Come to Cam Sur!

Known to be the three months of Philippine summer, March, April and May, are the best time to visit one of the best places in this tropical country, Caramoan.  Located in the province of Camarines Sur, it is approximately 10-12 hours drive from Manila.

With a number of awesome islands to go to, and some side trips to squeeze in your tour,  you won't regret travelling to this part of the Bicol region considering that you will be able to see and feel how Survivor participants and production staffs felt when they shoot in Caramoan.

View images of the terrific islands and visitors thru Caramoan Paradise's Facebook page.

Enjoy the views!

And hey, seeing the islands first hand is really a different experience, message or call them NOW!

Habagat practically introduced itself (repost from my previous page)

August 13, 2012

One of the most destructive Philippine Typhoon that has been recorded was “Ondoy” (international name: Ketsana).  According to "Situation report no.50 on Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) and Typhoon Pepeng (Parma)"  the 2-day storm last September 2009 had a cost of destruction amounting to Php 11 billion (USD 244 million).  Moreso, this left trauma to many Filipinos. 

For the past week, heavy rain and flood was experienced and state of calamity was declared in Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna; Culion, El Nido, Linacapan, all of Palawan and in the cities of Marikina, Muntinlupa, Pateros, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, San Juan, Pasig, Caloocan and Pasay, according to The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).  Unusual it may seem but this was not brought about by a storm.  The heavy and continuous pouring of rain was due to “Habagat” (southwest monsoon).   

With the several decades of my life, I never really paid attention to those who deliver weather news, from Armando Pineda of GMA news, Kim Atienza of ABS-CBN and former PAGASA director Nathaniel Cruz  (even when he was still with PAGASA and until Mang Tani recently went back to the Philippines to be GMA NEWS’ regular meteorologist) talk about rain until it becomes a Typhoon. I never cared about southwest monsoon or Habagat (I bet most of us did not) until Habagat introduced itself this past week.  

Red vehicle "drowned" by "Habagat's" flood

"Ang basurang itinapon mo, babalik sa yo" -- When will we learn?

 We keep on asking God to spare us from calamities,

Yet it never dawned on us that it is our individual responsibility

to throw away wastes properly.

Now an UNLUCKY store

We should realize that this will never stop until we start caring for our environment.  It should serve as a reminder that it can happen again if we can't start being responsible.  Calamities may not cease or lessen overnight but it will over sometime if we think of tomorrow's children - our actions today are their future.

one of the children that Pater Benedictus Movement Inc  fed during the relief operations at Brgy Bambang, Pasig City 

Sinangag Express

Sinangag Express has always been one of our favorite eateries.  Though it does not offer a wide variety of food it still captured the “stomach” of many Filipinos.  It is like an upgraded “tapsihan” with better arrangements of its chairs and tables.

For some, they would probably choose other Fastfood restaurants since the serving in Sinangag Express is really not enough for those who eat more than one cup of rice or who are “viand lovers”.  But the good thing about this eatery is that most of their foods are really appetizing.  I, for example, could eat two servings or order two meals.

This is why my friends and I would always make it a point to treat ourselves with the good taste of their meals whenever there is a chance to. We ride a jeepney or take a cab even on rainy days just to eat their “tapsis”. Just like this weekend, it was really raining so hard but it never stopped us in coming over to Sinangag Express.  We saw that there were also other people who did not saw the rain as a hindrance in going to this place. We have already finished dining but the shower never stopped.  The guard was helpful to hail a taxi for us.  He did not care if he is already getting wet (though he had an umbrella with him).  This is one of the good things about this place – most of the crews are accommodating.

Though it is not air-conditioned (I am not sure about the other branches) it is still a relaxing place to dine in.  It has good ventilation since it is an open door restaurant but “smokes” from vehicles are manageable since it is not located in the main street (what difference would it make if you are used to eating in carinderias and “fishball-ans”?).

For me and my friends, Sinangag Express would always remain as our “City Weekend Getaway” - away from our office, away from burgers and “fast food chickens”.

Photos from The 2012, 17th Philippine Annual Clark Freeport Hot Air Balloon Festival

My college friends asked me last year to come with them to the see the Hot Air Balloon Festival.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to come with them due to the loads of work I had to finish. Since then, it has never left my mind that I will come and see this Festival once my schedule permits. 

This Fiesta started here in the country in 1994 to help the economy after the Mount Pinatubo eruption. Year after year, there is an increase in visitors and participants. This means that there are more colorful things to view which would make me more relaxed, the reason why I need to watch this event.

