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Stories of town explorations.
"While Lucban continues to preserve the tangible and intangible remains of its past, the town also continues to embrace changes."

► I loved the changes... It did complement the past of Lucban, something that is still thriving in our present modern time.

► It was a gloomy day, but the mode of our family bonding was like sunny day!

[Lucban, Quezon Province, Calabarzon (Region 4-A), Luzon Island, Philippines]
▼ COVER PHOTO▼ YOUTUBE
Churches, HERITAGE, Quezon, Lucban
| 1 | [LUCBAN] ► LUCBAN CHURCH GRANDLY STANDS IN THE DOWNTOWN OF LUCBAN WITH THE CLOUD-CLAD PEAK OF MOUNT BANAHAW AT THE BACKGROUND.
Churches, HERITAGE, Quezon, Lucban


I have a big fascination for old/historical things. In Ilocos, I grew up seeing big old churches. As a kid, the old churches in my province were nothing but a normal public place. As I grew up, I learned the rich heritage and culture of the place where I was born. Because these are part of my identity as an Ilocano, my appreciation for the old churches in Ilocos also bloomed.

Speaking of old churches, I revisited the Lucban Church. It's my third time to visit Lucban as a tourist (for leisure). I had the chance to visit this town for several occasions now because there is a tour coordinator in my hometown ▼ #VIGANLATEST STORIES COVERING VIGAN
 targeting "religious older adults" for a pilgrimage.

While most joiners were our older aunts and uncles (titos and titas), millennials like me were also welcome.

Lucban Church, Lucban, Quezon, Calabarzon, Luzon Island, Luzon Archipelago, Philippines, (Philippines), Southeast Asia, Asia, World, Vantage Point: Ground Level > Lucban Plaza, Churches » 14.1146737,121.5510567
| 2 | [LUCBAN] ► THE CHURCH OF LUCBAN FOLLOWS A STYLE OF BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE.
The organizer was not really marketing Lucban as a town to visit. She only offered a pilgrimage tour to Kamay ni Hesus. There is no real Lucban itinerary. The tour bus would leave Lucban for another pilgrimage site located in another province, after Kamay ni Hesus.

I've joined this pilgrimage tour for the third time now since 2014. For the succeeding tours, my main purpose was not really to visit the Kamay ni Hesus pilgrimage site anymore, but to explore the other side of Lucban—including the other towns of ▼ QUEZONLATEST STORIES COVERING QUEZON
 province. While joiners spent several hours at Kamay ni Hesus, I have always drafted with me a personal itinerary covering Lucban and beyond, which I did with my siblings in 2016, and now (2020) with my parents.

LUCBAN CHURCH
| 3 | [LUCBAN] ► THESE COLORFUL SMALL HUTS WERE DISPLAYED ALONGSIDE THE FENCES OF THE CHURCH SQUARE.
As the tour bus reached the destination (Kamay ni Hesus), I immediately figured out how to commute to the downtown of Lucban.

For our convenience (my parents are getting old), we just hailed a tricycle driver and took the trike to make it easier for all of us. Taking a jeep would be cheaper, but less convenient. Somehow, the 10-peso difference was not a significant damage for a working adult like me.


 ►  What's New in 2020?


It's extremely interesting to witness the dynamism of a place. While Lucban continues to preserve the tangible and intangible remains of its past, the town also continues to embrace changes.

So what's new? My last visit to this church was in 2016. I noticed the red bricks installed around the church premises. The streets around were also changed into cobblestone (kind of, not sure but it looked like that).

LUCBAN CHURCH
| 4 | [LUCBAN] ► THIS STRUCTURE MADE OF LIGHT MATERIALS STILL STANDS BESIDE THE CHURCH, BUT IT'S NOW STANDING OVER RED BRICKS.
LUCBAN COBBLESTONE STREET
| 5 | [LUCBAN] ► THIS STREET IN LUCBAN HAS TURNED INTO A COBBLESTONE PAVEMENT.
I loved the changes. The changes applied, in my point of view as a non-historian/non-anthropologist, was pleasing to my eyes. It did complement the past of Lucban, something that is still thriving in our present modern time.

As a resident of a World Heritage City, I also noticed changes like these in my hometown; and they were very welcome.


 ►  Bringing my Parents to Lucban Church


It's my father's first time in Lucban. It's my mom's third visit; and it's my youngest brother's second visit.

Prior to this, my mom called to inform me that the tour coordinator organized another trip to Lucban. She told me she would like to join the tour again not because she wanted to revisit Lucban, but because she wanted to see me here in Manila (aww, she missed me). With that, I told her to secure a slot for the five of us (whole family) and considered this a family bonding. Unfortunately, my other sibling wasn't able to join us due to work commitments.

