I Blog, Therefore I Am.

I don't like video apps by default.

Thanks for being my everyday miracle! Continue to be a blessing to others.
You will surely be missed. :)



Music: Someday Its Gonna Makes Sense - MLTR

I rarely blog about work and our products but I'll make an exception for this one.

One of my favorite Smart products is SMART Bro. It introduced and launched so many variants in the last years and I've always been a loyal to it. I availed of the SMART Bro canopy even before I got into Smart. I'm using it for four years now and it still provides good connection for me and our whole household. I also bought a SMART Bro Plug-it when it was launched and I like it so much because it's reliable and it constantly connects me if there's no WiFi or wired connection available.



Now comes another SMART Bro product that I will truly like and definitely get: the SMART Bro Pocket WiFi. This product is SMART's version of the Mobile WiFi or MiFi. Simply put, it's a gadget that will make you a WiFi Hotspot anywhere and everywhere you go as long as there is a SMART signal. The device is portable, can easily fit in your pocket, and it can provide simultaneous connections to five WiFi-enabled gadgets (mobile phones, iPads, laptops, PSPs, etc.). It's good for travel or if you belong to a group of friends who constantly need to check e-mail, tweet, post a status, blog, or check-in at Foursquare. The boyfriend and I (and our friends) will truly get a kick out of this gadget!

The lowdown? Monthly Service Fee (MSF) for the Pocket WiFi is Php 495 ($12.00) plus additional Php 150 ($3.50) for the gadget itself with a 24-months locked-in period. It has free 50 hours a month and has a speed of up to 2mbps. It can be availed at any SMART Wireless Centers nationwide.

I'll make a review once I tried and tested this baby. :)

I was labeling and fixing some old blog entries when I saw this 2004 post. I decided to copy it and do another round of describing my day through one-liners - version 2010.

Got my first sweet call of the day.
Thankful that it was Tom who drove this morning.
SLEX will always be irritatingly SLEX.
Discovered that the presentation I did last night has some holes.
Called Joy and Chat for a short pow-wow on the missing revenue.
Skipped lunch (again) to finish the revisions.
Jane of CDO was God-sent. She came bearing with yummy Pastel Breads for me. 
Boss arrived to check my presentation. He quickly ate his lunch on my desk.
Presentation time. There were so many people. I was surprised.
Learned about a new and important project. Glad I was picked again.
E-mail, Calendar Invites, Tweet, Facebook, Adgitize.
Called Witt. Not picking up. Probably on a meeting.
Went to the last meeting of the day. Productive. Seeing the direction now.
Should I go to Baguio next week? That's the question.
Realized that I only had two Pastels and a fruit platter the whole day. Hungry.
Finally got hold of Witt. He's on his way home.
Welcome Home dinner for my bestfriend, Kat.
Happy for her new job and new life here in Manila. It's not goodbye, it's see you later.
Niece was already sleeping but opened the door for me. It's one of her nice days. Heh.
Opened my Macbook and decided to post this.

I went to Cebu a week ago and to Davao last Thursday. Both are quick trips where I attended two important regional meetings. Both were good trips and I feel confident that the huddles we had will yield positive results in the next months (Go, Team!).

I requested too late for my trip to Cebu so I was very unfortunate to be booked on a Cebu Pacific flight outbound. It was terrible! The ground staff were so impolite and they ask embarrassing questions to passengers out loud! I will really try my best NOT to take any Cebu Pacific flights in the future - cheap rates or not! There's absolutely no excuse for bad customer service. They were very different from the personnel from PAL who even gave me a seat upgrade on my flight to Manila from Davao.

Cebu was a delight as usual! I stayed for less than a day but it was still a joy nonetheless. I arrived 8ish and immediately checked-in to my hotel. I was upgraded to one of their suite rooms but I soon realized that it was freaky to spend a night alone in a very huge room (but the plasma TV was great). I had a late dinner at Bigby's at my now-favorite Ayala Terraces, browse a few books at Fully Booked, took some night shots, and had a very relaxing well-deserved massage at The Spa at Cebu.


