Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)

Today, we are commemorating "Araw ng ng Kagitingan" or Day of Valor. It is also a public holiday in the Philippines. Day of Valor signifies the heroism of the Filipino fighters during World War II. It is also known as Bataan Day which commemorates the fall of Bataan. We are also dedicating this day for those fighters and innocent victims of the war.    

 Memorare Manila Monument in Intramuros, Manila which is dedicated

to the 100,000 lost lives during the "Battle of Manila" of Filipino and

American forces against the Japanese troops during World War II.

A marker beside Memorare Manila Monument in Intramuros, Manila

which states the many sites of the massacres committed by the imperial

Japanese Armed Forces in Manila in February 1945.

Christ Is Risen! Happy Easter!

Today, Christians around the world is celebrating Easter. It is also called the Resurrection Day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Here in the Philippines, Filipinos traditionally attend to "salubong" through a procession before sunrise that ends in front of the church with the statues of Jesust Christ and Virgin Mary meeting each other. This morning, I attended the traditional "salubong" at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church in Imus, Cavite. It was a blessed and rewarding experienced to see this tradition after so many years I was away from the Philippines. I want to wish everyone a blessed Easter. We need to remember that Jesus Christ took all of our sins and guilt on himself. Every Christian should follow his good teachings and adapt it in our everyday life and activities. Let's celebrate Easter with hope, love, and new life.

The traditional "Salubong" where the statues of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary

meets on Easter

The statue of risen Jesus Christ on Resurrection Day 

The procession of statues of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary before dawn

The statue of the veiled Virgin Mary 

The Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by Filipino Catholics

The statue of Jesus Christ venerated by Filipino Catholics

Easter Sunday mass at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church after the "Salubong"

Visita Iglesia 2018

This is my first time to perform Visita Iglesia in my home country the Philippines during Holy Week. Today which is Maunday Thursday, I revisited seven churches which are close to my heart. These churches are big influence of my being a Catholic and had been my refuge during the times of my hardship and trials in my life. As a devout Catholic my faith to Jesus Christ became strong every each day and these churches are the houses of God which I can carry out my devotional prayers. Visita Iglesia is a lenten tradition of Catholics to  visit seven churches to pray the Blessed Sacrament on each church. 

San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila 

Worshippers inside the San Agustin Church 

Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Quiapo Church

Sta. Cruz Church, Manila 

Worshippers inside the Sta. Cruz Church

Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Conception

(Manila Cathedral), Intramuros, Manila

 The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Baclaran Church),
Paranaque City

 Worshippers inside the Baclaran Church

 Our Lady of Remedies Parish (Malate Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Malate Church

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guidance (Ermita Shrine/Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Ermita Shrine/Church

Palm Sunday

Churchgoers waving their palm branches to be bless

Worshipers at Saint James the Greater church

I attended the Sunday mass today.  Actually, today is Palm Sunday and it is the start of the Holy Week for all Catholics in the Philippines and around the world.  Palm Sunday is a Christian activity that falls on the Sunday before Easter. It is the day that we remember and commemorate the successful entry of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. The church where I attended are full of worshipers bringing with them different palm branches for the blessing of the priest after the mass. We are doing this as a tradition to recollect the act that was done by a large crowd when Jesus Christ rode a donkey, entered Jerusalem and people gathered to laid palm branches and their cloaks across the road.

Cavite Day

Today is Cavite Day. We are commemorating the 149th birth anniversary of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines. It's a special non-working day in the province of Cavite as declared by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte under Proclamation No. 446, s. 2018.

General Emilio Aguinaldo monument at the Cavite Provincial Capitol

at Trece Martires City

Proud to be Imuseno

I never regret living and residing here at the City of Imus from the province of Cavite. It is considered the flag capital of the Philippines. The City of Imus is rich with historical places, museums, and old churches which every visitor will enjoy and learn upon visiting them. You can visit the Battle of Imus Monument, Alapan Flag Monument, Cathedral of our Lady of the Pillar (known also as Imus Cathedral), Imus Heritage Park where you can see the 104 feet tall flagpole of Philippine flag, the General Licerio Topacio Plaza (which is right in front of the city hall), and many more historical places which I also need to explore. Come and visit the city of Imus and experience the hospitality of its people and its beautiful places.

 General Licerio Topacio Plaza at Imus City, Cavite

 Replica of an old artillery canon displayed at the Imus Plaza (behind is the old municipal building of Imus (right) and the new city hall (left) 

 Another old artillery canon displayed in front of General Licerio Topacio monument

Imus Plaza (behind is Cathedral of our Lady of the Pillar)