"Visit the Grave of Fr. Francesco Paleola," Fr. Bernad suggested.

"Visit the grace of Father Francesco Paleola," Father Miguel Anselmo Bernad, S.J., suggested when I last saw him in 2005.  "It's Francesco because he is Italian.  Otherwise, most people would pronounce his name as Francisco."  And that was 9 years ago.

I did not know, however, where in Ponot, Zamboanga del Norte Fr. Paleola's "supposed" grace was located.  I have searched all over the internet about its exact location but none was helpful, except that he was buried in Ponot (now called the municipality of Jose Dalman).

So I thought that I really had to find it out for myself -- so that I may also be able to help others find Fr. Paleola's grave.  Off I went to Ponot then last 23 September 2014,

From Dipolog City, take a Rural Transit bus that goes to Ipil or Zamboanga del Sur.  Ponot is supposedly 54 km away from Dipolog City so the trip takes around an hour.  Fare is P60 one way (23 Sept 2014 rate).

When on the bus, tell the bus conductor (or the driver), whoever is nearer to you, to tell you that the bus has reached Barangay Poblacion of Ponot (or Jose Dalman).  Get off infront of the Jose Dalman Public Market (picture attached).

Infront of the public market are tricycles waiting for passengers.  Look for Mr. ROGELIO S. MANGUDA, a driver who knows where the gravesite of Fr. Paleola is.

Actually, the gravesite is not far from the public market.  It's around 100 meters from the tricycle terminal area, then, after one turns right after these 100 meters, another 100 meters towards the sea, the grave site is there.

I forgot to take a picture of the "supposed" mound or grave of Fr. Paleola.  This was because I could not believe that I have actually found his grave with such ease, thanks to Manong Rogelio who told me that he knows where the grave of Fr. Paleola is.  Methinks that it was Fr. Paleola himself who asked Manong Rogelio to fetch me at the tricycle waiting area, after I ate, weird, now when I think of it, DINUGUAN.

Dinuguan -- blood.  Like the blood of the martyred Fr. Francesco Paleola.  (But the dinuguan looked very appetizing then so I could not help but place an order that 3pm after getting off the Rural Transit bus.)