Pasalubong Area, Gaisano Supermarket, Gaisano Mall - Butuan, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: Gaisano Supermarket, Gaisano Mall (J.C. Aquino Avenue, Butuan, Agusan del Norte)
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 12, 2010

THIS PASALUBONG CENTER IS FOR:

People who are looking for Agusan delicacies as well as the delicacies of other provinces (like Davao, Camiguin, Bohol, Cebu, etc).

NOTE: The prices here are more expensive than Madyaw Kadyaw Souvenir Shop. (EX: A bag of Kamote chips is worth P24 in Madjaw Kadyaw and sold here at P38.50!) However, Madjaw Kadyaw does not carry delicacies from other places.

DESCRIPTION:
This Pasalubong Center is found right inside the Gaisano Supermarket (ground floor of Gaisano Mall). It sells only native delicacies from Visayas and Mindanao.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Once in Butuan City (Agusan del Norte), ride a tricycle (P7.00/ head/ one way) and ask the driver to bring you to Gaisano Mall (J.C. Aquino Avenue).

Click here for more...

OTOP Pasalubong Center, Gaisano Mall - Butuan, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: G/F, Gaisano Mall (J.C. Aquino Avenue, Butuan, Agusan del Norte)
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 12, 2010

THIS PASALUBONG CENTER IS FOR:
People who are already in Gaisano Mall and want to buy Butuan City's native delicacies.

FEES: from P7.00 - P250.00

NOTE: 75% of OTOP (One Town One Product) Pasalubong Center's goods are from Butuan City.

DESCRIPTION:

OTOP Pasalubong Center is found on the ground floor of Gaisano Mall. It showcases the native delicacies of Butuan City and carries a few goods from other provinces. Their goods are more expensive than Madjaw Kadyaw Souvenir Shop but their food products are more complete.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Once in Butuan City, ride a tricycle (P7.00/ head/ one way) and ask the driver to drop you off at Gaisano Mall (J.C. Avenue, Butuan City)

CONTACTS:
+63 85 3458604

FOOD PRODUCTS WE BOUGHT: (a list)

Mango Chutney - P55.00
Camote Chips (small) - P12.00
Corn Coffee (small) - P12.00
Dried Mango - P50.00
Otap - P48.00

Click here for more...

Mayor Dale Corvera's Residence - Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte

We would just like to thank Mayor Dale Corvera, the mayor of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte, and his wife Ms. Nancy, for hosting our dinner last September 10, 2010. It was very nice meeting and talking to you both. We definitely learned a lot and you inspired us a lot. We are proud of you and we are happy to meet politicians like you who really care for the Philippines and our fellow Filipinos.

Together, we can make a better and brighter future for our country. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas, at mabuhay tayong mga Pilipino!:)

PS: Thank you also to Ms. Lani/ Jean Chee and Ms. Margie Jongko of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte for all the help and for entertaining us. :)

Click here for more...

Margie's Kitchen - Butuan, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: Sentro Building, J.C. Aquino Avenue, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 10, 2010

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
1. It is the ultimate "hang out" place in Butuan City!
2. They serve delicious cakes!
3. They offer free WiFi. :)

PRICE RANGE:
Food - from P45-P170 per order
Dessert - from P40-P95 per piece
Beverage (water, juice, tea, soda, shake) - from P20-P110
Coffee - from 65-P85
For a complete list of the menu, click this.

MUST TRY: Fruit Shakes (esp Mango), Cookie Monster Cake, Nelusco Cake

DESCRIPTION:
Margie's Kitchen is a bakeshop in the heart of Butuan City, Agusan del Norte. Owned by Mrs. Margie Calo and her two children Macky and Concon, this establishment has already branched out to Davao City and has two branches in Butuan. It offers high quality cakes and pastry products at an affordable price.

