Rough Groove

Cabagan, Isabela

I’ve just been passing over Cabagan, Isabela everytime I’m traveling to Tuguegarao. For a few trips already, I’ve been intrigued especially what the church looked like since I’ve already visited Tumauini, San Pablo, Cauayan and Tuguegarao. Images of an old church of the Isabela style which is made of bricks with almost the same architecture has been in my mind. Second thing, my uncle has been egging me to visit the place because of its church. Well, two weekends ago, I just had that opportunity and was quite disappointed.

The parish of St. Paul the Apostle that is Cabagan, Isabela is probably an old parish. Turning right, riding a tricycle to the church to a very wide open space bounded by a perimeter fence that marked the town’s plaza, an old brick pedestal with a cross on top in the style of that in Tumauini but smaller greets the visitor (left). However, upon looking in the direction of the church, I was just disappointed that the old brick church that I was expecting has been, as I was told, demolished and now stood a modern structure without charm (right). (A follow up information was given to me: the old church was bombed and was destroyed in the last world war).

Somewhat saddened, I just went to a café and treated myself with Pansit Cabagan for lunch, a noodle dish that the town is famous for with this particular food being served from Cagayan province in the north to Nueva Vizcaya in the south, with a cold Coke. The dish is made from delicate and thin local noodles cooked with a broth topped with slivers of cooked squid, pechay/veggies, quail’s egg and pork crackling (left). Just delicious.

After that treat, I hired a horse drawn carriage to the terminal to catch a bus for Santiago (right).