It's More Fun In The Philippines. [Archive] - Page 3

ergit222

July 11th, 2006, 09:09 AM

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Discover BLUE HEAVEN La Union, Philippines
- Mellow & Relaxing, for Longboard Surfers -
by Hiroshi Yokohama

There is a place up north of Manila where you can relax and have all the peace and quiet in this world. If you love the sun, sand and sea, this spot is perfect for you. If you know how to surf, we've just rediscovered heaven.

La Union, one of the premiere and oldest surf spots in the Philippines, is fast shaping up to be the next surfing Mecca in this part of Asia. La Union's surfing history dates back late in the 1970s when the Americans were stationed in the different U.S. bases like Subic, Camp John Hay & Wallace air base. During their leisure hours, the big beach boys of America would often hang out in the beaches of this province and were the first ones who discovered the surf. Soon, word spread out like wildfire to every American serviceman, especially those who loved to surf. To the young locals back then who watched these big "kids" ride, the sport of surfing was something new. Little by little, people came to appreciate and "feel" the passion and sense of freedom of the sport.

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After the discovery of Cloud 9, foreign surfers shifted to Siargao and most of the surfing spots declined, especially places like Puraran with its well-known Majestic, in Catanduanes island. Nobody goes there anymore except for some few freak surfers.(Note 1) But La Union's beauty could not just be ignored. Still, many foreign surfers, most especially longboarders, really have come to love the place.

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It was about five years ago when I first surfed in La Union. I used to be the only surfer who carried a 9ft. surfboard back then. Nowadays, many longboarders frequent the place. We have just concluded recently and for the first time a longboard competition, and the main organizers of the event were all longboard freaks who loved to surf in La Union.

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In my years as a surfer and with the other places I have been throughout the world, I would affirm that La Union is the best surf spot for longboard surfing in the Philippines and the quality of the wave is world-class. Most of the other surf points are shallow reef breaks and the hollow waves are really challenging. Compared to other spots, surfing in La Union is easier and more relaxing.

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Adding to that, there is more to this place's waves that keeps people coming back. I think it is in the atmosphere, wind, air and the warm people of La Union. San Juan town, just minutes away from San Fernando City, is a mellow, easy, peaceful and comfortable place. The main surf point here is Monaliza Point. I have found this place very safe, and I usually sleep in the beach and watch the stars until the break of dawn.

This place brings us back in time to the atmosphere of the 1950s, in the north shore of Hawaii. In those days, the pioneer surfers from California went to surf and surfed and surfed. In La Union, you can do that, too.

Peter Drouyn, a legendary Australian master surfer in the 1970s, has been attracted to this kind of atmosphere La Union brings. He even bought an island together with his friend Bryan, and named it Drouyn Island. Of course, the island had excellent waves, too.

Dick Hoole, another Australian and one of the most famous surfing filmakers, (Hoole/McCoy Films), is now a regular and he frequently takes pictures and videos of the place. His famous movies include "Stormriders" in 1982 and "Tubular Swells" in 1976. (Dick is a quiet and mellow person, a very nice guy. Once, he got my video camera and took shots of me while I was riding. For someone of Dick's caliber, that was quite an opportunity. Thanks, Dick.)

Monaliza point's waves look like Malibu, even with small swells. The quality of the wave is also like Malibu. From one to four feet breaks ( note 2 ). The Surfer magazine was quoted as it described..., "The Monaliza point in La Union is one of the premier spots in the Philippines. It catches swells like a giant magnet, good power on winter north swells with jacking peaks, long walls and an inside bowl, all rights. There is a growing number of local surfers in this area between Monaliza's and Bacnotan is a long beach with some breaks over sand bars, best for beginners."

This spot is available all year round. Best season is from the end of October to the end of January. In the peak season, the waves get to 3 to 5 feet or close out. When this point closes out, our favorite point alternative starts to break. Just minutes away from Monalisa, Car-rille, becomes our secret point. We call it our "1 km. point." Everybody really waits for this point to break, because when it starts to break you can have a long ride, at least 500 meters, if you are good. During such time, Car-rille's waves could be compared to those of Rincon, one of the classic points in California. Do you think I am exaggerating? Come and see the waves for yourself.

How to get to La Union

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La Union is located northwest of Manila, facing the China Sea. It takes 4 hours drive by car, 6 hrs. by bus. All buses going to the north heading for Laoag City pass by the world-famous beaches of Bauang and San Fernando City. From San Fernando, it would take only minutes for one to reach the Monaliza point, which is also located along the national highway.

Bus companies include Farinas, Viron, Partas, Maria de Leon and Philippine Rabbit. I recommend Partas bus which has its station in Cubao, Quezon City. They have clean air-con buses every one hour and I recommend you should go by night time, so you could reach La Union in the morning. Bring a jacket and long pants because most of the buses plying the route are as cold as freezer.

There are only five resorts at the main surfing place in Urbiztondo, San juan, La Union: They are Todd's, Australian La Union Surf Resort (formerly Surf Camp), Hacienda Beach Resort and Monaliza Cottage, owned by Germans, filipino owned Se-Bay Resort, and Blue Heaven.

However, there are lots of hotels and resorts in San Fernando and Bauang, which is just minutes away, like Bali Hai, China Sea, Villa Estrella and Long Beach Resort Hotel.

BYAHILO

July 11th, 2006, 09:55 AM

whats the best season to surf in La Union and mura ba accomodations?

i might include La Union in my itenerary for next year.

puno na kasi ngayong taon eh =)

heheh

cheers!

jbkayaker12

July 13th, 2006, 07:36 AM

Tropical Living - Philippine Style

Butaca - Plantation Chairs
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allan_dude

July 14th, 2006, 04:07 PM

...

Animo

July 15th, 2006, 01:17 AM

"Houses have their own ways of dying, falling as variously as the generations of men, some with a tragic roar, some quietly, ... while from others ... the spirit slips before the body perishes."

("Howards End", E. M. Forster, 1910)

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"The third and final stage in the development of the Spanish-Filipino domestic architecture retained the wooden supporting structure but restricted the use of brick and stone to the lower level; the upper level consisted of an enclosure in vertical wooden siding which left ample openings for sliding windows. Capiz shells were often used as window panes. What emerges is a Spanish-Filipino house."

(Architecture in the Philippines, Winand Klassen, 1986)

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Animo

July 17th, 2006, 03:13 AM

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Yes, the mountain ranges are beautiful. Yes, the sky stretches onward to infinity, cradling constellations you never thought possible. And yes, the waters are so blue it feels like swimming in Paul ******’s eyes.

In this golden coastline found in the navel of the southern Mindoro islands, the splendor is alive beyond the scenery. An unseen magic hovers, silent yet overwhelming, amid the breathtaking landscapes of this famous Philippine destination.

It is, perhaps, this spell that lured the Spanish colonizers to this harbor some 500 years ago. They discovered the place as the perfect refuge from typhoons and natural calamities. Because of its strategic location, the Spaniards turned it into a major trade center, and in their native tongues called it the ‘harbor of galleons,’ or Puerto Galera, as it is still known.

These vessels, along with the proud conquistadors manning them, have long since vanished. Today, tourist boats and ferries alight in its place, shuttling through the waves a cargo quite different from colonists, though bound by a similar lust for discovery. Travelers, wanderers, explorers--- whatever the origin, every new visitor desires to experience this island’s legendary charm.

A mere four hours away from Manila, Puerto Galera is easily one of the best places to catch wanderlust. Besides being home to very friendly locals, Puerto Galera also cradles one of the most fascinating harbors in the world---a peninsula and an island surround the harbor’s perimeters and form a basin. From above, this appears much like a peaceful, palm-fringed lake. An abundance of wonders like this, along with coral reefs, waterfalls, mountain trails—many of them hidden still--- have rightfully earned Puerto Galera the title, “Pearl of the Mindoro.”

And though some areas—popular beaches, mostly--- have yielded to the demands of consumerism, a large part of the island remains unspoiled. It is this rustic appeal, these tiny little lands and inlets of paradise, that beckon dreamers to cross the seas---and then stay, spiritually, forever.

Recommended travel time to the island is December to May; the weather is always good Christmas through summer. For those seeking genuine solitude, Holy Week and White Beach must be avoided at all costs. You will find that the wildlife in this particular place and time is far from the flora and fauna kind. There are, after all, a great many more to see, discover and whole-heartedly dive into. Possibilities, as vast as the blue, blue sea await.

Animo

July 18th, 2006, 07:12 AM

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allan_dude

July 18th, 2006, 04:48 PM

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Sumaging Caves Sagada

Spelunking in the Philippine Caves

Many travelers are wary of going inside a cave, perhaps due to the primitive belief that monstrous creatures lurk inside. For some, there is the fear of bats, snakes, or whatever predator that they may chance upon.

But some adventurous souls have learned to conquer their fear and dared to explore the unknown. In time, cave exploration has become a sport. Spelunking or cave exploration is an activity fast gaining grounds. A memorable spelunking experience includes witnessing a variety of cave architectures, interesting formations, and a challenging route.

The Philippines provide a wide choice of spelunking activities for cave exploration enthusiasts. Between the country’s lush mountains and beaches are caves waiting to be explored or better yet, discovered for the first time. Indeed, the Philippines has its fair share of some of the most exotic and majestic caves in the world.

Sagada, in the Mountain Province, has caves so deep that local folks believe they extend down to the ends of the earth. With rich lime formations and ancestral burial sites, the caves of Sagada are truly enchanting and worth every spelunker’s visit.

Also up north in the province of Tuguegarao, is the famous Callao cave. A visitor to this cave will be treated to a spell-binding spectacle at dusk when thousands of bats fly out from the cave’s mouth. But the cave’s greatest attraction is the chapel of stalagmite and stalactite arches created like a European gothic church only this time the architect was mother nature and complete with a stone altar and a natural skylight.

In the caves of Mt. Banahaw in Quezon, natives say they cam communicate with the supernatural within the chambers. Visitors are likely to be treated to accounts of the legends behind each inner chamber.

Further down south, in Palawan, there is the St. Paul National Park with its caves explored through the underground river. Also in Palawan is the historic Tabon cave. This is where the fossilized skull of Philippines's first “modern man” was excavated along with other artifacts that are described as a cultural link between the archeological past and the ethnographic present. The Tabon Man is believed to have existed during the Ice Age.

More caves can be found around the Visayan region and the rest of the archipelago. They sit there waiting to be explored responsibly. Remember that caves are extremely fragile and vulnerable. A damaged stalactite will take thousands of years to regenerate. In some caves, mere touching of the rocks is prohibited. Taking pictures with flash may also cause damage as rocks can be sensitive to too much light.

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Callao Caves, Cagayan (North Luzon)
Photo by Paul Uy enlarge (http://static.flickr.com/76/192599037_2dbb50032e_o.jpg)

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Callao Caves
Photo by Paul Uy enlarge (http://static.flickr.com/69/192599036_087b180074_o.jpg)

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Ka Mira, Bohol Island
Photo by Ryan Macalandang

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Ka Mira is about 200 meters long wet cave. A constant flow of cool & clear water criss-crosses along the length of the cave.
Photo & text by Ryan Macalandang

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Hinagdanan Cave

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Sagada has an extensive system of caves and underground waterways. Lolo-ong and Matangkib Burial Cave are closed to cavers without permits. Sumaging (big cave)can be explored in four to six hours. The further into the cave you go the less bats you find and the more wet you get. Muddy and slippery rocks make the initial descent tricky but once you reach the smooth limestone and calcium formations you are all good since your barefeet have great grip. There are great places to swim and relax along the way.

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The St Paul Mountain Range consists of limestone, and is a typical tropic karst area with sharp ridges, and rounded peaks called towers. It shows pinnacles, shafts, dolines and limestone cliffs. The principal feature of the park is an underground river, more than 8km long and known as the Subterranean River or St Paul Cave. The river flows underground for almost its entire length. Its spring is at an altitude of 100m asl, 2km southwest of Mount St. Paul. Soon it is swallowed by the cave and reappears at St. Paul's Bay, where it flows directly into the sea.

The fact that the underground river flows directly into the sea is rather special. It is called a submarine karst spring. The lower portion of the river is brackish and subject to tidal influences and thus a unique habitat. The biodiversity in the park is very high as it shows both, a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and a sweetwater to saltwater ecosystem, plus the troglobitic ecosystem of the underground river. Most submarine springs are only accessible by divers, this is one of the few such rivers which the general public can easily visit.

St Pauls Cave is very impressive, with huge passages and enormous chambers. The biggest chamber is 120m wide and 60m high, the length is hard to define, as it is just a very wide section of the passage.

St Paul Cave was known to local Batak people since ancient times. According to legend it was inhabited by a spirit that prevented anybody from entering the cave. Today only 200-250 Batak survived, the surrounding area is inhabited by Tagbanua communities, who are christianized.

Babuyan River is another hydrological feature, stretching along the eastern side of the Park. source (http://www.showcaves.com/english/ph/caves/StPaul.html)

allan_dude

July 19th, 2006, 11:08 AM

...

jbkayaker12

July 19th, 2006, 11:10 AM

Animo

July 21st, 2006, 06:02 AM

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Hidden Valley is a resort located in Barangay Lamac, Pinamungahan, Cebu, which is about 2 hours from the city. It is 8Km from Lutopan, Toledo, Cebu and 14Km from Poblacion, Pinamungahan.

"Lamac" comes from the Visayan word Lamacan which means swampy area.

Among the 26 barangays of Pinamungahan, this Barangay is the smallest in terms of land area but one of the progressive and the third largest in terms of population. The main livelihood of the people is farming.

This was the venue of our Department Team-Building. The resort is located between the mountains and the road going to the resort was rough and bumpy . The place really seemed remote and far from "civilization" until we arrived in Lamac. We were surprised to find many houses and people in such a remote place. My officemates were all saying "No wonder it's called Hidden Valley!".

The resort is owned and managed by the Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC) and it kinda amazes me because seldom you will see a resort being owned by a cooperative put up the residents in the Barangay (of course with some financial help from the government and external sources).

diz

July 21st, 2006, 08:38 AM

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The Philippines' most active volcano, Mayon, is spewing lava again, since its major eruption in 1984...

Photos, courtesy of BBC News
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allan_dude

July 21st, 2006, 04:05 PM

Mayon planetarium also in danger zone

By Gil Francis G. Arevalo
Inquirer source & photo (http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=10734)

Published on Page A14 of the July 20, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

FOR students and tourists who wish to enjoy a “heaven on earth” experience while learning all about the majestic Mount Mayon, the Mayon planetarium is a perfect destination.

The facility, built on the volcano’s slope 854 meters above sea level, offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, San Miguel Island, Curangon Shoal, Mount Malinao (another volcano within the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire), nearby towns and lakes, and of course, the famous Mayon skyline.

It also features slide shows or presentations of the volcano’s activities for the past centuries.

But the tourist and educational attraction, also known as the Virtual Mayon Simulation and Observatory Facility, also faces Mayon’s fury when it erupts. It lies within the 6-km permanent danger zone.

Alex Baloloy, science research analyst of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said the 1,000-sq m planetarium compound is in the northeast quadrant of the volcano, identified as one of the critical areas in case of a major eruption.

Since the early 1990s, major eruptions have inflicted the greatest destruction in terms of casualties in the northeast and southeast quadrants.

“We can never really tell what particular portions will be affected or spared in case we raise the alert level to 4 or 5. Mayon Planetarium is one of the areas that will be directly hit by pyroclastic flows and lava trickles,” Baloloy said.

An alert level 4 or 5 means the permanent danger zone should be completely cleared of residents.

Since it opened in March, the planetarium has become one of the most-sought places to visit in Tabaco City. Aside from schools in Albay, institutions from neighboring provinces have also conducted educational tours there.

The Philippine Tourism Authority and the Department of Science and Technology highly recommended the facility early this year to be one of the pioneering educational sites in the region.

The one-story planetarium has four rooms housing the library, the virtual room, a mini-museum and an audiovisual hall.

It was constructed just 61 meters above the popular Mayon Skyline Hotel and Convention Center, which used to be known as the Mayon Rest House, according to city engineer Juan Berces.

