The stands of chicos trees in Compostela are a common sight.

Cebu Ocho. The island province of Cebu can be toured around in two days with minimal stopovers. And that's what we did.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

Fishermen after a morning's catch find time to rest and enjoy the water in Danao City. Click on photo for larger image.

We woke early than usual for the roadtrip to the northern part of Cebu, the second and final leg in our attempt to tour the entire island via it’s coastal roads. It’s a much longer route, more rough and more interesting for me. Earlier, we did the southern end. This, I fondly call Cebu Ocho, in reference to the route we took that resembles the number 8.

Compared with the south, northern Cebu is the least developed and not as familiar. In the northwest side, some portions of the road are not paved and with the looming elections, work is underway. What it lacks in infrastructure, it compensates with it’s natural beauty. The simple and hardy Cebuano life is lived here with grace, humility and strength.

Children enjoying a dip at Danao's fish wharf. Click photo for a larger image.

The trip really starts once you get past the city of Mandaue and the town of Consolacion, and to some extent, Liloan where it’s just like any other populated place near the city. The beautiful stands of chicos trees distributed in patches along the highway in Compostela sets the tone. I can always remember the large brown fruits of the ponderosa variety, that came from this municipality during my childhood.

In Danao, the seascape is just stunning as fishermen go about their daily routine. Small bancas juxtapose with the larger fishing boats while the huge wooden motorized pumpboats arrive with their passangers and goods from Camotes islands. But you should be there early in the morning or else, such scenery is gone by noon. On a good day, the sea is placid casting an almost mirror image of the sky. Looking for handmade guns locally called paltik? You can’t find it bannered along the road unless you go to the hinterland barangays where it’s an underground and illegal industry.

Pristine, white sandy beaches is all your's for the taking in Daan Bantayan.

In Bogo's main plaza, this train, used to transport sugar from the fields to the processing plant, is on display. Click on photo for a larger image.

The town of Catmon brings you to roads that provides sheer drops to the sea before entering the rolling hills of Borbon and Tabogon. Winding and rising in elevation, the vehicle slows. Roll down your windows, shut the aircon and just enjoy the view and the fresh air before motoring back to flat land.

The pride of Bogo, Flash Elorde was a native son and in the city's museum, some of his memorabilia, including this belt, is on display. Click on photo for larger image.

North Cebu has the largest flat area in the province that is ideal for one major crop: sugar. It was introduced by the Spaniards during the late 19th century in the entire island that it became one of the top producer of the commodity competing with the then reigning queen, Iloilo. Today, the sugar industry is concentrated in this area.

When traveling the city of Bogo and the towns of Daan Bantayan, Medellin and San Remegio, you can be forgiven for thinking that you’re passing through Negros as a big swathe of land is transformed into sugarcane fields that seem to stretch out into the horizon. When it’s harvest season, sacadas are busy cutting and transporting the canes while before planting, hills are aflame to prepare the land.

Beyond the sugarfields, the beaches are in abundance and one can either chose to go to the many resorts or stop in some lonely sandy stretch. If it’s during weekdays, you can have it all to yourself. The north is also the gateway to the popular vacation islands of Bantayan and Malapascua.

The "pangpang" or cliff in Tapilon, Daan Bantayan where the original "bantayan sa hari" used to stand.

A word about Daan Bantayan. It’s the Cebuano phrase which translates to old watchtower. The municipality got it’s name from the bantayan sa hari, literally, the king’s watchtower or king’s sentinel. The stone structure used to stand above this hill in Tapilon overlooking the sea keeping watch of invading muslim slave raiders that ravaged the Philippine archipelago, and especially Cebu, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Unfortunately, I find it sad that the people in this town, especially the younger ones don’t know the significance of the hill or of the former watchtower. They don’t even know why their town is called Daan Bantayan even if it is in the municipal government’s logo. When I asked around, people just scratch their heads or give back blank stares. At the tourism office, you can’t find posted information about the etymology. All they have are images of Malapascua, other beaches and islands.

A gasoline station in Tabuelan. The fuel is sold by the liter but at a premium.

Life is simple and mundane as a man transports his goat in Tuburan. Click on photo for a larger image.

