Around Villaba
As mentioned in my previous post, we see this welcome signage after crossing the Badiang Bridge..,
So I welcomed my self to Villaba [pronounced vil-ya-ba]! Like many visitors, I also did wonder how this place got to be called "Villaba". But from the first letter of the name, it must have had Hispanic origins.
There is a "Villalba" in Puerto Rico (also an ex-colony of Spain). Maybe this is similar - a contraction of the 2 words "villa" and "alba" - whether or not they point to the same place, thing or person (whatever) being referred to! There's also a Vilalba in Spain. Note, all three places differ in the use of the letter "L".
Anyway, I said in the previous story that there are grand views of the sea, right? This is it..,
I liked this view as it was.., but just imagine if this were not a gloomy day.., This place is panoramic!
The winding road descending towards the center of town is so instagrammably fantastic..,
I'll try coming back to this place on a less cloudy afternoon or a clear morning. I suspect 'spectacular'.
Moving on, we passed by this noteworthy intersection. A diversion road similar to that of Palompon..,.
Turning right on that intersection circles around town (but with access to its various streets) until the highway goes straight to Tabango or veers off to Matag-ob and Kananga. While going straight on this coastal road (the left side of the photo) enters the heart of the town of Villaba. That's where we went!
Right after the intersection, by the beach, something already surprised me perking up my interest..,
Those rows of concrete benches on the left side of the road! I wondered what they could be for. A rest area? Daghana pud sa bench oi! Hmm, maybe this is also for watching some spectacle or something.
And entering the center of town, I got particularly hooked into these big old wooden houses..,
There are a lot of them, though many are either already 'modernized' or in some refurbished state.
This is the same house as above. Everything at ground level are already commercial establishments.
But the second floor seems to be still intact as one and the same residence, right?! Beautifully Wow!
Here's another one of those big old wooden houses that I call beautifully vintage..,
Like many others, ground floor is now also a commercial establishment - seemingly a natural trend.
Why is commercializing the ground floor a trend? [this is the same house as above, by the way]
I would think this is because, being the pioneer abodes of yesteryears, they are now centrally located.
Hey there's no commercial bank yet, but there's now an ATM (yep, Automated Teller Machine) in town!
That is similar to what I saw in Basey - where the ATM is hosted by a savings and loan association.
More big old wooden houses at center of town. This one just across their multi-purpose building.
The backs of these houses (at left) is already the sea, while the sides of this gym (at right) are variety stores, turo-turo restaurants and other similar commercial establishments. Oh, there is even a bakery!
Another "by the way", while roving around the town's central area, it felt like this multi-purpose building ("gym", "sports center", whatever) may have been where their old municipal hall was. It's not here now!
And, another "by the way".., about 3 or 4 corners before that yellow house (also on the left side) I saw the expansive Villaba Port, which also contains their public market and land transport (bus) terminal...
So I was surprised to stumble upon this interesting thing in front of the multi-purpose building..,
That bus at right. It's a Silverstar - one of the big buses that ply the Metro Manila to VisMin areas. Why was it there? The place is a park or plaza, why would a bus hold business there? I curiously went near!
Hmm, the tents at left are dispatch offices of the bus companies, reason why there's a row of tricycles and I could see the usual 'mugger-looking' dispatchers calling out for bus passengers. Terminal nga!
But behind all of those (to the left edge) is Villaba's version of a park and baywalk. Not as big or lovely as that of Isabel's, but a baywalk park enough. It just became a bit 'shady' preceded by a bus terminal!
I stayed-on to observe further. Look at the right edge of this picture. Where all those men are looking!
There was an immense melodrama unfolding! That long-haired woman (white long-sleeved shirt) was "expressing" (wailing, actually) her final goodbyes, while embracing that man in shorts and white shirt.
Her 'volume' was rather on the max side and on a high treble setting hahaha, that even passengers on board were all eyes on that scene! Take note: siya 'yung paalis, hindi sya ang ini-iwan! Because we are used to scenes na naglulupasay 'yung ini-iwan, right? I wanted to tell her "e di sige 'wag kang umalis"!
