Matagal ko na talagang gusto maranasan ‘to, kaya sobrang surreal ang moment na pumasok kami. Una, tinakpan ang mukha namin (para surprise talaga). At noong tinanggal na namin ang takip, grabe, hindi ko mapigilan maging sobrang saya at kilig—parang teenager ulit!

Isa pa, proud ako kasi Batch 1. Doon, I met new people that eventually turned friends. Ang isa sa pinaka-challenge? Kinuha nila ang mga cellphone namin! Hindi ko talaga naimagine na nakayanan kong mabuhay na walang cellphone for 3 days! Walang connection sa labas, walang scroll scroll—kami lang, nakatutok sa mga sarili namin at sa mga workshops. At sa totoo lang, ang saya ng feeling na disconnected sa outside world.

Isa sa mga hindi ko in-expect ay kung gaano karami akong matututunan sa singing at dancing workshops. Ang dami kong baon na learnings, hindi lang sa performance kundi pati na rin sa confidence – kahit for 3 days lang!

Kami na rin mismo ang nagluto ng breakfast namin, at natulog sa mga kama na tinulugan din ng mga housemates dati, pinayagan din kaming gamitin ang pool!

Ang saya at ang special ng simpleng bagay na ‘yon—parang parte na rin kami ng Bahay ni Kuya history. May pa Voice Over pa si Kuya sa huling araw namin sa loob ng bahay niya!

Ngayon, masasabi ko na, healed na ang aking teenage dream. Yung dati kong wish na maranasan ‘to, natupad na at sobra kong maaalala habang buhay.

Maraming salamat, Star Magic, sa napaka-unforgettable na 3-day experience na ito.

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It was during the pandemic in 2020 when I decided to buy a lot at Foressa Mountain Town, a development of Aboitizland, at the mountains of Balamban. As we all know, almost everything went low, including this, so I took the opportunity to inquire and buy one.

One of the reasons why I pushed myself to invest on land is because my late father used to invest on land and properties as well. This is my first time to buy a piece of land, and I believe it’s worth the investment.

I’m curious as to how much it costs now that it’s 2023, so I chanced upon a property specialist just a few days ago, and to my surprise a sqm of land went up to 30% up from the rate I got it for. As they say, you’ll never go wrong with real estate. 

Looking at the development of Foressa, there is something to look forward as it said to be the future getaway at the Midwest of Cebu since aside from having houses, there will be commercial spaces and adventure activities to be offered.

I have also heared that sometime in the future, there are plans that the Cebu Provincial Capitol will be transferred to Balamban, and having a place in Foressa Mountain Town is an advantage for me if I, God willing, will go do business with the Cebu Provincial Capitol in the future.

Also, I chose this development is that I want to be closer to nature, and having a place near the mountains in a secured community such as Foressa Mountain Town is a good choice.

I was excited when my property specialist informed me that my lot is ready for turnover. So, here’s me together with my mama and my 2 younger sisters for the turn over. It was around 2 hour drive from the Cebu City proper, and it was all worth it.

I still have no plans yet if I will build a rest house here, or sell it in the future… For now, all I know is that I have a piece of land as an investment, and something I can call mine. 

Here’s to more small wins with you. 

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I drove from Manila City to Subic just to try the Discovery flight that was offered by Capt. Mich & Capt. Daryl.

It was 2pm when my younger sister, Kristiana, and I arrived at the Subic International Airport Gate 5. We first had a pre-flight briefing and then we started to do the basics of taxiing – and then we flew.

With us on the flight was Capt. Daryll, giving me the 1st officer seat for me to have a worthwhile pilot experience as I maneuver from taxi, take off, flight and landing – of course with his guidance and care.

Giggles – the perfect word that described what I felt during that flight, and still the feeling I have now while writing this story.

This experience was a perfect decision-maker for me – if I really wanted to do flight school or was it just a random interest. So, for those who want to try out flying school, you may experience this first, and decide after.

When we took off, it literally scared me to the bones, but after some time absorbing all the mechanics of the aircraft how many feet above and observing the outside environment, especially understanding the wind, my fear turned to cheers – I had an unforgettable experience.

Here’s a raw clip. Enjoy.

Fly with you soon!

