Got published at DBP Western Highway Traveler

The first time I got to visit Iloilo and Guimaras Island was way back in 2008. I got enthralled with both places then, and had been itching to set foot again. Two years came by, after so many plans to go back, nothing materialized.

Early this morning I received a package from the publisher. The copies I have been eager to get hold of. Three glossy magazines the size of a notebook. I immediately skimmed to where my photos at, reminiscing the places I've been to as I flipped page after page.

I got to taste local cuisine, visit churches and cemeteries, got access to private museums, the usual tourist traps like malls, parks and beaches, met new friends, etc. In short, I had a blast!

Thanks to Bernie Arellano for showing me around.

  

  

The Great Houses of Carcar get NHI markers

A feat shared by no other town in Cebu, the city of Carcar remains to be the destination of choice for those who want to learn both history and culture. The houses for one, built in the 19^th century, have been maintained and their distinct styles endure amidst the ravages of natural and man-made undoing.

Four of these houses have already been included in the list for protection in 4 September, 2009 though unveiled only last 30 May, 2010 by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines NHCP (formerly the National Historical Institute), headed by Chairman Ambeth Ocampo. Indeed, it is a notable achievement for the owners of Balay nga Tisa (Sarmiento-Osmeña House), Dakong Balay (Florencio Noel House), Silva Ancestral House, and the Mercado Mansion as their hard work and patience finally paid off.

A walk along the heritage trail of Carcar

As early as eight in the morning members of the Carcar Heritage Conservation Society (CHCS) arrived and were ushered to the azotea, where a hearty breakfast of Filipino fare was served. The Balay nga Tisa, as it is fondly called, has hosted numerous gatherings since Don Roman Sarmiento and Doña Ana Canarias built it in 1859. Today it is co-owned by cousins Manuel Valencia Castro and Marc Valencia Vanzwoll, whom have zealously kept the tradition.

Santa Catalina Street is dotted with numerous houses from various periods. On one side of the street, coral stone houses are lined up, while on another side are the richly-decorated American period homes.

From Balay nga Tisa everyone walked to the Dakong Balay, which originally belonged to Don Florencio Mercado Noel. Present owner and CHCS Public Relations Officer, Jerry Martin Noel Alfafara, left Chicago and resettled in Carcar just to take care of the house.

A road-widening project in 2002 would have wiped out several houses along J. Rizal Street. The Silva Ancestral House and the Mercado Mansion would no longer be in existence today had the project realized.

The paintings inside the Silva Ancestral house, designed by Benito Silva and Rev. Fr. Anastacio del Corro in 1883, is reminiscent of the ones found inside St. Catherine of Alexandria church and convent. At present it is under the care of Zarah Silva Castro, also of CHCS.

Across the Silva Ancestral House is the Mercado Mansion, home of Don Mariano Mercado who is remembered for initiating other well-know Carcar landmarks such as the Rotunda, the Dispensary and the Rizal Monument. The house is maintained by Catalina Lucero together with her daughters Luz Lucero and Elsa Yared.

Heightened awareness

Manuel V. Castro in his acceptance speech said, “These markers symbolize the trust the NHCP accorded us, and also our commitment to our fellow Carcaranons and the Filipino people, to continuously protect and preserve our heritage... Let this also be the beginning of heightened awareness for the preservation of ancestral houses, public buildings, monuments, century-old Acacia trees, that will make us proud of Carcar as a heritage site.”

These houses are the first privately-owned houses in Cebu to be recognized by NHCP as National Historical Landmarks. The first marker unveiled in Carcar was at the Pantaleon “Leon Kilat” Villegas’ Monument middle of 2009.

The turn-over of four markers set another challenge to Carcaranons to protect and preserve their tangible heritage. More than 40 heritage structures in Carcar remain and need to be safeguarded.

NHI to turn-over markers to four Carcar Houses

Owners of four houses and all Carcaranons will finally get to see National Historical Institute markers that weigh an average of 40 kilos, bolted in on walls made of coral stone.

I got the chance to document workers attaching the cast iron markers yesterday at Balay nga Tisa (Sarmiento-Osmena House), Ang Dakong Balay (Don Florencio Noel House), Silva House and Mercado Mansion.

On Saturday, 29 May 2010 at 9:00 in the morning these markers will be available for the public to see. Joining the VIP list are Honorable Ambeth R. Ocampo, Chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and Director Ludouico D. Badoy, also of NHCP. Local officials, members of the Carcar Heritage Conservation Society, friends and relatives of the owners, and Cebu City heritage advocates will also grace the event.

Jerry Martin Alfafara, present owner of the Florencio Noel House mentioned that it took him about ten years to have the markers put realized but worth the wait. These houses will now be protected by law.

The first NHI Marker unveiled in Carcar was at the Leon Kilat Monument in 2009.

   

Balaanong Bahandi exhibit until August 3, 2009

50 select images are now on display at the Cathedral Museum. 1,000 images more will appear in the book aptly called "BALAANONG BAHANDI: Sacred Treasures of the Archdiocese of Cebu."

Reserve yourself a copy of this much-awaited book at a discounted price of only P1, 500. Discount will be given until August 30, 2009.

