FOCUS: Sightsee

Showing posts with label Sightsee. Show all posts

Monday, May 5, 2014

Ilocos Sur makes raves in world tourism after Vigan’s Wonder City tag

The Heritage City of Vigan made waves in the global tourism and historical scene after it earned a spot in the search for the New Seven Wonder-Cities of the world.

It was one of the 28 semi-finalists and the only city in the Philippines that qualified in that round. Initially, Cebu and Iloilo were part of the 77 cities around the world until it was narrowed down.

Vigan is not merely banking on its rich heritage, but on the collective effort of its people whose cooperation is behind the city’s vast achievements.

Vigan City Mayor Eva Marie Singson Medina has appealed to the Filipinos all over the world to vote for Vigan as one of the New 7 Wonders-Cities of the World. Votes may be cast online at the New Seven Wonders site. The result of the voting in this level shall be known in July 2014. The entries are trimmed down to 14 finalists and by December 2014, the New 7 Wonder Cities will be declared.

The wonder-cities search is the third global vote organized by the New 7 Wonders and follows the successful New 7 Wonders of the World and New 7 Wonders of Nature campaigns. The search is a forum wherein discussions from urban planning to metropolitan governance, tourism to architecture are held. It also recognizes places that best represent the achievements and aspirations of global urban civilization. It encourages debates about how cities should respond to the challenges of the present and the future.

Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia.

Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia. For this, Vigan was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 2, 1999.

Vigan was also UNESCO’s “Best Practice in World Heritage Site Management” during the 40th World Heritage Convention in Kyoto, Japan, on November 6-8, 2012.It bested 27 other entries from 23 world heritage sites. Vigan was recognized for successful and sustainable management achieved with relatively limited resources.

The other cities include Athens, Greece; Bangkok, Thailand; Barcelona, Spain; Beirut, Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Chicago, USA; Doha, Qatar; Durban, South Africa; Havana, Cuba; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Istanbul, Turkey; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Kyoto, Japan; La Paz, Bolivia; London, United Kingdom; Mendoza, Argentina; Mexico City, Mexico; Mumbai, India; Perth, Australia; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Prague, Czech Republic; Quito, Ecuador; Reykjavik, Iceland; St. Petersburg, Russia; Seoul, South Korea; Shenzhen, China; and Vancouver, Canada.

Vigan city is also a Hall of Fame awardee as Cleanest, Greenest, and Safest City in Region 1, Best Performing Local Government Unit, Most Child-Friendly Component City in the Philippines; and the National Champion—Gawad Pamana ng Lahi in the Cities Category.

Ilocos Sur also made headlines after national authorities trained their attention on rampant illegal black sand mining in two towns. Criminal charges were filed against 31 Chinese nationals caught by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) engaged in illegal black sand mining.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the Chinese nationals were arrested in separate raids in the provinces of Cagayan and Ilocos Sur on August 1 and 3 last year. They face charges for violating the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. During the August 1 raid, authorities arrested a total of 18 Chinese nationals working for Hua Xia Mining and Trading Corp in the barangays of Doddan and Paddaya in Aparri, Cagayan. Half of the arrested individuals were caught illegally operating a mineral processing plant for magnetite, the most magnetic of all the naturally occurring Earth minerals, and which is commonly found in large quantities of black sand. The other half were said to be engaged in burrowing for the same mineral within a prohibited zone and without an MGB permit.

In the August 3 raid, 13 Chinese nationals working for Hongze Mining Corp were likewise arrested in two separate sites in Ilocos Sur: in Barangay Caparacadan in Caoayan town, and Barangay Nagtupacan in San Vicente town. De Lima said that aside from the arrests, 120,000 metric tons of black sand, which can fill up 6,000 dump trucks, was also seized.

De Lima stressed that black sand mining was illegal in "no-go zones" – a 200-meter strip of shore area that is closed to mining activities. MGB geohazard mapping had shown that coastal areas were vulnerable to wind and water erosion which makes sand mining in those areas a prohibited activity.