A week prior to the 17^th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, I heard one of our officemate, Mommy Cherry as we call her, asking us who would want to buy tickets for this event.  In an instant, I advised her that I would want to and have asked my team if they want to come with me. 

To cut the long story short, I grabbed some tickets for this event and there! I am already excited to come to the event.

My office friends and I have set to watch the fourth day of the event since it falls on a Sunday.  Since the show is scheduled to start at 5:30 in the morning, we agreed that Liezel and Butch will fetch Mel before 3am.  Butch left his car at our house and we were supposed to meet Olive and her boyfriend.  Sadly, they had an emergency so we left Manila without them.

Isko drove us to the site -  Airforce City, Clark Freeport, Angeles City, Pampanga and it took us less than 2 hours to reach the destination but it took us quite awhile to find a parking space.

So I suggest that for those interested in coming over to watch this exciting event, that it is either you find a room in the nearest hotel to have an overnight stay and just wake up early in time for the first take-off of the balloons or wake up earlier and drive/commute to Clark.

Though we already had a few bites before we drove to the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, we were already hungry by the time we got there.  But that wasn’t quite a probably since there are about 50 concessionaires in site. 

The entrance fee was 200 Pesos and you would need to fall in a long line if you have not bought your tickets in advance. However, a fee of about $150 - $200 dollar is needed if you want to take a balloon ride which is a first come first serve basis. Viewing the balloons nearer would also mean a different fee, If I remember it right it is about a hundred pesos.

The event took place on February 9 – 12 this year, in the Philippines but is also an annual event in the rest of the word.

Activities you can watch/do while you are in the event

As one of the biggest aviation sports events in the Philippines, there are so many things to watch if you are staying there for the day:

Aerobatic Exhibition

AOPA Light Airplane Ballon Bursting Finals

AOPA Light Airplane Balloon Bursting Competition

Choreographed Kite Flying Exhibition

Helicopter Flying Exhibition

Hot Air Balloon Flights

Paragliding Exhibition

R/C Helicopter Show

RC Airplane Flying Demonstration

Skydiving Exhibition

Ultralight Flying Display

Children will also enjoy being there since they can also fly kites while you are enjoying the shows (just make sure that someone is attending to them). 

We also enjoyed the Drift Demo sponsored by Goodyear.  There were some who got lucky to enjoy the drift ride. 

Demos on Rescues were also shown in this event.

View other photos:

Photos of Hot Air Balloon (Part 1)

Photos of Hot Air Balloon (Part 2)

Tagudin in Philippine History

On a previous post, I have already mentioned about St Augustine School where one of the two Sundials is located. But before the school was established, St Augustine Church was built in 1586.

However, these are not the only things that Tagudin should be proud of.  This town has significantly shared their part in Philippine History.

On May 27, 1945, it became the site of the Base Hospital of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL) during the World War II.

According to the marker located in the town plaza, it is the biggest installation of its kind in the country during the Philippine Liberation Campaign. Big tents were set up at the town plaza, even in the market and residential houses served as hospital wards.

Taguidn was also the site of military headquarters of USAF-NL 121^st Infantry Regiments which was active from 1942 to 1945 and Post-War Era, 1945-1946. Veterans of WWII – names of officers and enlisted men are written also on a marker, also found in the town plaza.

It is also here where the “Filipino Youth Day” Bronze-Marker was erected. The Filipino Youth Day Proclamation issued in 1948 by then President Elpidio Quirino enjoins everyone to observe activities to relate the life and works of Dr.  Jose Rizal to the aspirations of the Filipino youth and lead them to dedicate their lives to the pattern of service established by our national hero. This was erected during commemoration of the 30^th anniversary of this proclamation and birthday of Rizal in 1979.

With the several events to be noted in this place, it is but right that Tagudinians should really be proud of their  town!

Ilocos Sur: Tagudin (Bien's nostalgias and how this town got its name)

After 9 long hours, we then arrived at Bien’s hometown in Rizal, one of the 43 Baranggays in Tagudin.

While I was writing this post today, I asked Bien via SMS to confirm if he really grew up in Tagudin and asked when was the time he left his native land for a job in Manila. He then replied that yes he was born there and practically grew up in Tagudin but left his homeland in 1993 to find his luck in Manila.

