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Monday, March 30, 2015

Monday, March 30, 2015

Marinduque: Moriones Festival 2015 Schedule of Activities

Moriones Festival
Observed during the Holy Week, this annual religious festival is quite different from the rest of the festivals in the country. Masks are worn by participants so they would like Roman centurions. These centurions march across the town in search of Longinus, their former comrade who they must now punish for converting to Christianity.

As the legend goes, Longinus was blind on one eye. Now, he was the one who speared Jesus on his side to check if he was already dead. When a drop of blood reached his eyes, his sight was restored – a miracle he attributed to the power of Jesus.

He quickly believed in Jesus and subsequently converted to Christianity, much to the anger of the Roman authorities. It is believed that Longinus was among those who guarded Jesus’ tomb for three days and witnessed his resurrection.

The story of Longinus is highlighted at the end of the festival with a theater presentation entitled, “Pugutan”, referring to his ultimate execution after the other Roman centurions caught him.

As a festival directly linked to the Holy Week celebrations, every year, the Moriones festival officially starts on the Monday of that particular week. This year, this is set at March 30, Holy Monday.

Just as the festival starts on Monday, it ends on Easter Sunday. However, observance of the Palm Sunday is often linked to the Lenten season as well; thus, you could say the celebration starts on March 29.



TRAVEL NOTES
  • Marinduque Province is composed of six (6) towns namely Mogpog, Sta. Cruz, Torrijos, Buenavista, Gasan, and Boac (the capital town).
  • Aside form souvenir centurion masks, arrowroot cookies and pansit miki (from Sta Cruz); and hand loom-woven buntal products like place mats, table runners, bags, wallets, and curtains (from Bonliw, Torrijos) are the best pasalubongs from the province.
  • Ka Amon Cave, Poctoy White Beach, Maniwaya Island, Bellaroca Resort, Bathala Cave, The Battle of Pulang Lupa site, Mt. Malindig, Tres Reyes Islands are among the most popular spots in the province.
  • Bring enough cash- automated teller machines (ATM), located mostly in the town proper, are usually out of cash due to bulk cash transactions and long holiday.
  • Manakla is a local variety of crayfish abundant in Barangay Malinao, Bonliw, and Suha in Torrijos. Usually steamed, fried or cooked in soda/coconut milk, your visit to the "Heart of the Philippines" wouldn't be complete without tasting Manakla.
  • Don't forget to bring your camera! Moriones Festival is one of the most colorful religious festivals in the Philippines.

*photographs courtesy of travel blogger friend Mervs of pinoyadventurista.com
*Moriones Festival 2015 Schedule of Activities source: Marinduque Provincial Tourism Office

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Byahe ng mga Barko sa Marinduque Ngayong Semana Santa

MV Virgen Penafrancia, Star Horse Lines
Boac, Marinduque - Ayon kay Philippine Coastguard Commander (PCG), Balanacan Station PO1 Emilio Quimora, ang mga biyahe ng Star Horse Shipping Co., mula Talao-Talao Port papuntang Balancan Port, Mogpog ay ang sumusunod:

Umaga: 11:00 | 2:30 | 5:30 | 7:30 | 9:00 | 10:30

Hapon: 1:30 | 3:30 | 5:00

Gabi: 6:30 | 9:30 | 11:30

Wala pang inilalabas ang nasabing kumpanya kung ito ay may biyahe sa Biyernes Santo subalit karaniwan na walang byahe sa araw na nabanggit ang mga barko sa pagbibigay galang sa pag-alaala sa pagkamatay ni Kristo, dagdag pa ni Quimora.

Magkakaroon ng pagpupulong bukas ang Philippine Port Authority at PCG at maaaring matapos nito ay malalaman kung gagamitin ang Cawit Port ngayong dagsa ang tao para sa 2015 Semana Santa at kung magdadagdag din ng barko ang Montenegro Lines.

Ayon sa isang ordinaryong byahero at isang kawani ng pamahalaan, sa paggunita ng Semana Santa, disiplinado ang kailangan upang mapanatili ang kapayapaan ng mga pasahero o ng mga autoridad ng transportasyong pandagat man. Sumunod sa mga patakaran, pumila ng maayos, at gamitin ang mga upuan ng tama at huwag gawing higaan upang makaupo ang mas marami. Ipatupad ang batas ng walang kinikilingan upang ang tao huwag magalit at maki-pagsiksikan.Gumawa ng tamang sistema upang masunod ang tamang bilang lamang ng mga pasahero sa barko pati na ang bilang ng mga sasakyan para sa kaayusan at kaligtasan ng lahat. 

Source and courtesy: Philippine Information Agency-Marinduque, MNL
Sunday, March 29, 2015

Costa El Bambu: Bagong Atraksyon Sa Torrijos, Marinduque

Costa El Bambu, Torrijos, Marinduque (Photo: Von Christian Pizarro)
Costa El Bambu Blessing (Photo: Von Christian Pizarro)
Welcome to Poctoy White Beach (Photo: Geann Magdalita)
Kanina (Marso 29, 2015) ay binuksan na sa publiko ang pinakabagong atraksyon sa Poctoy White Beach sa Bayan ng Torrijos, Marinduque. Ito ay ang Costa El Bambu, isang floating restaurant na magsisilbing kainan sa umaga, tanghali at gabi ng mga turistang darayo sa White Beach ngayong summer. Mayroong Entrance Fee na Php 50.00. Ang nasabing proyekto ay nabuo sa inisyatiba ni Mr. Julius dela Rosa sa tulong nina Councilor Alvin Gaye Pizarro at ng kanyang butihing ama.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Mining-free Marinduque?

