School days are just around the corner and though we definitely wish snow could fall to compensate for the scorching heat of the summer sun tormenting our skins for the past couple of days, I know most school boys and school girls would really want to extend the summer vacation for just a couple more days.  But the beginning of classes is inevitable and the only way to make the most of it is to make our summer enders a blast. And I mean of Big Bang proportions.

Now there is this one summer ender gathering that every Boholano Kpop fanboy and fangirl (like me!) should catch as much as they can.  After a year of hiatus, a Kpop Fan Gathering is about to happen that I swear will send you into a Kpop madness overdose.

The new generation of We Love Kpop Bohol proudly presents Bohol Hallyu Gathering 2015, a summer ender party for all Boholano Kpoppers out there, bearing the theme Back to School.

Bohol is best known for its Chocolate Hills, famed for how it’s brown in the summer, green in the rainy season, and now showing up a white chocolate filling after the earthquake.  Recently though, it seems Bohol is gunning to be known even with the word hills dropped, all thanks to one dreamer who made what seems to be an impossible dream possible.

During the PIA-sponsored Blogger’s Activity December of last year, Dalareich Polot of Dalareich Tableya and Chocoreich Café, tagged as the "Chocolate Princess", launched the Ginto Luxury Chocolate Line.  This came a little over a year after she won the Young Women Entrepreneur Bootcamp (YWEB) back in September of 2013 where she promised to a panel of esteemed female businesswomen and an ambassadress to create world-class chocolates from locally produced cacao for Bohol.

The opulent Ginto Chocolates. From Ginto Luxury Chocolates's Facebook page.

Ginto Chocolates is a luxurious line of pralines — filled chocolates — from locally-produced cocoa liquor (tableya) with authentic Filipino flavors.  More specifically, the Ginto Chocolates are artisan dark chocolates, which according to Dalareich, are what real chocolates really are.  These 75% dark chocolates are filled with local flavors — Calamansi, Ginger, Coffee — making the Ginto Chocolates a feast of Filipino flavors.

The Pilak collection is the less bitter alternative being 55-70% chocolate.  It is an assortment of dark and white chocolates and boosts a wide variety of fillings.  Pilak Collection comes in two lines.  There is the Praline Passion line with fillings ranging from the sweet Dulce de Leche (yema) of Rio chocolate and the explosive Chili and Cinnamon flavors of the Vulcan chocolate. Then there is the Luxurious Liquors line where the chocolates are filled with the flavors of local liquors like the strong flavor of authentic Filipino rum inside the Roja Chocolate and the familiar aftertaste of Filipino coconut wine once you take a bite of the Turquesa chocolate.

The Pilak Collection's Praline Passion line. From Ginto Luxury Chocolates Facebook page.

The stuffed flavors in the Ginto and Pilak collections provide a distinct but subtle aftertaste.  You mouth feasts on the flavors of both the dark chocolate and the filling.  The tastes do not overwhelm and do not linger, making you crave for another bite!

Then there is also the Tanso collection, the sweetest of them all. A line of compound chocolates, with cocoa powder instead cacao liquor as its mainzxcdcdffrgtgtgtrhtrghtghggfgh ingredient, Tanso is not praline but solid chocolates from all shapes and sizes and are usually made as giveaways.

Since it became available in the market, the Boholano-made luxury chocolates packaged in glossy gold boxes (ala gold bars) are consistently getting rave responses from both locals and foreigners.  Anyone — from local government officials, foreign dignitaries, tourists, and native Boholanos — who got the opportunity to take a bite of these opulent treat have been captured by the distinct yet familiar taste of Ginto.  The local luxury is slowly becoming available in many resorts and restaurants as well like Gelateria Milano, Bellevue Resort, and Amorita Resort.

The Ginto, Pilak, and Tanso lines displayed at Gelateria Milano. From Ginto Luxury Chocolates Facebook page.

Luxurious taste? YES! Luxurious price? Not really! The local treat that is Ginto can be enjoyed at only Php499.00 while the Pilak collection can be bought at Php349.00 per box.  The prices are very much reasonable and very much affordable compared to other luxury chocolate brands.  And the price remains the same even you buy it at Chocoreich Cafe at H. Grupo Street or in Gelateria Milano.

So whenever you need a chocolate fill to boost your day, stash the usual brands and try to take a bite of our proudly local artisan chocolates.  End the chocolate craving with Ginto Chocolates, a locally-produced product out from locally-grown ingredients but with such international standard and taste, Another sweet offering from the Island of the Chocolate Hills and definitely another reason why I, and you (should, too) behold the dream and creativity of the people of Bohol!

(This interview has been made last April 7, 2015. With excerpts from her LifestyleBohol cover story, A Woman of the Earth, published April 12, 2015)

Statuesque, alluring with her prominent oriental features, smart, confident, and self-assured — Gayle Suzette Yu is, without doubt, a picture of a beautiful Boholana.  Aside from those attributes, she also happens to be a writer, a blogger, a registered nurse, and now, a beauty queen.  Considering the aforementioned, Gayle is not just a comely lass but a representation of a modern-day Boholana who is capable of becoming anything she aspires to be.

More than a month after her landslide victory in Miss Philippines Earth Bohol 2015 search, Gayle is now set on a journey to shine brighter than forty other contenders from all over the country vying for the MPE crown.   While the national tilt will be a much tougher battle ground for Gayle. In fact, she is yet to win a medal or a special award.  Her strong Chinese looks is not everyone’s cup of tea and she is among the least hyped candidates among the batch.  But Gayle is determined, in fact very determined to make the province proud.

The entire province is continuously backing Gayle in her bid to become the next Miss Philippines Earth.  And the numbers do not lie.  Gayle currently leads the race to become MPE 2015’s Face of Colour Collection.  As of this writing, her official headshot has gained a decent 2,291 likes in Facebook and 566 votes on the MPE website while her Eco-tourism video has already been viewed 3,149 times, with 129 up votes, and 710 likes on the MPE website.  Moreover, her eco video has been consistently lauded. In her Facebook account, the MPE delegate shared that reigning Miss Philippines Earth, Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell went to her just to sing praises on her video.

Watch here eco-video.

Ninety two kilometers away from Tagbilaran City is the Municipality of Candijay, a rousing town abounded by nature’s enchanting treasures. A potential favorite to nature lovers and adventurers alike, Candijay is certainly worthy of high commendations for the richness of its lands and waters.

I’ve been to Candijay twice, both with the Divine Word Outdoors Club’s aceptance climb.  The first one was my batch’s acceptance climb while this one is for batch 16 and 17’s.

(Read: Walk with DWOC)

While we followed the same trail and had the same itinerary, our stopover destinations are still as breathtaking as it was the first time I saw these natural wonders.  Hidden or unheard of they might be to many but Candijay’s secrets are something all the world should see.

One fact about me that surprise a lot of people is that I am an adventure seeker.  I love the outdoors and every now and then, I go trekking to unwind. Those who are not familiar with my hobby would turn out to be pleasantly surprised especially when I share details about my trips.

I owe my mountaineering training from Divine Word Outdoors Club (DWOC), Holy Name University’s (formerly Divine Word College of Tagbilaran, hence the name) only outdoor club.  Since the time it was founded, DWOC has grown into a breeding ground of many thrill seekers, with a roster of alumni currently engaged in different outdoor sports such as trekking, cycling, and paddling, all with a shared love for adventure and heart for responsible tourism and environmental conservation.

DWOC Batch 15 (L-R): Detch, Stella, Chandy, Becca, Faustine, Anter, and your blogger Photo by Stella Marie Dacera