Jalleca Hills

On the way to the top

View of the Srine during night time

MAASIN CITY – Throng of residents here in the city and nearby towns celebrates the birthday of Mama Mary in two “rival” Mama Mary shrines atop two mountains overlooking the city. The Our Lady of Assumption shrine was actually celebrating its 19^th year of existence since it was first inaugurated on September 1994.

The Shrine was conceptualized through a dream of a Marian devotee, Mrs. Mila Gaviola, who was reported to single handedly convinced everyone including the late Bishop Ataviado, the first Bishop of Maasin that a Mama Mary statue should be built in the area where it now stands to save the city from calamity.

It was built through voluntarism and donations here and from abroad. It was observed that the presence of the 36 meters tall statue overlooking the city since then has prevented the city from calamities especially from typhoons which is a regular occurrence before the shrine was built.