The Adventures of Lakwatserong Tatay in 2010

by lakwatserong tatay

Wow.....2010 has ended...2011 comes, 2010 is been a lucky year for me, for some reasons like i was promoted on my work, my wife will be giving birth for our 3rd baby by April 2011 and its a boy again....yahooooo......I had again the opportunity to travel from some places, summitted different mountains, my passion to visit old relics, artifacts, churches and musuem that reminiscince of our history and added new hobby........BLOGGING......
Actually, im climbing mountain since 2004 and been to different places in our country because of backpacking and hiking a mountain. But 2010 gives me a new and really different hobby, Blogging, by writing and sharing my travels, backpacking trips and even food hopping....Here to share some of my adventures, The Lakwatserong Tatay Adventures of 2010.

Let's start with the month of January....It was a month of purely backpacking stories, a journey of some backpacking stories from the past year 2009 that i really like..hehehehe.....from northern and southern part of Luzon.

Sea of clouds of Mt. Mariveles (Tarak Ridge), Mariveles, Bataan

A side trip from our climb of Mt. Daguldol. Laiya,San Juan, Batangas

A traverse climb of Mt. Nagsasa & Nagsasa Cove of Zambales

A invitational climb of Mt. Kalisungan (Brgy. Lamot, Calauan, Laguna)

 After this activities, a blog is born and called the Xplorerboyz, started a group of 5, now we where really getting bigger, of course yours truly is the leader....hehehe....

Mt. Mariveles (Tarak Ridge) Mariveles, Bataan
Mt. Daguldol  (San Juan, Batangas)
Mt. Nagsasa Traverse & Nagsasa Cove (San Martin, Subic, Zambales)
Mt. Kalisungan (Erais Farm. Calauan, Laguna)

Next stop is a pre-scheduled plan of yours truly together with some of my officemates. To have a long weekend vacation in Bohol and Cebu. That happens to be my hometown, Bohol. As i remembered i was only 4 or 5 years old when i visited Bohol, and i was given a chance again to visit my hometown, i was really excited because this will be my second time to visit my hometown, because it is just a picture of ship that coast to province of Bohol was my remembrance when i visited my hometown and now it gives me the opportunity to visit it and most special thing is im travelling with my wife....

Me & my wife @ Chocolate Hills

 We had the chance to visit most of all the tourist spots you could found on our province. Actually it was really tiring experience yet it gives us so much happy memories that i have shared not only with my cotrippers and also to my readers...hehehehe.....

Virgin Island (The Puntod Island) Panglao, Bohol
Blood Compact Shrine of Tagbilaran, Bohol
Baclayon Church of Baclayon, Tagbilaran, Bohol)
Artifacts from Baclayon Ecclesiastical Museum
Meet Prony the Python of Alburquerque, Bohol
A Cruise to Loboc-Loay River of Bohol
A Resort with Simplicity & Affordability of Doljo, Panglao, Bohol
Man-made forest of Bohol
Close-up Encounter with Tarsier's
The Chocolate Hills of Carmen, Bohol

After a staying for few days in Bohol, our group next stop is a city tour around Cebu City's tourist spots.

Me & my wife @ Magellan's Cross

Our Cebu City Day Tour is composed of:

Visit to Taoist Temple of Beverly Hills, Cebu
Cebu City's Santo Niño Basilica
Magellan's Cross of Magallanes St., Cebu City
Visit to Fort San Pedro
Cebu Heritage Monument, Sikatuna St., Mandaue City
Dried Fish Market (Taboan Market) of Taboan, Carbon, Cebu
The Lapu-Lapu Monument of Mactan Island, Cebu
Cebu's Finest: Lechon Cebu

This is one of my trip that we had so much fun memories, in fact until now, we do sometime discuss what happen on that trip....hehehehe...All of the participants of that trip is really planning to go back again to Cebu & Bohol.

One of my next stop is called as 1st Padre Burgos Adventure, This place is part of Southern Luzon, not really known as a tourist attraction but as the Year 2010 ended, the place of Padre Burgos, Quezon Province really boost its tourism due to their wonderful islands that is shown below. Special thanks to Migz Mapalad of  Yabag Mountaineering on inviting yours truly to be part of  this adventure

The 1st Participant of Padre Burgos Adventure

Lakwatserong Tatay & Newbie Daddy Jhovan @ Mag-Asawang Bato Island

L.T. @ Dampalitan Island

Rappelling @ Borawan Island

Sneak Peak of Mt. Lipata @ Lipata Island

Here is the complete stories about our Adventure of Padre Burgos, Quezon:

1st Padre Burgos Adventure
Mag-Asawang Bato Island
Dampalitan Island
Rappelling @ Borawan Island
Mt. Lipata of Lipata Island

Next in line is a place, where many pilgrimage goes to pray for their safe voyage, known as Our Lady of Peace & Good Voyage in Antipolo.

