Walk This Way: AND THE WINNER IS...

I received quite a few applications for the overnight tour to Corregidor (I got almost 30). Some were really creative, some were poignant, and some were, well.. kinda ridiculous. Here is a sampling of some of the reasons why I should give away a trip for free to these folks. Enjoy...

We promise ourselves we won't travel abroad unless we have seen completely the beauty of our own country. As what they always say, love your own. :) And as people of their words, we will definitely keep this promise!

Being the competitive person that I am, I like joining games, contests, and raffles. Now, to bet on the 6/49 Lotto while the jackpot is in the P160M mark...

It's for free

I am a blogger.

I have no reasons.

I have been to the south, to the north, and now I want to cross the sea to Bataan.

I love Carlos! (not in the Lets-Get-Married sense of love but more of His-Tours-Rock kind of loving! )

Some sent poetry:
Simple lang naman ang dreams ko
Maka takas lang kahit once sa trabaho
Kasi sasabog na ang utak
Sa mga deadlines na sangkatutak

So be my pinoy superman
And give me a chance to go there naman
Bunutin mo yun name ko sa magic hat
Kung hinde you’ll feel my wrath

Hehe loko lang
Wala kasi akong naisip na slang
Para matapos itong entry ko
At mapadala na sa iyo.

Some sent haikus:
two years, i've worked here (well, one year and 8 mos, but that won't fit 5 syllables.)
never been to anywhere
outside manila (other than on client field-work).

day in and day out
making tax computations
oh, gimme a break.

Some had purely selfish reasons:
To take photos of my dolls in Corregidor. See attached photo.

While some were doing it for others:
I constantly torment him just to get a reaction other than polite pleasantries and well, I just thought it would be a really nice surprise to win this trip. He would go insane if he knew of this but I know it would make him really happy. And it would really make me happy if he is.

So my Alex could test her new Gorillapod aka Gorillaz (since we always forget what it's called).

In a few months I’m heading home to Australia after almost 5 years living/working in the Philippines – and I STILL haven’t been to Corregidor. My fiancée Doreen has lived in the Philippines for 28 years, and she STILL hasn’t been to Corregidor. Winning the raffle would set this travesty right.

My son wants to be a hero someday. He wants to be a soldier and fight for his country, for truth and right. He wants to be a protector of the weak and uphold justice. I think visiting Corregidor will give him perspective and a sense of the enormity of the sacrifice of all who died there.

My parents just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. And I really wanted to give them something. But I had to pay for my licensure exam. I'm a pharmacist you see. So all my savings went to pay for the foreign licensure exam instead. I sort of promised myself that I will give my parents a gift this time around because I wasnt able to give them a "bongga" gift during their 25th.

Hubby wants to visit the place too. This is one of the many chances to spend quality time together.

My now fiance deserves a break! He got held up at gun point in Taguig 2 days before proposing and my supposed engagement ring was inside the bag that was stolen..

Some are doing it because they like my dad.
I just found out that Carlos' dad is our family doctor. ( hmm this is still subject to confirmation). But if his dad is the pedatrician with hairy arms and hands out choco lollies after every session, Then i deserve this dammit!!! i practically spent my childhood in that office listening to kids screaming their lungs off from injection issues. and then screaming my lungs off when my turn came. and then staring at his kids caricature drawings he displays proudly in his office ( hmm come to think of it... i wonder if they are carlos' work?) . My last check up was like when i was 27 years old.

While some are applying because they like me.
I've always wanted to go to Corregidor because of my grandfather's stories, but never had the extra money nor the time. Now I have a bit of the first, not enough of the other, but something you said during last Sunday's tour struck a chord. That to change Manila, we have to change how we see Manila. My grandfather was one those soldiers during the War, he was a pilot, and he survived the Death March. Barely, but still. He was saved by his cousin Elisa (whom we now know as the first congresswoman of the Philippines, Elisa Rosales-Ochoa) from rotting to death by the roadside. And I grew up with his stories in my head, mind-pictures of places I've never been to, times I've never lived. Being here in Manila for the past ten years, I cannot reconcile those mind-pictures, those memories passed on to me by my grandfather. But after joining your tour, and especially hearing your spiel at the San Agustin crypt, I realized that you and your words could reconcile those mind-pictures for me and effectively transport me to those days long gone, for me to better understand how it was back then to learn from the experience and change what needs to be changed.

Because I want to meet the new skinny & anorexic Carlos.
And of course, some applied because they were just desperate.

I desperately need a vacation. PLEEEEZEEE PICK ME! ( im on hand and knees here)
Here are some of the more interesting shots that were sent...