🇵🇭 PHILIPPINES

Where It All Began

The Philippines will always be more than a country to me—it is home, memory, and identity. I was born and raised in Camarines Sur, a province in the Bicol Region, and spent the first 25 years of my life there. It was where I experienced childhood, built friendships, and learned many of the values that shaped who I am today. Life there was simple in many ways, yet filled with stories, traditions, and moments that still remain close to me no matter where I travel. No matter how far I go, there is always something about coming home that feels familiar.

Growing up in Bicol also meant growing up with faith deeply woven into everyday life. One of the traditions closest to my heart is devotion to the Virgin Mary—Ina, as she is lovingly called by Bicolanos. Every year, the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City becomes more than a celebration—it becomes a moment of prayer, gratitude, and homecoming shared by generations of devotees. The atmosphere, the processions, and the collective faith of people leave an impression that stays with you long after the celebration ends. It remains one of the strongest symbols of home for me.

My first memorable journey beyond my hometown was visiting Metro Manila during my kindergarten years. At that age, I was amazed by the towering buildings, busy roads, and the feeling that everything moved faster than where I came from. For many years, I associated Manila with excitement and possibility, and I often found myself missing the energy of the city whenever I returned home. But as time passed and experiences changed, my relationship with the city changed too. Today, while I still respect what Metro Manila represents, it has become one of my least favorite places to navigate and experience.

As the years went on, travel became one of the ways I created memories with people around me. One of my favorite family trips was exploring Baguio and Ilocos, where the journey itself became just as meaningful as the destination. Traveling with my parents and relatives made those places feel warmer and more memorable than the landscapes alone. Later came trips to Cagayan de Oro and Davao, which happened during one of the more difficult periods of my life. I arrived carrying heartbreak, yet those places unexpectedly reminded me that beautiful places can still exist even during sad moments—and someday, I hope to return and experience them again with a different heart.

Some journeys marked milestones in independence and relationships. My travels to Cebu and Bohol became special because they were my first major trips without my parents or family—just colleagues from work, discovering places together and creating memories outside my usual comfort zone. Then came Bacolod, Iloilo, and Guimaras, which became one of my most unforgettable travels. Experiencing those places with my parents, brother, and sister made the trip meaningful in a way that photographs could never fully capture. What stayed with me most was hearing my mother say after returning home that she genuinely enjoyed having me there—that simple sentence became one of my favorite souvenirs from the journey.

Looking back, my travels across the Philippines were never only about destinations—they became markers of different chapters in life. Some trips brought joy, others arrived during difficult moments, and some became opportunities to spend time with people I love. Through every city, province, and experience, I realized that travel is not always about seeing new places but understanding yourself through them. And despite all the countries I may visit in the future, the Philippines will always remain the place where my story began.