Cebu City has been regarded as the 'Queen City of the South' of the Philippine. It is the next most significant metropolitan center and the regarded or recognized as the Philippines' oldest city. Cebu City is also regarded as Metro Cebu that includes Talisay, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue. Significance and importance of this city could be attributed to the historical and cultural heritage of the place.
The city of Cebu is an important center of culture in the Philippines. Since it is the oldest known city in the country, various historical spots of great essence could be seen around Cebu City. Plaza Independencia of Cebu or the former 'Plaza Libertad' is the city’s most historically important plaza. The place was once the location of the building for the old Gobierno Provincial and nowadays, it has become the most preferred picnic spots for locals and tourists. Want to know something about the philosophy and the teachings of the great Lao-Tse? Then visit the Taoist Temple situated at Beverly Hills, Cebu City and be one of those who climb its steps (99) to light joss sticks to check or have their fortunes read. Another Cebu City’s pride is the Fort San Pedro. This citadel is the oldest and smallest tri-bastion fortress in the country. It served as the center if the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines since the 1700's. Its three supports San Miguel, San Ignacio de Loyola and La Conception are still standing on their spots. One of the best, or a tourist and any visitors could never be considered staying at Cebu without checking the most famous historical landmark of the place: The Magellan's Cross. According to history, it was the cross planted by the shores of Ferdinand Magellan in the 1500's. Devout Cebuano Catholics and visitors never fail to drop by, pause for awhile and offer a prayer or two whenever they have a chance to pass by the place. This has been the usual occurrence in this monument for the past four hundred years.
Being the second most significant city of the Philippines only means that the city is very progressive and prosperous in terms of economic and commercial growth or development. Not only for business motives, Cebu is also flocked by tourists around the world because of the significant and historical spots in the city. Keeping up to the pace of tourism and economic expansion, the local government of Cebu City has made use of the power of the internet. The official website of Cebu City (http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/) gives potential tourists or clients an ‘appetizer’ regarding what to expect in Cebu City. Knowledge and information are very crucial factors to consider for tourists and investors. Through the power of the internet or the World Wide Web, the wonders of the Queen City of the South of the Philippines are just a few clicks away.
Davao, known as the 3rd largest city in the entire country is the home town of the delicious fruit called durian and is wrapped in a tight embrace by the Davao Gulf. All tropical fruits come from Davao and this is also the center of all logging, agricultural and mining activities in Mindanao. Among the known Davao destinations include plantations, plywood factories, farms, black sand beaches and several resorts.
About 5 kilometers away from Davao City is the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague. Many say that the story of this Davao destination stemmed from a religious experience considered a miracle. As the story goes, the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague started with a dream that the Mayor's wife had. In that dream, there was a compelling force that urged her to go to Czechoslovakia and bring home a replica of baby Jesus. A shrine for that replica was built and it was thus named Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague. Although this is not the only replica of Jesus brought back from Europe, the construction of this shrine has led to more replicas being brought to Davao and soon enough an entire complex of altars, chapels and seminar halls have been built in one big complex to honor these replicas. The Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague is proof of the Filipinos' devotion to Christianity, the dominant religion in the Philippines.
However, the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague built in honor of Christianity does not mean that this is the only religion in Davao. In fact, Mindano has a large Muslim community and Muslim Village is found in Calinan. This Muslim village is in the list of Davao destinations and what can be seen here are not just towering mosques, this is a good place for shopping both for locally made products as well as clothes, bags and shoes.
Another Davao destination albeit about an hour from the city is the Aguinaldo Pearl Farm. Samal Island is where one will find the Aguinaldo Pearl Farm. This Davao destination as the name implies, is where the locals harvest pearl. Enclosed by a resort with a small hotel and a beach, many tourists flock to this Davao destination because this is where authentic pearls can be bought at far less than anywhere else in Manila.
Although the Philippines has mountainous terrains, approximately 14 percent of its 158,810 kilometer roads is paved. Wherever you may be, Philippines transportation is easy because of the different modes of transport at your disposal.
In Metro Manila as well as in the provinces, airconditioned and non-airconditioned buses are accessible. The cost of fare is much higher with the airconditioned variety. However, if your destination is located outside of Manila, you can avail of chartered bus lines.
The most popular means of transportation is the jeepney. These vehicles resemble those used by the Americans at the height of the Second World War. Like most buses, they also have a regular route and will stop when flagged down. The minimum fare is P7.00 per 4 kilometers and an additional 50 centavos for the succeeding kilometers.