The World Wildlife Fund Philippines said that black sand mining will have harmful effects on the marine biodiversity in the Babuyan Channel, particularly to humpback whales. (Source: PIA1-Ilocos Sur) FOCUS

Read More No comments

Surfing is more fun in San Juan

When you wish to escape the heat and just want to relax and enjoy this summer, you'll definitely have to try and visit the surf capital of the North-- San Juan, La Union.

Brgy. Urbiztondo is the most popular surfing area in San Juan. This place is ideal for first timers. Here you can find a long coastline, one of the longest in the country. The waves are perfect yet safe for beginners. There are surf schools and tutorials here in San Juan. Town surfers organized a club and you can hire them including the surfboard for about P400 in an hour.

Mang Always, as what his colleagues call him, has been teaching surfing since 2003. According to him, surfing is easy. The most important thing you need to learn is to find the perfect balance. The key to doing this well is being calm, or trying to be still. The less movement that you make, the easier you will find it.

There are tips you have to remember for you to be able to stand on the board. When you come up, remember to keep low because if you stand straight you will fall. Your hands should be higher than your waist and just in view of your vision. And always look up! If you look at your feet, you will fall down.

According to Mang Always "wala sa timbang ng tao yan. Kahit sino pwedeng mag-try. Payat, mataba, bata, matanda pwede. Basta pursigido ka tsaka marunong makinig."

The best time to surf is from July to October, and November to March where there are larger waves and the water quite deeper.

"Kung kelan medyo malakas ang hangin, dun mas maraming nagsu-surf. Yung malaking alon ang inaabangan nila kasi mas exciting", he adds

Carlos Marasigan, an aspiring surfer, travelled all the way from Manila to experience another thrilling adventure here in San Juan. Surfing for him is an extreme sport where you can challenge yourself to do something that you fear of.

“Takot ako dati sa dagat kasi malalakas yung alon. But when I learned about surfing and tried it, na-overcome ko yung fear. Ang sarap ng nasa ibabaw ng tubig at nakikipaglaro sa mga waves", he said.

It was said that surfing in La Union was established in the late 70′s by a Japanese surfer named Aki Naga. He introduced this kind of sport to the local residents and trained them. From then on, they make it their own way of living which eventually paved to the establishment of resorts and similar businesses. Since then, the beach has become a famous surfing destination welcoming both aspiring and professional surfers from all over. But if you really don’t have the guts to surf, there are still many ways to plunge into the waters and enjoy the waves! There are plenty of beach resorts you can choose from and simply enjoy swimming. Reaching San Juan is easy. From Manila, it would take more than 7 hours with bus stops included. Take any bus going to San Fernando, La Union. Take a jeep that will lead you shortly to Brgy. Urbiztondo. If you have your own car, you can take NLEX and TPLEX and exit at Carmen. Take the McArthur Road going north.

Don’t miss the fun! Enjoy the sun and surf at San Juan! (Jing Vallejos) ~~FOCUS~~

Read More No comments

A day in the sea: Reminiscing a first time experience

As part of the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the government acquired two warships for the Philippine Navy from the US Coast Guard—BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz.

During last year's celebration of Pistay Dayat, PF15 or BRP Gregorio del Pilar docked on Lingayen Gulf with the Philippine Navy opening the ship to Pangasinenses from April 28 to May 2. Their curiosity and excitement could be felt as they waited for their turn on the motorboat that would take them to the ship's location anchored at three nautical miles from the shore. Now that the province is celebrating the sea festival once again, it really feels great to reminisce the day that I was in the ship, admiring every corner of it. That was the day I felt the Philippine’s strong stance in protecting our seas and promoting our rights to sovereignty. That was the day I saw the Philippine Navy’s dedication to their job even if it meant being away from their family for a long time and putting half of their life out there despite the impending uncertainties that might be dangerous. That was the day I saw the country’s warship standing in all its glory. As my team and I queued in, my adventurous side entered the scene and I found myself feeling excited about this first time experience. On the eighth episode of Talk TV Global's Traveldotcom, I featured the visit which I cannot forget even after a year has already passed.

