#san juan batangas

[takeoffphilippines]

PITX to LIPA CITY (via Alps Bus) | Oct 2024 | The Commuter's Guide

Planning to travel from Metro Manila to Lipa City but unsure where to start?

This commuter’s guide will walk you through the easiest way from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to SM Lipa using the Alps Bus, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free trip.

Location: Kennedy Road, Asiaworld, Bay City, Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines

This is where your journey begins at the PITX. Located strategically in Bay City, the terminal is easily accessible from various parts of Metro Manila.

Watch Our Commuter's Guide Going from PITX to Lipa City (SM City Lipa)

Bus Operator: Alps Bus Alps Bus is a reliable operator known for its frequent and on-time trips. With their regular buses, passengers are treated to a comfortable ride, thanks to some key amenities.

Quick Stop Over: Ayala Malls Manila Bay Before heading straight to Lipa, the bus quickly stops at Ayala Mall Manila Bay to pick up more passengers. This is a short stop, so be ready to continue your trip in no time.

Drop-Off Point: SM Lipa Your destination is SM Lipa, a convenient location for further travel within Batangas or exploring the city.

Price: Php 188 (as of October 24, 2024) The fare is very affordable for a one-way ticket, making it a practical option for both daily commuters and occasional travelers.

Ticket Booth: Head to Ticket Booth #4, located on the second floor near Popeye's and Miniso for ticket purchases.

Boarding Gate: Proceed to Boarding Gate 5 for your bus.

Bus Type: Regular While it’s a regular bus, Alps Bus ensures passenger comfort with added features.

Bus Amenities: Each seat comes with a tray table and a USB charger port, so you can relax and stay connected while on the road.

Travel Time: Expect a travel time of 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on traffic.

Now that you’re familiar with the journey, you can enjoy a smooth trip from PITX to Lipa City!

—

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[moodboardmix]

Quarry House, Laiya, San Juan, Batangas, Philippines,

SLIC Architecture

[elriz]

Let's go beachin'!

San Juan, Batangas, PH

[maabagroup]

Playa Laiya Lot for Sale in San Juan, Batangas Property CodeB087 Playa LaiyaPLAYA LAIYA, SAN JUAN, BATANGASLot Area 290 sqmPhp 4,760,000.00 As of July 2024

Inquire Here!

[thehearbeatofrealestate]

Experience the harmony of life at 𝐀𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐌𝐂𝐈 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬, where every day feels like a vacation. Nestled in the heart of 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐚 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐠 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲, it's your personal sanctuary amidst the bustling city life. With resort-inspired amenities and a variety of unit types to choose from, 𝐀𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 is not just a place to live, but a lifestyle to embrace.

🏙️ Andea - 18 storeys 🏙️ Manzuria - 18 storeys 🏙️ Oregon - 18 storeys 🏙️ Sylvan - 18 storeys

🎊𝑨𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒑𝒂𝒚𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒐: 𝑂𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 1: 12% DP spread to 36mos. with 1% Discount 𝑂𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 2: 15% DP spread to 36mos. with 2% Discount 𝑂𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 3: 20% DP spread to 36mos. with 3% Discount

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁:

𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕: SM Savemore - 3mins Grace Mall - 5mins Vista Mall - 8mins SM Aura - 8mins Venice Grand Canal Mall - 10mins Market! Market! - 11mins Uptown Mall - 11mins Bonifacio High Street - 14mins

𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: Mint College - 12mins Enderun Colleges - 12mins Treston International College - 11mins Integrated Montessori - 12mins The British School Manila - 11mins Colegio San Agustin - 16mins Assumption College - 18mins

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: Medical Center, Taguig - 5mins St. Luke's Medical Center, BGC - 13mins Makati Medical Center, BGC - 13mins Makati Medical Center - 22mins

𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 & 𝑺𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚: Taguig City Police Station - 8mins Makat City Police Station - 8mins PAO Ville Fire Station - 18mins

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀: ✅Bigger Unit Size - 2BR (64.50 to 84.50) ✅Exclusivity - Guarded community, privacy, private township ✅Value for Money - Premium amenities & features ▪️Swimming Pools ▪️Basketball Court ▪️Children's Play Area ▪️ Linear Park ▪️Picnic Area ▪️Entertainment Room ▪️Coworking Space. ✅Quality - PH's First Quadruple A Contractor, Design with Lumiventt Technology ✅Established Community - Additional Access Points

𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 - Lounge Area, Game Area, Fitness Gym, Entertainment Room, Snack Bar, Coworking Space.

𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 - Convinience Store, Card Operated Laundry, Water Station

𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕 𝑺𝒊𝒛𝒆 - Bigger Windows, Provision for Split Type Aircondition Unit, Bigger Unit Size.

𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: ✔️𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤: https://apps.dmcihomes.com/OnlineCRF/Main?ac=LI32958 ✔️2 Valid ID's and Tax Identification Number (TIN) ✔️Latest proof of billing address (electric, water, internet or card bill) ✔️Unit reservation: 20K ✔️Parking: 10K

𝐋𝐢��𝐲 𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 📩 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: 𝟎𝟗𝟔𝟔 𝟗𝟗𝟏 𝟖𝟕𝟔𝟑

𝐷𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑊𝑎𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝐵𝑢𝑦 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒, 𝐵𝑢𝑦 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑊𝑎𝑖𝑡.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬!

💥𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐌𝐂𝐈 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐑𝐅𝐎 🔎 Taguig City | Pasig | Makati | Mandaluyong | Las Piñas | Parañaque | Manila | Pasay | Quezon City | San Juan, Batangas

[mckorney]

@cocoon san juan, batangas!

[muhryy]

4/22/23. Nung morning, inaantay namin yung update sa splash island kase doon na lang sana kami magswimming kase malapit lang. But, that morning rin i feel like na di mapush doon kase sobrang daming tao talaga na gusto magswimming. So, Nagsearch ako sa facebook group, then apparently may nakita ako and nakausap ko an din yung guy. yung una kong nakita is around mabini batangas included na doon yung utensils also other equipments pagdating sa pagluluto ( house siya ) sinabi ko yun may papa, and sabi niya kausapin ko si mama. So, kinausap ko si mama waiting sa confirmation about doon sa splash island then ayun nga di kami makapgdown paymeng kase di naman sure doln kase parang ang dating hahanapan lang kami ng way. ( so, paanopag wala diba ). Nung tumawag ako ulit doon sa guy sa na una kong nakita naibooked na daw ng iba. So, si ate mo girl naghanap ulit. Nakahanap ako the sa mga photos mukha naman siyang goods kase may pool pa and 1-2 mins walking to the beach. so nakapgbook na lahat lahat gora na.

fastforward... biyahe kami mula here sa amin hanggang san juan batangas. almost 2-3hrs din biyahe. So habang nasa biyahe kami nawalan yug aircon yung sasakyan namin. as in open windows so sabi sa akin ni papa na lumipat ako doon sa sasakyan ng tito ko kase di ko kaya yung init. so buong biyahe sila mama, pala at kapatid ko open window sila sobrang init pa naman.

Nung nakarating kami. nadisappoint si papa kase ang ang panget akala niya beach front. pero parang hitel kuno lang pala. tapos laki na din ng down payment tapos 2 rooms pa kami ang liit pa ng room walang tables and chairs. So, nagsorry na lang ako kay papa kase ganun nga nanyari. Kung baga- palpak yung plano ko. pero shit ginagwa ko naman best ko to find some paces kung saan pwede mag staycation talaga. pero puro fully booked.

[distressedbutstillblessed]

Hi Just want to have a little life update.

I don’t know how to put things into words, but I want to ask my self a little bit on how life is going on lately. A little self reflection after 10 months of 2024.

Yes, time flies so fast just like the cold breeze of air that starts in September. It has always been tough, life has always been tough for me, but lo and behold, I am still here standing, moving and surviving. Let me appreciate my life first before anything else because being able to continue life is a big achievement already. A lot had happened even though II may not notice it, in almost a year, there are a lot of changes, plans, setting, people changes. I’ve been to different places within thin the country/ Luzon, experienced and explore different things I have never done before. Let me have a quick recap on how the year went and see what we can do for the remaining 2 months.

