Sitti Navarro

The Official Blog of Sitti Navarro

[bossagirl]

Living the Fangirl Dream // My Shane Filan Experience

It is the 13th of February and we are en route to Baguio for a Valentine show. The radio station that our driver Kuya Dodong listens to has already played Westlife songs twice, reminding me once again of the Lord’s recent wonderful surprise for me.

Oh, but my fangirling heart still can’t believe it.

How amazing this gift of a singing life has been, how full of surprises. I am on my twelfth year of singing since Cafe Bossa’s release, and of course, as with life, not everything is sunshine and roses. There have probably been as many downs as ups, but it is the ups that make the downs more bearable, and the downs that make the ups sweeter. And what life has suddenly thrown at me last month, last week, definitely ranks at the very top of ups.

Until now, my mind still fails to wrap itself around the fact that I just had my first collaboration with an international popstar. And not just any popstar, but someone whose songs my best friend Marj and I would belt out back in high school with over-the-top feelings and matching choreography. The moment we would hear the first notes of Swear It Again, Fool Again, I Lay My Love on You, If I Let You Go (my personal favourite!), and the many other Westlife hits, we would surely sing it to the very end! Ah, our high school days were such fun because it was the start of the boy band era! <3

Shane and I at his Robinson’s Manila album showcase, Feb 9, ‘18.

And now, now.. I not only got to collaborate on a song with Shane Filan, Westlife’s former lead singer, I also got to meet him when we rehearsed the song, I got to sing Need You Now with him in front of his many screaming fans in Robinson’s Place Manila last February 9, I got to hold his hand and share his breathing space and hear him up close and in wala-na-sa-sarili moments, lay my head on his shoulder, never mind if we’re both married.. and then after his performance when I said goodbye he said so many other things which my melted fangirl brain couldn’t process at the moment so all I did was smile at him and nod and say yes and then he made beso and said goodbye - OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

Photos grabbed from @niankaye @tentsva and @maikskim

I still can’t believe my good fortune. Thank You, thank You, Lord!! Thank you, MCA Music!!!

At our rehearsal last February 8, the first time we met each other and sang together, he said “I was a great singer” and that I “sound exactly like the recording”. My warped brain had to ask MCA if they recorded his comment. I obviously would need evidence that I am not making any of this up! Hahaha!

Man, somebody pinch me again…

But yeah!!! I open Spotify, iTunes, Deezer and Apple Music and see the evidence right there!! Need You Now by Shane Filan featuring Sitti.. his fans have been studiously monitoring the song’s progress, and I am so grateful to them for being nice and supportive (though I highly suspect some of them may have wanted to strangle me, haha!!). Currently, here is our song’s ranking on iTunes, as shared to me by Nela Micandro. Source: http://kworb.net/itunes/artist/shanefilan.html :

iTunes: #1 Laos #37 Vietnam #60 Indonesia #141 Singapore

My voice reached these countries. Thank You, thank You, God.

Funny how the whole recording process came about, too. My Ninong Neil Gregorio, MCA’s Senior Domestic Label Manager, sent me a text last Jan 12 informing me of the collaboration and the intended schedule for vocal recording. It was such a casual text that I responded casually too - copy on Tues, Jan 16, negative on Feb 10 as I have a show in Legazpi. i shared the news with my husband in hushed tones, unable to believe how quickly, how surprisingly this came about. He was very excited for me while I was in limbo, still in a hazy state of disbelief. And even when I was recording, it still didn’t feel real.. it was really only when I met Shane face to face that it all became true for me.

Feb 8, ‘18 - when I met Shane for the first time <3

Even now, I have to remind myself that it is true and that all this happened, haha!!

Thank you to all who have already downloaded or streamed the song. I continue to invite you to give a listen to it. Here’s the link:

https://shanefilan.lnk.to/NeedYouNowfeatSitti

And to all who might be wondering how Shane Filan is, only one word comes to mind - he is such a gracious person. For a superstar of his magnitude, he is kind.. And I am inspired by his character.

Hope you all truly had a happy Valentine week :).

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

Starting the Year Right

More than a year ago, Joey and I welcomed 2017 apart because of a family tragedy. I was needed in Manila and he was left behind in Bacolod, and because of this, without outrightly talking about it, I think both he and I wanted to more than make up for that separation by going beyond just welcoming 2018 together.

We did something we’ve never done before: we went on a self-designed (meaning, most of the time nakahilata lang kami, hihi) planning / praying / husband-and-wife-quality-time, two-night road trip date to Dumaguete from Bacolod. Joey enjoys long, scenic drives while I, who am to be honest, an introvert, also quite revel in being “far from the madding crowd”. Add to that the promise of pigging out, beach time, and the relaxing, small- and old-town feel of Dumaguete, what better way to start the year, right?

But beyond gorging on Hayahay pizza, queuing for Sanz Rival, and finishing our current Korean drama, Joey and I got to work on that trip’s most important task: identifying, discussing, and aligning our plans and goals for this year, both individually and as a couple. It was an exercise on finding out and sharing about the things that matter to us most at the current time, based on desires impressed by God. After all, beyond romance, marriage is teamwork, a partnership, and it involves working together and supporting each other toward a set of mutually agreed upon goals, and most importantly, praying for and with each other in the journey towards their realization.

We took it to heart, our wedding vows, when we said, “Grant us, O Lord / to be one heart and one soul / from this day forward / for better, for worse / for richer, for poorer / in sickness and in health / until death do us part.” (From the Catholic missal)

And in Genesis 2:24: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh”.

One flesh, one heart, one soul. And in our understanding, this extends to being of one mind, having the same purpose, working towards the same good. Marriage vows are not just for the romantic, I-will-love-you-until-the-day-i-die sentiments we all so long to hear because we fear being abandoned, it’s also a promise to BE ONE IN EVERYTHING, from the big, lofty dreams to the practical nitty-gritties that make up our everyday lives.

Why, you may ask, was this exercise necessary? Would it even work because we are two different individuals with different jobs, motivations, etc?

The first and utmost reason I could think of is the reward in obeying itself. I speak to my fellow Christians when I say this, and perhaps some of you will agree: I believe God loves it when He joins two people together in marriage, and when these two do everything they can to be one, as was His command, as He has designed marriage to be, I believe God delights in it! Wouldn’t you want to please our Creator, our Source of all that is good?

Second, aligning and agreeing upon a shared set of goals automatically gives you and your husband a well-crafted direction for the year. We all know that life loves to throw us curveballs from every angle, and when these distractions happen, all Joey and I need to do is to go back to our drawing board, and say, “Nope, that trip won’t cut it for our budget this year”, or “Yes! That totally coincides with our August goals, go for it!”. It makes couple decision-making a lot easier, and since both of you have mutually agreed on and okayed these priorities, there is no need for reconsiderations down the line unless absolutely necessary.

Third, the new year is always an opportune time for reflection. What you wish to do more of this year, what you wish you hadn’t done the past year, and how all these would affect/have affected your partner. It is absolutely necessary for husband and wife to hear each other out on their most meaningful plans or desires, so that each can throw in all that s/he can to support it, for supporting each other is an expression of love. Like for me, this year will see two launches in my career: my blog and the new album, “electro sitti". With Joey being made fully aware of these, he has promised to help me out as best as he can. As for Joey, his first half of the year will be mostly concentrated on training for his full Ironman come June 3, and I, in turn, pledge to fully support and work my schedule around this as well. As a couple, we plan to finally start building our house this year, and that would definitely eat up both our time, savings, and perhaps, patience, so planning and preparing mentally and emotionally for this undertaking is also vital.

Lastly, and perhaps, most importantly, couple prayer time at the beginning and end of every new year is a must. Joey got this from his family, and since he is now my head, my spiritual leader (as Christ is the head of the church, Eph 5:23), we’ve begun this practice of giving thanks for the year that was and dedicating our plans to the Lord since our first year of marriage. I always look forward to our couple prayer time even if it’s just on the regular days; nothing else gives you a glimpse into your husband’s soul more than hearing him speak directly to God. Indeed, I love and cherish these times of laying everything upon the Savior’s feet together.

This trip was a perfect way to start our year, I thought, and as we made the drive back to Bacolod, Joey echoed this when he said, “Okay ‘tong trip na ‘to. Gawin natin ‘to ulit mid-year. “

Looking forward :)

Thanks for reading and a Happy New Year, everyone!

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

The Best Marriage Advice I’ve Received // My Husband Doesn’t Broadcast His Affection For Me On Social Media And That’s Okay

It has often been said that it’s the little things that matter most in this life. The littlest things can get you through the most difficult of days, and the littlest problems, when accumulated and not nipped in the bud in its early stages, can germinate and lead to big, troublesome ones. We are constantly called to look after these little things, to cherish those that make us feel loved, to address and resolve those that hurt.

To be honest, in all my life I’ve never really given this much thought. I’ve pretty much lived my life the best way I saw fit - trying to walk right by the Lord and others, and singing as my passion leads me. It was only after I got married did it make sense to me, this careful consideration of the little things, and how it not only benefits my marriage but can also do wonders in the other aspects of my life as well - family, career, faith.

Marriage is fun, but it is never characterized as easy. I would say that my two years and six months with the husband went by in a happy daze but there are times when I do want to strangle him, lock him up in a barrel tied to a tree, and wait for wild animals to scare the heck out of him, haha! (There goes my errant, imagined scenarios, eep.) With every dirty laundry of my husband that I have had to pick up, with every occasional curt glance of his that I had to see, with every fault of his that he couldn’t help, I could’ve chosen to be mad, to pick a fight, to spoil our entire day or evening.  

