BATANGBALER

Baler on the net:

Baler is 400 Years Old. from Bilingual Pen.com. About the different events of the Baler 400 Years Celebration. Here’s more we should look out for:

Ongoing from March to December is a playwriting competition for radio and film. In June, there will be a sabutan fashion show. Also upcoming is the Juana La Loca production.

Slated for August are the airing of the “Tabak at Sampaguita” series over DZRH, and the staging of the zarzuela “Baler ng Puso Ko,” “Gabi ng Musikang Filipino,” and “Balagtasan Para sa Paglinis at Paglunti ng Baler.”

In September, the “Green the World” clean up project in Baler will be launched; and in October, the UN Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty campaign will take place.

Planned for November and December is the Hispanic heritage-linked studies with participants from Union Latina in cooperation with UNESCO, Spain, Casa Asia/Instituto Cervantes leading to “Baguio to Baler Arts Caravan.” Also planned for December is the setting up of the Baler Arts Academy.

More activities are lined up for the Baler 400th anniversary celebration including those of under the National Historical Institute and the National Museum.

Read the complete article

By the way, Baler is actually more than 400 years old. It’s already here when the Spanish landed in 1609.

Little Paradise. From Raneil Antonio Ibay’s Multiply Page:

Merely describing Baler would not suffice. You’d have to be there to know what I mean. Experiencing this little paradise for yourself is the only way you’ll see the true essence of Baler.

Read the article and view the photos here

Another ANSHS website/blog spotted on the web. This one looks promising.

The Baler Adventure from Philippines Travel Blog:

If you are a wannabe surfer however and you want to hone or discover your as yet undeveloped surfing skills far from the prying eyes of surfing pros, then this is the place to be. As a beach it has a really long shoreline and a wide beach front but be sure to take note that if you dislike anything that’s un-white, this is not the place for you.

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Great Photos of Baler by Manny Rosario. Check out the macro shots.

Baler Buena Vista Photo Contest Winners:

Upon the invitation of National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) Chairman Cecille Guidote – Alvarez and Aurora Province Governor Bella Flor Angara – Castillo, a group of photographers from the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF) went to Baler, Aurora to shoot the scenic sites there. With about 25 photographers from the FPPF, a mini photo contest was held and the winners’ photos are now displayed in an exhibit at the Senate second floor lobby along with

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Baler Getaway

The Virgins of Baler noticed the junks littering Sabang Beach.

Breathtaking Baler

from the Business Mirror written by Benjamin Layug:

BALER, the provincial capital and center for trade and industry of Aurora province, found itself back in the radar recently when a namesake movie won as Best Picture and a host of other awards in last year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, its plot based on the 337-day (June 27, 1898-June 2, 1899) siege of its Spanish garrison by Filipino rebels.

When the garrison finally surrendered (the last to do so in the country), Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, in admiration, declared, on June 30 (now Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day), that the remaining 33 Spanish soldiers were not to be imprisoned but honored as friends. Me and my family watched the movie and, being actually filmed on location, I was also impressed by its rugged scenery and decided to visit it. I did so on Holy Week. With me were my two kids, Jandy and Cheska, plus lady friends Lourdes “Lulu” Siguenza and Rosevie “Vi” Sevilla.

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I just want to correct something. In the article, Mr. Layug wrote:

Long before the movie, Baler was already known as one of the country’s top five surfing areas, its tall waves “artificially” created when the town’s engineers opened the mouth of Baler Bay to the town’s river to prevent flooding during the rainy season. The clashing waters coming from the river and the Pacific formed strong, sharp break waves that now provide an exhilarating high among experienced surfers.

This is not true. Baler always has big waves and they were not artificially created. Town engineers periodically open or enlarge the river’s mouth to prevent floods during typhoon season but they only affect the natural waves near the river. The more popular surfing spots along Sabang Beach and Cemento Cove are all natural.

Another addition to the Aurora Waterfalls Collection. These two photos was emailed to me by Ms. Esquivel, who owns a private resort in Dinadiawan, Dipaculao, Aurora. She said these two falls are located near the resort at Lower Bulos, Sitio Baul, Dinadiawan.

A few hours ago. Top of the hill.

Answer to your questions: Dikasalarin is still open to the public. You can go there anytime (I think).

Some updates from the Provincial Tourism Office:

Mdme. Charlotte M. alerted me about a 1-day jewelry-making exhibit happening at the Baler Municipal Plaza right this very moment - March 20, 2009. Buy and patronize the products of the women of Aurora!

And the youtube page of the Aurora Tourim Office has a new video: Aurora Philippines Friday the 13th Surfari. The surf spot is Dalugan, Casiguran, Aurora. Watch.

And I discovered that they also have a flick page. Check out the Tourism Aurora Flickr Page.

A website would be good.

Some pictures from the newly renovated Ermita Hill in Baler, Aurora. Pictures were taken last August. Just click on the slideshow if you want to see the bigger pictures.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Easy Photo Sharing

And yes I was also scolded by a shirtless dude when I parked my motorcycle in the wrong place. Consider it part of the Ermita experience. Go there and follow the rules and you will have no problem.

Casiguran’s spectacular Casapsapan Beach was recently featured in GMA’s 24 Oras. Watch:

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

This beach is too beautiful that calling it comparable to Boracay is an insult to Casapsapan beach. And this is just one of the many beaches you can go to in Aurora. Check out this post for a sampler.

