DEBUNKING THE RUMOR THAT TUGUEGARAO AND ISABELA ARE NOT TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Whipping winds and torrential rains caused by the onslaught of typhoon Opong threatened the cancellation of the International Council on Monuments and Sites' Tuguegarao and Isabela study tour scheduled for last Sept. 26.

- TATS REJANTE MANAHAN

Tumaini Church Piat Church St. Peter Metropolitan Church

But mercifully the typhoon left the Philippine Area of Responsibility two days before departure, making the trip joyfully possible for the departing group composed of four board members — Dr. Cheek Fadriquela, Mylene Quinto Lising, Joselito Corpus and myself — with popular tour guide and ICOMOS member, Ivan Man Dy. Nonetheless, during the tour, cloudy skies and occasional rain showers came and went, alternating with extreme heat, which we were told was characteristic of weather in Tuguegarao's hot season, considered the hottest in the country ever recorded.

While Tuguegarao and Isabela are not two of the most popular destinations for tourists looking for "chill" spots like beaches and other relaxing environs, the charm of these two provinces lies in their heritage sites packed with historical significance and natural attractions, something beyond my expectations.

Among the oldest structures in the two provinces are the churches. In Isabela, the 401-year-old church of San Pablo, built in 1649 and damaged during World War II, also survived a magnitude 7 earthquake in 1949 and in 1950; and in one instance, its roof burned down. Its façade still exhibits visible bas reliefs of icons, its sturdy buttresses still visible, supporting the aged but steadfast structure made of bricks, river stones, coral stones and adobe. Six layers of this material form its belfry, known to be the tallest in the Cagayan Valley. Hometown tales have it that diggings through the old walls leading to the altar were done in search of Yamashita's treasure. Whether it was found or not, the church itself is declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure. Unable to reconstruct the damage, a smaller church was built within its walls to serve the community's celebrations of faith.