MEETING MITCH ALBOM IN MANILA: Niña Terol-Zialcita with best-selling author Mitch Albom & freelance photographer Toni Alvarez

Perhaps my best assignment ever as a writer has been getting to meet and chat with one of the world’s most beloved authors, Mitch Albom. Unknown to many, Albom was a musician and an award-winning sports journalist before he captured hearts and minds all over the world with the #1 New York Times bestseller, Tuesdays with Morrie. After having published his latest novel, The First Phone Call from Heaven, Albom took the opportunity to visit the Philippines not only to promote his book, but also–and more importantly–to help rebuild libraries…Continue Reading “Lessons from a conversation with best-selling author Mitch Albom”

AMANPULO. Paradise in the Sulu Sea. Screen shot from http://www.amanresorts.com/

(First published on November 4, 2013) in Rappler.com) [See the original image here] MANILA, Philippines – Amanpulo, the ultra-exclusive resort located in Pamalican Island in the Sulu Sea, has once again made it to Condé Nast Traveller’s list of Top 100 resorts, hotels and spas in the Readers’ Travel Awards 2013. The resort was cited among the Top 20 in the Asia & India category, with a numeric rating of 77.88 over 100. Amanpulo is the only Philippine resort to make it to this year’s Top 100. According…Continue Reading “Amanpulo, Visayas Islands among the best of Conde Nast (Rappler.com)”

DINIWID PARADISE. Heaven's painting. All photos by Niña Terol-Zialcita

(First published on November 3, 2013 in Rappler.com) I kicked off my flip-flops and dug my feet into the cool, soft sand. It was the first sunny morning in a week of stormy skies and sudden rainshowers, and I wanted to make the most of it. I sipped the warm, sweet taho that I bought from a roving vendor, then I settled my glass snugly into the sand before finding my own sweet spot. In front of me, the high tide was carrying strong waves in a…Continue Reading “Diniwid beach: The quiet side of Boracay (Rappler.com)”

A portion of the Baclayon Church which, according to locals, shows a miraculous image of Padre Pio... Do you see it? (Bohol, Philippines) | Photo by Niña Terol-Zialcita

The beautiful Philippine province of Bohol was struck this morning, 15 October 2013, by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that left scores dead and badly damaged a number of government, historical, and tourism structures. One of the most badly hit was Baclayon Church, completed in 1727 and considered one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. Another popular landmark that was destroyed is the viewing deck of the world-famous Chocolate Hills in Carmen, the epicenter of the Bohol quake. It was heartbreaking to see the state of…Continue Reading “In remembrance: 10 Ways Bohol Feeds Your Heart and Soul (Click the City)”

Almost a month ago (and fresh after the grueling campaign!), I and my “writing sisters” from Writer’s Block Philippines joined Lonely Planet guidebook author Greg Bloom in giving a travel writing seminar to guests of Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street . It was great fun sharing our insights from two of the things we love most–writing and traveling–and to be joined by no less than an authority in the field. Here, I’ll share an excerpt of what Fully Booked published in its blog, but for more meaty…Continue Reading “In the News: Top 5 Take-Home Tidbits from the Lonely Planet No More Seminar (Fully Booked)”

We’ve all seen how social media in the Philippines exploded with posts, tweets, and other memes pertaining to the 2013 mid-term elections. We used social media to learn about some candidates, poke fun at others, and even report election-related offenses. The social media scene was vibrant, albeit cacophonic; and, you have to admit, many of us couldn’t help but engage in the online conversations. Now that election fever has died down, how do we process all that hullabaloo and apply its lessons to our own…Continue Reading “What can the 2013 elections teach your company or brand?”