We continued our journey in Part 3 of Camino de Peñafrancia, covering the distance of 66.3 km through the towns of Buhi, Iriga City, Baao, Ocampo, Tigaon, and San Jose, Camarines Sur. At every parish along the way, we were warmly welcomed with hospitality and grace, filling our hearts with gratitude.

Our daily spirituality and reflections were guided by the Pilgrim’s Prayer Book – Camino de Peñafrancia 2026, Dalan Pasiring sa Mahal na Ina, 2nd Edition, by Rev. Fr. Francis A. Tordilla, CDP, Spiritual Adviser.

Day 7 – September 5, 2026

AN PANGAPUDAN | The Call

Start: St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Buhi. Finish: St. Bartholomew the Apostle in Baao. Today’s Distance – 22.6 km; Cumulative Total – 140.8 km.

The seventh day began in the quiet morning light as the peregrinos left St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Buhi, carrying with them the warmth of the welcome they received there. The kindness of Fr. William Parde, who once again opened his doors and shared dinner with them, became part of what the pilgrims brought forward—proof that on the Camino, hospitality becomes a kind of nourishment. From Buhi, the road stretched toward Iriga and Baao, guiding them through seven churches, each one a reminder that pilgrimage is shaped not only by distance but by the communities that choose to make room for those who walk.

At every parish—St. Paul the Apostle, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, St. Anthony of Padua, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Teresa of Avila, and finally St. Bartholomew the Apostle in Baao—the peregrinos were met with food, water, prayer, and rest. Seven churches, seven welcomes, seven moments when the Camino became more than a road. Along the way, new pilgrims joined the journey. They were not late; they simply began where they were called to begin. Gabos kaayon. Everyone belongs. And perhaps this is one of the quiet truths of a calling: not everyone starts at the same place, but each step becomes part of the same pilgrimage.

Today’s prayer theme is about AN PANGAPUDAN — The Call. Thus, the Word for the day—“You did not choose me, but I chose you”—accompanied the peregrinos as they walked. They were invited to remember the priests and people of every parish entered, and to carry in prayer the priest who had most shaped their faith. Moving from church to church, they were reminded of the many who had answered a call before them: a priest who said yes, a sister who stayed, a catechist who taught, a family who kept the faith alive, a pilgrim who chose to keep walking. None of them could have known the whole road ahead. Neither can the peregrinos.

By the time Baao appeared, 22.6 kilometers had been covered, three municipalities crossed, and seven churches visited. But what remained was something deeper: the Church is built by people who keep opening doors, sharing what they have, and responding to the call placed before them. Our seventh day did not reveal where the entire journey would lead—it offered instead the courage to listen for the next step.

Inâ, teach the peregrinos to hear Your call. Give them courage to say yes. And remind them that they never walk alone. Inâ, ibanhan mo kami. Viva la Virgen!

Day 8 – September 6, 2026

An Krus | The Climb and the Sick

Start: St. Bartholomew the Apostle in Baao. Finish: St. Bernard Abbot Parish in Ocampo. Today’s Distance – 17.3 km; Cumulative Total – 158.1 km

The eighth day began before sunrise, with the peregrinos leaving St. Bartholomew the Apostle Parish in Baao at 5:00 a.m. The climb started almost immediately as they made their way through Baao’s rural roads toward Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, where the terrain grew steeper and more demanding. A makeshift bamboo bridge across Pawili River marked one of the day’s more memorable crossings before the pilgrims continued the ascent toward Ocampo. By late morning, they reached St. Bernard Abbot Parish, welcomed by a community that has long been part of the Camino’s unfolding story.

The afternoon brought both rest and renewed movement. Volunteers—many of whom have served the Camino for years—opened walk‑in registration for the Ocampo–Naga leg, their quiet dedication becoming part of the pilgrimage itself. The children of Little Blessings Learning Center, Inc. offered a joyful moment through music, playing the Himno a Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia for the peregrinos. Later in the day, the community gathered for the Pilgrims’ Mass celebrated by Archbishop Rex Andrew Clement Alarcon, D.D., returning to the very parish where the first official Camino began in 2022.