“We considered both the challenge and the danger of building it there, but in cases like the declaration of alert level 3 status, of course, it is advisable for people not to go there. The fact is that Mayon does not erupt all the time and we are always coordinating with the Phivolcs, as well as the Tabaco City Disaster Coordinating Council as far as the status of Mayon is concerned,” Berces said.

Despite the possible danger, he added, many students and tourists are very eager to reach the place and enjoy a clear view of Mayon.

“It may look as if we’re not serious about what’s going on now, but we believe that being at the planetarium provides us an opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement of witnessing the actual eruption of Mt. Mayon,” said Ruben Barcoma, 19, a student and mountain climber from Tabaco.

Resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta cautioned that it would be better not to visit the place at this time because of the unpredictable behavior of Mayon.
---

FYI ONLY

Mayon Volcano

LOCATION:
ALBAY PROVINCE (Southernmost tip of Luzon Island/ See (http://www.malapascua.de/mayomap.gif) Philippine Geography)
about 600 km South East of Manila (13°15.4'N - 123°41.1'E)

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Height: 2,460 m asl
Base Circumference: 62.8 km (reckoned from 10-km radius) encompassing the towns of Camalig, Malilipot and Sto. Domingo
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano or Composite Volcano, composed of a sequence of pyroclastic andlava flows
Areas: 314.1 km² (estimated from 62.8 km base circumference)
Composition of Lava: Andesitic

Animo

July 22nd, 2006, 08:02 PM

SIPALAY CITY SCUBA DIVING AND BEACH RESORTS
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NATAASAN BEACH

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TAKATUKA DIVING

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WRECK DIVING

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EASY DIVING

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ARTISTIC DIVING

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TURTLE ISLAND

THAT'S WHY THEY CALLED ALSO A CITY NOT ONLY A MINING. YAHOO!!!
:tiasd:

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WWW.METROBACOLOD.CQ.BZ

jbkayaker12

July 22nd, 2006, 10:47 PM

panamaboy9016

July 23rd, 2006, 02:15 AM

That's a really nice beach. How come there is no hotel around it!?

Animo

July 23rd, 2006, 07:46 PM

That's a really nice beach. How come there is no hotel around it!?

^^ The region is still in progress. Two Spanish hotel chains will build their hotels in the Visayas region. :)

Spanish hotels to enter Asia via RP

Two Spanish hotel chains will soon invest in beach resorts in the Philippines.

The Department of Tourism reported that Occidental Hotels and Resorts and the Nueva Rumasa Group have chosen the Philippines as their first investment site in Asia.

The DOT said "None of the hotel chains in Spain have any investments in Asia. So this will be the first time for the two hotel chains to invest not only in the Philippines but in Asia."

Occidental and Rumasa will each invest P2 billion to P4 billion in beach resorts, and add a total of 800 to 1,000 rooms to current capacity. Occidental representatives will arrive next month to scout for locations, while Rumasa representatives will be visiting the country within the year.

allan_dude

July 24th, 2006, 03:50 PM

wow good news!! hope they'll build low density-high value resorts.. hmm somthing boutique style. it'll protect and preserve the islands, the community and tourists would enjoy more of nature at its best. they could still achieve the 1,000 rooms if they try to build 20 or so resorts and hotels across the archepelago.. and development wont be centered in the visayas alone, it would start as far north in batanes to the tawi-tawi group of islands near borneo. does it make sense?

more pics and brief description of Sipalay City POST: March 12th, 2006, 04:57 PM (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=314462&page=12&pp=20) :wave:

Animo

July 24th, 2006, 11:01 PM

^^ Here is a more detailed article. :)

RP inks 350-M euro deals with Spain

MADRID (via PLDT) — The Philippines will get some 350 million euros in fresh investments from Spanish businesses as a result of the visit of President Arroyo here while other deals remain in the pipeline.

Trade Secretary Peter Favila said Filipino businessmen and their counterparts were still finalizing other agreements for possible investments in the country.

He said Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, one of Spain’s top banks, will offer a 200-million euro credit line facility to Burgundy Global Exploration Corp. in Palawan.

Others include the development of Port Irene in Cagayan (50 million euros), hotels and resorts (50 million euros) and projects to facilitate growth and commerce (50 million euros).

"There are still ongoing talks between the Philippine and Spanish businessmen," he said.

Favila said Spanish investors in the Philippines would also meet with Mrs. Arroyo here such as the cement producer Semex and Soluciones, an electricity company with a stake in giant power retailer Manila Electric Co.

Favila said other businessmen were also interested in infrastructure projects such as railways, sea ports and others.

He added various areas of investments were discussed such as information technology, mining, defense system and technology, waste management, water treatment, tourism and even traffic systems.

Two large hotel chains in Spain, Favila said, would also meet with Mrs. Arroyo to determine whether they would push through with their investments in the Philippines to be able to establish a greater presence in Asia.

These are the Occidental and Ramada groups of hotels.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said they would offer Subic, Palawan, Boracay, Bohol and other provinces with great beaches to these prospective investors.

Durano said he had also met with Qatar airlines and the six largest tour operators here to be able to implement tourism promotion and attract more scuba divers to the Philippines.

He said it would be important to have a target market so its government would get a quick return on its investments in tourism promotion.

Durano noted only 8,000 Spanish tourists came to the Philippines last year but this could increase if diving sites and other beaches in the country were introduced to them properly.

allan_dude

July 27th, 2006, 01:27 PM

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allan_dude

July 27th, 2006, 02:00 PM

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Sinjin P.

July 27th, 2006, 03:06 PM

^^ I didn't know that Danao was that beautiful! It's a hidden gem...

Animo

July 28th, 2006, 08:36 PM

http://www.atlantishotel.com/puertogalera/images/resort_pg_01.jpghttp://www.atlantishotel.com/puertogalera/images/resort_pg_02.jpg
Website: http://www.atlantishotel.com/puertogalera/resort/

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Puerto Galera, one of the oldest settlements of the religious missionaries, was founded in 1574 as the original capital of Mindoro. Originally, the town was located at the Lagundian, now a "sitio", chosen by the Spanish authorities as the provincial capital due to its excellent harbor and natural beauty. But due to its susceptibility to moro raids, the Spaniards were forced to transfer the town from the Lagundian to the present site, which they named Puerto Galera. The town was popularly known as "Puerto Galera" (Port of the Galleons). Spanish galleons coming from Mexico and Spain used the presence of an excellent port or berthing place to take refuge during stormy weather before proceeding to Manila.

The mountains and the good harbor nearby served the Spaniards well as shields from the moro pirates and other marauders. Several guard houses and watch towers were built at the top of the surrounding mountains. The biggest was constructed at Dampalitan Point, north of the town facing Batangas Channel. Public and Military headquarters, hospitals, warehouses and a convent made of stone were also erected through the efforts of both the church and the state. A wharf was also built at Muelle Bay. Adjacent to this stood a warehouse for rice, which caught fire one night. It is widely believed that the charcoaled grains, popularly known as "black rice", till remain scattered at the shores of Muelle up to this day.

In 1837, the seat of government was transferred to Calapan due to the suitable agricultural plains and the Spaniards opted to stay there. When Puerto Galera was no longer the seat of the government, the Spanish government officials left the town and only the friars remained. A "cabesa" or "capitan del pueblo" was then appointed by the "governador" to collect the tributes or taxes from the people and to maintain peace and order. Among the heads of the town called "gobernadorcillos" who became famous were Jose Salamat, Juan Quinto, Aguido Cobarrubias and Hilarion Axalan.

Guarding the coasts of Puerto Galera was a Spanish warship, named "Cañonero Mariveles". However, on November 18, 1879, the ill-fated battleship was hit by a powerful storm, which caused it to sink outside the West Coast of Muelle. As a tribute to the lost ship and its crew, a wooden cross was erected right at the center of Muelle with the following inscription: "Ultima tierra que pesaron los tripolantes del Cañonero Mariveles el 18 de Noviembre de 1879, Memoria de sus campañero". As one of the greatest relics of the past century, this cross was renovated in 1938 by a Spanish national named Luis Gomez y Sotto.

Revolutionaries from Puerto Galera participated in the overthrow of the Spanish Government in Mindoro in 1898 -1900 under the leadership of brothers Miguel and Estanislao Cobarrubias Sr. During the American regime, a military governor by the name Captain Robert Offley was appointed. On November 2, 1902, Puerto Galera was again made the capital of the province until 1903. It was annexed to Calapan in 1905 as a barrio represented by Hilarion Axalan in the Calapan town council in 1916. In 1919 it was made a municipal district with Isidro Suzara as "municipal president".

On February 21, 1928, Under Act. No. 3415, it was organized into an independent municipality with Anacleto Atienza as first "municipal presidente". Estanislao Cobarrubias Sr. was the last "municipal presidente" of the civil government and the first municipal mayor of the commonwealth government.

On February 27, 1942, the Japanese air force and naval auxiliary occupied the town. Leoncio Axalan, who was supposed to end his term as mayor in 1942, was made to extend his term until 1946 because of his courage and integrity. It was indeed a great test for a man to run the affairs of the municipal government amidst the warring parties, the guerrillas and the Japanese.

After the liberation in 1946, then Governor Arturo Ignacio appointed Rafael Garcia as the municipal mayor of Puerto Galera. In 1948, Estanislao Brucal, an officer of the guerrilla unit in Mindoro during the Japanese occupation, became the first elected municipal mayor of Puerto Galera under the Republican form of Government.

In 1972, during the third term of Mayor Rogelio Cataquis, the sitios of Sto. Niño and Villaflor were created and organized into regular barangays together with the recognition of Poblacion as a duly organized barangay. On December 26, 1973, PD 354 was issued by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos making Puerto Galera a reservation area under the Man and Biosphere Program of the UNESCO.

Today, the beautiful and scenic Puerto Galera is the center of tourism in this province, making full use of its long line of white beaches and its abundant flora and fauna.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/restardo/Retrato/800px-PH_-_Puerto_Galera_-_White-2.jpg
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Animo

July 30th, 2006, 10:34 PM

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Vigan is an island, which used to be detached from the mainland by three rivers - the great Abra River, the Mestizo River and the Govantes River. It is unique among the Philippine towns because it is the country’s most extensive and only surviving historic city that dates back to the 15th century Spanish colonial period.

Vigan was an important coastal trading post in pre-colonial times. Long before the Spanish galleons, Chinese junks sailing from the South China Sea came to Isla de Bigan through the Mestizo River that surrounded the island. On board were sea-faring merchants that came to barter exotic goods from Asian kingdoms in exchange for gold, beeswax and other mountain products brought down by natives from the Cordilleras. Immigrants, mostly Chinese, settled in Vigan, intermarried with the natives and started the multi-cultural bloodline of the Bigueños.

In the book, The Philippine Island, Vol. III, p. 276, Blair and Robertson, two letters of Governor General Guido de Lavezares to King Philip II of Spain mentions: “It seemed best to send Captain Juan de Salcedo with 70 or 80 soldiers to people the coast of Los Ilocano on the shores of the river called Bigan.” Salcedo then sailed from Manila on May 20, 1572 and arrived in Vigan on June 12, 1572.

Thus, after the successful expedition and exploration of the North, Don Juan de Salcedo founded “Villa Fernandina de Vigan” in honor of King Philip II’s son, Prince Ferdinand who died at the tender age of four. From Vigan, Salcedo rounded the tip of Luzon and proceeded to pacify Camarines, Albay, and Catanduanes.

As a reward for his services to the King, Salcedo was awarded the old province of Ylocos which then composed of the Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union and some part of Mountain Province as his Encomienda and was accorded the title as Justicia Mayor de esta Provincia de Ylocos.

In January 1574, Salcedo returned to the capital of his Encomienda, Vigan, bringing with him some Augustian Missionaries to pioneer the evangelization of Ylocos and established a Spanish city, for the purpose of controlling the neighboring country.

Governor General Gomez Perez Darmarinas, in his Account of Encomienda dated in Manila on May 31, 1591 states: “The town of Vigan called Villa Fernandina has five or six Spanish citizens with one priest, a Justice, one Alcalde Mayor (Governor) and a Deputy. The King collects 800 tributes (equivalent to 3,200 subjects). During this period, the old Vigan was composed of 19 barrios.

In 1645-1660, Vigan was already divided into 21 Cavezas de Barangay as mentioned in the “libro de Casamiento”, the oldest records of the parish house of Vigan found in its Archives. Separated from the naturales, the Chinese have their own place of settlement called pariancillo, “Los Sangleyes del parian” and the Spaniards were residents in a villa called “Los Españoles de la Villa”.

How Vigan got its name is told from an anecdote carried by the tongue of generations, which tells of a Spaniard walking along the banks of the Mestizo River. There, he met a native of the place and stopped to inquire: “Como se Ilama usted de esta lugar?”

Not understanding a word of Spanish, the native scratched his head and upon seeing that the Spaniard was pointing to a plant, exclaimed in Ilocano: “Bigaa Apo”. Bigaa being Alcasia Macroniza, a giant Taro plant belonging to the Gabi family which used to thrive at the bank of the Mestizo River. From the name of the plant – Bigaa, whence Vigan derived its name.

Source: http://www.vigancity.gov.ph/content/view/31/34/

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allan_dude

August 6th, 2006, 05:53 PM

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normandb

August 6th, 2006, 06:06 PM

^^ sa isang kondisyon. pumunta ka sa Grand EB natin sa sabado, kahit sa dinner ka na lang pumunta ako nga sa dinner lang pupunta. text mo ko.

allan_dude

August 7th, 2006, 03:46 PM

^^ sa isang kondisyon. pumunta ka sa Grand EB natin sa sabado, kahit sa dinner ka na lang pumunta ako nga sa dinner lang pupunta. text mo ko.

free dinner? hehehe matatapos work ko 8pm.. sa valero st. makati lang ako nagwowork.. sunod nalang ako pag may gimmik/inuman! :cheers1:

text kita!

allan_dude

August 12th, 2006, 01:14 PM

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allan_dude

August 13th, 2006, 12:36 PM

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allan_dude

August 15th, 2006, 01:22 PM

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v3rtigo

August 19th, 2006, 09:45 AM

http://www.allhatnocattle.net/warty--pig-06.jpg

The Visayan warty pig is a small, forest-dwelling pig. Its diet includes cultivated vegetables and fallen fruits. It is usually found in groups of 4 - 5 individuals, with groups of up to a dozen individuals seen occasionally. Photo by Ken Bohn.

Animo

August 19th, 2006, 07:37 PM

^^ Interesting photo. :D About the Philippine seahorse I actually saw one being sold back when I was a kid in a pet shop. Would have like to buy one but that was before we had a fish tank. :)

allan_dude

August 21st, 2006, 01:52 PM

Big push to woo Koreans to live in RP

By Jerry E. Esplanada
Inquirer
Last updated 09:17pm (Mla time) 08/20/2006 Link (http://business.inq7.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=16310)

Published on page B1 of the August 21, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

DAEJEON, SOUTH KOREA--A perceived peace and order problem. Apprehensions over the political situation. Delay in the modernization of public infrastructures.

Notwithstanding those weaknesses, the government's foreign retirees program still managed to bring in more than $123 million in additional revenue from 2001 to 2005.

But the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) thinks it's not good enough.

The agency is set to launch shortly a worldwide campaign, which PRA chair Edgar Aglipay calls "Come (to the Philippines) and be our family."

"It will be an intensive PR and marketing campaign like Malaysia's 'Truly Asia' and Thailand's 'Amazing Thailand' tourism drives. And we firmly believe it would be good to start with the Koreans," Aglipay said.

The plan is to promote the Philippines as the Koreans' "second home."

South Korea is a "potential gold mine" as far as the Philippine retirement industry is concerned, according to the former chief of the Philippine National Police.

In 2001, South Korea had a population of 47.9 million, 34.07 million of whom were classified as either active or retiring while 3.48 million were either retired or elderly. Minors totaled 10.3 million.

Aglipay told the Inquirer that the South Koreans "obviously like Filipinos and what we have, and there is mutual respect and love for each other. Add to that the fact that there are now more Koreans in the Philippines than Filipinos in South Korea."

