Green Adventure at Bojo River Alouguinsan Cebu

Your great green adventure starts here at Bojo River in Aloguinsan Cebu. Aloguinsan has a town population of about 27,000 residents. It is located on the western seaboard of Cebu, facing the the island of Negros. From Cebu City, it is 72 kilometers (via Toledo City) and 58 kilometers via Carcar City.

Experience a slice of authentic Cebuano culture in Bojo, a river village two kilometers from the town center. Local fishermen anf their families are protecting the Bojo River Nature Reserve, which includes the 1.4 kilometer-long Bojo river and its riparian zone – home to about 61 bird species and remarkable native flora. Local guides will padlle you down the river in a traditional baroto, while they interpret the river’s rich natural and cultural heritage. If you want to trek, a 400 meter long boardwalk cutting across a mangrove forest and a 150 step natural trail carved on a hillside will bring you to a gazebo overlooking the river landscape.

How to go to get there:

Transport and tours are available in Cebu City.
1. You can take a V-hire (van for hire)
2. Rent-a-car, or a bus, going to Toledo City (Cebu South Bus Terminal in Cebu City)
3. Public Buses (Cebu South Bus Terminal in Cebu City)
4. Bring your own transportation and take the Pinamungajan or Toledo City or the Awayan, Carcar routes via Valencia route with the same estimated travel time.

Travel time: approximately 1 to 2 hours

Vehicle Rates:

Citilink to Toledo Terminal
V-Hire
Php100.00

Toledo to Aloguinsan
PUJ
Php 35.00

Citilink to Pinamungajan
V-Hire
Php 100.00

Pinamungahan to Aloguinsan
Tricycle
php15.00

South Bus Terminal to Carcar
Bus
Php 50.00

Carcar to Aloguinsan
Habal-habal
Php 150.00

Tour Packages for the Bojo River Eco-Cultural Tour

Duration: 3 hours
Rates:
5 persons – Php800.00/head
6-10persons – Php550.00/head
11-15pax – Php530.00/head
16-20pax – Php500.00/head
20-30pax – Php480.00/head
30-50pax – Php450.00/head

Package includes orientation and lecture on mangroves,  ecology and bird wildlife lecture, handicraft (mat-weaving) demo, a buffet lunch and a snack (cool drink and freshly-baked salvaro, a native pastry) and a cruise down the river. The tour is organized by the Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association (BAETAS).

Schedule: Daily and depends on the tide.

The money you paid goes directly to the local communities who run the tours. It funds environmental protection projects, income for the families, subsidy for their children’s education and funding for basic services in the community. Thus, it will help communities to be sustaining and self reliant.

Available Accomodation:

Al Maxi Apartelle
- It is a pension house with 3 units.
- Every unitn has its own living room, kitchen, toilet and bath.
- Rate is 1,200 per unit per day (4 persons max per unit)
- Contact number: 0910 429 9687

Blue House
- Located in a leafy street
- Two-story house has 4 rooms with a common living room, dining room, kitchen and toilet and bath
- Rates: P2,800 per day for entire house

Volare
- A native house-inspired building a few minutes from the town center
- 3 bedrooms with a common living room, dining room, kitchen and toilet and bath
- Rates: 1,200 pesos per day for entire house or P350 per room per day (2 persons max per room)
- Contact no.: +63 32 4699066

Hidden Beach
- room: 600 pesos good for two
- you can cook outside the room, common CR and no running water but beach and location is nice.

They have other beaches but it’s reachable by bangka only, remote and secluded and NO facilities even bed.  You have to bring your own tents and other stuff. If you are up for adventure then this place is for you.

Sinulog Festival in Cebu Philippines

Sinulog Festival Location:
Cebu City Philippines

Sinulog Festival Schedule:
Every third Sunday of January

About Sinulog Festival:

Sinulog Festival is a festival in Cebu Philippines that pays tribute to the patron of Cebu City, Santo Niño or Holy Child. In veneration to the patron, people in cebu or cebuanos present dance rituals and have some competitions with their performance. Dancers came from different places and wear their colorful costumes and combine them with their artistic props and lively music which includes rhythm of native gongs, drums and trumpets. Traditionally, the Sinulog celebration lasts for 9 days wherein during the last day would be the Sinulog grand parade. During the dawn before the final day of the sinulog celebration, a fluvial procession is being held with their santo niño with flowers and candles on a pump boat. The procession usually ends at Basilica where a re-enactment of Christianizing Cebu is being performed. There would then be a formal procession that would take place on the streets which would last for hours because of the crowd participating the Sinulog festival.

Background of the Sinulog Dance

Sinulog came from the Cebuano adverb sulog that means like water current movement (forward backward movement during the Sinulog dance together with the sound of the drums. Candle vendors also perform this dance step most especially when people buy a candle from them.

History

Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan arrived on April 7, 1521 and placed the cross on the shores of Cebu wherein he claimed the territory in the name of the King of Spain. He offered the image of the child Jesus, the Santo Niño, as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Rajah Humabon. Hara Amihan was later named, Queen Juana in honor of Juana, mother of Carlos I. Some 800 natives were also baptized to the Christian faith along with the rulers of the island. At the moment of receiving the image, it was said that Queen Juana danced with joy holding the image of the child Jesus. With the other natives following her example, this moment was considered as the first Sinulog.

This event is commonly used as basis for most Sinulog dances, which perform the coming of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Niño to the Queen. A popular theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Niño in her arms and using it to bless her people who are often troubled by sickness caused by demons and other evil spirits.