celebraTINg exisTENce

I had plans for my Leyte posts.

Sabi ko when I was there, I'll share the pictures of the persons I was with for three days but now that I'm in the process of composing this, I realized that I still can't do it. I really can't bring myself to post pictures or to write a lot about the people I am with in all my posts... maybe someday. Maybe someday when I get to announce that I blog. Maybe someday when I feel comfortable in exposing all aspects of my life online. Maybe that time will come, maybe that time won't come. Bahala na.

Second day started really early because we had to catch the 6 AM Sunday Mass.

I had a different "assignment" during the second day. Importante na ginawa ko. As in super important. Ako lang naman, A-K-O nagbanlaw ng mga dental tools at nag-disinfect ng mga ito. O DIBA!!! E kung wala kami ni Ate na kasama ko?! Wala. Kung importante ang mga doktor, importante rin kami!!! Hahaha. So ganito na nga, syempre kailangan din itaas ang self-worth.

Habang nakikipag-usap ako kay Ate, sabi niya sa'kin, "Bukas, dun kayo pupunta oh." Sabay turo sa isang isla na medyo malayo. Tanong ko, "Saan 'yun?" Sagot niya, "Kalanggaman 'yan. Lilipat pa kayo ng Palompon tapos magba-bangka para makarating diyan." ^TAMA BA 'YUNG NARINIG KO?! KALANGGAMAN ISLAND?! OMG.

Gusto ko lang ipakita sa inyo ang mga dental tools na hinugasan at dinis-infect namin. BWAHAHAHAHA.

During the afternoon, I was asked to stop disinfecting and start taking pictures again. I gladly obliged because it meant that I will be able to roam around the vicinity again.

Thank you, Colgate-Palmolive for sponsoring the toothbrushes that were given away.

And Lamoiyan Corporation for the Happee Toothpastes.

Isa sa mga batang nagmamadaling tumakbo papunta sa palikuran dahil pinapapila na sila sa mga tutuliin.

Hindi ko alam kung sadista lang talaga ko pero 'yung mga batang tinutuli ang pinaka-paborito kong pinapanood at pinapakinggan.

Nakakatuwa lalo:

1. 'yung mga magkakaibigan tas kahit na may gusto ng umiyak, hindi pa rin siya iiyak kasi makakan-tyawan siya.
2. 'yung mga ngiting tagumpay ng mga batang bumababa pagkatapos tuliin sa taas kasi natapos na sila.
4. 'yung mga tatanungin ko kung kinakabahan ba tas hindi kami magkakaintindihan, buti na lang e merong iilan na marunong mag-Tagalog.
3. HAHAHAHA. Sa lahat ng natutuhan kong salita this my favorite. :))))) "PATYON TAKA!!!!" na ang ibig sabihin daw e, "PAPATAYIN KITA."

Kahit na pinipigil na nilang umiyak e may mga bata pa rin na hindi kinakaya kaya umiiyak nang sobrang lakas. Pag nangyari 'yon, lahat ng nasa kwarto e iiyak na rin. Pag-akyat ko, may isang batang nakahiga na sumisigaw sa doktor na, "Patyon Taka!!" Pagbaba ko, naririnig din pala ng lahat ng tao 'yung sigaw nung batang 'yon kaya tinanong ko agad kung anong ibig sabihin... Ah, 'yun pala. Patyon taka!

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MEDICAL?!

IZ DIZ FOR REALZ?

Who would've thought that in this lifetime, I'd have a chance to be a part of a "Medical" Team.

A lot were already waiting for us when we arrived at the area.

I didn't even notice this when I took this picture but some of them were smiling. Hahaha! If someone took a picture of me while seated there, I won't even look at the camera.

The town of Villaba is a coastal and mountainous town.

I've heard a lot of stories about Yolanda through news reports but it feels a lot different when you hear it from someone who experienced it first hand. Only one died in this area but it was indirect (heart attack) but almost all houses were destroyed. It took three months before electricity supply was restored but until now, they have no proper water line. They still had to get water from the mountain if they can't afford to buy their own water pump.

Cutie. Haha. A lot of kids went to this part too. I don't know what they're talking about but it was still better than having no one there with me. Hehehe.

