Nestled on the slopes of Malaybalay City, hidden by trees and hills planted with coffee, the famed monastery of the Benedictine Monks called Monastery of Transfiguration's chapel was designed by the late National Artist Leandro Locsin.

Picture of the monastery shaped like a pyramid

It's here in the serene environment where Benedictine monks devote to a vow of silence and a life of continued prayer. They farm rice, corn, peanuts, soya beans and coffee and do spiritual reading. The facility is a spiritual center perfect for retreats where you can hear the monks sing in Latin during matin and vesper prayers.

History of the Monastery of Transfiguration

Opened in 1885 by Spanish Benedictine monks for missionary work, mission was aborted when the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War broke out. It was re-established by the Abbey of our Lady of Monserrat in 1981. Two years later the foundation by the Benedictine Abbey, the Monastery of the Transfiguration was inaugurated 1986.

Trivia: It's in the hills around the Monastery where Monks' Blend coffee originates.

Monastery of the Transfiguration,
Address: San Jose, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon,
P.O. Box 11.
Tel. No.: +63.88.221.2373

Mass Schedules:
Daily masses at 5:20am
Sunday Mass at 8am with the famous boys choi

How to get to Malaybalay, Bukidnon:

There are no direct flights to Bukidnon, so you need to book flights to Cagayan de Oro (CDO) or take ferries going there from various other ports. From airport or pier, hire a taxi to take you to CDO Agora Bus Terminal (this is quite far about 15 kilometers) then commute by bus to Davao (via Malaybalay) or Valencia, Bukidnon (buses leave the terminal every 30 minutes). The two hour trip that passes by Del Monte pineapple plantations and the zigzag roads of the plains and breathtaking terrain and Mt. Kitanglad (ideal for trekking/hiking). In Malaybalay, you will need a motorcycle or a car to take you as there is no public transport to take you to the place on a hill.


UPDATED: April 17, 2008

Labels: Bukidnon, Churches, Malaybalay City, Northern Mindanao

An Amazing Race that lasted nine days that started in Manila from May 18-27, 2003 that took us to various islands in the Visayas and Mindanao in a low-cost, independent travel "package tour."

Itinerary with stories (Please click on the links for pictures and other details)


May 17, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
Let the race begin!
Starting Line: NAIA Terminal 3 (Centennial), Manila

7:15 p.m.
Detour: Cebu-Mactan International Airport, Mactan Island

Welcome to Cebu, the Queen City of the South!
It was raining then and thank God, our local guide-cum-driver fetched us right on time.

8:00 p.m.
First Pit Stop: Cebu City
We dined at one of Cebu City’s fairly patronized grillery – the Tsibog’s.

After a hefty dinner, we move on to our first stop accommodation (just for a night cap) – the Verbena Pension House on G. Garcia Street.

May 18, Sunday, 7:00 a.m.
Detour: Basilica Minore del Santo Nino, Cebu City

Alongside’s the Basilica is the “depressing” presence of Magellan’s Cross. The cross is Ferdinand’s Catholic legacy, a large wooden cross, is housed in a stone rotunda (built in 1841) across from Cebu City Hall.


10:30 a.m.
Second Pit Stop: Badian, Cebu
It took us about three hours to reach the southern part of the island. We headed to the famous yet untouched waterfall landscapes of Kawasan Falls.



3:00 p.m.
Third Pit Stop: Panagsama Beach, Balas-daku, Moalboal
The group headed to Cebu’s best diving and snorkeling town, Moalboal. About 90 km. from Cebu City, Moalboal is on the main road, with the lively tourist-haunt of Panagsama Beach.


5:30 p.m.
Detour: White Beach, Moalboal
A stripped of white sand shoreline on the northern coast of Panagsama Beach.


May 19, Monday, 6:00 a.m.
Detour: Pescador Island, Moalboal


2:00 p.m.
Road Block: Plantation Bay, Mactan Island
Plantation Bay is Mactan’s one of the best inland-resort landscaped with man-made lagoons, swimming pools and water falls. Our walked-in trip here is considered a memorable one. Who can forget the famous Polynesian Chicken Salad served to my delight, for free at the resort’s Kilimanjaro Restaurant (Café)


May 19, 3:00 p.m.
Detour: Lapu-Lapu Monument, Mactan Island


4:30 p.m.
Detour: Cebu Port, Cebu City
Riding the ferry boat knowned as “Supercat” seemed to be a luxurious transport accommodation when you plan to visit the nearby island of Bohol.


5:10 p.m.
Next Pit Stop: Tagbilaran City, Bohol
Tagbilaran City is the port capital of Bohol.


7:30 p.m.
Pit Stop: Alona Beach, Panglao Island
Alona Beach has become a thriving tourism community, where Bohol Diver’s Lodge (our home for two nights) is located.


May 20

8:00 a.m.
The day tour begins here: At the reception area of Bohol’s Divers Lodge.

9:00 a.m
Next Pit Stop: Man-made Forest, Bilar (Loboc-Bilar Man-made Forest)
A heavily cultivated man-made forest is one of the highlighted tourist attractions of Bohol’s modern times.

10:30 a.m.
Next Pit Stop: Chocolate Hills, Carmen
We opted to visit the farthermost attraction, the Chocolate Hills located in the heart of Bohol, the town of Carmen.

The Chocolate Hills of Bohol, 1268 limestone hills turn brown during summer, thus the name

10:45 a.m.
Road Block: Loboc’s Hanging Bridge
A short stop as the known hanging bridge. About 5 meters high from the river surface, and 15 meters long from end to end.