Airconditioned taxi cabs are accessible in any part of Manila. If you want to travel by car, not in a taxi, there are car rental services also available but you need to have an international driver's license. If you are staying in a luxurious hotel, majority of them have limousine services that will take you to your desired destination.
Cheap and fast is what both the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) would give you. This is the preffered mode of transport especially by commuters who are going to their respective places of work. The MRT, for instance, traverses the commercial centers of Ortigas and Ayala Avenue.
The Philippine National Railways (PNR), which is government-owned is a viable option if you are traveling outside of Manila. The track stretches across 1,060 kilometers of the country. However, it can only service those going to Luzon provinces so if you are going to the other islands, the best option is to ride a ferry.
Another option for Philippine transportation is through the air since there are more than 40 provincial airports in the country. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport is just a kilometer away from the Manila Domestic Airport and is 7 miles from the heart of the city. The NAIA boasts of offering several amenities such as a medical clinic, banks, and postal service along with duty-free shops, among others.
Seventy five of the total 262 airports in the country have paved runways. The Philippine Airlines is the country's national carrier with flights connecting to 12 cities in 7 countries. On the domestic front, PAL has daily flights to 17 local cities. Likewise, when traveling to smaller locations, you can choose among Cebu Pacific, Asian Spirit, Mindanao Expres, and SEAir.
Waterways and seaports in the country stretch 3,219 kilometers. There are various shipping companies connecting Manila to other major ports in the country. The busiest seaports are located in Manila, Iloilo, Davao, Cebu, Zamboanga, and Cagayan de Oro.
Traveling to your desired location is very easy with these Philippines transportation options.
Laoag City is considered as the industrial, commercial and political hub of the Ilocos Norte. As the capital city if Ilocos Norte, Laoag City has been the center of the fast progressing North Luzon Economic Triangle among noted neighboring cities. The 'Laoag Ecozone' has bolstered the commercial status of the city thus becoming one of the first-class cities in the Philippines. Laoag City’s accessibility has been one of the major factors that led to its economic progress because it opened opportunities for investors to establish their business ventures, which generated jobs for the locals of Laoag City. Thus, Laoag City has been a symbol of economic progress and immovability in the northern part of the Philippines for which, it opened an avenue for neighboring municipalities and towns to be competitive and assertive in terms of improvement.
It is undeniable that tourism played a major role in the growth of the city of Laoag. For this reason, Laoag International Airport has been operational to keep up with the pace of the growth of tourism. Tourism has been the economic driver of the city as it paved way for the transportation improvement and commercial ventures. Fort Ilocandia Hotel and Resort is the only five-star hotel in the northern part of the Philippines. Heritage sites is flourishing around the city’s vicinity featuring Spanish colonial edifices, Philippine-rococo (baroque) churches, the mansions during the Marcos regime and of course, who would ever resist the white-sand beaches of Pagudpud. Due to the remarkable and impressive increase in tourist influx, some foreigners established consulate to oversee their citizens residing and staying at Laoag City.
The influx of tourists prompted the local government of Laoag to push further beyond what is expected of them. City improvements everywhere have been prevalent to maintain its tourism edge. To provide this type of quality service, travel agencies offer package for tourists and visitors alike to help them enjoy the wonderful city of Laoag. One of the noted travel agency is the Aboex Travel and Tours which has an office in Manila and especially in Laoag City. They offer passport processing down to document legalization, authentication and translation. Talking about complete package, they have it all. Having this kind of travel agency would definitely encourage visitors and especially foreign tourists to have a hassle-free stay and would most likely stay longer and put up a business, and then again, generate jobs for the growth of this city.
Emmanuel ‘Manny the PACMAN’ Pacquiao has been the the 'real-life' hero in the Philippines and in the professional boxing nowadays. His stardom was donned by the seven (7) world titles in seven (7) different weight categories or divisions. Most importantly, ‘The PACMAN’ has been the reason why the city of General Santos in Mindanao, Philippines has resurfaced in the limelight.
I love tuna! I remember when my siblings and I were just a bunch of kids concern only with their toys, my mom usually described foods or meals she had to serve in order for us to eat them. When she cooked a certain kind of dish (it was tuna), I remembered her getting a piece of our toy fish and giving us some description of our dish. It was effective, and since then I love eating tuna.
