Category Archives: ACTIVITIES

The Quiet Charm of Dumaguete City (Negros Oriental)

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Dumaguete City

After 2 nights in Bacolod City, it was now time to move on to our next destination (with a change in dialect) – the Cebuano-speaking Dumaguete City, the capital of neighboring Negros Oriental.  Like Bacolod City, this visit was a first for me.  We departed Bacolod City by 1 PM.  To get to Dumaguete, we had the choice of two routes.  Both entailed making an 86.9-km. drive to Kabankalan City.  From here, the first route entails making a further 140.2 km. drive, along the southern underbelly of the island, to the border plus and an additional 140.8 km. drive to Dumaguete (total of 367.9 kms.).  The second and shorter route entails a 25-km. drive from Kabankalan City, cutting through the mountainous spine, to the border and an additional 101.3-km. drive to Dumaguete (total of 213.2 kms.).  As time was the essence, we took the second route.  What a spectacular route it was!  Traveling through Kennon Road-like zigzag roads, we passed lush and spectacular mountain scenery all the way to the coast.   After a 4.5-hour drive, we arrived at Dumaguete by 5:30 PM and checked in our tired, travel-weary bodies into airconditioned rooms with bath and cable TV at Harold’s Mansion.

Rizal Blvd.

Negros Oriental has, in the past, been mistaken (by the national media as well as Pres. Gloria Arroyo) for its better known, and more prosperous, neighbor Negros Occidental, so much so that it is seriously considering a name change (i.e. Oriental Negros).  Even Dumaguete, its capital, is a relative unknown compared to its counterpart, Bacolod City.  However, both city and province are slow waking up to economic potentials domestic tourism brings.  More so with Dumaguete City, a city which, in my opinion, exudes a quaint and quiet charm plus a campus life quite similar to my alma mater, the University of the Philippines.

Bell Tower

Dumaguete, like Bacolod City, is a showcase of Spanish and American-era architecture.  The City Hall, along Sta. Catalina St., was built in 1907.  In front of it is Quezon Park, a flower market and a children’s playground.   The Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, located across Perdices St. (formerly Alfonso XII St.), from Quezon Park, has a coral and brick Spanish bell tower built in 1811 to warn townsfolk against piratical raids.  The tower was restored in 1985. The Provincial Capitol, along North Road, was built in 1924 in the same Roman Neo-Classical style used by Daniel Burnham, the American city planner of Manila and Baguio City.  It has a park (Ninoy Aquino Freedom Park), 3 tennis courts and 2 schools nearby.

Provincial Capitol

The distinguishing landmark of Dumaguete, however, is the beachfront area along Rizal Blvd., much like Manila’s Roxas Blvd. (before reclamation).  Our National Hero, Jose Rizal, was said to have once strolled here during a stopover on his way to his 4-year (1892 to 1896) exile in Dapitan (Zamboanga del Norte).  Today, Rizal Blvd., a favorite area for picnics, play or retrospection, is also the favored address of a number of cozy places to eat, drink and be merry.  Our favorite watering hole here is Loco-Loco.

Iloilo City Tour: By Car

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After our museum visit, we tried, for lunch, one of Iloilo’s famous cuisine, La Paz batchoy at Ted’s at the Provincial Capitol. After lunch, we began the GPS mapping of the rest of the city proper in earnest, making short stopovers at a number of the city’s notable landmarks.

Church of St. Joseph

Fronting the City Hall is Plaza Libertad (formerly Plaza Alfonso XII), at the intersection of De la Rama, Gen. Hughes and Zamora Sts. It was the site where the first Philippine flag was raised, on  December 25, 1898, after Spain’s surrender to Gen. Martin Delgado.  Across the plaza is San Jose Parish Church, started in 1873 by Augustinian Fr. Mauricio Blanco, who also built the convent.  It was spared during World War II.  The main altar was gilded with 17,000 gold panels by Fr. Jesus Fernandez.  Renovated, from 1980 to 1982, by Fr. Gilbert Centina III, O.S.A.., Romblon marble was used to decorate the transept walls, presbytery, the main and side altar walls and the floors.  This 1-storey Byzantine church has 3 naves, a transept and 2 flanking, 3-storey, rectangular bell towers (one of which has a barometer and a clock).

