Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine

          
          With the strong faith and devotion of  Filipino Catholic, there's a lot of pilgrimage site in the Philippines, one of those is the  Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine, located at Manaoag, Pangasinan. Mostly, devotees who flock to Manaoag comes from Manila, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera  and Central Luzon, that is why it was called as "Pilgrim Center of Northern Philippines".

                                                   The Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag

 This is the place for every devotees, who wish to have a good health, a cure and healing for the sick, and to have a good fate in life. Masses are being offered here everyday starting 5am. During first Saturday of the month there is a Dawn Procession which start early 4 in the morning. The Fiesta is scheduled during first Sunday of October and third Wednesday of  Easter. Devotees also let their vehicles to be blessed for a safe trip. Outside the church there are vendors of religious items and souvenirs.

 

Inside the Shrine 

The Image of Our Lady of the Most  Holy Rosary of  Manaoag

The image is same as the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary the name which is being used globally, Our Lady of Manaoag  was named after Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary because she is the the patroness of the town of Manaoag. Eventually, Our Lady of Manaoag is also the patroness of the province of Pangasinan.

The Rosary Garden

Inside the Rosary Garden are statues depicting the 15 mysteries of the rosary.  It is  a perfect place for picture taking because of its scenic view, but be considerate to lower your voice as it is a praying sanctuary for others. 

One of the Statues inside the Rosary Garden

Sidetrip to San Fabian Beach

It may not be attractive as the white sand beaches of Boracay or Pagudpud, still you can enjoy taking a cool bath under the sun on its seagreen colored seawater. The boatman offered us to hop on his motortized boat for P50 per person but we haggled for P30 per person and he agreed with that. He told us that Butanding (Whale Shark) are  one of the attractions there. So, we hopped on his banca we roamed around the sea hoping we can meet those Butandings, unfortunately after one hour of roaming around the sea we didn't get a chance to greet those Butandings, better luck next time for us.

Mt. Samat: Reminiscent of Brave and Historic Yesterday

              " It's been 4-years since the last time I climbed to  Mt. Samat, I was then amazed with its historical significance, natural charm, and breathtaking views. I wonder about what the place looks like nowadays, and there are questions running in my mind, "Is the place I have been before is still the same?", and "Is there something new to look out for and to explore?". With so much courage and enthusiasm, I decided to take a climb once more to a place that brought happiness to me once in a while on my past. The other purpose of getting back to Mt. Samat is to show also with you guys(the reader), how wondrous and historic the place is".

        Mt. Samat is a historic mountain located in Pilar, Bataan. It is the smallest among the three mountains of  Bataan, the other two are the Mt. Natib and Mt. Mariveles. It was the site of the most vicious battle against the Japanese Imperial Army. It also sets the scene when the American and Filipino Soldiers took their last stand against the Japanese during  The Battle of  Bataan  in 1942. Through the heroic struggles and sacrifices of the American and Filipino soldiers, a  Memorial Shrine was built on the mountain's summit to commemorates "patriotism" and  "valor" of  those soldiers who fought and died on that historic bastion of freedom.

WHAT TO SEE :

 The Mount Samat Memorial Shrine

             It was raised as a fitting memorial to the heroic struggle and sacrifices of soldiers who fought and died against the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II  in 1942. It has a Colonnade, The War Museum, and the Towering White Cross. You should pay an entrance fee of P20 for adults, P10 for students and Senior Citizens and P30 for foreigners. The Shrine operates from 8 o'clock in the morning until  5 o'clock in the afternoon.

        An  Old School Canyon which is being used during the  World War 2 

The Colonnade 

It is a three series of steps from the parking area, the last step to the Colonnade level are bordered in two sides by two pedestals topped with bronze urns symbolizing eternal flame. The Colonnade is a marble-clad structure which is surrounded by an esplanade. There is an altar on the center of it, behind the altar are three religious stained-glass murals arranged by Cenon Rivera. There are also four large bronze chandeliers hanging on the ceiling. A narrative of  "The Battle of Bataan"  was posted on the two lateral walls.

