Tag Archives: Philippines

A Quick Farm Tour

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Hi, beloved readers! I’m going to share with you today a quick video I made featuring our farm and some of our developments there. Because life is not all about being broken or heartbroken. 😉 And whether heartbroken or not, I am always busy doing something, especially if it is for God and His kingdom. 🙏

I recommend watching this when you’re ready to sleep because my sleepy voice will lull you to sleep. 😅 I also would like to share with you an essential item that’s also part of my emergency preparedness checklist – a reliable dog tag where you can attach important keys and a whistle.

This dog tag is in my everyday bag, and I always wear it when I’m at the farm. But you may want to include this in your Bug Out Bag (BOB) just to make sure you won’t forget to bring it with you during an emergency.

Is there a camera phone out there that doesn’t have a default selfie filter where your irises are enlarged and your pupils are dilated?

Though I also suggest hiding this dog tag underneath your shirt because people might think you’re in the military (if you’re not), and it might cause you more harm than good, especially when “chaos” starts. A construction worker at the farm actually thought I was a police officer when he saw me wearing the dog tag.

He asked me, “Ma’am, pulis ka tabi kay an kulintas mo…?” (Ma’am, are you a police officer, because your necklace..?) I told him that no, I’m not a policewoman and that my dog tag was given to me by my brother (he’s the real military officer 😃).

Dad’s my contact person in case of emergencies.

If you plan on having one made for you and your family, I recommend purchasing military-grade dog tags because they are highly durable. You won’t have to worry about them breaking off easily. 👍

“Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.” – Genesis 2:15

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” – Deuteronomy 31:8

Is Agricultural Mechanization Here For The Better?

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“Halimaw” or “beast” – that’s what our local farm workers would call the harvester. The harvester is just one of the agricultural mechanization upgrades built and designed to make palay harvesting time and cost-efficient.

The downside? Palay harvesting using a harvester simplified the harvesting process, thus, now only required a few farm workers. This means only one thing – we will only hire farm workers who will carry the sacks of palay from the rice fields to the side of the road. They are called here in our local dialect as “parasabak.”

The Process of Palay Harvesting

Before the harvester was invented, there were 3 stages in the palay harvesting process. The first stage is harvesting palay using a sickle, and this usually takes about an entire day. Then it is followed by threshing using a thresher that also takes about one day depending on the size of the rice field. And the last stage involves carrying the sacks of palay to the road.

For shipping and logistics, it will depend on the farmer if he owns a truck that will transport the sacks of palay to the rice dealer or rice miller. Palay producers operating on a macro scale usually own trucks as this will lessen the shipping fees.

But for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) like ours, we coordinate with the rice trader to transport the sacks of palay to their warehouse. There is actually a 4th stage in palay harvesting, which is drying the harvested palay and having them milled before selling the finished product, which is rice, to the market. The selling price of milled, dry rice is higher compared if the farmer sells the palay right after harvesting.

The disadvantage though of the 4th stage is that the unpredictable weather now makes it difficult for palay farmers to sun dry their palay. The profitability of palay relies on two factors – moisture content and yield percentage. The higher the moisture level, the lower the price of palay.

Other Farming “Beasts”

Other “beasts” in palay farming are the tractors, and just recently, the transplanter. My sister was able to talk to another rice farmer who is also a member of the farmers’ association that my Dad is currently a member of. She shared that a transplanter provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be delivered soon and can already be used for the next cropping season. I’d like to commend the efforts of the DA, headed by President Bongbong Marcos, who’s currently the DA Secretary, for their continued efforts to help alleviate the challenges encountered by farmers in general.

The DA has an extensive set of initiatives to ramp up agricultural production, and I will highlight the importance of these initiatives, which will most likely change every year to adapt as we enter a climate emergency. The entrepreneurial mindset of farmers also needs to be tapped to increase their income from selling their agricultural produce. Connecting them to a wide range of markets through public-private partnerships will go a long way to ensure that not a single agricultural product will go to waste, and farmers will get their expected ROI.

So to answer the question is agricultural mechanization here for the better, my answer is “yes.” I guess, it will all depend on the generation of farmers. Because my Dad is a bit apprehensive about trying these new technological advances and innovations as far as agricultural mechanization is concerned.

Personally though, I am all out in trying all these farming innovations as part and in support of the Climate-Smart Agriculture advocacy. For as long as agricultural mechanization remains environment friendly and maintains low carbon emissions, then we maximize utilizing it.

All Hail To Women Farmers

I also noticed that there are now more and more women farmers venturing into agriculture, a popularly identified masculine industry. Now that I get to closely observe how palay production is being done, I must admit that men really do get the upper hand in the agricultural industry. Physical strength is the main component in accomplishing most of the farm tasks.

Dad’s Personal Assistant, that is, to rescue Dad in case he trips and falls. 😉

This is something that women, in general, do not have unless we’re Hidilyn Diaz. Agricultural mechanization is somehow the great equalizer in performing farm tasks without any gender bias. I actually want to try operating the harvester if it follows the same mechanism as an ATV. lol Transformers is my favorite movie of all time, so you guessed that right, I like machines.

And yes, my Dad’s a retired Civil Engineer and when I was still a toddler, he would bring me to his office when there was no babysitter. So, I get to snoop around them big trucks when he’s busy signing papers.

What I dislike though being in his office is that when I’m hungry, he would give me Skyflakes for snacks. Uhm, Dad, Skyflakes and toddlers don’t go really well together. But I do love Skyflakes now because they’re actually my “pantawid gutom” during exam days and “hell week” in college.

Why Invest in Agriculture

So, if you’re planning on investing in agriculture, I encourage you to start now even if it’s just a small parcel of land. Agricultural investments are feasible, and they’re a good source of passive income if you have the basic know-how, can hire a farm manager, or have been farming for a couple of years already. There is also a long waiting time between planting and harvesting seasons that will allow you to still have a professional job or side hustles so you can have other sources of income that will serve as your buffer funds.

