Home to the Loay River Cruise, the lost Loay Watchtower (that Tutubi tried but failed to visit) and the Clarin ancestral house, the Santisima Trinidad Parish of Loay, Bohol is a lesser-known old church in Bohol as it's also not located on the main highway.

UPDATE: this church was badly damaged during the earthquake of October 15, 2013

Parish of the Holy Trinity, Loay, Bohol (Loay Church):

Santisima Trinidad Church of Loay Bohol facade with the belltower

A National Historical Institute (NHI, now NHCP) narrates the history of Holy Trinity Church as built in the 1822, convent in 1838, bell tower in 1865. A certain Fr. Leon Inchausti served in this parish, a martyr of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) who was canonized as a saint in 1999. A good example of Filipino-Spanish architecture and declared a National Historical Landmark in 2003.

the tromphe l'oeil paintings on the ceiling, typical of Bohol's old churches

the neo-classicial altar of Loay Church

besides the double-facade and the historic link to a saint, the church also has an old pipe organ and can be reached via the stairs to the choir loft.

---
no information on mass schedules, telephone contact numbers
simbahan santisima trinidad loay bohol, parish holy trinity church loay bohol

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Churches, National Historical Landmarks, Visita Iglesia

For the information of many readers to get to know bus fares to Vigan, Ilocos Sur or
Laoag, Ilocos Norte, herewith is the latest information on Partas bus that serves the two capital cities of the Ilocos provinces.

Similar to Victory Liner deluxe bus to Baguio and Philtranco deluxe buses to Bicol, Partas deluxe buses are 27 seater (Victory Liner 29 seaters) with comfort rooms/restroom on board but you need to be at Partas bus terminal to get a seat, no reserved seat nor advance tickets similar to Victory Liner.

Partas Bus Terminal
816 Aurora Boulevard corner P. Bernardo St., Cubao Quezon City, Metro Manila
How to get to Partas bus terminal: it's accessible via MRT Cubao station or any jeep from manila with signboard Cubao or Project 4

map of Partas bus terminal in Cubao (it's on Aurora Avenue near Arayat Market)

Partas Transit Bus Destinations
Laoag in Ilocos Norte Province, Vigan in Ilocos Sur Province, Baguio in Benguet Province

Telephone Number: +63.2.727.8278 (PARTAS8)

Partas bus Cubao Terminal
Partas trip schedules:


Partas Bus Pasay terminal
Reservations: +63.2.725.7303; +63.2.725.1740; +63.2.725.1756

map Partas Bus station on EDSA Pasay (Malibay is at the corner of EDSA (northbound) and Tramo just near the Tramo flyover

Partas Transit Pasay bus trip schedule

Pasay to Vigan 7pm and 9pm
Pasay to Laoag 6pm and 8pm

Map of Partas Cubao Bus Terminal: here
Map of Partas Pasay Bus Terminal: here

Please call Partas contact number (no information on Partas official website) for promos, current bus fares, freight/waybill, chartered bus rates, ticket reservations
or ticket prices.

Related posts:
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft corner Buendia
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda
Araneta Cubao Bus Terminal

Labels: Buses, Public Transportation

The town of Loboc, famous for the Loboc River Cruise and the Loboc Boys Choir, also is home to the Church of San Pedro, the second oldest church in Bohol. Original structure was built in 1602, burned, and a stronger one built in place 1638.

The bell tower of Loboc Church is located a few meters from the church, quite similar to the earthquake baroque architecture of Ilocos churches.

Update: This old stone church was badly damaged by the earthquake of October 15, 2013

St. Peter Church, Loboc, Bohol:



How to get to Loboc, Bohol:
jeepneys with signboard Loboc are available in Tagbilaran near the cathedral. travel time is about 30 minutes. How far? Loboc is about 21 kilometers from Tagbilaran

no information yet on Sunday mass schedules (English), contact numbers and telephone numbers

Parish of St. Peter, Loboc, Bohol
San Pedro Church, Loboc Church

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Churches

Tutubi recently looked for information on how to get to Taguig City Hall but surprisingly found none. He got there using Open Street Map and shuttle service rides from Market! Market! in Bonifacion Global City.

Here's the information he's imparting to you if you're looking to apply for business permits in Taguig City Hall, marriage licenses, birth certificates, NBI/police clearance, or claim drivers licenses due to traffic violation tickets.

How to Get to Taguig City Hall:

Map of Taguig City Hall here via OpenStreetMap.

