As early as the day after, relief operations started for the typhoon victims. Different organizations and tv stations already began asking for donations in the form of rice, canned goods, clothes and other basic necessities and volunteers to help repack. Several schools and buildings such as Ateneo and RFM gym became relief centers. Thanks to facebook, twitter and television, word on the relief ops spread like wildfire and it didn’t take long to gather enough resources. The response was overwhelming. Everyone, rich or poor, young or old, wanted to help.

Among the many relief centers, my officemates and I decided to volunteer at Operation Tulong Bayan at the Balay Expo Center (EDSA cor. Gen McArthur, Araneta Center, Cubao) after office hours last Monday, Sept 28. Easily accessible by MRT, it was not that hard to find. We registered and gave our donations then helped in doubling the plastic bags where the relief goods were placed.  About 15000 packs were done that day. woohoo!

We again volunteered 2 days later but this time at Operation GK Walang Iwanan at the RFM gym (Pioneer cor Sheridan St, Mandaluyong) since Balay Expo Center was already overmanned then (just goes to show that a lot really want to help!). This too, was not that hard to find as it was just walking distance from the Boni MRT station. We were tasked then to repack pasta noodles for spaghetti and become part of a human chain to bring all the goods outside to the truck. There was a festive and vibrant mood all around plus lively music playing in the background that it seemed like we were getting ready for a fiesta. haha. Truly, it didn’t seem like volunteer work at all!

More than a hundred thousand relief packs (and counting!) were already distributed, thanks to everyone’s generous hearts. Our bayanihan spirit is indeed very much alive.  More than ever, I am proud to be a Filipino

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Tara peeps! Though the Balay Expo Center has closed operations last Oct 4, remaining goods were transferred to White Space (2314 Chino Roces Ave, Makati) which still continues operations and still welcomes donations and volunteers until Thursday this week from 9am-9pm. The RFM gym is also still open.

*edit: The RFM gym has already closed operations yesterday, Oct 6 according to the GK website. Other relief centers are still open though, such as ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya and World vision.

For up to date information regarding other relief centers, where and what to donate, etc, visit the bayanihan online website or follow them on twitter @bayanihan_ . The google site is also very useful.

We went to Moalboal on our second day. It was a two and a half hour bus ride from the city and a 30-40 minute tricycle ride to go to the resort where we were staying. We just checked in, left our bags then again, rode a tricycle for about 40 minutes to take us to the next town, Badian, which is home to Kawasan Falls.

There are actually 3 falls but we were only able to go to the first one since we kinda arrived late in the afternoon already. The first one is just several minutes walk from where the tricycle dropped us off.

The falls was just lovely. There was a raft that enabled us to go under the waterfalls, giving us quite a back massage. There was a small cave at the back of the falls so low that we had to lie down to be able to go in it. It was such a nice experience.

We enjoyed the falls for about an hour before we went back to Moalboal since it was almost dark.

Although Moalboal is quite famous for its diving sites (not just to us locals but even to foreigners), it also boasts of great scenic beaches. As none of us were divers, we decided to check out one of the beaches the following day.

Mister sun decided to skip out on us then and the weather was quite gloomy. Still, it did not stop us from enjoying the powdery sand and clear water. What made it even more fun was that we had the whole beach to ourselves. Lady luck did not seem to really be on our side though because it started to rain after some time. We’re just glad it didn’t rain the minute we got there.

We had quite a great time in South Cebu despite our very short stay. If I get the chance to go back, I hope to have already learned how to dive.

We went around the islands and stopped first at Cuenco “padi” Island which houses a cave. We stayed for a while to take pictures then proceeded to Quezon Island, one of the three major islands that were developed for tourists (the other two are Children’s and Governor).

As we were a bit early, there weren’t that many people when we arrived. As time went by though, they grew in number which was quite expected since it was a weekend. I guess it’d be better to go there during off-peak season.

There are many things to do in Quezon Island other than the usual basking in the sun and swimming. One can snorkel, go banana boat riding,  kayak in open waters and even try parasailing. We jut opted though, to just enjoy the beach. We did this for a few hours after which we ate our packed lunch and then swam some more before exploring the rest of the islands.

We passed by Cathedral Island and Romulo Island where the tv show marina was shot before going to Marcos Island.

While one can (again) enjoy the beach in Marcos Island, there is also an added attraction which is the Imelda cave where one can jump about 10 feet off it and into the water. I tried to see if i could do the challenge but fear got the better of me and i jumped at a lower point instead (about 5 feet). Oh well, at least I was able to jump. haha. I then swam afterwards to the shore.

