Philippines Travel Assistant

Philippines Travel Beaches to Visit

2009-03-21T19:49:00.001-07:00

The Philippines has some of the finest beaches in the world.

EL NIDO, PALAWAN

Occupying an area of 96,000 hectares, this popular nature spot boasts of diverse ecosystems such as rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs. It is now one of the country’s premier destinations. Blessed with extraordinary natural scenery, El Nido is the sanctuary for various forms of wildlife. Countless varieties of fish are also found here. Manta rays are a common sight; when in season, divers may see one of the world’s rarest marine mammals, the sea cow (known locally as "dugong").

HONDA BAY, PALAWAN

The bay which is located at Sta. Lourdes, Puerto Princesa City is dotted with many small islands and islets, with shallow reefs bordering fine white sand beaches, which have become the favorite swimming, snorkeling and diving destinations.

PANGLAO BEACH, BOHOL

Panglao island’s shoreline is covered with fine, white sand and its pristine azure waters never fail to entice visitors to take a dip. Picnikers and tourist can take their pic from a number of resort that dot the entire island.

WHITE BEACH, BORACAY

Probably the most famous stretch of beach in the country, White Beach lies on the west coast, between the village of Angol and Balabag. During the summer and the Philippine's holyweek (spring time in the states), as much as Panama City beach is the spring capital for college students, boracay becomes beach party central as well. Acclaimed as one of the finest beaches in Asia, White Beach features bright, fine sand and clear, shalow waters. Over 100 beach resorts can be found on its 3.5 kilometers.

Manila Ocean Park

2009-02-10T00:26:00.000-08:00

DISCLAIMER: This is not a sponsored post.

The Manila Ocean Park is the Philippines’ first world-class oceanarium owned by China Oceanis Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of China Oceanis Inc., a Singaporean-registered firm that has operated four oceanariums in China. The Manila Ocean Park (MOP) is currently under construction behind the historical Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park. On February 29, 2008, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (with Philippine Tourism Authority general manager Robert Dean Barbers) graced the soft opening of Manila Ocean Park (from Wikipedia.org).

BEFORE GOING TO THE PARK
Be sure to know the rules and regulations of the park. Apparently, they are implementing dress codes among its visitors. So, know the rules and regulations beforehand. Please check the website of the Manila Ocean Park for this.

Flash photography is NOT ALLOWED. For God’s sake, if you would bring a camera with you, please turn off that BLINDING FLASH for these living organisms would be extremely hurt by those flashes.

THE PARK’S VICINITY, PARKING & FLOORING
Manila Ocean Park said to be bigger than Sentosa’s Underwater World in Singapore, had its soft opening, March 1, 2008. I was there with my mom during the first few hours of the park’s soft opening. Since the park is not yet that commercialized (although Coca Cola’s logo is plastered all over the place), parking is still free. Be sure to park inside the premises of the Manila Ocean Park. If you park beside the Quirino Grandstand, be ready to encounter some men in sando who will extort money (aka “parking fee”) from you although they don’t have receipts, identification whatsoever.

Upon arriving at the vicinity of the park, you’ll be greeted by the unfinished stairs leading to the main park. I suggest that you wear rubber shoes when going to the park for the park’s flooring isn’t that flat (there are missing tiles, rough flooring, etc) and you’ll also do a lot of walking. The park’s flooring is horrible (trust me). Plus, don’t forget to watch your step! When going through the different sections of the park the floor level changes.

THE ENTRANCE FEE
The park is too crowded despite the pricey entrance fee of P400 for adults while P350 for kids below 4 ½ feet. Sadly, there are no special discounts for students (except when doing a group tour).

Since it’s the soft opening, booths of the different sponsors gave away free items like juice drink, newspapers, instant noodles and others to ticket holders. To be able to get inside the Oceanarium, the main attraction of the Manila Ocean Park, we lined up for a couple of minutes. Thank God, we did not get bored because a certain magician is performing right beside the ticket booth. The magician performed the not so cliché magic tricks.

THE OCEANARIUM
Before entering the Oceanarium, you’ll pass through a metal detector. The first section of the Oceanarium is called Agos. This section features freshwater fishes in a rainforest motif. Upon reaching the first section, you’ll be greeted by the foul smell coming from the open tanks and/or ponds. Prepare your ears for some noise pollution for an audio is being playback (about the section you’re in) on the park’s audio system while the tour guides are talking at the same time. The Oceanarium lacks information about the different species in each tank. Some tanks doesn’t even have a description about its inhabitants. You can’t rely on the tour guides for they’re always missing. Tour guides (who are quite mataray) don’t follow you through the tour instead they just stay on their designated places. In fact the only thing I heard from these tour guides are the following lines:

• “Strictly No Flash Photography”
• “No touching / tapping of the aquariums”
• Welcome to _____________ (insert name of the section)”

Don’t expect too much from the Oceanarium for it’s full of aquariums with cloudy water. Yes, the water in the tanks isn’t that crystal clear so you need to have good eyesight to appreciate the tanks. And please be considerate to the other park goers. If you’re taking a picture of a certain fish / tank, don’t place your camera / camera phones 1cm away from the tank for you are obstructing the other park goers’ view. And also, don’t stay on a specific tank for hours.

Don’t be surprised to see dead fish floating around the tanks this is normal. Most saltwater fishes easily die if the water condition is not that stable. I used to own a marine tank before so I know this. Exposed water filters are normal for bigger tanks, and they spoil the view a lot.

It is saddening how Manila Ocean Park placed artificially colored corals and ornaments just to make the tanks look good aesthetically without knowing that this could harm the fishes. You can easily spot artificial corals and you can see that they used epoxy clay to glue the artificial corals on rocks.

I don’t know if I missed a section of the park but I didn’t see any jellyfish in their tanks.

There are a lot of open tanks found within the Oceanarium. I just hope that people won’t place their hands in the tank, spit into the tank, throw foreign bodies to the thank and others.

There is a part where people could touch the starfishes. I just can’t imagine how much stress would these little starfishes need to bare if they would be touched more or less 100 times / day.

THE TUNNEL
The main attraction of the Oceanarium is the 25-meter walkway tunnel with a 220-degree curved acrylic wall like the one seen in Ocean Park Hongkong and other ocean parks in Asia. The cloudy and whitish water spoils the view from the tunnel very much. I cannot imagine that 25 meters is really short (I was disappointed).

THE 2nd FLOOR
The second floor is where you could buy feeds for the stingrays and have a fish spa. It also houses the souvenir shop, which sells MOP (Manila Ocean Park) T-shirts and others. Take note that when you go up the 2nd floor, you can’t enter the main Oceanarium anymore.

RECOMMENDATION/S
I highly recommend that people should not visit the Ocean Park this soon as the park is not yet that developed (maybe wait for a couple of months before visiting to allow the park to develop first). A lot of constructions are still on going within the park. You don’t want to get disappointed right?

To the Manila Ocean Park Administration, please schedule the cleaning of the tanks when there are only a few people inside. People doesn’t want to see someone cleaning the tanks while they’re trying to appreciate the beauty of the tanks. Please do make the information handy to the visitors by putting more “information board (whatever you call it)” around the park. The park has still a lot of flaws and lacks a lot of things. I do hope that these flaws would be rectified very soon.