Mahilig yata sa telenovela si Inday. Her "portrayal" of this role was attention-grabbingly award-winning hehehe! My driver even said "akala mo naman inagawan siya ng gamit o ninakawan ng anak"! I agreed but said.., hmm teka lang, parang baliktad ah, "ninakawan ng anak o ninakawan ng gamit"? Anyway..,
As I always say.., "walang basagan ng trip"!
All that ruckus actually made me reflect on something.., and that is: if I can only have a phone camera with better zooming abilities and some kind of a boom microphone function! Those would be the best gadgets for eavesdropping purposes like this! I could have captured all that on video para memorable!
Hey, look at that pic again. Did you notice where we were parked while watching that "mala-telenovela eksena"? Yeah, beside the trash bins - at least meron silang ganyan dito, di ba?! And me and my driver debated a bit on what that elevated box is (upper left corner of photo, beside the "Rizal St." signage).
I said that is a 'loud-speaker' for piped-in music or announcement (like what they had at Catbalogan's Imelda Park when I was a child). Driver said that's also a trash bin, elevated so dogs can't reach them.
Let's drop the drama and the trash! I walked around the multi-purpose whatever thing, to find this..,
The Holy Child (Sto. Niño) Parish Church of Villaba, Leyte. This is probably a new or newer structure because I have read somewhere that Villaba's church history is nearing or around a hundred years old.
The church altar.
The priest's view.
Extension pews on the side of the 'original church space'.
On the church grounds, I'm not sure if that's a veneration chapel. But I saw a grotto back there.
I wanted to, but did not anymore "explore" that portion of the church grounds because as it was, I was just even standing on this part of the church, I already disturbed that group (choir?) practicing songs.
Outside the church, back at the plaza, I saw that elevated thing again. Mukhang trash can nga yata..,
But look where my driver chose to park (again) - sa likod ng basura (again)! This is a different corner (the other side of the park/plaza) from that picture above where we earlier watched the "telenovela" :)
But I didn't ride back on that car (driver sleeping I think). I went walking on this busy street instead!
Probably the busiest street in all of Villaba! But, this was the most delightful part of this visit. Nothing to buy really. Wala lang, just looking around - a "for your eyes only" tour of the street and back. Lingaw!
I know this town has a big public market at the port area where there are many stores too. We passed by that place earlier. But this street is probably their old commercial district that bustles with anything and everything you may want to buy or transact with. Even a pizza house, a gas station and a chapel!
I noticed too that this commercial street is/was lined with big old wooden houses, only that many of them are now modernized, some even with ground floor areas converted to glass-walled retail stores.
Just overheard: they call themselves (people from Villaba) as "Villabanon"!
Next we drove going "uptown", to find their municipal hall. Still, there were big old wooden houses!
They are OMG everywhere! I think every block has its own big old wooden house still standing! Galing!
Then we found this.., my driver said "munisipyo sir". Of course I would not believe at first.., But..,
Bungalow as it may have looked like, there it was on the foyer written, Executive Building, LGU Villaba! All I could murmur asking was "talaga"? How do they fit the offices and functionalities of a munisipyo?
Comparing that car to the entrance façade already gave me an indication as to how small this "house" was! But when I got off our vehicle to peep, I found out that, this green house is perched on some kind of a mound or hill - such that, that driveway is a floor higher than the real ground level of this building!
Buanga! Naawa ako sa liit ng kanilang munisipyo! The green bungalow is actually a big building pala!
And/But a few steps to the side, I saw that further behind the "big little green house" was this..,
Hahaha, and it is not just a real big building.., it is a compound! You can see the fire station at left, and there are several buildings to the right that can't be seen in the picture due to these trees and shrubs!
Still laughing, I said aloud to my self (dahil wala namang ibang tao) "peste animal Villaba, nadale nyo ako hahaha"! A few meters to the right is entrance to that compound, but the man there won't let us in, Sunday daw, no office hours, hmp! I promised my self to be back soon, to look around that compound.
