Museum of the Malolos Republic (Bulacan)

Posted on 3 October, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

Museum of the Malolos Republic

From the Museo Diocesano de Malolos, participants of the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) caravan moved on to next room which houses the Museum of the Malolos Republic. Here, we were welcomed by Mr. Jose Ruel Paguiligan of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and curator of the Barasoain Church Historical Landmark.

Members of AAP caravan listening to museum curator Mr. Jose Ruel Paguiligan

The modernized museum, one of 22 museums throughout the country that the Aquino administration wanted upgraded into digitally-enhanced institutions in order to advance historical studies, was finished in 2012. It is a rich source of historical data, including documents and artifacts explaining how the Malolos Congress was put together on September 15, 1898.

With the magic of modern technology, learning history lesson is now more fun and interesting. The upgraded museum was jointly funded by the NHCP and the Provincial Government of Bulacan headed by Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado.

It has five galleries, with the first two explaining the backdrop to the Malolos Congress to visitors. It boasts of interactive digital displays that allow students and other visitors to respond (however, it interacts only in Filipino) to a history quiz about the Philippine Revolution, making the presentation of history more interesting and, at the same time, more engaging.

It also includes an E-learning room (designed for students and equipped with 22 computers containing interactive lessons in Philippine history), research facilities and an audio-visual room. Permanent collections of the museum include the original carriage used by Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo during the opening of the Malolos Congress and reproductions of stereographic cards of the Philippine-American War.

Carriage used by Pres. Aguinaldo

Gallery 1, the ante room, presents a 7-minute video introducing the museum and the evolution of the idea of freedom and the struggle of Filipinos as a prologue. Gallery 2 traces the events leading to the establishment of the Malolos Congress namely the constitution of Biak-na-Bato, the proclamation of independence at Kawit, Cavite and the decrees of the revolutionary government headed by Gen. Aguinaldo.

Its two touch screen monitors display the historical overview of facts, from 1882 to 1899, and sources about the first Philippine Congress (headed by Pedro Paterno, it was convened on September 15, 1898 inside the Barasoain Church) and the events that preceded and followed it.

Gallery 3, at the main hall, and the smaller hall Gallery 4 focuses on Malolos, the Constitutional Congress; the Malolos Congress and the Constitution. Gallery 3 centers mostly on the downfall of the Spanish rule in the country and the succeeding events that led to the formation of the Constitución Política de la República Filipina.

L-R - Mariano Trias, Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Pedro Paterno, Gregorio Araneta, Baldomero Aguinaldo, Benito Legardo and Pablo Ocampo

L-R: Mariano Trias, Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, Pedro Paterno, Gregorio Araneta, Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo (seated), Baldomero Aguinaldo, Benito Legardoaand Pablo Ocampo

It also offers a 7-minute light-and-sound presentation, with a diorama with life-size resin statues of the leading figures and prominent delegates of the Malolos Congress – a sitting Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the First Philippine Republic, flanked by key figures of the Malolos Congress. A pew, which is said to have been used during the actual convention of the revolutionary congress, can also be found in this particular exhibit.

List of the names of all the representatives who joined the Congress

In Gallery 4 is a list of the names of all the representatives who joined the Congress. There were 193 delegates, none of whom were paid for their work. Only 42 were elected while the rest were appointed. The gallery also has a bust of Don Felipe G. Calderon, who penned the Malolos Constitution.

Bust of Felipe Calderon

Gallery 5 provides the epilogue and dwells on the theme—Defense of the Republic—by featuring how Filipinos went to war against a new colonizer, the United States of America to defend the republic and the freedom and sovereignty of the people.

Museum of the Malolos Republic: Barasoain Convent, Paseo del Congreso Road, Brgy. San Gabriel, Malolos City, Bulacan.

Automobile Association Philippines (AAP): 28 EDSA, Greenhills, San Juan City. Tel: (632) 655-5889. Fax: (632) 655-1878. E-mail: info@aap.org.ph. Website: www.aap.org.ph.

Museo Diocesano de Malolos (Malolos City, Bulacan)

Posted on 3 October, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

AAP at the Museo Diocesano de Malolos

From Ciudad Victoria, our 14-car Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) caravan proceeded on the second leg of our day-long tour, this time to Malolos City, the provincial capitol, where we made a stopover at historic Barasoain Church.

