Stories

Boracay, in the town of Malay, Aklan, is one of the finest islands in the country and one of the most famous in the world. White sand, clear water, a cool breeze; whatever you came for, you will find it here.

After its six-month rehabilitation, the island came back at its best, cleaner and better kept. There is island-hopping, paraw sailing, and stand-up paddling, and along the shore, restaurants, shops, and easy days on the sand.

I have watched many sunsets, but Boracay's is something else. As the sky changes over the water, it is easy to see why people call this beach a masterpiece. I hope to come back and give it the time it deserves.

There is no better view for a morning coffee than Mayon Volcano. On a recent pullout in Albay, our team took our coffee with Mayon standing over us, and the scenery more than matched the brew.

Mayon rises about 2,463 meters above the Albay Gulf, the highest point in the Bicol Region and famous worldwide for its near-perfect cone. It is a stratovolcano of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and the most active in the country.

Its eruptions have shaped both the land and the life around it. The ash has made the soil rich, good for the region's pili nuts and its famous spicy peppers. To sit with coffee in Mayon's shadow is to take in centuries of history in one quiet moment.

Chili runs through Bicol cooking, so it should be no surprise that it turns up in dessert. In Albay, the treat visitors come looking for is sili ice cream.

It is sweet on the first lick, then a warm, spicy bite follows. The famous maker is the 1st Colonial Grill in Legazpi, which serves it in graduated heat levels, from a gentle level one up to a fiery top tier. Try it, and be oragon, brave.

In Sibalom, Antique, grows one of the strangest wonders of Philippine nature: the Rafflesia, among the largest flowers in the world. Do not be fooled by the word flower, though. Its smell is so foul it is also called the corpse flower.

The species here, Rafflesia speciosa, known locally as uruy, was found in the Sibalom Natural Park, on Mount Porras, in the early 2000s. It was the third Rafflesia species recorded in the Philippines. In full bloom it can stretch about fifty centimeters across, and it flowers mostly from February to April. It is considered globally endangered.

Antique has taken the flower to heart. It is the star of the Binirayan Festival, on floats and costumes and in design contests, and the town that found it made it a symbol. A rare treasure, and a strange one, that we are lucky to have.

On the eastern coast of Luzon, facing the Pacific, lies the town of Dingalan, Aurora, a coastal paradise of beaches, hills, and cliffs.

People call it the Batanes of the East, for its rolling green hills and dramatic sea cliffs. From Lighthouse Hill you can stand at the edge and look out over the open ocean, the wind in your face.

There is more to find: Butas na Bato, the rock hole beach shaped by unusual stone formations, and the Lamao Caves, with their stalactites and stalagmites for those who like to explore below ground. It is a fine place to slow down, unwind, and share the view with someone.

The Zero Kilometer Death March monument stands in Bagac, Bataan, one of the two starting points of the infamous march. The other is in Mariveles.

After Bataan fell in April 1942, tens of thousands of prisoners of war, some 66,000 Filipinos and 10,000 Americans, were forced to walk under the blazing sun toward Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. They marched with little food or water, and were made to drink from dirty ditches along the way.

Estimates of the dead vary widely, from several thousand to many more, uncertain because many escaped into the towns. Some were shot, bayoneted, or beheaded. The markers at Bagac and Mariveles keep the memory of that cruelty, and of those who endured it.

In the hills of Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas, about 80 kilometers from Manila, stands the Transfiguration Chapel of Caleruega, one of the country's most loved places for prayer and for weddings.

The chapel was built in 1994 by the Dominican Order as a retreat for prayer and meditation. It is named after Caleruega in Spain, the birthplace of St. Dominic de Guzman, who founded the order.

The design blends Spanish, Moorish, and Filipino styles. White walls, square columns, round stained-glass windows, and slender bell towers rise above the hills. Above the altar, a stained-glass window shows the Transfiguration of Christ.

The chapel sits on an eight-hectare Dominican property, with a cloister, landscaped gardens, and quiet walkways. From its hilltop you look out over Mount Batulao and the rolling country around it. It is a place made for stillness.

Apolinario Mabini, the Sublime Paralytic and the Brains of the Revolution, was born on 23 July 1864 in the barrio of Talaga, Tanauan, Batangas.

A bright student, he won a scholarship to the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and studied law at the University of Santo Tomas. In 1896, polio left him paralyzed from the waist down, but it did not slow his mind.

When the revolution gave way to the first Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo, Mabini became its first Prime Minister and its foreign minister. He guided policy and negotiated with foreign powers, including the United States during the Philippine-American War.

One point is often confused. Mabini did not write the Malolos Constitution; that was drafted by Felipe Calderon, and Mabini in fact argued against framing it as it was done. His own writings, El Verdadero Decalogo and his constitutional program, set out his vision of a self-reliant nation ruled by law.

After the capture of Aguinaldo in 1901, Mabini was exiled to Guam. He returned in 1903 and died soon after, on 13 May 1903, of cholera. His life is a reminder that leadership is a matter of the mind and the will.

On a hill above the coast of Batangas City stands the Montemaria shrine, a place of faith with a wide view of Batangas Bay.

The site holds two Marian statues, both by the sculptor Eduardo Castrillo. The first, Our Lady of the Assumption, was completed in 2004. The second is the reason Montemaria is now famous: Mary, Mother of All Asia, the Tower of Peace, which opened on 7 December 2021. At about 98 meters, it is the tallest statue of the Virgin Mary in the world.

Around the shrine are meditation gardens, walking paths, and an eco-park. Thousands of pilgrims come each year, especially during the Marian feasts, for both the faith and the quiet.

The Basilica of St. Martin of Tours in Taal, Batangas, is often called the largest Catholic church in Asia. That claim is widely repeated; what is measured is that at 88.6 meters long and 48 meters wide it is the largest church in the Philippines.

The town and its first church were founded in 1572 by Augustinian missionaries, near Taal Lake. The great eruption of Taal Volcano in 1754 destroyed the old town and church, and the community moved to the present site.

Work on the church you see today began in 1856; it was inaugurated unfinished in 1865 and completed in 1878. It is grand Spanish-colonial architecture, with Baroque detail, a vast interior, frescoes, and a richly carved altar. It remains an active place of worship and draws visitors from across the country.

Punta Fuego is an exclusive beach community on the coast of Nasugbu, Batangas, one of the nearest coastal escapes to Manila.

It is a private village of resorts and homes, so you cannot walk in; you need a reservation to stay. Club Punta Fuego has an infinity pool that seems to spill into the sea, and a calm that makes it a good place for quiet time, alone or with family.

There is history in these waters. Off the coast lies Fortune Island, near where the Spanish galleon San Diego sank on 14 December 1600 while fighting the Dutch warship Mauritius. From Punta Fuego you can look out toward the waters where that story ended.

You do not need to travel far from Manila to breathe and rest. Laiya, in San Juan, Batangas, is close enough for a weekend and far enough to feel away.

Its beaches are made for snorkeling in clear water, for swimming among the fish, and for doing nothing at all. In the evening you can watch the sunset and, later, the stars, with the sound of the waves for company.

Off the coast of Calatagan, Batangas, lies a white sandbar so bright it is nicknamed Little Boracay.

It is only three to four hours from Manila, and boats from the Calatagan resorts reach it in minutes. The sandbar and the nearby Starfish Island offer snorkeling, kayaking, jet ski, and banana boat rides.

Our team tried the banana boat, and it is the one ride you should not miss. Hold tight, scream, and feel the waves and the sun. The moments with friends on that sandbar are worth the trip.

Above the highway in La Trinidad, Benguet, a whole hillside of houses has been turned into a giant painting. This is the Colors of StoBoSa, named for the sitios of Stonehill, Botiwtiw, and Sadjap in Barangay Balili.

Once a plain cluster of concrete homes, the hillside was transformed in 2016 by the artists of Tam-awan Village and the Chanum Foundation, led by the solar artist Jordan Mang-osan, with support from the Department of Tourism. Around 500 residents and volunteers joined in, and it took roughly 1,800 gallons of paint to cover the homes.

