The Alas Family traveling through the years

El mundo es un libro y quienes no viajan leen sólo una página.

—San Agustín de Hipona—

Traveling is not something that we initially planned to do for the rest of our lives. It simply has been happening ever since our family was established in 1999 (parang corporación lang, ¡hehehe!). We've been moving to a lot of places ever since, even without our own accord. We do not claim nor boast to have traveled to a gazillion of tourist spots all over Filipinas. Heck, the farthest our family has traveled up north was in Súbic Bay, and down south was in Tayabas province (sorry, but I simply refuse to call it Quezon... long story). As a couple, me and Yeyette are the most traveled. We've been outside of Luzón three years ago when we toured the famed island of Borácay and the eastern coast of Aclán. Recently, I was able to go to Mindanáo, but on my lonesome. As a family, we have yet to tour a much larger Philippine space.

But this doesn't mean that we have had a limited travel experience. As the years went by, I noticed that we have had our family photos taken from various points of Luzón (thanks to my photo-addict wife). And I was delighted when I noticed that we have been taking our kids to unusual places, not the type of weekend families who are content of bringing their kids to malls, or to beaches only during summer. Looking back at these photos, both old and new, makes me and Yeyette feel so proud because we've been touring our kids not only to the usual places that parents bring their kids to. Of course we've been to malls and beaches. But how many parents today are even thrilled of bringing their kids to historical places, of introducing them to heritage structures, of having them enjoy natural spring waters and rivers and waterfalls, of making them climb grassy hills and play at little-known town plazas. Do parents today even bother to bring their kids to museums and enjoy old town fiestas? Would they mind if their kids get their hands soiled, or if they see them lying on the grass?

Humble as the following photos may seem, I still proudly present to you our family photos taken from various points in time and space (hover over the photos to view the dates when each of them was taken)...

The least-known but pristine waterfalls of Apiás in Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental. Krystal was our only child back then. She was born on 20 July 2000, two days after my 21st birthday. Apiás is peculiar because it's just right beside the beach!

In a photo studio inside Festival Supermall in Barrio Alabang, Ciudad de Muntinlupà. Momay was born on the feast day of Our Lady of Fátima in 2004. Krystal and Momay were our only children when this photo was taken.

In the forest hills of Sitio Tagbong in Población, Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental.

Krystal and Momay enjoying the icy waters of Río Matabang, more popularly known as Tagbóng, in Población, Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental.

At Tagbong River in Población, Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental.

At the open-air area of Greenbelt in Macati City. Because of its ultramodern look mixed with environment-friendly designs, Greenbelt has become one of the country's most awarded shopping malls and is a virtual urban oasis. Our caboodle grew to three with Jefe who is already a year old here. He was born on 13 January 2007.

At New World Renaissance in Macati City during a cousin's birthday.

At the Manila Ocean Park in Ermita (along the shores of Manila Bay) during Krystal's eighth birthday. The place was just four months old when we first visited it.

Dirt roads for us are romantic and thrilling! Our hearts go "bumpety-bump" whenever our ride passes by such roads. This photo was taken in some secluded sitio in the well-known barrio of Laíya in San Juan, Batangas on our way to the beach. So popular is Laíya's name due to its white-sand beaches that people tend to forget its only a barrio of San Juan!

Mommy mode in Laíya (Moonlight Beach Resort). That's little Juanito, just barely two months old (he arrived on 1 April 2009). So don't wonder why he's already used to traveling!

Inside the then second largest shopping mall in Filipinas: SM Mall of Asia. It is now the third largest mall (SM City North EDSA in Quezon City became the largest when it was modernized in 2008, followed by SM Megamall in Mandaluyong).

Enjoying the cool Christmas afternoon breeze of Bahía de Manila at the jampacked SM by the Bay right beside Seaside Boulevard and behind SM Mall of Asia.

Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupà City.

Momay, Yeyette, Krystal, and Jefe (behind his ate) at the controverial Alberto Mansion, the ancestral bahay na bató of José Rizal's mother in Biñán, La Laguna. This historic house, which once had Sir John Bowring as one of its distinguished guests, is now in shambles. Photo taken during Jefe's third birthday.

The smooth and scenic Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (informally referred to as STAR Tollway or CALABARZON Expressway) somewhere in Balagtás, Batangas. We were on our way to the Port of Batangas.

A relaxing bus ride. We're already used to this kind of traveling. Besides, it saves us the headache of having to contend with rising oil prices, not to mention road rage, haha! And I think it's much more comfortable having other people drive for us. Just saying.

At the Port of Batangas in Batangas City on our way to Puerto Galera. Little Juanito is the only one who's not looking at the camera, hahaha!

