capital hanoi

this is the first of a series of blogs about my travel to the rising star in south east asia, vietnam.

after singapore in 2011, i did not expect that it would be soon that i will have another international trip this year. my partner and I have already decided a month before our said  trip not to push through because of personal concerns. but, eventually through our modern day angel, we made it to our second asian trip.

from cebu, we traveled to tagbilaran and stayed overnight before leaving for manila to hanoi. you might be surprised why we needed to go to bohol and travel to manila and not directly from cebu to manila instead. well, the package tour includes this trip, where 21 out of the 23 travelers are from bohol (majority are from the dumaluan clan). it was one way for us to know the other members of the dumaluan family, mostly the third generation. we were also travelling with rev. fr. jonas and rev. fr. butch – who are also very close to the family of doc mimi and doc doyet dumaluan. mind you, traveling abroad with this great number is super fun.

arriving in hanoi, the capital and second largest city of vietnam, we were greeted by our heart-warming vietnamese tour guide named ‘junie.’  due to the influence of the europeans, they actually have that accent combined with their vietnamese language. hearing them speak is something new to my system but was able to understand eventually.

on our way to the hotel, i noticed zones ready for industrialization and commercialization, similar to our reclamation areas in the philippines. i also saw motorcycles bringing loads of beautiful flowers to the their flower market early morning. the famous vietnamese hats are also worn by both men and women with their traditional vietnamese wardrobes. when we reached our hotel, there were people eating and drinking by the streets while minching on vegetables and seafoods. they sat on small individual chairs almost touching the ground. this is similar to the ‘pungko-pungko’ style of eating in cebu.

to be continued…

tarsier paprika

before leaving for vietnam, we had breaksfast planned by doc mimi together with judge bing, doc jet, rev. father and me of course at  the newly opened “tarsier paprika” restaurant of “tarsier botanika” in panglao island in bohol, philippines. we did not actually have any reservations but we were accomodated. they served us with their yummy continental breakfast plus a breathtaking view of the sea that is just picture perfect. this is the place of my dream house. how I wish?!

i once featured tarsier botanika in my blog. it offers a different experience to the usual beach goers of the famous panglao island, known for its sandy white beaches and abundant marine life. from the casual café offering, it now has tarsier paprika restaurant that recently opened, to accommodate the fine dining market.

the restaurant is situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean which gives you an amazing view of the serene blue waters combined with the sumptuous international cuisine to give you an unforgettable dining experience. made from the freshest local ingredients, herbs and spices, of which are grown in their own organic gardens, the creative french chef creates the best dishes that soothes your palates.

when you plan to have your vacation in bohol and or visit the next time, don’t forget to dine in “tarsier paprika.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

more liberating

last weekend, I travelled to bohol together with the alfon and the berdin’s.

other than the usual popular scenic spots tour in bohol, one of the itinerary for the three-day vacation was to go to e.a.t. danao or the extreme/eco/educational adventure tour. the ecotourism concept is set-up to benefit the municipality of danao, bohol and its people. a local government unit initiated and managed facility with a huge nature park. the area used to be the base camp of the revered boholano hero, francisco dagohoy, who led the longest philippine revolutionary movement according to history.

it was one of the wish list by the nieces of jet to experience the thrilling outdoor adventures namely; suislide, caving, river tubing and the plunge to name a few. But since we only have a limited time, the girls opted to have the “suislide”  while I and jet chose the “plunge” (we already have tried the suislide four years ago – still in e.a.t. danao).

suislide is basically a zip-line consisting of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline cliff. the suislide has two lines, going forth and back. its starting point is parallel to the sky ride and plunge’s height. suislide is the local version for zipline, a sky ride or a slide for life. sui-slide is coined from the word, “suis“ (the sound of the cable ride once you get to slide) and “slide”. it could also mean for some who is so much petrified with heights to be a suicidal slide. it traverses around half a kilometer from one mountain to another, taking you to less than a minute exhilarating ride.

