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Butuan ~ Sweet Life

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:36:00 +0800

MMMM…Mmmangoes…it is the sweetest tropical fruit in the Philippines. When you are in Butuan, head on to its Tabo-an open air public market. There you can find the freshest mangoes straight from Carmen.

Mangoes too can make an excellent mango pies, preserves and mango bars.

Harvest Butuan’s fruits o swetness Today at www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

photo masterpice by Leo Mascarinas

Butuan ~ Aiming for The Goal

Thu, 14 May 2009 15:40:00 +0800

Live..Work…and Play… Living in Butuan is a relaxing and stress free experience as compared to other parts of southern Philippines. With nice scenic destinations, interesting historical and cultural sites around, a stable and peaceful atmosphere plus good urban facilities for work, rest and recreation. Simple city life in Butuan is a pleasure worth living for.

Live the Life in Butuan today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Aiming for The Goal at the new Timberlanes

Butuan ~ City Blooms

Tue, 12 May 2009 15:38:00 +0800

What used to be the city’s backwater riverfront is progressively being transformed into a cultural and historical show window. Along the barangays by the Agusan River’s western bank, a large clearing is being made to give way to an ambitious Boardwalk and Historical Park project. Designed by famous Philippine urban planner Jun Palafox, once finished the park shall be a relaxing point for residents and tourists alike to enjoy the views of the river and the Magsaysay Bridge. The park shall also feature canopy walks, play areas, open air stage and a few restos and shops.

Take a stroll in Butuan City Today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

photos owned by Joy Morano

Butuan ~ Interesting Sites

Mon, 11 May 2009 11:42:00 +0800

This is one of the Philippines’ oldest trees, a huge beautiful, green and blooming five century-old natural wonder that can be found only in Magallanes. The Department of Tourism as well as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources last June 2008 officially declared this five hundred year-old Bitaog tree as the official Philippine Centennial Tree.

Ancient, yet still growing and blooming. Visit Butuan Today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Tourists gather around the mighty base of the Philippine Centennial Tree

all photos owned by highlights.photo

Butuan ~ Kingdom by The River

Sun, 10 May 2009 14:06:00 +0800

In order to have a good grasp of what is Butuan City of Today is to have knowledge of its storied golden past.

More than five hundred years ago, the old Butuan poblacion site used to be located at the mouth of the Agusan River delta. It was a thriving settlement that has both comanding control of trade along the upstream communities of the river and the neighboring settlements along Butuan Bay. However, its deltaic location made it prone to inundation by the converging tides of the bay and the mighty river. To escape the perennial deluge, a second Butuan settlement was then built furher upstream to what is now known as Banza. However, the old town did not escape nature as waters from the river perennially submerged the low lying parts of the old settlement.

More than a hundred years ago, the old Butuan settlement was finally built further higher upstream to what is now known as Agao. Here, the old town further grew and became the template to an expanding, growing and rapidly urbanizing city that is the Butuan of Today.

The monument marking the ruins of the cathedral in Banza

The ancient remains of the Butuan cathedral now deeply entrenched within the roots of this old Balite Tree that now remains one of the living witnesses to the resilience of the kingdom that thrives by the mighty river.

Explore Butuan History today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

photo owned by Joy Morano

Butuan Sweet Life

Sat, 09 May 2009 11:08:00 +0800

What could be a better way of describing Butuan’s relaxing sweet life than its wide array of traditional food and delicacies. From exotic spicy kinilaw to this colorful display of desserts. Traditional delicacies here are mostly carbohydrate based and is usually eaten after a full meal or during meriendas… or maybe just anytime as long as that sweet tooth craves for more.

Most of them are made from mashed root crops, mixed with gata (coconut milk) and latik (thick sugary syrup) topped by either grated cheese or coconut meat.

Feast on Butuan Food today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Puto Kutsinta, sapin-sapin, Puto kamoteng kahoy, cassave cake

photo owned by Leo Mascarinas

Butuan ~ River Cruise

Fri, 08 May 2009 11:18:00 +0800

There is a more interesting way of touring Butuan’s important historical sites ~ taking the Agusan River Cruise. A motorized boat ride starting from the riverine port in New Asia will take you upstream to the riverside barangays of Bit-os and San Vicente. There you can see from the river the newest structural marvel of the city, the Butuan Cable-Styed Bridge or the Disodado Macapagal Bridge. Along the ride, you can also see the various sawmills and wood processing plants where the bulk of the local economy used to depend on. Downstream, there you may pass by Banza, Butuan’s old poblacion during early Spanish period. It is here you can see the ruins of an old cathedral that used to be the focal point of the old poblacion.

Cruise your way to Butuan City today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

photo owned by highlights.photo

Butuan ~ Street Views

Thu, 07 May 2009 12:38:00 +0800

This is Montilla Boulevard, one of Mindanao’s longest boulevards, a six lane two way concrete thoroughfare that bisects the heart of the city’s busy commercial district. This five kilometer-long boulevard connects the suburbs of Obrero in the north to Villa Kanangga in the south. Here you can also find most banks, retail stores and some of the bigger schools of the city.

let’s take a stroll at the boulevard today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

file photo of North Montilla Blvd.

