Category Archives: Philippines, Republic of the

Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House (Cebu City, Cebu)

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House

After breakfast at One Central Hotel, we still had time to kill before the 1 PM grand opening of the hotel, so I, together with lady media colleagues Maria Rona Beltran, Rhea G. Vitto-Tabora and Javelyn J. Ramos, decided to do some museum sightseeing.  Outside the hotel, we hailed a jeepney that took us to the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, part of the Casa Gorordo Museum Complex.

Check out “Casa Gorordo Museum”

After paying the PhP50 admission fee to a lady receptionist clad in old Filipiniana dress and logging our names in the visitors’ logbook, we were toured around the house by a well-versed guide.

L-R: Ms. Maria Rona Beltran, Ms. Rhea G. Vitto-Tabora, Ms. Javelyn J. Ramos and the author

The Spanish-Colonial era Yap-San Diego Ancestral House, in Cebu City’s Parian District (founded in 1590 after the arrival of Chinese traders), is said to be the first Chinese house built outside of China.

Listening to our guide explaining the history of the house

Often referred to by the locals as the Balay nga Bato ug Kahoy (“House of Wood and Stones”), this ancestral house was built, sometime between 1675 and 1700, and is considered as one of the oldest existing residential structures in the country and a proof that the Parian district in Cebu City was a bustling barangay where houses are often designed with a second storey.

The house was originally owned by Don Juan Yap, a Chinese merchant, together with his wife, Doña Maria Florido.  They had three children, namely: Maria, Eleuterio and Consolacion.

Portrait of house owners Val and Ofelia Sandiego

In the 1880’s, their eldest daughter, Maria Florido Yap, married Don Mariano Avendano San Diego from Obando, Bulacan, who was, at that time, the Parian’s cabeza de barangay (district head). Since then, the structure had become a busy center of activity in Parian.

In 2008, the house was handed down to the aforementioned Val Mancao San Diego, Doña Maria’s 10th generation great great grandson, and his wife Ofelia Zozobrado-San Diego.

An art collector, one of Cebu’s famous choreographers and a heritage icon, Val believe that this ancestral house was part of Cebu’s history and heritage so he carefully restored his ancestor’s home and turned it into a private museum.

Fine china

And though there have been offers to buy the house from him, he still continues to ignore such proposals and vows never to sell this historical house in his lifetime, no matter what the offer is.

Religious statuary

Though Val and his family don’t live in this house, every so often, during weekends, they still come over to stay at the house. This ancestral house was been featured in the book Chinese Houses of Southeast Asia of noted Chinese cultural historian Ronald G. Knapp (2010, Tuttle Publishing)

An antique harp

This 2-storey house, its design combining Spanish and Chinese architectural influences, has a ground floor built with coral stone, glued with egg whites, and a second floor built with tugas (molave) and balayong wood. The curving roof was made of tisa (red terra cotta clay tiles) from China, each piece weighing 1 kilogram.

Four-poster beds

Outside is a beautiful garden (a boat from the 1800s is currently being used as a flower bed) and a still functional old well (its water is only used for the plants).

The beautiful garden

The ground floor was unpaved (since it was only used as a warehouse or kamalig) but, before we ascended the second floor’s creaking staircase, we had to wear shoe cover booties to protect the hardwood floor upstairs from scratches.

Stairway

The house was filled with well-crafted life-sized statues, religious icons and images of santos, especially of the Sto. Niño (including one sitting on a rocking chair) and angels, in every size and material imaginable (the family was known to be deeply religious).

Dining Area

There’s also an impressive array of new contemporary and ancient artworks; priceless, century-old antique pieces; a wooden harp; fine china and cutlery; antique décor; clay jars for storing water and Cebuano-made native period furniture made of balayong, tugas and narra.

Most the old items which were preserved here came from Carcar, Cebu. The front door has a knocker that came from a Chinese temple.

The bedroom had a four-poster bed and a wooden baby crib. Also at the second floor is a banggerahan with its rack for drinking glasses and cups. Having survived natural calamities and earthquakes, the house has retained over 90% of the original structure.

