Bohol and Siquijor Provinces [Archive] - Page 3

kiretoce

March 25th, 2008, 10:03 PM

City and country in the Philippines (http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4449376a2181.html)

Our guide today is Carlos, a short, stocky man who speaks perfect American-accented English and wears a top hat in the jaunty style of Jiminy Cricket. The portable stereo hung around his neck is blasting Glenn Miller's Chattanooga Choo Choo, an incongruous choice considering we are walking through the cloisters of a cathedral in Manila's historic Intramuros district.

Oddly, no one seems to mind, least of all the priests, who offer greetings and indulgent smiles as we pass. "If it brings people in, they don't care what I do," Carlos says with a wink.

It's only when we enter a large crypt that he finally hits the "off" button on the stereo, hangs his hat on a convenient cherub and calls us together. He wants to talk about Manila's image problem - the way foreigners often refer to his home town as "that ugly city without a centre, without a soul".

Carlos doesn't seem to disagree with that assessment but he wants to make a plea for understanding; to explain how a beautiful city dubbed the Pearl of the Orient in the early part of the 20th century was bombed flat at the end of the World War II and reborn as a giant shopping mall, whose most celebrated citizen is the shoe-obsessed wife of a disgraced former president.

"I saw Imelda [Marcos] today, eating pizza at a supermarket checkout in full national costume!" Carlos says, rolling his eyes with a mixture of delight and horror. "She's still the first lady in her head - it's kinda Miss Havisham."

His history lesson kicks off in 1571 with the arrival of the Conquistadors and describes a nation whose language, faith, culture and identity were accreted by the Spanish, Chinese, British and Americans. In 1898, the US bought the country from Spain for $US20million and began turning Manila into the New York of the Far East. It was the first Asian city to have cinemas, jazz clubs, radio stations, train lines and, perhaps more importantly, toilet paper.

This flowering lasted less than 50 years. In March, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur captured the city from the Japanese and ended their three-year occupation of the Philippines. Its liberation came at a terrible cost. A month of intensive bombing left Manila in ruins - the second-most devastated city after Warsaw - and more than 100,000 Filipinos dead. After the war, the shattered European-style buildings were bulldozed and replaced by modern American architecture, paving the way for today's congested conglomeration of freeways, shopping malls, tower blocks and shanty towns.

Carlos likes to compare the city to Casa Manila, a Spanish colonial house in the Intramuros that was restored by Imelda Marcos in 1981 and now operates as a museum. The interiors are "decorated to death" in a hotchpotch style that includes French doors, Italian chandeliers and English grandfather clocks. "Everything is expensive but nothing matches," Carlos says. "But somehow, when you put it all together, it works - like the Philippines!"

And work it does, in its own peculiar way. A few days before our arrival in this sprawling city of 10million people, a huge explosion at the fashionable Glorietta shopping centre killed 11 people and injured 100. Initial reports described it as a terrorist attack. Then a more banal explanation involving faulty gas tanks emerged. But in a country where "malling" is often listed as a hobby next to sports such as badminton and basketball, retail life quickly returned to normal.

Normality is relative, however. About a week after we left the Philippines, the hotel where we had stayed - the luxurious Peninsula Manila in the Makati business district - was the scene of an attempted coup by dissident army officers trying to oust President Gloria Arroyo. Armoured personnel carriers and dozens of specialist police officers rammed the hotel's lavish front entrance and arrested the ringleaders. But the defining image - one that would amuse Carlos, I suspect - was a press photograph of the Peninsula's catering staff, immaculate in their white uniforms, taking happy snaps of their heavily armed uninvited guests.

For many people Manila is, love it or loathe it, nothing more than the gateway to the archipelago's 7000 islands. Many tourists head for Boracay, a hot spot for serious hedonists described by my guidebook as "delicately poised between paradise and pandemonium". If you're looking for something rather more relaxing, the island of Bohol - the 10th largest in the archipelago - may be the answer.

It takes about an hour to fly to Bohol from Manila, a trip that climaxes with a rather abrupt landing on a short runway. But it's hard to dislike this modest strip of tarmac because it's keeping a firm cap on the number of visitors. Just over 400,000 came last year, but an international airport with direct flights from China and South Korea is on the drawing board, and luxury hotels and resorts are springing up, particularly on Panglao, the small island attached to Bohol's south-western tip by a narrow causeway.

For now, the closest Bohol gets to pandemonium is the traffic in Tagbilaran City, its largest settlement. Here, tricycle taxis bearing religious inscriptions such as "In God We Trust" and "Pray for Others" weave through the streets, missing each other by centimetres thanks to divine or human intervention.

There are three main reasons to visit Bohol. The island's principal tourist attraction is the Chocolate Hills, a collection of more than 1200 grass-covered mounds located near the centre of the island. They range in height from about 30 metres to 50 metres and turn the colour of a bar of Cadbury's in the dry season. Formed by battling giants or uplifted coral (depending on whether you put your faith in mythology or geology), the bizarre-looking terrain is best seen from the tourist complex built on one of the highest mounds. It provides a view of what, in the wet season, looks like a lush green landscape distorted by hundreds of giant burrowing moles. "Holy Toledo!" one American tourist exclaimed after struggling up 214 steps in the humid air to take in the view from the summit.

She probably said something similar when she caught her first sight of Bohol's second biggest tourist drawcard, the Philippine tarsier. A tiny, bug-eyed creature whose weird appearance reportedly inspired both ET and Yoda in Star Wars, it can be seen in its natural habitat, the tarsier sanctuary, at Corella. Almost 100 of the endangered mammals live in the 8.4-hectare reserve including one that was presented to Prince Charles in 1997 (he promptly returned it to its natural habitat). They can jump up to five metres for a juicy insect but these nocturnal animals are distinctly sluggish during the day. Still, it's a thrill to gaze into their enormous eyes, even if it does conjure up memories of a certain extraterrestrial moaning "phone home".

Bohol's third biggest attraction is its superlative diving. A few years ago, local fishermen still used dynamite to blast fish out of the waters off Panglao. Now, it's one of the best dive sites in the Philippines, particularly the marine sanctuary near Alona Beach.

Not all of Bohol's attractions are listed in guidebooks, of course. Travelling around this lush, friendly island, you'll see a cow chewing the cud under a sign that reads, "Thank you for slowing down. God bless us." A Loboc River cruise on a rudimentary barge the size of a tennis court is made special by Fredo, an old man wearing a Dickie's baseball cap who sings Moon River to the sound of the world's most battered acoustic guitar. And at the Bohol Bee Farm, a magical place perched on a cliff at Dauis on Panglao Island, you can eat organic sweet potato bread and honey and have a $10 massage with an ocean view.

Even Bohol's tiny airport has a touch of magic. In the departure lounge - a cramped room the size of a small cafe - blind musicians wearing Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses play slightly off-key versions of Beach Boys songs in the hope of prising spare change from their captive audience. They are interrupted by the boarding call for the flight to Manila. "Please come back," implores the lead singer.

great184

March 26th, 2008, 04:55 PM

i read in the previous issue of philippine star this march that bellevue hotel will construct a 300 room hotel with conference facilities scheduled to open 1st quarter of 2010 in panglao island. is there any development regarding this as far as groundbreaking or press release or rendering in its lot. thanks.

Haven't heard of any news yet. Hopefully we will get more info in the coming months...

nikkixtrm

March 26th, 2008, 11:40 PM

ph man, what is the name of that beach?

anybody know if CRYSTAL COAST RESORT is worth it? i cant find any reviews about it :(

thanks!

betro

March 27th, 2008, 09:36 AM

That's panglao beach...

ADVENTURE IN TRAVEL

ADVEN-TURISTA TRAVEL AND TOURS
BOHOL, PHILIPPINES
09187498424
038-5059145 Globelines

Ibex

April 5th, 2008, 03:31 AM

I will be in bohol on the 24th... weeee can't wait already. I was here in 1997 antagal na, bet it has changed a lot!! :cheers:

ericlucky290

April 7th, 2008, 01:53 AM

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/ericlucky290/Forum/squibBohol5300.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/ericlucky290/Forum/squibBohol5410.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/ericlucky290/Forum/squibBohol5510.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/ericlucky290/Forum/squibBohol5440.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/ericlucky290/Forum/squibBohol5456.jpg

Ibex

April 9th, 2008, 01:47 AM

Bohol were coming!! http://www.istorya.net/forums/Smileys/alive/icon_biggrin.gif

Help:

Mo suroy mi ug Bohol this month, ask lang ko kung every hour ba ang byahe sa Cebu-Tubigon route? Naa ba multicab for rent?

Salamat... http://www.istorya.net/forums/Smileys/alive/afro.gif

rage@cebu

April 9th, 2008, 01:02 PM

^^ every hour bai! hehehe enjoy! been there 2weeks ago nxad, watch CVIRAA there! :)

Ibex

April 9th, 2008, 01:54 PM

^^ every hour bai! hehehe enjoy! been there 2weeks ago nxad, watch CVIRAA there! :)

Salamat bai @rage Nasipit-Cebu mi agi then Cebu-tubigon. So jampacked diay ang bohol that time besides summer ngayon and fiesta sa may 1. maayo unta di mi mag lisud sa byahe. :cheers: Naa mi itinerary na, murag lisud ma singit ang CVIRAA. :)

thanks again bai!! :):)

[dx]

April 16th, 2008, 01:11 PM

Aerial View of Panglao Island

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/2418512560_487f18e85d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2098/2418512388_4f24ea53f2_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/2417696161_9984f8003e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/2418511924_4eb381f024_b.jpg

taken during our trip to Bohol last month

[dx]

April 16th, 2008, 01:17 PM

Bohol Beach Club, Panglao Island

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2124/2417705179_a7b16eb07e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/2418520626_2e78415a81_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3238/2418520266_b747d955e3_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2009/2418519838_85945fb89d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/2417702807_02eba51a71_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2103/2417701675_e02782b163_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/2417703565_0cc640598e_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2345/2418515696_dac463875f_b.jpg

taken during our Bohol trip last month

More Pictures here (http://flickr.com/photos/dxpsycho/sets/72157604563983914/) and here (http://psychosanctum.blogspot.com)

filino

April 17th, 2008, 08:08 AM

im going to this place on may 15-16-17. i need a txt mate from bohol. hahahaha male here, to all boholanas who's interested to meet me during my vacation, just PM me. :lol:

kidding aside, hope to meet someone during my vacation to this paradise island.

qwert_guy

April 17th, 2008, 11:05 AM

april 28 baka matuloy din ako sa bohol... sino gusto makipag meet sakin? bai filino, mamiesta ka sa bohol?

filino

April 17th, 2008, 11:09 AM

april 28 baka matuloy din ako sa bohol... sino gusto makipag meet sakin? bai filino, mamiesta ka sa bohol?

not my main purpose but nagkataon lang. first time ko doon, so i need an assistant, yong ililibre ako. :lol:

again im calling all boholanas, PM me naman oh...... please..................

Ibex

April 17th, 2008, 01:16 PM

not my main purpose but nagkataon lang. first time ko doon, so i need an assistant, yong ililibre ako. :lol:

again im calling all boholanas, PM me naman oh...... please..................

april 28 baka matuloy din ako sa bohol... sino gusto makipag meet sakin? bai filino, mamiesta ka sa bohol?

Ilang tulog nalang...:cheers: 23-27 naman kami. ^^

Ibex

April 17th, 2008, 01:19 PM

Anyone here alam kung magkano ang fastcraft fare sa Cebu-Tagbilaran na route? Meron ba? or Cebu-Tubigon... Thanks ^^

wornout

April 17th, 2008, 03:22 PM

Anyone here alam kung magkano ang fastcraft fare sa Cebu-Tagbilaran na route? Meron ba? or Cebu-Tubigon... Thanks ^^

CEBU - TAGBILARAN Daily Schedule
Trip Estimated Time of Departure Estimated Time of Arrival Accomodation
Tourist Class Business Class
1 6:00 AM 7:40 AM Php 575.00 Php 875.00
2 9:30 AM 11:20 AM Php 575.00 Php 875.00
3 2:00 PM 3:50 PM Php 575.00 Php 875.00
4 6:20 PM 8:00 PM Php 575.00 Php 875.00

betro

April 18th, 2008, 03:11 AM

You can take supercat, weesam or oceanjet. All fastcraft may promo u can have it round trip less than P600.

Ibex

April 18th, 2008, 11:21 AM

You can take supercat, weesam or oceanjet. All fastcraft may promo u can have it round trip less than P600.

CEBU - TAGBILARAN Daily Schedule
Trip Estimated Time of Departure Estimated Time of Arrival Accomodation
Tourist Class Business Class
1 6:00 AM 7:40 AM Php 575.00 Php 875.00
2 9:30 AM 11:20 AM Php 575.00 Php 875.00
3 2:00 PM 3:50 PM Php 575.00 Php 875.00
4 6:20 PM 8:00 PM Php 575.00 Php 875.00

Thank you @betro & @wornout for the information :okay:^^

Il Tenore

April 18th, 2008, 11:26 AM

Good Afternoon Bol-anons!!

We're going to Bohol in the last week of May... actually, not in Tagbilaran...

but what are the best things to do and see?

betro

April 18th, 2008, 11:32 AM

bohol countryside tour and dolphin and whale watching

Blair

April 18th, 2008, 11:45 AM

Good Afternoon Bol-anons!!

We're going to Bohol in the last week of May... actually, not in Tagbilaran...

but what are the best things to do and see?

ako sa may 2, ug unahon gyod nakog adto ang chocolate hills ug ang panglao island:banana:

Il Tenore

April 18th, 2008, 12:06 PM

bohol countryside tour and dolphin and whale watching
dolphin and whale watching?

where?

Blair

April 18th, 2008, 12:09 PM

sa pamilacan island bai..

betro

April 18th, 2008, 12:13 PM

between balicasag island and baclayon town. if interested, i can help you facilitate with the
tour packages.

betro

April 18th, 2008, 12:14 PM

of course in pamilacan pod diay.

Il Tenore

April 18th, 2008, 01:00 PM

^^ I'm with the family kasi..

But it's still tentative... last week of May pa kasi...

Ibex

April 18th, 2008, 01:13 PM

Good Afternoon Bol-anons!!

We're going to Bohol in the last week of May... actually, not in Tagbilaran...

but what are the best things to do and see?

^^ @Il Tenore pa Bohol ka rin pala ha? Di nga lang tayo magkita kasi next week na kami :) You should visit all the places Bohol is famous for. :cheers:

Il Tenore

April 18th, 2008, 01:43 PM

^^thanks!!

Blair

April 19th, 2008, 01:07 PM

^^ @Il Tenore pa Bohol ka rin pala ha? Di nga lang tayo magkita kasi next week na kami :) You should visit all the places Bohol is famous for. :cheers:

^^ha?..next week na kayo, akala ko may 24th,so sa april 24th pala hehe... baka tayo ang magkita :lol:

Blair

April 19th, 2008, 01:11 PM

uu nga, you should visit all the places sa bohol lalo na during fiesta, kaka-on jud tag daghan..

ericlucky290

April 19th, 2008, 05:37 PM

As of April 19, 2008, the Chocolate Hills is rank 6 among the hundreds of nominees around the world. I am encouraging everyone to support our Chocolate Hills by voting at this site: http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/vote_on_nominees/. And also do not forget the other Philippine entries which are Tubbataha Reef of Palawan (Rank 9) and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park ( underground river which needed most vote as it is not yet on the top 77).

Please spread the word to everyone so we can sustain at least the current ranking until the poll closes on December 2008.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/ericlucky290/Forum/7_wondersAprl19.jpg

Ibex

April 20th, 2008, 07:36 PM

^^ha?..next week na kayo, akala ko may 24th,so sa april 24th pala hehe... baka tayo ang magkita :lol:

Mabuti na yung makaiwas sa rush during the month of may when every day may fiesta sa bohol :lol: Mahirap maka book ng byahe open pa naman yung date ng pag-uwi namin ^^ Baka mag kita nga tayo:) God speed bai... tatlong tulog na lang kami...:cheers:

betro

April 21st, 2008, 04:18 AM

ADVENTURE IN TRAVEL

ADVEN-TURISTA TRAVEL AND TOURS
BOHOL, PHILIPPINES[/COLOR]
09187498424
038-5059145 Globelines[/B][/SIZE]

Blair

April 21st, 2008, 06:09 AM

Mabuti na yung makaiwas sa rush during the month of may when every day may fiesta sa bohol :lol: Mahirap maka book ng byahe open pa naman yung date ng pag-uwi namin ^^ Baka mag kita nga tayo:) God speed bai... tatlong tulog na lang kami...:cheers:

^^GOD BLESS bai,,

enjoy your vacation po:)

henji

April 22nd, 2008, 02:50 PM

^^GOD BLESS bai,,

enjoy your vacation po:)

been there last year.....

been to

ICM- Island City Mall
Panglao Beach
Blood Compact Shrine
Baclayon Church
Phrony Big Phyton
Loboc River
Chocolate Hills
Hanging Bridge

Due to lack of time

we missed:

Dolphin watching
Butterfuly Sanctuary
chocolate hills na deck sa Tubigon (forgot the name)
other tourist spots

betro

April 23rd, 2008, 05:30 AM

been there last year.....

been to

ICM- Island City Mall
Panglao Beach
Blood Compact Shrine
Baclayon Church
Phrony Big Phyton
Loboc River
Chocolate Hills
Hanging Bridge

Due to lack of time

we missed:

Dolphin watching
Butterfuly Sanctuary
chocolate hills na deck sa Tubigon (forgot the name)
other tourist spots

I hope nxt time you can visit these place. Dophin and Whale watching in pamilacan, Butterfly sanctuary in Sagbayan Peak and Sagbayan Peak itself.