That municipal hall compound is up on the diversion highway. So, when it was time to go, we went :)
We went out and away from the munisipyo, I mean! There are not so many vehicles passing this way. Oh, on that corner up ahead, turning left goes to the baywalk / plaza where the Silverstar bus parked.
Hamindangon Bridge over Hamindangon River. Significance? The first settlers started on that river.
But some of you my visayan subscribers readers friends family and madlang public may be interested to know that before this, there is another one named "Caigit Bridge"! Haaak! Do you smell something?!
Seriously, ayaw mo sige'g katawa kay ma Caigit (Bridge) 'nya mo! Da!
Anyway, on this, another Y-intersection, we were finally exiting Villaba to the left (to Tabango)..,
You already know, going right is to Matag-ob or Kananga; even onwards to either Ormoc or Tacloban.
Teka, pataasan muna ng kilay! Meters after that intersection above, I saw this nice-looking place..,
I really thought this was some university or something, ang ganda eh, so I readied to read what it was.
I was not surprised to discover that, that is the DPWH Leyte 3rd District Engineering Office or "L3DEO" as they call it. Take note, L3DEO covers only the 5 towns of Tabango, Villaba, San Isidro, Calubian and Leyte-Leyte. Pero kung maka-district office, you would think it is a regional scientific laboratoty center!
My driver says: "ikaw na kaya ang mag-me-ari ng kaldero"? Well I agree hehe. At least they are big and beautiful! The truth is, wherever you see a DPWH District Engineering Office in this country, they're big always, and mostly, beautiful! We can even dare - for anyone to spot a DEO that is not so. Haha, none!
Anyway, that was my last take on Villaba (I like this town), for we already proceeded to Tabango.
That's my next story!
There is a "Villalba" in Puerto Rico (also an ex-colony of Spain). Maybe this is similar - a contraction of the 2 words "villa" and "alba" - whether or not they point to the same place, thing or person (whatever) being referred to! There's also a Vilalba in Spain. Note, all three places differ in the use of the letter "L".
Anyway, I said in the previous story that there are grand views of the sea, right? This is it..,
The winding road descending towards the center of town is so instagrammably fantastic..,
Moving on, we passed by this noteworthy intersection. A diversion road similar to that of Palompon..,.
Right after the intersection, by the beach, something already surprised me perking up my interest..,
And entering the center of town, I got particularly hooked into these big old wooden houses..,
This is the same house as above. Everything at ground level are already commercial establishments.
Here's another one of those big old wooden houses that I call beautifully vintage..,
Why is commercializing the ground floor a trend? [this is the same house as above, by the way]
Hey there's no commercial bank yet, but there's now an ATM (yep, Automated Teller Machine) in town!
More big old wooden houses at center of town. This one just across their multi-purpose building.
Another "by the way", while roving around the town's central area, it felt like this multi-purpose building ("gym", "sports center", whatever) may have been where their old municipal hall was. It's not here now!
And, another "by the way".., about 3 or 4 corners before that yellow house (also on the left side) I saw the expansive Villaba Port, which also contains their public market and land transport (bus) terminal...
So I was surprised to stumble upon this interesting thing in front of the multi-purpose building..,
Hmm, the tents at left are dispatch offices of the bus companies, reason why there's a row of tricycles and I could see the usual 'mugger-looking' dispatchers calling out for bus passengers. Terminal nga!
But behind all of those (to the left edge) is Villaba's version of a park and baywalk. Not as big or lovely as that of Isabel's, but a baywalk park enough. It just became a bit 'shady' preceded by a bus terminal!
I stayed-on to observe further. Look at the right edge of this picture. Where all those men are looking!
Her 'volume' was rather on the max side and on a high treble setting hahaha, that even passengers on board were all eyes on that scene! Take note: siya 'yung paalis, hindi sya ang ini-iwan! Because we are used to scenes na naglulupasay 'yung ini-iwan, right? I wanted to tell her "e di sige 'wag kang umalis"!
