Foot and Fire

     We arrived just in nick of time before the departure. The Sun Cruise Inc. specifically states that we should arrive at 7AM or an hour before the departure.  Since I was with the duty nurses and we went to a fundraising bingo the night before, we were dragging our sleepy heads off the bed that morning. But then, we made it, just five minutes before the departure. We departed at 8 and arrived in the island after an hour and a half.               The day tour consists of a guided tour in an open bus. During our trip, there are at least 8 filled buses considering it was on an October weekend and the tour covers a buffet lunch and the ferry round trip ride. One can also avail of the overnight package. Day Trip  Day Tour Weekday Adult Rate - Php2,250.00/person * Day Tour Weekend Adult Rate - Php2,449.00/person and Day Tour Child Rate (3-11 yo) - Php1,400.00/person. (Please check link to website for updated rate). ...

In this whole-page shot of a local German paper, Naomi Billard is being photographed with the photo that "robbed" the poorest of our country's poor of his privacy and dignity. A picture at the main station in Stuttgart is a cause of controversy. The photo exhibition “Cities of the World” along the corridor to the platforms at the main Stuttgart rail station displays pictures of the world’s biggest cities. During the day travellers drag their rattling wheelie suitcases past Mexico City, Mumbai, Tokyo and Bangladesh. The photographs depict skyscrapers soaring towards the heavens, masses of people on overfilled streets – mega-cities teeming with life. Manila, the capital of Philippines is featured as well. Naomi Paca Billard stands in front of the grand picture as passengers rush by. The Filipina claims that her national pride is hurt by this image. She looks once more at the picture and shakes her head. The picture can’t be judged as a whole to understand w...

Definitely, yes! This is how 59-year-old nurse, mother and Filipino Naomi Billard reacted to this poster (see above) entitled Manila, showing the poverty in an area in Quezon City, taken by German photographer Stephan Schubert, and conspicuously posted in a busy Stuttgart rail station in Germany as part of a photo exhibition called "Metropolis" or "Cities of the World." While it brought home the message of poverty, this photograph sufficiently bothered Naomi on two points. One, it is the invasion of the privacy of the person doing his thing at the edge of the concrete pavement (lower left of the photo), an artistic decision that is tantamount to robbing this toilet-less poorest of the poor his DIGNITY. And two, the photographs of other countries come in at least two and  "depict skyscrapers soaring towards the heavens, masses of people on overfilled streets – mega-cities teeming with life."* This writer is in one voice with Naomi.  As bot...

Cinco de Noviembre or Negros Day is a commemoration of the Negros Revolution in 1898. It is now observed every November 5 as a special non-working holiday in the province through the enactment of Republic Act No. 6709 signed on February 10, 1989 during the incumbency of President Corazon Aquino. Wikipedia entries narrate that: " The Negros Revolution, now commemorated and popularly known as Al Cinco de Noviembre or Negros Day, was a political movement that in 1898 created a government in Negros Island in the Philippines, informally ending Spanish control of the island and resulting in a government run by the Negrense natives, at least for that part of the archipelago and for a relatively short period. The newly established Negros Republic would last for approximately three months. American forces landed on the island unopposed on February 2, 1899, ending the island's independence." "  It has been stipulated that the Spanish civil and religious authoritie...

This is one of the series of colorful birds in the zoo we found  at the foot of the Banal na Bukid in San Miguel, Bulacan. The zoo can be a sidetrip after enjoying the Biak Na Bato river, cave and trekking area. However, as for our visit, it is still closed following the tragedy where the students of Bulacan University were washed away in the river. The residents said that the area will open again by November 2014. *** The colorful green bird beside the red one. *** The friendly grey bird. *** The cute bird. *** The colorful bird of them all. *** The tiger who is camera-shy. The big pile of its poop keeps me away. *** What is this? Deer with no antler? *** White peacock. *** The greenish-black-colored peacocks which are busy feeding. *** Donkey in the pasture. *** This is the area which is still under construction/expansion.  They have various animals such...

Theories on Etymology of the word Barasoain are listed in the church's comprehensive website .   According to some people who see the relevance of the name Barasoain in the Revolution, the word Barasoain came from the term "Baras ng Suwail" which means "dungeon of the defiant." It may be seen that Barasoain is the town of the nationalistic Filipino, fighting against the foreigners who oppressed the nation.  However, according to Jose P.W. Tantoco, the former president of Bulacan Historical, Inc., the name Barasoain came from the missionaries in this town who came from a similarly-named town in Spain. The town of Barasoain in Spain is located in the District of Navarra.  From Pampanga, the Augustinian missionaries arrived in Barasoain via Calumpit. Here, they saw a community that reminded them of the forest and the beauty of Barasoain in Navarra, Spain. ​ It can be said that a missionary from Navarra recognized his hometown he loved and c...

It was such a joy to behold the beauty of Mararison Island when I and my friends visited it in 2012. Unspoiled and accessible from the mainland of Antique, this island is populated but there are hilly parts which are not occupied and a cove that is so cool to swim to. You may check out our photos here. Recently, a facebook friend posted the legend of Mararison Island and I can't help but share the same as I had shared my oven English translation of the Legend of Islas de Gigantes . So here is the story about the island of Mararison. THE LEGEND OF MARARISON AND BATBATAN ONCE UPON A TIME, a young datu named Haidar from northern Sumatra, along with four companions, went pearl fishing. A strong wind caught them ashore on Lipata point in northwestern Panay. The pearling vessel was badly damaged and so had to undergo some repairs. During the time, the lonely datu roamed about the island. In one of his excursions into the hinterland, he saw a beautiful maiden bathin...