Inspired by the painted favelas of Brazil and a culture village in Busan, South Korea, the mural turned what many once called an eyesore into one of La Trinidad's most photographed sights. It is best seen in the dry months, from November to April, and easy to reach from Baguio.

Mount Pulag is the highest mountain in Luzon and the third highest in the Philippines, rising to 2,928 meters. Its summit sits where Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya meet.

Climbers come for the famous sea of clouds at dawn, the mossy montane forest, and the grassland summit with its dwarf bamboo. There are four main trails, and the Ambangeg trail from Benguet is the gentlest, the one I took on my first major climb.

I was not lucky with the clouds that day, and the cold nearly beat me, dropping to about minus two degrees. Even so, standing near the roof of Luzon is something you do not forget.

On the morning of 15 October 2013, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Bohol, the strongest to hit the island in a generation. It was centered in central Bohol, near Sagbayan and Carmen.

The quake set off landslides, toppled buildings, and brought down centuries-old churches, among them Loboc, Baclayon, Loon, and Maribojoc. It killed 222 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Yet the story of Bohol since has been one of resilience. Communities, government, and volunteers rebuilt homes and, stone by stone, restored the fallen churches, saving the island's heritage. The scars remain, but so does the strength. The Boholanos rose, closer and steadier than before.

The Chocolate Hills are the wonder of Bohol, a field of more than a thousand near-identical mounds spread across the center of the island. Estimates range from 1,268 to 1,776 hills, conical and dome-shaped, standing side by side.

They are not made of chocolate. In the dry season, from around January to May, the grass that covers them turns a rich chocolate-brown, and that is how they earned the name. In the rains they turn green again.

To see them for the first time is to understand the wow. It is a landscape found nowhere else.

Off the coast of Panglao in Bohol lies Virgin Island, one of the most photographed spots in the province. It is a long white sandbar that rises from the sea at low tide.

The water is crystal clear, the sand bright, and small stalls sell fresh seafood right on the bar. It is easy to see why locals and visitors alike love it.

Bohol keeps its charm through the seasons. The Chocolate Hills glow brown in the dry months and green in the wet, and out here on the water, the island shines white against the blue.

I could not wait to meet the tarsiers of Bohol. I imagined something bigger. Instead I found them tiny, each about the size of my thumb, clinging quietly to the branches.

The Philippine tarsier is one of the smallest primates in the world, and one of the most curious. Its eyes are each larger than its brain. It can turn its head almost all the way around, about 180 degrees each way, and leap several meters between branches. It hunts insects, and lives around eight years.

We saw four of them, small and still in the sanctuary trees. Seeing even one was worth the trip.

Alona Beach is a small tropical paradise on Panglao Island, at the southwestern tip of Bohol. The moment I saw it, it caught me.

The sand is white and powdery, the water clean, and pretty cottages line a garden by the shore. I was there for a site survey and could only steal a quick photo, but I could picture myself walking the beach with the sea breeze for company.

The people here are proud of their beach, and they should be. Even in the midday heat they welcomed me with a smile.

In the town of Alburquerque in Bohol lived Prony, one of the largest pythons ever kept in captivity in the Philippines. She was a reticulated python, measured at around twenty-three feet and weighing some three hundred kilograms.

Prony was caught in 1996 and became a local legend. When she died, her bones were preserved and put on display, so her story could go on being told.

I am afraid of snakes, so I read her story from a safe distance. It is a strange and gentle tale, and the people who tell it clearly hold Prony dear. As they say, Prony is timeless, forever in their hearts.

A scary but fun afternoon among the cages of the Zoomazing animal park in Bohol, meeting lizards, monkeys, butterflies, birds, an ostrich, and snakes.

It was my first time to see a huge albino python up close. I was nervous when the keeper draped it over her shoulder, but she promised it was gentle, so I reached out and touched it. It swayed its tail as if glad to meet us.

There was a talkative parrot too, who danced as we sang and took sunflower seeds from our hands, and a shy lizard who kept turning away from the camera. An amazing, slightly nerve-wracking day.

Malaybalay, the capital of Bukidnon, sits in the heart of Mindanao, a meeting place of many peoples. Long before the Spanish came, it was home to indigenous groups, among them the Talaandig, Higaonon, Manobo, and Matigsalug, part of the seven tribes the province honors today.

The Spanish named the settlement Malabalay, said to mean the floodplain of the great river, later softened to Malaybalay. It became a municipality in 1907 and a city on 11 February 1998. During the Second World War it served as a headquarters of the Commonwealth Army and a stronghold of the resistance.

Above the city, on a hill, stands the Monastery of the Transfiguration, a Benedictine community whose pyramid church was designed by the National Artist Leandro Locsin. And each year the city fills for the Kaamulan Festival, a gathering that showcases the music, dance, and rituals of Bukidnon's tribes.

In the heart of Tuguegarao City, on Rizal Street, stands the St. Peter Metropolitan Cathedral, also called the Tuguegarao Cathedral. It is one of the largest churches in the Cagayan Valley and the seat of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao.

The Dominican friars reached the Cagayan Valley in 1600 and began their mission in Tuguegarao in 1604. The cathedral and its bell tower were built between 1761 and 1767 under Fr. Antonio Lobato, with the help of the local faithful. It remains the largest church in Cagayan.

The diocese was created by Pope Pius X in 1910, and the first bishop, Msgr. Mauricio Foley, was appointed in 1911.

The facade is Baroque, built of brick, with ornate carvings, grand arches, and tall bell towers. Inside, high vaulted ceilings, a grand altar, and stained-glass windows give the space a quiet, reverent air.

The cathedral was badly damaged during the liberation of 1945. It was rebuilt under Msgr. Constance Jurgens, and the bell tower and bells were restored by the faithful and the Knights of Columbus.

Every 29 June the city honors St. Peter, the cathedral patron, with processions and celebration. For any visitor to Tuguegarao, the cathedral is worth the stop.

Tour de Norte is the name my Regional Manager, Allain Mendoza, gave to the route we take on our site visits across the Ilocos Region and the Cagayan Valley.

The route starts at the Lemcon satellite office in San Vicente, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan. From there we head to my home province, La Union, the gateway to Baguio and the Ilocos provinces, known for the grape farms of Caba and the beaches of Bauang and San Juan.

Next comes Ilocos Sur and the city of Vigan, famous for its preserved Spanish-colonial streets. Calle Crisologo is its heart, where you can ride a kalesa, a horse-drawn carriage, through the old town.

Two hours on lies Ilocos Norte, with the sand dunes of Paoay, the Cape Bojeador lighthouse in Burgos, the beaches of Pagudpud, the windmills of Bangui, and my favorite road of all, the Patapat Viaduct.

Between Adams in Ilocos Norte and Tuguegarao in Cagayan there is little but the Claveria View Deck. The road is long and winding, with only mountains, forests, rice fields, and quiet communities. It is the kind of road that makes you reflect on your own journey, and I did.

When you reach Tuguegarao, do not leave without eating at a panciteria like Wayne's in Iguig or the eatery at Solana Crossing. And when you are done touring Cagayan, stop in Nueva Vizcaya for its award-winning buko pie and crisp chicharon.

The Tour de Norte we took, on 20 to 22 May, was a short journey on a very long road, and I enjoyed every moment of it. North Luzon is my favorite place in the Philippines.

Solana sits along the Cagayan River and carries a long history from the Spanish period.

The town was established on 18 August 1851, formed out of Tuguegarao and named after the Spanish governor-general Antonio de Urbiztondo, Marques de la Solana. Its parish followed in the 1850s.

Its place on the river made it a center of farming and trade. Rice, corn, and tobacco were the main crops, and the river carried goods to and from the town.

The town church is the St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Church, named for its patron, St. Vincent Ferrer. Today the people of Solana work to preserve their old buildings and their heritage for the generations that follow.

