El Salvador

EL SALVADOR

El Salvador is a city in the province of Misamis Oriental on the Mindanao island, southern part of the Philippines. According to the 2010 Philippine census, it has a population of 44,848 people.[3] The city serves as a pilgrimage site for the Divine Mercy devotees, that is why it is also called "The City of Mercy" or "City of The Saviour".

The Divine Mercy Statue is located at the top of the Divine Mercy Hills in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental (-+ 15 minutes drive from CDO) Words is not enough to describe, what you see and how you feel, as you see the beauty of the surrounding area leading to the Divine Mercy Shrine. On either side of the pathway, the gardens has beautiful red, yellow, green and white flowers, all arranged in a lovely pattern. There is also healing waters from the water spring near the pathway on the right hand side. I used my time to pray and appreciate all the blessings that God gives. It is peaceful there. We attended mass afterwards, what stood out to me was the thorned roof of the church, the interior and exterior was designed so well. I went with my wife and in laws. They also supply you with a cloth to cover youself, my wife took one, as there is a dress code. There is gift shops and you can also get yourself something refreshing to drink. It's a must visit when you are in town.

A 5 minutes drive from the main highway of El Salvador city proper. A parking lot for private cars and stairs for people wants to walk going up to the shrine. The garden is well maintained and the view from the top is very relaxing. A catholic mass and religious routine of praying into the top of the shrine where the sacred religious relic is place happened daily. 

Be aware of wearing short shorts but there are robes available for every visitors. 

Heres the catch. 5 minutes drive from the shrine is where the dairy processing facility is located. They sale different milk bar flavors, choco milk is the most popular and other milk products. Twice I have been there now and the views are breath taking. When it comes to the facilities it does lack a little but, like no resturant, there are shops down bellow. It depends on what you are looking for.... Its a religious spot so you dont want it too commercialized. It is disappointing the hike to the heart isnt available at all times, or atleast available on demand.

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Maria Cristina Falls

MARIA CRISTINA FALLS

Maria Cristina Falls is a waterfall in Mindanao island and a landmark of Iligan City, also known as the City of Majestic Waterfalls because of its majestic waterfalls. It is located 8.5 kilometers away southwest of the city proper. Well-known for its natural beauty and grandeur, the 320-feet high waterfalls is also the primary source of power for the city's industries and the whole Mindanao region. NPC has established its Maria Christina Power Plant at outer foot of the falls.

Also known as the “twin falls” because of a large rock at its brink that seems to split the falls into two, Maria Cristina Falls is truly a marvel of nature. Its water comes from Agus River, the only outlet of an ancient lake (the Great Lake Lanao). The waterfall continues down through the Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant operated by the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR). This power plant was commissioned on May 31, 1953 and has provided power to Mindanao to this day.

What’s so amazing about the falls is that its water power is able to provide electricity to a major part of Iligan City, a city known for its large industries and manufacturing plants, as well as many parts of Mindanao!

The NPC Nature Park in Iligan City was created to allow people to marvel at the beauty and power of the Maria Cristina Falls. Certainly a must-visit to tourists visiting Iligan City, the nature park features a view deck that directly looks out to the falls. The view deck is not very close to the falls but it is the closest point you’ll ever be able to reach. Raging waters prevent treks close to the actual falls. Still, you can easily admire the beauty of the falls even at a distance.

Once at the area, you will be greeted with a ‘welcome’ banner at the entrance of the NPC Nature’s Park. It is customary to register at the gate, fill-up some forms and leave an ID. In exchange, you shall be given an ID Pass, which you are required to wear while in the vicinity.

Indeed, Maria Cristina Falls, Iligan is the highlight of many surprises when visiting the city. This is more than a park; it is nature at its best!

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Sunken Cemetery

SUNKEN CEMETERY

Located in Bonbon, Catarman a huge cross marker has been installed by the Provincial government to mark the community cemetery that sunk during the 1871 volcanic holocaust. Years ago, gravestones were visible during low tide. Today, it is an interesting diving site.

From a distance, one can see how lonely and solemn the place is. Entombed below the Cross are the lives lost to the history the people had been through, and place in itself already gave birth to the residents’ culture, history and tourism.

Today, all that remains of old Catarman are the ruins of an ancient Spanish San Roque church, a convent and a bell tower. 

Remnants of the structures and gravestones of the cemetery were still seen during low tide until 1948 when Mount Vulcan erupted for the fourth time, which buried the area deeper by 20 feet. In 1982, a large cross was built on the solidified lava to mark this old gravesite.

