Avilon Zoo in Rodriguez, Rizal

Avilon Zoo is the best zoo within the vicinity of Metro Manila. At 7.5 hectares, it's also the largest in the country. As Manila Zoo continues to deteriorate (what do you expect from a government zoo that lacks the proper funding for rehabilitation), it is these private endeavors that fill in for the need for quality recreational and educational facilities for Filipinos. Since it was a holiday last April 7, my family planned a visit to Avilon Zoo as soon as I arrived from Tablas.

Getting there was a bit confusing since there was a lack of visible directional signs from San Mateo. You had to proceed to the town proper of Rodriguez (formerly Montalban) and from there, you could ask around how to get to the zoo. The first directional sign I noticed was away from the National Highway where they should have been to help visitors locate the park.

We finally arrived at Avilon Zoo after passing through a dirt road. I expected the municipal government to have cemented this road long before given that Avilon was one of the town’s major attractions. We spent PHP208 each for entrance and it’s a good thing that they accept credit cards.

At the time of our visit, there were some parts of the zoo undergoing renovation in order to improve the facilities but overall, the design and theme was great. Mom said it reminded her of Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.

Check out the close encounters with the animals. I had a chance to interact with several birds of prey including an owl and an eagle, while Bettina got to ride on George the pony for a photo opportunity. They usually charge PHP50 for this. But the funny experience was with Camille the orangutan who was really playful. She would reach for your hand and if you would oblige, she would give you a hug, or in my case, climb up so you could carry her like a little kid.

The zoo has most of the animals that can usually be found in zoos, like lions, a tiger and other large cats, monkeys and other primates, and birds among many others. But it did not have a giraffe, zebra or elephant. But overall, the zoo is worth the visit especially if you have kids.

Avilon Zoo
The Avilon Montalban Zoological Park in San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal is usually open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can call them up to check their schedule.
+63 2 9418393
+63 2 9489866
+63 917 8995126

Nemiranda and the Blanco Family Museum

After lunch, we visited the Nemiranda Art House which houses the Angono School of Arts. Of all the galleries we visited today, this is the one I've already been to during the Higantes Festival in 2006. In fact, we had a sumptuous fiesta lunch courtesy of the artist himself.

There were several paintings on display in his gallery. But one painting called Isang Kahig Isang Tuka struck me because of the powerful symbolisms used. It's a woman giving birth to her sixth child. Behind her on the left are her five other children holding cigarettes and garlands of sampaguita which they sell on the street. In front of them is a plate with a single piece of galunggong. Behind her on the right is her husband drinking. While beside here is the statue of the Sto. Nino and placed under it is an unused condom. Sad but true, this painting tells us about realities here in the Philippines don't you think?

Our last stop was the Blanco Family Museum. The family of Jose "Pitok" Blanco and his wife Loring is so unique because they and their children namely: Glenn, Noel, Michael, Joy, Jan, Gay and Peter Paul are all master painters in their own right. And they all follow the school of Realism, depicting subjects as they appear in everyday life.

Walking around the museum was a wonderful experience because of the beautiful images of the country and beyond which they have captured in their paintings. This is indeed a must visit for everyone.

I had to leave early since I had to catch my class. So I was not able to join the group when they visited what is probably the oldest existing artwork in the Philippines, the Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan. But since I've been there already, just check out my previous entry on it.

Part 1: Art gallery overload in Angono, Rizal
Part 2: Lunch at Balaw-Balaw Restaurant in Angono

Related entries
Viva San Clemente! Higantes of Angono, Rizal
Angono is the Art Capital of the Philippines
Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan, Rizal

Lunch at Balaw-Balaw Restaurant in Angono

As part of Havila's tour of the Angono area, we visited the Balaw-Balaw Folk Art Museum of the late Perdigon Vocalan for lunch. It's more known as the Balaw-Balaw Restaurant which serves both local specialties and exotic foods. For the brave, try ordering uok (larva of beetles that are found in coconut trees cooked as adobo or steamed in tamarind fruit and tomatoes just like escargot), nilasing na palaka (frogs marinated in wine and cooked as adobo), kamaru (a popular Kapampangan cricket dish), Soup No. 5 (cow butt and balls), bibingkang abnoy (aborted duck eggs cooked in banana leaves) or palos (freshwater eel cooked as adobo).

