Ang Balikbayan

I found this touching story in Facebook and it made me burst into tears. In this season of Christmas, let me inspire you through this story that I’ve gone through and got inspired with.

Isang araw sa bansang Estados Unidos, abala si Lucas sa kaniyang mga dadalhing pasalubong sa pagbabalikbayan. Halos 25 taon na rin ang lumipas mula ng iwan niya ito sa edad na 16. Kasama niyang namumuhay sa Amerika ang kaniyang mga magulang at dalawang kapatid. Dito na sila nanirahan at isa na silang “American Citizen” sa ngayon. Nakapag-asawa na rin si Lucas sa Amerika. Isa ring
Pilipina na si Maria Cristina. Biniyayaan sila ng isang anak na babae na nasa 12 taong gulang na ngayon.”bakit mo naman naisipan na magbalik bayan ha, Lucas?” usisa ng kanyang ina na si Mom Lailani

“gusto ko lang pong maglibang sa aking sariling bansa”

“iiwan mo kami rito e kaarawan mo sa araw ng Pasko alam mo ba yun?”

“inay, unang nagpapasko ang Pinas, kinabukasan pagkatapos ng Noche Buena sa Pinas, babalik ako dito, icecelebrate pa rin natin ang kaarawan ko, siguro mga alas 11 ng gabi ng Dec 25 o a bente sais dito sa tate ang balik ko kaya hintayin niyo ko, itry ko talaga, masyado na akong busy next year baka di na ko makapagbalikbayan”

“kelan ang alis mo rito?” “bukas , Dec 15, mga sampung araw ako roon, magsisimbang gabi ako, nay halos 25 taon akong di nakabalik ng bansa, kaya wag niyo na akong tutulan”

“sino naman ako na tututol, ang mahalaga, masaya ang anak ko, ang problema kay Cristina, papayag ba siya?”

“nag-usap na kami inay, pinayagan niya ako, gusto ngang sumama, kaso maraming trabaho at si Jasmin na anak namin walang magbabantay, alam niyo naman dito sa Tate, youth are wild kapag di nagabayan”

“where are they nga pala anak?” “there, at the park nag-eenjoy sa snow, medyo makapal ngayon sa NY, kaya nageenjoy sila riding in ski”

“di ka sumama?”

“prepare all things muna Ma, mahirap bukas mag-ayos”

“saan ka tutuloy sa bahay natin?” “yap tumawag na ako kay Cousin Jennifer, she prepares all things there for me, mag papa cater ako sa birthday ko doon, closing the street of Marigold he he he”

“me pupunta kaya e lahat me handa that time pasko e” tanong ng ina

“mag-papalaro ako at mamimigay ng gift” tugon ng huli

“ikaw ang may birthday tapos ikaw ang mamimigay?”

Ma, si Jesus ang may birthday, iyon ang mas mahalaga, kung me mag-greet sa akin magbibigay ako ng gift sa kaniya, sa unang babati lang ha”

“bakit di mo ba ipapaalam na birthday mo anak?”

“doon ako lumaki sa Marigold Ma, halos lahat ng neighbor natin alam na birthday ko kapag pasko, kaya lets see the results, na mimiss ko na rin mga long lost friend ko specially yung kababata kong si John Paul, saan na kaya siya ngayon”

“sino yun yung taga slum area?”

“yeah, siya yun pero mabait yun kahit mahirap lang he’s one of my great friend, di ba siya nag Valedictorian noong primary ko, nakapag-aral kaya siya, kasi nong High School bigla siyang nawala at nawalan ako ng balita sa kaniya, lalo na ng dinemolish na ang slums”

“di mo na makikita yun baka lumipat ng bahay, maybe nakapag-abroad na matalino e, maybe he’s now a great engineer or something, I know magaling sa Math yun, di mo kaya e kaya third honorable mention ka lang anak”

“ha ha ha! oo nga Ma reminiscin ka ha, magaling nga siya sa Math, I miss him sana ma meet ko, pero kahit sina Kabron at Tope, ma-meet ko lang ang mga kalog kong friends e masaya na ako”

“Von voyage anak, sana maging masaya ka sa kaarawan mo”

“thanks Ma, (tsup! humalik sa noo)) bayaan niyo me pasalubong kayo sa akin na daing na pusit, don’t forget to greet Jesus ha, siya ang may birthday second lang ako ha ha ha”

“ikaw talagang bata ka, of course, sige anak maiwan na muna kita”

“nice talking to you Ma” “okey, see you at the dinner anak”

Nakarating ng Pinas si Lucas, nagsimbang gabi ito. Pinuntahan niya ang mga dating kaibigan.

