This Year’s Ibagiw Creative Festival Pairs Baguio’s Established Art Community with Emerging Gastronomy Scene

December 01, 2024

 

Long before the movie "That Thing Called Tadhana" influenced many from the younger generation to see Baguio City as a destination for broken-hearted people, the City of Pines has attracted a diverse range of individuals from various backgrounds for a multitude of purposes. For artists, the cool atmosphere of this mountaintop town fostered creativity, leading to a flourishing artist community over the years, which resulted in the creation of the Baguio Arts Guild, a prominent organization of artists founded by National Artists Kidlat Tahimik and Benedicto Cabrera aka BenCab, along with the late Santi Bose in 1987.


Ibagiw Creative Festival
Woven baskets by Rovilyn Mayat-an

Standing Once Again on the Shoulders of Gigantes Islands | Iloilo

November 24, 2024

 

Third time's a definite charm. Having visited Gigantes a couple of times before, I've come to the delightful conclusion that its lure never fades. The islands scattered here boast crystalline waters and powdery white sands, making them a perfect backdrop for enjoying a delightful lunch featuring an array of fresh seafood, including the popular scallops and wasay-wasay shells.


Krisma Rodriguez
Cabugay Gamay Island

Listening to the Huni of Nature in Sicogon Island

November 22, 2024

 

Aboard a van running at moderate speed, we reached the municipality of Estancia, the ideal jump-off point for Sicogon Island, an hour after leaving Roxas City Airport. As we waited for our speedboat at the port, I ventured into the fish market and marveled at the vast array of dried seafood being sold across numerous stalls. Our guide Melanie Ortega informed me that Estancia is renowned as the hub of commercial fishing in the country, drawing comparisons to Alaska in the early 1900s due to the extensive fishing activities in the area brought about by the large presence of marine life in the waters of Visayas Sea.


Nikki Palma
Home in the island: Huni Sicogon with Mount Opao in the background

Dinagat Islands: Strange Province No More

November 21, 2024

 

As the year 2024 arrived, there were still a few Philippine provinces I’ve yet to visit: Apayao, Sulu, and Dinagat Islands. Out of the three, the latter is the one I knew the least about. Ever since it gained independence from Surigao del Norte and established itself as a separate province in 2006, information about this island province has been scarce. However, there was one particular parricide case that captivated the nation and also the one that first caught my attention about the island in the early 2000s.


Dinagat Islands travel guide
What an impressive view

Dinagat Islands: Strange Province No More (Part 2)

November 20, 2024

 

Witnessing the raw beauty of the Dinagat Islands left me completely in awe, despite being at odds with how I would perceive the backwardness of the province in terms of infrastructures. As a potential eco-tourism destination, its rugged and bare surroundings can be a boon, but they could also be a bane, as other provinces have simply left it behind in terms of development. This leaves the province in an ideal situation as it has the opportunity to opt for a development suited for sustainable tourism, which will put more emphasis on taking care of the province’s natural gifts.


Maria Angeli Pascual Hilao i
The mystical Lake Bababu

Samar's Ulot River: This Once Distribution Channel for Illegal Logging is now an Adventure Tourism Site

October 14, 2024

 

Cutting through the mountains and hillsides of Samar from east to west, the 90-kilometer Ulot River, the longest river in Samar, is a thing of beauty. Surrounded by verdant forest and limestone karsts featuring dramatic rock formations, clear cascading waters stream through a setting that conceals a vast network of cave systems, including the Langun-Gobingob Cave, widely regarded as the biggest in the country and itself, the river once known as a distribution channel for illegal logging has now become an emerging adventure tourism destination.


Yuna Lachica
Group shot at Deni's Point of Ulot River

How a Walk Along New Manila in QC Became a Lesson in History, Culture and even the Paranormal

September 30, 2024

 

Most of us, perhaps unknowingly, catch a glimpse of New Manila from the window of LRT line 2 as it passes by Gilmore station. Then teasers of it until the next two, when we hear the catchy announcement of "paparating na sa Betty-Go Belmonte," which marks the boundary of the former Mariana administrative division in Metro Manila, the Magdalena Estate, and now New Manila.


Yuna lachica
The eerie Villa Caridad ruins

Into the Great Outdoors of General Nakar: of Waterfall Treks and River Tubing Thrills| Quezon

August 22, 2024

 

The town of General Nakar is a place that most people may be familiar with but likely have limited knowledge about. This rings true in my case. As I packed my stuff for the trip, I took a peek at its location on Google Maps and observed that it faces the Pacific Ocean and runs parallel to Polillo Island. Studying its position and knowing the geography around, it struck me that this town likely boasts a wealth of outdoor attractions, nestled as it is in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range. 


April Enerio
River tubing in General Nakar, Quezon can get wild and so much fun

Epson Fusion 15: ECO-CONNECTION BETWEEN NATURE AND TECHNOLOGY | Mind games and team challenges in Shangri-La Mactan | Cebu

August 13, 2024

 

In what has become an annual tradition between technology giant Epson, a renowned global leader in innovative and sustainable technology solutions, and members of the media covering lifestyle and technology beats, this year's 15th edition of Epson Fusion saw us enjoying three days of fun under the sun in Shangri-la Mactan in Cebu, a property teeming with verdant foliage and surrounded by clear blue seawater.


Yuna lachica
The 15th Epson Fusion is the second one I participated in

Angeles City represents Pampanga's gastronomic tradition in the 2024 World Culinary Awards

July 18, 2024

 

Despite being politically autonomous from the province of Pampanga, where it is geographically located, Angeles City preserves every bit of Kapampangan culture, tradition, and history, as well as the famed cuisine that has made the province a top foodie destination in the Philippines.


Where to eat in Pampanga
Sumptuous lunch spread at Apag Marangle, 

Blown Away by Romblon’s Underrated Beauty

July 06, 2024

 

Returning to Romblon with warm recollections of my first visit a decade ago had me on the verge of excitement. Instead of the stomach-churning 12-hour ferry voyage from Batangas, I'm flying with Air Swift this time.


Alexa Pajarillo
The jaw-dropping sand bar of Cresta de Gallo