Discovering the Divine in El Salvador City

Donning a clergyman’s frock used to be an obsession during my teens. But something happened on the way to heaven which kept me from wearing one. Still my fascination for priesthood manifests itself every now and then. So, whenever it hits me, I head for some secluded place to seek and commune with the divine. 

Recently, I went on a soul-enriching trip that led me up north where I learned what draws pilgrims from far and wide to gravitate to El Salvador, a little known city in Northern Mindanao. My discovery: the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy whose most prominent feature is a 50-foot statue of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sitting on a 9-hectare lot, the Divine Mercy Shrine, which is about an hour’s drive from Cagayan de Oro City, also doubles as a tourist attraction in that part of Mindanao, attracting hundreds, sometimes thousands of visitors year in, year out. Facing Macalajar Bay, it has become a pilgrimage site for the devout, the diseased and the desperate who flock there, especially during weekends and holidays, to seek God’s unending mercy.

Completed in 2008 out of donations from devout Divine Mercy followers, the Divine Mercy Shrine was inaugurated by no less than Most Reverend Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro City. The event, which also coincided with the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was attended by over 20,000 devotees, pilgrims and visitors, not only from the Philippines but also from other parts of the world. 

Standing tall on a sprawling expanse overlooking the bay, the statue of the Divine Mercy is said to be the tallest DM structure in the Philippines and the country’s mini version of Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer.

It was a UP Fine Arts graduate from Angeles, Pampanga, Nick Reyes, who sculpted the awe-inspiring statue. A "halo" made out of stained glass serves as the figure's crowning glory. The rays, which symbolize the "blood" and "water" which flowed out from Jesus' heart, is made out of an alternate of stained glass and tiles. These rays are actually staircases leading up to the “heart” of Jesus.

At the heart is a hidden niche with a life-size statue of St. Sister Faustina, the Polish nun who had a vision which described what is now called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Carved at the base of the statue are the words, “JESUS I TRUST IN YOU”. There's a healing chapel found at the base of the statue. On one side is a smaller statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Now, here’s a caveat for those who are fond of wearing revealing clothing, e.g. sleeveless blouses, shorts, mini-skirts, sandos, tube tops, etc., anywhere they go. If you’re planning to visit the shrine, better don something more appropriate as the staff or the guards there will really call your attention and tell you the holy place isn’t a picnic ground. Worst, they’d compel you to wear a blue or red cloth either as a shawl or a skirt just to cover your “nakedness”. Guys, you wouldn’t want to be forced to wear a skirt against your will, eh? LOL!

Zooming in on Zamboanga

Bienvenidos!

From the time you see this word printed on a large billboard at the airport terminal's main building, you realize you're just a few steps away from exploring one of the Philippines' oldest cities, a place that's blessed with a rich historical and cultural heritage quite unlike any other. And that’s none other than Zamboanga, dubbed by its drumbeaters as Asia’s Latin City.

I guess the tagline’s no exaggeration. For there indeed is a delightful slice of the Spanish heartland’s fervor and flamboyance right smack in the western tip of Mindanao. And nowhere in the country could you find the legacy of Spain’s more than 300-year reign so deeply ingrained than in Zamboanga, whose name was derived from the Malay word jambangan, a "place of flowers".

It’s a legacy that’s intricately woven into the Hispanic architecture of old houses and buildings, in the formidable walls of historic Fort Pilar and its shrine, in the aristocratic mien of the Zamboangueños, and, of course, in that lyrical lingua franca, Chavacano, which is an interesting potpourri of Spanish, Tagalog, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Tausug, and other Pinoy dialects.

For history buffs like me who want to travel back to the days of Spanish Philippines, Zamboanga is definitely the place to be. Just listening to the locals speak Chavacano truly made me feel like I was either in Spain, Mexico, Argentina or some other Latin American country. And after zooming in on her breathtaking scenery, feasting on her delectable cuisine, and touching base with her people, this incorrigible viajero felt as if he had traveled to a distinctively unique corner of the world. Truly, Zamboanga rocks!

But I must admit that this wasn’t exactly my initial impression of the city. Time was when she struck me as some highly volatile danger zone that serves as crime laboratory for terrorists, extremists and their ilk. I also thought then that anyone who went to that place ran the risk of being kidnapped by the dreaded Abu Sayyaf.

Can’t blame me (and many others) for thinking that way. Bad—and, if I may add, irresponsible—press has a way of shaping the way we sometimes view people, events and places. My short but sweet visit to the City of Flowers, however, changed all that. Now, I look at Zamboanga more positively, that is, as one of the country’s most charming, fastest-growing and worth visiting metropolises, offering tourists a number of surprises that wouldn’t give them any reason to get bored while they’re there.

