Boracay Sun | October 2015 Issue

OCTOBER 2015 | VOL. V NO. 10 | BORACAY’S MONTHLY NEWS ON RECYCLED PAPER

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COMPLETE LIST WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE...

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IN THE NEWS ENVIRONMENT EXPAT FILES 7107 ISLANDS LIFESTYLE PEOPLE IN ROOM INDULGE HEALTH & SAFETY

BORACAY PREPARES FOR HIGH SEASON MICHAEL MADRIAGA

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very third Saturday of September of each year, thousands and thousands of volunteers from around the globe participate in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) drive spearheaded by the international group, Ocean Conservancy. The ICC is the largest volunteer based clean up drive for our oceans’ health. In 2014, 561,895 volunteers from 91 countries and locations participated in the event, clearing tons of trash from coastlines, rivers and lakes, and recording every piece of trash collected. (See more: https://sites.google.com/site/iccphilippines/about-icc) For years, tourists and residents of Boracay have been joining in this worthwhile endeavor. And unlike the previous cleanups which focused mainly on the White

Beach, this year’s ICC Day in the island targets all the beaches including Puka Beach, Diniwid Beach, Ilig-iligan Beach, Lapus-lapus Beach, Bulabog Beach, Lugutan Beach, Tulubhan Beach, Sugod Beach, Tambisaan Beach, Manoc-Manoc Beach, Cagban Beach, and Angol Beach.

This cleanup event also marks the start of the high season in the island. In a matter of days, establishments will start disassembling the windbreakers in the White Beach, and the port operations will soon be back to the usual Caticlan Jetty – Cagban Port. All of these preparations to welcome the targeted 500,000 more tourist arrivals this quarter, thereby reaching the 1.6M target set by the Malay Local Government for this year, 2015.

7107 ISLANDS Mt. Cristobal

Halloween Costumes

Halloween Cupcakes

Turmeric

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Philippine Travel Mart

LIFESTYLE

INDULGE

IN THE NEWS

HEALTH

YET ANOTHER HIGH SEASON

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October is one of the much-awaited months in Boracay as it marks the start of yet another peak season. From this month on, until mid next year, we will expect more and more tourists arriving.

To usher in the peak season, the whole island celebrates the Halloween - a festivity that may not be observed as much in other parts of the country but certainly one of the best happenings in the island for the residents and tourists alike. For those who enjoys trick-or-tricking and the related “guising”, we a have a few suggestions on how you would stand out in costume parties. We even have tips for your pets, too!

The expected shift to cold weather and dry winds at this time of the year (especially with the habagat season at its tail end), may be pre-empted by the El Nino phenomenon though. According to PAG-ASA, this phenomenon will likely to strengthen further before the end of the year and might bring such adverse effects in our country’s weather conditions.

Be that as it may, this is the high season that the local government of Malay is expecting more tourists to visit. With 1.1M tourist arrivals recorded by end of August, the spirits are high and the general mood is positive that the 1.6M goal will be reached before the end of the year.

COVER

THE BORACAY SUN FAMILY

By Alva Alvarez

ROTARY CLUBS GO ALL IN TO FIGHT POLIO WWW.BORACAYSUN.COM

Managing Editor MICHAEL JEROME MADRIAGA Senior Editors BLANCHE BASCO & BETH JALEA Junior Editors SACHI GO & SAMANTHA GO Art Director ALVA ALVAREZ Columnists DENISE BENTULAN, JOEL JAMES CUBILLAS, KLAUS DORING, HOLLY GOLIGHTLY, JEFF MANCAO, RICA VELASCO Contributors JUN AGUIRRE, MACKY ANGELES, KAREN BERMEJO, GLADYS ESTADIAN, DOUGLAS FABILANE, PATRICIA HERNANDEZ, SPO1 CHRISTOPHER MENDOZA, MARLO SCHOENENBERGER, ELMAR TERLUTTER, THINKERBELL, MARIA ANGELINE ZALAMEA

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otary members around the world have committed themselves to ending polio and have engaged their communities in unique ways to raise awareness for eradicating this devastating disease.

With over 1.2 million members, Rotary Clubs worldwide have dedicated themselves to ending polio. To date, through to advocacy and fundraising efforts, Rotary has contributed more than $1.3 billion in support of polio immunization activities.

Rotary members around the world have engaged their communities in unique ways to raise awareness for eradicating this devastating disease.

One of the greatest assets in the fight to end polio is the determination of Rotary’s members and its partners around the globe. /http://www.endpolio. org/stories/posts/rotary-clubs-go-all-in-to-fight-polio/#more

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ROTARY CLUB OF BORACAY ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 3850 Rotary Club of Boracay will stage a Fund Raising Concert/Masquerade Gala night On October 24, 2015, to support our 19th Year of Community presence on the island and our ongoing Rotary projects.

You may contact us at 0998-5582541/ 0917-3280403 for details.

The Rotary Club of Boracay meets every Tuesday, 7:00pm at Seawind Resort, Boracay Island.

Contributing Photographers DR. LHEN BRUTTON, KARLO CLARIDES & KARLA PARAYNO Publisher THE BORACAY WALLSTREET INC. President & CEO MA. TERESA FAJILAN-BECH Sales and Marketing Manager MICHELLE ELIZON Operations Manager JOANN BARRIOS Boracay Sun Office

Monaco Crossing Tulubhan, Manoc Manoc, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan 5608 editorial@boracaywallstreet.com

For Advertising / Inquiries

Telephone: (+63 36) 288 2582 Mobile: (+63 998) 558 2541 Email: ads.boracaysun@boracaywallstreet.com

Copyright © April 2014 Boracay Sun. All rights reserved. Printed in the Philippines.

Except as permitted by law, no part of the Boracay Sun may be used, reproduced or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission of Boracay Sun. The publisher accepts no liability for the content correctness of any advertisement and reserves the right for editorial freedom of the press under the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines Article III (Bill of Rights) Section 4.

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IN THE NEWS

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PH roadmap for digital startups launched in Boracay KAREN BERMEJO

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he Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched the Philippine Roadmap for Digital Startups during the third edition of the Geeks On A Beach (GOAB) Conference* here in Boracay last August 20.

The roadmap, according to Monchito Ibrahim, Deputy Executive Director of DOSTInformation and Communications Technology Office (ICTO), aims to generate innovative startups that will spur economic growth. “It will serve as framework for developing a robust startup ecosystem in the Philippines,” Ibrahim added.

At present, there are at least 100 operating digital startups in the country but not one has surpassed the $50 million in valuation. With the roadmap, the DOST targets to achieve at least 500 Philippine startups with a cumulative valuation of $2 billion, aiming to create about 8,500 high-skilled jobs by 2020.

According to the DOST, the Philippines has a strong potential to become a global startup hub because of its young and tech-savvy population. The country is also conducive for startup businesses because of its low operating cost, its population’s English language proficiency, and the minimal business competition.

The Roadmap The PH Digital Roadmap, an initiative of the DOST-ICTO, is a product of the collaboration of the leading local technology startup players including the Philippine Software Industry Association, Philippine Development Foundation, Kickstart, IdeaSpace and Techtalks.ph, with the involvement of the people from the academe, policy makers and some foreign startup founders.

It is divided into three parts: the Internet-Related Startup Ecosystem, a summary of current digital ecosystems; Patterns of Technology Startup Ecosystem, a highlight of various startup ecosystems from around the world; and the Action Plan which enumerates the short and long-term recommendations for all stakeholders to improve the Philippine digital startup ecosystem.

DOST-ICTO Senior Consultant Beryl Li said pushing the Philippine startup ecosystem will help attract foreign entrepreneurs to come and operate in the country thereby generating jobs for the young talents and graduates here.

Li advised that the country’s startup industry must maintain a unique ecosystem though. “We should not replicate other (startup) ecosystems. We could collaborate with other leading ecosystems, but we should only get their best practices,” she added. Li also highlighted the need for coherent policies and consistent internet infrastructure in the country to support this emerging industry.

Karl Vendell Satinitigan, a representative of Senator Bam Aquino, said the roadmap may pave the way for the crafting of a Philippine startup bill significantly in sustaining the industry that is eyed to follow the success of business process outsourcing in the country.

Innovation in tourism Launched here in Boracay, one of the country’s main tourism attractions, the roadmap is also eyed to make a significant impact in the tourism industry.

IdeaSpace Founder and GOAB Co-Organizer Earl Valencia said innovations made by the digital startup companies could help boost the tourism sector and in luring investors to the Philippines. “Innovation in tourism brings more awareness to what types of experience people could have here in the Philippines,” Valencia said.

Jay Fajardo, Founder of the innovation hub – LaunchGarage, agreed with Valencia saying that the “Philippines could be a destination for digital nomads.” According to him, most startup founders especially those from the United States and Europe go out of their country during the colder times of the year and head out to tropical areas while still working on their startups. And with a number of worldclass islands, the Philippines could certainly entice these foreign startup founders to come and set-up here. Filipinos could further take advantage of their stay by making them stay longer and all the while, learn from them on how to level up their startups.

Techtalks President Tina Amper, however, stressed that the country must work on the problem with slow internet connectivity. “We have awesome tourism spots and natural resources. We simply have to tell the tourists about that, but how can we tell them if we do not have connection,” she said. ______________________________________________________________________ *Now on its third year, GOAB is an international tech confab that gathers hundreds of startup techies and stakeholders in beach settings. It was launched in Boracay in 2013 while the second confab transpired in Cebu last year. This year, it was held at Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center on August 20 to 21 with over a thousand participants.

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POLICE DESK

IN THE NEWS

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BTAC PCR Officer attends Thousands gather in Boracay for eligibility training PCL Convention CHRISTOPHER DEL ROSARIO MENDOZA

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P01 Christopher Del Rosario Mendoza, Police Community Relations (PCR) Officer of the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC) attended a 240hour eligibility and competency training dubbed as Police Community Affairs and Development Course (PCADC).

PCADC was conducted by the Directorate for Police Community Relations at Camp Martin Delgado, Iloilo City, from July 14 to September 8, 2015 and it was attended by PCR Officers composed of seven Police Commission Officers, 37 Police Non-Commission Officers and two Non-Uniform Personnel from various police units of Police Regional Office 6.

PCADC covered various topics such as Community Oriented Policing System, News Writing, Speech Writing, Public Speaking, Psychological Operations (PsyOps), Information Operations (IOs), Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, PNP Moral Recovery Program, PNP Code of Ethics and Professional Standard, Stress and Conflict Management, Photography, Police Media Relations, Crises and Disaster Risk Preparedness Mgmt, PCR Master Plan, among others.

Topics were delivered by selected pool of instructors recognized in their own field of expertise and specialization.

