Bataan and Beyond

The sea was flat, we had no plans. And I hadn't been out of town in a month. I had to go.

Just east of Manila, Bataan is actually nearer to Manila than any other province, separated only by the famous Manila Bay. I've been to a beach in Morong before, and it was gorgeous. There were waves too.

Abe had an uncle from Bagac who supplied his last birthday party with all the freshly grilled oysters we could swallow. I didn't know anything about this place, except that it was probably near the sea (as is every other province in this country!) and they had good oysters. So we spent our Sunday afternoon driving past the Dinalupihan exit (which we always skip to head to Subic) to the uncharted land of Bataan.

It was a scenic drive, with wide paved roads nicely shaded by the shadows of tall trees, passing through rice fields, valleys, and simple barangays. There are 2 main mountains that accent the provincial landscape: Mt Samat and Mt Mariveles. The provide a gorgeous skyline overlooking the place, and gives mountaineers something new to conquer.

Of course we checked out the beaches. Unknown to many, Bataan's west coastline is lined with cliffs and powdery whitish gray sand beaches. The most popular resort there is Montemar, but there are so many other spots just as nice if not more beautiful that are unheard of and probably untrekked. And the part that attracted me the most? The south monsoons where wind is coming from the Southwest brings in large swells -- with no one riding the waves that break near the coast. This is probably the main reason I'll be heading back for now.
Apart from natural beauty, Bataan is notorious for its history. This was where the Japanese first landed during WWII, and where the famous Death March began. I remember the stories of my lolo about this hundred km walk. Many landmarks signifying this experience are found along the main highway, including the very starting point.

Who knew the Philippines has a nuclear power plant? Back in the day, White Westinghouse put up this plant in hopes of God knows what. Today the village is a ghost town, with the giant power plant visible in the horizon from miles away.


One of the more interesting sites we vistited is the future Azucar Heritage Village. Apparently Mr Acuzar invested millions buying old Spanish houses from all over the country and transferring them to this little village in Bagac. These houses will soon be for rent, and it will have a hotel available to tourists for about P7000/night. A brilliidea to preserve this nations dwindling heritage.

I apologize if this came out like a travel article. Whatever it was, I hope it convinces a fellow traveler to visit this place. May this be yet another wake up call that there are so many places in the Philippines that you can't find in TV and in travel magazines that are worth your visit.

There's Hope in the Stranger

This post is for those who have no faith in people they don't know, for those who are paranoid everytime they walk in public streets, and for those who don't think they are obliged to acknowledge the existence of people outside their personal sphere.

After work yesterday I was heading to Greenhills. Since I don't have a car, this would only be possible thru one trike then one jeep ride. Easy.

But it wasn't going to be easy this time. As I was getting off the tricycle, I started rummaging around my bag to find my wallet, and to my idiotic misfortune, it wasn't there. I had nothing to pay the driver with except a bunch of papers, a book entitled "Introduction to Tourism", and my umbrella. So when we got to the shuttle terminal to Greenhills, the conversation went like this:

Me: Pasensya ho, nawawala yung wallet ko. Pwede kong ibigay yung payong ko na lang!
Manong Trike Driver: Okay lang ma'am. Di na lang.
Me: Ha? Sigurado ho kayo!?
Manong Trike Driver: Oo ma'am. Alam nyo naman kung san ako naghihintay. Next time na lang.
Me: Salamat po manong, pasensya po uli.

And so he left. I still didn't have P7 to pay for the jeep to Greenhills. The drivers were telling me to hop on, but I told them I lost my wallet.

Drivers: Sige lang ma'am! Sakay na kayo!

Me (reluctantly): Maraming maraming salamat!!

They let me ride for free again. And my fortune didn't end here. Before one of the passengers stepped off the jeep, he taps my shoulder, quickly says "Eto ate, para makauwi kayo", drops P15 in my hands and gets off the jeep. I was left bewildered.

And so before getting off the jeep in Greenhills, I offered the money I received to the driver. He refused the money and told me to use it to get home.

I didn't need the P15 anymore, since I was meeting up with Abe in Greenhills, and he was to bring me home. I gave them to Abe, and told him to give it to someone who needs it.

