Images from #PROJECTJOMALIG wave 3.0

As a starter, let me answer some frequently asked questions: 

(a) What is Project Jomalig? 

Project Jomalig is an effort to lift up the island as 2011 and 2012's most nutritionally depressed municipality in the Philippines through a series of feeding program (for a period of six months) through the effort of volunteers. Some may argue that this effort may not amount that much, but it is our hope that this small step will make ripples and it is our duty to spread the word. For details about the project, here's James' site: http://journeyingjames.com/2013/03/project-jomalig-feed-the-kids-change-the-world/

(b) Where is Jomalig, Quezon?

From Real, Quezon which is about 2 to 3 hours from Manila, you will board a boat which ferries goods, cargo and passengers bound for Patnanungan Island. This will take about 5 hours. From there you have to transfer to a smaller boat which will take another hour or less. If you are lucky enough, you can catch a boat which ferries directly to Jomalig for about 6 hours. Now, you get the picture. It is quite hard to reach and it will take real effort to go there. That is the prime reason why it is nutritionally depressed - it is hard to reach. 

Being a photography enthusiast and an amateur adventurer, here are three pictures I'd like to share to you  during my June 14-16 Project Jomalig stint:

Project Jomalig wave 3 team with the children of Brgy. Apad, Jomalig

Things I learned in the past 25 years

I don't know the authenticity of this claim, but apparently on the day I was born, the skies cleared up and the sun's rays pointed towards our house as if it was being spot lighted. Then there came the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bringing gifts of katana, nunchucks, and a kung-fu pole. 

Seems legit.

Here's what I know based on what I heard from oral accounts from my aunts who were with my mom during the day I was bound to come out: apparently, my mom while carrying me in her big tummy was doing the laundry when she experienced the first contraction. She refused to be brought to the hospital at that point because she insisted in finishing the laundry first. I am not sure about the part about my mom driving our owner-type jeep with my aunts to the hospital. We were already at our second case of Red Horse when I was told this story so the authenticity may be questionable. hahaha!

Yeah, my mom was a true badass. She was a military nurse and she was even at the height of her military training when she was pregnant with my older sibling.

I was born on June 8, '88 8:35pm, Zamboanga City. Twenty-five years on, there's three very important things I learned so far: