Philippine Travel Notes

Who would have known, who would have imagined? That yes, there is a park in this country named after the "butiki". Yeah yeah, the lowly harmless common house lizard that some of you are afraid of and some pretend are afraid of! When I saw the sign that said Butiki Park, I first imagined the word was some kind of a contraction or portmanteau of some long phrase like CaMaNaVa or CaLaBaRZon. But I saw the big figure of the lizard. So it really is a park named after the butiki. Eh, no one there could tell me a plausible story why it is named so! This is somewhere on the eastern banks of the long Marikina River Park. Just a strollers' area called a park, nothing to pack your bags about. Gosh 'no?! Who knows, there might be a "lamok park", a "kulisap park" or a "gamu-gamu park" and so on, that I haven't just encountered. Then the butiki would probably love those hehe! Oh well, the weird nomenclatures of our times...

This topic started with this article There is only one town and there is only one province in this country that sports the name Leyte - but that is where the confusion starts, so let's have a word or two about Leyte. Have you heard about “Leyte-Leyte”? That is how locals actually refer to the town. As said above, there is only one such town named Leyte, and this is it. But being in the province of the same name (Region 8 – Eastern Visayas), the place makes my list. Leyte (town), is not the capital of Leyte (province). It is actually a bit obscured in terms of publicity. So, when you say "am going to Leyte", the sure next response of everyone would be "where in Leyte" as they'd be thinking you mean Leyte (the province). That is why, many locals call thier town "Leyte-Leyte". Oops, the name “Leyte-Leyte” is pronounced by locals as one contiguous word of four syllables. Try the intonation and speed when you pronounce “mutilated”, "calculated” or ...

This topic started with this article There are two towns under this name. Lemery is a town in Batangas province (Region 4A – CALABARZON) and adjacent to the city of Tagaytay. Lemery is where you go to see the Disney imitation called Fantasy World. And the famous “Leisure Farms Tagaytay” is not in Tagaytay but in Lemery. Oh yes, this Lemery has its share of beaches but they’re not the to-die-for type. Now the other Lemery is in the province of Iloilo (Region 6 – Western Visayas). It’s on the northern portion in the province’s border with Capiz where both provinces are disputing their boundary markings hehehe! Their Saug Festival is a fine spectacle.

This topic started with this article Proof that this country is home to peace-loving people? Whatever your view is, there are four towns in the country named La Paz – meaning “peace”. The first La Paz is ironically a town up in the province of Abra (Region 15 – CAR). Politically, this town (and the whole province) is not at all very peaceful compared to most others in the country especially during elections! Oh I even know someone who does not want to go there because the opposing factions in those political quarrels are all his relatives. The second La Paz is in the province of Tarlac (Region 3 – Central Luzon). This agricultural town is along the banks of the Chico River and borders Tarlac with Neuva Ecija. Being an agricultural town, bird-watching is fine here especially on the swampy areas – but alas, not even its own locales know or appreciate this kind of recreation yet! The third La Paz is in the province of Leyte (Region 8 – Eastern Visayas). It is an agricultural and landlocke...

This topic started with this article There are two towns named Kapatagan and both are in Mindanao and both names mean “the plains” since “patag” means “plain” as in rolling plains. First is the Kapatagan town of on the southern portion of Lanao Del Norte (Region 10 – Northern Mndanao). You’d think this place is all agricultural plains owing to its name, right? But on its sides are mountain areas which make way for the Cathedral and Sta. Cruz waterfalls. The tip of this town touches Panguil Bay and at least five rivers maze through town. The other Kapatagan is not very far away. It’s actually in the southern part of Lanao Del Sur (Region 14 – ARMM) kissing the Ilana Bay in its border with Maguindanao. Well yes, you’d remember this town as more of an “evacuation area” than anything else. This is where many hinterland families came to resettle to avoid the hinterland crossfires between the military and the MILF.

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 Kalayaan. Oh freedom! Thou shalt be the name of many things! It’s good we’re just talking about towns so there are only two in the whole country! One is a town in Laguna (Regiona 4A – CALABARZON) and the other is in the island province of Palawan (Region 4B – MIMAROPA). The former is sitting on the eastern edge of Laguna Bay and is interestingly composed of just 3 barangays! Oh yes, that is where you are supposed to find the “Lukayo” – a tradition of long ago slowly disappearing due to the hypocrisy of catholic priests, that transcended into what most Filipinos now call "moral standard" and even transcended into how laws are made in this country. Should you be interested, remember this... the Lukayo tradition has already been a practice of our forebears even before the jesuits came! Oh of course, this little town is more known to the business community for power-plant topics than anything else! Then again many of us know that this town als...

This topic started with this article There are also two towns! However, one sports the name “Jose Panganiban” while the other is just plain “Panganiban”. Jose Panganiban town in the province of Camarines Norte (Region 5 – Bicol) is that town jutting out to the Pacific Ocean. And while it is a major fishing port, it also has its share of beaches. And there is an inactive volcano called Bagacay. Now the other Panganiban is in the island province of Catanduanes also in Region 5. It is on the north-eastern tip of the island facing the Pacific Ocean. Ah yes, this town is where you’ll find the little heard-of Catanduanes Island Beach Resort. There are other white beaches, a waterfall, dam, lighthouse and even a small airport! But hey, though both towns are in Region 5, their names are in honor of two different Panganibans! The one in Camarines Norte is in honor of Jose Maria Panganiban y Enverga – the propagandist and guerilla leader during the Spanish regime, while the one in Catanduanes is...