Exciting Bicol
PILI, Camarines Sur — Surely it was worth the long, 10-hour trip from Manila.
Pili, the capital province of Camarines Sur in the heart of Bicolandia, is indeed a beautiful place to visit this summer.
To sports lovers, it is also the newest extreme sports destination in the country.
The Camarines Waterports Complex, a six-hectare facility located within the Provincial Capitol Complex in Cadlan, is now considered as the first world-class watersports complex in Asia.
As most first-tme visitors say, it is really as good as advertised. Watersports enthusiasts making their first visit should get the ultimate experience with its top of the line facilities and relaxing environment. The good weather conditions also bring cable skiing in the park to a whole new level.
Outside CWC, Pili is also one of the more beautiful first-class municipalities in Camarines — a “place where the beautiful sunrise meets Mt. Isarog.”
The smiles on the faces of the people also make you feel like it’s really home away from home. From the staff of Villa del Rey inside the vast Camarines Watersports Complex where we stayed for more than a week to the ordinary folks we met along the many busy streets in downtown Pili, the feeling you get is simply wonderful.
“Everyone is welcome to come and visit Bicol, especially Camarines Sur. We’re very happy to see people from Manila and even other parts of the country come here and enjoy the many beautiful places in our province,” said one old lady selling souvenirs at the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in the outskirts of Naga City.
With no less than the centuries-old image of Our Lady of Peñarancia, lovingly called “Ina” by devotees, enshrined in the sanctuary, the Peñafrancia Basilica is now one of the largest — and most visited — Marian pilgrimage sites in Asia.
Our Lady of Peñafrancia is also considered as the Patroness of Bicol and Camarines Sur.
In Naga alone, there are other historic and beautiful churches to visit: the Metropolitan Cathedral and Parish of St. John the Evangelist, Our Lady of Peñafrancia Shrine, Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church, Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus , Church of Christ the King, Our Lady of Fatima Church, Mary Coredemptrix Church, San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish Church, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, and St. Francis of Assisi Shrine.
Back in Pili, there’s the breathtaking St. Raphael the Archangel Church.
The visit to the Pilgrimage City of Naga came a couple of weeks before the Holy Week, but there’s an umistakable feeling of reflection and renewal of faith to God once inside these many places of worship in Bicol.
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The trip to the heart of Bicolandia was actually upon the invitation of the Camarines Sur government, headed by Gov. Luigi Villafuerte and businessman- sportsman Solomon Ngo, thru Armstrong Philippines, led by veteran coach Nomar Isla and Norman Gomez.
The invitation was for the coverage of the first CamSur Cup invitational basketball championship, a week-long competition featuring the Kuala Lumpur Hornbills of Malaysia, Manila-based school-teams University of Perpetual Help and St. Clare College of Caloocan and host CamSur Express, although my hosts generously allowed me to bring my wife Liza, sportswriter-son Robert and my four-year-old apo, Apollo Nathaniel for an experience of a lifetime in exciting Bicol.
A chance meeting with Camarines Sur Soaring Eagles chess team owner- manager Engr. Jojo Buenaventura also made the stay in Naga City even more memorable.
Buenaventura, who also serves as the technical head of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippine (PCAP), is one of Bicol’s most active supporters of chess.
Aside from managing the Camarines team now competing in PCAP, Engr. Buenaventura regularly organizes chess competitions in the Bicol region.
Three years ago, he organized the Sen. Manny Pacquiiao-Buenaviel Construction chess championships held at Robinsons Place in Naga City.
FM Alekhine Nouri and Jerick Faeldonia topped the event, which attracted players from as far as Manila and the Visayas.
He plans to hold another major chess event sometime in September as part of the annual Ou Lady of Peñafrancia celebrations.
Surely, it will be an exciting Bicol for me and the family once again.
NOTES — Happy birthday to my son, John Michael, who turned another year older last Sunday, April 6.
Birthday wishes also to Ramon Ypil of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM).
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