We need agriculture because it is the only industry that produces food. Without food, it will basically be the end of humanity. This is the part where I’d like to thank and appreciate all of our farm workers who have been our loyal constants for the past decades from one generation to another.

It is my prayer that God will give me and my siblings the wisdom to provide them with more livelihood opportunities in the farming sector so they will also have a continuous source of income to provide for their families. God willing, project diversification might be the solution that we are looking for. And yet, not our will but His will be done always.

So yes, all the zebra stripes that my sister and I got because of the multiple tan lines we have are all worth it. Because if we want to go deeper and get to the core of all the farming issues and challenges that every farmer faces, it really requires that we go out there in the field, figuratively and literally, and get our shoes soiled.

Supporting Local Farming Communities

Another challenge with working in a very masculine industry is people management when the leadership is led by a female. I am observing their responses if they have the social stigma that women should only stay at home, or if they are just plain shy talking to women. 😀 But generally speaking, most of the locals here are good-natured people. Their lives are simple, and yet are rich in genuine connections bound by camaraderie, a true sense of belongingness within the community, and a deep attachment to their environment.

This is also the reason why my approach in managing our farm workers, especially the older ones, is to tell them about a task or a goal, then I ask them how we can accomplish it. I am not a micro manager so I don’t want to hover around our farm workers to see if they are doing the tasks right. I am actually surprised that they know more practical applications that actually work and provide good results.

With this data on hand, farm owners can now incorporate actual data gathered with farming innovations backed by research and conducted by scientists. I believe this is how we bridge the gap between conventional and modern practices – a necessary strategy utilizing this generation’s IoT (Internet of Things), which will in turn provide a more lasting, effective, and promising outcome.

Anyway, I’ll cut this short before it becomes a 100-page thesis. lol If you have any questions regarding palay farming, rice production, and the like, please don’t hesitate to write them down in the comment section below.

As always, “many are the plans of man, but it is the Lord’s purpose that will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21). Thus, let’s “commit our plans to the Lord, so He can direct our steps” (Proverbs 16:3). 🙏

P.S. Speaking of innovations, I am searching for portable and high-quality but affordable coconut graters that can be used at home. Bicolanos love using coconut milk when cooking vegetables and fish viands. Like this Bicolano fish dish called “Taguktok,” which is Dad’s favorite. I already modified it though because I used a different type of fish. We usually use “Buraw” stuffed with green chilis, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and ginger seasoned with salt, vinegar, and pepper. We have a lot of coconuts here at home since we’re also into copra production, but I just don’t know how to grate them manually. This doesn’t make me less of a Bicolana though, does it? 😉

I lack food presentation skills because I’m already tired cooking. lol

Farm Life: A Dream Or A Nightmare?

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We all have this picturesque dream of living on a farm someday – an escape from the chaos of the city. Yes, it is indeed a beautiful dream, but it can also be a nightmare if you are unprepared.

Farming is a calling. It is not for everybody, and it is not a walk in the park. It is also not just about growing crops, harvesting, and selling them. Or putting up a homestead as “bahay bakasyunan” and everything will go well. 

To help you decide if a farm life will best suit your needs or not, here are some of the disadvantages of living on a farm based on my observations and the challenges we have encountered:

Security of the Area

I placed this as the top priority among the farm tasks. Now that inflation and global economic recession are likely to worsen in the coming years as experts predicted, anything on your farm is of value to anyone who does not have them. Trespassers and stealing will be a common challenge at the farm. 

Just recently, may mga umakyat ng bakod namin dito sa main house in broad daylight to harvest our rambutan. To think na nasa poblacion ito at hindi sa bukid, we have 3 guard dogs pa, and andito lang din kami sa bahay. Pina-blotter namin sa barangay dahil may mga kapitbahay na nakakita sa kanila. 

Sa bukid naman maraming constant na trespassers at paguwi ay may mga dalang ni-forage nila galing sa mga tanim sa loob ng farm. Nanakawan din ang farm house namin ng sink, mga pinto, etc. back when walang nakatira doon.

You might want to read articles re trespassing laws in the Philippines to get tips on what to do if ever you encounter a similar issue.

Barbed wire fences don’t offer much as deterrents, but are only useful as land markers to delineate boundaries. If you want to keep your farm secure, you have to invest in electric fences (quite expensive especially if you need to cover lots of ground area), CCTV cameras (lots of them), and other anti-theft devices. 

Know the Surrounding Community

What type of community surrounds your property? If you plan on living at a farm after retirement, will your family move in there with you? Because if not, it might be too risky to live there alone or with just your spouse when both of you are senior citizens already.

Who else will you be living there with aside from your parents? Are your children willing to relocate and transfer homes, especially if they grew up in the city? 

It’s best if you have neighbors whom you can call for help during emergencies. They are also the best persons to ask re the topography of the land especially if they lived there for quite some time already.

Assess the Area for Water Sources & Electricity Connections

A farm needs to have a reliable water source if the area is not yet covered by your local water provider. If the property is located near a river, make sure the river doesn’t dry up during the summer season. Also, is it near the main power lines? Kasi kung malayo pa, ang mahal mag-invest sa solar panels. 

Determine Flood-Prone Areas

A river near your farm is a good water source, but rivers can also pose a serious threat during heavy rains and excessive flooding. You will incur more crop losses if the river near your farm is one of the major rivers in the area where all surface runoffs from the surrounding mountains converge.

Identify The Type of Soil

Identifying soil types is important if you plan to plant crops. Some soil types are not arable meaning you can’t plant anything. Also, if the farm is located on a mountain slope, it will be prone to landslides. 

Accessibility to Farm-To-Market Roads

Ease of access to the town proper/city will lessen your transport expenses. The nearer your farm to a major thoroughfare, the better when transporting your products because you can save on fuel expenses. 

