Explore Aklan

Ati-atihan Product Showcase Opens Today

2010-01-14T03:03:00.000-08:00

Today, organizers of the Ati-Atihan Festival opens the week-long festivity with the Ati-Atihan Product Showcase. It will feature the province’s unique products.

Aklan Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena Jr. of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) says that the activity is part of the 898th celebration of religious Ati-Atihan Festival.

The product showcase is facilitated by the Hugod Aklanon Producers Association Inc., Kalibo Ati-Atihan Management Board and the local government of Kalibo.

37 Aklanon owners of micro, small medium enterprises (MSMEs) will be able to promote their products like indigenous abaca, piña cloth, house wares, furniture, raffia cloths and souvenir items in stalls at the Kalibo Pastrana Park.

The main goal of DTI is to help local entrepreneurs market their products and be competitive.

The DTI will also initiate One Town, One Product booths in the same area to showcase the unique products of the 17 different municipalities in Aklan.

Atiatihan 2010 Schedule

2009-12-27T21:03:00.001-08:00

Here's this year's Ati-Atihan shcedule...

798th Kalibo ati-atihan festival
Calendar of Activities

SPIRITUAL STREET DANCING

-1st week to 3rd Sunday of January 2010, Principal Streets of Kalibo

-The true spirit of Ati-atihan. An act of piety to ensure miracle for barren women to bear children, heal the body from maladies beyond medical remedy, prosperity in business or simply for fun and excitement.

9-DAY NOVENA

-January 8-16, 2010, Kalibo Cathedral

-A traditional religious activity in reverence to the Sto. Niño where believers pledge vows in exchange of blessings and supplications and is gaining worldwide recognition and acceptance for its miracle of healing.

HALA BIRA ATI-ATIHAN NIGHTS

-January 11-17, 2010, Magsaysay Park
-Experience an unforgettable and endless dancing and partying with the rumbling and energetic music of live bands starting in the early evening till the wee hours of the morning. Join the crowd in the almost never-ending excitement- of “snake-dancing” and enjoy the appetizing food and drinks served at kiosks in and around the park.

KAEAN-AN SA PLAZA (Food Fest)
-January 11-17, 2010, 9:00a.m.-12mn, Pastrana Park

-The perfect place to re-energize yourselves. The Food Festival at the town plaza presents fast foods and different culinary specialties from Aklanon, Filipino to international culinary cuisines.

VISUAL ART EXHIBIT

-January 11-17, 2010, Museo it Akean

-Awe-inspiring paintings and sculptures created by members of the Aklan Visual Arts Association adding vibrance to the various museum pieces for your eyes to feast on.

PAGDAYAW

-January 13, 2010, 2:00 p.m., Principal Streets of Kalibo

-All out Ati-Atihan street dancing for students from public and private high schools and colleges in Aklan.

SADSAD PANAAD

-January 13, 2010, 8:00 A.M., Principal Streets of Kalibo

-A parade of teachers and faculty from all public schools and colleges in the province of Aklan in their colorful costumes.

ATI-ATIHAN PRODUCTS SHOWCASE

-January 11-18, 2010, 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Pastrana Park

-Showcases beautiful ornamental plants and quality Aklanon products made from piña,abaca,raffia,nito and clay materials handcrafted by local artisans.

HIGANTE PARADE & AKLAN FESTIVAL SHOWDOWN

-January 13, 2010, 2:00 p.m., Principal Streets of Kalibo

-A colorful parade of the festival winners and Sto. Niño devotees from the 17 towns of Aklan highlighted by the giant images of cultural and historical significance.

PAHILOT OR PAEAPAK

-January 13-17, 2010, Kalibo Cathedral

-A unique age-old faith healing rite of the miraculous Sto. Niño of Kalibo that attracts devotees worldwide for curing diseases.

BARTER OF PANAY REENACTMENT

-January 14, 2010, Magsaysay Park

-The legendary reenactment of the arrival of ten (10) Datus and the Purchase of Panay from the Aetas by the Malays. Witness the origin of the Mother of all festivals unfold before your eyes and its evolution into the present day praisefest.

3 DAYS FINAL HURRAH

-January 15-17 2010, Major Streets of Kalibo

-Experience 3 days and nights of jubilating revelry with soot-smeared Akeanons, local and foreign tourists dancing in wild abandon to the deafening sound of numerous drums, cymbals and lyres shouting, “Hala Bira Puera Pasma! Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño. Viva!’

ATI-ATIHAN CONTEST

-January 16, 2010, 7:00 a.m., Major Streets of Kalibo

-Tribal and modern groups, Balik-Ati tribes and individually costumed participants dance on the streets to the beat of the drums and lyre in their vibrant and colorful costumes.

BLESSING OF CHILDREN

-January 16, 2010, 11:00 a.m., Kalibo Cathedral

-Children of different ages gather for the traditional blessing to honor the Holy Child officiated by the Bishop of Kalibo.

DEVOTEES DAWN ROSARY & PROCESSION

-January 16, 2010, 4:00 a.m., Kalibo Cathedral

-Pray the dawn rosary with devotees and pilgrims. A moment of deep silence before the festival music rises into a crescendo.

FIREWORKS DISPLAY

January 16, 2010, 11:00 p.m., Magsaysay Park

A spectacular display of colorful fireworks in the eve of the Ati-atihan’s big day. See the most dazzling show of thousands of vibrant lights as they pierce the night sky.

TRANSFER OF STO. NIÑO IMAGE

-January 17, 2010, 6:30 a.m., Kalibo Cathedral to Pastrana Park

-The traditional transfer of the venerated miraculous image of Sto. Niño of Kalibo from the Kalibo Cathedral to Pastrana Park for the field mass celebration. Witness the applause of drums and lyre of Ati Tribes in reverence to the Sto. Niño.

PASAEAMAT

-January 17, 2010, 7:00 a.m., Pastrana Park

-A concelebrated field mass offering devotees, guests and tourists flock insolidarity with Ati-atihan Tribes as they take part in the highest form of Catholic worship to God.

TORCH PARADE & PROCESSION

-January 17, 2010, 3:00 p.m., Principal Streets of Kalibo

-Join the Ati-atihan groups parading for hours together with their beautifully adorned Sto. Niño caros and devotees carrying Sto. Niño image and bamboo torches that create floods of lights beginning at the town plaza and ending at the Kalibo Cathedral.

PAGPADUNGOG

-January 17, 2010, 7:00 p.m., Magsaysay Park

-The finale and last hurrah of the three- weeklong festival. After a day of street dancing and gastronomic feast in praise of the Sto. Niño, winners of the Ati-atihan Contest give their last energy as they receive their awards

Sunset in Malinao

2009-12-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

Doing nothing for several days except skateboarding, I had my usual itch to photograph something. So I managed to stumble on a little town that I used to frequently visit with my motorcycle; Malinao, Aklan. The weather was a bit gloomy and my shots of the town was not so good. But old memories of the town started to flood in. It was truly a wonderful feeling strolling around the town plaza in the afternoon sun and almost everyone you meet greets you even though you are a complete stranger. And after getting lost to some unfamiliar back roads with rice fields all over, nature rewarded me with a wonderful sunset.

To know more about Malinao, Aklan visit http://www.malinao-aklan.gov.ph.

Journey Down Under

2009-11-15T23:47:00.001-08:00

After several monotonous days at work or in school, human beings deserve to have a breather. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, away from smog that pollutes every bronchiole in our vulnerable lungs. And if you have an itch for fresh air, a journey down under just like ours may just be the cure for you.

The first stop of our journey down under is the island of Nogas, which is located along the coastline of Anini-y. Legend has it that Nogas and Anini-ni were lovers, separated for eternity. And to vanquish their flaming love, Nogas was made into an island that only manages to look at Anini-ni who was transformed into the mountain range that we see in Anini-y today.

Nogas Island from the mainland

although the island's beach looked really white from the mainland, debris of leaves scatter along the beach

the path to the lighthouse is lined with Calachuchi (Frangipani) trees

Nogas Island Lighthouse

relatively young mangroves

hermit crabs also abound the island, this one is searching for a new home

Next stop, Siraan Hot Springs. People say that the water flowing out of the rocks has enough sulfur that it can be lit to a flame.

view of Nogas from Siraan

Large slabs of rock in Siraan

another view of Nogas from Siraan

After some rest and a refreshing drink, we headed out to Anini-y's San Juan de Nepumuceno Church.

Anini-y Church / San Juan de Nepumuceno Church

inside the church

After photographing the church, we headed to Bry. Ingwan Batangan, Hamtic, Antique . We hiked up to Ingwan Batangan Falls. The trail was really slippery and we had local kids serving as guides. I hesitated on bringing my camera out of my bag since I was dealing with water, so I only managed to photograph the falls.

And just as I thought that the journey was over; I twisted my ankle on a rock on the way back to the van, causing me to fall down to the murky water and take an unplanned bath. I landed badly and adding insult to injury, I popped my left shoulder socket off. Good thing I had the compulsion of bringing my brother's waterproof bag that day, my gear could have been screwed. And on the way down, it was like de ja vu because I remembered I had a dream of the event happening but my gear was all wet because my bag was not water-proof. Lesson learned, always bring a water-proof bag.

Marveling at Marbuena

2009-10-24T22:52:00.001-07:00

After the wrath of several typhoons, the sun is slowly showing up. And since it is the semestral break, teens are eager to leave the comforts of their home to see what the "outside" has to offer.

In this generation this can mean two things though; one: go to the island of Boracay and party till the wee hours of the morning or go out of town and party till the wee hours of the morning... hmmmmm.... right..

But there are some people who are the exemption to the standard rule. These people are rebels of their generation. They don't want to go to gimmicks, clubs and parties, all they want is the peace and quiet that only mother nature can offer.