(Source: www.brinknotes.org)

A Philippines Travel Must Do - Diving

2009-01-11T23:09:00.000-08:00

The Philippines has sensational spots for the hardcore diver, which, if you like making a journal of your adventures, make for great travel writing for your personal blog.

Here are the more popular locations for diving in the Philippines

BORACAY

Many diving schools on Boracay cater to the beginner and the experienced diver alike. Most provide courses tailored to the time limits of your visit. Numerous dive shops offer PADI instruction and fun dives, including equipment rental; here are just a few:

Crocodile Island

Lying to the south-east of Boracay Island, Crocodile Island is a popular venue for divers. It offers a small wall which has a lot of channels to explore, and a cave overflowing with wrasse. The reef top is at around 10m, and the wall drops off to around 24m. There is a good variety of hard and soft corals here, which attracts lots of reef fish, though not many pelagics.

Laurel Island

Laurel Island's south side drops off into the channel between Caticlan and Boracay, and the current rushing through here can be extremely strong. The flipside is that this same current provides the nutrients that feed the prolific corals encrusting the colourful walls. There is an 8m-long cave at the tip of the island that is liberally covered with yellow and orange polyps and is well worth a swim through.

Yapak Wall

Known also as Diniwid Point or Big Blue, this is the most popular and impressive dive site on the island. Located off the rocky north coast of Boracay, it is unfortunately rather deep (you come onto the wall at about 30m, unless you miss it completely-check your depth to avoid a one-way trip to the bottom). The weather is often rough and the current strong, but the marine life is really incredible. Stunning gorgonians and soft corals carpet the wall, and the passing parade of pelagics can be quite remarkable. Mantas, hammerhead, white-tip and black-tip sharks, tuna, wahoo, jacks and barracuda are all frequent visitors to Yapak. Obviously, this is not for the inexperienced diver.

The Bat Caves

This is a string of caves that lead to a huge cavern inhabited by fruit bats, and it's a good choice for more adventurous and well-qualified divers. There's marine life in the tunnel walls too, with the sea-snakes making a stronger impression on many than the bats do! You do need to be comfortable diving in an enclosed space though, and have plenty of confidence in your equipment.

Friday's Rock

This dive takes you to several coral gardens towards the westernmost point of the island where there is an underwater mountain also known as Sunken Island. Local dive guides have established a number of fish feeding stations here which are worth a look as they attract quite a lot of fish, but beware of the current.

Cathedral Cave

To the north of Boracay, across an often-bumpy passage, is Carabao Island, home to one of the area's better dives, the Cathedral Cave (28m). Shafts of light penetrate the ceiling, creating a stunning light show and highlighting the groupers and soldierfishes which are prevalent here. There are some big fish around, and clams too.

CEBU

Mactan Island

The diving around Mactan Island-the popular tourist destination close to Cebu City - has suffered considerably over the years from the effects of widespread pollution and dynamite fishing. A stupendous wall drops off to very deep water a few metres out from the shoreline, but in many places it is not even worth the effort to explore because of the damage that has been done.

Some of the best sites include the House Reef at Kon Tiki, which has been carefully protected and nurtured over the years by the folks at Kon Tiki Resort. The wall is encrusted with hard and soft corals with some impressive gorgonians between 10-20m. The Marigondon Cave is another worthwhile dive, but it is a little deeper than most recreational dives as the entrance is around 42m, with the ceiling at 35m. At the end of the cave, there is a small crevice filled with hundreds of flashlight fish. The luminous patch under their eyes seem to flash on and off as they twist and turn in the dark, and to divers peering in through the narrow opening, they look like dozens of eyes flickering in the dark. It all makes for quite a trip.

Cabilao Island

Cabilao Island-situated in the Cebu Strait, 2.5 hours south of Cebu by banca - is actually closer to the coast of Bohol. Cabilao is renowned for the hammerhead sharks which shoal around the clear waters of the island in about 40m of water from December to June. In addition, there are several coral dives just off the coast from the lighthouse which are very impressive in their own right. The reef is cracked in many places, and there are several impressive overhangs along the walls. Large pelagics are very common at Cabilao, and if you're really lucky you can find yourself swimming with a passing school of dolphins.

As logistics have improved tremendously over the past few years, the word has got out that the excellent dives around Calibao are well worth travelling for. Its more than likely that you'll meet 15 or 20 other boats full of divers also enjoying the exceptional diving here and the other popular Visayan sites such as Apo and Balicasag Islands.

Moalboal

About a third of the way up the west coast of Cebu is the sleepy little market town of Moalboal. About 5km outside the town, down a dusty track, is a place named Panagsama Beach. This was one of the first places scuba diving caught on in the Philippines, and in the early 1980s, was one of the most popular and highly regarded diving destinations in Asia, and dive resorts sprang up all along the adjacent coast.

One key reason for the area's popularity is that you can dive straight off Panagsama Beach. All you need to do is swim out a few metres and drop down onto a beautiful, sloping wall that descends to 35m. It's home to an extraordinary array of coral, anemones, sponges and a swarming host of brightly coloured reef fish.

PALAWAN

Coron Bay

Coron Bay is famous for its wreck diving. In 1944, Admiral "Bull" Halsey, heading north with his fleet and lacking decent charts of the area, ordered his aircraft aloft to scout the Galamian Group of islands. After comparing aerial photographs of Coron Bay, a sharp-eyed navigator noticed that some of the "islands" had changed position between scouting runs.

Realizing that these were in fact camouflaged vessels, Halsey immediately ordered an air strike. The US Navy aviators destroyed 24 Japanese ships. Today, 12 of these wrecks have been discovered in depths of 10-40m and are visited by the growing number of dive operators in and around the Coron Bay area. One drawback is that the visibility in the area can sometimes be quite poor, but this will hardly deter the chardcore wreck enthusiast.

Exploratory Wreck Diving

The wrecks are very impressive and each takes several dives to explore thoroughly. One trip to Coron Bay is seldom enough. Perhaps the most impressive site is theAkitisushima, a 200m flying boat tender, lying on its side in 26-38m of water. The flying boat has never been found, but the huge davit used to lower it into and raise it from the water remains, dug deep into the sand at 38m. Shoals of barracuda prowl around the periphery of the site and the wreck itself has a wide assortment of residents, ranging from lapu lapu and sweetlips to snapper and batfish.

Freshwater Lakes and Mammals

Other sites around Coron include Barracuda Lake, a freshwater lake with a halocline (a division between fresh water and salt water) at around 14m. Accessible only by hiking with all your gear for 5-10mins along a tricky limestone path, the lake is notable for the strange physical sensations it engenders in a diver. The fresh water at the top is much colder than the denser salt water below and there is any number of thermoclines encountered the deeper you go.

The source of the lake's name, a solitary, toothy barracuda, often arrives in the middle of a dive to greet divers and swim with them, seemingly keeping a watchful eye on its visitors. Crayfish, rabbitfish, garoupa and cattish are frequently encountered, presumably finding their way into this weird microcosm by being siphoned in from the surrounding ocean through cracks in the lake's wall.