There are also unusual salads such as rose petal salad, rose petal tempura, bougainvillea salad, or crispy alagaw leaves (like crispy spinach or kangkong). But for today, they served us the traditional foods.

If you're a group, you might to their Minaluto which is a little of everything such as chicken and prok adobo, various seafoods and vegetables, steamed with a heaping mound of rice and served in a large bamboo container lined with banana leaves. Minaluto is another term for binalot or a meal with rice packed in banana leaves. It's a little over PHP1100++ if I remember it right.

Above and around the restaurant are paintings and sculptures of Vocalan, a lot of them! Indeed, the place was a feast for the eyes, mind and stomach.

Part 1: Art gallery overload in Angono, Rizal
Part 3: Nemiranda and the Blanco Family Museum

Related entries
Viva San Clemente! Higantes of Angono, Rizal
Angono is the Art Capital of the Philippines
Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan, Rizal

Art gallery overload in Angono, Rizal

Angono, Rizal is indeed the Art Capital of the Philippines. It's actually the center of an artists haven which includes the neighboring towns of Binangonan and Morong, an area which abounds with art galleries, museums, shrines and studios.

We went around Angono today courtesy of Havila since they wanted to show us the wonderful and conducive environment their communities are built in. So after a brief tour of their various developments, we went to Angono.

Our first stop was the house of Carlos "Botong" Francisco, National Artist for Visual Arts, along Dona Aurora Street. When Botong was still alive, his house also served as his studio. In front of it is the gallery of its current occupant, his grandson Carlos "Totong" Francisco II named The Second Gallery.

Dona Aurora Street is actually famous for its concrete street murals, contemporary works by artists Charlie Anorico, Gerry Bantang and Ebong Pinpino depicting the different paintings of Botong Francisco. Almost every house has at least one mural. And we were lucky to chance upon Charlie Anorico working on a new mural.

At one end of Poblacion Itaas are the busts of the towns national artists namely Botong and Lucio San Pedro, National Artist for Music. At the opposite end, the notes of San Pedro's immortal lullaby Sa Ugoy ng Duyan are inscribed on the walls of one of the houses. Indeed, a walk through Dona Aurora Street in Pobalcion Itaas gives us a glimpse of Botong's paintings.

Part 2: Lunch at Balaw-Balaw Restaurant in Angono
Part 3: Nemiranda and the Blanco Family Museum

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Viva San Clemente! Higantes of Angono, Rizal
Angono is the Art Capital of the Philippines
Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan, Rizal

Around Taal Lake

I visited several towns around Taal Lake yesterday. Our first stop was Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas. It's probably the best residential resort by the lake.

Club Balai Isabel has one of the best views of Taal Volcano. At the moment, many parts are still under construction. But the reception area, club house, and several hotel rooms are already complete and ready to accept visitors. We had lunch there as well and ordered some bulalo, fried tawilis, ginataang kalabasa and fried chicken.

We then headed off to Tagaytay en route to Taal. But we stopped by Bag of Beans to check out their bread shop. I had a chicken and mushroom pie.

As soon as we arrived in the heritage town of Taal, we went straight to the Taal Basilica to check it out. Since we didn't have much time, we made a quick drive around town to check out the wonderful heritage houses.

Although relatively intact, there seems to be a lack of continuity in the town since the new structures stick out like sore thumbs in between the charming heritage homes. The local government should do something about these newer structures.

Our last stop was the Church of Caysasay and the miraculous well of Sta. Lucia also in Taal. We didn't stay too long since we wanted to be back in Tagaytay before dark.

On the way back, we made a stopover at Sonya's Garden. I was tempted to have a meal there since I simply adore their salads and pasta. But we'll have to save that for another day. Dinner was at the garden restaurant of Bag of Beans. Then it was back home for us.

Club Balai Isabel
Brgy. Banga, Talisay, Batangas
Mobile +63 918 8473619
Manila +63 2 7761521
Batangas +63 43 7280307

Sonya's Garden
Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite
Mobile +63 928 5073302
Landline +63 46 4132081

Bulalo in Tagaytay is available 24 hours a day

One of those rare times I got to go out. I've been so busy with school, I haven't been able to travel. Poor me! That's why the few hours that I got to go out last Saturday night was a breath of fresh air.

