Philippine Travel Notes

This topic started with this article San Pablo. There are 2 towns and 1 city i this country that are named San Pablo. First town is up in the province of Isabela (Region 2, Cagayan Valley). This town faces the pacific ocean at the boundary with Cagayan province. Oh yes, this is that little town with a big big church made famous by Dan Rivers when he chanced upon it after losing track of a storm. When I was standing in the middle of the grounds (what used to be the inside of the church, I could sense that it must have the biggest and longest in this country. San Pablo City? This is an old historic city that you can easily check on the net. I do not however call this city landlocked… its "mountain locked" hehe! Hey, I have seen them many times (during flight arrivals to Manila) but I have never been to all the seven lakes of that city (yet)! Jumping far south to Zamboanga Del Sur is another town San Pablo just about 30 kilometers or so southwest of the capital Dipolog. This San...

This topic started with this article San Miguel. Yes, that is St. Michael and there are 7 towns named so! Yes Miggy my friend, unlike you, none of them was named after the beer! BUT who knows what was in the minds of those who named these towns to be so hehe! Let’s start off with San Miguel in the province of Bulacan (Region 3). You should know that this town is interesting both for its past and its present. Past: this is the place of “Biak Na Bato” prominently a big part of the country’s history. Present: this is a suburban town where many a metro manila worker could be coming from. Past-and-present: go driving around town to see some old houses still preserved to this day – that’s why many call this town “the Vigan of Bulacan”; the Sibul Springs – good then, still a bit good now; Madlum River and the caves, still a bit worth it; stone craft – this place got famous for the limestone that people had to quarry the benefits from dear earth, and now the residents are clamoring that it be ...

This topic started with this article There are two towns in this country with that name Pitogo. One of these towns is in the province of Quezon (Region 4A) and most notable is its church on a hill with a grand view of the Tayabas Bay. Roaming around the dwindling mangroves is an eco-adventure fun with children. The other Pitogo town is in Zamboanga Del Sur on its southwestern tip. This is a promising town with a lot of sea and land resources but has never been reached by powers-that-be serious enough to develop it into something for the tourists. But you’d be surprised to find out there are little houses in this place that use solar power instead of your usual MERALCO! Their solar power generating gadgets were donated by another country.

This topic started with this article There are four towns all named Magsaysay. Ooops, wait! There are six! Let’s explain that. There are four towns that are officially called “Magsaysay”, there is one whose official name is “Ramon Magsaysay” and yet another with an official name of “R. Magsaysay”. Of course we know that all these six towns are named after the 3rd president of this republic. Now the towns… Magsaysay in Mindoro Occidental (Region 4b - MIMAROPA) is the southern tip of the province and of the island. Caves, springs and beaches are the main attractions of this town. But don’t miss the cheap fish, prawns or crabs from the many aquaculture farms. Yumm! Another Magsaysay is a town in the province of Palawan (still MIMAROPA). This town is actually in a group of islands and islets off the northeastern part of the province. The more common destination you'd hear is Cuyo for it is the island where the town is located. And it’s a bit far from where tourists usually go! How far?...

This topic started with this article Now let’s go to Aurora. Yes, the name is of that venerable first “first lady” of this country and wife of then president Manuel L. Quezon. The most prominent “Aurora” is the province (her very own) – which naturally, rightfully and fortunately was named after her. She was from Baler which is one of the 8 towns of the province. This is one of the country’s surfing capitals second only to Siargao. Well, in the province of Aurora, there is a town named Maria Aurora. You’d think the people from that province can’t get enough of immortalizing her! But no, the town is not named after her. That name is after her eldest daughter Maria Aurora who died with her when they were ambushed in Nueva Ecija on their way to inaugurate the Quezon Memorial Hospital in Baler. Who were the culprits? Ironically, it was the HUKBALAHAP (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon). Gosh! So where are the other Auroras? One is a town in the province of Isabela (Region 2) by its border with...

Find those words for yourself hehe. This big big signage is nailed to a tree over at Isla Del Sta Cruz Grande’s pink-sand beach! Yep, in the city of flowers :)

Here is a cute sample of that mixed Visayan Spanish Malay and Tagalog for a language. I was surprised at myself. I may not be able to literally translate it, but I could understand the reminder well - "Please leave your footwear here, downstairs" or something like that, right?! Yey! This was at that museum inside Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City. Where we were not being allowed to enter, remember? Because they have just cleaned and the tourism boss was coming, remember? Chingga! (I hope I spelled that last word correctly hehe) Oh well, the interesting ‘signs’ of our times!