With most Covid-19 restrictions finally lifted, authorities are now expecting a return of pilgrims back to Laguna province's pilgrimage sites this coming Holy Week.
After more than two years of restrictions and health protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic, authorities are bracing for the return of devotees as Holy Week rituals have been allowed once again.
In Laguna province itself, several pilgrimage sites that had drawn the devotion of pilgrims every year are now expecting once again to be crowded with the faithful who have missed the rituals commemorating the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Crowds expected
Laguna province, after all, is home to several Spanish-era churches that have gained not only religious but also cultural significance. Of the 86 Catholic churches in Laguna province, 26 were built during the Spanish era.
These include the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba in Pakil, which is famous for its "Turumba Festival," the St. Paul the First Hermit Cathedral in San Pablo City, which is the seat of the Diocese of San Pablo; the San Bartolome Apostol Church in Nagcarlan; and the Saint John the Baptist Church in Liliw.
One such church where devotees are expected to flock to this Holy Week is the Diocesan Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulcher in Barangay Landayan, San Pedro City, Laguna, more popularly known to devotees as the Lolo Uweng Shrine.
The church houses an image of the Dead Jesus in the Holy Sepulcher (Santo Sepulcro), which dates back to the Spanish colonization.
The miracles attributed to Lolo Uweng has made Landayan a popular pilgrimage site for devotees, earning San Pedro City the moniker “Quiapo of Laguna” due to the crowds of the faithful who attend mass at the shrine every Friday.
“In fact, noong pre-pandemic, ang estimated na bisita sa ating mga pilgrimage sites, especially sa Lolo Uweng Shrine, ay 25,000 [devotees],” Jhe-rico Sam Colina, head of the San Pedro City Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO), told OpinYon Laguna.
“We expect na siguro Mula Holy Wednesday to Easter Sunday ay magkakaroon ng daily pre-pandemic number of visitors sa ating Lolo Uweng Shrine at sa iba pa nating mga plgrimage sites,” he said.
As the city government of San Pedro had foreseen crowds of devotees flocking to Lolo Uweng this Holy Week, Colina said the LGU has coordinated with concerned agencies to ensure the safety of the devotees.
“Nagkaroon na po ng coordination meeting ang ating mga city government offices kasama ang Philippine National Police (PNP) para masiguro ang peace and order sa panahon ng Semana Santa. Syempre, andyan din ang ating CDRRM Council to ensure na handa ang ating city government sa mga posibleng sakuna o di-inaasahang mga pangyayari habang namamanata ang ating mga kababayan. Coordinated na rin sa ating mga barangay ang ating hakbangin para masiguro na ligtas ang bawat isa,” he said.
Lolo Uweng ng Santa Rosa
Meanwhile, in Santa Rosa City, a small chapel dubbed as “Lolo Uweng ng Santa Rosa” is gaining the attention of devotees and visitors.
The chapel, which houses an image of the Santo Cristo (Holy Christ), is located on a piece of land donated by the city’s prominent families in Barangay Kanluran near the Santa Rosa de Lima Parish.
According to one of the owners of the land where the chapel was located, its history started sometime during the Japanese occupation when their grandmother, Luz Gomez, found the pieces of the statue of the Holy Christ during a flood.
"Noon raw pong nagkabagyo rito noong panahon ng Hapones, may inanod raw pong sako papasok dito sa amin. Nakita po ng lola ko sa loob yung putol-putol na istatwa na may ulo, braso at tuhod pero walang katawan," the owner who requested anonymity told OpinYon Laguna.
Luz Gomez later had the statue reconstructed and displayed at their house, where it slowly gained the nickname of Lolo Uweng.
“Actually po, noong panahon po ng lola namin, tatlo po yung tinatawag nilang ‘Lolo Uweng’ – yun pong sa San Pedro, tapos yung isa po sa Calamba City, at saka yung dito po sa amin,” she explained.
And like the famed Lolo Uweng of San Pedro City, the image of Santo Cristo in Santa Rosa also slowly gained prominence due to its reputed “miracles.”
"Minsan po may nagkwento sa amin na isang lalaki na nakatabi raw po niya si Lolo Uweng sa jeep. Nagtaka raw po siya kung bakit ganoon yung suot niya gayong tag-init. Tapos kinausap raw po siya ni Lolo Uweng, sabi sa kanya pumunta ka dito sa Santa Rosa dahil alam niyang may problema siya. Tapos paglingon daw po niya wala na po yung kausap niya," she recounted.
The chapel is open everyday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and is maintained by the third generation of the Gomez and Santos families through donations.
“Pero minsan may lalapit sa amin at nanghihingi ng donation, binibigyan namin kasi di naman namin pera yung dino-donate dun sa alkansya, kaya binabalik namin. Actually, meron kami ngayong binubuo na Luz Gomez Foundation para po diyan,” she said.
Boosting the local economy
On the economic side, local tourism officials say the expected crowds of devotees will be a boost to Laguna’s tourism sector, which has also been affected adversely by the pandemic.
In fact, promoting the province’s religious sites is part of the “Love Laguna” tourism campaign of the provincial government, officials said.
“Definitely, kasama po sa ‘Love Laguna’ campaign ang mga religious destinations sa Laguna gaya ng century-old churches na matatagpuan sa maraming bayan sa Laguna,” Pam Baun, officer-in-charge of the Laguna Tourism Culture Arts and Trade Office (LTCATO), told OpinYon Laguna.
That was also the sentiment of the San Pedro City government, who believes the influx of devotees will contribute to the local economy, especially the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Considering na isa ang ating bayan na mayroong religious tourism asset tulad ng Lolo Uweng Shrine at San Pedro Apostol, malaking bagay ang mga bisita. Makakatulong sila sa ating mga local businesses tulad ng mga restaurants at informal economies tulad ng mga sidewalk vendors, magsasampaguita, religious item vendors, at syempre mga hotels at inns na meron tayo sa ating bayan. Bilang parte rin ng ating trabaho sa city government at bilang tourism officers, isa sa mga balak naming gawin ay ang ipromote mismo ang ating mga local businesses na maaaring daanan at balik-balikan ng mga deboto at bisita sa atin,” PAIO head Colina said.