LUCBAN CHURCH
| 6 | [LUCBAN] ► WE TOOK THIS FAMILY PHOTO (INSERT EDISON) IN FRONT OF THE LUCBAN CHURCH.
LUCBAN, QUEZON
| 7 | [LUCBAN] ► EDISON WAS MISSING DUE TO WORK COMMITMENT.
LUCBAN, QUEZON
| 8 | [LUCBAN] ► IT FELT GOOD TO HANG OUT WITH MY FAMILY. I'VE BEEN WANTING THIS BADLY SINCE I WAS BASED IN MANILA.
We skipped the Kamay ni Hesus meantime. We had ample time to visit Lucban. I didn't want to just spend all our time at Kamay ni Hesus when we could explore the downtown to find new food destinations and visit historical sites.

There was a wedding going on when we visited the Lucban Church. Although it was gloomy that time (it rained a little), we were not stopped to marvel on its beauty.

LUCBAN CHURCH
| 9 | [LUCBAN] ► THE DETAILS OF THE WALL OF THE CHURCH CANNOT GO UNNOTICED.
LUCBAN CHURCH
| 10 | [LUCBAN] ► MARCH BRIDE INSIDE. BEST WISHES!
LUCBAN CHURCH
| 11 | [LUCBAN] ► IT WAS A GLOOMY DAY, BUT THE MOOD OF OUR FAMILY BONDING WAS LIKE A SUNNY DAY!
Sadly, the clouds covered the beauty of Mt Banahaw. It would have been much better if we were able to see the beauty of the mystical mountain from the church.


 ►  Taking Aerial/Drone Shots of the Church


I brought my drone in this trip with the eagerness to capture a different perspective of Lucban. At first, I was hesitant to bring out my drone because of the strong wind, but my drone managed to fly safely.

LUCBAN CHURCH AERIAL/DRONE SHOT
| 12 | [LUCBAN] ► CAN YOU SPOT US?
LUCBAN CHURCH AERIAL/DRONE SHOT
| 13 | [LUCBAN] ► MOUNT BANAHAW CONCEALED ITSELF FROM US.
LUCBAN CHURCH AERIAL/DRONE SHOT
| 14 | [LUCBAN] ► UP CLOSE WITH LUCBAN CHURCH'S FAÇADE
Prior to flying, I asked permission from the admin office of the parish if I could fly my drone. One of the personnel gave me an overwhelming positive response. I brought out my drone and launched its flight. Curious kids and some random individuals started approaching us. Curious kids were in awe. I knew they wanted to see what's on my screen but they seemed unsure what to do. I could see the amazement on their innocent faces.

I, too, was amazed to see the compact downtown of Lucban and to see the Lucban church serving as a majestic centerpiece of the town from the air.

This ends our family visit at Lucban Church. 💚 | end of story |


Maps Showing the Location of LUCBAN

If on mobile, tap map to reveal the color.
MAP OF LUCBAN
► FOOTNOTES, DISCLAIMERS, ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ETC

✈ This post was filed under the categories "Heritage" and "Churches". See more posts related to this below.

✈ The maps I used on this post are from maps.google.com.ph and Mike Gonzalez and Eugene Alvin Villar (of Wikipedia).

✈ All photos are mine.

✈ The insights, condition and name of places or properties I mentioned here are based on the facts and situation on the day of my visit. Take note that you may have a different experience when you try the activities or see the properties/places mentioned here. Names of places and properties may also change by time.
UPDATE HISTORY FOR THIS BLOG POST
► 12-April-2020: This post was published.

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Stories of town explorations.
"...it is happening to towns like Sariaya and new buildings do not conform with the baseline old architectural harmony. They disrupt the beauty and with the mushrooming growth of new buildings, tangling power lines keep appearing in an inevitable manner."

I learned about the town of Sariaya in Quezon when it has been featured by Korina Sanchez once in her show Rated K and it highlighted the old structures in the town and also dubbed it as the little Vigan of Quezon. 

Towns with Vigan-ish appeal always interest me and I am always looking forward of seeing an old non-commercialized village. In Sariaya, there is a war cry and struggle inside because modernization is a threat in bringing back the old charm of the town as I was able to see the town face to face.

An ancestral house in Sariaya, Quezon is trying to stand out in spite of the destructive view of these power-lines.

Maps by Wikipedia
Location Highlighted in Red
I must say I love heritage structures and it is also a part of my advocacies to preserve and protect their presence.

