I have always been a travel bug – traveling for every opportunity that I can for three decades now. Good thing I have a supportive husband and four kids who understand my job – and who are happy with the fulfillment that I get from my travels.
One moment, I was up north in Quezon province enjoying the sights and sounds of rural life and the festivities of Pahiyas, Agawan, and Arana’t Baluarte – all in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers as thanksgiving ceremonies for the good harvest.
Pahiyas is the world-famous feast in Lucban, Quezon, where the Lucbanons decorate their houses with colorful kipings (leaf-shaped dried rice delicacy) along with fruits, vegetables and every harvest the farm may offer. In Sariaya, rural folks do their version with much vigor and enthusiasm. Guests may join the agawan by “snatching” the harvests from one another. Whoever outwits or lasts wrestling for the fruits or vegetables gets them. But Arana’t Baluarte tops the fun! A century-old tradition of hanging “chandeliers” of farm goodies in bamboo arches called baluarte, each barangay in Gumaca erects its own welcome arch. Gumaquenos decorate every baluarte with fabulous designs and filled it with aranas. Practically, all the fruits and veggies mentioned in “Bahay Kubo” are made into aranas. Gumaquenos and guests also do the agawan and share with others their loots only after the statue of San Isidro Labrador passes by every baluarte on the feast day.
Another moment, I would be in Anda, Pangasinan or Laurel, Batangas, to help reach out to our needy kababayans. In Pangasinan, my group traveled about an hour aboard a pumpboat going to our destination at Barangay Siapar. From the shore of said barangay, we trekked for less than two kilometers under the scorching heat of the sun along steeped road and breathtaking farmlands before reaching a public school for the day’s outreach project of San Miguel Corp. – grocery cum rice-giving to farmers and their families hardly hit by fish kill incidents. Likewise in Laurel, Batangas, we enjoyed the boat ride along Taal Lake and Taal volcano while overseeing fish pens that has to go as the best remedy to abate fish kill in the area.
Next, I would be covering the 150th birthday celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal our National hero. This time I brushed elbows with government leaders and personalities spearheaded by the president of the land, His Excellency Benigno Aquino III along with Laguna Gov. George “ER” Ejercito, the different mayors and provincial heads of Laguna. I also had the chance to interview exclusively the man behind the tallest Rizal shrine in the world – Dr. Rizal’s newest monument in Laguna which was inaugurated on his birthdate – in the person of Jonas Rivera, a caliber artist of his time. On the side, I enjoyed the countryside life visiting a goat farm and frolicking in the hot springs of Los Banos set on the foot of Mt. Banahaw.
My latest travel as of this writing was in Davao City covering the 1st Agri-Aqua Expo 2011 upon the invitation of San Miguel Corp’s BMEG feeds division. This is my fourth time in Davao, my most favorite destination in the country. I fell in love with the Davao the first I set foot there in 1988 amidst reports of NPA infiltrations that time. In 2000, I had the grand time of my travels when my group practically toured the whole of Davao and enjoyed every minute of my stay at Pearl Farm, Eden Mountain Park, Malagos Garden, and Philippine Eagle Foundation nestled on the foot of Mt. Apo, the Philippine’s highest peak. I also stayed at the 5-star Marco Polo Hotel which was newly-built at that time.
Today, Davao is highly urbanized yet it has kept its urban charm. And still I learned something new out of this last travel. First, the best way to buy durian, Davao’s queen fruit, is to get it from a reputable fruit store. Have the fruit open, taste it and pack the best-tasting fruit as pasalubong to loved ones back home.
Another realization is the fact that many of my friends also fell in love with Davao and has chosen it to be their home!
Dr. Gamaliel Urbi, the country’s pioneer myofunctional dentist, who hailed from Manila, has been staying in Davao with his family for three years now. Meanwhile, 4Life networkers Frank and Emeline Tesy Uy, now diamond distributors, have been staying in Davao with their kids for more than for a year now. Husband and wife pioneers the food supplement business in Mindanao via Davao.
No wonder, Davao is on top of my list as the best place in the country. Davao’s abundant and diverse nature and culture set in a clean, safe, and cosmopolitan community of happy and proud peoples make it stand out among the rest of Philippine provinces.
Davao is absolutely typhoon-free and enjoys good weather all year round. There is an abundant of flora and fauna as well as food water and livelihood. You’ve got to see Davao for yourself to experience the beauty and goodness of the place.