If you need to cross how many streams and mountains to get to the farm, you will be cut off from civilization. In this case, seeking help during emergencies will be very difficult. If it’s also not accessible by any vehicle, all the more difficult when it comes to logistic planning. 

Hiring Farmworkers

Hiring farmworkers to tend the farm so you don’t get overwhelmed by doing all the tasks yourself is an additional monthly expense. If you’re retired already, your pension might not be enough to hire a farmworker. On top of the regular upkeep and maintenance costs of the farm, you also need to consider expenses for your daily needs and maintenance medications. 

Farm May Or May Not Earn A Decent Profit

Depending on the crops you choose to grow at your farm, you might not earn that much. Climate change and unpredictable weather patterns make it difficult for farmers to adjust and recover from any losses.

If you will have your farm rented out, there’s a high chance the property will be misused and after the lease contract ends, you might have more problems in terms of land degradation, nutrient loss, and biodiversity imbalance which will take years to restore. If you plan to convert it to a resort, the same concept will apply.

You might consider looking for an additional source of income later on. This will serve as your buffer in case of severe losses and damages to your crops during calamities. Your options will vary depending on your need. If you prefer a passive income, you might want to explore lease opportunities. Online selling looks like it will be a mainstay in the marketing strategies of different businesses.

Tedious (And Costly) Processing of Paperwork (Land Title, Property Tax, Land Survey, etc.)

There is no easy process in legalizing a property whether you inherited the land or bought it. Oftentimes you would need to go back and forth to different government offices in the province or city where your farm is located. Some paperwork may take months to be processed and for some, it may take years. 

Image Copyright: Christine Lailani Ginete-Rome

Farming Requires Grit and Passion

To those who are interested to transition from the corporate world to the agriculture industry, the work environment will be very different. In a corporate setting, you will be working with air conditioning. At the farm, you will be exposed to the heat of the sun while working.

Being hands-on in the management of your farm also means supervising farm tasks daily. I am not in favor of micromanaging so looking for skilled workers who can perform the tasks well is a must.

If the heat of the sun is something you’re not comfortable with, then expect your comfort levels to decrease even more when bugs and mosquitoes start to pester you anywhere you are on the farm. There are also some farm tasks that you have to learn to do yourself, especially the basics. Farmers, in a nutshell, have tanned skin (with blisters from insect bites) and callused hands, even if you’re a woman. 😉

But if you are passionate about farming, these challenges will be your stepping stones to achieve your goal of living sustainably on a farm. Your own set of problem-solving skills will also be very different as well as your system in managing your team of farmworkers. They are skilled laborers, but most of them weren’t able to graduate from college. You do have an option to mechanize all your farming inputs to lessen the number of workers needed at the farm.

But personally, farm mechanization is my last resort. It is still our priority and goal to offer as many jobs as possible and help farmworkers and their families achieve a better life. If the new generation of farmworkers has stable jobs, then I believe that will be the only time we will shift to farm mechanization.

And then of course there’s another set of challenges when it comes to employee management, which I will no longer discuss here in detail.

Consider buying a farm if you have extra money you do not need and wouldn’t mind if the farm earns a profit or not. If this is your only investment fund like a retirement fund, you might be better off with another type of investment that will give you a fixed and consistent income. Again, acquiring and maintaining a farm requires a huge capital and might offer limited ROI to keep your farm sustainable in the long run.

“We can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21

From your Bicolana Farm Girl,

WE Rice & Agri: My Vision of a Social Enterprise

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Hello, my dearest readers! After a year of hibernation and very busy months, I’m finally posting here on my WordPress blog. This is not a regular blog post, however, as it’s actually one of our requirements in the Social Entrepreneurship online class I’m currently enrolled in at the University of the Philippines Open University. By reading my concept paper, I hope you will be encouraged to take the online course as well and be part of the catalysts for social change.

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My Vision of a Social Enterprise: WE Rice & Agri

by: Christine Lailani Ginete-Rome, LPT

BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

The social enterprise that my family and I have envisioned to organize one day, God willing, will be called “WE Rice & Agri.” It is derived from the statement, “We rise and agree.” When I was choosing the name for our social enterprise, I thought about what will highlight the main agricultural produce of our family’s agribusiness (rice) in the Bicol region with a subtle note on women empowerment. WE Rice & Agri stands for “Women Empowerment thru Rice and other Agricultural products.” 

Why use women’s empowerment for this social enterprise? When the pandemic started in 2020, researchers have identified an alarming increase in the statistics of domestic abuse and violence on women and children. According to an article by Business Mirror,

[In the report titled, “Covid-19 and Violence against Women: The Evidence Behind the Talk,” UN Women partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and analytics company Quilt.AI and determined that these online searches surged 63 percent in the Philippines. These online searchers included specific references to “men hitting women,” “spouse abuse,” “boyfriend hit me,” and “controlling men” or “controlling husband.”

There are several studies that can confirm that women in abusive relationships oftentimes do not seek protection or report the incidences of abuse because of several factors. One of them is economic security especially in the case of couples who already have children. 

According to an article by the National Network To End Domestic Violence,

“Financial abuse is often cited by victims of abuse as the main reason that they stayed with or returned to an abusive partner…Research indicated that financial abuse occurs in 99% of domestic violence cases. Surveys of survivors reflect that concerns over their ability to provide financially for themselves and their children were one of the top reasons for staying in or returning to an abusive partner. As with all forms of abuse, financial abuse occurs across all socio-economic, educational, and racial and ethnic groups.”

VALUE PROPOSITION

WE Rice & Agri hopes to empower women in the Bicol region to rise up against domestic violence and abuse, provide economic security through livelihood opportunities, and assist in their recovery from the trauma through spiritual mentoring and counseling. The business initiative can also extend to widows and female senior citizens who are still capable of performing light tasks.

