ABUYOG

ABUYOG - Hindi ako dito pinanganak, pero halos dito na ako lumaki at nagkamulat ng kaisipan. I miss the place and all the memories in this town..

"AUGUST" month na. Mag-pi-fiesta na sa lugar na to.. at ngayong taon, sad to say... hindi kami makakauwi. =(

Here's a little background of the town..

Abuyog got its name when Spanish sailors came ashore in an early settlement at the mouth of the Abuyog River to replenish their supplies. Swarms of bees were all over the shore. The Spaniards asked the natives "Como si y llama el pueblo?", not knowing that the Spaniards asked for the town's name, the natives answered "Buyog". Repeating after the natives, the sailors muttered, "Ah! Buyog". Eventually the town came to be known as "Abuyog" to which some Spanish chroniclers often used in reference to the whole island of Leyte. But Abuyog in the early annals, though grown prosperous, remained obscure because of the absence of a powerful chieftain. It was Datu Bangcao who had is seat of government in Carigara, who ruled Abuyog.

Speaking of fiesta, Abuyog celebrates its town fiesta every August 29th in honor of its patron saint, San Francisco Javier. The Buyogan Festival is the current title holder as champion of the Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival held last June 27, 2008 during the Tacloban City fiesta celebration. The last time Buyogan Festival participated in the Sinulog was in 1996 (?) – more than a decade ago.

PLACES TO VISIT

FOOD DELICACY

This is a sweet choco filled rice cake wrapped in banana leaves.

TRANSPORTATION

There are a lot of unspoiled tourist spots in Abuyog which are gradually being developed by the local government unit. Waterfalls, Hot Springs and other natural spots are just a few of the reasons to travel to Abuyog. Now, with broader choices of transportation, traveling to Abuyog will never pose as a problem.

There are different modes of transportation to choose from if you decided to go to Abuyog. Travelers may choose from various selections from land transportation or water transportation. It doesn’t matter what your preferences are. You will always find a mode of transportation that best suits you.

Those who want to travel to Abuyog Leyte can travel via bus, jeepney, pedicab, multicab and motorcycle. All of these vehicles can transport you from one place to another within the municipality proper of Abuyog or to other destinations. Of course, the mode of transportation would depend on the location where you are actually coming from.

Pedicabs - Starting from the most common means of transportation within the town proper of Abuyog is the pedicab or what the local Abuyognons call “pot-pot”. The “pot-pot” is similar to the pedicabs in other countries. However, instead of having the bike at the front, it is located at the left side while the passenger carrier is located at the right side. Maximum number of passengers on a “pot-pot” is only 2, excluding the driver. The fare for a “pot-pot” ride depends to how far your destination is. But the fare would start at PhP 3.

Motor Pedicabs - After years of having the “pot-pot” as the common vehicle within town, some Abuyognon drivers made some changes and alterations by attaching their pedicab sidecar to a motorcycle rather than to a bicycle. This ‘altered’ pedicab is referred to as the “motor-pot”. Compared to the regular pedicab, it can take you to your destination faster and the minimum fare is only Php 5.

Single Motorcyles - Some barangays of Abuyog are too far to reach and it can not be accommodated by pedicabs. That is why some people who study, work or just want to visit the town proper are required to ride on motorcycles or what is also commonly called as “motor” or “habal-habal”. This vehicle is used by commuters whose homes or destinations are located in the middle of a rice field or on the outskirts the mountains in Abuyog. The fare would depend on the destination yet it most commonly begins at Php 10 – Php 100.

Multi-cabs - Abuyognons who need to travel to Javier and Macarthur will get there faster by riding a multicab. It is similar to a jeepney yet it is much smaller. The seating capacity for a multicab is around 11-13 people.

Jeepneys - People who need to travel to Baybay can take a jeepney. Although there are also buses going to Baybay, the jeepney is the only vehicle with originates from Abuyog. Also, the fare is way cheaper than the fare of a bus ride to Baybay.

Vans- If you want to reach your destination as fast as possible or if you are in a great hurry, riding a van is the ideal choice. People traveling to Tacloban City will usually commute for at least 45 minutes to an hour. The fare is set at Php 65.

Buses -Riding a bus from the city to the municipality of Abuyog Leyte will take you at least an hour and a half. The fare is fairly cheaper than a van, being at Php 55. The commonly known buses traveling vice versa to Tacloban City are MIA, St Michael and Joan & Jake utility buses. These abovementioned buses can be found at the New Abuyog Terminal located in Barangay Tab-ok.

Bus Liners - If a person needs to go to Manila on a budget, bus liners are the perfect choice. However, it goes to say that the traveling time would encompass a whole day. Fare to Manila is around Php 800 – Php 1,500. The two bus destinations in Manila are the Cubao Bus Terminal and the Pasay Bus Terminal.

WATER TRANSPORTATION

Pump Boat - There are some barangays of Abuyog which are not accessible by the main land. An example of such is Malaguikay which needs to be reached by pump boat. While some families have their own ‘banca’, some would just commute using the utility pump boats available. However, since the pump boats do not travel 24 hours a day, commuters need to be early in catching the last boat at 5pm.

How to reach Abuyog Leyte?

Tacloban City to Abuyog is a 61.62 Km trip. Foreign travelers and first-time travelers originating from the North could rent an airport taxi or take a jeepney from San Jose to the downtown of Tacloban City. From the city proper, ride a vehicle going to the New Bus Terminal and there you could see buses and vans with the label “Abuyog” usually in the front shield of the vehicle. Have the safe and fun journey through the bus or van with sight seeing of the mountains and plains that you could see along the way. Bus fare is Php 50 per head and Php 65 for those who would prefer a faster ride in a van and its end point will be in the Abuyog Terminal located in Barangay Tab-ok.

For travelers originating from Ormoc City, 2 bus rides would be required before you reach Abuyog. From Ormoc, take a bus ride to Baybay. Upon reaching Baybay, the bus going to Tacloban must be taken. The bus heading for Tacloban will pass by Abuyog before reaching Tacloban. So, travelers must make sure that they will tell the driver ahead of time that they are heading to Abuyog. Anyway, the giant welcome signage can be seen upon entering the border of Abuyog. If not, stop at the structure of the giant bee, welcoming guests to Abuyog.

#abuyog #asia