Ermita Hill Cross

Get ready to sweat. You’re in for a climb. Going to the White Cross on top of Ermita Hill brings to mind the famous quote: Life is a journey, not a destination. Although our goal was to reach the peak and see the White Cross up close, it was the appreciation of the journey and the surprises that came with it that made our trip enjoyable.

Ermita Hill is one of the most significant places in Baler’s history. Along the highway, you’ll find the Tromba Marina Sculpture at the foot of the hill. It immortalizes the tragic event where only a few locals successfully climbed this hill and survived the tsunami that almost wiped out Baler in the 1700’s. From here, you’ll see a flight of stairs leading towards the viewing deck of the hill. You can also choose to drive up the hill instead of taking the stairs. We drove.

After we parked our car, we saw the area surrounded with cottages. Go to the cottage of choice and from there you’ll get a panoramic view of Sabang Beach and the Pacific Ocean.

There was what seemed like a heart-shaped islet at the mouth of the river leading to the sea. I’m assuming that this islet becomes visible only during low tide, and vanishes during high tide. Another possibility is that it’s a river delta. Whatever it is, it’s something worth taking a picture of.

There’s also a chapel at the viewing deck. We didn’t go to the chapel anymore and went straight to the path going to the White Cross.

There were a lot of trees that provided shade from the sun. Here’s the first surprise. We saw what looked like blue ants. Seeing new creatures up close always gives me that feeling of wonder.

From there, we knew it was going to be a challenge to go up to the cross. The cool breeze comforted our climb of 275 uneven steps. I’m glad we drove up. Had we taken the stairs going to the viewing deck, and stairs again going to the cross, we might’ve gotten too exhausted to continue with the rest of our Baler activities.

And then, there was another surprise. We found this leaf that was shaped like a heart. It was the only leaf in the area with this shape. Whether it was a mutant leaf or a regular leaf from some heart tree in the area, it simply amazed us.

After shedding buckets of sweat, we reached the peak. And there it was, the White Cross. The area was small, but it was quiet, serene and a great spot to reflect. It wasn’t what I had expected because the area wasn’t well-maintained and it wasn’t big enough to accommodate large crowds.

Good thing it was just the four of us there. There’s also nothing much to see because the top view was blocked by trees. I still thought it was worth it because it gave us a great cardio workout going up.

Here’s what’s written below the cross:

Vision of a Cross and Messages

What is greater than a cross for people to see and be reminded of its meaning:

The passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation.
The true meaning of forgiveness.
The suffering of a mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, seing (seeing) the pains and death of her son on the cross.
In our time of darkness, disillutionment (or did the message mean disillusionment), doubts, trivialities and pains.

Remember You Are Not Alone.

At the chapel area, there was a marker describing the Ermita Hill Chapel, the ancient viewing point and tunnel:

The spot on which the chapel stands is believed to be the location of a viewing point from which the community of Baler, at the delta of the river, received advance warning of incoming threats in ancient times.

In those times, Baler community experienced prevalent raids by the moros. These raids must have occurred before and after the Spaniards, led by Adelantado Juan de Salcedo, first came in 1572. These raids must have stopped when a permanent garrison of Spanish soldiers was established in Baler.

The existence of what many believe to be an escape tunnel, starting from a location in Barangay Santa Elena leading up to this spot, is evidence of the prevalence of raids on the community of Baler in ancient time. The inhabitants of Baler devised this ingenious way to elude the raiders, and hide here at Ermita Hill.