Boracay: Butterfly garden at Seair Caticlan

Since our group was divided into two flights, and I got pushed forward to the earlier one, we had to wait an hour and thirty minutes for the second batch to arrive. It was a good thing there was a new attraction at the back of the Seair office in Caticlan. So if you're killing time at the Caticlan Airport, check out the butterfly garden.

Boracay: Seair's Dornier 328 plane to Caticlan

I've always wondered how it felt to ride those small commercial aircrafts in the Philippines. I had already taken the ATR42/72 from Guam to Saipan before and was surprised by the smooth ride. That's why the prospect of taking Seair's Dornier 328 plane to Caticlan excited me. And it's the fastest flight to Boracay at 35 minutes.

It was an ambitious gathering of Philippine travel and photo bloggers organized by blogging guru Abe Olandres. We were divided into two flights. A group was scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. while I was with the 8:30 a.m. flight. I chose to arrive at the airport early to avoid rush hour traffic and got there 6:30 a.m. in time to watch the first group board. The next thing I knew, my name was called on the PA system for me to board as well!

Since we were flying at an altitude lower than the regular commercial aircraft, the views were different. We were closer thus to the ground and at the level of many mountain peaks. The views were surreal! The sun was resplendently rising behind Mount Banahaw. And below us was a perfect view of the Tagaytay Ridge and Taal Volcano. We also flew past the grand mountains of Mindoro before reaching Caticlan. The Seair flight is itself a must-try with all these great views!

Adventure Pass
Now this is something I'm getting for the summer break. For P18,500++, you can ride all you can for 45 days on Seair. The first two flights are bookable but the rest are based on seat availability which means you'll be a chance passenger. But with so many great destinations from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, you'll never go wrong with this pass!

South East Asian Airlines (Seair)
Tel No. +63 2 8490100

Manila: UP turns 100!

Yesterday, the University of the Philippines opened festivities marking its centennial. The day started with a huge motorcade from UP Manila in Padre Faura where the university was first established in 1908. Delegations from Los Banos, Pampanga and Baguio also arrived in full force and converged at the entrance of the Diliman campus.

At 4 p.m., a grand parade of all the delegations from the various constituent universities of UP marched towards the Oblation where a gargantuan crowd of students, faculty, alumni and well-wishers had gathered. The massiveness of the throng of people which converged in Diliman to celebrate UP's 100 years was nothing but surreal!

The Upsilon Sigma Phi joined the parade too as part of the UP Diliman contingent, the only frat that marched to the Oblation. Being the oldest Greek-letter fraternity in the country and in Asia, we made sure to be part of the celebrations!

I didn't get to see much of the program in Quezon Hall anymore since we decided to stay in front of AS. When the parade arrived at Quezon Hall after going around the Academic Oval, ten tambuli players blew their horns from atop the Administration building, amid the ceremonial firing of 100 rockets to announce the start of the program.

But we got to see the 100-torch relay as it passed by. The first flame being lit by a 100-year old alumnus! While UP President Emerlinda Roman lit the 100th flame or the UP Flame, a large cauldron in front of the Oblation. The “UP @ 100” display at the Quezon Hall was also lit simultaneously with the cauldron.


I missed the concert featuring internationally acclaimed UP talents such as the Philippine Madrigal Singers, Ryan Cayabyab, the UP Symphonic Orchestra, Nanette Inventor, and UP Symphonic Band, as well as the grand fireworks display. But above is a video of the fireworks.

I come from a family with a long UP tradition. Both my parents and my younger sister are UP graduates. So were two of my grandparents. On both sides, most of my uncles and aunts went to UP as well. But the first of my forefathers to walk the hallowed halls of the University of the Philippines was my great-grandfather, Dr. Pedro G. Henares, UP Medicine Class of 1915. The photo on the left is from the 1915 Philippinensian. That makes me a fourth-generation UP graduate! And if I complete my third U.P. degree this year, that makes me a centennial graduate as well!

Thanks to Carlos for allowing me to use that really great photo of Quezon Hall and the Oblation above!