How to make Binagol

Binagol reigns as the local delicacy originating from the island of Leyte. Soft, sweet and filling – the local treat can be served as a snack or dessert right from the coconut shell covered with banana leaves that are bounded by strings tied around tight several times. Visitors of Leyte can expect to be served with binagol twice or thrice a day because people there are so proud and confident that one definitely cannot resist this kakanin.

Intrigued how the binagol is made, we sought its local producer in Dagami, the municipality known for binagol production.

Binagol is made from talyan, a type of gabi. Unlike the more popular type of gabi in sinigang that is small and oval, the talyan is monstrously big, tubular and very, very itchy to palate and skin. Left without a choice, makers of binagol have to bear with the itchiness when pairing, chopping and grating the tuber. It is no wonder that some could not bear this irritating predicament and simply bow out of the job.

As living witnesses to this age-old process, we now reveal to you the step by step procedure when cooking binagol:

1. Pare, clean and grate talyan.
2. Add coco milk, sugar and peanuts and mix well. Tip: Use the kakang gata (first extract) before using the thinner coco milk to keep the talyan mixture moist.
3. Put a layer of the mixture inside the coco shells.
4. Add sugary syrup.
5. Top with more talyan mixture.
6. Cover with banana leaves and use a twine to keep the leaves in place.
7. Put coco shells inside a cauldron and immerse with enough water.
8. Bring to a rolling boil and boiling temperature for at least seven hours to ensure that the pudding is properly cooked.
9. Remove coco shells from hot water, air dry and secure leaves with a new string.
10. Binagol is now ready to serve.

Thank you to Terry and Teresa Ortega for sharing their recipe. Their Original Binagol and other sweets can be found at Teri’s Leyte Delicacies in downtown Tacloban City.

For developmental change and progress of Leyte

In October 2010, Leyte was named as Most Business Friendly Province by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the 36th Philippine Business Conference and Expo. This is the second time the province received such recognition and it comes with no surprise. For the past three years, many businesses have located in Leyte showing a growing confidence in the province’s capabilities and viability to accommodate industry and investments.

Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla said he was glad that the province’s efforts in promoting Leyte as a business destination has been recognized again.

To achieve this fete, Petilla and his team complimented the local government’s capability of providing the locators’ requirements such as electricity, telecommunications, and transportation, among others, by working closely with possible locators.

“Years back, we found out that investors were looking for location with mall. For some businesses, the presence of a mall is gauge or barometer of the economic maturity of a place and governance as well,” clarified Petilla.

Banking on more opportunities in the offing, Petilla formed a team to tap possible mall owners. Eventually, they chose Robinsons Land Corp. to put up the first mall in the island. “Because they are the most aggressive in this venture. They visited us 17 times,” Petilla added. “The moment Robinsons mall was built, APAC entered. APAC was the first call center to be located in a municipality.”

In 2009, APAC, a business process outsource company, located its operations in Palo with 950 employees.

Under his term, Governor Petilla was also able to locate three more coco oil mills, making a total of four coco oil mills operating in the province.

For tourism development, Petilla veered away from the traditional formula based on capacity building in terms of creating a tourism council, beautification projects and trainings.

“You can have the nicest place even more beautiful than Boracay but if you do not have a hotel, you cannot have tourism. My concept of tourism is a hotel destination, period. In fact, even if the place is not good, you can have a hotel and a golf course then it’s a destination. If you fast-track capability building, it will only go to waste,” explained Petilla. “What we are looking right now is for one hotel operator. If we do find one, our job is done.”

Unlike the typical politician who automatically think of infrastructure as part of their priority projects, Petilla believes it’s not bridges or roads that Leyteños want. First and foremost it is proper education and employment. “We try to make sure that the private sector increases and that our focus is on investments because that is what Leyteños need – jobs.” For Petilla, a growing private sector will be able to provide employment opportunities.