A visit to Cagayan is never complete without Tuguegarao's pancit batil patong. Before I head home to Gattaran, I always stop in Tuguegarao for it. As people here say, you are not truly home until you have eaten batil patong. I agree.

The dish is built on the town's own fresh noodles, topped with minced carabao meat and a poached egg, and served with a bowl of soup on the side. Batil means to beat, for the egg beaten into the soup. Patong means to place on top, for the egg and toppings that crown the noodles. Panciterias sit on almost every corner of Tuguegarao.

On my last visit I tried a new panciteria in Winnawwa and added chicharon bulaklak on top. It was better than I expected, with homemade noodles, meat, and egg, and the soup kept apart. You mix your own sauce from sliced onion, vinegar, soy sauce, and plenty of calamansi, best with a cold drink.

This is my obligatory food photo whenever I am home.

This is a church. This is a cave. It is a church in a cave.

Callao Cave is a limestone cave in the town of Penablanca, Cagayan. It takes 184 steps to reach the main archway. Inside are seven chambers, and a chapel fills the first one, lit by a natural opening in the rock above. Masses are still held there.

As you go deeper, you pass chambers of stalactites and stalagmites, several with skylights where sunlight falls through the roof and lights the stone.

There is deep history here. In 2019, scientists announced a new human species from these grounds, Homo luzonensis, from fossils at least 50,000 to 67,000 years old. People have lived in this valley for a very long time.

Callao is worth the climb, for the cool air, the light through the rock, and the quiet of the chapel inside the earth.

The Naga River, part of the wider Bicol River, runs through Naga City in Camarines Sur. Bikolanos call it Aldaw kan Salog nin Buhay, the Day of the River of Life.

Every September the river carries the Penafrancia Festival, when the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia is brought home by a grand fluvial procession, one of the largest Marian devotions in the country.

I studied in this city for four years, and only once did I stop to really see the river, quiet and clean in the early light. I sat a while on the bank, let the morning sun warm me, and felt my worries lift. Thank you, Naga River, for listening.

Oragon is a Bikol word for brave, tough, and never giving up. It is how Bikolanos describe themselves, and it runs through the history of Naga.

Juan de Salcedo reached the native settlement of Naga in 1573. Two years later, in 1575, the Spanish founded a city here, La Ciudad de Caceres, later Nueva Caceres, named for the hometown of the governor-general. The name Naga itself comes from the narra tree, once abundant along the river.

A monument in the city remembers the courage of the Naguenos, honored each Independence Day, a reminder of a people who stood their ground.

In downtown Naga stands the Plaza Quince Martires, honoring the Fifteen Martyrs of Bicol, arrested from 1896 for their links to the revolution against Spain.

Not all of them were executed. Eleven were shot at Bagumbayan, now Luneta, in Manila on 4 January 1897. One died aboard a prison ship, and three died in exile. Together they are remembered as fifteen, and the monument was raised in 1926.

As a schoolchild in Naga I visited this plaza on field trips, and our teacher had us learn the martyrs' names. Some of them I remember still.

About forty minutes from Iriga City rises Mount Asog, also called Mount Iriga, a long-dormant volcano and, after Mayon, one of Bicol's most striking peaks.

Its name comes from Asog, an ancient Agta datu said to have ruled the region. It is also called Mount Sumagang, the Mountain of the Rising Sun. In 1641, a great collapse on its slopes is said to have dammed a valley and formed the nearby Lake Buhi.

From its heights the view opens wide, to Mount Mayon, Mount Malinao, and Mount Masaraga to the south, and on a clear day, distant Catanduanes to the southeast.

Coconut trees, everywhere you look. That is how you know you are in the Bikol countryside. I came to Libmanan, in Camarines Sur, over mountain after mountain, with the green never leaving the view.

This is a remote place, with almost no phone signal, and that is its gift. You wake in the cool morning, make coffee, and sit with your feet up while the day begins.

A hundred meters down the hill is the shore, where the fishermen live. Snails, clams, and fresh seafood are there for the taking, so long as you have no allergies. Otherwise, there is always the coconut.

Off the coast of Camiguin, a large white cross rises from the sea. It marks the Sunken Cemetery, one of the island's most haunting landmarks, and the story behind it is written in fire and water.

Before the volcanoes made it famous, Camiguin was a quiet, prosperous place. The town of Catarman thrived around the Guiob Church, a stone church built in the early 1800s. Then, in May 1871, Mount Vulcan erupted. Over the years that followed, lava buried the town, and the land along the coast, including the old cemetery, slowly sank beneath the sea.

Today the Guiob Church ruins still stand, their thick walls blackened but unbowed, and out on the water the cross keeps watch over the graves below. Snorkelers can swim above coral-covered tombstones. It is a place where history and nature meet, a memorial to a community that endured, and it is now a National Cultural Treasure.

Catanduanes is an island province at the far eastern edge of Luzon, out where the land first meets the Pacific. That position gave it an old name, the Land of the Howling Winds, because it is often the first ground struck by the typhoons that enter the country.

Today it goes by a warmer name, the Happy Island. Filipinos are a cheerful people by nature, and the Catandunganon welcome visitors with open arms, glad to share stories of their home.

It is called the Happy Island for good reason. Every place you visit here seems made to make you smile.

Emilio Aguinaldo was born on 22 March 1869 in Kawit, Cavite, into a well-off landowning family. He became a leader of the Katipunan and of the revolution against Spain.

On 12 June 1898, at his home in Kawit, he proclaimed Philippine independence, and he went on to become the first President of the Philippines.

The fight was not over. Under the Treaty of Paris, the United States took control of the islands, and the Philippine-American War followed. Aguinaldo led the resistance, retreating into northern Luzon.

In 1901 he was captured at Palanan, Isabela, and swore allegiance to the United States. He lived a long life, later supporting independence again, and died on 6 February 1964, at ninety-four. His story is central, and much debated, in the making of the nation.

Tagaytay, in Cavite, is a favorite weekend escape from Manila, an hour or two away and blessed with cool air and a view of Taal Volcano.

On one visit I stopped at Ridge Park, the Kainan sa Kubo, an open-air restaurant that looks straight out over Taal Lake and its island volcano. The breeze off the lake is reason enough to come.

The food is a feast: beef bulalo, pinaputok na tilapia, beef tapa, and the now-rare tawilis, the little sardine found only in Taal Lake. Finish with hot Batangas coffee, and you will already be planning to return.

On the shore of Mactan, history feels close enough to touch. This is the exact place where the Battle of Mactan happened.

At first the Mactan Shrine feels like an ordinary park. There are trees, flowers, bamboo sheds, and wooden tribal statues. Then the memorial tower rises from the pavement, and the ground changes meaning. This is believed to be the spot where the great explorer fell.

Do not miss the huge mural of the Battle of Mactan. It shows the clash between the men of Lapu-Lapu and the men of Magellan at the water line. At the end of the park stands the giant monument of Datu Lapu-Lapu, facing the sea as if he still guards it. This beach is where the foreign troops came ashore.

I stood at the water and looked out. Calm water, a little marsh, a wooden platform by the shore. Then the weight of the place hit me. This is where it happened. The mural came back into my mind, and my skin prickled.

Here is what the record holds. On 27 April 1521, Datu Lapu-Lapu, the chief of Mactan, met the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan in the shallow water. Magellan was a Portuguese explorer sailing for Spain. He was killed, and his force was driven back. Filipinos remember this as the first recorded stand against foreign rule. The Mactan Shrine, also called the Liberty Shrine, stands today in Punta Engano, Lapu-Lapu City. It holds the bronze statue of Lapu-Lapu and a monument to Magellan.

This place is filled with courage and love of country. It is a reminder to never give up, even against a stronger force.

Magellan's Cross is still one of the most visited landmarks in Cebu. Cebuanos and travelers come to pay their respect, because it stands for the arrival of the Christian faith in the islands. To stand before it is a humbling experience.

