Every year, Cotabato City honors the life of the man credited with bringing Islam to Mindanao with a week-long festival. Shariff Kabunsuan, after whom the celebration is named, was an Arab-Malay from Johore, Malaysia who led an expedition to the islands of Lanao and Maguindanao in the early sixteenth century to preach Islam.

Every time I visit Clark Freeport Zone, I always wish I could stay for a few days to thoroughly enjoy the area. Aside from the numerous dining and café options, it is always a good idea to wake up and enjoy a quick run along the neighborhood's spacious pedestrian and bike lanes, hang out at the various parks, or simply chill at one of the many fancy hotels located within the Freeport Zone.

Swissôtel Clark just added another compelling reason to visit their vitality-inspired property with the launch of their first-ever Verona Brunch Club (VBC)—a dining concept designed to redefine how you experience Sunday mid-day dining in Central Luzon.

Entering Quest Plus Clark's Mimosa Plus Golf Clubhouse, my attention was immediately drawn to the brilliant sheen of the morning sun kissing the greens of the golf course. I sensed a lovely day ahead as I smelled the aroma of coffee and fresh pastries.

The Museo ning Angeles, which is well-preserved and ideally located in front of the Holy Rosary Church and a few steps away from Pamintuan Mansion, was initially built in 1922 as the Municipio del Pueblo, or the Town Hall of Angeles City. Earlier than that, the site was the location of a casa tribunal (courthouse) during the Spanish rule that burned down in 1860. Today, after the town hall was moved to its current location, it serves as a museum showcasing historical artifacts, artwork, and relics from the city and the province of Pampanga.

The history of World War II was like this wild story that just seeped into the very consciousness of my childhood. Ever since I stumbled upon my late father’s encyclopedia set back in first grade, I had been captivated by the pages that delved into the timeline bridging World War I and World War II.

The earliest I could recall hearing about Pearl Farm dated back to the 1990s. It was during this time when most Filipinos who could afford to travel often chalked up resorts and hotels as main destinations: Dakak in Dapitan, Punta Baluarte in Batangas, Pearl Farm in Davao, and Puerto Azul in Cavite, just to name a few.

NLEX Corporation recently launched a "Humans of the North" mini-documentary series that lends vibrancy to destinations in Northern Luzon by adding a dose of human touch. The series was envisioned to focus on ordinary people who have managed to create a ripple of positivity that extended beyond their communities.

After two years of online celebrations devoid of face-to-face revelry due to the pandemic, the Kadayawan Festival returned to a resounding drumming rhythm and a colorful street dance parade with a bang. In a fitting sense, this year's edition welcomed back the whole city of Davao and its residents to normalcy. I had the privilege of joining other travel writers and Cebu Pacific Air in witnessing the revival of the city's annual festival, which has been known as the "Kadayawan Festival" since 1988.

My curiosity about this large patch of greens fronting Manila Bay was always piqued every time I saw it from a window of a plane whenever I flew into or out of the city. It stood out as an oddity in a cityscape chock-full of concrete.

When citing gentrification success stories, the neighborhood of Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur always came to mind. Even though it had a history that walked a fine line between exhilarating and dark, the once-infamous red-light district had seen a tremendous transformation in recent years.

Entering a non-descript building atypical of the ones where popular restaurants were usually located puzzled us a bit as to where we were heading. It was only when the elevator door opened that it finally revealed our purpose, as a wide entrance leading to a buffet table greeted us.

Artworks have been a popular means of narrative since time immemorial, as exemplified by the art of Ancient Egypt. One such excellent illustration of storytelling through art can be found inside Pampanga's Saint James the Apostle Parish Church.

Years after its 1991 eruption, the wrath of Mount Pinatubo continued to be felt. A case in point was the San Guillermo Parish Church in Bacolor, Pampanga. On September 3, 1995, after days of torrential rains, a raging lahar flow from the slopes of the previously thought dormant volcano buried the town about six meters deep.

There had been a few points in our history where it might be said that the Philippines couldn’t seem to catch a break. One such event occurred on March 17, 1957, when a plane carrying President Ramon Magsaysay crashed on Mount Manunggal in Cebu, ending a promising term in which Magsaysay became popular because of his accessibility to the common people. Magsaysay, who was known as "My Guy" because he was everyone's buddy, was widely regarded as the best head of state the Philippines had ever seen. However, as luck would have it, he passed away in office and in life far too soon, leaving behind a legacy of greatness we could only hope could be replicated by current and future leaders.