tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18167580703667803412011-11-30T08:53:25.293+08:00GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.comBlogger931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-19584892027393780762011-01-03T12:19:00.000+08:002011-01-03T12:19:07.348+08:00

Happy NEW Year! We have a NEW Announcement: Bukidlife has a NEW site: www.bukidlife.com From now on, I will be writing from there. Please continue to follow my travel journeys in writing! God Bless us all!

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-18172460927523723192010-11-28T14:30:00.000+08:002010-11-28T14:30:16.145+08:00

I found a new wifi site! And they have great service (the kind I look for in a prospective tambayan)! Today I have a meeting later at 3:00pm here in the city. In my confusion, I thought the meeting was at 1:30pm. So here I was, rushing from my morning meeting with my van association (which was right after mass) to ride a van to come to the city, just to learn that I was an hour and a half

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-24913659546551844052010-11-22T15:38:00.001+08:002010-11-23T08:54:33.289+08:00

"We regret to inform our flying enthusiasts that the FLYING GECKO AERIAL ADVENTURE is temporarily UNAVAILABLE until further notice." (Facebook Post by ISLANDS WANDERLUST) The owner of the aircraft, Mr. Cal Frias, has encountered some technical difficulties. At the same time it was decided this is the best time to upgrade the business and to further ensure the safety of the flying enthusiasts.

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-40811688104238224782010-11-17T09:17:00.002+08:002010-11-17T09:21:05.276+08:00

Did you know that one of the best coffees (if not THE best) I've tasted is produced and roasted right here in the mountains of Bukidnon? That's right, MONK'S BLEND, a flavorful combination of robusta and arabica coffee beans, is grown by none other than the Benedictine Monks of the Monastery of Transfiguration, located just 20 minutes from the City of Malaybalay. The Monastery was built 27

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-43196431733042599452010-11-14T17:43:00.000+08:002010-11-14T17:43:50.338+08:00

I remember writing about the Pacquiao-Cotto fight last March as being the event when I became a Pacman fan. Why it had to be the 7th Belt Championship we will never know but "Better Late Than Never" I always say. (I took pictures on my phone but there's something wrong with my transfer system again, so those will have to wait til next blog. LitB) As the days leading up to this bout with

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-6974514664549853822010-11-03T18:51:00.000+08:002010-11-03T18:51:41.296+08:00

Have you ever come back to work after a vacation to find your desk or inbox filled with assignments and job orders which should have been completed if you had been working at them everyday? Or maybe you've been so concentrated on a particular project that you somehow neglected to pay attention to the other aspects of your busy life? Or perhaps the internet connection to your workplace

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-7191329318608881722010-10-29T18:57:00.000+08:002010-10-29T18:57:34.997+08:00

I have to apologize for not writing for almost two months. It wasn't for lack of something to write; it was more like for the confusion of how to categorize what I wanted to write. So much has happened in the last 54 days: September - I got a new camera (Canon PowerShot D10) - it's WATERPROOF up to 10m or 33ft and it looks like a tiny submarine. - My cousin's 6-month-old baby died; the

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-9728211426617608402010-09-02T09:39:00.000+08:002010-09-02T09:39:44.896+08:00

Says Cesar Cruz, PHILTOA president, “The 21st Philippine Travel Mart is the perfect venue for Filipinos to be aware of (the) endless tourist attractions and destinations the country has to offer.” This annual event showcases the best attractions, the best deals and the tour operators that offer these services. As a tour operator myself, I always try to make it a point to attend this affair,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-38051073579949531342010-08-28T10:34:00.001+08:002010-08-28T10:37:29.199+08:00

After having watched the live footage, listened when people talked and read the comments on the internet, I came up with my own version of a commentary and a solution. I have never given any unsolicited advice to the new Philippine President anywhere (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and I didn't plan on doing it now because I don’t know if he will get the chance to read this—I’m sure he’s been reading

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-83944553749437088962010-08-27T08:00:00.000+08:002010-08-27T08:00:00.533+08:00

How is one supposed to act when people find out you are related to royalty? Me, I've always known someone in my family would become famous.  True enough, my eldest brother is the first Filipino Vice President of Sony-Columbia Pictures (in California), and even tried his hand at producing not one, but TWO full-length movies, the first of which won numerous nominations and awards in several film

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-56298214304837921392010-08-26T08:00:00.002+08:002010-08-26T08:00:00.580+08:00

Have you noticed the great improvement in the quality of restaurant comfort rooms/washrooms lately?  Sometimes it's not the restaurant I evaluate for the standard I promote but the comfort room.  And it's not just the inside I'm talking about, but also the outside.  Coz when you have an interesting exterior, the interior will just be icing on the cake: @ Sentro 1850, CDO City(inside, you really

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-53228399965539032532010-08-25T08:00:00.003+08:002010-08-25T08:00:00.664+08:00

I have spent more time in airports this year than any other year in my life.  First, I went to Manila in June with Mama, to visit Joey and his kids (return 11 days later).  Then I flew from Cebu to Manila last July 24, so that I could attend Joey's first witness hearing and early July 28, I returned to Cagayan.  Then next month, I'll be in Manila September 3-6; and again in December 27-30.  Oh,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-88345165105593501742010-08-24T08:00:00.000+08:002010-08-24T08:00:03.647+08:00

