Franze Garcia

Weekend Story of Celebration and Family in Mindoro

It was 2020 when we last paid a visit to my mom’s hometown in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro, because it was the time she went back here to the Philippines as she worked abroad. Now, after years of her being waged overseas, she then returned for a quick vacation. One of the long lists is to have a meaningful and rewarding experience of going back and reconnecting with relatives who live far away from us. Most importantly, to celebrate my elder brother’s and Lola’s birthday.

Actually, on this trip, my Mom and my cousin already traveled on Tuesday — 2 days ahead of us, because we still have commitments at work. And they will have to wait for us there till we get there.

10:00 PM, Thursday, Harbie, Valerie, Jaryl, and I decided to depart this early and catch our 11:00 PM cruise at the Batangas port. This move definitely will help us avoid rush hour traffic and long lines, plus it can save us time and reduce stress. It can also give us more time to explore our destination or enjoy our quick getaway, as we’ll have more hours in the day to do so.

We booked our flight at the Montenegro Lines heading to *Abra de Ilog*. No long lines and no people rushing. I’m just sleepy. 😴

10:30 PM situation here at the *Batangas* Port. We have enough time to check in, go through security, and make our way to the gate.

We’ve got our tickets for the long way round. It costs 572 PHP for a regular fare and 458 PHP rate for a student discount fare. With an additional terminal fee. 🎫

Now that we’ve secured our tickets, we’re just waiting for our departure. Since I am sleepy, I can’t wait to sit and relax on a ship which is a very calming experience, as I’m surrounded by the calming sounds of the sea and can enjoy a slower pace of life. Hoping that I won’t feel nauseous all throughout.

*Jaryl* and I — luggage ready for this trip. 🧳

*Harbie and Valerie* — ready for the nth time during this Mindoro experience. 🫶🏻

What’s with the stare? When work is life. 😤

At exactly 11:00 PM, the Montenegro Lines ship arrived. We swiftly head our way to get ourselves to choose first where to sit and enjoy the view. Indeed, night flights are often quieter and less busy than daytime flights, which can create a calmer atmosphere.

Outside view of Montenegro Lines Ship at Night. 🚢🌌

With my direct view outside while relaxing, I’m more likely to feel sleepy. 🌚 🌊

This is my first time to catch a sight of this ship’s Male comfort room. 🚽 🚻

For some travelers, night flights can be a chance to unwind and relax without the distractions of work or daily life. It may have the opportunity to read, watch a movie, or listen to music, all while cruising through the night sky. However, the windy condition for this trip of ours also caused discomfort for those who are prone to seasickness. And as for me, I have to enjoy the sensation of the wind in my hair and the moonlight on my face. It’s sooo cold, by the way.

Our ship offboarded at Abra de Ilog port at around 1:45 AM. My mom and her cousin picked us up for another ride to reach my grandmother’s house, where we’ll stay.

Day 1. 4 AM, Friday, Touchdown! We settled and rested to help our body recover and prepare ourselves for the activities we are about to do for the day.

*Time Flies*. Looking at this old photo made me realize how quickly time passed. It reminded me to cherish each moment and make the most of the time I have. ✨

*Memories.* This photo brought me back some of my memories of this place from the past. It is a powerful experience that has shaped who I am today. ✨

*Appreciation.* This photo made me appreciate my childhood. It reminded me of the love and experiences I have received from family and friends that have helped me grow. ✨

Seeing these old photos reminded me of my family, friends, and experiences that have shaped my life today. It brought me a range of emotions, from nostalgia to regret, but it also provided me a perspective and appreciation for the journey of life.

Hi! It’s me in deep thoughts, deeper than the sea! 🤪

Good Morning, Mindoro, Philippines! I’m back at it again for another experience, and realization to carry with me. So much has changed. Seeing the changes in this place I once knew well is a reminder of the passing of time, which is both a sobering and humbling experience. And catching sight of how much this place has changed made me realize that change really is an inevitable part of life. Nothing remains the same forever, and it’s essential to embrace change. And even if the physical environment has changed, the memories I have of the place will always be with me. The memories bring me comfort and nostalgia.

Embracing the experience. Finally, I have embarked myself in front of the sea after a long while, so I should embrace the experience fully. Soaking up with the beauty and wonder of the sea is something I deserve, honestly. This is a powerful motivator that sometimes I deserve a rest, away from the usual busy routine. This will definitely leave lasting memories and a sense of fulfillment.

Standing in front of the sea makes me feel that this is an inspiring experience that can ignite my sense of adventure and desire to explore. 🏃

Sea’s POV at daytime. A vast expanse of shimmering blue water reflected the bright sunlight. ☀️

Sea’s POV at nighttime. At night, the sea is a dark, mysterious place, a bonfire is a good idea, right? 🔥

Day 2. Spending the quick getaway at the La Alegria beach resort, a 20-minute drive away from our house. Despite the windy condition, this resort by the sea provided us a relaxing atmosphere that can help us unwind and de-stress.

