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TOSS Travel Thursdays: A Quick Guide To Travelling Solo

A Quick Guide To Flying Solo

Traveling is a natural habit buried deep in our DNAs. It is something that is easy to fall in love with and if it becomes a habit, it is definitely something hard to quit.

Usually, when we travel, we are with friends, with family or other loved ones, but what if we have to travel alone? Or what if you’re just itching to get away from the hustle and bustle of the metro and you just want to reconnect with your inner self? How to go about travelling solo now?

In here, we share some tips.

1. Know where to go

One of the things a traveler must have is a destination. A knee-jerk reaction would be to travel somewhere local or perhaps somewhere you’re quite familiar with. That’s probably the safest and most predicatable thing you can do. A destination, even if you already know it like the back of your hand, is still going to be different because you taking your time to to rediscover it in your point of view, not because of what others has told you. But if necessity has pushed you to travel somewhere where everything is new then you have to…

2. Research

Knowledge is power, yup we know that alright. Whether the place you’ll be going to is a familiar one or a foreign one, nothing beats knowing the place, the culture, the tips and the ways of the land. Researching can help you in a lot of ways: it can help you save money by knowing where to stay and eat in much cheaper prices; it can help you save time by knowing which attractions are near to each other or knowing which attractions can you go to early in the morning or late at night. Researching gives you practicality which is a very important trait to take along with you in your travels.

3. Plan, Plan, Plan

Other than knowing your destination, planning for it is very important. Does the place have cold weather? Or a hot one? Does it usually rain in the afternoon even it’s so sunny in the morning? Planning where to go, what to take with you, where to stay and what to do— all of these things should be done ahead of time because time saved means more time to explore the destination without being limited to sticking to the itinerary.

4. Book everything that can be pre-booked.

Some sites can offer you cheaper prices when you pre-book. Pre-booking saves you the hassle of going to different accommodations, be it hotels, inns and hostels just to see which one gives better price than the other. It helps you decide early where to sit, where to stay. In short, it prevents unnecessary stress during your travel.

5. Label your things.

Wallets, bags, and other things that can be labelled must be labelled with your name and the place you stay. These are just safety measures in case they are misplaced or lost.

6. Less is better.

Traveling light is best when you are alone. Save yourself from having to worry about back pains in case you’re a backpacker or having to squeeze in your big luggage within a small space. This practice also lessens your worry of leaving things in your room and gives you the option of just bringing it all with you when you go out.

7. Awareness and alertness every single time.Whether you go local or abroad, these two combined is always a must. Traveling alone can be fun but if you may have heard by now, some solo travellers also have to deal with some unfortunate events. Staying alert and being mindful of your surroundings can save you from misfortunes you may encounter.

8. Mingle with the locals

Having trips wherever they maybe becomes more memorable when you make friends while you’re on the road. Befriend the locals! They will surely point you to the best hot spots in town– whether you’re looking for the the best coffee shop, the best dining spot or just looking for a quiet place to let time pass. And ask nicely, and be sure to say thanks!

To sum it up, a combination of a sense of adventure and spontaneity plus research and preparation will give you a solo trip to remember. Again, it’s okay to be an adventure daredevil, but make sure to consider the pros and cons of your actions during your trip. Oh, and enjoy the journey while it lasts!

You can always check out TOSS Travel and Tours for a hassle-free and affordable travel assistance. 😉

Continue reading “TOSS Travel Thursdays: A Quick Guide To Travelling Solo”

TOSS Travel Thursdays: How You Can Go Green In Your Travels

Recent events have lead people to think a long way. Starbucks banning the use of straws in a few years time? Check! Nowadays, the world has become aware of the alarming amount of plastics found in our oceans, in our lands, and within animals living with us.

Did you even know that the Philippines has ranked third among the worst plastic polluters in the world?? Thus, zero waste efforts are slowly making waves not only in the country but worldwide.

A small step in reducing the plastic we use every day and changing our habits gradually can go a long way for the place we live in. That is why here are some tips you can use to go green in your travels.

