photo credit: banggigay

My mother is turning 75 this July 26 and I want to give her a surprise birthday gift. I was planning a big family get-together for her to make the day extra special. You see, we almost lost her last December. The celebration I was cooking up would be a celebration of her life and a thanksgiving for the second chance we have to be together as a complete family. My siblings and I were never really this close before my mother had a stroke.

Her doctors said she had fully recovered from her stroke. Except for maintenance medicine for hypertension, she has already been out of her critical and expensive medicines. Her doctors are still amazed at how fast she recovered. Her neurologist would get misty eyed every time my mother visits her for regular check-up. At her age, who would expect her to recover that fast? But when you look at her you wouldn’t think she had a stroke. There are no physical signs, her speech and movements are normal, and she even started to take 30-minute walk every morning two months after her stroke.

When I saw the contest for free SEAIR tickets at Byahilo, I immediately thought of my mother. The chance to win Six FREE tickets to Busuanga via SEAIR is too good an opportunity to pass up. The travel will not be too taxing since it’s by plane and the views and change of climate will be good for her. If Busuanga is anything like Puerto Princesa, then my mother would surely love the island. No extreme adventure for her though. Save the adventure part for me.

The farthest my parents had been to was Tagaytay. I remember how happy my Nanay was when she told us about their experience. It was the first time she saw some of the animals at the zoo in Tagaytay. She was chattering nonstop about Taal volcano. I want to make her that happy again.

When I got back from my Palawan trip last May, I gave my mother a pair of pearl earrings as pasalubong. She asked if she can also have a ring on her birthday. Well Nanay, if I’m lucky enough I’m not only giving you a ring but a grand vacation as well. How’s that for the best mother in the world?

My heart skipped a beat the moment we set foot on the port of Puerto Princesa. It’s like stepping into another world. The view of the mountains from afar looked like they’re from another country. I’ve never seen anything like this in the several provinces I’ve visited in the Philippines.

At the heart of this beautiful island province is its capital, Puerto Princesa City. The Eco-Tourism Capital of the Philippines . . . A City in a Forest . . these are just some of the names that this city has been called. It is a haven for nature lovers.

Cleanest and Greenest Hall of Fame

No wonder the City is a Cleanest and Greenest Hall of Fame Awardee for Component City. Everywhere you go in Puerto Princesa, you can always see that ubiquitous green trash can. Even in the forest remotest part of the City! Mind you, Puerto Princesa is a city of 253,982 hectares of land stretched over 106 kilometers but almost every 50 meters away you can find a trash can.

Maintaining the cleanliness is a serious business for Puerto Princesa residents. Just try to throw away a candy wrapper and you’ll find yourself in jail. For every litterer caught, a portion of the fine goes to the whistle blower. Now, how creative is that?

Convention Destination

The Puerto Princesa Coliseum can accommodate up to seven thousand participants and guests. It’s making Puerto Princesa a good convention and conference destination. Good news, it’s air conditioned. Bad news, t

here’s no bad news. Any chance to visit Puerto Princesa will be good news for me.

Need Help? Call 117!

When you’re in Puerto Princesa be rest assured that when you dial 117 somebody’s going to answer you. How do I know this? Because I’ve been inside the Patrol 117 Kilos Agad Action Center located inside the Puerto Princesa Coliseum. The center is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We tried it by

dialing 117 on our cellphone and it is being diverted to the 117 Call Center. Most of the calls they receive are accidents and seldom about crimes.

A warning to prank callers, calls are recorded, they have caller ID and your location is visible on the screen. Oh, and did I tell you that the Crocodile Farm and the Iwahig Prison are located in Puerto Princesa? Make your choice.

Hungry for More

Food is quite cheap in Puerto Princesa, especially seafoods. Vietville in the Vietnamese Village is noted for serving authentic Vietnamese food. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit the place so I tried eating Chow Long at a restaurant in the city. I don’t know how close that was to the authentic Vietnamese noodles but I find it too sweet for my Batchoy-laden tongue.

Now here’s a really good restaurant, KaLui located in Rizal Avenue. At KaLui one has to go barefoot before getting inside the restaurant which is rather unique in fine dining restaurants. You can even choose a table with regular chairs or one where you sit on pillows on the floor. The service is excellent and they serve Filipino food that are truly superb. The cost is a little expensive but it’s all worth it. Equally as impressive is the ambiance that is unmistakably Pinoy. I was told it’s the owner who did the interiors. There were art collections and regular Pinoy items but arranged in such a way that will really impress you, something only an artist can do. Even the restroom is a must-see.

Explore and Experience

One could not help but marvel at how the city preserved and conserved its natural resources but at the same time making it one of the major tourist destinations in the world. Experts predict that Palawan, with its 1,768 islands, will overtake Boracay as the No. 1 tourist destination in the Philippines in three years. This is not really surprising since the province has so much to offer - pristine waters and beaches, diving sites, diverse flora and fauna, natural sanctuaries and two world heritage sites. Puerto Princesa alone is so big that it would take you several days (and a lot of money) to explore all its interesting places.

• Underground River
  

We went to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park better known as the Underground River. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also nominated in the New Seven Wonders of Nature. If there’s only one place in Puerto Princesa you could visit I’d say it’s the Underground River.

Our trip was supposed to be on Tuesday, May 20, but we were told that the Park will be closed on Tuesday to Wednesday for the Pinoy Big Brother so we went there immediately on the day we arrived, May 19. Sabang beach, the jump-off point to the Underground River, is a 2-hour rough road away form the city proper. Once at Sabang, you get your permit from park office and book your boat for the trip to the river entrance. Ours was a long list since it was also that week that the GACPA National Convention was held. They were likewise informed of the closure of the park thus they flocked to the park on Monday. A lot of people were really disappointed. Imagine if it’s only the Underground River you were visiting and you only have that day available and you found out the park will be closed? Enough said.

At the river entrance you’ll have to again list your name and wait for your turn. Monkeys freely roam the area. We were told not to feed them and be careful of our things since they sometimes take things from visitors. Before entering the cave you’ll have to wear a helmet and lifejacket. I guess the helmet is more for protection from bats’ droppings than from falling rocks.

A guide will accompany you inside and you’ll have a battery operated lamp for lighting. Our guide was the famous Toting. He was highly recommended to us by visitors who came ahead of us. Indeed, he’s a natural comedian. He continually cracked jokes breaking the silence inside the cave making us feel comfortable. He was interviewed by Discovery Channel and local TV networks for their feature on the Underground River. Well, we’re rubbing elbows with a famous personality! So we had our pictures taken with him. He’s quite enjoying our banter.

Except for our lamp and that of the other visitors’, the cave was in total darkness. Hanging on the caves were different species of bat. Toting pointed a branching out cave which they call the ‘bat cave’ where most of the bats can be found. I’m not sure if it’s true or he’s once again joking about the name.

Flying around the cave is another resident, the Balinsasayaw, the ones whose nests produced from their saliva is used to make the nido soup. I first thought of them as bats when I saw them at the mouth of the cave. Apparently, they fly around the cave by day and at night, it’s the bats turn.

The formations inside the cave are awe-inspiring. All you need is a little imagination and you’ll see different interesting pieces. The cave ceiling is actually the karst mountain outside. The boat trip ended for only 45minutes since tourists are only allowed to navigate 1.5 kilometers of the 8.2 kilometers river.

• City Tour

As I’ve mentioned, Puerto Princesa is a big city so when you say city tour it means hours of travel. First stop was the Crocodile Farm. You’ll see live crocodiles from several weeks old to years older. They’re dangerous even when they’re babies so be careful not to touch them. You’ll be allowed to hold and have your pictures taken for P30. It’s mouth is tied so no need to worry.

Next destination was the Iwahig Prison and Penal Colony. It’s a 34,000 hectares of prison without walls where inmates tend the farms and make handcrafted souvenirs. There you can buy arnis and cane made of kamagong and other souvenirs such as key chains. A portion of the sales are used to buy for their daily needs and the rest kept to be given to them at the end of their sentence.

Rancho Sta. Monica is the ranch of Ramon Mitra which they opened for the public. It’s located on a hill so it has a good view of the sea below.

Bread Hill is known for their ube hopia which is selling like hotcakes. You can also buy food at their restaurant which is unfortunately located near the cages of animals in their mini-zoo, so expect some flies. The landscape is very god and they also sell some plants.

Binuatan Creations are known for their loom woven products made from different indigenous grasses. Just so you know how good their products are, even Calvin Klein buys from them. You can buy bags, place mats and table runners at their showroom at a much cheaper price than in Manila. You can also see how they make their handloom products at the factory beside the showroom.