Now serving his third and last consecutive term, Petilla believes that “governance is about consulting the people and asking them rather than assuming what they want or need. By doing so, we focus on the social aspect of society.” And that focus comes with clear goals and practical solutions. To his credit, his programs, that are sometimes unorthodox and far from the norm, brought development and delivery of basic social services to the province.

EDUCATION
To equip Leyteños more competencies for employment, Petilla sought to make education matter. Inspired by community colleges in Vancouver, Canada he visited, Petilla developed certificate programs in the local high schools.

The ICOT-P program is in answer to the state of education in the province wherein 20 percent of high school graduates actually go to college according to a study conducted in 2005. “Now, it is 14 percent,” Petilla added.

In collaboration with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Petilla added an additional year in high school wherein courses on farming, electrical vocational course, small engine repair, hotel and restaurant management and carpentry are offered. Approved by Education Department, the program started in 2005 and ventured with community colleges located in 112 high schools.

As a former instructor in Ateneo de Manila University for five years, Petilla believes that “education should matter.” “Our mission is for a high school graduate to be more employable than a college graduate. We can do this. We created these courses because that is what the community needs but we will teach them in high school not in college.”

The program also ventured to teaching software development. Confident that students can very well adapt to the challenge, Petilla believed that “It only takes interest. What you need is a great appetite for learning. That is all what it takes.”

In 2005, the region registered 14,112 high school graduates with 7,988 were certified in information technology-related discipline. Some graduates were already employed and started earning P5,000 per month while some have started their own businesses. Others sought employment in Manila and are earning P33,000 per month in a prestigious BPO company.

Aside from these developments, Governor Petilla had also rehabilitated the rural hospitals in the province “without spending a single centavo.” Skeptics tried to discouraged him but he believed he is on the right track. With provincial hospitals taking up a third of the provincial budget, the provincial government made the hospitals earn their keep.

In the past five years, significant improvements were noted at the Leyte Provincial Hospital, Ormoc Disctrict Hospital, and the Western Leyte District Hospital in Baybay. Other district hospitals were also provided with facilities and building amenities to improve rural health care systems.

“We made an ordinance charging for each operation rather than closing the hospitals which was initially met by opposition. Through its earnings, the hospitals are surviving right now. Their budget allocation remained the same since 2004. Otherwise, we could have closed the hospitals,” reveals Petilla.

In November 2004, the first private room became available in the province at a price of P800 per day. “Since then, the room has never been vacant. Not many people realize that if you can provide good service, people will pay for it,” shares Petilla.

Now, there are seven private rooms with a rate of P1,000 per day. “In government hospitals, if you are an indigent, the services are free. If you have some money, you can go to the ward and pay a small fee. If you can pay, avail of the private rooms where it is cleaner, airconditioned and has a television.”

Petilla also revitalized operations at the San Benito Mental Hospital in Babatngon. “We took care of the poorest of the poor that are mentally ill. Afterwards, we try to locate their families and reunite them.”

For these efforts, Petilla and his office have been cited by the Philippine Hospital Association in the Hall of Fame Leadership Award last year.

GOVERNMENT SERVICE
On his initial term as governor, Petilla sought to increase productivity in the provincial offices. The provincial government remains the biggest employer in the province. “Productivity in government is at little more than 50 percent. Roughly around P500 million is paid for payroll in the province thus, we are losing P250 million. I had to make an institutional change. I am not looking for 100 percent increase in productivity. I am looking at 80 percent. That is the most of what we can do.”

To achieve this, Petilla got rid of bundy clocks and replaced them with biometrics time keeper. Closed circuit cameras where installed to monitor activities of government workers. The “no wrong door policy” was enforced to institutionalize assistance to people in need of service from government officers. He also devised a system wherein bonuses were awarded based on work merits. Remarkably, Petilla reported a 25 percent increase in the last four years.

