April 29, 2018 Sunday
As early as 5:00 AM, we left our hotel in Tagbilaran to proceed to the bus/van terminal.  When we arrived at Candijay, there were motorcycles waiting for passengers.  To ensure our safety, only one passenger per  motorcycle.

April 29, 2018 Sunday 8:18 am
​Entrance of Cadapdapan Rice Terraces and Can-Umantad Falls of Candijay. Fee is PhP20.00 per person and PhP5.00 for the motorcycle fee. We paid PhP300.00 for the motorcycle rental. For our guide, PhP300.00.

​



​April 29, 2018 Sunday 8:31 am
Start of our trekking to the rice terraces.

View of  Cadapdapan Rice terraces

​480 steps needed in going to the waterfalls.

​

A few more steps to the falls?

This was our view as we walked towards the exit. Then, we proceeded to our rented motorcycle.  The guide brought us directly to our resort.

View more  Bohol photos

Visited last April 29, 2018

​February 17, 2018 Saturday 5:38 am 
Lat: 14.509, Long: 121.013
Waiting for my PAL flight bound to General Santos. in Mindanao.

​February 17, 2018 Saturday 6:38 am
Lat: 14.509, Long: 121.015
Boarded the plane.  It was a 1 hour and 45 minutes flight.

February 17, 2018 Saturday 8:56 am
​General Santos City Circumferential Rd, General Santos City, South Cotabato| 28°C
​Arrived  at General Santos Airport. From there, I took a taxi (PHP350 fare) to Bulaong bus terminal.

February 17, 2018 Saturday 9:28 am
Lat: 6.113, Long: 125.163
Boarded van here at Bulaong Bus Terminal direct to Lake Sebu. The fare was PHP150.00. Expected travel time 1.5 to 2 hours.
​

February 17, 2018 Saturday 12:33 pm
​Lat: 6.217, Long: 124.705
Arrived at the terminal, I took a motorcycle.  Checked-in at Punta Isla Resort. My room rate was PHP950.00, fan room with complimentary breakfast.  This resort has been my home every time I visit Lake Sebu .  I  highly recommend this resort!
​

February 17, 2018 Saturday 12:40 pm
I made an advance order for my lunch since food preparation takes 30 minutes. The food was quite expensive for solo travelers. 

February 17, 2018 Saturday 12:50 pm
While waiting for my lunch, I talked to some Tiboli children. Every weekend, they perform cultural dance to the resort guests.  All the money they receive from the performance goes to their weekly school allowance.  By the way, I gave them the bag tags for their school bags and supplies that we donated courtesy of  friends and sponsors.

February 17, 2018 Saturday 1:30 pm
​Upon arrival at the van terminal, I already arranged for a tour. As agreed, I was picked up by my guide, Enrique Marabiles (mobile number 09066943831) at exactly 1:30 PM. For your reference on the tour rates using the motorcycle, please refer to the picture below.

February 17, 2018 Saturday 2:05 pm
Lat: 6.249, Long: 124.727
This was my 3rd visit to this magnificent  falls.  It seems that I would never get tired of seeing the falls.  On the right side, falls number 2 or hikong 2.  Zipline is available to traverse the different waterfalls in the area.   I have a video of the zipline experience on my first visit.  You may view my zipline video at https://youtu.be/WSKXGcWPcFY

February 17, 2018 Saturday 3:38 pm​
A glimpse of their local college and high school. I was amazed with the wood structure of the school built in the 70's.

February 17, 2018 Saturday 4:07 pm
Hegelung is a local guitar here in Lake Sebu. I bought the small hegelung at PHP250.00. I even requested that the word Lake Sebu be engraved on my guitar. Sample music from the guitar maker https://youtu.be/PZO1X1VKa8g

February 17, 2018 Saturday 4:37 pm
I dropped by at  Cowhed, to buy souvenirs. This was walking distance from my resort.

February 17, 2018 Saturday 5:50 pm
Back at the resort, I bought souvenirs from their shop.. Photo below were some of the items: kubing, a flat bamboo was actually  a local musical instrument, wall clock, earrings and  key chains. 

​February 17, 2018 Saturday 6:15 pm
My dinner. A bit expensive for a solo traveler.

February 18, 2018 Sunday 8:40 am
Surallah-Lake Sebu-Maitum Road, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
I picked up my made-to-order brass bell, worth PHP500.00. For orders, you may contact Rose Blunto at 09750354885. Their shop was near the van terminal.

February 18, 2018 Sunday 8:46 am
Lat: 6.235, Long: 124.718
I proceeded to the van terminal. I took the van going to Marbel (PHP80.00 fare) since it was the only available van and I did not want to wait for the direct Gensan trip. The person on the right side was my Lake Sebu guide.

February 18, 2018 Sunday 10:15 am
Lat: 6.256, Long: 124.706
Alighted at Marbel, I took Yellow bus line going to Gensan PHP120.  From there, I rode a motorcycle (PHP50.00) to my hotel in Gensan. Another stopover before my next day flight back to Manila.

View more photos 
​
Visited last February 17-18, 2018

​January 27, 2018 Saturday 7:18 am

Van left the terminal. Original departure time at 7:00 am, delayed by 18 minutes.

