Tour of Morong, Baras & Tanay in Rizal

I gave my mother a different tour experience last month, when she came for a 20-day vacation here. She doesn’t want long road trips, so I took her on a Morong-Baras-Tanay day tour of century-old churches and Daranak Falls.

St. Jerome Church of Morong

First built in 1586 with light materials, a fire destroyed it along with the town in 1612. Now this current church’s frontispiece and belfry were built by Bartolome Palatino of Paete, Laguna between 1850 and 1853. 

I have read on some internet sites that this church was unique in a sense that Chinese artisans helped in its construction. Whether its Mr. Palatino of Paete or Chinese artisans, I would say they did a superb job in creating those intricate carvings on the church’s facade.

Mt. Tagapo: From Santa Rosa to Talim Island

I have been wanting to climb Mt. Tagapo in Talim island, especially when I saw it from the summits of Tayak Hill, Mounts Kalisungan and Cristobal. Finally, that dream had materialized last 10 March 2013 with AKAC group and my boys.

Half of our group met at Central Mall in upper Binan, where we took our breakfast and bought sandwiches at a fastfood restaurant. We left the mall before 7:00 am on a jeepney to Sta. Rosa Plaza, with fare at Php 9/person. Near the Mercury drug store, we rode tricycles that traversed the baybay (lakeshore) road to brgy. Caingin's dulo (end) at Php 11/person.

Amazing Solo Hike to Mt. Balagbag in Rizal

Last Saturday when a coworker invited us to his advance birthday celebration in San Mateo, Rizal, I decided to climb Mt. Balagbag as well to maximize my trip from Laguna. My initial plan was to be at the jump off point in Sitio Karahume by 11:00 am, and do the 2-3 hours ascent via waterfalls trail. However, I need to attend on some family matters earlier that day, so I was only able to leave Binan by 11:30 am.

Arriving at Alphaland Mall in Magallanes by 12:10 pm, I took my lunch there and bought a sandwich for mountain snack. Afterwards, I boarded the MRT train, alighted in Santolan station, then rode a Fairview Tungko-bound bus by 1:10 pm. Bus fare to Tungko is Php 55/person.

Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan

What are petroglyphs? They are pictogram images or symbols created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. In other words, rock carvings. Petroglyphs are found world-wide, and are often associated with prehistoric people.

The word comes from the Greek words petro meaning "stone", and glyphein meaning "to carve". The oldest petroglyphs are found in Azerbaijan and Ukraine, carved between 10,000 to 12,000 years ago.

Not many Filipinos are aware that we also have post-Stone Age petroglyphs, situated in the boundary of Angono and Binangonan in Rizal province. Our national artist from Angono, Carlos "Botong" Francisco, had accidentally seen it on March 1965 while resting in a rock shelter in the company of boy scouts.

Above photo with turtle and lizard pictograms is a portion of the Angono petroglyphs. Below are other rock carvings believed to be depicting a healing ritual of the early people, where a human figure is surrounded by shamans and other people.