Before I write about my past decade's summer escapades, I will write first about the pigs in Upi, Maguindanao province, that my brother is taking charge of these past half year. The pigs you see in the picture are part of batch 3. The were bought from a local breeder about 2 months ago. Their pig pen is largely made up of concrete hollow blocks and bamboo. Unlike typical pig pens in the Philippines, the pig's bedding is not plain smooth concrete. It comprises of "Ipa" or rice grain hulls. I got the idea from the organic farm in Naic, Cavite, that I have visited long time ago when I used to work with WV Phils. I suggested it to my brother and he took my suggestion without any hesitation. I was later told that we were the first one in the province of Maguindanao to actually utilize ipa beddings (according to some reliable or unreliable sources) in pig pens. The advantage of having ipa as beddings, is the non-smelly and cozy feel or ambience in the farm. When you visit other pig pens in the provinces, 100 meters away, you can already inhale the stench and no amount of holding your breath, or covering layers and layers of handkerchiefs or wet towel on your face could suppress the force that's about to enter your nostrils.

Whether the piggery is small or big in scale, if you have pure concrete pig pens or cages, a spectator will usually feel sticky and can't help but breathe through their mouths. I do not have anything against hog raisers who adhere to that style of their pigs sleeping on the cold, wet concrete floor, celebrating the sight of excrements. Pigs don't actually sweat (that's why it's said that they're one of the cleanest animals), and they don't need to huddle together to feel warmth from their comrades, but the point is, animals too need a homey, warm and natural ambience for the months left before they face their perpetuators in the slaughter house. Pigs also have a strong sense of smell and they like to dig through their mouths (that's why they're also best hunters for truffles in other parts of the world). Having ipa actually lessens their boredom and improves their social interaction! If they are not busy sleeping or eating, they can clean off each other's bodies by snorting the hulls from their skins (which is actually unnecessary). Their excrements are also camouflaged, by the way, though the farmer has to have sharp eyes to know where to pick-up the magic fertilizer goodies. Pigs have a natural instinct of doing their toilet business in just one part of the pen, and identify which part of the pen is for sleeping and cuddling. The ipa beddings wear out in time, so it's recommended that you replace it once every quarter, really depending also on the number of pigs you are tending.

Mt. Pinatubo Sojourn 2009.

Mt. Pinatubo Trek Adventure through Russell Ri, who organize tours everywhere in the Philippines. The package fee of around 1,800 pesos already included shuttle transpo from Quezo City, Metro Manila to Capas, Tarlac (jump off point to the volcano) then back to Metro Manila, hike/guide fees and 4x4 jeep rental. Advisable if you could bring hats, caps or bandana/scarves to protect your face from dust during the jeepney ride. The jeep ride was for an hour and the hike going to Mt. Pinatubo crater was about and hour and a half. I'm not a mountaineer but I think the route we took was not for beginners. It was just too much effort. One slip and your head is towards the sharp rocks. It was not for beginners because it seems there's no trail of anyone passing the spot. We reached the crater just in time for lunch. We brought our own food (sandwiches, water), but you can also bring the "binalot" type of food (rice and grilled liempo or chicken with a side dish of salted egg and tomatoes), for added picnic ambience when you eat beside the lake.

During that time, we were still able to swim in the lake (it was still allowed). The water was bottle green and there was vegetation on the lakeshore where there is an abundance of black rocks also. The swim was very relaxing since the water was cool and calm. We stayed in the lake area for about an hour and a half, took pictures and just breathed in the surroundings and pondered how this volcano destroyed so many lives and properties in 1991. We hiked down and reached the base around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. The designated resort/hotel where we are allowed to wash up also offers spa services. You can either have a massage or a volcanic spa/lava treatment.

The hike was long and tiring, but it was all worth it. Overall, this challenging adventure was a great experience. Will never go back, but it's one for the books.

A few months later, I heard in the news that French and Filipino hikers, scaling from Mt. Pinatubo, were killed from flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rain.

Worth watching over and over and over again:

Sex and the City

I posted this questionnaire with answers 9 years ago, now let's see the difference in the answers:

1.) Who is the last person you held hands with?
2007: SI GING...AY PARANG OFFICEMATE KO PALA.
2016: Still Ging, yesterday while on a Sunday date at Trinoma.