There are many islands who can offer what these "anti-party" people want. And Marbuena is one of them...

view of Panay island and Marbuena's sand bar

people come here to observe the Lenten season

Mt. Pan de Azucar

parked boats

insects are abundant in the island

mangroves

Panay Island

rocky beach

old tree

mangroves flourish in the island, sadly, parts of it is plagued by thrash

there are several species of birds that calls Marbuena their home, the most prominent are the night herons and the local sea hawks

moss

bats hanging out

at dusk, bats start to fly around Marbuena to look for food

Mt. Kanlaon, Negros at dusk

night heron

sunset at Marbuena

Panay Island, dawn

Marbuena, sunrise

birds zero in to Marbuena as they come home after a night's feast from the neighboring islands and from the mainland

the last bird to comeback to Marbuena

a night heron spreads its wings

birds riding the thermals

local drug smugglers used to catch monkeys and stuff their stomachs with illegal drugs, thus the term "shamu" (shabu and amo- the local term for monkey)

My Vote for the 2009 Bloggers’ Choice Award (Visayas)

2009-10-09T01:34:00.000-07:00

I vote for Explore Iloilo! Bloggers’ Choice Award 2009 Philippine Blog Awards

The man behind Exploreiloilo on the rocks...

SM Bloggers Event

2009-10-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, SM City Iloilo held probably the first food bloggers event here in Iloilo. They bombarded our taste buds with a variety of flavors, some unique to Iloilo, and others coming from the different parts of our archipelago and other countries.

If you would also like to have a taste of Iloilo, there is the famous Breakthrough, Ocean City, Casa Ilongga, Ted's Batchoy and Sabor Ilonngo to satisfy your cravings. And the taste of other places can also be had in a single sitting. You can taste lechon from Bacolod in the Bacolod Lechon Hauz, American fast food chicken from Chicken N Ribs, the ever famous Pinoy taste of Jollibee, and the Japanese taste of Yukashii Sushi.

And for those who are on a diet and seeks to eat healthy, there's Thirsty?, Buko ni Frutas and House of Panini. Lastly, for those who just want to check-out the free WiFi and hang-out at the foodcourt, there's Lavev Shawarma, Pizza Hut and Mon's Takuyaki to fill your mouth with morsels of goodness in an affordable price.

bloggers taking pics of the food

crablets

food!

Sushi!

more food!

Iloilo's scallops... hmmmmm tasty

Chicken N Ribs

an Ilonggo tradition to keep the flies off the food...

believe it or not, candles do repel them away, not that there are flies in SM for that matter

seafood bliss

pancit Molo

fried seaweeds

blurring amount of food

better take out your anti-histamines, insulin and anti-hypertensives to enjoy the seafood and sweets that the food court can offer

desserts!

awarding of certificates

even after the awarding, manang Claire still isn't stuffed... haha

and she even won the Nike sports watch

So go on and visit the food court of SM City Iloilo, where food and WiFi can be enjoyed...

Central Panay Mountain Range as ‘Critical Habitat’

2009-08-29T00:43:00.000-07:00

Aklan's Sangguniang Panlalawigan, proposed the declaration of the Central PanayMountain Ranges as a “critical habitat.”

The legislation was spearheaded by Aklan Board Member Atty. Plaridel Morania, who is the chair of the SP Committee on Environment.
SP's of Iloilo and Antique also endorseda nd carried out advocacy for the legislation.

The Central Panay Mountain Range, is 120,770.60 hectares of forest, and is home to endemic animal species such as the Dulungan Hornbill, Visayan Spotted Deer, Mabitan, Negros Bleeding-heart Pigeon, and the Panay Cloud Runner or Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat and others.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philconserve and the German-funded Philippine Endangered Species and Conservation Project are also endorsing the campaign.

The DENR Central Office tasked the DENR-6 last 2008 to designate Central Panay Mountain Range as a “critical habitat” under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act.

With this mandate, DENR-6 was advised collaboration with PESCP which will contribute knowledge, skills and financial means to help preserve and protect the Central Panay Mountain Range.

Activities at the Central Panay Mountain Range, when declared as a Panay Mountain Natural Park, will be regulated and the both its flora and fauna species will be protected.

The Islands of Concepcion

2009-06-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, Boracay was a virtually unknown island. It was Aklan's gem waiting to be discovered by the world. People who would visit the island used to have an adventure, they must ride a bus from Kalibo and go to Malay via Libertad, Antique since there was no coastal highway yet. And the roads were rough and the trip would take at least 3-4 hours. After arriving in Malay, they must then find a fishing boat that will take them to the island. And after riding a small boat, they would arrive in the powdery white sand beach of Boracay. And some would camp out at night since there were still no resorts and bonfires were a necessity since there was no electricity in the island.

But how things have changed. Today the island has resorts like a zit on a teenager's face. The beach is a lot smaller because of the resorts, the Ati's along the beach looking for worms can no longer be seen, and cheap is the last word that you'll ever hear. The deafening silence of night is replaced with loud party music, the joy of relaxation is replaced by bottles of alcohol, and the reefs that you used to see are no longer there.

I like to remember Boracay as I saw it for the first time as a kid. And nostalgia kicked in once I had a chance to visit Concepcion.

a glimpse of the majestic Mt. Manaphag or Mt. Pan de Azucar, one of the tallest peaks in Panay

After deciding not to attend our review class, we rode a bus to Concepcion, where or buddies were waiting for us. After a three hour bus ride, we arrived at the town of Concepcion. We met up with our buddies, and after a hefty lunch, we bought important items like rice, water, flashlights, coal, pork and fish. We managed to hitch a ride with a local religious group and paid only a small amount for the boatman.

After a 15-20 minute boat ride, I was awed by the island that we were going to camp in. The yellowish-white sand, no people, no disco music, just us. We stayed in Sand Bar Island Beach Resort, Bulubadiangan Island, Concepcion. They had cottages for rent for P1000 but we decided to set-up tents instead. We paid only P300. And as usual, I had to explore the beach...

locals told us that you can walk to the other island when its low tide

tents

now this is how I like to relax

walking barefoot is the way to go

Sand Bar Island Beach Resort, Bulubadiangan Island

a view of the sun setting in the mainland from Bulubadianan Island

off to go fishing

breathtaking sunset

what's an evening under the stars without a bonfire? We paid P300 for it.

electricity went off after 10pm

bamboo long chairs were provided by the management for our evening bonfire.

view of Mt. Manaphag in Pan de Azucar Island in the morning

after waking up, we decided to check on the locals preparing crab traps.

we also decided to circumnavigate the island

after dealing with sharp rocks and short rock climbs, we were able to go around the island

after our lunch we had a tour to the other islands for P500

Agho Island

cottage in Agho Island

crystal clear waters in Agho Island

view of Mt. Manaphag in Pan de Azucar Island from Agho Island

Malangabang Island in the background

Mt. Pan de Azucar or Mt. Manaphag and Agho Island

reefs near Agho Island are great for snorkeling

Bulubadiangan Island

After our last look around the island, we took a small fishing boat to the mainland. Since the boatman was strictly practicing his being Christian, he only charged us for the gasoline used and for his snack later. I was practicing my religion as well, since we encountered too large for comfort waves and the water in the boat went as high 6 inches from my ankles. That was a trip that I'll never forget... Ever....

The Bucari Experience

2009-05-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

If your name is MANfred, you like to eat MANok (chicken) and you love the first day of the week, MANday; a trip to Bucari in the rainy season is the thing for you. No hotels, no chicks (ladies), deep mud, no electricity, no cellphone signals and best of all, no toilets...

Bucari offers a breath taking view

Since it is the start of the rainy season here in the Philippines, I remembered my first trip to Bucari. It was about 3 years ago and I can still remember that I was surprised on the vehicle that we were supposed to ride up the mountains. It was a rusty and overloaded 4x4 jeepney. The road up to Bucari was really muddy because of the constant rain and the jeepney had to be fitted with a set of tire chains so that it can negotiate the muddy climb.

4x4 jeepney

This time was a bit different. The road a not that muddy as before since it was summer, making the trip to Bucari a bit easier and faster. Since we camped near Imoy waterfalls in Sitio
Camandag the last time, we decided to set-up camp in Tabionan, an area with lots of pine trees and dubbed as the little Baguio of Iloilo.

But before heading to the campsite, we decided to take a dip in the cold springs in Sitio Camandag. But we had a set-back. The driver kept asking where we were going and no one answered so he dropped of off about 2-3 kilometers from Sitio Camandag. After taking a dip in the crystal clear and super cool pools, we decided it was time to hike to the campsite in Tabionan.

the hike to Sitio Camandag

we decided to take a shortcut

I've seen this monkey twice now. Since the people there are really nice, we always ask for water in this house.

Sitio Camandag at the foot of Mt. Agua Colonia

settlements in Sitio Camandag

pools in Sitio Camandag

relaxing cool waters of the pools. Since we were tired, we decided not to continue to Imoy falls. But I regret making the decision because after typhoon Frank, Imoy falls was severely altered.

guardian

on the way to Sitio Tabionan, I saw this guy playing a trumpet. His music echoing in the mountains.

And since we were already tired, it took a while before we managed the 4-5 kilometer hike uphill. When arrived at Sitio Tabionan, it was already dark and we were exausted. We didn't have flashlights, but thanks to lighters with puny lights, we managed to move about.

I'll never forget this marker. It means you're near Sitio Tabionan.

we stayed in this house for the night, it also offers a nice view of the rolling fog

We didn't set-up our tents since my friends uncle offered us a place to stay and he prepared a really nice native dish for us. It was "linagpang nga manok", grilled chicken made into a stew, and it was really delicious. We gave them pork and some dried fish in exchange, so everybody was happy.

the pine trees of Sitio Tabionan

insects that I found in the pine trees

The next day, we went to the pine trees to shoot a short clip. I also managed to find some interesting insects, its a nature lovers paradise indeed.