Forts San Pedro

Fort San Pedro, near the mouth of the Iloilo River.  Built in 1616 as a defense against enemy raids, it was almost totally destroyed, by naval and air bombardment, during World War II.  The Iloilo-Negros Air Express Company (INAEC, founded by Don Eugenio Lopez, Sr. on 3 February 1933), pioneered the first commercial aircraft flight in the country, which took off from a grassy airfield near the fort.   Also nearby, at the river’s mouth, is a lighthouse and Rotary Park.   

Iloilo Port Terminal building

The city’s port, one of the country’s finest, is protected by Guimaras Island.  It handles a considerable volume of rice and sugar shipments. Muelle Loney, the riverfront, with its wharves and warehouses, is a popular promenade named after Nicholas Loney (1826 to 22 April 1859), British vice-consul in Iloilo in 1855 and Father of the Philippine Sugar Industry.  Loney established the first trading company in Iloilo and transformed and galvanized the local sugar industry in Negros and Panay by importing British machinery.  

Iloilo City Tour: On Foot

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After breakfast at the hotel, I made a walking tour of the city’s downtown area, with a dependable EZ map on hand.  From Delgado St., I walked along J.M. Basa St., the city’s busiest main thoroughfare which is lined with shops, handicraft stores, moviehouses and restaurants. 

Ker & Co. Building
Nineteenth century structures are located along this street and along Iznart St. (formerly Calle Real).  They include the Commission on Audit (COA) Bldg. and the Ker & Co. (K & C) Bldg..  The latter, with its West Indies ambiance, has a marvelous iron staircase cast in Scotland.

Return to Guimaras

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After breakfast at the Fine Rock Hotel, Charlie and I again boarded our Ford Explorer and drove to Muelle Loney (Iloilo River Wharf).  Here,  we loaded the car on the MV Felipe, another ancient RORO (Roll On Roll Off) ferry of F.F. Cruz Shipping Corp., bound for  Jordan, the provincial capital of Guimaras, where we plan to do GPS mapping.  This would be my second visit to this island province, having been there 10 years ago with my family.

RO-RO Port at Jordan

Our ship left Muelle Loney by 9:30 AM and the smooth crossing to the RO-RO port in Brgy. Hoskyn took just 30 mins..  Once docked, we drove off, with Charlie on the wheel, for Jordan town proper where we made a short stopover at the municipal hall and the town plaza, said to be the smallest in the country.

Jordan municipal hall
The town plaza, the country’s smallest

From thereon, we proceeded on our GPS mapping around the island.  At Nueva Valencia, we again made a short stopover at Raymen Beach Resort which was situated in a cove.  The narrow, beige sand beach was clean and the left side of the cove was a marine reserve with beautiful corals.

Raymen Beach

The resort itself, considered the most popular win the province, is about an hour’s drive away from Jordan Wharf.  It has a mix of airconditioned rooms with bath and TV and fan-cooled cottages with bath.  They also have a canteen, billiards and videoke. 

Raymen Beach Resort

Past Nueva Valencia, the road to Sibunag and San Lorenzo turned bad and I replaced Charlie at the wheel of the Ford Explorer for the second time in our 3-week GPS mapping expedition (the first time was from Kalibo to Iloilo City).  Once done with our mapping, we returned to Jordan port and left on the 5:30 PM ferry.  We were back in Fine Rock Hotel in time for dinner.
  
F.F. Cruz Shipping Corp.: Lapuz, Iloilo City, Iloilo.  Tel: (033) 337-1046, 336-9329 and 336-4195.  
F.F. Cruz Shipping Corp.: Jordan, Guimaras.  Tel: (033) 581-1701.
Raymen Beach Resort: Sitio Alubijod, Poblacion, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.  Tel: (033) 396-0252.

