After weeks of research and several failed attempts, I was finally able to locate Malabuyoc town’s Kabutongan Falls. Kabutongan Falls is one of Southern Cebu’s most hidden waterfall systems. Unlike its more popular counterparts, Kabutongan is a bit difficult to find and even more difficult to conquer. But I didn’t know these things before my actual trip. No. All I knew was that this waterfall was unlike any other. And that while the trip was going to be long and tiring, the treasure I’d discover at the end would be beautiful and special and worth all the trouble.

When I reached the town of Malabuyoc, I immediately started asking around for directions to the waterfall. The only information that I had, however, were the words ‘Kabutongan’ and ‘falls.’ A lot of the locals that I asked near the town center didn’t even know about this waterfall. Maybe they have a different name for it or something. I don’t know. And those who did, couldn’t give me an exact landmark.

So, it looked like I was going to have a huge problem finding it. Fortunately, I remembered what my friend Anne (who grew up in Malabuyoc) had said about Kabutongan being located very close to Ginatilan. As you all know, Ginatilan is the town next to Malabuyoc. So, at least the search area has become smaller.

I continued driving until I saw a sign welcoming me to the town of Ginatilan. I drove all the way to the first road marker I saw before making a U-turn, just to be sure. I stopped at a small store along the road and the kind lady informed me that my landmark was a furniture shop. However, when I did locate the shop, the dude inside informed me that I was a few hundred meters from the actual landmark. I probably asked around three more people before a young boy told me to look for a white San Isidro Labrador chapel.

Sr. San Isidro Labrador chapel situated along the national highway in Looc, Malabuyoc.

A few people who were hanging out near the chapel told me to follow the dirt road right next to the chapel until I reach a small paved ‘foot path.’ Ok. That seemed easy.

View of the chapel and several stores along the highway.

However, just a few meters later, I reached this empty field and there was no sign of a paved footpath anywhere. Those two Kab Scouts, however, were very helpful and they told me to keep driving (past the parked vehicles and fighting cock huts.) They said that the foot path was actually very close.

I did what they told me to do and true enough, I was able to locate the foot path. I asked the first guy I saw if I could drive my bike all the way to the falls. He said that I couldn’t but that I could leave my bike in front of a small house near the river.

I drove for around five minutes. No house near the river in sight yet.

Finally, I saw this house. And the sign in front of it. Can you read it? It said Pay Parking – PhP 10.00.

So, after parking my bike, I was on my way to the falls. Cool. This is it!

A couple of meters from the house, I finally saw the river.

Before I was able to cross the river, however, I saw a young man walking towards me. He was carrying a backpack and he looked like he just got out of the water. So, I asked him if I was almost there. He said that I’d have to walk around 300 meters more. He then asked if I needed a guide. Honestly, I was hesitant at first because I really didn’t think that the trek would be hard. “It’s impossible to get to the drop without a guide,” he said. I asked how much his fee was. And he said that it was all up to me. “Deal!” I said.

A few minutes later, we finally reached the ‘reception area.’ Basically, this is where you can pay the ‘entrance fee’ (PhP 10.00,) rent a life jacket (PhP 50.00,) or rent a room.

Behind the reception center is this beautiful view.

The river trek started off nice and easy.

The water was shallow in these parts. So crossing the river was pretty easy.

Then, it got a bit challenging. This part was really deep. And to think that I originally didn’t want to rent a life jacket. Hahaha. I had to ask my guide to hold the camera for me. Good thing he was really tall.

Bouldering was also very challenging. One wrong step and it’s either you get a broken arm or a broken (and wet) camera.

And then it got REALLY challenging. We had to use ropes to scale the side of this hill. You slip and you end up in the water below.

We also had to climb down back to the water. The rocks were really slippery so you have to be extra careful.

Then we reached this beautiful pool. I was ready to swim but my guide told me that the trek wasn’t over yet.

Next, we climbed up a really huge boulder. There were no ropes this time. Good thing the plants and tree branches along the way were able to support my weight.

I was totally breathless when we finally reached the top. And then I saw this.

I almost passed out. Haha. It was gorgeous.

My guide gave me a few minutes to be alone and to enjoy the wonderful view. He said that he would be waiting for me at the bottom.

After taking tons of photos of the drop (and selfies, of course,) it was finally time to go down. My guide took me to the very middle of the pool below and he took this photo of the drop from the water. He was very careful with my camera so I wasn’t very concerned that he’d drench it. He took a lot of photos as I enjoyed floating nearby.

Next, we came to this beautiful spot. He explained that this one is a ‘natural slide’ and that all visitors under his watch are ‘required’ to give it a try. Well, why the heck not? Haha.

I did give the natural slide a try while my guide took photos of me from the bottom of the drop. Although I ingested at least a gallon of water during my three attempts, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

After the tour, my guide walked me to my bike. My original plan was to give him a hundred pesos as fee. I did ask him how much people usually pay him and he said that he usually gets around 50 to 100 for huge groups. Since I had a little extra and he was very attentive and fun, I gave him 200 pesos. I guessed he didn’t expect it because he thanked me profusely.

Before heading back to the city, I stopped at this beautiful spot in Malabuyoc. This was my fifth late afternoon in this town and just like my four previous trips, I stopped at a quiet little spot and waited for sunset. I played a favorite song on my phone and just sat there absorbing all the wonderful things the town had to offer.

My eyes were closed when a little guy came up to me and started a conversation. He was a grade two student and he was on his way home from school. He was wearing slippers, his polo was missing a front pocket and his tattered bag sagged all the way to the back of his legs.

“Taga syudad ka, Noy?” he asked. I told him that I was and that I was just in town for a quick visit to the waterfall.

“Tua man didto akong papa,” he said. I asked him why his father was in the city.

“Nag-buhat ug building,” he answered.

He sat down next to me. He talked about his first and only trip to the city and how he’d love to go back. He also talked about how he enjoys walking home from school and what they learned at school that day.

I opened my bag and looked for anything nice that I could give him. The only thing that I could find was a newly-sharpened pencil from the office.

“Do you want this pencil? I’d like to give it to you.” I said. He told me that his dad had promised to buy him some school supplies when he comes home next month. “But I’ll take it,” he said.

We ate my last remaining pack of Presto Creams biscuits as the horizon slowly turned red.