​January 27, 2018 Saturday 6:51 am     

​Arrived early to pay for my reserved ticket at Grand Tours Calbayog Terminal bound to
 Allen, Samar. I made the reservation yesterday. The fare is PhP 100.00. Just advise the 
​driver of the drop off area.

 January 27, 2018 Saturday 8:15 am

​Arrived at the jump-off point for my registration and guide.  The registration was Php10.00 and guide fee of PhP300.00. By the way, no cell signal at this area.  Comfort room is available at their office.

January 27, 2018 Saturday 8:25 am

​My ride to the falls. Habal-habal rate is PhP200.00 two-way. It was a 15-minute ride from the Registration office. I had to wear my jacket as it was drizzling.

January 27, 2018 Saturday 8:28 am

​A glimpse of the Bangon Falls entrance.

January 27, 2018 Saturday 8:54 am
​
Finally, after walking for 20 minutes, this is 
​Tarangban Falls! It was a slippery trail due 
​to the rain. It was tiring but worth it.

A closer look of the Tarangban Falls. It was raining, I decided to return earlier to the 
​base. I do not want to be stuck when the water rise.

January 27, 2018 Saturday 9:55 am Lat: 12.071, Long: 124.589

I was thankful that my habal-habal driver arrived 35 minutes early.  I can return to Calbayog before lunch time.
​
January 27, 2018 Saturday 10:11 am    64 Pan-Philippine Hwy, Calbayog City, 6710 Samar, Philippines | 25°C

Waited for either a van or jeepney. Luckily, I was able to ride a van with just only 1 seat  available. Back to Calbayog...

January 27, 2018 Saturday 11:11 am  Senate President Jose Avelino Ave, Calbayog City, Samar,  | 27°C 

​Arrived Grand Tours Calbayog Terminal. The fare was only PhP50.00.

View more photos

Visited last January 27, 2018

I am very dissatisfied on how this airline handles its customers.  I am writing this based on my experiences with this airline. Though they have changed their name from Tiger airways to Tigerair, the poor customer service remains the same.  It was just a marketing strategy but they have not done much on the improvement of its customer service and its entire operations.  

Last March 11, 2014, I again boarded their flight from Cebu to Manila.  This time I used the travel voucher provided to me by Tigerair/Seair as part of the settlement agreement which I filed against them last November 2012.  It took almost a year for my previous complaint to be resolved.  Anyway, I still pursued my complaint despite the slow resolution by the handling government agency.  Again last March at 11:04 am; hours before my flight, I received an sms stating that my flight DG7007 scheduled at 4:55 pm was cancelled due to operational requirements.   I could only be accommodated to their next available flight at 8:35 pm.  I texted the number back and called the number to demand for a return call from the airline manager.  I asked them that I should be booked to another airline.  The supervisor said my request could not be accommodated by their Manila Head office.  I reminded the supervisor that my previous complaint against them has something to do with the flight cancellation.  The supervisor apologized and I demanded for a written apology letter.  I even called up their Customer Service and I asked for the same demands. I received an email letter stating the Conditions of Carriage and I totally disagreed on their explanation.  

I also texted the Customer Service officer Ivan Carandang of Tigerair/Seair Head Office but I did not receive any response.  I got Mr. Carandang’s number during the hearing for my previous complaint.  Now, I totally understand that his department lacks the necessary customer service training because he does not know how to handle complaints.  The only thing they know is to totally ignore customer complaints.  I thought my idea about Tigerair Philippines will change but because of the consistent bad experiences it would be very difficult to change my perception. 

Given that Tigerair Philippines is now part of Cebu Pacific airline, I do not think their manner of handling clients would improve since the management was retained.  The operations would still be the same and it would still be under the name of Tigerair Philippines.  If you have flight options, please do not book your flight with Tigerair Philippines and avoid the flight code that starts with DG.  Their flight may be cheaper but you will experience all the hassles and stresses on or before your flight!  

Viva Senor Santo Nino! This was the first thing I heard as I stepped out of the airport.  A group of performers were dancing  “Ati-Atihan”.  I became more excited and eager to watch the performances of the tribes.

On the day of the performances, I left the hotel at 6:30am to walk towards my assigned stage.  All the while I thought my media pass would allow me to be at the Provincial Capitol but upon checking the color of my ID, it was yellow green.  Anyway, I was assigned at Iznart St. (Stage 4).  I seated at the 2nd row.  The view was perfect.  The competition started at around 9am and the streets were jampacked by local and international tourists.  As soon as the first performance started, I was awed and in a way starstruck with their colorful costumes and performances.  I learned that there were 10 tribes competing and I was practically glued to my seat until 1pm.  I enjoyed all the performances and I can definitely say I will go back to see more world class performances in Iloilo.  Congratulations to Tribe Panayon for winning this year’s Dinagyang  Festival.

Kudos to the Dinagyang committee for the successful staging of the festival.


View photos and watch video  from one of the performances.

Visited last January 26, 2014

We were nine work colleagues who took a two-working day vacation leave for a 4-day El Nido trip. 