White Beach, Puerto Galera, Mindoro Oriental.

An idyllic sunset at Puerto Galera's White Beach.

That's me, parasailing over the waters of Puerto Galera.

Juanito, Krystal, and Momay enjoying a golden sunset at Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupà City. Simple joys in life. =)

Foggy and cold up at the People's Park in the Sky in tourist-haven Tagaytay City, Cavite.

Krystal and Jefe along United Nations Avenue in Ermita, Manila. This street was formerly known as Calle Isaac Peral. Peral was a Spanish engineer who launched the Peral Submarine in 1888. It was the world's first electric battery powered submarine. They shouldn't have changed the name.

Krystal by the ancient wooden door of the San Agustín Church. This door has a carving of Santa Mónica (the mother of San Agustín) surrounded by rocaille ornaments. The lower half of this door was sawed away by Japanese soldiers during World War II to give way for their machine guns hidden behind sandbags. Although the door was reconstructed, one can still see the scar that was made by the Japs. Look closely.

At the entrance to the chapel of the now 111-year-old San Vicente Ferrer during his feast day in San Vicente, San Pedro, La Laguna, our home since 13 May 2004.

Swimming time at my mom's place at the Manila Executive Regency's penthouse pool in Ermita, Manila.

Manila Executive Regency, Ermita, Manila.

Manila Executive Regency, Ermita, Manila.

Yeyette and Krystal (with my sisters Jessica and Jennifer partly hidden among the crowd and palm fronds) during Easter Sunday 2011 inside Manila's famous Malate, Church.

Krystal, Jessica, Yeyette, and Jennifer at the door of Malate Church, officially known as the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Church of Our Lady of Remedies). So now you know why the street on the right side of the church is named as such. =)

Little Juanito in Playa de Malatandang, Tayabas Bay, Unisan, Tayabas (now Quezon) during a clan reunion.

Jefe and Yeyette at Camayan Beach Resort during a rainy summer two years ago. This beautiful resort is located in Mórong, Bataán at the Súbic Bay Freeport Zone, the former site of the much despised U.S. Naval Base Súbic Bay. Unbeknownst to many, the now tax- and duty-free zone encompasses three municipalities and one city, namely: Súbic and Olóngapo City in Zambales province, and; Hermosa and Mórong in Bataán province.

My daugher Krystal with —GASP!— Freemasons during the 150th birth anniversary of Rizal in his replica ancestral house in Calambâ, La Laguna. You know, throughout our country's history, these Freemasons have been conspi... ooops! I almost forgot: this is a family-oriented blog. I'm supposed to sound tame here, hahaha! :D

Pretty Praetorian Guards: Yeyette and Krystal on either side of the welcome arch which leads visitors to the Chabacano-speaking town of Ternate in Cavite province. The Chabacano inscription on the arch says "We welcome all of you wholeheartedly".

Travesía de Isla Verde, commonly known as Isla Verde Passage, divides Batangas and the island of Mindoro. Behind us is the Batangueño island of Maricabán where the municipality of Tingloy is located. A question: if the Spanish name Travesía de Isla Verde has already been translated to English, then why is it still called "Isla Verde Passage" instead of "Green Island Passage"? Filipinos: THINK. =)

Juanito and Yeyette enjoy a relaxing moment at the Casino Español de Manila, Ermita, Manila. The casino, founded on 31 October 1844, was a social club meant only for Manila's Spanish community. However, this historic place was constructed only in 1913 (during the U.S. occupation) and was inaugurated four years later. The edifice was destroyed during the Battle of Manila. It was reconstructed in 1951.

My family with our friends Valerie Isabel Devulder and Javier Wrana at the Casino Español de Manila. Fil-French beauty Valerie is the daugher of former commercial model Maridel Coching and the granddaughter of Francisco Coching, the "Dean of Philippine Comics". She is also a painter and one of Señor Guillermo Gómez's flamenco dancers. Javier is the president of the Asociación Cultural Galeón de Manila.

Madrigal Business Park, Alabang, Muntinlupà City. Nápadaan lang, ¡hehe!

ASEAN Garden at the CCP Complex in Pásay City just beside Roxas Boulevard (and near the border of Manila).

Harbor Square at the CCP Complex. Behind us is the wharf of the Manila Yacht Club.

My best rendition of a soccer player with Jefe and Momay at historic Freedom Park in UP Los Baños. The famous Fertility Tree and the Carillón tower at the background. Seems like a happy place, no? But on 23 February 1945, this site was a battlefield where nearly a hundred soldiers were killed. Historians now refer to that battle as the "Raid at Los Baños" wherein Allied forces (both U.S. Army Airborne and Filipino guerrilleros) attacked the Imperial Japanese Army to rescue POWs there. The rescue mission was a great success and is even regarded as one of the most successful rescue operations in modern military history.

