Hall Of Shame - Con-Ass Kissers

As an additional information, as provided for by Philippine Star columnist Federico Pascual, Jr. published last June 9, 2009 is the list of the solons who voted for HB1109 - ConAss.

Please check your location and find out if your respected solons are in the list. We know how to get back at them come 2010.

Hall Of Shame Con-Ass Kissers !!!

ABANTE, Bienvenido M., Manila; ABLAN, Roque R. Jr., Ilocos Norte; AGBAYANI, Victor Aguedo E., Pangasinan; AGYAO, Manuel S., Kalinga; ALBANO, Rodolfo T. (III), Isabela; ALFELOR, Felix R. Jr., Camarines Sur; ALMARIO, Thelma Z., Davao Or.; ALVAREZ, Antonio C., Palawan; ALVAREZ, Genaro Rafael M. Jr., Negros Occ.; AMANTE, Edelmiro A., Agusan del Norte;

AMATONG, Rommel C., Compostela Valley; ANGPING, Maria Zenaida B., Manila; ANTONINO, Rodolfo W., Nueva Ecija; APOSTOL, Trinidad G., Leyte; AQUINO, Jose S. (II), Agusan del Norte; ARAGO, Maria Evita R., Laguna; ARBISON, Munir M., Sulu; ARENAS, Ma. Rachel J., Pangasinan;

ARROYO, Diosdado M., Camarines Sur; ARROYO, Ignacio T., Negros Occ.; ARROYO, Juan Miguel M., Pampanga; BAGATSING, Amado S., Manila; BALINDONG, Pangalian M., Lanao del Sur; BARZAGA, Elpidio F. Jr., Cavite; BAUTISTA, Franklin P., Davao del Sur; BELMONTE, Vicente F. Jr., Lanao del Norte; BICHARA, Al Francis C., Albay; BIRON, Ferjenel G., Iloilo; BONDOC, Anna York P., Pampanga; BONOAN-DAVID, Ma. Theresa B., Manila;

BRAVO, Narciso R. Jr., Masbate; BRIONES, Nicanor M., AGAP Party List; BUHAIN, Eileen Ermita, Batangas; BULUT, Elias C. Jr., Apayao; CAGAS, Marc Douglas C. (IV), Davao del Sur; CAJAYON, Mary Mitzi L.; CAJES, Roberto C., Bohol; CARI, Carmen L., Leyte; CASTRO, Fredenil H., Capiz; CELESTE, Arthur F., Pangasinan;

CERILLES, Antonio H., Zamboanga del Sur; CHATTO, Edgardo M., Bohol; CHONG, Glenn A., Biliran; CHUNGALAO, Solomon R., Ifugao; CLARETE, Marina P., Misamis Occ.; CODILLA, Eufrocino M. Sr., Leyte; COJUANGCO, Mark O., Pangasinan; COQUILLA, Teodulo M., Eastern Samar; CRISOLOGO, Vincent P., Quezon City; CUA, Junie E., Quirino;

CUENCO, Antonio V., Cebu City; DANGWA, Samuel M., Benguet; DATUMANONG, Simeon A., Maguindanao; DAYANGHIRANG, Nelson L., Davao Or.; DAZA, Nanette C., Quezon City; DAZA, Paul R., Northern Samar; DE GUZMAN, Del R., Marikina City; DEFENSOR, Arthur D. Sr., Iloilo; DEFENSOR, Matias V. Jr., Quezon City; DEL MAR, Raul V., Cebu City;

DIASNES, Carlo Oliver D., Batanes; DIMAPORO, Abdullah D., Lanao del Norte; DOMOGAN, Mauricio G., Baguio; DUAVIT, Michael John R, Rizal; DUENAS, Henry M. Jr., Taguig; DUMARPA, Faysah Omaira M., Lanao del Sur; DUMPIT, Thomas L. Jr., La Union; DURANO, Ramon H. (IV), Cebu; ECLEO, Glenda B., Dinagat Islands; EMANO, Yevgeny Vincente B., Misamis Or.;

ENVERGA, Wilfrido Mark M., Quezon; ESTRELLA, Conrado M. (III), Pangasinan; ESTRELLA, Robert Raymundo M., ABONO Party List; FERRER, Jeffrey P., Negros Occ.; GARAY, Florencio C., Surigao del Sur; GARCIA, Albert S., Bataan; GARCIA, Pablo John F., Cebu; GARCIA, Pablo P., Cebu; GARCIA, Vincent J., Davao City; GARIN, Janette L., Iloilo;

GATCHALIAN, Rexlon T., Valenzuela City; GATLABAYAN, Angelito C., Antipolo City; GO, Arnulfo F., Sultan Kudarat; GONZALES, Aurelio D. Jr.; Pampanga; GONZALES, Raul T. Jr., Iloilo City; GULLAS, Eduardo R., Cebu; GUNIGUNDO, Magtanggol T., Valenzuela City; HOFER, Dulce Ann K., Zamboanga Sibugay; JAAFAR, Nur G., Tawi-Tawi; JALA, Adam Relson L., Bohol;

