I shifted to second gear as I began negotiating that winding, steep highway. I was making a descent. Cyclists in colorful jerseys were on their way up, reminiscent of the durable cycling legend Jose Sumalde who honed his skills pedaling his way up that curve that took him to the mountain top.
At the outskirts of the town, I stopped by the side of the road upon seeing Edna. Edna is a beautiful lady who, once upon a time, was the Reyna Elena in the annual Flores de Mayo. Every afternoon, she tends to her little garden, watering the euphorbia, milflores and the gumamela. A little to the right of the garden is a WWII vintage machine gun mounted on an elevated portion of the ground. It is used as prop. Edna and her husband live a tranquil life in the town of Teresa.
Teresa is a quiet, small municipality that lies on the slopes of the Sierra Madre. The slopes are sturdy and partly rocky. They are not prone to landslides. While this town is landlocked by Antipolo City and the town of Morong and is seemingly overshadowed by its more illustrious neighbors, Teresa boasts of rich natural resources, notably, lime stones and silica-silliceous rock mass.
Teresa is a first class municipality. Republic Cement Corporation, now owned and managed by La Farge, has a factory in Teresa that provides employment to its residents. Still, a great part of the land is planted to crops. The town of Teresa also has numerous spring resorts which are popular during the summer months.
On my way back, a cement mixer was traversing the dangerous bend at the highway. At the appropriate time and place, I made my move. I pumped on the gas, overtook the six wheeler and honked my horn. Nearing the top, I took one last look at Teresa's hills and valleys. For the next 100 years, it is a guarantee that the town's natural resources will not dry up. Truly, Teresa is blessed.
 |
| Breakfast at Tropical Hut near Marcos Highway |
 |
| Special hamburger meal for only P98- |
 |
| The descent to the town of Teresa. Travel time from Antipolo City proper to Teresa is approximately 20 minutes. |
 |
| The area near the Teresa-Antipolo boundary is limestone country. |
 |
| Mining quarry of Teresa as viewed from the Marikina-Infanta Road |
 |
| One of several resorts in Teresa |
 |
| The Teresa Gas Station before you make the left turn to the Municipal Hall. |
 |
| Municipal Hall of Teresa. I used to frequent this town hall during the time of my good friend Boying Santiago who was then the Municipal Planning and Development Officer. |
 |
| Statue of Dr. Jose Rizal in front of the Municipal Hall. Incumbent mayor is Hon. Raul Palino. |
 |
| Teresa's Fire Station is beside the Municipal Hall. |
 |
| The old Saint Rose of Lima Church. St. Rose of Lima is the patron saint of the town. The town was formerly called Santa Rosa. This was changed to Teresa as the townspeople's token of gratitude to the Spanish lawyer who petitioned the Governor General to grant autonomy to what was then a barrio of Morong. The Spanish lawyer's mother was called Dona Teresa. |
 |
| Another gas station along the national road of Teresa. |
 |
| A Jollibee outlet at the town proper. The newly constructed Church of Teresa is at the back of this food outlet. |
 |
| Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in Teresa. |
 |
| Fire Tree along the highway of Teresa. It is also known as the Flame Tree. |
 |
| Bahay Kubo for sale for P18 thou |
 |
| Sineguelas or Spanish Plum at P60 per kilo |
 |
| Special suman |
 |
| The road leading to Solid Cement Corporation plant. |
 |
| FR Cement Corp. is now Republic Cement Corporation which is owned and managed by LaFarge. |
 |
| Higher side car |
 |
| The Morong-Teresa-Antipolo route, specifically the uphill climb, was the training ground of cycling legend Jose Sumalde. |
 |
| Jose Sumalde was back to back Tour of Luzon champion in 1964 and 1965. |
 |
| I just cannot recall when this lady was Tour of Luzon champion. Perhaps classmate Francis can help me. |
 |
| Members of the Red Horse Cycling Club of Rizal. Every Sunday, they bike around the towns of Rizal. |
