Three things you can do in Boracay this Holy Week

With a large number of people expected to troop to the paradise island of Boracay this coming Holy Week, environmentalists are stepping up their campaign to save the island too.

Greenpeace, in cooperation with Boracay Foundation and Boracay Yuppies, are reminding holiday-goers to protect the environment by doing three simple acts:

-Save energy by switching off and unplugging all electrical appliances when they leave their resort room;
- Reduce waste by bringing their own bag when they go out and saying no
to plastic bags, straws and sachets; and
- Walk more, to enjoy the beach and lessen air pollution.

This is something you can do in any part of the Philippines too.

Seair will be announcing the three simple acts from April 6 to
12 in their flights. Resorts as well as the local boat cooperative will be displaying project posters about what tourists can do help. Local TV cable stations Paradise Cable and Kalibo Cable will also be playing videos of Richard Gutierrez and Angel Aquino enjoining tourists to help make Boracay a greener destination.

Related posts:

E-jeepneys become legal

Electric jeepneys start plying in Makati…. for free!

Where to go, what to do during Holy Week 2009

I’ve received a few press releases from some friends, so I’d figure I’d do a little guide on where to go for Holy Week 2009 in the Philippines, including Easter:

1. Visita Iglesia. The Church Visit is quite common among Catholics,and the more churches, the better. I can still remember the times spent in my mother’s hometown in Bulacan and how authentic the commemoration of Christ’s suffering there was, with flagellants walking along the road. You’ll never see a better picture of Catholicism in action that in the week leading up to Easter Sunday.

2. Trek to Mt. Banahaw. Thousands will once again trek to the mountain deemed as holy by its devotees and who don’t mind making the long pilgrimage. While you’re in Dolores, Quezon, don’t forget to stay and sample the culinary offerings of Kinabuhayan Cafe.

3. Go on a retreat. Ateneo de Manila will be holding a Holy Week Triduum Retreat for its alumni, while those of us glued most of the time to the internet can join the Online Holy Week Retreat of the Jesuits.

4. Restaurants open in SM Mall of Asia on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. The mall will be closed, but dining establishments open are Bucharest, China Palace, Fish & Co, Gerry’s Grill, Guilly’s Island, Highlands Steakhouse, Italianni’s, Jatujak, Tanabe, TGI Friday’s & most restaurants in San Miguel By The Bay.

5. Kusina Salud Lenten Specials. One of my favorite restaurants south of the metro prepares a tempting array of fish and seafood treats from Holy Wednesday to Black Saturday. These are: Lumpiang Seafood Shanghai (P175), Bacalao Espanyol (P215), Kinamyasang Hipon (P245), and Bangus a la Pobre (P265). They also have an Easter Sunday Lunch Buffet at P399 per person plus an Easter Egg shell art activity for P350 per person. All these makes me want to make the lone drive, I swear ;)

6. IIntercontinental Manila’s Easter Wonderland. This Makati hotel holds a mass at 9:30 am and then the Easter fun begins at the Legaspi Room and the poolside garden. Activities include fabric painting, glitter tattoo, Time Zone machines, fashion parade by Osh Kosh B’Gosh, a magic show and of course, the great Easter Egg Hunt.

7. Be a beach bum. From Batangas to Puerto Galera, the beaches will surely be full. Boracay remains a popular spot and the new Fuego Hotel there, 7Stones, is offering a “stay two nights, get one night” promo. Perfect for honeymooners, I should say.

8. Hotel Promos Galore. Holy Week is the time when hotels give special rates, to take advantage of holiday revellers. For instance, Bellevue Manila offers its de luxe rooms at P4,000 net per night, inclusive of buffet breakfast for two at cafe d’Asie. Check out the friendly hotel near you.

For the past three years, the family has stayed in Manila and looks like it will be the same this year. I like it because traffic in Manila becomes such a breeze, and the season is really a time for resting and relaxing, not driving like crazy through the highways. Uh huh.

