Holy week at Igbalalay Hills

Tens of thousands of devotees from all walks of life are expected to troop to Igbalalay Hills this Holy Week to pay homage to their annual tradition for the Lenten season. Though relatively new, Igbalalay Hills now becoming the tourist attraction during and even off Holy Week season.- DMS

By JOE PALABAO
IGBALALAY Hills: Home of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the last four years has become a favorite site for devotees, faithful and visitors for Holy Week, summer time and the ordinary days of the week as they get away from rays of the summer heat and be with nature as they traverse a-four kiIometer trail surrounded with beautiful mountains and cross nine times the same tributaries of Tablon and Agusan up to Igbalalay Hills, Balubal, Cagayan de Oro City.

Visitors, either they go for meditation and prayers and or enjoy the very solemn, peaceful, relaxing ambience and commune with nature of the 5-hectare area considered as an Eco- Tourism Area and destination of local tourists, devotees and visitors. The area is being managed by Igbalalay Our Lady of Guadalupe Devotees Association, Inc. (ILOGDA) who takes care, maintains, and develop the area being allocated to them by the Balubal Integrated Social Forestry Farmers Association, Inc. (BISFF A) under the Community Based Forest Management ( CBFM) Project of DENR being facilitated by CLENRO with the support of City Tourism Office and the City Government and government agencies concern for development.

This Holy Week 2010, thousands and thousands of devotees, visitors and tourists are expected to visit the Site as they make a day of prayer and meditation and enjoy the natural amenities of nature.