Make your handy water bottle your thirst quenching buddy.Instead of buying bottled water every time thirst catches up with you, why not try bringing reusable bottles? Bringing these does not only lessen your plastic consumption but also saves money. Instead of spending 10 or even as much as 25 pesos for a bottled water, using reusable water bottles only needs confidence to ask if there are refilling stations around.

Ditch single-use plastics and go with reusableTravels also lead to purchasing pasalubong for family and friends. Vendors in pasalubong centers usually use plastic bags for your purchase and since your family and friends have their own pabilin to be fulfilled, it would result to you having tons of plastic on hard. Bringing your reusable bags or eco bags, makes handling multiple things more convenient, plus looks more chic than plastic bags.

SegregateSome parks and a few hotels have bins to segregate your waste. This simple act of separating biodegradable to non-bio to recyclables goes a long way. Few establishments would use the biodegradables collected to create organic fertilizer. They might also sell the recyclables collected from their bins. So learn to discern which things you can put in the biodegradable bin, in the non-bio bin and the recyclable bin so that you can help these establishments in implementing proper waste disposal.

Don’t litterWe like snacking as we ride and go about in our travels. Packs of chips are usually a best friend to satisfy hunger while en route to our destinations. Candies, on the other hand, are handy to fight motion sickness. Now, if you see no trash bins around, then keep those wrappers in your pockets, because, you’ll never know where your trash might go if you just throw them away.

Pick it up“Because I am one of the idiots who lives in it.” This line of Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy is something that we should really dwell on when we try to take one for Mother Earth. If other people cannot throw their trash on bins, then if you can and don’t mind doing so, just pick it up. In the long run, we’re doing it for Earth anyway so pick away!

For more tips, just visit https://www.facebook.com/TOSStravelandtours on Facebook or follow us on Instagram @TOSSTravelandTours.–AGG Continue reading “TOSS Travel Thursdays: How You Can Go Green In Your Travels”

WATCH: ANG BIYAHE NI MARLON (2018) TRAILER

I was pleasantly surprised the other day when the organising committee informed me that the poster and trailer of our film will kickstart the social media campaign of the festival leading to the gala and awarding night.

In case news didn’t reach you yet, I’m talking about the first-ever Istorya ng Pag-Asa Film Festival, which is organised by the Office of the Vice President and Ayala Foundation.

Our film tells the story of Marlon Fuentes, a driver with Tourette Syndrome (T.S). Instead of being discouraged by people who look down on his condition, Marlon is motivated to continue working to support his family and to serve as an inspiration to the people who have T.S. This film aims to raise awareness about Tourette Syndrome in the Philippines.

And I’m actually very excited and nervous at the same time because it will have its premiere on June 12 at Glorietta!! I’ve never experienced showing my film to that many people, I mean equivalent to the size of a commercial theater based in Makati! But I’m all out positive with this one!

Please see below the trailer of our film:

ANG BIYAHE NI MARLON (2018) TEASER POSTER

Ang Biyahe Ni Marlon is our official entry to the first-ever Istorya ng Pag-Asa Film Festival organized by the Office of the Vice President and Ayala Foundation.

This is a documentary short featuring Marlon Fuentes, a driver with Tourette Syndrome (T.S). Instead of being discouraged by people who look down on his condition, Marlon is motivated to continue working to support his family and to serve as an inspiration to the people who have T.S. This film aims to raise awareness about Tourette Syndrome in the Philippines. It’s a movie sponsored by TOSS Travel and Tours.

Below is our teaser poster! This is made by my friend, Ran Perez, who is a brilliant graphic designer! I’m excited to share this with all of you. It’s going to have its premiere on June 12 at Glorietta Cinema. I’ll keep you guys posted! 🙂

WATCH: Lani Misalucha singing Anak

Interesting things have come up lately since I had more leisure time to pursue my passions. Coming from a very hectic schedule at work, I am taking time off to focus on my studies. Don’t worry, it’s just a week-long vacation. I am not a certified bum. Yet.

As I was ‘cleaning’ my hard drive, I’ve managed to pull out some videos I took years ago. And the one I’m sharing with you today is shot around 2013 during Christmas time. And it’s pretty amazing because I’ve forgotten that I actually wrote for Lani Misalucha, the Asia’s Nightingale, during her guesting in Mars.