I guess my friend also went down the memory lane as he also shared with me that sometime in 1988, he left Tagudin to visit Manila together with his mom and sister to watch his first movie “Kambal Tuko” (starring the cute little twins – Richard and Raymond Gutierrez) in Avenida.   What’s more “nostalgic” according to him was on their way back to Ilocos, he told me that it was his first time to eat Balot (A balut / balot is a fertilized duck embryo that is boiled and eaten in the shell - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balut_(egg)). He threw the cooked duckling in the highway hoping and praying that it would live again.  I really laughed out loud when I read his text message about it.  It just showed how “probinsyano” (someone from the province / outside of Manila,    

                                                      who is not used to city life) he was back then.

Being a Tagudinian, Bien studied at St Augustine School (built in 1910) where one of the first two sundials built in the country are located.  The other sundial stands across its Townhall.  These two timepieces were constructed in 1841 and 1848 by Father Juan Sorolla.  Amidst the modern times, these sundials are still accurate and reliable.

Tagudin,the first municipality right after the Amburayan Bridge traversing from Supiden, La Union, I may say has also been a great part of Philippine History.

But before dwelling on its significance in our country’s history, let me share with you how Tagudin got his name.

According to the locals, one day a Spaniard asked the name of the place from an old woman who was busy cleaning her yarn which she uses for weaving, (weaving or Tagud is one of the source of income in this municipality).  The old lady thought that he was asking the name of the tool where her yarn was placed and so she answered that it was Tagudan referring to the weaving apparatus.  He then wrote this in his notes.  Later on, he referred to his diary to refresh his memory but had read it as Tagudin.  So the place was then called Tagudin.

Ilocos Sur: Prologue

Tiring it may seem that coming from a 4pm-1am shift from the office I will be travelling northbound of Luzon but I was really looking forward in meeting my two friends and hit the road with them. 

Filipinos can sleep anywhere

Mau fetched me from the office earlier than the time we agreed.  Unfortunately, she waited for me for almost two hours.  At about three in the morning we already arrived at Partas Terminal where Bien was waiting for us.  It surprised us when we saw that there were so many passengers.  

Waiting for their numbers to be called

Some have already slept on the floor while some were patiently standing, falling in line and anticipating for their numbers to be called. 

Hoping to get a ride as soon as possible

My friends and I tried to be patient until I heard my stomach complaining being hungry.  I grab a cup of noodles and ate it along the roadside where we were seated. I did not really care anymore about what others will say or how much dust and pollution will i be eating too.

While I was eating, it dawned on me that the sun is almost up because it was past the hour of five.  Bien and I started to google locations and  contact numbers of other bus stations and luckily we were able to find one.

Dinakdakan and Pakbet Ilocano

Our bus left at about 6am and we took the chance to get some sleep during the travel.  

After three hours we had our first stop over and ate our breakfast: rice, Pakbet Ilocano and Dinakdakan.  Yes! You read it right! Rice and Viand for breakfast.  This is how we Filipinos usually have our breakfast and it is really a heavy one!

Pakbet or Pinakbet is a dish from the northern part of the Philippines.  It is actually one of the most popular Ilocano dish which is also being served in Manila. It uses bagoong (fermented fish or shrimp and salt)  as one of the main ingredient and various vegetables such as Talong (eggplant), Okra, Ampalaya (bitter melon). (Ilocano - this is how the people are referred to in Ilocos and most of the northern regions of the Philippines).

Dinakdakan is also one authentic Ilocano recipe; grilled pig's part (tounge, ear, liver) blended with the brain which is good to be dipped in vinegar.  This may also be blended with Mayonnaise.

So having this hearty meal, we went back to our bus, waited for it to resume our travel and slept along the way.

Ilocos At last! Our first stop was the hometown of Bien, Tagudin.

Location wise, Tagudin is the first of the 34 municipalities of Ilocos Sur. It is situated right after Amburayan Bridge.  It is connecting Baranggay Bio Tagudin and Baranggay Ipet, Sudipen, La union.

This bridge was inaugurated by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during the commemoration of the 113^th martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal last December 30^, 2009 where she lead the national celebration in Ilocos Sur.

Now, where else could this bridge lead us to?  Find out in my next post.

Tanay, Rizal What's to expect for the rest of the year?

Here is Tanay's Calendar of Events for the rest of the year:

1. May 1-31     Flores de Mayo
2. May 1&31   Santacruzan
3. May 4          Holy Cross Feast
4. May 18&19 Mango Festival 
5. June 1          Choral competition
6. July 2           Dog Show
7. July 6-8        Boat Rowing Festival
8. Aug1-31      Tree Planting
9. Aug 3           Furniture Ugat Competition
10. Aug 10&12  Balagtasan & Sabayan Pagbikas
11. Aug 19         Bonsai Competition
12. Sept 29         Culinary Competition
13. Oct 3             Rakrakan Show
14. Oct 5&7       Mountain Climbing
15. Oct 11-12     Miss Tanay
16. Nov 2           Divine Mercy Pilgrimage
17. Nov 7-12      Hane Festival  (Street Dancing, Float Parade)
18. Dec 2            Lantern Festival
19. Dec 26          Balikbayan and OFW Get Together

You may contact Tanay Tourism Office at 4042296 for other information and assistance.

