San Jose (Northern Samar) Town Center

fork intersection on the western entry to the town of San Jose Northern Samar
After an 8-minute drive from poblacion Rosario, we entered the town proper of San Jose.

Driver asked me what were we going to see in town. And I laughingly said "just like Rosario, I did not even know there is this town named San Jose in Northern Samar" So he drove forth to the municipal hall, while also telling me that there is a big seaport here.

Interesting. Their municipal hall is in some kind of a secluded elevated compound!
gate and driveway going up to the municipal hall of San Jose Northern Samar
All other office buildings are also here, surrounding the plaza. And look, there is a gate!

Whoa! The building is new! Maybe this is also a 'fairly new' location. Why do I say so?
newly built municipal hall of San Jose Northern Samar
Because this is far from the catholic church and nearer the INC (Iglesia Ni Cristo) church. I do not mean to say this cannot and should not happen. Why not anyway, right?! But the usual - because of historical circumstances - is that the (catholic) church and munisipyo are near each other. Unless, local government transferred offices to a new (bigger) space.

Oh, where is the INC church? Just to the left as I took that photo. It's across the plaza. Now, it might be good to mention here, why I do not take photos of other churches like Iglesia or Mormon etc. The reason? Because they all look the same! Yun lang yun hehe!

Nice to know there's a DBP branch here (therefore there's an ATM?!), wherever that is!
street going down to town from the municipal hall of San Jose Northern Samar
I looked from side to side, front to back, other than that sign board, I didn't see a bank!

Anyway, we drove across town to visit the church and we arrived at this entrance gate...
fence and entrance gate labeled "PARROQUIA" at the San Antonio De Padua Parish Church in San Jose Northern Samar
Hmm, first thing I said was "aba, sosyal ah"! The driver asked why hehe, so I explained that "Parroquia" is Spanish for the Filipino "Parokya" (used by all dialects yata). A Parish!


And an admirably expansive grassy loan for a frontage..
walkway/driveway to the church building at San Antonio De Padua Parish Church in San Jose Northern Samar
They planted more trees along the concrete paths. This will look nice in a few months.

Here it is... the whole frontage being still under re-construction...
front view / façade of San Anhonio De Padua Parish Church in San Jose Northern Samar
La Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua de San José, Samar del Norte. ¡Qué frase tan larga! Aw adto na adto na, na unsa na, nag-espanyol na lugod! I meant that is The Church of San Antonio De Padua Parish in San Jose, Northern Samar. What a very long sentence!

How lucky of me, just like at the Rosario Church, a cleaner told me where I can enter!
side entrance of San Antonio De Padua Parish Church in San Jose Northern Samar
She guided me to this side entrance apparently not under repair nor reconstruction!

This for me is the real example of "simplicity is beauty". A really peaceful atmosphere...
interior view from the main entrance of San Antonio De Padua Parish Church in San Jose Northern Samar
The floor by itself looks like a red carpet. Not so many intersecting crisscrossing lines! Even that life-size angel holding the holy water font adds to the tranquility of the place.

And this altar is by far the simplest and neatest I have seen, so far...
the altar of San Antonio De Padua Parish Church in San Jose Northern Samar
Well I was saying those two life-size angels up there by the table makes it too crowded. But my driver justified their presence saying "maupay ito kay aapadungon nira it padi kon nagbibinuwa"! Hahaha that gave me a laugh! But let me not interpret that anymore!

By the way, did you notice the 'mensa' has the last supper at its base? Just like the many churches of Southern Leyte etc. that we saw last July! There must be something about it.

And ah! I just noticed now that I don't have a picture of a choir loft or even the "priest's view" of this church. Well, I guess because that part was being repaired during this visit.

Anyway, time to get moving to Bobon.

We left the "La Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua de San José, Samar del Norte" by going straight eastward on the street where the "parroquia" signage is. My driver knows this street connects with the old highway going out of San Jose to Bobon or Catarman. But...

As we prepared to turn right and cruise on that 'old road' going out of town, I saw this...
kilometer zero marker at a street corner by a residential house in Jose Northern Samar
That yellow post in front of that house on the right. That's the "KM 0" marker of San Jose. And it looks like it has been there for a time now. But why is it there? Could it be that their municipal hall may have originally been somewhere around this area in the past?

Pwede. Because immediately after this corner (cream colored fence across the road) is Layuhan Elementary School -- the munisipyo of yesteryears were usually central and near the school and the church, right? But the church we came from is 500 meters away!

Plus, the area behind this houses is like a rocky hill. Was their munisipyo of yesteryears ever in this area? Or was a DPWH worker ignorant on planting that KM 0 marker? There's only one way to know... come back and talk to the oldies! A reason to come back!

Okay, I'll be back! But meantime, let's proceed to Bobon - in my next story!

Pahabol... here is one more interesting "sighting" I had as we went out of San Jose!
Remember my earlier discussion on DPWH signage being made (only in this province) even for schools or barangay names/locations? This was one example - a daycare center!

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