3 Billion Years + - Reflections from the Grand Canyon

Looking at the Grand Canyon, one will be convinced about the Theory of Evolution.  The scientific evidences need not be seen through a microscope or a telescope, it is right there in front of your very eyes.  Rock deposits all over the years are seen as different layers with varying colors.  Simply amazing.

Also, the Grand Canyon disputes the timeline in the Christian Bible, which actually puts the earth and the entire universe billions of years younger.  If the Grand Canyon alone is 3 Billion Years Old, then the Bible cannot be right about its representation of time.

5 Levels of Creation from the Native American Indians

A sandpainting inside a Native American Indian hogan (house) depicts the 5 Levels of the Creation.  To Native American Indians, the sky is the Father God and the earth is a mother God.   

Reflections from the Heard Museum, and the plight of the Native American Indians

Not since my visit at Auschwitz 8 years ago have I been heavily disturbed visiting a museum.  The Heard museum in Phoenix, Arizona sure has a lot to talk about the plight of the Native American Indians.

May 2012, the Heard Museum has a special exhibit for the Apache Indians, with specific feature on the most popular Apache Indian, Geronimo.

The saddest part, the depiction of Geronimo is nothing but evil, conniving, anti-government and downright subversive.  Probably one of the most misunderstood personalities in the World History.  And this was made complex by incorrect depictions of him from Hollywood movies and social media.  This is magnified by the Chewing Gum brand below, including a very nasty description of  Gum #25 - Geronimo.   

Only in the past 10 years has Geronimo been getting the rightful recognition as a genuine American hero.  Well, until Hunt for Osama bin Laden which again dragged his name.

Apart from the Apache exhibition, the Heard Museum has a solid collection of Native American Indian artifacts as seen in the photo below.

Another interesting section features the collection of Indigenous cultures around the world, including a feature on the Kalingas and the Muslim Mindanao. 

But the most disturbing was the section about the Indian Boarding School.  I had no idea this has happened, and only learned it thru very sad pictures and artifacts.

For many years, young Native American Indians were taken away from their respective families and brought to Boarding Schools in Oklahoma, and other states to educate them like "white" people.  It was really more of a cleansing activity done to the Native American Indian Youth.  They were no longer allowed to speak their native language, nor wear their traditional garments.

worse.  their hair was forcibly cut.

This was all part of the decree to Americanize the Native American Indian.  An excerpt of which is documented below.

Reading the documentation is simply harrowing.  But the exhibit captured the experience thru the series of posters below.  Here, the pictures tell the story.

Facebook for Hiring

By now, we should know that Facebook is already being used for applicant screening in the Philippines.  And now more than ever.  And it is difficult to get away with it.  This is a sample conversation between a recruiter and an applicant about Facebook that you need to factor in everytime you update your facebook status.

Recruiter:  Do you have a Facebook account?
(If the applicant says no, but the applicant has a Facebook account.  Then that is lying.  And it is really easy to find out if a person has a Facebook account or not.  So be very careful what you answer)


(If the applicant say yes...then)


Recruiter:  Can I have access to your facebook account, add me as a friend?

(If the applicant says no, then the first question is why not?  Are you to hide something?  Why wouldn't you let a potential employer see your Facebook profile?)


(If the applicant says yes, then the applicant needs to be very careful about what they post, their photos)

AND they have to consider CONTEXTUAL COLLAPSE.  As a concept, contextual collapse existed in many forms of communication, but never before has it been felt than in Facebook.  Contextual Collapse refer to 1 comment or 1 photo or 1 tag that a friend of yours did, potentially incriminating you.  One comment of a friend is all you need for things you wanted to keep in the sidelights be highlighted in the forefront.  It could be a trip to Vegas, the night you were drunk, or a boyfriend/girlfriend.

The danger of Contextual Collapse is that it can hit you from any conversation thread.  You can be posting about a wholesome family getaway in the beach, when out of nowhere a friend comments about the time you spent with your boyfriend at a secluded resort.  And the friend just happen to be your boss.

