On weekends, UP Diliman transforms into an urban park—and I absolutely love it

Since the pandemic, our family has always sought refuge in the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP Diliman) campus. We would always find ourselves here on days we needed to unmask and breathe. This sprawling university in the heart of Quezon City offers some of the best green spaces and is completely free for everyone.

Even after the pandemic, we've kept the weekend tradition alive with a well-loved itinerary: a walk around the Academic Oval, a short tambay on the grounds, a food trip, and mass at the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice. Seeing so many families and fitness enthusiasts doing the same makes me happy.

Every weekend, the iconic Academic Oval transforms into a bustling recreational space. Families set up picnic blankets under towering Acacia trees while kids run freely on car-free roads. Cyclists, skaters, and runners loop around the oval, soaking in the fresh air and lush surroundings. Joggers especially appreciate the Acacia trees, which provide canopied shade, making it an ideal spot for morning or afternoon runs. Hobby enthusiasts congregate and attract like-minded people. UP Diliman's inviting atmosphere offers a refreshing escape from the city and a spacious place for leisure and fitness.

15 Family-Friendly Hotels & Resorts in the Philippines

As a family who loves micro-vacations, Angel, Nido, Guiuian, and I are always on the lookout for destinations that offer the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure, and kid-friendly activities. Whether lounging by the beach, exploring historic sites, or enjoying the cool mountain breeze, we've learned that the right hotel or resort can turn a simple trip into an unforgettable experience.

Over the years, we've stayed at some incredible family-friendly spots in the Philippines. Each one offers something unique—a heritage stay that takes you back in time, a beachfront paradise with endless water activities, or a luxurious city escape with all the comforts you could ask for. 

If you're planning your next family getaway, now's the perfect time—summer is just around the corner! Here are some of our top recommendations for an unforgettable family vacation.

Discovery Coron

An exclusive island resort in Coron, Palawan, offering pristine beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and plenty of water activities, making it a dream destination for the entire family. Angel and Nido were thrilled to spot turtles while snorkeling, and we were mesmerized by the colorful marine life. What sets Discovery Coron apart is the personal touch—from daily letters and sweet treats in our room to milk and cookies for Nido every night. And don't miss the incredible afternoon flight of bats across the island—it's a must-see!

 

 

Remembering The Marawi That Was

The Islamic City of Marawi has been through a lot in the past three weeks. The city that was once home to thriving businesses is now reduced to rubbles after intensive clashes between the government forces and the local terrorist group. The picture-perfect landscape dominated by mosques, mountains and Lake Lanao is changed to the images of smoke billowing from the fire-hit homes. The sound of loudspeakers of mosques calling for prayer is now switched to the sound of mortar bombs and wailing sirens.

As of today, 58 soldiers/police and 21 civilians have been killed in the fire fight. More than a hundred from the side of the enemy have been neutralized. But there is no indication that the war is going to end soon.

More than the ruined buildings and flattened homes, the real tragedy in Marawi is the people fleeing their homes, carrying the slightest hope in their hearts that they could be allowed to live another day.

The stories we are getting from the conflict zone are disheartening. A teenager was killed after being hit by stray bullets while he was praying inside a mosque. Brave soldiers were killed in a friendly fire during a government-led air strike. A kid in an evacuation center had replaced the memories of the place he once called home with fears for bombs and armed people.

And this is far from the Marawi that I remember.

In 2013, I traveled solo to this city while I was completing my challenge to visit the 80 provinces of the Philippines before I turned 30 years old. It turned out to be one of my most daunting and enriching trips ever.

My itinerary led me to the sprawling campus of Mindanao State University, a few minutes away from the city proper and residing on a high altitude overlooking Lake Lanao. This beautiful campus is surrounded by shady trees and green hills. Here, students dwell peacefully and in commune with nature. Here, I realized that regardless of your religious affiliation, people can live together in peace. Here, war and divide are not in the equation.

At MSU, I had the chance to visit Aga Khan Museum where the Maranaos rich culture is displayed. I was introduced to the iconic "torogan," a traditional wooden house with intricate carvings. A few of these torogans can still be seen in the city.

Around downtown, I thought that Marawi, just like any other place, is far from perfect. It has issues with poverty, drugs and security. But the place has a way of telling unique stories of its people. I remember the fascinating boutique shop that displays fashionable and pretty dresses for local women. I also noticed the excessive number of tarpaulins put up by relatives to celebrate the victories of their kins -- graduations, passing board exams, bagging third place in an essay contest. These tarpaulins are everywhere and speak volume of the pride of its people.

As I sleep in the comforts of my bed at night, I think of the struggles of the people of Marawi, the soldiers determined to save the city, and the families of the government troops killed in the war. I can only hope and pray that peace will soon be restored, and that the people of Marawi would be able to regain the city they call home. 

