A Glimpse of Sorsogon Province

When I hear of Sorsogon, I think about the Escuderos, who are one of the prides of the province. Then later on, I learned more about the beauty of the province through the telenovela, “I left My Heart in Sorsogon”, starring Heart Evangelista Escudero. I long have wanted to visit the province, so I immediately agreed when our friend, Jenny Tan offered a quick side trip. As we only had few hours to spend before an important event back in Legazpi, we only had a glimpse of Sorsogon.

As we entered Sorsogon City, the capital of the province, we went directly to the newly built Sorsogon Sports Coliseum, which was obviously patterned and designed after the Colosseum of Rome. The huge sports venue which was originally built for the province’s hosting of the Palarong Pambansa, is definitely a world-class structure. Though it has not been totally completed, the complex with a seating capacity of 15,000, is already creating a buzz and proving to be an attraction and a crowd drawer for the city. I would say, it’s the most beautiful sports complex in the country. We just hope that the LGU can maximize its utilization and not turn it into another white elephant.

 

As we didn’t have the time but wanted to know more about the province, we visited The Museo Sorsogon, which is located at the Old Sorsogon Provincial Jail, built in 1916. The building also housed the Province’s Court of First Instance. When the building was vacated in 2019, then Governor Francis Joseph G. Escudero, converted it to a museum where the history, people, culture and heritage of the province was showcased. At present, the museum has 10 galleries (previous cells used by the inmates), featuring historical and cultural artifacts and memorabilia of the province, narratives on how the province was like under the Spanish, American and Japanese regimes, as well as the famous sons and daughters of Sorsogon. Considering a very minimal entrance fee, it’s refreshing to see how each of the air-conditioned gallery is well maintained and organized. Just like in the other province-based museums I recently visited, the Museo Sorsogon has an in-house tour guide, ready to answer all our questions. When the guide was explaining to us in Gallery 1, the map and the different attractions of the province , I knew there and then that a second and a longer visit is needed for me to truly experience Sorsogon Province. For now, we just have to enjoy some parts of it.

Around 32 kms from the city is the municipality of Barcelona, formally created in 1865. Here, we found one of the oldest, beautiful and most photographed churches, the Barcelona Church or Church of Nazarene. Built in 1874 by Gobernadorcillo Juan Evasco, the church was named Barcelona as tribute to then capital of Spain. The church is said to be made of coral rocks held together by lime, egg whites and tuba (coconut wine). According to the locals, despite the major repairs done in 2020, the structural integrity of the original church has been preserved. One can still see its original walls, belfry and façade. The parish celebrates the feast of its patron, St Joseph the Worker, every May 19.

Just across the Barcelona church, is the Barcelona Ruins Park, where the old ruins of “Presidencia Building” is located. This used to be the municipal hall of Barcelona, at the same time served as a fortress against enemies’ attacks. Accordingly, it has a tunnel leading to the church used during the war, but has already been closed to the public due to safety reasons. Unfortunately, the series of typhoons that hit the town through the years, destroyed the walls and most parts of the buildings. What remains of the building is now just one of the historical landmarks of the town.

 

Beside the ruins, you will not miss the huge red and white letters of Barcelona Sorsogon. Placed in the middle of the park and overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean, it’s definitely the perfect background for those photo ops for everyone.

Before heading back to Legazpi, our last stop was the gigantic statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in the municipality of Casiguran. Considered to be Sorsogon’s first missionary parish established in 1600, Casiguran has become one of the most famous spots in the province. Aside from being used by fishing boats in the Sorsogon Bay, the Casiguran port offers a stunning view of the sunset in the bay area. But the area’s real main attraction is the 71 ft tall statue of Mama Mary holding Sto Nino. You have to climb around 300 steps from the port to reach the giant statue. Once you have reached the top, a scenic view of the Sorsogon Bay and the community surrounding the port awaits you.

We were supposed to visit Casiguran’s Hacienda del Hamor, a picturesque 19-hectare mountain resort, which came highly recommended. But we were not allowed entry as the entire place was reserved for the officers and staff of the local government units at the time of our visit. We just reserved it for our next visit.

There’s still so much to see in Sorsogon. There’s Donsol, Bulusan, Irosin, Matnog, etc. But there will always be next time…(Jay Ledesma)