Or you could post a picture of your family at a Christmas dinner, when a facebook friend of yours suddenly talk about the night you got drunk at your Corporate Christmas Party.

Or worse, out of nowhere you were tagged by a Facebook friend in a picture at the beach while you were wearing the skimpiest of swimsuits.

So be very careful not only on what you post in Facebook, but even on what you are tagged in.  These days the difference between you being hired or not is a matter of 1 Facebook tag.

Best of Cebu Food

part 1

Cebu is synonymous to affordable and delicious food.  For where else can you get a 100 peso plate of Baked Scallops in an airconditioned restaurant in a Philippine City?

But Best as a term can be problematic as food and taste is highly subjective, so let's say these are our favorite places to eat in Cebu.

FAVORITE RIBS IN CEBU
Surfin Ribs

image from facebook/surfinribs

 Frustratingly, Casa Verde wavered and the quality of their ribs have started to decline.  We went to their branch at Ayala and at IT Park, and were consistently underwhelmed.  Suddenly, their ribs start to lack flavor and the cuts of the ribs seemed not correctly done.

At the same time, news came out of this new ribs place.  It costs 149 pesos for a full-slab, compared to 208 for Casa Verde.  We just had to try and was really pleased.  Their ribs is very tasty, and meaty.  So at less than 150 pesos, this has to be the most practical slab of ribs one could get.  Another thing we like is that they have the Spicy Ribs variety.  It is moderately spiced, so no need to worry if you want to try but are afraid of spicy.  Their claws, and buffalo wings are also good.

The 2 downsides are 1) the place is not airconditioned.  So going there lunch time would require you to bring a towel 2) not straight forward to go there.  It is along Escario's one-way street.  Very close to Parklane Hotel, but you would have to go around the block if you are bringing a car.  In the vicinity are several spas, and it is the place along Escario where cars are double or even triple parked.  One time, we waited 45 minutes just to get a table.  Go there early (6pm or even before for dinner)

BEST SCALLOPS in CEBU
Kuya J's

Chikaan's and Golden Cowrie's are good, but consider Kuya J's scallops the best.  It seems fresher, more succulent not to mention very generous with the butter.  And at 128 pesos a plate, it becomes the most affordable too.  Only Tsibooom's is cheaper, but this one is just a class above everyone else's.

Incidentally, Kuya J is along Orchid Street, in Capitol right across the very popular STK Ta Bai.  Enjoy STK's ambience but visit the Scallops at Kuya J's.

BEST SANDWICH in CEBU
Dolce

Getting a good sandwich could very tough in Cebu.  In Cebu just like in the whole Philippines, rice is a staple food.  So it will be easier to get an exotic dish (goat, snails, etc) than a good sandwich.  We like the simple sandwiches prepared while you wait at Kate's (Beside Rustans at the Basement of Ayala).  The Turkey Ham sandwich at the Metro Deli is nice, but you have to get it with the Mayo as the sandwiches are already prepared.  Having the mayo removed is an ordeal it seems.

Back in April, we tried this new restaurant at Nivel Hills.  Their specialty - sandwiches, burgers, and quiche. Dolce's Sandwiches allow you to mix and match with their available bread, cheese, and meat.  So you create your own sandwich.  Our favorite is Turkey Bacon with Gruyere cheese on Ciabatta.  Since the sandwich is grilled while you wait, the melting cheese compliments the meat and the bread really well.  Oh, and their condiments are served in a nice 3-d "W-shaped" container.  So you put your own relish, mustard, catsup or mayo.

And their sandwich is 150 pesos.  A little pricey, yes for a sandwich but the place's ambience is quite impressive.  Simple white decor amidst the Nivel Hills overseeing Busay makes dining a pleasant experience.

Dolce is in D'Address right beside Bellini at Nivel Hills, in Lahug Cebu.

Runner-up with be the semi-private restaurant at Dove street.  At 150 pesos, you get a salad, a sandwich and a dessert.  Food is good.  The only downside, quite difficult to find.  It is inside a subdivision, so you need a god map or googlemaps.