Yap Sandiego Ancestral House: 155-Lopez Jaena corner Mabini St., 6000 Parian District, Cebu City, Cebu. Open daily, 9 AM – 7 PM. Admission: PhP50 per person.  Tel: (032) 514-3002, 514-3003 or 253-5568. Facebook: www.facebook.com/Yap-Sandiego-Ancestral-House-214835631903226/

How to Get There: From Marina Mall, ride a multicab or jeepney that carries a ‘highway’ signage and tell the driver to drop you off at Maguikay. From there, ride any Mandaue jeepney (with a “Catedral” or “Colon” signage) that will take you to Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral or Colon Street. Upon reaching these landmarks, The Yap-San Diego Ancestral House is just a walk away. At SM Cebu or near Radisson Blu Hotel, you can ride a jeep with 01K code. Go down at Shamrock and take a short walk to the right where you’ll find the Parian Plaza and its Heritage of Cebu Monument. The house is just a few steps away from it.

Check out “Heritage of Cebu Monument“

10,000 Roses Café (Cordova, Cebu)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

10,000 Roses Cafe

Part of One Central Hotel & Suites-sponsored tour of Cebu City

The 10,000 Roses Café, opened last February 6, 2017, is one of Cebu’s newest craze.  It has a stunning garden in the open area of the facility that are “planted” with 10,000 artificial white roses that are filled with LED lights, the first in the Philippines.

About 3 feet tall, these roses dance with the sea breeze during day time.   Around 6 PM every night, they are lit and transformed into magical lights that glow at night. That’s why it’s best to go there before sunset until closing time.  Because of its unique theme, it instantly became a hit and is, undeniably, the most popular and most sought-after café.

Cordova Tourism Center

Lantaw Floating Restaurant

Located at the end of Cordova Tourism Center, just next to Lantaw Floating Restaurant, many visitors frequent the place to have their pictures taken in a different kind of setting.  It is owned by interior designer Miguel Cho who was inspired by the more than 25,000 LED Roses of the famous Dongdaemum Design Plaza in Seoul, South Korea.

View of the 10,000 Roses from the Cafe Viewdeck

A perfect spot for photographers, the café, situated on a reclaimed wharf property, has a viewing deck, surrounded by glass walls, that offers an amazing view of Mactan Island, the skyline of Cebu City, the neighboring cities and municipalities, the island’s mountain range, the sea and, of course, the roses.

10,000 Roses Cafe

The coffee shop and restaurant serves drinks, pasta, panini, sandwiches, potato fries, nachos with salsa, cheese plate, fruits plate, salad and varieties of coffee, teas and beer.  The ground floor has a modest indoor dining area, with modern and stylish seating, which can accommodate 20 to 25 customers.  The alfresco dining area can accommodate additional 40 to 60 customers.

Indoor Dining Area

Al fresco dining area

The 10,000 Roses Café: Brgy. Day-as, Cordova, Cebu.  Tel: (032) 496 7023. Open daily, 10:30AM to 11PM. Admission: P20/person.

One Central Hotel & Suites: Cor. Sanciangko and Leon Kilat St., Cebu City 6000, Cebu.  Tel: (+6332) 888-8000, 888-8111 and 888-8168.  E-mail: info@onecentralhotel.com. Website: www.onecentralhotel.com.

Return to Wawa Gorge (Rodriguez, Rizal)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Wawa Gorge

The day after my grandson Kyle’s 6th birthday, I together with the rest of my family joined employees of E. Ganzon Inc. in distributing relief goods to residents of Sitio Wawa in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban, it was renamed after Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Sr., Montalban’s first mayor and Senate president, in 1982) in Rizal. Last August 11-13, the area was hit by flash flooding that also destroyed the bridge that connects Sitio Wawa with Sitio Sto. Niño.

Sitio Wawa

This wasn’t my first visit to this area.  The first time I was in Wawa was way back in 2004 when I was a guest in a demonstration tour, for teacher representatives from 9 different schools, hosted by Lakbay Kalikasan. At Wawa Gorge, we engaged in the adrenaline-pumping sport of rappelling at the gorge’s metal footbridge.

