#What to do in Marikina

[anythingraven]

(\_/) AUTOBIOGRAPHY (\_/)

My name is Raven Ageo Reyes, I was born on September 21, 2005 in Marikina City My mother is Divina Gracia Marcelo who was born in Parañaque, and my father is Rodelio Reyes who was born in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija. I have sister. Rhodelyn Reyes. I am the younger among sibling. Enjoy playing online games like mobile legend and call of duty. I use to read manga during my free time, I also love watching movies and anime. I am a quiet type of person but I am not introvert I go out with my cousins and friends to watch basketball but there times that I want to be alone. I am not a person that easily noticed by someone because I'm a quiet type of person. There are maybe a thousand stars in the sky, but I'm like one of those thousand star that have own light that shines.

I have simple but happy family. We attend the Holy Mass every Sunday. We regularly go out to have family bonding and during weekends we help each other in doing household chores. My childhood was happy because of my family. But when I was months old, my mother and my father separates Since then, we lived with my grandparents and my cousins. My father finds job to support our family needs. Growing up with broken family is not easy, especially on me because I am the younger among our siblings, we have a lot of sacrifices specially my father. But with the help of my grandparents, we survive and we don't feel the absence of my mother. They like a moon that light the dark days of my life. Life is a road, it may be smooth or rough. Like there are times in our life that we are fine but there are times that we struggle. But even though we face challenges in life, we still overcome it.

I firmly believe that if you really want something in life, just strive toward it and never give up on what you have begun. No matter how many obstacles you face, keep going towards your dreams. Rest if you're feeling worn out, but don't give up. Take a chance rather than later regret not doing something.

My life is not ideal, but I am grateful that I have a loving father who is there for me whenever I need him. He always looks out for us and keeps us safe. He always directs us to do what is right, and she never puts up with wrongdoing on our part. Of course, I'm also grateful to our All-Powerful God, who will always supply. Without His direction, we cannot endure the challenging moments in our lives.

[potusshii]

The only BIG problem I have with living alone is food, food, food, and you probably guessed it, FOOD. My breakfast choices are very questionable at times. Sometimes I don't even eat breakfast at all. Even my drinkable water supply is not stable xD. All of that aside, I still prefer living alone here in Cavite and going back to QC and Marikina from time to time (and actually eating proper meals there xD) because I can be more flexible with my daily schedule, and I feel at ease because no one is waiting for me at home which means I have the freedom to decide on what time I wanna pull back up to the crib. I wish the said crib would give its tenants a shareable stove though xD (yes i am still on about this and i do not want to allot money for something to cook on because if i cook in my unit, it will smell like doodoo)

Oh yeah I reorganized them in their new home now :33 (I did this a few days ago, but I'm only posting about it now)

[hyleearth]

why & how?

it’s 1 a.m., im still wide awake. my whole day is tiring. i went to marikina for medical purposes for my pre-employment. i am supposed to sleep now with my mouth open, but my mind wouldn't let me. it is quiet night. everyone is asleep. i know im tired, and i know what i should be doing, but my body seems to prefer being an owl these days. i remembered when i was still working, i just wished to have at least 4 hours of sleep. i want to sleep at night because my shift is in a graveyard. i tried my best to get a nap, trying not to be notice by my supervisor. then, i promised to take care of myself and having a perfect sleep. i resigned and finally had time to rest and breathe. but now, why am i am awake? it’s strange to have the energy to do nothing because, sure, if i am still working with the same scenario as i did today, i swear i would be sleeping at my station right now.

the screw in my brain is not yet attached, so forgive me for having these weird thoughts. but it's true, huh? why is it that when you have to do something, it's so tiring, but when it's about nonsense things, you still insist on doing it? lol

maitulog na nga lang ito 😭😂

[j0yceque]

Day 39: "How can a person know everything at 18, but nothing at 25?"

Imposter syndrome, quarter-life crisis, deeply embedded negativity—I've all seen it happen, learned a lot of lessons from those who survived it, and yet, here I am in this blackhole of self-made misery and agony. While this seems like a dark start to a journal post comeback, it's the current reality I'm facing. I used to runaway so far from these thoughts and feelings, but I'm at a point where I've reached the end; I'm done, and I want to make changes.

