Philippine Travel Guide places, food and events

Very hospitable people and great food, this is what I can say about Jaro, Leyte.

I went for a vacation at the house of my wife’s grandmother last week which is in Jaro, Leyte wherein they are also celebrating the feast of their patron. It’s an hour flight from Manila to Tacloban then another hour by jeepney from Tacloban to the town proper. I travelled without my wife, as she needs to take care of our little baby in Manila.

I’ve really gained weight staying there as I had a taste of a lot of food:

• sisi – small clams placed in a jar full of vinegar
• kabog – wild bat cooked in coconut milk
• binagol – Sweetened shredded gabi tuber with coconut and condensed milk then cooked in coconut shells and wrapped in banana leaves
• bahalina – fresh coconut sap/toddy (a local wine)
• moron – rice flour cooked in coconut milk flavored with cocoa and wrapped in banana leaves
• native lechon – roasted native pig

kabog

Eating During Feast in Jaro

native lechon

We were also invited by the mayor of Jaro, Leyte – Hon. Rolando T. Celebre to visit his place for breakfast and for a tour of his RTC farm, not so sure but of my calculation, around 150-hectare land containing a poultry farm (around 400-500 game fowls), piggery (with 80 sow and huge number of piglets), coffee farm and more.

RTC Farm in Jaro, Leyte

me at rtc farm

Poultry Farm

Piggery

Coffee Farm

Rice Mill

I have also visited Carigara, Leyte wherein we bought some fish in the public market.

Carigara Market

Buying Fish in Carigara, Leyte

Buying Newly Catched Fish

It was a really wonderful place to stay at. Though you can’t find a Jollibee or a mall in there, you won’t be bored as there are lots of place to go to. If you don’t have a car, their primary means of transportation is the pedicab.

Pedicab

Us at the Jaro Market

Jaro River

And here is my wife’s ancestral house and relatives:

House in Jaro, Leyte

I’ll be back in Jaro, Leyte by May of 2009, that time with my wife and our kids.