Note: Thanks to the two students I met in MSU, Melchor and Lorenzo! They helped me explore their campus and Marawi with ease and depth.

A letter to my firstborn son

Dear Nido Francesco,


You are already on your 3rd month as I write this letter. By now, your smiles are becoming more frequent, your neck strength is improving, your kicks are stronger, and we hear you cooing more often. 

So much has changed during the past months and I do not even know where to begin. 

Maybe, let me start by saying that you were loved even before we met you. You are the biggest blessing your Papa and I have received. And your arrival changed us in so many positive ways.

I had no qualms when I first learned that you were in my tummy. I thought, I lived 31 years of my life preparing to fit the bill of motherhood. I dreamed of you. I prayed for you.

30 Magical Sunsets in the Philippines

The metro train was packed with afternoon commuters earger to go home from a busy day at work.
None of them would have probably noticed the stunning view from outside the train. At that moment, the late afternoon sun was about ready to set in Manila.

As the train sped off from one station to another, I noticed the swiftly changing dramatic hues outside. The sky was painted with a collage of colors -- from pink, bright orange, and red. The sun was catching up with the speed of the train and many times, it made attempts to peek through the skyscrapers in Makati.

When I finally reached my destination, the early evening breeze greeted me.

As I was walking home, I realized how magical sunset experiences in the countryside are for me. The seemingly ordinariness of sunset is something that I often take for granted amidst the crazy city life. This daily phenomenon seems so trivial for many of us that we often fail to appreciate and really see the calm and beauty of it. It's a reminder of a passing day, telling us that no matter how bad it had been, there's always another day waiting to make things better.

While I was traveling the 80 provinces of the Philippines, I have witnessed some of the most amazing sunsets, in some of the most beautiful settings -- beside the beach, atop a mountain, near the rice fields. Allow me to take you to some of these spots around the country.

Note: Some of the sunsets below are also included in the article I wrote for rappler.com.

Project BookSail 2015: Limasawa Island

After the successful book drive for the schoolchildren in Palumbanes Island in Catanduanes, the BookSail volunteers were so fired up to start a new campaign for another island. But for some reason, we didn't get to pursue the plans. 

Until lately. The volunteers talked and decided that this project is so important not just for us, but most especially for the kids who have yet to see a library and who have very little access to books.

This year, we're set to continue the project. Another remote island, another set of schoolchildren.

This time we hope to send books and school supplies to the 205 pupils of Lugsongan Elementary School and Lugsongan Adventist Multigrade School in Limasawa Island, Southern Leyte.

You can be a part of this project, and we can be partners in making a meaningful difference to the lives of the kids there! We need your help.

PSI Max Jim Tria: My job is not for the faint-hearted

Two years ago, during a small family reunion, you told me something I have never quite forgotten. 

"... not for the weak o faint-hearted ang trabaho ko."

While I felt pompous dishing out details of my adventures in Southern Mindanao, you were understandably silent about the specifics of your work. All I knew was that, you belong to an elite unit in the PNP Special Action Force. 

But now I truly understand what you meant back then. Indeed, your job is something that not so many people would take on. It entails stepping into the peripheries, and into the wild.

OWN A BACKPACKING PILIPINAS 2015 CALENDAR

Dear Backpacking Pilipinas friends,

Let me greet you all a very happy 2015! May this new year bring you peace, happiness, and blessings way more than what you can imagine! And like many of you, I'm pretty excited for the many beautiful and meaningful days ahead! 

To start the year, I'm sharing with you this new project -- the Backpacking Pilipinas 2015 Calendar!

It contains 12 photos from 12 incredible destinations in the Philippines.  Hint: Revel in the beauty of the Philippines -- from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi! :)

But it's more than just a calendar...

Footnotes from my travels around the 80 provinces of the Philippines

Growing up in a small, remote village in Catanduanes made me appreciate the value of travel through books and dreams. I remember leafing through my Sibika at Kultura book --  making sense of our country's history and culture, and enjoying the pages showing the "Magagandang Tanawin ng Pilipinas." Books taught me that the Philippines is dotted with famous tourist spots like the Banaue Rice Terraces, San Juanico Bridge, Magellan's Cross, Maria Cristina Falls, and Chocolate Hills.

Back then, my idea of Manila was not about huge shopping malls or skyscrapers or traffic jam. Manila, back then, was about Luneta and Fort Santiago. 

More than anything, books taught me to dream.

For the past five years, I've been fortunate to have visited all the destinations that I have once read about and dreamed of seeing when I was a kid.

But my travels did not end there. Instead, I challenged myself to visit the more remote destinations in our country. I dared myself to visit 80 (of the 81) provinces of the Philippines before I turn 30 years old, a challenge I have completed last year.

