Philippine Travel Notes

Yes, that’s plural! Funny how two churches could sit almost right beside each other. Well, not literally side by side as they seem to have been built at an angle from each other. Though their entrances converge on one street. Gosh, I thought the St. Joseph Parish and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Concepcion in Zamboanga City were too near each other. I also thought it was weird for Cebu’s Metropolitan Cathedral to be just a short block away from the Basilica Minore Del Sto Nino. So there I was, wondering all the more, how come churches big as these are beside each other? Am not sure what brought me to this area in Sta. Mesa. Probably this was the time I accompanied a friend to have his license renewed at the Professional Regulation Commission’s offices in Manila. I have been to Bustillos years ago when I was just a boy who would jump out to tag along when mom would go anywhere. And I think she had friends who lived in this area. I think I may have even entered one or both...

Down at the south-eastern corner of Quezon City’s Timog Ave. cor. Scout Torillo is one place called Faustino’s Sizzler Bar & Grill, that came to my/our consciousness for the 1 st time , ever. Last night, as in kagabi lang. I mean, I/we pass/ed here often, as in at least twice each month - since 1998, 'til last month. It's a hip place anyway, amid the frenzied 'nite life' (restobars, cafes, etc.) on the Timog strip. Therefore, worth telling you fellow wanderers! Late Find or New Find? I cannot decide, for I don't really know just yet! Have they been on this corner long ago? Or, is this new? I have to ask around. If you know, pls tell me! How I/We Found It A friend and I happened-by, one late Saturday evening (kagabi yon), after roaming @Manila. We were on our way home and decided to go for a nightcap. We just came from noisy party place s , so we were determined to find a more 'sober' joint – if ever we could find one in QC. C...

Because I was not able to go around this place in the afternoon… thanks to the driver who wanted to tell a friend of my presence hehe, I returned to see the capitol building after dinner. I knew it’d be a wonderful scene since I saw the Christmas decors with so many little lights during the day. So there I was… and just as I expected… the place teemed wit families having a wonderful time appreciating their capitol with thousands of lights everywhere to herald the holidays! Ah well, hard to take pictures as you’d have to queue-up or make a quick split-second snap as people left or approached the displays hehe. Yep, the residents themselves were all there to admire the lights! I looked around for a far vantage that would give me a total view or bird’s-eye view of the park. None, except that the second floor of Hotel Camila 1 seemed to be a fine vantage enough. I went in, introduced myself as a guest of Hotel Camila 2 and told them I just wanted to go up and watch the lights from the 2n...

Talking about the weird confusing location of Cotabato (City), people naturally also talk about ARMM. Why? Because said ‘region’ is part of the confusion that is Cotabato! Just an addition, in fact. And, as promised in the previous story, let’s talk about what I’ve learned about Cotabato and ARMM so far… Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Again, as said in a previous blog, its “IN Muslim Mindanao” not “OF Muslim Mindanao” as many I know would mis-describe it. You will agree that those two little words (in and of) matter a lot especially to the learned folks I asked about ARMM and Mindanao. One professor tells me that “in Muslim Mindanao” says there is an autonomous region amongst places where majority of residents are Muslims. On the other hand, she says that “of Muslim Mindanao” seems to construe that the autonomous region is the only Muslim-populated area in Mindanao – which is not. If you didn’t get that (I had a hard time), we can always say… “whadeveeer” hehe! But if Cotaba...

Kuta–Wato, Kutang–Bato, ah, we already know that, right? It is when someone starts asking “WHERE” is Cotabato that things start to get muddled in terms of area references. More than a puzzle actually. Here’s what I know so far… and these could be changing now or will change a bit more later! There was once the Moro Province created in 1903 during the American occupation. It consisted of five districts - Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga. Simple, right? But we are talking Cotabato, so let’s leave all other districts aside… First there was the town named Cotabato. Then the district was named in its sake. When the Moro Province was chunked into provinces instead of districts, there became the province of Cotabato with the capital town also named Cotabato. Just like Tarlac, Tarlac, Iloilo, Iloilo or Cebu, Cebu. In 1959 the town became Cotabato City. Simple, wasn’t it? However, in 1966 the province was chunked into two when south Cotabato was created, that later was even als...

So, Cotabato City visit came to an end and I had to get myself back to the airport for a noontime flight to Manila. Good that I was already staying at Estosan Hotel since they have a shuttle service. Actually, an airport limousine as many would call it! It’s an old “Mercedes”!. Vintage if you may. And I liked the spacious seats! But that is not my topic here. There is something that travelers have to watch out for, and watch their mouths for hehe. It happened to me, it may happen to you. Don’t do what I did if you are not that crazy stupid and stupid crazy like I was! I am serious… hehe, yes, really! Here’s the story, so you’ll know what to do and what NOT to do… Black Mercedes as Estosan Hotel’s Airport Limousine departed with, of course, just me beside the driver and my backpack regally seated at the spacious “backseat”. Whatever the vehicle, when I’m not home (Metro Manila), I take every effort to get me seated at front seat beside the driver, so I could see things around, so I ...

Estosan Hotel, my refuge from Day 2 until I left Cotabato City. Good that I saw it on Day 1 so that when I realized I did not like Hotel Castro, I packed up and transferred to it. Good location – Just a few steps from the ORG and along the jeepney route too. Also nearer to the airport, the new city hall (and Mega Square), a Mercury Drug and the better restaurants and restobars of the city. Of course away from the barbecue smoke that envelops Hotel Castro from sundown to sunrise hahaha! I have a story… Approaching front desk, the uniformed girls chimed an enthusiastic good morning. At first one of them asked if I was part of ‘the group’ they were expecting and immediately followed it with “dumating na ang flight? Ang aga naman!”. I said I was alone and called up just a few minutes ago for reservations. Another girl replied calling out my name saying “we are very sorry for such an experience in Cotabato City”. Hey, being a customer service advocate, I loved what she just said and noted t...

This was that smaller edifice I’ve been passing by yesterday and earlier in the morning when I went to see the new city hall. Its just before and beside the city hall if you are coming from city center. Not that there was something of note I learned and needed to see about this place. The building just looked too attractive to me to not drop by, and since I was already in the area, I decided to go and see more of it for myself. While signages refer to it as MC Square, I learned that its official name is Mega Square. Some kind of a mall or commercial square. Yes the building looks beautifully designed. I was surprised to chance upon a marker on its wall saying that the place “was built with the assistance of the American people though USAID”. Hmm, they build tiangge centers too? What’s next? A DVD square or another ‘barter’ market at another place in this country? Hmm, new realization for me! I was wrong to have assumed that the USAID only does schools, bridges, hospitals or highways. ...