LGU Team Building at Blue Pebbles Beach Resort, Alcantara, Romblon

To improve productivity and ensure better camaraderie in the office, our LGU planned and simultaneously conducted a team building. Our office together with the Rural Health Unit, OTRU, and a few OCC employees constituted Group II, we are grouped into four groups because most event places can’t accommodate a larger crowd.

Our group consists of 117 participants, before the event we conducted a site inspection of the possible venue of our team building, and after deliberation and carefully considering the best options, our team building was held at Blue Pebbles located at Alcantara, Romblon.

We agreed to meet up at 9:30 in the morning to prepare for departure at ten o’clock in the morning to Alcantara, I went to work earlier than that and waited for my workmates, we had a group picture in front of the municipal hall before departing, several vans were hired to accommodate employees who don’t have their own car or motorcycle.

We arrived at the venue after an hour, and since I was the one assigned to billeting, I have to assign rooms to every department, and with that, I wasn’t able to help a friend, who had motion sickness. We rested a bit and lunch was served, unlike our previous team-building food this year’s team-building was catered.

The team-building activities started at one o’clock in the afternoon, and as host of the event I have no choice, but to be at the front and do most of the talking.  The usual preliminaries during a program were done, followed up by short messages from the present SB Members, and in between were the intermission numbers from each department.

After which, were short learning, discussion, and games with our GAD Focal person, who teaches us about the difference between Gender and Sex, as well as the do’s and don’ts in the workplace, the things we should avoid doing, because without knowing we may be violating someone’s privacy and someone’s being.

We all enjoyed the activity, we are grouped into four and had a mind teaser game, as well as creating and performing our own group chant/yell.  Our municipal Mayor arrives just right after we divulge into our snack, I let her rest a bit after acknowledging her arrival. Although I know that our Mayor is always prepared and ready to speak, it was epic that I  asked her if she is ok or ready to give a speech at the exact moment because I felt like it will be unpleasant if I called her right away without asking her, hahaha.

Anyway, before our municipal mayor shared an inspirational message I asked some participants to dance for entertainment, which made everyone burst into laughter because of the notable dance move of the participants and how they run and their body stretches when our Mayor’s aide and some councilors throw in some cash for them to enjoy and to dance more.

Our mayor shared an empowering and inspirational message, she also reminded everyone to serve the public with a happy heart and to love each other, but not to the extent to develop a love relationship with a workmate, our municipal vice mayor also shared an inspirational message right after whom he talked about honesty doing our work well even there was nobody looking at us, and with his permission, the bar was opened, what I mean the boys were now allowed to group and drink. You know, boys will be boys, they will not enjoy a party without something to drink, so they found their own corner in the resort.

The second part of the program started right after listening to inspirational messages, where it was all about group games. It was a lot of fun, the participants enjoyed it and even requested another game before eating our dinner.  We ate our dinner, and we rested a bit to prepare for the social night, where our vice mayor hired a band for everyone’s enjoyment.

Anyway, Blue Pebbles Beach Resort is located in Poblacion of Alcantara, it is along the highway with a nice landscape and surroundings and with a great view of the sea. Its location combined with the tranquil and peaceful surroundings creates a very relaxing atmosphere for anyone looking for a restful time.

The beach resort has small and big cottages for rent, they also have rooms for visitors who want an overnight stay.  Their family room can be rented for ₱4,500.00 and cater to up to five people but can be maximized to upto seven or eight people, costing ₱350.00 for an extra person which is a bit costly for those who can’t afford, they also have a room beside the pool which is designed for two people at ₱1,800 .oo, and ₱250.00 for an extra bedding or person.

The downside of the resort when we had our team building was having no water in the middle of the night, in short, we are not able to wash properly after dipping in the pool. Ha-ha

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. The above-written post was my own personal experience and might be different from yours.

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Chasing Sunset at Hilltop ni SB Kap

My officemates have been asking me to go with them after office, to unwind and chase sunset or spend an overnight escapade somewhere, but I keep declining, I would love the idea, but the introverted me doesn’t like it. I don’t feel like being away from home and from the comfort of my comfort zone, but then one day I went with them to chase sunset at a hill top a few minutes away from the town center.