JALOSJOS, Cesar G., Zamboanga del Norte; JALOSJOS-CARREON, Cecilia G., Zamboanga del Norte; JIKIRI, Yusop H., Sulu; KHO, Antonio T., Masbate: LABADLABAD, Rosendo S., Zamboanga del Norte; LACSON, Jose Carlos (V), Negros Occ.; LAGDAMEO, Antonio F. Jr., Davao del Norte; LAPUS, Jeci A., Tarlac; LAZATIN, Carmelo F., Pampanga; LIM, Reno G., Albay;

LOPEZ, Jaime C., Manila; MADRONA, Eleandro Jesus F., Romblon; MAGSAYSAY, Maria Milagros H., Zambales; MALAPITAN, Oscar G., Caloocan City; MAMBA, Manuel N., Cagayan; MANGUDADATU, Datu Pax S., Sultan Kudarat; MARANON, Alfredo D. (III), Negros Occ.; MATUGAS, Francisco T., Surigao del Norte; MENDOZA, Mark Leandro L., Batangas; MERCADO, Roger G., Southern Leyte;

MIRAFLORES, Florencio T., Aklan; NAVA, Joaquin Carlos Rahman A., Guimaras; NICOLAS, Reylina G., Bulacan; NOGRALES, Prospero C., Davao City; OLAÑO, Arrel R., Davao del Norte; ONG, Emil L., Northern Samar; ORTEGA, Victor Francisco C., La Union; PABLO, Ernesto C., APEC Party List; PANCHO, Pedro M., Bulacan; PANCRUDO, Candido P. Jr., Bukidnon;

PICHAY, Philip A., Surigao del Sur; PIÑOL, Bernardo F. Jr., North Cotabato; PUNO, Roberto V., Antipolo City; RAMIRO, Herminia M., Misamis Occ.; REMULLA, Jesus Crispin C., Cavite; REYES, Carmencita O., Marinduque; REYES, Victoria H., Batangas; ROBES, Arturo B., San Jose del Monte City; RODRIGUEZ-ZALDARRIAGA, Adelina, Rizal; ROMAN, Herminia B., Bataan;

ROMARATE, Guillermo A. Jr., Surigao del Norte; ROMUALDEZ, Ferdinand Martin G., Leyte; ROMUALDO, Pedro, Camiguin; ROMULO, Roman T., Pasig City; ROXAS, Jose Antonio F., Pasay City; SALIMBANGON, Benhur, Cebu; SALVACION, Andres D. Jr., Leyte; SAN LUIS, Edgar S., Laguna; SANDOVAL, Alvin S., Malabon-Navotas; SANTIAGO, Joseph A., Catanduanes;

SANTIAGO, Narciso D. (III), ARC Party List; SEACHON-LANETE, Rizalina L., Masbate; SEARES-LUNA, Cecilia M., Abra; SILVERIO, Lorna C., Bulacan; SINGSON, Eric D., Ilocos Sur; SINGSON, Ronald V., Ilocos Sur; SOLIS, Jose G., Sorsogon; SOON-RUIZ, Nerissa Corazon, Cebu; SUAREZ, Danilo E., Quezon; SUSANO, Mary Ann L., Quezon City;

SY-ALVARADO, Ma. Victoria R., Bulacan; SYJUCO, Judy J., Iloilo; TALIÑO-MENDOZA, Emmylou J., North Cotabato; TAN, Sharee Ann T., Western Samar; TEODORO, Marcelino R., Marikina City; TEODORO, Monica Louise Prieto, Tarlac; TEVES, Pryde Henry A., Negros Or.; TUPAS, Neil C. Jr., Iloilo; UNGAB, Isidro T., Davao City; UY, Edwin C., Isabela;

UY, Reynaldo S., Western Samar; UY, Rolando A., Cagayan de Oro City; VALDEZ, Edgar L., APEC Party List; VALENCIA, Rodolfo G., Or. Mindoro; VARGAS, Florencio L., Cagayan; VILLAFUERTE, Luis R., Camarines Sur; VILLAROSA, Ma. Amelita C., Occ. Mindoro; VIOLAGO, Joseph Gilbert F., Nueva Ecija; YAP, Jose V., Tarlac; YU, Victor J., Zamboanga del Sur; ZAMORA, Manuel E., Compostela Valley; and ZIALCITA, Eduardo C., Parañaque.

Choi Says No To Con-Ass !@#$#@@

Have you no Shame?

To the Members of the House who sponsored HR 1109

We write this letter in the knowledge that within our inalienable right to free speech, we have the right to condemn, to dissent, and to express. We believe that dissent and disagreement - as well as anger - is warranted for the events of June 2, 2009, where 170 Representatives sponsored and passed a ruthless, rude, and repugnant resolution that fuels our rage.

On that night, you held a marathon session to pass House Resolution 1109. The House majority have passed the resolution to set up a constituent assembly to open up the Constitution to changes that endanger Philippine sovereignty, and the rights and liberties, granted to us in this country. The possibility of “Gloria Forever” haunted a sleeping nation. The House overstepped its bounds in a claim to power, and to usurp the present decay of political institutions of this nation.

The resolution was rammed through, railroaded, and passed without regard to objection and without respect to the Constitution. More than an agenda of “Gloria Forever,” it was a slap in the face to the ideals that this nation stands for: enshrined not only in the Constitution, but in the values and mores of Filipino society. It was a black eye to democracy, to prudence, and to dialogue.

An embarrassment, a farce, and a shame. A derisive and deliberate attempt to subvert the laws of the land: the very Constitution that you, members of the House, swore to protect when you assumed office.

