Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur: The Little Hongkong Of The South

Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur: The Little Hongkong Of The South

It is located within the tropics of the northern hemisphere which has pronounced dry season from January to March and rainy season from April to December. The region is generally not affected by tropical storms and typhoons as it is located outside the Philippine Typhoon Belt. Temperatures range from 22.2 °C (72.0 °F) to 32.9 °C (91.2 °F). The prevailing winds are the southwest wind that blow shot gust wind from over the sea during dry seasons going northeast, and the trade winds brought about by the mountain range. Rainfall distribution is moderate from 2,500 mm to 3,000 mm annually.

The Philippines, being a country archipelago of islands and seas, have naturally wonderful beaches, some of which are famous the world over. Beaches like Puerto Galera, Boracay, and the various beaches in Cebu rake in tourists from around the world all year round because of their pristine and cool blue waters and fine, white-sand shores. However, if one will just look around more, they will find that there are other less-known but equally beautiful beach spots in other parts of the Philippines. In Pagadian, in particular, there are beaches and islands that will make one believe that there is such a thing as a secluded paradise on Earth.

A nice place to start would be the Dao-Dao Islands some seven to ten minutes away from the seaport, when riding a motorboat. It is a rather big island, with an area size of about 1.1057 hectares. The coral reefs are artificially made, but the whole place is very much ideal for swimming, fishing, and boating. During low tides, a smaller, more undeveloped island appears and like the rest, is also suitable for fishing and swimming. There is also the White Beach that, as its name suggests, is a stretch of white sand beach just minutes southeast of the seaport. Again, it can be reached via motorboat. The clear, deep, blue waters (even during low tides) are excellent for swimming and diving.

The Bomba Beach, located in barangay Bomba some 2 kilometers away from the city, is also a good area for swimming and fishing, with a bomba bridge and natural coral reefs. The Muricay Beach is located further away, at 4 kilometers, but the white sands and clear seas more than make up for the distance. There are also mangrove tracts and seaweed plantations nearby, for those who are interested in such plant specimens. Finally, Poloyagan Beach have rocky outcroppings and coral reefs so one should be careful in trekking them.

Kalinga-Apayao In The Cordillera Region

Kalinga-Apayao is the province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in the island of Luzon. It is bounded on the north and east by Cagayan Province, on the south by Kalinga, on the southwest by Abra, and on the west by Ilocos Norte.  High mountains characterized most of the province with small flatlands in its border with Cagayan especially in the northeast. Seasons in the province are not very pronounced but the months of November up to April are relatively dry while the rest of the year is relatively wet. It is accessible by land either through Cagayan or Ilocos Norte. The Apayao tribe occupy most of the province with some Kalingas and Ilocano residents. It is the country's least populated province with only 24 persons per square kilometer. 

During the Second World War, Japanese Fighter and Bomber planes was invasion in the province of Kalinga-Apayao around the bombings and destroyed the air raids was around the towns and municipalities on December 1941 during the Japanese Invasion of the Philippines. Before the Japanese air raid at Camp John Hay in Baguio City in December 8, 1941. The soldiers of the Imperial Japanese armed forces was occupied and entering the provinces of Kalinga-Apayao.

The aftermath of four mounths of battle and through the surrender of all Igorot and Cordilleran soldiers and officers of the 11th Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFFE by the Japanese hands during the Fall of Bataan and Bataan Death March on April 9, 1942.

Many Igorot and Cordilleran men and women was joining the group of local guerrilla resistance fighters in Kalinga-Apayao was fought against the Japanese Imperial forces in Northern Luzon. Meanwhile, many Igorot and Cordilleran men was joining the group of soldiers and military officers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army under the U.S. Military Command is a locating of some military general headquarters and military camps and garrisoned in Kalinga-Apayao and around in Northern Luzon.

The Rice Terraces In Ifugao

Banaue rice terraces has been described as the eighth wonder of the world. Carved out of the hillside by Ifugao tribes people 2000 to 3000 years ago without the aid of machinery to provide level steps where the natives plant rice. And they are still in use today.

Banaue rice terraces stretch like stepping stones to the sky - some reaching an altitude of 1500m (4920ft). It is considered as one of mankind's greatest engineering feat. If the terraces were laid end to end, they would stretch half way around the world.

One of the major appeal of Banaue rice terraces to the local and international tourist are the many hiking trails in the area. There are many young locals, mostly college students who serve as guides. But with or without a guide, you will find the friendliness and warmth of the Ifugao people endearing.