At the convent, we first visited the Museo Diocesano de Malolos, a museum managed by the Malolos Diocese. It houses relics, artifacts, regalia and religious items containing and illustrating the ecclesiastical history of Central Luzon.

The exhibits include the original nineteenth century baptismal records of Bulacan native sons Marcelo Hilario (the Great Propagandist also known as Marcelo H. del Pilar), Francisco Baltazar (he Tagalog equivalent of William Shakespeare also known as Francisco Balagtas) and Gen. Gregorio del Pilar (the “Leonidas of the Philippines”).

Robes of priests embroidered with gold-plated silver threads

Replica of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo Church in Manila

Statues of the Holy Family and processional crucifixes

Statues of the Holy Family, candle stands and a processional crucifix

There’s also a bone fragment of St. Vincent Ferrer encased in glass; priestly robes embroidered with gold-plated silver threads; a Sto. Entierro (meaning “Holy Burial”); a replica of the Black Nazarene from Quiapo Church; and antique prayer cards, church bells, religious statues, candle stands, processional crucifixes and antependiums (altar frontals) from different churches.

Altar frontals

Antique church bells

Sto. Entierro

Museo Diocesano de Malolos: Barasoain Convent, Malolos City, Bulacan. Director: Fr. Vicente Lina Jr.. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 8 AM to 4 PM.

Automobile Association Philippines (AAP): 28 EDSA, Greenhills, San Juan City. Tel: (632) 655-5889. Fax: (632) 655-1878. E-mail: info@aap.org.ph. Website: www.aap.org.ph.

Ciudad Victoria (Bocaue, Bulacan)

Posted on 3 October, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Ciudad Victoria

For the second time around (the first was in Mindoro Oriental), I was invited by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) to join another of their drive tourism caravans (the 10th in AAP’s series), this time to Bulacan. The caravan is a tourism program wherein, instead of driving straight to the destination, it moves through a tourism highway or road network that allows participants to see many attractions in between the start and end destinations.

Participants of the AAP Drive Caravan at the Philippine Arena

With the theme “Enjoying Bountiful Harvest and Exploring the Off Beaten Path of History and Culture,” the 57 participants (AAP directors, members, friends and the media), in 14 cars, flagged off one early morning from the Petron Marilao station where we had breakfast and availed ourselves of their clean restrooms.

The event was co-organized by Petron Blaze 100 Euro 4, in partnership with the Department of Tourism Region 3, the tourism office of Bulacan under Gov. Wilhemino Sy-Alvarado, the Tourism Promotions Board, Manila North Tollways Corp. and Aeromed, the official ambulance partner.

The Philippine Arena

Participants first visited the 140-hectare Ciudad de Victoria (also known as the Philippine Arena Complex), a 140-hectare tourism enterprise zone in Bocaue and Santa Maria that integrates residential and office buildings, as well as a complex dedicated to shopping, entertainment, leisure, education, business and sports.

The Philippine Sports Stadium

Ciudad Victoria, owned by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), a Filipino-based indigenous Christian religious organization, through its educational institution, the New Era University, and operated by Maligaya Development Corporation, houses the magnificent Philippine Arena (a 55,000-seater indoor domed arena that is the world’s largest mixed-use indoor arena) and the 20,000-seater Philippine Sports Stadium (the largest stadium in the Philippines). In commemoration of INC’s centennial celebration on July 27, 2014, it was inaugurated, after three years of construction, on July 21, 2014.

Entrance of the Philippine Sports Stadium

Other buildings within the complex include the Eraño G. Manalo (EGM) Medical Center (an 11-storey, 1st class modern hospital which is the first of its kind in Northern Luzon with 1,000-bed capacity) an Iglesia ni Cristo Chapel (dedicated on May 18, 2018) and the New Era University Bocaue Campus. The landscape for the arena and the whole complex of Ciudad de Victoria was designed by PWP Landscape Architecture, the firm who landscaped the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Lobby of the Philippine Sports Stadium

Ciudad Victoria: North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Bocaue. Entrance: Php450. Parking: Php50. Photography is limited to mobile phones. DLSR cameras are not allowed.