The organization seeks to partner with the DSWD and/or international agencies that are advocates of women’s and children’s rights. To aid in the empowerment, counseling, and therapy sessions guided by Biblical principles that will be held once a week, the organization will reach out to churches for volunteers who will be working under the Women’s Outreach Ministry of the organization. 

Our agribusiness currently employs around 20-30 farmworkers, but they are comprised of men and mostly the heads of the families. Through our social enterprise, we also hope to provide an alternative source of income to full-time house moms by allowing them to work in the company as part-time workers. We are looking into setting up a daycare center where our women workers can leave their young children while working inside our farm. 

DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES 

Our family’s agribusiness is a micro-enterprise but we plan to expand our business operations in the future focusing on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in support of the climate change mitigation efforts being conducted worldwide. We are into copra-making and rice farming for how many generations already starting from my great grandparents, which can be dated back to pre-World War II. Fast forward to 2021, we are now transitioning to innovative approaches in sustainable farming. Our 6.5-hectare farmland is located in Bulan, Sorsogon, wherein 1 hectare is allotted for rice farming and a small portion is used to grow coconut trees for copra. 

We are also currently cultivating other rice fields with lot sizes ranging between .8 to 1 hectare located in different areas of the town. Another idle property is located in the town proper, which measures 264 square meters. We are still in the business planning stage on how to utilize it and one of our options is to set up a small store where we will be displaying all the agricultural products for sale. This will help us minimize our operating costs since we no longer need to rent a stall at the public market. The property is also located just a few blocks away from the commercial hub of our town.

There are some portions in one of our properties where we grow bamboos and cacaos but they were only used for personal consumption. We are planning to add organic vegetables and corn to the agricultural products that we would like to sell to the market. The following is the complete list of crops that we have and would like to grow in the future and the possible processed products that will be prepared by our women workers.

  1. Rice – rice-based pastries or kakanin, rice wine, rice noodles, etc. 
  2. Coconuts – vinegar, tuba, walis tingting, buko juice, coconut husks for gardening compost, uling, etc. 
  3. Bamboo – weaved baskets, bags, mats, hats, other home decors
  4. Cacao – tablea, other chocolate-based products
  5. Organic Vegetables – lettuce and other high-value crops through hydroponics/greenhouse farming/mushroom farming
  6. Corn – sold as raw and/or processed via mini food carts (popped corn, steamed corn, cheese corn, etc.); prepare the husks that can be utilized for industrial purposes i.e. fiber, cattle feeds, etc. 

BENEFITS TO STAKEHOLDERS

Gender inequality is included in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Stakeholders will not only be supporting a local cause but should the project becomes a success, it will add up to the communities all around the world that address and eliminate gender inequality. The percentage of locally expanding the network for this type of social enterprise is also high since there is only a small number of social enterprises operating using this business model in our region. We hope to encourage more local business owners to follow suit and also become catalysts for social change. 

We are also exploring other viable projects for our 6.5-hectare farmland such as developing a portion of it as a sustainable agritourism site. This will provide other means of income and will also serve as a buffer during the typhoon and drought seasons wherein it will be difficult to grow some of the crops needed for the production of the agricultural products listed above. By diversifying our project portfolio, we hope to achieve sustainability in our social enterprise so our women workers will have a consistent income stream. 

Consumers will benefit from more affordable prices as raw materials don’t need to be outsourced since our farm will be supplying them. For local buyers, they will now have a wider range of agricultural products to choose from in the market that can be purchased without spending on costly shipping fees.

We are targeting to cater to nearby communities and cities in the region by considering options such as contract farming and as a model farm through the Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance and by exploring other marketing channels provided by private organizations. The local community will also benefit from environment-friendly farming practices such as agroforestry that will enable the preservation and conservation of local biodiversity and ecosystems.

WE Rice & Agri will act as our company’s forerunner in enriching the lives of the local community in a holistic sense starting from the “ilaw ng mga tahanan” – the beloved mothers.

Photo by Christine Lailani Ginete-Rome (Bulan, Sorsogon): Some of the women farmworkers would gather excess palay grains in our rice fields during threshing. They no longer do this now since we’re already using a harvester.
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” - Proverbs 16:3

Padayon by God’s grace,

tin ginete rome

Chop, Chop Those Tresses A La Quarantine Style

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I believe I’m not the only woman right now who’s faced with the dilemma of getting their hair trimmed and done since all the salons are closed. I have wavy hair, and I usually have it rebonded.

After some moments of deep contemplation (it’s a major life decision. lol), I finally decided to have my haircut from the comfort of our own home (thanks to my husband) because of the following reasons:

1. Use less hair products, save more.

I used to consume two bottles of shampoo and conditioner for my long hair in a month. But now, I use just one. I prefer hair products that contain natural ingredients because my hair’s been treated. They cost a bit more, however, than the regular shampoo and conditioner sold in the supermarkets.

2. You can save time and effort in managing your hair.

It became my habit to tie my hair in a bun without combing. Let’s just say I am too impatient to brush tangled hair, and it’s a bit painful too especially if you’re just going to brush them off without untangling the strands first.

There was one time where I got too impatient I brushed my hair intensely. The result? A huge chunk came off. Was it painful? I didn’t notice because I was so furious. 😂

3. I wanted to look my age.

Yes, I look like a high school student with my long tresses. Though looking young can be a compliment, it’s a disadvantage sometimes, let’s say, when you’re at work. If you want to achieve a professional look, a short hairstyle always does the trick.

The last time I cut my hair up until above the shoulders was back in high school. A shorter hair makes me look more matured, and I now look like someone in her 30s (I think). I still need your opinion on this one though. 😃

4. Less mane, less contact with COVID-19.

There are several instances that will make it easy for you to catch the virus if your hair falls everywhere. Like when you’re buying groceries and doing other errands, for example.

If your hair is long and untied, there’s a high chance your reflex is to tuck it behind your ear or brush it off your face. And this is what we all have to keep in mind while the COVID-19 situation is still ongoing – avoid touching your face at all times.

