Lessons Learned from Washi / Sendong (a Tribute to Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, North Mindanao)

My previous white water rafting
adventure in CDO River.  Who would've
thought that this same river would
wash away hundreds of homes? :( 

My heart breaks everytime I see those images from the recent tragedy in North Mindanao because of Typhoon Washi (international name) or as we locally call it, Sendong. I've had personal and business travels in those areas and I've witnessed Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Bukidnon's beauty. Now, I've seen the total opposite. I couldn't imagine that it would be this devastating.

Ma. Cristina Falls in Iligan

After my trips there, it has become one of my favorite places (and people) in the Philippines. And so as Christmas drew near, I gladly did my own share of giving back to the people of CDO and Iligan. Hope it helped in a way. I also would like to share these slides from Ms. Marvin Isidore Macatol from Facebook. I hope we all learn something from it.





Recalling Sendong: Did you really understand what just happened?

 * * * 

TREES

by: Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

Corporate Woman Meets the Triathlete: Kirs and Moi Pre-Nup photos

Kirs and I go way back in college. We've gone a long way and we practically know each other's ins and outs. I'm just so happy to see her bloom and so in looove. Though Kirs and Moi are from two different worlds--Kirs , a power dresser enterprise account manager in a huge telco, Moi, a swimming coach and champion triathlete, I know they're a great pair and they are in good hands.

Here's some of my pre-wedding photos I took of them in Crosswinds Tagaytay. It's a memorable place for them since that's where they first met. Looking forward to their wedding next year!

What are you thankful for? (A Thanksgiving celebration post.)

"Girls, let's do a thanksgiving celebration... prepare a list of things you're thankful for." I received this text from my friend Cai.

"Sure, will do. When are we doing this? On our Christmas celebration?" I replied back.

"No, Thanksgiving nga. Around November 24," she replied.

"Ohhh... THAT Thanksgiving! Game!" I texted, laughing at myself for not getting that one right away.

For some reason, the Thanksgiving holiday is not normally celebrated in the Philippines. We put more emphasis and importance to Christmas than this one, well probably since we don't share the history of its origins with US or Canada. Anyhow, though we don't have a specific day for this, we Filipinos do thanksgiving celebrations at any given day or time of the year especially whenever we have a special event we want to be thankful for, like graduation, passing a board exam, buying or moving in to a new house, a promotion, etc. (Oh, not to mention our hundreds of local festivals celebrating a good harvest and all that).

Here's Some of our Thanksgiving List

It's true that we are to be thankful everyday. But it's a different feeling, I realized, when my close friends and I have gathered together over dinner to give thanks for our blessings. It was so encouraging to hear all the things my friends were grateful for this year. It simply reminded me how great our God is in our lives in the past eleven months:

... One of my friends was thankful for her getting engaged this year and for the safety and protection they as a couple experienced in Japan during the earthquake and tsunami.

... One was grateful for her being assigned in the US for work. It helped her moved on with things or with someone.

... One of them is happy about how things are going on with her career and MBA studies (plus her high grades) and didn't forget to be content even with the simplest things, like having free lunch outs.

... A guy friend is delighted with the video projects that he has received and is currently working on as well as his budding friendship with this certain girl.

... And speaking of projects, one of my friends has also been getting more make-up gigs and is finally doing what she loves. What's good is that she has a loving husband to support her in all that she does.

... To reciprocate, another friend is appreciative of her beautiful wife and all the provisions that they have as a new couple: a condo, paid appliances, and other blessings.

... Another one was ecstatic about their Japan visa being approved and that they'll be celebrating their Christmas there. Even better is her good health so she can enjoy this altogether.

... One friend is thankful for her restored relationships, realizations and the dream God has placed in her heart. She's elated to pursue this and will take it one day at a time.

... And lastly, one of us is thrilled about finding fulfillment in her work, being able to finally manage her finances and starting to diversify her portfolio, and for being able to fund her trips locally and abroad.


Time to List Down Your Own

What are YOU thankful for? Share your gratitude with your friends and family. Say why you're also thankful for one another. Be amazed by God's faithfulness and how he has moved in your lives this year. :)

PS. No turkey was harmed in our own Thanksgiving dinner. :)  

Long weekends, portraits, and a lake...

The past two weeks gave us two consecutive long weekends--non-working Mondays at that! It gave me time to rest and... well, do just about nothing. I don't remember being pre-occupied by anything, which is good. That's how I like it.