“Adto na ko, Noy. Gipangita na ko sa akong Mama ron,” he said as he got up. He smiled at me as I waved at him.

This was my fifth late afternoon in Malabuyoc. And by far, this was the best.

One of the most exciting events during the whole Sinulog season is the Sinulog sa Kabataan (Sinulog of the Youth) competitions. Divided into two events, the Sinulog sa Kabataan is held the weekend before the actual Sinulog Grand Parade. The first event, which usually takes place on the second Saturday of the month is the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan. Lalawigan means province. The next day, the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan (city) is held. Each competition is participated in by elementary and secondary public school students from the province and city of Cebu. The top 5 winners of each competition (10 student contingents in all) get to perform during the actual Sinulog Grand Parade. For this year, the Sinulog sa Kabataan competitions were held on January 9 and 10. A total of 19 contingents took part in this year’s contests. Entrance fee was PhP 75 each. Despite the pretty expensive fee, the grandstand was already filled to the rafters by 11:30 am.

As usual, I watched the two competitions. However, unlike in previous years, I had to sit at the grandstand as I wasn’t able to get a Sinulog ID. The ID gives photographers access to the photographers’ area. The ID is a bit pricey this year. And honestly, I couldn’t afford it right now. Haha. So, I’m guessing I also won’t be able to take photos of the actual grand parade as it would be impossible to take proper photos without an ID.

Anyways, here are some photos from the event. They’re all wide shots because I couldn’t go near the stage and I do not have a zoom lens. Well, I guess it’s the effort that counts. Hehe. Enjoy the photos, ya’ll!

Although the program is usually scheduled to start at 2 pm, live performers begin to entertain the crowd as early as 1 pm. See, before entering the Cebu City Sports Center, contingents are required to dance on the streets. This is how the Best in Streetdancing winners are picked. The street parade starts at 1 pm. It starts at the Cebu Provincial Capitol (for the Lalawigan contest) and Plaza Independencia (for the Dakbayan contest) and ends at the sports center where the contingents perform their ritual routine or their main performance.

A hip-hop dance group finalist performs for the crowd.

The Apas National High School contingent delivered a pretty clean and powerful number. They placed second overall this year.

Naga Central School placed second in their division. They also bagged the Best in Costume award.

The number of spectators this year is just crazy. One of the biggest crowds I’ve seen in recent years.

Look at that! Full house!

More performance photos.

Contingents eagerly await the announcement of winners.

Last January 7, 2016, the Walk with Jesus Dawn Procession officially kicked off the Sinulog season in Cebu. Held two Thursdays before the Sinulog Grand Parade, the procession is often referred to as a ‘penitential walk’ as it is held very early in the morning. The procession starts at exactly 4 am at the Fuente Osmeña circle area, proceeds down Jones Avenue (Osmeña Boulevard) and ends, of course, at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. This year, as usual, the procession drew hundreds of thousands (maybe even millions) of devotees.

And as a personal commitment, of course, I also had to be there to take photos of this truly amazing yearly Cebuano tradition. Here are some shots of this year’s Walk with Jesus Dawn Procession.

I left home at around 3:50 am. By 4:00 am, I was already in the Fuente Osmeña area. However, anticipating that the roads surrounding the circle would be blocked, I passed by Ramos Street and drove straight towards USC and then turned right back to Jones Avenue. I parked my bike near the Abellana skywalk and quickly found a spot where I could take a couple of photos.

I arrived just in time. When I reached my spot, the head of the procession was already visible.

Here are some shots of the beautiful sea of lights that filled one half of the long stretch of Osmeña Boulevard.

The carro of the Niño arrived around 15 minutes later.

And the carro was followed by hundreds of thousands more of steadily flowing lights.

Here is a photo of the crowd at its thickest. Remember, this happened at 4:30 in the morning.

View of the crowd slowly moving towards the Basilica.

The procession was really peaceful, and organized. The people stayed on one side of the road and there was really no sign of pushing and shoving. It was just peaceful and amazing.

Did you join this year’s dawn procession? Tell us about your experience!

One of the many things that make the Sinulog season in Cebu even more exciting is the participation of various establishments and private companies in the city’s numerous Sinulog activities and programs. Each year, private companies are encouraged to take part in the festivities by setting up displays in various parts of the city that honor the Señor Santo Niño. Here are some of this year’s awesome Sinulog street displays.

Once again, Bambi Cooking Oil occupied this spot fronting the Fuente clock.

Closer shot of Bambi’s Sinulog display.

Another Sinulog regular is Penshoppe. Penshoppe is a home-grown brand that has become huge in the capital. Each year, Penshoppe builds a beautiful Sinulog display in front of Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds.

Day shot of Penshoppe’s Sinulog display.

Metrobank has also decided to build their own display. This one stands right in front of their parking area gate. Their displays looks really beautiful, I must say.

Some of the Sinulog’s other regular display participants include Metro Gaisano, PLDT, and Cupsi Center for Women’s Health, Inc.

The fluvial parade is one of the most popular events during the Sinulog season in Cebu. Very early in the morning, the image of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu, together with the image of the Our Lady of Guadalupe, are paraded through the Mactan Channel back to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. The event is witnessed by hundreds of thousands (at the harbor) and is attended by hundreds of thousands more (on boats).

This year, I decided to once again cover the event. Unfortunately, I missed the actual passing of the boat that carried the two images. I’m not sure if I was a just late or if the parade actually started earlier than usual. I just noticed that while waiting for the light to turn green at the Robinsons Galleria intersection, I could already see the official boat slowly moving along the harbor. I tried to run after the parade and position myself somewhere in Plaza Independencia. But it turned out that that was a pretty bad idea because the place was just stuffed. Good thing I was able to find a smaller side road before the images were taken off the boat. Me and my bike would’ve been trapped.

View of the pier area a few minutes after the ‘galleon’ passed by.

The people were walking towards the direction of the parade. I decided to move farther away from it and find some short cuts to some possible good spots.

I don’t know how it happened exactly but I eventually found myself at the viaduct of the South Road Properties. LOL.

Traffic was horrible and I saw a lot of people parked along the road. I took the chance to take some photos.

I decided to investigate. And it turned out that the view of the fluvial boats below were truly a sight to behold.

Returning from the parade, the boats one by one returned to the port area.

