Tyring to squeeze my time’s worth in the province of Marinduque, I quickly searched Google Maps for the towering structure I saw on my jeepney ride from the Port of Buenavista to the main town of Boac. I assumed that it would be the town cathedral, and indeed it was. After witnessing parts of the Moriones Festival, I asked for directions from the locals I passed along the road and I eventually made it to the church’s fortified walls.

The church, it seemed, was once a fortress during the Spanish era. This was quite evident on the rough stone walls surrounding the church yard, and its location, which was on the highest part of town, aptly named Barangay Mataas.

According to the National Historical Institude marker set on its walls, the cathedral was built in 1792. It became a haven for the locals during a Moro attack in the 1800’s and was the place where the Philippine Revolutionary flag was blessed in 1899.

I arrived at Boac at exactly seven in the morning. I haven’t had anything to eat yet since the previous day’s afternoon snack, so before anything Moriones, it was gonna be breakfast first.

I checked out the assortments of carinderia in the area including a mobile Jollibee (it was on a truck, first time I’ve seen one) and eventually settled on a small hole-in-the-wall near the Boac Plaza. Two longanisa, one lumpiang shanghai, a scrambled egg, a cup of fried rice and an instant coffee later (told you I was really hungry) and the Morions started streaming into the streets of Boac.