Exploring the Philippines - Makati Prime Tower, Makati City

One month rental in Avida Towers in Sucat would have been easy to get.  Marie, the owner of the condo where we stayed when we arrived in the Philippines from Canada in January 2010 and again later when we got back to Manila from the Visayas and Mindanao liked us.  We were really good tenants, kept the condo clean, paid all the bills and never complained about anything at all.  Marie texted me to thank me and said she is looking forward to us coming back.

The problem at Avida is parking.  There are no parking for visitors.  Even if we wanted to pay for a parking slot - there is none.  There is paid parking a block away which is very inconvenient with the extreme Manila heat and unsafe if we arrive late at night.

We decided to rent somewhere in Pasig this time, somewhere near to Mar's birthplace.

We spent two days googling, texting and calling prospective landlords.  All but one wanted to rent long term meaning 1 year.  The one we found who's willing to rent to us for one month was initially not willing to provide us with cable tv.  Big screen television was there which she said we can use for watching DVDs.  Her split-type airconditioning was set to high but the remote is not working.  Mar had to get up to turn it off because it was so cold and get up again because it turned warm later on.  We were firm on what we needed the following morning, after sleeping here 1 night - cable tv and a working ac remote.  After texting back and forth the whole morning, we offered to vacate or not depends on whether she can give what we needed.  She called to inform us it is best to vacate the condo.  We were evicted!!  We paid her Pesos1000.00 and returned her the keys.

We went to see rental units at Makati Prime Towers after being evicted from a condo in Pasig.  We were shown two studio units which we did not like, priced at Pesos16,000 per month plus utilities.  We were later shown two 1 bedroom units priced at Pesos25,000 plus utilities.  We were given an attractive discount by the owner of these two 1 br units, we end up renting the one on the 33rd floor.

This suite has 1 bedroom, 2 airconditioning, washroom, living/dining, sofa, dining table and 3 chairs, tv with cable, sink, counter top, 1 burner electric stove, electric kettle, toaster, refrigerator, phone and closets.

We were renting direct from the owner.  We were able to negotiate to lower down to P5,000 the security deposit otherwise it would have been 1 month advance plus 1 month deposit if we rented from the building admin pool of rental.

We are happy here.  First time we are going to live in Makati and first time on the 33rd floor.  Thrilled!!


Our rental condo unit is overlooking the Pasig River, Makati Business District, Mandaluyong and Ortigas Center.

Exploring the Philippines and Asia - Nasugbu, Batangas

April 18, 2010

Gen and Tun fell in love when they were in high school.  Eleven years later, they got married in a small church surrounded by beautiful mountains of Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas.  They later received their guests of about 200 people in the grand ballroom of Tagaytay Royale in Alfonso, Cavite.  Dinner was buffet and celebrations lasted until almost 11pm.

Exploring the Philippines and Asia - Back to One Tagaytay Hotel and Suites

April 15, 2010

Tagaytay is a perfect destination after Gumaca, Quezon.  We needed to recuperate from the heat.  We also would attend a wedding in a church called Caleruega Church in Nasugbu, Batangas.

We spent 5 nights in this lovely room free of charge before heading back to Metro Manila.

Exploring the Philippines and Asia - Plaridel, Quezon

April 6, 2010

Mar and I visited my aunt in Plaridel on our way to Gumaca, Quezon.  Tiya Sofing is the surviving wife of my deceased uncle Binong, brother of my mother Loreto.  I had a lot of questions in my mind about my parents family background before this visit.  These questions I can not ask my parents because my father died when I was in Grade 2 and my mother in 1991.  In Canada, some questions would pop in my head and I would mention it to my husband and we agreed that when we go back to the Philippines, we would see to it to find answers to these questions.

My aunt Sofing whose memory is still crystal clean provided some very important information.  My grandfather Fabian and grandmother Clemencia whom I did not meet (they were deceased when I was born), were both from Bicol.  They moved to Plaridel, Quezon (formerly a barangay called Siain) as a couple and there they had four children.  They were named Pedro, Balbino and Fidel and my mother, Loreto, the 3rd born and the only girl.

During the Japanese occupation, my mother's family moved to the mountains of Gayagayaan, a barangay of Gumaca, Quezon.  There she met my father, Alfredo whose parents are Demetrio Cantal and Patrocenia Valderama.  They became a couple and eventually raised their growing family in a barangay closer to town, now called Villa Principe (formerly Banotin).  They again moved to the town proper where they had a bar/restaurant business while they sent us, their children to school in town.