SPO1 Mendoza was also granted the PCR Eligibility Category 1V by the Directorate for Police Community Relations in accordance with the PCR Eligibility Review Board Resolution No 04-11-2014 dated November 6, 2014. He also received a Certificate of Appreciation for ranking No. 1 in the whole Province of Aklan in the field of PCR wherein BTAC was also adjudged as Best Performing Police Unit. The award was given last July 31, 2015 during the PCR Month Culminating Program held at Camp Pastor Martelino, Kalibo, Aklan.

Boracay, Aklan shine in 2015 Philippine Travel Mart RICA VELASCO

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oracay Island was once again in the limelight at the 26th Philippine Travel Mart exhibition held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on September 4-6, 2015.

This year proved to be special for the resort island because for the first time ever, Boracay Foundation, Inc. collaborated with the Aklan Provincial Government, Malay Municipal Government, and Southwest Tours to have a single pavilion booth.

As Boracay is the prime destination in Aklan, a sandcastle made from the island’s very own fine white sand was the booth’s main facet. This garnered much attention as expected. Naturally, permits were obtained to bring the sand to Manila, and which was also shipped back to the island after the event. Adding to the booth’s attraction is the showcase of Kalibo’s piña cloth and, of course, a native who donned a colourful Ati-Atihan costume.

The booth also highlighted the other potential tourist spots in Aklan - Buruanga, Nabas for its Petrowind Energy as well as its cold springs, the Mangrove deforestation in Ibajay, Jawili Falls, Bakhawan Echo Park, Igayon Hill, Basura Garden, and the White Rocks of Madalag, to highlight a few. The Aklan Provincial Government is planning to launch packaged tours called ‘Boracay Plus’ which will include these tourist spots in Boracay getaway packages, thereby enabling other municipalities to benefit from the island’s popularity as a world-famous island destination in the Philippines.

Following this exhibition success, the Aklan Provincial Government also held the ‘Tourism Month’ celebration last September 14-19, 2015. Activities in this weeklong event included: feature writing contest, quiz bee for students, and a cooking contest under Sabor Aklan. A Tourism Awareness Seminar was also conducted for tourism stakeholders. Resource speakers from Southwest Tours, Rosa Foods, Motag Living Museum, and Basura Gardens were invited to share their respective success stories. A guest speaker from Manila discussed tourism marketing.

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housands of councilors from all over the country gathered in Boracay on September 9-11 to attend the Philippine Councilors League’s (PCL) 3rd Quarterly National Executive Officers - National Board Meeting, and 6th Series of Continuing Local Legislative Education Program.

Among those national personalities who graced the event include outgoing Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, PCL National President Maybelline Fernandez, PCL National Chairperson Alma Moreno, and Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Atty. Francis Tolentino.

At the local politics, attendees included PCL Provincial President Apolinar Cleope, Malay Mayor John Yap, and Councilors Rowen Aguirre and Jupiter Gallenero.

In his speech, Roxas told Mayor Yap and the participants that this gathering of councilors would certainly boost the tourism industry in this side of the country.

“Councilors have also brought in their respective families, saved their money to spend while in Boracay,” Roxas added.

Some 1,100 attendees participated in this national gathering which was hosted mainly at the Boracay Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center.

Headrush ends August with Insomnia MACKY ANGELES

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n August 30, Headrush Boracay ended the month with an amped up weekend party marathon at Insomnia Boracay! The night went wild with nonstop dancing to beats spun by local DJ Andrew Doran and guest DJs Abdel Aziz and 80s Casual (Simon Baff).

Guest bartender “FU Archie” kept the drinks flowing all night, with drink specials by BLU Energy Drink. At the height of the party, six lucky partygoers (three men, three women) won great prizes from sponsors such as Xtreme Fun and Salted Swimwear.

Focusing on the nightclub scene and social entertainment, Headrush Boracay is one of the island’s premier event and entertainment company, particularly catering to college students, world travelers, and young working professionals on vacation in Boracay.

Headrush Boracay, a brand created by Macky Angeles and Erielyn Estrada, was launched in April with their first party, “GET A HEADRUSH AT INSOMNIA.” Sponsors such as XTREME FUN, Boracay Sun, and Blu Energy provided different prizes and drinks. With as much as 400 guests attending in one night, the launch was a great success.

Macky Angeles, full-time freelance graphic artist and web designer, is known for working with local businesses such as Lemoni Café, Diniview, Caruso Ristorante Italiano, Mandala Spa & Villas, Kasbah Flavors of Morocco, and Balinghai Boracay. Erielyn Estrada, on the other hand, got her name in the scene by working as a freelance makeup artist with Boracay Weddings and being the Head Talent Coordinator for Boracay Models & Talent.

The company operates with a team of dedicated individuals who strive to deliver a unique and exciting party/event experience. They believe in the safety of their patrons and pride themselves on delivering quality service, music, and entertainment to ensure that every night will be a success.

“Honestly, we throw these parties for folks to have a good time. We don’t want a predictable weekly or even monthly event,” explained Macky and Erielyn.

For more photos and information, head on over to Facebook and add Headrush Boracay at www.facebook. com/HeadrushBoracayEvents or text +639154038615.

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Rotary Boracay kicks off Oplan Pinta on District Governor’s visit ROTARY CLUB BORACAY

PHOTOS BY LHEN BRUTTON

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otary members together with their spouses and kids joined forces to brighten the walls of the Yapak Day Care Center thru the activity, “Oplan Pinta,” on August 30.

Volunteers repainted the center as part of Rotary Boracay’s project on Literacy and Education. The two-day volunteer event allowed the Rotary members to work with their families to provide a more conducive learning space for kids as they start school on September 1.

Rotarian dignitaries District 3850 led by District Governor Oliver Ong and family (Rotary Zamboanga City), Past District Governor Phil Abello (Bacolod East), Assistant Governor Raphy Tayco (Kalibo) and Past President Louie Gonzaga (Bacolod North) also joined.

The activity was slated during Rotary Boracay’s Annual District Governor’s Visit at Seawind Resort, wherein club plans, projects, and past activities were presented.

The said District Governor’s Visit was attended by Rotarians from District 3850 comprising of 1,300 members from 53 clubs around Visayas and Mindanao with the following Six Areas of Project Focus: Peace and Conflict Resolution, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy, and Economic and Community Development.

The club, along with other donors, completed the Daycare Center building in 2001. It houses and cares for 75 schoolchildren daily. These schoolchildren are also recipients of the club’s six-month Milk Feeding Program which started on August 1, led by Rotarians Lhen Brutton and Teresa Fajilan-Bech. The facility also has a new pathway.

Rotary Club of Boracay “Be a gift to the world”

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Boracay Red Cross spearheads initiatives on local health services on its 4th year DOUGLAS FABILANE AND MARLO SCHOENENBERGER

IN THE NEWS

T among Nieva Board Malay

he Philippine Red Cross (PRC) BoracayMalay Chapter and the Local Government of Malay had established an unprecedented synergy, the outcome of a 2-hour meeting Mayor John P. Yap, PRC Boracay Chairperson B. Mendoza and some members of the PRC of Directors, held at the Mayor’s Office in on August 27, 2015.

The highlight of the meeting was the proposal of Mayor Yap to obtain the service and expertise of PRC Boracay-Malay Chapter Administrator Marlo Schoenenberger to lead the Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Office or MDRRO Malay. The said office will also be tasked to align the programs between the two independent organizations and to streamline the planning, budgeting and implementation of various programs of the local government with that of PRC Boracay-Malay Chapter along with the other agencies under the clout of the MDRRMO. The proposal was seconded and fully supported by Budget Officer Ms. Annelie C. Sespene and Ms. Dinky P. Maagma, HRD Supervising Administrative Officer.

Challenges in the Health Care Delivery System It should be noted that the Island’s only hospital was ordered closed effective August 15, 2015 for an indefinite period, for reconstruction. With this development, indigent residents and workforce emergency needs are being catered by three major clinics. Just before the meeting with Mayor Yap, Dr. Howell Javonillo of Alert Medical Clinic (AMC) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with PRC Boracay-Malay Chapter to formalize the partnership in providing basic medical services to both local residents and the indigents.

Since the Hospital’s closure, the number of conduction dramatically increased with most having to be referred to a tertiary hospital in Kalibo. In most cases, indigent patients would just leave their IDs at the clinic as promisory payment, relates Dr. Howell. Unfamiliar with the procedure of reimbursement of costs through AICS or Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation of the

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Local Government’s Social Funds, Dr. Howell would, most of the times, shoulder the cost of conduction, medicine and professional fees. Now that the Mayor has been informed of the situation, he ordered coordination between the barangays, PRC BoracayMalay and Municipal Social Welfare Development Office or MSWDO to expedite the process and help the indigent residents of Boracay. Indigent patients who would like to avail of the AICS may get in touch with the MSWDO for filing requirements.

Philippine Red Cross Boracay-Malay Chapter, is the agency authorized to validate the said claims, being part of the referral system.

Blood Service Program The dream of having our own blood facilities thru the Blood Collecting Unit/ Blood Station will soon come into reality as the Mayor has informed the PRC Boracay-Malay Chapter of an approved location and budget for a Mother and Child Clinic funded by the Department Of Health (DOH) and the Department of Public Works and Highways as implementing agency.

The future Clinic will be built at Tabon, Malay, Aklan.

The local Red Cross chapter has submitted a detailed plan for the Red Cross Blood Bank to be incorporated in the Malay Mother and Child Clinic. As of this writing, the funds have yet to be downloaded by DOH to LGU Malay.

But due to the urgent need of having our own Blood Bank in Malay, PRC Boracay-Malay has set its eyes on an incomplete building in Caticlan Caticlan Barangay Hall grounds as the temporary home of PRC Boracay-Malay Blood Station. The meeting with Punong Barangay Julieta A. Aron of Caticlan initialized the plan. On September 07, 2015, the Barangay Council of Caticlan unanimously approved a Resolution finalizing the creation of the PRC Boracay-Malay Blood Station. The Blood Bank is fully supported by PRC Boracay-Malay Dir. Vicky RamosAntonino through her pledges for the Blood Facility.

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ENVIRONMENT

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OCTOBER 2015

Get rid of waste – Earn power FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH ELMAR TERLUTTER

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s the world is on the verge of green technology and waste elimination, we are going green over this new waste disposal reactor, a high temperature treatment waste burner with power plant.

MA. TERESA FAJILAN-BECH

Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.

This Japanese/German green technology disposes waste and sewage sludge and processed them into energy. The new high temperature combustion furnace is produced in a concept quite different from a conventional one. The combustion temperature can freely set even 400°C~1500°C. Moreover, it is a combustion equipment that doesn’t need other energy such as oil, the gas, and electricity. The wood chip and the bamboo chip are used as fuel (the size of the chip is 3 mm corner or less).

The impact of this amazing technology to the environment is also not to be discounted. The Incinerator can be supplied as a pure waste incineration plant, with dryer to dry wet materials for combustion and turbine to generate electricity. It can burn almost everything, even difficult to dispose pollutants, such as Dioxin, etc. (up to 10 Tons/day, that’s the same amount of waste generated in Boracay daily).