5. It feels light.

Ah yes, this is probably one of the best reasons why I chop my hair off down to half of its length if its long. It feels airy without that sticky feeling on your nape. My hair also tends to be greasy after a day.

No matter what our reasons are for keeping our hair short or long, it really isn’t the crowning glory. Go on and experiment with different lengths and styles. It’ll grow long anyway in a matter of months.

But what’s more important is how confident you are regardless if you sport a short hairdo or a long one. Beauty from within always wins the hearts more than what pleases the eye. ❤️

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.” – 1 Peter 3:3

“You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. – 1 Peter 3:4

Beautiful in God’s eyes always,

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P.S. Having a gentle and quiet spirit is what I’m currently working on. Let’s just say I came from a generation that breeds alpha females in the society. 😉

E.O. No. 26 Nationwide Smoking Ban: Should I File A Legal Case Or Not?

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So the neighbor once again smoked. It’s 2:21 am to be exact, and I’m still wide awake because I’m finishing the laundry. I believe this is how my allergic rhinitis worsened. They smoke in the wee hours of the morning when all our windows are open, and we’re fast asleep.

And this is even worse. We get to inhale the cigarette smoke without us knowing, and you can imagine how much of that smoke they puffed got inside our lungs. This is the disadvantage in communities like this where only a wall separates you from your neighbor – you hear and smell pretty much everything.

I am angry. Right now. I want to go outside and just shout at them and wake up the whole neighborhood. But something inside me told me it’s wrong. Instead, I thought it best to file a formal complaint against them at the admin’s office. Here are some parts of my complaint:

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EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 26: NATIONWIDE SMOKING BAN

I am filing this complaint at the administration’s office first thing in the morning. While I would like to choose being kind, I cannot allow their irresponsibility to cause irreversible effects on our health. For one, they are not the ones who will pay for my medical fees when I get hospitalized because my health is already compromised due to second-hand smoke.

I am posting this here just in case anything bad would happen to me and my husband after filing the complaint i. e. harassments, threats, etc. , then they will be the first persons to be investigated upon by the authorities. I believe this is what God meant by correcting the bad behavior the right way and never using my wrath to commit another sin.

I will leave it to God and the law of our country to give justice and correct what is wrong. I am doing this not just for me and my husband, but for the other neighbors as well in this floor.

I know what I am doing is what God wanted me to do a long time ago. And I am confident that this is the right thing to do guided by these Bible verses:

“Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” – Isaiah 1:17

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” – Leviticus 19:15

Our neighbor, if you are reading this, I wrote this to give you a second chance and hoping we can settle this peacefully:

I tried to understand them as a person – flawed and yet someone who also needs God’s love and grace like me. Napapa-smile din ako kapag naririnig kong nagkukulitan ang mga bata sa terrace. They remind me noong kabataan ko at kung paano kami magkulitan na magkakapatid. Kahit maiingay, they somehow bring life to the eerie silence dito sa community paminsan. One of them sings beautifully, too.

What I hate is ‘yung act ng pag-smoke. Because ang epekto sa aming health ni Brian ay irreversible. I am also concerned about their kids at sa kanila din. They can actually smoke because my designated smoking area sa aming community although it’s one block away from our building.

I always pray na they will be able to overcome the addiction not just for us, their neighbors, but for their own sake. And yet kung hindi talaga kaya, okay lang sa akin na sa condo sila mag-smoke as long as isara nila ang pintuan at bintana nila ng maayos so no smoke could escape palabas na pwede naming malanghap.

The windows and terrace door ng mga units were all designed to completely seal any air from coming in or going out so they can still smoke if they really can’t control the urge. As long as huwag sa terrace. And yet I pray that they would quit altogether alang-alang sa mga anak or kamaganak nila lalo na ngayong panahon ng COVID 19.

I may not know their reasons for smoking and their need to smoke, and yet I know they have struggles, too, at baka ito lang din ang alam nilang way para ma-relieve sila. That is why I cover them with prayers always. Dahil ‘yun lang ang tanging paraan na alam ko na makakatulong ako sa kanila.

 

Sincerely praying for our neighbor’s cooperation,

 

And So The Rebuke Came

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I just logged back in on Fb today. Naisipan ko mag-social media fasting buong araw kahapon after sharing about the issue with our neighbor to clear my head (the previous article). And yet nakita siguro ni God na my heart is still in turmoil kaya ito ang nangyari kahapon.

A Random Message But Just The Right One

I received a message sa LinkedIn. It’s from someone na hindi ko ka-connection and the message was about the last days here in this world before judgment day. It’s a random message from someone I barely know. Naisip ko baka nabasa nya ang blog ko at dito sya nag-message. Pero mukhang hindi.

Nagtaka din ako dahil professional profile ang account ko sa LinkedIn and wala akong kahit isang post doon about faith or Bible verses. Kaya naisip ko na baka inudyok din sya ng Panginoon to send that message randomly or on purpose.

How To Decipher God’s Message

Sa message ni Sir Joe, marami syang verses na pinapabasa as references. Naging habit ko na simula noong bagong born-again Christian pa lang ako na kapag may Bible verse na itinuro si God, I read the verses before it at ang mga susunod pang verses.

Sometimes buong chapter binabasa ko or several chapters. Pakiramdam ko kasi ang gusto ni God is malaman natin ang entirety ng Kanyang message hindi lang sa isang verse kundi sa buong konteksto ng Scripture.

How God Reveals Himself

Isa sa mga references na ibinigay ni Sir Joe ay Psalms 37:10. When I read the previous verses, doon ko nakita ang sagot ni God sa aking panalangin lately. Pero sino nga ba talaga si Sir Joe? Bakit nya ako pinadalhan ng message out of the blue but exactly at the right time – and exactly the answer that I was asking from God? Coincidence?