How to get there...

From Iloilo, ride a jeepney or van to Leon. Terminals are on Jaro Public Market. And after arriving in Leon, the jeepney terminal to Bucari is near the park.

The Ride to Libacao

2009-05-16T03:30:00.000-07:00

June 20 2008 is the date that most of us here in Aklan dread. Typhoon Feng Shen/Frank ravaged our province leaving people homeless and some even lost their loved ones.

I'm also worried since the rainy days are coming. Hopefully, it won't happen again. When I went to Libacao, it rained a bit, but I never expected the river to swell-up like this.

my trusty motorcycle, parked near Libacao's Park

the mighty and unpredictable Aklan river

After seeing the might of the Aklan river, my friend and I decided it would be best to go home because we might get trapped if the river will flood the bottom of the mountain. Rushing home, I witnessed farmers placing sandbags to save their crops, but to no avail. The water still rose over the banks and covered several hectares of rice fields.

Day Trip to Bacolod for a Slice of Cake

2009-05-15T03:39:00.000-07:00

Since my friends and I are itching to go somewhere, we decided to go to Bacolod for a skateboarding competition and to taste their really amazing cakes from Calea.

We decided to ride a RORO ferry in Dumangas since its much cheaper than a fast craft. We were in doubt if the plan will work because we were going to be late, but there are times that I'm willing to bet on it since I was feeling lucky. And so, after consulting with my friends, we decided to stick with the plan.

Just as we arrived in the port of Dumangas, there was a RORO ferry waiting for passengers. And after approximately 1 hour and a half, we were in Bacolod. We arived in SM City Bacolod, and it was full of people because of the skateboarding competition.

leaving Panay Island

fast craft from Iloilo to Bacolod

we decided to take a peek at Bacolod's Cathedral

I only had a point and shoot back then and the facade didn't fit in the picture

old church bells

inside the Cathedral

beggar

Calea Cakes at last

But I was pissed off since the Lemon Meringue Pie that I ordered tasted very sour. But their cakes are good, especially their Blueberry Cheesecake. An they also offered free water, which was nice.

And they served their cakes in hefty slices, which made their price worth it.

a school of Tilapia lives if Bacolod's Lagoon

Provincial Capitol of Occidental Negros

Bacolod's iconic Paghimud-os statue

SM City Bacolod

sunset in Bacolod's Port

After watching the skateboarding competition, we went back to Iloilo via RORO ferry. And with the help of a guy offering us a ride in exchange for the fare that we will pay the jeep, we arrived in Iloilo at about 8 pm. A bit tired, but it was worth it. Calea cakes are special indeed.

Reminiscing the Ride to Pandan

2009-05-13T02:43:00.000-07:00

Since I had my motorcycle, my range of trying to explore Aklan widened. I always have an itch to go to places that I see in the internet. And this time, I wanted to ride to Pandan, Antique. For this trip, I asked my friend, Marcos if he liked to tag along. The answer sure enough was a yes.

At that time, I only had my trusty point and shoot camera. And because I'm the one driving the motorcycle, I had no opportunities of taking pictures of the view from the road.

After an hour on the road, we were nearing Pandan. Marcos said before we rode that there's a "shortcut" to Malumpati. I went to Malumpati before but I can tell after taking the turn to the "shortcut" that this is not the right road to take. It was muddy and the houses were getting fewer and fewer by the minute. The rocky path tortured my motorcycle and though the road looked like it would put a 4x4 to shame, I still tried to push till we got to Malumpati. And after lots of slipping and almost falling off the motorcycle, we reached the cold springs of Malumpati, but we were on the other side. We tried another route but to no avail. So we decided to turn back.

I broke something in my motorcycle but I was more worried in getting it out of that sort of mess. And on the way back to the main road, I realized that the view from the top of the mountain was really magnificent.

And so, after loosing an hour, we were back in civilization and we used the long way round. And, after a sweaty 2 hours and a half, the only thing that I wanted to do was to swim in the refreshingly cold waters of Malumpati.

the water was really cold and crystal clear

a bridge connected this side to the other, instead of turning back, the locals told us that we could have used the bridge instead

I remembered that there used to be another diving board on top of the small one

view from the bridge

this is a view of the trail on the other side, but this is still the one of the "good" parts of the trail.

cottages on the other side

After taking a short dip in Malumpati, we made our way Phaidon beach resort. It was also a white sand beach but the sand is not as fine when compared to Baracay's.

as you can see, there a lots of small pebbles in the beach which is not ideal for skimboarding

but the resort boasts a dive spot which tourists can enjoy and the tranquility that Boracay can only offer if its not in season

the rooms looked nice from the outside, and, it also looked good on the inside. But something seems to be missing, airconditioning.

After playing with the dogs, we decided to go home. The ride was very tiring but also rewarding. And like what the terminator said, "I'll be back."

On Top of Balaan Bukid

2009-05-13T02:19:00.000-07:00

Guimaras is a very beautiful island. But its beauty is not only found in it beaches and islets, but also in a mountain with a Cross in it peak, Balaan Bukid.

Usually, the people climb the mountain because of the Lenten season. But it also provides a fascinating view of the city on the other side of the Guimaras straight, Iloilo.

The island of Guimaras.

Ortiz port, Iloilo.

Its very accessible from Iloilo. You only need to ride a ferryboat from the port of Ortiz, Iloilo to Jordan wharf, which now costs Php 13.

After arriving in Guimaras, you can hire a tricycle for a mere Php 70. Each tricycle can carry 5 to 6 passengers. And the best thing is you can also tell the driver to pick you up after spending some time in the mountain. Tricycles in Guimaras are somewhat pretty fast though, but you can still ask the driver to slow it down a notch.

Balaan Bukid.

The caretaker lives on top of and there's a small settlement at the base of the mountain.

You need thick-soled slippers to climb the mountain. Most of the mountain's terrain is mostly composed of sharp rocks.

These trees welcome tourists by scattering their flowers on the ground.

People with weak knees beware, some parts of the climb are a bit steep and fatigue can contribute to bad injuries when you slip in the jagged surface.

One of the mountain's guardians.

On top of the mountain is not only a cross, but also a church.

A view of Iloilo city on top of the mountain.

A view of the "insides" of Guimaras.

A view of Jordan wharf from the top.

Like Yin and Yang, as the sun sets, the moon rises.

The coast of Guimaras faces the sunset as light turns to darkness.

Kalibo Holds Motocross Event

2009-05-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Kalibo, Aklan held a motocross event in the track located at the banks of the Aklan river near Kalibo's bridge connecting to Numancia.

Riders from different provinces participated in the event. There were riders from Tapaz, Antique, Iloilo and Kalibo. Some of the Aklan Trail Riders (ATR) also participated in the event.

Excitement was in the air as the riders revved their engines and raced towards the finish line.

parked

one of the Bacabac brothers entertaining the crowd before the final race

don't try this at home

one foot air

aggressive mid-air duel

riders push hard till the first turn after the start

racers jockeying for position

speed

one foot air in the finish line

moped madness

two riders still jostling for position

Rider down. The paramedics test their skills as a rider falls and nose-dives to the ground. The the #27 rider, Racel Delo Santos of (ATR) got away with minor bruises and small cuts.

dramatic finish

fin

Moped Class Winners

Jay Delo Santos
Jv Bacabac
Jimboy

Beginners Enduro Winners

Jimboy
Joclef Reyes
Joseph Navarette

Open Enduro Winners

Nic Castronuevo
Recel Delo Santos (ATR)
Jv Bacabac

Open Production Winners

Dexter Bacabac
Jv Bacabac
Nic Castronuevo

Aklan Philippines

2009-05-08T00:57:00.000-07:00

Aklan is the northern most province of Panay island. It is thought to be the oldest province of the Philippines. It became an independent province when President Magsaysay signed into law on April 25, 1956, Republic Act 1414 separating Aklan from Capiz. Aklan was inaugurated as an independent province on November 8, 1956.

R.A. 1414

Aklan Provincial Capitol Building

The province is bordered by Capiz to the southeast, Antique to the southwest and the Sibuyan sea to the North. Aklan has 17 municipalities namely:

Altavas
Balete
Banga
Batan
Buruanga
Ibajay
Kalibo
Lezo
Libacao
Madalag
Makato
Malay
Malinao
Nabas
New Washington
Numancia
Tangalan

The province of Aklan has been reclassified into a first class provinceand the capital of the province is Kalibo. The language primarily used id Aklanon, but the intonation may differ between towns, especially in the Hinterland areas such as Libacao and Madalag, to the northern municipalities like Ibajay, Nabas, Malay and Buruanga. The Hinterland town's Aklanon is mixed with "karay-a" while the northern towns are reminiscent of the "sina" dialect. Expect though that most of the locals can understand English, Filipino, Karay-a and Hiligaynon.

Aklan's hinterlands

Most Akeanons derive livelihood from rice, corn, coconut, abaca, and pottery making. Fishponds and offshore fishing employ many persons in the province. While some will argue that the seafood capital of the Philippines is Capiz, Aklan can also boast an array of different seafood. Also, small-scale industries like piña cloth weaving, abaca and bamboo handicraft thrive in Aklan. Pottery making and pop rice (ampaw) making are local industries that have augmented the people's livelihood in this province. Residents living near the banks of the river make clay pots and jar the old-fashioned way, as others engage in pop rice making. Popularly known as "ampaw" in the local dialect, it is processed from cooked rice, dried, deep fried with oil and sugar, and then molded into the same sizes and dried slowly.

the unpredictable Aklan river

Aklan is also famous for the Atiatihan festival, which is celebrated every third week of January. While some may only know that the Atiatihan celebration is only celebrated if the town of Kalibo, it is also celebrated in the towns of Altavas, Batan, Makato, Malinao and Ibajay.

the enchanting island of Boracay, where anything goes...

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist of Kalibo

Museo if Akean (Museum of Aklan)

Aklan is famous because of Boracay island as its main tourist attraction. It is located in the northern part of the island. Other sights to see in the province is the Kalantiaw shrine in Batan; Museo it Kalibo, 19 Martyrs, Tigayon hill and Bakhawan Eco park in Kalibo; cold springs in Nabas; Jawili beach and Jawili falls, Campo Verde and Afga point in Tangalan; statue and house of Cardinal Sin and Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington; Libacao wild river rapids and waterfalls; Ignito cave , Batasan point, Ashram Balay- Pagduaw and Talisay Beach in Buruanga; Kipot Cave (Barangay Talon), Suhot Cave (Barangay Talon), Macawiwili Falls (Barangay Cabugao), Agtutoe-an Water Falls (Barangay Talon), Veterans Park (Barangay Lumaynay) in Altavas; and much more.

the house of Cardinal Sin in New Washington

Cardinal Sin's statue

Jawili beach

19 Martyrs Mausoleum

Nabas Hills

Campo Verde, Tangalan

Jawili beach from above

Nabas coastline. Its also made-up of white sand...

the town beside the river, Ibajay

Afga Point, Tangalan aerial

How to get to Aklan

2009-05-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

Kalibo International Airport (KIA)

Aklan can be reached by sea, air or by land. Aklan has two airports, the Godofredo P. Ramos Airport in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan and the Kalibo International Airport in Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan which is the only international airport outside of a major city. Kalibo is 45 minutes from Manila and 30 minutes from Cebu by air. You can book flights to Kalibo International Airport with the following airline companies:

Cebu Pacific
Mandarin Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Zest Air

Kalibo International Airport tarmac

After arriving in the Kalibo International Airport, you can hire a tricycle to take you to town. Usually, the rates are 50 to 100 pesos depending on the distance.

Flights to Godofredo P. Ramos airport in Caticlan are available from the following companies:

Air Philippines-Pal Express
Philippine Airlines
SEA Air
Zest Air

By sea, the trip to Aklan can last up to 12 hours from Manila North Harbor. Aklan has 3 ports, the jetty port in Caticlan, the port of Dumaguit and the port of New Washington.

The Caticlan Jetty port caters Roll-on and Roll-off (RORO) shipping lines like Montenegro Shipping Lines
MBRS Shipping lines

ship entering the port of Dumaguit

The port of Dumaguit caters the following shipping lines:

MBRS Shipping Lines
WG&A Super Ferry - Our Lady of Medjugorje
Moreta Shipping lines

ferry boats to Batan, Aklan in the port of Dumaguit

After arriving in the port of Dumaguit, you can take a jeepney to the town of Kalibo, or a tricycle to New Washington, then a multicab or another tricycle to Kalibo.

By land, you can take a bus or van from Iloilo to Kalibo. Regular buses can take up to 4 hours of more and air conditioned buses can take up to 3 hours and 30 minutes. While vans from Iloilo can take up to 3 hours of less. (Hint: Do not ride the bus from 10am to 12nn, the drivers will stop for lunch and it may delay your trip for apporximately 45 minutes or even more.)

Buses from Roxas City to Kalibo are non-air conditioned, vans are also another option. The trip may take approximately 2 hours.

Buses from San Jose, Antique or Libertad, Antique are often non-air conditioned. From San Jose, the travel time is ofter 5 to 6 hours. From Libertad, the trip may take between 3 to 4 hours.

Weather Delays Construction of New Terminal in Kalibo International Airport

2009-05-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

The changing weather because of the tropical storms may delay the completion of the new terminal building at the Kalibo International Airport (KIA).

Chief of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Engr. Percy Malonesio, mentioned that the target date for the completion of the new terminal building was supposed to be last April 17.

He said that "the contractors failed to finish the new terminal building on time because of the changing weather. Right now, the contractors could not determine when the construction would be finished."

the new terminal building under construction

Kalibo International Airport hopes to accommodate the the growing tourist traffic after the construction of the new terminal building. The current building of the Kalibo International Airport cannot conveniently accommodate the passengers because of its limeted space.

Kalibo International Airport management aims that after the completion of the new terminal building they will be strictly adhering to the international standards. Modern facilities will also be installed in the new terminal.

However, after the completion of the new terminal building, porters will be layed off because the CAAP will be using new methods for carrying the luggage of the tourists.

53rd Aklan Day Celebration

2009-04-25T00:08:00.000-07:00

Today is the 53rd anniversary of the separation of Aklan from Capiz, making it the 50th province of the Philippines. Several bills were launched to liberate Aklan, there was the Urquiola-Alba Bill in 1920, the Laserna Suñer Bill in 1925 and 1930; then Tumbokon bill in 1934, which almost succeeded. But it was Congressman Godofredo P. Ramos who made the the successful bid for the separation of Aklan on April 25, 1956 making it an indepent province from Capiz. The celebration was started with a lengthy parade from Pastrana park to Aklan's Provincial Capitol building.

Governor Carlito S. Marquez with his wife, Elizabeth Marquez and Congressman Florencio "Joben" Miraflores

stunts were performed by the riders of Choice Motor Vehicles

one of 5 brand new Hilux Cabs for the police to use

Representatives from different towns and "barangays" were there in the parade.

Mayor Raymar Rebaldo of Kalibo, Aklan

Mayor Lourdes "Lulu" Miraflores of Ibajay, Aklan

Lezo Mayor Victor L. Fernandez

Several floats from the different towns of the province can be seen in the parade. They showcase the different local products such as lapu-lapu fish from Batan, fish from Buruanga etc.

Other government agencies also joined the parade.

the Governor, together with other goverment officials sit on a stage in front of the Provincial Capitol Building

The program started by raising the Philippine flag and singing of the National Anthem.

After the National anthem, the provincial flag was raised by the Governor Carlito S. Marquez and Vice Governor Gabrielle "Billie" T. Calizo.

After raising the provincial flag, the different representatives of the town of Aklan raised the flags of their municipalities.

the flag of the municipality of Libacao was first to reach the top

After all the flags were raised, the goverment officials honored the former Congressman Godofredo P. Ramos by laying flowers on his monument.

Happy Aklan Day!

SEAFDEC Adventure

2009-04-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

Ah, its long been summer time and I have lots of overdue posts. Well, its better late that never...

When I knew that my friend Marcos had a plan to go with Rex and Mayad Studios to a SEAFDEC station in Guimaras, I figured I had to ride along with them.

The station is located in Igang, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. We took a boat ride from Iloilo to Jordan, Guimaras and rode a "multicab" to Nueva Vaencia. Then we rode a really puny boat from the Igang river out to sea. And since I had no waterproof bag, I placed my cam inside a plastic bag.

We had a scary moment when we got stuck in the middle of the sea because of engine trouble. But good thing there was another boat who towed us to the station.

The place was really nice. And thanks to my phobia with water, I did not take my camera out to the fish-cage areas because I'm really clumsy and I broke one part of a pontoon. Seeing really massive fish like the groupers and Milk fish was really amazing. Here are some of the pictures of the SEAFDEC Station.

a fish-cage in the middle of the sea

different cages house different species of fish

several islets in the station are connected with bamboo bridges

surprisingly, lots of cats live there...

Other marine creatures on the station were different species of seahorse and giant clams. And while touring the place, another stroke of bad luck occurred, the engine of the boat failed us again. Good thing there was this other bigger boat to ferry us back to the mainland.

And after a long and hot day, we bid goodbye to the SEAFDEC marine station in Igang, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. And if I'll have another chance, I'll definitely go back there...

The Best Caldereta in Panay

2009-03-17T04:10:00.000-07:00

Some people will say that the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. An sometimes, I really agree. I still have lots of back-log posts in mind but I really feel that I need write about Sally's Kandingan in Brgy. Tinaytayan Dumarao, Capiz.

I can still vividly remember eating at a certain place in Capiz that has one of the best tinolang manok and caldereta I have ever tasted... Well, actually, its the best I've ever tasted...

Back in the late 90's, we used to go to Iloilo every December to buy stuff, and our usual pit-stop would be at Uyapad, in Cuartero, Capiz. But after some time, the food started to taste a little bit different, and so the usual pit-stop was crossed-out from the list.

A year earlier, I've heard from a reliable source that the owner transferred to a new location, and so I thought that's why the food from the other restaurant tasted different. I had an itch to try to eat to Sally's in Dumarao to validate the data that I've heard.

And so, in the midst of Frank terrorizing our shores, we had a pit-stop in Dumarao, Capiz. The rain clouds were very thick and the rain drops were getting bigger by the minute. We arrived at a torn down place, leaks everywhere and we were dripping wet. But guess what, that was just the perfect setting for sipping their really delicious native tinolang manok. And was I concerned about the looks and the leaks of their place?? Hell NO!! I was hypnotized by the best caldereta ever!!! That was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had... But things have changes for the better. As you can see, they had a make-over...

Mang Ibrahim, which is the man behind the mouthwatering caldereta and tinolang manok starts cooking the first batch at around 4 am and continues to cook after a batch is almost consumed. And he advised to stop by at Sally's at around 7 am for a fresh fist batch.

Manong Ibrahim and his wife, Sally

They have two versions of their caldereta, one is made of pure goat's meat and the other is made of organ meat. They also have native fried chicken, adobo, and tinola. And there's a really weird but delicious dish named "rumble" which is a mixture different parts of a chicken that you usually wont eat. But trust me, it tastes good.

And as always, I tend to forget to photograph the food because I'm always too excited to eat. But this time, I didn't, well almost that is...

