After quick stops at Ginoog City and Nasipit, we arrived at Butuan City at 2:30 pm. I had a chance to see the big new bus depot of Bachelor Express in Butuan…quite impressive scene with new buses lined up. At least travelers in this area are assured of new buses for safe and convenient travel.

Butuan City is rich in cultural and archeological history.  It is said that the earliest Filipino settlements have been found here. The first graveyard discovered was estimated to have dated back to 320 AD and is now on exhibit just 5 kilometers from the City proper. There are 9 other Balangay settlements unearthed and more are said to be waiting to be discovered.

The MAZAUA landing site lays a controversial claim that this was the correct site where Ferdinand Magellan celebrated the first mass in the Philippines on March 31, 1521 instead of what is popularly known as Limasawa Island.  The BANZA CHURCH RUINS located at the oldest poblacion of the city is the oldest ruin of a stone church in the entire island of Mindanao.

I initially planned to stay overnight at Butuan but I was told there was a bus leaving in 30 minutes for Surigao which would be my ferry connection to Leyte.

I decided to board the bus and try to catch the evening ferry in Lipata. I should have stayed overnight in Butuan and toured the city more.

The bus trip from Butuan to Surigao was a 2 hour drive. I arrived at Surigao Integrated Bus terminal at 5 pm, with plenty of time to catch the evening ferry at Lipata. The Surigao Integrated Bus Terminal is so far the best terminal I’ve been to so far. It probably because it is located outside the city proper the building stands prominently alone among rice field. But I am impressed by its cleanliness and the easy connections to other destinations.

I arrived at the Lipata ferry terminal at 7 pm and found out I had plenty of time since the ferry leaves at 10pm. By this time, I had become familiar with the usual routine of lining to get ferry tickets, signing up for insurance and passenger list. I have learned that one need to join the mad rush to the queue and be hassled by the process since there is always plenty of time to do this.

The ferry left port at 10:30 pm. All throughout the trip through calm waters, I was asleep, resting from the arduous day journey.

Sunday- MAY 28,2006

We arrived at Liloan at 2:30 pm and after being reenergized after a 4 hour sleep, I look forward with anxiety on the next leg of my trip.

I arrived at Liloan, Leyte in the middle of the night without any bus ticket to any destination. All the buses I saw on the ferry was full and I didn’t want to suffer the same experience I had when I rode a full-packed Philtranco bus from Tacloban to Davao. I was hoping I could get a local bus to Tacloban but it seems at 3 am, there are no regular departures yet.  Asking around, the tricycle drivers told me there were aircon vans that goes to Tacloban.

I boarded a comfortable L300 van that left at 3 am and slept most of the way to Tacloban. It was a 4 hour trip with a 15 minute stopover in Bato, Leyte.

I arrived at Tacloban City at 7 am and took a quick breakfast. I now decided to proceed to Calbayog City, Samar and visit a friend. 

I again boarded an aircon van to Calabayog instead of the regular bus since I know this will be a hard and rugged drive. We left Tacloban at 9 am as the van waited to be filled with passengers before it can leave. It was indeed a rough two hour ride to Calbayog as the roads in Western Samar is so full of potholes. At 12 noon I reached my destination. The rest of that Sunday afternoon was spent with leisurely walk along the city plaza and market. I also took pictures of and attended mass at the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. I saw the newly opened Jolibee restaurant which has became the new center of attraction in this city but also a big threat to local restaurants.

In the evening, I had dinner at one of the local seaside resort which offered cool breeze while dining.
In general, I find Calbayog City a very peaceful place.

Monday- MAY 30,2006

I left Calbayog at 9 am and boarded a jeepney bound for Allen. It was a one and half hour drive on a less rugged road (as compared to the previous day).

Arriving in Allen at 11:30 am where I will board a ferry for Sorsogon, I had plenty of time as the ferry was scheduled to depart at 1 pm.

The ferry crossing from Samar to Luzon was uneventful as the San Bernardino Strait was calm. I arrived at Matnog at 2:30 pm and immediately searched for a bus to Legaspi City. But I was informed that no bus would take me for that short distance since they prefer Manila-bound passengers. It was suggested to me though that I take a jeepney ride to Sorsogon City and form there I can board buses or AC vans to Legaspi. I left the organized chaos Matnog port at 3:30 pm and arrived at Sorsogon at 4:20 pm.