I guess paulit-ulit kong babanggitin na there is no such thing as coincidence sa faith. It is all part of God’s plans. When we seek Him with all our hearts and humble ourselves before Him, He always reveals Himself sa atin. At kadalasan sa mga paraan na ‘di kayang i-grasp ng ating human comprehension. Mahirap intindihin paano nangyari pero ang mahalaga, His message got through:

“Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.” – Psalms 37:8-9

Nothing Is Ever Hidden From God

I guess patunay ito na God sees everything. Nakikita Nya anong laman ng mga puso natin. In my case, God knows how stubborn I can be and very determined when I want to do something. He knows all our plans, thus, He will rebuke when He knows our plans will do us more harm than good.

Regarding doon sa ibang Bible verses ni Sir Joe, curious ba kayo sa difference ng Earth and this world? Meron daw pagkakaiba. Share ko din dito anong idi-discuss ni Sir Joe na sobrang pinasalamatan ko for being used by God to deliver His message. 🙂 Pero patuloy pa rin ako sa pag-pray for God’s leading, wisdom, and discernment. We all badly need them ngayon. 🙏

Stubborn but still obeys when God says so,

Today, I Write With Sadness

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I had to break my silence. Because it breaks my heart into pieces. Now I know how Paul must’ve felt when he addressed the problems of the early church in Corinth. (Reference: 1 and 2 Corinthians)

It pains me to see fellow believers breaking away from their faith. A couple of days ago, my Facebook newsfeed was flooded with hate posts including some Christian friends calling out names on other people, deleting friends on their list, and cursing downright at the current government and certain government officials.

Sadly, it is not COVID-19 that is making me sick. It is seeing these situations unfold right before my eyes that make me cry my heart out to the Lord. When the people involved are believers and Christians most especially, all the more painful.

I know they are victims, too, by evil forces that we don’t see. That is why I just vented my sentiments here on my blog so I won’t offend anyone because I value every relationship I have in my social network. I intend on keeping it that way forever. But I just want to ask this:

Have we lost everything that is Christlike in us? Where are the fruits of the Spirit? Whatever happened to God’s greatest commandment of loving one another just like how He loved us?

This is the Bible verse in the new shampoo bottle that hubby bought just last week. It came in very timely. And I know it is God calling us out to be who we really are. He knows the church will go through this.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” – John 13:34

 

I was hoping more from Christians to behave otherwise because we have a greater calling to be the salt and light of the world. We already have an idea of who God is and how Christianity works – discipleship, fellowship, personal relationship with God, etc.

Personally, I felt like I have failed in reminding those in my social network how to respond as a Christian in a time like this. It crushes my soul that they have forgotten all the wisdom found in the Bible – the very promise of God.

It hurts me even more knowing that I can only pray for them, and that if they won’t seek God’s forgiveness and instructions, we already have a picture what will happen next. The punishment is greater for those who already know Christ, and yet chose to disobey.

How could we forget so easily? How could we succumb to the temptations of the enemy and this world so easily?

I posted Bible verses on Facebook as a reminder to go back to God before it’s too late – to seek Him first before anything else. And yet, I, too, became a victim of this persecution and was called too complacent. That I don’t care at all for those who are most affected with this crisis (the weak and the poor) because they think I am rich, which I am not.

What’s worse is that I was blamed for being a Christian and that I was using Bible verses to make people hate God even more. I believe this is the part where we can see divisions in the church – when some of us choose to believe selected Bible verses only for a particular situation without taking the entirety of Scripture into consideration. And this is exactly what the enemy wants, to create dissensions among believers.

How come we were judged easily not knowing what my husband and I went through for the past years? My husband and I had to endure months to years of living from paycheck to paycheck.

We literally used coins to buy our daily meals making sure we won’t go out of the budget by spending 100 pesos a day only for 3 meals. We also lived in a tiny room that measures 12 feet x 6 feet and the kitchen, comfort room, dining area, and bedroom were all in there. We started out with no beds or mattresses except for sleeping bags, no dining table and chairs, and no refrigerator.

Our families may be well-off, but I told my husband that we need to learn to rely on God first when it comes to our needs and refrain from asking other people for help. So yes, when it comes to worldly poverty, we know how it felt. I know how it felt to be really in need owning nothing else but the clothes on my body because we experienced it firsthand.

And yet true enough, God helped us get through that ordeal. He blessed us in so many unexpected ways with more than what we have prayed for. Were there times that my husband and I cried (literally and figuratively) out to God? Yes, A LOT of times.

My husband once cried in the comfort room of his workplace while sharing to me about God’s favor over the phone. I cried, too, when my husband was asleep and while praying to God. And there were more of these times that we sure felt we’re undeserving and yet God provided still.

But instead of cursing God for putting us in that predicament, we praised Him even more and became closer to Him every single day. I believe this is the problem now. And this is the greatest test of faith that Christians need to endure.

To never lose sight of who God is when tough times become even tougher, when problems seem never-ending, when solutions just seem impossible, and when the future just seems 100% uncertain.

I once shared to my husband that even if it is a matter of life and death, we must not turn our backs on God and our calling as a Christian. That was how men of great faith in the Bible earned God’s favor. By staying true to their commitment even if it means giving up their lives for Him i. e. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego; Daniel and the Lions; David and Goliath, etc.

When we are stretched to our limits and when we feel like being “burned” alive and we become impatient waiting for God’s answers, do we resort to solving things out on our own and depend once again on self-sufficiency instead on God?

I am praying this isn’t our mindset because it has already been written in the Bible that more of these problems will come – Luke 24 (Jesus Speaks About The Future). And I believe they will be more difficult, more heart-wrenching, and even more life-threatening.

We must not give in to this world. Not now, most especially for the Christians. The world needs us. This is the mission that God has set for each one of us to accomplish so we can be blameless when Jesus finally comes.

