Since I had been driving around for two straight days, I decided to take it easy today. So aside from waking up late, our destination for the day was just within Metro Manila. I had some business to take care of in the Padre Faura area which was great since Intramuros was just a stone's throw away. Carly, another member of our delegation, met up with us there.
Of course, a must visit is the San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was the only church in Intramuros left standing after the Second World War. Indeed, the church is a splendid example of Philippine Baroque with its trompe l'oeil murals. The San Agustin Museum houses some of the best examples of Philippine church treasures.But it looks like the San Agustin Complex will be the next issue in the ongoing Intramuros controversy since they plan to erect a modern-looking monastery! And we all thought that the sports complex was the only desecration we had to worry about in the walled city.
Anyway, after our tour around San Agustin, we walked across the street to Casa Manila, a museum that showcases the opulence of a home in Intramuros during its heyday.
Our last stop was Fort Santiago, another Manila icon which tourists should not miss. Walking around what was once the seat of power of the Pearl of the Orient filled me with a lot of thoughts, especially when you know what we had and how much we lost during the war. Manila was as charming and as elegant as any major European city. And all was lost because of some stupid military tactic that eventually flattened the city to the ground.
That's why it pained me to look at the sports complex behind the Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago. I finally saw this monstrosity of a project with my own two eyes. And all I could ponder on was why our government is filled with idiots and dimwits who could even think of perpetuating such a travesty.
Let's keep these walls alive! I'm definitely keeping my eyes on the developments regarding the sports complex and that modern monastery they plan to build in San Agustin. Only a vigilant Philippine nation can prevent more damage to our endagered cultural heritage.
After our shooting the rapids in Pagsanjan with my guest from China, I decided to complete the Laguna de Bay loop with a visita iglesia. I have an older post on Laguna with details of some of the towns we visited and missed. First on the list was the town of Paete which is known for its woodcarving and paper mache industries. The Santiago Apostol Church has intricately carved retablos and centuries-old mural paintings of San Cristobal among other subjects. From Paete, we went drove to the next town Pakil. The San Pedro de Alcantara has equally interesting retablos, santos and mural paintings. It was quite a drive from Pakil to the next stop which was in the province of Rizal. Since the sun was going down fast, we were not able to pass by the town of Mabitac which according to travel guides has a church standing atop 126 stone steps. It was a pleasant drive seeing the green rice fields hit by the golden rays of the setting sun on either side of the road. After the zigzag road up and down the highway boundary between Laguna and Rizal and a few more kilometers drive past the town of Pililla, we finally reach Tanay and easily found the San Ildefonso Church, a national cultural treasure. It had been quite a while since I've seen this church and I was totally shocked that the main altar had been painted gold and silver just like in Argao. It's the good thing the priest spared the santos from this rampage of gold leaf but it was horrible since Tanay was known for its white retablo with aquamarine and gold details. I was told by Archt. Richard Bautista of the NCCA that they were able to stop the priest from wreaking havoc to the other retablos thanks to the strong opposition from the townsfolk. According to the DOT, "The first Tanay Catholic Church made of nipa and bamboo was built in 1606. The current building made of locally quarried stone was completed in 1680. In 1783, it was reconstructed together with the convent. The church is an example of early Renaissance architecture. It has a four-storey octagonal tower, a façade of adobe blocks, relieved by columns and semicircular arched windows. Its podium is adorned by a niche with the statue of San Ildefonso de Toledo, the patron saint of the town." From Tanay, we moved on to our last stop which was the San Geronimo Church in Morong. If we had more time, we would have passed by Baras but since it was getting dark, we rushed instead to Morong. The church has one of the more striking facades and is one of the more photographed churches of the Laguna loop. But sadly, the interior has already been renovated. The first church was said to be built by Chinese craftsmen in 1615 as evidenced by the Chinese lions at the driveway entrance. It's current facade, a splendid example of Philippine Baroque, was completed between 1850 to 1853 to support the belfry built on top of it. We completed the Laguna loop by passing through the towns of Cardona, Binangonan, Angono, Taytay, and Cainta (we were supposed to pass through Antipolo but since it was dark, I missed the turn) and finally reached Pasig City. Anyway, it was tiring day so I'm reserving today for rest. Related entries
The sun was out today which was great since we were on our way to Pagsanjan, Laguna to check out the famous waterfalls. After having to deal with a drizzle yesterday morning, this was good news. The drive down south wasn't much of a hassle since we left after rush hour. It surprised me that the traffic in Calamba and Los Banos wasn't as heavy as I expected in to be.