ADVENTURE IN TRAVEL

ADVEN-TURISTA TRAVEL AND TOURS
BOHOL, PHILIPPINES
09187498424
038-5059145 Globelines

henji

April 23rd, 2008, 04:27 PM

I hope nxt time you can visit these place. Dophin and Whale watching in pamilacan, Butterfly sanctuary in Sagbayan Peak and Sagbayan Peak itself.

ADVENTURE IN TRAVEL

ADVEN-TURISTA TRAVEL AND TOURS
BOHOL, PHILIPPINES
09187498424
038-5059145 Globelines\

Salamat sa info.....ill refer you when one of my friend visits Bohol.

betro

April 24th, 2008, 09:46 AM

Thanks a lot....

weirdo

April 25th, 2008, 04:39 AM

Mabuti na yung makaiwas sa rush during the month of may when every day may fiesta sa bohol :lol:

sobrang hassle ba? i'm leaving tagbilaran may 1 kasi. gaano kaya kasaya fiestas sa bohol?

great184

April 26th, 2008, 02:36 AM

^^^ Incomparable!!! Iba feeling ng mga fiesta dyan. Especially the fact that you are welcome to go to anyone's house and try their food! Filipino hospitality and warmth as its best!

rustyboi

April 26th, 2008, 03:38 PM

April 7 2008

Roadtrip from Cebu to Bohol

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/2433163107_84e5397004.jpg
^^we took our ride to Tubigon Bohol

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/2437899631_9c380dc10e.jpg
^^via Tubigon pier, Bohol then off to Tagbilaran City

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/2433980450_24b56c3c0d.jpg
^^Tagbilaran Cathedral
then we went to Carmen to see Chocolate Hills

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/2433164253_c4214e8084.jpg
^^it's kinda late already but the view is still breathtaking! after Carmen, to Sagbayan Peak but it was dark na. then back to Tubigon pier - Cebu Pier. :D

it was a fun experience. wanted to visit Panglao but we lack time. hopefully next time!

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 03:31 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC06967.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC06960.jpg

Bohol Beach Club

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 03:33 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC06951.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC06943.jpg
Bohol Beach Club

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 03:36 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC05959.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC06004.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC05956.jpg

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 03:37 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07028.jpg

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 03:46 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07254.jpg

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 04:31 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07336.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07337.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07339.jpg

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 04:33 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07045.jpg

Ibex

April 29th, 2008, 04:35 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07280.jpg
Dauis, Bohol

TONZI

April 30th, 2008, 09:24 AM

yeheyyyyyy! im going to bohol next week! ill be celebrating their may fiesta in Maribojoc, Bohol...lots of us are going there and we are from Iligan City...:banana:

chymera00

April 30th, 2008, 08:27 PM

I need a very big help. If you or someone you know has taken a picture of the exterior of an Ocean Jet fastcraft recently pls. PM me. I really need the pictures. I can't disclose the full details right now but two of my photos have been spotted in a number of their fastcrafts and I need to verify if they have made more reproductions of my pictures in their other units.

Their routes include:
Iloilo - Bacolod
Cebu - Dapitan
Cebu - Dumaguete
Cebu - Tabilaran
Dapitan - Dumaguete
Dapitan - Tabilaran
Dumaguete - Tagbilaran
Manila - Orion

Thanks. This will be a very big help for me.

Ibex

May 1st, 2008, 02:03 AM

Ang_Bantayanon

May 1st, 2008, 12:51 PM

It's fiesta time in Bohol.

Happy fiesta to all Boholanos

Blair

May 1st, 2008, 04:06 PM

happy fiesta bohol

Grandew09

May 2nd, 2008, 03:04 PM

Panglao natures beach resort and spa

http://photos-618.friendster.com/e1/photos/81/67/4067618/1_762796924l.jpg

http://photos-618.friendster.com/e1/photos/81/67/4067618/1_189483883l.jpg

http://photos-618.friendster.com/e1/photos/81/67/4067618/1_785272458l.jpg

http://photos-618.friendster.com/e1/photos/81/67/4067618/1_682202322l.jpg

http://photos-618.friendster.com/e1/photos/81/67/4067618/1_158891683l.jpg

http://photos-618.friendster.com/e1/photos/81/67/4067618/1_705684758l.jpg

http://photos-618.friendster.com/e1/photos/81/67/4067618/1_333908456l.jpg

weirdo

May 4th, 2008, 04:35 PM

^^^ Incomparable!!! Iba feeling ng mga fiesta dyan. Especially the fact that you are welcome to go to anyone's house and try their food! Filipino hospitality and warmth as its best!

wow. sabi nga nila. sayang. pero ambait talaga ng mga taga bohol. sobrang kahit saan, kakaiba makitungo.

TONZI

May 14th, 2008, 06:00 PM

a_terisk78y™

May 17th, 2008, 08:09 AM

share lng ko ninyo and 1st pa jud ni nko post here in forum...heres my pix in pangalo taken last week of april 2008... i missd this beautiful white beach.. dumaluan beach....:)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2072/2457078062_9b4ba9c951.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2124/2457081098_ec852e52fe_m.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2456248815_c118622651.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2457072068_e901537334.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2447382133_83d0ba1ebb.jpg?v=0

Maxxclip

May 17th, 2008, 08:16 AM

beautiful bohol... mas ok pa kasya sa 'sinner's beach' boracay IMO

a_terisk78y™

May 17th, 2008, 08:35 AM

i guess sa camarines myt be the best beach after bora... i dunno wat exactly name of d island basta somewhere in camarines i saw in tv news sometime last week - probably the place where the survivor french version were held...it said its beautiful than boracay esp the white and fine sand...

mga bol-anon - naka adto nmo anda? i had been there last october 08' together with my frend from loay... so musta didto? nice baya didto kai unexploit white beach tho not develop as dumaluan had pero nice man pod hehe... :)

TONZI

May 17th, 2008, 07:16 PM

a_terisk78y™

May 18th, 2008, 08:39 AM

^^yes, ive heard of that too...from a boholano who works in a computer store here in iligan...he said meron daw magandang beach somewhere in ubay or anda...the guy is from sevilla...by the way, i love bohol not only because my wife is from there but the place is really nice and clean...

i see taga iligan ka.. been ther b4 sa timoga, a cold spring hehe musta na dha bai basin mo suroy ko sa iligan thread...

btw i think ubay has no beach resort if am not mistaken kai mao man ingon ako frend from ubay. actuali anda is nice beach pero mingaw lng ,it has a long white sand shoreline compared sa panglao but d au develop ila roads lisod pod pangitaon ug public transpo padung anda.

ako gane am not from bohol but i loved this place 5x nako cge suroy dre hehe...

a_terisk78y™

May 18th, 2008, 09:26 AM

i was there in bohol last week and everything about the place was nice though its my second visit already...the roads are nice and smooth specially from tagbilaran to jagna and also tagbilaran to tubigon...ill post my pics here later this week...:lol:

true... :) been drove there from loay to anda.... nahan au ko drive diha kai nice ang view esp the ocean view presko au hangin hehe and u myt see the island of camiguin(nevr been there but one of my A-list) wen u reach at the jagna..sa jagna na diha ang mga calamay hehe...then finally anda..it took us 4hrs traveling exhausted but worth traveling hehe :)... mo post ko ug pix unya sa anda.... never been to ubay but i have frend there...

btw na kai baw-an na shipping schedule ug fares para camiguin gikan jagna?

a_terisk78y™

May 18th, 2008, 09:33 AM

anda... taken last Oct.'07 with some of my friends...
http://images.kitamomo.multiply.com/image/8/photos/21/400x400/7/DSC00064.jpg?et=52rrjnlqdjNcctkV%2CWY7jg&nmid=69683249

http://images.kitamomo.multiply.com/image/7/photos/21/400x400/6/DSC00062.jpg?et=r7n%2BNTprpaajy3%2BMn2oisg&nmid=69683249

http://images.kitamomo.multiply.com/image/7/photos/21/400x400/8/DSC00065.jpg?et=qUoE%2BVte19itxYoEn0sYww&nmid=69683249

http://images.kitamomo.multiply.com/image/7/photos/21/400x400/11/DSC00068.jpg?et=bSm68LKLEo9xSAaUH9jT3Q&nmid=69683249

http://images.kitamomo.multiply.com/image/7/photos/21/400x400/14/DSC00080.jpg?et=oP5i1xswG7w00NttSQjMXA&nmid=69683249

TONZI

May 18th, 2008, 12:03 PM

true... :) been drove there from loay to anda.... nahan au ko drive diha kai nice ang view esp the ocean view presko au hangin hehe and u myt see the island of camiguin(nevr been there but one of my A-list) wen u reach at the jagna..sa jagna na diha ang mga calamay hehe...then finally anda..it took us 4hrs traveling exhausted but worth traveling hehe :)... mo post ko ug pix unya sa anda.... never been to ubay but i have frend there...

btw na kai baw-an na shipping schedule ug fares para camiguin gikan jagna?

naa na. kay gkan mi jagna ato looking 4 boat tickets from tagblaran but it was full also. anyway, the camiguin to jagna route is now open and it started last may 8, 2008. it is a roro ferry going to mambajao, camiguin with fares at only 200 pesos per head for the 3 hours and 45 minutes voyage. its under the super shuttle ferry lines which is a part of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNP) program of GMA. if you have a vehicle for cargo, a van would cost at 2,690 while a multicab would cost 1,900.

with this kind of transport, travelling to bohol with vehicle from mindanao is much cheaper than having ur vehicle checked in at major national ferry companies. that time, the pick-up (ISUZU DMAX) of my sister-in-law for cargo cost 8,000 pesos for one way only from cdo to tagbilaran. with the roro it would only cost 1/4 from that.

mambajao, camiguin to jagna, bohol leaves at 8am daily.
jagna, bohol to mambajao, camiguin leaves at 1 pm daily.

next summer, expect congestion on passenger traffic on this route as we had a hard time looking for slots in boat companies for voyages coming in and out of bohol.

great184

May 18th, 2008, 02:41 PM

btw the town of tubigon bohol celebrated its very 1st tanda festival. It is a part of Bohol's initiative to make the LGU's setup their own tourism strategy. Therefore we have this new festival, celebrated on the Feast of St. Isidore, May 14-15. I'm inviting you guys next year to drop by Tubigon now that its more accessible through RORO.

a_terisk78y™

May 19th, 2008, 05:17 PM

^^ havent there then my friend told me kai nindot daw diha esp sa plaza by the night and most of my maids were held from there.... pila d i ka oras biyahe from there to tagbilaran? or ubay?

@tonzi thanx 4 update.. i myt go to camiguin with my friend soon if i have time thru jagna kai duol then less ug gasto... hopefuli lng this august hehehe...

rage@cebu

May 19th, 2008, 05:22 PM

rage@cebu

May 19th, 2008, 05:24 PM

Sinjin P.

May 20th, 2008, 10:17 AM

Please vote for your favorite entries in the 2008 Philippine Independence Day Banner Contest here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=630569

betro

May 20th, 2008, 10:38 AM

pareha diay ta taga.ubay xad amu yaya... hehe

ako taga cebu pero naa napod nagpuyo diri bohol.

TONZI

May 23rd, 2008, 05:25 PM

@tonzi thanx 4 update.. i myt go to camiguin with my friend soon if i have time thru jagna kai duol then less ug gasto... hopefuli lng this august hehehe...

you're welcome, its my service for the people, by the people. joke. i was really off to ask somebody about it too had i not gone to jagna port. coz i waited for a roll-on roll-off service from camiguin to bohol for 2 years now and now it has materialized.

henji

May 24th, 2008, 03:03 PM

Nindot ang dalan sa Bohol, from Panglao to Tagbilaran to Sevilla to Tagbilaran again. Congrats sa inyong new Airport project!

basti

May 25th, 2008, 02:45 PM

Going to Bohol in August. Ano ba ang mga must see dun, bukod sa Chocolate Hills at Loboc? Any tips to share din? :D

tuxedo_blue

May 25th, 2008, 05:45 PM

Going to Bohol in August. Ano ba ang mga must see dun, bukod sa Chocolate Hills at Loboc? Any tips to share din? :D

you could visit the Baclayon Church, the oldest in our country.

a_terisk78y™

May 26th, 2008, 09:49 AM

^^
nindot daw sagbayan kesa choco hills... pero nver been there sagbayan... apil sad ni imo trip....

a_terisk78y™

May 26th, 2008, 09:50 AM

you're welcome, its my service for the people, by the people. joke. i was really off to ask somebody about it too had i not gone to jagna port. coz i waited for a roll-on roll-off service from camiguin to bohol for 2 years now and now it has materialized.

:cheers1:

lightsaber46

June 4th, 2008, 04:34 AM

Palawan seen to overtake Boracay as RP’s No. 1 tourists destination
http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20080604126301.html

Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat

PUERTO PRINCESA — Palawan is expected to overtake Boracay in three years as the country’s number one tourist destination with Bohol coming in as close second, a tourism stalwart said.

Samie Lim, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and tourism champion for the private sector, said this as the Palawan province prepares a master plan that put emphasis for sustainable tourism development.

"In three years, Palawan will overtake Boracay if they have a masterplan. Bohol will come in second," Lim told reporters after delivering a speech on tourism at the 17th Southern Luzon Area Business Conference.

"Palawan offers diversity, he said. Its 1,700 islands have better things to offer than Phuket and Bali. Palawan has better sights to offer," Lim said.

The island province of Palawan has been declared as a natural sanctuary of the world, and for good reason. It is wrapped in a mantel of rainforests, outstanding dive sites, majestic mountains, primeval caves, and pristine beaches. It is surrounded by a coral shelf that abounds with varied and colorful marine life. It boasts of exotic flora and fauna, like the mousedeer and the scaly anteater, that are found nowhere else.

Palawan waters are among the best in the world, not only for diving but also for fishing. A diver’s paradise, it has miles of sub- surface coral and rainbow reef walls whish surround the coasts and coves teeming with rich marine life.

Among its famous sites are the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Resources, a world heritage site encompassing both Tubbataha atolls and the Jessie Beazley Reef. The almost 100,000 hectare size park contains roughy 10,000 hectares of coral reef, which lie at te heart of the coral triangle, the center of global marine diversity in the world.

The Puerto Pincesa Subterranean River National Park, another natural world heritage site, is believed to be the longest navigable underground river in the world.

Among its significant features is the 8.2 kilometer underground river that flows beneath spectacular karst formations before emptying out into the sea.

The El Nido Marine Reserve in Miniloc, El Nido, occupying an area of 96,000 hectares, is a popular nature spot in the province. It boasts of diverse ecosystems, such as rainforests, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone reefs as well as a variety of fishes, like mantaray and the sea cow or "dugong", known as the world’s rarest marine mammal. It is now one of the country’s premier destinations, blessed with amazing natural scenery, and considered as sanctuary for various forms of wildlife.

Sta. Lourdes Tagbanua, Puerto Princesa City is where Honda Bay can be seen. The bay consists of several islets with shallow reefs, bordering fabulous beaches and small resorts which have become the favorite water sports destination of local and foreign tourists alike.

The province boasts of extraordinary scenic wonders. African animals from Kenya in Africa- giraffes and elands, zebras and gazelles- co- exist with endemic Philippine animals, like the Palawan bearcat, mousedeer and peacock (pheasant), in the Calauit Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Busuanga, considered on of the province’s most amazing sites. Another sanctuary found in Rio Tuba Village, Bataraza is the Ursula Island Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary. This island is a haven for birds that rest and converge two hours before sunset, after a day’s flight.

With the immense biodiversity in Palawan, Lim said, it is expected to become a tourist haven in three years.

On the other hand, the country’s pristine Boracay is already congested that it should now be ready for the next level of development to keep its attraction.

"With too many tourists and resorts coming up, where should all the wastes go but into the sea," he said.

Lim said that the next level development of Boracay should concentrate on building up Aklan as the staging point for tourists going to Boracay.

Tourists should not stay in Boracay but go back to Aklan after a day’s swim in the island.

"Let us make Boracay our swimming pool and for that help preserve the island," he said.