Check out “Rapelling at Wawa Gorge“

Sitio Wawa lies is in between the 426 m. high Mt. Pamitinan and 424 m. high Mt. Binacayan.  Its abandoned reservoir is visited mostly by hikers as the jump-off point for the trek to either beginner-friendly mountain, two of three mountains in the well-loved trilogy hike (the other is 517 m. high Mt. Hapunang Banoi). Guide fee is Php500 per group.

Mt. Pamitinan

The two mountains form a scenic view that appears like a portal to the sky, hence the name wawa, the Dumagat term for “entrance.” Sitio Wawa is a habitat of the Remontado Dumagat, mixed-blood offspring of lowlanders, who fled the Spanish colonizers, and of Negritos, the original setters in the area.

Mt. Binacayan

Legend has it that a giant of extraordinary strength named Bernardo Carpio (our version of Hercules or Atlas) who, in olden times, was trapped by an enkanto (enchanted creature) between Mt. Pamitinan and Mt. Binacayan. He caused earthquakes, landslides and flooding in nearby villages every time he struggles to free himself from his chains or keep the boulders from crushing him or from colliding.

Parking lot for visitors

José Rizal was said to have made a pilgrimage to Montalban to pay homage to Bernardo Carpio, a versatile symbol of freedom. In recent times, Lavrente “Lav” Diaz has used the legend as organic symbol in his 2016 historical fantasy dram film Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis (“A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery”). The riverbed is said to have a boulder with a hollow that forms what look like a gigantic footprint, attributed by locals to Bernardo Carpio.

The E. Ganzon, Inc. group. The author is at left

Historically, the site was used as a hide out by the revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio who made one of Pamitinan’s caves as the Katipunan’s secret headquarters.  Here, Bonifacio and eight of his men entered the cave on Palm Sunday and came out on Good Friday. Here, they declared independence from Spain on April 12, 1895, over a year before the Revolution started.

The children of Sitio Wawa

Some 500 meters of narrow passage away from the mouth of Pamitinan Cave is the bulwagan (“hall”), a cavern over 50 ft. high and about 50 ft. in radius.  Inscribed on the cavern wall, in what looks like charcoal (possibly soot from a torch), are the words Viva la Independencia.  The Pamitinan pilgrimage is held here in April.

A currently closed hanging bridge

In 1943, the cave was turned into a Japanese armory. Mary Japanese died here from American fire. In 1977, a concrete marker commemorating them was fixed on the cliff wall over the cave’s mouth, above which is a metal plate, inscribed with Japanese characters with English translation, that reads: “Give them eternal rest, O Lord, and let them share Your glory.” In 1985, the cave was declared a National Geological Monument.

The narrow paved trail. along a ridge, leading to Wawa Dam

It is closed for rehabilitation until further notice.  In 1996, the area was declared a Protected Landscape managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Tourism.

A waterfall emanating from a cave

After lunch at one of the area’s eateries, we decided to make the 500-m. trek, along a ridge, to Wawa Dam, the prominent landmark of Sitio Wawa. Along the narrow, paved trail are stores selling organic vegetables (eggplant, squash, gabi, takway, puso ng saging, pandan leaves, etc.), river shrimps, crabs, eels, carp, charcoal, assorted fruits (bananas, papaya,) etc., snacks and beverages to tourists.

The author at the steel footbridge near the dam

On Tuesdays and Fridays, foot traffic is heavy on the trail, with young men carrying sacks of fruits and vegetables.  After crossing a metal footbridge, we reached the slightly arched dam.  Coupled with the beautiful landscape of 80-160 feet high white rock walls, limestone crags and marble boulders, the dam was perfect for photography.

Wawa Dam

Wawa Dam, also known as Montalban Dam, is an 85 m. 9279 ft.) long  and 12 m. (40 ft.) high gravity dam constructed over the Marikina River. The slightly arched dam is situated in the 360-m. (1,180 ft.) high Montalban Gorge or Wawa Gorge, a water gap in the Sierra Madre Mountains, east of Manila.

