iNsIgHtS

Ton-ok Falls

2009-09-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

Location: A 45-minute drive from Calbayog City proper to Sigo plus 30-minute hike to Ton-ok falls.

Facilities: Hanging bridge

Description: A scenic waterfall hidden in a lush tropical vegetation. Nature has placed it out of easy reach to preserve its beauty. The scenic view of the waterfall is vividly illustrated through the boulders that rise and water falls in a series of cataract-like steps from down below to the topmost section of the mountain. Nature has placed it within easy reach to compensate and preserve its beauty. A source of hydroelectric power.

want some more pictures about Ton-ok Falls? click this link... http://www.puntodebista.wordpress.com/

Calbayog City: A Place where I Grew up

2009-06-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

Trivia

Calbayog in Samar has been dubbed by the Department of Tourism as “The City of Waterfalls” with seven-layered falls near in the city. It is also the third largest city in the entire country, comprising 157 barangays.

Transportation

Philippine Airlines (daily flights)
Cebu Pacific (MWF flights)
Zest Air (TTHS flights)
By land – PHILTRANCO, CUL, SILVER STAR
By sea – FJP shipping lines (Cebu-Calbayog-Cebu)

By day

A 5 minutes drive from Calbayog City is the St. Vincent de Paul Seminary. Enjoy a view of the city and the sea. Fronting the seminary is a replica of the image of Our Lady of Fatima

By night

Take a relaxing stroll around the Sacred Heart Plaza across the Calbayog City Hall and Cathedral. It will give you a glimpse of simpler times.

Sleep

F & A Suites in the City proper in Magsaysay Blvd.
I’s Plant Hotel in Brgy. Obrero
Marjo Krisel Apartelle in Brgy. San Policarpo
Sigma Lodge

Best breakfast

Try local foods like labtinaw, tinapa, queseo (quesong puti), shrimps, fried rice & tsokolate.

Best night out

Sugba-sugba at the beach with lots of cold drinks and stories to share with friends
Manuel’s Restobar with live band
Kamalig Music Lounge
Estudio with music

Best dinner

Kaunan sa Carayman’s chili crabs, grilled hito, sautéed patola and calderetang sawa.

Best buys

Fresh scallops, shrimps, tinapa, crabs, and kakanin from Mato-bato

Best souvenirs

Banig made in Tinambacan

Must-do experience

An hour long trek in Tinaplacan to see the Larik, Bangon ang Tarangban waterfalls
An hour trek in Mawacat slide to feel the warm waterfalls with the shape of spoon

Must learn

“Maupay ng adlaw” (good day)
“Karasa” (delicious)

EARTH Day

2009-04-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is celebrated today, this is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth's environment. Earth day is celebrated annually and founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970. Earth day is a Global effort to raise awareness of environmental issues.Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.

One of Earth day's concern is about population. "The bigger the population gets, the more serious the problems become". Rising concern about population also rising of environment problem.That is why there is what they called a Earth Day Network. Earth Day Network is a driving force steering environmental awareness around the world. Earth Day Network's international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities yearly.

On this Earth Day, let us enjoy our Earth and remember the three (3) Rs... RECYCLING, REUSING and REPURPOSING. It's a great way to preserve our mother Earth that we all love.

Palm Sunday

2009-04-17T09:03:00.001-07:00

April 5, 2009 Sunday 5:30 in the afternoon. The Bishop of Calbayog headed the celebration together with Parish Pastors and some priests. The blessing of the palms done at Sacred Heart Plaza attended by many catholic people. Right after the blessings we all proceed to the church for the Holy Mass.

Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast which falls on the sunday before Easter Sunday.

In many Christian churches, Palm Sunday is marked by the distribution of leaves to the assembled worshipers. The feast commemorates an event mentioned by all four gospel Mark, Matthew, Luke and John.... the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before his Passion.

The BEAUTY that hides in BIRI ISLAND

2009-04-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

Biri Island is one island in a cluster of about 18 off the northern end of Samar. The island cluster is known as the Balicuartro Islands. You will find Biri Island the most northerly, in the straits which divide the main Island of Luzon and the Island of Samar. This strait is responsible for moving nearly 70% of the water that flows in and out of the Visayas, the strait is known as the San Bernardino Strait. So you can imagine that the tidal current can be ferocious.

Biri Island has been blessed with natural beauty. To the north of Biri is an enormous rock formation called Magasang.

Magasang has been carved by the tools used by nature herself. Winds blasting, monstrous waves have pounded and storms have lashed these rocks to create so incredible formations which need to be seen to be believed. Just down from Magasang is the best natural saltwater pool in the Philippines, Bel-ot. This has also been the location of a number of Filipino movies, it is clear to see why they have chosen this back drop.