On our way to Alegria beach resort, with Kuya Muel in this photo.

As their tagline says, *“The place where you can enjoy.”* 🏝️

After a long walk along the beach, we took some amazing photos. 📷

And some more photos of the place, with me. 📸

First time riding on this three-wheeled Chariot. Cheers to more first times! 🛞

Alegria also has their landmark letter to take pictures with.

We weren’t able to swim here, but walk-in works fine.

And available cottages for more tourists. 🏡

The occasion wouldn’t be completed without the food. That’s absolutely true, the food should be fresh and well-prepared.

We prepared a lot of food. The *ube* specialty, spaghetti, *pancit*, *puto,* mangoes, vegetables, fish, *biko*, and chicken delicacy. 🍲

Grilled *Sulahan* and Eggplant. Definitely, mouthwatering! 🐟 🍆

An attempt to grill a *Sulaha*n, but I just gave it a touch, because why not? 🐠

Sharing this table with a bounty of food with our family is a wonderful experience. This celebration brought my mother’s side of the family acquainted, and an opportunity for conversation and bonding. To create a festive atmosphere and add to the overall enjoyment of the event, we enjoyed singing at a Karaoke as well.

Remember to have fun and enjoy the moment! Group photos with food can be a great way to capture memories and share them with others. And so, we did! 🤍

You know what, it’s a great way to document this occasion and share it with others who have not been here. 🤍

Expressing gratitude and appreciation for the food and the people who prepared it, and acknowledging the blessings that we have in our lives. 🙏

This day with our loved ones and enjoying food together was a special day to have the opportunity to come together, no matter how distance sets us apart for a long time.

My Lola and Kuya’s birthday celebration paved the way to express appreciation for their presence in our lives and to reflect on the joy and happiness that they bring to us and others.

Truly, in this quick escapade, we created a sense of belonging and shared experience which strengthened our relationship and deepen our connections with the people we care about. Whether it’s a simple meal at home or a fancy restaurant dinner, celebrating with loved ones and enjoying food together is a meaningful and memorable way to mark the occasion.

Day 3. It’s time to go home now. This is a bittersweet experience. While, of course, it’s nice to return to the comfort and familiarity of home, leaving behind the excitement and adventure of a vacation can be difficult. Having to leave my Lola, uncle, cousins, and relatives have a pinch in my heart for I don’t know when’s the next time we’ll have the time to come back again here.

Thank you for the experience, people, place, and food. 😎

Overall, going home from a quick trip is sad because it means leaving behind the fun and excitement of a new experience and returning to the responsibilities and stress of everyday life. Yes, going back to work, school, or other undertakings after a vacation can be challenging. I’ve felt like I’ve lost the freedom and relaxation that I enjoyed during our vacation. But I thank God because it’s the positive memories and experiences from this vacation became the reminders that I will carry with me as I return to my normal routine.

In the end, for a short time, I was reminded of the thoughts that it’s important to take breaks from the stresses of everyday life and to prioritize self-care and relaxation while creating lasting memories with the people you love.

“Home is people. Not a place.”
Robin Hobb

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De La Salle Lipa College Department starred at 70s Fashion Show on its 60th Founding Anniversary

Celebrating the foundation anniversary of an institution is an important milestone that marks its history and achievements. This year, De La Salle Lipa carried the theme “DEKADA ANIM-O: Tuloy and Misyong Lasalyano.”

To celebrate this exciting occasion, a set of activities, booths, and exhibits were prepared for Lasallian partners, parents, alumni, and students. Along with the Cosplay Competition, Dulaang Kentawra Recital, Robotics Exhibit, and Concert, one of the highlights of this event is the Decade-Inspired Fashion Show Contest as part of the closing program.

DLSL Lasallian Partners’ were divided into five decades to represent 1960s to 2000s fashion trends. While the college department stunned in 70s fad, its exceptional concept revolved in representing all genres stood out in a decade of glitter and sparkle in popular culture, bagging the 1st runners-up grant.

*IN PHOTO: Team 70s on their winning look with their respective College Deans spearheading next year’s founding anniversary celebration.* 🏆🥈

**FUTURE FASHION**
**Sir Pat** *as a Futuristic Icon*
Lift this futuristic look on the ground, to infinity and beyond! 🤖

**HIPPIE**
**Ms. Nadine** *as the Hippie*
Mirror Mirror on the wall, she’s the hippiest of them all! 🎸

**CARTOON**
**Sir Rhalf** *as Fred Jones*
It’s fashion-solved mystery, with a Fred Jones’ look mastery! 🐕

**TV SHOW**
**Sir Benedict** *as Rolly Puruntong*
They say the show must go on, and this look serves a 70s fashion revolution! 📺