Sorsogon City is a bustling city , the center of trade in Sorsogon province. From here, you can board buses bound for Manila but I decided to ride the AC van contemplating on staying overnight either in Legaspi or Naga. The van I took reached up to Daraga only.

The hour long but comfortable drive from Sorsogon to Daraga offered me a magnificent view of Mt. Mayon volcano. As we near Daraga, I caught glimpse of a closer view of majestic Mayon. The sun setting down and the image of Mayon on the horizon was something I will never forget. Too bad I wasn’t able to take a picture of such a beautiful scenery but photo images sometimes does not do justice to such breathtaking sceneries.

Upon arriving at Daraga at 6 pm, I decided to board a van for Naga instead of Legaspi. Along the way, I viewed Mayon volcano as it eventually fade when darkness set in.  This reminded me that my journey is also about to end.

Upon arriving at Naga at 8:30 pm at the Integrated Bus terminal, I saw the rushing crowd of people trying to get a ride to Manila. It seems that this is the time when all Manila bound buses departs. Passengers and their relatives, bus employees and hawkers gather around numerous colorful buses.

Instead of staying overnight in Naga, I decided it was time to go home and board a bus. So at 9 pm , I was already on my way back to Manila. I slept throughout the night trip, despite the bumpy and zigzagging road.

Tuesday - May 31, 2006

As the sun rises, I end my journey, exactly one week after I boarded a bus in Cubao. At 6 am, after a 9 hour bus trip I arrived at the same bus terminal where I boarded a Leyte-bound bus a week ago.

Quite tiring but the whole experience leaves lots of memories. Traveling to the Visayas and Mindanao islands as I have found out is now a more comfortable with the arrival of new and more comfortable air-con buses. The Samar roads is still in a sorry state and no improvement is seen in the near future despite recent announcements. The Leyte and Davao-Buda-Cagayan de Oro roads are best examples of a well maintained highway.

People are most hospitable in areas you least expected. I also experienced being victimized by scrupulous tricycle drivers at ports.

But all in all, the trip was worth it.

My next plan is to travel to Davao via the Strong Nautical Highway passing through Mindoro, Panay, Negros islands and returning to Manila via the Maharlika Highway (Leyte, Samar, Bicol, Quezon). And I have discovered that you can now ride a bus form Cubao to Zambaonga City.

Wednesday – May 24,2006 Afternoon
Tacloban is the capital of Leyte and is the center of trade in Eastern Visayas. I immediately went to the c terminal to inquire about the bus schedule to Davao. I was informed that it is expected to arrive from Manila at 7 pm but I can not be assured of a space in the bus as it was reported to be full.
So I decided to recharge my energies in the city for the rest of the afternoon, checked into a pension house, took a bath, grab a Chowking fastfood meal, took a quick nap, and made a quick city tour.  In the evening, I went back to the bus terminal and waited for the Philtranco bus to Davao.

Tacloban Cathedral

Fishing trade post

The Philtranco Bus arrived late at 9 pm and very full to capacity. I begged the conductor to let take me in and he said if I was willing to stand up as there was no more space even in the alley. I took the challenge and we left at 9:45 pm with me standing in the middle of the alley with persons behind and in front of me. The bus was so full, there were even passengers in the cargo bay at the back and more standing at the door. I was told that there was a Boy Scout Jamboree in Davao so many passengers were bound for that city. The drive to Liloan, the southernmost tip of Leyte was uneventful in the middle of the night despite the cramps I suffered from standing for 4 hours and not being able to sleep.

Thursday – May 25,2006
We reached Liloan at 2 am and immediately scrambled to find a bench to sleep and rest my aching legs. The ferry arrived at 4 am and left at 6 am. We crossed famous the Surigao Strait, scene of the fiercest battles during WWII, in 4 hours.

Lipata,Gateway to Mindanao

Arriving at Lipata the gateway to Mindanao and the cleanest port I’ve been to in the country in Surigao early in the morning was very refreshing.

Disembarking the ferry and boarding the bus was quite efficient and orderly.  My fellow passengers were now anxious as they were now near their various destinations and they have been on the road for 2 days already. I finally managed to get a seat and I started to enjoy the trip again. The road from Surigao to Butuan is relatively in good condition.
We arrived at Butuan at 2pm for a brief stopover and when we left it, the bus was already half empty. From then on, the road to Davao became very rough, I have traveled on this same route several years ago and it hasn’t changed, the highway was littered with huge craters probably caused by big logging trucks that ply this route. By this time, the Philtranco bus seemed to stop at every town along the way to drop off each passenger. By 4 pm, we reached San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, a town that thrives on logging industry. After Agusan, the roads improved. I wonder when will they repair this portion of the Pan-Philippine Highway?