Copper mine waste spilled in Boac River, killing fish in this 1996 photo -AFP
A lawmaker has proposed to declare Marinduque as a mining-free zone, citing the continued threat of the Marcopper toxic spill nearly two decades after the 1996 disaster.

Rep. Regina O. Reyes, who represents the lone district of Marinduque, filed House Bill 5566, which seeks to declare a total mining ban in the province.

“The province of Marinduque has been enduring the detrimental consequences of the 1996 mining disaster and its aftermath,” Ms. Reyes said in a statement released yesterday. “It is brutal and criminal... to allow exploitation of natural resources which will inevitably lead to the exacerbation of this unresolved mining tragedy.”

The March 24, 1996 disaster in the open-pit mining operations of Marcopper and Canadian company Placer Dome, Inc. led to a massive spill of toxic mine tailings to provincial waters.

As a result, the spill contaminated Marinduque’s Boac River, its main source of clean water and fishing, and surrounding rivers and seas.

The toxic sludge likewise caused flash floods in the area, displacing families and damaging properties, crops, and sources of livelihood, Ms. Reyes said, adding that the province has yet to make a full recovery from the disaster.

“To date, the province has yet to receive justice and reparation for the victims of the 1996 Marcopper incident,” the lawmaker said, adding that full rehabilitation and restoration efforts as promised by the mining firm have not been fulfilled.

A total ban for mining and quarrying activities in the province will be put in place once the measure is passed into law. Processing of gravel and sand that will be used for government infrastructure projects are exempted.

Those who will continue mining operations despite the ban will be jailed for at least six to 12 years, and a fine of as much as P500,000.

The measure is pending before the committee on natural resources of the House of Representatives. It comes amid an executive order issued in 2012 by President Benigno S. C. Aquino III declaring a moratorium for the grant of new mining permits in the country, pending the enactment of a new mining law to replace the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

Earlier, the lower chamber approved bills declaring Davao City and the provinces of Eastern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya and Biliran as mining-free zones.

Source and courtesy: Business World, Melissa Luz T. Lopez.

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Saturday, March 07, 2015

Carmencita Ongsiako-Reyes Biography

Governor Carmencita Ongsiako-Reyes
Carmencita Ongsiako-Reyes was born on November 9, 1931 at San Juan, Metro Manila. She graduated elementary and high school in College of the Holy Spirit Manila. She pursued and completed her Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree in the University of Sto. Tomas. She took Doctoral Program in Social Work at the Philippine Women's University.

Reyes is a Certified Public Account (CPA), a Filipino politician and jurist. She served as an Assemblywoman from 1985 to 1986, Congresswoman of the Lone District of Marinduque from 1978 to 1998 and 2007 to 2010, as well as governor from 1998 to 2007 and 2010 to present.

She is married to the former commissioner on immigration, the late Edmundo M. Reyes with him she has 5 children namely Ma. Violeta O. Reyes (February 7, 1953), Ma. Bernadette O. Reyes (February 8, 1954), Maria del Carmen O. Reyes (August 10, 1955), Regina Victoria O. Reyes (July 3, 1960) and Edmundo O. Reyes, Jr. (May 23, 1962).

Batasang Pambansa Assemblywoman

Reyes won a seat in the Batasang Pambansa in 1984 under the ruling Kilusang Bagong Lipunan Party of President Ferdinand Marcos. She aligned herself with then-Marinduque Governor Aristeo Lecaroz, also of the KBL Party. Reyes was a close ally of the Marcos regime. Her husband, Edmundo M. Reyes, was appointed by President Marcos as the Commissioner on Immigration. Reyes served as an Assemblywoman until the 1986 EDSA Revolution drove Marcos out of power.
Saturday, March 07, 2015

New Marinduque Bishop to be Ordained on March 13 in Lipa, Installed in Boac on March 17

Msgr. Marcelino A. Maralit
Bishop-elect Msgr. Marcelino Antonio Maralit will be ordained March 13 and formally installed as head of the Marinduque diocese March 17, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Friday.

The CBCP said Maralit, 45, who Pope Francis appointed last Dec. 31, will be the fourth bishop of the Boac diocese upon his installation.

At the time Pope Francis named him Bishop-elect of Boac, Maralit was parish priest of Alitagtag, Batangas.

Maralit had been a priest from the Archdiocese of Lipa since 1995, and has served in various pastoral and administrative positions.

The CBCP said several bishops and archbishops have confirmed their intention to concelebrate Maralit’s ordination at the San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City on March 13, and his installation at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Boac on March 17.

Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto will be the principal ordaining prelate along with Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles on March 13.

Maralit studied philosophy at St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary in Lipa City. He also studied and earned a licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. His licentiate in Church History is from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.