TRIVIA: The Malacanang of the North is actually a "birthday gift" of then First Lady Imelda Marcos to her husband on his 60th birthday.

When in Ilocos Norte, visit Malacanang of the North for a piece of Philippine history. It is located in Barrio Suba, Paoay, Ilocos Norte and it's open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. A minimal fee of 30 pesos is collected for those who want to visit the place.

To get there, you may also rent a tricycle from Laoag City. Please note that it is not on the national road, so it is advisable that you rent a tricycle or bring your own car.Fort Ilocandia Resort HotelHOTEL OVERVIEWThe only paradise and superior first class property in the north, sprawling on 77 hectares of land amidst gentle sand dunes and 9 kilometers of fine sandy beach, FORT ILOCANDIA RESORT HOTEL is situated in Barrio Calayab, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. It is 10 minutes from Laoag International Airport and 9 kilometers from Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. The Resort Hotel complex is composed of five buildings all inspired by Spanish colonial architecture and finished in cool red bricks. It has 267 rooms with private balconies offering a view of the sea and possessing the features and qualities of Ilocano century-old living quarters and constructed to accentuate the antiquity of a colonial house. Check In : 14:00 Check Out : 12:00 GMT Time : +08:00 - Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi

DIRECTIONJust 45 Minutes from Kaohsiung and an hour from Manila, Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel is an ideal place for rest and relaxation as well as business trips and conventions.

NEAR BY ATTRACTIONHere are some attractions in Laoag: - Ilocos Norte Museum. 9am to 5pm closed: Mondays. Entrance: P 30. - Tobacco Monopoly. - Sand Dunes, La Paz. The only desert in the Philippines. 4x4 vehicle recommended to appreciate the desert beauty. - Sinking Belltower. - named so because it slowly sinks into the soft soil of the city. A decade ago, the entrance was still tall enough to let a man on horseback enter. Now not even a man could enter.

Aglipay Shrine (Batac, IlocosNorte)

Google MapsApparently, Pres. Ferdinand Marcos is not the only prominent historical figure who callsBatac Cityhis home. One other such figure isGregorio Aglipay, a former Catholic priest who, due to his support for thePhilippine Revolution, was excommunicated and later on founded thePhilippine Independent Churchaka theIglesia Filipina Independiente(IFI). TheIFIis the third largest Christian denomination in the Philippines, after the Roman Catholic Church and theIglesia ni Cristo.TheIFI, popularly nicknamed the Aglipayan Church, was founded in 1902 and is Catholic in nature, though aligned with the Anglican Church. It has around two to four million adherents mostly in the Ilocos Region and is considered the most visible artifact of the Filipinos struggle against colonial Spain.Photo byShubert Ciencia. (CC)Aglipay died at the age of 80 on September 1, 1940 and was given an elaborate funeral attended by officials of theCommonwealth of the Philippines. His remains lie in state at a large mausoleum called theAglipay Shrinein downtown Batac City. This shrine is actually right across the street from the Marcos Mausoleumwhich I featured before.Interestingly, there is a second Aglipa

