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Usapang Milktea

Me: masarap tong Yi Fang ha!

Boss: o ayan may bago ka ng favorite. Hindi ka na bibili ng Coco. Sawa ka na dun.

Me: hindi porket sawa na ile-let go ko na yun. I will still hold on to it and try it until bumalik uli yung dati.

Boss: milktea pa ba ang usapan dito?

Me: kroo kroo...

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Moving forward from a break-up could lead to a lot of different possibilities. It can lead two people to become strangers... or it can lead two people to be just friends or... it could also lead two people back together making them learn from their once failed relationship and be a better version of themselves this time around.

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Wow.. It’s been a while. Seems like I’ll be needing to write my thoughts down in the coming days. 

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My 24th Birthday.

I haven’t been blogging lately, guess I was so busy with work that I actually can’t find time to share my stories. Anyways, last February 27, 2011 was my 24th birthday. I wanted it to be different this time. I don’t feel like throwing a big party with my friends or getting drunk and wasted. A couple of weeks before my birthday, I kept on thinking what I really want. Then I realized that I wanted to make other people happy, not necessarily my friends.  I thought of celebrating it with kids in an orphanage but I realized that these kids can still hope for someone to adopt them and give them the love (of family) that they need. So I decided to celebrate my birthday with the elderly people in a home for the aged institution, since these people were left behind by their family and what, let’s admit it, their like just waiting for their time to end. I asked my Bestfriend Steph if she could help me organize and look for a home for the aged institution that is not popular since I believe that they don’t get donations that often compared to the popular ones. We chose Bahay Kanlungan ni Maria by Camillian Sisters in Antipolo, which consists of around 25 lolas. So I told my closest friends about my plan right away and they said that it was a good idea. I bought food and also gathered some donations from my friends and I was happy that my mom and dad also supported my plan that they even bought towels for the lolas to serve as giveaways. I also asked my closest friends to join me make the Lolas happy by spending a little of our time with them. We prepared a little program for them wherein we tried to get to know them through some games since they love to share their stories to other people, we prepared a little intermission number for them to be entertained, and danced with them as well. I also remembered that before our program started, they asked me to go infront and the Lolas greeted me a happy birthday and gave a little message. It really did touch my heart and I can’t explain the happiness that I felt during the time that I spent my birthday with them. It was a great fulfillment to make the Lolas happy and I‘m glad that I am surrounded by great people who are also willing to share their love to these Lolas. Thank you again (you guys know who you are)! You guys are the BEST!

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BATANES: Home of the winds

Batanes… It’s a must-see destination here in the Philippines. It has always been my dream to go to Batanes ever since college. So when I heard about Seair’s seat sale, me and my bestfriend Steph booked our ticket right away.

The plane fare going to Batanes usually costs around 12,000 -14,000php (roundtrip) and we got ours for 6,500php each (roundtrip). Too bad Seair is the only aircraft that has a flight going there. We stayed in Batanes Seaside Lodge for 4 days 3 nights, I must say that they have the best package deal since it’s just 6,000 php all-in, that includes our accommodation, breakfast lunch and dinner, and the tour itself. They have nice rooms as well plus the manager of Batanes Seaside Lodge, Ms.Lydia, is very friendly and accommodating… I fell inlove with Batanes the moment that we arrived. The people are so friendly; they would smile at you and greet you as if you guys know each other already.

They live a simple life, and there was even a time that it made me think to just live there (haha.).  So when we started our tour, it seems like as if we’re in another country. And the weather… it’s so cold, it’s windy and even if the sun is up, it really gets cold to the point that I can’t afford to take off my jacket.

When in Batanes, I would really suggest that you try to rent a mountain bike and just explore the place. Like what my bestfriend told me, ‘When in Batanes, do what Ivatans do.’. One thing that I can’t forget during my vacation in Batanes is our ‘boat ride’ going to sabtang island and going back to Basco. It was the craziest, wildest and toughest boat ride ever. The boat was jumping up and down because of the huge waves. Yes, it was scary BUT fun at the same time. I wanted to tell more things about Batanes but the place was so BEAUTIFUL  and its better for people to find out and discover for themselves what Batanes is all about.