The Zig-Zag Path

A 14-flight zig-zagging way leads you to the Memorial Cross. The stones that are concreted on the stairs are from from the Corregidor Island. Traversing the steps on the stairway might be a difficult task, but the fresh air, the sights of tall trees and the view behind the Colonnade can lessen the hardship in traversing the steps.

 

The Memorial Cross

The 302-foot memorial cross was constructed during the Marcos administration in celebration of the 25th anniversary of  "The Battle of Bataan". It was built to honor heroism and valor of  heroes who fought and died for the freedom of our race. Paying P10 allows you to ride an elevator that will take you to the viewing gallery. The viewing gallery measures 30 meters ,15 meters  in both arms of the cross. Inside the gallery are seats where you can sit back and relax while enjoying the cool-breeze of fresh air. From there,  a 360 degree panoramic view of Bataan Province and Manila Bay greets you(on a clear day). The sides of the cross' arms has round glass window from which you can sit while taking a glimpse of the view below. The guard will remind you if your stay is over. You are only allowed at the viewing gallery for 10-15 minutes.

TheViewing Gallery

Panoramic View  from the Viewing Gallery

Nabiag na Bato

At the foot of the cross are the sculptures by  Napoleon Abueva, illustrating some of the historical figures and events on our history such as Apolinario Mabini, Juan Luna, Andres Bonifacio, the execution of Rizal, the Battle of Mactan and Filipino and American soldiers defending against the Japanese Army during the World War II.

Dunsulan Falls

It is a waterfalls located at the foot of Mt. Samat. It is situated in Liyang, Pilar, Bataan. The falls and the river is the main drainage on the crater side of the mountain. It is a 30-minute tricycle ride from top of the mountain. I was a little bit disapointed with what I saw about the falls, I think it was being neglected. Getting inside the falls' premises has an entrance fee of  P50 per person. I just hope that the collected fees will be used in rehabilitation of the falls to bring back its former grandeur.

The Journey to Mount Samat

At around seven in the morning we rode a bus bounds to Balanga(from Sm City Pampanga Bus Terminal) after an hour we get-off  to Alauli intersection in Pilar, Bataan. From there we hired a tricycle that will take us to Mt. Samat National Shrine they contracted us for a round trip costing P250 per person (3pax per tricycle) to Mt. Samat Nat'l Shrine to  Dunsulan Falls and will take us back to Alauli intersection. My first time at Mt. Samat was more adventurous because we just hiked from the jump-off point in Brgy. Diwa to the top. While going up, I felt the cool-breeze of  fresh air which is different from the air below, and I appreciates the tall trees surrounding the hills of the mountain. 

The Mt. Samat Road is the easiest route in getting to the Shrine 

The Trees of Mt. Samat

After 45-minutes of climbing aboard a tricycle we reached the top. Upon arrival, I was amazed and feels like it was my  first time there. The natural charm and the historical significance is very much alive. We relished  the moment of being there, captured photos on every scenic views and took a pose for a photograph behind the picturesque offerings of the place. We were not fortunate to have a good view below from the viewing gallery because of the foggy atmosphere, but still, we enjoyed the cool-breeze of fresh air that blows above. I have noticed the replacement of a glass window into a galvanized steel window at the viewing gallery which is not symmetrical to the window, I forgot to ask anybody behind that change. 

 While having rest and taking some snacks, I had a little interview with the vendor of souvenirs and snacks shop on the side of  the cross, I asked her when is the time that the shrine was most visited and she answered that a lot of tourists comes during weekends and holidays and the peak season is during summer, she also told me that there is an annual event which they call "Pilgrimage Visit", it is a religious activity for Catholics where thousands of devotees from all over Bataan and nearby provinces walk from the jump-off point to the top to attend and hear mass which is being celebrated by the Archbishop of Balanga. 

The event is happening during last week of November or first week of December. After one and a half  hour  of staying at the shrine we decided to head to Dunsulan Falls. At exactly 12noon we arrived at the falls. We are planning to take a dip  into the falls but there are signs reminding "Bawal maligo sa loob ng falls delikado", and maybe even without warning, we do not attempt to take a dip due to excretion of water on the falls' basin. We would like to leave  after what we saw, but suddenly the heavy rain pours down. We were trapped there for almost an hour. On the other side I thanked the rain, as being  trapped it extends my time to fully appreciates nature, the tall trees, rock formations and continuous flowing of water on the falls.

