Buying ganja Siargao

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Buying ganja Siargao

We apologize for the oversight. Dev Shah, played by Aziz Ansari, took something that looked like a ballpen out of his breast pocket. He put one end to his mouth, and breathed out vapour that quickly dissipated on screen. Nothing else comes close to the weed pen when it comes to discretion and convenience. Bong rips are open invitations to anyone familiar with the sound. One-hitters and joints emit smoke, which stick to your clothes. Two years after Master of None, the weed pen is all the rage for weed smokers who can afford a little over a hundred dollars to keep their smoking habits discreet. Discreteness is especially important in the Philippines, where President Rodrigo Duterte is hell-bent on wiping out drugs — so much so that thousands have died in his brutal war on drugs. Here, weed is the second most sought-out drug after methamphetamine, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The agency even went so far as to banning a hip-hop song in major airwaves for alluding to the use of marijuana in its lyrics. Many others continue to smoke despite the risks, perhaps knowing they are better protected than lower-class Filipinos. We ask five weed smokers in the Philippines about their weed habits and how they hide it. Less than a gram for sure. One can last me 4 or 5 days. My favorite way is using a bong because for smoking a little at a time you go a long way. My other preferred smoking method is vaping cartridges with concentrate inside. Is it easier to get away with the cartridge? In public no one will notice the cart, the only other people who will notice it probably smoke too so I rarely am worried. The bong is harder to hide but I usually only stay home when using it. I smoke 2 -3 joints a day. I roll my joints at night so I can just smoke them the next day. Then smoke the remaining half before having lunch so the meal is better. After work, I always smoke a joint while on the way home. Then another joint or pipe load before going to sleep. How long have you been smoking weed? Though I smoked regularly only when I started earning my own money, that was 2 or 3 years ago, I think. So, how do you get away with it? I just try to be low-key all the time. Only my closest friends know that I smoke. Why do you smoke so frequently? Weed has been a part of my creative process. And it makes me calm after a long day at work. I smoke cannabis 3 to 6 times a day. I grind it up, pack a bowl, sit down or chill by a wall or in my car. I take a deep breath before lighting up. After smoking I give myself 5 to 10 minutes to breathe and relax. You smoke outside of your house? How do you get away with it? Breath mints, sunglasses and a big smile. How long have you been smoking? Since recreationally but medicinally in No, I believe in cannabis being a free and alternative medicine for many Filipinos. I was prescribed Xanax and Lexapro to control chemical imbalances in my body. I felt detached from the world and constantly depressed. Cannabis helped me control and understand my reactions, emotions and paranoia. Now I feel like a brighter, more attentive, appreciative, and compassionate member of my community. Do you encourage everyone to follow your habits if or when weed gets legalised here? Cannabis has been in Filipino culture ever since we could remember. Our ancestors, whether Spanish, Filipino, Malay or Chinese, found cannabis to be an effective natural and alternative medicine. If we make cannabis legal in the Philippines it will create a boom in a variety of Filipino industries. Hemp has also been found to be a great material with industrial applications in insulation, textiles and other sectors. Probably 3 years by now. I keep it strict by only smoking after work. If I got locs mid-grade weed , I could smoke 2 joints a day and I would be good for the night, but with kush I try to ration as much as possible. Maybe a toke or two each day. You know, the ones with a dispensary worth of weed in their place. I went to a college bar once and the bouncer found one a pipe and a small Ziploc bag with some shit bud in one of my pockets. All he wanted was a bribe. Weed is good and all but you still have to treat it like alcohol. It alters your mind in some way. Moderation and rationing helps you save up and be at focus. Micro-dosing really helps. That is to say weed helps me be productive. I start my days stressed out thinking about all the work that has to be done. Smoking sativa strains helps me calm down and focus on doing things one by one. In the night when I get home from work I smoke indica strains to knock me out. How much weed do you smoke a day? A pipe load in the morning when I wake up. Three loads of kush when I get home from work. Ever since Rodrigo Duterte became president, kush became more and more accessible. Couple that with an unhinged personal life with a lot at risk and a very slim chance of making it out to a good life and I think any person would resort to chronic pot smoking. Hiding your high is essentially just acting normal. Definitely, but also no. Just do it in moderation. It takes the tension off but take that as a helping hand in your path to making reality better for you. By Matt Jancer. By Branson Knowles. By Simon Doherty. By Nick Stockton. Share: X Facebook Share Copied to clipboard. Videos by VICE. And What Should I Buy?