the plunge is a canyon swing adventure attraction mounted over a 200 meter high and 300 meter wide gorge. a person would have to do a 45 meters free fall before being launched on a pendulum swing measuring to a hundred meter diameter. cable has a maximum working load of 5 tons. now longer (70 meters) more fear some.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

for me, the “plunge” is the best “fear factor” experience amongst the adventures offered. the plunge was even more nerve-racking compared to the suislide. you have to plunge or literally drop to an open air helpless (but the harness is there).  you fall with too much speed making you hold on to your breath involuntarily. before jumping in to the bridge with my feet up, like bungee jumping (aka spiderman), i convinced myself that this is just easy for me. i have tried the roller coasters in universal studios singapore, where you are reversed a couple of times in mid-air as if you fall together with the other riders which was exhilarating. but the plunge is way different – you are just on your own.

others chose not to try these types of adventures because they are afraid. what if? what if? what if something would happen along the way? i respect their choices. to each is own. well, i also have my own fears, but i chose to face them. this is one way for me to overcome my fear of any kind – to overcome stumbling blocks so that when the real situation comes, you are prepared.

this experience made appreciate my life more. its actually more than liberating. its bliss!

cool bicol…

since i was a kid, i always wanted to see the world famous mayon volcano, renowed as the “perfect cone” because of its symmetric conical shape.

its been more than 25 years now, since i first read this on books and saw it on postcards. i am just fascinated by its true beauty when i got the opportunity to see mayon up close and personal.

+ had a comfortable stay at hotel st. ellis, dined in the popular “small talk” restaurant, serving the sumptuous bicolano food, zipped line fronting mayon, chili ice cream as dessert and many more.

*** overall, the trip was great.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

fun run

last september 30, 2012, i participated in the 36^th milo marathon in tagbilaran city, bohol together with doyet, mimi, jet, dave and miguel. we actually made this part of the vacation bonding and running with our favorite family in bohol, the dumaluans.

i am one with the advocacy of milo giving away running shoes to the underprivileged children. a portion of the registration fee is allotted to the advocacy.

until the next milo marathon.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

friday madness

since the time i worked with lexmark almost four years ago, there is something crazy about friday’s in the office. everyone’s just very high.

endorphins come out naturally in our system because we are very excited with our two-day off after a long and grueling five-day work week. we always look forward to spend quality time with our family and or bond with friends, shop or window shop in the mall, watch our favorite movie in the cinema, travel locally or abroad and a lot more. we just want to relax in any way we can. we all need time to recharge.

friday is also the time to evaluate myself and plan for next week’s work.

happy weekend everyone!

@verne – thank you for the pix

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

beautiful b…

i told you, bohol will always be my second home. i will never ran out of beautiful places and experiences to feature in this beautiful island. we went to bohol, exactly a week ago, to visit our good and great family of doc mimi and doc doyet and to attend the wedding of jet’s batchmate in medicine. despite the busy schedule, doc mimi treated us to a sumptuous buffet breakfast at the lamian world cuisine of the newly opened bellevue resort in panglao island, bohol, philippines. its unusual for me to wake up that early and take buffet for breakfast but that was an offer i just couldn’t resist. with this new addition to panglao’s list of three to five-star hotels and resorts, i was not disappointed to see bellevue. hope we will be back to experience staying in the hotel. until the next feature…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

simply biking…

we went to bohol over the weekend and spent sometime with the kids of mimi and doyet who were actually in new zealand for a convention during that time. we had so much fun and time with them. mimi and doyet are no stranger to us. they treated us just like their family. the couple is very, very good and humble people despite their status in life. so, here are our some of the pictures in our biking adventure in bohol.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

love all…

i enjoy swimming, running and biking. these sports will qualify me in becoming a triathlete. though, i have plans of undergoing extensive training in these three, i set that aside for the meantime because, i just love playing badminton.

