My World#5 Mana House, J.P. Laurel Ave., Davao City

This is Mana Casa de Antes Y Antiguas or what is popularly known here as Mana House. It is an antique and home decoration store and is located along J.P. Laurel Avenue., Davao City. It is quite a popular place in our city during Christmas time. For several years now, people will gather here to take pictures of the store's Christmas decorations. I have been coming here for three years now, mostly tagging along my nieces. But this year, I also took along my parents and they were quite amused to see all the lights covering the entire building of the store






Let us visit the other worlds here.

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My World#4 Chinatown Davao

This part of our city is known for business establishments owned by Filipino-Chinese businessmen. This street was originally named Uyanguren St. after the first Spanish governor, Don Jose Uyanguren. Don Uyanguren defeated in 1847 the ruling Muslim chieftain, Datu Bago and drove his people away to the hinterlands.

More previously known for its hardware and electrical stores years ago, the recent influx of other Asian nationalities made this part of the city into an international shopping area of goods from Korea, Taiwan and China. At this time of year with the Christmas shopping at its peak, the traffic in this area is almost always horrendous at any time of the day but it is usually a small price to pay for really good bargains.

Uyanguren St. is now named Ramon Magsaysay Ave. and is now part of the proposed Chinatown of Davao City. The Filipino-Chinese community of the city built the arch on the picture just this year. Another arch is still being constructed at the other end of this avenue which is just a stone’s throw away from Magsaysay Park, another city landmark. This picture was taken on the intersection of C.M. Recto Ave and Magsaysay Ave.

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My World#3 Pacquiao's House, Gen. Santos City

By now, the whole world knows that Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao knocked out Oscar “Golden Boy” dela Hoya; probably, a lot of people are already looking for the dela Hoya-Pacquiao video of the fight.

Pacquiao is a native of General Santos City, Philippines. We went to Pacquiao’s house last October courtesy of Pacquiao’s personal secretary and Mindanao Bloggers’ Summit organizers. Here are some of the pictures:

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My World#2 Camp Sabros, Kapatagan, Digos City

Camp Sabros is located in the highlands of Kapatagan, Digos City which is about an hour ride from the city proper. Digos City itself is an hour ride from Davao City. Going to Camp Sabros is easy. Coming from Davao City, we took the Holiday bus from Ecoland Terminal and were dropped off at the new Digos terminal. We took a pedicap going to the old Digos terminal and from there, vans and jeeps are available for hire at the old Digos Terminal. P80.00 for the jeep fare and just tell your manong driver to stop at the military checkpoint at Sitio Sabras. From the checkpoint, you hike about 30 minutes (about a kilometer distance) to the campsite.

Our fatherly jeepney driver made a deal with us. He’d take us to Camp Sabros and Agong House at P100 for each of us and we won’t have to do the “alas puno” thing for the jeep to get going. Thus, off we go! He suggested to pick us up at the military checkpoint by the highway at 12noon; but we were positive that we’d make it by 11am. Well, we didn’t expect to be too giddy to check out the time that by the time we made our trek back to our rendezvous site with him it’s already past 12noon and our tummies were already complaining big time for the missed lunch.

Mt. Matutum peeping out from the clouds.

The grandfather of all Philippine mountains, Mt. Apo. Its peak is usually hidden by the clouds and we were just lucky that it showed its peak while we took our pictures with it.

Rough road going to Camp Sabros. The hike is 30-45 minutes from the highway depending on the pace. Prepare to go uphill but it is accessible by 4-wheel drive cars or by motorcycle which one can hire from the highway. Fare is P25 per person.

Eagle sculpture inside the camp. The camp has a camping site and a few cottages for rental.

Cable car for the return from the first zipline.

the first zipline (40-second ride, 370 meters long, 180 feet above ground)

The 2nd zipline platform which is on top of the hill. This one is faster and longer than the first one and hey, this felt like your spirit was given a jolt at the first moments of going down the zipline.

The landing area for the 2nd zipline. The crew will have to be fast enough to catch you or you'll be hanging out above the forest. hehehe!

The motorcycles that ply the area. The area can get foggy because of its elevation. It does give a feeling of being among the clouds.

After the exciting zipline adventure, you can buy vegetables and fruits at the highway.

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My World#1 Prayer Mountain, Tamayong, Calinan, Davao City

This place is called the Prayer Mountain which is located at Tamayong, Calinan, Davao City. This is owned by Kingdom of Jesus Christ which is led by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. The 8-hectare compound is really, really beautiful and spotlessly clean too.

More pictures of the place here.

This is my first entry to My World.

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Batanes

This is the House of Dakay, oldest house in Batan, Batanes which was built in the 1870s. It is already included in the list of UNESCO Heritage sites. The occupant is an Ivatan lady already in her 90s.

Batanes..part of the Philippines but seems separated from the whole country because it is farther and harder to reach by many. It is nearer to Taiwan than the main Philippine island of Luzon. The place lies in the typhoon path and that is why their houses were usually made of 50 tons of limestone, reed and cogon to protect its occupants inside. One house is usually done by the whole community’s cooperation which is locally called “payuhman”.

Ivatan is the name of the people from Batanes. I consider them as good example of what a Pinoy is for their strength and endurance in facing whatever situation there is and however tough the times are. Because of the place being mountainous, the Ivatans learned to strive and persevere, nurture and cultivate whatever they have and their surroundings. In Batanes, you can still see people helping each other (bayanihan) each time there is a house to build, and their sharing of the communal pastureland called “payaman” or more popularly known by tourists as “Marlboro Country”.

For me, we should be proud and should love Batanes and the Ivatans for they have not lost the embodiment of the real Pinoy.

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