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).

Cagayan Valley Churches, 4

My last stop before going back to Manila, I visited Echague expecting an old church however, I was very disappointed and sad to find that I was a couple of decades late. In its place are the ruins of the old brick church with its lower portions remaining while the old bells were displayed outside the modern structure.

At the side of this modern church, a newer church is being constructed.

My travel to the Cagayan Valley, specifically Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela was a wonderful cultural tour that the region has to offer. Unfortunately, the weather was not that good and I will have to schedule another trip especially that I would want to take more detailed photos of Tumauini. In the next trip, I do hope to do just that as well as visit the old horno or oven that was used to bake the bricks to build this church. Maybe pass by San Pablo and check out the other municipalities of Isabela for those quaint old churches.

Until the next trip.

Cagayan Valley Churches, 3

Our Lady of Atocha Church

A very impressive church just at the roadside in Alicia. Everytime I pass this highway, I can’t help but marvel at its beauty. That’s why I really planned to stop here and check it out. The church is impressive however, the interior has already been remodeled and the bell tower, new.

St. Rose of Lima Church

Another impressive church whose form calls to mind the one in Dupax del Sur. Very simple and really different from the usual brick church form like that of Alicia, Tumauini and Cauayan.

I was just able to pass by this cathedral along the highway just outside the main center of Ilagan. I’m quite impressed with the design and the rosettes that decorate the facade. A massive church, this was recently built.

Cagayan Valley Churches, 2

Tumauini, Cauayan City and Ilagan old brick churches are next…

San Matias Church

Probably the best brick church in the country and by the Dominicans! The first time I saw this church was a few years ago, still lugging a film camera, I visited this church on a whim when I had a scheduled training in Makati. I saw it in one of the books and its sight just blew me away! Now featured in the Smart - Department of Tourism commercial, I can’t just help but express awe once again when I visited this church for the second time. Its the unique artistic embellishments that decorate the facade, the seeming play by the designer, the massive rose window and the wedding cake like belfry that makes this church (started around 1780) very unique. I’m looking forward to go back to this church this month.

This church used to have an attached cemetery at its left flank but only a small portion of the fence remains. I was told by the parish priest that a few years back, a congressman took these ancient bricks to decorate their house in Manila.

Cauayan Church

I never thought that there exists a beautiful and old church in Cauayan City until I passed this and accidentally glanced to the right while riding the bus for my supposed trip to Ilagan for a night’s stay. I was just struck by its antiquated look that’s why I stopped at the bus terminal and booked a room in a hotel here. The church still retains its charms despite poor maintenance. Another stunning example of the Dominican’s brick churches that almost have the same template in architecture. The church is having a series of renovations in the interior. It has been expanded to hold a larger crowd but then, so is its centuries old walls falling under the expansionist’s plans.
As it was Sunday and the city’s people were going to mass, I saw this old lady, still dressed in the baro’t saya, the national dress that is just a rarity in modern Philippines unless its an event. But here? This is really a dying practice.

Ilagan Cathedral

At first I was disappointed that this might be a more recent church. However on close inspection, the facade and sides were renovated, its face covered with a layer of cement, painted and simplified. The original brick work can still be found in the interior and on the lateral side where the cement crumbled. Did the original was constructed in the same style as the rest of the brick churches in Cagayan Valley? That’s a question that I can’t answer at this time.

Walking around the church, I was quite excited to still see the perimeter as well as a small grotto of the once attached cemetery. It was common during the time of this church that the graveyard was just at the side and usually have cross bones motifs and decor, and in some cases, like that of Boljoon in Cebu, a skeleton holding a cane and a lamp guards the entrance. As for the one in Ilagan, a house now stands on the former cemetery with its remaining perimeter fence standing but slowly crumbling in disrepair.

Trip up north, 2

Despite being in a far place I still went to Jollibee to dine. Most of my sit down lunch, dinner and breakfasts were at this food chain. Well, one reason maybe that its fast. More than familiar, one can be assured that the food one ate is not contaminated. Anyway, not all naman were at this restaurant. Hmmm, let me see…

- burger at a burger joint

- Cindy’s in Cauayan*

- bought a couple of sandwiches at a store and ate lunch at the bus, and

- Pansit Cabagan (yummy!) at Solano in Nueva Vizcaya

*Cindy’s was once a popular food chain that can usually be found in Metro Manila. I still remember more than a few years back that they were even advertising on TV. But Jollibee and McDonalds really made headway that, alas, I’ve also found this fastfood chain in North and South Luzon.

In Cauayan City, Isabela, I had most of my food at Jollibee. Tried their new offering of crispy bangus (milkfish) belly…

…and a side macaroni salad that is reminiscent to that of Wendy’s (a copy cat?). While at Solano, I can’t resist but taste their special Pansit Cabagan, a famous noodle dish from Cabagan, Isabela. I searched for the Vietnamese stall that offered authentic Vietnamese noodles and french bread sandwiches but I was told that the Viet who managed it (originally, boat people who seeked asylum in the country before) already went back to their country.