Naranasan nyo na ba yung prenteng prente kayo sa pagkakahiga nyo at halos naghihilik pa kayo dahil sa walang pasok at pwede kang magising ng tanghali pero sa kasamaang palad eh bubulabugin ka ng…

“Taaaaarrrrnnn me luuuhuussssss, prom yor heyndssss, let me plaaaaa-a-a-aayyyy to distan leeeehennnnd…”

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumasok sa utak nung kapitbahay namin at alas-siete ng umaga nagbi-videoke na sila, mabuti sana kung parang ihehele ka sa lamig at ganda ng boses pero yung pagkanta na tipong galit sa lahat ng aspeto ng musika eh yun ang kamaktol-maktol. Videoke na nga, babasahin na lang yung letra sasablay pa, tapos sila yung tipong nakikipaghabulan sa tyempo, hindi naman sintunado pero wala sa tono, oo ganun talaga, hindi ako magaling kumanta para mangpuna ng ibang taong umeeffort kumanta pero kahit paano naman alam ko kung kelan ako wala sa tono at di tama ang pagkanta at alam ko rin kung nakakabulahaw ako sa mga tao sa paligid ko, pero me mga tao talaga na pag nakahawak na ng mikropono eh akala mo sila na lang ang taong nabubuhay sa mundo. Happiness has nothing to do with it.

Ok lang naman mag videoke, pero wag naman ganung kaaga at wag ganung ka sablay sa tono, wala na sa lugar wala pa sa ayos yung pagkanta, yung tipong pati sa panaginip mo sa gabi eh maririnig mo silang kumakanta na kahit yung mga batang walang muwang eh mawawalan na ng gana at interes sa musika dahil sa kagagawan nila. Iyon na ata ang isa sa pinaka disturbing na tunog na maririnig mo, sumusunod dun sa dj ng radyo na laging bukambibig eh “Meh ganun!” kada limang segundo o kaya kay Boy Abunda pag sumusigaw sya ng “now nah!”, parang pare-pareho sila ng epekto sa makakadinig, at hindi ko ine-exaggerate yung sinasabi ko.

Kaya ako walang kaamor amor sa mga nag imbento ng magic sing saka yung mga dvds na may built in na videoke, masyado nilang ginawang accesible sa mga tao ang videoke, masyadong madali ngayon sa mga tao ang makapang istorbo ng kapwa dahil sa mga ganung gadget, isang magandang halimbawa na eh yung kapitbahay namin. Dapat siguro gawan ng batas yang pagbi-videoke, kung bibili ng videoke dapat ire-require muna na kumuha ng lisensya sa pagkanta. Kumbaga sa pagbili ng baril dapat dadaan din ang mga bibili ng videoke sa series of test para makakuha ng lisensya, gaya ng psychological test, intelligence test, at emotional quotient test, tapos yung proper training din sa pagkanta mula vocalization hanggang proper posture when singing. At kung hindi nila maipapasa lahat ng test eh hindi sila bibigyan ng lisensya para makabili o makaarkila ng videoke. Tapos dapat meron ding ahensya ng gobyerno na magpu-pulis sa mga reckless videoke singers, pwede dapat silang ipahuli sa kasong… uhm… noise pollution, kung mahuli silang nagbi-videoke ng wala sa lugar at sa ayos pwede sana silang makulong o kaya parusahan ng limang araw na walang gagawin kundi manood ng re-runs ng That’s Entertainment o anumang similar na epektibong parusa. Dapat talaga merong batas na maipasa para sa tama at makatarungang pagbi-videoke! Sana isama ito ng mga kumakandidatong presidente sa kanilang plataporma.

At oo lahat ng kalokohang yan pumasok sa isip ko dahil lang sa asar ko sa kapitbahay namin at patuloy kong nanamnamin ang ideyang yan hanggang hindi sila tumitigil sa walang habas nilang pagbi-videoke ng wala sa lugar. Wala naman akong magagawa pa dahil ganyan talaga ang epekto ng videoke sa mga pinoy, parang Sto. Niñong sumasapi sa tao ang epekto, kumpleto pati pag tinis ng boses ng mga nakanta, kaya nga bukod sa basketball at boxing eh nananatiling isa sa pinaka popular na sports dito sa atin ang videoke… me scores kasi kaya parang sports na rin sya… kaya sa isang banda sabi nga sa looney tunes, ‘if you can’t beat em’ join em’!’

Everybody now…

“Taaaaarrrrnnn me luuuhuussssss, prom yor heyndssss, let me plaaaaa-a-a-aayyyy to distan leeeehennnnd…”

I’m not a big Rihanna fan but when I saw her music video of ‘russian roulette’ yesterday, it got me curious and I know I had to YouTube it. I first heard this played in ‘the hills’ when Audrina was dumped by Justin. Thinking this was an old Rihanna song. But found out now that it is off her new album. Enjoy.

