Exploring the Tagudin Church and Sundials, Ilocos Sur

Tagudin, Ilocos Sur

26 October 2013

Tagudin Church Facade

On a hot windy Saturday, I wandered at a very peaceful and orderly town called Tagudin, in southern Ilocos.

Coming from Manila, Tagudin is the first town of Ilocos Sur.

After seeing an old painting collection at the monastery of San Agustin in Intramuros showing the church of Tagudin, also dedicated to San Agustin, I started to day-dream of exploring the church someday.

But aside from the old church, I had another mission of seeing the first sundials built in the Philippines circa 1800s.

From the City of Vigan, I took a van bound south. It took me two hours and 18 minutes travel on a passenger van from Bantay drive-in to the town of Tagudin. I alighted at the town proper and then I followed the direction on the signage from the main highway towards the old church and the sundials.

Church Interior

The old church, old convent and the sundials are located about a hundred meters away from the highway. Since I wanted to explore and took photos of whatever that interests me, I walked from the highway towards the town plaza.

Main Altar

The church is sandwiched between two school campuses. On the right side is the old San Agustin convent now converted into San Agustin School (SAS). Though converted into a school, the infrastructure still the old convent. The windows are still made of thinly polished capiz shells.

fronting the church is a wide plaza with century-old trees and on the left side few meters away from the church is the old belfry.

Massive Walls and Buttresses

The church architecture as elaborated at the Tagudin official website (http://www.tagudin.gov.ph/tourismchurch.html): "A very clear Baroque style pervades the facade of the church. The main entrance is elliptically arched with a recessed entrance door fully decorated with Augustinians symbols and crowned by a triangular pediment of Baroque influence. The main entrance is flanked on both sides by large and sensuously rounded, paired columns with double capitals; one is decorated with eggs dart carving which are Greek origin; and the other one is Doric-like stylized Augustinians emblem which is followed on the next on the higher level by a circular opening with a simply decorated on the outer edge and topped by the statued niche of the impediments panel. Two large, segmented blind windows on the side a panel of the first level arranges in such a way that balance are achieved with the rest of the openings. The impediment has broken lines, very common features of the Baroque. Paired finials grace the slopping curvilinear from of the facade. A simple contrast between mass and open voids creates a peaceful scene enlivened by the decoration of the capitals and panels."

Unlike other old churches, I find the interior of the Tagudin church simple. The old pulpit is at the left side facing the altar. The windows are made of stained colored glass.

The town's tourism website (http://www.tagudin.gov.ph/tourismchurch.html) stated on the construction of the present church:

Old Pulpit

"According to an official report prepared by the 24 cabezas de barangay of Tagudin and to the Governor of Ilocos Sur in 1829, documents suggests that Farther Gutierez built the church while while he was parish priest in Bangar and assistant parish priest of the mission of Tagudin. It also states the “he was prior of Tagudin” the wall were finish in about two years. Father Francisco Hernandez continued the work in 1816, and when he died in 1821, the church was almost finished. Jorde however, states, I believe erroneously that he constructed the church, a fundamentals. According to previous cited document, the interior, the vault and the presbytery had not yet been completed as of 1829. made of stone and bricks, the church measures 40 brazas(66.80 meter) long and 8 ½ brazas(14.19 meters) wide.

Fr. Juan Sorolla, prior of Tagudin in 1832, completed the construction of the church. He also built convent now use as a school building of Saint Augustine’s School run by the Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters. Fr. Juan Sorolla installed two sundials one at the back of the church in 1841, the other in front of the town hall in 1845, the marker however, says “1848” which is mistake because Fr. Sorolla left Tagudin in 1845.

Fr. Mariano Ortiz had some restoration work made in 1880. Fr. Geronimo Rubio built the slender belfry located apart from the church in 1881. the church has been restored several times since, but its old style has always been maintained. Sevilla had always been attached to Tagudin as a visita."

Belfry

The church belfry, just like other old churches of Ilocos was constructed few meters away from the main church at the left side facing the church facade.

I was told by the locals that the belfry was repaired by the town's miners in 1938.

Sundial at the back of the church

The very first sundials that was built in the Philippines can be found in this town. Two sundials constructed by Father Juan Sorrolla in 1841, according to Tagundin website. Both can be found at the back of the church and in front of the town hall, few meters away from the church.

Another sundial in front of the town hall

It was a dream fulfilled for me to see the Tagudin church finally and the sundials. It was a very nice and relaxing experience to sit under a huge tree on a sunny and windy day, facing the church facade and marveling at its grandeur. I have to mention as well that the place is so peaceful and orderly.