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I still remember the day when I was on my way to the city, exactly nearing the end of the bridge, I was so fascinated with my friends who are called by clients for their services. I was so much inspired and hopeful, then I asked myself “When will the day come when people call for my service? When will the day come when I am needed because of my capabilities? I hope I can be like them…” These questions kept on recurring and I always remained hopeful. But one day, I decided to take a leap of faith and started to do something that I really wanted. Like any other driven person, especially that I am using my own money to start something, the risk was high and was afraid to lose; but thankfully, I prosper.

I trusted the process. I started with very meager resources and accepted projects with minimal to no fees just for me to hone my skills and get into the industry, and I wasn’t complaining at all. I actually had fun doing things I love. I had fun clients asking me for help and solving it for them.

So you ask… What is the process?

In Psychology, they call it Dopamine. It is a chemical in your body that acts as a reward center. It makes doing the hard things pleasurable because you know that in the end, you will be rewarded.

Which is definitely true. Being dedicated to the things you do always pays off.

One time when I was in my city condo, I was looking outside the window where an on-going construction was taking place. For months, I watched it from ground zero until the building was erected; it was a year in the making… but when it was still ground zero, and I was looking at the workers, I felt that it was hard to construct a building.

With all the mason works and the heat of the sun, it must be very exhausting. Every day I look at them dig, carry cement, do wire works and all… it was such a messy scene, and I can’t figure out how they do things… but days and months passed by, a majestic construction was erected. Just like that.

What I realized with this is that it will always look and feel impossible at first, there will definitely be a lot of trial and error, but if you are consistent with what you do, you will always get there.

Just trust the process.

For now, I can’t say that I have already made it but I am proud that, at the very least, I can say that I am thriving and starting to feel the rewards of my perseverance.

For me, there is no other way but to move forward.

Just keep going, my friend.

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Call me weird, but things that scare you, excites me. I love this night. I love Halloween.  

We first thought of having the party in Seda Hotel but since some of our team can’t attend due to an equally important event in Manila, we held it in the studio, which was quite fun and intimate. 

“Come as you please” was the team of the night, and some guests painted their faces, and others wore masks, too. It was a fun night thinking that we just thought of a simple design and theme, and we pulled it through. I just love this night.

Happy Halloween, everyone! 

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I love my solitary adventures every time I come to Manila, and besides, Manila was my home for 6 years when I had my job working for a TV Network and my short stint at an airline company when I was younger. It was such an interesting life chapter, which makes Manila a familiar place I always love to come back to.

Quiapo

It must be Tatang Ricky Lee’s scriptwriting manual “Trip To Quiapo” that influenced my long walks to Quiapo. When he was my teacher for storytelling, he told us that if we want to write a meaningful story, we must pay a trip to Quiapo. What’s in Quiapo anyway? Must be the interesting stories that lies in all the corners of that place, from the penitent religious, to all sorts of people with different life stories to tell. 

I come to Quiapo to pray, but mostly, I come here for crafting. There’s this one street they call Villalobos street – a stretch of a street with crafting stores that sells various beads and components. I love this place for the random finds I get, especially the semi precious stones in factory price.  

Binondo 

Just some few blocks away from Quiapo is Manila’s Chinatown, Binondo. I must be burning a lot of calories already from all my walks, where I lost the sense of time as I enjoy every moment from it’s monumental arch, lucky charms hanging in the store windows tempting you to have a piece of good luck, and mainland Chinese and Chinese Filipinos walking around the street as if you are transported somewhere else. 

My favorite here has always been the egg tart of Lord Stows Bakery , while most people line up to buy a basket full of Eng Bee Tin’s Hopias in different flavors, I savor the flavorful egg tart, especially when it’s straight from the oven.

And after few walks, I finally arrive in Lucky Chinatown Mall, my gateway to my much-awaited walk around this enterprising place of Divisoria and Tutuban. 

Divisoria & Tutuban

I cannot anymore count how many times I have been walking around the different streets and malls in Divisoria – 168,999, Tutuban Mall, Divisoria Mall – and I never get tired.

