12
filipino globe
national
June 2008
Where in the clouds is Asin?
ANGBANSA
Aklan
Foreign tourists have been
advised to refrain from mingling
Accidental tourists
with minors as the local council
prepared to pass an ordinance
find a little spot
on child protection.
Supt Larry Decena, Aklan
of warmth in the
deputy police provincial
director, said he had talks
mountain air
with a representative from a
non-government organization
outside Baguio
regarding progress in the fight
against child prostitution.
“We are eager to implement
Gal Roma in Manila
a policy that will protect our
children from all forms of
The plan was to just get out of the
abuses. However, we could
house in Baguio City, find the nearest
not implement anything without
beach or pool, have some barbecue, legislation,” Decena said.
and relax. “We have also received
So the entire family went on a reports that some locals sell
trip one morning, passed by the
their children to foreigners
lush greeneries of the mountainous
for adoption. We also want to
summer capital and turned towards
discourage such practice.”
Naguilian Road. It has been a
As a tourism destination,
while since the family went on an
Boracay seen children exposed
adventure trip. And with no exact
to prostitution, trafficking and
destination in mind, the road ahead
illegal adoption.
invited us to explore the less familiar.
About two tunnels, several
waterfalls and 30 minutes into the
Palawan
journey, we stopped and discovered
Fire swept through a popular
Asin.
commercial building and
Located about 18 kilometres north the dried fish section of the
of Baguio, Asin is known for its hot old public market, causing
springs, hot sulphuric water with an undetermined amount of
temperatures reaching boiling point.
damage.
The hot springs paved the way for
Witnesses said the blaze
the opening of five resorts in the
started at 10.30pm at the Syoti
area, featuring thermal swimming
“If heaven could look like [A]sin, Department Store in Maresca
pools.
then yes, you could live here,” I said
building, built in the 1980s by a
But why is there a hot spring in the
grinning.
Chinese businessman.
area? I asked one staff and got this
Later in the evening, a group of
Maresca building is located
reply: “May dormant volcano kasi sa
high school students arrived for a
at Bonoan Road and Valencia
ilalim.”
fellowship/retreat.
I would find out from research days
One staff of the resort said the
after that the dormant volcano is Mt
area is also a popular destination
Cabuyao, which is near the highest
for conferences and seminars, and
peak in Tuba, Benguet about 7,000
the Koreans, whose population has
feet above sea level.
mushroomed in Baguio. The Koreans
We booked a room for an overnight
flock to Baguio (and major cities in
stay at the Riverside Waterpark
the Philippines) to learn English in
Resort, the first resort we saw along
universities.
the way. It has a large private pool
We swam some more at night. Street, a busy section of Puerto
and jacuzzis for guests and several
Fireflies came out from the forest to
Princesa.
public pools for tourists and guests watch over us but we did not care.
Fire Inspector Milo Morados
staying there during the day. We were one with nature and there
said the damage to property
Our room was overlooking the was no stopping us from enjoying
could not be determined. More
river to the left and the private pool
than eight hours after the fire
The resort (top) is tucked in the mountains amid lush greenery. The
Asin, even if it meant swimming the
to the right. It had three double beds,
struck, firemen were still battling
large private pool is heated and caters to visitors of all ages (above).
whole night long in the hot pool.
the blaze, which had spread to
a living room and dining area and Asin can be reached by private or
the old public market.
a bath. There was a provision for
Morados said the fire was
dining and cooking/grilling nearby.
About 18 km north
answer will come after he finishes 10
public transportation. The jeepneys
more laps.
going to the resort in Barangay
being fuelled by plastic and
We did not waste time hitting the
of Baguio, Asin
After a couple of hours frolicking
Nangalisan can be found near the
garments stored in the building.
thermal pools and because we were
in the hot pool, our bodies were
Baguio City Hall. Travel time is
the only guests that day, we had the
is known for its warm and our stomachs empty. We
between 30 and 45 minutes and fare
entire pool to ourselves. Surrounded
all attacked the cooking area to grill
is P20.