Since I liked it a lot, I had to find a video of it with lyrics. Videoke time. Lol

FYI: I initially thought Russian roulette was a game played at a casino. I was right on the gambling part but wikipedia explains it more appropriately and I quote:

“Russian roulette is a potentially lethal game of chance in which participants place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger. “Russian” refers to the supposed country of origin of the game and roulette to the element of risk-taking and the spinning of the revolver’s cylinder being reminiscent of spinning a roulette wheel.”

It also said that motives of players vary from boredom to suicide or display of bravery. Now I know.

This is the ultimate torture machine of the 21st century.

photo by mycebuphotoblog.wordpress.com

Look at the four monsterous sub-woofers. These serve to amplify a cacophony disguised as singing and can definitely induce a migrain produced by the bass of this torturous device. It used to proliferate bars, or entertainment areas, but thanks to the enterprising pinoys who mass produced them,  videoke machines  are bigger and louder! The lack of regulation by the city government enabled the happy patrons of bars and videoke halls bring one home. No subdivision or residential area is spared from the onslaught of these videokes.

I love singing too. I used to sing in a choral group and although I maybe a little rusty, I can still sing in tune. But I’ve always been careful that I do not disturb anyone if I do belt out songs by Regine Velasquez, or sing along to the tunes of RENT or WICKED. What I cant understand is why there are people who know that they sound awful, still have the nerve to let the whole neighborhood know how much their voices suck?

I was in tears the other day because I couldn’t get any work done with all the jarring noise outside. As much as I want to  complain to the authorities about this, I do not want to cause any trouble since we are only renting here, and it is our landlord who happily bought this godforsaken machine. My husband and I are even driven to think about saving up for a house up in the mountains of Montalban, but a part of me is saying we cannot always run away from our problem…you see even when we were in Cebu, there was a videoke machine right next to our room. This videoke machine was one of the challenges we faced in our relationship. I have always been the one willing to bear it all, but my husband would always get into a fit whenever the machine was in full swing. We solved our problem then by going out for a walk. By the time we got home, all is quiet again and we had a fun stroll in Ayala or SM Cebu.

Since we cannot afford to buy a house yet, I made a quick research about how to sound proof our house/room. All I needed was foam, cloth, and thick curtains to absorb the noise coming from outside…nice I still have to plan how we can accomplish this but it’s better than just running away.

I recommend every home to have a sound-proof room. A place where you can rest or where you can make as much noise as you want without disturbing the neighbors. If you are renting a room or studio, think about sound-proofing your bedroom too so you can have some peace and quiet.

If you know some great how-to instructions about installing foam or sound barriers in a rented apartment, do let me know. I will try to share some of the results in my quest to a noise-free house/room too

Mercedita Onofre, Philippine Daily Inquirer

I WOULD like to call the attention of Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr and the taxpayers of Parañaque regarding the disrespectful behaviour of employees at a building that is being rented for councilors and other officials of our city. That the city government has to pay so much for the rent of these offices – justifying the expense with the claim that a government building for these officials is still under construction and they need an existing building now so they can “serve” the people of this city – is flabbergasting enough.

Pass by this building and see the people just milling around the vicinity doing nothing but being paid with taxpayers’ money and you can’t help but indulge in self-pity. Here you are, working for hours on end and dutifully paying your taxes, and where does your hard-earned money go? To this huge building for those useless government officials enjoying the use of their publicly funded flashy cars and the flattery of their loud-mouthed assistants.

But another issue is that the building is being used as a “videoke sing-along bar” whenever any of these assistants feel like exercising their vocal chords. This is in utter disregard of the residents of the area, law-abiding citizens who need to get some rest and peace during weekends.

These assistants don’t really care if the people around the area are disturbed by their singing and drinking, which last late into the evening. Isn’t there a law that prohibits people from making so much noise, especially if the place is being used as a government office?

Let their bosses be reminded that with the elections coming, they need the votes of the taxpayers and private citizens of this city. I can only wish that these voters would remember at the proper time the behavior of these mere employees who are abusing their “power” as if they are the “high and mighty.” I also wonder if their bosses, the vice mayor and councilors, know about these videoke sessions. http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20091118-237046/Videoke-sessions-inside-govt-building

Kanina nag-vi-videoke kami dito sa bahay dahil sira yung cable at wala kaming magawa. Dahil pamilya kami ng mga adik sa pagkanta, nag-aagawan kami ng mic palagi, haha. Sobrang tagal ko atang napakanta, mga 90 minutes siguro non-stop, parang concert lang, haha. At sobrang nakaka-inlab yung boses ng Nanay ko sa totoo lang. Sana ganun rin yung boses ko, haha.

Sobrang namiss ko rin si Mae, haha. Asar lang kasi, sobrang busy na namin pareho madalas. At dahil mukhang magiging busy na naman kami pareho (dahil pupunta siya ng Hong Kong next week at sa kung anu-anong probinsya pa at ako naman ay mag-o-OT madalas sa pinag-o-OJThan ko), I think we’ll have to meet tomorrow kasama si Pam. Sana lang payagan ako bukas at sana may pera rin akong pangsine at panggala, haha.

