Ormoc City Center

Out of the church, I ambled around just to see whatever else is there to see. And I think this city is one good walking tour especially in the afternoons Quite a lot of curious little things to ogle or marvel at actually. And it’s not so wide, so strolling should be a must for the visitor. Aliw factor enough! Let’s see what I saw…

The Old City Hall. It’s a fine-looking era building probably built during the American Era. I tried looking for a marker or a sign but I couldn’t. Perhaps I was looking on the wrong side of this building. But it looks respectable anyway! Am not so sure if this view is/was the back of the building for it looks like so (if I base it on the windows and doors available. But there is a flag-pole and a monument of Jose Rizal, plus this is a main road, so I thought this was front. Now I think not again hehe. Anyway, at the time I took this pic, I learned from a manong that some of the city’s administrative offices have started transferring to their new city hall. I wonder what they’ll do with this lovely edifice then.

A Mall. No no, not gaisano (that one is over near Sugarland). This building I was looking at has various Baclaran-style stores, fastfoods and even a computer school (STI) – aside of course from the various stalls that sell everything related to cellular phones. Oh, since this one is just beside the city hall, I asked the same manong what the mall is called. He said it is called Ormoc Centrum and he thinks the building is owned by the government. Hmm, sosyal!

Behind that centrum was a “trade fair & exhibit” supposedly of things Ormoc, but what I saw were delicacies and products from across the island (Cebu), many more things related to cellphones, trinkets and whathavyas that you see in any ukay-ukay or bargain center, even crafts/delicacies from the eastern part of Leyte. Oh well, who would not want to see them anyway, right? Too crowded for me! The Ormoc City Superdome. What else can I say except that it is a “superdome” hehe. I like it that there are offices and busines establishments all around this big building. I think I even saw a “speech center”! Sosyal talaga!

Veteran’s Park. Yes, Veterans! And nice of Ormoc to have a park dedicated to our war heroes. I read somewhere that Ormoc was in fact the western Leyte military hub of American and Filipino Forces against the Japanese invaders during WWII. And mind you, I have not seen so many things in this country that are dedicated to the war heroes – yeah, the millions of them. This park is just across the street from the superdome. There is a promenade by the water’s edge, park benches, gardens and monuments. The sun was still a bit harsh to the bare skin (around 3PM?) but I saw a number of people already starting to gather around. Am sure this is one favorite afternoon haunt of the locals. It better be as it has good views of the pier, the sea and the sunset!

There is even a food park sandwiched between the Veteran’s Park and the pier. Across them are the transport terminals and pineapple vendors, while going further north is the public market.

Oh, just to satisfy my curiosity, since the manong I asked told me about that new city hall, I took a trike and went there. Just to see how it looks really! It is uptown along the highway going north (on the way to Tacloban). It was still under busy construction and when I entered a worker asked “unsa’y ato sir”. So I said “wala lang” and returned back to city center to watch the traffic hehe!