The Constitution is a defining moment in history. It is the height of creating a politics of freedom, identity, and national strength, created and ratified on the basis that one’s country is not designed and built on whims, but that of foresight and the common good. It sets a precedent for justice and fairness, and is the building block of democracy in free nations.

June 2, 2009 was a defining moment in history. It is the height of a politics of ignominy, imprudence, and insolence; the approval of a shameless and ambiguously-worded resolution that threatens the very existence of this country’s democracy. One that sets a precedent for injustice, unfairness, and opens the doors for corrupting, unchecked power. You made a grip on the very throat of this country’s democracy, and choked it.

Shameless. That resolution will be tested in the Courts, and perhaps maybe even struck out of the record one day. Forgotten, perhaps, but it should stand - and it will stand - as a testament to shame.

Honorable Representatives, the wisdom of amending the Constitution is not lost on anyone, and it certainly is not lost on us. Yet without the benefit of prudent dialogue and evaluation, the wisdom of Constitutional amendments - or Charter Change - must be questioned. When the passage of a resolution that endangers democracy is made possible because of the maneuvering of the majority, the intentions and effects of moves to amend the Constitution must be questioned. If the integral document of a nation is going to be altered by people of questionable integrity, Constitutional amendments and Charter Change are questionable.

The time for amending and changing the Constitution will come. Yet that time is not now, and that process... not this way, ladies and gentlemen. Not this way. Not through a farce, a sham, and an embarrassment.

In a free country, the citizens are - and should - be open to debate. Yet our arguments and sides should always be framed by what is truthful, just, and fair. It is not sufficient or adequate to railroad the passage of this resolution if the rush and haste cannot be justified. In a free country, in a democracy, the will of the majority will always be framed by the will of the minority. There is a right time and a right place for the changes to take place knowing that those who perpetuate these changes are beyond doubt, beyond question, and have the integrity needed to challenge and amend a very integral document.

This is the spirit of consensus. It is something that is not achieved when you railroad a bill, a law, or a resolution.

We ask: have you no shame?

Have you no shame that on that one day, you shot democracy dead? By railroading a questionable resolution, you railroaded a most questionable future for our country. Have you no shame to turn deaf ears to voices of dissent and disagreement, but welcome with open arms those who nod in agreement? You disrespected the very foundations of what this country stands for.

Have you no shame or sense of accountability to the Filipino people? You did not listen to the righteous indignation of the many Filipinos who have called you out on your do-what-it-takes attitude to cling to power. You railroaded Constitutional change, yet did not exercise the same sense of urgency for reproductive health and agrarian reform and poverty alleviation programs. Have you no shame in the power you throw off the balance? Members of the House, show us - show the Filipino people - your shame.

The absence of integrity in the House of Representatives came to light on the 11th hour of June 2, 2009. The sworn protectors of the Philippine Constitution - those who swore upon that document when they assumed office - are now those who seek to subvert it and silence all opposition. It was in railroading the passage of an ill-willed resolution, dismissing dissent, and playing numbers games that the possibility of "Gloria Forever" becomes a haunting specter. More than “Gloria Forever,” the railroading and ramming through of HR 1109 is a clear indication that the public interest is secondary to personal political interests, or at the very least, ill-defined ones.

More than “Gloria Forever,” more than the compromising of sovereign territory, and more than technical squabbling on the form of government we’ll have, the railroading of HR 1109 is an exercise of shame. It is what politics in this country has degenerated into: the tyranny of deceit, the rule of disrespect, the noise of impunity, and the triumph of ignominy. What you did was a clear violation of the dignity of this nation. What you did was to kill democracy. We refuse to be represented by those who demonstrate that kind of politics.

A sham, ladies and gentlemen. You have no shame.

With much respectful indignation, we respectfully demand that you tender your resignation letters, or voluntarily leave office for what you have done to the people and their Constitution. The night of June 2, 2009 will forever be inscribed in the annals of this country’s history as the day you stopped being august and honorable. Through that symbolic gesture, may your shame be damned.

Thank you for your patience, your time, and thank you in advance for your shame.

Please do your part and post this to as many blogs as you can, only thru vigilance can we fight this tyrant. As the shirt says " Con-Ass, Sinong INA MO? "

Cebohol 09 - Summer's Last Hurrah IV

Day 4 - Back to Manila or so we thought...


It was an exhausting adventure we had for the past few days, and as what they say "some good things never last". We had booked a flight back to Manila via Zest Air scheduled for 11am, me and the wife got up early to catch a last glimpse of that Panglao sunrise and maybe make an early morning hop to Bohol Beach Club to have some last minute phot ops. Got some shots of the sunrise though there's some clouds blocking it. We also strolled along the shore to check out BBC, which is one of the premiere resorts in Bohol. It was quite early so the guard kinda dozed off in his chair and we made a go for it :-). We got some photo ops of their beach with that trademark huts in view. We decided to head back to the resort for the kids may already be awake at that time, I promised they could make a quick dip in the pool before we pack up and head off to the airport. They would also want to say goodbyes to their new friends who I think would be going back the day after we left.


