Where the Gentle People Are | Dumaguete 2023

As you may have noticed from the title, this post has been long overdue. I was going through my drafts when I saw that I still had two or three posts from a year ago that I never finished or published. I’m not quite sure why I left them on hold until they were forgotten, but here I am, finally sharing them with you.

It was around July last year when we finally decided to get our passports. Fortunately, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had an opening at that time. However, we couldn’t secure any slots in Cebu, so we had no choice but to try our luck at the neighboring offices. Thankfully, the Dumaguete office still had a few openings, and we were able to secure a group appointment. We weren’t in a rush to get our passports, but we felt the need to finally get them due to our busy schedules, and the appointments always book out as soon as they become available.

We initially planned to travel together, but since Shayna and Marlie couldn't get time off for their weekend class, it was only Gwy and I who went first. This gave us the chance to explore a little bit of the city, while Shayna and Marlie followed the next day. From the Cebu South Bus Terminal, we boarded a bus going directly to Dumaguete via Liloan Port. When we arrived at Liloan Port, the konduktor told us to buy a ticket for the ferry, as it wasn't included in the fare. We departed late from Liloan Port, so we were really running behind for our Airbnb check-in. We were just very lucky that the host was very patient with us.

We arrived almost at midnight, unsure which way to our Airbnb, but we were very fortunate that the tricycle driver was very kind to us. He even took us to his favorite karinderya because we were so hungry and there wasn’t any open or nearby restaurant. That’s also when we realized that we kind of made a mistake when I booked the accommodation. Since I was with students, we tried to get the cheapest stay, but we didn’t know that the location was a little out of the way. It only takes 10 minutes to commute, but it was a little secluded, and tricycles rarely passed by. Anyway, aside from taking us to his favorite karinderya, since we arrived late, the host left the key under the planter, and when we couldn’t find it, Kuya helped us look for it, making sure we settled inside before he drove off.

It was late in the afternoon the next day when we left the Airbnb, unsure of where to go. We decided to follow a map created by Pinspired that shows the tourist spots in the city. Our first stop was the Bell Tower, or Dumaguete Belfry. Just beside it is the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral, where we offered a prayer since it was also Sunday.

After that, we headed to Quezon Park, where some locals were hanging out. It also has a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal. Continuing straight ahead, we arrived at the infamous Dumaguete Boulevard, where we spent most of the afternoon, also waiting for Shayna and Marlie’s arrival later that night.

We also dropped by the Pinspired shop, where they sell locally made artworks such as pins, tote bags, and postcards, to name a few. Luckily, there was an ongoing exhibit on the second floor of the shop, so we checked it out as well. The good thing was, it was just us when we visited, so we had the place to ourselves and even had the best view of the boulevard. Of course, I bought some souvenirs to add to my collection.

After visiting Pinspired, we went to Freedom Park to have dinner because, based on our previous searches, there was a night market there. However, when we arrived, not a soul was in sight. So, we headed back to the Boulevard to eat and walk around some more. Then, we stumbled upon an ice cream shop called Panda Ice Cream, which they said was a must-try. And indeed, it was! If you're in Dumaguete, it’s a must-try as the ice cream is homemade and definitely made with love—it was really creamy and delicious.

Of course, once Shayna and Marlie arrived, we had to take the obligatory photo at the Dumaguete sign. We stayed there for a few minutes, enjoying the breeze from the sea, the music, and the laughter of the locals enjoying the show on stage before heading back to our Airbnb. We went back early as we had an early appointment at the DFA the next day.

We checked out early from our Airbnb because, after our appointment, we would be heading back to Cebu. The entire morning went smoothly. There weren’t any major issues when we submitted our requirements, took photos, and paid for the delivery of the passport once it’s available. Moreover, shoutout to DFA Dumaguete, as they are, so far, the best government agency we've encountered—well-organized with excellent customer service.

With little time before heading home, we visited Silliman University. However, we weren’t able to explore the campus as we were required to visit a particular office for registration, and the tour was set to start at 2 PM, if my memory serves me right. We didn’t have enough time and were about to give up when the guard allowed us to take a few photos in some areas under his watch. So, we wasted no time and took a quick photo, not wanting to get kuya guard in trouble.

This was when I realized that the slogan "Gentle People" isn't just a phrase—it's truly the essence of Dumaguete. Their kindness, warm smiles, and welcoming nature made the city feel refreshing.

One last stop before we headed home was, of course, to make Shayna and Marlie try the homemade ice cream from Panda Ice Cream, which they also loved.

That’s all for our quick Dumaguete trip. While it was short, it was full of wonderful experiences that I’ll always remember. I’m still hoping to return one day to explore the neighboring municipalities and cities, as there’s so much more to see and do. There’s a certain charm to Dumaguete that I feel I haven’t fully experienced yet. In the meantime, I still have a few overdue blog posts from a year ago that I’m excited to share. I’ll be making more time to catch up and post them here, so stay tuned for more updates and travel stories!