The road past San Remegio, into the municipality of Tabuelan is forlorn. Welcome to terra incognita. Okay, I might be saying it too much but it’s not really a big exaggeration. Just a small one. Well paved and a few bad roads are deserted with the occasional (and exasperating) Corominas Brothers, or the yellow Pesiao buses that ply the route.

Habalhabal motorcycles, are familiar transport here and you might find unconventional gasoline stations at the road. At first, you would be asking why they’re selling softdrinks in only one liter bottles and in different colors. If you ask for an ice cold one, laughs and grins greet as they tell you that these are gasoline. With fuel stations located only in the town centers of Tuburan and Asturias, you don’t have much option but to buy overpriced drinks for your vehicle.

Charcoal making in Asturias involves burning wood inside a mound of soil for six days. Click on photo for larger image.

Along the road, many surprises and curiosities pass that sometimes, you’ll just have to stop, take a photo or ask about it. In one instance, a man was transporting his goat atop his bike that I pulled over and snapped an image. In another, I got curious with what two men were doing under the shade of a mango tree tending a huge mound of earth with smoke coming from the ground. So that’s how they make charcoal!, I exclaimed after one explained it to me. In a shallow pit, chopped wood is put on fire and then covered with soil. For the next six days, yes, 6, they tend to this to get a consistent burn.

Mangroves are a common sight in Cebu especially at the northern part. In Asturias, this girl contented herself with staying on one of the trees while her playmates were enjoying the water.

A rest house on an isle a few meters from the coast in Asturias. On a clear day, northwestern Cebu provides a good view of Mt. Canlaon in Negros. Click on photo for larger image.

One thing that a traveler can readily notice while doing the North Cebu route are the presence of mangrove patches along the coast, especially at the western side. While it is difficult to find old stands, there are many young trees that have, obviously, been planted a few years ago. And this is a good thing. The people here, dependent on the sea to make a living, are environmentally aware and recognizes the importance of these buffer zones.

North Cebu particularly the western side, might not be as developed as the rest of the province, but I really had fun. Life is simple and uncomplicated. People are friendly and it has enough surprises that makes traveling here enjoyable.

At the southern tip of Cebu, in Santander, white sands and pristine waters can be found while the familiar mountains of Southern Negros dominated by the Cuernos Mountains comes into view.

Cebu Ocho. The island province of Cebu can be toured around in two days with minimal stopovers. And that's what we did.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

Cebu is an island and the surrounding sea is rich in marine life. Early in the morning, it's a common sight to see fishermen coming in from a dawn catch. Click on photo for a larger image.

Our vehicle sped, tracing the wide cement and asphalt road down south in the first leg of our Cebu Ocho. Concrete houses and buildings gave way to wooden ones, open fields and rolling hills. As we pushed through, kilometer by kilometer, town by town, rural Cebu is unfolding. It’s ruggedness fascinating and it’s bucolic sceneries, breathtaking.

Tourists and travelers don’t get to experience the real Cebu. They just confine themselves within the four corners of their hotel rooms as well as the predictability, comforts and triteness of the city. For most, it’s the highlight of their visit without really knowing what’s beyond the perimeter of the concrete jungle, and thus missing out the real Cebuano character of thriving in adversity and persevering despite the odds.

The island is not as fertile as Negros which has been blessed with soil enriched by a millenia of volcanic eruptions. It is a sliver of land that is mostly elevated limestone, a testament to its geological past. Of the few remaining flat lands, it is hardy that it can only support limited kind of crops. Because of these circumstances, the Cebuano is left with no choice but to look out to the sea or confront and strive to thrive in these conditions.

The white surface of a limestone cliff along the highway tells the traveller that he is nearing the old town of Boljoon. it is one of the scenic spots in the south.

An afternoon stroll infront of the Oslob church is refreshing and soothing. Click on photo for a larger image.

South Cebu is no exception. Most of it’s land area is mountainous and inhospitable. Roads wind, rise and drop as one drives through but it has one of the beautiful landscapes in the province. Around two hours from the city, the approach to Boljoon is one example.

From a high elevation, the seascape is just breathtaking. One then goes down through curving roads cut through the side of a limestone cliff at the right and the left opens to the sea with a low vertical drop. And suddenly, rounding off the massive chalk of a rocky face, into a cove, the small town of Boljoon comes into view. The waters are just pristine with small bancas anchored a few meters from the coastline. Small houses line the road and then, the centuries old coral stone church looms at the end of a clearing. Awesome!

Decades old acacia trees line the road near the church of Nueva Caceres in Oslob, an old settlement.

The roads in southern Cebu are well paved and with less vehicles. In Asturias, the branches of trees at both sides of the road meet and form an arch. Click on the photo for a larger image.

The southern part has one of the most pleasant drives I had in the province. Well paved and wide roads is almost always empty except for the occassional bus plying the route. Tricycles as well as passenger multicabs pass from time to time but it is often all yours. Human traffic is also at a minimum.

However, even if there are few vehicles, speed limits are not often observed and with many blind curves. Couple this with the people’s lax attitude in these parts and it can be disastrous. A few years ago, I was speeding near Oslob and suddenly, a child crossed the street. It sent me shaking with fear. Well, unless you are in Tuburan.

In many parts, large, decades, and perhaps, even centuries old trees line the sides and a brief stop under the shade is always advisable.

The western part of Cebu has beautiful and pristine beaches I have seen in the province. These are mostly undeveloped with very few or no bathers at all.

A beautifully carved part of a banca along the coast of Barili. Some are in the form of birds and other animals. Click on photo for a larger image.

One thing that will easily catch a traveler’s attention are the pristine and beautiful beaches along the road. There are white sandy coastlines or the ordinary brown and black ones with their occasional bathers and frolickers but most of the time, empty. These are undeveloped, with no resorts or huts or other familiar amenities but still inviting. I can’t just help think that the people living here are really blessed. In other places, people pay to enter into resorts but here, one can just stop, go down and enjoy the sea.

Fishing is a fact of life here but in one stopover, where bancas were lined, I was just surprised and impressed that some parts had beautiful carvings on them. There is always room for artistic expression and Cebuanos are known for it. During low tide in the afternoon, its easy to spot shell gatherers at the shallow waters.

Market day in Dalaguete brings out produce and livestock from the surrounding barrios.

A fruit stall along the highway sells backyard produce at very cheap prices. Click on photo for a larger image.

Market day in towns bring out goods and produce and a clearing beside the market can transform into a thriving spot where livestock and bundles of vegetables and fruits are haggled and sold. Piglets in sacks are bought for a future celebration while a herd of goats are tied to a tree trunk waiting for a good price.

Along the road, it is common to see many stalls selling cheap fruits from the backyard and in such stop, one big jackfruit can be yours for as low as 30 pesos. It’s that affordable.

The south of Cebu is rugged but beautiful. It brings you to another face of the province that most travelers and visitors often fail to see. It is a simple but hardy life that molds the persevering spirit of the Cebuanos.

After more than three hours trip to the south, one can't help but stop and admire the coastal beauty in Oslob.

Road trips are always a treat for me. You not only get to see more of the country and know more about the people, but you are humbled to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around yourself. That there are bigger things beyond the city or travel should not be limited to tourist traps and staying at a posh hotel. It’s more than that and the south of Cebu is one good place to go.

I got featured at the Philippine Daily Inquirer issue of 17 May 09, Sunday Lifestyle Travel section, page H-4

It’s not always that one gets to be interviewed and featured at the same time in the Philippines’ widest circulating broadsheet, the Philippine Daily Inquirer but yesterday, 17 May 09, at the Sunday Lifestyle Travel section, it finally appeared, almost full page.

I was first sent a text message by a former coworker from Public Affairs last year who told me that a writer of the broadsheet, Angge Goloy, was interested to interview me. She saw one of my mountaineering photos, blown up and hung at the department’s meeting room, asked about it and learned about me. A few months later, we were seated at Figaro in Shangrila Mall. Yesterday morning, while I was in transit to Cebu from Cagayan de Oro on a slow moving Trans-Asia ship, she texted me that it finally went to press. Presto! I just got really excited.

Well, the article really is a brief history of my career change plus some info. It was placed under the Travel section, which, well, good. It not only discussed this new phase of my life but includes my beetle collecting endeavor too.

There were some slight errors but not big enough to change things but I should correct these:

• I wasn’t able to update her about the Jakarta Biennale XIII 2009 which was postponed
• The name of Fr. Galenda should be Fr. Galende
• The output of the Singapore International Photography Festival Southeast Asian Workshop is not the Mapping Invisible Cities work which was a separate exhibition and has been on tour within the region since last year.

