The Land of the Uragons….
One of the richest coastlines of the country, Camarines Norte situated at the tip of Quezon Province and an approximately six hour drive from Metro Manila, is faced on the east by the Pacific Ocean. Camarines Norte is also blessed with a dense rainforest with habitats of natural wildlife and one of the nesting grounds of the Philippine Eagle. The province also have an illustrious quantity of mineral deposits such as gold, silver, iron, lead, limestones, zinc and white clay with its fertile volcanic soil suitable for farming that produces large variety of agricultural products such as rice, coconut, vegetables, pineapple, abaca and an unlimited supply of other root crops. Its coastline produces top quantity of seafood and marine products marketed throughout the province and Metro Manila and the town of Mercedes is the top grosser in production. Daet, its capital and the seat of the provincial government is also the most busiest municipality of Camarines Norte as trade and economy is mostly concentrated in this area.

Business, trade and economy had spurred in recent years, thanks to the establishment of LIND Growth Corridor, an acronym for Legaspi, Iriga, Naga and Daet that facilitates economic growth to adjacent areas. While the province’s economy is focused strongly on agriculture and fishing, gold deposits and jewelry crafting are being mined and handcrafted in Paracale. The “golden pond” town have a vast amount of gold deposits that it even exists in the Paracale River. Handcraft jewelries is still a major source of living in this municipality and a source of antique styles with the most popular regarded as “agrimon or alakdan” flat necklace. An industrial center also was established in the town of Jose Panganiban, PHIVIDEC, that encourages small and medium industries to support the local economy through manufacturing and processing mineral products with construction materials and handicrafts.

Historical sites are also a favorite hang around of local residents as well as foreign travelers. Shrines are all over the province such as The First Rizal Monument, The Jose Ma. Panganiban Shrine, The Martyr Shrine, The Rufino Pabico Ancestral Shrine, The Wenceslao Q. Vinzons Shrine, Laniton Shrine and Capalonga Shrine. While the locals also are proud with education institutions with Siliman University as a top university in the province along with La Consolacion College, Lourdes College, Mabini College, Heroes Memorial College and Sorsogon State College.

Camarines Norte is also fast becoming a travelers destination with the promotion and help by the local government. Surfing sites, restaurants and resorts accommodations are being introduced and built in its coastline towns. Apart from surfing, the province also have a a vast kilometer of unspoilt beaches with isolated offshore islands and national parks. The most popular beach is the Bagasbas Beach in Daet with big waves from the Pacific Ocean suitable for surfing and the Mangcamagong Beach which has a peaceful ambience suitable for relaxation or family outings. The Calaguas Group of Islands boasts of boasts of white sandy beaches with its beautiful Coral Reefs in Banocboc that is a fish sanctuary and marine reservation area. The Mampurog Resort, Pulang Daga Resort, Sinagtala Resort, Canimog Island Resort are not to be missed white sand coastlines and the Pineapple Island Resort situated in a eco-tourism lot serves as a manmade waterpark lagoon suitable for family activities. The Colasi, Mananap, Binauaang and Malatap Falls are mystical waterfalls with lush vegetations that surrounds this cascading panoramic views very suitable for outings and picnics. The Bantayog Festival is the biggest festivity of Camarines Norte celebrated from March 17 to April 16 with its extensive promotional campaign showcasing numerous activities all over the province turning this event celebration more likely as economic, tourism and cultural development not to forget the Pineapple Festival in honor of its abundant growth and harvest.

La Union is known for its stunning long line of beaches and known as the Caribbean of the Asia. I used to frequent this place also in the 1980’s and have brought many friends along with me for vacation, since our family friends live in Caba and Aringay, the Fider and Nucos Family. Its coastline beaches are such a perfect place for snorkeling and surfing especially in the upper north of the province like San Juan while Poro-poro Point is also a popular destination. Bauang, its beaches though as not that sandy white, is most frequented by locals and foreign travelers for its Caribbean like atmosphere with a daily spectacular sunset view. Most of the residents in La Union are Ilocanos but there are also Pangasinense, Igorots, and even Chinese and the main dialect is Ilocano.

San Fernando City, the province’s capital and known as The Botanical Garden City is the center of business and trade where the provincial capitol is located, aquaculture, agriculture, shipping and transportation serves as the primary industry. The Wallace Air Station that was once used as a radar support base and used in monitoring aircrafts by the US Military is now one of the main tourist attractions in the province that have been converted into a business industrial sector that helps facilitate commercial activity of the province. The CSI Mall is one of the hang around place when in San Fernando City while the Dinengdeng Festival of Agoo is a nice view to watch and members of the dance group bagged the award for the best dance festival in the northern region. There are also restaurants where you may enjoy the best of the local foods in La Union. The most famous food establishment in La Union is the Finnegan’s Bar and Restaurant, located in Bauang, that boasts of its local and international cuisines made from the freshest and finest seafood caught off the coast of the municipality. Many tourists also visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. This is a landmark made by the locals of La Union to honor all the soldiers who fought during the World War II. The Luna Watchtower is also one of the architectural sites that were built before the Spaniards came in the Philippines whereas this structure was used by the province’s locals during those times to watch out for the incoming pirates while the Agoo Basilica Church is also a historic site.