Kawayanan Grill Station Bar and Restaurant

I’ve read quite a few good reviews about this restaurant during the planning stage for visiting Coron town. Moreso it  is highly recommended by most of the people I asked around, matanong kasi ako! Kawayanan Grill Station is a garden restaurant popular to Palawenos especially to that of Coron. Noticeable about the place is that customers do have an option to chill out on monobloc chairs or hang out on one of their nipa huts. And oh, the main bar is also made out of I think kawayan, nipa and driftwood pieces. This grill station is strategically located along Don Pedro Street just beside the Coron Sports Complex and it can get pretty loud and noisy at this bar especially when there are town events being celebrated, like what we had experienced. The place is the Calamian version of Gerry’s Grill, too bad I’m not much of a fan of seafoods (gives me the allergies).

Before our meals were served

Aside from being a restaurant, bar and grill they also offer videoke services on one of  their private air-conditioned rooms charged at an hourly rate. At the farther end of the station, they have a small stage set-up with light fixtures used especially by bands for their live performances and jamming sessions. We were quite fortunate to have witnessed a performance from the Tribu Calamianen (a local indie/culture band) at this bar, it was an awesome display of talent and culture of the Calamians. That was on October 23, 2009 (which is actually one of the highlights of the Oktoberfest in Coron). Beside the restaurant is a small souvenir shop most probably also owned by the Kawayanan proprietors. I was told  that the bar’s whole concept was the brain-child of 4 friends wanting to venture into a restaurant cum bar business. Not a bad idea, I should say.

Hand-made shell lanters at Kawayanan Grill Station

A shot of the hand-made shell lantern from below

Served by the pitcher

Enchanting

What I liked about this bar is its interior and the over-all feel of the place. The center of attraction for this restaurant is the hand-made shell lanterns that  hung all over the station which imbibes a mixture of homey/festive/native  ambiance to the place. Cool! Lights are dimmed to set the mood for chilling and relaxing. The choice of music has got that relaxing effect as well. Less, of course, the occasional sound from the private videoke room that they have.  As for the cocktails, the Kawayanan crew revs up a mean concoction of rhum, four seasons and generous helpings of fresh orange fruit which they proudly call as Coron Sling. It is served  at an affordable price of  Php380 per pitcher. Take note of the stirrer which also had hand made shell trinkets worthy of a souvenir of the place. Hmmm… Ramil was lucky enough to take home one of them actually! Aside from Coron Sling, they also can prep a good blow job for you. Guys, blow job, the cocktail! The crew prepared a nice warm blow job just for me hahahaha! Moreover, judging from their menu I noticed that they actually serve the cheapest San Mig Light from all the bars around Coron town.

The Coron Sling courtesy of eonphoto.org (thanks Rage!)

What I certainly loved most about the place is again the hospitality of the crew during our stay. We were treated with royalty for 3 nights in a row considering the place was flocked with customers at that time. We also had an opportunity to meet one of the 4 owners of the place, I think his name is John or Joseph, I forgot his name because the introduction was very brief.  He was quite busy entertaining other customers/friends and probably of brain-storming ideas with his wife (who is also a co-owner of the resto-bar). Nevertheless, the relaxing homey feel of the place combined with the warm hospitality of the people added to the already over-flowing positive experiences that I have had during my vacation in Coron, Palawan. Kawayanan Grill is also home to one of the most memorable experiences that I have had in my entire life.

Grilled fish with lato salad for Mona

Sizzling sisig and rice for Ian

Tapsilog for me

Kawayanan Grill Station is definitely a must-see and try while at Coron, Palawan. This is a place where the old can meet the new,  the convergence  of  people from all walks of life, and where all the nationalities speak of only one language that we all understand: HAVING FUN! Ambiance is perfect for night outs, music is soothing, food served is great, every serving is a value for money, nice crew; what more can you ask for? My verdict: Divine approved, all the possible thumbs up!!!!

Chillin' with friends at Kawayanan Grill Station

I woke up with a very bad hang-over. And I woke up because my brother and his ex are throwing things at each other. We live by a wall away, and I can hear the bangings and the crashes, adding pain to my hang-over. I planned to stay home and watch DVD last night, but an argument forced me to go out, sing and drink. Well, I only have two reasons to consume an alcoholic beverage, one, when I’m happy, and two, when I’m down, depressed and melodramatic. Lately, the second reason is becoming frequent. Rewind to last night’s activity, my officemates invited me to sing and drink in a cramped videoke bar. Red Horse was already served when I joined the group, and RH tasted like water when it’s ice cold. I never counted the glasses I consumed, and it must have been more than two because it made me numb to what is happening in the road while I’m driving. The anatomy of driving drunk: it makes you feel like you’re Daredevil, like you own the road. i don’t know but for some reasons, when I’m inebriated, I park well and straight!!! That’s the only benefit. But I know that it’s bad, and must never be tolerated. Let’s drink to that!!!