On departure day, I left my house at 10:30am to reach our meeting place in Makati at 11:30am.  At Ayala Makati, I met some of my officemates to have early lunch. After lunch, we took a cab going to the NAIA terminal 4. 

At 12:30pm, all of us were already at the airport.  I was fascinated with the renovations made at the old terminal airport.  It has been a long time since I took a flight from that terminal.  The improvements were really significant that if given the chance I will not hesitate to take my flight again there.

Our Seair flight left manila at exactly 3:45pm.  It was a positive note that the flight was on time compared to my previous experiences with them.  The airplane was okay but I noticed that the onboard buys were very expensive. 

When we arrived at Puerto Princesa, Palawan, I immediately called our driver to fetch us and to take us to El Nido.  At 8pm, we stopped at Fort Wally Food Stop in Roxas for our dinner.   We checked-in at El Nido Cliffside Cottage (0919.7856625/0918.9676830) at PhP900 per night. 

On our second day, we made an arrangement with Clydenike and Guenkean Tour Operator (0912.4068874/0910.5467770) for our tours.  But before proceeding with the tour, we had our breakfast at a nearby restaurant.  I was able to buy dried saliva of swiftlets for my nido soup at PhP100. 

At 8am, we were ready for the tour.  We chose tour A (for PhP700) and we paid the eco-tourism fee PhP200 (valid for 10 days).  Since we were nine in the group, we accommodated 1 more person to join the tour.  Our first stop was at a small lagoon.  I did not know what to expect inside the lagoon but of course since it was Palawan, it must be beautiful.  Most of us swam while others went kayaking.  As I entered the rocks, I was awed with nature.  The place was picture-perfect.  We entered a small cave, which accommodated 10 persons.  When we left the cave, it suddenly rained.  We decided to swim back to the boat.  Unfortunately, I did not see the protruding rocks underwater until I hurt my knee and got wounded. 

After the small lagoon, our next stop was the Secret Lagoon.  We entered the hole in order to get inside the lagoon.  The wave was so strong that it was difficult to stand, and the boatman even had to assist us. 

We then had our lunch at Commando Beach.  The tour operator prepared a lunch that was more than enough for the group.  When the seafood and grilled meat were finally served, the group was obviously very hungry that we did not talk much while eating. 

Our last stop for the day was the big lagoon.  For those without a kayak, we stayed on the boat and were not allowed to swim since the water was deep.  I saw a group of sea urchins that formed a heart shape when we snorkelled at the big lagoon's entrance.  The corals were a plenty and very colorful.  

For our dinner, we tried Aplaya Restaurant. The food was nothing fancy but it was quite expensive.  Overall, our day 2 of the El Nido trip was superb!

Third day was a different story. As early as 5am, the guys were all ready to climb the Taraw cliff while the ladies stayed in the resort to sleep in.  I crossed my fingers that the climb would still go on even if it was drizzling that morning.  I was told that if it rained the climb would be cancelled since the limestone was slippery.  But of course, I was very hopeful. 

Good thing was the guide arrived at 6am, and we were asked to get ready for the climb.  I was very excited and hoping for a picturesque view from top.  We passed by some of the houses along the main road until we started our climb.  Initially, the climb was easy as we passed by some mangroves but when we held onto rocks, it was a different story.  There were a lot, as in a lot of mosquitoes that tried to feast on our legs.  Because of my excitement, I forgot to put on ‘Off lotion’ that morning.  I became worried that we might get dengue or malaria plus the fact that a simple mistake on our move would cause us injury or even death.  There was also a point during the climb that I felt disappointed since I saw some vandalism on the rocks.  Tourists should always be responsible and hence, should not vandalize the place. When we were already at the top, we tried to take as many photos as possible.  I tried calling our companions from the resort but there was no phone signal.   When we went down, most of us were wounded.  If I would be asked to climb again, I would most definitely turn it down. 

At 10am, we were already taking our breakfast at Marbers Restaurant.  This time we chose tour B (cost PhP800), which included snake island, cathedral and lagen.   We snorkelled at Pangulasian Island of El Nido resorts.  The corals were in almost very good condition since the resort was guarding the surrounding waters of the island.  We were not allowed to go near the beach front so I just went snorkelling but it proved to be very tiring due to the strong water current. 

It was also my first time to see a sandbar that connected two islands.  The viewing deck was perfect for group photos. We walked along the sand bar and tried to cross the other island. We did not finish the walk but we decided to move to the other island for our lunch.  While the lunch was being prepared, we entered the cave with a small opening.  One of our companions fell from the cave entrance since she failed to touch the floor.  We had a few laughs as she underestimated the height of the entrance against the floor.  In the island, we saw some monkeys roaming freely. 

As we were taking our lunch, the rain poured.  After lunch, we proceeded to the next beach and passed by the cathedral.  We did not swim towards the cathedral due to the strong water current.  On our last stop, we just enjoyed the sand and the sea minus the sun since it was raining.  For our dinner and souvenir, we tried El Nido Boutique and Art Café.  The ambiance was okay but the food was expensive. 