Ok, let’s pause for a bit to just admire the beauty of SM Seaside City Cebu. Isn’t she lovely?

More boats returning to the harbor after the fluvial procession.

Coin divers taking advantage of the situation.

Here is how the fish ports of Ermita, Pasil, and Duljo looked like after the parade.

Below the viaduct, I saw this kid carrying two images of Señor Santo Niño. I was shocked to know that the water wasn’t really deep.

Below the viaduct, a small community was also celebrating its very own Sinulog.

Devotees making their way through thick garbage. This spot is the near the mouth of the river which flows straight to the ocean.

Onlookers welcoming parade participants back to shore.

Look at those boats! There’s probably more than hundred in this photo alone.

The number is quite amazing. But let’s not forget the tugboats, private speedboats, commercial boats, and other liners that also join the fluvial parade without fail every year. That’s how well-attended this event is.

Have you seen or joined the fluvial parade this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Last Wednesday, January 13th, the Miss Cebu 2016 Coronation Night was held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug. Like the previous Miss Cebu pageants, only 12 candidates made it to the final pageant night. Of the twelve lovely contestants this year, one candidate really stood out from the rest. This year’s Miss Cebu is none other than Gabriele Raine Baljak.

19-year old Gabriele Baljak bested 11 other candidates in this year’s search for Miss Cebu. Gabriele is the daughter of Miss Cebu Tourism 1984 Mercedes Abellana Brenner.

Gabriele has Croatian, Spanish and Chinese ancestry. She grew up in a farm in Danao City.

1st Runner-Up
Tracy Maureen Perez

What do you think of this year’s Miss Cebu winners?

Every year, a day before the actual ritual and performance competitions at the Cebu City Sports Center, contingent lead dancers battle it out on the runway at the Sinulog Festival Queen Runway and Festival Costume competitions. Usually held at the Northwing of SM City Cebu, this ‘pre-pageant’ showcases the best and most talented Festival Queens.

Check out these photos (of each contestant) that I took during the actual event at SM City Cebu.

TRIBU PANGLAOANON (PANGLAO ISLAND)
Cecile Mae Grupp

TANGUB CITY (SINANDULOY)
Einee Shaine Erquita

MUNICIPALITY OF ASTURIAS
Hyra Betito

APAS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Zorena Oral

CARCAR CITY
Marianne Hernandez

PLACER, MASBATE
Cynthia Thomalia

DON SERGIO OSMEÑA SR. MEMORIAL NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Ceydney Basalo

LANAO DEL NORTE
Diana Therese Mejorada

TRIBU KATBALAUGAN (CATBALOGAN CITY)
Reignna Mondoy

MUNICIPALITY OF TUBURAN
Jesmarie Shayne Maxilom

PASIL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Hannah Kyle Castro

Here are some of my personal picks:

Pasil’s Festival Queen is a real beauty.

And don’t forget the gorgeous puso (hanging rice) dress. Marvelous!

Carcar City’s festival queen is also really beautiful. Plus her costume is a total standout!

Balamban’s festival queen is charming and very bubbly.

Here are this year’s winners of the Runway competition:

Ms SM Festival Queen

Cynthia Thomalia
Placer, Masbate

Best in Runway – Champion

Marianne Hernandez
Carcar City

What do you think of this year’s winners? Let us know in the comments below.

Two days before the Sinulog Grand Parade, one very important competition is held at the Cebu City Sports Center. The Search for the Sinulog Festival Queen is a yearly competition that showcases the talent, grace, and beauty of Sinulog lead dancers. During the competition, contestants are judged based on how they carry themselves in the runway and while performing with their contingent or on their own.

This year, 11 contestants joined the competition. As usual, I was present during the event to take photos and videos. Sadly, since I wasn’t able to get an access pass (Sinulog Photo Contest ID), I only stayed at the grandstand the whole time and I couldn’t move closer to the stage to take close-up shots of each contestant.

Contestants appearing on stage for the very first time. They were all wearing a dress created by a famous local fashion designer.

In the next round, the contestants each performed a very short routine with their own contingents. Then, they were allowed to go back on stage for their solo performance.

In the end, the competition was dominated by out-of-town contestants.

Cynthia Thomalia of Placer, Masbate was crowned this year’s Sinulog Festival Queen.

Here are the official photos of the Sinulog Festival Queen contestants. These photos (used with permission from the owner) were taken by Mr. Chang Euldan.

Panglao Island

Tangub City

Municipality of Asturias

Apas National High School

Placer, Masbate

Don Sergio Osmeña, Sr. Memorial National High School

Carcar City

Catbalogan City

Lanao del Norte

Municipality of Tuburan

Pasil Elementary School

List of Winners

The annual solemn foot procession is one of Cebu’s most well-attended events. Every year, millions of devotees fill the major streets of Cebu City to pay homage to the Blessed Child Señor Santo Niño de Cebu. Held a day before the world-renowned Sinulog Festival grand parade, the solemn foot procession is a religious event unlike any other.

This year, since I wasn’t able to secure a Sinulog ID, I focused all my energy on events that give photographers – professional or otherwise – equal footing in terms of access and reach. I knew that the competition for the usual shooting spots would be tight, so I made it a point to come really early. The parade usually starts at 1 pm and the image usually arrives in the Fuente area around 4 or 5 pm. I was at my spot even before lunch.

Vendors take advantage of this very well-attended event by selling their merchandise on the streets.

Even this Caucasian couple had a swell time selling their hand-made friendship bracelets.

Balloons are also a usual sight during Sinulog-related events in Cebu.

A couple of minutes after lunch, the head of the parade emerged. This one frame alone already contains at least a thousand people.

The steady stream of humanity silently flowed straight towards the Basilica even in extreme heat.

A shot of the Cebu City 2015 Christmas Tree.

Several hours later, the already packed parade became even tighter and heavier. This could only mean one thing.

And true enough, balloons started to fill the air. The Santo Niño was finally here.

Due to the number of people, the road was blocked momentarily to divert the traffic to the other side of the road.

The parade being diverted to the other side of Osmeña Boulevard.

A couple more minutes later, the road was reopened and the carriage of the image appearred.

As per tradition, the carozza was surrounded by priests who also walk the entire length of the parade route.

The image is safely placed inside a beautifully crafted glass case.

And the glass case is surrounded by beautiful blooms that bear the Sinulog colors – Red and Yellow.