Kyle, Grace and Jandy with the dam in the background

The waters of the Upper Marikina River basin, its headwater said to be in Quezon province, runs through the gorge and descends to the lowlands of the neighboring town of San Mateo and Marikina Valley. During summer, cottages are built at the foot of the dam but, as it was the rainy season, they remove the cottages because of the heavy impact of water.

The old, roofless American-era watchtower flanking the dam

The dam was built in 1904, during the American colonial era, started operating in 1909 to provide the water needs for Manila. It used to be the only source of water for the greater Manila area but it was closed in 1962 due to deterioration and lack of water supply and abandoned when it was replaced by the La Mesa-Ipo-Angat watershed system.

The sparsity of its water was most likely due to the logging and quarrying in the mountains. However, due to insufficiency of water supply for Metro Manila, there is now a strong clamor to reuse the dam. Wawa Dam is also pictured in their official seal of the local government of Rodriguez.

The reservoir behind the dam

For those who are not fans of mountain hiking, Wawa Dam’s has picnic spots. If you don’t want to bring your own food and beverages, sari-sari stores, food stalls and a wet market are available in the place. You can rent a bamboo cottage (Php150-500) and toilets are Php10 per use (bring your own toiletries or buy them at the sari-sari stores).

The roofless interior of the old watchtower

Wawa Dam: M. H. Del Pilar Street, Sitio Wawa, Brgy. San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines.

How to Get There:

By Car: Despite the usual traffic, the fastest route to Wawa is via Commonwealth Ave., then take Payatas Road going to Rodriguez Highway until you reach M.H Del Pilar Street. Inside Wawa Village, there’s a parking space where the locals look after your car for any amount. Travel time is around 1.5 to 2hrs.

By Public Transportation: In front of Jollibee, Farmers, Cubao, Quezon City, there’s a UV Express Terminal where you can take the van going to Rodriguez (fare: Php50 per head).  Drop-off at Montalban Terminal.  Here, you can ride a tricycle going to Wawa Village (fare: Php20 per head). From  SM North/Trinoma, you can also ride a UV Express van (fare: Php50) going to Eastwood Montalban and drop off at Eastwood Ministop. Then, ride a jeep going to Wawa (fare: Php8). From the parking lot, you have to walk for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, from Cubao/SM North/Trinoma, you can ride a bus or jeepney going to Litex and, from there, ride a jeepney going to Montalban Town Center and another jeepney to Wawa. This is much cheaper but a bit of a hassle.

The Fountain at Okada Manila

Posted on by — Leave a reply

The Fountain at Okada Manila

The Fountain at Okada Manila, tagged as the world’s largest multicolor dancing fountain, was unveiled last March 31, 2017 in a star-studded launch featuring Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach as host, German-Filipino classical crossover singer Gerphil Flores (performing classical music with the 40-piece Manila Philharmonic Orchestra as accompaniment) and American singer-songwriter Robin Thicke (behind the hit “Blurred Lines”) as the main act.

This iconic destination attraction of the Philippines, capable of moving in rhythm with music and lights, draws guests not only around the country but from the world over. The US$30-million fountain has an area of 9.2 hectares, reportedly taking up a third of the property’s land area. In terms of size, it is bigger than the 3.4-hectare Bellagio Fountain of Las Vegas. Like the Bellagio, The Fountain at Okada Manila was designed by WET Designs, a renowned Los Angeles-based water-feature design firm.

WET team of  fountain choreographers infused a local touch to The Fountain’s twofold design inspirations – the festive traditions of the Philippines, and the sampaguita, the country’s national flower.

The fountain, a spectacular show of lights and sounds, is equipped with 739 high-power water nozzles (which can shoot water beyond the height of the Okada Manila hotel building), including WET’s proprietary underwater robots, 2,611 colored lights and 23 high-fidelity speakers. The water in The Fountain can also fill 50 Olympic-size swimming pools.

The Fountain Show, a gift of Okada Manila Chairman Kazuo Okada to the Philippines, is available for free to guests of all ages who watch the show from 6 PM onward. Before the show begins, the peaceful fountain takes the appearance of a manmade lake from the ground. When the show starts, water jets soar high at the centre of the lake, allowing for the projection of abstract videos from two sides.