With its tagline "Life is unsure, eat your dessert first!", Margie's Kitchen has definitely tapped foodies and dessert lovers. With over 20 years of experience in baking, Mrs. Calo's homemade goodies have become famous all over the city and a popular "pasalubong" from Butuan, too. Moreover, the people of Butuan have fallen in love with Margie's artsy slash coffee shop vibe (with free WiFi, too) so much that this is where they meet up to chat or to show a visitor around. Open until 2:00 am on weekends, this place has definitely become "the place to be" in Butuan.

HOW TO GET THERE:
It's just along J.C. Aquino Avenue (Butuan City) so you can walk going here if your hotel is already in J.C. Aquino or you can ride a jeepney (P7.00/ head/ one way) and go down here. Tricycles are not allowed along J.C. Aquino Avenue.

To go to the other branch, you can take a tricycle (P7.00/ head/ one way) to Marcos Calo Street and go down at Margie's Kitchen.

You can fly to Butuan from Manila.

CONTACTS:
SENTRO Building, J.C. Aquino Ave - +63 85 3421980
Marcos Calo Street - +63 85 3415046

HELPFUL LINKS: http://margieskitchen.wordpress.com/about-us/ or you can like Margie's Bakeshop on Facebook.

Click here for more...

Margie's Handicrafts - Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: Margie's Handicrafts - Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 10, 2010
WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
1. It offers authentic Agusan-made souvenir as well as beautifully woven Manobo traditional attires.
PRICE RANGE: from P20 (small items) to P3,500 (Manobo handwoven top/ skirt)
NOTE: Margie's Handicrafts is not yet a fully operational store. Make sure to call beforehand if you want to go so Margie's son Dennis can open the store and assist you.

DESCRIPTION:

Margie's Handicrafts is a small souvenir shop in the heart of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte. It sells Agusan-made products that may be used in the house or as decoration. Baskets and small items are made of Abaca, the town's primary product. Baskets and other souvenirs made of rattan and seagrass are available, too.

Manobo is an indigenous group living in Agusan. Their traditional clothes are available here and the quality is guaranteed. The dolls wearing Manobo are not for sale at the time of our visit since they're just the prototype. Maybe when you go, there will be available dolls in Indigenous outfits available already.

Margie, the mother of the store owner Dennis, also loves making accessories so this store also sells bracelets, necklaces and accessories made of native products that can surely be a wonderful souvenir to your friends and family.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Fly to Butuan City from Manila.

From Butuan, ride a jeep/ multicab going to the city of Cabadbaran (about 40 minutes away).

Once in Cabadbaran, take a tricycle to Margie's Handicrafts.

CONTACTS:
Dennis (owner of Margie's Handicrafts) - +63 85 3430767

STUFF WE BOUGHT:

Umbrella Holder (made of Rattan)
P200 for two pieces


Magazine Rack (made of Abaca)
P200

Click here for more...

Madyaw Kadyaw Souvenir Shop - Butuan, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: 1339 FCB Building, J.C. Aquino Avenue, Butuan, Agusan del Norte
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 12, 2010

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:

1. This souvenir shop not only offers the cheapest Agusan delicacies, it is the only one stop shop in Butuan, too. It sells food products and different souvenirs from Agusan and the neighboring provinces.

2. The owner of the shop (Rose) really knows the origin of her products. She can tell you where a product is from, what it's for and what it's made of. She can give you details that would make the product you purchased more meaningful and interesting.
3. Whenever you buy a product from this shop, you actually help Ms. Rose (the owner) in fulfilling her social work (see story below).

WHAT TO BUY: The replica of the Golden Tara or the Balangay Boat (the most ancient sea vessel of the Philppines), Indigenous Products like the Manobo backpack (as Rose said, they are the original "backpackers"), Maranao cloth and Kubing, an instrument used by the indigenous groups of Mindanao. Butuan souvenir T-shirts are available here, too.