I then realized that my mom’s description was a bit 'short' when I started my formal schooling. Based on the pictures and images I saw in my books, tunas are caught and were carried by fishermen over their shoulders. That means they were usually colossal in terms of size! I immediately confronted my mom about it, and she just laughed. Actually we both had a good laugh.
We had a sort of team building planned by one of our superior at the office. I remembered him saying that it would be held somewhere in Mindanao. We were all excited and since Manny Pacquiao had been hitting the headlines, I thought his hometown: General Santos City. The day before our flight to Mindanao, my superior gave us a sort of documentation regarding his plans for the team building and lo and behold, we were on our way to General Santos City. When we arrived at the place; we were surprised to see and encounter our ‘big bosses’ offshore and gave us warm welcome. These guys were the ones we usually encounter through video phone or live chatting for meeting. It was good to know they were very accommodating. One of them actually admitted that he funded the team building at GenSan (another moniker of the city) because of the number one (1) pound-for-pound boxer in the world today: Manny Pacquiao. He advised us to enjoy and relax for us to be prepared of his culminating activity for the team building.
After a hefty lunch, we went to the Kalaja Eco-Tourism Destination. Kalaja Karsts Land was one of the best sights I was able to see in my entire life. Karsts are terrain formation molded by the dissolution of layers of soluble rock layer. It was called as 'Kalaha' after the name given by the natives because it resembles a cooking ware, particularly of a frying pot. The place was very relaxing because of scenery.
We continued our tour at GenSan and before we arrived in a fish port, one of the big bosses stood up and shouted, 'are you ready for the challenge?' Clueless of what we were about to do, in unison, we just replied 'Yes!' and the boss quipped 'you better be ready guys!' and laughed, since he was the boss we laughed with him as well.
When we entered the post vicinity, we were pleased to see a banner welcoming us. What made us wonder was the settings of the place seemed to suggest a sort of an activity. The host greeted us and gave us instructions of what would be happening after we change clothes and put on some gears. We were geared up for a game involving tunas, not just tunas, they were big tunas! We have had a relay game of transferring of tuna from one station to another. Tunas’ weight was no joke considering the fact that we had to carry them from one point to another. It was a fun-filled and very memorable experience for us. To be exact, it was a humbling experience. As for me, it made me more respectful of the fishermen who would do the activity over and over again to earn for a living. It made me realized as well the value of my present job.
General Santo City or GenSan had been blessed with tons and tons of tuna production the whole year long. This industry made them competitive in terms of economic growth amongst progressive cities in the Philippines. As a sort of thanksgiving, the locals celebrate the 'Kalilangan Festival' to showcase their talents and efforts as a sense of gratitude for an abundant harvest. For me, GenSan is one of the most memorable places in terms of natural resources.
If a tourist, by chance would be wandering around and see the beauty of the Philippines, he or she should see and experience the wonders of Butuan City. It has been asserted that, 'in the beginning, there was no Philippines but there was Butuan', and this assertion makes this place a symbol of civilization for the Philippines. The real question is: 'what can I expect in Butuan City?'
A tourist or visitor should never miss these places if he or she would have a chance staying in Butuan City. The following places are landmarks that define the identity of this wonderful city.
Ever seen a majestic view? Then this place would be the best offering Butuan would give. Located at the southwest part of Agusan Valley, a haven of grandiose mountain plateau awaits visiting tourists. This mountain highland rises 2,214 feet above sea level and its name was derived for ancient Madjapahit Empire. Butuan’s archaeological unearthing and prehistoric discoveries were tied up significantly to Sri-Vishaya era.
This museum serves as Butuan’s bulwark of rich cultural heritage and prehistoric existence or survival. There are two (2) galleries of exhibit one is the Archeological Hall which caters varieties of burial coffins, goldsmith, potteries, wood, metal and stone crafts and the exhibits also includes archaeological diggings. The Ethnological Hall (the other exhibit) showcases current cultural materials the locals of Butuan or Butuanon or every 'Pinoy' (Filipino) used for a living.
The Balangay Shrine Museum is situated at Balanghay, Libertad, Butuan City. This graveyard of Balangay One (1) was dated 320 A.D. or has already been 1688 years old. This 'balangay' is a built of wooden plank and edge-pegged vessels that have an average measurement of three (3) meters in width and fifteen (15) meters in height. As of now, there are already nine (9) balangays discoverded in Ambangan, Libertad spots. In Situ, however, there were three balangays (3) that have been excavated.