“gwapo mo at mataba pare, sarap talaga mamuhay sa Tate ano?” wika ni Kabron na kababata ni Lucas

“di naman, hiyang lang, oo nga pala si Tope ba san na ngayon?” “patay na siya pare, nasagasaan tatlong taon na ang nakararaan, lasing kasi ng tumawid sa daan, laging naglalasing kasi mula ng mamatay ang anak niyang 8 taon sa dengue”

“dengue? “oo iyong sa lamok galing, nakamamatay iyon”

“I heard that in US, mostly sa tropical part of the world, mosquito na lumalabas tuwing 5am to 6am at ganun din sa gabi ,kaya dagdag ingat kayo of course pati ako, ay naku buhay talaga , hmmm, saan ka man naroron Tope, kumusta na lang, oo nga pala sa Dec 24 ng alas 3PM, maghahanda ako sa bahay, pupuntahan ko si Chairman para sa permit”

“permit saan?” “ipasasara ko ang Marigold Street, maghahanda ako, magpapalaro may mga papremyo, kahit bata matanda pwede pumunta, mag rerent ako ng comedian, clown o magician”

“wow galing naman, sige tutulungan kita diyan”

“of course kaya nga pinuntahan kita e, how much ba?”

“ikaw naman, di naman ako nagpapabayad”

“joke lang Kabron he he he, oo nga pala wala ka bang balita kay John Paul?”

“wala pare alam ko pina demolish ang iskwateran e, mula noon di ko na nakita”

“ganon ba, sayang, di bale sige pare tulungan mo ako ha?”

“yes yes yes!” sagot ni Kabron

Dumating ang takdang araw, maraming bisita si Lucas, masayang masaya siya, nagdatingan din ang mga kamag-anakan niya sa Pampanga. Maraming bata ang nabiyayaan ng regalong inihanda niya. Masaya ang lahat sa mga programa at palaro. Masasarap na pagkain din ang kaniyang inihanda.

“pare laki ng ginastos mo mga magkano lahat ito?” tanong ni Kabron “umabot ng 150,000 pero masaya ako wala sa akin ang pera basta masaya ang pagbabalikbayan ko”

“tutal malaki naman ang kita mo sa Tate bilang Engineer, abot ka siguro ng 300,000 a month sa piso” “di naman, tama lang pampamilya”

“oo nga pala salamat sa regalo mong Adidas Rubber shoes, ang ganda”

“welcome pare, pasensiya ka na yan lang nakayanan ko” “sus ikaw naman ganda nga e”

Isa-isang nang umaalis at nagpaalam ang mga bisita ni Lucas. Hahabulin kasi ng mga ito ang Noche Buena sa kani-kanilang bahay. Maraming di masyadong uminom ng alak at kumain. Ipinabalot niya ang mga pagkain sa iba at ipinamigay. Naging abala ang lahat. Walang nakaalala ng kaniyang kaarawan. Tanging pasko lang ang tanging nasa isip ng lahat, wala rin siyang narinig na pagbati kay Hesus. Maging si Kabron ay di naalala ang karawan ni Lucas.

“Kabron, pwede ka nang umuwi naghihintay na pamilya mo parating na ang Pasko” wika ni Lucas

“sige pare, salamat, bukas bago ka bumiyahe pabalik puntahan kita rito ha?”

“sige pare hintayin kita” Nag-uwian na ang lahat ng makita niya ang isang magbabalot na kanina pa nakatingin sa kaniya.