playing badminton has a different feel for me. the adrenaline rush i experience is just awesome, especially when you play with an opponent who is equally talented as you are. badminton is just breath catching and i enjoy it a lot. unknowingly, i am able to apply my background in ballet and contemporary dancing thru my leaps, turns, footwork and stamina, combined with my strong arms from working-out, i hit the shuttle cock with grace.

most recently, i just wondered why the scoring term in badminton starts with a “love all.” in this twenty-one point rally system, who reaches ten first will have a “love” score as well. i just realized that whoever made this scoring system is reminding the players to love one another in accordance with the rules and regulations set for whoever wins or loses the game. this is “love” for the true essence of sportsmanship. indeed, when you actually join a sport, its not just competing with your opponents. its conquering yourself more for the better and the best.

i would someday become a good triathlete. this is in my bucket list. but badminton came in as a surprise. i really never meant to be damn serious with this.  i believe i started playing this game with people who have so much love to give and were able to encourage me to excel. they were a good support seven years ago and until now. from then, i never stopped playing. i would say that it’s a game full of love because it reminds you all the time even from the start and in the middle of the game to stay humble and be loved.

love not just one. love all.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

no goodbyes

recently, lexmark announced a restructuring in the organization to answer business needs. this prompted a decrease in positions by 13% worldwide, with the inkjet facility in mactan, cebu tremendously affecting 1,100 employees. a few r&d jobs were also cut-off.

i am just so sad with this news when this was announced two days ago. my colleagues, who became my friends and acquaintances from both facilities in cebu are losing their jobs. and i just don’t know how to speak with them about this matter. this is such a sensitive topic right now.

this is part of the package when you join business organizations. nothing is a guarantee even how big or stable the company is, this is the risk. multi-national companies live because of the confidence from stockholders. market valuation is as important as well. there are big corporations that lost stockholders’ trust when leaders are not able to exceed expectations when strategies are not transformed into good market performances. some even fire their ceo’s when their credibility to hold the position is affected. amidst all this crisis, lexmark’s stock market value soared high after its announcement, when it trembled down big time days prior. this decision actually saved the company from losing further and gained stockholder’s confidence.

let us not forget that this is purely business. this was not an overnight thing. business leaders just needed to make a decision to save the majority…

the other day, i crossed paths with a friend who is an engineer and is part of the individuals who will be losing their job. i really was not prepared to talk to him but instinctively, the psychologist and pr guy in me started to strike a conversation. i did spoke with him about the recent news in the company which he took with an open mind and heart. though he felt sad about this but he is very thankful about the opportunity & experience working with the prestigious company – objectively, lexmark is a good employer. i can feel his longing to still work for the company but he respects the decision. everything just happens for a purpose. he believes that it will create more jobs in the future as it shifts its strategy to a different ocean. he is ready to move on as he plan to get married and settle down next year while taking care of family business. i actually first met him in the badminton club tournament in lexmark and became good friends since then. though we are not that close as you think, but he offered me genuine friendship through the years without any prejudice about my sexual orientation. he just said, ‘goodbye’ after our long conversation along a nearby building’s hallway.

its not easy to lose a job especially when you are the breadwinner in the family. i salute the government, especially the dole, for assisting the company in this matter. let us move on and continue to support each other.  our prayers is important right now. in life, when a door closes, there will be another that will open – an opportunity to appreciate life more and better.

let me close this blog with a reading from the bible (Jeremiah 29:11) “for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

to my friend,  ‘no goodbyes but I will definitely see you around.’

philosophy bank

zig ziglar once said, ‘the most practical, beautiful, workable philosophy in the world won’t work – if you won’t.’ i concur.

i would say that along my journey in life, i have acquired a lot of philosophies – from the people i met, the books i read, the learning in a practical day, to the lessons from neither good nor bad experiences and a whole bunch more. to make them work, i digest some of these philosophies and apply it to my life while i simply drop off the others in “my philosophy bank” when i believe it is not applicable for the moment.

you maybe wondering why i have a lot? well, that is also my philosophy. i do not limit myself to just one. for me, different situations entail different approaches. being versatile, sensitive and wise are keys to live harmoniously in this world.

