Pride of the Filipinos

After the devastating fight of Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, the former proves again that he is really the boxing king of his generation. It's no doubt already. Manny Pacquiao batter Cotto into submission with tremendous hand speed and excruciating power. The Puerto Rican shows no match to Pacquiao as he dominates the fight from 2nd to 12th round. The face of Cotto is a mess with blood running from his nose, face and mouth. I think the fight is a mismatch. Cotto has power but he has no speed while Pacquiao has speed and power. Pacquiao has shown that he can handle Cotto's power by staying in the ropes and absorbing punches from Cotto. Although those tactic is a game for Cotto but it proved Cotto can't beat Pacquiao.

For those who say that Pacquiao beat only his opponents by chance, it's a shame. Some say that the foes of Pacquiao were merely  in their retiring stage that's why Pacquio dominates them, it's not true. Pacquiao beat them because he has the power, the speed and determination, qualities that a boxer should have in order to win his fights.

Pacquiao made history when he stole the WBO crown from Miguel Cotto, making him the first boxer to win championship belts in the 7 weight divisions. He surpassed Oscar de la Hoya's record of 6 championship belts. Mayweather is a big damn. He claims that he is the "One" but why he can't face Pacquiao. Why not start the negotiation for the fight between them instead of just talking and talking. Maybe Mayweather Jr. is scared of a beating. This is for you Mayweather, you better start thinking a way on how you can beat Pacquiao and start training now because you're the next to put your gloves on canvass. Or you better hang your gloves again and go back into retirement if you can't face Pacquaio.       

For Pacquaio you give us hope and happiness everytime you win despite of the many challenges our country is facing. You truly make us proud as a Filipino.   

Marcelo Fernan Bridge

Marcelo Fernan Bridge is an extradosed cable-stayed bridge located in Cebu in the Philippines. It is one of the two bridges that conects Mandaue City and Lapu-lapu City. It has a total length of 1, 237 meters with a center span of 185 meters. It spans across Mactan Channel connecting Cebu Island to Mactan Island. The bridge is one of the widest bridge in the Philippines and was opened in August 1999. It helped in  decongesting traffic from the older Mactan-Mandaue Bridge. It was named after Sen. Marcelo Fernan from Cebu City.

Beer At The Sky

Everytime I pass the San Miguel Beer plant in Mandaue City, Cebu, this thing always took my attention. This giant beer bottle at the top of the building is a nice scenery. If seen at far you will think of it as a flying bottle. This is already one of the landmark of Mandaue. San Miguel Beer plant is producing  one of the finest beer in the country and is one of the top corporation in the Philippines. Its flagship San Miguel Beer is one of the top 10 beer brands in the world.

Election 2010

National Election is coming. For my fellow voters and Filipino citizens let us exercise our right of suffrage. It is our only way of genuine reform in our country. But does our election system credible? Since the time that I was able to cast my vote, I always hope of change. Change that would give jobs to unemployed. Change that would implement laws better. Change that would give equality to all. Change that woul uplift the standard of living of the poor Filipinos. Every election there are lot of anomaly and scandals of vote buying and fraud. The voters do not understand that the money the politicians give them will be taken again to them once they seat in a position. Its just a cycle, but who is suffering? The politicians are the one who became wealthy and the ordinary "Juans" were getting poorer. Can't we learn from our mistakes? Every election we are encountering the same issue. We should vote those who are deserving candidates annd not those who just give money. We seldom see a politician who is sincere in his intention to serve. They are like wet puppies who were pitiful when campaigning but after election you can see who really they are. They are the ones who make laws but they are also the one who breaks it. Just one example to cite is early campaign. They should not campaign unless they filed their Certificate of Candidacy and campaign period comes. But look at the TV you can see the honorables endorsing something or giving reminders for something that you don't know if they are celebrities or government officials. Showbiz people are also taking advantage of their popularity to win the elections eventhough they have no knowledge of politics. I hear nothing about a law that was passed by a showbiz personality that was elected.

Every election we can see the projects of our honorables popping out like mushrooms. We can see the asphalting of road, basketball boards were new in barangays and many other propagandas. My countrymen please think twice before you write the name of your candidate in the ballot. We should all strive to attain a good CHANGE.    

