The Philippines is a gastronomic haven filled with distinctive flavors of wilderness. Her passion for food has been perpetually shown by a cosmic blend of cultures confecting local culinary tradition. As her archipelago lies perfectly on the blue carpet of Pacific—prominently served as common route for early colonizers—locals have developed a taste for Western food. The rich history seemed to fuel up Filipino taste buds and somehow programmed to appreciate a constellation of international flavors. As a testament, American food such as burger and spaghetti seem to appear as one of the common snacks nowadays. Given the years of relationship, there is no doubt that our tounge draws a palette close to Western standards. If you are a person who has a big heart for burgers and sausage, but still in search for the best, you might want to check Three Guys and a Grill. THREE GUYS AND A GRILL Set amidst skyscrapers of Makati, not far from the riverbank, anyone wi

Long overshadowed by siege and stories of terrorism, Basilan has now started to outrun barriers from what seemed a collision between fear and prolific tense brought by the media. Even the most hardened travelers have to admit a certain amount of fear while traveling this isolated area of Mindanao. Well, unbeknownst to many, Basilan is never that overly haunting place. This can be justified by ubiquitous presence of Philippine Army who has been fortifying security in all barangays. Ruled by Gov. Hadjiman, Basilan is now deemed as peaceful place where splendid sceneries allure many thrill-seeking souls. But then just like any other story, before I came to that realization, I have gone to Gehenna of uncertainties. A backdrop of dubiety and distrustfulness. Allow me to tell you as I look back last August trip. "No Turning Back" Zamboanga, 05:30 AM It was an invigorating Friday morning.The sun spilled yellow light over the city facing the ardous

Fuelled by passion, the thrill-seeking souls heading towards the majestic peak of Daraitan have been marking the hiking destination map with endless footprints of relish and pride. Stretching a 57-kilometer distance from Manila, the enchanting beauty of Daraitan remains untouched as it sits decently over bed of Sierra Madre range. It is home to pristine waterway of Tinipak—a river exuberated by fresh alkaline water—and also to the fascinating stalagmites and stalactiles hiding inside ferocious cavern over foothills. Blueprinted by time,  Daraitan's geographical position help to build its popularity because of her peculiar beauty showing a bouyant combination between mountain, river and cave. If you are a person dreaming an escape from the bustling traffic of the metro, a thirsty soul seeking an oasis of relaxation, well Daraitan is not as far as "universe" to make you say "no".  As a testament, it is just an hour drive from the municipality of Tanay Ri