A Place Called HOME

Isang madramang hapong mga kaeksenadora. Yes, magdadrama lang ako saglit dahil parang hindi ko na yata kaya ang mga pangyayari. Chos! Hehe.. Joke lang. Honestly, bukod sa trip kong dumaldal today, napansin kong matagal na rin pala simula nang huli akong magpost. So here we go again.

HOME. Define home. Nang isearch ko ng home kay google, madaming lumabas. Sabi ni free dictionary, a dwelling place together with the family or social unit that occupies it. May tama siya! Pero ang pinakapanalong sagot na nakita ko ay eto:

“Home to me, is the place where you want to be at the end of rough day. The one place where you know that you truly belong and feel welcome and loved. It's where you feel comfortable and at ease. It's where you can be silly, or tired, or cry, or laugh, or walk around in your underwear.”

Yes, that’s what HOME for me din. At bakit nga ba bigla kong naisip ang tungkol diyan? Well, a closed friend of mine finally decided to return to our homeland (which by the way is General Santos City or simply Gensan) for good after two years of staying here in Cebu. I’m happy for her sa totoo lang. And somehow envy her na din. Kasi ang dali niya lang nagdecide na uuwi na. Hindi tulad ko. Sabi nga niya, “You know what, kung iisipin mo talaga, pwede ka na namang umuwi na ng Gensan. With your writer’s fee, tiyak na kaiinggitan ka na ng mga ka-batch natin. You love your job, ikaw lang ang tambay sa bahay na sinuswelduhan, walang house rental na poproblemahin, walang traffic, mura ang lifestyle, what more can you asked for? San ka diba kundi sa "HOME" natin?”

Yes. She’s right. Pero saan nga ba ang HOME ko? Sa Gensan kung saan ako lumaki at naroroon ang pamilya ko o sa Cebu kung saan ako nagcollege at nagkaroon ng career? Hindi ganun kadali para sakin ang mamili between the said two places. Unlike her. I have this trait na mahilig sa sentimental value. Madrama kumbaga. And I always say this to my close friends, mukha lang akong bato at walang pakialam but deep inside, I treasure every person and place that have come into my life. Makakalimutin ako sa ibang bagay pero hindi ang mga mahal ko. Unlike my friend, I’ve spent nine years of my life here in Cebu. Ang dami kong iiwan sakaling uuwi ako ng Gensan. Friends, work, relatives, beautiful places and a lifestyle na nakagawian ko na. I have come to love Cebu. It’s the place where you can have a taste of close-to-Manila-like life and heaven-like life of provinces at the same time. I feel like I’ve become too attached with the place that I’m having a hard time deciding when to go back home. And I can honestly say na ito na ang second home ko.

Alam ko namang walang namemressure sakin na mamili between the two o taong nagpapauwi na sakin. I just can’t help but think of it right now dahil halos lahat na yata ng kakilala ko dito sa Cebu na taga-Mindanao ay umuuwi na for good. Feeling ko nga kami na lang ng kapatid ko ang natitira dito. He-he… Pero basta… Deep inside me, alam kong uuwi talaga ako ng Gensan for good. I see myself growing old there and spending my day with my beloved relatives. Nandoon ang pamilya ko. Ang relatives sa ibang side ko kung saan tinulungan kami nung mga panahong kailangan namin ng tulong. Hindi ko man alam kung kelan ako talaga uuwi ng Gensan, isa lang ang alam ko: Hindi ako tatandang empleyado pa rin. At anuman ang mangyari, uuwi pa din ako ng Gensan. And that my friend is the answer to my magulong question kanina.

The place where I can be silly, or tired, or cry, or laugh, or walk around in your underwear?

GENSAN. :)

PHR in Cebu!

Good news mga Sugbuanon! Our fave writers: Heart Yngrid, Sonia Francesca and Sofia will be having their book signing this coming July 22, 23 and 24! Check out pic below for the details. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so don't miss it! Of course pupunta din po ako dun hindi bilang writer kundi bilang reader. :) Will visit the booksigning at July 23 and 24 since may trabaho pa po ako ng July 22. :D Magpapapirma din ako ng mga libro nila na meron ako! So magkita-kita ta didto mga Sugbuanon!

Develop the Romance Writer in You!

Hey there mga eksenadora'ng tulad ko! Look what I've found from My Special Valentine site!


Whenever you pick up and read a My Special Valentine book, does it fill you with the desire to write your very own romance story, but you don’t know where to start? Do you very much want to submit a manuscript, but feel like you’re not doing enough?
Worry no more: From one of our esteemed editors comes a new book that answers your questions… and more! In How To Write A Tagalog Romance Novel, Apple Masallo delivers a very thorough and straightforward guide to writing your own Tagalog romance novel. In it, she explains the very intricate process of crafting memorable characters and an equally memorable plot, handling the intricacies of grammar, and dealing with writer’s block among other things.

You may buy this book at MSV's online bookshop. So bili na mga fwends! :)

God created the World, and the rest is China

LOL. My apologies for the title. But before you think of anything, let me just tell you that I don’t mean to mock or something. I just find it amazing how powerful China is. Wanna know why? Because of this…

I’m sure nabanggit ko na with my previous blog that my friend Ayin went to US (Georgia to be exact) for three months for some work-related stuff. And since nasa US na rin naman siya, she grabbed that opportunity to tour from States to States. Isa na sa mga iyon ang Florida. At ano pa nga ba ang unang maiisip ng isang Harry Potter Fanatic kapag narinig ang lugar na iyon?

Orlando Florida!
The famous and newly opened Harry Potter Theme Park!!

Yiipppeee!!! Andito pa lang sa Pinas ay sinabihan ko na ang barkada ko na just in case mamamasyal sila ng Florida at dadaan ng HP Theme Park ay magpapabili ako ng HP keychain. At first hindi siya sure kung makakapunta nga sila. But I think luck must be on my side dahil indeed… pumasyal sila Ayin ng Orlando! Kaya naman kuntodo FB message agad siya sakin clarifying about my request. And since barkada ko siya at hindi uso sa amin ang hiya-hiya, nagpabili na nga ako. Kahit mahal! Ha-ha-ha… And Ayin must have love soooooo much dahil hindi niya na pinabayaran sakin ang keychain. Pasalubong na lang daw niya iyon for me. Oh ha??? I feel the lurve ng sobra. Ha-ha…

And when she finally gave to me my pasalubong, laking tawa namin nang makita ang nakaengrave sa likod.

Oh ha? Naman teh! Sa esteyts na nga binili, Made in China pa din? Hahaha.. Ganun nga yata talaga kaunlad ang China. Ultimo US of A ay produkto nila ang gamit. Oh ha? Sana in the near future ganun na din ang Pilipinas. Iyon halos lahat ay “Made in Philippines” ang nakatatak. Ang bongga nun diba?

Wish ko lang!

My Own Independence Day Celebration

Okay, bago niyo isipin kung gaano ko kamahal an gating Inang Bayan, let me just inform you ahead that this is not a Mabuhay-Ang-Pilipinas-Mahal-Ko-Ang-Bayan-Ko blog entry. Eeksena lang ulet mga kafatid. Since most of my previous blog were a little bit serious and not so0o0o0o ME na talaga. He-he.