Indeed, Asia’s Latin City is muy fabulosa! So, for extranjeros out there who want to know what’s in store for them if they visit our Little Spain, here are some activities you’d most likely enjoy pursuing:

Stroll around town. A good starting point would be Paseo del Mar. By day, this sprawling seaside promenade (which struck me as Zamboanga’s version of Manila’s Baywalk) offers stunning vistas of the city’s awesome seascape. It’s best to visit the park in the mid or late afternoons so you can catch a panoramic glimpse of Basilan and the two Santa Cruz islands. Not to be missed also is the fabulous Zamboanga sunset which can give the more world-renowned one at Manila Bay some serious competition.

 

At night, Paseo sizzles with activity as huge crowds of locals and tourists flock to the numerous food stalls and shops which offer a variety of cuisine as well as live entertainment. Other interesting places worth checking out are Plaza Pershing, the century-old City Hall building with its vintage architecture and the adjacent Plaza Rizal where a monument of the national hero is prominently displayed.

Lying a few kilometers away from the pueblo (downtown), Pasonanca Watershed Park is another distinctive tourist landmark in the city. Considered as the only one of its kind in the country, the park, which is gently traversed by a stream, teems with trees, flowering plants, ferns, shrubs and various species of orchids. In the middle of it all is the iconic tree house, which used to be so famous some three to four decades ago such that the city became synonymous with it.

Through the years, however, Pasonanca has evolved into a huge park complex with three natural swimming pools, a floral garden, an aviary, and a butterfly farm. Around the watershed are several dining and entertainment establishments. A full day would be required to explore the whole complex.

Search for interesting facts about the city’s Hispanic past. Perhaps the best place to learn more about Zamboanga’s history during the Spanish era would be Fort Pilar, the old fortress located near Paseo del Mar, which has been converted into a branch of the country’s National Museum. This museum displays a vast collection of ethnographic materials of various tribes, colorful blankets and clothes, hats, back-strap weaving loom, model houses, musical instruments, houseboats, fishing tools and household items, among others.

Zamboanga’s answer to Manila’s Intramuros, Fort Pilar is officially called Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza (Royal Force of Our Lady of the Pillar of Zaragoza). Attacked by the Dutch, stormed by the Moros, cannonaded by the British, occupied by the Americans and seized by the Japanese, the nearly 400-year old impregnable fortress has survived time and the elements. Today, an open-air shrine adjacent to the fort has been erected in honor of the miraculous Our Lady of the Pillar, the city’s patron saint. Sunday masses are being held in this Marian shrine.

Supplicate in churches and mosques. Like a few other cities in Mindanao, Zamboanga is a melting pot of various spiritual beliefs and traditions. Hence, one can find a number of churches and mosques dotting the city’s landscape. For Christians, there’s the city’s Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, one of the modern churches in Mindanao. At first blush, I thought the cathedral was a newly constructed shopping mall because of its sheer size and modern architecture.

Meanwhile, Islam’s worshippers can also visit the mosque in the village of Taluksangay, which is probably one of the most beautiful in the entire island.

Shop till you drop at the barter center. Time was when the "barter" system was very much alive in Zamboanga, especially during the Marcos years but this came to an end with the former regime’s ouster. However, one can still find tax-free products from Indonesia and Malaysia being sold at cheap prices in various places in the city.

Canelar Barter Center is one of the more popular sites frequented by tourists looking for pasalubong such as t-shirts, dresses, shawls, pants, towels, canned goods, chocolates, biscuits, sotanghon and other goodies. Since it is a tiangge, I took every opportunity to haggle to the max with the Muslim traders just to get the best bargains.

Sup and sip. When it comes to seafood, Zamboanga offers some of most delectable cuisine this side of the country. Curacha, a unique sea crab species inhabiting Zamboanga’s waters, is one dish that foodies shouldn’t dare miss. One of the city’s famous restaurants, Alavar Seafood House, offers the tastiest curacha in town. Worth trying also are the Zamboangueños’ version of yummy Spanish dishes like callos and paella. Other culinary delights can also be savored at Haisan, Café del Sol, New Country Chicken House, Palmeras, among others.

And for those who think that the City of Flowers has no nightlife, why not head for Talisay Bar at Lantaka Hotel by the Sea, La Vista del Mar and other newer establishments for a sip of your favorite booze? Also, never miss trying a glass of Zamboanga White, a creamy concoction of lychee juice and vanilla ice cream, which is named after a breed of cockfighting rooster native to the city.

Swim and snorkel in the city’s fine beaches, particularly those at the twin islands of Great and Little Santa Cruz, which I didn’t have time to explore. Visible from Paseo del Mar, the larger one boasts of a pink-sand beach and a sandbar while the smaller one has a white-sand beach that’s ideal for diving. Almost deserted, there are no hotels, restaurants, and resorts in these islands. A trip there has to be arranged in advance with the Department of Tourism (DOT).

