I usually don't blog about videos or something but there's just a number of reasons why I am making an exception for this video. For one, I find it unique and cute. Second, it is pretty much related to travel and third, the lady is a Filipino and is from Mindanao at that.
This is a story of a couple who traveled to different countries to find the perfect engagement ring. Tomer and April has been together for four years. Tomer wanted his proposal to be special so they traveled across several countries to document a short movie trailer called "Where's the Ring?" April didn't know about it until it was shown to her when they visited Krabi in Thailand.
Will April say YES? Watch the video feel the love in the air.Video Credit to Tomer Algrably.
“You are nothing but a second rate, trying hard copycat!” No other line in the history of Philippine cinema is more iconic than those words that Cherie Gil uttered to Sharon Cuneta in the movie Bituing Walang Ningning. The movie itself is iconic, and has become a benchmark to which other rags to riches movies, series, and stories have been measured. It has had many incarnations in T.V. and print, so it’s about time that it has its stage version.
This time, Resorts World Manila is presenting to movie and stage fans Bituing Walang Ningning the Musical at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. It features newcomer Monica Cuenco in the lead as Dorina Pineda, and other familiar names such as Chris Villonco as Lavinia Arguelles, and Mark Bautista as Nico Escobar. Completing the cast are Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as journalist Edith, Jon Santos as loving Auntie, Jay Roa as Zosimo Blanco, Michael Williams as producer Larry Calma, and John Nite as Kuya Germs. The stage production is directed by Freddie Santos.
The show runs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at eight in the evening, and every Sunday at three in the afternoon until July 18.
The end of the show. Photo by Rhonson Ng
Tickets are available at the Resorts World Manila Box Office at the Newport Mall and in all TicketNet and TicketWorld outlets.
Members of Davao Media at the Gala Night of Bituing Walang Ningning the Musical
Flying has never been easier and frequent for Filipinos as it has been of late. Wouldn’t it be nice if frequent fliers can reap benefits from all the plane rides they take? Cebu Pacific Air takes care of that with GetGo, their new lifestyle reward card. “With this exciting lifestyle rewards scheme, all you need to do is fly, shop, dine and get ready to go places,” says Allan Florendo, CEB's Loyalty Division director for marketing and partnerships. GetGo was launched as a part of Cebu Pacific’s 19th anniversary in the business as one of the leading airline providers of the country.
Allan Florendo, CEB's Loyalty Division director for marketing and partnerships. Photo by Rhonson Ng
Every time customers fly Cebu Pacific, they can earn reward points which they can then exchange for goods and services from Cebu Pacific and other companies within its network. Points can also be earned when frequent flyers help themselves to any add-on service such as seat reservation, booking for additional baggage, in-flight meals, and more. With enough points accumulated, GetGo card holders can even book local or international flights for free. Points can also be converted to rewards from GetGo’s promo partners like Enchanted Kingdom and EastWest Bank.
Members of Davao, Bacolod and Iloilo media. Photo by Rhonson Ng
GetGo offers different ways to accumulate points. First, members can get points when they fly international and domestic flights of Cebu Pacific Air. Aside from single user points, GetGo also allows customers to create a pool of points with friends and family members, to increase their points faster. Moreover, BDO, Citibank, RCBC Bankard, Security Bank, and Metrobank credit card holders can convert their credit card points to GetGo points, making point accumulation more convenient. If members find that they do not have enough points, they can always top up their existing points with cash using GetGo’s points plus cash payment feature. GetGo points do not expire, so members wouldn’t have to worry or feel cheated out of freebies and other perks.
Davao Bloggers Vanessa and yours truly. Photo by Rhonson Ng
Getting a membership to GetGo is easy. Simply go to www.GetGo.com.ph and fill up the application form, then pay a 150 peso one time membership fee. There are also plans to make it possible for customers to acquire GetGo membership packs in convenience stores very soon, bringing everyone’s dreams of earning free flights closer.
It has been my desire to set foot to the Philippines southernmost part after my exhilarating journey to the north islands of Batanes. So I shifted my compass and went on to this remarkable journey to see and discover the beauty of this south island called Saluag.
Saluag as it is politically known is a small inhabited island in the town of Sibutu, province of Tawi- tawi. It is predominanly inhabited by two Muslim tribes- Tausug and Sama Dilaut. My trip with friend Claire begun with a night stay in the provinces' capital of Bongao.
The next morning, we went to the Chinese port of Bongao to take the boat going to the town of Sibutu. The real challenge was to get a seat in a cargo loaded boat. But we managed to hit two seats for a 3-hour long sail. But it’s all worthwhile just as the sea breeze started to stroke lightly our faces fixed on the horizon.