The new Ayala Terraces


Grilled Rodeo Chops

I've wanted to try The Spa at Cebu since last year but I never had the chance until last week. The facility is okay and they truly made the effort to make the place relaxing and zen-ish. They adapted some styles and elements from the original The Spa here in Manila (but I think they are not related) and it turned out great. It was by far the best spa massage I had in Cebu. Try it on your next visit.


The Spa at Cebu

Davao did not fail to excite me as always. I was unbelievably stressed and anxious on the trip because I left a ton of work at the office and I unknowingly lost my ATM card on my way out. I only realized that it WAS gone when I was about to withdraw money at the airport. Good thing I have SMART Money so a colleague was able to lend me some moolah through our mobile phones and I was able to withdraw it instantly. The joys of SMART Money! Clearly one of our best innovations ever! It's really handy on "ooppps" moments like these.

The highlight of my Davao trip was probably our dinner at Pard's. Davao is known for its hole-in-the-wall restaurants which serve delicious seafood and grilled delights. We had prawns, fish, crabs and one of the best tasting tuna sashimi I've ever had! It was fresh, thinly sliced, and it doesn't have the funky taste that sashimis usually have. Too bad I wasn't able to bring home some because of an early morning flight the following day.


Durian - the most misjudged fruit in the Philippines


I ordered Chocolate Mousse from Room Service. Yummy.


Early morning at Davao International Airport.
Travel SMART, of course!

One of the most memorable moments I had on this trip was my first taste of Durian (the most misjudged fruit in the whole Philippines). I've had durian candies and shakes before but I've never tasted the actual fruit. The smell was so weird that even if it was good it was still weird for me. I took just a bite and gave up on it entirely. Sorry! :)

It's more than twenty three hours since the New Year and I am still stuck on 2008 (but not because I want to). It's just that I was too tired in the last few days to make a serious and emotional "looking back post" and it's only now that I become inspired to actually write one.

I usually describe my years according to the major milestones I felt or experienced in that year. Like 2004 was The Year I Fell In Love, alternately 2005 and 2006 were the The Year I Messed Up and The Year My Heart Got Broken In So Many Ways (I still can't decide which is which) and 2007 was The Year I Became Smart - literally and figuratively.

2008 was a year of great blessings for me. Yeah, I still have the occasional trials and hardships in various aspects of my life but it was nothing compared to the tumultuous years I had in the past (Hello, 2005 & 2006!). 2008 was very generous to me even if I don't deserve all the things that were given to me.

The Year I Turned Thirty was probably the best description I can give to 2008. Turning thirty years old (and single at that) can be a dread. I used to fear it when I was still on my twenties. But being on this year actually opened doors for me. Come with the age is the respect and a certain reverence. I am still funny, clumsy and carefree but I already sense a certain maturity within me which I've been hoping to achieve for years. My views and convictions are now on the serious path compared to the ideals I had a few years back. Oh, and thirty is "happiness". I'm now happier and more contented with my life compared before.

The most-asked-and-I-often-despise question of the year was of course the boyfriend question. "Do you have one?" "When are you going to have one?" "Mag-diet ka kaya so you can have one?" I am tired of answering these questions so I often answer in jest or sarcastically. My usual answers were "I am not interested!" or "I've long given up on love!". Then there will be another batch of questions and opinions ranging from "But why? You're still young! Don't give up!" to "Why? Are you now interested in women?". Oh well! The truth is I feel so indifferent about it. Yeah, there are guys out there who asks; and friends keep on fixing me up with people BUT I just don't feel it. The past, though very painful and a bit traumatic, is no longer an issue for me. I have longed forgiven myself and moved on from it. I just want to be happy all by myself for the meantime. I want to be single and discover things for the meantime. I want peace and serenity for now. I'll be ready when I'll be ready. :)

It was a less emotional year for me except for the fact that one of my good friends unexpectedly died last February. Binchy definitely struck a cord in all of us but we believe that he's now in a happier and better place. Aside from that, everything was smooth-sailing and drama-free. My relationship with my family and friends became stronger than ever and I was also given a chance to bond more with my bestest friends through several trips, vacations and travels last year.

