CFC North B - 1C goes to Lobo, Batangas!

A year into my leadership as a chapter head in Sta. Lucia, I am elated that the second of two pastoral fellowship activities our leaders and I have longed to realize has also been finally brought to fruition last June 20 & 21.

After months of wishful thinking, our desire to conduct a family day for the chapter was achieved last month at the La Mesa Ecopark. Then last weekend our chapter household went on an overnight out of town excursion to Lobo, Batangas!

It was a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of city life and the often nature of chapter activities. At the same time it also provided quality bonding time with my family and chapter leaders as well.

Prayers for our safe travel at the Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Taysan, Batangas

We also passed by St. Michael the Archangel Parish located at Lobo’s poblacion area

After several stopovers at Lipa City, Taysan and Lobo town proper, our group finally arrived around noontime at the Villamar Quez Beach Resort in Barangay Malabrigo, Municipality of Lobo.

Roughly around three and a half hours from Manila, Lobo is not as well known as other towns of Batangas such as Nasugbu, Matabungkay, Mabini or San Juan. Comprising of 26 barangays, Lobo is one of the poorer municipalities of the said province. However, one should not make the mistake of not visiting this place if the opportunity arises because it has its own set of natural wonders and historic sites to share with the traveling folk.

The name of the municipality ‘Lobo’ is said to have been taken from three sources. The first one is from the Tagalog word which means ‘wolf’. Second from the name of the river that runs through the area. Thirdly, from the name of early inhabitants named ‘Lolobos’.

Malabrigo as I learned from my experience exuded a unique sense of natural beauty as the barangay featured a jagged coastline that is different from what one may expect especially if you’ve been to other Batangas beaches such as those in Nasugbu or San Juan. Nonetheless, its rough features contribute to the raw beauty of its land and seascapes that is Malabrigo.

Welcome to Villamar Quez Beach Resort

Swell. Nice. That’s how I would describe the ‘middle of the pack’ type beach resort we stayed in Malabrigo. Owned by relatives of a unit leader in our chapter, Villamar Quez Beach Resort is not one of those fancy resorts you often see in glossy brochures. But its room rates are reasonable and modest accommodations well okay. The place is unassuming and the friendly staffs give you a sense of hominess you may not always find in these more expensive establishments.

If you’re looking for more privacy, more beach space for your family then this secluded hideaway is the piece of paradise you are looking for!

Converging at the resort’s dining area

In front of our two bed air-conditioned room

Joshua and Faith excitedly scout the rocky beach

Bro. Gaddi and I warm ourselves up with some brandy

My family tries out the relaxing hammock

Joshua is the first to hit the beach

A caveat to all first time swimmers in Malabrigo - take caution of its big strong waves! Because the beach floor tends to be riddled with slippery rocks big and small, those waves can definitely knock the wind out of you!

Once you get the hang of it, you can venture farther out the beach which tends to have a smoother and sand filled bottom. Again, the strong waves of Malabrigo may not be for your young kids or senior loved ones so exercise caution and care!

Scenic view of the Malabrigo coastline

Strong waves crashed into us all afternoon

Inside our room

Enjoying the waves with the kids

Lunch break

Chapter leaders wave!

Catching the beautiful Batangas sunset

Others continue to enjoy a late afternoon swim

By a romantic sunset with my Lovey

Pearls for sale anyone?

A final look as the sun fades away

The night brought forth the hard drinks and videoke singing at the Banquet Hall

A Lord’s Day celebration preceded dinner

Post-dinner singing

Faith and Joshua are wide awake late in the evening…

…while in deep slumber the morning after

The women of the chapter honor the fathers present

I think it wasn’t any accident that our field trip happened this weekend when we celebrated Father’s Day that Sunday. My wife, Odette had the inspiration to lead the other women leaders in honoring the fathers present in our chapter household that day.

Family picture

On route to the Malabrigo Lighthouse

When we heard from Bro. Mar Marquez that there was a lighthouse nearby, some of us took the time to hike a few hundred meters at a chance to marvel at its historic splendor.

The rock-strewn upward hike is moderately challenging

Our triumphant approach to the historic Malabrigo Lighthouse

As an archipelagic colony, the Spaniards constructed lighthouses to safeguard the growing maritime traffic in major maritime routes around the country. A total of 24 lighthouses were built during the more than 300 years of Spanish rule in the Philippines.

The Malabrigo Lighthouse was formally known as the Faro de Punta de Malabrigo. Standing at 56 feet, construction of this Victorian-inspired edifice was finished in the late 19^th century (1896) by Jose Garcia, a Chinese contractor based on the design of Guillermo Brockman. It served as a navigational guide to ships sailing through the Pasaje de Isla Verde (Verde Island Passage).

