Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center

Oakwood accidentally became part of the Philippine military history. When the 321-armed Magdalo soldiers led by then Lt. Sg. and now Senator Antonio Trillanes IV staged a mutiny in 2003 against the corrupt practices in the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, they chose not EDSA, but a posh serviced apartment hotel in the heart of Makati.

But that was the thing of the past. More than a decade later, I guess everybody has moved on. Senator Trillanes just lost the Vice presidency race. GMA was just re-elected as Congresswoman of Pampanga. And Oakwood has relocated to a neighboring central business district of Ortigas in 2009, six years after the que horror incident, for a fresh start.

I can feel there is no more trace of the dark past as I stepped inside Oakwood. With a prestigious “Deluxe” classification it got from the Department of Tourism, only joy and nostalgia seem to linger in the air.

The lobby looks chic, elegant and majestic, as if touched by the hands of King Midas. I was amazed by the chandeliers and statue of Chinese Dragon Warrior Guan Gong Yu.

Oakwood boasts of its 230 fully furnished serviced apartments equipped with hotel-like amenities and modern home conveniences. The one bedroom suite is beyond lovely. The expansive living room with dining table, sofa, and state of the art home entertainment system could hold an intimate party. High speed broadband Internet is also guaranteed. The earth-tone color of the master bed with plenty of pillows is simply beautiful. The bathroom has a steam bath and tub with water-proof flat-screen TV. I was even surprised to find a washing machine and dryer. But above all these, the suite is every baker or chef-wannabe’s dream studio kitchen. It was well-stocked with pots, pans, five kinds of knives, kitchenware, coffeemaker, refrigerator, stove, conventional and microwave ovens, and even dishwasher.

Oakwood’s classy in-house restaurant, Nostalgia Dining Lounge, offers delectable food in a cozy and relaxed setting. I enjoyed my solitary late lunch with their signature dishes of bacon-wrapped Marsala chicken and tortellini filled with smoked salmon, and summer mango cheesecake.

Amenities that guests could freely use include an indoor heated lap pool in an all-blue color scheme and piped with underwater music, Jacuzzi, sauna, and fitness center. Since the pool is always full of raucous children, I just sneaked and played in the children’s playroom. I’m still a kid at heart, after all.

Despite a lot of things people complain about Metro Manila, it still looks peaceful and progressive from up my room. I just don’t know when the crazy traffic will end but I’m certain my heart knows when it is time to finally close a chapter.

And open a new one.

Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center

#17 ADB Ave. Ortigas Center

Pasig City

Tel. No.: 637-7888

Take every chance

Often, we think there’s always ample time to do everything. Time to do things with people. Time to say things that matter to them. Time to show the feelings we’ve been holding on for so long. And then something unexpected happens. And then we were left with nothing but regret, a burning feeling and haunting words like “only if...”.

Umbrella Rocks and Abagatanen Beach of Agno, Pangasinan

“I'm sorry that I'm both your umbrella and the rain.”

― Tablo

Nope, this isn’t a drama post. Originally, it was a PPRD outing for nine. Just to see the famed Umbrella Rocks of Agno and then hit the beach. But almost half backed out the last minute. This trip almost didn’t happen, but we the remaining survivors (AJ, Kuya Jojo, Ralph, Jhee-Ann and me) still decided to push it despite the attrition and those pa-fall like Patricia.

  

Located in the Western coastal part of Pangasinan, sandwiched by the towns of Burgos and Bani, Agno may still be a sleepy town yet boasts of white-sand beaches and beautiful rock formations. It was named after a swamp tree called “Agno Casto”, which grows abundantly in the area and is used for medicinal concoctions to relieve pain and illness.

The road is still being constructed going to its two popular tourist attractions – the Umbrella Rocks and the Abagatanen Beach. Hopefully it will be completed late 2016 or early 2017. By then, it is expected to usher in more tourists.

It rained the night before our arrival in Agno, and unfortunately our van got stuck for a while in a mud near the narrow dirt road going to Umbrella Rocks. Buti na lang at nagbayanihan ang mga tao doon sa pagtulak ng van.

We arrived safe and sound after six hours of night land travel from Manila to Umbrella Rocks Beach Resort. Owned and managed by the municipal government, it is so far the only operational resort in Agno with nipa huts and room accommodations. It is strategically located on Sabangan Beach, and just a few steps away from the Umbrella Rocks – a cluster of colossal boulders and rock formations eroded by nature through time, most of which are shaped like giant umbrella and mushroom.

 

There’s a hill by the beach, accessible via paved stairways. On the summit is a non-functional lighthouse. For security purposes, anybody who will get caught entering it will be penalized with a hefty fine of P2,000.   

After we settled, a jeepney full of locals arrived. They were supposed to go to the neighboring Abagatanen Beach but since the road is still under construction (only motorcycles and tricycles could pass thru), they just decided to have their outing at the resort. It was our cue that we need to start walking going to Abagatanen.

It took us almost an hour to reach Abagatanen by foot, passing by cliffs overlooking the West Philippine Sea, rice field, hills and a very kind manong who has a horse, na isa-isa naming sinakyan. User-much talaga kami.

When we reached Abagatanen, we were so amazed with the crystal clear water of the beach. Pero pinakamasaya si Jhee-Ann because it was her first time to see a white sand beach. Abagatanen is a small fishing village, so there is still no hint of commercialism in the area, except for the native cottages for rent and a small sari-sari store owned by a kagawad, where we had our lunch. Our group was also the first to arrive so solong-solo namin ang beach.

On the rear side of the beach, we found a lagoon and more rock formations. We saw a group of local boys, taking their turns at rock diving. E medyo nainggit kami slight, so we also tried. Kaso lang may isa sa amin na first time pa lang gagawin yun. Si Bes di pala marunong lumangoy, muntik na siya malunod bago maakyat ang rock, at nung nasa tuktok na siya, na realize niya na di pa pala siya ready ma-fall. So ayun, muntik na abutan ng sunrise bago nakatalon.

Back at Umbrella Rocks, we rented one of their native huts for overnight stay (P500 for 12 hours use/ P1,000 for overnight stay). It would have been much comfortable had we brought with us pillows and blankets. Since the resort doesn’t offer any food and drinks, we have no choice but to cook our own dinner. AJ prepared inihaw na liempo and fish stuffed with tomatoes and onions. The next day before going back to Manila we dropped by Bes’ home in Bani. We were treated to an unforgettable seafood feast plus fresh fruits lovingly prepared by his mother.

At kahit di kami kumpleto, we still managed to tolerate each other’s company, and enjoy the wonderful scenery, the friendly waves and fresh air, the Videoke, and the shrimps. This was also sort of our farewell bonding with the kids. In fact, dito nga na-establish sa Agno ang Bes Company.

And yes, you can sit with us!

How to get to Agno:

1. From Cubao or Pasay, take Agno-bound bus (Five Star, Solid North or Dagupan Bus) and get off at the town proper of Agno.

2. But since Agno buses have limited trips daily, another option would be to take Alaminos or Bolinao-bound bus, and get off in Alaminos and ride another jeepney to Agno.

3. From Agno town proper rent a tricycle (good for 3) going to Umbrella Rocks (contact no. of the resort - 0918-4783654) and Abagatanen. It may cost P600 or more, two-way.