View of the parade moving slowly towards the Basilica.

Red and white buntings usually cover the whole stretch of Osmeña Boulevard during the whole Sinulog celebrations.

Balloons fly past Cebu’s (once) tallest structure.

Check out more Sinulog photos HERE.

On my way to Moalboal, I suddenly felt the urge to explore the town of Alcantara. To be honest, the only places I’ve visited in Alcantara are their town church and the Boardwalk Zoo. And I’m pretty sure they have a lot more to offer. So, since I was already in the area, I thought, why the heck not?

So, as I was driving, I was also busy looking for people who could probably point me in the right direction. As I got closer to the town center, I saw this small group of kids who were standing along the road. They were looking at something, their back facing the road, and they were laughing and cheering. I stopped my bike right behind them, got off, and walked towards them. Before I could ask them to turn around and talk to me, however, I realized exactly why they were laughing and cheering. They were watching two young boys swimming in the pool below. Both boys were butt naked.

I couldn’t believe that this was the very first time that I saw (or learned about) this beautiful spot. I mean, I always pass through the town every time I tour the southern tip ofthe island. However, I’ve never really got the chance to give the place a closer and a more in-depth look. I’d stopped at the town market once to buy a couple of stuff. But I never really realized or found out that there was a pool right next to it. It was just mind-blowing.

Kugtong Spring is a natural spring situated just a couple of meters from the main highway. You heard that right. This beautiful gem is only several feet from the road. It’s basically a gem hiding in plain sight. If you’re on a moving bus and you don’t turn your head towards it at the right moment, you’d surely miss it.

The man-made pool ‘traps’ the spring water and allows locals – especially young kids – to enjoy the water all day long.

Behind the pool is a ‘river.’ I’m guessing the water goes straight to the ocean. And I’m guessing that the water is brackish as it looks like it’s ‘fresh water meets sea water.’ But, of course, I could be wrong.

This house is situated right next to a giant tree on top of a hill just beside the river. Imagine waking up every morning with this wonderful sight.

And just a couple of meters from that house – and from the spring pool below – was the town’s main market. I’m guessing those steps allow fishermen to take their catch directly to the market.

When the laughing boys saw that I was shooting the two swimming kids, they immediately took off their clothes and jumped into the water. Notice the tricycles in the photo? That’s how close the pool is to the main road.

In this shot, they asked me to take a shot of all five of them as they jumped into the water.

It’s pretty obvious these kids are having a swell time.

One more shot before I proceed to my next destination.

Enjoy the rest of the day kids. And see you next time, Alcantara!

“We would you like to invite you to travel to Socorro again this year!” Ate Daisy declared. I was on my way to work that morning when she saw me. I was a bit surprised to see her in the neighborhood. Although her family lives only a couple of houses away, I knew that she currently works in Socorro in Surigao del Norte. I didn’t know she was back in Cebu.

The trip was going to be from February 5 to 9. Honestly, I was on the fence. Mainly because I have work on weekdays and partly because my experience last year was one for the books. But while I was bent on telling her that I’d still have to give it a really long thought, I heard myself say the words “Yes. I’ll do it!” instead.

“Great! We will have your tickets ready!” she beamed.

Returning to Socorro wasn’t one of my top life priorities. Traveling to some remote municipality and allowing myself to suffer tremendously isn’t what I’d like to do on a long weekend. And let me just emphasize that by agreeing to do this assignment, I just easily put myself in harm’s way. I mean, I could get so terribly ill from all the puking. Or our boat could capsize and I’d drown. You know.

But here I was, lugging a heavy traveling bag and a solid 2-kilo camera tripod, and racing through the squeezy corridors of the Basilica.

I reached the Cofradia office at exactly 5:15 pm. I was fifteen minutes late but I wasn’t worried. Last year, we left the Basilica for Pier 1 just before 6 pm. So I didn’t really see any reason to panic. When I reached the office, however, I saw only one person there. “They left about 5 minutes ago,” the lady behind the counter said.

Oh, shoot!

I raced towards the back gate of the Basilica hoping that I’d still catch them. I was thinking that if I don’t see them there, I could easily exit through the back gate and grab a cab. Or I could just head back home. At this point, I didn’t really care what happened next.

I guess it’s safe to say that fate knew exactly what to do with me that day. Because as I emerged from the narrow alley which led to the Basilica’s back parking lot, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. “Leylan! You made it!” It was Mam Loreta.

Looking back, I guess I could say that I got extremely lucky that day. Imagine all the good things I would have missed, all the opportunities I would have lost, and all the wonderful people I would never have met.

Ready to start our very long journey. A Cofradia member prepares to board the port shuttle with the pilgrim image of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu.

Finally boarding Cokaliong’s Filipinas Dumaguete bound for the city of Surigao with a stop-over at Maasin, Leyte.

By 6 pm, we were all already sitting on our beds inside the boat and eating our very early dinner. The delegation was composed of three Cofradia members (headed by Mam Loreta,) a priest, a psalmist, a simple professed friar, and of course, me.

Here’s a view of the very busy Cebu harbor before the boat left for Surigao. See you later, Cebu!

The boat left Cebu at exactly 7 pm. We arrived safely at the port of Surigao in Surigao City around 9 am the following day.

From the port, the group proceeded to the cathedral at the city center. After a quick breakfast, a short service was held.

The service was attended by members of the Cofradia as well as local devotees of the Niño.

A young Surigaonon kisses the image of the Niño after the short service.

After the mass, it was time to leave for the town of Claver where our boat was waiting. The land trip from Surigao City to Claver was almost two hours long. Last year, I almost started puking inside the van during the last thirty minutes of the trip. This year, it was a little different. I guess sleeping during the whole trip really helps.

The group arrived in Hayanggabon, Claver around noon. We had enough time to relax and eat our lunch. So, the dizziness that I was starting to feel completely went away. After eating, the group got on a small outrigger boat for the final leg of the trip. We were finally headed for the town of Socorro in the island of Bucas Grande. We have to be there by 3 pm.

Just to be safe, I decided to not sit in the passenger section of the boat. (If you want to know exactly what happened last year, check out my account of last year’s trip.) Instead, I sat at the very back of the boat right next to the restroom. I didn’t care about the cramped seating or the stinky toilet. I didn’t even care about the fact that I was sitting so dangerously close to the water. I just really wanted to be able to puke comfortably in peace and quiet. Haha.

