Puto and Sikwate in Cabadbaran

Cabadbaran City is the capital of Agusan del Norte. Its famous for its overflowing water and vast ricefields.  Its also a major stop for travelers being an important political and economic center along the Surigao-Butuan highway. 

If you happen to stop at Cabadbaran, I can recommend to take a hot breakfast Filipino style at the Painitan sa Cabadbaran, just located at the right side of the Bus Terminal if you are standing infront of the building.  

It serves pure hot Chocolate and the puto maya, prepared in Boholano style. Whenever there is huge concentration of Boholano migrants, expect the business of sikwate and puto maya to thrive. For Boholanos, breakfast is just enough with puto and the sikwate. 

There are many ways of enjoying the puto maya. My style is to sprinkle the puto maya with white sugar, and then pour a little bit of chocolate on it.  In its climax, when I have the last spoonful of the puto maya, I just dipped it in the Chocolate before drinking it all. 

Visiting the Painitan sa Cabadbaran is only ideal if youré riding a private vehicle because public transport will not give you enough time to stop and enjoy the puto maya and sikwate. 

Summer Time in Mabua

Its summer time again and what a way to spend the time is a dip in the beaches.  In Surigao City, the most logical destination will be in Barangay Mabua.  When you google Mabua, it is described as Mabua Pebble Beach. Absolutely.  Its a kilometer stretch of pebbles. Even the underwater is covered with pebbles. 

The are few commercial beach resorts in Mabua.  Among the few are Mt. Baraganon Hotel (actually its not a hotel but more like bread and breakfast inn), and  then there's the Fiesta Resort which has a pool and cottages and rooms.  

Fishing bancas drydocked at Mabua beach

What abounds in Mabua are nipa cottages that dotted along the beaches which can be rented from an average of 100 to 150 pesos a day. 

When having fun, it should not be necessarily expensive.  And in Mabua, there's a lot of alternative. Its more in fun, less in expense. 

Mabua...while in Surigao City...just try it. 

Bangus Sardines at Balingasag

Bangus Sardines

It was already almost noon when I was to decide where to eat our lunch from our long travel. At 11:30 in the morning , I was yet at the vicinity of Balingoan, Misamis Oriental and in my estimate Cagayan de Oro is still more than an hour away given my speed at below 100 kph. So I decided to have lunch at the biggest municipality before the big three (Jasaan, Villanueva and Tagoloan) and that is no other than Balingasag.  

Balingasag is my choice as sometime ago, I was able to see facebook pictures of my friends who are taking breakfast at some kind of a seaside place.  Balingasag has a boulevard where people spend time during early mornings and late afternoons to relax.  

There's a small plaza near the Boulevard. Inside it is a carinderia called Memory Square that served homemade foods. The one that catch my attention is the Bangus Sardines.  I really suspect that it is a sardines at first because of its oil. The attendant later confirmed it.  Its no surprise because Bangus is the primary product of Balingasag town.  You can even see the fishpens that dotted the waters off the town.

The food is cheap. My family ordered two slices of Bangus sardines, a pork knuckle cooked in Chinese style with black tausi, 4 servings of rice and a 12 oz Coke.  We only pay P150 for the entire meal. Something we are concerned because we really thought the cashier just made a mistake in counting our bills.

One of the "Atlas" figures at Vega Ancestral House

After our cheap but hearty meal, we took some pictures before heading to Cagayan de Oro. Their Municipal Hall is huge, that it looks more like a Capitol Building.  And there's that iconic Vega Ancestral House that never fails to mesmerize me of its antiquity.  Their town plaza is worth visiting too and its ideal in late afternoons and late evenings.

Balingasag Municipal Building

Balingasag is blessed with good infrastructures and good leaders. Among the notable political personalities who hailed from the town is former Misamis Oriental Governor and now Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno and 1st District Congressman Pedro Unabia.

Balingasag, Misamis Oriental...its worth a visit.

Green Sugbongcogon

National Highway along Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental 

When you travel to Cagayan de Oro coming from Butuan City, you will never miss to notice that the landscape becomes greener and greener. If that is so, you are already in the vicinity of the municipality of Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental, which earned the distinction as the greenest and cleanest municipality of the Province years back. 

The highway is planted with tall green trees, making driving a more pleasurable experience. Its a relief for weary travelers to be welcomed by the relaxing sight of green cool surroundings.  One stretch of the highway is planted with some unique kind of pine trees, making it more like somewhere in Bukidnon. 

I always have fondness of Misamis Oriental, its culture and its people and its landscape. After all, it was my mother province. 

The bond is always there... 

MSC CENTENNIAL IN SURIGAO CITY TODAY

Yesterday I observed that there are some elderly foreigners roaming around the city. Later I realized that the MSC fathers were having their Centennial in this very city today and tomorrow. What a coincidence that my birthday December 11 is the same day the MSCs will celebrate their centennial.

If you are yet unaware, MSC stands for Missioneros de Sagrado Corazon or the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. Compared to other missionary groups, MSC is relatively young as compared to the Agustinians, Franciscans, Jesuits, Dominicans and Recollects. It is founded by Jules Chevalier sometime in the early 1800's, much more like by the other new missionary group, the SVD. In fact in Surigao, the SVD and the MSC shared mission territories. Yesterday as I was taking pictures of the MSC exhibit at the Luneta park someone asked "Unsay meaning anang MSC bay?" I thought of answering it but since the question was posed to his friend, I refrain from answering out of courtesy.

This is a big event. I am not really conversant about the history of the MSC fathers but what I can recall is that they began their mission here in Surigao in early 1900's and was called the "Dutch Missionaries" since the origin of the congregation is in The Netherlands. Later I noticed that from Surigao to Agusan most of the parishes were established by the MSC Fathers. In fact of the five Bishops of Surigao, two are MSC prelates. They are Bishop Jan C. Vrakking (2nd) and Bishop Charles van den Ouwelant (3rd). Ouwelant was later succeeded by SVD Bishop Miguel C. Cinches.

To the MSC Fathers, Congratulations.

Postcript: A Pontifical Mass for this great event will be held at 4 o clock this afternoon to be presided by His Excellency Edward Joseph Adams, the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines.