THE MAGELLANS

ANCHORAGE
Brgy. Masao, Butuan City
(A Historical Visit )

As part of the course

requirements of EdTech I, we were
tasked to conduct a historical visit
of one of the historical places in Butuan

immediately saw the huge Magellan statue

and produce a short video documentary of

on a boat. The piece of sculpture was

our visit to the place. My group was

elegantly done. Its artistry is undeniably

assigned to the Magellans Anchorage in

professionally crafted. It was quite

Barangay Masao where it was acclaimed

impressive especially if you would imagine

that the first mass in the Philippines was

that Magellans landing in Barangay Masao

held.

to celebrate the First Mass in the

So on one cold Saturday morning,

my group headed to Brgy. Masao, a coastal

Philippines happened more than 500 years

ago.
Walking around, I noticed the few

barangay some 8 kilometers north-west of

Butuan City. My other group members

vendors in a shanty table selling fish and

waited for me at Chowking JCQNO as I was

meat for sinugba and some selling

a little bit late due to the fact that I have

chichiria and some cheap food items

to travel farther from my home in

obviously offered to the would-be beach-

Cabadbaran City. I was worried that I

goers or tourist or sight-seers of that

might upset them. Still I managed to keep

place.

myself excited.
We soon left for Masao on board a

We proceeded to our rented

cottage. It was a typical hut for beach-

tricycle and arrived there at around 9:00

goers but partly made of concrete,

oclock in the morning. The place was at

particularly the table and chairs. I can see

the beach. At the entrance of the area

the hole gaping at the roof.

where many beach cottages are lined-up, I

Some of us has not taken their

We took our final shoot at the

breakfast yet, so we decided to eat our

bridge. It was a difficult shoot since by this

baons. A little girl selling banana

time, there were already many vehicles

approached our cottage and so I bought

passing over the bridge and we were

some. We had rice, chicken adobo,

disrupted everytime. Our cameraman the

camote, cooked banana and sinuglaw. It

tricycle driver, had to repeatedly do it

was fun eating beside the beach the air

until we finally agree that the take was

was breezing and some beach-goers nearby

fine already.

are already making noise in the waters.

We finally headed home where we

Shortly after eating, the group

already discussed our assignment
documenting the Magellan statue. After
agreeing on the plot, the group made their
way towards the marker to start the video
shoot. I was assigned to stay behind to
look after our things while waiting for my
turn in the video.
Alone, I was wondering how can
this place remain so simple when its
historical value is great? Although the
shrine itself was good, the cottages, the
surroundings, the packaging of the place
seems so lacking and it is sad that it stayed

part ways near Asialink Department Store.

that way for quite some time already.

Thinking of the days event makes
me smile. That day, I was able to visit that
important historic place. Somehow, it
makes me proud to have been residing in
this part of the Philippines where the
famous Magellan made the first mass. I can
share something to my friends and family
back home.

Submitted to:

Submitted by:

MS. KATHRINE C. PELAEZ

MS. JENNY VI A. MORA

Instructor, EdTech 1

Student, TCP