The island province of Marinduque, home to the famed Holy Week Moriones Festival and their iconic Roman-inspired “moryon” devotees, marks a new milestone as it celebrates its 105th anniversary of its reestablishment as a province on 20 to 23 February.

The three-day celebration commences on 20 February with the Agriculture, Tourism and Trade Fair, the Balik-Tanaw sa Kasaysayan Forum, which will look back at the province’s long history beyond its 105 years, and the province-wide torch marathon.

Foundation Day on 21 February opens with the lighting of the symbolic “Isang Alab” torch, followedby a Eucharistic celebration and wreath laying ceremony, State of the Province Address (SOPA) of Governor Presbitero Velasco, Gawad Marinduqueno, and kick-off of the PusoMoto: Heart of the Island Marinduque Circuit Motoring Adventure.

Festivities conclude on 22 February with the Festival of Festivals and Float Parade where municipalities will showcase their pride of place, and the Alab Night fireworks display.

According to Marinduque congressman Lord Allan Jay Velasco, the province will unmask itself in the said celebration by showcasing its rich cultural heritage, natural gems and the diverse attractions which can make the island the next tourist hotspot.

The former House Speaker, who is also a motorsports enthusiast, enthused that the island has become a favorite expedition for group and individual motorcycle riders and bikers because of its panoramic and splendid circumferential and radial roads.

Monikered as “the heartland of the Philippines,” Marinduque is considered as the geodetic center of the archipelago as mapped by American engineers through the Luzon Datum of 1911. This hilltop marker in Mogpog town can be ascended through a staircase dotted by the 14 Stations of the Cross, and winds up at a view deck with the statue of the Our Lady of Instant Succor, overlooking the bay and the rolling hills.

It was reconstituted as an independent province under the American rule on 21 February, 1920, after being part of Batangas and Mindoro, and a sub-province of the former Tayabas province (now Quezon). But beyond the said date, it takes pride in its centuries of checkered history.

Nature calls

White beach-crazed travelers can revel at its alluring coastline and idyllic isles, among them Tres Reyes Islands in Buenavista, Polo, Mompong and Maniwaya, where Palad sandbar appears on low tide.

Poctoy Beach in Torrijos has a long stretch of fine sand and crystalline water, a dive shop, and the posh Amara Resort and Beach Villas, an exclusive luxe hotel noted for its indigenous architecture and interior design. Beneath the sea, it has a gallery of moryon statues and lush coral gardens which scuba divers can explore.

Other natural tourist magnets are Marinduque’s caves and waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries, therapeutic hot springs, the 1,157-meter Mt. Malindig, and butterfly gardens which attest to the area’s rich biodiversity which has made it the “butterfly capital” of the country.

Culture-wise, it is a treasure trove of customs, most notably the “putong” ritual where guests are crowned with leaves by the townsfolk and serenaded with native songs and dances.

Must visit: Churches, museums, ancestral homes and monuments

A must-see is the Immaculate Conception Church or Boac Cathedral, which is recognized by the National Museum as an Important Cultural Property. Not to be missed are the National Museum branch, which showcases the geology of the Mimaropa Region and the neo-classical inspired provincial capitol complex which is punctuated by moryon-inspired Centennial Monument obelisk and the Bantayog-Wika of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.

Chill at night and travel back in time in the ancestral homes in Boac which have been repurposed into quaint restaurants, coffee shops, pension houses, and tourist establishments.

A source of local pride is the Battle of Pulang Lupa Shrine in Torrijos, a hilltop historical park which immortalizes the victory of freedom fighters over American troops in 1900 during the Filipino-American War

Marinduque can be reached by car or bus via Dalahican port in Lucena City, Quezon. For ease of travel, guests can book through the Island Hopper website.