Chapter 10 - Living in the Philippines

Arriving in the Philippines | Family and Education
Exploring the Philippines

Almost all business and cultural activities flow in and out of Manila, the country's capital and it is the obvious place from which to start an exploration of the Philippines. Manila is well connected to other cities and towns by land, air and water transportation although domestic inter-city buses with their five-abreast seating are neither for the feint-hearted nor for larger western body frames. Because of the prevalence of maritime accidents many companies ban travel by ship within the Philippines. Air travel is usual for longer distances while hire cars are usually preferred for travel within Luzon.

Despite suffering extensive damage during the second world war, the city of Manila is rich in history, with plenty of old and modern buildings, monuments and historical landmarks to visit and see. The walled city of Intramuros and the adjacent area of Rizal Park are firm fixtures on the tourist agenda. Much of what is to be seen, at least in Manila, is centered around the introduction of Christianity into the Philippines. Alas, the culture that went before has been obliterated for the most part in Manila.

The ancient church (then oldest in the Philippines) and adjacent museum of Saint Augstin in Intramuros is well worth time to explore and offers a fascinating insight into the early Spanish period. A short street walk down Gen. Luna and Cablijo will reveal some of the finest Spanish period architecture in the Philippines. A number of the buildings offer shaded courtyards with restaurants and coffee shops and there is now even a hotel run as a training school by the Department of Tourism. You will also find art galleries and stores offering the best in local craft in this area. Heading north two blocks from Saint Augustin and you will find Manila Cathedral located at the intersection of Gen. Luna and Beatero.

One word of warning. While visiting Intramuros you will likely be assailed by the horse drawn carriages (Calesa) that populate the area. Now if you wish to take a carriage by all means do so but make very sure that you negotiate the price for a round trip to your start point before you begin. It has been known for such carriages to transport unsuspecting tourists to places unknown (to the visitor anyway) and then to demand an exorbitant amount to return them to their place of origin - or worse.

Beyond Intramuros on the northern side of the Pasig River is the Chinese quarter of Manila known as Binondo. Even in Chinatown the dominant architecture is religious and the amount of time you likely spend there will be conditioned either by your love of dim sum or the churches.

Rizal Park is south of the walled city and around the rim of the park and heading east are a number of public buildings of which the Museum of the Philippine People is probably the best to see since it offers a more complete picture of the history and the culture of the Philippines than is evident elsewhere.

Walking through Rizal Park towards Manila Bay you will see the famous Manila Hotel on your left. Many visitors stop off here for lunch or coffee to enjoy the ambience of this famous hotel which (as everyone knows) was the place from which General Douglas McArthur made his famous "I shall return" speech.

The waterfront area is now being renovated by the Manila City Government and thee renovations extend as far as the Cultural Center of the Philippines some 2km south. The northern area adjacent to Luneta Park (really an extension of Rizal) now offers a number of fine but inexpensive waterfront restaurants. If you plan your day carefully, you should arrange to be in this area just before sunset. Select a table at one or other of the establishments and watch the sun go down over Manila Bay. Life here does not get much better than that.

Outside of Manila, among the most visited and well-known tourism destinations in the Philippines are Davao City in Mindanao; Boracay Island, Cebu City and Bohol in the Visayas; Puerto Galera, Palawan, Tagaytay City, and Laguna in Southern Luzon; and Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Baguio City, Hundred Islands, Banaue Rice Terraces, and Vigan in Northern Luzon. But the list really is endless and the fun for people living here is to create your own list of preferred and undiscovered places.

Getting Around Manila

To get around the city, you can choose from a variety of alternatives all of which are accessible at affordable rates.

Among the popular modes of public transport in the city are the taxicabs, air-conditioned Tamaraw FX vehicles known as maxicabs, buses, public utility jeepneys (only in the Philippines), and tricycles.

While most visitors would shy away from the often-crowded buses, a trip on a jeepney is usually considered de rigueur for even the most well-heeled of tourists. You can check the route by looking along the side of the jeepneys and a sign on the front windscreen usually signifies its ultimate destination. The fare for a single trip along the route is usually four pesos around the city.

There are three railroad lines operating in the metropolitan area, namely the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), the Light Railway Transit (LRT) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR). The PNR is old and not recommended although the MRT and LRT systems are fast and comfortable.

For the romantically inclined, there are also the previously mentioned horse-drawn carriages called Kalesa or Karitela. These usually ply within and around Intramuros, along Roxas Boulevard and into Binondo. Prices are negotiable and you should consider the first offer made to be outrageous - at whatever price it is offered.

The alternative is to negotiate a taxi at an hourly rate. You can opt for a hotel taxi - usually a fixed rate and for a minimum of two hours or you can flag down a driver and make an offer. Around P250 (US$5) an hour for his services would not be an unreasonable amount to pay.