**WEDDING**
**Ms. Darlen** *as Bianca Jagger*
You’re a bridal stunner, if you got this dress like jagger! 💒

**POLITICS**
**Ms. Maine** *as the Youth Activist*
The right to vote is suffrage, and this look is definitely savage. 📢

**MUSIC**
**Ms. Celine** *as Donna Summer*
You’re a certified disco fashion runner, if you strike like Donna Summer! 🎙️

**TRAVEL**
**Ms. Jhovie** *as Flight Attendant*
Like a bird, like a plane, no it’s not, this fashion is insane! 🧳

**PAGEANTRY**
**Ms. Cruzette** *as Margie Moran*
Flaunt this gown to the world, the universe rather, for a walk like no other! 👑

**SPORTS**
**Sir Joseph** *as Kareem Abdul Jabar*
Carry this sportswear, for you to say, Never say Never! 🏀

**MOVIES**
**Sir Franze** *as Superman*
What to wear? Have no fear, ‘coz Superman is here! 🦸🏻‍♂️

*At the backstage, right before the moment that we’ve all been waiting for*! 🥶

This fashion show features music, lighting, and other creative elements to enhance the presentation of the clothing. Incorporated is the special theme and concept to tie the designs together and create a cohesive story.

*Last-minute rehearsal on stage before the show!* 🫶🏻

Truly, this collaborative activity from different colleges built a harmonious relationship because this created opportunities for the faculty members to work together towards a common goal, which lead to a sense of shared purpose and accomplishment.

*Day 2 rehearsals at the Sports Center featuring our merienda, sponsored by Doc Tessie*. 🍕

It’s definitely when people work together on a project, communication is the key, shared responsibilities, and relying on one another will lead to achieving success. This helped everyone build trust and respect among each other, as they learn to appreciate each other’s strengths and contributions.

Winning an undertaking can be an exciting and rewarding experience for everyone, and I believe it’s important to acknowledge and appreciate the people who helped and supported us along the way. Big thanks to our colleagues in our respective colleges, College Deans, Sir Melvin, for the photo documentation, Sir Benny, for assisting us in the last-minute rehearsals, of course a huge shout-out to Sir Julius for amplifying the background as our voice-over. We were able to reinforce the importance of collaboration in achieving this success, until our future endeavors.

God is good all the time, our deepest gratitude for giving us a positive mindset to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as for letting us appreciate the positive aspects of such situation, and cultivate a sense of contentment and perspective that helped us navigate challenges and setbacks.

Till my next blog! 🫶🏻

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Hellen Keller

📸 Individual Shots: Sir Dennis Dimaala
🎥 Snapshots: Sir Melvin Quiros

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Celebrating Life At 25

I’m so thrilled to share my 3rd Birthday Blog in this safe space as I turn 25 this year. As you all know, this platform became an online scrapbook of my life so, I’ll be telling you about how my 25th birthday went and what are some of the most important things I’ve learned thus far.

During my early 20s, I always contemplate things that I should’ve figured out what my life and my dreams would be. Perhaps a house, driving your own car, having insuravests, travelling to different cities and countries. And here I am at 25, still thriving to tick some of these. And what I’m proud of is that, I definitely can say that I am currently on track to go where I would want to be while having exceeded some of my expectations for what I wanted to achieve by this age.

So, here’s to more days and years to choose to put my best foot forward and be better every day. The experience thus far will inspire me to take more chances and feel rewarding.

And oh, by looking at the surrounding things, I have been blessed to have the best people who appreciate me. God has already given and prepared so much for me.

I don’t know what the future holds, but one’s thing for sure, life will never be straightforward, the thing is, sometimes what you really want will only come to you when you are ready. And sometimes what you really thought you wanted isn’t something that you do when you are older.

I’ve been blessed in so many ways as I turn 25. Well, I’m so excited and grateful to share the next chapter of my life with you. See you then! 🤞

“Age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying you.”

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Mental Health Break: A Day at Tagaytay and Nasugbu

It ain’t new that the demands of the work from home setup plus the pressure have caused many of us to experience both physical and emotional exhaustion. Everyone definitely needs time to pause, breathe and take a step back to reflect. Certainly, taking a mental health break is needed for stress relief and burnout prevention.

In support of the De La Salle Lipa Inc. employee wellness, the institution scheduled a week of Mental Health Break. Definitely, this is a great opportunity for the students and Lasallian partners to pause, reset, and come back with greater levels of energy and a fresh, less-stressed perspective indeed.

And as for me and my colleagues, we spend a day of self-care and compassion by taking a trip to Tagaytay and Nasugbu — an opportunity for us to rest our minds from the day-to-day routine of work-related tasks.

