SORSOGON CITY—The long-time claim, originally by the Kasanggayahan Foundation Inc., to have Gibalon as the site of the first Catholic Mass in Luzon is gaining ground.
Groups want the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to declare Sitio Gibalon in Brgy. Siuton, Magallanes, Sorsogon as the Site of the First Mass in Luzon to make the claim official.
The Philippines became a Christian country in the 16th century when Portuguese navigator Fernando Magallanes, sailing under the flag of Spain, arrived in the islands.
The Special Edition of “Kapihan sa PIA” initiated by the Philippine Information Agency Sorsogon Information Center conducted on Oct. 28, 2016 generated full support from the participants and speakers as well, as expressed by affixing their signatures in the Manifesto of Support prepared by PIA.
The edition was intended to support the National Commission on Culture and the Arts and Philippine Information Agency’s advocacy campaign to promote local culture, arts and heritage under the NCCA-PIA Region V’s advocacy project “Pride of Race, Proud of Heritage.”
Dubbed as “Forum on Heritage and Culture Promotion” highlighting discussions on Gibalon as the Site of the First Mass in Luzon, it brought to the participants’ awareness the historical background of the Site of the First Christian Mass in Luzon as evidenced by the documents presented during the lecture.
That, in the year 1569, the birth of Christianity in the island of Luzon took place when two Augustinian friars, Fray Alonzo Jimenez and Fray Juan Orta celebrated the First Christian Mass and baptized natives in the ancient village called Gibalon.
Gibalon is beside Ginangra River in the town of Magallanes in Sorsogon, thus establishing the First Christian Settlement in Luzon.
The Manifesto of Support signed during the “Kapihan sa PIA” was anchored on the KFI’s claim and on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Sorsogon’s Resolution Numbered 173-2016 dated Aug. 30, 2016 strongly urging the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to officially declare Sitio Gibalon, Siuton, Magallanes, Sorsogon as the Site of the First Mass in Luzon.
The resolution stated that to date, there is no official declaration from the NHCP for such entitlement, and the province cannot holistically institute development on the site without the official endorsement and accreditation from the commission.
“The resolution has already been transmitted to the office of the NHCP Chairperson Dr. Maria Serena Diokno on September 28, 2016 for consideration,” according to Board Member Ravanilla.
On the other hand, according to KFI President Msgr. Francisco P. Monje, the First Mass in Luzon has been since celebrated in 1994 and up to this time, Sitio Gibalon as the Site of the First Christian Mass in Luzon has never been recognized by an authorized entity instituting an official declaration of the claim.
“By 2019, Sorsoganons shall be celebrating the 400th year of the First Mass in Luzon, and we are optimistic that with the support of various entities now, we can already have the ownership of our claim by that time,” he said.
The KFI has also started gathering signatures of support to their petition for the NHCP to grant the same.