Maria Cristina

Maria Cristina Falls is a waterfall of the Agus River on the island of Mindanao. It is sometimes called the "twin falls" as the flow is separated by a rock at the brink of the waterfall.[1] It is a landmark of Iligan City, nicknamed the City of Majestic Waterfalls, because of the presence of more than 20 waterfalls in the city. It is located 9.3 kilometers away southwest of the city proper at the boundaries of Barangays Maria Cristina, Ditucalan, and Buru-un. Well-known for its natural beauty and grandeur, the 320-feet98 meters/320 feet high waterfall is also the primary source of electric power for the city's industries, being harnessed by the Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant.

Maria Cristina Falls powers the Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant, one of the several hydroelectric plants that harness Agus River. The power plant has a 200 MW potential capacity supplied by a water flow of about 130 cubic meters per second. Agus VI is operated by the National Power Corporation and was commissioned on May 31, 1953.

 
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Cristina_Falls

Mayon Volcano

Mayon Volcano, also known as Mount Mayon, is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay, in the Bicol Region, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. Renowned as the "Perfect Cone" because of its almost perfectly conical shape, Mayon is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City.

On 13 October 2008 it was included in New 7 Wonders of Nature Top 10 list. However, it didn't made the cut to the Top 25 finalists,giving way to Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, another site in the Philippines.

Mayon Volcano is the main landmark of Albay Province, Philippines. It is ten kilometres (6 mi) from the Gulf of Albay, in the municipalities of Legazpi City, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Tabaco City, Malilipot, and Santo Domingo (clockwise from Legazpi). It rises 2462 m (8,077 ft) above the gulf.

Mayon Volcano is the Philippines' most active volcano and is considered to be the world's most perfectly formed volcano for its symmetrical cone. It is a basaltic-andesitic volcano. The upper slopes of the volcano are steep averaging 35-40 degrees and are capped by a small summit crater. Its sides are layers of lava and other volcanic material.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayon_Volcano

Bacolod

Bacolod City is the capital and largest highly urbanized mid-size Philippine city of the province of Negros Occidental. Having a total of 499,497 inhabitants as of August 1, 2007, it is the most populous city in the Western Visayas Region. It is notable for its MassKara Festival held during October. Known for being a relatively friendly city, it bears the nickname "City of Smiles" and the "Football City of the Philippines". Bacolod City recently topped a survey by MoneySense Magazine as the "Best Place to Live in the Philippines".
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Reference: http://www.lakbaypilipinas.com/maskara_festival.html

BANAUE RICE TERRACES

The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the Batad indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometers (about 4000 square miles) of mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps are put end to end it would encircle half the globe.

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The Banaue terraces are part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, ancient sprawling man-made structures from 2,000 to 6,000 years old. They are found in the provinces of Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the Rice Terraces. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care.

The Banaue Rice Terraces do not have recorded data on how it was conceived in history and that historical account of China before the Shang Dynasty is disputable however historical studies and evidence have linked the terraces to the Miao tribe that thrived in China. Emperor Yu the great launched a siege to eliminate the Miao tribe who rebelled against him from 2205 to 2106 BC. The survivors of the Miao tribe fled to the south where some of them crossed the South China Sea. A few of these survivors reached the Cordilleras. The Miao tribe who were one of the official group minorities recognized in mainland China, they lived in cold wet mountain regions which made the Cordillera Mountains an easy transition from what they were used to in the mountainous southwestern region of China. Chinese features are also clearly seen in the natives of Northern Luzon. Similarly, the rituals and traditions of the Igorots and Ifugaos also show a significant resemblance to Miao culture.

The Miao are also known for cultivating terraced paddy fields and this innovation was brought to the Cordilleras, along with the influence of Tang Dynasty trading were also adapted, carabaos, fruits such as mandarin oranges, vegetables, utensils, pottery and handicraft. The Banaue Rice Terraces became prevalent with the Miao interaction with ethnic cultures of the Cordilleras before the advent and arrival of the Spanish Inquisition. This acculturation of the two cultures took on a new identity in a different environment which links us to the first records in history of the terraces.

