Bukidnon: Overnight stay at the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Malaybalay

Have you ever wondered how it is to live a monastic lifestyle? I've heard a lot of good things about the Benedictine Monastery of the Transfiguration in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. While most people just do day-trips to the monastery, I got a chance to stay overnight at the guest house.


The centerpiece of any visit to the monastery is the church designed by Leandro Locsin, National Artist for Architecture. Although Locsin did not live long enough to witness the completion of the church, the plans of the church were the last he signed before he passed away.


If you stay overnight, you can actually join the monks in prayer. They pray seven times a day beginning at 3:40 a.m.



Staying at the monastery is actually a great opportunity to get away from city life and reflect. Personal retreats at the Monastery of the Transfiguration are quite popular. And it's quite affordable too since they charge just Php750/person (Php700 for twin sharing) for a one-night stay inclusive of really delicious meals.


The monastery is quite famous for its Monks’ Blend Premium Coffee (which is the coffee used for a popular ice cream brand), Monks’ Peanut Butter, roasted peanuts, and piniato (peanut brittle).


And it also serves great food which I got to savor while during my stay. With Dom Martin Gomez, OSB, a Kapampangan, in-charge of the kitchen, it's no surprise that the food they serve is superb. I was lucky they served me the Pinutos na Humba which is among their specialties.

In fact, one of the more popular activities they organize at the monastery every second Sunday of the month is Breakfast with the Monks, a sumptuous buffet spread they prepare for Mass-goers after the 8 a.m. Mass. Every month follows a different theme such as Spanish, Chinese, Kapampangan, Ilocano, Visayan, and other types of cuisine.




Another attraction of the monastery is the Museum of Transfiguration Monastery which houses an exhibit of Filipino liturgical vestments. A project of Dom Martin for the Philippine Centennial, it highlights the various weaving traditions all over the country elegantly used in church vestments. Dom Martin or Gang Gomez, was a top couturier before he chose to live the monastic life. I was impressed with the intricacy of the different Philippine hand-woven fabrics and how they were creatively harnessed for religious vestments.

To inquire and reserve for a stay at the monastery, contact Dom Martin Gomez, OSB at (0917) 5105585.

Monastery of the Transfiguration
San Jose, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon 8700
Tel. No. (088) 2212373 / 2214708
Monastery Farm (0927) 3975350
Gift Shop (0915) 9860167
Guest House Reservations (0917) 5105585
Wedding Reservations (0915) 9860167
Breakfast with the Monks (0916) 4545916
Vocation Inquiries (0916) 3650147

Metro Manila: Birdwatching at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat

Last December, I joined a guided birdwatching trip hosted by the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area along Coastal Road. It's the only remaining patch of mangrove in southern Metro Manila.



During this time, migratory water birds converge in the area to spend the winter here such as Little Egrets, Whiskered Terns and Common Sandpipers. Resident species include the Black-crowned Night-Heron, Chestnut Munias and Collared Kingfishers.

According to the WBCP, "The site was declared by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during Earth Day ceremonies two years ago as a 'critical habitat and ecotourism area.' Little has done been to improve the site and the Philippine Reclamation Authority continues to threaten the habitat with plans for more 'income-generating' developments."


I hope we are able to preserve this critical habitat. Corporate and government greed should be regulated to ensure that both our natural and cultural heritage are preserved as part of our drive towards progress. This area should be protected from greedy developers. Anyway, if you're interested to try out birdwatching as a hobby, you can e-mail Mike Lu at myckle224@yahoo.com and request to be included in their mailing list for future guided tours.

Boracay via SEAIR & Two Seasons Resort

Suddenly I'm craving for a trip to Boracay again! This photo was taken during my trip last December right at the doorstep of Two Seasons Resort in Station 1. Beach front properties in Boracay, especially those in Station 1, are the best! I stayed a night in Two Seasons right before Christmas and enjoyed the convenience of staying close to the beach.


Of course, I flew to Boracay on SEAIR. I've never had to worry about airport transfers since they take you all the way to Boracay. To book a flight, visit www.flyseair.com.

Two Seasons Resort
Station 1, Boracay Island
Tel. No. +63 (36) 2884384 / +63 (2) 4154652
rsvn@twoseasonsboracay.com

Ifugao: Trek to Batad Rice Terraces & Batad accommodation

The Batad Rice Terraces are among the most spectacular of the Ifugao Rice Terraces. And aptly so since it's one of the five rice terrace clusters inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List under Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. The other four are Bangaan, Hungduan, Mayoyao and Nagacadan. I've see the first three. And finally, I've been able to trek to Batad! Which leaves just Nagacadan on my list of rice terraces to visit.

We took the late evening bus to Banaue and arrived early the next morning. As soon as we arrived, we purchased our bus tickets home since demand is really high and we wanted to make sure we had our tickets back. For more information on getting there, read How to get to and from Banaue, Ifugao.

We then proceeded to the Banaue Hotel, the best accommodation in Banaue, where we stayed for the night. I spent the rest of the day catching up on sleep so that I'd have the energy to trek the next day. I actually spent the whole time at Banaue Hotel where I had all my meals, including the buffet dinner, since I was just too exhausted to go out.


Banaue Hotel is one of two places where you can hire accredited jeeps and guides at fixed rates. Be careful dealing with unaccredited guides and transportation since there have been not so nice stories from guests that were cheated or abandoned. The jeep to the Batad Saddle costs Php2500 while the guide fee is Php900.

The trip to the Batad Saddle was about an hour and thirty minutes. Unfortunately, it had been rainy the past few days. And since the road to the Batad Saddle is quite bad, when it rains, it can become impassable to vehicles. So we had to get off our jeep and walk a few more hundred meters up to the Batad Saddle.


Good thing, it's mostly downhill to the Batad Rice Terraces from the Batad Saddle. It takes another hour of trekking to get to Batad. I noticed the road was being widened and it seemed like they were building a road all the way to Batad Village.

One thing which is sad about Ifugao is that despite the fact it's one of the provinces most visited by foreign tourists, the roads are still bad. Maybe because foreigners don't vote? Well, it's part of the experience I guess. But the rice terraces deserve better roads. But it must come with stringent development safeguards to ensure that the rice terraces outside Banaue are protected and preserved even when infrastructure to get there is improved, so that they don't suffer the fate of Banaue.

At the entrance to Batad Village is a tourist information booth where visitors log and pay a donation to the community. It also offers a really great view of the Batad Rice Terraces. While many visitors stay overnight, we had to rush back to Banaue to catch our bus back to Manila. So after having lunch at Simon's Place (I had the Batad version of pizza), we made our trek back up. And that's the hard part!

But I did make it up in one piece and we finally got on board our jeep for the bumpy trip back to Banaue. We had about two hours to spare before our bus left, just enough time to freshen up and get a quick snack. Despite that quick stay, the trip to Batad was most worth it.

Where to stay in Batad
The accommodation in Batad is quite basic and not that many. Note also that mobile signal in Batad is close to none. So to book a place, send an SMS/text message and wait for the lodge to respond. Calling them would be difficult. Here's a list of places to stay in Batad Village:
Hillside Inn +63 (929) 1268340
Kadangyan Homestay +63 (920) 4686307
Ramon's Homestay +63 (929) 6124423
Rita's Mountain View Inn +63 (910) 8423076
Simon's Viewpoint Inn +63 (930) 5077467
Batad Pension +63 (921) 7371745
Cristina's Main Village Inn +63 (906) 9773771

For some activities in the area, you can visit some of my previous posts on Banaue, Hungduan, and Mayoyao. And here's a list of Banaue hotels and budget accomodation.

Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel
+63 (74) 3864087 / 3864088

Batangas: Walking tour around old Taal

After our visit to Taal Volcano, we drove all the way to the heritage town of Taal, Batangas via STAR Expressway to visit the grand old houses and other heritage structures there. I've been to Taal many times before. But the town never fails to fascinate me. In fact, we're in the process of stakeholder consultations to determine if the town wants to push for inscription in the UNESCO World Heritage List.


Unfortunately, it is not yet in the tentative list. But the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape is. To make a stronger case for UNESCO inscription, countries usually cluster sites and structures into a single inscription that together, tell a compelling story with universal value to humanity.

