Visitor in One's Neighborhood

CEBU, Philippines - Observing the Bisita Iglesia tradition, visiting several churches could have been the foremost reason for this Holy Week devotion but to satisfy one’s inquisitiveness, it likewise ended up with a jaunt to magnificent places in Liloan, Cebu.

After the buzz broke about the place almost two years ago, I have been looking forward to visit it. But for some, I failed...until now. The first stop: Papa Kit’s Marina and Fishing Lagoon, an ecotourism destination. In this place, I had several firsts.

Once in a while pushing one’s limit is needed for one to test some areas that are outside one’s comfort zones. Vigorous activities for a someone in his late 30s—and hypertensive – seem to be physically demanding.

Riding the zipline for the first time was shuddering…initial minutes caused minor chest pain… and then blood pressure shooting up. Calling all the saints in the world for help and asking pardon for choosing enjoyment first and placing religious obligation at the back seat, made me all the more diffident. End of my world? A feeling I never felt before. But overcoming it was my target. Indeed it was an exercise of mind over matter.

For 200 pesos, I braved the 800 meter ride which transcends the beautiful Silot Bay between two islets, the Chatis and Cadlum. The initial howl of excitement was replaced by a silent lull of amazement. Traversing from one islet to the other is akin to witnessing God’s wonderful creation – truly blissful! Who could have thought that just right here in one’s own “backyard,” you could enjoy something comparable to those highly hyped adventure destinations. After a few minutes, a second round was all the more beyond compare!

While in the place, I had another first—horseback riding.   For a few minutes, the wide fish pond near a mangrove plantation filled me with awe, and I luckily witnessed the fish feeding

Adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers can look forward to new features like the rooms for overnight stay, and the rock climbing facility which may be ready for summer.

A Liloan stop would never be complete without dropping by the landmark Parola or lighthouse, designed to emit light as an aid to maritime pilots at sea. It sits in panoramic splendor, overlooking the vast waters with ships passing by. Located in Bagacay, Barangay Catarman, it was built in 1904.

The Parola serves as a “living” reminder of three generational dominions: The Spaniards (1521-1898), the Japanese (1942-1945) and the Americans (1898-1946). The liberation forces of American troops who were dispersed to fight the Japanese in the northern towns landed along the beaches of Barrio Bagacay. Interestingly, a much older watchtower close to the edge of the Mactan Channel stands in ruins, a remnant of the Spanish era. 

The final destination was the San Fernando Rey Church—centuries old, just one of the many churches in the whole province, yet it is one of the most intriguing and unique among all of them.

“Built in 1847, two years after the formal creation of Liloan as a parish, it was named after Saint Ferdinand III, a King of Castile and Leon in Spain. Ferdinand III has been credited for much of the recapture of Spain from the Moors, a conquest in which Ferdinand III spent most of his time as king”.

The most perplexing feature is its orientation as its back is facing the sea, while the front door is built facing the mountains. Can’t help but compare it with my hometown’s century-old church in Anda, Bohol that is facing the sea. “If you look carefully at as many churches in the Philippines, you’ll find that most Catholic churches built during the Spanish era are built facing the sea but yet San Fernando Rey is built differently”.

Many theories have been put forth about the orientation of the church, yet none of them has been proven or has been accepted as official explanation. “One of the widely known theories — and the most plausible — is that the church’s designers may have intended that to shield people from the glare and heat of the rising sun during morning services…We may never know the reason behind this, but this is what makes San Fernando Rey interesting”.

Size is another interesting feature of the church. By the time of its construction, Liloan had significantly lesser population than Mandaue, of which it used to be part of. Yet, the San Fernando Rey Church was built to be bigger than the church of Mandaue. Curiously, these days, more than a hundred years since its construction, the church still has a lot of space for the faithful even though Liloan’s population has grown exponentially after a century. Because of this, some people consider the builders and designers of San Fernando Rey Church as having extraordinary vision and foresight”.

A stranger no more in the neighborhood, what supposedly was a religious Lenten experience had taken me to a higher level of distinctive perspective. We may view diverse experiences depending on how we value them. But to me, what we have, including our past, have religious, cultural, historical and tourism significance and appeal. Sadly, we locals tend to take it for granted. In some cases, we only start to appreciate our wonderful past only after outsiders have noticed it. (FREEMAN)