Filming at the 30th SEA Games // Obstacle Course Racing (2019)

I had the opportunity to be part of media during the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines. The sport I was to cover was of course, Obstacle Course Racing! YES!!! =)

This might not mean a lot to some people, but as an obstacle racing enthusiast since the latter part of 2011, it was just amazing to see how far this sport has come. And it has grown so fast!

Spartan Beast Texas USA - 2012

From actively racing in OCR from 2012-2014, and then converting to the media side of the industry in 2015,  have been part of this sport for almost 8 years! Where I have seen people, athletes and friends go in and out of this sport, I have endured and continue to support obstacle course racing because it changed my life.

Filming the sport of OCR at the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines was very surreal. Although I am open to the sport of OCR to be either an olympic or sovereign activity, I will support it in any way because the bottom line is that, the sport is 100% responsible for getting people off the couch. What a great movement!

When I decide to participate in the P90X program back in 2011, it was the beginning of my fitness journey, and obstacle course racing was the ultimate test of fitness for me, the tip of the iceberg. P90X and OCR still to this day is my passion, and now being part of the media industry, I can help others follow down that path. How exciting!

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Here is a quick video highlight of Obstacle Course Racing during the 30th SEA Games. Music beautifully executed by none other than Lea Salonga. Theme song: We Win As One

30th SEA Games - Obstacle Course Racing // 2019

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OCR in the SEA Games Watch Playlist:

-  100M Course Highlights

-  400M Team Relay and Team Assist Highlights

-  5K Course Highlights

Philippines wins 4 Golds - CNN Philippines Coverage

(You will see me in the background filming LOL)

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The CARAMOAN ISLANDS

I've heard so much about the Caramoan Islands, so I finally had the opportunity to visit, and it was just as expected...totally amazing!

WATCH OUR CARAMOAN HIGHLIGHT BELOW

My goal for this post is to simply share the details from our recent trip to Caramoan with my family. If you are new to my blog and videos, I just wanted to let you know that most of my trips are family excursions, so if you are looking for solo party travel, this is not for you. Although I am geared more towards family travel, we are also budget travelers, so getting information on how to save money when traveling to these places might be of interest to you, family or solo travel.

If you would like to skip the details and just watch our highlight video, just scroll down to the video =) The details posted below may not be the best options for you, but this is how my family and I did this trip, and we really enjoyed it.

HOW TO GET TO CARAMOAN:

If you want the fastest way from Manila, you might want to fly from MNL to Naga City. From Naga, you can take a bus or van to Caramoan. You can also fly into Virac, which is closer but also a smaller airport and may cost a bit more, just do your research based on your travel dates.

You can take a ferry from Sabang Port or Condon Port. We did not do this option but what I've heard is that the boat ride is a little less than two hours. Most people who do this option is looking for the fastest way to Caramoan, so they fly from MNL to Naga or Virac, and then use public transport to the ports before they take the boat ride to Caramoan.

Driving is long and may not be for everyone. We drove from Buhi Camarines Sur. Wherever you come from, you will start from Naga and can make it to Caramoan in about 3-4 hours. Although the roads are paved, they are not smooth by any means. If you do not have a 4X4 and you are not comfortable driving in the Philippines, I do not recommend this option. If your car is strong with some torque, then you should be fine, but if your car struggles up the hills, then don't bother. We saw a couple cars that didn't make it on the side of the road, so if you're not sure, just take public transport or rent a 4X4. Driving to Caramoan is an adventure, and although it was long and bumpy, my family and I had a great time.

I think that one of the main reasons why Caramoan Islands is still a hidden gem is because of the difficulty factor in getting there. If you are adventurous, then this trip is for you.

WHERE TO STAY IN CARAMOAN:

For me, the best place is to stay right on the beach away from the Town Proper. I did see some Inns along the road before the beach, but to come to Caramoan, and not stay on the beach defeats the purpose of coming to Caramoan, but that's just me.

