The Mysterious Tree of Dumalag


Sometime in the early 1600s, in what is now the town of Dumalag, near the place where later stood a furnace used in making tiles, there was a tree named Maliao, where very many birds would perch and would make incredible noise with their shrieks. At this tree the natives used to commit a thousand superstitions because they believed it as the abode of their ancestors and the diwatas. Others thought that the birds “were demons or souls of the natives  in the town that would hold their meetings with the devil there.” This phenomenon caused discomfort and fear to the natives who lived in the area. Afraid, they never dared get near the tree, even refusing to cut the grasses surrounding it. 

An Agustinian friar assigned to the area, Fray Hernando de Morales, shunned the natives' superstitions.  He took a boat that traversed the river so he could go to tree where he intended to place a cross on the trunk. A native leader named Uubu, who joined him on the journey, tried to kill him.  In no time, a crocodile emerged from the depths of the river and devoured the indio. His lifeless body was later found armless and legless. Miraculously, nobody else in the boat was harmed by the scavenge.

Finally, Fray Morales reached the tree and placed the cross on the trunk. Immediately, the birds fled, seemingly disgusted by the presence of the Christian symbol.  Those who were with the minister spread words of the incident in awe. Since then, everyone from Dumalag forsook the superstition and embraced Christianity. (Image under Creative Commons license)

References

Gaspar de San Agustin (1998). Conquistas de las islas de Filipinas (1565-1615), translated by Luis Antonio Maneru. Manila: San Agustin Museum. 

Juan Fernandez . (1921, 1923). Monografias de los Pueblos de la Isla de Panay.

Isabelo de los Reyes (2014). Ang Diyablo sa Pilipinas ayon sa nasasabi sa mga casulatan luma sa Kastila, translated into English  with annotations by Benedict Anderson, Carlos Sardina Galache, Ramon Guillermo.Manila: Anvil. 


Red sails in the sunset

I love sunsets and I never miss capturing the sky when they're painted in their full glory. Here are some sunset shots I took during this pandemic. Enjoy! 

I took this while crossing the San Roque extension bridge, with the Capiz Bridge at a distance. Golden sunset last summer and the bougainvilleas are bursting in red, too. 

Lockdown afternoon view of the empty beach in Baybay. Pandemic or no pandemic, sunset by the beach is heaven!

No trace of humanity at the beach when Capiz was placed under lockdown. Clear skies and calm sea give you the best view of nearby Mantalinga islet and the not-so-distant Olotayan island, Roxas City's only island-barangay. 

On clear days, Sibuyan Island in Romblon is visible from Baybay Beach. Sea travel from Culasi Port takes 6 hours to reach Sibuyan. 

 

I see skies so blue

Every now and then, it does good to the spirit to explore outside the borders. Wanting to take a breath of fresh air and seeking divine inspiration amidst the inspiring things happening around, last Friday we decided to drive off to Agtalin Shrine on the frontier town of Pilar, some 45 minutes away from Roxas City. I took some pictures for posterity's sake, to form part of my COVID-19 stories.

The town of Pilar lies 51 kilometers away from the provincial capital. It is also located in the northwestern-most part of Capiz.  Pilar was once named Sibala, after the river that flows through the coastal village. The Spaniards later named this town Pilar after La Nuestra SeƱora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar). In the 18th century, a wooden image of the Holy Trinity was found ashore. The folks believed  that the image belonged to a Spanish galleon that was sunk by the British en route to Mexico. The town eventually adopted La Santisima Trinidad as its patron saint and the wooden image now hangs on the left side of the church’s altar. Pilar's flora and fauna is enchanting. While climbing the hill that leads to the shrine, I took this picture of a green expanse. The Pilar Cave is within sight. It has a 200ft-tall grayish black rock cliff  that hosts caves and seem inviting for cavers.
 

Extensive sugarcane plantations provide a relaxing sight to behold. The silver lining is a sliver of the Panay River. 

Hectares upon hectares of sugarcane estates are within view as one reaches the top of the Agtalin Hill. 

Cows graze along the way.

This is the path walk that leads to the Marian shrine on Agtalin Hill. Candles are offered along the way, reason why the burnt side walk. 

The Marian Statue in Agtalin is 80 feel tall. It is considered as the tallest of its kind in Asia. The International Marian Research Institute listed the Agtalin Shrine as a premier pilgrimage site and it welcomes hundreds of devotees every month. The first Saturday mass attracts hundreds of pilgrims from nearby towns and provinces.  

Tired pilgrims  take a deep breath of COVID-free air after the long trek.

Boracay Before COVID-19

Just two weeks before the Philippines plunged into the COVID-19 outbreak, I decided to take the annual break to Boracay island.  Summer was just around the corner so before the island gets flocked by local and foreign tourists, I decided to go ahead and enjoy the country's summer paradise while hotels are cheaper. Little did I know that it would be my last out-of-Capiz trip until now. As of this writing, it's been eight months since I crossed the borders and I don't know when will I ever make another holiday outside the province. Meanwhile, I'm relishing myself with these beautiful memories and I'm sharing them with you. Have fun! 

Nothing compares to Boracay's white sand and cerulean waters. No wonder it is the country's top tourist destination, especially every summer. 

This is the view on the way to Caticlan Port. Towering coconut trees line the golden shores.  Boracay belongs to the town of Malay, which is the northernmost town in the Province of Aklan. It takes approximately three hours to travel from Roxas City, where I live, to reach the port at Caticlan. I took an L300 van to Kalibo, the capital of Aklan. I then transferred to another L300 van bound for Caticlan jetty port.   

