BEACHES AND CHURCHES: SPENDING THE HOLY WEEK IN KALINGA AND APAYAO

The provinces of Kalinga and Apayao make up the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk. There are seven towns and one component city in Kalinga: Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Pinukpuk, Rizal, Tabuk City, Tanudan and Tinglayan and seven towns of Apayao: Calanasan, Conner, Flora, Kabugao, Luna, Pudtol and Sta. Marcela. For the Holy Week of 2022, I decided to explore this apostolic vicariate. Bishop Jun Andaya very much welcomed me as his guest at his residence. Bishop Jun told me that it would be good if I could already attend the chrism mass which was on a Holy Tuesday so that I could already meet the priests whom I will be visiting throughout the week.

We left Manila on the afternoon of Holy Monday and stayed overnight at the bishop’s residence in Bayombong to be in Tabuk, Kalinga before nine in the morning. Since we left Bayombong early we had enough time that we were able to visit four parish churches of the towns belonging to the diocese of Ilagan, Isabela which were along our way: Aurora, Roxas, Mallig and Quezon (featured in another post).

April 12, Holy Tuesday

After the Chrism mass, Bp. Jun lost no time in introducing me to the priests telling them that I will be visiting their parishes. I was told that I will concelebrate the Holy Thursday evening mass at the parish in Dagupan, Tabuk then I will be joining the station of the cross which will be done by motorcade around another parish in Tabuk. Then I got to talk to the Agustinian priest who was the parish priest of Lubuagan. He invited us to go with them to his parish and even stay overnight in Awichon which is a Kalinga cultural village situated in his parish. Since we had plans to go to Buscalan, Tinglayan, the place of Wang-od, which was in the area, the invitation was just perfect.

Bishop Jun Andaya presiding over the Chrism mass.

Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Church, Lubuagan, Kalinga (F-1925)

The parish convent of Lubuagan

A street in the town of Lubuagan

Arriving in Lubuagan Fray Toto lost no time in preparing some necessities like food to be grilled and even blankets. We had to take the pick-up truck of the parish as the road was not all cemented and with some steep climbs. The Awichon is a private property owned by Alonzo Saclag, with about ten authentic Kalinga houses placed together like in a typical Kalinga village. This was his way of preserving the culture of the Kalinga. The houses used no nails but wooden pegs. We donned Kalinga bahags and even danced the Tadok around the open space with Fr. Toto leading us and three of the workers there.

Awichon Kalinga Cultural village.

The convento of Lubuagan was formerly a Catholic school.

View of the town of Lubuagan

April 13, Holy Wednesday

We left Awichon Cultural Village at past six in the morning. We still took some pictures as we went down the mountain, but the clouds were already rising. It is much better if done earlier as the clouds are still down and you are over the clouds.

We took our breakfast at the convent in Lubuagan. Then we left for the town of Tinglayan on our way to Buscalan to the place of Wang-od, the famous 105 year old mambabatok. We first passed by the church of Tinglayan. Fr. Theodore Pic-it, the parish priest was there who escorted us in his pick-up car until we reached the point where we had to park our cars and start hiking. The village of Buscalan was on the other mountain top from where the end of the road was. So, we had to hike down the mountain and go up again which was about a kilometer long. The first house among the cluster of houses was a souvenir shop where the needles for the tattooing were sold. The needle was made of a thorn of an orange tree (aslum sanglay), inserted at the end of a small bamboo stick already made with some decorations as it becomes a souvenir item. The house of Wang-od was just nearby. Wang-od was still eating when we arrived at eleven. After some 20 minutes she came out of the house and started tattooing.

Payments. We first had to register at the booth where we parked our car: 50 per person. Then we had to pay for the guide for one thousand. Everyone should have a guide. Ours was named Noime. Then when we arrived at the village, we paid again 50 pesos each. The signature tattoo was 150. Pictures with her cost another 50. The tattoo needle was 150.

It was just past one when we got back to the convent of Tinglayan, where lunch was already prepared by the women helpers of the convent. Fr. Ted said that there is no Catholic chapel in Tinglayan as most of the residents there are Anglicans. That’s why he was not known there. Fr. Ted also comes from Tinglayan. He had a brother who was also a priest but died of Covid.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church

Tinglayan, Kalinga (F-1950)

A view of the Chico river from the parish church of Tinglayan

Whang-od tattooing Celoy, our driver.

From Tinglayan, on our way back to Tabuk, we passed by the parish of Naneng which is already part of Tabuk. It was down on the plains surrounded by rice paddies. There was only one street, and they were lined by old wooden two-storey houses. At the end of the street on turning to the left was the parish church. The school was on the opposite end of the street. We visited the church and soon the parish priest who was told of our arrival came out to meet us and offered coffee which is the usual greeting in Kalinga. It seems that all the houses have ever ready thermos with coffee which they offer to everyone who comes.

Fr. Eddamag told us of the tombs of two Cicm priests who were the early missionaries
in the parish who buried near the church.

They informed us also of the spring which was just at the back of the church were people would go to take a bath. They said that the water is warm in the morning but gets to be cold during the day. The wide Chico River was just beside it. So, we decided to take a look only to find out that they were just three sets of steel tubes protruding from the wall with waters freely flowing. We decided instead to walk to the river where we had our bath. Finished off by taking showers at the spring.

When we arrived at the bishop’s residence, we found Bp. Jun doing the cooking in the kitchen. Bishop Jun informed as that their cook took a leave as she got sick.

St. Joseph Parish, Naneng, Tabuk City

The spring at the back of the church

Chico river.

The only road in the village of Naneng.

With the parish priest of Naneng, Fr. Eddamag.

April 14, Thursday

Since we had plenty of time before the celebration of the evening mass of the Lord’s supper, Bishop Jun called up the parish priest of the town of Pasil. He was told that he would be going to Magsilay, Pasil as it was the first death anniversary of a former parishioner. Bishop Jun told him that we will meet him there which would also be an opportunity for us to see the chapel donated by the La Salle Brothers as it is the only chapel in the country dedicated to the St. John the Baptist La Salle.

We used the car of Bp. Jun as the place we were going could not be reached using our Innova. A 4 x 4 was the best as there were steep climbs over rocky and muddy roads. We arrived by 9:30 and waited for the parish priest. The chapel had a three-storey edifice connected at the back of the altar. From the back it could not be recognized as a chapel because aside from the one way glass panels surrounding the chapel, the building just looked like any ordinary house. Only a cross on top of the building gave a hint.

Mass was celebrated at the residence of the deceased on his first death anniversary. We had to go down the mountain through a concrete alleyway. We noticed there were plenty of people there, almost all the barangay residents. Was told that the deceased died of Covid. Even in this very remote place many still got sick of Covid.

After the mass we followed Fr. Iba to his main parish church in Pasil. It was another adventure ride over narrow roads. Fr. Iba, the parish priest of Pasil was a former Anglican. He said he used to hang out at the convento of Conner, Apayao where he is from. He even worked for a time in the convento. He felt the calling and was accepted into the catholic church and entered the seminary.

A marker was placed on the road in going to Pasil where one CICM priest died of a road accident.

St. John the Baptist La Salle Chapel in Magsilay, Pasil

The back part of the chapel of Magsilay. The second floor is the chapel.

Fr. Iba, a former Anglican who converted and became a priest.

Mass and lunch at a residence in Magsilay.

Sudden rockslides could happen. Here the hitchikers of Fr. Iba clearing the road of fallen rocks.

The parish church of Pasil.

The convento of Pasil

The chapel of the old poblacion of Balbalan, Kalinga.

Side view of the church of the old poblacion of Balbalan.

St. Joseph Parish, Dagupan, Tabuk City (F-1949)

Evening of the Lord’s supper was at the St. Joseph Parish in Dagupan, Tabuk. The mass was said in English as I was the celebrant. In the washing of the feet, we each washed 6 of the designated male parishioners. From the pews, the designated parishioners just went up the altar for the washing of feet. The procession for repose used a heavy monstrance as the parish priest was saying that they don’t have yet a tabernacle. The parish church of St Joseph got burned in 2017 Christmas evening. The parish priest related that during the mass, a fuse blew up. To have a fast remedy, they directly connected the wires. After the mass, they forgot to separate the wires, that it overheated and burned which conflagrated right away bringing the whole church down. They had to build a new one. The new church is already elevated as the level of the main road has risen also causing flooding in the church.

April 15, Good Friday

Bp. Jun accompanied us to Cudal where we were to spend the Good Friday at 5:45am. We were to join the stations of the cross around the territory of the parish on motorcade. The roads around were already well cemented. However, some of the villages were across the river that had only hanging bridges, hence the stations were just placed along the main roads. I noticed that most of the stations belonged to the municipality of Tanudan. Fr. Mon was saying that there are only three barangays belonging to Tabuk and the rest belonged to Tanudan about seven or eight of them. Starting at 6:30 we finished the stations in four hours with about 50 kilometers of travel in a circumferential road around the mission territory. Since it was still early I inquired if the main town or at least a view of the main town of Tanudan could be reached by car. We were told the road was already cemented almost reaching Lubo which is the main poblacion of Tanudan. I decided that we drive there promising to be back by 2:30 in time for the Good Friday Commemoration of the Passion of our Lord. We were surprised that the roads were already well cemented but there were steep climbs and sudden turns. We reached the vantage point of Lubo and took pictures in two places. The main población of Lubo, Tanudan sits on top of a hill surrounded by terraces which cascades down the hill. Then we proceeded up to the point where the car could take us. We were told that it was still a kilometer and a half to Lubo where we stopped. The newly cemented road was still not passable, and the other half had deep muddy holes which we were afraid to trod as the car might get stuck.