If you’re a nature lover, you should see the Butterfly Garden. There you can see different species of butterfly and they also sell souvenir items. When shopping for souvenirs, only buy from vendors who have IDs to make sure the products are not overpriced. These vendors were trained by the City Tourism Office and its easy to file a complaint if you have the name of the person.

If you’re looking for bargain pearls, you visit the public market. There you’ll find pearls at rock bottom prices. You can also buy there cashew, rain makers, malong, among other handmade souvenirs.

• Honda Bay Island Hopping

Our guide told us the the original name is not Honda Bay but Hunda Bay. Hunda means ‘deep’ in Cuyonon. Apparantly Honda is much easily remembered by foreigners so it was just adopted. Bring your swimsuit with you and rent snorkeling gear at the wharf. You can’t avoid the temptation to swim.

Several islets dotted the bay which have interesting names. Bat Island and Star Fish Island are so named because of these animals that can be found there. Pandan Island, well obviously because of the abundance of pandan. Snake Island got it’s name from it’s shape. There’s also Luli Island for ‘lulubog-lilitaw’ since its sandbar would disappear during high tide.

Interesting enough, there used to be two tall palm trees on Dos Palmas. One already died so maybe they would change its name to Una Palma? It might even be good in order to get rid of the stigma of the Abu Sayyaf abduction. We were told that that incident almost killed the tourism industry of Palawan. A lot of people lost jobs because of declining tourist arrivals. Good thing the province recovered. Dos Palmas management also learned their lesson since there’s already guards watching approaching sea crafts. I saw guys looking over their telescopes and I half expect them to show some firepower when our boat got near. That’s just me being paranoid.

We dropped off at Snake Island where you can swim and feed the fish. They are coral fish, remember Nemo? The isalnd has powdery white sand and crystal clear water so you can really see the fishes. You can buy fresh seafoods on the island and have them grilled for a small fee. They also sell fresh buko and there’s the one and only sari-sari store for chichiria.

You can ask your guide to drop you to the other islands accessible for picture-taking. There are islands which are privately owned such as Dos Palmas. If you’re not a guest and you want to explore, you’ll have to pay an entrance fee.

Other interesting sites in Puerto Princesa City which you can visit anytime if you’re billeted in the city proper are the Immaculate Conception Church, Bay Walk, Provincial Capitol and Palawan Museum. These can be reached via tricycle, the main mode of transportation in the city.

Vote for the New Seven Wonders of Nature!

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Tubbataha Reef

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

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

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

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

Read More

My trip to Palawan was something unplanned. Though going there was on top of a much bigger plan to visit all the provinces in the Philippines, my personal finances forbid such luxury. My friend Kelly and I wanted to start a small venture that would require us to go to Palawan so I grabbed the excuse opportunity to spend money without feeling guilty.

Palawan,Come Hell or High Water

There were several instances that would have made us cancel our trip if we weren’t that determined. First, our original boat trip was delayed for a day due to Typhoon Cosme. The sea was not so friendly on our way to Puerto Princesa so a lot of passengers got seasick. Second, Kelly’s friend who’s supposed to be our guide backed out at the last minute. It will be the first time for us to visit Palawan, we have a heavy cargo (yes, cargo), and we don’t know anybody there except for an acquaintance. Despite all the odds, we decided to go. And how our determination was rewarded.

The Journey Is As Good As The Destination

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” - Henry Miller

M/V Maria Isabel of Montenegro Shipping Lines departs from Iloilo at 6am every Saturdays. We left on SUnday because of the original trip’s cancellation. The trip from Iloilo to Puerto Princesa will take 24-26 hours by boat including the 2-hour stopover at Cuyo Island. Traveling by boat can be grueling especially in bad weather. Make sure to take anti-dizziness tablet if you don’t want your entire trip to be miserable. If you do get seasick, the best way to spend the boat trip is to sleep. Or better yet, if you have the money, take the plane instead.

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” - Tim Cahill

For us who love the sea, traveling by boat can be quite enjoyable. Twenty-four hours is enough to find a friend or business contacts so make sure you have your business cards with you. This one particular trip was a very fruitful one for us. We met friends, potential business contacts, and discovered future destinations.