But I don’t. I choose not to.

And I believe it goes the same for him. There are, most likely, moments when he wants to sequester himself from me, but the greater calling of being husband and wife far outweighs those little, irksome things. Compared to loving and being loved, to the peace of being in his arms every night, to the promise of growing old with this funny man, why bother to make the little things big?

And so here goes the best marriage advice I have been given, the one that applies most to me at this particular time:

“Don’t make the small things big, nor the big things small.”

In Filipino, “Huwag palakihin ang maliit, at huwag paliitin ang malaki.”

My husband has never been the type to profess his love for me on social media. With every birthday, anniversary, or Valentine’s Day that comes, I know not to expect a cheesy post from him, nor is he the type to turn our room / balcony into a romantic movie set, he just not is. And while I do sometimes envy other women who are treated to such or are given video presentations of how great, lovely, and treasured they are, I know that for my husband and me, in our marriage, these things are not needed to assure each other of our continued love and commitment.

It matters more to me how the husband reaches for my hand as he sleeps, how we both need to be physically connected before we drift off to dreamland. It matters how inseparable we are wherever we go, like Siamese twins joined at the hip, like he is a bee that is always attracted to my scent. He is thoughtful in his own sweet, little ways, like one morning when he noticed that I woke up really early and he told me, “Tulog ka pa.” It matters when he chooses to be patient with me in my most disagreeable state, it matters that however busy he may be, he still finds time to pick me up or drop me off at the airport, traffic or puyat notwithstanding.

And I would choose these over all the social media posts he could ever make.

He may not be the best at giving gifts and he may be stingy with affirming words, but I choose to give thanks for and magnify the sweet little things that he does for and to me.

My most treasured little thing of his was during one recent lunch with friends. For the first time in a long while, we were seated apart as the boys sat on one side and the girls on the other. When our orders arrived and we all started to dig in, Joey took me by surprise by bringing his food to me so I could taste it. For me, it wasn’t necessary; indeed, in the numerous lunches I have had with other couples, I’ve never seen a husband bring his food to his wife so she could share in how good it is - only Joey had. And that is why I am so thankful for this sweet, funny, and generous guy who I get to call my husband.

These sweet little things that I blow up and store in my heart, to remind me that there is much to be thankful for, much to feel loved about. <3

And as I usher in the new year, I know that I will be more mindful of the little things, and I know that my heart will be all the more fuller because of it.

Happy new year, everyone! Wishing you and your families much love, deep joy, and resounding peace.

Bossa love,

Sitti

*All photos in this post were taken from our Europe vacation last November. See #bossaeuropa on instagram if you’d like to see more. :)

[bossagirl]

Adulting is So Very Hard to Do / My Mother, the Teenager

Love this pic of my Mom and me, taken 2011 at the Ang Aking Awitin concert at the Music Museum. Credits to Norman Jimenez.

Welcome to your 30’s, or particularly, that time in your life where it is inexcusable to be immature and irresponsible. Granted, life has introduced me to this much earlier, but attitude-wise I feel like this is truly the decade where you start to become more accepting of certain life and people facts and stop blaming everyone but yourself. This is the time when you become more aware of your abilities and limitations, more accepting of them, more intentional, and sadly, also the time when you start taking care of the people who took care of you first.

For me, more than the face value of your age, it is when the adults in your life start to exhibit childlike characteristics that really pushes you to maturity (read: my mom). It is when you have to force them to go to the doctor to have that checkup, when you bribe them with a membership card just so she’d go to that social function because you’d like for her to maintain old friendships. Left to her own devices, she’d just stay in her fortress locked up with her Korean dramas. You make her do what she doesn't want to because it’ll be good for her, and she’ll sulk at you like a teenager.

Man, times, people are changing.

I love my mother very much and I only wish the best for her. I’m still hoping that at 62 she’ll fall in love again, but knowing her she’s had it with men, haha. So Joey and i try to look after her health and wellbeing as best as we can.

Early this year she had her gallbladder and gallstones removed, and she’s up for another operation next month, but this time endoscopic only. We are hoping that she doesn’t have to undergo that anymore, so in addition to the medicine she is taking as assigned by her surgeon, we’ve started seeing a famous herbalist in Binondo, Dr. Tan. Perhaps tablets and bitter herbs combined can do the trick and melt those remaining gallstones. And while I love Divisoria, going there every week is pretty tiresome and stretching on one’s nerves, so in addition to a good night’s sleep I find that I also need to pack mounds of patience, for parking is a nightmare, my Mama hates walking, the wait is long, and save for lunch, she is in a perpetual bad mood. Have to keep the atmosphere light for both of us.

Financially, Joey and I have been preparing for the family, and our own future family, as much as we can. So thankful to the Lord because He always provides.. and I always pray that we will be good and faithful stewards of all that He gives. Since the beginning of our marriage, we have both agreed on our formula: we tithe 10% of whatever we get, set aside 30% of whatever remains as our “hindi pwedeng galawin” savings, and try not to spend the balance that much. I thought I was a miser until I met my husband (I hear my brother-in-law is the ultimate cheapskate though), but I think that’s good! We always seem to apply the “need vs want” rule, though sometimes we do have opposing views on what we actually need (he thinks one set of curtains is enough, I think two is the bare minimum). I recently discovered these private Buy and Sell groups on Facebook to his quiet consternation. i think he’s assessing if I’ll make a foolish, unnecessary buy but I am proud to say that I run every purchase by him, takot ko lang hehe!

Social Security. I finally, finally, FINALLY came around to applying for one, and have been diligent in my contributions. I remember how proud I felt announcing to my friends that I am now a member lol. Felt so adult to have all these numbers attached to my name. Must admit though that the primary reason for my applying for it was the maternity benefit (credits to my very good friend Princess Velasco for that info), now we’re just waiting for God to grant unto us a child should it be His will.

Ah, here we go. The child, the baby, the offspring, the modern process of which is the most adulting of all adultings. Endless checkups, blood tests, lying in the ob-gyn’s clinic, having cold instruments peering into your insides, hoping, hoping that everything is well, that you’re responding to meds, etc etc. Getting tired, taking a leave from seeing your doctor, and finally, finally, FINALLY learning that it is all up to God. Having a child is a gift, a blessing, something that He decides, not you. Realizing that the lessons learned during waiting is priceless, too. Maturity in spirit and disposition, the constant strive for contentment, the willingness for grace to wash and reign over you - in this sense, adulting is a fine, fine thing to go through.

I am still so far from the adult I want to be, particularly that of the cool-and-unfazed-by-anything kind with the perpetual zen smile. I look forward to the day when some well-meaning but hideously insensitive acquaintance will approach me with the dreaded “Wala pa bang laman ‘yan?” question, and I will be able to beatifically smile at her (yes, mga babae ang generally insensitive, sad to say), no snarky side comment in my head, but truly, genuinely not minding the question at all.

Much, much growing up to do, in spirit and in character. So thankful that our Lord is slow to anger and abounding in love (Ps 103:8). Just imagine if the Almighty was just another person, man, he would’ve given up on me already. But He doesn’t. He gives us chances over and over again because He is love, the origin of it, and He can’t contradict his nature.

Life insurances, health and memorial plans, some investments here and there, we do our best with what we have and leave it all up to God. Try to cover all the bases, resting on the fact that everything rests on Him, and that He is always working for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

So, cheer up. Adulting may be hard, but we will come out of it refined, better, wiser. Much better (though probably more haggard from reining in all our emotions) versions of ourselves. I wonder what 40’s will be like - most likely more settled but less haggard, hahaha.

Thank you for reading! Have a blessed week!

Bossa love,

Sitti 

Mama and me, Nov 2013. <3

[bossagirl]

Bangon, Marawi.

“Bangon, Marawi. Kaya natin ‘to. O, bangon, Marawi. Kaya natin ‘to.”

The soldier sings a woeful song. The sky showed signs of tearing as well. We were in Saguiaran, the second stop in what our group chat has dubbed as “Evacuation Center Concert Tour”. Five artists from Manila, three from Marawi, and a soldier, all performing for the Bakwits, residents of Marawi City who were forced to flee their homes, whose lives were mercilessly put on hold.

French Dy, Janice Javier, NYC Chairman Aiza Seguerra, Princess Velasco, and me.

Provincial Capitol of Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

It has been 115 days since they fled on foot.

I had a hard time writing this piece. We were there for only two days, Sept. 6 and 7, and yet it felt so much longer. We were smiling the whole time we were performing, and yet our hearts were breaking for what we were seeing. I was a Filipino stepping on Philippine land, and yet the divide I saw and felt made it seem like I was on foreign soil.

Saguiaran.

It was so different there, and yet when my eyes met theirs and I saw their pain, I knew in our barest elements that we were all the same. Religion, culture, education, everything is an add-on to the basic human need of wanting to live with the ones we love, and to protect that life at all cost.

A reporter asked us, “Weren’t we scared?”, and I replied that compassion for my kababayans’ plight far outweighed whatever fear I may have had.

For I was there as a fellow Filipino, with Muslim and Mindanao roots, and though I have been living in Manila I wanted to let them know that I was grieving with them too, that I was praying for the same peace and unity in our country. I wanted to communicate this in person, that we care, that Filipinos in Luzon care.

