Ivana Travel Guide

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You probably remember the photo of an old woman sitting by the doorsteps of an old Ivatan stonehouse. That woman is Floresida (though some say it is Florestida) Estrella a.k.a. Lola Ida, claimed to be the oldest woman on the island; the house is known as Vahay ni Dakay (House of Dakay), declared a UNESCO Heritage Building. That house is probably the most visited and photographed house in Batanes, and in the same breath, Lola Ida is the most photographed person in Batanes.

Built in 1887, the house was constructed out of lime and stone in the traditional Ivatan fashion. Our guide said it is one of the five structures that survived the fateful earthquake in 1918 and is now the oldest house in Batanes. Most of the components of the house are original parts; only its cogon roof is changed every 30 years (in 1917, 1947, 1977 and the most recent was summer of 2007).

Vahay ni Dakay is being maintained by Lola Ida. She is not a native of Batanes, but was born in the Visayas. She spent her childhood with her family in Silay City, Negros Occidental. Their family went to Batanes in 1939, and the house was endowed to her father, Jose Dakay Estrella, the favorite nephew of Luisa Estrella, the original nomeowner. As years passed, Lola Ida became the caretaker. As the most photographed person in Batanes, she has become an iconic figure of the Ivatans. When we visited, she was not feeling well but still, she opened the door for us because she said entertaining visitors makes her happy and "strengthens" her. It was evident that her health is failing her, so when you see her, be kind and generous to her.

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The San Jose de Ivana Church a.k.a. San Jose Obrero Church is one of the best preserved churches in the region. The church faces the Ivana Seaport and due to its elevation, it offers a good view of Sabtang island, the sea and the surrounding countryside. Despite its proximity to the sea, the church has withstood the rigors of weather over periods of time.

San Jose Obrero Church has a foundation dating back to 1795, but it was built only in 1814. It is regarded as an architectural gem, a fine example of Spanish and Filipino craftsmanship, the only one in the region that was not built in the espadana style, and the only church in Batanes with a separate belfry. The fortress-like belfry was built from 1814 to 1817 by Fr. Jose Fausto de Cuevas. The present façade was built by Fr. Fabian Martin from 1866 to 1869.

As I explored the interior of the church, I couldn’t help but admire the beautiful intricately-laid Spanish tiles. I paused to pray on the last pew, then after a few minutes, I felt a tingling warmth on shoulders. As I turned my back, I was awed by an awesome view of the sunset.

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Our first stop in Ivana was the Honesty Coffee Shop, just a few steps from the Ivana Church and the Radiwan Port. It has become popular as the showcase of the Ivatan’s cultural value of honesty. The shop relies on the honor system in getting goods and paying for them. It is an unmanned store and coffee shop, an Ivatan-style self-service store... Yes, believe it or not, there’s no one there as service crew nor cashier.

Elena Gabilo, a retired public school teacher at the Ivana Elementary School owns Honesty Coffee Shop. She opened the store when she retired in 1995, but store sales went down when the port of Radiwan closed and operations were transferred to San Vicente port. She spent more time on farming (Note: women usually worked in the fields while their husbands engaged in another work) and also helped her husband with their cane vinegar production. She decided to continue the sari-sari store operation but was forced by circumstances to leave the store unattended. Her presence was needed more in the farm so she introduced the self-service operation of the Honesty Coffee Shop.

Here's how the system goes: A buyer simply goes inside the store, picks the items he wants, checks the logbook for the list of prices and lists his purchase and denomination of money paid in a notebook. Exact change is dropped in the money box. If change is needed, just get from the box. The proprietress would like to believe that people are honest, but if people get tempted, she says “The Lord is my security guard.”