Our drive back to Manila took roughly 12 hours.  Mama wanted to stop over somewhere like La Union of Pangasinan and stay the night so that the drive wouldn't be so tiring, but Joey insisted to going all the way in one go, because he had a meeting the next morning at 10:00am.  It was dark and we were hungry when we reached San Fernando, La Union and so we stopped by this unique-looking restaurant

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-24330097287554057532010-08-23T08:00:00.001+08:002010-08-22T22:31:25.717+08:00

Vigan Calesa Tour... One other thing I liked about Vigan (other than the preservation of history) was the Calesa Tour.  Calesas are the horse-drawn carriages that people used as their main form of transportation way back in the Spanish times.  It's amazing how many of these old-fashioned vehicles are still in operation... as tourist rides.  For only P150 per hour, we were given a very

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-15746117974078392182010-08-22T08:00:00.002+08:002010-08-22T08:00:01.899+08:00

Vigan... The City That Time Forgot... but is catching up. We arrived in the city center at around 3:00pm and found a quaint little inn that was a throwback to the early 1900s.  Grandpa's Inn & Restaurant was actually an ancestral home during the Spanish time until it was sold in the middle of the century.  As soon as you enter what looks like a small hallway, you are literally sucked into a

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-24619441368505654972010-08-21T08:00:00.001+08:002010-08-21T08:00:03.836+08:00

The Hotel was called Sea & Sky Hotel & Restaurant.  It is an old hotel, with the typical design of hotels constructed in the late 70s and early 80s.  It had an old-fashioned restaurant, with stained tablecloths and curtains just beyond the reception lobby and a rectangle-shaped swimming pool at the basement.  Cleaned regularly with a high concentration of chlorine, no less. What I liked about

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-90623489037164166002010-08-20T08:00:00.001+08:002010-08-20T08:00:03.601+08:00

Last June 1, my mom and I flew to Manila to be with my brother and his kids.  We were in Luzon for 11 days.  Our activity there included a road trip to Vigan, Ilocos Sur (farthest point), a day trip to Bulacan to visit a soon-to-be resort which my brother was hired to develop, a day out with my best friend, Ning, at the SM Mall of Asia, and last but not least, a four-day stay at a new budget

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-66298337840781286202010-08-19T20:18:00.000+08:002010-08-19T20:18:12.915+08:00

Hello!  Hello!  Hallelluia!  We have a new (reconnected) internet connection and it's faster than ever!  Hehe, just don't ask me what the speed is, coz I still haven't figured out where to find it.  But one thing I can tell you is that it's a great improvement from the frustrating putol-putol and pawala-wala that we had to go through over the last six months.  What company is this?  Just our old

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-30515268773057903412010-07-15T17:42:00.000+08:002010-07-15T17:42:28.821+08:00

The problem with not having any internet at home is that I can't maintain my blog regularly.  As a result, my topics pile up and I get really behind in my news.  In the end, when I do chance upon great internet connection, I have to choose which, among the different good ideas, is the best one to talk about. So today, I'm sitting in one of our (new) favorite restaurants in Cagayan de Oro -

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-41790276014484997112010-06-23T17:55:00.000+08:002010-06-23T17:55:44.791+08:00

If I weren't in Tourism and you told me you were coming to Mindanao just to see the Maria Cristina Falls in Iligan City, I would have said, "Are you crazy?  You'll spend almost P10,000 in airfare, hotel and transportation just to gape at and take pictures of flowing water???  Then what?" Even before, in the early stages of our foundling career, I was reluctant to offer tours of Iligan, simply

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-88397054420069696232010-06-22T14:30:00.000+08:002010-06-22T14:30:00.216+08:00

Remember when you were a child and the world was your playground?  Where the trees and the flowers were your imaginary friends and nothing could go wrong? When I was a kid, I was left to my own devices a lot.  Circumstances had it that though three and a half years separated me from my brother he was already in high school by the time I reached grade 3.  Also my family was living in the

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-52547679196559653972010-06-21T23:26:00.000+08:002010-06-21T23:26:44.813+08:00

What can one see in Misamis Oriental?  A river, a coastline, a cave... Same old, same old, right?  Wrong!  It was only when I came into the business of tourism that I began to appreciate my surroundings.  Biro mo, I had already been traveling during my elementary school years because my dad enjoyed bringing us around but I never really took the time to see the views.  Today I travel to Cagayan

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-21973677017194115972010-06-10T10:10:00.000+08:002010-06-10T10:10:20.072+08:00

I've lived in Bukidnon permanently since 1996.  That's 14 years almost to the day.  That's four more years than my academic life in Manila and twice the number of years I've been married.  Though living in a province far away from Manila is enjoyable, sometimes I still get that itch to return to the big city.  Why?   The Fort Skyline  Metro Rail Transit along EDSA  SM Megamall  EDSA Shrine with

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-33313747941073909312010-06-08T09:18:00.000+08:002010-06-08T09:18:22.898+08:00