Dugong (sea cows), although rare, can sometimes be found grazing on beds of sea grass, often in murky waters close to shore. The area around Club Paradise is reputed to be the most likely place for a diver to encounter these placid mammals, but they are found throughout the Calamian Group.

El Nido

Southwest from Coron on Palawan Island's northwest coast is El Nido - named after the swallow from whose nests the famous "bird's nest" soup is made. This is another of Palawan's premier dive destinations. The scenery of the limestone islands dotted around the surrounding Bacuit Bay is stunning, both above and beneath the water.

El Nido is protected from all but the worst of the seasonal storms and is blessed with clear, calm waters for most of the year. It is basically a year-round site. Beneath the surface, wonderful walls and coral gardens await discovery. Most divemasters have their own favourite sites but the following are just a few that every diver should visit.

Port Barton

Port Barton is further down the west coast of Palawan Island from El Nido. It is another up-and-coming destination with some excellent, easily accessible diving. Urs Buchler, a long-time German resident of Palawan, has run the El Busero dive resort in Port Barton since 1986. Buchler is a GMAS and ADS instructor and is arguably the most knowledgeable person on diving in this area. There are only two other resorts in the vicinity. In 1997, two more dive operators opened.

The diving around Port Barton comprises mostly coral reefs and sunken islands, or shoals. Pelagics are not as common. Maximum depths rarely exceed 40m and the diving is year round, with the best season being between March and August. Currents are usually slight or negligible at most of the sites.

PUERTO PRINCESA

Puerto Princesa is the jumping-off point for liveaboard vessels visiting Tubbataha Reef and other sites in the Sulu Sea. A selection of other less luxurious but practical vessels ply the Sulu Sea between February and June, ferrying budget-conscious divers out to the world-class diving a hundred or so miles away. The Trattoria Pensione and restaurant on Rizal Avenue is a good place to network and to pick up information on new resorts and dive sites and trips to Tubbataha and the Sulu Sea, and to reserve transportation north or south.

The best diving around Puerto Princesa is in Puerto Bay, south of the city. Most local dive shops can arrange day-trips for US$50-75, which include two dives and equipment hire. The bay's proximity to Puerto Princesa means that it is heavily fished and has been damaged in the past by dynamite and cyanide fishing, both of which are now illegal in the Philippines.

Puerto Princesa is the jumping-off point for liveaboard vessels visiting sites in the Sulu Sea. (Also see the Frontier Diving section.)

BOHOL

Around Bohol, the most popular diving destination is Panglao Island, over the causeway from the capital, Tagbilaran. Of the four beaches on Panglao (Alona, Mormao, Doljo and Gikini), Alona is the only one with a sizeable diving infrastructure.

Dives around Panglao Island include Arco Point, near the Bohol Beach Club, which has a tunnel through the reef at a depth of 8-18m. A colony of sea snakes here can make life interesting. Other sites on the reefs on the north and west sides of the island have walls, drop-offs, coral gardens and impressive coral growth and marine life.

Balicasag Island - situated 20km from Alona beach-is one of the very best dives in the Visayas, and also one of the most popular. These days, it is normal to see over a dozen other dive boats originating from all across the Visayas, as well as liveaboard vessels that have increasingly taken to operating in the 'Visayan Safari Triangle'. Virtually anywhere you drop in is sure to be rewarding: the following are just a few of the more popular sites.

A black coral forest is one of the main attractions of Balicasag. This is especially true in this case as there is a rare outcropping of black coral-which normally grows at depths below 50m-at 30m. Moorish idols, batfish and other reef fish fin sedately through the forest, as can divers if they take care not to cause damage or create any disturbance.

Turtle Point is named after the turtles which shelter in the caves 18-20m down the wall. The wall itself is covered with feather stars and great numbers of tropical reef fish. The turtles are understandably shy and you have to be patient and perhaps a little lucky to see them. However, it's well worth the effort as some of them are huge. The dive itself is visually beautiful anyway, and so to discover turtles is an exciting bonus rather than essential to the enjoyment of diving at this site.

The Cathedral Wall is another excellent dive site with a profusion of cracks and crevices that require a flashlight to explore. Pelagics hang off the wall in the current, and clouds of reef fish dart in and out of the profuse hard and soft corals, and sponges.

Pamilican Island, about a one hour boat ride from Alona Beach, means 'resting place of the mantas' in the local dialect, and you may be lucky enough to see one. You will definitely get to see the impressive gorgonians, tunicates, sponges and anemones in the marine sanctuary on the northwest side of the island.

Bohol Diver's Lodge, Alona Divers, Sea Quest, Sea Explorers, Sharky's Divers, Atlantis and Genesis all visit the dive sites around Panglao as well as the other pearls of the Visayas close by, including Balicasag, Pamilican, Cabilao and Apo Island. Accommodation on Alona Beach is very reasonably priced, although relatively basic. The big developers liave so far left Alona alone, and because of this the area has a seductively rural appeal-but for how long? Go sooner rather than later.

The price of scuba and Nitrox courses, and of equipment rentals from the operators on Alona Beach are both fairly similar to the costs at Moalboal. To get to Panglao from Cebu, take a fast ferry to Tagbilaran-which runs quite frequently-then take a taxi or jeepney (much slower) to Alona Beach. As long as it's not high season, you can arrange accommodation when you get there.

SUBIC BAY

Definitely the best all-around diving along the coast, Subic also has the best infrastructure and facilities, with the major pull being the wrecks. The star attraction is the USS New York, a battleship scuttled during World War II, to keep her 17in main guns from falling into the hands of the Japanese. A rare, fine example of an 1899 dreadnought, she lies on her port side in 27m of water, cannons intact.

A standard dive starts at the stern with a swim around the propellers and up to the aft gun emplacements. You enter the wreck amidships for a check around the vast mess room, exit again, then re-enter the bow section for another spell. There's an abundance of marine life in and around the wreck, and this, combined with the clearly defined structure of the vessel, makes it a truly unforgettable diving experience.

The El Capitan is another great dive. This 130m-long, 3000-tonne freighter went down in the mouth of Ilanin Bay. In the dry season, visibility is good, and as the top of the wreck is just 12m below the surface it's an easy dive.

Although the wreck is not in great shape, this is compensated for by the incredible array of marine life, and a swim-through amid shafts of light beaming down through gaping holes in the side. The San Quentin is the oldest known wreck in Subic. This wooden gunboat was scuttled in the Spanish-American War in 1898 in a futile attempt to prevent the US Navy entering the channel between the Grande and Chiquita islands.

This is one of the more popular dives, though there's little left of the hull. The popularity is not because of visual impact, but more because of the wreck's historical past.

Because it's situated closer to the open sea, visibility is better than you would normally find on the wrecks in the inner harbour, and the fish tend to be bigger here also.

Among the many other wrecks worth seeing is the Oryoku Maru, the "Hell Ship" which sunk in an air attack with more than 1600 American POWs on board.

