Bataan Heartland

Native Ifugao House

Bahay Kubo

Vigan House:

Infinity River Water Pool:

Cave House:

Aquarium:

Video by Mico Silva Eslaban

Reyna ng Aliwan Winners

Best in Festival Costume – Miss Sinulog Festival

Miss Close-Up Smile – Miss Sinulog Festival

Best in Long Gown – Miss Kalilangan Festival

Best in Swimsuit – Miss Dinagyang Festival

Three Second Runners-Up

Miss Kalilangan Festival

Miss Langub Festival

Miss Sinulog de Kabankalan

First Runner-Up – Miss Dinagyang Festival

Reyna ng Aliwan – Miss Sinulog Festival

Aliwan Fiesta 2013 Float Competition

Seven Runners-Up

Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguinadanao

Pusaka, Maguindanao

Sagayan, Maguindanao

Catanauan, Quezon

Panagbenga of Baguio City

Kabuntalan, Maguindanao

Sinulog of Cebu City

Second Runner-Up

Northen Kabuntalan, Maguindanao

First Runner-Up

Mangudadatu, Maguindanao

Best Float

Alang-alang, Leyte

Aliwan Fiesta 2013 StreetDance Competition

Five Runners-Up

Ang Tipulo Festival – Atipolo City

Mango Festival – Zambales

Pandang Gitab Festival – Oriental Mindoro

Pasaka Festival – Tanauan, Leyte

Sagayan Festival – Buluan, Maguindanao

Fourth Runner-Up

Adivay Festival – Benguet

Third Runner-Up

Padang-Padang Festival – Parang, Maguindanao

Second Runner-Up

Meguyaya Festival – Upi, Maguindanao

First Runner-Up

Kalivungan Festival – Midsayap, North Cotabato

Grand Champion

Dinagyang Festival – Iloilo City

Special Awards 

Best in Music: Dinagyang Festival

Best in Costume: Dinagyang Festival

Best in Folkloric Interpretation: Adivay Festival of Benguet

This was the nth time that I visited Vigan honestly I tried food tripping here but mostly for empanada, longanisa and sweets that Vigan offers.

To jump start our day we eat at the Food Junction at Jacinto Street, near Plaza Burgos. This area is a row of stalls selling different kinds of ilocano foods. One of my friend ordered Sinanglaw and get very curious about the taste so I also ordered Sinanglaw.

Sinanglaw, an Ilocano popular dish and this dish is a beef and beef offal soup. The taste is really different I must say a signature dish for Vigan. For me it was a mixture of Sinigang and Nilaga uniquely pinoy taste. Just for curiosity  I asked the owner of the store  how they cooked the Sinanglaw and they just smiled at me and say secret, fair enough maybe they taught ill put up store beside them and offer Sinanglaw too

I  remember myself travelling to Bintan Island and most of the people in the cruise was white guy and they actually bought their visa on the island while me I have to stay for 30 days for free thats the perks of holding a Philippine passport and thanks to the ASEAN agreement. For reference, I have this list of Visa-Free Countries for Philippine Passport Holder so you may plan now your next vacation!

ASEAN Countries

•Brunei Darussalam: 14 days (free of charge)

•Cambodia: 21 days (free of charge)

•Indonesia: 30 days (free of charge)

•Laos: 30 days (free of charge)

•Malaysia: 30 days (free of charge)

•Myanmar 28 days (for 200RMB)

•Singapore: 30 days (free of charge)

•Thailand: 30 days (free of charge)

•Vietnam: 21 days (free of charge)

Non- ASEAN Countries

•Azerbaijan: Visa can be obtained upon arrival up to 30 days  for US$40 Single Entry, US$80 Double-Entry, Multiple Entry for 1year US$250

•Bangladesh: 90-days visa issued upon arrival for US$50

•Republic of China (Taiwan): 30 days if holding a vaild visa for Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Schengen countries, United Kingdom or United States

•Georgia: 90 days visa issued on arrival for US$10 ~ US$200

•Hong Kong: 14 days (free of charge)

•India: 30 days visa issued upon arrival

•Iran: 15 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50

•Israel: 90 days

•South Korea (Jeju Island only): 30 days (free of charge)

•Macau: 30 days (free of charge)

•Maldives: 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Mongolia: 21 days

•Nepal: 15/30/90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$25/40/100

•Sri Lanka: 30 days

•Timor-Leste: 30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$30

Europe

•Andorra – Not Required but only accessible via Spain or France that require visa.