Let me share with you some discoveries and lessons I learned while doing the 80 before 30 challenge.

Remembering Guiuan before Typhoon Yolanda

At 4:40 a.m. on November 8, 2013, the strongest recorded typhoon to have made landfall hit the shores of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. The town was never the same after that. 

It would take years before many of us could get over the devastation brought by Typhoon Yolanda. Unfortunately for many people in that town, maybe never.

With the magnitude of its strength and gust, Yolanda's wrath was unimaginable. Watching the horrific scenes of its aftermath shown in the news was heartbreaking.

Walking Around Bangued, Abra

Abra is landlocked province and is bordered by the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Mountain Province, and Kalinga.

Panay’s “dakong lingganay”: the biggest church bell in Asia

The quiet town of Panay is home to several national cultural treasures —the Santa Monica Parish Church (commonly known as Panay Church) is considered the oldest in the whole island of Panay, and dakong lingganay is known as the largest church bell in Asia and third biggest in the world.

These were the reasons why going to Panay was on top of my head when I visited the province of Capiz. This place has a great historical value that I simply couldn't pass up.

On starting a new career at 30

We didn't have a television set at home until I was 10 years old. When our first set of  colored TV landed a space in our living room, it immediately became a part of our family. It was the center of attention. My horizon widened when it arrived. Suddenly, I was opened to the reality that we live in a vast universe.

Inside the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City

Haring Ibon, Agila, Monkey-eating eagle, Banog.

These are some of the names we call our national bird, the great and mighty Philippine Eagle.

This critically endangered bird is endemic to Philippine forests, and can be found in several areas in Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.

With height averaging one meter (3 feet) and wingspan reaching up to two meters (the broadest in the world at 7 feet), the Philippine Eagle is among the rarest and most powerful birds in the world.

However, due to massive deforestation and hunting, estimates are that there are no more than 400 pairs left in the wild. Despite the laws protecting these birds, the Philippine eagles are still severely threatened.

I had the chance to visit the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) located in Davao City. It houses more than 30 Philippine Eagles, of which some are captive-bred. These eagles are also living with some mamals, reptiles and other species of birds. 

The center aims to educate people about the importance of wildlife conservation, especially the Philippine Eagles.

Unlike the zoos I've visited before, this center has a tropical rain forest environment which shows the visitors a set up of the Philippine eco-system. Exploring  the facilities and exhibits was fun, easy and really enlightening. 

I consider seeing Pag-asa, the 22-year old captive-bred Philippine Eagle, the highlight of the trip. Although the sad fact remains that he should ideally be allowed to freely spread his wings into the vastness of the wilderness, his existence in that small cage, somehow, gives hope to the conservation efforts of his own breed. 

An interesting behavior I learned about the Philippine Eagles is their being monogamous, taking only one mate for life. These eagles lay only one egg every other year. So imagine the rarity in the reproduction of these eagles. Their existence is precious and should, therefore, be protected. 

Philippine Eagles are highly territorial occupying 7,000 to 13,000 hectares of forest per eagle pair. Although staying in a small facility is downright limiting for them, but on the other hand, letting them out in the wild also pose a more dangerous threat. This is a very sad reality for our national bird. 

**Education and reforestation are key in the conservation and protection -- No to buying, selling, and killing of Philippine Eagles. Let's help!**

If you have an upcoming trip to Davao, don't forget to include the PEC in your itinerary.

How to get there:

(Source: www.philippineeagle.org)

The Philippine Eagle Center is about an hour drive from the city and can be reached either by private or public transport. Buses going to Calinan depart every 15 minutes from the Annil Terminal located at corner Quirino and San Pedro Extension. Bus fare is at P30. From Calinan, take a pedicab going to the PEC. The ride is about 10 minutes and will cost you P6. Before entering the PEC premises, the Davao City Water District will collect an entrance fee of P5 for adults and P3 for kids.

Entrance Fees:

Adults - P50

Youth (18 years old and below) - P30

Schedule:

8am to 5pm daily, including holidays

Spending a morning in Tabuk City, Kalinga

The night before I visited the province of Kalinga, I was watching a documentary about the production of civet coffee in Indonesia.

Known as the most expensive coffee in the world, this exotic coffee, called locally in Indonesia as Kopi Luwa, is nothing like your ordinary brew. It is produced in the forests of Java where civet cats are fed with coffee berries. These coffee beans are not digested by the civet cats and are excreted. These civet "poops" are then processed to become one of the most aromatic and tasteful brews in the world.

There inside my small hotel room in Tugegarao, I fancied on having my own cup of civet coffee. I made a few research about the local production of civet coffee in the Philippines. I was elated to know that an hour away from where I was at, a civet coffee is being produced.