Dito lang may paunti-unting signal so I always went back on this part of the stage 'cause I wasn't able to text my mudra that we were there already. And, medyo nase-sepanx ako sa internet but to no avail, wala talagang mobile data.

On the first day, I helped giving vaccine shots. Give talaga. hahahaha. Alalay lang dun, taga- ng kung ano ano kasi malay ko ba naman sa injection and I was the one who took pictures because documentation was needed. Buti na lang!!! Buti na lang may nagawa kahit konti.

Natapos din so we rested for a while and I was able to catch the sunset.

Hayyyy, Thank You!!!!

So wala pa kaming ligo at wala ngang running water sa tinulugan namin but luckily, one resident found out that bathing was a problem so she offered her house and let us bathe there. Huhuhu. Buti na lang hospitable ang mga Pilipino. <3

When I put here that I want to help other people, I also put that I don't know how or I have no idea on how will I make it happen. After four months since I composed this blogpost (link), I was in Tacloban for a medical mission. Gusto ko pero hindi ko alam kung pano, pero ayan, nangyari. Huhuhu. So far so good tayo ah, 2015. Please continue being my miracle year. <3

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Yolanda. Haiyan. Storm Surge. Tacloban. Donations. Relief Operations. Pope Francis

One and a half year has passed since Yolanda happened... where are they now?

Asked to choose between an Ilocos tour and a medical mission at Leyte, I chose the latter.

But it wasn't an easy decision. Really. Not to the point that I had sleepless nights but it was tough.

Friends vs. Strangers
Leisure vs. Work

Ilocos used to be my dream destination but I was able to go there last 2013 so okay, fine. Tumigil na ko but it wouldn't hurt to tour the place again especially when going back meant creating new memories with different set of friends.

Tacloban, on the other hand, wasn't in my radar. It never occurred to me that I'll have a chance to go there. The opportunity just came all of a sudden. And, even if I were to go, medical mission 'yun eh. Anong gagawin ko?? I am not a healthcare professional and I don't even like the sight of blood.

But I wrote here before that I want to ride an airplane again and that I wanted to make this year less about me and more of others.

Wala kong kaalam-alam sa pupuntahan, ni hindi ko nga alam kung anong gagawin ko dun, at dalawa nga lang sa mga kasama ko 'yung kilala ko, pero para hindi maguluhan ang universe sa kung anong gusto ko, sige, tara, Tacloban it is.

Anyhow, this is my second fly-out for 2015. Hi, Tac. <3
(Baka ito pala 'yung lucky charm... second kasi may third, fourth, fifth, sixth and so on fly-outs pa. Malay natin, diba!)

O ako na magaling, pero nagulat talaga ko sa itsura nitong airport nila. I know for a fact that it was one of the greatly damaged infrastructures in Tacloban because it's near a body of water but airports are the gateways to cities so I feel that they should make extra effort in renovating their facilities.

It's a good thing that Tacloban Airport was scheduled to have a rehabilitation when we went there. Nabawasan nga kami ng isang araw kasi dahil sa rehabilitation nung airport at buti na lang din, sana nga, mas maayos na.

Return? Sussss. Kahit wag ka na bumalik. 👍 #leyte #tacloban #pinas #mcarthur

A photo posted by Tin Gallemaso (@xtintina) on Apr 10, 2015 at 5:51pm PDT

Because we were there, we just had to make a quick stop here at McArthur's Landing Site.

We ate at Andok's and beside it is this building that wasn't repaired and still show how great the damage of Yolanda was.

I can not imagine how strong the force was that it was able to do that. I can not imagine how difficult it was for them. I can't help but admire the strength of the people who have survived the onslaught.

But I don't understand....

I am sure that lot of help came pouring in and one and a half year has passed, pero bakit wala pa rin ata masyadong improvement? I don't have pictures of other places but the effects of Yolanda were still evident as if it just happened a few months back. I know that it's not easy to rehabilitate but with that much help that they received, I believe that the people of Leyte deserve better. I know that there's still a lot of room for improvement.

Hindi ko na rin masyado naisip na gusto ko mag-picture, tinignan ko lang hanggang sa nakatulog ako at pag gising ko, nasa Villaba, Leyte na kami.

