VISIT TACLOBAN: STO NINO SHRINE MUSEUM

Niño Shrine Museum.
Sto. Niño Shrine Museum


Who says you could only find castles and dream rooms in EUROPE?

The Santo Niño Shrine, one of the 29 presidential rest houses that the late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos had built. There is an Olympic sized swimming pool behind the building.

The entrance to the Santo Niño Shrine. The Santo Niño is at the far end of the entrance. On both sides are a number of guest rooms with various themes.

Santo Niño, a representation of the infant Jesus Christ, is the patron saint of Leyte.


It is located in Real Street, Tacloban City. Paintings of the 14 stations of the Cross done by Filipino artists, wooden bas-relief of the legend of the First Filipino man-woman (Si Malakas at si Maganda); tastefully decorated guestrooms of varied Filipino motifs; image of the Holy Child; a collection of original paintings by Fernando Amorsolo; spacious ballroom; priceless. collector's.

some of the must see things inside are the antiques which was brought from different places. the mirrors, the statues, the furnitures, chandeliers, and the paintings.

13-room first floor has different unique themes that is on both sides and on the center is the magnificent SHRINE, which has religious statues on it. another painting that will attract you most is the family tree of the Romualdezes.

at the back is the OLYMPIC size swimming pool and a gazebo. and on it's right is a huge LIBRARY and a function area, not just a simple function are, but a HUGE. now known as THE PEOPLE'S CENTER LIBRARY , it could accommodate large concerts and gatherings, and even GRADUATIONS and bazaars. between the two big buildings is an empty grass covered area where you will see the statue of a woman and a man (well, some folks told me it was the malakas at maganda, whose faces were copied from the couple IMELDA and FERNDINAND)

Tacloban City, is the province where the acclaimed MOST BEAUTIFUL FIRST LADY in the Republic of The Phillipines was born and raised. she became an instant celebrity during her husband's tenure in the Philippine Government serving in almost 20 years of Presidency. She lived in the most luxurious quality of living that almost all Filipina envies and was even tagged as a QUEEN.

no wonder that the whole STO NINO SHRINE, it's authenticity and beauty was taken from the owner herself, MADAM IMELDA.

now, it is owned by the city government and serves a simple history. everyone is welcome to visit the shrine and entrance fee is being collected for the EXTRAORDINARY maintenance of an EXTRA BEAUTIFULLY mansion of the MARCOSES.

EXPERIENCE RIVER CRUISE TO SOHOTON CAVES - Basey, Samar

Sohoton Caves & Natural Bridge
 

Eight hundred forty hectares nature reserve beckons with an endless array of subterranean delights, caves, natural bridge of limestone boulders, underground rivers, and weathered formation rocks like Banaue Terraces – Great wall of China – Harem Pavilion – Amphitheater with natural built in acoustical system and Seductive Courtesan’s Boudoir. Regular trips: 6:00 to 10:00 AM daily, soon a River Cruise provides total adventure to SOHOTON NATURAL BRIDGE NATIONAL PARK open to everyone who wants to reach nature by experience...

Itinerary Guide

BY AIR, the perfect way to reach BASEY daily (One Hour Manila Tacloban PAL-CEBU PACIFIC-ZEST flights, a 30-45 minutes land travel by L3 VANs/JEEPNEYS to the poblacion of Basey passing through the SAN JUANICO BRIDGE, Tacloban City, Leyte. Drop at the MUNICIPAL TOURISM OPERATIONS CENTER - Basey, Samar under the office of the Mayor which open daily from 8 AM - 5 PM for coordination of Package Tours with Transportation and Tour Guiding services to Sohoton Caves and other local destinations.

SAN JUANICO BRIDGE - Tacloban City, Leyte

San Juanico Bridge (Marcos Bridge)

Spanning 2.16 kilometers across the picturesque San Juanico Strait joining Samar Island and Leyte Island.

Longest Bridge in the Philippines

Steel structure built in 1973

during the Marcos administration

2.16 Kilometer bridge

43 Spans and 41 Meters High.


During the mid 1960's during the the Marcos administration the decision was made
to erect the San Juanico Bridge (aka "Marcos Bridge") over San Juanico Strait from
Bgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban City, Leyte,10 KM from the city proper (Leyte Capital) to
Sta Rita Municipality, Western Samar, 96 KM from Catbalogan (Samar Capital).


