simunul, tawi-tawi: the birthplace of islam in the philippines

Sheikh Karimul Makhdum, an Arab missionary, reached Simunul, Tawi-tawi more than one hundred years before Ferdinand Magellan stumbled upon Cebu. He also arrived in a manner that would probably beat the Portuguese navigator in terms of style and spectacle. The sarsilya (local histories) say that Makhdum was aboard a metal boat but when he saw the island from afar, he walked the remaining distance on water.

He then built a mosque at Tubig Indangan in 1380 AD and thus planted the very seed of Islam in the Philippines. A more modern building stands there this day, but inside the mosque are the four original pillars made out of Ipil wood. Makhdum, which is said to have more than one supernatural ability, carried these heavy posts from the forest all the way to the shore, like they were just merely matchsticks.

oroquieta city

It is usually quiet, clean and trouble-free in Oroquieta City, the provincial capital of Misamis Occidental. The city, however was not named because of its placid nature. Two theories prevail as to why it was named as such: that it was named after a place in Spain and in a more literal sense, that the early inhabitants found gold along its rivers.

But it was unusually more quiet in Oroquieta one week after Typhoon Sendong hit Northern Mindanao last December. Even if the city was not ravaged by the typhoon, there was still a somber atmosphere that hung over the place. My aunt told me that a few bodies were washed ashore by the city's beautiful boulevard during that week. The bodies were already retrieved when I paid the city a quick visit that day.

the forgotten bells of ozamiz city

Bukagan Hill overlooking the scenic Ozamiz City and Panguil Bay.

Not many know this, that there are four bells, named by their German casters as “St. Peter”, “St. Marien”, “St. Joseph” and “St. Michael,” at Bukagan Hill (92 MASL) in Ozamiz City. These were supposed to be installed at the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral but the church’s existing belfry could not adequately support the bells which reportedly weigh a total of 7 tons.

The residents could not afford to build another bell tower at that time, considering that they already raised a substantial amount for the construction of the church and the installation of its pipe organ. The bells ended up at Bukagan Hill in Barangay Malaubang, through the efforts of Fernand T. Bernad. The site was inaugurated on July 16, 1948 which was participated by various religious and civic groups.

philippine hot air balloon festival

It is the time of the year again, when the skies at Clark in Pampanga will be colored with hot air balloons of different colors and shapes. This event is called the Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival, which recently concluded its 17th successful run yesterday. The four-day affair was attended by thousands who wanted to witness the hot air balloons slowly lift up into the air, a spectacular event that they do not get to see anywhere else in the Philippines.

The giant balloons could only take off under specific wind conditions. The best times to catch their flight is during early morning and in the evening when the wind is not as relentless. Even so, visitors still travel to Clark during the wee hours in the morning just to take a glimpse of the gentle giants. And for a brief suspended moment every dawn, the sleep-deprived travelers eagerly await for their magical flight, oblivious to the emcee's scientific explanation for the latter.

breaking myths and barriers on a basilan daytrip

The province of Basilan in Southern Philippines doesn’t have to pay for a pricey advertising campaign just to let the whole world that it exists. Its frequent troubles have been featured especially by both local international media outfits, many times more than the rest of the Philippines combined. This free publicity, albeit an unpleasant one, is one big reason why it may never end up in most Filipinos’ travel bucket lists.

Despite Basilan’s notorious reputation, I was honestly surprised to find out that it is, for the lack of a better description, actually a safe place. When my friend and I reached the port of Isabela City last year, we just walked without armed escorts, towards the provincial capitol to meet the local tourism officer. We were admittedly, more curious than afraid during that time.

malamawi island: basilan's best kept secret

The last thing I expected to see at a private resort in Malamawi Island was a banana boat. I imagined that many have already saddled on this colorful inflatable device while being drawn by a jetski perhaps and then intentionally thrown overboard in the end. However, there were no excited tourists when my friend and I arrived there one fine afternoon last year. Except for the resort’s caretakers and a few persons that looked like college students enjoying the last few days of their semestral break, we had the whole stretch of immaculate shore pretty much to ourselves.

The boat's vivid colors provide an interesting contrast to the white sand, the sea with varying shades of blue and the dark outcast skies hovering over Zamboanga peninsula at a distance. It looked just like all the other beach resorts elsewhere in the Philippines, and to some extent it may even be better than the well-visited ones. But no one would have guessed that the postcard worthy image was taken at the island of Basilan in Southern Philippines.

candaba daytrip: birdwatching and so much more

At this time of the year, migratory birds have already flocked to the swamps in Candaba in the province of Pampanga. The low-lying plains and often flooded plains of the region are perfect resting grounds of the birds who have been flying several thousands of miles. The swamps have also attracted serious birdwatching enthusiasts, wildlife photographers and weekend backpackers to witness something unique in this part of the Philippines.

The best time of the day to visit the Candaba Bird Sanctuary in Doña Simang is late in the afternoon, when the sun is not too hot. This is also a good time to catch a beautiful sunset with Mt. Arayat as a background. Unless you want to spend the entire day watching birds, you might want to do other budget-friendly activities in Candaba. There is more to this landlocked municipality than just the migratory birds.