Fully-motivated to fulfill his mandate, Petilla clearly has set his direction in governance. “This is how to define the government. Everytime you do something you have to define your goal first. When you ran a hospital, you have to define what kind of hospital you want to run. When you ran a bureaucracy in government, you have to define what kind of bureaucracy. And then if it’s defined and have a clear understanding about it and then it will work. You can maximize your efforts. I derived satisfaction from drawing something, implementing and acting on it. That is the best part of the job – the productive part and seeing the results,” concluded Petilla.

Education Matters: Are we ready for K to 12 program?

Filipinos are generally literate. According to the United Nations Statistics Division, percentages of literacy rates in the Philippines are consistently high: 95.1 in 2000, 95.1 in 2003 and 94.8 in 2008 for 15 to 24 years of age, both males and females.

The World Bank reports conservative a figure at 86.4 percent functional literacy in 2008 covering ages 10 to 64.

According to the World Bank, basic literacy covers a person’s ability “to read and write and understand a simple message in any language or dialect” while functional literacy is described as one who “has a range of skills and competencies, cognitive, affective and behavioral which him/her to live and work as a human person, develop his/her potentials, make critical and informed decisions, and function effectively in society within the context of his/her environment and that of the wider community in order to improve the quality of his/her life and that of society.”

As a nation, Filipinos place great interest in basic education as shown by the high percentages in the enrolment ratio in primary schools: 90.3 in 2001, 91.5 in 2003 and 92.1 in 2008 which then correlates to the high level of literacy rates that includes numerical and comprehension skills, as defined by the National Statistics Office. But despite these figures along with the 7.3 percent GDP growth in 2010, the country’s poverty incidence rates remain high at 26.5 percent according to the National Statistical Coordination Board 2009 survey. In 2006, the poverty rate is at 26.4 percent.

In 2010, the unemployment rate was at 7.3 percent posting a slight difference from the 7.5 percent rate of the previous year. This translates to 2.9 million Filipinos that are unemployed with 6.8 million underemployed workers.

To make education matter, the Philippine government through the Education department recently formally launched the K to 12 program, adding kindergarten to the six-year elementary level and two-year senior high school to the 4-year tertiary level. The goal of the program is to improve the competencies of students for ready employment sans a college diploma. The additional senior years focus on students’ specialized training on fields ranging from science and technology, music and the arts, agriculture and fisheries, sports, business and entrepreneurship.

This year, the implementation of the universal kindergarten in public schools had begun. High school students will undergo the senior years in SY 2016-2017.

This program, however, is silent over the long standing realities and problems of the educational system. The quality of education continues to be plagued by serious problems such as ill-trained and underpaid teachers, understaffed faculty, cramped, makeshift classrooms and dilapidated facilities, erroneous textbooks and insufficient teaching aid materials.

In a privilege speech delivered by Kabataan Partylist representative, Raymond “Mong” Palatino revealed that the survival rate of the youth in schools as, “Of the 100 pupils that enter grade 1, only 66 will finish grade six, 58 will enroll in 1st year, 43 will finish high school, 33 will enter college, and only 21 will eventually graduate …..”

While recognizing that “added learning and training period in elementary and high school could be beneficial for our youth”, Palatino pointed out that the K to12 program is “problematic by the context within which it is set to be implemented and the direction it intends to take.”

On the budget allocation, Palatino projected that the added burden on the educational system will further shrink its already inadequate budget share. Last year’s P207 billion budget, an 18 percent more than the P175 billion in 2010, is still “insufficient in addressing the needs of basic education,” he added.

Palatino also shared findings in a study, entitled “Length of School Cycle and the ‘Quality’ of Education” by educators Abraham Felipe and Carolina Porio, that there is no correlation between the length of school cycle and the quality of education.

Far from being the solution, the K to 12 program is like throwing a monkey wrench to a system that badly needs an overhaul. The added years may perhaps add more variables to an already ailing education system. Let us just hope that the first batch of K-12 turn out to be able and mature individuals that could be readily absorbed by local industries as soon as they graduate. If not, the government only succeeded in delaying the inevitable.

A day for Mother Earth

In cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Earth Day Network Philippines, Inc. (EDNPI), the national secretariat of Earth Day in the country, will spearhead the Earth Day celebration on Sunday.