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Once you're in Barangay Paniman, just keep going until you hit the beach, and then turn right (the road before the beach). You'll see all the beach resorts there and plenty of places that will cater to your budget. We saw some pretty nice places, but opted to stay at a budget and family friendly place called RMTM Beachfront Resort. The RMTM is nothing like the Four Seasons at all, it's more like camping indoors, so don't expect anything special. It's very simple with a TV, A/C, beds, private bathrooms, and a 24hr Sari Sari Store. They do have internet, but it's not very strong unless you are near the Sari Sari store where the router may be.

With Romy the Property Manager/Owner of RMTM

The best thing about RMTM Beachfront Resort is the hospitality and the location, it's right on the beach, what more can you ask! There were people just a couple resorts down who spent maybe double or triple what we paid, and we had the same view, doesn't make any sense to me ha ha. If you want to know how much we spent, you'll crap on yourself, we spent about $26.50 USD per night (for two queen beds with a couch), and again, that's right on the beach. Keep in mind, it was off-season, so the rates will be much higher during peak season.

WHERE TO EAT:

You won't find any big franchised establishments in Caramoan, only local restaurants. There are some small bar and restaurants along the beach, but we didn't go to any of them. We opted to stay at our hotel and order from the catering menu that they provided. Just think Grab Food or Uber Eats, but in Caramoan. Most of the resorts along the beach use the same or similar catering company, but it's really convenient. You order from the menu just like you would at a restaurant, and the food is delivered within 30min to an hour in food containers to keep the food hot or cold. The delivery service hours are from 7am to 10pm daily.

WHAT TO DO IN CARAMOAN:

Of course the most popular thing to do is Island Hopping. The boat tours are either short (half day visiting 4 islands) or long (full day and more islands). We ended up doing the short tour and we were totally satisfied. Keep in mind that we also had our one year old baby, so we didn't want to do anything too long.

The boat tours are not as expensive as Palawan where you pay per person. In Caramoan, you pay per boat rental. We paid 1500php for our half day tour which is about $30 USD for 4 adults and one child. We liked it because it was just our group, and we didn't have to share the boat with anyone. I believe the full day tour is around 2500-2700php ($50 USD), still super cheap compared to Palawan. Plus its not as touristy, which I liked a lot!

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For the boat tours, a tricycle picked us up and took us to our boat that our hotel arranged for us, and the fare was included in the price, also super cool! Please also keep in mind, although it isn't required, I recommend tipping the tour guides, they do a lot for you. We tipped 500php or $10 USD, but do what you can =).

Other things to do:
- Take a photo of the "I Love Caramoan" sign at the town proper
- Visit the 400 year old church, St. Michael Archangel Church, also known as the Red Church
- Hike up the mountain to the Holy Mother of Peace. Epic views!
- Hit up the souvenir shops at the town proper
- Guinahoan Lighthouse
- Tayak Lagoon
- Caving and Kayaking

WHEN TO GO:

The peak season is from March to May, this is when the rates are the highest, but the weather is the best. If you go on the off season like we did, everything is much cheaper, but you also don't have the best weather. You can of course wait until the perfect weather comes, but most people don't have the privilege of taking long trips like Digital Nomads.

Also going to the Caramoan Islands during November /Decemeber like we did, yes you get the best rates, but it's also typhoon season. We actually left Caramoan one week before Typhoon Tsoy hit, so we got super lucky. And yes, the Caramoan Islands are prone to Typhoons, so keep that in mind when making your plans. It might be best for you to go during the peak season =).

NEED AN ATM?

There is only a couple ATM's in Caramoan, and they are located in the Town Proper, so make sure that you get some cash before you arrive because the ATM machines tend to go offline a lot, this happened to us. Be prepared.

WHAT ELSE?

"The Caramoan Islands is where Survivor is filmed"

If you are looking for an alternative beach destination instead of the tourist traps of Palawan and Boracay, then the Caramoan Islands is for you. If you can get past the difficulty factor of getting there, you won't be disappointed once you arrive. Don't expect all the touristy things that you see at the other places, this place is about getting off the beaten path.