AI WGWG or Can an Asian American really win American Idol

For the 5th consecutive time a WGWG (White Guy With Guitar) won American Idol.  And most of the Philippines and the Fil-am community was frustrated that their bet, Jessica Sanchez settled for the runner-up spot.   The last female to win Idol was in 2006.  The last non-white to win was also in 2006.  Hmmm, can an Asian American woman really win American Idol?

In a show like idol where 100% of the decision is made by the voting public, it is very important to understand the demographics of America to answer the question.  This becomes relevant when you know that 8 out of the 11 winners are from Southern US, including the first 5 winners.  And American Idol is very popular in the South.

Arts especially music should really have no demographic biases, but not if votes determine the winner.  Many call the United States a melting pot of cultures and nationalities, due to the estimated 20M legal and illegal immigrants in the country.  But one must remember that the US is the 3rd most populated country in the world, next to China and India.  So 20M represents less than 10% of the population.

A demographic analysis of the potential voters does not support the theory of racial bias or cultural discrimination.  It is understandable that people associate to the music they are used to, or they grew up with.  Example.  country, folk, rock as opposed to urban and r&b

Jessica Sanchez case is interesting because she is Latina-Asian American.  So by association, she should be getting votes and support of the 2 communities.  However, the Hispanic combined with the Asian community  only represent 21% of the entire US.  White US is estimated at 72%, which is more than 3 times of the Asian-Latino population combined.

One argues that that there had been African-American winners on Idol, in fact there had bee 3:  Ruben on season 2, Fantasia on Season 3 and Jordin in 2006.  And Black/African American only represent less than 13% of the population.  That is a different story altogether, given Black and African American singers are part of the corner stone of US music history.  Big names of past and present US music include Black artists. One can argue that US music is rooted from Black music.  Asian American music artists have limited success in the US, compared to whites and blacks.  Hispanic artists had better success.  So, given the demographics and American music history,  a Hispanic American Idol is more likely than an Asian American Idol.   Sad but true.

Lady Gaga in Manila

If you want more fans and followers in a non-conventional concert, art work, or movie?  Simple, ask the Church to discourage viewers!  It is a sure guarantee that people will come.

The 2-night Lady Gaga concert ended as one (or two) of the most successful concerts in the Philippines.  Both days were sold out, and 90,000 Pinoys did buy tickets with many of them paying 15,000P a ticket.

Archbishop Arguelles said " her fans are in danger of falling into the clutches of Satan."

What the hell!  Ooops.

To which Lady Gaga said, before performing the controversial Judas:

"I am not a creature of your government Manila.  Tonight is all about togetheness!  In our differences we are all the same.  People need to be free to be who they are."

This is the song that gathered the most criticism among Roman Catholic leaders around the world. In the Philippines, ArchbishopRamon Arguelles said “her fans are in danger of falling into the clutches of Satan.”




“I am not a creature of your government Manila. Tonight is all about togetherness! In our differences we are all the same. People need to be free to be who they are.”

Jason Mraz Artistic Album Cover

I do not own the album, well not yet.  I just thought the album cover design is artistically cool.

This is Jason Mraz's 4th Studio Album, already peaking at #2 in the US.  The official title is "Love is a Four Letter Word", which is also cool.

Manny Pacquiao, Leviticus, Lost in Translation

Relieved.  That the issue on Pac-man quoting a bible passage to allegedly utter an anti-LGBT remark.  News came out early in the week that that Congressman Pacquiao allegedly said to a US reporter that not only does he agree with same-sex marriages, and that gays and lesbians should go to hell.  He allegedly cited a bible passage to back it up.

He denied everything.  His argument "Who is Leviticus"?  Hahaha.  I thought it is funny, but I believe it. Newly-trained evangelist Pacquiao has been recently heard quoting the bible in several instances, which is probably why many believed the story.