Prusisyon in Antipolo 2010

Here are some of the events that happens last lenten season in Antipolo City, Rizal.

Alay Lakad in Antipolo 2010
Good Friday Procession
Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Antipolo Church)

This next stop is one of my team building activities that happen around Sta. Rosa, Laguna. A Fun Day Sunday @ Enchanted Kingdom, most of my teammates bring their kidz, and so do i......it was a tiring day but it was also filled of fun memories....

Me, my Wife & my Kidz

Here is some of my stories when we had a fun day at Enchanted Kingdom:
Fun Day at E.K.
Ride all you Can
Just for my Kids

Next stop is way up North of our Country, one of the coldest part of the Philippines, thw 3rd highest mountain in our country. This mountain is called Mt. Pulag, and who happens to be my 2nd time around to summit this mountain.

My 2nd Visit to Mt. Pulag
Baguio City's: SM Baguio & Victory Liner Station
Beer nights at SM Baguio

If do you have the guts...you could do this too...hehehe...

Summer time, supposed to be you will go to beach, vacation trip to some of our beautiful provinces, but due to lack of time. Yours truly together with my family, found ourselves at Antipolo's Bosay Resort.

Antipolo's Bosay Resort

Lakwatserong Tatay @ Disco Pool Area

One of my plan for 2011 is to put up a business, and there is one thing that i know i could really do well. Infact i tried it on this activity. My next stop is Puerto Galera, Oriental, Mindoro. I've been to this place for exactly 8 times, not only in White Beach but most of the shores of Oriental, Mindoro. It all started when one of my teammate on our Co. Basketball Team, and who happens to be a supervisor, looking for a summer destination for his team. So yours truly was called to be their guide for this whole trip...hehehehehe....
Puerto Galera Trip
Peter's Inn, Bar and Restaurant, White Beach Resort
Snorkeling and Underwater Activities at Puerto Galera
Puerto Galera's Night Life Activities

Lakwatserong Tatay @ White Beach Shore, Puerto Galera, Mindoro

My next stop is one of new hobby for the Year 2010, rappelling...hehehe...masarap talaga siya ulit-ulitin....
Rappelling above Balumbong River, Calauan, Laguna
Camping and River Exploriation of Balumbong River


L.T. @ Old PNR Bridge of Calauan, Laguna

My next stop was together with the Xplorerboyz, xploring the places of Albay and Sorsogon. This trip happens few months ago and the start of Ber period of 2010. This trip is really different because we were using a tricycle instead of a private car or van by touring most of the towns of Sorsogon. Wow, it was really different....hehehe
Xplorerboyz: Conquers Albay and Sorsogon Provinces

Xplorerboyz @ Lake Bulusan, Sorsogon

Here are some of the stories of our Sorsogon Adventures:

Start of Tour de Sorsogon
Exploring of Paguriran Island, Bacon, Sorsogon
Annunciation Parish Church of Bacon, Sorsogon
Hilltop Church of Irosin, Sorsogon
Mateo's Hot and Cold Springs Resort, Monbon Irosin, Sorsogon
Palogtoc Falls of San Roque, Bulusan, Sorsogon
Bulusan Lake Experience
Bulusan's Belfry (Punta Diamante)
Oldest Church of Bicol in Barcelona, Sorsogon
Our Rizal Beach Resort Experience in Gubat, Sorsogon

Xplorerboyz @ Lignon Hill, Legazpi, Albay

Here is some our stories that i could share on our Albay Trip:

Start of our 5 days of Different Adventure
One of Bicol's Pride
San Gregorio Magno Cathedral of Legazpi, Albay
Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church of Daraga, Albay
Zipline Experience at Ligñon Hill
Entertaiment Center of Bicol Region
St. Raphael Parish Church of Legazpi

Next in line is another a backpack trip that just happen 2 months ago, in Talim Island, Binangonan, Rizal. A trekking basic and a birthday climb of three girls of our newbie members of SPIMC. Aside from that climb, of course i got the chance to visit once again a beautiful church that is been part of Binangonan's History.