On the Road From Caticlan to Iloilo City

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From our R&R stop at Caticlan and Boracay, Charlie Kemplin and I were slated to begin our first Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) mapping at Iloilo City.  Joining us was Charlie’s friend Ron Connell and his son Steve (owner of Frendz Resort in Boracay), both married to Filipinas.   We left Boracay, early in the morning, for Caticlan’s Ferry Port, got the 1994 Ford Explorer at my father-in-law’s house in Malay town proper and were soon on our way by 9 AM.

Passi City Hall

The non-stop 212-km. trip to Iloilo City normally takes just 6 hrs. but, in our case, took more than that.  Charlie drove the first 65 kms. to Kalibo where we stopped for lunch at Greenwich in Gaisano Mall.   From Kalibo, I took over the wheel of the Explorer and drove the remaining 147 kms. to Iloilo City, making a short stopover at Passi City Hall for some maps.  It was just about dusk and raining hard when we reached Iloilo City.  Here, we checked in at 3 airconditioned rooms with bath and cable TV at the Fine Rock Hotel.

Mindoro Trail: Puerto Galera (Mindoro Oriental)

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White Beach

After breakfast at Calapan Bay Resort, we left the city by 11 AM, April 10, for Puerto Galera.  Part of the 49-km. drive entailed negotiating dusty, Kennon-like zigzag roads (Puerta Galera is considered as the “Little Baguio” of Mindoro) and steep ravines.  We made a short photo op stop over at the Waterfalls Bridge at Brgy. Villaflor where we can view the 131-m. high, roadside Tamaraw Falls, the highest waterfall in the province.  Its pool is a popular swimming spot for weekenders. The enchanting view of Varadero Bay heralded our arrival at the beach town of Puerto Galera which spreads out 10 kms. along the coast.  

Tamaraw Falls
Located on a Y-shaped peninsula on the northwestern tip of Mindoro Island, the popular tourist destination of Puerto Galera has numerous fine beaches with sheltered coves beneath the green mountainous backdrop of the 1,086-m. high Mt. Alinyaban, 1,185-m. high Mt. Talipanan and 1,228-m.  high Mt. Malasimbo, all of which are rich in mineral deposits of marble, gold, lime and silica.
 
Muelle Pier
We arrived at the town proper and its ferry dock at Muelle by 1:30 PM  and had a late lunch at one of the restaurants.  Muelle has an excellent natural yacht harbor, effectively protected by Medio Island, at the mouth of picture-perfect Muelle Bay.  From here, we can view the mooring area of Puerto Galera Yacht Club.  From the pier, Sabang Beach and White Beach are both 6 kms. away.

Puerto Galera town proper

A marble cross, located beside Cocopoint Hotel, commemorates the sinking of the Spanish warship El Canonero Mariveles, on November 18, 1879, during a storm off Soguicay Bay.   The cross was originally erected in wood on March 18, 1897 but was renovated in 1938 by Spaniard Luis Gomez y Sotto.   Its inscription reads Ultima tierra que pesarou los tripolantes del Canoneros Mariveles el 18 de Noviembre de 1879.

El Canonero Mariveles Cross

After lunch, we made an ocular inspection of Sabang Beach, Small La Laguna Beach, Big La Laguna and White Beach, 4 of the at least 13 superb connected beaches that have been developed for tourism within 7 kms. or so of the town.  The somewhat gray sand Sabang Beach has the most developed resorts and offers a good choice of restaurants, discos and watersports facilities. Small La Laguna Beach, sometimes called Coral Beach, has whiter sand and is fairly quiet and cozy.  It attracts a lot of foreign backpackers and other budget travelers who like to stay a long time at Puerto Galera.  The broad, 1-km. long White Beach, on the other hand, is immensely popular with local tourists.  Our last stop, we had our dinner here.