That my heart breaks for what breaks theirs.

I have to admit though, that when Chair Aiza sent us the itinerary and FYI’d that our first stop was in the Provincial Capitol of Marawi, I grew cold, momentarily. But I also knew how important it was for our mission to push through, to try our best to lift up their hearts, even for just a bit, through our offerings of songs and entertainment.

To offer ourselves as a diversion from their temporary circumstance.

It was scary, especially going into Marawi City and seeing the abandoned houses, some blackened and destroyed, silent witnesses and strongholds to the battle. It was scary while we were having lunch, when we could hear the sounds of fighting in the distance, which the army captain specified as but a kilometer away.

It was scary, but we trudged on. And if we felt that way, how much more did the Bakwits?

I learned a lot about the Muslim culture in Mindanao on those two days. How they are so used to fighting that most families would have firearms in their homes, to be used when the need arises. How there would be fighting for two-three days between two parties / families, after which the datus would arrive and settle said disputes. How they all thought that the Maute fight would just be another ordinary two-three days of exchanging fire, before realizing that it was much more serious than that.

They told us the story of a mother who walked from Marawi to the nearest town, under the heat of the sun, carrying her baby who died when she reached refuge.

The female singer from Marawi who was also a part of the tour, still has no idea where her parents-in-law are, and yet she sings, she smiles and puts on a brave face. The two other artists who accompany her wonder if they will still have a house to come home to. They are men, but even men shed tears.

It was heartening to see how the soldiers were all loved by the refugees. From the moment we arrived in Cagayan de Oro airport, to the five evacuation centers, Marawi, Saguiaran, Pantao Ragat, Pantar, and Balo-i, back and forth to NEOC (NDRRMC Emergency Operations Center), and to the flight that would bring us back to Manila, they were with us, securing and even being our hawi boys and girls (Aiza Seguerra will always be extremely popular). They sang along with us too, and are gifted singers, mind you! I was happy to see that they too, enjoyed the entertainment we offered, even asking us for selfies. Frenchie was also extremely happy they were with us, for she has a thing for men in uniform, hihi.

We take whatever good that we can out of every living moment.

I cried in the middle of my song in Saguiaran. It was all too real, and too much.. The sorrow and hope I saw in the Bakwits’ eyes, the quiet dignity and bravery of our soldiers. And to the Philippine flag that was raised above, I sang, on behalf of all those willing to lay down their lives to see it flying high upon that gray sky:

“Pag-ibig mo ang aking langit, kahit buhay ko ay handang isugal.”

My heart breaks as I remember. And on that day after I sang, my chest hurt from the collective pain I saw and felt.

And the children, oh the children sing:

“Sana pag-ibig na lang ang isipin ng bawat isa sa mundo.”

Inshallah, which means God-willing. It is my favorite of all the phrases my Jama Mapun father has taught me when he was alive. Inshallah, we will see each other again, he once said.

Inshallah, we all will. And when we do, may all your hearts be healed.

Bangon, Marawi.

P.S.

Thank you Task Force Bangon Marawi. Usec. Yano, Dir. Myrna J. Angot, Dir. Harold Clavite, NEOC, OCD, DND, AFP, DSWD, PIA, NYC. And to our good friend Aiza Seguerra who gave us a chance to be of service. God bless the Philippines.

[bossagirl]

When We Turned Two.

5:30pm, May 28, 2017. I sit gazing at the otherworldly calmness of Taal Lake, slightly intoxicated by both its transcendent beauty that doesn't get old, and the glass of wine I hold in my hand, a welcome gift from the hotel we are staying at. Joey and I just checked into the most beautiful suite I’ve ever been in, and from the moment I stepped into the room to my dropped-jaw delight, I remember being ever so thankful for the countless, nameless travelers who so accurately rate on booking.com. It was a bit pricey, but it was worth it, so worth it, especially given the occasion.

It’s our second anniversary, and after a glass of wine, an early and full morning of bike training, Joey is asleep.

Not exactly how I imagined this day would be.

To be honest though, I didn’t really imagine anything for this day. I was happy just to be wherever and do whatever with Joey, no fanfare, as long as we spent time together. Initially though, we wanted to go up to Sagada but due to car, weather, and physical constraints, we ended up in Nuvali and Tagaytay. Sayang, excited pa naman ako to share the calm yet extremely beautiful magic of that place with him. Pero okay lang, we’ll just make the trip another time.

Which is just as well. Because in the two years that I’ve been married to Joey, I know him well enough to know that he really wanted to be there for one of his best buds’ first duathlon. After years of him being the only one engaged in swimming, cycling, and running, finally, FINALLY, one of his early childhood barkadas caught on. It was a treat watching him prepare Paulo the night before the race, like a father equipping a son on the first day of school. I wanted to take a picture of him prepping Paulo’s water source but didn’t want to be overly sentimental, so I just preserved it in my memory.

This, in itself, was already a very nice second anniversary gift, because in it I saw a picture of how good a father Joey will be to our kids.

There was another good memory to preserve, too. On our way to get dinner and while stuck in Sta. Rosa traffic, my husband, Mr. Joey Ramirez, who in the two years we've been married has always been stingy when giving out compliments, said,

“Alam ko magiging successful ako kasi okay napangasawa ko. Buti nlng sa’yo ako napunta. Ang bait-bait mo e.”

Pambihira. I wanted him to repeat what he said and record it hahaha! But I know that’ll change the mood, so I just uttered a long, incredulous “Woooow!” and sat there basking in the moment, feeling how a cactus must feel, not needing much water to live on, but thriving on the little quality ones that it does get. Ang sarap ulit-ulitin sa alaala! Happy anniversary to me!

Joey and I, early morning of May 28.

Later, we shared dinner and a room with Paulo and his wife Rachel, and it was fun having a sleepover. We didn't get up as early as they did though, haha. At about 6am on the day of our second church anniversary, Joey went off to do his bike training, while I met up with Rache and kept her company, hollering at some of the duathletes and screaming at Paulo in particular, haha.

Boy, is it fun to be cheering at the sidelines!

Paulo finished his first duathlon (congratulations!! You did it, Pau!!!), Joey joined us after his training and we had light brunch accompanied by fun discussions. Then it was time to part as Pau and Rache had to go home, and Joey and I had to check out of Nuvali then go to Tagaytay for the second leg of our celebration. Our friends bid us goodbye with greetings of “Happy anniversary!”, and I couldn’t help but be happy with how our morning went. Our special day was made even more special because we shared it with friends, and because our friends shared their victory with us, too.

(Come to think of it, our first anniversary last year was also spent with friends. That time, we shared in the joy of and partied with newlyweds Todd and Tin! How nice if this could be a yearly thing!)

Congratulations on your first duathlon, Pau!!

Going back, I’ve always thought anniversaries should be spent between the couple alone, but life has shown that spending some of it with friends can make one’s heart feel a little fuller. For in the end, through memories and celebrations shared, we all, ultimately, become a part of each other. It was also a continuing testament to how Joey and I approach married life, which is the no frills, no pressure, going with the flow and doing the best that we can kind. Plus, we both were never the cheesy ones, anyway.

Remind me never to go up to Tagaytay on a Sunday ever again. Traffic. Was. Terrible!! So, so bad. We ended up having very late lunch at around 3pm or so, and checked into our beautiful suite much later than expected. It’s a blessing neither of us got hangry, though I did lose my patience with our first restaurant and transferred to another (we waited a full forty minutes after they took our order, for nothing! So I took a stand and left, hungry yet incredibly patient husband in tow).

Which brings us to my current view. Beautiful Taal Lake, wine in hand, lightly snoring husband facedown wiped out on the bed. He wouldn’t sleep the rest of our second church anniversary away, there wouldn’t be an altercation because he conked out on me. He’d wake up, tease me like he always does, I’ll be by his side while he plays his favorite Toy Blast on my iPad while I watch the towns by the lake light up one by one, we’d go out for dinner that would fill us to the brim, then we would tease and laugh and enjoy each other’s company some more.

It’s a good place where we are at, this second year of marriage, and everyday I thank God and I ask that He continue to bless it, to bless us.

In the morning, I greet him, “Happy anniversary! Again!”.

He replies with a sleepy “Happy anniversary din!”

I end with, “Nakakasawa pala magbatian nang magbatian! Haha!”

Then, we go out for breakfast. :)

Thank you for reading! God bless you :)

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

Finally, Singapore! // Why I Don’t Handle My Own Bookings

Finally, Singapore! At long last, a negotiation between producer and this talent’s management has been secured that would result in my voice and songs finally getting the chance to be heard in this foreign shore. I thought it would never happen.

Singapore and I have quite a delicate history. I was supposed to sing here year 2008 and when that didn't materialize, and with each passing year resulting in inquiries that never got settled, I was getting convinced that I’ll never be given the chance to sing here.

Until now. Finally, our stars have aligned. And with much ease, mind you.

Let me take you back to third quarter of 2008, a time of much personal turmoil for my mom and me. You see, my former manager and I had a falling out - and it was ugly, heart-breaking, and in hindsight, given how my career started, quite a sad ending.. I really wish we had separated in better terms. Manager-less, my Ninong and I took on all bookings and inquiries. My Ninong did well, I must say, while I did poorly.