On our fourth and last day, we left the resort at 4:30am.  We arrived early in Puerto Princesa to buy souvenirs and drop by the Baker’s Hill for our favourite pianono.  Lastly before heading to the airport, we tried the chaolong (viet food) at Bona’s Chaolong.  We wanted to try their Yakult shake but unfortunately it was not available. 

Overall, the El Nido trip was truly an enjoyable trip. I will definitely go back to El Nido to try the other island tours.

View Photos

Visited last October 5-8, 2012

Literally, my trip to Dapitan via Dipolog was a weekend getaway.  After my graveyard shift work schedule, I immediately went to the airport.   The trip was my way of relaxation due to my disagreement with the schedule provided to me.  Anyway, life is too short to dwell on petty things.

I arrived in Dipolog at 12 noon.  From the airport, I asked the military personnel on where I could ride a bus going to Dapitan.  At the airport gate, I took a tricycle.  The agreed fare was PhP60 but when I arrived at the bus terminal the driver was asking for PhP100 which I refused to pay.  I told the driver that his attitude discourages tourist from going to their place.  I only paid PhP80.  Then, I took a van going to Dapitan.  The fare was only PhP25 and travel time lasted for almost 1 hour. I did not speak nor asked for directions since I was intimidated with the previous bad experience with the tricycle driver.  I alighted at the market and took another tricycle in going to the resort.  The fare was only PhP7.   I checked-in at Villa Pilar Pension (tel. no. 065.2136579) and their rate was only PhP600 per night.  I was happy with their room, it was simple and clean.  Since it was already 1pm, I ordered for a meal at the counter.  The meal was only PhP70.  I immediately left my things in the room and I took a tricycle in going to Rizal Shrine.  I went to the museum and I noticed that Rizal had may relationships based on the photos of women linked to him.  I also saw his clothes which I did bother to take photos.  Then, I went around the area which was surrounded by old trees.  As I was about to leave the premises, a man approached me and he offered to bring me to Dakak Beach Club for only PhP400.  I agreed and rode his motorcycle.  The ride lasted for 3o minutes.  I interviewed the driver. He told me that the Rizal Shrine guide noticed that I was alone.  He was asked to assist me to take my photos.  I told him that I was used to travelling alone. I also found out that he was a security guard at the shrine in the evening and he works as guide during day time.   When we arrived at the Dakak Beach Club toll gate, I paid PhP500 which included one meal at their Italian Restaurant.  I was picked up at the toll gate by their service vehicle.  Inside the resort, I immediately took some photos of the beautiful beach front.  At the end of my photo sessions, I proceeded to the Italian Restaurant for my snack.  I ordered for a pasta and added a coke in can which cost almost PhP100 (four times the actual price).  Anyway, the food and ambiance were very good.  I also went to their souvenir shop just to buy a ref magnet.  I was told by the employee to go to the highest peak located near the toll gate.  I asked for the service vehicle to bring me back to the gate.  At the gate, I asked the driver to come with me.  I thought that the walk going up was easy but I was wrong.  I sweated a lot, the top view of the resort was spectacular.  Then, he brought me to the place where Rizal first landed.  We also went to St. James Cathedral located near the old municipal hall and park.  It was also the place where a Mindanao map was located and according to the locals, it was created by Rizal himself.  As we were going around, I noticed that all their streets were related to Rizal.  Lastly, we went to Dampa to take a merienda.  I ordered for a roasted banana with vanilla ice cream with caramelized sugar. I loved this dessert.  After the tour, I went back to the Villa Pilar to take a nap.  Eight in the evening, I walked towards Fantasyland which was only a five minute walk.  Honestly, I was not impressed at all with the theme park.  I did not bother to spend for the entrance but I only went to the shops around the park.  What I liked about the place was the bread shop which I bought for pasalubong.  I went back to my accommodation for my dinner (PhP80). 

The following day, I went out early to go to the Cathedral.  I went inside but only stayed for a while since the mass was in their dialect. After that, I decided to go back to Villa Pilar for my check out.  I took another tricycle back to the terminal located at the market.  This time no van was available and I took an ordinary bus (fare PhP20). I paid for two seats so that I can place my bag beside me.  I told the bus conductor that I will alight at Dipolog City Hall.  At the middle of the ride, I found out that conductors normally alight and another one comes in, so my instruction to the first conductor was futile but it was another learning experience for me.  The bus stopped and I noticed the Zaragoza store which sells bottled Spanish sardines.  I immediately alighted and proceeded to the store.  I bought pasalubong for my family… of course sardines and shrimp paste!  I asked for the directions on where I could buy shirts and I was informed to go to Lee Mall.  At the mall, it sells souvenir shirts which were cheaply sold. Then, I took another tricycle to the airport and I paid PhP60.  The airport terminal fee was only PhP20.  I checked-in my things and there was only one kiosk located inside but it did not have the ref magnets I need.  Since I was not doing anything, I simply watched the videos being shown at the waiting area.  Luckily, the dessert which I loved at the Dampa where shown and I jotted down everything so that I could prepare it at home.  Overall, this weekend getaway was OK.  

