Paraiso Verde Resort and Water Park: Mindanao’s Largest Wave Pool Is In Koronadal City
2 comments Posted by Aethen at 13:16
I am a very beach or outdoorsy person, but there’s one thing that excites me, a world-class tourist destination in my beloved hometown in Mindanao. Paraiso Verde Resort and Water Park has been teasing the public with the promise of a world-class resort and water park that will be the biggest in Mindanao and one of the best in the world.
Paraiso Verde boasts of four exciting water attractions:
- Moby Wave Pool, the largest wave pool in Mindanao that features a giant water bucket;
- Adventura River Rapids which will take you on an adrenaline filled watery ride;
- Wiggles Kiddie Pool for your little ones; and
- Freestyle Swim Pool for no-frills swimming for fitness and recreation purposes.
Sounds absolutely fun, right? Paraiso Verde spells pure fun for everyone.
Paraiso Verde is now open to the public and is having regular events every week. This is one of the best barkada / family get-away for a big fun in Mindanao!
My personal favorite among the water attractions is the wave pool that boasts of a typhoon-like experience called the diamond spin. Though the deepest depth is only 4 feet — the swell goes as high as 10 feet. And with crystal clear fresh water — you’ll definitely have the time of your life!
Paraiso Verde Resort and Water Park is located at Zone 1, General Paulino Santos Drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato. For more information, contact them at + 6383-520-1338. You may also visit their website at http://www.paraisoverresortandwaterpark.com, email them at paraisoverderesort@yahoo.com, connect with them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ParaisoVerde, or follow them on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/PVerdeResort.
Batang Bayani would like to think and celebrate that the project is really all about inspiring people; to start their own cause no matter how small it is
Before we get started -thanks to everyone who has supported Batang Bayani Birthday Project, your donations have made real, tangible differences (see bayani projects).
The success of the Birthday Project has inspired many people to help the poor but deserving kids in Mindanao. Many requested to organize another project or make an opportunity to help and share blessings to others. So to continue the Bayani Project series, Batang Bayani invites you to be part of The Christmas Box Project!
The Christmas Box Project
As early as September, Christmas is already in the air here in the Philippines. Christmas is the longest season that we Filipinos are celebrating. And in the spirit of this season, the heart of giving is always overwhelming.
This coming Christmas, there may be a lot of presents with your name on them under the Christmas tree, but there are many kids around who have never received gifts because they are victims of poverty, disease, and natural disasters. Why don’t you send some Christmas cheer to some of these kids in need this holiday season by sending them a box full of gifts? Find out what the Christmas Box Project is all about!
The Christmas Box Project packs some Christmas spirit into boxes for kids in Mindanao. Boxes are filled with goodies like toys, games, books, stationery and clothes, and then sent to poor but deserving children in places such as South Cotabato and Lake Sebu.
Batang Bayani wants to start this revolution of giving by sending 300 boxes of gifts or more to be filled and delivered to the kids in Mindanao this Christmas! But this is only possible with your kind heart to share and be part of this fun cause. How to help and be part of this Christmas Box Project? Find it here at Christmas Box Project – A Little Box Goes a Long Way.
For more information about the Christmas Box Project visit www.batangbayani.com!
Can you imagine life without farmers? A team of scholars from the Young Minds Academy (YMA) Season 5 leadership program can’t. They harnessed the power of marketing strategies mostly through the new media to promote a farmer empowerment project in Consolacion, Cebu. Because of the on-going training that the farmers are undergoing, they will soon yield better and abundant harvests in their respective farms all over Cebu.
 |
| The online community has been abuzz with the iluvfarmers farmers campaign that champions hero farmers in Cebu. |
About KabalikatsaKabuhayan
Team CPMPC of the YMA program of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. created a campaign for the “KabalikatsaKabuhayan.” The project aims to educate farmers in vegetable and fruit production and innovations as part of the poverty alleviation goals of the Municipality of Consolacion.
Around 120 farmers go to the 5,000 square meter demo farm site in Brgy. Danglag to learn from the trainers from Harbest Agribusiness Corporation and the Department of Agriculture Regional Offices.The program’s aim is to empower our farmers with knowledge to improve farm practice and increase yield, thereby providing better income opportunities.
