Pre-Holy Week Visita Iglesia: San Joaquin Church

The day before I flew to Iloilo I was too busy.

After my evening shift I went straight to Pansol, Laguna to attend a colleague's baby shower. That's from Ortigas to Laguna.  I slept a bit when I got home in the afternoon before picking up my relatives in Makati to the airport.  We slept in the cold NAIA 3 because the flight I got for them was due to depart at 5 in the morning. When they got settled and have checked in, I then had to drop off my mom to the bus terminal.  It was past 5 in the morning when I reached home.  Thanks to LRT for making the trip to my apartment fast. I slept for an hour or two maybe without having anything packed for my 10:55AM flight to ILO.

Fast forward...

I woke up the following day at around 9AM.  I took a shower and headed out for a great journey.  I intended to hit the road very early in the morning so I can cover a lot in a day but I failed miserably. A lesson learned.

I don't even know how to get to San Joaquin.  I read that this town is missed by most travelers so I decided to explore it first. It took me some time to find the terminal.  I got a lot of info, thanks to Mr. Google but it didn't help much in terms of identifying the nearest one in my area.  Luckily, I found a blog that has a very detailed description of the Iloilo transport system including the fares for each destination (I did not record the website, unfortunately).

The market south of Robinsons Iloilo has jeepneys bound for San Joaquin.  I hopped in and started praying. It was past 11 in the morning and I am not sure what to expect. I thought we would have to wait for the vehicle to be full before departing. We only waited a few minutes and the jeep started to inch away. 

When I decided to visit San Joaquin, I was aware that it is the southernmost tip of the province. Fifty three kilometers wasn't really something that mattered to me until I realized how far that was! It came to a point where I was asking myself "Are we there yet?" On the other hand, it was a very rewarding trip. The view was good.  I get to see the coastline while traveling in a speed of light.  Yup! It was like riding a roller coaster!

It was almost three in the afternoon when I got a glimpse of the San Joaquin Cemetery. A few minutes more  and I am there standing in a clear square in front of the Church.

San Joaquin Church, Iloilo

San Joaquin is a very quiet place.  I took some shots before entering the church.  It was a very humid day. The Church was indeed old. From what I read it has a militaristic design but I did not see it until I came closer.

Rendicion d’ Tetuan

Rendicion d’ Tetuan or the Battle of Tetuan is depicted in the church's facade.  At the time of the construction of the church, the news came with  the victory of the Spanish army against the crowned prince of Morocco.

It's clean, simple and most of all, peaceful.

Historical Marker

Of all the churches I've visited, the San Joaquin Church is where I found the most peace.  As I sat on one of the long benches, I could not help myself but kneel and utter a silent prayer. I was able to commune with myself and God without being distracted. It was quiet and peaceful with only the birds and the gentle breeze that's making music to my ears.

The peacefulness of this place will make you want to pray...

My time piece told me that it was almost half past three.  If I remember what I read right about the transportation in San Joaquin back to Iloilo City, it's only until 3PM. I took my chances though because I cannot miss the opportunity to drop by the cemetery.

The Cemetery Chapel

The San Joaquin Cemetery was built in 1892 from coral stones. It is situated in a hill facing the vast sea. If it wasn't for the obvious tombs and markers, you wouldn't think that this place is a cemetery.  I arrived on foot and was greeted by the scarlet chapel and still and quiet surroundings. I bet the souls of these Ilonggos are  in peace.

who wouldn't rest in peace in this place?

After taking some shots I decided to let the souls be in peace.  I finished the bottle of water I brought from the city and started walking towards the center of town in the hopes of catching a ride back to the city...

San Joaquin is indeed far and unexplored by most travelers but the trip was all worth it!