~ ROBERT NESTA MARLEY When you talk, you are only repeating what you know; but when you listen, you learn something new. ~ DALAI LAMA FEAR is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to ANGER, anger leads to HATE, hate leads to SUFFERING. In photo: A high temperature waste incinerator installed in a plant in Japan

Not only is it environment friendly but can generate electricity as well.

Municipalities in Germany and in Switzerland (where this marvel of waste incinerator was introduced) pay, as a rule, 150 Euro per ton for the disposal of sludge – that would be around 7,500 Euro per day revenue generated alone for the disposal. And energy not taken into account is about 50 MWH per day.

Talk about solid waste management and sustainability!

~ YODA

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EXPAT FILES

An Igorot Wedding Under A Hundred Year Old Pine Tree

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Christmas in October?

KLAUS DORING

THINKERBELL

played a kong, a traditional Igorot instrument, that vibrates and produces a strong, harmonious and loud sound. My boyfriend played a big djembe drum as I danced a shamanistic dance, playing with the bead anklets and calling for nature’s elements to bless this love and wedding. After the spoken rites, the couple exchanged their garlands three times and then poured bugnay wine around the pine tree. And when the ceremony was over, the newlyweds started their journey together by walking barefoot on the streets of Baguio as the whole wedding party followed.

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n July 18, a remarkable wedding took place in the beautiful City of Baguio. A Cordilleran artist married his Swedish bride under a hundred-year old pine tree in a wonderful ceremony right at the heart of the city. Their love and commitment was witnessed and rejoiced by wedding guests and hundreds of locals spending their Saturday downtown. The groom, Sonny, was an old friend of my boyfriend so our happiness and excitement was not only because of the wedding but also for the joy of old friends reuniting after so many years.

After a day and night of travelling, we arrived in Baguio on a Friday evening. We met up with the couple in the famous Kikian Resto Bar. There, a small stairway led to a cozy, colorful restaurant filled with amazing art works and beautiful paintings on the walls, with local musicians playing on stage. In the corner of the bar awaited the most beautiful sight: a lovely couple shining with happiness and celebrating their last evening as singles before the wedding day. I was so happy to meet the sweet bride, Anna, who was also Scandinavian. She felt like a sister to me. Some close friends, family members and artists had also gathered to celebrate with them. The wonderful bunch included the Vice Mayor of Baguio City, and the high priest - one of the elders of the community, who was going to officiate their wedding the next morning.

After enjoying a relaxed dinner, shared stories and some brandy, we hailed a big taxi to our hosts’ home.

It was already dark when we arrived so I was hoping to see all the beauty around us the following day.

And beautiful it really was! We had the honor of staying in the couple’s home, which was a lovely, windowed 3-story wooden mountaineer house with a balcony facing the sunrise. I literally woke up with sunshine on my face and I felt incredibly happy. I sneaked downstairs, where the wedding preparation was already going on. People were drinking coffee and sweet, delicious bugnay wine made from berries of their own harvest. It was the best drink I’ve ever tasted. We shared the glass many times and it made us respect the amazing gifts of nature and the skill of wine-making. The mood was happy and relaxed and the kitchen oozed with mouth-watering scents. People were buzzing around getting dressed and packing everything needed for the wedding celebration.

Anna, to my amazement, prepared their wedding garlands made of weaved local plants. She also made both their wedding outfits, which were red, brown and beige dresses according to Igorot tribe’s tradition. The dresses were decorated with traditional patterns and the husband and wife had beads and feathers in their hair and jewelry. When I asked about traditional wedding dresses, Anna told me they had both chosen to wear a design mostly used exclusively by men so they could also celebrate their equality. I was fascinated by this incredibly beautiful and magical couple.

For the actual ceremony, we headed to a big, busy rotonda, where a tall 100-year old pine tree rose toward the sky. The high priest and the wedding guests were already there, in their designated places. ABS-CBN News was also there to cover this remarkable occasion.

The ceremony began at 10.55 AM. The high priest spoke to the couple, read blessings and offered guidance for their future life together. A local couple

Many locals who were spending their Saturday downtown where more than surprised to see this parade of drumming, dancing and kong-playing people.

Although Cordilleran people know their roots and respect them, it is seldom now for people to see traditional outfits or ceremonies on the street. It was not only a celebration of the newlyweds’ love, but a celebration of Igorot culture.

The wedding reception was held at Kikian Resto Bar where everyone waited for the canao, a traditional celebration, to begin. The traditional meal, pinulpugan, made from all parts of a black pig sacrificed specially for the occasion, was already boiling in front of the bar entrance. Smiling wedding guests offered well wishes and congratulations to the newlyweds. The Vice Mayor showed up in a traditional Igorot warrior outfit complete with bow and arrow, looking like a proud mountain tribesman.

The atmosphere was an overwhelming combination of a celebrity wedding and the most relaxed, Pinoy-style celebration. The news crew was doing a few interviews and the photographers kept taking photos. Meanwhile, most of the guests chatted away drinking brandy and bugnay wine. We all tasted the pinulpugan, which was so delicious and full of flavor. The wedding couple gave everyone a warm welcome and encouraged guests to start the feast! A spread of local delicacies made of chicken, vegetables, and the sacred pig were sprawled across a table. Local artists were performing on stage and they sang popular love songs as well as traditional Igorot songs. Everybody was jamming along, singing out loud, drumming the tables and jingling glasses.

The party went on until the latest hours in the night but when we finally withdrew to get some sleep, the wedded couple was still smiling and basking in the moment with their friends and loved ones.

I had a chance to talk to the newlyweds about marriage before we head back home to Boracay. They said that they wished for people to understand that marriage is not just an agreement between two people, but it is union. It is a harmony and balance between the male and female, Swaroop and Ananda-Devi, in their eternal forms in all the dimensions. And on top of that, they had one special wish: that decades from now, the 100-year old pine tree would still be standing there, rising above the city in the heart of Baguio and reminding us all how important loving and protecting the nature is.

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id you also start as early as October (or even September?) longing for Christmas?

This year, I do! Christmas became a more and more very special season for my family and me. You might wonder, why? As an expatriate living in the Philippines since 1999, I have changed my opinion on celebrating this season.

Many times, we are really too much in a hurry while feeling uncomfortable when we noticed how time flies.

Yes, my late grandmother (born in 1898) was right, when she said, “The older you become, the faster time passes by. My late mother, 91, told us the same. I am now 62 and I strongly agree with them.

When I was still a teenager, I was longing for the time when I would become an adult. Later, I enjoyed listening to my late grandmother’s stories such as “Once upon a time” or “When I was young” from her yesterday’s life.

After a couple of years, especially while observing that time really flies like a rocket to the moon, I also got the same question in mind: Are the present hours and days less valuable?

Of course, each day has its own set of happiness and trials. But it also holds very high possibilities of how we take the initiative to do or to move something.

And yes, the luring term IF lets us look into the future with an over “glistening” eye: IF I will finish my studies… IF my children become adults… IF I might become rich and win in the lottery… Yes IF! And then?

Christmas is not yet around the corner, if you might read this. And the next turn of the year will be following soon. For most of us it’s time to come to our senses. The future prospects a smile at us already. What might the New Year bring us? Will life in future be easier, nicer, and more charming and being more fulfilled compared to the present or the almost finished 2015? The thoughts fill me with horror, because tragicomic future visions can easily blur away our present day.

A possible topsy-turvy world of a golden youth tries to let us forget that also the past has had its shares of disappointments, pains, tears, darkness, tricky as well as desperate days; yes, lost days, irretrievable time. We might dream our impossible dreams from last year, this 2015 ‘till the future and vice versa. We forget that between yesterday and tomorrow is our valuable present.

I really enjoy the world’s longest Christmas season only to be found in the Philippines. But, I don’t allow my relatives and myself daily hectic and stress of this season. It might just kill your senses. Christmas is more than shopping!

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Sailing, Storms and the Dragons of Rinca HOLLY GOLIGHTLY

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thought, “This is it. We’re going to sink in the middle of the Flores Sea.” Cast adrift with little hope of survival, I scrambled for my tiny phone-sized dry-bag in the pitch dark, but what to take? My mind rushed through the survival programs I’d seen, the numerous “What Five Things Would You Take to a Desert Island?” games I’d played with fellow travellers, but I just couldn’t think straight. I had a penknife and a mobile phone in case someone picked up a random signal from the middle of the ocean (clutching at straws, I know). Then I laid back and tossed around in the maelstrom, waiting for the black raging sea to claim us as her own.

My travels through South East Asia took me to the tiny, gorgeous fried-egg islands of the Gilis. After relaxing for two weeks on beautiful Gili Trawangan, I decided I needed an adventure and booked a four-day sea trip to Flores, in the Komodo National Park.

The next day, we arrived at the jetty and looked agog at the two vessels that were to transport us over the open ocean. Nothing more than simple twostorey wooden boats and zero frills (or lifeboats for that matter). But hey, it’s all part of the adventure!

We boarded and found our sleeping quarters, which were basically about 20 sun lounger mattresses scattered over the top deck. A couple and I shotgunned the three mattresses at the stern. That afforded us a spectacular view of the big blue beyond and a plentiful supply of oxygen (I assumed with 20 of us crammed in there would be a dearth).

Sailing into the horizon, we cracked open Bintangs and toasted to our voyage, excited to make new friends and embrace our freedom. We were from all walks of life: a student from Finland, his Dutch girlfriend, four Irish girls on a short vacation, an Aussie hippie couple in their 60s, all with one

thing in common: serious wanderlust.

Day one was flat-out sailing, passing mountainous emerald islets and watching the liquid gold sunset melt into the horizon and powering into the black night. Sparkling constellations appeared in the night sky and the Milky Way lived up to its name – a creamy dash across the darkness. We stargazed from the deck, picking out the Southern Cross and Pointers, and a massive full moon beamed down, lighting our way.

On day two, stopping off at uninhabited islands was the order of the day. We discovered waterfalls, lakes and strolled through the jungles. Visiting the Komodo Dragons was planned for day three and with Rinca Island in our sights, we set sail again with another night voyage ahead of us. With no idea what time it was, my mattress called to me and I was rocked to sleep by the motion of the ocean.

Suddenly, I felt my body crash into the wall and then I was flung back onto my mattress. It was quite literally a rude awakening. Howling winds, every fibre of the boat creaking and the entire vessel rolling violently from side to side - a massive storm had blown up and it was pitch black. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face; the light of the moon was obscured by enormous black thunderheads. I could hear the boat crew shouting over the wind and I peered out into the furor. Huge black swells undulated, turning our little boats like Lego-sized toys being chucked every which way. Rain splattered on my face and I ducked back in. Here, I scrambled for my dry-bag in the dark. I heard nothing from my fellow passengers so I lay down, eyes wide in the pitch dark, thinking about survival techniques until I drifted off again.

