After months of planning I finally put it in action. Days of research from diff blog sites, getting the right pictures, I now present to you MyBagac.com’s Info-site.
I hope you’ll find the following contents helpful before you begin your journey to our town.
But where’s the old Bagakeños Community site??? Don’t worry guys it will be back soon! Hintay lang mga Adiks!!!
Popularity: 100% [?]
We’re excited to announce that tonight’s feature release is now live on your social network. Here’s what you’ll find in this release:
Ps. Mga adik… yung mga ngiti nyo hanggang batok ay!!!
Popularity: 100% [?]
I’m calling this place a “CIUDAD REAL DE BATAAN”
This place is a “PRIVATE PROPERTY” since my daughter’s friend is related to the owner of this place, we had an access to enter, view and my daughter even stayed here overnight with their friends and classmate, so we had a privileged to saw what’s new inside these historic houses they’re building. It was like a small village/ community, it was an amazing experience for us to explore and viewed one-by-one all the old houses they’d bought in other provinces and re-built it again. The restoration is superb and they’d bring back to its old self; you can see here how talented the Filipinos’ workmanship really is. The mano-mano (handmade) crafting is… awesome! The hard work, superb lay-out and researching of houses history by only one Architect. You’re the best and very talented man! Advance Congratulations! Great work!
They’d told us, this will be going to be an exclusive beach resort in time it’s open to the public but rather open to selected members, friends, family and associates. In my own opinion, it’s going to be an expensive rate. In coming days, I wish they will have day tour for tourist, balikbayan and other people who love to explore and love historic memorabilia. Maybe because it’s worth millions and millions of pesos to do the work, the construction, restoration, buying, transport and rebuilding of all the houses in one place. Did you get what I mean? This place maybe open in couple of years since they’d have plenty of works to put up here and such a big work ahead them, but as you can see little by little they’d accomplish big already. I fall in love to this place! I will never get tired coming back and looking one-by-one to all the houses. Every time I visited this place they’d always have new interesting houses for us to explore.
I love this place! And I love old houses, I love antiques, I love the beach… it’s all in one place. If only I could have one of my own… I would like to live in this kind of old and historic houses… but sad to say my mother-in-law hates old houses, it gave her a scare… and she love modern stuff…what can I do?!
I just want to share, what I’ve seen and how beautiful this place now and then but in the future when they’d completed all the constructions…I wish I could still visit this place for completion of my travel story page…. this place is like Vigan Houses in Ilocos Sur, Northern Luzon of my country. Some of Spanish old houses that was built 16th century and was still untouched and become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the said town.
I do hope you enjoyed reading and checking all the pictures I put in this travel page. I just want to share with you what we have had experience and how beautiful it can be when it’s finished. We don’t know if we can come back here when it opens… I just wish they will still let us explore the place again. Just check out all my pictures. Have fun!
ALL HISTORICAL STORIES ABOUT FEATURED HOUSES ARE COPIED FROM “THE REAL BANK (the thrift bank)” CALENDAR 2008 ISSUE.
Popularity: 44% [?]
After New Year’s Day, the second of January 2009, I took a trip to Montemar Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan to attend the wedding of my good friend Joey Zamora and his wife Geri.
I drove up to Bataan from my home in Paranaque, leaving home just a bit after breakfast at around 8am. The drive through EDSA in Manila was pleasant enough, and thanked the holiday season for not making it the congested traffic hell that Metro Manila is known for.
The drive along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) all the way to the end at Tarlac was also easy, and of course I really enjoyed the long straight drive along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), which leads directly to Bataan via the Dinalupihan Exit.
After the exiting the SCTEX, it’s roughly another hour to an hour-and-a-half of winding roads that eventually lead to Montemar Beach Resort. What’s interesting is that the roads to Montemar follow the path of the historic Bataan Death March and also provides a great view of Mt. Samat. But anyway, that’s how to get there. It’s a long drive, but as long as you follow the explicit directions to get to Montemar Beach Resort, you really can’t get lost. Well, not really.
Anyway, Montemar Beach Resort has been around a long time, and it has gone through some renovations to keep it rated AAA by the Department of Tourism. The beach itself is awesome, covered with mocha-colored powder and receiving a cool breeze from the South China Sea. Very little rocks and corals around the beach, which makes it perfect for wading and comfortably lounging around. The ocean’s pulse also sends shallow waves, which offers a good opportunity for skim boarding, but not strong enough to suck a wader out with an undertow.