Trekking Basics: Mt. Tagapo
Sta. Ursula Parish Church of Libid, Binangonan, Rizal

Summit of Mt. Tagapo

This is the 2nd to the last stop place for my year 2010. I called this as a Weekend Gateaway: Baguio City.

Here is some of the tourist spots that we visited on our 2 days stay in the City of Pines:

Baguio Cathedral Church
Getting around Philippine Military Academy, Loakan Rd., Baguio City
The Philippine Military Academy Museum
Mines View Park
Baguio's Bell Church
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
Strolling around Baguio City Famous Parks
Lyn's Transient Homes (Camp Alley, Baguio City)

It's me @ PMA Baguio

And the last of Lakwatserong Tatay's Adventures for 2010 is a sidetrip of my Weekend Getaway of Baguio City. My 2nd visit of the Church of Our lady of Manaoag. It was quite long when i last visited this church, i think i was only at high school that time....hehehehe...kaya ecited talaga ko nung mabalik ako rito...pero it was a different trip kasi nagcommute ako from Baguio...hehehe...

Church of Our Lady of Manaoag, Pangasinan
Museo de Manaoag
Our Lady of Manaoag Rosary Garden

My 2nd post on this church, Our Lady of Manaoag, Pangasinan

Hay, at last natapos ko din gawin toh.....hehehe...So far, i've visited some of the tourist places and spots that you could found on our country...I'm really happy about that, but of course my trip and the xplorerboyz, will not stop to xplore places, summits and shares some of our stories that you could used also on your own trips. and lastly, mahirap po talaga magenglish, lalo na in writing this stories....hehehe...but im really thankful for some of the people who read and even follow this blog. Thanks for your inquiries, & comments, and because of that ill strive harder for this year to share again some of my trips...Thanks to all of you.....

By the way here is my confirmed trip for Year 2011:

7 Lakes of San Pablo, Laguna (January, 2011)
Mt. Batulao (January, 2011)
Puerto Princesa, Palawan (February, 2011)
El Nido, Palawan (February, 2011)
Caramoan (May, 2011)
Boracay (July, 2011)
Iloilo (August, 2011)

Hope you'll will take a visit of my site........once again thanks to all of you.....Happy New Year....and Happy Travelling.........

End of our Five Days of Different Adventure

Legazpi Airport
by lakwatserong tatay

After 5 days of different kind of adventure. Touring the province of Albay by commute and getting around in the most of the towns at Sorsogon. It was really a remarkable experience that our group will do definitely again and again and again, maybe by the next together with our own kids.........

Legazpi Airport


After checking out at Magayon Hotel, and proceed to the nearest church " The St. Raphael Parish Church of Legazpi, and get blessing for a safe and peaceful trip going back to Manila. After that of course, we had taken our lunch on one of my favorites fastfood chains right now in Bicol Region, "Biggs Diner", in fact upon writing this entry i really missed the chicken meal that they have which is very tasteful and budget friendly.

Xplorerboyz Cebu Pac Boarding Pass

We had check-in as usual in time. For us to have no troubles and encounter some scenarios....hehehehe....As you can see below...We had photo sessions again...

your's truly

my boarding pass ticket

Our flight schedule is via flight no. 5J 328 Departure time: 1410 H and Arrival time: 1510 H in NAIA terminal 3. It's time to go to our plane.....Here are some of our souvenir pictures while going into our plane and inside photo sessions....hehehehe....

our plane ride

the others are still boarding

front view from my seat

The shy Mayon Volcano

Xplorerboy inside the plane

Of course, even up the air photo session will do.....hehehe....Here are some of my shots...

At last......hehehehe!!!!!

What if im outside the wings of this plane?

is there a explosion?

Going down in few minutes....

At last NAIA Terminal 3

We ended our trip peacefully and very happy and hoping by near year we will have another a Different Kind of Adventure again......

St. Raphael Parish Church

Legazpi City, Albay
by lakwatserong tatay

This is the last stop of our 5 Days of Different Adventure in Bicol Region. It is been a great experience touring from one spot to another, and visiting also two famous town of Bicol Region, Albay & Sorsogon. It is one memorable experience that i could share to my readers and hoping that you could do what we did. So lets get back to blogging....hehehehehe......

St. Raphael Parish Church

Here is a short history background of  St. Raphael Parish Church is located right in the heart of the Legazpi Port District, the city’s main business district. The Legazpi Port District began as a barangay called Sawangan whose inhabitants were mostly fishermen and farmers. In 1587, Franciscan friars of the Doctrina of Cagsawa began to convert the settlement to Christianity and in 1616 they transformed it into a separate town and parish called Albay. Its first parish priest built a small chapel and established the “Mission de San Gregorio Magno de Sawangan.”