A Taste of the Caramoan Islands - Our Trip Highlights

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Do you live in the Philippines? If so, read this and get an opportunity to win 5,000PHP ($100 USD) from us "Lagalag Mafia". Simply go to our Youtube channel here, and SUBSCRIBE, and then comment on our Caramoan Islands Video. You will automatically be entered to win our Free Giveaway! =) 

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MAGINDARA RESORT - Best Place to Picnic in Buhi Camarines Sur

Photo: Angkulet via Flickr

I can't really take credit for finding this place. My fiancé Arlene is from Buhi and told me about the Magindara Resort, so we took my parents out for the day, and what we found was some breathtaking views, natural surroundings, and serenity. It's the perfect place for a family picnic or just to ponder and think about all the things you are grateful for.

Once we arrived, there was someone at the desk that looked like a volunteer with his headphones on, typical for the Philippines, just a very relaxed atmosphere. It was 7 pesos per person to enter the public resort, which is about $0.13 cents USD.

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Just walking in the place looked like it has been there for awhile. Although maintained, there seemed to be some remnants of older structures that I assume were pavilions for rent. Before you even enter the resort area, the sign above the gate says "Magindara Resort", which leads me to believe that maybe this was a resort with overnight accommodations at one point, but all is left is a great place to picnic, lounge and enjoy the views. The main pavilion once you walk in seems to be big enough for special events and community affairs.

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Atop the hill overlooking Lake Buhi, you will find the Sinirapan Landmark. Buhi is known as the place where the "World's Smallest Fish" is from, the Sinarapan. At any rate, the landmark is a great place to snap some shots and read about the Sinarapan.

Check out Itbog Falls in Buhi Camarines Sur

We spent a little over an hour at the Magindara Resort, or Buhi Magindara. It was definitely worth the visit. Here is a quick video from our trip to the Magindara Resort, make sure to visit this place if you are ever in Buhi Camarines Sur.

Magindara Resort (Buhi Magindara)

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ITBOG FALLS // Buhi Camarines Sur, Philippines

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A HIDDEN GEM in Buhi, Camarines Sur, Bicol Philippines. Itbog Falls is a place you must see! Away from tourists and off the beaten path, this is the type of places that I like to see! And if you are like me, read on!

Just like my video from the Pongol Pool in Buhi, this is another place that you must see if you ever visit the Buhi area in Camarines Sur, Bicol Region.

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FIRST THINGS FIRST, how do you get to Itbog Falls? 

From wherever you are coming from in the Philippines, you can simply "google" Buhi Municipal Hall. Once you get there, it's just a short walk behind the BMH to Lake Buhi and the Buhi Market. 

***The nearest airport to Buhi is in Naga City, so if you are flying in, you can fly direct to Naga and then take public transport to Buhi. I recommend taking the UV Express (or FX) Van Service direct from Naga to the Buhi Bus Terminal (about 105-120 php or $2-2.50 USD). From the Buhi Bus Terminal, you can take a tricycle to Buhi Centro where the BMH and Buhi Market is located. (about 10 php or $.20-25 cents)

Right behind the Buhi Market you will see Lake Buhi, and a number of long boats docked and ready to take passengers to various areas around the lake.  To make it easier for you, here is the contact details of the guy who took us across the lake to Itbog Falls:

Contact

Name: Jonard

Cell: 0948-750-6463

When we took the boat across the lake to Itbog Falls, it costs us 400php ($8 USD) for 4 people, which is like 100php ($2 USD) per person round trip. The boat ride takes about 10-12 minutes. Once the boat is docked, it's another 2 kilometer easy hike (mostly concrete path with steps closer to the falls).

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WHAT TO BRING: 

This all depends on you, how long you plan to stay etc. I would recommend mosquito spray, sun lotion, water, snacks, comfortable shoes/sandals, extra clothes and a towel if you plan to get wet around the falls, a dry bag for your phone, camera, money etc. 

If you need any of this stuff, you can most likely find it at the Buhi Market right before you go on the boat. Not sure if they have the dry bags, so just make sure that you get one beforehand. The weather in and around Buhi is unpredictable, it can rain anytime no matter how beautiful it looks, so be prepared. 