The stopover at Cuyo Island was a good opportunity for me to have a glimpse of life in this remote Island. Though the two-hour stopover at every trip was not enough to explore the island, it’s enough to tickle my curiosity piqued by the movie Ploning. What I saw was enough to make me want to come back to this exotic island.

A Melting Pot of Culture

Drawn to its beauty, waves of local and foreign migrants flocked to Palawan making it a melting pot of cultures. Tagalog is widely used in conversations since most people came from different provinces in the country. I learned that a lot of Ilonggos have settled in the province. In fact, there were several municipal mayors who hailed from Iloilo. Several successful businesses were also owned by Ilonggos. I was told that of the Christian immigrants in the province , majority are Ilonggos. This should not be a surprise after all since Puerto Princesa is closer to Panay at 206 nautical miles than to Manila at 306 nautical miles. That made me feel at ease and at home.

So Many Islands, So Little Time

Palawan, every island an adventure.

Every Island an adventure. This is the tag line of the Province of Palawan and it is so true. Puerto Princesa City deserves to be the Eco-Tourism Capital of the Philippines. Aside from its natural beauty, the city has the appropriate infrastructures that will give other major destinations in the world a run for their money. We were lucky enough to visit most of the tourist attractions of including the Underground River but still there are a lot of interesting places to explore and discover.

Of the 7,107 islands of the Philippine archipelago, 1,768 belongs to Palawan province. Imagine how much adventure you’ll have!

Come Back, Come Back!

Our guide, Nang Neneng from the City Tourism Office, happens to be an Ilongga. She told us that anyone who visits Palawan always comes back that’s why the term “come back-come back” was coined. Indeed, anyone who’ve seen the beauty of Palawan will never have enough of it. It’s no wonder that people keep coming back. Palawan is the closest you can get to Paradise on Earth.

I want to visit all the provinces in the Philippines. You might think I have a rather simple ambition. Why the Philippines when most Pinoys would want to travel the world? Don’t get me wrong, I’d like to travel the world as much as the next Pinoy. The reason is simple, I believe in the saying ‘Huwag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan’ (Dont’t be a stranger in your own country). Don’t you think you should too? Before you pack your bags and leave this country for good, don’t you think she deserves a second look? Here are the top 5 reasons why you should travel around the Philippines.

1. You will see the beauty of the Philippines.

As a country, we often overlook the things we have. We dream of things foreign not knowing that we may have far better. You may stand in awe when you see Niagara Falls but have you seen the Ifugao Rice Terraces? Dived the Tubbataha Reef? Climbed Mount Apo? Navigated the Puerto Princesa Underground River?

Don’t brag about seeing a foreign land when you can’t even brag about your country. May be when you’ve seen her beauty you will think fondly of her when you’re in a foreign land.

2. It’s an opportunity to learn another culture.

Living in an archipelago maybe the reason why it’s so hard for us Pinoys to unite. It’s quite difficult to shake off regionalism. Experiencing a culture so different yet so Pinoy will make you realize that the things we value are the same things that our fellow Pinoys value. Like family, education, and freedom. We may speak different languages but we are Pinoys just the same. By experiencing how they live, you will learn to respect the culture of Pinoys from other provinces.

3. You will learn to trust in the goodness of Pinoys.

Are there any left to trust? Yes! I’ve seen it with my own eyes. My latest trip to Palawan have shown me that indeed, Pinoys are kind by heart. Anywhere in the world there are always those who will try to cheat on you and Pinoys are no exception. But generally speaking, there are still a lot of us who can still be trusted, ever willing to help those who are in need.

4. Tourism creates jobs.

Where there are a lot of tourists, the economy flourishes. Pinoys as tourists are spenders. Souvenir shops would prefer us over foreign tourists. We never forget to bring something to those left back home. Every pasalubong we buy is somebody else’ source of living.

5. You will be changed.

Traveling makes you experience a new culture, gain friends, and makes you a different person. Traveling destroys prejudice and creates a new set of beliefs. Traveling in general gives us a different perspective, like looking at the same thing with different eyes.

Why not start with your province? I’m sure you haven’t discovered all the grooves and corners of your hometown. While tourists spend money to visit your place, there’s no reason for you not to. Personally, I promised that every summer I will visit a place I haven’t been before. Why shouldn’t you?

If there’s one place in Negros Occidental that you must visit this summer, it’s Sipalay City. Watch the video and you’ll know why.

