ALL NATURAL

Jue Lalas Iligan City, Philippines A collection of my daily photos, dedicated to everything that lives. "There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed." ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

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The ocean is my playground.  Many are fed by it. Many depend on it. So let's all help protect it.  

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Life is everywhere. Most of us are just too busy to notice it.  

One way to recycle worn out truck tires. 

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Tropical mountaineering brings you to trails like these.

Mt. Hibokhibok, Camiguin Island, Philippines

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Scenes of Laguna, Philippines

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The Carabao

Also known as the Asian water buffalo, the carabao is the national animal of the Philippines. If not the most, it is one of the most hardworking animals on the planet. They are traditional helpers of farmers in the Philippines and are already considered members of the family. When my mom was little, they had a carabao named December. They rode it everyday to school and for hauling supplies such as coconuts. They would just tell him to go home and December would walk all by himself homeward!  December was family! December died of old age that made my mom crying. My parents named our first car, a grey Volkswagen, December.     

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Paddling blue waters with this view at Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.

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Local kids playing at their backyard.

Iligan City, Philippines

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The Boatman

In the past, disruptive methods of fishing were the thing for many fishermen here in the Philippines, exploiting marine resources and destroying ecosystems. I remember one who used to do dynamite fishing said, "Just throw the bombs and wait a few seconds, you've got gold from the sea!". But thanks to responsible & sustainable eco-tourism, many left the old ways and got alternative livelihoods without killing and exploiting. 

Camiguin, Philippines

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Fishy and its playground. Let's help save it. 

Camiguin, Philippines

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In many parts of the world, some of the 9 species of giant clams, including the largest, Tridacna gigas, are either endangered or locally extinct. Through the efforts of researchers and with the help of different organizations, these species are being conserved and restocked in many areas. Here's a view of a successful giant clam nursery in Cantaan, Camiguin, Philippines.  

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This wave ain't natural but it surely made this little girl's day a fun one!

Laguna, Philippines

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Let us feed our souls with music.

Bukidnon, Philippines

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Indigenous people of Bukidnon, the people of the mountains.

Bukidnon, Philippines 

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She's already 10 years old. Thank you for a decade of playing love and music.

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Thought:

Some work and live comfortably in fancy buildings & houses, own flashy cars & stuff. But majority, do not. Most live a hard life. Poverty is famous all around the world. This photo shows children dangerously crossing a river with floaters from recycled trash. Out of school and sleeping hungry, they go to the city daily to collect trash to sell for just a little amount of coins. I remember a Filipino painter saying, " We(mid class & the rich) are already used to seeing poor and hungry people. But can anybody be used to being poor and hungry?". What about you? What are your thoughts? What are we doing? What's the government doing? Are we really used to this?

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   We Filipinos are rice eaters. 3 times a day, 7 days a week. Many of our snack products are even rice sweets. We work hard to have it. It gives us energy and relatively, it's cheap. We love rice, we are proud it grows on our lands, & we thank God for it. 

   We Filipinos are rice eaters. But sadly, the reality is, even those who plant them, the ones who harvest them, the ones who work hard  to be able for others to have quality, healthy, and cheap food on their plate, have a hard time providing for their own.

Laguna, Philippines

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Even in our heavily urbanized capital city, famous for insane traffic, you can still find some peace & ride the very old school "Kalesa". Intramuros, Manila, Philippines.