The terraces are vastly found in the province of Ifugao and the Ifugao people have been its caretakers. Ifugao culture revolves around rice and the culture displays an elaborate array of rice culture feasts linked with agricultural rites from rice cultivation to rice consumption. Harvest season generally calls for thanksgiving feasts while the concluding harvest rites tungo or tungul (the day of rest) entail a strict taboo of any agricultural work. Partaking of the bayah (rice beer), rice cakes, and betel nut constitutes an indelible practice during the festivities and ritual activities.

CHOCOLATE HILLS

The Chocolate Hills are an unusual geological formation in Bohol at the Central Visayas area of the Philippines. There are about 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name originated.

The Chocolate Hills are a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. They are featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province. They are in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines and have been declared the country's 3rd National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Chocolate Hills is a rolling terrain of haycock hills – mounds of general shape which are conical and almost symmetrical. These cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually made of grass-covered limestone. They are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol.

During the dry season, the rain is inadequate such that the grass-covered hills dry up and turn chocolate brown. This transforms the area into seemingly endless rows of "chocolate kisses". The branded confection is the inspiration behind the name, Chocolate Hills.

Of the 1,247 hills, two have been developed into resorts for tourism. The original resort is located in Carmen, Bohol at the Barangay Buenos Aires, only a few minutes drive from downtown Carmen. The resort in Carmen is called Chocolate Hills Complex. The more recent one in Sagbayan is called Sagbayan Peak.

The Chocolate Hills Complex has a restaurant, hostel with swimming pool and an observation deck where one could view and even count the hills at the view deck 210 feet (64 m) above the ground. There are a total of 214 steps leading to the observation or view deck. Here one can view the landscape that is covered with more than a thousand Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills Complex is composed of two hills developed into a resort. An observation deck on the higher hill offers a 360-degree panorama of the surrounding area.

The other way to view the Chocolate Hills is at "Sagbayan Peak", a mountain resort in Sagbayan town, about 75 kilometres (47 mi) northwest of Tagbilaran City. Viewing is made from the deck of an elevated ridge that provides an unobstructed view of the Chocolate Hills as well as the sea off Cebu City. This is only 18 kilometres (11 mi) from the Chocolate Hills complex in neighboring Carmen town.

Sagbayan Peak is a 5-hectare (12-acre) mountaintop resort and recreation center. Its viewing deck offers a 360-degree perspective of the Chocolate Hills plus the blue sea that separates Bohol and Cebu. The peak now has a restaurant and a children’s park with Bugs Bunny, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and various other Toontown figures. Aside from the function hall and viewing deck, a hotel, swimming pool, driving range, a butterfly dome and a tarsier sanctuary are planned. A 100-hectare (250-acre) golf course is also planned.

Jules Marc Satorre with Chocolate Hills at the Background

DIVE MOALBOAL

Moalboal is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 27,398 people.

Extending as a peninsula in the Southwestern tip of Cebu, Moalboal is bordered to the west by the Tañon Strait. From the western shoreline, the island of Negros can be seen. Moalboal is located 89 kilometers from Cebu City, about 2.5 hours by bus.

Locals often call themselves Moalboalanons, taken from the name of their town. The "Moalboalanons" said they came from "Boholanon" decscents. Though the majority of the people in Moalboal are Cebuanos, a few members of cultural minorities have found their way there. Bajaus who are similar to Muslim nomads, are often seen in the streets, especially during the holiday season, as some of them make their living by begging. There is no evidence though that the badjaos have taken up permanent residence in the town..

The people of Moalboal speak Cebuano which is a member of the Austronesian language family. The dominant language of the town is Cebuano. However, being separated by several mountain ranges from their Northern neighbors, the Cebuano in Moalboal has some subtle differences from that spoken in the city. For instance, terms such as asgad, which means salty, is not used by many Cebuanos in the city, using the more common term of parat instead. The intonation is also different from that of the city dwelling Cebuanos. They start at a low range voice and ends in a high range tone, similar to Boholanon.