We could have passed by the town of Pila on the way to Pagsanjan but we didn't have much time since it was nearing lunch. As we got into town, we saw large tarpaulin billboards from the LGU announcing that there was a standard rate for boat rides to the falls which was PHP660 per head. It also warned people to book their rides with resorts and inns. There were actually a lot of boatmen along the road pointing us towards the resorts. While taking photos at the Puerta Real of Pagsanjan, we were approached by several boatmen who pointed us towards a resort. Just like yesterday, they would board and accompany you there.
We paid PHP660 each, which included the boat, life vests, and a toll fee which is shared by the municipalities of Pagsanjan, Lumban and Cavinti. An additional PHP90 per head allowed you to ride a bamboo raft that would take you behind the falls and back. But a "hidden" charge which the LGU should try to curb (or include in the standard rate at the very least) are the "optional" tips for the boatmen which aren't optional at all! I ended up paying PHP200 each after the trip (This was the amount which my friend Rhea told me she paid which served as my basis since the boatmen were saying tourists gave them US$45 each and said they would settle for even just half. Nice try).
Anyway, the ride was fun. I have to give it to the boatmen, rowing the boat up the rapids of the Bumbungan River is indeed an art! It amazed me how the two boat men jumped out of the boat when the rapids came up and hopped from rock to rock pulling the small wooden boat upstream against the strong current. I would later learn that one must be licensed to do the job and a six-month training is needed before one can apply for a license. The trip upstream is about an hour while it takes 45 minutes to get back to Pagsanjan town.
The forest on either side of the Pagsanjan Gorge was surprisingly virgin with so much flora and fauna. You could spot monkeys occasionally high up in the trees. During the rainy season, there are at least nine waterfalls in the gorge. But during the summer months, many dry up and only two are left: Pagsanjan Falls and Talahib Falls which serves as a stopover point and rest area for the boatmen and passengers alike.
After taking a few photos, we were off. Several hundred meters away was the main falls which is more popularly known as Pagsanjan Falls. But its real name is Magdapio Falls. At the same time, it is located in the territorial jurisdiction of Cavinti and not Pagsanjan as most people would think.
We checked out the bamboo rafts and it turned out we were unprepared for the fun! I expected we were going to get wet on the raft. But I didn't expect it was equivalent to taking a cold shower with your clothes on! Had I known, we should have worn beach clothing instead. Anyway, we solved that slight problem and boarded the raft.
The experience was exhilarating since to enter Devil's Cave behind the falls, the raft was brought directly under the falls itself! The water was really cold and the experience made me feel like I was on a bamboo raft in the middle of a strong typhoon holding tightly to a rope so that I wouldn't fall off. Wow! Unless you are aquaphobic or claustrophobic, you should not miss the raft ride when in Pagsanjan!
Anyway, the ride back was equally exciting since it was downstream and riding the rapids was indeed fun! The day wasn't over since we decided to complete the Laguna loop (trip around Laguna de Bay) for the rest of the afternoon.
I just came back from Taal Volcano. And when I say Taal Volcano, it's not just Tagaytay City but the volcano island itself. In fact there is a small island within the crater lake within the volcano island within Taal Lake which is within the caldera of an older volcano.
To get there, you have to go to the town of Talisay, Batangas via Tagaytay City. It was totally foggy when we arrived in Tagaytay. Actually, in the rotunda area, you already have people advertising boat rides to Taal. So we inquired and they were offering the boats for PHP3500 saying it was standard tourist rate the LGU allowed them to charge. Anyway, after some haggling (I appealed to pity and said there were only two of us, students at that), I was able to get the price down substantially but he requested we keep it a secret. We also booked horse rides from the shore to the crater lake for PHP500.