St. Raphael Parish Church

The Ten Commandments

Actually we just passed by on this church, to pray for a safe trip back home...in Manila. As you all know i really love taking pictures specially churches & museums and any historic places. But there is one statue that really catches my eyes. I don't really know why and i don't know why this statue should be placed inside church premises. I hope you dont get me wrong....hehehehe...

The statue that im telling you?

Churches Bell Tower

Church Historic Marker

The progress of two centuries was razed to the ground in the eruption of Mayon Volcano on February 1, 1814. The people was evacuated to Makalaya (now Taysan) and on the decree of the Gobierno Superior on October 1, 1829, prohibiting the founding of another town they finally settled in Taytay (Bagumbayan). In 1818, Sawangan, then already known as the town of Albay, was separated from Cagsawa and was made the capital of Partido de Ibalon (the old name of Albay Province).


Church Altar

Churches Center Isle

Some of the people, however, remained in the old town and began a new as a barrio. In lieu of their former patron saint, St. Gregory the Great, which had also been transferred to Albay, they adopted St. Raphael, the Archangel and transformed the ermita into a church. They finally regained their old status but never changed the name of the place as Albay Viejo or Banwang Daan. Even after their autonomy in 1856, they called it “Binanuahan”, meaning the former site of a town.

Bas Relief of St. Raphael, the Archangel

The original church was built in 1834 through the generosity of Pedro Romero. This church was extensively damaged in the Second World War and has since been reconstructed to its present form. This church has a unique attractions, the present St. Raphael Church is its altar table made of a single block of solid hardened lava. The feast day of St. Raphael, the Archangel  is held every 24th of the month in October which is also celebrated as the fiesta of Legazpi Port and coincides with the yearly Ibalong Festival.

It was such a experienced for us to conquer most of the tourist spots you can found in Albay & Sorsogon. To end our trip, we would like to thank our co-xplorer for helping us to do this trip. And last this church is part and stamped that it is been X-plored. But wait there is still one more......hehehehehe.....our trip going back home to Manila.

Graceland Baker's Plaza

Pacific Mall
Legazpi, Albay
by lakwatserong tatay

The last day of our 5 days trip to Bicol Region, ended on this place...Graceland Bakers Plaza. Johari tolds us that you must not miss to buy on this place when it comes to pastries and cakes. As i have researched some information regarding this place i found out that it could be considered as the Goldilocks of Bicol Region. It is really true because i really love the pastries that i bought on one of their branches located in Pacific Mall, Legazpi.

Graceland Store Branch in Pacific Mall

Of course we did taken some photo opps for our souvenir pictures around the Pacific Mall and Graceland Baker's Plaza.

Regie's is in pay counter

Here are some of my pasalubongs.....

In searching of Graceland Baker's Plaza's history. I found this article that is written by another blogger who seemed to be familiar with Graceland Baker's Plaza's history on how it started from a rented garage and grew into a large restaurant chain whose branches dot many areas in the Bicol region. Here is the story:

In the late 70’s when fast food was virtually unheard of in the provinces, Felipe Dy Eng Chong pioneered the fast food industry[1] with Graceland. Graceland is now a far cry from the original “garage operation” started in 1976 but just like most local businesses (in Naga); it had a very humble beginning.

Felipe and Felicidad Dy entered the food business with the primary objective to meet the ever growing needs of an ever-growing family. It was then the only source of livelihood for the family. Way back then, Tyo Peping (as Mr Felipe prefers to be addressed) undeterred by lack of formal education, knew in his heart that all he wanted was to provide for his family and give his children better futures. However, at the back of his mind, he wanted to grow big… he knew he can grow big.  

Tyo Peping started earning his keep at a very young age. Born to poor Chinese immigrants, he was already working odd jobs in Divisoria – as kargador, tindero, anything that meant a few centavos – at 11 years old. Many years later, he would find himself transplanted to Naga City with a young wife and a fast growing family. The couple had precious few options. Both didn’t finish schooling. Tyo Peping was just a high school graduate, while his wife, Fely reached only elementary.

But they had one thing going for them, and that was their willingness to try anything. They were instinctively creative. What they lacked in academic knowledge, they more than made up for in resourcefulness and great desire to learn. While Tyo Peping, for instance was working as a sales clerk for a small hardware supply store, Fely taught herself how to make ice candy and ice drops and sold them to augment the family income.