View Photos

Visited last August 25-26, 2012

As always, I was very excited for my Northern Mindanao trip.  I left the house at exactly 5am to reach the MRT North station.  Luckily, I arrived just in time for the first trip and I arrived at Ayala Station at 5:45 am.  Then, I took a cab in going to NAIA3.  The cab passed the SLEX and there was a slight traffic due to the on-going road construction.  Before 6:30 am, I was already queueing at the airport gate.  Usual, my flight was delayed due to airport traffic congestion.  I arrived one hour late against my strict itinerary. From the airport, I asked the assistance from a policeman on what route to take in going to Bulua Bus terminal.  I was told that I take the jeep (fare Php10) at the other side of the road then alight at the Petron station and take another jeepney ride to the terminal.  As soon as I entered the terminal, the bus conductor encouraged me to take the Super Five bus (mobile number 0917.7042564) (fare PhP85).  The ride was smooth except for some unexpected delays due to road rehabilitation.  I arrived at the Iligan Bus terminal after 1.5 hours of travel.  At the terminal, I noticed the tents of the affected typhoon last year were still there and the people were still living in the area.  I took a jeepney ride in going to the hotel.  I immediately checked-in and I asked the receptionist on the available transportation in going to the falls.  She offered to just hire their employee which I agreed.   Before we left, I had a quick lunch at the Chowking located at the ground floor of the hotel.  At exactly 2pm, my guide Ernie Sayre (mobile 0912.8332592) left the hotel. While riding the motorcycle, my cap was blown by the wind.  I immediately asked the guide to stop, I was able to get the cap that was picked up by one of the motorcycle drivers.  On the way to the falls entrance gate, I was asked to register and pay PhP35.  At last! I saw Maria Cristina falls which I only read and saw in my school books.  The waterfall was powerful in a sense that it supplied the majority of the electricity in Mindanao.  I noticed the water was brownish which was due to heavy rains yesterday.  The water from the falls directly exited through the sea.  As an added bonus, I went to Tinago falls.  We parked the motorcycle and walked for minutes.  One has to take the 500 steps in going to this hidden falls.  Once we reached the place, I was awed with the magnificent falls with the rainbow in front of me.  There was a floating raft so that people can pass the raging waterfalls.  There were also kids who jumped from the tree towards the water.  The life vest was a requirement for those who intend to swim the waters.  The water during my visit was brownish again due to heavy rains.  The local government should preserve and take care of the place.  I was unhappy with the garbage around the falls due to undisciplined visitors and lack of initiative from the local government.  At the entrance, I was asked to place a money donation for the maintenance.  I hope the donations were put to use.  When we left, I was again asked to pay for the parking of the motorcycle for twenty pesos.  On the way to the hotel, we passed by the other side of Maria Cristina falls but I was barred by the security personnel from taking photos.   

In the evening, I went to Gaisano mall for my dinner.  I had my dinner at Big Dipper worth ninety-eight pesos.  Then, I went to the grocery to buy local delicacies as pasalubong to my family.  At 8 pm, I went to the town plaza to see the night market.  There were a lot of locals buying items and food tasting.  I only bought a sunglass worth PhP50.00 which was a good buy.

Day 2, I left the hotel at 5:30 am to catch the trip back to Cagayan De Oro.  I took a jeepney in going to the bus terminal.  When I arrived, the bus was about to leave but the conductor still accommodated me.  Wow…just in time for another 1.5 hour land travel.  The Super Five bus back to CDO was full of mosquitoes.  Since I was prepared, I made sure that I have my ever reliable Off lotion. When I arrived at CDO, I took another jeepney in going to Divisoria.  The first jeepney I rode asked me to transfer to another jeepney.  The fare to Divisoria was PhP7.  From the Cathedral, I followed my map and asked for directions to Cagayan Park View Lodge (tel. 088.8571197).  For one night, my accommodation only cost PhP595.  Upon check-in, I asked for directions in going to Dahilayan, Bukidnon.  I left my things and I went to a nearby fast food chain for a quick breakfast.  I took another jeepney in going to Agora Market Terminal (fare PhP7).  From Agora, I took a van in going to Camp Phillips (fare PhP50).  It took 30 minutes for the van to leave the terminal.  At the Bukidnon boundary, the van passed the check point and asked some passsengers to alight for inspections.  I arrived at 10:50am.  Initially, I thought I was already lost since the van already passed the Del Monte signage but it turned out that it only went around the camp.  From the camp, I asked the lady from the store for directions and she referred me to Jojo as my guide (mobile0920.3005688/0916.9297511).  As agreed, I paid PhP300 as guide fee.  I took the motorcycle and passed by the pineapple plantations.  There weas no public transportation in the area.  The ride lasted for 30 minutes.  We arrived at the Dahilayan Adventure Park (0917.6223204) 11:45 am but the personnel were on break and the activities will resume by 1pm. To kill time, my guide and I had snacks and watched the Pacquiao-Bradley game live at the park.  At 1:15 pm, we were asked to board the 4x4 vehicle.  It was a 15-minute rough road in going to the zipline starting line.  I was asked to go first together with the kid since it was a dual zipline.  I was very excited but afraid that I might lose my slippers.  The zip was more than a minute with the distance of 840m.  The PhP500 was worth it since it was the longest dual zipline in Asia.  On the way back to the camp, the rain suddenly poured.  When we arrived at the camp my jacket and feet were soaked with mud.  I washed my feet in one of the houses at the camp and for my jacket I just placed it inside my bag.  I was already at my hotel by 4:30 pm.  At 5:00 pm, I went to Limketkai Mall to shop for souvenirs and local delicacies. 

