English

 "Oliver's "Syudad Mystica" Photo Essays

Entering to the Banahaw World

Students passed by the large gate that 

leads to the entrance to Syudad Mystica.

The start of the trip to Mt. Banahaw was when we, the students of Year 10 –Saint Marcellin Champagnat, are dropped by our bus near a big gate. The big gate that we entered was designed with murals of nature, sculptures of angels and miniature pictures of flags of the world. It was an unusual gate because it depicts the lifestyle and beliefs of the people in “Syudad Mystica” knowing that they believe as Rizalistas of that community.

Walk through the Heart of the Community

Kim Salazar (wearing a blue cap) poses in

front of the gate to community called

“Syudad Mystica” which leads to their church.

It’s a walking distance after we entered the big entrance gate to the heart of the community. There was another gate that we entered that leads to the first destination which is their church. As we entered the gate, we saw small and unfashionable structures of houses. The people of that community lived a rural lifestyle knowing that they were civilized and they situated near the church where of they worship and pray. The concept of worshipping for the community is that they combine the features of the Judeo-Christian from the holy bible and the animistic belief from our ancient worships of the “babaylans” which is in nature they pray for their gods.

A Rizalista's Patronage

Students listen to the historical aspect of “Syudad 

Mystica” church by their “Lakbay Kalikasan” 

educator in front of the said church.

Syudad Mystica community has their own religion that they believe like other people do. The community’s religion is somewhat different but the concepts are not far enough with the Christian belief. This is because they worship not by the saints from the Catholics or Christian but by the famous Philippine heroes in times of the Spanish colonization. The heroes that the people of “Syudad Mystica” worship are the ones who rebelled and secured the freedom of the Filipino people against the violence and slavery of the Spaniards to the Philippines. The people depict the heroes in the concept of the twelve apostles in the bible. These are Andres Bonifacio, Melchora Aquino, Pedro Paterno, Antonio Luna, Juan Luna, Gregorio del Pilar, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Jacinto, Padre Jose Burgos, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Miguel Malvar. For the twelve apostles, there is master and that is our national hero, Jose Rizal. Knowing that he is our national hero, the people of “Syudad Mystica” worship him as a prophet. This is why that they were called as Rizalistas.

"Kim's" "Kalbaryo" Photo Essays

                We were told by our guide about the religion of the people who lived there. They believed that our hero Jose Rizal is Jesus and they are called Rizalista.

             We reach the top of a mountain close to banahaw. We trek a very tiring path it was cold and we all were cold and sweaty, it was much easier going down than up. The top of the mountain is fill with rocks, the

guide said that the rocks were symbols of sins that people who live there carries form the base to the

top and leaves the rock there.

              Our road down the mountain is a lot easier than going down but more dangerous and it was raining.

"Ar-jay's" "Lagnas River" Photo Essays

            As we can see there's a poster in the wall. There is a caption in the poster. The captions are the commandments in their church. In our commandments there are only 10 but in their commandments there are 10 and above.

             One of the Lakbay Kalikasan member told us that we will go to the court to do some exercise. He said that if we exercise we will have a 75% chance that we will not having cramps in our body. Some of the other student are taking pictures just like me, others are taking video. 

            One of the Lakbay Kalikasan members that we the water that are falling are safe to drink. It is filtered trough the roots and the leaves. He also said that if you drink the water or take a bath with the water, it can heal you. They also said that it can heal any type of sickness.