I am a Filipino. I was born in Argao. The place has yet to be swayed by civilization and advancement or exploitation perhaps.
In that southern part of Cebu, Philippines, houses are situated beneath green slopes, mostly concealed under a lush shade that seems to have existed long before my great-grandfathers. My own home lies up the field, a kilometer or so away from the town proper and across meadows.
So what’s worthy of reminiscing about a hometown with no street shops filled with popular goods or karaoke bars or KTVs to spend the night away in? Sizzling disco houses are still big dreams for the place even. No neon lights that light up the streets at night. No coffee shops that clone the coffee mocha at Cottonwood.
So what’s worthy of reminiscing about a hometown with no street shops filled with popular goods or karaoke bars or KTVs to spend the night away in? Sizzling disco houses are still big dreams for the place even. No neon lights that light up the streets at night. No coffee shops that clone the coffee mocha at Cottonwood.
Huge bats circle the trees at night. Unpaved roads are traversed on barefoot. Trisikads (three-tire motor vehicles) roam the place in great numbers. Horses gallop in unison. And where can you find five people clinging to just one motorcycle, holding their breath as it dashes along a rocky trail? Dozens of these motorcycles convey commuters from the lowlands to our version of the Himalayas.
The town folks beat the sunrise, feed their hogs and chickens, tend the farms and wash clothes in the nearby riverside spring. They don’t worry about the water supply being cut off due to an unpaid bill. Most people live very simple lives – with only kerosene-operated lights flickering on rather hushed dark nights.
They cross roads, minus the fear of parting with a hard-earned bill for jaywalking. Anyone is free to paint the town red, without fear of catching respiratory diseases from smoke-belching vehicles. Oh, if one happens to be along the shore on early mornings, he may give fishermen a hand and go home with pounds of fish, free of charge.
Many years ago, I left for the city to earn a degree, as my avenue of escape, and to unload a 16-year-old boredom with my hometown. I wanted to make a difference in my life, to make a hit at my dreams. It’s a different thing seeing Terminator or Rambo kicking big on the big screen, going shopping till you drop or at least, checking out the latest craze in town. I longed for the pleasure the city had to offer.
But one day, I went hiking with a couple of friends in one of the exploited mountains in the metropolis. Terrible it was. The royal blue sky hovering over the city was partly covered with dark fumes. The city below and its wonders – towers and skylines, crowded streets and entertainment centers – seemed to be compressed into a small space.
In the vicinity were trees that offered no shade. Birds could not sing. Butterflies hungered for flowers. The silence could wake the dead. At that very instant, I was reminded of home.
I recalled my first trek to Cansuje, one of the mountainous barangays in Argao. I passed through a lot of quilt scenery: Mount Lantoy, famous for its “Maria de Cacao” myth (Maria is believed to be the lady who lived in a cave and sailed the rivers with her huge ark), the rivers and the currents and the thick woods all profoundly green. The cold morning breeze benumbed me. Like what I saw in jungle movies, monkeys used vines everywhere like a trapeze. Along the way, I saw people fetch drinking water from a nearby spring. Everything thrilled me into pieces.
I used to climb our chico tree with my brother Noel each time I was home for a vacation, without rhyme or reason. Who could ever forget Tiririt? She was the cute, little bird we restored to her nest. The chico tree is still there, with the birds that fly in summer skies, mountains that never fail to give a hush-hush morning greeting and water in abundance.
I now live in the Brookings where snow falls even in spring time, where things are run by technology and advancement. Argao and Brookings are worlds apart, and in moments of melancholy, I always think of the former.
Last night, I emptied myself into the luxurious city and then came to love a place I should have always loved.
Argao became a parish in 1703, which prompted the
construction of a beautiful rococo-baroque church structure in 1734 and was
completed in 1788. A good number of religious artifacts have remained in the
church. Dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, there are more than 20 figures
of angels sculpted on its brass-studded portals. The altar (retablo) of the
church is still the original. The church was renovated for its bicentennial
celebration in 1988, and its outer walls were scraped. Despite some renovations
and modernizations done to it, the San Miguél Archangel Parish still remains
one of the richly furnished churches in southern Cebu. There is a convent that
was used primarily as a seminary during the mid-1900s. This two-level structure
is known to be one of the highly ornate churches in the island. Together with
the convent and other older buildings in the area, it is a dominant structure
in the town. Very prominent on its flat facade is the articulated carving of
the parish patron saint. Oversized urn-like finials standing on a rectangular
base on the corner of the church provides a decorative element.