After trying all these things, I bet you’ll agree with me that Zamboanga is probably the closest that less fortunate souls like us who can’t afford a trip abroad can get to old España. So, if given another chance, I’d really love to come back. Por eso, vamos a Zamboanga!

More pics:

Swept Away by the Sights of Manila Ocean Park

Are you intrigued by the life aquatic? Do you know what goes on down there in the unplumbed depths of the ocean? Are you looking forward to an intimate encounter with arapaimas, gouramis, electric eels, crabs, clownfish, barracudas, stingrays, sharks  and other exotic marine species found only in Philippine seas?

 

Well, here’s something fishy that’s gonna blow your mind, if you haven’t seen or heard about it yet. I’m referring to none other than the Manila Ocean Park (MOP), the Philippines’ first state-of-the-art living museum of the underwater world, located within a  gigantic complex right at the back of the Quirino Grandstand near Rizal Park.

Before flying home, I spent a few hours sweeping the secrets of the deep blue sea which are displayed at MOP. Since he’s been there on countless occasions, Juju, my host and buddy, just drove me to the place and waited patiently at one of the ocean park’s restaurants. And what did I discover during my solo under-the-sea exploration? What else, but a myriad of deep mysteries which have swept me off my feet!

In that brief visit, I got to witness firsthand the rarely seen life at the bottom of the ocean unfold before my eyes through its oceanarium, which features about 20,000 exotic marine creatures of about 300 species. Around 80 percent of these are said to be endemic or found only in Philippine waters. 

Inside the ocean park, I also had the chance to gad around the first marine-themed mall in the country, harboring some 30 different shops and 25 restaurants where visitors can enjoy gazing at Manila's world-famous sunset, and even dine al fresco. Recently, MOP opened its four-star boutique hotel named H20 Manila, which has something like 140 rooms.

But it’s the oceanarium that really took my breath away. Divided into seven unique underwater kingdoms or realms proudly bearing Filipino names, it showcases the diverse and enchanting habitats of the marine world. Stepping into each of these realms, I got ecstatic exploring the unchartered corners of the deep, surrounded by a profusion of awesome sea creatures—without getting myself soaked at all! 

Together with a motley crowd, I began my underwater eco-adventure by treading into a lush “rainforest” where water from an artificial waterfalls cascades into eight various water tanks, a simulation of the freshwater flow that leads to the open sea.

Known as Agos (Flow), this habitat underscores the vital link between land and sea. Each of the tanks there contains rare species of freshwater fish. Time seemed to stand still as I gazed at the exotic array of arapaimas (said to be the world’s largest freshwater fish), gouramis, arowanas, lungfish, albino cat fish, and other sea creatures like starfishes, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, fire eels and bamboo sharks. 


Two of the water tanks there are filled with fishes thriving in brackish waters such as target fish, archerfish, silver moony (fingerfish), cichlids, etc. Meanwhile, the rocky shoreline is represented by the Dalampasigan (Seashore) pool where visitors can touch some of the creatures on display, particularly the live starfishes which children had a great time caressing. 

After Agos, I stepped into a dark place where the aquariums were built into the walls. Each of them had lighted plates describing the swimmers inside the glass-encased containers. This colorful yet intriguing realm of the marine world is called Bahura (Coral Reef) where sightseers can find common as well as rare species of fish and other coral reef inhabitants as displayed in 48 different tanks.

For a while, I really thought the corals in Bahura are authentic. To my surprise, they’re artificial! Still, I take my hat off to the fellows who fashioned them out of fiberglass. Also, I found one swimmer lurking at the corals inside the glass houses which I’ve been wanting to see up close and personal—who else but Nemo! Geez, the teeny-weeny is truly an eye-catching swimmer just like in the movie. And I’m glad he’s reunited with his clownfish family, at least at the ocean park.

Incidentally, the Philippines happens to be one of the countries that constitute the so-called Coral Triangle, a geographical term referring to the global epicenter of marine biodiversity. Perhaps because of this, there’s a blurb claiming that the country is the center of marine fish biodiversity in the world. Some kind of fish story? Not really. Fact is, there’s a study by American biologists corroborating such claim.

And here’s more: we’re also the home of the most diverse marine ecosystem in the planet! Crab, eel, seahorse, pufferfish, sergeant fish, regal tang fish, damselfish, porcupinefish, rabbitfish, cowfish, lionfish, angelfish, stonefish—name it, our seas teem with it, and most of them are showcased at Bahura.  

Still dazed and dazzled by my experience at the coral reefs, I moved on to another realm and discovered the various fauna residing at Laot (Fishing Ground). Bathed in mystery, the eerie darkness that envelops the underwater world is recreated in this almost pitch black habitat. Only the light coming from four floor-to-ceiling aquariums illuminates the entire area.

