Conquering Sagada with Travel Factor

Have you ever wanted to go somewhere but just don't know how. You keep procrastinating on going on a trip because you don't know how to create an itinerary or don't know how much money to bring. Fret no more because there are now lots of travel agencies that offer all-in carefree tours at affordable prices.

I have always wanted to see the rice terraces up close but had always considered going to Banaue or Sagada quite far fetched. So we decided to go to Sagada through the help of a travel company called "Travel Factor". For only Php 4,950 you can now conquer Sagada without all the hassle of making the itinerary, the reservations and all the works. Their package includes the following:

• Roundtrip Aircon Bus: Manila - Banaue - Manila
• Roundtrip Chartered Jeep: Banaue - Sagada - Banaue
• 3D/2N accommodation in Sagada
• Day 1 Lunch, Day 2 Breakfast and Lunch, Day 3 Breakfast
• Private Jeepney during tours around Sagada
• Environment permits and entrance fees
• Service of local guides and cave guides with lamps
• Service of the tour director
• Travel Insurance
• Travel Factor ID and T-Shirt

We were not able to follow the itinerary as it is posted on their web site due to weather conditions but we eventually covered them all on the next day.

Day 0 - MANILA - April 30, 2014 (Wednesday)

Time	Itinerary
09:00 PM	Meet up at Ohayami Bus Station at Fajardo St. cor. Lacson Ave., Sampaloc Manila
	* Ticket price from Manila to Banaue is Php 450

Day 1 - BANAUE - SAGADA - May 1, 2014 (Thursday)

Time	Itinerary
05:00 AM	Arrive in Banaue
	We were dropped off at Hidden Valley Restaurant and ate breakfast there. (own expense)
07:00 AM	Travel from Banaue to Sagada
	Side trip at Banaue Rice Terraces
11:00 AM	Arrive in Sagada
	Check in at Indigenous Handicrafts and Inn
	Lunch at Pinikpikan Haus
	Desserts at Strawberry Cafe (own expense)
02:00 PM	Trek the rice terraces and see Pongas Falls
	* unfortunately we can not visit the Bomod-ok Falls because of an ongoing tribal ritual * skipped sunset viewing due to the rainy weather
06:00 PM	Back in Sagada town proper
07:00 PM	Dinner at Salt & Pepper Restaurant (own expense)
	Hot Chocolate and desserts at Sagada Brew (own expense)

Day 2 - SAGADA - May 2, 2014 (Friday)

Time	Itinerary
07:00 AM	Ate breakfast at Pinikpikan Haus
	* skipped sunrise viewing due to the rainy weather
09:00 AM	Started the Cave Connection Adventure. We went into Lumiang Cave and came out of Sumaguing Cave
02:00 PM	Late lunch at Pinikpikan Haus
	Desserts at Lemon Pie House (own expense)
05:00 PM	Went to Lake Danum to see the sunset but there was none because of the rainy weather
07:00 PM	Dinner at Masferre Restaurant (own expense)

Day 3 - SAGADA - BANAUE - May 3, 2014 (Saturday)

Time	Itinerary
04:30 AM	Sunrise at Kiltepan Viewpoint
06:00 AM	Breakfast at Bana's Cafe (own expense)
09:00 AM	Trek to Echo Valley to see the hanging coffins
	Visit the St. Mary's Escopal Church
11:00 AM	Early lunch at Yoghurt House (own expense)
	Free time to shop for pasalubongs
02:00 PM	Chartered jeep ride back to Banaue
	Side trip at the Sagada Weaving
05:00 PM	Arrive in Banaue
	Free time to go to the market place
06:00 PM	Early dinner at People's Lodge and Restaurant
07:00 PM	Bus ride back to Manila

Day 4 - MANILA - May 4, 2014 (Sunday)

Time	Itinerary
04:00 AM	Arrive in Manila

Meals in Sagada start at Php 200 above if you're going to eat in restaurants along the main road. But if you are interested in eating local food you can go to Centrum building's basement for carenderias.

PROs:

• Afford-ably priced package
• Friendly and accommodating coordinators
• Comfortable ride
• Enough free time was provided for us to be able to explore the town
• Meet new people

CONs:

• Bus station is cramped.
• There were too many participants during the tour that we were not able to hear the tour guide's orientation when we were visiting the sites. These are only on the ocassion that our group was joined together with another group of more than 30.

Are we going to avail another Travel Factor package? Yes, most probably we will but we would definitely be asking how many people are going to participate next time. We were just lucky during our trip that we were only a group of 11 plus our room has its own CR.

