What Leader A Country Needs

On May this year, a new leader will be appointed here in the Philippines. To be a leader requires service, dedication, perseverance, flexibility, and courage. 

In my own unbiased opinion, here are the several factors that a leader must have

1. THE LEADER MUST KNOW HOW TO HANDLE PEACE AND ORDER. Each country has its own sets of crimes. Should it be international conflicts, or national disputes, the leader must know how to control these problems and try to get their hands on these issues as much as possible. The leader must strategize and must impose righteous rules and regulations in his/her country og governance. The leader must be able to show the people that he is capable of maintain peace and order. 

2. THE LEADER MUST BE ONE OF US. Yes, I mean, literally one of us. How is the leader supposed to know the problems as much if he/she doesn't experience it firsthand? How is the leader supposed to solve the problems as effective as he/she can all he/she does is look at it or hear about it? The leader must know what it's like to just be a normal citizen. 

3. THE LEADER MUST UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE WITH HIS/HER PEOPLE. Efficient leadership can be achieved with the mutual understanding between the leader and the people. The leader must know about the people's way of life in order for his/her ruling to be as effective as it can be. The leader must be approachable in times of needs and must act right away. We, the people, need someone we can count on and we definitely need someone who knows us so that he/she will know what to do with our needs. 

4. THE LEADER MUST BE ABLE TO KEEP PROMISES. "A person who is koyal to his/her promises, is a person of honor and respect." Our country has suffered countless natural disasters and calamities. When these times come, leaders are expected to act upon the problem as quickly as possible because frankly speaking, there are thousands of families who are affected by these disasters and they all need help. When aid comes, the leader must know how to allot these goods to those who are in need and not just keep it to himself/herself for business/personal purposes. I mean, these aids are for the people affected! They need the food, the clothing, and the shelter in order to survive and who is he/she to take that away from them? The leader must know how to keep his/her promises to his/her people. 

Travelogue Philippines: Butuan & Surigao

Luzon,Visayas, & Mindanao - these are the 3 major islands in the Philippines. Bohol, my hometown, is found in Visayas. Since my friends and I have been living in Visayas our whole life, we decided to go to the South. Mindanao is a place of utter beauty! It is where we can find the Enchanted River, Asia's Longest Zipline, and many other sights that are truly worth traveling for. Since Mindanao isn't like the Visayas wherein the islands are separated by the sea, you will spend more time on the road. I took this picture when we were on the plane going back home to Cebu.







April 1, 2015
At 7 PM (19:00), our ship, Cokaliong Shipping Lines, departured from Pier 1, Cebu City. Since allthe other accommodations were full, we had to stay at the cabin. My friends and I were really impressed. Everything was clean, well-organized, the beds were very comfortable to sleep in - considering we had a long sail ahead of us, and the air-conditioning system was very efficient. As soon as we finished our dinner which consisted of noodles and some chips, we all drifted off to sleep. Here's a shot of our cabin with Joshua's back facing the camera.

April 2, 2015
In the morning, we were finally able to see a glimpse of Butuan City from the ship when we woke up. The mountains looked very glorious as dawn finally set in. A few minutes past 7 AM, we finally arrived and disembarked the ship. My friend's family picked us up and welcomed us to their home, where we stayed for a few days.

On our first day in Butuan City, RB's family took us on a trip to several places - the first being D.A.P. (Delta Adventure Park). As seen in the picture, DAP had many fun activities ready for the tourists. Their adventures included Asia's Longest Zipline which spanned 1.3 kilometers, now how long is that! Aside from the 1.3 kms zip line, you could also choose the shorter one - 400 m. If you aren't a fan of heights, then you can try the ATV Ride, and maybe even the Zorball which was so much fun for us! Here's a photo of us before riding the Zorball

It was, indeed, a terrifying yet a scream-worthy experience. I would try this again in a heartbeat! After the rest of my friends were done riding the Zorball, we drove to the other part of the park where there was a swimming pool! Because it was dark already and the swimming pool was to close at 6 PM (18:00), we decided that it wasn't very smart to still go for a swim so we headed straight home.

April 3, 2015

After eating our breakfast in RB's house, we then headed for a short roadtrip to the famous Agusan Bridge. As a Civil Engineering student, I can truly state that the bridge was well-built and held a beauty at a towering height! It was a good sight to look at. After a few shots were taken with the bridge as the background, we drove to Almont Resort where we ate our lunch and had a few deserts. Indeed, their pizza was mouthwatering. Additionally, their desert was delicious! I ordered the Almont Choco Molten Lava (warm brownie with vanilla ice cream on top & Chocolate sprinkles) and it was worth it! After eating our lunch, we headed to Amontay Beach Resort.