Under the theme “Earth Day Everyday, Everywhere”, this year’s celebration carries on the message that caring for Mother Earth is timeless and goes beyond borders. To encourage the participation of different sectors, the network shall feature several advocacy activities.

The main even will be held at the Ayala Triangle from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the support of Makati City government, Ayala Land, Inc., and Ayala Foundation, Inc.

Contingent of support groups are expected to march along Paseo de Roxas and Makati streets and converge in front of the Philippine Stock Exchange in an activity called the E(nvironment) Lakad. At certain points, the marchers will encourage motorists to momentarily stop for the Tigil Buga program of Makati City and Ms. Earth Foundation.

At the main program, DENR Secretary Ramon Paje will deliver the annual State of Philippine Environment report along with different initiatives and actions undertaken.

For his part, Roberto Guevarra, EDNPI chairman and president, shall deliver the civil society’s response. He will also unveil the water project of EDNPI, known as the Agos Ram Pump project that aims to install 100 ram pumps for upland communities nationwide.

Another highlight of the event would be the revelation of three celebrity ambassadors as champions for Green Business, Biodiversity Conservation and Youth Environmental Empowerment, respectively.

Several advocacy booths shall showcase different environmental initiatives at the venue such as the Unlitrike booth where a prototype electric tricycle will be displayed. Likewise, an organic market shall be set up for supporters who enjoy healthy and eco-friendly meals.

“Celebrated for more than forty years, Earth Day has become the world’s largest and longest running environmental celebration. This Sunday, more than one billion people around the globe will participate in Earth Day 2012 with people of all nationalities and background will voice their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection,” says Voltaire Alferez, executive director of EDNPI.

An Afternoon with ‘No Other Papi’

Got up and found that it was rainy day. Having second thoughts on going through the Tagaytay trip but told myself I already accepted the invitation so I dragged my feet to head out.

The morning is chilly and wet so I boldly put on my leather jacket for its test run and braved the pouring rain. I was a bit late at the meeting spot but was graciously welcomed by the hosts. They offered me breakfast which I enjoyed – the BLT sandwich from Aristocrat upon they recommendation. Not really surprised that other attendees backed out, we headed to our next stop at the SLEX Petron station.

Most media friends were there when we arrived having their first meal of the day. I sighed with relief when the sun came out amidst the cloudy skies but the morning really got brighter when the star of the day came in. Derek Ramsey was very gracious and, from the small talk, everybody was very impressed with his demeanor. He was casual the way he dressed and carried himself that easily warmed him up with the group

The ride to Tagaytay Highlands was very smooth and foggy. We were greeted with a pineapple with mint quencher and enjoyed the crisp, fresh air. After the group photo session, we transferred to the Midlands clubhouse for the business of the day.

EastWest bank, our host, treated us to a hearty buffet lunch and shared highlights of their current campaign, the Dream Big, Win Big Raffle promo. Derek spoke to the group and delighted us with tidbits of his many road trips.

Most then got giddy when the one-on-one interview session got underway. In a very Pinoy-like manner, everyone pretended to be shy at first but eventually couldn’t resist being starstruck with Derek. I, for one, could not come up with any questions and just proceeded to have a picture taken to complete my day. I’m planning to come up with a business piece, anyway (excuses! excuses!)

Feeling a natural high, the mood just got a notch higher when the trivia game started. We were on our toes with the question on entertainment, geography and EastWest’s campaign. (Hey, the Free Gas promo is still on until November with every auto loan at EastWest bank!) With luck on our side, our group won. Thanks to the quick raise of the hand of Joba (had a nice time with you, girl).

Rain started to pour again as we headed back to Manila. For a kilometer or so, visibility was just beyond 8 to 10 feet. With an afternoon with ‘no other Papi’, this day is one for keeps.

Helminths among us

The country has three main endemic soil-transmitted helminths, the trichuris, ascaris, and hookworms. Helminth is a worm classified as a parasite.

