Konted's Make My Day 2: Old Churches In The Towns of Rizal

Old Churches In The Towns of Rizal

Last Tuesday was supposed to be my brisk walking exercise day. A day when I was scheduled to walk along the riverbanks and through the streets of Marikina to shed off some pounds. But my Achilles tendon was still hurting and I felt somewhat sluggish. I opted to skip it and instead headed for the Manila East Road which would take me to the ancient churches located in the towns of Rizal province.

Ignoring somebody's remark that I was prone to making spur-of the -moment decisions, I reached the Binanganonan-Cardona boundary at exactly 2:00 PM, just when the temperature was at 36 degrees. I had made brief stopovers in the old churches of Cainta, Taytay, Angono and Binangonan. And as I negotiated that steep winding road, Laguna de Bay appeared on the horizon. Much as I wanted to stop on the road shoulder, I could not do so as there were two buses following me and that would surely flare up the temper of the bus drivers.

I continued driving and took my time until I reached an intersection where an arrow pointed that Koala Bay Resort was to my right and, for me, this was a clear indication that I was on the right track. I got there in less than 2 minutes but I couldn't pass through a steel gate where a burly security guard was manning the entry and exit points. I had no sticker, no nothing, to show the guard but quickly made the pretext that I was looking for a big venue for my youngest son's wedding scheduled for next month and would he please help me. Much to my delight, he made the hand signal to proceed to the summit where the office was supposed to be located. And reaching that point, I was captivated by the panoramic view of Laguna de Bay.

It was a vantage point where one could see numerous fish pens with Talim Island in the background. I could feel the breeze on my face. I reached for my digicam and began shooting. You see, I love my digicam more than I love my wife. I take to my camera as hunters to their rifles. I took about ten successive shots. It was an accidental good discovery which some writers term as serendipity. And I was to learn later that the place is owned by radio broadcaster Joe Taruc. Nice find, indeed.

My next stop was at the historic Morong church. It is the oldest in Rizal, having been constructed in 1615. It has a tropical baroque architecture and bullet marks are evident on its walls caused by intense gunfire exchanges between the KKK and Spanish soldiers. There was an activity inside the Church where two people were singing alternately but I couldn't comprehend what they were uttering. The religious icons were being cleaned and the only one visible was the statue of Jesus Christ carrying a heavy cross. I took the middle aisle as I headed for the exit, projecting a face that looked forlorn.

With Baras as the next town, I had to ask for directions from trike drivers as to the location of the old Baras church. This Church was a favorite of movie actor Fernando Poe, Jr. when doing scenes where the townspeople were shown carrying torches and running after an outlaw who sought refuge in the church belfry. The interior of the church is well kept and has quaintness as its major description. It was erected in 1686. But at the town plaza, I saw a big statue of a gladiator atop a big horse. Were there gladiators in Rizal province in the olden times?

Fifteen minutes away was the Church of Tanay with San Ildefonso as patron saint. Tanay Church owns the distinction of having the most number of religious icons at its altar but, at that moment, they were veiled in shiny, smooth suede. There is a hidden passage at the back of the altar that leads to the belfry. It reminded me of the mythical hunchback who would stay there for countless hours, and even days, and his primary duty was to remind the faithful of forthcoming masses and novenas. Though he was a regular fixture, most youngsters feared him for his looks.

Glancing at my watch, it had been two and a half hours of driving and moving around and I thought, for my last itinerary, that I might as well drive to the Lighthouse of Laguna de Bay which was just a few minutes away. Local residents call it Parola and it is here where wooden bancas are moored near its jetty. I chanced upon two fishermen unloading buckets of Big Heads as helpers of a fish cannery were mixing crushed ice to these highly perishable items. Gazing at the tranquil waters of the lake, I sat quietly in my car, listening to sax music by various artists........Can't Be with You Tonight, Right Here Waiting, Wonderful Tonight, Autumn Leaves. Something in the Way She Moves, The Way We Were, etc.

And to cap my day, I walked to a nearby seafood eatery and asked for Sinigang na Kanduli sa Miso and fried porkchop. Kanduli sa Miso is the specialty of the house, and true enough, it was delectable and much better than the ones you eat at Barrio Fiesta or Kamayan. Nothing was left to what was served and after washing, I asked for my bill. You know how much I paid? P127. And how much was my gasoline to and from Marikina? P400 !! Everything indeed was a bargain on that Tuesday afternoon.

And as I was manuevering my car, teenage boys were playing basketball. I stopped for awhile. One was a dead shot. He was scoring with impunity from the outside. Knowing I was watching, he turned conscious but I gave him the thumbs up. I started moving and headed for the national road for my 45 km trip back to Marikina. All by my lonesome.

- Konted

The Our Lady Of Light Church in the town of Cainta

While the church had undergone renovation, the old facade has been retained.

Cainta Church's new altar

Golden Shower tree at the church courtyard

St. John The Baptist Church in Taytay, Rizal is perched on a hill.

Retaining its old facade

Church interior has been remodeled.

Painted window glass panels

Story of the Church of Taytay

Native birds for sale in front of the church

St. Clement Parish Church in Angono . Construction of the church started in 1877. There is a fluvial procession in honor of St. Clement during the annual fiesta celebration.