So eneweiz, as we all know, June 12 is a regular holiday for Filipinos. Independence Day daw kasi. I won’t lecture you na about Philippine History since it is your responsibility – as a Filipino – to learn and appreciate our rich culture and history. Kung nagtunog “taksil sa sariling bayan” man ako sa umpisa, rest assured na kahit papano ay alam ko pa din naman kung papano natin nakuha ang Independence Day. At pinapahalagahan ko pa rin iyon hanggang ngayon. (Chaarrriiinnnnggg!!!)

At kung ang ibang tao ay nagcecelebrate ng ating Kalayaan, kami naman ng housemates ko ay nagcecelebrate din ng sariling version ng ating Kalayaan. Ano nga ba ang iba pang kahulugan ng Independence? Freedom… Free… FREE! And for us, June 12 is literally our FREE Day. It was also my close friend’s birthday. Kaya naman lunch time pa lang ay nakatikim na ko ng libre mula sa kanya. We went into an Eat-All-You-Can Restaurant by 12noon. Nagpakabusog doon. And then off to SM Cebu to watch the “Nestle’s Kasambuhay Habambuhay Anthology of Short Films.” It’s Nestlé’s free movie for its centennial celebration. At ito ang pag-uusapan natin ngayon.

Obviously, ginastusan ng bonggang-bongga ng Nestle ang film. Ang daming bigating artista ang nandoon. John Lloyd Cruz, Eddie Garcia, Eugene Domingo, Gloria Romero at iba pa. The film composed of 10 short films (approximately 10 minutes each film). Walang konek ang lahat ng film sa isa’t isa pero puro lahat magaganda. Liban na lang dun sa isang copycat ng famous “Walang Himala” movie ni Nora Aunor. Ang adik lang talaga ng story na iyon. And of course, since it’s a Nestle film, expect mo na rin na starring ang mga produkto nila. Andyan ang Bear Brand, Nescafe 3-in-1, Nido, Maggie Magic Sarap, Milo at iba pang sikat nilang produkto. Pero keri lang. It doesn’t bother me at all.

For those who failed to watch the free movie of Nestle, here’s a quick rundown:

1. The Howl and the Fussyket
One of my top 5 fave film. The story is all about an eight-year old boy joins a declamation contest despite his “PNF disease.” Iyon bang sakit ng mga tao na pinagpapalit ang “f” and “p”? Iyon yun! He-he… Good thing, he has his ever-supportive mother (played by Eugene Domingo) that decided to assembled a team para mawala ang kanyang sakit. A speech coach (isang call center agent), acting coach (isang lalaki who always play the role of “taong bayan” sa mga plays) para sa tamang emotion daw sa paged-declame and a fashion designer for the kid’s outfit (isang matandang mananahi. I super love the scenes kung saan tinutulungan na nila ang bata. Tawa kami ng tawa!

2. Unplugged
Heartwarming story of a group of football players (kids) who spent their weekend at a provincial home with their coach (Marvin Agustin) where gadgets are not allowed as per Lolo (played by Eddie Garcia). Ang ganda lang talaga ng shots ng lugar! At in fairness, iyon pala ang Hacienda Luisita? Another pogi points for this film is the music na inarranged ni famous Noel Cabangon. Parang “Kanlungan” lang. Iyon bang tipong pakikinggan mo lang siya sa hammock at mag-iimagine ka ng mga magagandang eksena ng buhay mo? Naghahanap na nga ako sa kantang iyon eh. Unfortunately, as of now, wala pa kong makita. :(

3. Silup
(Copied for PEP Review) (Dahil tinamad na kong magsummary on my own. :P) : Silup (which is reverse for Pulis) shows the sensitive side of a dedicated policeman (portrayed by Sid Lucero). Its best asset is its simplicity. The ending of this suspense drama short packs an emotional punch that I'd rather not reveal so that you can experience it for yourself.

4. Isang Tasang Pangarap
(Copied for PEP Review): An ordinary man, whose only pleasure is drinking coffee, discovers that he can see the future by looking at coffee mugs. It has an interesting premise but it has escapist entertainment written all over it. Obviously a tribute to Ishmael Bernal's Himala, Ramon Bautista delivers Nora Aunor's trademark cry, "Walang himala!"

5. Sali-Salita
(Copied for PEP Review): A mother who writes children's storybooks ironically doesn't have enough time to create stories for her own son. Her child lets his imagination run wild in a storytelling game with his grandfather. For a short film, the production values of this film are stunning: viewers get to see a powerful warrior crossing a deserted plain and fighting a futuristic looking robot in order to save a beautiful princess. This segment demonstrates the power of the imagination and the importance of parental bonding.

Gusto ko din kahit papano ang movie na ‘to. Naaalala ko kasi iyong childhood days ko. Iyong mahilig ka mag-imagine ng kung anik-anik? And someday, I would like my kid to do that “Sali-salita” game.

6. Oh! Pa Ra Sa Ta U Wa Yeah!
The famous Nicos of Nestle Iced Tea is back! At siyempre pa, eto na naman siya sa pamomroblema kay Matina. Musical naman ang genre ng film na ito. Kumakanta sila most of the time habang sini-share ng father ni Nicos ang secret para mapasagot ang isang baba. Love the songs lalo na ang “Abakada ng Matamis na Oo.” Kinanta-kanta ko pa siya pagkalabas namin ng cinema. At bukod kay Coco Martin, crush ko na si Nicos! In fairness, may boses din pala siya. :)

7. Downtown
(Copied for PEP Review): A bittersweet glimpse into the life of an aging man who makes baby steps to get his life back on track. Viewers will get to see vignettes of life in Binondo in this quiet story about love. Like Silup, it has a simple narrative structure but the buildup and the payoff is so much better.

8. Tingala sa Baba
(Copied for PEP Review): Two boys are playing on a seesaw. One of them is well-off and chubby, while the other is less fortunate and lanky. Because of his weight, the rich kid is stuck at the bottom of the seesaw. How will they reverse their positions? This short imparts important lessons about social class, charity, and friendship.

Ito ang pinakafave ko sa lahat. Simple lang siya. Sa sobrang simple niya ay iisa lang ang naging setting – sa isang seesaw. pero ewan ko ba. Touch na touch lang talaga ako sa movie. You will find yourself smiling sa buong duration ng movie dahil na rin sa usapan ng dalawang bata. Ganda ng shot lalo na nung ending. At maganda ang pagkakalapat ng music. (Naks! Parang professional critic!)

9. Cooking Mo, Cooking Ko
(Copied for PEP Review): Direk Chris puts a culinary twist to the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet. The Capule family and the Montano family take their dispute to the kitchen as they try to outdo each other's recipe in their respective eateries. The star-crossed lovers must find a way to unite their families. This Shakespearean parody hits a comedy goldmine.

10. Sign Seeker
(Copied for PEP Review): A torpe, superstitious guy asks for signs if he should ask his crush out on a date. Solenn looks gorgeous as the female officemate who is the girl of his dreams. I know it's meant to be light-hearted, but it gives a silly ending to a whimsical film. I guess John Lloyd Cruz's charm can only do so much.