Montemar Beach Resort also has a very cool lagoon pool, and an awesome “backyard” that is abundant with green shade and a well-maintained garden landscape. In fact, I really admire the manner with which the Montemar staff constantly busy themselves sweeping off dry leaves to uphold the pristine cleanliness of the resort.
The rooms of Montemar Beach Resort are very spacious. I was given a basic room with a double bed and a balcony overlooking the resort backyard with the sound of the ocean surf just hypnotizing a few meters away. Montemar Beach Resort even has huge inns that are capable of hosting families.
All in all, the Montemar Beach Resort experience is very relaxing. The only complaint I had was the breakfast bufet. I don’t know if it’s because of the meal pass that came with the wedding guest deal, but when I went down for breakfast at the main cafe and restaurant, there was a delectable spread of awesome breakfast dishes – beef tapa, pork tocino, salted fish, salted egg, scrambled eggs and longganiza among others. I was about to choose around 2 viands, but was told that I could only pick one among the many offered. That was a bit disappointing. I just wish they could give the entire option for the breakfast buffet instead of relegating the guest to just one viand. But then, maybe that’s the deal for the wedding guests and might not apply to the “regular” customers, but still… It’s the only setback I faced despite a near-perfect on everything else about Montemar.
Sunrise At Montemar Beach Resort
What I found interesting also about Montemar Beach Resort is that their beach is actually a nesting ground for sea turtles, or what the Filipinos locally refer to as Pawikan. Sea turtles come to the shores of Montemar to nest their eggs. Once they hatch out, the sea turtles go back to sea, roam around the oceans to wherever, and return again to the beach once a year to nest once again.
The sea turtles nest every November, which prompted Montemar Beach Resort to come up with the Grand Pawikan Fest, which is held annually every November. Apart from witnessing the spectacle of the sea turtles in their nesting grounds, audiences are also informed on activities and ecological concerns of the sea turtle. As part of Montemar’s Eco-Tourism and Eco-Conservation efforts, a team tags the turtles and also raises funds through those who would wish to adopt sea turtles. Not that they get to take them home, but just that they get to name one and have a tagged turtle that bears their patronage.
In any case, the Eco-Tourism aspect of Montemar Beach Resort is something that I laud. It’s different and unique, and really offers something more than just what comes with just being a beach resort. Plus the fact, that Montemar Beach Resort really takes a step further in the conservation of the sea turtles is an admirable cause.
Anyway, for more information on Montemar Beach Resort, you can visit their site.
Popularity: 22% [?]
Montemar Beach Club lies where the mountains meet the sea in a private cove, abundant with lush flora and fauna, pristine waters and white sand beach. Montemar Beach Club aims to be a leading beach resort, both locally and globally, ensuring members and guests maximum satisfaction and excellent delivery of products and services.
Montemar Beach Club landscape setting is like a paradise that lies in a rocky, wooded cove with a long beautiful beach surrounded by a garden of bougainville, flame tree, travelers’ trees & coconut palms. In this beach resort, tourists and visitors will enjoy the wonders of nature and will have a complete relaxation.
The resort offers guests a choice of accommodations, from deluxe rooms, garden rooms, gallery rooms, premier suites and executive suites. It is inclusive of set breakfast. Activities to be had at the resort are aqua cycle, banana boat rides, quad bike rides, jet skiing, badminton, billiards, boat rides, bonfires (exclusive set-up), chess, darts, golf, kayaking, KTV, lawn tennis, mahjong, pony rides, scrabble and table tennis.
Montemar Beach Club is involved in the protection of sea turtles. The pawikan Conservation Project fights to protect endanged sea turtle populations in ways that meet the ecological needs of the sea turtles and the oceans and the needs of the local communities who share the beaches and waters with these gentle and beautiful creatures. There are a wide variety of threats to the continued existence of the Pawikan or Marine Turtles, which is now teetering on the verge of extinction. Montemar aims to help as much as possible to make a difference between extinction and recovery for the pawikans. As one of the activities of the resort, the guests are encouraged to join the adopt a pawikan project.
Montemar is accessible through land, sea and air transportation. By land, it is a 2 ½ drive from Metro Manila. By sea, an air-conditioned ferry boat, swiftly and conveniently takes the guests across the Manila Bay to the port of Orion, Bataan in approximately 55 minutes, then a Montemar van picks up the guests for a short 35 minutes ride to the resort. By air, it takes approximately 25 minutes from Manila. A helicopter pad facility is available.