The first long weekend also particularly gave me the time to celebrate my birthday with my lovely girlfriends. Away from the city, by a calm lake, overlooking a volcano. I don't remember getting busy throwing a party, which is good. That's just how I like it.

I'd just like to take this space by sharing some of the travel photos I took in this birthday get-away and the portraits of my beautiful friends. They're a beauty inside out. :)

Photos taken in Club Balai Isabel, Talisay, Batangas:

 

 

TRAVEL... while we're young, wild, and free... :)

A number of my friends in Facebook recently shared a link to this article about reasons to travel while you're young. We couldn't agree more with what Jeff says:

1. Traveling teaches you to live an adventure
2. Traveling helps you encounter compassion
3. Traveling allows you to get some culture

True, true, and true!

"Yeah, but..."
The writer says that these words never were more fatal words spoken:

Yeah, but… what about debt? Yeah, but… what about my job? Yeah, but… what about my boyfriend (or dog or car or whatever)?

“Yeah, but…” is pernicious. Because it makes it sound like we have the best of intentions when really we are just too scared to do what we should.

It allows us to be cowards, while sounding noble.

Most people I know who waited to travel the world never did. 

I have always marveled at people who were courageous enough to quit their jobs and travel. They are definitely past that "yeah, but..." stage. I've been reading about their fascinating stories in a Couchsurfing forum. I met someone in my travels who actually did. I've also encountered several people who were on their "gap year." (A gap year, according to Wikipedia, means taking time out to travel in between life stages. It is also known as sabbatical, time off and time out that refers to a period of time. They take this time to travel, engage in volunteer work overseas or undertake a working holiday abroad.) I think such a thing hardly exist in the Philippines.


Here are my own "buts"...
I envy those who can take a sabbatical or gap year with reckless abandon. Most of them have let go of their excuses. "If not now, when?" someone told me. Good for them! For my part, I still can't get over my concerns:

But what about my budget...? Taking a time off to travel for long period means you need a lot of cash. LOTS OF IT. (How does one break a bank?!) It's not easy saving up for the big haul given my current Philippine monthly income (I learned from a backpacking talk before that a Round-the-World (RTW) trip costs around US$ 25,000!) and if I were able to gather already, I'd probably be not-so-young anymore.

But what about the bills I have to pay and other personal matters? Monthly bills are always there and I also have personal family obligations that would be hard to leave for a long time. I'm not sure if I would understood. You see in the Philippines, young ones stick with their family up until before they get married. I know that's odd for other cultures, but that's how we honor our parents and family relations.

But what about my next job...? So let's say I did it, who would take me in once I get back? I'm in a good company now, would I be able to get the same kind of job in a prestigious company when I return? It would be a huge risk for me.

In the meantime...
Though I have these what you may call "excuses," my dream to travel the world hasn't been buried in the deepest of my heart; it still remains afloat. But I figured I'll only remain dreaming if I don't do something about it.

Meanwhile, I'm still going to travel. Occasionally take a vacation leave. (Maybe not for a year yet or RTW). Do travel photography and blogging. I'll continue to save up. Start looking for other things where I can invest in and grow my income. Research. Talk to people who have done so. Prepare like it's really going to be done.

There is no “I can’t” anymore. I'm in charge. The only thing holding me back is me.

"A journey to a thousand miles starts with a single step." 

--Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu, 

Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

Manila to Hanoi is back! Hello, Halong Bay?

Good news from Cebu Pacific Air! They're bringing back the direct flight to Hanoi, Vietnam starting March 17, 2012! This is terrific since this was one of our options for the On-The-Spot shoot (OTS) of our camera club this year. Since there weren't any direct flights then, we also weren't able to include Hanoi in our last backpacking trip and it really would've cost us a lot.

Manila to Hanoi (without direct flight)
From one of my friends in the camera club, he said that these would be the rates (without direct connection):

1) TG (Thai Airways) US$ 595.00 (valid until Sept 2011):
Manila - Bangkok - Hanoi - Bangkok - Manila

2) CX (Cathay Pacific) US$ 700.00 (valid until Dec 2011 for June ticketing):
Manila - HK - Hanoi - HK - Manila

3) Vietnam Air US$ 530.00 (valid until March 2012):
Manila - Saigon - Hanoi - Saigon - Manila

Food and hotel accommodation in Vietnam are fairly reasonable. However, with this itinerary, airfare budget with connecting flights is a concern. Should you opt to do a cheaper travel, you would have to travel by land from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in the south, to Hanoi located at the north of Vietnam. You can buy a ticket for the Open Tour aircon bus that can get you from HCMC to Hanoi, and travel at your own pace (at US$ 35). You can actually hop on and off the bus at any city along the way without holding you to any schedule. (You can hop off first in Nha Trang (beaches), Hoi An (World Heritage Ancient town), Hue, etc. before arriving to Hanoi). You can buy this everywhere especially in traveller cafes, local agencies, or any backpacker haunts.