I feel I owe this space some updates, so let's get to listing:

— I'm officially done with living alone era. For now. February of 2024, I moved in to my 3rd apartment although it wasn't long 'til I left it because of cockroach infestation (and if you know me, I'd rather die than live in a place with nearby 'roaches). I moved back to my partner's family house in Marikina and left some of my things in our family apartment unit in Manila. While it's not the living situation I imagined, I'm just eternally grateful to be surrounded by loved ones who are willing to let me stay over while I figure things out for myself. Yes, I do acknowledge that privilege.

— I resigned from my full-time job of almost 4 years. March of 2024, I left the corporate world and rested. It was a much needed time off to think and redirect myself. "Do I want to try a different career path or should I focus on freelancing?" So far, I'm blessed to land a client (who's also a great friend) and keep going with my part-time job at my partner's family business. Both of which are what keeps me afloat financially. I'm hoping to get a few more projects and eventually also have a new full-time job (so close, onto submitting my sample work this week).

— I'm prioritizing more content creation for my passion projects. It seems funny that I used to be so intimidated pursuing my love for creating content, but all roads lead to this. I've been putting out more content on my personal and miniature account, and hopefully I can share more works on my portfolio as well. What keeps me going is this quote I read somewhere from the depths of the internet: "If your past work doesn't make you cringe, even in the slightest, then maybe you haven't grown at all."

What's next? I despise this question, and yet, I cannot deny the fact that I love having a solid plan for anything and everything. Right now, some of the things I'm also focusing are selling our house and lot in Bulacan (hit me up if you're interested), achieving the 6-digit income challenge, saving so much that I can survive with its interest, spending more time with my family and friends, and maybe traveling and working abroad soon? We'll see. Hopefully, the next update is just around the corner, and these are all ticked off my list—manifesting that hard!

[shimmerjjang]

HIFU V-Lift Treatment Review at Glam & Fab Aesthetic Center SJDM Bulacan Branch

Last February 9, I traveled outside the metro to visit Glam & Fab's newest branch at San Jose Del Monte Bulacan! If you're from the North, then this should be accessible for you.

📍Unit 1B JDB Blg. II 368 Carriedo St., Brgy. Muzon Proper San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan

I usually get my treatments at their Sumulong Branch so if you're near Antipolo, Marikina, Cainta, then I'd most likely see you there!

The opening of the new branch in SJDM was jampacked! I was with Jeneena of @aneentries and even ran into Ana Victorino, whom I've known since the baby days of the Philippine beauty blogging scene! It was pure nostalgia as we talked about how different it was back then haha~

There were so many clients that day so I decided to get something that's quick and something I haven't really tried before. I went for a HIFU V-Lift Treatment.

What is HIFU V-Lift Treatment?

HIFU is a non-invasive type of treatment that uses high intensity ultrasound to tighten, firm, and smooth the skin. HIFU uses thermal energy to have the skin produce collagen and elastin.

It offers quick results and you can even see slight changes right after the treatment. But more visible results can be seen in a week or two. I also maintain it by getting RF treatments on my V-Line area every week or every 2 weeks.

This photo on the left was taken last January 30, 2024. I was about to go on a video conference call for work when I noticed this annoying double-chin peeking out even if my face was resting! It was a moment of realization tbh haha! I had to look at myself for a hot minute just to see if what I'm seeing was real.

The photo on the right was taken last February 26 after my recent visit at Glam and Fab. I had cold RF Treatment that time, which is a good treatment to pair with HIFU to boost results. So it's been 17 days since my HIFU Treatment last February 9. HIFU is quite an intense procedure so I was told that this is something you should get in around 3-month intervals.

How's the procedure like?

It was quick. Only took me 15 to 20 minutes (excluding basic facial cleansing). The aesthetician will run the device on the target area and you will feel a strong snapping sensation. It was my first time so the intensity wasn't set on high. I was told it was between low to medium.

I have high tolerance to pain because I'm used to these treatments so I'd say the snapping pain I felt during the procedure was no more than 3 out of 10. But I guess for those who have lower pain tolerance, you'll feel the pain somehow (nothing intolerable though). Tiis ganda lang talaga.