Iloilo's Biggest Batchoy

2009-02-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

When you mention the word Iloilo, one of the things that would really pop-up into your mind is the world famous La Paz Batchoy. Although its yet being debated on who was really the first to start making the batchoy concoction, everyone who is in the market is advertising "Original La Paz Bachoy", it is for sure that it started in where else but La Paz.

According to a school publication that I've read, the batchoy was first conceived by Federico Guilergan Sr. in 1938. His Chinese customers wanted him to add some noodles on his famous soup, and so the batchoy was born.

Last January 22, I was able to shoot the attempt for the world record of biggest bowl of batchoy. And here are some of the pictures from the event...

The bowl was made of stainless steel. It was reported to have a diameter of 15 feet, a height of 3 feet and a capacity of 3500 liters.

The staff of Deco's La Paz Batchoy was very busy preparing for the event.

Oops. The container of the noodles fell from the chair to the ground. I just don't know why the guy still continued to use the noodles in that container. I wasn't able to take a picture of the incident because the guy preparing the noodles hampered my view and I still had to remove my lens cap. But you can still clearly see some of the noodles lying on the ground.

Mr. Guillergan.

The famous Marc Logan was also there to cover the event.

The composer of the Deco's La Paz Batchoy theme song.

Ribbon cutting ceremony.

First bowl of the batch.

After the long wait, all the kids enjoyed their batchoy in the end; all 300 of them.

Respect Photojournalists

2009-02-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

by Tara Yap

As a practicing photojournalist and as an officer of the Iloilo chapter of the Press Photographers of the Philippines (PPP), I find the blatant physical harassment of PPP-Aklan chapter president Joe Haresh Tanodra and PPP-Iloilo member Ricky Alejo last Sunday during the highlight of the Dinagyang festival as utterly uncalled for.

I am disgusted with the manner in which retired police chief inspector Dionisio Duco and two police officers implemented the so-called disciplinary action by dragging Joe and Ricky out of the Freedom Grandstand as if they were rowdy dogs.

While the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) wanted to maintain peace and order, what happened was the direct result of a flawed media guideline for covering the event.

Of the almost 600 “media” IDs released, the percentage given to legitimate media was less than 50%. The others were mostly given to members of various photography clubs here in Iloilo and elsewhere.

I have no problem with legit photography clubs here in Iloilo . After all, they mount group exhibits showcasing the Dinagyang and Iloilo .

I also don’t have a problem with recognized bloggers such as Marcos Caratao Jr. of exploreiloilo.com, Eric Dee of byahilo.com and Bernardo Arellano III of taralets.co.cc.

These photographers and bloggers, who do not belong to any newspaper, radio or TV, rigorously gave Dinagyang the publicity it needs even at their own expense.

But since “media” IDs were handed to other photo enthusiasts, they almost had the same rights and privileges accorded to an accredited journalist covering the event. As a result, the police had no way of differentiating legitimate journalists from mere photo enthusiasts. It would have been more logical and more convenient if a separate photographer’s ID was issued to them and a separate area was designated for them.

But at the very least, kicking out two legitimate photojournalists because they were not in the designated area during a public event is nonsensical (I personally was the one who processed their media IDs, but their request to be at the Freedom Grandstand was denied several times while “media” IDs were even given to mere photo enthusiasts). At the very most, it barred two legitimate photojournalists from achieving what their jobs require—capturing the euphoria that defines the Dinagyang including the performances of the tribes and the VIPs who came to watch.

I am also very disgusted by a radio broadcaster referring to Joe as a “media-media” (the derogatory term for pseudo journalists who milk politicians, government officials, etc).

Joe has been a photojournalist for 25 years and is very well known in the circle of Philippine photojournalism. His experience of news coverage is not only limited to shooting the major festivals of the country, but also natural disasters, political rallies, the war in Mindanao , and Malacañang. He was even sent on assignments in India , Singapore and Thailand .

Ironically, the man whom Duco and the two cops dragged has helped the Dinagyang over the years. As a matter of fact, it was Joe’s photograph that appeared in the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (/PDI/) last January 28, 2008. Joe also managed to capture two worthy shots of the Dinagyang, which were printed on the front page of /PDI/ in two previous issues.

More significantly, Joe’s photo of a Dinagyang warrior holding a Santo Niño was the same photographic image that was used for the 2007 promotional materials of the festival—in posters, brochures, a 20-foot billboard that was displayed near a gas station in Jaro district for almost two years! (Joe joined the photo contest, where he never won or was given royalty rights for the image, but his photograph was still used for promotional purposes. The rules and regulations of the annual Dinagyang photo contest remain flawed as it clearly violates Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines .)

Ricky, on his part, is very instrumental in letting the world know of the wrath hurled by Typhoon Frank. It was Ricky’s still photos that CNN picked up through the international news wire Agence France-Presse (AFP) last June 2008.

Notwithstanding the technicalities of what happened last Sunday, this is a blatant insult to practicing photojournalists here in Iloilo , especially to Arnold Almacen, Chris Fernandez and I.

As photojournalists, our photographic images transcend written words printed in the pages of newspapers and magazines or hours and hours of radio airtime. To say the least, we have done our part not just in promoting the Dinagyang, but the very welfare of the people of Iloilo and Panay .

As photojournalists, we should not be treated as criminals or as dispensable entities. As photojournalists, we should be respected.

Just to add to what Tara said, I was also evicted last year at stage 4. The cop who they say was from Villa, Arevalo was very rude. They treated me like a stray animal. Thanks to my friend Bernardo Arellano III of taralets.co.cc, the guy in the red shirt, who helped me manage the situation. These cops must be taught a lesson. They must serve the people, not harass them and treat them like animals... And I thought they were professionals...

Iloilo's Luces in the Sky 2009

2009-02-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

This is the second time that I've been to this event. And all I can say is that it always delivers. I'm really impressed in the spectacular display of fireworks that light-up the night sky. As usual, there was no parking space available in SM City Mandurriao so we had to find space somewhere else.

The competition was held last January 23-24, 2009. The home crowd cheered as they witnessed the Scorpions, the local representative for the competition. The competition was fierce, but DSS fireworks from Dumaguete came out to be the winner. Here are some of my shots of the event...

For more pictures of the event, check out http://www.exploreiloilo.com/2nd-luces-in-the-sky-iloilo-dinagyang-fireworks-competition-2009.html and http://www.byahilo.com/2009/01/30/luces-in-the-sky-fireworks-competition/.

Atiatihan Odessey Part 2: Kalibo, Aklan

2009-02-04T02:41:00.000-08:00

When I ask somebody that is foreign to Ati-atihan what he/she likes about the festival, the person almost always answers: "Its because I can participate in the celebration."

When I'm at theDinagyang in Iloilo, I always wonder how the people really enjoy. They just watch under the scorching heat, buy overpriced tickets and cheer for the tribes. Sometimes I cant really grasp the sense of celebration. I mean, where's the feast? Of course there's lots of food down the road. What I mean is free food, like in fiestas. Here in Kalibo, when the days of the celebration come, you can almost always be certain that someone can feed you. I guess that's one strong point of the Ati-atihan festival. You can just storm into a house without any invitation and eat all you can.

The next thing that people probably enjoy the most is the "sad-sad". Its a free for all street dance. No formations needed, no steps that must be synchronized with others. Just pure self expression while shouting "Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño" meaning "Long live the Holy Child!"

This year, I was almost able to cover the whole event. Almost covered because I spent too much time enjoying with my friends that I went home in the wee hours of the morning. But, I was still able to make-up for lost shots in the afternoon. And here's the story...

Hala Bira! Puera pasma!

In the afternoon, my friends and I went to the center of the festivities, Pastrana Park. But we went there a bit too early and none of the tribes were out yet. So we decided to go to the Product showcase.

Inside would make any Aklanon proud. There were lots of stuff inside, and the ones that caught my attention was the piña products. They were really amazing and elegant for my taste, plus the fact that most were really cheap.

After a while, we decided to go and check if the Tribes were already out. And they were. So we decide to shoot. Most of the costumes were really entertaining. We saw real Aeta's participating in the event. I always find it amusing to see them because legend has it that the festival originated when the Borneans smeared themselves with soot in order to show their solidarity among the Aeta's. You can check the legend in my old post The Barter of Panay.

curiosity

real Aeta's participating in the Ati-atihan

save the Earth!

warrior

Phineas and Ferb

I really enjoy covering the festival. You don't need long zooms to get a nice shot. You can just walk inside of the tribe and take pictures. All I can say is its one of the most photographer-friendly festivals in the island of Panay.

like I've said before, everyone enjoys the festival

innocence

the Champions

starting 'em young

eyes wide shut

Police are scattered around town, making sure that peace is attained in the celebration

Aklanons never forget that the celebration is always about the Sto. Niño. And after the Sunday mass in the morning, there is a procession in the afternoon. Ati-atihan groups parade for hours together with their beautifully adorned Sto. Niño "caro's", devotees carrying Sto. Niño image and bamboo torches that create floods of light beginning at the town plaza and ending at the Kalibo Cathedral for the "Paeapak".

devotion

After several hours, the procession arrives in the Kalibo Cathedral. And people usually get the flowers from the "caro's" and later proceed to pray and fall in line for the "paeapak".

paeapak

Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño!

After attending my first procession after several years, I've now rediscovered the meaning of Ati-atihan. People come for fun and adventure, but its the passion for spirituality that drives this festival. I have seen it in their eyes, and hopefully next year, I'll be here to see it once more.

Ati-atihan Odessey Part 1: Makato, Aklan

2009-02-01T04:56:00.000-08:00

This year, I was able to shoot for the Ati-atihan celebration in Makato, Aklan. I've almost forgotten about their celebration because most of time, I'm in Iloilo attending my classes.