I enjoy life -- and my job immensely as a travel and lifestyle journalist – especially that I usually travel in style and practically for free! Back home after each travel I would be telling family and friends endless stories every now and then aside from writing my reports for various newspapers and my script/s for the TV program I currently work for as editor and head writer. Really, I couldn’t ask for more…
One moment, I was up north in Quezon province enjoying the sights and sounds of rural life and the festivities of Pahiyas, Agawan, and Arana’t Baluarte – all in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers as thanksgiving ceremonies for the good harvest.
Pahiyas is the world-famous feast in Lucban, Quezon, where the Lucbanons decorate their houses with colorful kipings (leaf-shaped dried rice delicacy) along with fruits, vegetables and every harvest the farm may offer. In Sariaya, rural folks do their version with much vigor and enthusiasm. Guests may join the agawan by “snatching” the harvests from one another. Whoever outwits or lasts wrestling for the fruits or vegetables gets them. But Arana’t Baluarte tops the fun! A century-old tradition of hanging “chandeliers” of farm goodies in bamboo arches called baluarte, each barangay in Gumaca erects its own welcome arch. Gumaquenos decorate every baluarte with fabulous designs and filled it with aranas. Practically, all the fruits and veggies mentioned in “Bahay Kubo” are made into aranas. Gumaquenos and guests also do the agawan and share with others their loots only after the statue of San Isidro Labrador passes by every baluarte on the feast day.
Another moment, I would be in Anda, Pangasinan or Laurel, Batangas, to help reach out to our needy kababayans. In Pangasinan, my group traveled about an hour aboard a pumpboat going to our destination at Barangay Siapar. From the shore of said barangay, we trekked for less than two kilometers under the scorching heat of the sun along steeped road and breathtaking farmlands before reaching a public school for the day’s outreach project of San Miguel Corp. – grocery cum rice-giving to farmers and their families hardly hit by fish kill incidents. Likewise in Laurel, Batangas, we enjoyed the boat ride along Taal Lake and Taal volcano while overseeing fish pens that has to go as the best remedy to abate fish kill in the area.
Next, I would be covering the 150th birthday celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal our National hero. This time I brushed elbows with government leaders and personalities spearheaded by the president of the land, His Excellency Benigno Aquino III along with Laguna Gov. George “ER” Ejercito, the different mayors and provincial heads of Laguna. I also had the chance to interview exclusively the man behind the tallest Rizal shrine in the world – Dr. Rizal’s newest monument in Laguna which was inaugurated on his birthdate – in the person of Jonas Rivera, a caliber artist of his time. On the side, I enjoyed the countryside life visiting a goat farm and frolicking in the hot springs of Los Banos set on the foot of Mt. Banahaw.
My latest travel as of this writing was in Davao City covering the 1st Agri-Aqua Expo 2011 upon the invitation of San Miguel Corp’s BMEG feeds division. This is my fourth time in Davao, my most favorite destination in the country. I fell in love with the Davao the first I set foot there in 1988 amidst reports of NPA infiltrations that time. In 2000, I had the grand time of my travels when my group practically toured the whole of Davao and enjoyed every minute of my stay at Pearl Farm, Eden Mountain Park, Malagos Garden, and Philippine Eagle Foundation nestled on the foot of Mt. Apo, the Philippine’s highest peak. I also stayed at the 5-star Marco Polo Hotel which was newly-built at that time.
Today, Davao is highly urbanized yet it has kept its urban charm. And still I learned something new out of this last travel. First, the best way to buy durian, Davao’s queen fruit, is to get it from a reputable fruit store. Have the fruit open, taste it and pack the best-tasting fruit as pasalubong to loved ones back home.
Another realization is the fact that many of my friends also fell in love with Davao and has chosen it to be their home!
Dr. Gamaliel Urbi, the country’s pioneer myofunctional dentist, who hailed from Manila, has been staying in Davao with his family for three years now. Meanwhile, 4Life networkers Frank and Emeline Tesy Uy, now diamond distributors, have been staying in Davao with their kids for more than for a year now. Husband and wife pioneers the food supplement business in Mindanao via Davao.
No wonder, Davao is on top of my list as the best place in the country. Davao’s abundant and diverse nature and culture set in a clean, safe, and cosmopolitan community of happy and proud peoples make it stand out among the rest of Philippine provinces.
Davao is absolutely typhoon-free and enjoys good weather all year round. There is an abundant of flora and fauna as well as food water and livelihood. You’ve got to see Davao for yourself to experience the beauty and goodness of the place.
I enjoy life -- and my job immensely as a travel and lifestyle journalist – especially that I usually travel in style and practically for free! Back home after each travel I would be telling family and friends endless stories every now and then aside from writing my reports for various newspapers and my script/s for the TV program I currently work for as editor and head writer. Really, I couldn’t ask for more…
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