“pare, nagtitinda ka pa rin e pasko na, halika kumain ka muna” wika ni Lucas

“salamat po, kailangan po kasing magtrabaho me sakit ang nanay ko, matanda na po kasi e”

Gutom na gutom na kumain ang magbabalot.

“magkano ba lahat iyan at papakyawin ku na” tanong ni Lucas “60 po lahat ng itlog, 4 po ang puhunan ko sa isa, ibebenta ko po ito ng sampu isa para may sais akong tubo, bale 600 po lahat ng itlog, tubo lang po ako ng 360, ibawas pa po ang patrabaho sa paglalaga na 40, malinis na 320 lang ang kita pag nabili lahat”

“whew! nalito ako roon ha, galing mo sa kwentahan pero ,sold! eto 2 libo, pamasko ko na iyan sa iyo, bili mo ng gamot ang nanay mo ha?”

“naku maraming salamat po sir salamat po” “okey lang iyon Pasko naman e, siyanga pala ano pangalan mo?”

“John Paul Mangahas sir”

“Jo..John Paul!” gulat na nasambit ni Lucas

“yes sir, kilala ko nga kayo, kayo po si Lucas Madrigal kaklase ko po kayo sa San Andres Elem. School, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIR”

“ha! alam mo birthday ko, ha ha ha ikaw nga si John Paul, what happen to you?”

“mahirap lang kami sir, after high school di na ako nag college, tinulungan ko na lang nanay ko sa pagtitinda, namatay na rin tatay ko ten years na, medyo ganito lang po talaga ang buhay ko, but tanggap ko po ito”

“don’t ever ever call me sir John (niyakap niya ito) ikaw lang ang bumati sa akin ng happy birthday, you know may gift ako sa unang babati sa akin, and that is I will bring him or her to USA to work with me, any work na pwede niyang gawin, I’ll prepare all the things sa documents, kahit mahirap kunin ito aayusin ko at gagastusan, ikaw pala iyon Paul”

“salamat po pero ang nanay ko diko maiiwan, me sakit po siya e”

” telka nga muna wag mo akong ipo o opo ha, we are the same human sige, I double the price, tell your mom kasama siya ipagagamot ko siya roon, my wife is a doctor there, deal?”

Umiyak si John, tumulo ang kaniyang mga luha at dumaloy hanggang sa leeg, may halong kasiyahan ang kaniyang mga mata, yumakap ito kay Lucas.

“Happy Birthday Lucas, salamat, wala naman kaming mga dokumento para makapunta doon”

“ako ang dokumento mo John Paul , ops siya nga pala sino ang may Birthday ngayon?”

“ay si Jesus din pala, Merry Christmas, and happy birthday pala kay Jesus para ka pa ring elementary Lucas”

“good at don’t ever ever forget na ang pasko ay kaarawan ni Jesus, pangalawa lang ako ha ha ha, tara at pumunta tayo sa inyo, doon ako magpapasko, dali at 30 minuto na lang pasko na”

“a..a kakahiya Lucas sa ilalim lang kami ng tulay nakatira”

“e di sa ilalim tayo ng tulay mag noche buena, ha ha ha!, Jenny ikaw muna bahala sa bahay aalis lang kami ng kaibigan ko! wika ni Lucas

“sige kuya ako na bahala” sagot ni Jennifer na kaniyang pinsan.

Umalis ang dalawa, naglakad lang ang mga ito,nakaakbay pa si Lucas kay John Paul habang bitbit ang basket ng balot. Tuwang-tuwa ang mga ito. Ito na ang huling pasko ng pamilya ni John Paul sa Pilipinas at sa Amerika na sila maninirahan ilang buwan simula sa maningning na araw na iyon.

WAKAS.

Share kung nagustuhan mo ang kwento na ito 🙂

This story is published here

Repost: A Sweet Lesson on Patience

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. ‘Just a minute’, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90’s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and glassware.

‘Would you carry my bag out to the car?’ she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. ‘It’s nothing’, I told her.. ‘I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.’

‘Oh, you’re such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, ‘Could you drive
through downtown?’