Maintenance & Aftercare

There's no downtime after undergoing HIFU V-Lift treatment so you can go to your usual routine as usual. There were just a few reminders:

Don't put too much pressure on the treated area for 2~3 days. I temporarily stopped using my Gua Sha and LED Therapy Device.

Don't wash the area for 8 hours.

As for maintenance, it's actually optional. It's really up to you if you'd like to speed up seeing results. That is going for RF Treatment every week. You can only do HIFU once in every 3 months. I highly suggest going for a weekly RF treatment because it really helps, especially if you have skin-aging concerns (I'm 33, so I pay more attention to my skin now more than ever lol). It's only 349pesos per session at Glam and Fab so it won't break the bank for sure!

HIFU V-Lift costs 4,999/session as per writing. To see the prices of other procedures, check the photo below:

I also made a dedicated IG Stories Highlight for my #SkinDiaries if you'd like to keep track on my progress with me!

[benefits1986]

Whisky Lowball Wonders SZN

Scrooge from the South started the holiday szn somewhere in the East Side. Not bad. Not bad at all.

I hate parties and social spaces a lot, but, of course, holiday means merry making and good tidings. So, let's slay bells, shall we?

As an outnumbered Southie, I said YES to our YE party that meant I'd have to leave the house really, really, really early. Glad to have my reliable driver and my dad with me because I had to do a grocery run. It was supposed to be with my go-to carpool office buddy, but she had some urgent and important home errands.

First, anything beyond Diliman is alien to me. I remember driving to SM Marikina for a bloody TVC ages ago and damn, pray na lang talaga ako kasi 'di ko alam mag-navigate. LOL. It turned out okay naman and even got an elusive Presto I've been hunting down during lunch break. GAH. Time flies talaga. I also drove a good number of times to Antipolo but had company during wee hours of the morning. How far is the East side in my book? Tipong tapos na lahat ng Aegis PL and iba pang PL, naka-yosi na ako ng ilan sa daan, pero nasa area pa ako ng Robinsons Metro East levels on a weekday. Partida dahil pa-Makati pa lang ako niyan those times.

So, going to the East at this holiday season is just very curious. 'Pag nadaanan na 'yung studio ni Bianca Cordero near White Plains, sure akong malapit na ako sa Katipunan. LOL. Labo ng references ko, pero dun ko nagegets 'yung navigation e.

My nakshie driver was patient enough to let me wait for my siomai ambag somewhere sa Kapitolyo area na shemay sa complication ang routes; but, I arrived naman with the goodies including a cooler filled with ice around 1 PM.

Tatay ko tuwang-tuwa kasi 'di pa rin siya nakarating sa side na 'to. Gulat-gulat pa siya kasi ang liit daw nung eskinita tapos ang daming puwedeng gawin sa venue. Kulang na lang mag-stay siya. Partida, 'di niya pa nakita 'yung pool niyan. HAHAHAHA. He met some officemates and pinaalis ko na rin sila kasi ayoko silang mastuck sa rush hour na hindi lang madugo. Sobrang karnehan season.

Buti na lang sobrang up my alley 'yung theme: Pamaskong Pambahay. I love Harry Potter so much to the point na reruns niya mala-pudpod na good copy sa kung saan mang platform ko siya puwedeng panoorin. Siguro, the past years lalo this 2023, pati audiobook marathon, naggawa ko na. Dad always teases me pero nakikisabay na rin siya ngayon sa mga well loved lines niya sa movies.

I usually wear black at home lalo 'pag may need akong itawid forda the home and forda life. :p Happiest or should I say most sedated ako 'pag walang ayos at all that also includes no fucking drawn kilay. It's a stark contrast to what I wear on RTO days and nights, too. Though, I think I'd be wearing all black more in 2024 because there'd be more days I need to be in BGC. :p

What I really, really, really like to do during parties is to drink, vape and just let things be. Basta malamig kasi nga pawisin ako much. Buti may malaking electric fan na 'di umano, bagong bili. Kita ko ng 'yung box e. Sana pala sinabi kong ipa-raffle na lang din that night kaso baka mapagalitan ako e. LOL. As a laking electric fan, need ko talaga ng ventilation sa life. Bonus 'yung kwentuhan sessions kasi lagi naman akong nagsasalita na napapadalas TMI gawa ng collabs na need para sa mga paganaps both planned and unplanned.