How to Commute to Taguig City Hall

From Pateros: ride a jeepney with signboard with Bicutan or B. Bayan

From MRT Ayala Avenue Station (Makati): take a The Fort Bus to Market! Market! then take the FX/GTExpress going to Taguig City Hall via Signal Village

From MRT Guadalupe Station (Makati): ride a jeepney to Market! Market near Jollibee and McDonalds (minimum fare currently P8) then ride the shuttle service to Taguig City Hall

From Pasig City, either jeepneys from Pasig- Palengke or Pasig Simbahan going to Taguig via Pateros pass by Taguig City Hall

Driving Directions to Taguig City Hall:

The best route to Taguig City Hall is via C5 where you take C5-Palar Service road (ilalim) on Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (G-5) then take Levi B. Mariano Avenue
then right to Gen Luna until you see Taguig City Hall to your right after passing by Puregold Taguig. If you're from SLEX, you can get to C5-Palar Service road when
you see the Petron Diego Silang gas station then right to Levi B. Mariano Avenue; if you're from the north (e.g. Quezon City), you take the service road after passing by the overpass of McKinley Hill.

notes:
Some time ago, when you you pay Taguig traffic violation ticket (at The Fort Bonifacio Global City, for example) or get your confiscated drivers license, you proceed to Tauig Hall of Justice in Upper Bicutan near PUP Taguig campus and and in front of Camp Bagong Diwa.



How to get to The Fort, How to Get to McKinley Hill, How to get to Fort Bonifacio, How to get to Bonifacio Global City, How to Get to Libingan ng mga Bayani, How to get to American Cemetery, How to get to Heritage Park, taguig city hall website, how to get to global city taguig, taguig city hall google map, taguig city hall contact number

Labels: Taguig City

Pancit Batil Patung (or batil patong) is Tuguegarao’s version of stir fried noodles topped with a fried egg topping (the patung or patong) and served with a siding of egg drop soup (called batil) plus soy sauce, spicy vinegar, and lots of raw onions.

G&B's version of Pancit Batil Patong (Solano, Nueva Vizcaya)

Rapsatodits' version of Pancit Batil Patung (take out version thus it still has no sauce and the spices mixed with it

the unique texture of the noodles and the siding and raw spices make this noodle dish unique from other regional pancit recipe specialties.

If you're looking for pancit batil patong in Manila, there's Rapsatodits restaurant on Roosevelt avenue near Frisco (between Sto. Nino St and M.H. del Pilar in front of EastWest Bank) for only P60/order good for 2-3 persons already unless you have a big tummy. there's also the special order for P80 with lots of toppings but Tutubi has yet to try it.

where is the best pancit batil patong recipe available? Tuguegaran, Cagayan? Kalinga?
or nearby places?

if you know of other places in metro manila serving this dish, please drop a note :P

you may be looking for:
pancit batil patung recipe, pansit batil patong recipe. batil patung in quezon city
pancit batil patung isabela, best pancit batil patung tuguegarao,

Labels: Filipino Cuisine, Filipino Food, Pancit

This is the information of devoted Catholics looking for images, statues of San Pedro Calungsod in Paete, Laguna (Tutubi's hometown).

The Society of Jesus (SJ), commonly known as Jesuits commissioned Paete master wood carver Justino Cagayat, Jr. (Paloy) to carve the official statue of Pedro Calungsod for his canonization.

The price of Pedro Calungsod statues is mostly based on length measurements and material used and ranges from eight inches (worth PhP350.00) to four-feet tall (cost of PhP4,000.00), made of either resin or wood.

Resin images and statues are cheaper since they're made from moulds unlike wood and also if they're natural wood finish, varnish or colored paint complete with encarna false hair, eyes, eyebrows and eye lashes.

Paloy Cagayat's wood carving shop is on J.V. Quesada St, the main road of Paete leading to the town plaza and Paete Church where most wood carving shops, souvenir stores and handcrafts retailers are. You can inquire there to look for wholesale contacts and prices. religious images in Tayuman, Manila and Quiapo are usually made in Paete if not from Betis Guagua Pampanga.

will post contact details, telephone numbers, email address and official websites of wood carvers and wood carving shops once available.

San Pedro Calugsod is the second Filipino saint, after San Lorenzo Ruiz

you may be looking for:
wood carving paete prices, how much statue of san pedro calungsod, from where is the hometown of pedro calungsod, visayas martyr, miracles, pedrocito, pedrosito

Labels: Paete

Puto, recipe whose main ingredient is rice (what else) and sugar and cooked by steaming, has many variants including the simple puto calasiao (pangasinan), puto polo (of valenzuela), puto binan (laguna) and the puto of marikina (origin related to polo).

Puto Manapla though is quite similar to the sayongsong of Surigao where the aroma and flavor of banana leaves is evident.

Puto Manapla of Negros Occidental:



question: why is puto and dinuguan always paired together?

