The new Philippine tourism slogan unveiled today by the Department of Tourism

Why the Philippines? Because it’s more fun in the Philippines!” -DOT Sec. Mon Jimenez

Its more than a mouthful compared with the more short and catchy slogans of our Asian neighbors, but the new tourism slogan, which was designed by advertising firm, BBDO Guerrero | Proximity Philippines (BBDO was also the one behind the successful WOW Philippines a few years back), unveiled this morning by the Department of Tourism’s secretary, Mon Jimenez, is, well, interesting and good with the official Twitter hashtag #1ForFun:

It’s more fun in the Philippines

Just minutes after the announcement, #itsmorefuninthePhilippines and #1ForFun were trending in the country and my Tweetdeck timeline was scrolling down fast with friends’s tweets.

And what about the logo? Its simple, colorful and way better than the controversial Pilipinas kay Ganda unveiled last year which was more childish and, allegedly plagiarized from another country’s tourism design. I do love the map design which, from a distance, looks like a pixelized version but upon closer inspection is actually a section of a banig, native woven mat. It does say something about our culture and traditions symbolized in the briefest way possible without losing its significance.

It is just attractive, colorful and beautiful. Something that I’m sure Pinoys and most travel bloggers will support.

Now that the slogan has been unveiled and advertising plans put in place, I just hope that we go beyond sloganeering. First and foremost, the government should get their focus and mobilize to address the following:

• Infrastructure. We should make our tourism sites accessible as possible. Is the programmed P140B+ economic building stimulus fund include tourism revitalization and support?
• Cut down red tape, streamline tourism related tax issues  and apply standardized but tourist friendly rates.
• Train people and communities to be tourist friendly but at the same time protective what they have in their midst. I’ve come across many communities that have many heritage treasures but they don’t know its potential for their town.
• and so many things that we still have to address in order to reach the planned 10 million visitors.

There’s still a long way to go and I do hope we do our part as well. The slogan is already reflective of what we are as Filipinos and what we have in our country and let’s do make it happen.

A passenger at Cagayan de Oro's Agora terminal

I was laying on my bed, staring into the ceiling, looking at nothing. But my mind was elsewhere, ruminating, pondering. Where will I go? What will I do? What new things to discover this year, 2012? Such wide open questions but not immediately needing answers.

Of course, I need to finish off all three provinces that I still haven’t visited: Zamboanga Sibugay, Apayao and Siquijor. That’s definite. To finally and proudly say I’ve done it!. How many Filipinos have just done the feat? Ivan About Town is one that I know of. And I’m very much confident that there’s a few more.

Boatman heading to Pilar in Camotes

Indonesia end to end was also one of the options. Let’s just see. But lately, especially in the last few months of 2011, I’ve been thinking of doing month long stays in remote places to better appreciate these less visited areas: Batanes, some small islands in Palawan, Sibutu…

While I had a great travel year in 2011, it is but natural to expect that this year will even be better. But does that mean more foreign destinations? More trips locally? Or go for something different? I’ve been to most places in the country, I think, a better mileage than many travel bloggers out there. But for me, most tourist places are becoming tourist traps and are boring and festivals are becoming templates of each other.

Well, let’s just see. The best travels I had were those that were spur of the moment than planned. Where the adrenaline rush was seeing a piece of beautiful architecture for the first time, swimming in a not so discovered strip of beach in some remote islets. Where the sense of awe was profound, like when coming face to face with the remaining four pillars of the oldest mosque in the country in far off Simunul.

Let 2012 just unfold naturally and I’m sure I will always be on the road to somewhere.

The Marina Bay Sands and Art Museum in Singapore

The year 2011 is coming to a close and it’s time to look back and assess how my travels went during the year. Below are my top 10 reasons why I can proudly say that this year is MY YEAR OF TRAVEL!

Christ Church, Melaka, Malaysia

1 International travel
I didn’t expect that for this year alone, I was in three countries of which two, I got to travel twice. Airphil Express invited me for their maiden flight from Cebu to Hongkong and later Malaysia and Singapore for a cruising tour. It was a good opportunity to visit again these countries after a long while.

Later in the year, I got invited by a hostel in Singapore to visit their country plus a sidetrip to Melaka, all in the space of 10 days. It wasn’t enough though but it was an opportunity to know these two countries better.

A tamaraw in a sanctuary in Mindoro Occidental

2 Just 3 provinces more to go
I entered 2011 with just six provinces in the Philippines that I haven’t visited: Basilan, Mindoro Occidental, Biliran, Siquijor, Apayao and Zamboanga Sibugay. At the close of the year, only three remains with the first three in the list conquered! Unfortunately, it was the lack of time that hindered me from completing all, not even giving me a chance to drop by Zamboanga Sibugay when I was in Zamboanga City early this month. Next year, I will finish all these.

