FAITH-BASED SITES. The 45-foot steel cross at the Glory Hill (left) in Barangay Mansablay, Isabela, Negros Occidental on Thursday (March 28, 2024). In the adjacent La Castellana, a 40-foot Holy Cross (right) can be visited at the Mandayao Panorama View Park in Barangay Mansalanao. (Photos courtesy of Isabela and La Castellana, Negros Occidental LGUs)
BACOLOD CITY – Police assistance desks have been set up in popular faith-based sites in Negros Occidental, located in the municipalities of Isabela and La Castellana, to secure hundreds of visitors on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
In Isabela, the Glory Hill in Barangay Mansablay features a 45-foot steel cross at the hilltop while in the adjacent La Castellana, a 40-foot Holy Cross, can be visited at the Mandayao Panorama View Park in Barangay Mansalanao.
Capt. Arjay Dangarang, officer-in-charge of Isabela Municipal Police Station, said in an interview they are coordinating with the Philippine National Police Special Action Force and the Philippine Army to ensure the safety and security of trekkers.
“We have 24-hour security in the area,” he said.
Personnel of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Municipal Health Office and Bureau of Fire Protection man the first aid and emergency response station.
The Glory Hill cross can be reached after about a two-hour climb, and during the trek, pilgrims pass by the 14 Stations of the Cross along cemented stairways and steep pathways.
There are also visitors who opt to stay the night in camp sites near the giant cross.
From the newly-constructed viewing deck, visitors can watch the sunrise and the sunset.
Based on the guidelines set by the municipal government, all visitors must log in at the entrance and are advised to follow the designated dress code.
They must also dispose of garbage in designated trash bins and maintain proper decorum by not making loud noise.
Weapons, gambling paraphernalia and alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited and bonfires are not permitted on the premises.
In La Castellana, the pedestal of the gigantic Holy Cross, standing on a hilly field in Barangay Mansalanao, can be reached after an 83-step climb.
Alongside the religious structure is the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ Shrine, which are the centerpiece of the Century Leaf Garden, a jump-off point to the town’s tourism highway.
Maj. Sherwin Fernandez, officer-in-charge of La Castellana Municipal Police Station, said in a separate interview they have deployed personnel in various places of convergence, particularly at the Mandayao Panorama View Park.
“So far, the observance of the Holy Week is peaceful and we hope it will continue. We ask visitors to be responsible in disposing trash and we remind them not (to) bring alcoholic drinks and bladed weapons,” he added. (PNA)