JANUARY.

The start of the year gave hope for a better life without any idea how this year will go, which may be in favor of me or not.

End of January, Aljun and I also went to a camping which really went well. We were able to recharge from the nature and had peace away from the city life. We literally just had rest, being asleep since 6pm to 6am we even forgot to have dinner at this time.

During this time, I was able to start my MP2. Yay!

FEBRUARY.

Aljun’s birth month and I cooked spaghetti for his birthday. And he was able to meet my colleagues during the despidida for Sir JC and celebration of the January, and february babies.

I got my Ipad. This thing may be a reflection that I deserve too have reward for myself and I am doing great in surviving what life throws me. I have been wanting this with no specific reason ever since I was a student. I hope this inspires me to be more striving and it may also help me attain much more goals in the future. I am hopeful that this thing may become my go to thing whenever I needed something.

We also went to Baguio, and this time, maybe we mold our relationship stronger. We may have a little arguments that time but it made us understand each other more.

Forgot to mention, I had a major skin insecurity having a dandruff outbreak which started last December and peaked in February, and a rashes on my forearms which led me to get consulted by a dermatologist. Realizing how stressed I was for the past months

MARCH

Aljun also bought his Ipad. And started his new work at WTW. Holy week started this month.

Ate came home, And as usual, I am the person, mainly responsible for the gala things. Tatay also volunteered to become apostle for the holy weeks’ month long preparation.

APRIL

Our birth month. We had the chance to have a time off with my familly. We went to Alahbiga, San Juan, Batangas, where I saw kuya aldrin went to fishing.

On April 222-24, 2024, Ate returned to Philippines without the knowledge of my parents for the reason that she needed to settle her medical for the processing of her work in US. And as usual, again, I am the one who assisted her during her stay. April 24, 2024, We had a dinner out with Ate Aiza, ALjun and Kuya Aldrin, it was so satisfying that I was able to treat them with my hard earned money.

Aj also invited me to join him in his company event.

And as for my birthday, Aljun has been the one who made it so special, we went to A1 premium shabu shabu house, gave me a surprise when I got home from work. In addition, I thank my friends, the Bonaks who also made an extra effort to order something from “Mary Grace” and have it delivered, haven’t expected to be blessed with these people for 27 years.

Actually, didn’t realized to have so much during this birth month. I have always thought that this is just a normal month for me.

MAY.

I volunteered to be assigned as in patient duty for 2 months with phoebe who turned out be my work bestie now.

At this month, there is a sudden opportunity for me to work in Germany, and I thought this will be easy, but it’s not, now I almost wanted to give up, but the thing is, I will never know what awaits me there if I will never be able to start and be there. So I started my language journey and really had a hard time.

JUNE.

I took my certification for advanced dry needling, this is something to improve my knowledge as a professional. We celebrated Father’s day and took ninong and tatay out and went to the beach.

I started signing up for the Language course for Deutsch. I have to take this seriously. (June 16) I am hopeful for this opportunity, I hope, I never got disappointed.

I got my hair treated with ate as my sponsor. Hehe

JULY.

Nanay’s Death anniversary. May she rests in peace. I will forever remember her, will always love her and cherish moments I had with her. Aljun came to visit Batangas again.

Had the chance to go out with the BONAKs and Aljun, went to Puerto galera. We were able to get away and relax in a bit away from work and school (for AJ and Diana). I got soooooo drunk and vomitted, I have been so wasted, and this is the first time ever in my life. But it feels great to be surrounded by people who are willing to take care of me, and ALjun have seen the worst of me this time. Haha

Enjoyed Rehab week, we enjoyed the fun run.

We (AJ, Carol) hiked at Mt. Batulao with carol’s co-workers. The trip went really great even though I had a little misunderstanding with Aljun.

AUGUST

Aljun started being affiliated with MoveIt. Safe drive myLove.

I signed the contract for DevHub , dated July 3, 2024, but officially started August 3, 2024.