You've seen them happy.  You've heard their jokes.  Now you'll see them candid, wacky and cute! One is growing up so fast she can leave you behind if you don't try to catch up.  It's a good thing her only vanity (so far) is eye liner and nail polish. One is so sweet she'll surprise you with a hug and kiss on the cheek, or she'll pick a flower and give it to you.  Her main concern is

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-38961788613164132832010-06-07T11:29:00.000+08:002010-06-07T11:29:38.229+08:00

I just love having a camera phone.  It's so convenient to have especially when we're on a trip and there are kids around.  You see, when we are young, we don't think about what we do, we just do it.  Therefore, there are no second takes or repetitions.  All actions are fresh, spontaneous and never premeditated.  Take a look at these choice picks: Soon these smiling young faces will

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-34691877513274793482010-06-06T11:47:00.000+08:002010-06-06T11:47:46.520+08:00

Kitkat asked:  What do you call a longganisa that isn't long? Tita Gina said:  What? Kitkat answered:  A shortganisa! --- Kobe and Kitkat were watching Cartoon Network in the hotel room.  Frankie was waiting for Lola Vacion to come out of the bathroom, coz she REALLY had to go.  So I told her, use the bathroom downstairs in the lobby, and out she goes.  Then all of a sudden, the lights went out.

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-66782662012284599722010-06-05T21:47:00.000+08:002010-06-05T21:47:46.505+08:00

As early as 6:00 am, Joey was out on the waves.  Of course, we really didn't know what time he left the rooms, because the rest of us got up at around 8, hehe.  It's difficult to listen to your body clock when no sunshine enters the room in the morning.   There isn't much to do at the resort unless you're a surfer, though Mama and I were able to get good ideas for a (proposed) resort. 

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-15394553017163612942010-06-04T22:38:00.000+08:002010-06-04T22:38:38.818+08:00

On our way to the Northern parts of the Philippines, we found ourselves feeling hungry for authentic Filipino food, with that touch of Ilokano fare.  We didn't want to go into SM because it was a mall, and the whole point in taking the roadtrip was to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  We found this impressive place instead: Jay-J's Inasal: The Filipino Restaraunt, located at

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-85314071642755019102010-06-03T12:46:00.000+08:002010-06-03T12:46:10.896+08:00

We found this prayer at the entrance of a resort in Camiguin.  It rings true for tourists worldwide but only in the Philippines will it be written out and posted in a public place for everyone to see! Happy Traveling!

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-29722231533420724032010-06-03T01:34:00.000+08:002010-06-03T01:34:01.891+08:00

Yesterday, my mom and I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (Philippine Airlines) at exactly 1:15pm, right on schedule.  Unfortunately, due to a misinterpretation of our travel documents, my brother thought we were arriving at 3:00pm.  So to pass the time, we headed for the Jollibee kiosk located on the upper level, just outside the Departure Area. The waiting area was

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-44206776458427146832010-05-30T20:00:00.000+08:002010-05-30T20:00:45.670+08:00

A new century, a new millennium...  But did anything change?  Nuh-uh.  If anything, it got worse.  Isn't there a saying "History repeats itself"?  In our case, Philippine history repeats itself every election year.  When election results are in, many of the citizens who want change (myself included) have to sigh in frustration because people don't seem to learn from their mistakes.  They vote for

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-39519906702765179592010-05-29T16:44:00.001+08:002010-05-29T16:46:01.985+08:00

I remember this era.  Real estate was booming, multilevel marketing was in and it seemed like everyone had money.  Then the bottom fell out.  And people, grasping at straws, caught this charismatically eccentric man named Erap, which is the word "pare" spelled backwards, another idiosyncracy known only in the Philippines.  Another problem was born.  Can you see my eyebrows rising? ----- In 1997,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-56544128215602693182010-05-28T23:50:00.000+08:002010-05-28T23:50:36.804+08:00

This was the era when I was introduced to the "outside world", my innocent mind not comprehending that the Philippines had just experienced a major catalyst.  I guess I was fortunate to have had Cory as President because she was so passive that her pace suited my indoctrination to Manila life.  And then Ramos -who happens to be a distant relative of my husband- gets elected, does a relatively

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-80386970446506311642010-05-28T19:48:00.000+08:002010-05-28T19:48:31.082+08:00

Sorry for the long break.  Unfortunately, our authorities must have forgotten that they were supposed to be unreliable and remembered just in time, by breaking an almost two full weeks of continuous electricity with two consecutive nights of brownouts.  Sigh... But there was still no peace from 1947 to 1966. A widespread communist rebellion led by Taruc, the Lava brothers, and its armed

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-64337127845924833952010-05-23T21:01:00.000+08:002010-05-23T21:01:29.694+08:00

Notice the detail?  The author must have given this piece of work much thought before posting it on the internet.  Either he/she is a good researcher or he/she is a historian with a sense of humor.  This particular section is my favorite because for some reason, World War II is the part of Philippine History that is closest to my heart.  Probably because that's when the Philippines gained true

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-66163696769146769122010-05-22T21:06:00.000+08:002010-05-22T21:06:04.287+08:00

