A Good Friday “Pana-ad” to the Guadalupe Shrine in Balubal, Cagayan de Oro City

              

It was Good Friday, April 4, 2026, and thousands of Roman Catholic devotees gathered at the entrance of the route leading to the Guadalupe Shrine in Igbalayan Hills, Barangay Balubal, Cagayan de Oro. The entrance was manned by police, local government employees of the city and private volunteers who were ready to assist the devotees on their journey. For the devotees, their activity is termed “pana-ad” or doing act of penance on Good Friday.                                                                                                          

 

                

Right through the entrance is the Agusan River (not to be confused with the Agusan River of Butuan City and the Caraga Region). Over the water are two ropes, one for the shrine-bound devotees, and the other for those who returned from the shrine. Those ropes are intended for people who have difficulty crossing the river without something to hold old on as they wade through the river. There were devotees though who could easily cross the river alone without anything for support. Crossing the river carries some risks especially to some individuals such as the elderly because of the large stones in the water. A fall to the water with the head hitting a stone could be dangerous.

Going to their destination, the devotees walked along the course of Agusan River that winds into a long stretch of valley. Farther ahead, they passed by a gorge with cliffs on either side of the valley. In most cases the floor of the valley is stony. Along the way are bamboo grooves and trees which provide shelter to the devotees from the hot summer sun.     

 

                                               

The distance of the route from the entrance to the shrine is estimated to be 4 to 4.5 kilometers, so that a two-way trek to the shrine will be about 8 to 9 kilometers. Walking on the ground under the heat of the sun was not a difficult thing to do considering the vegetation there is in the valley, and that there is not much higher ground to negotiate because the slope of most of the ground in the valley’s floor is not steep. The difficulty lay in crossing a river with a winding route full of large stones in the water. Although the river is fordable, there are portions of it with a waist-high depth and currents that are strong. Elderly devotees were sometimes assisted by younger people to help them make it to the other banks of the river. Because of the winding course of the river, devotees must cross the river nine times to reach the shrine. In other words, they must make a total of 18 river crossings throughout their trek.

As they proceeded to their journey, devotees made stopovers at the Stations of the Cross which were positioned along the way to their destination, which was the shrine. There, they lit candles and prayed before proceeding to the next stations. Devotees could not be short of food and water because there were vendors who catered to their needs all along the way.

 

   

                                                                                                                                                               

The ninth crossing of the river was the pinnacle of the devotees’ trek. Beyond the river is the sight of the Chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The chapel is perched on a hill and is accessible from the ground through stairs. The top of the hill is also the location of the 14^th and last Station of the cross which is just outside the front of the chapel. Again, before the cross, the devotees lit candles and prayed. They completed their penance with an entry into the chapel to pay homage to the Virgin of Guadalupe and make their vow and supplication to God during one of the most religiously significant days of the year.

Balete Tree in History and Superstitions

                                          

The balete tree which is called weeping fig in English is endemic to the Philippines and belongs to the genus Ficus. Balete is thus a species of fig tree and is a close relative of the banyan tree of India. It grows in the forest and in built-up areas.                                                                                                                                  

Balete grows about 15 meters or more when mature. It has a drooping branch with elliptical green leathery leaves. The fruit is small, round, and fleshy with a dark or purple color which people do not consider edible although birds, bats, and monkeys feed on it. The wood is soft and inferior in quality and not fit for furniture or housing purposes. The tree has wide spreading branches that make it ideal for shade. Balete comes into many species. Some are big while others are small which make them suitable for use as bonsai and ornaments.

Although balete can grow independently as plant on the ground, it can also grow dependent on other trees for its nutrients and development. Birds and other animals eat the fruit. The seeds that are still intact are egested from animals’ stomachs through their drooping. On the ground, seeds sprout then develop as saplings. Next to another tree, the young balete through its roots will gradually attach to that tree. Over time, the parasitic balete spreads its invasive roots down to the ground and wraps around its host until it envelops and strangles it. The host tree will die later and the balete takes its place. It is for that reason that most balete when it is fully grown has a hollow in its trunk.