A pleasant surprise

We planned to have breakfast at the DBR I Grill, we went there and to our dismay says they won't be open until 8am. So I thought we could just make do with some bread and cup noodles for the meantime. Then just as we were about to go back a vendor told us if we would like to get some breakfast delivered to us, I ask how much and he told me it won't be that high coz its outside the resort. He gave us the number to text and ask what the current menu is. She text back and gave us a breakfast line-up for the day. We decided on 6 fried rice, 4 fried eggs and 2 "bistiks" (beef mind you). And our bill? P168 only!!! Wow the food is great, the serving is generous, plus they would also allow you to borrow spoon/fork/plates as well just need to deposit P100.

How it works? You text Ate Yayeng (0926-7036108) ask for the menu (breakfast/lunch/dinner). Food isn't allowed in the resort's resto but you could always bring in food in your rooms. They would deliver the food at the main gate(the guards actually encourage this kind of set-up) you just have to fetch it there, an additional P20 is added for the habal-habal ride. You text them back once your finished to get the deposit from the utensils,etc. Wish I could have known this much earlier...

To the Airport

Mang Gerry sent a text that he will meet us at the front lobby by 9am. After we checked out, the van was already waiting for us, we loaded our stuff and we're headed to the airport. Mang Gerry informed us that a new airport is already on the works for Bohol and it would be located in Panglao, one could notice the road widening projects on-going in the island itself. I asked him if we could make a short stop to Angel's Basket, a souvenir store with the lowest price in native Boholano delicacies like Peanut Kisses, etc.

We reached the airport shortly, people were already lining up to do their check-in but to everyone's dismay the Zest Air booth shows status as DELAYED...hey were used to it especially since it a budget airline, but the flight is at 5pm now or a 6 hour delay (grrr...that's just crazy but later on I would find out that it would still be much crazier...) I inquired and what they say is that there' some servicing being done in Manila (which I don't buy really, plane could actually be in another location flying a different route), but hey nothing we can do about it, lunchtime is fast approaching and the kids are getting weary and hungry at the same time. They told us to be back by 3pm. Heard about another mall in Tagbilaran called Island City Mall, told the gang that's where we should kill the time and have lunch.

Island City Mall

We took a tricycle ride to ICM and arrived after about 10 minutes. The mall looks like any SM actually, from the architecture, floor layout, department store and food court at the basement level. We looked at some items here and there, and got to buy some cheap Bohol shirts for kids for additional pasalubongs to my nieces. We went to the basement foodcourt to see what our lunch would be and decided to try out Jo's Inato. Its actually a popular joint in Bohol, they served chicken inato which is like inasal in Bacolod. We tried their barbecue and inato, simply good. And to top it off we got to try their buko halo-halo (halo-halo served in a young coconut half-shell topped with ube ice cream, yummmeee!!!). After that great lunch, we still have about 2 hours and a half to kill, then my lovely daughter suggested to watch a movie(yes, there's also 4 movie houses in the mall), we got to watch that Sharon-AiAi movie BFF. Leave it to my kids on what to do during idle time(darn , Zest Air should reimburse me with all of this additonal expenses!!!). After the movie its just about the right time to head on back to the airport. So we head on back to the airport, and seated in the passenger's lounge area which is filled to the brim literally with many disgruntled,dismayed and impatient passengers. We waited as the minutes grew to hours and my wife was joking about maybe the flight is already cancelled. I gave her a little dagger look and after about 10 seconds of her mumbling, the unthinkable has happened...the flight is cancelled due to some limitation on the runway or something. I don't really care to listen to the announcement but was zooming to the Zest Air booth to inquire what happened. They were so apologetic as expected(who woudln't be?) and tried to explain the problem at hand. But of course, tension was high and its almost dinner time and I guess most of them are hungry as hell. There were some passengers that have business appointments in Manila the following day that they were given an option to take a ferry boat to Cebu and try their luck on a late night flight bak to Manila. Another option is to stay an extra night in Bohol and wait for an extra flight the following day at about 6am. I choose the latter.

Free extra night in Bohol

Zest Air provided extra night accommodation in a downtown hotel. We were billeted in Wregent Plaza hotel, we were given a decent room with TV (yehey NBA PlayOffs 09; go MAGIC). Dinner was in a form of a packed styro meal (foods decent) .The kids also got a kick of their own mini swimming pool a.k.a. bath tub. The following morning we were fetched by vans going to the airport and finally got to see the plane that will take us home.

This is one truly memorable experience for me and the whole family. We're looking forward to share our experiences in the future.

Cebohol 09 - Summer's Last Hurrah III

After an exhausting countryside tour, its time for us to head to our resort for check-in. I reserved a standard air con room( P1,300 + P500 for the 2 kids; no breakfast) at Dumaluan Beach Resort II . Mang Gerry advised that we could also get some grocery items in Tagbilaran before we head off to the resort. Advised us to get instant coffee, bread, noodles for snacks, etc. to avoid astronomical costs at the resort. So we visited one of the malls in the city called BQ Mall to get our grocery items.

It was almost 7pm and the resort was calling me if we were arriving( they wanna be sure; for there are many walk-ins in the resort waiting for any cancelled reservation), I assured them that we are arriving in a few minutes (no way in hell, would we cancel the reservation...)

