BEACHES AND CHURCHES: ANTIQUE: ONE MORE TIME

Upon the invitation of Lester Mark Yee, President of the Esprutingkle Group of Companies, we had the privilege of traveling once again to San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, to celebrate their 20th anniversary. We took a direct PAL flight to San Jose, arriving a day ahead of the event due to the limited flight schedule.

After lunch, we visited the Poor Clare Monastery in San Pedro, San Jose de Buenavista, where we celebrated Mass, presided over by Bishop Leo Dalmao. The sisters were delighted by the presence of two bishops and several priests, graciously inviting us to enjoy snacks at their convent. Following this, we toured the nearby Parish of San Pedro, which features remnants of an old church, adding a historical charm to the visit.

That evening, Esprutingkle hosted a barbecue dinner behind their Convention Center. The highlight of the evening was a performance by Dante Beriong, a multi-awarded singer-songwriter celebrated for his original Kinaray-a music. Accompanied by his daughter and another singer, he entertained the audience with lively and captivating songs.

The following day, with the Thanksgiving Mass scheduled for the evening, I took the opportunity to visit Valderrama, one of the few remaining towns in Antique I had yet to see. Our first stop was the parish church, followed by Villa Valderrama Mountain Resort, a nearby getaway with function halls, overnight accommodations, picnic kiosks, and swimming pools fed by a refreshing brook. Bishop Marvyn had coordinated with the parish priest to prepare lunch for us at the convent, so we returned there to enjoy a warm and hearty meal.

On our way to Valderrama, we spotted a church perched on a mountaintop. The parish priest informed us it was a Divine Mercy Chapel, recently donated to the diocese by a benefactor working in Italy. On our way back, we stopped to visit this chapel, marveling at its peaceful setting and inspiring story.

Additionally, I noticed that the façade of the Church of Patnongon had been renovated. I asked our driver to stop so I could take a photo. We also visited the church of Belison taking a picture of the altar which had been covered during my Holy Week visit a few years back.

The highlight of our visit to Antique was the 20th anniversary Thanksgiving Mass of the Esprutingkle Group of Companies, concelebrated by 14 bishops, including Cardinals Advincula and Quevedo, alongside several priests and religious sisters. The Mass was attended by the Board members, staff, workers, and investors of the company. This was followed by a grand dinner program at the Esprutingkle Convention Center, marking a memorable conclusion to the event.

With this trip, only the town of Caluya, located on Semirara Island, remains as the last town in Antique that I have yet to visit. Although I have passed through the town of Libertad, I have not had the chance to take a picture of its church, as it was already dark during my visit a few years ago.