Discovering Pinas

The Mind Museum, the Philippines’ first world-class science museum, launches its online fundraising campaign through its redesigned website (www.themindmuseum.org) on May 29, 2010 at the Activity Center of Market! Market!, Taguig City. In order for Filipinos to get involved and help build imaginative minds, the Museum is harnessing cyberspace to invite individuals to donate via its first virtual exhibit: “Light a Star at the Mind Museum.”

For P1, 000 or P5, 000, The Mind Museum will light a star or a constellation in its website. Sponsorship could be done online via credit card and eventually through the ATM as well. The goal is to reach 2 million pesos to help light the night sky of The Mind Museum in the form of a Star Cloth in the Universe Gallery. The Museum will show its appreciation to donors by sending an electronic certificate of donation, and by posting on the donors’ FaceBook wall, if they have one. Donors’ names will also appear by their chosen star or constellation in the Museum’s virtual night sky, and they will also be recognized in a donors’ marker in the Universe Gallery.
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This lighthouse in Liloan, Cebu has been a guiding light for fishermen and sea captains for more than a hundred years. This 102-year-old lighthouse was built by the order of William Howard Taft in 1908 who was the Governor-General at that time. It is one of the few remaining examples American architecture in the Philippines. The lighthouse is octagonal in shape and is 72 meters high. It sits on top of a small hill and is near the posh AyalaLand subdivision called Amara. There is actually an old Spanish lighthouse around the area but is now in ruins. I didn’t see it when we were there but it was the original lighthouse before the octagonal lighthouse was built.

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(This post is my entry to lagawan.info‘s anniversary contest)

This photo was not taken by me. It was actually taken by a friend who shared my passion for photography. This photo has become my logo for my website discoveringpinas.com. This photo is very memorable to me because it was my first time to travel alone without parents or friends. I’ve never traveled alone before and this trip became an adventure for me. I just met this old friend through a social-networking site and invited me to go to Camiguin Island for the holy week. I never had any second thoughts on what may happen on my trip or if my parents will get mad at me for this decision. I thought that I was on the right age to travel alone and do what I really want in my life and that is to visit new places and discover historical facts. I was really fascinated with the island. The stories about Mt. Hibok-Hibok and the sunken cemetery awakened my curiosity for historical facts.So I practically used most of my month’s salary for this trip which was a big deal because I was getting a real big sum of money back then. As I look back and think of what I did, I’d still use all my money for that trip. Man, Camiguin has a mystical charm on me.

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Tonight, watch the premiere of a documentary about MV Dona Paz, the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster ever recorded. This documentary entitled Asia’s Titanic is directed by award-winning director Yam Laranas. It is the first for any Filipino filmmaker to direct a full-length documentary for National Geographic.

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Bohol may be best known for the famous Chocolate Hills, Loboc River, century-old churches, and the iconic tarsier, but a small town within this pristine province proves that it goes beyond the typical must-sees listed in travel guidebooks.

Following its commitment to bring Philippine tourism beyond the usual destinations and attractions, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is strongly pushing for sustainable, community-based travel, increasing employment and boosting grassroots-led tourism efforts that enjoin everyone in the whole locality.

Secretary Ace Durano commended the endeavors initiated by the people of Danao, appreciating what they have, and actively promoting eco-adventures in their area.  “Danao is a fourth-class municipality with first-rate leadership and first-class tourism experience.  Bohol’s natural beauty, matched with adventurous, creative minds, is reason enough for their huge growth potential in ecotourism.”

The Danao Adventure Park, recently inaugurated on its Charter Day, offers eco-thrills including the Suislide – their kilometer-long zipline, Sky Ride or cable car, and the canyon swing – dubbed The Plunge, which launches you to do a giant swing from a drop of 200 meters below – the first in the country.

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Sumilon is a small island in the southeastern part of Cebu. It is a part of the municipality of Oslob, Cebu. I’ve been to Oslob once in my college days. We went to this museum house full of antiques, images of saints, Salvador Dali paintings (replicas) and Faberge eggs. They say you can hire a pump boat from Oslob and cross the strait separating Cebu and Negros to reach Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. But little is known about this secluded island called Sumilon. What I do know is it’s an island worth going. It’s one of Cebu’s best kept secrets.

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