Dawn. We weren’t moving. Did we get lost and run aground somewhere random?! Flat, glass-like seas and a stunning sunrise greeted me, worlds

away from the rage of last night. Did I dream it? Hearing the chatter from deck, I was amazed to hear no-one was seasick, washed overboard or things of the sort. And we were still on course.

And for those who needed to feel Mother Earth beneath their feet, there was a hill to be hiked.

That afternoon, we reached Rinca. The searing heat had the dragons sheltering so with a guide by our side, we went off in search of these prehistoric beasts.

They can run, climb, they’re amazingly well-camouflaged and their poison-filled bite is fatal. We were told to stick together and to resist going off alone. It was fine by me! As we re-traced David Attenborough’s footsteps, the stunning scenery reminded me of ‘Jurassic Park’ which was pretty apt!

Despite the heat, the dragons were actually there in abundance! They lounged in

trees, sunning their dusty, brown, scaly bodies, and were still like statues, except for the flicking of long, forked tongues.

Their slow, swinging walk gave me the creeps and the eerie feeling increased as we walked past stripped deer skulls and warning signs nailed to trees. These creatures even eat their own young (shudder). Rinca is beautiful, unspoilt, undeveloped and a haven for these terrifying yet gorgeous creatures. Lesser known than its sister island Komodo, the National Park status thankfully protects these awesome dragons.

A day later, salty, sandy, sunburnt and windswept, we pulled into Labuan Bajo port in Flores and headed to the nearest bar. As we toasted the voyage and looked back on the incredible things we’d been lucky enough to experience, we all agreed that Mother Nature truly delivers the best shows on Earth.

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Mt. Cristobal and the mysteries that surround it JOEL JAMES CUBILLAS

hen we speak of mountains, we speak of the natural landscapes and the virginal charisma that come with it. The difficulty of the trek, and the thriving ecosystem may also come as conversational hits especially for the environment nerd.

Because they made on a midnight hike, the registration was closed. According to local folks, the two were not found until now.

The great ourdoors is, indeed, heaven’s gift to adventure loving people who seek refuge in lush greeneries and thick, fresh air.

STORY#2 Lasco, G. (2007, Sept. 23) Mt. Cristobal (1,470+). Retrieved from www.pinoymountaineer.com

However, Mt. Cristobal, a 1,470+ ft. mountain resting in the provinces of Quezon and Laguna, presents its climbers a different kind of charm. Infamous for its paranormal stories, the said mountain has been featured by several TV shows (mostly during their halloween specials.) Because of its notoriety and the media-built hype, Mt. Cristobal is more popularly known as the Devil’s Mountain.

The following are interesting (read: scary) stories gathered from all around the internet which only proves that the mountains could also be a ground for spooky exploits: STORY #1 Mt. Lace, K. (2013, November 1). Mt. Cristobal: Devil’s Mountain. Retrieved from http:// philurbanlegends.blogspot.com/ There was this couple who went on midnight hike in Mt. Cristobal. They took accidentally an unusual trail of the mountain which at that time, was not yet known. Even if the weather is threatening because of a storm and there was zero-visibility, they still continued their hike. They got lost when they arrived in a point where there was a dividing trail. They took the left way of it. At that time, it was not yet known that the proper way was the right one. The left was a deadly trail, thus they never made it to campsite.

Legend has it that they show themselves to hikers who were lost because they want a companion.

The author first climbed Mt. Cristobal via Brgy. San Cristobal. What was supposed to be a daytrip become an overnight adventure. We spent the night in the inclined cogon slopes, 1275 MASL. When our companion woke up, his sandals were gone! The malignant spirits of Cristobal at play? Lacking provisions, he had to descent through the dense forests and woodlands – all the way to his home in San Pablo – barefoot!

STORY #3 Mount Cristobal. (2014, March 20).

Retrieved from http://www.ann-d-explorer.com According to the guide, there were three mountaineers who went up and they did not have a guide with them.

They got lost but after a day, thery were found. One of the nountaineers had a problem with his thinking. Locals said that he might be possessed.

STORY #4 (2011, July 5). Mt. Cristobal Traverse.

Retrieved from http://www.nature-ralhigh.com We slept early as we were all tired from the trek and we had minimal sleep the previous day. At around 11:30pm I woke up because I need to pee, I was trying to hold it but since it was so cold and there are 5-6 hours before dawn I had no choice but to do it. So hastily, I pick up my head lamp got out of the tent even though the hair on the back

of my head was already standing up. I bowed my head so that I wont be able to see anything but the creep keeps on sinking in……

I turned off my headlamp…. What I saw was there are sort of round rings that are glowing on the ground, green round rings that looks like a glow in the dark item. And there are lots of them even from afar. I keep rubbing my eyes thinking I’m just seeing things. But were really there...... I felt that that was the longest pee I ever had.

The next morning, I woke up at around 4:30, I checked but the neon lights were not there anymore… it was still very dark.

These are only a few if the stories that coat the infamous mountain with mystery and horror. But at the end of the day, these kind of stories will remain as urban legends for there are human factors that may result or may be misinterpreted as a paranormal activity: miseducated hikers may not bring sufficient food or water to hydrate themselves, thus maintain logical thinking; Hikers who cannot afford themselves a tour guide will almost certainly be lost; BIOLUMINESCENT plants may be mistaken as the work of the devil.

At the end of the day, a mountaineer must equip himself with knowledge and skills needed in outdoor survival; respect for the local culture, tradition and beliefs must always be in his intentions and acts as well.

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Baguio City: Of Weddings, Art, Traditions and Rustic Charm THINKERBELL

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his July, my boyfriend and I got invited to a traditional Igorot wedding in Baguio, at the northern part of the Philippines. On our journey, we took a boat from Boracay to Batangas and then hopped on a local bus to Manila.

Arriving in “the big city” was overwhelming. After a chill island life, Manila felt too busy and exhausting so we decided to continue to Baguio as soon as possible.

We got tickets for the next bus but, as transportation mishaps sometimes happen in the Philippines, it was nowhere to be found. As it turned out, the bus had left from a different location! Thankfully, this turned out be a stroke of luck - we ended up riding a first-class bus with soft chairs, refreshments and good movies.

The ride to Baguio took six hours. This was my first time visiting the North, so I enjoyed watching the scenery change from lowland fields to majestic mountains. As rainy skies bowed over the horizon and rivers ran along the road with vast rice fields filled with water in view, I found myself very excited to see and experience everything.

It had already gone dark when we finally arrived at Baguio. When we got down from the bus, I immediately noticed the change in climate. The air was so fresh and full of the lovely smells of vegetation.

In my home country Finland, pine trees grow in abundance so with this atmosphere, I immediately felt that I had found another home. The temperature was a lot cooler here than in the islands. I had often

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been carrying my national clothing (woolly socks and at least one thick warm shirt) around the Philippines, but I had never needed them before. This time, flipflops and summer dresses were no good. I ended up wearing almost every piece of clothing I had with me to keep me warm! From that, I learned just what to pack for the next time I travel to the North.

Our friend provided their home for us to have a good night’s sleep. After resting, when I got up and looked out of the window, the view was amazing glimmering green mountains and trees bathing in the morning sun. After a big, festive breakfast of chicken adobo, healthy brown rice, and fish, we headed to city centre to celebrate our friends getting married in a traditional Igorot tribe ceremony.

For breakfast the next day, we headed to OMG Artist Café in Session Road and climbed the stairs all the way up to the fifth floor. It felt like entering a secret garden or a peaceful temple above the city. The name of the place (OMG) comes from the fitting phrase, “Oh My Gulay.” The food was amazing.

Interestingly, Baguio is famous for its rich variety of first-class vegetables. We tasted vegetarian delicacies and strong kalinga coffee from the mountains and wandered around this fantastic cafe and gallery. OMG also happens to be a collaborated venue with Victor Oteyza Community Art Space (VOCAS), where local artists’ works are displayed. This time, they had Benjie Mallari’s exhibition going on and I learned about his importance as a national artist whose political drawings have influenced the pinoy art scene and media strongly. I was happy to get to know the local art scene more.

We wanted to learn and see more of Baguio, especially the Igorot culture. So after breakfast, we headed to Tam-Awan Village, where original houses, traditions and the art of Igorots are displayed. It is run by the Chanum Foundation, which aims to promote awareness and respect for Igorot traditions, cultural heritage and Cordilleran art. They also seek awareness for preserving and protecting nature. We wandered around the mountain, seeing works of art in nature and a gallery where, incidentally, workshops are often

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organized. Igorot art is powerful and I was happy to see traditions passed on to the next generation.

Later in the afternoon, we met the wedding group again and enjoyed ourselves on the busy Session Road, just feeling the life and buzz of the city streets before heading back to the newlyweds’ home to eat, relax and bask in togetherness.

The following day was going to be our last in Baguio so we wanted to enjoy the peace and tranquility on the mountains. Nature in Baguio is magnificent. At the moment, illegal logging is a huge problem in the Cordillera area. Now, the forests are diminishing and will inevitably lead to natural disasters. For instance, when trees are cut, there are no longer roots protecting the soil from erosion. That causes flooding, mudslides and harsher weather conditions. Everyone should realize that destroying Mother Nature also leads to destroying the home of mountain people. I was very touched when one of our artist friends told us that his biggest fear is that someday Baguio will no longer be a peaceful, nature-filled place to live in but a concrete jungle. From what I have learned, Igorots are the ones protecting the forest and their fight still goes on.

The last day started with beautiful sunshine. Again, we had a big breakfast with friends but now more guests from the wedding came over. We sat around a big, round table with people from all over the world.

There were Filipinos, Scandinavians and Africans. It was interesting to hear about the different traditions and cultures around the world. And the various stories of spirits and magic added greatly to the experience.

Our little treat for our final day was to visit another magical place in the area - the Botanical Gardens.

I’ve never been to such a fun and interesting botanical garden! We played around like big kids in an amusement park. After all the fun there, we opted to do some last-day shopping and we bought local delicacies like peanut butter and berry wine. When we finally said goodbye to our friends and walked to the bus station, I didn’t feel the least bit sad - because I know I’m going to visit Baguio soon again.

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TRAVEL TIPS

Solo Travel:

First Time?

DENISE BENTULAN

{denisewillgothere.com}

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ave you been on a solo travel before? Doing one could prove to be exhilarating, not scary at all. Trust me, I’ve been on one or more. In fact, in most of my travels lately, I spent alone. There are just some times when you want to disconnect from what’s familiar. There is this thrill of being anonymous in an unfamiliar place, or city.

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In travelling alone, have I ever been lonely? Not really. During the day, I’m busy walking and walking until my feet hurt. At night, I sleep like a Snorlax. Or if the mood strikes, I would go out and meet the locals or other tourists in the area.