‘It’s not the shortest way,’ I answered quickly..

‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ she said. ‘I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. ‘I don’t have any family left,’ she continued in a soft voice..’The doctor says I don’t have very long.’ I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

‘What route would you like me to take?’ I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, ‘I’m tired.Let’s go now’.
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

‘How much do I owe you?’ She asked, reaching into her purse.

‘Nothing,’ I said

‘You have to make a living,’ she answered.

‘There are other passengers,’ I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

‘You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

As of posting this article here, it reaches out to 75, 756 shares and 113, 825 likes on Facebook by Homestead Survival.

Singapore: The Essence of Today’s New Asia

Overview

The muti-cultural and sophisticated city-state of Singapore, officially called “Republic of Singapore,” lies in the South-Eastern of the Philippines. It has a total land area of 660 sq km. Most of its citizens are known to be living at their public housing under the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Majority numbers of the population are English speaking, aside from other local language such as Malay, Mandarin and Hinduism.

Over the years, this city-state has grown into a center of industry and commerce. Singapore is my first outside the country travel. I was surprised to discover that Singapore is not just one island. The mainland is surrounded with about 60 islets.

Getting There

Basically, you arrived via airplane and will land at their only airpot Changi Airport. With the new card “EZ-Link that are available at any Transitlink Ticket office, you can travel on all trains and buses in Singapore. So before hopping in the train or bus, get this card first. After securing one card for yourself, you can then either take a bus, or a train. I highly recommend train because its cheaper. Its the most affordable and convenient way of traveling in Singapore. When you ran out of credits all you have to do is go to the nearest top-up station to buy or fill in more credits. How to use this card? Better be observant, but its easy. All you have to do is tap it at the gate. Then you can pass once the way is open. The same when you go out from the station once you arrived in your destination. Warning! Do not seat on the seats provided for the elderly and handicapped. Do not hand-carry a drink or a food and munch it inside the station or inside the train. You will definitely get a punishment.

No other Asian country that is safer, reliable and convenient transport system than Singapore. Their transportation system is considered to be well established. With integrated fare, information and networks of their Singapore Mass Rapid Transport (SMRT) and their buses that makes everyone easy to travel.

Housing and Accommodations

When I visit Singapore for an educational tour back in July 2011, we stayed at a very low cost accommodation. Being a develop country, it is expected that the standard of living will go up in parallel. Though, hotels in this country is expensive, there are still low cost and budget dorms type accommodation that you can find as long as you are an intelligent traveler. During our visit we stayed at Urban Hostel Backpacker. However, if you can afford such luxurious hotel, why not! After all a vacation is really worth the spent!

During my visit, I had this chance of meeting my long time and best friend working in Singapore. My group that I travel along with went home one day and night ahead of me. I had this chance of staying in my friend’s place. One friend told me that housing in Singapore is pretty much different from the Philippines.

Amusement and Entertainment

The Seven District Zones. Is Universal Studio Singapore seven district zones in the park which has a total of 24 unique rides and attractions.

Hollywood. The entrance and the first zone of the park which replicates the glamorous life in Hollywood and the buildings of 1940’s and all of the possible things you can see in the real Hollywood.

Along the streets of this zone are unique shops, live Broadway Musical, also you will have the first meet and greet with Hollywood films famous characters such as Marilyn Monroe and more cartoon characters such as Puss in Boots and a lot more.

New York. The City of New York in Universal Studios Singapore is the next zone. If you have been to that city in the 1940’s then this is your chance to reminisce its glory.

Sci-Fi City.  Basically, this is the third zone of Universal Studios which is the haven of those who are addicted to Science and Fiction. Along its street, you can see the enthralled adaptation of the movie Battle Star Galactica roller coaster. It has two features, the human coaster (on the red tracks) which is designed for riders who want a roller coaster experience with no inversions. While the cylons, are for those riders who alley themselves to the (blue tracks) that travel on a space craft that will perform more intensive maneuvers such as one inverted loop, one cobra roll and one helix spiral. It also plunge into a 5 meter deep pit filled with artificial fog to give thrill seekers the sensation of a near mist with the ground, since part of the ride will take place at a lagoon. The two exciting loops will have a sudden turn’s breathtaking drop and thrilling near-collisions that will make everyone scream their heart out. So, if you are scared take another rides.

