Susan Calo-Medina, My Travel Influencer

Photo: CTTO

More than 20 years ago, I remember staying up late on a Thursday night to watch episodes of Travel Time.  It introduced me to destinations like Boracay, and Pagudpud where very little development was done in those areas that time.  But it was her ending message that resonates to me up until now.  "Huwag Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan" or Do not be a foreigner in your own country.

It was because of her feature of Taal, Batangas that influenced our thesis proposal in Architecture to propose a Tourism Development Within the Volcano Island.  During our site visit, we didn't know the duration of the trek, but we opted for the one that would take us to the actual crater navigating through lava formations and black sand dunes.  Unprepared, and with limited cash, we we're literally gasping for water once we reached the crater lake.  Once were back to the town of Talisay, came the challenge of commuting for the return ride back to Manila because we missed the last bus.  I remember, me and my partner Michelle Ramos (Now Michelle Cunanan) hitched a ride at the back of a pick up truck intended for produce going up to Tagaytay.  It rained the middle of the journey and we were soaked to our skin once reaching the top.  It was the monsoon season that time, and the rain continued flooding the roads entering Manila.  We ended up walking on flooded streets just to get home.  This was before mobile phones we're invented and our parents we're worried sick about us.

Susan Calo-Medina and her show Influenced my love for travelling although it was expensive during those times.  When eventually I started working, whatever is left of my pay check is usually spent on exploring different destinations.  My only regret was that there was no social media to document these adventures.  Otherwise, I would have been a popular travel influencer myself.  Back in the days, we were so focused on finishing the degree, making a career and your real life passion was sidelined.

I was able to visit Coron when the only affordable way to get there was through a 15 hour ferry ride.  I visited Boracay when boats were still allowed to dock on the white beach and the boat men literally carry you to the shore so you wouldn't get wet.  Those were fun memories.

It took 20 years, when I finally decided to make a living through travel and tours.  I retired from my corporate job in 2016, then spent the last 2 years figuring what future plans would be.  I chanced upon Airbnb experiences and made good money out of it until the start of this year.

It was only last year that I was able to come back to Taal Volcano.  This time, I was taking foreign guests to visit the volcano as part of the experiences I was selling.  My last visit just 5 days before it erupted.

Now, my experiences we're put on hold because of the COVID 19 Pandemic.  Just when I thought I was gaining momentum.

But I have no regrets.  I feel that my life skills prepared me for this.  I just need to re think my strategy so that when the travel ban is over, we're going to come out stronger.

My ultimate goal now is to look for experience hosts on all of the Philippine destinations, beyond areas serviced by the Airbnb platform.  With the availability of information on the internet, tourists are more keen on immersing themselves in the culture.  Instead of sight seeing and just tasting local delicacies, why not teach the guests how to make it themselves.  Would you agree if I suggest that on top of seeing Calle Crislogo in Vigan, making your own Vigan Empanada would make your visit more meaningful?

Not only will this revive the local tourism industry, it would also create additional income to the local hosts.  An empanada vendor would probably earn the same if she sells them the whole day for 20 pesos per piece as compared to teaching tourists to make them for 1 hour.

I just need to figure out where to get my resources.  I should probably start a Go Fund Me campaign.  But should you have connections, or this would be the same area you want to explore, or just maybe your also one of those people influenced by Susan Calo-Medina, please drop a message on the comment section.