Philippine Travel Notes

This topic started with this article Still having a hangover with Sarangani? Hold your horses for here comes Sultan Kudarat hehehe! This is the name of a town in the province of Maguindanao (Region 14 – ARMM), but it is also the name of a nearby province that is not part of ARMM but belongs to Regiona 12 – SOCCSKSARGEN. Ahehehe! Doesn’t that muddle your already hazy grasp on these names? Well, let’s attempt to expound, lest we be successful in making your nomenclatorial jumble become an astounding murky quagmire hehe. See the map? Red area is the town and at the lower edge of map is the northern portion of the province named Sultan Kudarat! Who was he anyway? Just google him! Anyway, if you say “I’m going to Sultan Kudarat”, be very sure which place you are headed to. And if you hear “there’s flooding in Sultan Kudarat”, you know the next question to ask, right?! Alright, let’s move on to other real towns with same names!

This topic started with this article That's the late president Elpidio Quirino. Yes, he whose youngest daughter (Cory) is already old and still single but yet still a fine, brave lady and a fitness/beauty guru! There are four locales that bear President Quirino’s name. First is the town of Quirino in the province of Ilocos Sur (Region 1) – rightfully because the late president hailed from that province. This town is in the province’s borders with Mountain Province and Abra. There are hotsprings in this town and of course the Tirad Pass National Park can be found here. Then there is the town of Quirino in the province of Isabela (Region 2). This Quirino of vast farming plains is interestingly sandwiched by two big rivers on its north and south, and its municipality seal actually depicts that! Unless you need to have your fill with the vastness of farmlands, there is not much for the tourist in this town. Going southwards is another Quirino. It’s neither a town nor city but it actual...

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...