It's a cross, but believe me the main attraction for me was our guide. :)

There was a cemetery underneath and it sank because of an earthquake brought about by the explosion of Mt. Hibok-Hibok. It would have been better if we were able to go scuba diving to appreciate the sunken cemetery better. 

The new cross was just built for attraction/marker purposes (I believe it was built late 1990s). It is a great opportunity for picture-taking. Especially with the great expertise of our boatman/camera man/creative director. He knows a lot of photo tricks and great expressions that will surely put a smile on your face. 

We came around noon. They say it would have been better to come around sunset for a more magnificent picture. Anyways, it was nice.

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White Water Rafting

WHITE WATER RAFTING

It is the gateway of the northern Mindanao. This Philippine city resembled something close to a picturesque, rural town just a few years back. In recent days though, Cagayan de Oro – or CDO, as most of the other Pinoys are wont to call it – has experienced a rather startling makeover, pushing the bar between a rural-urban hybrids, where downtown certainly looks the part while the suburbs are the most secluded gated subdivisions one could ever try trekking to.

KAGAY is Cagayan de Oro’s premiere whitewater rafting outfitter. They use State Of The Art Rafts (SOTAR) and equipment and offer rafting trips ranging from the beginner’s course – which covers class 1-2 rapids – to advance courses, which cover the more difficult class 3-4 rapids. And these trips are offered throughout the year. 

It’s guaranteed to be safe, no matter what the time of year: with our experienced and able river guides that had been trained both by the prestigious International Rafting Federation (IRF) in rafting techniques and safety, and by the Philippine National Red Cross in first-aid and CPR, rest assured that your experience will be so safe and enjoyable that you’ll want to keep on coming back for more!

Whitewater rafting has never been this good.  With KAGAY, you will always have the best whitewater rafting experiences this side of the globe. So make your reservations now!

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Mt. Kitanglad

MT. KITANGLAD

The name “kitanglad” is a combination of Visayan words “kita” (to see) and “tanglad” (lemon grass), taken from a legend, which says that lemon grass was the only thing visible on top of the mountain as a great flood once submerged Bukidnon.

MKRNP was declared a protected area through Republic Act 8978, known as the Mt. Kitanglad Range Protected Area Act of 2000. It is also acknowledged not only as one of the country’s Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) but also an Important Bird Area (IBA) as it is a known nesting place of the majestic and threatened Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi). 

The MKRNP has about a dozen peaks, with the main ones being Mt. Imbayao, Mt. Kaatoan, Mt. Nangkabulos, Mt. Dulang-Dulang and Mt. Kitanglad. Five of its highest peaks (Mts. Kitanglad, Lumuluyaw, Maagnaw, Tuminungan, and Dulang-Dulang) have an average elevation of 2,718.2 meters. 

The park also serves as a natural habitat for several endemic mammals such as the endangered golden crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) and Mindanao moon rat (Podogymnura truei); the vulnerable Philippine brown deer (Cervus mariannus), Philippine tailless roundleaf bat (Coelops hirsutus), Philippine flying lemur (Cynocephalus volans), Philippine pygmy fruit bat (Haplonycteris fischeri), Phil. warty pig (Sus philippinensis) and Mindanao tree shrew (Urogale everetti); and the conservation-dependent Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta).

Aside from the Philippine Eagle, other endemic birds that find shelter in the MKRNP are the threatened Blue-capped kingfisher (Actenoides hombroni), Mindanao bleeding heart pigeon (Gallicolumba criniger), and Red-eared parrot finch (Erythrura coloria). Others are the Philippine hanging parakeet (Loriculus philippinensis); Philippine pygmy woodpecker (Dendrocops maculates); Grey-hooded sunbird (Aethopygia primigenius); mountain shrike (Lanius validostris). 

The range straddles parts of Malaybalay City and the municipalities of Baungon, Talakag, Lantapan, Impasugong, Sumilao, Libona, and Manolo Fortich. It is the ancestral domain of the Talaandig, Higaonon and Bukidnon ethnolinguistic groups. It also provides irrigation, power generation and domestic water for Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, as well as a catchment area for Cagayan, Tagoloan and Pulangui.

Tourism sites within the MKRNP include the Cinchona Forest Reserve, which allows the observation of the Philippine Eagle; the Lalawan, Lungobon and Lusok Falls; and Mt. Kitanglad itself, the country’s fourth highest peak that is also an inactive volcano which accounts for several hot springs in the area.

Human activities such as high value crop plantations; kaingin (slash-and-burn farming); small-scale logging; establishment of buildings and roads for telecommunications; gathering of non-timber forest products; tourism; hunting; fishing; and grazing threaten the conservation of MKRNP.

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