Daranak and Batlag Falls: a wonder I have yet to explore

In the BPO industry, holidays are but usual working days.  Hence, the long weekend that just happened (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, Easter Sunday, Valor Day (Araw ng Kagitingan),  were only ordinary days. Five days! Yup! Five days it is! So where was I? You guessed it right--- how intelligent of you---yeah, I was in the office until Saturday afternoon and was working from home on Araw ng Kagitingan. But hey! I managed to take one day off last Maundy Thursday and spent time with my family in Daranak Falls in Tanay, Rizal.

It was actually an invitation from my sister-in-law's auntie. We travelled 2 hours from Taytay going to Tanay passing by some parts of Rizal: Morong and Baras, a few of which I can remember.

We never expected that this place will be jam-packed with visitors. Until we came to the site and saw the number of people walking to and from the parking area of their vehicles and the main entrance of the resort to carry things they brought for their outing.  

This made me realized that Daranak Falls is still a well-liked summer get away for tourists, people from the neigboring towns and even for locals themselves.  It is probably due to the cheap entrance fee (Php 20.00 only) and accessibility to the site of the locals and nearby communities.

Cottages are available but were not enough to accommodate the number of visitors. For some, they were able to find conducive spots to place their foods and other stuffs. While, our group was also lucky to get a table which we got for free, good enough for our us to set our foods.

While Ghee Anne and I were grilling our foods (shrimp, eggplants, hotdogs, Tilapias, pork and chicken barbeques--- yes, we had this much food, not to mention, green mangoes, shrimp paste or "alamang" and other bulk of finger foods / chichirias) ---- ooops, that made me crave again!  These are the typical Filipino picnic foods I must say.   --- so, what was I suppose to say?  oh yeah, while these foods were being cooked, it came to our attention that there is another Falls --- it is the Batlag Falls.  There was a sign directing to Batlag which I think was further up Daranak Falls. Plans of going to Batlag have already entered into my mind, which should follow after I would find Daranak Falls because our place was far from the Falls itself.

It was past lunch when we arrived there and foods were cooked at about 2:00 in the afternoon.  We rested for awhile after our sumptous meal. We decided to take a look at Daranak Falls by groups so somebody will be able to take a look after our stuffs. It was my group who had the first chance to stroll away from our "kitchen and dinning table". 

Going to the spot, we passed by a long line of women going to the rest room. I actually had the experience of using the toilet but because of the long wait I have endure, I decided to use the "men's".  Though there were at least 3 or 4 cubicles for each "men" and "ladies" comfort rooms, it seems that it is not big enough for those who wanted to utilize it.  Apart from these rest rooms, there were also hosepipes available outside for those who are amenable to take their showers in public. The thing is, you would still need to use the comfort rooms to change your clothes.  A five-peso fee is also collected for using these rooms.  Note that there is also a hose of water placed outside the toilets' door, which make it an accident prone area.  A lady who just had her shower, dried herself  and put on her dry clothes was so unlucky to have slipped and fell on her butt right after she made her first step on her way out of the comfort room. Not so comforting at all eh?

Back to the Falls, we saw that there was a rope dividing one part of the basin to the bigger part of the water.  This delineates the shallow and deep part of the pool.  It is why most of the "swimmers" did not go beyond the rope.  They merely "dipped" their body in the water and stood there for as long as they want just to experience how it is to bathe in Daranak Falls.

Unfortunately, as I was starting the photoshoot, light rain was starting to drop, little by little by little, until there was no more opportunity to have the lens capture the scenery and the enjoyment of the people.

We had to go back to our place where we left our things so as to save them and ouselves too from getting wet. However, the rain was really unrelenting and it poured almost half equally how the Daranak Falls is gushing.  We then had to walk back to our van and jeepney carrying our belongings.  And yes of course--- we got wet! wet! wet! 

The rain stopped almost 5:00 in the afternoon and it saddened me that we have to leave because visitors are only allowed to stay until 5:00 pm.

It was really a different kind of experience but I promise that I will be back to further see the beauty of Daranak and Batlag Falls.