Truth be told, I expected that I’d throw up at least two times this year. Last year’s experience was truly unforgettable. And I thought that this year would be no different.

It was really fortunate that I got to sit next to a lady who was only hitching a ride because the regular boat couldn’t leave. The lady and I chatted during the entire ride so I got a little distracted and it got my mind off the whole puking business. She shared that she’s not Catholic. She’s a member of a different group which is basically the biggest in the island. She said that she grew up with some of the people who are now part of the small Catholic population in Socorro. She shared with me her thoughts on various issues. She asked questions about the image and the Sinulog and the religion as a whole. She even asked about Magellan and Lapu-Lapu and why Cebuanos are generally very religious.

“I don’t really know much about your religion. But I respect it. And I know that the Sinulog is a dance offering,” she said.

The journey was unexpectedly smooth this year. The water was calm, the wind was mellow and cool, and the sky was cloudy but bright. Pretty weird considering that the weather in these parts of the country is normally very rough.

We arrived in Socorro a few minutes ahead of schedule. Thanks in huge part to the lack of nauseating waves that make sea travel slower.

Like last year, the Catholic population in Socorro had assembled at the port to welcome us and the pilgrim image of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu. And I quickly realized how much I missed this lovely little island.

Father Exu sets foot in the island of Bucas Grande with the pilgrim image.

The head of the local chapter of the Cofradia welcomes the image with a kiss.

Socorro’s Cebuano parish priest Fr Leomar welcomes and kisses the pilgrim image of Señor Santo Niño.

These local kids prepared a short dance presentation in honor of our arrival. How cool is that!

Despite the scorching heat, the kids kept the smile on their faces as they danced for the Niño.

The presentation was immediately followed by a short but very solemn procession.

Catholics in Socorro set up altars outside their houses along the procession route. In this photo, Father Leomar is seen blessing the image of the Virgin Mary on a small table along the road.

Walking ahead of the procession, I reached the church compound first. A lot of things have changed since last year’s celebrations. The perimeter fence, for example, has been fixed and improved.

The image finally arrives in the town church of Socorro.

A solemn mass followed the short foot procession. In this photo, the parishioners are seen waving their hands as they sing the traditional Santo Niño hymn “Batobalani sa Gugma.”

After the mass, the local parishioners were given a chance to hold the image and dance the traditional Sinulog dance. It was both a fun and moving sight.

We only got a couple of hours to rest and relax before the next activity started. The day before the fiesta (called bisperas) is usually very busy in Socorro.

The translacion started at around 5 in the afternoon. During the translacion, the pilgrim image is paraded through the streets of Socorro and later taken to a barangay called Pamosaingan.

I observed that the number of attendees this year had risen tremendously. There were definitely more motorcycles and more people who joined this year. It was great!

The long parade snaked through the dark roads of Socorro as the Batobalani hymn blared from the speakers.

Finally, seven kilometers later and in pitch darkness, the parade arrived in Barangay Pamosaingan. The seaside barangay of Pamosaigan (Pamo for short) is one of Socorro’s busiest and most populated barangays. A considerable number of Catholics also live in this little barangay.

Pamo locals welcome the returning pilgrim image of Señor Santo Niño.

A special mass was held at the barangay chapel following the translacion.

The mass ended at around 8 in the evening.

After the mass, we were informed that dinner was waiting for us at the local covered court just a few paces from the chapel. This is excellent news because everyone was starving!

The set-up at the covered court was something I wouldn’t soon forget. They’d prepared a boodle fight (meal) for everyone! How awesome!

So what exactly is a boodle fight? In a boodle fight, banana leaves are placed on top of a really long table. Food is then placed on top of the banana leaves and arranged to make sure that everyone gets fair and easy access to the dishes. The idea is pretty simple: find a spot and eat whatever you want to eat using your bare hands.

Here are some of the dishes on the table. You can see pancit, pork belly, and afritada.

I also saw beef cutlets, humba, fish, and root crops like balanghoy.

And check out this really ingenious idea at the hand-washing area! Really cool!

After the really filling feast, it was time to travel 7 kilometers back to the poblacion to call it a day.

Very early the next morning, we came back to Pamosaingan to take the image back to the town church for the fluvial procession. In the past, fluvial processions begin in Pamo (yes, they do have a wharf) and end at the main port of Socorro. However, since the weather in the islands tends to be really unpredictable, the parish decided to hold the procession near the main port, instead.

In this photos, the image is taken to the vehicle which would take it back to the poblacion.

As the vehicle slowly moves towards to the town church, the Sinulog theme is played on the huge trompas or speakers. While people normally look out of their windows to investigate, only the Catholics would wave at the image and shout Pit Senyor!

Upon reaching the town port, the image was then taken to a waiting boat for the fluvial procession.

Everything is finally set for the 2016 Fluvial procession.

Last year, I remember that only 4 boats joined the procession. This was a fantastic improvement from the very first procession which only had 1 boat.

This year, a total of 8 boats joined the procession. This is the largest fluvial crowd so far!

The fluvial procession made a quick circle around the area fronting the busiest part of the island before finally docking.

After docking, a small procession was held to take the image back to the town church.

The procession was immediately followed by the fiesta mass which was officiated by the parish priests Father Leomar and Father Exu and visiting priest Father Benjie.

Devotees touch and kiss the pilgrim image after the feast day mass.

As per tradition, churchgoers then proceeded to the church office after the mass for a small but delightful feast. Everyone was invited!

We only had several minutes of rest before the streets were busy again. It was finally time for Sinulog sa Socorro!

Sinulog sa Socorro, like the original Sinulog sa Sugbo (Cebu) is a yearly festival in the island of Bucas Grande. Unlike its counterpart in Cebu, however, the festival only lasts several hours.

Still, Catholics in Socorro are very proud of this festival. The participating contingents practice hard for their performance and even spend on their costumes and props. Although the festival is not a contest, you can see that the participants still give their all when they perform. This year, all barangays in Socorro were able to send their own representatives.

Here are some shots of this year’s beautiful Sinulog sa Socorro lead dancers.

Each sayaw halad or dance offering lasts only a few minutes and is accompanied not by live instruments but by recorded audio.