The Terraces
There are 4 major rice terraces sites in Ifugao. They are similar yet distinct from one another such that the UNESCO has included all of them in the world heritage list, the first to be inscribed as a continuing living cultural landscape.

Banaue

The most famous of all the sites, is a leading tourist destination. The artistic center of the Ifugao, it is a home to the Ifugao carvers (when Hapao used to be part of the municipality) whose marvellous creations are seen throughout the country. Also traded in the daily market different kinds of traditional fabric, like the woven bark cloth and dyed ikat cloth and the traditional jewelry, pfu-ong, representing good luck in hunting or the prosperity of children. These additional sources of income merely supplement what they earn from rice production of "tinawon" rice in red, black and white varieties.

Batad

Located in Banaue is home to the tiered, amphitheater-shaped terraces. A 12 kilometer ride from Banaue Hotel plus a 2 hour hike uphill through mountain trails brings you to a spectacular view of the terraces.

Mayoyao

Lies right within the rice terraces some 44 kilometers from Banaue. Mount Mayoyao marks the border between the majestic Mayoyao Terraces and Banaue Terraces. The Ifugao Hananga and Ayyangan tribes dwell in this area. The mountainous setting makes it a perfect hideaway. In fact, it lies on Gen. Aguinaldo's escape route to the Sierra Madres during the Philippine revolution. At Harvest time in June and July, each house prepares rice wine to offer visitors and everyone rejoices in the bounty of the season. The organic Ifugao rice, Tinawon in red and white varieties is harvested in abundance.
Hapao
 
Located in Hungduan is another important rice terraces site. It's stone-walled rice terraces date back to 650 AD. The ingenious terraces are protected by clean stone walls rising along the Hapao river and irrigated by winding stone canals. Built over time by pounding layers of stones and earth behind the stone wall or dikes, each layer was gradually covered with new and finer soil topped by cleat soil which allows water to fill each terrace with measured precision retaining 1 to 4 mm. of water throughout the year.
The ancient arts of carving and metal smiting are very much alive here. Near Hapao, smiths have been making the Ifugao bolo or machete since the 17th century. It is claimed that the fine Ifugao woodcarving tradition originated in this area.

Baguio City

BAGUIO CITY– A Deed of Absolute Sale (DAS) dated September 16 has been signed between the national government and SM Investments Corporation over a 31, 688 sq. m. lot where SM-Baguio now stands despite overlapping city and private interests.

The information was conveyed by one SM Mall manager Marc Janssen Pe to City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO) chief Oscar Flores in a letter dated October 15 purportedly for securing a building permit.

It could be remembered the City Council committee on lands in 2008 was tasked to investigate how SM acquired the property despite adverse claims.

The investigation was sparked by privilege speeches of erstwhile councilor Rocky Balisong. The former alderman maintained the cyber building lot (fronting Sunshine Park) is owned by Placido Carantes.

On the other hand, the city through Resolution 265-2009 pleaded to then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the issuance of a proclamation designating lots X-1 and Y-2 for purposes of establishing a “Technology Information Center” under the auspices of the City Government.

SM acquired the properties all located in Residential Section “A” following an auction sale, April 22, 1992, for a bid price of P69,999,995.52 in six separate amortizations ending in 1997.

The DAS provided, “As a result of the survey conducted October 2003 [and] after due consideration of [easements and servitudes in Commonwealth Act 141, area available] for conveyance under this instrument is 31,688 sq. m.”

Said area were more particularly described as Lot Nos. 3-B, 114-A, 128, 115-B, 125-A, 126-B-2, 126-A, X-1 and Y-2.  

The DAS was signed between SM attorney-in-fact Carlo Olampay and Aquino as represented by executive secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. for the Republic of the Philippines.  

Balisong earlier contended the property could have been sold higher than its appraised value.

The property's market value was P1,500.00 per sq. m. SM bought the lot at P2,027.34 per sq. m.

In November 2005, Samuel Peñafiel, then regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Cordillera was ordered by the central office to issue a DAS to SM.

A draft was prepared by DENR-Cordillera but lawyer Erwin Tiamson pointed out the DAS must be in accord to the provisions of Sec. 57 of the 1987 Administrative Code: “Conveyances amounting to at least P50 million shall be executed by the President.”

In 2010, heirs of Carantes entered a fenced portion of the property where SM-Baguio now stands and demanded SM management to vacate the premises.