Buti na lang, nakita ko mga alak na walang balak sa aking tukador. LOL. Mahal na kasi ng alak ngayon. In fairness naman, bumawi ako sa team ko kasi ng self-confessed clingy sila and ang kaya ko talagang i-offer is 'yung vodka na may LGBT design na dapat talaga sa first tiny home ko outside Manila ko bubuksan. HAHAHAHAHA. Syempre, 'di ko na 'to nikwento kasi bakit pa? Sayang oras. My team is much like my lifeline even when I know I can be too much talaga kasi nga sanay ako sa galawang start up. Mabagal ako super these days to be honest pero kasi eto rin 'yung pagbibigay ko ng chance na i-embrace 'yung gestation season ng team ko. Hindi siya madali as in. Ang daling mamitik at mag-sputnik pero let's not go there, anymore. Pansin ko sa team ko now, weirdos talaga kami. 'Yung isa billiards ang turf. 'Yung iba, mahiyain by nature, pero wagas mag-videoke. 'Yung isa naman, tahimik lang pero matinde 'yung comments and killer lines. 'Yung dalawa namang magkasangga sa two main houses naming inaalagaan at inaapula ang apoy, may certain dynamics na parang magkapatid sila even sa kalokohan. 'Yung isa naman, tito levels 1000000000 pero super duper oks with me kasi it reminds me that old soul is the best soul there is. 'Yung isa naman, saltik levels 100000000000000 pero all the care and concern in the world, dinala na niya talaga. LOL. 'Di ba? Mga oddballs pero we vibin' talaga. Hindi madali ang work namin pero natutunan ko at patuloy ko pang inaaral to see the light more than the shadows.

Iba kasi ang shadows e. It makes any subject more dimensional. Mas nagiging unique and curious. Pero okayyyy, focus tayo sa light kasi doon naman nagsisimula ang most flattering shadows, right? Speaking of which, I'd be pitching a project headshot sa team namin soon. I like to capture this era of my life because it's game-changing talaga. LOL. They'd most likely dig this para din mas vibe 'yung photos namin sa MST. Lololollloll. Sakto for 2024 pagangaps. Black and white syempre na ambient and not edit. Always.

Anyway, sobrang tagal na ng last whisky and cola session ko. As in. Saka, na-surprise ako sa Suntory na I think galing pa sa Subic. HAHAHAHAHA. Mura kasi talaga doon as in. Saka 'yung Suntory whisky na 'to manipis pero may sipa. Should have brought a highball ensemble kaso mas madaling mauubos e. LOL. Next time na siguro.

Hindi na ako bumili ng Jack kasi, oks ang Suntory na 'to kahit 'di mahal. Uhaw levels sa combo na 'to which is my poison lalo 'pag I work outside is 100000000 also. Pero 'di na ako nakakainom masyado since 2023 H2 e. By choice na rin siguro. Or baka mapatawag pa ako sa principal's office. HAHAHAHAHA. Again, drinking is my sedation and creative process kasi. Kaya, sana naman, maging isa itong adjustment. 'Di naman ako kasi wasak uminom. Dutch courage and inspo vibes lang talaga siya. Saka pampakalma ko lalo kasi I overthink to the nines.

Glad to see my team and other team mates having a good time also. Parang nasa probinsiya kami. 'Di lang talaga ako nakaswim because it's fucking time of the month na siksik, liglig at umaapaw. :(((((( Kung kelan talaga may importanteng lakad, lagi na lang panira 'tong uterus ko. Pati 'yung Osaka ko, nag-OD ako ng Naproxen para ma-slay ko 40K steps. CHZ. Linis pa man din nung tubig. :((((((

Buti nagdala ako ng siomai kasi favorite ko talaga siya. Dapat nga, yun na lang kinain ko kesa kumuha pa ako ng ibang food. Mga naka-dalawang tray ako ng siomia so mga 30 or 40 pieces 'yun. Sarap din nung chili oil na from Malaysia kaya extra spicy. :D

May kahihiyan na naman akong naggawa na I can't unsee. LOL. Nagpa-shot ng tequila 'yung kabilang team. E 'di ako naman, I took the shot tapos, inom agad since ayoko ng tequila bilang nakakatorpedo mode siya for me. Saka memories na hahahahahahaha. Lord, sorry na talaga. 'Yun pala need pang i-cheers. So, ayun, two rounds ang paunang buga ko. Siguro uhaw levels 10000 nga kaya 'di naman panget ang hagod nung tequila na 'to.

