Philippine Travel Notes

Just saying, and just recording on my blog, so I won't forget... So far, this place whips up the best and tastiest "puto" and "bibingka" I have ever tasted in my life! As I often pass by this place, I'll try my best to get more details and post more pics of their products soon! Pramis 😜

Passing by the area of Barangay. Baras in Palo, Leyte, I saw kids drenching walking home, obviously coming from the beach. Oh BEACH! So I said why not check that place out. Just to see what is there! I was readily met by this sign which is now common all over the region... Not that the law is something new. It has been such a law for already a long time (I was probably not even born yet) but only gaining attention these days - after the Yolanda / Haiyan devastation of 2013. But the beach is still there and beckons as always (to me at least)... This time, you can't build homes 40 meters from the water line. O di ba ang ganda kung ganun? Sana! Anyway, when I looked around, I saw people doing that uncommon sport - skimboarding! Hmm... Not that I haven't seen or heard about skimboarding, but I said "uncommon" for indeed it still is not a common sight just anywhere. Of course I've watched the skimboarders on Boracay where even dogs ride on the boards. But this th...

We better call it the "Republic of Korea Memorial Park" since that is what they wrote... But it is easier to say "Korean Park" or "K-Park" as many locals refer to it - especially the younger set. As for the seniors or even the not so very old working class adults, they do not even know this exists! Alright, for those who don't know (yet), or to refresh the meory of those who knew, the R.O.K. - that is the Republic of Korea - deployed more than 500 soldiers to the Yolanda-hit areas of Region VIII. They were asked ot make their own barracks at a vacant lot in the Government Center in Palo, Leyte. That's sandwiched between "DOH 8" and "DepEd 8" Regional Headquarters. They lived there for about a year. They helped here and there... they were called the "K-Pop Soldiers"... and the rest is history, right? Nang walang anu-ano... when they were about to leave, the country (well, even the world) just came to know that th...

Hey I'm going to show and tell you one of my favorite areas in Leyte as of now - that would be the "government center" in Palo. Why? Because the buildings look good (already) except for that of DTI near the NFA warehouse over at the highway, and DENR of Leyte Province across the MacArthur Landing Memorial. Their offices are still in ruins. But speaking of DENR, that is where my "show and tell" can be found... many BOATS! Overwhelmingly ang dami, that's why I like passing by this place. It kind of re-assures me that indeed, government is helping fisherfolks! Where are the boats? Look at the arrows! Let's describe the arrows... The lower left yellow arrow points to MacArthur's landing memorial and park. All the rest of the arrows point to many many boats! The upper left arrow is best for photo-ops as the boats are just beside the highway. This is before (and approaching) Oriental Hotel. Here, I took a closer photo of those kids strolling on thei...

I was back in Eastern Samar, this time at the town of Balangkayan. Nothing much that I can tell you as you would be bored hearing about my work-related activities. But I saw memorable places at their town center, that, I think are worth sharing to you my fellow pinoy travelers. Like what? Like ang daming tao sa Palawan Express! Naka-gugulantang! Well, I saw their municipal hall, already refurbished - doon kasi sa loob ang meeting ko hehe! But I wanted to know and none could tell me, why there are 4 Philippine Flags and 3 Balangkayan Flags. What's the significance of those numbers? Hm, research I will! And this (I think) is the town's catholic church still under repair and/or being renovated. It is sandwiched by residential houses! Ang sikip! I will know soon too. I often pass here. I do see big old wooden houses in this town. Am just not sure if there are a lot of these. I do know that small as it is, this is an old town, already existent since the Spanish era. I pass h...

I passed by this town just 6 days ago! I usually do a number of times in a month, like this afternoon again, but I never really had a good chance to see their town center. But today was an opportune time! I just came out of a meeting at VSU in Baybay City, going for another meeting at Baybayon ni Agalon. So, a real "hello Albuera let me see you now"! Like anywhere in this region (nowadays, that is), the roads here are fine... This one is not near though. While Baybay City and Albuera are next to each other, it still is a distant 20+km from VSU (which is even already outside, and north of Baybay City proper) to Albuera proper. It rained quite a bit last night until this morning, so I was not surprised to see this... What is this thing? A factory? A Bodega? Kawawa naman... baha! I did not have to tell my driver. He now knows what I like to see if we are in the center of any town. So in no time, we stopped here, the St. James Parish Church of Albuera, Leyte. Nice well-m...