By Fr. Rene Lagaya, SDB
I celebrated my Golden Jubilee of Salesian Religious Profession last 26 April 2023. Before the end of my jubilee year, I thought of doing something special. Thus, I sought the approval of my local community and the consent of my Provincial Superior to spend some days at the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay (North Palawan). I was actually the first Salesian to render pastoral assistance to Bishop Broderick Pabillo, who warmly welcomed me and instructed me on what to do.
I landed at the Lio Airport in the town of El Nido, formerly known as Bacuit, on 18 March 2024, Monday. On the way to the Bishop’s House in Taytay, we passed by Barangay Bagong Bayan, under the care of the Canossian Fathers. Bishop Broderick remarked that he intended to give that place to us. But it did not materialize due to the ban on opening new presences. I somehow felt sad because it could have been a real implementation of the Rector Major’s appeal to go to the peripheries.
Bagong Bayan would have been a promising place for a Salesian presence in Palawan. At the Bishop’s House, I was surprised to find an air-conditioned room with a water heater. I was later informed that that room was refurbished for the visit of the Papal Nuncio the year before.
Bishop Pabillo took me to the Mission Station of St. Joseph at Sandoval for the Fiesta the next day. That afternoon, I was already at the Sto. Niño Parish in Abongan for the Lenten Recollection of the people, the Eucharistic celebration, and confessions. Bishop Pabillo wanted me to speak on the 2024 Year of Prayer in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025. The next day, I was brought back to Taytay for the Lenten Recollection at the still-unfinished St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral. There was a good attendance of young people. The day after, Thursday, was the turn of the Sta. Monica Parish, also in Taytay. It coincided with the 9th day of prayer for the eternal repose of their Congressman, Edgardo Salvame; so there was good attendance.
Come Friday, 22 March, I was brought to the St. Francis of Assisi Parish at El Nido for the Lenten Recollection. The members of the Parish Pastoral Council were very visible. The next day, we went to the Sta. Potenciana Parish at Sibaltan, a place with no electricity. But we managed rather well when they put on the parish generator. Amazingly, the place was teeming with youth. That night, I went back to El Nido with the parish priest who helped in hearing confessions. The next day, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, I celebrated the 5 p.m. Mass. I was pleasantly surprised by the large number of foreigners who were attending with genuine devotion.
Holy Monday morning when I was brought back to the Bishop’s House in Taytay. That very afternoon, Bishop Pabillo accompanied me to the Resurrection Mission Station of Tumarbong, another place with no electricity. But the priest in charge has installed a good generator and an efficient Internet. I conducted the Lenten Recollection, celebrated the Eucharist, and heard confessions. Since I was a stranger in the place, I had a good number of penitents. Regarding the talks, the priest in charge remarked that his people had never laughed so much in their lives.
On the morning of Holy Tuesday, Bishop Pabillo brought me to the San Isidro Labrador Mission Station in Caruray, a truly remote spot in Palawan with no electricity.
It could be reached only by negotiating rather dangerous roads. We celebrated the Eucharist with Bishop Pabillo presiding. Holy Wednesday morning, I helped in hearing confessions. That very afternoon the priest in charge brought me by pump boat to Sitio Sta. Cruz, Barangay Caruray.
I stayed at the house of the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. His wife was a lector and the Teacher in charge of the local Elementary School. I was helped by Rodel, a graduate of Religious Education at the Holy Trinity University in Puerto Princesa City. We had recollection and confessions for the people on the morning of Holy Thursday. Rodel gave the Aral Pananampalataya prepared by Bishop Pabillo while I heard the confessions of the people. We celebrated the Last Supper at 3 p.m. The liturgical services for the Paschal Triduum had to be celebrated at 3 p.m. due to the lack of electricity and the need of some people to go back to the homes at a nearby island before dark.
Good Friday morning saw us celebrating the Way of the Cross. Attendance was unexpectedly good. The men vied with one another to carry the cross. The 14 stations were beautifully decorated. I praised the people for this. The celebration of the Lord’s Passion took place at 3 p.m., all with the dramatized reading of the Johannine Passion and the solemn veneration of the cross.
The Salubong was put for the following morning at 6 a.m. Everything was improvised. The statues of the Risen Lord and of the Blessed Mother were carried in the arms of the people from two opposite sides of the sitio. The angel had to stand on top of 5 chairs in order to lift the black mourning veil of the Virgin. Mass followed immediately. Some time before noon, we were fetched by pumpboat to go back to the Mission Station. Leaving the place was a bit emotional due to the happiness we experienced with the people during our short stay there.
We found the people of the San Isidro Labrador Mission Station at the beach, celebrating Easter. We joined them in their simple joys. The next day, Easter Monday, we were fetched by the Bishop’s car for Taytay. We stopped awhile at the Bato ni Ningning in San Vicente, a place popularized in the 2015 ABS-CBN show Ningning. That very afternoon Bishop Pabillo sent us to El Nido for an Easter treat, complete with island hopping.
As I was flying back to Manila via Air Swift Airlines, I felt a great sense of gratitude to God for an amazing missionary adventure.
Article 19 of our Constitutions speaks of Initiative and Flexibility as an essential element of the Salesian Spirit. I found Palawan as a place where this can truly bloom. There was an abundance of need which Salesian Initiative can address. Inconveniences abounded. Salesian Flexibility can really be tested. I felt happy that at 70 years of age and 50 years of religious life, I could still adjust well to the heat, the lack of electricity, the absence of the Internet, the inconveniences of travel, and the simple accommodations. I told a priest there, “If you can live this frugal life
and if our people are happy with it, I must be able to live it too with joy. Otherwise, I would be a great embarrassment to God, to those who know me, and to myself.” I am actually looking forward to another bout of Palawan missionary adventure.