Hassle lang kasi walang malapit na bilihan ng pods kaya napa-Esse Pop na lang ulit ako. Wala e. Dapat talaga merong ganun sa South Supermarket. In fairness, may South sa East ha. Hahahahaha. It's giving Ever Gotesco kasi sobrang nakakalito 'yung pagkaayos ng mga SKUs sa branch na 'to. Muntik na nga akong mag-grocery ng malala kasi wala na akong bigas sa bahay ko. Nahiya lang ako kasi para 'di naman ako late.

We ended the pre-game ng 10-ish and syempre, medyo may pag-CLAYGO muna para 'di naman mahirapan 'yung may ari ng lugar at 'di rin nakakahiya sa compound. Ganda rin talaga nung BNB namin. Gulat ako DMCI corner unit tapos mid-rise. Engineering talaga strength ng DMCI saka granite countertop sa mga kinda finished units upon TO. LOL. Bili na. CHZ. Weird lang kasi ng locations talaga. Na need mo talaga ng car and scooter para 'di ka mahassle.

If may gusto akong DMCI property, syempre matik na Bonifacio Heights bilang isa 'yun sa legacy properties nila. Maliit lang talaga ang elevators pero puwedeng-puwede na talaga. LOL. Going back to our post-party na inabot ng midnights... naglaro lang ako ng Uno Stacko with officemates na sumama from other teams. Then, umupo ako sa sofa na sobrang sarap ng feel. Tapos, poof. Nakatulog na ako. Hahahahahahaha. Hindi ko na namalayan. Sabi ng officemates ko, kahit ang lakas ng tawa nila sa Cards Against Humanity nila, wala. Bagsak talaga ako. I love the solid na solid sleep. Pero nung nagtry daw silang magphoto na tulog ako, gumising daw ako. Hahahahaha. LOL. Then natulog ulit. HAHAHAHHAHA. Ending, sa sofa na ako natulog kasi ang lamig ng AC sa lahat ng rooms. Namiss ko rin kasi mga dogs ko. :( Sanay ako sila katabi ko. :( Si dad naman bantay nila kaya oks lang din.

Nung nagising ako, pinakilala sa akin 'yung jowa nung isa naming ka-team. Medyo napahaba kwento kasi nga parehas kaming tubong Laguna na malayo. LOL. Nagulat din siya sa dami ng piercings at tats ko. Siguro pati pagtulog ko sa sofa na weird and bagsak, nagulat din siya. Hahahahaha. Fun times talaga. Sabi ko sama siya madalas sa team namin 'pag nasa Manila siya.

Siguro, ito 'yung first super sedated sleep ko since H2 2023. Ang sarap talaga ng sleep ko. Syempre, with every inom na malala, dama ko ang puffy and bloated vibes. UGH. Sooooo, magdadala na lang talaga ako ng siomai, chili oil and kanin sa mga susunod kong inom sessions this szn. Para managed pa rin intake ko. :p 'Wag mo isama diyan samgyup saka seafood ha. Ibang usapan 'yun.

Friday na walang pasok. Thursday good vibes overnight. December, you are looking good so far. Itawid na natin ang mga kaganapan para tuloy-tuloy ang paglipad at paglagapak sa 2024 sa ngalan ng Q1 na no laptop and socmed Japan leave love. HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. Sana matawid ko 'yung importanteng part next week para makalma na ako ng tuluyan... for this 2023 YE. CHZ.

Saka, sa totoo lang, gusto ko ng tapusin ang kaya kong tapusin kasi gusto ko rin ma-maximize 'yung talents ng new hires and hires na evolving namin sa team. Thankful talaga ako na sila ka-team ko. Hindi ko lang sure if the feeling is the same for them. HAHAHAHHA. HUY.