My friends at TTA had a feast and the photo below captures the different things the Old Testament bans.  So if one just reads thru the passages as they are, if you are a believer of the Bible then you should not:  shave, curse, gossip, play football on Saturdays, eat lobsters, eat pork, or wear cotton and polyester blends.  And many many more!

Marriott Hotel Manila

I have blogged several times about Marriott Hotel Manila, and in fact named it as a personal Top 5 of the Best Hotels in Manila.  Over the Mother's Day weekend, half of our family stayed at the Marriott.  The other half at Remington Hotel.  Let me just share what has changed.

Actually, very few things have changed, but let us still break it down...

LOCATION

Location is of course still OK.  I mean, it is still there, right on the same spot since it opened.  Major difference is that if you are walking from the Genting Center, the only way to Marriott is thru the Resorts World Entrance.   So going to Marriott would be thru the main Resorts World entrance or thru the Marriott driveway entrance.  Again, no big deal.

LOBBY

For some reason, the Marriott Hotel Manila lobby seem smaller.  Not sure if they added furniture or if there were just so many people there.  The lobby just felt cramped.  One thing we noticed was that there seemed to be a lot of bodyguards and drivers in the lobby.  I guess that tells you the type of people who stay at the hotel.

CHECK-IN

I don't think it is possible but overall service in the hotel even improved.  To begin with, Marriott Hotel service before is already above average, now it is even better.  We tried to check-in at 11am on a Mother's Day and they allowed us to check-in early.  Even Shangri-la nor the Pen would not allow this.  Well, you know how I feel about Maxim's service, so forget about them in terms of early check-in.  So I waited a total of 2 minutes to get checked-in.  Straight forward, no prolonged wait.  We got into the room at 11:10am. 

ROOM & AMENITIES

Room is still the same.  We got the standard room with 2 double beds.  I just love sleeping at Marriott beds.  Their pillows are unbelievably soft, their beds really really comfortable.  And the beds are big enough for 2 people, 3 if you have a kid with you.  So actually, 4-5 people would comfortably sleep in the room.

Bathroom is still the same.  I really like the concept of the retractable bathroom window.  I also like their big ceiling shower.  The bathtub is also OK, and big enough to be considered a smaller "swimming pool" by a 2-year old kid.

So cannot complain about room and amenities either.

VERDICT

We paid 7,400 pesos for an overnight stay at their standard room with Buffet breakfast for 2 people.  We were given discount because we were Resorts World members.  We were to pay 8,500 otherwise.

If you can spare ~8,000 pesos for a hotel room, then Marriott Hotel Manila should be considered.  Rooms are nice and comfortable.  Buffet food selection for breakfast is good, not at the same level as Circles in Shangri-la, but yes good.  But the best thing I like about Marriott is their service.  To which I give my 5-stars.

2-year old bday girl jumping and enjoying herself at the Marriott Hotel bed

Remington Hotel, Resorts World Manila

Over the Mother's Day weekend, the family stayed at Resorts World Manila.  We got a free room at Marriott and my brother and his family stayed at the Remington Hotel.  There are 3 major hotels at RW Manila - Maxim's Suite, Marriott Hotel, and newly-opened for 2012, Remington Hotel.

Remington is packaged as a budget-friendly hotel.  Their standard room rate is 50-75% less than the other two hotels.

Without taxes and service charges, here are the rates for their standard rooms:

• Maxim's Suite - ~15,000 a night
• Marriott Hotel - ~7,900 a night
• Remington - ~3,900 a night

As you see, there is significant discrepancy with the prices.  Is it OK for the price?  Let's break it down...

(the Remington Hotel picture from agoda)

(the Remington Hotel reception area and lobby)

(Basic Twin Bed hotel room set-up for a Standard Room)

At Remington Hotel, prices are 50-75% less than RW's 2 other hotels, do you get what you pay for?

I'd say yes, but let us break it down.