According to lore, Moalboal has a spring where many of the locals get their water. Once, a foreigner asked a woman with a cleft what the place was called. The woman thought he was asking her about the spring so she said that it was a bukal-bukal. However, because of her speech impediment, her words came out sounding like Moalboal and that was how the town got its name.

Another story is one of Laguno, a local warrior who was exiled from his hometown in Bohol. He and his family eventually came to the shores of Moalboal and settled there. Laguno had a yam-yam or oracion, a native prayer used to repel his enemies, and he used this to protect his home when moro invaders came. Legend goes that Laguno instructed his men to throw coconut husks into the water, then with the use of yam-yam, Laguno made it appear that the coconut husks were real men. Seeing that there were many warriors ready to defend the settlement, the moro invaders left. Laguno was reverred by his people after that and when he died, it was said that his body was buried near a freshwater spring located, strangely enough, on the beach. His men placed a large tree trunk over his burial ground so as not to disturb him and it is said that even today, that trunk still exists. Whenever anyone tried to chop the trunk, it would bleed.

The street fronting the Municipal Hall of Moalboal is called Laguno Street in honor of the warrior. Laguno's burial ground is said to be located underneath the mangroves near the tulay. The spring still exists today.

Moalboal has developed a tourism industry based on diving and beaches. Panagsama Beach, is where most resorts are established and White beach, which still has sand, in Barangay Savedra, which used to be a quieter beach that locals frequent, has only recently developed.

Tourists wanting to stay in Moalboal can easily take a taxi from Cebu International Airport. It should cost around 2500 Pesos, the ride takes around 2.5 hours. Other ways to get to Moalboal would be to take a taxi to the Librando bus terminal or the South Bus station across the road. Librando and Ceres buses go to Moalboal, Fare is 89 Pesos. Make sure you are on a bus going via Barili, or you will end up in the South of Cebu.

Entertainment is laid back and not for clubbers. Most of the small bars were demolished last year, and now the original “village” is no longer there, it has lost its bar hopping social scene. The most popular bars at the moment are "Beach Bar" and " Chili Bar ", you can have a beer for less than 75 Cents US there. There is an outrageously loud Disco every Saturday at Pacitas, so be careful not to take a room close by if you want to sleep before sunrise.

Diving is the main activity, and it compares favorably with any spot in the Philippines. The home reefs are fine and Pescador island, ranges from fantastic to the sublime, depending on the season. The structure of the whole reef is ideal for snorkeling and freediving as well since the reef drop off is close to shore and shallow. Within a distance of 20 km from Moalboal you can explore numerous waterfalls, caves and canyons.

OLANGO ISLAND

Olango Island Group is a group of islands found in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It is composed of Olango Island and 6 other islets namely Sulpa, Gilutongan, Nalusuan, Caohagan, Pangan-an, and Camungi. Olango Island and its neighboring islets have a total land area of approximately 10.3 square kilometers (4.0 sq mi). The island group is under the jurisdiction of the City of Lapu-Lapu and the Municipality of Cordova. The island group is a part of Cebu Province and of the major tourist destination in Cebu. It is known for its wildlife sanctuary.

Olango Island and its satellite islets are raised coral reefs. The lithology of the island consists of 2 unit types: the Plio-Pleistocene Carcar Formation and the Quaternary Alluvium (the youngest lithologic unit). Carcar formation is typically a porous coralline limestone characterized by small sinkholes, pitted grooves, and branching pinnacles. This suggests in situ deposition. Their dominant compositions are shell, algae, and other carbonate materials, while macro and micro fossils are found abundant in its formation. Alluvium, on the other hand, is mostly found in the coastal areas. Calcareous sand derived from the weathering of limestone mostly makes up the tidal flat. This appears as fine to coarse-grained sand mixed with shell fragments.

Olango Island is a diverse coastal ecosystem consisting of extensive coralline sandflats, mangroves, seagrass beds, and offshore coral reefs. The island's mangroves are most extensive in the Cebu province, and its offshore corals are home to scores of various marine species. The island is virtually flat, and it is surrounded by warm seas and partly sheltered from monsoons and strong trade winds.

