Visita Iglesia | From Historical to Contemporary Churches of Manila and Pasay

Two years ago, I decided to have a Visita Iglesia in the churches of Metro Manila. Some of these churches I have visited before, so I need to take a chance to take on the route from Manila to Pasay.

The Manila Cathedral located in front of Plaza Roma.

First stop: The Manila Cathedral. Located in the heart of Intramuros, it is known as The Mother of All Churches, Basilicas, and Cathedrals in the Philippines. It is renovated last 2014 and it is open for the public until today. Pope Francis celebrated his first Papal Mass in the Philippines in this Cathedral. 

The San Agustin Church

Second stop: The San Agustin Church. One of the UNESCO Heritage Sites for the category of Baroque Churches in the Philippines. Just a walk away from the Manila Cathedral, you can also visit one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

The facade of Santa Cruz Church.

Third stop: Santa Cruz Church. Located in the heart of the busy streets of Santa Cruz, which can be adjacent to Escolta and Binondo, this church is noted for its Baroque architecture. 

The busy crowd in front of Quiapo Church.

Fourth stop: Quiapo Church. In the hustling and busy streets of Quiapo, this church is very popular among the Catholics because it houses the religious icon, the Black Nazarene, and it also held the festivity of the Black Nazarene on January 9.

The only metal church in the Philippines.

Fifth stop: The San Sebastian Church. The only metal church in the country, this church is noted for its Gothic-Revival architecture located in the district of Quiapo, Manila.

The façade of Baclaran Church.

Sixth stop: Baclaran Church. It is also known as The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help or the Redemptorist Church. This church is located in Barangay Baclaran, a boundary between Pasay and Paranaque which can be found in the streets of Roxas Boulevard. The church is also the shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and there is a novena every Wednesday. This church was first visited by Karol Wojtyla, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Krakow, Poland in 1973, and later, when he became Pope John Paul II, he blessed it in 1981 during his Papal Visit.

A contemporary church adjacent in the SM Mall of Asia.

Seventh stop: Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus, The Way, The Truth and The Life. Located in the Mall of Asia compound, this church was first built in 1999 and it is noted for its Spanish Baroque architecture.

Before the pandemic, Visita Iglesia is one way to commemorate the Holy Week as a devout Catholic. Due to restrictions and lockdowns, it is better to stay at home and check some Visita Iglesia posts and conduct a virtual Visita Iglesia. Everyone is praying that this pandemic will be over and everything will be back to normal without any travel restrictions, lockdown, and the COVID-19 virus will be vanished. 

You can also check the following blogs:

Visita Iglesia | Heritage Churches in Manila

Travel Throwback: A Visit to the Iconic Churches of Metro Manila

Date: April 1, 2019

Schools in Verdant Glow during the Pandemic

During the pandemic, establishments and institutions are not in full operation due to safety distancing protocols to avoid the spread of COVID-19 virus and people are required to stay at home and they are doing work-from-home scenario in their jobs. On the other hand, a Facebook post once said "Nature is healing" during the pandemic. 

Yellow cosmos scattered around the school campus during the pandemic.

Due to skeletal workforce duties done by the teachers which are scheduled according to their assigned day, schools are quiet, yet people come to get modules and other school records, while observing social distancing protocols. It is not the typical noisy ambiance during school days, where children are playing around the campus, and even making fun of plants by picking flowers, sketching on trunks, or hitting the leaves. Therefore, plants are in verdant bloom which can be seen in the abundance of flowers and fruits around the campus during the lockdown season.

A runway with cosmos plants

Quite interesting that the school has a breath of fresh air during the pandemic because of the quiet ambiance and the lush, green glow of the trees and plants in the campus. Flowers are blooming everywhere, pineapples and lemons are growing which can be harvested anytime, and the growth of seedlings and small shrubs everywhere.

Here are the other photos of plants and flowers taken in the campus during the lockdown season. This was taken while having workplace duties in school.

Yellowbells in full bloom.

A row of pineapples in a plantbox.

Unriped fruits in bloom including a lemon (left) and a pineapple (right).

A vibrant yellow cosmos.

An interesting light purple flower and I want to know its name.

Yellow gumamela

Red gumamela

Photos were taken during report in duty from September 2020 to February 2021

The First Blog Post for the New Decade

I'll keep on blogging this 2021. Despite of the technological advances and new online trends such as vlogging, I will keep on writing blogs in the new decade. I hope that blogs will never fade out of spotlight. I will post more blogs this 2021 and beyond, and definitely, thanks Blogger / Blogspot for this opportunity among bloggers, and keep it up for this year onwards.