A near empty Philtranco bus as we near Davao

At Monkayo, Compostela Valley, we had an early dinner at 6pm. This is also where I received a text message on my cellphone that informed me that a friend’s son died in a car accident in Texas. I felt at a loss since I knew this boy since birth and has always been a caring lad to the elders. He always makes “mano” to me after mass every Sunday when he was still here. As we resumed our drive to Davao, I couldn’t Ryan’s death off my mind. At 8 pm we were at Tagum City, Davao del Norte, we were only about five passengers remaining in the bus. The bus finally reached Davao at 9pm, a 24 hour trip for me from Tacloban and a two day trip for those who boarded from Manila. For most of the remaining passengers, they will still have to find connecting bus rides to other parts in Mindanao but for me, it’s time to find a nice hotel.

I went to the BAGOBO HOUSE HOTEL along Duterte st. in dowtown Davao. Unfortunately, a boy scout jamboree was happening during that week which made all of the regular rooms occupied and so I was offered the only room available, the suite. At P1000 a night ($21 at P46-$1 exchange rate) it was still a bargain. Their regular single room rate is P620/night ($13.40) could have save me some bucks but I was too tired to go around the city to look for a cheaper room. Before going to bed, I did email some friends in the US from a nearby internet café to inform them of Ryan’s death and searched the internet for more news about the car crash. Apparently, a very drunk Caucasian lost control of his truck and slammed into Ryan’s car. The photo of the Ryan’s wrecked car was a heart breaking sight. I felt so sad too for his parents, my good friends.  I retired to my bed with Ryan in mind and have completely forgotten the recent ordeal I went through, standing for 4 hours in the bus the night before and the bumpy ride along the rough roads of Agusan.

Davao’s nightlife is a clone of Manila, offering a variety of entertainment. There are Videoke bars as well as live band music venues for music lovers. Numerous restaurants aim to satisfy different tastes. Malls also abound for shoppers and mall rats. I also noticed a number of 24-hour internet cafes. But that night, I was just too tired to sample the nightlife and at 11pm, I was already fast asleep in my hotel room.

Friday - May 26, 2006
Instead of returning to Manila, I decided to take a bus to Cagayan de Oro via the BuDa Highway (Bukidnon-Davao) which I have heard of so much before. The remarkable improvement I noticed since my last trip here was that the most of the intercity buses are new and air-conditioned. I boarded a brand new Rural Transit bound for Cagayan de Oro. We left at 9:30 am. The ride was pleasant all throughout as there were no rough roads encountered.

Colorful Bukidnon boundary welcome

The province of Bukidnon have been strictly enforcing this measure to prevent the entry of foot and mouth disease that may ruin their cattle and animal industry. So upon reaching the provincial boundary of Bukidnon, we were all asked to board down the bus and to pass through a foot bath while the bus was sprayed with disinfectant. To ease the passengers’ discomfort, local residents sell various attractive native accessories such as bracelets, necklaces

The zigzagging roads offered a breathtaking view of Davao del Norte mountain ranges. This reminded me of my father’s old stories of how they evacuated from Davao to Cagayan de Oro on foot during the onset of WWII. He said that they crossed the mountains for days, surviving on what they eat along the forests of Davao del Norte (which I imagined to be very lush then). How I wish that he was alive today so that I could have taken him along on this trip and retrace their evacuation route then.

The BuDa Highway (Bukidnon-Davao) is well paved and is very convenient for travelers. The towns in this region have centralized transport terminals where bus, jeepneys and tricycles pick up or drop off passengers. The state of these terminals for me somehow reflect the status of the town as these are the gateways to the respective towns. So the first impressions are derived from here, especially on how the clean are the toilets. And it seems that life in these terminals comes to life whenever a bus arrives.  We ate lunch at exactly noon in Quezon, Bukidnon. And for the following towns thereafter, we would be stopping for every 30 minutes to pick up and alight passengers. At 1 pm we were at Maramag, at 1:30 we were at Valencia, which had a new bus terminal and so the toilets are very clean.