Right after checking in at Amontay Beach Resort, we decided to rest for a few minutes while ordering our dinner. Amontay's food was delicious, as well. We ordered sisig, fried chicken, beef soup, etc. We wanted to kayak already after eating our dinner but it was too dark  outside and it wasn't allowed anymore so we settled for the swimming pool. Nevertheless, Amontay's pools were creatively built with a bar and a few fountains. After nightswimming, we then called it a day and decided to wake up early so we'd have the chance to Kayak before the sun would soar too high the next day. Here's a shot of the pool at night:

April 4, 2015

Before the sun even rose, I decided to wake up my friends so that we could Kayak at dusk. Soon enough, all of us were finally awake and headed straight to the watersports section of the resort. at around 6 AM, we were able to start kayaking. We had so much fun and it was very convenient since it wasn't that hot out. After a few more hours spent strolling at the beach, we took a few pictures since it was our last day already. Here's a shot of us kayaking:

After we checked out, we made our way to Robinson's Mall to eat our late lunch and bought pasalubongs (bring home) for our family back home. Since our supposed ship would departure from Surigao, we headed there through car. Before going to the port, Tito showed us the mined mountains and the mining business in Surigao. We took pictures and realized soon after that we lost track of time already! Tito hurried up in driving toward the port where our ship, Cokaliong (again), would depart. When we arrived at the port, it was already too late. I had a class the day after which meant that we really had to go home, so we decided to take the airplane that was bound to departure from Butuan Airport early the next morning. We headed back to Butuan and stayed the night in my friend's house.

April 5, 2015
We woke up extra early so that we wouldn't miss our flight. After eating our breakfast at the carenderia (local eatery) outside the airport, we bid our goodbyes to RB's parents, which were very hospitable during our stay. We were beyond happy that we were, in fact, early for our flight and we were quite excited to head home to Cebu City.

We had tons of fun in Mindanao and if we could, then we would visit again! Maybe in the mere future. I had a great time with my boyriend, Joshua, his sister, Sheena, and RB! It was an exciting trip!

FOOTNOTES/FAQs:

1) Where can I purchase Cokaliong tickets?

Go to their website: Cokaliong Shipping Lines. Check their ticketing outlets. Rates and accommodations can be checked in their website as well. 

Travelogue Philippines: Malapascua Island




Malapascua Island - a truly breathtaking escape for relaxation and silence. This island is located a few kilometers from the tip of North Cebu, Maya. Overall, I found Malapascua a great place to be in especially for a getaway with your partner, friends, and family! Although it isn't surrounded with the best aquabiotic life, Malapascua offers exceptionally beautiful white sand beaches that stretches all throughout the island. It's silence and peaceful environment also adds to the comfort that the island gives. I was blessed enough to share this experience with my boyfriend, Joshua.










January 2, 2016

We woke up at 3 A.M in order to catch the early bus going to Malapascua. At around 4 A.M, we ate breakfast at Mcdonals across Metro Colon and left for North Bus Terminal at around 4:30 A.M. We took the 01K jeepney going there that costs just Php 8/person The bus we took was Ceres Liners (the open-air) and left at about 5 A.M. The bus ride costs Php 163/person but since we were students, we received a 20% discount so we ended up paying Php 130/person. Although the leg room was quite small, the ride going to Maya was fairly good, considering I had a fun seatmate to be with. We took videos of the beaches and mountains we passed by during the trip. After a long 4-hour bus ride, we finally arrived in Maya New Port, where the route stopped.







From Maya New Port, there is a small boat bound for Malapascua Island. Normally, the passenger capacity is 26 persons but since we were only 4 people (Joshua and I, and two other Korean people we didn't know), then we offered to pay more since we wanted to go already. Each of the four of us ended up paying Php 200 which I thought was okay since we had the small boat all to ourselves, making it a comfortable 30-minute trip. As soon as we reached the jetty port of Malapascua, a flatboat received us from the small boat. Since it was low-tide and the small boats couldn't dock nearer to the shore, then it was necessary for flatboats to come and pick us up. The flatboat costs Php 20/person. Tuh-duh, we have arrived in Malapascua!







The resort we have chosen was SLAM's Garden Resort. It takes just around 2 minutes to get there from the Jetty Port. It wasn't a beach-side resort but it offered great amenities and a large pool so we were more than happy with it. The room was Php 2,550 /night for an air-conditioned room. It was a 24-square-meter room (if I'm not mistaken), you can either choose 2 single beds or 1 double bed, a private bathroom equipped with hot & cold shower, a private balcony (pool & garden view), Free breakfast, and a wardrobe.