I will post some of the blogs that I made before the pandemic, and definitely, some nature photos that I've taken during the lockdown season in our house and in the workplace. I will keep on posting about some insights about learnings during the new normal and pandemic, as well with life's reflections that made me a better person.

Happy 2021 and God Bless!

P.S. I am looking forward for safe inoculation of COVID-19 vaccines and no spread of the new variant of COVID-19. Lastly, looking forward that this year - schools, companies, and bonds between people will come back to normal.

Eruption, Lockdowns, New Normal: A Glimpse of 2020

This year will be the most challenging, full of struggles, and an emotional rollercoaster.

Our school was covered with ashfall from Taal.

January 2020. Taal Volcano was erupted that spewed ashes across CALABARZON, Metro Manila, and some parts of Central Luzon and Ilocos Region. We witnessed the ashfall in Cavite, where our family decided to evacuate on the evening of January 12, 2020, as we had our two to three days stay in Manila. In fact, ashes were covered the towns in our province, particularly Tagaytay, as well with the lakeshore towns in Batangas which are adjacent to the Taal Crater. After the eruption, households and institutions decided to clean the ashfall in their properties, as well with donation drives are operated for the casualties of the Taal eruption. In addition, schools accepted students who will sit in for a while in order to continue their education.

March - June 2020. Lockdown was declared across the country due to quarantine measures against COVID-19 pandemic. For the past three months, Luzon was declared under Enhanced Community Quarantine. In other words, classes and work operations are suspended. Children and senior citizens are not allowed to go outside. Only medical frontliners, security personnel, police officers, army, select government officials, fast food staff, and vendors are allowed to go to work, and only quarantine pass holders are allowed to go outside their houses. Wearing of face masks and face shields are mandatory. Don't forget to observe proper sanitation such as washing your hands with alcohol. Do not forget to observe social distancing. Travel ban is also implemented in different parts of the country. However, companies were closed and many people became unemployed, relying on the support given by their local government. It is the most challenging period for some people because they are worried on how to gain income, as well with problems arise in their families.

June 2020 - December 2020. Lockdown was gradually lifted during June 2020. Welcome to the New Normal. However, cases are increasing, equivalent to huge number of recoveries. Companies are returned to operation, and travel ban is lifted. Education comes to new normal - whether it is online or modular. Work from home is the new set-up. Virtual communication through online is the new trend. Online marketing, selling, and payment is the new mode of business. News can be easily accessed online, as well with numerous opinions are flashed in various social media platforms. Do not forget to observe social distancing, wear face masks and face shields. Numerous typhoons passed our country that leave casualties. However, resiliency, optimism, and enthusiasm remain the same, despite of these challenges.

Everyone of us wants to go back to the old normal. We want face-to-face classes. We want to go outside without wearing face masks and face shields. We are looking forward with the most efficient vaccine against COVID 19. We don't want to have another variant of corona virus. We want to live freely without fears and worries. 

Despite of the struggles of the year, be grateful because of the lessons that we gained, we discover more about ourselves, develop new skills, and giving importance to the people around us. I also learned the importance of resiliency in times of challenges, being thankful with all the things that we have, especially the life that have given to us, and the awareness of what is happening around us and having a stand that we need to speak out and show conviction to the world.

Happy New Year! Have a safe and healthy 2021 :)

Return to Palawan | Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour

Before we proceed to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, we had a chance to take the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour. 

It is a fifteen to thirty-minute cruise along the 1.2 kilometer Sabang River where you can see the tallest mangrove forests which can grow from 25 to 30 meters tall. 

There are numerous species of birds, snakes and fish in the area. It is a very short cruise, but it is a good itinerary while waiting for our turn in Puerto Princesa Underground River.

Date: March 11, 2019

Return to Palawan | The Visit to the Underground River

In our second visit to Palawan, it is the first time to visit the most iconic landmark in Palawan, the Puerto Princesa City Underground River. Also known as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature voted in 2012. It is one of the longest underground rivers in the world which flows directly under the Saint Paul Mountain Range, a park which has a limestone or karst mountain landscape. The Saint Paul's Underground River Cave contains 8.2 kilometer long Cabayugan River which flows directly into the West Philippine Sea. It is navigable by boat up to 4.3 kilometers from the sea. The subterranean river features numerous stalactites, stalagmites and large chambers.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River with the tourists riding on a boat as they go outside from the cave.

To make it on the place, we had an approximately one-and-a-half hour travel to Sabang, a small town where the Underground River is located. As we travel, the lush and abundant rainforests are common in Puerto Princesa City. First, we visited Buenavista View Deck, a stopover which offers a panoramic view of Ulugan Bay. There are food stalls and souvenir shops in the area and the view deck offers a beautiful view of sunset before you go home.