Butuan ~ Sites

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:47:00 +0800

One of the important part of ones travel itinerary when in Butuan should include a stop at the newly built Diosdado Macapagal Bridge or the Butuan Cable Stayed Bridge.

Built using Japanese technology in 2007, it is now considered one of the structural marvels of the country today. The bridge consists of a singular tower connected to both banks of the Agusan River by steel spans stabilized by steel cables. This two- lane bridge is also connected to a 13 kilometer roadway that now serve as the new by-pass highway that diverts cargo traffic volume away from the congested Butuan urban center interlinking with the Pan Philippine Highway in the east to that of the Butuan-CDO-Iligan Highway in the west.

Drop by and see this marvel in Butuan City Today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Butuan ~ Souvenirs

Tue, 05 May 2009 11:55:00 +0800

The fiesta season this merry month of May is a hectic time for entrepreneurs selling all kinds of novelties and souvenirs for the eager tourists who will be visiting the city for the annual Balanghai Festival. Trade fairs and exhibits, cultural shows, pageants, alumni homecomings, parties, socio-civic affairs, conventions etc. all make the whole month very busy for the city. One of the interesting things to do is haggling around the line of bargain stalls along the city’s main downtown street of AD Curato. There, one may find interesting items that can make a fine pasalubong and souvenirs to complete the journey to this historic dynamic city.

Let’s feast for the Butuan fiesta today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

A thousand taras for a thousand Butuan years

photo owned by highlights.photo

Butuan ~ Bridges

Mon, 04 May 2009 10:57:00 +0800

This is one of the photography art pieces by Edison Lee during last Magellan Photo Contest, an annual event organized by the Balanghai Festival and civic organizations to increase awareness of the different scenic destinations around and within Butuan City.

Aim your cams today in Butuan ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Bridge to Bliss ~ Lake Mainit Resort Wharf

Butuan and Balanghai ~ A Journey Through Time

Sat, 02 May 2009 01:30:00 +0800

Today, May 1, 2009 is the official start of Butuan City’s month long Balanghai Festival. We usually hear this word around this time of summer as we usually equate it with the city’s display of culture and tradition as well as its opportunity to show the development highlights it has travailed in its a thousand years of existence, from an influential maritime kingdom in the Sri Vidjayan and Madjapahit Empires, to a gold finders paradise in the early 20th century… to a booming timber-town in the 50’s. From a fragile, perennial calamity hit locality… to a rising highly urbanized regional capital of today…to that of vigorous shining metropolis in the near future. Let us again take a review of Balanghai, and how this great Indo-Malay word came to represent this city’s journey through the past millenia.

Since the 10th century, Butuan appeared to have been in good relations with the Srivijayan Empire. Being located on the coast of Mindanao, balanghais are often docking at the Butuan bay keeping good business between the local people of Butuan and traders from the neighboring empire.

During the 1970’s, these balanghais were exposed through an excavation to the modern time and found that through carbon-dating process, the boats were almost a thousand years old.

Building balanghai requires teamwork and unity among workers which is why it was used by the Philippine Government as a term to refer to the smallest political unit, now became popularly pronounced as barangay.

Butuan’s Early Balanghais

A balanghai, or some refer to it as balangay, is a wooden boat adjoined by planks, and believed that the term originated from an Italian archaeologist named Antonio Pigafetta in the 16th century when he mentioned the word spelled “balanghai”.

The balangays did not serve just a wooden boat but stood as a symbol for social unit. In the 16th century, Spaniards found out that balangay also referred to the smallest unit of politics among Filipinos.

Late 1970’s, balangay boats were discovered in Butuan City by the National Museum archaelogists. Nine were recovered during the excavation. The first is being presently preserved and displayed in the museum in Libertad, Butuan City. It had undergone carbon-dating and dated at year 320. The second boat, dated 1250, is presently located at the Maritime Hall of National Museum in Manila. The third was transferred to Butuan Regional Museum while the six other boats are under the process of excavtion and preserved, remaining to their original waterlogged condition to protect the artifacts.

The Historical Butuan

The city of Butuan is the home of treasures such as the Tara, golden figurine of Buddha’s consort, an array of lustrous, most intricate jewelry, a collection of priceless ceramics from the Sung Dynasty, and the remains of the early balanghai.

These precious treasures of Butuan are now found around the globe. The Tara is now at the Field Museum in Chicago, the Chinese precious findings and the restored balanghais are being displayed at the National Museum, and the incomparable gold jewelry is the Metropolitan Museum of Manila’s grandest collection.

The first mass in the Philippines is believed to have taken place near the Agusan River, and it is said that Ferdinand Magellan himself dropped the anchor of the ship in 1521 at the Agusan River, and held a mass to commemorate the event.

BALANGHAI FESTIVAL
The Festival

Commemorating the coming of the early settlers from Borneo and Celebes, Butuan in Agusan del Sur is celebrating Balanghai Festival during the third week of May, coinciding the feast of Butuan’s patron saint, Saint Joseph.