WHERE TO STAY:

At the time of this post, there is only one hotel near Buhi Centro, and that is the Villa Florencia. This is where my family and I stayed. We paid $40 USD per night for a family room which included 2 queen beds, fridge, A/C, shower with hot water, TV, and free gated parking. There is NO WIFI at this hotel, so bring your pocket wifi to stay connected. There are other rooms available with budget friendly rates, and the lady who runs it is super nice! 

WHAT TO EAT:

There are no big franchise eateries in Buhi. It's all local. A place that we really enjoyed was Dwinox Bar. It is located near the the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Buhi Centro. There are other places around the area, so you can walk around from there. There is also a small LCC Supermarket (like 7-Eleven) just down the street from the church. 

Here's a quick video from our trip to Itbog Falls. If you would like to ask me anything about the area, feel free to message me! Have fun =) 

Itbog Falls - Buhi, Camarines Sur

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Halloween in the Philippines

A few days before Halloween, I was asking my fiancé Arlene if they participate in trick or treating here in the Philippines, and if it was done on the same day, October 31st? She looked kind of puzzled and couldn't really give me a straight answer. This baffled me as I am from the USA, and this is something that I grew up with.

I opened up my matchbook and decided to google "Halloween in the Philippines", and come to find out, this particular holiday, although still a national holiday here just like the western countries, it is celebrated in a different fashion.

Photo: Filipino Australian Journal

For me, once I learned how Halloween was celebrated here in the Philippines, I understood it better and it seemed a lot more meaningful. Growing up in the USA, I was always brought up to think that Halloween was about eating candy and getting rid of bad spirits, and of course there is nothing wrong with that, but the idea of praying and celebrating the dead, and the life that they had while they were here with us just seemed like a better way to celebrate the holiday.

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I made this quick video about Halloween in the Philippines, feel free to watch it, and tell me what you think. And if you are from a different country other than the USA and the Philippines, please let me know how you celebrate Halloween, or if this is even a holiday in your country. 

Halloween in the Philippines

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BTW, as some of you know, my parents are here visiting me in the Philippines, and we have some great adventures planned, here are some upcoming videos to look out for, and of course I will be posting them on here, as well as our family youtube channel =) Thanks again for visiting my blog! 

Upcoming Trips:

- Bicol Region

- Caramoan Island

- Siargao Island

- Banaue and Sagada

- Enchanted Kingdom in Laguna

Have an amazing day!!! =)

Parents Arrived in the Philippines!

My parents have been here for almost two weeks now, and I couldn't be even more happier!

I am finishing up on some projects at the moment and preparing for some adventures with them. Some of the places we plan on going are:

THE BIRTH OF MY BABY PENELOPE

- Bicol Region (Buhi, Irina City, Naga, Legazpi etc) to visit Arlene's family.

Road to Bicol

Photo: ABS-CBN News

- Caramoan Island, to explore some limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, and nice sandy beaches

Caramoan Island

Photo: Journey Era

- Siargao Island, check out Cloud 9 and other natural and most beautiful sites in the Philippines

Siargao Island

Photo: Metro

- Banaue and Sagada, famous rices terraces, northern sites and hanging coffins

Sagada - Hanging Coffins

Photo: Pinoy Adventurista Philippines

- Corregidor Island, and island on the Manila Bay that use to be a coastal artillery fort to defend the entrance of Manila Bay.

Corregidor Island 

Photo: Wikipedia

So that's about it. My parents are visiting here until mid January 2020, so these are just some of the things that we have planned for in between my video and work projects. Stay tuned here and my youtube channel as I will be posting as much as I can about our family adventures.

I also do plan to start a little workout routine with my Dad while he is here, so I will be posting our workouts as well. Feel free to join us, it's simple, just ask to be added to one of our free online accountability groups, and I'll throw in a Free Online Fitness Assessment for you!

HOW I WORKUT WHEN I TRAVEL

Thanks for visiting, and hope to see ya soon!!

