint, worriedly informed me that still there is no news of the accommodation and
the trip might be cancelled.
Without
missing a bite on the sumptuous food from the breakfast buffet, I merely answered
“they say that the Virgin is miraculous, then a miracle will happen.” Before the appointed time for our departure
he exclaimed “Sir Jimmy, the bus is on the way!
The coordinator has already texted!”
Not one of
us know what to expect, not even the one who was there some years before. The site was far off from the main road and
was almost barren and hot under the summer sun.
But the shrine beacons like a sanctuary for a weary traveler.
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The Sanctuary Castle of Mama Mary |
I was
expecting an unassuming chapel like that in Opon, or a modest cathedral-like
complex. But it was different, it was
awesome, it was unlike other shrines on a weekday with so many pilgrims.
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Endless line of pilgrims waiting their turn to touch the image |
Walking with
a limp due to a sprained right foot that hurts with every step, I was appalled
by the prospect of walking under the hot midday sun on a dusty road to the
monastery, and climb a stairway several stories high. With a DSLR and a bag of
cellular phones I started up.
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Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and Evangelization |
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| Image venerated at the back of the main altar |
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Account of the miracles on Mama Mary's birthday |
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Hall filled with images of the Blessed Virgin in her many titles |
The guards
at the gate would politely ask visitors on sleeveless or those dressed scantily
and in shorts not to enter in reverence to the sacred place.
I just
forgot about my foot and was practically running all the way up. I later found out that it was the same with the
others, those with rheumatism and heart condition that the task is not
advisable.
Non-Catholics
are also welcome, says a sign, but they have to observe protocol. I saw several muslim women with the
pilgrimage, and one of our co-employees is a Baptist. He asked if it’s is okay for him to
come. He entered the sanctuary but he
didn’t burn and turned into ashes.
St. Thomas
Aquinas has said that “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To
one without faith, no explanation is possible.”
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Just a few of the petitions and prayers granted through the intercession of Our Lady. Several hallways are filled with framed testimonies of prayers granted |
The place
may be holy yet there are people who prey on visitors as a sign warns. “If God builds a Holy Cathedral, the devil also
builds a small chapel around”.
“Look not on
our sins but on the faith of Your Church”,
thus we pray in celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist. The endless rows of letters of petition,
letters of thanksgiving, and offering of crutches, wheelchairs, and signs of
illness were framed as a testimony of God’s endless goodness through the
intercession of Mama Mary of Lindogon. These, together with the endless line of barefoot
devotees brings goose bumps and inner knowledge of God’s goodness and Mary’s
powerful intercession that has touched so many lives, more than the write up on
the miracles of the Lady of the Holy Rosary and Evangelization.
In so short
a time from February 27, 1997 when the Religious Marian Monks of the
Eucharistic Adoration settled in the barren and abandoned hills of Upper
Lindogon and enshrined Mama Mary’s miraculous image from Pampanga the Lady has
become widely known.
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Ornate wooden railings leading to the Holy Image |
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The sanctuary's dome, depicting the Blessed Virgin's life |
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Sanctuary chapel of the Monastery |
It was also
so short a time from 2006 that the Sanctuary Castle of Mama Mary that the Holy structure
miraculously and beautifully rises to the sky, as a solemn place for prayer,
conversion, supplication and pilgrimages.
It is a testament that God is with us and He gave us His own Mother to
be our Mother.
Truly the prediction many years ago of Ireneo Villamor, or “Ingko
Niyong” came true, that "Here will come a time that the hill of Lindogon
will turn to be Holy (Balaan). A white
woman will stand and she will be the center of many people and will be in the
care of a group of pious men.”
The rainbows that “greeted” us on the plane’s
approach to Cebu airspace? I should say
that the first small rainbow was the church of Nuestra Senora de Regla at Opon,
and the big circular one was the Shrine of Lindogon.
We, whose lives were touched, have promised
to be back and the Lady be made known to others who thirst for God and the maternal
love of Mary.