The laid-back town of Sibutu
It was almost dark when we arrived in Tandu Banak. We met Sir Frank, the town’s administrator in the boat so he dropped us at the mayor’s house right after we docked at the port. He introduced us to the mayor’s staff, Kuya Ttong and Kuya Hussein and his eldest son, Hadji Nonong. We were advised to stay in the mayor’s house for the night. There are no inns or hostels in the town so if you want to pay a visit, you must know someone from there or at least coordinate with the tourism office before going there. We already touched base with the tourism office before going to Sibutu so they are somehow aware of our arrival.
The island of Sibutu is a quiet and peaceful place. It has electricity but it’s limited so it only operates on a certain period of time. Most of the locals though, have solar panels for back-ups.
The mayor was not in the island when we went there but he was kind enough to advise his son and staff to show us around and experience the beauty of Sibutu. We visited several pristine white sand beaches around the coast of the island as well as the town’s capital which is about 30 minutes away from Tandu Banak. We were mesmerized by the charming scenery of the town. It was such an amazing journey to experience the hospitality of the people of Sibutu.
Hello Saluag!
We went back to Tandu Banak for lunch and we took another trip to Tandu Owak, the jump off point to Saluag – the southernmost island of the Philippines. Hadji Nonong referred us to a boat owner in Tandu Owak which happened to be one of Mayor Kuyoh Pajiji’s friends. He let us borrow his outrigger and we only had to pay for the gasoline which is outrageously expensive in the island by the way.
From Tandu Owak, we could see two islands in the south. The locals collectively call them Sikulan but officially only the smaller island should be called Sikulan and the bigger one, the southernmost island where an old, rusty lighthouse is situated – is politically labeled as Saluag.
As we get closer to the island, it gets more exciting. We can’t believe we will be setting foot in the southernmost island of the Philippines. I almost fell into tears as we approached the shallow waters of Saluag.
The boat has finally docked! We made it! I felt so blessed that I was able to visit the island. It is magnificent! There are two lighthouses in the island, an old quaint and a modern functional one. We explored almost the entire island but we lacked time to stay longer. We had to leave the island as we had to go back to Bongao on the same night.
Side Trip to the Picturesque Municipality of Sitangkai
Since there is no boat from Sibutu to Bongao on Wednesdays, we decided to do a side trip in Sitangkai and take a boat from there.
We left our bags in Sibutu so we had to pick it up before embarking our journey to Sitangkai. After almost an hour, we reached the port which is about 30 minutes away from the main island. Since we wanted to see what’s in the island known as the “Venice of the South”, we took a passenger boat from the port. We were greeted by a colorful scene.
It was very interesting to see the daily scene in the island. Instead of seeing roads and cars, you will be greeted by a wide canal which serves as the gateway to the island municipality, a set of smaller channels that leads to the inner communities and footbridges connecting the communities from both sides of the canal. Boat serves as the major mode of transportation in the island.
After we entered the canal, we told the boatman to drop us somewhere. We started exploring the island. It was a very short side trip since we had to go back to the port before 6PM as there will be no more boat to bring us there after 6PM. I’d say it was one of the most picture-perfect places I’ve been to in the province. The view was awesome especially when the sun was about to set. It was crazy beautiful. We really wanted to see more of the island but we had to leave by midnight to Bongao. The province of Tawi-Tawi is truly an amazing place to explore and experience.
On a more serious note, I am off to London Town - arriving in Heathrow, for my birthday holiday. I've been working really hard these several months to afford this dream holiday of mine. And on the flight from Manila to Abu Dhabi, I was seated next to a Filipino named Benzo. Benzo has been working in Saudi Arabia, as a machine operator, for 35 years. Can you believe that?! 35 years! It seems that all of his life as a husband and as a father, he has spent away from his family. He’ll be retiring in two years and though it might seem great news at first glance, I have my reservations. Will they know how live with each other having lived apart for most of their married life?
Benzo and his wife has three kids. His eldest – a son, just got married. He has a daughter, a civil engineer working in Dubai. His youngest, which he describes as a bit of a handful, is in Manila with his wife.
He told me that he’s not an educated man. I guess, in Filipino, that means he didn’t graduate from high school or university. But there’s a sense of pride in him that despite the lack of a diploma, he was able to hold a job for 35 years that enabled him to send his kids to school.
He was heading back to work, after burying his mother.
Benzo was really nice. It felt like I was flying with a father, one who was taking good care of me. He assisted me with my carry-on, turning on my lamp, handing my rubbish to the flight attendant. Even after deplaning, he guided me through the terminal that he probably knows like the back of his hand. And now as I sit here, waiting to board, I wonder how long this would be the story of most Filipino families.
I'm most likely to post updates on Instagram and Twitter. Do visit or follow my accounts if you'd like to join me on my holiday. Hasta Luego!
empty seats of gate 32
arrived in abu dhabi to great news: barca's victory