Abe: Any beggar in particular you want to give it to?
Me: No, just give it to ANYone.

...
I found my wallet in my room that night (Thank God!), but I went to bed with a smile on my face, and a rejuvenated feeling of hope that people can still do good, even in the smallest ways.

That's all.

Why Tourism?

So, what do you intend to do with your degree in Tourism Development?

A very intelligent and practical person asked me this question after learning of my intentions to study abroad. Naturally, I was stumped.

I don't know exactly what I want to do, but I do know that I want to contribute to this disintegrating nation's development thru the avenue of Tourism. I love telling people about the Philippines. I hate that the world thinks that we are a nation of household help, corrupt politicians and terrorists. I have traveled and lived in this country enough to know that it is more than just beautiful, that it has sites far more interesting than those of other Southeast Asian countries. I want the world to see that this country has more to offer than just good mangoes.

In turn, people will visit these places, specifically outside of Manila, and bring livelihood opportunities to the people. Filipinos will use their natural hospitability to develop simple resorts, restaurants, or simple lodging facilities to accomodate guests. They will show them their local delicacies, develop a taste for perfecting their local products to please guests. They will learn to perfect their artisan skills -- weaving, carving, painting -- to make things that are more useful than a mere souvenir. Tourists will bring money. Money will circulate in places outside of Manila. Rural Filipinos will have less reason to squeeze into the big dirty city just to join the rat race for minimum wage jobs. More importantly, the Filipinos will learn to be proud of what they have to offer. And that pride will develop into a deeper love for their country, which will make them not want to leave it just to offer their skills to make another country richer.

I always knew that if I were to do business, it would have to be export, so that I bring money into the economy instead of out. Tourism is just another way to do just that.

Traveling is what I love, and it is what has made me this friggin idealistic and optimistic about my own country. I just hope that by working in this field, I can let others see the same.

I don't see myself working as a hotel employee (unless under the development side) nor as a flight attendant (why take tourism if you're just gonna serve coffee?). Maybe I could manage a resort, or even start one... Maybe I can apply to the Department of Tourism, but then any sensible citizen knows that working for the government is NOT a smart idea... Maybe I could start a tour company.. starting with one area before the whole country... I don't know.

Working in this industry...... somehow.

To Quit or Not to Quit

So I've been seriously contemplating suicide over the last few weeks and... oh wait did I say suicide? I meant to say RESIGNING FROM MY JOB. Its funny how you can so easily interchange the two as they seem so alike to some.

Anyway, I've been seriously contemplating quitting already. Allow me to write down all the contemplation thoughts, for it might just lead to a decision. You never know.

The good news is that I know what I want my next step to be: To experience short-term living in another country, and to study a course that will equip me with the proper skills needed to really do what I want to do.

In other words, STUDY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY.

Don't get me wrong. Unlike some kids with the same goal, I have every intention of coming back home, to use everything I learned to better my own country somehow. I just feel I NEED to get out to a foreign land and live on my own -- to adjust to a new way of life, hundreds of miles away from my comfort zone that is the Philippines. I know so many people who've done it, and I can't help but be jealous.

In fact, I've decided the best means for me to live in another country is through study and not work, because it has more assurance that I return home after.

And so I've been using our crappy (but free, nonetheless) internet connection in the office for research on schools, courses and scholarship opportunities for the ff courses:

International Sustainable Tourism Development,
Natural Resource Management,
and similar courses thereafter.

It's quite difficult when you have these questions in mind:

1. Which country do you choose? I've been leaning towards Australia, but Hawaii or anywhere else wouldn't be bad either. Just anywhere but the US and the chinese countries really.
2. How in the world do you determine which school to apply to? Every school will claim to be the best if you look online.
3. How in the world am I going to pay for this? Scholarship hunting, here I come.

So first things first. These are things I can do as early as now.

1. Get your diploma and Transcript from Ateneo.
2. Apply for TOEFL or IELTS, pay $170, and pass the goddamn test with flying colors.
3. Keep on looking.

NOW, the question is, can or should I quit my job already?

YES, because 1, it's getting you nowhere, and will get you nowhere;
and 2, it's taking up time that you could use making these applications;

NO, because 1, it's your only constant source of income at the moment.