Subic also has some good coral dives. Grande Island, formerly an exclusive US military R&R resort, has some worthwhile wall diving, and Triboa Bay has a good coral garden at Nabasan Point.

The best time to dive in Subic is between February and June, which are the driest months in the year. In the wet months, rainfall causes run-off from the hills which will affect the visibility of the water.

There's plenty of accommodation of every price between Olongapo City and Barrio Barretto, a popular laid-back tourist retreat. Subic also has the oldest established recompression chamber in the Philippines, one of only three available to sport divers (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Tagaytay

2009-01-11T03:56:00.000-08:00

Tagaytay is a rustic town in the province of Cavite, located on a mountain ridge, 2,250 feet above sea level. From Tagaytay's heights, one can look into Taal Volcano as it sits placidly in the middle of Taal Lake. The town's temperature is a pleasantly cool 26ºC and rises to about 29ºC in the warm summer months. It is a mere one-hour ride away from Metro Manila.

ATTRACTIONS

It is dubbed as "Tourist City," what with the hundreds of thousands of local and foreign visitors that troop there every year. Tagaytay is often the first out-of-town destination for travelers, especially in May when it celebrates its colorful Flores de Mayo.

A nippy wind greets travelers as the climb to Tagaytay Ridge begins. A rare visual feast surprises the eye. A panorama of flowers like bougainvillea, daisies, sunflowers and chrysanthemums explode in a riot of colors. Roadside stalls sell delicious tropical fruits like mango, guyabano, santol, chico and papaya (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Subic

2009-01-11T03:47:00.000-08:00

There's something about Subic Bay that makes you want to stay. It could be the history and civilization. It could be the warmth of the people. It could be the relaxed pace. The sea breeze. The food. Whatever it may be, Subic will captivate you and you will find yourself exhilarated with bliss.

Strategically positioned in the dynamic Asia Pacific Region, Subic Bay occupies a 60,000 hectare complex including some areas of its neighbors - Zambales and Bataan.
Subic is a shining jewel in Central Luzon, geographically located 110 kilometers northwest of Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

GEOGRAPHY

Subic Bay Freeport (SBF) is located southwest of the Luzon Island in the Philippines. The harbor is sandwiched by the Zambales Mountain Range at the east and the Subic Bay at the west and opens up to the South China Sea. It is northwest of the Bataan Peninsula and southwest of the Zambales Province. SBF is 110 kilometers north of Manila. Manila Bay and the Bataan Peninsula separate SBF from Manila. The mountain ranges around the Subic Bay area and the deep natural harbor provide excellent and protected anchorage. In addition, these features make SBF naturally sheltered from typhoons as well as from the effects of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

SBF belongs to Region III or the Central Luzon Region. It is one of the points in the growth triangle and is an engine for economic development in the region. SBF is a supplier of services and products for the Central Luzon Development Program (CLDP), a regional growth area composed of the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan, and Zambales.

CLIMATE

Like the rest of the Philippines, the climate in SBF is tropical. There are two seasons: dry, from November to May, and wet, from June to October. The climate is without extremes. Average temperature is 80 degrees Farenheit or 26 degrees Celsius.

POPULATION

The population in SBF is estimated at 3,000. Right next to SBF is Olongapo City with a population of approximately 200,000. The adjacent provinces to SBF, Bataan and Zambales, have populations of 491,459 and 569,266 respectively as of 1995. Region III or Central Luzon, encompassing the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan, and Zambales, has a combined population of 6.9 million as of 1995.

Puerto Princesa

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Legend attributes the name “Puerto Princesa” to a princess-like maiden who in the early days is said to have roamed around the place on certain nights of the year. On the other hand, practical people attribute the name to the geographical advantages of the place as a seaport – naturally protected the whole year round and endowed with a depth that can accommodate any size of shipping – a royal heaven for vessels or a virtual princess of ports as thus indicated by Spanish Colonizers on the country’s map.

Historically, the place was named after Princess Eulalia of Spain, born in 1864 to Queen Isabel II and her consort, Dr. Francisco de Asis. When the princess suffered an untimely death, the Queen changed the name to Puerto de la Princesa. Eventually, the name was reduced to Puerto Princesa as it is known today.

Spanish Colonizers founded the settlement on March 4, 1872 in the course of their exploration of the province. As they scanned the Palawan shoreline for a capital site, they came upon a hill with steep declivity. Rowing to shore, they surveyed the hill and discovered an extensive plateau which they decided as ideal for settlement.

Soon after, Fr. Antonio Muro levelled a portion of the hill to make way for a chapel. (That section is now occupied by the Catholic Cathedral, the P.C. Barracks and the Rizal Park. The Old Municipal Building used to be there, as well as an Elementary School). The first mass celebrated in Puerto Princesa took place at a site where a marker now stands.

In May 1872, the port became the center of Spanish Naval Operations in the area because the few natives were peaceful and the Bay met all the Navy’s requirements. Royal Decrees later provided incentives to settlers, such that by 1883 settlement had flourished into a town of twelve roads, a hospital and well built port.

In 1894, Puerto Princesa was recognized by government authorities as one of the most beautiful towns in the country by virtue of the orderly distribution of streets, buildings and houses as well as the cleanliness of the community.

In 1911, the New American Administration made Puerto Princesa the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government with Major John Brown as Lieutenant Governor.

The town was converted into a city on January 1, 1970 under R.A. 5906 as amended by P.D. 437, through the effort of then Congressman Ramon V. Mitra, Jr. Feliberto R. Oliveros, Jr. became the first City Mayor.

Since its foundation, Puerto Princesa has been the nerve center of activities in Palawan. Aside from being the seat of public administration, it is the heart of trade, commerce, service, and industry in the province.

Today, under the leadership of Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn, the City has gained the distinction of being a model city – in cleanliness, environmental protection and conservation, and local governance in general.

And so, with a responsive leadership and an inspired citizenry, the tradition of Puerto Princesa being a beautiful and clean city lives on (Source: visitpuertoprincesa.com).

Pampanga

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Pampanga was the first province in the island of Luzon inaugurated by the Spaniards. It was founded on December 11, 1571 in the same year the City of Manila was established by Spanish Governor Miguel Lopez de Legaspi as the seat of national government. For governmental control and taxation purposes, the Spanish authorities subdivided the province into towns (pueblos) which were further subdivided into districts (barrios) and in some cases into royal and private estates.

Due to excessive abuses committed by some grantees of private estates, the King of Spain prohibited in 1574 the awarding of private estates (encomiendas). However, the royal decree was not fully enforced until the year 1620. In a report of Philippine encomiendas on June 20, 1591, Spanish Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas reported to the King of Spain that La Pampanga's encomiendas were Batan, Bitis y Lubao, Macabebe, Candava, Apali, Calompit, Malolos, Binto, Guiguinto, Caluya, Bulacan and Mecabayan. The encomiendas of La Pampanga at that time had eighteen thousand six hundred and eighty whole tributes, or seventy-four thousand seven hundred and twenty souls.

Pampanga is now about 850 square miles (2,181 square kilometers) in land area and inhabited by about 1,636,000 people (per the 1995 Philippine National Census). As other Luzon provinces were created due to increases in population, some well-established Pampanga towns were lost to new emerging provinces in Central Luzon.