The Buenavista View Deck marker/

The scenery of Ulugan Bay with verdant rainforests, blue waters of the bay and a long mountain range.

The top portion of the view deck.

After the stopover, we also have the chance to see the formation of Saint Paul Mountain Range along the highway as we go to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. These limestone and karst mountains are formed million of years ago from marine sediments and it was submerged under the sea 20 to 30 million years ago. There are interesting places including the Elephant Cave and the Saint Paul Mountain.

You can check the YouTube post on the Limestone Mountains of Puerto Princesa City

As we proceed to our destination, we tried the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour where we have a thirty minute boat trail in the mangrove forest near the Underground River. There are also private hotels and resorts near the area which offers a relaxing tropical ambiance because of the line of coconut trees and mangrove seedlings,  pristine white sand beaches, and the aquamarine waters of the ocean.

Bancas gathered in the shallow waters.

The turquoise waters of Palawan.

Trees are teemed in the limestone.

Palawan is noted for its limestone and karst mountains.

After that, we take a thirty minute boat ride from Sabang Port to Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. There is a limestone cove and a wooden trail in the miniature forest filled with local trees such as apitong, narra, molave and dao. Afterwards, the team wore our life jackets and ear phones and we ride on the boat going inside the Underground River.

Welcome marker of Puerto Princesa Underground River.

Unfortunately, there are no photos because it is challenging to take pictures as we go inside the cave. inside the cave which features mystical rock formations such as the Cathedral, the Market, the Last Supper, Dinosaur's Head, the Pegasus and even the face of Jesus Christ. The Underground River is also rich in flora because of numerous local tree species found there and fauna because of the diverse wildlife such as thousands of bats, several species of small fish, monkeys living on trees and monitor lizards roaming around the area.

Tourists are preparing for a thirty minute boat ride inside the subterranean river.

Crystal-clear shallow waters with groups of small fish swimming

The entry to the Underground River.

Passage from the cave to the outside.

We enjoyed the 1.5 kilometer boat ride as we experience excitement, thrill and amazement as we sail towards the Underground River. Tours can allow the 1.5 kilometer boat ride in the Underground River. However, it is allowed to go on a 4 kilometer ride, just ask for special permit

The tour on the Puerto Princesa Underground River is such an amazing yet humbling experience because it is all about the appreciation of nature's beauty, as well with the fact that the Philippines is a country rich in flora and fauna and taking care of our natural tourist spots.

"Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time, keep nothing but memories."
A simple reminder for the tourists in Sabang Port.

Date of Travel: March 11, 2019

Return to Palawan | Honda Bay Island Hopping and Beach Bumming

For the second day of our Palawan tour, we had a chance to visit Honda Bay to go island hopping in three islands namely Lu-li, Starfish and Cowrie. It's been nine years since the last time that we went to this tourist destination. Everything seems to be different unlike before.

Trees in Cowrie Island.

Numerous boats in the coast of Cowrie Island.

Honda Bay faces major change due to its popularity among tourists and the increase of commercial establishments as well with the presence of additional cottages and signage in each island. There are plenty of foreign and local tourists who flock the island during our tour, unlike the last time that we visit there in 2010. 

Starfish Island signage.

Lu-li Island signage. 

Cowrie Island signage

The place remain its pristine beauty because of the abundant mangrove forests, white sand beaches, and the crystal-clear blue waters. However, there are only few marine creatures found, particularly in Starfish Island. Nine years ago, starfish, small species of fish, sand dollars and even stone fish can be found in the shore. Nowadays, there are only few marine creatures in the shallow waters near the beach. According to the tourist guide, there are changes in the topography of the island and the numerous tourists has able to touch the creatures and even disturbing their habitats due to swimming. It also added the increase of man-made structures such as cottages and wooden signages in each island, even tourists are not responsible in maintaining the cleanliness of the island. 

There are only two starfish in the shallow waters of Starfish Island. 

The shallow waters of Starfish Island with rocks and small fish.

The mangrove forest in Starfish Island.

Small fish in the turquoise waters of Honda Bay.

Sand dollars in Starfish Island.

In the end, we spend in the three islands through swimming and having our lunch through boodle fight. Looking forward to preserve the natural beauty of the bay, take care of the islands and the tourists should be responsible in the cleanliness and preservation of the creatures in the area.

The timeless, natural beauty of Palawan as the Philippines' Last Frontier.

You may also check my 2010 escapades in Honda Bay: 

• In the Island of Stars
• Honda Bay Island Hopping

Date of Travel: March 10, 2019