its not too late. save philosophies now.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

leyte landing

the leyte landing memorial is in honor of general douglas mac arthur and his men located in barangay candahug, palo, leyte in the visayas region, philippines. the memorial consists of oversized bronze statues of the general and his men, including the former philippine president sergio osmeña jr., standing on a manmade pool. this is a tribute to mac arthur fulfilling his promise to return to the philippines  last october 20, 1944 after the japanese occupation in 1942 during world war 2. commemoration and reenactment events are organized annually by the local government and is being attended by national and foreign dignitaries.

thank you papa rey, doc mimi and doc doyet. thank you pangga.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

can’t forget

i really can’t forget my first travel abroad. i was very, very excited to travel to singapore – super excited to experience the culture and fun with my partner and our close family. at last, my passport would have a stamped international travel – i am now a certified international traveler. i never stopped smiling from mactan international airport in cebu to changi airport in singapore – you are greeted by this modern and spacious architecture of the airport with their great customer service from their immigration officers. you really can feel that you are being welcomed and taken cared-of. this country has just a lot to offer to tourists like me. not to mention the most famous universal studios, sentosa island parks, singapore flyer, marina bay sands, singapore river, shopping malls and a whole lot more.

singapore is a multi-racial country. it has a diverse culture despite its small size. the largest group are the chinese with about 75% of the population. the malays, comprised of descendants of singapore’s original inhabitants as well as the migrants from present day malaysia, indonesia and brunei, is 14% while the indians on the other hand form about 9% of the population. the remainder is a mix of many other cultures, most notably the eurasians who are of mixed european and asian descent, and also a handful of filipinos, burmese, japanese, thais and many others.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

we stayed at carlton hotel in bras basah road, singapore for 3 days & 2 nights. i was not able to explore so much with the hotel because we were out the whole day. but the room is good and our location is just stunning – amazing view of the metropolis especially during the night.

the double decker was also a great highlight of our activity. i thought that its only available in europe but it was just infront of me. we rode the double deckers thru duck tours while touring around the city.

sentosa island was another admirable place. i wish we had one in cebu where mactan island is. but anyways, we went to “underwater world singapore” where you can see a live museum of marine life plus and interactive ocean adventure with the dolphins and seals in another location. i also experienced riding the skyline luge in siloso. then, the highlight was the “songs of the sea” show featuring pyrotechnics, water jets and laser synchronized with lively music and cast.

and who would never forget “universal studios.” this is the place to be when you are in singapore. the adventure never stops. riding the carousel with the “madagascar” movie themed ride transported me back to my childhood. then off to a slight adventurous roller coaster in the “far far away land” where i got to meet the ogre and princess fiona in person. they were just an awesome couple. afterwards was the exciting 4d movie in the castle. that was not enough. we rode the jurassic park themed water adventure ride where we get to see the dinosaurs before civilization. i got wet. good thing, i wore my board shorts. we crossed to the ancient egypt themed adventure with “the mummy returns” indoor roller coaster. this was a very good ride. fresh from the turning and pushing the coaster, we went to a high risk adventure in sci-fi city. they actually have two kinds of roller coaster. the first one, your feet is grounded to the floor while the other one is hanged. i just don’t know what to expect from this ride. i know this is different but i tried the one on the floor first. i rode it twice and moved to a more extreme ride which keeps your foot hanging while your body is securely attached. it was an awesome ride. imagine being inverted for how many times in approximately 3 minutes. it was once in a lifetime. i just love death defying adventures.

now, to cool down, we went to a studio and met my idol, charlie chaplin. I was overwhelmed to see him there. he looked exactly the same with the black and white film artist. we also watched a mini-concert in an 80’s themed bar along the rode. glad to see filipino artist strutting their talents on stage. and of course the infamous “betty boop” who was all the way smiling when we had our picture with her.