We went to a snorkeling site after that where hundreds of live giant clams awaited us, along with some fishes and corals. It was a pretty sight to behold.

Our last island stop was Governor Island which houses the pinoy big brother house. It also has a lookout view where one can see a good look of a part of the hundred islands. Seeing as we were a bit pressed for time and we had to catch a bus to Manila, we just took pictures then went back to the resort.

I enjoyed my stay at the hundred islands. I hope someday to visit it again, try out the other activities and jump off Imelda cave but this time, at 10 feet. hee.

The beach was okay; the sand not really white but powdery and fine and the water quite clear.

We stayed for a while and then went back to Punta Riviera before it grew dark.

The beach in Punta Riviera is more shallow compared to Patar especially during dusk because of low tide. One could walk far and still, the water would be up to one’s ankles.

Punta Riviera was a nice resort. Aside from their infinity pool, there are sports facilities which include badminton, billiards, table tennis and kayak, which were free for the first 30 minutes. There is also a bar and restaurant.

If and when I do get to back, I think I’d stay in Punta Riviera again.

Bolinao was first up. We took the midnight Victory Liner bus in Pasay to get there and we arrived at around 5am. Seeing as it was a bit early, we decided to stay for a while at the bus station before heading to the nearby 400 year old St. James the Great church to hear mass.

We went to Punta Riviera resort after that, where we would be staying overnight. We left our things and had breakfast before exploring the rest of the city. We hired two tricycles to tour us around.

First in our itinerary was the UP MSI outdoor hatchery where we checked out the giant clams, sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

The second to the last stop for the morning was bolinao falls.  Both the two trike drivers actually haven’t been there, didn’t know the way and had to ask around. It took us about an hour to get to the first falls (there are actually three).  The ride was quite bumpy as the road going there was not that great but seeing the falls was worth it.

The water was actually inviting and had we only worn our swimsuits we would have taken a dip and swam. We just took some pictures and then went to the next falls which was a bit far, even if it was walking distance. Thus we opted to just take the trike although we still also had to climb several steps down to get there.

I really regretted not wearing a swimsuit. oh well, there’s always a next time.

The third falls was way far and since it was already nearing lunchtime, we decided to skip it. On the way back to the resort, we dropped by the National Museum (Bolinao Branch) where we saw some old artifacts. Too bad we can’t take pictures inside.

We had lunch at the resort and rested a bit before going back to exploring what Bolinao has to offer. Next in our itinerary were the caves which are Bolinao’s main attractions.  There are three, namely Enchanted, Cindy’s and Wonderful, but we only went to the first two.

The Enchanted Cave is the most popular of the three. There is an entrance fee to pay and extra if you want to swim. Again, we opted to just take pictures as we planned to swim in the beach.

Cindy’s Cave is quite similar to the Enchanted Cave. One can also swim inside as there is also an inner pool.

Our last stop before heading to Patar beach was the Cape Bolinao lighthouse. It was a pity we couldn’t go all the way up because it was locked.

Truly, Bolinao has a lot more to offer, aside from its pretty beaches.

My friends and I went to Cebu last February and since we were already there, we just couldn’t not try both. The weather wasn’t so great (it was actually drizzling) but not bad enough to stop us from doing the adventure.

We paid for our tickets (one for the entrance fee and one for the skywalk) then we proceeded to the 37th floor where we would be doing the skywalk. They first had us remove any jewelry or watches or stuff from our pockets and had us wear the orange suits and/or white sneakers, if we were wearing sandals or slippers that could easily fall off.  Those of us who used the white sneakers also had to buy a pair of socks for a minimal fee (tip: wear closed shoes).

Since we weren’t allowed to bring anything including our cameras, we opted to have them take our pictures for a fee which would later on be put in a cd. (tip: it’s better to go as a group so as to share the cost)

Once we were all dressed up and harnessed, we were ready to go.  The view was spectacular. I don’t really have a fear of heights so i enjoyed every minute of the walk around the building.

It was done in matter of minutes. Had we not have our pictures taken, the walk would’ve been shorter. Nonetheless, it was worth it.

The next (and last) in our to-do list was to try the edge coaster. We again paid for the ride’s fee and to have our pictures taken.

The coaster only seats two people at a time so it was a good thing that we were a group of four.  At least no one will be riding on his own.

It was like your ordinary roller coaster only it was a bit slower, has a pretty view and allows you to tilt your seat to as much as 55 degrees, if you’re adventurous enough. They tilt your seat initially to 30 degrees. My friend and I left it at that and then tilted it a bit more but not so much because it can be quite scary.

