The Twentieth Father's Day

“Moon river wider than a mile I'm crossing you in style someday Oh dream maker you heartbreaker Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way…”

Here's my Daddy Max about to pinch my cheeks. :D

       The lyrics of Andy Williams’ song playing on the Grab car radio. It is my Dad’s favorite song. I then remembered, it’s Father’s day next week. It’s so unlikely of me that I remembered Father’s day. Why? Well, I grew up without a Dad from the young age of 10. This is my 20th Father’s Day without him around me. Through the years I have been so oblivious as to when is Father’s day exactly. There was even this one time, my niece and I were at a mall, we noticed a number of people queueing at a Cake shop. Then we asked each other, “Why are these people lining up to buy a cake? What’s the occasion?”, then we saw the tarpaulin beside the shop and we realized, hey it’s Father’s day (my niece also lost her Dad, she's equally as baffled as me). And we both laughed at ourselves for not remembering what day it is. 

We were about to go island hopping. My sister and I were teaching him to wave at the camera.

Every morning he would always go to our backyard to visit his gamefowls.  My brother and I ambushed him to pose with us in this photo. 

To be honest, not remembering this day in the past is unintentional. Sorry Dad ;) But just because I forgot, that doesn’t mean I do not think of him or love him any less. As a matter of fact, I always think of my Dad. I remember him whenever I look at myself in the mirror coz I look exactly like him. I remember last week, Tuesday, random. I saw a father on the street with his daughter, they were holding each other’s hand as they cross the street. We used to do that, my Dad and I. When he started to work at our hometown's local government unit, his office was just beside our school, I would drop by his office at lunch time and together we would walk home, with him on the not-so-safe side of the street holding my hand. We’d share my umbrella, and he didn’t mind even if my umbrella was all girly and pink with hello kitty prints all over it. I remember those days with him vividly.

He'd let me swim freely...

In the past, I would ask, “What would my life be like if he’s still here with me? with us?”. And whenever I would, I always end up bawling and sobbing. I still have the same question until now actually, but I would react differently. I still feel sad, but I would not cry anymore. Losing a parent at such a young age is something you wish no one ever had to experience. I had to. And it was the worst experience of my life, but God has a plan and I know that His plan is always greater and His timing is perfect. Dads are important, we all know that and I was a daddy’s girl to the max!

But still looks out for me esp in the deeper part of the sea.

I remember growing up there were so many birthdays, holidays, recognition days, graduation, etc that I longed for him. I wanted to hear how proud he was of me whenever I go up the stage and receive an award at school. I remember how I reassure myself, that he is indeed proud of me and that he has the best seat up there watching me on that stage while receiving my award.

The only time he went up on stage to don me a medal. This was my first grade recognition day, if memory serves me right... 

I didn’t get to experience things as what other kids with Dads would. But I got a family. A mom who has more grace & strength than any person in this world. Siblings who are willing to drop everything just to provide me anything I need. Nephews and nieces who look up to me. And I can never thank them enough. We have such a strong bond as a family and I am truly grateful. I have memories of my Dad here and there that stick out in my head but remembering anything from 0-10 years old is hard. I looked at a lot of photos as a child, just to see his infectious smile and I am glad that I have those for I am able to fill the gaps of memories.

I told you he looked exactly like me...

Hearing Dad’s favorite song play in the Grab car is one of those random instances or things that would remind me of him. And suddenly, I have this wave. He felt like yesterday. Which is to say, I’ve been in a long term relationship with grief. But it has to evolve. And it’s okay to keep letting go. I have to.

So badly, I wish I could change it all. I wish that Dad could be here to see all the things I’ve done in life, to cook my favorite food, to drive me to work, to stay at my condo for as long as he likes and to do life with my Mom, siblings and his grandchildren. To people who also grew up without a Dad, Father’s day is not about mourning of their absence. It may feel like it in the early years of grief. But for me, eventually Father’s day turned out to be a celebration of my Dad's wonderful life spent here on earth. I find peace knowing I will see my Dad again someday. For now I will cherish the life I have here with the people I love most. So hug your loved ones, tell them how much they mean to you because you never know when it could be the last time.