Popularity: 20% [?]
The great attraction of Montear Beach Club is its accessibility from Manila. Without taking a plane or even your own car, you can reach it in two hours by ferryboat and then by van.
Montemar is a good place for relaxation. It is set in a rocky, wooded cove with a long beautiful beach surrounded by a garden of bougainville, flame tree, travelers’ trees and coconut palms. The resort was completely renovated in 1996.
The rooms are in long, white, two-story buildings with red tile roofs. Curved balconies enclosed by railings, overflowing with flowers, pleasantly break the monotomy of the facade.
The deluxe rooms are spacious and bright due to a large bay windows. These open onto a private balcony with red flooring and a garden drawing room, some of which have direct access to the swimming pool. The gallery rooms in the building near the reception area are ideal for families as there is a lotf accessible by staircase. There rooms also have a balcony.
There is a relaxing, cozy atmosphere in every room. Everything is in soft, pastel tones, including the walls and the floral bedcovers. Bamboo furniture and handmade lamps make you feel at home. In the evenings, wooden shutters secure you in a snug cocoon.There is also a beautifully tiled bathroom with marble sinks in every room.
The two restaurant have pleasant settings although catering is not a strong point at Montemar. El Meson is the house restaurant on a paved terrace in the garden near the sea. Its white arcades, curved wooden windows, pretty red floors and bamboo furniture give it a warm, Spanish ambiance. The tables are set outdoor, under a large tree lit by little bulbs. It is pleasant to dine here in the evenings and enjoy the sea breeze. The other restaurant, El Patio, is also good for outdoor dining. Both restaurants offer Filipino and international cuisine.
The clear sand beach of Montemar is attractive, deck chairs and parasols are made available. The resort also has two swimming pools – the Garden poolfor day-use guests, surrounded by coconut, bougainvillea and palm trees quite far from the rooms, and the Blue-Tiled pool with its circular bar the the surface of the water for the in-house guests.
While Montemar, you can drive up to the summit of Mount Samat located near the resort. The area does not have any special attractions, but it does offer a scenic view of the Bataan Peninsula.
How to get there
By land (3 hours), 154 km from Manila. Take North Expressway at Balintawak and get off at San Fernando Exit 66. Take the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo road passing through Bacolor, Guagua and Lubao. After the “Welcome to Dinalupihan” sign turn left at the junction (you will see statues of the soldiers). After kilometer 22 sign, turn right following the “Junction to Mt. Samat 3 kilometers” sign. From there, follow the signages of Montemar Beach Resort.
By sea and land (2 hours). One hour by Mt. Samat airconditioned ferry from the PTA Bay Cruise Terminal, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd. to Orion, Bataan. Thirty-five minutes by van from Orion pier to the resort.
Popularity: 21% [?]
In July 1973, Rissho Kosei-kai sent some 500 youth members to the Philippines on a visit of repentance following the adoption of a resolution at the first assembly of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP I), held Kyoto in 1970.
Guided by local citizens, the group traveled to Muntinlupa, where a cemetery for war dead of the Philippines, the United States, and Japan is located. The youths were distressed to see that the section for Japanese graves was in a far worse condition than the others. The Rissho Kosei-kai youths determined to restore and improve the entire cemetery. Negotiations with the responsible parties in Muntinlupa took time, however, as anti-Japanese sentiment continued to run deep as a result of the three-year-long occupation of the Philippines by Japanese forces during World War II.
During the process of the negotiations, the project developed beyond restoring the cemetery for victims of the war into one expressing solidarity between the Filipinos and the Japanese in the hope for lasting world peace. At one of the negotiation meetings, the youths were introduced to the governor of Bataan.
From that meeting evolved the project to erect a tower symbolizing the hope for repose of the spirits of all war dead, as well as of restored friendship between the Philippines and Japan. With a member of the Bataan provincial government, the young Rissho Kosei-kai members toured the length of the peninsula by car. On their tour they were shown a spot in the city of Bagac where an old Japanese army rifle stood upside down with a soldier’s helmet on it. It was the site of the starting point of the Bataan Death March.
