Firefly360's Blog
A Collection of Published 360VR Articles and Personal JournalsArchive for Kaya ng Pinoy
Mt. Pulag – At the Peak of Luzon
The Hike for Light (H4L) project is being undertaken by the Philippine Solar Foundation to provide solar lamps to those communities living near the mountains that has no access to electricity. In cooperation with Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation and the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Team, the project aims to summit 6 of the country’s highest peaks with 200 climbers and distribute 500 solar lamps to change the lives of those communities.
Darkness surrounds us, the temperature at a chilling 12 degrees Celsius as we woke up that morning ready for the final trek towards the summit of Mt. Pulag, the third highest mountain in the Philippines. With no time for breakfast and together with some 200 climbers, our group started the slow ascent in a bid to catch the sunrise atop Luzon’s tallest peak.
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Balangay Masawa hong Butuan Homebound
Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 1.7Mb each.
Text By: Jorge B. Navarra – Butuan Global Forum
In the morning of January 21, 2011, “Balangay MASAWA HONG BUTUAN” arrived in Sangley Point after more than an hour of sailing in Manila Bay from CCP Harbour Square. The crew was privileged to have on board the following guest passengers: Laurice Guillen-Feleo, her daughter Ina Feleo, Bibsy Carballo, Behn Cervantes, Nestor Torre, his mother Isabel Urbina-Torre, Nestor’s niece Angeli and nephew John, Djanin Cruz and brother Bodie Cruz (children of Tirso Cruz III), and TV reporters from Manila and Hongkong.
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Balangays in Singapore
Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 1.9Mb each.
After over a month since the balangays exited Philippine waters for the start of their Southeast Asia journey, I joined the crew in Batam Island, Indonesia once again and sailed to the tiny city state of Singapore.
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Balangays: Raiders of the Sulu Sea
Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 1.7Mb each.
Hundreds of years ago, the Filipino ancestors, part seafarers, traders and warriors, command much of the Sulu archipelago; from coastal areas of Zamboanga in the north, to Palawan in the west and North Borneo in the south. Control by the Sultan of Sulu, these warriors would often raid settlements and ships for slaves (hence the term “slave raiders”) on-board wooden crafts like the balangays. These majestic boats, described by Antonio Pigafetta, Ferdinand Magellan’s chronicler during the 16th century as sometimes having over 100 rowers, strike awe and fear into the hearts of their enemies.
Today, replicas of the balangay boats set sail again, not to raid and plunder, but to promote unity and understanding thru historically shared maritime bonds in Southeast Asia. The three wooden crafts: Diwata ng Lahi, Masawa hong Butuan, and the recently constructed Sama Tawi-Tawi undertake an adventure to retrace the migration paths of the ancient Filipino ancestors.
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Launch of Balangay Sama Tawi-Tawi
Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 1.8Mb each.
July 16, 2010 marks another historical milestone for Butuan; this was the day the 3rd balangay boat was launched at Luna Compound, in Brgy. Bading, Butuan City. Spearheaded by Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation and the Butuan Global Forum, the festive event was attended by Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr., Congresswoman Angel Amante-Matba, Congressman Jose Aquino II, other local officials and stakeholders, students, and scores of well-wishers. Most Rev. Juan De Dios M. Pueblos D.D. and Father Amalla blessed the boat which officially hit the waters of the Agusan River at around 2PM amidst a jubilant crowd.
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