One idea would be to expand the Taal Volcano listing from a natural site into a cultural landscape, to include the underwater ruins in Taal Lake and the town of Taal. Together, these sites tell a story of resilience amidst volcanic eruptions and how communities rise after every eruption of the volcano.


For this trip, we got to visit to visit the Taal Basilica National Landmark and Agoncillo House, as well as the Villavicencio Houses. As always, I stopped by the Taal Market to buy piña cloth for my barongs.


It's a good thing new restaurants have opened offering several local dishes of Taal. We had Taal Longganisa and Taal Tapa among many others at Don Juan BBQ which is right beside the Taal Market.


There are several tour options in Taal. you can contact Heritage Tours and Travel through Bennet (0918) 3155634 for a guided tour of the heritage town. There are half and whole day packages with meals (see their site at heritours.multiply.com).

You can also visit Villa Tortuga for a different kind of tour experience. It includes lunch at the old house complete with colonial-period costumes for you to wear while dining. Contact Lito Perez of Camp Suki at (02) 7250819 or (0917) 8246900 for reservations.

Where to stay in Taal
Baby Joven-Quiblat and Benny Quiblat have rooms available for visitors. You can reach Baby at (0917) 8970363 for rates and avalability.

Robert Arambulo, a balikbayan architect from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, also has rooms available in his restored Taal house called Casa Severina. Contact him at (0917) 5018060.

Casa Cecilia has eight bedrooms and a restaurant that serves great tasting Taal cuisine. Specialties are bulalo (with a twist) and their maliputo. Contact numbers are (043) 4080048 or (0906) 2225339.

Batangas: Taal Volcano trek

While most only get to see Taal Volcano from the Tagaytay Ridge, a few adventurous souls venture down to Talisay, Batangas to set foot on Volcano Island and trek to the crater lake. A good number ride a horse going up to the view point, while others trek up. Even more challenging is the trail that leads all the way down to the banks of the crater lake.


Boats to Volcano Island are readily available. In fact, you'll see touts with small signs trying to get you to ride their boats around Tagaytay. But the problem with this is having to haggle with them. So I decided to take a boat from the Taal Lake Yacht Club where fees are fixed and parking is free. The boat and guide to Taal Volcano costs Php1,800 there (maximum of five passengers).


This time, I chose to trek up to the crater lake viewpoint. The trail is 1.7 kilometers and you can finish it in about an hour. It was quite funny that the horses and their caretakers followed us up, hoping that we'd get tired and decide to ride a horse the rest of the way. The horse ride should cost Php500 for the trip up and back. You can arrange this at the resort to avoid haggling when you get to the island.



Note that there is also a Php20 landing fee when you reach the island. Along the way, you get to see vents spewing out sulfuric gases. The view from the top is really stunning as you get to see the entire lake as well as the coast of Batangas.

As I mentioned, you can opt to go down the crater lake. But this would cost a bit more. I've never been down there. And too bad we didn't have time to do it since we planned to visit Taal Town after lunch.

Taal Lake Yacht Club
Talisay, Batangas, Philippines
(043) 7730192

Dinagat Islands: Tagbirayan Beach in Cagdianao, Surigao del Norte

Dinagat Islands was a province of the Philippines until February 11, 2010. If it still was a province, I would have been celebrating my completion in December when I set foot on Dinagat Islands, my 80th province (81st if you count Shariff Kabunsuan, another defunct province).

But even if it's been ordered back to Surigao del Norte, I was quite surprised to discover that the Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands is still up and running. In fact, a few days before I arrived, the Bugkosan sa Isla or Dinagatan Festival 2010 had just ended.


To get to Dinagat Islands, you have to hop-on a ferry in Surigao City. As soon as I arrived in Surigao City from Cebu, I rushed straight to the ferry port. There are ferries to various towns in Dinagat Island such as Dinagat Municipality and the capital town San Jose. The one for San Jose leaves at 12 noon. While the one for Dinagat Municipality leaves at 1 p.m. Make sure you mention the exact town because if you say Dinagat, they will point you to the ferry that goes to Dinagat Town.


