Philippine Travel Notes

This topic started with this article There are officially 4 localities named Talisay. Talisay is a town in the province of Batangas (Region 4A – CALABARZon). This is that town just below Tagaytay City. Many folks don’t know that this is the mother town of Taal Volcano and a vast area of the Taal Lake. Who cares anyway, right? Hehe! They call themselves a resort-town owing to the mushrooming of such establishments generally along the areas with a scenic view of the lake and the volcano. Then there is the town of Talisay in the province of Camraines Norte (Region 5 – Bicol). A wonderfully sleepy farming and fishing town on the pacific coast of the province. Have you heard about Puente Isabel Segovia? Go there to learn what it really is! And then, there is Talisay City! It is located in the northwestern part of Negros Occidental province (Region 6 – Western Visayas). This one is just above Bacolod City, before Silay City. Don’t be fooled by these places in Negros all called “cities”...

This topic started with this article Oh St. Vincent! There are 5 towns in this country that are all named San Vicente! Our first San Vicente is a small town in Ilocos Sur (Region 1). Its town center is inland veering northwestwards from Vigan but part of it is by the shores facing South China Sea. Like Sta Catalina, Bantay and San Ildefonso, San Vicente is more of a suburb of Vigan. Its farming community that is supposedly a good source of Basi. But I haven’t tasted that yet hehe. Their church is purportedly worth a peep, so I hear. The next San Vicente is probably the most popular to tourists. This one is more commonly mentioned as “Port Barton” which is just actually a Barangay of the town on the northwestern shores of Palawan (Region 4B, MIMAROPA). They have pristine white beaches both at mainland and the various islands and islets in its territories. There is even a waterfall and the wild fauna is reportedly still quite a sight. Yeah yeah, the controversial Boayan Island is also pa...

This topic started with this article There are only two towns with this name. San Lorenzo Ruiz is a town in the province of Camarines Norte (Region 5 – Bicol) and I would not wonder if after two decades they change that name again. About a dozen barrios were lumped together by congress in November 1970 to become the town of Imelda. In February 1989 they decided they want their town to be named San Lorenzo Ruiz, so congress obliged! What is San Lorenzo to this town? Nothing really. The townsfolk or their leaders just had a kick to rename their town as such. Who knows by year 2010 they will ask congress again to rename their town into something else! Anyway, this landlocked barriotic town is said to be the best source of a variety of pineapples called “queen pineapple” or “Formosa pineapple”. The other San Lorenzo is a town in the island province of Guimaras down in Western Visayas. This is a fairly new resort town on the eastern side of the island. The beach is good and they also have d...

This topic started with this article Jose P. Rizal. Are you ready for this? There are 7 towns and 1 province all named Rizal! That was expected, right? He is the national hero of this country after all! First is the town of Rizal in the province of Cagayan (Region 2). It’s in the southwestern portion and in the border with the province of Apayao. Previously called Malaueg, this is the province’s epic town where a lot of folktales and other historical accounts are told. I was surprised to taste delectable mangoes in this high-altitude town which I thought was only to be visited for remnants of some Spanish colonial settlement! Nearby and below is another Rizal town, this time in the province of Kalinga (Region 15 – CAR) that sits in the province’s borders with Cagayan and Isabela. Were there elephants in this country? Well, the ‘elephant hill’ in this town is the site where half the remains of a pachyderm was unearthed! The next Rizal is a town on the eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (Reg...

This topic started with this article Two towns too are named Mercedes. The first one is in the province of Camarines Norte (Region 5 – Bicol) and it is on the easternmost fringes directly facing the Pacific Ocean. This fishing village is touted to be the origin of those “whispered fish-bidding” process that you commonly encounter at the Navotas fishport. Quite a way to buy and sell fish hehe, very noise friendly! Springs, cave, islands and beaches are of course the tourist targets in this area although it is not much trodden by tourists. The other Mercedes also hugs the Pacific Ocean, this time on that peninsular tip of the province of Eastern Samar (Region 8). This is that little fishing town before you reach Guiuan on your way to Calicoan or Homonhon. Like the towns of Salcedo (to the north) and Guiuan (to the South), Mercedes interestingly lies between two bodies of water – the Pacific Ocean on the east and Leyte Gulf on the west – so there is a lot for the adventurer!

This topic started with this article There are also two towns! However, one sports the name “Jose Panganiban” while the other is just plain “Panganiban”. Jose Panganiban town in the province of Camarines Norte (Region 5 – Bicol) is that town jutting out to the Pacific Ocean. And while it is a major fishing port, it also has its share of beaches. And there is an inactive volcano called Bagacay. Now the other Panganiban is in the island province of Catanduanes also in Region 5. It is on the north-eastern tip of the island facing the Pacific Ocean. Ah yes, this town is where you’ll find the little heard-of Catanduanes Island Beach Resort. There are other white beaches, a waterfall, dam, lighthouse and even a small airport! But hey, though both towns are in Region 5, their names are in honor of two different Panganibans! The one in Camarines Norte is in honor of Jose Maria Panganiban y Enverga – the propagandist and guerilla leader during the Spanish regime, while the one in Catanduanes is...

This is the WET & HOT Region of the Philippines! Region 5 (sometimes written with the roman numeral as REGION V) or Bicol Region can be mostly “wet” as it is on the eastern corridor of the country facing the Pacific Ocean where typhoons usually come from or pass by. Bicol is a perennial recipient of greater amounts of rain! Many times during the year, majority of the area is blessed with rain – and we may of course also sometimes call that “cursed” with rain. When I go to Bicol for some sunny side activities, I skim through a lot of references just to ensure the clouds won’t rain on me! Many times, they still do! But hey, being wet does not necessarily mean cold! For me, this region is “hot”. What with 3 active volcanoes and another 3 being potentially active! That should be enough to get them really hot on the seismic map, right? How much more if we count 25 others that are considered inactive volcanoes! Yes, you guessed it right, as of this writing, the latest recorded volc...