Still, their pooled efforts weren’t enough to support an unusually large family. In 1976, with 10,000 in borrowed money, the Dy couple opened a four-table corner turo-turo in a rented garage. The “garage operation” was the original Graceland.

It was a micro operation. The number of employees can be counted in one hand as the couple could not afford to pay salaries to more employees. The labor supply mostly came from the nine children. The children were assigned to help out in the business doing sorts of work like cashiering, washing dirty dishes, taking orders and assisted in the cooking work. Tyo Peping, himself was washer, cashier and waiter rolled into one, while Fely was the cook. They weren’t even expert cooks, so to remedy that, the couple read cookbooks, sampled other eateries’ fare and even took pictures of actual food samples to teach themselves how to make ice cream, halo-halo, pancit guisado, cakes and sandwiches – whatever their hungry customers asked them to serve. Their improvisatory approach to the menu became the prototype for Graceland which today serves highly diverse product lines that goes beyond the burger-fries-spaghetti staples of other fastfood chains. Unstructured, it was easy to act fast to quickly respond to the ever changing tastes and preferences of its customers.

The business grew as a result of the commitment, hard work, cooperation and dynamism of the family. From the four-table small eatery place at Elias Angeles St. (the location where Naga Optical is now), outlets of GFII or Graceland Food Industries Incorporated is now found in 3 of the 6 provinces in Bicol Region. Now, it has 5 kinds of restaurants to suit and cater to the different palates of the market. The first born, GRACELAND, was the product of the ever changing trend and innovation in the food business during the 70’s and 80’s era. The 4-table eatery which used to serve “made to order” meals like pancit guisado, chopsuey, fried chicken and many similar items later on incorporated the ice cream parlor concept which was the trend in the early 80’s. Soon after, the fast-paced lifestyle of people prompted it to offer the “turo-turo” concept where people can just point the food items they want from a wide array of display of “ready to eat” viands.

The mid to late 80’s was the proliferation of hamburger chains in Naga. Most of the players then were local restaurant. Graceland too joined the bandwagon and opened a hamburger store in 1986 (along General Luna St in Naga City). It became an instant hit as it soon became the favorite hang-out place of teenagers. Even then, the company was into a lot of food introductions. It even introduced pizza way ahead of its time. Variety had always been GRACELAND’s strength.

The bakeshop concept had always been incorporated in Graceland’s operation even when it was just starting. The family used to buy chiffon cakes from a cousin and sell it in the store. Slowly, they learned the trade and started producing their own breads and cakes. Soon after, they gained loyal patronage. The sales of the bakeshop section showed a lot of promise. This encouraged them to innovate and introduce more variety of quality breads and cakes.





The bakeshop market was growing and was becoming more discriminating. The family saw a window of opportunity in it. Thus, it gave birth to another baby, Baker’s Plaza. It was the first of its kind in Naga City. Baker’s Plaza introduced and whipped up a delectable array of specialty refrigerated cakes, pastries, croissants, breads which were then only available in Metro Manila. The store lay-out, the lightings, color motif, fixtures, equipments were also comparable to the ones seen in Metro Manila. Many first time buyers even thought that the food stuffs were brought in from Manila. In fact, every single one of them was homemade – a product of the entire Dy family’s endless taste tests and experimentations. But they made sure that the prices of the products were affordable to the Nagueño market.

Opportunities to open Graceland outlets in the neighboring provinces came. Franchising inquiries poured in. Prime properties were offered for possible Graceland location. Graceland became synonymous to quality, variety and affordable foods products.

The stiffest competition came in the 90’s when the big players entered the Bicol Region specifically in Naga City. It shook the local food industry so badly and Graceland was not spared from it. The semi-complacent years of Graceland were over. The company thought it could not compete. However, instead of giving up, it fought. It focused! As a result, Geewan was born.

Graceland and Geewan were separated into two distinct restaurant divisions. Graceland offered the fastfood burger-fries-chicken-spaghetti staples but added distinctively unique products to its menu such as pinangat, pork cordon bleu, sizzling products and other delectable dishes. Later on, true to its thrust of offering variety, meal items were expanded to include Baby Back Ribs, Lechon Bicol Express, Sizzling Sisig to name a few. Merienda items on the other hand include Fresh and Fried Lumpia, Lomi, Pancit and Bihon Guisado.