Iwas able to meet Junie and Cm again.

We (batchies) were able to watch On more chance the Musical, a theatrical play based from the movie with incorporation of ben and ben music. I really enjoyed the watching and listening to it. If only I was allowed to capture and have some clips from it. We also ate at wildflour, the food here is a little expensive but I was fulfilled to have the capability now to eat here and the experience was great with my batchies.

SEPTEMBER.

We watched Mula sa Buwan, and This time, I am with my highschool besties, JJJ and Princess. A tragic story of love and survival during the war era. A heartfelt theater play that gives us the message to love and fight for the country, A genuine love but is hidden, how the art of music lifts up the soul and how magical it is to imagine that we’ll be returning to the moon, where all people are the same, no judgments, just peace, love and beauty.

OCTOBER

Aljun and I, Our 2nd anniversary the was celebrated at cavite. Celebrated it peace adn nature. I think, this is really our thing. And by the way, Aljun also bought his first ever car. The car he dreamed of for a long time. Another step of achievement for him.

Aljun and I also joined a 10-mile run, which I. Almost give up, but thsnk God II didn’t, this is still a self achievement. I also thank aljun for not leaving me all through out even having the chance to do so.

Phoebe and I had the chance to go out and went to Whimsical Wonderland where we enjoyed taking videos and pictures. I literally just looked like crazy with the snaps we had.

And this wraps up for now, let’s see for the last 2 months of this year awaits for me. I am still hopefulfor the best and for my German laguage journey.

[rhk111sblog]

Buried under this Headline of a News Article are the Projects that the Bong Bong Marcos (BBM) Administration has added, removed and for implementation already using the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program. So let me just summarize it better here for future Reference:

Those that were ADDED were:

Design, Build, Finance, Operate the Air Navigation Services (Air Traffic Service and Air Navigation Service (Php 29.82 billion)

Food and Drug License and Clearance System worth (Php 16 million)

Combined 17MW Upper Sampaloc and 8MW Lower Sampaloc Hydroelectric Power (Php 7.21 billion)

Santiago City Hemodialysis Center (Php 36 million)

Operations and Maintenance of Pampanga Dialysis Centers (Php 73 million)

Operation and Maintenance of Palayan City Hospital (Php 6 million)

PRA Digitalization (Php 32 million)

Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Project (Php 8.45 billion)

San Juan-Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (Php 1.47 billion)

A number of these Projects that were added had something to do with Hospitals.

Meanwhile, some of the Projects that were DELISTED are as follows:

Metro Cebu Expressway (Php 97 billion)

Financing, Upgrade, Design and Development, and Operation and Maintenance of the Philippine Identification System

Road Transport IT Infrastructure Project Phase II

Pangasinan-Nueva Ecija Expressway

Dingalan-Capas-Botolan Expressway

Mindoro-Batangas Super Bridge (Floating Bridge)

Pacific Eastern Seaboard Expressway (Luzon Eastern Seaboard)

Infanta-Atimonan Segment

Criminology Firing Range

Development of the Former Manila Seedling Site Project

Underground Cabling Project Phase 1

City College Canteen

As we can see, many of the Projects that were delisted were Expressways and one Bridge. It remains to be seen if these will be funded by other Means, particularly by Foreign Loans, but if not then these will be delayed for the remainder of BBM’s Term.

Now those for IMPLEMENTATION already as of now are:

Philippine Economic Zone Authority Central System Project (Php 25 million)

La Mesa Parkways, now known as the North Luzon East Expressway (Php 15.1 billion)

Notice how the Philippine Press is spinning these Projects since they want the current Pro-United States (US) and Anti-China, they only highlighted the Positive Side of the News instead of focusing on the many Infrastructure Projects that were delisted and that only a few Projects are up for implementation as of this time.

Here is the Link to the Article at MSN Website: https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/other/23-more-projects-added-to-ppp-pipeline/ar-AA1sBlZ1

SOURCE: 23 more Projects added to PPP Pipeline {Archived Link}

[takeoffphilippines]

Quick Trip to Sariaya, Quezon Province + Birthday Celebration ng Family sa Lipa Grill

Join me for a delightful family celebration at Lipa Grill, a famous restaurant in Lipa City, Batangas! Enjoy a quick road trip to Sariaya, Quezon, where we often shop for plants to beautify our home.