After we got settled in our room and rested for a while, we decided to see what the island had to offer so we rented a motorcycle (w/ a driver) that cost us around Php 100 for drop - off and pick-up around the island as we great shots of the beach. It was around 3 P.M when we got back to the resort. Knowing that we still had time to kill, we rented a pumpboat and went snorkelling. The guys-in-charge took us to 3 snorkelling spots. The first 2 spots were mainly focused on marine life. We were able to see lots of fishes but sadly, it wasn't the best snorkelling spot to be in. Only a few corals were there. The third spot happened to be the shipwreck. According to them, the Japanese ship sank in World War 2. As soon as I took sight of the remains of the skeleton of the ship, I immediately got scared and went back to the pumpboat but they said it was normal for first-timers to feel that way. On the other hand, Joshua quite took it well and enjoyed the view. I got used to it after a while and actually enjoyed looking at it. We paid Php 400/person for everything and it was indeed worth it. After everything, we got back to the resort at 5 P.M. We rested for a few minutes and decided to eat dinner at a local barbecue nearby. The barbecue cost us around Php 50/person considering we ate a lot. After dinner, we decided to call it a day.







January 3, 2016

We woke up at around 7 A.M in the morning. We took our free breakfast at the resort and it was exceptionally delicious. Joshua ordered Filipino breakfast while I order American Breakfast. After eating, we decided to swim at the resort's swimming pool and took pictures and several videos there. We were finished at around 9 A.M so we decided to stroll along the beach of Malapascua. Strolling got us to the other side of the island. We took great shots of the beach, the resorts, and the trees. After we got to see more of the beach, we decided to go back and check-out. We checked-out at around 10:30 and took the 11 A.M small boat going back to Maya. The ticketing is located right at the jetty port of Malapascua. Again, we took a flatboat (Php 20) that took us to the smallboat (bangka), paid Php80/person for the smallboat going to Maya, took another flatboat from the smallboat to the Old Port (another Php20/person) and finally in Maya. Since the old port was quite far from the bus terminal, we rode a motorcycle going to the Ceres terminal (Php 15/person). We were able to take the 12 noon bus that left for Cebu City(North Bus Terminal). Again, we paid Php 130 for the bus ride. Since it was time for people to go back to the city because of the end of Christmas and New Year Holidays, the bus was packed and the traffic was bad. We arrived in Cebu at around 5:15 P.M ehich marked the end of our trip. I had lots of fun and everything was worth It!

FOOTNOTES/FAQs

1) How to go to Malapascua:

Mactan International Airport - North Bus Terminal / Hire a van (may or may not be provided by the resort with extra charge) / GrabTaxi / Taxi - May stop at either the New Port or at the Old Port (both are located in Maya) - Ride a bangka (as Filipinos would call it) to Malapascua 

2) How much should the budget be?

Here is a rundown of the initial expenses: 

BUS - Php 163 (non-aircon) x2(for return trip)

Php 190 (aircon) x2(for return trip)

Bangka - Php 80 x2(for return trip)

Flatboat- Php 20 x2 =Php 40  x2(for return trip)

Lodging/Inn/Hotel = P700-P8000/night(depending on your hotel preference)

+

Miscellaneous e.g. Snorkeling, Diving, Island Hopping, Marine Fees, Food 

=Php 1600 - Php 9000

3) Where can I book hotels? 

You can book the best hotels at BOOKING.COM

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

My favorite poet, 

-Dylan Thomas, 1914 - 1953-

Suddenly Miss You

Daddy,

I suddenly miss you. I suddenly miss your warm embrace whenever I felt upset. I suddenly miss our long talks at dinnertime, discussing politics, daily news, and other interesting ideas.

I suddenly miss your voice – how much you’d congratulate me whenever I had achievements. You always shared the best engineering stories. I suddenly miss your laugh whenever I’d tell the corniest jokes. I just miss you.

Over the years, it became a habit to call you after school and tell you how my day went but now I don’t have you to listen to my rant anymore. It’s lonely without you.

You always believed in me. You always do. Whenever I failed, you’d hug me and tell me that it will be okay, and that every failure is a sign for me to do things better. Whenever I aced my test, or even had high scores, you were the first one I always told.

