Bantayan: A Promise of an Island Paradise

I didn’t sleep.

How could I? After years of not having visited the Island that became synonymous to the word “beach” in my mind, I’m finally able to go back and see Bantayan Island its beautiful beaches that do not disappoint. Even if I was only a little child when the family frequented Bantayan Island, my childhood was filled with memories of playing along the powdery white sands of the shorelines stretching for kilometers and kilometers across.  It even came to a point when people talked to me about Boracay, I would scoff and say, “Wala ra na sa Bantayan!” (That’s nothing compared to Bantayan!)

Such was my love for the beautiful Island with Cebu’s longest flat coast. This was contradictory to Cebu famously known for reef drops just a few seconds from the shore. What it lacked in easy access dive drops, it greatly compensated with its amazingly beautiful, unspoiled beaches.

Expectation in mind, I thought that the beach was my first priority during the trip.

Bantayan Has 3 Towns!

Finally Arriving in Bantayan!

As soon as we arrived in the Island after the 5 hour trip, we were finally brought to our Resorts. For most parts of my experience in Bantayan Island, we stayed around the Municipality of Sta. Fe, around the beach resorts fronting the sea pathway to Hagnaya. It was to my surprise that we went through the town of Sta. Fe and directly into the town of Bantayan.

For those who don’t know, Bantayan Island is divided into three municipalities: Sta. Fe (the port), Bantayan (central), and Madridejos (the northernmost edge of Cebu or “Lawis”).
Personal Paradise at Maia’s Resort

Maia’s Resort: Your Cozy Personal Resort in Bantayan

Far off from the town proper, in a rather isolated portion of Bantayan, we entered into this beautiful paradise-like resort where the plants were thriving and the structures around us complemented nature. We were welcomed by a very cheerful Maia, and her husband: Klaus.  We were led to our very cozy cottage that could fit in four people comfortably. All cottages faced the open seas and therefore faced the glorious sunrise every morning. Good feng shui is what my grandmother would have said.

Maia’s Resort: Gardens, bridges, and a pool!

Because this resort was far away from the popular Sta. Fe beach resorts, when you stay here you really could seemingly own the place! It would be perfect for a small and intimate barkada get-away or possibly a paradise honeymoon experience where the resort, the pool (yes they have a pool!), the gardens, the beach and the view is for you and your loved ones alone! Truly a personal paradise!
Just a tip, best to experience the sun during sunrise where the resort faces the rising sun! Sun-lovers, this is your own place.

Have you.. Toured the Town? Like REALLY Toured the Town?

Egg Basket of Cebu: Bantayan

For those of you from Cebu City, just so you know, most of our egg supply comes from Bantayan Island! Word is that raw materials were coming easily into the island, and possibly the conditions in the island were best for Chickens, so Bantayan is actually the Egg basket of Cebu! I had the uncommon opportunity to visit a poultry farm and saw chickens laying eggs for the first time ever! The island produces about 400,000 eggs daily.

Colorful Weaving from Reused Plastics

Locals have also, through the efforts of sustainable entrepreneurs (Bantayan Chamber of Commerce), started doing crafts that can help the locals earn their keep. Wonderful weaves from resued plastic, hand-made candles from the PCMA (Paraiso Candle-Makers Association), these locals are making the best of sustainable livelihoods for their families.
And if you’re feeling that air of altruism around you, why not volunteer for the Gawad-Kalinga house building, a project that aims to give a better living condition for the homeless in the island (after having gone through a terrible super typhoon).

handmade candlesticks

At night head over to the town proper to join in one of those  town dances called “Bayle” where you pay 5php to have your song played or 5php to dance to a song you like. You can dance to some “free” songs whenever the resident ‘dj’ says so. This feels all too much like Spotify’s freemium services. Just ask the locals when they have these kinds of dance events.
Finally, before heading home, do drop by the dried fish market where you have the best selection of dried seafood and more!

The Island Life

Though Bantayan is undeniably a beautiful beach-lover’s destination, there are so much to see more than just the pristine powdery white sand beaches around.  Try visiting the Sto. Niño cave with spring water at Bantayan Nature Park resort. How about chilling around a lively stretch of Sta. Fe or having delicious pizza at the Cou cou’s.

Crabs, Sea-salad, Barracuda Kinilaw. I can’t get enough of them!