'House of Dakay' - oldest stone house in Batanes.

With Lola Ida (one of the oldest women on the island)

Jump! Jump! Jump!

with the ivatan kids. =)

Makes me want to go back to Batanes... *sigh*

Huge waves in Sabtang island, Batanes

The famous Coconut Crab

Jump for Joy! (with my new found friends in Batanes.) =)

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I Run For Life (a race for a cause)

"We need a little help from all of you guys. Let me share a sad news about our colleague and friend (officemate) BJ Borja who was diagnosed of leukemia last January 14. He is now in the early stage of treatment but his hospital bill has already gone up to over Php 1,000,000. Having to deal with this financial situation while going through a very tough time can be difficult not only for BJ but his entire family as well. He has been vomiting and having nose bleeding. His chemo has been temporarily stopped. St. Luke's could not discharge BJ and be transferred to another hospital due to his condition." Hence, we would like to help lighten their burden by organizing a fund raising marathon that we will call “I RUN FOR LIFE”. Please see below for details of this marathon: ☺ Venue will be in Bonifacio Global City. ☺ Date is Feb 13, 2011

Registration / Assembly time starts at 4:30AM. Gun Shoot for the 10K run is at 5:30AM, 6:00AM for 5K and 6:30AM for 3K."

*We would really appreciate if you could join us on Feb 13, 2011, it'll be a big help already. Let's run for charity, let us all run to help save BJ win this fight against Leukemia. 

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Gawad Kalinga (Bantayan Island, Cebu)

"Every year since 2006, GK has staged the GK Bayani Challenge, a 5-day test of courage, endurance and love for country where teams of 15 people go on an adventure to plant hope on ground by building a community and fostering friendships and camaraderie. It is an exciting event that over hundreds all over the country and across the world have started to look forward to every year as their heroic response to whatever continues to threaten the poorest of the poor in different parts of our country. This year, on April 4-9 ,2011 in Bantayan Island, Cebu, GK Bayani Challenge 2011 will be gathering an army of 2,000 volunteers from all over the world to answer the call for every Filipino to be a nation builder. True to this spirit we are taking this year’s Bayani Challenge to the next level of raising up the island of Bantayan – more lives to be changed, to bring hope to others, to build sustainable communities." - http://www.gk1world.com/bayani-challenge-2011

*I would really want to join this GK event but as much as I would want to, I cannot afford to take a leave from work for 5 days... But I definitely encourage everyone to join this event on April. Give yourself a new summer trip, be productive and let us help the people of Bantayan build their homes. If interested, just go to their website ( http://www.gk1world.com/bayani-challenge-2011 )for more details.

[parsky-blog]

Spontaneous Tagaytay Trip

After a busy work week, sometimes... ooops! sorry, most of the time we need to be with our 'good vibes' friends and just simply go somewhere to relax or just talk about good stuff. This is to remind us that no matter how stressful our day or our week is, what matters most is how we will end it and we can easily turn it the other way around. =)

Army Navy (I didn't know that there's already one in Tagaytay)

The Good Vibes couple. (Randy and Karlah)

Karlah and I

V for.... Victory! =)

So there... We went to Tagaytay just to have dinner and coffee then went back to Manila. The funny thing is that on our way back, we were singing our hearts out inside the car with some old school songs. This is how we say NO to boring weekends. =)

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Whenever I miss my friends, I just look at their pictures that I posted at the right side of my office desk... *sigh*

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Surfvivor La Union Trip

Went on a surfing trip with friends at La Union last weekend and we joined Travel Factor for the second time around. This is for us not to have a hard time arranging the trip due to our busy schedule at work (so thanks again to Travel Factor). We left Manila Friday night around 12mn and arrived at San Juan, La Union around 6:00am. The group stayed at Sebay resort since San Juan Surf resort is fully booked. 

So we played frisbee first while others took a nap since they weren't able to sleep well on our way. 

Then at 9am we have to get ready since that's our schedule for Surfing 101 with the surfing instructors from Billabong Surf School owned by Luke Landrigan. Since the waves are too high and too strong for beginners like us in Urbiztondo, San Juan...

we had to transfer to Bacnotan for some smaller waves that we can ride on.