Ancient Egypt. Basically, this zone has two features. You can take the ride “Revenge of the Mummy,” or the Desert Treasure. If you want to take the Revenge of the Mummy ride, be ready to queue for an hour or more.

The Lost World. This zone features two movie adaptation the movie “The Lost World,” and the movie “WaterWorld” filmed in 1995. Witness a breath taking stunts, along with gun fires and other water exciting scenes. Warning! “Do not seat in the front rows…there are a lot of surprises!

Kingdom Far-Far Away. Fan of Fairy Tales? Behold and join the adventure of Shrek by entering this enchanted castle “Kingdom Far-Far Away” of the hilarious movie “Shrek” and have fun watching the 4D Animation movie. You’ll definitely don’t get bored!

Madagascar. The Madagascar is the last zone in the park. Yes, its the adaptation of the movie “Madagascar.” You can see them dancing on the stage by their lovely music and beat. Your children can dance along with them.

Food 

During our stay in Singapore, we ventured and walked a lot, but food is not a problem when you get hungry. There are lots of local restaurant who are more willing to serve you. If you don’t like the local food, there are also popular fast food chains across the country like Jollibee, McDonals and etc.

Since, it was my first step in Singapore. I made sure that I shall have the taste of their flavor. The next morning we hurried to the local restaurant and had a chance to discover what great food they have. “Lo mai kai” is a local recipe which I deliberately like after tasting it. There are still several Singaporean cuisines that I am sure you will surely love. How about drinks? Well, they got a lot of drinks which are fruit flavored. I was kind of interested to try Singaporean Sling. It’s a cocktail drink which is developed through the long years of history before the year 1915. Someone told me it’s really worth the try. It’s sad that I was with a group of students…No alcoholic drink is allowed throughout the travel. Its recipe includes a gin, benedictine, fresh pine apple juice and cherry heering. Next visit I will plunge myself with this drink!

Traveling in Singapore is very easy, of course it is made easy because of their healthy economy, developed infrastructure, strict and well implemented laws. Its just sad to know that many of their citizens are lonely. More and more of their citizens got bored that eventually commit suicide. It is in this fact that I was caught into thinking. Happiness can never be guaranteed and fostered by development. It is subjective in the sense that. One can never tell what makes a person happy. This will make us realized that the happiness of one person is always relative. Anyone can be happy with a small amount of money despite lacking the luxury of life. Money is not a guarantee for happiness, perfect and harmonious life.

Traversing the Islamic City of Marawi

Officially known as the Islamic City of Marawi is the capital of the province of Lanao del Sur, the spiritual and cultural center of the Filipino Muslims of the Philippines. It is located in the southeast of Lanao del Norte, about 37 kilometers away from its Christian gateway City, Iligan. A dominant physical feature of this potential travel destination is the Lake Lanao to which the province economy is very much dependent.

How to go to Marawi

From the south bound Integrated Bus and Jeepney terminal of Iligan City located at Camague, Brgy Tomas Ll. Caili, you have to take a jeep or a van which will cost you more or less P50 pesos which would take more or less one hour travel. If you are a Christian and it would be your first travel to Marawi, I would strongly recommend that you should find a local trust worthy contact for your safety. If you are a woman, you should dress decently, if its not too much you can wear their “kombong” a local term for turban  which is made from Maranao fabric.

Craftsmanship

My recent visit to Marawi gave me a glimpse of the culture of the city’s dominant tribe, the Maranao.  The Maranao’s or the “People of the Lake,” together with the Tausug and Maguindanao are among the three major Muslim groups of the Philippines. My history class back in college teaches me about the craftsmanship of the Maranao tribe. They are a superb craftspeople who are known for their excellent malong waving and brass-wares. The brass-making town of Tugaya is accessible by boat upon crossing the Lake Lanao from the busy market. It is a municipality situated for about 23 kilometers on the western shore of Lake Lanao.