For those of you who have missed the print version, check it online.

A flagellant during pre-Good Friday preparations.

Sorry guys, I’m really very busy right now with a deadline. Cebu Ocho will continue, hopefully, by next week. For the meantime, enjoy and reflect on a semana santa series which I did and is my major story for my final portfolio in the Diploma in Photojournalism class (ACFJ-Ateneo de Manila University) which ended two weeks ago. By the way, this is only a slideshow.

I went back to Infanta, Quezon last April to do my major photo story as a requirement of my diploma course. This time, I spent several days documenting the preparation and actual activity that culminated on Good Friday. I have posted about this ritual here previously, which detailed my experiences and observations.

This was first posted in estancabigas.com, my portfolio site.

An electric post amidst the wide expanse of a sugarcane field that marks the landscape of northern Cebu, legacy of the sugar industry started during the second half of the 19th century when the province was one of the top suppliers of sugar during the Spanish colonization period.

The island province of Cebu can actually be toured around in two short days with minimal stopovers. And that's what we did.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

The slice of island that is Cebu province can actually be toured around for two short days. With minimal stopovers, it’s a wonderful opportunity to familiarize oneself with the various terrains, towns, people and heritage treasures that abound. What’s more, except for some few kilometers in the northwest, the roads are well maintained and comfortable.

This was what we did when me and my family decided to do a road trip. Nothing planned or strict itineraries to follow but we just had the road before us to trace and kilometer after kilometer, we did the, what I will call, the Cebu Ocho or Cebu Eight.

Setting forth at around 6 early in the morning from our home base in Talisay City, we started out to the south, rounded off the end at Santander and continued to Barili where we crossed to Carcar and back to base in the afternoon. The next day, we started off again and this time, to the north. The road is much longer and had lunch in Daan Bantayan at the northern tip. In late afternoon, we rounded to Carcar and back by around 6 in the evening. Tiring for my brother, who was the one driving, it was well worth the trip, a good way to bond as well as just know more about my province.

More details to follow in the succeeding posts.

Breathtaking Dumanjug Church was built by the seculars and is a spectacular example of architecture

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

This is the 9th installment of my Semana Santa series where I feature rituals and traditions observed in certain places during this most solemn week in the Catholic calendar. Click on the image at the right to check the rest of the articles.

Cebu is one of the provinces blessed with beautiful Spanish colonial era churches in the country. Most of these structures were built by the Augustinians as the island was under the Order’s care but those built by the seculars, though few, are notable too. This post lists seven of the most noteworthy that I have seen.

Dumanjug Church façade detail

1 Dumanjug Church
What a structure! That was my reaction the first time I saw this architectural gem that loomed infront of me as the sun was setting behind it. It’s massive. The beautiful details on its façade dazzled my eyes as the relieves just flow from one part to another. I was just delighted and transfixed savoring the ecstasy that I felt gazing at it.

What’s more intriguing was that this edifice was built by the seculars, a not so known and oft forgotten detail. The intricacy of the carvings has it’s parallel in Daan Bantayan but bigger in scope and one of the most beautiful churches in southwestern Cebu.

Bantayan Church has lots of surprises inside.

Facade detail of Bantayan Church

2 Bantayan Church
I was never prepared to handle this lovely structure when I first set my eyes on it. Stunned with disbelief and awe, I stood speechless across it. Eyes wide and with a smile across my face, taking my breath away even if the out-of-place belfry stood by it’s side, a big contrast.

Once inside, my jaw dropped, amazed. I’ve never expected such devotion to details as the walls of the nave are carved with various relieves. It is stunning! I have never seen any comparable church in the province with such embellishments. I didn’t imagine that this northern municipality, an island off San Remegio, has this wonderful secret.

Exploring it’s different parts from the choirloft to the pillars to the wooden kumbento, was just too much to handle. There are just so many interesting details and surprises in this secular built edifice. What’s more, two holy water fonts have antique Chinese and Japanese porcelain embedded inside.