—

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[impossibleperfectionnerd]

NATO basic let me remind you guys: to negotiate already: bit by bit then ALL - 1 month period 1. all land titles- core land titles (145) ex. Sta. Mesa office, San Juan city home, NAVOTAS, folgueras, there are 2 - 4th st. San Miguel Manila (near San BEda college), paranaque, Ayala alabang properties, binan, Laguna, pasay city. Batangas (talibeach area)…tip of the iceberg. 2. Full receipt of NATO aid- primary- 15,000 euro per day for myself & only & cents & pennies from UST priests 25 cents a day from the priesthood. P6000 per month from the New Vatican state as it’s prime deity. To back it up- for NATO not to have a hard time timewise - Salaries from my banking businesses worldwide as bank owner (110)- 1.2M euro each per month and as law firm owner & accounting firm owner (110) - Dentons (Swiss international law firm)/SGV & co. (Filipino world class accounting firm)/Deloitte (French accounting firm)/Grant Thornton) a. Credit suisse b. UBS c. Sarasin d. Mirabaud group e. Migros group f. Banque Cantonale de Geneve g. Banque Cantonale de Vaudoise h. Vontobel I. Swiss National government bank j.Julius Baer Group k.EFG international l.Pictet Group m.Lombard Odier n.Intessa San Paolo 0. BMP p. CDP Italy q. Sella bank r. PostFinance s. Habib bank (Swiss) - not Muslim! t. Revolut (France) u. Unicredit- (France) v. Chinabank (Capitol commons branch) w. Security bank (Capitol commons) X. BDO (Rockwell the Grove & Silver city pasig & main branch in Makati & BDO corporate center) y. Eastwest bank z. Landbank UP diliman - z1. AUB (Asia United bank) - Ortigas center z2. Lloyd’s of London z3. Barclay’s bank z4. PSbank z5. Metrobank (tiendesitas area & main near San Miguel ave. Ortigas center) z6. BNP Paribas (Italy) z7. Mendiolanum (Italy) z8. Banco Al veneto centrale (Italy) z9. HSBC (UK) z10. Standard chartered bank (UK) z11. Harrod’s bank (UK) z12. Bank of America (USA) z13. Bank of Tennesee (USA) z14. Washington mutual (USA) z15. Citibank group (USA) z16. Goldman Sachs (USA) z17. Wells Fargo (USA) z18. TRB (USA) z19. Desjardins of Canada z20. Royal bank of Canada z21. Bank of England z22. Scotiabank z23. TDbank z24. ANZ z25. Philippine National Bank (PNB) z26. Unilever z27. Coca Cola company z28. Unionbank z29. RCBC z30. Philtrust bank z31. Chase z32. Morgan Stanley z33. Carnegie Mellon bank z34. New York stock exchange z35. Hong Kong stock exchanges z36. Mainland China stock exchanges z37. Swiss stock exchange z38. Italian stock exchange z39. British stock exchange z40. NASA z41. X or Twitter z42. Tumblr z43.APPLE z44. European space academy z45. Various military schools- MILAC (premier Swiss military school) & Royal academy of sandhurst (United Kingdom) & Karlberg military academy (Sweden) & premier Belgium military school (Belgium) & Benedictine military school (Kansas, USA), premier California military school (San Luis obispo), westpoint (Virginia). Premier Italian military school (Naples) - Yale standard/ non - Yale standard (UST working level style) (Naples). St. Cyr military school (France). Z46. Hewlett-Packard z47. H and M & ikea & swedabank z48. Louis Vuitton/Harrod’s/Chanel/balenciaga/van cleef arpels/Cartier/Tiffany’s/bulgari/ z49. SM z50. Microsoft z51. Warner brothers/Weinstein company/MGM/Marvel comics z52.EPSON z53. Union bancaire privee (UBP Switzerland) z54. Banque Luxembourg z55. 7-11 z56. UERM & Veterans bank & Phoenix oil, our lady of Lourdes hospital, Philippine law school, Arellano law school. z57.General Motors Z58. McDo Z59. Swiss broadcasting corp. Z60. Vatican News z61. Keystone SDA (Swiss media) z62. BBC worldwide per country z63. SpaceX (USA) z64. Bucca de Beppo Italian restaurant Z65. Marugame Udon z66. Asakusa z67. Tartufo z68. RPN 9 z69. UST law school z70. GMA 7 3. 1 small car - Chevrolet mini hatchback 🚗. British Mini cooper (not more than P1.5M in value)- green in color or black in color