The hill top was owned by a relative who also happened to be one of the town councilor, I thought it will be going to be a long walk, but I was wrong, it was only a few minutes walk and I have not even sweated going up hill. The place wasn’t fully develop yet, but there was already a trail to use, so it wasn’t that hard to reach the top.

The moment we reached the peak, we became busy snapping pictures while the others immediately prepared and feasted on the food, the view was very mesmerizing, seeing the shore and a little bit of sunset.

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Falling in Love With Someone’s Soul

It was lunch break at work and we are watching a TV show where the contestant were plus size and  then out of nowhere one of my officemates asked “𝘼𝙣𝙤 𝙠𝙖𝙮𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙖 𝙣𝙤, 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙤𝙝?”

It is easy to fall in love on what we see; it was easy to like someone when everything is beautiful and perfect. It was easy to be attracted on someone’s physical appearance, to be attracted to someone’s smile and to admire someone’s talents, but when we truly love someone, we look directly into their soul and not into their physical appearance; we found them beautiful and attractive no matter what is their size and shape, no matter how they look like physically.

The thing is love is a feeling that we can’t understand, nor can’t we explain why we felt it. We just felt it, deep down us. It was a feeling that no matter how we tried to stop, kill it and neglect it, it won’t just die and it keeps growing as the day goes by.

When we love someone, we love the very essence of their soul; we love their imperfections and shortcomings, we love even the darkest part of their being. Yes, when we love someone it was deeper than the admiration we felt, we look deep down into the core of their soul, we love and adore them for who they are, we fall for their demons and even to their brokenness, we fall for the mystery they contain within their selves, we want to read their minds and dwell in the sound of their laugh, we felt their emotions, the pain, the sadness and even their excitement, we got connected into their soul.

Truly, we love someone not on how they look like, we love someone more than what we see. ❤️❤️❤️

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Visiting the Sunflower Farm for the Second Time Around

As if visiting the Aspire Farm  wasn’t enough that I went to the sunflower farm again the next day with a coworker, the truth is this coworker friend wanted to visit the sunflower farm and since I wasn’t able to look around and take more photos when we visited, I went with her. We borrowed a motorcycle from our coworker with a promise that we are going to put gas in it.

Visiting for the second time, I was able to take more photos and videos which I have used in my Facebook reels. The flowers were nearing to expire or to the end of their life, but nevertheless  they were still  beautiful and full of life and vibrant colors.

Since it was lunch time when we visited, there were only a few people around.  There are other two groups who are with us on the sunflower farm, and what is funny when my coworker and I started recording the first couple started speaking English too as if showing off that hey they can speak the language, lol. Meanwhile, we befriended the second couple who are seems dating, we helped each other taking photos and even sharing it to each other. They were friendly and sweet. We didn’t stay longer, because we promised to return the motorcycle in time.

Anyway, if you would like to visit Sunflower farm always remember that visiting is best to do early of the season, the peak bloom time of Sunflowers is about two or three weeks, don’t be like us who visited at the end of the season, haha.

 

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A Very Short Visit at Aspire Agritech Sunflower Farm in Odiongan

When it comes to flowers, there are only two things I like the most, yellow rose and sunflowers,  I don’t know, but yellow flowers attracted me the most.

The other day, we finally able to visit the sunflower haven at Aspire Farm in Mayha after so many excuses and postponements. My workmate friend actually doesn’t want to go, she wanted to postponed it again until lunch time, but I am already decided to go, so she has no choice, but to follow me either she like it or not, because it was her last chance to see the sun flower farm with me. For our little adventure, I have borrowed my workmate’s motorbike, and even asked another workmate to transport us to the farm, but while in the parking area, this workmate can’t maneuver the bike and it was lucky of all lucky, another workmate came and I borrowed his bike and there we go.

Some of our workmates followed us, they’ve been asking where we going and I wasn’t expecting that they will tag along. When we arrived at the farm, it wasn’t that busy like the previous days, there are only few visitors maybe because it was still too early in the morning or because it wasn’t the peak season anymore, an old workmate who’s studying Agricultural Crops Production in the farm under TESDA saw me and even teased me, why I was there when the owner (sir R), who happened to be one of our bosses at work wasn’t there.

