Navigating Laguna Loop: Majayjay

Majayjay is a highland town situated in the foothills of Mount Banahaw. The town stands 1000 feet above sea level and surrounded by the towns of Magdalena in the north, Liliw in the west, Luisiana in the east, and Lucban, Quezon in the south. 

Based on ancient stories, the town has no adequate roads but there are curved slopes and roads going to the gorges. In order to solve that problem, the conquerors hired laborers and porters. However, these people were having a hard time going to the town and one of them sigh and said "hay, hay, hay" while climbing the slopes of Mount Banahaw. That is why, they called the place Majayjay: " ma" means many and "hay, hay" which refers to the sound of sigh. It became a town in 1571 and Gaspar Osorio was the first leader of this town. In addition, Emilio Jacinto, the Brains of the Katipunan died in this town in 1899.

The welcome arch of Majayjay. 

The historical marker of Majayjay.

I went to a ten minute ride to this town via tricycle from the town of Liliw. The first thing I did in this town is to visit the town central where you can found one of the oldest and tallest churches in the province and a National Culture Treasure, the St. Gregory the Great Parish Church which was built in 1571. It was originally made of bamboo at burned in 1576 and the church made of stone was created in 1616 until 1649. The high structure of the church was built with the help of Father Jose de Puertollano which was renovated from 1711 to 1734. The church is also adjacent to the municipal hall where you can read the historical background of the town.

St. Gregory the Great Parish Church

From the town center, I took a five minute walk going to the place which is a product of forced labor. It is called as the Tulay Pigue (Buttocks Bridge or Puente de Capricho). This bridge serves as a shortcut to other barangays which lead you to the neighboring town of Magdalena. It is a very narrow bridge and you can go there after you passed the cemetery and the dumpsite where you will walk through the grassy slopes.

Tulay Pigue

The most popular natural tourist attraction in Majayjay is the Taytay Falls. Located in Barangay Taytay and you can get there by twenty minutes from the town proper. Then you will going to take a long walk to the canopy trail which leads you to the falls. When I was walking to the falls, I heard the splash of waterfalls from far away. Then, I was amazed on how the Taytay Falls looks like. It is a two-storey waterfalls in a remote location in which vegetation is abundant and it has a clear water flowing from Mount Banahaw. Before, it is a hard task to reach the falls because there were no marked trails during that time. In 2008, the World Bank supported the promotion of tourism in Taytay Falls.

The trail to Taytay Falls.

Taytay Falls, the main tourist attraction in Majayjay.

A rice field in Majayjay

Women were able to have their laundry in the river.

Therefore, my travel experience in Majayjay is one of the most memorable travels I need to treasure. First, the roads that you are going to pass is risky but exciting because of ascending slopes and intense zigzag which feels like a rollercoaster trip, that is why you need to become careful in driving. Second, I appreciated the rural life and simple ambiance in the town because of verdant mountains and forests and the traditional way of living especially using horses in transportation and women who made their laundry in the river. Lastly, Majayjay is such a town where you can experience the simple and rural life in the highlands. Let's aim high to Majayjay!

Visita Iglesia: A Pilgrimage to the Baroque Churches of Laguna

Laguna is a province located in Southern Luzon which is known as the birth place of Dr. Jose Rizal. It is also the place where you can explore the natural wonders such as the Pagsanjan Falls and Caliraya Lake which are popular tourist spots and the home of products such as woodcarvings, slippers and homemade sweets. The province is also the home of majestic and ancient Baroque churches which was constructed and preserved from the Spanish period. Recently, I decided to have my Visita Iglesia (the tradition of pilgrimage to different churches in order to commemorate the Stations of the Cross and giving our prayers) in this province. 