In this video — it’s just a short one! — it features Lani singing her version of the uber popular Freddie Aguilar song, “Anak”. I’ve seen Lani perform on TV and onstage, but this is the only time I’ve watched her sing live that close and in a very intimate setup. So imagine the goosebumps after the musical performance. It’s amazing! Sharing this with you now.

WATCH: IKAW PA LANG ANG MINAHAL digital restoration at TRINOMA

I posted a video last month about the digital restoration of this 1992 award-winning film called IKAW PA LANG ANG MINAHAL. It’s an adaptation of William Wyler’s THE HEIRESS, an American drama film released in 1949. It’s directed by Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, starring Maricel Soriano and Richard Gomez.

In an article published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the movie is “a story about a privileged young woman named Adela who has everything in life but love. Living in a mansion, she is the sole heiress to her father’s massive riches. However, she grew up enduring her father’s animosity toward her. This then strained their relationship making the already shy and aloof Adela confine herself in their mansion.

Her world changes when she meets the handsome and appealing David who she’d quickly fall in love with. Her father disapproves of their relationship doubting the man’s intentions for his daughter. But just as Adela decided she would give up everything for the man she loves, David backs out upon learning Adela won’t inherit her father’s wealth anymore.

Adela’s vengeance starts when she returns to their house to get back at the two men who caused her grave pain.”

Below is a very short video I made. Emphasis on the ‘very’ part because my phone died that night! Haha. Sorry!

Making it as Finalist in the 2018 Istorya ng Pag-Asa Film Festival

Okay, okay, aminin ko na. I’ve been waiting for the announcement since May 1. :)) The finalists were supposed to be announced on Labor day but according to their official Facebook page, the selection team had to move it on May 4 due “to the huge volume of entries sent their way.”

Three days later, on May 4, at 10 pm, I read through Facebook that our film was chosen as one of the finalists in the first-ever Istorya ng Pag-Asa Film Festival! (INPFF). It’s unbelievable! It was mindblowing. I’ve never been a ‘suki’ of film festivals. Honestly, I don’t like the idea of joining for the sake of competition. But this one’s different. I had this burning desire to join because I wanted everyone to know the utterly inspiring story of our subject. I also believed in the vision of the film festival, which is to showcase inspiring stories of hope. This was an advocacy I couldn’t afford to miss.

Our docu short is entitled “Byahe Ni Marlon”, it’s about Marlon Fuentes, the Uber driver who went viral on January this year. It was because of his condition called Tourette Syndrome (T.S). A passenger named Hazel Alvero took a photo of the cardboard sign displayed inside his car which stated his condition. Sir Marlon did this so that passengers won’t be worried the moment they step inside his car and see him ‘acting weird’ or ‘twitching’ while driving. Some even thought he was on drugs when they saw him, especially those who were quick to judge and unaware of T.S.

When I read about his story, I was moved. And I was sure everyone who would come across it would experience the same. So I decided to join and submit our docu short. As an amateur filmmaker, this was sort of a baptism of fire. 🙂 I’ve never directed and produced my own film before. Difficult days were faced. Many moments of exhaustion were endured. But instead of losing hope or giving up, I knew this had to push through because we had this moving story to tell. I know it’s going to be worth it. For me, it’s not about winning the competition. It’s about telling this story so that people will get inspired, so we can spread good vibes and positivity all around. We all need that in these times. And I’m glad we took that leap!

With only a few weeks left before the deadline, we rushed to complete the project. We barely had a month to pull all these off. But I guess the Universe conspired to make things fall into place because we managed to interview and film the people involved in this story within the timeframe. That’s also one of the reasons why I’m very motivated to finish this project no matter what happened. And I’m so lucky that I get to meet these bunch of individuals who are all generous and trusting of us. Thank you to Sir Marlon, his family and friends. Thank you to Mr. Marlon Barnuevo and the Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association. Thank you to Ms. Hazel Alvero.