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The easiest way I can think of is through CouchSurfing. You don’t need to sleep on anybody else’s couch, but you can meet up with people nearby. I have met both locals and foreign travelers in some of my travels through this site. Just sign up, announce a trip or look for travelers having the same travel dates and places as you, and contact them. You can also join social network groups or sign up on open invitation events. As they say, the world could be your oyster!

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Specify where and what to do, attach a map if possible; indicate addresses, budget, instructions on how to get there, etc Download apps. Offline maps, subway station guides, currency converters, and packing apps are very helpful. I have the following: XE currency converter (needs internet), Packing Pro, Subway maps, offline maps, google maps, CouchSurfing, and WhatsApp (for contacting locals and CSers) Set a budget, and try to go below that, never above! Say, my budget for this trip is PHP40K, I challenge myself to only spend PHP30K. RESEARCH! If you don’t have time to read travel blogs, go to Reddit and ask a question in the travel or solotravel subreddit.

Packing Check the weather through AccuWeather so you will have an idea of what to pack.

If it shows a bit of rain, bring a disposable raincoat (umbrellas aren’t allowed in carry-on baggage). Remember to pack light.

Booking a Flight

Tips:

Book flights during seat sales. You can download third party apps to easily score airline seat sales. Even nicer is that you could get alerts from these apps even before the promos are officially announce! Trust me, you will save A LOT. I once got a round-trip flight to Japan for PHP 0.30! (thirty centavos, yass!)

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Booking a Hotel

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Book your hotel through AirBnB (if you are traveling with others and want to save) or Booking.com. I have tried Agoda before but Booking.com had free cancellation on more of their listed hotels plus their prices are shall we say, “closer to the truth.” If you want to go hardcore backpacking, try CouchSurfing.

Making an Itinerary I am not a touristy person so I tend to keep temple visits at the minimum (I only like them in photos.) I tend to lean more towards street life, the arts and the unique adventures.

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Sign up at TripAdvisor and save the places you’d want to visit. Then view your travel map, and from there see what train station is closest to where you’d be going to the most. From my experience, for example, when I went to Seoul, I had a lot going on in Myeong-dong so I stayed stay near Myeongdong station.

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Organize. I have packing cubes because they keep everything tightly packed. I also have a toiletry organizer/wash bag, and a laundry mesh bag.

Have a travel docs organizer. I have my passport, booking and itinerary docs, maps, a notebook and a pen inside. A pen is very important because they will always make you fill out forms in the plane.

For colder climates, layer. It will be very cold outside, but indoors would be rather toasty so layer instead of wearing thick clothes.

My rule of thumb when traveling somewhere cold is Base-Insulation-Resistance. So for the base I use l/s thermal shirts, which is nice and warm because it heats up when you sweat, have one for each day. For insulation I use wool sweaters (acrylic does not help much), about one every two days (this won’t get dirty anyway since you have a base layer). And last for resistance I use waterproof down jackets.

Have gloves as well and knit scarves! I like circle scarves. Bring a mask in case you don’t adjust well to breathing in the cold. Also, a beanie and/or earmuffs.

The Airport I always check in online and print my confirmation. I like to have my flights very early in the morning so there’s no traffic. I just book a GrabTaxi (get the app!) so everything’s safe. I like to be in the airport two hours before boarding, and I allot one hour for the taxi ride.

Tips: • • • • •

DON’T BE LATE! Check in online. It saves time for everyone!

Print your boarding pass!

Use GrabTaxi. I dunno, I feel safer.

EAT. Seriously, avoid airport food and airplane food because it’s more expensive to buy from there.

For out of the country travels, check in or go to wherever your baggage drop is if you have checked in online and get your tickets. Pay your travel tax if not included in your tickets (PHP1620). Fill out the immigration card provided, have your money changed to your destination’s local currency (though I would suggest having it changed elsewhere like BDO or Czarina, airport exchange rates are unreasonable), pay the terminal fee, go to the immigration counters, then wait at your gate. Board when they tell you to board.

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Make a travel itinerary day per day. I make them like this: Arrival At your country of destination, rule number one is to buy a data sim card (or Wi-Fi if your phone is locked). Never underestimate the power of the internet. You can pre-order it even before you leave MNL and just pick it up at the airport. Also, get a travel card (i.e. Oyster Card, T-Money, etc. depends on where you are) so traveling by land will be easier! Research your transfer options. Some airports have easy access to subways and trains, others by buses and some, by taxi.

Go try it out, but be safe! Going solo can be really fun!

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LIFESTYLE

Early Christmas Shopping Tips BLANCHE POSADAS-BASCO

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he Yuletide season will commence in less than 100 days, and the idea of shopping for gifts may bring traumatic thoughts to most especially with the daily brewing of heavy traffic in the metro. This carmageddon got the best of me during last year’s Christmas season. It afforded me a ticket on what was, with all intent, a pleasurable “Me” time to a nightmarish experience of being stuck in the mall’s taxi stand for almost three hours and sitting in traffic for two hours more (for a mere three-kilometer drive) before reaching home. Therefore, in order to evade the Christmas rush (and escape the harrowing effects of heavy traffic), it is better to start shopping as early as now. Here are some tips for you to avoid the holiday stress and to ensure that you’ll get the best Christmas experience.

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Make a Christmas gift list. Organizing a list of people and the gifts you will buy for them early on will save you both time and money. This will also help you keep a specified budget, preventing you from spending too much on an item.

Shop early, time is muscle. The most convenient shopping period is when there are fewer crowds and no long lines in the cashier. Buying early Christmas gifts might take you to online sales and numerous bazaars happening before the holiday season.

Look for clearance sales. Another best tip in saving money is finding some of the items in your list at the clearance rack. Some stores go on clearance sales before the start of the holiday season. If you come across clearance items not in your list but may be potential gifts for your loved ones, then you hit a good deal.

Create personal gifts. If you are the artsy crafty type, you may also add some personal touch by DIY-ing some of those gifts. Buy your materials now and take note of the time you have to spend for each gift-project.

Buy Christmas ingredients in advance. The most upsetting time before Christmas day is when you find out that your local grocery store had run out of pasta or tomato sauce. How are you going to cook that Christmas spaghetti now? Purchase some of your ingredients a month ahead. If you want to give cookies or cupcakes as gifts but you’re not planning to bake, order ahead of time. Some bakeshops only accept orders until the first week of December.

Early Christmas shopping brings a stress-free holiday with an aura of goodness and luck. What are you waiting for? Get a notebook and a pen and start planning now!

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Japan Winter Ski Adventure: Lessons from the Slopes GLADYS ESTANDIAN

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very experience is a story added to our life books. Each one, we can either let pass as random, ordinary occurrences; or we can make it into a parable, and not merely fleeting moments.

Last February, I was blessed to go on a 7-day vacation in Japan. Being wintertime, my friends and I could not let the opportunity to enjoy a winter sport pass. So on our 5th day, we found our way to Teine Ski Resort in the outskirts of Sapporo. Little did I know that this adventure would turn into a parable that spoke to me of goal setting and success.

The scene that welcomed us to the mountain resort was postcard perfect.

The slopes were blanketed in white, rooftops were laden with slush, and powder snow was falling softly around us. We immediately changed into our suits and rented gears, and went to the beginner’s area. We made good progress in the beginner’s course that we’ve moved on to the next level before we left.

We were taught how to keep our balance on skis. It was much harder than I thought! Once worn, the skis seemed to have minds of their own and would take my feet and legs in opposite directions! We also had to learn how to fall without getting hurt, how to get back on our feet, and how to push the skis to a halt. I nailed the falling part perfectly.

I did not even have to try so hard! But the other skills were difficult to learn.

I lost count of the number of times I tumbled; or how many kind strangers helped me back on my feet only to fall down again because I have yet to learn skidding to a stop. But I can give you the exact number of my clothing that got torn at the seams -- one! I was so mortified when I heard the ripping sound as my legs were extending to do a split! Thank goodness it was an inner layer of the four leggings I was wearing to keep warm!

In all these, I was reminded of the value of training hard to reach a goal.

How we can ask others for help; how we must offer sacrifices – our time and best effort, a few scrapes and bruises; and yes, even risk embarrassment, in order to succeed.

When we gained enough confidence, we took the lift to a steeper slope. The ride provided a magnificent view of the mountains beyond. The higher up we go, the more excited we become. When we land on top, we were greeted with a panorama of Sapporo City down below – perfect backdrop for another photo shoot! Several poses and shutter clicks later, I went to the starting point of the skiing area and stopped on my tracks, dumbfounded. The slope looked so much steeper and even more frightening from where I stand! Before me was my biggest challenge of the day, and it seemed to be making a mockery of all my preparation. But really, the incline shouldn’t have surprised me. Didn’t I squeal with joy as the lift took me higher? Then it hit me. I got riveted by other things I forgot why I was going up in the first place. I lost my focus, and with it my wits and courage.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying

we should not enjoy our moments. In fact, I am all for taking delight in every experience; but never to the point of losing focus on the goal.

With newfound resolve, I turned to my friends and said, “Nothing will happen if we become cowards now. Let’s do this!” And before I lose my nerve again, I pushed and glided downhill.

The initial dread was soon replaced with excitement as I picked up speed. I was going faster and faster, the cool wind kissing my face. Woohooo!!!! I lost my balance but the soft snow cushioned my fall and I rolled on the ground with big whoops of laughter. After stumbling and getting back on my feet several times, I made it down the hill. It was an awesome experience that I just had to do it again!

Truly, these were the finest moments of my week-long stay in The Land of the Rising Sun. Beating even the gastronomic pleasures of authentic Japanese cuisine! Conquering that slope twice made me realize that sometimes, what I most fear is the very thing that would give me the greatest satisfaction.

So much so that even if the first time left me with scars, I would gladly and absolutely do it again!

It was getting dark when we left Teine, its lamp posts casting a soft glow on the snow covered grounds. The early evening breeze was biting cold but the aftermath of our skiing escapade kept us warm. As the bus was winding its way down the mountains, I turned my head for a last glimpse of the white slopes grateful for the lessons it retold: First, when you have a goal – train for it, work hard, and be willing to make sacrifices. Second, enjoy your journey to success but keep your eyes on the ultimate prize. And last: do not cower, never let unfounded fears steal away what may already be within your reach.

Every experience, for me, is a parable whereby life speaks of valuable lessons.

So, what has life been teaching you lately? I urge you, recognize the lessons.

Tie it together and let its value resonate far beyond that one, single moment in which it found you.

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Halloween Costumes: For Adults, Too! PATRICIA HERNANDEZ

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lthough Halloween is more popular for trickor-treating for little kids, adults can join the fun as well (those 90s kids had to grow up, right?). With the current millenial trend of bringing back nostalgic memories and activities from their childhood, halloween presents an opportunity for adults to also have fun with costumes. Here are a few examples of easy to find or make costumes that one can use, especially in the party island of Boracay.

