Balay Negrense

It is a century-old house in Silay City owned by Victor Fernandez Gaston, the eldest son of a prominent sugar baron Yves Leopold Germain Gaston and Prudencia Fernandez. It was built between 1897 and 1901, abandoned in the mid-1970s, repaired by the government, and inaugurated on October 6, 1990. Balay Negrense is just one of the century-old houses along Cinco de Noviembre Street, Silay City. This street is remarkable because of the historical value that transpires to the people. Its name is a Hiligaynon phrase; Negrense refers to the people living in the province of Negros and Balay or a House.

Kawa Hot Bath, Antique

It is an old style of warm bath that uses a “Kawa” or a gigantic wok that serves as a bathtub. Instead of a heater, wood is used to create a fire to heat up the water and then sprinkled with ornamental and medicinal plants for a relaxing experience and fairer skin. La Escapo Mountain Resort is the perfect spot to experience this because of its geographical location.  Kawa Hot Bath is prominent and one of the must-tried in Antique. Most mountain resorts offering this service are situated in Tuno, Municipality of Tibiao, 30 to 40 minutes travel from Culasi, Antique. Not only that, extreme water tubing can also be tried.

Manggahan Festival, Guimaras

Guimaras is one of the small island provinces in the Philippines but with a huge and vibrant culture, breathtaking tourist attractions, and world-class mangoes. Having said that, the province created Manggahan Festival every May to showcase their gift. In this presentation, Binagtong, which means anything that is wrapped by a katsa or patadyong, will be featured to show its usefulness as an accessory to export mangoes and other products by using this piece of cloth in the hands, shoulder or head. To be included in the presentation are the unique and exciting countryside experiences for tourists  – from agri eco-adventure parks to bike circuits, historical sites, religious events and other cultural activities. Info from Aliwan Fiesta Website.

Apo Whang-Od Tattoo

A lady named Apo Whang Od (locals pronounced it as Fang Od) is 103 years old and she's the oldest mambabatok from the Butbut tribe in Buscalan, Kalinga, Philippines. The tattoos on her skin prove how powerful she was during her time.

I was star struck when I met Apo Whang Od

In this generation, most people think a tattoo has a negative connotation. It can even affect your career, regardless of the talent and education you may have. My eagerness to get inked started in October 2014 at the Philippine National Museum when I saw a portrait of an old lady with tribal tattoos all over her body. In National Geographic, several documentaries featured how significant tattoos and pierces were, especially for people in ancient times. Tattoos and pierces prove a tribe recognizes a person’s accomplishment, mostly in battles. There are several ways of tattooing worldwide, depending on their geographical feature and culture. In the Northern part of the Philippines, in Buscalan, Kalinga, they call it Batok. It is an ancient/tribal form of marking (tattooing) a warrior after successful combat or ladies who brought pride to the tribe.

Mt Tabayoc

An amazing view on the summit of Mt. Tabayoc.

One of the most prominent mountains in Luzon is Mt. Tabayoc because it is the second highest mountain in Luzon (2842 MASL) and is one of the most preserved virgin forests in the Philippines, with a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. Your hiking experience will definitely be rewarded with the breathtaking beauty of the sea of clouds, an artistic view of the surrounding terraces, cool weather, a relaxing green ambience, and a life-changing tranquillity by the lake. Also, there are a lot of mouth-watering low-cost and fresh-harvest vegetables in the area.

Mt. Tenglawan

Among the Bakun Trio mountains, Mt. Tenglawan is the most difficult to hike because of its long terrain and assault, although its trail class and technicalities can be placed to a moderate level. Also, this mountain has an amazing shape from afar. Based on how it looks and its shape, this giant can be compared to Mt. Guiting-guiting in Romblon.

Ilagan Japanese Tunnel

This is a war tunnel used by the Japanese government and military officials as a defense, prison, garrison, and headquarters. It's a man-made tunnel created by the locals through forced labor. This tunnel is one of the tourist destinations situated in Ilagan City, Isabela. Aside from the historical tunnel, the Giant Butaka is an attraction that welcomes everyone who passes by the highway.

Lussok Crystal Cave

Lussok Cave is one of the prides of Apayao and the Cordillera region. This cave is composed of four chambers, with artistic limestone formations. Not only that, it offers a remarkable caving experience because of the spectacular sceneries that can only be seen in the small caverns. Also, did you know that the countless bats residing inside produces the most expensive fertilizer called "guano?" With our Lussok cave experience, I learned that motto: "kapag ang pumatak sayo malamig, that's Holy water, but if it's warm, that's holy sh_t."

National Museum of the Filipino People

I have been dreaming of visiting the Philippine National Museum since high school, but in 2015, that dream came into reality as they offered free admission for the whole month of October. I spent the whole day inside these historical buildings, from the Marikina Shoe Museum to the Museum of the Filipino People building.