Most infections are found in children and the number of worms that can infect a child vary. Moderate to heavy infections can result to poor absorption of nutrients, blood loss and poor utilization of iron. Helminths infection can lead to malnutrition and anemia, which in turn can lead to poor performance in school work, physical fitness and poor growth.

In a national study commissioned by the World Health Organization and performed by Dr. Lydia Leonardo of the Department of Parasitology showed that the prevalence of helminths vary widely for each worm.

According to the study, the most frequently encountered worm is trichuris. In 6 out of 39 provinces surveyed, more than half of the population has this worm. In 3 of these provinces, 7 to 8 out of 10 individuals would have trichuris. Children with trichuris, also known as the whip worm, suffer from poor performance in their verbal abilities. Three out of 10 children are infected by the whip worm.

In 3 out of 39 provinces, more than half of the population had ascaris or the roundworm. Five out of 10 children are infected by roundworms. Due to this particular infection, the children performed poorly in memory tests.

In 1 out of 39 provinces, hookworm was found in half of the population. Only one out of 10 children have been found with hookworm. This type of worm causes blood loss, anemia and eventually, stunting of physical of growth.

To protect your child from infection, imbibe in them the simple habit of hand washing seriously. Deworming treatment prevents transmission. Children should take deworming drugs twice yearly to be totally-free of helminths.

Other information courtesy of Dr. Juan Antonio Solon, Associate Professor, Dept. of Parasitology, College of Public Health, UP Manila

Monsterize your Kitchen

Certainly not. This is not Lady Gaga’s kitchen. Monster Kitchen is a baking school that offers very affordable fees for world-class training programs. From a simple hobby, Monster Kitchen’s students learn baking techniques that could pave the way to one’s career in the food and service industry armed with basic training and professional confidence.

Started in 2008, Monster Kitchen is foremost a supply store but the waning interest in baking prompted its owner, Jan Michael Uy, to put up a baking school. “We wanted to bring back the passion within the baking community and we are happy with the response,” said Uy.

Not your typical culinary school, Monster Kitchen offers a three-month program on Fundamentals of Basic Baking and Pastry Arts. Classes are small with maximum of 12 students learning European and contemporary techniques for three days in a week.

“Students get to bake. We do not simply follow the recipe and do cooking demonstrations. We let them experience the actual baking process using different techniques. This way, they become confident to use any ingredient and use any technique found in any kitchen they may end up later on,” explains chef Jesuit Paul Nuges.

A team of high caliber chefs like Albert Chia, Jo Venes, Kathy Dano, Mitchie Sison and Nuges head the trainings at Monster Kitchen that are certified by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The first batch of students composed of professionals, novices, coffee shop owners and homemakers received their certificates in a simple graduation ceremony last June 15. The event was made mouthwatering and memorable by the lavish spread of creatively-baked goodies, cakes and breads. “We are proud to showcase the cakes and pastries baked by our students. This way, everybody gets to sample and tastes our products,” exclaims Uy.

Based in Gaston Park, Cagayan de Oro, Uy finds the venue as an advantage rather than a concern for students. “For such competitive training, our fees are really affordable and cover the chef’s jacket, apron, cap, manuals, certificate and all imported ingredients. Plus, if you stay in the city, you get to see and visit all the tourist spots.” The three-month program is priced at P52,000.

Fully supportive of their students, Monster Kitchen also gives extra training in preparation for culinary competitions. As shown by the desserts in plated-design, baking fundamentals are important as well as the development of one’s creative abilities that are best shown during competitions. “We expose them to different culinary competitions. Every competition builds the character and confidence. Competition allows them to experience cooking and baking under pressure. And pressure is present in every kitchen,” explains chef Nuges.

The second batch of baking lessons started last July 11. “We are plan to expand the business outside Cagayan de Oro. Eventually, we will branch out in Manila since interest in baking can be found everywhere regardless of age,” said Uy.