[elriz]

San Juan, Batangas PH

[ricisidro]

Most of the cities in Metro Manila, declared suspension of classes in all levels (Public and Private) WalangPasok due to inclement weather on Sept 5, 2024 as of 8am. Pasig, Makati, and Quezon City, did not suspend classes.

Metro Manila:

MARIKINA

VALENZUELA

PARAÑAQUE

LAS PIÑAS

MANILA

MUNTINLUPA

CALOOCAN

PASAY

MALABON

TAGUIG

PATEROS

NAVOTAS

MANDALUYONG

SAN JUAN

Provinces:

RIZAL, BATAAN, CAVITE

Batangas:

BALAYAN

CALACA

LAUREL

LEMERY

LIAN

MALVAR

NASUGBU

SAN JUAN

TAAL

TUY

Bulacan:

BOCAUE

BULAKAN

BUSTOS

CALUMPIT

HAGONOY

MALOLOS

MARILAO

PANDI

PAOMBONG

SAN ILDEFONSO

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE

SAN MIGUEL

SAN RAFAEL

STA. MARIA

[mwcowan]

A Whole New Chapter

Road Trip!

Here we go, off on a 2-week road trip through Northern Luzon!

Days 1-2, La Union

Picked up at 7:00am by our driver, Artemio, we packed up and headed north out of Manila. Even at this time, on a Sunday morning, it took most of an hour to clear Manila. Partly due to 24/7 traffic, but even without traffic the Metro Manila area is really big, on par with the largest cities in the world, even Los Angeles. Going thru Manila, I was reminded what a country of economic contrast this is, with the gleaming high-rise buildings of Manila and Makati in the background of expansive squatters slums along the expressway.

North of Manila you quickly get into lush farm and ranch lands, no difference between the two really, as farmers growing sugar cane, corn, all sorts of vegetable crops, and of course, rice, will also have cattle and goats tied up here and there. I think they rotate sections of their land, with some growing crops, while others are being naturally cleared and fertilized. The land from north of Metro Manila all the way until you reach the sea south of La Union, stretching some 200 km, struck me as a green Central Valley (California), with endless farmlands bordered by mountains both east and west, with small towns and scattered industrial buildings. Not much need for canals and irrigation here, though the rice paddies must have some sort of canal-based or pumped irrigation as they need to be flooded. Here and there we saw a farmer tilling his field with a plow drawn by a Carabao, the native oxen used as a draft animal.

The useful Carabao (picture from an earlier visit):

I realized that one thing you don’t see much of here, as compared to the Central Valley or any farming region in the US, is farm equipment. There is an occasional small farm tractor, but most of the heavy work here is still born by animals, or just human labor.

Max agreed with us that it’s pretty nice to have a driver and just relax and enjoy the ride.

Max was excited to see all the moo-moo cows, his favorite animal! It’s taken him a while to recognize the Philippine cattle as moo-moo cows, as they look different and, especially around our home in Batangas, very skinny compared to US cows. I’ve always thought that the cattle here were Brahma, as they have humps and floppy ears like the ones I’ve seen in pictures from India. Researching it, I found that the local cattle are recognized as a separate breed, known simply as “Philippine Native” cattle, and are descended from cattle introduced from China and Mexico.

Continuing north, we passed through the city of Angeles, where some readers may have been stationed, or at least passed through, as it was the home of Clark AFB until 1991. Now the air base is the major international airport serving northern Luzon.

