By Fung Yu

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 2.3Mb each.

Former President Corazon C. Aquino peacefully passed away on August 1, 2009 at 3:18AM after more than a year of battle against colon cancer; an icon of democracy and a symbol of ‘people power’ in the Philippines and around the world.

An advocate of peace and unity, we thank her for what she accomplished, for what she achieved, and for what she sacrificed for the Filipino people.

What follows are some scenes from the wake in De La Salle Greenhills (August 1), in the Manila Cathedral (August 4), and the funeral parade (August 5).

The Funeral Parade

At the Manila Cathedral, Intramuros

At the La Salle Gymnasium

Article archive at: www.virtualjournals.net. The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph

By Fung Yu

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 2.3Mb each.

ANOTHER great dream is being unfolded in a little corner of space near the grounds of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Led by Art Valdez, the man behind the success of putting Filipinos on the summit of Mt. Everest, the new project will embark on a maritime adventure across the Philippine archipelago using a traditional wooden boat called the “balangay.”

The aim of this endeavor is to re-trace some of our ancestor’s journey in the Indo-Pacific during pre-colonial times in the effort to rekindle Filipino pride and spirit in the long forgotten maritime heritage.

First excavated in the late 1970s in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte by the National Museum, the balangay (also called ‘Butuan boat’), is a plank boat adjoined by carved-out planks edged through pins or dowels. Nine balangays were actually discovered. The first one was preserved and displayed in the excavation site, carbon-dated at year 320AD. The second was dated to 1250 and is now displayed in the National Museum. The third was moved to the Butuan Regional Museum for preservation works, while the remaining six balangays remained in their original waterlogged condition, and are yet to be excavated.

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By Fung Yu

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 2.2Mb each.

Eldar’s Tent was filled with soap bubbles reflected against multi-colored stage lights, the interior was made to appear like an underwater scene. The play was a summer special entitled “An Under the Sea Experience” which showcase the talents of EK’s cast members and select GMA artists.

Dressed in colorful costumes, cast members serenaded the audience with songs and dance that told the adventures of the sea creatures with the surface dwellers. The musical play captured everyone’s imagination, and for a brief moment, it can truly be described as magical!

Together with a group of select bloggers, this writer was invited to experience Enchanted Kingdom’s many attractions, foremost being the newly launched “Magicalympics.”

Magicalympics is a team building activity that fuses certain tasks with the park’s rides in order to accomplish a team’s goal in the least amount of time. Call it ala Amazing Race with a little twist.
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Fung Yu
Contributor

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 2.5Mb each.

THE fireworks started at exactly 7 p.m. in SM Mall of Asia, a usual weekend occurrence, except this time, I was watching it from the waters of Manila Bay, aboard the cruise ship 7107 Island Cruises while partaking our sumptuous 10-course dinner buffet. Seeing the fireworks display from afar, I noticed that the lights reflecting by the surrounding waters. The sight was kaleidoscopic.

The invitation for the Corregidor cruise came from 7107 Island Cruise, the only Filipino owned interisland cruise company that seeks to redefine travel in the Philippines. The ship currently offers cruise within the tourism triangle of Subic, Coron and Boracay.

Docked at Pier 13 in South Harbor, Manila; the ship, formerly Coco Explorer 2 from Danish-owned C&C Travel was originally built in 1968. Fully renovated in 1990 from keel to mast to fulfill international standards, all cabins are made from fire-secure material including an extensive sprinkler-system installed throughout ship.

I arrived around 3 p.m. that day to an already short queue of equally excited passengers. Upon boarding, and right after being led to my assigned cabin, I immediately set out to explore the features and amenities of the ship.

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By Fung Yu
Contributor

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.5Mb each.

BEING a predominantly Catholic nation, the Philippines is host to ‘endless’ religious festivals and celebrations. Next to Christmas, the Lenten season, which falls either on March or April, is celebrated throughout the country.

Conventionally, this is a 40-day affair representing the time, according to the Bible, Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan.

The traditional purpose of Lent is to prepare a believer–through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial–for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Saturday. The six Sundays in Lent are not counted among the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter,” a celebration of Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

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By Fung Yu
Contributor

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.5Mb each.

“Welcome to Bohol” the sign says upon landing in Tagbilaran airport. I found myself joining yet another media test drive with Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. for the newly launched Honda City.

The onset of the summer months bring hot and humid weather, more evident as the intense heat of direct sunlight pierce your skin and sweat slowly crept on the insides of your shirt.

Fortunately, it was rather cloudy when we landed; but the photographer instinct in me wished it was rather radiantly sunny.

Famous for its Chocolate Hills, Bohol is an island province in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It comprises of the Bohol mainland plus 75 surrounding minor islands of which the Panglao Island is the biggest. It is also the home province of President Carlos P. Garcia, the fourth Philippine president, who was born in Talibon, Bohol.