I’m glad that I had passionate people with me who believed in that vision. Thank you to my production team! Meika, Clare, Jonnie, and Nel. Thank you Sandro and JJ for the last minute help. Thanks, too, Bennel. Thank you to Ma’am Ludz Labagnoy for the endless guidance and support. Thanks also to our sponsor TOSS Travel and Tours.

team ovp2 — Post prod with Jonnie, Nel and Meika.

marlon barnuevo — Me, Mr. Marlon Barnuevo, Jonnie and Nel

team ovp — Post prod on Chinese New Year with Jonnie, Nel, Meika and Clare, who generously sponsored the pizza party!!

mr marlon2 — Mr. Marlon Fuentes with his wife, son and best friend.

mars2 — Sir Marlon and wife Rio were also invited to guest in the GMA News TV show MARS hosted by Camille Prats and Suzi Abrera.

mars — Sir Marlon and wife Rio were also invited to guest in the GMA News TV show MARS hosted by Camille Prats and Suzi Abrera.

hazel alvero — Me, Meika and Clare with Ms. Hazel Alvero

I am yet to receive an email from the INPFF for further instructions but I’m already delighted with the fact that Sir Marlon’s story reached them, no less than the Ayala Foundation and the Office of the Vice President. So thank you, too, AFI and OVP for opening an avenue for this kind of cinematic storytelling! Here’s hoping that more people will get to see our film so that we can spread awareness and understanding about Tourette Syndrome and the PTSA. Here’s also hoping that more people will get to see it because we need inspiring stories of positivity in our lives. 🙂 Will update soon! To God be the glory!

Watching UP SAMASKOM LIVEAIDS 2018

It was my first time to watch LIVEAIDS at UP! It was a blast! I’ve heard a lot of great things about it from people at work. They’ve been regular attendees of the annual live performance and I’m lucky they tagged me along this year. Tuesday Vargas, who’s an alumnus of UP SAMASKOM, the student organization behind the show, opened the event with her Jinky Tita sketch. Raise yo hand if you’re a legit Tita of Manila! 🙂 I also captured the sort-of Netflix parody. With Ika-6 na Utos. :)) Enjoy! Hope to catch the 2019 show as well!

Watch an excerpt from video I uploaded on Youtube. Find it below

featured photo found on Google.

CINETALK: Antoinette Jadaone on being a filmmaker and chasing your dreams

antoinette jadaone filipino filmmaker that thing called tadhana

For this week’s instalment of CINETALK, our featured filmmaker is ANTOINETTE JADAONE. In her talk during the Kape’t Pelikula at UP School of Economics, Antoinette or Tonet (as most would like to address her) shares her journey as a filmmaker: from the time she was just an aspiring director at UP-CMC, to landing her first job in advertising and meeting and working with her idol, Bb. Joyce Bernal.

For those of you who do not know Tonet or have heard about her but are uncertain about her body of work, Tonet is the filmmaker behind the movies, “SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION FROM LILIA CUNTAPAY”, “THAT THING CALLED TADHANA”, “THE ACHY BREAKY HEARTS” (na hate na hate niya raw ang title at gusto niyang ipaalis sa IMDB), and just recently, the JaDine (James Reid-Nadine Lustre) starrer “NEVER NOT LOVE YOU”.

I guarantee you that this video will inspire you to chase your dreams away, no matter how wild you think they are. Listening to her lecture makes me wanna get up and start writing and filming the scenes I’ve created in my head! Hehe. Before she started her talk, Tonet confessed that she prepared a lecture that mainly focused on writing scripts but upon hearing Nonie Buencamino’s talk on acting (Nonie preceded her), she decided to modify it in order to motivate the young students in the room. And I’m glad she did because if there’s one great takeaway from what she had shared with us… it’s this: LAKAS NG LOOB.

Early on, she had already decided that she wanted to be a director so right after graduation, she searched high and low for a spot in the local film industry but she hadn’t secured on right away. Her first job was in advertising and boy did she despise it. But she persevered and she learned what she can in the ad industry, taking with her priceless experiences that she’d later on use in her filmmaking career.

Anyway, so much for the introduction. Just watch the video below and keep the fire burning and make more films! 😀