Tag: Project 81

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Travel

Project 81: Travel Checklist to Philippines’ 81 Provinces

batanes

Documenting my Project 81 Philippines!

It’s around 2014 when I started to love traveling to different places here in the Philippines. And since then, I intend to go to every province in our country and know their history, culture, local dishes, locals, and lovely spots!

I also wrote below some of the reasons why I have been to these places.

CURRENTLY: 25/81

Can’t believe I am already at 25 provinces! When I was a kid, I swear I didn’t think that somehow, my mind will be opened to traveling and I am so happy I finally took the leap! People always thought traveling is expensive. Well of course you need to shell out money but there are so many ways for you to travel without breaking the bank. Will talk about this soon.

PROJECT 81 PHILIPPINES

*Hover and click the places you wanna see

[display-map id=’3264′]

National Capital Region (Manila and Surrounding cities) | 13/19

  • Caloocan City (North)
  • Caloocan City (South) – Visited Caloocan because of a friend
  • Las Piñas
  • Makati – Makati has a special place in my heart since I got my ‘dream job’ here before.
  • Malabon – Visited the place during college! We’re making reports in college in my classmate’s house
  • Mandaluyong – Always visiting this place because of SM Megamall. There are also a LOT of memorable experiences here. Good and bad.
  • Manila – Manila is the very first city that I ever visited as a ‘tourist’ during college.
  • Marikina – Went here for the first time during college years. It was my first time to ride the LRT till the last station.
  • Muntinlupa – Visited here for the first time when Mama and I had a staycation in one of the resorts there.
  • Navotas
  • Parañaque – I’m here most of the time because I frequently go to Baclaran before to buy RTWs.
  • Pasay City – First time to visit Pasay during my college years because of Star City!
  • Pasig – First home when Mother and I decided to live together again.
  • Pateros
  • Quezon City (NCR) (districts/streets) – We lived here before. 🙂
  • San Juan – Went here because of Robinsons Magnolia and this place is somewhat remarkable because I was always ‘wet’ whenever San Juan day comes and I have to go to school.
  • Taguig – The first time I visited BGC was on my first year at work. Haha! I loved every bit of BGC then. Seems like I was in another country. Haha!
  • Valenzuela – Visited Valenzuela because of a friend.

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
| 3/5

  1. Abra
  2. Benguet – First visited the place on my first getaway as a blogger last 2014, I guess. I keep coming back to Benguet ever since
  3. Ifugao – Visited Ifugao because of work. Fell in love with this place ever since.
  4. Kalinga Apayao (CAR)
  5. Mountain Province – Visited this place because of work as well. I always wanna go back!

BARMM: Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao | 0/5

  1. Basilan
  2. Lanao del Sur
  3. Maguindanao
  4. Sulu
  5. Tawi-Tawi

Region 1: Ilocos Region | 1/4

  1. Ilocos Norte
  2. Ilocos Sur
  3. La Union
  4. Pangasinan – First visited the place with my workmates last 2013.

Region 2: Cagayan Valley Region 1/4

  1. Batanes – Batanes was my first solo travel last 2018. Ryan and I went back a year after.
  2. Cagayan
  3. Isabela
  4. Nueva Vizcaya
  5. Quirino Province

Region 3: CENTRAL LUZON | 4/7

  1. Aurora
  2. Bataan
  3. Nueva Ecija
  4. Pampanga – Been to Pampanga a couple of times.
  5. Tarlac
  6. Zambales – Visited Zambales countless times because of work. I think I went to all municipalities here during 2016-2017
  7. Bulacan Province -Visited this place a couple of times.

Region 4A: CALABARZON | 5/5

  1. Batangas – Always here in Batangas since I started working. Been to different cities and municipalities as well. Had a blogger tour as well all over CALABARZON.
  2. Cavite Province – Before my Mama and I moved here to Cavite, I was visiting this place, particularly Tagaytay a lot of times already.
  3. Laguna – Toured around the municipalities in Laguna because of work and blogger getaways.
  4. Quezon Province – Toured around the municipalities in Quezon Province because of work and blogger getaways.
  5. Rizal Province – Toured around the municipalities in Rizal Province because of work and blogger getaways.

