By Joey Pavia / Correspondent
FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga —There is a new crowd-drawer at Barangay Nabuklod here, an Ayta village perched 1,200 feet above sea level.
Parishioners are thanking Fr. Jess Manabat and his longtime supporters, including Gov. Lilia Pineda, for the creation of a pilgrimage site near the housing units of the Aytas in the area.
The San Jose Chapel is nearing completion and two Holy Masses were recently held in the church, said Manabat.
“People will visit the place more often and their journey will have deeper meaning if they have spiritual attachment on the tourism destination,” said Manabat, who has a reputation of building a church for the parishes where he is assigned.
He said the famous churches in Antipolo City and Manaoag, Pangasinan, had been frequently visited because “people from all walks of life look for places to speak with God.”
“What about the Our Lady of Lourdes in France, where there were Marian apparitions in 1858? You go to France not just to see Paris but to experience the high in devoting prayers and sacrifices to Mama Mary,” Manabat said. “We want tourists to savor the place not just for its fun attractions but for spiritual devotion, as well.”
Manabat said “our main mission” in building the church dedicated to the poor and abandoned is to win the faith of the at least 1,500 Ayta families based in Nabuklod and nearby areas.
Nabuklod was earlier developed by the two-term governor as a premier tourism and agricultural area.
Manabat, parish priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Floridablanca Resettlement Center, said “those who have a heart for Jesus Christ and His flock” are working together for the completion of the chapel.
Manabat added that at least P2.8 million had been used for the project. He said they need at least P3.8 million for the chapel’s completion.
He thanked Engr. Alejo Ponio and Arthur Alipio—both in charge of the construction of the church—Barangay Captain Anita Casupanan, and Dennis and Michael Isip for their invaluable help.
“I can’t build churches all by myself. In fact, I am just a small part of the big piece. It’s the parishioners and generous supporters who are chiefly responsible for the building of the churches in Nabuklod and the places I handled before,” Manabat said.
“I have a gift and I must share it, just like what others are doing,” Manabat added when asked why he puts so much time and effort in building churches.
Manabat worked for the establishment of the Mawaque Resettlement Center (MRC) in Mabalacat City. He was also responsible for either the major repair or construction of churches in Candaba, Bacolor and Guagua towns, where he had been previously assigned.
“Our current project for the Aytas is quite a challenge. The contractors did not stop doing it even if we paid only a small portion of the total amount of the contract so far,” Manabat said. “Both Ponio and Alipio can be described as a blessing in disguise.”
“The creation of a church is meant to win the faith of our Ayta brothers,” he added.
Earlier, Manabat organized a mass wedding benefiting 43 Ayta couples. The event was sponsored by prominent personalities, including Air Force Gen. Raul del Rosario, Satur Ocampo and businessmen Babes Lazatin and Ferdinand Beltran.
Blue mountains
DUBBED “Paradise in the Sky,” Nabuklod is perched on a hilly area near the Basa Air Force Base here. The area’s cool temperature in most days of the year is like the weather in the tourist cities of Baguio and Tagaytay.
Pineda once celebrated her birthday in Nabuklod when she was on her first term as governor.
The mountains ranges of Bataan, Zambales and Pampanga—whose colors turn to attractive blue and green in some parts of the year—are seen from Nabuklod. The view of the western portion of Pampanga is also visible from the village largely occupied by the Aytas.
Former Second District Board Member Olga Frances “Fritzie” David Dizon of nearby Porac town said, “It’s a place where one can truly rest a tired mind, body and soul by simply looking at the beauty of nature, not to mention the cold temperatures during most parts of the year.”
Dizon, now the governor’s chief of staff, joined Pineda in several missions and projects for the benefit of the Aytas since 2010.
“The building of the church makes the package complete,” Dizon said.
First District Board Member Cris Garbo said, “If you want to make the governor truly happy, you open a topic about the Aytas.”
In the recent Pampanga Day celebration, Pineda said, “I give more care to the Aytas because they get less attention from many sectors of society.” She was teary-eyed when she spoke about her love for the Aytas who are mostly based in Floridablanca, Porac and Mabalacat City.
Image credits: Leo Villacarlos