Olango Island is one of the seven best-known flyways in the world for migrating birds. Its main attraction is its 920-hectare Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, a haven for migratory birds from Siberia, Northern China, and Japan. These birds flock to the island seeking refuge from the winter climate of other countries. The sanctuary supports the largest concentration of migratory birds found so far in the Philippines. There are 97 species of birds in Olango which 48 are migratory species, while the rest are resident birds of the island.

The birds use Olango as a major refueling station as well as a wintering ground. The birds stop by the island on their southward journey to Australia and New Zealand and on their journey back to their nesting grounds. Among the frequent guests are Chinese egrets, Asiatic dowitchers, Eastern curlews, plovers, sanpipers, Black-tailed Godwit and Red Knot. It is best to visit Olango around the months of July to November just in time for winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

The island of Olango is also known for its dive sites. Tourists can dive in three different sites around the island. Situated in the northern tip of the island is Mabini Point. Descending to around 35m at the drop-off, one can watch sharks, including hammerheads and the occasional whale shark. Currents around the site are strong and unpredictable.

Olango Island has one of the deepest wall dives around. Baring is along the North-Western side of the island and the wall starts at 60ft/20m and ends down to about 220ft/73m before disappearing on a gradual slope. Grey reef sharks, tuna, barracuda, snappers and jacks can be found around the area.

Slightly further south is Santa Rosa. The dive starts with a sandy bottom covered in soft corals, leading to a drop-off at 15m, descending to 50m. There is a good variety of reef fish in the shallows here, while further down you'll see fusiliers, catfish, jacks, snappers and sweetlips, among others.

I Love The Philippines But I Hate The People Who Run Its Government

           Philippines is a great country. It is rich in natural resources. It has a huge population that is why it is also exporting human resources. Almost how many million Filipinos are working abroad. This is my home, the home of my family and every Filipino. I was born and grow here. I love this place.

           The only thing that I do not love in this country are the people that run it. Not to generalize, but almost every politician if they are running for a slot in the government they are corrupt. Their purpose in making to the position is to have power to protect their businesses or to become wealthy by having a great money-making job. Their purpose of serving is just a second choice or worse is that it’s just a front. If we are going to analyze from the lowest position to the highest there are corrupt leaders. Our congressmen have SUV’s and to think of it, it’s the latest models.


These people in our government are not ashamed that they are riding in a very comfortable vehicle while their people are hungry and homeless. Filipinos are squatting in their own country. We have a huge budget for infrastructure but we are at the bottom in terms of ranking for it. The government can’t even make a well done drainage system. Just a small rain our cities submerged in water, and the worst event happen when typhoon comes. A very good example is the remains of typhoon “Ondoy”. Our leaders were not ashamed to ask for assistance from other nations. My point is that in the first place it’s their duty to implement laws and build useful projects for the prevention of calamities. Our authorities should not be lenient in implementing laws, just like the dumping of garbage anywhere that contribute to floods. Our country has a lot of laws. I think it’s the best place in the world to live if every law is implemented well. Just a simple non-smoking law in public places and conveyances can’t be implemented. If election time is approaching our leaders have a lot of projects. There are new basketball boards, children’s playground have new seesaws and swings, the roads that for the years have moon craters are being concreted. Is this kind of situation will just remain? What is the real score?

DINAGYANG Festival

Dinagyang is a festival in honor of the Santo Niño and cultural festival to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis. It is held every 4th Sunday of January after the Sinulog of Cebu and Ati-atihan of Aklan. this festival began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez of Roman Catholic parish introduced the devotion to Santo Niño in November 1967. In 1968 a replica of Santo Niño image was brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez as a gift to the parish of San Jose. The faithful led by members of Confradia del Santo Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the image a fitting reception starting at the Iloilo Airport and parading down the streets of Iloilo.

At the start the observance of the feast was confined to the parish. The Confradia patterned the celebration on the Ati-Atihan of Aklan where natives dance in the streets, their bodies covered with soot and ashes, to simulate the Atis dancing to celebrate the sale of Panay. It was these tribal groups who were the prototype of the present festival.

The Marcos government ordered the various regions of the Philippines to come up with festivals or celebrations that could boost tourism and development in 1977. The City of Iloilo readily identified the Iloilo Ati-atihan as its project and at the same time the local parish could no longer handle the growing challenges of the festival.

