The Amazing Race Philippines: All-Stars (DryedMangoez Edition Season 25), Leg B1

Group A: Leg 1 → Leg 2 → Leg 3 →
Group B: Leg 1 → Leg 2 → Leg 3 →

Leg 25.01 (Group B) – “History repeats itself, ika nga.”

The second group of 12 teams (Group B) arrive at the Starting Line at Kilometer Zero, not knowing that 12 other teams had already begun the Race here yesterday.

Just like the first group, Group B will be flagged off and wait for the light to turn green to cross Roxas Boulevard into Rizal Park. The teams’ backpacks are scattered around the park along with their clue. But they are locked and need a three digit code. Around Rizal Park are replicas of several Philippine landmarks, each with two corresponding numbers. Each team’s padlock requires a three digit code and accompanying their bags are three photos of landmarks. Teams must search the park for the corresponding landmarks, memorize the six numbers associated with each and then figure out the code to unlock their backpacks and the next clue.

The first five teams to unlock their backpacks will have their choice of a Fast Forward Flip, one of Two Express Passes, a Super Yield and an extra Interchange. All will be eligible to use until end of Leg 7. (Which teams don’t know is the final pre-merge Elimination Leg.)

Teams must now hop in taxi and head to St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Pinas.

The only bamboo organ in the world is located here at St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Pinas, holding immense cultural and historical significance and is more than 200 years old! For this task, teams will have to recreate a miniature version of this National Cultural Treasure. Using an array of different size bamboo, teams must figure out how they fit together in order to receive their next clue and a block of wood which they must keep until further notice.

That clue will also have keys to a brand new 2025 Kia Sonet which teams must drive to Rizal Shrine in Calamba.

And here, teams will encounter their first Road Block: Rizal Recitation. For this Road Block, Teams must memorize and then properly recite a passage from Jose Rizal’s greatest work, Noli me Tangere in its original language… Spanish! When teams are able to perform without mistakes, they will receive the next clue.

After they get the thumbs up, teams must drive to Pagsanjan. Here, teams must hop into a canoe with a bangkero paddling them through rapids and past small waterfalls, each with their own name. Teams must memorize these names as they will have to place the names in the order they encountered them once they reach the iconic Pagsanjan Falls.

Here, teams must now rappel down Pagsanjan Falls and each team member must retrieve one half of the next clue.

That clue directs teams to the Three Crosses of Paete where they will encounter the Detour: Carve or Create.

Paete, Laguna has been known for centuries for its intricate and highly skilled woodcraft tradition, dating back to Spanish colonial times. In Carve, teams will use the block of wood they obtained in Las Pinas to carve two specific figures out of it using traditional methods. Once the artisan approves of their work, they will receive the next clue.

In Create, teams must find this furniture workshop and use the block they obtained in Las Pinas to help assemble a piece of furniture using other provided wood pieces. Once their furniture is approved, they will receive the next clue.

After the Detour, teams can drive to Santa Cruz where they will face the Double Road Block: Taste and See.

The team member who will Taste will be blindfolded and then sample various delicacies of the province including white cheese, kesong puti, buko pie, bibingka de macapuno and monay.Their See partner will describe the food to them and the blindfolded teammate will have to correctly identify the food by taste only. When correct, teams will receive the next clue.

And that clue points teams to the Pit Stop: Tanghalang Maria Makiling at the National Arts Center in Los Banos.

The first team to check-in here will win P200,000 courtesy of Shell V-Power Nitro+.

The last team to check-in WILL NOT be eliminated and must now choose a Non-Elimination Penalty envelope.

“Director’s” Commentary

And so we have Group B off and running the day after Group A started their Race hehe. Like I mentioned yesterday, the Starting Line location and task will be the same for the two groups. And Group B will be traveling south and east while Group A traveled north.

Like Group A, we will have teams stop at a Route Marker in the metro area first before moving on to the province. And Google Scouting brought me to St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Pinas and the bamboo organ. It should be a nice little task and feature a historic location too. It also allows us to have a “Keep Until Further Notice” task too.

Next, we are going to be in Laguna, so why not have a Jose Rizal-related task of course. A simple memorization and recitation Road Block should be alright. And having it in Spanish adds to the challenge.

Then we have a visit to Pagsanjan. Of course one of the iconic natural wonders of the country. And since we’re in the area, we will finally be visiting it. The two tasks should showcase the wonderful activities you can do here and it is known for.

Afterwards, we have the Detour. I think both tasks, aside from featuring more cultural traditions of the area, fits perfectly well with the “Keep Until Further Notice” element from earlier. Using the wood block from the church for either task would be a fun little detail.

For the last task of the Leg, we have a matching task with Group A’s, the Double Road Block where teams will identify ingredients and fillings and types to each other. Similar, but different. An example of how we will be playing out this first half of the Race in a parallel/mirrored way.

Finally, I’ve had the Tanghalang Maria Makiling as a location for a Pit Stop or Starting Line or Finish Line for a long time now. And finally getting the chance to feature it here. A perfect spot to feature this landmark.

Overall, a pretty good Leg too. I think it is a bit more polished and manageable than Group A’s first Leg actually. But hopefully both Legs will be equally challenging!