We arrived at Malaybalay at 2:30pm. About 10 years ago, when I went to this place, the highway was still mainly a gravel road. Malaybalay is home of the famous Benedictine Monastery of Transfiguration which has a very good boy’s choir. The monks there also plant coffee which they sell to guests. I suggest a short visit to this monastery to experience the splendor of the place and see the last work of National Artist Architect Leandro Locsin, the monastery’s chapel.

The Monastery of Transfiguration of the Benedictine Monks in Bukidnon

Driving onwards, we crossed the Bukidnon mountain ranges via the Kennon road of the South, the scenic road along Mangima Canyon. Along the way is the famous Del Monte Pineapple plantation at Manolo Fortich which is said to be one of the biggest in the world and which I would recommend for future travelers for a tour if they happen to come to this place. You will surely be offered a taste of it sweet pineapples. For sports buff, they take pride of a world class golf course.

The vast plantation of Del Monte Pineapple in Manolo Fortich is a must see

An interesting museum in Valencia

We finally arrived in Cagayan de Oro, under a slight drizzle, at 4:30 pm. I immediately checked in at Pearlmont Inn in nearby Limketkai Mall. The rooms are clean and the tariff is cheap at P1050 with free bearkfast. I did some “malling” at nearby Limketkai and forgot that SM already had a mall near Lumbia. At last I was eating mall fastfood again, making my life back to normal. Going around the city is convenient with brand new aircon taxies. At dusk, I went to the St. Augustine Cathedral to offer thanksgiving prayers for a safe trip so far and prayed for more blessings for the coming days.

The St. Augustine Cathedral in Cagayan de Oro

My travel around Mindanao is quite refreshing. Despite the rough roads of Agusan, the scenic and well paved Buda highway somehow made up for it.

(I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to BOB MARTIN of Mindanao.com for allowing me to use some of his photographs of Bukidnon. I strongly recommend visiting his web blog and gallery to see the many facets of Mindanao. Thanks Bob.)
(end of part 2)

It has been 8 years since I last saw these two ‘angels’….
David who celebrated his birthday last Jan. 3 is now 15 while Gabriele, whose birthday was Jan. 5, is 14…

The two had an unforgetable vacation…experiencing the Filipino celebration of Christmas and New Year for the first time….
with their big extended family of cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents….
David had a grand time with the firecrackers while Gabriele liked the ‘lusis’ or sparklers…..
David and Gabriele enjoyed their Christmas vacation here so much they promised to return next year….

By the way, David and Gabriele was with their parents, Art and MC (my two good friends).
Christmas is really about reunions among friends and loved ones….
2006 was a truly meaningful Christmas for me with Art, MC, David and Gabriele…
Looking forward for more Christmas like this one….

I had wanted to make this trip long ago but somehow never had the time to make it.  Traveling by bus and ferry, meeting the local residents, seeing the native way of life…this is the adventure that I have wanted to undertake for years. I have been to the Northern part of the Maharlika Highway, reaching as far as Pagudpud in the North. Now I want to travel South and the opportunity arises.

At the center of a busy commercial area of Araneta Center, the Ali Mall Integrated Bus Terminal comes to life early in the morning as buses from the south starts to arrive, bringing travellers into Manila. At mid-morning, the terminal turn almost chaotic as activities center on the departing buses for the south; air-con and ordinary buses bound for Bicol, Samar, Leyte and even Iloilo. This would go on until the evening. This is where varied cultures of my country mix. This is where my adventure begins.

Tuesday-May 23, 2006
I boarded the brand new Chinese-made bus of Silverstar Shuttle and Tours bound for Tacloban on the morning of May 23 for the 10 o’clock trip.

My Higer Silver Star Bus

Despite some delays, we left Manila in a relatively moderate traffic along EDSA. But a 20 minute stopover at Silverstar’s main terminal in San Pedro, Laguna started to irritate some of the passengers. It was already 11:20 when we left the San Pedro terminal and finally went into cruise speed along the South Luzon Expressway. The bus’ brand new suspension made the trip along the south road very comfortable, hardly noticing the bumps along the road. My excitement on this trip was peaking up. I was seated in the rear of the bus (being the last passenger to check in) and beside a girl bound for Tacloban. Despite my inability to understand or speak ‘Waray’, a warm smile exchanged meant that we will be friendly seatmates for the next 24 hours. Most of the passengers are going home after a vacation in Manila. A couple have just returned from aboard, anxious to see their loved ones in Samar.

