The province of Camiguin is gearing up to welcome tens of thousands of religious devotees this Holy Week for the annual Panaad, a 64-km penitential pilgrimage walk around the island’s circumferential road.
Literally meaning “promise”, it is often held from Holy Wednesday to Good Friday and highlighted by the ascent to the Walkway to the Old Volcano in Catarman for the 15 life-size Stations of the Cross for prayer and meditation.
The endpoint of the 1,000-step Walkway is the image of the Risen Christ which has a vantage point of the sea and the Sunken Cemetery.
Rooted in Roman Catholic traditions, the Panaad includes penance, prayer, fasting, confession, and other Lenten practices.
People can do the Panaad walk from any point of Camiguin at their own pacing as solo, family, friends, or as an organized pilgrimage group. The traditional starting point though is Benoni Port in Mahinog town, the province’s port of entry from mainland Mindanao.
There will also be the solemn Maundy Thursday Washing of the Feet, the Good Friday Seven Last Words and Procession, and the Resurrection Sunday dawn “salubong” at the different churches around the island.
The capital town of Mambajao takes pride in its elaborate Good Friday ritual as it displays in the procession century-old carozas depicting various scenes in the Passion of Christ.
Camiguin Governor Xavier Jesus Romualdo said that with the influx of pilgrims and tourists, the provincial government is focusing on security, logistics, and preparedness of establishments to ensure a seamless Holy Week experience.
He reminded visitors to have a confirmed accommodation booking, so they can monitor the tourist arrivals and ensure orderliness.
Visitors are encouraged to register online at www.islevisitcamiguin.com to secure a QR Code pass for convenient access to all the tourist sites of the island.
After the religious observances, tourists can hop around the different destinations such as the White Island Sandbar, Katibawasan and Tuasan Falls, Sunken Cemetery, Mantigue Island, and the rejuvenating pools of Ardent Spring, Sto. Niño Cold Springs, or Soda Spring.
Moreover, scuba divers can plunge into the deep and marvel at the island’s lush marine biodiversity, arguably the best in northern Mindanao.
Camiguin can be reached by sea via the ports of Benoni from Balingoan, Misamis Oriental and Mambajao from Jagna, Bohol, or by air from Mactan, Cebu.
For more information, visit www.islevisitcamiguin.com or follow Camiguin Tourism Office on Facebook. PR