ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
From time immemorial, civilizations have thrived and lived near bodies of water. The reason is crystal-clear: water is vital to man’s existence. It is the reason why this exhibition pays homage to water and its significance to how and why people live by the water. Featuring photos that tell stories about the coastal Filipinos’ living conditions, reveal their culture, and relate their stories of survival.

The exhibit will carry a raft of striking images from across our archipelago. The Badjao Stilt Villages of Basilan. The Muslim Stilt Village of Rio Hondo in Zamboanga. The fishermen of Siquijor. The T’bolis of Lake Sebu. The rugged shores of Itbayat in Batanes. And the tranquil coasts of Iloilo.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Ferdinand is a travel photographer and award-winning blogger. A graduate of Fine Arts, Major in Advertising at the Far Eastern University, he got started on film photography during his college years. He worked as a graphic artist and web designer for three years, pursuing photography as a hobby.

Landing his first publication job as an Art Director enabled him to embark on a new career as a professional travel photographer. Getting his fair share of freelance jobs and assignments, his works eventually got published in a number of travel magazines both here and overseas.

His website Ironwulf.net: En Route at www.ironwulf.net, is the chronicle of his many travels and insightful photography. It has received recognition from the both local and international media.

With eager eyes, a curious mind and wandering feet, this young travel photographer and blogger plans to do an exhibit on Asian Heritage sites in the near future.

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Living by Water
A first one-man monochrome Photo Exhibit by Ferdinand Decena
May 12 - 27, 2008
Filipinas Heritage Library
Makati Avenue, Ayala Triangle, Makati City
(across The Peninsula Manila)

Snake Island
Right after breakfast, we started with the Honda Bay Tour. We took the boat from Sta. Lourdes Wharf going to Snake Island which took about 20 minutes. There were lots of people snorkeling and hanging out on the beach. It was a bit too crowded for me. A part of the island had a lot of mangroves and that reminded me of the Tamilok we tried the night before. I thought the island’s name meant there were a lot of snakes in the area only to find out that when you look at the island from above, its shape resembles that of a snake.

(Hover on the photos for captions)

We put on our gear and snorkeled for a while. The water was wavy but not as strong as the water in Taraw Resort. I saw a lot of fishes swimming around but the water wasn’t very clear probably because the area was packed with people. Nonetheless, it felt great to bathe in the water of Palawan.

Pandan Island
We took another boat ride to reach Pandan Island which took about 15 minutes. It was awfully quiet there but the view of the sea was so delightful. It was so peaceful; there was barely any movements on the water as there was hardly any wind. Good thing the island was covered with really tall coconut trees because it was already lunch time and the afternoon sun was scorching. Our tour guide unpacked our lunch and we ate, soon after we went back to snorkeling.

I noticed that there was a sudden drop just a few meters from the shore and that scared me a bit because the sudden change of colors from the white sand to the dark blue water was very noticeable. We saw more fishes here than in Snake Island and we had a chance to feed them. I enjoyed watching them going crazy over the bread. Also, the beautiful corals started appearing a few meters away from the shore. Be careful not to go near the Sea Urchins because they’re very big and there are lots of them.

Badjao Seafront Restaurant
Evening came and we went to a popular seafood restaurant that was situated by the sea. When we arrived, we passed through a very long bridge surrounded by mangroves which lead to the entrance of Badjao Seafront Restaurant.

It was already dark and we couldn’t view the sea but the place still looked so elegant with its high ceiling and beautiful lights. Dinner was served shortly after and the seafood did not disappoint as usual. Everything was so fresh and delicious.

Just before dessert, we talked about how fast the days went by. We had so much fun that we barely even noticed we were already leaving for Manila the next day. We haven’t even left yet we were already thinking about going back and bringing our families the next time we go back to Puerto Princesa.