In 1968 the Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines was awarded
the Contract to Design, Finance and Construct the Enormous Engineering Project.
CDCP's design and engineering staff, together with Japanese engineers, undertook a detailed survey, study and analysis and began

Construction of the Bridge Completed in 1973.


Also known as the Marcos Bridge

It is said to have been presented

as a Gift and "Testimonial of Love"

by the Philippine

President Ferdinand Marcos to the

first lady, Imelda, a native of Leyte.

MACARTHUR PARK LEYTE LANDING

McArthur Park Leyte Landing
 
Today we commemorate the 65th anniversary of the “MacArthur Leyte Landing”.

October 20, 1944: After weeks of heavy bombardment executed by American fighter planes and battle ships on the Leyte beach shores against the defending Japanese forces, the Sixth Army regiment of the combined USAFFE forces arrived at Red Beach in Palo, Leyte. By 1 PM, the combined Allied forces have established enough foothold around the beach area as well as the outskirts and terrains of Palo and Tacloban against the Japanese resistance. With a secured beachhead, the coast was cleared for the arrival of General Douglas MacArthur as he fulfilled his promise to liberate the Filipino people – in his own words, “I Shall Return”.

LAND MACARTHUR

The personalities that accompanied General MacArthur on his dramatic return on the Leyte shore were President Sergio Osmeña, General Carlos P. Romulo, Major General Basilio J. Valdes, and other key officers of USAFFE and the combined Allied liberating forces. After they arrived at around 1:30 PM, MacArthur addressed the following statement and was broadcasted nationwide via radio – “People of the Philippines, I have returned! By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil.”

The return of General MacArthur in Leyte was a turning point of the Philippine liberation campaign during the Second World War primarily because it marked the first decisive win of the combined Allied forces against their Japanese counterparts, and secondly, it gave hope to the millions of Filipino people and the thousands of POWs as they await their freedom in the hands of the Imperial Army of Japan.

The Leyte Landing Memorial Park, formerly known as the MacArthur Park, in Red Beach Palo, Leyte was built to memorialize the “Leyte Landing” event which is celebrated annually in the Philippines on October 20.

THE LEYTE PARK RESORT HOTEL, Tacloban City – Philippines

Leyte Park Resort Hotel

Built by former First Lady, Imelda Marcos in 1979, the hotel closed for 3 years until 1994 when it reopened following renovation and refurbishing. The Resort is now a major tourism and convention complex with its 6-hectare parkland nestled on a hill overlooking beautiful San Pedro Bay. It exudes the distinctive luxury of a hotel and the ambiance of a resort.

Leyte Park Resort Hotel offers the Discovery of various eco-tourism based tour activities anchored on its marine and terrestrial beauties, that covers a wide range of destinations from "islands to highland".
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LOCATION

The Leyte Park Resort Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Tacloban City, 55 minutes from Manila by plane.

Road Directions/How to get to Leyte Park Resort Hotel
From Sumulong Highway facing East going to Cainta, turn left at Balanti bypass road, then left at Katipunan and right at Pio del Pilar.
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DINING FACILITIES

Dining facilities include the following restaurants, bars and coffee shop:

Veranda Café
Located on the 2nd floor, this is the Resort's main restaurant. The ambiance evoke Philippine rusticity with a breathtaking view of the mountains and the sea. International cuisine is on the menu with preferential bias to Leyte-Samar gourmet favorites. Open daily 4:00 am up to 2:00 am.

San Pedro Bay Seafoods Restaurant
Located at the Resort Marina, this specialty restaurant serves available seafood as caught from the San Pedro Bay fronting the Resort property. Cultural presentations of Philippine and Leyte-Samar songs and dances are available by arrangement for parties. 


Lobby Sala Grill
This cozy restaurant is adjacent to the Veranda Café and specializes in grilled seafood coming in fresh from San Pedro Bay. Nightly lounge music from 7:30 pm up to 11 pm.

Food Park
Enjoy nightly @ Tacloban City's favorite watering hole. Native barbecue and other local appetizers are available. Open from 7 pm to 1 am.

Pool Patio
While having as swim or simply a dip or just lazing around. Enjoy snacks and frozen delights. Mouth-watering treat from 9 am - 12 pm.

