HALF DAY CARCAR ESCAPADE: Lechon Chicharon Foodtrip and Shoe Shopping

I just had a quick Cebu getaway last June with two of my college friends. We only booked for a 3-whole day vacation, two of which were spent in BANTAYAN ISLAND. The remaining one day was spent in CARCAR, to do a quick foodtrip and pasalubong and souvenir shopping.

We started our trip by taking a cab from our hotel in Parklane to Magellan's Cross (Php 110) . It was my third time going to this tourist spot but I was still amazed by the big Cross. We made a quick prayer for thanks giving and guidance and then headed to South Cebu bus terminal (Grab car: Php 70).

We took an aircon bus going South with a fare of Php 60. You can take any bus going South Cebu, just don't forget to tell the driver or the conductor that you are going to Carcar Market. Travel time is about 2 hours. 

It was already past lunchtime when we reached Carcar Market so we directed first to the Lechon area to have some legit Carcar Lechon for lunch.

 It was just a small area at the right side of the market,  composed of less than 10 Lechon stalls. We were quickly "attacked" by aggressive vendors offering their lechon products asking us to eat their free samples, I was already very hungry at that time and was quickly annoyed by them. We decided to buy on one of the stalls where in the tindera's are just quietly waiting for buyers to approach them. The retail price per kilo of Lenchon was Php 400/kilo. We bough a quarter for lunch. Just beside the lechonan area were rice (aka puso vendors). There were also snack vendors with tables and chairs where you can eat your lunch and will let you borrow some plates, just be considerate to buy some softdrink or coffee or egg or anything they are selling as a token of gratitude. 

After we had our lunch, we quickly went to the area where they were selling Carcar shoes. We told the tricycle driver to take us to Acacia Grill, which was a few kilometers away from Carcar Market.

Below are some samples of Carcar shoe products. Prices range from Php 150 to Php 500.

After buying a couple of pairs, we went back to Carcar market again to find wholesale Chicharon for pasalubong.

In Carcar, a quarter kilo bag of freshly packed chicharon costs Php 300.

We also bought chicharon in small packaging that cost about Php 500 per 25 pcs. This was about Php 20 per piece. Flavors came in regular and spicy.

After 3 hours of touring Carcar, we decided to head back to Cebu City. We did this by simply taking the bus passing in front of the market with "Cebu City" on its signboard. 

Bicol PNR Still in Operation - Naga - Legazpi

If riding the PNR train to Bicol is included in your bucket list, just like me, then you are in luck!

PNR has resumed its operation late last year (2015) but only from Sipocot to Naga to Legazpi.

After stopping its operation due to calamities in the Bicol Region, PNR now operates from Sipocot Camarines Sur up to Legazpi, Albay.

Currently, there is only one one-way trip per day. Train from Naga to Legazpi leaves at 5AM in the morning. In the afternoon, train goes back to Naga from Legazpi at 5:20PM.

Hope these pictures below I've taken during my PNR trip in Bicol Region will provide additional information on their operation.

PNR Legaspi Station

Naga to Legazpi Bicol PNR Fare Matrix

Naga to Legazpi PNR Trip Schedule

restored facilities dates back to Spanish era

PNR Legazpi Station

Just the ordinary train were used

PNR Daraga Station with the best view, the Mayon Volcano

written April of 2016

2013 Senatoriables Educational Background

If you are the kind of voter who considers educational background in choosing your senators, kindly read on for I have listed down the Educational Attainment of the 33 Senatorial Candidates running for the 2013 election.