Part 1

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=YCNFSZl1ODk]

Part 2

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=wkk6GCB5V5I]

I noticed that this blog received several visitors through Bacolod City & Negros Occidental forum at SkyscraperCity.com in connection with my previous post on the Best Place to Live. There were several questions raised on the forum but due to some misfortune I could not comment even though I was able to login. If ever some forumers happen to pass by again, I just would like to clarify something regarding the question raised in the forum.

Why was Cebu at the bottom of the Top 20 as most forumers expect it to be at least on the Top 5?

I am not personally connected with MoneySense nor Mr. Heinz Bulos (Editor-In-Chief and author of the article). Mr. Bulos emailed and told me about the article they are preparing and that Bacolod is on the Top 10 of the list of the Best Places to Live. He further told me that he found my blog through Google and asked me to answer a few questions. It was only when I read the article that I learned that Bacolod was in fact on the top of the list.

Methodology

Mr. Bulos explained their methodology in coming up with the ranking (sidebar in the article). He said they based their ranking on the Philippines Human Development Report (PHDR) and the Philippine Cities Competitiveess Ranking Project (PCCRP) of the Asian Institute of Mangement (AIM) Policy Center.

First, they got the top 30 provinces including Metro Manila based on the 2003 Human Development Index of the PHDR. But these are only on the provincial level so they further identified the cities and municipalities classified by the National Statistics Office as first class in terms of income from the 30 provinces, ending up with 219 places.

From the list, they considered only those in the AIM study of the most competitive cities which used seven key drivers of competitiveness – cost of doing business, dynamism of local economy, linkages and accessibility, infrastructure, human resources, responsiveness of LGUs, and quality of life.

However, they only focused on three criteria – dynamism of local economy (which indicates income opportunities), infrastructure (which relates to availability of modern conveniences), and quality of life (which refers to clean, safe place to raise a family). I believe this is logical for these criteria are what most people would look for in a place to live. The average ranking using these criteria were used in coming up with the top 20 cities.

Expecting complaints and criticisms on the ranking, Mr. Bulos made further explanations on the Editor’s Note page. If I may quote him,“Sorry, we don’t hand-pick the list based on personal opinion. “ He was expecting Cebu and Baguio to be at least on the Top 10. I hope that clears the air, in fairness to Mr. Bulos.Personally, I am already aware of the result of the PCCRP 2005 when it was released in early 2006 so I was no longer surprised why Bacolod got the top spot. I provided links to the AIM press release and the PCCRP 2005 result presentation in my previous post. According to the AIM press release,

• Sixty-five cities were surveyed in PCCRP 2005, the fourth edition of the project. Cities were categorized into 13 metropolitan cities (cities comprising Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao), 15 mid-sized cities (non-metro cities each with a population greater than 200,000), and 37 small cities (each with a population less than 200,000). Geographically, 30 cities are from Luzon, 14 from Visayas, and 21 from Mindanao.
• The PCCRP utilizes qualitative and quantitative criteria to assess city competitiveness vis-à-vis the major drivers of competitiveness. Each driver has corresponding indicators. Twenty-three indicators were quantitative, 45 perception-based.
• Qualitative data. Sixty SME owners and managers per city answered a self-administered survey consisting of 45 questions.
  Quantitative data. Fact-based city/provincial data were gathered from official government publications.
  Focus Group Discussions. At the end of the survey phase, industry associations, local chamber officials, and businessmen were convened to discuss issues relevant to a city’s overall performance.

My Take

I am also surprised that Cebu was so far down the list but undeniably, the PCCRP was not done haphazardly. Each city has its own charm and I believe our respective hometowns will always be one of the best places to live and no survey will ever dislodge it from that special place.

This is not a perfect ranking and neither is Bacolod City. However, I think this is a good start for someone who is not sure where to live and raise a family. In the end, the decision is still yours.

Bacolod City Chosen as the Best Place to Live by Moneysense

It’s an affirmation of my choice. From among 65 cities that were ranked, Bacolod City topped the list of “Best Places to Live” by MoneySense magazine. Heinz Bulos, Editor-In-Chief, said that in coming up with the ranking, they relied on two existing surveys, the Philippine Human Development Report and the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project (PCCRP) of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) for 2005. Whereas PCCRP uses seven criteria in ranking the cities, MoneySense chose only three - dynamism of local economy, infrastructure, and quality of life.