Aglipay's claims are affirmed by, among others, the print media here like the Korea Times, which reported recently that "more Koreans look to retire in the Philippines"

Said the daily: "For the past three decades, the Philippine government has been promoting the country as a retirement haven for foreigners. However, it is only in the last few years that they have actively sought Korean retirees."

Attractions
"Relying on its tropical weather, friendly people and low cost of living, the Philippines is touting itself as Asia's retirement haven to attract foreigners, especially Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Americans and Europeans."

The paper quoted Aglipay as having said that the government was "focusing on the Korean market because of the sheer volume of Koreans visiting the Philippines."

Koreans reportedly make up nearly 20 percent of foreign tourists to the Philippines.

Between January and April this year, more than 180,000 Korean tourists arrived in Manila, an increase of 10 percent over 2005 figures.

"With beach resorts in Boracay (Aklan), Cebu and Palawan always filled with Korean tourists, the Philippines' popularity as a leisure destination is undeniable. A Filipino resort owner said there are more Korean tourists in Boracay than Filipinos during summer," said the Korea Times.

Department of Tourism records showed that a total of 489,465 Koreans visited the country last year. There were 207,957 in 2001, 288,468 in 2002, 303,867 in 2003 and 378,602 Korean visitors in 2004.

According to the Korean newspaper, "the main attractions for Koreans traveling to the Philippines are the warm weather, low cost of living, good business opportunities and English-language education."

It also noted that "while Seoul continues to rank as one of the most expensive cities in the world (actually second after Moscow, according to a recent Newsweek magazine report), Manila has consistently been ranked as one of the least expensive."

"Living on 2 million won a month for Korean retirees in Seoul would be difficult. However, 2 million won converted into Philippine pesos or roughly P110,000 ($2,075) would make for easy living in the Philippines. For instance, a sizeable house in a gated community or a posh condominium unit can be rented for P20,000 to P30,000 a month (370,000 to 550,000 Korean won). For that money, the retirees can also have a car, driver, maid and send their children to a good school, and be able to live comfortably," the paper said.

'Korea towns'
The broadsheet also reported that "Koreans living in the Philippines should not get homesick as 'Korea towns' pop all over the country."

"One of the most well-known is in Barangay Poblacion in Makati (City). Here, there are dozens of Korean restaurants, churches, schools and supermarkets selling instant ramyon and kimchi. Even some Filipino-owned stores have signs written in Korean. Aside from Makati, many Korean retirees also choose to settle in quieter provincial cities such as Clark, Subic, Davao and Baguio."

The paper also featured Korean businessman Kim In-duk who had chosen to retire in Metro Manila because "the living conditions in the Philippines are better than in Korea."

The 62-year-old Kim lives with his wife and two sons in a Makati condominium. They have a vacation home in nearby Tagaytay City and "enjoy traveling the Philippines in their free time."

"Kim does not have any plans to live again in South Korea, saying he is content with his life in Manila. He is literally the poster boy for the Philippine (government) retirement program, since his face is displayed in pamphlets written in Korean and distributed around South Korea," including the Daejeon metropolitan city, a two-hour drive from Seoul and about 350 kilometers south of the Demilitarized Zone, which separates South Korea from the communist north.

The Inquirer traveled to Daejeon upon the invitation of the same Korean business group, which established the Philippine-Korean Cultural House in the South Korean capital.

The group, led by Son Jong Sun, James Kim and David Song, has vowed to promote not just Philippine cultural activities but also the PRA program.

Investors
In March, the PRA accredited at least 55 retirement villages and other facilities throughout the Philippines.

Just recently, a Korean business group expressed interest in putting up a retirement village in Nasugbu, Batangas, disclosed Aglipay.

But China still has the "greatest potential of all PRA's focus markets (worldwide) due to its size."

"The Philippines, through its SRRV mechanism, can tap into the motivations of the Chinese by presenting itself as a business destination and a location where Chinese entrepreneurs and businessmen can develop satellite offices and alternative businesses for their existing operations in mainland China."

Retirees visa
Applying for a Special Resident Retirees Visa (SRRV) in the Philippines is relatively easy. Applicants must be foreign nationals, 35 years old and above. Those aged 35 to 49 are required to make a cash deposit of $75,000, while those over 50 need to post cash deposit of $50,000.

The SRRV is a non-immigrant, multiple entry visa. It gives a foreigner the right to reside permanently in the Philippines.

SRRV benefits include exemption from the following: exit clearance and re-entry permit, Bureau of Customs duties and taxes for the importation of personal effects worth up to $7,000, special study permit, and the Bureau of Immigration's annual registration requirements.

Other benefits include tax-free remittance of annuities and pensions, guaranteed repatriation of retirement deposit and government assistance in obtaining an Alien Employment Permit.

South Korean retirees "can do almost everything except buy land and vote in the elections," according to Aglipay.

In the Philippines, he noted, Korean retirees could "experience hospitality, friendliness and innate respect and love for the elderly."

Aglipay also promised the Koreans "wherever your travels take you in our 7,107 islands, you will experience the unique charm of this historic land. Filipinos' zest for life has made us a world-class professional human resource."

For sure, he said, the Philippines was "definitely better than Malaysia or Thailand as retirees' destination this side of the globe."

"There are around 12 million Filipinos all over the world and that's already half of the population of Malaysia. They're highly skilled and caring people and definitely world-class. That's why, the Malaysians cannot claim they are better than us," he added.

allan_dude

August 22nd, 2006, 01:32 PM

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GreenPeas

August 22nd, 2006, 05:21 PM

nice one!

allan_dude

August 22nd, 2006, 06:16 PM

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jbkayaker12

August 23rd, 2006, 07:42 AM

allan_dude

September 2nd, 2006, 12:29 PM

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allan_dude

September 3rd, 2006, 11:10 AM

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normandb

September 3rd, 2006, 03:42 PM

where did you get this beautiful photos allan? gaganda ng mga pics :)

Animo

September 3rd, 2006, 07:14 PM

^^ Yeah, very beautiful. Sana lalaki ang kapasidad para sa turismo sa bansa. Qué bella! :)

allan_dude

September 4th, 2006, 03:10 PM

where did you get this beautiful photos allan? gaganda ng mga pics :)

napupulot ko! hihihihi minsan pasyal tayo dyan! :)

normandb

September 5th, 2006, 07:47 AM

napupulot ko! hihihihi minsan pasyal tayo dyan! :)

sure puntahan natin minsan yan... I'm just waiting for my vacation leave :D

allan_dude

September 5th, 2006, 01:01 PM

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allan_dude

September 7th, 2006, 09:43 AM

2 El Nido resorts make it to Conde Nast ‘Green List’

By Blanche Rivera
Inquirer
Last updated 03:17am (Mla time) 09/07/2006

Published on Page A1 of the September 7, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer source (http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=19469)

ENVIRONMENTAL protection efforts of two island resorts in Palawan province have landed the Philippines on the “Green List” of an international travel magazine touted to be the world’s best guide for tourists.

Miniloc Island Resort and Lagen Island Resort in El Nido town in northern Palawan are among this year’s 12 best and most environment-friendly resorts in the world, according to Conde Nast Traveler, which published the Green List in its September issue.

The other tourist destinations cited are in Antarctica, South Africa, Italy, Indonesia, Honduras and the United States.

“It’s very important to be included in this list … It’s a validation of our triple bottom-line approach (environmental bottom line, corporate social responsibility, financial bottom line) and a culmination of all our efforts,” Marigo Laririt, environment manager of the El Nido resorts, said.

The 12 best green destinations were chosen from among 80 resorts and tour operators who submitted their profiles to the magazine in December last year.

A survey done by Conde Nast Traveler among its readers showed that 75 percent deemed it important for hotels or resorts near impoverished areas to help uplift the lives of local residents through education and health care.

The Miniloc and Lagen resorts are owned and developed by Ten Knots Development Corp. Seventy-three percent of their workforce are local residents.

All employees -- from the gardeners to the divers and guides -- have been educated on the flora and fauna of El Nido, waste management, and how the preservation of the environment relates to their personal lives, Laririt said.

El Nido is known for its forest and marine resources, including 200 species of fish, 100 species of corals, 103 bird species, and 20 species of mammals, some of which are endemic to Palawan. It is also a nesting ground for three species of endangered turtles and boasts of huge limestone cliffs.

Educating guests

The resorts’ owner also allots 3 percent of its profits to environmental initiatives.

The resorts are also developing a standardized nature interpretation, where every guest would be provided with information on the natural surroundings of the resorts, including the introduction of the names of birds and fish.

“It’s heartfelt. We always try to find ways to relate to our guests how natural resources relate to us. People not just come and go. There is a deliberate effort to raise their environmental consciousness,” Laririt said.

From January to July, the El Nido resorts reported 12,735 room nights (the number of nights the rooms were occupied). Its top clients are Filipinos (20 percent), Koreans (20 percent), Japanese (10 percent), Europeans (10 percent) and North Americans (10 percent).

Other winners

Making it to the Green List “shows that environmentally sustainable practices can be done even in a Third World (country) like ours. It’s not a case of either development or environmental preservation,” Irma Rose C. Marcelo, executive director of the El Nido Foundation Inc., said in a phone interview.

The other top destinations are Nihiwatu in Indonesia, Grootbos Nature Reserve in South Africa, Aspen Skiing Company in Colorado, Adventure Life Journeys, which runs tours in Antarctica and Africa, La Ruta Moskitia in Honduras, and Tenuta di Spannochia in Italy.

Conde Nast Publications Ltd. is also known for its fashion and lifestyle magazines, including the widely popular Vogue, Tatler, Vanity Fair, GQ, World of Interiors and Brides.

VIRTUAL TOURS: EL NIDO RESORTS (http://www.elnidoresorts.com/virtualtours/) << must visit!!!
El Nido Resorts (http://www.elnidoresorts.com/index.asp)
www.elnidopalawan.com

allan_dude

September 7th, 2006, 10:49 AM

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allan_dude

September 9th, 2006, 11:13 AM

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allan_dude

September 10th, 2006, 09:37 AM

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allan_dude

September 11th, 2006, 12:56 PM

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allan_dude

September 14th, 2006, 11:23 AM

Tourists urged to have a blast in Batanes

By Blanche Rivera
Inquirer
Last updated 05:04am (Mla time) 09/14/2006

Published on Page A1 of the September 14, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

BATAN ISLAND, BATANES -- The provincial government hopes that in time, a blessing will finally emerge from the wind and rain that constantly lash these storm-battered islands.

Unfamiliar to foreigners and unchartered by most Filipinos, Batanes province, a cluster of seven islands on the northern tip of the Philippines, has practically been nothing more than a reference point for the weather bureau.

And its reputation as being “in the eye of the storm” has cost the province much-needed investments over the years, according to Vice Gov. Constante Castillejos.

“The problem is that PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) has made us a reference point for typhoons, and [investors] shy away from typhoons,” he told the Inquirer during a recent visit to the province.

But Castillejos is hoping the curse would soon become a come-on for tourists who thrive on adventure, and who may want to experience exactly what it’s like living with 200 kph winds and riding a faluwa (a local boat) over giant waves formed by three converging currents.

“Tourists would want to see the brunt of the typhoons. They will stay here. The negative can be used to our advantage,” Castillejos said.

Postcard-pretty

Less than 2,000 tourists were documented to have visited Batanes last year, a pity considering the sights -- and insights -- that this postcard-pretty place offers.

Batanes is known for its centuries-old stone houses and churches, lush hills and cliffs, and friendly folk called Ivatan. But few are aware that the frequent storms have developed a people so attuned to nature that they do not need a weather bureau to tell them when the wind will bring bad news.

“It’s different here from Manila, where even 30 kph winds can swoop down and destroy the shanties in, say, Tandang Sora,” said Castillejos, who once lived near the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City, where he studied for a master’s degree.

“Here, you have houses that have withstood storms. The walls are thick. The people here are prepared. They know when a storm’s coming,” he said.

So much so that when PAGASA raises Signal No. 2 or 3 in Batanes, a housewife tending her sari-sari (variety/convenience) store would not close shop for the day and a fisherman preparing to go out to sea would most likely proceed to get his catch.

“It’s just Signal No. 2. That’s nothing,” Leonardo Hostallero, a councilor in the municipality of Ivana, said as PAGASA raised a storm signal over the province and text messages started coming in from Manila, warning this reporter and friends that it was unsafe to stay because another storm was headed here.

Drizzle, soft breeze

“If you go to Batanes in July or August, better bring all your clothes and a resumé because you’re likely to spend Valentine’s Day there,” a PAGASA official once joked.

But Hostallero was actually correct.

Apart from a drizzle and a soft breeze, Storm Signal No. 2 did nothing to Batanes. The games and carabao fight for Basco’s 221st fiesta pushed through, and the Asian Spirit flight the next day was hardly delayed, much less cancelled.

(But municipal workers and students often get a break when storm signals are raised because provincial government and Department of Education officials are compelled to suspend classes or work.)

Castillejos travels frequently to Manila. Even when PAGASA officials have raised Signal No. 3 in Batanes, he does not cancel a planned trip home and goes to the Manila domestic airport anyway.

Past experiences have shown that the weather in Batanes as projected in Manila is hardly the way it is in the far-flung province, he said.

“Even the airline knows this,” he added. “When there is an announcement in Manila, airline officials simply call their office in Batanes and ask for the wind knots. And they fly when they’re told it’s safe to fly.”

‘Happy’

Batanes is almost two hours by plane from Manila. Of its seven islands, only three --Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat -- are inhabited. There are only over 15,000 people on the three islands, almost 10,000 of whom are in Batan, according to Castillejos.

“The only time people stay indoors is when they feel that the wind is too strong for them to even walk down the street -- and that should be around 180 to 200 kph,” Hostallero said.

Beth Valones, a native of Rizal province who has lived in Ivana for eight years, said the locals were often “happy” to hear an announcement of a storm because the wind would then be strong enough to cause coconuts to fall and logs to be washed down from the mountains for easy picking.

“You will see people going out to the shores and hillsides during a storm. It doesn’t bother them,” she said.

No longer a stranger to the province, Valones has found that the more difficult time for Batanes residents is not the typhoon season from June to December but the “winter months” from December to February.

‘Vakul’

Then, she said, the temperature could drop so low that “Baguio would seem hot,” and going out even with layers and layers of clothing would be an arduous task.

The Ivatan elders usually wear a kind of headdress called “vakul” to protect them from extreme heat and extreme cold.

The vakul is made from a type of grass that grows in Batanes (the same grass used for the native houses’ roofs) and has an abaca lining. Some also wear vests made from the same material.

The traditional Ivatan house is made of stone and lime, with walls about a meter thick. Its windows are small and few.

Some houses have a rock with a hole buried deep into the ground nearby. A rope tied through the hole in the rock and connected to the roof serves as an anchor ensuring that the roof would not get blown away during strong typhoons.

Even the two-story modern cement houses intermittently lining the roads of Basco have walls at least half a meter thick to withstand harsh winds.

“People here are used to living with storms,” Hostallero declared.

And visitors may have much to learn from living through their own depressions, literally.

normandb

September 25th, 2006, 02:04 AM

Palawan, is a diver's paradise, it has miles of sub-surface coral and rainbow reef walls which surround the coasts and coves teeming with rich marine life. It is wrapped in a mantel of rainforests, majestic mountains, primeval caves, and pristine beaches.

Matinloc Island, Palawan
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Lagoon, Palawan
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Estrella Falls, Palawan
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Massage Hut, Palawan
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Sinjin P.

September 26th, 2006, 09:34 AM

For tourists who wish to visit the Philippines, we have a thread specially made for you. Feel free to check it out here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=396584

allan_dude

October 8th, 2006, 11:29 AM

...

Sinjin P.

October 8th, 2006, 12:33 PM

^ No prob, I'd just like to promote the Philippines to the rest of the world :okay: I even created multilingual blogs dedicated to our country, you may check out the links on my sig.

allan_dude

October 8th, 2006, 01:39 PM

So patriotic of you sinjin! :) :)
--
check this out! Ananyana Resort (http://www.ananyana.com) in Panglao, Bohol
--

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allan_dude

October 8th, 2006, 01:42 PM

Diving and nearby islands

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Sinjin P.