Since I just stayed overnight, I got to visit only a few places. One of the beaches I saw in Dinagat was Tagbirayan Beach in Cagdianao. We were actually trying to look for a beach in Dinagat Municipality but couldn't seem to find one. So we crossed to Cadianao, the opposite side of the island which faces the Pacific Ocean. I noticed that the waves were stronger there. I later read that they have also have a surfing area in Cagdianao.

The gold sand is very soft and your feet will easily sink in. They have several resorts in Tagbirayan Beach. If only I had more time in Tagbirayan Beach, some of the nearby islands looked enticing. Tagbirayan is definitely a must-visit when you are in Dinagat Islands.

Update (03/29/11): The Supreme Court flip-flops again and reverses its earlier decision nullifying the creation of Dinagat Islands. Dinagat Islands becomes the 80th province of the Philippines.

Powerade for my Taal Volcano trek

Last December, I made a trek up Taal Volcano. I usually take a horse up the crater lake viewpoint. But this time around, I decided to walk for some exercise.


Like in most of my hikes, I was expecting to consume a large amount of water since I get dehydrated really quick. This time around, aside from the water, I decided to bring with me some 500ml bottles of Powerade. I drank my first bottle midway through the trek. And I was pleasantly surprised that I did not need much liquids until I reached the top. I only opened my bottles of water when we got back to the shore.



It seems that Powerade is a really viable hydration solution. It's important during strenuous activities like these that you get the proper hydration. I checked out the label and discovered that Powerade has the right amount of electrolytes and carbohydrates which explains why it provides effective hydration and energy.


I found it funny that the horse owners followed us up hoping that we would tire out and finally say yes to riding a horse up. But I guess, I wanted to challenge myself to walk all the way. And thanks to proper hydration, I was able to do it.

I got the blue-colored Mountain Blast flavor. Powerade also comes in Berry Blast and Orange Burst. And good thing, it's conveniently available in supermarkets & convenience stores. So when going on your own mountain trek, make sure to Power up! Drink up!

Top Philippine travel destinations for 2010

It's time again to come up with my personal list of top Philippine travel destinations for 2010! If you haven't visited my Facebook album Travel Year 2010, please do. Almost all my trips for the year are featured there. It looks like this year was my biggest travel year to date.

For 2010, I visited 51 provinces in 16 regions of the Philippines, 17 provinces for the first time. Plus I finally set foot on all 79 provinces of the Philippines! Had I not canceled my trips to Leyte and Samar, I would have visited all 17 regions this year.

So here are my ten favorite travel experiences around the Philippines for 2010!


1. Overnight with the Manobo community of Agusan Marsh
If there was a hidden paradise in the Philippines, it must be the Agusan Marsh. To visit the marsh requires several hours of land and river boat travel to get to the marsh itself. I stayed with the Manobo community in Sitio Panlabuhan, Loreto, Agusan del Sur for a night. No electricity so you're really one with nature. If you want to visit the marsh, e-mail info@ivanehnares.com since we are planning a trip there from March 4-6, 2011.


2. Lake Sebu's Seven Falls, Zip Line and Lang Dulay
Lake Sebu, South Cotabato has several cultural and natural attractions which makes it a worthwhile destination for tourists who look for more than the usual destination. For this trip, I visited the Seven Falls and tried out the Seven Falls Zip Line. Plus I met with National Living Treasure t'nalak weaver Lang Dulay.


3. Whitewater tubing, anthropomorphic pottery and pawikan in Maitum, Sarangani
Sarangani is very popular because of Gumasa Beach, a powder white sand beach in Glan. But on the opposite end of the province is Maitum, which has the Pangi River whitewater tubing, Pawikan Sanctuary, and a small museum dedicated to the anthropomorphic pottery that was found in Ayub Cave in Brgy. Piñol. Whitewater tubing in Maitum was fun!


4. Trek to the Batad Rice Terraces in Ifugao
Finally, after all those years planning to visit the Batad Rice Terraces, I finally did!