11:30 a.m.
Next Pit Stop: Loboc River, Loboc
The town of Loboc is equally famous as Bohol.

At Petboy’s a local souvenir shop along the river, entertains their visitors by allowing them to take pictures with the smallest monkey in the world (that can only be found in the island), the tarsiers.

On the opposite side of the road, adjacent to the river is the Loboc Church, a Spanish era stone architecture, attached is the Loboc’s Museum. The bell tower is located at the opposite side of the main road.


2:00 p.m.
Next Pit Stop: Baclayon Church, Baclayon

2:30 p.m.
Next pit Stop: Hinagdanan Cave, Bingag

3:00 p.m.
Next pit Stop: the Blood Compact Monument

3:30 p.m.
Next Pit Stop: Dauis Church, Dauis, Panglao Island

May 21, Wednesday, 6:00 a.m.
Next Pit Stop: Pamilacan Island Coast
We left Alona Beach for about an hour of rough wave sailing to the coast of Pamilacan Island.



8:00 a.m.
Next Pit Stop: Balicasag Island
About 6km south-west of Panglao, Balicasag is a magnificent diving spot.

9:00 a.m.
Next Pit Stop: Balicasag Island Dive Resort.
The only resort available to the island is the government maintained quality cottages. It’s a 45-minute boat ride from Alona Beach to Balicasag’s main drop-off spoty, Duljio Point.

May 22, Thursday
9:00 a.m.
Off to Alona Beach, Panglao Island.


10:45 a.m.
Detour: Mag-aso Falls, Antequera
We have to navigate the zigzag stairway down to the bottom of the mountain in order to view the spectacular, isolated Mag-aso falls.

4:50 p.m.
Detour: Tubigon Port, Tubigon
There’s no available schedule trip from Tagbilaran to Cagayan de Oro, thus we opted to travel to the town of Tubigon.

5:30 p.m.
Detour: Pier 4, Port of Cebu City
Boarding Cebu Ferry’s Our Lady of Good Voyage. The trip is a 10-hour sail to one of Mindanao’s main port – Cagayan de Oro City.

May 23, Friday, 6:00 a.m.
Detour: Port of Cagayan de Oro City

7:00 a.m.
Road Block: Jollibee-Cagayan de Oro Branch
For a quick breakfast, we passed by another Jollibee food chain at the heart of the city.


7:30 a.m.
Detour: Balingoan, Misamis Oriental
From the city, we traverse the main highway to the northern town of Balingoan. The town has the main port from and to the island of Camiguin, our next pit stop.


10:00 a.m.
Pit Stop: Benoni, Camiguin Island
We arrived at the island from a 45-minute roll on-roll off ferry ride from the pier of Balingoan. Benoni, being the busiest port is the door to the island’s mystical attributes.



10:15 a.m.
Detour: Benoni to Albagon
Traversing the main road of Mambajao, the island’s capital, we headed to our next pit stop, a private resthouse owned by the family friend of Josie.


We passed by Mambajao branch of Landbank for the “kodakan.”

11:30 a.m.
Pit Stop: Resthouse at Albagon

1:00 p.m.
Detour: Bonbon
At the highway leading to the town of Bonbon, you can view the most adored mountain volcano of the island, Mt. Hibok-Hibok. The volcano last erupted in 1951.


2:30 p.m.
Detour: Catarman town
We headed to the northern town of the island, about 10km further along the island road from Bonbon is the famous Sto. Nino Cold Spring, a terrific huge pool, 40m long, filled by the spring.


3:30p.m.
Detour: Katibawasan falls
This is a beautiful clear stream of water dropping about 70m to a plunge pool.


5:00p.m.
Detour: Ardent Hot Spring
Near Katibawasan is another island’s hot landscape, the Ardent Hot Springs which temperature is about 40 degrees Celsius.


May 24, 6:00a.m.
Net Pit Stop: White Island
A 30-minute bumpy boat ride will bring you to the best island spot, the so-called White Island.

10:30 a.m.
Detour: Benoni, Camiguin to Balingoan, Misamis Oriental


1:00 p.m.
Detour: Cagayan de Oro city to Bukidnon


3:00 p.m.
Road Block: Impalutao, Bukidnon
For great hikes in one of the only untouched forests in the area, go to the Impalutao reforestation center about 40 minutes north of Malaybalay (between Kisolon and Malaybalay).

5:00 p.m.
Road Block: Kaamulan, Malaybalay City
The small city is the capital of Bukidnon province. It is the mountains above Cagayan de Oro and can be cool at night.

Driving up to Malaybalay from Cagayan de Oro, you’ll see in the distance the impressive 3000m Mt. Katanglad, one of the highest mountains in the Philippines and still a habitat of the Philippine eagle.


6:30 p.m.
Passing By: Valencia, Bukidnon


7:30 p.m.
Pit Stop: Quezon, Bukidnon
The last pit stop of the leg of the adventure is at the haven of the Baguio family, the ancestral house of Josie.

May 25, 7:30 a.m.
Detour: Luan-Luan, Quezon
Our last hooray plunge is the cold pool of Luan-Luan.

9:00 a.m.
Road Block: San Jose Monastery, Valencia
Just north of Valencia (south of Malaybalay) off the highway is the Monastery of the Transfiguration.


11:00 a.m.
Road Block: Bukidnon Carabao Dairy Farm (Philippine Carabao Center, Musuan, Mindanao)

3:30 p.m.
Detour: Cagayan de Oro Airport

5:00 p.m.
Finish: NAIA Airport, Manila

Labels: Bohol, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Cebu, Central Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao