My Canyon Cove Escapade @ Nasugbu, Batangas

This three-day weekend escapade at Canyon Cove started when Khrist Caballero of Train Station (formerly Motivating Minds) texted me weeks ago to ask for my assistance in documenting and helping out training 300+ participants from ADP. Of course, I said yes! As long as it's for Train Station and it's about traveling, I'm always all for it!

The Manor at Camp John Hay in Baguio

Prior to visiting Eurotel and touring the rest of Baguio, I was at The Manor together with the rest of the training team of Motivating Minds. It was my first time there and may I just say that I was so thrilled with our stay.

It was drizzling when we got there. I was kind of a bit bummed at first since I was wearing my suede cowboy boots and looking forward to doing long walks outside, amidst all the beautiful trees, pines and the fog which eerily surround the landscape.


Little did I know that the only walk I'd be doing at that time was when we went to Baguio Convention Center to check out the place and to prepare the tent venue for some outdoor activities. It was fun though! I could already imagine how the training would go the next day.

My Radisson Blu Experience @ Cebu

I was at Radisson Blu in Cebu from Feb. 23-26, 2011. However, I was not there on vacation. I was once again part of Train Station (formerly Motivating Minds) and I was there as their assistant. The first time I assisted this amazing team of trainers was on January 2010, for the Kotex Youniversity. My next experience with them was last December when we went to Malapascua and Moalboal to train the hotel staff. My Radisson Blu experience with them is my third time and we were there to train the key personnel of Toyota from all over the Philippines. But this time, I am doing it with pay. Yipee! When I told you before that I am exploring another career path, well, I was pertaining to this. Who knows, I might end up like one of the greatest trainers I know (Carelle Mangaliag) and if not, I'm still happy to be part of a team that makes an amazing difference in the lives of people they train.

Speaking of the MMC team, I was with the following amazing people:

L-R: Lissa Romero, Martin dela Paz, Dennis Temporal, Ian Monforte, PJ Lanot, Carelle Mangaliag, RR Herrera, Khristlin Caballero, Elaine Francisco-Ledesma, Kris Bacani
PJ Lanot is missing in the group photo above... Now, I know why. ^_^

Let me give you the highlights of my Radisson Blu trip last weekend including videos of the following: when we checked in, by the pool and the concert during our last night (with Nikki Gil, Geneva Cruz, KC Montero and JR)...

Sardine Run @ Pescador Island in Moalboal, Cebu

It was supposed to be the last day that our team, Motivating Minds, will train the staff of Club Serena. However, when Carelle and RR decided to stay late the previous night to finish the training, we had the whole morning to ourselves. It was a perfect set up which means my friends get to dive while I get to snorkel at no other than the most famous marine park in Moalboal, Cebu --- Pescador island.

Carelle, RR and Ian were all raving about it. I just hoped it wasn't like my experience at Gato island where I couldn't see anything underwater because of the illegal fishing going on causing the water to be murky with dead fishes floating. On the other hand, I was still excited. They were hoping to catch the sardine run on video and I was hoping to catch it too from the surface where I'll just be snorkeling.

The boat ride from Club Serena to Pescador island was about 30 - 40 minutes. The boat docked near the shallow part of the coast where I can already see the beautiful and colorful corals from where I was sitting. I thought I'd snorkel there too. Unfortunately, as soon as all the divers went underwater, the boat moved to the deeper part of the coast where the water was so choppy. I was scared to snorkel at first. But thinking that we'll be going back to Manila later that afternoon, I gathered enough courage and just went into the water.


I was dumbfounded with what I saw. There were like a billion sardines swimming all around me! I snorkeled right into the middle of the sardine run! I couldn't explain how I felt. I was just too happy that I didn't have to dive just to see this! I was one with the multitude of sardines swimming all around me.

The Amazing Training at Malapascua

We arrived at Malapascua island on Dec. 1 and checked in at Exotic Dive Resort. But it was only on the second day that my volunteer work there really started. If you want to read everything I've blogged about so far during this trip, please head to Malapascua 2010.

Anyway, I'm not just describing the training we did there as amazing but I am also telling you that Carelle Mangaliag and RR Herrera of Motivating Minds (now called TRAIN STATION) train people HOW TO BE AMAZING in all aspects of their lives! In this particular instance, they shared their expertise in neuro-linguistic programming and its proper application to both work and family life so the locals can achieve their goals for their community.

Malapascua - Moalboal Trip with Carelle Mangaliag: an Introduction

This very enriching vacation/volunteer work I did at Malapascua and Moalboal in Cebu started last Dec. 1, 2010 right after our trip to Dumaguete from Nov.26-30, 2010 (which I will just blog about after this Cebu trip).

me inside PAL's Boeing 747

One day, as I was finishing all my tasks at work before heading to Negros Oriental with my hubby, my friend RR Herrera (yes, the former child star ^_^) called me asking if I know how to dive because their company, Train Station (formerly Motivating Minds), is looking for a diver who can help document the training they will conduct among the locals of Malapascua and Moalboal as well as the staff of the dive resorts they will be staying at (the very accommodating Exotic Dive Resort in Malapascua and the beautiful Club Serena resort in Moalboal). Excess funds from the office of former DOT Secretary Ace Durano (he's amazing!) will be used to cover the plane fare and food while accommodations and dives at Malapascua will be handled by Exotic Dive Resort. In Moalboal, Club Serena will take care of the dives, accommodations and food. All of these things will be provided to the team in exchange for the training that will be provided to the people there which will be based on Neuro-linguistic Programming principles being taught by Carelle Mangaliag and RR Herrera of Train Station.