Jetski at Tubigon, Bohol

3 Its business plus leisure
What I do like about my work is that it affords me to go to places for business that can also be considered as leisure. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone. Early this year, I was in Tubigon, Bohol for a web design and photography client and, really, I was also enjoying the place, the sea and swimming.

The same reason that I was able to explore Calayan Island, Catanduanes, Mindoro Occidental and Maitum. These all started with some work related function and ended up as a leisure trip.

Caniwara Cove as seen from Nagudungan Hill in Calayan

Monkeys at Bongao Peak, Tawitawi. CLICK TO ENLARGE

4 Calayan + Tawitawi + Maitum + Palaui
Who would have thought that I will visit, finally, the Calayan group of islands in the Babuyanes! For decades, I’ve been wishing to go to these remote places. If not for Smart’s assignment of covering their activities there, I wouldn’t have visited it this year! And, oh, the memorable experiences and beautiful sceneries!

Surprisingly, I was able to visit Tawitawi twice this year, in a space of two weeks, after nearly a decade of first stepping on its shores. The second visit was a bit brief but it didn’t stop me from climbing Bongao Peak. When I came back for the third time, it was quite exciting with a sail to Simunul for the oldest mosque as well as spending a night at the police station was quite memorable.

Lastly, I was quite impressed with beautiful Maitum with its many tourism spots. Upon the invitation of Ms. Beth, LGU accountant, I came back a second time and went with them hiking, exploring waterfalls, caves and meeting native Tbolis.

My Lakbay Norte trip in January made my dreams come true with a trip to Sta. Ana in Cagayan. Of course, rugged Palaui Island with its lone lighthouse was in my bucketlist.

5 Travel photography workshop and blogging talks
I would want to consider it as giving back to the community when I was resource person for travel blogging and travel photography in some blogging and speaking events this year. First, there was the Cebu Blog Camp followed by the Blog and Soul Session. Then the traveling duo of the SoleSisters invited me to talk about travel photography at ROX. Spark 2011 also had me to talk about doing personal photography projects too.

In another development, I got invited by UP Film Institute to handle a short course on Travel Photography which I did early this year. This is my first and am looking for more schedules next year.

Windsurfers in Boracay

6 I came to love Boracay
Last year, I was asked by CNN Go to write about Boracay’s International Funboard Cup. This year, the organizers invited me to cover the event. Those few days in the island changed my perception, as one large tourist trap to one that I’ve come to love for its beauty and uniqueness as a travel destination. It will always be a place that I will always look forward to.

Pearl Ambassador

7 Ang Langyaw is a Pearl Ambassador
It’s a great honor to be conferred as a Pearl Ambassador, an environmental advocate of the seas, by Jewelmer together with two other bloggers. This puts us in the league of celebrities like Piolo Pascual, ahem, ahem, to cite.

A visit to their pearl farm in Palawan this year was an eye opener. Despite located in a remote and pristine area, the effects of global warming and climate change coupled with man’s greed and callousness is terribly alarming. Thus, the need to be concerned about our current state of the environment.

This is an honor with a deep responsibility and I’m thankful for Jewelmer for including me as one of their select ambassadors.

SoloFlightEd headstanding in Hongkong

8 Traveling and meeting other travel bloggers
It’s always a great thing to meet other travel bloggers either during meetups or travels together. In Hongkong, I was with SoloFlightEd who gamely posed for my camera doing head stands in several locations from as high as Ngong Ping to the MTR to the Walk of the Stars.

In Singapore, I was able to have coffee, and finally meet Solitary Wanderer and Ron, the other half of Flipn’Travels. Lost Boy Lloyd during the Blog and Soul talk, and several others, too many to mention. I’m hoping to meet more next year.

Pila article in Space Magazine

9 Travel writing and photography assignments and being published
I continue to be published with Space, Smile, Mabuhay, the Philippine Daily Inquirer (for the Calayan series)… these are just some of the publications where I saw my travel writing and photography work printed.

This is in addition to the international exhibitions, especially the highly regarded Noorderlicht Photo Festival and foreign publications like Geo (Germany) where my photography has also been shown.

Not to be forgotten, it was also heartwarming to see myself being featured in print as a travel blogger, a different kind of feeling. As for TV shows, unfortunately, I have to decline some guestings due to schedule conflicts. Maybe next year.