I love the boards that the instructors from the Billabong Surf School used since they have this so-called 'soft' boards for beginners. I also love the attitude and personality of the instructors since they're super friendly and they really are dedicated to teach their students how to surf. They would make sure that their students would be able to ride on the waves before the surfing lesson ends. 

(Me and my friends while waiting for our turn.)

(w/ the instructors)

After our surfing lessons, we had an appointment with Jack Daniels to end our day. (Kiddin!) 

We had our breakfast at San Juan Surf resort which is right beside Sebay resort and look who we found... The famous Luke Landrigan.

(The view from San Juan Surf resort)

(with my adventure buddies Pao and Donna)

(The whole group)

If you guys want to learn how to surf, I definitely suggest that you go to the Billabong Surf school at San Juan Surf resort since they offer the same price per hour which i think is around 400php atleast they have safer boards if its your first time to try surfing. 

San Juan Surf resort: http://www.sanjuansurfresort.com/

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oh! it's russell!

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Parasailing in Boracay 2 years ago...

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Tali Trip 2010

I just want to share some of our pictures during our Tali trip last Oct of 2010. We rented this house called 'Los Balcones' at Tali, Batangas. It was kind of expensive if you ask me. It costs around 23-28k for an overnight stay good for 18 pax. It can be expensive but you just have to be with the right people and it'll be worth it. They have a swimming pool, billiard table, foosball, dart board, and a main dvd home theatre. Or you can also rent their videoke machine if you want to. I would really recommend this place to the people who wants to relax, or have fun w/ their friends outside the city.

the swimming pool.

one of the rooms.

ground floor area

the house at night.

me and my friends goofing around.

the foosball challenge.

--Los Balcones (Tali, Batangas) website: http://losbalcones.webs.com/

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Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011.

Spent New year's eve w/ my family plus our relatives (mother side) at my uncle's house in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. 

Good food.

Me and my grandma.

skype-ing w/ my 2 favorite cousins. (I supppeerrr miss them!)

my brother feeling karate kid.

my dad w/ my two little (or should i say big) brothers.

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Pawikan Festival 2010

Last Nov. 2010, me and my friend attended the Pawikan Festival in Morong, Bataan. It is being held every year to show the involvement of the people in the conservation of endangered turtles. It was held in the Pawikan Conservation Center where they released the baby turtles in the sea and they also have this street dance competion where the contestants are dressed in colorful turtle costumes. 

Kuya Kim and his son w/ the baby turtles

Karen Davila

Travel Factor people

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Blast from the past: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to live in the Philippines back in the old times? Like how it looks like being surrounded of different houses made of wood or brick houses during the Spanish colonial period? Well, I thought that Vigan would be the answer to those questions but I just learned that there’s this place in Bagac, Bataan called the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar that would definitely help us travel back in the old days. 

I joined travel factor one weekend for a trip to Bataan and this is part of our itinerary. I actually do not have any idea of this place since I’ve never heard of it. But thanks to travel factor, I was given the chance to experience what it feels like to live in the past. 

The owner of Las Casas buys up old ancestral houses from different places in the Philippines and transfers them to Bataan brick by brick, plank by plank.  For me it was really indeed a good idea because atleast in this way we would be able to preserve the beauty of these authentic 19th century mansions and stone houses (bahay na bato). 

The moment that you enter the resort, the surrounding will amaze you right away. It’s like you’ve just entered a time machine (atleast that’s how I felt).  You’ll be able to walk through the cobblestone streets,  be able to be surrounded by the 100-year old houses, plus the statues and the lamp posts that helps out provide the feeling of being in the Spanish era. 

Another good thing about the place is that you can actually sleep inside these houses. The only problem is that it’s quite expensive since it will cost you I think around 20,000php  and above for an overnight stay. If you want to stay for a night you can get a studio instead of renting the whole house and that would just cost you 3,825php. For daytrips, it would be 1,000php and that includes the entrance fee, a 30-1hr tour of the whole place, lunch, afternoon snacks, and use of the beach area. 

Some parts of the resort is still under construction but I can say that Filipinos must see this place because Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is where the majestic past of the Filipino people lives on.