The living gospel of the Mt. Pinatubo Hidden Temple Shrine

On the 60-foot high Shrine hill considered an open-air basilica is where we welcome the yearly Easter pilgrimage to the Mt. Pinatubo Hidden Temple Shrine. Since 1992, I have been the chairperson of the Mt. Pinatubo Hidden Temple Shrine and Community Foundation, with my husband Max V. Soliven as the Honorary Chair and Richard Gordon as co-chair. Later, Felicito “Tong” Payumo as SBMA Chairman became the co-chair with Max. (Max passed away in 2007.) Commodore Feliciano “Fil” G. Salonga has always been the MPHTS Board President until now that he is the SBMA Chairman.

Yearly during Easter and Christmas, busloads of pilgrims accompanied by our teachers would join special celebrations with local farmers (unats and kulots) from five sitios of San Marcelino, usually numbering an average of 300 to 400. In 2000, DILG officials from Region 3 came for Christmas, while in April 2002, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself led the pilgrims to celebrate post Easter and her birthday.

Speaking from my heart, I speak spontaneously to the pilgrims in English and Filipino. For Easter, I would speak this way:

Ang bagong anyo ng pagkabuhay

“Mahal kong kababayan, nagtitipon na naman tayo sa dambana ng Mt. Pinatubo Hidden Temple Shrine. Pinagdiriwang natin ang muling pagkabuhay ng ating Hesu Kristo. Masdan n’yo Siya kasama ng Mahal na Ina! Buhay na buhay, makapangyarihan at ngumingiti sa ating lahat. (I point up to the 13-foot statue of Our Lord and His Mother Mary. Their blue robes and wind-blown golden capes sparkling in the sun.) Mapalad na bayang Pilipinas. Bumaba ang Diyos sa gitna nang sakuna nang pagsabog ng Mt. Pinatubo volcano. Ipinatapat pa Niya ang banal Niyang dambana sa bulkan. Dalawamput-isang kilometro lamang ang layo. How blessed is our country for divinity has descended to make humanity ascend.

“Mabuhay na sana muli si Hesu Kristo sa ating kalooban at isipan! Nagpakita Siya sa kanyang mga apostoles ngunit hindi Siya makilala nila. Noong pagkapako at pagkamatay ng Panginoon sa bundok ng Kalbaryo ay nagulo si San Pedro at ang kanyang mga kasamahan. Lahat sila ay nagsi-alis at nagtago maliban lang kay San Juan, kung kanino hinabilin ni Hesus ang kanyang Mahal na Ina.

“The resurrected Lord was not a ghost. He had a solid but glorified body. He joined the picnic with His apostles. He ate the food. During supper, He finally revealed Himself to the apostles. Since St. Thomas came in late, he did not believe that the Lord has come back to life. Thus Our Lord invited him to come near and see His body closely. Thomas saw the wounds of His hands, His feet and the pierced side of His body… As his faith was restored, he humbly fell down on his knees and penitently said, “My Lord and My God…” From then on the apostles’ zest for the holy mission revived.

He would have been the greatest political campaigner… but

“Sa mundong ito sinilang ang ating Panginoon. Diyos na naging tao. For three years according to the holy gospels, He was a Master Teacher, a Healer, and a Miracle Worker. After the age of 12, when Jesus announced that He must be with His Father’s business, the gospel accounts are silent about Our Lord’s activities until He was 30 years old.” (The so-called Aquarian Gospels however record his missionary work, journeys and various meetings with different religious leaders from the Middle East to Asia.)

In this coming national elections, we note how politicians are spending so much for campaign materials in print, radio and television. “Kung buhay si Hesus ngayon sa panahon ng kampanya, walang duda na Siya ang magiging pinakamagaling na tagatalumpati. Di katulad ng ating mga politiko sa ngayon, itong pangangampanya ni Hesus Kristo ay hindi pang-sarili. Ito ay para sa Kaharian ng ating Amang Diyos.

“Not only was He a speaker that spoke spiritual truths, His compassionate heart went out to the ailing: the deaf, He made them hear; the blind, He made them see; and the dumb, He made them speak. Frequently, He exorcised the devil from the bodies of many. If He were a typical politician, He would use them for publicity. Instead He reminded them not to reveal to anyone who healed them. His fame as a miracle worker spread quickly after His first miracle at His cousin’s wedding at Cana. He converted water into the best wine the guests had ever tasted.” (There are four miraculous springs around the Palan Shrine.)