Philippine cannabis culture: an expert’s guide to our local weed

Buying ganja Siargao

The glorious year was President Rodrigo Duterte was elected into office and declared a ruthless war on drugs. The declaration of war had triggered a ripple effect of extrajudicial killings and bloodshed all over our cities in the Philippines. With it, poor small-scale suspected drug users and pushers started filling up our jails. Unconvicted drug suspects have been put in prisons with convicted criminals. Most are poor who cannot afford to post bail, so they are stuck in jail until their day of trial comes and they are either acquitted or convicted. Our lack of courts makes cases progress slowly. If they are proven not guilty, by that time, so much permanent damage has already been done to their lives. Philippine prisons are notorious as the most crowded in the world. The ratio of guards to inmates is at , very far from the recommended Our jails have become a hotbed of Covid and many other sickness and diseases. Inmates sleep side by side on the floor, in the bathroom, and anywhere else with a cubic space. To solve this grave problem, we could spend to build more infrastructure to increase jail capacity. Another arguably better option would be amending unreasonable and outdated laws to keep innocent people out of jail, and in society. Under R. Despite its serious legal consequences, marijuana, also known as cannabis, weed, pot or Mary Jane, is the second most used illegal drug in the country. Medical researches on marijuana show effective psychosocial benefits on a patient such as relief from anxiety, depression and PTSD. It is found to have a multitude of possible medicinal uses including alleviation from all types of physical and chronic pain. It is found to possess anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antioxidative and antiviral properties, subsequently having the capacity to possibly combat Covid and treat many other ailments such as arthritis and glaucoma, and symptoms such as headaches, nausea, swollenness, sinusitis and gastrointestinal disorders, to name a few. It could induce relaxation and sedation, remedying insomnia. It could boost appetite, fixing eating disorders. There exists initial medical research on its ability to kill cancer cells, aside from reducing the symptoms cancer patients feel after chemotherapy treatment. Patients found it could ease epileptic seizures. Doctors found it could act as a neuroprotectant for mental and motor dysfunction and limit neurological damage in adults. Cannabis consumption has never been actually associated with violent behavior, poor health or fatality. The long-term effects of chronic use however, need to be studied further. Considering the medicinal potential of marijuana, the current times when the economy is on its knees, when a 21 st century plague is haunting our globe, and when an existing drug-war system is filling up our jails and killing innocent people, one has to think, is it high time to legalize cannabis? Do the existing punishments for using marijuana fit the crime? Does its benefits offset its liabilities? Is the prohibition of marijuana an anti-poor and anti-health policy that prevents people in need from accessing what could probably be cheap, organic and effective medicine? Pursuant to R. Section 2 of R. We are legally bound to adhere to the rules and standards of that treaty. Our government is responsible for passing drug-control laws that enforce that treaty. Our government should also follow the drug classifications and the level of strictness required by that treaty. The treaty condemns drug addiction as it constitutes a serious evil for the individual, and social and economic danger to humankind. However, the treaty recognizes the importance of medical use of controlled substances. Under the treaty, nations need to limit use and possession of drugs to medicinal and scientific purposes. Although the treaty requires countries to enforce a penalty for those who violate the provisions above, it does not dictate that the penalty has to be imprisonment. The treaty focuses on large-scale drug production and trafficking, mandating it be dealt with severely, rather than punishing small-scale drug use. When it comes to possessing drugs for personal use, the treaty is open to interpretation. If you are merely a drug user, the treaty grants countries the judgement to substitute criminal penalties like imprisonment, with more constructive programs like treatment, education, after-care, rehabilitation and social reintegration. The Constitution of a country is above the treaty. Under the treaty, we signatory countries need to adopt measures to prevent the misuse of the cannabis plant and its illegal trafficking, but we may also allow temporary use of cannabis for non-medicinal and non-scientific purposes if we consider it necessary. We are required to act in good faith in making policy decisions. As a Schedule I drug, cannabis is considered to have no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. As a Schedule IV drug, it is classified the same as deadly, addictive opioids, including heroin, and recognized as having little to no therapeutic purposes. It was America that insisted to place cannabis under the heaviest control in the treaty. Looking back at history, we find out that cannabis was made illegal in America because of a political agenda of a man named Harry Anslinger. As the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, he needed an enemy that would make the bureau look like it delivered. So he declared a ruthless war on drugs. Does it sound familiar? He