Aside from the
unique murals, Argao is also blessed with another treasure that is considered
rare throughout the Philippines. The Church of Argao possesses one of the
remaining 14 Spanish era pipe organs, and is one of the three towns in the
whole Cebu province to still have this instrument. The pipe organ of Argao,
though no longer usable, is estimated by many historians to have been built
between the 17th to the 19th century. Organs built in this period were of
typical Spanish Baroque style except for the ones built during the last part of
the 19th century which are Neo Gothic in style. But all of them were
constructed in the reliable Mechanical Action, also known as the Tracker
Action. A great possibility is that Argawanons took a great part in building
their pipe organ along with Spanish or Mexican Organ-builders. According to the
study done by Mr. Hans Gerd Klais of Johannes Klais Orgelbau of Bonn, Germany,
who published his research in one of the volumes of Acta Organologica, as late
as 1977, the organ was still in good condition. Professional organ makers
describe Argao’s organ as having “windchests” constructed from a massive solid
wood. Channels were patiently carved out of the massive Narra wood. There are
two windchest blocks connected by lead tubes to accommodate all the stops. It
has some similarities with the casework of the pipe organ of San Agustin in
Manila. Three round towers with the biggest in the middle. Three towers are
separated with flat field of pipes. Also, it has white naturals and black
sharps of ebony wood and toe pedals, and has a wedge bellow with 4 folds
supplied by a 1 fold wedge pump bellow. Unfortunately, no records in the church
exist to show who played the organ, though according to some residents, after
the 2nd World War Mr. Juan Calledo played the instrument and a certain Noy Ino
was tasked to pump the organ. Further research will shed more light to the
matter.
Argao became a parish in 1703, which prompted the
construction of a beautiful rococo-baroque church structure in 1734 and was
completed in 1788. A good number of religious artifacts have remained in the
church. Dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, there are more than 20 figures
of angels sculpted on its brass-studded portals. The altar (retablo) of the
church is still the original. The church was renovated for its bicentennial
celebration in 1988, and its outer walls were scraped. Despite some renovations
and modernizations done to it, the San Miguél Archangel Parish still remains
one of the richly furnished churches in southern Cebu. There is a convent that
was used primarily as a seminary during the mid-1900s. This two-level structure
is known to be one of the highly ornate churches in the island. Together with
the convent and other older buildings in the area, it is a dominant structure
in the town. Very prominent on its flat facade is the articulated carving of
the parish patron saint. Oversized urn-like finials standing on a rectangular
base on the corner of the church provides a decorative element.
The church has
unusual ceilings of canvass painted all over with religious motifs. On the
ceiling are murals done by two of the best church muralists during that time
(early 20th century). The first portion portraying biblical manifestations of
angels was done by the famous artist Canuto Avila. The other portion by the
altar was done by Reynaldo Francia and depicts the victory of St. Michael over
Lucifer and his followers. This can be seen above the altar and is done in
tinting color.Aside from the unique murals, Argao is also blessed with another treasure that is considered rare throughout the Philippines. The Church of Argao possesses one of the remaining 14 Spanish era pipe organs, and is one of the three towns in the whole Cebu province to still have this instrument. The pipe organ of Argao, though no longer usable, is estimated by many historians to have been built between the 17th to the 19th century. Organs built in this period were of typical Spanish Baroque style except for the ones built during the last part of the 19th century which are Neo Gothic in style. But all of them were constructed in the reliable Mechanical Action, also known as the Tracker Action. A great possibility is that Argawanons took a great part in building their pipe organ along with Spanish or Mexican Organ-builders. According to the study done by Mr. Hans Gerd Klais of Johannes Klais Orgelbau of Bonn, Germany, who published his research in one of the volumes of Acta Organologica, as late as 1977, the organ was still in good condition. Professional organ makers describe Argao’s organ as having “windchests” constructed from a massive solid wood. Channels were patiently carved out of the massive Narra wood. There are two windchest blocks connected by lead tubes to accommodate all the stops. It has some similarities with the casework of the pipe organ of San Agustin in Manila. Three round towers with the biggest in the middle. Three towers are separated with flat field of pipes. Also, it has white naturals and black sharps of ebony wood and toe pedals, and has a wedge bellow with 4 folds supplied by a 1 fold wedge pump bellow. Unfortunately, no records in the church exist to show who played the organ, though according to some residents, after the 2nd World War Mr. Juan Calledo played the instrument and a certain Noy Ino was tasked to pump the organ. Further research will shed more light to the matter.
During
the Inter-mountaineering Society (IMS) weekly meeting, the IMS encouraged
Oliver Rey Samaco (former GMOC member) to build a club in the University of
Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF). They decided to have an exhibit in USPF
to recruit new members for the club.
The
Cebu Doctors’ University Mountaineering (CDUM) suggested to work in hand with
Laarni Pormento (CDUM member), who is schooled at USPF, to build a club in USPF
with the fully support of the Inter-mountaineering Society (IMS).
On Febuary 1, 2008, Oliver Rey
Sabaco (BSN IV) and Laarni Pormento (BSN III) together with other members
decided to comply all the requirements needed, on the same date, new officers
were elected for SY 2008. During the Founder’s Day (February 13-15, 2008), the
first activity of USPFM was rappelling, with the effort of Oliver Rey Samaco
and Jake Gabutin. The activity will never be successful without the help of
Inter-mountaineering Society (IMS) members. Oliver Rey Samaco was the first
president of the club. After being recognized by the school, the club is
officially operating. They had there first hike- up together with IMS in RCPI
Tower in Busay on February 17, 2008.
Few
months before year 2008 ends, the group change it's name fromUniversity of
Southern Philippines Mountaineers to UNITED SOUTHERN PEOPLE MOUNTAINEERS
(USPM) and came to a decision
to stop being a school-based mountaineering group.
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