The heirs also filed complaints of trespassing, grave coercion, theft at the Baguio City Prosecutors Office. Grave threats were also filed against the security agency which guards SM.

The Chocolate Hills in Bohol

The Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol's most famous tourist attraction. They look like giant mole hills, or as some say, women's breasts, and remind us of the hills in a small child's drawing. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. However, this idea is quickly abandoned, as the effort would surely surpass the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. The chocolate hills consist of are no less than 1268 hills (some claim this to be the exact number). They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name. At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make.


The shape of the hills, known as a geomorphologic structure, is known as a mogote. Although they have been formed through the solvation of their limestone by thousands of years of rain there is another factor in Bohol.
There is a great deal of erosion by rivers after they had been uplifted above sea level. The farmland that separates the hills is full of rivers and caves with underground springs and these have contributed to the unique shape of the Chocolate Hills.


Once you are there, you will surely marvel at the sight before you. It’s actually quite tempting to cross the borders and take pictures or try climbing each of the chocolate hills but that’s not quite possible. Depending on the season, you will notice that the hills will be either green or brown or even a combination of both. Actually, the name of this tourist spot was due to the color it takes during summer or the dry season. The hills get that perfect chocolate color making them look like a bunch of chocolate products from a well known brand. But during the rainy days, the chocolate hills are usually colored in bright green from the entire plantation given life by the rains.

Taal Volcano

 

Taal Volcano is located about 60 km SSE of Metro Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It is a complex volcanic system composed of a small volcanic island (Volcano Island), which has been the site of almost all historic activity, located within a 20x30 km lake-filled complex caldera(?) (Taal Lake, in older texts was also called Lake Bonbon), one of the great volcano-tectonic depressions of the world.


Taal as the Decade Volcano for the Philippines Thirty three eruptions have been recorded since 1572 at Taal, mostly on Volcano Island. The impacts of these eruptions were largely confined to the intracaldera area. Occasional violent activity, however, such as the 1754 plinian eruption, affected the entire region, including what is now the Metro Manila area with fallout. Some activity, such as the 1749 eruption, were accompanied by crustal disturbance and strong earthquakes, which generated ground fissures and pronounced subsidence that extended across Taal Lake. 

Taal Volcano, in the Philippines, was originally a huge volcano, that towered 18,000 feet up into the sky. It has been called the smallest active volcano, because it seems small now, but many people don't realize that it is one of the largest volcanoes in the world. It is located about 60-km south of Manila on "volcano island" inside a lake called Taal Lake, or Lake Taal. The picture of Taal volcano above, was taken from Tagaytay ridge. Actually, Tagaytay Ridge is the rim of the volcano! When the volcano was 18,000 feet high, Tagaytay ridge would have been only about a sixth of the way to the top of the volcano!! In the distance, across the lake, is Mt. Makulot. 

Pagsanjan Falls

 

Pagsanjan Falls is also known as its indigenous name “Magdapio Falls”. The falls have grown into a major tourist destination for the region and also one of the premiere world class tourist destinations in the Philippines. The Pagsanjan falls has its own natural beauty that fascinates the tourist from all over the globe. Travelers are ferried to the enthralling Pagsanjan falls with the native banka’s paddled by expert boatmen, it takes an hour going while the return trip is just around 45 minutes. Pagsanjan Falls is believed to be the one of the best water falls in the Philippines. It is an adventure that should not be missed.


Skilled and accredited boatmen will take you on a scenic boat ride at Magdapio River in order to reach the main falls, the famous Pagsanjan Falls. They used to be wooden bancas, but nowadays, the boats are made of fiberglass. On the way, you will be treated to the sight of other minor falls (approximately 20 of them), lush vegetation, and natural rock formations. Some say that monkeys occassionally appear and they throw branches or rocks to people, so you better wear a helmet just in case. Once you reach the main falls, you can take a raft ride through the falls and get a natural "back massage." You can also explore the Devil's Cave behind the falls, famous for its reverberating echoes. For the raft ride, you have to pay an extra PhP 90 and tip the boatmen. The highlight of this trip is the rapid descent downstream or what is known as "shooting the rapids'". Be prepared for the thrill of a lifetime as the expert boatmen manuever the boat skillfully through turbulent waters. It is interesting to know that a boatman is required to undergo a rigid six-month training in order to acquire a license/accreditation for guiding tourists on the ride to the falls.