Destination: Bacolor, Pampanga
Date: October 10, 2009
Album: http://sharpangel.multiply.com/photos/album/121/Bacolor_roadtrip_October_10_2009
Info: All photos taken with PSP camera. Low res. More photos in photo album.

616* peso roadtrip! A must try for budget travellers and Santino fans!

Inclusions:

- Land transport from QC to Bacolor – 271
- T-shirt souvenir – 150
- 2 Rice + Razon’s Sisig meal (Good for 3 persons. FYI!) – 136.76 (110 + Rice + with 12% tax)
- Razon’s Guagua Halo2x – THE BEST. Simple Leche flan, macapuno and saba. – 58.24 (52 + 12% tax)

“May Bukas Pa” is a popular TV show in the Philippines. Most of the scenes in May Bukas Pa are taped in the 4th class municipality of Bacolor, Pampanga. This includes its municipal hall, bank, public market and its church (San Guillermo Parish Church) which creates the fictional town of “Bagong Pag-asa.”

Objectives:
See bro – Yey
See Santino – Fail!
See the lahar submerged San Guillermo Parish Church
Look for new Superman figure – Fail!
Try the Razon Guagua halo2x – Yey!
Fun – Yeah!

Home to Trinoma Bus Terminal Quezon City to SM City San Fernando
20 Php – FX
99 Php – Bus

I took an FX from the village gates to TriNoma mall. Some provincial buses going North such as Victory Liner, Bataan transit, NNLB, ES and others pass through the Trinoma terminal.

To get to Bacolor using public transportation, you need to take a bus that passes through SM San Fernando. Such buses would be Bataan Transit and Genesis Lines. Ticket will cost 99 pesos and 52 minutes travel time.

SM San Fernando is located in San Fernando Pampanga and it’s a common drop point for most travelers and locals. The mall is very long in terms of area, reminds of SM mall of Asia only thinner! :)

Across it is another big mall, Robinson’s “mills”. I’m still not sure why they call it such.

When I arrived in SM San Fernando, it was almost opening of a SALE day in SM Pampanga. There were a lot of people waiting to get the first touch of the goods on sale.

Asked around how I can get to Bacolor. The guards and dispatchers were kind enough to give correct directions on getting there efficiently.

Be at this spot near gate 2 so you can hitch a jeep to Bacolor. Look for GUAGUA/BETIS signs.

SM San Fernando to Bagong Pagasa Bacolor
14 Php – Jeep

To get to Bagong Pagasa, Bacolor take the SM City-Guagua-Betis Jeepney in SM gate 1 terminal or try to hitch a ride from random jeepney with ‘GUAGUA/BETIS’ in front of SM gate2. Jeepney fee is 14 pesos and travel time is 15 minutes.

You will enjoy viewing the ‘talahib’ grass sprouts on the way to Bacolor.

Let the driver know you want to get to San Guillermo Parish or “Simbahan ni Santino”. It’s very popular with the drivers.

Drop of in front of New Bacolor Market and Barangay Restaurant. If you see a water tower, a market and a monument that’s the place.

I suggest a walk to the church. You will have more time to enjoy the sites on the way. You can see the ‘pagasa rock’, a house almost fully submerged in lahar, an old spanish house, hospital construction and the mayors house in the series ‘May bukas Pa’





Mayor’s house
Mayor Enrique is another popular character in the series “May bukas pa”. His house is very cool.

San Guillermo Parish Church
Walk
150 Php – Souvenir

San Guillermo Parish is one of the main places of the series ‘May bukas pa’.

After a walk I finally got to my destination. See the old picture of the church. The current entrance is actually the window before Pinatubo erupted on 1991. The building is covered with lahar and almost half is still used as church. This is one of the most visited sites in Pampanga.

Old (1980s)

Current (2009)

There is an ongoing wedding ceremony when I got there. Coolness!

San Guillermo Museum
Walk

I got to touch BRO in the museum! Yehey!

At the side of the church you will be presented with restored figures and photos of the Pinatubo calamity.


Exploring the museum is a bit creepy at first but I got the hang of it after a while. It’s like you’re in a hobbit museum. You can touch the ceiling and the entrance is only half the size of normal people. :)

This got my attention Chris :)

Souvenir shop, Santino playground, the fountain
Walk

I got to meet and talk with the souvenir vendor Miss Celia and Miss Queenie.

