Philippine Travel Notes

How do you get out of Palapag? You can count the ways! Yes, there are options. In most cases, travelers just reverse the way they came in. It can be via a bus, van, jeep, tricyle or habal-habal, depending on where they're going - e.g., westward to Catarman, or southward to Lapining, etc.! Syempre, if you're driving your own vehicle check your map. There could be a better way, in terms of "what to see", than via that road you passed coming in. If there are! If you're riding buses or vans , you head out to the transport terminal behind the new public market ( Merkado Palapag ) - via a tricycle, pedicab, habal-habal or even walk. That place is about 800 meters from the municipal plaza passing by their cemetery! Who rides the buses ? Those going to far places like Bicol or Manila would be better off riding the big buses. They just pass by Palapag from far south (as far as Guiuan) . Of course, the reverse is similar: if you're going to places far ...

Let's continue roaming . I was done with the church . What else was worth my while? A lot! That's too typical when we go to places (even if for the n th time) 'no? Like this: People's Center . What is that? Ah, that's just how Palapag calls their Municipal Hall. Like many in our country, it's growing bigger & wider, to cater to a growing populace. That's why you'll notice, both flanks of the building are also buildings-in-the-making. As constructions and repairs were obviously on-going here and there, I didn't bother to go near, much less enter the building. I didn't want to be an extra burden to them. Municipal Park Behind me as I took that 'munisipyo picture' was their municipal park (town plaza). There still is a Bandstand I saw a bandstand and it was hard for me to tell in which direction it really is facing! I forgot to take a photo of the area, but thanks to googlemaps (where I grabbed that screenshot), it becomes ...

Let's go! But... What Where When How? After asking around, I learned that it is only D'Turbanada Transport that has regular scheduled direct Tacloban~Palapag trips. So I went to find their terminal in the city. Easy to find because they are on google maps , and they have an FB Business Page ! They even have a people profile also on FB that looks like the most regularly updated. Click click click and... I wasn't satisfied, so, I went to their Tacloban Terminal, 2 days before planned departure. Why? Because I needed to know the differences between a big-bus , a mini-bus and van . Why? Ay, for longer trips, my long legs need to know! At the terminal, I was told it takes the van 6~7 hours from Tacloban to Palapag, but due to the waiting at San Juanico bridge, it at times becomes 8 even 9 hours. Hiyay! I knew that was a bit exaggerated. I noted that anyway, to manage my expectations. Then I saw these... all taped at various parts of the tellers' glass-wall...

On a rainy Wednesday commute from Tacloban to Catbalogan, we were already about five minutes into the trip when this writing on the dashboard caught my attention: I smiled at the grammar. Yes drivers. But I asked what it meant, lest I haven't heard of the latest 'driver joke'. OMG, it launched the driver into a serious story-telling for most of the two hour trip, as if his life was bothered by it! He even asked if I was a lawyer. Whoa! The story goes something like this... Few days ago, a woman passenger ("Misis" as the driver refers to her) took this ride on seat number 2 (my seat). Without his knowledge, woman made a complaint to his bosses, that allegedly, he kept on glancing at her thighs and knees the whole time of their travel. Thus, driver was confronted by his employer, asked to 'explain why', and threatened with a dismissal. I understood the "passionate" story-telling. Because yes, his life is threatened in a way, since he may lose ...

New Millennium signs of 'organization' and 'orderliness'? Or a sign of the New Millennium Philippine Language?! Whatever this "rhyme" means, it attracted my curios amazement! Of course I asked around a la "imbestigador"! This is by the gate of V&G Subdivision in Tacloban, and, seldom would anyone be seen at this concrete post (mapaso!!!). So, I walked a bit more to the church and found someone who gave me an explanation. That area pala, is where pedicab drivers queue up to get passengers, especially when the church celebrate holy masses. So that they (pedicab drivers) don't scrimmage and create chaos, they organized themselves, produced stickers for members to paste on their trikes, and those who don't have stickers (therefore not members of the PAPODA) may not pick passengers here. Istrikto! And what is PAPODA? Oops, the PA , I forgot! At least I know what PODA means - P edicab O perators and D rivers A ssociation! Oh well, sig...

If the previous topic ( Tacloban to Clark direct flight on Air Asia ) was a first for me, here is another first: My Point-to-Point (P2P) Bus Ride from Clark International Airport to Trinoma Mall at North EDSA in Quezon City. I did this just to try how it really is :) How did I prepare for this trip? Yes, nag-prepare talaga! Well, some bit of analysis had to be summoned of my lowly brain. First, did I have time? The answer was 'siguro naman'! With my flight from Tacloban expected to arrive Clark at 1010H and my event at UP Diliman scheduled to start at 1730H, that would have been a very unfortunate miracle if I still didn't make it on time, right? Plenty of time to spare, so I dared! Second, I have read and reread the many web stories and blogs that describe this kind of bus service. Plus, I had my driver on standby to pick me anywhere on the entire NLEX route - if ever something untoward happened. First time eh, hehe. Not that this was a first time for me to travel bet...

This signage is prominently posted by the elevator door of a hotel I stayed at, in Pusok, Lapulapu City, Mactan Island. This wasn't first time I stayed with them. They are a convenient accommodation place when I am transiting at "unholy hours" via MCIA, and when Waterfront Airport Hotel is out of rooms! But this was the only time I dared taka picture of that signage (hindi na mapigilan, hehehe)! What is "free smoke"? Therefore what is a "free smoke zone"? hahaha libre yosi? ganun?! Well, anyone not philosophizing can tell, that the owner, or whoever posted that sign, meant "this is a SMOKE-FREE zone". But look at the red-colored letters. Now that's not acceptable. What does 'strickly' mean anyway! Ah, Tagalog nalang kasi, or maypa Bisaya-a lang gud! Don't English me, I'm not school! True. It's more fun in the Philippines! Don't me! Disclaimer: This blogger is not an English Language Expert. In fact, yo...

I just happened by this hub, walking to where our vehicle was parked, after dinner at Ronn's . One derivative advantage when dining at restaurants with no parking spaces! Imagine that, if the restaurant had its own parking area, we wouldn't have walked on a one-way Burgos St., searching where our car was. Then I wouldn't have found this! What is it anyway? A Co-Working Space . A commercial venture, providing a shared office environment , where individuals from all walks of life like freelancers , remote workers , or other "unrelated professions" , work either individually or as groups or teams . That, includes students and/or researchers. Kon karuyag mo mag-trabaho (whether on the web or otherwise), pero ma-aringasa or waray espasyo ha imo opisina, balay, apartment, boarding house, that is where you go. This is something a bit new to Tacloban. There are still very few 'spaces' like this in the city, and this is even a first-time I saw one. We...

Dandering ? Aw, let me use that as a synonym of ' drifting ', ' gallivanting ', ' wandering '! Roaming without an itinerary - all left to 'chances', by breaking away from my group! For that is what happened here hehe! Yep, I didn't really come to this place to tour-around, as I usually do. I joined a group of friends for a benevolent Christmas Day Program - but, with an itch to look beyond ! Shhh, huwag na maingay. Silip-silip lang naman ang ginawa ko! Not a bad idea, right? Aw, I stuck with our scheduled activities 100%. But there were chances - like during lunch breaks, I'd sneak away to look around and/or shoot pics! That said, everything I will tell you, were most likely unplanned or unintended. As we say in Tagalog: kung ano lang ang nakita, natagpuan, naranasan. In short: whatever! This gave me a different kind of thrill. So let me tell you about some of them! First, a briefer on the not so obvious things (to many Pinoys) ...