RonnieR

June 4th, 2008, 04:56 AM

Going to Bohol in August. Ano ba ang mga must see dun, bukod sa Chocolate Hills at Loboc? Any tips to share din? :D

Hi, we went to Bohol with my family last Nov. '07. Bohol is really the best. Through our tour guide, we visited 10 sites: Hinagdanan underground cave, SAgbayan Peak, Chocolate Hills, ancestral house in Clarin, Blood compact site, Baclayon church, a zoo where we saw the biggest python, hanging bridge, tarsier and the famous Loboc cruise. Whew, good memories of Bohol. People are so friendly, kind and helpful.

henji

June 4th, 2008, 03:45 PM

INQUIRER VISAYAS
Loboc River is ‘nature by day, boulevard by night’

By Kit Bagaipo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:53am (Mla time) 05/31/2008

LOBOC, Bohol – Scenic Loboc River in Bohol has something new to offer to guests who want to experience the rustic environment that has popularized river cruising in Loboc town, which is fast becoming a tourist destination.

The Bohol provincial government’s aggressive promotion of ecotourism, along with the benevolence of Chinese businessman and Philippine Special Ambassador to China Carlos Chan, have made possible night cruises aboard floating restaurants on the Loboc River.

Aptly dubbed by town Mayor Leon Calipusan as “Nature by day, boulevard by night,” the river lighting project, which costs P13.5 million, is said to be the first of its kind in the country.

As the project’s main feature, some 450 lampposts and floodlights were installed along the lush green riverbank, stretching almost three kilometers from the frontage of the centuries-old Loboc Church toward Busai falls.

The Jesuit-built old stone church itself is beamed with floodlights creating a spectacular reflection on the river’s calm water. The two bailey bridges crossing the river are also lit up.

The play of lights lends a romantic air to the night cruise while one enjoys a dinner buffet of native food aboard the floating restaurant.

Known as the music capital of Bohol, the municipality of Loboc is home to the world-acclaimed Loboc Children’s Choir. If one is lucky, a local band is on board the floating restaurant to render soft music.

This music-loving town started the “river-cruising-aboard-floating-restaurants” business some 13 years ago. It became an occasional side trip for tourists who come to Bohol either for its pristine white sand beaches or its world-renowned Chocolate Hills.

Now, tours would not miss the experience of Loboc River Cruise as the town lies along the path from the popular resorts of Panglao Island going to the Chocolate Hills.

According to Calipusan, the daytime river cruise attracts an average of 800 guests daily. The volume made it hard for the floating restaurant operators and the municipal government to manage the traffic and congestion at the river.

A year ago, a floating restaurant operator introduced a downstream cruise, to get away from the congestion on the regular upstream route.

The municipal government likewise embarked on the construction of a modern 120-meter docking port for all the floating restaurants which is complemented by an eco-tourism center that houses the tourism office, a visitors’ lounge and air-conditioned comfort rooms. The project cost about P10 million, which was in part funded by Chan, who is also special ambassador of the Philippines to China.

Chan also donated P2.5 million for the construction of a Children’s Palace, which now serves as a music and training center for musical performances.

During the river cruises, tourists also have a chance to see the world’s smallest primate, the tarsier that has its natural habitat in the forests near the Loboc River.

The Loboc River night cruise was officially launched on Thursday, coinciding with the visit of Chan and officials of Jiangxi Province in China for the first Bohol-Jiangxi Friendship Day.

The concept of developing a night cruise along Loboc River was proposed by the Bohol Provincial Tourism Council, chaired by Peter Dejaresco, which saw it as the best option to address the congestion of tourists during peak river cruising hours.

The proposal generated support from tourism stakeholders in the province and was presented by Gov. Erico Aumentado during the signing of a sisterhood agreement with Jiangxi Province Gov. Huang Zhiquan in Nanchang China on May 8, 2006.

Aumentado, together with the Bohol delegation, were brought by their Chinese counterparts in Quishui Square in Nanchang that offers a view of the night scene.

It was in this trip that Ambassador Chan committed to fund the riverbank lighting project. Chan commissioned the lighting experts from China to determine the requirements of Loboc River.

According to Calipusan, the river cruises has opened more opportunities for enterprising local residents and floating restaurant operators, their employees and musicians and in terms of town revenue.

Copyright 2008 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[dx]

June 5th, 2008, 05:55 PM

^That's great news. Dinner aboard the cruise while gently sailing up the Loboc River lined with lit lampposts -> romantic. hehe

Meanwhile, here's a night shot of the Loboc docking port:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/2552971373_62e3f40c0a_o.jpg
by digitalimageer (http://flickr.com/photos/cleevillasor/)

reancorbz84

June 20th, 2008, 09:48 AM

Guv justifies TransCo's backbone power project
By: JUNE S. BLANCO

THE P1.4-billion Bohol Backbone Transmission Project (BBTP) is not financially viable, according to initial evaluation and review of the Central Visayas office of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA 7).

Gov. Erico Aumentado however was quick to the rescue. He gave a 19-point justification on top of the two-megawatt (MW) projected load of the Panglao Bohol International Airport Development Project (PBIADP).

In her letter to Aumentado, NEDA Region 7 Director Marlene Rodriguez had said the backbone power transmission project “is not financially viable using a minimum load forecast scenario that already includes the 2-MW projected load” of the Panglao airport.

“In view of this, may we know from your preliminary discussions with investors, the eco-tourism facilities and structures to be built in the province that would require substantial power load,” she wrote.

In reply, the governor emphasized his unqualified support to the BBTP proposed by the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) for funding under its corporate internal cash generation (ICG) for the reason that the project can improve the efficiency and reliability of the present power for the province.

“Moreover, the project implementation can help pump-prime the economy and lay down the fundamentals to prevent a power shortage in Bohol once the PBIA will be completed and operational by the last quarter of 2010,” he wrote back.

He said the transmission line will provide also the necessary fiber optics for Bohol ’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and participation in the booming call centers industry.

His 19-point justification includes high-end establishments that were not yet inputted into the TransCo study, as well as those slated for completion in time for the operationalization of the PBIA in 2011, such as:

The Bohol Regency Hotel and Convention Center will start construction this year of its P1.2-billion facility, with a timeline of completion about simultaneously with the PBIA, and the Bellevue Hotel chain has already applied for registration with the Bohol Investment Board (BIB).

Megaworld has started negotiation with landowners in Panglao Island and in Metro Tagbilaran for its hotel, resort and housing facilities including, if possible, golf course. The governor is personally helping broker the ongoing negotiation with key landowners.

According to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano during the luau dinner meeting at the Panglao Island Nature Resort on May 20 ultimo, major international hotel chains players will be coming to Bohol as soon as the PBIA will be completed as the project can bring in more international tourists and investors which are part of the airport’s multiplier economic effect.

He also said, “We are now in the final stages of establishing the Northern Bohol Corridor Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in Talibon and Ubay, the fastest growing towns in the province. The establishment of the SEZs in the two towns will balance Bohol’s economic development in the southwest and in the northeast, with the interior towns and the Northeast Basin as agricultural centers.” Interestingly, the entire province is programmed for the province’s eco-cultural and agri-tourism destinations under the Bohol Tourism Master Plan (BTMP), he explained.

Also, he added, records at the Bohol Investment Promotion Center (BIPC) would show that Bohol has several new completed investment projects needing power which were not included when the BBTP feasibility study was conducted, like the five-star Peacock Garden Luxury Resort and Spa in Baclayon, Eskaya Resort and Spa, Amorita Resort, Amarela Resort, Bohol Tropics Resort Club Convention Center, Bohol Plaza Resort expansion, Sherwood Bay Resort and Aqua Sports Center, Bohol Coral Resort and the Dream Native Resort.

The Philippine Agricultural Land Development and Mill, Inc. (PALM, Inc.) that is now processing palm oil in Bohol will soon set up a bio-fuel plant in the province. Negotiation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resurces (DENR) for an additional area of 10,000 hectares for oil palm plantation is now in the final stage, with the involvement of various farmers’ organizations and cooperatives in the targeted areas. PALM, Inc. now has about 8,000 hectares of land plant to oil palm for the processing plant in Barangay Matin-ao, Carmen town.

A similar bio-fuel plant for jathropa is being worked out in Bohol by Japan’s Kanematsu Corp. and a group of Filipino investors which Aumentado is also helping broker. Having identified contiguous possible sites for such plantation, he is set to meet the Kanematsu representatives again in Manila tomorrow.

The Kanematsu project is among the plants to be established at the Ubay or Talibon SEZ – whichever is nearer to the proposed plantation.

The Alturas Group of Companies (AGC) is planning to expand its modern rice mill and feed mill facilities in Ubay town to meet the post-harvest requirements for milling as part of the province’s agricultural thrusts, especially with the target of attaining rice sufficiency in 2009, and expanding the agricultural and agri-business horizons, including the use of shallow tube wells that need power, for irrigation.

The AGC is also poised to develop its five-hectare reclaimed area in Ubay for a commercial and tourism complex. AGC owns the Island City Mall (ICM), Plaza Marcela, and fishponds with a total area of over 300 hectares and a blast refrigeration plant for its export of prawns, among others. It owns also an ultra modern air-conditioned piggery, which is fast expanding.

The governor has also started negotiation with Mitsui Shipping for the establishment of its shipyard in Bohol .

“In fact, we began talking already with the representatives of two corporate landowners whose total land area would be 150 hectares – enough for the Mitsui requirement. The project site is located in Getafe town with deep seawater channels to Olango and Hilotongan as passageways for the ships to be constructed,” he said.

“We shifted our negotiation to Mitsui after we could not meet the power requirement of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co., Ltd. amounting to 200 MW, although Bohol has the 500 hectares of land for Hanjin’s purpose. Our negotiation with Hanjin took place in Seoul , and directly with its President and CEO Kang-Rock Lee on October 30, 2007,” he explained.

An industrial and agricultural lime processing plant will be established in Bohol by a Malaysian company-backed entity this year tentatively at the Ubay or Talibon SEZ.

A carrageenan processing plant is likewise eyed in the northern corridor where about 24,000 hectares are planted to seaweeds – enough for a medium scale plant.

Meanwhile, Tagbilaran City is fast growing. Very soon, the agora will become a business center right in the heart of the city.

The Tagbilaran Airport is programmed for conversion into a business park or SEZ once the PBIA will be operational. The provincial government owns a big portion of the airport and will negotiate soon with the Air Transportation Office and the Department of Transportation and Communications for a joint undertaking in the area.

Bohol’s port development program consisting of a cruise port in Catagbacan, Loon town; the current expansion of the ports of Tubigon, Ubay and Jagna towns as well as the Maribojoc port as Tagbilaran City’s alternate port would be needing power for night operations and other facilities.

Also, the provincial government’s health program would require sufficient power for its Bohol Diagnostic Center, the expanded and improved facilities of the Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital in Talibon, the Cong. Simeon Toribio Memorial District Hospital in Carmen, the Cong. Teodoro Galagar District Memorial Hospital in Jagna, the Cong. Natalio Castillo Memorial District Hospital in Loon, the Catigbian District Hospital, the Dagohoy Hospital in Inabanga and the Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay.

The Bohol waterworks systems, especially the Bohol Water Utilities, Inc. servicing Tagbilaran City , are dependent on underground water that needs power for drawing the vital commodity.

Besides, the Manila International Airport Authority, PBIA’s major funder, has envisioned the establishment of an Airport City and possible SEZ in Panglao.

Golf courses for day and night games, as well as the Loboc River night cruise, need power. In fact, the latter is now operational with the P13.5-million lighting facility donation of Ambassador Carlos Chan, the Philippines ’ Special Envoy to China .

“There are more developmental projects programmed and envisioned for Bohol that need reliable and cost-effective power generation and transmission for which TransCo’s P1.4-billion BBTP is designed. It will prevent unnecessary tripping of power lines due to falling coconut palm fronds or tree branches, as well as systems losses. It is in the foregoing ratiocination that I am strongly and earnestly requesting your good office to support the project, especially now that we are projecting more economic development with the PBIA construction and operation in due time,” he wrote Rodriguez.

“Let us not wait for a power problem to hit Bohol . The province’s present power generation is only about 123.5 MW with a buffer or reserve of 23.5 MW. Our peak time power demand is already estimated at 65 MW, thereby leaving an effective surplus of only 35 MW, which could easily be wiped out once the PBIA is in place,” he concluded.

etienne

June 20th, 2008, 12:16 PM

metrosuburban

June 21st, 2008, 03:23 PM

^^ unpaved, wala pang sidewalks at madumi, maalikabok. Only CPG Ave ang maayos

reancorbz84

June 22nd, 2008, 12:05 PM

:ohno:when was the last time uve been there(bohol)?? @metro...

nung last akong pumunta ron, ok na ang mga daan. japanese or korean company yata ang gumawa? hehehe.

metrosuburban

June 23rd, 2008, 07:45 AM

^^ exactly maayos na yung main avenue, but the rest of the secondary roads, medyo malubak, hindi sementado..

dark_knight_detectve

June 23rd, 2008, 02:53 PM

Visions of heaven in Bohol (http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&story_id=144191)

First posted 00:31:36 (Mla time) June 23, 2008
Augusto Villalon
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines - “Kisame: Visions of Heaven on Earth” is a photo exhibition running until July 20 at Ayala Museum. It looks to the ceilings of Spanish colonial churches that reveal visions of heaven from the Boholano earth.

A group of itinerant Cebuano artists painted the ceilings of Spanish colonial churches during the decades of the American colonial period starting in the 1920s.

Several young untrained Cebuano painters, who eventually distinguished themselves as first-rate artists, were responsible for the religious art that adorned Boholano churches and those in Cebu and other neighboring island-provinces as well.

Probably the most renowned of the traveling band of artists was Raymundo Francia, who painted numerous church ceilings and, alluding to Michelangelo’s travails painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican, was called “Cebu’s Michelangelo.”

The equally talented Canuto Avila assisted Francia in many projects.

Francia’s largest body of work is found in the churches of Bohol.

Having painted an estimated 80 percent of Bohol’s churches, Francia developed his own style, even formulating his own special paint mixture that, until this day, retains the original color and brilliance of his works in spite of the passage of almost a century since their execution.

His skillful rendering and shading add three-dimensional volume to his paintings. His perspective extends vistas toward the infinite, as in the European trompel’oeil style popular in earlier historical periods.

Many examples of his ceiling paintings, much revered by generation after generation of parishioners, still survive in the old churches of Bohol despite threats ranging from deterioration to poor maintenance, leaking roofs and bat droppings.

Magnificent

Of the Spanish colonial churches under the care of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, 12 boast of magnificent, intricately painted ceilings in various stages of preservation, including masterpieces in the parishes of Albuquerque, Baclayon, Cortes, Dauis, Dimiao, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao and Tubigon.

Living landmarks of Spanish influence in the Philippines, these massive church structures were established in Bohol by the early Catholic missionaries, called doctrineros, as early as 1595.

Shortly after their arrival, the Jesuits erected a small visita on the Baclayon coastline near Tagbilaran that has evolved into today’s famed Baclayon Church. (The current structure was built by the Recoletos.)

The main church, of square blocks of coral stones quarried from the sea that were cemented together with millions of egg whites, was constructed by hundreds of locals on polo, a system of community service.

Terra-cotta tile roofs rested on massive timber trusses supported by thick stone walls and enormous solid-stone buttresses. Bells hung from massive towers that doubled as vantage points or lookouts, warning people of pirate raids coming from the sea.

Churches, doubling as fortresses, were usually large enough to shelter an entire village in case of siege.

The massive structures, fruits of native labor from many centuries past, have survived into this century not only as places of worship and centers for the local community. They are also the most significant depositories of art, sculpture and music in the Philippines.

Aside from the richness of ceiling painting and wall frescoes, unknown traditional carvers sculpted statues of saints, wooden reliefs for wall or door panels, and exquisite altars, legacy of artists who “worked lovingly but arduously, to bequeath us these treasures,” said Ayala Museum director Maritoni Ortigas.

Archival treasures

In the late 1990s, the archives of Baclayon and Dimiao churches yielded different parts of the complete score for the 1826 Missa Baclayana, a Mass especially composed for Baclayon church that has recently been revived by University of Santo Tomas musicologists for contemporary performances in the church.

Fr. Milan Ted Torralba of the Diocese of Tagbilaran curated the exhibition. An indefatigable church conservationist, he has been not only instrumental in the cultural renaissance of Bohol, he has also worked closely with both church and government authorities in the preparation leading to the drafting, signing and exchange of instruments of ratification of the Holy See-Philippines Agreement on the Cultural Heritage of the Catholic Church in the Philippines that finally set a legal basis to safeguard church heritage.

Romola Savellon, the founding curator of Cebu Normal University, and Marianito José Luspo, of the faculty of Holy Name University in Tagbilaran and the leading authority on Bohol history and culture, are other featured writers of the exhibition. Photography is by Paquito Ochoa Jr.

The exhibition opens up small glimpses of heaven to us still in this world. It proves the artistic mastery and technical skill of early Cebuano painters (not to mention the strain as they lay on their backs while painting ceilings).

