Before discovering pancit batil patong, the first thing that comes to our mind when one mentions Tuguegarao City is its cave—a huge one where light filters in from a natural crevice above, illuminating a row of pews facing a natural stone altar. A cave, whose chambers are large enough to hold weddings in. One unlike any other in the Philippines. Callao Cave.

INSIDE CALLAO CAVE IN PENABLANCA

But we were dead wrong on our assumptions.

During my first visit to Tuguegarao City, I was finally able to step inside this northern gem. It’s not located in Tuguegarao City, as I previously thought, but in the sleepy town of Peñablanca. Twenty four kilometers away from where I thought it was.

► CHECK OUT: TUGUEGARAO TRAVEL GUIDE

About two years back, coming from an week-long trip from the towns of Claveria, Pagudpud, and Calayan, we made a quick decision to drop by Tuguegarao City as we were about to board a bus bound to Manila. Since it was such a spur-of-the-moment move, we scrambled across the web, scouting for the cheapest accommodation we could find before our bus passes through the city.

Pensione Joselina was the first one we found and a quick call from our cellphone confirmed us for the night.

We arrived at Tuguegarao City at around eight in the evening. Finding Hotel Joselina was easy enough. After a few questions for directions, we were at the inn’s gates in less than five minutes.

► DIG DEEPER: TUGUEGARAO TRAVEL GUIDE

Tuguegarao City holds the record for having the hottest climate in the Philippines. And on in this particular day, we really can’t quite dispute that. We were sweating buckets as we moved through the city’s busy streets, walking through shades and sprinting along open areas as we made our way to the Tuguegarao Cathedral.

TUGUEGARAO CATHEDRAL’S MYSTERIOUS WALL DECORATIONS

The baroque-style cathedral stood proudly against the midday heat. A handsome brick sentinel, watching guard over the whole city. On its symmetrical façade—framed by Solomonic twisted pilasters—we could glean cryptic clay casts; two bolos with a six-pointed stars, roosters, mysterious characters topped with crowns.

Church architecture aficionados were quite particular with the cathedral’s broken and crested pediment, a style they said, typical to Cagayan churches.

► EXPLORE: CAGAYAN VISITA IGLESIA

I tasted my first pancit batil patong dish the night before at a guerilla-type roadside eatery along Bonifacio Street near Hotel Joselina Tuguegarao, where we were staying. I was instantly hooked.

This was about two years ago and it was my first time to visit Tuguegarao City. The next morning, we hunted for a proper panciteria, asking locals as we went along. They were all saying the same thing, go to the Tuguegarao Cathedral, there’s one along its left wing. We followed their advice and we found Ed’s Panciteria (amazingly, it was just across Jomar’s Panciteria, which would later become our favorite pancit batil patong restaurant).

INSIDE ED’S PANCITERIA’S SIMPLE INTERIORS

It was basically a shack with a bare ceiling, unfinished floor with a few plastic chairs and makeshift tables. The thing that made us decide to eat there was the number of locals having their fill of their noodles, a good indication that this place serves a mean dish.

► EXLPLORE: TUGUEGARAO TRAVEL GUIDE

It was impossible to resist the call to visit Babuyan Islands, one of the northernmost groups of islands in the Philippines. Some say it’s the most beautiful in country, but I have to see for myself. The trip entails riding a grueling fourteen-hour bus ride from Manila to Claveria in Cagayan then transfer to a five-hour boat ride to the islands.

The island transfer did not happen though; we got stuck at Claveria due to inclement weather conditions. For the meantime, we checked out what Claveria has to offer. We made do with what we have.