2.) Single or taken?
2007: SINGLE.
2016: MARRIED!

3.) If you were drafted into a war, would you survive?
2007: YES,BUT PROBABLY I'D BE AMPUTATED OR I'M BUSTED SOMEWHERE.
2016: Yes, by always hiding and lying face down.

4.) Have you ever drank milk straight out of the carton?
2007:YEAH. EVEN MY ALL-TIME CRANBERRY JUICE DELIGHT.
2016: For the past 9 years, NO.

5.) Have you ever won a spelling bee?
2007:YES, WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN AND WAS ON A CRAPPY SCHOOL..TO PROVE HOW CRAPPY IT IS WAS, I EVEN BEAT THE SENIORS...
2016: Same as 2007.

6.) Who is the last person you texted?
2007:JANETTE EMNACE...
2016: Tere, my shoe supplier.

7.) Are you a fast typer?
2007:I'M A SLOW TYPER.
2016: No.

8.) Are you afraid of the dark?
2007:I PREFER TO SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS ON... THOUGH I'M NOT FREAKED OUT IN THE DARK
2016: Depends how dark it is. If it's pitch black, then I'm afraid I'd trip.

9.) When's the last time you chose a bath over a shower?
2007:JUST THIS MORNING.
2016: We don't have a bathtub.

10) Do you knock on wood?
2007: NO!
2016: Never.

11.) Are you drinking anything right now?
2007: NO. BUT A FEW MINUTES AGO WAS BLACK COFFEE.
2016: Yes. Just finished my black coffee.

12.) Do you think you're attractive?
2007: YES, MOSTLY TO TRICYCLE DRIVERS AND CARPINTEROS...ACCORDING TO SOME SOURCES
2016: When I'm wearing strikingly colorful clothes, or when I'm all tan and sunburnt.

13.) Do you know the muffin man?
2007: NO.
2016: No.

14.) Do you talk in your sleep?
2007: OFTEN. I WOULD EVEN SPEAK TAGLISH AND ARGUE EVEN IF I'M HALF-AWAKE ALREADY.
2016: Yes, oftentimes still.

15.) Have you ever flown a kite?
2007: NO AND I DON'T FIND IT AMUSING.
2016: Not on my own.

16.) When was the last time that you went swimming and where?
2007: LAST WEEKEND AT DUCK POOL IN LAGUNA.
2016: At a beach in Guimaras, Iloilo.

17.) How many people are on your contact list of your cell phone?
2007: NO IDEA, MAYBE I'D KNOW IT BY THE TIME I HAVE MY OWN SERVICE PHONE.
2016: Wouldn't want to check. Takes so much effort.

18.) Have you ever asked for a horse?
2007: NO AND WHY?
2016: No. Horses are not pet gifts in the Philippines.

19.) Plans for tomorrow?
2007: GO TO ORTIGAS, CHECK OUT THE ENVELOPES FOR PAM, CALL A FEW PROSPECTIVE SPONSORS, PACK MY BAG FOR CEBU.
2016: Go to work (Tuesday is a normal working day during Holy Week)

20.) Missing someone right now?
2007: NOT SOMEONE, SOMETHINGS: HBO MOVIE MARATHONS, SWIMMING BEFORE WORK SA ASIAN MANSION, EATING BALUT AT ASIAN MANSION, TAMBAY AT POWERBOOKS ALL DAY.
2016: Hanging out at BGC, UP, Divisoria, malls, without any care in the world.

21.) How are you feeling today?
2007: A LITTLE JITTERY, CAUSE I'VE BEEN CONTROLLING MY PEE.
2016: Fine, though I'm 10 kilos overweight and I feel that I really need to lose weight drastically.

22.) Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
2007: NO!
2016: No. But I got a "Fail" mark on one of my MA classes (I didn't drop the course and went AWOL because daddy died).

23.) What are you looking forward to?
2007: WHEN ALL MY DEBTS GET PAID OFF...HOSPITAL DEBTS...
BORACAY THIS OCTOBER.
2016: My August 31 Bangkok trip with Ging.

