Popular Tourist Spots in the Philippines?

Chateau Du Mer-Our Retirement Home, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

During my Resident Speaker of the Month Spotlight Talk last October 14, I talked not only on Philippine-American history, but also Filipino food culture and traditions as well as a little bit on Philippines tourism.

The following is a list of places in the Philippines that is popular for tourists.

𝗖𝗲𝗯𝘂 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Oldest City in the Philippines

𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Largest City in the Philippines

𝗧𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗺 ↦ Music Capital of the South

𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹 ↦ Phil. Island Garden City

𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Banana Capital

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗶 ↦ Coconut City of the South

𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗼𝘀 ↦ Clay Capital of Mindanao

𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮 ↦ Banana Capital of Davao

𝗞𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻 ↦ City at the foot of Mt Apo

𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Durian Capital, Cacao Capital

𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗹 ↦ Ilonggo City of the South

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Tuna Capital

𝗕𝘂𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗼𝗻 ↦ Pineapple Capital

𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆 ↦ Summer Capital of the South

𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 ↦ Fruit Basket and King City of the South

𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗼 ↦ City of Golden Friendship

𝗜𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗻 ↦ Oil Palm Capital of the Philippines

𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻 ↦ Island Born of Fire

𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗶, 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶 ↦ Venice of the South

𝗖𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼 ↦ Land of Mightiest Mountain

𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿 ↦ Cradle of Muslim Art

𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼 ↦ Conference Capital of Mindanao

𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 ↦ Mystical Province of Love

𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Surfing Capital

𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Land of Beauty and Bounty

𝗢𝗿𝗼𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮 ↦ City of Good Life

𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Province of South's Twin City

𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 ↦ Seat of Muslim Mindanao

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝗰 ↦ Christmas Capital of Mindanao

𝗔𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Land of Antiquated Finds

𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 ↦ Timber City of the South

𝗚𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗴 ↦ City of Good Luck

𝗗𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻 ↦ Shrine and Historic City of the South

𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 ↦ Little Hong Kong of the South

𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Asias Latin City, Sardines Capital, City of Flowers

𝗦𝘂𝗹𝘂 ↦ Land of Exotic Fruits

𝗜𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 ↦ industrial City of the South

𝗗𝗶𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴 ↦ The Phil. Orchid City

𝗟𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻, 𝗕𝘂𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗼𝗻 ↦ Vegetable Basket of Mindanao

𝗔𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗻 ↦ Oldest province in the Philippines

Finally two places close to my heart:

1. Iloilo City-Queen City of the South-my birth place, Jaro, Iloilo City  

• Iloilo City was also referred as "La Muy Leal Y Noble Ciuded de Iloilo" in Spanish wich means "Most Loyal and Noble City".

• lloilo was once the Queen City of the South and is determined to regain its crown.

• Ilonggos are generally gentle. There is always a certain amount of meekness in the way we say things, and a smile usually accompanies it.

2. Marinduque-Heart of the Philippines, Geographical Center of the Philippines. Lenten Capital of the Philippines-my retirement /second home( Chateau Du Mer), Boac, Marinduque

Marinduque is mainly known because of its Moriones Festival, a week-long Lenten event. The term "Moriones" came from the word Morion which means masks. The main event of the festival is the re-enactment of the story of a Roman soldier named Longinus.

Chateau Du Mer Beach House

• The following were proposed as national symbols as per House Bill 3926 by Congressman Rene Relampagos in 2014. (The bill also includes the then eleven official symbols, which are not in the following list.)
• • Adobo as national food
  • Anahaw as national leaf
  • Bakya as national slippers
  • Bangus as national fish
  • Barong and Baro't saya as national costume
  • "Bayan Ko" as national song
  • Carabao as national animal
  • Cariñosa as national dance
  • Jeepney as national vehicle
  • Jose Rizal as national hero
  • Malacañang Palace as national seat of government
  • Mango as national fruit
  • Manila as national capital
  • Nipa hut (bahay kubo) as national house
  • Philippine peso as national currency

Here's some information on Imelda Marcos Shoes Collection:

Ferdinand Marcos eventually died in exile in September 1989. His son Bongbong Marcos was the only family member present at his deathbed. After Imelda left Malacañang Palace, press reports worldwide took note of her lavish wardrobe, said to include 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, 888 handbags, and 3,000 pairs of shoes.

https://footwearnews.com/fashion/celebrity-style/imelda-marcos-here-lies-love-broadway-shoe-collection-1203494565/

Here's a tourist guide to the Philippines:

https://guidetothephilippines.ph/articles/ultimate-guides/travel-guide-philippines?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=101423-PHTravelGuide&fbclid=IwAR12smMOSCLKaXFk1lgddqRpt2Cm2R3xChkDmXAhiHDcmqNXgMiQfOvUhT0

Personal Note: I came to the US as a Graduate Student at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1960.

In 1964 I obtained my Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the rest of my life is now history. I am indeed grateful and feel Blessed of my life here in the US, and now specifically here at The Heritage Downtown ( THD),Walnut Creek, since June 1 this year.

My family and I built a retirement beach house in Boac, Marinduque three years prior to my retirement from the FDA in 2002. Every year from 2002 to 2017, we spent 3-4 months in our beach house(Chateau Du Mer) in the Philippines. It had been almost 5 years since my last visit to the Philippines. Will I ever visit the Philippines again before I conked out from Planet Earth? That is a Question, I can not answer now. Macrine (RIP) my spouse for over 63 years joined her creator in August 10, 2020.