1. Samson Alcantara                 Bachelor of Laws, Manuel L. Quezon University School of Law
2. Sonny Angara                        Master of Laws, Harvard Law School
3. Bam Aquino                           Executive Education Program on Public Policy and Leadership, Harvard University
4. Greco Belgica                        Post-graduate Studies in International Trade and Commerce, University of California Berkeley
5. Nancy Binay                           BS Tourism, UP Diliman
6. Teddy Casiño                         BA Sociology, UP Los Baños
7. Alan Peter Cayetano              BA Political Science, University of the Philippines; Doctorate in Law, Ateneo de Manila University
8. Tingting Cojuangco               Master in National Security Administration, National Defense College of the Philippines
9.  Lito David                             Bachelor of Arts Major in Sociology, University of the Philippines Los Baños
10. JC De Los Reyes                    Bachelor of Arts in Theology, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
11. JV Ejercito                             BA Major in Political Science, De La Salle University
12. Jack Enrile                            Masters in Business Administration, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California
13. Chiz Escudero                       Master in International and Comparative Law, Georgetown University
14. Baldomero Falcone              MA in Philosophy, University of San Carlos
15. Dick Gordon                          Bachelor of Laws, University of the Philippines
16. Edward Hagedorn                 Bachelor's Degree, University of the East
17. Gringo Honasan                    Master in Business Management, Asian Institute of Management
18. Risa Hontiveros                     BA Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University
19. Loren Legarda                      Masters in National Security Administration, National Defense College of the Philippines
20. Marwil Llasos                        Master of Laws, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
21. Ernesto Maceda                    Master of Laws, Harvard Law School, Cambridge Massachusetts
22. Jamby Madrigal                    Master’s Degree Sorbonne French Niveau Superieur
23. Mitos Magsaysay                   BS Business Administration, University of the Philippines Diliman
24. Jun Magsaysay                      Post-graduate studies in Business Administration, Harvard University
25. Ramon Montaño                    Bachelor of Science, Philippine Military Academy
26. Ricardo Penson                     Master's in Development Practice, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
27. Koko Pimentel                       Bachelor of Laws, University of the Philippines
28. Grace Poe-Llamanzares        Bachelor Arts in Political Science, Boston College
29. Christian Señeres                  Juris Doctor major in United States Constitutional Law, Northwestern School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
30. Antonio Trillanes IV              Master in Public Administration Major in Public Policy and Program Management, University of the Philippines
31. Eddie Villanueva                  Bachelor of Laws, University of the Philippines
32. Cynthia Villar                        Master’s Degree in Business Administration, New York University
33. Migz Zubiri                            Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management, University of the Philippines Open University

The Two New Most Highly In Demand Professions in the Philippines

Looks like Nursing is not the most in-demand job in the Philippines anymore. Two fields are now emerging as the most highly in-demand careers in the Philippines according to the NSCB or the National Statistical Coordination Board.

Accounting and Engineering are currently the two fields with high job opportunities for the past couple of months according to reports. NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon Albert told in the latest report called “Beyond the Numbers,” these two occupations have high job vacancies but are very hard to fill in.

The is because companies in need of Accountants and Engineers usually require applicants to pass one if not a series of exams first before considering the application. In other cases, applicants who have enough skills and experience expect high salary offer.

The top ten highly in demand Professions in the Philippines are the following:

1. Accountant, Auditor
2.  ECE (Electronics and Communications Engineer)
3.  System Designer and Analyst
4.   Electrical Engineer
5.   Mechanical Engineer
6.   Industrial Engineer
7.  MedTech (Medical Technologist)
8.  Pharmacist
9. Teacher for disabled or handicapped students
10.  Chemical Engineer

The country has produced an oversupply of Nurses or Nursing graduates for the past years and vast measures are being done to control this including closing down some schools and enforcing new programs.

Ilocos La Paz Sand Dunes

Check out this video I uploaded where you can see my mother rocking Ilocos La Paz Sand Dunes.

The place was okay, but really really hot. We planned to go there early in the morning, so the sun will not be that much in effect, but the place was still blazing hot even at nine o' clock in the morning!

My advice for you folks if you plan on going there, wear rubber shoes, or anything with think soles. The sand was so hot it almost burned my feet!

Holidays for 2012

The MALACAÑAN PALACE has declared the list of national holidays (regular holidays, special non-working holidays and special holidays(for all schools), for the year 2012.


 Here are the 2012 Philippine Holidays as declared under Presidential Proclamation 295:

               RA No. 9492 provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation;

Proclamations of the date declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha are still to be determined.

for the copy of the proclamation, click here