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).

Tiresome weekend

Just got back midnight from a tiresome trip in Cagayan Valley (again!) to document the churches that will be included in an upcoming coffetable book that will be published end of the year. From Dupax del Sur, to Bambang, to Bayombong then the cathedral in Tuguegarao and ending with Tumauini, I’ve gone back again to these churches (except for Bambang that I haven’t yet visited) to get those architecturally correct exposures as well as record the rich details of the facade using the newly acquired (yet second hand) 70 - 200mm f/4 L. A weekend would have sufficed but when I reached Dupax and Bayombong, as well as Tumauini, the angle of the sun was just way off from what I saw when I was last in these places. Especially with Bayombong, it was already around 1030H in the morning and the light was not just wonderful. The cathedral in Tuguegarao on the other hand was jazzed up with banderitas, in time for the Sambali Festival which commemorated the 423rd founding anniversary of the city. Not sure if this will be acceptable but I might be required to capture it again when the buntings are already removed.

The trip was just too tiresome, more than ten hours spent on the road, one way and makes one’s ass ache.

Please read and sign this petition to save our churches!

I’ve already signed up. This is a very important petition in the name of Philippine cultural heritage. Please spread the word. We need to act fast before its too late!

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http://www.petitiononline.com/cbcp/

Almost every town in the Philippines has at least one church built during the Spanish colonial period, all of which are inherent parts of the architectural heritage of Filipinos and stand as testaments to the excellence and creativity of Filipino artisans and craftsmen of yesteryears who labored to create these works of art.

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My photo work in the April issue of Enterprise Magazine

The 3rd anniversary issue of the Enterprise Magazine (Vol 4, Issue 1, April 2006) features seven Cavite churches in time for the Visita Iglesia. These churches are in Bacoor, Kawit, General Trias, Ternate, Maragondon, Indang and Silang and authored by Richard Burgos.

Originally, we’ve visited 8 churches but I don’t know why Naic was not included. Also, my photos were cropped, a usual casualty due to space constraints.

Anyway, its a very nice feeling to see one’s work published in a magazine with nationwide circulation

The cover of the latest magazine featuring PLDT’s Manny Pangilinan.

Left, interior of Indang Church where a mass was ongoing when we visited this place. Right, the churches in Bacoor and Kawit.

Left, the churches of General Trias and Maragondon. Right, the facade of the churches in Indang and Ternate.

The facade of Silang Church.

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.