My Parents Are Here!!!

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HOW I TRAVEL 7-10 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR

Celebrating Baby Penelope's First Birthday!

I can't believe that my Baby Penelope (Pippa) is already ONE YEARS OLD!

It seems like it was just yesterday that Arlene and I were at the Birthing Home in Buhi, Bicol Philippines where Pippa was born. Fast forward one year later and we are having her very first birthday in Cavite Philippines with about 60 people including my parents who arrived a few days ago from the USA.

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The whole day went so fast just like the year prior, but I just wanted to share a quick video of our Baby Penelope's Birthday from Kinder City. The staff at Kinder City were so accommodating and we had such a great experience. The kids has so much fun!

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Enjoy the video, and thanks to all who came and celebrated our Baby Pippa's First Birthday, we are so blessed!

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Thanks for visiting my blog, and if you are ever in the Philippines, feel free to message me if you want to get together for some coffee or lunch. Have an amazing day!!

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Ternate Beach Resort - Cavite, Philippines

Oh boy, it seems like I am always playing catch up ha ha!

Ternate Beach Resort

A few weeks ago, I took my girls to Ternate Cavite to check out this beach resort. Before checking out this local beach, we headed to Arlene's sisters "Mother/Law" and celebrated her 85th birthday, WOW!!! She was so cute =)

Anyways, sorry for not posting on a regular! I've been slammed with video projects, but it's been super fun and challenging. I promise to try to post more =)

Ways I Earn Income - How Much I Really Make?

Here is a quick video of our day in Ternate, Cavite Philippines. Make today count!

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Ain't nothing better than DAD LIFE! 

ANNOUNCEMENT:

I am in the process of looking for aspiring entrepreneurs to join my team! Characteristics I am looking for:

-  Goal driven

-  Lives or would like to start living a healthier and fit lifestyle

-  Loves to travel

-  Curious about Cryptocurrency and how they can benefit

-  Has to be teachable

-  Isn't afraid to make a small investment towards a better future

-  Family oriented 

-  Understands the importance of Passive Income

-  Open to real business ideas, no scams! 

If you have some or all of these characteristics, feel free to contact me, I'd love to talk ideas! 

A TYPICAL DAY Living in Cavite, Philippines

So I've been based here in the Philippines here since January 2019, and although I say that, I can't really say that I live here because I am constantly traveling for work and video projects. But when I am here, I tend to try to relax and focus on my family. Sometimes we get all caught up in wanting to be successful for our families that we simply forget to spend quality time with them.

My Favorite Part of What I Do 

Starting a family here in the Philippines has been wonderful! A lot of times I would rather not plan anything and just spend quality time with my girls at home, and we do this as much as we can =)

A typical day living here is Cavite is pretty laid back unlike living in the city of Manila. Where we live, it's like being in the province. It's definitely a lot slower here, and that's just perfect for us!

I have a lot of friends who are Digital Nomads or have their own online businesses, and I always tell them that living in Southeast Asia is perfect because the cost of living is very low, which enables you to save more, and invest more in your business. I do this quite often where Arlene and I will have our set budget weeks or days, and we try to keep things as minimal as possible. Doing this helps me do more for my business, and helps me organize my finances better.

What Arlene and I use to workout everyday!

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Here is a quick video of a typical day living here in Cavite, Philippines. It's not quite the same everyday, but it's pretty close. When we are not staying home and budgeting, we're pretty much out exploring, and the Philippines has a ton of places to get lost in!

Enjoy our quick video, and if you ever make it to Southeast Asia or the Philippines specifically, feel free to message me, I'll be happy to show you around! =)

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Project Bantu Philippines - An Inspiring Day Filming

On September 14th, 2019, I spent the day in this very disadvantaged community in the city of Manila called San Andres Bukid. A few weeks ago I posted in a facebook group which catered to people who were interested in volunteering in the Philippines, and here is a screen shot of my post:

Volunteer Opportunities - Philippines

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Immediately after my post, I started getting flooded with messages in my inbox, I was so very excited! 