10 Traveling with my hun
With one ending early this year, another sprouted and meeting this beautiful person was one of the reasons that my travels have again been meaningful especially that both of you are together enjoying the food, the scenery and everything that happens during travel.

There you have it, the top 10 reasons why 2011 is my year of travel! Hoping to have a better and bigger year in 2012.

First off, I finally ticked off three of the remaining six provinces that I haven’t visited yet in the country. These are Basilan, visited for a few hours only while I was in Zamboanga City enroute to Tawitawi the following day; Biliran where I stayed overnight enroute to Daraga, Albay from Ormoc and Mindoro Occidental when I flew in and stayed for two nights going around their tourist spot.

Still to be visited, and I’m sure I will finish these next year are Apayao, Zamboanga Sibugay and Siquijor. I was supposed to go to Siquijor before the end of the year but never made it.

Another beautiful trip was finally visiting Babuyanes! I really loved that place especially Calayan’s unspoilt coves and beaches. Even reaching and leaving the place was memorable.

In the next post, I will be detailing more about my 2011 travel highlights.

Get your Philippine travel grade at Lakbayan.

My cancelled passport.

It was just a few months ago that my old passport was given an extension as I needed to fly to Singapore for a blogging trip. Before the said extension was approved, I was told to renew my passport ASAP even if the validity of the extended date is still two years from now. Also, wanting to have a brown e-passport, I had reason to go to the new DFA Visayas office in Mandaue City.

At the DFA atrium where people wait for their numbers to be called.

While the whole renewal process is just less than 1.5 hours, getting the priority number was more of a chore unlike in DFA Manila where one can set an online appointment.

Below are some points that I have observed during this passport renewal process two days ago:

• DFA Cebu office has already transferred to Mandaue City. It’s now infront of Gaisano Pacific Mall.
• be there as early as 4Am when the line is still shorter. Shorter line means you get to have those first few twenty numbers assuring you of finishing before lunch.
• Always be attentive especially when the guards start to give out the priority numbers else you’ll get farther numbers. The crowd can get excited and some will try to get infront of others.
• Once you get the priority number, DFA Mandaue will start processing applications only at 9AM. Either you go home and come back or just spend time at the Jollibee branch a few meters from the DFA office.
• DFA starts processing at 9AM but will call out minors first. If you have minor applicants, this is better as you can hand in your papers early than the rest. No priority numbers needed.
• Regular processing via priority numbers will then commence so just listen once your number is called. The rest is smooth and you’ll finish soon enough.

To avoid hassle free application processing, make sure all requirements are at hand. Photocopiers as well as LBC courier are also present inside the DFA so no need to look for copiers outside the building or arranging for a courier delivery of passports.

The Rizal 150 passport takes the traveler to 27 destinations that were significant in the life of Rizal

For the traveler, nothing’s more significant than retracing the steps of the national hero in 27 shrines around the country from Luzon to Mindanao and knowing better the life of the hero and the importance of each place. This heritage trail project, the first in the country was launched during the sesquicentennial and already, some have completed all sites having been stamped per destination.

For this travel blogger, I only lack a few more stops: one in Mindanao, one in Daet, Molo in Iloilo, then Antipolo, Paco Park, Malolos and Calamba in Laguna, his birthplace and will be blogging about each cluster or site starting next year.

The map with the venues to be stamped. CLICK TO ENLARGE

This is also known as the Lakbay Jose Rizal and is a joint project by Department of Tourism, Heritage Conservation Society, Intramuros Administration, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Cebu Pacific and the National Parks Development Committee. More info at the Rizal150 Facebook page.

A passenger looks through the bus window at the Lucena bus terminal

It was already 3 AM and my patience was running thin. Cat naps in between mosquito bite curses and asking, waiting for news of a bus going to Kalibo or direct to Iloilo and the feeling of helplessness, of waiting for nothing. What am I doing here? Why am I inflicting this on myself? I wasn’t part of an Amazing Race episode but, I was on a trip to home. Taking the plane to Cebu from Manila was the best option. But there I was, stranded in Caticlan, with her population still deep in slumber and no transportation available.

Traveling from Caticlan to Kalibo via van for hire. The pre-dawn trip was eerie and haunting but enjoyable. CLICK TO ENLARGE

It was a good seventeen hours, yes, 1-7, more than half a day, since I last boarded the bus in Makati bound for Batangas City, then a fastcraft to Calapan in Mindoro, a vhire to Roxas, Mindoro Oriental.