Previously, I visited the churches in Sta. Rosa, Binan, and San Pedro. This year, I decided to travel the Laguna Loop (classified into Laguna de Bay Loop and Mount Banahaw Loop) in order to visit the Baroque churches in the area. These churches were built since the Spanish era and preserved for many centuries which depicted through impressive architecture and strong foundation. I also appreciate the decorations, the belfries and the interior of the churches. In addition, most of these churches are located in the town plaza and adjacent to the municipal hall which reflected the society during the Spanish era and showed the unity of Church and State. Therefore, the most important thing that I accomplished in this pilgrimage is to  reflect in our lives, and saying our prayers to the Lord by asking forgiveness, thanksgiving and appreciation.

Shrine of Saint Anthony de Padua, Pila

Immaculate Conception Parish, Santa Cruz

I left our hometown at 6:00 a.m. where I traveled for almost two hours from Cavite and rode a jeepney in Calamba going to the first town. I visited the heritage town of Pila where Pila Church or the Diocesan Shrine of St. Anthony de Padua which is located in the town plaza. Then, I went to a ten minute jeepney ride from Pila to the busy provincial capital of Santa Cruz to visit the Immaculate Conception Church. Then, I took my snack in a fast food chain in this town. 

St. Mary Magdalene Church, Magdalena

St. John the Baptist Church, Liliw

St. Bartholomew Parish, Nagcarlan

I went to a fifteen minute ride to the historical town of Magdalena which is known for the St. Mary Magdalene Church. It is the church where Emilio Jacinto sought refuge after he was wounded in the war. From Magdalena, I went to the neighboring towns of Liliw and Nagcarlan. First, I went to the town of Liliw which is popular in their native products especially slippers and local sweets. Adjacent to the native products stores the bricked Saint John the Baptist Church was located in the town proper. Then I took a five minute ride to the rustic and verdant town of Nagcarlan to visit the St. Bartholomew Church which served as a location of the defunct fantasy series "Kampanerang Kuba". 

St. Gregory the Great Parish Church, Majayjay

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish, Luisiana

Transfiguration Church, Cavinti

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Pagsanjan

I waited for almost one hour in jeepney from Nagcarlan going to the highland town of Majayjay where the St. Gregory the Great Parish Church was located. It is one of the oldest and tallest churches in the country and one of the National Heritage Treasures. Then I had a thirty minute ride passing the slopes and curved roads to Luisiana where I visited the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish. I went to a thirty minute ride to Cavinti where the 400-year old Parish of Transfiguration of Our Lord Church was located in the town proper. I also visited the neighboring town of Pagsanjan where the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish was located here. 

St. John the Baptist Church, Longos

St. James the Apostle Church, Paete

St. Peter of Alcantara Church, Pakil

I also visited the lakeshore town of Kalayaan where you can found St. John the Baptist Church in Longos which is near to the Laguna de Bay. I proceeded to the towns of Paete and Pakil where they had the beautiful and artistic woodcarvings. In these two towns you can found the old Baroque churches of Saint James the Apostle in Paete and St. Peter of Alcantara Church in Pakil. After we visit the town of Pakil, I decided to go home and I enjoyed the Visita Iglesia in Laguna because of the majestic churches and the ambiance of natural wonders in the place from passing the towns where you can see mountains, rivers and lakes where you can appreciate the beauty of nature and reflect to our lives.

Nuestra Senora de Candelaria Church, Mabitac

San Sebastian Church, Lumban

San Pablo Cathedral, San Pablo City

You can also try to visit the Nuestra Senora de Candelaria Church in Mabitac where you are going to take the 126 steps to the hilltop church, San Sebastian Church in the embroidery town of Lumban and a center of missionary activities, and the Saint Paul the Hermit Cathedral located in the City of Seven Lakes in San Pablo City. Below are the pictures of the belfries, markers and the interior of different churches I visited:

Belfries:

Pila Church

Santa Cruz Church

Nagcarlan Church

Cavinti Church

Longos Church

Pakil Church

Magdalena Church

Church Interiors:

Pila

Santa Cruz

Magdalena

Liliw

Nagcarlan

Luisiana

Majayjay

Cavinti

Pagsanjan

Longos

Pakil

Suplado to the Next Level: A Review on Suplado Tips Book 2 and Book Launch

Book Launch Review

After the success of the Suplado Tips, the sequel released its sequel  held its book launch last March 2012. The book launch was also successful where it was attended by avid book lovers and fans of Stanley Chi, media and bloggers. In addition, comedians Ramon Bautista and  Tado Jimenez, rappers Harlem T., Sheyhee, and Juan Lazy, band Bakeshop and mentalist Justin Pinon are also in the book launch as special guests. It was an entertaining show where Justin performed mind reading tricks, Bakeshop launched their career as a band with their singles and  some icebreakers and prizes to the fans of Suplado Tips. 

The highlight of the show is the suplado rap battle of fliptop artists Juan Lazy, Harlem T. and Sheyhee against Stanley, Ramon and Tado which made the book launch livelier and funny. 

In the end, I learned about the importance of books as an important reference although people are using E-Books and only few are reading conventional books. Lastly, learn to patronize our own products and masterpiece because according to Kit Perez, "Basta Gawang Pinoy, ASTIG!" 

Tado Jimenez, Stanley Chi and Ramon Bautista. Source: Facebook photos

Bookworm Review: Suplado Tips 2

The sequel of Suplado Tips is raised to another level of entertainment, humor and content. In the first book, the cover is simple with a wooden brown color and it is made up of gray paper for its pages. The second book has a smoother pages and cover with blue color. The content is not just more on Suplado tips and hirit but they have an additional supplements such as trivia, sarcastic subtitles, picture comics, stories or anecdotes, and illustrations from comic artists. The foreword was written by Ramon Bautista and there is a Suplado slam note in the first part of the book. The Suplado Tips are divided based on categories including daily life, watching basketball game, holidays, workplace and surfing the Internet. 

Here are the top 5 notable suplado tips in book 2 plus its supplements:

1. On class reunions and talking about their former classmates and friends who didn't attend the reunion which is a topic among people who are present in the event: Isnabin ang invitations ng class reunion para mas lalong maintriga ang mga classmates mo at pag-usapan ka pa lalo (Kung sino ang wala, siya ang madalas na pinag-uusapan)

2. On dealing with easy-go-lucky people who inviting their friend who is not planning to go on gimmicks: Kung panay ang yaya sayo ng kaibigan mo sa mga gimik at wala ka namang balak pumunta, sagutin mo ng "Busy akong tao dahil may ginagawa ako para sa kinabukasan ko!" (Nakakasira ng barkada ang pag-aaral)

3. On having a hard time on using the new stuff in Facebook: Kung madaming nagrereklamo sa bagong Facebook, hiritan mo ng "Bumalik ka na lang kaya sa Friendster!" (Palitan mo na rin ang cellphone mo, gawin mong pager para nostalgic!)

4. On dealing with officemates who are fond of criticizing others and making gossips: Kung may naninira sayo sa office, okay lang yan... Ibig sabihin, parati ka niyang iniisip! 

5. Carolling: Kung may nag-ca-carolling sa bahay niyo, patayin niyo lahat ng ilaw at sumigaw kayo ng "Walang tao dito!"

Blogger's Note: The sequel of Suplado Tips proves that Stanley Chi is one of the best humor writers in Pinoy literature nowadays. He is also shown his candor in observational comedy as well with delivering sarcastic jokes to those peculiar situations which is annoying to others. Therefore, he also advocates the use of conventional books than E-books because how did you use your computers or I-pods if there is a brownout or if there is no source of electricity. It is better to use books because it helps you to expand your vocabulary, enhance your reading skills and it is a practical and relevant source which you can keep it for many years. More power Sir Stanley!

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Top 13 Performances

The top 13 contestants of American Idol. First row: Joshua Ledet, Colton Dixon, Hollie Cavanagh and Jessica Sanchez.
Second row: Heejun Han, Shannon Magrane, Deandre Brackensick, Jeremy Rosado and Skylar Laine.
Third Row: Elise Testone, Philip Phillips, Jermaine Jones and Erika Van Pelt.