Siyempre, dahil si Lloydi ang bida, fave ko siya diba? Pero aside from that, gusto ko din ito dahil na rin sa relate na relate ako! Kung ikaw ang tipo ng taong hindi makuntento at duda pa sa isang sign na hinihingi, pwes sapul na sapul ka dito!

PHR Writers Mall Tour 2011

Magpa-plug lang po. :)

Catch your favorite PHR writers at these dates (see below). Chance niyo na po ito to meet them in person! Especially my friends: Maricar Dizon, Ashley Javier and most of all, my sister Angel Bautista!

Randomness and Happiness

Okay, sorry for the title. I know it sounds so girly-ish or just some ish, but please bear with me on this. I’m just so delighted I wanna do some happy dance right this very moment. Ha-ha… So eneweiz, let me give you some random, happy things that have happened to me lately.

1. Finally got to visit Tagaytay. And although I know I wouldn’t have time to really see the city because it was a business trip, I’m still a bit excited about the road trip. Kasi I would get the chance na madaanan ang mga lugar na sa TV or libro ko lang naririnig. Yeah, call me a loser or mababaw ang kaligayahan pero sorry talaga, Bisaya at laking Cebu/Gensan kaya thrilled ako ideyang iyon.


2. Had the chance to eat their delicious Bulalo at Mahogany Public Market and burger at Mushroom Burger.


3. Finally saw my dream house (chos!). Sobrang naamaze lang ako (hindi lang ako actually kundi maging ang tatlo ko pang kasama managers) when we saw this not so big house and yet sobrang elegant. Maliit lang ang lot pero andun ang lahat ng room na gusto ko. Attic, music room, three bedrooms, second floor libing room, counter bar and lanai. Oh diba, bongga?


4. Haven’t done any manuscript yet since second week of April. Oh ha? Ako na ang tamad! Pero hindi yan isa sa mga happy things actually. Pero ang nakakatuwa lang and I still can’t believe it hanggang ngayon) was the fact that kahit naka-dalawang manuscript lang ako as of this year, natupad pa din ang isa sa mga wish ko.


5. Got a text last June 02 from someone. Pinapapunta nila ako dun ng Saturday (June 4). Pero dahil sa June 5 pa ang dating ko [dun], nagparesched ako ng June 7. Buti na lang at pumayag sila.


6. And again, napatunayan ko na naman kung gaano kagaling si Bro magplano ng mga bagay-bagay. Ang hirap i-explain, pero ang mga nangyari ay proof na tama nga ang kasabihang “everything happens for a reason.” At gaya ng nabasa ko sa The Five People You Meet in Heaven, “...there are no random acts. That we are all connected. That you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind.”

Hindi ko alam kung anong mga nagawa kong tama sa buhay at binibigyan ako ng mga ganitong blessings. Ni hindi ko rin nga sigurado If I’m worthy of this. Pero isa lang ang alam ko, ke deserve ko man ito o hindi, malakas talaga ako kay Lord! Halos lahat ng mga hiniling ko ay natutupad. Kaya super duper thank you! Thank you po sa lahat!

So, I’m gonna do my happy dance! Gusto niyong sumabay? :)

Strangers, Again

It was the usual Tuesday morning at the office. Doing nothing since most of our group’s reports started after lunch. So I still have time to check our network, visiting from PC to PC to see if they have new movies. Yes, you may call it illegal but it’s what most of the employees do to keep them awake for freaking 8 hours sitting in a swivel chair. And then I ran across this video. At first I thought it was a movie, but it’s not. It’s a short film. And since it would only take of my fifteen minutes, I decided to watch the movie right then and there. Good thing I did.

The story is nothing new to us. It is about a normal couple – Josh and Marissa – who is struggling through their relationship. Every relationship goes through stages. Where and how each stage develops is ultimately up to each person. While we always hope for the best, we often can’t avoid the inevitable. Josh guides us through each stage of the relationship as it formed and as he predicts it will end up as.

I love the way Josh talked about the stages of the relationship. Ang daming “aray” moment sa short film na ito. I think every girl or guy can really relate to this film. Please see the video below. And please allow me to quote some of Josh’s lines that struck me the most. I actually loved almost all of Josh lines, but it would be pointless if I’ll post everything up here, right? So I’ll just let you watch the video yourself and see if I am indeed right or just being my usual drama and emo queen.


Stage 4: Comfortable
“Being comfortable isn’t necessarily bad. It’s one where we could truly be ourselves but it depends on what you do with that comfort. Some used it positively, continuing to work at their relationship, grow together, but others allow it to create distance.”
“Whether it’s taking each other for granted, or people changing over time, bottom line is someone stops trying. The feelings aren’t as strong as before.”

Stage 5: Tolerance
“We became one of those relationships were ‘it wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great.’ And let me tell you, that’s never a good way to describe a relationship.”

Stage 7: Breaking up
“The change will be so drastic, so blunt, that one would probably want to get back right away, just to restore what was normal. But this doesn't always happen. And the distance will grow.”

AND MY MOST FAVE LINE/SCENE:
Marissa: “What do you think will happen if we don’t end up together? We’re gonna hate each other? Or will keep in touch?”
Josh: “I think that if life separates us and we’re gonna be in totally different places, I’ll always remember when our paths aligned for this period of time. And I’ll be thankful for that. And hope that wherever you are, you'll be thankful too. I think that's the best we can be sure.”

Writing "tips" Again...

Napapansin ko lately madami yata ang gustong magsulat. Medyo marami-rami ang humihingi ng tips eh. Whenever someone asks me to give some tips on writing (as if may "K" akong gawin yun.), i always end up suggesting my blog site. Particularly, THIS BLOG ENTRIES. Kahit papano naman pala ay may silbi itong blog ko no? Hahaha... So eneweiz, panibagong tips na naman mga kaeksenadora. :D Nakita ko lang din ito sa blog site ng isa ding new writer na si Maricar Dizon. I find it helpful and a reminder kaya irerepost ko din dito. Sana ay makatulong. :)

When You Have Nothing to Write...

It's been three weeks since my last manuscript got approved. Three weeks and yet until now, wala pa rin akong matapos-tapos na story. Alam mo yung feeling na may gusto kang isulat, alam na alam mo kung papano tatakbo ang storya and yet hindi mo mailagay sa MS Word? Yeesss.. ganun ako lately. Ang dami ko pa namang babayarin this month. Amf! :( What's more worst is that inaatake ako ng pagka-OC ko. Or maybe somehow, aminin ko man o hindi, apektado ako sa isang comment ng isang reader na nabasa ko somewhere. Sabi niya to no one in particular, pare-pareho na lang daw ang plot. WALANG BAGO.

