BULACAN - An estimated 2,000 people gathered at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium last Saturday not merely to watch, but to feel, remember, and heal. That is exactly what happened at Oasis of Love Manila’s “Senakulo: A Healing Concert.” 

'Senakulo' speakers Rez Cortez, Nanay Celia Celia Arcadio de la Cruz, and the author Giselle Sanchez (Head Servant of Oasis of Love Manila)

As the head servant of Oasis of Love, I am very grateful to Governor Daniel Fernando for being the key mover in mounting this event so that the Catholic devotees of Bulacan may witness the passion and death of Jesus Christ during this solemn time of Lent. From the moment I entered the venue, I could already sense that this was not going to be an ordinary Holy Week presentation. 

There was a sacred electricity in the air, as if heaven itself had dimmed the lights and whispered, “Listen.” The most unforgettable moment came when former That’s Entertainment member Aries Adina, portraying Jesus Christ, was nailed on the cross. The entire place fell into a hush so deep it felt like even the walls had stopped breathing. Then came the sound of muffled sobs.

Many people around me were crying. I, too, found myself wiping away tears. Seeing “Jesus” hanging on that cross was like watching every pain, every betrayal, every unanswered prayer suddenly take human form. For a few moments, it no longer felt like a play. It felt real. It felt as though we were standing at Calvary itself, beneath a bruised sky and a grieving Mother. It is different when you look at a crucifix in church versus seeing a real person beaten and hanged on the cross. It really pierces your heart. 

The most unforgettable moment came when former That’s Entertainment member Aries Adina, portraying Jesus Christ, was nailed on the cross. Facing him is Oasis Marriage Encounter member Rico Reyes.

Another powerful moment of the evening was the moving testimony of actor Rez Cortez from the television series "Ang Probinsiyano." With honesty that cut through the room like a lightning bolt, he shared that he had been a villain not only in films but also in real life. He admitted that before he met the Lord, he lived far from God. But everything changed when he surrendered his life to Christ. Today, he said, being a kontrabida exists only in reels and on television.

The audience broke into applause, but it was not the loud, noisy kind. It was the kind of applause that says, “If God can change you, perhaps He can change me too.”

The other speakers, like Moises Cuacoyes and Rommel Reyes, deeply touched me, but Nanay Celia Arcadio de la Cruz left the strongest mark on my heart. When she speaks, her words do not simply enter your ears. They travel straight to your soul. Every sentence seemed to send tiny currents of electricity down my spine, as though the Holy Spirit Himself had borrowed her voice for the evening.'

Author Giselle Sanchez, Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando, and Oasis Elder Vince Ribaya.

No wonder her community, Soldiers of Christ, draws a weekly attendance of 6,000 members. She has that rare gift of making people feel seen, loved, corrected, and embraced all at once. She does not merely preach. She ignites.

As we enter this Holy Week, let us remember the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. Let us not allow these sacred days to pass like leaves blown by the wind. This is the perfect time to pause, pray, reflect, forgive, and come home to God.

Because after every cross comes an empty tomb. After every storm comes dawn. And after every broken heart, God still writes resurrection.  

Justin Centeno directed "The Senakulo: A Healing Concert," with Mary Anne Villacorta as the overall production manager. It is presented to you by Oasis of Love Manila, Governor Daniel Fernando, Group Perspective Inc., Office Furniture, JELP, Marjun Villacorta, and Camp Suki Costumes.