October 8th, 2006, 01:50 PM

^ Why don't you post in the Philippine Forums too? Looks like you have a lot to contribute ;)

allan_dude

October 15th, 2006, 01:23 PM

RP world center of marine treasures

By Blanche Rivera
Published on page A1 of the October 15, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

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OFF the coast of Batangas, only about 60 feet underwater, is a thriving, throbbing marine rainforest, a place experts call the world’s blue water version of the Amazon River basin.

Familiar only to divers and local fishermen, the Verde Island passage has been found to have 1,736 overlapping marine species in a 10-km by 10-km area, the largest concentration of marine life in the world.

Concern over the need to protect the treasures beneath the waters of Verde Island has been raised in the wake of the recent massive oil spill that wrecked marine resources around Guimaras Island.

Located between the province of Batangas and the island of Mindoro, the Verde Passage corridor is dubbed “the center of the center of the center of the world’s marine shore fish biodiversity.”

“You have a very, very special marine natural heritage,” American marine biologist Kent Carpenter, global marine species assessment coordinator of World Conservation Union, said in a forum on marine biodiversity in Makati on Friday.

Carpenter and fellow researcher Victor Springer of the Smithsonian Institution were the ones who discovered in 2004 that the Philippines, not Indonesia, was the center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity in the world.

Straddling the Indo-Malaya-Philippines archipelago (IMPA), the Sulu Sulawesi Seascape occupies an area of 900,000 square kilometers and supports some 35 million people.

The seascape is at the heart of the coral triangle which accounts for 50 percent of the world’s coral reefs and is recognized as the center of the highest concentration of marine biodiversity in the world.

Carpenter, who has been doing comparative studies of marine resource concentration in the IMPA, found that central Philippines is the center of that center of marine biodiversity.

And at the heart of that is little-known Verde Island.

The site with the second greatest number of species is in Palau Bintan in Indonesia, which has 1,670 species in a 10 by 10 km area.

“You really have this international obligation and responsibility to preserve this marine counterpart of the Amazon River basin… If you were to preserve this, the world would benefit as well,” Carpenter said.

“But more important than that, you have something here that is a source of national pride,” he said.

Regulating shipping

The Amazon River Basin—covering 40 percent of the entire South American continent—is home to the largest rainforest on earth. The Amazon rainforest has more species of plants and animals than any other terrestrial ecosystem, hosting around 30 percent of the world’s species.

A single bush in the Amazon may have more species of ants than the entire British Isles, while one hectare of its forest may have more than 480 species of trees.

Speaking before environmentalists and government officials, Carpenter said the Philippines, which recently witnessed one of the worst oil spills that damaged vast marine resources in the Visayas, needed to exert more effort to take better care of its corals.

“The Philippines is in a crossroads. You need to take advantage of that in terms of economic support,” Carpenter said.

“I think what you need to do is to be more careful about the sort of shipping that goes through here. One of the proposals is to make the Verde Island passage a particularly sensitive shipping area, an international agreement,” he said.

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RARE: Pygmy seahorse no bigger than a fingernail. YVETTE LEE

Strict safety standards

The World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines has already proposed the delineation of particularly sensitive shipping areas (PSSA), where stricter maritime safety standards will be imposed on vessels using the route.

A WWF map shows that international and domestic sea lanes overlap with priority marine conservation sites. The National Disaster Coordinating Council, however, has yet to act on the proposal.

Livelihood and heritage

A tripartite partnership of First Philippine Conservation Inc., Conservation International-Philippines and First Gen Corp. started the Verde Island Integrated Conservation and Development Program in 2004 to eliminate destructive activities in the sea and promote the area as a prime tourist destination.

Carpenter said the Philippines needed to strictly enforce the laws and heed the suggestions and recommendations of environmental experts to protect its marine life.

“You have some of the best marine scientists in the world here. You have over 400 marine parks. You have people that support you. Somehow, you just need to get the enforcement there,” he said.

He said that despite bans on illegal fishing, he was aware that this illegal activity was still going on in several places in the Philippines, which has nearly 900 coastal municipalities.

“You have to increase your efforts to come to a sort of balance between livelihood and preserving your natural heritage,” Carpenter said.

Neutral!

October 15th, 2006, 08:32 PM

Very nice the Phillipines holds many a treasures.

great184

October 18th, 2006, 05:05 AM

To all those scrapermaniacs in the forum....

Panglao Island

The best future beach mecca! btr than crowded Boracay! No night life yet though! But Im ready to be the pioneer!

Animo

October 19th, 2006, 01:16 AM

By Adrian Carlo C. Velasco

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Bicolanos are natural-born entertainers. They never fail to put on a show. This is probably why the spicy peninsula is home to celebrities like Nora Aunor, Celia Rodriguez, Eddie Garcia, Mirriam Quiambao, etc.

Last year, a total of 501,378 domestic and foreign tourists visited Bicol (a six percent increase from 2004), with a marked spike in visitors every September, when Naga City welcomes hundreds of tourists to the Peñafrancia festival.

Cultural and military parades fire up the city, while bazaars and exhibits add color to the fiesta. It’s also a respite from schoolwork for students, whose classes are suspended up to three weeks so they can practice their production numbers.

Families open their homes to guests and give them a sample of the infamous Bicolano cuisine (laing, Bicol express, gata dishes and pili delicacies).

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Viva la Virgen!

Peñafrancia fiesta, held every third week of September, celebrates the feast day of Bicol’s patron saint—Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The celebration kicks off with Traslacion, where the image of Virgin Mary is carried from the shrine to the Naga Cathedral by a multitude of barefoot men. Ina, as devotees call her, is then returned to the shrine by fluvial procession along the Bicol river on the third Saturday. Thousands of pilgrims, as well as curious onlookers flock to the cathedral or wait along the riverbank to witness these processions.

In line with the Catholic custom, the Department of Tourism Region V, the city government of Naga and the Regional Development Council initiated an annual event, dubbed “Gayon Bicol Fiesta,” showcasing festivals from the region’s seven cities and six provinces. After being held in Intramuros for the past two years, the event was brought to Naga City last year, where the festivities were highlighted by a street dance parade competition, Peñafrancia fluvial procession and the Miss Bicol Festival Queen.

The province with an edge

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One of the offshoots of the festival is a tour of less popular destinations in Camarines Sur. Just a few minutes away from Naga, the provincial capitol complex in the capital Pili promises edgy amusement. Among the attractions in the wi-fi-capable center, headed by Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr., is the Camsur Watersports Complex. The six-hectare complex, with a six-point cable ski system, is the first of its kind in the Philippines and Asia. It features extreme sports like wakeboarding, kneeboarding, water skiing and wakeskating. The most popular is wakeboarding, where the rider stands on a single board with stationary nonrelease bindings for each foot, standing sideways.

Accomodation isn’t a problem if you plan to stay over the weekend. The Ecovillage, The Mansion Suites and the soon-to-open luxury villas and suites are all a stone’s throw away from the cable park and may be booked for very reasonable prices. The rooms are spacious equipped with cable-ready 29-inch TV sets, air-conditioning and other five-star services. Right in front of the mansion is the Information Technology Center, which houses a call center and animation studio—a first in the region. The complex also features the aviary, man-made caves and ampitheater, among others.

Nature trip

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If you’re up for a good ‘ol nature walk, escape to the soothing sights of Consocep Mountain Resort, 15 minutes away from Pili. Experience the serenity of Mt. Isarog while camping out under the forest canopy. Bathe in the crystal clear waters of three waterfalls—Tumaguiti, Kawa-kawa and Bulalacao. Groups can dine on banana trunks at the center park or climb and view the woods on top of the treehouse. Drop by the deer farm, where you can pet and feed Australian deer.

Virgin paradise

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Camarines Sur’s best kept secret is the white beach coast of Caramoan. The town is a 4,000 hectare limestone forest famous for its ecosystem, caves, untouched beaches and uninhabited islets. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources declared 380 hectares of Caramoan as a protected area in 1938. A nature-friendly resort is currently being developed in the area.

For inquiries, call (02) 523-8411, (054) 447-3159 or (6352) 820-3664 or log on to www.camarinessur.gov.ph or www.wowbicol.com.

Sources: DoT-V, Provincial Government of Camarines Sur
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=goodLife01_sept28_2006

allan_dude

October 24th, 2006, 10:52 PM

...

allan_dude

November 1st, 2006, 09:17 PM

Philippine tourism resort Boracay one of Asia's premier attractions: survey

An internationally claimed tourism magazine has confirmed that the Philippine powdery white sand resort of Boracay is still one of Asia's premier tourist attractions, said the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) Thursday.

The DOT quoted Singapore-based AdAsia publisher Allein Moore as saying that his magazine's readers are "in good position to judge because they are great travelers and fly around the region frequently on business as they are an affluent group and they expect high standards from the airlines and the hotels that service them."

The survey conducted by AdAsia hailed Boracay Island as one of Asia's premier attractions in Asia Pacific during the Second Annual Asia Travel and Tourism Creative Awards.

The powdery white beaches in Boracay joined the ranks of the Grand Palace in Thailand, Guchi Tunel in Vietnam, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, MT Cook in New Zealand, Gold Coast in Australia, and the Water Village in Brunei as the jewels of the region.

The DOT said most of the entries in the survey came from China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and the Philippines.

"Boracay has turned into the country's most recognized signature tourist destinations in the international tourism market," Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano said.

Source: Xinhua

allan_dude

November 5th, 2006, 06:53 PM

Discovering surfing paradise in Eastern Samar

By Vicente Labro

Published on page B1 of the November 5, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR—Calicoan Island here is positioning itself as a surfing paradise with its white sand beaches and big waves courtesy of the Pacific Ocean.

And its efforts just got a big boost when it played host to the 4th leg of the Philippine Surfing Championship Circuit.

Some 64 surfing enthusiasts from different parts of the country competed in surfing competition, last Oct. 18-21.

The competition also brought in scores of local and foreign visitors.

“This was the second time that the competition was held here in Guiuan,” said Zeny Pallugna, PSF secretary general and event organizer.

The PSF provided the technical staff and the judges and tabulators and took care of inviting surfers to join the event. It also promoted the island as a venue for international events.

The PSF, headed by Rep. Prospero Pichay, has started talks with the Association of Surfing Professionals in Queensland, Australia, on the possible holding of an international surfing competition in Calicoan Island, Pallugna says.

“I was tasked to take photos here (and) to make a report about Guiuan because we (the PSF) are recommending Guiuan to hold an international event in the near future,” she adds.

Calicoan is said to have two kinds of waves, the right-hander and the left-hander, meaning that surfers can move in to ride a wave either from the left or right side.

Joseph Olinduaso, the contest director, who has been surfing for 17 years now, says that the wave in Calicoan had its own character.

“Even if the wave is big, it is still friendly to the surfers,” he says.

“They (surfers) can still make certain kinds of maneuvers that the judges are looking for in the competition.”

According to Olindauso, the waves here are ideal for both beginners and seasoned surfers, unlike the waves of Siargao and Catanduanes which are more suited to the skilled surfers.

Among the contestants in the last competition was Dodo Espejon, the winner of the 2005 surfing finals.

The surfing competition here in Calicoan Island last year also lured a young boy to try riding the waves.

Now, the young boy—Dangie Lace, 13, who hails from Sulangan Island, the islet next to Calicoan—formally joined the competition.

He was the first and only contestant from Guiuan.

club_ultima2006

November 6th, 2006, 10:54 AM

If you are visiting Manila, never never never exchange money outside the MALLS. It is much better and safer to exchange your foreign money at the money changer inside the Mall area.

Just my cents!

Sinjin P.

November 6th, 2006, 11:19 AM

If you are visiting Manila, never never never exchange money outside the MALLS. It is much better and safer to exchange your foreign money at the money changer inside the Mall area.

Just my cents!

I'm sure you were able to watch the latest XxX episode... :yes:

Animo

November 12th, 2006, 04:59 AM

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The town fiesta is held annually in honor of the towns patron saint, San Clemente. It is highlighted by a procession where the images of San Clemente are taken to the river. A parade is held with higantes or huge papier mache effigies dressed in native costums.

The town of Angono in the province of Rizal will once again make us awe in wonder 6ith their giant effigies made of papier mache in its annual Higantes Festival. Higantes is a Spanish term meaning giants.

The town’s fiesta celebrated every November 22-23 in honor of its patron saint, Saint Clement (San Celemente).

During this time the image of Saint Clement is brought of the church for a procession and a fluvial parade at the Laguna de Bay. Aside from the parade of the Higantes, there are also other activities lined up for the occasion like the Brass Band/ Drum and Lyre Parade, and a beauty pageant.

The activities for November 22-23 are as follows:

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November 22 -BISPERAS MAYORES and HIGANTES FESTIVAL

8:00AM -Brass Band/ Drum and Lyre Parade National Road
Higantes Festival 2006
Street Dancing

12:00NN -Hot Air Balloon Display St. Clement Parish Church
1:30PM -Brass Band/ Drum and Lyre Parade National Road/ Main Streets
4:00PM -Baton Twirling Competition and Brass Band St. Clement Parish Church
And Drum and Lyre Competition

7:00 PM -National Costume Competition Angono Municipal Hall
MISS YOUNG INTERNATIONAL 2006

8:00PM -Hot Air Balloon Display St. Clement Parish Church
8:30PM-Fireworks Display St. Clement Parish Church
-Serenata ng mga Banda St. Clement Parish Church

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November 23 -FEAST OF SAINT CLEMENT/ ANGONO TOWN FIESTA

6:00AM -Concelebrated Mass St. Clement Parish Church
7:30AM -Hot Air Balloon Display St. Clement Parish Church
7:45AM -Procession for Saint Clement (going to the Bay) Main Roads and Streets

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Higantes Merrymaking
Parehadoras Procession

12:00NN -Fluvial Parade Laguna de Bay
1:00PM -Procession for Saint Clement (going back to church)
Higantes Merrymaking Main Roads and Streets
Parehadoras Procession

http://www.byahilo.com

Animo

November 17th, 2006, 07:25 PM

Juan Luna
(1857–1899)

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Untitled (Woman with Manton),
ca. 1880s. Oil on canvas.
Ayala Museum Collection
(Gift of Mercedes Zobel McMicking).

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Untitled (Lady at the Racetrack),
ca. 1880s. Oil on canvas.
Ayala Museum Collection
(Gift of Mercedes Zobel McMicking).

Fernando Amorsolo
(1892–1972)

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“Before the Feast” by Fernando Amorsolo, 1952, oil on canvas, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Sainz de Vicuña.

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Untitled (Palay Maiden), 1920. Oil on canvas. Ayala Museum Collection.

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Bagobo, 1932. Oil on canvas.
Ayala Museum Collection.

Fernando Zóbel
(1924–1984)

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Quatro Lineas, 1972. Oil on canvas.
Ayala Corporation Collection.

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Icaro, 1962. Oil on canvas.
Ayala Corporation Collection.

By Rome Jorge

We don’t get much respect. In many Asian art festivals—be it for painting, sculpture, dance or theater—the Philippines is often unrepresented. They don’t know what to make of us. The most reluctant of Asians, the most westernized of Asians and the un-Asian of Asians is what we are known to be. They don’t know where we’re coming from. We fail categorization. Those looking for art that is distinctly representative of each Asian nation—showcase stereotypes that define national identity by the exclusion of any foreign influences—cannot comprehend our culture—a young nation born of a mix of numerous civilizations, one defined not by purity but by inclusion and mutability. They just don’t get us. We freak them out.

“In the US, when they say Asian art, they mean Japan, China, Korea and India. The Philippines is often marginalized. Our art tends to be dismissed as a parochial copy of western forms because they are not aware of our long tradition we have of western academic painting. They tend to dismiss us as simply a colony because they don’t see the overarching history and development. We are a transnational culture that has for the last 500 years been an accommodation of eastern and western forms, therefore a legitimate expression they need to recognize,” attests Florida Capistrano-Baker, doctor of art history and director of the Ayala Museum. This poor world is deprived of our art. They don’t know what they’re missing.

