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Bato
Oh stone, why must so many places exult you with their names?! Hahaha, first there are the three towns of Bato that we featured in our same-names series, right? Then there is a town called Batuan which is different from the two other towns named Cabatuan that we also featured over at the same-names articles. Stony really rocks!
Bauan
That’s pronounced ‘ba’ as in ‘buh’ and ‘wan’ as in ‘one’ in the way you should say “The One”. There is only one town in this country that has that name. But add in a letter “g” at the end of the word and it becomes the name of another town. Pronunciation is still the same – you just end that syllable with a closed nasal path instead of your tongue sticking to your upper palate! Hmm, now am getting too technical hehe! Trivia: do you know which one of these two towns is in La Union and which one is in Batangas?!
Bayog, Bayugan
Both are in Mindanao all right. Nevertheless, these two separate towns take their names form a single root word. Notice to Tagalogs, it’s a very clear letter “o” and not “a” that follows the letter “y”, aight?! Just making it clear.
Binangonan, Binuangan
These are two entirely separate towns and they don’t sound similar if you read either, right? But when it comes to pronouncing these two names, tongues do tangle and they can get confusing.
Bongabon, Bongabong
Two different towns too, but only that last letter makes the difference! One is in Ecija and the other in Mindoro. Dya know which?!
Bula, Bulan, Sibulan
Another two towns with just the last letter for a difference! And both are in the Bicolandia where one is along the way on your way to the other. There is yet another town in the Visayas named Sibulan, so pronounce the “si” very well lest you land in Bicol!
Buluan, Bulusan
One is in the Bicolandia while the other is down in the Muslim Region. Yeah, they get more confusing written than pronounced. Just an unclear or missing “s” and you go way far!
Buruanga, Busuanga
They’re actually a little bit near each other. And yes they are easily confused typographically aside from verbally. Pronunciation is the same just change “s” to “r” or vice versa. And both have forest-bound and sea-bound attractions.
‘Cab’ what?
This is sometimes a mind boggler – esp when discussing destinations in this country. That’s because the prefix “ca” is usually added to mean the place has “a lot of” or “teems with”. Add to that other town names that really just start with “cab” and they could get confusing. We already mentioned Cabatuan, and Cabagan above right? But there is Caba, Cabadbaran, Cabanatuan, Cabanglasan, Cabarroguis, Cabiao and Cabucgayan. Hmm, here are three more that you better be extra careful – Cabugao, Cabusao, Cabuyao. Yeah, you can go to any of them from Cubao?! Awrrr!
‘Cala’ who?
This continues the names that start with that prefix “ca”. We have Calauag and Calauan. Yep, they are pronounced in the same way, except for the last letter, the “wag” part becomes “wan”. However, it can also become “yan”! How is that? Well, aside from Calauag and Calauan, there is also a town called Calayan!
Not Freedom!
That last name brings about a new confusion. Calayan, though sounds similar, is way far and different from Kalayaan – which we have identified earlier that there are two towns named as such, right? Mind you, this Calayan will figure in another tongue-twister below!
Bamboo!
Oh bamboo, you are more important than stone! Now that brings us to more confusing names when we talk about those towns that end with “yan”. Aside from Calayan, there is also Caoayan. THAT is what starts a new group of confusingly sounding towns deriving their meanings from just one thing… the bamboo! Is that a plant or a tree? Ah whatever hehe!
There is the town of Caoayan – pronounced “ka-wa-yan”. Then there are the towns and a city named Cauayan – also pronounced “ka-wa-yan”. They all mean “bamboo”! Add in Cawayan that is also another town’s name but meaning and pronunciation is still the same! Comes now Kawayan – still the same meaning and pronunciation! Oh gosh! Next follows Meycauayan – meaning a place with bamboos. Pronunciation? You just add a “may” (yeah, not me or mey) before the bamboo. “Dun sa me kawayan… Saan daw?”! Ganun! You thought that was all on the bamboo, right? Hear this… there are still the towns of Pigkawayan and Tagkawayan!
So… Caoayan, Cauayan town, Cauayan City, Cawayan, Kawayan, Meycauayan, Pigkawayan, Tagkawayan. That’s a total of 8 localities that takes on the name of the lowly kawayan mangled and jumbled in various ways hehe!
Let’s have the rest enumerated in my next installment, k?
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