On my third and last day, it was just preparation for the trip.  I took a cab in going to the airport.  I paid PhP200 including the tip since the driver asked for it.  Anyway, I did not complain since the ride was smooth.  At the airport, my flight was again delayed for an hour due to NAIA traffic congestion.  If I will be asked if I would return to Northern Mindanao… it’s a yes for me.

View Iligan, Bukidnon Photos

I decided to have a trip to Panay as a birthday treat to myself. This was also like an annual trip with two of my friends from my previous job at NGOs.

At 2am, I was picked up at my residence. We arrived at exactly 2:30am at the NAIA3.  Surprisingly, there were a lot of people queued at the airport's entrance. We had our breakfast at my favorite kiosk (you want to name it?).

We arrived on time at Iloilo International Airport and we left the place at 6:30 am.  We took the van going to Molo, Iloilo (fare Php50.00).  The trip lasted for 30 minutes. From the Molo terminal, we waited for 30 minutes and we were not sure of the mode of transportation available whether a non air-conditioned bus or a van.  Luckily, there was a van available going to Anini-y.  The travel time lasted for two hours due to traffic and the fare was PhP130.00. I was able to get the contact number of Joe, the van owner (0905.9039743).

When we arrived at Anini-y, we still do not have accommodation since I failed to contact the government owned resort and the local tourism office.  We inquired at Sira-an Hot Spring but it was fully booked and we were advised by our fellow van passengers to try Gerbo Beach Resort (mobile 0926.9161081). We booked at the said resort and the quaint resort was perfect for three of us. It has a very relaxing ambiance and the owners were very hospitable.  We ordered for our lunch earlier since the resort managers still had to buy everything at the market.  We ordered for grilled fish and squid, and pancit.  We just have to pay PhP250 for the cook. 

At lunch time,I had a very simple birthday celebration with my friends. I received some calls and sms greetings but I was sure that I have not received all the messages since the phone signal was erratic. 

At 3pm, we rented a boat (rental PhP500) to Nogas Island.  It was a 15-minute boat ride.  The island was very beautiful with white sand but sad to say the local government failed to protect the island against garbages left by visitors. Calachuchi trees were line up the pathway leading to the lighthouse.   The lighthouse was no longer functioning and there were vandalisms on the wall.  We went up the lighthouse to see tha magnificent view from top. From the top, we could see the island surrounded by trees. We snorkeled and we saw some beautiful fish since it was low tide. I also walked along the shore to photograph the scenery. 

At 5pm, we went back to the resort so that we could go to the town plaza. As we walked towards the Church resort's entrance, we found out that our neighbor was cemetery. We rode a tricycle (fare PhP21.00) in going to the Church. It was already 5:30pm when we arrived at the Church and unfortunately, it was closed. From the facade, we could tell that this old Church must be very beautiful inside and it was also surrounded by trees. We walked towards the market to see what we could buy.  I wanted to order a hamburger from a stand but at 6pm the stores were already closing. So, we had no other choice but to re-heat our food from our lunch leftovers.

On our second day, we woke up at 4:30am since we will be picked up by the van at 5:30am.  It was already 6am, when the van arrived. We decided to alight at Miag-ao Church and from the church, we took a jeepney going to Supercenter (fare PhP50.00). From the Supercenter, a tricycle (PhP40.00 fare) ride to Ortiz port. At the port, we lined up at the ticketing booth for the outtrigger boat ride to Jordan (fare PhP14.00).  At Jordan, Guimaras, we registered at the Tourism booth.  We were assisted on the multicab rental for the tour. Initially, we stopped at the Capitol to purchase mangoes. I bought four kilos of mangoes at Php60 per kilo.  Then we had our lunch at the nearby carinderia. We passed by the Trappist monastery for our pasalubong.  We also dropped by Camp Alfredo and we paid PhP30.00 for the entrance.  There was nothing to see in the camp and the zipline was expensive. 

When we arrived at the Raymen Resort (0918.5207271), we immediately settled the bill at PhP2,200.00 and we proceeded to island hopping.  Initially, we went snorkelling there were only a few fishes but the corals were beautiful.  We were supposed to go to the turtle sanctuary but we cancelled it since only one turtle was available in an enclosed environment. We felt it was unnatural setting and it will just disappoint us if we will drop by the turtle sanctuary.  What we enjoyed the most was the trip to the Baras cave.  The boat entered the cave and the water was clear from the inside.  We passed by the different island resorts like Naburot and Baras. We paid for the 2 hours boat rental at PhP550.  At the resort, we took our early dinner since one of our friends will go back to Manila. It was difficult to find a good phone signal at the resort and the comfort rooms were not clean.

