Samar: Through the Lens (and Photoshop)

Six Months After 

All For Them

Somewhere in Samar

In Quinapondan, to be specific.

Volunteering is buffet for your soul and, boy, is my soul stuffed! Health Futures Foundations, Inc. recently launched Kalinaw Samar!, a program centered in providing psychosocial relief alongside the continuous rendering of medical missions to Yolanda survivors. 

'Kalinaw' in Waray is 'peace of mind' (or something of that sort).
It's quite a deep word, that Kalinaw.

Ever heard of the municipalities of Giporlos, Marabut, Quinapondan, and Salcedo in the news? Nope? What sets this program - and other post-Haiyan rehabilitation programs by HFI - from other medical missions is that it caters to municipalities that media coverage fails to shed their saving light on. This only reflects the principle of the NGO's founder, Doc Jimmy Galvez-Tan (for passionate people who wan to serve in the community, this website is a must-read), which is to serve the poorest of the poor.

Aside from feeling fulfilled and perhaps checking an item off your bucket list, another pro of joining this mission is that you practically spend nothing and receive all the love and gratitude from the people you help. Feeling psyched (pun unitended. Promise.) to join? Here's how:

Bataan: Through the Lens (and Photoshop)

Bitch by the Beach

Bubbling Waves

Press 'Start' To Play

Mayo Uno sa Mariveles

While people violate each other's intimate zones in Boracay during its biggest weekend, my former workmates and I decided to hit another less populated beach: Mariveles, Bataan! Mariveles is at the tip of Bataan and you can actually see it from Manila Bay (at least according to dear Wiki). I, for once, never have thought that this holds a beautiful gem of a beach and other natural surprises.

View from Manila Bay.
(c) wikipedia.org

Puerto Galera: Through the Lens (and Photoshop)

Pearls and Beads

Welcome to Puerto Galera. Welcome to Paradise.

Gala ba kamo? Sa Puerto Galera na yan!

According to dear Wiki,

Puerto Galera is the northwesternmost municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It is located at the southwestern end of the Isla Verde Passage, about 130 kilometers (81 mi) south of Manila.

Definitely! And the only one so far in RP! Woooh!

Let's break it down. It's in Mindoro so you have to take a boat! Wiiiii! Despite how much I love the sea, it has never loved me back (and even 'tried to kill me' in several instances). It is near the Isla Verde Passage which has been termed as the "Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish Biodiversity". Diving spot? Definitely. Puerto Galera has also received the "Most Beautiful Bay in the World" Award and the only one in the Philippines to receive such award so far.

Yoohoo!

Hi! Yeah, you! Thank you for stumbling upon my blog. After much rambling of my brain innards, I decided to start a public blog since what's the point of keeping a private one if you won't share it for the world to know (thank you iBlog for instilling that in me).

This blog will be about my travel adventures, though not as many as they are right now, so I can help my fellow aspiring backpackers to plan their itinerary and of course their budget. I hope you enjoy reading my posts as I enjoyed writing them. Again, thank you! Hopefully, we'll bump into each other and we can swap stories and travel tips. ;)

- Paulo

Probably my first and last selfie in this blog.
Groupies are not counted as selfies right? Haha.
(c) Cayton