LP 52: Paboritong Litrato (Kalikasan)

Mahirap ang tema ng Litratong Pinoy ngayong linggo na ito kasi kailangang pumili ng paboritong photos. Mahirap kasi halos apat na libo na rin ang mga larawan ko sa Flickr, at ang iba namang paborito ko ay hindi na inabot ng digital age. Katulad ng mga coup d’etat nung late 80s at ang pagguho ng mga gusali sa Baguio. Kasagsagan pa yun ng aking mga coverage sa dyaryo. Sayang di ko iningatan kaya nawala na ang mga yun.

Ipapakita ko na lang ang ilang pictures sa mga paboritong lugar na napuntahan ko sa Pilipinas. Kung lalabas lang din tayong mga taga-Maynila ay masasabi nating pinagpapala pa rin ang Pilipinas sa angking ganda. Heto ang ilang magagandang tanawin:

us-usan sandbar

Us-usan Sandbar sa Guimaras. Di ko makalimutan ang lugar na ito kasi hanep sa pagka-birhen ang beach. Hindi rin dinadayo mg madlang people kaya heaven talaga pag pinuntahan mo.

Rice terraces

Banaue Rice Terraces. Sampung oras na byahe by bus pero sulit talaga pag pinuntahan mo. Sayang at di ako natuloy ng Sagada, minsan lang kasi ako magawi dito :(

Sunset

Terrazas de Punta Fuego, Batangas. Kahit wala sa Maynila, maganda pa rin ang sunset, laluna’t nasa tabing-dagat.

Halina’t magdiwang, 1st anniversary ng Litratong Pinoy. Ispesyal na pagbati sa mga taong naggugol ng oras para itayo at panatilihin ang grupong ito. Nice meeting you online! ;)

If you?re running in the 2010 elections & you?re not on Facebook, are you cool?

Sen. Mar Roxas is cool. Looks like he updates his Facebook status himself. And he added me as a friend, hehe. The better to be updated about this presidentiable’s activities.

Mar Roxas on FB

Whoa! Sen. Chiz Escudero has too many FB accounts, you’d never know which is which. I’ll go by the one where we have a lot of mutual friends :D

Chiz Escudero in FB

Not to be outdone is Among Ed Panlilio, the likeliest of the unlikely candidates.

Among Ed Panlilio

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro is still quiet about his plans. But there’s nothing more telling than the phrase “My Vision for the Country.” Sounds like this line was written by a bored copywriter but yes, we hear you Sir :D

Gilbert Teodoro

Add Sen. Loren as a friend?

Loren Legarda

Vice President Noli de Castro is too busy for Facebook. But his supporters put him here anyway ;)

Noli de Castro in FB

Hmmm, whatever happened to Erap and Sen. Manny Villar?

True, the 2010 elections will be decided by the majority who, unfortunately, don’t have internet connection. But I just find it thrilling to have groovy candidates who are just a Twitter update away.

And pardon me as am obviously Facebook-spotting right about now ;)

Cosplay, Manila-style

Even though we didn’t mean to be there, it was fun watching a Cosplay Tour now ongoing at the Cyberzone of selected SM malls in Metro Manila. Pics in this post were taken at the Mall of Asia yesterday.

IMG_4177

I used to think that cosplay or “costume play” is so NOT my generation, but was surprised to read a Wiki entry that as early as 1975, Caucasian fans dressed the part of their favorite characters in the Rocky Horror Show. Now, cosplay is identified with everything that’s manga, anime or J-pop, although it would also be cool to dress as Hermione in Harry Potter. That is kewl as well.

Cosplay characters are meant to be photographed. But it’s also interesting to know that they DO take time to conceptualize their costumes and come up with them. Some sew them, and even grapple with materials like foam, rubber and paint. Needless to say, they spend on their get-ups too. The SM tours award prizes to the best-dressed cosplayers.

On with the gallery:

"Iron Man" Hulk Buster

Iron Man, “Hulk Buster”

Incredible Hulk

Incredible Hulk!

Cell Jr. _Dragonball

Cell Jr. -Dragonball

Luffy

Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece

IMG_4153

College student Faith wears a Megumi-inspired cosplay outfit

Medusa

Medusa!

The Cyberzone Cosplay Tour continues at SM Southmall on April 18, SM Manila on April 26, SM Marikina on May 2, and SM City North EDSA on May 9 and 10.

First place among the cosplayers will get P10,000 in cash, 2nd place - P5,000 plus 8 consolation prizes.