We checked in at about 715pm, we head off to our room to organize our things and have a few minutes of relaxation. The room was ok for the price, aircon, a big bed and they also gave us an additional mattress and pillow. No TV (hey its a vacation; though it was NBA Playoffs 09 - Go MAGIC!!!). There was a small veranda in front, and hey at this price its already worth it. The resort is in Panglao Island, where the best beaches are in Bohol. The resort is in the Dumaluan strip just beside Bohol Beach Club. It was already dark so we can't really appreciate the view of the beach but my kids saw the swimming pool and was hell bent on taking a night dip. After a light snack (dinner) we decided to take a dip at their pool. Night swimming is good until 10pm only, as courtesy to other rooms encircling the swimming pool. After swimming we all rested for we have an early morning (530am) appointment with the dolphins and the islands around Panglao with Admiral Dodong no less.


Day 3 - Dolphin Watching / Island Hopping

Dolphin Watching

I set the alarm for 5am but I beat it by about 15mins. I was up and drinking coffee, then I decided to wake up the gang already. Dodong, our guide/boatman, already texted me that they would be at the beach front at exactly 530am.

After a light breakfast, we set off to the beach to meet our boat named "Kenneth". The resort is on the eastern side, so there's no picturesque sunsets but early morning sunrise for us. It was low tide that morning and we walked a few meters to our boat where we were met by Dodong and helped us aboard "Kenneth". We are to take about 40 minutes to the dolphin site, where we could already see some other boats heading that way. The waters were calm and in no time the hunt was on for them dolphins. The dolphins are usually gone when it reaches about 8am, an early voyage is imperative.

After about a few minutes in silence waiting for the dolphins to show-up , my kids were getting impatient a grumpy due to the early morning wake up call and no dolphins to show up. Just then, suddenly a group of dolphins (3 or4) on the left side of the boat announced their presence. We've seen dolphin shows in HK and Subic, but seeing them in their natural habitat is something else. Its so hard to get pictures but fortunately we got one or two good ones(meaning showing their dorsal fins). All in all, the dolphin thing was exciting, we were actually jostling for positions with other big boats with other tourist to get a glimpse of those dolphins, as Dodong aptly called it on some unlucky days where you can't get a glimpse of them you'll end up watching other boats its called "boatwatching" instead(officially a BUMMER!!!).

Balicasag Island

After about 10-15 minutes and no more dolphins were showing up, we decided to head off to one of the best snorkeling spots in Bohol which is Balicasag Island. It took about 20 mins and we're there. The view is beautiful, water is clear, though the beach is coral beach best advised not to walk barefoot on it. Dodong was asking if we would want to hire some snorkeling gears but we declined since my kids don't like the idea and plus they got hungry chasing them dolphins earlier.

There was a small carinderia in the island where we got to have breakfast of hard-boiled eggs and corned beef with rice, paid P250 for it. Afterwards, we explored the beach and my kids got a kick of gathering dead corals along the shore. Its a great place to have photo ops. There is also a lighthouse within the island just a few meters walk form the shore, unfortunately the coast guard won't allow you to enter. I bet, it would have given an awesome view of the islands of Bohol and Cebu.

Kids enjoying at Balicasag coral beach

Balicasag Island

Virgin Island

After some more photos, we decided to head off to another island called Virgin Island. As per Dodong, there's no people inhabiting it plus it has this great sandbar that extends like a boomerang form the main island. After about 20-25 mins from Balicasag, Dodong stopped the boat a good 500 meters from the island itself and we went off on this sandbar which has about knee-deep waters at that time. Dodong assured us that it was perfectly safe for us to walk thru the sandbar going to the island. It was like paradise, the water was clear, the sand we were walking was powdery white, man what a sight. Dodong accompanied us to guide and take those photos while we were trekking towards the island.

Upon reaching the island, there were already many tourist enjoying the place as well. According to Dodong, Cesar Montano shot some parts of his film "Muro-Ami" on these island. My kids saw many orange/black starfishes around and Dodong even dived one for us to take pictures of closely. The view was simply breath-taking, we got to take so many pictures here. This island is not really on the regular dolphin/snorkeling tour but he decided to take us there and boy were weever thankful for him.

After exhausting ourselves in every imaginable photo poses possible it was almost lunchtime and we decided to head back to the resort for lunch.

Dodong's(0929-4102709) charge for the whole trip was only P1,500. Resorts would normally charge you P3,000-P3,500 for the same itinerary. Do contact him in advance if you want to have the best deal for the dolphin watching/island hopping tour.



The Lunch

Totally exhausted and hungry from the early morning voyage. We decide to take our lunch to Dumaluan 1's DBR grill the price there are comparatively lower than that of Dumaluan 2's resto. It just a few steps away from the resort itself. We got to have choices of grilled pork belly, chicken and sinigang. We tried their grilled chicken, pork belly and Lapu-Lapu sinigang (really good). They would let you use the cottages in front of the grilling station. We spent only P450 for the whole thing. Rice is a modest P15 for those who like extras. We brought along our mineral water and asked for ice and drinking glasses which they obliged.

After lunch we decided to have a look at the beach, it was noontime so its quite hot and the water was relatively high. Since we got up at about 5am, we decided to take a well deserved afternoon siesta and just go to the beach later in the afternoon when its not that hot and its already low tide.


