BEACHES AND CHURCHES: MATUGUINAO AND GANDARA, SAMAR CHURCHES

I was invited by Fr. Jake Yboa, the parish priest, to celebrate the fiesta Mass in Matuguinao, Samar—a town I had long wanted to visit due to its remoteness. In the past, this area was a stronghold of the NPA rebel group, making it difficult to access. With no concrete roads, the primary means of transportation was by boat from the town of Gandara. The journey involved navigating upstream along the river, often requiring passengers to disembark and tow the boat through shallow areas. The trip used to take about five hours.

When I finally visited, I was surprised to find that a concrete road had been built, reducing travel time to less than an hour from Gandara. I had always imagined Matuguinao to be perched on a mountaintop, only to discover that it is an interior town nestled near the mountains, at the heart of Samar, close to the border of Northern Samar.

On the way home, I stopped by the parish church of Gandara.

ST. ISIDORE THE FARMER PARISH
Matuguinao, Samar

A group picture with the concelebrants and the fiesta sponsor. The parish priest, Fr. Jake in gold stole. I could not remember why red was used as vestment for the fiesta mass in honor of St. Isidore.