As rice fields dominate the landscape of the Northern Philippines, tall and thin coconut trees line up the roadside from Batangas up to Quezon Province in the South.
At 1 pm, we passed by my father’s hometown of San Pablo, Laguna.
We arrived at Lucena at 2 pm for a 30 minute lunch stopover.
Afternoon showers fell along the way as passed by the shoreline of Gumaca. I always liked this portion of the Maharlika Highway , where the Pacific Ocean is located on your left while a mountainside is on your right. But I dread the situation if there was a typhoon, I can only imagine mighty waves pounding the concrete breakwater.
At 5 pm, we stopped by the junction at Calauag, Quezon to refuel its 220 liter tank indicating that this is the half way point of the bus’ journey.
By this time, the rigors of travel already started to affect me as I slept along the way in Bicol despite the rough and zigzagging roads.
At 9 pm we had dinner somewhere in Bicol.

Matnog, the Exit point from Luzon

Wednesday - May 24,2006
As we resumed our travel, I again continued my sleep until we reached the Matnog ferry terminal, the exit point from Luzon, at 1 am.
Alighting from the bus to get our ferry tickets, it was a bit inconvenient for passengers to be roused from their sleep and get down from the buses and wait endlessly to board the ferry.  Despite the hospitality of the local vendors who generously offers the passengers cheap but hot coffee and other snacks, being awaken at 1 am and made to fall in line to get tickets is very uncomforting.
Our ferry departed at 2:49 am and all us, passengers from all the buses who boarded the ferry, searched the ferry for every available chair to grab a quick sleep before arrival in the next port. 
Fortunately, the San Bernardino Strait, which divides Luzon from the Visayas, was perfectly calm and ideal for ferry crossing. Early morning crossings at San Bernardino Strait affords one with a spectacular sunrise view. Always a pleasant way to start the day. But unfortunately this time we docked at Allen, Samar still in the darkness at 4 am.
The portion of the Maharlika Highway in Samar runs along the western coast. Roads along Samar are rough and in a sorry state of disrepair, mainly due to years of neglect by the concerned authorities.(Yesterday though ,Oct. 17, Pres. GMA ordered the rehabilitation of the highways in Samar for a cool P2 billion cost)
We reached Calbayog City at 6 am for a breakfast stopover.

The pedal pushers of Calbayog, Samar
Calbayog City as well as Catbalogan features old- style pedal-powered tricycles. Unlike their noisy counterparts in Luzon, the dominant tricycles quietly lords it over the city streets of Calbayog and Catbalogan.
They cruise the city streets in complete silence. Chaotic but noiseless...Always an interesting sight.
By this time half of the bus’ passengers have alighted , and most of them are now in casual conversation. Me, I had to simply smile to tell them politely that I don’t speak their dialect.

San Juanico Bridge
Roadside sceneries in Samar are combinations of rice fields and a few coconut trees, Mountain ranges on the left with the sea on the right. Peaceful as it seem, the island has a painful history of conflicts. It seems that Samar is in a constant rebellion; then, against the Spanish and American colonizers; now, leftist rebels against the government.
I know that I am leaving Samar island once the roads improved.
Upon reaching the majestic San Juanico Bridge, I am now ending my first phase of my adventure.
I arrived in Tacloban at 12 noon and unboarded my bus.

But it was quite a load at 2.5 kg, but satisfied Jun’s requirements for a laptop…
Cheap, with USB 2 (for uploading his Ipod music), modem, adequate storage space and DVD drive….
He needs to have a laptop for his reviewer materials for the Airbus planes maintenance and his other files ….

Initially, I was planning to buy a second hand laptop unit and I found some used Toshiba and Fujitsu Lifebooks that costs around P18,000 to P20,000 ($390) but is has only a 6GB HDD, CD ROM drive only and USB 1 port.
A Lifebook with a more impressive specs was at a tempting P45,000 ($882) price. But in the end, I went for a brand new model to have a lesser headache…..

Jun was quite satisfied with his new laptop…..well, also my laptop since what is his, is mine also…

This strait divides Luzon from the Visayas.....
Samar Island beacons in the horizon and can be reached after
an hour’s ferry crossing ride away from Luzon…
Calm waters belies the wrath of its waves during rainy season....