*Napa Valley feels at Tagaytay Crosswinds.* 🍃

*Ma’am Donna and Ma’am Nelia here with me for today’s blog.* 😂

*NAPA is a new ride destination with great food and great ambiance. Alfresco dining with a nature view.* 🌲

The good thing about NAPA at Crosswinds is that they have open seats to accommodate groups of visitors unless it’s peak season. You can choose to sit and chill inside or vice-versa while having to enjoy the California-feels ambiance and sceneries outside. I must say that every corner is Instagrammable and picture-worthy to flood your connections feeds and showcase your OOTD.

*It takes us to a different experience with an ambiance captured from a different side of the world.* 🍄

*Everyone wants to see this new hip spot, it gets crowded easily, but not in today’s case.* 🌫

*Bringing to life a beautiful place that will give me fond memories with my closest colleagues.* 💗

This cabin-themed look is inspired by rustic houses in Napa Valley, California. It took an hour-drive from Tanauan City to Talisay Sungay Road also dubbed as “bituka ng manok” by locals, the very steep road is full of hairpin turns, which can make driving challenging and dangerous to NAPA at Crosswinds Tagaytay.

*A new protocol has been mandated to pay a parking fee which costs PHP 100.00 and a PHP 400.00 consumable to any café of your choice.* *Here’s a sample ticket to be bought inside and presented stub upon exit.*

*This strawberry frappé has been becoming my go-to quencher lately. This costs PHP 250.00 at NAPA.*

*It’s definitely worth the visit, you’ll lose count of the nice views outside because there are just too many to choose from.*

*This short trip to NAPA deserves a good groupie shot.* 📸

*Surely, spending time in green spaces or bringing nature can benefit both our mental and physical wellbeing.* 🌾

The views and the ambiance here are spectacular, but to tell you honestly, the foods are overpriced and quite underwhelming, tho. But the experience of chillin’ and peace of mind setting it’s the best.

*Here, we decided to take our lunch, it’s 26 mins drive from NAPA at Crosswinds.*

*Just facing Bulalo Point, we bought the best buko pie in Tagaytay. The buko pies are freshly made and always served warm and have the freshest and most tender coconut meat. This costs PHP 325.00.* 🌴

It has been quite a good visit to Tagaytay since we’ve been given very good weather to stroll with. A 30-minute drive, we headed to Caleruega Church also known as the Transfiguration Chapel located at Bgry. Caylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas.

*An entrance fee of PHP 30.00 and a PHP 40.00 parking fee are being collected at the entrance.*

*This church and grounds have a spiritual feel. It looks like an aged edifice from Spanish influence.*

*Signage to know what other spots inside are to be explored.*

“*Close to Nature, Close to God*“ *The fountain compass is the first thing you will see when you arrive at Calereuga.*

*Here are some plant souvenirs available.* *They also sell seedlings.*🌼🌻

*Hanging Bridge heading to the Tent Chapel.*

*After hundreds of steps, we reached the Tent Chapel.*

*Here’s a view from the top of the chapel.*

*Here you can attend mass, meditate, or engage in other religious activities.*

Caleruega has lush surroundings, a perfect place for relaxation and time with friends, colleagues, family, or your special someone. This place provides greenery that will let you reflect on life and refresh your thoughts.

*Ma’am Donna still can strut a pose after the long walk and hike.* 😂

*Jed looking tired and so is her mom. But it’s worth it after 2 years of lockdown with no long walks.* 😂

This week of Mental Health Break is a special gift to oneself to have the time to do self-care, self-improvement, and be engaged in things that will make oneself happy and relaxed. And for us on this trip, it’s definitely worth it that once in a while we take breaks and travel to places we don’t visit often. God is good, all the time!

Even if you don’t have the option to step away from your job, you can still set boundaries that support your mental wellbeing.

Care to share some of your trips away from work or activities during mental health break? Let me know. If you love this blog, pin it!

Puerto Galera Adventures: Sun, Sea, Sand and Fun

Sheesh! It’s May, and it’s summer break for some, including us.

It’s definitely about chasing the sun, white sand, and water, right? So, we planned out our beach getaway. We don’t know yet, how we even choose wherewith so many beautiful summer destinations around.

In the first place, we are craving a comfortable paradise to relax with, and an off-the-beaten-path discovery, and we believe Puerto Galera fits our liking! It is a town on the Philippine island of Mindoro. It’s known for its dive sites and beaches.

*Reached Batangas Port at 7:30 AM to catch our Roro going to Puerto Galera.*

*Tourists and residents are at their peak number since the national election will be in just two days.*

*From Batangas Port to Puerto Galera, the roundtrip fare for an adult costs Php 685.00 and Php 585.00 for a student.*

To avoid getting tickets at the last minute and worst might cause delay, it is important to have advance bookings to avoid long lines and to proceed to the boarding gates in an instant. We were assisted by JACN Puerto Galera Tours to book our trip going to Puerto Galera.

