2021-046 | THE 3RD CAMINO DE SANTIAGO OF CEBU: DAY 4 & 5

A RAINBOW GREETED ME as I enjoyed a cup of coffee on the balcony of the San Pedro Calungsod Parish rectory on the fourth day (June 21, 2019) of this Camino de Santiago from the North. The hills were still swathed in mists as an early rising sun bathed it in golden light. It was a magical feeling, almost surreal. 

Behind me was the imposing height of Mount Manghilao, a great landmark of Masaba, Danao City, as seen from anywhere. Across me, far more distant than these hills swathed in mists, was another landmark: an unnamed peak. That mountain would be my signpost later on my journey to Compostela. 

I arrived here yesterday at the San Pedro Calungsod Parish together with fellow pilgrims Renita Reynes, Erl Durano and Grace Lina. Fr. Junly Cortes, the parish priest, had welcomed us and took care of our comforts and needs. We had taken baths in the early morning and were now seated with Fr. Junly at the breakfast table.

This Camino de Santiago from the North was the last of the three Camino de Santiago established in Cebu, at the behest of the former parish priest of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santiago de Compostela, Fr. Scipio Deligero. We started from the St. James the Apostle Parish in Sogod four days ago and this exploratory Camino Cebu has brought us here in very good hands. 

We have stamped our credenciales with the parish seals of St. James in Sogod; the San Guillermo de Aquitania in Catmon; the St. Joseph the Worker in Binongkalan, Catmon; the Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Cantumog, Carmen; even that of the St. Benedict Monastery in Corte, Carmen. We have also secured one from Fr. Junly’s parish. 

This was a journey that had turned out well despite it being exploratory in nature. I was commissioned by Fr. Scipio to find and identify the routes but I decided to involve the three ladies instead, who really were all veterans of another but much longer Camino de Santiago from the South which they walked in January 2019.

Fr. Junly, who is an adventure racer, knows the hinterlands of Danao City for this was his training ground. He showed me a path and mentioned all the places that we needed to pass in order to reach the next parish: Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ibo, Danao City. This time, the Camino Cebu would pass long stretches of trails and unpaved roads. 

We left Fr. Junly and his parish at 07:30, following a low ridge which goes amongst farms and homesteads. The appeal of trails on this fourth day for the Camino de Santiago was a different experience. The soft ground that crunch underneath your shoes was most welcome for any feet but it brought with it a certain caution when you experienced the usual skids.

These part of the Camino Cebu was unexpected and was never thought of in my itinerary. I literally created another itinerary based on this and shall be permanent. We were walking over ridgelines, among meadows, within pocket forests and small communities where residents helped us with our journey. 

We crossed a small stream and went over another trail that led to an unpaved road where there was a chapel which then led to a paved one in the village of Mantija, Danao City. We arrived at 08:30. After fifteen minutes of rest, we resumed our journey. Then it passed by sparsely-populated areas, farms and more pocket forests.

The weather cooperated and we really enjoyed this part. We just walked without so much strain. We were just killing time. I even forgot the mandatory rests of fifteen minutes after each hour of walk. This casual-like walk led us to a steel foot bridge. Below us was the Danao River. Across us was the village of Ibo, Danao City which we came upon at 10:15. 

While I was walking searching for their parish, I mistakenly presumed a local wearing a palm hat and an open-carried bolo as a farmer until he identified himself as Fr. Porferio Mahinay Jr., the parish priest of the Our Mother of Perpetual Help. What humility! I even learned later that he was a licensed civil engineer! 

He welcomed us into his rectory. His parish is kind of busy since their village fiesta was approaching. On the dining table were fruits and vegetables brought by his parishioners as offerings and donations. There were no concrete structures yet for the church. Fr. Jun utilized a chapel as their temporary house of worship. 

Fr. Jun was very much happy to receive us but he has no word of our coming since his locality has no cellular phone signal yet, much less, the internet. It was cool inside and we were served cold juice which helped to our cause. After 30 minutes of rest, it was time to leave again for the Camino de Santiago.

Taking the hint from Fr. Jun, we followed an unpaved road bound for the village of Togonon, Danao City. Midway, the road became paved and the air became warm. This familiar landmark of a mountain that had left me marveling in the past was now in my midst. It has bare karst formations which are used by local rock climbers. 

We stayed under the shade of a small store by a road junction to spend our noonbreak. The lady storekeeper was most happy to serve us instant noodles and, later, just coffee for me. After an hour, after asking directions from her, we took the road on the left which goes up to the higher elevations of this unnamed peak. 

