I was there January 29 to 30, 2014.
Baler is the capital of the Province of Aurora located at the easternmost part of Luzon facing the vast Pacific Ocean. If the mountains of Sierra Madre seem to be the eastern frontier for Luzon, the town is beyond these mountains. After traversing the mountain passes, the rugged highlands eventually gave way to vast flood plains which gently rolled into the Pacific. Like baby, Baler is peacefully resting on said plains. As I strolled around, I wonder how the town flourished despite its distance from big population centers.
Baler is not on my list of places to visit. I was there to work. Together with other academics from Region III, I was commissioned by the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office III to assess Mt. Carmel College's AB Political Science offering. It turned out, that work became a respite.
Turn off your cellphones and just be out of touch. Feel the morning breeze from the seemingly endless Pacific ocean. Relive history as you visit Baler's old church and the house of former President Manuel Quezon. Or simply enjoy the rustic environs where the famed Angaras live. Baler is a town to visit when one craves for real rest from the noise and haste of the world.
Unfortunately, it rained non-stop for three days when we arrived at the town. In Aurora, landslides during heavy rains is a big problem. Mud and boulders blocked the highways. We got stuck in the chartered bus for more than six hours.
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| Baler Public Market. Coco jam is a good "pasalubong" from Baler. There is a pasalubong center nearby where local handicrafts are sold. |
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| The only ship docked at the Baler seaport. |
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| A peaceful port. |
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| Tromba Marina. Facing the vast Pacific Ocean means a constant exposure to storms and tsunamis. History records a 1735 tsunami which almost wiped out all the inhabitants of Baler. |
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| On our way home, there was a landslide that almost bury a car just a few meters away from our bus. We were stranded for more than six hours. |