[potusshii]

I got an idea, how about I start comparing stuff in QC to stuff in Cavite? ◠⁠‿⁠・—⁠☆ (part 1)

Let's start with public transportation. QC along with Marikina that has the typical traditional jeepney design (they got the ejeeps but that wont be fair to what I'm about to use on Cavite's side because the ejeep is literally the better version of that xD).

Pros: they got speakers that blast THE MOST GENGGENG STUFF YOUR EARS ARE ABOUT TO HEAR (i put this as a pro because i think it's a nice way to spice up the travel and I got a number of experiences where the driver would lend me the aux cord of his jeepney speakers and i get to control the music lmao) AND I AM LOOKING STRAIGHT AT YOU ANTIPOLO TO CUBAO JEEPS.

Cons: It's too narrow so it would be bad for claustrophobic people

Moving on to Cavite's ABSOLUTELY GOATED MINIBUSES (yeah i know they have the traditional jeeps too but I wanna focus on this one mainly because it's my first time seeing these and my first time seeing one is here in Cavite)

Pros: these minibuses are the quirkiest thing here in Cavite, in my opinion. It's also spacious and the rides are so chill especially with a good spotify playlist (my favorite spot to sit on is of course the one beside the window. I do not give a dang if it's raining at all I always keep the window down)

Cons: bro I don't know if I'm the only one who's experiencing this but WHY ARE THE RATES SO INCONSISTENT? like this minibus charges me 20 but the other one charges me 25 like that is so DIABOLICAL

here are some of the playlists I made that I also listen to while riding the said public transportations ʘ⁠ᴗ⁠ʘ⁠✿

[inah-rosario]

sige, what am i doing in fairlane, marikina talaga?

buong yan ay paano nga matutunan yung poor people kung kayo nga mayayaman talaga.

sorry: pero dapat alam mo na mga Yulo, Locsin, Gokongwei ngaaaaa kamiiiihhhhh @ have to approve pls

yun!!! salitang conyo mga teens namiiiin powwwssss @ approve plsss nid.

[usbongkalikasan]

Usbong Kalikasan Statement on Kaliwa Dam

Author: Geo Paulo M. Tambalo

Graphic Designer: Kandhalvi Maidinshifwell Asaali

Exactly eleven years ago, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the 21st of March as the International Day of Forests to inspire societal admiration and awareness of the importance of all forest types. This year’s celebration, with the theme “Forests and Health,” calls on every country to work in consideration of the interconnectedness of the state of forests and overall human welfare. Essentially, the imperative realization is that the scope of deforestation impacts goes beyond the natural world, extending to our economy, society, and health.

The Philippines, however, heavily contradicts the aspirations of today's event with recent news about its New Centennial Water Source - Kaliwa Dam Project that China funds via a bilateral loan agreement. Worth 12.2 billion pesos, the Metropolitan Water Sewerage System (MWSS) imprudently addresses the water shortage crisis in the greater Manila area by flooding 300 hectares of forest land and excavating parts of the legally-protected Sierra Madre mountain range to roughly create a 63-meter-high water reservoir and a 28-kilometer-long conveyance tunnel. Ultimately, the operationalization of the dam project comes at the expense of all existing natural ecosystems and Filipino communities in and near the construction areas. 

Most affected by this government enterprise is the Kaliwa watershed, a declared forest reserve and national wildlife sanctuary under Proclamation No. 573 of 1968 and Proclamation No. 1636 of 1977, respectively. Located at the southern end of the Sierra Madre mountain range, the contested Kaliwa watershed is a critical environment for the survival of an abundance of wildlife and plants, some of which are even endemic to the Philippines. All the unregulated deforestation before the project's conception, at a rate of 408 hectares per year, has already rendered at least 8 animal species and 67 plant species vulnerable to endangerment or extinction soon. Logically, if the Kaliwa dam construction pushes through, the forest reserve may no longer be home to many in the still-developing list of biological species.