Exploring the Philippines and Asia - Agdangan, Quezon

We were told that Agdangan, Quezon has been recently featured in television because of the Luminous Cross of Grace Sanctuary.  This Luminous Cross is a tall structure built beside the Catholic Church in this town.  It is said to be conceived or occurring in dreams of a certain parish priest.  Materialization of these dreams is this Luminous Cross structure/building.

Pictures are not allowed so we can not show you what the inside of this structure looks like.  However, I will try to briefly describe what we saw.  Below ground floor level is life-size statue depiction of the Last Supper.  You can imagine a table and Jesus Christ and 11 apostles sitting on the floor facing each other on the dining table and one more apostle on his way to escape.  On all the walls are murals portraying bible events.  On the floor are more statues of important people in Jesus Christ's life and Jesus Christ on the Cross.  This structure is said to be 120 feet high.  As we ascend from the Last Supper on the basement to the top, we witnessed the walls and floor areas to be mostly covered by these statues and murals.  On one corner there is a room where a Jesus Christ statue is laid.  Just outside the room is a donation box.  On the highest part are faces of hundreds of people said to have contributed to mankind.  There is a prayer platform where it is claimed that prayers go direct to heaven or to God.  I obliged and said a prayer for my family and friends and the protection of all the children of the world.  Mar did too.  It is said that this place is open to all religions.

The tourist guide/narrator, a young female, explained and talked about the significance of everything that was painted and put in this Luminous Cross structure/building.

My brother Divin, wife Mariz, Mar and I went to the beach later.  Our snacks are boiled camote, boiled bananas, puto and banana cake.


Agdangan, Quezon is 35 kms from Villa Principe, Gumaca, Quezon.

On our way back home, in Unisan, Quezon, we stopped and asked the locals where a restaurant in their town was.  We were directed to their only carinderia (I suppose, I did not see any more) and we ate lunch under a mango tree.

Exploring the Philippines and Asia - Pitogo, Quezon

The town of Pitogo in Quezon is 13 kms from Villa Principe, Gumaca, Quezon.  We went to explore a bit and buy freshly caught seafood.

The first time we went was at 7am on April 8.  We asked where the market was and we were directed to go to the port.  We were also told we were late when we told them we came to buy fish. The port is where the fisherman haul out their harvest from the sea.  Fish buyers from neighboring towns go to this port to buy in bulk.  Some fish and other seafood end up on tables sold by locals.  On this day, we were lucky, perhaps there was also a latecomer fisherman, a fish vendor still have a few kilos of really fresh lumahans and some other types of fishes, the names of which have escaped my mind.  We bought 4 kgs., took some pictures of the port and the church and went home.

The second time we went to the port of Pitogo was at 6am a few days later.  It was still early I guess, we got some really fresh squid, some expensive type of fishes and cassava suman.

Pitogo is a really poor town, where there is not even a town public market.  Fish, meat and vegies are sold in front of their homes or on the street.  There is just one shop selling cooked food but not even one restaurant.  Population is 20K as of last census.

Exploring the Philippines and Asia - Gumaca, Quezon

I was born in a small barangay called Villa Principe and raised in the town of Gumaca, Quezon.  On April 6, 2010 we went to visit my town, brother Divin and wife Maris, sister Elvie and husband Johnny, nephew, nieces and their children. 

My town is where you have to pass through if you are going to Bicol province.  Evident signs of progress in my town is the presence of Jolibee and Chowking.

In Villa Principe, I think 80-90% of population are poor.   Those who went to college or went to work abroad are those who escaped poverty.  What we have in Quezon are coconuts so work available are for coconut farmers/workers and obviously our product is copra.

As we know, farming in the Philippines, does not make one earn enough to feed a family.  How can these farmers send their children to get higher education?  How can these children escape poverty if they are not educated?  When would the cycle of poverty end?  What can we do to help?

Exploring the Philippines and Asia - Good Friday, Santolan, Pasig

Mar was born and raised in Santolan, Pasig.  We knew that Holy Wednesday and Good Friday are observed in this small barangay seriously and hugely.  Many residents from this place own life-size statues of saints, Mary and Jesus Christ.  Patty and Choy, Mar's relatives, even own three life-size statues permanently located/situated in their living room.   So that when you enter their home, you are immediately in the company of these 3 elegantly dressed statues.  If you are not Catholic, you might be shocked if you enter their home.

Last year, we went to Santolan on Holy Wednesday to watch the procession.  This year, we went on Good Friday.  Procession, to Catholics, refers to when the Catholic Church holds a holy parade of all these statues on Holy Week.

People from Santolan say that Holy Wednesday procession is bigger with about 40 statues while Good Friday has about 30.

To me who has lived in Canada for 9 years now, it is unbelievable and overwhelming the number of people I saw who joined the procession and those thousands more who lined up and crowded the streets to watch.