Getting introduced

When it was our team's turn in riding on the motorboat, the excitement grew so intense I could hardly wait to set foot on the ship, a former US Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton. As we were approaching, the ship's enormity greeted us. I could imagine it smiling and inviting us to enter and see its glory. The ship is 378 feet in length and 42 feet in width measured on the widest part. The draft is 15 feet seven inches and displacement is 3,390 tons.

Exploring every corner

Our first stop was the wardroom where I interviewed the commanding officer, Commodore Joe Orbe. The wardroom serves as their meeting room for strategic planning and for other matters that need to be discussed in a closed door scenario.

Several steps from the wardroom is the commanding officer's quarters where he rests and sometimes calls for meetings with other officers of the ship. Everything he needs is within reach. For instance, just outside his quarters is his own kitchen. His room, unfortunately, is restricted to the public, so I only had a glimpse of it from outside. The gun deck is where the ship's huge armaments can be found. The biggest weapon of the ship is the 76 mm Oto Melara gun that can fire up to 80 rounds of ammunition per minute.

Still at home

Spending most of their time on the sea, the officers can still enjoy the comforts of home. We also went to the kitchen and the mess hall where they dine, the gym where figure-conscious men can lift weights, the clinic for emergencies and the lounge where they can stay when off duty. Here, they can watch a film or two, or read books and magazines. A library and entertainment room rolled into one.

The engine room is several levels down. But, it was also restricted to the public, so we had not got the chance to take a peek inside. Located in the back portion of the ship are the helipad and the ship's hangar. On display on this part were several types of guns.

We spent our last few minutes inside on admiring and staring around the ship, finding ourselves caught in awe. Sure, it is not brand new, but BRP Gregorio del Pilar is something nobody will ever want to miss given the chance of a tour inside. After all, it is every Filipino's ship. (EJ Dangla) FOCUS

Read More No comments

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Bolinao: More than just a paradise!

Why you should visit Bolinao and visit it NOW

People have talked and written about Bolinao countless times. In the Internet alone, numerous bloggers have shared their experiences and unforgettable moments in this dazzling town in the province of Pangasinan.

Getting bombarded with stories about the place, perhaps it is time that you finally pack your bags and visit the town.

Taking public transport, you will reach Bolinao in approximately five hours and a half from Manila. Bus trips from terminals in Pasay City and Cubao, Quezon City are available daily. Just remember to check the schedules while planning your trip.

Surely, though, your trip will be shorter if you are to use a private vehicle. Just make it sure to thoroughly check your car or SUV before hitting the road as a precaution against inconveniences.

What to expect

You will not be staying forever in Bolinao, so, just like what we always say when travelling, “make the most out of it!” Explore every corner and discover more adventures than what others have unearthed.

Upon arrival on the town proper, do not forget to visit St. James the Great Parish, a church built by the Augustinians in 1609. Some parts of the building had been restored like the belfry, but the walls have been left untouched.

According to a staff of the tourism office, live rocks from the sea were used in building the church. That explains the sprouting plants from the façade.

A few yards from the parish, to its left side, is an underground tunnel built during the Spanish Era. Called the Spanish Well, it stretches all the way to the church—some sort of a secret passage. Locals believe that it ends on the sea as it is filled with water.

If these sights pique your interest in Bolinao’s history, and if you are loquacious enough, talk to some locals and ask them to tell you more about the town. Knowing about past stories of a place and understanding its culture are keys to being able to move around comfortably and enjoying your stay.

These may be considered side trips, but they are of equal importance as your main getaway–definitely worth your time.

The highlight of your Bolinao adventure is of course on its beach particularly in Brgy. Patar, a 15- to 20-minute drive from the town proper where tricycle cabs can be hired.

Reaching paradise

Lining up the road to Patar are resorts, inns and cottages with rooms that can be rented for an overnight stay.

Prices on budget resorts range from P1,000 to P3,000 which depends on the size and capacity of the rooms. During the peak season, however, prices are twice higher than the original.

But, mid- to high-end resorts offer fixed rates which you can check out on their websites.

Patar White Sand Beach, the most talked about and most visited, can be found on the far end of Patar. Souvenir items like tees and key chains are sold on the area.

A public beach though it is, be warned that you practically pay for almost everything and every move that you make around. Expect fixed rates for parking, use of toilet and shower room, and cottages.

