Twin Rock Beach Resort

Located at Igang, Virac Catanduanes. Barely 15 minutes drive from Virac Domestic airport and around 30 minutes drive from Virac seaport. The resort can be viewed while on board the ferry boat.

Resort offers the comforts and luxury of modern day living amid the verdant surroundings. The last time I went to visit this resort was several years ago.

Took the morning flight from Manila to Virac and spend sometime here swimming and headed home later in the afternoon.

Twin Rock is apparently the most advertised and photographed resort in the island.

RELATED LINKS:

• The Road Going to North - Sights that can be seen while on the way to northern part of Catanduanes.
• Visiting Pandan - Sights and beaches in the northernmost town of Pandan.
• Lorong Point Lighthouse in Panay Island - Sunrise pictures taken at the picturesque Lorong lighthouse in Panay in the site of the former Catanduanes resort.
• Churches in Catanduanes - Spanish era coral stone churches and newer built churches.
  

An Urban Legend

Reading online threads, blogs, testimonials, analysis and historical accounts about the fate of Fray Diego de Herrera and the crew of galleon Espiritu Santo leads me to conclude it as an urban legend. The characters are factual but the story was distorted, exaggerated and sensationalized.

Here is another version about the fate of Fray Diego de Herrera written by Fray Juan de Medina, O.S.A. in 1630 but printed in Manila in 1983. Please read...

"In these early years a disaster befalls the Augustinians, and somewhat dashes their hopes. This is the death of Diego de Herrera with ten priests who are coming, six from Spain and four from Mexico, to augment the missionary efforts. Of the thirty-six priests obtained by Herrera on his mission to Spain, but six set sail for the Philippines. The four from Mexico who join them are: Francisco Martinez, of the chair of writing in the University of Mexico, an excellent Greek and Latin student, who had been prior of the Augustinian convent in Lima, Lesmes de Santiago, an ascetic, and formerly a successful merchant; Francisco Bello; and Francisco de Arevalo. The shipwreck is quite near Manila and is due "to the carelessness of the pilot--and I think that this is the first ship that has suffered shipwreck on coming from Mejico." The loss of Herrera is felt keenly, for he was an enthusiastic and zealous worker. "The loss of this ship was felt keenly in the islands, for it bore heavy reinforcements of troops, money, and other things needed in the new land, which lacked everything. But above all they were anxious because they were surrounded on all sides by enemies, and had but few troops, and these were scattered in many districts. But those who grieved most were Ours...." Medina continues"

Chapter XIX
_Of other events, and when the other religious entered into the islands_

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XXIII, 1629-30, by Various

In observance of the lenten season, let us include in our prayers the late Fray Diego de Herrera, may he rest in peace.

Suggestion: A movement is seeking to beatify the fray and mentioned was carbon-dating technology possibly for authentication purposes. If indeed they are serious, they can opt to have a DNA profile on the remains and compare it with Fray Diego de Herrera's relatives. The most accurate and appropriate technology for identification purposes in this century. The University of the Philippines in Diliman and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), I understand, have a DNA profiling laboratory.

Maribina Falls

Maribina falls was named after the Barangays Marinawa and Binanwahan in the municipality of Bato. Perhaps, the most popular and widely publicized among the numerous waterfalls in Catanduanes.

Of the numerous falls in the island, only a few were photograph and documented. Many are still waiting to be discovered because some locals don't want to share it with the outside world.

One of the common fears by many locals for not sharing is, they want it exclusively for their family, close friends and relatives. Although this attitude is gradually changing.

RELATED LINKS:

• Visiting Panganiban - Discover the sights and attractions in the town of Panganiban
• Visiting Pandan - Discover the northernmost town of Pandan
• Lorong Point Lighthouse in Panay Island - See and experience Panay island

Were There Two Galleons Named Espiritu Santo in 1576?