The Province of La Union is composed of 1 city and 19 municipalities namely:

San Fernando City - Capital of La Union

Agoo, Aringay, Bacnotan, Bagulin, Balaoan, Bangar, Bauang, Burgos, Caba, Luna, Naguilian, Pugo, Rosarion, San Gabriel, San Juan, Sto. Tomas, Santol, Sudipen and Tubao.

Fall in love with La Union’s multitude of scenic landscapes and pristine beaches with an excellence of their craftmanship in the their local industry.

Abra the biggest land area in the region hemmed by towering mountains from Ilocos in the western part and the Cordillera in the east. A landlocked province of dominant Spanish ancestry in the lowlands and the unique Tingguian Tribe in the uplands. Most speak Ilocano as the predominant language while Itneg and Tagalog are secondary with some other tribe dialects spoken in few barangay’s. Abra is where Father Conrado Balweg started his crusade fighting for the rights of the Cordillera tribes in which he successfully negotiated a peace accord with the government in 1987 and created the Cordillera Autonomous Region which Abra is a member. The province possesses the most number of municipalities and barangays in the Cordillera region with an impressive amount of natural resources of myriad forest products and minerals such as gold, clay guano, rock phosphate and cement raw materials.

This landlocked province is insulated by mountainous gazebo’s where nature remained prestine and on a relaxed pace away from the humdrum of urban cosmopolitan living. The province is well known as the “Dye Capital of the Philippines ” because natural dye producing plants grow profusely in this province that occupies the western part of the Cordillera. Dyes that are extracted from the barks, roots, leaves and fruits of plants are used to color food and beverages. The same dyes are also used on textiles, pharmaceutical products as well as on furniture. The interest in the practice of dyeing enormously decreased during the last few decades. In 1992 the dyeing tradition was revived by the Katutubong Foundation spearheaded by then First Lady Ming Ramos. The handwoven cloths colored with organic dyes, the handcrafted jewelries and the furniture that were made using the wood from the province’s virgin forest are most suitable souvenir items a visitor can take home. Presently, loom weaving and embroidery projects were launched by the Abra government to help boost the economy. There are also other industry that flourish this province such as bamboo and rattan handicrafts that constitutes a large percentage of the province’s industries.

Abra, like the rest of the provinces in the country has a lot of interesting places to entice travelers. Arts and handicrafts afficionados can visit the private Don Tenorio Brillantes Museum that exhibits the private family collection which showcases the Spanish culture. While the Libtec Underground River with enormous cave formation on the open field but upon entering one will be amazed by the flowing clear water of the underground river with views of stalactite and the stalagmites fossils located in Barangay Libtec in Dolores. The Kimkimay Lake is a favorite picnic ground of both local and foreign travelers as it has clear waters suitable for family gatherings and sport fishing located at Taquib, Villaviciosa. The Victoria National Park is also a frequent travel attraction due to its hilltop location overlooking Bangued and the neighboring municipalities of Tayum, La Paz, Pidigan and Penarrubia.

One can say that Abra is an underrated province as seldom would you see tourism write ups. This province however, offers tourists and travelers simple pleasures that only nature can afford to give. The transformation of this province has been enormous through the years spearheaded by its provincial government in terms of trading, business, culture and tourism. If other nearby provinces have their own colorful tribe festivities such as the Panagbenga Flower Festival of Baguio or the Ulalim Festival of Kalinga, Abrenians have also their own festival to be proud of that is visited by locals and foreign travelers especially expatriates and OFW’s. The yearly Raniag Ti Abra Festival is a colorful festivity of ethnic dancing showcasing the Iloco-Tingguian dance, native foods and a trade fair commemorating its founding day celebrated during the month of March.

Talking and chatting with friends at Washington DC Filipino Community, I landed a nice long chat with a Pinoy from Sarangani, a province in the southern tip of Mindanao. I did enjoy that conversation about the province as I have never been there. Matter of fact he said that he was there only a few months ago and really enjoyed his month long vacation. He mentioned about white powdery sand beaches, vast rainforest endangered species of wildlife as well as mystical caves, waterfalls and springs, historical archaeological finds, mangrove forests, pineapple commercial plantations, aquamarine farms producing the best tasting milkfish in the country…all these surprised me as I really have no idea of what the Province of Sarangani is made of other than a few clicks on the web when I browse.

As we went on deeper in our conversation I found out that Sarangani’s spectacular natural attractions are emerging to be the most famous tourist destinations in the Philippines. Sarangani offers travelers wonderful surprises that are relatively untapped in terms of its nature scenics, wildlife, marine and natural resources. The Municipality of Glan, the most popular destination, is dubbed as the Boracay of the South minus the commercialism. Any tourist will be overwhelmed with the vast stretch of white pristine beaches with the clear azure blue waters, by the mystic caves and the untouched waterfalls…truly a wonderful sight to behold. He said that jet skiing across the serene waters of the Sarangani Bay and exploring its 230 kilometer coastline would be amazed by the nature’s astonishing rock formations and picturesque coves. Also in Glan are the centuries old houses which would fascinate antique lovers who will surely be delighted by the grand and magnificent native balcony architectures, the “kalado” walls and the wide heavily carved wooden staircases of these ancestral homes that were constructed in the early 1900s. These homes that feature priceless oriental sets and antique collections are the pride of the Municipality of Glan .