Kaya eto... para tuloy akong tanga. Sa sobrang conscious at epal ko, walang maisulat. Because whenever I think of something new (plot), lagi kong naiisip yung sinabi niya kahit na hindi naman iyon para sa akin (or baka para sakin talaga yun? Hehehe...). Ang resulta, inuunahan ko ang self ko. Na kesyo pareho lang ng ganito, pareho lang ng ganyan. WALA NGANG BAGO. Ako na mismo ang mang-okray sa self ko. I figured out, mas mabuti pang ako na ang manlait sa sarili ko kaysa ibang tao.
Please don't get me wrong. I always welcome constructive criticism. Wala akong problema dun. Madalas, iyon pa nga ang hinihingi ko sa mga readers ko because I'm very much aware that my writing needs improvement. Kaya nga gustung-gusto kong makapag-workshop eh. Hindi ko nga lang magawa dahil laging conflict sa day job ko ang schedule kahit pa weekend siya. Kapag sinabi mong medyo na-bore ako sa ganitong chapter ng libro, mas madami ang narration kesa sa dialogue o di naman kaya ay wala siyang gaanong impact sayo, wala akong problema dun. Tatanggapin ko ng buong puso ang comment na iyon.
Pero iba ang constructive criticism sa pagiging tactless or inconsiderate. Depende din iyan sa pagkakadeliver ng isang tao. May ibang comment na masakit pero hindi mo iindahin dahil maayos at malumanay siya nang sabihin iyon (gaya ng mga halimbawang binigay ko sa itaas). Pero may iba talagang bitaw lang ng bitaw na hindi nag-iisip kung makakasakit ba sila ng kapwa o hindi. Sana man lang bago magbitaw ng mga salitang nakakasakit, isipin nila kung ilang gabing hindi natulog ang isang writer o ilang beses na sumakit ang ulo nito para lang matapos ang isang manuscript. Sana maisip nila na hindi madaling mag-isip ng mga eksenang "bago" o "unique" para sa isang gasgas na plot dahil sa ilang libong beses na iyong nagamit. Mahirap bumuo ng isang matinong love story na kailangang may 22,000 to 24,000 words. Subukan mo munang gumawa ng manuscript bago ka magreklamo.
Kung wala ka namang magandang sasabihin, sana manahimik ka na lang. At sana alam mo din yung kasabihang "Some things are better left unsaid."

I know, with this entry, you might think of me as suplada o maldita. O isa na namang epal na nakikisawsaw. Only this time, wala naman talagang issue. Gumagawa lang ako dahil nga wala akong magawa sa buhay at wala akong matapos-tapos na manuscript. Poknat na buhay 'to. Hahaha.

Hahayst!

"My Mom Raised Me Well..."

Tunog TV commercial lang ano? Hehe.. Pero totoo talaga yan para sa akin at sa kapatid ko. Because our mom raised us well. Naks! Ang drama ko lang naman!

I was barely six years old when our father died of heart attack. Medyo malabo na sakin ang ibang eksena noon. Ang naaalala ko lang talaga ay iyong eksenang umiiyak sa isang tabi ang Mamang ko habang inaalo ito ng isa sa mga Tita or Tito ko (not sure din) at kampanteng ginagamit ng mga doctor at nurse ang cardiac defibrillator sa natutulog kong Papang. I was not even crying that time. Dahil sa totoo lang, hindi ko alam kung anong nangyayari at kung bakit nandun kami sa hospital at nagkakagulo ang lahat sa paligid ko. And then the next thing I remember, hindi na sa hospital bed nakahiga ang Pudra ko kundi sa isang kabaong na. That was when I realized that my father will never wake up again – ever.

Since then, si mudra na din ang tumayong ama at ina sa amin. Naaalala ko pa noon nang mawalan siya ng trabaho, habang ang ibang singles na dati nyang coworker ay nag-iisip kung saan gigimik o gagamitin ang separation pay nila, si Mudra naman ay abala sa paghahanap ng trabaho kinabukasan. Never kong nakalimutan ang isa mga comment ng former coworker niya: “Naningkamot gid ang byuda!” [Kumakayod talaga ang byuda!]. Hindi ko maalalang nagpahinga siya pagkatapos nun. She was thinking about me, my brother and our daily needs. Kailangan niyang makahanap agad ng trabaho dahil ayaw niya kaming magutom. But of course, hindi ko pa alam ang mga iyon noon.

God must have heard her prayers or maybe my father has been on our sides all the time dahil kaagad na nakahanap ulit si Mudra ng trabaho. But then, hindi pa doon nagtapos ang problema. For a single mother with a minimum salary and has two children, (not to mention na sa amin din nakatira ang lola ko), hindi madali ang lahat. Sa pagkain pa lang, pambayad ng kuryente at tubig at pambayad sa paaralang pinapasukan namin, kulang pa ang sweldo niya. Kaya kinailangan niyang maghanap ng sideline para may maibigay siyang pambaon samin - which is by the way 10 pesos a day. (Yes, tama ang nabasa niyo. Iyan lang ang baon ko noon.) Pagbebenta ng grapes, peanut butter, manicure, pedicure… name it. Lahat na yata ng sideline nagawa na ng ina ko para lang may maibigay lang na baon samin. Kapag naman hindi maganda ang sideline, kinailangan pa nitong mangutang sa iba.

I grew up knowing that my mom is different from my classmates’ mother. Hindi nito kayang umattend ng PTA meeting dahil may trabaho ito kaya Lola ko ang madalas na dumadalo. Hindi niya kami mapaghandaan ng almusal (liban na lang kung day off niya), dahil maaga siyang umaalis for work. Kaya nasanay na akong hindi kumakain ng almusal. Hindi niya kami pwedeng maihatid sa school kaya pinsan ko ang gumagawa nun. Madalas sa hindi, nagigising kaming wala na siya at dumadating kami ng kapatid ko mula sa school na tulog pa siya dahil sa graveyard ang shift niya. Naging Lola’s girl ako dahil halos ang Lola na ang nag-alaga samin noon.

Kung makitid lang siguro ang utak namin ng kapatid ko, baka nasumbatan na namin siya. Lagi kasi siyang wala. But then, sino ba kami para magreklamo? Hindi kami ipinanganak na mayaman. Kailangan pa naming maghintay ng medyo matagal kung gusto namin ng bagong damit. Nakaugalian na naming magsabi ng advance kay Mudra kung may kailangang bayaran sa school. Dahil hindi niya maibibigay ang pera in just a snap of her finger at kailangan pang humanap ng paraan para lang sa “emergency” na iyon. Lumaki kaming nakikita ang paghihirap ng Mudra ko mabigyan lang kami ng maayos na buhay. Tumatak sa isip namin ang lahat ng iyon kaya sino kami para sumbatan siya? Kung mayaman lang sana kami, eh di sana yung pagkukulang niyang iyon ay pinapalitan niya ng pera diba? Wish ko lang! But no, mahirap lang kami kaya burado sa listahan iyan. I guess, me and my brother both understand our situation that time kaya never kaming nagdemand sa kanya. Iyon lang siguro ang sekreto para sa isang masaya at maayos na pamilya – ang intindihin ang isa’t isa. (Parang pamilyado kung magsalita ano? Hehe…) She may be different from other moms, pero katulad din ng ibang ina, wala siyang ibang hinangad kundi ang makita lang kaming maayos. Iyon ang paraan niya para maipakita niya sa amin na mahal niya kami. Different ways but same objective. Ganun lang iyon kasimple.

