Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Lubao Church

Last Saturday, after attending Mrs. Castro's funeral mass at Angeles, Pampanga, my Kapampangan friend Wilmer, took me to Lubao and Sasmuan. Pampanga towns never failed to amuse me, in terms of people and churches!

Roots
The Municipality of Lubao is a first class municipality with an estimate of 140,000 residents. Lubao is one of the old towns of Pampanga as it was already a visita affiliated to Tondo in 1572, a year after the City of Manila was founded. It was the Augustinians who were responsible for evangelizing the said place. Years later, the church, after being erected was dedicated to St. Augustin, Augustinians' founding father. Decades later, the towns of Betis and Sasmuan was annexed to the town making them Lubao's visitas. The convent was once used as a temporary school for the students of Estudio de Manila in the 18th century during the British Sack of Manila. The town was made famous by its notable sons, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, his daughter President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and movie-stars Jaime and Rogelio dela Rosa to name some.

Facade

Lubao church's facade is a typical Filipino church facade. It consists of the main church, its adjoining belfry and the convento. It was once a plastered facade until recently, the bricks were exposed. Belfry was made up of adobe stones. The convento, with its charming overhanging-terraces, is of mixed bricks and masonry. Two historical markers were installed on its walls, one for the church itself. The other for President Diosdado Macapagal who was baptized at the said church.

Place of Worship

Lubao church is one of the most important places in the town. It is the place of worship of most Lubeños as the town's populace are majority Catholic. As one walks inside the church through its main doors, you will be welcomed by several images of saints such as that of the Nazareno, San Jose and the Virgin Mary. Walking past these images, one would enjoy the view of the nave. at the end of the nave is the beautifull retablo to fully indulge ones eyes.

Interesting Finds

As I explore Lubao church, there are some interesting things that my eyes never failed to noticed. At the stairway-landing leading to the parish hall inside the convento, a hard-and-heavy-looking cut-stone pot (was that a pot?) was resting at one corner. I wonder how our Lubao's old folks manged to lift that one up to the second floor. A very charming antique crucifix with its handsome Cristo Moribundo with its missing finger awaits at the parish hall. One could access the choir loft through the parish hall. The coro is still functional as we found the electronic clavinova and a board were songs (written in Tagalog) were present up there. One can also admire the beautiful stained glass representation of St. Agustine crafted by Kraut through the coro. Walking past through the coro lead us to the belfry. The belfry, with its narrow passage, houses four bells, all functional. The largest, San Agustin Obispo, named after the town's patron has a beautiful relief of the saint that is very seldom seen on church's bells around the archipelago. I am happy to see that Lubeños beautifully preserved their church, in whatever reason drove them to do so. Either on its aesthetic sense or because of the intangible treasures and stories that lies beneath its walls

Indeed Lubao church is one of the many manifestations that The Philippines is a country of people with deep faith. A country that was once "bajo delas campanas".









Spacial thanks to Tito Alex for the some informations regarding Lubao church's history and to Wilmer for his dslr. :D

Monday, June 29, 2009

Month-ender...

End of June na...

Madaming nangyari na naman...
magandang balikan ang mga experiences at karanasan nitong nakaraang buwan...

...Start ng klase
...bangenge sessions
...Santo-related activities
...Angeles-Lubao-Sasmuan galaan
...Textmates (Lord, salamat po sa kanila :-)
...away with some people...(Kainis!)
...deadlines (oh, no!)
...foodtrip sa SM Marilao
...song practices
...meetings
...etc

Masarap magreminisce. Especially kung magaganda ang babalikan.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

rants...

im tired...
sabi nga ni sarah gernimo sa a very special love...
"kahit kailan hindi ako napagod mahalin ka... ngayon lang..."
i feel empty...
kailangan ko ng pupuno sa akin.
im bored...
ang dami kong ginagawa pero nabobore ako.
and this boredom eats me!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

LSS - Kismet

I was browsing Marvin's Redfox notebook's (thanks friend!) music section when i found this Mp3 file entitled "Kismet". Alam ko, I came across this song once but i cant remember it when. I am not fond of listening to contemporary songs, so to speak, but when i came listening to this song and reflecting on its lyrics... I lost words. I kept on replaying and replaying the song...

...And I'll drive for two hours
To bring Butterfingers
I don't mind the distance
This kismet's a dance

This time I surrender
My everything forever
Life doesn't matter
Just our souls together...


Kismet - Silent Sanctuary

Hayyy...

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

mga bagay na sumasagi sa aking isip

may mga taong naaalala ka lang kapag kailangan ka nila.
kapag tapos na ang iyong pakinabang,
isasantabi ka na lamang muli sa isang sulok ng kanilang buhay...
saka na lang muling aalisin ang lambong na nakatakip sa iyo
sa sandaling kailangan na nila muli ang iyong pagdamay.

may mga tao din naman na nagpapagamit.
kahit alam nila na sila ay ginagamit lang ng mga tao sa kanilang paligid,
wala silang pakialam.
kahit pa masaktan nila ang kanilang mga sarili
handa silang kalimutan ang kanilang mga sarili dahil sa pagmamahal.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

ayoko na ng ulan...

noong bata ako, gustong gusto ko ng ulan.
masarap magtampisaw sa tubig habang ako naliligo
habang nakikipaghabulan ka sa mga kalaro
naaalala ko pa,
ginagawa namin na bangka-bangkaan ang aming mga lumang tsinelas
animo'y mga pagoda
habang ito ay pinalulutang sa tubig kung bumabaha
pero habang tumatakbo ang panahon,
nagbago ang aking pagkahilig sa ulan.
hindi na ako nakakapagtampisaw sa tubig.
ayaw ko nang nababasa ng ulan...
minsan ayokong umuulan.
lalo na kapag kungsumasapit ang buwan ng mayo...
sapagkat ang dala nito ay lamig
lamig na manunuot sa aking kalamnan.
wala naman akong kakayahan upang ito ay pawiin
ang pagpawi ng lamig na aking nararamdaman.
lamig na nanunuot sa kaibuturan
ng isang puwang sa aking buhay
na nais kong punan.