advocated harsh drug penalties particularly on marijuana. He spread propaganda demonizing the plant, claiming that it makes the user psychotic, violent and murderous. He hated African American and Latino immigrants, and said that cannabis use encouraged interracial relationships. Because of his aggressive campaigning, America believed his fabrications and the Marijuana Tax Act of was passed, which made possessing and selling the drug illegal. The rest is history. The Philippines, being under the Commonwealth of the United States at the time, followed suit. Despite the plant still being illegal under federal law, marijuana has become more popular than ever. At the onset of the coronavirus outbreak, some states deemed cannabis as essential, and some shops were kept open amidst the lockdown. Recreational marijuana is still illegal in the federal level, but is now legal for adults in 15 states. Medical marijuana on the other hand, is legal for adults in 35 states. President Joe Biden has said he wants marijuana decriminalized as well as having the criminal records of those convicted of possession of the drug expunged. Hundreds of thousands of American citizens faced criminal sanctions for getting caught with a drug that one third of all Americans, including three former U. Presidents, one named Barack Obama, have experienced at least once. Canada is the second and largest country in the world to legalize marijuana nationwide. You are no longer violating criminal law when recreationally using cannabis in Canada. The intent is not to encourage the use of cannabis, but to better protect children from easy access to the drug, to remove the criminal elements that were profiting from the black market, and to enact fairness and equity for marginalized Black Canadians and Indigenous people, who bore the brunt of marijuana criminalization. The Canadian federal government manages to keep the substance controlled. Government has been liberal in places where you can smoke it. It is up to the provinces to set their own regulations. For example, you can only buy from government-accredited dispensaries, in limited amounts and limited times. Supplying cannabis to minors and driving under the influence face serious punishments. People who were convicted of cannabis-related crimes before decriminalization receive a pardon, but the injustices that came from criminalizing cannabis in the past have yet to be fully addressed. The profits from the legal marijuana industry have yet to be fully realized, as the limitations to the number of accredited stores and expensive prices of legal cannabis are driving people to the black market. To address this problem, licensing cannabis dispensaries has been ramped up. The government intends to keep the cost to the consumer low enough to eliminate the need for an illegal market but not so low as to create an incentive for increased use. Market analysts predicted a decline in the long-term retail price of marijuana because of competition. The federal government slapped an excise tax on the substance. The revenue collected will be shared with the provinces and territories and will be used to fund health care and the police. Analysts say that 3. It is still illegal, but the enforcement process has changed. When you are caught possessing or smoking marijuana for the first time, you will receive a fine. The fourth time lands you criminal proceedings. The Israeli government directed the revenue from the fines towards education against drug use and treatment for drug addicts. Police officers underwent special training and were instructed to focus on public areas instead of private spaces. A public information campaign was conducted. The Police Minister backed easing the enforcement of existing laws. A coalition in Israel is pushing for increased legalization of cannabis, with a bill that would permit adults to possess up to 50 grams of marijuana and grow up to 15 plants for personal use. The bill was even approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, giving it official government backing. Israel aims to resolve the issue of decriminalization and legalization of recreational cannabis use. Israel has taken steps in recent years to make medical cannabis available and is poised to become a major exporter of the plant. Legalization of cannabis means removing all legal prohibitions against it. Legal cannabis would be available to the adult general population for purchase and consumption, but could be with regulation. Decriminalization of cannabis means removing criminal sanctions against possession or use. It means cannabis would remain illegal, but the justice system would not prosecute a person for possession under a certain threshold. Instead, the penalties could range from civil fines, drug education, or rehabilitation. Marijuana has been legalized in Uruguay, one of the most developed nations in Latin America with high quality of life. While in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, Peru, Spain and Italy, it is decriminalized and regulated in varying degrees. Some countries that are not signatories of the treaty have also taken steps toward marijuana legalization and decriminalization. President Rodrigo Duterte said during his election campaign that he supported medical marijuana, but he would leave any decision to the concerned government department. During the 16th and 17th Philippine Congress, lawmakers attempted to legalize medical marijuana in the form of the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act , but no follow through. The booming legal marijuana industry in America and Canada gave a boost