Destination: Manaoag and Dagupan City, Pangasinan
Travel via: Coaster bus
This blog really shown the test of faith from up above. As we all know, the year 2009 was a year of disasters where two destructive typhoons named Ondoy (international codename Ketsana) and Pepeng (international code name Parma) struck the Philippines leaving many people dead while damages reached billions and billions of pesos. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our planned trip to Manaoag was two months prior October 4. It was maybe a test of faith by that time. Right after Typhoon Ondoy made its wrath and destroyed Metro Manila, another typhoon will soon lash again the country. It was somehow reminded us if we will still continue going to Manaoag. Will our trip be push through?
But we still keep our faith and continue going to Manaoag. But do you know what happened? Typhoon went to another direction so we are eager to go to Manaoag and visit Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine. We thanked God for letting us go. We rode a coaster bus courtesy of Mommy Eva who has a contact to Gold Line company where her husband formerly worked there. We were more than 20 of us traveled 191 kilometers from Manila to the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag.
Our travel time took more than 4 hours. We left Manila at 3:30AM and we arrived Manaoag at 8AM.
There were many people at the church even the weather condition. It was raining but not that strong as we've expected.
Visit to Our Lady of Manaoag
This blog really shown the test of faith from up above. As we all know, the year 2009 was a year of disasters where two destructive typhoons named Ondoy (international codename Ketsana) and Pepeng (international code name Parma) struck the Philippines leaving many people dead while damages reached billions and billions of pesos. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our planned trip to Manaoag was two months prior October 4. It was maybe a test of faith by that time. Right after Typhoon Ondoy made its wrath and destroyed Metro Manila, another typhoon will soon lash again the country. It was somehow reminded us if we will still continue going to Manaoag. Will our trip be push through?
But we still keep our faith and continue going to Manaoag. But do you know what happened? Typhoon went to another direction so we are eager to go to Manaoag and visit Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine. We thanked God for letting us go. We rode a coaster bus courtesy of Mommy Eva who has a contact to Gold Line company where her husband formerly worked there. We were more than 20 of us traveled 191 kilometers from Manila to the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag.
our bus
inside the bus
picture time!
picture again!
Our travel time took more than 4 hours. We left Manila at 3:30AM and we arrived Manaoag at 8AM.
Source: Wikipedia
There were many people at the church even the weather condition. It was raining but not that strong as we've expected.
Welcome to Manaoag
beside the church
picture with the group
Church Museum
We went inside and saw many people. But we were seated. We heard mass and after that we went to the front to have our blessings.
we heard mass
we went nearer to the altar for the blessing
crowd was also draw nearer to the altar
behind the altar
pray to Our Lady of Manaoag
Trivia: The Shrine was small but the crowd was very discipline. You will never heard any complaints since all of us expressed our faith to Our Lady of Manaoag. Even there were many people, you will feel solemnity inside and outside the church. It is a worth visit and to pray also. Travel to Manaoag, Pangasinan is also easy. There were many buses going to this town. Dagupan Bus plies to Dagupan City via Manaoag every day. Fare is only PHP300 one way.
After the mass ended, we went outside to buy pasalubongs. Actually, there were many variants once you went outside the church. There were tupig (grilled sticky rice with shreds of coconut wrapped in banana leaves), puto calasiao (small sticky rice also from Calasiao - a town in Pangasinan), patupat (sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves and cooked on sugar cane juice) and whole lot more.
the church
the shrine and the bell tower
right beside the church
picture infront
way out the church
buy some tupig and puto calasiao
walk down the main highway
many people
bought some pasalubong
We prayed to give thanks of our blessings that we received and guide us on our way and also the success of the group and we also say our individual prayers. It was fulfilling since we went there a midst of heavy rain due to Typhoon but I know that God helped us to be there. That is why were are keeping our faith alive!
Proceed to the next blog for our Dagupan food trip! :)
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