Philippine Travel Advisor

If you are looking for a unique dinning experience Punong Gary's Place in Silay City , Negros Occidental is a perfect place to go. The place offers not only great food but also serene ambiance. Punong Gary's Place is an Asian Fusion restaurant that serves five course-plated meal from appetizer, salad, soup, main course and dessert.  The Punong is not a usual “fishpond” we normally see. The place is inspired in a Balinese Oasis surrounded by old big trees like narra, coconut, mahogany, lunok, rubber and bamboo. Punong Gary's Place is designed by the owner itself – Nonoy Ledesma, an architect by profession. Managed by his daughter Bing and her husband Chef Joey Benin. Joey Benin is a former Side A member, singer and songwriter. He was famous in his composition of “forevermore” that was used as a theme song in the hit series of the hottest love team – Liza Soberano and Enrique Gill. Sounds very interesting right? Now back to the topic, Nonoy Ledesma inj...

The affluence of sugar industry made Silay and Silaynon rich. Palatial mansions built by affluent families has been a living testament of how Silaynon lived during their heyday. Cultural heritage has been well preserved up to this day, the proof of which are the 29 plus surviving ancestral houses. Silay is acclaimed as the "Paris de Negros." Also considered as the Seat of Arts, Culture and Ecotourism in Western Visayas and declared as a Museum City. HISTORY SPANISH COLONIZATION The first settlement in Negros is “Carobcob,” founded in 1565. It serves as the landmark and civilization in Silay. It is a village by the sea formerly situated between the present barangay Balaring properand Sitio Bungol. Villagers make a living through scratching for “Tuway” shells which were abundant in the shores. Thus, Spaniards named the place Carobcob because of the occupation of the people. To date nothing is left as it was devastated by the typhoons. On January 25, 1571, Carob...

Photo By: Dats Snapshot Long before the coming of the Spaniards in Buglas (Negros Island), there lived a beautiful “Lin-ay” (Maiden) in a shoreline village of Karobkob. She is called Kansilay.  She’s so sweet and beautiful that the people of the village liked her. She is the only daughter of Pinunong Bubog, the village chief. Her fiancé is Lawa-an, a handsome and hard working “ulitao” (gentlemen). Kansilay and Lawa-an are so in love with each other and their parents have agreed for their “tambe-palad” (marriage) when the right time comes. One day, Lawa-an joined the young men of the village in the annual “ pangayam” (hunting for wildlife) which would last for one full moon. Lawa-an bid Kansilay goodbye. While the young men of the village were away, there came a group of “ tulisan” (bandits) headed by Lunok. They burned the houses, looted the property, and even raped some women. Old Bubog gathered the elders of the village and fought Lunok. The villain treacherously killed the chie...