I had dinner with brods at Brittany Bay in Sucat. We had pizza and Czech beer at Grappa's before transferring to Dencio's for more beer, sisig and sari-saring sinugba. We transferred back to Grappa's for even more Czech beer until a weird idea came up. And we ended up having coffee in Tagaytay!

But I guess the highlight of the evening was the bulalo we had at 3 a.m. served at a 24-hour restaurant called GreenATS. Yes folks, bulalo is available in Tagaytay City 24 hours a day!

Scaling the summit of Mt. Batulao

Another surge of adrenaline! I climbed Mt. Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas together with the UP Med Outdoor Society. There was a 200-meter rock climb, about 60 to 70 degrees, to get to the peak. I felt I was hanging on for my dear life!

Since I wanted to get as much sleep as I could (my lack of sleep during the past climbs proved deadly), I decided to meet up with the group at the jump-off point in Nasugbu giving me an extra two hours in bed and enough to fuel my adrenaline rush. The group took a bus to Nasugbu and got off at the entrance of the Evercrest Golf and Country Club. If you're familiar with Calaruega, that's the same entrance. We caught up with the group just as they got off the bus. And from there, the long hike up Batulao began.

Instead of making a right to Calaruega, take the road on the left. A few meters away, you will see an old basketball court and a dirt road to the right which is the road that leads to Batulao. It's straight-forward trek from there.

Along the way, you'll pass by several inhabited areas before the trail leads you to rolling hills with a sparse incidence of nipa huts and the occasional drink stand ready to sell you ice-cold soft drinks or a refreshing dose of coconut juice. At the first of ten camps, you'll be asked to register and pay a PHP20 fee to hike towards the peak.

Since it was January, the cool mountain wind made the effort even easier. We just had to deal with a lot of mud and slippery paths along the way no thanks to the random drizzle which would transform the wind from cool to cold. The assault to the summit was another story worth telling. That took a considerable amount of effort on my part given the steep incline we had to overcome. As I mentioned earlier, there were times I felt I was hanging on for my life since one wrong step or hanging on to a loose stone could have meant me rolling down and hitting the jagged rocks along the way.

But the summit was indeed a prize worthy of the climb. We were afforded panoramic views of Cavite, Batangas and the nearby mountains. You could even see the Taal Volcano! Going down was another story, and I literally had to get my butt dirty, carefully sliding down the steep trail of rocks and soil. It was better to be safe than sorry.

After ten hours of hiking, we finally made it back to the jump-off point. And to celebrate the feat, we binged on pizza and pasta at Carlo's Pizza in Tagaytay City. But my weekend was not over since I'm on my way to Pinatubo tomorrow for a swim in its crater lake. Sometimes I feel I'm just too crazy.

Las Haciendas and our Ambon-Ambon Falls trek

Today, we went chasing waterfalls again. I went with Bikoy and Nino to Las Haciendas in Laurel, Batangas. It's an upcoming residential estate and nature resort. And thanks to my MBA classmate, Dennis Morada, we got to visit this great place before the crowds start trooping to the place.

Our main goal was to trek to Ambon-Ambon Falls which is located inside the estate. After lunch at the clubhouse, they toured us around the place. We visited the campsite where overnight huts are available for rent. We also visited the Simbahang Bato, a cave which serves as the church of the local community. Then it was off to the jump-off point for the trek.

The trail to Ambon-Ambon was very easy, laid back trail. We forgot to bring slippers though. But we managed crossing the four streams on the way without getting our shoes wet.

After that easy trek to the falls, we went swimming in the infinity pool. My Pinoy Mountaineer partner Gideon Lasco followed but missed the trek. For more information on trekking to the falls, or if you want to camp overnight, please contact them at (0920) 9255044 or arnel_caraan@yahoo.com.