Jefe checking out his invisible binoculars at Exotik Restaurant's beautifully landscaped garden in Loñgos (Kalayaan), La Laguna. If you are not gustatorily adventurous, then don't even dare ask what's on this restaurant's menu, LOL!

Getting ready for an exhilirating river tubing at the Panguil River Eco Park within the Sierra Madre rainforest of Páñguil, La Laguna. Krystal, Yeyette, Juanito, and Jefe are all set while Momay waits for his turn to be carried in front of the water ride.

Inside the moist forest air of the Panguil River Eco Park.

At the picturesque Manila East Road, Páñguil, La Laguna, where the air is healthy. Behind Yeyette is the way to Sinilóan town.

A vast rice field between us and Laguna de Bay behind. Still at Páñguil, La Laguna.

Yeyette (with Krystal far behind her) in front of the breathtaking façade of the 329-year-old baroque beauty San Pedro de Alcántara Church in Páquil, La Laguna.

Momay and Krystal watches young sculptor Franco Cagáyat looking for new images to sculpt. Franco is the son of the owners of this shop, JAC jr. WOODCARVERS located in Paeté, the Woodcarving Capital of Filipinas. This kid is famous for sculpting car models out of wood despite suffering from Asperger's syndrome (a mild form of autism). Among his clients are Honda and Mitsubishi.

Boat riding/water taxi ride at Nuvali's four-hectare multifunctional man-made lake (Santa Rosa, La Laguna). This was during Juanito's third birthday.

Jefe, Yeyette, and Juanito with Eldar in front of Santa Rosa, La Laguna's Enchanted Kingdom, the country's answer to Disneyland.

Jefe, Momay, Juanito, and Krystal, one fine evening at the town plaza of Luisiana, a cool and rustic mountain town in La Laguna province. This is our kids' favorite Lagunense town. It is also the hometown of the late poetess Amelita Cuala de Málig, author of Heart Anatomy. She was the one who inspired me to write poetry and formally introduced me to acclaimed historian and writer Señor Guillermo Gómez. I always remember Mrs. Málig whenever we visit Luisiana.

Behind me and Krystal is the Spanish-era church of Lucbán, Tayabas province. The church's titular saint is French: San Luis Obispo de Tolosa.

Buying pancít habháb, a delicacy of both Lucbán and nearby Luisiana.

Krystal by the altar of the Church of Pagbiláo in Tayabas province. This Spanish-era church is dedicated to Santa Catalina de Alejandría.

Momay and Krystal at the tranquil garden of Agdañgán's mysterious Luminous Cross of Grace Sanctuary located within the grounds of the Church of San Isidro Labrador in Tayabas province.

At the entrance to the Fuerte de Santiago, more popularly known in English as Fort Santiago. Serving as the premier defense fortress of the government during Spanish times, this massive stone fort was named after Santiago Matamoros (Saint James the Moor-slayer, one of the disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ), Spain's martial patron saint. It was constructed for three years, from 1590 to 1593. The stones used to construct Fort Santiago were made of volcanic tuff quarried from Guadalupe (now known as Guadalupe Viejo in Macati). Notice the bas-relief on top of us which depicts Saint James battling the Moors, the ancient enemy of Christendom.

My handsome boy Momay in front of the equally handsome church of San Jerónimo Emiliani y Santa Susana in Alabang, Muntinlupà City. Yeyette and Juanito are partly hidden by a stack of chairs to the right.

At the National Art Gallery of the National Museum in Ermita, Manila. Behind us is the huge Spoliarium of painter-patriot Juan Luna. The National Art Gallery is housed in the Old Congress Building. It was the home of the Commonwealth Congress until 1945 when it was bombed during the Battle of Manila.

Our three boys beside a historical marker in front of the red-brick wonder that is the church of Lilio (now spelled as Liliw), La Laguna whose titular saint is San Juan Bautista. This was during Jefe's sixth birthday (just this year).

At our adoptive province's capitolio grounds in Santa Cruz during this year's La Laguna Festival.






La Laguna Festival 2013, Santa Cruz, La Laguna. You might notice that we have been traveling to La Laguna quite a lot. Naturally, because we live there, hahaha! =)

Krystal with... I dunno. Probably one of King Midas's victims. This was taken in Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo, Manila. It has the biggest concentration of Fil-Chinese shoppers we've ever seen.