three days was not enough to cover the interesting places in singapore. riding the singapore flyer, i observed how industrialized this country is, able to balance advanced technology with modern lifestyle and tradition.

thank you very much doc mimi and doc doyet and of course to my beloved partner, you all made this trip possible. i love you all.

manoy porting

“maajong pag-abut!,” (bohol dialect) which means “welcome,” were the first uttered words from the fifty plus year old manoy porting when we arrived in the made shift port assembly area for paddle boats en route the mysterious ‘lamanok island’ in anda, bohol, philippines.

mr. fortunato “porting” simbahon was our unforgettable tourist guide in our trip to the island. he shared with us a very infortaining (informative and entertaining) storytelling about lamanok. that is why he is the most sought tourist guide of anda local tourism.

manoy porting started to be a professional tourist guide when he grabbed the opportunity  to be a local guide offered by the government to boost up local tourism. he participated in the workshop conducted by the government of anda in partnership with the department of tourism. With no formal education, this was never a hindrance to him. he is even glad to support and able contribute to the government in whatever way he can.

manoy porting gives you trivia’s, centuries-old stories and myths that he passionately communicate with tourists. there was never a single lull moment when he starts opening his mouth. he combines the information he got from the teachers and shamans and shares it during tour guides. he says his stories mainly focus on the life villagers, fishermen, and fellow protectors of the natural beauty of anda. but, whatever stories he tell, he always say a disclaimer to all the invalidated information so as not to create confusion to history. these stories are meant to inspire everyone to take care of the environment so as to take care of our future.

lamanok island

anda is the cradle of civilization in the philippines, as claimed by some individuals. they believed that people lived there during the paleolithic era. this is evident in lamanok island in anda, bohol where you would find paleolitic paintings on cliffs and prehistoric bones to name a few.

the travel from the main land to lamanok island took us more or less 15 minutes. the group of fishermen entertained us with the local songs thru their guitar and harmonica while on the boat. the women also sang while throwing petals to the sea. plus, I will never forget their dog barking in melodic harmony with them. the whole experience was just awesome.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

its written

last week, i was invited by a group of engineers to be part of the creation of a business case for their invention to an entrepreneurial challenge in our company. we actually won and the rest was history.

i still could not believe i became part of the success of the champion besting other 20 plus entries that started a week ago. it was actually an accident that i was part of this project. i mean this was never planned at all. i registered as a participant but later on changed into an audience instead because the I did not see the purpose or my place in this competition. the guidelines were a bit unclear especially for an outsider who is not part of the research and development team. i am actually a member of the shared services department in the sales and marketing operations. but I just said yes to the invitation when the inventor called me over the phone to join the team and focus on sales and marketing.

the night before that, i met my partner’s college batchmate in medical school who was on his last day of vacation before leaving for dubai. he is currently working as the second in line of the human resource department for dubai world trade center. he is actually a medical technologist by profession when he was still here in the philippines. quite far being a decision maker for human resource from a medtech. to make this story short, it came as a surprise for him when he got an opportunity to train in different functions for a 5 star hotel. he just loved to be working with people, supporting and addressing their needs in the organization. he opened up himself to different possibilities and became very successful now. his story inspired me that morning when i spoke with the engineer to open up myself to opportunities. as the saying goes, “its all written in the stars.” it will have the right moment when you yourself are ready to accept the gift. i really felt good when i said “yes” to the invitation. and so much more when our group was declared the champion. the joy of victory is different. its been a long time since i felt that. until now, i still can’t believe that we won. other than the price, my colleagues, my friends, family and loved one felt so happy and proud that i made it to the top that created more value for me. i am sharing this win with them.

