GMA 7 Summer Break: Travel to Cagayan Province

Two years ago, I challenged myself to do my first solo trip to two provinces I haven't been to -- Cagayan and Kalinga. What I thought was just a short simple trip turned out to be one for the books.Recounting the exciting road trips, beautiful sunrises, and meeting kind people in these provinces left a mark that I will recall for a long time.

But in every trip, there's at least one episode that stands out among the smorgasbord of experiences. For my adventure in Cagayan...it is Palaui Island in the town of Sta. Ana. 

Whenever I'm asked about my favorite destinations around the country, Palaui Island always makes it on the list. So when I got an email asking if I could share my Palaui Island experiences for GMA's Summer Break series, I didn't hesitate and jumped in immediately. 

The remote island of Palaui is definitely worth sharing. But somehow there's a part of me guilty of the possibility that if I keep promoting unspoiled beaches and islands like Palaui, what are the chances that these may also fall into the ugly trap of commercial tourism? I could only hope that stories like mine will create awareness and promote a sustainable eco-tourism that will benefit the local community without damaging the environment.

Here's the video courtesy of GMA 7. 

My tv appearance was a tiny bit of the entire Cagayan feature, but I got my messages across-- overcoming the fears and challenges of solo traveling around the Philippines. The rest of the story focused on the buffet of must-do activities in Cagayan like island hopping, bat-watching, spelunking, foodtrip, and church visits.

And like GMA reporter Victoria Tulad, my first trip to Cagayan and Palaui Island will definitely not be my last.

Thanks to Ranel, Patty and the team for this chance to share my story.