The Beach

We woke up at about 5pm and headed straight to the beach, the water has receded already and we can see the long beachfront ahead of us. The sand is powdery white, the water very clear as crystal. The kids were making their own sandcastles as expected and collecting corals as well. Now we know why the Dumaluan strip is very popular among visitors, the beach is calm, long beach front and less corals on the shore.

We spent our time walking and admiring its beauty the setting was so pristine, almost looks like a poster done in photoshop.

We took our dinner and the kids were on their nocturnal dipping spree again at the pool. My kids got to meet friends in the pool sort of a pool buddy. They were some kids from Parañaque, so they could actually talk with each other in Tagalog. So unfortunate that the following day we would be returning back to Manila, back to traffic, back to pollution and yes for the kids..back to school. My kids and their new friends

The return back to Manila or so we thought.... on my next post :-)

Cebohol 09 - Summer's Last Hurrah II

After spending a whole day of our Cebu City tour, we prepared for the next part of our trip which is crossing the Cebu Strait to our next destination, Bohol.



We ate breakfast at a TapSiLogan joint just below our hotel Cebu. The silog variants are great with some sinigang or bulalo soup on the side. Prices ranging from P45 - P52 depending on the main variant.

We took a cab to take us to Pier 4, where the main passenger terminal port is located for fast crafts plying the Cebu-Tagbilaran is located. Ahead of time we already reserved our tickets via Aboitiz' fast ferry Super Cat . Cost for adults is P500 and for kids 4-11 yrs. old its P250. Its free for children below 4 years old. We got on board and left at 830 AM (on time schedule, yehey!!! ) travel time is about 1 hr 45 mins.



The ride was quite comfy, they also offer different choices of snacks and food on board, prices are affordable.

Inside the SuperCat...

We arrived at Tagbilaran Port at about 1015AM, our driver/guide Mang Gerry was at the waiting area with a placard of my name to identify him. We put our bags in his van (Toyota HiAce) and embarked on our Bohol Day Tour. Our resort's check-in time is 3pm, so we decided to take the day tour before checking in later in the afternoon. Saves you an extra day :-)

So now we go to our Bohol Countryside Tour .....



Day 2 - Bohol Countryside Tour

Spots:

Blood Compact Shrine - "Sandugo":

The first on our list of places to visit is the Blood Compact Shrine which is just a few minutes away from the airport or port of Tagbilaran City. This shrine commemorates the friendship between Spaniards and the natives of Bohol entered into in March 16,1565. Sandugo was performed between Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna of Bohol.

Great history lesson for the kids and adults as well. Good spot for photos, but not really much to do here. There's a souvenir shop on the side as well.


Baclayon Church:

Next stop is Baclayon Church, it is the second oldest stone church in the Philippines(oldest is San Agustin in Manila in Intramuros built in 1571). Constructed in 1595 by the Jesuit priest, it is still intact and houses important relics and images reminiscent of the historic Roman Catholic religion in the country. Among those displayed in the church museum are: crystal chandelier, silver tabernacle, altar with carvings inlaid with gold, life-size statues and more. Great for photo ops, there is also a museum at the back of the church for a minimal fee of P50 for adults and P20 kids.


Prony "The Python" Sanctuary :

We were of to the town of Alburquerque in a dusty barangay road of Upper Sta. Filomena to meet as acclaimed by the townsfolk as the world's biggest python in captivity named "Prony". When we arrived there were already a number of tourist queing to see the snake. And boy, was the snake large, I mean he was coiled up but you could clearly see how thick(width) it was. As per the poster at the entrance the snake was caught in October 1996 witrh a length of 5 ft and weighing only 5 kilos but now last measurement are 25ft and a whooping 200 kilos. Based on the the snakekeeper,the snake only eats every 2 months with staples of live chicken and occasional live piglet. The keeper doubles up as a drag queen as well belting(lypsincing) diva tunes for guests, you could say he/she is really well-rounded. The sanctuary also has some birds and flying lemurs on display. They also have a small snack store to freshen up with cold drinks and the ever present load for cellphones. They also have a souvenir shop and based on my bargaining research they have one of the lowest prices for handmade souvenirs.



The kids at the entrance ; the real Prony all curled up

Meeting The Tarsier:

After our encounter with Prony , it was almost 12 noon so we're kinda hungry and Mang Gerry told us its perfect time to head of for the Loboc River cruise to eat our lunch there but before that we could set off to one of the 3 DENR accredited Tarsier sanctuary to meet the guy. There was a small souvenir shop by the road that acts up as a Tarsier viewing spot in Bohol. The furry guys were put into small plants where they cling, mostly they were sleeping due to their nocturnal nature. You could take pictures of them, and with them as well. But please strictly be quiet and NO FLASH. They are under so much stress being displayed as they are so the flash really irritates them due to their big eyes, and a sad reality is that under stress they tend to commit suicide. How one could wish they could be brought back to their original habitat, there is an ordinance that Tarsier display would be banned already but still no clear development on it.


Loboc River Cruise:

After the Tarsier encounter, officially we are hungry!!! We're now on our way to the Loboc Rivercruise where we get to cruise along the Loboc River while having our buffet lunch. We arrived at a very organized and clean dock/port. There are quite a number of this resto/boats for the picking but based on recommendations we pick the first booth which is called "Riverwatch" you pay P300 per pax, for the buffet and an hour of riverwatching so to speak. The food was ok for the price and the refills are generous. Try to get small portions of each dish to try them then splurge on the ones you really like. There are also fresh fruits and local "kakanins" for dessert. The kids got a kick out of the "garlic fried chicken" very tasty. Then we cruised the emerald green waters of Loboc. The scene is something else plus the experience. Its quite nice that the local authority of Loboc were able to preserve this truly majestic river. You traverse the waters with occasional stops to local folks singing and dancing on floating rafts, please be generous in giving donations on their donation boxes. On board there is also singers to serenade you on your cruise.