If you are a Filipino citizen, you are either born to Filipino parents, or you are born in the Philippines to either a Filipino mother or a Filipino father, or you have been naturalized.  Another way of looking at it is if you grew up in the Philippines, you're as much a Filipino as all the rest (whether you're white, black or brown). Why?  What make Filipinos different?  Is it because the

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-79781109964630577712010-05-14T09:37:00.000+08:002010-05-14T09:37:30.418+08:00

The May 10 Elections have come and gone.  In the days leading up to it, it seemed like everyone depended on the forthcoming result and that the world would end if the PCOS machines failed to operate.  Well, as you can see, the machines did work and 80% of the total country's ballots had been counted swiftly and accurately within just a few hours.  Of course, the winners have not been officially

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-52174445992563050752010-05-09T16:37:00.000+08:002010-05-09T16:37:40.519+08:00

When you order tsokolate from any Filipino restaurant, it is understood that you want the chocolate drink derived directly from the raw material cacao.  There are only a few places in the Philippines which can pull off a truly authentic flavor for this concoction-- Batangas, Albay and... what do you know-- Cogon Market in Cagayan de Oro! Next on our agenda was the search for the famous

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-13279768499119416362010-05-08T12:56:00.000+08:002010-05-08T12:56:37.023+08:00

Unfortunately, Aling Violy's wasn't exactly what we had in mind.  Or rather, the humba that we had heard so much about wasn't exactly what it was supposed to be.  In the first place, it wasn't sweet. You see, humba is a pork dish which is seasoned with soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper and spices and cooked over low fire for several hours.  This softens the meat to melt-in-your-mouth

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-68791977184195991202010-05-07T23:01:00.000+08:002010-05-07T23:01:45.871+08:00

If you don't think about it, you won't realize that, common as they are, local dishes like humba, la-uya, sikwate and biko take on new meaning when eaten in Cagayan de Oro City.  You just have to know where to find the cooks who make them the most delicious.  Eight of us newly graduated tour guides - Eper, Gen, Ying, Rob, Spy, Duane (Spy's son), Girlie and myself - took it upon ourselves to

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-41966118265123748842010-05-05T18:38:00.000+08:002010-05-05T18:38:51.381+08:00

Just when you thought life couldn't get any better, God throws you into a whirlpool of new ideas and uncertainty.  I think it's His way of saying, "You aint seen nuthin yet!" A couple of weeks ago, I graduated, along with 36 others, from a two-week seminar for Regional Tour Guide Accreditation.  This was arranged by the Department of Tourism Region 10 (DOTR10) Office and we were rated by DOT

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-72819287151489673922010-04-03T13:05:00.000+08:002010-04-03T13:05:07.107+08:00

With the onset of modern technology and the availability of "fast cash" the traditions of Holy Week (where the Catholic Church is concerned) will never be the same again. I remember, growing up, my parents would tow us all to church on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, to listen to the Washing of the Feet and Seven Last Words, respectively.  I remember feeling bored most of the time because, one,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-42703263942592777392010-04-01T08:12:00.000+08:002010-04-01T08:12:11.734+08:00

We attended Mario's high school graduation ceremonies yesterday.  Mario is our houseboy, and we had been financing his high school expenses at Alae National High School since his 2nd year.  I felt about as proud as, maybe not like a mother hen, but more like a strutting rooster armed with a camera.  Well, there were already three hens present---my mom, Nang Juaning and Mario's mom. Somehow I

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-72986474521304932962010-03-29T09:40:00.000+08:002010-03-29T09:40:30.425+08:00

Mindanao has been experiencing rotating brownouts that last from 5-8 hours a day, almost everyday, for the last month or so. This has been attributed to the 'unexpectedly' low level of water at Lake Lanao and the onset of El Nino. First of all, aren't we supposed to be in the age of technology, where ultimately the temperature of the water in the lake can be accurately measured down to the 5th

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-32586513862231889542010-03-07T19:28:00.000+08:002010-03-07T19:28:39.270+08:00

As much as possible, I try to stay out of politics.  Left and right, people are talking about who is the best candidate for President of the Philippines.  Is it Gibo, Noynoy, Manny, Dick or Erap?  Not to mention the other three relatively unknowns who are also in the race.  Of course, I have decided already but have chosen to keep quiet about it... for the reason that I am not very good at

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-84159166820045820842010-02-15T14:56:00.000+08:002010-02-15T14:56:51.561+08:00

"Contemplation" by me I became addicted to balancing rocks when I first went white water rafting five years ago.  It's not only fun but you get an overwhelming sense of achievement when the unevenly-shaped blocks of stone actually compliment each other and stay.  And they leave behind a pretty picture, don't you think? "Mother Nature" by Joey Created on:  December 29, 2009Location:  Agusan River,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-42787330120157945472010-02-12T16:10:00.000+08:002010-02-12T16:10:41.195+08:00

Do you ever have those days when you don't feel like doing anything?  You wake up, go about your morning routine, and when you're done, you find yourself at a loss.  Well, this is one of those days for me. There are a ton of things I have to do, but for the life of me I can't seem to hold on to any specific thought for longer than a few seconds.  Anyway, this is somehow my way of apologizing for

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-43058194721113598952010-02-09T21:04:00.000+08:002010-02-09T21:04:49.880+08:00