The Dinagyang is divided into three Major events the Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Miss Dinagyang.

Today the main part of the festival consists of a number of "tribus", who are supposed to be Ati tribe members dancing in celebration. There are a number of requirements, including that the performers must paint their skin brown and that only indigenous materials can be used for the costumes. All dances are performed to drum music. Many tribes are organized by the local high schools. Some tribes receive a subsidiary from the organizers and recruit private sponsors, with the best tribes receiving the most. There are current Ati population of Iloilo but they are not involved in the festival in any other way.

Dinagyang was voted as the best Tourism Event for 2006, 2007 and 2008 by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines. It is the first festival in the world to get the support of the United Nations for the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, and cited by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice on government, private sector & NGO cooperation.

DAVAO

Davao City is the largest city located on the island of Mindano in the Philippines. It is one of the Philippines' most progressive cities. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the southern part of the Philippines.

Davao City is also one of the cities in the Philippines that are independent of any province. Davao has a population of 1,363,330 in 2007 census and is named by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine as the 10th "Asian City of the Future". In recent years, Davao City has emerged as the business, investment and tourism hub for the entire southern Philippines. The city boasts of some of the finest beaches and mountain resorts in the country and its proximity to the Philippines’ most captivating diving spots as well as its highest peak Mount Apo, the home the Philippine Eagle.

Davao City is the "Crown Jewel" of Mindanao in terms of economic activity. It is the most important economy in the island and the third most important urban center in the Philippines.

Cebuano or Bisaya is the most widely spoken language in the city, while Tagalog comes a distant second. English sis the medium of instruction in schools and is widely understood and spoken especially in the business community and also for all official documents.

Davao is also home to a lot of tourist attractions such as the following.

Ø Battle Memorial -– A historical marker of the longest-fought battle between the troops of the American & Filipino forces and of the Japanese Imperial Army which took place in Mintal, Tugbok District. (Mintal Elementary School)

Ø Camp Domingo Leonor -– Quarters of the Spanish and later American soldiers in the 1920s. (San Pedro St.)

Ø City Hall of Davao –- The former municipal building constructed in 1926. (San Pedro St.)

Ø Crocodile Farm –- The only crocodile park in the region provides home to locally bred crocodiles including the country's biggest crocodile named Pangil (or fangs) measuring over 18 feet (5.5 m) in length. One can take pleasure from viewing, horseback riding around the park, or feeding the young fierce reptiles.

Ø Davao Museum -– Houses artifacts of Davao's indigenous tribes and photographs of the city's historic events and history of its pioneering families. (Insular Village I, Lanang)

Ø Davao Historical Society Museum -– Features the historical and indigenous collections of the Davao Historical Society (Magsaysay Park)

Ø Fort of Datu Bago -- Site of the bastion of the Muslim hero Datu Bago who lorded over the Tagloc River, the old name of Davao River. (Junction of Washington St. and Quimpo Blvd.)

Ø Furukawa Plantation -– The abaca plantation in Daliao which was acquired from the Bagobos as a result of the Otha Public Land Act in 1903. (Toril)

Ø Gap Farm -– The GAP Farm has deluxe cottages and campsites, Olympic size swimming pool, picnic area, horseback riding facilities, convention hall, and a World War II cave among others. Its garden is filled with exotic flowers and tropical fruits. Located in Barangay Ma-a.

Ø Japanese Museum –- The museum features historical accounts of the Japanese community residing in Davao before and during the war including their tools which they used in the abaca plantations, currencies, publications, among others. (Calinan)

Ø Japanese Peace Memorial Shrine -– During the "Ubon Yasumi, " Japan's version of All Souls' Day held in August, Japanese war veterans and their kin take a pilgrimage to visit this memorial shrine. (Mintal)

Ø Japanese Tunnel -- A restaurant with a free entry to a tunnel that the Japanese created in the time of the Japanese Revolution. (Matina)

Ø Lon Wa Buddhist Temple -- The biggest Buddhist temple in Mindanao is set in environment of candle trees and bamboo with an imposing statue of the Buddha and his life depicted in wood carving. (R. Cabaguio Ave.)

