It's more fun in the Philippines!

The news spread like wildfire on Twitter last Wednesday evening. Soon enough many sites I’ve been following buzzed and confirmed that today, January 6, the Department of Tourism will finally launch the much awaited new tourism campaign for the Philippines.   And so for the next two days, it became a trending topic. Suggestions were shared, hints were given, guessing game of the new slogan ensued, and the excitement escalated.

I also jumped on the bandwagon and started tweeting about the upcoming event. I could not even explain the enthusiasm I felt for the past two days. There was like an air of “bayanihan” wherein everyone was trying to lend a hand to help lift Philippine tourism to higher grounds. Finally, we are moving on together, hand in hand. And that made me feel extremely happy.

When it was announced that Mon Jimenez will take the helm of the country’s ailing tourism industry, everyone’s expectations soared high. In one of his interviews, he said that selling the Philippines to tourists "should be as easy to sell as chickenjoy.” He said that our country has all the potentials of attracting foreign tourists. We just need a good marketing strategy.  Being a person highly esteemed in the advertising industry, the government thinks that he could share his expertise on this matter, and is the right person to do the fix.

And so today, he unveiled the new slogan: It’s more fun in the Philippines! 

So, what do I think about it?

I actually like it.. hmm no, I Love It! I think it's fun, simple, catchy and has a whole lot of truth to it! It captures the sentiments of many Filipinos living here and abroad. It will make tourists want to go to our beaches, explore our caves, experience our festivities, dig on our food, etcetera ... all because it's more fun doing these things here! ! :)

Overall, I say KUDOS to the tourism team for the great concept. 

But as we all know, attracting foreigners to spend their hard-earned money in our country does not end in logos, slogans and jingles. We need to make sure that these tourists enjoy every moment of their stay here. We need to make a positive impression enough to either make them want to return in the future or invite their relatives and friends in their home country to come visit us. Now, it's time to prove that indeed it's more fun to choose our country.

Travel Guide: 6 Must-Do Activities in Baguio City

Baguio never gets old. This city perched on the cold mountains of the Cordilleras is one of the most-visited summer destinations in the country. It entices many of its visitors with a chilly weather perfect for those lazy bones. It is a home to some all-time favorite tourist spots that show a glimpse of its past dwellers (established by the Americans in 1900) and that of the mountain people's rich life and culture; a haven for shoppers and bargain-seekers; and a magnet for food lovers. For these reasons, just like many, I’ll never grow tired visiting this city. 

To fully enjoy a getaway in Baguio, I'm sharing with you some of the things that you can do while in there. I've also added tips that might be helpful to plan your trip. 

Bucket list 2012

2011 has been an amazing traveling year and I feel like I've already covered most of my dream Philippine destinations. I know there's still a lot to be seen. For 2012, I'd like to visit some more places here in Pinas. I'm also excited to go out and see some of our neighboring SEA countries-- finally for the first time. Excited! :)

Here’s the complete list of what I plan to do next year:

1. Experience sunrise atop Mt. Pulag

2. Swim with whale sharks (Butanding) in Donsol

3. Camping in Calaguas

4. Meet Ketut in Bali

5. Food trip in Kuala Lumpur

6. Explore Callao Cave and Palaui Island in Cagayan

7. Experience sunrise and sunset in Siquijor and Dumaguete

8. Visit Masbate

9. See the vintas of Zamboanga

10. Reunite with relatives in Samar, visit Biri Island

11. Do some volunteer works

12. Complete Backpacking Pilipinas Volume2

13. Enroll in a swimming lesson

14. Write on this blog regularly (once a week, maybe)

15. Read more books

16. Watch a jazz concert

17. Fly a kite

18. Join a marathon 

19. Plan a wedding 

20. Save 

2011 Unforgettable Journeys

I wish I could bottle up all the great memories I had while backpacking Pilipinas this year. I immensely enjoyed every bit of it. Thanks to my travel buddies who joined me exploring some destinations in Luzon, Vizayas and Mindanao! Until next year! But before I get too hyped up with 2012, first, here's 2011 in retrospect. :)

Revisiting Mt. Pinatubo. The first time I went there in 2009, I was  very impressed with the crater that I told myself it definitely deserves a second visit. So last January, I climbed again. This time with Cha, Kidd and Janet. But unlike in 2009 that good weather was on our side, this recent climb proved to be more difficult. It was drizzling all the way to the top and we had to go through an agonizing four-hour trek on a rocky terrain. But all the hardships waned the moment we saw the crater. It’s worth it! :)

Palumbanes Lighthouse Summit. On my previous visits to Palumbanes Island (Caramoran, Catanduanes), I always wondered when I would ever get near its lighthouse. Perched on the mountain overlooking the island, for me it’s a silent witness to the daily grind of the sea, mountain, and the community living below it. And so on my visit last March, along with 10 companions, I was thrilled to have finally reached this panoramic part of Palumbanes. From there I got 360-degrees view of the island. What a sight! :)

Traveling Panay on a Shoestring Budget

Trip to Boracay, Kalibo, Aklan, Iloilo and Guimaras (November 9-12, 2011)

The less crowded Puka Beach

I consider myself a poor backpacker. Always on a tight budget, my travel itinerary usually includes haggling for cheap tour packages, scoring for airline seat sales, sometimes sleeping on fan rooms, taking public transport and eating in some off-the-beat carenderias.

^{And my latest trip to Panay was no different.}

^{Ten months ago, I was lucky to have chanced up a relatively low airfare. Thanks to Cebu Pacific’s piso sale, I was able to book my Manila-Kalibo-Manila flight for only P800.}

New Seven Wonders of Nature: Puerto Princesa Underground River

We only have until 11-11-2011 to vote for Puerto Princesa Underground River to be included as  one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature!

“The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world's longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water's edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.” –www.new7wonders.com

This is our chance to pin one of our best destinations on to the world map. Let's do it!

Here are ways to vote:

A. Online Vote

1. Go to the site: http://www.new7wonders.com/

2. Go to the Vote tab and choose your seven candidates. Your first pick should be the PP Underground River Philippines! :)

3. Create a new account and fill up the form. Use a valid email address to vote.

4. Confirmation of your vote will be sent to your email address.

B. SMS Vote

Each SMS sent counts as one vote for PP Underground River in the New7Wonders of Nature.

Send PPUR to 2861

Cost per each SMS sent:
PHP2.00 (Sun)
PHP2.50 (Globe, Smart)

Below are some of my photos from my trip to PP Underground River this year. :)

Let's all vote now!!! :)

Off-the-beaten track Batad

Life in Batad amidst the rice paddies

August 20-21, 2011

Batad, Banaue, Ifugao

We took the 10 p.m. trip to Banaue via Ohayami Transport (P450 one way), the only bus company that plies the Manila-Banaue route as of this writing. It was a nine-hour bus ride which I didn’t really mind since I slept almost the entire trip. At 7 a.m., we reached Banaue, Ifugao.

It was a crisp and clear Saturday morning and the beauty of Banaue Rice Terraces simply blew me away

We were led to People’s Restaurant for breakfast. The view of the rice terraces from there was excellent but I’d rate their service as poor. Imagine, they forgot to serve our meal! :(