Region 4B: MIMAROPA| 0/5

  1. Mindoro Occidental
  2. Mindoro Oriental
  3. Marinduque
  4. Palawan
  5. Romblon Province

Region 5: BICOL Region | 5/6

  1. Albay – Toured around Albay because of work.
  2. Camarines Norte – Toured around the municipalities of Camarines Norte because of blogger getaways and my boyfriend, now fiance, is from Camarines Norte
  3. Camarines Sur – Went to Naga because of work, blogger getaway, and because of Ryan’s work
  4. Catanduanes
  5. Sorsogon Province – Visited the place because of work
  6. Masbate – Masbate is my hometown and glad to have visited all three main islands of Masbate because of work

Region 6: Western Visayas | 4/6

  1. Aklan – My family and I went to Boracay last 2016
  2. Antique – Went to Antique because of work
  3. Capiz
  4. Guimaras – Went to Guimaras several times because of work
  5. Iloilo – Went to Iloilo several times because of work
  6. Negros Occidental

Region 7: Central Visayas | 1/4

  1. Bohol
  2. Cebu – Visited Cebu last 2019 for the second time because of work
  3. Negros Oriental
  4. Siquijor

Region 8: Eastern Visayas | 0/6

  1. Biliran
  2. Eastern Samar
  3. Leyte
  4. Northern Samar
  5. Samar
  6. Southern Leyte

Region 9: Zamboanga Peninsula | 0/3

  1. Zamboanga del Norte
  2. Zamboanga del Sur
  3. Zamboanga Sibugay

Region 10: Northern Mindanao | 0/5

  1. Bukidnon
  2. Camiguin
  3. Lanao del Norte
  4. Misamis Occidental
  5. Misamis Oriental

Region 11: Davao Region | 0/5

  1. Compostela Valley
  2. Davao del Norte
  3. Davao del Sur
  4. Davao Occidental
  5. Davao Oriental

Region 12: SOCCSKARGEN | 0/4

  1. Cotabato
  2. Sarangani
  3. South Cotabato
  4. Sultan Kudarat

Region 13: Caraga Region | 0/4

  1. Agusan del Norte
  2. Agusan del Sur
  3. Dinagat Islands
  4. Surigao del Norte
  5. Surigao del Sur

HOW DID I AFFORD TO TRAVEL?

Glad you are reading up to here! I know I haven’t gotten to even half of the provinces here in the Philippines but I just wanna document the reasons why I afford traveling to these places again and again.

If you scanned the notes I wrote above, I usually go to different places because of work and blogger getaways. Here are the reasons if you are quite interested.

WHY I TRAVEL BECAUSE OF WORK

I work for around three years as an Acquisition Manager for Hotels, and Business Development Officer for the company called TravelBook.ph. Sad because the first company that I loved so much decided to stop its operations this year because of the pandemic caused by COVID-19.

As an Acquisition Manager, the company requires me to go out to the places, regions, assigned to me and get those hotels to partner with us. This is the most rewarding job that I had ever since I started working.

When I was transferred to the Business Development Team as the Officer, which I somewhat regret, I got less travels but still, I had so much fun.

And then, now as Brand Acquisition Manager for Shopee, we are sometimes tasked to go out to different areas and get those brands out there to partner with Shopee.

WHAT IS A BLOGGER GETAWAY OR FAMILIARIZATION TOUR?

I really can’t say that I am a travel blogger because I just write what I wanna write and for me to remember those things that I wanna remember.

But luckily, I have been part of some bloggers group and eventually, I was invited for a blogger getaway or Fam tours.

Here, we don’t usually pay for anything. But sometimes, we pay the fare to/from the place. This is not really an issue for me since the experience, lessons are nothing compared to the small amount that we sometimes need to shell out.

I TRAVEL USING MY OWN TRAVEL FUND

While these business trips and blogger getaways give me the privilege to travel for free, of course not all my travels are for free.

I am also traveling using my own money, my own travel fund. In fact, I wrote a blog on how to save for your dream vacation.

PIA’S THOUGHTS

Updated: September 28, 2020 | 25/81

I am really blessed to have visited a lot of places here in the Philippines. 25/81 may be a small number for any traveler but I am so happy to have visited these places and to really get to know locals in these areas.

Now, because I have my forever travel buddy, my soon-to-be husband, we will be completing all 81 provinces in the Philippines and eventually go out of the country to enjoy the rest of the world!