You’d always tell me to be strong and yes, I was strong especially in that hospital room. It would be so selfish of me to just keep on crying when I knew it was your last few days with me, with us. So, I kept my strength in tact. Every minute that passed by, you became weaker. I couldn’t stand being weak when you already were. So, I kept talking to you. Even though you couldn’t talk, I knew you were listening. I recalled our happy moments together – our swimming lessons when I was as young as 4 years old, our travels around the world, and our father-daughter moments.

Doctors came in and out, each wearing that emotionless smile on their faces. I already knew what was coming. I fell apart each time you’d wince at the smallest injections. It hurt to see your tears. I knew what you wanted. You wanted everything to stop. You wanted to go home and watch the sun rise and set and fall in love with the world again. You wanted to spend your days at home – the home you built and fell in love with over the years; but you couldn’t. I was with you in every step of the way. I always sat by your side and held your hand while you slept.

Each night in the hospital room, I’d whisper you my promises and told you that everything would be okay. You smiled and squeezed my hand tighter. For each promise I whispered, tears would fall from your eyes. Those blue eyes that always looked at me like I was going to be a really successful Civil Engineer soon. That was when I knew I was experiencing something much more than crying – I felt heartbreak. I longed for everything to turn out well. I longer for the doctors to just say that it wasn’t actually a tumor and that it wasn’t cancer; but it was already there and you were already weak. I just had to accept that I would lose you. Too soon.

On the 29^th of May 2015, you breathed your last. 4 days after my birthday, 2 months after my High School graduation, and 10 days until my first day in college. I still remember the way you looked at me as you were hanging on for dear life– I knew what that look meant. You wanted to tell me that you would always be with me – in good times and in bad. You wanted to tell me how much you loved me and I know you still do. You wanted to tell me how proud you were. You wanted to tell me that I would always be your little girl. You wanted me to dream higher; and most of all, you wanted to bid me goodbye. The hand I used to hang on to whenever I was lost or whenever I felt lost became cold – steady and lifeless. Gone.

College started off good. I was in the right track with the right friends and high grades. Everything went well. I went home enervated after my class one day and instantly fell into a deep slumber and I dreamt of you.

In that dream, we were running across a field – full of grass and the most colorful flowers. We were laughing and felt as if there was not a single problem surrounding us. Everything was beautiful. I remember that one question I asked, “Daddy, are you happy?” You looked at me and I saw the most exquisite smile I never thought you’d wear. You poked my nose the same way you always did when you were proud of me and I never felt happier in my entire life than that day. I miss you, daddy!

Who Am I To You

Petrified, I truly am. 

Who am I to you? 

Am I someone special? 

That one girl you can talk to for hours about something, anything, 

Or even everything? 

Am I that one girl you think is worth it? 

Am I someone meritorious? 

That one girl you can be proud to call "mine"

Am I that one girl you are happy to have? 

Am I someone you're scared of losing? 

That one girl you'd fight for? 

One who can let you drop all your trepidation just for you to understand that true fear is losing her? 

or am I just someone? 

Just someone? 

Finally

Wandering mind. 

Wondering soul. 

Your words turning into hums of melodious harmony playing in my head repeatedly. 

Catching every breath of anxiety left in me. 

Leaving me breathless, speechless. 

Making me hang on to each message and giving it definition. Overseeing what every word brings. 

I finally have hope. 

I finally believe.

Solemnity

A poem for mommy during her special day 

14th of December, 2014

As you see the sight right through your eyes,

Keep in mind my birthday surprise,
But nothing will ever be as beautiful as you
Watch the beauty of the skies that are blue

The peaceful waters? You're as solemn inside,

And so as yourself and your love that you can never divide,
Not only does this place remind me of the great things that God can do,
But it also secured my thought that He matched me with you

I brought you here so that you would have something to realize,

And it's the fact that I will always be by your side,
And to face this world, we'll together be brave.
Yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever, I will always stay,

Together, we've been through so much challenges and hardships,

But just like the hills that stick by each other, we will hold on to our grips,
We will go through each of them hand in hand,
Together, in the end, both of us will stand.

You are my mother, and I am your daughter,

We'll defend each other because we will never have another,
No matter the challenges, no matter the problems we've gone through,
Whatever happens, I will always love you

Discombobulation

Hues of blues and greens fill the world – looking like a masterpiece.

People of different races fill the lands – society.

Tremendous amounts of problems arise – challenges.

 Now, is the world really beautiful? Or is it just pure chaos?

It’s a discombobulation. 

We live in a world where ups and downs are evident in our daily lives. 

True beauty is imperfection.

Just like how the Earth is.

 It’s a beautiful chaos.

And

It is our home.