Travel | Baclaran as a Religious Destination

Prior to my flight to Tacloban City, I made sure that I had ample time to dropby Redemptorist Church.  Being an exercise aficionado late into my age, I decided to walk from SM Mall of Asia to here.  Its a 2.7 kilometer walk as per google maps and that aside from my desire to be healthy, I had a hard time getting a ride going there.  Hitting two birds with one stone they said and I nailed them both.

Even with a heavy backpack like a tourist (someone greeted me with Nihaoma along my route), I arrived at the church with lots of people at its doors.  There was a cordon in front that prevented me from going inside the church.  I wondered why this was so.  I simply stayed in front of the cordon, outside of the church to say my prayers when I saw a procession inside the cordon.  After they passed, the cordon was opened up and the devotees flocked in.

Of course I joined the flock and I was soon inside, praying with the rest.  On my way out, I overhead the people saying that it was a barangay fiesta and that the procession was held for that purpose.  It was done after every mass thus they have to control the crowd they said.  I don't know if this was just for this time or simply they held a procession after every mass.

I seldom pass by Baclaran and if I do, I made sure I go inside and pray.  I do the same thing with churches (which are open) during my travels.  I go in, pray for my love ones and for my requests, take the necessary selfies as well.

Baclaran then was full of vendors outside that some people might not want to go visit but since the authorities cracked down on them, the area around the church is now clean and void of vendors.  Of course this will be short lived as vendors would try to come back when the authorities would sleep on their jobs.

With vendors or not, I will make effort to drop in when I am in the area.  Try making Redemtorist as a religious destination as well.  I never thought about it before until I passed by last time.  I was always travelling to different places with different churches and I never looked at Baclaran as I do now.  Make it your religious destination as well.  Its just near and lucky for you, its now convenient to visit.