The water nozzles and colored lights work together to create a sensory experience like no other.  The fountain’s movements, dazzling as it danced in sync to the tune of classics and modern songs, features jets of water racing and spurts twisting and twirling with the feathery grace of a dancer with water blossoms budding, unfurling and forming the eight petals of a massive sampaguita.

Both sides of The Fountain also feature projections during spectacular water shows. A permanent yet invisible performance stage installed in The Fountain’s lake enables performers to give the illusion of being able to walk on water, interact with the water features, and amaze the audience with an enthralling, unforgettable show.  Accompanying this are two other immersive shows: LED Mapping and World of Wonders.  Joining the ranks of Manila’s most iconic landmarks and a bold take on creating a global icon, The Fountain of Okada Manila’s grandeur and accurately choreographed water, light and music performances will rival those in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and Las Vegas’ Bellagio. Truly, it is a sight to behold.

Okada Manila: New Seaside Drive, Parañaque City, 1701 Metro Manila.  Tel.: (02) 888 0777.

Fountain Show Schedules: Mondays to Thursdays, one song at the top of each hour (6 PM to 10 PM); Fridays to Saturdays, two songs at the top of each hour (6 PM to 12 AM); and Sundays, two songs at the top of each hour (6 PM to 11 PM). Every 8 PM, from Friday to Sunday, the World of Wonders will be performed on the floating stage. A projection mapping show, meanwhile, will be held from Friday to Sunday from 8:30 to 9:30 in the evening.

Pamulaklakin Forest Trail (Subic Freeport Zone)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Media group with Tata Kasoy at Pamulaklakin Forest Trail

Come morning of our third and last day at Subic Freeport Zone, after breakfast at Le Charme Suites, we proceeded to the Pamulaklakin Forest Trail, an eco-tourism park that is home to over 300 Aeta families under the Tribung Aetang Ampala.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: Le Charme Suites”

Upon arrival, we met up with the 64 year old Aeta tribal elder Dominador Liwanag.  Fondly called “Tata Kasoy,” he is a renowned instructor of the Jungle Environmental Survival Training (JEST) course offered to tourists and American servicemen.

Dominador Liwanag AKA Tata Kasoy

With the Aeta’s signature curly hair, small body structure and a dark complexion, this fully licensed guide was also friendly in nature.  Best representing the culture of the Aeta community in Subic, Tata Kasoy is frequently featured in various television programs.

Wearing his traditional red bahag (loincloth) and headscarf, he had an entertaining way of demonstrating to us how to survive in the forest.   Using the versatile bamboo, he showed us how to start a fire, make cooking utensils and prepare and cook food.

As part of his tribe’s belief in anitos (nature spirits), Tata Kasoy also demonstrated how to acknowledge and give thanks to the spirits before partaking of the cooked food. According to him, they oftentimes prepare another set of food as an offering to the anito.

The author (with bow and arrow) posing with Tata Kasoy

After the interesting demonstration of Aeta culture concluded, we had our pictures taken with Tata Kasoy who directed the session itself, posing with the weapons such as bow and arrow, knives and spears.

Later, the young ones, accompanied by Aling Teresita, tried out the Mini-Jungle Tour, making a short 30-minute trek to explore the dense, pristine forest. I stayed behind with the senior citizens.  During the tour, the friendly and informative Aling Teresita pointed out some of the edible and medicinal jungle herbs.

Pamulaklakin Forest Trail: Binictican Drive, SBMA, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 2222, Zambales.  Mobile number: (0929) 572-1105.  Admission: Sightseeing (PhP100/head), Mini Jungle Tour (PhP100/head), Ecology Tour (PhP250/head).

Church of St. Isidore the Farmer (Labrador, Pangasinan)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Church of St. Isidore the Farmer

The town’s first church and convent, built with wood, was started in 1771 by Fr. Domingo de San Joaquin and finished in 1776. By 1865, after renovations, it measured 57.4 m. in length and 16.5 m. in width. In 1952, the church underwent repairs of World War II damage.