Work is great and I learned a lot last year. There was the usual pressure and competition but it helped us more than it broke us. Heading a team was really a challenge especially if you were out to prove something. There were a lot of guts, second guessing and prayers involved as we launch one project after another. I am definitely happier and more contented with my current career compared to all the other past jobs I held. It allowed me to have independent ideas, kick-ass diskartes, and most importantly it gave me the opportunity to have a work and personal life balance. The pay-out at the end of the year were just icings on the cake.

I sailed through in 2008. It's a neutral year for me (boring at times actually) and I will definitely miss it. I am sure that 2009 will be a bit different since I know it will involve a lot of challenges and risk - not only for me but for everyone (Hello, Economy!). I also know that I will be fighting a lot of internal battles this year with the choices I will make...so help me God. Stay tuned!

Let's rock 2009! Happy New Year!

I obviously like Bohol so much because this is my fourth post about it. But this last tale will not be as long as the others because I was a bit grouchy and tired half of the time on our second day in the island.

We woke up around 6:00 am for some island hopping. Waking up that early on a Sunday while on vacation was probably the reason for my grouchiness. Waking up early is not my strongest suit even if it involves exciting dolphins which can only be seen early in the morning.

The only consolation for me were sunrise pictures! I already had dozens of beach sunset snaps from various vacations in Anilao, Puerto Galera and Boracay but I never had sunrise pictures until now. I was wowed over!


Sunrise, oh sunrise!

We traveled for more than an hour to the part of the ocean where the dolphins were. We saw a couple here and there; then I was suddenly sea-sick! It was actually a weird feeling because I've never been sea-sick all my life. I probably became nauseous (and bored?) because of the long time we spent in the boat. I am not really a fan of boats and island-hopping despite my great love for the water. :(

After almost an hour of waiting for the dolphins to show up (they actually DID show up), we docked at Balicasag Island for some rest, food and snorkeling. Anyone who's been to the island will tell you how wonderful it was there; except for me and Libay who spent the time eating expensive corned beef and sleeping under one of the cottages.

The beauty of Balicasag lies on the beauty of its marine life which one can explore through an open water dive or snorkeling. Marj and Anna tried the latter and they really had a fun time. Libay and I only experienced its beauty by feeding fishes with our breads. I was actually a bit regretful that I wasn't able to snorkel; and this is coming from someone who's actually planning on getting diving certifications in the future (when the price is right!).


Unruly hair in the middle of the sea while fish-feeding

We had lunch at the island before we left for more island hopping. The food was good and the Grilled Lapu Lapu was probably one of the best I've had. There was no proper restaurant in Balicasag except for some houses with cottage that offers sutukil. We ordered half of a Lapu Lapu (Grouper Fish) and asked them to cook it grilled and in sinigang broth. It cost us Php 700 ($46.00) including rice and buko juice.


Grilled Lapu Lapu, Sinigang Lapu Lapu and Buko for lunch!

We left Balicasag island and went to a sandbar near Virgin Island after. I was on better spirits when we reach our destination and its breathtaking beauty actually helped improve my mood. It was by far the best sandbar I've ever seen! We asked our boat guide, Kuya Emil, to dock the boat so we can enjoy and take lots and lots and lots of pictures. It was definitely the highlight and most loved moment of our trip.


Best sandbar ever!







The afternoon of our second day was spent resting, swimming and working in our hotel (budget and project charters again). I took a 30-minute swim in the pool doing strokes that were once an active part of me. It was good to know that I can still dive, do a perfect Butterfly, and the right breathing for Freestyle despite the mega pounds I gained and the years away from the pool. I still love swimming to bits!

I spent the latter part of the day doing the things I love. I was able to relax and hang-out in the beach shore with my laptop and some music. I've been dying to do that since our Boracay escapade last August. The beach was really beautiful that time of day and I was able to unwind while I Twit, Plurk and Facebook (different strokes for different folks!). The girls came down after a while and I joined them for some shakes and pasta at the resto-beach of Alona Tropical while we watch the sunset. We capped the night with a very wonderful by-the-beach-and-under-the-stars massage to de-stress. It was a very nice thing to do to end a very nice vacation!

Bohol is really magical and I wouldn't mind going back again. It's definitely one of a kind! :)

Bohol Island Hopping Guide
Kuya Emil
Mobile No. +63-920-227-8141
Php 1,400 ($25.00) includes motor boat, dolphin watching, snorkeling gears, Balicasag Island and Virgin Island tours.

More of my Bohol posts here, here and here. Credits again to Marj for some of the pictures above. More snaps on my Multiply photo page.

I wasn't able to blog again in Bohol, so much for the "live blogging" I promised. It was very hard to be in front of a laptop when you are in paradise!

So here's the continuing saga of our Bohol vacation...

Our first agenda was the Cutural and Historical Tour. We got a Tour Guide, Kuya Willy, and he took us all over the province with matching commentaries and trivia about the province. We also learned through him that 70% of Bohol's income comes from tourism. Marj sat in front of the van and matched Kuya Willy's history-filled stories with her questions while Anna, Libay and I sat in the back and took turns sleeping as we go from one destination to another.

We were so hungry from the flight so our first stop was at the Loboc River where the Riverwatch Floating Restaurant was. It was a one-of-a-kind lunch cruise that let you sail through the majestic Loboc River with stops at river banks where rondalla music entertains. The food is okay and the buffet has a good selection. I wasn't able to enjoy much of it though because of an unexpected work call. The river cruise and the buffet lunch was only Php 250.00 ($6.00).


The Loboc River where we had lunch cruise-style


Enjoying the cruise and the nice weather


The Riverwatch Cruise's buffet

We immediately traveled north after lunch to go to the world famous Chocolate Hills in Carmen. Travel from Tagbilaran to Carmen is more than an hour by van but the surrounding towns are picturesque enough not to bore you. For the uninitiated, Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation of around 1,200 perfectly-shaped cones scattered in three Bohol towns. Scientific explanation claimed that this might be caused by volcanic eruptions or sea floor uplift in the past. The cones turn brown during the dry season thus the "chocolate hills". Since it is the middle of the rainy season, the hills were green when we visited.

The hills are definitely one of kind! I've never seen anything quite like it. I cannot believe that they are all-natural and were not man-made. Pictures wouldn't be able to give justice to its beauty. True to this, the Chocolate Hills is nominated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.


Marj, Lib, Anna, me and the Chocolate Hills


High jump amidst the hills! Weeee!


Leal & Real on top of the world!


Witches in Broom!


Marj and I at the cave-like entry way of the view deck

Our next stop was the Butterfly Farm near the Chocolate Hills in the Batuan Town. There was nothing great about it except for the actual larvae and pupa specimens that they have. They take Butterfly breeding seriously and can identify expertly who's doing "it" among their charges. Hah!


Cooky fun at the Buttefly Farn

As we travel back to Tagbilaran, we stopped by at the Man-made Mahogany Forest in Bilar, Bohol. The scenery was great for pictorials even if it reminded me of Blairwitch Project. It also reminded me of Quezon Province and one of its parks where you will pass on your way to Bicol.


At the Man-Made Mahogany Forest


I love this shot of 'em three

The scariest part of the tour was probably our Hanging Bridge experience. I initial took it in stride since it was already my 2nd or 3rd time to cross a hanging bridge. But it was my 1st time to cross a hanging bridge made of bamboo shoots! How scary is that?! Every step we took made the wooden slabs create some crunching sound you don't want to hear. Whew! What an experience!


Still smiling after the experience


Lib, Anna and Marj at the hanging bridge

We went back to the Loboc town to check out the Tarsier Conservatory where the smallest primates live. I thought it will be a "farm of tarsiers" but we only got to see around four (4) in the small garden and most of them were sleeping (they are nocturnal creatures). I've always thought that it was a huge complex based on the pictures I've seen before.


The tarsier and us


Photo op with the Loboc River as background

Our third to the last stop is my favorite, the old Immaculate Conception Church otherwise known as the Baclayon Church. I've always been fascinated by old churches and is actually planning to travel and take photos of the numerous beautiful churches here in the Philippines. I've already started last summer and will continue to pursue it in the coming months.

The Baclayon Church is the oldest church and the first symbol of Christianity in Bohol built in 1596 by the Jesuits. Aside from its rich history, the church is also known for the miraculous appearance of the image of a Jesuit priest in one of the cobblestone walls. The image cannot be seen clearly by the naked eye but check the camera viewer and you would be able to see the Jesuit father. For showbiz watchers, Baclayon is also known as the hometown of Cesar Montano (future gubernatorial candidate?).


The Immaculate Conception Church in Baclayon


Check out the wall pillar on the right to see the Jesuit's face

The last historical site we visited was the Blood Compact Site in Tagbilaran City. The site commemorates and re-enacts the "blood" and friendship agreement of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi of Spain and the then chieftain of Bohol, Rajah Sikatuna. We truly had fun posing and fooling around with the men of old. The compact site was the last leg of our very rich historical tour. There were still some tourist spots we were not able to go to like the Hinagdanan Cave, Mag-Aso Falls and some museums and old churches.


Posing with Miguel, Sikatuna and friends


Libay and I kissing Migs

Before we went back to our hotel, we dropped by at the Bohol Bee Farm Resort where I recommend you spend, spend, spend your money on their organic delights! Marj and I had a fun time sampling almost all of their jams, spreads, home-made breads, muffins, chocolate and coffee. The products are all delicious and 100% organic! We were able to buy some spreads, tsokolate eh, coffee grains and dried cassavas. Too bad we were not able to buy the delicious newly-baked Camote Bread before our flight back to Manila. Make sure to include in your Bohol itinerary a trip to the farm and you'll surely not be sorry.


The "yummy" Bohol Bee Farm

After an all-day tiring tour it was expected that we were all famished. We had a very nice al fresco by the beach feast at Alona Pyramid, one of the resto-beach along Alona. The Alona stretch at night looks like a little Boracay with rows of restaurants along the sea shore. The one of Panglao's is just more somber, peaceful and fresh. It was actually the kind of ambiance I was looking for in Boracay on my last trip. Night life in Bohol was also not as rowdy and friends can be seen quietly bonding under the stars with bottles in hand. It's the kind of night I actually want. :)


Alona Beach night scene


Smoke in my eyes


Life's a beach!

Credits to Marj for most of the photos. More of our snaps at my Multiply photo page.

Bohol Tour Guide
Kuya Willy
Mobile No. +63-919-243-7742
Php 2,500 ($55.00) includes van, one-day Bohol tour, and commentaries.

I am in Bohol…and blogging (how dorky can I be?).

We just got in our hotel after a nice by the beach shore dinner at one of the restaurants along Alona Beach here in Panglao Island. We are so beat and tired after a full day of Cultural Tour all over the Bohol province. Whew!

So what we been up to?

THE FLIGHT THAT I ALMOST MISSED
The most stupid thing I did today was sleep after I posted my blog entry last night. I should have NOT slept at all because I almost missed my early morning flight. I race through the airport and I arrived at the NAIA Terminal 3 around 7:30 am for an 8:00 am flight. Good thing there was an Express Lane counter so I was able to make it without checking-in my baggage.

I met Libay, Marj and Anna near the boarding gates; and went inside our Tagbilaran flight with a queasy feeling. Blame it to anxiety and stress of a maddening week at work. It turned out to be the worst flight I had in my life. Cebu Pacific did not do anything wrong and I was actually entertained by their in-flight activities but I was just too out of the weather. I was really happy when I heard Bob, the Flight Attendant, said “We’ve just landed at Tagbilaran National Airport”. I was one of the first people to go down from the plane.