So poorly, in fact, that in that window in my career when I was arranging everything myself, an inquiry from a prestigious PR firm in SG came in: they wanted to launch and represent me in SG along with another Asian artist, and to start off they wanted me to open for Diana Krall!

I was beyond excited! They even flew me and my mom to SG for one day just to meet and discuss plans. Everything was set. This was my opportunity to be introduced to the discerning SG market, and subsequently, hopefully, the rest of Asia. And of course, the chance to open for Diana Krall!! Diana freaking Krall!!

Mama and I flew home to Manila, returned to our daily routine. At around this time too, there was to be a show in the US, and I went to the embassy for visa application on the scheduled day.

SG people and I were in constant touch, exchanging emails, going over everything. I think I was generally numb around that time, reeling from doing all the bookings myself, wrapping my mind around the fact that I was going to open for Diana Krall, and sad and hurt with how I left former management. Finally, the day arrived when I was to fly to Singapore. Mama and I packed our things, went over everything -

And that was when I realized I had no passport, that it was still at the US embassy.

I HAD NO PASSPORT.

I COULDN’T FLY TO SINGAPORE…

GOODBYE, OPENING ACT FOR DIANA KRALL, and God only knows what else..

Crying, I wrote an email to my contact and tearfully explained the situation. They never replied, and I totally understand. I was such an idiot, such a stupid, stupid idiot who blew this really big, once in a lifetime opportunity.

It is one of my biggest regrets..

I’ve come to acceptance, of course. But that was also when I realized that I could not be trusted upon to handle my own affairs career-wise, that it isn’t my strength, that someone else has to do it for me.

This, plus the fact that I hate talking about my talent fee with other people, especially with close family and friends, acquaintances. I never really know how much to price myself - that this is best left to professional handlers and to the naturally-occurring law of supply and demand. And in our close-knit society of gossipmongers, word travels lightning-fast - a single conversation can be twisted, a price given can be interpreted as “ang mahal naman ng tingin niya sa sarili niya e ganito lang naman siya”, etc etc. How do we, artists, protect ourselves and the talent we earn and make a living from?

There are others who excel at it, who sing and handle their own bookings, but not me.

Thankfully, in November of 2008, I was given the chance to meet with renowned talk show host and talent manager, Tito Boy Abunda of Backroom, Inc (now Asian Artists Agency, Inc). He was responsible for the careers of Ariel Rivera, Dessa, and Martin Nievera, to name a few, and continues to be one of the very few people in show business who have maintained their dignity and credibility. But beyond his genius (I swear, this person knows so much about everything!) his most shining characteristics are his kindness and generosity. Joey and I are very blessed to have him in our lives, as our Ninong, mentor, and friend.

I will never forget our first meeting. He talked a lot about maintaining my “core”, how I was “queen” already, and as such, career-wise, there is nothing much to change, only a few embellishments here and there, strengthening and support in PR, etc. When we reached that awkward yet essential part in the conversation, that of commission, I was very surprised when he said that his management agency charges a minimal fee, because in his very own words, “wala nang kikitain ang artista, kawawa naman" (kung lakihan pa).

Ang bait niya, noh?

That was also the very first time I met Jonathan Valdez, the handler who was assigned to me who, until now, manages my bookings, and very efficiently, and seamlessly, handles all pertinent details. All I really have to do is to show up, sing, and do the best that I can at every show. He makes my singing life so easy, and I will always be grateful to and for him.

There was another instance in which a close family friend asked me to sing in a fundraising show for their church. They didn’t want to talk to my handler because he might charge highly (which is a very false misconception - because all handlers charge current market value fees, a range that they arrive at through their experience at negotiations). But because we were really close, I said yes, marked the date -

Then forgot about it. #facepalm

Jonathan was working on another booking on the same day, not knowing that I said yes to another one. Of course, since my arrangement was verbal while Jonathan’s has a written contract and all, guess who I had to cancel and apologize to?

Again, ladies and gentlemen, dearest friends, these are the reasons why I don’t handle my own bookings, why I pass every single inquiry on to my management.

Still, there are others who insist that we go “under the table”, who tempt and wheedle their way in, who ask that I give a “friendly rate”, para lahat daw nung pera mapunta sa akin, para hindi na ako makomisyonan. Of course, I say no. In Matthew 22:21, when Jesus was asked if it is right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar, Jesus replied, “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”. The command is crystal clear.

My management and I have an agreement based on good faith. Why would I endanger that relationship with deceit and mistrust? Why would I go behind their backs to gain some money when it is ill-gotten? How different would doing that be from the actions of a common thief?

All provisions and all booking inquiries come from God. He sees everything.. He knows everything, even our very intentions. Why would I cheat on His goodness? If I fail and sin repeatedly in other aspects in my life, at the very least in this area, I can meet Him and proudly proclaim that I am clean.

Forgive me for sounding so serious. These sentiments have been with me for years and this is the only time I got to write about it.

We are at the hotel now, will be napping in a bit because our flight was very early. We’ll be playing two sets tonight at the Blowfish Bar with my super galing guitarist, Erskine Basilio. I’m very much looking forward to finally sharing our music with our kababayans here in Singapore. :) 

Thank You, Father, for finally bringing me here.

See you all later!!

Bossa Love,

Sitti

Tickets to tonight’s show at anightwithsitti.peatix.com :)

[bossagirl]

Post-Taiwan Kwento and Random Musings of My Muddled Mind.

I write this not really knowing where it will lead. Joey and I just got back from a five-day vacation in Taiwan where we watched Coldplay, food-tripped like we’ve never had street food that good before (Raohe Street Night Market is the best for us!) and generally did a lot of touristy things like fly a sky lantern in Shifen Old Street (which we thoroughly enjoyed!) and take lots of pictures and groufies in each Instagrammable location we visited (Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, Shifen Waterfall, Yehliu Geopark - all gorgeous!). It was the first non-work Taiwan trip for Joey and I’m so glad he enjoyed it. It was great timing too as a lot of our friends also watched Coldplay on the same night we did. We all basically hung out and had the same itinerary haha!

The gang enjoying the beautiful Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall the day after the Coldplay concert.

Dumpling goodness in Hangzhou Xiaolong Tang Bao near CKS Memorial! The best I’ve eaten! Shameless plugging: I love how our GoPro Hero 5 allows us to take pictures like these. <3 

All in all, we had a surprisingly wonderful time in Taiwan. I wouldn't mind going back there mainly for the street food as I’m sure there’s still a lot we haven’t tried. There are a couple of locations we haven’t been to as well like Jiufen Old Street and Ningxia Night Market, as well as the mountains we can hike, Yangmingshan National Park, Jade Mountain, and the famous Taroko Gorge! Taipei Cycle Show happens every year so hopefully next year, Joey brings me with him again hehe!

Posing in Houtong Coal-Mine Ecopark.

And watching Coldplay live for the first time still feels like a dream.. I never want to wake up. It was the most surreal experience to actually see and hear them in the flesh! Chris Martin’s voice is so beautiful and sad and profound and so much better live! I remember listening to A Rush of Blood to the Head in our den years back, and feeling all sorts while In My Place was playing.. to hear that iconic guitar riff live.. wow wow wow. There are no words, only exuberant gratitude. Hay Lord, marami pong salamat talaga. How I would love to watch them again and again. Must save up for that.

I cried the second we picked up our tickets, haha! Also, Princess did my kilay, hihi. Coldplay deserves extra pagpapaganda from my end hahaha!

Forecast of rain so we were raincoat-ready! This was how close our Php 10,850 each got us to the stage! So grateful that Coldplay added a second night to their Taipei leg otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to watch them. And I love that I was able to watch with my very good friend Princess Velasco and her hubby, Doc Bistek. <3

Joey and I lined up for beer, lined up for hotdogs, lined up for souvenirs (thank You Lord we were able to score a cap before it sold out!!) while Princess and Bistek saved us spaces in our ticket area. It’s a good strategy I must say! This was also the first time that Joey and I shared a drink while watching a band we both loved in another country. So many firsts and memories to add to our wedded, pre-babies life.

My heart was on that stage and my being was suspended for two hours!! I couldn't believe they were performing in front of me. It still feels like a dream, until now..

I LOVE YOU, COLDPLAY!!!!! <3 <3 <3

But that would be the end of our foreign traveling, at least for the first half of the year. Next up would be our second anniversary celebration coming up next month, which we plan to just spend out of town. I know, two years just went by that fast.. and it still kinda feels like new. ;) (Hahaha operative word = kinda). Kidding aside, if you would ask me, I would still very gladly say that I am happily married, and I would still very gladly encourage everyone to be so.

This year we plan to finally start building our house, and by God’s grace and timing too, perhaps our firstborn would come soon. I am grateful that I have mellowed down somewhat on the subject of babies, having gotten pressured from everyone I encounter. Until now, I suppose it would be a lot easier if I just wore a shirt that says I’m not pregnant yet. I know most of the inquirers mean well, but some of them can be really insensitive. The trick, as in most things in life, is to hear whatever is not helpful or uplifting in one ear and whisk it out the other. Now, if I can only always follow my own advice, hehe! 

“Let all that I am wait patiently before the Lord, for my hope is in Him”, Psalms 62:5, my personal verse for this year. If the Lord wills for something to happen, nothing and no one can stop it from happening. We can do all that is humanly possible, but if it’s not time yet, if what we want is not in accordance with what His Will is, then it just won’t happen.

