Philippine Travel Notes

This topic started with this article There are only two in this country but if you are in Metro Manila, both are south bound! One San Pascual is in the province of Batangas (Region 4A) which, being next to the city is aptly a suburb dominated by Chevron and First Gas! But while the town may seem commercial and industrial, try checking out La Hacienda. It’s a different kind of weekend high, a cool place to relax and learn about farming especially the fun part – harvest! Down in Masbate, our second San Pascual is the upper half of Burias island. It is made more famous by a little island to its north called Sumbrero. The turtle sanctuary is quite a paradise!

This topic started with this article There are only two. Just the same they could still confuse the unfamiliar. The first San Jacinto is a town in the province of Pangasinan (Region 1 – Ilocos) and fares well in the Philippine-American War. If you are trying to read on General Lloyd Wheaton, well, this town was one of his successes. This tobacco growing municipality has nothing much for the tourist aside from the history on Wheaton. Ironically, this place precedes its neighboring towns that are now more progressive. The other San Jacinto is a town in the province of Masbate (Region 5 – Bicol) in the island of Ticao. Well, this place has the sea on either side. Don’t ever miss the Catandayagan Falls that flows directly unto the sea! Quite unique!

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 There are another two towns that share the same name and that is “Placer” [pronounced “pla-ser” in the speed of how you pronounce “deter” or “refer”. Whatever that word means, one of these towns is in the island province of Masbate (Region 5) and the other one is in the province of Surigao Del Norte. Placer, Masbate is located on the southwestern edge of the main island. Don’t miss the Himag-ulaw Festival of this town that is gaining a following from many a local and foreign tourist. And of course the stretches of white sandy beaches always beckon! And you do not have to go to the city of Masbate to hit Placer. There is a "backdoor" way from either Bogo or Malapascua in Cebu! The other town named Placer is in the province of Surigao Del Norte (Region 13). This is a town on the mainland (Mindanao) and it is a port town with a story and history about mining good and bad! Well, being on the eastern seaboard, it does have its share of the Paci...

This topic started with this article There are three towns that bear the same name and those are located up north, middle part (almost Visayas) and down in Mindanao. Hmm! Claveria is a town in the province of Cagayan (Region 2 – Cagayan Valley). This is the northern-most town of the island of Luzon that faces the Babuyan Channel. A fantastic place to visit for sights, sea, sand and sun. This will be your best rest area if daring to skirt the northern tip of Luzon east to west or vice versa. There are also the lighthouse and a waterfall by the sea! The next Claveria is a town in the province of Masbate (Region 5 – Bicol). It is actually the southern half of Burias Island. Just across from Sorsogon. This is also a nice place to visit for sandy beaches white or otherwise. The little islands across this town are little paradises. One of those islands has a very wide shallow area of white sand with nearby coral reefs for the insatiable snorkelers! The last Claveria is a town in the province...

This topic started with this article What about HOPE?! Well, there are 3 towns in the country that bears this name Esperanza – meaning “hope” in Spanish. First is a town in the province of Masbate (Region 5 – BICOL) and it is at the southwestern-most tip just across the northern tip of the island of Leyte. Being a coastal town, this Esperanza also has its share of white sandy beaches. And it also has nice snorkeling and dive sites nearby. But accommodations are best had at the provincial capital. Then note that there is also the town of Esperanza in the province of Sultan Kudarat (Region 12 – Central Mindanao). Ah this town bordering the province of Maguindanao is adjacent to the Sultan Kudarat capital town of Isulan. More of a farming community than anything else, at least you’ll find a hot-spring in this town! Now there is still another Esperanza! And that is this big agricultural town in the northern part of Agusan Del Sur in the border with Agusan Del Norte. Rainforests are still h...

This topic started with this article Bato means stone or rock. Cabatuan means a place with a lot of them stones. Cabatuan, thus, is a name of many places as obviously there are a lot of 'stony' or 'rocky' places in this country. Fortunately for our sake, there are only 2 towns named so. There is one in the province of Isabela and its namesake in the province of Iloilo. The one in Isabela is an agricultural town still high up in the cordilleras but its right beside the City of Cauayan which makes it a bit more populated than other farming communities. Well, its namesake in the province of Iloilo is more well-known to be the town where the new airport is being constructed! Of course it hosts the Hinirugyaw Festival which is a derivative (even a copy) of the Dinagyang and/or Sinulog! Now… now, wouldn’t any Pinoy think that these two towns actually derived their names the way the 3 towns of Bato got theirs?! Rightfully so! And there is even a town in Masbate called Batuan i...

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...