There’s always this childish excitement I feel every time I visit this place. I remember early this year when I stayed in Manila for about 4 months, that I frequent these routes everyday for no apparent reason to buy anything, but just to stroll around. I have been way too familiar with the stalls and floors, but there are times that I discover new stores with great finds that I can bring back to Cebu. 

Manila, oh how I love your streets. You were my home when I was yet young and a dreamer, where my dreams became realities and where my heart was made tougher through time.

They say life here is designed differently, always fast, always wanting for more. but looking back, it was a life chapter I can never forget. Manila always feels home.

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My morning ritual always include a cup of black coffee over morning contemplation, and for a lack of a better term, it helps me poop well (I definitely have to say that too, haha); and when I reach my office, another cup of black coffee is on my desk. Like any other psychoactive stimulant, black coffee gives me a hint of focus and boost my mood, it even calms and relaxes me down.

I may want to fancy freshly brew coffee beans, but instant coffee is already okay for me. I have tried several instant coffee but Nescafe has always been my staple go-to everyday coffee. Aside from its coffee, one of the reasons as to why Nescafe is my primary choice is because of their relatable ad that questions us “Para kanino ka bumabangon?” (Who do you wake up for?) The Nescafe ad warms my heart that makes this question my everyday motivation to wake up with a purpose. I just love Nescafe coffee.

My daily coffee consumption is moderately 3 coffee cups a day, more than that, I get to palpitate. and when this happens, I counteract by drinking a lot of water. My palpitation is so bad that I tell myself I won’t be drinking coffee anymore, but then again, when it subsides, I drink coffee again. I can never say no to my coffee. I love my coffee.

If I have a long day of desk work or study time, I drink black coffee, but when I have a long day of physical work, I take coffee with sugar and cream. Plain black coffee again gives me the focus that I need, and on the other hand, coffee with sugar and cream give me the rush that I need for the long day of work.

I hope you love coffee as much as I do. Conversations with coffee with you may be a good choice for me. Tara, kape tayo?

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He was born and raised in a small town in Tigaon, Camarines Sur, my papa is from a political clan in the town of Camarines Sur from long ago – Governor Paz Cea de Conde (1st woman Governor in the Philippines), Governor Gerardo Fuentebella Cea, Senator Edmundo Cea (Senator), et al; As a corporate man, he was working as a Vice President for a multinational logistics company.

My papa always had a plan to run for Mayor in his town, he gave back and served until it was his time to go from this beautiful world.

Growing up, I always wished my papa was still alive so I can give back with whatever he deserved as a hardworking father, but though destiny did not make it happen, I always know that my papa is somehow proud of what I have become, and I promise to give back and continue the legacy that he has started – of being a good family and a community man.

My papa left this beautiful world when I was a young man, in my early 20’s when everything was still a blur for me, when figuring out who I was was my priority and making money was in the least of my concern, because at the back of my mind, I always have my father to back me up.

As a young artist, I was a headache, and I know for sure that my father was not proud of my dire love for the arts, and I barely make enough money. It’s out there, artists have always been stereotyped as “starving.” Artists have always been viewed as “talented but poor.” My papa, being a Vice President of a company and a barangay politician, has always wanted me to become an executive leader, a manager, someone of high regards; but I was doing otherwise because then again, I was still discovering who I was and it’s in the arts that I find solace. His well-intended concern was for me to have a firm future, just like any other parents would. Growing up, it was hard to grasp his reasons, but as I grow older, I genuinely understand why.

I am thankful that somehow as years passed by, I have managed to grow up and economically understand that I need to have my creativity work for me, and here we are doing creative things and earning at the same time.

I know I always had papa’s leadership style, and I always wish to continue being a great leader in this young age. Papa, I know you have been gone for more than a decade, but you are always a part of me and who I am capable of becoming.

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This is me feeling cute in my Gorilla inflated mascot.

I suddenly got so excited with the inflatable that I literally purchased a lot of inflatable characters in Lazada – dinosaurs, unicorns, lizards, pokemon and just random characters I find cute.

The first brand I thought of was “Cebu Inflatable Costume,” and tried to market it as a cute alternative for PPEs; people were “interested” in me wearing it BUT but no one was interested enough on renting it.

Here’s the first graphics I had for the first brand.

