Sagbayan but Swiftly

The drive from Danao to Sagbayan also passes via another picturesque countryside of fields and hills. Yep, the ‘chocolate hills’-like mounds. As we movde on, I came to realize, it is not just in Carmen that there’s a scattering of these hills after all. They seemed to be everywhere we passed from Inabanga to Danao and now Danao to Sagbayan. Fact is, this time I came real close to many of them hills as the roads do pass by the sides of some. Very unlike at the ‘chocolate hills’ viewing deck, where you are at best half a kilometer away from the nearest hill you see (except that which the viewdeck stands on of course hehe). I like passing through some of those hills that are bare nature in themselves without (yet) any kinds of touristic developments. Just hills being used as farmlands or left as is. You can run up to those that are by the road for that rare photo-op!

And so we arrived at the town of Sagbayan. First stop, the church. Hmm, is this church new? None of my companion and the 2 drivers could answer that, of course. But from the looks of this church, its fairly new or newly refurbished. I like its seemingly enormous squat size viewed from the front yard. Oh yes the yard… from the gate to the main door is some kind of fairly recent concrete but its sides and the grassy gardens probably needs some bit of beautifying. Just the simple usual thing really, like shrubs or flowering plants to rim the concrete path and the likes. But I could see that the church seems still new, so the parish is probably still busy with the building itself.

There’s a parachute! Yes, am not joking hehe. See that yellow-and-blue colored tent? Its not just a simple tent you can buy from Divisoria. It’s the canopy, or the body itself of a parachute – whatever its called! I asked the kids around why it was there. I got shrugs. But when I asked what it was for, almost all had the same answer… to serve as shade or tent for church-related activities, including but not limited to construction personnel’s activities. Nice one. Whoever donated that thing should receive a pat on the back. Its very useful and portable. Meaning you can fold and tuck it somewhere when not in use. That way, there is no need for the parish to build other buildings for seasonal use. Real bright!

Inside the church? Well, as I expected, bright and spacious. A product of modern architectural or engineering developments. Its wide a church but you don’t see any pillars. That wide roof is just protected by those concrete beams resting on the walls. Effect? Very spacious. I like those stained glass art too. Ah well, the immaculate clean and simplistic altar was abuzz with jolly activities during our visit. Children and some mothers were busy prepping the area up for some activities. Certainly, for their Easter celebrations, I was sure of that. Hey the choir loft is wide and quite spacious! Plus, both ends (front corner of the church) are passageways to some kind of a verandah overlooking the church yard. Ah, that one I really don’t know what for hehe. Look at the church picture again, you’ll see those balusters on both sides. That’s what I mean. But I’ve seen similar fixtures in many other churches around this country, so I think it has a religious, if not ceremonial significance.

The Municipal Hall. OMG, its different! It’s a single level building for a town’s seat of government! Whoa and wow! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing hehe, what is this a barangay hall? Well, I thought maybe the rest of their offices are probably in another building. But it looked like there were not a lot around this area except that seemingly humongous (if compared to the munisipyo) open-type but roofed gym at the back. Ah too bad our visit was on a Saturday, Sabado De Gloria in fact. I would have wished to see the inside of this ‘municipal hall’. But we still went near and peeped at the glass panels on the door. It really is a single-level building, though they seem to have redone the back portion to have a ‘second floor’ or mezzanine of some sort. But being a single level building, it looks spacious and airy due to the high ceiling. Alas, its too wide an area that would mean expensive if air-conditioned.

Anyway, this was the cutest ‘pamahalaang bayan’ I have seen hehe. Small but beautiful! Look at the building again… what can you imagine it being for? A public library perhaps? Or the administration building of an elementary school where the wicked principal holds office? A rural bank? A train station of yesteryears? Oh yes Gino, quit harping as indeed I will say it here…! Somehow, for a first impression, I thought it was some kind of a museum, mausoleum, funeral home or columbary combined hehehe! Just a first impression… THAT’s WHY we should all go around and roam the country to broaden our perspectives! See?! Oh the gardens/park in front of the building is good enough for me. They concreted only enough strip for vehicles to pass and the rest is grassy greens, flowering plants and trees. Again, why cant all municipal or city halls be like this (the gardens I mean, not the building, oh yes the building hehehe).

Hah, alright alright… 11:18AM and we were still at Sagbayan town hall… so driver did not have to remind me this time. Just a look at his worried face, I knew we were pressed for time. And good that we already had a peek at the peak yesterday. Whew!

So we rushed forward to Carmen. That’s next!


If you want to read the chronology of all stories on this tour, click the following:
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

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