VISITORS at Fort Pilar take photos around an armed personnel carrier detailed at the shrine. GERKY VALESCO/CONTRIBUTOR
ZAMBOANGA CITY—What was considered a war machine is now a prop for a photo opportunity in this city.
Devotees, particularly children visiting the Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar shrine at Fort Pilar here, will not want to miss having their photos taken alongside an armored personnel carrier (APC) after paying prayerful homage at the shrine.
The military vehicle is deemed the most photographed attraction these days, next to the shrine of the city’s patroness and the City Hall of Zamboanga.
Jeffrey Aninion, 40, a former teacher at a local midwifery school, said people would “simply marvel at the military vehicle.”
“And they are proud to show their photos on Facebook, with them standing alongside the APC, just to say that they’ve braved the visit to the shrine, since Fort Pilar was tagged by the military as among the so-called ‘areas of conflict’ where the intense firefights took place,” Aninion said.
Zamboangueños celebrated Fiesta Pilar on Oct. 12 and as a tradition, people, particularly the Catholic faithful, stayed for a snack after visiting the shrine.
This time, however, many managed to take photos of themselves in the company of fully armed soldiers manning the area.
Smile
The shrine is situated less than 100 meters from Santa Barbara Elementary School, where members of the Moro National Liberation Front and government forces fought each other for three weeks.
“At least, after the apprehensions, people managed to appease their anxiety by posing, sometimes in a wacky way, together with the soldiers and military vehicles. We still manage to smile here in Zamboanga,” said local radio broadcaster Joel Sanson.
Aside from offering prayers and flowers, and lighting candles seeking the intercession of Our Lady of Pilar for peace and unity, devotees also dared to take photos of the bullet-riddled walls of Plaza del Pilar, one of the city’s newest landmarks.
Prayer for peace
Mercedes Galvez, 62, and a resident of Barangay Tugbungan, said her prayers were more for peaceful coexistence among residents.
“My faith is now stronger than ever since we survived the armed attack and the flash floods, therefore I pray for unity among the people here,” she said.
Since the shrine was reopened to the public early this week, thousands of devotees have visited it despite the threats and the inclement weather.
apc
VISITORS at Fort Pilar take photos around an armed personnel carrier detailed at the shrine. GERKY VALESCO/CONTRIBUTOR