A Day at May’s Organic Garden & Restaurant

The sun shone brightly on the small body of water that was surrounded by greens. The atmosphere was peaceful yet alive. The clear blue sky at the backdrop adding life to the already vibrant scene. A gazebo like structure sat at the center of the six-hectare property. I walked the pathway leading to the said …

Homey Saltimboca Tourist Inn

There I was cooling off in the pool, floating and basking in the morning sun. I loved the tranquility of the place, the privacy it was providing, and the fact that I had the pool all to myself. The birds were flying over me as if joining me in this beautiful moment. As I was …

Visayas

Meganox and the Sugarcane Paradox

I live in what is known as the Sugar Bowl of the Philippines – the province of Negros Occidental. I grew up in such a way that the sugar mill was my playground. I breathed the whiff of caramelized sugar during milling season. I was attuned to the noise the heavy types of machinery make. …

Tree planting at Upper Caliban-Imbang Watershed; Adopt an Animal at NFEFI-BCC

As progress and development continue in the Philippines, the onslaught on the natural environment has also been going on for years. The combination of climate change and man-made disasters have created a huge dent in our ecosystem. The country’s forest cover of 27 million hectares was reduced to 7.2 million hectares (2011 statistics) over the …

The Inns

Your Stay, Your Rule at The Inns Bacolod

Different kinds of travels demand different kinds of needs, such as your accommodation, for instance. Business trips often take a whole day of meetings and conferences and it is appropriate if your stay is in a business or luxury hotel, where these activities happen and where there are facilities that can cater to your official needs. …

Things To Catch at Panaad at Night

The Panaad Festival is the much-awaited event in the province of Negros Occidental. The Panaad Park and Stadium come alive whenever this festival is celebrated every April. The pavilions of the  13 cities and 19 towns of the province display the best of their respective places, from food to crops to handicrafts to tourist attractions. …

First-time in Orange Karenderia

The good thing about visiting – or, in my case, settling back in –Bacolod is that you will never run out of restaurants to try. Another new eatery that arrived in the City of Smiles is Orange Karenderia. How uncanny, we thought, that it sits next to Pizza Republic and shares the same building architecture. …

Cafe Uma and Trattoria Uma

When you’re in Negros Occidental, the “sugar bowl” of the Philippines, where vast sugarcane plantations meet your eyes as you hit the road, you’ll consistently encounter the word “uma” (with stress on the second syllable), which translates to “farm” or those areas that are often called “haciendas” by the locals. For me, “uma” is a …

Healthy Buys at the Organic Market

Ever since I covered the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival in 2014, I have become more exposed and more aware of the great benefits of consuming organic products. Truly, there’s no better way to live this life than to go natural. Although, I cannot fully walk the talk because I am surrounded by the many …

My First Christmas Party with the Negros Bloggers

The microphone has been passed and it was my turn to belt it out in the videoke. Good thing I was surrounded by enjoyable and exciting individuals who share the same passion as I am – singing and blogging! It was my first-time to join the Christmas party of the Negros Bloggers, a small group …

The best of Negros at the SMX launch

SMX Convention Center finally had its formal opening to set the stage for a more vibrant MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibition) sector in the province of Negros Occidental, particularly in the city of Bacolod. It was a launch like no other as locals and visitors from other cities and abroad had an experience showcasing the …

First-time in Fresh Start Organic Farm

In some malls in Bacolod City you will find this store or area with neatly packed greens bearing the name Fresh Start filling a portion of the shelves. They even have organic soaps and personal care products, too! So, who would have thought that I’d be stepping on the very land where their fresh produce and raw …

Penalosa Farm

First-time in Peñalosa Farms

It was a bright sunny morning when we drove from Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, the Philippines to nearby Victorias City. There were six of us online media partners of the 9th Negros Organic Farmers Festival that were given this exciting farm tour sponsored by Peñalosa Farms, Fresh Start Organic Farm, Negros Occidental Tourism Center, …

Negros Army Wellness

Organic produce at the Negros First-Army Wellness Farm

It was a trip to Camp Nelson Gerona in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, a few meters from Mambukal Resort, to help organize a medical mission. After our activity, I heard from my companions that papaya and other vegetables are available for sale inside the camp. I immediately headed to the officer whom they said was in-charge …

Have you been to an Organic Farmers Festival?

I must admit, having been away from my hometown for two decades  made me miss on so many events and happenings. I was curious about a post I read in one of my Facebook groups. It was about the Organic Farmers Festival that will be taking place on November 19 to 23 this year at …