They have a day tour package at P750 per head (minimum of 15 pax) which includes free entrance, use of mudslide (this looked like so much fun), trekking to Ambon-Ambon Falls, use of swimming pool, lunch and morning and afternoon snacks. There are also overnight rates at P1,500 inclusive of overnight accommodations in the campsite huts, two lunches, one dinner, one breakfast and three snacks as well as use of the facilities. Not bad!

Anyway, the four of us had dinner in Tagaytay where temperatures dropped. I wish we could have stayed there for the night.

Pagsanjan, Buntot Palos, Bunga and Taytay Falls in Laguna

After the waterfalls in Rizal, we're featuring four waterfalls of Laguna, namely: Pagsanjan (Magdapio) Falls in Cavinti, Buntot Palos (Hidden) Falls in Pangil, Bunga (Twin) Falls in Nagcarlan, and Taytay (Imelda) Falls in Majayjay. Check them out at Pinoy Mountaineer.

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Shooting the rapids in Pagsanjan

Hinulugang Taktak, Daranak and Batlag Falls

This afternoon, we visited three waterfalls in Rizal. This was a spur of the moment trip which my Pinoy Mountaineer partner Gideon Lasco had been egging me on to do. We tagged along my brod, Bikoy Villanueva and another hiking buddy, Sai Sicad. Their proximity to Metro Manila make them perfect for a day trip. In fact, we did it in one afternoon. We were going to visit Daranak Falls in Tanay, Rizal. But on the way, we saw the sign to Hinulugang Taktak in Antipolo City and decided to stop over.

Since it had just rained (or was still raining in some parts) the flow of the water was quite strong. It was a great sight. Hinulugang Taktak was a favorite excursion place for pilgrims who visited the Nuestra Senora de Paz y Buen Viaje in Antipolo during the olden days, thus the folk song "Tayo na sa Antipolo." Sadly, there was a lot of garbage and the falls itself distinctly smelled like detergent. I could just imagine how many women were washing clothes upstream because indeed, it was detergent since soap suds were forming at the bottom of the falls flowing to the stream.

From Antipolo, it was a quick drive down to Tanay. Daranak Falls was the first waterfall I remember visiting. It was a grade 6 camping trip. There are actually two falls, the main one and a smaller, but equally forceful one beside it, which both emptied into a single pool.

I didn't know that just a few meters away from Daranak was another waterfall, the Batlag Falls. It was fantastic!

It was a five-minute hike up to get there. There were two major falls actually which cascaded down into their own their own catch basins. The smaller one on the left looked like a bridal veil. While the larger one on the right was wider. The water from both pools cascaded further down over rocks and roots of trees, flowing into the stream which flowed to Daranak.

I think this was the best of the three falls. It was a good thing we visited on a weekday since we had all the falls all to ourselves. More photos in Multiply.

Salad party in Sonia's Garden

My SSEAYP batch (Me, Dep, Nona and Pam) brought Noby, our Japanese batchmate, to Tagaytay today, part 2 of his birthday celebration. On the way, we passed by Dep's alma mater, the Philippine National Police Academy where we did some rounds at the firing range. It was my first time to shoot and thanks to beginner's luck, I did not miss my targets. Thanks for that Dep!

On the way to Tagaytay, we debated as to where we were going to have lunch. And the salad buffs won so it was Sonia's Garden. It was my first time to have lunch there would you believe. And it was a good decision since I really like the ambiance of the place, eating in a garden atmosphere. Their business model was great since it was a set menu at PHP610 (tax inclusive), a sit down buffet of bread and spreads, salad greens, fruits, pasta, dalandan juice and dessert.

As soon as you sat down, the waiters immediately brought in the bread and salad so there was no waiting time. If you wanted more, you simply asked the waiters to brings in more. It was a really healthy treat and very much worth the visit!

Pia followed us there. And after we were done eating (we were all so full), we drove back to Manila. We had wanted to go around the garden outside but it was raining.

We got some buko (coconut) and other fruit tarts from Amira's which is a small shop along the National Highway; and some burgers at Mushroomburger before proceeding back to Manila. I was asleep the whole time, tired from so many days of traveling. Anyway, more great photos in Multiply.