But that is about to change. And we are calling upon no less than three of the greatest Filipino painters of all time—Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo and Fernando Zobel—to set them straight.

“Pioneers of Philippine Art: Luna, Amorsolo, Zobel,” a traveling version of the new Ayala Museum’s inaugural exhibit, opens at the Hambrecht Gallery of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco (AAMSF) from October 20 to January 7, 2007. Curated by Baker, the exhibit showcases 18 paintings by Luna, some 40 by Amorsolo and more than 50 by Zobel. The exhibit includes notably iconoclastic and highly revealing pieces, such as forays into social realism by Luna, a painting of an American lady in Filipiniana costume by Amorsolo and realistic portrait of Jose McMicking in the grand academic manner by Zobel.

Fernando Zobel de Ayala, president of Ayala Corp. who bares the name of one of the most influential painters in Philippine history, declares, “This will be a great way to showcase to Philippine art not just for the Filipino-American communities, many of whom reside in the California area, but also to all Americans.” He adds, “We have been bringing collections from abroad. But now we can showcase our art to some of the major institutions in the United States.” Baker explains that the exhibition narrative seeks to portray the evolution of Philippine art.

The exhibit is but the first of many. In an exclusive agreement, the Ayala Museum is set to organize an exhibit for the AAMSF every two years. “I suppose over time, I see no reason why more recent artists would not be introduced,” reveals Zobel.

Baker explains, “One of the focuses of the exhibit is on the experimentation of Juan Luna with social realism which was a 100 years ahead of the movement in the Philippines.” A Filipino of the 1800’s hell bent on proving his race the equal of its colonial rulers, Luna focused at besting his Spanish contemporaries at the then-accepted grand academic manner at a time when the likes of Claude Monet and Edward Degas dared ridicule and ostracism with their then-radical impressionistic approaches.

This new insight into his forays into social realism with its grim scenes of daily hardship reveals the man was braver in more ways than one.

“Fernando Amorsolo’s exhibit focuses on his pioneering work on the use of impressionistic techniques, his use of beauty as a statement of identity, as a statement of resistance against American colonial rule,” elucidates Baker. By providing truly Filipino archetypes of beauty with his idyllic rural landscapes glowing tropical light and with his glamorized morena women, National Artist Amorsolo defined and differentiated as early as the 1920’s our national identity from American pop culture hegemony.

Elucidating on Fernando Zobel, Baker reveals, “His work metamorphosed into nonobjective art where he tried to distill the essence of his subject through abstract expressionism.” Zobel, along with his contemporaries such as National Artists Cesar Legaspi and Victorio Edades were part of the famed 13 Moderns, the pioneering painters who broke free from conventions in the 1950’s with abstract expressionist, social realist and cubist works.

Baker reveals that already the impending exhibit has ignited discussions on Internet message boards among foreigners and locals about Luna, Amorsolo and Zobel. The world will soon know them better up close and personal.

Long ago, they showed us the way to back to ourselves. Now, they are set to lead the world into rediscovering our artistry. Then as always, Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo and Fernando Zobel are the pioneers of Philippine painting.

Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is located 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, California, USA. For details, call 4155813500, log-on to www.asianart.org or visit the Ayala Museum at Greenbelt Park Makati Avenue, call (+632)7577117 to 21or log-on to www.ayalamuseum.com.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/oct/09/yehey/life/20061009lif1.html

Animo

November 18th, 2006, 06:23 PM

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WE may have beaten him 485 years ago, but Ferdinand Magellan—the admiral who first spanned the Pacific in the service of Spain, and who also became the first western colonizer defeated by Asians—is now conquering the hearts of Filipinos.

This time, Spain seeks to win us over not with the sword, the cross or that turncoat Portuguese but with paella negra, jamon serano, chorizo, salchachon, manchego cheese, fabada asturiana, callos madrileña, tatalettes, gambas gabardina, jamon croquetas, amontillado, cava and rioja, not to mention a troupe of fun-loving Spaniards who know the complete lyrics to Yoyoy Villame’s comical tribute to a sailor our forefathers dispatched to meet his maker on our heavenly beaches. He may have died in Mactan, but the spirit of Magellan lives off the coast of Davao on Samal Island, home to Pearl Farm and the Flavors of Spain.

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This whole month of November, surrender to the allure of Spain’s irresistible wines, sumptuous tapas prepared by Chef Mikel Arriet Arruiz as well as some of the Philippine’s most pristine beaches and astounding dive sites as Pearl Farm Beach Resort hosts the “Flavors of Spain 2006.” You can even cap your blissful days and intoxicating nights by joining Pearl Farm general manager Juan Roca and his friends as they sing Villame’s classic novelty song “Magellan.” Suave and continental as Roca may be, even he lets loose after feasting on the finest tapas and wine. And so should you.

“Flavors of Spain” is a yearly event made possible by the Trade Commission of Spain and Fuego Hotels and Properties that manages Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay, Terrazaz de Punta Fuego and Club Punta Fuego both in Nasugbu and the Pearl Farm. “Flavors of Spain” started this year at the Ayala Museum on September 21.

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To indulge in the “Flavors of Spain” at the Pearl Farm is to appreciate Iberian culture and to love one’s own motherland even more. The perfect match to a beachside night is a finest bottle of gran reserva wine from Rioja. Sherry, a spirited and fiery wine fortified with brandy from the town of Jerez, makes perfect sense when paired with the salty and oily treats of tapas.

Tapas—traditionally bite size portions that can sustain one until lunch or dinnertime—has a rich colorful history. Some will tell you, doubtless over slices of ham, sausages or croquettes, the tapas originated when King Alfonso the 10th grew ill and could only consume small portions of food at a time. Upon his recovery, he decreed that no inn could serve alcohol without something to eat; he didn’t want any of his subjects to fall ill by drinking on an empty stomach. Others point to the habit of putting a piece of cheese or ham over one’s wine glass or goblet to prevent dust or insects from falling into the drink during long siestas. Regardless, it is at Pearl Farm that one appreciates best the rationale for tapas.

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Tapas make perfect sense after a morning spent working an appetite from a dive to explore Samal Island’s colorful coral gardens and Second World War Japanese wrecks; or an afternoon lounging by Pearl Farm’s Infinity Pool, so named because the water’s edge blends seamlessly with the sea; or a relaxing evening, receiving the most pleasurable massage at the Ylang Ylang Spa. Tapas, along with Spanish wines and spirits, are the perfect fuel on nights carousing at the portside Parola Bar where, deny as you might the morning after, you found yourself belting “Volare,” “La Bamba,” “Living La Vida Loca,” and yes, even “Magellan.”

Eat, drink, enjoy and understand. Indulge and surrender to pleasure. Sink your toes into the fine white sand. Feel the sea breeze in your hair. Feel the fire on your tongue as you sip rioja with your hamon. Taste the “Flavors of Spain” at Pearl Farm.

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Pearl Farm is at Kuputian, Samal Island. For details, visit the Manila sales office at 1504 Corporate Center, 139 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City or call 7501896, e-mail mlasm@pearlfarmresort.com or log-on to www.pearlfarmresort.com.

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:42 AM

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Aerial view of Mayon Volcano and Legazpi City

Photo by mikeorante

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:42 AM

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Aerial view of Mayon Volcano and Legazpi City

Photo by mikeorante

[dx]

November 20th, 2006, 05:55 AM

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Photos by C. Nasol

[dx]

November 20th, 2006, 09:47 AM

Mayon and Legazpi City

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[dx]

November 20th, 2006, 09:47 AM

Mayon and Legazpi City

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allan_dude

November 22nd, 2006, 04:32 PM

Luxury hotel chain coming back to RP

By Philip Tubeza
Inquirer

Published on Page A1 of the November 22, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

SINGAPORE -- A luxury boutique hotel chain, dubbed by a Filipino tourism official as at the top of its class, is returning to the Philippines more than a decade after it pulled out of the country.

Owners of the Banyan Tree chain gave one reason for their change of heart: The Philippines is a “very different” country now.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano yesterday said that Banyan Tree executives would scout for places in the Central Visayas next year to set up one or more resorts.

The announcement of Banyan Tree’s decision followed a meeting in Singapore on Monday between Ho Kwon Ping, the hotel’s executive chair, and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

A boutique hotel provides luxurious personalized services and facilities, unlike the general service provided by large hotel chains. Its size is relatively smaller, often ranging from three to 100 rooms, furnished with a certain theme and style.

This year, Banyan Tree’s branch in Phuket, Thailand, landed on the premium lists of hotels in the world, such as the 500 World’s Best in Asia, Top 100 Hotels in the World (33rd) and Best Overseas Spa, according to the Banyan Tree website.

“Their category is boutique resorts and they’re the number one brand in Asia,” Durano said.

He said Banyan Tree was in the league of classy hotels with the Aman group of resorts, which runs Amanpulo, the most expensive resort in the country, which charges more than $1,000 a night.

$400 a night

Banyan Tree usually charges $400 to $800 a night, with one villa in its resorts costing P10 to P50 million to build, Durano said.

“These are the really high-end big resorts. It shouldn’t be more than a hundred rooms per resort, the really ultra luxury type,” he said.

“If that brand will come to the Philippines (and invest in Palawan), it will put Palawan on the international tourism map,” Durano added.

Ho said his group would look at Palawan and Cebu but declined to give specific areas to prevent real estate prices in these areas from soaring.

He said that Banyan Tree decided to give the Philippines a second look because of the improved political and economic situation in the country.

“I think in the last several years, the whole economic and political situation in the Philippines has certainly changed compared to the past,” Ho told reporters after meeting Ms Arroyo.

“It has become politically and economically far more stable. The economy is growing well. Global tourism, of course, is growing strongly,” he added.

Why Banyan Tree left

“And we’ve always known that the foreign tourist community’s interest in the Philippines has never waned. So it’s not a matter of creating demand. The demand has always been there for the Philippines.”

Ho said “a complex web of factors ... from political to economic to infrastructural” caused Banyan Tree to quit the Philippines in the early 1990s. These factors also discouraged investors from coming.

“Access was not easy and so on. People after a while did not have the confidence to invest because if you did not have the backup facility you may not succeed,” he said.

“(But) I think there is great credibility today in the global community in the government of the Philippines. And that credibility has prompted many investors, from myself in tourism to investors in other areas, to really want to take a very serious look at the Philippines,” he added.

Ms Arroyo’s map

Durano said Ms Arroyo showed Ho a map of the Philippines and suggested areas where Banyan Tree could invest.

“I had a very interesting, very fruitful discussion with Madame President, where we indicated the interest of the Banyan Tree group to invest and to operate in the Philippines,” Ho said.

“I mentioned to her that we had actually been involved in the Philippines a number of years but we pulled out.”

Ho said Banyan Tree had resorts in over 30 countries, from China to Mexico and Europe, “but we unfortunately neglected the Philippines.”

‘Very difficult choice’

He said Ms Arroyo gave a “very impressive” presentation during Monday’s lunch.

“Many members of the Singapore business community, I think, have a view of the Philippines now that is very different than before,” Ho said.

“We are now committed to the President and we will be going within the first quarter of next year to look at several sites to do maybe one or possibly more Banyan Tree resorts,” he said.

Ho said there were “many places of beauty” in the Philippines.

“The choice is going to be very difficult,” he said.

glennanthony55

November 28th, 2006, 05:00 PM

Shouldn't DOT change the tag line from more than the usual to--> more than the unusual.. maybe it'd sound more like what they're trying to sell us for? Originality ayt?

Animo

December 1st, 2006, 06:53 PM

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flickr.com - In Between Dreams

allan_dude

December 17th, 2006, 02:44 AM

Govt welcomes more budget airlines to meet tourism targets

By Angelo Samonte and Darwin Amojelar, Reporters
The Manila Times
Sunday, December 17, 2006

Because it does not want to fail in its tourist-arrival-volume targets—3 million by end 2006 and 5 million by end of 2010—the government will welcome more alien-owned budget airlines to operate in the country.

Compared to our neighbors, Philippine tourist arrivals are pitiful. For a decade now, Thailand has been getting 7 to 10 million a year. Hong Kong began to receive 8 million also a decade ago. Little Singapore is getting about the same number.

The “no frills, no extras, no food just low fare” business model for airlines was introduced to the Philippines by foreign budget airlines more than a year ago. It revolutionized the Philippine airline industry and put pressure on local carriers to lower their fares.

In April 2005, the Philippine government permitted low-cost carriers Tiger Airways of Singapore and Air Asia Berhad of Malaysia to operate at Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga, as part of its effort to increase foreign visitor arrivals in the country.

Since the end of 2005, Tiger Airways has had 14 flights a week with daily flights to Singapore and another daily flight to Macau, while Air Asia Berhad has had 14 flights a week with daily flights to Kota Kinabalu and to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

US originated idea

A budget airline or low-cost carrier offers low fares in exchange for many traditional passenger services. Originated in the United States and immediately successful in Europe, the low-cost airline model has created competition and new demands for travel in Asia particularly in the Philippines.

In an interview, Porvenir P. Porciuncula, deputy executive director and head Economic Planning and Research of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), said the entry of foreign budget airline in the country particularly in Clark is part of the government’s developmental routes to bring traffic and attract foreign tourists.

Porciuncula said it started in 1995, when CAB granted Tiger Airways a permit to operate through the regulator’s liberalized charter because of the bilateral agreement with Singapore.

The Philippine government is banking on the liberalization of air transport, which will pave the way for the entry of more foreign budget airlines to achieve the 3 million tourist arrivals in 2006 and 5 million by 2010.

Data from the Department of Tourism show that foreign visitors arrivals to the Philippines grew 8.2 percent in October to 223,818 from 206,792 in the same period last year.

This brought the total arrival figure to 2.31 million in the first 10 months of the year from last year’s 2.114 million a year ago.

The US remained the No. 1 market for Philippine tourism, with 467,066 arrivals during the period followed by Korean with 452,839; Japan, 357,743 and China with 110,525 arrivals.

Other top sources of international visitors were Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Creates competition

Currently, the CAB official said, local carriers have not been negatively affected by the entry of foreign budget airlines.

“Not at this point, because the foreign budget airlines are limited to Clark and the kind of market that they are serving, it’s not really eaten up much of [the local market share], although there some impact because most of overseas Filipino workers opt to fly on budget airlines,” Porciuncula said.

Although there was no direct impact on the local airlines’ operation, Porciuncula said that there is a pressure on setting fare regulations because the low-cost carrier are offering competitive fares that have impacted on PAL and other the local carriers.

Board of Investment

The government has declared that it remains supportive to new investors entering low cost carrier operations in the country as long as it benefits the consumers.

“As long as new budget airlines favor the consumers by lowering their air fares, the government will remain willing to grant incentives to new investors,” said Trade Undersecretary Elmer C. Hernandez, who is also the managing head of the Board of Investments (BOI).

So far, however, only Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), which is carrying out a massive refleeting program, was granted government perks by the BOI.

Philippine Airlines, the country’s original flag carrier, is also expected to apply for government perks for a similar program.

BOI has granted pioneer incentives to the P21.146-billion refleeting project of Gokongwei-owned CEB, the country’s second flagship carrier that involves 14 new Airbus aircraft servicing local and international routes.

Hernandez said the BOI treats the 14 new aircraft as one project because they will replace the company’s existing fleet of DC-9 aircraft.

And as a pioneer project, the company is entitled to a six-year income tax holiday and a low one-percent duty on the importation of capital equipment, among other perks.

Reckoning of the tax holiday will in January 2007 when all the planes are delivered. CEB’s new planes have arrived in tranches. Deliveries will be completed in early 2007.

“Cebu Pacific will only enjoy the ITH when all the 14 aircraft have arrived because it would be easier to monitor for incentive administration purposes,” Hernandez said.

In treating all the 14 new aircraft as one project, CEB opted for a single registration because it is phasing out the entire old fleet. The company also showed proof from the Air Transport Office that it is phasing out its old fleet, Hernandez said.

The issue of whether the BOI has to treat the company’s registration on a per aircraft basis or as a single project is crucial because if the incentives would be given on the per aircraft basis, CEB may be able to avail itself of a longer ITH incentive.

