Philippine Travel Notes

I'd be damned to hear anyone getting lost in Quezon City! See our street signs? We have too many of them! Nagpatong-patong na nga! And the arcs and gates and markers of the Sangguniang Kabataan are not yet even up - that's all they could do, right?!Hehehe, any suggestions? Haaay, just to be remembered that you had a project in these our times...

This topic started with this article There are two towns named San Ildefonso. The first town is in Ilocos Sur (Region 1) and is probably the tiniest! Landlocked, most of their farmers are sugarcane growers and the highest elevation at this town is just 23 meters above sea level. Well, there is only one thing that they’re proud of at this time – and that is what they call the “Garden Café”. Gosh! The other San Ildefonso is another landlocked town but definitely bigger than the former. This one is a town in the province of Bulacan by its borders with Pampanga. This is an industry town with factories ranging from feedmills to pyrotechnics! Well, this town fares well in the tourist map by what is known as “bahay na pula” which was a Japanese Garrison where comfort women were housed and abused during the Japanese occupation.

We were by the Mendiola area and happened to have been held in place by heavy traffic due to this parade of San Beda Alumni. I had to look again, no he’s not a midget. He is just an elementary school kid and probably on the ‘small’ type. But why was he assigned to the cymbals? Looking at him, I imagined the instrument’s diameter is already half his height. Hmm, that should also probably be half his weight. Parusa! The companion retorted, “alangan naming sa drum, e di sasayad sa lupa yun!”. I was laughing still and he added “alangan din namang trumpet, e kasing haba nya lang yata yun, lalo na hindi pwede sa trombone or tuba, so cymbals na nga, ‘wag ka nang magreklamo”! Okay, agree hahaha! I had to control myself lest I become the first example that laughing could kill! Oh well, to play music in these our times…

This topic started with this article Yes we’re still in the Philippines and we have 5 towns named San Francisco! In the province of Quezon (Region 4A – CALABARZON) is our 1st town bearing that name. And this is the southernmost tip of the province on the shores of Tayabas Bay, almost across the island of Marinduque. Now now… don’t think about the name and associate it with that fine city in the US West Coast. This is a faaar cry. The town has yet to see paved roads from the main city of the province and their folks have yet to be “emancipated” from the control and dictates of wealthy land-owners. Even education (public high school) is a brand new thing here circa 1999! Our 2nd San Francisco is a town in the island-province of Cebu and it is a town off mainland Cebu. This one is an island-town (Pacijan) and is part of the Camotes Islands. While also a poor-man’s town, this San Francisco is surrounded by different kinds of beaches for everyone who seek serenity! This is the beachest area...

Still in Taysan, Batangas and all of a sudden we heard a merry beating of drums. I ran towards the window thinking it was the town’s fiesta parade. No it was not. There was this group of dancers clad in costumes like most do in the Sinulog, Ati-atihan or Dinagyang. I watched a while. Even went down the street for a closer look. Soon after they danced, somebody from the house gave them money. Then they went to front of my friend’s house and danced too. I closely watched the friend who fished a hundred peso bill and gave it to the group. Then they moved to the next house, and so on… I asked what that was for. The friend casually answered “Sinulog”. That got me very confused since I was off to Cebu in a few days after this for the real Sinulog and I know it does not happen like this. So he explained, that those people (they were not just little kids, did you notice?) go around town to “entertain” you and your visitors. They expect to receive something in return, usually money. And I said ...

That is Taysan, Batangas. I went there with an officemate as it was fiesta time in their place. And while we were enjoying the breeze at his newly built concrete porch to let the rain pass before we head out, down came this brightly colored insect and stayed on the concrete floor for as long as we cared to watch it. Am not really sure if I have seen anything as bright green as it is. I probably already did during my younger years, but since I cannot vividly remember that color, I watched it a bit and even took this photo. This insects looks exactly like those brown beetle that we used to play with (beetle fights, remember?) when we were kids. Ah yes, very similar too to those beetles that my grandma and aunts used to fry back in Bangued. The thing is, all of them beetles I have seen (or attempted to eat but chickened out) were colored brown to dark brown. This one just stands out. Those tiny shiny spots are water droplets as the insect probably got soaked in the rain. Would I have seen...

Did you know there is something like that? Well, I did not! And how dare I say I knew and know Metro Manila that well hehe! This is not just a casino, but also a restaurant with spacious function halls that are very good venues for life events and celebrations. Nice-looking thing, aight?! Ah I don’t know about the insides yet but I sure hope to be able to see (even just peep) how it looks in there. One of these days, Yeah, one of these days, I’ll find out how grand is this thing really!

This is one of the supposed reminders we ought to know but is not always highlighted when anyone talks about Fort Santiago. All we remember, or we are asked to remember is that this place was where Rizal was imprisoned prior to his death by firing squad – thus, we all know that. But recent history, as told by this marker tells us too that there were many people who perished inside these walls because of World War II. Whoever they were, Rizal must have received them in heaven with a hand salute!