Overall, we had a blast in Sagada even with a few bumps and bruises along the way. We are proud to say that we have conquered the adventures of Sagada!

Adventures in Northern Mindanao

The best place to start an adventure in Northern Mindanao is to arrive in Cagayan de Oro which is known as the Gateway of Northern Mindanao. Get close with nature and get your heart pumping in their white river rafting.

Discover virgin white sand beaches in nearby Camiguin Island. Wake up early in the morning to go to the famous White Island.

While you're in Camiguin Island, try renting a jeepney and tour around the island for the day.
See the Church Ruins (Gui-ob Church)

Visit its falls

And drop by at the Sunken Cemetery

And lots of other sights that I don't recall =( but are as breath-taking.

If you love waterfalls, don't miss going to Iligan City. Be sure to have your cameras ready for these majestic waterfalls: Tinago Falls, Mimbalot Falls, and the grand Maria Cristina Falls.

Tinago Falls

Maria Cristina Falls

As a side trip, you can visit Macapagal - Macareg's ancestral house while you're in Iligan.

And if you still have a day to spare, you can go to the Dahilayan Adventure Park in Bukidnon for another doze of adrenaline rush. The park boast of its 840M long dual zipline which is the longest in Asia. Lots of other activities can be done here like the Luge and Mini Golf.

Northern Mindanao is filled with exciting adventures and eye-candy sights so make sure to plan ahead to be able to make the most of your trip.

Enjoy your summer everyone!

Diet Meals Delivery

It's summer time and everyone wants to get fit. And for the unfortunate few like me, I have a hard time following an exercise regimen or any food diet. I tried cooking meals for myself but I sometimes find it hard to wake up early in the morning to cook. I still have not figured out a way to balance my work and life up until now.

Luckily, sometime last year I discovered that there were actually companies delivering complete diet meals straight to your doorsteps! It was an amazing experience, I believe I lost at least 2 lbs on my first week taking Lunch Box Diet meals. Unfortunately, I had to stop because I now find it difficult to meet with their scheduled delivery time.

And now, I am back to the weight I started and I have to lose them all over again so I am now reconsidering on buying diet meals again.

For those who are looking for the same, here's a list of diet meal delivery companies that I know. Feel free to comment if you know of one not on the list. Good luck to us!

1. Lunch Box Diet

https://www.facebook.com/lunchboxdietph
Contact Number: 0917-809-3196

Price: Php 1,700 for 5 days
Delivery Fee: Free
Delivery Schedule: Varies depending on location usually early morning
What's Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks amounting to 1,200 calories per day
Deliverable Areas: Quezon City, San Juan, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Makati, BGC/McKinley Hill (Not all areas are covered, contact them directly to confirm if your area is covered)
Payment Methods: BDO and BPI Bank Deposits

2. Diet Diva

https://www.facebook.com/dietdivaph
Contact Number: 0917-703-3482

Price: Php 1,800 for 5 days
Delivery Fee: P20 QUEZON CITY*, SAN JUAN*, ORTIGAS CENTER, MANDALUYONG & MAKATI. (*Selected Locations)
P40 Commonwealth, Marcos Highway, Bonifacio Global City
Delivery Schedule: 5AM to 8AM Mondays to Fridays
What's Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks amounting to 1,200 calories per day
Payment Methods: BDO and BPI Bank Deposits

3. The Yummy Diet

https://www.facebook.com/yummydietph
Contact Number: 0917-889-8660

Price: Php 1,799 for 5 days
Delivery Fee: Free
Delivery Areas: Eastwood, Ortigas, San Juan, Mandaluyong*, Pasig*, Cainta* (* Selected Locations only, contact them directly to confirm if your area is covered)
Delivery Schedule: 2PM to 5PM Sundays to Thursdays
What's Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and 1-2 Snacks amounting to 1,200 calories per day. Also includes coffee & tea with boost of Chia seeds.
Payment Methods: BDO and BPI Bank Deposits

4. The Good Box

http://thegoodboxph.com/
Contact Number: 0917-711-1732
Email Address: thegoodboxph@gmail.com
Price:

• Php 2,750 for 1200 Calorie Menu
• Php 3,000 for 1500 Calorie Menu
• Php 3,250 for 1800 Calorie Menu
• Php 3,500 for 2100 Calorie Menu
• Php 3,750 for 2400 Calorie Menu
• Php 4,000 for 2700 Calorie Menu
• Php 3,000 for South Beach Diet