On day three, we left the resort at 7am. We rented a tricycle (Php300) in going to Jordan wharf.  We seated at the back of the tricycle to give way for our bags which we placed at the front. From the Ortiz port, we took a cab to go to Jaro, Iloilo. I visited some of my relatives and left our bags in order to shop for more souvenir items. We went to the Cathedral and Gaisano mall.  I purchased butter scotch at Biscocho House. It was a must for me to buy my favorite butter scotch of Iloilo! From the mall, we rode a cab in going to Jaro and we asked the driver to also bring us to Tagbac terminal. 

From the terminal, we took a van to Roxas City. The van was cramped and we paid for 4 seats in order to accommodate our belongings. Unfortunately, we were seated at the end of the van and my head was already touching the van's ceiling.  It was a two-hour land trip and the fare was PhP140 each.   We arrived at 2pm for our resort check-in.  We checked in at San Antonio Beach resort (0920.9825377).  The resort rate was 1,750.00. 

We asked the tricycle driver to wait for us while my friend and I prepare to go to Panay Church.  At Panay or Santa Monica Church, we were toured at the bell tower.  The bell tower contained the largest bell in Asia. Across the church, there was a souvenir shop of local Capiz products. We bought bag and capiz shell product. We were supposed to take a snack but due to limited time we had to go to dried fish stalls. I bought kilos of dried squid and fish. We also went to the town area and we had our snacks at Ted's batchoy Gaisano mall. In the evening, we walked along the People's Park to observe the activities.  The park was just in front of the Roxas family mansion. The park has also a fountain which served as another attraction. We also noticed that there were people swimming just in front of the park and it was well lighted with visible police personnel.  From the park, it was walking distance to the seafood restaurants. As suggested by a friend, we chose the Alma's Ihaw-ihaw restaurant.  We ordered for fish, squid, scallops and talaba. The food preparation lasted for 30 minutes but it was worth the wait.

On our last day, we had our breakfast at the resort. The complimentary breakfast was very simple and with very limited choices. Anyway, it was good enough and the management could still improve the food choices. I bought a souvenir shirt from the resort and reminded the personnel of our van in going to the airport. With still enough time, we walked along the shore to catch a glimpse of the fishermen with their catch. However, we did not see any catch as they were still pulling the net from sea. At 10am, I received a call from the receptionist. We were advised that the van was already waiting for us. We immediately went out of the room but the van already left. We complained at the counter and they called the driver to return immediately. When the van arrived, the other passengers already alighted at the airport. We complained at the counter and the driver explained that the other passengers pressured him. We told the driver that it was us who initially reserved the van. The driver apologized and we accepted his apology.

The Cebu Pacific flight left as scheduled but we still arrived at NAIA3 30 minutes later than the expected time of arrival. This could probably be due to the take-off and landing traffic at the airport.

Hopefully, we can still go back to Roxas and Iloilo to explore the other islands of the province.


View Iloilo, Guimaras, Capiz, Antique Photos

Visited last April 28 - May 1, 2012

At 3:00am, I left Quezon City to meet my officemates at Pioneer Avenue. I was supposed to meet three of them but one person did not come on time so he just followed us at the NAIA Terminal 2 airport.  3:30am was our scheduled meeting time but my four other officemates arrived late. For the number of times that I was with them, I am still not used to their concept of time.

The Philippine Airlines flight was delayed and we arrived in Bohol at 7:30am. Our guide and van was waiting at the airport's gate. We proceeded to our farthest destination: the Mag-aso falls. At the falls, my officemates were happy to see how beautiful the place is. There were no other tourists except for us. I only noticed that there were parking and entrance fees to be settled. It would have been better if the local government would lessen the fees to attract more tourists.

Our next stop was the Chocolate Hills. On our way to this destination, we passed by a different road.  It was an hour drive due to road improvements and a landslide.  I was very much surprised of the landslide since Bohol has intact forests.  At the chocolate hills, we went up the stairs and we asked the photographer to take our group photos.  The photo was a bit expensive for just one photo it cost us PhP100.  It was a cloudy day at the site but nevertheless we enjoyed our climb.  Our picture looked ok since the background was edited to make it appear it was sunny. On our way down, it started to rain.  We passed by the Bilar man made forest, we stopped for awhile for our group photos.

We then went to the Loboc Tarsiers. The new location was a lot better as the tarsiers give ample space to move around. I photographed all the tarsiers that were pointed to us by the guides. The tarsiers were very cute specially the sleeping tarsier that I photographed.  We requested our tour operator to take us to the hanging bridge.  We all enjoyed our walk due to the beautiful scenery.  Since this was my second time, I noticed that they added another bridge.  Again it started to rain as we hurried back to our vehicle. 

The rain was down pouring on our way to the river cruise but, it was a good thing that the rain stopped when we were aboard the river cruise boat.  We had our sumptuous buffet lunch on the boat, and when we were almost done eating, the boat proceeded for the cruise.  As the boat was sailing, a local singer serenaded us. We visited the Ati tribe who showed off their talents and sold to us some of their products. 