Ø Memorial to a Brave Son -- This memorial marker was built in recognition of the gallantry of Armando Generoso, who died in the very site of the bridge while defending it from the Japanese invaders during World War ll. (Gov. Generoso Bridge)

Ø Mindanao Taoist Temple –- Houses the holy icons of the Taoist religion. (J.P. Cabaguio Ave.)

Ø Mintal Historical Marker -– A memorial to Col. Yamada who defended Mintal during the war. It is also the site of the visit of McArthur, Stillwel and Eichelberger. (Mintal)

Ø Monument of Peace & Unity -– Unveiled during the celebration of the Philippine Centennial in 1998, the monument depicts the peaceful relationship of the migrant and indigenous inhabitants of Davao in the last 100 years. (San Pedro St.)

Ø Mosques -– Islam is also one of the major religions in the city with several places of worships found in Bankerohan, Quezon Blvd., Panacan, Quimpo Blvd., among others.

Ø Museo Dabawenyo -– a government owned museum located at cor. Pichon St. and Claveria St.

Ø Old Japanese Houses -– The site of old Japanese homes, warehouses and abaca processing and drying plants before and during World War II. (Mintal, Tugbok District & Toril District)

Ø Osmeña Park -– Formerly known as the Plaza, this was the site of the settlement of the early Davaoeños. (San Pedro St.)

Ø Ottha Kyosaburu Memorial Shrine -– A memorial obelisk built in honor of Otha Kyosaburu who invoked the Public Land Act No. 926 of 1903. (Mintal Elementary School)

Ø Uyanguren Landing Site -– The landing site of Don Jose Oyanguren y Cruz of Guipuzcoa, Spain, the Spanish conqueror who later became the Governor of Davao. (Rodriguez Park, Quezon Blvd.)

Ø San Pedro Cathedral –- One of the oldest churches in Mindanao, the original structure of the church was built in 1847 in honor of St. Peter, the city's patron saint. The old altar is preserved at the right wing of the cathedral. (San Pedro St.). It is the ecclesiastical seat of the Archdiocese of Davao.

Ø Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague -– A local mecca of the city's Roman Catholic devotees. (Shrine Hills, Matina)

Ø St. Mary of Perpetual Rosary -– A shrine built in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary which features series of steps which leads to the main chapel. (Cabantian, Buhangin District)

Ø Talomo Beach –- Sunken warships during the Second World War can be found just 200 meters from the shore. (Talomo District)

Ø Eden Nature Park -- A very popular mountain resort located in Eden, Toril District, some 40 min away from the city center. It is situated 3,000 ft (910 m) above sea level, giving it a cool and moderate climate. It is 95% man made with pine trees dotting the landscape. It covers 40 hectares worth of developed land.

Ø Philippine Eagle Center -- Home to the Philippines National Bird, The Philippine Eagle (previously named Monkey Eating Eagle), the largest eagle in the World. It is where they are bred in captivity in order to increase their population and prevent extinction. Located in Malagos, a 45 min drive from the city center. Aside from being a temporary home for the Monkey Eating Eagle's, it also hosts some other exotic animals native to Davao's forest.

Ø Paradise Island and Beach Resort -- A very popular white sand beach resort located in Samal Island. It is a 5 min boat ride away from its drop off point at Lanang. Aside from its unspoiled waters, it also has a zoo as an added attraction.

Ø People's Park -- On December 15, 2007, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte led local officials in opening the P 72-M People's Park (old PTA Ground) in Davao City, which features a mini-forest and large sculptures representing indigenous groups in Southern Mindanao.

ILOILO

Iloilo is the province of Philippines located in the Western visayas region. It is at the southeast portion of Panay Island. Just at the coast of iloilo is the Guimaras island, that once a part of Iloilo but is now a province in its own. People from Iloilo are called Ilonggos. Hiligaynon or Ilonggo and Kinaray-a are the two main languages that is spoken in Iloilo city and towns of the province.

