From Matalom Leyte to Cebu

May 21, 1997.    4pm we headed to Bato, Leyte. And about a minute we arrive at the port.

LADY OF GUADALUPE by mbb8356
Taken at Bato, Leyte.  

It took us 5 hours and 8 mins to arrive in Cebu City from Bato, Leyte.  Though we arrived there almost 12 midnight.  For me the City was so amazing.  Still nearing the port I can see the light all over Cebu.  No wonder she was called the QUEEN CITY of the South.

The excitement started to faint because of the waiting and lack of sleep.  Time  can be mean.  It wasn't improved by the not-so-good weather which made me lose the visual impact of a city from afar.  The first thing I saw clearly was the pavement of the port, a sight very common at your regular seaport.

After getting through all of the necessary stops it was time to get our baggage's.  I felt like they were taunting me, with signs pointing towards the retrieval area but never reaching it. May be that the place is huge, but making annoyed and angry remarks about it is more entertaining than being understanding.  

At the exit we were picked up by our cousin, Mabel!   She was waiting to take us to Mandaue City. Taking a jeep to Mandaue was interesting.  I sometimes questioned the driver’s sanity. But my co-passengers seemed relaxed and were laughing.  Apparently the driver was very funny though we both speak Visayans, I can't barely understand his Cebu Visayan dialect.   The same could be said about his driving.  Hahahahaha.  It was 2 in the morning when we arrive in Mandaue City.  Tired and sleepy, we sleep at TANO'S RESIDENCE.  

It was 8 in the morning when we wake up and had our quick breakfast because we are all excited to see the STO. NIÑO BASILICA and CHINESE TEMPLE.

May 22, 1997.  The distance between  Mandaue City is
5.11 kilometers (3.18 miles) from Cebu City.
At last we arrive in Cebu City with no hassle.  First stop Basilica Del Sto. Niño.  
The Basilica is a place of prayer and pilgrimage of hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

The convent of the Sto. Niño de Cebu was founded by Fr. Andres de Urdaneta on April 28, 1565 , the very day the Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition arrived in the island. On May 8 of the same year, when Legaspi and his men planned the urbanization of the city, they allotted a "place for the church and the convent of San Agustin, "where the Santo Niño image had been found."In 1599, the convent was made a house of studies of grammar, headed by the Visayan linguist, Fr. Alonso de Mentrida. It also served as a rest house for missionaries working in the province and as a retirement home for the aged and the sick, usually attended to by a lay brother.The church has always been the Sanctuary of the Sto. Niño, under the custody of the Augustinians. The number of priests assigned to the church varied from three to five aside from one or two lay brothers.The Chapter held on August 6, 1578 recommended to all the fathers "that prayers to the Sto. Niño be offered every month as was the custom before." In 1641, the father provincial ordered that the feast of the Sto Niño be celebrated on January 14 “with all the possible solemnity, mass and sermon, since He deserves all the affection from us, being the Dulcisimo and most affectionate patron of our province."Fr. Nicolas de la Cuadra (1731) was very instrumental in spreading the devotion of the Sto. Niño. He led an exemplary life, had writings and solemn rites which he established in the sanctuary, and acquired many jewels for the decoration of the statue.Fr. Nicolas de la Cuadra (1731) was very instrumental in spreading the devotion of the Sto. Niño. He led an exemplary life, had writings and solemn rites which he established in the sanctuary, and acquired many jewels for the decoration of the statue.The first novena to the Santo Niño was introduced by Fr. Mateo Diez, rector of the sanctuary in 1889, under the Cebuano title Novena ug pagdayeg sa Sto. Niño Jesus nga guisimba sa cyudad sa Sugbu , printed in Mandaluyong, Asilo de Huerfanos , 1888. This novena has been reprinted countless times.Up to this time, the number of Sto. Niño devotees who follow the novena and attend mass every Friday keeps on increasing.CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH:•  1566 - the first church believed to be built on the site where the image of the Holy Child was found was destroyed by fire. It was said to be built by Fr. Diego de Herrera using wood and nipa.•  1605 - Fr. Pedro Torres started the construction of a new church, again made of wood and nipa. It was finished in 1626 but was again burned in 1628.•  1628 - Fr. Juan Medina started the construction of another church, using stone and bricks, a great innovation at that time. The construction was stopped because the structure was found to be defective - the bricks used seemingly "melted" upon contact with air.•  February 29, 1735 - Father Provincial Bergaño, Governor-General Fernando Valdes, Bishop Manuel Antonio Decio y Ocampo of Cebu and Juan de Albarran Prior of the Santo Niño, started the foundations of the present church, using stone. A lot of help came. Fr. Antonio Lopez, prior of San Nicolas, assisted also together with the people of his district. The residents of Talisay also did four weeks of work and Fr. Francisco Aballe also tried to help with his parishioners from Mactan.The materials used:The stones were quarried from Capiz and Panay by an army of bancas. The molave wood came from the mountains of Talisay and Pitalo and was transported in bancas hired in Argao and Carcar. Fr. Albarran confessed that there was much difficulty in quarrying the stones. Despite the seemingly impossible task, Fr. Albarran was not discouraged. He used white stones to make the lime, with one banca transporting some 400 pieces of stones. There was also another obstacle: the lack of chief craftsmen and officers which forced Fr. Albarran to acquire some knowledge of architecture.The church was finished not later than 1739. According to an author named Vela, "the church has all the characteristics of a solid construction to withstand all the earthquakes..." And true enough, the church withstood all earthquakes.The original features of the church have been retained except for the windows added by Fr. Diez in 1889. In 1965, both church and convent underwent a bigger restoration on the occasion of the fourth centennial of the Christianization of the country. The face lifting was made with utmost respect for the historical character of the old structure.Cardinal Hildebrando Antoniutti, Papal Legate to the Philippines , conferred upon the church the title of Basilica minore , a special privilege granted to the Augustinian Order by the Pope Paul VI. On the other hand, the former President Ferdinand Marcos declared the Sto. Niño Basilica a national shrine because of its historical significance.Style of the Church•  Facade - a blending of Muslim, Romanesque and neo-classical features - all set in what has otherwise been described as a high degree of integration. The façade is preserved in its original stone texture and natural color, conveying an air of simplicity of line and elegance.•  Bell tower - serves as a counterbalance to the convent located on the opposite far end. It has two blind and open windows alternating in shape, ending up in triangular pinnacles with a circular disc crowned by balusters and a bulbous dome of Muslim influence.•  Center section - the focus of attention. The arched main entrance is balanced by the side rectangular corners. A double-edged triangular pediment crowns the facade.