The Siete Palabras was still going on when we got back to Cudal at 2:15. There was just a short break in between, and the commemoration started at 3:30 and was over by 4:50.

Holy Family Mission Church, Cudal, Tabuk City

View of Lubo, the main poblacion of Tanudan which is surrrounded by rice terraces.

By six in the evening, we were back at the bishop’s residence. After a while Bp. Jun asked me to accompany him so that we could buy some Kalinga coffee which he was gifting me. The coffee shop had a very beautiful ambience, so we took time off for some coffee. Then Bp. Jun brought me to a weaving factory to buy me a table runner and even a bahag. Since the place was on the way to their family property, he took me there to see it which has been developed into an events place. It had a hall, a swimming pool and some kubos. His brother was there. I noticed a beautiful abstract painting in the sala. When I commented about it, Bp. Jun said that it was his painting. I lost no time asking him to pose with me with the painting. He said that the paintings in the residence which I did not take much notice of were also his.

Value system. Bp. Jun was saying that the Kalingas have three value systems: Paniyao, Ngilin and Bain. Paniyao is taboo - not doing anything which would offend the Almighty. In other tribes it is termed as Kaniyao. Ngilin is like abstinence. You should not inflict pain on yourself. Bain is hiya in relation with others. Fain in other tribes. There are 37 subtribes of the Kalingas. A tribe could compose two to three barangays. The culture of the Kalingas is much closer to the culture of the Itnegs in Abra than to the Isnegs of Apayao Bp. Jun was sharing.

Bp. Jun Andaya with his abstract painting at the living room of their house.

April 16, Holy Saturday

In the morning of Holy Saturday we left Tabuk to go to Apayao where we would celebrate the Easter vigil. Before we left the bishop’s residence, Bp. Jun asked us that we should plant a tree in remembrance of our visit. We planted a durian seedling near the outdoor chapel.

The first stop after we left Tabuk was the church of Tuga, St. Joseph the worker Parish. This church is supposed to the be first church opened in the apostolic vicariate. The church of the town of Pinukpuk was visited next. We made a slight detour to go to Tuao in Cagayan as it was not far enough. From there we went to Conner which was the first town of Apayao. In Conner we met the parish priest Fr. Ace who offered us coffee. When we left, we started going back to the road where we entered. Then we noticed we were being chased by a man on a motorbike. When we reached us, he told us that we were in the wrong direction. There was another road making a short cut to the next town of Kabugao. The priest Fr. Rocky was expecting us when we arrived as he prepared lunch for us.

The next stop was at the house of the mother-in-law of Celoy, our driver, just near the town of Pudtol. They just had the blessing of the new swimming pool in front of their house that morning.

When we asked where the Mataguisi church ruins was, we were told that we already passed by it. We were 17 kilometers away from it. Since there was still time before the 6:30 Easter vigil in Pudtol, we decided to go back and visit the ruins. This was the first church built by the Dominicans in 1604 which they had to abandon as the native Isnegs who fierce warriors would not allow them to stay there.

Planting a durian tree as a remembrance of our visit to Tabuk.

St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Tuga, Tabuk City

Chair of St. Peter Parish, Pinukpuk, Kalinga (F-1952)

St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, Conner, Apayao (F-1937)

With Fr. Ace, the parish priest of Conner. He was saying that there are still barangay chapels that would take six hours of hiking over mountains. Mass being said there every month.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Kabugao, Apayao (F-1968)

The old convento made of wood of Kabugao.

With the parish priest of Kabugao, Fr. Rocky.

The parochial school of Kabugao.

At the residence of the brother-in-law of Celoy in Pudtol.

Ruins of the Mataguisi Church.

Blessing of fire for the Easter vigil.

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish, Pudtol, Apayao (F-1949)

April 17, Sunday

We left the parish of Pudtol just after the Salubong. Our first stop was the Lussok cave in Luna where we took the underground river boat ride and the easy spelunking tour which was less than an hour. We had to fit ourselves in a tight hole in going down the cave and another one in coming out. We passed by a hanging bridge in going back.

We visited next the Luna church, then we first went to Flora and in coming back the Sta. Marcela church, completing the visit to Kalinga and Apayao.

In going back to Manila, we made a short detour by going to Ballesteros, Cagayan where we visited Sr, Rovelie, who was formerly assigned in the CBCP in their convent in Matarican west. We had our lunch there. Then we made our way up north passing by Pagudpud. Took a short stop at the Paoay church until we reached Vigan where we stayed overnight at the convent. We arrived in Vigan at 7:30 where Msgr. Gary Formoso, our host was already waiting with his assistants so that we could have dinner in a restaurant serving Ilocano dishes. A short walk along Crisologo Street, the old part of the city of Vigan capped off our holy week trip. The following day we drove back to Manila.

For this trip we were able to visit seven of the 8 towns and city of Kalinga and six of the seven towns of Apayao, leaving Rizal, Kalinga and Calanasan in Apayao, the only towns to be visited on another trip.