Philippine Golfer Celestino Mancao Tugot passed away last January 18, 2010, at the ripe old age of 99.  He co-authored the design of the Del Monte Golf Course as seen today and was the first Philippine athlete to meet with then President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954.  He is also the owner of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church located just outside Cawayanon Compound, San Miguel, Manolo Fortich,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-31546730031932821472010-02-09T13:17:00.000+08:002010-02-09T13:17:34.737+08:00

Hello!  Sorry for not writing anything for many, many days.  I guess when you're living in the Bukids one must have a lot of patience when it comes to enjoying modern amenities and perks... like internet connection. We used to be connected with SOTELCO-PLDT DsL.  SOTELCO buys units from PLDT and resells it under their brand.  At first, it was fine!  We could chat and email and download and

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-50044226799117756732010-01-26T13:02:00.000+08:002010-01-26T13:02:59.353+08:00

In less than a month, Bukidnon will be celebrating it's annual Kaamulan Festival -- the coming together of the seven native tribes of Bukidnon.  These tribes are the Bukidnon, Manobo, Matigsalug, Talaandig, Higa-onon, Umayamnon, and Tigwahanon.  Each of these groups has it's own signature mark, as follows (taken from http://kleomarlo.multiply.com/journal/item/25): 1.  Bukidnon - Contrary to

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-49989989346689324232010-01-22T14:28:00.002+08:002011-06-16T16:36:43.365+08:00

FOR CURRENT NEWS AND UPDATES ON THE FLYING GECKO, PLEASE GO TO www.islandswanderlustours.wordpress.com Almost every other day now, we hear this motorcycle sound coming down the road.  We expect it to drive right past but instead... it flies over us!  This is the Ultra Light Plane piloted by our own neighbor, Cal Frias, who just moved here last August 2009, after retiring from work in the US.  

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-16461982229807890552010-01-19T22:18:00.000+08:002010-01-19T22:18:09.911+08:00

We left the boys (Joey, Chi and Maxie, Joey's friend) out on the waves and Father Cid brought us girls (Mama, Maite and me) and Ed to the Gold Bar Restaurant to have lunch.  Let's see, what did we have?  Binagoongang rice, fresh lumpia, tinolang malasugi, and tilapia.  And like any gracious host, he wouldn't let us pay... he wouldn't even let us see the chit, claiming all he had to do was sign it

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-58908756800294487142010-01-19T07:12:00.000+08:002010-01-19T07:12:14.228+08:00

We were really leaving the next day, January 5.  It was raining and surfers were being discouraged to go out on the water.  So, off we went.  Our departure time was 6:45am.  By 7:45, we had entered the city limits of Tandag, and after correcting a wrong turn, we arrived at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.  Bishop Cid was ready and waiting with our smörgåsbord breakfast of scrambled egg, ginisang

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-2027928546566494752010-01-17T11:41:00.000+08:002010-01-17T11:41:06.196+08:00

It's a good thing we decided to stay, for we still hadn't seen the surf shop that made bamboo surfboards, the Agsam handicraft shop, and the famous seafood restaurant near Carrascal.   Bamboo surfboards?  I couldn't imagine, but there it was, and true enough, there were surfboards made from bamboo weaving hung out to dry.  You can check out their website at www.bamboosurfing.com.  Then we drove

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-76299657060279216622010-01-15T17:45:00.000+08:002010-01-15T17:45:56.496+08:00

Because we were short of daylight, we weren't able to see the Lanuza Marine Park and Fish Sanctuary, however, our gracious hosts, Mayor Geri and his wife, Joy, invited us over for dinner at the View Deck.  Just our group and the couple, along with their little daughter, and our guide, Hannah.  Fare was simple -- native chicken tinola, kinilaw, steamed shrimps, steamed crabs, grilled bangus,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-34352958794218138152010-01-13T19:21:00.000+08:002010-01-13T19:21:04.648+08:00

Speaking of surprises, did I mention that I found a weak internet signal in the homestay?  I had brought along my laptop so my camera phone's memory card wouldn't fill up.  Well, after traveling seven hours over 'uncharted' territory, I had accumulated over 200 digital images (many of these images will find their way into my blog over the next few weeks) and we still had two more days to go.  So

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-27903622689694804732010-01-12T15:50:00.000+08:002010-01-12T15:50:25.128+08:00

When we arrived in Lanuza a little after noon, several things struck me as odd.  First was that we had been cruising at a reasonable speed along the highway and had to stop suddenly because it appeared we had just entered a subdivision.  We were about to backtrack when Joey turned the van onto a road that led to the ocean, which was only meters away from where we were.  Of course, Joey got out

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-38983309702620986772010-01-11T13:08:00.001+08:002010-01-11T13:11:00.375+08:00

This trip to Lanuza, Surigao del Sur, had been suggested last November but we really didn't know what to expect.  All we were interested in was that when my brother, Joey, has a destination in mind -- especially one which we haven't been to yet -- we wanted to go, too.  It turned out that, not only did he intend to go there to surf, but also to determine if his expertise in events management

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-70490665413787016412010-01-09T14:09:00.000+08:002010-01-09T14:09:17.709+08:00