Upon looking at the falls I thought of something on how to protect and conserve our natural resources. A simple act of discipline may be a big help in preserving the gift of mother nature, throw our garbage on proper disposal, not like what I saw on our way to Dunsulan Falls  I was saddened when I saw garbage scattered around the hills of the mountain, I hope the authority will lead in removal of those waste. As rain stopped pouring we hurriedly leave. Due to the steep road the tricycle was unable to carry us, that's why without any other choice we walked through the steep road which resulted us with an aching feet, on the other hand it made our journey more adventurous. And our journey to Mt. Samat ended at Dunsulan Falls. 

  

(from top to bottom: Nabiag na Bato, way to the Zig-zag Path, Dunsulan Falls, Round Glass Window at the Viewing Gallery, Mt. Samat National Shrine and my Colleagues in this Journey)

"Being at Mt. Samat will refresh us on the brave act of soldiers who fought and died for our freedom and also give us time to get along with Mother Nature. May this blog post entices everyone of  you to take a visit to a Mountain which is a reminiscent of Brave and Historic Yesterday on our History"

A Refresher Walk at the Country's Most Famous Park

There is no park in the country that is more famous than Rizal Park, which is located along Roxas Boulevard and Taft Avenue in the City of Manila. This historical-urban park sets as the home of the Philippine greatest patriot Jose P. Rizal. A 42-feet monument in honor of him stands in the middle area of the park, which also serves as a mausoleum where his remains are placed.

    Rizal Park also known as Luneta(Lunette), named during the Spanish Colonial period because of its crescent shape. Aside from Luneta, it was also called as Bagumbayan, then during the American Colonial period the park was also called Wallace Field. In front of the Rizal monument you will see a marker, from which road distances from Manila were measured, it is called as Kilometer Zero.

     On the northwestern part of the park you can enter the landscaped garden which was arranged by National Artist Idelfonso Santos and see a captivating tableau of statues constructed by sculptor Eduardo Castillo, that commemorates the crucial event on the morning of December 30, 1896 as immortalized in the memorable photograph captured by Manuel Arias Rodriguez. This was the exact place of Rizal's execution in a firing squad by the Spanish colonizers. Contradictory to the popular belief that Rizal was shot where his monument stands. If you have a lot of time to stay in the park wait until nighttime, you can witness the display of light and sound production of Rizal's final hours up to his execution. "The Martyrdom of Rizal" featuring an interactive media dramatization runs every Wednesday to Sunday evening both in English(7:00-7:30pm) and in Filipino(8:00-8:30pm).

  Other Interesting Places to Visit Around the Park

The Japanese Garden

The Japanese Pagoda serves as the main entrance  into the garden. Pagodas are usually made of wood. You can enjoy crossing bridges over fish lagoons. Inside the garden you will see a "gong" it is a percussion instrument that takes the form of a metal disc, these are commonly seen in a Japanese garden. This garden in Rizal Park was created  to build up friendship and mutual understanding between the Filipino and Japanese people.

The Chinese Garden

  

An entrance fee of P10 you can enjoy walking around the garden, you can feel the ambiance of  being in the mainland of China through the sights of Chinese Temple. There is also the statue of Chinese Great Philosopher, Confucius. You can also take a walk in the "Wall of Wisdom"  where  quotable quotes can inspire you.

The Lapu Lapu Monument

  Around the Agrifina Circle is the 50-feet monument of Muslim Chieftain Lapu Lapu. Taking a photo with this towering statue is worth a while.

The Children's Playground

 This place can be appreciated by kids and also kids at heart. It offers swings and slides where children can play as long as they wanted. Kids at heart can also enjoy this place by getting in and out of the Hippopotamus' mouth. You can also climb up and down into the Jurassic creatures cast in cement or you can just sit back and relax under the shades of tall trees which gives you a fresh air to breathe.

             Everyone  can also enjoy capturing  photo on every picturesque area of the park. This photo was taken inside the Japanese Garden.