Bilar Man-Made Forest :

Our next destination was the man made forest of Bilar. Its about a kilometer stretch of uniformed height Mahogany trees which according to Mang Gerry was planted back in the 60's to avoid soil erosion in that area. The forest is quite neat with trees lining up the road and its thick foliage giving shade and a rather cool temperature all around. This is the road that leads up to the "Chocolate Hills of Bohol".


Simply Butterflies Conservation Center :

Before we set off to the Chocolate Hills, Mang Gerry told us to drop by the Butterfly Conservation Center also in Bilar. He says that the kids would surely enjoy and learn about them butterflies. We arrived at the place there was an entrance fee of P20 for adults and P5 for kids. Upon entering there will be a guide assigned to you for the mini-tour. The guide would also ask for your preferred language either in Bisaya, Tagalog or English. The guide would explain about butterflies, their life cycle, differences with Moths, etc. Then you go to an enclosed garden to actually see and be with live butterflies (quite neat). They would also catch butterflies and put them on you (clothing, sunglasses,etc) for some phot ops. Then you go to main Butterfly Garden, an open area where there are some mini huts for some resting and photos. They also have a snack bar where they serve lunch and snacks. Next stop, Chocolate Hills !!!


The kids enjoying the butterflies and its surroundings...


The Chocolate Hills:

One's visit to Bohol would not be complete with the so called "main course", the majestic Chocolate Hills in Carmen. The Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. According to the latest accurate survey done,there are 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name.

The Chocolate Hills are a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. It is featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attraction in the province. It is in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines; it has been declared the country's 3rd National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Chocolate Hills actually encompasses 6 towns namely ; Carmen, Sagbayan, Batuan, Bilar, Sierra Bullones and Valencia. The viewdeck is in Carmen. It is actually a Chocolate hill itself but was made into a viewdeck, it has 214 steps going up the top. Recently, they have constructed a paved walkway as an alternative to the steps especially for those who are in wheelchairs. Upon reaching the top one would get a magnificent view of the hills in all of its glory. Very nice place for your photo ops. There are also booths on the viewdeck if you want to have your photos taken with the hills as your backdrop and you could also have a photo with a broom to give that illusion of flying above the hills (the backdrop by the way is just tarp).

The steps, the view, kids in Tarp hills :-)

There's also another viewdeck about 11kms from the one in Carmen. Its called Sagbayan Peak
Its in the town of Sagbayan, Bohol. Aside from having a viewdeck for the hills, they also have a Tarsier sanctuary, butterfly farm reserve and waterpark as well. It was getting late and about to get dark so we decided to forego going there instead we went off to Tagbilaran City to buy some grocery items and prepare to check in with our resort in Panglao Island - Dumaluan Beach Resort II.

All in all it was an exhausting, eventful and enjoyable day for us. It was well worth it. We arrive in the resort at about 7pm. More on that and the dolphin-watching and island hopping adventure on my next post.

Mang Gerry (0906-7443531) gave us the whole day transpo tour for only P 2,000. It is one of the lowest you could ever get in Bohol. Considering we were the only occupants of his Toyota Van. Do contact him for the best deals possible for your trip.

Cebohol 09 - Summer's Last Hurrah I

Summer has definitely ended and me and the family tired to squeeze in a few days to get a glimpse of those few, precious remaining sun scorching days. We've planned this way back January on where to go, places to see and of course number crunching for the budget on such a trip. Finally, we collectively decided to go to Bohol to spend our summer vacation. I thought of going into a nice beach resort, enjoying the sun,sea and sand. But with more places than the beach itself. With Chocolate Hills, tarsiers in mind we decided it would be best to go to Bohol. I've been to Bohol about 5 years ago before, when I was with my former company, but that was purely work and I never really got to enjoy what it has to offer. I told myself that the next time I'll be going there it would be with my wife and 2 kids and get the most out of Bohol.





The Plan

The "plan" was simply to get the most out of the trip (enjoy the view, beach,etc.) at the lowest possible cost. Easier said than done I know, but we decided to canvas the resort we will be going to, airfare, local transpo, places to visit(entrance fees,tips,etc.) A very big help was Calvin's blog site (www.calvinshub.com), he has some great tips for Bohol travel itineraries, packages, etc. We tried to book a round trip flight from Manila to Tagbilaran and vice-versa but the cost was quite high then, especially from Manila to Tagbilaran so we decided to get a flight for Manila-Cebu for only P 1952 for 4 pax(www.zestair.com.ph). Then a day trip to Cebu City was in the works as well.

Hence the Cebohol 09 escapade was on....


Day 1 - Cebu City Day Tour

We were up early for our flight to Cebu, we were at the old domestic airport awaiting our Zest Air plane scheduled at 750 AM, but as expected took off at 900 AM. Since they claim to be Asia's most refreshing airlines, I was intrigued as to what will be our refreshment on board :-)

It's Zest Air....so it gotta be Zest-O

The flight took about an hour so we were at Mactan Cebu Intl Airport at about 1000 AM.