This is what's gonna happen if I stay with my job:

• I'll continue to go to work everyday from 6-9pm, feel like an idiot at the office, and get paid.
• I get my very first calling card. (Big whoop)

And if I quit,

• From "Wow, you work at Stoked? That's so cool!", to "You left Stoked!?! WHY?!?!!!!"
• I will have to look for other ways to earn while filing my applications, which won't even guarantee instant enrollment. I could be idle for a very long time. Alternate temporary options: commercial modeling, travel writing, teaching surfing
• No more free trip to Siargao
• No more free wakeboarding
  

If it's anything I'm thankful for, it's the people I've met, indirectly thanks to my job. I wouldn't have been exposed to the surfing, skating, and wakeboard world (although I know I'd still be doing these things). If I didn't work at Stoked, I would never have proposed to Abe that night of the Aloha opening. So many things I'm thankful for, so no regrets whatsoever.


... I need to talk to my mother and ask her what she thinks. Unfortunately, her opinion does, and always will matter. But she's always wanted me to quit this job and find other options abroad. I just wonder if she'll allow me to quit with nothing sure to fall back on.

...

This is why people pray for guidance.

Holy Week 2009

Summer yet again in the Philippine Islands. For those in school it means 2 months of freedom-- time to go to the beach and do everything we've been wanting to do. For us at work, it just means it's gonna be a HOT day.

But one thing I appreciate most about living in this Catholic-driven society is Holy Week. The 4-day weekend that allows almost everyone to take a break and enjoy 4 days of leisure. To the traditional Catholics it entails the usual rituals -- Visita Iglesia (visiting 7 Churches), walking the Stations of the Cross, fasting or abstinence, Confession, and of course Mass. In the states Easter is the time for the Easter Egg hunt. What that has to do with Jesus' resurrection, I can't begin to figure out.

But for the non-traditional types like myself, Holy Week means 4 days of freedom. Its a weekend where you can make a long trip to wherever and do whatever. Unfortunately, because the ENTIRE country is on holiday as well, these 4 days have turned into the absolute WORST 4 days of the year to travel. All resorts and flights are fully booked, not to mention very expensive. Just last Thurs, going to Subic took the average traveller 6.5 hours, thats 4 times the usual time of 2 hours. What can you do when you have a line of cars at the SCTEX toll gate reaching a record-breaking 2KM?

I began making plans for Holy Week as early as Feb with my friends. No surprise however, plans didn't push thru. I ended up making some last minute plans with my family to either Sagada or Pagudpud. Those didn't push thru either. I really wanted to make the most out of the weekend.

I had a great weekend nonetheless. As early as Wed night, I tagged along with friends to Subic. Ended up staying there all the way til Friday, where I got to surf in a pristine, empty line-up spot in Zamba -- the most beautiful spot I've surfed to date. Friday night I hopped on a bus back to Manila to make it to the family trip to Caliraya the next day.

And so I spent the holy weekend in Caliraya. What was supposed to be a daytrip turned into another overnight trip for me. (For some reason I like to stay away from Manila as much as I can... I still haven't figured out completely what that says about me.) Spent 2 days lounging around in the 24/7 breeze, had another go at windsurfing, and simply being there.

Instead of taking one long trip this year, I took 2 short but oh-so-sweet trips. I did everything I love to do, and the best part was that I spent less than P1000 for the whole week. Not bad for an unplanned week.

As we prayed as a family on the way to Cali, I just had to say it.. "Thank you Lord for the gift of Holy Week." (In a bitter Catholic way to say it, "Thank you Lord for suffering and dying on the Cross so that we have Holy Week")

But I didn't mean it that way, I'm just thankful for Holy Week.

Lakbayan Grade today

My Lakbayan grade is C+!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

18 days on my Own

So he's leaving me for 18 days. Now I have all the time to myself and so to make the most out of this, here's my list to keep me busy:

• Finish the comic book you're reading, and start another book
• Try to maximize your Holy Week
• Spend time with the family
• Spend time with friends
• Skate!
• Pole Dance with the surf girls
  
• Prison Break S3 OR Lost S4 OR Felicity S3
• Stay out of trouble
• Stop wishing you were in Siargao

I think this'll do for now :p