The afternoon was uneventful when I arrived via a jeepney at Red Beach, the historic site where Gen. Douglas McArthur and his party landed in 20 October 1944 that started the end of the Japanese invasion in the Philippines in World War II. I was bored that day and to pass time, visited this place from Tacloban. The sun was already casting a warm glow on the statues. There were no other visitors except me and a couple of locals who were sitting at one…Continue Reading “Skim boarders during a lazy afternoon at Red Beach”→
There were no more tears, only remnants of the destruction. There were no more dead around, they were now buried but not forgotten. But that ship in Anibong District is still there, reminding one of the devastation that once visited this city. Six months after Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated Tacloban, I set foot in the city which has been part of my memories. A decade ago, I was traveling around this area, climbing telecom towers in Mt. Naga-naga, visiting the cellsite at a hill, eating…Continue Reading “Remembering Tacloban, 1 year after Yolanda”→
It’s already March and one thing is for sure: SUMMER IS HERE! It surely is a hot time and other than indulging oneself with cold halo halo or hitting the malls for the nth time, what better way to make these awaited vacation months worthwhile than a list of top 10 things to do during this time of the year.
He was… waiting. Feeling the wind, the water and his heartbeat. Blame it on ennui and the rustle and bustle of polluted Metro Manila that my feet is itching for that ride to nowhere again or just a sojourn to some place else. I was browsing through my files and saw this photo of a skimboarder off Palo in Leyte just near the famous Red Beach where MacArthur and company have been immortalized. He was surveying, looking for that perfect wave to ride. Waiting. Feeling the wind, the water and his heartbeat.
Early morning at Ormoc, the jeep terminal is already alive with commuters.
This is the 8th installment of the Luzon – Visayas – Luzon Loop series. Click the image on the right to check out the rest of the posts.
Ormoc at last! Despite not having made it to the midnight boat for Cebu, I was just glad that I finally reached this city at around 0400H from Tacloban. Its been a year since I’ve last visited this place while I was in transit to Guiuan in Eastern Samar to shoot the church there for the book. But back when I was still based in Cebu, Eastern Visayas was part of my area of responsibility and have constantly been here for work as well as leisure.
Its a small city and the domain of a few rich families who dominate local politics as well as businesses that were offshoots of the sugar industry. It was also here a little more than two decades ago when the tragic Ormoc flood happened and wiped out thousands of its inhabitants. But now, walking through the quiet streets, its a distant memory and no trace can be found of the event unless one visits the memorial near the city center.
