Inside Santo Rosario de Angeles Church
Last Palm Sunday, my friend texted to visit her at Pampanga. Sana nga nakapanood ako nung flagellation at crusifixion at Cutud but I have work on Good Friday. Like any place I go, I always look o something interesting and something that is not, hehe! Heritage tour again! Last year it was Batangas; this year, 2 provinces: Pampanga and Iloilo!
Okay, my original plan was to go at least 5 churches for Pampanga. Angeles, San Fernando, Bacolor, Betis and Apalit. But it was reduced to only just 4 because of the tremendous heat and time constraint. Again, when I do my trip, I do it in a backpacker’s way…commute! Now getting to Pampanga is as easy as pie, thanks to NLEX (North Luzon Expressway). Just an hour and a half, you’ll be in another world.
Dau Bus Terminal
From Cubao terminal to Dau in Mabalacat, Pampanga, it cost me around 120+ Philippine Pesos (PhP120+/-) with Victory Liner, air conditioned bound. Take note to ask the dispatchers if the bus you’ll be taking will stop at Dau. Other way is that you could stop at San Fernando Pampanga via Olongapo, Bataan or Zambales-bound buses.
Iglesia de Santo Rosario of Angeles City. I was curious about this church. First time I saw its picture, it reminds me of Gothic-Rennaisance Molo Church back at my hometown in Iloilo. Has the twin spires and the dome, only a bit shorter and coloured in powder blue or white (sorry, it was noontime when I went there). Built in the late 19th Century, it was said to have became a Japanese garisson during WW2. 
The Church of Holy Rosary is smacked at the middle of downtown Angeles City. Getting here was quite a trouble for us as we ventured out for the first time. Just ask the mamang jeepney driver if they’ll pass by Santo Rosario Church.
Here’s the map below:
Then after visiting the church, we went towards the ecclesiastical and political capital of Pampanga, San Fernando City. It’s a good thing that there are jeepneys bound towards where the San Fernando-Angeles jeepneys are parked. Its PhP25.00 from Angeles to San Fernando City…and boy, San Fdo is sure a long city!
San Fernando Pampanga
I was surprised about San Fernando’s downtown area. We dropped off at the San Fernando’s market place and was surprised that we didn’t hear that usual tricycle or jeepney traffic inside the area. It was more quiet, for a Palm Sunday. Later I was surprised that calesas bound the downtown streets and heritage structures scattered all through out the old pueblo.
The Cathedral of San Fernando was established by Agustinian friars in the mid 18th Century and finished sometime in early 1800′s. It was dedicated to the La Nuestra Señora de La Asuncion and interestingly enough, it became a cathedral in 1948.
The cathedral sits right at the heart of San Fernando City. In front of the classical city hall, surrounded by old establishments and near the marketplace. Yes, a classical example of a Spanish colonial urban planning dominated by the plaza complex.
After a short visit at the cabisera, off we go to once the capital of the Philippine Islands for 2 years and was almost erased at the maps almost a decade ago.
To be continued….
More photos here or click this link
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