Bolinao a Paradise Place

A very memorable place for me in Bolinao, this church is extra old.. really, you can imagine the Maria Clara’s during the Spanish Era, praying inside the church, walking along the patio and wearing belos. Somewhat creepy but very nostalgic. I went there for the first time during the marketing period at AIE, I was with our Student Assitant Jocelyn, I asked her if we could go inside the church before we go, ‘coz I enjoy visiting old churches and I love studying those baroque structure, those little unexpected details in the architecture.

While inside the church, I remembered that it was my first time, and whether it’s just a pamahiin or not, I remembered to utter my wish (in the Philippines, it’s a belief that you could make a wish at your first visit at a particular church). So i made mine and up to know I believe it was granted… (my hunny… )

Church Of St. James Fortress

Bolinao Church was built by the Augustinians in 1609. It houses wooden statues nowadays a rarity. The antique altar is flanked by two grinning tongue-protruding Aztec visages presumably of Mexican influence and brought over by the Galleon Trade. Bolinao is 81.8 kilometers away from Lingayen and 275 kilometers away from Manila.

Little known Facts:

Do you know why most Catholic Churches have these extra pathways in front before entering the church front door?

It’s not because purely for parking purposes only (hehehe). It’s because according to a priest, the purpose is to give church goers extra time to reflect and prepare their selves, emotionally, spiritually and physically before meeting our Creator

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I’ve been to this paradise place twice, first was during our Team Building when I was still working in AIE Alaminos, second is when we were invited in the Victory Party of the E-Commerce students by the invitation of Sir Bryant.

at the Beach, Rock Garden Resort

My first visit at the place is a mishmash of reaction, Rock Garden is nestled in the lush greenery and white sand beaches of Barangay Arnedo, it’s more than just a sprawling seaside resort with a garden setting, but I wasn’t sure if it just because it is low tide, but the beach is quite rocky, true to its name Rock Garden, so instead we just enjoyed ourselves in the pool and roaming around its garden which also has a mini zoo, with several species of birds including talking maya, some owls, and those ostriches.

The second time around is more enjoyable, we were able to swim in the beach, ride a balsa (like a floating bed made of bamboo) while it is raining. Ma’am Flory and I really had a good fun that day. I was just a tiny bit guilty because my Hunny is not feeling well that day, but he still fulfilled that planned activity of ours.

Rock Garden Resort at Brgy. Arnedo is just about 15 minutes drive from the Town Proper of Bolinao. From Alaminos it’s about a 1 hour drive and along the way you would enjoy green sceneries, antique houses and zig-zag climb thru the mountains.

Facilities:

• Cable T.V.
• Hot & Cold Shower
• 24-hr Security Service
• Swimming pool
• Individual Room Air-conditioning
• Conference Hall and facilities
• KTV and DVD rooms
• Billiards
• Darts
• Table Tennis
• Basketball
• Mini bird sanctuary

Room Rates:
• Standard - Php 1,500
• Family - Php 1,750
• Cottage - Php 500
• Extra Bed - Php 150
* Rates are inclusive of 10% VAT and 10% service charge

Their contact numbers are:

Tel. No.: (+6375) 554-2876

Cellphone No.: (+63912) 313-9553 and ( +63920) 413-9272

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Bolinao is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 61,068 people in 12,182 households.

Cape Bolinao Lighthouse

The people generally speak Ilocano and Panggalatok but they also have their own unique language called Bolinao, brought in by Sambal settlers during colonial rule. Most people generally understand and speak English.

On November 18, 2007, Bolinao challenged the historical fact that the first Mass was held on March 31, 1521, Easter Sunday, at Limasawa in Southern Leyte. Memorial markers (donated by Italian priest Luigi Malamocco, 62, from Odorico’s hometown of Friuli, Italy) were set in the town’s church and on Santiago Island, claiming that in 1324, Franciscan missionaries led by an Italian priest named Odorico celebrated a thanksgiving Mass thereat and also baptized natives.

Sea urchins or “uni“, (among the most expensive dishes in Japanese restaurants) are regularly harvested in Isla Silaki, Bolinao, Pangasinan. A sack costs only P 80 ($ 1 = P 40).

History

Bolinao was founded by Capt. Pedro Lombi in 1575, an island known as “Binabalian” meaning “old town” with few hundred settlers. However, it was transferred later to Bolinao mainland due to piratical molestation.

In 1585, Father Esteban Marinas, the first Augustinian priest, started the evangelization of the town. In 1607, a Roman Catholic Church was built. This Hispanic church building still remains intact and is presently considered as one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It is also one of the landmark and tourist attractions of Bolinao.

Bolinao and other western Pangasinan towns were once part of Zambales. It was the year 1903 when Bolinao and other western towns were transferred to Pangasinan due to its proximity to the capital town of Lingayen.

From the Official Pangasinan website:

Originally, Bolinao was a settlement composed of a little over a hundred families under Captain Pedro Lombi, established in 1575 at a point called Binabalian, on the northern coast of Santiago Island. The rampant attacks and raids of Moro pirates urged Capitan Lombi to transfer the town-site to the mainland and accordingly, with the aid of Fr. Geronimo de Casro, he finally founded the town in 1596 near Libsong where a clear spring of about two meters in diameter kept lumping.

By this spring grew a “boli-bolinao” tree of the molave family with luxuriant foliage from which was derived the present name of the town. Under this tree the affairs of the town were administered while stone walls were piled nearby as corner-stone of the Roman Catholic Church which was finally completed in 1609, thirteen years after the transfer of the town site.

Location

Bolinao is situated at the northwestern tip of Pangasinan and the Lingayen Gulf. It is bounded on the north and west by China Sea, on the south by the rolling hills and plateaus of Bani, and on the east by Kakiputan Channel; this body of water separates Bolinao from the only island town of Pangasinan — Anda — which is formerly part of Bolinao.

It is approximately 274 kilometers north of Manila via Camiling town of Tarlac, 79 kilometers away from the capital town of Lingayen, 98.5 kms. away from Dagupan City, 115 kms. away from San Carlos City and 125 kms. away from Urdaneta, Pangasinan.

Regular trips to the municipality are available with Dagupan Bus Co., Five Star, Victory Liner, Philippine Rabbit, and scores of mini-buses going from Bolinao to Dagupan and vice-versa. Jeepneys also ply the Alaminos-Bolinao routes while motorized bancas make trips between the island barangays. A one hour boat ride is also available from San Fernando, La Union to Bolinao.

Sport Fishing

Bolinao is also known as the fish basket of Pangasinan because of the 14 mile barrier reef located within its area at the mouth of the Lingayen Gulf. As such a variety of fishes are caught in the waters off Bolinao. Due to the diversity of marine life, Bolinao was chosen by the University of the Philippines to be the location for the UP Marine Station Institute.

These include monster 50++ kilo giant trevally (talakitok), blue marlin, sailfish (susay), barracuda, king mackerel (tanguigue), needlefish (batalay), yellowfin tuna, skipjack tuna, dorado (mahi-mahi), grey snapper and bluefish.

Due to its natural haven of these popular game fishes, two sport fishing association, the Philippine Game Fishing Foundation and the Philippine Sport Fishing Club based in Manila regularly hold its yearly heavy tackle tournament at Bolinao.

List of the 30 Barangays in Bolinao

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