Food in Antipolo
The hot time of year in the Philippines is unforgiving in heat currently, with temperatures reaching approaching 37 degrees Celsius. Not surprisingly, vacation-bound people are seeking to journey to locations where they can get away from the heat. Naturally, when thinking about those locations, Baguio City is the most popular. The trouble is that Baguio can get packed. Not to mention that it is isolated from Manila accommodations.
Antipolo is a viable alternative, which is a popular summer hotspot that can cool people down using its mountain winds, refreshing springs, and a bird’s eye view of the metropolis (which is especially scenic during nighttime). Situated in the Rizal Province, a mere 25 kilometers to the east of Metro Manila, it is suitable for daytrips and short-term vacations. Recommended by various Manila travel guides, the city offers natural wonders such as the Hinulugang Taktak Falls and scenic areas. It is also a good place to buy locally-grown mangoes and cashews, as well as the traditional delicacy called “suman”.
Not only as a traveler destination, Antipolo is also considered as a religious location. It is renowned as the “Pilgrimage Capital of the Philippines”. Among its most popular locations, the Antipolo Cathedral (as well as other churches in the city), gets swamped by numerous devotees who walk up the peak during the event dubbed as “Alay Lakad”. It is held every Maundy Thursday of the Catholic Holy Week.
Antipolo City is particularly animated during the occasion, as one can witness droves of devotees going into confession in the various churches located there. Perhaps the most unique and disturbing spectacle to witness during the occasion are the people who punish themselves using whips and sticks – including the ones who go the distance and have themselves nailed to a cross like Jesus.
The city is known for the Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje statue and the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, which are popular among followers who observe the Visita Iglesia practice – a common Catholic event that commemorates Jesus Christ’s Passion by trips to the Philippines’ popular religious sites. The statue arrived in the Philippines from Mexico at the behest of the galleon merchant Don Juan Niño de Tabora in 1929, after a perilous journey that was saved by its miraculous powers.
As such, the statue’s arrival became the toast of Manila, prompting a parade starting at the Church of San Ignacio up to the Manila Cathedral (which served as the statie’s first home) was performed to honor it. In 1632, the statue was taken to the Church of Antipolo after the death of Don Tabora. After a while, people saw a Tipolo tree near the church, whose trunk was said to bear an image of the Blessed Virgin. As such, a base was fashioned from the tree to serve as the home for the statue, which was later named as the Virgin of Antipolo. At the height of the Japanese occupation of the country, more than 500 residents were forced to move the statue to a safer location in the Angono Mountains, where they believed it would be safe. The statue was then transferred to the Quiapo Church in 1945, after which it was finally returned to its home in Antipolo.
The “Alay Lakad” is performed annually to remember the the statue’s Antipolo homecoming, and is not merely a holy event, but a form of festivities as well. It is a good time for complete strangers to exchange experiences and goodies, all the while taking in the sights and views of Antipolo.
The writer lives in Manila. He has even written a Manila Guide. The guide is filled with useful Manila Information aimed for foreigners.