As the "Forests and Health" theme suggests, any harm inflicted on the montane and lowland forests of the Kaliwa watershed is naturally transferrable to Filipino communities. Immediate victims of the Kaliwa dam project are the indigenous peoples (IPs), mainly from the Dumagat tribe, who have since relied on their ancestral forest lands for subsistence. But, for a country that is visited by an average of 20 typhoons per year, a dam in the southern Sierra Madre mountain range would mean more risk of flooding and flash floods for nearby human settlements in Quezon province, Rizal province, and even some parts of Metro Manila. Although flood control projects have been developed to combat these possible catastrophes, the risk of an immobilized local economy during and after construction still looms to add weight to the already heavy financial burden of the Kaliwa dam construction.

In celebration of the International Day of Forests, we stand united with the Dumagat-Remontado tribe in their call to stop the Kaliwa dam construction and save what is left of Sierra Madre. We implore the Philippine government to consider viable and sustainable solutions to the water shortage crisis that do not disrupt our natural forest lands. We should recognize that, instead of deforesting watersheds, restoring and conserving forests in existing watersheds like Angat and La Mesa is better for the cost and longevity of water supplies. 

References:

Asian Disaster Reduction Center. (2013). Asian Disaster Reduction Center（ADRC）. Adrc.asia. https://www.adrc.asia/nationinformation.php?NationCode=608&Lang=en#:~:text=Located%20along%20the%20typhoon%20belt,frequent%20earthquakes%20and%20volcanic%20eruptions.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (2013). Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape & Kaliwa Watershed Forest Reserve. Denr.gov.ph. https://forestry.denr.gov.ph/b+wiser/index.php/sites/umrb/8-b-wiser-sites

Haribon Foundation. (2018, November 20). Kaliwa Dam will destroy Sierra Madre biodiversity – Haribon Foundation - The Haribon Foundation. The Haribon Foundation. https://haribon.org.ph/kaliwa-dam-will-destroy-sierra-madre-biodiversity-haribon-foundation/

Haribon Foundation. (2019, June 25). Stop Kaliwa Dam - The Haribon Foundation. The Haribon Foundation. https://haribon.org.ph/stop-kaliwa-dam/

Joe Priela. (2023, February 2). Kaliwa Dam project to be completed by 2026, MWSS says. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/02/kaliwa-dam-project-to-be-completed-by-2026-mwss-says/

Metro Manila water security study : final report (English). Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/966091468107676247/Metro-Manila-water-security-study-final-report

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. (2019). Environmental Impact Statement: Kaliwa Dam Project (pp. 1–389).

[fevzenero]

Ride with High School Friends

The date is 2023-03-04. I have a ride scheduled for today with my high school friends. This is my second ride with them. My first ride was kind of getting to know how they ride since it was really my first time with them. I have no idea on how they would fair for a long group ride.

Our meet up point is at Petron Gas Station located at Marikina Infanta Highway, near the LRT station in Santolan. I arrived there first at around 0700AM. Second to arrive was James, then Mond. So here we are below, taking a selfie before we take off.

From the left, that’s me, then James and Mond.

Here is a short video of us riding through Marikina Infanta to our first destination.

Our first destination was at Caza Peregrine Resort and Restaurant. We arrived at the spot at around 0820AM. We kind of got lost since Waze led us to a place somewhat far from where we should be. We arrived just a few meters away from the entrance and good thing there were people there that helped us find the correct spot.

Here’s a video of us in one of the photographic spots of that place.

Here’s a part of the dining section.

Since this is located in Antipolo, the view there is awesome. I have been told that we should go there around dawn so we can see the sea of clouds. Maybe that would be for another time but for now, this is as good as it gets.

There were a number of people in the place since this is a go to place when going to Antipolo. There were a lot of motorcycle riders present and few number of cars at the parking. You would know that the place is more accessible by motorcycle rather than a car.

We ate breakfast at the place. Was not able to capture an image since I was too busy looking at the scene and when the food came, I quickly dug in. As usual, I always eat the never ending tapa meals. And by the way, we sat at something like a tree house so we could enjoy the food and the view altogether.

Our next stop is at Pililla Windmill Farm. The way was kind of tricky since we started at a spot were there is no cell reception and Waze gets data loss at some parts. We did not take the normal route where we have to ride along Marilaque Highway. It was the weekend and we expected that there would be a lot of riders along the way and we would not like to encounter accidents since that place is prone to.