Filipinos are very fond of singing. One way of eliminating stress for Filipinos is through singing their hearts out. When confronted with problems, there’s one way to escape—SING, at any place and time.

sing out loud

The magic of singing doesn’t stop once a person dropped a five peso (5Php) coin and scored technically by the videoke machine. The magic of singing doesn’t stop with just purchasing the infamous Magic Sing in shopping malls. The magic of singing never stops now that social media exists.

If you think singing costs a lot, you’re definitely wrong. Singing is not only done at videoke bars like GBOX or Red Box but also at home where all you have to have is an Internet connection, desktop computer or laptop computer, and comfortable place for your pseudo concert. Having these, we can say videoke for Filipinos have gone the extra mile. Thanks to the power of new social media.

believe in the tagline

When our group in Anthropology 185 (Introduction to Philippine Culture) made a documentary on the Filipinos’ Videoke Culture, we realized that that particular culture of Filipinos is very amazing and dynamic. Despite the stress experienced by our random interviewees, we feel they are enjoying what singing can bring to redeem themselves. And now that “videoke-ing” is so popular in the Philippine context, I guess it’s time for us to be more practical and safe through the use of YouTube.

YouTube offers its existence to aspiring singers out there. With just a type on the search engine, you can access your favorite OPM or foreign songs. With just a great upload, you can even dominate the world with your YouTube Videoke performance. I’ve got to see you in Oprah or Ellen soon.

Galera do Videoke

Essa quinta foi dia de videokê no Beleléu. Depois do povo que desistiu e do que prometeu ir e não apareceu, ficamos Eu, Morgana, Kleber, Ana Paula e Arthurzinho. Ficamos no andar superior, comandado pelo Marcão, que está show de bola: som impecável, cardápio de músicas muito bom, os frequentadores muito amigáveis, enfim um ambiente que eu indico para um bom Happy Hour.

Brincado de imitar

Na foto aí em cima estava brincando de Tim Maia um pouco, mas rolou bastante coisa legal, pelo menos eu gostei…rs: Elvis Presley, Robinson Monteiro, Bee Gees, Fábio jr (pela primeira vez).

Klebão: 2 em 1

Ana depois de aquecida

Morgana em ação

Quando todos pensavam que não veriam a Morgana cantar, ela subiu no palco e mandou a Velha Infância com pose e tudo…

Carlos Boccelli e Sandy Zilmar

Cante! Videokê é um software gratuito e em português capaz de transformar seu computador em uma máquina de karaokê.
O programa é muito fácil de ser utilizado (utilize as teclas direcionais para controlá-lo), não requer instalação e possui opções de controle de tom e tempo, possibilidade de mudar a imagem de fundo além de oferecer suporte ao formato KAR sendo que existem no site do desenvolvedor milhares de músicas neste formato.

Informações do arquivo:
Idioma: Portugues
Tamanho: 1 MB
Formato: RAR
Sistema: XP/Vista

DETALHES PARA DOWNLOAD…

I really don’t update my blog as often as I want to because I’m finding it increasingly more difficult to have the time to write.  However, from time to time when I stare blankly at my blog site, I tell myself, “Hey bud, you better write something or you’re gonna get rusty soon.” Today is that time.

As a writer, I read a lot. So because I read a lot, I have a lot (of books).

However, most of my books have been gathering dust.

I probably have what I call the book hoarding syndrome (HBS), especially when I see books on bargain. Unlike stocks, you aren’t catching a falling knife when you get something that’s 50% off its original price. And mind you, there are a lot on sale these coming weeks at the National Bookstore due to their annual September sale. I also can’t wait for the upcoming Book Fair.

I’m glad that there are now a lot of people flocking to bookstores, probably because of how Fully Booked redefined book reading and book selling. It’s also probably due to the proliferation of books to movies like Harry Potter and Twilight. I saw how teens save up money just to buy copies of the said series. At least people respect intellectual property rights when it comes to the printed media.

Going back to HBS, I found myself in book heaven recently due to the ongoing sale in National (Powerbooks recently ended theirs). I loitered around looking for great bargains.

I am especially drawn to hardbound business books that have lost half or more of its value. Business books are expensive and getting them at dirt cheap prices comes only once a year. So now I have a pile of books sitting on the floor just waiting for my curious eyes to take notice of their words.

During a recent trip to the Robinsons Ermita branch of National, I couldn’t help (actually, you really cannot) noticing (actually, hearing) a girl singing to her heart’s content at the Magic Sing kiosk. She belted one out out-of-tune song after another. I wanted to approach her and ask her if it was really part of her job description.

It’s one of the biggest mysteries of the universe. How do you attract people to buy something when the live testimonial for it is soooo bad? Maybe that explains why there are more people buying Magic Sing at Odyssey Record Bars than in National Bookstore. Or, it can just be a simple case of bad distribution strategy. I could be wrong.

Last week, me and my boys(Buen,MarkLou,Paolo) planned to go to a barbeque house to drink up some sold beer, sing songs and have some real good fun. As early as about 5PM in the afternoon, they went to the “pantalan”. They started to eat their sinner first. I went late since I still have to deal with something before I go there. Though I was late, I could say that it was really an enjoyable night. The other people clapped their hands in every song we sing in the videoke. They seem to have enjoyed our performances. Not to brag but all my mates that night are choir people and music lovers. We fininshed our boys night out about 30 minutes past midnight.

