MIMBALUT FALLS

Second on my list... Actually Mimbalut is an accessible waterfalls you can visit 250 meters away from the national highway, single motorcycle or habal-habal for hire are available in the area . You don't have to pay more physical effort to see this beautiful cascading waters. It is now developed as a resort, upon entrance you just have to pay an affordable amount good enough for an experience you can acquire.

Developer have already put some cottages and concreted the area to make it a pool. No hassle if you look for a food and drinks, they have short orders to serve. You can also bring foods of your own, if you bring your family for excursion. 

Mimbalut is one of the numerous waterfalls you can find in Iligan, others have required more challenges  and extra effort for it's hard to reach in a remote areas and some are located in the middle of forested mountains of Iligan. This is an evident why this City has been called a City of Majestic waterfalls.

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MARIA CRISTINA FALLS

The last waterfalls I have visited for that day. A gigantic beauty, that's how I described this Majestic waterfalls. Visitors are highly prohibited near the falls as I planned also to ask for permission to take photos near the falls but the authorities didn't allowed me, as they explained that some how when the dam releases, water gets bigger in volume and deeper. The area is now under development, a plan to put more tourist attractions in the area. Both ecological diversity and development have already on its plan on how to make it a protected.

HYDROELECTRIC PLANT

Powered and flows by Agus river and potentially can produce 200 megawatts of electric, supplied by 130 cubic meter per second of water. This is the main source of the City's electrification and other neighboring provinces. 

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TINAGO WATERFALLS

It was my second time to visit Cagayan De Oro when I decided to take tour in Iligan City. The plan has been made with the help of social media and friends who have been in this place before. When I was in college Iligan City has been one of the favorite destination most of my friends and other travel enthusiasts, for its renowned number of waterfalls in the area. One of those is the most well known Maria Cristina Falls for its gigantic beauty, not only that but a source of electrification majority in Mindanao. That's why Iligan acclaimed its name as a City of Majestic Waterfalls, most of its location are easy to access.

An early rise from bed is one of the most difficult time of my life, but the eagerness made always boost my adrenalin to have another travel and adventure. Very tiring travel from CDO to Iligan City, early morning I have to transact Habal-habal a single motorcycle ride to take me to the South bus terminal, sounds adventure for the start of the day when I ride for this kind of transportation (truth is you can actually save time and money for habal-habal) that if you are tough enough and risk taker without worries. An other option is you can actually find taxis in the City, but I prefer to save money. An expected one and a half hour travel time made me bored when it was became more than two hours drive due to redevelopment of national highway. Bus has to stop to let the other vehicles to pass one by one in a one way a located road while the highway was on its progress of rectification. Upon approaching the City I have met this generous woman working in a Non-government unit civic group, who helped me to made my Itinerary be possible in just one day. She introduced me to her cousin who are a Habal-habal driver and took me to the places of waterfalls.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tinago waterfalls were always a part of Iligan City and this is what most of us known. The fact is majority and the big portion of this waterfalls is a part located among the province of Lanao Del Norte. Why? Tinago waterfalls is located along the boundary of Iligan City and the Province of Lanao Del Norte. The big cascading waterfalls is a big portion of its province. It was under one of Lanao Del Norte's Municipality before the Iligan City has separated from its province.

MAJESTIC WATERFALLS

Majestic as it is! Yes it is... Did you know that why it has been to be called as TINAGO? well, there was a legend and Etymology stories from a local residents. Legend has it that there once lived an influential and powerful Sultan Agok and his wife. They were appointed by their people as their king and queen. But they became too proud of themselves and became selfish rulers of their kingdom. When the sultan's wife was pregnant, an enchantress, disguised as a beggar, begged for their help but instead they exiled and rejected her. Because of this, the enchantress cursed the couple that the child will become ugly but they did not take it seriously and permanently banished the enchantress.

The child did become ugly. The couple was sad and disappointed, expecting the baby to be as lovely as her mother. They hid the child in a cave to avoid embarrassment and named the baby Tin-ag, which means "hidden face". They visited and took care of the baby in the cave.

