Wow, Philippines
Originally uploaded by: Francis Yllana
Being a Filipino, I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t know much about my country, in terms of finding beautiful different places. I’d say, where? Don’t get me wrong, I am not a closet Filipino. In case I’d settle down back to the Philippines, I’ll probably get lost in case I want to travel into the different parts of our country.
I’ve never been to Boracay. This beautiful place is called B-O-R-A-C-A-Y not BORA, it pisses me off when people say it like that.
Never seen Ati-Atihan.
Never heard where and what Moriones is.
My last visit to Penafrancia in Naga was way way back in College. Fiesta is such one popular event back there. I’d been in Mayon Volcano once, had a field trip there as part of our Nursing Community service and wow, I felt like Superman watching the old city from the top of this perfect cone-shape active volcano. Thank God it didn’t errupt that day.
The Banaue Rice Terraces? The Eight Wonders of the World.
*I’ve seen this video many times before and it’s still giving me goosebumps, so everytime I watch this, I sing-along with it over and over again. Apologies to all non-filipino speaking friends.
If I was rich, I would visit the place to see the Ati-Atihan’s myself or visit the Siargao (it’s quite similar to Catanduanes, my island province).
Philippines is such an amazing place to visit, forget politics, government officials, or even celebrities like Ruffa who finally divorced her Prince.
How about in Manila?
Luneta Park? I had these childhood memories, I think I was five when my parents brought me there, to buy balloons or enjoy an ice cream from “Mamang Sorbetero“ as we walk to the Rizal Monument - it was the sight I could never forget.
The best asset the Philippines has, is its people - let alone having a few bad experience with the staff at our International Airport six years ago. It’s funny whenever I plan of going home, I’d dreaded of my luggages being attack by this lady with a sharp paper cutter in white-colored uniform waiting on my way to the ‘luggage check’ area. I don’t know if they are still doing those stupid luggage check, methinks - a knife this time?
If you’re not a Filipino and wants to visit our country, you will also enjoy the shopping in the Manila’s Makati district if you want to live like royalty during your vacation, it is the place. Forget the poverty, pollution, and dirt which is pretty much all around. Yes, its sad and disappointing to see beggars on the streets but dont let that little ‘guilt trip’ gets in the way of a little fun.
I need a vacation.
“Tara Na, Biyahe Tayo”.
Umagang Kay Ganda
by: Side A (with Chedi & Tillie Moreno)
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i have this video on my ipod and it’s my ultimate “uplifting song”…
yes, we all need a vacation. im off to manila and then who knows! weeeeee!!!
right after college, i swore to hop from one philippine island to the next. wala nga akong naipon from my jobs back then kasi i travelled as much as i could. buti na lang my bestfriend was the “kaladkarin” type (madali kaladkarin kung saan-saan). i’ve been to as north as pagudpod, down to laoag, paoay, vigan, la union, pangasinan, then the banaue rice terraces, sagada, baguio, tapos subic and clark, olongapo city, corregidor, and quite possibly the entire region 3 na, then rizal, quezon, laguna, cavite (including tagaytay, of course), i also went to albay to see mayon, i went to mindoro, marinduque, masbate, palawan (north and central), boracay, cebu and bohol. and the farthest i’ve gone to mindanao is in siargao and butuan city (kasi pinigilan na ako ng nanay ko because it was so dangerous at that time). i don’t regret doing that, andami kong natutunan at na-experience. sayang di pa uso digital camera nun, i don’t even know where the pictures i took back then are
di bale, all of it is in my heart naman. 
anyway, i also posted that mtv on my blog in 2004. i’m glad to see na hanggang ngayon it still brings the same message of pride, pinoy talent, and exuberant energry to everyone about how beautiful pinas is at kaya natin ipagyabang ang sarili nating bansa pagdating sa kagandahan
Hi K, it’s the Naga, snakedemons that I’m talking about. I’ve translated many articles but I don’t think those articles ever mentioned if it is believed by the Philippines or not. It might be because of religion also because it’s related to Buddhist and I don’t believe that the Philippines are Buddhist, most that I know are Christian, correct me if I’m wrong here.
Nye, I think you’re talking about this supernatural beings - a snakedemons represented in human form with a snake’s hood in the neck, sometimes as mixed forms, half man half snake. Or it can be a cocktail with a refreshing taste?
It’s another place in my native province, Bicol. We celebrate this with a big procession of the image of Lady of Peñafrancia carried through the river with floating candles.
Hi K, Philippines is such a beautiful island, I’d have to put in my to visit place listing. When you referred to ‘Naga’, is that the dragon like that lives underneath the ocean, I didn’t know if you also believe in that or not.