Police Officer. Let’s be honest, any adult Halloween Party needs a pretend police officer to look good in the middle of the dance floor. Even if it is not a dance party but just a trick-or-treating activity, wearing a police officer costume is still easy. All you have to do is find a navy blue button-down, wear some black pants and put on some black aviators (sunglasses). For props, just find some inexpensive plastic hand cuffs

from a toy store and a baton.

‘70s Disco Fever. Nothing says groovy more than wearing a ‘70s Disco Night Fever costume. If you are the type of person who has a strong passion for dancing and “getting down on the dance floor”, then this is the perfect costume. The ‘70s outfit is made up of light stretchy fabric with loud bright prints, and that is really all you need – better if your pants and sleeves have flares at the end, and do not forget that ‘fro or slick up-do!

Safari Explorer/Indiana Jones. Another easy and inexpensive way to dress up for Halloween with items that might even just be in your closet is to be a Safari Explorer. If you are the adventurous type and would like to reflect this through your costume, then this is the one for you. All you really need is a black

Halloween Paw: PET COTNER

top, khaki bottoms and a brown jacket, better if it is leather as it gives that authentic spunky look.

Flapper/Gatsby. If you are looking for a costume that is a little bit classier, then this is a great outfit to use. Also, it is easy to wear as it is not bulky nor is it heavy to wear out. To be able to pull it off, all you need is a dress with fringe, some long gloves, stockings, black shoes and a feather headband.

Pirate. Lastly, because Boracay is an island and you feel the need to be in theme with where you are, you may want to wear a pirate costume. Lucky for you, this is an extremely easy costume to put together. All you really need is a white button-down (preferably an oversized one), black jeans or leggings, a black belt and an eye patch. Other props that you can wear are the black or red turban and a toy sword.

DO: Simple, elegant and comfortable.

DON’T: Costume is nice but clearly it is uncomfortable and too tight!

Bark or Treat?!

JEFF MANCAO

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alloween is fast approaching some of us are more than ready to dress up our pets with animated costumes. Many pets enjoy being outfitted but store-bought costumes can be expensive. With just a few materials and some imagination, you can make a howling good costume for your four-legged pal. Don’t forget to put care first and make sure your pet isn’t restricted in a way that prevents him from walking, breathing, clear vision or even hearing.

If your dog is allergic to fabric, choose hypo-allergenic costumes to avoid hassle in rushing to the vet. For dogs that have erected ears make sure that hats or bonnets are suitable to your pets’ convenience.

Important reminder: Please ensure that your pet has already peed and pooped when taking it to an event or gathering. It is not enough that your pet is dressed up, it must behave, observe and socialize with other dogs in a good manner.

Best to have the costume simple and comfortable so that your pet can enjoy the party!

Happy Halloween folks!

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BORACAY SUN

LIFESTYLE

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OCTOBER 2015

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Pinoy Halloween Creatures THINKERBELL

http://jreydomat.deviantart.com/

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ith costume parties going on especially in most of Boracay’s party places, have you already thought of who or what character to project come Halloween? Will you dress up as Morticia or Wednesday Addams and party like the “The Addams Family”? Or channel the witty and slippery Jack Sparrow, perhaps? Or dress like-a-virgin Madonna or the paparazzi-hounded Lady Gaga.

The ideas are endless especially from the Hollywood-inspired universe. But this year, why not try something out of the ordinary? Acquaint (or re-acquaint) yourselves with these terrifying traditional Filipino characters: Aswangs are shapeshifters. They seem like normal humans in the day but when night falls, they have the ability to transform into different monstrous forms to harass and eat people who are still awake. Usually taking on the form of a bat, cat, pig, or a black dog, aswangs favor preying on pregnant women who are about to give birth or unwary travelers wandering the streets. Some aswangs can change form at will while others rely on the usage of different foul oils concocted by evil magicians. It is said that they have a peculiar liking

for the taste of human liver. The myth of the aswang is popular in the Visayas region, especially in provinces such as Capiz, Antique, and Iloilo. Trivia: Aswang was featured in of the episodes of the US TV series, The Grimm.

Manananggal is an aswang that can separate its body into two in order to fly. Particularly, it leaves its lower half and flies using its upper half. Using its long tongue, the manananggal feeds on babies and fetuses still in the mother’s womb. After passing its stretchy tongue through a small hole from the roof of a house, the sharp end of the tongue touches the mother’s navel to suck the blood of the unborn child. This creature’s name was derived from the Filipino word, tanggal, which means “to separate”, because of its abilities to literally separate its body parts.

In other local lore, a manananggal can also be a sorceress that visits villages and barrios. She seduces men with her beauty and lures them to a private place before devouring them alive. She usually goes for their insides, particularly the heart, stomach or the liver. When in her monstrous state, sunlight is deadly to the manananggal. Additionally, should her two halves still be separate with

http://jreydomat.deviantart.com/

the coming of dawn, she will perish.

According to legend, one may defeat a manananggal by finding her lower torso and showering the exposed flesh with salt, ash, and/or garlic. This supposedly prevents the monster from combining again and ultimately leaves it vulnerable to sunlight. To prevent a manananggal from approaching one’s humble abode, they say small containers of salt, ash and raw rice, and the smell of burning rubber are the best deterrents.

Kapre is a filthy giant who bides his time by smoking huge rolls of cigars while hiding within, and atop large trees, with a preference for those of the balete, old acacia, and mango variation.

It’s essentially a Filipino version of Big Foot and tends to scare away little children who play at night. If you’re stuck in a place and you keep going around in circles, it is said that you are being played around with by a Kapre.

To escape its control, you must remove your shirt/clothing (thus inverting it), and wear it inside-out.

Tikbalang or tigbalang (demon horse) is a half-man, half-horse creature. It has a horse’s head and the body of a man but has feet, or hooves of the horse. It travels at night to rape female mortals

http://isaiahpaul.deviantart.com/

and, horribly, the victims will then give birth to more tikbalang. On top of that, they are also believed to cause travelers to lose their way, especially when in mountainous or forest areas.

Tikbalangs are very playful with people, usually making a person imagine things that aren’t real, sometimes to the point of insanity. Strangely, legends say that when rain falls while the sun is shining, a pair of Tikbalangs are being wed. Because horses only arrived in the Philippine archipelago during the Spanish colonization (thus, the borrowed term ‘kabayo’), there is a theory that the image of a half-horse, half-man creature was propagated by the conquistadors to keep the natives afraid of the night.

However, there are also stories claiming that the Tikbalang are actually halfbird, half-man creatures, much like the Japanese tengu.

Now, with all these strange, interesting and fiendish local ‘creatures’ at your disposal, why not get out there and have fun personifying all the childhood nightmares from your lola’s stories? You might even get a heap of candy for it!

Have a happy and exciting Halloween everyone!

Illustrated by Alva Alvarez

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PEOPLE

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OCTOBER 2015

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Locals for the Environment

ISLAND SOULS

RICA VELASCO

B

oracay residents do have a genuine love for the island. They do so much as to sustain and maintain especially its beauty and nature. We know of four individuals and organizations who would go above and beyond to do just that: Nonoy is originally from Ibajay and has lived on the island for 20 years now.

He is the incumbent President of the Boracay Association of Scuba Diving Schools (BASS), where owners of dive shops in the island are members.

Gray has been living on the island for 11 months now. He is a member of the marine conservation organization called Save Philippine Seas under their SEA Camp Project – an initiative supported by the US Embassy.

BASS’s primary objective is to protect the dive sites in the area. One of their initiatives is to put marine buoys in dive sites so boats will not drop anchors, thereby protecting the corals underneath. They also ensure that dive shops adhere to the rules of protecting the environment, and they regularly conduct equipment checks.

Gray is presently in talk with the local government for his proposal to distribute trash bins along the White Beach. The concrete trash bins will be made of cement, crushed bottles, and shredded plastics made even more interesting as Gray plans to have them painted by Boracay artists of marine and environment conservation themes.

BASS conducts quarterly underwater clean-ups to ensure that the island’s dive sites are safe for diving and conducive for the island’s aquatic treasures to thrive into.

More than installing the trash bins, Gray advocates for a personal initiative to help save the beach and the ocean. Gray states that “A beach day is always a clean-up beach day. A swim is always a clean-up swim. A dive is always a clean-up dive.

Even on a random day if you see a piece of trash picking it up and throwing it after in proper places will go a long way. Even with millions of trash bins around but the person does not have the initiative then the problem will not be solved.”

The association is credited for sinking Camia, the famous Boracay shipwreck which now houses many species of fish, and a plane wreckage to become a reef and wreck dive attraction. They also administer regularl volunteer coral planting by means of coral fragments, put together using wires and super glue.

Nonoy happily shared that underwater clean-up is not much of a “dirty job” these days. Boatmen and tourists are more educated now, it seems. He affirms that Boracay has nice dive sites; the island has two wrecks, walls, reefs, and nice sea life.

Trixie from Antique, moved to Boracay in February. She’s a marine biologist who is now deeply involved in the Coral REEFurbishment Project of the Boracay Foundation, Inc. (BFI). The project aims to plant coral fragments in order to restore the coral reefs in the area. Damaged coral fragments are broken down into 15-20 smaller fragments, and are re-planted.

Trixie is also involved in coral rehabilitation, wherein artificial reef domes made of concrete, mixed with crushed corals, are planted in the ocean. The calcium carbonate components in these reef domes enables the corals to grow within a short period of time.

Trixie mentioned that the damage to the corals is both natural and human induced.

Intense temperature causes bleaching of corals that weakened their structure. Corals are also broken from wave impacts. And, for a time, when boats used to offload passengers on white beach, their anchoring damaged the corals, as well.

Aquila was born in Kalibo and has lived on Boracay pretty much her entire life. Her mother is the founder of the Friends of the Flying Foxes organization while her father is a board member of the BFI. With both parents are active environmentalists, Aquila developed an innate capacity to care for the island and the environment, as well.

Aquila stumbled upon this children’s book, the Magic School Bus that became her inspiration to write a similar one but specifically centered on Boracay. She anticipates for her book to be ready in two years time. It will feature significant parts of the island – beach, sand, corals, fish, mangroves, turtles, bats, magic tricycles that transform into airplanes - as a means of educating the children on how to protect and sustain the environment.

Aquila has seen the island change significantly from when she was a child. She is not against change and development, it is after all good for business. However, she hopes for responsible development and proper planning in order to sustain the remaining natural habitat that the island still has.

Musing about the island that she has come to love, she said, “We all have our secret spots. You can go everywhere and find everything. It’s the charm that this island has.”