Sonya's Garden
Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite
Mobile +63 928 5073302
Landline +63 46 4132081

Related post
Around Taal Lake

Mt. Romelo and its waterfalls

I hiked up Mt. Romelo in Siniloan, Laguna with the UP Med Outdoor Society. It's actually a hill if you compare it to other mountains. But Mt. Romelo is a popular destination because of its four waterfalls: Buruwisan, Lansones, Batya-Batya, and Sampaloc. The group visited Buruwisan Falls which was really an awesome sight. Others went to Lansones Falls too.

But it was a crazy adventure for the group and myself too. I had to change a flat tire while I was on my way to our meeting point. Our jeeps didn't arrive on time so we were more than two hours delayed. The organizers were told that one of the jeeps had a flat too that's why they didn't arrive on time. We got new jeeps instead. But since we were two hours delayed, we now had to deal with slow traffic in certain places. One of the jeeps we hired had something wrong with the tires too. So we kept on stopping to adjust the brakes.

On the way to Buruwisan Falls, my body just gave way (since I had zero hours of sleep which is quite stupid and I won't do that again). But the good thing is if there's a will, there's a horse. Yeah, I took a horse up instead. Haha! But I wasn't the only one.

Going down the falls was also difficult since the trail was very steep. But the sight of the falls was all it took to forget how tired I was. It just took a dip in the cold waters of the pool to take away all the stress.

Going back down was easier. But the ride on the horse (it wasn't a regular saddle I was sitting on) was very bumpy. Anyway, we were back in Manila at 12 midnight. After ditching our jeep in Tanay, (the group just didn't want to take the risk since we kept on stopping and it started to smell like rubber), we took another jeep to EDSA Central were we finally had dinner. Good thing Mia Gervasio sent her army of vehicles to pick us up and bring us back to UP Med.

It was fun and everything was all part of the (mis)adventure. Thanks to Gid Lasco, my Pinoy Mountaineer partner, for organizing this climb. Of course, there's Team 4, and the rest of the UP Med Outdoor Society. More photos in Multiply.

Hiking up Pico de Loro

After years of wanting to climb a mountain, I finally did today. Although I’ve climbed up the summit and down the crater lake of Taal Volcano in 1998, I consider this my first real climb. I joined the 2010 and 2012 UP Medicine students in the open climb of the UPCM Outdoor Society as they scaled Pico de Loro. The mountain is 664 meters above sea level.

Meeting time was 4 a.m. at the UP College of Medicine. I only had two hours of sleep and realized I was late. We were supposed to commute. But since there were 35 of us in the group, the organizers decided to hire two jeeps. The group left a little past 5 a.m.

We arrived at the Mounts Palay-Palay/Mataas na Gulod National Park in Ternate, Cavite about 8 a.m. no thanks to some kotong cops in Paranaque and traffic congestion in Cavite which we encountered. Pico de Loro is actually part of Mt. Palay-Palay (which is part of Maragondon, Cavite) and is said to be the highest point in Cavite. The other jump-off point for the mountain is in Nasugbu, Batangas. After registering at the DENR outpost, which is up the road from the gate of Puerto Azul, we were off.

It was a difficult first climb for me. We had not even reached the base camp but I was already panting badly since we had to go up and down Magnetic Hill and walk a distance more to get to the base camp. I was actually part of the lead pack and was able to follow them up to the foot of the mountain. But then my legs gave way and I ended up at the end. Talk about being physically pfffft! Add to the fact that it started to rain really hard and the path started to get muddy and slippery.

Poor sweepers, they had to keep me company as I made that arduous climb to the top. We made our way through forested areas and grasslands while the heavens opened its flood gates. Indeed, it was being one with nature. The push up was forgettable to me since I have difficulties hiking upwards. Good thing the refreshing view of the lush forests kept me going.

Then I heard the group from a distance. I was nearing the peak area. And finally, the last person up made it. And that was me! But the experience on top was unbelievable with strong gusts of wind and rain hitting the mountain. I just stood there, awed by nature’s force.

We had lunch at the peak area. I just brought crackers to fill me up. Most of the group went up further to the pillar area. But I was having cramps and opted to stay with the others who remained. Then they gave us the go signal for the descent as the rest of the group was making its way down from the pillar area. I decided to go with the first group since I knew I hiked slower and they could catch up with me anyway. For the most part, I hiked down alone, absorbing the view of the green forest around me. In fact, it was smooth sailing for me and I thought to myself I would be back in the DENR outpost in no time.

