Pong Travels: Bataan - Pawikan Festival 2017 - Help Save the Turtles! 🐢

Ola! 😍

How is everyone? In reference to my previous kilig invite from Bataan Tourism (First Invite Everrr!) two weeks ago, ito na, this is it! I am finally writing about it! 😍

So long, Dude! 

♫♪ "Pawikan sa Morong, Bataan, Morong Bataan, Morong Bataan; alagaan pagkaingatan, pagkaingatan, pagkaingatan. Halina't sumabay iwagayway ang kamay, tuklasin ang pawikan sa Morong, Bataan. ♫♪ - This is the oh so catchy Pawikan Festival Theme Song (pardon the video's quality - my bad) that made us LSS (Last Song Syndrome) until we reach Manila. 😂 

 A day before the event, we arrived in Bataan around dinner time and we headed straight to the Bataan Tourism Office to get our Pawikan Festival shirts and Media ID. Right after that, we headed to Bataan White Corals Beach Resort and Hotel to get settled for the night. At this time, I had the chance to have a chit-chat with my fellow bloggers and get to know them. Sweet. 💕 Bataan White Corals Beach Resort is such a beautiful place - I wish I had a drone to have a perfect view of the place - soon enough! 😉

The annual Pawikan Festival concluded last November 25th at the Pawikan Conservation Center in Brgy. Nagbalayong, Morong, Bataan. 

So, what is the Pawikan Festival all about? It is basically raising awareness on how to save our endangered and beloved Pawikans. When baby Pawikans are released in the ocean, it will take them 25 years to go back via imprinting which I find so amazing that after a long time, they're able to come back, same place where they were born.  

getting ready to be released. 😍

Not only that, Pawikan Festival will also make you feel and love the rich Filipino Culture. I can indeed say that while am there, given that kind of opportunity, I just told myself, "ang sarap maging Pilipino, nakakaproud." Imagine, the people who used to get the eggs and eat them after Mommy Pawikan had laid them, now they are the ones protecting them. Sweet volunteers. 💕 And the Festival itself - the preparation, the people who put their thinking hats on, their time and their dedication and effort is just simply amazing.

Walk for a Cause started at 5AM

Mang Manolo, Chief of the Bantay Pawikan, delivers his speech about the Conservation Center's accomplishments as Gov. Abet and Sen. Villar looks on

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PUP Banda Kawayan performs at The Pawikan Festival

Turtle-Inspired Body Painting

It's not only during the Pawikan Festival that we can contribute in Pawikan Conservation's Awareness. Everyday, by just simply throwing our trash in appropriate trash bins is already a big thing. Turtles are often trapped by the rubbish thrown in the ocean. We can definitely stop this, right? Easy. Just by simply being humane. This does not apply to turtles only but the entire ocean. Marine life is so beautiful and in order to maintain that, compassion and discipline are what we need. 😀

Pawikan Conservation Center has an aquarium where they keep rescued/injured turtles 

Releasing of hatchlings is done everyday (morning and by sunset time). So, if you want to witness and to learn more about it, everyone is welcome to go to Pawikan Conservation Center in Morong, Bataan. 

beaches should be clean to ensure safe passage

Sunset releasing of the hatchlings. Beautiful! 

HOW TO GET THERE:
1. Take Victory Liner bound to Olongapo
2. Get off at Olongapo Bus Station then ride a baby bus or a jeepney bound to Morong.
3. Ride a tricycle going to Pawikan Conservation Center (Entrance Fee: PHP20, open from 8AM - 5PM)
         There are several beach resorts in Morong where you can stay. But you can also stay at The Pawikan Conservation Center at a minimal price (cheapest is at PHP1000).

CONTACT INFO: 
Mang Manolo of Bantay Pawikan - 09213602842
Website: http://bataan.gov.ph/tourism/ 

HOW TO HELP? 
Share this page. Blog it. Volunteer. Donate in cash or in kind (get in touch with our lovely Bataan Tourism Folks, click website above). Be humane. 


Simple take aways and hanash from this event:

1. Sarap maging Pinoy. Konting push pa, kaya nating lahat basta may disiplina. Sobrang ganda ng dagat at ng kalikasan! Yung kultura, iba, alam mo talagang may malasakit and yung bayanihan, andun talaga. 
2.  Filipinos are indeed a happy and a talented bunch! 
3.  It's good to meet people who has the same passion as yours. It was my first time meeting Milet, Allan, Claire, Celine, Dennis, Mujee, Kuya Vandolf, Miss Tina, Miss Danica, Mommy Jinkee and Daddy Ruel but I felt at home right away. Hope to see you again on the road or somewhere, guys. 💋

1 Bataan
Daddy Ruel, Milet, Claire, Me, Allan, Celine, Dennis, Mommy Jinkee, Mujee

speak from the heart,
pong 🐢💙

 


 

 

Pong Thoughts: Counting the Days! 🎄

Hello! 👩🏻

So, my writing soul visited me yesterday. I feel the need to publish something but was too sleepy to do so. I have been very busy lately with all the things that's been going on. But this busy is a "good busy", I must say.