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BORACAY SUN

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IN ROOM

ROOM REVIEW

Karuna Boracay Suites MICHAEL MADRIAGA

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t. Luho may very well be one of Boracay’s well-known spots. If people want to see the island’s beautiful downtown with a bird’s eye view, this is where they go. But, in all its popularity, many has yet to know that Mt. Luho is also home to a world-class resort hotel Karuna Boracay Suites.

Karuna is a Sanskrit word that means compassion, which, by its very definition, compels the good-hearted to shelter the distressed. In Buddhism, one must dwell in ‘karuna’ to achieve true enlightenment. When one literally dwells in a place called Karuna, you’ll definitely feel that you have been blessed.

Decked with numerous fully-furnished rooms that are filled with paintings, sculptures and various visually pleasing art, the resort is nothing short of relaxing. Each room or suite is uniquely designed with styles inspired from Thai, Balinese and Filipino culture. To add to the hotel’s novelty, instead of room numbers, you’ll find yourself booked in rooms named after the country’s famous destinations like Mactan, Davao or Batangas.

I stayed in their spacious 103sqm Nogas Suite, which has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and dining area with complete cooking facilities and dining utensils, a living room with a television set and a nice balcony. With its size and all of its available amenities, this Filipino-themed room could cater to a whole family without forsaking comfort. Additionally, different native drums (that are usable) and sculptures provide ambience to the room and a sungka table (which you may also play with) is also on display.

The bedroom is my favorite part. It has a king-sized canopy bed with a comfortable mattress, warm sheets and soft pillows. The canopy’s conveniently-placed curtains just add to the luxury while providing added warmth and ample shade from the light that emanates from the windows, for that romantic shade effect. From these windows you can see the lush exterior that surrounds the hotel.

The bathroom is a perfectly blended mix of modernity and style. Their bathtub, worth soaking in for hours, has a sleek yet delicate marble finish and their shower provides both hot and cold water. Basic toiletries, bath towels and robes are also available for your utmost convenience.

Karuna also provides a majestic view of Bulabog Beach. From your balcony, you can watch different watersports plus a front row seat for the sunrise. It’s practically cinematic. You may also experience the same view from their gorgeous infinity pool, which in its own right, can keep you from ever wanting to leave!

To experience the White Beach and late-night parties, the hotel offers transfers to and from D’Mall from 6 in the morning until 12 midnight.

For more info on Karuna Boracay Suites, you may visit their website (http://www. karunaboracay.com/) or call them at +63 910 689 6542 / +63 36 288 2673.

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OCTOBER 2015

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Paradise Begins at

357

MICHAEL MADRIAGA

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57 Boracay is, as they proclaim in their tagline, “where paradise begins”. The hotel, located in the mostly quiet and peaceful Station 3, marks the first point where you can reach the worldfamous white beach. The less dense amount of people walking by provides a relaxing setting that is only perfected by the area’s unobstructed view of the sunset.

357 is also a go-to place for me and my friends whenever we crave delicious and affordable Filipino dishes made with fine quality. Among their many great dishes, the must-tries are their Pork Sinigang, Adobong Kangkong and Grilled Porkchop. Their Barbecue Ribs are my personal favorite because on top of the serving portions being well worth the price, the meat itself is scrumptious and so tender that it falls right off the bone. For refreshments, an array of fruit shakes are available (and conveniently served in large glasses that provide an opportunity to have the drink shared between two people.)

The hotel’s beach bed is very nice for a chill evening with friends, while their lobby is a quaint, shell-

decorated space that gives off that cozy, beach vibe.

Comfortable couches line the hallways, ready to be occupied for reading, snacking and other leisurely pastimes.

Now, arguably the most important part of a hotel is their accommodation. In that case, 357 does not disappoint. The hotel room décor incorporates the Philippines’ beautiful culture through the local fabrics, native materials and the furniture they use. The comfortable mattresses lay on bed frames made of bamboo, outsourced from other parts of the country.

Of course, the basic and necessary comforts are not to be forgotten. 357’s rooms also include toilet and bath with hot and cold shower plus toiletries and towels.

Each is also equipped with a cable television set, airconditioning unit, closets, vanity desk and extra pillows.

From delights of the palate (and pocket) to relaxation and beautiful views, 357 Boracay gives that ultimate Boracay holiday experience. For more information, you may visit their website (http://357boracay.com/) or call them at +632 8991943 to 44 (Manila) or +6336 288 3473 to 74 (Boracay).

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BORACAY SUN

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Halloween Cupcakes MARIA ANGELINE ZALAMEA

Owner, The Cupcake Hive Facebook.com/TheCupcakeHive

Pumpkin-Spiced Cupcakes

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rick or Treat! Halloween has been one of our favorite events, not just for kids but also for the kids at heart. Donning a fabulous costume and ready for spooky fun, what is a better way to celebrate Halloween but with delicious treats like cupcakes? Rather than giving your usual array of candies to the trick-or-treating kiddos, why not delight them with different confectioneries like the ones I will be sharing with you? Here are my own versions of recipes for spooky-themed cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS:

PROCEDURE:

Cupcake:

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1 cup 1 tsp 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp 1 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 2

all purpose flour baking powder cinnamon baking soda salt pumpkin puree sugar brown sugar vegetable oil eggs

Frosting: butter, room temperature cream cheese powdered sugar vanilla extract cinnamon

Makes 12 cupcakes Preheat Oven at 350F

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Using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, around 2-3 minutes.

Gradually add sifted powdered sugar.

Add vanilla and cinnamon until well combined.

Beat for another 1-2 minutes.

Use pastry bag with your choice of decorative tip to frost the cupcakes.

Add candy sprinkles to decorate your cupcakes.

PROCEDURE:

INGREDIENTS: 3/4 cup 3/4 1/2 tsp 1/4 tsp 3/4 cup 3/4 cup 3 1 tsp 1 cup

2.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a different bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sugars, vegetable oil and eggs.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until well combined.

Scoop batter into the muffin tray. Bake for 15 - 20mins.

Remove from oven and let it cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

3/4 cup 8 oz 3 cups 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp

Bloody Raspberry Cupcakes

OCTOBER 2015

unsweetened cocoa powder cup all purpose flour baking powder salt butter, room temperature sugar eggs vanilla extract raspberry jam

Makes 12 cupcakes Preheat Oven at 350F

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Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

Mix the dry ingredients together.

Gradually add the dry ingredients and the raspberry alternately in the beaten butter and sugar mixture.

Mix until well combined.

Bake for 20 minutes.

When cupcakes are completely cooled, apply more raspberry jam on top and seal it with a ready-made fondant.

Scratch through the fondant to bring out some of the bloody raspberry.

Baking Tips • • • • •

When doing manual mixing, always stick to one direction. This is to avoid incorporating a lot of air into the batter.

Always use butter in room temperature. Butter takes a lot of time to soften so take it out of the fridge ahead of time.

Bigger decorative tips for icing like #107 and #12 make for a better presentation (in my experience). You can also make big roses out of them.

When using brown sugar, make sure it’s tightly packed. Try transferring the sugar from the cup to a plate. It should retain its shape.

Use large fresh eggs. It’s better to crack it open in a bowl first to make sure it’s fresh. Don’t put them directly in the batter.

• •

Always sift dry ingredients, except for brown sugar. You don’t want your cupcakes to have lumps of baking soda. That’s terrible and tastes very bitter.

Before taking your cupcakes out of the oven, stick a toothpick into the middle to check if they are baked properly. The toothpick should come out clean without the batter sticking to it. If it’s over the baking time, check every 5 minutes.

There you have it, two easy-to-follow recipes that are sure to delight the little tykes who knock at your door. They also make a great snack for the tired candy-givers who want a sugary break. Have a happy Halloween!

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OCTOBER 2015

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FOOD REVIEW

Filipino Faves to the Next Level at Tito’s MICHAEL MADRIAGA

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ime and time again, the food industry has been reinventing dishes to keep things fresh and exciting. If you’re in Boracay and happen to be looking for familiar Filipino dishes with unique twists, Tito’s Resto & Grill is the perfect spot.

by the sheer number of art works displayed. The colorful paintings, combined with the picturesque view and catchy music, create the perfect artistic ambience. Some of the abstract art on display are also available on sale for those who wish to take a piece of beauty home with them.

Located at Station 2, just near the D’Mall beach entrance, the restaurant’s easy-tofind location spares you the worry of getting lost for a meal. Its beachfront spot offers a gorgeous view of the famous Boracay Sunset dipping into the serene White Beach. During the night, you will be serenaded with music performed by the live bands at the local bar located just below.

When it comes to the food, Tito’s Resto & Grill gets even better. One will surely love Tito’s Chicken Afritada Pot Pie – chicken and sausage baked in tomato sauce, coated with creamy mashed potato. The surprise that is the chicken afritada is ensconced in a creamy mashed potato with grated cheese on top – the chicken afritada you’ll get to taste once your dig into the dish. The use of the classic afritada heightens the flavor and texture of the pot pie rendition. A dish best shared, one order is good for two people.

The resto-grill’s façade is that of a work of art. Upon entering, you will be amazed

Another Filipino favorite that is prepared with a modern touch is the Rootbeer Glazed Pork Humba – pork belly braised in root beer, served with a soft-boiled egg and fried bananas. Having tried humba numerous times already, there is a distinct difference that distinguishes authentic from not, and Tito’s version definitely provides the true taste of the dish. Their humba sets a high standard for others to try and top. It perfectly blends savory and sweet tastes that complement well with the tender pork belly. “Sabaw pa lang ulam na,” so you better loosen your belt and prepare to eat a lot of rice when you order this.

Although we were ready to burst from all the afritada and pork humba we’d already had, we made sure to leave enough space for the Binukadkad na Isda sa Mangga + Gata – fried tilapia glazed with a tropical fusion of coconut milk, tomato sauce and fresh mango. Tito’s take on a sweet and sour fish dish, the tilapia is nicely crisp on the outside but soft and silky in the inside. The texture was perfect and the blend of coconut milk, tomato and mango created a unique yet truly delectable flavor that makes this tasty and picturesque dish like heaven on a plate.

Overall, all of the dishes that we tried showed that Tito’s serves the best of quality and taste. We almost couldn’t move after feasting on all those dishes, but our refreshing watermelon and pineapple shakes were a great way to relax and settle down. Make sure to visit Tito’s Resto & Grill at Station 2 Beachfront (above Pat’s Creek Bar) or call +63 36 288 2369 for reservations.

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BORACAY SUN

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Sneak Peek: Villa Caemilla’s New Dishes MICHAEL MADRIAGA

V

illa Caemilla has made quite a niche in the island’s best dining experience through its delectable menu and fancy beverage lineup. And to usher in the upcoming holiday season, they are launching menu additions that will surely delight everyone’s taste buds.

Chilling by Villa Caemilla’s beachfront also is perfect for relaxation. With an unobstructed view of the sunset, one can lounge around while sipping on their different fruit shakes and cocktails. A favorite of mine is the refreshing Ginger Mojito, which combines the best taste in a highball and has just the right amount of alcohol in it to tickle your senses.

