I've always wanted to visit Dumaguete City because my friend Dee, whom I originally met in Bacolod, raved endlessly about it during one of our travel conversations. The idea simply stuck in my mind like a fish bone desperately waiting to be plucked out. The undeniable charm of this University town and its famously laid-back environment perfectly fits my ideal description of a city for future residency.

It was also a massive plus when, even before I officially set foot in Dumaguete, a brand-new friend was already happily waiting for me at the airport—complete with a handwritten "Welcome Marky" sign scribbled boldly on a used COMELEC secret ballot folder.