I encourage believers to share the Bible verses as is on social media instead of voicing out our sentiments. They are the exact words of God, thus, they have the authority to rebuke, remind, and encourage. What the world needs now is what God has to say and not really what each one of us has to say personally. “Less talk, fewer mistakes,” as they say.

If what we say is not in light of the Scripture, then, there is a higher chance of us saying the wrong things or being misinterpreted. If people still chose to persecute us for sharing Bible verses during a crisis, then they are going against the Word of God and not us per se. It is God, then, who has the authority to judge them and not us when the right time comes.

Help comes from God and God alone, and the government or other people are only instruments of those blessings. Help always comes. And yet this will all happen according to God’s will and according to God’s timeline.

The only problem is we don’t have enough faith to trust God completely that He will provide us with everything that we need may it be eternal salvation or material needs. Thus, we become desperate for answers and solutions.

How much of God do we really believe in when we call Him out as God, our Father? How much of what Jesus has done on the Cross will be enough for us to believe that He indeed came here to save this world and all the people in it?

I am currently on Facebook hibernation as part of my Holy Week fasting. My heart bleeds seeing this situation happen during Holy Week. My heart breaks that the Lord’s Name is being used in vain, exactly during the time when we’re supposed to be glorifying Him.

I am praying that during the Holy Week, God’s people will take it into their hearts what really happened on the Cross how many centuries ago. I pray that we will all have a moment of reflection and refresh the time when we were saved. I pray that after this week and in the coming months and years, believers will rise up to their calling as followers of Christ and bring victory to God’s name no matter the circumstance.

Being a Christian is hard, but that is part of our identity as Christ’s followers. And this is just one of the extreme tests of faith for all believers. I pray we all open our eyes and defeat the attempt of the enemy to deceive, which has already blinded some of our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ.

We are more than conquerors in Christ. His blood is in each one of us. Let’s listen to the Spirit. Let’s devote our time to the reading of Scripture more than ever. And lastly, let’s continue praying that the body of Christ will all be united in defeating all the attacks of the enemy.

Praying for God’s mercy to be upon us all,

Fighting An Enemy That We Don’t See And Hidden Within Ourselves: COVID-19

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I’d like to begin this article with a Bible verse that I felt came in timely during this COVID-19 pandemic.

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 6:12

COVID-19: Fighting The Enemy Within

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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

One COVID-19 patient who recovered said, “It’s more of a psychological battle than a physical one.” Because the struggle takes place inside us where the enemy can attack us with other forms of spiritual warfare such as deception, lies, fears, worries, doubts, and other negative emotions. 

I am currently experiencing symptoms, but they disappear and then reappear after a couple of days. I am closely observing any other changes and make sure they’re not caused by my allergic rhinitis.

As of writing, there are 707 positive cases, 45 deaths, and 28 recoveries here in the Philippines. I believe these numbers represent only 1/2 of the actual COVID-19-related cases in the country.

These statistics didn’t include pneumonia-related deaths of those who weren’t tested for COVID-19 or still waiting for the results. Given these numbers, data analysts have calculated that the peak of the pandemic is still about to take place come April – June.

Replacing The Bad News With The Good News

As more and more of these bad news start circulating on social media the past days, more and more people are getting enraged by a whole lot of different things. I guess that is what panic and fear can do to people who don’t have any idea about what’s in store for them when they leave this world.

I must admit, I sometimes feel this panic, fear, and paranoia, too. I noticed this when I spend so much time browsing my newsfeed and all the posts I read are all bad news. And it takes so much discipline to “not conform” to the worries of this world.

Behaving As Salt And Light To The World

Why? Our human nature always has an automatic response to everything that is negative. It’s part of our worldly flesh that we constantly wrestle with. Thus, it takes so much discipline for a Christian to behave otherwise.

Instead of cursing people left and right, a Christian needs to carefully weigh every word that goes out in his/her posts. Instead of anger, there has to be understanding. Instead of punishment, there has to be compassion. Instead of retaliation, there has to be forgiveness.

We can always have a “say” in every social issue that goes around, but I believe it will be better if we say our opinions in a manner that brings light, peace, and healing not just to our social network, but to the entire world that is watching and listening.

Assessing Panic And Fear

Why do people panic? It’s because of fear. Fear can be in any form. It could be the fear of being broke, fear of losing a job or a business, fear of hunger, fear of getting sick, fear of being alone, and lastly, fear of dying.

The last one is, by far, the toughest battle that everyone needs to face one way or the other. Because we will all die eventually. The only difference lies in the manner and the time of our deaths.

Why do people fear death? It’s because they don’t have an idea about what will happen afterward. For born-again Christians though, it is the opposite. Scripture has given us already a glimpse of what life after this world looks like as described in the book of Revelations. It is a VERY BEAUTIFUL PROMISE.

The Promise That We Can Hold On To

It is the opposite of all the pain and suffering in this world. Everything that we consider as beautiful, pleasing, and perfect, we will see them all there. The very few seconds of pain and suffering that we will feel as we struggle for the last breaths are all worth it.

While listening to an online Sunday service in our church, I had this image inside my head. I sketched and posted it on my Facebook account. I was hoping the body of Christ (visual artists and filmmakers) could make a short movie or skit depicting a similar scene.

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What Heaven Looks Like

I thought this is what the people need now amid the bad news bombarding us every single day. This image shows a COVID-19 patient surrounded by the doctor, the nurse, God, and His angels. Although God and the angels are more like a hologram that only the patient can see.

God is pointing a vision of Heaven to the patient and all its riches are displayed on the road. Beside it, there are people who are smiling and waving as if they’re a welcome party. And there stood at the gate is Jesus, ready to take the lead into His Father’s Kingdom.

Scenes From The Movie “The Shack”

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The image was so vivid that it actually reminded me of a scene from the Christian movie that my husband and I watched a couple of years ago entitled The Shack. It was a story about a grieving dad who lost his daughter to a pedophile/psycho killer during a camping event in the woods.

