If you’ve been to Boracay, or at least have read or viewed something about it, you may be familiar with this beautiful rock formation known as Willy’s Rock, the famous landmark at Boat Station One in the island paradise. It’s entirely visible in the morning, and is always almost half-submerged during high tide in the afternoon.
We were fortunate to see it and experience the crystal-turquoise waters and pristine powdery white sand on the last week of October just last year.
This morning, Tina and I were literally shocked; can’t help but uttered “OH MY GOD!” when we learned from a news item reported on Umagang Kay Ganda, a local morning TV show, that the owner of the resort where Willy’s rock is located, removed and burned the image statue of the Blessed Virgin on top of the grotto because of the reason that he’s now a pastor of a certain religion thus his act, alarming the parish priest of the Island.
We honestly respect other religions and beliefs but my wife and I are disturbed why others can’t do so.
Just imagine if our 5-year-old son who was with us in Boracay last year knows about this, how do you think parents should explain that other people could do such thing to something that represents one’s faith?
huwat!?!?!?!? disturbing indeed. =\
i just don’t get the reason for such act, cza.
i was dumb founded when i saw the disturbing news too. that grotto was one of the must-sees when you go the island – its a landmark that you have indeed reached paradise. i belong to a multi-sect family where relatives of mine belong to every imaginable church or belief (well except for islam, hinduism and judaism) known in the Philippines. others may be pushy about their belief but in the end of the day, we all respect each other. as for the owner of willy’s rock, he should have known better. now that he is a pastor, he should have set an example to his followers that even though he has changed his beliefs, respect those other who believe in Mama Mary.
nakakagalit naman ito
i can’t blame you ingrid if we felt the same way toward this news.
that’s too much.. he has no respect to others beliefs.. bakit kailangan pa sunugin?
true.
honestly, i did’t know about the rock until i read your post. but it such an amazing area, based on your picture! ang ganda!
anyway, tama ka. we know we have different religions, but respect is very important. kung baga, let us respect and understand the decision of another person with regard to the religion he.she chose.
and to think that these people consider themselves “very religious”.
kg, my photo can’t justify the beauty of willy’s rock. the grotto on its top was more than an icon to those who have been to the island. it’s a reminder that in the middle of a vacation, not limited to holy week, for us to pray.
the issue isn’t petty. it yells out RESPECT TO OTHERS!
This is crazy… I might understand the fact that he removes the statue… but that he burned the image is unacceptable…
he could have thought of something more acceptable to many like surrendering the image to the catholic church which is located a few steps from willy’s rock.
i also heard this too this morning and was shocked too of what had happened.
in my opinion, even if the owner of that landmark changed from another religion, the fact that it’s on that place, he should have not done it that way. How would the visitors and the local community would feel about that. We know for that fact that there are/ is this kind of religion who do not believe in statues and really destroy any artifacts. But, despite, he should have shown respect to the others who have made that landmark famous and a symbol of Boracay.
also, as what you have said, for children who still do not understand more on the different religion that we have, it would be very hard for parents to explain why such actions have occurred.
hayyyy…
glad we felt the same way.
I think there’s something seriously wrong with one’s religion if it requires one to do such acts. In the same way that people respect his faith, I totally agree with you that he should have respected other faiths/religions too.
is it really a requirement to do such act in other sects? oh my!
I’ve known a number of non-Catholics who actually burn religious images the second they turn against the Catholic faith, and I personally believe that this is uncalled for behavior that smacks of fanaticism of the worst kind. This may sound unfair of me, but it is what I really feel: people who do not respect the faith of others are no better than madmen like Hitler.
agree!
.. sad news. i never knew ‘willy’s rock’ is privately owned.
i read last year before we went to the island that willy’s rock is owned by the the proprietor of the resort where it’s named.
bakit sabi sa inquirer, unindentified daw kung sino ang nag remove sa statue?
i just got the news from UKG with video itself of the post-burned image turned into ashes.
the report said the owner of the resort did what i’ve stated on my post.
respect begets respect. nuff said.