Of late, Monster Kitchen has been getting inquiries from faraway places like Cebu, Davao, Lucena and Laguna. Monster Kitchen welcomes inquiries on their Facebook page.

Wedding Ideas from Celebrity Couples

Whether you admit or not, celebrity weddings are the ones to watch for. With all the glitter, glamor, personalities and extravagance, our curiosities are easily picked when tinsel town’s celebrated couples head for the altar to exchange vows.

Most that we remember from celebrity weddings is the mob of fans waiting patiently at the church’s premises just to get a glimpse of their idols as they walk down the aisle. Such is the scenario we remember from Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion’s wedding at the Manila Cathedral. Avid fans jostled one another making it difficult for sponsors and guests like Mother Lily Monteverde to enter the church.

Other celebrity weddings are memorable because of the themes that made the ocassion uniquely their own.

Who could forget the unusual wedding ceremony that of superstar Nora Aunor and Christopher de Leon? Some guests have to wade through cold, knee-deep water just to witness the exhange of I do’s of Guy and Boyet in casual attire at that. They did so right before sunrise at a beach in La Union.

Senator Bong Revilla and Lani Mercado’s wedding is most remembered for its Filipiniana theme that coincided with the centennial of Philippine independence in 1998. In keeping with the theme, Lani wore a Maria Clara-inspired gown and was ushered to church on a Spanish-era horse-drawn carriage. For the groom’s part, Bong rode a white horse while clad in a grand general’s uniform reminiscent of the garb worn by Emilio Aguinaldo.

Out of respect for his family lineage, Robin Padilla took his fiance Mariel Rodriquez to a tribal Igorot wedding in Baguio City. This figures because Robin’s mother, Eva Cariño, is an Igorot. The couple made public their marriage vows by following native customs and traditions while donning woven ethnic clothing. A native priest officiated the Ibaloi ceremony, the couple drank tapuy (rice wine) and performed the tayaw native dance all befitting the said occassion.

In contrast, Ruffa and Ylmaz Bekta’s wedding is nothing but lavish and world-class. Inside the premier event venue, the NBC Tent at Fort Bonifacio, was the towering 10 feet tall wedding cake baked with apple-walnut fondant and glittering Swarovski crystal trimmings. Her Inno Sotto wedding gown cost around 700,000 pesos. But all the trimmings and glitter pale in comparison to the surprise announcement of Ylmaz Bektas’ during the reception. While holding a baby bootie, the groom revealed the bride’s sensitive condition courtesy of an impending visit from the stork.

Judy Ann and Ryan’s wedding reflected the couple’s youthful exuberance while keeping it a simple and private affair. Days before the wedding, the couple sent out invite boxes with a slipper inside, the official footwear of their wedding ceremony. The wedding proper was held at the San Juan Nepomuceno Church in San Juan, Batangas after which wedding guests were whisked away in a private beach resort for the reception.

By far, the most striking wedding gown to date is Regine Velasquez’ red bridal gown. Created by Monique Lhuillier, the bride chose the color because, as reports says, red is the color for power and love, of course! The bride also wanted to make her reality wedding stand out from her “reel weddings” where she had worn several white wedding dresses.

Students and Today’s Gadgets

Children today are born with today’s advances in communication technology. With the world getting smaller and more accessible by the fingertips, is the youth getting a better perspective of our world? As students, are these technological gadgets providing them more access to information or at their worse, distractions from valuable study time? With laptops, tablets, music players and game consoles soliciting the youth’s attention more and more, what can we do to encourage students to hit the books instead of giving in to more technological stimulation?

Denying access to all technological gadgets in this day and age would not simply not work for students. Whether these gadgets will work for or against them is simply a matter of choice. For younger students, parents should help them make the right decision to spend their time productively by studying and finishing their homework before engaging to any form of entertainment.

Students should practice time management wherein they budget their time between school work and having fun. The principle also applies when using computers, game consoles and being online. Obviously, computer use can provide valuable help in getting homework, reports and research quickly and efficiently. Search engines can be an important tool in accessing information, images, data and reference materials. There are also loads of child-friendly softwares available with contents suitable for the young audience.