I only had around 1 1/2 sleep prior to our flight so it's not surprising that I was so sleepy.
I slept the whole travel from Tacloban to Villaba which took around 3 hours. So even if I wanted to stay awake and see sight see, I can't help it but fall fast asleep.

Sabi ko nung hapon na 'yon, "Bakit kaya masakit 'yung ulo ko?"

Nalaman ko na zigzag kasi 'yung daan dahil mountainous area papuntang Villaba tas untog ng untog 'yung left part ng ulo ko sa bintana ng sasakyan. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Di ko alam kung matigas lang talaga ulo ko o parang mantika lang talaga ko matulog.

Anyhow, I arrived there not as a tourist but as someone who's taking part in a medical mission. Huhu. I did it. <3

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'Cause you might hate me for not posting about my resort sooner... ito na siya. :)) Ooops, back to the now, nasa future pa 'yung resort ko. 'Cause you might hate me for not posting about this resort sooner... ito na siya. Being so so so so true to its name (magaganda talaga mga Cristina), Cristina Villas in Antipolo is surely one of the most beautiful resorts that I've been to.

After attending mass at Our Lady of Good Voyage, we drove to Taktak Road and found the location of this resort through Google Maps. It's situated in a mountain side, kaya pa-loob saka pa-taas 'yung daan but there are also signages along the road that's why it was easy to find.

Now that I am posting this here, I feel that I should've done what I always do: taking excessive pictures of everything. I don't have a lot of pictures at Cristina Villas. Bakit? "Hassle magdala ng camera eh. Nags-swimming ako." Akalain mo 'yun, na-hassle pa ko. But this is for your advantage na rin so you wouldn't know what else Cristina Villas has in store for you aside from the pools that I'd show you below.

5 feet deep with two slides.

Shower room, comfort room area.

Jacuzzi and the slide to the 5 feet deep pool.

Another 5 feet deep pool with slide, there's also a jacuzzi on the side.

On my way to the tree house.

Taken at the zipline area/ tree house.

On the view: 5 feet deep pool, children's pool with slide. There's also another children's pool (two feet deep) near the 5 feet deep pool with two slides. All in all, this resort has 5 pools.

It isn't really that visible in this picture but you can see (smoggy) skylines from the resort.

To #infinity and beyond. Yups, resort ko po. Hahaha. Jk. #nature #tree #pool ✌✌

A photo posted by Tin Gallemaso (@xtintina) on May 6, 2015 at 2:34am PDT

Taken at Cristina Villa's infinity pool which was my favorite pool that day. Aside from the cool water, the trees surrounding this place shade the whole area, and there's also a small man-made waterfalls here.

This is where we stayed at. I don't know what these are called but we rented the one with the "second floor"

It was a surprise that there were only a few people there the day we went.

No other people rented these near our place so I was able to use one on my own. As in dun ako natulog, 'yung iba, kumuha rin sila ng second floor nila tas dun natulog. E kasi nga resort ko 'to diba, kahit isa lang binayaran e nagamit lahat nang libre. HAHA!

I think two reasons for that (konti lang tao) is because it's not that well-known or a lot of people doesn't anymore have this place on their list because it has been in the industry for a long time. Pero personally, I didn't know I had a resort in Antipolo prior to going there. Kulang talaga sa exposure eh.

Sabi ng mama ko, matagal na raw 'tong Cristina Villas pero nagulat din siya nung pagdating namin e maganda pala dito. You know how those old resorts usually are, diba?

Sometimes being old is synonymous to being ugly but ibahin niyo kaming mga Cristina. Kami pa ba? Habang tumatanda, lalong gumaganda at nag-i-improve. HAHAHAHAHA. Jk. Cristina Villas is continuously renovating and making their resort more beautiful and more relaxing place to stay in yet remaining to be a budget-friendly resort.

I want to go back for a night swimming and/or stay in one of MY (My talaga. Inangkin. haha!) hotel rooms because the resort is overlooking a part of the Antipolo mountains and the Metro Manila skyline. Siguradong mas bet tignan pag gabi 'yung view.

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