*Our Roro Reina Delas Flores waiting for us.* 🚢⚓️

*Actually, we’re 13 and here’s the first batch for 8AM float* 😂
*Aaron, Kyle, Paul, Russell, Me, Ric, Claire, AC, Jaryl* 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦

*Uhm, let me have this moment to stare how blue the sea is. It’s been 2 years, since the last time I went in a ship for a trip.* 😅🌊 🌫

Normally, it will take a 2-hour ride on a roro (ship) and a fast craft takes an hour. Since it’s affordable to take the ship, so we did. It’s important to carry water and sweet treats with you when taking a ship because the motion of the wave can make you feel nauseous.

*Landed at Port of Puerto Galera just in time, 10 AM. We were welcomed and accompanied by the personnel of the Travel and Tours we booked.*

*Rode on our service jeepney heading to our hotel.* 🚙💨

Authorities require us to present our vaccination card, S-pass and pay the environmental fee amounting to Php 120.00 per head. S-pass was also processed by our travel agency to avoid hassle on documents.

*Here’s the Villa Monica Hotel where we stayed for our comfort in Puerto Galera*.

*We were accommodated in this family room, which has a capacity of 10 persons.* 🛌🏼

Our check-in time is 1PM and the hotel accommodation includes air conditioning plus the fan 😂, cable T.V., hot and cold shower, Wi-Fi connection, CCTV, kitchen on the rooftop, bathroom, and towel.

*We arrived here, and it’s still not overcrowded since it’s 10:30 AM, besides it’s pretty early for the tourists to roam around on a Friday morning.* ☀️

*Fresh Buko Juice to refresh and quench the thirst I’ve been feeling since we arrived*. This costs Php 100.00.

*Puerto’s hair braiding is popular as it serves as a hair souvenir that you are on an island.* *Price varies depending on styling, Php 250-300.00*.

*Claire getting her hair done in pink yarns since she’s a proud kakampink???* 🌸🎗

*Jaryl, one of his hair goals is to get it braided and PG made it happen.* 🏆

*There’s also Taho (Filipino Silken Tofu with Sago Pearls and Syrup) which costs Php 30.00 for the smallest size.*

*It’s almost sunset, and it’s the golden hour.* 🌅

*This Ice Scramble is quite different from what’s available in my town, it has pearl sinkers in it. It costs Php 30.00 for the smallest size.* 🍨

*I also get to enjoy playing beach volleyball with random guys in PG. No warm-ups, just dive on the sand.* 🏐

*Our first group photo by the beach. We’re complete here, catching sunset before diving into the sea. 💦*

*Our first dinner in “Foodtrip sa Galera”, each order costs Php 200-250.00, and it’s unli-rice with either chicken, Pork Kebab, Tilapia, Liempo, Squid, and the fruit shake costs Php 100.00.* 🍗🍡🦑

That’s a wrap for our first day stay in Puerto Galera before we finally began to explore more of what the island offers for its tourists. We have had ample time to soak into the sea and talk about things that we don’t normally talk about on busy days. We have the time to enjoy the cold water in the sea, vibe with the music, eat dinner, and enjoy the nightlife during happy hours.

Hello Travelers! 👋🏻
“Enjoy the sea, not the bed” ~ Ma’am Beth 🤍

On Day 2 at Puerto, at 9:45AM we were picked up by our driver to start our activities for the day. Our package tour is an Island tour which costs Php 1,580.00 for 10pax above including the hotel accommodation. The Island tour activities include an underwater cave, giant clams, snorkeling in a coral garden, sandbar, Muelle heritage park, Spanish galleon replica, Canon replica, and Muelle bay (one of the most beautiful bays in the world).

*Sandbar* ⛱🏝
*Jaryl, Me, Aaron, Kyle, King, Maan, Clarence, Cris, Ric, Claire, Paul, AC, Russell*

Before we go to water activities, we were reminded of several instructions to mind before diving into the water. There are also aqua shoes being offered, it is a type of footwear that is typically used for activities where the feet are likely to become wet, such as kayaking to prevent abrasions when walking in wet, rocky environments. It costs Php 100.00.

*With my co-two-faced Gemini buddy, Ric.* ♊

*With the rumored top-student and fave, Claire.* 🙄

*We went boating as we head to the giant clam and snorkeling.* ⛵️

*We were amazed by the creatures that we were able to see underwater. It’s my first time, and it’s really admirable.* 💦

*In the underwater cave, it’s just the annoying life-vest that makes it very complicated to float.* 🤣

*At the stop-by mini-shore near the underwater cave. I’m holding here the super pricey-worthy Calamares* 🦑 *(breaded fried squid dish) that costs Php 60.00.*

The scorching heat of the sun really burned my skin, in spite of having layers of sunscreen. It was pretty late lunch that we finished all the water activities like around 2:30 PM we went back to our hotel to freshen up and change. We were tired and rested, and got asleep till 4PM. We had the chance to explore the place and look for souvenirs and items to bring home to our loved ones.