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I digress. Do any of you guys out there feel out of sorts every time you come home from a trip? I always do.. I find that I need a couple of days just “floating” before I can go back to whatever it is I’ve been busy with. Of course, scheduled work has the power to zap us back to reality, wala kang choice ika nga, hehe. But since my work schedule is erratic and unpredictable, I enjoy the luxury (or is it a curse?) of being lost in my head days after I arrive back in our homeland.

Hmm. Or maybe I’m really always lost in my head, whether or not I go to another place. And that maybe going to a different place magnifies that?

I’m 32. And there are still so many things I don’t know about myself.

Which is where marriage comes in. It is like the chipped mirror you don’t really want to use or see yourself in because it reflects and shows you your truest, deepest self, the real image of you before putting on that powder, or combing that hair or brushing those teeth. Before marriage, I thought I was an okay person. You know, trying to do and be good, picking the morally “right” choice in every situation. Marriage (or rather, my husband hehehe) has shown me how the things and situations I’ve gotten used to and that have shaped my character for the past 20 or so years can be quite an obstacle to a husband-and-wife-team relationship. I know that this is essentially one of those basic truths everyone should know before marriage, but as in most things in life, you have to undergo the (usually necessary) conflicts to gain clarity and wisdom.

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I got a mentor this year, a life coach. Her name is Cecilia Schrijver of Business Hat, Inc. and she is a darling! (That sounds like a very English thing to say - very unFilipino hehehe but she really is!). We’ve met three times already since the beginning of the year, and our conversations always leave me feeling light and with a clear head. She asks me the hard questions, such as, “what do I really want?” or “how important is that to me?”, creating clarity in my muddle of a mind. It also helps a lot that she can point out what is really significant to me based on my body language and tone of voice (she’s one heck of an observer), and from that we then plot out my next courses of action. Slowly, this drifter is taking a more proactive approach to life.

Free flow writing really does help; I now have a better grip over my “lutang” phase. It must come to an end, I can only allow myself some leeway lest I fail to redeem my time. So, back to trying to finish that song, back to researching for that trip, back to outlining tasks, back to thinking about the setlist for that show, back to listening and listening and listening.

Back to blogging, back to sharing, back to reflecting.

Thank you for reading! God bless you!

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

#BikerxBossainTaiwan Day 3: Sun Moon Lake

On our third day in Taiwan, my second going around alone, I decided to join a tour to the famous Sun Moon Lake. It wasn’t really my destination of choice for the day, but between taking whichever tour was available and staying in Taichung again to figure my way around on my own, I opted for the tour (I didn’t want to have difficult discussions with taxi drivers anymore, and I was too lazy to figure out public transport as yet, hehe). It cost me NT$1,800 for an eight-hour trip, which included lunch and was serviced by a van. Our tour guide was also the driver.

Sun Moon Lake is in the Nantou region, about an hour and a half from Taichung. It’s the biggest body of water in Taiwan, probably one of the reasons why it’s so popular. The drive was easy and relaxing (no traffic!), and with the beautiful, mountainous views and the quiet lullaby of the van’s motion, I soon found myself asleep.

We passed a bridal entourage en route to the lake. I found out that they put sugar cane and red ribbons on the car for good luck and prosperity.

We were six guests all-in-all. I remember how unimpressed we all were when our tour guide announced, “Welcome to Sun Moon Lake!”. I think all of us shared the same thought bubble, “Is this it?”, hihi. In Filipino, “Eto na yun?” But not wanting to be killjoy, I kept my thoughts to myself and lowered my expectations. It was still rather early when we got there, about 9:30am or so, and we were all still unacquainted with each other.

Our time in Sun Moon Lake started with biking; I enjoyed this part of the tour the most. The weather was perfect, not too warm, not too cold. The lake was so calm and peaceful, the trail romanced by trees. There were a few people walking about, we even saw some campers drinking tea in front of their tents. I could have ridden further but our guide instructed us to turn around at the frog marker, and anyway the trail ended there as well. How I would like to bike around the lake, however huge it may be.

Look at how calm and green and placid the lake is. Just looking at this picture relaxes me so much.

Only four of us went for the bike ride: the Vietnamese couple based in Canada who has businesses in Taiwan, Anthony and Angie, their local contact Tina, and me. The other couple, Winnie and her husband (ugh, forgive me but I forgot his name already huhu), didn’t join us. They were from Guangzhou, China, and spent much of their daily life biking that they didn't want to cycle while on vacation anymore, hehe!

By this time, all six of us were already making more than small talk. By the time we went on the cable car ride to another part of the region, which was the next activity on the tour, Anthony and Angie were already advising me on where to go in Taipei, and I was watching Winnie be lovingly held by her husband as she is afraid of heights. Tina had been very kindly taking my solo pictures.

The cable car ride offered fantastic views of the lake from above. What also made our tour extra special were the cherry blossoms at the parking lot of the cable car station. It was my first time to see them and they were lovely! I wished Joey had seen them, too.

Our guide took us on a ferry ride across the lake to have lunch in a different side. I was half-anticipating, half-dreading what our meal would be. It was very healthy and tasted very foreign to me, hehe! But slurp and ate I did, what I can, because I knew I would need it.

Beautiful. I enjoyed this part of the tour, too.

I don’t remember what we ate! Basta healthy! Hihi

Another ferry ride to another part of the lake, this time to a temple above a hill. Temples aren't really my thing, so I just waited for the others. What was noteworthy about this tour stop was, from the top of the hill one can see Lalu Island, which serves as the mark between the Sun and Moon Lake. Apparently, they were two separate lakes before, but as the water rose they became one. The lakes got their names because of their shapes, which we really didn’t get to see from any of our vantage points, unfortunately.

The place was packed with tourists. It was around 2pm by then and it was so hot and I was getting tired. I was starting to think that apart from the nice ferry ride with the beautiful mountains surrounding the lake, and the bike ride beside the calm waters, there was really nothing else to Sun Moon Lake, that it wasn’t worth spending a whole day there. If there was anything special or historical about it, our guide didn’t tell us. Winnie shared my sentiment. She said that growing up, she had read about the Sun Moon Lake in history books and ever since then had always wanted to see it. But now that we were there.. there was nothing.

Our last stop in Sun Moon Lake was another temple. Again, Winnie, her husband, and I just spent our allotted thirty minutes’ waiting under one of the trees and talking.

Finally, our tour has ended! We dropped by a shop to buy some trinkets (I got my standard ref magnets), the others bought some street food. But for our very, very last stop, our guide took us to this bakery that sells the best lemon cakes i’ve ever tasted in my life! (It was actually the only one I ever got to try, if you don’t count the regular lemon squares.) It was super duper good I swear!!

I had a great time in this last stop too because they allowed sampling of all the products they sell. We all took a long time deciding what to buy and how many of which, and I know we were all thinking how many we could bring in our carry-on hehe! I wish I could have brought home more than the three I bought, I wish I had a one-year supply of that lemon goodness. It’s just really so heavenly good!

And so there we were, all six of us, happy from all the yumminess we had just sampled and were bringing home. One by one, we were all dropped off at our respective hotels. One by one, I said goodbye to the new friends I’ve made.

Sun Moon Lake. Again, for me, there was nothing to see there. Now that I’ve been, I wouldn't recommend it to my friends. But I joined a tour, I made new friends, and if only for that, then the trip was worth it. :)

Thanks for reading!

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

#BikerxBossainTaiwan Day 2: Miyahara and Fantasy Story

I’m struggling to finish, or to be more accurate, start, this follow-up entry to my first Taiwan trip with Joey two weeks ago. So much has happened since then! Mama finally underwent her long-delayed surgery to remove her gallbladder and stones and is now thankfully discharged and walking about, Joey and I went to Balesin last weekend for a workation, Coldplay just had their concert in Manila last night (I didn’t go but I was happily browsing through everyone’s posts, hihi), etc, etc. So many things to get distracted on. All this and I still don’t have a phone, what more if I did??

(Note to self: pick your distractions.)

Day 2 in Taichung found me with a very flexible, very open schedule. Joey had a full 8am-8pm schedule with FoxShox. After joining him for breakfast and sending him off, I decided to make use of the running clothes I brought along and did a 5k in the hotel gym. Since this was my first day of venturing alone in Taichung, I decided to take it easy and just visit two places of interest to me: Miyahara and Fantasy Story. (There was a bike tour I wanted to join also but since I was by myself and I had no idea where it is yet, I decided not to anymore.)

I took a screen cap of Miyahara’s location from google maps, asked the hotel concierge to help me explain it to the cab, and off I went. Incidentally and to my surprise, my cab driver was a lady! “How nice!”, I thought to myself. Before long, I was at my destination.

Miyahara, as it turns out, was a former ophthalmology clinic turned sweets shop. The interior does remind one of Hogwarts, and it was well-attended by well-dressed sales men and ladies who spoke great English. There was a section devoted to chocolates, another to cakes, another to other sweets I didn’t ask about anymore. I asked a sales guy what he would recommend I get if I were to buy only one thing, and he led me to the pineapple cakes. I got a box that cost around P700 containing about 15 little packets of the famous Taiwanese delicacy. It was yum!!