Ponderosa Golf & Country Club

After our beach tour, we drove all the way back to Muelle where we decided to check in at fan-cooled rooms with toilet at bath at Coco Point Resort.  Breakfast at its restaurant, come morning, was a pleasure as I had a beautiful view of the natural yacht harbor.  We checked out right after breakfast and drove 5 kms. (half of it unpaved) all the way up to the 9-hole, 20-hectare Ponderosa Golf and Country Club, located 600 m. above sea level, midway up Mt. Malasimbo in Brgy. Minolo.  From this cool and windy vantage point, located southwest of Puerto Galera, we had a tremendous bird’s eye view of Puerto Galera Cove and Batangas’ Verde Island, Maricaban Island and Sombrero Island.  Facilities here include a restaurant and bar.

Balatero Pier

After about 30 mins., we left Ponderosa by 9 AM, driving back down the mountain and, once back on level ground, made a long stopover at White Beach.  It was time to go and we drove to Balatero Pier, 15 mins. from White Beach and near the town proper, arriving there by 11 AM.  RO-RO ships dock here and, after paying the necessary fees and fare, we loaded the Ford Explorer on the MV Starlite Odyssey.  Our ship left Puerto Galera by 12 noon and we arrived at Batangas Port by 1:40 PM.  I arrived in Manila by 4:30 PM.

Mindoro Trail: San Jose (Mindoro Occidental) to Calapan City (Mindoro Oriental)

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The dreaded Day 3 soon dawned upon us, the long (210 kms.) haul, with Charlie again at the wheel, from San Jose down south the previously mentioned horrendous stretch, then up north to the Mindoro Oriental border and on to Calapan City, the provincial capitol and the island’s only city.  We hoped to make it in time to meet with city officials.  After a short, early morning visit to San Jose’s Caminawit Port and 6 kms. of concrete road out of the town, the road soon returned to gravel up to Magsaysay town.

Bulalacao Bay

This was heaven to what awaited us: a “short” 35-km. uphill/downhill stretch along one of the worst “roads” I have ever seen, still tossing about, even in a car with good suspensions.  We never encountered any car, only motorbikes and an occasional bus.  The bad road condition was tempered by beautiful mountain scenery untouched by “progress” (brought about by good roads).  Upon entering Bulalacao, the road soon hugged the coast opening, before us, a panoramic, offshore scenery of beautiful islands along Bulalacao Bay.   Upon reaching a gas station, we had our dusty car washed, thinking that the road ahead would be better.  How wrong we were!  Although the worst was behind us, it was still gravel all the way to Mansalay and Roxas, again coating our newly-washed car with dust.  

Danggay Port

We arrived at Roxas town’s Danggay Port by noon, taking our lunch at a small eatery, part of the time watching people and cars unloading from  a slow ferry at the RORO pier, the gateway to the white sand beaches of Boracay Island (a 5 to 6-hr. boat ride away), the country’s No. 1 tourist destination.  The road from hereon to Calapan City was paved, partly concrete and mostly new and ancient asphalt (with occasional potholes).  It was still a long, nearly 100-km. drive to the city but, from now on, it was all smooth sailing.   Still, we were in a rush.   

Lake Naujan

However, old habits die hard and the tourist in us egged us to veer into a narrow dirt road, hoping to get a better view of the 79-sq. km. freshwater Lake Naujan, the largest (covering the towns of Naujan, Pola and Victoria) in the province and fifth largest in the country.  Ideal for birdwatching (it supports a large number of ducks and other waterfowl), the lake’s rich fauna also includes the country’s two crocodile species: the highly endangered Mindoro freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) and the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).  However, no matter how far we went, no good vantage point was in sight so I decided to leave the car, go by foot up a hill and there, get a good shot. 

Calapan City Hall

We finally reached Calapan City by 4 PM and got to meet with city officials at their stunningly new, white-painted and 2-storey high City Hall, built in the Neo-Classical style of architecture.  Calapan has changed much since my last visit and the city is now booming, with new hotels sprouting up.  One such, the Calapan Bay Hotel, where we stayed overnight, is worthy of note.  Aside from its 12 beautiful airconditioned rooms with bath and cable TV (standard and superior), its appeal lies in its porch-like, multi-cuisine coffee shop (Café Angela) facing the sea.  Here, one savors not only the good food but also the all-embracing whiff of the cool sea breeze.  Too bad it was just an overnight stay.  I would have enjoyed a longer stay.  Just the same, we still had to proceed to Puerto Galera, our final destination and debarkation point back to Manila.