to their pandemic economy, new businesses and job generation in a time where unemployment is prevalent. Legalizing marijuana would put the weed market above board and allow it to be taxable. We could use the money earned for pandemic response programs, national health care, social services and many other programs that would benefit the country. Now in the time of coronavirus, studies have shown that cannabis might be used to fight off the harmful, fatal effects of Covid for patients with severe cases. We are all isolated, depression and anxiety cases are over the charts. Cannabis might be a remedy to such rising mental disorders. Cannabis use has been proven to reduce the misuse of opioids, alcohol and other more harmful, dangerous and addictive substances. Like any other drug, cannabis of course has adverse side effects, but the question is, why are other drugs that have more harmful side effects legal, while this is not? One has to balance if the benefits outweigh the cost, just as all drugs. When someone consumes cannabis, or does something he or she enjoys, it triggers the release of dopamine to the brain, making him or her feel good. Dopamine makes you feel pleasure, rewarded and excited. Dopamine affects your motivation, learning, heart rate, blood vessels, kidney, sleep, mood, attention, self-control, pain processing and movement. Someone who is using cannabis and gets that rush of dopamine may feel changes in those functions one way or another. So you might need more doses of the thing that causes the rush to achieve the same effects that a smaller dose used to give you before. Pleasure and pain are processed in the same parts of the brain, and the brain tries to keep them balanced whenever it tips in one direction. When dopamine is released, the brain regulates the pleasure by tipping to the side of pain, which is why happiness is usually followed by a down feeling. If we wait long enough, that feeling passes and neutrality is restored, but we have a tendency to counter it by going back to the source of pleasure for another dose. Genesis They will be yours for food. Open your eyes, your ears, your heart and your mind. They are products of a gradual process that took years of buildup and lots of contributions from multiple stakeholders. When tragedy strikes, we point our fingers to the government for being inefficient and corrupt. We point our fingers to the big corporations for being exploitive and pollutive. Perhaps the last we point our fingers to are ourselves. And before that was a phone or a laptop, it was first a rock under the earth. Mined, processed and delivered to you so you can watch your Netflix, browse your Facebook or do your work. If you are safely sheltered in a sturdy house made of cement, that material too was mined by an honest man, which thanks to the job that the mining industry has provided him, is able to feed his family. If your lights, air conditioning and wi-fi are on, congratulations, every minute you are given comfort by using electricity is a minute spent emitting greenhouse gases from the fossil fuel power plants used to generate energy. Does your comfortable home have wooden doors? How about wooden tables? Do you use toilet paper to wipe whatever? Can you think of your favorite cute leather bag and chic pair of leather shoes? Of course that came from a skinned animal. Yes, there are those who are guiltier than others. The biggest contributors should still pay the most. For as long as there are humans living in the face of the Earth, there will always be someone who needs to take, and then inevitably waste. Anything and everything we need comes from the earth and comes back to the earth. So what do we do? Well, one thing we can do is for all of us to die. But since that is unlikely a desirable solution, we try our best to balance the scales of what is beneficial to Mother Earth and what is beneficial to us, who are tasked to take care of it. How much is enough? What do we do with the resources we extract? Where do we spend the money we earn from exploiting natural resources? Why do we let dysfunctional systems persist? When can we switch to better options? Does anybody know the answers to these questions? If you liked this article please share it to your friends! What do you want to see? Leave a comment. For your regular dose, enter your email below or message hellohmygab gmail. Follow me on instagram gabtuaz. Chiang Kai-shek Statue, Taipei. Ever since Chiang Kai-shek led the Anti-communist forces to flee from China and settle in Taiwan, they have been struggling for years to separate from China as it considers Taiwan its region and refuses to acknowledge it as an independent country. Their incumbent president, Tsai Ing-Wen stands against it. Election posters in Taiwan. In fact, the parliament of Taiwan just passed an anti-infiltration bill which criminalizes any political activity or interference done by a foreign country, with the bill specifically targeting China. President Tsai Ing-Wen is expected to sign it into law this month before elections. In the Philippines, public outrage about Chinese invasion is rising. The reasons are many. One of them is the rapid influx of Chinese residents in the country due to online offshore gaming. This gambling industry has been causing an increase in undocumented migrants, kidnapping cases, tax losses amounting to billions of pesos and concerns about locals being evicted from their homes to give favor to Chinese offshore gaming employees that are willing to pay higher rent. There is also the case of the administration granting legislative franchises to Chinese state-owned