Most of all, the exhibition brings to the forefront the traditional excellence of Philippine artistic talent seen in the work of the many unknown artists who have enriched our culture so much.

To show our appreciation to these unknowns, more churches and heritage structures should be documented, as Father Torralba and his team have done so exhaustively in Bohol, so that we rediscover more folk painters, sculptors, musicians and artists we can celebrate as they show that Filipinos have always been a people of vision and excellence.

For “Kisame” exhibition information, visit www.ayalamuseum.org

Feedback is welcome at pride.place@gmail.com

etienne

June 24th, 2008, 04:37 AM

:ohno:when was the last time uve been there(bohol)?? @metro...

nung last akong pumunta ron, ok na ang mga daan. japanese or korean company yata ang gumawa? hehehe.

hanjin yata ang gumawa.

i went to tagbilaran yesterday from tubigon. well paved ang daan, less than an hour lang ang travel namin unlike before na medyo matagal.

betro

June 24th, 2008, 04:51 AM

hanjin yata ang gumawa.

i went to tagbilaran yesterday from tubigon. well paved ang daan, less than an hour lang ang travel namin unlike before na medyo matagal.

i agree with that. so you are from bohol?

reancorbz84

June 26th, 2008, 06:28 PM

ah hehehe tama si metrosubrban.. meh mga daan sa city (interior) na hindi pa sementado. sana bigyan na ng aksyon.. hehehe...

dark_knight_detectve

July 11th, 2008, 02:37 PM

Baclayon mo-host sa 11th leg (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080710105&type=2)

Archive

Ni Yoyo R. Abayan
Friday, July 11, 2008

Dad-on og balik ngadto sa Bohol ang aksiyon sa 2008 MS Motosuit Motocross Series pinaagi sa pagpahigayon sa 11th leg karong Domingo didto sa Landican, Baclayon.

Ang umaabot nga lumba giulohan og “3rd Sta. Cruz Triumfo Chapel Motocross Competition.”

Makasaksi na sab ang mga Bol-anon sa maong kulbahinam nga aksiyon nga gipaluyohan sa Imarflex Evvo Battery dihang ni-host sila sa fourth leg niadtong Mayo didto Sagbayan.

Ning higayona, ang riders mosubay og laing racetrack.

Gawas nga magtigi alang sa dungog, ang riders makahigayon sab pagbisita sa laing makasaysayanon nga mga lugar sama sa Baclayon Church, ang labing karaan nga simbahan sa nasud ug ang Blood Compact site tali nilang Miguel Lopez de Legaspi ug Rajah Sikatuna nga nahimutang sa Bool, Tagbilaran City nga dili sab kaayo layo gikan sa Baclayon.
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dark_knight_detectve

July 11th, 2008, 04:00 PM

Baclayon to host 11th leg of MS Motosuit series (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080710126&type=2)

Friday, July 11, 2008

Action in the 2008 MS Motosuit Motocross Series returns to Bohol this Sunday with the staging of the 11th leg in Landican, Baclayon.

The upcoming race is dubbed as the “3rd Sta.Cruz Triumfo Chapel Motocross Competition.”

The Bol-anons got their first taste of thrill in the series mainly supported by Imarflex Evvo Battery when they hosted the fourth leg last May in Sagbayan where part of the world-famous Chocolate Hills can be seen.

This time, the riders will be dealing with another racetrack.

Aside from competing for top honors, the riders also get a chance to visit another historical site such as the Baclayon Church, one of the country’s oldest churches, and the Blood Compact site between Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Rajah Sikatuna located in Bool,Tagbilaran City, just a few kilometers away from Baclayon. – Caecent No-ot Magsumbol

dark_knight_detectve

July 16th, 2008, 10:47 AM

PSALM sets auction for Panay-Bohol plant (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008071517&type=2)

By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has set the auction date for the 146.5-megawatt (MW) Panay and 22-MW Bohol diesel power facilities on Oct. 29, 2008.

The asset manager issued yesterday the invitation to bid (ITB) for the generation plant package, informing interested parties to submit their respective letter of interest on or before July 30.

Interested investor groups are also required to pay a non-refundable fee of $2,000 and execute a confidentiality agreement and an undertaking with the government power privatization firm.

Qualified investor groups can then conduct their due diligence from July 17 to Oct. 27, 2008.

A pre-bid conference for the prospective bidders of the Visayas-based power assets is on Aug. 6 at the PSALM office in Makati City.

In its original asset sale schedule, PSALM packaged the Panay diesel plant with the 192.5-MW Palinpinon geothermal plant.

But since the long-term steam supply agreement to be attached to the Palinpinon plant still has to be approved by the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC), the PSALM board decided to move the sale of the geothermal asset to 2009.

Under JCPC Resolution 2006–1, the agreement, now known as the geothermal resources supply contract, is subject to the commission’s approval.

The PSALM board formally announced the withdrawal of the bidding for the Palinpinon-Panay package in a supplemental bid bulletin (SSB) it issued last July 3, to the prospective bidders. This clarifies reports that the privatization of the Palinpinon plant was moved to November.

The Panay diesel power plant facility consists of the 36.5-MW Panay 1 diesel power plant and the 110-MW Panay 3 Diesel Power Plant.

Panay 1 was commissioned in 1979, while Panay 3, which is also known as the Pinamucan diesel power plant, was relocated from its Batangas site after the expiration of the BOT (build-operate-transfer) contract with Enron Power Development Corp. in 2003.

The plant was transferred to its present location to prevent a potential near-term power shortage and to provide voltage stabilization in the island of Panay.

The Panay 1 and 3 diesel plants are the only land-based facilities of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) in the island. They are peaking plants that provide ancillary services such as backup power, load following, system frequency and voltage regulation.

The Bohol diesel power plant, Napocor’s first diesel plant in the island, was originally constructed together with the 1.2-MW Loboc hydro plant to provide electricity to nearby towns.

Consisting of four 5.5-MW identical generating units, the Bohol facility continues to operate as a peaking and voltage-regulating plant.
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dark_knight_detectve

July 18th, 2008, 03:55 PM

P.5 B allotted for light bulb conversion (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080716112&type=2)
By Paolo Romero
Thursday, July 17, 2008
President Arroyo launched yesterday a P500-million program that aims to jump-start a massive replacement of electricity-hungry incandescent bulbs in households and work places with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs.

Mrs. Arroyo led representatives from the youth, government, non-government organizations and religious sectors in the symbolic lighting of CFLs at the launching of “Palit Ilaw” or change light bulb program at the Philippine International Convention Center.

CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and lasts 10 times longer.

Mrs. Arroyo said the program would start with the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs in government offices, public schools, state colleges and universities, government hospitals, and public areas.

She said funding for the project came from value-added tax revenues from increased oil prices.

She said “Palit Ilaw” is part of the Department of Energy’s SWITCH program aimed at mobilizing Filipinos in reducing energy and fuel consumption by at least 10 percent this year.

The program will be launched in the provinces in the coming days so that “all Filipinos would be aware of the importance of energy conservation,” she said.

“National fuel conservation is now entrenched as a first principle of statecraft. All government agencies have to reduce their energy bills by 10 percent,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

She also announced the government is now ready to shift into high gear its bio-fuel energy program as the first step to end the country’s dependence on imported oil.

She made the announcement at the Forum on Alternative Fuel for Public Transport at the Philippine Trade and Training Center (PTTC) in Pasay City.

The President said she will inspect starting July 21 the 1,800 hectares of lands across the country planted to jatropha under the government’s jatropha propagation program.

To date, 900 hectares have been planted to jatropha in Tamlang Valley in Negros Oriental; 500 hectares in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija; 200 hectares in Camarines Sur; 100 hectares in General Santos City; 60 hectares in Ara, Palawan; 40 hectares in Cagayan de Oro City; 14 hectares in Bohol; and five hectares in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

She said because of the energy efficiency programs initiated by her administration, the country is now 56 percent energy self-sufficient, the highest energy self-sufficiency rating in its history.

She said that aside from alternative sources of fuel, the government will continue to promote the use of natural gas for transport; geothermal steam, wind mills like those already operational in Batanes and Bangui, Ilocos Sur, and solar power for electricity.

“Let me assure our people of one thing, your government shall continue to harness all the resources at our command to help ordinary Filipino families pressured by cost and calamity at the same time. We continue to build a better tomorrow,” she said

Ph Man

July 20th, 2008, 08:54 AM

Re Loboc River: I so love the river cruise experience. Food is all right. Local bands are soooo...i'd say, in love with music. There are bands everywhere - seaport, airport. I fell in love with Bohol. :D

In the meantime, do you guys think Panglao Island Airport is really practical? I would like to land directly to Panglao when going to Bohol, but that will be too much when the other airport is just a bridge away. Plus that might alter some of the land features of that beautiful island which it is known for...(caves, limestone rock formations, etc.) imo, the best thing to do here is improve the existing airport in Tagbilaran, as well as the roads leading to Panglao. But if the airport pushes thru, well, I'd love to see a St Maarten like airport here. Be sure the runway will be close enough to the seashore. :D

reancorbz84

July 20th, 2008, 09:20 AM

pagnatapos na ang panglao airport. isasara na ang tagbilaran airport.
hehehe ganun yun phman

Lord_Cedric

July 21st, 2008, 05:31 AM

Wow, I miss Tagbi... Nkapagtrabaho ako jan dati sa Marcela. Nice place dko na naabutan ung Mall sa Dau... Musta na ba yon? any pic

AmbutLang

July 21st, 2008, 06:14 AM

Paging mga taga Tabilaran and surrounding towns palihug panguha mga litrato sa syudad ug mga kalunsuran at its improvement on business constructions and then post them here. This will make this thread lively. My father side is from Bohol.

Lord_Cedric

July 21st, 2008, 06:29 AM

oo nga asan na ba kasi yang mga pic na yan! I wanna see the new developments jan. Almost 5 years na me di nakabisita jan?

ericlucky290

July 21st, 2008, 06:52 AM

Sunset at Tagbilaran City

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2528446134_21f6133ae8.jpg
Taken from Metrocentre

Lord_Cedric

July 21st, 2008, 07:36 AM

wow, love the scenery kinda romantic... facing ano yan?

Animo

July 24th, 2008, 09:40 PM

By Jinggoy Salvador (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/07/24/feat/republic.of.bohol.html)

WELCOME to Bohol -- located in the Central Visayas Region, capital is Tagbilaran City, and 10th largest island in the country in the heart of the Visayas.

Consider this your invitation to visit this province for this VIM-very important month. Perfect time to visit if you are in the mood for a month-long partying around Bohol while feeling nostalgic about its history. That is if you were about half a century old.

The month of July is the Bohol Sandugo month in Bohol. Expect 30 days of festivities commemorating the Blood Compact between Raja Sikatuna, a local chief, and Captain Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, a Spanish explorer, on March 16, 1565.

Although by now they already have chosen their muse (last July 18th), which is one of the highlights, and you missed the chance to that title, there are still a couple of activities we can join in and that will be this Sunday, the 27th: the Sandugo reenactment and the street dancing competition.

Well if you have been to Bohol (derived from the word Bo-ho or Bo-ol), I bet you have been to Barangay Bool in Tagbilaran City and had one obligatory photo in this landmark -- the blood compact monument. It is a historical event and this spot was marked.

The people of Bohol already had a culture of their own and are said to be the descendants of the last group of inhabitants who settled in the Philippines called pintados or "tattooed ones."

The earliest significant contact of the island with Spain was when Spanish explorer named Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in Bohol to look for spices and gold. But he was not welcome and he had to convince the native chieftains that they were not Portuguese people who raided the islands of Mactan in 1521.

Bohol then became the seat of the first international treaty of peace and unity between the native king Datu Sikatuna and Spanish conquistador and representative of the King of Spain, Miguel L¢pez de Legazpi through a blood compact alliance. We all know the historical undertaking as the Sandugo and the date, March 16, 1565, the friendly relations was forged.

If it was a momentous event for Bohol, it should be as well around Asia for this Blood Compact on March 16, 1565 is considered as the first "Treaty of Friendship" between Europe and Asia. This is celebrated in Bohol every year during the Sandugo Festival and the blood compact is also depicted on the provincial flag and seal.

“Republic of Bohol,” with pride and conviction, this is what the Boholanos refer to their island homeland. Politically, it was administered as a residencia of Cebu but became a separate politico-military province in1854 together with Siquijor.

Trivia 1: Carlos P. Garcia, the fourth president of the Republic of the Philippines (1957-1961) was born in Talibon, Bohol.

Trivia 2: Because of the Spanish colonial period, several municipalities in Bohol have names of towns in Spain like Getafe. This municipality is sister city of a Spanish city of the same name. In Getafe, a street is named Isla de Bohol (Island of Bohol), a unique name for a street in Spain.

AmbutLang

July 25th, 2008, 05:31 AM

Congratulation BOHOL Nursing Board Exam

Top #9 : Holy Name University (Divine Word Tagbilaran)
Top #10: University of Bohol

:applause: :applause: :applause:

Ph Man

July 25th, 2008, 07:56 AM

wow! galing ah. competitive naman ng mga schools sa Bohol.

ericlucky290

July 26th, 2008, 08:47 AM

wow, love the scenery kinda romantic... facing ano yan?

Yung opposite island is Panglao.

dark_knight_detectve

July 29th, 2008, 03:48 PM

Amlan hydroelectric plant to be auctioned anew in Dec. (http://www.bworldonline.com/BW072908/content.php?id=056)

THE POWER Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) will bid the 0.8-megawatt Amlan Hydroelectric plant by December after a planned auction last week did not materialize.

In a text message, the state agency’s vice-president for privatization, Froilan A. Tampinco, said the plant may be bid out in five months.

"We’ll have another round for Amlan by December 2008," Mr. Tampinco said.

PSALM spokesman Conrad Tolentino said that the agency’s board would make sure that the plant would be bid out as soon as possible.

PSALM last week announced that it would rebid the hydroelectric plant after the bidding it had conducted for the Negros Oriental-based power facility last July 23 was declared a failure.

According to PSALM’s statement, only one bidder, Sta. Clara International Corp., was prepared to submit a bid for the Amlan power plant. The two other bidders that expressed interest in acquiring Amlan decided at the last moment not to pursue their respective bids even after their request for more time to conduct due diligence was accommodated by PSALM.

PSALM rules state that a bidding for a power plant is considered failed if there is only one participant.

Mr. Tolentino meanwhile said that Sta. Clara and the two bidders who backed out can again bid for the plant in December.

Sta. Clara International Corp. bought the 1.2-MW Loboc Hydroelectric Power Plant in Bohol for $1.42 million in a bidding conducted by PSALM in November 2004.

PSALM is just waiting for the sale of the 289-megawatt Tiwi and 459-megawatt Makban plant which will be conducted on Wednesday to achieve its privatization target of 70% of the state’s power generation capacity.

Privatizing Napocor assets is mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 in an effort to have retail power competition in the power industry. Currently, PSALM has sold 48.92% of the assets. — Ava Kashima K. Austria

ericlucky290

August 4th, 2008, 03:42 AM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2730358648_c77ba1289a.jpg

dark_knight_detectve

August 5th, 2008, 01:27 PM

High-end resort groups eye Balicasag venture (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008080499&type=2)
By Ehda M. Dago-oc
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Three reputable resorts have plans of putting up a high-end resort at the Balicasag islet in Panglao, Bohol, this according to the Philippine Tourism Authority.

PTA chairman Joseph Ace Durano said that the Shangri-La Group, Banyan Tree Resorts, and Maribago Blue Waters, have already expressed interest to go into a joint venture with PTA, or buy the government-owned Balicasag property.

“These [resorts] groups are interested in Balicasag, but they have yet to go through the process,” Durano said.

PTA owns and manages a resort facility in Balicasag, of which Durano described as “still earning”. However, as part of the government’s thrust for privatization, PTA wants to dispose all its properties and assets for infrastructure project expenses.

Although, to sell is the primary option of PTA in these kinds of deal, he said there is a possibility that a joint venture deal will be pursued for Balicasag Islet resort operation.

Located off Panglao Island in Bohol, Balicasag Islet is a 25-hectare land. The island’s crystal blue waters provide a clear, vivid view of its corals, fishes and other marine life.

According to Durano, these two international resort chains see the potential of the islet because of its famous attraction for diving.

PTA, he said is now working to dispose its properties nationwide to come up with enough budget for infrastructure development.

“We have so much estate including hotels and resorts for disposals,” he said.

He said these properties would translate into a good amount of money to be used to improve infrastructure, rather than maintain the idle properties and spending at least P700 million subsidies a year for these PTA-managed and owned facilities and estates.

Of the P1.1 billion annual budget of PTA, only P300 million is set aside for infrastructure project, the rest or P800 million is spent to subsidize for maintenance and operations of these properties.

At present, the Balicasag Resort operation is earning enough only to break even with operational expenses, Durano said.