The cross marks the year 1521, when the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan planted a wooden cross in Cebu. It is tied to the baptism of Rajah Humabon, his wife, and hundreds of their people. The site plaque gives the date as 21 April 1521, though historians place the first baptism a week earlier, on 14 April. Either way, this is where Christianity in the Philippines began.

The cross you see today sits inside a stone kiosk beside the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino. It is a hollow tindalo-wood cross that protects the original. The outer cross was added in the 1830s, because devotees kept chipping away pieces of the wood, which they believed held miraculous power.

If you visit the old center of Cebu City, this small kiosk is the heart of it.

Cebu carries the title Queen City of the South. It is the heart of Central Visayas and the place where western civilization and Christianity first took root in the country. To honor that history, a great monument stands in the old Parian district.

The Heritage of Cebu Monument was conceived by the multi-awarded sculptor Eduardo Castrillo. Work began in July 1997, and it was inaugurated on 8 December 2000, backed by the late Senator Marcelo Fernan and private donors.

The tableau is built from concrete, bronze, brass, and steel. It shows the key moments of Cebu history: the arrival of Magellan, the Battle of Mactan, the baptism of Rajah Humabon and his people, a procession of the Santo Nino, and scenes of Spanish-era religious and civic life. Figures such as President Sergio Osmena and the old Parian church also appear.

Standing on the original Plaza Parian, the monument gathers centuries of Cebuano history into one place.

A cathedra is the raised throne of a bishop. In the early Christian basilica it was the bishop's seat, the sign of his authority. The word gives us the term cathedral.

The cathedra of Cebu sits inside the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. This is the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu, dedicated to Saint Vitalis and the Immaculate Conception.

A place of worship was first set up here in 1565, after Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived. One point needs to be clear. The year 1565 marks the founding of the parish, not the building you see today. The present stone cathedral was raised over the following centuries and completed only in the early 1900s, then rebuilt after damage in the Second World War. Cebu became a diocese in 1595 and a full archdiocese in 1934.

In 2021 the Philippines marked 500 Years of Christianity, counted from 1521. Cebu, where that story began, stood at the center of the celebration.

There is a proverb, all roads lead to Rome. In Cebu City people say, all jeepneys lead to Colon. No matter which jeepney you ride, it will bring you to Colon or somewhere near it.

Colon Street is marked as the oldest street in the Philippines. By tradition it is credited to the Spaniards who came with Legazpi in 1565, and it was named after Cristobal Colon, the Spanish name for Christopher Columbus. One thing should be said plainly. The oldest street claim is disputed, and some historians question whether it truly predates other Spanish-era streets. Still, an obelisk at its northern end carries a marker from the National Historical Commission proclaiming it the oldest, in English, Filipino, and Cebuano.

The northern end of Colon meets Parian, once the district of wealthy Chinese-Filipino merchants. The street has seen better days, with crowding and petty crime, yet it remains a National Historical Landmark woven into centuries of Cebuano life.

A tip for visitors. Make Colon your landmark. If you ever feel lost in the old city, find your way back to Colon, because all jeepneys lead there.

Plaza Sugbu is the public square at the very heart of old Cebu City. It links the Cebu City Hall with the kiosk of Magellan's Cross, right beside the Basilica del Santo Nino.

The plaza was shaped in its present form in 2008, part of a project to clean up and beautify the historic downtown. It once carried the name Plaza Rizal. You may see the name written as Plaza Sugbo or Plaza Sugbu. Both are used.

Small as it is, the plaza sits where the whole story of Cebu comes together. Within a few steps stand the cross, the basilica, and the seat of city government. To cross Plaza Sugbu is to walk through the founding ground of the city.

A warm welcome to the beautiful Bantayan Island, in Santa Fe, northern Cebu.

I first traveled to Bantayan in 2021, to rest and to enjoy the natural beauty here. It remains one of the best beaches in the Philippines.

Work can drain the life out of us. Deadlines, hard clients, traffic, and the noise of the city all pile up. Sometimes you need to stop and breathe before the stress wins. Bantayan is the place for that.

The island is known for its powdery white sand, its sandbars, and its calm, clear water. The view alone is enough to melt the tension you carry. Bantayan sits in the north of Cebu and is shared by three towns: Santa Fe in the south, with the best beaches, Bantayan town in the center, with its old church, and Madridejos in the north, a fishing village.

Getting there takes a little planning. From Cebu City, ride a bus for about three to four hours to Hagnaya Port in San Remigio. From Hagnaya, take the ferry to Santa Fe, which is around one to one and a half hours. Check the schedule before you go.

Relax, refresh, recharge. Bantayan gives you the room to do all three.

Your Cebu trip is not complete until you have swum beside a butanding, the whale shark, even if the gentle giant turns its back on you.

Come early. Leave before dawn to beat the traffic and reach Tan-awan in Oslob while the crowd is small. Arrive after six in the morning and the lines are already long. The orientation begins early, and groups are sent out in batches.

Follow the rules in the water. Keep your distance from the whale sharks and stay near the boat. Sometimes a butanding drifts close on its own, and that is enough to take your breath away.

One honest note. The Oslob activity is popular but controversial. Since around 2011, local operators have hand-fed the whale sharks with small shrimp to keep them near the shore every day. Marine scientists warn that this changes the natural behavior and migration of the animals, teaches them to link boats with food, and raises the risk of injury. It is worth knowing this before you decide to join.

Cebu is full of adventures. Daghang salamat, many thanks.

Maayong adlaw from Cebu, good day to you.

Canyoneering was the most extreme thing I did in the Queen City of the South, and the highlight of my whole trip. It is wild, but it is fun.

The route runs through the mountains. It usually starts upstream in Alegria, along the Kanlaob River, and ends downstream at Kawasan Falls in Badian. Along the way you hike, swim, raft, climb, and leap from ledges into deep pools. Some of the jumps are high, so you need courage.

Kawasan itself is a set of turquoise waterfalls fed by mineral springs, tucked into a green gorge about two and a half hours from the city. The color of the water alone is worth the trip.

What you need most is nerve. Bring it, and you will enjoy every minute.

If you still dream of a perfect getaway, head to Carnaza Island in Daanbantayan, at the far north of Cebu. This is the place to disconnect from the internet and escape the noise of the city.

Come prepared. Carnaza has long had only limited power, usually from about seven in the morning to ten at night, so bring a flashlight and a power bank. Mobile signal is weak, which is part of the point. The island runs largely on solar power and fishing, though wider electrification is now on the way.

At night, under a clear sky, you can lie on the fine white sand, watch the stars, and listen to the waves. It is a simple reminder of how blessed we are to witness such beauty.

Enjoy kaayo, gyud, truly enjoy it.

Cebu holds many places worth seeing, and the Temple of Leah is one of them. The first time I visited, I felt goosebumps. A dream come true.

The temple stands on a hill in Barangay Busay, above Cebu City. It was built by the businessman and engineer Teodorico Adarna as a tribute to his wife of fifty-four years, Leah Villa Albino-Adarna. Grand columns, stone lions, and a tall statue of Leah give it the look of a Roman temple. People call it the Taj Mahal of Cebu, a monument of love. Construction began around 2012, and it opened to the public in 2015.

When you see the temple and feel the cool mountain air, you understand the feeling behind it. This is the love of Teodorico for Leah, built in stone for everyone to see.

When we travel, we do not only enjoy the sights. We enjoy the food and the pasalubong, the gifts we bring home. In Cebu, one of the best reasons to visit is danggit.

Danggit is dried, salted rabbitfish, split flat and sun-dried. It is a classic Cebuano breakfast, served crisp with rice and vinegar. You can buy dried fish in many parts of Cebu, but locals point you to the Taboan Public Market. It can be hard to find if you do not know the city, but you will know you are close once you catch the smell of the fish.

