SUBSCRIBETrip to Guiuan, Samar, 3
Its been six years since I’ve been back to Guiuan. The last time I was here was just to transit and collect beetles and butterflies in Homonhon Is. Well, nothing much has changed except maybe that it has mobile communications already and the road leading to the town is well paved. Other than that, its still the same.
Pedicamb drivers infront of the church waiting for passengers (left). Right, a nonfunctioning male urinal most probably inspired by the MMDA male urinals in Metro Manila. Fortunately, its a cool shade of blue compared to the original pink.
My real intent for going to this town was to photograph the lovely 16th century church of the Inmaculada Concepcion. The structure stands on the grounds of a fortress, considered during the mid 1600 as the 2nd best after Manila and one of three that are heavily fortified (Manila and Zamboanga are the other two) that was built to protect the town from Muslim raiders, usually for the slave trade in Sulu. The belltower, built a few meters from the church has the Franciscan insignia.
Other than the wonderful facade, what makes this church special is the mosaic of different kinds of shells that adorns its baptistry and a side chapel that cannot be found nowhere else in the country. Just imagine cone shells, corals, bivalves, nautilus and many other shell species that just make up the beautiful design of butterflies and flowers.
Unfortunately for me, I was not able to take photos inside as the parish priest forbids taking of photos since a few years ago, a rash of thievery befell the churche’s furnishings and antique statues. The towns people are equally defensive.
The beautifully carved and intricately done front doors of the church that, as what the Lonely Planet guidebook for the Philippines wrote, Imelda Marcos once offered 2 million pesos to buy these for her collection.
This church is really a jewel and has been nominated for inclusion for the UNESCO World Heritage Site list under Baroque churches of the Philippines.