I didn’t understand the song, but it was sung so beautifully, I think when the song is good, doesn’t matter what language it’s in, it’d give you goose bumps, it did me. For a minute there, I thought I was visiting a tourist web site….after reading it, I too need a vacation.
Hanne, it’s the lack of funds that makes me NOT WANT to go. There’s always this “saka na lang” whenever I plan kasi mas pabor sa akin yung, i-banko ko na lang ang ipon, hehehe. I’ll take Kait’s opinion, “di naman aalis ang Boracay”.
Kaitlin, I was singing this song sa trabaho to my fellow Pinoy colleagues. They actually know this Promo video at agad akong sinagot, “mas magastos sa atin” kasi if you want to travel, dapat kasama lahat na pamilya.
never been to luneta, never been to boracay either— not even to puerto galera. pinoy ako. di lang lakwatsera. hehe.
but you gotta try vigan when you visit. beautiful.
its funny how people think sometimes. you spend g’s on a local trip, might as well get out of the country. di naman aalis ang boracay eh. anjan lang yan.
i’ve seen snapshots of pagudpod. gusto ko pumunta dun!!!
I try to get around as much as I can. As they would always say, “wag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan”. It’s not really the money that’s keeping me, it’s the time (obviously I can’t be on leave every week or else I won’t have a job to sustain my trips) and because I can’t travel alone for very obvious navigational reasons. Unless I find my travel buddy…hay…sayang…
Hey Bluepanjeet, Jessa’s very distinct voice is fun to listen. She exaggerates the word na bumagay naman sa kanya. And of course Nina’s whistling got my attention.
Sorry kung naunahan kita but I’ve seen a few Promo commercial videos from Regine V, but I like this one better. Post mo na lang ulet.
Rho, I noticed that too. I was once asked by a foreigner to what good places in the Philippines that I can recommend, first thing comes to mind, syempre Boracay. I thought it was the brigthest idea, but the guy wanted to know more about our culture, I had no clue. The Mall of Asia maybe? hahaha.
i’ve noticed that foreigners travel around the Philippines more than we do. I’m haven’t been to a lot of places in the Philippines, myself, but I am no way a closet Filipino.
the video gave me goosebumps, too! if i ever have the time and money, i’d travel all over our country.
haha. naunahan mo ako K. I was planning to post the video on August sana on my mini site for the wow philippines promotion for the OFW visitors and bloggers of my OTWOMD. anyway that video is so cool pards. I really like Filipino voices. It gives me the goosebumps. It makes me proud being a Pinoy. Rico J and Joey ayala’s voice is so pinoy. Heard Jessa’s “Ziargao”? lol. I think that was a bit exaggerated. carried away perhaps lol
Haven’t been to visayas and mindanao either. One of my agenda when I get super rich (haha in my dreams) is to travel all over my country before travelling elsewhere. Words can’t express the beauty of our country…
Duke, I swear hanggang NAIA - Makati - Domestic - Bicol lang ako. I carefully plan my vacation, had some itineraries (like visit Taal, or short distances of places to go in Manila), pero pag andyan na ako, inuubos ko ang araw sa Bicol with the family. The last time I visited Pinas was with a friend, I didn’t inform my family/relatives, we went to SM mall and for crying out loud, nakita ako ng pinsan ko dun (of all places), sinumbong ako sa amin so I had no choice but to go home sa Bicol (layo nun anoh?).
hay naku, k! wag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan!
(ang lalim!) I bet my husband has been to more places in the philippines than you! 
Sus Vida! I knew tho’ that JuLio’s ‘tres hijos’ are half Filipinos, but Isabel’s name is not familiar to me. She is of course a Filipino-Spanish, the Queen of Glamour in Spain.
Thanks for the info.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh my god, don´t you know abuto I.P. the firt wife of Julio Iglesias? Isabel Preysler. she is one of the most famours jet setter in my country, she is on top of the most elegant womans
http://www.hola.com/biografias/isabel-preysler/
Wow, who exactly is this person? I have no idea. Spain has a lot of influences to us Filipinos. I remember my Mother told me that the most beautiful woman in the Universe is Amparo Munoz (I think I was 4 yrs old) winning the title Ms Universe. On food, Spain’s culture is one of the most influential in the Philippines, well I think around 80% of the food we cook has originated in Spain.
BTW, Philippines is not as expensive as going to HK, and it’s popular during the summer months.
So tell me, who is this Filipina so popular in your country that I don’t know? Don’t tell me it’s the former First Lady Imelda Marcos? hahaha.
We don´t have closet filipinos in Spain, one of the most famous woman in the country is filipina, guess who.
Tickets to your country are so expensive…but maybe in a few years I can save enough to afford one, in the mean time I´m going to the Balkans (Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia) this summer.