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| A present look to the Municipality of Panay town plaza. |
The Augustinian priests who accompanied the Spanish expedition forces put up in Panay a church that would eventually earn the crown for having the largest church bell in Asia and third biggest in the world.
Owing to its seven-foot diameter, five-foot height and 10.4-metric ton weight, the bell inspires awe and amazement, whether it is tolling or simply hanging from the rafter of the belfry. Hence, it was called the “Big Bell.”
And when it rings, the “Big Bell” can be heard several kilometers away, even in the bustling capital city of Roxas about eight kilometers away.
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| The Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc. led by Quezon City Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte visit the Sta. Monica Church to experience the largest church bell in Asia and third biggest in the world.. |
Among the recent visitors to the Panay Church or the Sta. Monica Parish and its “Big Bell” were personnel of the Philippine Information Agency 6 (PIA–6) who made the guided trip on June 15 as part of their annual cultural tour activity.
They climbed 63 steps of the belfry stairs to reach, see and touch the “Big Bell.” They said the experience would long resonate in their memories in this era of car honks, headphone music and ringtones.
Some of them who opted to visit the parish museum inside the convent hugged a replica of the “Big Bell” beside the building.
The “Big Bell” bears an apt Spanish inscription, which translates, “I am God’s voice, which shall echo praise from one end of the town of Panay to the other, so that Christ’s faithful followers may enter this house of God to receive heavenly graces.”
The gigantic Panay bell and church, first built in 1868, and the museum inside the convent are part of the sites, destinations and attractions offered by the Capiz provincial government and Roxas City government to local and foreign visitors.
Panay town itself is replete with stories that have spun out from its historic beginnings.
Most notably, Panay has figured prominently in Spanish expedition chronicles because the expedition leader, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, moved his troops from Cebu to Capiz, particularly in Panay, in 1569 upon knowing that the town had plenty of food for his troops. Legaspi also admired the townsfolk for being friendly.
PIA–6 director Atty. Ma. Janet Mesa said the cultural tour was conceived to give PIA–6 employees a break from the office grind through an outdoor activity that enables them to visit places and sites in the region that depict the rich cultural heritage of its people.
The cultural tour also jives with the government’s campaign, through the Department of Tourism, to encourage Filipinos to become tourists of their own country, and spread the news about its tourism assets and their experiences.
“Indeed, it is more fun discovering and learning about new places,” Mesa said.
The PIA–6 personnel also went to Roxas City, where they toured the greenbelt eco-park along the Palina River, between barangays Cagay and Talon, aboard a bamboo raft pulled by a motorized banca.
The marine eco-park was established in 2011 as part of the city government’s overall environmental resource management program. A similar project is found in Brgy. Culajao in the city. There is also another river tour along Cadimahan River.
Capiz’s tourism treasures have further reached far and wide, thanks to the support of the news media, social networking site users, bloggers and other netizens, who served as channels of information about them.
Personnel of PIA–6 personnel realized by the end of their tour that Capiz has got more of the fun the Philippines has in store for tourists. (Jaime Cabag, Jr. of PIA–6/PN)