Delivery Fee: Php 60
Delivery Areas: Not mentioned on site, contact them directly to confirm
Delivery Schedule: 6AM to 10AM Mondays to Fridays or 5PM to 9PM Sundays to Thursdays
What's Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and 1-2 Snacks amounting to counted calories per day depending on your needs.
Payment Methods: Bank Deposits and Cash on Delivery

5. The Sexy Chef

http://www.thesexychef.ph/
Contact Number: 721-8881 / 721-7399 / 0917-799-2433
Email Address: info@thesexychef.ph

Price for Complete Meals: 

• Php 975/day for South Beach Diet
• Php 1,000/day for Pounds Away Diet Program
• Php 1,100/day for Fat Fighting Diet Plan

Price for Lunch & Dinner Meal Only: 

• Php 2,150 for 5 days of Dine Lite Meals
• Php 1,500 for 5 days of Vegetarian package

Delivery Fee: Varies (starts at Php 50)
Payment Methods: Online Payments via Credit Card, Bank Deposits


[UPDATE: June 6, 2014]: I am adding some affordable juicing delivery options on the list. I plan to try one someday.

6. Juice Hut

https://www.facebook.com/JuiceHut.Manila
Contact Number: 0917-5725855
Email Address: juicehut_manila@yahoo.com

Price:

• 1 250ml Bottle - Php 120
• 1 Day Reboot Program (6 x 250ml bottles) - Php 720
• 2 Days Reboot Program (12 x 250ml bottles) - Php 1,440
• 3 Days Reboot Program (18 x 250ml bottles) - Php 2,160
• 5 Days Reboot Program (30 x 250ml bottles) - Php 3,600

7. Nourish Juice

https://www.facebook.com/NourishJuicePH
Contact Number: 0917-5725855
Email Address: juicehut_manila@yahoo.com

Price:

• 1 250ml Bottle - Php 125
• 1 350ml Bottle - Php 195
• 1 Day Package* (6 x 250ml bottles) - Php 1,175
• 2 Days Package* (12 x 250ml bottles) - Php 1,975
• 3 Days Package* (18 x 250ml bottles) - Php 2,775

* Packages includes 2 organic teas per day + thermal bag + one-time delivery

Delivery Fee: Varies (starts at Php 100)
Payment Methods: BDO and BPI Bank Deposits

8. Juice Ko Jo

https://www.facebook.com/juicekojo
Contact Number: 0922-8634968

Price:

• 1 Day Package (5 x 350ml bottles) - Php 1,200
• 3 Days Package (15 x 350ml bottles) - Php 3,000

* Packages includes 2 Yogi organic teas per day

9. The Daily Jusa

http://www.thedailyjusa.com/
Contact Number: 0917-8110769

Price:

• 1 250ml Bottle - Php 150
• 1 Day Package (8 x 250ml bottles) - Php 1,350
• 3 Days Package (24 x 250ml bottles) - Php 3,500
• 5 Days Package (40 x 250ml bottles) - Php 5,500

* Each day cleanse includes 2 bags of tea and each package includes a thermal bag

10. Juice Jab

http://www.juicejab.com/
Contact Number: +63917-838-7355 | info@juicejab.ph

Price:

• Jolts (6 x 250ml bottles) - Php 900* / Php 1,100
• Mild Jabs (6 x 500ml bottles) - Php 1,500* / Php 1,700
• Moderate Jabs (12 x 500ml bottles) - Php 3,000* / Php 3,200
• Strong Jabs (18 x 500ml bottles) - Php 4,500* / Php 4,700

* without insulated bag

How to apply for a UMID (Unified Multi-purpore ID) Card

UMID (Unified Multi-purpose ID) Card is the all-in-one card for SSS, GSIS, Philhealth and Pag-ibig members.

Ever since getting married, the only ID I have bearing my new surname was just my company ID. And after a year, I have finally managed to take the time to get an official government ID to have my married name on it.

Did you know that SSS agencies are now open on Saturdays? Yes, it is true! Now isn't that convenient! Two thumbs up to whoever thought of the idea. (",) SSS agencies are open from 7AM to 5PM on Mondays to Fridays with no lunch breaks and are open from 8AM to 5PM on Saturdays but with lunch breaks.

SSS also has satellite offices in malls too which are open 10 AM to 6 PM from Tuesday to Saturday. Click on the image for a larger picture.

Before going to SSS to apply for your UMID, make sure you bring at least one (1) of these primary IDs:

• Passport
• Driver's License
• Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) card
• Seaman's Book

Or two (2) secondary IDs/documents which has your photo and signature.