The MSU Main Campus

Mindanao State University Main Campus. The MSU Main Campus is founded in 1962 with a total area of 10 sq. kilometers. The campus that showcases Muslim culture, intellects and aspirations. The University is run by Muslim and Christina educators and the students are both Muslim and Christian coming from the different parts of Mindanao. The university serves as the vehicle for integration between the Christian and Muslim cultures.

The Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts

Inside the MSU main campus is the Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts. The museum has two sections; one that displays Muslim and the Maranao tribal artifacts, textiles, and some Chinese pottery; while the other section contains exhibits of history.

The People of Marawi and the Lake

Majority of the settlers of Marawi are the Maranao or “the people of the lake.” The Maranao dialect is the local language of communication. The word “Lanao” came from the word “ranao” means “lake” a body of water in the native dialect. The Maranao’s are very sensitive to maratabat which is a term that derives from Arabic and signifies rank and its due respect. They are the most status-conscious among the tribes settling the 7,107 islands of the Philippines. Maratabat serves as the controlling factor of the Maranao’s social actions, which determines not only what they do, but what they avoid doing so as not to offend the maratabat of their fellows. Sometimes it is intricately linked with family honor and afronts against it that may seem trivial to outsiders can lead a Maranao to demand retribution or exact violent revenge.

The Mosques and the Madrasa

In my recent travel to Marawi, I had this chance of visiting and taking photos with their famous Mosques. Marawi as the cultural and spiritual center of the Filipino Muslims, it has built several Madrasas, a religious schools whose curriculum includes instruction in the basic principles of Islam, performance of the tribes rituals, and the reading of an Arabic Kor’an.

More about this here.

Experience Tanza Oasis, Cavite, Philippines

In my recent travel to Manila, I’ve got the chance to experience this tastefully and luxuriously done modern refuge called—Tanza Oasis in Cavite City. My trip to Manila was not an ordinary one. I came to Manila with a group to take part on the 6th Global Business Conference held at  the Philippine Trade Training Center on the 4th of February 2012. The itinerary includes a trip to Laguna Techno Park  for Gardenia company visitation, Enchanted Kingdom and then will proceed to Tagaytay.  After Tagaytay we should head back to our accommodation in Manila at Longwood Garden Hotel in Pasay. Due to curiosity, the group decided to drop by at Tanza Oasis.

When we arrived I was mesmerized and totally in exhilaration  for I discovered that Tanza Oasis is not just an ordinary pension house, but a hotel and resort, a getaway that presents a beautiful combination of the idyllic seaside and the dynamic design. Behold! as you enter its tastefully done modern interiors of the lobby that hold a wealth of architectural elegance. You will really feel you entered a kingdom of the modern world.

Accommodation

The hotel has 124 luxuriously spacious air-conditioned rooms and suites that are equipped with facilities and amenities that comply with international standards. Each rooms are furnished with a mini-bar, coffee and tea making facilities, cable TV, mirror, dressing table and writing desk. Each room are designed with private spaces and bathrooms filled with high-tech  amenities. If you are worried about your expensive properties, electronic safety deposit boxes are found in every room for free charge.

       Room Type                           Weekly Rates              Weekend Rates

Superior Room’                        P3,000.00+                        P3,500.00+

Deluxe Room                              P3,500.00+                       P4,000.00+

Junior Suite                                 P4,000.00+                        P4,500.00+

Executive Suite                          P4,500.00+                         P5,000.00+

Presidential Floor                      P18,000.00+                     P21,000.00+

Single or Double Occupancy                                     

Complimentary use of Swimming Pool from 7AM-9PM

Children 4ft and below are free (maximum of 2)

Extra Person: P500.00 additional fee

Breakfast/Head: P150.00 additional

Services

Tanza Oasis Dining and Banquet Services is open for private dining to event management which offers a 550 square meters of meeting space for revelry or conference that a rough estimate of 1,000 people can be accommodated. The in-house restaurant “Sagobe Cafe” offers a superb selection of dishes that my mouth loved so much. The Grand Ballroom is fully equipped with modern audio-visual requirements which is an ideal venue for grand banquets and corporate affairs.