That's generally the idea if you have the luxury of time (and budget) crawling through Vietnam.

Manila to Hanoi (with direct flight)
And now? It's around US$ 20 one way from Manila (or PHP 888) through a Cebu Pacific promo. Uncomplicated!

Aside from slurping a fine pho (beef noodle soup) in the morning, staying at the bustling Old Quarter and strolling around the Hoan Kiem Lake, what I'm looking forward to is making my way to the northeast--in Halong Bay where the surreal happens. Imagine 3,000 or more incredible limestone islands erecting towards the sky from the emerald waters of Gulf of Tonkin. This Unesco Heritage Site paints a breathtaking picture in the horizon. I just have to board a Chinese style junk, lie on top of the boat, enjoy the scenery and slowly cruise around the scenic landscape.

Images from New 7 Wonders image gallery

Blogging about this excites me and I'm crossing my fingers that I could go back to Vietnam next year. Let's see how it goes. ;)

The Things I Take for Granted (my post-birthday post)

Back at the start of 2011, I had a word that would describe what I was expecting 2011 would be: UNCONTAINABLE.

The power of words. Indeed, it IS.

As this year's chapter draws to a close and as I become nostalgic again celebrating my birthday, I'm awestruck by how God has been moving in my life this 2011. But before that, I have to be honest that I have been bothered lately by the littlest things... If should get an iPad 2, when I could get my camera upgrade, being hassled with commuting, my unpaid credit card bills... Ugh, I realize that these concerns are just so minor!

I'm reminded by God's goodness again when I heard Jessica Cox's testimony yesterday morning. She's a single engine pilot, taekwondo black belter, pianist, motivational speaker (among other things) with NO ARMS!

Here's a feature of her in Ellen's Show:



Having seen that, I'm no longer going to enumerate God's blessings to me this past year. I believe it is personal and I guess you've witnessed it in some of my posts (and I don't want to appear "showing off" to anyone). Instead, I'm going to be thankful for the simplest things I'm able to do which I've been taking for granted all this time...

- Being able to sip my cup of coffee in the morning
- Clothe myself in my favorite dresses and accessories with my two arms
- Type my travel blog entries in my laptop
- Hold my camera and take photos
- Use my QWERTY phone to email / text my friends with my two hands
- Use utensils to go on a food trip
- Brush and dry my short hair
- Do channel surfing with the remote
- Get lost in a book and flip its pages
- Prepare and design my powerpoint decks

I could go on and on...

...So you think you've got a big problem? Think again! :)

The sad news: We're driving tourists away...

Being a passionate traveler myself, my eyes would brighten up everytime I talk about the beautiful places in the Philippines to foreigners I've met. I could randomly help a traveller here and would go to a Lonely Planet mode, giving info and tips about the places that I think are worth recommending. One of my friends even branded me as “Ms. Mabuhay Philippines” because of that (hahaha!) and I guess you could see that enthusiasm in this travel blog. “If tourism were just about all the beautiful things that a country had to offer, we would be top on any traveler’s list–because we DO have EVERYTHING that a tourist would want to enjoy on a well-earned vacation.”

Having said that, it just depresses me to hear news such as Ninoy Aquino International Airport being voted the worst airport “for sleeping in” on the same week that Air France-KLM announced a phasing out of its Manila-Amsterdam route. I couldn’t agree more with Nina Terol-Ziacita’s article when she said that while our country has the perfect touristy allure, “we also have MANY of the things that would drive ANYONE away from ANY country: an inefficient bureaucracy, a horrible public transport system, heavily polluted streets, chaotic urban areas, beggars and street urchins loitering on the streets, crime, corruption–name it, we probably have it.”  That's why come news broadcast time at night, I would step out of our living room because I'm seeing the same kind of bad news over and over (and we all get so numb of it already, and that's another sad story). They've just become the usual icebreaker if you find yourself striking up a conversation with someone on the street.

