Lakad Pilipinas

The day started early at the Roxas City Cathedral, shooting the church with the sun rising in the background. Capiz’s grand festival, the Sinadya sa Halaran soon followed with drumbeats and dancing. Then a breather at Bitoy’s Balay Barbekyuhan near Baybay Beach. And finally a visit at the record-breaking bell of Panay Church.

The group needed another breather. And thankfully there’s San Antonio Resort to the rescue.

Roxas City’s San Antonio Resort is one of the premiere resorts in the city. Located a few minutes from the town center, the seven-hectare relaxation paradise houses a total of fifty rooms and suites, a swimming pool, a boating lagoon, bowling lanes and four restaurants and bars.

From the capital of Capiz, our group embarked to the former capital of the province to see the oldest church this side of the Philippines; Panay’s Sta. Monica Church.

Unlike the Roxas City Cathedral, it is made of coral stone and holds not only the title of longevity in the province but of also having the biggest Catholic bell; not only in town, not even just the country, but through the whole of Asia.

Our tour started at the Museo de Santa Monica; a former convent that used to be connected to the church. Falling from disrepair through the years, it now stands as a separate structure to hold religious relics of the Panay Church.

Although renovated, the structure still holds true to the spirit of its era with its adobe walls and wooden capiz windows.

Roxas City is touted as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines. Being a Manila guy, my own personal Seafood Capital though is at any branch of Aling Tonya’s at Dampa (I guess I have to forget about that while in the province of Capiz). But aside from the bountiful seafood harvest from the waters around Roxas City, this place still has another dish up its sleeve; Bitoy’s pork barbecue.

The day was turning into a scorcher as the festivities of Roxas City’s Sinadya sa Halaran came to an end. The sky was emblazoned in deep blues with wisps of slow moving clouds as our van navigated the streets of the city en route to Bitoy’s Balay Barbekyuhan.

Located at the city’s coastal area, it was the perfect place to have lunch while enjoying the view of the nearby beach.

Colorful scarves painted in blooming flowers sailed through the scorching air of Capiz Province as contingents of the annual Sinadya sa Halaran showed their flair to the throngs of Capiznons eagerly watching the festivities. Gals dressed in traditional Filipiniana and guys garbed in barongs marched and danced at the avenues of Roxas City, totally unmindful of the sweltering heat of the midmorning sun.

I was taking photographs inside the Roxas City Cathedral when drum beats boomed and horns suddenly blared from bands accompanying the Sinadya sa Halaran Festival. I immediately went out, swam through the gathering crowd and looked for a good vantage for the festival.

I was supposed to eat breakfast first and join my companions, but all plans were thrown out the window as the contingents of the Capiz Festival started to mobilize.

I gazed up at the still dark sky as I hailed a tricycle on the deserted streets of Roxas City. It was my second day in the province of Capiz and after having a cup of coffee at Lawaan Garden Inn, I immediately checked my map for my first itinerary of the day; Roxas City’s Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral.

It was the day of Sinadya sa Halaran and the plaza around the Cathedral in Roxas City was already busy with vendors setting up their wares for the upcoming festivities. A few early risers were also on their way to the church, wanting to hear mass before throngs of faithful flood the church.

Hefting a huge travel-worn backpack, I finally alighted in front of Lawaan Garden Inn Hotel after hours of traveling by air and land. It didn’t help that the tricycle drivers at Roxas City’s bus terminal were sketchy about the location of the hotel. But everything soon melted into the back of my head as I entered the inn’s stylish lobby and was promptly greeted by their beautiful receptionist.

Some months back, the tourism office of Capiz invited me and a couple of travel bloggers to check the sights at Roxas City and the rest of Capiz province. It was a travel-heavy month; swinging from the island province of Catanduanes to Negros Oriental all the way up to Singapore. All that traveling wore me down to the bones, but I just can’t say no to Capiz.

Lights twinkled several thousands hundreds of feet above Metro Manila. A crescent moon shone brightly, hovering above, competing with the glow of the city.

The air felt nippy as we arrived at Café Lupe’s open-aired restaurant and entered its glass elevator. The view, which I’ve only seen on photos before, opened up as we ascended to the restaurant’s penthouse.
A couple of weeks before the holidays, The Road Trippers, a group of like-minded individuals congregated at Antipolo’s Café Lupe for our annual Christmas party. Composed of bloggers from different niches—events, entertainment, lifestyle and travel; we converged on something we all have in common, the love of being on the road.

I was barely a year into photography when Manila Bulletin’s Picture Perfect came out of the woodwork. I waited with anticipation as each Tuesday, a portion of the spreadsheet is dedicated to everything photography. The highlight usually is the Photographer of the Week, and I read on as one by one, my photography heroes were featured across its colorful pages.
I thought of submitting my limited portfolio back then, but hesitated.

I’m not sure if they’re at par with the big names being heralded across its pages. Years passed and I forgot my newbie dream of being one day featured at Picture Perfect.