Graeco-Roman façade of Carcar Church

Bust of St. Peter

Located atop a hill overlooking the town, Carcar Church’s imposing structure is just awe inspiring. On a beautiful sunny day, it casts a wonderful glow as the morning sun strikes the whitewashed façade. The twin belfries capped with muslim inspired domes, minarets, if you may, is one of it’s notable feature. Its neoclassic lines provide a good contrast to the baroque pediment as well as details at the iwan-like central part that frames the main portal.

Inside the three naved church, be prepared to be tantalized as magnificent woodwork in the form of a coffered ceiling below the choirloft and above the lateral naves as well as the presbytery makes a lasting impression. Surely, I have never found such a beautiful ceiling in this country than in Carcar.

One of the churches in the southeast of the province, it completes a chain of old religious edifices founded and built by the Augustinians. Carcar not only hosts this beautiful church, it is one of a few heritage towns in the country.

The beautiful church of Sto. Nino

4 Minor Basilica of Sto. Niño de Cebu
This basilica, a shrine to Cebu’s beloved Child, God and King, is perhaps the busiest of all churches in the province. It is also an architectural gem steeped in history and religious significance.

Church detail of main portal

As early as dawn, devotees already pass by it’s hallowed grounds to pay homage to it’s famous icon. It’s deluged with tourists too and on Fridays and, especially in January, it is the focus of many pilgrimages across the country. It’s feast day is the basis, albeit it has lost it’s true meaning, for the annual Sinulog Festival.

Within the vicinity of the basilica one can experience faith, as well as commerce, in action.

Timeless church of Boljoon

Holy water font detail inside Boljoon Church

5 Boljoon Church
As one comes out from a curve in the road, the vertical face of a limestone cliff gives way to a charming town that is Boljoon, southeast of Cebu. Just beside the highway, an almost plain looking old structure with a triangular pediment embellished with sparse relieves greets the occasional traveler. This is the church of Boljoon and to appreciate it, one has to enter it’s hallowed grounds.

What a surprise. Resplendent baroque and roccoco retablos; folk renditions of faith and decorations expressed on it’s wooden ceiling; an exquisite pulpit as well as one of the best preserved tejado (tiled) kumbento that makes one proud of one’s heritage.

Outside, it’s wide expanse of ground brings attention to a beautiful 1941 schoolhouse. Just behind it’s belfry, the visitor is greeted by a stone arch with Death holding a staff and an hour glass. Infront of the church, a blockhouse, a defensive structure, rises.

With all these, no wonder, it has been recommended for inclusion in the next batch of baroque churches to be inscribed as World Heritage Sites by Unesco.

Stunning Argao Church

Façade relief of Argao Church

6 Argao Church
Tucked within the maze of narrow roads, away from the main highway, the church of Argao is often missed. But for the intrepid soul, seeking out this beautiful church is rewarding. Part of a walled town, the church patio is ringed with a short fence that has relieves of the stations of the cross. Add to the fact that it is one of a few religious structure in the country to have a capilla posa, chapels found at the four corners of the patio (only one original remains).

Like the church in Boljoon, it’s interior is stunning. Wonderful ceiling paintings, exquisite retablos and pulpit delights the senses. Alas, the parish priest, Msgr. Montecillo, thought that centuries old estofado technique done on the main retablo is not worth it that he decided to coat it with modern gold paint. Fortunately, outrage stopped him from doing this sacrilege to the remaining retablos.

Spectacular Naga Church with it

7 Naga Church
This small church just beside the highway is unassuming as a bundle of unsightly electric wires seem to be noticed more by motorists. Its interior has already been remodeled and its belfry is modern.

Angel detail on façade

But if you just look past these shortcomings and explore it’s façade, lovers of heritage churches are rewarded with a stunning display of relieves, perhaps rivalled only with the frieze of San Joaquin in Iloilo.

Where else can you find details of angels, some playing musical instruments, lining up neatly as if to herald God’s coming? There is also a riot of floral details, stars and geometric figures as well as other embellishments that fills the upper parts. Every time I pass by or stand before it, I’m always transfixed.

Note: Want to do the rounds of churches for the visita iglesia in Cebu? Check out my list of 13 Augustinian built churches in the province in two posts: Part 1 and part 2.