For appetizers, Villa Caemilla’s Shrimp Ceviche is the main star. The fresh shrimp’s flavor is complemented by the different spices in it. The citrus adds zest but the amount they have put in avoids the mistake of being too acidic.

Another must try is their Smoked Salmon with Balsamic Vinegar. The balsamic vinegar’s flavor brings out a unique and delectable finish with the smoked salmon – a truly appetizing dish that would jump-start your taste buds. For cheese lovers, you will enjoy their Tomato Caprese that has generous servings of mozzarella cheese and fresh tomatoes.

INDULGE

For the main course, prepare to explore different cuisines in just one sitting as Villa Caemilla expands its menu to provide more options to guests from different nationalities. For pasta lovers who also want to have an Asian twist in their meal, I would suggest to try the Korean Noodles with Shrimp and Beef. It has a perfect balance of both spicy and savory flavor while the well-seasoned grilled shrimp and beef are delicious, not overpowering each other at the same time.

Another dish to look forward to is their Orange Glazed Chicken. What’s to love about the dish? The perfectly grilled chicken is so tender it rests comfortably in your mouth. And the orange glaze that coats it gives an explosion of different flavors that dance on your palate.

Among all the main course dishes served to us, our favorite is the Salmon Yakitori. The salmon slab on your plate is so juicy and seasoned to perfection. With a portion of pasta and vegetables on the side, it makes a satisfying complete meal. I highly recommend this dish to people who like fish, particularly salmon lovers.

After all the delicious meals from appetizers to the main course, there was still room for dessert. Among the must-tries are the Samurai Crepe (made with fresh apples, ice cream and chocolate syrup), Deconstructed Mango (Villa Caemilla’s own version of a mango float), and Vanilla Ice Cream with Baileys (perfect for those who want to have a cold dessert with a hint of alcohol).

Every time I visit Villa Caemilla and have a taste of their dishes, it never fails to amaze me how they could come up with such a menu that encompasses pretty much anything. Every item you choose is really of good quality and taste. Give it a try and I’m sure you will enjoy dining with them. Villa Caemilla is located at the Beach front of Station 3, for reservations, you may call +63 36 288 3358.

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The Butod’s Favorite MICHAEL MADRIAGA

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od’s Lomi House and Resto has been a favorite of the locals for their delicious yet affordable karenderia-style dining. Tod’s got inspiration from the Visayan word butod, which describes someone with a big belly. After eating there, with all the dishes they have to offer, you will definitely be just that.

Tod’s also takes pride as the best go-to place after an all-night party. Serving their Lomi for 24 hours, everyone can enjoy this warm and thick savory noodle soup anytime they please. Their lomi is really a dish worth going back. Served large, it combines a lot of ingredients like squid balls, pork cracklings, hard-boiled egg, liver, and meatballs, among others. You may also choose from different lomi flavors like pork, chicken, beef, and seafood.

Aside from being the well-known lomihan in Boracay, Tod’s also offers other local dishes all-day long. During lunch time, the most ordered viand is their Nilagang Pata, while their chicken and pork inasal are the stars of the night. You may also visit Tod’s during snack time and enjoy their fresh fruit shakes, sandwiches and pasta meals.

With their filling and truly tasty local dishes, be sure to visit Tod’s Lomi House and Resto in Bulabog (near the main road entrance of Aqua). You may also call +63 36 288 2571 for delivery services.

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BORACAY SUN

SAFETY TIPS

HEALTH & SAFETY

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OCTOBER 2015

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Close Encounter with Marine Life in the Island’s Shores MARLO SCHOENENBERGER

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n Boracay’s water and shores, you may chance upon a marine life that may cause some friction - as you are in their territory, so to speak. It may be a jellyfish, a sea urchin, or the much dreaded coral killers, crown-of-thorns, and we hope that’s just about it. Our lifeguards are on guard, patrolling your swimming area - in between the Red & Yellow Flags - for possible minor threats from our marine life friends. They can be seen on their rescue boards or kayaks swiftly looking through the crystal clear water for some of these aquatic creatures.

So if you chance upon these marine life and got stung - do not panic - head on to our nearest Lifeguard Posts located in the three stations on the White Beach: Station 3 - Tourist Center, Station 2 - D’Mall, and Station 1 - Willy’s Rock and Angol Beach for first aid application. You may also call 288 2068 for referral.

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Soak the affected area in warm water for 30 minutes.

Use tweezers to remove the spines.

Clean the affected area, apply antibiotic ointment and take pain relievers every 4 hours as necessary.

Claims on the effectiveness of soaking the affected area with your own urine or vinegar should be considered, too. Our Boracay Lifeguards are constantly on patrol to monitor our swimming zones free from sea urchins.

Close Encounter with Blue Bottles. What to do?

Blue Bottle stings are painful and can cause severe breathing difficulties:

Close Encounter with a Sea Urchin. What to do?

For immediate treatment, rinse the affected area with warm water, and once you get out of the sand, apply vinegar, and seek for medical treatment. Urgent medical treatment may be needed if you experience swelling and difficulty in breathing.

The Health Benefits of Curkuma (in Turmeric)

Why this is so well researched, demonstrates the positive effect of curcumin on our bodies.

“Miracle drug” Curcumin:

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Remove tentacles with a gloved hand.

Clean with salt or seawater, never rub affected area, and never apply vinegar.

Go to the nearest Lifeguard Station and seek assistance for transport to the nearest clinic or hospital.

green apples (Granny Smith, for example).

In this smoothie you can wonderfully apply and give a teaspoon of turmeric and pepper to our tip.

The antioxidant curcumin acts according to current studies, anti-inflammatory and thus, against the plaguing of the following diseases:

Medicinal Benefit

• • • • •

• Rich of beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A) • Strong antioxidant effect intercepts cell damaging free radicals • Iron • Contains minerals: calcium, potassium, zinc and vitamins C, K and folic acid • Deliverer of roughage • Low calories: 25 kcal per 100 grams!

Carrots:

ELMAR TERLUTTER

M

y motto is: “You are what you eat”.

Since I was diagnosed with colon cancer a few years ago, I am convinced that this can be positively influenced by diet; I started to make its own sly me in the broad field of nutrition.

Through my healthy diet and positive lifestyle I have the disease under control and not vice versa. Diet, exercise and breathing are essential to our bodies - it will thank you if these three essentials are always taken into account.

Curkuma - Turmeric, the fascinating medicinal plant: Begin to look more closely into the turmeric, then it becomes clear why this plant is used in India for more than 4000 years proven and is considered sacred. Turmeric is still one of the most important spices and medicinal plants of our time. Its benefit is almost infinite. So it is no more surprising why even in China, turmeric is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy, as well as in other regions of Southeast Asia. The Indians have always known the positive properties of the plant especially in the Ayuverda medicine teaching. In Europe, we know turmeric for coloring curry in small quantities. This characteristically yellow-orange coloring of the ground turmeric powder is attributed to the substance called curcumin - the now best explored plant substance in the world! A typical turmeric root contains up to 5% curcumin which is regarded for many health concerns.

As cardiovascular disease Cancer (Inhibits metastasis) Alzheimer Parkinson Diabetes mellitus

Curcumin can also strengthen our immune system, protects our bodies against fluorides and neutralized them, favoring the healing process of arthritis, lowers blood sugar levels, preventing liver damage; It is said to protect the digestive system against gallstone formation, and is considered an anti-aging active ingredient, when used daily.

Google it out for tasty Indian recipes or recipes for teas, juices and smoothie with turmeric that are quick to prepare and provide for a mild spicy taste experience.

The so-called “Jamu Kunyit” for example, is a specialty juice with turmeric, which is widely used in Bali. Alternatively, you can stock up with capsules for daily intake of the natural magic powder.

Beetroot: • Rich at betaines (phytochemicals that stimulates the function of liver cells and gallbladder) to ensure a good digestion so that toxins are excreted completely and quickly • Prevents cardiovascular disease • The high folic acid content can aid against heart attacks and strokes and especially benefical for pregnant women • Is used by naturopathic physicians skilled in tumor therapy, as a preventive measure against cancer, blood disease and also, in leukemia • Purifies the body (colon cleansing)

Red Smoothie (with Curkuma - Turmeric) Ginger: Ingredients for 2 people: 1 beetroot 2 carrots 1/4 ginger Juice of one lemon First, thoroughly clean the vegetables with water and a brush, if necessary. Remove the tops of carrots and beetroot.

Shell ginger and beetroot and cut them into small pieces so that they fit into the juicer.

Juice one lemon and add it over the vegetables.

Variations: Those who want to sweeten the smoothie may omit the ginger and instead, use 2

• Helps against head and stomach pains (reduces nausea in chemotherapy) • Has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties • Helps against muscle pain • Improves metabolism • Prevent or slow the development of cataracts (helpful for in diabetics) Lemon: • Rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants • Strengthens immune system • Includes useful enzymes that help in digestion It is important to drink slowly smoothies VERY! Although it sounds a bit strange: you have to smoothies insalivate well and take it only in small sips. Just so they can be optimally digested!

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BORACAY SUN

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First drug testing center opens in Boracay

B

oracay residents no longer have to go to other places for drug testing as Boracay AMC (Alert Medical Clinic) and Diagnostics Laboratory Incorporated opened its FIRST and ONLY LICENSED Drug Testing Center in Boracay on September 2, 2015.

Located in Sitio Manggayad, Bgy. Balabag, the Drug Testing Center is another milestone to Boracay AMC’s successful line up of medical and laboratory services for the island’s residents and visitors.

The AMC Drug Testing Laboratory is staffed with licensed medical technologists who are experienced and competent in their field of expertise. Its vision is to promote and help provide a drug-free community

HEALTH & SAFETY

in the island of Boracay. With the mission to innovate the standard drug-testing center in Boracay, a drugfree community is no longer difficult to achieve.

Beside the Drug Testing Center, AMC’s Clinical Laboratory offers the following examinations: Hematology, Clinical Microscopy, Serology, Bacteriology, Blood Chemistry, Pap Smear, Electrocardiogram (ECG/ EKG), Radiology and Ultrasonography.

Established in September 2014, Boracay AMC (Alert Medical Clinic) and Diagnostics Laboratory headed by Dr. Howell Javonillo, MD, and Grengo Gelito, RN, has been proactive in giving outstanding service to their patients and finding ways to add more laboratory tests that are not available yet in the Island. With the acquisition of ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay), AMC will soon offer Hepatitis B Panel Test, Thyroid Function Test and PSA (Prostatic Specific Antigen) Test to the public. A high quality yet affordable laboratory test is a priority at AMC. Currently, AMC is also in the process of finalizing the opening of its Animal Bite Center. This is another service for Boracay residents and visitors to be excited about.

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OCTOBER 2015

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