The inauguration ceremony for the completed tower on April 8, 1975 coincidentally took place on the date on which Rissho Kosei-kai celebrates the birth of the Buddha Shakyamuni, founder of Buddhism. With Rev. Kinjiro Niwano, then the head of the Rissho Kosei-kai Youth Division, as their leader, 53 young members traveled to the Philippines for to the ceremony, at which they welcomed some 1,000 guests, including the citizens of Bagac and officials of Bataan province.
During the ceremony, the Rissho Kosei-kai youths, led by Rev. Niwano, recited the Lotus Sutra, the basic scripture of their faith, to pray for the repose of the spirits of all victims of war.
The following day a special ceremony was held to unveil the bell from Japan that hangs in the tower, at which Mayor Atilano Ricardo of Bagac and Rev. Niwano each struck the bell for peace.
Leading up to the inauguration of the tower, the young Rissho Kosei-kai members had many opportunities for friendly exchanges at the grass-roots level with the young people of Bataan. One group of these young people later became the Bataan Christian Youth Civic Circle (BCYCC), organized in October 1978. The founding members were 35 youths invited to Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters in Tokyo to reciprocate their warm welcome for Rissho Kosei-kai youths during a September 1976 visit.
From their stays in Filipino homes, the young members learned about the many cultural and historic differences between the Philippines and Japan, which encouraged the development of mutual understanding. These friendly relations continue today.
The Rissho Kosei-kai Donate-a-Meal Fund for Peace provided financial support for the construction of the Friendship Tower, the first such use of contributions from Rissho Kosei-kai members made through the Donate-a-Meal Movement. Since then, through cooperation with the Foundation of Bataan Christian Youth, donations from the fund have been used to provide financial assistance for students through scholarships and support for local vocational schools, to maintain the war dead cemetery in Muntinlupa, and for the construction of the Bataan Library and Museum in April 1985.
For the last occasion, the Bataan provincial assembly adopted a resolution initiating a Japan-Philippines Friendship Week between April 3–9. Rissho Kosei-kai has since sent groups of its young members to the Philippines many times to join the Friendship Week ceremonies.
In April 2000, under the leadership of Rev. Kinjiro Niwano, now the chairman of the Kosei School, 23 Rissho Kosei-kai members visited the Philippines to participate in the ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the erection of the Friendship Tower and the subsequent ceremony at the Bataan Library to unveil a memorial plaque for the late founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano, which was placed in the building’s courtyard.
Popularity: 15% [?]
The St.Catherine of Alexandria Church in Bagac is one of the oldest churches in Bataan. However, this the only remaining colonial feature of the L-shaped church is only seen at the walls along the left side. Buttressed adobe-walls and coral block are still visible. The right side wall is totally plastered and painted. The facade no longer shows a hint of being old. A new roof higher than the original is partly built. Protruding rebars suggest that further renovation projects is in order. That may soon totally change the appearance of this church.
Footnote: Bagac has similar patron saint as Pagbilao, Quezon and Dumaguete City. Fiesta is celebrated Nov. 25
Popularity: 10% [?]
Mga mangingisda ng Bagac, Bataan: Buhay at kamatayan sa dagat (Soliman A. Santos)
PAYAPA ang dagat. Walang malalaking alon na sumasalpok sa buhanginan. Para sa mga turista at taal na taga-Bagac, lalo na ang mga bata, napakagandang pagkakataon ito para maligo sa dalampasigan. Masarap maglublob sa maligamgam na tubig dagat habang hindi pa mataas ang araw.
Masarap ding sumakay sa bangkang de motor para libutin ang ilan pang magagandang tanawin kabilang na ang mga kuweba at gilid ng bundok na sa ilang bahagi ng baybayin.
Pero hindi ito ang nasa isip ni Manolito Garcia. Para sa kanya, isa ito sa magagandang pagkakataon para mangawil ng bisugo.
Isa lamang si Manolito sa napakaraming mangangawil at mangingisda sa Brgy. Pag-asa, Bagac, Bataan. Mga mangingisda silang walang ibang inaasahan kundi ang biyaya ng dagat.
Ang kapayapaan ng laot ay nanganghulugan ng maraming huli para kay Manolito. Sa ganitong mga pagkakataon, maaga niyang ibinubunsod – katuwang ang ama – ang munti nilang bangka para pumalaot at mangawil. Mula pagkabata, ganito na ang nakasayan niyang gawain. Mangingisda rin kasi ang kanyang ama. Ngayong matanda na ang ama, si Manolito na ang nagmana ng kanyang hanapbuhay, kasama na sa pamana ang lumang bangka nito.