Labels: Negros Occidental, Pasalubong

For years we've been hearing about planned construction of roads and rail lines and other means to effect faster travel in the Philippines but turned out to be mere "drawings" like for example that uber-expensive and corruption-ridden NorthRail (another "legacy" of the "great" Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) and super-delayed SLEx-NLEx road connectors (SMC-led Skyway and MVP-led PNR tracks) and the that was recently approved but will have to wait for 2016 the soonest.

The Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway undoubtedly improved travel time up north to Baguio and Subic but the TPLEx will further reduce the travel time forward from Tarlac as it connects to SCTEx to Pangasinan and Rosario, La Union, just before you either choose Kennon Road or Marcos Highway going up Baguio City

As of the moment we still can't find the definitive TPLEx map but thrice Tutubi found road construction near the end of SCTEx and a flyover near the Tarlac -Cabanatuan Road (an detour Tutubi loves to take just to avoid traffic of Tarlac and pass by Victoria, Paniqui and Pura towns).

Here's a picture of a flyover construction taken about three months ago that will give you hope that TPLEx is really being constructed and not another grand "drawing"


according to the DPWH website:

"Project Description :

88.58 kilometer, 2-lane expressway from Tarlac City, Tarlac to Rosario, La Union (Phase I)
Project Components:
main expressway
2 viaducts
8 interchanges
2 central toll plaza
1 toll operations center building
12 bridges
63 underpasses
Phase II will be widening to 4 lanes when Phase I capacity reaches 25,000 vehicles per day"

TPLEx map from DPWH website showing the route map and major towns, cities and intersections

Imagine the reduction of travel time from Manila to Baguio from 6 hours to about 3.5 hours as you don't have to pass by the traffic-prone and tricycle-laden MacArthur Highway. Ilocos Region is also possible to be driven by Tutubi when this opens to the public.

Will update this post then Tutubi gets hold of a TPLEx map and probably TPLEx toll fees and rates, toll gates and exits once finished.

TARGET COMPLETION of TPLEx Phase 1 in in May 2013.

Related Post:
SCTEx Map/Toll Fee

Labels: Roads and Highways

Here in the Philippines, no part of the chicken goes to waste, there's Grilled Chicken Feet, grilled chicken head (ulo), grilled chicken blood (betamax), grilled chicken intestines (isaw) among others.


A fairly common street food in Paete, Laguna and in other parts of the Philippines (e.g. Davao) but not common in Manila, grilled bato-bato is technically chicken spleen, a non-vital organ in vertebrates that functions like a blood filter. Spleen is connected to the liver and heart of chicken but never sold separately in the metro from the two.

Grilled Chicken Spleen:


So probably now you know that these grilled "balls" are now? Best served with spicy sauce and hot off the grill!

Labels: Street Food

Back in the early days of per minute mobile phone call charges, Tutubi would use up a PhP300.00 call card in just one call, and at about PhP7.50/minute, and it's still not enough. He would call at least twice a week.

Then came Sun Cellular with its unlimited call and text per month at a monthly cost just about the cost of his one call card/call. Sun Cellular's unlimited-call service shaved off a huge chunk of Tutubi's "OpEx" when he got his first Sun Cellular prepaid number.

A few months later Tutubi decided to apply for a postpaid line at Sun Cellular, from being a prepaid user, to avoid inconvenience of topping up as it's become a regular routine. He specifically applied for a special number with his name on it (using the old 4x3 keypad), free of charge, and still maintains it up to this day.

In a few months, Tutubi promoted his Sun Cellular postpaid as his primary line for business as he noticed many of his contacts also prefer to talk freely sans worries of high phone bills or used up load. He relegated his prepaid "other network" number as his personal, backup number.

Several additions were made to Sun Cellular over the years, with their 3G service, Tutubi availed of the USB modem dongle then renewed it after two years lock-in period with a pocket wi-fi router. Sun Broadband has been his only Internet provider, he disconnected his landline-based DSL, and used Sun Broadband for his blogging activities and other Internet connection needs even when he's on the road: driving or traveling.

Sun postpaid bundled together with his Sun Broadband cost only PhP1249.00 per month, his main phone and Internet provider.

He also noticed that signal coverage is now wider, even with 3G access which used to be limited to Metro Manila, compared to its early years. Dropped call rates and call completion rate have also improved vastly and now with its acquisition by Smart, expects it to gain improvements in all fronts.

For Tutubi, a certified "sun worshipper" for years, Sun Cellular is one of Tutubi his good choices.

BackpackingPhilippines.com, the blog, for the last four years, is actually powered by Sun Cellular!