The following morning, I took the earliest van going to Tabuk City, the capital of Kalinga. As the van sped off the scenic and well-paved road connecting the province of Cagayan to the landlocked  province of Kalinga, I couldn't help but think of my morning coffee -- a civet coffee.

The road going to Tabuk offers a nice view of rolling mountains that resemble those I've seen in Batanes. Although the van was cramped with regular workers, leaving me to squeeze into a tiny space inside the van to survive the one-hour trip, I didn't mind because the view outside was such a welcoming sight.

Rolling and sloppy hills covered in grassland are a common sight going to Tabuk City. Photo courtesy of Noks Sosa of Tripapips.com

It was chilly when I arrived in Tabuk. Instead of heading straight for breakfast, I decided to first explore the city as it waked up to another new day.

My sister’s budget-friendly dream island wedding

KISS- keep it super simple. I know that we, Filipinos, have the propensity to make important events in our lives grand and festive, and a wedding is definitely not an exception to that.  Pulling off a standard wedding ceremony usually takes months or even years of taxing preparation. Very often, a couple allots a big chunk of their savings for the wedding, but sometimes, long after the visitors left and the ceremonies ended, the newly-wed find themselves in dire financial needs.

While weddings are important as it marks the start a couple’s lifetime of togetherness, in my honest opinion, the preparedness for what comes after it should be a top priority.

But tell you what, being short on budget should not hinder you from pulling off a wonderful wedding ceremony. The key is to keep things low key and practical. Just like how my sister, Cielo, did.

Think Green: Puralytics SolarBag for backpackers

I support green innovations and it's cool to know that nowadays, more and more companies are turning  into eco-friendly products and services. As a travel enthusiast, I'm excited to see this trend penetrating the world of backpackers, hikers, and beach bummers.

In my travels around the Philippines, especially in remote areas, one of the challenges I experienced was the access to clean and potable water. Sometimes, I find myself in places where the only available water source are tap water and natural streams or rivers. Other than these, I rely heavily on bottled water which, sadly, eventually goes into the waste basket.

I got to try a product called Puralytics SolarBag in my recent trip to Batangas. It is a sunlight activated water purifier that uses a nanotechnology coated mesh to remove contaminants and microorganisms. I like the idea that it harnesses the power of the sun and does not use electricity or any chemicals to treat water.

Coming Home Now: A Story of Passion for Surfing and Love for Catanduanes

The news spread like wildfire over the internet last night. I was in total disbelief. Probably like many people, I couldn't grasp the idea that a man who seemed to be in a perfect physical form and someone living a life most of us could only dream of, could be gone too soon.

But your online profile confirmed the unthinkable. The ocean is now forever yours, Ezra.

One of Ezra's last posts (Photo Credit: Ezra Efondo)

I remember one of our conversations during the BookSail event in Palumbanes Island, you shared how you left the corporate world and chose to go back to our home province. I remember how your eyes lit while you talked about Jack Johnson, sunsets, and surfing in Puraran.

10 favorite memories in Masbate

A college friend introduced me to the sweet carmelado from Masbate, a local version of pastillas de leche which is made from carabao milk and sugar. This delicacy, wrapped in a thin white paper, got me at first bite, and I promised myself to horde as much carmelados I could afford if given the chance to visit Masbate someday.

Fast forward to a few years after, I visited Masbate’s capital, Masbate City, as I was completing my 80 before 30 challenge. Of course, carmelado was included in the order of business.

Masbate is a first-class province located in Bicol Region. It is composed of three major islands– Masbate, Ticao, Burias—and the capital is the City of Masbate. As an island province, it’s endowed with rich marine life in which many people in the coastal areas engage in fishing as their main source of income. Agriculture, such as livestock, raising cattle, and farming also contribute to the local coffer.

GMA 7 Summer Break: Travel to Cagayan Province

Two years ago, I challenged myself to do my first solo trip to two provinces I haven't been to -- Cagayan and Kalinga. What I thought was just a short simple trip turned out to be one for the books.Recounting the exciting road trips, beautiful sunrises, and meeting kind people in these provinces left a mark that I will recall for a long time.

But in every trip, there's at least one episode that stands out among the smorgasbord of experiences. For my adventure in Cagayan...it is Palaui Island in the town of Sta. Ana. 

Whenever I'm asked about my favorite destinations around the country, Palaui Island always makes it on the list. So when I got an email asking if I could share my Palaui Island experiences for GMA's Summer Break series, I didn't hesitate and jumped in immediately. 

The remote island of Palaui is definitely worth sharing. But somehow there's a part of me guilty of the possibility that if I keep promoting unspoiled beaches and islands like Palaui, what are the chances that these may also fall into the ugly trap of commercial tourism? I could only hope that stories like mine will create awareness and promote a sustainable eco-tourism that will benefit the local community without damaging the environment.

Here's the video courtesy of GMA 7.