Tabaco City Hall

Tabaco City is a 4th class city in the province of Albay in the Philippines. It is one of the three component cities of the province. The mainland part of the city is bordered by the town of Malinao to the north, the towns of Polangui and Oas to the west, Ligao City to the southwest, Malilipot town to the southeast, and Lagonoy Gulf to the east. Beautifully symmetric Mayon Volcano, the most active volcano in the Philippines, lies south of the city. Tobaco is one of the eight towns and municipalities that share the volcano, dividing the peak like slices of pie.

The island of San Miguel, the westernmost of the four main islands in the Lagonoy Gulf, falls under the jurisdiction of Tabaco. Five of the barangays of Tabaco are located on the island and a total of 47 barangays composed the city.

Source: Wikipedia

Oas, Albay (July 15)

Oas Police Station and Municipal Hall

Oas is now reclassified as First Class municipal in the province of Albay, Philippines.



The town's economy is generally agricultural. Its major products include rice, root crops such as sweet potato and gabi (taro), coconuts, and other fruits and vegetables.

Fish and other shell foods are also harvested in its coastal areas but do not contribute much to the municipality's income. Underutilization of the town's marine products is due to limited access and transportation to its coastal areas. Farm-to-market roads are currently being constructed to alleviate this situation.

Oas Church




St. Michael Academy

The municipality was founded during the early Spanish Colonization of the Bicol Peninsula. In 1605, Father Baltazar de los Reyes converted 12 leading natives of the area to Christianity in one day, forming the foundation of the community now known as Oas.

There are three stories that tell the origin of the name of Oas:

1. The existence of numerous lagoons or pools of water abounding it prompted early colonizers to give it the name of "Oasis". The natives soon called the place by this name and later abbreviated it to "Oas".
2. There is a dam across the narrowest portion of a local river. This dam solely irrigates the vast fields of the place including those of the nearby town of Libon and results in a good harvest. People are wary of any cracks or leaks on the dam walls during months of heavy rains. A crier would shot "nawaswas" giving the call to the people for immediate action in groups. From then on, the natives coined this name to the place and later shortened it to present from in times of this kind emergency.
3. Early Spanish Colonizers reaching this particular section of the Bicol Peninsula asked the name of the place from the about 600 natives living there, "Como se llama este sitio?" with gesture of their hands. The natives mistakenly thought the question to be, "Onan kading lugar kadi, maiwas?" (What place is this, it's very big?) in their native dialect. In response, the natives answered, "Si, señores. Labi nikading iwas. Labi nikading iwas." (Yes, sirs, this is grand and spacious). From then on the early Spanish colonizers adopted in their official census the existence of "a rich fertile valley with verdant fields of grain" which is the little town of Oas in Bicol.

Source: Wikipedia

Villa Amada Hotel in Albay

VILLA AMADA HOTEL
Rizal St., Daraga, Albay
Tel: (52) 483-0498, 245-5121 Fax 824-0055

1st Colonial Grill Express in Daraga, Albay

1st Colonial Grill Express, a newly opened restaurant in Sagpon, Daraga, Albay.

It serves native dishes like Bicol Express, the Colonial Fried Chicken, Sinigang na Baboy, Five-Spice Grilled Chicken, Kalamaris, Bang-Col and Sisig which are amongst the favorites of their customers.

They also serves spicy ice cream, flavored with “siling labuyo” (chili) and also Bailey’s, Tinutong, Malunggay and Vanilla Ice Cream flavors.

That can only be found at 1st Colonial Grill, a homegrown restaurant that has built a name of its own.


Pansit Guisado with Siopao



Banana Split



1st Colonial Grill Express, where eating is more than just an experience.


Related Links

Albay Food Trip: First Colonial Grill

Waway's Restaurant

Gerry's Grill Embarcadero de Legazpi

Bigg's Diner Embarcadero de Legazpi

Tapa King Embarcadero de Legazpi

Mang Inasal Embarcadero de Legazpi

Palawan Food Trip: Ka Lui Restaurant

Racks Restaurant

Kenny Rogers Roasters

Tapa King Diner at Embarcadero de Legazpi

Tapa King started in June 1987 as a "hole in the wall" operations in the heart of Makati City's business district. Immediately Tapa King found its niche - the office workers who came for a quick and affordable meal yet delicious and extremely satisfying. Tapa King was likewise doing brisk business in delivering to buildings in Makati and nearby areas which later proved to be a major player in Tapa King's business.

Beefsteak Filipino

A decade after 1997, Tapa King's one-store "hole in the wall" operations grew to 14 company-owned stores and the year marked the start of Tapa King's franchising operations.

True to its commitment to quality - "Quality in our products, quality in our service and quality in our way", Tapa King continues to grow. As of August 2008, Tapa King has 35 stores.

 

Wanton Soup





Source: Tapa King

View from Daraga Municipal Hall

Daraga is a 1st class municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines and now serving as the gateway "doormat" of travelers coming from Visayas region going to Manila and vice versa.

Aliwan Festival: The Mother of All Fiestas

Aliwan Fiesta is an annual event that gathers different cultural festivals of the Philippines in Star City Complex in Pasay City wherein contingents compete in dance parade and float competitions, as well as in a beauty pageant. Organized by Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) together with Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the cities of Manila and Pasay, the event is dubbed as "The Mother of All Fiestas," with prizes totaling to P3 million (roughly US$70,000).

Aliwan Fiesta, which began in 2003, aims to showcase the richness of different Filipino cultures and heritage not only to the people in Metro Manila but also to the rest of the world. The contingents, meanwhile, aim to promote their respective regions both economically and tourism-wise. It was originally organized as a visual extravaganza for the Christmas season, but it has since been held during the summer months of either April or May. Aliwan is a Tagalog word for "entertainment" or "amusement."







For 2010, the colorful banner at the Roxas Blvd. entrance proclaimed the fiesta as THE PHILIPPINES GRANDEST FIESTA.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Ilocos Norte

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as Burgos Lighthouse, is a cultural heritage structure in Burgos established during the Spanish Colonial times.

Manila Cathedral

Discover the rich Historical Heritage of the Manila Cathedral

Manila Cathedral was first built in 1581 out of nipa and bamboo. But since it was vulnerable to typhoons and fires, it was later reconstructed into a stone building in 1592. However, two earthquakes struck Manila in the year 1600 destroying the structure, so the third structure was constructed in 1614 and expanded to have three naves and seven chapels.

However, earthquakes still repeatedly hit the cathedral in 1621, 1645, 1852, 1863, and 1880. The cathedral was reduced to rubble when the Japanese bombarded Manila in 1945. During the tenure of Manila Archbishop Rufino Jiao Cardinal Santos in 1958, the cathedral was reconstructed and Pope John Paul II elevated it to the rank of minor Basilica in 1981.