Before I forget, I'll be going around a lot in the next few days. Remember the China-ASEAN Youth Camp 2006 which I attended? Jiajin, our liaison officer while we were in Guandong Province, visited us here in the Philippines. And as gracious hosts, we are taking him around.
Anyway, when you close the deal, the guy would board your vehicle and accompany you to their port in Talisay. From there, it's a 20 minute pump boat ride to the island. Be ready to get wet. Once you get to the shore, you pay a PHP50 entrance fee which goes to provincial tourism (but our guide compained that they do not feel the benefits of the fee and they think it just goes to the pockets of politicians).
Since we had pre-booked the horse rides, we didn't have to haggle with the guides for prices. So we just rode on two horses and were off. It's about 20 minutes from the shore to the top of the crater lake on a horse. You can also opt to walk but it would take you about an hour. It started to drizzle in the middle of our trip up but it wasn't that bad. It was a good thing there were huts at the top.
The view of the crater lake was simply awesome! You could actually go down to the lake on foot. I did it once way back in college for a geology class and it was really exhausting. They say you also need a guide so you'll have to haggle for fees. We waited for the rain to stop before we took a hike around the crater rim which was smoking in some parts.
It's just sad that there was a lot of garbage on the slope closest to the huts, mostly mineral water bottles thrown down by tourists among others. I hope they place garbage cans in the viewing area so that all that rubbish does not find its way down. Taal Volcano is a national geological monument and is thus a protected area. Tanods should strictly implement laws, particularly when it comes to cleanliness and fine offenders on the spot.
Anyway, we then decided to rush back down to the shore while the skies were a bit clear. We were planning to visit other towns of Batangas. But after someone pointed us to the wrong road while in Laurel (we wasted so much time), we decided to just go back to Tagaytay to relax the whole afternoon and enjoy the view. Our plan was to sleep over in Tagaytay that night but hotels there are very pricey! It was cheaper to go home in fact. Oh well!
We have another trip scheduled tomorrow, this time to Laguna and Rizal.
I got a text message yesterday. It was both good news (a response of Bulacan to the Bagac project) and bad news: "1. Bulacan culture lovers have created TASK FORCE PAMANA to address the issue of vanishing old houses. The first meeting will be on March 8. 2. We have another concern and this is the project of Dean Barbers, PTA GM who isbuilding a sports complex beside the walls of Intramuros. All these stupid undertakings done out of material selfishness must be put to a STOP! Let's do something to arrest this new travesty on Philippine history and culture."
The follow-up message I received states that sports complex is being built in the Club Intramuros area, in the driving range very close to the walls. The project, worth PHP85M, was done despite the disapproval of the PTA Board to which Barbers is answerable to, and a stoppage order issued by the Intramuros Administration. Barbers should not forget that Intramuros and its walls are protected by PD1616!
I saw photos of it at SkyscraperCity (courtesy of TheAvenger which I posted here) and they are shocking since the sports complex is being constructed right at the back of the Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago! Indeed, this desecration of our national heritage must be stopped! As PTA GM, Dean Barbers should know better.
Tell Barbers what you think. Leave a comment below.
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Update (6 March 2007): The latest from the DOT is that Sec. Durano has already sent a memo to Barbers to stop construction because the project has no approval from the PTA Board.
If you're disgusted with corruption and these illegal activities in Manila, help stop the project by contacting/writing/e-mailing the agencies mandated by law to protect our built heritage resources, Intramuros in particular:
Hon. Joseph "Ace" Durano Chairperson, Intramuros Administration Chairperson, Philippine Tourism Authority jadurano@tourism.gov.ph Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo Chairperson, National Historical Institute Chairperson, National Commission for Culture and the Arts aocampo@ateneo.edu nhi@ideal-access.ph oc@ncca.gov.ph Dominador C. Ferrer Jr. Administrator Intramuros Administration Palacio del Gobernador Building, Intramuros, Manila 1000 5273155; 5275642; 5273084
Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles Head, Committee on Monuments and Sites National Commission for Culture and the Arts trixiecruzangeles@yahoo.com
Copy this entry and forward to all Filipinos who believe in the need to protect and preserve Intramuros!
