Tacloban, now a chartered city

Okay, enough of the Olot series, although I'm glad some of you enjoyed it. Before the year ends, I've to post these photos of Tacloban becoming a chartered city. Starting Dec 18, after the plebescite results (57% Yes), Tacloban City was declared a chartered city. Meaning, it's not anymore under the Leyte province. It will change the whole politics things.. although I doubt, not my photos :D



HUC means Highly Urbanized City.. which Tacloban is a long way from now.

Olot Series: Driveway

The driveway out of Olot which passes by the golf course.

Olot Series: Shortcut

During high-tide, this area is covered with sea-water. It's best to watch out because it's all rocks. This is the shortcut path from Olot to the town, the hill to the right, and the onrushing sea to the left. Almost got trapped here as kids.

Olot Series: Tolosa watchtower

The Tolosa hill. On top, if you care to climb the path is an old fort which in the old days was used as a lookout for Muslim pirates. They came to these parts to kidnap the locals for slaves, pre-Spanish times. Today, it has a lighthouse light that tells the fishermen where the coast is.

Olot Series: Cove

View of the Olot beach. Yes, it's a cove.

Olot Series: Merry Christmas!!

The wooden altar propped against the side of the rocky Tolosa hill. Many famous monsignors have held masses here, attended by many famous people. That's the Santo Nino, Imelda's patron saint.


(Star was taken inside Giusseppe's Restaurant)

Merry Christmas everyone!! MAUPAY NGA PASKO!!!

Olot Series: Hindu statues

The elephant god, Lord Ganesha. What's it doing at the summer house of Imelda? Aesthetics? Although, Imelda supposedly has an occultist's mind. Why else surround her summer house with Hindu gods and goddesses, the Buddha head, and the Sto. Nino? Lord Ganesh elephant head symbolizes the Atman/soul, and the human body, symbolizes Maya.

Olot Series: Hindu statues

I'm guessing this is the goddess Lakshimi, the female manifestation of the Lord Shiva/Vishnu??. Correct me if I'm wrong.. my Hindu knowledge of gods/goddesses is rusty. This statue is facing Marcos' cottage.

Dunno about the next two statues..

Olot Series: Couple's cottages

The building beyond was Marcos' 'clinic, where he was set-up in a hospital bed with his dialysis machine, the room with the beach view. Actually, the only room with glassed sliding doors in the whole compound. The rest of the buildings have capiz sliding windows and doors.



That building was Imelda's 14-bedroom guesthouse. Her stuff are still in the upstair rooms, locked away by her loyal staff per Imelda's instructions.

Olot Series: Doorway

This is a sealed off eerie doorway that leads to a densely-forested hill behind. When I looked, the sides of the door were open and there was a pathway up to the hill. The doorway is guarded by two Hindu-looking statues.





Close-up

Olot Series

I'll be doing a series of Olot, the once great and extravagant summer vacation house of the Marcoses. Now, it's a dilapidated place leased out by the PCGG to a resort investor. The compound has an 18-hole golf course, a useless olympic size pool, a disrepaired pelota court, a non-usable basketball court and tennis court, some barracks for the Marcoses' security men, a garden church with a wooden altar, some imported Hindu gods/goddesses, an Italian mosaic diorama by a famous Italian artist (forgot the name now) of the Stations of the Cross that are strategically placed around the compound (you've to take a long walk to finish this, I guess Imelda Marcos used a golf cart), Imelda Marcos' 14-bedroom guesthouse, Ferdinand Marcos' bedroom-turned 'clinic' during his dialysis days, Bongbong's 4-bedroom cottage, and 2 wide-open function areas for parties. And the nice beach of course.