Project Bantu Philippines was among the first organizations to message me. I decided to reply after taking a quick look at their page. I really liked what they were doing with the children so very quickly, we set a date to film one of their classes right in the middle of San Andres Bukid. 

When I film charity based organizations, the one thing that I always look for is if the organizer really cares about the mission, or if they are just in it for the wrong reasons, I've seen this many times unfortunately. 

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My first impression with Jaime Benedicto was that he had a big heart and was really passionate about his work. Jaime is the Project Director and Founder of Project Bantu Philippines, and he's been changing lives for over 6 years now! I spent a good 5 hours filming and getting inspired by him, and the teens who were actually also teaching the other children who once before, were in their shoes. It was nice to see the progression and the success that was happening in this organization. 

Arlene and Baby Penelope also came along with me for the support, and they had a blast playing with and watching the children. It was a family affair, and something that I want to continue doing as baby Penelope gets older. I hope that she will one day get inspired to help others just like her Daddy =). 

Editing the Project Bantu video at home with Baby Pippa =)

So back to Project Bantu =)

Jaime and the organization are currently in the process of trying to build a new center for Project Bantu Philippines. As of now, they are hosting their classes in a community building. If you would like to assist them with this project for opening a new center, or would like to support them in any way, I will include the links below. 

Here is the video that I created for Project Bantu Philippines, it is just my way of giving back to the community. If you are reading this, and you run a non-profit, please feel free to contact me for consideration of my Free Video Production services, I look forward to hearing all about it! 

Project Bantu Philippines Links:

- Facebook

- Patreon

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Project Bantu Philippines

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*Arnel is a Independent Filmmaker with OCRTUBE.com, Adventure Traveler, Crypto Enthusiast, Online Fitness Coach/Influencer, and devoted Family Man. Connect with me here!

arnelbanawa

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First Time Taking Baby Penelope to Kinder City - Birthday Package Prices

With our baby Penelope's First Birthday just around the corner, we've been looking for places that would be the perfect place to celebrate. I think we found a place =)

The Kinder City at Vista Mall General Trias, Cavite is an indoor playground with all kinds of activities like rock climbing, jumping on trampolines, slides, and more. We were interested in this place because the facility was quite large and very clean! They also have a Kinder Cafe for quick bites, and they even have restrooms inside the play area so that you don't have to leave the facilities like the other smaller indoor playhouses.

Although the birthday packages seems a bit pricey, you actually get a lot more than you think. We inquired about what was included in the 25,000 php price ($500 USD) and this is what is included:

Kinder City Birthday Package:

-  Rate is for 60 people (30 kids and 30 adults)
-  Meals for 60 which included one round of Iced Tea
-  Party room and play area for 3 hours
-  Sound system
-  Printed and online invites
-  Gift bags for all the kids
-  Birthday Cake
-  Gift for the Celebrant

I've included more specific graphic
details below.

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Birthday Package Price: 25,000 php ($500 USD)

 What's Included:

Printed and Online Invites

 Kiddie and Adult Menus

 Gift Bags for all kids and Gift for Celebrant

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON THE KINDER CITY BIRTHDAY PACKAGE:

If you live near a Kinder City, I highly recommend that you purchase what is called a Kinder City Kiddie Passport. The Passport costs about $1500 php ($30 USD) and is good for one year. The passport gives you a 10% discount on all visits, and even gives you a couple free entries, as well as a frequent customer stamp card where you can get more free plays for the kids. And guess what, if you are planning a birthday party, you can use the 10% discount on your party package, so instead of paying 25,000 php, you would pay 22,500 php (about $50 USD in savings). 

Check out Picnic Grove - Tagaytay Philippines

Now of course if you will not be visiting Kinder City all throughout the year, it probably won't be that good a deal for you, so you might as well just spend the 25,000 and have a great time! 

