Tagum’s pride: Arman’s Café and Restaurant

If you find yourself in Tagum City, there is a local eatery called, Arman’s Cafe and Restaurant. It was once a small turo-turo joint in 1975, where you point (turo) at what you like among an array of viands inside cooking pots. Arman’s has been a favorite stop for people traveling the Davao del Norte

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Santa Clara University is not to be missed if you are in California

Mission Santa Clara de Asis was founded by Fr. Junipero Serra in 1777, the 8th of 21 California missions. Originally settled along the banks of the Guadalupe River, the mission was relocated to this site in 1822 because of natural disasters such as fires, earthquakes and floods. In 1926, the original adobe was destroyed by

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The Breadth of Bukidnon

Bukidnon has a special place in the heart of the Philippine Jesuits. Almost all of Bukidnon has been established by Jesuit missionaries. Sprawling towns at present have been mission areas in the past. This mountain province of Mindanao is thus home to me. I visited Pangantucan a few days ago with Fr. Neo Saicon SJ,

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Secret’s out: When I was in the Ilocos, I ate. A lot.

Note: This is the 3rd installment of a three-part post about my trip to the tip of Luzon. Check out Part I: Ilocos Sur and Part II: Ilocos Norte by clicking the links. Tip: I am promoting a knowledge-based, in-depth, immersive traveling, so take time to learn the history of the places you’re visiting. You

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Ilocos Sur: When traveling to Northern Philippines, you will regret it if you don’t see these.

Note: This is the first of three parts of my trip to the north of the Philippines. And I have not exhausted all of its beautiful sights. Since I do not want a very long post, I have divided my adventure into three posts: The views along the way to Ilocos Sur (Part I), the

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Davao Blast: What I saw was our country’s nightmare

At four in the morning on the 31st of August 2016, I flew out of Manila; at a quarter before six, we were hovering over the mountains of Mindanao. When a sliver of morning light illumined the serene landscape of Davao, welcoming me to my new mission, I said to myself, “This is gonna be

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10 Things Not To Miss in the Islands of Honda Bay

When parents from Ateneo High School invited me to a wedding and to spend some days in Palawan, I said “Yes” without thinking twice! Palawan is one of the most beautiful provinces of the Philippines, and I have placed this western group of Philippine islands on my bucket list. I visited our mission area of

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7 Places To Visit When in Bolinao, Pangasinan

When Mrs. Ems Fausto invited me to Bolinao, Pangasinan to join her and some parents from Ateneo High School at their beach house, I readily said yes. I seldom visit the north and Pangasinan was towards northern Philippines. So, with my packed bag in tow, I headed to Bolinao, and I did not have any

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Kalui Restaurant: Excitement for the Eater

I feature a local restaurant serving local food in this blog. Particularly those that are creative and covers culture. I want to support our local food industry to give them a fighting chance over large food chains like McDonald’s. Encouraging readers to dine in these places increases their love for Filipino culture and cuisine. It

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Quitinday and Quituinan: New Quests for the Curious

There is truth in the tenet that we should promote our own. Who else could be the best guide but the very people who live in the new place you are exploring. In fact, there is a scripture passage that supports this. Jesus said, “I am the Way.” It means that the best way to

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Finding Ourselves

“We travel initially to lose ourselves. We travel, next, to find ourselves.” – Pico Iyer It took 31 years for most of us to come home to Legazpi. We graduated in 1985, when our school was still called, “Science Oriented High School” of Aquinas University. We were less than a hundred as a batch; two

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Discover Camalig: a 16th c. town, a lake, and food as fiery as its volcano.

See Camalig, Albay: a 16th c town, Sumlang lake, ancestral houses and authentic Bicol dishes.

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In Daraga, you will find a café you’ll fall in love with: Café 528 Ilawod.

About the Featured Image: The Parish Church of Our Lady of the Gate, Daraga, Albay. This church of stone was built by the Franciscans in 1773. Its design is baroque after the skills of the labourers during the Spanish Period. When Mayon Volcano erupted in 1814 and destroyed the Cagsawa church, it became the refuge of

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Guimaras Island is Worth Visiting

If you’re visiting Iloilo and you have at least a day off, you might as well cross to Guimaras Island, which is just a 15-minute pumpboat ride from the Parola or Ortiz Wharves in Iloilo City. I came with four other companions from Ateneo High School: Hanna, Susan, Ems, and Cyrus. We went to Iloilo

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If You Want To Be Alone, I Know A Place: Mirador

High above the mountains of Baguio City is my favorite place to pray. Mirador Hill occupies a special position in all the hills of Baguio. In 1876, Don Manuel Scheidnagel, Governor Politico-Militar of Benguet, gave this hill its name because one could see the South China Sea, Lingayen Gulf and the Ilocos coast on clear

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