The church’s interior

AUTHOR’S NOTES

The church’s single level, Baroque facade, topped by a plain triangular pediment, has a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by massive square pilasters topped by urn-like finials, and semicircular arched windows.

Above the entrance is a small niche with the statue of St. Isidore the Farmer flanked by semicircular arched windows.  The square bell tower, on the church’s left, is probably a modern addition.

The main altar and retablo

Church of St. Isidore the Farmer: Lingayen-Labrador Road, Poblacion, Labrador 2402. Tel: (075) 549-5055. Feast of St. Isidore the Farmer: May 15.

How to Get There: Labrador is located 359 kms. from Manila.  Within the province, it is located 12.6 kms. from Lingayen, 10.5 kms. from Bugallon and 7.3 kms. from Sual.

Kampana Museum (Lingayen, Pangasinan)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Kampana Museum, probably the only one of its kind in the country

The Kampana (“Bell”) Museum, probably the only museum of its kind in the country, is housed within the compound of the Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord.  It displays an array of six old bells (some dating back to the 1800s) of different sizes (four of them still with their wooden yokes) of the parish on a raised concrete platform within a fenced in, shed-type enclosure.

Check out “Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord“

The array of six bells, a number of which are coated with verdigris

During the term of the first Team Ministry (when the “Three Kings” Parish was renamed “Epiphany of Our Lord Parish” in 1965) of the parish (composed of Fr. John R. Palinar, Fr. Jose S. Estrada, Fr. Manuel S. Bravo and Fr. Victor Z. Embuido), these church bells were replaced by new ones (sourced through donations from civic-spirited citizens here and abroad).

 

Bell inscribed with “Isaias Edralin,” probably a parish priest

These old church bells were, in turn, housed in a museum built during the term of the second Team Ministry (composed of Fr. Alberto T. Arenos, Fr. Camilo Natividad and Fr. Jovino Batecan).  The museum was inaugurated on March 31, 2002.

Bell inscribed with “Francisco Treserra,” probably a parish priest

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

Inscriptions on the bells oftentimes indicates the bell’s date of casting, its weight, the name of the saint (San Juan Bautista, Sta. Teresita, Jesus, Maria y Jose, etc.) to which it was dedicated; the name of the town (Lingayen) for which it was commissioned; the name of the parish priest (Francisco Treserra, Isaias Edralin, Felix Sanches, etc.), bishop (Cesar Ma. Guerrero, on February 22, 1929), pope (Pope Pius XI ); when it was cast; and even the name of the bell caster.

A bell inscribed with the names of Lingayen Bishop Cesar Ma. Guerrero and Pope Pius XI

I noticed one bell was cast in 1874, a second in 1883 and another in 1928. One bell is inscribed with “Fundicion de H. Sunico” possibly referring to metalsmith Hilario S. Sunico who cast 176 bells, dated 1872-98. His last known bell was dated 1937.

A bell inscribed with the year “1883”

Many of the bells are wrapped in a blue-green patina due to chemical reaction with air and sea water, over time, that causes copper, brass and bronze to form verdigris.The verdigris layer, which gives the bell its fragile beauty, actually protects the underlying metal from corrosion and degradation, which is why these bells are so durable.

A bell inscribed with “Jesus, Mary and Joseph”

Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord: Poblacion, Lingayen, 2401 Pangasinan.  Tel: (075) 542-6235.

How to Get There: Lingayen is located 227 kms. (a 4.5-hour drive) from Manila and 94.9 kms. (a 3-hour drive) from Baguio City (Benguet).

Church of Our Lady of the Purification (Binmaley, Pangasinan)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Church of Our Lady of Purification

This church, once the largest church in the province during the latter part of the 19th century, was first constructed in the 16th century but burned down in 1745. The succeeding brick church, built towards the west of the former, was begun by Fr. Jose Salvador in 1747 finished by Fr. Francisco Barroso, OP, in 1754.

The right side of the church with some of the original brick facing now exposed

During World War II, the church was heavily damaged (only the walls and the partly damaged bell tower were left after shelling by American warships from January 7-9, 1945) and later rebuilt.