Some photos from the recently held North Philippines Tourism and Travel Expo. Provided by the Aurora Provincial Tourism Office. Aurora won the Best Destination Pavilion Award, the top award in the expo.

Aurora beauties modeling sabutan-made bags and “folders”.

And the sabutan-made dress.

The one with the umbrella is the reigning Bb. Aurora Rdelyn Friginal.

(more…)

This latest promo video from the Aurora Tourism Office features a motherload of things you can do while in Aurora. Personally, I tried only the trek thingy. Watch:

I like their new copy “One Destination, Endless Adventure”. It’s better than the BACkronym “Breathtaking, Adventure, Complete”. And no politician in sight in the whole video. Wonderful!

Isa na namang sisid video mula sa Provincial Tourism Office:

Ito ay kuha sa Baler, Aurora. Ang video na ito, kagaya ng iba pang mga Aurora underwater videos na galing sa Provincial Tourism Office ay kuha ni Ernan Dukha at inedit ni Ryan Ritual. Kasama din sa pagbi-video ang batikang si Macmac Ritual.

Tabsung na!

Noong ginagawa ang Baler-Bongabong Road nung dekada 20, may dalawang ginawang rest house para sa mga manggagawa ng kalsada at para sa mga dumadaan doon. Ang isa ay ang sa Villa Aurora at ang isa naman ay sa lugar na tinatawag nating Boundary. Mula sa Reminiscence ni Poppo Olag:

From the hamlet of Kalanan, a winding unpaved road zigzags dizzily along the curve of hazy-gray mountain cliffs to the scenic spot of Boundary. This demarcation site between the provinces of Nueva Ecija and northern Tayabas (Quezon), now Aurora province was developed into a resting station as sanctuary for the road builders. The development started in 1926 during the tenure of Manuel A. Gonzales, the ninth mayor of Baler in conjunction with the construction of Baler-Bongabong national road.

Boundary is located roughly about 68 kilometers west of the town of Baler on the Sierra Madre Mountain ranges overlooking the Pacific Ocean which stands some thousand meters above sea level. Its climate is airy and refreshing, phenomenally cool during the months of October through March, and marvelously pleasant from April through September. Because of its excellent climate, varieties of orchids grew luxuriantly in its surrounding, besides the evergreens that made the place mystically mesmerizing.

At the summit stands a rest house, and from its location the panoramic vista of the blue Pacific silhouetted by the Sierra Madre peels back with breathtaking sceneries. A slippery lane connects the rest house to the national road, and some hundred meters below is a swimming pool designed and engineered by Mother Nature. Shaded by giant ferns, towering trees, and impenetrable by sunlight, the pool is chillingly cold.

Pareho nang wala ang dalawang rest house na iyon. Pero ang binabanggit na swimming pool ay naroon pa at mahabang panahon na nalimutan. Ngayon ay na-restore na uli ang lugar. Pwede na uling pagpiknikan at paliguan. Di ito kaagad makikita dahil ito ay nasa bahaging ibaba ng daan. Ang makikita lamang ay isang billboard na nagtatanda kung nasaan ito.

Ito ang isang video ng lugar na nakita ko sa Youtube:

Talagang de kumpleto ang pagiging taga-Baler mu pag wala kang kwentong luwas. Kung ikaw ay may kwentong luwas, byahe, hilo, sukahan, stranded, agawan sa jeep at bus, landslide, kain sa villa, at marami pang iba, i-share na ninyo dito sa comment. Ang may pinakamagandang istorya ay may premyong bonamine.

Na inspire ako ng kwentong ito mula sa blog ng Tropang Spider, ang mga Batch 12 ng ANSHS: Tara na Byahe Tayo! ( Papaitan, Lugaw, Dyamengo, Adobong Pusa, Lucy Express atbp.)

Si(la) Suki. Ay kilalang kilala itu ng mga tiga baler. Kahit nung sa may lumang palengke pa lang ang paradahan ng mga Bus at Jeep na paluwas, at de pa pwede daanan ang Canili, tau na sila. Sila yung nagtitinda ng suman na mga tiga buhangin(?).Yung isa yung kulut na medyu makapal ang make-up sa mukha at yung isa naman yung kulut din na medyu chubby ( may premyo ang makakahula ng pangalan nila). Sila ay si Suki, dahil suki nila lahat ng pasahero. Peru de naman sila kagaya ng mga nagtitinda sa terminal ng Cabanatuan na pag tiningnan mu lang o nagtanung ka ay babayaran mu na yung tinda nilan Zest-O o mani, pag de mu binayaran, nanghaharass sila, masyadung mga bayolente. Mabait sila suki kahit medyu pabagu bagu ng presyo ang kanilang tinda. Pag akyat mu ng Bus, aalukin ka ng suman, P30 isang tali (ang isang tali ay sampung pirasu). Pag medyu alam na nilang paalis na ang sasakyan, makukuha mu na lang ng P15-P20 isang tali. Regular figures pa rin sila hanngang ngayun sa terminal ng Genesis sa Duongan at sa terminal ng Van at D-Liner sa palengke.

Basahin ng kumpleto ang kwento