Gorio.net is back (thanks to my buddy Art M.)
So GORIO’s Chronicle is back....with news that
I know my friends will be interested…

GORIO

It is my privilege to have been to some of the most beautiful places in the country. I would like to share with you some of my travel experiences. This page is dedicated to all domestic tourists. (Credit to MC for the dancing lady which she says was her expertise during her younger days, many decades ago....).

Oct. 2, 1999 - I have just been to Cotabato City, a city with such a tainted image but yet so colorful. The first reaction whenever I tell people I am going to Cotabato is the worried faces for the risk I am facing in going to a place where peace and order is always on the balance. You always read in the newspapers of encounters between the army and the rebels, of kidnappings, bombings and other disturbing news occurring in Cotabato City. Landing at the Awang airport, one is greeted by men in fatigue with armalites and heavy ammunition. This is but natural as the airport is inside the military base. But reaching the city, the same sight greets me. It seems that here in Cotabato, the gun is a necessity. It is a symbol of security and power at the same time.

But Cotabato City is just like any other city in the country. The peace and order situation is also the same as in other cities. Sure there are crimes, but which city doesn’t have the same problem. The city also suffers the same problem as any other metropolis; traffic, garbage, etc.

But the city is so colorful with the Muslims in their native attires plus the tricycles and jeepney adding to the mixture of colors. The people may sometimes be wary of strangers but they are hospitable as any other Filipino. I have been to the city for 3 times now and so far, all I have encountered are the warm smiles of the people. Cotabato is indeed a city of contrast.

In Cotabato, I recommend HOTEL CASTRO along 47 Sinsuat ave. (tel no. 4217523-24). It has nice rooms but avoid getting the rooms along the street since it can be very annoying as it is facing the market. The hotel is complete with an ihaw-ihaw and sing-along bar at the roof deck (it served me and my companion the best sea foods), a coffee shop at the 3rd floor and a fast food/bakery at the ground floor. So if you believe that you must not go out at night in Cotabato City, then this hotel offers a complete amenities. The hotel is very accessible as it is in the center of the city. Rooms are reasonably priced (from P650 /$13-single standard to P1980 /$41 -suite room). A friend told me of another good hotel, the ESTOSAN GARDEN HOTEL (tel. no 421-6777 / email address: estosan_hotel@yahoo.com) located along Gov. Gutierrrez Ave. My friend said this is the best hotel in the city.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - I started my journey in this center in Northern Mindanao. A very nice place to go to, plenty of hotels and restaurants, hospitable people..........

The City of Golden Friendship. That is how Cagayan de Oro City is described. This capital of Misamis Oriental is the hub of trade and development in Northern Mindanao. This is the city where I can walk unafraid even at midnight for it is very well known for its peace and order. The city is accessible by sea and air travel from Manila and Cebu. It also has numerous hotels which offers reasonable rates but nice accommodation. But a point of advice is to verify if there are any conventions in the city for this sometimes makes the hotel rooms scarce. An advance reservation is highly recommended.

The most famous hotel nowadays is the DYNASTY hotel right in the middle of the city. PRYCE PLAZA (tel. no [08822] 72-6464)Hotel offers a panoramic view of the city since it is situated atop the hill but access can be a problem. DISCOVERY Hotel (tel. no. [08822] 727-320/725-837) is my usual hotel since it is a walking distance to the Limketkai Mall (the Glorietta of Cagayan) where you can do some shopping, eat Jolibee or MacDonalds, play bingo, bet on Lotto, watch a movie or do just about anything. But avoid checking in during Sundays if you want peace and quiet since it is just in front of the cockpit arena. But if you like to gamble and cockfight, then this is the right place. The hotel is also near the place to buy the best ham in town, PINES, which along Osmena st. Another recommended hotel is PHILTOWN Hotel (tel no.[08822] 726-335)which offers delicious buffet breakfast and has a seafood restaurant which I like to eat often. I also would like to recommend PEARLMONT INN which offers good accommodations at very low prices. During promo periods, their Standard Single Room costs P550 ($11) while their Family room costs P1,200 ($24) which includes free breakfast. It is located near the Limketkai Mall.

Mobility around the city is no problem as the street is flooded with aircon taxis (flagdown P20/$0.40). An advice though, if getting a taxi at the airport going to the city, insist on a metered charge. The drivers may sometimes charge you a P150 fixed rate but a usual metered rate is around P100 only. Motorelas, a combination of a tricycle and jeepney is still the cheaper from of travel around town. Miniature ‘Minicas’ called ‘PU’ used to lord the streets of Cagayan de Oro but has now vanished.

