A Day of Pilgrimage Through Cagayan: The towns of Solana, Enrile, Peñablanca, Piat and the city of Tuguegarao in Cagayan

On our way to attend the episcopal ordination and installation of the new Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk on June 2, 2026, we flew first to Tuguegarao, which is only about an hour's drive from Tabuk. The idea of passing through Tuguegarao actually came from Fr. Mike, who had never been to Cagayan and thought it would be a good opportunity to visit some of its churches and towns before proceeding to Tabuk. Unfortunately, by the time he and Fr. Vlad booked their flights, the earlier flight was already full. As a result, I flew ahead alone while they were scheduled to arrive only later that afternoon.

Upon my arrival at Tuguegarao Airport, I was warmly welcomed by Fr. Jake Ordillos, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, who graciously served as my guide throughout our stay. Since my companions were not due to arrive until later in the day, Fr. Jake asked me what I would like to do in the meantime. I told him that I hoped to visit some of the nearby towns, particularly Solana, Enrile, and Peñablanca. Without hesitation, he gladly arranged our itinerary, and from the airport we immediately set out for Solana and Enrile.

By noon, we arrived at the Archbishop's Residence, where Archbishop Ric Baccay was already waiting to welcome us for lunch. We were also accommodated at the residence, conveniently located just across the Cathedral.

In the afternoon, Fr. Jake continued our tour by bringing me to the town of Peñablanca, where we visited not only the parish church but also the San Jacinto Minor Seminary, one of the principal formation houses of the archdiocese. We then proceeded to the monastery in Iguig, enjoying the beautiful countryside along the way.

Later that afternoon, we returned to Tuguegarao Airport to fetch Frs. Mike and Vlad. Since it was Fr. Mike's first visit to Cagayan, we took the opportunity to show them a few more places before ending the day. We stopped at St. Paul University Philippines, where Fr. Jake serves as chaplain, and before returning to the Archbishop's Residence, I also had the chance to pray at the Cathedral, which stands just across the residence.

Since our departure for Tabuk was scheduled only in the afternoon of the following day, we spent the morning visiting the Clergy Retirement Home in Solana. While we were in the area, we passed once again by the parish church, where I unexpectedly met one of my former Canon Law students. He was busy packing his belongings as he prepared for his transfer to San Jacinto Minor Seminary.

With time still on our side, we made one more pilgrimage—this time to Piat, home of the much-venerated Our Lady of Piat. It was a blessing to pray before the centuries-old image of Our Lady in the church, now honored as a Minor Basilica, one of the most important Marian shrines in Northern Luzon.

Looking back, it was remarkable how much we were able to see and experience in just over a day in Cagayan. We visited several towns, churches, seminaries, and places of prayer, each offering its own glimpse into the rich faith and history of the province.

That afternoon, together with several bishops and the Apostolic Nuncio, who had also arrived in Tuguegarao, we finally made our way to Tabuk to participate in the joyful episcopal ordination and installation of Bishop Sean Mejia as the new shepherd of the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk.

St. Vincent Ferrer Parish (F-1855)
Solana, Cagayan

Met my former student in Canon Law in UST who was packing up his things as he was transferring to his new assignment at the San Jacinto Minor Seminary in Peñablanca, Cagayan. 

In Solana, the tartanilla is still a familiar mode of transportation. 

Our Lady of Snows Parish (F-1849)
Enrile Cagayan

St. Joseph the Husband of Mary Parish (F-1896)
Penablanca, Cagayan

The parish was about to celebrate their Flores de Mayo procession when we came. The floral arches were first installed along the aisles of the church for the coronation program before the procession. 

St. Peter's Metropolitan Cathedral (F-1601)
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan

St. Dominic de Guzman Parish (F-1610)
Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat
Piat, Cagayan

Beside the Minor Basilica is this church which serves as the parish church were the other parochial celebrations like weddings, baptism and funerals are held when the main church is occupied. 

The altar of the parish church

The retablo at the entrance of the parish church, which serves as the baptistry. 

San Jacinto Minor Seminary
Penablanca, Cagayan