5. Bantayan Island, Cebu and island hopping to Virgin Island
I found myself back in Bantayan Island, Cebu this January for an Out of Classroom Learning Activity (OCLA) with my Tourism 114 class, 45 students total. One of the best food experiences in the country is the weekend dinner buffet at D'Jungle. Plus this time, we got to visit Virgin Island off the coast of Bantayan.


6. Rice planting experience in Mayoyao, Ifugao
Mayoyao, Ifugao called me back January. I had previously made that long trip to the Mayoyao Rice Terraces for the rice harvest tour in July 2008. This time, I was at the rice planting (Pfukhay ad Majawjaw) tour as part of an OCLA for my Tourism 115 students. And you can experience it too from January 28-30, 2011. Just contact Josh Nalliw at josh21020@gmail.com to book a slot!


7. Sandboarding and 4x4 ride in the Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes
Ever heard of sandboarding? Sandboarding is the newest adventure activity in Ilocos Norte, which has its very own desert of sorts - the Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes. An already popular activity are 4x4 jeep rides in the Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes.


8. Dakak Park Beach Resort in Dapitan
When flying to Dipolog, make sure to include Dakak Park Beach Resort in your itinerary. In fact, most tourists fly there to visit Dakak, a really popular beach resort which has maintained its quaint 1980s charm. And when in Dapitan, don't forget to visit all the Rizal-related heritage sites.


9. Danao Adventure Park's E.A.T. Danao in Bohol
Have you heard of Bohol's E.A.T. Danao? The Eco, Educational, Extreme Adventure Tour of the Danao Adventure Park is arguably the country's best adventure attraction! Make sure to try their zip line and canyon swing!


10. Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur
Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig, Surigao del Sur is one of the most majestic waterfalls in the country. It's not just just the height of the falls but the width that makes it really spectacular. Tinuy-an Falls is 55 meters high and 95 meters wide. And some say that it is the widest waterfalls in the Philippines. I may have been here for just a few minutes, but I genuinely enjoyed the visit.


11. Visiting Jolo, Bud Datu in Indanan and Quezon Beach in Patikul, Sulu
How could I forget that exciting trip to Jolo, Sulu? And yes, Quezon Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. It's a pity thinking of how much potential Sulu has for tourism only if banditry and insurgency is curbed in the province.

This year, I also got to visit over 30 cities in 12 countries and territories. I visited Hong Kong, Macau and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia twice this year; and Portugal, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands for the first time. I also was in Spain, Indonesia and Thailand. I'll make another post on European cities I visited in 2010. Indeed a great year!

Following the Rizal Heritage Trail around the Philippines

Happy Rizal Day to everyone! Today is the 114th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal. As we begin the year-long celebrations for the 150th birth anniversary of Rizal on June 19, 2011, the Heritage Conservation Society, Department of Tourism and Intramuros Administration will be launching the Rizal Heritage Trail to encourage people to revisit places Rizal visited in the Philippines, sites and structures with a connection to Rizal or significant monuments that honor him.

Here is a preliminary list of sites, structures and monuments on the Rizal Heritage Trail:

Region III - Central Luzon
• San Fernando Train Station (San Fernando, Pampanga) - Rizal exited this station on June 27 and 28, 1892 to visit friends in San Fernando and Bacolor as part of his mission to recruit members to his La Liga Filipina. Among the houses he visited were those of  Tiburcio Hilario in San Fernando on June 27 and Ceferino Joven in Bacolor on June 28. An NHI marker was installed in the station in 2004.
• Malolos Train Station (Malolos, Bulacan) - Rizal exited this station on June 27, 1892 to visit friends in Malolos as part of his mission to recruit members to his La Liga Filipina.
• Bautista House (Malolos, Bulacan) - This is one of the houses Rizal is said to have visited when he was recruiting members for the La Liga Filipina on June 27, 1892.
• Women of Malolos Marker (Malolos, Bulacan) - The site of the school of the Women of Malolos whom Rizal wrote to on February 22, 1899 from London.
• Tarlac Train Station (Tarlac, Tarlac) - Rizal exited this station on June 27, 1892 to visit friends during his mission to recruit members to his La Liga Filipina
• Rizal in Tarlac Marker (Tarlac Town Plaza, Tarlac) - Rizal stayed in the house of Evaristo Puno when he visited Tarlac on June 27, 1892 to recruit members to his La Liga Filipina
• Leonor Rivera House (Camiling, Tarlac) - Leonor Rivera is said to be inspiration for Maria Clara in Noli Mi Tangere. Rizal and Rivera were in a relationship for eleven years. But Rivera's mother was against the relationship and intercepted letters from Rizal. She was later convinced by her mother that Rizal no longer love her and reluctantly married Henry Kipping from England.