The mighty MOTORELA of Cagayan de Oro

Dining in Cagayan is no problem. Restaurants with varied delicacies abound. The city is known for its meat and pineapple product (a Del Monte plantation is nearby). The native ‘lechon’ is very delicious but strangely offered without the usual liver sauce (sarsa). Chicken ‘inasal’ or chicken BBQ is also recommended. Delicious sea food delicacies is also offered in most restaurants. The best Sweet Ham are found in this city. And if you want to try Ostrich meat, a restaurant in the city serves this delicacy. One does not leave Cagayan with an empty stomach.

The LIMKETKAI Center is Cagayan de Oro’s own version of Ayala Center. You’ll find just about everything here, mall, cinemas, restaurants, etc. A visit to Cagayan de Oro is not complete without a visit to LIMKETKAI.

Iligan City is the industrial capital of Lanao del Norte. Big companies are located here such as the National Steel Corp. Jacinto Steel, Cement factories and the National Power Corp. But the current financial crisis heavily affected most of these industries thereby posing problem to the existing jobs. Sadly, the National Steel Corporation has been shut down due to the severe financial crisis. But efforts are being done to reopen the big source of employment in Iligan City.

Majestic MARIA CRISTINA FALLS

MARIA CRISTINA FALLS used to be a top tourist attraction but is now the source of hydro-power in Northern Mindanao. But the place is still open to visitors after going to the usual process of screening at the gate. TINAGO Falls on the other hand is said to be as majestic if not more beautiful than Maria Cristina Falls and is highly recommended for a visit. I’ve been to this place a couple of times and I always marvel at nature’s wonder, the majestic waters cascading down while at the same providing power to the region.

Iligan City is also a warm mixture of Muslim and Christian communities. It still retains some of the Spanish Colonial Period houses. I don’t know of any hotel which I can recommend as I usually stay in Cagayan de Oro which is an hour and a half drive only.

Ozamis City is a bustling city of Misamis Occidental. Direct air travel is suspended as of the moment so it is accessible by sea via Negros Navigation, WGA and Sulpicio Lines which has regular shipping schedules to and from Manila; or by Air via Dipolog City (a 3 hour drive thru good roads) where PAL has regular flights to and from Manila. One can fly to Cagayan de Oro where PAL, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific have regular flights too and then drive for about 4 hours (beautiful scenery along the way) including a 30 minute ferry crossing. There is also a daily ferry to and from Cebu via Cebu Ferries (leaves Cebu at 7 pm and arrives at Ozamis at 5 am ).

The only hotel I can recommend for visitors of Ozamis City is ROYAL GARDEN Hotel (tel. nos. [088] 521-2888/89,521-2784). The hotel is highly recommended since it offers spacious rooms at a reasonable price, delicious food and free shuttle to and from the pier or the bus terminal, plus an elevator. A single room costs around P800 ($16) which is a bargain considering its fine interior and luxurious amenities. The only drawback is the mosquitoes and the small TV (it should be 20") in the rooms.

Ozamis City is not well known for cleanliness and the city government should do something about this to attract more tourists. No special delicacies except for the small crabs caught from a nearby town. Toasted ‘Turones de Mane’ is a cheap but an addicting snack.

Me along the shore of Dapitan where Dr. RIZAL used to walk centuries ago.

This is the historic place of exile by the National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Replicas of the original house and structures still stand and the place has been preserved to its original state. A must for tourists.

The City Plaza is one of the most beautiful park I’ve seen. Plus add the fact that this is the park where Dr. Jose Rizal used to walk and contemplate. The people are also very hospitable so you would always enjoy your visit here.

Dapitan is also well known for DAKAK Resort, a five star hotel and beach resort but the place is also infamous for its very expensive fees. There are other reasonably priced hotels and beach resorts along the way to the city proper and is more advisable to budget tourists. However, the sand in this area is gray unlike the pristine white sand of Dakak.

The city is conveniently located about 15 minutes away from Dipolog City where the airport and sea port is located.