Mahilig yata sa telenovela si Inday. Her "portrayal" of this role was attention-grabbingly award-winning hehehe! My driver even said "akala mo naman inagawan siya ng gamit o ninakawan ng anak"! I agreed but said.., hmm teka lang, parang baliktad ah, "ninakawan ng anak o ninakawan ng gamit"? Anyway..,
As I always say.., "walang basagan ng trip"!
All that ruckus actually made me reflect on something.., and that is: if I can only have a phone camera with better zooming abilities and some kind of a boom microphone function! Those would be the best gadgets for eavesdropping purposes like this! I could have captured all that on video para memorable!
Hey, look at that pic again. Did you notice where we were parked while watching that "mala-telenovela eksena"? Yeah, beside the trash bins - at least meron silang ganyan dito, di ba?! And me and my driver debated a bit on what that elevated box is (upper left corner of photo, beside the "Rizal St." signage).
I said that is a 'loud-speaker' for piped-in music or announcement (like what they had at Catbalogan's Imelda Park when I was a child). Driver said that's also a trash bin, elevated so dogs can't reach them.
Let's drop the drama and the trash! I walked around the multi-purpose whatever thing, to find this..,
The church altar.
The priest's view.
Extension pews on the side of the 'original church space'.
On the church grounds, I'm not sure if that's a veneration chapel. But I saw a grotto back there.
Outside the church, back at the plaza, I saw that elevated thing again. Mukhang trash can nga yata..,
But I didn't ride back on that car (driver sleeping I think). I went walking on this busy street instead!
I know this town has a big public market at the port area where there are many stores too. We passed by that place earlier. But this street is probably their old commercial district that bustles with anything and everything you may want to buy or transact with. Even a pizza house, a gas station and a chapel!
I noticed too that this commercial street is/was lined with big old wooden houses, only that many of them are now modernized, some even with ground floor areas converted to glass-walled retail stores.
Just overheard: they call themselves (people from Villaba) as "Villabanon"!
Next we drove going "uptown", to find their municipal hall. Still, there were big old wooden houses!
Then we found this.., my driver said "munisipyo sir". Of course I would not believe at first.., But..,
Comparing that car to the entrance façade already gave me an indication as to how small this "house" was! But when I got off our vehicle to peep, I found out that, this green house is perched on some kind of a mound or hill - such that, that driveway is a floor higher than the real ground level of this building!
Buanga! Naawa ako sa liit ng kanilang munisipyo! The green bungalow is actually a big building pala!
And/But a few steps to the side, I saw that further behind the "big little green house" was this..,
Still laughing, I said aloud to my self (dahil wala namang ibang tao) "peste animal Villaba, nadale nyo ako hahaha"! A few meters to the right is entrance to that compound, but the man there won't let us in, Sunday daw, no office hours, hmp! I promised my self to be back soon, to look around that compound.
That municipal hall compound is up on the diversion highway. So, when it was time to go, we went :)
Hamindangon Bridge over Hamindangon River. Significance? The first settlers started on that river.
Seriously, ayaw mo sige'g katawa kay ma Caigit (Bridge) 'nya mo! Da!
Anyway, on this, another Y-intersection, we were finally exiting Villaba to the left (to Tabango)..,
Teka, pataasan muna ng kilay! Meters after that intersection above, I saw this nice-looking place..,
I was not surprised to discover that, that is the DPWH Leyte 3rd District Engineering Office or "L3DEO" as they call it. Take note, L3DEO covers only the 5 towns of Tabango, Villaba, San Isidro, Calubian and Leyte-Leyte. Pero kung maka-district office, you would think it is a regional scientific laboratoty center!
My driver says: "ikaw na kaya ang mag-me-ari ng kaldero"? Well I agree hehe. At least they are big and beautiful! The truth is, wherever you see a DPWH District Engineering Office in this country, they're big always, and mostly, beautiful! We can even dare - for anyone to spot a DEO that is not so. Haha, none!
Anyway, that was my last take on Villaba (I like this town), for we already proceeded to Tabango.
That's my next story!
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