2 Visit the Ranches
Burias Island didn’t get the title “Isla Rancho (Island of Ranches)” for nothing. San Pascual alone has 15 ranches and three of the most expansive are accessible by tryke or motorbike from town. Watch the lasso work and how the put down cattles for tagging. Yes, this is how they work.
3 Appreciate the Town Heritage and Local Life
Did you know that Masbate was the seat of Christianity in the Bicol region which began in 1569? That is why there’s a strong presence of Spanish influence in the region including San Pascual. The road network in San Pascual is simple and straightforward – one leading to the pier and the other national highway within the island. Along the road are a number of Ancestral Houses and heritage structures.
Start at the Municipal Building and admire the vintage edifice built-in 1911. The San Pascual Old Church nearby also has one of the oldest church edifice in the country built in veneration to St Pascal Baylon. The road towards the school has a line of ancestral houses built from 1930s. Aside from the hardwood materials like hamorawon, dungon and kansayud trees, some keep their capiz shells. Knock and kindly ask if you can see the houses and find a few antique items inside. People of San Pascual are accommodating I was amused with a talk with a certain Narciso who does part-time tailoring work inside is general merchandise store. Now that’s what I call a sari-sari store.
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Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