Park Café
Discover the distinctive character of Espresso Base, Flavorful and Satisfying Coffee. The Café at an altitude with an attitude.
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OTHER FACILITIES, AMENITIES AND SERVICES

Fitness Center
Opening Hours: 6:30 am - 9:30 am, 4:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Closed on Mondays

Gift Shop
Opening Hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Business Center
Computer & Internet Services, Photocopy, Fax, etc. Wi-Fi (Internet Wireless Connection) is available 24 hours a day. Opening Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Closed on Sundays

Convention Center A
Have your weddings, birthdays, parties, conventions, seminars and other functions in this fully air-conditioned hall. It can accommodate 350 pax for banquets and 500 pax for theater-style arrangement.

Convention Center B
This Dome can accommodate up to 2,000 pax for large conventions, concerts and theater performances. Sports activities can also be made by prior arrangements.

Don Joseph Pavilion
The Pavilion has a built-in dance floor and can accommodate 100 pax for banquets and 150 pax theater-style arrangement. The Hall is fully air-conditioned.

President's Hall
Ideal for small receptions of up to 70 pax. The Hall is fully air-conditioned. Overlooks the panoramic view of Mount Danglay and the beautiful San Pedro Bay.

GUIUAN'S TREASURE CHEST, NATURAL WONDERS

 
THE 16TH CENTURY church of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and its belfry.

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar—Perhaps no other place in Eastern Visayas has been endowed with so much tourist attractions than the ancient town of Guiuan in Eastern Samar. Not only is it rich in history and culture but it also boasts of many natural wonders.
Thus, when Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim visited the province last month, he was impressed by what he saw in Guiuan: “a long white beach which can rival other beaches in the Philippines.” It has all the elements of a tourist come-on, he added.
Among Guiuan’s “treasures” is the 16th-century Immaculate Conception Church at the town proper. Originally made of wood, the structure was rebuilt by the priests and natives using stones after it was razed by fire.
It is within a 42-square-meter fortress, its corners mounted with artillery.
At that time, it was “the best and most regularly planned in all the Visayas” and that it “exceeds in grandeur the celebrated fort in Zamboanga.” But with the passage of time, the walls were destroyed.
Most of the church, including its belfry is still preserved, however.

National treasure

SHELL embellishment can be seen inside the baptistry of the church. 

According to Prof. Eric Zerrudo, an expert on cultural heritage and museum development, the Guiuan church has been declared a “national treasure church”—one of only 26 in the country.
“Guiuan, had there been a chance, should have been catapulted to a world heritage level. Why? It has a very high authenticity. Everything here is original. Everything has been left intact; (only) very few interventions,” Zerrudo says.
The church has a main altar and two altars along the nave. One has a retablo built by the Franciscans while the other has a rococo frontal built by the Augustinians.
Shell embellishments are seen in the baptistry, side altars, side windows and niches. Zerrudo says the shell craft tradition dates back to the 16th century and has continued up to now. In Sulangan, a pilgrimage site in Guiuan, the altars are similarly adorned.

Second class
Located in the southernmost tip of Eastern Samar, Guiuan has a land area of 17,549 hectares and a population of about 45,000. A second-class municipality (annual income: P45 million to P55 million), it has 60 barangays, including the islands of Tubabao, Calicoan, Sulangan, Homonhon and Suluan.
It is 109 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Borongan City and 155 km from Tacloban City, the regional capital.

A SURFING area on Calicoan Island in Guiuan. 

On Nov. 10, 1978, Proclamation No. 1801 was signed declaring Guiuan a “tourist zone and marine reserve” under the administration and control of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA).
It was in Guiuan where Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan and his men, sailing under the flag of Spain, first set foot on Philippine soil after crossing the vast Pacific Ocean—on the shore of Homonhon Island on March 16, 1521. The event was later marked as the “discovery” of the Philippines.
In 1944, the Americans arrived in Guiuan and built a military base for its torpedo boats, warships, bombers and fighter planes that were involved in the Philippine liberation campaign and in the invasion of Japan. About 100,000 American servicemen were stationed in Guiuan and nearby towns.
The base was the biggest American supply base in the Pacific during the war.

Russian refugees

In 1949, about 5,000 Russians escaping from communist rule in China made Guiuan their home for 27 months.
With the help of the International Refugee Organization, they sought refuge on Tubabao Island until 1951 when they moved to Australia and the United States.
Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan says tourists usually frequent the paradise island of Calicoan, which has a 12-km stretch of white beach and a world-class surfing area.
Calicoan was declared by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the “Surfing Capital of the Visayas.” What is unique about the island, the mayor says, is that the side facing the Pacific Ocean has big waves which is ideal for surfing. The side facing the Leyte Gulf has calm waters suitable for swimming and boating.
The 1,600-hectare Calicoan also has a lush forest with abundant wildlife, such as monkeys and monitor lizards, six lagoons and some caves.