Much to our (my family's) delight, the Del Monte Golf Club brought back the Annual New Year's Day Hangover Tournament.  It wasn't exactly the same, and I didn't really expect it to be, but it was pleasing to know that the "younger" generation of Cawayanon residents were making an effort to revive the old traditions. The mechanics were the same:  form a team of 2 players, golfer and non-golfer,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-21434355309217939572010-01-08T13:10:00.000+08:002010-01-08T13:10:20.801+08:00

It is that time again when we make promises and hope we keep them all the way 'til the end of the year.  That's 365 days.  Kaya kaya?  I guess the effort is easier if you are a student or an employee because you just have yourself to think about.  Then again, when I was a student, I still had difficulty keeping my resolutions.  Anyway, I have learned that when you actually write something down,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-55217184108238678892010-01-07T19:10:00.001+08:002010-01-07T19:21:31.265+08:00

This post is long overdue, so I'll do it without further ado. FOR MAYOR 1.  Miñoza, Raul Sacapayo "Roroy" - Nacionalista Party 2.  Quiño, Rogelio Narvasa "RQ" - Lakas Kampi CMD Party FOR VICE MAYOR 1.  Albarece, Johnny Calonia "Boboy" - Independent 2.  Ditona, Diosdado Narvasa "Ryder" - Nacionalista 3.  Pausanos, Hilario Balbutin "Larry" - Lakas Kampi CMD FOR COUNCILOR 1.  Alba, Ephraim Zagado

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-68337366441208452582009-11-27T01:04:00.000+08:002009-11-27T01:04:10.237+08:00

Prime Suspect in Philippine Massacre Surrenders http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091126/ap_on_re_as/as_philippines_hostages_killed_34 We need to start calling it the Ampatuan Massacre, because it occurred in the town the Ampatuans named after themselves. Maguindanao is a big province with much to be proud of -- ancient culture with beautiful music, fertile land. It doesn't deserve to forever be

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-36544489605690158162009-11-24T14:09:00.000+08:002009-11-24T14:09:02.447+08:00

New York Times: 21 Filipinos Dead in Election Violence, some beheaded http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/world/asia/24phils.html?_r=1 Well, yesterday was the first day for filing of candidacy.  I guess these animals (instinctively) took it as a sign to begin their rampage. Did I ever mention that in 2007, just about 6 months after the elections, I went to General Santos City with a group of

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-13004762217751804742009-11-20T22:02:00.003+08:002009-11-21T13:11:21.955+08:00

It has been over a week since the North Bukidnon Chamber invited the Regional Director of the Department of Tourism - 10, CATALINO E. CHAN III, to present the state of tourism in Bukidnon. He mentioned points I already knew about, like our brand of hilot is famous all over the Philippines; and the Kaamulan Park is the most serene place in Malaybalay, where one can commune with nature; and that

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-8817651015941924322009-11-18T22:31:00.002+08:002009-11-18T23:18:24.669+08:00

Dang! It was overcast both nights. And I think it's going to rain tonight. Too bad.I remember when I was a kid of - I don't know, six or seven - my mom got us up (my brother and me) at 4 o'clock one morning, dressed us up in sweaters and socks, and took us out onto the golf course outside our house. Then she instructed us to look up into the vast open sky and spot the tiny red dot, which she

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-7372237311852685662009-11-17T12:57:00.003+08:002009-11-17T13:35:35.028+08:00

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20091116/tph-pagasa-leonids-light-skies-days-541dfb4.htmlThere are many things that human hands cannot reproduce. It is times like this that brings out the perspective in life. We are humans, the most advanced beings on Earth, yet the Earth itself is so small that we get to see shooting "stars" the same size out there in the vast blackness of the sky. It's

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-41687768468897718212009-11-16T12:20:00.001+08:002009-11-16T12:29:27.244+08:00

Cotto's name is Miguel, not Manuel.Sorry!

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-75183623412234397182009-11-16T08:55:00.002+08:002009-11-16T12:03:07.106+08:00

I know, my title has no originality. It sounds so lame after watching the drama of all 12 rounds on live Pay Per View yesterday (we even paid P10 per head, not knowing the fight was secretly being aired on cable). Anyway, it is not my intention to put blame on that oversight today. All I want to say is that Manny Pacquaio is being sorely under-estimated by everyone. By Manuel Cotto. When

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-10909877464984733072009-11-06T13:31:00.003+08:002009-11-06T14:57:43.276+08:00

I've had people come up to me - mostly old-time agriculturists - and ask, somewhat skeptically, why I'm not practicing my profession. In fact, they are amazed that I'm doing something totally unrelated to agriculture, and that's coordinating tours.Somehow the only answer I can come up with is: I want to serve.In agriculture school, they teach you what's the best crop to plant in a certain area,

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-74902538001305287692009-10-20T14:48:00.002+08:002009-10-20T15:41:04.361+08:00

Guess what? I just had lunch with a lady who might just turn out to be my cousin - 4 or 5 times removed maybe. Her middle name is Cuerdo and she is still single. Her mother hails from Gingoog, where there seems to be a very large family of Cuerdos residing. I went there once, to Gingoog, to make a business presentation, and was determined to learn if we were or were not relatives. I came

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-63236461199433901652009-10-07T16:55:00.007+08:002009-10-07T18:06:25.093+08:00

DAY 4 of Our Trip to KoronadalThe PCCI Vice President for Mindanao had invited us to join the group in touring South Cotabato, particularly Lake Sebu (which was actually the main reason I came on this trip) but because of time constraints (if we wanted to get home by nightfall, we would have to start moving by 11am and the group was moving like they had all the time in the world) we declined.