Simula na ng Ber month. Kailangan maglista na ng mga pangalan ng reregaluhan.

Pwede na siguro ang videoke para sa isang ito.

Stuff toy para sa kanya.

Isang galong ice cream kaya?

Ang panalangin ko lang, sana magkasya ang budget ko at sana magustuhan nila ang ireregalo ko.

Instalei e  recomento  o Performous para quem gosta de  videokê.  Pois este software é um clone do SingStar escrito em C++  na plataforma Linux. Clique AQUI para  obter mais informações e download do projeto.

Okay, as what I have promised last night here is a complete run down of what I did yesterday, minus the laundry, cleaning and the blogging.  I met Yayi at the Mall 3 here in Ramkhamhaeng, to have dinner, after that we decided to go home when Yayi asked me if I wanted to sing, I obliged, I miss the videoke in Cebu.

Their karaoke center is nice, very comfortable, sound system is a plus and you really can have your privacy since you can’t actually hear the voices of the other rooms once you are inside your cubicle.  The price is also a winner, 8 songs for 4oTHB.  I ran out of voice after singing “Can’t find the moonlight” and “Underneath your clothes”, I was laughing so hard but deep in my mind, I was lingering some memories I had of Cebu.  Damn! here I go for freakin’ nth, feeling homesick all over again.  But thank gawd to Yayi, she made me smile at least I have someone I can talk to when I am feeling down.

Speaking of feeling down, I told you this morning that Yayi had her heart broken, she texted me during lunchtime and I guess she already mended her heart hahahahha!  Good for her.

Here are the pictures during the Karaoke Time, have fun!

*** as usual, me as the camwhore…

*** I was very excited to sing…whehehe!!!

*** Can’t find the moonlight, Leann Rimes is LOVE!!!

*** pose before singing!!!!

*** took a photo inside the cubicle, plus the playstation area…

*** and yes! my outfit for today… I LOVE IT!!!!

Vez ou outra eu brinco de cantora e dou minhas arranhadas no violão… Na maioria das vezes apelo para o videokê!

http://www.youtube.com/user/rbarbariz

videoke machine

simula nitong august ay ulan na ng ulan sa Pinas, particularly dito sa metro manila. Sinamahan pa ‘yan ng kalungkutan na dala ng pagyao ng dating Pangulong Corazon Aquino (condolence po). pero may napansin ako… kahit na anong mangyari at may pagkakataon, magbi-videoke ang mga Pinoy.

August 5, nag-celebrate kami ng unang taon ng aking pamangkin. kahit maulan at malungkot ang karamihan, nairaos naman namin. Ang nakakaloka lang talaga ay yung makita mo na nagkakaisa yong mga hindi magkakakila, babae o lalake man para lang makapag-videoke.

Sa hipag ko ‘yong dvd player, sa kuya ko ang TV (partida 14’ lang yun at Japanese ang mga characters), may tatlong microphone na hiniram kung saan-saan, sa isa ko pang kuya yung amplifier at speaker, at yung kapatid ng isa kong hipag ang nag-provide ng pinaka-tent nila.

Alam ko rin na may nagpuntahan dun sa party ( siempre hindi yung mga bata) para makainom at makapag-videoke. Siguro ‘yong iba may mga magic sing na sa bahay pero iba talaga ‘pag nakikipag-unahan ka sa pagpindot o pagpapapindot ng song numbers mo. Tapos kakantyawan ka ng mga tao o sasabihan na maganda pala boses mo (sana kinimkim mo na lang hahaha!)

Sari-saring awitin ang mga pinagkakanta nila, malalaman mo tuloy kung sino ang gurang, emo, hmmganda ng boses at nagmamaldito. Tawa ako ng tawa nung kantyawan ng hipag ko at nung kamag-anak naming babae yung mga lalake na may boses at may itsura..

Kamag-anak: ganda ng boses! Binata pa ba ‘yan?

Hipag ko: woooh, ayos si pogi (habang pinukpok yung pintuan ng tindahan ng kuya ko)

Yong mga lalake naman na yun tatawa-tawa lang. kala mo wala lang sa kanila at nahihiya kunwari pero panay-panay ang pag-awit. meron din nga palang kunwari ayaw kumanta pero nung makakanta na, ayaw ng bitawan ang mic.

Nasira yung amplifier kinalaunan. Pagkakataon na ‘yun sana para mawalan ng loob ang mga manganganta at manginginom na mag-uwian na. kaso talagang may naghanap talaga ng amplifier (take note, ayaw lang nila basta speaker kailangan may amplifier). Kaya tuloy ang ligaya nila. nung mag-uwian ang mga mahihilig kumanta ng mga song nina Ruben Tagalog, Imelda Papin, at Frank Sinatra, ang naiwan na lang yung mga mahilig sa mga kanta ng mga boyband ng ‘90s. eh kaya na naming yun kaya naawat na sa kantahan. In the end, mga 2am na kami nakatulog lahat.