Hospitality continued into the evening as volunteers prepared and served dinner at the parish pastoral center. The generosity of Hon. Goc and Ciony Marpuri, Hon. Corazon H. Olos, and Rowelinda F. Clariño provided meals that became more than nourishment—they were reminders of the kindness that sustains the Camino. After a long day of climbing, these gestures of care offered the peregrinos a moment of fellowship and rest, reinforcing the truth that pilgrimage is carried not only by those who walk, but also by those who open their hands and hearts along the way.

The day’s theme, AN KRUS — The Climb and the Sick, gave deeper meaning to the journey. The climb was offered for the sick, the dying, and all who live with pain, as well as for those who care for them. Each pilgrim named one sick person at the start of the ascent and carried that person in prayer. The final hour was spent walking at the pace of the slowest pilgrim—a living reminder that carrying the cross is not always about enduring alone. Sometimes it means slowing down, waiting, and allowing others to walk beside us when the road becomes difficult. Inâ, ibanhan mo kami. Viva la Virgen!

Day 9 – September 7, 2026

An Pagbalangibog | Sent to Tell

Start: St. Bernard Abbot Parish in Ocampo. Finish: St. Joseph Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish in San Jose. Today’s Distance: 26.4 km. Cumulative Distance – 184.5 km.

The ninth day was a day not of climbing but of going—of being sent. At 5:00 a.m., the peregrinos left St. Bernard Abbot Parish in Ocampo for St. Joseph Parish in San Jose, beginning the longest stage yet at 26.4 km. Before setting out, the day’s spirituality was shared, reminding everyone that the road ahead was also a road of mission. A generous breakfast from Mailah, Vince, and Lindey Cortes strengthened the pilgrims for the journey, while the PNP Ocampo, Tigaon LGU, and MDRRMO teams accompanied and supported them along the way. Parish communities in Ocampo and Tigaon welcomed the Camino with food, water, and prayer, each stop becoming part of the day’s unfolding grace.

Lunch at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Abô—through the generosity of Mr. Francis and Julie Aguilar—offered a moment of rest before the route continued to Salogon Chapel, where snacks and warm hospitality awaited. Salogon stood as a quiet testament to how faith is lived in Bicol: in chapels, BECs, and small communities where lay leaders and catechists gather people, teach children, and keep the faith alive. The Camino’s passage through these places revealed that the Church of Cáceres is sustained not only by its grand shrines but by countless hands serving faithfully in humble spaces.

Upon arriving in San Jose, the peregrinos were welcomed at the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph, where prayer and fellowship awaited. The LGU San Jose had prepared a warm reception, complete with a welcome tarpaulin and dinner for the pilgrims. The Holy Rosary Preparatory Seminary once again opened its doors, offering a place to rest after the long day’s walk. Every welcome—every meal, every gesture—became part of the Camino’s living story of generosity and shared mission.

At the heart of the day was AN PAGBALANGIBOG — Sent to Tell. Isaiah’s words—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good news”—and Psalm 96’s call to proclaim God’s marvelous deeds framed the day’s purpose. The mission belongs to catechists, lay ministers, chapel leaders, volunteers, and Bikolano missionaries who serve even beyond their homeland. On this Camino, being sent meant being willing to go, to serve, and to carry the Good News wherever the Lord leads. Inâ, ibanhan mo kami. Viva la Virgen!

What’s ahead in the Camino

Day 10 – September 8: Start – Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph, San Jose, Cam Sur. Finish – St. Martin de Porres Parish, Goa, Cam Sur; 13.5 kms.

Day 11 – September 9: Start – St. Martin de Porres, Goa, Cam Sur. Finish – St. Paschal Baylon Parish, Tinambac, Cam Sur; 26.2 kms.

Day 12 – September 10: Start – St. Paschal Baylon Parish, Tinambac, Cam Sur; Finish – Our Lady of the Holy Cross Parish, Bombon, Camarines Sur; 27.4 kms.

Day 13 – September 11: Start – Our Lady of the Holy Cross Parish, Bombon, Cam Sur; Finish – Basilica Minore, Naga City; 9.1 kms

The header photo shows the peregrinos at the crack of dawn in front of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Buhi. (credit: CDP) The daily accounts of the pilgrimage are based on the FB posts shared by the Camino de Peñafrancia group.