Note: This is an advertorial

Labels: Advertorials

As many of you who've been to Bohol most likely experienced the popular Loboc River Cruise where tourists dined on a catamaran cruising on the pristine Loboc River while serenaded with singers belting out pop to country to sometimes strange repertoire.

This one though takes tourists on a cruise along the same river at night where you'll see the (in)famous Loboc Bridge, other bridges, houses, buildings, trees and the waterfalls lit up with colorful lights-- with the cool evening breeze setting the romantic mood over dinner.

Loboc River Night Cruise

the quay where the Loboc River ends and starts is just near the Loboc Tourism complex

coconut trees using backlight of multiple, alternating colors

the quay in symmetry with a serene water of Loboc River as some sort of reflecting pool


the (in)famous Loboc Bridge suddenly became a multi-million peso lighting fixture

you'll be serenaded with a rondalla in the only stop-over with ladies and kids

Loboc River Night Cruise:
rates: PhP350.00/person inclusive of buffet dinner and boat ride

How to get to Loboc from Tagbilaran, Bohol:
You can ride a jeepney near Tagbilaran Cathedral to take you there directly. you can only book your Loboc River Cruise tours with one of the accredited Loboc boat tour operators


Related Bohol Posts:
Loay River Cruise
Anda White Beach
Bohol Car/Van Rental Rates
Bohol Itinerary

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Rivers

Looking for nice, cheap place to stay in Banaue? Look no further, herewith is a list of accommodations in Banaue (hotels, inns, lodges, pension houses) that you can inquire from to reserve a place to stay, some with a view of Banaue Rice Terraces

Banaue Accommodations: Hotels, Inns, Lodges, Pension Houses:
See also How to Get to Banaue

Banaue Hotel & Youth Hostel
Telephone Number: +63.2.524.2513; +63.2.524.2495
Remarks: Government-owned and operated. Facilities: restaurant, swimming pool, large parking lot, cultural presentations. With backpacker accommodations (dormitory type rooms) at budget prices

Batad Pension and Restaurant
Mobile: +63.921.737.1745

Cristina Inn
Telephone Number: +63.906.977.3771

Fairview Inn
Telephone Number: +63.919.424.8201
Email Address: dictrebolledo@yahoo.com.ph
Remarks: near Banaue Hotel and the post office

Foreigner's Inn

Greenview Lodge
Telephone Number: +63.74.386.4021; +63.920.540.4225

Halfway Lodge
Telephone Number: +63.74.386.4082; +63.919.614.2266
Remarks: restaurant with a view of Banaue Rice Terraces

Hillside Inn and Restaurant
Telephone Number: +63.919.379.9599; +63.905.769.9796

Las Vegas Restaurant and Lodge
Room rates: PhP250.00/person
Remarks: hostels with kitchen for guests who wish to cook their own food; free wi-fi Internet at the restaurant/bar and nightlife

Native Village Inn

People's Lodge
Telephone Number: +63.74.386.4014; +63.919.532.5605
Remarks: near the market and Banaue Tourism office

Ramon's Homestay (Batad)
Contact Number: +63.927.678.3932; +63.918.243.9827
Remarks: has learning and cultural center about Ifugao life

Rita's Mount View Inn and Restaurant
Telephone Number: +63.910.842.3076

Samson's Homestay.
Remarks: Inside the Batad Village

Sanafe Lodge
Room Rate: PhP600.00 for single rooms
Remarks: restaurant with a view of Banaue Rice Terraces

Spring Village
Telephone Number: +63.916.927.9623
Remarks: large parking area

Simon's Inn
Telephone Number: +63.919.261.9566

Stairway Restaurant and Lodge
Remarks: restaurant with a view of Banaue Rice Terraces

Uyami’s Green View Lodge

Waterfall Side Inn

Tutubi is not in any way affiliated with any of these Banaue accommodations. Please contact the banaue hotel directly through published contact numbers, email address or official websites for inquiries, reservations, group tours, bookings, room rates, promos and cultural show schedules. You may contact Batad Tourist Information office for more information and contact persons at telephone number +63.905.397.2317

You can also leave comments about the places or give updates/reviews when available

*with thanks to R (who went to banaue recently) for providing the list (hope you send the pictures too :)

Related Posts on Banaue, Ifugao:
Banaue Rice Terraces on Peso Bill
Sagada Map, Travel guide
How to Get to Banaue
Bontoc Museum

banaue hotels, where to stay in batad, hotel accommodations in banaue rice terraces, banaue hotel with a view, banaue lodge, banaue pension house, banaue inn, backpacker accommodations in banaue, cheap banaue hotel, banaue hotel room rates, place to stay in banaue for family, 3d/2n, 2d/1n,

Labels: Accommodations, Banaue, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ifugao