Adto na 'ta

Drawing inspiration from his grandmother who died of bone cancer, the very same illness that kept her wheelchair-bound, Councilor Alfred Vargas , the hardworking councilor of Quezon City, launched PWD (Persons with Disabilities)...PWeDe which aims to increase people's awareness of the plight of the PWDs not only in Quezon City, but for the entire Metro Manila as well.    His advocacy started with merely giving a wheelchair to some of his constituents but after seeing that the PWDs needed an additional voice to encourage others to support the PWDs,  Councilor Vargas made it his mission to bring the cause of the PWDs to people who would be able to give assistance to the PWDs and that means, me and you and the entire country.  To everyone, Councilor Vargas is appealing for help in his personal advocacy in uplifting the quality of life among Persons With Disabilities and help them help themselves.

We all know that Bulacan is one of the provinces that suffered from Ramon's wrath and the devastation caused a lot of suffering among the Bulakenyos.  During times like these, Filipinos never fail to extend their hands whether it be volunteering to help evacuees or donating food and clothing.  In any way we can, we strive to give assistance.  It is in the spirit of helping that Abenson, the leading appliance store in the country, stepped up to help the Bulakenyos. Through its "We Serve Program"  Abenson will be offering free laundry services, free appliance cleaning, checkups, and discounts on spare parts for electronics. This bayanihan effort is in cooperation with Samsung, Sharp, LG, TCL, Kelvinator, Condura, Fujindenzo, and Whirlpool, with the coordination of the Bulacan provincial government. Abenson will be offering its services in the following areas on these dates: October 25 (Tuesday) : Sta. Monica Covered Court, Hagonoy October 26 (Wednesday) :...

I stayed in this idyllic town in Leyte for three weeks for work and pleasure and those three weeks were one of those I would fondly recall always.    I let my hair down and just simply relaxed on this beach which is 50 meters away from the cottage inside Visayas State University, one of the premiere universities in the Visayas Region.   This area was turned into a marine sanctuary and for almost ten years have been protected from destructive fishing practices.  Turtles, schools of fish, colorful starfish and other marine animals are common sights to swimmers here.  In the town proper of Baybay, this cluster of eateries very, very near the wharf of Baybay, is a favorite of the locals.  When night falls, these eateries would be jampacked and the karaokes would all be busy.   You can have all the chicken and puso (steamed rice wrapped in coconut leaf) and other delicacies for a low cost. The newly-renovated seafront of Baybay tow...

(Photo from:  Bruce Casanova) I was one of those who monitored the pageant on Sept. 12, because, for the first time, I was convince the crown belongs to Shamsey Supsup, the Philippines ' bet for the Miss Universe title.  I believe Shamsey is one of the really good representatives that we have chosen (if not the best) to represent the country in the world's most prestigious beauty contest.     Shamsey caught the eyes of countless viewers  and of course, she also brought attention to the Philippines, which is really one of the positive things that this pageant did for the country, and to Shamsey also. 

Who has not heard of " Lolong,"  the buwaya , or crocodile that was caught in Bunawan, a town in the province of Agusan del Sur, on Sept 3, 2011?   Well, everyone probably has.  Lolong was finally caught three weeks after some experienced crocodile hunters and locals carefully planned to capture the "beast" that has allegedly killed a schoolgirl and a fisherman as well as a carabao.   Lolong is 20.1 feet long (6.4 meters), 3 feet longer than the present record of the world's largest crocodile which is only 18 feet.  It is also the largest crocodile ever caught in the Philippines.  Lolong's original habitat is the Agusan Marsh, a place he shares with 1, 300+ people.   Now, Lolong is in captivity, away from the other denizens of the Agusan Marsh, who are probably relieved that Lolong is secured away from them.  Local officials are now planning to make an eco-park in the area where Lolong is held captive.  Eversince Lolong was ...

Looking for a great vacation spot? If you're a travel enthusiast or just in the mood to have a weekend getaway with your loved ones, then you should definitely visit the 22nd Philippine Travel Mart (PTM).  This will be held from September 2-4 at a bigger venue which is the SMX Convention Center in SM Mall of Asia. The annual event will feature more tour and travel packages to the most beautiful places in the country.  This annual event is organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PTOA)with the support of the Department of Tourism (DOT). According to Cesar Cruz, the president of PhilTOA,  their aim is always to make the Philippine Travel Mart a better experience and more engaging.  That's why they are not only making the venue bigger but also they want to offer something different.  They have recently awarded the Top 10 Luxe destinations in the Philippines which is in line with their goal to make the Philippines a premiere destination for trav...

   When the Andalucia docked in Maasin, Leyte, I couldn't help but think that my stars were working in my favor (as they always do), considering that I missed my chance to see it when it docked in Manila and I didn't even have an inkling that it was going to follow me all the way to Leyte Province where I was going to stay for 3 weeks.   So, there I was thanking my stars for giving me the opportunity to see the replica of a Spanish Galleon that was used for the Manila-Acapulco Trade centuries ago.    It docked at Pier 13 of Manila South harbor in Oct. 6, (many months ago. does this tell you I have year's material to blog?)    Its arrival in Manila is in celebration of the Dia del Galeon Festival which aims to preserve the productive relations of the countries that were part of the Galleon Trade.   A total of 110 galleons sailed during the trade to bring merchandise from Asia to America and Europe.  Seeing it in all ...