•Azerbaijan – Visa can be obtained upon arrival up to 30 days  for US$40 Single Entry, US$80 Double-Entry, Multiple Entry for 1year US$250

•Kosovo: 90 days

•Liechtenstein – Not Required for stay up to 90 days

•San Marino – Not Required for stay up to 21 days

Oceania

•Cook Islands: 31 days

•Fiji: 120 days Visitor’s Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Marshall Islands: 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Federated States of Micronesia – 30 days

•Niue: 30 days

•Palau: 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Samoa: 60 days Visitor’s Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Tuvalu: 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Vanuatu: 30 days

•Micronesia

•Tonga

• Northern Mariana Islands: visa on arrival

• Tokelau

Central America

•Costa Rica: 120 days Visitor’s Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Dominica: 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Haiti: 30 days

•Nicaragua: 30 days

•Saint Kitts and Nevis: 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Saint Lucia: 60 days Visitor’s Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)

•Turks and Caicos Islands – 30 days

South America

•Bolivia: 59 days

•Brazil: 90 days

•Colombia: 90 days

•Ecuador: 90 days

•Peru: 90 days

•Suriname: 120 days

Africa

•Burundi: visa issued upon arrival

•Cape Verde: visa issued upon arrival

•Comoros: A free 24 hour transit visa issued upon arrival at the airport. Within 24 hours this must be converted into a full visa at the immigration office in Moroni (fee payable)

•Djibouti: 10 days visa issued upon arrival for DJF3,000; 30 days visa issued upon arrival for DJF5,000

•Gambia: At port of entry passport 24-72 hour transit pass is issued. This must be converted into a full visa valid up to 1 month at the immigration department in Banjul (fee payable)

•Kenya: 90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50

•Madagascar: 90 days visa issued upon arrival for MGA140,000

•Morocco: 90 days

•Mozambique: 30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$25

•Saint Helena: visa issued upon arrival

•Seychelles: 30 days

•Tanzania: visa issued upon arrival for US$50

•Togo: 7 days visa issued upon arrival

•Uganda: 180 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50

•Zambia: 90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50

•Sao Tome and Principe: visa on arrival

Note:

Visa requirements and or Fees may change in the future, so it is advisable to double check the embassy before making your travel arrangements. More importantly, a transit visa is required for some countries when it is not a direct flight to your destination (i.e if you are going to brazil via the US, you might need a US visa).

Want to learn to surf for free?

This April 6 Surfing Philippines will celebrate it’s first National Go SurPH Weekend.

“Go SurPH” meaning “Go Surfing Philippines”

To promote their love for the sport, Surfing Philippines Ambassadors Jericho Rosales (Actor), Luke Landrigan (Pro Surfer), Mylene Dizon (Actress), Lorraine Lapus (Female Pro Surfer), Fabio Ide (Actor) and Gerard Sison (TV5 Actor) are putting on a weekend of celebration in La Union this coming April 6-7 (Sat-Sun).

Weekend activities including: 1hour Free surfing lessons for everyone followed by a beach concert and party.

Again event is on April 6-7 2013 and will start at 8:00AM to 5:00PM. Beach Concert and party will start around 8:00PM, Performing artist for the event is still TBA San Juan, La Union.

Surfing Philippines is offering Free Registration so reserve your slot now! Register online now: organiser will also have onsite registration on the event itself but better register online to save some hassle.

Another travel adventure with wowtrippers in Isla de Gigantes, our meet up is 11AM and since ill be arriving way to much early since ill be coming from Iloilo and them from Manila I decided to research any tourist spot in Roxas. But i can’t seem to find any interesting spot until i found this very beautiful old church.