We purchased the Kinder City Passport about a week ago and took advanta

ge of one of the FREE visits. You can see our quick video here:

First Time at Kinder City

Watch more of our videos here! #LagalagMafia

To all of the parents near the General Trias/Dasmarinas Cavite area, I hope that you found this post helpful. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to ask me any questions. I'll post our daughters Birthday Party video here soon! =)

*Arnel is a Independent Filmmaker with OCRTUBE.com, Adventure Traveler, Crypto Enthusiast, Online Fitness Influencer, and devoted Family Man. Connect with me here!

FIRST TRIP TO MINDANAO (MT. APO) - Davao City, Philippines

Fire Show at Riverwalk Exotic Resto Grill - Davao Crocodile Park

I've always wanted to go to Mindanao since my first time visiting the Philippines as an adult in 2014. One of the main reasons for me was to hike the highest peak, which is Mount Apo.

First time in the Philippines in 2014 - Banaue Rice Terraces

Fast forward to 2019, five years later, I now have a small home in Cavite about an hour away from Manila. I started a family, and guess what,  I still haven't been able to pursue my goal of hiking Mount Apo.

Hiking the Banaue Rice Terraces

And then came an opportunity to film an event in Davao City on August 25, 2019. I booked my tickets right away from Manila, and took my family with me. The only thing was, I would not be able to hike up Mount Apo with an infant, so the only option was to just take a tour to Mount Apo Natural Park and get a view of the highest peak. I know it isn't the same as trekking up, but we decided that we would wait until Penelope got a little older, and the view point would just be a taste of what would come at a later date.

One day I will hike Mount Apo, but having a family now, the decision making process is a little more tricky =) At any rate, I think that it would be much more fun to do it with the family, what a great adventure that would be! I don't think Mount Apo is going anywhere, so when we are ready, we will conquer it together!

Dhen Yhos Place - Mount Apo View Point

When we finally arrived to Davao City, I had to first film an event called the Dayaw OCR. What was cool about this is that the Dayaw OCR was the first obstacle course race in Mindanao, so that in itself was pretty cool to be a part of. The event was a success, the people were awesome, and I again helped the sport grow in a different place, so mission accomplished! =) If you want to watch the video that I created for Dayaw OCR, you can watch it here:

Dayaw OCR - Davao City, Philippines

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The next day was dedicated to family, so I booked a private tour with a gentlemen by the name of Kuya Joey Davao with Davao Tour Package with Kuya Joey Davao. Now, I'm pretty sure that his last name isn't really Davao, but it makes for a catchy business name. We chose him first because he was almost 50% less expensive than the other tour companies. Traveling solo for many years, I really never went on tours because it was always better, and cheaper to do it on your own. But now having in infant, for me it's just much easier to have a professional tour guide to take us to some places so that we can focus on whatever baby Penelope needed, and not worry about getting lost. It definitely was a wise decision to hire a local to take us around.

With Kuya Joey Davao - Dhen Yhos Place

With Kuya Joey Davao, it was just us and no one else, and that is what I preferred. The day was totally customizable, and he made us feel like we were just like friends hanging out versus some corny tour with random people. We also wanted to go on our own versus with a group because if we needed to stop or rest, we could do that anytime, and not worry about holding the group up and getting off track with time. With Kuya Joey Davao, our schedule was on us, no time limits, we could take our own time and really soak in the sights without any pressure. It was such a great time.

Book your Davao City Tours with Kuya Joey Davao here!

Entrance of Tawsuvan Falls

Tawsuvan Falls

I also wanted to point out that it was Arlene and Penelope's first time flying on a plane, so it was cool to see them experience something new. We flew via Cebu Pacific.

Of course we did not see everything that we wanted to see in Mindanao, but what we did see was enough to say that we'll be back for more.

Here is a quick video of our trip to Mindanao, and if you ever visit, give Kuya Joey Davao a call, he will take care of you and I promise you, it won't break the bank! =)

First Trip to Mindanao #LagalagMafia

Watch more of our family video on Youtube here!

*Arnel is a Independent Filmmaker with OCRTUBE.com, Adventure Traveler, Crypto Enthusiast, Online Fitness Influencer, and devoted Family Man. Connect with me here!