“I’ll take you back to the old days and I’ll sing the songs once you’ll all remember so come and sing along (come on everybody)” This was the Latin beat of medley songs of Trini Lopez that has always embedded in my memory of the Masskara Festival I knew. I was a small child and …
The sky was dark and a downpour was threatening to halt the revelry. We hastened our walk through the crowd-filled streets of Bacolod that were closed for the Masskara Festival celebrations. We walked from one corner to the other, trying to find out if the street dance was already on its way. We waited for …
Home sweet home. It truly is. That’s because home is Bacolod, the capital of the sugar bowl of the Philippines. It is known for its delectable food, especially desserts. I’ve already written some fine eating places in the City of Smiles in my previous blog post Eat is Bacolod. Ever since I came home last …
Amid the darkened sky and the impending rain, the heritage homes in Silay City — dubbed in olden days as the Paris of Negros Occidental, a province in the Philippines — stood proud as they showed off marks of endurance that withstood the ruthlessness of tropical weather and viciousness of conflict and the changing times. …
Read more “First-time Around Silay: Admiring its Historical and Heritage Buildings”
It was an epic road trip that I have taken ever — a road trip from Manila to Bacolod via RORO, bringing my car with me in this whole adventure. This one took me to four major islands in the Philippines and six ports. More importantly, it was a road trip that led me back …
Read more “Taking the RORO: An Exciting Road Trip from Manila to Bacolod”
It was a bright morning as we packed our stuff, left the Sanctuary Garden Resort and headed to the pier en route to Romblon Island. The sea was calm. Yet, without any gush of wind and the sun rising up high, the morning heat was slowly becoming unbearable. Even when we already started with our …
Sibuyan Island is a picturesque and relatively unexplored island located in the province of Romblon in the Philippines. Known as the “Galapagos of Asia” due to its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystem, Sibuyan Island is a hidden gem for nature lovers and adventure seekers. But before we could get there, we had to take a …
No longer familiar with the city where I grew up, I relied on my sister and Google in plotting our Visita Iglesia, or the traditional church visitation every Holy Week, around Bacolod. Since we have not visited that many churches in our own hometown, we thought of going to churches that were new to us, …
This year, I will be taking one of the greatest travel challenges I’ll ever have in my lifetime. It is what I call my #RoadTrip2Home. After so much prayers, spiritual discernment, consultation, and self-reflection, I have come to accept that for me to embark on a life abroad I need to go back to my …
General Douglas MacArthur was a celebrated World War II hero that played a significant part in Philippine history as he led the American troops against the Japanese army. I read about General MacArthur in the pages of history books but I haven’t so much paid attention to his life in the Philippine soil. But through …
Read more “The Trails of General MacArthur in the Philippines”
It was a memorable post-Yolanda Eastern Visayas trip and and unforgettable journey through Eastern Visayas after the devastating Typhoon Yolanda. Our group, comprised of 17 dedicated volunteers from Hands On Manila, embarked on this post-Yolanda relief trip with a mission to make a difference in the lives of the affected communities. First and foremost, we …
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The Sto. Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum, located at Tacloban’s Real Street, is one of the city’s jewels that houses the antiques and valuable collections of the Marcos family. It is also situated in one of the badly hit areas by typhoon Yolanda when we visited it during our volunteer trip to Tacloban. Almost lifeless …
Read more “First-time in the Sto. Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum”
I have never expected that the almost year-long anticipation of my first trip to Tacloban would change at the last minute. Yet, it was for good, because with the recent onslaught of typhoon Yolanda that ravaged Tacloban and other parts of the Eastern Visayas region, it would be hard to have an itinerary that entirely …
It was March of last year when I received a message from a fellow volunteer of Hands On Manila about a plan to go on a trip to Tacloban, Leyte in January 2014 through a seat sale promo by an airline. Tacloban is known for landmarks, such as the MacArthur landing site and San Juanico …
Bacolod: the City of Smiles; the capital of the sugar bowl of the Philippines, Negros Occidental. It comes as no surprise to find so many sweet delicacies and great eats in this beautiful city in the Negros island because Bacolod is filled with smiling people, sweet pastries and delectable food. [UPDATE 2023: Some of the …
Read more “Eat is Bacolod! Must-visit restos in the City of Smiles”