Automobile Association Philippines (AAP): 28 EDSA, Greenhills, San Juan City. Tel: (632) 655-5889. Fax: (632) 655-1878. E-mail: info@aap.org.ph. Website: www.aap.org.ph.

Mt. Tapyas (Coron, Palawan)

Posted on 17 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Mt. Tapyas

On our third and last day in Coron, Aylin, Issa and I were awake by 5 AM, just in time for us to make it to the town proper, via van, were we hoped to catch the sunrise atop the 210 m. (689 ft.) high Mt. Tapyas, the second highest in Coron.

Mt. Tapyas and its lighted steel cross

From Ligaya Pier, we could already view the mountain, prominent for its giant steel cross (lighted at night) on its peak. Tapyas, in English, literally means “shaved off” or “chipped” because, during the Liberation, one side of the mountain was literally chipped when American forces bombed the Japanese camp on top.

Aylin making her way up the concrete stairway

Mt. Tapyas is not what you might expect as a mountaineering destination. It’s already been developed by the local government to give easy and more convenient access to tourists. Instead of hiking through typical mountain trails, trekkers only need to go up flights of some 724 concrete steps, with metal handrails, to the spacious view deck with concrete benches, just the right amount for a little cardio workout.

Typhoon Yolanda damage

A typhoon damaged refreshment stall

Our van dropped us off at the base of the stairs, just beside a community basketball court. Going up the mountain on our last morning in Coron, we encountered some groups striding up and down the mountain with minimal effort. Surely, they must be locals.

A recently repaired shaded rest stop

For city slickers like us not used to much walking, we had a hard time “conquering” the mountain. However, there were plenty of landings with shaded benches and picnic tables where we took a breather. However, many of these still showed damage from super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) which also devastated Coron on November 8, 2013.

The huge CORON signage

Since it was still very early in the morning, it just took me around 15 to 20 mins. to reach the top. Once there, the view was amazing. We were treated with a breathtaking panoramic 360-degree view of some of the offshore islands and the surrounding mountains, especially the mountain that they call the “Sleeping Giant.”

The Sleeping Giant

We also saw the whole of Coron town and appreciated its simplicity. There are two octagonal gazebos at the back but we didn’t go there anymore. Instead, we made our way back down the mountain. Our van just arrived, minutes after making it to the base of the mountain, and brought us back to Asia Grand View Hotel.

The steel cross

For first-time visitors to Coron town, it’s highly recommended that they go up Mt. Tapyas. It’s best to climb it early in the morning, to see the sunrise, or before night falls to see the sun setting on Coron Bay.

The gorgeous view

The spacious view deck

The climb may be grueling, but the gorgeous views atop the mountain make it a great experience truly worth the effort. There are refreshment stalls and vendors that sell bottled water, energy drinks and juice drinks. For those who get regular weekly exercise, this trek should be a breeze.

Watching the sun rise

How To Get There: From the town, entry to the steps to Mt. Tapyas is very accessible. From the main road, just look for the landmark Iglesia ni Cristo Church and San Agustin Street (which turns into the slightly sloping Malvar Street) which leads the way to an elevated basketball court at the base. Road signs point directions to Mount Tapyas view deck.

How to Get to Coron: Skyjet Airlines has 4 times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, 10:30 AM) flights from Manila (NAIA Terminal 4) to Coron (Francisco Reyes Airport). Travel time is 30 mins.

Asia Grand View Hotel: Governor’s Ave., Jolo, Brgy. 5, Coron, Palawan. Tel:(+632) 788-3385. Mobile number: (0999) 881-7848. E-mail: gsd@asiagrandview.com. Manila sales office: Unit 504, Richmonde Plaza, 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Tel: (+632) 695-3078 and 531-8380. Mobile number: (0917) 550-7373 to 75 Fax: (+632) 695-3078. E-mail: info@asiagrandview.com. Website: www.asiagrandview.com.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Sangat Island Dive Resort (Coron, Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Sangat Island Dive Resort

The last leg of our Asia Grand View Hotel-sponsored activity was a visit to Sangat Island Dive Resort where Ms. Rhoanne Rose Bolohabo, AGVH Resident Manager, used to work. From our outrigger boat, Rhoanne, Aylin, Gem, Adora, Joy, Issa, Angelo, Donald and I were picked by the resort’s motor boat while Mike opted to swim the short distance to the shore. The others decided to stay behind on the boat.