Our start of the tour was the Clarin Ancestral House. Built in 1840, this typical Filipino-Spanish stone house was the residence of Don Aniceto Velez, former governor of Bohol and his son Jose Butalid Clarin, former president of the Senate.

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By Fung Yu
Contributor

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.5Mb each.

The historic province of Cavite, situated just south of Metro Manila is home to Island Cove, a sprawling 36-hectare hotel and leisure park. Located in Kawit, this Mediterranean-inspired island is only 45-minutes away from Manila and boast of a wide range of attractions and facilities: Sangley Point and The Fishing Village offer a variety of food choices; the Oceania Water Park offers several giant water slides, pools and other water activities; the Animal Island is a zoo compose of tigers, ostriches, monkeys, crocodiles, variety of birds, and other animals; accommodations consist of 96 hotel rooms and 17 cottages; other facilities include Island Spa, Gym at the Cove, Island Cove Café, Island Songs (karaoke), Patron (an open-air bar), and a function hall.

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By Fung Yu

Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.2Mb each.

I FIRST set foot on Sagada about 4 years ago, had so much fun and adventure then that I vowed to visit the place again. The opportunity came during the long December holidays. It was more of a sudden decision really, of packing your bags, leaving your thoughts and hopping on the bus the day after Christmas.

Sagada, known as Philippines’ shangri-la, is a rusty idyllic town near Bontoc, the provincial capital of Mountain Province in the Cordilleras. Located some 275 kilometers north of Manila and about 140 kilometers from Baguio City, it is a haven for adventurers. Famous for it’s centuries-old hanging coffins and burial caves, underground river and water falls, majestic sunrise and star-studded night skies, aromatic coffee Arabica and verdant rice terraces. At 1500 meters above sea level, Sagada boasts of cool breezy weather throughout the year. Dry season starts usually from December to May and wet season from June to November.

Even after 4 years, little has changed in Sagada. The whole place seems to be trapped in a time-warp with the locals keeping to their traditional way of life. The only notable transformations are the numerous inns and lodgings converted from residential homes, upgraded rest houses catering to more tourists with better amenities, and more dogs in the streets. Relatively crime-free and peaceful, with residents familiar with one another, only dogs are employed for house security; shifting from pet dogs in the morning to guard dogs at night.

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By Fung Yu
Contributor

Author’s Note: This article uses Adobe Flash in providing an immersive experience by means of virtual reality technology. Flash 9.0 and above is required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.5Mb each. Yellow ‘hotspots’ are clickable.

AFTER hearing so much about Coron from friends who have gone there and always wanting to go but without presence of opportunity, it was only last May that I finally set foot on Palawan, often called the Philippines’ last frontier.

The Palawan group of islands, voted by Conde Nast Traveler magazine for its beaches, coves, and islets as the tourist destination with the best beaches in Asia; rated by National Geographic Traveler magazine as the best island destination in East and Southeast Asia region in 2007; and underwater explorer Jacques Costeau, inventor of the modern scuba, has described the province as having one of the most beautiful seascapes in the world.

Our overnight trip onboard the Superferry was a pleasant one. We departed the port of Manila around 5 p.m. and docked at the port of Coron almost 6 a.m. the next day. As the end of May is almost into the rainy season, nonetheless the weather was still hot with occasional light rain showers in the late afternoon and evening.

After a hearty breakfast and a change of clothes at our place of lodging, our group proceeded to the itinerary of the day — a tour of some of Coron’s major attractions.

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By Fung Yu, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

Author’s note: This article uses QuickTime and Adobe Flash in providing an immersive experience by means of virtual reality technology. QuickTime and/or Flash 9.0 are required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.3Mb each.

WHEN news first broke out that Manila will soon have an oceanarium at par with those in other Asian countries, I just couldn’t contain my anticipation! So after a long construction wait, and a few supposed openings that got postponed, the Manila Ocean Park finally opened its “waters” last February 28.

The park’s journey starts with “Agos,” one of the seven water environments. This exhibit simulates the flow of fresh water from the land out to the seas. Other environments include “Bahura,” the reef with its myriad of colorful corals and fishes; “Laot,” the fishing ground features mostly bigger fishes, including some that you’ll find in your tables; “Buhay na Karagatan,” the living ocean is the main attraction of the ocean park, with its 220-degree tunnel, where you will witness the interaction of many marine animals in their natural habitat; “Ang Kalaliman,” the deep ocean, which displays the pelagic barracudas; “Pagi,” stingrays viewed from an overhead tank; and “Pating,” with young sharks that seem to fascinate just about everyone.

Agos (The Flow)

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