Tourist activities

Tourists can go surfing, swimming, kayaking, trekking, spelunking or island hopping and enjoy the white beaches of Suluan and other islets.
Aurora delos Reyes, municipal investment, environment and tourism officer, says at least 3,000 tourists have visited Guiuan in the first quarter. “Many visitors come here to surf,” she says.
More are expected once the airport becomes fully operational. It is the same facility built by the Americans in 1944 and is now undergoing rehabilitation.
Guiuan has been a consistent winner in the Clean and Green contest in Eastern Samar since 2004. It has been adjudged Best Managed LGU (local government unit) in the province.
Delos Reyes says the municipality has also been the best LGU One Town One Product (Otop) implementor on the provincial and regional levels and a finalist on the national level.
One of its products: Ecotourism.

TOURIST PARADISE REDISCOVERED


RIYADH: Philippine tourism has been a top-dollar earner for the country, propping up the country's dollar reserves. 
The Department of Tourism (DOT) expected a 15-percent growth of tourist arrivals in the top destinations of the country for this year.
This reflects the efforts of the DOT to promote tourism and shows the kind of tourist attraction in the Philippines.
For this reason, tourists have been exploring the country, taking a peek at Filipinos' history and culture mirrored by the century-old churches, ancient forts and modern museums.
“Discover the Philippines. Blessed with an extensive coastline, the Philippines is ringed with unspoiled beaches and first-class resort facilities. Its deep-blue, crystal clear waters offer about 40,000 sq km of coastline of coral reefs teeming with a wide variety of marine life,” the DOT statement says.
Endowed with temperate climate, the Philippines offers a perfect treat. Lying in southeast Asia and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines boasts unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands, cool mountain weather, brilliant man-made resorts and dazzling islands.
The Philippines boasts some of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world, supported by golf and an increasingly impressive inter-island tour and transport system.
Witness the vast expanse of nature's splendor under the spell of cool mountain breeze. It is a perfect setting for romance or nature tripping and the country's mountain villages serve as a perfect hideaway from the lowland's summer heat.
If you have yet to see the Philippines, then embark now to what promises to be a trip to paradise. Feel the breeze of summer at white-sand beaches deemed as among the world's finest; be fascinated at the spectacular view of Baguio and Tagaytay; and take a dip in the refreshing waters of modern resort facilities.

SAMAL ISLAND

Samal island offers an unending fascination with its white-sand beaches, thick mangroves, coral reefs, rolling hills and rock formations. It is an archipelago of nine islands located in the Davao Gulf about 700 meters south of Davao City. An ideal model for resort and development, it provides a fabulous site for sunrise and sunset. Samal Island, like the rest of Mindanao, is outside the typhoon belt, and enjoys relatively calm weather. Its coastline is characterized by tall, swaying coconut trees, white-sand beaches, rock formations, mangroves, coral reefs, and small fishing villages — all suggestive of a tropical paradise.

Almost all of the beach areas have white sand, with widths varying from only a few meters to more than 10 meters. It provides ample space for picnic huts, reclining chairs for sun bathing, or for simply relaxing and enjoying the tropical scenery.

The water is crystal clear throughout the coastline, which varies in terrain from gently sloping sand beaches to steep cliffs and rock formations. The colors of the coastline at the beach areas transform itself from the green lush vegetation of coconut trees, to the white sandy beaches, to the dark blue color of the sea, with its deep waters and coral reefs.

BOHOL'S SPRING AND BEACHES

Bohol is one of the loveliest islands in southern Philippines. It is situated at the heart of Visayas and with coastline skimmed by gentle coves and white-sand beaches. Many highways snake along the sparkling beaches or leafy rivers where one can stop at any point and jump in.
With its rolling hills and plateaus, crystal springs and beaches, Bohol is a picturesque province replete with ancestral homes and centuries-old churches. It is composed of numerous isles  — Panglao, Pamilacan, Cabilao, Jao, Mahanay and Lapinin. The Chocolate Hills are but some of the many natural wonders in the province, which is home to the world's smallest monkey, the tarsier. The size of a fist, the tarsier lives on the hills of Corella, some 10 km from Tagbilaran. Other exotic flora and fauna may also be found in the forests of Bohol Island.