MAGANDA ANG PILIPINAS!

That’s what I always remind and tell myself whenever I would want to travel with friends in tow or have a vacation simply by myself. True enough, I have been to several travel destinations in the Philippines and nothing is comparable to the natural beauty that the Philippine islands can offer. Not only that, you also get the hospitality and warmth of the people around the place in addition to the glorious scenes.

In relation to the kagandahan ng Pilipinas and Biyahe Na wants, I have found Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan and been planning my trip  for quite some months now.  I came across this travel destination when we had our trip to Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last year. It’s only then that I realized I had to visit the place because of the promises of wonderful marine sanctuaries, exotic wildlife and glorious beaches surrounding the island.

hollywood-esque logo of Coron seen on a mountain top

How Do I Plan My Trip To Coron?

There has been several blogs, hear-says pictures and reviews posted and published about Coron. Honestly those blogs, reviews and threads have helped me big time in planning my upcoming trip to Coron. Armed with all these information at hand, I invited several friends of  mine to accompany me on my trip, on their own expense of course. A few heeded to the calling and they are as follows: Aboy (although still unsure), Allan, Ramil, Mona and her hubby with one other fellow I’m not sure who it will be. Probably, this post will be revised once I get a hold of the person’s name. We have settled on the date as October 21-24, 2009. It was a good timing because those dates also cover the Pantalan area fiesta and that made our trip more promising as ever. The date was just an accident. Originally it should have been October 10-14 but then the other members of the survivor Coron edition told me that they would have a hard time in securing their vacation leaves as one of the dates fall on a Friday. So we adjusted the dates and settled on October 21-24 instead. What a blessing I told myself. At the back of my mind, probably I truly deserve this trip or para sa akin talaga ang trip na ito. But the truth behind the chosen date is because 2 members of the Coron Survivor edition will celebrate their birthdays in October. So yun na, alam na!

Kayangan Lake in Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan taken by one of the travellers to the place

How Do I  Get To Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan?

The next thing that I started to bug myself about was how I would travel to Coron. There are 2 modes of transportation going to Coron. Of course, the most popular would be by air. You would have to drop off at Busuanga domestic airport and then take a van that would take you to Coron town proper. I was told that the air travel is about an hour and the travel from Busuanga to Coron town is about 45 minutes. The van has a fixed rate of Php 150 per person and will take you to your preferred accommodation. They have a policy that whichever van drove you to your accommodation, shall also be the van who would fetch you and bring you to the airport on your return trip back to Manila. I find that practice very convenient for travellers. For me it also implies that they have a fair and just business practice going on in the area. But then, there were several others who claimed that the Php150/person fare from the airport to Coron town proper is a rip off and  unreasonable in the sense that it only takes about 30-45 minutes ride to reach the destination. I read this comment as an opinion for the Coron, Busuanga thread. Judging from the person’s point of view, he actually was right about it. When we travelled to Boracay in June 2009, the van fare from Kalibo International airport has a prevailing rate of Php150/person and the travel time is around 1.5 – 2 hours depending on the skills of the driver and traffic flow in the area. Considering the distance travelled and comparing them both, I may conclude that the charge in Coron is really a rip off.  I’m just hoping that the local government in the area can take a step forward and come up with a fair and reasonable resolution as far as van rates going to Coron town is concerned.

Since Coron Town is becoming a popular destination and travel spot, there has been several revisions as far as travelling to this town is concerned. There are now several ways to travel to Busuanga at rates that the common Pinoy can afford. Among them are as follows:

a. By Air – these are the list of airlines that can fly you to Busuanga Island. Just be aware of promo offerings and you’ll surely get the least amount for your air travel.

• Philippine Airlines. They have a promo right now, Seat All You Can, which is also featured in one of my pages. Kaya naman talagang nasabi ko na para sa akin ang Coron dahil naglabasan ang mga promo ng airlines when I was planning to purchase my tickets for the trip.  I am loyal to PAL, that’s why for the one-way going to Busuanga, I have decided to take PAL for Php788 including the taxes and surcharges. I should not have taken Zest Air’s promo, nor should have trusted them to begin with.
• Cebu Pacific Air. They also had their 50% off promo to all destinations at the time that we were searching an airline that would take us to Busuanga. They had a promo in celebration of their 3rd year anniversary at Terminal 3 of NAIA. The promo ran for 2 days only. And Mona’s party was able to avail of this promo.
• Zest Air. I purchased my tickets through Zest Air for only Php 976 two-way fare going to Busuanga. Very cheap indeed, cheaper even when PAL or Cebu Pacific had their promo offerings. However due to flight reductions, I was forced to refund the one-way going to Busuanga amounting Php488.
• Sea Air. Previously, this was the only airline who offered chartered trips to Busuanga. When I checked their rates, they have one of the highest airfares going to Busuanga. No promo available at this moment for Busuanga flights.

b. By Sea – this is the shipping line that can carry you to Busuanga Island. They also offer promo rates from time to time, but you’d have to very vigilant in watching out for those.