But, you will never mind these fees once you see the sparkling clear water of the beach and the inviting waves hitting the shore.

Watching over

At the peak of Punta Piedra Point, watching over the vast West Philippine Sea, stands the majestic Cape Bolinao Lighthouse built in 1905 by Filipino, British, and American engineers.

The 30.78-meter lighthouse, the second tallest in the Philippines next to Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Ilocos Norte, has been an iconic trademark of Bolinao and it is another must visit in every tourist’s itinerary.

Bathing in caves

Just when you are thinking that you have enjoyed everything in Bolinao, the caves will go screaming, “No!” Your Bolinao getaway will never be complete without visiting its three caves namely Enchanted Cave, Cindy’s Cave and Wonderful Cave.

These, however, are not the types that you can explore. They are just domes with crystal clear water which you can plunge into.

Since the caves are nestled on private properties, appropriate fess should be paid accordingly.

The inviting serenity inside the caves will build up calmness in your being. Just brace yourself for the cold water because upon touching your skin, it will surely make every nerve in your body shiver.

Happy tummy

Part of every vacation is food and Bolinao will absolutely not disappoint you.

Seafood restaurants and other diners offering Western and Filipino cuisines are all over Bolinao.

Whether you want to enjoy the serene and picturesque Balingasay River while eating on a floating restaurant, or indulge in your seafood on a backyard-garden set up, the town will clearly make your tummy happy.

One delicacy you must never forget to taste is binongey, a bamboo rice cake. It is made of glutinous rice (malagkit) cooked in a mixture of coconut milk and sugar in a bamboo shaft.

You can find vendors selling this treat outside St. James the Great Parish.

The hustle-and-bustle of city life and stress emanating from work are good reasons to take a break and enjoy nature. A getaway in a faraway place is one effective breather which will help your mind relax and your body regain its strength.

In a place like Bolinao where there is an abundance of natural wonders to enjoy, your spirit and passion will definitely get replenished. - EJ Dangla (FOCUS)

Read More No comments

Blissful night and day on Cabalitian

Experience paradise on this island!

I didn’t experience rest right after graduation. In fact, a few days before the last of my college life, I began working and practicing my craft.

And since my schedule at my job was hectic as that was the campaign period for the 2013 midterm elections when we had to do a series of coverage, I needed a stress buster.

I was really hopeful I could get that perfect relief from the hustle and bustle the election season ensued. So, when it came, I didn’t have second thoughts even though it meant spending a part of my first salary. Well, I’ve been known to be a stingy person.

Cabalitian getaway

Over a year ago, my friends went to a beautiful island in Sual. The trip was a few days after the end of my third year in college. I failed to join them because my budget was scarce that time. When we met with one another again in a get together, they euphorically shared the experience on the marvellous island and how much they enjoyed their getaway. I felt envious and wished that one day, I would get the chance to be captured in wonder and be amazed with the place.

It is called Cabalitian Island. The trip may last for one hour and 45 minutes to two hours via public transport and a maximum of one and a half hours if you use a private car. From Dagupan City, take a Victory Liner bus bound for Sta. Cruz, Zambales. The route that passes through Domalandan in Lingayen makes the trip shorter.

Alight from the bus when you reach the coast along the national highway in Sual, about a kilometer before the town proper. There you may rent a boat which will take you to Cabalitian. The price may vary according to your agreement with the boatman, but regular rates may still apply.

It is advisable that you take the boat before late afternoon, so you won’t have to endure a scary, rocky and wavy 30-minute ride to the island. Believe me, it will freak the hell out of you. I experienced it myself on our ride back.

Don’t even sail at dusk unless the sea is calm. Otherwise, when night falls and darkness engulf you amidst huge waves, you’ll freak out all the more.

Well, in other words, don’t do what we did. We sailed at dusk (because of our friends who arrived almost eight hours late) and arrived on the island when it was night time. Good thing, the sea was calm, so we were relaxed the whole trip.

Upon arrival, we felt our stomachs complaining of hunger, so we prepared our supper and got all set for a sumptuous dinner together.