National Capital Region - Metro Manila
• Rizal Park (Manila) - Also known as Bagumbayan or Luneta, this was the place of execution of Rizal on December 30, 2896
• Rizal Monument (Manila) - A National Monument, it houses the remains of Rizal. It was designed by Richard Kissling of Switzerland.
• Prison Cell of Rizal in Fort Santiago (Intramuros, Manila) - This was where Rizal was incarcerated during his trial from November 3 to December 29, 1896
• Rizal Shrine (Intramuros, Manila)
• Site of the Ateneo Municipal de Manila (Intramuros, Manila) - Rizal was a student of the Ateneo Municipal de Manila
• San Ignacio Church Ruins (Intramuros, Manila) - Rizal heard Mass here as a student of the Ateneo de Manila
• Site of the University of Santo Tomas (Intramuros, Manila) - Rizal was a student of the University of Santo Tomas in Intramuros from 1877 to 1882. A historical marker is located in the UST Campus in Espana, Sampaloc, Manila
• University of Santo Tomas (Sampaloc, Manila) - A historical marker is located in the UST Campus mentioning that Rizal was an alumnus of the university
• Paco Park (Paco, Manila) - Rizal's remains were secretly interred in the Paco Cemetery. They were guarded for fifteen days by the Guardia Civil Veterana. His remains were exhumed on August 17, 1898, placed in an urn and deposited in the Rizal Residence in Estraude Street.
• Rizal Residence (619 Estraude, Binondo, Manila) - The urn containing Rizal's bones were brought to this house until they were transferred to the Rizal Monument on December 30, 1912. Rizal's father Francisco Mercado died in the house on January 5, 1898.
• Residence of Rizal's Family (525 Magdalena, Binondo, Manila) - Site of house owned by Concepcion Leyva where Francisco Mercado, Teodora Alonzo and several of their children and grandchildren lived.
• Tuason House (C. Arellano Street, Malabon) - Rizal was a friend of Lorenzo Tuason, a free mason. According to oral tradition Rizal diagnosed and operated someone in the family. The very table where he had dinner is with an heir. Only the gate of the house is left.
• Paez House (C. Arellano cor. Paez Streets, Malabon) - Among the people Rizal is said to have visited during his trip to Malabon was Lucino Paez.

Region IV - Calabarzon Region
• Rizal Shrine (Calamba, Laguna) - A National Shrine, it is a replica of the Rizal House by Juan Nakpil. Restored by Executive Order No. 145 of President Elpidio Quirino, it was inaugurated on June 19, 1950.
• Calamba Church (Calamba, Laguna) - A National Historical Landmark, Rizal was baptized in the church by Fr. Rufino Collantes on June 22, 1861.
• Rizal in Binan Marker (Binan, Laguna) - Rizal received his first formal schooling under Justiniano Cruz who later advised him to further his studies in Manila.
• Alberto House (Binan, Laguna) - The house of Rizal's grandfather Lorenzo Alberto y Alonzo, Rizal lived there from 1870 to 1871 while he was studying in Binan. Sadly, the house is currently being dismantled and will be transferred to Bagac, Bataan. Such an important heritage structure should remain in Binan, Laguna.
• Paciano Rizal House (Los Banos, Laguna) - The house of Rizal's brother Paciano Rizal
• Casa Segunda (Lipa, Batangas) - A Heritage House, Casa Segunda is the residence of reputedly the first love of Rizal, Segunda Katigbak.


Region V - Bicol Region
• Rizal Monument (Daet, Camarines Norte) - This was the first monument honoring Rizal erected in the country. It was built by voluntary contributions of the people of Camarines Norte and unveiled on December 30, 1898. It is a National Historical Monument.