We stayed on the expressway until it ends in the town of Rosario where we turned west onto the Mac Arthur Highway.

After 5 ½ hours on the road, we reached our destination, San Juan, La Union (oo-nee-own). La Union has relatively recently grown up as a resort area and surfing hub of the Philippines. It’s one of two areas in the Philippines, the other being Siargao, that host a professional World Surfing League event (see “Mark and Georgia’s March 2019 Philippines Trip”, Days 13-15). And sure enough, in contrast to the calm waters we see in most of the Philippines, they got waves! Just like Hawaii, the biggest waves come in the winter, though these were enough to scare Max from the water. Our hotel was on a wide, quiet beach, with just a few surfers practicing on the waves.

We had Artemio drop us off in the next town down the coast, San Fernando, for dinner. San Fernando is the home of Urbiztondo beach, the center of the surfing scene. All along the beach are bars and restaurants, making this also party central! This seems to be what most of the generally younger crowd come to La Union for, the action on the beach rather than in the water.

Mass of humanity at Urbiztondo beach, a big contrast to the quiet beach where we’re staying!

We found a good Japanese restaurant just off the beach, that welcomed Max, and proceeded to eat too much…

An aside, regarding Max’s acceptance as a service animal over here, it’s a mixed bag, just as we’d read about before coming. Some places, restaurants, shops, hotels, etc., simply welcome him without any fuss at all. Some initially try to forbid him but give in when we show his registration card and a copy of a Philippines Senate bill that reads very much like the US ADA laws, which guarantee that a service animal has the same right of entry to any establishment that the animal’s owner/handler has. Some places, however, are just rude and don’t care what we show them. Lastly, some are actually knowledgeable that the Senate bill we are armed with has not yet passed the Senate and therefore not actually law in the Philippines. We don’t really push the issue much, and sometimes just move on.

After another full day sightseeing in and around La Union, we move on to Vigan, about a 3-hour drive up the coast.

Days 3-5, Vigan

Shortly after leaving San Juan, we enter the province of Ilocos Sur (Southern Ilocos). Provinces in the Philippines are like states in the U.S., with a Governor, legislature, and courts, the ability to create provincial laws, collect taxes, etc., while still operating under federal laws to an extent similar to the U.S. We live in Batangas province, La Union is another province, etc. There are 82 provinces in the Philippines.

We continue north on the Mac Arthur highway, a smooth, modern highway passing still through rich farm/ranch lands bordered by the sea to the west and mountains east. We pass through numerous small towns, many having familiar names such as Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, San Antonio, even San Jose and San Francisco, reflecting the influence of Spanish colonization.

Vigan has been on my “must visit” list for many years; it’s known as the foremost cultural heritage site in the Philippines. Having escaped most of the ravages of WW2 and other conflicts, the center of town retains the cobblestone streets and architecture from the Spanish colonial era (1565-1898).

It’s a short walk from our hotel to the nearby Calle Crisologo, the main “old town” street which is closed to auto traffic. We head that way, stopping for a quick lunch at  nearby Plaza Burgos of local dishes including empanadas, okoy (veggie and seafood fritter), pinakbet (veggies and pork), dinakdakan (pork simmered in onions), and rice (all costing a whopping $4…). Getting to the Calle Crisologo, Georgia decided that Max and I needed a calesa ride. Calesa are the historic taxis of the Philippines, two-wheeled carriages drawn by small Philippine ponies. In every city at one time, they are still found giving rides to tourists, especially in places like Vigan. We walked along and selected a friendly looking pony, found that it cost only 200 pesos (about $3.50) for a 1-hour tour, so I hoisted Max up and off the three of us went on a nice tour of Vigan city.

One place we passed by that I was curious about was the Ilocos Sur Capitol building, which was sporting what appeared to be Pride flags and colors. Curious, because being LGBTQ+ is still illegal in the Philippines, though such laws are not enforced as far as I know, and like any place you see people here just openly being who they are. I was just surprised, though, in this strictly Catholic nation, to see a government entity in such apparent solidarity. On checking, I found that on July 1, 2023, the province of Ilocos Sur adopted a resolution to “Transcend in all Colors”, outlining a 10-point agenda to promote “Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity”. Good for Ilocos Sur, hopefully such thinking will continue to spread throughout the Philippines.