Under its refleeting schedule, CEB will bring in 6 aircraft this year, 6 next year and 2 more in 2007. So far, the airline already received two Airbus 320s on lease. Two A319s were also delivered this year and two more are to arrive before the end of the year. The last delivery will be in 2007.

CEB, the airline unit of publicly listed JG Summit Holdings Inc., said its project is financed through an 85-percent aircraft financing agreement with export credit agencies.

CEB’s $670-million refleeting program will make the company’s fleet the youngest in the Philippines and one of the newest in Asia. The program aims at replacing all its entire DC-9s aircraft, with ages averaging 25 to 27 years old.

With new aircraft and added routes, the company said it expects a more efficient operation.

[dx]

December 20th, 2006, 04:41 AM

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Pics taken from Cebu Pacific, bound for Legazpi City, Dec. 18, 2006
Can anyone identify where these places are? :)

[dx]

December 20th, 2006, 04:41 AM

Animo

December 22nd, 2006, 10:10 AM

By Marlon Alexander Luistro
Inquirer
Last updated 06:53am (Mla time) 12/07/2006

Published on Page A16 of the December 7, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

WHY go to Navarre in Spain to get chased by bulls when you can experience the thrill in the Philippines?

Nasugbu town in Batangas, which prides itself for its white sand beaches, resorts and vacation houses, launched its first Fiesta de Toros, highlighting bull runs, on Dec. 2-3 in honor of its patron St. Francis Xavier, a native of Navarre who celebrates his 500th birth anniversary.

The affair marked the first and only local version of Spain’s traditional bull run in Pamplona, Navarre, dedicated to its patron saint, which attracts thousands of tourists every year.

The bull run, or encierro, in Pamplona is held on July 7 as part of the weeklong feast of Saint Fermin from July 6 to July 14.

Since the 1500s, extremely agitated fighting bulls have been set loose every year through a narrow 825-mile (512.7-km) street, to go after tough runners and thrill-seeking tourists in an exciting—yet deadly—chase.

Two firecracker blasts the signal to the participants that the bulls have already been freed from their corral.

Since 1925, 15 people have been killed. They included a 22-year-old American in 1995 and a Basque man in 2004, who fell into a coma for several months after the run.

Over 200 have been seriously injured. Most injuries, however, usually occur during the stampede of people running away from the bulls.

Those surviving the hours-long chase are believed to have been protected by Saint Fermin.

History

Dez Bautista, founding president of the Film Production Designers Association of the Philippines, conceptualized Nasugbu’s Fiesta de Toros, together with Dr. Alberto Wonchai.

Wonchai admitted that their town might not be prepared for a real bull run as practiced in Spain. For instance, bulls, unlike horses and carabaos, are extremely agitated whenever they are separated one by one from the pack.

As part of safety measures, the town modified the event by making papier-mâché or dummy bulls worn like mascots to chase people in the plaza. Such festivity was held after the awarding of beautifully decorated cows on Dec. 2, the eve of the fiesta, and the next day’s concelebrated Mass.

The idea of a festival arose from Wonchai’s childhood experience in 1950s. He recalled how the villagers were “making fun” of the papier-mâché bull chase.

He also believed that the Jesuit missionaries, who had settled in Nasugbu during the Spanish colonization, popularized the bull run among the natives “to work themselves out of depression.”

The tradition, however, died since people then were not yet engaged in tourism promotion, Wonchai explained.

Batangas beef

He said Nasugbu had been searching long for a single product to promote itself apart from beach resorts.

Msgr. Alfredo Madlangbayan, St. Francis Xavier parish priest, lamented that while Batangas had become popular for its beef, the product had never been “given a special treatment.”

The term “Batangas beef” has emerged from the good quality cattle produced in the province, the primary source of beef in the Philippines.

Travel website cockatoo.com says that “as local cattle are not of the US hybrid kind, which are not bred for tropical climates, and as less grain is fed to the cattle, the Philippine beef is commonly leaner and has thinner meat fibers than US beef.”

As it is leaner, it adds, local beef is also less tender than US beef.

Nasugbu Mayor Antonio Barcelon said Batangas cows were generally fed natural grass mixed with molasses and without any other additives, thus producing quality beef taste.

Since Nasugbu has devoted 78 percent of its land to agriculture, Madlangbayan saw its potential to become the primary source of Batangas beef.

He said the festival encouraged the municipal government to coordinate with concerned sectors for the improvement of its breeding cows and to teach farmers how to produce quality beef and dairy products.

At the same time, Wonchai said it would serve as an invitation to rich people vacationing in Punta Fuego to share their resources for the cattle industry, thus offering more livelihood opportunities for the townsfolk.

This year, colorfully decorated cows represented the 43 barangays, each with a distinct theme reflecting Filipino creativity in the Parada de Toros.

Key design concepts included “Money Pac Cow,” featuring a cow wearing boxing gloves and rosary beads paying tribute to boxing hero Manny Pacquiao. Other cows were dressed as Santa Claus, a peacock, an American Indian and a doll.

All the animals were blessed during the parade.

Bests

Awards were given for the Most Beautifully Decorated Cow, Most Beautifully Decorated Carromata, Biggest Cow, Healthiest Cow and Sexiest Cow.

Patterned after the night drinking spree in Pamplona, a “Roast Beef Festival” and Oktoberfest were held in the evening of Dec. 2.

Lechon beef and beer overflowed, while rock bands performed.

But more than the product orientation and tourism pull, the festival prides itself on its strong religious orientation, honoring St. Francis Xavier, the patron of missionaries.

Wonchai noted that the successful festivals in the country were those with a religious touch, like the Ati-Atihan dedicated to the Sto. Niño.

St. Francis Xavier’s relics, which had just arrived last month, were shown during the Mass at the newly constructed 1,101-square-meter parish church bearing his name.

“New relic, new festival, new church—this is what we have in our fiesta,” Wonchai said.

Madlangbayan stressed: “The church wishes that through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, male and female cows would be blessed by God and good quality Batangas beef may be produced in the future.”

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=36855

flesh_is_weak

December 24th, 2006, 08:13 PM

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http://k41.pbase.com/g3/13/303913/2/55877726._MG_0334.jpg

http://i.pbase.com/g3/13/303913/2/55877739._MG_07971.jpg

http://mishuna.image.pbase.com/g3/13/303913/2/55881110._MG_0216.jpg

http://mishuna.image.pbase.com/g3/13/303913/2/55881120._MG_0670.jpg

i vow never to leave the borders of this country, not until my feet touch the soil of batanes...

flesh_is_weak

December 24th, 2006, 08:25 PM

@allandude: where did you get those aerials of northern islands? they're simply awesome...

and i found out that at least one of those is for sale...

thanks man, you just gave me another reason to succeed in life...to buy my own private island...oh yeah, just found out from a site selling islands that real estate is dirt cheap here in the philippines...even cheaper compared to africa...why so?

allan_dude

January 2nd, 2007, 12:52 PM

@allandude: where did you get those aerials of northern islands? they're simply awesome...

and i found out that at least one of those is for sale...

THANKS!! well humm... lets just say i got those while travelling over the net. :nuts:

im not sure if those islands are up for sale coz what i know batanes is a protected area..

one question, ever you imagine yourself living at the center of typhoon alley?

ivanhenares

January 4th, 2007, 03:46 AM

My latest Philippine entry is on San Nicolas, Binondo and Intramuros...
http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com/2006/12/inside-outside-and-on-walls.html

jbkayaker12

January 4th, 2007, 11:39 AM

ivanhenares

January 4th, 2007, 02:45 PM

^^ Thanks for visiting. Wow! Difficult choice. If you're after nature and the beach, go for Palawan. If you want a taste of heritage too, then Bohol is the place.

jbkayaker12

January 4th, 2007, 07:48 PM

jbkayaker12

January 7th, 2007, 05:31 AM

jbkayaker12

January 7th, 2007, 05:44 AM

allan_dude

January 7th, 2007, 01:46 PM

Party animals can also check out Sinulog (http://www.sinulog.ph/) in Cebu and Dinagyang (http://www.exploreiloilo.com/dinagyang07/dinagyang-2007-schedule-of-activities/) in Iloilo happening this January.. ^^

Animo

January 10th, 2007, 10:07 PM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/146309087_f4b90f9a83.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/146311764_37fcc29662.jpg?v=0

By Deni Rose M. Afinidad

FOR most Filipinos, a loved one’s arrival and departure calls for a celebration. A farewell gathering is thrown for the emigrant; whereas a welcome-back shindig is tossed for the balikbayan. Singlehood is sealed by a stag party or a bridal shower; while a newborn is greeted with a baby bash.

The least known of these rituals is the dancing of the Filipino women to welcome or send off their town’s fishermen—a rite that is now a popular festival in Oriental Mindoro.

This festival, dubbed the Pandang Gitab or the “Festival of Lights,” was coined after the famous Filipino folk dance, pandanggo sa ilaw, and dagitab (flicker of light). It involves lively street dancing, adapting the basic steps and music of the original pandanggo sa ilaw.

Celebrated every second week of November as a major event in commemoration of Oriental Mindoro’s founding anniversary, the Pandang Gitab festival recently capped its third installment, participated by hundreds of performers from eight different sectors of the province—schools, cooperatives, and non-government organizations, among others.

Pandanggo sa ilaw, where Pandang Gitab was derived, is a popular dance of grace and balance that begun in Lubang Island, Mindoro. It was danced as a send-off and welcome to the male villagers going out to sea for fishing in the cold early hours of the morning.

The term pandanggo came from the Spanish word fandango, which is a dance characterized by lively steps and clapping that varies in rhythm in three-fourths time. As props, dancers of the pandanggo use three tinghoys, balanced on the head and at the back of each hand. The dancers then gyrate their hips and torso, while the lighted wicks of the tinghoys helplessly flicker like fireflies in the wind-kissed darkness of the seafront.

From the harbor, the Mindoreños carried their famed pandanggo sa ilaw in the streets of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro’s capital. The road then seemed like an oasis of light, covered by a flood of dancers in traditional and re-engineered ternos and barongs.

The dancers’ costumes varied from plain to flashy, mostly with floral prints and dominantly orange hues. Some even demonstrated themed outfits, ranging from the sallow reconnaissance of the katipuneros, up an adrenaline high to Rio’s Carnival Festival.

Boys and girls, young and old—they all swayed their arms and hips without a trace of nervousness, as if dancing has become as natural as breathing.

Enduring the heat of the candles in their heads and palms, the participants bopped all the way down the 2-km stretch of the street, carrying with them their iridescent candles in glass, in bamboos, in coconut shells, or even in recycled soft drink bottles.

As cherry on the icing, some groups carried life-size statues and props. Some danced, alongside their army of drum and xylophone players. Some even performed on barefoot.

But the most remarkable of all were two groups of students that incorporated exhibitions and cheering routines in their steps. One group had a couple of girls dancing and balancing their candles while being raised in moving, elevated platform; whereas the other one created moving human pyramids whose layers of performers were balancing lighted candles on their heads!

Besides the lights and the sights, the scent of burning candles wafted in the air, while the loud, waltz-like melody of the pandanggo repeatedly played without cuts.

Where it is safe from catching fire, and where one could still suppress the worry that any of the escalated candles might hit the sagging electric wires, there stood the intrigued audience—composed of locals and tourists alike—taking pictures of their favorites, or simply marveling at the fruits of Filipino creativity and hard work.

As a side event to the Pandang Gitab Festival, a drums and glockenspiel competition was held at the provincial capitol the next day, in which more than 10 schools competed in rendering the Marsta ng Mindoro song, coupled with their choice of contemporary piece.

Overall, the third Pandang Gitab Festival did not only increase the demand for candles and matches, but also the demand for cooperation among the Mindoreños. In fact, the P50,000 grand prize that was at stake was too scanty to cover the effort and expenses of a group of at least 50 dancers, which shouldered one-month preparations, and shelled out personal funds for costumes, props, and their choreographers’ talent fees.

But despite the meager reward, one would wonder why many still joined the festival. Perhaps, it was not all about the money. For the sake of artistry, the Mindoreños gave it their all.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=goodLife1_jan11_2007

jbkayaker12

January 11th, 2007, 10:31 AM

Nice below the surface pictures on this site.

http://www.scubadivephilippines.com

jbkayaker12

January 12th, 2007, 09:22 AM

Diving safari.

Diving in the Philippines ( http://www.prosafari.com)

jbkayaker12

January 12th, 2007, 07:48 PM

jbkayaker12

January 13th, 2007, 08:31 AM

jbkayaker12

January 14th, 2007, 07:55 AM

jbkayaker12

January 15th, 2007, 03:35 AM

[dx]

January 15th, 2007, 06:30 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/morong_church_facade.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/morong_church_facade_detail.jpg

Morong Church
Photo by Erik Joseph Castelo
(http://www.trekearth.com/members/ErikJC/)

[dx]

January 15th, 2007, 06:30 AM

Lili

January 16th, 2007, 06:25 AM

Beautiful! I like this thread! :)

metrosuburban

January 17th, 2007, 12:33 AM

waahh!!! I love it!! I love it!!

aranetacoliseum

January 20th, 2007, 07:08 PM

THE MODERN SIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES

By the way guys, My flight to Taiwan was early this morning and this is my shot of Metro Manila Skyline at around 8:00AM. Middle is Makati CBD, bottom is Fort Bonifacio Global City, right is Rockwell center, and the cluster farther in the top of the frame is Manila.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/wynngd/DSC_0032es.jpg

@Araneta: Wow, Quezon Bridge does look European.

Works of Gustav Eiffel in Manila
The Quezon Bridge
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/11/14400679_dea8522f08_o.jpg

Iglesia de San Sebastian
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/156201837_08f6a3f8b6.jpg

Other Photos
Bonifacio High Street - a new outdoor retail development
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/155/342077161_632ad1429d.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/351588219_12c02f517b.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/342077168_c707a130e3.jpg?v=0

Rockwell Center
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/352692129_cadfbc59b6.jpg?v=0

PowerPlant Mall at Rockwell Center
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/331749334_89b01c3290.jpg?v=0

The Ayala Center shopping district
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/336085264_412d68beb8.jpg?v=0

Then again, old Manila
The old HongKong Shanghai Banking Corp. Building
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/135/333766802_1b98357004.jpg?v=0

El Hogar Building
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/333766946_143f206e6d.jpg?v=0

Pasig River banks
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/333767101_83af7c59d4.jpg?v=0

luv it! luv it!

kevinb

January 21st, 2007, 07:30 AM

^^ Simply amazing. One of SEAs best cities.:D

jbkayaker12

January 23rd, 2007, 07:32 AM

wynngd

January 23rd, 2007, 08:24 AM

Have you seen Coron, Palawan? (my 2006 summer break away)

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/725/7037100_3040es.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/wynngd/100_3266es.jpg

Island Hoping

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/wynngd/100_3211es.jpg

Kalayan Lake (considered the cleanest lake in the country)

Entrance
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/wynngd/100_3127es.jpg

Clear deep water
http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/719/7037100_3146es2.jpg

Tall Volcano closer

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/724/7037taal_crater_small.jpg
http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/724/7037down_sides.jpg

jbkayaker12

January 23rd, 2007, 07:56 PM

jbkayaker12

January 24th, 2007, 09:24 AM

flesh_is_weak

January 25th, 2007, 04:47 PM

is kalayan lake the one in palawan where they have thousands of non-stinging jellyfish?

wynngd

January 25th, 2007, 06:19 PM

I've never seen that in kalayan lake in Coron. There are caves in the side wall of the lake but I never encountered this Jellyfish. It is so clean that they forbid doing scuba diving.

redu23

January 26th, 2007, 06:42 AM

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i103/petpetyalic/b4886826.jpg
*********************
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i103/petpetyalic/b4886803.jpg
*********************
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i103/petpetyalic/b4886816.jpg

redu23

January 26th, 2007, 06:55 AM

Taal Volcano crater.:)
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i103/petpetyalic/Stitched_001.jpg

flesh_is_weak

January 28th, 2007, 09:51 AM

I've never seen that in kalayan lake in Coron. There are caves in the side wall of the lake but I never encountered this Jellyfish. It is so clean that they forbid doing scuba diving.

ah ok...

must have been another lake...

but im sure that it was also in palawan since i seen it on a TV feature a few months back...

adverg

January 28th, 2007, 04:32 PM

I am speechless when I read the testimony of foreigners who discovered the hidden beauty of Philippines and can't believe that according to recent surveys about destination that are most appealing this year in terms of international tours with regards to budget, relax and nightlife travelling, Manila was on top 5, I cant believe. Now the whole world discovered the truth about Philippines and cannot hide anymore the unique beauty of its surrounding and world renowned hospitality of it's people. With this momentus, no one now can reject the unique beauty of Philippines no matter what kind of publicity they will do, it will shine like a star and above all. Mabuhay Philippines my loving country.