I caught up with the lead pack at the base camp and joined them when they left the camp. We were warned by the caretaker about a very confusing fork but I didn’t get the details since the others took care of that. But to make the long story short, we missed that confusing turn. Poor me, I got an "extra" hike since we ended up walking towards the Maragondon Trail which was longer, muddier, narrower, and more slippery. And we only realized it after 40 minutes walking along that very, very muddy trail. Imagine we had to walk back the same trail.

It was getting dark and my group was pushing me to hike faster so that we could make it back before it got real dark and visibility became zero. Until we finally found the confusing fork, and I ranted that DENR or whoever manages the park knows so many people miss that fork, why don’t they put up visible signs pointing hikers to the right direction! Well, it wasn’t over since it was still a long hike up Magnetic Hill. Damn!

No amount of words could describe how I felt when I saw the road. Arriving at the DENR outpost, the feeling of relief when I sat on the bench was indescribable. Over-all it was all fun, but hell while I was hiking up. Haha! And to think that was just a Level 1 climb.

More photos in Multiply. Thanks to Siena Ona, Gideon Lasco, David Chan, Alric Mondragon and the rest of the gang for a great climb. Thank you as well to Sai Sicad (who was also a guest climber) for giving me that extra push on the way up the summit. Same goes to the lost group (Paolo Macasaet, Zhamir Umag, Angel Palabyab, Joseph Macaraya and Leah Mislang) for waiting for me every time I had to stop to catch my breath. And thanks to my brod Lemuel Narcise for inviting me. Should I climb another mountain?

Technorati Tags: ternate, maragondon, cavite, nasugbu, batangas, philippines, mountain, mountain climbing, nature, travel, travel blog, pico de loro

Protect the Taal Volcano!

I've been forwarding articles about the ludicrous project being constructed in Talisay, Batangas since I first heard about it several days ago. It just shows how much brains (or the lack of it) some of our public officials have. Imagine constructing an elevator from the top of the crater down to the crater lake for the lazy tourists! How absurd can the mayor of Talisay get?! Our natural heritage has no price tag!

Here is the column of Gemma Cruz-Araneta (Manila Bulletin, Thursday, 28 July 2007). I'm posting it in full here for the benefit of all since she hit every point right on the dot:

Landscape: No pride of place
By Gemma Cruz Araneta

The bad news is that a Korean “health spa” and a Korean builder, Jung Ang Interventure Corporation are constructing a resort along the crater of the Taal Volcano. What is worse, according to news reports, is that the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) pointed out that although Taal is a protected area, it is not entirely closed to “ecotourism” projects that do not harm the environment. However, a Department of Tourism (DOT) spokesperson was quick to affirm that the Korean project was never endorsed by them simply because the Taal Volcano area is considered a permanent danger zone and the DOT is not in the habit of risking the lives of tourists and investors. Worst of all is the revelation that thirteen mayors of the towns surrounding Taal Lake have no pride of place.

Diffidently, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology could only warn that permanent structures should not be built in permanent danger zones. That is why it was almost exhilarating to see (on television) newly-elected Batangas governor, Vilma Santos Recto denouncing the same Korean project. She said she would not allow it because Taal Lake and volcano are areas protected by law. That was probably her first official declaration after having been sworn in. I do hope she has enough political will to go against the tide of financial enticements, the ineptitude of bureaucratic Pontius Pilates, unscrupulous stationary bandits and assorted piranhas around who a provincial governor has to swim and survive.

I hope that, in these frightful days of killings and disappearances, the PAMALAKAYA and the Samahan ng mga Mamamayan sa Lawa ng Taal (Samataal) do not lose courage nor steam. Already, they are being called “leftist” which, in the Philippine context, is tantamount to destroying the credibility of these advocates. The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), associated with the Left since martial law days are resolutely supporting the Taal Lake farmers in their struggle against the Korean health spa.