companies that serve utilities like water and telecommunications. The third telco coming in is a partnership of a local company owned by Dennis Uy, a Filipino and China Telecom, which is state-owned by China. Even if no ownership laws were broken, concerns about security arise. Permitting China to provide our water and telecommunications will give them the ability to cut access or infiltrate our internet as they please. These are dangerous ties that bind us. The Build Build Build program which is the most ambitious and arduous infrastructure program of the Duterte administration is heavily funded by loans from China. As we speak, we are burdened by debt with daunting interests that will be passed on for generations to come. Last but not the least, China has been encroaching our islands in the West Philippine Sea and President Duterte has been forceless in asserting our rights in the disputed territories. Island in the Philippines. In the topic of independence, it seems the Philippines is yielding so easily to the advancements of China towards the country. Although I must admit that it is a tricky balancing act to stand your political ground against a superpower country and at the same time, maintain good economic and diplomatic relationships. Taiwan is struggling as well but they are more willful about it. The thing about independence is that most people want its privileges but not its responsibilities. We owe it to our forefathers to protect the freedom that they have fought hard and long for. We owe it to our children to give them the liberty to make their own decisions. And when it comes to making decisions, we must always choose the Filipino people. Photo by Mark Cayabyab. Read more about the Taiwan-China relationship here. For your regular dose of goodness, send an email to hellohmygab gmail. When I was a child and vacationing with family in Bohol, a local pointed to the silhouette of an eerie island across us and said, that is Siquijor. The very mention of the island sent creeping shivers down your spine. But that was many years ago and Siquijor is much different now from its old reputation. Although still quiet, it has now evolved into a young paradise rich in marine life, ready to welcome curious minds who are open to experiencing its beauty. They used to call Siquijor the Isla del Fuego. When the Spaniards came to the island in , the forrest was glowing with what they thought was fire. But when they looked closer, what they saw were fireflies. To visit the healers, you have to go up to the mountains in barangay San Antonio and barangay Cantabon. We went to Ms. Anecita Ponce, the faith healer who claims to remove negative elements away from your body. She starts her healing process by rubbing oil on your arms, back and some parts of your head. Then she smokes you out by burning coal underneath you and then prays over you. I felt my body getting lighter when she was smoking me out and praying over me. Next was Mr. Rogelio, who they call the bolo-bolo healer. Visiting Mr. Rogelio, you are greeted by an amazing view of greenery and high trees. It takes a few steps downward to reach his healing center. The purpose is to cleanse your body of toxic elements. It was a very brief healing. There is no concrete proof that the faith healers in Siquijor truly heal our wounds. Neither do I believe in shamanism nor witchcraft, but I believe that when it comes to healing, it starts within you. You cannot depend on other people to heal you, because some apologies will never come. Healing is first and foremost a decision to embark on a self-journey. This journey may include facing difficult realities, forgiving and letting go. You can choose to seek help from ancient practitioners or medical professionals, whichever works for you. When you seek to mend your heart, your mind and your body, an essential ingredient in the healing process is faith , which is the belief in what you cannot see right now. Everybody is broken. Every one was hurt at some point in their life…with childhood trauma and heartbreaks and disappointments…but with every adversity or mistake is a lesson waiting to be extracted. As for the wounds that never heal, cheers! And as for you, I am hoping that you are in the path of constant healing this Him and his friends are gonna go on a trip and one of the girls backed out so they gave the ticket to me. I think it also has something to do with being grateful for all the good things that happen to you, big and small. The law of attraction implies that if you keep being thankful then the universe will give you more situations to be thankful for. This is not about me trying to make you believe in my beliefs. Everyone has their own convictions and their own truths. This is my truth…. On April 28 there were eleven friends who existed in the corner of a beautiful island. We lived in cabanas where there was a pool and we had the beach to ourselves. The water was clear and the sand was fine. Silence and good vibrations surrounded us…. Shoutout to Luis the birthday boy who got the place! Thank you so much Luis! We love you. We spent our first day at the beach! There was music; we were drinking; some were swimming while others played in the sand. There was a lot of laughter! When the afternoon was about to end, we finished a bottle of brandy, then someone threw it in the ocean, but we picked it up! Will it be a good memory, or will it be garbage? As the sun set, we were all chilling by the pool watching the sky and the clouds. We had a big bottle of beer and it was going around the group for everyone to drink. Know that you are loved and accept