My college friend, Corey, brought me to her hometown in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte, and there we spent our Holy Week. Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte is part of Bicol Region. Corey told me that Padilla family originated from this town.
Jose Panganiban is just a very small place. Yet, I was amazed to see a huge number of people offering prayers in the church and professing their belief to the God they adore. Corey’s house is just beside the church. We needed to be in the church as early as we could so we would have a vacant chair to sit in. When the mass started, a lot of people were standing and some of them flocked even at the outside part of the church.
During the holy week, there is one ritual you can witness in Jose Panganiban. There are people with masks who carry something to hit their back. They walk around the town from a mountain (according to Corey), and they will end up at the pier where they will jump into the sea. Some of the local residents do it as a sacrifice so that their sins will be forgiven. Others do it because this is their payment in exchange of an answered prayer.
When Sunday approached, Corey’s family and I went swimming. The beach has steep stones, but the place is great for relaxation. The clean water is safe for a long dipping and soaking.
On our last day in Jose Panganiban, Corey toured me around the town. It is a peaceful place where you can see people playing basketball in the plaza and hanging out in the park. Among the nicest places I have seen is the “Il Mare”.
I do not know how they call this place, but I call it “Il Mare” since it resembles the house in the movie “Il Mare”. 
Camarines Norte, Philippines
March 2007
With Corey
No comments:
Post a Comment