The balanghai, also known as balangay and Butuan boat, is the first water vessel to have excavated in Southeast Asia, serving as evidence to the craftsmanship of the early Filipinos in attempting to transport on water.

Balanghai Festival is one historical event commemorated through a night of exotic performances, costumes in an array of colors and creativity, and dazzling floats. One can also take part in the festivals activities such as contests, exhibits, and many other events.

Take a Journey to Butuan today…explore ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Butuan ~ Summer

Fri, 01 May 2009 12:31:00 +0800

The summer sun shining through this part of the city’s skyline dotted by telecommunication towers, mall tower and commercial billboards.

Sun always shine in Butuan ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Three Towers

photo by Ed Longsa

Butuan Library ~ Relearning History

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:57:00 +0800

Not to be missed visiting when in the city is the Butuan City Library. Its facilities as well as its looks easily earned itself as Mindanao’s most modern public library. It contains archives of the city’s local historical documents as well as a wide collection of data that solidifies Butuan’s claim as the site of the first Christian Mass in the country. There is also free broadband internet service cafe at its second level.

At the library’s front lawn stands the veteran’s war memorial and one of the newest landmarks in the city.

Read and Learn more about Butuan today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Butuan ~ Coffee

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:43:00 +0800

Butuan is not spared from coffee mania. There are now many coffee shops that cater to every coffeeholics budget and taste. One noteworthy of feauturing here is Butuan’s PIT STOP Cafe along JC Aquino Ave. besides Otis Metro Mall.

One look at their facade would give an impression that it is a car repair/hardware store. But once you get inside..it’s really is looking like a car store ~ only that car parts are used as its furnishings or furnitures. Coffee tables made from old tires, foot stools made from empty lube containers, washbins made from old magwheels etc. etc. could certainly make that brewed caffeine go an extra mile over drive.

One good point too in this trendsetting cafe is they have a modest space for al fresco diners at the second level where you could sip that warm coffee while enjoying late afternoon sunset views of Mt. Mayapay.

Make a Pit Stop in Butuan today … www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Butuan ~ Access

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:40:00 +0800

Philippine major carriers like PAL and Cebu Pacific have stepped up frequencies servicing busy segments like the Manila-Butuan and Cebu-Butuan routes. This happens as vacation time peaks and the upcoming Butuan’s Balanghai Festival this month of May nears. For Manila-Butuan sector, PAL has added an early morning frequency using another Airbus A319. Cebu Pacific reinforcing its lead, will also be mounting another third frequency.

Worth mentioning too is that Butuan is the only point in Northern Mindanao being served using an Airbus 319 jet from Cebu’s Mactan Airport. Its competitor PAL Express in response have increased its seat allocations by using a bigger Bombardier DH4.

Fly now and explore Butuan today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Philippine Birds at Butuan’s Bancasi tarmac

Butuan ~ Vacations

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:07:34 +0800

Vacations is always fun outdoors, the city has a wide array of choices as far as spending quality time with families and friends in the most peaceful and relaxing experience.

Butuan’s southern part has many good places to go. Though not as known against those established resorts along the coasts, its crystal clear streams and green fresh sceneries are something really worth coming back for more.

Spend your vacations in Butuan today … www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Clear streams in Villa Exaltacion, Tungao

Butuan ~ Sunday Trips

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:45:00 +0800

Escaping the summer heat in the city does not only mean going to the beach resorts. One good summer trip very near the city is heading off to Agusan del Sur Hostel. A sprawling villa-inspired facility that offers standard comforts set in the laidback and provincial charms of Agusan del Sur. Getting there is simply a breeze, a thirty minute car ride via a smooth well paved highway. There are a lot things that you can do around Agusan del Sur on a fine Sunday, you can head off to the town’s market and buy the freshest farm produce or simply you might just enjoy the lesiurely drive through the scenic views along the highway which this province is known for.

Have a relaxing laidback Sundays in and around Butuan today ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

photo owned by Alan Milan Digital Photography, Butuan City

Butuan ~ City of Love

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:25:00 +0800

Aside from one of the country’s most peaceful and orderly cities, Butuan City is one of the loveliest, either literally and figuratively. The fine natural city scapes, good facilities and scenic views make Butuan an ideal place to live the life and of course love the life.

Live and Love in Butuan ~ www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

Butuan ~ Living

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:54:00 +0800

Butuan for the past 4 years had seen a dramatic development in its real estate sector. The current feverish construction of several middle class subdivisions have ushered in new developments to its suburbs. The city is an ideal location for housing owing to its huge and cheap land potential, hence more and more housing and real estate companies from other cities are setting a foothold on Butuan. There are also a marked improvement in road infrastructure that links these new communities to the city center.

Make Butuan your new Home today …. www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

One of the beautifully designed homes of VCDU Realty Co. in Villa Kanangga

Big ticket real estate projects is lead by giant companies such as Filinvest Land who just set shop in the city.

Filinvest Land is currently embarking on a thirteen hectare prime property development at the city’s eastern side.