NOTE: Since Rose is also the supplier of Gaisano Mall's food products (for Agusan delicacies), her prices are much cheaper. If you're looking for products from other cities and provinces however, you can check out the Pasalubong Center in Gaisano Mall or the OTOP Pasalubong Center which is also in Gaisano Mall.

DESCRIPTION:

"Madjaw" in Butuanon dialect means good, and this is precisely the kind of business enterprise that owner Rossana "Rose" A. Cezar wants to imbibe for this shop. True to her tagline "The Only Souvenir Shop In The City That Has It All", Rose's products range from local delicacies to native products to souvenir items to indigenous handicrafts.

Rose, who was born in Aklan, raised in Bacolod City, lived in Manila and later moved on to Mindanao sees business not only as profit but also as service. Using her rich experience in missionary work and entrepreneurship, she uses her souvenir shop as a channel for the less priveleged families in Butuan to earn a living. She provides assistance in engaging livelihood activities like weaving, bead-making and food manufacturing. She also provides free board and lodging even to her part-time employees and allow them to go to school at the same time. Together with her employees, Rose continually reaches out to those who are in need of educational and livelihood assistance.

Unlike big companies who does business on a consignment basis, Madjaw Kadyaw buys its goods on a CASH ON DELIVERY basis then sells them. This way, Rose says, she gets to help her fellow Filipinos to really earn a living. She believes that this is the best way to help her suppliers who often do not have enough capital to wait for payments from big groceries and companies.

This philantrophic style of Ms. Rose and her shop has definitely helped a lot of people in Butuan and has also enriched her knowledge on all the products she sells. No wonder she knows every little thing about any of the goods you ask about and no wonder they're much cheaper than the ones in the Gaisano Pasalubong Centers, too.

Madjaw Kadyaw is along J.C. Aquino is open daily from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.

HOW TO GET THERE:

From Butuan City, take a jeep (P7.00/ head/ one way) going to J.C. Aquino Avenue and go down right in front of Madjaw Kadyaw Souvenir Shop.

You can also ride a tricycle (P7.00/ head/ one way) and ask to be dropped at the gas station in J.C. Aquino Avenue. Cross the street to Madjaw Kadyaw because tricycles are not allowed along J.C. Aquino Avenue itself.

CONTACTS:
+63 85 8154243 (look for Rose)


STUFF WE BOUGHT FROM THIS STORE:

Balangay Boat Replica
P650.00


Maranao Cloth


Kubing
small - P30.00
big - P50.00


Handmade Manobo Bag
P200.00

Click here for more...

Lake Mainit - Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte

WHERE: Lake Mainit - Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 10, 2010
WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
FEES:
NOTE:

DESCRIPTION:
HOW TO GET THERE:
CONTACTS:
HELPFUL LINKS:
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:

Click here for more...

Diosdado Macapagal Bridge - Butuan, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: Diosdado Macapagal Bridge - Butuan, Agusan del Norte
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 10, 2010
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: It's a nice and cool suspension bridge. It is the longest bridge in Mindanao. :)

DESCRIPTION: The longest bridge in Mindanao, The Diosdado Macapagal Bridge is 3 kilometers long and it crosses the Agusan River.

Click here for more...

Dilla's Vegetarian Restaurant - Butuan, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: Gomez corner Marcos Calo Street, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte
DATE OF TRAVEL: September 10, 2010

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
1. It serves YUMMY vegetarian food that even non-vegetarians will surely enjoy!
2. They serve healthy and affordable food.

PRICES:
P50 for a meal (rice, 2 viands and 1 carrot juice)
P6/ piece of lumpia
P20/ piece of veggie cake (squash & carrot)

OPERATING HOURS:
Mondays-Thursdays: 9:30 am - 7:00 pm
Fridays: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturdays - CLOSED
Sundays - open during lunchtime


DESCRIPTION:

This vegetarian restaurant is run by a Seventh Day Adventist couple. Mr. Dilla is a doctor and his clinic is inside this establishment. Mrs. Dilla (Susan) on the other hand, is hands-on in this restaurant. She cooks the food (very yummy!) by herself and makes the veggie meat by herself, too! For only P50.00, you already have a very filling meal with carrot juice.