Region IX - Zamboanga Peninsula
• Rizal Shrine (Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte) - Rizal's estate during his exile in Dapitan, it houses replicas of structures he built there for himself, his family, pupils and patients including the Casa Residencia, Family Kitchen, Casa Redonda, Casa Quadrada, Casitas de Salud and Casa Redonda Pequena among many others.
• Waterworks of Rizal (Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte) - The waterworks Rizal built can still be found in the Rizal Shrine.
• Dapitan Plaza (Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte) - A National Historical Landmark, the Dapitan Plaza was planned and beautified by Rizal during his exile. Acacia trees which he personally planted can still be found in the plaza.
• Site of the Casa Real (Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte) - The official residence and administration building of the politico-military governor of the district, Rizal lived there from July 17, 1892 to March 1893 when he was transferred to Talisay, now the Rizal Dapitan Shrine.


• Dapitan Church (Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte) - Built in 1883, a historical marker can be found in the St. James Church of Dapitan in the exact spot where Rizal stood every Sunday during his exile from 1892 to 1896.
• Relief Map of Mindanao (Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte) - A National Cultural Treasure, Rizal created this map as an aid in teaching history and geography to the locals.
• Santa Cruz Beach (Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte) - On July 17, 1892, Rizal landed on Santa Cruz Beach at 7 p.m. with Captain Delgras and three artillery men. They walked through Sta. Cruz Street with a farol de combate to the Casa Real where he was presented to Don Ricardo Carnicero, the Spanish military governor of the area. A tableau was constructed in the site to commemorate Rizal's arrival in Dapitan.
• Dipolog Cathedral (Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte) - Rizal is said to have designed the church altars of the Dipolog Cathedral. Although the facade has been extremely renovated, the interior remains relatively intact.
• Rizal Farm (Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte) - The farm was acquired by Rizal from Calixto Carreon, a blind patient who offered it for free out of gratitude for his successful treatment. Rizal refused and paid him Php200 for the land. He cultivated it every weekend with his pupils.

I'm sure there are more sites which I missed. So if you know of any, please leave a comment below so that we could include the site in this list.

Jose Rizal the global traveler
Rizal was most definitely a jet-setter! Among the cities he visited were Singapore (then a British colony), Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka), Aden (Yemen), Naples, Turin, Milan, Venice, Florence and Rome (Italy), Marseilles, Paris, Dieppe, Vernon, Rouen and Biarritz (France), Barcelona and Madrid (Spain), Strasbourg (then part of Germany), Heidelberg, Wilhelmsfeld, Bonn, Koblenz, Cologne, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Ulm (Germany), Leitmeritz or Litomerice, Prague and Brunn or Brno (Bohemia now Czech Republic), Vienna and Salzburg (Austria), Basel, Lausanne and Geneva (Switzerland), Port Said, Suez Canal and Alexandria (Egypt), Saigon and Chelong (Vietnam), Hong Kong (then a British colony), Yokohama and Tokyo (Japan), San Francisco, Sacramento, Reno, Ogden, Denver, Farmington, Salt Lake City, Provo, cities in Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois, Chicago, Albany and New York (United States), Queenstown, Liverpool and London (United Kingdom), Brussels and Ghent (Belgium), and North Borneo.

The first city outside the Philippines Rizal got to visit was Singapore. The first Eurpoean city he set foot on was Naples, Italy. I'm sure there are more cities that Rizal visited which he no longer mentioned in his letters. Note that he traveled to all these places in just a span of ten years from 1882 to 1892.

Do you share in promoting Rizal
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Pampanga: Giant Lantern Festival 2010

Better late than never! Congratulations to Barangay Santa Lucia for winning the Giant Lantern Festival 2010. They beat defending champions Barangay Dolores who placed second this year. Completing the top three is Barangay San Nicolas.



It's actually very difficult to judge the competition. But I guess the winners were quite obvious this year. I felt though that we need to jazz up the music next year for better audience impact. It should be a mix and remix of Christmas, pop and traditional music. It's also weird that some entries had similar music for the first round. I hope they become more creative next year and invest on the festival pieces.

See you all at the Giant Lantern Festival 2011 on December 17, 2011!