The charming interior and bookshelves of pastries. :)

Wanting to check out the restaurant at the second floor and not wanting to think about where to have lunch, I decided to just eat there in Miyahara. The prices were outstanding! Already feeling guilty over my P700 pineapple cake purchase and not wanting to order more than I can finish, I just had egg with fried rice for lunch. Also, since most sites and the saleslady downstairs recommended that I try their ice cream here, this tourist did so! I got ice cream in china casserole for dessert. It came in two flavors, black tea and grapes. Apparently, black tea is a staple here in Taiwan (they cook their century eggs in it!). It tasted okay since I’m not fond of black tea, but the grape ice cream was really good and light and refreshing! No wonder their ice cream is famous.

Two flavors of ice cream in a china casserole filled with other fruit and sweet tidbits: there were banana slices in there, kiwi, chocolate, red beans, etc. Reminded me of our halo-halo. :)

An insight here: their paper products and designs are so nice, well-thought of and well-crafted, evidenced by the box that the pineapple cake came in and my placemat. Everything seemed to be done painstakingly. The Taiwanese indeed, do their packaging well.

I believe this shall also be in our bookshelf forever. :)

Another insight: Taiwan is fond of taking over old facilities and breathing new life into them, like Miyahara and my next destination for the day, Fantasy Story. I do not like commercial shopping, but I do love browsing through specialty shops and flea markets. Fantasy Story used to be the two-story staff dormitories of an old water utility, but now it houses creative boutiques, artisan shops, and cute cafes. I had a lovely time browsing through the wares and walking along the alley. Too bad some of the shops were closed! How nice that areas like these would just sprout randomly in their city, how admirable their support for their local artists are.

I didn't buy anything because as specialty shops go, their prices were pretty special, too. Everything was cute, though. :) 

This map was posted in the Zhong xing 1st lane as a guide to tourists. Having had a difficult time looking for Fantasy Story, the other shops along Melcun Rd did not register on me; I was only able to check out the ones in Zhong xing lane and shop #7. If and when Joey brings me along with him again to Taichung, i will definitely go back and check out shops 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8 now that I know how to find my way there.

It was a bit hot during my exploring. I wanted to check out another artist’s haven, Rainbow Village, but since I had a hard time talking to the cab driver (I know, I know, I should’ve written the Chinese address, lesson learned) on my way to Fantasy Story from Miyahara, I decided to just go back to the hotel and possibly nap. I was on vacation, anyway. :) When Joey arrived, he rested for a bit, then off we went to the hotel’s Chinese restaurant to have a twelve-course dinner with his colleagues. Didn’t take any pictures there as I didn’t want to be anti-social, hihi. The food was yummy, some were strange, but all I can recall now was how stuffed we were, and how very much I liked the weird-looking dessert, red bean soup.

Day 3 of our Taiwan trip will be posted tomorrow! I am rushing this because we’re going there again on Sunday, to watch Coldplay this time. Yipee!! So excited!!!! :D

Thanks for reading!

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

#BikerxBossainTaiwan - Day 1: Taichung

Last week, Joey had to fly to Taiwan for meetings and to attend the Taipei Cycle Show (for more meetings, hihi). He would have been away for six days total, so of course I had to come along! (I still find it very hard to sleep without him. Thanking God for miles that allow us to travel without minding the fare.)

I’ve never been to Taiwan. Joey says there’s nothing there and the food’s not that good. His sentiment is quite understandable because every time he goes, it’s just hotel to meetings for him; he’s never really ventured outside of this. His brother Jami wouldn’t go there if not for work either. Still, it was a place I’ve never been to, and if only for that novelty, I was extremely excited. (So much that I forgot it’s primarily a business trip, hehehe. More of that thought in another entry.)

And so, research I did. And I found that there was actually a LOT you can do in this country that’s only a two hour-flight from Manila, which primarily consisted of night markets to sample and mountains / trails to hike! Two of my most favorite activities! I set about making a flexible itinerary - though sadly, it was only for myself, for Joey would be expectedly held up the entire time.

And true enough, he was. Work-wise, it was like we were still in Manila but just in Taiwan. From Monday to Friday morning, Joey had a full schedule of meeting principals, product training, a factory visit, and socials with other distributors. He would be so tired at the end of each day that we would just stay in, order room service (he has this fetish of trying the spaghetti bolognese in every hotel we check into), and watch The Voice clips on YouTube before retiring for the night (Taiwan has high-speed wifi; a lament for how poor it is in our country).

So really, I didn’t expect for him to go around with me, which is really fine because to be honest, I like discovering and making my way around new places alone. Figuring out how to get from point A to point B with just a map and street signs give me a high. My current trusty navigational apps are google maps and rome2rio, though. Together, we three go on many adventures.

We arrived in Taoyuan International Airport at around 9:30am. Immigration wasn’t that long, probably took 30 minutes’ queuing time. After picking up our luggage and getting some money exchanged, we headed straight to the high speed rail (HSR) station via bus to catch a train to Taichung, central Taiwan. The trip took about an hour.

My first impression of this mountainous country? Everything was so clean and orderly. The locals were so neat and courteous. Transportation is so easy; people fall in line when embarking on trains and purchasing tickets is a breeze. For me, Taiwan is very much like Singapore and Hongkong but with cooler climate and less frenzied people. I very much liked what I saw.

There was a 711 in the station so while waiting for our train, Joey and I browsed the store. (Well, mostly me. I thoroughly enjoy checking out the contents of every 711 I chance upon in every country I visit, hehe.) Joey being a pizza guy, saw pizza bread and immediately pointed it out to me. I got some nuts, corn, and an apple juice that tasted yucky, hihi. But what was unique about this 711 is, it had a street food section! My tummy wasn’t ready to sample that so I just took a picture while thinking, ‘you can tell a lot about a country by what its 711 serves. We are definitely, in street food territory’.

All the cakes I will try when we go back. :)

My pizza guy with his pizza bread. <3

We took a cab from the train station to the hotel. First tip when traveling to a Chinese country: be sure to have the Chinese addresses for all your destinations. Most taxi drivers cannot understand English; you will save yourself a lot of time and ease if a Chinese address is the first thing you show them. I forgot to save the Chinese address for our hotel but luckily saved a map of it in my phone. I showed this to the driver and thank goodness he knew the area. We arrived in our hotel in no time at all.

Room service for late lunch! Joey just had to order spaghetti bolognese - it’s his thing!

But since the flight was early and I was running on two hours’ of sleep, having come from a mall show in Cebu and flying back to Manila very late at night (no thanks to all the delays), Joey and I just rested the whole afternoon. We only went out for late dinner. Obtaining a vicinity map of our hotel from the concierge, we wanted to try a certain Mr. Chan’s Noodles about a block away. Unfortunately it was closing time when we got there, so Joey and I just took a chance at another unassuming soup and noodle place just across from the hotel.

Taichung at night.

After rounding the block from Mr. Chan’s Noodles.. “This looks okay. Dito nlng.” Because we both didn’t want to walk further anymore hehe.

There were about five other people dining in the small, no frills restaurant, slurping methodically from their bowls. Joey and I went to the main counter and met our first non-English speaking waitress. I wasn’t able to take a picture of the menu, but I remember being stumped by the seeming lack of choice for my tastebuds, hihi. Joey got a noodle something something and I got mixed vegetable soup with a side serving of rice.

I hear tofu is a big thing in this country!

We were both rather unhappy with how our meals tasted, haha! Something about how they boil their water.. we don’t know exactly. We did try to finish as much of it as we can so as not to waste. Their rice is very good though, like Japanese rice. I think we spent about NT$300 (~Php500); food is rather expensive in Taiwan compared to Manila.

All in all, still a good day. With tummies filled with healthy stuff, it was time for la la land. The next day was gonna be packed for Joey. As for me, I haven't decided yet then what I wanted to do on my second day in Taiwan / Taichung. There was no pressure, anyway. :)

Thanks for reading! Will share stories from the rest of our trip in succeeding posts. :)

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

Catching Up.

It’s the middle of March and I also feel like i’m in the middle of many things. I haven’t written in so long, and admittedly I got so tired the last quarter of the past year that I sort of hibernated, and it is only now that I feel like I’m getting my groove back on, like I am on sturdier feet. It is hard to navigate through life when your knees are wobbly and your sight is clouded, therefore it is in these moments, these laid back weeks that one can truly appreciate what a proper rest can give.

Things have more or less stayed the same with me, in the general scheme of things - gigs here and there, travels with the husband. I’m still caught between knowing I need to cook but still a bit far from truly desiring it (more like not seeing the need because husband and I are almost always out and Manang Klim is there anyway). God hasn’t given us a baby yet so husband and I are still in the honeymoon stage. Life is good and I am content, and I do wish that everyone I meet can say the same.

We are in Bacolod again; we’ve come home once every month so far since the beginning of the year, and these breaks from city living have become something I look forward to. You know, fresh air, little-to-no traffic, my sister-in-law’s two handsome boys to play with, and of course, the food. I always say there are only two things I really do here: eating and sleeping. I’m still not adept at speaking Ilonggo, and I do hope I improve. I just find it difficult at times when they start talking so fast that I have a tendency to tune out, yet I know I must exert more effort. A little ignorance is bliss, but too much is being careless.

I’ve started writing again (well, duh, obviously!), both on my tumblr and my notebook. Random phrases and rhymes, unfinished songs here and there. I don't feel pressured to finish them; i’m taking my time and relishing that wonderful feeling of creating again. I lost it when I got engaged; my mind became occupied with tasks. But now it feels free to wonder and wander again.. how I love this feeling, like I’m on the edge of something but I’m not scared and I know I can jump off anytime. I’m hanging on a balance but I am in total control, and I do not know for certain what will happen next, and yet I am embracing the uncertainty.