The town fiesta is one of the most important events for Ilonggos. Almost every town in Iloilo has a fiesta and festival celebrated annually. The province of Iloilo is known for its beautiful old world architecture similar to the Latin American Countries. Spanish colonial Churches are among the well known tourist destinations in the province. Among these are the Miag-ao Church, Molo Church, Cabatuan Church, and San Jose Church.

Miagao Church, the Aztec-Baroque inspired church with Filipino botanicals were carved on the facade. It is known for its intricate facade and pyramidal bell towers. The church was formerly used as a fortress during the old days. It is a massive structure built of yellowish Lime stones.

Molo Church, the Gothic Renaissance Church was used as a watch tower to warn the people if there are any attackers on the shore of Iloilo City. It is a fine coral stone church with Classical and Gothic details. It is also known as the feminist church because of the beautiful female saints lining inside the church.

Cabatuan Church was a Neoclassic Church, known to be the most massive Hispanic structure in Iloilo is built of red bricks. It is believed to be the largest red brick structure in the Visayas and it was given the title "Model of Temples" by the 'El Eco de Panay'. The Cabatuan Church is known to be the only extant Spanish colonial church with three facades.

San Jose Church was a beautiful church in front of plaza Libertad is considered the most historic among the churches in Iloilo City. It is a Byzantine-Neoclassic Church planned to look like the Spanish Church of Valencia del Cid. The Church is known for its collection of priceless Catholic treasures.

The city of Iloilo is also known for a street of old buildings with their classical designs known as the “Calle Real”. Every January, the city is busy for Dinagyang, the festival dubbed as "The best tourism event in the Philippines" It is a collection of tribe warriors dancing in honor of the Child Jesus. It is a religious event in honor of the Santo Nino and cultural festival to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis . It is held every fourth Sunday of January right after the Sinulog in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan in Aklan. 5The Dinagyang is divided into three Major events: Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Miss Dinagyang.

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Cebu

Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu island and surrounding islands. Cebu is located at the center of Visayas and is a long narrow island stretching 225 kilometres from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighbouring smaller islands, that includes Maactan, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and Camotes Island. It has narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus and coastal plains. It also has predominant rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island. Cebu's highest mountains are over 1000 metres high. Flat tracts of land can be found in the towns of Bogo, san Remigio, Medellin and Daanbantayan at the northern region of the province. Its capital is Cebu City, the oldest city in the Philippines which forms part of the Cebu Metropolitan area together with four neighboring cities which include Danao, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue and Talisay City and eight other municipalities. Cebu's infrastructure is served by the Mactan Cebu International Airport  located in Mactan island connected by two bridges.

The new bridge that connects Mandaue and Lapu-lapu City.

Sto. Nino Church

Boracay Island

Boracay is a tropical island tha can be found 315 kms. in the south of Manila and 2 kms. Northwest of Panay in Western Visayas in the Philippines. It is one of the famous tourist destination in the Philippines. The island is composed of 3 barangays namely Manoc-Manoc, Balbag and Yapak.
The island is known for its white sand beaches.

Republic of the Philippines

The Philippines known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It is composed of 7,107 islands in the Western Pacific Occean.
The Philippines was once a colony of Spain and USA. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands is one of the most diverse countries in the world. The name Philippines was derived from King Phillip of Spain in the 16th century. Spanish explorer Ruy Lopez de Villalobos used the name Las Islas Filipinas, in honor of the Prince of Spain during his expedition to the islands. Despite the presence of other names, the name Filipinas was chosen as the name of the archipelago.


It was officially called República Filipina or the Philippine Republic during the Philippine Revolution. During the Spanish American War and the Philippine-American War, until the Commonwealth period, American colonial authorities the country as the Philippine Islands, a translation of the original Spanish name. It was during the American period that the name Philippines began to appear, a name that become its common name.
Philippines is a country which is rich in natural resources and beauty spots. The rich goldmines can be found in Cordillera region. Fishing is also a lucrative business and livelihood since the Philippines is composed mostly of islands and surrounded by a lot of bodies of water. Lot of beauty spot is also home to Philippines like the famous Boracay Island, Mayon Volcano, Banaue Rice Terraces, Chocolate Hills and many more.