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Tree Planting at Mt. Makiling

Brgy. San Vicente Sto. Tomas, Batangas

19 October 2013

"Hitting Four Birds with One Stone!"

I Hiked, I planted trees, I had a great adventure and I did some exciting photo shoots.

2GO LMC organized a tree planting activity at the slope of Mt. Makiling at Brgy. San Vicente in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. This is part of the 2GO Group Corporate Social Responsibility.

Early 0423H on October 19, 2013, I arrived at the designated pickup point at "The Hub" located near Dr. Jose Rizal monument at the Rizal Park, Manila.

Based on our itinerary, we were supposed to leave for Sto. Tomas, Batangas by 0530H for the tree planting activity.

There were more than 100 volunteers on this event from all of 2GO Group of companies.

The registration started at 0515H and then we had breakfast. The briefing started at 0603H and it was conducted by one of the team leaders from LMC.

We started boarding the buses at 0615H. There were three buses and I was assigned at bus #2 together with employees from International Logistics group - Kerry-ATS and Hansa Meyer ATS. We were accompanied by one safety officer and four LMC members. We were 37 in the bus.

We left Manila at around 0645H. We had a quick stopover at a gas station along the SLEX to refuel the buses. We reached Brgy. San Vicente in Sto. Tomas, Batangas at 0850H.

One of the buses got lost and we waited. While waiting, it started to rain and there was a heavy downpour. We decided to wait inside the buses and also to have an early lunch.

At 1002H, we started trekking at the slope of Mt. Makiling towards the tree planting site. It was still raining. The muddy trail was very slippery.

At 1024H, most of us were at the base camp. At 1035H, the final briefing was conducted by a representative from UPLB.

From base camp, we started trekking up to the tree planting site at 1042H. This was the most challenging part of the trail for most of the volunteers who were not used to trekking.

At 1122H, few of us reached the tree planting site and we started to plant the seedlings. There were about 450 seedling bags.

The seedlings were already brought at the site and holes were made identified with a bamboo peg. All we had to do is to remove the seedlings from the plastic bags and then plant them inside the holes.

 

The tree planting site is not a flat ground but an inclined portion. Since only few of us were at the site first, we started planting at the base and gradually ascended on the slope.

Counting the seedling bags that I had, I realized that I was able to plant 35.

 

According to the person from UPLB, the seedlings are fruit bearing trees and not indigenous trees. The tree planting site is about 300MASL and so there is a nice landscape view of the neighboring places.

After planting the seedlings, I enjoyed taking photos.

 

The dedication of the volunteers are impressive. Despite the rain, the steep trail and mud, they did not give up and planted all the seedlings properly as it should be.

James Doolittle said, "There is nothing stronger than the heart of a Volunteer".

At 1220H, we started our descent from the tree planting site. As the trail was wet, muddy and slippery, It took longer for most of the volunteers to descend from the mountain.

We were all back at the drop-off point where the three buses were waiting at 1410H. We had late lunch and left Sto. Tomas at 1512H.

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Exploring the Church of Sta. Ana, Manila

Sta. Ana, Manila

15 October 2013

Sta. Ana church facade

On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, a holiday, I decided to move around Metro Manila in search of old churches and other heritage structures that I have not seen or known so far.

I decided to go down south of Manila and there I found the Santa Ana church also known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned (Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados).

According to history, Sta. Ana Church is one of the few churches built outside Intramuros during the colonial era. It is the site of the first Franciscan mission established in 1578.

Further more, the corner stone of the church was laid by Francisco De La Cuesta, Archbishop of Manila and acting Governor of the Philippines on September 12, 1720. The present church was built under the supervision of Vicente Ingles.

The Santa Ana church architecture, in my opinion, is different from the old churches in Ilocos known as "Baroque" churches in that, the material used to make the wall is made of adobe and brick whereas those in Ilocos are made of coral stone and brick.

Church bell tower

Another observation is that the bell tower is attached to the main building, whereas in Ilocos, the bell towers are situated few meters away from the main building so that in case of collapse, the main building will be spared.

Church interior

Santa Ana church has a dome. The altar, the way it looks, is made of wood. I like the intricate design in 3 layers.

Main altar

Something, I thought, that is missing though is a pulpit, which is usually located either at the side of the main altar or hanging at a column or wall near the aisle.

Stained glass

The windows at the side of the church facing the convent and the garden are made of antique stained glass colorfully and intricately designed with flowers and other objects.

The windows at the dome are also made of stained glass.

I love the architecture of Santa Ana church and I enjoyed taking photos and exploring the interior.

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Photo gallery

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