They celebrate just before the Ati-atihan in Kalibo does, which, if I'm not mistaken is on January 14 to 15. Their format for celebrating the Ati-atihan is somewhat similar to that of Kalibo . The celebration is also mainly focused of the Holy Child, Sto. Niño.

The image of the Holy Child, Sto. Niño can be seen iside the church. Its smaller than that of Kalibo's, but if you look closely, there's no glass box surrounding the Sto. Niño, and devotees can touch it directly.

innocent spectators

After spending some time inside the church, I went outside to take some shots of the ongoing parade.

And like the Ati-atihan in Kalibo, people dance in the beat of the drums. For now, some are just spectators, but after the contest ends, people start to join in the celebration.

Ocho-ocho was apparently this kid's favorite.

I noticed this naughty kid who kept bugging the man in the spider costume.

Orally fixated.

Modern tribes have different concepts on their costumes. This one was clearly influenced by our friendly neighborhood, Spiderman.

I usually get amused when I see an Ati joining the celebration.

Sleeping beauty...

Even though there's a feast, this kid still chooses to eat some fish balls.

At rest...

And after seeing some part of the festivites, I had to go home because I had to see some of my friends. But I can clearly see the spirit of celebrating the Ati-atihan in the eyes of the people of Makato. Next year, I hope to cover the celebration and just not do a hit and run.

Ati-atihan: Barter of Panay

2009-01-31T05:12:00.000-08:00

After a long time of waiting for our internet connection to be "normal" again, alas I can now make my post about the recent Ati-atihan Festival.

Many historians, if not all, disregard the authenticity of the said event. There was no written account and no significant proof to solidify the claim. Hence I classify it for myself as mere myth or legend. To the uninitiated, this is the story...

Aetas used to roam in the lowlands of Panay...

Legend claims that they were ruled by an Ati Chief that goes by the name of Marikudo together with his wife, Maniwantiwan (Maniwangtiwang).

Datu Puti and his wife, Pinangpangan, and the nine other datus, namely Sumakwel, Dumangsil, Lubay, Balkasua, Bangkaya, Paiburong, Dumangsul, Dumalugdog and Paduhinog, with their respective wives and subordinates arrived in boats called the Balangay (Baeangay).

Instead of waging war to conquer the island, they made peaceful negotiations with the Ati Chief Marikudo.

Several offerings by the Bornean settlers were given to them, namely of bales of cloth, precious jewels, a golden salakot and trinkets for Maniwangtiwang, and other material objects.

The Aetas accepted the gifts and decided to live in the hinterlands of Panay and let the new settlers inhabit the lowlands and the coast.

To show their appreciation and to symbolize ther solidarity with the Aeta's, the Borneans smeared their skin with soot to look like the Aeta's to further befriend their hosts while dancing to the beat and music of the native drums, drinking and merrymaking until the wee hours of the morning

One day...

The Spaniards arrived in the island, and they introduced Christianity to the natives. They were converted during the Feast of the Holy Child (Sto. Niño). Merrymaking, dancing, singing, and also shouting "Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño!" (Long live the Holy Child!) followed. And according to the legend, this is how the Ati-atihan started and it evolved to the Ati-atihan we know and love today.

PAGCOR aims to help DOT

2009-01-18T23:25:00.000-08:00

PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) assured to help the DOT (Department of Tourism) in promoting tourism.

Chairman Efren Genuino visited the province of Aklan as part of PAGCOR'S aim to assist in tourism promotion in the countryside.

This year, he says, he will be visiting other provinces to study the possibilities of how they could be able to help tourism promotion. He says that the assistance and projects will depend on the needs of the province.

PAGCOR plans in helping the countryside by bringing in potential investors and to assist in sports and tourism development of the province.

PAGCOR is currently exploring the potentials of the town 0f Libacao as an alternative tourism destination. They say their plan for Libacao is still a secret.

Libacao, Aklan

Faces of Dinagyang

2009-01-18T22:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we get so lucky that we forget the feeling of being unlucky. Most of the time though, I'm sort of lucky. Think of it this way... I was almost squished by a ginormous truck several times and yet I'm still here.

But this time, I was not so lucky... Why?? Our internet connection was, well not connected for several really boring days. And my friend's site exploreiloilo.com was also down for the count, that's why I was not able to post my Dinagyang pics and my supposedly link for the schedule. Its better late than never though. So here's some of the pics from Dinagyang 2008. Enjoy ^^

Dagoy

smirk smirk

the warrior

Ati's watching Ati's

embrace

eyes wide shut

Ati-Atihan'09

2008-12-23T06:56:00.000-08:00

Here's this year's Ati-Atihan shcedule...

797th Kalibo ati-atihan festival
Calendar of Activities

SPIRITUAL STREET DANCING
1st week to 3rd Sunday of January 2009, Principal Streets of Kalibo
The true spirit of Ati-atihan. An act of piety to ensure miracle for barren women to bear children, heal the body from maladies beyond medical remedy, prosperity in business or simply for fun and excitement.

9-DAY NOVENA
January 10-18, 2009, Kalibo Cathedral
A traditional religious activity in reverence to the Sto. Niño where believers pledge vows in exchange of blessings and supplications and is gaining worldwide recognition and acceptance for its miracle of healing.

HALA BIRA ATI-ATIHAN NIGHTS
January 12-18, 2009, Magsaysay Park
Experience an unforgettable and endless dancing and partying with the rumbling and energetic music of live bands starting in the early evening till the wee hours of the morning. Join the crowd in the almost never-ending excitement- of “snake-dancing” and enjoy the appetizing food and drinks served at kiosks in and around the park.

KAEAN-AN SA PLAZA (Food Fest)
January 12-18, 2009, 9:00a.m.-12mn, Pastrana Park
The perfect place to re-energize yourselves. The Food Festival at the town plaza presents fast foods and different culinary specialties from Aklanon, Filipino to international culinary cuisines.

VISUAL ART EXHIBIT
January 12-18, 2009, Museo it Akean
Awe-inspiring paintings and sculptures created by members of the Aklan Visual Arts Association adding vibrance to the various museum pieces for your eyes to feast on.

PAGDAYAW
January 13, 2009, 2:00 p.m., Principal Streets of Kalibo
All out Ati-Atihan street dancing for students from public and private high schools and colleges in Aklan.

SADSAD PANAAD
January 14, 2009, 8:00 A.M., Principal Streets of Kalibo
A parade of teachers and faculty from all public schools and colleges in the province of Aklan in their colorful costumes.

ATI-ATIHAN PRODUCTS SHOWCASE
January 12-19, 2009, 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Pastrana Park
Showcases beautiful ornamental plants and quality Aklanon products made from piña,abaca,raffia,nito and clay materials handcrafted by local artisans.

HIGANTE PARADE & AKLAN FESTIVAL SHOWDOWN
January 14, 2009, 2:00 p.m., Principal Streets of Kalibo
A colorful parade of the festival winners and Sto. Niño devotees from the 17 towns of Aklan highlighted by the giant images of cultural and historical significance.

PAHILOT OR PAEAPAK
January 14-18, 2009, Kalibo Cathedral
A unique age-old faith healing rite of the miraculous Sto. Niño of Kalibo that attracts devotees worldwide for curing diseases.

BARTER OF PANAY REENACTMENT
January 15, 2009, Magsaysay Park
The legendary reenactment of the arrival of ten (10) Datus and the Purchase of Panay from the Aetas by the Malays. Witness the origin of the Mother of all festivals unfold before your eyes and its evolution into the present day praisefest.

3 DAYS FINAL HURRAH
January 16-18 2009, Major Streets of Kalibo
Experience 3 days and nights of jubilating revelry with soot-smeared Akeanons, local and foreign tourists dancing in wild abandon to the deafening sound of numerous drums, cymbals and lyres shouting, “Hala Bira Puera Pasma! Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño. Viva!’

ATI-ATIHAN CONTEST
January 17, 2009, 7:00 a.m., Major Streets of Kalibo
Tribal and modern groups, Balik-Ati tribes and individually costumed participants dance on the streets to the beat of the drums and lyre in their vibrant and colorful costumes.

BLESSING OF CHILDREN
January 17, 2009, 11:00 a.m., Kalibo Cathedral
Children of different ages gather for the traditional blessing to honor the Holy Child officiated by the Bishop of Kalibo.

DEVOTEES DAWN ROSARY & PROCESSION
January 17, 2009, 4:00 a.m., Kalibo Cathedral
Pray the dawn rosary with devotees and pilgrims. A moment of deep silence before the festival music rises into a crescendo.

FIREWORKS DISPLAY
January 17, 2009, 11:00 p.m., Magsaysay Park
A spectacular display of colorful fireworks in the eve of the Ati-atihan’s big day. See the most dazzling show of thousands of vibrant lights as they pierce the night sky.

TRANSFER OF STO. NIÑO IMAGE
January 18, 2009, 6:30 a.m., Kalibo Cathedral to Pastrana Park
The traditional transfer of the venerated miraculous image of Sto. Niño of Kalibo from the Kalibo Cathedral to Pastrana Park for the field mass celebration. Witness the applause of drums and lyre of Ati Tribes in reverence to the Sto. Niño.

PASAEAMAT
January 18, 2009, 7:00 a.m., Pastrana Park
A concelebrated field mass offering devotees, guests and tourists flock insolidarity with Ati-atihan Tribes as they take part in the highest form of Catholic worship to God.

TORCH PARADE & PROCESSION
January 18, 2009, 3:00 p.m., Principal Streets of Kalibo
Join the Ati-atihan groups parading for hours together with their beautifully adorned Sto. Niño caros and devotees carrying Sto. Niño image and bamboo torches that create floods of lights beginning at the town plaza and ending at the Kalibo Cathedral.