The 5-storey bell tower on the church’s right

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

This church’s 3-level, relatively simple Baroque brick (now plastered over) façade has  semicircular arched main entrance, flanked by semicircular arched windows, at the first level; and a semicircular arched statued niche, flanked by semicircular arched windows, at the second level.

On display in front of the church is a huge 1880 bell that bears the logo Fundicion de Metales de Santos Supangco.

The segmental pediment, separated from the second level by 3 rows of cornices, has a recessed octagonal window (above which is a cornice and a centrally located seal in the tympanum) flanked by smaller, recessed octagonal windows. The huge scrolls flowing down from the base of the pediment are typical of the Italian Baroque style.

The 1880 church bell on display outside the church

The 5-storey, square bell tower, on the church’s right, has blind semicircular arched recesses (canopied with triangular segments), at the the first 3 storeys, and semicircular arched open windows at the receding upper levels.  It has 3 bells. One bell, weighing 4,130 pounds and cast in 1804, was once of the three biggest bells in the Philippines.

The main altar and retablo

The church measures 94 m. long and 16.8 m. wide. Juan Fuentes y Yepes, the Bishop of Nueva Segovia, is buried here.  The 35 m. long  transept has a high dome with 4 windows and is supported by 8 elegant columns with Composite capitals. The interior also houses 5 exquisite altars.

The church’s dome

Church of Our Lady of the Purification: Urdaneta Junction, Dagupan–Binmaley Road, Poblacion, Binmaley 2417. Tel: (075) 540-0047.  Feast of Our Lady of Purification: February 2.

How to Get There: Binmaley is located 223 kms. from Manila.

Waling-Waling Island (Coron, Palawan)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

The sandbar of Waling-Waling Island

Part of Bacau Bay Resort-sponsored Island Hopping Tour

After breakfast at Bacau Bay Resort’s Amihan Restaurant, we proceeded to the resort’s private port where our motorized outrigger boat for our island hopping tour awaited us.  We were scheduled to visit three islands (Waling-Waling Island, Banana Island and Malcapuya Island) as well as Kayangan Lake. Getting to Waling-Waling Island (also called Bulog Uno), the first island in our tour, entailed a long 1.5-hour trip.

Check out “Malcapuya Island“

Bulog Uno Island (Waling-Waling)

Even though the sun was at its peak during our boat trip, the seas were very rough and those seated at front were drenched by the huge waves. Some of the ladies even became seasick.

Check out “Resort Review: Bacau Bay Resort Coron“

An open-air cabana

Nearing the end of our trip, a couple of very small, rocky islands (Bulog Uno and Dos) soon came into view. Our boat soon made landfall at Waling-Waling Island (Bulog Uno) and, upon alighting, some of us made our way up a path up a small hill.

The island has a number of open-air cabanas (said to have been used by celebrities), clean bathrooms, an island bar as well as a big house at the top of the hill where one can stay overnight.

Pathway leading up to the top

A separate path led us to a cool and windy viewpoint where we had a gorgeous view of both sides of the island, the powdery white sand beach below, the two-toned clear and azure waters, the surrounding islands and the neighboring, uber-hyped and expensive Two Seasons Resort on Bulog Dos which is connected to Waling-Waling by a very nice and long sandbar (currently submerged during our visit as it was high tide).

The island bar

Overall, this lovely, private island, perfect for honeymooners, is clean, with beautiful scenery. Bring comfortable water shoes or slippers as the long uphill walk up the path to small hill in the middle of the island is lined with small coral stones.

View of offshore islands from the viewpoint

The sand in the beach is very fine and good for swimming, taking pictures or just lazing under the sun. There are some nice fish shoals around and the beach goes slowly down into the water. The water here is warm and the current is calm.

L-R: the author, Mr, Feliciano Rodriguez III, Ms. Sara Grace Fojas, Ms. Leica Dacuycuy and Ms. Via Marie Claire Baroma

While the corals here were not the best in Coron, it was still good enough. About 15-20 feet from the beach is some excellent snorkeling with starfish, angel fish, barracudas, snapper, blue tang, triggerfish, trunkfish, Moorish idols and parrotfish. We were lucky to have been able to stop here as construction of another resort on the island was slated to start.