The project started last September 11 and is set to end on November 18, 2011. This has been done in 18 other project sites all over the country as well, and as of writing, graduated more than two thousand farmers.
About iluvfarmers
The Team CPMPC scholars of YMA drafted and implemented a massive campaign to help these farmers gain social awareness and support from the public with the parameters set by RAFI which is 1,000 likes on the Facebook page and 10,000 peso donation or signature of commitment within a one month period.
But instead of focusing on achieving the goals, they turned to the notion that the quality of interaction and support they get is more important especially within the deadline.
As part of the marketing strategy, they branded their campaign as “iluvfarmers” to imply the need for people to appreciate our farmers who are considered as unsung heroes. Meticulous planning and execution was done from designing the logo, content creation and development, setting of specific goals, art direction of campaign materials such as online posters, advertisements, teasers, blog posts, endorsements from different personalities and regular updates in the social networking sites. They also went to the farm demo site and worked with the farmers themselves under extreme weather conditions and poor classroom setting.
The scholars themselves underwent input sessions with social marketing experts in the region today.
They created a Facebook page with a custom designed landing page which can be accessed at http://fb.me/iluvfarmers where details of the program and how you can support the campaign and the farmers are placed. They also created a Twitter account http://twitter.com/iluvfarmers where conversations and interactions are done not only with netizens but as well as Agriculture and Farming organizations all over the world. To curate the beautiful life stories of the farmers and to regularly update the supporters with the latest developments of the project, Team CPMPC scholars also had created a blog site http://iluvfarmers.blogspot.com for better content and brand establishment.
The iluvfarmers Campaign is being spearheaded by Jaysee John R. Pingkian, LorbeCatadman, Babykit Marie Nunez, Irish Nunez and John RhecelSolon members of the Team CPMPC of the YMA Season 5.
Why you should help?
Farming is not as fun as you would experience through games like Farmville. It actually takes a lot of effort and life as we know it and some people have not only considered it as livelihood but life in itself.
The project needs to sustain because they have learned to pursue a reliable source of income with very little capital through the technologies and knowledge imparted to them.
They need not only awareness from people but as well as donations in money or in kind such as farming tools and fertilizers, vegetable and fruit seeds and seedlings because after the training they are expected to apply their knowledge unto their respective farm lands.
Keep in mind that they are also the providers of their families.
They also need social awareness because little attention and support is given to these people whose efforts are barely recognized and compensated for the amount of work they are doing.
How can you help?
4 Steps to Help Them!
- LIKE and SHARE this page! COMMENT on photos and posts as well!
- DONATE your Facebook or Twitter Status:
- They work hard to provide us food. We can help them do better. FOLLOW @iluvfarmers and LIKE http://fb.me/iluvfarmers
- Somewhere in the mountains are heroes who work tirelessly to provide us and their families. FOLLOW @iluvfarmers and LIKE http://fb.me/iluvfarmers
- Facebook is not just for emo stuff. It could also be used to support our hero farmers! FOLLOW @iluvfarmers and LIKE http://fb.me/iluvfarmers
- Or you could CREATE YOUR CREATIVE STATUS and post it on the Facebook page so they could feature you!
- FOLLOW us on Twitter http://twitter.com/iluvfarmers
- DONATE or ask people to donate money, farm tools, farm supplies, seedlings or seeds.
- Contact iluvfarmers Campaign Ambassador LorbeCatadman: 09299613737
Love of own native land
On August 16, 2011, Apl.de.Ap went back to the Philippines to inaugurate his Apl.de.Ap Music Library and Studio in his alma mater—Holy Angel University, in Angeles City. It contains a state-of-the-art music studio, said to be first in the Philippines, and various music CDs all over the world shipped directly from US. He also extends help in his own baranggay in the same city called Sapang Bato, by opening his first “computer laboratory program.” This is in Sapang Bato National High School. All of these are manifestations of his gratitude to the land where he once belonged. By improving the lives and contributing something for his kabalens, he can also show his own “taya para sa bayan” which reflects his love for the Philippines. He is also looking forward to replicate this program in other provinces in the Philippines soon.