I think it was better if it were faster. haha

All in all, it was pretty much an awesome experience.

For more information, check out their site here.

I’ve only heard about Callao Cave from my relatives who have been there. It’s included in my list of places to go to but I never actually had the opportunity to do so. I finally did though, a few months ago, when my mom, sister and I went on a road trip to Tuguegarao, Cagayan for my aunt’s wedding. Going to the cave was actually not part of the plan but we figured we’d kill two birds with one stone while we were already there. Since one of my uncles has never been there too, we invited him to join us.

Callao cave is made up of seven chambers and is located in a town called Peñablanca, less than an hour away from Tuguegarao. There are two ways to get there – either by boat, crossing the Mororan River or by car, driving up to the main entrance. We chose to do the latter. Before going inside, we had to pay 20 pesos each as entrance fee. As we walked a little further, a guy in his teens asked us, “Hi, would you be interested in hiring a tour guide?”. True enough, here was one of those English speaking tour guides that my other uncle told us awhile back when we expressed our intention of visiting the cave.

Feeling like tourists in our own country, we decided to hire him.

He started off by stating a few simple rules: Take nothing but pictures. Kill nothing but time. Leave nothing but footprints. Keep nothing but memories. – Rules that basically define responsible outdoor recreation. Then he discussed a bit about the history of the cave in perfect English. With a few catch phrases here and there, the delivery was impressive. It initially might have been a script he was asked to memorize but, it was evident that he had learned more and is already quite familiar with the language.

We had to climb 184 steps to reach the first chamber of the cave. It was quite a test of endurance but once we arrived there it was well worth it. The scene was breathtaking and was more than what I imagined. The next chambers were even more amazing. There were stalactites and stalagmites all over. The otherwise dark cave was beautifully illuminated by sunlight passing through the crevices. There was also a chapel where masses can be heard on special requests.

It was a pity that we only reached up to the fifth chamber because it was quite slippery and dangerous on the last two that we didn’t want to risk it. I’m pretty sure though, that they are just as magnificent as the first five.

Just as we descended from the cave and were about to leave, we found ourselves exploring and discovering a pretty spectacular view of the river where the water was crystal clear and a bit cold as we dipped our feet in it. Nature’s wonders just never cease to amaze.

With the island being widely known for its aswang, mangkukulam, witchcraft and such, one cannot help but ask that question to anyone who has been there. Having had the chance to visit it one weekend, I can honestly say that it wasn’t scary at all. In fact, the island actually had more to offer than those infamous supernatural beings.

We took the ferry from Dumaguete to get to Siquijor. In less than an hour we reached the pier where we hired a tricycle to tour us around for P800. First stop just outside the pier was the St Francis of Assisi bell tower and Church. Then we proceeded to the Capilay Spring Park in San Juan where one could go for a dip and swim. No one was in sight when we stopped by though, probably because it was a Friday and kids were in school while the adults were at work.

We then visited a bolo-bolo whose house was on the off-beaten path. It was not part of the usual tour but we requested to go and visit just to see how she performs healing through blowing water in a glass which is believed by some to be quite effective. How the simple ritual could heal is beyond me, but maybe it’s all part of the island’s magic and mystery.

Next stop was a very huge Balete tree, said to be several hundred years old, after which we visited the St. Isidore Labrador church and Lazi convent, known to be the biggest convent in Asia. Currently, it houses a school and a small museum of old church artifacts.

Next in our tour was the enchanted Cambugahay Falls in Lazi, where one had to take more than a hundred steps down to get there. It had several levels of mini-waterfalls and was another place to take a dip and swim, but we opted to just take pictures instead and just swim in Salagdoong beach, which was the last stop.

The beach was pristine and had clear water and powdery white sand. It is much like the beach of Boracay where the only difference is that it is more reclusive and there are less people. It was only just us, a few locals and some foreigners whom I was surprised to see, as I didn’t think Siquijor was that popular as compared to other tourist destinations such as Palawan or Puerto Galera. Well, if one were to relax, unwind and free one’s self from the hustle and bustle of the city, Siquijor does seem to be one of the perfect getaways.

There are actually other beaches around Siquijor and even a marine sanctuary where one could snorkel. There is also the Cantabon Cave where one could go spelunking. Sadly we were only there for a day. Though we may not have explored everything, our time, I believe, was just enough to leave us captivated by its beauty and wanting to go back.