The 300 m. long white sand beach

Sangat Island Dive Resort, occupying a major portion of the southwestern cusp of postcard-perfect Sangat Island, was opened in 1994. It has a 300 m. long white sand beach surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and majestic coconut palms.

Bungalow suite

The resort has 14 enchanting and quaint, native-styled ecologically “low-impact” guest accommodations with Western-styled bathrooms and ceiling fans, built with locally-available materials such as hand-woven bamboo wall panels, split-bamboo flooring and cogon grass or nipa palm roofing.

Beachfront cottage

They include beachfront and hillside cottages on stilts, a family-friendly bungalow suite complex, the exclusive Hilltop Chalet and the exquisite tri-level, two bedroom Lambingan Villa which has it’s very own private beach. A special one, dubbed the Robinson Crusoe Cottage, is located on an isolated beach off the southwestern coast of the island.

Sangat Island Bar

Billiard table at Sangat Island Bar

The resort also has an open-air, beachfront restaurant facility, two full-service bars (the Sangat Island Bar and the open-air, above water Rock Bar), fitness center and souvenir shop. The Sangat Island Bar has a comfortable conversation lounge and a billiard table.

The open-air, above water Rock Bar

The author and friends at the boardwalk leading to the Rock Bar

The island’s tropical waters, teeming with colorful aquatic life, is also home to 11 historically important World War II ship wrecks. Ten of them are Japanese warships and supply ships sunk by 24 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bombers and 96 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter escorts (some carrying bombs) of the U.S. Navy on September 24, 1944. Eight of these are a scant 5 to 30 min. boat ride from the resort’s beachfront.

The fully-equipped dive shop

Sangat Island Dive Resort has a internationally-renowned, comprehensive on-site water sports (sea kayaking, jetskiing, windsurfing, Hobie Cats, etc.) and scuba diving center dive facility with knowledgeable dive center attendants and licensed on-site PADI and SDI instructors. They offer a wide range of first-class tanks, wet suits, masks, fins, dive computers, and more, plus an air and Nitrox filling station (powered by dual BAUER K14 compressors) and a brand new LW 280 unit which is combined with a 280 Coltrisub nitrox membrane.

Sea kayaks

Jetskis

Sangat Island Dive Resort: Sangat Island, Brgy. Bintuan, 5316 Coron, Palawan. Mobile numbers: (0908) 896-1716 and (0916) 400-8801. Website: www.sangat.com.ph,

How to Get There: Sangat Island is a 45-min. motorized outrigger boat ride from Coron town.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Pass Island (Coron, Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

From Culion Island, we again boarded our motorized outrigger boat for the small Pass Island where we were to have lunch. While we were away touring Culion town, the fresh fish, squid and chicken that we brought along was grilled on board the boat.

The small, postcard-pretty Pass Island

The clean, quiet and very picturesque Pass Island has probably the best beach you can find in all of Coron, with powdery white sand; warm, crystal clear blue waters, palm trees, mangroves on the other side of the island, and a protected coral reef, with different sea life, you can enjoy snorkeling. The beach has a pretty shallow part, perfect for non-swimmers and children.

We weren’t alone …..

For visitors who pay a reasonable entrance fee (PhP200/boat), they have beachside tents and gazebos (PhP100/table) with plastic tables and chairs to dine in, hammocks where you can relax and chill in for free; and more than decent, immaculate bathrooms, definitely a bargain to have.

Making landfall……

Upon landing, our group stayed at one gazebo where we partook of the grilled fare with steamed rice and soft drinks. After lunch, Mike, Lindy and I donned our masks and snorkels to explore the island’s nice coral garden stretched along a line of black buoys. The fantastic variety of coral, with lots of small fishes, kept my attention for a good hour or more. The fish swarm around you, hoping for food, truly a surreal experience. To find the colony of giant clams, I had to inquire its location from a fellow snorkeler.