The historic province of Bataan which was founded in 1754 under the administration of Spanish Governor General Pedro Manuel Arandia, absorbed from the province of Pampanga the municipalities of Abucay, Balanga, Dinalupihan, Llana Hermosa, Orani, Orion, Pilar, and Samal.

The old Pampanga towns of Aliaga, Cabiao, Gapan, San Antonio and San Isidro were ceded to the province of Nueva Ecija in 1848 during the term of Spanish Governor-General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua. Claveria was best remembered for issuing memorable decrees during his incumbency. One of Claveria's history-making decrees was issued on August 16, 1844, which ordered that Tuesday, December 31, 1844 should be officially considered as Wednesday, January 1, 1845 thus eliminating December 31, 1844 from the Philippine calendar. There were no births nor deaths officially registered in the Philippines on that date.

On November 11, 1849, Claveria issued a decree to systematize the selection and registration of names of the Filipino people. The decree called for Filipinos to have first names and surnames. It should be recalled that the early Filipinos usually have only one name like Lakandula, Soliman, Lapulapu, Humabon. The decree included a list of Spanish surnames which were adopted by some Filipinos while others opted for Filipino last names instead. Today, many Filipinos have Spanish family names like Arnedo, Bonifacio, David, Escaler, Fausto, Gonzalez, Gutierrez, Hernandez, Ibarra, Inventor, Joven, Lopez, Lorenzo, Marquez, Mercado, Navarro, Pineda, Regala, Reyes, Rodriguez, Ronquillo, Ventura, Simon, Torres, Vargas, Vergara, Zuniga, etc.

The municipality of San Miguel de Mayumo of Pampanga was yielded to the province of Bulacan in the same provincial boundary configuration in 1848.

Palawan

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Palawan is the country's biggest province and is composed of 1,768 islands and islets surrounded by a coral shelf with an exceptionally rich marine life. An anchor tourist destination, Palawan is one of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago. Unique to Palawan is its megadiversity.

Puerto Princesa prides itself as the cleanest city in the Philippines. The most beautiful place in Palawan is the isolated island of El Nido with its incredibly astonishing seascapes. El Nido is a secluded group of islands east of Puerto Princesa, Palawan's capital city, and is virtually cut off from the mainland by three bodies of water - Luzon Sea to the north, the China Sea to the east and the Sulu Sea to the west.

Towering midnight cliffs that jut thousands of feet above mirror flat emerald waters are El Nido's most distinguishing feature. The black marble and limestone cliffs contain large caves with whimsical names like Cathedral Cave and Disco Cave because of their formation. Many of the islands have hidden lagoons sheltered by limestone crags. When in season, divers often encounter the rare sea cow, or dugong. Everybody else takes the sea ferry to this picturesque fishing town.

St. Paul National Park is Palawan's most popular attraction and covers 5,349 hectares of lush forest, dark mountains, caves and white beaches. The Park is inscribed in the World Heritage List.

Tabon Caves are the oldest known habitation site in Southeast Asia. Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park is the country's largest marine habitat. It hosts giant manta rays, sea turtles and hundreds of reef fish species. The drought and civil strife that struck Kenya in 1977 brought some 108 African wild animals to Calauit Island.
The Calauit Island Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 3,700 hectares and is home to both endemic and African animals (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Ormoc

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BRIEF HISTORY

Leyte has a colorful history. By 1768, Leyte, now separated from Samar, became a politico-military province. On May 22, 1959, the province was divided into Leyte and southern Leyte.

SOME TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Leyte Provincial Capitol - Located on Sen. Eñage Street fronting Plaza Libertad and the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban. Built in 1907, it is the seat of the provincial government of Leyte. Sturdy mansion where Gen. Mac Arthur put up his official headquarters and residence when he came with the Liberation forces in October 20, 1944.

Mac Arthur Leyte Landing Memorial - Located on Red Beach, Palo Leyte can be reached by public transport or any private vehicle. Monument marking the spot where Gen. Mac Arthur landed with the Liberation Forces; lagoon where the statues of the life-size stand; beautiful beach; panoramic view of Leyte Gulf and Samar Island.

Hill 120 - Located in Dulag. 8. Battle of Baluarte Marker Located at Baluarte, Bgy.

Hilongos Bell Tower - Located in Hilongos, it is the highest existing bell built during the Spanish era; historic viewing.

Japanese War Memorial Cemetery - Located at Bgy. San Diego (Buraueun) Site of one of the fiercest battles fought in Leyte for the liberation; Japanese cemetery frequently visited by memorial tour groups (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Laoag

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Time-locked Ilocos is a broad hardy country blessed with impressive wide highways and stretches of narrow cobblestoned roads, antiquated towns dominated by heavily-buttressed grand churches and Antillan ancestral homes, and a brave people who, by sheer industry, harnessed a formidable terrain into a source of sustenance.

Divided into Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, their capitals - Vigan and Laoag City - are anchor tourist destinations and part of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago.

OLD WORLD CITY

Standing on an elevation west of the cathedral is Plaza Salcedo, the oldest monument in Northern Luzon. GATEWAY OF THE NORTH

Laoag City, today, is the major crossroads for international trade and commerce in the Ilocos region. Like in Vigan, the calesa is an integral part of the street landscape.

A HARDY BUT BEAUTIFUL LAND

Ilocos has many churches of distinction which include two that are inscribed in the World Heritage List. In Ilocos Sur is the salmon-bricked Santa Maria Church. Built in 1769, it sits atop a hill towering over the town proper. In Ilocos Norte is Paoay Church. The town's savage seascape has been immortalized in the films of Philippine Action King Fernando Poe, Jr. The town church is an architectural gem combining Baroque with Gothic motifs.

Currimao has a burgeoning beach resort industry. The town of Pagudpud offers a breathtaking landscape which includes the enchanting Bantay Abot-abot, a natural sculpture carved by the wind and sea, the white sand Saud beach and the majestic Mabogabog Falls. ISLAND FLAVORS

Bitter-flavored dishes are part of the Ilocano cuisine. The town plaza and the marketplace are the best places to savor local flavors (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

La Union

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TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Basic Ridge. Located 9 kilometers northeast of San Fernando town proper through the Imperial Army in the province. Wallace Air Station. This 101 hectares of base land located at the end of Poro Point in San Fernando was acquired in 1903 for the United States Cavalry. Battle of San Fernando Marker. San Fernando is 264 kilometers north of Manila.

Luna Watchtower. Baroro Bridge Marker. The marker stands at the southern approach of the bridge approximately 14 kilometers north of San Fernando.
USAFIP, NL Military Shrine and Park. Cultural

Museo de La Union. Located at the Provincial Capitol ground in San Fernando, the Museum showcases archeological finds in La Union during the pre-Spanish period. Taboc is about 9 kilometers away from San Fernando.

This age-old practice of weaving wider Ilocano blankets is a prime home industry in Bangar. Bauang Beach. The beach is 6 kilometers south of San Fernando.