Agusan River is considered the longest, the deepest and the widest traversable river in Mindanao. The people, arts, culture and history of Butuan could be realized or seen if a tourist journey along the river barangays. They usually held their fluvial parade to honor and pay tribute to the Patroness of the river Señora Santa Ana. This has been the Abayan Festival a whole day celebration of fluvial convoy and baroto races at the Agusan River
Butuan City could be considered as the 'Cradle of Civilization' in the Philippines. The influence of the 'Balangays' are still prevalent even in this contemporary times. Municipalities are usually divided into units considered as ‘Barangays’ and the etymology of this word could be traced to those ancient vessels: 'the Balangays' meaning 'the sailboats'.
Davao is very much known for its exotic fruits and beautiful orchids but aside from these, there are many things that draw visitors to Davao. Davao is the largest city by far in Mindanao and aside from being the crown jewel of the southern Philippines, there are many interesting places to go to here. If one is planning a trip to Davao, aside from reading up on places to go to or things to do here, it’s also a good idea to find out what the available modes of transportation are in the city. One can be sure that public Davao transportation is something that even tourists can take despite the fact that it might be their first time to go here.
The quickest option to get to Davao is via plane and this mode of Davao transportation can easily be done because of the many different domestic carriers that make daily trips to Davao. If flying to Davao, one will arrive at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport and this is a facility that accommodates both local and international flights. Choosing which airline to use to get to Davao is a matter of preference and one can even avail of promotional offers so that ticket fares can be lowered to as little as Php100 per head.
Another way to get to this province is by land and through this mode of Davao transportation especially if coming from Manila, one be prepared to spend 2-3 days on the road. There are buses that leave Manila twice a day to go to Davao and among the options are Victory Liner and Philippine Rabbit. Buses are by far the cheapest mode of Davao transportation via land as compared to using one’s own vehicle or renting a car. Of course, the luxury, comfort and the scenic drive need to be weighed if one is thinking about bringing a car to Davao.
One could also get to Davao by sea and how much this costs depends on the size of the maritime vessel. There are smaller boats and ferries that charge lower amounts while those who are not in a hurry and would even like to go sightseeing on the way there can opt for ferries that make frequent stops to other islands.
Being a highly industrialized city, getting around Davao is not a problem with a multitude of Davao transportation available to visitors. There are buses in the city, tricycles for short distances, jeepneys and taxis that can help one get to one’s destination. When it comes to taxis, there are 2 kinds in Davao, air conditioned and non-air conditioned. The former type of Davao transportation is little bit more expensive but both are safe and comfortable.
The “Pearl of the Orient Seas” has long since relied on ecotourism as a revenue generating industry and it didn’t have a hard time going about it because of the many beautiful Philippine destinations that await the visitor. Which Philippine destinations to see when in the country is a tough decision to make but here are some places that are definitely worth seeing.
Banawe Rice Terraces
One does not have to be a farmer to be able to appreciate the beauty of the Banawe Rice Terraces found in the mountain region of the Philippines. The land of the Philippines is well suited for agriculture and rice being a part of every Filipino’s diet is very important to the locals. The Banawe Rice Terraces can be seen in many postcards about the Philippines and that in itself is enough to prove the majesty of this Philippine destination. A whole mountain that goes as far as the eye can see have been converted by the indigenous group in the area into a massive rice plantation and in so doing they followed the contour of the mountains. The indigenous group responsible for the wonder of the Banawe Rice Terraces is the Ifugaos and they have made sure that the rice lands are well irrigated. Lacking formal education, the Banawe Rice Terraces shows the Filipinos’ ingenuity, determination and strength.
The Philippines’ tropical climate can be very warm and humid between the months of March until early June. A great Philippine destination to visit if one is in the country during the summer season is Baguio City. Dubbed the “Summer Capital” of the Philippines, Baguio City has perpetually cool climate because of its location. Baguio City belongs to the Cordillera Mountain Ranges and there are several tourist spots at this Philippine destination. The famous tourist destinations in Baguio City are Camp John Hay, Burnham Park and Session Road. This Philippine destination is also home to beautiful flowers such as roses that thrive only in cold weather and if should chance upon the Baguio City Flower Festival while here, one is definitely in for a treat.
