Magsingal Past Revisited

by Mario Ugalino
(as published 4 years ago in MVP)

When I daydream  about my beautiful and unique birthplace of Magsingal that I left over almost 40 years ago,  I daydream  about  three things. First one, the big National Highway that divided our town we call “ daya and laud“, second are the dirt roads that inter-connected  our districts  and  third are the  symbolic old houses.  The dirt roads are now paved and cemented .  The National Highway is still the same but more congested with tricycles and  moving vehicles now.  And the unique old houses are still around. Most of these old houses have been built as old as I can remember.  A few of these houses have been around for over a century.  Probably built when the Spaniards still ruled the Philippines.  Some of them you still can see the bottom part of the old houses which are made of hard bricks.  We should not let them fall to the ground if possible.  They are part of our heritage, pride and growing up.

New paving between SWI and the Church

by Eva Pascua-Tadique

The service road during rainy season

The 'Paving the road between the church and the school Project' is a tripartite project of the SWI Grand Global Reunion 2011, the church and the school (SWI). The SWI Grand Global Reunion 2011 initiated the project.

We had to ask permission from the National Museum of the Philippines, The National Commission on Culture and the Arts, and the Archdiocese - a lengthy exercise.

The total budget is a big sum of P938,000, that is why we had to look for project partners.  When I discussed our plan to Father Flor Rebebes and also to Sister Remedios Cayetano (the new SWI directress), they welcomed the idea.

This road is easily flooded and gets muddy during rainy season which makes going to school and attending church a bit hard.  I worked out all necessary approvals with concerned agencies stated and now the project has come to reality, after a long wait.

Ilocandia Adventure - Churches and Bell Towers

by Rey Villaflor

There are 4 Baroque churches here in the Philippines that are listed in the UNESCO Heritage.  Of these four, 2 are found in the Ilocos region - the Church of Nuestra Señora la Asuncion in Santa Maria Ilocos Sur and the Church of San Agustín in Paoay Ilocos Norte. We were not able to get pictures of the Sta Maria church but it would be a worthwhile visit next time.

The 2 other UNESCO heritage listed churches are found elsewhere in the Philippines - the Church of the Immaculate Conception of San Agustín in Intramuros Manila and the Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, Iloilo.

St. Augustine church - Bantay, Ilocos Sur

The famous Bantay church bell tower atop of a hill built in 1590.