The Girl Behind the Pen

Taguig is a city where progress is rapid and continuous. There goes some of the metro's most upscale properties, malls and clubs. As a matter of fact, when someone invites us to Taguig, most of us already think that we're going to Bonifacio Global City aka BGC like it's the only place in the city. And most of us are not knowledgeable about the other side of Taguig, that there's more to it than BGC.

I found it rather fascinating considering that even if there are many illegal settlers and Grab car drivers avoid the other side of Taguig because of the reported crimes in the area, the city still keeps its efforts to strike a balance between the old and the new.

To end the negative notions about Taguig, the city officials launched the Taguig Probinsyudad Bus Tour where they take residents and tourists to the off-the-beaten paths for free until December 2019. The tour includes visiting historical spots. This is their way to promote the city's tourism and let others discover its beauty. More than that, the main goal of this tourism program is to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation on the city's culture and traditions.

The tour takes about 5-7 hours to complete the itinerary with ten (10) places to visit. 

First stop is Mercado Del Lago. This is a floating restaurant by the lake that opened in 2018. 

This is located at Sta. Ana, Taguig City. The plaza is the only one built to honor President Manuel L. Quezon when he was still in the service as President of the Philippines. This plaza also serves as a venue for “Buwan ng Wika” events.

This church is just across the Plaza Quezon. It was built in 1587 and is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. This has survived many natural disasters since.

Like Plaza Quezon, this place also served as a venue for graduations and other celebrations for special occasions. 

It's just across the Plaza Bonifacio. Its altar, wall sidings, ceiling and benches are made of pure native bamboo.

This cemetery was established in 1944. There's a total of 17,206 graves, making it the largest cemetery in the Pacific for U.S. personnel killed during World War II and also holds war dead from the Philippines and other allied nations. 

This is where 33,520 Filipinos who sacrificed their lives for the country during the World War II are buried. Some Presidents, dignitaries and personnel of the Philippine military are also buried here. 

This is one of the most historical sites in the city. It features war stories as interpreted by life-sized montages and retold by different art forms including film showing.

It is the only museum in our country that shows World War II in form of tableau on the daily lives of Filipinos. 

This religious center located at Maharlika Village, Taguig City, is also a socio-civic meeting place for both Filipino and foreign Muslims. It houses a conference room, three madrasa classrooms, a Library, Clinic, Secretariat and Imam Office. The geometrical design of this building is a multi-cross patterned after the CORDOVA in Spain (Cordova means Church).

Before turning it to an integrated urban farm, it was a dumpsite. Everything they grow here is organic. I really like the different kinds of urban-farming setups—from gardens that showcase space-saving vertical farming, to wooden rack and pole gardens. 

Indeed, there's more to Taguig than BGC. Apart from being one of the most leading and fastest progressive city in Metro Manila, there also lie untold stories, history even, that are yet to be discovered by many. Take this opportunity to tour for free while it's there. Taken the road less traveled is not that bad at all.

If you want to avail the tour, you may contact Taguig City's Facebook Page here.