Fishing communities still thrive along the coastlines of Malay and you pass by these small fishing boats resting on the white sand before reaching the port in the neighborhood of Caticlan. 

Welcome to Boracay! The crystal clear water is breathtaking.  From Caticlan Jetty Port, it takes 10 minutes for the boat to reach Boracay island. 

One of Boracay's most famous landmark is D'Mall. This is an outdoor shopping center where tourists could find restaurants, cafes and bars. It's also go-to place for  souvenir shopping.

Foreign tourists like to bask under the mid-day sun and they love the tan.  

The COVID-19 scare was already felt by the end of February and the near-empty shoreline is proof. 

Boracay is usually populous but since travel restrictions from China were already imposed by this time, fewer people are seen enjoying the white sand beach. 

The white sand stands out especially on midday. 

 It was good to see the white beach in this pristine setting, the sea was cerulean and clear, the shoreline half empty even in the midday.

Mindful of the need to avoid crowded places, I chose a charming hotel tucked on a hill and pretty isolated from the crowded coastal stations in the island.  Hotel Soffia Boracay  is a Mediterranean-style accommodation overlooking the sea.

I got my own cabana at the Hotel Soffia Boracay. Aside from the Mediterranean feel that takes me away from the scary world outside, I like the lush greenery and flowering perennials and annuals planted around the cabanas and in the gardens surrounding the property. 

My room has a view that overlooks the sea. Rooms are spacious  and relaxing, with hardwood floors and furnishings.

The Soffia Hotel is a 10-minute drive from the beach. A free shuttle for hotel guests is available to and from D'Mall, plus this green view to enjoy while waiting for the vehicle to fetch you. 

Palms and bougainvilleas are planted on the hotel ground. 

The outdoor pool has sweeping views of the ocean and the hill. 

The best time to indulge on the pool side is in the late afternoon. 

Not to miss when in Boracay is the sun set. 

I made sure I'm at the white sand when dusk settles because sunsets at the paradise island are really spectacular. 

The sky bursts with red-orange when the sun finally rests for the night. 

Life is exciting at night when in D'Mall. The boutiques and stores have friendly staff, but the prices aren't. 

Boracay has been reopened to local tourists but the Interagency Taskforce against COVID-19 has implemented strict measures to ensure that the island remains safe despite the pandemic. You can read the guide for tourists here

Lazing on a Sunday afternoon

 Last Sunday I took a long-overdue stroll around the city square. I enjoyed seeing the old familiar sites but this time I took more time to intently gaze at them. Who knows, I might see something else I have not yet seen before. It's been a while since I did a stroll like this and it feels to waste the afternoon away and enjoy your community. 

I'm sharing this wonderful afternoon with you, so enjoy Roxas City's gentle beauty. 

 

I started my stroll at Ang Panublion Museum, where I work as a volunteer. This is the water-tank portion and it used to be sole source of potable water in the poblacion. It was repurposed and converted into a museum in 1993. 

President Manuel Acuna Roxas was born and grew up in the town of Capiz. He was president of the Philippine from 1946 until his sudden death in 1948. In his honor, a statue was erected in the heart of Roxas City, which was renamed in his honor. A smaller statue was originally inaugurated. In 2016, however, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines took the old one and installed this replica of a larger-than-life bronze statue originally made by Guillermo Tolentino. The old statue is now displayed at the National Museum branch in Iloilo City. Fox tail palms and golden bamboos where planted around the statue and makes a refreshing background to this rather grand structure. 

Across the museum stands a series of fire trees. They've been here for decades and have been adding color to the city center whenever they bloom.

The fire tree is also known as Delonix regia  and is a native of Madagascar. It is noted for its fern-like leaves and gorgeous show-off of orange-red flowers that blend well with the sky at dusk.  

The square in front of the City Hall is planted with bougainvilleas. A burst of colors profuse whenever they're in full bloom. The bougainvillea, by the way, is native to South America but the Filipinos took a constant liking to this flowering ornamental.  

There are four Corinthian posts that stand in front of the City Hall. I saw many of them in old photos but there's just four of them left today. 

The Roxas City Hall faces an empty square. The heart of the city used to teem with people before coronavirus hit us badly. 

The city government installed this huge tarpaulin in the plaza to remind everyone to work together to fight and survive COVID-19. 

This pink frangipani is a rarity. A Mexican native, the kalachuchi has become a favorite ornamental tree and they even abound on cemeteries. 

What was once a bustling thoroughfare is almost empty. Most of the locals now stay at home for fear of catching the virus. 

This pink bougainvillea deserves a snapshot for posterity's sake. Bougainvillea blooms year-round, especially after enjoying full sunshine, constant watering, and a good trim.

Sunday is a church affair and locals flock to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral from dawn until early evening to hear the mass. Church doors have since been shut, the choir silenced, and the pews emptied because of COVID-19. 

The Capiz Provincial Capitol's roof is being repaired after sustaining heavy damages during Typhoon Ursula last December. 

The band stand is a flamboyant structure built during the flamboyant days of Capiz. It was constructed in 1926 - the roaring twenties- a decade when things were good and great and served as a venue for public gatherings.  

Foxtail palms were planted along the river as part of the city government's beautification scheme. Fire trees used to grow here, but they have died or were felled by typhoons through the years. 

Lush plants were added and the riverside is now a pleasant space to commune with nature. 

This is a charming view of the Panay River and the Capiz Bridge. The still water glistens and reflects the blue sky. 

An afternoon view like this is enough to ease your worries. 

Bougainvilleas line the riverbanks. A rainbow of colors comes alive every summer.  


 

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