At Taboan you can buy danggit, pusit, which is dried squid, fish tocino, and much more. Prices have climbed with demand, starting around 800 pesos a kilo. The famous dried mangoes and the crisp otap biscuits are sold here too, ready as pasalubong.

Lami kaayo, very delicious.

The Banaue Rice Terraces are among the most famous sights in the country, carved into the mountains of Ifugao province.

They were shaped by hand by the Ifugao ancestors, following the mountain slopes and fed by streams from the forests above. Tradition holds that they are two thousand years old. Archaeologists now think much of the terracing may be around four centuries old, but their scale and age are remarkable either way.

One note for the record. The terraces seen in the Banaue town view, the ones on the old thousand-peso bill, are not themselves on the UNESCO World Heritage list. That honor belongs to five clusters nearby, among them Batad and Bangaan within Banaue, and Nagacadan, Hungduan, and Mayoyao. Together they show a way of life kept for many generations. With my travel buddy Baby P along, this was one landmark not to miss.

Juan de Salcedo, one of the boldest figures of the early Spanish colony, was born around 1549 in Mexico. He was the grandson of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines.

He arrived in 1569, at about twenty, and soon led expeditions along the northern coast of Luzon. In 1572 he founded the Spanish town of Vigan, which he named Villa Fernandina, opening the north to Spanish rule.

He pushed along the Ilocos coast and into the edges of the Cordillera, and was known, for his time, for dealing fairly with the local people.

His life was short. He died in Vigan in 1576, of illness, at about twenty-seven. The old street of Calle Salcedo in Vigan still carries his name.

In every new place, the first thing I look for is the church. St. William's Cathedral, the Laoag Metropolitan Cathedral, is one I will not forget.

The Augustinians set up the parish in 1580 with a simple church of wood. The present stone church rose in 1612, in an Italian Renaissance style, and it became a cathedral in 1961 with the founding of the Diocese of Laoag.

It stands within easy walking distance of the city center. Ask anyone in Laoag and they will point the way, because everyone knows it.

Near the cathedral stands the Sinking Bell Tower of Laoag, built by the Augustinians around 1612 as a separate bell tower.

Its great stone weight sits on soft, sandy ground, and over the centuries it has slowly settled, sinking about an inch a year. Old lore says a person on horseback could once ride through its doorway, and that today you must stoop to enter. Whether or not the tale is exact, the tower truly is sinking.

I saw more than a tourist spot here. I saw nature quietly taking back its ground, a reminder that for all we build, we remain at nature's mercy.

After two months of work in Ilocos Norte, I finally reached the Desert of the North, the La Paz Sand Dunes, only about forty minutes from Laoag.

Locals call the dunes Bantay Bimmaboy, for hills shaped like pigs. This sweep of sand by the sea has stood in for deserts on screen, appearing in the classic film Himala, in Panday and Temptation Island, and even in Hollywood's Born on the Fourth of July.

If you are planning a trip to Laoag, put the dunes on your list.

The Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion Church, the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, stands in the town of Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur. It is one of the four Baroque Churches of the Philippines named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Built by the Augustinians around 1765, it is unusual among Philippine churches. Instead of facing a town plaza, it sits alone on a hill, reached by a long stone stairway, and it was made to double as a fortress. Its heavy brick walls are a fine example of the earthquake baroque style.

To climb the steps and stand before it is to meet more than two centuries of faith and history.

Guimbal, a coastal town in Iloilo, was founded in 1703 and is one of the oldest in the province. Its name may come from guimba, a local drum of carabao hide, or from a word for a gong.

Its church, San Nicolas de Tolentino, is built of yellow igang, the local sandstone, together with coral stone. In the Spanish era the coast was guarded by stone watchtowers, the bantayan, against Moro raids. Several were built and a few still stand, and the Bantayan Festival re-enacts those old raids in street dance each year.

Near the church is a quiet Adoration Chapel, a small and simple space for prayer, a peaceful counterpart to the grand old church at the town's heart.

The Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, Iloilo, is one of the four Baroque Churches of the Philippines inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was built by Augustinian friars between 1787 and 1797.

It is a fortress as much as a church, its thick walls and twin bell towers raised against pirate raids. Its famous facade is carved with rural and tropical life: Saint Christopher in native dress carries the Christ Child through a landscape of coconut palm, papaya, and rice, a Filipino reading of a Christian scene.

The town itself, made a pueblo in 1716, is named for a local datu and the native gao tree. It is a place of rice farms, fishing, and the University of the Philippines Visayas, where old faith and new learning stand side by side.

Bucari, in the town of Leon, Iloilo, is called the Little Baguio of the Visayas. High in the Bucari mountains, at around 1,200 meters, it is cool and green, with stands of pine and long views over the valleys below.

Once known only to locals, it has become a favorite for those seeking fresh air and quiet, with trails for trekking and camping and cool mornings that feel far from the tropical lowlands.

Its crisp air and towering pines make it a hidden gem, a small piece of the highlands in the heart of Panay.

Walking clears my head, and in Iloilo City there is one place I always go: the Iloilo River Esplanade. It is a promenade about a kilometer long that runs beside the river, where joggers, bikers, and families come out in the cool of the day.

I went in the late afternoon, in fine weather, and it was the perfect time. The park was clean and calm, lined with coconut palms and free of the tangle of wires you see on the streets. As the sky turned red over the water, I found a spot by the river and simply sat.

A good walk, a good rest, and a quiet, beautiful evening by the river.

The Molo Church in Iloilo City, the St. Anne Parish, is the only Gothic-Renaissance church in Western Visayas. Its coral-stone walls and twin spires make it one of the city's landmarks.

It is fondly called the feminist church, because the sixteen statues of saints that line its aisles are all women. It is a rare and lovely detail in a country of grand old churches.

Standing strong through the centuries, Molo is a reminder of Iloilo's deep history and artistry, and of a people who, like their church, do not easily bend.

The Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral in Iloilo City enshrines Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria, Our Lady of Candles, the beloved patroness of the region.

It holds a singular honor. On 21 February 1981, Pope John Paul II crowned the image during his visit and declared her Patroness of Western Visayas. It remains the only Marian image in the Philippines personally crowned by a pope.

Devotees come to pray and to seek healing, and tradition holds that the stone image on the facade is slowly growing. Faith runs deep here, and Jaro is its heart.

The Philippine-American War turned to guerrilla resistance after 1899, and President Emilio Aguinaldo moved his camp again and again through northern Luzon, at last to the remote town of Palanan, in Isabela.

On 23 March 1901, American soldiers reached his camp disguised as Filipino reinforcements, guided by Macabebe scouts. They seized Aguinaldo and brought him to Manila. His capture effectively broke the organized resistance.

Palanan is hard to reach even today, ringed by mountains and the Pacific. It happened here, in one of the quietest corners of the country.

The Magat Dam rises on the Magat River, at the boundary of Ramon, Isabela and Alfonso Lista, Ifugao. It is one of the largest dams in the Philippines, built for irrigation and hydroelectric power.

I visited from my hometown of San Mariano, about three hours away, and was struck by the sheer size of it. I came in the wet season, when the reservoir was full and the views across Isabela were at their best.

In the mountain village of Buscalan, in Tinglayan, Kalinga, I finally met a living legend: Maria Oggay, known to the world as Apo Whang-Od. Born in 1917, she is the most famous mambabatok, a traditional hand-tap tattoo artist, in the country.

Reaching Buscalan is no easy walk. The trek is hard, the wait to be tattooed by Apo can be long, and there is no phone signal, so come ready in body and spirit. Your phone is good only for photos and a sunrise alarm.

A tattoo from her hand carries deep meaning and history, marked in the old way with a thorn and soot. She learned the art from her father and began tattooing as a girl; today her grandniece Grace Palicas and other apprentices, all women, carry the tradition on. To visit the village, meet the people, and receive that mark is an experience to cherish for life.

In the province of Laguna, around the city of San Pablo, lie seven crater lakes, a quiet wonder set among green hills and mountains.