the love that people around you have to offer. Conversations got deep. We experience issues with family, self-identity, relationships and pressures of life and existence. Me, I revel in solitude. I dream of a house in an island, away from everyone else. But this experience has made me realize how important human connection is and how much it saves lives and helps us elevate each other. One of the highlights of our trip was the afternoon we spent in our own private lake. The boys were swimmming and splashing around; the girls were sunbathing and some guys were chilling at the dock. There were six of us, rowing in our own kayaks. I was left alone in the water while all the rest were at the dock. Immersed in my thoughts as I was in that lake. I hear their joyful voices and in that moment I felt I was the observer, inside enough to be in that love but also an outsider alone in my own sunken world. I need to thank The Source, mine is God, as I stayed in the water just appreciating nature, resting my head and my stretched arms on the kayak while keeping my legs afloat. Later on that night Ryan was recalling that moment and said that I looked like the image of Jesus Christ that time. In Christian teachings, we are told to be as Christ-like as we can. So I was glad that for a moment someone saw Jesus in me. The best way to have more light in your life is to be a light for others. How can I be a light for you? What I know is that the human mind cannot comprehend the magnanimity of the power of God, that is why we are humans and He is God. That is why we doubt. We all want to feel connected to our Source. To build a relationship, you reach out, read about, talk, pray and meditate on his word. When you deepen your understanding of him; his nature and why he operates the way he does, your relationship with him deepens also. Kanye West said so himself cue in Only One. Some questions will forever remain unanswered, so what we can do is Trust. Things happen for us, not to us. There are points in our lives that we need to go through in order for us to grow and mold us into the kind of person we want to be. We are taught to strive to be great and we put too much pressure on ourselves, but all we really need to do in this world is exist. Worldy distractions, they are here for a purpose, but too much of wordly distractions like money, alcohol, drugs, or even social media, numb us from the things that are really important. Love is such a big word so we get hesitant to say it. But life is too short. So if you love someone make sure they know. In that moment, the universe gave me those people to love as friends, and I chose to love them as friends. In our three days in the island, the only thing going on was love. If you liked this article share this to your friends! For your regular dose of good vibes, send an email to hellohmygab gmail. When Mount Pinatubo erupted in , the world experienced the second biggest eruption of the 20th century. The impact of the explosion to the earth was so significant that it changed global temperatures! Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes. Massive quantities of lahar covered the provinces of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga in the Philippines. The Aetas own the rights of the land of Mount Pinatubo. They live in small nippa huts near the top of the mountain. It was the simplest type of living I have ever seen! You would wonder where they slept and where they went to the bathroom. In the distance you would see a cement scaffolding of a tiny structure, which makes the Aeta kids excited because that will be their school! Photo by Mark Lester Cayabyab redmarkable. Where do they get their food? They have some root crops, but when they have a bit of money, they go down the mountain and buy rice and meat, but this is not the case all the time. The children do not go to school. When they are not doing chores like getting water or washing clothes, the mothers and their children sit under the sun all day long. Along the trail you will see several tubes poking through the mountain, with overflowing water coming out of them. The water comes from the lake…. The lake was a result of the explosion. In the past, Pinatubo was a really high volcano, but when it exploded, a huge chunk of the top came off and eroded…and formed a big crater. The crater caught rain water, and over time, created this beautiful blue lake in the middle of all these green hills. If I could describe the journey to the center of Mount Pinatubo, it was bumpy, windy, sandy and long. But just like life…the most difficult roads are those that are worth it in the end. What is it that makes people want to give up everything they have, a career in the corporate world, security, being close to loved ones…to live the island life? The idea of freedom, happiness and having no worries is so enticing to many, thus the rise of the digital nomads in the form of travel vloggers, influencers, writers and the like. The air in Siargao provides an illusion of an escape into the easy and simple life. Are there really no problems in the island? Or does Siargao have mysteries that hide its other, darker side…. The island was extremely poor, so much that there were days people could only afford to eat once a day. With the opening of direct flights came the influx of tourists, and now the island sees a rise in its economy, with increased consumer spending, jobs, and a booming tourism industry. It looked as if there were more international tourists exploring Siargao than Filipino tourists. As a Filipino, it is quite saddening to find out that most land or business