Performing on the street in front of the town church, performers have to make do with the narrow two-lane pavement which doubles as their performance stage.

After their performance, the contingents then walk towards the community gym for their final ritual presentation.

The event is witnessed by hundreds of Socorronhons. Attracting even non-Catholics, the Sinulog sa Socorro is slowly becoming one of the town’s most exciting yearly events.

Check out these photos from the final ritual performance of participating contingents.

By 5 pm, the program was over. In this photo, the remaining people inside the community gym scramble for free candies and coins.

It was a pretty successful event. And I think it’s pretty obvious that we had a lot of fun.

Tired and hungry from a whole day of walking and taking photos, I walked back to the church office on my own. As I struggled to reach my destination, I thought about the reasons why I decided to accept the offer. I knew that the trip was going to be tiring, but something deep inside made me decide to take it.

I was lost in my own thoughts when I reached the church compound. The church grounds were practically empty. And the main church was quiet. Realizing too late that I didn’t have a key to our room, I decided to enter the church, instead. For the very first time since I arrived in Socorro, everything was still and silent.

I sat right in front of the pilgrim image. I stared at the image and studied its features. Although we traveled together from Cebu, this was the very first time that my sight lingered on it for more than 10 seconds.

I stared at the Niño long and hard. I didn’t look away. I just stared. Then suddenly, I thought about all the problems and anxieties I had in the past year. 2015 was a tough year. A lot tougher than I could care to admit. I thought about my problems at work, my problems at home, and the problems that only I knew. These were the same problems that I prayed that the Santo Niño would fix. These were the same problems that I wished were gone the moment I stepped out of the Basilica every week after Sunday mass.

But no. Prayers just don’t work, I realized. I soon started missing Sunday masses and Saturday Basilica visits. Sometimes, I’d miss saying a quick prayer before I go to bed at night. I even stopped caring whether or not my small Niño replica was in my travel bag whenever I took long out-of-town trips. I used to think that the small image would keep me safe whenever I’m on the road. And I never left home without it.

Eventually, it turned into a full-blown blame game. I blamed him for my problems at work. I blamed Him for my problems at home. I blamed him for the problems that I knew I created.

I was a perfect example of what failed expectations do to a person who believes so much. Too hard.

The next day, we were up early for our island-hopping trip. We wanted to do this last year but the weather was crazy and sea travel was almost impossible. I’m glad that we’re finally doing it this year.

Our first stop was a beautiful island resort which couldn’t be seen from where boats normally pass. Believe it or not, it’s called Hidden Island Resort.

One of the resort’s key features are these fish cages which hold some of the best-looking sea creatures on the planet. And these cages are right in front of the rooms! Jaw-droppingly gorgeous!

And of course, one of the resort’s main come-ons is this long covered walkway which offers an impressive view of the Bucas Grande islets.

Our next stop was the world-renowned Sohoton Cove. The Sohoton Cove National Park is a protected marine park that features caves, limestone formations and lots of interesting islets. What makes the cove unique is the fact that it is accessible only via a small cave. Boats can only get inside the cove if the tide is low or if the water if low enough. Fortunately, the water was perfect when we got there.

Our Sohoton Cove experience was truly memorable. We swam inside a completely dark cave, we saw some really interesting-looking rock formations, we did a little caving and most importantly, we tried platform jumping. I don’t know how to swim but our tour guide managed to convince me that it was a perfectly fine idea to jump into the ocean without a life jacket on.

Our last stop was Kanlanuk Bay.

One of Kanlanuk Bay’s most popular spots is the Kanlanuk Falls – a small waterfall system that features a 25-foot drop, a deep pool, and a school of hungry but friendly fish.

After our trip to Kanlanuk, we took one final boat ride to the Pamosaingan Wharf (remember that wharf I told you about?) where our van was waiting for us.

Before we went back to the church office, however, we dropped by the Catholic Cemetery that the Diocese of Surigao recently acquired. Socorro is getting its very own catholic cemetery.

That night, we went to bed right after we packed our things. We were finally traveling back to Cebu the next day.

The next morning, at exactly 5 am, our boat left Socorro for the city of Surigao. Since it was a direct trip, it was understandably longer. Good thing the sea was perfectly calm and we reached the city of Surigao safe and sound 3 hours later.

Here is a photo of the huge wooden boat that took us to Surigao City. It carried several motorbikes, various supplies, and over a hundred passengers. It’s that tough.

The team at the Port of Surigao. So great to be back on land once again!

From the port, we went straight to the Bishop’s Residence near the city center where a thanksgiving mass was held for our safe arrival in the city and for our safe departure later in the evening.

Around lunch time, a short solemn blessing and prayer was held at the residence that welcomed us and the image.

In this photo, our host is seen praying with her new-born son to Señor Santo Niño.

It was at this moment that I realized just how misplaced my worries were.

The Basilica is only 15 minutes from my home but I always try to come up with reasons to not drop by. And then we see these people. They have no easy access to the Niño. But their hearts are open and their faith is unwavering.

I realized during the long, quiet pauses during the prayer that it was never Him. It was me. That at the center of all these problems and worries, and anxieties was not the Niño but me. And because I was so busy setting my eyes on the things that make life difficult, I ended up not seeing the beautiful things that make it worth living.

I have problems at work because I didn’t believe in my own capabilities. I have problems at home because I always want things to happen my way. I have problems because I prefer wallowing in my own misery instead of doing something to make things better.

It was never anybody else’s fault. It wasn’t the Santo Niño’s fault.

It was all mine.

That night, as our boat sailed back to Cebu, I unzipped my bag and noticed one small compartment that had been left untouched during the whole trip. When I opened it to check what was inside, I saw a small red bag which contains the small Niño that I always carry whenever I travel.

While I wandered away and blamed him for all my shortcomings, I forgot just how good He has always been to me. And that at one instance of difficulty, I was so ready to let go. But He has always been there. He was never gone. No, not for one second. He never left.

I kissed my Niño, like I always do, clutched it, and quietly settled into my cold tourist bed. And before I went to sleep that night, I did something I hadn’t done in a long time. I prayed .

When I first heard about the Archival Eco House, I was ecstatic. I mean, I am a huge fan of gardening and I was told that the eco house was the go-to place for the few Cebuanos who want to excel in this tricky little hobby. Now, you must all understand that while I do like garden and I try to maintain a healthy little garden in the backyard, my ‘skills’ just don’t seem to be enough to keep plants alive. They call people with this special skill a green thumb.  Apparently, my thumb is brown. Several shades darker, as a matter of fact.