This restaurant is closed on Saturdays as it is their Church day.

HOW TO GET THERE:
If you're already in Butuan, ride a tricycle (P7.00/ head/ one way) and ask to be dropped off at Marcos Calo Street corner Gomez Street.

CONTACTS:
susan Dilla (owner) - +63921 8137315

Click here for more...

Atega Ancestral House - Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte

WHERE: Cabiltest Street, Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte

DATE OF TRAVEL: September 11, 2010

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
1. It is the biggest and most preserved ancestral house in Cabadbaran City.

FEES: No entrance fee but you have to call in advance someone can accommodate you.

NOTE: Special thanks to Ms. Marilou Atega for touring us around your family's home. Thank you for giving us a warm welcome.

DESCRIPTION:

Built in 1904, the Atega House was the home of the Atega family that originated from the Spanish Friar Father Pedro Garcia. It was built by a revolutionary leader named Don Andres Atega. Since the family does not divide properties, the house grew from one wing to many more. Today, it has grown to 36 rooms and a garden.

The house's garden was once a swampy area were deer were found. Lucky for the Ategas however, a flood covered the swampy area and eventually became suitable for a garden.

The interior is a mixture of Filipino, Chinese and European style. The doors of the rooms are well blended with the walls so an outsider will not notice it immediately (perfect during the war). Once the doors are opened, you will be amazed at how big the rooms really are. Although this house doesn't look that big on the outside, it is definitely huge once you get inside.

Although a lot of "old" and "antique" stuff are found here, modern furniture and decorations are also present because there are Ategas still living in this house. It is also used to accommodate friends and family members who visit Cabadbaran City every now and then.

During World War 2, the Japanese used this house as their headquarters. Many people were killed here specifically in the house's basement.

When asked if there are ghosts, though, the owner would point you to the already locked guest rooms. These are the rooms on the right side of the main stairs where two pictures are hanging. Owners share that guests have had paranormal experiences in the room. Supposedly, ghosts haunt and bug the guests they don't like or are not fond of. Stories of beds rising and furniture moved around have been shared to the owners. To solve this, the owners decided to lock the rooms.

Another interesting area is their "study" room where all the pictures hanging are pictures of their dead ancestors and family members (including Father Pedro Garcia). As one of the owners mentioned, "If you're not dead, you're not in this room." The small rocking chair by the window supposedly moves around on its own. An old photograph of the house is also hanging on the wall. Owners point the kapre-like figure on the photograph which supposedly was responsible for hitting the "guards" whenever they would hang out under the Mango tree.

Are all these stories true? We don't know for sure, but the house was eerie enough to make us believe so.

Atega House is one of the best ancestral houses in Agusan and if ever you decide to visit, please make sure to contact them first because this house is not open to the public unless an appointment is made.

DON'T MISS THE FOLLOWING:
1. The star symbol inlaid on the wooden floor (Sala)
2. The "ghost" rooms
3. The old picture of the Atega House (where an image of "kapre" appears)
4. The small rocking chair in the study room.
5. Father Pedro Garcia's picture
6. The basement

HOW TO GET THERE:
Fly to Butuan City from Manila.

From the airport, ride a tricycle going to the bus or van terminal at Langihan. The fare costs P15.00/ head/ one way.

From Langihan terminal, ride a bus (P40/ person/ one way) or van (P35/ person/ one way) to Cabadbaran City (about 40 minutes).

Once in Cabadbaran, ride a pedicab (P7/ head/ way) or tricycle (P7/ head/ way) to the Atega Ancestral House in Cabiltest Street.

CONTACTS:
Jean Chee (Tourism Officer of Cabadbaran) - +63919 5620932

Click here for more...