However, the best experience in Bantayan will still be the island way of living. Here you can get the freshest ingredients for the most delicious meals. They boast of fresh fish catch, succulent and rich caluerpa salads, and for those who are into our crustacean selections: blue-swimming crabs! The island gives you the best of sunrise and sunset. Sun rises where Bantayan and Sta. Fe beaches are, and if you race to the northernmost edge (Lawis) of the island: Madridejos, you will be greeted with a majestic sunset that paints colours of the soul on the canvass of the sky.

At night, step out of your rooms! Look up! On this island where light pollution is minimal to none, the ancient beings that fill the dark mysteries of space will shine in their full glory! Stargazers, dreamers, and romantics will be in awe at this island’s view of the sky.

Having always been in the city, I can’t help but say, “I wish time would slow down!” In the island time does seem to slow down. Nobody is in a hurry, the fresh air surrounds us. Wild birds flutter by. The flora bends lazily in a dance with the wind. I sighed at the though: “I wish I could stay here longer.”

But what about Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan?

True, the island was badly hit during the super typhoon. Although it did not get the media attention Taclobon got, Bantayan was not without support. As soon as the typhoon was over, neighboring towns in Cebu took off the north with goods, supplies, and support. The local government was also quick to run restoration projects, relocation, and communication efforts to help the crippled town get back on its feet.

It has been a year since the super typhoon and yet when I was there, I could barely see any sign of the damage apart from the obviously gone coconut trees or the live ones that were severely bent out of shape.

The People, The Power and The Legacy

The people of Bantayan are known to be very generous. They are generous with their time, their resources, and their hospitality. Though it is common for Filipinos to be resilient, the Bantayanons are resilient at the same time generous even in times of  trials, the generous heart does not seem to be lost in the tribulation. When we arrived in the town, we were greeted with no less than a royal treatment and a very sumptuous meal from a truly-proud Bantayanon: Sir Vince Escario.

Speaking of the Escarios, here is a name that is synonymous to leadership and guidance for the people. In the Philippines where government has allowed political dynasties to thrive negatively, here in Bantayan we see a different picture. Instead of power and control, I see a family line that has thrived to lead the people into prosperity and peace. This was no dynasty; this is a legacy! A sense of continuity for the long-term growth of the town. Seeing also firsthand how once political rivals have now become partners in establishing economic growth and ecological preservation of the island.

Don’t forget to bring home dried goods with you back to the City!

Here was a government chosen by the people, for the people and where the leaders are truly of the people. It’s no wonder why such a far-off isolated island-municpality like Bantayan is a first-class municipality.

Interesting note: hate the travel and several stops you need to make to get to the island? Did you know that there is now a one-way bus that takes you from the city all the way to Bantayan? Total trip will cost you around 400php one-way. Paradise is now just one bus-ride away

So what’s Next?

My time was short in such a dreamy location. I can’t help but feel that I have only done a tiny fraction of the possibilities of the island. I have yet to rent a motorcycle and visit all areas of the island. I have yet to meditate in one of the oldest parishes in the country! I have yet to walk the wide flat coasts at night when the waters have receded and the moon lights my way. I have yet to freedive the waters of Virgin Island where sightings of Reef sharks and rays (jumping out of the water!) have been confirmed. I have yet to conquer the skies as I have with the waters, by skydiving above the island! (the only skydiving I know of in Cebu). I have yet to see the rich flurry of species of birds that thrive the stretch of land which promise the explosions of wildlife thriving in the island.

But these are stories to tell when I do get to visit Bantayan again. Instead of my usual beach gear that I usually bring to places like Bantayan, I shall come prepared with more.

Bantayan! I’ll be back!

Beyond the beaches, Bantayan beckons!

And I shall answer to your beckoning… one day.

Beyond the Beach, Bantayan Beckons! is a post from: Johnn The Photoblogger

I quit my job; I was ready for anything that was going to be thrown into my way and I was ready to discover more of the world. Armed with my first ever Starbucks planner, I was excited to try something new that I didn’t do before.

For the next 365 days of 2014, I promised myself I was to write AT LEAST one thing that made that day a happy day. No matter how busy I got, no matter how tired or down I was, I was to find at least ONE THING that made me happy, no matter how simple it was.