When the child grew up, she came out of the cave and became amazed at what she saw. The enchantress, who cursed her parents, saw her and made an offer to transform her into something of great beauty and splendor. She accepted the offer and became the Tinago Falls. Wikipedia

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Given its name as a City of Waterfalls, Gingoog is a truly blessed. I traveled from CDO to Gingoog as early as i can, going to this place is not that easy. My 2 hours expected drive became 4 hours travel due to the highway is under rehabilitation. I tried my best to find the easiest waterfalls, I found only three, a small compared to Tiklas, don't know if they are already among the list of their waterfalls. Some waterfalls needs time and very difficult to access, some are in the middle of the forest.

MIMBUNGA WATERFALLS

After my visit from Tiklas, the driver accompanied me to this small waterfalls he named it after the name of their Barangay, this is about 20 kilometers away from Tiklas and 25 kilometers from the City proper. I have to compress my time its already dawn, I waste no time for this, set my tripod and had a shot.

TINABALAN WATERFALLS

Lot of waterfalls to explore here but requires your time, hope to have another opportunity to come back and arrange more travel for another great adventure. Also to know better every corner of the Philippines. Here is one of the most accessible waterfalls of Gingoog that proudly offered Tiklas

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GINGOOG CITY

Gingoog City is located in the province of Misamis Oriental, Nort-western coast of Mindanao, Philippines. Approximately 122 kilometers from Cagayan De Oro City and 74 kilometers from Butuan City. The City was founded by Spanish missionaries in 1750, the oldest City in Misamis Oriental Province. Gingoog originally came from the word "Hingoog" means good luck in Manobo a native tribe who originally settled in the area.

The City is now called as CITY OF WATERFALLS for the series of waterfalls that have been discovered within the area, but most of it can be found in the heart of forested and remote areas which requires more time to explore and reach.

ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES

• Tricycle of Gingoog City

THINGS TO KNOW

Expect light to medium traffic on the highway due to the road is now under rehabilitation, you might spend 4 hours travel from CDO to Gingoog, which is usually just 2 hours in ordinary time.

• Language
• English
• Can able to understand and speak since most of schools and local offices use it as medium language.
• Tagalog
• Will do
• Visayan
• Most of the locals speaks Cebuano
• Greet everyone as
• "Maayong Buntag" - Good Morning
• "Maayong Udto" - Good Noon
• "Maayong Hapon" - Good Afternoon
• "Maayong Gabi-i" - Good Evening
• "Bay" or "Bai" - Calls for a friend
• "Tag-pila" - How much
• Manobo
• Transportation
• Sea
• I am not updated yet for the sea transpo, the last time I've checked was Negros Navigation has a route going there
• Air
• Gingoog City has no airport, you can access it by plane through CDO and Butuan with a daily flight.
• Cebu Pacific, Airphil, Zest Air and Philippine Airlines
• Land-Tricycle
• P8.00 in short distances 
• P10.00 in Habal-habal depends on the places to go
• Land-Bus
• P200.00 Cdo to Gingoog Vice Versa
• P120.00 Butuan to Gingoog Vice Versa
• Land-Van
• P250.00 Cdo to Gingoog Vice Versa (Approximately)
• P150.00 Butuan to Gingoog Vice Versa
• Foods
• There are plenty of restauratnt you can find it here, even Jollibee and local fastfoods.
• Where to stay
• Century Pension House
• National Highway
• +(63)(08)886-11480, +(63) (08)842-7843
• Little Mansion Lodge
• Lugod St.
• +(63)(0)88427409
• Budget for "Habal-habal"
• P150.00 from City proper to Tiklas Vice Versa
• Driver will have to wait, transactions must have done first for both parties.
• Financial Establishments
• All Banks serve already to this city, ATM as well
• Remitance centers can be found in the City proper

"TIP"

• For a local tour guide please approach the City Tourism office I have been coordinated with their officer before I went here but unfortunately no response to my texts, in fairness i don't know if the two numbers are still in use but still I made my trip push through.  
• "Habal-Habal" hire for transpo at the same time as tour guide look for ANJHON NAPONIE the driver 09483255912 locals here are very accommodating don't know if does to the others but better for the recommended one.

