th e li'l h um ble tow n ofSta Catalina

and th e H arve sts of Nature

Location of Sta. Catalina in th e

Sta. Catalina not just as a ve ge table bow l

Th e m unicipality is locate d along th e coastal line of th e East Ch ina Sea, on th e North by th e th e M unicipality of San Vicente , on th e W e st by th e vast Ch ina Sea, on th e South and East by th e City of Vigan, Ilocos Sur w h ich is th e capital tow n of th e province . and also th e M unicipality of Bantay.

From Vigan prope r, th e m unicipality's tow n h all is only 2.9 70 k m s aw ay. It is acce ssible to all type s of ve h icle s, je e pne y, buse s and tricycle s and even rigs.

Th e link age to Vigan is th e provincial road. Barangays are locate d in a satellite type of settlem ent, as w ell as th e linear type , and are connecte d to each oth e r by a barangay road.

A total of 69 6.5888 h e ctare s or 74.581% of th e total land are a of Sta. Catalina is utiliz e d for crop production. Croplands are found in e ve ry barangay w h ich is plante d w ith rice during rainy se ason. 30 h e ctare s of land is plante d w ith w h ite corn w h ile 20 h e ctare s of land is plante d w ith corn. Farm e rs also onions, cabbage , cauliflow e r, sw e e t pe ppe r, e ggplant, be ans, tom ato, sw e e t potato, yam be ans, m ongo and pe anut. Be cause of th e lim ite d agricultural land in th e m unicipality, inte r cropping farm ing syste m are com m only practice d.

Th e farm e rs do not produce live stock or poultry in com m e rcial scale but m ostly on th e back yard le ve l. Live stock such as cow s and w ate r buffalo w e re be ing raise d to h e lp farm e rs in th e ir farm ne e ds and se rve s as w ork ing anim al. Goats and ch ick e ns are also raise d but m ostly for food and not for sale . M ost farm e rs raise figh ting cock s w h ich com m ands h igh e r price s in th e m ark e t.

Fish ponds are alm ost locate d in e ve ry barangay but th e bigge st are a is at barangay Cabittaogan. Fish ponds are classifie d as a) brack ish pond w h e re m ilk fish are culture d, b) fre sh w ate r for th e production of tilapia, c) fish cage s, d) M unicipal fish ing grounds w h ich w e re found w ith in 15 k ilom e te rs from th e sh ore line of coastal barangay and e ) com m unal fish ing grounds found in Govante s Rive r.

Th e be auty of th is sacre d place is not lim ite d on th e dom e . It e xte nds to its ve rdant-colore d turfs. and since th e re side nt prie st of th e tow n h as a gre e n th um b, th e once plain grassland w as cove re d w ith flow e rs th at not give a color pandora look but also a th e rape utic arom e th at w afts in th e afte rnoon bre e ze around th e garde n. Th e law n w as also plante d w ith tre e s and ornam e ntal plants. At th e its back yard is a ce ntury-old be ll and at its nort-e ast side is a pond.

W ith th e ch urch 's uniq ue but sim ple e le gance , visiting th e said place w h ile at a vacation in th e tow n is a m ust. Th e Ch urch of St. Cath e rine of Ale xandria is situate d at th e ce nte r of th e tow n. th is ce ntury-old ch urch is adorne d w ith re d clay brick s on its coulom ns and rough sturdy-look ing ce m e nt on its w alls. Th ough it m ay look pre tty old on th e outside , its inside w as re constructe d som e ye ars ago. Its ne at ce iling is cove re d w ith w h ite m e tallic plate s th at h as large ch ande lie rs w h ich are Europe an in origin. Sam e applie s on its w h ite and ye llow th e m e d w alls w h ich h as side lam ps. Paintings of th e four stations of th e cross are also h anging in be tw e e n e ach of its glasse s staine d w ith th e im age s of diffe re nt saints. At th e ce nte r of th e altar stands th e statue of w h ich re pre se nts St. Cath e rine w h ich is alw ays de corate d w ith flow e rs.

From th e sand dune s of M indoro and Pantay, th e Spanish Expe ditory Force s notice d a sm all island lying across th e rive r. Crossing th e n th e rive r, th e y lande d at a place calle d “ cabittaogan” , so calle d be cause of th e abundance and luxuriant grow th of a ce rtain of spe cie of tre e palom aria, “ bitaog” in th e Local Diale ct.

Tire d, th e y re ste d and plante d a w oode n cross, th e sym bol of Ch ristianity. Th e y m ark e d th e Ch ristianization of th e inh abitants of th e place . No docum e ntary m ate rial could be found to sh ow th e e xact date as to w h e n th e Cross w as plante d. Th e cross still stands at th e sam e spot w h e re it w as plante d ce nturie s ago. Continuing th e ir journe y, th e y proce e de d north w ard, and cam e upon a spring. Th e y took turns in drink ing th e w ate r from th e spring. Just as th e ir le ade r w as about to drink , th e re w as an apparition, w h om th e olde st soldie r am ong th e group re cogniz e d to be th at of St. Cath e rine of Ale xandria. Th e place w as nam e d STA. CATALINA, in h onor of St. Cath e rine w h o h ad be e n ch ose n th e Patron Saint.

Sta. Catalina w as originally a part of Vigan and it w as only in 179 5 th at th e late Bish op Juan Ruiz m ade Sta. Catalina a Parish . Se e ing th at th e Parish could w e ll stand on its ow n, th e ne xt Bish op, M ost Re v. Pe dro Blacquie r, appointe d th e Parish Prie st in 1800, in th e pe rson of Re v. Fr. M anue l de los Re ye s. Th e pe ople h ave , since th e n, alw ays de vote d to God. Alth ough th e re w as no w ritte n re cord as to th e e xact founding of Sta. Catalina, it can be calculate d, th at th e tow n w as founde d som e tim e in th e latte r part of th e 16th ce ntury.

H istory of Sta. Catalina

Ch ildren's Park

th is issue 's fe ature story:St. Cath e rine of Ale xandria Ch urch

Be side th e tow n's ch urch , in front of th e conve nt stands th e sam ll but proud Ch ildre n's Park . Th is ne w ly re novate d park h as just succe e de d at incre asing th e joy and laugh te r bouncing around th e tow n's ce ntro w ith its im prove d be auty.

Th is park w as satnding be side th e ch urch e ve n be fore m y birth and w as le ft unatte nte d and w as ve ry dull. It w as not e ve n re cognize d as a park . But now , it can alre ady re st assure d unde r th e te nde r care of th e tow n's re side nt parish prie st, Fr. Ve nusto Mata.

Th e park is de corate d w ith flow e rs. It h as also sw ings th at continue to attract ch ildre n e spe cially during sundays, afte r th e m ass. And at th e e dge of th e park is a statue of Moth e r Mary.