And if you have just recently got married and you have no other ID bearing your new name, make sure to bring a copy of your NSO Certified Marriage Contract.

First step to apply for a UMID card is to get a UMID application form found in Step A. You may also download the form and fill it up before hand but you still have to go to Step A to get a number. Form can be downloaded here.

After filling up the form, proceed to Verification and wait for your number to be called. The UMID card is free if this is your initial card application but if you have an existing SSS ID card you will have to pay Php 300 as the card replacement fee. You will be provided an R-6 Payment Form which you will be filling up then proceed to cashier to make your payment.

After making the payment, go back to the Verification booth and present your validated R-6 form. You will be asked to surrender your existing SSS card then you will proceed to the queue for Data Capture.

You will have to wait a long time because queue in Data Capture lane will be long since there's only one personnel doing this on Saturdays. I had to come back after lunch to have mine. In Data Capture, they will be typing in your information in your database, getting your fingerprints and signature and taking your picture. Before saving your information to the system, you will be asked to confirm all the data they have inputted and you will be requested to affix your fingerprint to affirm that you have agreed to what you see.

Note: Do not wear contact lenses when applying for your UMID card. Data Capture will request them to be removed. Any forms of jewelry like earrings and necklaces will also be asked to be removed.

Finally, you will be given a claiming stub. The UMID card will be delivered to your mailing address after one month. But in case card did not arrive after a month, you can go to the SSS agency where you have applied for the card and ask Verification to check for the status of your card then claim it. That's it! I'm done! Can't wait to see my ID soon.

Will update this blog once I receive my ID. (",)

[UPDATE: 6/10/2014]
Got my new ID around 3rd week of May.

Resto Review: Jasz Bar and Restaurant, Panglao Island

We stayed in a hotel along Alona Beach on our last night for us to experience its night life. Alona Beach was dubbed as the Boracay of Bohol but for some reason I don't feel like it should be praised as that. Yes, the sand in Alona Beach is almost same as Boracay but its night life is not at par at all. Or maybe there was not much tourist around to make it much of a party place.

There are lots of bar and restaurants along the beach but most of them offer live singing performances and not the usual disco bars you can see in Boracay. Although there was one that had its grand opening on that night we were strolling just beside the Bee Farm branch. Unfortunately, it was not yet open to the public that night. So we settled to eat and drink at Jasz Bar and Restaurant because there was a performer singing our type of music there.

We availed of their Buy 1 Take 1 Cocktail Promo. I ordered their Mabuhay Alona and hubby ordered the Melon Fizz - both for Php 200. The Mabuhay Alona is a mix of rhum, mango liquor, pineapple and orange while the Melon Fizz is a mix of vodka, melon and sprite. Both were quite strong on the alcohol side, their supposedly fruity sides were unnoticeable.

After having a shot at their cocktails, we just opted to buy a bucket of Lemon Flavored San Miguel beers. Bucket of 6 beers are sold at Php300-350.

For our dinner, we ordered the Eat Jasz Special Pizza (Php 495). The pizza was based in carbonara sauce and was overloaded with lots of toppings. It had mushroom, olives, ground pork, ground beef, ham, pepperoni, bacon, bell peppers, hotdog and boiled eggs sprinkled with cheese. And it was a mouthful. I got really full in the stomach just having a slice. But what we didn't like about their pizza was that the dough was not properly cooked, making the pizza quite soggy. It didn't looked like it was cooked in an oven.

We had take-outs after our meal here. It was one quiet and fulfilling night just hanging around with just my husband. I'm not sure if we're ever to come back in Panglao Island in the future, but when we do I hope their mode of transportation to and from the city be improved. Till next time (",)

This is part of our 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Summer Adventure. Read more about our itinerary in below links:

• 5D4N Cebu-Bohol Itinerary and Budget 2014
• A Day in Cebu
• The Bohol Country Side
• A Walk in Tagbilaran City
• Bohol Sea Tour (Dolphin Watching & Island Hopping)
• Bohol Pasalubongs

Read about our accommodations and food trips in Cebu here:

• Sampaguita Suites, Plaza Garcia
• Zubuchon
• Larsian BBQ

Read about our accommodation and food trips in Bohol here:

• Buen Bella Pension House, Tagbilaran City
• Accommodations in Panglao Island
• Gerarda's Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• Golden Cowrie Filipino Restaurant, Tagbilaran City
• L'Elephant Bleu Restaurant, Panglao Island
• Payag Restaurant, Panglao Island