airwindzone: Cagayan Valley: a site of heritage and faith in the Philippines

Cagayan Valley: a site of heritage and faith in the Philippines

As a delegate of the event of National Commission for the Culture and the Arts and the Philippine Information Agency, the Eco-cultural Heritage Caravan Seminar with Onsite Immersion NCCA-PIA Culture & Arts Promotion in Luzon April 25-30, 2017, I was able to visit different churches in Tuguegarao City consisting of the Saint Peter Metropolitan Cathedral, Ermita de Piedra de San Jacinto and the Our Lady of the Chartres Chapel and was also able to visit two other churches in the province located in Lal-lo and in Camalaniugan

Old San Jacinto de Polonia The San Jacinto de Polonia Church is home to the oldest Catholic Church Bell in the Philippines. Camalaniugan Bell is housed on the topmost section of a 3 story square belfry clad in red bricks. The bell, also called the Santa Maria Bell or Bell of Antiquity, was forged on 1595 making it as an antique, the oldest in the Philippines, and in the entire Southeast Asia. A significant heritage passed down by our Spanish colonizer to the proud townsfolk of Camalaniugan. A part of the ruins just beside the Cagayan River is also used as venues for events like wedding reception.

The Ruins of the old church serve as a centerpiece to a public park where locals could relax and spend time and a great venue for pictorials too.

St. Dominic De Guzman Church The church is located in Lal-lo, Cagayan, which was established as Nueva Segovia, one of the first 4 cities in the Philippines, and reigned as Cagayan's provincial capital for over two and a half centuries before the seat of power was moved to Tuguegarao.

The Spanish colonial church stands boldly, clad in red bricks, and situated just along the National Highway. Miguel de Benavides, O.P. Was the founder of the oldest active university in the country but before he constituted the Dominican school, the Spanish friar was elected the first Bishop of the Nueva Segovia Diocese, Lal-lo, the 4th City of the Philippines. Nueva Segovia Diocese was later moved to Vigan and still remains to this day.

Lal-lo is in the works for bringing back the place to its former glory wherein the Lal-lo Municipal Park had posts that shouts-out the places to visit in the place like the Gazebo at the Park, I Love Lal-lo Marker and Lal-lo Municipal Hall just across the back of the church, Tocolana Ruins, Magapit Suspension Bridge and the Cagayan North International Airport in Dagupan.

Heritage is indeed important to an individual; thus it is needed that they have to continue the legacy of their place, Lal-lo, by making it as a location of tourism industry.

There are more places to visit in Cagayan and I do pray that someday, I will be able to go back and will be able to capture more memories of visit in the beautiful and faithful Cagayan.

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