So imagine my excitement when I learned that at this eco house, you can learn how to grow plans even without using soil.

The search for the Archival Eco House is not easy. However, it isn’t too hard either. As long as you’re in the vicinity (Talamban) you can be sure that people will point you in the right direction. The Archivals are huge in this part of the city.

Upon reaching the gate, a young guy open the gates and let us in. Normally, you’d have to pay a minimal fee. However, if I’m not mistaken, we arrived just a few minutes ahead of a tour group from a certain mountain barangay.

The compound is expansive – which explains why a lot of things can be done in the area. At the heart of the property is the family home which is already considered a tourist spot. Although I wasn’t able to get in, I learned that the house is littered with amazing works of arts and pieces created using recycled materials.

One of the key elements of the property are the solar panels located in various parts of the compound. These panels ‘feed’ not only the whole compound but the neighboring houses, as well.

I don’t know how things are done, but this is the set-up just below the panels. This is how energy is processed and turned into electricity.

And check out this climbing tower which doubles as a solar panel tower with a solar-powered rest room at the bottom!

Now, as a gardening enthusiast, one of the first things that I noticed were the plants. Check out this amazing plant wall. The plants are planted in recycled soda cups! How neat!

And check out this set-up! A 2-liter soda bottle is cut in half and the top half turns into a planter. The lower half serves as the water reservoir and the plant doesn’t have to be watered daily.

This upper half of a gallon also looks great as a planter.

Now, one of my most favorite parts was the aquaponics garden.

You can literally grow your own food using this nice little set-up! It’d really want to be able to replicate this whole set-up one day!

And look! Plants do not grow on soil but on tiny rocks!

So here’s the set-up: On top, the plants are constantly watered using an automatic pumping system. The water from the planters then flows down towards the fish tanks. The fish enjoy the mineral-rich water from the planters. In turn, the water, which is kept clean by  the fish, flows back up towards the planter.

I thought that this was the only thing I’d see at the eco-house. I was wrong!

One of the most visited parts of the property is the ‘mini zoo.’ The zoo features several animals – both wild and domesticated.

Take a look at this nice set-up! When the plants inserted on the side the huge barrel are watered, the water flows towards the garbage bin. The biodegradable materials inside the bin rot and eventually become fertilizer.

Another interesting section was this ‘junk’ yard. The eco-house collects (or buys) old wooden materials from various parts of the city.

These recycled materials are then turned into kitchen racks, pot holders, and a whole lot more!

This nice little wooden play house was also made using recyclable materials! Doesn’t it look amazing?

Now, here’s something you shouldn’t miss: The eco-house collects garbage from various parts of the city. The biodegradable materials are placed in worm beds and left to break down with the help of worms.

After a certain amount of time, the materials produced by these worms (called compost) are collected and used as fertilizer!

The non-biodegradable materials are also collected and shredded into small pieces.

Shredded plastic materials are feed into these machines.

Pressed tightly together, these materials then become strong bricks!

One of the most well-visited sections was the Goatery.

At the goatery, the goats are fed materials collected from local grocery stores!

The waste materials of the goats then roll towards a small hole on the ground when they mix with human and other animal waste. When mixed together, the materials then produce a bio-gas which can actually be used to cook food!

Check out this video to see how things really work at the eco-house!

If you’re also into recycling, gardening, natural energy, and composting you definitely have to visit the eco-house! You’ll go home with tons of new ideas and inspiration to start making great things out of old ones!

Visit the Archival Eco House at Sitio Ylaya, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City. To schedule a tour/visit, contact Tel No.s: +(6332)-2338760, +(6332)-2532184. You can also visit their Website or Facebook page.

Hello, everyone! I’ve been a bit busy these past few weeks. I’ve been trying to transition to an entirely different routine because of my new job. But I’m definitely back! And I promise to keep updating this blog (and my two other blogs) as often as possible.

Anyway, here are some of the changes we’ve all seen in and around Cebu in the past couple of weeks. Enjoy!

ACC Corporate Center – Cebu Business Park (formerly Ayala Center Cebu west entrance)

Totally missed the name of this building. But this one is right next to the PUJ Terminal.

Meerea High Street – North Reclamation Area

Norkis Cyberpark – A.S. Fortuna Street

Azalea Place – Gorordo Avenue

Solinea Towers – Cebu Business Park

Il Corso – City di Mare, South Road Properties

Cebu current tallest building – Horizons 101 – General Maxilom Avenue (Mango Avenue)

City SOHO – B. Rodriguez Street

New facade and bell tower repair – Basilica Minore del Santo Nino

Mactan Newtown – Brgy Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City

BPI Corporate Center – Cebu Business Park

Redemptorist Church – Grounds and parking repair/upgrade

Sundance Residences (left) and One Pavilion (right) – Banawa

Demolition and clearing – Capitol Site

Trillium Residences – Molave Street

Lahug road widening – Corner Sudlon up to JY Square

Sidewalk construction – TESDA Lahug

Philam Life tower – Cebu Business Park

Jollibee General Maxilom – Across Iglesia ni Cristo

Moalboal Town Mall – Moalboal

S Hotel and Residences – M Velez Street, Guadalupe

GT Times Square – Fuente Osmena Area

Plaza Nouvelle – Rahman Street

Queensland Manor – Rahmann Street

Solinea Towers – Cebu Business Park

Mandani Bay – North Reclamation Area

I admit, I’ve received several invites from hotels (local or islands away) in the past couple of years. Although I enjoy getting invites, the ones that really interest me are those from hotels that I find fascinating and worth a second look. A couple of weeks ago, I received an invite from the Henry Hotel Cebu. The Henry Hotel is a chain of boutique hotels that known for being quirky and unique.

Without second thoughts, I said yes to an overnight stay at the hotel.

The Henry Hotel is one of the most interesting hotels I’ve ever been to. To say that it’s a stand-out is an understatement. In fact, basing only on its all black facade, the dripping ‘substance’ from the top of the building, and the interesting typeface plastered just above the main entrance, it is clear that the hotel has something ‘different’ to offer.