Mactan-Cebu Bridge

We took an airport taxi (the one on the second level of the airport purely metered charges) to our hotel/inn Pacific Pension (www.pacificpensionne.com) for our check-in. Since we won't be spending most of our time in our room, we decided just to take a simple air-conditioned family room which is just P1,000/night. The room is clean and comfy. The location is good as well, since its in the main thoroughfare of Osmeña Ave. Quite near to all of those tourist spots (Magellan's cross, Fort San Pedro, etc.)After freshening up, we took our lunch at a student canteen-type food outlet just in front of our hotel. Since we are near most of the universities/colleges around Cebu City many carinderias have sprung up in that location. We got to try some budget meals which are already ok compared to those in Manila.

Spots :

Magellan's Cross:

Magellan's Cross is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese and Spanish explorers as o r dered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu in the Philippines on April 21, 1521.This cross is housed in a small chapel next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street (Magallanes being the Spanish name of Magellan ), just in front of the city hall of Cebu City. A sign below the cross claims that the original cross is encased inside th e wooden cross that is found in the center of this chapel. This is to protect the original cross from people who chipped a way parts of the cross for souvenir purposes or in the belief that the cross possesses miraculous powers.

To get there we took a jeep bounded for Carbon (or better yet ask local folks around) and alight at the City Hall, not much to do but take pictures.


Basílica Minore del Santo Niño:


The Basilica of Santo Niño, also called Basilica del Santo Niño, Basílica Minore del Santo Niño and formerly known as the San Agustin Church prior to its elevation as a Basilica Minore, is a 16th century church in the heart of Cebu City, Philippines. It is purportedly built on the exact spot where the image of the Santo Niño, a sculpture depicting Jesus as a black Holy Child, was found by Spanish conquistadors in 1565 preserved in a burned wooden box which was left behind during the 1521 Magellan expedition.

To get there we just walk past the kiosk of Magellan's cross and you're there...


Plaza Independencia:


Cebu’s Plaza Independencia was formerly called “Plaza Libertad”. Strategically located between Fort San Pedro and the building that used to house the old Gobierno Provincial, it now becomes the most favored spot for picnics and trysts. Dominated by the obelisk of Legaspi, Plaza Independencia is Cebu’s most historically significant plaza.

To get there walk to the direction of another spot Fort San Pedro, it is in front of the fort itself. From the Magellan's cross we went walking about 2 blocks eastwards.





Fort San Pedro:


Fuerza de San Pedro is a military defense structure, built by Spanish and indegenous Cebuano laborers under the command of Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi and the Spanish Government in Cebu. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the Pier Area of Cebu City, Philippines. The smallest, oldest triangular bastion fort in the country was built in 1738 to repel Muslim raiders. In turn, it served as a stronghold for Filipino revolutionaries near the end of the 19th Century. This served as the nucleus of the first spanish settlement in the Philippines. The fort is triangular in shape, with two sides facing the sea and the third side fronting the land. The two sides facing the sea were defended with artillery and the front with a strong palisade made of wood.


My kids enjoying the old cannons of the fort


To get there walk past the obelisk of the Plaza Independencia, there's a new construction on-going in front of the fort a tunnel system to lighten up the traffic in the Port are of the city. There's a minimal fee of P20 for adults and P12 for kids.



Cebu Taoist Temple:


Built in 1972, the Cebu Taoist Temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City. The temple was built by Cebu's substantial Chinese community. With an elevation of 300 meters above the sea level,the temple is a towering, multi-tiered,multi-hued aatraction accessible by three separate winding routes. Unlike the neighboring Phu Sian Temple, the Taoist temple is open to the worshipers and non-worshipers alike. A ritual among devotees is where one prays to the gods to grant one's wish. The ritual includes washing of hands, going inside the chapel barefoot and dropping two blocks of wood. If the blocks of wood are both face up then one could make a wish. If not then it is not yet the time for one's wish to be granted and one has to come to the temple some other time. There is nothing much to do in the temple. One could enjoy moving around the temple in an hour. The entrance to the temple is a replica of the Great Wall of China. The temple includes a chapel, a library, a souvenir shop and a wishing well. The spacious balconies offer a scenic view of the downtown Cebu. Also noteworthy is the giant dragon statue.



The kids mimicking the statues and the view from the balcony of the temple..awesome....



To get there take a cab from Fort San Pedro, cost is about P 65-70 depending on the traffic situation, tell the driver you're going to the Taoist Temple, the place is in Beverly Hills Subdivision (home of the rich and famous). Be aware of the rules of the temple and try to abide by it. The guards are quite strict especially when taking pictures inside the altars. No fee for this.


It was almost 5 pm when we left the temple. We went back to our hotel, and on the way our cabbie mentioned about the Crown Regency hotel sky ride which is just adjacent to our own hotel. We tried to check it out but due to budget constraints( remember we still have 4 days to spent in Bohol) we skipped it and will plan it the next time we are here. Entrance good for 2 is P380, taking the ride additional P500.

For more details... crown regency sky ride

The Cebu City Day tour was really something with historical and scenic values all together...will publish the Bohol part on my next post.