The powdery white sand beach dotted with colorful flags

I would definitely recommend this beautiful, pleasant, postcard-pretty and well-maintained island, a great photo location, to anyone who wants to see a slice of paradise! Though its sand is not as white and powdery as that in Boracay, don’t let that stop you as it is still a beautiful and definite quieter place. I can say that it was totally worth it. I wish i had an island like this as I could have stayed there all day. However, we had to leave the island before 3 PM to avoid the big waves.

There’s plenty of shade ……

A popular day trip island, the owner of Pass Island also offers overnight packages in bamboo and thatch huts. However, you will have to bring your own food and potable water as the only things they sell are snacks like chips and soda. Bring portable lamps and flashlights as the island has no electricity.

Quiet contemplation on Pass Island (photo Ms. Lindy E. Pellicer)

How to Get There: Pass Island is a 1.5-hour boat ride from Coron.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Culion Museum and Archives (Culion, Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Culion Museum & Archives

From the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Culion Fort, we moved on to the Culion Sanatorium where we were to visit the Culion Museum and Archives. Here, we met up with Pastor Hermie Villanueva of the Coron Tourism Office, a resident and the grandson of a former leper patient, who gave us a guided tour of its exhibits. Though this was my first time to visit this museum (as well as Culion town), I featured it in my book “A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums” (New Day Publishers, 2010).

Main entrance

Pastor Hermie Villanueva

This unique two-storey museum, established in 1997, is housed in what was the first laboratory for leprosy research in the Far East. It was damaged during the November 8, 2013 super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) but was rebuilt through contributions and support of Tokyo BMC and the Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation (SMHF), in partnership with the Culion Sanitarium and Gen. Hospital (CSGH).

Timeline of Culion’s History

Leprosy Treatment/Quest for Cure

The museum documents the discriminatory legislation enforcing compulsory segregation in Culion and the research and clinical trials carried out using chaulmoogra oil and its esters within the colony. It has 6 galleries – “The First Contingent of Patients Arriving in the Colony,” “Leprosy Treatment / Quest for Cure,” “Community Life,” “Timeline of Culion’s History,” “Segregation and Service” and “Old Equipment.”

Chaulmoogra oil

A Culion-style ambulance

The resultant effects on colony life are recorded in relation to the community interaction of patients, the segregation of children of leprous parents, the use of special currency to prevent (it was believed) the disease being transmitted elsewhere, the results of different research on childhood leprosy and other pioneering research on bacteriology, pathology and epidemiology of leprosy.

Coins used in the colony

Old Equipment

The museum houses and protects numerous reference works related to leprosy. On display are complete set of old, specially made Culion coins, examples of the different laboratory apparatus and instruments used in early leprosy research (including syringes with which patients were injected with chaulmoogra oil), a wealth of old and detailed Culion pictures and Dr. Windsor Wade’s (the founding editor of the. International Journal of Leprosy) memorabilia, and other items that reflect the community life of leprosy patients.

Musical intruments used by the leper colony band

Religious paraphernalia

The museum is also a repository for old clinical records and a registry of patients admitted to the “Culion Leper Colony” from different parts of the Philippines since 1906. Also on exhibit are musical instruments used by the Culion Leper Colony Band, religious paraphernalia, stamps, sea shells and insignias and badges of the Culion Police Force.

Insignas and badges of Culion police force

Sea shells of Culion

Culion Museum & Archives: Open Mondays to Fridays, 9 AM to 4 PM. Curator: Mr. Ricardo Punzalan. Admission: PhP150. Mobile numbers: (0912) 797-1077, (0947) 603-0983, (0921) 760-7239 and (0909) 560-7350. E-mail: artculsan@yahoo.com, lotgante@yahoo.com and doh_culsan@yahoo.com.ph. Website: www.culionsanitariumandgeneralhospital.com.

Culion Tourism Office: mobile number: (0921) 394-7106 (Pastor Hermie Villanueva). E-mail: herme_1670@yahoo.com.ph.