If the Shangri-La group will be able to get the property, it would be the third Shangri-La resort facility in the Visayas, next to Boracay and Mactan, Cebu.

Maribago Blue Water Group meanwhile is the operator of Sumilon Resort in the southern tip of Cebu.

Banyan Tree Group, on the other hand is the operator of five-star and luxury resorts in other countries, such as in Phuket, Thailand.

PTA has however, received several proposals from private entities that expressed interest to some of government-owned properties, but nothing has reached a purchase deal yet, all are only for “leasing” deals.

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dark_knight_detectve

August 5th, 2008, 01:54 PM

Innovation In Pan Bisaya: Lapu-Lapu awarded for nutrition program (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080804193&type=2)

Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Lapu-Lapu City is being recognized as outstanding city in the region for its innovations like “pan Bisaya”, the locally baked bread fortified with micronutrients, which aims to supply the micronutrient requirement of schoolchildren and folks in areas with higher prevalence of malnutrition.

Likewise, the Bio-N Income Generating Project in Toledo City as well as Cebu City’s Comprehensive Barangay Nutrition Program, the Sinanduloy sa Kabusog, Sinanduloy sa Kahimsog or the Saksak program of the Cebu Province; and Danao City’s Nutrition Park were also acknowledged as the best nutrition practices in the region.

This was during the 4th Regional Nutrition Action Officers’ Congress and 2008 Grand Nutrition Awards held yesterday at the Cebu International Convention Center, wherein Lapu-Lapu City along with the different outstanding local government units and individuals from the provinces of Bohol, Negros, and here in Cebu were given plaques of recognition for their exemplary performances in the implementation of nutrition programs.

The National Nutrition Council-7 and the Regional Nutrition Committee awarded LGUs with the Green Banner Award and recognized barangay nutrition scholars with the Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar Award.

One of the Green Banner awardees for 2007 is Bohol as outstanding province in the region for the efforts of its Provincial Nutrition Council which collaborated with different agencies to efficiently plan, evaluate and monitor programs to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition in the place.

The outstanding municipality in the region is Tubigon, also in Bohol. The Tubigon Nutrition Committee initiated the Marine Aquarium Council project that increases the production of fishes, shells and other marine products which is the main livelihood of the people.

Pamplona is another outstanding municipality in the province of Oriental Negros. Its Municipal Nutrition Committee fights malnutrition through massive food production with the use of environment-friendly organic fertilizers.

The recipients of the Barangay Nutrition Scholar Award are Diosdada Abarquez of Bohol, Juanita Hinay of Tagbilaran City, Emelia Giango of Danao City, and Daylinda Banlat of Dumaguete City.

NNC also acknowledged the best nutrition practices in Bais City with its Local Harvest for Intensified Feeding Program, and Bayawan City’s Self-sustaining Nutri-Ed Project.

Danao City’s Nutrition Park, Adobe for Education and Relaxation received the 2007 Nutrition Honor Maintenance National Award.

The Nutrition Park is a recreational area which grows different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Its existence contributed to the campaign for the healthy lifestyle of Danaoanons.

Regional Nutrition Committee vice chairman Ricardo Oblena said that providing due recognition to these exceptional LGUs and individuals create awareness on the importance of nutrition. — Jessica Ann Pareja/MEEV

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dark_knight_detectve

August 9th, 2008, 07:52 PM

Catigbian reviews 2007 health service delivery

by Rey Anthony Chiu

Tagbilaran City (9 August) -- Catigbian highlighted local initiatives of improving people's nutrition and its health service delivery in an attempt to stake its investment on its people: the town's largest economic asset.

Now set to implement priority programs for another year, local leaders met with sector stakeholders to review and analyze its past health program priorities.

In a workshop facilitated by Department of Health Regional and Provincial authorities, the Service Delivery Implementation Review also gathered key sector representatives and town key officials July 30-31.

Health programs reviewed and analyzed include the past local priorities on water and sanitation inlucded in the town's over-all health appropriation, household level toilets, potable water supply provision, local response to the general agenda of rabies prevention and eradication, home deliveries and the local health service unit's PhilHealth accreditation.

In a statement, Mayor Roberto Salinas stressed that review would allow local planners to come up with remedies to issues that need immediate attention while it would tell town leaders signals to continue if not enhance services that have been working properly.

Moreover, he hoped that the review analysis would capacitate local health and legislative workers including key town officials to craft and operational budget that could allow them to expand its services to its people. He also added that the town would soon single-handedly operate a multi-million health establishment.

Attending the workshop were local health workers led by Dr. Allan Evangelista and nurse May Madrangca, the town budget officer, accountant, treasurer, social welfare worker, planning and development coordinator, Sangguniang Bayan Appropriations chair Virgilio Lurot, barangay chairmen's association head Teofredo Tongco, DepEd supervisor Ellen Ejoc.

Workshop participants committed to support the towns health service programs, according to Salinas.

In related developments, Catigbianons gathered July 31 for a three in one activity at the Central School grounds and at the Catigbian Business and Activity Center to culminate the Nutrition Month Celebration, Honor its retirees and kick-off the town's sports activities.

Guest of honor and speaker and SP Health Committee Board Member Cesar Tomas Lopez elaborated on the theme "sa Wastong Nutrisyon ni Mommy, Seguradong Healthy si Baby. (PIA) [top]

dark_knight_detectve

August 13th, 2008, 04:04 PM

Army engineers undertake projects in Visayas (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080812167&type=2)

Wednesday, August 13, 2008
As a part of its mission to provide general engineering support to Philippine Army and contribute to the government’s national development program, the 53rd Engineering Brigade is undertaking what it calls the Kalayaan Barangays Program (KBP) in the Visayas.

Deployed to cover the needs of the Visayas, the engineer construction battalions are strategically located in Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City with an advanced command post in barangay Cabulijan, Tubigon, Bohol.

Philippine Army General Staff Course Commander, Col. Arnaldo Fernandez Jr., said in a forum yesterday that the brigade unit has already filed a proposal to higher headquarters asking to release funds for an upcoming infrastructure project for 92 barangays in the Visayas.

Majority of the projects will be undertaken in Samar because the high rate of insurgency there makes it difficult for private construction companies to work.

These infrastructure projects are part of the original 600 barangays prioritized by the unit for the 2005 KBP projects. The said project will take a part from the 1 billion KBP allowance given from the National Defense office to the country.

Each barangay is allotted a P4.5 million budget as well as with the past development projects, according to Fernandez. Within this budget, the barangay can take advantage of electrification, water system, market roads, health centers and livelihood from the different government agencies.

Aside from the KBP projects, the brigade unit was also able to implement civil work projects. Last year, the 53rd Engineer Brigade, in cooperation with the 543rd Engineer Construction completed 28 school buildings and 21 water systems. – Cressida Paula G. Delmo/BRP

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dark_knight_detectve

August 16th, 2008, 02:44 PM

RDC eyes action on fragmented health service delivery system (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080814203&type=2)

Friday, August 15, 2008
The Regional Development Committee is asking the National Economic and Development Authority Board to direct the Department of Health to take action on the present state of devolved basic health services and facilities in the country.

This after no less than NEDA-7 director Marlene Rodriguez observed that the health service delivery system in the region has become fragmented because of the absence of an effective coordination and cooperation mechanism among the national, provincial and local authorities that share the administrative and financial responsibilities in the delivery of health services.

Rodriquez’ observations were stated in a resolution passed during the Visayas RDC meeting in Iloilo City last August 13.

“The devolution of basic health services continued to experience implementation problems,” the resolution reads.

These problems include the absence of provincial hospitals in some provinces, the closure of district hospitals due to lack of sufficient financial commitment, the overcrowding of secondary and tertiary hospital facilities and the underutilization of municipal and district hospitals.

Rodriguez further observed that the tertiary hospital facilities and institutions are poorly distributed, which makes the hospital inaccessible to the poor “notwithstanding the public funds used for the operation of these tertiary hospitals.”

Rodriguez also observed that DOH, which continues to have responsibility over tertiary and special hospitals, spends its allocation for tertiary regional hospitals on services already devolved to the local government units.

Primary care services include the clinical care that requires intermediate and partial category of supervised care for 24 hours while secondary care includes the surgical procedure and intensive care provided by a departmentalized hospital. Tertiary care includes the specialized forms of treatment, surgical procedure and intensive care provided by a teaching and training hospital.

Hospitals in Central Visayas funded by DOH are the Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay, Bohol; Talisay District Hospital in Cebu; and the St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Cebu City.

“The continued delivery by the DOH of primary, secondary and level one tertiary hospital care services has resulted to the inability of the DOH to provide necessary state of the art equipment and trained personnel for the tertiary hospital services at the regional level as mandated by law,” the resolution reads.

According to Rodriguez, the DOH must prepare a situation analysis that serve as reference documentation for proposals to amend the Local Government Code.

It includes the rationalization of distribution health facilities, develops a comprehensive health referral system and redefines the roles and responsibilities of the DOH and the LGU’s in the delivery of health services.

The RDC is being headed by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia while Antique Gov. Salvacion Perez of Region 6 and Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento of Catbalogan, Samar in Region VIII sit as chairpersons in their respective regions. — Garry B. lao/JMO

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dark_knight_detectve

August 16th, 2008, 03:09 PM

DoT bares strategic dev’t areas for tourism (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/16/PROV20080816132677.html)

By MALOU M. MOZO and MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.

CEBU CITY — The Department of Tourism (DoT) yesterday announced it has identified strategic development areas (SDAs) as priority destinations to propel the growth for the country’s tourism industry.

These ODAs include the Sogod-Bantayan-Malapascua corridor in Cebu; Northern Palawan corridor; Panglao Island in Bohol; and the Boracay- Katiklan corridor, said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

Durano, who met with Cebu reporters yesterday, said the DoT is now aggressively advocating for concerned government agencies to speed up the necessary infrastructure projects in these SDAs so it can be fully marketed as a tourism destination.

Citing the Sogod-Bantayan-Malapascua corridor, he raised the need for an airport facility in the mainland that will strategically service these municipalities as well as the need to improve road, water and solid waste management systems.

The same environmental concerns should also be addressed in Bohol.

Durano stressed that vis a vis the tourism stakeholders’ intensified efforts to promote the specific areas in the Philippines as leisure destinations, government must immediately solve the problem on infrastructure in order to drive the industry’s maximum potentials.

Infrastructure, he emphasized, should be dealt with first as projects of this massive scale will take a long time, probably at least two to three years before its completion.

"What we are pushing in NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) is to complete the infrastructure developments in these SDAs," Durano said, indicating the need for the agency to fast track budget allotment for a "complete infrastructure package".

"For example, you put up an airport but once it opens, you realize there is a problem on power supply, water consumption, and poor access roads," he said.

Already, Durano said the Japan International Cooperating Agency (JICA) has completed the technical studies for the Northern Palawan SDA.

JICA has also been tasked to conduct the technical studies for the other SDAs, identifying Cebu and Panglao Island as top priority destinations. The DoT has allocated P28 million for the technical studies alone.

dark_knight_detectve

August 16th, 2008, 03:53 PM

Condos for foreigners eyed (http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&story_id=155024)

First posted 09:38:47 (Mla time) August 16, 2008
Cris Evert Lato
Cebu Daily News

The Department of Tourism (DOT) will launch a global campaign to encourage foreign tourists to own vacation homes in the country this Sept. 15.

Tourism Joseph “Ace” Durano said the campaign dubbed as “Live Your Dreams” will be joined by major real estate developers and companies in the country whose projects will meetinternational standards.

The companies participating in the DOT project include Robinsons Land, Ayala Land Inc. and Filinvest.

Durano said the target tourist market visits the country every year and “spend more money every time they come here.”

He said these foreign tourists usually stay in the country from two weeks to one month.

Durano noted a “boom in lifestyle and real estate development” in all the country’s tourist destinations as shown by the condominiums set up in beaches, mountains and the cities.

The tourism secretary told participants of the 17th Visayas Area Business Conference that an average price of one condominium unit is US $100,000 or P4.46 million at P44.6 to the dollar.

Durano said this is equivalent to 100 tourists spending an average of $1,000 per stay.
“We are proposing this to a market segment of people who have extra money to live their dreams of living in a tropical paradise,” Durano said.

To support this campaign, Durano said DOT will be mounting international and local real estate exhibitions.

Exhibitions will be held in Korea and Shanghai, China, in October, and at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City in December.

Durano said the DOT plan took into consideration the pressing challenges facing the country’s tourism industry.

“Airfares are increasing. Higher in long-haul market but at least 10 to 20 percent higher in short (destinations). We find new opportunities which we are currently leveraging on,” he said.

Durano noted that average satisfaction rate of foreign tourists is at 87 percent based on exit surveys they conducted.

There is also high percentage in repeat visits, he added.

“Sixty percent of those who come here for the first time will come back. That's an assurance to hotels and restaurants,” Durano said.

Durano, who delivered a speech on “The Glory That is Visayas,” said that Boracay, Bohol and Cebu (BBC) are the top three destinations in the country.

“(Prior to assuming office), tourism in Cebu can be summed up by the non-operational Cebu Plaza. Bohol was known only for Bohol Beach Club and Tagbilaran was served by one flight only, while Boracay has only six months of business,” he said.

At present, Durano said, Cebu is not only reliving the old days of Cebu Plaza under the management of Marco Polo but will have 1,500 new rooms operating by yearend under international brands Sofitel, Microtel and Imperial.

In Bohol, Durano said, at least one resort opened every quarter in the last two years while Tagbilaran has four flights in a day, seven times a week.

“Boracay's growth is very fast for its size so we have to slow it down a bit and focus on sustainability,” Durano said.

Copyright INQUIRER.net. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

dark_knight_detectve

August 17th, 2008, 03:09 PM

RO-RO service planned for Camiguin-Bohol route (http://www.bworldonline.com/BW081108/content.php?id=054)
CAGAYAN DE ORO — The provincial government will acquire and operate a roll on-roll off (RO-RO) vessel to ply the Camiguin-Bohol route thru a lease agreement with the National Development Co.-Maritime Leasing Corp.

"This [the vessel] is expected to produceimpact, not only to the riding public and cargo shippers, but to the economy of the province as well," Felicisimo M. Gomez, provincial planning and development coordinator said in a statement.

The vessel can carry 310 passengers, four 10-wheeler trucks and six light vehicles.

It is projected to make four trips daily from Balbagon town here to Jagna in Bohol and vice-versa.

Mr. Gomez said that the provincial government hopes to bring down passenger and cargo rates in this area through this step.

The current fare for the Balbagon (Camiguin)-Jagna (Bohol) route is P350 per passenger, said Valiente D. Camay, Philippine Port Authority port manager.

This is our free preview of this article.

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dark_knight_detectve

August 18th, 2008, 03:23 PM

Export firm employs 5K Bol-anons to meet orders (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080817142&type=2)
By Ehda M. Dagooc
Monday, August 18, 2008
About 5,000 residents from different barangays in Bohol, are mobilized to accommodate the P25 million worth of orders of utility baskets for exports from 33.3 Exports company in Cebu.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7) regional director Asteria Cabete said yesterday that 33.3 Exports has placed this worth of order to help the government-initiated program called Subcontracting Partners for Innovation Network or SPIN.

These five thousand weavers will do the utility basket products for the company in six months time. "They [Boholano residents] are fast learners. They've been trained for the work for only one week, and they are going good with the job, they are good weavers, and they provide some of the materials like 'nito'," Caberte said.

Areas that are covered by the company’s orders include Inabangga, and Carmen, among others.

The SPIN program, which was initially created to provide livelihood opportunities for rebel-returnees in "cleared-conflict" areas, are now also giving livelihood to ordinary residents in different barangays, Caberte said.

Caberte mentioned that in Carmen, Bohol for instance, 11 rebel returnees are being trained to be trainers for basket weaving and other skills required by export companies.

She said a couple, doing the same job is earning at least P520 a day, for the weaving, and other sub-contracting job. "This is already a good help to them, now they are even earning more than a mere office worker is earning."

SPIN, which is a joint initiative program of DTI and some members of export sectors, like the Gifts, Toys and Housewares Exporters Association (GTH-Cebu), will intensify this livelihood program to primarily help the 33 "cleared-conflict" areas in the region identified by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Now, with the success of SPIN program in Bohol, and strong support from the export sector not only members of the GTH-Cebu, but also other export players in other sub-sectors, Caberte said she is starting to organize similar program in other regions like Regions 8 and 6, and Region 10, also in Caraga Region in Mindanao.

The entire members of the GTH-Cebu can even cover the whole of the Visayas, even so if the entire export industry will support this program, like the Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters (FAME), and some players in the furniture manufacturing sector.

In fashion accessory, exporters will have to provide training to develop skills in "bead making", to the marginal poor, not only in the "clear-conflict" areas, but also in other rural barangays where residents do not have enough opportunity to improve their daily income.

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Blair

August 18th, 2008, 07:04 PM

Pinoy hotel chain reports revenue growth as tourist arrivals increase

A STRONG influx of visitors to the country last year brought “positive” revenue growth to Waterfront Philippines Inc. (WPI).