After the cruise, we then went to Baclayon Church. It was again raining and I decided not to go out of our vehicle. The rain already stopped when we arrived at the Blood Compact site. We immediately proceeded to the souvenir shop where we bought our pasalubong for our families and friends.  It was 4:30pm when we went to Dauis Church.  When we arrived there, a wedding was being held so we went to the church’s souvenir shop and had photo shots at their lawn. Since five of my officemates were women and they were wearing shorts, they were asked by the church personnel to wear a cloth to cover their legs. We even asked for the free miraculous water from their well, which was located at the altar. 

Still early to go back to our resort, the group went to Hinagdanan Cave. There was nothing spectacular about the place except that the cave has pools. At the area, there were a lot of stalls that sell souvenir items. We practically stayed for a while to buy shirts and have mango shakes. We checked -in at Dumaluan resort.  We were happy with the resort’s ambience. Some decided to take a swim at the pool while I decided to take a merienda at their restaurant.  I had pasta for merienda and it was expensive. In the evening, we dined in at their open restaurant. We enjoyed the dinner since we were serenaded by the restaurant’s band. 

On our second day at 6:30am, we left the resort for our island hopping and dolphin watching.  On the boat, we were asked to register and wear life vests.  Unfortunately, there were not enough life vests for the group. Only six life vests were provided and good thing, I brought my own. The boatmen advised us that one life vest will be provided at Balicasag Island. It was 7am when pods of dolphins appeared.  I took some video but my shots were not as good as I expected it to be.  We only saw a few compared to my first visit some time in 2009. I was also disappointed with the boat’s speed since it cannot catch up with the other boats. Then we went to Balicasag Island for our snorkeling and lunch. 

We had our lunch at one of the tables in the island.  We only bought the soft drink since we brought our own complimentary food from the resort. Then, we rested for few minutes and rode our respective boats to go to the marine sanctuary. We paid PhP100 each for the boat ride. I was not supposed to take the boat since I knew the sanctuary was near the shore and it would just take few minutes to swim the area.  However, I was told that we were required to ride their boats. I think this was for commercial or livelihood reasons since when I returned to the shore I only swam. I also mingled with the locals by going to the lighthouse and some even asked me to take their photographs. 

On our last island visit, the Pungtud Island, I was very happy to see the long stretch of white sand bar but disappointed with the private island’s condition.  On my first visit, only seven persons where at the island and there were bountiful of trees surrounding the area. However during this visit, there were around 50 persons in sight and there were only a few trees around. It was low tide and we were courageous enough to walk on knee-deep water towards the other sandbar.  There were a lot of starfish.  I only hoped that I had a water proof camera for the picture perfect starfish. At the sandbar, my officemates stayed near the water while I walked towards the end of the sandbar to see the seabirds.  As I sneaked at the birds, the flock flew as I pressed my camera shutter but every time I docked, the birds go back to the sands.  After a few photo shots, I left the flock of birds since they were getting very noisy as if they were telling me to leave immediately. Dark clouds already engulfed the island when we went back to our boat. Heavy rains poured as our boat sped back to the resort. 

At the resort, my group swam in the pool while I decided to meet my former colleague at the local mall.  I was already walking towards the main street when it started to rain so I had to walk fast.  By the time I reached the waiting shed, my clothes were already wet. I asked the local if there were jeepneys or tricycles ply the route because I noticed that there were no vehicles passed in the span of 15 minutes.  A tricycle agreed to bring me to the BQ Mall but for PhP100. On the tricycle, I was also with an old man who was kind enough to tell me the directions.  Unfortunately, we were only at the road for 10 minutes when the vehicle’s tire encountered problem.  I was not aware of the exact problem but I was asked to alight as they fix the problem.  It was still drizzling but I had no choice but to wait for the vehicle to be fixed. I was very anxious to reach the mall since I was already late by 30 minutes.  Eventually, the tricycle was repaired but it cannot reach it minimum speed and my travel time was doubled to one hour. Upon arriving at the mall, I had some few chit chats with my friend and bought some food for my officemates.  At 7pm, my only choice of mode of transportation in going back to resort was motorcycle (PhP150 fare).  I was not sure if rain was following me but again it rained as I went back to the resort. My officemates were already waiting for me to have our dinner.  After our dinner, we tried the fish foot spa (PhP120) for 30 minutes.  Everyone had a few laughs as the group of fish nibbled on our dead skin. At 9pm, some drank the local drinks found in our respective rooms while I decided to sleep early. 

On our third day, we went to Bohol Beach Club.  The resort was just a 10 minute walk from our resort. We paid Php550 each for the entrance and buffet breakfast.  The rates were cheaper during weekdays.  While most of my officemates were swimming, I opted to just go back to our resort and just relax.

We left the resort at 1pm. When we arrived at Tagbilaran airport, there were a lot of passengers waiting for their airline. There were four airlines serving this route and the airport has very limited seating and space capacity. I was hoping to leave ahead of the group since I took Airphil express but I was wrong because the seven officemates who took Zestair left on time while I waited for my plane that got delayed for 30 minutes. I will be very cautious next time of my airline of choice.

View Photos

Visited last March 17 - 19, 2012