The lakes are maars, formed where hot magma met groundwater in violent eruptions long ago. They belong to the San Pablo Volcanic Field, in the rift between Mount Makiling and Mount Banahaw. Each has its own character: Sampaloc, the largest and deepest, ringed by a walking and cycling path; the twin lakes of Pandin and Yambo, crossed by bamboo raft, with a floating restaurant on Pandin; Bunot and Kalibato; Palakpakin, a favorite for picnics; and Muhikap, tucked away and loved by birdwatchers.

The lakes have suffered from over-fishing and crowding on their shores, but conservation work, including clearing structures and teaching care for the water, is helping them recover. They remain one of Laguna's most peaceful escapes.

Jose Protasio Rizal was born on 19 June 1861 in Calamba, Laguna, and is honored as the national hero of the Philippines. He was a doctor, a writer, and a reformist.

He studied at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, then medicine and letters in Europe, at Madrid and Paris, where liberal ideas shaped his thinking. His novels, Noli Me Tangere in 1887 and El Filibusterismo in 1891, laid bare the injustices of Spanish rule and awakened a national consciousness.

Rizal argued for reform and education rather than armed revolt, yet his writing made him a threat. On his return he was arrested and exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao, where he taught, healed the sick, and continued his studies.

On 30 December 1896 he was executed by firing squad at Bagumbayan, now Rizal Park in Manila. His death lit the fire of the revolution. His birthplace in Calamba, and his final poem Mi Ultimo Adios, keep his memory close.

The San Antonio de Padua Parish Church stands at the heart of Pila, Laguna, one of the country's best-preserved heritage towns.

The mission was founded in 1578 by Franciscan friars, and Pila became a parish in 1581. It is held to be the earliest parish dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua in the Philippines. The claim that it was the first in Asia is a local tradition rather than settled history.

The church shows Spanish-colonial architecture, with a Baroque facade and a richly worked interior, and has been rebuilt more than once after disasters. Around it, the old plaza and ancestral houses form the Pila Historic Town, declared a National Historical Landmark. It remains the town's spiritual and cultural center.

Iligan, in Lanao del Norte, is known as the City of Majestic Waterfalls, and it earns the name. More than twenty falls pour from its hills, among them Tinago, Limunsudan, and the most famous of all, Maria Cristina.

Maria Cristina Falls drops about ninety-eight meters on the Agus River, its powerful twin cascade harnessed for hydroelectric power that lights much of Mindanao. It is often called the Queen of Philippine Waterfalls. Access was closed for years after the 2017 Marawi siege nearby, and I counted myself lucky to view it during a brief window.

Iligan's story is layered: a village of the Higaonon, then Visayan migrants, then one of the earliest Christian settlements under the Spanish, and later an American town, before its own freedom and cityhood. Today its falls and its power plants make it one of Mindanao's natural and industrial landmarks.

When people think of La Union, they think of the surf town of San Juan. But the province has more than beaches.

On a recent visit I found the Agoo Eco-Park, in Sta. Rita, part of the Damortis-Agoo protected landscape and seascape. There is a small entrance fee, and just past it a lovely avenue of agoho trees lines the road, cool and quiet.

A little farther on is the beach: fine gray sand, big rounded pebbles, and a long shoreline good for swimming, kite flying, or a game with friends. There are huts and plenty of parking. Come in the afternoon, and you can watch a fine sunset with your family.

The Ma-Cho Temple stands on the sea coast of San Fernando, La Union, one of the country's grand Taoist temples. Its cornerstone was laid in 1975, and it was inaugurated in 1978.

It honors Mazu, known here as Ma-Cho, the Chinese goddess of the sea. Its bright halls and gates rise in vivid color above the water. The temple is open to everyone, Taoist or not, and it is a striking, welcoming place to visit.

On 20 October 1944, General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore at Red Beach in Palo, Leyte, making good on his promise, I shall return. The Leyte Landing began the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation.

The moment is marked today by the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park in Palo, a short drive from Tacloban. Seven bronze statues, larger than life, stand in a pool of water, re-enacting that famous stride onto the shore.

The statues are more than ten feet tall, and through storm after storm they have held their ground. To stand before them is to feel the weight of that day, and I told myself I would return here too, next time with my family.

Gaston Park is a historic plaza in Cagayan de Oro, in Misamis Oriental, named after a former mayor, Segundo Gaston. It sits beside the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral and the city museum, a green and restful spot to spend an afternoon with family or friends.

The park carries a long history. In Spanish times it was the main plaza, and it served as an execution ground. Later, during the Philippine-American War around 1900, it became a training ground for local revolutionaries. A National Historical marker was placed here in 2000.

I missed the park's famous dancing fountain on my visit, but as they say here, there is always a next time.

Sagada was a quiet town before the film That Thing Called Tadhana sent crowds looking for its sunrises. Seeing it on screen is one thing; standing on the hills at dawn is another.

Marlboro Hill, a grassland ridge the locals call Marlboro Country, is one of the best places to meet the morning. The hike starts around three in the morning, in the dark and the cold, along a muddy, slippery path, an hour of endurance through mossy forest.

Then comes the summit, just before sunrise. A cold wind, clean air, and a 360-degree view as the sea of clouds rolls below and the sky turns gold. Spiderwebs beaded with dew shine like snowflakes in the grass. For a moment you could be in another country. It is a physical reward, and it makes Sagada a place everyone should see once.

The Blue Soil Hills of Sagada are exactly what the name says, a hillside of soil tinted an unusual blue-green. You will not see this anywhere else in the country.

The color, our guide explained, comes from copper sulfate in the soil, and it deepens when the ground is wet. Found at Kaman-Utek, it is one of Sagada's newer attractions and one more reason the town is worth the trip.

The San Sebastian Cathedral stands at the heart of Bacolod, Negros Occidental, named for the Christian martyr Saint Sebastian. It has been a center of faith since the late nineteenth century.

The parish dates to 1788, but the stone cathedral came later. Fr. Mauricio Ferrero designed the work and saw it through. The cornerstone was laid on 27 April 1876, and the church was consecrated on 19 January 1882, built of coral stone brought from Guimaras, with twin bell towers added in 1885.

When the Diocese of Bacolod was created in 1932, San Sebastian became its cathedral. By the entrance stand monuments to Fr. Fernando Cuenca, who founded many Negros towns, and to Fr. Ferrero, remembered as a father of Bacolod.

The feast of Saint Sebastian falls on 20 January, and the cathedral also marks Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary each October, at the height of Bacolod's famous MassKara Festival.

The Ruins, in Talisay City near Bacolod, is one of the most beloved landmarks of Negros Occidental, often called the Taj Mahal of Negros.

It is the skeleton of a grand mansion built in the early 1900s by the sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson, in memory of his wife, Maria Braga, of a Macau family, who died while carrying their eleventh child. He raised the house as a monument to her.

During the Second World War, Filipino and American forces burned the mansion to keep it from becoming a Japanese garrison. Its Italianate columns and fine details survived the fire, and the roofless shell still stands amid landscaped gardens, most beautiful at sunset when it glows against the darkening sky.

St. Paul University Dumaguete began in 1904 as St. Paul's Academy, founded by seven Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, with classes opening early the next year.

From a small academy it grew into a full university, one of many schools the Sisters run across the Philippines. Today it offers programs from mass communication and psychology to nursing, education, and business.

Its guiding values remain faith, learning, community, and charity. For more than a century it has shaped generations of Dumaguetenos, a quiet, steady presence in the city's life.

The National Museum of the Philippines in Dumaguete offers a window into the heritage of Negros Oriental, set in the heart of the city.

Its galleries hold indigenous artifacts, historical relics, and art, with displays on the province's history, culture, and biodiversity. Interactive exhibits and rare collections make it a rewarding stop.

For anyone curious about Dumaguete's past and its living traditions, the museum is an easy and enriching visit, and entry to the National Museum is free.

