IT IS true what they say that it is more fun in the Philippines. And more fun it is as 28 strong group of Filipinos, Chinese, Brazilians, Chileans, Argentineans, Spanish, and American all represent the global image of cool and camaraderie.

Four days of island hoppin to Daplak, German, Exotic, White beach island, diving, lunch barbecues with the freshest seafoods, using banana husks as our plates was enough to make this group a solid bunch of fun loving Easter escapaders.

Miriam Quiambao and Nico Bolzico

Capari resort was the headquarters of the Easter Escapaders. Capari made sure that we would be full with the lunches and dinners made especially for us.

Swag bags with all beach essentials welcomed each participant at the resort. There were Belo Sunexperts sunblock, Human nature insect repellants, a big fan personalized with our names, a special San Vicente 2012 shirt, a cacha bag with Sanvic printed on it and with our very own luggage tag with our names on it. What was just supposed to be a holiday for friends turned out to be the most exciting trip this summer.

Apart from diving and island hopping, there were daily challenges that the teams had to do and corresponding prizes were given to the winning teams per day. On the first day, The Egg hunt game was won by the Team Luka headed by Jesse Maxwell with his all girls team made up of Cristalle Belo Henares, Garlic Garcia, Alexandra Escat, Ces Olondriz and yours truly. This game’s prize won for us a back-to-back massage at the resort and from The Spa courtesy of Ruffa G.

On the second day, team Wapi made up of leader Jason Sabio and Alex dela Mare, with their bevy of beauties Miriam Quiambao, Leah de Guzman, Phoemela Baranda and Ruffa Gutierrez, won the eggciting MAZE race. Their prize was a dinner at Lulu restaurant in Rockwell when they get back to Manila, gift certificates from designer Charina Sarte, and Belo facials!

On the third challenge, our MVP Ces Olondriz won it for us. She did an Angry Birds slingshot game that won for us a table in Republiq, with drinks courtesy of all-around nice guy Tim Yap.

The fourth challenge was the Zorb challenge, which was defaulted by our team because we were last to compete, making it impossible for us to do with the sun down. Team Wapi won this round and made them very happy campers!

Group shot at Palawan Sheridan resort

Themed dinners

My favorite part of the day was dinner time…

Every night was a themed dinner for the group and each one dressed up for it. First night was the colors of the sea night and rockeoke was the name of the game.

The second night had a festive hot luau set up at the helipad, complete with performances by a local Palawan dance tribal group, fresh buko shells filled with the most amazing buko lychee cocktail, and a feast fit for kings. A reggae band provided the entertainment for the night while the crew danced and drank!

The third dinner was an all-white themed dinner set at the resort’s lawn where a buffet set up of Filipino specialties. That night was a night of mayhem as Mayor Pie brought out the Patron goodies for the fun group to share.

The fourth dinner was the jungle party paying homage to the virgin forests and jungles surrounding the beach areas of San Vic. We were advised to go to the dinner wearing animal prints. Tonight was poignant as we all knew that this was going to be the last night for everyone. We feasted on rib eye steak and Thai seafood soup among other specialties.

Colors of the Sea dinner

Colors of the Sea dinner

Ruffa Gutierrez with the kids

Tribal performance

Blake band’s Stephen Bowman and Alexandra Escat

Phem Baranda, Tim Yap, Jason Sabio, Cristalle Henares, Ruffa Gutierrez, Marc Gueco, and Charina Sarte

Mayor Pie and Ruffa Gutierrez

Heidi Ng, Cristalle Henares, and Leah de Guzman

Ruffa Gutierrez and Phem Baranda

The last night awarded the champion team to Team Luka, the orange team, headed by the lone man in the group, Jesse Maxwell, with team mates strategist Cristalle Belo Henares, who is one of the fab 3 who thought of the names, the games and the what-have-yous to make this trip a memorable one; International model Alex Escat; Art director Ces Olondriz; ABS-CBN’s Garlic Garcia, who was one of the fantastic triad who made this Easter Escapade at San Vic possible; and, yours truly. We get to win an all expense paid trip back to Palawan and an aerial chopper view of San Vicente and the neighboring islands. How cool is that?

Second place went to team Wapi, which was led by Azkals Jason Sabio, together with Portugese Chilean Alex dela Mare, and Miss Universe Miriam Quiambao, celebrity reporter and PMAP president Phoemela Baranda, Globe’s Leah de Guzman, and Miss World and the coolest organizer, Ruffa Gutierrez.

Yellow team Yapavai, people of the Sun headed by Kaya soccer team Nico Bolzico, Argentinean Fatima Ruiz Moreno, eventologist and showbiz persona Tim Yap, designer Charina Sarte, Chinese–Spanish Cristina Ling who flew all the way from Hawaii, and Blake band’s Stephen Bowman, who flew in to spend this Easter from London, United Kingdom, were almost in the same rank with Team Imala, the strong willed team headed by Mayor Pie Alvarez and her bevy of hunks actor Fabio Ide, Bruno Porto, Anton San Diego, Marc Gueco, and Joel Malo.

Group photo at German Island

Group shot at Daplak Island

Charina Sarte

Phem Baranda in a beautiful jump shot

Early 7:30 a.m. flight, thank you Lito Banag and Mayor Pie

Getting ready in vests to see the 7th New Wonder of the World

Underground River with Fabio Ide, Ces Olondriz, Cristalle Henares, Jason Sabio, Garlic Garcia, Miriam Quiambao, Bruno Porto, and Heidi Ng

Miriam Quiambao, Jason Sabio, and Cristalle Henares

The first team to fly out of Manila to Puerto Princesa