thank you very much to my family and friends who supported me. to my ever supportive teammates in the marketing communications division (sicily Santos, christine villarin-jarina, jeanette, bobit, verne, bisoy, zeila, mae, barbar), product specialists (geramae pandan-gellegani and tuzca), to the marketing research team – nean saguid guzman –salamat sa mga data and intellectual discourse all the time sa office and iris & cherry for the data as well), finance measurements (marcial), proposals (arah) and mps team (kia lyndel roble). to my close friends/classmates in the up mba program, special mention to earlie edelwise uy with partner ‘ed michael monares, thank you for helping me out with the financial aspect. to my mentors in the up mba program, i owe you a lot especially to the chairperson, dr. chaves. and to the person i love the most especially, for the past 7 years, thank you for always being there even if I went crazy for this 6 day project.

lastly, my goal is just to become the change i wanted to be in this world. i quote gandhi for that. that kept me moving even if i am misunderstood most of the time when i express my comments. i just wanted to help change or transform life better.

till the next challenge…

rafael’s farm

rafael’s farm restaurant and park is a 30 minute drive from tacloban city, located in brgy. pagsulhugon, babatngon, leyte province, philippines. this is truly leyte’s hidden treasure and pride. a relaxing and cozy place that is truly filipino in design. their sumptuous and rare filipino dishes, ala leyte style, are for you to taste and feast.

i would never forget having the wild boar which I have never tasted in my entire life until that time. it was really yummy. you would not expect that pork tasted that way. its organic pork.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

the next time you visit tacloban city, don’t forget rafael’s farm in your itinerary. its worth the trip. its a must…

san juanico

another dream come true. i have gone to the longest bridge in the philippines (spanning a body of seawater) and considered to be of the most beautifully designed of all time in the country, the san juanico bridge. this magnificent structure stretches from two main lands, samar to leyte across the san juanico strait in the philippines. medium size boats can pass beneath its large main arch the top of which rises 41 meters above the sea.

eastern visayas is close to my heart. this is where my father was born. he comes from palompon, leyte. some of my siblings and my parents have already crossed this bridge when i was still young or long before i was born. i am just so glad to be in san juanico bridge at last.

i simply love the philippines. there is so much to discover and explore. come join me…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

carpe diem…

carpe diem quam minimum credula postero – – – “seize the day, putting as little trust as possible in the future,” these line comes from a popular latin poem by horace.

third chapter

as i was reading through horace’s poem, i realized something in my life. i was busy buying time.

i remembered watching a dvd last year entitled “in time” lead by justin timberlake and amanda seyfried, where time became the most definitive and highest form of currency. people die for it to live more. the rich lives longer, while the poor struggles for it to extend their lives. relating this with my current situation, this maybe true.

as we focus our lives with our priorities, we often forget about the present because we worry so much about our future. we forget to smell the flowers, to see the beauty of sunrise, the colors of sunset, to say hi and smile to people we meet along the way. we forgot the present.

i am always in a hurry – i am afraid to be left behind.

if you recalled in the previous chapter, i did not graduate on time because, of financial difficulties having to afford my tuition fee in college – i did not have a choice. my future was not prepared. though my parents did, but they withdrew my educational plan for an added capital in our business that later on closed down.

through the years, i am catching up with time that was snatched from me – wanting to get all the promotions in work, dine here and there, the fun and the laughter. its better late than never but i still need to catch up – catch up with time.  i could have experienced more if i finished college on time. i could have been a successful physical therapist in the united states, earning and helping my family big time. money should never have been a problem for me and my family today.

days before my birthday for the past 8 years, i experience emptiness. i raise questions with myself, “where my life is right now – am i successful?” it just came naturally and i allowed myself to be vulnerable during those days. this is the only time, i became very emotional. my partner was able to notice that from me and i warned him that time that i am not in my right element. i needed more of his patience with his love, support and understanding.

relating to you the gray side of me, gave me a recognition of my own imperfection. i never fully acknowledged this part of myself  to embrace each day’s blessings – and that life itself is a gift. i should let go of my worries in the past because that was “water under the bridge.” i can never change the past. what is important is to live in the present.

“if one cannot live in the present, then one cannot embrace the blessings of the day.”

i am thankful for the life i am living. i would say that it was never an easy road for me in the past but what matters most are the learning experiences that made me who i am now – accepting and appreciating everyone around me, realizing how blessed i am.