After a long day, sometimes all you want is to breathe, feel the wind, and look at the sky. In Dumaguete, that place is the baywalk along Rizal Boulevard.

A walk here calms the mind. There are benches to rest on, a clean bay that speaks of a disciplined city, and the sea and the morning sun for company.

I spent nearly a month here, and the view and the warmth of the people stayed with me. Dumaguete earns its name, the City of Gentle People.

On 30 January 1945, one of the boldest rescues of the war unfolded near Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. The United States 6th Ranger Battalion, with Alamo Scouts and Filipino guerrillas under Juan Pajota and Eduardo Joson, moved on a Japanese prison camp holding survivors of Bataan and Corregidor.

After nightfall the Rangers struck. Within minutes the guards were overwhelmed, and the prisoners, thin shadows of themselves, were led and carried out. Local villagers fed them along the way, and at Talavera the freed men were loaded onto trucks for the coast.

The raid freed 489 prisoners of war. It cost the lives of two Rangers and about two dozen Filipino guerrillas. Long remembered as one of the most celebrated raids in modern history, it was retold in the 2005 film The Great Raid, with Cesar Montano as the guerrilla leader Juan Pajota.

Tamaraw Falls is one of the best-loved stops on the road around Puerto Galera, in Oriental Mindoro. It drops about 128 meters, roughly 423 feet, in a wild Y-shape where twin falls meet.

It is named after the tamaraw, the dwarf buffalo found only in Mindoro and now critically endangered. The name is a small tribute meant to keep the animal in mind.

The falls sit right beside the road, so a look costs nothing, though there is a small fee to enter the mini-resort below, with cool pools fed by the falling water. What you see from the roadside is only part of the full drop; the rest reveals itself as you go down.

Near the northern tip of Palawan sits the old town of Taytay, rich in history and natural beauty. Founded in 1622, it was one of the first Spanish settlements on the island.

The name Taytay comes from taytayan, a wooden or bamboo walkway, marking its old role as a link between coastal areas. Long before the Spanish, this part of Palawan lay within the sphere of the Sultanate of Brunei, whose reach once stretched across the region.

The town landmark is Fort Santa Isabel. The Augustinian Recollect friars began it in 1667 to defend the coast against Moro raiders and pirates, and the stone fort, built of coral blocks, was completed in the decades that followed. The fort served as the administrative capital of the old province of Paragua, the earlier name for Palawan. Inside stands the Chapel of Santa Monica, the town patroness.

During the Japanese occupation the fort became a military base, and the Chapel of Santa Monica was turned into a Shinto shrine. In 1944 it served as a Japanese outpost in northern Palawan, until liberation.

Off the coast lie Malampaya Sound, known for its fishing, and Paly Island, whose white beaches host nesting sea turtles in November and December.

Taytay is called the Estrella del Norte, the Star of the North. Each year it holds the Pasinggatan Festival, a ten-day celebration whose name comes from a Cuyuno word for glimmer, with street dancing and a feast of local food.

The Puerto Princesa Baywalk is a seaside promenade on Sandoval Street, and one of the best places to feel the daily life of the city.

In the evening, locals and visitors gather here for the sea breeze, the street food, and the sunset over the bay. It is a place for families after church and friends meeting to talk.

Two landmarks stand within a short walk. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral, with its pale blue facade, has watched the city grow around it. And Plaza Cuartel, now a quiet park, holds a hard memory. On 14 December 1944, Japanese troops killed about 140 American prisoners of war held here. Markers and restored walls keep that memory, a lesson in peace.

From the solemn quiet of Plaza Cuartel to the lively baywalk is only a short walk. Grilled seafood, halo-halo, bike rentals, and souvenir stalls line the way. The baywalk is the cultural heart of Puerto Princesa, and a corner of the country worth walking at least once.

El Nido is one of the dream destinations of the Philippines, and it earns the name. Many call Palawan food for the eyes, and El Nido is the reason.

It was my first time here, and it became one of the best places I have seen in the country. El Nido sits on Bacuit Bay, an archipelago of towering limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, and clear water.

Island-hopping tours take you out by boat to the lagoons, coves, and white beaches, with snorkeling sites all around. The water is calm and clear, and the coral reefs and quiet beaches make it easy to see why El Nido is called one of the most beautiful places in the world. Exploring the lagoons by kayak is the best way to reach the islets and caves.

This is a trip I will not forget. El Nido is a paradise.

Coron sits in the Calamian Islands, at the northern end of Palawan, and it is one of the country's most beautiful escapes.

I first came to Coron in April 2022 for a network installation, and on my rest day I joined a tour of its islands and lagoons. It was my first time traveling alone, but I enjoyed every moment and made a new circle of friends.

Coron is famous for Kayangan Lake, known for its clear water, reached by a short climb to one of the most photographed views in the Philippines. Nearby is the Twin Lagoon, and offshore lie the wrecks of Japanese ships sunk in a United States airstrike on 24 September 1944, now popular wreck-dive sites.

Whether with family or with friends, Coron is a place I recommend.

San Vicente, on the west coast of Palawan, is home to Long Beach, a stretch of white sand about 14.7 kilometers long, often called the longest white-sand beach in the Philippines.

I came here for one of our managed WiFi projects, at an eco-friendly resort along the Long Beach strip. I arrived expecting a busy place and found it quiet, with foreign guests drawn by the calm. I was busy with the installation, but the staff were kind and looked after us, even bringing snacks, and the food was one of a kind.

It is the kind of place I want to return to, not for work, but to rest with family.

Nagtabon is a quiet beach on the west coast of Puerto Princesa, in Barangay Bacungan, less than an hour from the city.

I was in Puerto Princesa for the maintenance of Shell sites and went looking for a quick getaway. A local told me about Nagtabon, and it turned out to be exactly what I hoped for: few tourists, open sand, and calm water.

If you want a beach near the city without the crowds, Nagtabon is worth the short drive.

Dinosaur Island, in Clark, Pampanga, brings the age of the dinosaurs to life. The park holds more than thirty life-sized animatronic dinosaurs along themed trails.

From the towering Brachiosaurus to the fearsome T-Rex, the giants move and roar as you walk among them. Interactive exhibits and displays make it an easy, fun way to learn about prehistoric life.

It is a good day out for families, and it sits near the New Clark developments, an easy stop for anyone passing through Pampanga.

The Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos, Pangasinan is one of the most iconic sights in the country. The park covers about 1,676 hectares and holds 124 small islands at low tide, and 123 when the tide comes in and one slips under the water.

We spent the day under a blue sky, snorkeling, island-hopping, and eating fresh food. The name is a round number, but the islands, scattered green across the water, are the real thing.

Looking for a quick weekend away, no leave needed? Patar Beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan is a favorite for a short escape on a small budget.

Its long stretch of fine, cream-colored sand and turquoise water sit near rock formations, the Bolinao lighthouse, and the Enchanted Cave. We came with the barkada to swim, relax, and watch both the sunrise and the sunset.

About five hours north of Manila lies the white-sand beach of Anda, in Pangasinan. It is far from the city, but the beaches of the north are worth the drive.

Anda's Tondol Beach is known for its powdery white sand and a long, shallow sandbar you can wade far out on, which is why some call it the Little Boracay of the North. It is a place for a campfire, for stargazing, and for long, easy conversation with family or friends.

In the mountains of Aguilar, Pangasinan runs Daang Katutubo, a scenic road named for the indigenous communities along its route. Its rolling green hills have earned it the nickname North Batan, after Batanes.

I spent a day camping there alone, and it was exactly the reset I needed, a chance to step away from the noise, breathe the mountain air, and enjoy the quiet. The Mapita View Deck looks out over the hills. It is a simple, restful place to disconnect.

Manuel Luis Quezon was born on 19 August 1878 in Baler, then part of Tayabas province and today the capital of Aurora. He studied at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and law at the University of Santo Tomas.