A six hour ferry ride to Caticlan and from there, should be another bus to Iloilo, a fastcraft to Bacolod, then another bus to San Carlos at the other side of Negros to board the last ferry bound for Toledo City in Cebu. Dizzying, don’t you agree? But to reach Talisay City in Cebu, my home, I still have to take one, last and final bus ride. And a tricycle.

A vendor selling vegetables during a brief bus stop in Atok, Benguet

Am I a masochist? A person who takes pleasure in pain? A disciple of the Marquis de Sade? No, I’m just an ordinary traveler who takes pleasure in doing it the hard and long way.

Habal-habal driver at a roadside in Davao City

But oh, boy, the sight of Mt. Mayon before the break of dawn when we arrived in Bicol was just mesmerizing that even until now, I can still picture it at the back of my head, two decades later.

I’ve been to far more longer trips: Manila – Laoag – Cagayan – Manila, Manila – Bicol – Samar – Leyte – Cebu – Negros, Panay – Mindoro – Batangas – Manila, Manila – Negros, Iloilo – Cuyo – Coron – Manila, Davao – Cagayan de Oro – Ozamiz – Dipolog – Siocon and back, Manila – Bangkok – Malaysia – Singapore – Manila… and I can just rattle off more places and destinations.

Before the boat sailed to Coron from Cuyo

It’s addicting. I’m addicted. Nevermind if I am having difficulty at times, lugging a backpack, camera and laptop. Of experiencing disappointments, meeting people, enjoying the scenery and food. But most important of all, these long trips afford me to think deeper, to plan or just staring out into the distance as the world just passes by.

Travel is not all about reaching the destination but making the journey the destination itself!

This is my entry to this month’s edition of the Pinoy Travel Bloggers’s Blog Carnival hosted by Kara Santos with the theme Travel is the destination.

A lad having fun at the beach in Tawitawi as the day is about to end

Mindanao, the Philippines’s second largest island has a veil of mystery draped around her. Feared by the uninformed but loved by those who know her true worth and beauty. This series is my tribute for Mindanao, where I’ve been crisscrossing over the years and where a part of me also comes from. I’m a son of Mindanao. In my veins flow the blood of the Subanens of Tangub City in Misamis Occidental who used to own that land, as far as the eye can see. It is from my paternal side that I have kissed its soil and breathed its air, with memories of bird and bat hunts, climbing trees, preparing coconuts for copra and just enjoying summer vacations amidst fertile fields.

Over the years, I’ve been traveling around this beautiful island, crisscrossing its mountains, plains and seas, and working in two of its major cities. It was where I found and lost love, twice, and found again.

It’s time to write about the land I’ve always loved, Mindanao.

Macaque monkeys waiting for us at Bongao Peak, Tawitawi

I’m in Bongao, the provincial capital of Tawitawi at the far southwestern end of the Philippines near Borneo. Yes, I’m traveling and this is my third day of a 13 day trip around both ends, west and east of Mindanao. It’s good to be back, as actually, I’ve been here before, but it was almost a decade ago.

How was my travel for the past three days? It was great! Zamboanga was a bit chaotic but the short trip around the old quarter was a lesson in history. The following day, I flew with a friend to Tawitawi and for the past thirty eight hours, I’ve tasted sati, climbed Bongao Peak for the second time and just went to the beach after.

Davao will be next, starting tomorrow and after a few days, will be back in Maitum to explore a waterfall. After that place, I’m still thinking of probably going to Maragusan Valley, or visit Lolong, the biggest crocodile in captivity. But that can change though depending on circumstances.

Do wish me luck!

The Singapore Flyer gives one a very good view of Singapore

I never imagined that this year, I’ll be doing lots of international travel, gratis et amore. First, there was Hong Kong followed by Singapore and Malaysia on a cruise. This time, I will be back in the two Southeast Asian countries upon the invitation of a hostel owner in Singapore. No, it won’t be R&R but still work, travel blogging though.

The trip is around 10 days but most of the time I will be in Singapore with one or two nights spent in Malacca, Malaysia visiting tourism sites, sampling the local cuisine and probably meet friends there, if time permits. I’m rather excited. Never have I spent this long in the small city state of Singapore but I would want to explore not only the popular attractions but some quirky stuff and also those that are not too touristy but worth visiting/featuring.

These Asian trip will happen at the start of October. Before that, I’ll be flying back to my home province of Cebu to visit a waterfall at the western side and then fly to Gensan. I’m not really sure what I will be doing there but I would want to visit Maitum and the burial caves there, if I have the time and contacts. If not, it will just be in the southern city and familiarize myself again as it has been ages since I was there.

Flying out of Manila starting tomorrow.