Graceland also retained the original set up of having a bakeshop section thus, almost all Graceland restaurants have a twin Baker’s Plaza outlet that on its own, sells varied breads, specialty refrigerated cakes, wedding and birthday cakes, pastries and rolls that are certified freshly baked daily.

On the other hand, Geewan inherited the old “turo-turo” concept where viands are available for choosing along the counter. Geewan was slowly positioned also as the first Bicolano must-go restaurant for tourists, transients and even Nagueños for a taste of authentic Bicolano cooking. A visit in Bicol and in Naga City in particular is not complete without a taste of Geewan’s sumptuous dishes. It even offers Bicolano “pasalubong” food items such as (frozen) pinangat and Bicol express.

With the refocusing, it was able to analyze and understand its problems better. Specific solutions on products, manpower, marketing, store lay-out and motif, packaging, and other major concerns were made.The competition also compelled the company to look for other profitable avenues. It challenged the company to move beyond its comfort zone and explore uncharted territories. Thus, in 1996, two Graceland outlets were opened one after another in the city of Legazpi. Sorsogon was next to be explored in 1998 while Tabaco in 2001. With the opening of Pacific Mall in Legazpi City, Graceland also opened its very first outlet inside a mall in 2002.

Rather than view competition negatively, the entry of the giants paved the way for the company to use them as benchmarks. Instead of looking at competitors as rivals, they saw them as mentors and they learned a lot from them. The excellent service, superb food and the cheery ambiance they provide are now within their arms reach for studying and learning.

Another unexplored area was a pizza parlor. In an area where pizza was an exotic novelty, Benjamin Dy has dreamt of offering light, fancy and affordable pizza to the Bicolanos. In 1999, the dream became a reality. It was aptly named Benjo’s (after Ben’s name). This baby came as a response to the growing pizza and pasta market. It was the first of its kind to be opened in the region and it offered diverse but complementary menu, including chicken (long before the competitor of its kind did). Benjo’s offers a different twist in pizza, pasta and chicken dining experience, something really deliciously different. Benjo’s caters to the hip group who was fast developing a fancy taste for affordable and flavorful pizza.

Lastly, the youngest baby born to GFII was in March 2004 right in the heart of Naga. The Naguenos have now acquired a taste for fine foods. Steaks, chops and ribs were now becoming a byword. More and more people were becoming coffee drinkers! However, most of the restaurants who offer these menu lines are located in Magsaysay Ave and can only be reached by cars. The company thought of bringing the same concept to Centro. As they say, “If Mohammad cannot go to the mountain, then let’s bring the mountain to Mohammad”. Thus, Red Platter was born.

Red Platter is another breakthrough in the established menu, a fusion of the best Asian and western dishes. It is a haven that will stimulate not just the sense of taste but all the other senses for a complete and satisfactory dining experience. The original idea for the concept of Red Platter was to “experience the delectable difference”.

These days, visiting Naga’s centro is being witness to the remarkable business ascendancy of the Dy family. Along P Burgos St., at the back of Plaza Quezon, one can easily find Red Platter, Geewan and Baker’s Plaza all in the same row. A stone throw away, along Barlin St., is the huge spic-and-span bakehouse and commissary where restaurant and bakeshop supplies and food products are prepared round the clock.

With the 10 different outlets and still expanding, one would think that the unassuming family patriarch would already take it easy. But Tyo Peping will have none of that. He still visits his stores everyday or when he can. His always word of advice “Don’t lose hope and you have to know what you want. You cannot reach your destination if you don’t know where you want to go’.

Truly remarkable of a man who have already received the prestigious Rokyaw award by the Ibalong committee (1998) where he was honored for – as Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Josephine Darang write it – (having) moved from being a vendor, waiter and sales clerk to owning the famous Graceland Food Industries. Numerous citations for Graceland Food Industries, Inc include the Model Establishment Award (1992) accorded by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Consumer Council of Naga City, Outstanding SME Entrepreneur for Services handed out by the DTI Cam Sur and PSMEDC in 2003 and the Special Mayoral Award 2005 from the Naga City Government in June 2005. The Graceland Central Processing Area, garnered Regional 1st Place “AA” Meat Processing Plant (commissary group category) by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) for 2 straight years (2005 & 2006). In February 2006, the prestigious Philippine Marketing Excellence Awards Institute has accorded Graceland the Best Food Chain (Luzon Category).

Actually Graceland Baker's Plaza is one of the best pastries that i've taste and i do really hope that i could taste it again. And really hope to see some of their branches here in Manila.

Graceland Baker's Plaza is been X-plored.........