Computers exhibit the same efficiency with a simple click for users can enjoy online gaming and social networking. The downfall could be that students spend more time on these mundane activities than doing actual work assigned to them by their teachers and professors.

Time management could be the key when diving one’s time and attention. Students should be trained to budget their time and attention while prioritizing the most important task to the least necessary. Discipline should be taught and ingrained to students to finish their tasks first before they can afford to some downtime and relaxation. Moderation on gadget use can be negotiated depending on the task and frequency of use of the students

Family members can also show interest and engage to each other’s activities for bonding and some quality time. Such efforts can help the situation by making students feel that their lives are not in a vacuum and that their immediate family supports them just like their peers and friends would. Spending some family time together could reach greater understanding and tolerance especially when time management is being discussed among family members.

During family time, encourage students to get involve into active fun while pursuing hobbies or other interests like arts and sports. Such activities build character and develop innate talents while keeping body and mind busy. In pursuit of such endeavors also involves loads of opportunities to personally socialize with mentors and peers who shares such interests.

To make sure that these gadget turn out to be efficient tools for learning, parents should also take interest to the images, social networks, games and music their children are into for safety reasons. Unscrupulous individuals could easily take advantage of the access provided by online sites to entice children to activities that could put compromise their safety. By getting involved online, parents and guardian can monitor and take action to avert such incidence from happening.

These technological advances in communications are simply part of today’s challenges of rearing good students. Like a double-edge sword, exposure to technological inputs are good when taken in the right context. This can prove to be counter-productive when its use disrupts the daily routine of students that fortifies good study habits they will hopefully keep every school term.

What to do this summer?

Summer is the perfect season to be adventurous and spend time outdoors. Playing with game gadgets at the porch, however, does not count. It simply means getting up, flexing those limbs and pumping those muscles till sundown.

Kids and kids at heart can have lots of fun pedaling around the neighborhood or their favorite vacation spot on bicycles. Teen boys can bike to the extreme with BMX and mountain bikes while girls can ride in style with their character designed bikes. For smaller kids, there are two seater trikes and sidecars for toddlers, as well as trikes with push handles and canopies to safely keep the little ones on the move. There are also bikes that come with baskets for their toys and snacks. To keep on the safe side, bike riders should wear helmets and pads while biking.

Have fun while learning the art of effortless and effective swimming. By enrolling to a program, children, teens and adults can learn water safety and swimming basics and techniques from certified instructors. Swimming programs, as offered by Bert Lozada Swim School’s, may range from beginners to advanced levels. Learning this skill can surely add to the fun whenever there is water aside from being a sport and a life-saving one, too.

Outside the metro, trekking had become one of the major adventure sports. Veering away from the highways, the country is rich with dense forests, fascinating views, rolling terrain and dense rain forests that offers trekking opportunities for those willing to explore nature.
Popular trekking site can be found at Mt. Pulag in the Grand Cordillera, Mayon Volcano in Albay, Bicol, Mt. Halcon in Baco, Oriental Mindoro and Mount Banahaw in the the provinces of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato.

To start-off the journey, trekkers would need trail shoes, backpack, and equipments such as tents and food keepers. Good trekking shoes must not suffocate the feet nor feel warm inside. The pair should be durable enough to provide proper cushion against rough surfaces, protection from possible injuries and stability from slippery trails.

For out of the country expeditions, one can book the whole family or barkada to a trip to Spain. Offering beautiful scenery, holistic history and cultural experience, the Santiago de Compostela tour has a trail following the pilgrimage of the Way of St. James. Any of the 11 pilgrimage routes meet at the center of Santiago de Compostela, a landmark of Roman Catholicisma and considered as the third holiest land in Christendom.

Do not miss out the scenic views of mountains, coastlines, and green fields and Galician cuisine by checking out the tour package at the National Tourist Office of Spain.