*Sigh* The problem of the Philippines, as Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez himself had pointed is that, "We haven’t really acted like a tourism country. We’ve got an airport that doesn’t look like it wants to welcome visitors and make them stay; we’ve got a terrible public transport system and public infrastructure that discourages people from exploring any town or city in this country; we’ve got a tax regime and a business climate that discourages investments; we tear down historical landmarks instead of preserving them; we’ve got corruption; we’ve got garbage. In short: aside from our innate creativity, our laughter, and the genuine warmth of our people, we’ve given foreigners many reasons to stay away from us, from the level of policy formulation all the way to policy execution. It’s poor governance over the last few decades that has made us a weak tourism brand."

I don't only look forward to what Sec. Jimenez "rockstar of advertising" can do to our tourism industry, not only for President Aquino and his administration's projects to finally take place... I'm waiting for the whole country to get our acts together! Nope, I shouldn't just wait. I'll do something to make Philippines a little bit better in my own way. I hope you also do. We've just got to want this change SO BAD. 

*Some places I'd like to visit in the Philippines next year:*

Bantayan Island, Cebu. From Eric Brian Ouano, Flickr. 

 Batanes. From Anton Diaz, Our Awesome Planet. 

Coron, Palawan. From Anton Diaz, Our Awesome Planet. 

My own "social experiment."

And so I’ve been pretty much under the radar in the “social networking” world lately. It’s not mainly because I’ve been busy with work the past weeks (well, I really WAS), but I just felt like giving up that habit. It's like, let’s say, quitting smoking ingrained as a daily ritual—I turned cold turkey, or something. There wasn’t a major event that happened to me which triggered this decision. Don’t get me wrong okay, I didn’t turn into living like a hermit, a snobby, anti-social being… Turned to anti-FB or anti-Twitter perhaps? Not really, but I realized that I don’t like the general idea that it’s ALL OUT THERE (their privacy settings, no matter how private you set it, is just crap). Was I fooled by these social networking sites all this time? Maybe. But let's just say that I'm a bit wiser now.  

So here's my social experiment. What will happen when I've refrained from it? What will I now do then? Well, I felt that it’s about time to go back to really getting in touch with people intimately (and privately) again.

The tendency then was to “watch” people to update their lives in the News Feed. It’s like watching a newscast on TV: here are your friends, broadcasting the minutest and mundane details of their lives, yet there’s a glass wall separating you and them. You see their comments, their photos, Oh so, she likes to party. That one, I get it. Then you tend to disregard or put-off asking them “how are you?” in its truest sense since you already know what’s happening with them. But do you KNOW, really? 

I was once read a quote saying, "If someone wants to be a part of your life, they'll make an effort to be in it." Isn’t it great to receive a “how are you?” out of the blue because he/she truly remembered you and not because you shouted out or posted something in your Wall? Because they really want to know what you're going through, what's deep inside of you apart from and beyond your shared location, links, or "likes"? I think it would even feel better if you stop being too much of yourself and do the same. Just give.

I figured it’s about time to get REAL once again. To build REAL relationships and not just superficial and practically virtual relationships. I'm so glad my VG friends, even if we don't post that much or comment in each other's post, everytime we see each other every week, our conversations seem endless. That's what I want. Not just the trivial. Not just shallow. Time to get REAL. 

So that's my social experiment. Let's see my world could change. :)

My photo in Backpacking Tips Asia: Farmers' Working Hands in Laguna Bay Loop

Lately, I've been submitting my photos to a couple of photo contests. I've joined two so far. First is the KLM On Assignment: Europe sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for their 60th anniversary. The winner gets a chance to go on an all-expense paid trip to Holland, Netherlands and will be featured in the Lonely Planet Magazine Philippines, among other prizes. When I read this, I told myself, “This is it, this is one great opportunity for me waiting to be seized!” Looking at all the submitted photos and pitches in the Digital Photography Philippines forum, I was so overwhelmed by the talent and creativity that were showcased. I should be discouraged actually, but then I remembered Lonely Planet’s philosophy "All you've got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!" I remembered my potential, I remembered my past experiences, so there, I took my chances--I submitted my pitch and my portfolio (Post number #486, page 49). Best of luck to me, I'm crossing my fingers… ;)

Second is Backpacking Tips Asia's Online Photo Contest. The contest theme must reflect Asia in some way. For my entry, I submitted my "Working Hands" photo, shot in the rice plains of Mabitac, Laguna. The photos are judged by other visitors to my photo page in Backpacking Tips Asia. The visitors will have the opportunity to click the social buttons of Facebook ('Like'), Twitter ('Tweet') and Stumbleupon ('Submit'). So... hope you visit my page and click away... :) Click HERE to see my photo. :)

I'll never know 'til I try, right? :)