• Super Ferry. You can also travel by sea through Super Ferry by Aboitiz Lines. They have rates as low as Php750 per person one way, which would take you directly to Coron town pier. But as for this mode, I believe they only travel to Coron on Fridays at 6PM and by 6AM of Saturday, you’ll wake up to Coron sunrise already. The rates are reasonable, it could go up depending on your lifestyle.

Where Do I Stay In Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan?

Now that we have settled on the dates and the plane tickets, the search is on for the most affordable but decent accommodations in Coron. Of course again, there is a criteria that I have set in order for me to choose the accommodation.

1. Offers a spectacular view of the area. Whether it’s situated on a mountain top or on a beachfront.
2. The rooms should be air-conditioned. Although I was told that you don’t actually need to have an air-condition when staying in Coron.
3. Rooms should be spacious and ensuite CR. The beds should be comfortable.
4. Seafront rooms if possible. But Coron town does not really have a decent beachfront. All the hotels who claim that they are beachfront are on stilts actually. And I was told that they are seafront accommodations, not beachfront accommodations.
5. With freebies. Some of the hotels offer free breakfasts or free airport transfers once you avail of their services.
6. With facilities such as use of kitchenette with or without charge if possible, swimming pool, lounging area, mini-bar and videoke area for night gatherings. The people that I’m travelling with have flair for cooking food and for singing their hearts out.
7. Offers affordable packages such as accommodations with food and trips around Coron Islands and nearby islets. I guess all the lodgings in Coron town have offers like these.
8. The lodging should have a back-up generator. I heard that electricity and water ration in Coron town is rationed. Probably due to the fact that it’s an island not yet fully developed as far as technology is concerned.
9. Unique in its own way.

And so the hunt is on for our accommodations. There are several lodging houses in Coron that I have inquired about but only a few have websites.  Most of them only have contact numbers. So it’s very hard for me to picture the rooms and the place itself. The twin sharing room rates can go as low as Php500 per night on a fan room and Php950 per night on an air-conditioned room. There are some lodging houses that caught my fancy and at this point these are my choices:

• Shirl Baywalk Pension House. This budget inn is located along the Coron Bay and it’s one of the new lodging houses around Coron town. The cheapest rate is Php1200 for double accommodation. What I don’t like about their cheapest accommodation is that it doesn’t have a private CR.
• Mommita’s Lodge. Mommita is a very accommodating person. She responded right away via email, talk about a techie lady here. Her budget inn is located near Shirl Baywalk Pension House but it’s not a seafront inn. Most of the rooms offered will have common CR and I think only one of the rooms have private CR. What I like about this inn is that it’s very affordable. You can stay at her place with a budget as low as Php250 per person on a daily basis.

• Coron Reef Pension House. They have claimed that they are the cheapest accommodation in Coron Php 900 per night on twin sharing but doesn’t include any freebies. The rooms are plain and simple, made of native materials and offers a beachfront accommodation.
• Mt. Tapyas Hotel. This is one of the newest hotels in the Coron town area, probably one of the reasons why I had this as my option. Their room rate is Php 1024 per night, including service charge. The airport transfer is free. Offers seaview and mountain views.
• Darayonan Lodge. There has been several reviews made for this lodging. They have 18 rooms and the lowest rate offered to me was Php 950 per night with daily breakfasts for two. The pictures of the place include a lush garden and native decorations. Unique, ikanga nila. Located along the main road, no views at all except their garden.
• Seadive Resort. This is for divers only, as what I have heard. The rates will change starting October 1st. Standard aircon rooms are charged at Php900 per night. Doesn’t include freebies. The lodge is beachfront. Most reviews say that they offer great food but the rooms are plain and simple.
• V. A. Birang Lodging. This offers a seafront view and is a fairly new lodge around the Coron town. I love the place! The owner is very kind. It’s just quite unfortunate that they’re fully booked on October 21-24. Sigh! They are the reason why I found the lodging of my choice at this point in time.
• Coron Sunrise Inn. This is the place that passed most of the criteria that I have set in search for our accommodations in Coron. Their rates are negotiable. Tita Glo, the owner is very nice and straight-forward in answering all my questions. I didn’t had any problems at all as far as communications are concerned because she keeps an open line between us. As for the rooms, they were spacious and all are air-conditioned and has fans in every room. Most of all, the rooms have their own CR’s. They also have a place for night gathering, perfect for the group. The owner also offered me to have our own food cooked in their kitchen with extra charge of course. She mentioned that the gas for cooking costs Php854 in their place. Very expensive! No freebies for their room rates of Php1200 per night good for two persons. But she said that she could give us discounts as far as boat rental is concerned. I find the interiors of the place unique in a way that they have put together simple things and came up with an interior design that passes my taste. Tita Glo told me that at this time, they have 4 rooms available but their new rooms are under construction but it will be completed by the time that we get to Coron. How promising! Parang ako pa ata ang bibinyag sa new rooms nila! The  very reason why I chose to reserve their rooms is because for one, the rooms and facilities passed most of the criteria. And secondly, Tita Glo is very accommodating. She even called me personally for the transactions. They also have a back-up generator, so one can be assured that you’ll have a good time even when the electricity is out and of course a good night’s sleep. I strongly recommend and suggest you take Coron Sunrise Inn as your option when going to Coron.  You can send me a message through the comment box and I’ll let Tita Glo know that you’re interested in renting her place while at Coron. They don’t have a website yet though. I just saw the pictures of the people who previously stayed at their place. Just send me a message if you’re interested. Below are some of the pictures of the place sent to me via email by her son June. Lalo tuloy akong na-excite sa Coron trip na ito. How I wish October comes na!