Here’s another tip: make sure that you’ve got everything that you need for food preparation. Unless you’re confident enough to borrow almost all cooking and eating utensils from the cottage’s caretaker, you could only get by if all you’ve got are canned and ready to eat goods that no longer require you to use those cooking skills that you have.

Falling in love with the place

The very first thing you’ll love about Cabalitian is its pristine water. It was already dark when we arrived, but the light coming from the cottages enabled us to see how clear the water was. It will surely give you that clean feeling when you plunged into the cool water.

After a hearty meal and happy chit chat, we changed into our swimming outfit and off we went to enjoy the water where we crazily played and enthusiastically swam around (or few of us did while the rest just pretended to).

A dip in the cold water under the starry night sky and cool evening may make every living cell in your body shiver, but you’ll definitely enjoy it because you won’t worry about getting sun burned.

The second thing that you’ll love about it is even if you’re ten meters away from the shore, you’ll still find yourself only three fourths deep into the water. If you aren’t a good swimmer, but still want to go farther from the shore, it won’t be scary at all.

After getting our heart’s fill, we prepared for a warming and comforting sleep and tucked ourselves in.

Best sunrise

I strongly suggest that you spend the night on Cabalitian Island because a precious and sparkling fresh scenery will be greeting you in the morning.

Spend a few days on Cabalitian and if you’re not a morning person, then you’ll surely turn into one. You will always love to wake up in the morning and witness the gem-like morning sun peeking atop the hill, gradually extending its glorious warm rays to the sky like gentle hands touching your delicate skin.

Looking at the sun slowly rising to the sky that fades from tangerine to clear whitish blue will undeniably make your eyes sparkle with joy and your heart fall in love with another wonder of nature.

It was the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen so far. Just staring at it while sitting on the shore hit by calm and sweet sounding waves made me grateful of God’s creation.

The beautiful sunrise is one of the highlights of Cabalitian, something you never want to miss. A good picture of it will surely make you fall in love with Cabalitian Island and seeing it for yourself will unsurprisingly make you stay.

That morning, I found myself admiring the place even more. I trained my eyes around and happily examined the island from point to point.

There’s a hill covered in lush green previously blocking the rising sun. The shore is lined with cottages that are up for rent for guests. The grainy sand is brownish in color, that kind which you can put into an aquarium (that’s not a suggestion though).

There are boats docked along the shore, waiting for a trip to the coast on the other end of the sea. The bluish water on the horizon was meets the nearly clear blue morning sky.

I was there, sitting outside the big cottage, ogling at and savouring nature like I’d never done it before.

The cave

After our delicious and mouth-watering breakfast, we headed to another highlight on the island—the cave. The area is dotted with picturesque rock formations—those kinds that you see on television and films—and made up more exciting by giant waves hitting the rocks.

With the sun getting higher, a splash of cool water is a welcome relief to the hot temperature. The cave’s mouth is blocked by a stone bed where you can find stones of various sizes and shapes. Lying on it, the waves rocked me back and forth.

There were deep parts and some deeper portions where we were very careful because of the slippery rocks we were stepping on.

After playful moments on the cave, we walked our way back to the cottage for lunch. Once again, we admired the scenery we had passed by and repeatedly exclaimed how beautiful it was.

The rest of the afternoon was spent on swimming in the sea which turned us into human pumpkins because of the sunburn it caused. Well, I couldn’t blame myself for my overpowering desire to take a dip in the water after many years since my first time on the beach.

Leaving the island…for now

It was nearly dusk when we left the island and headed back towards the coast, sailing in the midst of strong waves hitting our boat. That was one hell of a ride, but it still felt like I enjoyed the experience. That’s something you don’t live with every day.

My skin was sore and red, but the cool memories are a neutralizer. It made me wonder when I would be back on Cabalitian Island, another potential tourist destination. I just hope that when it develops into one, it stays in its natural beauty and doesn’t get destroyed by undisciplined tourists. Taking care of the virgin island is much more important than the boost it will give to Sual’s booming economy.

I left the island happy about the fulfilling experience. And I’ll definitely be back.
- EJ Dangla (Focus)

Read More No comments