              We always want to treat ourselves after getting a lot of stress and getting exhausted of our works. A refreshing walk at the country's most famous park can release the stress in our body and in our mind. Walking and enjoying the sights of the park can make us feel relaxed, forget the stress and the demanding needs of our work. It also reminds us of what Dr. Jose Rizal did for our country.  Getting there doesn't need or requires too much budget. There are minimum fees for every entrances enough to enjoy it's offering.

Aliwan Fiesta: The Festival of Champions!

 We Filipinos are known around the world for our love of Fiestas, these are celebrated throughout the year  for some purposes: to honor patron saint, preserve environment, showcase local produce, boost tradition and culture or maybe even pray to find true love and to start a family.

Aliwan Fiesta offers every Filipino fiesta lovers and even Foreign  tourists to witness and watch several Festivals across the country for one day and in one place and that's in the center of the country, Manila.  Coming from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the champions of every Festival held in different part of the Philippines gather in Manila to compete in the Aliwan Fiesta to showcase their culture and tradition. Aside from the One million peso cash prize, the main goal of every hopeful contingents is to bring pride and honor to their hometown and kababayan.

Kalilangan Festival of General Santos City

I've never been in Cebu to see Sinulog, never been in Iloilo to watch Dinagyang and never had a chance to see Bagiou's Panagbenga Festival. Through Aliwan Fiesta, I had the chance to witness not just one but a lot of popular festivals in the country such as Hermosa Festival, Ang Tipulo Festival, Padang Padang Festival and a lot more.

Mahaguyog Festival of Batangas

There are 20 contingents all across the nation vying for pride and honor and also for the million peso cash prize. All the contingents were in their colorful costumes. Graceful street dancers showcased their culture and tradition with their props and dance moves in front of many audiences at the Quirino Grandstand. Aliwan also proved how creative the Filipinos are through the well decorated Festival floats. And also displayed Filipina beauty with the Reyna ng Aliwan candidates.

Leyte's Pasaka  Festival  Float with their candidate for Reyna ng Aliwan

Here are some highlights of this years Aliwan Fiesta Contingents

Ang Tipulo Festival of Antipolo City

Ang Tipulo Festival is a celebration in honor of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage also called The Virgin of Antipolo. This event also showcase the  product of Antipolenos such as Kasoy(cashew), Suman(sweetened steamed rice) and Mangga(mangoes). Participants danced with  the tune of the famous Folk Song "Tayo na sa Antipolo".

 

 Mango Festival of Zambales

Mango Festival celebrates the bountiful harvest of mango and other agricultural products which was the province is known for. It also highlights the must-see tourist attraction and interesting places of all the town of Zambales.

Adivay Festival of Benguet

Adivay Festival , "Adivay" is an Ibaloi term which means coming together. It aims to forge unity and cooperation among the tribes of Benguet. It is also the best time to promote Benguet's product such as vegetables, gold and silver.

Pandang Gitab Festival of Oriental Mindoro

Pandang Gitab is based on the Philippine Folk dance Pandango sa Ilaw which was told to have originated in Mindoro Island.

Pasaka Festival of Leyte

Pasaka Festival commemorates the landing of General Douglas  MacArthur in the country. This also aims to showcase the culture and tradition of Tanauan, Leyte.

Hermosa Festival of Zambaonga

The Hermosa festival is one of the oldest Festival in the country. This is being held in honor of the Our Lady of Pillar the patroness of Zambaonga City.

Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo

Dinagyang Festival was the most applauded performance in this year's Aliwan, making them the Grand Champion of Aliwan Fiesta 2013 for four consecutive years. This is a religious and cultural festival which  is being done in honor of Sto. Nino. Dinagyang Festival was represented by the Tribu Panayanon.

As a first time viewer of the Aliwan Fiesta, for me that was great. I realized how rich our country in terms of culture and tradition. How thankful we Filipinos of God's blessings. Filipinos are also welcoming, full of smiles in their faces just like how the participants showed their smile on their faces whenever people ask to take a photo with them.  

                      
                     If ever given the opportunity, I would like to set eyes again on the colorful  celebration  of Aliwan Fiesta  next year. I am hoping also that my province Pampanga will  be joining Aliwan next year.