Philippine Series 1/5: "The Scenic Route"

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Last year I had the absolute pleasure of working with a non-profit agency, Extreme Response, in the Philippines to provide humanitarian aid to the poorest children there. My time in the Philippines was filled with every emotion you can imagine, with a side of humidity, phenomenal culture and ample opportunities to photograph this beautiful journey... and that I did! There were many moments that stood out to me and I have shared a little bit before (you can see the slideshow and check out the blog post here ) but in this series, I'm going to dive a little deeper and focus on 5 prominent experiences.

Welcome to TLC's "Philippines Series #1: The Scenic Route"

After serving in Manilla (the capital of the Philippines and one of the most densely populated cities in the world), several days and helping with multiple Christmas parties thrown for several hundred of the poorest, impoverished children in the country - the Extreme Response Asia Christmas Team flew to Bohol, Philippines to help with the last Christmas party at an orphanage. The first day we got there we were greeted with this gorgeous view...

Bohol, Philippines

This glorious sight was refreshing to the soul in the midst of challenging and emotional humanitarian work.

Bohol, Philippines

There was a "bridge" from our hotel that led to this incredible sight... I wish that these photographs could capture the beauty of this moment, but without the feelings from all the work and heartbreaking stories of the trip which contributed to this experience, it's pretty hard to portray. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful moment shared with the team.

Watching a family take a refreshing dip, men fishing for their next meal and the people enjoying their homeland was a treat.

When this cloud rolled in, a couple of us "walked really fast and cautiously on 'the bridge'" back to the hotel for some cover during the release this brought. Others stayed and enjoyed the storm under shelter and we all marveled at the view as it passed by.
Bohol, Philippines

"The Bridge"

We had 1 day of "sightseeing" during the 10 day trip in the Philippines and luckily our sightseeing day was planned in Bohol. We had a wonderful time exploring the gorgeous island (stay tuned for more adventures in Bohol later in the series). After touring the island, we had dinner at an organic farm, The Bohol Bee Farm and had the pleasure of enjoying this memorable sunset below! Bohol had so many beautiful sights to capture! Here are a few of my favorites:

Bohol, Philippines