Biri Island has also some healthy coral reefs so make sure you bring a face mask, snorkel and fins. You are not able to hire any equipment, there are no dive shops, which is a bit of a pity as I have heard the scuba diving here is awesome.

If you enjoy quiet beaches then Biri Island will definitely not disappoint you, they are gorgeous and you will find yourself on your own, that’s right no hassles from vendors trying to sell you something, which has to be worth the trip.

LANGUN-GOBINGOB CAVE, Samar's Pride

2009-03-31T18:19:00.000-07:00

Creation of GOD is so amazing..... one of his creation is a cave . The biggest cave you will desire to visit and see the beauty of the cave. Just image how big is the football stadium, that's how big is the Langun-Gobingob Cave. It is one of the largest cave in Southest Asia.

Cave is located in Calbiga, Samar. More than 1 hour drive from Tacloban City (that's 52 kilometer). The cave is 6 kilometers away from the town proper of Calbiga for about 1 and 30 minutes walk. The 2,968-hectare cave system is composed of 12 caves with wide underground spaces, unique rock formations and sub-terreanean water course.

The so called "journalist" in the person of Chip Tsao...

2009-03-30T04:18:00.000-07:00

I've just read a while ago the whole article written by Chip Tsao an HK journalist entitled "The War At Home"... made my heart bleed for my fellowmen who are working as domestic helper in HK.

Let's have first a recap about Chip Tsao's information. He is a broadcast journalist, book author, columnist and former BBc reporter and reputedly famous for his "WRY SENSE OF HUMOR & SARCASM." His subject "The War At Home" is not the first time he swiped Filipino poeple especially Filipino women.

His articles particularly "The War at Home" has made filipino community reacted in different ways. It is obviously degrading every filipino citizen. A journalist or a writer should be responsible in writing an article carefully.

Chip Tsao's column that went online on March 27, wrote:

The article is clear enough for us that this Chip Tsao is insulting every Filipino. How could he wrote such an article just to insult and degrade our fellowmen working in HK and telling the world that his domestic assistant working 16 hours a day cleaning his whole house. What kind of employer he is? Where can he find such a domestic assistant who is professional. Filipinos are not nature of slaves. Filipinos are working so hard without insulting or degrading other people just to earn money.

Does Mr. Tsao was out of his mind when writing his article? Maybe he was! And look who's talking??? What about those controversial about drug syndicate and drug lords? Who are involved with the drug dealing? Who are those people working illegally here in Philippines? Isn't it your fellowmen Mr. Tsao?

I don't want to comment more about this issue. My point here is, for whatever article we write and post.... let's be professional enough and be careful of what to say. Insulting and degrading one's personality or other country is not good. It's not the way to become famous as a writer or a journalist. Well, with Mr. Tsao's column.... i think he is catching an attention from everyone. He is a FAME-GREED!

To you Mr. Chip Tsao..... watch out with your words!!! Your fellowmen would not be proud of you. You're a shame on your countrymen!

EARTH HOUR

2009-03-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

March 28, 2009 @ 8:30 in the evening. The universe is united as one in celebrating the EARTH HOUR. Earth Hour is a Global even organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature held annually. Earth Hour 2009 has 78 countries who participated.

Earth Hour 2008 was celebrated in 7 continents and 35 and 36 million people participated.

Here in Philippines, the end of Earth Hour was celebrated by turning off the lights of the fourth largest mall in the world,the SM Mall of ASIA,also the other neighbor city Pasay and the one and only Makati city, and aired by GMA Network. According to Secretary of Energy, almost 400W saved during the event. That is 4 times saved as last year's event. Meaning, Everyone is aware and care in saving our Mother Earth.

Glimpses of Calbayog

2009-03-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

(an adaptation from This Island Home)

Viewed best at sundown a flaming ball of orange on the surface of the sea’s rim, in the same ancient earth of sea and sky.

At the sky’s dome spreads a tropical Samar cloud with hundreds of shades of tangerine scattered brushed in deep and steady strokes the breeze softly blows across shaking only the frailest tendrils and when a deepening of purples lengthen becomes a homing vehicle for the light of birds in this sunset-drenched wets. Where, when captured in canvass is a lover’s dream fulfilled.

A waking life unabates - yet of languidness, yet, unified, colorful, unbreakable of men with skin darkened by the emerald sea and the Calbayog sun exposed to farming or fishing whose livelihood depends on the weather and a question brewing if or when is the weather, how substantial is the harvest?

Yet, even in this storm-battered island. Still, he is fun-loving andhappy contented with what he can get from the sea of the farm assuring himself that tomorrow shall be better than today.

They beloved of God for being God-fearing. Friends of men for their hospitality and friendliness for sharing to others even what little they have - their notable compassion and generosity.

Time will surely pass but like from their forebears all - still remain ever ingrained, solid, immutable.