San Francisco-Canaoay-Pagudpud Beach. Tourism related establishments dot the beach area in San Fernando.

San Juan Beach. Approximately 8 kilometers north of San Fernando, the beach stretching from Urbiztondo to Ili Norte is dotted with tourism-related establishments. Agoo-Damortis National Seashore Park. Religious

The Agoo Basilica enshrines the miraculous image of Our Lady of Charity. Shrine of

Our Lady of Namacpacan. The shrine is located at the town proper of Luna, approximately 40 kilometers northwest of San Fernando.

Agoo Apparition Site. Macho Temple. This Chinese temple believed to be the only one built with five gates, sits on a promontory north of the town proper of San Fernando and overlooks the San Fernando Bay. Marcos Park. La Union Botanical and Zoological Garden. Located in Sitio Japan, Cadaclan, San Fernando, the development of the garden is ongoing to include amenities.

Agoo Semana Santa. San Fernando Town Fiesta. Surfing - The surf fronting Monaliza in Urbiztondo, San Juan is the best site for board surfing from November to February.

Other recommended sites are in Carlatan and Wallace in San Fernando.

Trekking time starts in October. Scuba Diving - Fagg Reef. Research Reef - Adjacent to the Bauang Beach, the Research Reef has tunnels, caverns and crevices. Golf - Wallace Golf Course (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

ILOILO

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Iloilo, the second oldest city in the country, is also known as the "Queen City of the South." Irong-Irong or Ilong-Ilong which the Spaniards later shortened to Iloilo later became the capital of the province.

THINGS TO DO AND SEE
1.Plaza Libertad - Located in Iloilo City.
2. La Villa de Arevalo - Located 6 km Southwest of Iloilo City.
3. Jaro - Located 3 km From the city proper.
4. Santa Barbara Golf Course - Located 16 km North of Iloilo City. Siwaragan, San Joaquin, Iloilo.
5. Imbidayan Rock - Located in Brgy. Sinugbuhan, San Joaquin, Iloilo. Religious
Miag-ao Church - Located in Miag-ao town.
6. Molo Church - Located 3 km From the city proper.
7. Jaro Cathedral - Located 3 km From the city proper.

Cultural

Museo Iloilo and Antique Collection - Located in Iloilo City proper. Repository of Iloilo's cultural heritage.

Rosendo Mejica Museum - Located in Molo, Iloilo City. 1. Sicogon Island - Located 137 km Northeast of Iloilo City. White sand palm fringed island
Isla de Gigantes - Located 12 km East of Estancia. Where 15th c. burial caves are found.

Feast of Our Lady of Candles - Celebrated every February 2 in Jaro, Iloilo City. Bullfights staged at the hillside of San Joaquin, Iloilo (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Davao

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Endowed with a variety of picturesque landscapes, Davao's topography dazzles: Fruit plantations and orchid farms mantle volcano-fed hills and valleys. Virgin forests nurture rare wildlife.

A CITY THAT STRADDLES TWO WORLDS

"Kadayawan sa Dabaw" is Davao City's premier festival and showcases the natural and cultural bounty of the land.

Agriculture-based industries thrive in the Davao region. The world's largest city in terms of land area, Davao covers all of 244,000 hectares.

An endangered species, the world's largest eagle has found refuge at the Philippine Eagle Research and Nature Center in the Malagos rainforest in Calinan, 45 minutes away from downtown Davao.

The waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana) has since been successfully transplanted from its natural environment and cultivated in many of Davao's flower farms.

ISLAND ADVENTURE

More tribal art and material culture can be gleaned at the nearby Davao Museum.
For more farm visits, go to the Bago Oshiro Experimental Station in Mintal, Derling Worldwide Orchid Corporation in Buhangin, Greenhills Orchid Farm in Catalunan Pequeño, Puentespina Orchid Garden in Agdao, or the Malagos Garden Resort (Orchid Farm) at the Baguio district in Calinan. At the Gap Fruit Farm, one can gorge on Davao's famous sweet pomelos and oranges.
Two of the country's most popular 18-hole golf courses are found in Davao. Lanang Golf and Country Club has its fairways laid out in an estate lush with tropical fruits while Apo Golf and Country Club in Dumoy is set on a vast coconut plantation with natural hazards. (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism)

Cebu

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Cebu is an anchor tourist destination and one of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago.

The island-province of Cebu was where the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan planted the Cross of Christianity in the name of Spain in 1521. Metropolitan Cebu, the country's second biggest metropolis, is the political, economic, educational and cultural center of the Visayas. The rest of Cebu's 166 islands and islets are fringed with sandy beaches and sapphire-clear waters teeming with marine life, perfect for divers.

FIESTA EXTRAVAGANZA
Cebu shows us how. The Sinulog is Cebu's biggest and showiest fiesta in honor of the Infant Jesus or Señor Santo Niño. Viva Santo Niño!"

The festival is celebrated every April 27 in Lapu-lapu City at the beach area where the Portuguese voyager met his death.

In December, Cebu culminates its fiesta celebrations with the month-long Paskuhan, a festival of Christmas songs and lantern displays.

CITY SIGHTS

Cebu takes pride in being the country's oldest colonial city. From mainland Cebu, Magellan crossed the channel to the island of Mactan in an effort to spread Christianity. Fort San Pedro, located at Cebu City's wharf area, was the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the country. Colon, the country's oldest street, was built at the Parian or Chinese District. Located at the center of the boulevard is Fuente Osmeña, named after Cebu's Grand Old Man, the late Commonwealth President Sergio Osmeña, Sr. A favorite strolling park among locals, the circular Fuente becomes even more alive in the evenings. The Southwestern University Museum located on the Urgello Private Road, takes pride in its large collection of pre-colonial and colonial artifacts as well as its Filipiniana Research Center. CITY LIGHTS

Evenings are hot in cool Cebu. Cebu is a premier entertainment center.

ISLAND ADVENTURE

For the island-hopper, Cebu is one exciting playground for daring expeditions. A wildlife sanctuary, the island supports the largest concentration of migratory birds in the country.

There is also the Club Filipino Golf Course in Danao City, some 33 kilometers drive from Cebu City.

Cavite

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Cavite province is rich in culture and history. Imus, Cavite is the site where the first successful Philippine revolution was waged. The crowning glory of Cavite is Tagaytay City , the so called "town in the ridges."

BRIEF HISTORY

Cavite, the name of the province, is derived from "Kawit", a Tagalog word for "hook". The land was known as "Tangway" where Spanish authorities evolved a fort from which the city of Cavite grew.

Archaeological evidence in the coastal areas of Cavite show prehistoric settlements. Folklore says that the earliest settlers of Cavite were from Borneo. In the 1600's encomiendas or Spanish royal land grants were given in Cavite and Maragondon. In 1872, Filipinos revolted against Spain (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Cagayan de Oro

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Dubbed as the "City of Golden Friendship," Cagayan de Oro City is located along Macalajar Bay in the Central Coast of Northern Mindanao and serves as a regional center for Region 10. Now, it takes pride in its latest premier attraction -the Gardens of Malasag Eco - Tourism Village.