P.S. Please excuse the quality of the photos. Aside from they're old, I only took them from our family albums using my phone. ;)

People of my Year

It’s the New Year once again. For most people New Year is the season for new beginnings. It is the season of practically hitting the reset button and start everything anew. Resetting goals, listing down new year’s resolutions, mapping out activities and travels for the year ahead. 

As for me, New Year is also a time to reflect on how the previous year went. Did it go as planned? Were you able to achieve what you aimed at the start of the year? Were you able to live up to your expectations? My 2017 was great! And it wouldn’t be great without paying tribute to the people who helped me keep my sanity to get thru the year.

Here are the people of my year, 2017.

1. Supermoon / El Nido 3+ Friends

My first trip of the year was in El Nido. It was not the perfect trip to be honest. I was sick days before the trip commenced, I even thought I couldn’t go. The tours that we booked got cancelled because of some weather issues. All of us even got unexplainable tummy booboos. But despite these inconveniences we encountered in El Nido, it was surely one for the books. It is because I’m with my Supermoon/El Nido 3+ friends. The trip was filled with laughter. And it’s not an ordinary kind of laughter, it is the kind that will surely make you roll on the floor splinting your abdomen with your arms. It is because of these friends that I never looked at the sunset the same way again. LOL

2. The EAT Girls

We were formerly called The Breakfast Club, but as the days went by, one by one, members of TBC were slowly leaving. And then we were reduced to three. Maine, Jewel and the prettiest Me hahaha! The EAT girls are nothing but foodies. We couldn’t let any day pass without shoving food into our mouths. Needless to say, we love food. We all think that Ministop Chicken is the best tasting fried chicken in the world! No wonder we’re getting bigger and bigger every single day. 😁

Did I mention our love for food? LOL

3. Buena Familia

Well I don’t think this item in my list needs to be explained though. I intended not to include Buena Familia in my list last year coz I featured them in a separate blog post, you may check it here. Therefore, these bunch of crazy but loveable people are no longer strangers here, they are already hall of famers. I love each of them to bits! And I look forward to lots travelling with them this year. 

Odette and Marvin are adopted. I repeat, ADOPTED! hahahaha!

4. Third Party Risk Manila Team

I never post anything about work. But this time, I’m going to make an exception. The TPRM Team, I have already mentioned them in a previous blog (click here). I went to Inflatable island with them last summer. And I was very blessed to be part of this team officially on the last quarter of 2017. I never felt so welcome the way this team welcomed me. I felt so loved, and they’re always there to help me learn every step and stumble of everything at work. I’ve stated this before and i’ll say it again, it is not very often that you feel you belong to a group instantly, and I STILL feel that sense of belongingness with these people until this very moment.

5. Tapdasan Bloodline

But of course! How could I not include them? I always put my family at the pedestal. Whether the situation entails sleepless nights or spending big chunks of moola just to be with them, esp on christmas and new year. I don’t mind doing those for them and I don’t intend to stop until my dying day. Now, I need to stop this cheesyness! 😝

Here's us, together with the Garlito's last Christmas.

That’s it guys! It was a really awesome 2017. I hope and pray that 2018 is going to be much more awesome. Happy New Year everyone!

Stumble, Fall And Rise – The Inflatable Island PH Experience

“I feel the earth move under my feet, I feel the sky tumbling down”, the lyrics of Carole King popping in my ears as I, together with the Third Party Risk Management team, am on my way to Inflatable Island Philippines. We all boarded the van, some are asleep, and some are chit-chatting, while me, I am just on my earphones acting nonchalant. I am trying to hide the excitement within me, my heart pounded wildly as we entered SCTEX. The lyrics of Carole King’s song is explaining it though hahaha!