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-1203792327250066852009-10-05T12:11:00.004+08:002009-10-05T13:27:38.672+08:00

DAY 3 (of our Trip to Koronadal)Early the next morning, we left our dorm to drive over to Polomolok, where Dole Philippines is located, for breakfast... o ha? It was a beautiful day... the sun was rising... there was a light haze which was slowly lifting... and we were accompanied by the majestic outline of Mt. Matutum all the way. Our friend from Dole, Mr. Leo Balito, met us at the entrance

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-28687364239163177072009-10-03T16:11:00.002+08:002009-10-03T16:36:50.634+08:00

How anti-climactic!On the bright side, everyone was prepared for the worst this time. Also, the volunteers (and donors) were finally able to take a breath, have that missed meal, take a nap and generally Thank God for all His blessings.In the span of one week, a floundering third-world country on the brink of total chaos was transformed into a family doing everything in their power to help each

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-44403539621333391142009-09-30T13:22:00.002+08:002009-09-30T14:12:11.014+08:00

Sometime yesterday, while watching videos of the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy and constantly monitoring the weather report for the "expected" two low pressure areas coming, I came to the same realization hundreds have also arrived at. If those two hit Manila with the same force as Ondoy, what will happen to the evacuation centers, the volunteers, the depleting supplies, the available drinking

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-61915167995652711692009-09-29T08:37:00.003+08:002009-09-29T10:24:44.443+08:00

This is one of the incidences where I'm thankful to be living in the Bukid. I'm taking a break from my Koronadal trip blog to comment on the drama of what just happened in Manila last weekend.It was a rainy Saturday morning here in Northern Mindanao and I was attending a Leadership Seminar in Midway Resort, at Initao, Misamis Oriental. I was taking hourly videos of the growing waves and kept

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-11832016059023915472009-09-22T18:20:00.007+08:002009-09-28T18:47:16.595+08:00

We just got back from a road trip to the City of Koronadal, South Cotabato, where, along with my colleagues at the North Bukidnon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I stayed for 4 days. This series of blogs will cover all four days and all the places we were able to visit.DAY 2Our second day in the City of Koronadal dawned bright and sunny, after a night of heavy rain and thunder. For the opening

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-45534097795837742572009-09-21T16:38:00.008+08:002009-09-21T19:25:47.132+08:00

We just got back from a road trip to the City of Koronadal, South Cotabato, where, along with my colleagues at the North Bukidnon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I stayed for 4 days. This series of blogs will cover all four days and all the places we were able to visit.DAY 1We started moving at 4:00 am (from Camp Phillips in Bukidnon). It was important to keep to the schedule because we had a

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-86785120141547046582009-09-13T21:00:00.006+08:002009-09-13T21:32:25.658+08:00

(clockwise from left): Billboard at Alae Quarantine Area, Lighted stage at the Manolo Fortich Gym, Candle-Lighting Ceremony

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-32409554055120194862009-09-11T11:01:00.003+08:002009-09-11T14:19:26.329+08:00

I Love Manolo Fortich... Not just because I was born here, but because it is the home I have chosen. We could have lived in Manila, what with all the work opportunities over there. We could have migrated to Australia, where my sister and her family lives. But we chose to settle down here, where our roots are.September 9, 2009 (9-9-9) marked the grand launching of the I LOVE MANOLO FORTICH

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-63050890670116539362009-09-08T15:48:00.003+08:002009-09-08T16:22:19.928+08:00

Today, September 8, they say, is a good day to start a new business. According to astrologers, Chinese and other fortune tellers, the number 8 brings good luck to anyone who wants to start something (business, wedding, diet, etc.) Well, in our case, we hope it will bring good fortune and much success to the New (we pray "Permanent") Office of the North Bukidnon Chamber of Commerce.After months

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-2121099257063643572009-08-29T22:49:00.003+08:002009-08-29T23:21:58.049+08:00

He was just passing through I guess..Last summer, I wrote a blog about Kim Smith, an Englishman in Manolo Fortich (see http://lamontanatours.multiply.com/journal/item/12/An_Authentic_Englishman). Since its writing Mr. Kim Smith has donated the wonderful website (see www.manolofortich.com.ph) and was publicly acknowledged by the local government unit on June 13, 2009, at the First RQ Awards

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-61238081507827092902009-08-22T22:33:00.004+08:002009-08-22T22:54:37.682+08:00

CHARISSE PIMENTEL... 17 years old... horsewoman... multi-awarded champion...We first met Charisse last year during the filming of the LOVE ME AGAIN movie project by Star Cinema. She had been chosen to be one of the stunt doubles of no other than Ms. Angel Locsin, who played Arah Bautista, a champion carambola team player.Charisse is a sweet teenager, easily makes friends and has a passion for