From Iloilo I took a Ceres bus from Tagbak Jaro terminal to Roxas which took me around 3hrs bus ride and from the terminal my friend pick me up and we go to St. Pius X Seminary which is located beside the terminal of Ceres. It was just a quick tour of the seminary and I also left my heavy bag there. From St. Pius X Seminary we rented a tricycle going to the town of Pan-ay (we pay 30PHP each for the tricycle). After 20min tricycle ride we reach the point of destination the town of Pan-ay which believed was the 2nd oldest town in the Philippines since it was the 2nd spanish settlement.

Im so amazed when I saw the facade of the Spanish/Mexican Baroque design of the church. The grand structure of the church is made up of coral stone which is 70m long 25m wide and 18m high. On the left side of the church stands a five level belfry it is known as the biggest and the mostly likely the heaviest Christian bell in Asia and according to our church tour guide it is also the 3rd largest bell in the world.  The massive artefact, called dakong lingganay (big bell) was cast in 1878 using 70 sacks of coins. it is about 7ft. in height and 5ft. in diameter and weighs 10.4 tons.

Inside the church, floor is covered with marble. Its structure is shaped in the form of latin cross with one large central altar and four lateral ones, the gilded retablos is gilded gorgeously sculptured of a fine hardwood. Various polychromed statues are highly decorated in an artistic quality.

In 1997, The Church of Santa Monica was declared a National Landmark by the national Historical Institute of the Philippines

Another fascinating finds is the century old well the Fuente de Vida located at the back of the church’s convent. According to our guide it was the source of water supply way back 1500.

It is always fun to travel but people always thought that you need to spend a lot of money just to travel. Yes indeed you need money but if your in a budget tour it will cost less and you can travel more. I always join backpacking tours of WOWtrippers simply because they offer low package tours and I also get a chance to meet great people. Here is the glimpse of our recent travel in Caraga Region, great places we visited and I must say I didn’t spend a lot of money!

You may visit WOWtrippers for fun budget adventures

1. Mango Festival of Zambales
2. Padang-Padang festival of Parang, Maguindanao
3. Panagbenga Festival of Baguio city
4. Zamboanga Hermosa Festival of Zamboanga City
5. Mahaguyog festival of Sto. Tomas, Batangas
6. Pandang Gitab Festival of Oriental Mindoro
7. Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City
8. Pasaka Festival of Tanauan Leyte
9. Kabankalan Sinulog festival of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
10. Adivay festival of Benguet
11. Ang Tipulo of Antipolo, Rizal
12. Dinagsa festival of Muntinlupa
13. Dalaksagaw from Manila
14. Boling-Boling of Catanauan, Quezon
15. Paraw Regatta Festival of Iloilo City
16. Kalivungan festival of North Cotabato
17. Kalilangan festival of General Santos City
18. Sagayan festival of Buluan, Maguindanao
19. Meguyaya festival of Upi Maguindanao
20. Sinulog festival of Cebu City

updated as of 03/29/2013

Who’s your bet this year?

Are you going to attend the ALIWAN FIESTA 2013?

Here’s the schedule:

APRIL 11, 2013 (Thurs) – Pasakalye Interschool Pop Dance Competition

APRIL 12, 2013 (Fri) – Pageant Night Reyna ng Aliwan Pageant Proper

APRIL 13, 2013 (Sat) – Streetdance and Coronation Festival Streetdance Competition Festival Float Parade Reyna ng Aliwan Coronation Night

2013 street dancing competition and float parade venue will be at Quirino Grandstand, the said competition will start 3PM. See you there!

I’m supposed to join the NBA FIT Air21 Run today but I forgot to file a leave and so I was working the whole night and my off duty was 5AM. I did try to rush for the event in BGC for the 5:20AM Gun start but I was late and so I just took some pictures of the runners who join the event. Sorry not that quality because I’m holding my umbrella and bag while taking pictures.