The Henry Hotel Cebu is located at No. 1 Paseo Saturnino, Maria Luisan Entrance Road, Banilad, Cebu City. From the Banilad flyover, it is that eye-catching low-rise building you can see to your right.

The awesome thing about the Henry Hotel is that they take care of even the smallest details. Check out the nice-looking railings leading to the main entrance.

The lobby of the Henry Hotel is a destination in its own right. It is probably the most photographed area in the entire hotel.

This couch at the lobby is just too special. Just look at that!

This armour is a great addition to the lobby’s interior design. It’s so out of place yet it’s definitely where it should be.

And check out this access stairwell. It can definitely double as an art gallery.

This whole set-up is what makes the Henry Hotel different from all the rest.

Doesn’t that set-up look ravishing? It reminds me of some of my most favorite films that feature vintage suitcases.

As expected, the people manning the hotel are fun, polite, and very friendly. They even gave me a tour of the entire property!

No space is left untouched at the Henry Hotel. As one reviewer said, every square inch of the property is ‘Instagrammable.’ This foyer area on the fourth floor, for example, features this beautiful art installation.

Now, let’s check out their rooms.

The room that they gave me was called a ‘big’ room. And I’m not even gonna question that because the room was definitely big! And it looks stunning, too!

The room is cozy and vibrant and bold and fearless at the same time.

This room is so spacious. It’s easily three times bigger than most regular hotel rooms I’ve stayed in.

My favorite spot would have to be this nice-looking reading nook right next to the glass window.

The Henry Hotel gives special attention to even the smallest details. The welcome cards, the key card holder, even the deposit receipt all look so fun and wonderfully crafted.

And look at the notepad and the pencil! They do look even cuter in person! Haha!

The large poster-sized photographs hung in the hallway give the hotel a chill yet sophisticated feel.

A few hours after dinner, I decided to head to the pool for a quick swim.

It was very fortunate that no one else was around. It was a warm summer night. And a few quick laps really helped. The Henry Hotel’s Pool area is open until 10:00 pm.

You can also see fun signs in various parts of the hotel. This one, for example, is plastered outside the elevator on the third floor.

Inside the elevator, you will see this great-looking ‘hotel map.’

Look how pretty this stone frame is just outside the hotel bar.

After a few laps, I returned to my room to grab something to eat. Looking at the price list, I must say that the rate is actually pretty okay.

Rica’s Restaurant, which sits at the ground floor of the hotel, is truly a hodgepodge of everything ridiculously cool, dainty, and magical. Just look at those gigantic chairs!

And look how cool these restaurant cubicles are!

I also checked out the hotel’s other rooms.

This one is humongous! It has a big room and a smaller one connected to it.

This one has spaces for writing, meetings, long chats over coffee, and other business activities.

This one is sultry and bold and has elements that make it elegant and delicate.

And look at the cavernous bathrooms! The bigger rooms have bath tubs and really spacious shower boxes.

Now imagine relaxing here after a long day of travel, business meetings, or local sightseeing.

This one has Asian elements that make it look regal and special.

The Henry Hotel also has a very wonderfully maintained READING ROOM which has a computer and several areas for reading.

The Reading Room also has beautiful and couches and chairs for discussions and board games.

The uniquely beautiful bar at Rica’s Restaurant  serves guests very early in the morning and even late at night.

Rica’s Restaurant’s breakfast buffet spread cannot compare to the massive buffet spreads of other bigger hotels. However, in terms of presentation, taste, variety, and selection, the spread at Rica’s is one of my most favorite buffet spreads in Cebu City!

For breakfast, they serve hot off the grill breakfast dishes we all can’t live without!

My ultimate favorite would have to be the pork tocino. It’s probably the best-tasting pork tocino in the whole world!

After breakfast, it was time to leave.

I know I had a really good time. And I am confident that if you decide to give The Henry Hotel Cebu a try, you too will have a truly swell time.

Fore more details , check out the Henry Hotel Cebu today!

It was already three in the afternoon when I decided to go ahead and locate the Guiwanon Cold Spring of Tabogon. I was at this small road-side store somewhere in Catmon eating a quick snack when the idea came to me.  As I was trying to remember all my options, I remembered a spot that I’d visited when I was in grade school. The problem was, I had completely forgotten where it was located exactly.

The first thing that I did was ask around. It wasn’t very difficult to get a name and address because apparently, it’s one of the most popular spots in Northern Cebu. By 3:30, I was in Barangay Maslog in the town of Tabogon.

I distinctly remember that there was a huge road-side sign. It’s easy to miss this sign if you’re not very observant.

Driving? Worry not! There’s a huge parking lot for motorbike and 4-wheel vehicles for only 10 pesos per hour.

And entrance to the Spring is only 5, How cool!

Guiwanon Spring looks very lovely and peaceful.

The actual ‘spring’ is very visible in person. However, it is hard to find it when you’re looking at a still photo. But if you look closely at the photo, you will see the tiny ripples on the surface of the otherwise very smooth body of water.

Sitting right next to the spring is a giant tree which local kids use as a diving platform.

There’s the spring! And the crystal clear water, of course!

From another angle. The springs looks so blue and ethereal.

The whole ‘pool’ as seen from the beach a few meters up ahead.

View of the beach just beyond the man-made pool.

Water from the spring flowing straight to the beach.

Me enjoying a fun, quiet time in the water. I really needed this.

And, of course, here I am spending the rest of the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the wonderful view.

Some huge fish swimming in the pool. They definitely do not mind the people sharing the water with them.

In this part of the property, water is seen flowing from the main pool into a smaller pool where locals usually take a bath or do the laundry.

I spent two more hours in the water before I finally called it a day. Till next time, Guiwanon!

During my long drive back to the city, I stopped by this sleepy and quiet little burger joint for a quick snack break.

To get a better picture of the whole place, check out this video of Guiwanon Spring!

Hey, guys!

I’m so happy to let you all know that after weeks of preparation, http://mycebuphotoblog.com is now finally online!

Starting today, all my new updates will be posted there. And all the old entries posted here (https://mycebuphotoblog.wordpress.com) will be transferred to the new site soon. (Yep, all 600 of them!😐 Haha!)

After 8 years, MCPB.wordpress.com has finally become MyCebuPhotoBlog.com.

Please check out the new site. And don’t forget to subscribe/follow for more updates.

Thank you for continuing to support MCPB and see you there!

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