LOCATION

Remington Hotel is located right across Republiq.  You could actually see the Mall if your room is on the east side of the mall.  Technically, you can just walk for 1 minute from the mall to Remington.  The only problem is that there is no internal walkway just yet.  So you have to go out of the mall, and cross the street.  It is not a huge deal really, unless it is noontime and the sun is scorching, or if it is raining.  Because you have to really go out of the street. As opposed to say Marriott or Maxim's which are inside the Resorts World Building or at least connected, so need to go out.

LOBBY

For a budget-friendly Hotel, the lobby is impressive.  The design and colors are expensive.  Waiting lounge chairs are plenty and are quite comfortable.

CHECK-IN

When checking-in, you realize why they need the waiting chairs to be comfortable =).  Their check-in service still needs a lot of improvement.  I do not understand why they don't have a concept of a queue, so the check-in counter seems chaotic.  So what happens is you go to the counter who you think will be able to serve you fastest - maybe the shortest line, or the receptionist who looks most efficient.  So very unpredictable.  I lined up behind a lady only to find out she was checking-in for 10 Korean guests!  that's why no one was following her in the queue.

ROOM

At half the price, the Remington standard room is nothing like Marriott's.  It is similar to standard rooms at First World Hotel in Genting (in Malaysia) - simple beds and bathroom.  

The room is really basic:  2 White Twin beds, room with no or very limited view, one table and one side table.  The restroom is small, with a toilet and a very small shower room.  I think I have said basic   a number of times, but it is really what it was....er...basic.

AMENITIES
On the bed, you will see a list of the basic amenities provided in the room - 2 towels, soap, etc.  The note seems to remind the guest that "If after you leave and the inventory is less, you will have to pay for any of these items that had been lost".

Interestingly, special and other amenities can be purchased in modern vending machines at the lobby.  Extra tissue, or wet ones can be purchased hassle-free in several vending machines that can be found at the lobby.

VERDICT
If you want to save some money in your hotel stay, you can consider Remington.  Especially if you are not particular about high-class beddings or room amenities.  I hope services in general improve, but everything else is commensurate to their 4,000 a night fee.

Remember, 2 nights at Remington ~= 1 night at Marriott.

Survivor 25 in the Philippines

As a big Survivor fan, it is a delight to know that the Silver Edition of the US Reality TV Show will be set in the Philippines.  Dubbed Survivor: Philippines, the 25th edition of the original and most successful reality show franchise on TV will be set in Caramoan, Camarines Sur Philippines.

(photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.  But digging my old photos of CamSur to add on this blogpost)

This is only the 3rd time that the Survivor US edition will be shot in Southeast Asia.  Previously Survivor Borneo, the first edition was in Malaysia, and the 5th edition was in Survivor Thailand.

Everyone in the country is hoping that the show will boost tourism in the Philippines.  Our country has not gotten good press about our islands in the past decade.  Yes, the beaches and islands are amazing and definitely some of the best in the world.  But the Philippine islands were also internationally known to be where several kidnappings happened.  So the whole country is hoping that the whole world recognizes that so many things have changed and that some incidents were really isolated events.

According to the show's website, they had already completed filming in CamSur and the Philippines edition is set to broadcast in September 2012.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/194799/camsur-philippine-tourism-seen-getting-boost-with-%E2%80%98survivor%E2%80%99-show

Who is Morissey?

Morissey is coming to Manila on May 13 for a 1-night concert.  And the question on many (young) people's mind...who the hell is Morissey?

As a huge huge fan of The Smiths, the question dearly hurts.  But at the same time, I feel obliged to share the information.  So here you go...

Morissey is the lyricist and vocalist of the Smiths.  He is regarded as an important innovator in terms of independent music.  Many consider him as one of the most influential artists ever.  The band, the Smiths is regarded by many music critics as the most important alternative rock band from the indie music scene in the 1980's.

Both Morissey and The Smiths were not superstars commercially.  I am not sure if they wanted to be.  But what they have is an unbelievable cult following.  And their influence to modern day rock and punk music is astonishing.  The Stone Roses, Blur, Oasis, The Killers and Radiohead call The Smiths as major influence.  Even Pinoy bands like the Eraserheads or Orange Lemons cite The Smiths as their musical idol.

