Philippine Travel Notes

This topic started with this article St. Thomas of whatever… and there are 6 towns named exactly Sto. Tomas! Gosh! One is in the province of La Union (Region 1 - Ilocos). This is the northernmost Sto. Tomas and is well known for having pioneered in controlled / scientific production of the bounty from the sea. Thus you see a lot of dried fish on sale along the highway. There’s an interesting story about their patron saint – no, its not Sto. Tomas. And I like the municipal hall perched up on a hill. Another Sto. Tomas is in La Union’s neighboring province of Pangasinan (still in Region 1). This little town is down by the big river across Villasis and is at the province’s border with San Manuel, Tarlac. Ah yep, this is the town that purportedly just bagged a Guinness record for the longest barbecue – they grilled mainly corn. Further westwards is another town named Sto. Tomas in the province of Isabela (Region 2). This is the northernmost town named Sto. Tomas and it sits by the northwes...

This topic started with this article San Juan. There are a total of seven in this country – 6 towns and 1 city! First of course is the famous city and the turf of the Estradas/Ejercitos – that is the City of San Juan right in the very middle of Metro Manila. Did you know it is almost the smallest in the metropolis? Well, Pateros is the smallest! Mind you, I dream of living in San Juan City because it is in the middle of everywhere and come to think of this, it is not as bustling as the other areas in the metropolis! Now San Juan is not all about Erap or Greenhills. There are more like the first battle between pinoys and the kastilas happened in this city that is why there is the Pinaglabanan Shrine. Hey, one of the few remaining boys’ school in the country (Xavier School) sits in San Juan. That school is managed by priests but that is where the son of a friend learned how to speak Chinese! Of course you all know that unless traveling in a closed vehicle, one must avoid any part of this...

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...

This topic started with this article Who or what is Rosario? Whatever that word means, there are 5 towns in the country named Rosario. First is the town in the province of La Union (Region 1). This Rosario is the province’s southernmost town in its border with Pangasinan – thus, many of its residents actually speak both Pangalatok and Ilokano! While like any coastal town in Pangasinan and La Union, you can find a lot of dried fish here, note that export quality wood furniture and furnishings are the best products to find in Rosario. This town lies in one of the approaches to Baguio. The next Rosario is a little town in nearby Cavite Province (Region 4A). This Rosario which is just about 30 kilometres or so from the Metropolis and kissing the Manila Bay is host to an export/economic zone. So it is more of industrial town than anything. Okay, there are resorts there but you’d rather go elsewhere, right?! Then our 3rd Rosario is still inside Region 4A, in the province of Batangas. This on...

This topic started with this article Naguilian Road going to Baguio? That is what comes to mind, right? Naguilian town in La Union Province (Region 1 – Ilocos) is the source of that famous name “Naguilian Road” which is one of the alternative routes going to the summer capital. If you do choose to roam around this town and its environs, you will of course have your fill of cool mountain treks down to rolling plains and valleys. Oh fishing in this town is possible! Why? Because, there are two big rivers and their tributaries that criss-cross the area. The townsfolk have an admirable knack for wood, bamboo and even metal crafts, the products of which are mostly brought up to the Baguio commercial centers which is just about 40 plus plus kilometers away. Now, don’t get confused. On the other side of the Codilleras is the other Naguilian. It’s a town in the heart of the province of Isablea (Region 2 – Cagayan Valley). This is the lesser known of the two Naguilian’s. Interestingly, this tow...

This topic started with this article Let us jump to the moon? Well, yes Luna is Spanish for Moon! What do we call people who hail from a place named Luna? Lunatics? Aw! There are 2 towns named “General Luna” while there are 3 towns named just “Luna”. The town General Luna in the province of Quezon (Region 4A – CALABARZON) is a fishing village facing the Tayabas bay and the island of Marinduque. Hey, I was surprised to learn (no, I did not see the spectacle, we arrived late) that this town celebrates holy week like how its done across the water over at Marinduque! Wow! The other General Luna is the famed surfing town on Siargao Island in the province of Surigao Del Norte (Region 13 – CARAGA). Kilometers and kilometers of fine white sandy beaches (untouched) are the thing here other than the surf and other water sports activities. The beaches are just not the in thing that tourists go there for. And to my delight! Then there is a town up north named Luna – a town in the province of La Un...

This topic started with this article We’re just still in the same-name towns and cities that start with the letter “B”! As promised in my previous post, let us now try Burgos. The name traces back to a hero, Father Jose Apolonio Burgos who is the “BUR” in famous acronym GOMBURZA. Father Burgos was born in Vigan as an “insulares” having had a mestiza mother. Anyway, Burgos town in Ilocos Norte’s northwest edge is famous to travelers as it is there where we catch the majestic Burgos Lighthouse also named Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. Its one of the tallest, oldest and actually still in use! The other Burgos town is in Ilocos Sur (still Region 1). Well, rightfully I think since this is the province of the dear martyr. But for the visitor, this town is nothing much than an agricultural place that is landlocked and borders the province with Abra. The 3rd Burgos is in the province of La Union (still Region 1) by its border with the province of Benguet. This town is nearer to Baguio than its capi...

This is "Ilocandia" which many believe is home of the most industrious Filipinos! Region 1 (sometimes the roman Numeral is used, ie., REGION I) or the Ilocos Region in the big island of Luzon is composed of four provinces or about 116 towns and 9 cities that make up the north-western portion of the country. I consider this region to be one of the areas in the Philippines that forever has too many things for the visitor both young and old. Culture, history, industries, festivals, unique foods, politics, beaches, sports activities, islands, caves, mountains and vistas abound in virtually every one of the four provinces. I cannot even point to a favourite place as each locale is uniquely a fine place to visit even repeatedly. While I love being in the Vigan and Laoag areas, I also like going to Pagudpud or roaming around the beaches and surf of La Union coastal towns plus of course I cannot miss the bangus of Dagupan, the dried fish of Sual and the tupeg from Mangatarem! While t...