Foot and Fire

   The Secret Arch, Itbayat Island Yes, Filipinos can be found everywhere. I’m sure one can be found trekking and lingering in the outbacks of Australia or partaking a whiff of breeze in Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher while I am writing this piece. But Batanes is in the Philippines, and as Filipinos, we should all at least experience it once in our lifetime. Where else can we experience saying Hello as “Kapian capa nu dios” that translates actually to “God bless you” and random children ask for your hand to touch their forehead asking for blessings and as a sign of respect? So I write this as an open invitation for everyone to have a full sensory experience of Batanes, our very own outback and cliffs.        Racuh A Payaman or the Marlboro country as part of South Batan, Batan Island Batanes has always been at the back of my mind for a long time already. But one can never be too prepared for it. Imagine a laidback town, beaches to swim,...

Visiting Boracay in 2025 when one has seen her way back before as an unspoilt paradise, one could really feel like stepping inside the Divisoria where there are lots of trinkets, shirts, swimwears and beach bags being sold. The lining of establishments from  small refreshment stalls to souvenir shops and restaurants add vibrance to the night scene after the sunset watching but it could be a bit overwhelming given the crowding in one area. The blind masseurs offering their services while one is seated under the coconut trees then were replaced by masseurs offering massages in their in-house or in one’s own hotel. Mushrooming of chain and big hotels in Boracay may be good for revenue and offer convenience for big conferences but the downside of the same development can easily be felt when one visits her at the height of overpopulating algae which many studies indicated to be caused by excess nutrients from human activities and inadequate sewage treatment or untreated wastewater from ...