Marker of Rizal Shrine

Me in front of the Rizal’s house

Me in front of Rizal’s clinic

The best hotel in town is the TOP PLAZA with nice clean rooms for P900/$19 (double). One of the few hotels in Mindanao that has an elevator plus a nice restaurant. Tel. nos. are [065]212-5777/212-5535/212-5888/212-5536/212-5289).

DIPOLOG CITY is the capital of ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE. Dipolog’s Cathedral is one of the more beautiful churches I’ve seen.

I recommend the famous product of Dipolog, the Spanish sardines, as a favorite pasalubong to friends. The well known brand is Montano. I believe a bottle cost something like P35/ 70 US cents.

Regular flights to Manila via PAL. This is also where you can board a fast but very comfortable ferry boat to DUMAGUETE City (Negros Oriental) or CEBU. Travel to other destinations in Mindanao (Oriquieta, Pagadian) by land can be via aircon vans (Mitsubishi L300, Toyota Hi-Ace, etc,). But the air-condition van can sometimes be more of an inconvenience as it only leaves the terminal when it is full and travelling on a packed van (like a sardine) can be an ordeal.

One of the cleanest city I have been to. DUMAGUETE City boasts of being the most peaceful and cleanest city in this region Negros Oriental. It hosts one of the best educational facilities of the country, the SILIMAN UNIVERSITY (which is presently celebrating its 100th year....GORIO/ August 2001) . The atmosphere is like UP Diliman or UP Los Banos, a big campus ground in the middle of the city, a dominant student population and numerous student-oriented business establishments.

The most famous spot, especially at dawn and dusk, is the ‘Boulevard’ which is like Manila’s Roxas Boulevard, a street in front of the seashore. Here the whole city seemed to gather either to watch the sun rise or the sun set. This is the place to go to in Dumaguete.

The best hotel is BETHEL GUEST HOUSE (Tel. nos.4228000/2252000;e-mail:bethel @mozcom.com) with cheap rates P630/$13 for a studio type room and a spectacular view of the sea. The recommended restaurant is CHIN LOONG which offers delicious Chinese cuisine at cheap rates. Chicken ‘Inasal’ is also very common here and should not be missed by visitors.

Dumaguete is accessible to and from Manila by air, Air Philippines flies daily or by sea, regular schedule by Negros Navigation. One can cross to Cebu also by fast ferry boats.

Life in Dumaguete is so laid back. No pressures. Other cities I’ve been to are either too modernized like Manila or are just too boring (Ozamis). Dumaguete is just right for me. I would like to go back to DUMAGUETE CITY again.

If you wish to see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat, then nearby BAIS City is the place to go to. The city has its own eco-tourism program of arranging boat trips to watch the dolphins and in some instances, whales. The local authorities assures its guest of 99% odds of seeing the dolphins but the catching sight of a whale is seasonal. I’ve seen on TV the successful trips of some of the guests and I plan to go to BAIS just for this purpose in the future.

The familiar scene of the BACOLOD countryside....canefield (photo by Don Pirot)

BACOLOD is the capital of Negros Occidental. It is well known for its Spanish period houses. Some of the old haouse have been preserved in its original form so scholars of architectural history can find a rich source of information (especially in SILAY City).

I usually stay at the GOLDENFIELD GARDEN (tel no. [034]433-3111)in Bacolod as it is located right in the middle of the city’s nightlife. It is in the GOLDENFEILD COMPLEX which features a casino, disco houses, KTVs, 24 hour convenience stores, internet cafes, bowling alley and numerous restaurants. The hotel offers reasonable rates and has a mini-ref in side the rooms. If you want a more luxurious accommodation, then check in at the L’FISHER Hotel but the price there is higher though. The BACOLOD CONVENTION PLAZA is also a good hotel. But avoid the SUGARLAND Hotel even though this was newly renovated, as the hotel is along the path of the airplanes to the airport so it can be very noisy whenever a plane lands or takes off. (Sorry I don’t have the present room tariffs of these hotels right now but if GoldenFiled Garden costs around P900/$19, then L’Fisher and Bacolod Convention Plaza will cost twice as much)

BACOLOD is well known for its Chicken Inasal and the prawns. Piyaya is also a popular pasalubong by visitors from this city as well as the barquillos.

Air flights to and from Manila via PAL, Cebu Pacific or Air Philippines are on a regular daily schedule to this city as well as the regular shipping schedules of Negros Navigation and WGA SuperFerries.

*All of the hotel mentioned offers aircon rooms, hot and cold shower, with phones and cable TV.