Iloilo
by lush greens and wild trees, the
hot springs, hot
some steak and salmon from the
Room charges for overnight
place looked every inch like a
A shipment of 120,000 bags of
rice from Vietnam has arrived
secluded paradise.
sulphuric water
lunchbox we prepared for our trip.
stay range from P1,000 to P6,000
At about three o’clock, the rain came
(depending on the number of people
in Iloilo.
My younger brother Gilbert, who
with temperatures
and the fog followed.
and room size).
National Food Authority
was swimming a lap in the big pool
The once-clear blue sky suddenly
Entrance for those not staying
provincial manager Hedy
suddenly stopped, thinking out loud reaching boiling
turned into a giant cotton ball, just
overnight is P100 per person. The
Jardeleza confirmed this as the
he blurted: “Is it sinful to be thinking
point
within our reach. Perhaps this was
resort allows food and drinks from
province also started receiving
I could live in [A]sin?” I told him the
the answer Gilbert was seeking.
outside. rice shipments from other
countries.
IBANGBALITA
The staple is intended for
Mindanao but the shipment
handled by by Iloilo port
NALASON SA TUBIG
inuming tubig ng mga biktima na sa tangkang pagpapakamatay, ang lalaking bumaril at nakapatay
because Mindanao ports
Apat-katao na ang naiulat na nasawi
pinaghihinalaan namang nakontamina nakapinsala pa ang biktima sa isang bus driver sa EDSA
cannot accommodate large
sa may 50 residenteng hinihinalang
o pinagbahayan ng bakterya sanhi ng nang mayupi ang tapalodo ng matapos itong magpadala ng
ships and are unable to handle
nalason ng kontaminadong tubig sa
pag-uulan doon. binagsakang pampasaherong “surrender feeler” sa pulisya.
big cargo volumes. Mindanao
isang barangay sa Asturias, Cebu.
jeep na minamaneho ni Manuel Ito ang sinabi ni QCPD director,
ports also have no warehouse
Patuloy pang inaalam ang
TUMALON SA FLYOVER Quitorinao, 56. Alas-8:30 ng gabi Sr Supt Magtanggol Gatdula
for the shipments. “NFA Iloilo
pagkakakilanlan sa nasawing biktima
Dahil sa matinding problema sa nang makita ng mga bystander na kinontak na sila ng suspek
has the capability because
na pawang residente ng barangay
buhay, isang lalaki ang dumayo ang biktima na naglalakad sa iba- na si McCarthy Alcantara at
we have the warehouse and
Tagamakan, sa bayan ng Asturias.
pa sa lungsod ng Pasay para baw ng flyover ng E.Rodriguez at nagpahayag ng pagsuko upang
we have an international port.
Nananatili namang nakaratay sa
lamang tangkaing kitilin ang EDSA, Malibay. Hindi nagtagal, panagutan ang pamamaril nito sa
The 120,000 bags are not for
ospital ang iba pang umano’y
sariling buhay nang tumalon ito bigla itong umakyat sa barandilya biktimang si Ramilo Vargas.
Western Visayas but I think for
dumanas ng matinding pagtatae o
mula sa flyover.Grabeng pinsala ng tulay at biglang tumalon. Sinabi ng suspek na matinding
Cagayan de Oro.”
loose bowel movement.
ang inabot ni Jaime Unay, 40, surot ng konsensya ang tumama
Jardeleza said they will soon
Ayon sa ulat, lumilitaw na sa
binata, ng Sto Tomas, Batangas. SUSPEK NAKONSYENSYA sa kanya matapos na maglabasan
start with the unloading of the
iisang balon lamang sa may gilid
Nakaratay ito ngayon sa San Susuko na anumang oras at araw ang mga balita sa radyo, TV at
shipment.
ng sapa ang pinagkukunan ng
Juan De Dios Hospital. Bukod sa Quezon City Police District pahayagan.
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