We humans have a tendency to mark our lives by memories made or trips taken. As a popular rule, our lives are demarcated by milestones: first birthday, first day of school, graduation, first job, first boyfriend, first heartbreak, wedding, first baby, etc. I suppose I’m one with the majority in doing such, but lately I’ve been seeing life as more of a flow, a fluidity, with general themes of love and acceptance and coming to terms with what life presents at any given moment.

How have you been? I hope that wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you are at peace with yourself, and with both the outside world and the one within you.

I have no new pictures to post, so I’m sharing one of my favorite ones from #electrositti last Nov 25, 2016, taken by Thirty Six-O Media :)

[bossagirl]

This album reached gold oh so quietly two years ago. No awarding, no fanfare, unassumingly displayed in @mca_music 's wall. Funny how some things don't matter that much to me anymore. But always, I am grateful to those who continue to support. Quietly, sincerely, the music stays, propelled by those who listen and who press play. Quietly, determinedly, the artist's heart goes on, and out of its abundance soon it shall speak. But for now, there is the whirr of the washing machine and little unverified things falling on the roof. There are words and there are melodies, unwritten and unsung. And there is life and the daily grind to be grappled with, in rumination and in song. (Blah blah blah) My dearest Sittizens, this is long overdue. But thank you, truly, for helping #BossaLove reach gold. 😘😘🙏🏼 #sitti #sittinavarro #bossanova

[bossagirl]

Guys!!! New single #BidYouLove drops today!! Check it out on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Spinnr and Deezer! Wah so excited for you guys to hear it!! Do lemme know what you think!! 😄😄💃🏻 #electrositti #sitti #sittinavarro

[bossagirl]

Ten.

It was in October 2005 when we live recorded my first album Café Bossa in the function room of Stonehouse Bed and Breakfast in Quezon City; February 2006 when it was released.

I had no idea it was gonna be a big hit - reaching double platinum status in a few months (that’s 60,000 units sold), perhaps one of the few albums to still enjoy commercial success before the onslaught of piracy. I have been singing professionally in hotel lounges and bars for about four years already by then to support my studies, but didn’t really think it would be my career - I was just having fun. And even when I was recording the album that day, what I remember thinking about the most was that we had to finish by 7pm - otherwise I wouldn’t make it to my gig at the Makati Shangri-la that night, hehe!

But Café Bossa and that well-loved song Para sa Akin changed my life. It gave me a musical identity no one can ever take away.. It allowed me to stay on the course of a musical career - and ten years later, to still be at it. Countless shows, gigs, tv appearances, recognitions, travels out of town and overseas, and eight albums after - my journey as an artist continues.

A lot of people ask me - how does it feel like, reaching this tenth year mark? What has changed? How have I changed?

Maturity seems to be my only answer at this point, and what a welcome change it is. Gone are most of my singing insecurities, replaced by acceptance and appreciation of what I can and cannot do. I’m done trying to defend my voice, or my singing style, or my kind of music - it is what it is. The frightened, squeaky girl inside me has also departed, replaced by this strong woman who just continues to soldier on in life and love and music. Life has taught me many things; the stage and the recording booth always ask me to be brave, to enjoy the process, to perform the best I can because to do less than that would be a waste. Ten years have taught me to just let go, have fun, and to be happy in my craft.

How does reaching ten years feel like? Surreal, I tell them, and I tell you now. All I have done with my life since then was to sing, and the songs don’t seem to add up to a decades’ worth. It just was, it just is, and I continue to be amazed at how time does fly when you’re having fun, how music can take you to a different yet equally comfortable home, how it bridges people and emotions, how creating it is as precious as life, how not one moment is ever the same.. 

I continue to be grateful to all the fans and the support from family and friends who still make my artistry relevant. Fans who message me on Facebook and tell me that my songs are their companions in traffic, while studying, how it helped them win a loved one, how it didn’t work out in the end. Doctors who say that they play my music to calm some patients down before an operation, and parents who named their children after me. Can you believe it? Haha! 

I remember one particular afternoon in Pampanga after I had a mall show. A beautiful and serene person came up to me and told me how Café Bossa helped during her chemotherapy sessions.. and I could never forget that. My husband Joey, said, “that’s enough reason to sing for a lifetime”, and I agree, it is.

To my fans, let me tell you this: I will sing for as long as you wish me to, for as long as God blesses me with a voice. I love you all so much, though I haven’t met all of you, and one too many times in the ten years that has passed, when I was drowning in harsh self-critique and low confidence in my singing, it was one or two of you who would message me with encouraging words. You were all my lifesavers, at many points. Thank you all so so much, for believing in me, and for continuing to. Thank you for helping me reach a decade.

And to our Almighty Father who loves and cares for and blesses each and everyone of us beyond what we deserve, thank You for allowing me to sing. Thank You for all the gifts of love and life and music. All of this, is from You..

Happy tenth, Café Bossa. I can never make another album like you, and why would I? You were untainted and pristine, perfect in your imperfections. And I suppose that was what made you so relatable, and still a part of many playlists.

See you on Friday and Saturday as we celebrate Café Bossa’s ten years, my birthday, and new music launch! ElectroSitti, Music Museum, 8pm. Tickets thru Ticketworld 891-9999.

My bossa love always,

Sitti 

Ten years ago at Café Bossa’s album launch at the Podium. My first ever autograph signing! I couldn’t believe that so many people came to watch. 

[bossagirl]

My Life’s Blessings

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:3-5

These were the verses our discipleship group pondered on last week. Third, our dgroup leader, asked each member to recount and share the blessings that God has given throughout our lives. As I sat listening in my chair, I can’t help but marvel at how wonderfully God has been moving in each of our lives - causing some of us to go through certain difficulties so He could show us His faithfulness, and granting a worry-free mindset to some, which in this maze of a life is a great blessing in itself.

When it was my turn to share, I realized that my greatest blessing is this: knowing that I have a Father in heaven even if I didn’t have one on this earth. You see, my mother was a single parent, and early on in childhood I consider it such a blessing that I didn’t feel like I was missing out on something. My Lolo and Lola took us under their care, another show of grace that I am very grateful for, and they made sure we were fed, clothed, sent to school and had a house to call home. God placed me in a family with a lot of father figures, too, which was also probably why I never felt lacking. “The Lord is a father to the fatherless”, Psalms 68:5 sings, and in my young life I knew this to be true, with all my heart.

But I did have an earthly father, and God in His infinite wisdom, caused us to see each other for the  first time in April 2011 (I was 26). My mom, my Kuya, my cousin, and two close friends accompanied me to Zamboanga then Tawi-Tawi to meet him, and I knew too, upon seeing him, that I loved him. That no matter what happened in the past, there was no pain nor bitterness in me, only joy and understanding. Thankful I am, that in my lifetime I got to spend two days with my father, got to see his face, hear his voice, and know how it is to have a Papa, even for just a short time.

It was this incident that taught me a priceless lesson, too: that God will not plant a desire in your heart if He has no plans of fulfilling it. Because for twenty-six years I knew my father was alive and was somewhere out there, but never did I feel the need to see him until that one day in December 2010 when from out of the blue, I just did. I had no idea that the two days in April 2011 were my only time with him, because on that same year, three days before my birthday, he passed. Kaya pala pinagkita na kami ni Lord. Kaya pala.

With my dad and my youngest brother on his side.

My husband is, of course, another of life’s great blessings. He came at a time when I have almost given up on romantic love, and now, one year and three months after we got married, I still greatly delight in being his wife. Through my marriage to him, God continues to show His faithfulness unto me in so many ways. Allow me to recount two.

I’ve been supporting my family through my singing since I was 16. The bulk of household and educational expenses fell on my lap, and there were moments in the past when I wished for someone to help me, to share the burden of responsibility. You know the kind of man the Lord chose for me? Someone who fully embraced my situation, and not just that, someone who set his company up in such a way that the shareholders (in this case, his whole immediate family) would have their living expenses taken cared of. We wouldn't have to worry about the grocery and utility bills anymore, at least for our household. And for someone who almost always worried about these things, this situation is such a big help. Thank You po talaga, Lord.  

The Lord knows how much I love to travel, too. And so he marries me off to someone who does a lot of it for business and sports! Hehe! I got to see Europe because of Joey, and New Zealand and Bangkok and locally, El Nido and Balesin! Next month, we’re off to Spain! Hay, salamat po talaga, Panginoon. To get to see You and Your creations in different parts of the world is a treasure trove of memories I hold dearly in my heart.

I guess you are wondering when singing would come up in this list. But of course! I wouldn't be where I am right now if it weren’t for the gift of music that the Lord has blessed me with. It has allowed me and my family to live, it has brought me to so many places, it has led me to meet people with beautiful hearts and amazing talent. And unbelievably, there are people who say they are fans of my music and my voice. I have fans! Imagine that. Work is play, and singing in itself is its own great reward. And what’s amazing is that I didn’t intentionally set out to sing professionally; it was the Lord who orchestrated for all of it to happen, in a series of fortuitous events.