We login and pay our entrance fee of P20.00 each, took a group photo and walked down to the farm. It wasn’t my first time at the farm, been there during sir R’s birthday together with our bosses and workmates. The sunflower farm wasn’t that huge like the sunflower farm in San Andres, but needless to say it is worth it to visit when you are looking for new travel adventure and you are on a tight budget.  We took a group photo in the middle of the sunflower farm and even before I can take many sunflower photos, my workmate friend was already hurrying to go, I let her walked ahead of me and take my sweet time taking a single photo, when suddenly I heard a familiar voice, asking if it was me she is seeing and when I looked back, it was sir R’s mother “auntie”, so I immediately went to her and before I can reached her hand to ask for a blessing “mano po” she happily hugged me so I hugged backed.

We briefly talked as there wasn’t a lot of time, I am caught between my workmate rushing and me wanting to stay, when suddenly some of workmates brought a watermelon, they found a lost watermelon in the field which is already almost cut on half and soaked in the rain, they asked permission to cut and eat it, and when they were permitted, they feasted.

Left with no choice, I have to bid good bye to “auntie” since my friend already left and before I walked away, I went back to the beautiful spot I have seen a while ago before walking towards her and me wanting my picture to be taken there, I run towards my other workmates who are waiting for me, and asked one workmate to take a photo of me, so they obliged.

When we reached the farm’s hall or the entrance my workmate friend already left without us to my disbelief, she was hurrying because we didn’t ask permission to go at the Aspire Sunflower Farm. Anyway, we also left after taking another group photo with a previous work mate, if you are going to ask me how long did we spend in the farm, it is around fifteen minutes, lol.

Well, it was a good thing we went early in the morning because it rained at noon time.

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Odiongan Town Fiesta: Kanidugan Festival 2023

Well, as I have mentioned in my previous post, the Kanidugan Festival was moved to the 10th of April to give way or to respect the holy week. We are requested to join the town parade for a small compensation, the town parade started at eight o’clock in the morning it was epic actually because when we arrived the street was already closed, so we have no choice but to walk to the assembly area and it was just right on time that when I arrived at the elementary school, the parade was just about to start. I wasn’t able to find my coworkers, so I joined with the LGU family whom I am friends with, and when we went out, I found my co-workers standing in the corner so I  left the line, and joined them.

Anyway, the parade was spearheaded by the municipal officials, followed by the municipal employees, it was actually kind of boring to just walk, so I created my own world and my own dance steps, haha. I asked my workmates to dance with me, but they are kind of shy to do it, so I have to do it alone, until I went up front and met the employees from MS who were I think also bored walking and they are dancing in their own way while complaining that the drum beats were too sad to follow.

 

It was fun being included in the parade, but it was quite boring because you can’t see and enjoy the Kanidugan Festival, especially the street dancing. I decided to go on Facebook live, showing what is happening around me, and talking to my workmates and even to my viewers, and with that, I wasn’t able to take a lot of pictures.

The town parade took longer than expected, because of the street dancing, we have to stop many times to wait for them, When we are almost near the starting point, I walked back to find my batchmates, who are at the end of the parade, it was a bad decision because they are that quite far and it would be a better decision if I waited until we reached the endpoint.

Well, when I arrived at my batchmate’s location they were already planning to leave the parade because it is almost ten o’clock in the morning and our reunion program will soon start, so when we reach a certain point, we exited.

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Kanidugan Festival 2023: Batch Night

The town fiesta celebration or the Kanidugan Festival this year was moved on April 10, to make way of the holy week, but the celebration started already on April 1 through the opening of the Agri Trade Fair and Agency night in the evening, followed by the Barangay Night and the finals of Odiongan Got a Talent on April 2.