Balaanong Bahandi soon to be launched

To mark the Diamond Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Cebu, the Cathedral Museum of Cebu and the Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church will soon launch the book Balaanong Bahandi: Sacred Treasures of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Published in collaboration with University of San Carlos Press, Balaanong Bahandi continues the pioneering work of Fr. Felipe Redondo who first chronicled the history of the Catholic Faith in Cebu through the book entitled “Breve reseña de lo que fue y de lo que es la Diócesis de Cebú en las Islas Filipinas” published in 1886.

With excerpts from a translation of Redondo’s magnum opus, over 1,000 full color photographs interspersed with vintage pictures in 58 chapters bring together the Church’s treasured heritage: houses of faith that have not only withstood the vagaries of time and the elements but spawned new parishes.

Balaanong Bahandi is the ultimate guide to the Archdiocese’s architectural heritage, showcasing all the churches in Cebu from the earliest missions to contemporary parishes, including all of the outstanding artistry they contain: bas reliefs expressed in coral stone, carved images in ivory and wood, ceiling paintings by the famed Canuto Avila and Raymundo Francia, handwritten pages in canonical books, bronze bells, and many other tangible manifestations of over 400 years of Christianity in Cebu.

To help raise funds for the book, a month-long exhibition of 50 of the hundreds of select photographs in the book will be held at the Cathedral Museum of Cebu to be opened on July 3, 2009. The exhibit opening will also coincide with pre-selling of the upcoming book at discounted rates.

By purchasing copies in advance, buyers not only get a 20 percent discount on the 300-page full color book, they will also share in the noble task of promoting and ensuring the protection and preservation of Cebu’s heritage churches as proceeds from sales will go to the Cathedral Museum of Cebu Trust Fund and the heritage conservation programs of the Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.

Jojo R. Bersales

Editor/Project Coordinator

Keeper of the Sinulog

We Cebuanos know by heart the "two-steps forward and the one-step backward" movement of the Sinulog. That it is the grand annual festival held every third Sunday of January. That it is celebrated in honor of the Santo Niño.

One person though treasures more the sound and the movement like how her father, Buenaventura Diola taught her as a child. Estelita Diola or better known as Nang Titang faithfully kept the Sinulog in its truest form. Her undying passion resonates, reaching the deepest emotions of those who hear the steady rhythm of her drum.

Now at 80 years she continues to pass on the veritable legacy to the new generation.

Scenes at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño on the 2nd day of the novena

The midday sun did not hinder the gathering of more devotees on the second day of the novena. A sea of colorful umbrellas filled the pilgrim center as each mass progressed. All unmindful of the heat, so long as they pay homage to the Holy Child.

Sto. Niño images of all sizes and colors are blessed at the end of each mass. Almost all homes even in the farthest islands in the Philippines have their own version of the Niño.

The Gozos: Bato balani sa Gugma or magnet of love is a prayer-song that fills all churchgoers with emotions when sung. They raise their hands in praise of the Holy Child.

Quick visit to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño

A few days before the novenario starts I made a quick visit to the Basilica early this morning to see how things are going in preparation for the annual fiesta. While today everything was in order, expect that it will turn the other way around as more people will be trooping as days near the fiesta every third Sunday of January. Buntings are now up and security measures are a bit more stringent than before.

I consider Saturdays as normal days for the Basilica as compared to Fridays where it is very crowded early morning up to the last novena mass in the evening. Majority of those visitors on Saturdays are tourists and of all them Koreans number the most. Often they come in groups, noisy and loud, disrupting the sacred place. I read recently in the papers that the administrators of the Basilica are enforcing a stricter rule on those going inside: no wearing of sleeveless shirts and shorts.

Tourism has also its downsides.

Revisiting Argao church

No doubt, the town of Argao has one of the best churches in Cebu. I have always wanted to see the church all over again without the Sunday church-going crowd. The weather hasn't been good the past few days as a slight drizzle early that morning made me think twice about going there. There's no begging off after all, I commited to do a wedding engagement shoot for my aunt's colleague a day earlier. I am no wedding photographer and weddings are not my specialty but sometimes you just cannot refuse those kinds of requests.

The present church of St. Michael the Archangel recently hugged the limelight after a priest decided to paint the main altar gold without even consulting the right people to do such. An undertaking frowned upon be heritage conservation advocates.

Cebu Heritage Advocates Night

For the first time, heritage advocacy groups of Cebu came in full force for a night of great food, music and simply the love for heritage. The Cathedral Museum of Cebu and the Yap-Sandiego House were the perfect venues for the casual affair. Though some came garbed in their best Filipiniana, the rest were in their most comfortable wear but nevertheless, the moonlit Sunday night turned out to be one of the most memorable for us this year as another milestone came into fruition.

A Federation of Cebu Heritage Advocates will soon be created from the groups that came last night. Taytayan, the Carcar Heritage Conservation Society, SkyScrapercity.com-Cebu, Hambin, the Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Cofradia de San Juan Bautista & the Casa Gorordo Museum will each have their representation in the said federation.

Good luck to all of us!

Balay na Tisa Collection

A token to add to the Balay na Tisa collection of Sta. Catalina images now on temporary display at the Carcar City Museum.

Copy of a painting by Spanish Renaissance painter Fernando Yáñez de la Almedina at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Embroidery by Raffy Lopez in stylized Kabkad fern commonly found in Carcar. Nakar shells done by James Yee.

Carcar, Cebu, Philippines