"Belief is the breakwater against despair." Rompeolas is a Spanish word for breakwater.  In Sorsogon City, it is a word commonly used by the local  residents to refer to the pier site in Sorsogon Bay. This pier site historically served as the beach area and a popular swimming area back in the day. But due to degradation of the coastal area and the growing population resulting in an increasing tonnage of waste, the seawater in the Rompeolas is not anymore advisable for swimming.  But in recent years, the Rompeolas area has seen a resurgence of some sort.  Thanks in large p ..read more

  "The more the variety, the better the society." Variety is diversity.  Biodiversity is the diversity of life in a given area.  Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms on earth, including the variability within and between species and within and between ecosystems. It is a general indicator of overall ecological health. How?  Greater biodiversity  leads to greater stability.  For example,  species with high genetic diversity and many populations that are adapted to a wide variety of conditions are more likely to be able to weather disturban ..read more

Let me tell you a feel-good story. A feel-good story is a story about people and life which makes us feel happy and optimistic. It often results from the unexpected or unanticipated. Such is the case of my experience when the Mangrove Loving Penguin (MLP) visited a mangrove forest in General Santos City as a side trip in my 2024 Kasadya Marathon weekend in South Cotabato. Truth be told, I was not really optimistic about finding a thriving mangrove forest inside General Santos City.  We all know for a fact that GenSan is a highly urbanized city whose human population ju ..read more

  "Akala ko patagalan ito. Pabilisan pala." In jest, the Bicolano Penguin (BP)  blurted this out to some race volunteers as the BP neared the finish line of the 2024 Kasadya Marathon held in General Santos City.   Once again, the BP was the last runner to cross the finish line of a full mary. The Last Man Standing, so to speak.  Kind of like the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon   early this year  and Baybay City Marathon   back in 2016.  I run slow. Correction, the BP run painstakingly unhurried.  Why do I keep this up?  Th ..read more

  55 years.   This 2024, First Balfour First Balfour is celebrating its 55 years of corporate existence.  That is a big number of years, especially for a construction company in the Philippines.  Only 4 major construction companies in the country are older than First Balfour.  As an employee of FB for more than 20 years already, the Bicolano Penguin (BP) is proud and happy of this milestone.      To celebrate this milestone achievement, the company's management have lined up a handful of big events.  For the 1st Quarter of 2024, First Balfour ..read more

The Bicol Region abounds with  tales of epic heroes and mythical beings.  There is of course the Ibalong Epic  and the Legend of Mount Mayon .  In these epic tales, there is mention of a legendary being called Asog. He is either a legendary chieftain of native tribesmen or a pre-colonial priest or shaman imbued with magical powers to destroy or heal. Mt. Asog , a mountain with an elevation of 1,140 MASL situated between  Iriga City and Buhi Municipality is named after this mythical being.  Lately, the Bicolano Penguin (BP ) has found out ..read more

  "It's not the destination, it's the journey." At my age, marathons are not anymore about the finish time.  I ditched my Garmin many blue moons ago. The marathons can be about the route, filled with many significant  places. To paraphrase the immortal words of American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, it's not the finish time (whether you establish a new Personal Best time)  but the journey, Enjoying the journey, about the getting there, is every bit as important (or even more important) to me as arriving at the finish line and looking at the number of hours and ..read more

  #PayingitForward  Awake already in the way too early morning hours of the 18th of February, I found myself running behind a bunch of runners dressed in funky dinosaur suits on the asphalt roads of Filinvest Alabang. Hashtagged on the back of their yellow shirts were the words "Paying it Forward." These sane individuals are,  after all,  acolytes of The Bull Runner herself who preached about building a running community where members pay it forward. Paying  it forward by being a dream chaser and a pacer in the annual TBR Dream Marathon (TBRDM) which is the only ..read more

"One of Naga City's well kept secret is not secret anymore. Feliciana is simply the favorite of many discerning diners in the Heart of Bicol."  Sometime in November of 2023, I wrote a comment in Facebook about my favorite restaurant in Naga City.  It felt good and it felt true.  Location of Feliciana.  A stone throw away from Naga City Hall.  With its newly renovated premises along Dover Street, which is just a stone's throw away from Naga City Hall, more and more diners are able to enjoy the good food of Feliciana and more and more jaded reviewers ar ..read more

Happy New Year. Manigong Bagong Taon. Mauswag na Ba-gong Taon. Malipayong Bag-ong Tuig. Masinadyahong Bag-ong Tuig.  Maupay nga Bag-ong Tuig.  Naragsac nga Baro nga Tawen. Maaligwas ya Balon Taon.  Masaplalang bayung banwa.  Prospero Ano Nuevo.  It is the 1st week of 2024. It is that time of the year when people of all shapes, sizes, weight, wealth,  gender, creed and sports list down their New Year's Resolutions.  New Year's resolutions are the determinations we set ceremoniously at the beginning of  every year. The New Year represents a fresh start ..read more