owners in the island are foreigners. Filipinos in the island cannot afford to set up their own business, since most locals are farmers and fishermen. Owe it to narcopolitics for the propagation of illegal drugs in the area. Drugs have been a major problem in the province of Surigao del Norte, where Siargao island is found. Then, when President Duterte took his seat and declared war on drugs, the visibility of users and pushers of illegal substances decreased. Crime such as robbery used to be rampant in the island, especially when tourists started coming in. Things have changed now that Siargao is protected as a tourist-safe destination. The police have implemented stricter law enforcement. However, cases of extrajudicial killings occur on a daily basis in Surigao City. Surigao City and Siargao island are both parts of the province of Surigao del Norte. Sources in the province said that narcopoliticians and narcopolicemen exist. These are serious allegations that must be looked into. Facts: A convicted American drug smuggler and surfer named Mike Boyum made Siargao island his hideout during the 80s. He settled near Cloud 9 and started a surf camp to finance his surfing. He died of starvation after fasting for 45 days for spiritual reasons. Surfing can be an addiction. The longer I stayed in Siargao, the more I thought about wanting to do the same thing. Some restaurants have stopped using plastics and some use reusable straws, but trash can still be seen on the streets. Tourists must be responsible with their trash and use the least amount of plastic as possible. The boat costs P1, for as much as six people and as long as 4 hours in the lagoon. A cottage can be found in the middle where people can eat, drink and chill. You can rent a paddleboard or a kayak and explore; you can also jump from the dive board and swim in the water which is loads of fun. The crab was super fat and scrumptious!!! It was quite expensive though at around P1, but for me it was worth it because it was huge. The lapu-lapu fish was also very fresh and tender, it melts in your mouth. The food is best consumed with your bare hands and after being tired from doing so many activities. I give it 3 over 5 stars. The staff was very accommodating and eager to assist. The unpleasant part was that the bathroom was common, it was hot inside the room and there was no aircondition. Price range: P1,P1, per night, depending on the kind of accommodation. The resort has a restaurant and bar too. The price is a bit hefty P a meal for the small serving, but they have different options, and some are hits! Try the muesli with banana and coconut milk, their sweet potato, and their fish adobo. They also have this super delicious home-made ice cream. Pacifico is still secluded so if you want some night life, you might get bored there. Surfing lessons all over Siargao cost P per hour. In my opinion, surfing is better at Pacifico! The waves kept coming! The best part is there are only a few people in the line-up. For those of you who are new to surfing terms, the line-up is the point in the water where surfers stay and wait for a wave to come. Beware though! If that happens, and the strong waves wipe you out, you will roll on a bed full of extremely sharp rocks! No one wants that to happen! It almost happened to me and I was scared for my life. Some spots require a boat to get there and some only require a bit of land travel. The Jacking Horse is the most popular spots for beginners, but I disliked the rocky shore that could be a hazard when you fall down from your surfboard. The most famous surfing break for experts is of course, Cloud 9. In the Boardwalk, the viewing deck where judges stay to observe surfing competitions in Cloud 9 is worth seeing. Kermit was one of the best restaurants we ate in during our stay there. The Italian food is simply sublime! Price range: PP per person. The place usually gets long lines so you might want to make a reservation. Price range: PP per drink. Cafe Loka offers good coffee and a wide variety of choices for a fruit smoothie. She was one of the first ones to migrate there. People have to be reminded of responsible tourism and waste management. Shaka is a popular place for tourists. Price: P per powerbowl. Bravo is also a popular restaurant for tourists. Ocean was our place in General Luna for two days. I give them 4 out of 5 stars overall. The resort has a cottage that functions as a dining room and a viewing deck so you can enjoy the sight of the sea while you eat. The food in the restaurant was so-so, the quantity was big, but the quality could improve a lot. The staff were assistive enough, arranging surfing lessons and island tours, but they lacked that extra touch that would make your stay memorable. A room will cost you P1,P7, per night depending on the type of accommodation you prefer. It was raining hard on the day we were scheduled to do the island hopping so the boatman cancelled because the waves were too big and it was dangerous. We got the most out of surfing instead! Just make sure to keep an open mind. Congratulations to working Filipinos! Those of us whose taxable income is below P, will be exempted from paying Personal Income Tax, which means a greater take home pay! The rest of you taxpayers will see lower tax rates. The program is a socioeconomic initiative of the Duterte administration to reduce poverty from It will boost the economy by increasing its productive capacity; it will create jobs; it will increase incomes; and it will encourage investments. The rich will have bigger contributions and the poor will receive more services from the