She is a teenager, beautiful and intelligent, two qualities considered by many as essential for an adolescent in this country. Those around her are excited about what she can become. This bright young lady could charm the world, they say.

Then she gets pregnant.

People still believe she is beautiful, though many also think she is a shame. Sayang, ang gandang bata pa naman (What a pity for such a beautiful girl.). Her parents are disappointed. Her peers talk behind her back. The baby’s father i

There’s a hotshot for a male lead: rich, handsome, the epitome of a chaebol heir. There’s a quirky female lead: middle-class, average-looking, but clever, and honest to a fault. There are accidental kisses. Pretend relationships. At least a couple of makeover scenes. A firework display over Han River, right when the leads realise they’re in love. One episode into the K-drama series Business Proposal, cliches and tropes are already laid on thick — but the remarkable thing is, barely anyone is com

There was once a place 12 hours away from the metropolis, with roads paved with rocks, and where waves crashed into shores.

The route from the city to this surfer’s haven is now a lot more accessible — the travel time has been cut by at least four hours.

This place still has raging seas today, but locals attest that the seafront was a lot wider in earlier days.

A few years ago, Baler’s name was foreign to the ears of outsiders. Today, establishment after establishment have been erected in the

It’s no secret — the travel industry is struggling. Cities, even countries, are locking down. Airlines are holding flights. Agencies are cancelling tours. As soon as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predicted that the international travel and tourism industry will have to cut 50 million jobs. And yet here we are, declaring that we still believe in travel.

We can’t deny that the growing number of COVID-19 victims overwhel

Here are all the things I love about working outside the metro.

I grew up a Manila girl. The majority of my life, I’ve spent haring through bright red headlights⁠—almost always making me late for appointments. At an early age, I came to accept that shopping malls were the biggest attractions, and fast food was life. By nine years old, I already had my very own Personal Computer. And since then, the hustle has been very real.

There is a certain charm in the vivacity of the Metro, but I guess it’s just never been for me. Right after college, I refused to accept any job offers that required me to stay in Manila. Fortunately enough, I found myself in a full-time job away from the city⁠—and here is everything I love about it!