So how do we introduce The Smiths to the generation born after the disband in 1987?

Well, thanks to the wonderful movie, (500) days of summer, Generation Y gets to appreciate the music of the Smiths.

The most popular single of Morissey here in the Philippines would have to be this early 90's hit The More You Ignore Me(The Closer I Get).  Though critics and staunch Morissey fans would argue that his best hits would be Everyday is Like Sunday and Sudehead.

The most popular song of The Smiths in the Philippine music scene, would have to be Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now.  It became popular in 1984, at the height of the New Wave Music Movement.  During the time, when New Wave music was upbeat and carefree, The Smiths released a hit about being miserable. And the GenX related really well.

Ironically, the biggest charting hit by The Smiths is the 1992 song This Charming Man, released after the broke up and as part of their Best of Part I album.

So there you go...Iconic Rock Band The Smiths in one blog post.

Concert Prices in the Philippines Gaga, Morissey, Lifehouse

It has been said that only the laos and nalalaos (unpopular) foreign acts come to the Philippines to stage a concert.  So for two reasons, I am excited about Lady Gaga coming to the Philippines to hold a concert.  No, I will not be watching but I am excited that 1) the Philippines and the unique fun-loving Filipino music fans will be highlighted because of the concert and 2) The CBCP, the churches and the moralists will be up in arms once again.  hahaha.  I could not wait for Gaga to wear her plastic white gown.

Lady Gaga just confirmed a 2nd night concert in Manila.  Originally, she was only slated for May 21, now it is the 21st and 22nd.  Wow!  To think the prices of the tickets are not cheap.   Patron is over 15,000 pesos and Lower Box is over 11,000.  Amazing.

In comparison, Morissey VIP tickets are for 5,500 pesos, while for Lifehouse it is 4,200 pesos.  So concert tickets for international artists come with a big price.

Remember, that the Anne Curtis Annebisyosa concert had 3,000 pesos for VIP seats =).  Come to think of it, anything compared to that would be worth it. =)


(pictures and data are from http://www.philippineconcerts.com/foreign)

Ticket Prices:

PATRON – P15,840
LOWER BOX Reserved Seats - P11,620
LOWER BOX (Persons w/ Disability) Standing – P11,620
UPPER BOX (Free Seating) – P5,280
UPPER BOX (Persons w/ Disability) Standing – P5,280
GENERAL ADMISSION (Free Seating) – P2,120
GENERAL ADMISSION (Persons w/ Disability) Standing – P2,120

Ticket prices:

P8,000 – SVIP (4th-9th row) limited seats
P5,799 – VIP (Reserved Seats)
P3,710 – Titanium (Free Seating)
Prices inclusive of 4.48% service charge.

PATRON VIP PT 101 & 103 (Reserved Seating) – P5830
PATRON (Reserved Seating) – P4770
LOWER BOX CENTER (LB 200-201) (Reserved Seating) – P4240
LOWER BOX SIDES (Reserved Seating) – P3710
UPPER BOX A (Reserved Seating) – P2650
UPPER BOX B – P1590
GENERAL ADMISSION – P850

Reaction: Cornetto White Cholocate Commercial

So the latest commercial was released by Cornetto last March, 2012.  It is for their new White Chocolate Ice Cream.

And just like their previous commercials, it is a big hit with viewers.

As a TV commercial considering artistry and creativity, I agree.  Interesting concept and actually funny.  But I still have the same problem with it as a Product Advertisement.

You my friend wanted to have an ice cream dessert, and she wanted the White Chocolate Ice Cream. When she ordered...she asked for the White Chocolate Drumstick.  And of course the lady at the counter gave her a drumstick.  When she was about to finish the ice cream she realized it was not what she wanted.  But too late, she already consumed the drumstick...by Nestle!