Frolicking on the sandbar

 

Waling-Waling Island: Coron, Palawan.  Admission: PhP150 per adult.  Children are free of charge.

Bacau Bay Resort Coron: Governor’s Drive, Sitio Jolo, Poblacion 5, Coron 5316, Palawan.  Mobile numbers: (0995) 760-3444 and (0995) 760-3445. E-mail: info@bacaubaycoron.com.   Website: www.bacaubayresortcoron.com.

Manila Sales & Marketing Office: Anya Hospitality Corporation, 5/F Pilgrim Building, 111 Aguirre St., Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229, Metro Manila.  Tel: +63-553 8888 loc. 34-36.  Fax: +632 874-0426.  E-mail: reservations@bacaubaycoron.com.  Website:www.anyahospitalitycorp.com.

Silliman University’s Anthropology Museum (Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental)

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Anthropology Museum

Silliman University’s Anthropology Museum,  a must to visit if you are a tourist in Dumaguete City, was established in 1973 to bring the importance of the Filipino’s cultural heritage to the attention of the public. Formerly housed in the iconic Silliman Hall (the oldest American structure in the country), the museum was relocated to the second floor of Hibbard Hall in 2015.

Hibbard Hall

Hibbard Hall, built in 1932 and named after Dr. David Sutherland Hibbard, one of the founders of the institution, also houses the Office of the University Registrar.. It is a good museum to visit to get first-hand viewing of tools used on different historical ages of the Philippines.

The collections were well documented and arranged. The bulk of the artifacts displayed came from field works, excavations by Sillimanian anthropologists in the 1970s, purchases and donations.This airconditioned museum has seven galleries, from archaeological finds to anthropological artifacts. The first three contains exhibits collected from known cultural or ethnic groups all over the country.

Artifacts include simple tools and instruments such as basketry; woodwork; agricultural and aquatic tools; weapons (bows & arrows, etc.); clothing and ornaments; musical instruments impressive samples of Islamic cultural pieces and even objects of Siquijor “witchcraft” or traditional healing practices. The display is based on two general criteria: the type of social organization (incipient, tribal or sultanate) and the type of economic subsistence (hunting, and gathering, marginal agriculture or farming) under which ethnic group is categorized.

The last four galleries exhibit a variety of very wide-reaching and interesting artifacts, dating to the Pre-Colonial Period, collected from different parts of Negros Island and in the mountain areas of Cotabato. On display are excavated burial jars, clay pots believed to be used during burial rites; porcelain which date back to the Sung Period in the twelfth century; native jewelry; and a long wooden boat coffin with actual remains in it.

The Sultan Omar Kiram Collection tells the curious story of a young man, born in 1914, whose Christian name was Vicente Austria.  He was adopted into a wealthy Christian family and enjoyed the benefits of education and culture of that family. Later, as an army officer, he went to a Muslim village where his former nurse (yaya) recognized him and told him of his real heritage that he was, in fact, from a royal Muslim family and he was really Sultan Omar Kiram, the ruler of the Onayan Sultanate of Lanao del Sur, Mindanao.  He died in 1986 and his collection, which  includes his personal effects (clothes, different kinds of ceremonial swords, prayer beads, etc.),  was donated by his wife.

Rocks and Minerals

There’s also a display of precious gemstones and minerals and a short visual history of the Filipino people (Philippine Revolution, Second World War , Declaration of Independence, EDSA Revolution, etc.).

Anthropology Museum: 2/F, Hibbard Hall, Hibbard Ave., Silliman University, Dumaguete City. Open Mondays-Saturdays, 8 AM – 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM;  Sundays and holidays, by appointment. General Admission: PhP50 (Mondays – Saturdays); PhP100 (Sundays and holidays).  Children below 15 years and Filipino students: PhP20 (Mondays – Saturdays); PhP40 (Sundays and holidays).  Senior Citizen: PhP40 (Mondays – Saturdays); PhP80 (Sundays and holidays).