MARINDUQUE - Holy Week Itinerary

Classes has ended and decided not to take advance summer subjects, looking forward for holy week I had earlier convinced my colleague to tag me if she decided to spend holy week in her hometown – Marinduque. The idea came about during one of our discussion in Philippine Environmental Laws class about mining. Before, Marinduque for me was very much associated with Marcopper and the March 24, 1996 tragedy brought by the mining activities. The picture of Marinduque was of flash floods which isolated five villages. One village, Barangay Hinapula, was buried under six feet of muddy floodwater; Toxic waste that killed P1.8 million worth of mature freshwater and marine life and Borac river, which is the main source of livelihood for those who are not part of the 1,000 – strong workforce of Marcopper, has been declared dead by government officials.  However, that was decades ago as interrupted by my classmate, she then narrated stories of her recent visit and dared me to spend holy week at Marinduque and so I did.

Transportation

From Las Piñas to Lucena’s Dalahikan Port we drove approximately 3 hours (11:30 pm – 2:30 am). For commuters, Jam buses going Lucena at Dalahikan are available either at Buendia or Alabang station that charges 220php/person. However, traveling buy bus will take another hour due to stop over.

From Dalahikan port, we took boat ride via MV Vergen de Peñafrancia of Starhorse shipping lines going to Port of Balanacan. Montenegro shipping lines are also available and both company charges same rate of 260 php (regular), 220 php (student age 7 below), 208 php (senior citizen) and 130 php (for children age 3 – 6). Environmental fee charged at 22 php/person which serves as your entrance ticket to port proper.

Starhorse Shipping Lines Booth and Montenegro New fare 

At Balanacan Port, L300 and Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) lined up just choose sign board bearing your destination. PUJ charges 80 php / person from Balanacan to Sta. Cruz, while, 90 php for L300. Overloading is no problem at Marinduque, I was almost placed on roof which is normal for them.

Day 1 – Holy Thursday

We arrived Dalahikan port at 2:30 am. As expected, crowd was already on pilgrimage. Prepared to face the worst, we learned that we must secure environmental fee ticket that is a separate line from transportation ticket booth. Judging the line and system being implemented its mission impossible. Luckily, cousin of my colleague and her niece was already on line near ticket booth and we just gave our money and enjoyed view of sunrise on port while waiting. 

MV Vergen de Peñafrancia

Crowd patiently waiting on cue 

By 6:30 am we fought our way to entrance gate of port and managed to squeeze in crowd on rage. Most passengers of MV Vergen de Peñafrancia were already settled as we board, on 3^rd deck I found myself a spot on stairs, ignoring the sun as I covered myself with my cotton towel. Below were locals on bankas screaming for us to throw coins, someone threw and I was amazed how they easily retrieved coins. It was quite a show but reality its their way of living. Then our 3 hours journey began. Half way, tickets were collected and to our dismay, we found out that some passengers had no tickets but allowed to pay on board. It is a lesson learned which I did going home.

Pasalubong

I had learned that most marinduqueños are very traditional and sticks to their norms. It’s a no meat policy for holy week but lunch served to us – grilled bangus, sarciadong tilapia with green mangoes and bagoong was delightful. Ate Liza (famous teacher at Sta. Cruz, who adopted and allowed me to stay in her home) advised that we must buy pasalubong early on to secure ourselves from flock of visitors and tourists.

After lunch, riding tricycle we headed to plaza where the famous Rejano’s original Arrowroot cookies were sold. Arrowroot cookies are made from first class high fiber starch extracted from Uraro (Arrowroot) tubers, organically grown in Marinduque. The goodness of Arrowroot cookies – considered easily digested and nutritious food, melts easily in your mouth, high in fiber, contains Calcium Carbonate and other nutrients making it a good source of nutrients for those on strict diet. Rejano’s is a one stop shop as they also sell t-shirts, ref magnets, key chains and other stuff embroidered with Marinduque print. 

Clockwise: Reajano's original shop; Arrowroot; array of Rejano's pasalubong
and the original Marinduque's arrowroot cookies

At plaza we found this bakery selling freshly made “pancit – marinduque” being sold at 50 php/kg. You can purchase this in advance just let it air-dried overnight to prolong shelf life. 

Marinduque's Freshly Made Pancit-Miki sold at 50php/kg

We went to wet and dry market for “tilis” (dinaing na tuyo) sold at 50php/250g, there were also dilis and array of dried fish Marinduque also famous for.

Sta. Cruz Cathedral

No one can ignore Sta. Cruz Cathedral that is reputed to be the oldest in Marinduque. This 402-year-old shrine of Banal na Krus greets visitors with its wooden curved door in lacquered color, marble floor that match its cream colored ceiling painted with Hispanic designs, red-brick colored adobe wall added rustic feel, while, light entering from dome ceiling gives heaven sight of tabernacle.

402 year-old Sta.Cruz Cathedral

After spending some time inside the cathedral, I went out to see my very first authentic morion. Ate Liza might have noticed my enthusiasm as she pointed her finger to group of morions saying, “There are plenty of them”. Its like in movie set of “300” walking around were morions all dressed up in capes, swords, masks and with abdomens that redefines 6 packs.  

Sta.Cruz Cathedral's Tabernacle naturally lighted
from open dome ceiling

White marble flooring adds divinity

Moryonan 2012

Morions warming up before actual competition

“Moryonan 2012 (Battle of Morions)” is a four-year-old competition conceptualized in 2009. Traditional and modern day morions consisting of young people from Marinduque’s six towns are given the chance to participate in this competition that requires them to come up with a choreographed marching drill or synchronized movement to the accompaniment of a drum and bugle corps or a musical group playing all-percussion instruments.

Parade starts at plaza and ends at plaza

To face serious battle after parade

 Actual competition starts after parade of morion around town of Sta. Cruz, as the emcee exclaimed, she was overwhelmed with the crowd as compared to last year, the Moryonan had truly encouraged tourist to visit Marinduque and hail it as “the holy week capital” of the Philippines. Contrary to some locals, the Moriones Festival that they knew was “Moryonan” and Moryonan was a part of Mahal na Araw and it’s so much part of their lives. It was already far from commercialism like what the Moriones Festival is presenting these days. For them, Moryonan was a “panata” and they can hardly see any commercial aspect of it. I am a visitor of Marinduque and was delighted to have my pictures taken with morions, but, that was it, I had never learned the essence of the festival and what it symbolizes.

Different faces of morions