a lot of first as the year ends...

...I reflect on some photos that made an impact in my 2012

Hala Bira!!

My first time in attending this colorful festival in Kalibo, Aklan. Ang saya maki sadsad hehe party all day and night in the streets is a good way to begin the year

A miner's life

I was given an opportunity to do a story on the small scale gold mining in Camarines Norte under the NGO Ban Toxic. Its a eye opener story about the dangers of the mines and their health risk in being exposed to mercury. This inspired me to do a long term story on this issue.

City of dancing lights

My lola and cousin travel Hongkong for 5 days its a tiring trip but worth it :)

Like a miniature city

Riyadh on top view my last photo of Saudi

Caramoan!!

Its like little Coron hehe its good to swim again  :)

Sustainable mining

The second part of the mining story is a small mining town called Gaang in Kalinga. Here the miners have been practicing mercury free mining for a year now. I really admire the effort of the Banao people in their high regards to health safety and protecting the environment. Hope to be back on this place next year even though the climb up there is sooooo harddd!!! hehe  its worth it especially if I'm able to take home something that is more than gold.

New hairdo ^_^

What can I say hehe got myself a new haircut and i love it!!

Wedding vows

The first wedding I've ever attended and its in India weeh!! Congrats my dear friend Nishant :)

Run for your lives!!

The first ever zombie run in the Philippines! Its exhilarating and full of thrills :) I'm planning to join next year as a runner hopefully I can survive it

Tour of the Firelies- Bike for Sustainable Energy!

My first time to bike around Metro Manila hehe so fun!!!

 Goddesses No More

I thank the Lord for giving me an opportunity to be part of the 8th Angkor Wat Photo Workshop. I was able to do a story of culture and to meet this beautiful and talented dancers. Kudos to the art of dancing!!

The Last Mambabatok

What good way to welcome the end of the world by making a story about the last mambabatok or traditional tattoo artist in Kalinga. More power to you and your art master Pangud!


As the year closes to an end I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Lord for giving me the gift of photography without it I won't be able to meet this amazing people :) Domo arigatou gozaimasu ^_^

day 235-230: Hala Bira!!

The mother of all Philippine festivals, Kalibo Ati-Atihan is consists of tribal dancing parade and ethnic music that accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons. Its been observed every third Sunday of January in which people smear thmeselves of charcoal or any black substance to look like Aetas.

The name Ati-Atihan means "to be like Aetas" or "make believe ati's". It started at around 13th century wherein a group of Malay chieftains or "datus" fled from Borneo and accepted by the Ati's the early settlers in Panay Island. Its a celebration to seal a peaceful pact between two different races and cultures. It became a religious feast in 1750 wherein a companion priest of Fray Andres Urdaneta and explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi baptized in one day 1,000 inhabitants of the town and surrounding settlements in the place. Since then its been celebrated with masses and novenas to their Patron Saint Sto.Nino.

As time passes by,people add modern touch to the festival such as modern type of Ati-Atihan dance and used of creative masks instead of charcoals. The drum beats are also in tune of some pop music. But the spirit of the festival is still there and it became more lively with these new features. People from other provinces and even in Manila visit this place just to participate in the lively street dancing and witness the creativity of the costumes and props of the locals and the Aetas themselves. Many devotees are also flocking the church to attend the masses and novenas as they believe that they will be bless by the miraculous power of Sto.Nino.