Karaniwang bisugo ang nahuhuli ng mag-ama sa laot. Pero kung sinusuwerte, minsa’y may naliligaw na lapu-lapu at iba pang malalaking isda na mas mahal ang presyo kung ibebenta sa palengke.
“Pero napakadalang ng pagkakataong ganoon. Bisugo talaga ang pangunahin naming nahuhuli,” kwento ni Manolito.
Pagpalaot
Baon ang dalawang litro ng gasolina, yelo para sa mahuhuling isda at kaunting pagkain, umaalis sila pagputok pa lamang ng araw at bumabalik lamang kapag may huli nang maibebenta. Gumagastos sila ng kulang-kulang P120 bawat paglaot.
Sa laot, iuumang nila ang dalang kawil at hihintaying kainin ng isda bago pandawin. Depende sa dami ng huli ang itinatagal nila sa laot.
Ang huli nilang bisugo ay ibinebenta naman sa halagang P60 kada kilo. Halos doble o triple naman nito ang presyo ng lapu-lapu. Ayon pa kay Manolito, karaniwang limang kilo ng bisugo ang kanilang naiuuwi. Ibig sabihin, kumikita sila ng di hihigit sa P200.00 sa isang araw na pangangawil.
“Kung maganda ang panahon at madawi, nakakahuli kami ng aabot sa sampung kilo ng bisugo,” ani Manolito. Sa mga ganitong pagkakataon, maaga silang nakakauwi. Medyo malaki na ang kanilang kikitain kapag ganoon.
May mga pagkakataon namang inaabot sila hanggang alas-kuwatro ng hapon sa pangangawil. Iyon ay kung madalang ang isdang kumikibit sa kawil. Ang masaklap, hindi pa umaabot sa limang kilo ang kanilang huli. Halos bawi lang ang gastos sa halos maghapong pagpalaot lugi pa sa pagod.
Nakakawil sa alon
Depende sa panahon ang pangangawil. Hindi maaaring isugal ang bangka at buhay kung maalon ang dagat lalo na kung tag-ulan. Kaya natutuwa ang mga mangingisda kapag ganitong tag-araw, kalmado ang dagat. Tamang-tama para mangawil.
Ito lang ang kabuhayan ni Manolito. Salat na salat para sa isang pamilya. Hindi sapat para makapag-aral ng anak. Mabuti na lamang at wala pa silang anak ng kanyang asawa na ngayon ay wala ring hanapbuhay.
“Ganyan dito, kung pang-araw-araw lang na kakainin, nakasasapat naman ang kinikita sa pangangawil. Pero kung dito pa kukuhanin ang iba pang gastusin tulad halimbawa ng pagpapagamot kung may biglaang nagkasakit, wala kaming nadudukot,” kuwento ng asawa ni Manolito.
Iba pang kabuhayan
May iba pa sanang kabuhayan ang mga taga-Pag-asa. Dahil malapit sila sa baybayin, puwede sanang magtayo ng kubo para paupahan sa mga turista kung tag-araw.
Malaking bagay din sana iyon para sa mag-asawa at iba pang naninirahan malapit sa dalampasigan. Ang kaso, ang baybayin dito ay inuupahan ng mayayaman at ginagawang resort. Wala namang magawa ang mga mangingisda dahil may permit ang mga iyan sa munisipyo.
Isa rin sa pinagkakakitaan ng mga taga-Bagac ang pagpapaupa sa mga bangkang de motor na nag-aalok ng pasyal sa mga turista. Ayon kay Manolito, sapat na rin ang kinikita ng mga bangkero kapag nakapagbiyahe sila sa loob ng isang araw. Pero wala namang pera si Manolito para ipuhunan sa isang bangkang pangturista.
“Kaya nga wala na talaga kaming maasahan kundi ang pangangawil,” ani Manolito.
Marami pang mga klase ng mangingisda sa paligid ng Bagac. May mga gumagamit ng lambat, depende rin ito sa laki ng butas ng lambat kung anong klase ng lamang dagat ang kanilang huhulihin. Iba ang lambat para sa pusit, iba rin para sa borador o flying fish.
Pero iba-iba man, isa lang ang kaibigang inaasahan ng mga mangingisda, dito sa Bagac o kahit saanman sa Pilipinas – ang dagat.
by: Soliman A. Santos & Maricristh T. Magaling
Popularity: 9% [?]
Popularity: 41% [?]