Mindoro Trail: Pandan Island Resort (Mindoro Occidental)

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Pandan Island’s sparklingly white sand beach

Day Two was to be a long haul drive from Mamburao to San Jose, a distance of little over 160 kms..  What would normally be a 2.5-hr. drive in excellent road conditions, took us double that.  We made a stopover at surprisingly progressive Sablayan (coined from the Visayan word meaning “where the waves meet’) town, the gateway to the remote and undeveloped Apo Reef Natural Park (a 2.5-hr. boat ride), the largest atoll-like reef in the country, the second largest in the world and one of the world’s best dive spots.  The park has a sunken lagoon system noted for its spectacular wall diving. 

Foot bridge at Sablayan

Once at the town proper, we decided to take a welcome breather and check out the Pandan Island Resort.  Located at the 38-sq. km. North Pandan Island (also called Pandan Grande Island), it is highly touted by noted German travel writer Jens Peters as one of his favorite islands.   We parked our vehicle along a road beside the Bagong Sabang River, and hired a banca (PhP300 roundtrip) to bring us to the island. 

Bagong Sabang River

Once out into Pandan Bay and past South Pandan Island (also called Pandan Piqueño), the island’s palm-fringed, sparklingly white sand beach soon hove into view.  The boat trip took just 15 mins. and soon we were walking barefoot on its Boracay-like sand.     The resort, established sometime in 1993, is managed by French adventurer Dominique Carlut and his Ilongga wife Marina.  The island is much like Boracay during its early years when it was without electricity.  It has 16 cottages (5 budget, 10 standard and 1 family), all with their own toilet and bath.  There are no televisions.

One of the resort’s cottages

The cottages, as well as the restaurant, are all built using native nipa, bamboo and sawali, simple yet comfortable and truly in harmony with the island’s natural features.  But unlike Boracay during the early years, the resort doesn’t rely on eco-unfriendly electric generators using, instead, cleaner solar energy (12 volts)  to supply the lighting needs of its cottages.   To charge lights, cameras, laptops etc., 220 volts (as well as an internet connection) is only available at its well-equipped dive shop (Mariposa Divers Pandan, established in 1992). 

The resort clubhouse

For lunch, we feasted, buffet-style, on Filipino and French cuisine with its variety of fresh fish, poultry or meat with vegetables, fruits and coffee. The bar has a selection of fine, white and red French wines which you can sip while watching the sun sink into the South China Sea. In 1994, the island was declared as a marine park and thanks to this strict no fishing and “hands off” policy, the variety and density of the marine life has grown by leaps and bounds. The dive sites around the island range from shallow, tropical fish-rich coral gardens, easily reached from the beach, to deep drop-offs on the island’s north, ideal for experienced divers, and reached by dive boats in about 15 mins..  Dive safaris are available to Apo Reef  Natural Park (a 1.5 to 2-hr. boat ride),and the World War II Japanese wrecks at Busuanga (Palawan). 

Caminawit Port

After snorkeling its coral and tropical fish-rich waters, we left the island and returned to the reality of another bumpy, 80-km. drive to equally progressive San Jose, another starting point for diving excursions to Apo Reef.  Offshore are Ambulong Island, Ilin Island and White Island.  The town has an airport and a port (Caminawit Port).  Upon arrival, we checked in at airconditioned rooms with bath at the Mindoro Plaza Hotel, again the town’s best.  No videoke this time as we had a big next day ahead of us. 

Mindoro Trail: Batangas City to Mamburao (Mindoro Occidental)

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The 10,245-sq. km. Mindoro Island, the country’s fifth largest island, remains relatively unknown in the tourism highway.  Outside of Puerto Galera and what little we know of the traditionally animist, polytheistic and semi-nomadic Mangyan tribe and the rare, severely endangered and elusive Mindoro dwarf water buffalo or tamaraw (the country’s largest wild animal), very few have even heard of it.  More so with Mindoro Occidental, its western part.

 

Batangas International Port

Yours truly, together with Mr. Harland “Charlie” Kemplin of United Tourist Promotions (makers of EZ Maps), wanted to correct this sad state of affairs by creating a tourist map of the island (featuring Puerto Galera, Calapan City, Mamburao, Sablayan, Pandan Island Resort, etc.), probably the first of its kind to be so conceived.  To do this, we had to experience the island, first-hand, by circumnavigating.  For this purpose, we will be using the latest Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology plus a rugged, 4-wheel drive, circa 1994 but newly refurbished Ford Explorer.  We intend to complete this island circuit in 5 days.  We left early in the morning of 6 April, Charlie driving all the way to Batangas City’s International Port in a little over 2 hrs..  There are 3 entry points to Mindoro from Batangas City: Abra de Ilog in Mindoro Occidental and Puerto Galera and Calapan City, both in Mindoro Oriental.  We opted for Abra de Ilog, the least traveled of the three.   

A RO-RO Ship

We estimated that the ancient RORO (Roll-On-Roll-Off) ferry boat we loaded the car on had a capacity for 9 vehicles but we were told it would carry 13.  How this came about was soon revealed to us when 3 cars were fitted in a space ideally suited for only 2, forcing the driver to stay inside (unless he could exit via a sunroof) for the duration of the 2.5-hr. cruise with no toilet breaks.  We entered last, parking where the ship narrowed at the bow, thus allowing us to get out of the car.  We also had the added advantage of being the first out the ship upon landing at Abra de Ilog.

Tayamaan Beach

One thing was revealed to us before the trip: there is no road (erroneously indicated in other maps) connecting Abra de Ilog with neighboring Puerto Galera.   The only way to proceed was south.  A portent of things to come was revealed as soon as we left Abra de Ilog’s Wawa Port by 2:30 PM for the 35 km. drive to Mamburao, the provincial capital.  A road less traveled is probably a road unpaved and the road south was mostly such.  The only comfortable drive we encountered was an 18-km. stretch past San Isidro.

The Provincial Capitol

Upon reaching Mamburao, we made brief stopover at the town’s beautiful but short Tayamaan Beach.  Next, we proceeded to the Provincial Capitol where we met up with provincial officials.  We were given advanced warning of the horrendous road conditions from San Jose to Bulalacao (the first town on the Oriental side).  Charlie, who did all of the driving, was having second thoughts of pushing on but, with our pioneering spirit egging us on, insanity finally prevailed.  But first, we had to rest and we checked in at 2 airconditioned rooms with bath and cable TV at the upscale La Gensol Plaza Hotel, the best in town.  Later that night, we sang our hearts out at a videoke, together with Provincial Tourism Officer, Ricky Martin-wannabe and namesake Mr. Benjie Datinguinoo.   

Governor’s Island (Hundred Islands, Alaminos City, Pangasinan)

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From Martha Island, our boatmen brought us over to Governor’s Island for a brief stopover, One of 3 developed islands in this mini-archipelago (the others are Quezon Island and Children’s Island), it has a governor’s guesthouse with 2 bedrooms for 6-8 people, living room, dining room, toilet and bath, kitchen (with dining and cooking utensils provided for), ceiling fans and generator lighting.  It also has 2-pax nipa huts and camping is also allowed here.  
 
The viewpoint of Governor’s Island
There are white sand beaches on both sides of the island.  From the beach, we a short hike up some carved steps that lead to the island highest point.  At this viewpoint, we had an  unobstructed panoramic view of the many granite and scrub-covered islands that compose this national park.  After some photo ops, we made our way back down the hill.  Back at our boat, we were finally brought back to Lucap Wharf.  After paying our boatmen, we had our first freshwater shower at the complex, loaded our gear at our car, had lunch and proceeded on our way to Bolinao.