The Outdoors

Tanza Oasis Hotel and Resort is packed with breathtaking outdoor features that are sure to make your vacation filled with fund and exciting adventures. While you are at the outdoor why not dip in the cooling waters of the picturesque safari-inspired swimming pool with slides to excite you senses. Giant animals along the enchanting bridge where you can walk and take photos with.

The trip to Cavite and the experience at Tanza Oasis captures my heart. The indulging experience at Tanza Oasis thoughtfully soothe and relax my senses. The owner of the Hotel Resort was very friendly and accommodating. The dinner they served us when we arrived from a long travel from Tagaytay was perfect. Visit their website www.tanzaoasis.com and book now.

This is not a sponsored post.

Rediscovering Initao, Misamis Oriental

Travelling to Initao gives me such familiar feelings—general sense of joy. The first time I set foot in this land was when I was with a group of students going to Cagayan de Oro City to have an educational trip. We got down, because of their famous “bibingka.” The second time was when I was invited in a birthday celebration of my was then board mate “Hym Hym.” The third time was when I was with a friend singer Ruby when they had a band gig. The fourth time was when Iligan Blogger’s Society Inc., had our annual strategic plan. However, in this recent visit to Initao whats all in my mind is to rediscover the place. Adventure! Why? because I was with my friends who are also my fellow bloggers and not just an ordinary bloggers they are Philippine Travel Bloggers.

Though, Initao is just an hour or so from Iligan City. People rarely stop by and pay a visit this town. Its true, a town situated between two competing cities—Iligan and Cagayan de Oro will really groped to have that attention from people who are more fascinated with malls and etc., For me, the town of Initao is not an attention seeker. I just thought that people have noticed the place, but they are too busy to stop and experience what is the best things yet to enjoy in this humble land.

However, for some people the town of Initao is as precious as the other. There are things that are found in Initao that can not and will not be found in Iligan and in Cagayan de Oro City. I hope that through this writing these things will then become a reason for people to stop and visit Initao.

Midway White Sand Beach

Amazing! that was the only word I have in mind when I discover that Northern Mindanao has a white sand beach! Yes, I was really amazed because all along I thought white sand beaches in Norther Mindanao are only at the island of Camiguin. But, during the Strategic Plan of the Iligan Bloggers Society which is held at Midway White Sand Beach—I realized I was wrong!

Initao National Park

Whenever I am on a bus from Iligan going to Cagayan de Oro City or vice versa, when I was a kid, every time the bus passed by at the forested highway over at Initao I would surely closed my eyes. Wonder why? The reason is that  I have heard a lot of stories of “Aswang” that are living Initao and every time I’m on a bus and it passes that forested area , it scares me to death. Pathetic right, but that was long ago. Later did I know that the thick forest along the highway is a protected area. Trees in that forest lived hundred years already and I just discovered that. The entire area is divided into two. If you are from Iligan the left side of the highway is the Initao National Park where you can see the cliff over the troubled water, bat caves and etc. On the right side is the Lasang Secret Adventure where you can climbed a spiral stair and walk from one tree top to another tree top.

Canopy Walk at Lasang Secret Adventure

At P250 you can conquer your fear of heights by challenging yourself to try their Canopy Walk Adventure. Basically, you are required to wear a helmet before allowing you to the canopy walk which involved a short walk towards this spiral stair. While walking a tour guide will introduce you to the kind of species of trees that are found in the said forest. Then, you have to take this spiral stair towards the first station. For people who are not used to being far from the ground I guess this is the time you really have to calm yourself—Its a swaying spiral stairway so be careful. When you are at the first top station all you have to do is enjoy the view from above. Its quite refreshing above. Hearing the birds sing and feeling the gentle breezy air while being swayed.
Then you will realized the true essence of being free!