Mahirap kami, oo. Pero never kaming naghapunan o nananghalian ng lugaw o champorado o magdildil ng asin. No, masyadong madrama na iyon mga fwends. Hindi pa ganun ka-MMK ang buhay naming pamilya. Alam niyo kung bakit? Dahil nagsumikap at naghirap ang Mudra ko huwag lang namin iyong matikman. And I guess lumaki kaming may positive outlook sa buhay kaya sa kabila ng lahat ng paghihirap, hindi ko naisip na pwedeng isa-MMK ang buhay namin. Dahil kung tutuusin, mas marami pa diyang mas madrama ang buhay kaysa sa amin. Marami diyang wala na ngang Tatay, pinapabayaan pa ng Nanay o vice versa. I guess dahil sa ugali din naming iyon kaya madalas ay napagkakamalan kami ng kapatid ko na hindi mahirap. Eh hello? Nakapag-aral lang naman kami ng private schools dahil sa scholarship at never kaming humingi ng awa sa ibang tao. Never din naman kaming nagyabang o nagkunwaring mayaman. I swear! Our friends can testify to that. We always believe that everything will turned out right dahil iyon ang nakikita ko lagi noon sa ina ko. She surpassed all the trials and look at us now?

Wala ako sa posisyon para magyabang ng mga achievements dahil sa totoo lang, wala pa naman talaga akong masasabing achievements. Hehe… Pero looking back to where we were twenty years ago, I’d say may mga nagbago nga. Sabi ni Mudra, madalas daw sabihin ng mga kakilala at kabaranggay namin sa GenSan na maswerte daw siya dahil kami ang anak niya. Pero sa totoo lang? Kami ang maswerte dahil siya ang nanay namin. At kung papipiliin ulit ako ng magiging nanay ko, between her and a rich mother who can give me all I want, dun na ko sa rich mother! Hehehe.. Joke! Siyempre sa kanya pa rin. I will never value the word “hardwork,” “never give up” and “trust” kung hindi dahil sa kanya. At hahanap pa ba ko ng iba kung pwede ko namang makita ang isang Tatay, Bestfriend at Nanay sa katauhan niya?

Kaya for u Mudra, Happy Mother's Day! Alala mo yung kaadikan at asaran natin nung isang araw? Uulitin ko ngayon, huwag ka lang maging pasaway pag matanda ka na kung ayaw mong ihagis kita sa sapa. Ha-ha-ha… i Love you Mamang!

That "M" Thing

WARNING: The following is not intended to frighten young single ladies. This is just my opinion. I’m not looking for a fight or debate. And if you’re a fanatic of weddings/matrimonial, STOP HERE.

Last April 12, 2011, our company provided us a free seminar for Personal Finance 101 with Chinkee Tan as our speaker (you can follow him at twitter). He calls himself a wealth and life coach. He was once a comedienne during 90’s I think if I’m not mistaken. He was one of the “Hawi Boys” of Randy Santiago. And he was also featured in Rated K with his rags to riches life story. The goal of the seminar is to help those who wanted to get out of their debt, budget their money and teach them the basic on how to be financially secured. I don’t mean to brag or something, but I have been reading some financial help books a long time ago so I wasn’t surprised with some of the facts, ideas and ways he presented. In fact, I’ve already started the base of my financial planning pyramid two years ago. But what really amazed me was how great he is as a speaker. He knows how to get everybody’s attention. He cracks jokes most of the time that made the whole session enjoyable. You’ll learn while you’re laughing.

But what really caught my attention was not the “finance side” of the seminar but the “relationship thing” he taught. There’s this one quote he shared that strikes me the most. He said…

“Marriage is a decision. And decision is not just based on your feelings but is based in choice and commitment.”

You choose to marry that one person you wanted to be with for the rest of your life. Therefore, you are committed to stay with him/her no matter what the future holds. Like the wedding vows, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. Until death do us part. If you aren’t ready for that commitment, then don’t get married. And as what Chinkee cited, the moment he decided to marry his wife, he chose to look to one woman only. Therefore he is committed to never take a second glance with other girls. He then jokingly said that its’ the “second look” that gets him into trouble.

Love is not enough for a marriage or a relationship to work. “Ang pag-aasawa ay hindi isang kanin na pwede mong iluwa kapag napaso ka.” Marriage is a lifetime commitment. I’ve heard those things before. But it is only now that they were starting to sink in fully.

Yes. Falling in love is a wonderful feeling. Who wouldn’t want to fall in love? Ayokong magpakaipokrita. I too, sometimes wish that I’ll be able to find my “The One” or “Mr. Right” or whatever you call it. I also hope to be with someone else just like some of my friends who are now happy with their relationship. I too, wanted to be just like every normal girl – waiting for the day that some guy will sweep them off their feet.

But then… A big, big BUT THEN:

Hearing that quote from Chinkee Tan and the everyday complaints of my already-married officemates, made me think and assess myself. And you know what I have found? THESE… I’m not fond of kids. I don’t know why but I’m always having a hard time mingling with them. I’m not patient. I’m not a morning person. I don’t know how to cook decent food. I’m scared of getting pregnant. Just thinking of the nine months agony and its labor process bothers me. I can’t see myself waking up in the middle of the night changing baby’s wet diaper or trying so hard to get him back to sleep. I’m still not satisfied with what I have achieved so far. And I still have other plans for my family (mother & brother).

Indeed… Marriage is something serious. It is a lifetime commitment. Getting married means you’re ready to forget about yourself and maybe giving up some of your usual habits (like shopping, travelling and sleeping for 10 hours straight). You always have to think of the family’s welfare first before yourself. Comfortable shelter, kid’s education, raising your kids properly, food, bills... Ugh! Never-ending list! Freaking scary!

Only now did I fully realize that I may be ready to fall in love again but I’m not yet ready to commit.

NOT NOW.

And I don’t know when…

Palawan (The City in a Forest) Day 3

Day 3 was the highlight of our trip. Ngayon kasi naman mabibisita ang pinagmamalaking Underground River, hindi lang ng Puerto Princesa kundi pati na rin ng Pilipinas. Napasali kasi ito sa Seven New Wonders of the World. And as per Kuya Chris, as of February 26, 2011, nasa top two na tayo! Palakpakan pipolets! Let’s vote and vote until November 11, 2011 and make the Underground River as one of the New Wonders of the World. You can cast your votes HERE

So there, moving forward, at exactly 8:30AM ay kinuha na kami ni Kuya Sherwin sa pension house. Travelling from Puerto Princesa City proper to Sabang Wharf is more or less 1.5 hours . Mula naman sa Sabang Wharf ay sasakay ka ng bangka papuntang Underground River mismo. Mga fifteen to twenty minutes yata ang byahe. I’m not sure though, hindi ko na naorasan ang pagsakay sa bangka bilang abala ako sa pagtili sa sobrang lakas ng alon. Ha-ha… And another five minutes walk para makarating sa mismong cave.