 link here:  http://www.basilicasantonino.org.ph

We went there Thursday in the morning.  Because if you go there at First Friday of the month  is a bad idea because there are thousands of Patrons going to mass, you will not able to fully appreciate the place.

According to locals, the first Friday of the month is the novena mass for the Sto. Nino. They say that if you go to church that day and make a wish, It'll come true. I don't know about the whole wish coming true just yet, I still not WON in any LOTTERY (haha! kidding) Anyway, despite the fact that we went there Thursday of May 22, 1997 still there a lot of people, elbow to elbow with tourist and locals alike. 

And my visit there was still worth it. The church was a splendid century old cathedral with antique chandeliers, painted ceilings and old statues. If I had the time and space to move around I would have gone to the church museum, but like I said, too many people. So I did what I can to make the most out of that visit.

For 2 pesos I buy a candle and offer a prayer,  thanking God for our safe sea trip. 

next stop Cebu Taoist Temple 

ME

ate Connie, Mama, Carmela and Me

Carmela, Me, Mama and cousin Mabel

Located in the wealthy residential suburb of Beverly Hills about 6 km north of downtown Cebu is an enormous Taoist Temple. It was built by Cebu's substantial Chinese community (the Chinese make up about 15% of Cebu's population).
The temple is the a center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tze. You can see Taoist devotees following their rituals on Wednesdays and Sundays, as they climb the 99 steps of the temple to light joss sticks and have their fortunes read by the monks.
Built in 1972, the Taoist Temple is constructed in a highly ornate and, some would say, gaudy style of Chinese architecture, and is topped with a pagoda-style roof.
The temple has an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, and if you climb the 99 steps to the entrance, you will be rewarded with a good view of Cebu City and in the distance Mactan and Bohol islands. Nice sunset views too.

LUNCH TIME.  We decided to have our lunch at McDonald near Taoist Temple at Lahug, Cebu City.

Before going back to Matalom,Leyte we decided to visit SM CITY CEBU. That time Davao City has no SM yet.  And we are so excited to see the MALL.  

Photo credit to SM CITY CEBU

Upon entering the mall, the feeling of astonishment only began since this is our first time to see such a huge mall. This is SM CITY CEBU. Not only was the areas huge and dynamic, I later realized by the waiting that I wasn’t even in the main building parts! we have to walk (I prefer calling it a "social na escalator", because we all have a simple escalator that time in Victoria Plaza). The trip took as long as a trip with Liloan to Matalom, Leyte which was the feeling I got from there.

I am also amazed that time that their food court is near the games and entertainment section.  I cannot concentrate eating my food because I have to keep on eyeing my niece running around.

Me and my niece Carmella (3yrs old then) at SM City-Bibo
(arcade games such as basketball, racing and play time for kids)  

SM Cebu Food Court and Entertainment Plaza

SM Cebu WORLDS OF FUN

My mama take a post after buying pasalubong the likes of SHAMROCK Yummy OTAP, Peanut Kisses, and Dried Mangoes.

SHAMROCK Yummy OTAP

Dried Mangoes

Peanut Kisses

All those thoughts disappeared when I got a glimpse of anticipation. My brain is here for just a quick trip, but my being is fueled with exploring!  But time to Go Home back to Matalom, Leyte.  

Now for those of you who read all the way to this, congratulations. I can’t believe you did that. You have more focus and concentration than I do. This post is probably the longest I will do, or the shortest. I will try to at least keep it somewhat interesting and regular. Much has happened this trip way back 1997 so I have a lot to say. And I’m tired which stops my ranting.