We also did not choose the road where we would encounter CVM Orchard and Ecopark since we saw that the road was guarded by some military check point. We opted for a route to villages and a whole lot of turns. We did not expect that we had to go through some off road along the way.

We also had a hard time looking for a good spot when we arrived somewhere near the windmills. The map clearly displays that we were there however the place was not what we expected and also not the same as the ones we had seen in the images and videos of people who went there to visit. So we had to do what we have at that time.

We arrived there at around 1250PM.

We had a little bit of a mishap there. We were about to take off and James was not able to correctly maneuver his motorcycle then fell off. We were at some downhill road and he miscalculated. There were some marks on the motorcycle but James was fine. He just laughed it off.

We then headed to our last destination at Sikatan Sikada Cafe.

We had our late lunch here and as usual, I ordered a never ending Tapa meal. I don’t know, but wherever cafe I go, that was usually the one I look for in the menu. The food was good, can’t really say it’s awesome but it serves its purpose. We took our time there since that was the last stop for the day. We relaxed and enjoyed the view since the spot we stayed, it was only us and cool winds embraced us during our time there.

[potusshii]

I totally forgot to mention the fact that I started living alone lmao excuse me for my silliness!

My experience so far? Well I'm used to it since this aint my first rodeo. Only problem I have is that there is no dang stove here so I can't cook homemade meals. This is literally why I miss my mom, and why I visit her back in Marikina every week (more about this in other posts!) It gets a little boring here sometimes. Oh what's that? Go out if I'm bored? Well let me tell you something goody two-shoes, what in the flip am I gonna do outside? It's the same whenever I'm indoors. You guessed it, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. So it's either bed rot or outside rot (as a shut in, I prefer bed rotting thank you very much!) God is constantly giving me nerfs on my patch, but why does it have to be the ability to cook my own meals ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ

[felisminisms]

So we harvested a few baskets of mangoes as it's in season. But some of them are not good to look at even if they're completely edible. The fruit stall we were selling them didn't want them so we kept them. What to do with so much mangoes but to make peach-mango ref cake. Not bad. (at Marikina City) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpZhL6JrUVm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[reaaaa16]

Hi,I'm Realyn A.Vego,I was born on September 16,2005. I'm turning 18 on September 16 this year. I am grade 11 student and currently studying at Don Jose M. Ynares Senior Memorial National High School.My father is Reynaldo S. Vego and my mother is Alta A. Adano,and I have two siblings a girl and a boy named Jhon Rey A. Vego and Marichuy A. Vego. In our family we are not together under the same roof, Because my father is taxi Driver in marikina and he stays in there. My Mother is also a helper in marikina and she stays in,And on my brother is In province that's why are rarely spend time together. But when we do spend time together it's fun, And we can't avoid the trouble and understanding in the family. And I have a boyfriend for 3 years now hehehehe! It's good to have a boyfriend you can talk about problems about the family. And you two are the ones who sympathize and understand each other, What I like to do is watch movies on Netflix or watch on Facebook or TikTok , YouTube. I also I like to wander with my friends, we also like to go swimming. My dream for the past four years is first time, I can graduate from college. And pass the board exam and become a professional cook, And I want to have my own restaurant. And help my siblings and my parents, And i can compensate that suffering during that time I'm studying..

[jopetkasi]

Back when life was simple, I would anticipate Friday evenings mostly spent with my friends. Ours was simple. It could be a house gathering which proves to be more cost-effective or if we have extra money, it’s CubaoX or any of those overlooking Marikina restos in Antipolo. But we never splurge on those BGC Super Clubs (except for one that closed) 

I am writing this because I miss how friends and I would talk the night and morning away, and suddenly you scream like “shoots, it way past my curfew!” but you realized the night was far spent and just shrugged it off to  carpool towards Retiro and have a decent breakfast of beef pares or chicken mami for those nursing a hangover. 

and it does not stop there. because right after eating, comes the mandatory after meal yosi that segues to those “five minute kwentuhans” that we all know  extends until one of the mothers calls in to heckle us back home. Only then do we rev the car and start to bring each one home. 

I miss those and yeah, going home tired and sleepy but still finding the energy to recall what happened during the night to my amused parents who are just starting their day....

and I slumber only to wake up it’s Saturday evening and I have to drink.