On our way to Sabang, we passed by the Vietnamese Village. Tama nga lang ang plano namin noon na huwag ng dumaan ng village during our city tour since as per research, hindi na masyadong maganda ang village. Hindi na siya masyadong naalagaan at sa ngayon daw ay dalawang pamilyang Vietnamese na lang ang nakatira doon. We had a quick stop over along the way. I forgot the name of the place pero ang sabi, from there ay may isang oras pa kaming bubunuin. Waaahhhh! (At ako ay nagrereklamo gayong sanay na ko sa mahabang byahe diba? Haha.. Chika lang po.) Sa stop over na yun nakilala namin ang isang unggoy na nagngangalang KAMO-KAKO. Ulitin natin, si KAMO-KAKO. (Haha.. adik lang.)

After nun ay tuloy ang byahe. Hindi na kami tumigil sa Viewdeck chuchu na nadaanan namin bilang hinahabol ni Kuya Chris ang pinakamaagang sched na makukuha namin sa Underground River. FYI: You need to acquire a permit first before you can go to underground. Kung ikaw ang tipo ng taong hindi bet ang hassleness sa trip, I suggest mag-avail na lang kayo ng tour package na ino-offer ng mga hotels. Hindi naman nalalayo ang presyo nun sa iba kaya keri lang. And as per our experience, worth it lang ang bayad. We also passed by the elephant mountain (dahil korteng elephant siya), Hulugan Village (where we hear another Puerto Princesa history) and it’s tres marias island and lastly, the place where the Avatar (movie by James Cameron) took place. Kung napanood niyo ang movie na iyon, tiyak na makikilala niyo ang malaking puno o tinawag na floating forest sa movie kung saan nakatira ang mga avatar. We wanted to stop and take some pictures with the puno, kaso nagmamadali nga si Kuya Chris. Kasuya talaga! Amfufu!

At sa wakas ay nakarating kami ng Sabang Wharf! Habang abala si Kuya Chris sa pagkuha ng permit, kami naman ay abala sa pagkuha ng pictures sa paligid. Haha…

Doon na rin kami nag-early lunch as per advice by Kuya Chris. Baka kasi matagalan kami sa Underground River kapag after pa kami kakain. So after the buffet lunch, we took the boat trip already. As I’ve said earlier, sobrang lakas ng hampas ng alon kaya nabasa din kami ng kaunti. Katakot din in fairness! Pero keri lang, dahil pagdaong na pagdaong namin, nawala naman agad sa sobrang ganda ng place. My Gawd! No wonder napasama siya sa list, tabing dagat pa lang panalo na sa ganda!

We had another registration at the picnic area. Isang para sa new seven wonder vote at isa para sa… sa… ewan. Hindi ko na inalam dahil excited na kong makita ang cave. Haha… Another picture taking sa picnic area at naglakad na kami papuntang bukana ng cave.

The five minutes walk from picnic area to cave.

And then finally… nakarating din kami! I was so amazed and dazzled with the beauty of nature that it took me a couple of minutes to step down the trail. Nagkaroon tuloy ng saglit na traffic dahil sa ginawa ko. Haha.. Sorry naman! Ang ganda naman kasi talaga ng lugar. I just stood there - awed and star struck. Thanking the Lord for the wonderful gift and thanking the Palawenos for not destroying this masterpiece. Daig ko pa ang nakakita ng gwapong artista. At ang lamig ng tubig, grabeh! Kung pwede lang maligo doon, ginawa na namin promise!

Mabilis si Kuya Chris kaya naman hindi nagtagal at turn na namin para pumasok ng cave. Forty five minutes ang buong duration ng trip sa loob ng cave. As in pitch black sa loob noon at walang ibang ilaw kundi ang nag-iisang flashlight na hawak ng tao sa harap namin. Kung na-amaze ako sa labas ng cave, mas na-amze ako sa loob. Lalo na nang makita ko ang mga natural rock formation ng stalactites. The boatmen serves as your tour guide also inside the cave. Sa kanya namin nalaman kung gaano kahaba ang cave na iyon. Around 7 kilometers more or less. Although sa forty five minutes na iyon ay 1.5 kilometers lang ang mapupuntahan mo. As per manong boatman, pwede ka namang kumuha ng special trip na tour. Huwag mo lang itaon ng weekend dahil tiyak na maraming turista nun. The special trip would take you 3 hours inside the cave and will cover 4 kilometers. Iyon ang hindi na talaga kaya ng powers ko! Three hours na walang liwanag sa loob ng cave? My Gawd talaga!

Marami kaming rock formation na nakita, isa na doon ang head ng dinosaurs (T-rex), malaking candle, horse with a wing, Mama Mary, half face of Jeses and the highlight of the trip was the rock formation of the Holy family. Meron din silang tinatawag doon na fruits and vegetables section kung saan may makikita kang formation ng corn, carrots, pechay, mushroom, puso ng saging at kung anu-ano pa. Natapos ang cave tour ng sobrang saya namin! We were able to touch some of the stalagmites pa. Pero siyempre hindi pwede iyong mga kulay yellow hano? Sabi kasi ni Manong, kapag daw iyon ang hinawakan mo, titigil ang paglaki nun at magbabago ng kulay – nagiging itim. Kaya kung may malasakit ka sa nature, huwag mo ng hawakan dahil hanggang 1.2 cm lang every year ang kaya nitong ilaki. Kapag hinawakan mo na iyon, eh dim as lalong waley na?!

Bumalik kami ng city proper na pagod pero satisfied at masaya. Nakakatawa nga, hindi pa man kami umuuwi ng Cebu, nagpaplano na kaming bumalik ng Palawan. Haha.. At himala ng himala talaga ang brother kong si Joed. Ito ang pinakakuripot na taong nakilala ko pero hayun at nangunguna pa sa pagplano kung kelan kami babalik. Hindi nito ininda ang perang nagastos. Haha…

At dahil mga around 4PM naman kami nakabalik ng city proper, we decided to drop by the Palawan Museum. Iyon ang lugar na hindi na namin napuntahan during our city tour. Saglit lang naman kami doon at ang tanging habol lang naman namin ay ang mga artifacts about the Tabon man and cave. Ang mga taong pinaniniwalaang unang Pilipino dito sa mundo. May entrance fee na twenty pesos doon. Para lang kaming nagfield trip sa loob dahil halos lahat ng mga napag-aralan niyo sa Sibika at Kultura ay makikita mo doon. The Chinese dynasty, early tradings in our country, musical instruments and etc. Lahat ay punung-puno ng history doon.

The manunggal jar in 1,000 peso bill and the real manunggal jar

After the museum ay dumiretso na kaming tianggehan para mamili ng pasalubong. Walking distance lang iyon from museum. I bought some keychains, dream catcher for my friends and some Palawan delicacies for my officemates. Pagkatapos nun ay bumalik na kaming pension house.

Sabi nga ng bro ko: Ten thumbs up for Palawan! And we really wanted to go back there. Sobrang ganda talaga! Hinding-hindi kayo magsisisi sa gastos. And for those people who wanted to know kung magkano ang nagastos namin sa trip na ito. Here’s the breakdown of our expenses. Please take note that most of these expenses we’re divided into five dahil lima kaming gumala sa Palawan.

