BACLAYANONS’ CULTURE OF FAITH
I’VE HEARD FROM A LOCAL HISTORIAN saying that you cannot separate the value and practice of faith from the lives of the Boholanos. This is precisely true considering that 88.9 % and 91.5 % of the population of the Dioceses of Tagbilaran and Talibon respectively are Roman Catholic with copious ways of expressing religiosity.
To name a few, we have biblical texts and passages marked at the rear side of tricycle units, angelus simultaneously prayed at the malls or school or offices, dawn rosary, churches filled with devotees on Wednesdays and Sundays, among others.
I live in a town seven kilometers east from the city of Tagbilaran. The place is known as Baclayon, a term derived from “Baklayon” which means a walking distance from the old village of Datu Sikatuna at the small strait that separates Panglao Island from mainland Bohol. The said village, known as “Dapitan Kingdom”, was destroyed by the Ternatean raiders hence made Sikatuna flee and reside in Baclayon.
The town is the seat of Christianity in Bohol for it is where the Jesuit priests Torres and Sanchez started their formal evangelization upon the implementation of the law of encomienda on November 17, 1596.
Baclayanons are conservative, that is, strongly hold to traditional attitudes and values in the practice of their belief. This is the reason that Baclayanons’ lives revolve around their faith.
We have plenty of practices to manifest this claim. While other municipalities (LGU) take care of the nightly activities during the novena in preparation for the fiesta celebration, it is the Parish Pastoral Council of Baclayon that takes care of it and just assigns one night to the LGU.
Devotees in this town conscientiously keep the tradition of “encargado system”. This refers to the families who take care of the religious icons for procession during Holy Week. No doubt this town has the most number, still counting, of religious icons processioned during Passion Week.
Another unique conservative trait of the Baclayanons is the practice of singing “Misa Baklayana” – an old musical score believed to have been written in the 1800s. Credit is given to Maria Alexandra Inigo-Chua, musicologist, professor, researcher and author of “Kirial de Baclayon Ano 1826”, who taught us how to sing these songs together with the Loboc Children’s Choir way back 2006.
Never the less, as a way of keeping the tradition, you’ll hear songs from the sixties and seventies sung by the Immaculadian Choristers in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The songs elicit a sense of nostalgia and memories of the past cantores, musicians, acquaintances, friends, and events.
If you listen carefully to the songs during the traditional “hugos” on Easter Sunday and songs of the Flores de Mayo, you are listening to a medieval ecclesiastical euphony that is so touching and heavenly.
Aside from being conservative, Baclayanons have a good sense of history, belongingness and a high sense of regard in safeguarding heritage. These traits were made visible when DPWH implemented the road widening project in Baclayon that would eventually affect the vernacular houses along the national highway. A group of neighborhood association composed of the owners of 67 vernacular houses formed BAHANDI (Baclayon Ancestral Home Organization) with the intention of protecting these heritage structures. The group armed with their noble advocacy rallied, succeeded and came out victorious.
In Bohol, vernacular houses are not only found in Baclayon. Yet we have a good number of these in this town. Some were even constructed before the Spaniards left our island on 1898.
What is the connection of these vernacular houses to the aspect of faith?
I grew up in one of these vernacular houses owned by then Vice Mayor Victoriano Realista married to Gregoria Gilay. Thanks to the couple and their children’s generosity for accommodating our family for 11 years. I had fond memories of this house for it was a home where my parents implanted and strengthened the seed of faith in our intellect. It was here where the practice of virtues that strengthened our will started. It was here that our love for the Holy Triune God and our devotion to the Blessed Mother was formed. I, for one then, cannot help but link these aspects to our faith.
There is a need to protect these houses from any demolition in favor of modernization and commercialism. Let us continue the legacy of our very own Baclayon Capitan Municipal Timoteo Oppus who saved these houses and our church from destruction by offering food and drinks to the Americans who were belligerently ready to burn these structures in 1901.
I believe that that there’s so much to go for among us Baclayanons. But one thing sure, we are blessed for we have the gift of faith and the culture of keeping this faith; a way for us to be closer to God. Unworthy we may be, yet this will be made possible thru the constant intercession of our Blessed Mother, the Immaculate Conception.
Long live Baclayon’s culture of faith!