*And oh there’s a café here on the island where we could stay that’s cozy if there’s an urgent call for work.*

*Also, available are souvenir items, the usual clothes, keychains, ref magnets, mugs, tote bags, slippers, and a lot more.*

There are far more stores, bars, and food stalls to explore in the place and yet to be experienced once. We enjoyed our second night by watching comedic stunts by the bay, we ate dinner, had happy hours, and rested.

*Morning breakfast by the beach. Each meal costs PHP 119.00 with unli-fried rice, and free coffee/iced tea*.

*Here’s our view while we’re on breakfast.*

*A legit strawberry milkshake. Super tasty at PHP 170.00* 💯

It’s our last day, we need to check out at 11:30AM and catch the 12:45NN ship back to Batangas port. We only have a few hours left to enjoy the island and take pictures of and with the place.

*Here’s a sandcastle photo booth that costs PHP 20.00, not free either, but you can take a shot as many as you like, you just got to beat the heat of the sun.* 🔅📸

*Time to go home now. Thank you, Puerto Galera!*

*We were casually waiting to be called, and we were just in time to catch our float*. 😆 *We paid Php 10.00 per head for the terminal fee*.

How I wish we could stay a little longer, or a day, perhaps. But we need to get back to our home now to face the responsibilities and get back to our same lives in order for us to get back to places such as this. This trip gave me so many realizations, it’s okay to spoil yourself sometimes, it’s okay to ignore pressure for once, and it’s okay to feel free and happy because we all deserve it. Practically, we are all not blessed to have the financial capability to treat ourselves to a vacation we all are craving but, we have the physical capability and the discipline to work hard for something that we really want.

I’m constantly learning the idea of travel, new friends, and food. I always feel the excitement and fear at the same time, but never the boredom, and I think it’s the most rewarding thing above all. Thank God for guiding us all throughout, and we all went back home safely with fragments of memories we once experienced on this trip. Thank you, Puerto Galera.

“It doesn’t matter where you’re going, it’s who you have beside you.”

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My First Election Rally Experience

The Rule of Law, Transparency, Responsiveness, Consensus Oriented, Equity and Inclusiveness, Effectiveness and Efficiency, and Accountability — factors that measure good governance. And for sure, we don’t want to waste the opportunity to be led by a well-thought leader.

April 30th, my friends and I partook in the historical event of #BarakoParaKinaLENIKIKO who stood up and showed support as our most powerful tool to speak up, and have our fair share to uphold the best people for the job at Catalina Lake Residences Manghinao, Bauan, Batangas.

And to show support “*Pihong Kita’y Panalo Rineh kay Kiko’t Lineh*” Jaryl made this last-minute placard quote.🤩🤩🤩

The rally was supposed to start at 12NN but as early as 8AM we’ve had already settled in front of the entrance, so we can get closer to the stage to get up close with all the performers and the main reason why we’re here Leni-Kiko and the Tropang Angat Senators.

*Jaryl, Maja, Gia, J-Mac are with me at this rally*.

*Since we’re early, we’re situated near the main stage.*

And to show that we’re all one in this battle, several volunteers around the province prepared free meals, water, merch, and snacks, so everyone could not go thirsty or hungry throughout the event.

*Ahh! Ice Cream to soothe the scorching heat of the sun.* 🌤🍧

A lot of talented Batangueños showcased their talents and big stars in showbiz were present to make this event rousing before we finally get to hear words from the main stars of the rally. Singer-song writer Nica Del Rosario and Gab Pangilinan sung Rosas one of the official VP Leni’s campaign song. Some big stars present were Janine Gutierrez, Jolina Magdangal, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Ogie Alcasid, and Sharon Cuneta.

*VP Leni Robredo and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan gets the warmest welcomed amongst all the present Barakos.*
© Barako Para Kay Leni-Kiko

After 9 hours of waiting, they finally showed up to tell their sentiments and plans once they win the election. With conviction, “Konting tumbling na lang, mananalo na tayo” VP Leni uttered. I teared up a little because of the hope that I can feel, and all the attendees’ warm spirits lifted when they appeared on stage.

Given the freedom, we are proud that we’re part of the 280,000+ Batangueños who are hungry for good governance because we all deserve better, the Philippines deserve better.

Never mind how many hours and for how long we have stood, waited, and felt tired during the entire run of the rally, the main thing is we have made the right choice to support the righteous ones for a right government. We are all hungry for good governance, and it’s our time now to make it happen. Ipanalo na natin ‘to! ✨

One Fine Day at Matabungkay Beach Resort

It’s Lenten season, and it’s as special as any of the regular holiday seasons, especially for devout Catholics. Including ours, many families prefer going to the beach on Easter Sunday after a week of solemn contemplation on the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, this year, we’ve anticipated a getaway, mainly for my Lola and her sisters.

Let me share with you our beach experience through this blog.

I haven’t been to a beach for a while, so as my relatives. After a long while of searching through Facebook travel groups, I chose to book our trip to Matabungkay Beach Resort, located at Brgy. Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas, Philippines.