Bulos noted that Bacolod City can be considered as an over-achiever. Here’s why:

Most Competitive Mid-Sized City in the Philippines for two consecutive years.

• Based on the results of the PCCRP for the years 2003 and 2005, Bacolod City ranked high in all criteria from among the cities under the mid-sized category. These are non-metro cities with a population of more than 200,000.It ranked highest on Infrastructure and Quality of Life.

Clean and Green Hall of Fame Awardee

• Bacolod City was named the “Cleanest and Greenest Highly Urbanized City in the Philippines” for five years (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002) earning it the distinction to be in the Clean and Green Hall of Fame.

Most Business Friendly Local Government Unit in the Philippines

• Bacolod bested 130 other cities when the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry declared it the “Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit in the Philippines” in 2007. It was the second year in a row for Bacolod to be named the “Most Business-Friendly City in the Visayas”. As the regional winner, it became a finalist and competed with the other regional winners and was chosen as the national winner.

Iloilo City, which was also on the Top 5 of PCCRP for Mid-Sized Cities category, ranked 5th. It should be noted that when Moneysense ranked the “Best Places to Live”, it did not categorize the cities as to population size but based the ranking on the three criteria only.

Is your city on the list?
Want to know if your city is on the Top 20? Here’s the complete list:

1. Bacolod
2. Makati
3. Davao
4. Marikina
5. Iloilo
6. Las Piñas
7. Pasig
8. San Fernando
9. Mandaluyong
10. Quezon City
11. Manila
12. Batangas
13. Cagayan de Oro
14. Muntinlupa
15. Angeles
16. Baguio
17. Lipa
18. Calamba
19. General Santos
20. Cebu

MoneySense has a lengthy article featuring the cities in the Top 10 of the “Best Places to Live” in the Philippines. Want to know why they’re on the Top 10? Go grab yourself a copy of the March-April 2008 issue.

Yes, I may sound very sarcastic at times but I do reflect on Lent. This Good Friday, I’m planning to ask friends to go with me to Balaan Bukid in Jordan, Guimaras for the Way of the Cross. On the peak of Balaan Bukid or “Sacred Mountain” is a chapel (Ave Maria Purisima) and a huge white cross which is visible in most parts of the province and some parts of Iloilo City facing Guimaras. Jordan is the location of the Holy Week ritual called “Ang Pagtaltal sa Jordan”, the annual reenactment of Christ’s Passion performed by local actors. Every year, thousands of Catholic pilgrims flock to the island-province for the Way of the Cross and to witness the Pagtaltal. Even though it will be covered by local TV stations and I expect the place to be crowded as always, experiencing it will be totally different. The idyllic scenery of Guimaras is likewise a breath of fresh air from the hustle and bustle of city life.

How to get to Balaan Bukid

Guimaras is nestled between Panay and Negros Islands and accessible from both islands. The island-province can be reached via Iloilo City and via Pulupandan, Negros Occidental. Small pump boats ferry passengers from Ortiz Wharf in Iloilo City to Jordan throughout the day, taking only 15 minutes. Just ask the locals at Jordan Wharf for a tricycle to Balaan Bukid.

Side Trips

Those on pilgrimage may also want to visit the Trappist Monastery in Brgy. San Miguel, Jordan, Guimaras which is accessible from Balaan Bukid by tricycle and passenger jeep. The monks are making and selling home-made delicacies which tourists can bring home as pasalubong. The silence at the monastery is perfect for meditations and reflections.

Trappist Chapel

This island-province is blessed with picturesque white sand beaches, diving spots and rich marine biodiversity. Resorts at this time of the year are often fully booked thus prior reservation is needed. Some of the popular resorts are:

• Raymen Beach Cottages
• Baras Beach Resort
• Costa Aguada Island Resort
• Nagarao Island Resort
• Isla Naburot Resort

photo credit: paulshaffner

photo credit: Josedeluna

The world’s sweetest mangoes can also be found in Guimaras. In fact, Guimaras mangoes are the only Philippine mangoes which are exported to mainland USA. Just a reminder, the whole island is being quarantined and bringing of mangoes from outside is prohibited. But no one will stop you from buying as much mangoes as you can.

Saw this video from exploreiloilo and I decided I just have to link it here. This video was a joint project of Mayad Studios and Iloilo Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB) and I must say they made an excellent job.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjytYsq3g3s]