Doesn’t this give you a nasty feeling that the country is being sold bit by bit to the highest bidder? One might wake up, on a sunny morning, only to find out that while we were asleep, our national territory had been parceled and fragmented by assorted developers. . I am beginning to think a conspiracy has been going on right under our noses. Could it be mere coincidence that more and more Filipinos have forgotten, or have been conditioned to doubt and question that we ever declared ourselves an independent republic? This year, the nation did not stop to celebrate Independence Day with the usual reverence, pomp and grandeur. On Rizal’s birthday, the Chief Executive merely sent a wreath to the hero’s, monument. Next week, the anniversary of the Katipunan will most probably pass unnoticed. Is there a concerted effort to make us forget what and who we are?

The National Anthem is no longer Marcha Nacional Filipina but soul and blues; advertisement is stamped on the national flag; historical landmarks are demolished to give way to shopping malls. Alarmingly, there was a request to include the Philippines in China’s master plan and an unsolicited bid to reserve millions of hectares of our national territory for Chinese farmers to cultivate rice, corn and whatever else the once Sleeping Giant needs to sustain its robust growth. The USA which has coveted Mindanao since Pershing and Kudarat clashed swords, will finally gets its wish-- MINSUPALA-- with a new Mutual Defense Treaty as an added bonus. Is it true that Sec. Condoleeza Rice is scheduled to come for an ocular inspection? Lamentably, for those who have no sense of nation and no pride of place, everything is for sale.

* * *

Save the Rizal Shrine!
While the spa issue in Taal has been raging, PTA GM Dean Barbers has silently but blatantly continued construction in Intramuros! If the sports complex is completed, it will damage the area around the Rizal Shrine, blocking the view from the walls. Calling all lovers of Rizal and concerned citizens of the Philippines, let's continue our fight to protect the Rizal Shrine and the walls of Intramuros!

Here is an older post about it: Save the walls of Intramuros!

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Intramuros a warehouse?
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Technorati Tags: talisay, batangas, taal volcano, heritage, conservation, travel, travel blog

Around historic Cavite

Yesterday, I went around the historic province of Cavite. Our first stop was the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit.

The ancestral home of Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, it was the site of the proclamation of Philippine independence on June 12, 1898. On that day, the declaration of independence from Spain was read from a balcony of the house and the Philippine flag formally unfurled by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista (and not Aguinaldo as is erroneously depicted in the old five peso bill). The Philippine National Anthem was also played for the first time by the Banda Malabon (of San Francisco de Malabon, now Gen. Trias, Cavite).

Sadly, the museum was closed. I find this government practice of closing historical sites on Sundays stupid since it robs Philippine citizens the chance to visit these places when they’re off from work. I’ve been in the museum several times before so it wasn’t really a loss. But it would have been nice to see it again. If you want to find out what you could see inside, click here.

From there, it was a forty-minute drive south to Maragondon where we visited the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady which was declared a national cultural treasure, and the Bonifacio Trial House, a national historical landmark, which like the Aguinaldo Shrine, was closed on Sundays.

According to the NCCA, “The church was built in the early 18th century by the Jesuits, with later additions by the seculars and the Augustinian Recollects. Much of the church and belltower, and the lower portion of the convento is made of irregular river stones, indicative of the early level of technology operating at that time. The intricately-carved retablos, pulpit and church doors (with galleons and floral designs) date from Jesuit times, while the hugely carved beams crossing the nave were installed by the seculars-- one of the beams even carries the name of the indio priest who commissioned them. The unusual horseshoe-shaped communion rail, with a flooring of inlaid wood of various colors, recalls that of San Sebastian Church, Manila, another Recollect construction.”

The house of Teodorico Reyes, now known as the Bonifacio Trial House, was where Andres Bonifacio and his brother Procopio were court-martialed. It was a kangaroo court as many historians put it. And their conviction for sedition and conspiracy and subsequent execution in the mountains of Maragondon haunts whatever legacy Aguinaldo was able to leave. In the end, it was Bonifacio whom the nation recognized with a public holiday and grand monuments in Metro Manila.