“life is too short. seize the day, as if it was your last.”

my credo…

i was cleaning and arranging my desk today for the regular 5 s audit in the company where i am working. i was transferring books and magazines into a certain area when i found myself picking up an intermediate paper that slipped out from a training booklet that i used before with my previous employer. i was reading this creed i copied, written in long hand a long time ago and started to smile.

the message from the lines of dr. thomas gordon that kept my relationship — with my partner, my best friend, my loved one for the past seven years — burning and getting stronger each and everyday is “respect.” without it, a relationship will not last.

here is the full text below.

a credo for my relationships with others 

you and i are in a relationship which i value and want to keep.   we are also two separate persons with our own individual values and needs.

so that we will better know and understand what each of us values and needs, let us always be open and honest in our communication.

when you are experiencing a problem in your life, i will try to listen with genuine acceptance and understanding in order to help you find your own solutions rather than imposing mine.  and i want you to be a listener for me when i need to find solutions to my problems.

at those times when your behavior interferes with what i must do to get my own needs met, i will tell you openly and honestly how your behavior affects me, trusting that you respect my needs and feelings enough to try to change the behavior that is unacceptable to me.  also, whenever some behavior of mine is unacceptable to you, i hope you will tell me openly and honestly so i can try to change my behavior.

and when we experience conflicts in our relationship, let us agree to resolve each conflict without either of us resorting to the use of power to win at the expense of the other’s losing.  i respect your needs, but i also must respect my own.  So let us always strive to search for a solution that will be acceptable to both of us.  your needs will be met, and so will mine–neither will lose, both will win.

in this way, you can continue to develop as a person through satisfying your needs, and so can i. thus, ours can be a healthy relationship in which both of us can strive to become what we are capable of being. and we can continue to relate to each other with mutual respect, love and peace.

dr. thomas gordon  copyright 1978 gordon training international

philippe tarsier…

bohol feature #2, philippe tarsier resort.

philippe tarsier is a tropical botanical garden located in the tranquil island of panglao, bohol, part of the visayas region in the philippines. a dwelling place for nature’s  beauty and sobriety. a unique way to experience bounty in the island.

philippe tarsier has a botanical garden, museum and cafe/restaurant. this resort concept were created by patricia and nicolas moussempes.

the experience in this resort is quite unique simply because you would not expect something like this in the middle of an island, known for its sunny white beaches and abundant marine life. we toured around the resort in the morning and had a luscious lunch served by tarsier exotika.

*photos courtesy of dr. dorothy dumaluan

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

commit, meant…

when i say i commit, i meant it. no turning back.

i thought of sharing with you my life, my pains, my struggles, my happiness, my joys starting today. i always believed that we have our own stories to tell — and that each story is unique.

other than the pictures i’ve shared with you in my previous blogs, its right time for me now, to go into details about my life.

gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, transexuals, ladies and gentlemen… (open curtains), here is the story of my life.

first chapter

i would say that life is full of challenges. without it, life would be boring.

i have been thru a lot of hardships in life most especially with money. i worked my way up to finish college. i moved from one university to another. one course to the other. i worked part-time, full-time, seasonal employment, name it, i did all sorts.

my batchmates in elementary and high school already earned their degrees while i was still struggling to live each day and survive. i first took physical therapy in college because for one i can survive in a medical course and second it will open up doors for me in the united states that will pull out my family from poverty. but i was not able to push through because we cannot afford to pay the tuition fee. the company where my siblings worked closed down. my parents withdrew my scholarship from the insurance company even before i graduated high school. they added the money to our struggling business in mindanao. i only took one promising semester of pt and transferred to another private university after a year. yes, i parked for a year.

i was a diligent student in high school and disciplined my way up the graduating class. i graduated with honors. but i have so much discouragement on my part knowing that my family cannot consistently afford to send me to the university despite working very hard in high school. i pity myself but i never complained.

                                                                                                                                                              to be continued…