CJ Faderogao

I've never been north past the province of La Union before, but I longed to, for the longest time, to pay a visit to the northernmost province of mainland Luzon: Ilocos.  More so than being a leisure, my yearning to visit Ilocos is inspired by a desire to know more about the Philippines, and generally, to gain a wider understanding of life, especially, now that I'm in my adult years. My yearning to travel north was recently realized. My family, whom neither any have been to Ilocos before, planned a 4 day trip to cover Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, in celebration of my sister's college graduation.  Accompanied by my godfather; whom also is a close friend of my parents, we are to travel north up to Pagudpud, then go back south again to visit the notable cities that we will be passing through.  My next series of posts will cover this recent family trip. Documenting the sights, experiences and insights brought about by the journey. It will start this week on our long drive from

It is a fashion staple to own a dive watch, at least for men. Straying off from their true purpose-that of for diving-it has become more of a versatile time piece that one can dress up or down. It is worn in offices, in schools and, even outdoors. Surely, an investment in one comes in handy for any kind of situation. This is my own,  a Swiss Military Hanowa Flagship 06-5161.2.04.003. A gift I got from my father when I graduated college 4 years ago. Since then, I have worn it on more occasions than I can remember and it has become an essential part of my wardrobe. I have worn it on multiple settings: at work, at events, or even when just running errands. In my blog post this week, I'll let you know about this sapphire beauty more. This is my Swiss Military Hanowa Flagship 06-5161.2.04.003 watch review. * * *  The Look The Hanowa line's dial and fixed bezel sports a blue hue along with a stainless steel bracelet. The watch is 42 mm in width and 9.2 mm thick. I didn't really k

Floras at Las Piñas Botanical Garden In the pace of our society right now, it's easy to lose track of our life's progress. Tasks, events, and relationships can press on us simultaneously, leaving us frantic and overwhelmed. Such moments may leave us wondering if we're really advancing towards our goals or if we're just running around in circles. With no breathing room to pause or headspace to think, our life becomes shrouded in a vagueness that blurs our path forward. We become susceptible to burnouts and at worst, we lose our flair with living. We become disinterested, dispassionate, jaded. Shall we continue living in such a dispirited state?  It is counter-intuitive given our fast-paced society but it would be helpful for us to learn to slow down. To give ourselves a breather, and remind ourselves of our life's priorities. * * *  Taking a step back from our work may seem unproductive, especially when we have accustomed ourselves to our routines but it is helpful t

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash There is, within us, an unspoken obligation. An obligation to be informed. An obligation to be familiar with things beyond the borders of our conformity. Out into things foreign, and into the subjects of our misconceptions and wrong judgments. We have an unspoken obligation to be educated. In whatever form, as long as it helps us in expanding our perspective. As long as it makes us see more sameness rather than differences. In subjects like race, nation or politics; what are the source of conflicts in all these but differences? Differences brought about by our biases, prejudices, and closed-mindedness.  Education's role to serve as a cure for these things. It is education's purpose to open minds; to break the metaphorical prison walls that separates, divides, and keep us in conflict. Through education, the way for inclusion, connectedness, and synergy opens.  By fulfilling our responsibility to be educated, we are committing ourselves to be parts