Because of its proximity to Manila, Matabungkay is still one of the top beach destinations in Batangas among Batanguenos and tourists.

*I’m checking Waze from time to time to check how long are we still going to wait before touch down.*

At 3AM we headed to our trip and I can’t drive this early, so we rented a Van and a Jeepney where we could also store our goods and bags. We are 30 pax, each vehicle costs 4,500 Php.

I feel well-rested tho, I slept almost 6 hours prior to our onboarding since I’m excited, and I’m in need of much energy, so I won’t be feeling tired soon as we’re there. Most of our passengers in this van are asleep to gain energy for the activities they look forward to at the latter.

Or maybe, I’ll take a nap, a short one also.

After 2 hours of travel, we already did make it to the entrance of the resort, it’s just a bit of traffic we had experienced as we enter because we have to pay the environmental fee which costs 25 Php per head. Oh! The parking fee costs 100 Php per vehicle.

*I miss this sight, the horizon that separates the sky and the sea. The calmness that the scenery is channeling caught me. I need to send this to my friends and bae.* 🌊😋

*Matabungkay Beach House Batangas floating cottage*

The shore was filled with floating cottages (balsa) which makes it overcrowded at first sight. We were able to sail a few distances away from the other rafts, so we have ample space to swim near our cottage. We got this type for 25 pax at 6,500 Php this season. Since we’re 30 pax we were allowed to situate here for the whole day since we’re lightweight.

*We’ve already settled and I already dived in*. 💦

*Here’s Garcia Brothers with Dad. Insert mom*. 🧏‍♀️

*Garcia cult*. *We weren’t able to have a whole group picture as others were busy doing water activities.* 🏊🏻‍♀️

WTF! I mean, Where’s The Food? I forgot to snap a shot of our food, maybe because I’m too hungry to take a photo first. We served and ate pancit, spaghetti, puto, sandwich for breakfast, fried chicken, caldereta, fried bangus, and salted egg for lunch, mango, watermelon, singkamas, macaroni and vegetable salad, and chips for snack.

*We went boating and snorkeling as a new experience for my dad, ninang, lola and bestie. They seem happy — evident on their faces.*

*It’s really a struggle for me to find a sunblock. I manage to apply Belo’s tinted sunscreen, retrieved from my old box back in 2020. I think I saved my face so.* 😎

*The sea is really inviting, but not this one that’s too deep for me. Although I have a life vest, I’m scared of the creatures down there.* 🤪

Aside from boating and snorkeling which costs 150 Php per head for an hour, there are other activities available like jet skiing, riding on a wagon, banana and dragon boat, and island hopping, the price varies.

*Look who’s burnt. Sorry for my happy feet. Since I’m wearing sandals, I’ve had tan lines on my feet.*

I’m so worried about the burnt skin that I’ve got, but I realized that it will get back to its color thru time, but the time spent will forever be cherished and the memories of the experience that my family and I had here despite our schedules and whereabouts will be kept. I thank God for the time given and the strength of everyone to be able to be with us here. Also, for the financial capacity. It’s really not a bad idea to treat yourself and the people around you when you are saving. I don’t want to deprive myself of vacation just because I have bills to pay ahead of me. This hard-earned money spent for this getaway is a much deserve one, I must say. I’m just happy that I am able to take my whole family on a trip once in a while, and seeing the smile on their faces is a big win.

We stayed from 6AM-4PM there and at exactly 6PM we were home safe and rested because Monday is already waving. I’m looking forward to our next family getaway. On my 25th Birthday maybe? We’ll see.

Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures.
Lovelle Drachman

Care to share your Lenten season stories and escapade? Let me know. ღ

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Begin Again

It was raining hard as you walked into the café, you ordered a mocha-flavored drink, the usual chocolate for him. As you wait for it, you hardly stare at him. He waited for you to spit the initial words before the story finally began.

Your eyes were seemingly nervous, but you got through it. It’s the comfort of silence he gave you to sprung words and stitch phrases to share. It wasn’t easy, compared to how you were on the line.

You were like that. He smirked as a signal of happiness that can’t be contained. The atmosphere came alive, like a place in the world that’s beautiful. It’s inside that four walls, it’s in the café where you and him, built the connection and hope. From your heart to his, from your look to him, it all begin again.

Life Lately 2021 Vol. 1

It’s quarter 3 of the year and so many things has happened, so to speak. It has been seemingly interesting how life throws curveballs towards my way, and it has been a long while since I’ve written something on this niche to have a collective look back on what’s up and how life moved and phased on me so far. Directly, I can’t say that I’ve been so busy, but rather I can tell that I took the path where I know I can be a better advocate for myself. It’s been obvious that I’ve been off through the shore of social media, as I wanted to distance myself on such things that are anxiety-inducing. And as a way to retroactively be back on track, welcome to this blog as I tell you how everything went with my life lately.