Aglipay HistoricShrine

Kullabeng, Pinili, Ilocos NorteIt is sitio kullabeng where Monsignor Gregorio L. Aglipay celebrated his 42nd Birthday at the residence of Don Ignacio Lafradez wherein many Filipino Priests were among those who are invited to grace the occasion. The issue of the abuse and discrimination of the Spanish Friars against the Filipino counter parts became the center of discussion, Mons. Aglipay led the group of the Filipino Priests in their declaration of independence from Rome and as a result they established the National Church, the Iglesia Filipina Independiente and so the first mass of the newly-born church was first celebrated in Kullabeng during said occasion.Pinili was established as a town on January 1, 1920 by virtue of EO No. 92, s.1919, which was signed by the governor general on December 20, 1919. The place was formerly covered by a thick forest where wild animals abound. In 1920, at the height of the Filipino-American War, the rebel priest, Monsignor Gregorio Aglipay, fled to the thick forest with several of his men and formed his sandatahan, to fight against the Americans who invaded the province.The Filipino soldiers under his command were weak in military tactics and almost outnumbered by the enemies. To protect soldiers from the attack of the invaders, Msgr. Aglipay ordered some of his men to climb the tallest tamarind tree on top of the hill to watch for the coming of the American forces. When the watchers saw that there was something unusual they reported it to the hiding soldiers, so that they would be ready to fight. This was how the place was used during the war. For protection, the priest ordered the settlers to build their houses nearer to each other. There were three factors that made Pinili (means selected) the name of the town: 1. General Gregorio Aglipay selected it as the place of refuge for his army; 2. The place was inhabited only by selected people; and 3. The place was chosen as the site of the poblacion because of its historical value.Aglipay Shrine in BatacAglipay died at the age of 80 on September 1, 1940 and was given an elaborate funeral attended by officials of theCommonwealth of the Philippines. His remains lie in state at a large mausoleum called theAglipay Shrinein downtown Batac City. This shrine is actually right across the street from the Marcos Mausoleum.Batac is one of the oldest towns in Ilocos Norte. It was founded by the conqiustadorJuan de Salcedoin 1577, shortly after he had consolidated Spanish rule inVigan,Ilocos Sur.It is the birthplace ofGregorio Aglipay, the co-founder of thePhilippine Independent Church, better known as the Aglipayan Church, and Gen.Artemio Ricarte, the Father of thePhilippine Army.

Paoay Sand Dunes,

Countries such as Morocco and Dubai are famous for their natural sand dunes. But did you know that the Philippines have its own 52 square mile of this God-given wonder?

The Ilocos Sand Dunes Stretches encompasses the towns of Currimao through to Pasuquin in Ilocos Norte. The La Paz Sand Dunes in Laoag City is one of the more popular sand dune destinations in Ilocos Norte. But more recently, the PAOAY SAND DUNES is remarkably gaining popularity to tourists travelling up north.

To start your Paoay Sand Dunes Adventure, hire a 4x4 Rough Riding vehicle at the base of the site. A fleet of these 4x4s are at your disposal and a professional driver will be your guide to the vast sand dunes. For 1,500php for a maximum of 5 people per car, the driver will tour the group at the Sand dunes for 30 minutes. Sightseeing and photo sessions can be done for this package.

For the more adventurous type, rent the 4x4 for an hour which will then include sand boarding and thrilling drops on steep sand ridges that will make you scream in excitement. Hold on to the steel bar while standing on the 4x4 for the most exciting adventure in Paoay. The sand ridges can go as high as 10-20ft at the most, while the most thrilling ride is the rollercoaster, where a series of sand hills will make you hold on to that bar of steel for dear life.

After these rides, try sand boarding where a plank of wood is your equipment to slide over sand folds in the vast landscape. It has the same discipline as skate boarding, such as balance is the key to the sport. My first try was, of course (with my inborn uncoordinated self), a fall but it was not painful at all. The soft sand is your cushion and your defense to the fear of trying again. If you do it once and get over the fear, I can assure that youll do it over and over again. It was that much fun! The hardest and most tiring aspect of the sport? Going up again the sandy slope after sliding down, but this will not prevent you to try and try until you do it perfectly. This package will cost 2,500php.

After the thrill, the guide will then drive the group down to the beach shores along the sand dunes. It is a perfect way to end a beautiful and exhilarating adventure. Plan your trip either in the early morning to welcome the sunrise (open as early as 5am) or late afternoon (5-6pm) to glory on the sunset not only because its marvelous but also to avoid the heat of the afternoon sun that can reflect to the sand.

The Paoay Sand Dunes Adventure is not one to be missed up north. For reservations, contact the Paoay Off-Roaders and Adventure Group here:

Gilbert Santos, +63 928 9473518