At 13:00, we huffed and puffed on an ascending road but, once we were on a level terrain, the road became unpaved and showed its true character. It was very shady, due to presence of a second-growth forest and there were no houses along the route. Another enchanting road that gave you the creeps. 

This was a rather long stretch and I liked it that way. I could see valleys below and the mountains that shaped this new landscape that I have seen for the first time. Beyond, far away, are familiar trysting grounds. Then the enchantment gave way to a small community and more of it as the gravelly road became concrete again and goes downhill. 

We now crossed into the village of Dapdap, Compostela. In a very spacious community shelter, we found rest at 14:30. I have never been in this part of Compostela. After 15 minutes, we proceed passing by a junction which led to the village center of Dapdap on the right and to another village, Mulao, Compostela, on the left. I took the left.

The road goes downhill, crossed a stream, goes a little up and goes down again and we were in another junction: the right goes to village center of Mulao while on the left to the village of Basak, Compostela. I know this part very well and what to expect. Just like yesterday, we climbed a hill in the morning and another in the afternoon. This time it was at lesser proportions and I know where I was going. 

We finally arrived at our resting place for the night at 16:00. It was not a parish that we were so privileged to rest for three nights but a humble home that a family had dedicated to welcoming pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago. This was the third time that Frank and Minnie Catampatan hosted me and my pilgrims and I could not find the happiest second home but here.

Woke up to the crowing of the cocks for this fifth and final day (June 22) of this Camino de Santiago from the North, we were treated to a good breakfast again. We were that pampered, thanks to Santiago de Compostela, who provided, from out of nothing, comfort, kindness, empathy, protection, nutrition, charity and piety. At 08:00, we left our kind hosts and proceed to finish this exploration and pilgrimage today. 

It was getting warm by the time we left Basak although the path was very shady. We were approaching the great highlight of all the three Camino de Santiago: the “Cross of Triumph”. This cross was erected in 2016 on top of a hill and is a hundred feet high, the biggest in the island of Cebu. Upon this cross, pilgrims leave their pebbles carried since Day One of their spiritual journeys. 

We arrived on the great cross in Bagalnga, Compostela at 09:15. I left another pebble. Renita, Erl and Grace did, likewise. Aside from pebbles, which actually represents our old self, we said our personal prayers here as well as prayer petitions from relatives, friends, classmates and neighbors, hoping for small miracles in their lives. These prayer petitions came in verbal requests or written on papers.

The morning was just so perfect. There was no pressure and we just enjoyed the view and prayed the five decades of the holy rosary facing the lowlands and the Camotes Sea. By 10:00, we went down the hill and followed a narrow concrete road down to a much busy road in Guila-guila and sate our thirst with cold soda drinks inside a small store at 10:45. 

After 15 minutes of my standard rest time, we walked again this busy thoroughfare, muddied and hosting puddles of turbid liquid after a hard rain last night. We turned right on a much better road but lacking in shades. It was now very warm and the road rose up but I know where it would take me. This was the last obstacle. 

We arrived at last at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santiago de Compostela at 11:40. Bells herald our coming and the welcoming committee was most happy of our arrival for we had accomplished our mission: that of establishing and completing the third route of the Camino de Santiago for Cebu. Fr. Scipio Deligero had delivered his promise before ending his stint in this parish come August where another priest would assume his post.

Renita, Erl and Grace had the distinction of the only other pilgrims who walked this Camino de Santiago from the North, as well as that rare feat of walking both this northern passage and that of its much longer route from the south. All three have grasped the full meaning of being a pilgrim and so have found a different avenue of spirituality. However, Renita, most of all, had achieved a most rare deed: that of walking the three different routes of the Camino Cebu.   

On my part, the opportunity to work with the Roman Universal Catholic Church, notably with the Archdiocese of Cebu, and to my close devotion to St. James the Apostle, had transformed me into someone that I have not had dreamed of before. It was a calling and I answered it. I am in a unique situation after I helped establish the two longest routes of the Camino de Santiago here. 

This special relation granted me certain spiritual privileges, or indulgences, if you may, which I could never achieve with my sinful ways, past and present. This was more than monetary compensation, titles and prestige. My church is kind enough to give me certain earthly privileges as well to work as an independent guide. While it may have a certain air of prestige but, do not be misled, it is a very demanding work. 

Cebu now has three Camino de Santiago routes. The first one was the one from the south, starting from Badian, 175+ kilometers long and walked in ten days. It was established in 2017 and is now the premier route. The second is the one walked around Compostela and Liloan, which is 28+ kilometers and walked in two days. This was first walked in 2018 and is the most popular. Then we had the one from the north, walked in five days at 65+ kilometers.

iBuen Camino!