WORK

Well everything’s good, for someone who’s really passionate about data, numbers, and visualization per se I must say that I’m on my safe haven. It has been quite a journey to be in this position now, as much as I wanted it so bad, it’s also been so difficult to say yes for the reason that I had to leave a circle of people I’ve been with for almost a year. The fact that we’re still in the same company, it really hits different knowing that I can’t be on the usual huddles that we always used to do back then. But what I’ve learned in this change is that, it’s okay to wrestle with my mind for a while before I got to finally pluck up the courage to lead with a decision that could change my life. And yes, I was able to savor my work anniversary last month, having the new position.

DEVELOPMENT

Putting my health in the forefront priority in this time which I let it slip the past months as I tend to overwork is what I’ve been up to as well. I’ve realized that when I actually take time to weigh on what’s important, the outcome gets better. Especially on things like to take rest when my body is screaming for it. To finally have time to go out often with my circle, having the safety cautions observed is also one of the changes I’ve had, and it lessens the weight that my mind and body has been carrying throughout this season. And by these things, it’s evident to me that I can keep up my mental and physical aspects on a healthy state. Just to add, I enrolled in a driving academy to add up additional life-skill which I will be blogging next time soon as I finish it.

FAITH

As life moves this fast, I can’t deny that sometimes I need to exert determination on all things a little extra. I’m aging, and I have to accomplish things real soon, not that I am pressuring myself this early, but I have goals and faith that I will make it. This has been my mantra and I really want instant gratification but as I grow older, I realized that I also need to learn how to wait and avoid rushing things. All these goals I have in mind will not be accomplished if I do it on my own alone. So, I have to leave and surrender these things to God.

I’ve wanted to start a new chapter in my life to have crossed paths with someone where I will have the privilege to have happy seems and I think it’s time, since we all deserve to have one and a lot of us are in the waiting stage. I’m now open into knowing, learning and loving a person and I know that God is bringing me closer to whose meant for me and to everyone else.

It’s becoming quite lengthy, but if you were able to reach up to this point, I’d love to know what’s keeping you up lately. What have been up to you? Although this time means we all have to wait a little longer, together, let us hold on tight and be prepared to receive more than of the things we’ve ever asked for.

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A Weekend in Lobo, Batangas

The semester’s finally over, even if it’s distance learning where we’re not physically present at school, and it involves online education thus far, we also needed this quick escape. I know, by having this, both our physical and mental health and well-being as a whole will gain a profound effect and that is why we look forward to this time away!

*Again, we’re here at Ma’am Nelia’s (my colleague) hometown in Sitio Paho Biga, Lobo, Batangas. This has been planned for almost 3 weeks now, and finally we made it.* 🤩

I’ve been here last April 2021 and was able to share how to get here in A Day in Biga, Lobo, Batangas blog. So we arrived 8:00 AM, and we’ve been invited for a breakfast before we head on to our whereabouts.

This way to the sea. I noticed that there were only few people reside here, and the place is quiet and peaceful. It is really different from our place — the trees and mountain here are just few steps away from us, that’s why my amusement is still like the first time. 😍

This getaway and pleasure trip is attainable for people from almost all walks of life. My colleagues and I are some of the lucky few to have the precious time to savor an escape and to be together — out of the pressure, and somehow running away from responsibilities for a while.

We went boating and whizzing around, seeing beautiful sights in a distant while it’s raining. I was shivering because it’s cold, but I enjoyed it. I believe there’s a next time for this and go island hopping the moment I’ll have the chance, so. 😉

We’ve been looking forward to seeing and doing something new and different. We learned bits and pieces about sort of origin of the place thus, enriching and stimulating our intellect about it whilst enabling to nurture our friendship tie, create lasting memories, and deepen personal connections with each other.

*Keep yourselves busy! Enjoy guys, though this trip will leave us all renewed and rested, on Monday back to the daily grind as if we were never away at all.* 🤣

It’s been a blessing in disguise as the rain poured on this day for us to spend more time in the water without having to think that we might get a sunburn. Although, I wasn’t able to capture more of what we did and eye-catching views it’s indeed an apparent misfortune I must say that eventually lead us to enjoy the moments more. It is our minds and our hearts that clearly captured what we truly felt on these special moments — somehow it was everything.

*And we’re heading back. We found ourselves stuck in situations we don’t normally experience in our daily lives, so we’re here breaking free from the norm.* 😄

Moments like these are something on a much deeper level that will surely keep us coming back for more, and to push ourselves to see more and learn more. Here is where I definitely find the best in myself and to others. Little did I know, I become the person that I had hoped I would become as a child: a wanderer and a learner of things.

We were all exhausted and tired from the quite adventure we’ve just had, but it’s all worth it. Thank God for these people, for the precious time and energy you gave us. Until our next. ღ

“Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.”
Izaak Walton

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