Balete grows in the forest and in the urban areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The tree is known for its longevity. Balete trees that are left alone can grow to be hundreds or over thousand-year-old. When I was in elementary school in Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro, there was a balete which stood at the gate of the school. It was said that it was already there even at the time of our parents. Decades passed since I graduated from that school and the tree is still there and a fixture at the school’s entrancel. By now the tree must have been more than a hundred years old. There is also an old balete that stands on the ground of Malacañang palace, the Philippine equivalent of the white house. It is the first officially declared heritage tree in Manila. It is said that the tree has adorned the palace ground even during the time of the Spanish governors-general, and into the time of the American civil governors and the Filipino Presidents. Huge balete trees are also found along the streets of Manila and in other cities in the Philippines. The oldest reported balete tree is in Lumapao, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental which is believed to be 1,328 years old. Its huge trunk will take about 42 people to encircle. The tree is also known for the glow of fireflies that can be seen at night. Another balete in Campalanas, Lazi, Siquijor Island is believed to be 400 years old, and is noted for its spring whose water comes from the tree’s underground. Those trees in Canlaon and Siquijor are tourist attractions.

Balete is a tree associated with folktales and superstitions. Most people do not want it near their house believing that its presence would invite ghosts and evil spirits. For them, balete is a dwelling place of fairies, dwarves, “white ladies” and mythical creatures called in Filipino as Kapre, tikbalangs, among others. For this reason, the tree has received undeserved and unsavory reputation because some people consider all fully grown balete as enchanted. In Siquijor Island in central Philippines sorcerers are said to perform their rituals in the hollow of the balete’s trunk. In other places offerings are made by shamans at the tree to seek protection or blessing from nature spirits. And it is usual for some superstitious people to utter appeasing words to the “spirits” if they pass by the tree lest they will be harmed.

Parts of the tree are used for folkloric medicines. The barks of the root, the root and the leaves boiled in oil are used to cure wounds and bruises. The juice of the bark is said to cure liver disease, and pounded leaves and bark are used to cure headaches.

Tabon-tabon, an Exotic Southern Philippine Fruit

                      

The tabon-tabon which is scientifically named atuna racemosa is a native tree of Northern Mindanao in Southern Philippines. It also grows in Papua, New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and other tropical Asian countries as well as in the Pacific islands.

Some people consider the tabon-tabon a nut because it has a hard outer shell with a single seed that does not split or open to release the seeds to the world. The difference between tabon-tabon with other nuts is that its kernel is juicy.

Tabon-tabon tree has elliptical leaves and can grow from 8 to 10 meters tall and bears fruit all year long. The brown ovate-shaped fruit has a hard shell. Inside the shell is a single large seed. When cut vertically in half, the fruit bares a cross section of a seed that resembles a brain. The fruit must be used within 10 days after harvest because it hardens after several days.

The seed of tabon-tabon is not usually eaten. It is mainly used as an ingredient of raw fish dish called in the local dialect as kinilaw. The seed is scraped off with a spoon and then the bits are squeezed to extract off their sap to mix with vinegar and other ingredients. The sap of tabon-tabon removes the “fishy” smell of the fish and neutralizes the acidity of the vinegar. Without the sap, the vinegar will change the texture of the fish meat. The vinegar will sort of “cook” the fish and toughens it. Because of it, tabon-tabon is an essential ingredient in kinilaw prepared Northern Mindanao style.

Many people in the coastal areas of Northen Mindanao love to eat kinilaw and tabon-tabon is always associated with the dish. Tabon-tabon along with tuba or coconut toddy, suwa or native lime, wild native chili peppers or siling labuyo make the taste of the dish distinctive from those that are prepared from other parts of the Philippines. One fruit is enough for one kilo of kinilaw. The anti-bacterial properties of the tabon-tabon extract not only make the dish desirable but also keep it safe to eat.