Although, I'm not a historian by profession, but reading the historical accounts about the fate of Fray Diego de Herrera and the galleon fascinates and intrigues me a lot. Two galleons struck a reef in April and May 1576, one in Ilocos and another in Batalay and all named Espiritu Santo.

From: The Most Fantastic and Intriguing Tale of Chinese Pirate Lin Feng and Spanish Conquistador Juan de Salcedo by Keith Harmon Snow -

"... Reports had reached Spain and Mexico of the great hardship and scant profit for those who risked their lives on the track of the Manila galleons. The loss of the Espiritu Santo, on 20 May 1576, confirmed the horrors: the galleon was shattered by typhoon on a reef near Ilocos and “those who did not drown were pursued by the natives and pierced with lances.”

From: Augnet - Your reference site to Saint Augustine of Hippo and the Order of Saint Augustine, source: http://www.augnet.org/default.asp?ipageid=1004

Diego de Herrera - 03
When in 1575 he sailed from Mexico, he had with him nine of the new volunteers of the Order who were going to work in the Philippines. Four of them were named by Gaspar de San Agustin O.S.A. in his book entitled: "Conquistas de las Islas Filipinas", Volume 1, page 334, as being Lesmas de Santiago O.S.A., Francisco de Arevalo O.S.A., Francisco Martinez de Vieda O.SA., and Juan de Espanola O.S.A. The ship was the galleon, Espiritu Santo. With passengers and merchandise for Manila, it set sail on 18th November 1575 from Acapulco, Mexico.

Little did anyone anticipate that disaster lay ahead. At midnight on 24th April 1576, in weather that was unusual for that time of the year, the galleon struck the reef of Nagngangang Buaya, at Batalay, which is a barangay near Bato on the island of Catanduanes...(to read the full post, link to the url above) Lives were lost, but among the survivors with Diego de Herrera O.S.A. were Lesmas de Santiago O.S.A., Francisco Villa O.S.A., Francisco Martinez de Vieda O.S.A., Gregorio Galvez and several other members of the crew, including some military personnel.

"History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside." - JFK

RELATED LINKS:

• Who Was Martyred In 1576?
• The Batalay Shrine

Who Was Martyred in 1576?

Eager to know why the Historical and Nautical Archaeology Foundation (HNAF) search vessel was scouring the depths along the northeastern shores of Catanduanes, instead on Nagngangang Buaya reefs in Bato, looking for the wreckage of galleon Espiritu Santo. I made my own research and was surprised to find some articles relating to Fray Diego de Herrera's life and death.

"In 1569, it was the turn of Fray Diego de Herrera to return to Mexico. He was accompanied by Fray Pedro de Gamboa, since Herrera had suffered from poor health ever since they arrived in Cebu. Before Fray Herrera's departure he was elected the first provincial of Cebu, although there were no more than six Augustinians there. Fray Martin de Rada became his successor. A late-nineteenth-century Augustinian historian criticized Fray Herrera and his Augustinian colleagues for arbitrarily creating a province without consulting the head of Augustinian order. Nobody, however, questioned Fray Herrera when he presented himself in Mexico as the Augustinian provincial from the Philippines.

Fray Herrera returned to Cebu again in 1570 together with two missionaries. He left for Spain two years later and petitioned Philip II for more clerics. Thirty-six were selected, but only six eventually joined the Philippine mission. In 1573, while approaching Manila, the ship carrying Fray Herrera was wrecked because of pilot error. Many drowned, including Fray Herrera, and the ship's cargo was lost. The accident was a huge blow to the fledgling Spanish settlement in Manila since it was in dire need of people and supplies."

Ref: Basques in the Philippines by Marciano R. De Borja, William A. Douglass, Chapter 5 Missionaries, page 43

If were to believe this historical account that Fray Diego de Herrera was drowned in 1573, who was then martyred in 1576?

RELATED LINKS:

• The Batalay Shrine - Site of what is believed as the site of the first cross in Catanduanes