Animo

January 30th, 2007, 04:30 AM

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5372044,00.jpg

CHINESE/Spanish/American, crowded, lively and unique, the Philippines capital of Manila is southeast Asia's surprise package only a seven-hour flight from Australia.

Morning

The modern-day Philippines has been shaped by two religions, Islam, introduced in the 14th century by the Arabs, and Christianity, in the 16th century by Spain. Today, Islam survives mainly in the country's south. Manila, on the northern island of Luzon, is predominantly Christian.

Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries arrived with American soldiers fighting the Spaniards in 1899, and these spun off into the Anglican-allied independent church Aglipay and the rapidly expanding Church of Christ.

The 16th century colonisation by Spain left the most enduring architectural stamp on Manila, most of it in the walled Intramuros, one of the world's best-preserved medieval cities. It is centred on the Manila Cathedral, but includes San Augustin, the country's oldest stone church, now UNESCO World Heritage-listed.

In San Augustin, look for the graves of the two conquistadors, Martin de Goiti, killed by Chinese pirates and warriors in 1675, and Juan de Salcedo. Together they wrested control of Manila from the ruling Muslim sultans in 1571. Also in Intramuros is Fort Santiago, built by Filipinos in forced labour over a period of 150 years and now a lushly vegetated park.

Lunch

Check out any shopping centre or enjoy the views over Manila Bay from cafes along South Boulevard. It is difficult to define the food of a nation that has 120 ethnic groups living on 7000 islands, which has been influenced by Chinese, Arab and Polynesian traders and visitors over many centuries, and governed by Mexico on behalf of Spain until 1898 and then by Americans until the Japanese occupation from 1942-46.

Seafood is ubiquitous, in Chinese dishes and versions of Spanish paella. Spit-roasted pig could reflect a Polynesian influence but has a Spanish name, lechon. Desserts are reminiscent of Spain, but there is plenty of tropical fruit.

Afternoon

Visit the Philippine Presidential Museum in Malacaang Palace, built by the Spanish in the early 19th century.

The Chinese Cemetery, founded in the mid-1850s, has streets lined with ornate mausoleums. The poor are buried in terraces near the Buddhist Temple. The Philippines claims to be Asia's best value-for-money shopping destination.

Look for Western designer labels, handcrafted baskets and brassware, hand-embroidered pia cloth, wood figurines and custom-made furniture, clothes, wedding gowns, shoes and embroidery.

The Mabuhay Shopping Spree promotion (July-October) is supported by the Department of Tourism, and offers privilege cards through travel agents or at the airport for participating stores.

Day tripping

The summer capital of Baguio is 250km from Manila, but there are daily flights and it is worth a visit for its scenery and glimpses of the Igorot culture that survived the Spanish lust for the gold in its mountains; the American forces' lust for golfing holidays and privileged living with hot and cold running servants; the American decision, now a Philippines tradition, to make it the centre of government during the summer; and a devastating earthquake in 1990.

Visit the Baguio City Market, where locals buy and sell to each other as well as tourists. There is also a tourist market at Mines View Park. Look to buy filigree silver here. Clothes produced at the nearby export district are on sale at a factory outlet at Mile-Hi Centre, Camp John Hay, former R&R playground for US military.

Evening

Sample restaurants, bars, clubs and cafes in the Malate and Ermita districts of Manila.

More information: www.wowphilippines.com.ph

[dx]

January 31st, 2007, 10:15 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/img_0833.jpg
Nagcarlan Church
Photo by Alfred Ronduen (http://www.trekearth.com/members/alford/)

[dx]

January 31st, 2007, 10:15 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/img_0833.jpg
Nagcarlan Church
Photo by Alfred Ronduen (http://www.trekearth.com/members/alford/)

Gibb

February 2nd, 2007, 02:25 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/75/166080118_ad7e619c88.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/71/166080117_81744030ce.jpg?v=0

[dx]

February 5th, 2007, 02:52 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/sorsogonchurch-bobandzai.jpg
Church in Sorsogon City | Photo by bobandzai

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/sorsogoncityhall-bobandzai.jpg
Sorsogon Provincial Hall | Photo by bobandzai

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/baconchurch-baconsorsogon.jpg
Bacon Church | Photo by BaconSorsogon

All photos from flickr

[dx]

February 5th, 2007, 02:53 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/bulusanlake-terenzever.jpg
Mysterious Bulusan Lake | Photo by terenzever

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/bulusanlake-litratista.jpg
Emerald Bulusan Lake | Photo by litratista

All photos from flickr

[dx]

February 5th, 2007, 02:56 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/3gapo-baconsorsogon.jpg
Tolong Gapo (Three Rocks) Beach | Photo by BaconSorsogon

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/stamagdalena-bobandzai.jpg
Sta. Magdalena Beach | Photo by bobandzai

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/sorbeach-litratista.jpg
Cove in Sorsogon | Photo by Litratista

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/irosinhotsprings-bobandzai.jpg
Irosin Hot Springs | Photo by bobandzai

All photos from flickr

[dx]

February 5th, 2007, 06:12 AM

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sixth2006/4.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sixth2006/2.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sixth2006/6.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sixth2006/1.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sixth2006/5.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k153/sixth2006/3.jpg
repost from the Legazpi City thread

[dx]

February 7th, 2007, 04:07 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/batanes-mediamomma.jpg
Above photo by mediamomma

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/batanes3-estan.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/batanes-estan.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/batanes2-estan.jpg
Above photos by estan

from flickr

[dx]

February 7th, 2007, 10:35 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/139086589_f892ee66d3_b.jpg
Naidi Hills, Basco, Batanes | Photo by Farl (http://www.flickr.com/photos/colloidfarl/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/119/256018119_90bb9f1fce_b.jpg
Hills of Chadpidan, Basco, Batanes | Photo by Farl

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/47/135358119_1672e998a4_b.jpg
Nakabuang beach, Sabtang island, Batanes | Photo by Farl

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/55/138131070_b29c9147e7_b.jpg
Dacay House, Ivana town, Batan island, Batanes: The oldest stone house in Batanes | Photo by Farl

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/124755408_0940888b00_b.jpg
About to land in Batanes | Photo by bingbing (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bingramos/)

[dx]

February 7th, 2007, 10:47 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/139691457_596044b6d3_b.jpg
Basco Provincial Capitol, Basco, Batan island, Batanes | Photo by Farl (http://www.flickr.com/photos/colloidfarl/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/135393726_b875023b9c_b.jpg
Sto. Domingo Church, Basco, Batanes | Photo by Farl (http://www.flickr.com/photos/colloidfarl/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/46/136804561_c755d627f4_b.jpg
Church of San Jose de Ivana, island of Batan, Batanes | Photo by Farl (http://www.flickr.com/photos/colloidfarl/)

allan_dude

February 8th, 2007, 12:18 PM

Philippine tourism industry overshadows ASEAN average growth rate
By Satish Gupta Link (http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=10682_0_1_0_M)

Latest statistics related to Philippines exemplify buoyancy in its tourism sector. The industry in the Philippines has grown by an average of 14 percent per annum comparing the growth in tourism in 2006 to levels in 2004, surpassing the seven percent projected rate for the ASEAN countries cited by the United Nations.

As per the information available, each year since 2004, the Philippines have been seeing an additional 300,000 travelers enter customs on average, with 2004 showing the highest volume at 384,126, resulting in 2006 reporting a total of 2,843,345 international travelers coming into the Philippines. Flights into Malaysia have also reflected the growth in tourism, with October 2006 figures showing that 556 weekly international flights were operating in the Philippines with 142,254 seats flown on board, according to www.etravelblackboard.com

In a statement released by the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT), it said, “The Department’s new global portfolio strategy integrates insights on: winning in core markets, growing in strategic markets, and maintaining interest and awareness in investment markets.”
“In 2006, complementing the successes in core markets, the DOT began to expand its focus. It is now investing across a broader portfolio of markets in a measured, disciplined and systematic way to yield sustainable and long term growths.”

The Philippines needs to capitalize on high-spending Chinese tourists to see further growth in the country’s tourism sector, an economist said.

“(China is) the new source of tourists mainly because they (Chinese) are big spenders. It will be the key factor in the growth of tourism in the Philippines,” said Nicholas Kwan, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd. regional head of research in Asia.

IsaRic

February 9th, 2007, 07:09 AM

Cebu is definitely a must see

[dx]

February 10th, 2007, 06:20 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/2/1880968_622bcb80ce_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/2/1880963_c458dc70f3_o.jpg
Above Photos by xingkit (http://www.flickr.com/photos/xingkit/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/77/161542187_4e5a7b7e5a_o.jpg
Photo by janahbanana (http://www.flickr.com/photos/janahbanana/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/135/379314821_44d1eff37f_b.jpg
Photo by kutsara (http://www.flickr.com/photos/spoonman/archives/date-posted/2007/02/04/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/89/237590991_02e867a2d3_o.jpg
Photo by JarodM (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jarodmpeacecorps/)

More Caramoan!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/48/130274239_0dc5ef37f4_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/130274210_0933610135_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/48/130267549_835ac87b7d_b.jpg
Above Photos by verk (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vimvo/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/171050195_605fb36e90_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/62/171049168_028d2efe8a_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/171049171_a936504563_o.jpg
Above Photos by pubert (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pubert/)

Caramoan Peninsula

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/51/Ph_locator_camarines_sur_caramoan.png

The Caramoan Peninsula has gained tourism popularity in recent years. After the place has been featured in the news and local television programs, local and foreign travelers started to explore the virgin beaches of the peninsula.

To get to Caramoan from Manila, one may either take a 9-hour bus ride or a 1-hour plane ride to Naga City (377 km South of Manila). From Naga City Central Terminal, one may take a van to Sabang port. Travel usually last for 1 hour. From Sabang port, there are small commercial boats that ferry passengers to the Caramoan Port. Schedule of hourly boat departure starts at 5 AM. Boat ride usually lasts for 2-hrs and cost Php120. One may take a jeepney or a tricycle to go to the Centro or the Gota Beach.

It is best to travel the place with a local since the best beaches and sights are far from the Centro and Gota Beach. Activities may include diving, swimming, snorkeling and spelunking by day; and stargazing in the evening. There is no electricity or mobile phone signal on the island.

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramoan,_Camarines_Sur)

IsaRic

February 10th, 2007, 06:43 AM

wow, just speecheless

Gibb

February 10th, 2007, 07:06 AM

pristine waters, powdery white sand, clears skies... the paradise that is... Alona Beach.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/kenzo_214/bohol/Alona01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/kenzo_214/bohol/Alona02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/kenzo_214/bohol/Alona03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/kenzo_214/bohol/Alona04.jpg

more pictures at the

Bohol Thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=11702190#post11702190)

[dx]

February 14th, 2007, 08:34 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/75/206993861_82004e8737_b.jpg
Binondo Church | Photo by Princess_Mia_517 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/princessmia517/)

[dx]

February 14th, 2007, 08:34 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/75/206993861_82004e8737_b.jpg
Binondo Church | Photo by Princess_Mia_517 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/princessmia517/)

IsaRic

February 15th, 2007, 07:27 AM

:bow: :eek2:

jbkayaker12

February 16th, 2007, 11:54 AM

QatPhils

February 17th, 2007, 08:15 AM

so magnificent

Go Philippines!:banana:

kevinb

February 17th, 2007, 10:26 AM

santoloco

February 21st, 2007, 04:28 PM

Philippines is paradise!

allan_dude

February 24th, 2007, 01:23 PM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/143/399780604_ebe52460c3.jpg?v=0
Beach scene/ Mike Wright

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/400584204_d3a61b9e29.jpg?v=0
Beach early morning/ Mike Wright

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/400612707_0621bb92bc.jpg?v=0
Mike Wright

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/400601648_2b1c96e7e3.jpg?v=0
"Swissipinni" beachside hut/ Mike Wright

*Travel photos of my online friend with permission.

ivanhenares

February 28th, 2007, 09:26 AM

http://bp2.blogger.com/_-fGx2wDrdVc/ReQYOd5fdSI/AAAAAAAAAZA/qCPDqfIfEeo/s400/DSC06014.jpg

After all those years watching the parade on television and seeing photos of the colorful floral floats published in our national dailies, I finally saw the Panagbenga (Baguio Flower Festival) with my own two eyes. It was late when we decided to actually trek up to Baguio City to brave one of the biggest crowds that jampack the city annually.

Read the rest at http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com (http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com/)

ivanhenares

February 28th, 2007, 09:30 AM

http://bp1.blogger.com/_-fGx2wDrdVc/ReR-sN5fdcI/AAAAAAAAAa4/cADITxDYRYw/s400/DSC06129.jpg

After an exhausting day the other day, and since I was on vacation, I decided to wake up late yesterday. Ching was up early since she had errands to do and meet some friends too. At 10 a.m., I passed by for her and Joyce at the Baguio Cathedral and from there, we drove to La Trinidad, Benguet to check out the strawberry fields of the Benguet State University.

Read the rest at http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com

jbkayaker12

March 1st, 2007, 10:04 AM

Blue_Sky

March 2nd, 2007, 10:38 AM

Guys,

I think u should start with Pearl of the Orient part II
since this thread hit 600 posts already

jbkayaker12

March 2nd, 2007, 07:02 PM

oz.fil

March 3rd, 2007, 09:43 AM

wow, hidden gems... the philippines should make a tourism campaign like malaysia... there are alot of 'malaysia is asia, come to malaysia' adds on tv here in australia... would be nice to see commercials about coming to the philippines

jbkayaker12

March 3rd, 2007, 08:01 PM

jbkayaker12

March 4th, 2007, 05:35 AM

tigidig14

March 4th, 2007, 10:58 PM

nice :)

allan_dude

March 5th, 2007, 03:11 PM

hello jbkayaker12! post #632 was taken at Laiya Beach right? I miss going to La Luz

jbkayaker12

March 6th, 2007, 10:53 AM

jbkayaker12

March 6th, 2007, 11:18 AM

redu23

March 6th, 2007, 01:16 PM

paradise!!

jbkayaker12

March 7th, 2007, 07:57 PM

jbkayaker12

March 8th, 2007, 09:21 AM

jbkayaker12

March 8th, 2007, 06:52 PM

jbkayaker12

March 9th, 2007, 07:29 PM

jbkayaker12

March 10th, 2007, 06:45 PM

jbkayaker12

March 11th, 2007, 08:31 PM

jbkayaker12

March 12th, 2007, 05:26 AM

jbkayaker12

March 14th, 2007, 09:01 AM

ivanhenares

March 16th, 2007, 07:21 AM

http://bp0.blogger.com/_-fGx2wDrdVc/Rfomg481oAI/AAAAAAAAAfk/MQumALkTVGY/s400/DSC06253.jpg

I just came back from Taal Volcano. And when I say Taal Volcano, it's not just Tagaytay City but the volcano island itself. In fact there is a small island within the crater lake within the volcano island within Taal Lake which is within the caldera of an older volcano.

Read more in http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com

ivanhenares

March 16th, 2007, 07:22 AM

http://bp0.blogger.com/_-fGx2wDrdVc/RfLVDJxMvEI/AAAAAAAAAfU/s62CEe81ei8/s400/DSC06307.jpg

The sun was out today which was great since we were on our way to Pagsanjan, Laguna to check out the famous waterfalls. After having to deal with a drizzle yesterday morning, this was good news. The drive down south wasn't much of a hassle since we left after rush hour. It surprised me that the traffic in Calamba and Los Banos wasn't as heavy as I expected in to be.