24.) Have you ever crawled through a window?
2007: YES,A BIG WINDOW AT AN ANTIQUATED HOUSE IN PANGASINAN...WINDOW DIN NG KOTSE...
2016: Yes, window at my lola's house.

25.) Can you handle the truth?
2007: YES, BUT YUNG ULTIMATE TRUTH BAKA HINDI...YOU KNOW NAMAN SKELETONS..
2016: Yes, even if it hurts sometimes.

26.) Do you like green eggs and ham?
2007: I'M NOT SURE CAUSE I HAVEN'T TRIED GREEN EGGS...BUT SALAMI IS GREAT IF IT'S TOASTED.
2016:  No. Definitely not appetizing.

27.) What 3 things do you always bring with you to places?
2007: MY BILLS, MY PHONE, AND MY BORROWED AND INANGKING IPOD.
2016: phone, wallet, tissue paper

28.) Any cool scars?
2007: AT MY LOWER BACK ARE 2 WORM-LIKE KILLOIDS. GOT WHEN I WAS FLIRTING MY LAUGH WITH A FEW FRIENDS, THEN SLIPPED OFF THE WALL AND STUCK WOOD SCRAPINGS ON MY BACK DURING HIGHSCHOOL.
2016: nothing cool.

29.) Do you like or have a crush on anyone?
2007: YES. A LOT LIKE JUDAH PAOLO AND JUDE LAW.
2016: Too childish.

30.) Who was the last person you kissed?
2007: IF IT'S FK, IT'S THE SAME AS THE PERSON I HELD HANDS WITH. BUT IF IT'S BESO, CAN'T RECALL BUT I'M SURE IT'S AN OFFICEMATE.
2016: Ging

31.) How often do you talk on the phone?
2007: IN NUMBERS, MAYBE 30 IN A DAY, MOSTLY WORK RELATED.
2016: Rarely these days, usually it’s via Skype.

32.) Do you believe in love?
2007: YES.
2016: Yes.

33.) Is there something you want that you can't have?
2007: MY OWN DESIGNER PAD...BIG HEADLIGHTS AND MAYBE A SHOWBIZ CAREER.
2016: My parents coming back to life.

34.) Who did you last hug?
2007: KUYA NONOY.
2016: Ging

35.) Where is your phone?
2007: AT THE LEFT OF MY KEYBOARD.
2016: 1 foot away from my left side of the desk.

36.) What was the last thing you ate?
2007: RICE AND FRIED DAING NA BANGUS.
2016: Spam sandwich.

37.) Favorite Color/s?
2007: OFTEN RED AND GREEN...CHRISTMAS COLORS BA..
2016: Aqua and pink for summer.

38.) Last movie you saw?
2007: SHREK 3, BUT SCHREK 2 IS ABSOLUTELY BETTER.
2016: Gods of Egypt.

39.) What song are you listening to?
2007: NOT RIGHT NOW. I'M ON SOME OTHER'S PC.
2016: None.

40.) What do you want?
2007: A LIFE WITH LITTLE WORRIES AND BIG LAUGHS.
2016: A life with lighter trials. I’m really tired of the big ones, brings so much heartaches.

41.) What T.V. show are you watching?
2007: SINCE NO CHOICE AKO AND MY COUSIN'S INTO CHANNEL 2 SHOWS, YUN LANG...SANA MAGKACABLE NA KAMI.
2016: None, I don’t watch TV.

42.) Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
2007: MY BOSS.
2016: My colleague.

Summer 2016 officially starts.

Summer has official started! Long hot, sunny days, when the sun starts striking stingy rays at 6 am and slows down at around 6:30 pm. I long for weekends of dry crispy hair, banana smoothies, the smell of Hawaiian Tropic, residue of sand on the crevices of my backpack and a leftover lukewarm bottled water in the same bag. I also miss my sore right shoulder, while carrying a heavy bag, regretting that I brought a big towel when in fact hotels provide you with one. Since I'm back in the workforce since November last year, I'm new and therefore, vacation leaves are much of a favor to ask, I will dwell in the past for the meantime, and just share with you my favorites and my most cherished beach vacations in the Philippines I've had for the past 10 years.