Scribbles

The Camiguin training was not supposed to be mine. But then, with a crazy work schedule like ours, you can never be sure if your schedule would be changed in a blink of an eye. Anyway, I was still thankful that I got to see the famous island and all the roadblocks we had to go through just to reach the island was definitely worth it. Camiguin is an island province in the Northern Coast of Mindanao. To reach the island you can opt to go by plane via Cebu Pacific or ride a barge in Balingoan Port, Misamis Oriental. In my opinion and with Cebu Pacific's record of delayed and cancelled flights, I would suggest flying to Cagayan de Oro, travelling to Balingoan by land and riding a barge in the port. Saves a lot of time. Believe me. Anyway, the barge ride only takes about an hour.  The island is famous for many tourist spots; one of which is the White Island. White Island is an uninhabited white sandbar that vanishes whenever the tide is high. As there is no trees or shelter of ...

I am not artsy. I am the "exception to the rule" when they say that left handed people are good with drawing or painting or any visual arts. However, it doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good artwork when I see one. Or I am just pretending to really appreciate art. Anyway.... I've been hearing good reviews and seeing amazing pictures of the Pinto Art Museum. According to all this information online, this Museum in Antipolo, Rizal is operated by Silangan Foundation for Arts, Culture, and Ecology, a non-profit organization. What sets this museum apart from any other museum is how it has incorporated nature in the presentation of the artwork. Unlike other museum where paintings and sculptures are arranged meticulously in an airconditioned building, Pinto made use of its 1.2 hectare property by putting artworks in the garden and in buildings that reminds me of the structures in Greece. Most of the paintings and sculptures, as the curator/artist A...

The Jakarta trip was probably one of the most tiresome international travel I had to take despite all the convenience we were provided. For one, the trip was mostly spent working. We were either in meetings with our Indonesian partners or we were in the conference facilitating workshops and doing logistical work. Adding to the stress of the conference, I had to endure stomach problems and a fever during the first few days. Thankfully, the conference was a success despite all the roadblocks and I felt better by the start of the conference.  I would no longer give general information about Jakarta because you'll see that in the internet anyway. However, I would like to describe Jakarta to be a cleaner and greener version of Metro Manila. The traffics is worst than ours, the streets are occupied by vendors, people cross the streets without even caring if they are in a pedestrian lane, and they also have informal settlers near water systems. Despite these things, I cannot help but...

I have always loved Cebu. Their beautiful beaches and their scrumptious food always brings me back to this beautiful group of islands in the South.  I have been to Gilutungan and Nalusuan countless times and enjoyed every minute I was there. But the chance to go to Bantayan, Malapascua and Camotes seems to elude me. So when we were told that we would be doing some fieldwork in Bantayan, the kids (this means the team members whose below the age of 40) were very ecstatic. To reach Bantayan, one needs to ride a ferry from the Hagnaya port which is located in the Municipality of San Remigio (a three hour bus ride from Cebu City).  The ferries from the Hagnaya port to the Sta. Fe port is not as nice as the ones travelling from Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol. However, for P170.00/pax and for a one hour and a half boat ride, I think this was okay. Many people don't know that the Bantayan Island is actually divided into three municipalities: Santa Fe, Bantayan and M...