After the semi-finals, the top 13 were selected by people's votes and judges choice as a wildcard contender. The theme for the performance night was the songs of Stevie Wonder, which performed by male contenders and the songs of Whitney Houston for female contestants.  Here's my review on the top 13 performance night of American Idol season 11.

Shannon Magrane sang "I Have Nothing" where I am expecting that she can nail the song and one of the best performances of the night. But the nerves gave the best of her on that evening. She had the powerful voice to deliver that song. However, she needs to tell the story of the song.  When I heard the studio version of her song, she did an amazing job. Score: 7.0 

Elise Testone did a wrong song choice for her amazing voice with her rendition of "I'm Your Baby Tonight" I am hoping next week that she is safe and not part of the bottom 2. Score: 8.0 

Erika Van Pelt sang "I Believe In You and Me" where she nailed the song but she didn't reach the high notes. She needs to improve her performance next time because she had that beautiful and soulful voice. Score: 7.8

Jermaine Jones proved that he deserves a second chance in his rendition of "Knocks Me Off My Feet" where his low baritone trademark matches the song. Score: 8.5

Jeremy Rosado touches the heart of the audience with his performance of "Ribbon in the Sky." It wasn't his best performance but he interprets the song in a beautiful way. Score: 8.4

I am wondering why Joshua Ledet made it to the bottom 3 guys although he had a very good performance of "I Wish." I think he made it to the bottom 3 although he did a very good job but he is similar to Jacob Lusk of season 10. Score: 8.9 

Skylar Laine said that she didn't sing a Whitney Houston song in her life. But when she performed "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", it was proven that she can sing any song not just a country but any kind of song. In other words, she is versatile. Score: 9.0

Deandre Brackensick did a reggae performance of "Master Blaster (Jammin)" where he did a soulful and groovy performance plus his clean falsettos. Score: 9.1 

Colton Dixon sang "Lately" which suits his voice and I love the transition from mellow introduction to the rock part. He is a versatile singer and he owned the song. Score: 9.5

Philip Phillips sang "Superstition" where this song is also his audition piece. He is a very good musician and singer. He got an entertaining performance with his guitar as an accompaniment but predictable song choice because other contenders sang that in previous seasons. Therefore, he is a true artist. Score: 9.8

MY TOP 3 BEST PERFORMANCES:

Heejun Han chose "All In Love Is Fair" which is a perfect song choice for him and much better performance than last week.  His voice is smooth and soft, clear and truly romantic. It proves that he is a very good singer in singing ballads, maybe next time I want to see him singing upbeat tempo songs. Score: 9.9

Hollie Cavanagh sang "All The Man That I Need" where she performed effortless but powerful. She had the clear phrasing and diction and she deserves to come back from last season. She is one of the best singers for the eleventh season. Score: 9.9

Jessica Sanchez once again received a standing ovation and positive reviews from the judges with her performance of "I Will Always Love You". She did a fantastic belting and soulful performance and that was superb. Score: 10.0

Blogger's Note:

Predictions and Elimination: Elise, Erika and Shannon made it to the bottom 3 girls while Jermaine, Jeremy and Joshua made it to the bottom 3 boys. In the end, Elise saved by the judges and Jeremy was eliminated first from the competition. On the coming weeks, I am looking forward to Heejun, Colton, Phillip, Jessica and Hollie to the top 5 and one of them will become the winner of American Idol. Therefore, I am also looking forward to the two female contenders will make it to the finale (it was happened last season 3 where Diana DeGarmo and Fantasia Barrino competed in the finals of that season). But watch out because there are also competitors who will emerge as dark horse maybe it is between Elise Testone or Skylar Laine. However, I want Hollie, Jessica and Heejun made it to the final three. Lastly, all of the contenders for the eleventh season are great and exceptional.