Appreciation vs Expectation

It all started when I realised I had a notebook back in my college days where I wrote things that would make me happy. This was more of a checklist of things that I needed to do to make me happy. The experience was an interesting one because I was able to enumerate things that would trigger happiness in me. But there was a problem with the list I was making. These were things that I expected to do to gain happiness. I wasn’t listing down things that would make me happy, I was listing down things that would make me feel disappointed if they were not done. (okay please bear with my pessimism here for a bit) When this thought got to my head I just realized that instead of writing a wish-list, why didn’t I write down a thank you list?

How Grateful are you?

How many times have you really given thanks for the things that have made you happy? How many times have you said thank you even for the little things that just made life even better? When was the last time you were thankful for a good night’s rest? How about a wonderful morning awakening? Maybe even a dish that really caught you attention?

That was when I thought, this 2014 it was going to be a happy year because everyday I was going to declare the day a happy day.

How to Get started

So to begin with the happy Journal or Project Happiness, I had to set some guidelines for myself to make this more interesting than just placing logs. Here were some that started to develop over the course of writing on my planner:

1. Write the things that trigger your happiness, things like a new experience, a delicious meal, a random encounter or things you wish to recall after a year later
2. If you can’t think of anything to write, write down anything simple that made you feel good or comfortable such as having a good nap, or getting your favorite cup of coffee, or even getting to chat with an old friend.
3.  It helps to add small details which you think are nice to recall when you look back into this log, in my case, if it’s a trip, a gathering, or an activity, I tend to write the names of the people present
4. Sketch or doodle if you want. I’m not a very good sketch artist or doodler but I like drawing stuff that remind of the event or log. Even if it is shapes or in my case, Chinese characters, these things help me visualize the log entry better.
5. Numbers and Markers are delightfully helpful. If you are trying to build a good habit or breaking a bad one, marking logs are quite helpful. What I did was I wrote the character “水” for days that I swam and “动” for the days that I exercised. This was in an effort to have a healthier lifestyle.
6. If your planner or journal as a weekly notes section, write a lesson you have learned for that week. This goes in the belief that happiness is not pointless, it bears fruit to experiences that will help you grow.
7. DO NOT MISS A DAY, one of my challenges for keeping this up was that I missed some days when I was feeling down, tired, or just plain busy. To deal with this I look back in my social media feeds or phone photos that will remind me what happened in those days that I missed.
8. Backlogs, complete them before you forget! I had some serious backlogs then, it would last to as long as almost 2 weeks in backlogs! I strongly suggest, DO NOT have backlogs to more than 3 days. Log every end of the day! Even if it is just a one-liner like “I ate dimsum”.
9. Something new? Underline them. For things I did for the first time ever, I would underline them so I can see all the things new to me that I have done this year.
10. Write your own guidelines, I made my own, you don’t have to be too strict. No. 7 and 8 are the most important ones, if you have your own rules, make them. The important thing is log daily, and don’t miss a day!

Was I always Happy?

Honestly, no. There were days of really deep depression when I had very bad days with the family, friends, bestfriends or work. There were days that made me feel so down that it would cause me to stop writing for days in the happiness journal. But when I would pick myself up and start recalling, reflecting and remembering even the littlest things that made me feel okay. These I would write down so I may say, even the darkest days, I was blessed.

Sometimes, even challenging experiences I would write down as a happy one as these became stepping stones to my growth like: “I lost my 32G classy USB with Dracula doll keychain”. Because this experience taught me loss, acceptance, and detachment from material things.

Happiness is a choice

Sometimes, a blessing or a fortunate event may seem so small when we become filled with sadness and trials.

How can you see a beautiful flower bloom amidst the gushing winds and unforgiving rain?

You look. Look hard. Lift up your head and squint.  Try your hardest and there! You will see her. A beautiful frail blossom and when you see it, the storm will seem to cease, the cold rain will feel like a warm caress, and you will be filled with enough energy to keep braving the storms of your life.

Happiness calls for reflection

I heard from a priest say that we should have a moment of reflection when we become very happy. This is because we need to ask ourselves the cause of the happiness. If we find ourselves only becoming happy through shallow, superficial, and fleeting factors, then we must be careful as we are in constant danger of losing happiness. This means we need to find sources of happiness that are beyond materialistic, hedonistic, and personal fruition.

We need to find happiness in a more supernatural (or may I say Divine) scale.

Altruism, charity, humility, faith, hope, and love. Find your supernatural cause and you will be happy.