An image of the crucified Christ marks the solemnity of the Semana Santa in Talisay City

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

This is the 9th installment of my Semana Santa series where I feature rituals and traditions observed in certain places during this most solemn week in the Catholic calendar. Click on the image at the right to check the rest of the articles.

Faith is very much alive in Cebu and during the Semana Santa (Holy Week), a trip down south to the towns of Carcar, Sibonga and Talisay City provides a glimpse of this religious fervor. You won’t see any flagellants or esoteric rites of the dead, nonetheless, it’s still an experience. Way back in 2004, I ventured into this three places for a quick observation.

People observe the visita iglesia to do the via crucis (way of the cross), have confession and contemplate on the significance of the passion and death of Christ in their lives.

Boys role playing the passion of the Christ as, left, Jesus himself carrying the cross and, right, as a "judeo," one of the soldiers. Talisay City

Along the backroads and alleys of Talisay City, children do their own rendition of the passion. Aciete (oil) is daubed on the face and body to simulate beards and cross markings. One carries a cross with a crown of rope or weed stems on their head while another tries to flog and shout at him. At another street, several children are dressed with armors and helmets wielding swords and shields, all made from carton.

Good Friday mass just before the afternoon procession in Sibonga

Parishioners spill outside the church while the Good Friday mass is ongoing in Sibonga.

In Sibonga, it’s already past 3 PM and parishioners are already at the church to hear the Good Friday afternoon mass. People spill out into the church grounds. Inside, just near the main portal, several carrozas bearing the processional images are already decked with flowers.

You have the Mater Dolorosa dressed in black with her heart pierced with seven swords. The familiar Pieta is just a few feet infront. Veronica is standing with her imprinted cloth and a host of other images, icons and tableaus.

Sacristans waiting for the start of the Good Friday procession in Sibonga

At the sacristy, it’s also crowded with people while several sacristans are huddling together waiting for the rather long mass to finish and the procession to start. The carroza of the Santo Intierro is conveniently parked at the side entrance.

What I do like about the Good Friday afternoon activities is that, instead of the solemnity that is expected on such occassions, it’s more festive.

In Carcar, pomp and pageantry marks Semana Santa observance as ornately decorated carrozas, like this antique, life sized image of the Santo Intierro, left, is carried to the church. This is also the time when people from the hinterlands go down for the procession and age old practices can be observed as a woman passes her hands over the flame, right.

At Carcar Church, the mass is now wrapping up and people are now gathering just outside. Waiting for their favorite carroza to pass and follow. Those from the hinterlands come down during this time and many are lighting candles. Curiously, many hover their hands over the flames while praying and touch it to their body. You can also observe this done by Sto. Niño devotees at the icon’s shrine.

Then from a distance, a gilded carroza comes into view. What a sight to behold! The Santo Intierro’s processional bier is just breathtaking. It’s massive and ornate. Flowers fill it’s sides. Atop it’s canopy is the symbolic lamb biting a cross. Four angels are guarding the dead Christ. Several men are pulling and pushing it up to the church located atop a hill. The image is antique and is taken cared of by one of the town’s illustrious families, a tradition replicated in many other towns and cities in the country. Just like the one in Lucban.

Easter Sunday, time to hit the beach in Talisay City as people crowd into the waters.

Freshly out of the water, a boy marks the end of Semana Santa at the beach in Talisay City.

Easter Sunday is so unlike the rest of the Semana Santa. Maunday Thursday and Good Friday are the highlights of the week where passion, contemplation, solemnity as well as age old rituals come into play. These two days are well observed.

On the other hand, Resurrection Sunday is just like any other Sundays of the year except that it’s marked with the salubong (meeting of the processional images of the Virgin Mary and the risen Christ) and joyfully eating of meat again. It is said that Filipinos, even back to the Spanish colonial period, seem to prefer the drama of death than of living.

In Cebu, the notable dawn salubong (sugat in Cebuano) is held in Minglanilla wherein it is noted for the many girl-angels hoisted up during the meeting of the images. It is also known for the number of carabaos slaughtered for the occassion probably to signal the end of the fasting period.

In Talisay City, expect the resorts to be full of people. These really get crowded and noisy as many are belting their favorite songs with the karaoke. Cottages are full that some families gather at the sands with a big umbrella and towels. But what I do like about these time at the beach are the grilling, lots of food and drinks and a good time out for the entire family.