the common living room

the bamboo gazebo great for night gatherings

the room good for two persons

the room good for 5 persons, they will add extra beds as needed

the ensuite comfort room

view of the lodging from the sea

the view of the entire place from the gazebo

the hallway leading to the rooms

the interiors of the place. I love this chime!

What Are The Things To Do In Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan?

Now that everything about plane tickets and lodgings have been settled, what are we to do in this majestic place? The only way that you could explore the Coron Islands is by renting a boat for one whole day that would take you to the islets, beaches and wrecks for exploration. It was a good thing that I found Owen Ferrer’s DIY Coron site. Owen Ferrer is an expert as far as Coron, Busuanga Island is concerned. He has been to the place several times now and is the protege of this DIY Coron thingy.  He offers tours to travellers at a very affordable price. He says that he’s not the cheapest around the Coron town but you’ll get value for your money when you opt to go with his tour offerings. It sounded incredible! I scouted around the site and was able to come up with our travel itinerary. The site actually helped me plan everything from day 1 up to day 4 for our Coron survival.  Our itinerary are as follows:

Day 1: Maquinit visit on October 21, 2009

This is our arrival day in Coron. Since there is plenty of time to explore the town, I decided it would be the best time for us to do so, on the first day. There’s the Mt. Tapyas cross, which they say has 747 steps to reach the top. Then the souvenir shops in the area. And of course the renowned Maquinit Hot Springs which has an entrance fee of Php100 per head. Going to Maquinit costs around Php 50 per head one way via tricycle. However, I have read one review that Maquinit Hot Springs is not that enchanting anymore. The owners were careless enough not to take care of the place. According to the most recent review by one of the PEXers: the walkway is slippery due to the moss that covered the walk floor, there were no shower rooms so chances are you’re going back to your accommodations without even taking a shower, dogs roam freely around the resort. This review actually bothered me because I was planning to take a hot dip at night. I may or may not include this in our itinerary but I would have to consult the group first prior to removing this.

Day 2:  Coron Island Loop 1 Day on October 22, 2009

Tour Cost Php 1400/ pax

Spots To Visit: Siete Pecados, Kalachuchi, Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Twin Lagoon, Banol Beach, Skeleton Wreck, CYC Island

Inclusions: Boat, Lunch, Entrance Fee, Guide/Cook

Note: Boat rental rate may change without prior notice. Therefore, tour cost also may change without prior notice. At 1-4pax, the boatman is your guide/cook.

Day 3: Culion Malcapuya Loop on October 23, 2009

Tour Cost Php 1600/ pax

Spots To Visit:  Culion Town, Malcapuya Island and Banana Island

Note: Boat rental rate may change without prior notice. Therefore, tour cost also may change without prior notice. At 1-4pax, the boatman is your guide/cook.

That’s our tentative itinerary for our trip.  The 3rd day is optional though, depending sa preference ng group. But they’re already aware of the proposed itinerary, they’d just have to pick from the various activities that can be done in the island.  It’s open to changes as there are so many places to explore in Busuanga.

Aside from Owen Ferrer’s DIY Coron Tours, there are other coordinators that offer the same packages with competitive rates. One of them is the Calamian Expeditions Travel and Tours. It is a local based agency promoting community tourism enterprise and committed to attain sustainable tourism in Calamianes, Palawan. Its activities and events highly involve community members such as local tour guides, mountain guides, resort and lodge operators, boat operators, transport operators, indigenous cultural groups and adventure enthusiasts. Corong Galeri Lokals (an accredited establishment of the Department of Tourism) also makes contributions to the local communities by its efforts wtih the tribal minorities and local skilled craftsmen for the promotion of Calamianes’ traditional products, arts and related handicrafts.  I may have to take their tour offerings instead because  of the reasonable price. Their rates include the following:

Coron Island Ultimate Tour @ P650/person

Destinations: Kayangan Lake , Twin Peaks Reef, Twin Lagoon, Atwayan Beach, CYC Island.  Option to add tour to Siete Pecados, just add entrance fee of P100/pax

Sun, Sea and Sand Eco-Tourism Experience @ P950/person

Destination: Malcapuya Island. Option tour to Banana and Malaroyroy Islands just add entrance fee of P200/pax