This, as the hotel operations of WPI—a Filipino hotel chain owner and operator with properties located in key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao—posted a revenue of almost P1.89 billion or 96 percent of the company’s total income in 2007.

Of the company’s total revenues, WPI’s flagship hotel—Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino—contributed the biggest with 39 percent or P732.14 million. The Manila Pavilion Hotel followed with revenues of P706.19 million.

Despite increases in the cost of energy and other operating expenses, the company managed to decrease its cost and expenses by 3.1 percent or P1.6 billion in 2007 from P1.7 billion in 2006, “through various cost-cutting measures without sacrificing the quality of service to (their) guests.”

WPI’s overall net performance, on the other hand, increased by 792 percent or P162.65 million against P18.24 million in 2006.

To sustain this growth, WPI disclosed plans to continue exploring prospects and opportunities for expansion and acquisition in the National Capital Region and other key cities in the country.

“In the immediate future, we plan to add new hotels to our portfolio in partnership with the Wellex Group,” the WPI annual report stated. The annual report was distributed during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting last Saturday at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

After the meeting, WPI chairman of the board Renato Magadia and WPI president Kenneth Gatchalian told reporters that the company is looking at Bohol as possible site of a resort.
“There is nothing concrete at this point. There are talks, but they are still in the exploratory stage. Acquisition of a property there is an option because we just have to run it, (but) there are also benefits in constructing our own since we can configure it the way we want it to,” said Gathcalian.

Marco Protacio, WPI area general manager for Visayas and Mindanao, said most tourist packages offer Cebu and Bohol together.

“It is wise to have a property in Bohol because it also augments the operations here in Cebu. Since Panglao is a prime destination in Bohol, it is ideal to have a property there,” he said.
Apart from expanding, WPI also plans to regularly improve and enhance its rooms, food and beverage (F & B) outlets and hotel structure, as well as to further promote its hotel brands “with a value-added marketing proposition.”

In 2007, consolidated room revenues grew by 8.9 percent or P710.46 million from P652.17 million in 2006 while its F & B revenues reached P673.88 million, contributing 34 percent in total revenues.

Gatchalian, during the stockholders’ meeting, said Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino continues to be the leader in its class with an actual market share of 31 percent.

“Occupancy levels continue to be over 50 percent while average room rate increases annually, bringing revenue per available room (revPAR) to P1,430 in 2007. Net income of our flagship hotel increased by 45 percent, reaching P24.69 million last year over P17 million in 2006,” he said.

Meanwhile, Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino registered an occupancy rate of 66 percent. Its actual market share was 53 percent with an average room rate at P2,322 and revPAR at P1,526. In 2007, the airport hotel’s net income grew by 2864.5 percent or P10.66 million from P359,631 in 2006.

WPI attributed the growth primarily to the increase of tourist arrivals in the country.

The company noted that that tourist arrivals, as reported by the Department of Tourism, increased by 8.7 percent last year and their spending grew by more than 40 percent or $4.885 billion compared to $2.62 billion in 2006. (NRC)

AmbutLang

August 29th, 2008, 11:43 AM

Hello mingaw man, musta na update sa Bohol-Panglao Airport? Na sugdan na ba?

zoroethgenre_003

September 1st, 2008, 11:09 AM

cHURCH IN cALAPE

http://philippines.bayaw.com/pictures/Calape-1.jpg

zoroethgenre_003

September 1st, 2008, 11:11 AM

Albuquerque Church

http://philippines.bayaw.com/pictures/Albuquerque-Bohol-1.jpg

TONZI

September 1st, 2008, 02:21 PM

I miss Bohol, I wish I can visit again in the near future.

dark_knight_detectve

September 4th, 2008, 03:53 PM

DFNN ventures into high-end tourism services (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=200809035&type=2)
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña
Thursday, September 4, 2008

Given tourism’s changing face with high-end business and leisure travellers demanding utmost luxury, leading IT solutions provider and systems integrator DFNN is responding and hoping to capitalize on the tourism growth in Asia.

In a press briefing yesterday, DFNN chief executive officer Ramon Garcia said the company, through Singapore-based technology unit Avensis Leisure Pte. Ltd., is venturing into the sophisticated high-end tourism business via a joint venture with Japanese firm Asian Elite Club Co. Ltd.

Asian Elite Club provides a full range of exclusive business service and other special tour planning services for jet-setting business travellers and wealthy tourists from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Asian countries where the company has extensive networks.

While relatively a new company, Asian Elite Club is upping the tourism ante with the services and products it offers which include private commercial aircraft and executive ground transport.

Garcia said a joint venture company (JVC) will be formed to serve as the corporate vehicle for this project whose ownership shall be shared equally by Avensis Leisure and Asian Elite Club. The JVC will offer niche travel services to high net worth individuals in Japan, Singapore and the Philippines, he said.

“We’re glad that Asian Elite Club sees growth in tourism in Singapore and the Philippines as an opportunuty to provide new destinations and offerings to this select clientele,” Garcia said.

Asian Elite Club chief executive officer Makoto Honda, for his part, said the joint venture shows the company’s strong confidence in the Philippines which has been actively promoting itself as a high-end tourist destination with the opening of major entertainment and gaming resorts.

Honda said the Philippines would be Asian Elite Club’s “perfect partner for the concierge and dedicated type services that the Japanese firm would like to offer to clients who have gone to Japan and are now looking for other destinations in Asia.”

“We are confident in the recognized growth of tourism in Asia and want to be the leader in the market for our highly sepcialized services to our discerning clientele,” Honda said.

Among the major tourist attractions that the group will offer to high-end tourists include the Amanpulo, El Nido Resort in Palawan, Panglao Island in Bohol, Discovery Shores in Boracay, Pagudpod in Ilocos Norte and Shangri-la Mactan Resort and Spa in Cebu.

Honda said tour packages range from $10,000 to $300,000 per person. The package is usually good for four to seven days. “The rates would depend on the individual needs and requests of clients,” he said.

The Department of Tourism expects tourist spending to hit $5.8 billion at the end of the year and is eyeing to maintain an eight to 10 percent growth in arrivals for this year, or as much as 3.4 million tourists.

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dark_knight_detectve

September 7th, 2008, 02:50 PM

DOT eyes more tourists from Europe (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008090615&type=2)
By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio
Sunday, September 7, 2008

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is targeting an increased number of European visitors in the country as it participates in more trade fairs in Europe next quarter.

“Our presence in these travel trade fairs sustains our drive to bring in the European market which remains one of our highest spenders,” DOT Secretary Joseph Durano said.

The European markets outpaced the growth rates registered by other tourist source markets from January to July this year, the DOT noted.

Arrivals from the Russia Federation grew 35 percent; France, 26 percent; Spain, 22 percent; and the United Kingdom,18 percent. The Scandinavian market, comprised of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, recorded a 16-percent jump in tourist arrivals.

The first trade fair is the Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) Incontri, the premier business-to-business travel trade event in Italy, which will be held on Oct. 24-26 at Rimini Fiera, Italy.

“This is somewhat a venue for business planning because budgetary considerations are decided straight away,” added Durano.

Last year, more than 30,000 tour operators and 2,300 stakeholders participated in the event. The event’s highlight is the two-day business negotiations involving presentation of new products, sealing deals with partners and forging agreements between travel trade buyers and sellers.

This is followed by the Dive Show 2008 at Birmingham, England on Nov. 1-2 in the National Exhibition Center.

More than 300 exhibitors from 50 countries all over the world attend the event every year.

Through the event, Durano said the country can promote various diving destinations such Batangas, Bohol and several parts of Palawan. Another diving prospect is the Caramoan Group of Island in Camarines Sur, the venue of KohLanta, the French version of the famous Survivor reality show.

Sogod Bay in Leyte, Malapascua in Cebu, and Apo Island in Negros that are fast gaining popularity for their well-preserved coral reefs and exotic marine life will also be introduced.

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dark_knight_detectve

September 7th, 2008, 04:30 PM

P3.3-B Bohol rice master plan turned over to DA (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/09/07/PROV20080907134531.html)

TAGBILARAN CITY ---- Bohol Gov. Erico B. Aumentado and 1st district Rep. Edgar M. Chatto led municipal government executives here yesterday in launching and turning over the province’ rice sufficiency plan (2009 — 2010) to officials of the Department of Agriculture’s Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Rice Program.

The turnover ceremony was done during the information caravan and technological clinic (Tekno Klinik) held at the Bohol Cultural Center, which was attended by nearly 1,700 stakeholders of the province’ rice industry sector such as officers and members of Irrigators’ Associations of the Malinao Dam Irrigation System, Bayongan Dam Irrigation System, and Capayas Irrigation System, rice seed growers, officers of farmers’ associations, barangay captains, mayors and vice-mayors, chairmen of the Sangguniang Bayan Committees on Agriculture, and agricultural extension workers from rice-producing Bohol municipalities.

Bohol province is the focus province on rice in Central Visayas.

Under the Bohol rice master plan with a fund amounting to more than R3.3 billion, intensive rice production activities will be carried out to achieve a 114 percent sufficiency by 2010 and increase rice production by 222,500 metric tons from a 20 percent increase in yield with the use of hybrid and certified rice seeds.

Dr. Frisco Malabanan, the national program coordinator of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Rice Program, lauded the province and strong support of its leaders to the agriculture sector, which contributed much to Central Visayas’ outstanding rice planting performance during the 2008 dry season cropping from November 2007 to April 2008 for posting the highest growth rate of 138 percent. (Marvyn Benaning)

dark_knight_detectve

September 8th, 2008, 04:00 PM

Bohol tops rice yield in CV (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/09/08/PROV20080908134568.html)
spacer

June S. Blanco

TAGBILARAN CITY — Besides topping rice production in Central Visayas, Bohol also topped in rice production growth countrywide.

Dr. Frisco Malabanan, national program director of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Rice Program presented the statistics to the participants of the recent Department of Agriculture’s FIELDS InfoCaravan/InfoKlinik and launching of the Bohol Rice Sufficiency Plan for 2008-2010 held here. FIELDS stands for fertilizer; irrigation; extension, education and training; loans; driers and other post-harvest facilities; and seeds.

Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado said it is a strong indication that the province’s rice sufficiency plan — the Rice Accelerated Enhancement Response (Racer) included — is attainable.

He said in spite of the province’s existing multi-billion peso irrigation facilities, Bohol is only 82.5 percent rice self-sufficient. To increase production, he allocated in this year’s budget some P16 million for the rice hybridization and Plant-Now-Pay-Later program and another P15 million for the Fertilize-Now-Pay-Later program—with instructions to release the funds the soonest possible time for the immediate implementation of these Racer components in time for this cropping season and beat the self-imposed deadline.

The province, in tandem with DA launched Project Racer in response to the global rice crisis.

Farmers, irrigator associations, municipal agricultural officers, agricultural technologists, farm technicians and others in the farming sector gathered for the event.

Aumentado encouraged them to apply FIELDS and avail of Project Racer in order to increase their production.

"With President Arroyo behind us and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap strongly supporting us, I am confident that we can attain rice self-sufficiency as early as the first cropping season of 2009," he said.

"The self-imposed deadline is heavy enough, but with everyone united and collaborating--which is the call of the hour in these trying times--I am confident that we can achieve the target in order to free us from the bondage of poverty and hunger," he added.

Figures

Quoting Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) figures, Malabanan had said Bohol’s 163,441 metric tons (mt) palay production in 2007 out of Central Visayas’ total of 251,802 mt pulled the figures up for Region 7. Bohol needs improvement in the yield area only 2.32 mt/hectare (ha.), compared to Cebu’s 2.98; Negros Oriental’s 3.34 and Siquijor’s 3.35 but it topped in hectarage planted to rice at 70,541 compared to Cebu’s 4,957; Negros Oriental’s 21,315 and Siquijor’s 694.

In the area of production, Negros Oriental’s 71,268 mt was a poor second to Bohol’s. Cebu managed only 14,769 mt and Siquijor, 2,324 mt.

Under the GMA Rice Program, the BAS forecast for the country for January to June 2008 is a production target of 7,375,916 mt. But its production forecast stands at 7,120,719 mt. Compared to the 2007 production estimate of 6,727,880 mt, the production increment is 392,839 mt or a production growth of 5.84 percent.

For Region 7, the first semester production is 152,564 mt harvested from 51,882 has. or an average yield of 2.94 mt/ha. This spells a production increment of 58,593 mt or production growth of 62.35 percent which is the highest growth by region, Malabanan pointed out.

Bohol’s production for January to June 2008 stands at 108,818 mt from 38,550 has., or an average yield of 2.82 mt/ha. Compared to the 2007 production of 61,053 mt, the production increment is 47,765 mt or a production growth of 78.24 percent--the highest growth in the country by province, Malabanan stressed.

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Dennis Araullo gave an overview on FIELDS.

On the other hand, the crowd applauded the announcement of Rep. Edgar Chatto of Bohol’s 1st District, senior vice chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, that the magna carta for the agricultural sector is now with the Appropriations Committee.

In a symbolic gesture of commitment to support President Arroyo’s rice program, Aumentado turned over to Araullo a copy of Bohol’s rice sufficiency plan.

Ibex

September 9th, 2008, 06:54 AM

dark_knight_detectve

September 9th, 2008, 05:53 PM

Bohol endorses rice sufficiency plan to DA (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=20080908172&type=2)

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Local government officials of Bohol recently turned over its rice sufficiency plan to the Department of Agriculture’s Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program for the year 2009 to 2010.

The turn over ceremony was held in line with the information caravan and technological clinic (Tekno Klinik) held in Bohol attended by 1,700 stakeholders of the province’s rice industry sector.

It was also attended by members of the Irrigator’s Association of Malinao Dam Irrigation System, Bayongan Dam Irrigation System, and Capayas Irrigation System as well as seed growers, officers of farmer’s associations, members of the local government units, and agriculture extension workers form the rice producing municipalities of Bohol.

DA said that the one-day event was the third in the series of information caravan and Tekno Klinik on fertilizer, irrigation and other rural infrastructure, extension, research and farmers’ education, loans and insurance, dryers and other post harvest facilities, and seeds (F.I.E.L.D.S.) program.

This program is carried out nationwide in 49 focus provinces for the GMA rice program’s thrusts of attaining at least a 98 percent national rice sufficiency level in two years’ time by targeting much higher harvests of 18.55 million metric tons next year and 19.77 million metric tons by 2010.

F.I.E.L.D.S. is a strategy being adopted by the government to achieve the goals and objectives of the Philippine Rice Self-Sufficiency Master Plan (2009-2010) or the Philippine Productivity Rice Master Plan under Executive Order No. 725.

F.I.E.L.D.S. is a package of intervention measures unveiled by the government during the DA-hosted National Food Summit last April in pursuit of the president’s SONA commitments on food sufficiency and security.

During the Tekno Klinik, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) of region 7, distributed insurance indemnity cheques amounting to P163,128.44 to 14 beneficiaries of the Loan Repayment Protection Plan (LRPP) for LGUs, cooperatives, and corporations assisted by LandBank-Bohol’s Lending Center .

Bohol has been the sole focus province on rice in the Central Visayas region.

Under the Bohol rice master plan which has a fund portfolio amounting to more than P3.3 billion, intensive rice production activities will be carried out to achieve a 114 percent sufficiency by 2010 and increase rice production by 222,500 metric tons from a 20 percent increase in yield with the use of hybrid and certified rice seeds.

Most of the funds for the master plan will be coming from the DA’s GMA Rice through the F.I.E.L.D.S. program.

Other platform of interventions under F.I.E.L.D.S. is for the rice or palay sector and for other commodity programs on corn, high value commercial crops, and livestock. – Rhia de Pablo

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TONZI

September 12th, 2008, 12:32 PM

cHURCH IN cALAPE

http://philippines.bayaw.com/pictures/Calape-1.jpg

I always pass by this church every time we visit to Bohol from Cebu. This is in the town of Calape, home town of the late Yoyoy Villame.

concern

September 13th, 2008, 01:18 PM

gimingaw naman hinoon ka sa bohol oi...

dark_knight_detectve

September 19th, 2008, 05:15 PM

10 things to love about Bohol (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008091811&type=2)
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo
Friday, September 19, 2008

http://www.philstar.com/newphilstar/www/image/20080919/ent1.jpg

I fell in love with Bohol the first time I went there three years ago to attend the wedding of a friend’s brother. I’ve been going there every chance I get since then, to what my Boholano friend Raoul Tidalgo and I call “our paradise on earth.”

When my big-city-trapped friends ask me why I’m always in Bohol (it just seems like that because I keep on mentioning the place and the people in this corner every once too often), I want to tell them, “Let me count the ways,” rattling off the following “10 Things to Love About Bohol” (not necessarily in this order):

1. The Tarsier — I saw it perched on a tree along the Loboc River made even more famous by Cesar Montano, one of Bohol’s pride, in his movie Panaghoy sa Suba. I looked at it eyeball-to-eyeball and that’s how I noticed lonely its eyes were, so huge that, for a while, I felt that those eyes would kill me with gentleness.