PAGPADUNGOG
January 18, 2009, 7:00 p.m., Magsaysay Park
The finale and last hurrah of the three- weeklong festival. After a day of street dancing and gastronomic feast in praise of the Sto. Niño, winners of the Ati-atihan Contest give their last energy as they receive their awards

Here's some pictures of last year's event, Ati-Atihan 2008... Enjoy...^^

Bauhinia's Pinoy Food with a Twist

2008-12-22T07:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we get oh so stressed out because of the daily routines we experience. But, we cannot just hop in our trucks and seek for adventure because we all know we'll be screwed by the boss in the morning. Unless its a weekend, I bet you don't want try. So, what do we usually do?? That's right ladies and gents... COMFORT food. And if you want to enjoy some of the finer things in life , try the unique food that they offer in Bauhinia. Its located at The Avenue, Pison Compound, Mandurriao.

They offer Filipino dishes with a twist coupled with sleek and modern ambiance. The waiters are really nice and really polite. Thumbs up to the management.

After placing our orders, I really liked it when they served the drinks first. Most restaurants often neglect this. As you can see, their iced tea is really large. Res Ipsa Loquitor... Even though its not filled to brim and some parts of it is just froth, its still massive. I'm a big person, and I had no problem quenching my thirst and I find the taste just right.

Bauhinia Iced Tea

Since we had to photograph the facade of the restaurant, the tacos were a little soft when we went back to our table. But I still find it amusingly delicious. The smoked taste from the fish was really there and I found the texture just right for my taste.

Smoked Tangigue Tacos

Next to go down my palate was the Bulalo steak. Its really tender, good for people who have dentures. Its sauce is also good. But, as the waiter said, "its just good for two". And he wasn't lying, it was... Honesty always scores a point in my book.

Bulalo Steak

Although I'm allergic to crustaceans, I was really curious about the Sugpo sa Aligue at Sili. Which is made of tiger prawns cooked with coconut-crab fat sauce. And it did not disappoint me. If you're allergic to crustaceans too, just bring some anti-histamine. Its something that you don't want to miss tasting.

Sugpo sa Aligue at Sili

At this point, I really admire that Bauhinia has really good food presentation. They add a bit of flair to the dish. On to the Tinuom nga Pusit. Its presentation is good, and like a gift, it gives you a bit of excitement when you're opening it. Smoke puffs out and after that you'll see white gold... I was really amused at the small pieces of super white squid. But the taste was just OK. Not much to write about. Ah... What is life without a little disappointment.

Tinuom nga Pusit

Their Pandan Rice was a bit lacking of that Pandan aroma and taste. But the Longganisa Fried Rice was just right to satisfy us.

And to the dessert. We asked the waiter the best cheese cake that they can offer. So we ended up getting the Ube flavored cheesecake. All I can say is that its not really up to my taste. I cant taste the cheese and I was really disappointed because I did not find it delicious. But what I liked about it is that it wasn't too sweet.

Bauhinia Ube Cheesecake

To sum it all up, "Will I return to Bauhinia?"... Its a definite YES! Except for some forgivable disappointments (hey, nobody's perfect), the place is great. It amazed and amused me and I hope when I go back, I would feel the same way.

Something nice to know about the word Bauhinia...
Its pronounced as bau-hin-i-a (baw-hin-ee-uh; bo-hin).
Bauhinia or Bauhinia Malabarica (scientific name) is a small but stocky tree growing to a height of 8 to 10 meters which can be found in the Philippines. Its common names are Alambangbang (Tagalog), Alibangbang (Tagalog, Bisaya, Pampanga), Balibamban (Pampanga), Kalibanbang (Pangasinan, Tagalog) and Kalibangbang (Ilokano).

There are many species of Bauhinia. They share the 'butterfly' configuration of the leaves. Alibangbang is an Ilonggo word for butterfly. Other scientific names are Piliostima Acidum, Bauhinia Tomentosa and Bauhinia Purpurea.

Conquering Patag

2008-10-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

Circumstance can be compared to the Devil. At first, it takes you to an all time high and when you feel like a million bucks, a crack on the Earth suddenly appears and it swallows you all the way to hell. I have experienced it while I was applying for the NLE and it reminded me of a time in my life that I'll never ever forget. In short, I still have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) about it. And here's the story...

My friends invited me to go to Silay, Negros to have fun at Patag again, maybe for the last time because it was just a month after our graduation and we feared that it was going to be our last time together on an adventure. Since I was nostalgic about my deleted shots about Patag, I went for it. Happily arriving at Bacolod, I said to myself "I'll try to take some of my old shots" with a smirk on my face.

The next day, we went to Patag riding in our friend's van. The driver was driving like he had a bad case of diarrhea. My shots on the way were limited. I had to put my not so small body through the window just to take some shots. It was very difficult since the road was rough at certain points.

portal to Patag

as I've said, the road weren't that nice, lots of big trucks carrying
sugar cane chug on the dirt roads

this shot was taken at about 60 kmh on the dirt road

a lonely tree stands in the sea of sugar canes

We joked around with our friend when he asked where we were, we said "near the sugar canes!" and its full of sugar canes all the way to Patag. ^^

I still remember the first time I smelled the air on the way to Patag, and I thought to myself, its like love, its sweeter the second time around.

The moment we arrived in Patag, I quickly took some of my cliché shots and here they are:

it was very cloudy that day and it rained on some parts of the mountain range

you can still see Panay island on the other side

we took a short hike to a cold spring pool and took a dip at their ice cold waters

One of the best things about Patag is that there are lots of small critters to photograph...

these three were all unwilling subjects, but with some persuasion,
they stood still for about 2 sec. for this exposure

UBFC(Ultimate Bug Fighting Championship): Let's get it on!

I was busy the whole night photographing some of the insects. The next day, we hiked towards some of the falls...

The path to one of them was very difficult. We had to literally hang on the branches just to avoid getting our stuff soaked. At this time, I still had no phobia about water and electronics.^^

who said that there were no Yin and Yang Buddhas..

another thing about Patag is that lots of really big ferns can be seen around

our giude told us that this falls was still virgin. According to him, its too dangerous to go there, even for a seasoned veteran like him.

These shots were taken on the way to another falls...

I was in awe the first time I went here, and I felt the same when I came back. I still remember finding a Pokemon gameboy cartrige here.

the Guardian

He was one of the two dogs that accompanied us in our journey. The first dog failed to return to camp. He was stuck because he cannot jump down a small cliff. This other dog followed us on the way to the second trip to the other falls.

this was my last shot for the day

After this shot, we went to another pool. It was nice there but we were unable to take a bath because they emptied the pool for cleaning and they were just starting to fill it up again. I saw this in-land crab, and tried to photograph it. But it retaliated to the pool. I followed it down. I told myself "I cant jump this with my camera", so I let my friend hold it because he was in the pool. When I jumped, I accidentally bumped into him and he accidentally dropped my cam on the water!!!!
Things slowed down a bit, I was on denial! I was so f*ckd-up. I was cured of my depression, and "here we go again!". I went from the top of the world to the pits of hell! We hiked through most of the mountain range, there were plenty of potential shots, but my mind was set to go back to Bacolod right away. In my rage, I never felt tired even though we walked several kilometers up-hill. When we arrived to camp, the fog rolled in, just to add ambience to my misery.
Several hours later we were in Bacolod finding a repair shop, but to no avail. I just distracted myself by going to the Panaad Festival. The next day, we again went to other shops in Downtown Bacolod. Again, to no avail.

On our last day in Silay, I tried to turn my cam on, and this was its first shot since it got soaked:

my friend Pogz is no longer innocent after our trip

I felt very happy that day. "Yes! Its still working!" On the way to the port, I took this shot:
But the glory was short lived, my camera displayed an error sign. Sh*t, hope's lost again...
I arrived at Iloilo, FINE... Freaked-out, insecure, neurotic and emotional.(from the Italian Job).
The next day, I went to a camera shop to get it fixed, but again, a miracle happend, it worked again, and to this day, it still does, with a dumb exposure meter though, and I can live with that...^^

this is the shot at the camera shop

A brief description of my camera...
Its a point and shoot cannon A550 and it fell lots of times, one from 12 feet when I accidentally threw it while doing a high-five with my bandmates on a contest and it got wet on Patag. Its a tough ass camera, and I'm glad it's still going, going, going (just like an indestructible Energizer bunny)...^^

Serenity at Afga

2008-09-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

Humans have sarcasm built within their system. When a long lost friend asks "How's life?" usually we reply "Its GREAT!!!". But we must admit that sometimes life can also be a B*TCH. We may not know it yet but our lives can be compared to the BMW M5. Its a very nice car at first glance, it gives you the executive type impression. But underneath it is another story. Press the M button (M*therf*ker button as a motoring journalist would refer) on the console and behold, it becomes Mr. Hyde. It transforms into this loud-mouthed, ill-temped tempered monster. Just like at certain moments in our lives, when cranky bosses, mind-bending deadlines, a computer that crashes when you need it the most and the unrelenting gas prices cause us to just loose it because everything is sooo fast and we dont have any degree of control on ourselves anymore. This creates an itch deep inside the annals of our minds that we need to slllooowww ttthhhiiinnngggsss dddooowwwnnn with meditation, yoga, guided imagery and what-not. But how?? Its impossible to do at the office, you aint got no money to spare for another session. Ah, you might think "My HOUSE!"... GREAT, but hold that thought.

Lets do some guided imagery first. Imagine yourself thinking of a place inside your fortress where you can be alone, no distractions and the place is completely silent. Lets start with the bedroom. Nope, the husband's there watching again and again, a replay of the UAAP championship game. Ok, to the living room then! Uh-oh. The mother-in-law is there watching her favorite soap opera and glued to the tube with her are the pesky yayas(maids). Ah, the attic seems perfect. You close your eyes, select your favorite position and breathe... and then "You! are! just! a! TOY!" Woody's voice suddenly rings through your head because the kids are watching their favorite movie on the new flat screen LCD TV complete with surround sound you won for being employee of the month for a record of 10 years! Arrrgghhh, there's the M button again. You hate life and you turn into Mr. Hyde.