Month-ends are always busy at work. Timesheets, coachings, etc. Not to mention the endless timesheet challenges and stuff. And me going on an unpaid leave while all these are happening is really a brave move. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

My blog site is also keeping me occupied. It's been overwhelming (but my layout still sucks! Haha). Anyone, sponsor? Help, pretty please? Haha! Maayos ko din yan. 😉 Some drafts are left unpublished. Hopefully, I can publish one on Monday.

I have an event to attend to this weekend - Pawikan Festival in Bataan. Am excited, nervous. Mixed emotions. I really don't what to expect pero kaya yan! Lavern!

I hope I can squeeze everything in a day. I mean all the things that I need and I want to do. Sana ako si Super Pong! Haha. Lahat nakaplot sa calendar e. But am not complaining. Forever grateful.

But sometimes, there are things and people that we, unconsciously, due to the demands of our everyday lives, we almost forget that they exist and they are once part of our daily routine. Sad reality. 😞 But then again, it takes two brave souls for a relationship to work. Even friendship is a relationship too. Siguro it's true that no one is really that busy, we can always make time if we want to. Always make time for folks who matters the most! Love lang, bawal hate.

How Pretty, right? Taken at The Posh Podium

Merry Christmas, guys! Thanks for reading my hanash for today! Happy Thanksgiving to my friends from the US of A!



Lazada Crazy Cyber Pinoy Sale Happening tomorrow until the 27th! Click LAZADA CRAZY SALE


speak from the heart,
pong 🐢💙

Pong Thoughts: First Invite Everrrr!!!!!! 🐢

Ola!!! ☺

I've been blogging or should I say started blogging again for almost a year now. Last year, I decided to write again and so far, so good. I can finally say that this is something that I really love to do. Passion it is. ♥

Guess what?! I've been invited to the Pawikan Festival! Woohoo! Won't include the content of the whole letter, just the heading and the introduction. Kilig di ba?

Next week, November 25, Pawikan Festival is happening in Morong, Bataan wherein attendees are privileged to witness the laying, hatching and the releasing of the baby turtles to the wild. Amazing, yes? 🐢🐢🐢 

Good thing is that accommodation is free when you get invited and I feel so lucky to be one of the few. Aside from the fact that I am fond of turtles, just the opportunity is indeed a blessing already. First time 'toooooooooo!!!!!!!! Jusko!!! Hahahaha!

Sea turtles' rate of survival when released is so minimal but when they're able to survive, their lives could last up to 100 years. Lots of factors - weather, human intervention, ecosystem and the marine life itself too. But I would say, as humans, let's do our part. Ironically speaking, humans are the greatest threat to our pawikans, but we are the ones who can definitely save and protect them too. Let's love our oceans more - they are beautiful and definitely, we'd love to see the future generation see how beautiful the oceans are.

If you're free, c'mon join us on the 25th and celebrate the annual Pawikan Festival in Bataan! See you there! 🐢☺

PS Feeling ko blogger na talaga ko! Haha!

My action cam, GoPro Hero 5 Black: http://ho.lazada.com.ph/SHXTXP
My phone, iPhone 5: http://ho.lazada.com.ph/SHXTdi



speak from the heart,
pong 🐢♥

Amazing Sardine Run 🐟 - Pescador Island, Cebu

Hello!!!!! ☺

Been browsing my action cam and transferring files as I need to free up some space to give way to new ones - naks. Hehe. I've come across this video and decided to share and upload it on my YouTube Channel. Please like, comment and subscribe if you can! 

After seeing this video the day it was taken (September 17, 2017), I was totally amazed and it was like Nat Geo comes to life feels. Ang gandaaaaa!! Am forever grateful to our Cebu tour guides and the amazing experience. Grabe lang talaga. Cannot contain my happiness and kilig. Thank you, Lord! Marine life is so so beautiful. We should love the oceans more!

For accessories and GoPro cameras: Click here
My action cam: http://ho.lazada.com.ph/SHXTXP

speak from the heart,

pong 🐢💙