[Photo grabbed @ Odiongan Public Information Office]

On April 3, there was a Paraw Regatta and Asi Poem and Song Contest in the coast of Tabing-Dagat, but unfortunately I am not able to see it, because we have worked and we’ve been busy preparing the Odiongan Plaza for the Batch Night.  VM was the organizer, so the Legislative was in-charge for everything, it took us one whole day to prepare and arranged the tables and chairs, because of many changes.  It was almost six in the evening when I decided to go home and prepare for the evening, we were requested to attend and help and I was designated to be one of the usherette of the event.

I wasn’t able to eat dinner anymore, because when I went home I immediately did the household chores, feed my cats and took a bath. When, I checked my phone a co-worker is already looking for us, usherettes, because people are already arriving, so I immediately asked my sister to transport me to town.

[Photo grabbed @ Odiongan Public Information Office]

The event was jumped packed, it was full of people. It was actually tiring ushering people to their table and friends, especially some visitors doesn’t want to do the shortcut because they were shy to passed by other batch or tables, with this I have to walk longer distance so I could bring them to their table, and whenever I have a chance I visited the table of my own batchmates, sit there for few minutes, took pictures and move back to the gate to guide new people.

The main attraction of the event was  the performance of four different bands,  it was a night full of fun and laughter, seeing each other bring back old memories, and me feeling busy and happy seeing old classmates, I forgot to take pictures of the said event, haha.

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Losing and Grieving the Death of a Friend

Friendship is important because it helps us build connections with people who share our values or interests. I have this one friend (M) from high school, we are closed to the extent she took the same course with me at college. We both have the same scholarship, you can’t see us apart, we ate lunch together, we study together and  we took the same route home and sometimes when we are a little short with our allowance we walked home, even if we are both wearing heels.

She had already maybe my best friend, I can tell her my problems at home, my crushes back then and everything that is disturbing me. We are closed since we are together since high school, but not too close, because we do still have other friends in the group. We grow apart, right after college graduation, she got married and have one child, she withdraw herself in the society and so did I. We lost contact and don’t communicate often, there’s Facebook, but internet in the Philippines wasn’t that good that time. Maybe because we have both been busy with our own life that we forget our friendship existed.

breakup with a friend

For me, my friends are for lifetime, but I am kind of person that if you don’t initiate to contact or to talk with me, I will not either. Chatting was too burdensome for me, unless I enjoyed what we are talking or I like talking to you. Some of my friends can attest to that, because it comes to a point they have to tag me, so I will be notified and participate in the conversation.  A work friend actually complained once, that I respond so late, because she will chat in the morning, I replied at night time already, LOL.

Anyway, four months ago a high school classmate, messaged me about a letter circulating in their barangay, apparently a friend’s aunt is doing a fund raising for my friend (M), the content of the letter shocked me and I was in disbelief and I immediately messaged my friend M, if it is true.  She said yes, they were fundraising, but she didn’t elaborate the results and she even almost denied having a grave illness, she just told us, she is sick and in medication, she said she is doing better, the medicines she is taking is effective. As a friend, I shared her situation with some of my other friends and to our classmates, we helped her in our own little way and then life became so busy, four months had passed the biggest shocked of my life came, when her husband changed his profile picture and condolences and sympathy flooded in his wall. I panicked and was in disbelief, I immediately contacted her husband, what happened and how’s my friend doing, and the biggest heartbreak this year almost made me weak.

My friend (M) died, she succumbed to her illness. Apparently, she lied to everyone, she keeps her illness to herself, to her family. She hid it so well, that we know nothing. It was painful, guilt and regrets wrapped me up, I was like a robot, functioning but with no feelings, or I functioned but not so well, it was too heavy to carry, I would like to cry, but there are no tears running down from my eyes.  Light headed, I immediately told our friends and classmates in high school and college what happened to M, they were sad too and almost in disbelief, because they also thought she is doing well like she portrayed she was,  we raised funds and I actually asked those who message me personally to extend help if they can, because M’s family is financially exhausted, good thing the response was positive.