I heard the promo is supposed to start tomorrow but you can now book P1 fares on Cebu Pacific for both local and international destinations! I just booked a trip to Puerto Princesa for my birthday and Tacloban during my sembreak. The roundtrip tickets, inclusive of taxes and fuel surcharges, were just PHP1967.84 each!
The funny thing is that news spreads fast. And even though they haven't announced it yet, the flights are going fast! A few minutes after I booked my flight, the P1 fare was no longer available for my Puerto Princesa flight. Oh well! Check out http://www.cebupacificair.com.
After an exhausting day the other day, and since I was on vacation, I decided to wake up late yesterday. Ching was up early since she had errands to do and meet some friends too. At 10 a.m., I passed by for her and Joyce at the Baguio Cathedral and from there, we drove to La Trinidad, Benguet to check out the strawberry fields of the Benguet State University.
We easily found the place. You simply made a left in front of the last gate of BSU where a large sign pointed you towards the strawberry fields. We had planned to pick strawberries but since a lot of people had visited the day before, all the ripe strawberries had been harvested already. If you picked your own strawberries, the price at that time was PHP200 per kilo. Anyway, we just walked around the fields and took photos.
Of course, the strawberries there were relatively cheap since they were in season and you were buying them at the source. One kilo of small strawberries was just PHP60. I got the larger strawberries for PHP80 a kilo. There were really large choice strawberries at PHP100 a kilo. I regret not buying more to take back to the lowlands.
The day before, while waiting for the parade, we had strawberry flavored taho on the street. Taho vendors added strawberry bits and syrup to it. In the BSU area, the sorbetero naturally had strawberry ice cream with strawberry bits. Yummy! I also bought a serving of fresh pinipig (or duman to us Kapampangans) which I had been munching on since this morning.
From the strawberry fields, we went the Benguet Provincial Capitol to meet up with Ryan. Before lunch, he brought us to the store of the Entrepreneurial Project of BSU to buy some local treats.
Aside from the staple peanut brittle, strawberry jam and ube jam (their ube jam is quite popular), you had pure arabica mountain coffee (PHP50 for 250g); honey products such as creamed honey, raw beepollen and propolis, and honey wine with herbs; yacon and bignay wine; yacon and lemon grass herbal tea, powdered roasted soybean drink; chayote champoy, santol candy and pineapple-papaya jam among others.
We then walked across the street to this hole-in-the-wall type of place for lunch at the Strawberry Fields Arcade at Gladiola Center in front of BSU. Jolly Yan Meals is hidden in one corner but people flock to it since meals are cheap but tasty. The “meat plus meat” package (two meat dishes or your choice) served with mountain rice and soup was just PHP45. Another option was “meat plus veggie” just for PHP35.
Anyway, I had to rush back to Pampanga to do some work. So after our trip to the store, we drove down via Kennon Road since we wanted to check out the scenery. Kennon Road is actually a heritage road and its stunning natural scenery should be protected from unsightly urbanization and vandalism.
And sadly, election graffiti was all over the place. Shame on ANC party for painting their initials on every single rock along the road! Same goes to candidates Defensor, Osmena and Pimentel whose names are also painted all over. Mike Defensor even has his non-biodegradable paraphernalia nailed to trees! I hope the Comelec acts on this immediately and issues an ultimatum to candidates and parties to remove the paint before other candidates follow suit as a result of their inaction. Let’s spare Kennon Road and the environment around it from all this election trash!
After all those years watching the parade on television and seeing photos of the colorful floral floats published in our national dailies, I finally saw the Panagbenga (Baguio Flower Festival) with my own two eyes. It was late when we decided to actually trek up to Baguio City to brave one of the biggest crowds that jampack the city annually.