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-54582857229658268832009-08-14T13:40:00.004+08:002009-08-14T14:22:58.404+08:00

While we're on the subject of "firsts", let me tell you about the First Resort in Manolo Fortich -- Montegelo Agri-Tourism Center or, if you know the family, The Obrero Place. This was put up sometime early 2000s but was only officially opened a few years ago (around 2005-2006).Owned and operated by Dr. Tino Obrero, his wife, Lydia and their youngest son, Angelo, the resort features swimming

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-39707003886045384812009-08-12T18:19:00.005+08:002009-08-12T18:57:09.410+08:00

This must be a year of "firsts" in Bukidnon.Last August 8, a new spa was opened in Damilag, Manolo Fortich -- the FIRST of its kind! Owned by 10 partners-- Gloria Chavez, Ruth Cubero, Sasha Marie Cubero, Alan Fernan, Edgar Fernan, Virgie Lim, Meriam Pizarras, Rosa Maria Raakin, Maria Theresa Santos and Esther Sumampong -- all known business people in their own right, it is called A TOUCH OF THAI

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-2910237021587113432009-06-18T09:13:00.006+08:002009-06-22T10:18:39.108+08:00

Let me take you on a journey... a history... a memory...Where a sea of green was a plus...And air so fresh you could literally hear a pin drop...When learning was never the same...And playing was getting a PhD in people skills...Ah, the images of yesteryear,So alive, so clear...How deserving was I?So blessed... so humbling...

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-91423820000993806362009-06-13T09:55:00.000+08:002009-06-13T09:58:18.770+08:00

First came QTV, the sister company of GMA-7, with a documentary on Sen. Zubiri's farm in Quezon (2007). Then ABS-CBN Star Cinema with a movie project called LOVE ME AGAIN, which was released last January 2009. Immediately after, even before production ended, two more film groups showed interest to shoot in Bukidnon. (However, neither has begun yet.) Now representatives of GMA-7 are arriving

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-21291712906319765162009-04-04T09:15:00.000+08:002009-04-04T10:42:49.518+08:00

Bukid life, oh my bukid lifeEv'ry memory, kay gandaBukid days, oh my bukid daysAre exciting, kay saya(Sing to the tune of High School Life by Sharon Cuneta)I'm not really a fan of Ms. Sharon Cuneta, nor of Ms. KC Concepcion for that matter. But this first verse sounded just right even with the words altered.Because life in the mountains, nowadays, isn't all foraging and hunting anymore. I was

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-1031453026603849232007-11-05T09:23:00.000+08:002007-11-05T09:40:27.130+08:00

Let's get this straight. We are required to apply the 12% eVAT to all of our services and tours.We don't want to but we are required BY LAW to do so. Illogical as it may be, since everything under the great blue heavens is already subject to it (fuel, van spare parts, hotel/resort services, etc.), we must apply the 12% as well. So our clients end up paying compounded values of tax. Okay lang

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-87754428924929425612007-09-26T16:21:00.000+08:002007-09-26T17:19:46.526+08:00

The United States and Australia have come out with a Travel Advisory, discouraging tourists from coming to the Philippines, particularly Mindanao, due to its declining political peace and order situation. Yet, there at the 16th Mindanao Business Conference, held in General Santos City last September 21-22, 2007, we were introduced to Americans and Australians who put up grants for the

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-316783787715356412007-09-26T15:15:00.000+08:002007-09-26T16:19:35.680+08:00

"When you get lost, the adventure begins." That was what Marie said when we left the concrete road for the dirty, unused and ungraveled one-lane track in the middle of nowhere. It was actually a secondary road, not even asphalted, but we were pacified by the intermitent sightings of the municipal distance markers along the way. Other than those, nothing could be seen except nipa houses and a

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-45693681047978250512007-09-26T10:32:00.000+08:002007-09-26T12:21:12.948+08:00

Whew! We just got back from a partly impromptu trip into Mindanao. ‘Partly’ because only the first part was planned--- we took an extra day to drop by Davao City on the way back. So all in all, we had traveled over a total of 7 provinces and 3 regions, in 5 days. Hectic? Did I mention that 3 of those days were spent in one place, General Santos City, attending the 16th Mindanao Business

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-5211452508724935972007-06-19T17:46:00.000+08:002007-06-19T18:00:00.085+08:00

blogging... i wonder what it means... i read it somewhere, just can't remember where... anyway, so what? everyone uses it nowadays, so why ask?why? because i'm like that... i'm curious about words that sound unusual and i wonder where it originated... just like names... whenever i meet people with unique names, i have a tendency to ask where their parents got them... and you get interesting

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1816758070366780341.post-18244917528726905512007-06-17T19:54:00.000+08:002007-06-17T20:12:14.954+08:00

Do you know what I like most about Bukidnon? The rain. You can smell it a mile away and when it gets here, it's as cleansing and as fresh as it smells! How can you smell rain, you ask? Simple. Just face the wind head-on and take a deep breath. If you can't smell its sweet and clear fragrance... there's something wrong with your nose. Could be a head cold or sinusitis. Better get it

GINAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535427720525598128noreply@blogger.com0