Trip to Leyte

This entry aims to account for all of my experiences in Leyte. Here we go:

July 21, 2011 was our scheduled flight to Tacloban, Leyte via Philippine Air Lines (PAL) flight PR 391. With me are my batchmates: Cel, Katz, Dona, Mei, te Gern, Meeks, Les, Dex at Aids. Our itinerary included arrival in Tacloban on the 21^st and back to Manila by the 23^rd. Our trip was sponsored by PASAR, the only copper smelting company in this country. Everything's free except for the pasalubong expenses.

07/21

At around 6:30 AM, Pops accompanied me to Centennial 2 Airport. The travel via a cab took us around 40mins coz of the medium traffic at Gate 3 and somewhere in Villamor. I waited for some of my classmates till I checked-in. I first saw Cel and Meeks. Pops left me na since I’m with my classmates already. Lester, Katz and Aids had already checked-in. I thought I was the earliest.haha After checking-in our baggages, Dona, Mei and te Gern arrived na rin so sabay-sabay na kaming nagcheck-in.

my e-ticket & printed ticket

while waiting for my classmates. shown is Jacob, my CM Eclipse 1 phone.=)

We were so early. We waited for like an hour and a half till the plane left for Tacloban. While waiting in the terminal, everyone did their own stuff: from galaxy tabs, ipads, to phone calls, text mates, and cam vainness. I just did the last one.hahaha

smile Mei! behind her are Aids and Katz (while waiting for the plane)

Cel and Dona. namnamnamnam.. super sarap ng buttery-milky biscocho na dala ni Cel.=)

Mei and I. Cel took this pic, I think.=)

Aboard the plane, my seat is near the aisle, so I had a very limited view of what was outside. Beside me is a guy around 30’s who just slept throughout the flight. He just woke up when the guy nearest to the mirror dropped the snack wrapper on him while giving it to the flight stewardess. The snacks provided by PAL were: greaseless Happy peanuts and green Fudgee bar. Hot coffee and water was also available, no hot choco for kids. What would the kids drink, coffee? Oh no.. I don’t drink coffee so I just asked for water. I also borrowed a broadsheet for me to be updated on what’s happening na. I haven’t watched any news for the past month, I think.=(

There, I wasn’t able to sleep coz I need to be alert for whatever may happen.haha and it’s just my second time to fly a plane which will last for more than an hour. [my first was bound to Legaspi, Albay which was just like 45 mins]. But the flight seemed very fast. Soon, the captain announced that the plane is now ready for landing. We arrived at the Tacloban airport around 10:30 AM. Daniel Romualdez, as the airport is named, is situated near Leyte’s coast.

taken inside the plane, just after the plane had landed in Tacloban.

after getting off the plane

The service that would take us to PASAR, LIDE, Isabel, Leyte was already waiting for us. Since the trip would take us around 3 hours of travel by land, we ate muna at Robinsons’ Tacloban for an early lunch. The Supreme Bowl which I ordered at KFC doesn’t taste good, or maybe it was just the unfamiliar hot sauce that did not satisfy my taste buds. But no choice, I have to feed my intestines or else they’ll eat themselves and my mortal existence would be over.

Huwaatt? Where are we na? So there, I saw only a few shoppers in the mall, unlike in Manila where the flow of the people inside every mall is always either medium or heavy. We bought some packed pasalubong in the grocery din, where Cel helped us chose which tastes good and told us what island is it from.

while waiting for our orders to be taken. Dona, te Gern, Mei and Cel

for lunch.

Robinsons Place Tacloban

The 3-hour trip was sooo loooonngg.. as in! plus the added inconvenience in my seat coz it’s back support isn’t high. But I have no right to complain coz the company provided these all for free.

On the way, I saw some LDS chapels. One had a very large lot, mostly covered in grass. One is in the middle of a vast area of land. I always feel safe whenever I see LDS chapels coz it means that there are members in that area and that they would always be there to help me in case.=)

Upon arriving at the guesthouse of PASAR, rooms were assigned to us. The 4 boys shared a room; Dona, Mei & Ate Gern shared another; and Cel, Katz and I took the room #5.

Green Room. shown is Cel' and Katz' bed. I love this room coz it's soo green.=)

Yellow Room. the other girls' room. Dona, Mei and te Gern.

Prior to our interview the next day, we had to undergo a series of medical tests. 

Cel, Mei and Dona. while waiting at the hospital's lobby

te Gern & I.=)

Everyone was too tired to do any activity after dinner, except for the boys, I think.hehe

07/22 

Interview Day

the sequence of interviewee for today

My supposed 20-min interview took just around 10-15mins. I was seated in a "hot seat" where around 9-10 executives were the panel. Whew. Good thing it's over.haha After the interview, we still had to finish the series of medical tests.

in the hospital's lobby, still dressed in our formal attire

syempre, dapat kasama ako..hehe

Since the interview and medical tests were over, everyone just enjoyed the night. We had a photoshoot in our room, with Lester as the photographer (using his Canon SLR) and Meeko the stage manager. Here's some of the shots taken:

on Cel's bed. CW: Dona, Mei, Cel, and I

framed group pic. cool!=)

framed family pic (daw.haha)

teleserye kuno.haha but why am I smiling? haha

ow now..haha todo pose.=))

when we got tired of taking pics, we rested muna. Above is Mei with her galaxy tab, Les, Cel & I were seated on my bed watching The Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

07/23

Last day in PASAR.. 

my morning dose of Energen.=)

good bye Green Bed! I'm not sure if I could go back to PASAR again..