This is a great example of contributing for the development of one’s own native land. Looking back from where you came from, knowing the colorful culture and heartwarming history of your province, speaking your own mother-tongue (I’m referring to 170 languages and dialects in the Philippines), and boosting the morale of your fellow kabalens, kabagis, or kabanwa, that’s the essence of building our nation together.
To quote what the National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera said during his acceptance speech at the Juan D. Nepomuceno Cultural Awards of our institution Juan D. Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies in Holy Angel University last Match 8, 2011:
“We give people wings and they fly away, never to return. Roots bind us so that no matter where and how far you fly, roots will always bring us back to the land of our birth, our true homeland…”
This was an expression of a Kapampangan who feels incomplete as a Filipino if he doesn’t look back from where he was born, raised, hailed, and made who he is.
The problem of our country is not only concentrated in Manila but in our own native lands. Heroism should start all over the country by campaigning it for a better Philippines. This is how I’ll start my commendation to a unique demonstration of heroism manifested not by an Apl.de.Ap but by an Aethen “Nonito” Agana (hereon refer as Kuya Aethen hahahaha! Historiographical research ba ito hahaha!) of Mindanao – his Batang Bayani Birthday Project.
A nagging virus
One day (maybe that was early part of July 2011), while I was checking of my Facebook account, I’ve seen a link posted by my friend, Kuya Aethen, about this strange “Batang Bayani” site and Facebook Fan Page. I didn’t pay much attention on it because I thought it was just like the other sites fostering nation-building (and there are lots of them now on the net). (Note: This doesn’t mean I hate this kind of sites hehehehe.)
Days passed, Batang Bayani’s link continuously appeared in Facebook. Kuya Aethen was, of course, the mastermind of this link as he posted it in various Facebook Fan Pages; including the “Rizal 150” and “Rizal 150 to 150”, which I am administering. Again, I didn’t bother to click on the link.
Suddenly, some of my Facebook friends (mostly from The Outstanding Students of the Philippines Alumni Community or TOSPAC which I and Kuya Aethen are both alumni) were already receiving links to this Batang Bayani and of course I received status updates, tpp. This was followed by several photos of some celebrities having placards with them which read “I support Batang Bayani.”
Curiosity dragged me on June 11th to click on this nagging link appearing on my friends’ updates posted virally by the “virus carrier”, Kuya Aethen. “What is this link for?”,“What is Batang Bayani?”,“How is this?”.
These were some of the questions played on my mind.
Speechless. This is how I described my feeling when I followed the link. Although it’s not a new kind of fostering volunteerism and care giving to a community, it’s still a clever “birthday” party! He chooses to look back where he came from and is trying to contribute change and to boost morale to his young kababayans in Mindanao. This project quite stirred me because among the institutions in our society, he chooses to bring smile to school children in various government schools. (I preferred to use “government schools” than “public schools” because I’m a little bit sensitive on the latter term. But still I am a proud product of public education from pre-elementary, elementary, secondary, and undergraduate and now continuing my masters at the University of the Philippines Diliman [yabbaaaannnggg!]. In addition to this, I am an educator and working in an academic research.)
Sali ako!
The said project indeed moved me and enticed me to support him. So, I immediately post a comment on the Batang Bayani Facebok Fan Page commending Kuya Aethen, a. k. a. “Batang Bayani,” for his “taya para sa bayan.” Then afterwards, I messaged him that I will contribute on his birthday party on August 8.
I choose to donate some notebooks and pencils because these were what I could afford. Well, as a Kapampangan who always exaggerate and shows flamboyance (which leads to braggartism hahaha), I felt diffident for I can only contribute 30 notebooks and three boxes of Mongol pencils. And to make it more special (again, kayabangan na naman ‘to hahahah), I bought what is now rare edition of Filipino-inspired pop culture signature notebooks (i. e. an Igorot from Ifugao riding a big bike, a colorful “konyo” jeepney, the logo of Yahoo! as Tahoo!) exclusively distributed by Pandayan Bookshop. My agenda here is to inculcate sense of nationhood to Mindanao students by showing them ideas about simple symbols of being a citizen of one proud nation—like, introducing to them how Igorots are and the symbols of our national characters such as taho, balot, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, jeepney, and halu-halo; my contribution will be just a small part to the towering contribution sent to him, though.