Inside the gigantic, thick glass houses, I noticed some replicas of shipwrecks, subterranean caves, and other artifacts scattered all over, simulating the natural milieu under the sea. Going around Laot, I was treated to a radiant display of colorful fishes, some of which are sold in local wet markets like the giant groupers we fondly call lapu-lapu. Definitely a sight to behold!

In that poorly lit realm, I had difficulty getting clear snaps. Flash photography is prohibited inside MOP as it disturbs the creatures but some visitors blatantly violated the rule just to get good shots. The fact that no staff of the ocean park called their attention must have emboldened the violators to keep on doing their thing.

From Laot, I segued into the realm of Buhay na Karagatan (The Living Ocean) which provides visitors with a breathtaking extravaganza of the life aquatic. Watching the striking visuals in that part of the oceanarium left me tongue-tied. To say that it’s amazing would be an understatement.

Most of the crowd, young and old alike, gravitated towards this section because it showcases one of MOP’s main attractions —a 25-meter underwater tunnel with 220-degree curved acrylic walls resembling that of Singapore’s Underwater World. Ours, however, is quite short compared to the one at Sentosa which stretches 83 meters and boasts of a travelator that moves visitors around as they gaze at the marine creatures.  

As its name suggests, Buhay na Karagatan teems with color, vibrancy and excitement as schools of multi-colored fishes, sponges, stingrays, and even sharks wander in synchronized movements around and above your head. The few minutes I spent gazing at the mind-boggling richness of the ocean turned out to be both pleasurable and therapeutic. It’s probably the closest thing that we humans can get to hang around with such a great array of swimmers without getting ourselves wet.

Still mesmerized by the diversity of wonders I saw at the living ocean, I continued with my eco-journey and took the plunge into the mysterious kingdom known as Ang Kalaliman (The Deep). There, I had a close encounter with one of the sleekest residents of that part of the ocean — the barracuda. Known as the “tiger of the sea”, it’s a cold-blooded killer whose fierce-looking stance and dagger-like teeth make it one of the most dreaded inhabitants of the deep.

From Ang Kalaliman, I went to the kingdom of Pagi (Stingrays). There, I was struck with wonder as different species of rays swam above me while I stood beneath their overhang tank. Said to be distant relatives of sharks, rays are docile creatures, rarely inflicting serious harm on humans. If provoked, however, they can be dangerous, swinging their tails with enough force to tear flesh and, at the same time, unleash venom. 

Pinoy superstition has it that a stingray’s tail called buntot pagi can be used to ward off ghosts, ghouls, witches and other malevolent creatures of the night. It’s a lethal weapon because the toxin lingers even as the tail itself has dried. This makes buntot pagi a prized possession that you can use against your enemies because of the excruciating pain it can inflict on them. Hmmm…maybe I should keep one tail…just in case. LOL!

After spending some bedazzling moments with the rays, I reached the realm of their cousins: Pating (Shark). No oceanarium, I supposed, would be complete without these renowned predators of the deep. The ones I saw inside the tank, however, are still little. Viewed from behind the acrylic glass house, they seemed harmless and cuddly. But years of reading Peter Benchley and company’s paperbacks and seeing their film versions have taught me to be wary of sharks, especially the savage man-eating great white one.

Snapping at  the  different  types of sharks—leopard, tiger, sand tiger  and zebra—swimming inside the tank, I wondered where MOP would put them once they mature into giant predators, if they live. Would they release them into Manila Bay and stir pandemonium similar to what the great white shark caused in “Jaws”? Now, that’s one publicity stunt that would surely make great waves for the ocean park! LOL!

Aside from the awe-inspiring views of the underwater world, there are some extras awaiting those who linger at MOP. These include the fish spa and the glass bottom boat ride. At the former, visitors can dip their tired feet into the water where an assortment of doctor fishes will nibble away rough, dead skin cells, bringing back the glow and smoothness of their feet. Meanwhile, the latter treats them to a wonderful view of some sea creatures found in Buhay na Karagatan literally swimming under their feet!  

The ocean park also has a musical show entitled “Mermaids in Manila”, which features lovely mermaids in colorful costumes swimming and spinning with all the sea creatures in an aquarium. Unfortunately, I passed up the chance to enjoy these additional treats but surely, they’re going to be part of my itinerary next time. 

With these numerous spectacles relatively within any tourist’s reach, non-swimmers and non-divers alike can now enjoy the thrill of watching the abundance of marine life in this part of the world, without having to dive into the mysterious depths of the sea. 

By taking the plunge into the ocean park, any visitor also gets to escape the social realities—congestion, crime, curtailment, corruption—that are plaguing the nation’s capital and elsewhere. Sometimes it feels wonderful to be shielded from these and lulled into an imaginary state of bliss…even for an hour or two. :D