It’s not only foreign visitors that get to enjoy Baguio City. In fact, this location is frequented by locals because of it is relatively near Metro Manila. Tourism is at an all time high though at this Philippine destination during the summer season and during the Flower Festival. During the Flower Festival, one gets to watch beautifully decorated floats filled with flowers parading the streets, showing the Filipinos’ creativity and passion for beauty.
I was once browsing over some recent pictures of our trip to Dipolog City when my 'Tita' (aunt) asked me how to get to Dipolog City so that she could also enjoy the lovely places and landmarks Diplolog City has to offer. As a gesture of respect, it seemed that I just acted as a travel agent who helped and assisted me getting informed before I experienced
From the port of Pulauan in the city of Dapitan, Dipolog City is very reachable. The distance between the Paulauan Port to Dipolog City is more or less twelve (12) kilometers. There are daily trips (ferry trips) that cater tourists from the cities of Cebu and Dumaguete. A weekly trip is available for tourists and visitors alike that would come from the busy Metro Manila going to Dipolog City. The creation of a ‘RoRo’ facility (Roll-on, Roll-off) located at Barangay Galas would allow for the ultimate relocation of the service to Dipolog while maintaining inter-island functions at Pulauan, that is right now a base pier.
I really enjoyed sea travel but my aunt was a bit ‘freaky’ about it and I was aware of it. My aunt and dad had their worst accident in the sea when they were still young. My dad, to overcome his fear, he chose and entered into sea farer’s career. My poor aunt never got over with it to the point that she almost even compromised her wedding because she kept it a secret to her ex-boyfriend (now her husband) when the proposal happened near the beach shore. It was definitely crazy but it was true. Nonetheless, my aunt was used to long hours of driving and she really enjoyed land travel. That was her major strength and unfortunately, that was my waterloo on my part. Dipolog City, from any point in the Philippines, can easily be reached through the Strong Republic Nautical Highway or RoRo system. Provincial buses around the Philippines are very comfortable and they are air conditioned. However, not for long, my aunt remembered sea travel again and she needed another option.
Since the idea of sea travel made my aunt 'seasick', I suggested another way of getting to the 'Orchid City of the Philippines'. I told her that flights from Metro Manila to Dipolog City were available thrice (3x) a week. From Manila, the plane would land at Dipolog City Airport. With that note, my aunt smiled advised me within a day or two, I should be ready because she needed a tour guide for her to enjoy the wonders of Dipolog City. I knew then that Lady Luck smiled at me.
The beauty of the Orchid City of the Philippines is definitely accessible for tourists and visitors alike. Whether it would be through sea travel, land access or air voyage, transport services could provide safe and world-class quality.
The City of Davao, nowadays, was able to live up to the meaning of their name which is 'beyond the high ground'. Davao City has been considered as one of the Asia's beloved cities in terms of financial progress. For this reason, the Foreign District Investment Magazine hailed Davao City as the one of the 'Asian City of the Future' bagging the tenth place. Davao City has been indeed the tourism, investment and business hub for the entire southern Philippines. Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines seems to be deity overlooking the brilliant city.
Mount Apo has been one of the main reasons why nature lovers and especially mountaineers all over the world visit the City of Davao. Considered to be the 'master' or 'the grandfather' of all the mountains in the Philippines, Mount Apo stands 9,692 feet above the ground and pompously looking over, as if guarding, the beautiful City of Davao from possible outsiders or invaders that would threaten the place. Mount Apo is considered to be a potentially active stratovolcano. The towering height of almost ten thousand feet is the reason why it is the most admired and popular climbing destinations in the Philippines. The mountain was considered a national park way back 1930’s. Mount Apo has been a shelter for different flora and fauna and has been considered as one of the highest land-based biological diversity. Reaching its peak would take an average of two-four days of hike and during the trek diverse sights could be seen like the one of the highest lakes in the Philippines which is the Lake Venado. This 'Master Mountain' could be climbed the whole year-round.
The influx of visitors and tourists alike throughout the years has been one of the main reasons why economy has been very competitive in Davao City. To maintain and upgrade this blooming tourism industry, the local government encourage private investors to concentrate in travels and tours agencies. Some noted travel agencies are Ame Travel and Tours (F.Torres Street, Davao City), Davao Allied Travel and Tours (D. Suazo Street, Davao City) and Cynorel Travel and Tours (G/F Apo View Hotel, Camus Street, Davao City). There are a lot of travel agencies listed in some directory websites. It would still be better checking them real-time to get the latest updates regarding information and services they provide. Nowadays, aid and assistance are just a click away through the power of the internet.