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THINGS TO KNOW

Follow Here for the other details of Gingoog City

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TIKLAS

The land of Gingoog City is truly blessed with lot of waterfalls and earned its named also a City of waterfalls like Iligan. Tiklas in Brgy. Lawit is situated at almost 10 kilometers from the City proper, very accessible but public transportation going there are not easy to find, you can reach the area by private vehicle and public transportation or by "pakyawan" (Hired) like "Habal-habal" (A single motorcycle ride) serves also within the area. The City have series of waterfalls that counted 34 at most, that needs to ventures in some forested and remote areas, a fellow photographer said, whom i met along the way.

This beautiful and captivating waterfalls is now developed as a resort, on the upper left side of the cliff has a swimming pool and cottages for the excursionists.  

Tiklas waterfalls has formed a basin like, where the cascading water strikes the water table, others can plunge to its cool water near the falls, but as of the local there, now it is not allowed everyone to swim near the waterfalls for lots of incidence have happened before.

THINGS TO KNOW

for the other details you want to know on how to get here please follow Here

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BASILICA MINORE

THE PRESENT STONE CHURCH

No definite data is available with regards to the construction of the present church. All references however point to the belief that it was Bishop Isidro Arevalo who built around the year 1750. His coat of arms engraved in the upper part of the western side of the church, justifies this stand, accepted by Msgr. Gainza himself. The old people say that the Chinese community of the locality donated the façade. They were ardent devotees of the Virgin as proven by the fact that they were the ones shouldering the expenses of the pagoda, the nicest seen in Naga, and all their children were usually baptized in the Peñafrancia church. As a consequence, the façade was entirely of Chinese art with pots, plates, jars, and etc. engraved on it. That was the façade previous to the present. THE HISTORY OF PEÑAFRANCIA by Rev. Dr. FLORENCIO C. YLLANA

THE PRESENT FACADE

Perhaps few Bishops among those who governed the Diocese of Nueva Caceres had more devotion in, and demonstrated more interest for the Virgin of Peñafrancia and her church, as did Msgr. Francisco Gainza, an acknowledged luminary of the Dominican order. Not only did he write the history of Peñafrancia, the first one to be ever published, and edited a novena to the Virgin, but he also tried to make the Peñafrancia church a more worthy abode of the Mother of God. He introduced changes in the church, made it around 5 meters longer on the front and finally he constructed the present imposing thou simple façade. Bicolandia will never forget him and his memory will forever be linked with history of the Peñafrancia church. THE HISTORY OF PEÑAFRANCIA by Rev. Dr. FLORENCIO C. YLLANA

Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church 

was built in 1711 by Rev. Miguel Covarrubias. It houses the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. He constructed this church in fullfillment of the vow he made during his youth. The second church was built in 1750 by Bishop Isidoro de Arevalo, repaired and improved in 1876-1877 by Bishop Francisco Gainza. The image was solemnly crowned by the Rt. Rev. Guillermo Piano on September 20, 1924.

The concept for the building the Basilica Minore came from Archbishop Pedro P. Santos in 1960. Construction began on April 18, 1976, but was delayed for a number of years due to finance problems and was not completed until September, 1981.

On May 22, 1982 it was dedicated as The Church of Nuestra Señora de Peña de Francia and it wasn't until May 22, 1985 that the church was given the title of "Basilica Minore" from Rome after a request from the third Archbishop of Caceres, Leonardo Z. Legaspi.

The Peñafrancia Basilica Minore houses an image of the virgin Mary that was sculpted in 1710. It was commissioned by Miguel de Cobarrubias who moved to the Philippines from Spain with his family and believed that the virgin Mary had helped him numerous times in his life. By Wikipilipinas

THINGS TO KNOW IN NAGA CITY? Follow  Here

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