Not all things I see or encounter during my roams are beautiful! This one here is an example. I would not even call this a signage sanctioned by the National Historical Institute or whatever histo-cultural whatever of this country. Except that this ugly wood carving is located inside the walls of the famed Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila. If I may apply the present language/s that we use in this country (as should be), I will call this terrible thing the epitome of OA as in Overacting; KSP as Kulang Sa Pansin and KJ as in Kill Joy. Why? Because very obviously, whoever wrote that thing is trying very hard to sound Shakespearean or Biblical or whatever else that the end result is so gago your otherwise happy aura roaming the fort, changes into a frown! I would not even try to call it primitive for it is not, and it will just insult our forebears! It is just so stupidly written and stupidly carved by nothing than a stupid pair of hands who stupidly chose wood that naturally shrink wit...

This topic started with this article There are 5 towns and 2 cities – so that’s a total of 7 local governments named San Fernando in this archipelago! We can start with the City of San Fernando in the province of La Union (Region 1 – Ilocos) and as we would all know that is the northernmost place named San Fernando. It’s just the capital of the province so there are many literature and information that you can have about the place. The nearby beaches and surfing camps are good enough. Next is the other City of San Fernando which is also in a northern province (Pampanga, Region 3 – Central Luzon). This one is also a provincial capital and your destination for the famed Giant Lantern Festival and those morbid Holy Week ceremonies where people have themselves nailed to the cross. Of course there is also the Sinukwan Festival. Still in Luzon, the 3rd San Fernando in our list is a town in the province of Romblon (Region 4B – MIMAROPA) and yes, it is dubbed as the resort town of the province...

OMG! Who ever told me they only do it at night and atop our rooftops?! See them doing it! At exactly 2:48:43PM! Gosh! Where? The garden (or is that a mini-forest) just beside the Jose Rizal Shrine inside Fort Santiago! Oh well, the animals of our times…

I dedicate this picture to my fellow smokers (law-abiding and not) he hehe heee hee! Me nagtatanong… sagutin nyo! I saw this sign while roaming inside the Quezon Memorial Circle! Actually the “BAKIT?” portion of that signage is an ad for a radio show of Charito Planas. However the radio frequency and time of the program written below her name had the paint already chipping off and it was not quite clear. First I was attempting to tweak this photo so the letters and numbers below her name would come out clearer. Am no tech bloke, so I ended up with this. Obviously, it is easier to erase than to repair. Oh ha?! Pa-adve-advertise pa kasi. Pati ultimong signages di pinapalampas. Kelangan talaga lagyan ng ad? Porke sya nagpaganda sa QMC. Ayan! Well, the wicked me in these our times hehehe!

As I always say, never ask someone about ‘interesting things to visit’ at where he lives. Everything will be taken for granted he would probably tell you “there is nothing much here”. I am a living example to this realization! And yes (now with pride) I present to you the Quezon memorial Circle or QMC! Gosh! I have grown old enough having passed thousands of times (probably even millions of times hehhe) by this place but have never been inside it, until recently. Thanks to a pesky friend (yes, you should know who you are) for insisting that I go and tell what’s in there. At first I resisted and told this friend there is nothing to see in there but callboys! The prodding of this friend who seldom comes home to this her country finally won when I asked a favor but won’t lift a finger until I fulfilled her wish that I go roam and take pictures of the QMC. An ex-deal, so roam I did – but not without asking two other friends to go with me, lest anything untoward happen. Now am laughing! Fal...

This topic started with this article San Enrique? There are two towns and both are in Region 6 – Western Visayas. One is an agricultural town in the province of Iloilo and is landlocked by its neighboring towns. It is just below the progressive city of Passi and you’d wonder why its only lately that they’re developing roads and even electricity. Gosh! Now across the Guimaras straight and by the shores of Panay Gulf is the other San Enrique – a town in the province of Negros Occidental. This is where most of the quality game fowls/cocks come from, that your father and grandfather oh so wanted! Many of those Bacolod fighting cocks or eggs actually come from this little town. And you will rise every morning in this coastal town to an incessant cacophony of “tiktilaok”. Breeding those game fowls seem to be the biggest industry in this town. And yes, the Bulang-bulang Festival is all about cocks – “bulang” is a local term for cockfight!

Wheh! I did not see it shivering, quivering in something like a convulsion! What is 'under seizure'? Duh! Am no doctor, though I always hear that a seizure is something like a convulsion related or leading to, if not itself, a heart attack. Hehe, that’s what I know and I may be wrong. Is I? Oh okay, is so! hehehe Am also no lawyer but I think in that field, seizure means confiscation or something like that. But wombat, in relation to that picture above, I’d like to wallow on the medical side of things so that its funny (at least to me hehe). Gusto ko eh. Bakit me reklamo?! Oh well, the interesting signs of our times hehehe!