Masbate residents say rock formation that looks like Birhen de Regla performs miracles

Some residents in Masbate have claimed that a rock formation that looked like the Virgin Mary’s statue could perform miracles.

According to an episode of “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” on Monday, the stone that could be found inside a cave in Barangay Iniwaran looked like the Birhen de Regla, a celebrated Virgin Mary statue in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, that carries the baby Jesus.

The stone, said residents, looked like Birhen de Regla, also carrying infant Jesus. It can be found in a cave 1.5 hours boat ride away from San Pascual, Masbate.

“Ang butas ng kuweba dati maliit lang, ’di po kasya isang tao. Ngayon malaki na. Doon po kami naniwala na siya’y sagrado,” said devotee Ryan Garmula.

According to an old couple, they discovered the stone inside the cave after they had a dream about the Virgin Mary back in 1990.

“Napanaginipan ko sa kanya ang rebulto noon, sa simbahan dalhin, kasi ’yun ang kanyang image dahil siya ang Birhen sa Regla,” Remedios Cullamar said. “Tapos pumasok ako sa kuweba ang daming kalat. Nagwalis ako, doon ko napansin.”

She added: “Akin siyang nilagyan ng ilaw. Pinabanguhan. Umiyak ako, naawa ako sa kanya.”

In the same year, Remedios said she and her husband, Vicente, experienced a miracle.

“Ako po’y siniraan dito sa 'min. Ako daw po ay may lalaki. Pagkarinig ng aking asawa nagalit po siya tapos bigla siyang kumuha ng baril. Binaril talaga ako sa noo ng asawa ko,” said Milla, daughter of Remedios and Vicente. “Hindi ako .. ’yung ulo ko, halip ’yung nasandalan ng ulo ko, ’yun talaga ’yung nabutas. Napatunayan ko na minilagrohan niya talaga ako.”

Vicente also shared that when his daughter started to vomit and have diarrhea for seemingly no reason, he asked her to drink the water coming out of the rock formation.

With his daughter healed, Vicente began pouring the said water on his knees. Until now, he said, he could walk just fine despite his old age.

Remedios, for her part, said she use the water to wash her face. To this day, she said, despite her old age, she could see clearly and even insert a thread in a needle in the dark.

News of the rock’s miraculous work didn’t end there. Marcelino Villanueva had been using a wooden cane for 15 years since he broke his foot when he fell from a coconut tree.

“Noong pangatlong pagkahulog ko sa niyog, sabi ng doktor sa Naga, na hindi na raw ako makakalakad. Ang sabi ng aking kapatid, ‘magdasal ka lang sa Diyos na gumaling ka,’” he said.

Hoping for a miracle, Marcelino visited the cave and used the water on his legs. After a month, he said he could finally walk without his wooden stick.

“Salamat sa Mahal na Birhen na gumaling ako sa aking nararamdaman. Magsisindi ako sa ’yo dahil gumaling ako,” Marcelino said.

Another devotee, fisherman Jimmy Chavez Bulan, said he was diagnosed with kidney stones. Since he couldn’t afford medical treatment, he pinned his hopes on the rock.

“Paano ako? Kung wala ako, paano anak ko?” Jimmy said. “Sabi ko, ‘Mahal na Birhen, penge ako ng tubig mo. Gawin kong gamut ’yang tubig mo dahil wala akong pambili ng gamot.’”

He added: “Binigyan ako ng nagbantay doon na matanda. Sabi ng matanda, ‘sige inumin mo lang. ’Yan makakalutas sayo.’’

After one month of drinking the water, Jimmy said he finally felt better.

“Sabi ko pag inilabas mo ’yung nakabara sa akin, titirik ako sayo ng kandila, 20 piraso. Doon sa may hagdanan mo luluhod ako. Ginawa ko.  Tinupad ko talaga ’yung pangako ko. Tiniis ko ’yun kahit ’yung tuhod ko sugat-sugat kasi tinulungan niya ako,” he added.

Meanwhile, a geologist explained that the rock formation was, in fact, a limestone.

“’Yung bato sa kweba limestone ’yun. Ang common na origin ng limestone, usually mga dating coral reef,” said geologist and environmental consultant Emmanuel Bate. “’Yung imahen na pinapakita dun ay isang stalagmite.”

He added: “Nagfo-form ito dahil sa ulan. ’Yung ulan naiipon doon sa limestone, ’yun ’yung pinanggagalingan ng tubig na galing sa kweba.”

But Fr. Francis Lucas, president of the Catholic Media Network, said: “Wala pang proseso na pag-aaral, affirmation, confirmation, or denial nung kamukha ng Birhen de Regla diyan sa Masbate.”

“’Yung affirmation or confirmation ay sa Simbahan ’yun para basbasan na tunay at wagas ’yung kanilang nadama at naranasang milagro,” he said.

He added: “Kung sa tingin niyo na nagmilagro ang Diyos sa inyo, walang pwedeng sumalangsang doon.”

According to Brgy. Iniwaran chairman Salvador Querubin Dadua, the stone may also be the reason why the town is safe from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Wala naman po kaming nagkasakit ... sa aming barangay. Siguro po binabantayan kami ng Birhen sa Regla kasi po milagrosa siya,” he said.

Iniwaran is in a remote area in Masbate. With the nearest hospital in Naga City about four to five hours away, it can be said that when residents get sick, they almost have no choice but to rely on miracles.

“Sa lahat ng uminom at naghahapas ng tubig wala naman po napasama. Lahat po napagaling ng tubig,” said the barangay chairman.  

“Kasi dito samin sa San Pascual, may naka-ready ng sea ambulance na patagbo papuntang city,” said municipal health doctor Dr. James Motos. “Pero minsan po nagkakaproblema talaga. Hindi maganda ’yung panahon.”

He added: “Sa lahat ng barangay, dito sa San Pascual meron tayong naka-assign na health worker. Plano namin dagdagan ng mga tao, ng mag health workers, para maka-reach out sa mga mas malalayong lugar.”

Although miracles could occur, the access to better healthcare has become an urgent need for residents.

“Mas maganda sana na magkaroon ng ospital na magiging kompleto na wala na kaming hahanapin pa,” Salvador said. – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News