When you are at the top you will then walk through this shaky, swaying and hanging interconnected bridges. Basically this bridges is connected from one giant tree to another giant tree. By the way, make sure to make enough distance with your peers while walking on this hanging bridges. I guess five meters is enough. By doing this the bridge will not sway so much and of course the weight will be equally distributed. After moving from one tree to another, you can rest for a while before the guides will dressed you up for the final feature—zipping down that will signal the end of the walk.

Where you can eat while in Initao? 

When hungry while traveling and passing through the highways over at Initao one would really notice this boys wearing a reflector blowing their respected whistle giving the signal to commuter and travelers to park. Then why not stop and have your meal at this eateries along the highway?

Based on my experienced I would highly recommend the Kambingan and Native Chicken Restaurant—Lami ang ilang food compared sa atbang ^^

All the experienced that I had at Initao  can be summed up into one statement “Its awesome to rediscover Initao!”

So if you love travel and adventure—get your travel plan now and write “Initao, Misamis Oriental” ^^

The Story that Makes Me Cry Over and Over

Being a netizen, just like anyone else we’ve come across stories that really inspires us.

Now here is a story I read in facebook that really makes me shed tears over and over. Its a story of a husband and wife where in any way or another every one might learn a lesson or might find it inspirational.

I hope you find inspiration from this.

So here it is…

“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I drove to office…. jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind…I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed -dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push through with the divorce.— At least, in the eyes of our son—- I’m a loving husband….

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves.

So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don’t share this, nothing will happen to you.

If you do, you just might save a marriage. Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up

By: Ennaid Seyer

Lake Apo, Valencia City, Bukidnon

Lake Apo, Valencia Bukidnon

Discovering Singapore Part I

Overview

The multi-cultural and sophisticated city-state of Singapore, officially called “Republic of Singapore,” lies in the South-Eastern of the Philippines. It has a total land area of 660 sq km. Most of its citizens are known to be living at their public housing under the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

Majority number of the population are English speaking, aside from other local languages such as Malay, Mandarin and Hinduism. Over the years, this city-state grown into a center of industry and commerce. Singapore is my first outside the country travel. I was surprised to discover that Singapore is not just one island. The mainland is surrounded with about 60 islets.

Getting There

Basically, I arrived in Singapore via airplane [AirPhilippines] and landed at their only airport at Changi Airport. With the new card “EZ-Link that are available at any Transitlink Ticket office, you can travel on all trains and buses in Singapore. So before hopping in the train or bus, get this card first. After securing one card for yourself, you can then either take a bus, or a train. I highly recommend train because its cheaper. Further, I believe it’s the most affordable and convenient way of traveling in Singapore. When you ran out of credits all you have to do is go to the nearest top-up station to buy or fill in more credits.

How to use this card? Better be observant, but it’s easy. All you have to do is tap it at the gate. Then you can pass once the way is open. The same when you go out from the station once you arrived in your destination. Warning! Do not sit on the seats provided for the elderly and handicapped. Do not hand carry a drink or a food and munch it inside the station or inside the train. You will definitely get a punishment.

I really believe that No other Asian country that has more safer, reliable and convenient transport system than Singapore. Their transportation system is considered to be well established. Integrated fare, information and networks of their Singapore Mass Rapid Transport (SMRT) and their buses.

Universal Studio’s Kingdom Far-Far Away From the Movie Shrek

I am the Prince at Kingdom Far Far Away

Fan of Fairy Tales? Behold and join the adventure of  Shrek by entering this enchanted castle “Kingdom Far-Far Away of the hilarious movie “Shrek” and have fun watching the 4D animation movie. You’ll definitely don’t get bored.

Never I could imagine that I would be able to set foot on the land and of the Kingdom of Shrek—Kingdom Far Far Away. From a distance the sight of the magnificent kingdom is so inviting and made me feel thrilled and excited. Yes, for me it was a fairy tale come true. Look at my smile, it came out naturally, because of the feeling that I have inside me…thrill!

While gazing at the kingdom that I used to see on a film and on print ads right at that moment I felt at home. I felt that I was a prince who wander from place afar and just returned home. Then, I exclaimed jokingly “There’s no place like home” to my classmates and they were smiling and even ride with the joke.