There are only four of us on the trip!


Marj, Anna and Libay with Kuya Kim

BOHOL! BOHOL!
My first impression of Bohol: peaceful countryside.

As we traveled through Tagbilaran City, the province’s capital, to Panglao Island, I cannot help but notice how serene and peaceful Bohol is. It was a 30 minute drive from the capital to where the Panglao white beaches are. The city is surrounded by mini malls, simple establishments and carefree living. The weather was very nice and perfect for swimming, tours and island hopping. Truly different from the rainy Manila weather we left behind.

We are staying at Alona Tropical Beach Resort along Alona Beach in Panglao Island. The resort is conveniently located at the northern part of the beach near a cove just fronting the beach. There's a swimming pool, jacuzzi and lots of nooks where you can relax and rest. We also scored a very nice room complete with a mini dining room and living room just in front of the swimming pool (which I will try tomorrow).


A sight to behold!
Here's the view from our hotel. Serenity at its best!


Swimming pool in front of our room


A nice nook overlooking the beach where I can do "work" tomorrow


Playing with silhouettes inside our room

I am really having a wonderful time here in Bohol. It's very peaceful compared to the rowdy upbeat lifestyle of Boracay. :) I have so many things to write about this beautiful place but I have to sleep early for our early morning 6:00 am island hopping tomorrow. We will go to Balicasag Island and watch some dolphins which can only be "seen" early in the morning before 7:30 am.

Alona Tropical Beach Resort
Panglao Island, Bohol
Tel. No. +63-38-502-9024 / 502-9031
http://alona-tropical.com

I just finished packing for my trip to Bohol in less than 4 hours. Yep, you read it right, I am going to "The Republic of Bohol" for a department outing this weekend for three days and two nights. :)



One of the many perks of working for the best telecommunications company in the Philippines is the better-than-usual outing subsidy it gives through the Team Celebration Program (TCP). Perennial favorite destinations are Boracay, Palawan, Davao and Bohol. I was actually happy because we chose a destination where I've never been. My group, Business and Services Development, planned and booked for our trip in June not knowing that our booked dates went right smack in the midst of the Budget Season for 2009. Thus our TCP literally turned into a TIP - Trouble In Paradise! My excitement for the trip naturally turned sour as I slave this week through budget templates and project charters on top of two project roll-outs due next week.

I went through several decisions and second guessing of stop-go-stop-go yesterday as pressure and tension build through the day. I really want to go but was also afraid of coming to work on Tuesday with my group budget and projects slashed to bits and pieces. The mere thought of it makes me crumble (yeah, we are THAT serious about it). At the end of the day, a phone call and SMS from three of my teammates convinced me to just pack my laptop to Bohol and enjoy the beach and views as much as I can; while I work at warp speed to meet our Sunday afternoon deadline. That's what WiFi and 3G connections are for, right?

The idea of this post is actually NOT to rant on the details of the excruciating parts of my often-fab job. I am actually attempting to right a live blog of my would-be experiences in the next few days. I've been AWOL on blogging for a month now and its about time I update; and I will attempt to do it almost on real time.

It's already past 3:00 am and I cannot sleep (as usual) and is excited to race to the airport to catch our 8:00 am flight to Tagbilaran. We will be staying in a resort along the nice white sand stretch of Alona Beach at Panglao Island. The day's itinerary would be some rest, some beach, and a Cultural Tour of Bohol in the afternoon. I will finally get to see the fame Chocolate Hills, the history-rich Baclayon Church, and those li'l tarsiers. I can't wait! I'll just hope that the weather will cooperate like the way it did when I was in Boracay a month ago (which I haven't blogged about yet).

This is all for now. I still have to pack a few more cables and techie essentials as well as sunblocks and beach necessities. I really hope that I would be able to blog, twit, and post as much as I can - since I'll be in front of my laptop half the time anyway.

Have a fab weekend! :)