My friends called me crazy. In the time of the pandemic, buying these was a “waste of money”, really. I don’t know but I am happy when I somehow do these “cute things” to make people smile.

Thankfully, Ayala Center Cebu rented some of my inflatable mascots for their Halloween event in 2020. In this time of heightened safety measures, my inflatable mascots were a perfect fit it!

So fast forward when I decided to shift from inflatable to real mascots since no one is really interested in renting it. At first, I am hesistant to start this business given that a quality mascot costs P35k to P40k per piece, but well, I did what I did and bought my first mascot – JJ of Cocomelon.

Undoubtedly, he was and still is the most booked mascots.

I was hesitant due to copyright concerns, but after several discussions of fellow mascot rental owners, I felt complacent as long as we market it as “character-inspired.”

To date, I have 40+ premium mascots from JJ to Peter Rabbit to Disney-inspired princesses, to Avenger-inspired to random characters; until it dawned on me that with this bulk of collection, I need to have breathable warehousing for my mascots. I was literally hopping from one warehouse to another until I finally got a safe space for them – thankfully, it’s near my agency office in Mabolo, Cebu.

It was this February 2022 when I decided to finally do a soft launch for my mascot business now that the quarantine restriction in our city lessened, and gatherings and parties where slowly being allowed.

Here’s to 2 years of “collecting mascots” “wasting money” “investing in useless business” and hearing people telling me it was not a “necessity.”

I have to admit, they were actually right. But look at where we are now – Cebu’s only supplier of quality premium mascots. (wink)

Humility aside, we are getting at least 5 bookings every week, and our income is generating 6 digits per month. Numbers won’t lie, and I am proud of myself for making this crazy decision in the middle of the pandemic. Haha.

I want to make people happy when all of us were in a deprived state during the pandemic. I also wanted to bring the “star struck excitement” to people, especially to kids, by bringing their favorite cartoon characters in their celebrations.

I also found out that there is not much of a competition for mascots in the party needs industry here in Cebu. I think there were a few mascot suppliers before, but not much now. This is the reason why I started Cebu Premium Mascots — to provide the Cebuanos quality mascots and quality performances.

I am also very thankful to have a team of hardworking staff and performers to make all our bookings very memorable to each of our clients.

To know more about Cebu Premium Mascots, please visit our fb page at www.facebook.com/CebuMascots.

Celebrate with you soon! Your mascots are waiting!

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You give, but receive less. You give, but you are appreciated just for that moment. You give, but you’re still the last on the list. Don’t worry because I feel you. When your love is not reciprocated, you feel empty. You start to question your worth. Is it still not enough? Am I not enough? So, you continue to give your love, until one day you suddenly realize, there’s nothing left for you anymore. When all you ever wanted was only to be loved in return.

Love passionately, but leave some for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to be drained with doubts of your worth just because you loved too much, you gave too much, and you allowed yourself to be treated as an option for too long. If you have been treated this way, leave without the need to explain. Regain yourself and give that unrequited love you have given away just for yourself. For now, you are your own priority.

But just because you gave in and experience a rather bitter situation like this, please don’t forget to remind yourself that you are worthy to be loved as much as you love, and never regret the love you once give, because in life, what matters most is your generosity, and not what you receive.

My love, I pray that you will meet someone out there who will love you as much as you love them. To make you as part of their life, and their priorities. What is it in loving a person if you just put them on your bottom list? I hope someday someone will find you who will be happy to have you, who will be excited to see you, and who will put you in their plans and their future and make every effort to stick around.

You are worthy of a reciprocated love. Remember that.

If there’s one person who you will give your purest love first, this person should be you – the person who loves unconditionally and true. Invest in yourself first, not with the wrong people.

I hope you find a person that will treat you good and will understand and accept you for who you are, who will not take advantage of you and not question you for being you, and will accept you as you are without standardizing and judging you; and will love you without reservations.

But my dear, when you love, leave some for yourself because sooner or later it is when the well runs dry that you realize that there’s nothing left for you anymore, because you have given too much – of your time, of your effort, of your love – to people who you dearly love but take you for granted.

My love, I say this again, Love, but don’t love too much, and I hope that if you love again, love and leave some for yourself.

You are too full of love to be only half loved by someone.

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