But AHA! There's a secret formula. Its located on Tangalan, Aklan. Its a unique environmental phenomenon produced by wave action on a rocky shore. It is a detrital type of sedimentary rock stratified in the colors yellow, gray, black, and reddish-brown. It goes by the name of Afga Point and Afga Wave Rock Formations.

Why go to Afga you say? Because it can offer certain things like...

nice views of the surroundings...

an assortment of flora and fauna...

and the thing that you'll really love it its state of nothingness... There are no sirens wailing, alarm clocks ringing, beepers beeping, phones ringing or mother-in-laws that never stop yapping.
Its where you can endlessly listen to nature communicating to you with the smashing of the waves on the rocks, or the melodies sung by our colorful feathered friends.

Best of all, you can set your mind free, explore your inner thoughts or do somthing quite poetic.So when I feel my life's a drag, I see myself doing some wishful thinking on the Afga Wave Rock Formations. And I think you should too.

How to get there

Afga is located before Jawili. So just read my instruction on how to get to Jawili Falls on another post. And if you see this sign:

Just turn right and follow the road. Some parts are paved but most parts are not. But when you want to go to the light house, its better if you just hike up the hill because its a no-car-zone. To get to the rocks, go downhill again and look fo a standpost (hand operated water pump) along the road. Then turn right and just follow the road. It will lead you to the rock formations below. Enjoy!^^

Mr. Vince's Holiday on Guisi Beach

2008-09-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, my title is not as catchy as it sounds, but since I'm a bit frustrated about the weather not being too cooperative to let me take some pictures of Jawili beach with the infinitely high clear blue sky, I decided to look around on my files. Luckily, I found a cure for the itch. Guisi beach, Guimaras.

After a devastating virus attack on the PC that I was saving my files on, all of my shots for a year were gone in a snap. I was very desperate to take pictures to lessen my depression. And luckily, my friends, Marcos and Tox (a very pretty lady), invited us (I was with my GF ^^) to go to Guisi beach. And so, a few days later, our journey started.

We rode a pumpboat from Ortiz port in Iloilo City to Guimaras, the fare at the time was just Php 11 (maybe due to oil price hikes, the fare might have increased) and landed on a wharf in Jordan (its pronounced as Hordan). There is a tourist assistance post there, so you can ask them around for some of the details like directions and fare costs.

We took a Nueva Valencia jeepney ride to Guisi and after an hour, we were there. We hiked down to the beach and the view was just spectacular.

a view fron the far-side of the beach

rock formations can be seen all over

Then we decided to climb to the lighthouse. The hill is not very steep but still managed to make us sweat. The view fron atop was very nice.

On top of the hill, there's the ruins of a Spanish outpost and an 18'th century lighthouse. Actually, there's 3 of them, two are old and one is new.

After a while, we decided that we had to go back to the beach and explore some more. I went to the left side where there are these teeth-like rock formations which were cool.

this made me remember an episode of SpongeBob where Mr. Krabbs molted his shell off

And later on the afternoon, we decided to go boating since it was fairly cheap. But our boat was just powered by a paddle and we also had to help the man to paddle. It was fun though, and if you want to hire motorized boats, its going to cost you.

one of a number of caves that meets the sea

inside the cave are colorful rock-formations

Grand Canyon look-alike on Guisi

there are also other islets the you can visit

After a while of paddling, I was very tired but the view of the sunset rejuvenated my senses. And after taking some shots, we paddled back to the beach.

the sunset on the beach is a spectacle to behold

the silouhette of the mountains of Panay seemingly invited us to go back home

The magic of Guisi grabbed us all and coincedentally on our way home, I saw a cloud forming a magic lamp over us. And indeed, just like magic, it helped me throough my depression. Guisi rocks, and I'm deinitely going back there for some more of that magic. ^^

for more info on Guisi Beach, please visit http://www.exploreiloilo.com/guisi-beach-lighthouse.html

Saint Gabriel Hospital Aims High

2008-09-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

the old hospital building

After its renovation, Saint Gabriel Hospital is finally opening its doors, and they're doing pretty well because its automated. Welcome to the future! The hospital medical director, Dr. Jacinta Legaspi, said they aim to become a world-class facility complete with competent medical professionals, highly trained nurses and ancillary staff comparable with the best hospitals that Metro Manila and Iloilo City ca offer.

the new facade of St. Gabriel Hospital

With a total of 134 private rooms and 12 executive suites equipped with electronic door locks and bathrooms spread over seven floors, its the biggest hospital to ever graze the land of Aklan and has a full complement of medical equipment and facilities.

Inside are ancillary and emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, operating and recovery rooms, isolation rooms, a chapel, dental care unit, intensive care unit, medical specialty clinics, two elevators, centralized air-conditioning system and solar water heating system to help not only the people of Aklan but also our environment.

modern automated sliding doors for the entrance

Department of Health (DOH) Regional Director Lydia Depra Ramos said the hospital opens opportunities to medical practitioners to practice their expertise.
Saint Gabriel Hospital aims to become a premier health care in Aklan by 2010 and in the region by 2015.
The hospital forged its services on September 9, 1970 as a 100-bed general training and teaching hospital and is now the base hospital for nursing students of the Saint Gabriel College of Nursing.

Tigayon's Mystic Hill

2008-09-05T05:15:00.000-07:00

Life is full of surprises. And sometimes a perfect day to go to the beach can turn bad in a flash. I was supposed to go to Jawili Beach last week to do my next feature but I guess the weather man did not predict that the rain clouds were coming and that they would drench me. So I had to postpone my supposed feature.

After a long, long while, the rain stopped. And with only 2 hours of daylight left, and the fact that it was my last day in Kalibo (I was supposed to go back to Iloilo in the morning), I felt I had to go somewhere near but interesting. And that brings me to my next feature, The Tigayon Hill.

The road that leads to the Hill

There's a mini-park below the hill where the kids can play around

It’s a small hill that’s located near the Aklan River, approximately 4.5 kilometers from the town proper. It’s mostly made-up of solid rack formations and it’s the only highland located in the town of Kalibo.

Tigayon Hill when viewed from the side

Legend has it that its the western tower that guards a fairy land. Elders say that during the full moon, a carriage pulled by a golden cow full of palace guards appears on the hill.The also say that it served as a refuge for local Katipunero's during the revolt against Spain.

Some of the Caves on the Hill

It has several shallow caves and nice rock formations.It has an altar of the Virgin Mary on the bottom and at the top is a small chapel and several benches where you can take a rest and enjoy the view of the mountains and the Aklan River flowing to Kalibo.

The Chapel on top of the Hill

A nice view of the River that flows towards Kalibo

Midway rest stop for those who forgot their pain relievers for arthrits

Benches on the top

Birds flying around the hill

The best thing about going to this hill is that there are no entrance fees to pay for. And so, whether you like a unique view of the Aklan River or the mountains, or just looking around town for some peace and quiet that only an Adoration Chapel can offer, then its time for you to take a short trip to the mystic Hill of Tigayon.

Escape to Lumpiga

2008-09-04T04:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we search for a place where we can escape to, where we can have a good-time without the ear deafening bass of disco music or other pesky "tambays" on the pub. Sometimes we need soothing and relaxing music (the Sitti type), good food for our palate and costs that wouldn't raise our blood pressure. But most of all, sometimes we just need to enjoy some of the finer things in life.

I suggest you make a visit on Lumpiga, formerly known as the Tree House in Iloilo. Just drop by 12 General Luna St., beside Assumption School and across SPED school. The ambiance is really relaxing. The lighting is just perfect and there are several paintings on display. Some of them are actually for sale. There are no seats, just really big pillows and the house can be packed in a flash. Shoes and slippers must be removed upon entering and the quite attending staff takes care of the rest.
Lumpiga also offers a variety of music and it depends on what night you come. The famous local band named Dual Vibe plays Bossa Nova music every Teusday and they really play good soothing music.

Lumpiga also offers really savory but affordable food. Let me start with their sisig. Most purists would often want their sisig to be so hot that it should be able to burn their tongue. And, boy, their sisig really leaves a mark. No eggs and mayo here folks, their sisig is in its purest form. No more worries about the fat guy needing to order "extra rice" because it just has a sole purpose, to be the ultimate beer-mate that Lumpiga has to offer.

Devilishly hot Sissig

I also suggest that you try their Chicharon Bulaklak because its the best one that I've tried so far. The Stuffed Chicken Wings that they offer is both innovative and delicious. Its crunchy on the outside and really cheesy on the inside. It can either be a beer-mate or the dish that that the fat guy will order some "extra rice" for. Their Mixed Seafood is also a must try because of the perfectly tender and savory squid and shrimp.

Mixed Seafood

Not only is Lumpiga a perfect place to hang-out with your buddies, it's also a good place to take your special someone for a nice dinner. Yes, you heard me right, DINNER... They offer several dishes but the one that really caught my eye is their Baby Back Ribs. Its so soft that the meat falls of the bone! No need for a knife here, you can just use you fork. The mashed potatoes that accompany it is really delicious. It's like chocolate, it melts in your mouth.

Succulent Baby Back Ribs

They also offer a variety of beverages. There's the local favorites and different mixed drinks. Just ask the waiter for assistance. But I recommend to try the Lumpiga mixed drink, Infrared, Poso Negro, the Rumble and the Rhasta man.

The colorful Rhasta Man

Whether you just want to satisfy your palate, drink till you drop, or have a romantic dinner date, Lumpiga will surely satisfy your cravings and make you want some more.

For more details on Lumpiga, just check out http://www.exploreiloilo.com/lumpiga-bar-and-restaurant.html