He first joined the revolution under Emilio Aguinaldo, then surrendered to American forces in 1900. He turned to law, and in 1906 was elected governor of Tayabas, the start of his political career. He helped lead the Nacionalista Party and served as President of the Senate for nineteen years.

In 1935 he became the first President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. He pushed a social justice program, and under him Filipino, based on Tagalog, was set as the national language, a lasting mark on national identity.

His second term was broken by the Second World War. He led a government-in-exile in the United States and died there of tuberculosis on 1 August 1944, at Saranac Lake, New York. The province of Quezon carries his name.

Mount San Cristobal rises to 1,470 meters on the border of Laguna and Quezon, with the easiest climb starting from Dolores, Quezon. It is a stratovolcano and part of the Mount Banahaw complex, within the Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal Protected Landscape of about 10,901 hectares.

In folklore it is the Devil's Mountain, the dark twin of the holy Mount Banahaw. Where Banahaw is said to hold good energy, San Cristobal is said to hold the opposite. Local legend tells of the Tumao, a shape-shifting guardian of the mountain, and warns those who harm its forests.

Beliefs aside, it is a protected forest and a demanding climb. Follow the trails, respect the mountain, and check with local guides before you go.

Back in 2010 I found a side of Infanta, Quezon that felt like Sagada or Baguio, cool and wrapped in fog.

The mountains here hide waterfalls, one after another. It is a long drive from Manila, but the scene at the end is worth it, a quiet beauty you would not expect was waiting there. My photos are low resolution, taken on an old phone.

Kalamay is one of the best-loved delicacies in the Philippines. It is a sticky rice cake, and every province and every family makes it a little differently.

In our family in Quezon, kalamay belongs to Christmas. Every 24th of December we prepare it together with our relatives and our ka-barangay. We make it from glutinous rice, fresh coconut milk, and muscovado sugar, with a family recipe we keep to ourselves.

The cooking takes patience. The mixture needs slow, steady stirring over the fire until it thickens, so the whole family gathers around the pot while it cooks. Making the kalamay becomes its own tradition, as much a part of the day as the eating.

Step off the ferry from Batangas and you arrive in Romblon town, the capital and the cultural heart of this marble island province.

History guards the harbor. The twin Spanish forts, San Andres and Santiago, were built around 1645 to watch for raiders. Fort San Andres still stands above the azure water, while Fort Santiago, on Calvary Hill, is now a ruin. In the town center rises the St. Joseph Cathedral, founded in 1726, its walls built of coral stone.

Romblon is the Marble Capital of the Philippines. Quarries and workshops fill the town, where artisans turn raw stone into sculpture. You can watch them work, chisel by chisel.

Around the town lie white-sand beaches like Bonbon, and nearby Cobrador Island for quiet snorkeling. Each January the Biniray Festival honors the Santo Nino with a fluvial parade and street dancing.

Calbayog is a coastal city in Samar, one of the trade centers of Eastern Visayas, where the common tongue is Waray-Waray. Its name is said to come from Ka-Labayog, for the rattan vine that once grew thick here.

Its history runs deep. A Jesuit mission settlement first, it became a town in 1785, and in 1910 the Diocese of Calbayog was created by Pope Pius X. The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, designated in 1913, is the mother church of the whole region and one of the most beautiful in the Visayas.

Beyond the city lie rolling hills, forests, and a long coast on the Samar Sea. The Bangon-Bugtong Falls tumble in cascades, the Mapaso Hot Spring soothes tired travelers, and the Malajog Ridge rewards a climb with a fine view. Do not leave without a taste of the local tinapa, the smoked fish that visitors carry home.

On the quiet island of Siquijor, in the town of San Juan, lies Paliton Beach, a serene escape often called Paliton Paradise. It is known for its white sand, clear water, and calm.

Siquijor carries an old reputation as the Island of Fire, a place of healers, folklore, and traditions passed down through generations. Amid all that mystery, Paliton stays a simple, hidden paradise.

For years it was mainly a fishing shore, a place of quiet livelihood. It is better known now, but it keeps its unspoiled charm, palms swaying, waves lapping, and sunsets that set the sky alight. A true paradise for those who take the time to find it.

Summer is coming is a very Filipino kind of warning, and the answer to it is halo-halo, the country's favorite way to beat the heat. In Koronadal, South Cotabato, there is one place I always stop, Apareja Buko Halo-Halo, a good break on the road from General Santos.

Their halo-halo comes served inside a young coconut, so you can scrape the sweet meat as you go. Inside are sweet potato and banana, red kaong, gelatin, corn flakes, shaved ice and milk, leche flan, and a scoop of ube ice cream on top, with a pitcher of fresh buko juice on the side.

I ordered a buko pie too, making it a triple-buko meal. I never finished the pie, too full of halo-halo, but I left refreshed and happy, already planning to come back.

The province of Sultan Kudarat is named for one of the greatest figures in Mindanao's history: Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, born around 1581.

He ruled the Sultanate of Maguindanao for more than fifty years, from 1619 until his death in 1671, and stood as the most powerful Muslim leader of his time in Mindanao. He was shrewd and relentless, and he held his ground against Spanish expansion when much of the islands had fallen.

One of his speeches is still remembered, a call to his people's pride and honor, their maratabat, and to their resistance against foreign rule. He died in 1671, undefeated, a leader whose name his province still carries with pride.

Benigno Ninoy Aquino Jr. was born on 27 November 1932 in Concepcion, Tarlac. He rose fast in politics, elected mayor of Concepcion at twenty-two and a senator at thirty-four, known for his sharp mind and his call for reform.

His opposition to Ferdinand Marcos led to his arrest soon after martial law was declared in 1972. He spent years in prison, went on a hunger strike, and was later allowed to leave for medical treatment in the United States.

In exile he became a symbol of resistance. In 1983 he chose to come home, believing his return could bring peaceful change. On 21 August 1983 he was assassinated as he stepped off the plane at Manila International Airport, now named in his honor.

His death moved the nation. It led to the People Power Revolution of 1986, the fall of Marcos, and the return of democracy.

Pundaquit is a quiet coastal barangay in San Antonio, Zambales, and it wins you over with calm rather than noise.

There are no bars or nightlife here, and that is the point. Rolling waves, fine gray sand, and clean water make it a place to breathe out. At three to four hours from Manila, it is even closer than La Union.

Pundaquit is also the jumping-off point for the islands of Anawangin, Capones, and Potipot, each its own reason to come back.

Mount Pinatubo is an active volcano in the Zambales Mountains, on the meeting point of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga.

In June 1991 it erupted in one of the largest blasts of the twentieth century, reshaping the land for miles and burying it in ash and lahar. In the years since, rainwater has filled the crater to form a lake.

Standing at the rim, it is hard to believe such calm beauty came from such destruction. The crater lake is a sheet of green under a high sun, the land around it carved into peaks and folds. A beautiful disaster.

Did you know that Pagadian City has one of the most unusual tricycles in the whole country? They call it the inclined tricycle. Its sidecar is tilted upward, by twenty-five to forty degrees, so the passenger stays level as the driver climbs the city's steep, hilly streets.

I love how the way people get around changes from place to place in this country. My ride from the boarding house to my site was something new. I sat almost reclined, the road tilting up, and I felt nervous at first, then settled in. The driver told stories the whole way, so I never got bored, and I arrived safe and sound.

The Zamboanga Peninsula has been settled for many centuries. Its first people were the Subanen, and it was long the homeland of the Sama-Bajau peoples, among them the Yakan and the Banguingui, with the Tausug arriving from the Sulu archipelago from around the thirteenth century.

Out of that long history grew Zamboanga City, an independent city on the peninsula, today nicknamed Asia's Latin City. It is the home of Chavacano, the only Spanish-based creole language in Asia, a living echo of the colonial centuries.

At its heart stands Fort Pilar, the old Spanish fort of 1635, still watching over the sea. Zamboanga is a crossroads of peoples and tongues, unlike anywhere else in the country.