Author: iAn L.

The President has declared 18 holidays next year through Proclamation No. 831 he signed July 17 this year. Eight of which fall on either Mondays or Fridays making a total of 8 long weekends for 2015. 2015 Philippine Holidays (Photo from the 2013 Buglasan Festival by Marion Paul Baylado) Aquino declared the following dates as regular holidays: January 1, Thursday – New Year’s Day April 2 – Maundy Thursday April 3 – Good Friday April 9, Thursday- Araw ng Kagitingan May 1, Friday – Labor Day June 12, Friday – Independence Day August 31, last Monday of August – National Heroes Day November 30, Monday – Bonifacio Day December 25, ... Read more

Tired and hungry – that was everyone’s complain after our Saturday morning boot camp. We were all not used to that type of activity and it drained us a lot. So after the big pumps, twists, and stretches, we decided to went out to fuel up. Beside our building, Cyberscape Alpha, stands the AIC Gold Tower which are both accessible via the Sapphire and Garnet Roads. As of this writing, the Sapphire lobby of our office isn’t open yet, so went out via the Garnet exit and took a little maneuver to reach the Sapphire portion. The Stuff Over Burger Cafe ... Read more

We were at night shift and we were tired of fast food. Though new to the place, since we just moved in to a new building along Sapphire Road, we ventured out an hour past midnight to check for better options. We considered exploring for midnight eats along Emerald Avenue but before we could make a turn, we noticed this flickering banner of Salang Restaurant at the mezzanine floor of AIC Gold Tower. We went upstairs and curiously checked. At first we thought it was closed. The restaurant was dimly illuminated and its door did not open on our first attempt. Laughter ... Read more

We are heading to Dapa in Siargao Island but we missed the last departing boat. We had no other choice but to spend the rest of the day in Surigao City. Marx, my companion on that trip, contacted a friend (Nathalie) and asked for a possible place to hang out. Nathalie, who happened to be a local, suggested us to visit Mabua Pebble Beach which is just a tricycle away from the city proper. The trike terminal to Mabua is located along Sarvida St. just beside Palma Trade Center. We paid ₱20 for the one-way trip. The Mabua Pebble Beach I ... Read more

An after sunset in Boracay The sky glows in blue and orange, painting a beautiful scenery. With the Philippines 7,107 islands, you have 7,107 options to enjoy the sunset. Boracay offers one of the most stunning and exciting way to do it – through Paraw Sailing.

If you have been thinking on how to make the most out of your Boracay visit, this list might be helpful. Boracay isn’t just about the beach, parties, or staycation but also a good place for exciting adventures. Check out the following budget-friendly (and some not-so-budget-friendly as well) activities in Boracay and make your stay a lot more memorable. #1 Beach Bumming (free) The primary reason why you visit the island is probably to beach bum. In Boracay, you have plenty of options. You can stroll along the entire stretch of the 4-kilometer White beach, spend some private moment in Puka Shell ... Read more

Our Surigao trip’s awesomeness did not end with the island hopping in Siargao. On our third day, we navigated three hours from Siargao’s General Luna town to Bucas Grande Island to check on Tojoman and Sohoton Lagoons. These two great lagoons are accessible via the municipalities of Dapa and General Luna (GL) in Siargao Island or via the town of Socorro in Bucas Grande Island. Since we reserved our accommodation in GL, we shelled out more for the much longer boat ride. The Boat Ride to Bucas Grande Kuya Lito Sr. asked ₱4,000 for the trip to Bucas Grande including the island hopping we ... Read more

After lounging on my comfy bed at Buddha’s Surf Resort, I thought of just “staycationing” instead of going out for island hopping. But upon thinking for the main reason why I went to Siargao, I did stick to the itinerary. If only we caught the last departing boat from Surigao City to Siargao Island the day before, we could have plenty of time lurking in the corners of our spacious cradle. We went out late in the morning and waited for a habal-habal to the town proper. Since it wasn’t a regular taxiway, we found it hard to find one. Hence, we decided ... Read more

I still had a worn-out look when we approached Buddha’s Surf Resort. We got no chance to tidy up a bit nor a moment to wipe the sweaty faces of ours before meeting the manager of the hotel we’re staying. Thanks to the extra long navigation from Surigao City to the Municipality of  Dapa, the 30-minute cramped tricycle transfer from Dapa to General Luna (GL), and the nasty habal-habal ride from GL town proper to the resort. If you want to avoid all these road hassles, contact the resort days prior and arrange a pick-up transportation of your choice. If you’re ... Read more