BAGUIO / BANAUE

Dubbed as the Watershed Cradle of the Philippines, the Cordillera Administrative Region was carved out of the predominantly Ilocano regions of Ilocos and Cagayan. Located in the North Central part of Luzon, the region is composed of the six provinces of Abra, Benguet,  Kalinga,  Ifugao, Mountain Province, and chartered City of Baguio. The Cordillera consists of 76 municipalities  and 1,172 barangays. Total land area of 18,294 square meters account for seven percent of the total land mass of the Phillippines.

A mountainous topography of towering peaks, plateaus, and intermittent patches of valleys, the Cordillera mountain range has a history as vast and beautiful as its mountainous curves. Populaed by the  Ifugaos, a gentle yet fiercely proud ethnic community, the Cordilleras enjoy abundant mineral reserves. Metalic ores such as gold, silver, cooper, zinc and non-metalic reserves are found in Abra, Benguet, Kalinga Apayao, and Mountain Province.

The people in the region enjoy a cool climate throughout the year, particularly in higly elevated places like Benguet, Mt. Provinces, and Baguio City. General climate, thought, is the dry season from November to April and the rainy season for the rest of the year.

Travle to LAOAG / VIGAN (philippines)

Ilocos Norte, the northwestern tip of Luzon, is wedged between the steep Gran Cordillera Central in the east, the rugged Ilocos Mountains in the northeast, and the Ilocos Range in the south. The centuries old churches that dot every town of Ilocos are testimonies to the colonial past. They formed part of the nucleus of the plaza complex town planning instituted  by the Spanish colonizers. With a coastline that stretches to 90 statute miles, Ilocos Norte is blessed with rich marine life – shells, giant turtles, seaweeds, starfishes, tuna, and a variety of fishes. Below Ilocos Norte is Ilocos Sur, located along the western coast of Northern Luzon, bound by Abra on the northeast, Mt. Province on the east, Benguet on the southeast, La Union on the south, and the China Sea on the west. Ilocos Sur’s toppgraphy has elevations ranging from 10 to 1,700 meeters above sea level. Though unmistakebaly foreign in form, the churches of Ilocos Sur reflect a distinctly Ilocano charcter. The hardiness and strength of the Ilocanos are reflected in the massiveness and sturdiness of the structures.

Travel to Manila

The capital of the Philippines – its heart and soul – is Manila.

It stes the archipelagos rhythm and is a pulsating hub that blends the Oriental with the extraordinary.Athe the heart of Manila’s history is Instramuros.

It features the grand Manila Cathedral with its detailed stone carvings and stained glass mosaics; Fort Santigao, the site of torture chambers and dungeons; and the faovrite wedding spot , the San Agustin Church.

Great Manila, made up of 14 cities and 3 towns,is where the country’s most prestigious business the trendiest leisure establishmentsare found. Fashionable hotels, restaurants, discos, music bars, boutiques, and specialty
shops onverge around the sleek Ayala and Ortigas Centers.

Other major cities include Quezon City, also an entertainment hub as well as a government center; Marikina City, the shoe center of the Philippines; Paranaque City, known fo its dry good and seafood market and erestaurant, and Las Pinas City, which houses the world’s only bamboo organ at St. Joseph’s Parish Church.

Calabarzon, comprised of the five provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon, is only a few hours away from Manila. The area boats of great destinations and leisure activities for day trips of overnight gateways as well as export processing centers.