Accomodation (4D3N): 960 (320 per night)
DAY 1:
__City Tour (c/o Manong Sergz): 120 (per person)
__Bilao at Palayok (lunch): 240 (each)
__Crocodile Farm entrance: 40 (each)
__Ka Lui Restaurant (dinner): 300 (each)
DAY 2:
__Honda Bay Tour Package: 1,100 (per person)
__Snorkling Gears: 100 (each)
__Tip for Manong Boatmen: 20 (each)
DAY 3:
__Underground River: 1,500 (per person)
__Palawan Museum entrance: 20 (each)

GRAND TOTAL: 4,400.00 (excluding plane fare and pasalubong galore)

Palawan (The City in a Forest) Day 2

Day 2: Honda Bay Island Hopping

Call time was 7:30 – 8:00 in the morning. 7:30 pa lang, ready’ng ready na kami ng mga friends ko. Hindi kami halatang excited sa lagay na yan. And since island hopping naman siya, hindi na kami naligo sa pension dahil mababasa ka din naman buong araw diba? May iba pa kaming kasabayan sa tour, lima sila. And in fairness ay game kaya naman kaagad kaming nagclick. We met our tour guide for the tour Kuya Chris na siya ring magiging tour guide namin kinabukasan para naman sa Underground River Tour. Pati na rin ang official driver namin na si Kuya Sherwin (side comment: ang gwapo lang naman ni Kuya Sherwin! Shet… Feeling namin ay iyon din ang may-ari ng Duchess Pension. Feeling lang naman ha? Pwede din namang mali kami. Hehe.. Basta, ke totoo man o hindi, sigurado kaming hindi siya basta-basta driver lang.)

At the wharf, you need to fill up some registration forms para malaman kung ilang tao kayo sa isang bangka. Pagkatapos nun ay gora na sa island hopping!

First stop was the Pandan Island. ang lakas ng loob kong mag-island hopping gayong hindi naman ako marunong lumangoy. Even floating. Pramis talaga! Pagtawanan niyo na ko, pero iyon ang katotohanan. Kaya naman nang malaman kong may snorkeling activity kami ay kinabahan naman ang ateh niyo ng bongga. Kasehodang may dalawang life jacket ako, takot ako sa tubig kapag wala ng nakakapang iba ang paa ko kundi tubig na! Kaya naman nakuntento na ko sa pagsnorkel sa mababaw. Haha.. I know right? Ang loser ko. But then, ang saya din naman. Kasi may mga nakita pa din akong maraming fish kahit sa mababaw. Eventually ay hindi na rin lumayo mga kaibigan ko dahil naaliw na kami sa isda na nasa malapit.

We had our lunch there and at exactly 12:30 ay umalis na kami para pumuntang Snake Island. Tinawag siyang snake island hindi dahil pinamumugaran iyon ng mga snakes kundi dahil sa pormang snake daw ang island. Hindi natin mapapatunayan iyon dahil wala naman kaming dalang chopper para tingnan siya sa taas. Kaya naniwala na lang kami. :P

So ayun nga, pagtapak na pagtapak pa lang namin ng island ay gumora na agad kami sa dagat. Nakakatukso naman kasi ang kulay blue at malinaw na tubig at putting buhangin. Parang sa Pandan lang din. Although for me, mas pino ang buhangin dun compare sa Snake Island. At eto na naman po ang abang lingcod niyo. Ang kapal ng mukha kong mauna noh? Eh takot nga ako sa malalim! Hay sus! Pero to the rescue si Manong boatman. Dala ang salbabida niya, tinulungan niya akong makapunta ng malalim. He also guided me and my friends kung saan magandang magsnorkel. At first I was hesitant. As in sobrang takot ko lang talaga. Lalo na kapag tinatry kong abutin ang buhangin. Pero naman ano, asa pa ko?! Haha.. Nakailang attempt yata si Manong na sabihin akong mag-umpisa na sa pagsilip sa ilalim bago ako sumunod. Kasi naman, first time kong gumamit ng snorkel gears. Sorry na mga ateh ha? Walang ganun sa bukid namin kaya matagal bago ko nasanay sa gear. At nung nasanay na ko, saka ko inumpisahan ang pagsilip. And to my amazement, sobrang natuwa ako sa nakita ko sa ibaba! Ang daming corals and fish! As in suppppeerrrr!!! Hindi lang siya school of fish, university na nga yata siya eh! Manong boatman was also kind to take us picture sa ilalim. Kaso walang magandang kuha. Haha… Pero nagbigay kami ng A for his effort. Hindi kaya biro ang magpigil ng hininga at sumisid! Sa sobrang pagkaaliw namin, hindi na namin namalayan ang oras. Lagpas one hour na pala kami dun sa dagat.

A little pictures here and and camera tricks there and off we went to Pambato Reef.

Ang sabi ni Manong Boatman, sa Pambato daw wala ka ng matutuntungang buhangin sa ilalim. Diretso na daw malalim na parte. At tunay nga! Hindi nanloloko lang si Manong Boatman! Hindi na siya Pambato Island mga teh! Nakalutang lang siya sa dagat.

At nagkataon pang maalon nang hapon na iyon so you could imagine how afraid I was walking along those raft. *shiver* And then when I saw how lalim the tubig was, sabi ko, “No. Hindi na keri ng powers ko yan mga friends.”


But then Manong boatman was encouraging me. Pati na si Kuya Jay (my friend) na sumubok na. Kasi kasama nga naman yun sa binayaran namin diba? At saying ang 100 pesos na bayad para sa gear kung di ko pagsasawaan. Kaya nagpadala ako (alam niyo naman ako, uto-uto. Madaling maniwala.) Sabi ko, saglit lang ako. Hindi ako humiwalay sa salbabida ni Manong the whole time we were in the water. As in sobra! At huwag ka! Ang “saglit” ay tumagal ng tumagal hanggang sa si Manong na nagsabing umahon na kami dahil aalis na kami. Haha.. Oh ha?! Saan kayo niyan? Haha.. Kasi naman, the moment I take a look under the water, parang bigla na lang na-wash out lahat ng fear ko sa sobrang ganda ng mga corals sa ibaba. I saw blue and yellow corals, some fishes at pati na buhay na mga clam. Manong boatman was kind enough to make sisid and make tukso-tukso with the clam para gumalaw-galaw (Anak ng…! Biglang umarte?). We were also “finding” for “Nemo” kaso waley eh. Walang naligaw na Nemo. Hehe…

with mabait Manong Boatman

We also passed by the Lu-Li island. Short for Lulubog-Lilitaw island. Lumulubog daw yun during high tide at lumilitaw naman kapag low tide.

So ayon, the trip was tiring pero masasabi mong sulit na sulit sa lahat ng na-experience namin. Biro pa nga namin ni Cassie, dapat next time diving na. Meh ganon?!?! Kuhpaaalll!!!

Next blog: Underground River Tour.. :)

Palawan (The City in a Forest) Day 1

So here comes the most awaited part of my first quarter of the year – our PALAWAN TRIP! Yiipppeeee!!! We’ve been planning this trip since the day we bought our plane ticket. Thanks to Cebu Pacific’s promo seat sale, we got it for more or less Php 1,400. Together with my brother, his girlfriend Mary, my close friends Cassie and Kuya Jay, we left the Cebu for four days and had fun at the acclaimed City in a Forest – Puerto Princesa, Palawan.