I am somewhat impressed with the town and Korina did not kill my expectations. Along the national highway, rows of old houses are standing with the clamor to survive the threats of modernization and commercialization. Well, they still survive. Some are modified. Some are restored. Some remain to be as it is. But the town of Sariaya being the second most populated municipality of Quezon province with Lucena City being the most populated is growing fast economically.

The presence of modern structures are now grabbing a space in between the heritage houses altering the unison and architectural harmony and the most eye-catchy addition that diverts the old beauty of the town is the presence of the power lines.

Well, this is somehow inevitable for a country like the Philippines because we do not have exceptional urban planning and at times, we don't have proper urban zoning and worse, we don't care at all. This is not a focus of our government because there are still other grave problems that our society needs to solve first like unemployment and poverty.

But as a person who loves our history and heritage, I am deeply affected with what is happening in our towns with heritage treasures to preseve.

I am not blaming someone or anyone for these struggles because as I have said the priorities of our government is focused on a different direction buy hey! Just a wake up call, we can always shape our future but we can never reshape our past. Once gone, it is always gone. It is like an extinct animal that can only be appreciated through documents but will be impossible for an actual encounter.

In Vigan, it has been inscribed as a world heritage city so international organizations with the cooperation of the local government unit have done a massive effort of preserving the structures. But I think without such recognition, the eyes of conservationists won't know about Vigan and will just turn to be a dilapidated remains of an extinct old beauty. My point here is that, it is happening to towns like Sariaya and new buildings do not conform to the baseline old architectural harmony. They disrupt the beauty and with the mushrooming growth of new buildings, tangling power lines keep appearing in an inevitable manner.

I think, it is now time for the town of Sariaya to create proper zoning and diversion road to keep unfriendly vehicles away from the old structures and at the same time, zoning to get rid of the multicolored modern structures that is annoying considering they are established in between the old structures. 

This is just an opinion, a suggestion. The final blow of course will fall under the initiative of those who have been entrusted for such jurisdiction. No hurt feelings. I am entitled to my own opinion and no one can take me that away. I travel. I observe, I comment, I suggest and I blog. This is my advocacy and expect me to tell this. I am looking forward for a vibrant conservation effort in the future not just in Sariaya but all over the Philippines because this is our culture, our heritage, our pride, our country, the Philippines.


Tags: Ancestral Houses in Sariaya, Quezon | Old Houses in Sariaya Quezon | Heritage of Sariaya, Quezon |
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Stories of town explorations.
"...but this is a different story because it is a mountain and I was not just able to see one mountain with that character but several of them is present in Quezon."

With the long and winding national road of Quezon Province which is teeming with an endless plantation of copra/coconuts, most of the time it offers a countryside experience. If I'll be given a chance to coin a title for Quezon Province, I will choose "Copralandia" because everywhere I look as we traverse the road, there are coconuts. It doesn't stop.

[ATIMONAN] With the coconut-clad mountain at the back


Being a newbie traveler to Quezon who landed here secretly, I appreciate the countryside vista made up of an array of copra.

For that elongated province with a huge political scope and jurisdiction, everywhere is a view with the coconuts therein.

I bet copra production is a vibrant industry in Quezon province to the point that I was able to encounter a mountain and that mountain is covered with coconuts. It was like a coconut forest.

Stunning! I know some islands of Honda Bay in Palawan are covered by coconuts too but this is a different story because it is a mountain and I was not just able to see one mountain with that character but several of them are present in Quezon.

[ATIMONAN] Refreshing verdant-ness

[ATIMONAN] I think it is safe to say that this is cloudrise


Being able to witness this, I can now tell an answer why most postcards of Villa Escudero are tall palm trees with Carabao at the ground.

Quezon province's countrysides are decorated with palm trees and I bet some travelers have been noticing this [except when you love sleeping on board a bus].

[ATIMONAN] These palms are so dominant


I believe that an industry in Quezon linked to the production of copra is doing well. But in spite of these palm trees which are present everywhere, I also had the chance to take a glimpse of the simple and peaceful countryside of the town of Atimonan.

[ATIMONAN] Beautiful sky!

[ATIMONAN] Countryside living

[ATIMONAN] Lamon Bay with Alabat Island from afar


This calm and peaceful bay is being hidden by the mountains with coconuts all over. In a certain angle, the beauty grabs a chance and a space to be seen and to be recognized.

The Atimonan countryside is blessed with a simple and peaceful charm with the long and never ending array of coconut plantations.

Truly, the life of the common Atimonanins have been linked to coconuts. ▬ end

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Map showing the Location of #Atimonan

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Tags: Atimonan, Quezon | Coconut Plantation | What to See in Atimonan, Quezon
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