MMSU

PCC at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is located in Batac City: claimed to be Home of Great Leaders (Ferdinand E. Marcos, Gregorio Aglipay and Artemio Ricarte to name a few). The center is within the campus of the MMSU and situated along the national highway, about one kilometer south of the Batac-Paoay crossroad and 2 km southwest of the City Hall and the Marcos Mausoleum. From the City Hall, a tricycle can bring you to the center for a Php15.00 fare. Travel to Batac City can be by land or air.

Batac City is 471 km from Metro Manila - which would take about 8-10 hours travel by bus at night and 12 hours or maybe longer (depending on the bus boarded) at daytime. You wouldn't get bored during the travel because of the great scenery along the way: China Sea on the west and Cordillera Mountains on the east. Besides, the fully air-conditioned buses have toilets and reclining chairs. On the other hand, you can sleep all the way when taking the night trip.

Instruct the bus conductor to drop you at the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) or at the ATI (Agricultural Training Institute), pronounced with a short "a" then the syllable "ti". There are several buses plying the Manila-Laoag route such as Farinas Trans, Maria de Leon Trans, Florida Bus Lines and RCJ Lines, whose terminals are all in Sampaloc, Manila, and the Partas Bus Company with terminals in Cubao and Pasay. The fare ranges from Php600.00 to Php850.00 (for superdeluxe)

You may take the plane from NAIA and arrive at the Laoag International Airport (LIA) in 45 minutes to one hour and reach the center in 20-30 minutes (using a private vehicle) because Laoag City is only 18 km north of Batac City. There are 3 daily flights from NAIA:

There are two routes from the LIA to the center:

• The Laoag-Paoay road where you

  1. move southeast by turning right upon reaching the roundabout junction 5 km from the airport.

  2. By taking this (approx) 13 km route, you pass by the famous sand dunes, the Plaza del Norte, the Paoay Lake and a glimpse of the Malacanang of the North and the World Heritage Paoay Church.

  3. From the Paoay Church continue to move 5km eastward along Marcos Avenue

  4. Pass by the MMSU campus then turn right or south upon reaching the traffic light at the Batac-Paoay or Marcos Avenue crossing (pronounced krrassing by the locals),

  5. then drive a kilometer southward along the Main National Road (MANOR) until you see to your right the marker/signage of the center printed all over the parapet of the building. Across the office is a beautiful mansion atop a hill.

• • The Laoag-San Nicolas road where you take the main national road (MANOR) by

    1. moving 9 km eastward pass the roundabout until the Airport Avenue-Laoag junction then

    2. turning right and moving 3 km east up to the Big Pot (Banga) before the Municipal Hall of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte then

    3. turning right and moving 16 km southward pass the Batac City-Paoay or Marcos Avenue crossing until you see to your right the marker/signage of the center.