Catching Up

After weeks of postponed travel plans due to the bad weather conditions, I finally caught up with the Balangay Expedition Team while they made a stop in Bacolod City in time for the Maskara Festival. It was impossible to find accommodations, but I was fortunate to find a room in new hotel at the center of town, right in the middle of all the action. It was just a block away from a concert stage, and trying to sleep after having my fifth cup of double espresso two hours earlier was quite a challenge.

I was actually planning to ride on the Balangay on the leg to Manapla, but the light was just good that morning that I decided to stay at the pier to take long shoots as it departed from Bacolod. I rode with the advance party later that afternoon and waited in the Manapla pier until the crew completed the 11 hour journey.



The Balangay leaves Bacolod...



and arrives in Manapla 11 hours later.

Typhoon Tale

Everyone has a typhoon story but mine is'nt really worth telling. When Typhoon Ondoy hit Manila, I was safe, dry and even in a condition of luxury. I went home late that night, unprepared for what I would find via Facebook. A big part of Metro Manila was submerged in flood water. Almost everyone on my feed where either calling for help, soliciting supply donations, or coordinating rescue and relief operations. Someone from work had to be rescued while she floated in a kiddie pool. People I personally knew where missing and could not be reached. There are countless other stories, some of it we already know, and most would remain untold. As I write this, some flooded areas of Metro Manila have not yet subsided, Northern Luzon was ravaged by another typhoon, and there are still people out there without adequate food supply and shelter. Find out how you can help.