Pinoys who are Gen X and older know this type of Ice Cream as Drumstick.  Similar to how many people call camera, Kodak, or toothpaste, Colgate, this is Drumstick for us.  The funny thing is, while we were laughing we actually could not remember that the very good commercial was by Cornetto.

1) Again, a good commercial, but ineffective product advertisement.  I could not remember the product.  Unlike say in the very successful "Karen" commercial of McDonalds, Lolo was splitting the hamburger in half.  So at least you know this is a hamburger they are endorsing.  Interestingly, none of "Tugs Tugs Tugs", or "Long Sleeves or Short Sleeves" or "Haircut" is remotely related to an Ice Cream.

The intent is to tie the commercial with the price - 20 Pesos.  Which is another problem, if not bigger.

2) I have not bought a Cornetto nor a Drumstick for 20 Pesos.  Honestly, where can you buy a 20P cornetto if not for a grocery/supermarket?  I know because in 7-Eleven, it is not 20 Pesos.  In some restaurants it is 35 Pesos.  In Sari-Sari Store it is 27 Pesos and sometimes 30 Pesos.

I actually tried to argue with a mini-Stop salesperson that Cornetto should be 20Pesos only.  She just smiled and went away.  I don't think majority of Cornettos are sold in groceries/supermarkets.  I think most are sold in convenience stores.  Which means most of the time, Cornetto is no 20 Pesos.

I could not remember the product.  And the point of association between the creative and the product is not even true (It is not 20 Pesos most of the time!).

So how did this become a good commercial again?  =)

Best Beaches in the Philippines

CNN had the Philippines featured last week.  Part of the feature is a list of the 10 Best Beaches in the Philippines.  This is a difficult task to do, given the 7000+ islands in the country and really fantastic sand and  shorelines.

Here is CNN's List:

1) El Nido
2) Boracay
3) Palaui, Tuguegarao
4) Panglao, Bohol
5) Bantayan Islands, Cebu
6) Caramoan, Bicol Region
7) Samal, Davao
8) Siargao, Surigao
9) Great Santa Cruz Island, Zamboanga
10) Pagudpud, Ilocos

More than anything else, a list like this provokes more than inform or validate.  Because there is no way two people would agree on a list of the 10 bests especially pertaining to a beach.  Judging a best beach entails more than sand and water.  The unwritten factor include "when did you go", "who you went with", "who was with you".  Even "where did you stay", and "how much you spent" are valid questions to consider.

Still a good list, only if it helps advertise the Philippines especially the lesser known places.

I had been to 8 of the 10 beaches named here.  Well, 9 if you consider the nearby Zamboanga beach we went to before.

My thoughts about the list:
Without a doubt, El Nido, Boracay, Bantayan are the best Beaches in the Philippines.  Regardless of who you are with or when you went, it is very difficult to make a mistake vacationing in any of these 3 locations.  Powdery sand beaches and water that caters for the very good swimmer and the non-swimmer make these 3 really appealling.

El Nido is a fantastic place particularly for the view.  Boracay for the very long shallow water and the white sand.  Bantayan for the gorgeous water and a unique friendly atmosphere.

this is Bantayan not Boracay.  where sand is also powdery white and water, fantastically turquoise

night time view of the Bantayan shoreline

Not on the List
My first reaction when I saw the list was, where is Batanes?  No top ten list is credible without Batanes.  Until I realized that Batanes really had no "beachy"- beaches.  It is a fantastic place to visit with spectacular breath-taking views, but yes no major beaches.

In my book, Camiguin and Dumaguete will be on the Top 10.  Probably, so will Camotes be.

Panglao is beautiful.  But I really do not like the place. I was surprised that Samal is in the list.  It is not in my Top 20.  There is probably very little chance that I will be at Palaui, Tuguegarao very soon, especially after the narrative about the journey to get there.  But I think the major thing is that there are so many beaches in the Philippines, and identifying the best is almost a personal preference based on many factors.

But isn't that a nice problem to have?  Other countries does not even have 1 beach =).


http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/escape/philippines/philippines-best-beaches-and-islands-632923?page=0,1