After this quick detour, we had to rush to Silang since we were in Cavite to help our brods campaign. It was actually fun going house to house giving out flyers of Congressman Boying Remulla whom we met earlier in the morning for coffee at his house. Another group was helping out Congressman Gilbert Remulla in Imus. We also campaigned for Senators Joker Arroyo and Kiko Pangilinan. Silang is the largest municipality in Cavite in terms of land area. And the barangays we visited seemed to be on opposite ends. It was sad I wasn't able to check out their church since we had a lot of work to do.

With our mission completed. We passed by neighboring Tagaytay City to check out Taal Volcano before motoring to Indang to go night swimming at one of the natural spring resorts which are a plenty in the town.

By the time we arrived in Indang, it was getting dark. So we skipped the church and headed to Barangay Tambo Kulit where most of the resorts could be found. We were pointed to the Rio Villa Nuevo Resort which many say is the best one in town. When we saw the small waterfalls in the compound, we said this was it! It was PHP12o per head for night swimming. There are several pools of spring water if you do not fancy walking on rocks and streams. We went straight to the waterfalls and enjoyed the rush of cold water.

After an hour, we rushed back to Tagaytay for a late dinner in Teriyaki Boy. We were supposed to go back to Manila. But the group enjoyed the trip so much that we decided to stay overnight. So we checked-in at the three-room inn under the Mile-Hi Diner which is located in the same restaurant compound. The standard room is PHP2,250. Good thing it was a Sunday and weekend vacationers had already left for Manila; so rooms were available. It was a cold night, a welcome respite from Manila's heat. Check out the photos in Multiply. I'm sure Bikoy Villanueva should have his account of our trip anytime soon.

Jose Abad Santos Day
Today, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos of San Fernando, Pampanga (one of the three people in the 1000-peso bill), is a non-working holiday in the Province of Pampanga. Happy Jose Abad Santos Day to all!

Technorati Tags: kawit, maragondon, silang, tagaytay, indang, cavite, philippines, taal volcano, heritage, historical sites, ecotourism, architecture, travel blog

Visita iglesia routes for Holy Thursday

I was a guest at Shop Talk on ANC this afternoon. The topic today was visita iglesia and Pia Hontiveros asked me to suggest some routes for Holy Thursday. Many people have been asking why seven churches. That custom of visiting seven churches on Holy Thursday is said to originate from the early Christian practice of visiting the seven great basilicas in Rome.

As I mentioned in the show a while ago, we should try to visit heritage churches so that we get a glimpse of Philippine culture while we pray. These centuries-old churches form an inherent part of our national identity, and we must thus endeavor to preserve them for future generations of Filipinos. If you remember, we came out with a petition to the CBCP to stop the further defacing of Philippine heritage churches late last year.

Anyway, I'm posting my suggestions here for day trips around and near Metro Manila. You can also check out my destination index if you have a particular province which you want to visit or if you want to read more details about the churches I mentioned below.

In the City of Manila, check out the Manila Cathedral, San Agustin, Binondo, Sta. Cruz, Quiapo, San Sebastian, Malate and Sta. Ana. You can go further by visiting San Pedro Makati, Guadalupe and Pasig. Check out this list of heritage churches in Metro Manila for the rest.

Pampanga is an emerging visita iglesia destination. Take the San Simon exit and backtrack to the Apalit Church which is the silver dome you see from the NLEX. Then cross over to the other side and drive to the town of San Luis. Then pass by the San Fernando Cathedral, the half-buried Bacolor Church, Betis Church and its ornate white and gold retablo and marvelous wall to ceiling murals, and Lubao which is Pampanga's oldest town church. If you have time, include Angeles City, Sta. Rita or Minalin.

In Bulacan, pass by Barasoain, the Malolos Cathedral, San Rafael and Angat (although there's an explosion of gold leaf inside and new ceiling murals which do not match the original simplicity of the church).

The Laguna de Bay Loop is a very popular route. Make sure you pass by the churches in Pila, Longos (Kalayaan), Paete, Pakil and Mabitac in Laguna; and Tanay, Baras, Morong and Antipolo in Rizal.

Then there's the Mount Banahaw Loop which brings you to the provinces of Laguna, Quezon and Batangas. You can start with San Pablo, followed by Nagcarlan and Majayjay in Laguna; then to Lucban, Tayabas and Sariaya in Quezon; and finally San Juan in Batangas.