Burot Beach in Calatagán, Batangas. We call it the "Borácay of Batangas" because of its whitish beach. Well, its sands of course are no match for Borácay's powdery sands, but its serenity and silence which Borácay once had is something to experience. This is our favorite beach so far. Sadly, this little paradise is on its way to "development" because Uncle Henry Sy already bought it. The last time we visited it (this past summer), it was still open to the public. Sana puede pa din itóng visitahin. We already miss this place!

Our cheerful-looking sandals in Burot Beach.

A golden sunset at Burot Beach in Calatagán, Batangas. The most awe-inspiring sunset we have seen so far.

Spending a relaxing afternoon at Iskargu, an avant-garde Filipino restaurant in Calauan, La Laguna, a day after Momay's ninth birthday. Iskargu is a portmanteau of isdâ (fish), karne (meat), and gulay (vegetables). Outside our window is a serene view of a sleepy rice field that connects to the mountains of Atimla and Calisuñgan.

And yes, we do not have any intention of stopping! We will travel TOGETHER as much as we can. Because there is more to life than doing the usual routine of going home after work or school, or spending time in malls or just staying at home. There is so much to discover and learn about this beautiful country of ours especially since much of its history is, sad to say, laced with inaccuracies, if not lies.

Another thing that alarms me is the surge of disrespect and apathy that is besetting our heritage, both tangible and intangible. Much of our glorious past's imprints are fast disappearing. Each year, we hear of ancestral houses or other antiquated structures in danger of being demolished, or simply left to rot. Then there's also the never-ending battle between the environment and the capitalist wolves. Who would forget how, in 1996, the once pristine Maculapnit-Boac River in Marinduque was totally ruined all in the name of profit? Certainly, not I. And if Man has nothing to do with these disasters and disappearances, then nature sometimes takes its puzzling course, just like what happened recently in Bojol and Cebú wherein many age-old heritage churches were either damaged or totally destroyed. It pains me with the thought that me and my family will never see them anymore.

This recent development made me decide all the more to let my children see the beauty of their country before it disappear forever. Because it's rather odd for me to see them content themselves looking at postcards or old photographs of our country's beautiful parts which no longer exist. Might as well enjoy firsthand them while they're still here, and take photos of them for posterity.

Another thing is our living space, our neighborhood to be exact. We do not live in a spacious gated community. Instead, we live in a cramped apartment, right beside a noisy road. There is no place nearby for our kids to play. The nearest river is semi-polluted, and the creeks dead. And it saddens me that they are not able to experience the childhood joys that me and Yeyette had when we were kids: she in Abra de Ilog and me in Unisan during summer vacations. Yeyette and her playmates have beautiful memories of their childhood, swimming in crystal clear rivers and uninhabited beaches, climbing fruit trees, and exploring the nearby woods and waterfalls. The same thing with me. Yes, I grew up in an urban setting: in various gated communities in both Parañaque and Las Piñas. But during summer vacations, or whenever possible, I was able to experience Unisan's nature-tinged sceneries (my dad's hometown was a very beautiful and clean place back then, and much of its heritage houses well taken care of). Besides, I still witnessed the rural side of Parañaque. During my formative years, it still had many rice fields. It even had a salt farm which is now the site of SM Hypermarket.

Most of these happy scenes exist only in photographs. At least, me and Yeyette were able to experience them. But what about our kids? What happy memories of their environment can they share to future generations? That is why we decided to travel with them. A lot. Show them what's out there, not what's on TV or on the web. It is best that they pick the flowers themselves, dip their feet on spring waters, enjoy the afternoon sun, to feel God themselves through His creation, which is nature.

Difficult as it may seem, because we do not even have our own car (and contrary to popular belief, Pepe Alas is not made of money), we intend to travel the whole country, God willing. For us, it's more thrilling to tour Luzón, Visayas, and Mindanáo than to visit Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, or even Europe. Before, it was my impossible dream: to travel the whole country before I reach the age of 40. I now think that it is selfish. What about my family? Why not include them in this mad-happy dream of mine? So yeah, I made it even more impossible, haha: I wish for my family to travel the whole archipelago. Because Filipinas is our home. It is God's gift to us. Loving one's country is one way of showing our love for God.

So be it. =)

Always remember: the family that travels together... is AWESOME!!!!!!

❤L❤A❤F❤A❤M❤I❤L❤I❤A❤V❤I❤A❤J❤E❤R❤A❤

TRIVIA! The Alas Family's favorite seat inside a bus? The backseat, so that we won't be seated beside strangers. We can do anything we want there without disturbing our busmates (our boys are very malicót; they keep on moving about). Also, the backseat of a bus is usually elevated. We have a fine view of the road ahead of us without having to beg our kids to have ourselves seated beside the window for a good view of the trip. Simple traveling joys!