Since hotels would have been fully-booked and buses filled to the hilt, we decided to drive up on the morning of the float parade, just in time to find a good vantage point for festivities. We left Pampanga at about 12 midnight. It was a sleepy but smooth drive given that heavy traffic was factored out of the picture. So we made it to Baguio close to 3:30 a.m. if I'm not mistaken. We took a quick nap at a place where some friends were staying and at 6 a.m., we were off to Session Road for breakfast.
Our plan was to try out the breakfast meals at Swiss Baker. But since they had a catering service that morning, they did not offer breakfast that day and we were left with the turnovers from the night before. As we were eating, we noticed that the sidewalk was slowly being filled-up so I rushed out to reserve a place for us. To make the long story short, we waited for close to two hours before the parade reached us. By that time, there was layer upon layer of people behind us. So it really paid to come early.
First came the city officials and the superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy followed by the colors borne by cadets from the PMA. Then came two great floats from the Baguio Country Club and Chowking, both in the Hall of Fame. I especially liked the Chowking float which was very creative.
The parade was so orderly and there was enough crowd control and police to keep people within the rope on either side of Session Road. Of course, the floats which were out of place were those of the candidates. When the people carrying the letters CHAVIT passed by our area, everyone shouted "boo!" with their thumbs down. I thought it would have been the same reception when the float with the candidates passed by. But then, Cesar Montano was on it, so the boos became shrieks from fans.
For some reason, we managed to get out of the rope and find a great vantage point in front of the Baguio City Market. How we were able to do that without being noticed by the police is a trade secret. Haha! Anyway, we saw even more floats. I liked the ones from Greenwich and SM (even though I still could not forgive SM for demolishing the Pines Hotel and chopping hundred of pine trees on top of Session Road all in the name of money).
It was nearing lunch and the parade was not yet done. So we decided to call it a day and headed towards St. Joseph's Parish where my SSEAYP batchmate Tanjo Tambol was waiting for us. He treated us to lunch at Villa Cordillera which is of the best-kept secrets of Baguio (for the meantime). Managed by the Baguio Country Club, this hotel and restaurant offers a relaxing view of the green golf course and pine-covered hills.
I was surprised to find out that you could get a room for two here for as low as PHP1000. But that is an introductory price which would change by April. I regret booking elsewhere since there were rooms available when we arrived since as I predicted, everyone would have checked-out and were on the way back to Manila by Sunday afternoon. Anyway, lunch was great and the prices were quite affordable.
Since Baguio City was jampacked, we decided to stay at a spa for the afternoon. Spa Ultima at the top of Session Road was very recommended. We got a full-body massage for just PHP340! By the time we were done, it was already dark so we had dinner at the restaurant above the spa, Broad Meadows Cafe. But the food was nothing special.
After dinner, we went back to our inn to rest for a while. At about 10 p.m., we met up with my China-ASEAN batchmate, Dr. Ryan Guinaran who brought us to this cool hang-out called Kaffeeklatsch. The place was very homey with live acoustic perfomances entertaining the guests. The place was out of the way but it had its regular denizens which was not a surprise since it had a very cozy ambiance. After a few ours of chatting, we called it a night.
Since I had been driving around for two straight days, I decided to take it easy today. So aside from waking up late, our destination for the day was just within Metro Manila. I had some business to take care of in the Padre Faura area which was great since Intramuros was just a stone's throw away. Carly, another member of our delegation, met up with us there.
Of course, a must visit is the San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was the only church in Intramuros left standing after the Second World War. Indeed, the church is a splendid example of Philippine Baroque with its trompe l'oeil murals. The San Agustin Museum houses some of the best examples of Philippine church treasures. But it looks like the San Agustin Complex will be the next issue in the ongoing Intramuros controversy since they plan to erect a modern-looking monastery! And we all thought that the sports complex was the only desecration we had to worry about in the walled city.
Anyway, after our tour around San Agustin, we walked across the street to Casa Manila, a museum that showcases the opulence of a home in Intramuros during its heyday.
That's why it pained me to look at the sports complex behind the Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago. I finally saw this monstrosity of a project with my own two eyes. And all I could ponder on was why our government is filled with idiots and dimwits who could even think of perpetuating such a travesty.
