On August 18,
2014, I, together with my parents, uncle and family friends, travelled to Tuao,
Cagayan in Cagayan Valley Region to attend to the invitation of the Presidential Legislative
Liaison Office Secretary. The Municipality of Tuao in Cagayan Province is about
520 Kilometers north from Manila and about 8-10 hours grueling travel time.
Coincincidentally, on the same day,
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III inaugurated a bridge budgeted by means of
controversial Development Acceleration Program. The bridge, which is said to
link Region I, II, and Cordillera Autonomous Region, is known as “Ninoy Aquino
Bridge.” The 360 lineal meter bridge, which is 3 years in the making, is remotely
located in San Luis village in Tuao. The bridge serves as a connector between
Tuao West and Tuao East which is physically separated by a vast river. The
construction of this bridge was already visualized way back 1968. Now, the said
bridge materializes and is expected to efficiently shorten traveling time to neighboring
provinces from 4 to 5 hours to 2 and a half hours.
Travel in
Cagayan Valley Region will not be completed without tasting local delicacy from
province to province. In Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, we had a brief stop-over at “Bites
Restaurant” to try out its famous "Kare-Kare" topped with crispy "Bagnet." Adding
to order, "Burudibud" and chicken "Sisig" which complemented our lunch. We also
dropped by Santiago City in Isabela, through the invitation of a friend, to experience
the local specialty known as “Pancit Cabagan.” Pancit Cabagan is a traditional
food in the province that is mixed with a sauce and some basil leaf.
Cagayan Province is another gateway to Ilocandia Region and its home to other beautiful beaches and islands. In fact, Batanes Province was just a municipality of Cagayan Province before.
Cagayan Province is another gateway to Ilocandia Region and its home to other beautiful beaches and islands. In fact, Batanes Province was just a municipality of Cagayan Province before.