Since it's around 6am pa and my roommate is still asleep, as well as my other classmates. I took some time to take some pics of the guesthouse muna.=)

the pool. No one among us UP pips dared to swim in the pool, except the IIT boys.haha

I tried to capture a morning dew, but I think these ones were accumulated from the rainfall last night.

cute bonsai plant. I don't know what it's called.

just my hand under the water of the pool.=)

Around 7am, most are awake na except for Cel.haha Below is te Gern trying to wake up Cel. 

Last breakfast in PASAR:

viand choices..

I ordered a fish and a chix for breakfast.

ERDT pips. L-R: te Gern, kuya Joe (now works in PASAR), me and Dex

group pic at PASAR before going to Tacloban airport.
Up, L-R: Dex, Katz, Mei, te Gern
Down, L-R: Aids, Meeks, Mei, Cel, me
Les' the photographer

I really enjoyed this 3-day activity in PASAR. Surely none of us was able to seriously review during those 3-days but I know we all enjoyed it.=)




Picture Credits:
*Les' Canon DSLR [thanks for the pics!=)]
*my sis' Kodak point-and-shoot cam

La Union Trip (Feb 25-26)

Here are some photos taken during our trip to La Union to attend Uncle Ben's burial. Uncle Ben is Pop's grade school classmate, and his 2nd degree cousin.

Early Saturday morning. kakagising pa lang.=) Auntie Adora was washing some laundry and Pops was cleaning some talaba (I think). sabi nila, pwede na daw kainin yun, as in! but i won't dare eat it kasi super lansa ng amoy..pramis!!

closer look at the talaba

since Ate Jam and I still have 30mins before 8am, we hurriedly walked to the  sea to have some fresh air.=)

according to studies, if given a writing tool and any thing to write on, people will mostly write their names. just what Ate Jam and I did.^_^

Oblation?haha hindi ko nagaya si Oble. fail!

O, naligaw ata si Dyesebel?haha

That's me or Ate Jam? guess..haha

Yan na ang pinakamalalim nyang kayang puntahan.haha She's really afraid of deep waters.

Ate Jam wasn't able to capture the whole phrase, it must be:
Da Tetel in La Union

When we arrived at the house, after the trip to the sea, Lola Mameng was already awake.

Ate Jam and Lola Mameng. 

at exactly 9am, the 'parade' to the church started. Shown is the Karo of Uncle Benjamin Soriano, Jr.'s body. He was a retired policeman (investigator, I think) that's why there's a police band.

some friends, family and neighbors of the Soriano Family.

Ate Jam and I, camera break during the long walk. I think the distance just seemed so far kasi ang bagal ng paglakad. When we rode the bus, I timed that's it will only take less than 3minutes to the chapel, while our walk took us around 40mins.

St. Joseph the Worker Parish. Here's where the misa was held.

A photo taken after the (was it the necrological service, maybe) misa. Shown is the Soriano Family. Auntie Polly (I think) was the one on the left side, with black belo and white hanky on her mouth. On the front right side are Uncle Ben's brother and sisters.

same as above.=)

After the libing. Ate Jam and Ate Erelyn. It's time to say goodbye na..

Lola Mameng, Auntie Adora, Ate Erelyn, Ate Jam

wohoo.. Lola Mameng and Lolo Badol.=)

At Baguio City. Nalamiis launay!! grabe lang ang lamig sa Baguio, that's around 4pm pa lang ah.. 

Pops and Ate Jam. This is at the Burnham Park pala. Lots of people kasi Panagbenga Festival. Hindi naman alam yun. Upon arriving in Urayong at Friday night, Ate Erelyn said that it's Panagbenga Festival daw the next day. The original plan was that Pops will tour us sa San Fernando (na ang last time kong nakapunta doon ay mga 2004 pa), but we ended up in Baguio.

hindi ko na gusto ang lamig..hindi ako prepared!! kung ano ang kina-init sa Manila, ow nows, yun naman ang kinalamig sa Baguio.
Anyway, posing parin. Ang galing ng pagkakagawa ng totem pole na yan.=)

Astig si Ate Jam, nakayanan nya ang lamig sa Burnham Park na yan lang ang jacket. I also saw some teenager wearing sleeveless and above the knee pants. wow! sanay na sila sa lamig?

Kahit na wala pa akong enough rest, because of the sooo many school requirements, and Pop's birthday celebration the day before, may energy parin.=) My main intention pala kaya pinilit ko talaga si Papa na isama ako, was to get some info for genealogy. And Lola Mameng was really so amazing, at the age of 87 (I think) she can still remember the complete name and birthdates of her 3 children and husband, Lolo Badond, including their marriage date. She still know the complete name of her siblings, and parents, and even her parent's siblings. Huwaw!=) Also, her eyesight is still very good. Really amazing.=) More good years to come for my Lola.=)

NOTE: She is not my father's mother pala. I wasn't able to meet my Lola Virginia (Pop's mother) coz she died while pops was yet a grade school student. Lola Mameng is Lola Virginia's sister, but acted as Pop's mother (pati sa mga kapatid ni Papa).

See you soon, Urayong, Bauang, La Union!=)