government. Excise taxes mean taxes collected indirectly for a specific product. For the following years, you might find increases in your bills on gas, drinks, food, electricity…and looking good! Not a lot, right? Except for cosmetic procedures, these are only the basic necessities that every Filipino citizen needs to survive in everyday life. But, not to worry, to lessen the impact of the excise taxes on you…practice these things:. After much debate, lawmakers imposed an increase in excise taxes in coal from P10 to P per metric ton, thinking that this will provide the push the government needs to transition to renewable energy. Transitioning to renewable energy will not happen through taxing coal because electricity cooperatives will only pass the cost on to us! Magmamahal lang kuryente! To prevent your electricity rates from costing too much, conserve energy. Turn off unused appliances. For safety, unplug appliances when you step out the house. You can invest in more energy efficient appliances like led light bulbs to decrease your overall electricity consumption. Everything runs on oil. Buy local products that require less transportation costs. Buy organic vegetables and fruits at the market, but even those will already have taxes through the TRAIN. Walk more to save gas. It does well for your health also. You can park at a farther distance and walk from there. With that said, the inflation would come mostly from rising demand brought about by a growing economy. The impact of the oil excise tax on the value of products will not be as severe as some like to put it. Sugar is in everything. Except instant coffee, which is a total health hazard but lawmakers felt the need to exempt the product since it is consumed by millions of workers. There were debates if this bill is a health initiative or a revenue generating initiative. It cannot be both. Or can it? I go with the latter. There are 3. The SSB excise tax as a health measure, will encourage people to make healthy choices. The Historic City of Vigan has been a center of politics and trade even before the Spaniards invaded the Philippines. In pre-colonial times, Chinese workers had settled in this town and started commerce, jewelry crafting and manufacturing. They adopted Hispanic family names thereafter. The king rewarded the pr ovince of Ilocos to Captain Sa lcedo as his Encomienda; and so the land and its laborers were his to own. According to folklore, Vigan was named after a plant. The sixth president of the Philippines, Elpidio Quirino was born in this city in November 16, He resided at the former provinc ial jail where his father was a warden. Now, Vigan city is still the capital of Ilocos Sur, with over 53, people living in it. What makes Calle Crisologo charming is its touch of age and classicality. It is the best preserved model of a Spanish colonial town. The architecture is a combination of Philippine, Chinese and Spanish elements. Handsome stallions are seen everywhere in the streets drawing their carriage. Adorable souvenirs like this can be found in the stores, as well as antiques, hand-woven items and delicacies. The place is full of bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels. You can definitely spend your time there. The best part is you can enjoy all of this scenery for free! Even the most mundane things like windowpanes can be art. This place is pleasurable for photographers! The c alesa ride is one of the most enjoyable things you can experience in Vigan. The horse-drawn carriage is what Filipinos used as transportation back in the day. Now it can take you around the streets of Vigan and tour you around prominent historical spots in the city. Queston: is this animal cruelty or not? The horses seemed well taken care of. They seemed fed and sheltered properly. It would be debatable to eliminate the activity because it provides a source of livelihood for the people. The Vigan empanada is must try snack. It tastes different from the ones sold commercially in malls. Eat it with vinegar and it makes a good light snack to energize you after all that strolling. That, as well as their crispy pork bagnet are their most famous delicacies. Photo from the internet. Photos from the internet. This photo is edited. Typhoon aftermaths in the Philippines. Photos by Hannah Francisco. This is my truth… On April 28 there were eleven friends who existed in the corner of a beautiful island. Silence and good vibrations surrounded us… Shoutout to Luis the birthday boy who got the place! Much Love, G. Or does Siargao have mysteries that hide its other, darker side… Poverty The island was extremely poor, so much that there were days people could only afford to eat once a day. Drugs and Crime Owe it to narcopolitics for the propagation of illegal drugs in the area. Best Activity Surfing lessons all over Siargao cost P per hour. Best Grub Kermit was one of the best restaurants we ate in during our stay there. Love, Light and Good Vibrations, G. But, not to worry, to lessen the impact of the excise taxes on you…practice these things: Coal Excise Tax After much debate, lawmakers imposed an increase in excise taxes in coal from P10 to P per metric ton, thinking that this will provide the push the government needs to transition to renewable energy. Oil Excise Tax Everything runs on oil. Calle Crisologo What makes Calle Crisologo charming is its touch of age and classicality. Subscribe Subscribed. Sign me up. Already have a WordPress. Log in now. Loading Comments Email Required Name Required Website. Design a site like this with WordPress.

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