They gave me spoilers for the series – Father Jose will loose the right of priesthood and will stay in a hut at the back of the Church. They said you must not miss this.

Father Jose’s crib
Walk

It’s really good to ‘loiter’ in this house.

It’s surrounded by talahib sprouts and you can hear the wind as it breezes through it. It’s very quiet and you can only here numerous birds chirping their sounds.

I was so relaxed and didn’t notice the time. If I remember correctly I was there for more than an hour! What can I say hmmm… it’s a place of meditation!

Bagong Pagasa to Guagua Highway
12 Php

I wanted to try Guagua Halo2x so badly. Took a jeep from Bacolor highway to Razon’s Guagua. Food expense below:

- 2 rice + Razon’s Sisig meal – 136.76 (110 + Rice + with 12% tax)
- Razon’s Guagua Halo2x – THE BEST. Simple Leche flan, macapuno and saba. – 58.24 (52 + 12% tax)

For 110 Php, the sizzling serve is big. It’s good for 3 persons. I was not impressed with the sizzling ‘Sisig’ taste. Perhaps I was expecting too much from the regular Razon encounters in McKinley hill.

For 52 pesos, the Guagua halo2x is a must try! Now I know why.

When I first look at it I was wondering why it was so plain. Only 4 colors: Yellow-orange (Leche flan), White (ice), white (macapuno), dark yellow (Saba banana)! I tried the Leche flan first and it was very creamy. It was okay. I mixed the whole package and all the ingredients taste combined into one amazing taste – Guagua halo2x THE BEST I tasted so far!

Don’t judge a halo2x, it’s not a book! :)

I was so full and relaxed in the restaurant for a while as I read the local paper and found out more about Razon’s Guagua.

Guagua highway to Robinsons and SM City San Fernando
7 Php

I took a jeep to Robinson and SM from the highway. We almost had an accident due to this stupid CIVIC.

Anyway, I did the usual things when I visit malls:

1. Look for GF, play GF – Fail!
2. Initial D – Yey!
3. Look for a Superman figure – Fail! (A freaking hour and a half and all I found is a second hand Superman kryptonite affected figure. NO Box NO Buy!)
4. Shop – Yey! :)
5. Pod trip, smile at strangers at pa cute! Haha

I think I covered the whole ground of Robinson and SM Pampanga in this excursion because of my search for a decent Superman figure. Super tired after.

SM Pampanga to Trinoma to House
99 – bus
20 – FX

I was so exhausted by the Robinson and SM raid that I slept in the bus trip. The next thing I know, the conductor was telling me that I was in Trinoma already.

There are plenty of FX trips to the village. Took one and got home safely.

Till next time.

Personal Notes:

One night this week I arrived home and saw Lola Marina watching “May bukas pa”. Not really a fan of the series but I find Santino very innocent and the location very interesting.

Keen: La, alam mo san yan?
Lola: Pampanga ata, may lahar e
Keen: Gusto ko puntahan yan!
Lola: Sige, pakita mo sakin pictures.

And so I did.

It’s been 3 weeks since my last road trip. 2 trips were postponed due to typhoon Ondoy and “Pepeng”. Previous weekends were spent in restoration efforts and it has been very memorable for me. I met new people; get to know more about friends and officemates.   First impressions were corrected and I became more honest with what I want to do.

I wanted to do a trip that would remind me of the natural forces that is truly dominant amongst us. The Pinatubo eruption is a direct example of previous natural incidents that affected Filipinos. Many have lost their lives and it’s one of the worst natural disasters in the world.

Also wanted to go out for a while and do something different. The challenge is to get to the place by just asking how to get there.

The Bacolor roadtrip was perfect! I dedicate this trip to Lola and my fellow volunteers.

Special thanks:

Bro – for the blessings. :)

Loren – for letting me know about Trinoma Bus terminal and provided me with overview. Go ateneo! :)

Maam Celia and Queenie – for the warm ‘Kapampangan’ hospitality…

Locals, drivers, dispatchers and mall guards – for the directions!

Razon – for making the Guagua Halo2x! :)