Day Trips and Overnighters

Aside from the area surrounding Intramuros, Manila does not have that much to offer the casual visitor - unless of course you are intent on exploring every Spanish church, monument, theme park or shopping mall. However, outside of Manila there are some delightful day trips to be had. Again hiring a taxi for the day is probably the best way to get around.

The options are really too great to mention in a volume this size and all we can do is to whet the appetite. Further details of many of these opportunities can be found on our website.

Corregidor: Corregidor Island in Manila Bay is considered to be almost as essential a part of the tourist itinerary as a visit to Intramuros. Visitors can choose from day trips or an overnight stay. The ferry leaves from the CCP terminal near to the Cultural Complex and the Manila Yacht Club. Bookings can be made through your hotel tour desk or direct at the ferry terminal.

Bataan Province: The slightly more adventurous might well consider a day trip to the Bataan peninsula. The best way to travel is by ferry that again leaves from the CCP terminal. The journey takes a little over one hour and once on the other side, we recommend you take a bus, taxi or jeepney to the town of Mariveles. Mariveles is a delightful country town at the tip of the Bataan peninsula. It was the starting point of the infamous "Death March" after the fall of the Philippines during the Pacific War and is now the focal point of the Bataan Economic Zone. There is now a walking trail following the route of the march and a memorial placed at Mount Samat. Mariveles is a bustling market community and provides a glimpse of life in the rural Philippines. Alas, the Bataan Yacht Club recently closed but there are other good restaurants along the foreshore offering local seafood delights at very reasonable prices.

Pagsanjan, Laguna: The Pagsanjan river and falls became world famous as the location for filming "Apocalypse Now." The province of Laguna is adjacent to Manila and depending on traffic will take under 3 hours of driving through beautiful rural countryside. The town proper is well maintained having prospered from the tourist income derived from the falls. The architecture of the town is definitely Spanish Colonial and there are a number of fine restaurants and hotels for those who want to linger. The trip to the Falls is made in local canoes under the expert navigation of your boat captain. The boat trip takes around three hours and prices are fixed.

Subic Bay: The former American base at Subic is now a special economic zone and one that is being developed concurrently for its tourist potential. The trip to Subic from Manila can take up to five hours depending on traffic conditions but the countryside - especially in Zambales province close to Subic is breathtaking. Having made the journey it is not hard to appreciate why the Americans loved this place so much. It is close to idyllic. Inside the zone there are hotels and restaurants including one cabana style on the waterfront. Further afield outside of the zone there are a number of beaches. The private beaches offer better facilities than the public access ones but this comes at a cost - around P500 a head. Somehow foreigners always get charged more because our Filipino friends only get charged P200 a head. Perhaps it is because the foreigners are generally bigger and therefore displace more water.

Tagaytay: Around two hours south of Manila lies the mountain resort of Tagaytay. This has long been a favored weekend retreat of well-heeled Filipinos and the area is replete with weekend villas (including the infamous "Palace in the Sky" of former President Marcos, hotels, cabins and religious retreats. Tagaytay is built at the top of a steep escarpment that looks down onto Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. On a clear day the view is breathtaking. Here is the catch; because of the altitude and climatic conditions, for much of the year, the mist shrouds the view of the lake. So if you cannot enjoy the view then at least enjoy the fresh air, the parks, the picnics and of course, the horseback riding.

Taal Lake is also well worth a visit but a word of warning. Unlike Pagsanjan where the tourist traffic is well ordered and regulated. Here it is just the opposite. Touts offering tours of Taal Lake at exorbitant prices will besiege you. Once you have signed for a package and are in their clutches they will attempt to sell you additional packages. Indeed on the day we did the trip our so-called "guide" for whom we had paid refused to accompany us up the trail unless we gave him a further P2,000. Complaints Desk? - You have to be kidding.

Puerto Galera: This is hardly a day trip but if you have a spare weekend and want to explore the "resort" side of the Philippines then Puerto Galera is the place that many people start.

Located on Mindoro Island, Puerto Galera is reached by a one-hour boat journey from the port of Batangas which is in turn a two hour (thereabouts) drive from Manila. Accommodation ranges from backpacker retreats to up market international resorts and people of all ages and backgrounds mingle easily together drawn by the diving, the beaches and the chance to escape from the rigor of city life.

For the major resorts, booking ahead of time is preferable but equally a lot of fun can be had by just turning up and taking potluck at one of the beach cabins on White Beach or at Sabang. Prices for cabins are seasonable but can be had with a little bit of negotiation for around P600 a night. Expect to pay double this amount at the hotels and resorts.