Misamis Oriental used to be a part of Cebu. In 1818, it became a "conregimento" comprised of 4 "partidos" or divisions; namely, Partido de MIsamis, Partido de Dapitan, Partido de Cagayan and Partido de Catarman.
During the latter part of the 19th century, Misamis was one of the 6 districts of Mindanao, and later, one of the seven districts in Mindanao and Sulu at the close of the Spanish era with Cagayan de Misamis, now Cagayan de Oro, as its capital.

ATTRACTIONS

It features rows of cozy guest cottages, campground, swimming pool, picnic shed, orchidarium, mini-garden, mini-plaza, native restaurant, butterfly garden and multi-purpose hall. Gaston Park - named after the first mayor of Cagayan de Oro City, Segundo Gaston. Golden Friendship Park - stretches along the city's commercial district featuring the national heroes like Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and Ramon Magsaysay (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Boracay

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For many certified sun-worshippers the world over, paradise goes by the name Boracay. Hilly elevations up to 100 meters above sea level characterize Yapak and Manocmanoc. Whichever tale is true, Boracay has become a melting pot for beach lovers.

WHITE BEACH-- Probably the most famous stretch of beach in the country, White Beach lies on the west coast, between the villages of Angol and Balabag. Acclaimed as one of the finest beaches in Asia, White Beach features bright, fine sand and clear, shallow waters.

YAPAK-- To the bat cave! Explore the bat caves of Yapak preferably with an experienced guide in tow. To the bat cave!

PUKA SHELL BEACH-- Blissfully deserted, Puka Beach boast of fine white sand and millions of puka shells. Blissfully deserted, Puka Beach boast of fine white sand and millions of puka shells.

KAR-TIR SEA SHELL MUSEUM-- Located at the village of lli-lligan, Kar-Tir features an interesting collection of sea shells, wood carvings, pottery, hand-woven articles and traditional costumes from all over the Philippines. WATER FUN. STAR GAZING. The choices are many: White Beach, Diniwid,Balinghai Beach, Manoc-manoc Beach, and Cagban Beach among others. Stables are located near White Beach (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Bohol

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With its rolling hills and plateaus, crystal springs and beaches, the province of Bohol is a picturesque province replete with ancestral homes and centuries-old churches. The country's tenth largest island, Bohol is situated at the heart of Visayas. The Chocolate Hills is but one of the many natural wonders to be found in Bohol. The province is the home of the world's smallest monkey, the tarsier. Bohol's various mountainous and water formations also serve as a natural playground for the adventurous tourist. Bohol is just waiting to surprise you.

HERITAGE TOUR. An early Spanish settlement, the province of Bohol is filled with old churches, treelined plazas and ancestral houses.

RIVER SAFARI. Bohol's numerous hills, valleys and plateaus are ideal for hiking and cycling.

SWIMMING AND DIVING. To top off this idyllic scenery, Bohol has also been blessed with pristine white beaches and serene dive spots.

CHOCOLATE HILLS. Consisting of 1,268 haycock hills with heights ranging from 40 to 120 meters, the Chocolate Hills is a wonder of nature.

OLD CHURCHES AND OTHER RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. One of the earliest Spanish settlements, Bohol is home to the country's oldest stone church, the Baclayon Church. HINAGDANAN CAVE. BOHOL MUSEUM. Once the residence of the country's fourth president Carlos P. Garcia, the Bohol Provincial Museum in Tagbilaran is a showcase of the province's exciting history, culture and natural resources (source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Batangas

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Batangas was founded in 1581. Originally, it was composed of the present provinces of Batangas, Mindoro, Marinduque, Southeast of Laguna and even far Camarines. After several devastating eruptions of Taal Volcano, the smallest volcano in the world, the old Taal town site was buried. Numerous fine beaches have been the sought-after-sites. It was named after the mystical and fascinating Taal Lake, which was also originally called Bonbon. Some of the earliest settlements in Batangas were established at the vicinity of Taal Lake.

In 1534, Batangas became the first practically organized province in Luzon. The song and dance repertoire called "kumintang" is of Batangas origin. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
Gerthel Beach. Also located in the town of Lobo. Mahabang Buhangin Beach. Located in the town of San Juan, the area has white sand and a living colony of corals. Hugon Beach. Located in Barangay Hugon, San Juan. The sand in Hugon Beach is white and is more than one kilometer long. Tingga Falls. Located in Daang Ibaan, Batangas City. Munting Buhangin Beach. Located in Nasugbu. The area is located in a cove and offers a fine, white sand beach.

Natipunan Beach. Also located in Nasugbu. Taal Lake and Volcano. Fresh water beach, also known as the lowest volcano in the world. The Volcano Island is also ideal for trekking. It is a focal point of the province! Matabungkay Beach. A two-kilometer long white sand beach situated in the town of Lian facing the China Sea. Mt. Maculot. Located in Cuenca . One of the highest and prominent mountains in the province, it is one of the favorite sites of mountain trekkers. Calijon Falls. Located in Barangay Calijon, Malvar. The attraction consists of two major falls and two smaller ones. Mainit Hot Spring. Located in Baronage Pulang Bato, San Juan . Also located on the Island of Isla Verde . Ilijan Falls. Located in Barangay Ilijan. Bulalacao Falls. Located in Barangay Bulaklakan, Lipa City. The area has about three small falls and enclosed in a canyon, the highest is about ten feet high with the water (Source: Batangas Now).

Bataan

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Bataan was established in 1754 by Governor General Pedro Manuel Arandia. The province of Pampanga included the towns of Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Abucay, Samal, Orani, Llana Hermosa and San Juan de Dinalupihan. Limay, the twelfth town of Bataan, was named only in 1917.

Bataan was among the first provinces to rise in revolt against Spanish tyranny. Bataan then became the symbol of valor and tenacity in its hopeless stand against the much superior invading Japanese Imperial Forces. CULTURE

Most of the 424,000 people living in Bataan are Tagalogs. Recent rapid industrialization has lured thousands of people from other provinces to settle within Bataan.

Much of what the province produces is exported to Manila. The primary traditional industry of Bataan is fishing. Fall of Bataan Marker (Balanga) - This commemorates the fall of Bataan, in memory of war veterans, living and dead.

Surrender Site Marker (Balanga) - Marks the spot where the grim surrender of Bataan and Corregidor was signed by Maj. Gen. Edward King Jr., on April 9, 1942. Democracy Marker - Situated at the provincial boundary between Pampanga and Bataan which depicts the role of Bataan in the fight for freedom for the preservation of democracy.

Death March Marker (Orani) - The folk arts statue commemorating the defiant spirit of Bataan, where Death march marches passed on their way to the prison camp.
Tomas Pinpin Monument - In memory of first Filipino printer. Mt. Samat - Was the scene of the most heroic defensive battle during World War II.

The Main Battle Position (Abucay Town) - The battle possition of the USAFFE, known officially as the Abucay -Morong Line, under the War Plan Orange 3. Abucay Municipal Building - A historic relic of one of the largest town of Bataan.

Battle of Toul Pocket Marker (Bagac) - Marks the significant pockers where a battle ensued as a prelude to the final defense in Bataan. Bagak Town - Zero Kilometer Marker. Catholic Church Belfry - This was used as a site for Japanese artillery bombardment of Mt. Samat where both Filipino and American Forces gave their last stand.

Lamao World War II Marker - World War II exempted almost no place in the province that this town overlooking Manila Bay and Corregidor deserves a marker.
Alangan River - In Bataan every place is a place to go. Final Battle Site Marker - To remember the coutage and heroism of Bataan defenders amidst hunger, sickness and death (Source: Tambayanet).

Banaue

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Mountain Province became a special province of the Philippines in 1907. It was made up of the sub-provinces of Bontoc-Lepanto, Amburayan, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao and Kalinga. The Provincial Supervisor, Samuel Kane, was appointed Governor of the province and Bontoc was then the capital town.

In February 1942, the dreaded Japanese Army arrived in Bontoc via the Nueva Viscaya and Kalinga route. Dr. Hillary Clapp was made governor of Mountain Province and during his term, the people were spared from so much suffering from the Japanese colonizers.

It razed the town so the people fled to the mountains for cover while the Japanese troops arrived daily fleeing towards Aparri and Kiangan to join the troops of General Yamashita.

Being the provincial capital, people flocked to Bontoc and business flourished. Hotels, lodging houses, restaurants, stores and houses sprouted. The Baguio-Bontoc road was rehabilitated with the assistance of Lepanto Mining Corporation and the Dangwa Development Corporation. On April 7, 1967, the new Mountain Province came into operation (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Baguio

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One of the cleanest and greenest cities in the country, Baguio is made for sightseeing. And for strolls and boat rides and gentle trots around the park.Kennon Road, completed in 1905, opened Baguio to tourism. Synonymous with Baguio is Burnham Park. A popular golfing destination, the city takes pride in its Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay. Sitting on top of a hill in Upper Session Road is the twin-spire Baguio Cathedral, a city landmark.

Located on an elevated pine-forested ground is the Philippine Military Academy, the country's foremost military learning institution. For really great old-fashioned breakfasts, check out Casa Vallejo at the Upper Session Road. Kalapaw Restaurant in Chuntug Street specializes in grilled squids and tuna jaws. Inn Rocio in Kisad Road dishes out Continental food, Mario's Restaurant in Upper Session Road has good steaks, great Caesar's Salad, and decadent cakes. At the Hotel Monticello in Kennon Road, Hakuun Sanso Restaurant serves authentic Japanese cuisine while 50's Diner specializes in traditional American staples. Rose Bowl Steak House and Restaurant in Harrison Road offers an international fare of Chinese, American and Filipino dishes (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

Bacolod

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Experience a happy blending of cosmopolitan and rustic lifestyle in Negros Occidental, the sugar capital of the country. Celebrate nature's blessings: waterfalls, caves, mountains, rivers, springs and valleys. Whatever you go for, Negros Occidental has it.

BRIEF HISTORY

The natives then, occupied initially most of the southern portion of the province, being Binalbagan and Ilog. Then in 1856, Negros Occidental was raised to the category of a politico-military province. The major boon to the province at this time were two: the cultivation of sugar which brought economic boost as it later led Negros to pioneer other provinces in sugar production with its initial of 4,000 piculs of sugar in 1856 increasing to 2,000,000 piculs in 1897. Fouth, the ousting and surrender of the Japanese Forces in Negros (1945) after both civilian and military leaders in Negros Occidental pursued and organized a free government in the province.

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Negros Occidental is primarily an agricultural province. The province of Negros Occidental is reported by the Bureau of Mines to be rich in both metallic and non-metallic mineral resources, notably copper, gold, silver and molybdenum. Negros is where high living and high eyebrows were (Source: Philippine Department of Tourism).

FAQ

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What is Philippines Travel Assistant?

Philippines Travel Assistant is a web portal of a small network of home based individuals who know the ins and outs of Philippine Travel. We aim to assist the Philippine traveler with travel tips as well as by making travel arrangements on their behalf.

Is it a travel agency?

We are not a “travel agency” perse even if we provide the same type of service. Philippine Travel Assistant consists of home based individuals who are well-travelled when in comes to Philippine destinations. So essentially, you just getting travel assistance from a fellow traveler who already has been there.

Why choose Philippines Travel Assistant?

Four words – Value for your money. Since we work from home, we avoid additional overhead costs such as office rent, employee salaries, IT infrastructure and so on and so forth. This allows our prices to be significantly less than other travel agencies as they have to make up for all these business expenses.

Who are the people behind Philippines Travel Assistant?

Philippines Travel Assistant consists of a small network of home based individuals based in different locations in the Philippines. The administrator of PTA's websites is done by Jerome “Sai” N. Vallejos who is based in Manila. The “main headquarters” address is 6 Nevada Street, North East Greenhills, San Juan City, Philippnes

How do I get a ticket?

You can get it in the form of an e-ticket (which will be emailed to you), thru meet-ups or via courier. This depends on your preference, your location and what the current best travel deals are out there. More times than not, the best deals you can get in terms of flights and accommodations are the ones that are hidden in paperwork trails and you have to line up for.

How do I pay?

You can pay us through paypal or direct bank deposit to any BPI bank branch.

How do I make reservations/quotations?

Just email us at PhilippinesTravelAssistant@gmail.com

Do you have any “package deals?”

Our package deals depend on the package deals of the different airlines and hotels. It depends on the season and the promo that they are running. Sometimes Philippine Airlines is running a great promo and has the best package, sometimes its Cebu Pacific, sometimes SeaAir. What we do is find the best money for value package deal out there and give that to you.

Services

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Philippines Travel Assistant will arrange your flight and/or your accommodations for you.

Imagine having your own personal travel assistant who has experience in Philippine Travel – not only will you get the best value for your buck deals in flights and accommodations (versus getting the “tourist price”), you will also know in advance the “must do’s” of the location.

What’s the difference between us and other travel agencies?

We are not a “travel agency” perse even if we provide the same type of service. Philippine Travel Assistant consists of home based individuals who are well-travelled when in comes to Philippine destinations. So essentially, you just getting travel assistance from a fellow traveler who already has been there.
Since we work from home, we avoid additional overhead costs such as office rent, employee salaries, IT infrastructure and so on and so forth. This allows our prices to be significantly less than other travel agencies as they have to make up for all these business expenses.

We aim to develop long term relationship you. Just think how convenient it would be to have your own personal travel assistant that will do all your travel arrangements for you. And all you have to do is send a text message or an email that says “I want to go to Boracay next month”.

For bookings, reservations, quotations or inquiries about our services you can email us at PhilippinesTravelAssistant@gmail.com

Contact Us

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For questions, inquiries, quotations, bookings or reservations you can email PhilippinesTravelAssistant@gmail.com

About Us

2008-06-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

Philippines Travel Assistant consists of a small network of well-travelled individuals who know the ins and out of Philippine travel. This blogs purpose is not only to give up-to-date information on Philippine travel, but to assist people in their Philippine travel needs as well.

Think of this site as your portal to your own Personal Travel Assistant for Philippine travel.