We arrived past 10am. Quite late for our 2-hour pass which is supposed to start at 10am until 12nn. It took a while for us to settle down and change, leaving us only 30 minutes to enjoy the Inflatable Island. And I tell you, it was the wildest 30 minutes of my life! After the briefing, we donned our life vests and went straight to the fun! It was a struggle upon entering the island. The flooring is slippery and wobbly so it was very difficult to balance. I stumbled and fell into the water a number of times. There were 14 obstacles all in all but given that we were already late, we just tried 2 out of 14, the Giant Tarzan Swing & Slide and Jumping Pillow (the complete list and map is below). My apologies for the very few photos taken on the island, as what heywatermelon girl said in her blog, “It is when you lose your focus on taking pictures that you know you are having pure happiness”, this is genuinely true and I couldn’t agree more – check her out here.

Photo from http://www.theinflatableisland.com/

Aside from the playground and the Bali inspired cabanas, there are these trendy floaties by the shore. We took the opportunity to pose and shoot some Instagram worthy photos. No need for words on these shots I suppose, *wink.

As the sun started to set, we took some shots, packed up and left. It was indeed a fun weekend. You know as well as they say, time wasted at the beach is time well spent. All the stumbling and falling were all worth it. What's important is that we rise after we fall.

Meet our non-human companion - Joon Jae.

Special thanks to the Third Party Risk Management team Manila for the invite! It’s not very often that you feel you belong to a group instantly, and I felt that sense of belongingness with you guys (cheesy but true hahahaha!).

Buena Familia – My Favorite!

It was a bit of a surprise when I didn’t include Buena Familia in my annual routine blog, People of My Year (2016). Yes, they were very significant in my 2016 and yes, they’ve been one of the group of people who gave it soul. Originally, I intended to include them in my annual list but I came to think it through, Buena Familia is so special and dear to me to be just included in a list. 

So here’s the reason. This year, is our 2nd anniversary. We all met summer time of 2015 on a great escapade to Cagbalete Island, Quezon Province. I never expected that trip to be so worth remembering until today, 2 years later. 

Who are we?

Buena Familia is a group of 5. Yet again I say, we share one common denominator - The Love for Travel.

• Mami (or Mommy) Tina – the matriarch of the group. She is the girl who looks after everyone else and makes sure no one goes past the line of good, clean fun. Mami Tina is a great adventure partner because she supports us wherever we want to go but will definitely warn me if, say, the mountain I want to trek up is too much for my asthma. 

• JB – I put him next to Mami as he is her favorite son. We don’t take it against him right Mei? Hahaha! He is undoubtedly kind-hearted and well grounded. JB’s a bit of an introvert, but I am at times surprised at how much insight he can offer. And since he is an introvert, he too, is low maintenance. JB is the perfect companion for chill adventures like road trips and late night bonfires.

• Ray-Ray – the group’s “Ate” or big sister. What’s special about Ray2 is that, even if we don’t see her too often, she makes sure that we are loved by her. I miss you Ray!

• Mei-Mei – But of course! The spear header! He has a knack for finding places and generally not getting lost. No wonder he has tons of public relation skills. He is a kind of companion who would probably find the best route to our destinations, leaving us more time to actually enjoy where we're going.

• And then, there’s ME, Lil. I am more of the - you-live-only-once (YOLO) friend. I am game to do all high-adrenaline activities, seek out the secret hideouts, and try the most bizarre delicacies despite the fact that I have the most irritable tummy patterns hahaha! It is just because, I really want each adventure to be a memorable one.

We are given a lot of choices in this world. And one of those is the freedom to choose your friends. Not just friends, but great travel companions. An adventure isn't complete wihout them, Buena Familia, my favorite people in the world! With them I found the perfect travel and adventure buddies. #travelgoals #friendshipgoals

My Modelling Career in Ilocos?!?!

The Buena Familia (minus the boys), travels to the Northern Philippines on an epic road trip adventure covering Paoay, Laoag, Pagudpud and Vigan. We explore the best local spots in each city. We would come to find that Ilocos is one of the most unknown and best kept secret in the Philippines. We visited the famous Paoay Church which is declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 1973 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines in 1993. The Paoay sand dunes as we take a jeep a go 4x4 extreme off-roading and sand boarding in the desert. Kapurpurawan Rock formation in Burgos, Ilocos norte, Patapat Viaduct, the Blue Lagoon Hannas beach resort in Pagudpud which is known as the Boracay of the North. We also went to Vigan in Ilocos Sur to taste the best foods that this historic city has to offer.



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Mt. Talamitam, truly TalamitAMAZING!

There’s this one article I’ve read before. Seven travels to help heal your broken heart, the title of the article says. I cannot anymore enumerate all 7, blame it on short term memory loss, but I remembered, one of the travels mentioned is Mountain Climbing (it’s actually number 1 on that list). I for one is not a mountain girl. Yes, I grew up in the mountainous town of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur. But I never intended to be a mountaineer. Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against it. It just happens that, I am more of a beach person (Lil Mermaid as some of my friends call me). Anyway, one of the odds is that, I got invited to a “fun climb” to Mt.Talamitam on the first weekend of March 2017. I thought to myself, hey why don’t I give it a try?

Fast forward to March 4, 2017. I found myself in a bus bound for Nasugbu, Batangas. We registered at the jump off point. We were a group of 12, so the locals required us to have a guide.

We then started trekking. Chin-wagging and sharing some laughs. At first I was still ok. But after 30 mins into the climb, I was already panting. Out of respect and shame, I still went thru the trek with the group. Until some minutes later I felt nauseous. I sat down grappling to that very thin oxygen up there. I heard two wheezes while breathing, I panicked! And yes, I am asthmatic. I thought I couldn’t do it anymore. I told the rest of the group to go ahead and I’ll just catch up. After some cheering from the group, I got up and went on!

The climb was then smooth. It drizzled a little but it wasn’t bothersome. We did a few more take five’s, picture takings, water breaks, etc. The only thing on my mind at that time was reaching the summit of Mt.Talamitam!

It was when I was at the summit of this mountain, in awe of the beauty before me, I uttered, “This is it, finally!” It was like love at first sight. The view up there was so incredible, that I was not able to keep in the deluge of my emotions. I shed a tear, yes it’s true! I loved every minute of catching my breath and carrying the heavy load of my backpack. I didn’t care if I am dirty, sweaty, and devoid of any make-up, which is very unlikely of me. I didn’t care how I look as long as I am comfortable. I felt free of all worries.

Now going back to the article. Moving on from heartbreak is never easy. Breaking away from your usual routine and trying something new usually helps, and travel easily fulfills these requirements. The act of traveling in itself, especially to a new place, can be an effective balm to a broken heart. Now I understand why Mountain Climbing was number 1 on that list. Just like the heartbroken climbers (not that I am heartbroken as well lol) I was able to reach the summit of this mountain and stood at the top feeling a sense of accomplishment and release. Reaching the mountaintop can somehow give that measure of confidence that if you can climb a mountain, perhaps you can also survive a broken heart.

Plus, the trail, especially as difficult as Mt. Talamitam, demands your full attention. For the several hours during your climb and descent at least, your misery and woes will be pushed to the backseat as you face the beauty and danger of the mountain.

This climb to Mt.Talamitam is my first and legit climb. Somehow at the end of it all, I can now tell myself that I did something that is way out of my comfort zone and yeah, I did something worthwhile. If you ask me, will it be my last? The answer is NO! Am I up for another climb? Hell YES! ;)

Here are some photos taken by me and other members of the group. May these shots show that our climb was truly TalamitAMAZING!

Team "Fun Climb" at the summit of Mt.Talamitam

Photo Credits: Tey

Photo Credits: Jams

Of course! How could I forget? Special shoutout to our organizer, Sir Jams!

Photo Credits: Marvin

Here's Marvin and his Signature Jumpshot

Photo Credits: Ned

Photo Credits: Rick