Further Afield

There are daily flights from the Manila Domestic Airport to mostly major cities around the country including Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, General Santos and Iloilo. Altogether, Philippine Airlines, the country's official carrier, services 43 major provincial routes. There are also other carriers to choose from - Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Asian Spirit, that serve other destinations. A word of caution is advised here: not all routes are flown on a daily basis and often it is not possible to confirm a return booking until you arrive at your destination. If you are on a tight schedule then you may well face a delay of several days in obtaining a return seat. Also, for the smaller airlines, the "estimated time of departure" sometimes bears no resemblance whatsoever to an actual time of departure. If you are traveling to the distant provinces, do not count on being able to make a same-day connection with an international outbound flight.

Ships and ferries also afford visitors a convenient means of travel to many places although most journeys take many hours and even days. Sea travel is frowned upon by many foreign corporations for reasons of safety record. If you do travel by sea be aware that some ferry companies have much better track record than others so ask around.

The country's road system does not offer a particularly smooth trip to distant parts, but the experience exposes the visitor to the full beauty of the countryside. It is a sad fact of life that outside of Manila there is no rail system to speak of in this country.

For many the Philippines offers an undiscovered paradise where people can "travel" rather than "tour." Whether for mountain climbing, trekking, diving, leisure/vacation or any sports related-activity, hopping from island to island is indeed an adventure. Almost all local travel agencies offer special packages with affordable prices that suit anyone's favored itinerary. There are also a number of companies that specialize in charter cruising both aboard sail and motor vessels. Swagman Travel and the Coco Explorer are among the best known.

Foreign and local visitors prefer wearing casual attire during the trip, as the weather is warm the whole day. Communication with the locals is not a problem, as most of them can understand English. Filipinos trace back their roots to Malay, Chinese and Spanish races, but for half a century under the American rule, they have been exposed to the popular American culture.

By nature, Filipinos are hospitable and they go to great lengths to make a visitor comfortable. When you are treated in such a manner, accept the hospitality graciously. Offer help when needed, as it will be appreciated. Winning their friendship is like having an extended family - it will either make you not want to leave at all or will certainly make you come back for more.

Entertainment & Recreation

A survey conducted by PERC Limited in 1999 showed that most expatriates rated the Philippines as the country with the best living conditions in 12 Asian countries including Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. The country's top rating was largely attributed to the availability of affordable recreational facilities, night life and the cultural compatibility that this country has to offer.

Filipino musicians are among the best in Asia. Metro Manila bustles with nightlife and is often heralded as Asia's entertainment capital. There is a wide variety of music to choose from: pop, rock, jazz or Broadway, as well as a wide range of bistros, watering holes, nightclubs, pubs, bars and cafes at which you can hear it. Traditional Filipino music and dance are offered at theaters or hotel restaurants where cultural dance troupes perform regularly. For the more culturally inspired, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is the country's answer to America's Broadway and features world renowned performers alongside the best that the Philippines has to offer.

The Philippines has numerous golf courses and sports clubs, which are at par with the best of those elsewhere in Asia. A number of golf courses offer public access and prices are generally quite reasonable. Outside of the metropolitan area, the courses at Puerto Azul (south) and at Clark (north) attract many day visitors. If you are a recent arrival, then your hotel will be able to arrange a game of golf for you. If you are a new resident then it will not take you long to find some fellow golfers who will introduce you to the clubs.

Many residences and condominiums offer swimming facilities and squash and tennis are readily available throughout the city. Many expatriates choose to join the Nomad Sports Club in Parañaque or any other of a number of sporting and country clubs that can be found.

For those living with easy rich of the Alabang Filinvest Center, the Palms Country Club which opened its doors in mid-2002 offers superb dining and recreational facilities.

Other favored sports are scuba diving, sailing and gliding and of course walking and trekking for the more adventurous.

The Philippine countryside attracts thousands of visitors, not only for its natural wonders but also for its festivities and exotic cultural shows. Among these is the Ati-Atihan festival in Aklan (February), the Flower Festival in Baguio City (February), the International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Pampanga (February) the Lenten rites all throughout the country (April), the May Flower Festival in Bulacan (May), the Lanzones Festival in Camuigin (October), and the Christmas Lantern Festival in Pampanga (December).

In the cities, a wide choice of food establishments awaits the visitors. With its extensive coastline, the Philippines boasts of seafood galore. In fact, most restaurants offer seafood cooked one way or another. The most popular form of cooking, though, is broiling. Filipino food is an intriguing blend of Malaysian, Chinese, Spanish and American cuisines.

For those who want to explore what the Filipino bar scene has to offer, you can start in Makati with some of the favored expatriate watering holes such as "Heckle & Jeckle," the "Danish Connection," or "The Prince." These are good places to start your networking. In the Ermita area the strip along Adriatico offers a wide choice of establishments for both drinking and dining.

Alternatively you may wish to check out our online virtual pub at http://www.virtual-asia.com/virtualpub and explore some of the recommendations made there.



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