For all of these, and more, I bring back all praise and glory to our dear Heavenly Father, who loves us beyond measure, who knows the deepest desires of our hearts, and who sets out to fulfil each and every one of them, in His perfect time, in His perfect will. But among all these blessings, what I have recently come to truly realise is how life on this earth and all the blessings that we enjoy are all bonuses compared to the ultimate gift - that of salvation. Eternal life with God - where there is no more pain nor mourning nor sadness.. what could possibly top that? I am so thankful to God for impressing this upon me, for there were moments in the past when I have sinned and forgotten that He is faithful. But now, with this - I can only look forward in expectation of all the things yet to happen. My heart, which for a time was searching for things lacking, is now content. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Everything is a bonus.

Being human and a sinner, I do not deserve anything, but let me give You thanks and praise for all that You allow to happen in my life, oh Lord, both the good and the bad. Thank You, very very much.

What about you? How has God blessed you? :)

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful Sunday :) <3

Bossa love,

Sitti

[bossagirl]

A Tale of Two Islands: Balesin and El Nido

This is a long overdue post. It feels like it is only now that I got my bearings back with all the traveling Joey and I have done, gigs that end in the wee hours of the morning that I tell you my body is so not used to anymore, meetings, songwriting, research for both travel and music, and trying to be a good wife. Then of course there’s being stuck in traffic to get to all these commitments and my latest addiction to Clash Royale. (I made it sound like I’m so busy, noh? :p)

The past three months Joey and I have been traveling a lot. And by that I mean we’ve been to three different islands in the Philippines, beautiful destinations that without Joey I believe I wouldn’t be able to visit. I have shared before just how much I loved traveling and seeing God’s creations, and how I also believe that God has special gifts for married couples. My husband came with the bonus of travel - we get married and voila! I get invited to stay in the beautiful islands of Balesin and El Nido in exchange for a performance, get to take the husband with me, get some much needed down and loveydovey time - all expenses paid!

In this entry, I attempt to share as much of the highlights of both islands as I can aptly remember. They are actually quite similar in some ways.  

Getting to both islands involves hopping aboard small planes.

Well actually,  it was only me who took both small planes. Because Joey and I had different flights to Balesin (he arrived the day of our anniversary, May 28th, while I arrived a day earlier for the show), I took the 9-seater while he was lucky to have ridden the 80-seater with some of our friends. I‘m always up for anything new though, so I actually enjoyed riding in the 9-seater. Balesin is just 20 minutes away from Manila, and you can see the Pililia Wind Farm along with the fantastic Philippine land- and seascape en route to the island.

Parang nasa van lang, di ba? Hahaha! But no.. :D

Our country is so beautiful. The view on the flight to Balesin.

El Nido Resorts, on the other hand, charters Air Swift planes for their passengers. It was a 50-seater aircraft and the flight is about an hour. Flying straight to Lio Airport was quite nice, as the Palawan landscape is just breathtaking especially seeing it from on high. It reminded me a bit of flying into Queenstown, New Zealand. They pamper you before you depart and upon arrival too, with locals singing and dancing their welcome while guests partake of a simple yet flavourful buffet of native snacks, to fill them up before the boat ride to their respective resorts.

A quick pic with the cute El Nido jeep that picked us up at the runway, Joey at the welcome buffet and as we headed to our boat. 

From Lio airport to Lagen Island Resort: magnificence all around. <3

Privacy and Prestige

Balesin’s premiere offering is its exclusivity: the resort is only open to its members and their guests. You can’t just hop on a plane and go there anytime you feel like it (unless you’re a member). In addition to that, their chartered planes take off from their very own private hangar, which for a first-timer like me was an adventure in itself because I had to guess that a certain red gate along Airport Road was the entrance to the hangar (there was no sign anywhere).

And the island, oh my. What a spectacular idea Alphaland had. 500 hectares of land, 7 different-themed villages in different parts of the coastline, they even have their own water reservoir! But what I loved most about our stay was, how it felt like we were the only two people in the island, especially when we were going to the different villages. It was just priceless. And even landing on the island itself. It was so unassuming, it felt like the pilot just randomly decided to land there.

We stayed in the French village St. Tropez, and while I do not have that many photos of what we ate, I really enjoyed all that we partook of during our stay. Of the seven villages, we only got to see five plus the Royal Balesin Villa and the Spa which were venues of the wedding we attended. In this, Alphaland had a mighty fine idea of, too. Because once you leave the village you’re billeted at and go to another, it feels like you’re in another place, so even if you stayed in the island for three, maybe four days, you wouldn’t get bored as the place always seems to have something new to offer.

Our super cute blue room in St. Tropez. <3

The villages of Toscana at night, Bali, and St. Tropez. I liked Toscana the most. :)

The Italian restaurant in Toscana, and paella and tapas we had at Costa del Sol. Cheers to our happy tummies!

The beach by Balesin village took Joey and me by surprise. It was white and powdery! Joey even thought that they transported the sand from another island (Boracay, maybe?) because it was really fine. Sir Mike Asperin, the island’s very nice and down-to-earth COO dismissed that idea, though. It was really, naturally, Balesin Island’s actual sand. Uh-mazing.

Above: The beach by Balesin Village / the Clubhouse is the best stretch in the whole island. Below: The beachside of the Balesin Spa where the wedding ceremony was held.

There were many other activities one could do while in the island. There are bike/run trails to enjoy, a fully-equipped gym, your usual lineup of water sports and activities, there are even basketball / badminton / tennis courts. And, there are surf spots, too! Too bad it wasn’t surfing season when we came.. but no matter. All Joey and I did was eat, sleep, and swim, and you know, sometimes that’s the best kind of vacation: doing nothing! Haha! Oh but we did take advantage of one of their karaoke rooms, hehe! Happy first anniversary to us! :D

Enchanting. Transporting. Magical Mystery.

Ah, El Nido. I have no words for how breathtaking you are. 250 million year old limestone cliffs that look over you. The calm and amazingly clear blue / green waters that serenade you. Rich marine life to capture your interest for days. That green sea turtle that you luckily spot like it’s the paradise’s very own welcoming committee. And when you’re standing in that wooden pier in Miniloc Island, looking out over Bacuit Bay’s horizon, it is the most soul-enriching experience. El Nido is a dream you have once imagined but didn’t think actually existed. It is incredible.

We stayed for three days and two nights (bitin!), joined two day tours, swam, kayaked, snorkelled with a school of jackfish, ate to our heart’s content (buffet galore!), and even got stuck in the middle of the sea due to engine failure. It didn’t matter though, because even if it was pitch black and we only had two light sources, the calm waters and starry sky still lovingly kept us company. There is just so much tranquility in that place that transcends to your soul. I remember thinking: this is the quiet I didn’t know I was looking for. 

Kayaking in the Small Lagoon: my most absolute favorite activity in El Nido. <3

Ang aking taga-sagwan. :D

Most of the other sights can only be accessed via boat trips, and while from afar it would seem that they are all the same rock formations, you would be surprised at how uniquely different each island actually is. Who knew there was a lagoon or a cave beyond that small opening in that unassuming island? There just might be new discoveries still awaiting in the 45 islands and islets that make up El Nido. Each sight is a testament to just how beautifully God formed this earthly paradise. I have nothing but a dropped, marveling jaw.

Cathedral and Cugdunan Caves. Amazeballs. 

Ze husband paddle boarding one fine day in Dibuluan Island.

Chillax-ing in Dibuluan Island. :D

Snake Island is fantastic.

Big Lagoon and the entrance to the Secret Lagoon. Can you guess which small opening we passed thru? :)

We were lucky enough to have stayed in both Lagen and Miniloc resorts. Lagen Island Resort which is newly-renovated, offers a more contemporary vibe and is the only island that has a pool. Miniloc, the first island to be developed, is the more traditionally Filipino. Thatched-roof rooms on stilts with bamboo slat walls beside those magnificent limestone cliffs, the Big and Small Lagoons only a kayak away, fishes and corals to ogle over right by the beach - everything in Miniloc spells out R-E-L-A-X-A-T-I-O-N. It is, to be honest, our choice of resort should we get fortunate enough to be invited over again. It’s just so niiiiiiice.

Lagen Island Resort and those limestone cliffs. Sigh. What a beauty. 

Our room at Lagen Island and its wonderful view. :)

The pool at Lagen Island. :)

Miniloc, oh beautiful Miniloc.

Our simple room in Miniloc and its great view. <3

I just love this wooden pier so much!!! Miniloc is <3. :)

What I love the most about El Nido Resorts is its understated luxury. Truly, opulence is not needed when you have great food, an excellent and hospitable staff, clean and simple yet elegant accommodations, and the beauty of nature which no manmade structure can ever compete with, or gloss over. I love how the resort built its hotel into the islands; it is almost as if every detail and design was made with utmost care and respect unto its surroundings.

It is awesome, too, how the resort involves the guests in their conservation efforts. We were gently reminded to bring out with us any pieces of trash we may have brought in, we were given plastic bags in which to place our trash when we go island-hopping, and we were given a marine biodiversity checklist: all the fish and the turtles and corals and birds we could see, and we were asked to list down in which actual sites we saw them. Ang galing! :)    

Happy heart.

As I look back on these two visits, I can only feel thankful that God has allowed us to see and enjoy them. For it to be with my husband is a major bonus.

God is so good, ever so good. If you ever doubt that, just look at that mountain or that sky. He created that just for you, just for us! Forever I will sing of His goodness and His beautiful creations.

Thank you for reading! Till the next. :)

Bossa love,

Sitti

I don’t know what tree this is. All I know is, it is only in El Nido that I have seen such. <3