At work, I became so silent which is unusual to everyone, they tried to cheer me up and even some of my other friends tried to make me laugh, one of our bosses sent a stolen photo of someone in my inbox, for me to smile and be happy.  It was, actually, a friend and workmate’s birthday that day, it was a happy occasion, but it wasn’t for me. There was no way for me to celebrate when I am sad and in grief, later that afternoon she invited us to go out, as one of our bosses wanted to treat her somewhere nice, I went with them, because I would like to breath and to forget my grief. It helps, was able to feel a little bit better and was able to breath from my sadness.

loss of a loved one quote jack thorne

Anyway, are you going to believe me if I say, I think I already felt something is wrong with my friend. I initially wanted to share our picture together taken in Baguio, but I didn’t because my immediate bosses were going to Baguio and I was thinking they might think I am trying to show off, that I have been there too.  For two nights before she died, I think she visited me too, and I never told this to anyone, because I don’t want to be judge and called weird, but the night before when lights were already off I saw a white silhouette of a woman in our room, just in the foot of my bed, her hair was a bit curl, she is healthy looking and her aura isn’t that scary, I look at her without even a thought who she was, it was only when my friend died that I realized, maybe it was her who visited me at home to say goodbye since we didn’t even see each other for a long time, we went to his father’s funeral last year, but she wasn’t around, or maybe she hid from us.

Good friends relieve stress, provide comfort and joy, and prevent loneliness, but I think I wasn’t a good friend at all. I wasn’t able to give those to her while she is sick and dying, wasn’t able to give her love, time and effort. She hid her illness very well, she was already given a few months to live, yet she didn’t tell us, she said she is ok and going stronger, she is already bedridden, but she said, she can already walk and do small things.

Some of our friends, told me to let go that maybe our friend (M), wanted it to be like that, she doesn’t want us to be sad and don’t want us to cry, they said I should be happy because our friend (M) was already free from her sickness, she was already happy in heaven. Shall I really do that?

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Love your Life, Love your Family

Drinking is not bad if it is occasionally done, but if you are doing it every night, it isn’t healthy anymore. Some men transform when they are drunk, they hurt their wife and kids, they say hurtful things, which cannot be forgotten by a young mind. Please remember, drinking doesn’t only ruin your body, but it can also ruin your family.

Free Person Pouring Wine on Clear Wine Glass Stock Photo

[Photo courtesy of Terje Sollie/pexels.com]

Always put in mind that in the end, it is your family who will suffer. Do you think your drinking buddies will take care of you, if you get sick and hospitalized? Are they gonna help you feel the pain you are experiencing if you get terribly sick? The answer is NO. They might even laugh at you for being weak and vulnerable and worst maybe they can’t even visit you in the hospital eh.

So please, don’t drink if you don’t know how to control it. Love your life, love your family. Value your friends, but value your family more.

Travel Guide to South Korea

Before going to a different country or a new place, it is important that you perform some research first. The following are some of the things that you as a traveler need to bear in mind before making up your mind to travel to Korea.

To start with, obtaining flight tickets to Seoul does not wholly guarantee you entrance. Nationals form various countries are supposed to obtain visas from the Korean embassies back in their home nations to enter legally. Depending on the purpose of entry, an appropriate visa is going to be issued. Legal procedures should be followed after the submission of the outlined requirements.

Korea

Travelers also need to bear in mind that it is not all the Koreans can converse fluently in English. In some of the cases it has been realized that some of them usually get terrified being addressed in that foreign language. But signs have translations and taxis have free interpreters. Thus, travelers need to take time and study even the basic phrases. It would be enough to use simple greetings such as “kamsahamnida” meaning thank you.

As a tourist, you need to stay informed of the Korean weather conditions before you decide to travel. Spring comes between March/April to May/June. Summer falls between June/July to August. Autumn falls between August/September to November/December. Winters comes in between November or December to February or March.

The benefit of knowing the seasons is because it will help in selecting the type of clothing you should bring about. For those who live in subtropical and tropical nations, the cold seasons can be literally very cold for them. It is advisable to bring scarves, earmuffs, jackets and coats when visiting in such a season. Staying comfortable during the nights is assured of as most of hotels in this country have heaters installed in the rooms.

The above sums up some of the things a tourist should know before heading to Korea. A travel adventure is truly worth the experience in case you are prepared to travel to this wonderful nation.

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