The 13,500 hectare surface water of the Sarangani Bay touted to be the largest in the country is home to varied marine life that includes dolphins, whales, sea cows (dugong) and sea turtles. The coral reefs and shipwreck diving sites are the country’s most spectacular diver’s haven that would keep local and foreign tourists endless hours of diving delight. Viewing the thousands of multicolored and variedly shaped fishes that darts between the Acropora Corals in the Tuka Marine Park in Kiamba is a truly exceptional experience.

Sarangani also boasts a rich history. Include in your to-do list a visit to the Municipality of Maitum . Anthropomorphic potteries found in Ayub cave dates back to 300-500 B.C. The potteries are used as burial jars with covers in the form of heads that emulate different facial expressions. The 49 Maitum jars as they are now called are kept in the National Museum . Ayub cave is also the sanctuary of the giant golden crown flying foxes, the giant bats that are endemic to the Philippines . While the Municipality of Glan is the tourism capital going around the Municipality of Alabel, Sarangani’s provincial capital, ones attention will be drawn by a magnificent and imposing edifice, the Provincial Capitol Building . The building that sits on a 26 hectare lot is tagged as the White House of Southern Mindanao. Thirty minutes away from this town is the Sarangani Golf and Country Club where hobbyist could make a tour with a round of golf in the well landscaped 18- hole course while feasting your eyes on the serene beauty of its backdrop, Mt. Matutum . An annual event called the Lubi-Lubi Festival which is celebrated on November 25 is also a great site to view with its colorful costumes and great street dances in honor of Sta. Catalina de Alexandria. Lubi-Lubi sa Glan highlights a parade also similar to mardi gras but here costumes are made out of coconuts , husks and leaves. As they say in The Municipality of Glan in Sarangani, there is more to a coconut than just copra.

View the Province of Sarangani tourism video below.

The Province of Quezon formerly known as Tayabas with a vast mountainous place situated in the eastern part of the Philippines and a part of the CALABARZON Region. Its quite a big province extending from its northern border at the Sierra Madre Mountains and Aurora Province to its southern border of Camarines Norte of the Bicol Region of an area totalling to 8,700 square kilometers. Coconut trees are mostly grown in this province and due to its geographical location with mostly mountainous area, its local economy are based on coconut products with copra as its leading source and fishing is the livelihood of people in the coastal towns. As I love traveling, I have visited the province countless of times enjoying mountainous trek, the beaches, native foods, tuba, lambanog, its cool climate in the early hours of the morning and fresh air in Gumaca, Mauban and Unisan passing stopping by the other towns especially Lucena City. The province got its name from the second president of the Philippines, Manuel L. Quezon.

Lucena City, its capital, is the center place of the province where the provincial government is located, with the main bulk of its trading and economy heavily concentrated in this city. Colleges and universities also tops this city’s education with Enverga University, Luzonian University and Sacred Heart College among the finest with other instititution, high school and elementary schools located in Lucena City. Improvements in its health program are also in its priority as the province has already 16 government run hospital all over the province, Quezon Memorial Hospital being the biggest and located in central Lucena City with 23 private hospitals and about 40 rural health offices spread across throughout the province with a designated doctor, nurse and dentist on duty while the Medical Center Lucena Educational Institution leads the pack of students in the area of health education. Lucena City has really transformed into a modernized city since I last visited the place with new business buildings constructed, fastfood restaurants such as Jollibbee and inn accommodations of modern facilities. The Pacific Mall, Metro Lucena, SM Lucena and the Quezon Convention Center are some of its finest buildings.

The provincial government also has done a lot to promote travel and tourism for the province. With its mountainous beauty and Mt. Banahaw leading the pack for the most visited place, its unlimited kilometers of quiet shores of beaches are an attraction for local and foreign travelers as well with Padre Burgos as one of the attractions. The islands of Alabat and Polillo boasts of natural beauty with its clear water and still untouched coral reef. Town Fiestas are amongst the colorful events in this province celebrated in the months of May or June starting with the most popular which is the colorful event of them all that is the Pahiyas Festival, celebrated every 15 of May in honor of St. Isidore showcasing houses decorated with fruits, vegetables, agri products, local handicrafts, rice and sweet decorations that can be eaten. Next are the Mayflower Festival in Lopez, the Cow Festival in Alabat, the Lilay-Coco Festival in Unisan and the Lubid-Lubid Festival in Tiaong which is a social festivity that showcases the origin of Tiaong and its people who have contributed to its growth. Native food are also not to be set aside as the Province of Quezon is proud of of their native cookings such as the pancit habhab. My favorites here are the fresh caught fish wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in coconut milk, the fresh caught alamang shrimp garnered with sliced kamias and the also the sinaing na tulingan.

You can also view the beauty of Quezon Province in this 6 minute video of its other fascinating towns, its beautiful people and the wonderful places that awaits you. Enjoy !!!