Maiinggit sa isang Bayani
Even though I first questioned the credibility of Kuya Aethen on using “Batang Bayani” to refer for himself, uso naman ang self declaration ngayon hahahaha! Well, Kuya Aethen is doing a lot of things for his community – whether he is in Manila or in his home town in Mindanao. And that makes him a simple “bayani” in his capacity and resources. He has already established networks and linkages from various individuals and institutions that he can deal with or ask support for his humble and great aspirations. And I am pretty much sure that he can sustain this remarkable project he initiated.
Maybe I feel a little bit envious of him because he can do such clever nationalistic project for Mindanao. But how can I spearhead such program here in Pampanga or in Bulacan or Camarines Sur (where my roots are) if I don’t have that fervor and dedication like Kuya Aethen. So I asked Kuya Aethen that through him, I can channel my long desired dream to help Mindanao, too, and to share what I have to share for my kababayan. I am confident that Kuya Aethen will do this project every year during his birthday. (Sana naman walang natira at wala kang hinord [hoarded] hahahah! Ang sama kong tao hihihihi.)
A bayani in each and every one of us
Rizal himself envisioned a better future for our country by having a well educated people who will constitute and run the nation. When that time comes, we are worthy for independence. This thought was actually based on Epictetus’ philosophy that “only the educated are free…” And to those who want to help our country with their own ways, let this be your guide: “Filipinos could serve the country more if they were in the Philippines. To serve our country, there is nothing like staying in it.” (An excerpt in his letter to Jose Ma. Basa, January 1889.)
To those who are still confuse on what and how to be patriotic (makabayan) and nationalistic (makabansa), let’s ask our history by using the teachings of Katipunan: he who loves his countrymen and God above all is the same thing as loving ones native land (bayan). Bayan and bansa became synonymous because of our struggle toward nationhood. And those who are ready to sacrifice part of their life are called bayani – a concept which originally meant “the defenders of bayan,” an honorific title only given to those who bravely defended and ready to defend for the cause of their bayan. We are already done in the phase when Inang Bayan was in danger and called her “anak ng bayan” to become “bayani.” We are on the phase when Inang Bayan calling all her “anak ng bayan” to unleash the “bayani” in them – to act as one nation, “to love our nation and our conscience dictates that we do everything that our duty calls for,” quoting again Rizal.
Using the words of Ate Pamela Asis-Layugan, the founding and current chair of TOSPAC “there’s always a hero in each and every one of us…” To quote the great educator and historian Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz “Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation…” And most of all, from Batang Bayani himself I quote “Not every one of us is given the chance to die as a hero, but everyday, we are given the opportunity to live as a hero…”
Well, enough for these obsequious, flattering words. Nevertheless, I am proud of being a friend of such Aethen Agana. Sana mayaman lang tayo para magawa natin ang lahat ng gusto nating ibahagi sa bayan… but if we can already do something right now, let’s make it possible.
I am ending this composition by quoting Rizal’s words in his letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar in 1889: I shall not stop working for my country.
by:
IAN CHRISTOPHER BERMUDO ALFONSO
Resident Researcher, History and Culture
The Juan D. Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies
Batang Bayani would like to think and celebrate that the project is really all about inspiring people; to start their own cause no matter how small it is.
Come celebrate and inspire with Batang Bayani!
For inquiries on the birthday project, please contact Batang Bayani. Or if you want to know about how to help, click here.
The Philippine rugby modeling for Bench.
Sharing with you a letter below written by a fellow paddler for the President to Save the Philippine Dragon boat sport. I hope to help the federation by spreading and making this issue reach media's attention.
Dear Mr. President,
We would like to seek help from your office to give immediate attention and guidance to the current situation of the dragon boat sport in this country.