One day, He found himself surrounded by 5,000 people on a hill, just like the Palan hill. Since the crowd has been watching and listening to Him throughout the day, they were hungry. He asked His disciples what food can be given to them. They replied, “only seven loaves of bread and two fishes.” He gave orders for them to be distributed. The disciples were amazed that all 5,000 ate well, and leaving 12 more extra baskets of food. (Today, the lahar soil is fertile enough to produce cash crop vegetables.)

Palan on its 18th year

In January, in anticipation of our forthcoming 18th year celebration, our special Shrine team of ECO managers, Ilocano-speaking teachers, and engineers did a survey of the residents of the Hidden Temple Shrine land area. Olive Lumanta, my assistant, a Zambalena from San Antonio, reported that except for five families, the rest of the original settlers who use a forest lease permit to farm it have dispersed to the bigger sitios of Palayan and San Rafael. Their children frequent schools in Sitios Dalanawan and Macarang.

Pempe Floriano, our Shrine sculptor, who has related closely with the community, since he would spend two weeks preparing the Shrine for Easter and Christmas, also joined them.

They also called on San Marcelino Mayor Joe Rodriguez, who has informed his council members of our plan to revive sustainable development projects for the Palan residents through the guidance of Kasetsart University Professor Charu-phant ‘Noi’ Thongtham, the Thai Royal Project Director. Since 1992 when the Shrine started, the same mayor alternating with his wife has governed San Marcelino, part of the third congressional district. Congresswoman Kate Gordon though has been replaced by Congresswoman Mitos Magsaysay.

British paramedic pledges himself to the mission of the shrine

Peter John Robinson, 62-year-old, was a Paramedic Fire Reserve Officer for 10 years in the United Kingdom: “I was blessed to do such work. Although very hard at times, the lives that I saved over those years have humbled me. I know that God has placed me here to do His work in helping the people in Palan.”

“I also have the ability to apply technology to raise chickens on a small commercial and food supplement basis. If this is implemented, families in Palan under my guidance will benefit not only on a dietary sense, but also in a monetary one, too, so they can get their children educated.”

“This is a long-term project and must be approached as such. For instance, the chicken project, after the initial capital investment becomes self-supporting and these people, under my monitoring, would be able to support themselves.”

“The finance involved is modest; using local Aeta workforce and local materials, the cost of construction can be kept to a minimum.”

“I have tried and tested my method in another part of Zambales, successfully, and therefore know that it works. Growing vegetables here is a challenge, but as in Baguio, the land can support the growth of more expensive varieties of vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, large tomatoes, and lettuce. At the moment, the local folks harvest locally grown native vegetables, like gabi, bananas, etc. Then, they travel on a daily basis to the markets and sell their crops to finance their needs.”

“With correct training, which I am capable of giving, they can improve their production and quality of goods that they sell and therefore improve their lifestyle. This would mean that I would be working with them on a daily basis, making sure that the ‘rules’ of growing were followed. I am willing to volunteer this skills and require no financial rewards, only the monetary support for wages for the workers, and costs of seeds, etc.”

The Palan pilgrims’ prayers ignite God’s promise of inner transformation

Curious about the effect of the 18-year old Shrine on the new and old pilgrims, I requested some of the pilgrims to write down the spiritual experiences they have.

A young librarian writes: “This is not my first time to visit Palan but this is the most memorable. This pilgrimage has touched my life in a simple yet special way. I do not say that I have become a better person – NO! But one thing is sure, it has strengthened my relationship with God.”

“I used to laugh at our traditional ‘fanaticism’ during Lent. Generation after generation of Filipinos patiently mumbling prayer from church to church, during the Good Friday procession, etc.

“The moment I tried to trudge downhill to the shrine the whole life and death of Jesus flashed instantly in my mind. Every step I made allowed me to praise God, accept my unworthiness and be sorry for my sins. I asked help and guide through Mother Mary’s intercession.

“While others complained of the heat and dust, I experienced a calming effect. It made me realize that no matter what happens, someone great is waiting for me at the end of the path.”

I was touched by the simple testimonies of faith by the young pilgrims. For instance, many mothers had arguments with their husbands about going on this long distance trip; others had children who suddenly became ill, while another suffered from a weak heart. But lo and behold, when they arrived at the Shrine they seem to enter a new world free from worry. They were just aware of God’s presence. Upon returning home they cheerfully related to their husbands their experiences, found their children recovered from illness, and their body aches gone. Truly they received the blessing of Easter.

(For more information or reaction, please e-mail at exec@obmontessori. edu.ph or [email protected])