NAGA CITY (PIA) -- Milaor Mayor Anthony “Lhabas” Reyes highlighted the town’s rich cultural heritage and traditions during his virtual guesting on Radyo Pilipinas last Thursday, November 18. 

“Milaor is rich in culture and traditions which is represented by our religious tourist spots, including the St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church. St. Joesph is the patron of our town,” Reyes said at the livestreamed Network Briefing News (NBN), which was hosted by Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary JV Arcena.

Regarded as a highly-religious community, Milaor, also known as “the gateway to Maharlika Highway” and considered as the honor guard of Naga City's southern doors, is home to three churches which attract local and foreign tourists.

The St. Joseph Worker Parish Church is Milaor’s  version of Italy's “Leaning Tower of Pisa.”  It is accentuated with delicate, old bricks, giving its façade a panoramic view.

Milaor also has the Padre Pio Satellite Mission located in Barangay Dalipay. It houses the first-class relic of St. Padre Pio from Italy and the St. Anthony de Padua parish which was established on May 13, 1994 in Barangaty San Antonio. 

Aside from the decade-long church, the town’s river also attracts local tourists as it offers scenic view particularly when the sun sets in.  They also have the Milaor Embarcadero which was built in 1720.

Composed of 20 barangays which are basically located in the lowland, Milaor is also prone to flooding when there are strong typhoons or torrential rains.

On Nov. 12 2001, Milaor inaugurated a P50-million worth of  multi-purpose evacuation center. Funded by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., it is a climate resilient state of the art facility which can withstand a 300 kilometers per hour raging typhoon. 

Reyes also takes pride in their slippers and bags as by-products of the grass called “ragiwdiw,” as well as their One-Town-One-Product's “pinangat”- a local delicacy made of shrimp filling and cooked in rich "gata" or coconut milk. 

The municipal government also extends help to start ups and small business by providing them with capacity training.   The local government unit partners with various government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment and other government offices and private institutions to go about it.

Milaor is located at the south of Naga City in Camarines Sur, Bicol region and is accessible via a 10-minute travel by jeepney.  (PIA5/Camarines Sur)