Ang Bayan Ninyo: 2013

Pampanga Churches 1

It has been long thought of mine to have a compilation of the churches in my home province Pampanga.
I want to showcase the churches of Pampanga the way you can journey them.

Mabalacat City: Our Lady of Grace Parish Church.

From Dau to the church fare is just 10 peso. Just ride whichever one of these jeepney
1. Angeles-Mabalacat
2. Capas-Angeles
3. Bamban Angeles

Our Lady of Grace Parish

Magalang : San Bartholomew Parish Church

Since you are already in Mabalacat, after visiting the Our Lady of Grace Church, just walk southward going to the Public Market. You will be able to see the jeepney terminal going to Magalang. It is on the left side (east side) if you go southward. there is a Gasoline Station near the Mabalacat-Magalang Terminal. Mabalacat to Magalang is 24 peso. The Parish of San Bartolome is located at E. Baluyut street.

The Gasoline Station

The Mabalacat-Magalang Terminal

The Fare Chart

Parish of San Bartolome

Arayat : Santa Catalina Parish

From Magalang going to Arayat wait for Magalang-Arayat jeepney at Pablo Luciano Street, it takes long sometimes to it is better to ride first going to Buensuceso, Arayat this too is a Magalang-Arayat jeepney, fare cost is 8 peso. At Buensuceso, wait for another Magalang-Arayat jeeney this time bound to Santa Catalina Parish. The church was renovated concrete was applied at the facade of the church.

Santa Catalina Parish

Santa Ana : Santa Ana Parish Church

From Arayat you can reach Santa Ana by riding a Arayat-Hi way- San Fernando jeepney the fare is 10 peso.

Santa Ana Parish Church

VOA : Volunteer of ACCESS

A. ACCESS area based program

1. Smokey Mountain 2 ( Tondo, Metro Manila)

Health Training

Youth

Women

Livelihood (Rosary making)

Meet Up at Betty Go LRT Station

Riding a Jeepney

Touring SM2

Woods for Charcoal Making

Children in the Charcoal Area

Swimming at the Pasig River

2. Perez (Alabat island, Quezon province)

Scholarship program - Feeding program

Kamalayan (youth organization)

Mapayapa (Livelihood program, Coonut product making)

Kagayaka ( Experimental farm project and organic feed hog raising project)

3. Pinatubo (Porac, Pampanga province)

Education program.

Daycare Center

Support elementary school

Tutorial Class for out of school children

Feeding Program

Farming program.

Organizing obrero (Farmers using carabao)

Mango growing

Carabao dispersal project

Planting crops on lahar soil

B. ACCESS major activities

1. Implementation of program in each area

2. Study tour (Long, short, one-day)

3. Staff development (study, training)

4. Fair Trade

5. Communication with ACCE Japan (Supporters in Japan)

6. Microfinance program (Start from Perez)

7. Advocacy

C. Expected participation of volunteer.

1. Communication for Japanese supporters (translation, interpretation, making report, photo recording, video recording)

2. Visitation of program sites.

3. Research, recording, data analysis in coordination with ACCESS

4. Expansion of advocacy members. CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). Fund raising.

D. Classification of volunteer.

1. Intern - With contract. More than 6 months. 40 hrs per week.

2. Volunteer Staff - Basically participates with voluntary will but has certain task in activity.

3. Volunteer - No binding. Participate with voluntary will. No regular task.

4. Retainer - Contribute his/her professional capability with minimum compensation.

The VOA falls in the category of volunteer staff.

We conduct study tour for the project sites, tapping the network we are involved with Students, Offices and Friends.

We help in in selling the fair trade goods in bazaar.

We record the events by taking pictures.

Caving Wawa Rodriguez, Rizal

This year aside from looking at the water reservoir, I tried spelunking two times. I have been to some caves before Like the Caves of Sagada and the Puerto Princesa Underground River (will it count?), But one of the caves of Wawa challenged my stamina. Twice I entered the the Pamitinan caves. This cave harbor lots of history from the Spanish era till WW2. The Pamitinan caves has a length of 1110 m, so this is 1.11 Km one way, returning back you need to trek again 1.11Km. We were guided by kuya Joni Delos Santos his contact number is 09295497211. Wawa is accessible from Cubao. Just ride the white FX under the Cubao MRT station, on the side of Farmers Market. Ask the driver to drop you at around Eastwood ( Not Eastwood Libis mind you) from there you ride a jeepney.

Here's the itinerary I made on my last visit :P

Let us Meet at Cubao MRT station (near farmer's plaza) not LRT station. around 730 am,

How to go, to do, how much?

1. Meet Up at Coffee Bean Gateway.
2. Ride FX from cubao MRT to Montalban Rizal 50 pesos
3. Ride Jeepeney going to Wawa 9 pesos
4. Register at tourism office 5 pesos.
5. If you go caving we rent helmet 50 pesos, rent light 50 pesos
6. pay tour guide, last time i went there we were two each of us paid 100 peso each.
7. going back maybe rent tricycle 50 peso one tricycle.
8. If not ride a tricycle ride a jeepney cost 9 pesos
7. bring water, and snacks and extra clothes, we will surely get wet and dirty.

we will not push through if the weather is bad :(
added info, the avillon zoo is located in Montalban
entrace fee is 300 peso.

It just rained a few days before I went to Wawa, the hut that are found at the base of the dam were swept away by the current. The water was not so clear,,, It was colored mud. This was erosion from the mountains. Sad to say although it is forested many people are still just living for today not minding about tomorrow. Many people still make charcoal for livelihood. Charcoal is made from wood, so were would you think they get their raw materials? Wawa river is connected to the Marikina river the Marikina river is connected to the Pasig river. The Pasig River is connected to the Manila bay. Marikina River branch out at Floodway in Pasig, then these branching out goes to the biggest lake in the Philippines which is the Laguna Bay. So what do you expect if the source is muddy,, all the river connected to it will be muddy also :(

Wawa River

Water Rushing Down

Wawa Dam

Bathing under the Falls

Caving :P here I come...

Gears for Rent

From the Tourism Office you need to cross the river to go the the Pamitinan cave. It is located halfway the mountain. In front of the cave is a memorial,,, praying for the souls of WW2.