How to Get There: Culion is a 1.5 to 2-hour motorized outrigger boat ride from Coron town.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Church of the Immaculate Conception and Fort Culion (Culion, Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 6 Comments ↓

The Church of the Immaculate Conception

From the town proper, we all boarded tricycles to take us, up a high promontory, to the town’s magnificent Church of the Immaculate Conception, originally built in 1746 by the Recollects. It is located within the quadrilateral Fort Culion which was built in 1683 by Fr. Juan de Severo and renovated in 1740.

The church promontory

The fort was partially demolished in the 1930s by American Jesuit Fr. Hugh McNutty to build a larger church, with some of the fort’s original coral rock used for the nave. The church was completed in 1933. Both the fort and church share the same main entrance.

Royal seal of King Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain

Royal seal of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain

AUTHOR’s NOTES:

The church’s 2-level Baroque facade has semicircular arched main entrance flanked by pilasters and seemingly topped by the royal seal of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. The entrance, in turn, is flanked by niches with statues of angels.

The church’s interior

The second level has a centrally located niche with the statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception flanked by semicircular arch windows. Above is a segmental (half-moon) pediment with a centrally located oculus. On the church’s right is a bell tower.

Part of the remaining fort walls

The painted ceiling inside the church is obviously new, but before it was repainted, the original ceiling was painted in 1978 by leper patient Ben Amores, based on the design of Jesuit Fr. Javier Olazabal. To do the paintings, the handicapped Amores, who had no hands, had brushes tied to his arms and was lifted up. In 2003, Jesuit Fr. Gabriel Gonzalez initiated the restoration and renovation of the church.

One of the fort’s two remaining cannons

Today, only a round bastion (turned into a lighthouse), with two carriage-less Spanish-era cannons (one I noticed had 1762A stamped on it, probably indicating the year it was cast), located behind the church sanctuary, and part of the wall are all that remains of Fort Culion. Here, the view of the ocean and Culion town is spectacular.

Our media group at the fort’s remaining round bastion

View of the town and sea from the bastion

Culion Tourism Office: mobile number: (0921) 394-7106 (Pastor Hermie Villanueva). E-mail: herme_1670@yahoo.com.ph.

How to Get There: Culion is a 1.5 to 2-hour motorized outrigger boat ride from Coron town.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Culion (Palawan)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 11 Comments ↓

Come early morning of our second day in Coron, we all woke up for an early breakfast at Asia Grand View Hotel. We had a full day of resort sponsored activities and the whole morning was to be devoted to a visit to the 390-sq. km. Culion Island and its only town of the same name. Once ready, we were all transported, by batches, to Ligaya Pier where our big motorized outrigger boat awaited us. We all left the port by 9 AM and the trip took us 1.5 hours.

Culion Island

Formerly a part of Coron, until recently, most people have either never heard of Culion or only knew it was once the world’s largest leper colony which was established in 1906. Patients, from different parts of the Philippines, and doctors, hospital staff and church missionaries were brought to Culion which was isolated for over a century.

The iconic Eagle logo on Agila Hill with the statue of Christ the Redeemer above it

By its 25th year, there were already 16,138 patients on Culion’s roster making it the largest leper colony in the world. It became a separate municipality on February 1992 by virtue of Republic Act No. 7193 and ratified by a plebiscite held on September 12. The cure for leprosy, a multi-drug therapy, was developed in the 1980s and, in 2006, the island was declared leprosy-free by the World Health Organization.

Culion Port

As our boat neared the island, we could already see the Aguila (“eagle’), a gigantic replica of the Philippine Health Service’s iconic eagle crest, the town’s famous marker. Located 330 steps from downtown Culion, the Eagle, seated above the Philippine medical emblem, was constructed in 1926 by ingenious lepers who, in appreciation for the dedication of the health workers who worked in Culion, meticulously arranged the boulders on the slope of Agila Hill which overlooks Culion Bay and the quaint town of Culion. Just above it is a statue of Christ the Redeemer.

Culion town proper

We landed right at the doorstep of Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant, one of the town’s three inns. At its restaurant, we were welcomed by Ms. Marche Mercado-Sanchez, the lodge’s Operations Manager. Here, we were served snacks and juice drinks.

Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant

The lodge has basic but clean and comfortable accommodations, with twin sharing, fan-cooled rooms with common toilet & bath and airconditioned family rooms with private toilet & bath (PhP650-1,500). A television is found in the common dining area while a convenience store is located at the ground floor of the lodge.. They have a back-up generator which they use when there are lots of guests as electricity in the town only runs from 12 noon till 12 midnight only.

The Lower Gate

Just outside the lodge is the “Gate” which formerly divided Culion into two worlds. The upper gate is where the sano (non-lepers) resided and the lower gate is where the leproso (“lepers”) were secluded. The gates were heavily guarded. Strict rules were imposed (the lepers even had their own police force), especially on the lepers who were not allowed to go through the upper gate.

Plaque beside the gate

The sano also had to wash their hands and feet as well as wipe their shoes and slippers with antiseptic and leave their clothes before they could enter. After work, they had to wash again and change their clothes before going home.

The giant clam shell used for wahing hands

The giant clam shell used for washing hands displayed at Culion Museum & Archives

Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant: Sandoval St., Brgy. Balala, Culion 5315, Palawan. Mobile numbers: (0999) 656-7769, (0917) 528-2433 and (0918) 214-2222. Email: tabingdagatlodge@yahoo.com, cecille1025sanchez@google.com and mcm.sanchez@yahoo.com.

Culion Tourism Information: mobile number: (0921) 394-7106 (Pastor Hermie Villanueva). E-mail: herme_1670@yahoo.com.ph.

How to Get There: Culion is a 1.5 to 2-hour motorized outrigger boat ride from Coron town.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Maquinit Hot Springs (Coron, Palawan)

Posted on 15 June, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Maquinit Hot Spring

After making our way back to our boat from Kayangan Lake, we returned to Coron Port where our van awaited us to take all of us to Maquinit Springs, the final stop of our Asia Grand View Hotel-sponsored first-day tour of Coron. We arrived at the springs by 6:30 PM.

Maquinit Hot Springs, believed to be one of the rarest hot springs in the country and in Asia. is unique for its saltwater pools, one of only a few in the world. One of the best mineral hot spring sites in the country, it has hot sulfuric, mineral-rich salt water emanating from the ground and collecting in several waist-deep pools 5 m. from the seashore.

The author at Maquinit Hot Spring

Its waters flow right into Coron Bay, causing a misty mirage seen from the shoreline of Coron town. Water temperature here can rise to a scorchingly hot 32 to 40º Celsius, especially between 10 AM and 3 PM. It is cooler during sunset. The waters are reputed to cure skin ailments while the green moss lining the pool are said to be a remedy for sunburn (it also makes the floor slippery).

It was almost unbearable at my first dip at the volcanically heated water of the 2 main pools but I soon got used to it and it soothed my aching muscles. The others followed suit.

Visitors with respiratory and skin problems have observed improvements in their condition after a dip. For those with high blood pressure (like me), they are advised to minimize their time in the pool and later take a cold shower to normalize their body temperature.

A wooden boardwalk where one can view the esa and the nearby mangroves

A wooden boardwalk where one can view the islands of Coron Bay and the nearby mangroves

For generations, Ms. Lia Ramos and her family has been taking care of the hot springs. According to Lia, the pools have spirulina, a substance used to produce animal feeds, medicines, vitamin supplements and cosmetics.

View of Coron Bay

How to Get There: By land, the springs are accessible by a 30-min. tricycle ride from the Coron town proper (PhP300-400 round trip). By sea (during high tide), boats dock at a boardwalk leading to the sea. From the boardwalk, you can see the islands of Coron Bay. By air, Skyjet Airlines has regular flights from Manila to Coron.

Maquinit Hot Springs: Sitio Maquinit, Brgy. Tagumpay, Coron, Palawan. Open daily, 8 AM – 8 PM. Admission: Adults (PhP200), Senior Citizens/Students (PhP160), Children 5 to 10 years old (PhP100), Children Below 5 Years Old (free). Mobile number: (0918) 344-4633. E-mail: maquinit.hotspring@yahoo.com.

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.