A study at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro has found out that the fruit has anti-bacterial properties. This is probably the reason why over a long time there have been no reported health issues or food poisoning related with the consumption of raw fish added with tabon-tabon sap. Another reason is that only fresh fish is used in the preparation of kinilaw.

Aside from its culinary use in the locality, there are no other reported applications of tabon-tabon such as herbal medicine. In other places in the Pacific the seed of the fruit is made as putty for sealing canoes, as wood glues, and as basket water proofing.

 

Gaston Park

  

Gaston Park is a tree covered recreational area situated right at the heart of Cagayan de Oro and is one of the landmarks of the city. It sits on the ground near other landmarks such as the Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral, the city hall, the city museum which is also the old water tower, the Ysalina Bridge and the Cagayan River.

The historic park is named after Segundo Gaston who was the mayor of Cagayan de Misamis, the former name of the city, from 1916 to 1919. Its location was the site of early Spanish-led native settlement, and the training ground of Filipino warriors during the Philippine-American War. It was also there where a battle on April 7, 1900, between the Filipino, led by Gen. Nicolas Capistrano, and American forces took place. In the year 2000, a marker was erected to commemorate that historic event.

Medium-sized trees of different varieties adorn the area of the circular shaped park. Among the trees are Cherry Blossoms which were donated by the Japanese. The trees with their lush green leaves and flowers give a sense of eco-friendly environment in and around the park.  

    

                                                                                                               

The fountain with pool, which is one of the park’s attractions, forms a concentric circle within the park. The circular park is divided into sections with the fountain at the center. The edge of the park is surrounded by trees and pairs of tree planted islands serve as boundaries of the sections. In between the pairs of islands are walkways. The tops on both sides of each island double as benches for visitors. The park’s floor is covered with adobe like pavements. Other attractions include Typhoon Sendong Memorial which gives a glimpse of the devastation caused by the event in December 2011, and the list of the people who perished in the tragedy.

 

People of all walks of life visit the park. The shade of the trees shelters them from the blistering heat of the sun during sunny days. Some people hang around there to relax; others stay there to meet or gather with friends. Still others go there to take pictures of themselves, friends and loved ones. Students who are off their class spend their time practicing dancing or doing other activities. The park is a place to stroll around alone or with friends, and, to some lovers, a dating rendezvous. Because of its proximity to the Catholic cathedral, the park is a convenient hangout for faithful coming to and going from the mass. 

                     

        

                                                   

During fiesta and other occasions, the park is a place where small businesspeople can display their goods to sell to visitors. The goods for sale include decorative plants, vegetables, fruits, foods, and souvenir items.

Higalaay Festival Kaumahan Agro-Fair and Garden Show 2025

The Higalaay Festival has become a traditional annual event to celebrate the feast of St. Augustine, the patron saint of Cagayan de Oro City. It is a month-long festivity that starts in the first week of August and culminates on August 28, the feast of Saint Augustine. Some of the highlights of the event include city sponsored activities such as culinary show, street parade, bisperas fireworks show, religious procession, horse show, marathon and beauty pageant to select and crown the Miss Cagayan de Oro of the year. In addition, private enterprises like night market, carnivals and others provide more enjoyment to the celebration. August 28 is a non-working holiday in the city and residents, especially the Catholic faithful, celebrate the fiesta by preparing and serving sumptuous foods to share with family, relatives, friends and other guests. In some cases the merriment include drinking, singing, and dancing.

The fiesta sa Kaumahan Agro-Fair and Garden Show 2025 is one of the Highlights of the Higalaay Festival where agricultural plants and products are displayed in Gaston Park near the Saint Augustine Cathedral. These plants are there for people to see or buy. These plants come from farmers of the city and other nearby municipalities and provinces as far as Davao.

Here are pictures of the Kaumahan Agro-Fair and Garden Show 2025.