Happiness can Teach, together with Humility

One of my greatest realisations while reading through my logs was that my inputs started transforming. Initially it was all about what I ate, what I drank, what I bought. As time moved on I became happy because of what I saw, who I impacted, who I helped, and who gave help. I became happy about possibilities and opportunities. Even simple encounters with strangers and moments of silence and meditation made me happy. I became happy about having lesser things to hold and keep. I became happier when I saw others happy.

I genuinely wanted to help people not to make myself feel good about doing it, but because I wanted others to feel good.

This was when I learned more and more about happiness in a more supernatural state. I can almost hear Jonathan Livingston Seagull in his ultimate flying just beside me as I tread this path.

You Can be Happy

There were times that I went through months and months of challenges. There were times that I became very self-destructive and just borderline wanting to hurt myself extensively. But if I can tell you one thing about having gone through depression the first step to happiness is to acknowledge that there is a truth. It is absolute and universal and it is your life-goal to find that truth. All else will follow.

Friend, you can be happy.

Join me this 2015 to make it your happiest yet.

#ProjectHappy2015
-johnn

Project Happy 2015 #ProjectHappy2015 is a post from: Johnn The Photoblogger

They say that birds are indicators of change. They herald an impending occurrence

I have must have gone through a hundred or more posts before this blog kind of died.

I find myself writing down this hour where my senses seem to have suddenly found life filled to the brim. Who am I to deny myself when the call to write is just deafening. When the call is loud you have no choice but to respond to it.

Rearview Mirror

Someone once told me that life is like driving the car; you look at the past, as you would a rearview mirror. Take quick glances to guide you with your next move, but not too long so that you will not crash yourself while speeding forward.

I would liken today as that day where there are no cars in the highway and it is just me and the long road ahead. Just today.

So far I cannot say I am at my best these days. Lost is the perfect word to describe my current state, and the effects are showing quite gradually. Proud is the last thing I can say about myself for now. Truth be told I had so much laid out in my goals and objectives. I told myself that before I turn 24 I will do something big, something the world will know! Something, I hoped, my parents will be proud of…

Now the hour came and I look, it was not all as I expected it to be. So much expectations have been set, towering my entire being, and just by a gust of wind the tower collapses, immersing the contents in the depth of disappointment. I feel that I have failed my family, my friends, my colleagues, my partners, my mentors, and my God. Most of all, I feel that I have failed myself.

It’s such an irony how I despise numbers and how they limit the unlimited nature of things, yet it is my fear of my lack of accomplishment before I complete the first quarter of a century of my life, that somehow chokes me into submission.

I then remember that omission is often greater an impact of an action, than a direct action itself.

Who am I for I have done nothing?

Realisations

Strange it may seem how I begin something so precious to me (my blog) with an infliction of hurts and remorse against myself. But please do not let it fool you. These writings, reflections, and recapitulation of my downfalls and despairs is not in an intent to destroy my very being, but it is to humble me.

This is but a reminder of my limitations of my human nature, and now more than ever, a call to my preternatural connection to a far greater power than I!

I feel that we have a mortal shell, with an immortal shell. I believe that we have limited comprehensions and perceptions in an unlimited universe. There is just so much to live for! There is so much to know, to learn, to share, and to love!

Change

And thus I come to this point that I have realised. I am to change. This change will hopefully lead to a more altruistic me. Hopefully this new conviction to better my life will be geared towards service to others, love for all that is living, and a faith renewed to a flame that lives on till I depart from this temporary shell.

The Promise

I won’t promise that I will be a totally new person tomorrow. I don’t know how long this change will be. I just know that a sense of determination and renewed recognition of my Divine Filiation, will help take steps, no matter how difficult, to being a better Johnn.

Of course, since this change and promise is in line with my blog:
I promise to blog not just for myself, but so that I may share a part of myself to the world, and that I may be part of the good change in the world.
I promise to open my heart to forgiveness and that my blog will focus on compassion and understanding rather than hatred and contempt.
I promise to do my best not to have watermarks for the photos of this blog.

And lastly, though my heart screams indignation and refusal, I promise, to at least try, to love more.

LEDODIZ

Well, I guess that’s it. I’ve said my piece, the birds have serenaded the grand plan, and I have made my vows.

Johnn, welcome to a new chance in life.
Let’s get born again.

Happy birthday Johnn.. Now live!

Change is a post from: Johnn The Photoblogger