Read more in http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com

ivanhenares

March 16th, 2007, 12:00 PM

http://bp3.blogger.com/_-fGx2wDrdVc/Rfpo5o81oBI/AAAAAAAAAfs/mcXvpyTkNGw/s400/DSC06358.jpg

After our shooting the rapids in Pagsanjan, we decided to complete the Laguna loop with a visita iglesia. I have an older post on Laguna with details of some of the towns we visited and missed. First on the list was the town of Paete which is known for its woodcarving and paper mache industries. The Santiago Apostol Church has intricately carved retablos and centuries-old mural paintings of San Cristobal among other subjects.

Read complete entry at http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com

jbkayaker12

March 16th, 2007, 08:21 PM

[dx]

March 18th, 2007, 05:16 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/423819206_6d12540183_o.jpg
^Facade

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/423819204_642ba8d520_o.jpg
^Campanario

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/423818186_bbf0c57187_o.jpg
^Altar Mayor

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/423819972_ee0a3ca7e7_o.jpg
^Tramo Principal

Photos by Shubert Ciencia (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigberto/)

[dx]

March 18th, 2007, 05:16 AM

IsaRic

March 23rd, 2007, 06:49 AM

McArthur

ivanhenares

March 23rd, 2007, 09:59 PM

McArthur

MacArthur!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_MacArthur

ivanhenares

March 23rd, 2007, 10:00 PM

Forbes.com World's 10 Largest Shopping Malls

1. South China Mall, Dongguan, China (2005, 7.1 million square feet)

2. Golden Resources Shopping Mall, Beijing, China (2004, 6 million square feet)

3. SM Mall of Asia, Philippines (2006, 4.2 million square feet)

4. West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (1981, 3.8 million square feet)

5. SM Mega Mall, Philippines (1991, 3.6 million square feet)

6. Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ( 2005, 3.4 million square feet )

7. Beijing Mall, Beijing, China (2005, 3.4 million square feet)

8. Zhengjia Plaza, Guangzhou China (2005, 3 million square feet)

9. SM North Edsa, Philippines (1985, 3 million square feet)

10. King of Prussia Mall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (1962, 2.8 million square feet)

That would mean that from 1991 to 2004, SM Megamall and SM North EDSA were the 2nd and 3rd biggest malls in the world respectively.

[dx]

March 24th, 2007, 06:09 AM

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/5430/sormuseumpm3.jpg
Photo from Sorsogon Update

[dx]

March 28th, 2007, 10:27 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6171.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6172.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6173.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6174.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6175.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6176.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6177.jpg

jbkayaker12

March 30th, 2007, 08:37 AM

[dx]

March 30th, 2007, 10:34 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/424587181_d4fcbabaf2_o.jpg
Sunrise at Magallanes, Sorsogon
Photo by slow.drive

jbkayaker12

March 31st, 2007, 12:32 PM

allan_dude

March 31st, 2007, 03:10 PM

From the Philippine forum:

Source: Asia Properties, Inc.

Asia Properties Targets Philippine Islands Acquisition
BELLINGHAM, Wash., March 26, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) (PRIMEZONE) -- Asia Properties, Inc. (Pink Sheets:ASPZ) announced today it has targeted a major island acquisition in the Philippines islands.

Asia Properties CEO, Daniel McKinney said, "I have been spending most of my time in the Philippines since early last year examining beach sites, retaining lawyers and conducting due diligence. We have now targeted several world-class island sites and have been negotiating with the current owners since mid 2006. We plan a shift of our major focus from Thailand to the Philippines as we feel the investment environment and opportunities are even better there. Our planned acquisition in the Philippines will be the largest investment and single most important transaction in the history of API. We have already moved the necessary cash and assets into the Philippines to complete the purchase in anticipation of this procurement. This deal will transform API from a seller of villas and homes into a major player in the resort developer arena in the region. Becoming the owner of prime beach and island land to develop 5 star resorts has been our goal for many years."

Please see: http://www.asiaprop.com/palawan-island/imperial-beach.html

McKinney also stated, "This first acquisition that we are currently negotiating to acquire is 100 hectares (approx. 250 acres) which includes three pristine white sandy beaches. We consider the Philippines far more picturesque and scenic and a much better value than beach sites in nearby countries. Two of the pristine secluded white sand beaches are over one kilometer in length. API's goal is to develop several 5-6 star resorts with major international hotel brands managing the resorts and we are in discussions with several at this time."

About Asia Properties, Inc.: Asia Properties, Inc. was established to invest in resorts and prime real estate in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Asia Properties currently operates as the only listed U.S. public company focusing on S.E. Asian real estate investments, where investors can invest in Asian real estate and hold the investment in the form of a security trading on a U.S. securities market. API is a Nevada corporation and trades on the Pink Sheets under the symbol "ASPZ." There are currently 9,829,028 fully diluted shares consisting of 3,213,601 free trading and 6,605,427 restricted. The transfer agent is Computershare, Inc. of Golden, Colorado.

metrosuburban

April 1st, 2007, 11:57 AM

who knows maybe one of their staffs is also browsing this thread, hahaha

jbkayaker12

April 1st, 2007, 11:13 PM

[dx]

April 2nd, 2007, 03:55 AM

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5265/27947391img2865hb3.jpg
Beach @ Sta. Magdalena
by Elvin Marcelo

jbkayaker12

April 2nd, 2007, 06:46 AM

Insanedriver

April 2nd, 2007, 08:28 AM

perfect for horror films...

jbkayaker12

April 2nd, 2007, 10:48 AM

Insanedriver

April 2nd, 2007, 05:09 PM

Some even claimed that they can still hear bombs and american soldiers...

[dx]

April 3rd, 2007, 04:43 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/156/439501318_fd7e0b01fb_o.jpg
Pantomina sa Tinampo
Photo by Manny Ferrer

jbkayaker12

April 4th, 2007, 07:31 AM

jbkayaker12

April 4th, 2007, 07:32 AM

jbkayaker12

April 4th, 2007, 11:25 AM

jbkayaker12

April 4th, 2007, 12:01 PM

jbkayaker12

April 5th, 2007, 01:36 AM

jbkayaker12

April 5th, 2007, 11:36 AM

jbkayaker12

April 6th, 2007, 02:34 AM

jbkayaker12

April 7th, 2007, 06:27 AM

[dx]

April 7th, 2007, 06:48 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_7039.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_7032.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_7021.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_7024.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6912.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6913.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_7023.jpg
Shell Chandeliers

[dx]

April 7th, 2007, 07:06 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6841.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6851.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6848.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6846.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6836.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6835.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6837.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6832.jpg

[dx]

April 7th, 2007, 07:06 AM

[dx]

April 7th, 2007, 07:10 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6860.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6871.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6870.jpg

[dx]

April 7th, 2007, 07:10 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6860.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6871.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/100_6870.jpg

[dx]

April 7th, 2007, 07:21 AM

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/mayonaerial.jpg

Mayon Volcano, Mt. Masaraga (the one with the sharper peak) and Mt. Malinao (dome-shaped mountain behind Masaraga)
Originally Posted at the Legazpi City Thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=12502034#post12502034)

[dx]

April 7th, 2007, 07:21 AM

ivanhenares

April 7th, 2007, 09:40 AM

Here are more photos from San Fernando on Good Friday taken from http://ivanhenares.multiply.com/photos/album/137. Check out the entry at http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/1/DSC07085.jpg?et=jOIY8aJ45mzTYvnU3FhUBA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/2/DSC07090.jpg?et=42%2CtRAdhoGzeZVtLdFcLWA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/6/photos/137/orig/3/DSC07093.jpg?et=KrgNHYLQIvlGIMYUSRwFXw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/4/DSC07112.jpg?et=ngHQwBltQBR89uqCczsOhQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/6/photos/137/orig/5/DSC07113.jpg?et=h7BKvKmouKd5iAn1DjXwIA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/6/DSC07114.jpg?et=jhJ2uZDx8mvJhkN1DF%2BHQw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/7/DSC07125.jpg?et=DvpMfqzsBwEXQiEYpyMI0g

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/8/DSC07126.jpg?et=c9%2CSTGCMIz4pYYTGlr5z3A

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/9/DSC07129.jpg?et=B%2Blw6pVEJv3XlB%2BAjhtQlQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/10/DSC07139.jpg?et=u3pRShLMFuNLUx%2C9wa2obw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/11/DSC07140.jpg?et=pv7uJvhiJL1qLjosCVaBuw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/6/photos/137/orig/12/DSC07141.jpg?et=q7hQFGEb8gldF%2Bpx%2B8Fh%2Bg

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/13/DSC07144.jpg?et=JKBOD0Ze07nayBV2vJ%2BMfg

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/14/DSC07147.jpg?et=lR4O1BXtzlMfDejfeyBr0Q

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/15/DSC07149.jpg?et=WXgyQOkI%2CmJ6B%2Bp53DszXA

Read my blog entry on this at...

ivanhenares

April 7th, 2007, 09:41 AM

San Fernando Good Friday procession, sheer multitude in a colorful display of faith...

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/17/DSC07155.jpg?et=cnyCnJC%2C7WAtpP2Xcdp37A

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/18/DSC07158.jpg?et=AziKcUzazip0eU%2B3zcac7g

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/19/DSC07163.jpg?et=3Nr69%2CtLxV%2BsK%2Bd%2BDw3Q5g

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/20/DSC07175.jpg?et=KmdCF3V1xGGAr3PEtN%2CSfA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/21/DSC07188.jpg?et=MidxZWub2nN1FZK7MwV1Gg

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/22/DSC07191.jpg?et=YcIiY09N6qr2ul9o65nbeQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/23/DSC07204.jpg?et=2YIz5858xMtac7ADJsJLcA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/24/DSC07230.jpg?et=U%2Ba4v%2BPJ7GyvCeAblkrDNQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/25/DSC07240.jpg?et=c4Q%2CtX%2B74SVjanYKfdKmYQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/26/DSC07251.jpg?et=xgV4nYuJqymT60JS41Fa1Q

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/27/DSC07258.jpg?et=LHcTsdzzi2qlysK7dIPfqw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/28/DSC07266.jpg?et=79HQaOcwxpcdx0yV7Hv6vw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/29/DSC07270.jpg?et=48CYHPYb6Q%2BPymLSO7N7og

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/30/DSC07293.jpg?et=hDzuJDVx8sRFNOBJWFKqhg

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/31/DSC07294.jpg?et=tGhRWDtmZnMb1WnMDKkjrA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/32/DSC07296.jpg?et=dt4lBjcBJJ%2CjCu%2BrHUBC0Q

Blog entry on this at...

flymordecai

April 7th, 2007, 10:12 AM

Wow @ those shots of the crucifixion. Wouldn't that just drive tourists away? That's very brutal.

ivanhenares

April 7th, 2007, 06:19 PM

^^ On the contrary, it's always jampacked with foreigners. We had several ambassadors as guests this year in fact.

jbkayaker12

April 7th, 2007, 08:41 PM

jbkayaker12

April 7th, 2007, 11:18 PM

jbkayaker12

April 8th, 2007, 05:05 AM

Delirium

April 8th, 2007, 05:24 AM

Insanedriver

April 8th, 2007, 09:39 PM

ivanhenares

April 8th, 2007, 09:47 PM

^^ No deaths to date. Let's not sow rumors here. Spreading rumors is also a sin. :)

Anyway, we always mention that there are two prevailing cultures in Pampanga. And the other one is embodied below. Folk tradition in San Fernando also comes alive during Christmas with a very spectacular and colorful display: http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com/2005/12/giant-lantern-festival-san-fernando.html

San Fernando Good Friday procession, sheer multitude in a colorful display of faith...

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/17/DSC07155.jpg?et=cnyCnJC%2C7WAtpP2Xcdp37A

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/18/DSC07158.jpg?et=AziKcUzazip0eU%2B3zcac7g

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/19/DSC07163.jpg?et=3Nr69%2CtLxV%2BsK%2Bd%2BDw3Q5g

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/20/DSC07175.jpg?et=KmdCF3V1xGGAr3PEtN%2CSfA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/21/DSC07188.jpg?et=MidxZWub2nN1FZK7MwV1Gg

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/22/DSC07191.jpg?et=YcIiY09N6qr2ul9o65nbeQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/23/DSC07204.jpg?et=2YIz5858xMtac7ADJsJLcA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/24/DSC07230.jpg?et=U%2Ba4v%2BPJ7GyvCeAblkrDNQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/25/DSC07240.jpg?et=c4Q%2CtX%2B74SVjanYKfdKmYQ

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/26/DSC07251.jpg?et=xgV4nYuJqymT60JS41Fa1Q

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/27/DSC07258.jpg?et=LHcTsdzzi2qlysK7dIPfqw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/28/DSC07266.jpg?et=79HQaOcwxpcdx0yV7Hv6vw

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/29/DSC07270.jpg?et=48CYHPYb6Q%2BPymLSO7N7og

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/30/DSC07293.jpg?et=hDzuJDVx8sRFNOBJWFKqhg

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/31/DSC07294.jpg?et=tGhRWDtmZnMb1WnMDKkjrA

http://images.ivanhenares.multiply.com/image/4/photos/137/orig/32/DSC07296.jpg?et=dt4lBjcBJJ%2CjCu%2BrHUBC0Q

Blog entry on this at...

ivanhenares

April 8th, 2007, 09:54 PM

Giant Lantern Festival of San Fernando, Pampanga held on the Saturday evening before Christams Eve.

9XamLJNOSIU

-c9UHVnp2KM

PVk0Z0qG3wE

jbkayaker12

April 10th, 2007, 11:49 AM

jbkayaker12

April 10th, 2007, 07:41 PM

Arpels

April 10th, 2007, 09:09 PM

dattebayo

April 11th, 2007, 12:55 AM

I saw this in tv, its a little bit violent :yes:

where? in your country?

Arpels

April 11th, 2007, 01:03 AM

what? yes I saw thys in my country tv...

[dx]

April 11th, 2007, 03:47 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/453095284_808d2fa0fa_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/249/453115327_ef6e56a765_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/189/453095438_e1e904959a_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/246/453112905_a216cddf7d_o.jpg

I don't know where exactly this beach is. Maybe somewhere in Sta. Magdalena.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/210/453093510_ef4a2f1ef7_o.jpg

All photos by empress_cza (http://www.flickr.com/people/33647094@N00/)

[dx]

April 11th, 2007, 03:58 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/321880683_f5eed84b73_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/321883753_cfc9990d8b_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/321866963_298db63fea_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/137/321881742_9556070917_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/321884553_f3b74bfb55_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/321878066_785a5f331e_o.jpg

Photos by Vincent Alcanzare (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16384354@N00/)

[dx]

April 11th, 2007, 05:40 AM

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The body of water within the area of Burias island in Sorsogon, and Ticao island in Masbate is known as Ticao pass. Like Donsol's waters, it has a dense concentration of plankton, krill, and small fish, making it ideal as a feeding ground for mantas.

Ticao, one of the three major islands of Masbate, has received scant attention from tourists. Then news of manta sightings in the area that would later on be called the Manta Bowl reached local and foreign divers - mostly Japanese - who started visiting the area to get a glimpse of the friendly creatures close to their hearts.

Unlike sightings in dive sites elsewhere, the mantas of Ticao are big. They are also almost a guarantee, aside from the fact that they are known to linger for a while and sometimes even get near adventure-seeking divers. It is estimated that an average of three manta rays are being killed in Ticao every week. This is equivalent to 144 mantas killed each year but the number could even be higher.

Source: The Manta Network (http://www.mantas.org/index.php?name=News&catid=4)

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Photo by aldask

The manta ray, or giant manta (Manta birostris), is the largest of the rays, with the largest known specimen having been nearly 7.6 meters (25 ft) across its pectoral fins (or "wings") and weighed in at 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). It ranges throughout the tropical seas of the world, typically around coral reefs. Mantas are most commonly black above and white below, but some are blue on their backs. A giant manta's eyes are located at the base of the cephalic lobes on each side of the head, and unlike other rays the mouth is found at the anterior edge of its head. To breathe, like other rays, the manta has five pairs of gills on the underside.

Source: Wikipedia