2. The Chocolate Hills —One of Da King FPJ’s favorite settings of his blockbusters, the hills are alive with the whatever sound you can imagine, all those 1,268 mounds (count ‘em!). If you have the stamina, try climbing the 200-plus steps up one of them and, from the peak, be mesmerized by a panoramic view of the province. Breath-taking! How did the hills got the name? Give the credit to the Americans who, many years ago, stood transfixed by the natural wonder that reminded them of Chocolate Kisses. Thus, Chocolate Hills.

3. The Amarela (in Panglao) — Touted on its flyer as “...not just a beautiful beach resort but also a showcase of Bohol’s rich cultural and artistic heritage...”, Amarela is Spanish for yellow. Said its owner-manager Doy Nunag, “We called it Amarela by accident. Three years ago when we were on a family vacation in Portugal, we noticed that the subway lines were identified by color, one of them the Amarela Line. We were looking for a name for the resort and we thought that Amarela was perfect for it.” Most of the rooms face the sea. Watch the sun rise and set from your window, and you will sing the famous Sunrise, Sunset song from Fiddler on the Roof with new lyrics coming spontaneously from your heart. I heard that Bea Zobel stays at Amarela when she’s in Bohol, which is often. (Note: For inquiries, call 038-5029497 to 98 or cell phone 0906-5884145.)

4. The old churches — Raoul and I visited 14 churches the first time I was in Bohol, completing the Visita Iglesia even if it was the Lenten Season. We lingered a bit in the vicinity of Baclayon Church in Baclayon town, several meters away from it stands the lighthouse where Cesar Montano proposed to Sunshine Cruz at sunset, to the enchanting music of the Loboc Children’s Choir. Romantic!

5. The Bohol Bee Farm — Owned and managed by Vicky Wallace, the Farm serves all-organic food, including — would you believe! — Bougainvilla Salad (“Anything that the bees eat is edible,” assured Vicky, a retired nurse who worked in the States, now the widow of an American husband) and Camote Bread. To digest an “organic” meal, you can stroll around place and have a close look at the bees of various species, coming from different parts of the country (and Australia).

6. The Peanut Kisses, Ube Jam and Torta — Don’t just bring home beautiful memories from Bohol, complete with album-fuls of pictures. Remember to drop by any of the groceries in department stores (BQ Mall — BQ for Bohol Quality — one of them, owned and managed by Raymond Ong who also owns and manages Metro Center which has a cozy hotel at the heart of Tagbilaran City) and stuff your back-pack with as many packs of Peanut Kisses and Torta and Ube Jam as you can. Family and friends back home will love those pasalubongs. Yummy!

7. Payag Restaurant — Your weekend in Tagbilaran will not be complete if you don’t take lunch or dinner at Payag (#18 CPG East Avenue). My favorite item on the menu is the Chicken Barbecue, served with fresh achara and cold buko juice (or any juice of your choice). When Floy Quintos brought balikbayan international model Anna Bayle to Bohol, they went to Payag for dinner. “They occupied that table in the corner,” Raoul pointed out. “Anna looked as delicious as the chicken inasal, holding a bottle of ice-cold Beer Light.” Burp before you leave the place. (Note: For reservations, call 038-4112527 or 038-5019447.)

8. The Loboc River Night Cruise — For a touch of romance, take this tour with a loved one (lover or friend) — or even alone (you can “romance” yourself, can’t you? By day, the cruise comes with buffet lunch. At night, you first take dinner at a floating restaurant and then you transfer to a boat that sails oh-so-slowly along the river between tall trees on both banks, adorned with lights that turn from red to orange to pink to violet to green to blue and then to light blue-green. Those lights were donated by Carlos Chan (Benchan’s brother) to the tune of... P12 million!?!... including the Children’s Palace where the Loboc Youth Band caps the cruise with an hour of soothing music. But first, enjoy a homegrown group composed of children and adults, waiting on a raft at the far end of the Loboc River to serenade the “cruisers” during the brief stopover. (Don’t forget to donate a few bucks to the singing group; they need it.) Cruise prices are very affordable. (Note: For inquiries, call the Loboc Tourism Port Office at 038-5379292 or mobile phones 0928-5077627 and 0920-9623550.)

9. The Panglao Island Nature Resort — Owned and managed by Raymond Ong, this resort is another haven for weary souls from the big city. If you’re looking for a place so quiet and so serene that you can feel your heart gently beating and yourself thinking, with only the sound of the wind rustling among the trees, this is the place for you. Your muscles grown tired? Walk to The Spa nearby. Or take a swim or do a lap or two at the Olympic-size pool. Or run to the beach just beyond your cottage. The resort’s new feature is the just-opened Verdant Pavilion which is a perfect venue for concerts (Sitti was the first to hold one there; and, if negotiations push through, Martin Nievera just might do a Valentine concert there in February next year, keep your fingers crossed!). For inquiries, call (63-38) 411-5875 or 502-2451.

10. The Beautiful Boholanos — Bohol has produced a lot of stars, including Cesar Montano (of course, who is rumored to be running for governor or congressman), Luke Mejares, retired actress and now US-based Rebecca del Rio, Giselle Sanchez, the late Yoyoy Villame, StarStruck finalist Rich Asuncion, Star in a Million Champion Jerome Sala (now managing the family’s hollow blocks business and, on the side, driving the family-owned passenger jeepney), Rebecca Lusterio, Hot Babe Sheree, Lutgardo Labad, 2006 Bb. Pilipinas-World Mariz Igpit and “adopted son” Maryo J. delos Reyes (who has a house in Tagbilaran. And, last but definitely not the least, my friends (aside from Raoul Tidalgo, Raymond Ong, Vicky Wallace and Doy Nunag), Betty Veloso-Garcia (and the Veloso Family), Boy Echavez and Liklik Schroeder (now based in Sacramento, California).

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)
Back to top

skyscraper100

September 20th, 2008, 09:48 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC06004.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC05959.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07280.jpg

Dauis Church

wow! it looks like a palace.

cHURCH IN cALAPE

http://philippines.bayaw.com/pictures/Calape-1.jpg

parang cake.it look's cute.

reancorbz84

September 26th, 2008, 04:36 PM

Amarela Resort: Your gateway to a bucket and spade holiday

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/a.jpg

See Bohol in a new light. See Amarela Resort in Bohol and fall in love with it. See Bohol as idyllic and luxurious as it is full of adventure. And see the face you love light up with the sun and the sea of Amarela Resort. The perfect bucket and spade holiday only here at the Bohol resort of Amarela.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/gallery7.jpg
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great184

September 26th, 2008, 04:49 PM

On my last visit to Tagbilaran I just coudn't help but notice the increase in construction activity in the area. Investment is obviously on the increase here. Also the old market proposal fronting BQ mall has progressed a lot, into i believe a mall of sorts?

reancorbz84

September 27th, 2008, 10:45 AM

TRY ONE OF PANGLAO'S LUXURIOUS RESORTS...

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/capture3-13.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/capture2-12.jpg
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etienne

October 4th, 2008, 05:04 PM

cHURCH IN cALAPE

http://philippines.bayaw.com/pictures/Calape-1.jpg

i jus dont like how they repainted this church. parang nawala yung gothic aura nya. parang cake nga.

i hope the historical comision or watever heritage group out there would intervene wen it comes to church renovations. most of the church renovations/ restoration/beautification ended up ugly and tacky - as if those parish priests dont know a thing about preservation.

there was this really old fresco painting that was overlaid by a new layer of paint. tama ba yun?

icarusrising

October 14th, 2008, 10:41 AM

P5.4B in infra projects up for approval (http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20081014-166273/P54B-in-infra-projects-up-for-approval)

By Michelle Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:26:00 10/14/2008

Over P5 billion worth of infrastructure project proposals have been submitted to the board of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for approval.

These involve the New Naga Substation Project in Cebu province, the Bohol Backbone Transmission Project, and the Samar Pacific Coastal Road. Their implementation is part of the government’s plan to pump-prime the economy and spur growth amid a volatile financial market and slowdown in global demand for exports.

The Naga project, worth P1.3 billion, involves construction of a new power substation in the town of Naga to improve the electric service in Cebu City and nearby towns.

The Bohol Backbone Transmission Project involves installation and construction of a 95-kilometer, 138-kilovolt overhead transmission line that will improve efficiency of power transmission in Bohol.

The budget for these transmission projects is expected to come from the allocation of the National Transmission Co. (Transco).

Pacific Coastal Road project is to expand the bridges in Samar province from one lane to two lanes.

To fund the P2.45-billion project, government is advised to tap official development assistance from the South Korean government through its Economic Development Cooperation Fund.

NEDA Director General Ralph Recto said the administration intended to recover from the anemic spending in the first half by boosting infrastructure spending in the remaining months of this year and through 2009.

Recto said higher infrastructure spending was a way to pump-prime the economy at a time that exports could not be relied on because of the slowdown in global demand.

Economic officials earlier said the government’s infrastructure spending was equivalent to less than three percent of the gross domestic product, compared with an average of five percent of GDP in neighboring countries.

The government aims to reach the infrastructure spending average in the region by 2010. With editing by INQUIRER.net

deevex75

October 14th, 2008, 11:07 AM

HAAAAAYYYYY, Bohol!!!!!!! what a place. Miss this place sooooo much especially Badjang (tama ba spelling?) sa Anas Valencia. My father is from there. Musta na kaha ang falls sa badjang nga padulong ang tubig sa pool, bugnaw ra ba kaayo....:)

brownislander

October 15th, 2008, 05:45 AM

Kalami jud sa kalamay sa Bohol nga gisulod sa bagol!

AmbutLang

October 17th, 2008, 04:18 PM

Tubigon my father's hometown. See you next year puhon.

reancorbz84

October 18th, 2008, 07:17 AM

THE PEACOCK GARDEN
bohol|Philippines
a luxury resort..........

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/driveway.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/facade.jpg
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http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/pool2.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/spa.jpg

http://www.thepeacockgarden.com/

The Peacock Garden
Luxury Resort and Spa

Upper Laya, Baclayon,
6301 Bohol, Philippines

reancorbz84

October 18th, 2008, 01:40 PM

LOON CHURCH
http://images.joelbontuyan.multiply.com/image/31/photos/112/500x500/1/MG-1536.jpg?et=60%2BJ2ASNC0sR%2CJJOWlAO8Q&nmid=50730763
http://images.joelbontuyan.multiply.com/image/30/photos/112/500x500/15/Loon1.jpg?et=UB7tig9G7rysbX%2By%2Beq7Mw&nmid=50730763
http://images.joelbontuyan.multiply.com/image/28/photos/112/500x500/14/Loon.jpg?et=ZhLaknk%2BzHglofOXoL2vhA&nmid=50730763
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reancorbz84

October 18th, 2008, 01:44 PM

PANGLAO, BOHOL PHILIPPINES
http://images.joelbontuyan.multiply.com/image/36/photos/109/500x500/3/Panglao.jpg?et=wyh%2CgxcoqLJAZoFKHCTHsw&nmid=48405285
http://images.joelbontuyan.multiply.com/image/9/photos/109/500x500/5/Pastel-Morning.jpg?et=nt9xq0q%2COgqbL%2COZBuHeYg&nmid=48405285

reancorbz84

October 20th, 2008, 11:35 AM

http://images.alvesng.multiply.com/image/19/photos/5/500x500/43/20060805.023.jpg?et=v9QbaPPDfpIewZEMvBum6Q&nmid=17765504
http://images.alvesng.multiply.com/image/18/photos/5/500x500/68/20060805.054.jpg?et=kWG8jQxGtsO1YaregEVWng&nmid=17765504

[dx]

October 22nd, 2008, 04:06 PM

Check out this great time-lapse video of some of the best destinations in Bohol. Love the segment on the Loboc night cruise! :okay: :banana:

D5YJu4MOOKg
by saltshock (http://www.youtube.com/user/saltshock)

Ibex

October 23rd, 2008, 02:08 AM

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07045.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07028.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/klutz1030/Bohol%20Vacation%2008/DSC07336.jpg

reancorbz84

October 23rd, 2008, 04:09 PM

^^waahhhhh totoo ba yun? nilagyan ng mga ilaw yung gilid ng river? nice nice nice i love it. gusto ko na tuloy bumalik ng bohol....... proud to be a "sano"!

etienne

October 25th, 2008, 06:15 AM

^^^
any info about the pics?

reancorbz84

October 26th, 2008, 07:33 PM

BOHOL BEACH CLUB, PANGLAO ISLAND, BOHOL
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/b.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/tonioboi/b2.jpg
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ryxin

October 29th, 2008, 05:45 PM

The site is nice,.i like all the picture their but i like most is the picture of our Sto.Niño. I want vacation this coming summer to Panglao beach to relax with my son. And after that i want to stay in chocolate hills with one day. Huh,.I'm so excited to tour with my son. Hope we will,.i want spend more time with my son that i love him so much. Actually, he is a four months young now.

SUV111

November 1st, 2008, 06:36 AM

Happy Halloween Tagbilaran!!!

http://www.searchamateur.com/pictures/3d-spooky-halloween-sky-moon-witch-2.jpg

icarusrising

November 6th, 2008, 12:49 PM

Bohol: Version 2.0 (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Travel&p=49&type=2&sec=48)
By Scott & Therese Garceau
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Those lucky enough to visit Bohol know it has some distinctive, timeless attractions — Spanish churches, tarsiers and the famed Chocolate Hills. But a new generation is trying to update Bohol, to promote even more natural wonders and offer new attractions; to bring the Bohol experience into the 21st century, and to bring tourists back for more. Call it Bohol 2.0.

The newness includes a more animal-friendly visitor center for the tarsiers (though an even more wild preserve is set up off the beaten path, deep in the surrounding riverside jungles), a truly rad ATV (all-terrain vehicle) course that cuts through the base of the Chocolate Hills, and an electrifying nocturnal firefly cruise along the Loay River.

One of the new man-made attractions is located on a beachside cliff on Panglao island. Amorita Resort offers 12 pool villas and 20 exclusive rooms facing the waters. We stayed there while covering the attractions of Bohol, and found that it’s the kind of resort you wouldn’t mind being lost in for, oh, about a week. If you ever find yourself cast away on an unspoiled, remote island, it’s much preferable to be staying in a resort like Amorita. Plus, it’s a short trip over from Tagbilaran’s airport, and the usual attractions to be found along its coast.

Check in at Amorita at night, as we did, and it’s an enchanting scene. Lights guide you along pebbled paths to your villa or beachfront room. Like other villas it has a Balinese-style wooden front gate that opens to a flagstone path you have to walk up before actually rounding the corner to the villa, which ensures maximum privacy and fair warning when you have a guest. Visitors have to ring your doorbell before entering, and a secure door latch that locks from the inside lets staff know whether you’re in or out.

We learned that our villa was the same one that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo chose when she was in town. We wondered what tunes she blasted through the iPod dock located on her bedside table. A flatscreen TV and arctic air conditioning completes the “technology in paradise” effect. The large glass front doors open up to a personal plunge pool facing the sea (there’s a Jacuzzi, but ours was fairly mild). Really, you could stay here much longer than two or three days.

The breakfast buffet at Saffron Restaurant, Amorita’s eatery facing the infinity pool, is worth raving about. Rolly Navallo, who was previously food and beverage manager at Boracay Tropics resort, is in charge of Saffron, and he told us he sought out Bohol’s best local flavors to serve to Amorita’s tourist-heavy clientele. Hence you can order local chorizo, plump sardines or champorado with danggit à la minute, served with a steaming mound of garlic rice, or opt for a freshly made omelet (pick your own ingredients). Saffron also bakes its own bread — don’t miss a thick slice of their ube loaf spread with calamansi jelly or chocolate jam.

For those inclined to stay in their villa, the private pool is bedecked with fresh flowers each day after you head to the resort’s breakfast buffet. This is a relaxing way to take an afternoon dip: sheltered by the villa’s canopy, setting up your own personal iPod soundscape, and taking in the 180-degree ocean view.

We also enjoyed the outdoor shower (behind the bathroom’s glass door) with its own rock garden and special L’Occitane toiletries. The villa includes a daybed that can sleep an extra person, but our daughter, Isobel, chose to sleep with us in the king-size bed, which had ample room for three.

The only comment about the bathroom is, since it’s unscreened, plenty of mosquitoes manage to hover around (and believe me, Bohol mosquitoes are no joke — they’re big and badass). The glass bathroom door doesn’t shut quickly enough to keep them out of the bedroom, either. However, when we complained to Rolly Navallo about the matter, he instantly sprang to action — a few hours later we noticed that large citronella burners had been placed in both the bathroom and bedroom, and the number of mosquitoes had reduced significantly. Perhaps the resort could install discreet screens in the future to permanently solve this problem.