The Filipino dragon boat paddlers under the supervision of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation or PDBF brought home numerous international awards in this sport, defending WORLD CHAMPIONS and WORLD RECORD HOLDER to name a few, yet the Philippine Sports Commission under the leadership of SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU do not recognize the federation, stripped down all its rights as member of NSA without due process, and created a separate dragon boat national team under the the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation or PCKF.
Current statistics show that PCKF has around 40-50 members only compared to PDBFs more than a thousand members. PDBF is the ONLY RECOGNIZED dragon boat association in the Philippines by the International Dragon Boat Federation or IDBF. From the latest letter of IDBF President to PDBF, only paddlers recognized by or members of PDBF will be allowed to race in local, regional, continental, and world dragon boat competitions for as long as it is governed or supervised by IDBF.
By stripping down the rights of PDBF from the NSA, PCKF will take over all of the existing rights and properties of PDBF including government funding to the WORLD CHAMPIONS.
And at the end of this month, PCKF will get ALL the dragon boats parked at Manila Bay and will make PDBF dragon boat paddlers unable to train for the upcoming competitions this September in Florida-USA for the World Championships and SAVA Sprints Singapore wherein FILIPINOS ARE THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS.
As a paddler, a public relations practitioner, and as a Filipino, I am asking for your utmost consideration to look at the current situation of the sport where we excel, and help save Philippine dragon boat from doom.
We are willing to discuss this matter and present pieces of evidence to you for further reference.
Respectfully yours,
Curt Urbanozo
“Mothers give their sons permission to be a prince but the father must show him how…”
I am a prince, and my father's the king and it was his birthday yesterday.It was tatay's 52nd birthday yesterday. Last day also was the first time I greeted him heart-fully and spoken to him the words, I love you and thank you but was not emotional. Yes, I have never been that expressive and open to him since the end of his dictatorship – last year, I received self-declared freedom and signed a mutual treaty with him that both would raise a white flag and surrender our armaments.
It was an absolute relief having revived the healthy relationship with him but I am also missing the silent and strategic battle we fought against each other. Funny but that was how we dealt with each other over the past years. He had almost always opposed my ideas and my philosophies never ceased to contrast with his. We seldom meet in the center and agree for one thing –save, maybe food preference.
Now that I am far from home, I am starting to miss our wordless and indirect conversation, testing each other to submit and surrender. This is the exciting part in playing with my tatay's game of schemes and tactics. He had been trying to make me give up, but it was a futile attempt for I am as strong and stubborn as him that I would hardly be defeated. In fact when I was in my third year in college, we have never talked to each other for almost two years even though both of us were staying in the same roof, eating in the same table, and seeing each other every day. When one needs something to other (vice versa), it has to be channeled through nanay, my mother, the mediator. When I need allowance, I run to nanay and she'll get it to father. And when my tatay needs to address or preach things on me, he would get drunk with his friends and before he gets to sleeps, he would start his lectures and sentiments while I just sleep and let every word go in and out of my ears.
Yeah, I know I am bad and so he is. But hey, never mistake that this is deep-in-the-heart war between us. Perhaps maybe this is just our way of expressing and showing how we love each other. My tatay had has all my respect though we deal with each other this way. Possibly he is just overdoing his being a bank manager at home and I am just practicing being an authoritative leader to him which is the-not-me in school. The combination in home that will never work for peace if both continue to be those characters.
If not because of him, I might not be what and where I am now. But don't be mistaken I did not surrender yet and I just lowered my guards. We just became more friends.
So he is the king, and I will take what he has given me and grow with it. I am acknowledging his importance, is a fact I must surrender to.
Now, I understand our relationship with our fathers will inevitably be vital in shaping our characters, much more our life. Many of us may have pains and resentments in this kind of relationship and we may have wanted more than what they gave us, or longed for praises, or have the assurance that we measured up with their expectations; we might come in conflict with them and their ideals, but they do not necessarily want to dictate or impose over our lives. They just want us to be the kings of our life.
Well, I am changing this relationship not by asking him to be different but by being mature and responsible. This became a new doorway of me for I know that soon I'll be a father of a child/ren whom I'll be nurturing, loving, and caring.
Happy Birthday, tay.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