Our flight scheduled was supposedly Feb 25 – 28, but due to some I-don’t-know-circumstances, CebuPac changed our schedule to Feb 24 – 27 instead. It was more convenient on our part honestly since we only have to file 1 day vacation from the original 2-days leave. Our plane left at exactly 1000H and arrived at Puerto Princesa National Airport at around 1100H. Our shuttle van (courtesy of Duchess Pension) we’re already there waiting for us. The trip from airport to pension was quick and short but Manong driver was able to point us to some ideal restaurant to dine in.

So iyonchi na nga… Namputsa! Biglang nagtagalog? He-he..Sorry, kakatuwa na ang mga pangyayari dito kaya kailangan ng gamiting ang sariling wika. Okay, take two! So iyonchi na nga, nagcheck in lang kami sa pension at pagkatapos ay umalis na para kumain. Hindi kami kumuha ng City Tour package doon bilang nagkukuripot kami. Bakit ba? Para sa amin ay mahal na ang 600 per person gayong pwede naman kaming makapagkontrata sa mga tricycle ng 600 for the whole trip na? Oh divah? Hindi naman kasi iyon mahirap samin dahil lima lang naman kami. And luckily, ang tricycle made in Puerto Princesa ay good for five people only.

So off to “Binalot” kung saan namin napagdesisyonang kumain ng lunch. At eto ang nakakalokah mga teh, naligaw kami sa paghahanap dahil sa restaurant na iyon. Hindi rin daw alam ni Manong kung saan iyon matatagpuan. Basta ang sabi ko lang, “Kahilera lang iyon ng Ka Lui, Manong.” Pero nakarating na lang ulit kami sa Airport ay hindi pa namin siya nakita. Kalokah! So balik ulit kami sa dinaanan namin noh? Good thing at nakita namin ang palatandaan ng restaurant. Kaya naman pala! Hindi naman pala “Binalot” ang pangalan. “Bilao at Palayok” pala!

Kaya naman pala hindi alam ni Manong kung nasaan ang pesteng Binalot na yan! Sorry noh?! Isa akong makakalimutin ng sobra. Tapos sakin pa nagrely ang mga hinayupak sa pag-alala ng mga pwedeng kainan?! Haha… Moving forward, the place was awesome and superb! Sorry na, minsan lang makakita ng native restaurant kaya super namangha kaming lahat. At pati na rin ang food, hindi papatalo. We had their bestseller Inihaw sa Bilao. Obvious na nagustuhan namin dahil nakapag-order ulit kami ng dalawa pang extra rice. At hindi lang yan single serve, platter yan mga katoto! Kita mo naman ang kasibaan namin diba? Haha..

After our lunch, una naming pinuntahan ang crocodile’s farm. Sabi kasi ni Manong Sergio (na siya ring naghatid samin sa Bilao at Palayok”), yun daw ang pinakamalayo at magsasara iyon ng 4PM kaya kailangan naming habulin dahil mga bandang 1:30 na nang matapos kaming kumain. Malayo-layo nga ang byahe. Pero good thing at nakaabot kami sa 2:30 tour ng farm. The guide introduced us to their oldest crocodile (kalansay na) and tour us around the vicinity.

Ang daming crocs in fairness, mamili ka lang. Haha.. Seriously, sobrang dami nila mula maliit hanggang sa pinakamalaki that you can’t help but shiver. Nagliwaliw din kami sa Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center nila ng sobra. In fairness, na-impress ako dun. They make it a point kasi na magmukhang second home na ng mga hayop ang lugar na masasabi mong nasa gubat ka talaga.

Next stop was Baker’s Hill. Dahil naka-tricycle kami at nasa tuktok pala iyon ng bundok, hindi nakayanan ni Manong Sergio ang bigat naming lima, so waley choice ang mga lalaki namin kundi ang maglakad at magtulak. Haha..

Pero keri lang, saglit lang naman un at aliw pa rin naman kaming lahat. :D Picture taking doon at picture taking dito. Ang ganda lang talaga ng lugar at ng mga bahay. Nakakairita dahil maiinggit ka.


Sunod naman naming pinuntahan ay ang Mitra’s Ranch. Saglit lang kami doon at nagpahangin lang. Kung trip mong magmuni-muni at magnilay-nilay sa iyong mga kasalanan, ang Mitra’s Ranch ang sagot sa iyong kahirapan (campaign ad?!?). Overlooking kasi ang lugar na ito, kita mo ang Honda Bay at ang lamig ng hangin! Sariwang-sariwa! Minsan ka lang makakalanghap ng ganun kaya sulitin mo na diba?

After a quick picture taking ay bumalik na kami ng city. We were hoping to catch up the Palawan Museum pero hindi na kami nakaabot ng 5PM. Sarado na nang makarating kami. Sayang! Excited pa naman akong makita ang mga artifacts ng first Filipino natin! Tsk, tsk… We then decided to visit the Plaza Cuartel instead. Wala namang ibang makikita doon instead you will learn something about Puerto Princesa’s history. Sa lugar pala na iyon nangyari ang Palawan Massacre way back 1944 where in 143 American soldiers where all burned out by Japanese soldiers. Sa monumentong pinatayo ni Hagedorn nakasulat ang pangalan ng 143 soldiers na namatay doon. Kakalungkot lang isipin.

At lastly, bago natapos ang aming City Tour, dumaan muna kami saglit ng Cathedral. May misa nang mga oras na iyon kaya hindi rin kami nagtagal at namasyal sa loob. We only had our quick prayers at saka na kami umalis pabalik ng Pension. Pero naisipan ni Manong Sergz na dumaan muna kami sa pinagmamalaking Baywalk ng Puerto. Nagpaunlak naman kami. In all fairness, para nga siyang Baywalk ng Manila. Mas less tao nga lang. Pero maganda at malinis. Sarap magmuni-muni dun.

Pagkatapos nun ay tumuloy na kaming pension house. Namahinga lang kami saglit dahil 8:15 PM pa naman ang reservation namin sa Ka Lui Restaurant. Sa mga nabasa kong blog ng iba, masarap daw ang pagkain doon. At dinadayo iyon ng mga turista kaya better na magpa-arrange ka ng reservation with the help of your hotel. Madalas ay fully booked doon. Iyon ang ginawa namin kaya naman at exactly 8:00 ay umalis ulit kami ng hotel. At hindi nga nagkamali ang mga bloggers, masarap nga ang pagkain nila doon. Lots and lots of seafoods! And what’s more was that ang cozy ng place, sosyal na native type pa din. At eto pa, bawal ang sapatos o tsinelas sa loob! Nakapaa ka lang na kakain sa kanila. Okay lang naman, hindi naman paa ang ginagamit sa pagsubo diba? *smile*

Next blog: Our Honday Bay Island Adventure! :D

PS: Saka ko na isusulat kung ilan lahat ang nagastos namin ha? After na ng Underground River adventure namin. :) Chiao for now!