1) The document summarizes the author's experience on a 5-day educational tour of Metro-Luzon with their faculty and classmates from BSHM 3rd Year. 2) Key stops on the tour included Mall of Asia, Intramuros, Fort Santiago, Luneta Park, Ilocos Norte, Vigan, Baguio City, and Manila. Sites of historical, cultural and natural significance were visited. 3) The author found the tour to be a great learning experience, bringing them and their classmates closer together and giving them a wider perspective of the world around them.

1. HAYAG, HERBERT AYLWIN M.
BSHM Block 1
Last April 2012, we the BSHM 3rd Year had five-day educational tour in
Metro-Luzon together with our faculty. We may have gotten to the airport very
early in the morning but we have prepared to witness the sights and the sounds
that made Manila what is it today. We experienced the different tourist
destination in Metro-Luzon, these aimed to learned and sees the different
heritage found in certain place.
I’ve experienced a lot, a great experienced ever. On April 15, our
educational tour starts. Our faculty gave us time for almost 1 hour and half to
explore the Mall of Asia. After in Mall of Asia, our next destination is the
Intramuros. We went over to the Fort Santiago where Rizal executed. This very
place had such a mad history as a lot of people who were imprisoned there were
tortured to death. We even took a look at the ground to see Rizal’s bronze
footsteps that led to his execution.Due to the short of time; we just passed the
Luneta Park. We had our early dinner at Mang Inasal.
Around 9 in the evening we started our very long trip to Laoag City in
Ilocos Norte. The travel time takes 13 to 15 hours. For that hours of travel, we
only had thrice for the stop over’s for those who need comfort rooms and for
those who want to buy something to eat. We arrived at La Elliana Hotel around 9
in the morning which is supposedly Day 2 if we were looking to the itinerary.

2. We started our second day around 12noon. We just passed by the
Pasuquin, the Burgos Light House. One of the most important landmarks of the
whole province that we did not miss to visit is the Malacañang of the North. The
Malacaňang of the North is a two-storey mansion; it sits on a beautiful landscape
overlooking the serene Paoay Lake. The design of a mansion is the mixture of
Spanish and Ilocano influences.
Next is the Bangui Windmill, the gigantic windmill of Laoag City, one of the
feature destinations in Ilocos Norte. From afar, they look like tiny toy fans planted
on grey sands. As we get closer, these charming white structures got bigger and
better. And when we finally reached the beach where they are situated, all of us
shouted in full amazement as we clearly glimpsed the humongous white
windmills beautifully lined up on the shores of Bangui Bay.
We went also to the Sta. Monica Church, where in the daughter of the former
President Marcos held her wedding, the wedding of the century.
3rd day of Educational tour, I was full of excitement to finally see
the Heritage City of Vigan, the capital City of the Province of Ilocos Sur known to
be the only heritage city in the whole Philippines.
We went to the Baluarte Zoo; the little horse running is enjoyable to watch,
to me at least. A lot of animals are not tied and chained. Calle Crisologo is the
street where-in the visitors of Vigan can shop the souvenirs and food items. So
much fun to walk around in Calle Crisologo.

3. Welcome Baguio City! Our first destination is the Tam-awan village, there
are many Igorot huts within the village which will allow you to see how the homes
of the mountain people really look like. There are a few native handicraft items
that are sold aside from some books and publications about the Igorot people,
their culture and traditions.
We had the chance to visit the Philippine Military Academy; the officials of
PMA are very strict in terms of clothes of the visitors, like using slippers inside
the PMA compound and sexy shorts for girls. I really enjoyed the walking tour
inside the PMA, I saw the field where the officers doing their training and the
different aircraft.
After the great experience in Baguio City,we had our long trip to Manila. .
At 2 o’clock in the morning, we arrived at the Pamilya Hotel in Pasay City. We
rest well because at 8 in the morning, we need to wake up.
We went to Resort World Manila to attend the seminar, experienced their
some recreational facilities like the Game Zoo. After in Resort World Manila, we
went to Saint Honoree to attend also the seminar, ate there our snacks and we
took our dinner at TGIF.
In conclusion, this Educational tour we had was the most phenomenal time
we had together as a batch. This means that as friends we were closer, as
classmates we were wiser and as people we were more open to the world
around us.