It was a very tragic experience seeing his daughter’s bloodied clothes and a bloodied floor of a shack, but without any trace where his daughter’s remains are. The killer’s still on the loose and there seemed to be no closure.

Unforgiveness, guilt, anger, hatred, bitterness…they all hardened the dad’s heart, which led him further away from God. But God, who is also a loving Father, never failed to reach out to this dad who mourns over the death of his daughter even several years after the incident.

Until came the scene where God showed him where his daughter is now. She looks very happy playing with the other kids in Heaven and Jesus is with them. I guess, we, too, can take comfort in this idea that any believer who leaves this world never leave it alone, and in fact, is in a place much better than ours.

Heaven Rejoices For Every Death Of A Believer

When my faith-filled maternal grandma passed away 7 days before Christmas Day last year, our pastor in our mother Protestant church chose this Bible verse to be placed on her coffin. Today’s devotion reminded me again of this Bible verse and I thought maybe God wanted to show us that there really is nothing to fear.

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His faithful servants.” – Psalm 116:15

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In fact, while trying to destress before I sleep, I opened the Spotify app on my phone and searched for my favorite Piano Hymns playlist. This was the first song on the roster.

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I also posted on Facebook the Bible verses I discovered on the shampoo and hair conditioner bottles I’m using, and friends started sharing theirs, too. It was an enlightening experience when you bring all the Bible verses together.

Here they are:

1. My Shampoo and Hair Conditioner Bottles

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” – Galatians 5:13

“And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” – Matthew 1:21-23

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2. Sis Ann Jane

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4:3-5

Sis Ann Jane

Photo courtesy of Sis Ann Jane 🙂

3. Sis Claud

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” – Deuteronomy 15:10

Sis Claud

Photo courtesy of Sis Claud 🙂

4. Sis Gessa

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the Good News!” – Mark 1:14-15

Sis Gessa

Photo courtesy of Sis Gessa 🙂

To end this article, I guess what we only need to do during this crisis is to fervently pray and let God fight this enemy that we don’t see and is hidden in the recesses of our souls. I believe God has been reiterating it since Day 1 of this pandemic.

We can never do it alone, and we most certainly can’t do it without His help. The support of our government, the hospitals, our families, or our communities won’t be enough. Only His help is enough to conquer it once and for all. In other words, let our trust be upon Him completely.

Be rest assured that even if we felt like we lost the battle here in this world, Jesus already won the fight. Victory is already ours in another life that sure has no end. Wouldn’t that be better than living in this world that is bound to disappear anyway? 🙂

Declaring God’s victory here and now,

P.S. While waiting, we must never forget to do what God asked us to do according to His Word and His instructions. We must never let our guards down by staying equipped with the Armor of God. The battle is far from over but always take heart. ❤

I was also instructed by the Spirit to write this post, thus, I obey. 😀

Eventful February Part 2: Calubcub Bay Resort And Recreation / Balay Dako

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Summer came in a little early for my siblings and I. The weekend after February 14 was a clear schedule for two of my siblings and their spouses, so we decided to have an impromptu beach getaway.

Thank God I was able to find one resort located near the metro that isn’t fully booked yet. I know all the hotels and resorts will be flocked by tourists for the extended Valentine’s Day celebration since it fell on a Friday. The only sad part was that my eldest sister and her family couldn’t join us because of a church event.

The Place

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I made inquiries at 10 different resorts before I was able to find Calubcub Bay Resort. I just had to research fast and propose the places to my siblings since we’re only a couple of hours away before our scheduled departure.

Just when I was about to call the search over, then came a reply that there’s an available accommodation for us at Calubcub Bay Resort good for 8 persons. The good thing is that we don’t need to make any reservation payments to book the accommodation.

We were able to rent out a Villa with 4 queen beds located on the second floor, an open dining area, and a secure kitchen. It also has two bathrooms making the place a very convenient option for large groups of guests.

The Beach

As typical of all Batangas beaches, the sand color is a darker shade of brown. The beach is clean though, and the water isn’t too deep. It does look a little murky, however, because of the dark sand color.

Thank God there were no seaweeds near the shore and where we swam. You won’t have that terrifying experience of guessing what’s that slimy thing underneath your toes. lol

My hometown offers far more beautiful beaches than the ones in Batangas. The only downside is that you have to travel 17 hours by road to get there. So if you’re vying for a beach experience near the metro, Batangas is the place to be.

The Ambiance

The resort has a very laidback setting. It also has a pond for fishing, and you get to buy and cook what you caught. They also have an obstacle course situated near the resort’s entrance.

It’s basically used for team building activities. You may also try it out if you and your friends or your loved ones are up for a fitness challenge.

It’s too bad hubby and I arrived at 10 pm because his work is extended until Saturday. So we only got to enjoy the amenities the next day.

Overall Experience

If I am to rate our stay there, I’d give it 5 stars. The room was clean, and all the faucets and sinks were working properly. We were also able to park near our villa for easy access.

We weren’t able to try the menu at their restaurant since we brought and cooked our food. But the best part is that we got a 20% discount for the Valentine’s Day promo in all their accommodations. Yays! Thank You, Lord! 😍

Late Lunch At Balay Dako

Since my Norwegian brother-in-law would like to visit Taal Volcano, we decided to drop by on our way home and have our late lunch at Balay Dako. It’s a Filipino restaurant that offers the best Filipino dishes. My personal favorite on their menu is the “fresh lumpia.”

It didn’t rain when we arrived in Tagaytay, so we’re greeted by a breathtaking view of the Taal Lake. We weren’t expecting it to look that peaceful and beautiful after its eruption last January causing extensive damages to properties in neighboring towns and cities.

For the overall experience, I must say that it was a perfect getaway. We got home safely, we ate the best food, and we had the much-needed breather. Indeed, God makes everything beautiful in His perfect time. 🙏❤️

Up next, family time with my eldest sister and her family. 🙂

Traveling to marvel at God’s wonders,