Still operational, the lighthouse’s original lantern and lenses however were restocked with halogen lights and now currently runs on solar power.

I understand that the family of famous Filipino swimmer Akiko Thomson (they have a house nearby) through an agreement with the Philippine Coast Guard has adopted and preserved the antique structure since 2004.

Fittingly, it was finally declared a national historical site on November 27, 2006.

Going back, we took another route which to me made all the difference! You see there is a concrete stairway near the lighthouse that will bring you down the beachfront crossing some of Malabrigo’s most charming land and seascapes.

We take a different route back

Going down the beachfront, it was a scenic route I highly recommend

“…Time in New England took me away

To long rocky beaches and you, by the bay

We started a story

Whose end must now wait...”

Excerpts from the song “Weekend in New England”

The sights and sound of the Malabrigo coastline kept Barry Manilow’s song ‘Weekend in New England’ playing on my mind.

If the Malabrigo Lighthouse brought out the historian in me, its jagged coastline drew out my hopeless romantic nature.

The quaint landscape reminds me of an old Barry Manilow song

The waves hit the jagged coastline

Lush foliage covers the cliff

Long rocky beaches

So if you are the sentimental type whom loves to stroll long rocky beaches on a quiet Sunday morning, then Malabrigo is the place for you.

My family takes a morning swim

A thankful and reenergized chapter household heads back home

I thank the Lord for this weekend fellowship with my family and CFC brethren. I thank Him for the quality time with my loved ones and another enriching travel experience in our country!

San Agustin Center of Studies

The San Agustin Major Seminary

“No human being is a stranger to an AUGUSTINIAN.
…live together in oneness honoring God in yourselves.”

Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.)

The venue for this year’s Sector Weekend for Couples for Christ North B is quite unique.

That venue is a nearly finished chapel inside the San Agustin Center of Studies (SACS) compound located at Fisheries St., near Visayas Avenue in Quezon City. What makes it quite eccentric is the fact that the chapel forms part of a modern day columbary owned by the Augustinians.

It didn’t look like there was a columbary when I arrived as the place was sprawling and quite well maintained if I may say so. The expansive beauty of the Center well mitigated any morbid feeling I later felt realizing we were in a resting place for the departed.

The Center opened its doors to CFC North B!

During the successful whole day activity, I got the chance to know more about the community of friars that lived there, the Augustinians.

The so-called Augustinians belong to the Order of St. Augustine (OSA) founded during the Middle Ages but traces its roots all the way to the 4th and 5th centuries, during the time of St. Augustine whom they consider their “Spiritual Founder”. After the initial gathering of different hermits who followed the Rule of St. Augustine by Pope Innocent IV in 1244 followed by a bigger union formed under Pope Alexander IV in 1256, the mendicant Order soon spread to many parts of the world. Missions were established in many areas of the New World including the Philippines. According to their brochure, there are presently around 2,700 Augustinians around the world in 40 countries serving in various ministries which include education, parochial and missionary apostolates.

In fact, the first Christian missionaries to the archipelago were Augustinian friars led by the navigator Fray Andres Urdaneta. As such, the history of the Augustinians is closely intertwined with the country’s momentous past. Many of the nation’s first converts to Christianity from the present day provinces of Cebu, Panay, Central and Northern Luzon including many parts of Metro Manila can be attributed to the missionary passion of the Augustinian friars. These friars are also well known as founders of many municipalities and historic churches many of which continue to stand as houses of worship and as historical landmarks.

The Province of Sto. Niňo de Cebu which works here in the Philippines has 13 houses under its jurisdiction including SACS. The Center, aside from the Columbary and the Chapel of Sto. Niňo de Cebu also houses the San Agustin Major Seminary, the San Agustin College Seminary and the St. Thomas of Villanova Institute.

The Columbary’s Chapel was the venue for this year’s CFC Sector Weekend

In the afternoon, I went to the Seminary and met one of the Center’s administrators, Fr. Joel L. Beronque, OSA. Fray Joel was the current Master of College Seminarians. It was through our brief conversation I was able to know a lot about this missionary Order.

The Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary later this year

As I went back to the chapel and to the remaining talks of the Sector Weekend, I noticed a tarpaulin showing the upcoming preparations for the Center’s 25th anniversary this November. The SACS’ theme at 25 is “We remember…We rejoice…We renew…” I thought it was a fitting theme for a religious learning institution that has been in existence for at least a quarter of a century. I congratulate and wish them well.

May the Augustinians continue to remain zealously faithful to their missionary vision of establishing “a community of brothers and friends, living harmoniously with one mind and one heart intent upon God and sharing goods in common for the service of the people of God.”