Philippine Travel Notes

This topic started with this article There are two. One is the town of Santa Rosa in the province of Nueva Ecija (Region 3). This is that long town stretching east to west just below the city of Cabanatuan. So, generally suburban with more and more commercial industrial things sprouting by the day. Being in the midst of Luzon, people in this town, like nearby areas are fond of ‘inland resorts’ where pools are a must. The second is the (new) City of Sta. Rosa in Laguna. Yep, that suburban enclave just off the south superhighway. IN the past, its real full name was Santa Rosa De Lima, but like others in the country with saintly names, it has been shortened to just “Sta. Rsa”. Ah this is a city that almost rose overnight! I have been frequently passing by this town of nothing but industrial buildings factories and warehouses. Known before as the “short cut to Tagaytay”. As if in a flash, it is now a busy and lively city with just about everything urban and suburban you might need. Fr...

This topic started with this article There are three of these towns. However, two are officially ‘tagged’ with the abbreviated “Sto.” while one takes its name with the full “Santo” Domingo. Santo Domingo is a resort town in the province of Albay (Region 5) located at the southeastern foot of Mayon Volcano. Thus, the volcanic black sand on its beaches along the Albay Gulf. There is another town named Sto. Domingo located up north in the province of Ilocos Sur (Region 1) just below the town of Magsingal where both lie along the national highway if you were going north from Vigan. Amusing story about how this town got its name! The other Sto. Domingo is a town in the heart of the province of Nueva Ecija (Region 3). Like most of the province, this Sto. Domingo is a farming community. There we have them, while all 3 towns named Santo Domingo are in Luzon, 2 are north of the metropolis and 1 is south. Careful not to get lost! Lets go to Sto. Tomas next!

This topic started with this article San Jose! We all know of course that San Jose is the Spanish name of St. Joseph. And, be very specific if your destination in the Philippines is San Jose. This is the mostest in terms of same-name towns and cities. There are twelve! Ready? Well, there are just 9 towns all named literally San Jose, but plus, there is a town named San Jose De Buan, there is the city of San Jose in Nueva Ecija and there is the city of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan. For whatever its significance maybe, seven of these are in Luzon, four are in the Visayas and only one is in Mindanao – the northern part that is, and still very near to Visayas! Let us start with the city of San Jose in Nueva Ecija as it is the northernmost San Jose. This city is not the capital of the province but is in the heart of the rice granary of the country with vast plains! Like the rest of the province, rice of course is the main produce in this area. However, they have recently risen to be the nu...

This topic started with this article There are four towns that sport the name San Antonio! First is a town in the province of Nueva Ecija (Region 3 – Central Luzon). This San Antonio is in the southwestern tip of the province bordering with Pangasinan. Like the rest of the province, this is also a farming town but check-out the multitude of fresh water fish-ponds in this town. Scenic, especially against the solitary Mt. Arayat as the backdrop! Moving west on the same Region is our 2nd town named San Antonio – and that is in the province of Zambales. Situated on the province’s southwestern tip, this is a sunset town and the jump-off point to Capones and Camera Islands – which you should not miss when in the area. What with beaches literally moving from one place to another. Really! Then again, for the culture savvy, never miss Casa San Miguel – which in itself is a destination already! 3rd in our list of San Antonios is little town in the province of Quezon, on its western-most side, in...

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 is the EVERYTHING Region of the Philippines! Region 3 also mostly indicated as REGION III or Central Luzon has everything for everyone, from kids to serious businessmen. This region is one of the best for outdoor fanatics to history and culture enthusiasts! It has everything from rural seaside towns to exclusive members-only resorts and everything from the illegal gambling operations to glittering modern casinos hahaha! To be able to completely roam and absorb everything that this region has to offer, a month or two may not even be enough! Composed of 7 provinces (12 cities and 118 municipalities), Central Luzon is one of only two regions in the country that spans it shore-to-shore from east to west. I even call this vast place as the region from A to Z! That is A = Aurora (the eastern-most province, kissing sunrise and the Pacific Ocean) and Z = Zambales (the western-most province, hugging sunset and the West Philippine Sea (formerly the South China Sea). This area of the co...