According to Rolly, Amorita Resort is planning to open a branch of Boracay’s justly famed Mandala Spa here in 2009. That should be a real treat. Until then, guests at Amorita can enjoy in-cabin hilot massage treatments that are so soporific after a day of snorkeling and island hopping that you will likely pass out facedown on the mat. And that’s a good thing.

Another good thing about being so close to Bohol’s usual attractions, yet still cocooned within Amorita, is that you can just hop in a jeep or transport (the resort charges for special day trips) and take the standard Lobac River Cruise or hike up to the public viewing area of the Chocolate Hills (which five-year-old Isobel dubbed “the Pistachio Hills” because they are now a light green shade). You can visit the Baclayon Church (with its stunning stained-glass windows) and the touristy site of the Blood Compact between Bohol’s Datu Sikatuna and the Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi . You can do all this, yet still be 20 minutes away from the peace and sanctuary of Amorita.

But for those seeking something a bit different, our personal “Bohol 2.0” includes new restrictions on tarsier-handling — the Tarsier Center used to encourage the tiny monkeys to leap about on tourists’ shoulders and heads for picture-taking, but all that excitement wasn’t too good for little tarsier hearts, which suffered little tarsier cardiacs, so now big signs tell visitors to refrain from touching or scaring the tarsiers. (It doesn’t stop them from exclaiming and babbling loudly or getting so close to the tarsiers that you can practically see their hearts trembling in their chests).

For a small donation, you can also feed a couple of tarsiers their favorite snack — crickets on a stick —as Isobel and Therese did.

Some of the best diving and snorkeling in Bohol can be found off Balicasag Island, a half-hour motorboat ride from Amorita Resort. Sanctuary Reef is a hotbed of aquatic life: a coral cliff rife with sizable tropical fish. See huge schools of jackfish spiral through the water, glistening silver and feeding under the sun. Or spot the molmol, as the locals call a species of multicolored fish. The size and assortment of fish was almost as good as El Nido in Palawan. For lunch or merienda, head for Balicasag Dive Resort’s restaurant on the beach, which serves hearty calamari, sinigang, pinakbet, camaron, lechon kawali and pork chops.

And for those tired of the Loboc River Cruise with its Apocalypse Now settings and resident guitar-strumming troubadour, try the nighttime Firefly Cruise on the Loay River. One of Bohol’s newest attractions, the Firefly Cruise begins at the Floating Restaurant, where an unlit, slow-moving barge takes you up a river neck that is wider, less developed and less traveled than its better-known cousin. After you leave the main dock, there are no concrete houses or city lights to be seen — nothing to detract from the main attraction of mangroves twinkling like synchronized Christmas trees, thanks to the hundreds of fireflies clustering around them. From our boat, which glided silently through the water, we could see certain trees luminescing from afar. The boat pulls up right underneath the firefly-lit banks and you gaze up in wonder. Truly magical. It’s a unique nighttime spectacle, and as long as they keep it low-key (i.e., no over-lit beer gardens along the riverbanks, and no noisy, beer-fueled barges), this is a real addition to local tourism.

On an October night we were also lucky enough to see a full harvest moon. Once the novelty of the fireflies had worn off, our boatmen trained spotlights on the surrounding coconut trees, where we saw white crows (uwak) roosting as if they were in some huge avian hotel.

Another new attraction is the Chocolate Hills ATV-guided tour. You can rent the three-wheeled motorbikes from G1 ATV Rentals and follow a tour guide through chunky dirt roads that lead you to some pretty majestic scenery: a ground-eye view of the famous coral hills, almost like coming across a herd of elephants in their natural environment. Wearing a helmet, shoulder and kneepads protects the body on what tend to be rough roads, but be sure to squint or wear goggles while riding to avoid flying insects: You’ll need your eyes to take in the incredible sights of fishponds backgrounded by close-up coral mounds up to 50 feet high. The hour-long motorbike tour takes you through barangays, small patches of concrete road, but mostly rutted terrain that no earthmover has seen yet. See Bohol’s most famous attraction from a totally different perspective for about P750 per hour.

That should be enough to convince you that Bohol has more than the usual tourist attractions these days. Of course, after a day of wrist-rattling ATV riding and climbing 214 steps up to the Chocolate Hills observation deck, there’s nothing like heading back to Amorita Resort for a poolside cocktail, a private massage, or your own personal definition of relaxation.

* * *
For reservations at Amorita Resort, Ester A. Lim Drive, Tawala, Panglao, Boho, call (038) 502-9001 to 03, or fax (038) 502-9002.

orville1ph

November 25th, 2008, 07:38 AM

I miss Bohol very much! I miss Balilihan. . . .

leml

December 1st, 2008, 08:30 AM

I MISS BOHOL sad! Kita ta Bohol sa Summer :banana:

tonight

December 2nd, 2008, 07:35 AM

i miss bohol too, the last time i visit my relatives was april 2007

blueguy

December 22nd, 2008, 05:50 AM

The Loboc Children's Choir at The Northwing

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/van1975/Loboc.jpg

Sleepwalker

December 22nd, 2008, 07:19 AM

http://simplyxmas.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/christmas-wallpaper-405.jpg

--- Merry Christmas Tagbilaran ---

Marni

December 22nd, 2008, 12:53 PM

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Ibex

December 22nd, 2008, 01:19 PM

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thesugarfairy

December 22nd, 2008, 03:44 PM

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SUV111

December 23rd, 2008, 04:33 AM

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tonight

December 23rd, 2008, 05:22 AM

http://img001.picture2life.net/2996375/Merry_Christmas_Greeting_web-large_highest.jpg

cyberwizard

December 24th, 2008, 06:10 AM

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/erwintheater/SSC.jpg

concern

December 24th, 2008, 07:12 AM

Merry Christmas Guys!..

bonixx

December 24th, 2008, 09:28 AM

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9378/lccccxi6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

SleMarKen

December 24th, 2008, 11:27 AM

Merry Christmas from SSC-Cebu

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/3129510785_0a9d3cccdb.jpg

garzland

December 24th, 2008, 01:12 PM

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5738/mapofnagave1.png

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

true blue ilonggo

December 24th, 2008, 01:51 PM

4 hours to go before christmas... merry christmas people! cheers! :cheers::cheers::cheers:

[dx]

December 24th, 2008, 02:29 PM

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/8075/legazpixmasat3.jpg
Photo by when milko shoots (http://flickr.com/photos/when_milko_shoots/)

jmok

December 24th, 2008, 03:05 PM

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL....

"ZukiChirO"

December 24th, 2008, 04:52 PM

http://www.veterinaria.org/imagenes/tarjeta03.gif

From SSC-Zamboanga Family

METROPOLITAN_ILOILO

December 24th, 2008, 07:32 PM

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credge

December 29th, 2008, 10:35 AM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3147039626_cbe16be76f_o.jpg
ADVANCE HAPPY NEW YEAR BOHOL !!!

golden_eagle

December 29th, 2008, 05:21 PM

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Bohol Beach Club

ritche

December 30th, 2008, 10:11 AM

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nicko

December 30th, 2008, 05:21 PM

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SUV111

December 31st, 2008, 02:14 AM

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eonynx

December 31st, 2008, 03:48 AM

'Tis now the end of the year
Let's start anew with renewed cheer!
To friends and folks far and near,
Happy New Year! Happy New Year!

tonight

December 31st, 2008, 08:34 AM

ALL AROUND THE WORLD CELEBRATES TONIGHT

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From SSC-Iligan City

JEFFjr_25

December 31st, 2008, 10:05 AM

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:cheers::cheers: CHEERS for 2009 !!! from JEFFjr_25 SSC-Bacolod :cheers::cheers:

true blue ilonggo

December 31st, 2008, 11:07 AM

LET'S MEET 2009 WITH A BANG! HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM SSC-ILOILO! CHEERS! :cheers:

Ibex

December 31st, 2008, 02:07 PM

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garzland

December 31st, 2008, 03:44 PM

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!

From SSC Naga

Danny19

December 31st, 2008, 10:29 PM

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO BOHOL AND THE WHOLE PHILIPPINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taz08

January 1st, 2009, 08:15 AM

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Danny19

January 1st, 2009, 11:48 AM

size=+2]Bohol one of the most beautiful islands in the world[/size]

golden_eagle

January 2nd, 2009, 08:35 PM

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Bohol Beach Club

Ph Man

January 16th, 2009, 07:09 PM

is this how the beachfront looks like at early morning? it's beautiful!

i will be spending my annual reckoning (kuno) in Panglao Is., Bohol. this will be my third time to be in this beautiful place!

this one is in Virgin Island off the coast of Panglao.
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mAiNsTrEaMhunter

January 17th, 2009, 05:27 AM

V I V A!
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P I T S E N O R!!!!!
PARA SA MGABOLANON

TONZI

January 26th, 2009, 09:33 AM

Bohol, Palafox sign agreement on master planning of Panglao

By JUNE S. BLANCO
source: Manila Bulletin Online (http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV20090126146569.html)

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado and Felino Palafox Jr. of the Makati City-based Palafox Associates signed recently a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) laying out their responsibilities in the master planning of the resort island of Panglao.

Aumentado said the move ensures that horizontal infrastructure in Panglao and Dauis towns will be in harmony with the terrain in relation to the beach and the sea, that support infrastructure for the Panglao, Bohol International Airport will similarly be in harmony and will not clash with the rest of the structures, and that drainage and separate sewer lines are properly installed, among others.

The governor said he has chosen Palafox over its contender because of it’s international track record.

"Palafox has projects even in Dubai – the most modern city in the Middle East and even the world," he said.

Besides, he added, Palafox gave the more advantageous offer – it computed its professional fees by the square meter but gave a 70 percent discount, hence it quoted P9.5 million for the job.

In addition, it waived the P600,000 charge for the engineering concept design for the water and drainage system, which it will implement first in order to help Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala and the Municipal Council led by Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes determine the loan amount that the local government unit will avail of to finance a modern and comprehensive waterworks system.

Aumentado said Panglao needs to anticipate the future if it intends to attract more tourists – tourism being its main economic driver.

The MoA already outlined the cost sharing for the undertaking by the stakeholders: P2 million from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) under General Manager Alfonso Cusi, P1 million each from the Department of Tourism (DoT) under Secretary Joseph Durano and the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA); P1.5 million from the provincial government, P1 million from Bohol Rep. Edgar Chatto; and P2 million and P1 million respectively from the local governments of Panglao and Dauis.

But the amount does not include Palafox’ out-of-pocket expenses for his team’s coming to the island to conduct consultations with the stakeholders.

The master plan, the governor said, will include the establishment of an aeropolis or airport city as envisioned by Cusi and MIAA think-tanks.

He said Palafox also committed to invite businessmen whose projects he undertook the master planning to invest in Panglao Island.

At the same time, Aumentado called on landowners not to give in to sweet-talking speculators who want to buy their lands now.

They will only jack up the prices later, with the original landowners not benefiting from the move, he said.

timz06

January 28th, 2009, 02:40 AM

Sagbayan Peak Resort Park
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Kids Town - Sagbayan Peak
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Peeking at the Peak...:nuts::nuts::nuts:
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reancorbz84

January 28th, 2009, 07:24 AM

^^nice nice nice...good to know na meron ng pool sa sagbayan peak.....

hey mga taga bohol can you post photos ng night cruise sa loboc river... nice daw tingnan ang mga lights?

reancorbz84

January 28th, 2009, 07:25 AM

^^nice nice nice...

timz06

January 28th, 2009, 01:10 PM

^^ Nakapunta ka na sagbayan peak?

reancorbz84

January 30th, 2009, 07:48 PM

^^yes, maraming beses na. last punta ko nung december 2007 yata yun...

kelan lang ba inopen ang pool???? @timz

Animo

January 30th, 2009, 08:47 PM

Punta Cruz / Fuerza de San Vicente Ferrer

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By Dexter R. Matilla (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20090126-185516/Culture-gets-more-dynamic-in-Bohol)
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:25:00 01/26/2009

Filed Under: Lifestyle & Leisure

THE Punta Cruz Watchtower in Maribojoc, built in 1796 by the Augustinian Recollects, has long been the symbol of protection for the locals in this westernmost area of Bohol.

The story goes that the tower was built as part of the local defense system against marauding sea pirates. This was named Castillo de San Vicente, after St. Vincent Ferrer, a very popular Dominican saint. It is a triangular-based watchtower with a hexagonal second level. The inscription, “Castillo de nuestro Señor San Vicente y nuestro Señor Santa Cruz,” is written over the entrance, while the walls feature the Spanish coat-of-arms.

Based on folklore, the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer was originally placed at a designated niche inside the watchtower before being moved to the Maribojoc church. It is believed the statue visits the watchtower every once in a while, as husks would be found, as locals claimed, at St. Vincent’s robes. This fits the description of the patron saint as he is best known in hagiography for bilocation, or being in two places at the same time.

A few meters from the tower, toward the sea’s edge, is a time-weathered cross that might as well have been a gift from the waters. It is said a group of fishermen found a straight piece of wood caught in their nets. They threw it away but when they cast their nets once more, the same piece of wood was caught again.

The fishermen brought it back to land and they noticed the piece of wood was clean of moss, as if it had just been newly drifted from a nearby area. There was also a cut at about two-thirds length from one end, as if somebody purposely did it so another piece of wood could be fitted to form a cross.

Upon learning of the find, the captain of the town requested the people to make a cross out of it, which was then planted at the tip of the cape.

The cross has since protected the town through its “miracles.” One such involved the drowning of Moro buccaneers who would land on the island of Bohol to kidnap women and children and subject them to slavery.

When these pirates made their way to Maribojoc Bay, the sea would recede, revealing a large tract of dry land. The invaders would then set out to flee but not before the water returned and drowned them.

These colorful stories give Maribojoc its character. But these are stories that, Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco bemoaned, not all the locals know.

“The watchtower is a mute witness to the ravenous slave market and it would be great if the people of Maribojoc knew its story,” Evasco said. “So that when visitors arrive and ask about the history of Punta Cruz, the locals can provide them with the complete story.”

Thus, the Punta Cruz Cultural Collective was created. It is a community theater put together to become a major attraction in the Building Livelihoods and Enterprises in Support of Sustainable Ecotourism Development (Blessed) Maribojoc Program, an ecological-cultural tourism initiative by the Punta Cruz Environment Organization (PCEO).

Composed of out-of-school youth and the PCEO, the Cultural Collective was conceptualized by award-winning film-music scorer Lutgardo Labad and Glenn Labrado, former executive director of the local NGO group Bangon.

Theater members are trained with the help of Labad’s Teatro Bol-anon. Their task is to mount dramatic and cultural presentations of the colorful mythology and history of Punta Cruz and Bohol during the slave-trade period.

“They will carry on the task of presenting cultural performances, based on the mythology of events in Punta Cruz and Bohol during the slave-trade period, including training, research and organization,” Labad said. “The members have dedicated themselves to caring for each other like a family wherein decisions and responsibilities are collectively discussed and shared. It will not function as a business corporation and revenues will be shared and reinvested for future developmental work.”

Fusion

The Cultural Collective’s form of expression fuses modern dance and the Pangalay (Sanskrit for “temple of dance”), a pre-Islamic and pre-Christian dance style in the Philippines. It is a living link to dance cultures in Asia where sensitivity is the key to mastering traditional dances. Its intricate postures and gestures, combined with artistry and sophistication, are kin to other Asian dance forms.

Of all the ethnic dances in the Philippines, Pangalay has the richest movement vocabulary. Although it requires strong technique, it can be danced by anyone at any age, as proven by the youngest, 8-year-old Raymart Colestines, and elders Juanita Cristal and Teresita Anquillano.

During the recent soft launching, nobody in the audience would have thought the Cultural Collective members had never had prior experience in the performing arts as they presented “Tawag sa Bantayan,” a theatrical portrayal of the historical events leading to the construction of the watchtower as well as other watchtowers in the Visayas.

The monologues were in the local language. To help nonlocals understand, a screen with narration in English was set up in the background.

Costumes by Cebu designer Rudy Aviles and the stage design by Teatro Bol-anon artist Francis Sarmiento were also something to admire, as well as the effects by Jerahmeel Decasa during the latter part of the show when St. Vincent Ferrer emerged from the watchtower.

Choreography was by Labad and executed by Alfonso Ponky Corbeta, who had just trained with the Sofia Zobel Dance Studio STEPS as a scholar of Bea Zobel Jr.

Labad said he wanted the Cultural Collective to be sustainable and to train more talents as this would develop a creative and heritage-based cultural program that would foster the town’s pride of place, communal synergy, and cultural identity. The Cultural Collective, he added, should be ready for its grand launching during the National Arts Month or Philippine International Arts Festival in February.

Major sponsors of the initiative include the Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program-Focal Community Assistance Scheme (Pacap-Focas); Bangon Bohol Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations; Maribojoc local government; National Commission for Culture and the Arts; provincial government of Bohol under Gov. Erico Aumentado through the Center for Culture and Arts Development; Teatro Bol-anon and Bach Council; and Boholanos in the United States.