On the good advice of our calesa driver, we went back to the hotel room to wait out the heat of the day, then returned to Calle Crisologo in the evening when it had cooled off. We enjoyed a walk down the street with its cobblestones and colonial era homes, many now converted to souvenir shops and restaurants.

We stopped at a streetside café for dinner and enjoyed a number of Ilocano dishes. Georgia explains that many dishes, e.g., Pinakbet, are found throughout the Philippines, but local variations can make large differences. For instance, I haven’t really enjoyed Pinakbet before, but tonight’s version was really good! Also, the longganisa (pork sausage) here is savory and garlicky vs. the sweet sausages by the same name found in most other regions.

The next morning we toured around town, going to a number of spots including one called the “Hidden Gardens”. Hidden, by being in an unexpected place within what looked like a residential area, it was a cool and serene path though a large garden. No admission fee, but there were ample opportunities to support the garden, and we did buy some plants to take home, to surprise our gardener Vima.

Monkeys 1, Max 0

I wish I had a video of this… In the parking lot of the garden there was a monkey in a small cage. Max was off leash, and we encouraged him to go have a look, and he cautiously moved towards the monkey. Then, suddenly, the monkey got mad, reared up with arms in the air, bared his teeth, and made a loud screech! In a millisecond Max was gone, running faster than I’d ever seen him go, even when he's trying to run down a Chuckit ball with his sister Lizzie! We had no idea at first where he went, but we found he’d taken refuge in the souvenir shop next to the parking lot. We’d planned that our next stop would be a local zoo but decided that one monkey would be enough for Max today!

So on to lunch. Empandas are an Ilocano specialty, so we went for another recommended empanaderia close to the hotel. Empanada are actually a common snack food all over the Philippines. Georgia makes them, based on her Mom’s recipe, with a meat and potato filling, sometimes with raisins for sweetness, baked in a folded pie crust shell. They are very different here – deep fried, have a lighter and crispy shell more like a spring roll wrapper, filled with shredded cabbage or green papaya, longganisa, and a whole egg. Different and delicious! All in all we tried 3 empanaderias, the last using shredded papaya rather than cabbage. We both agreed that this last one had the best flavor!

Crispy shell, cabbage, egg, and longganisa. Yum!

After lunch Artemio drove us down to Santa Maria, to see an old church which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. The first church was established on this site in 1567, with construction on the present church beginning in 1765. This beautiful church has been well cared for, and of course escaped damage during the war.

All for now, just some of the sights and treats from La Union and Vigan. Next stops, Laoag and Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, and Santa Ana, Cagayan.

Take care, see you soon!

[thehearbeatofrealestate]

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[serenity1998]

2024 Highlights

01062024 to 01082024 Nasugbu, Batangas

Birthday, Beach Trip, Roadtrip

01132024 to 01142024 Pandacan Manila

Feast of Sto. Niño

01162024 Las Tres Marias, Sampaloc Manila

Eat out with colleagues

01262024 Samgyupjuan, Sampaloc Manila

Eat out with colleagues

02022024 Mcdo, Greenhills, San Juan City

Eat out and catching up with Chris

02072024 Tongyang, Eton, Centris Quezon City

Eat out with colleagues, blow out

02142024 Mcdo, Agora, San Juan City

Valentine's Date with Siblings

03092024 Montalban, Rizal

Birthday Treat

04052024 SM Sta. Mesa, Manila

Coffee treat

04062024 to 04142024 Occidental Mindoro

Bridesmaid, Roadtrip, Eat out

04262024 Sta. Mesa to Pandacan, Manila

Trolley Experience

05042024 Tuy, Batangas

Aunt's Post 60th Celebration

05112024 Nasugbu, Batangas

Outing and Swimming

05122024 Nasugbu, Batangas

Eat out at Tambayan ni Khaman, Roadtrip from Batangas to Manila