Natapos na sab ang usa ka bulahanong tuig, og dili ikalimod na adunay naagiang daghan na dili maanyag na panghitabo, apan kung itimbang, mas bug-at gihapon ang mga grasya na gihatag sa kahitas-an sa atong tagsa tagsang kinabuhi. Busa, Isip pasalamat sa grasyang nadawat, kami sa Mandaue city school for the Arts Batch 08 - TITANS nagpahigayon og outreach program para sa mga kabatanonan ug sa mga pamilya na nag-istar sa kadalanan. Dili man kami adunahan sa kalibutanong butang, ug mga estudyante pa lamanag kami apan wala kini nag babag sa among kagustohan na mo tabang sa mas nanghinanglan pa kaysa kanamo. Mapasalamaton kami sa mga niambag og kwarta ug serbisyo, kay dili kini mapahinayon kung wala kamo. Salamat! Hinaot na dili kini ang kataposan sa atoang pagtabang ug hinaot nakapadani kami og ubang katawhan na mo tabang usab sa labing kabus. Maayong tuig sa 2019! HULAGWAY: gikuha ni Arrolle Casul tanan hulagway
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Aquamarine water, lush setting, picturesque stone vaults, and historical bridges. This is the exact definition of a paradise in a jungle, and fortunately, the island of Cebu has it all. One of the island’s top destinations is Kawasan falls in Badian. The municipality of Badian is located at the southwest of Cebu City, and is bordered to the north by the town of Moalboal, to the east is the town of Dalaguete, and to the south is the town of Alegria (see map below). Unknown to many travellers, Badian has worth the visit beaches. Located within the area of the famous falls, is Lambug beach. The unspoiled public beach is a secluded beachfront escape to the South. It has a long stretch of white sand and clear blue water, and since Lambug beach is still under development, there are no high-end resorts except for cottages and tables. Thus, it seemed like my group owned the place. Tip #1 : Bring school IDs for discounted fare
Tip #2 : Bring your own tent for less costs Tip #3 : socialize with the locals Tip #4 : Ask a tricycle to fetch you from Lambug back to the city proper Tip #5 : Enjoy How to get to Lambug Beach From Cebu South Bus Terminal, ride a bus bound for Badian. The fare is around ₱120-140. Tell the conductor to drop you off either at the church or town centre. From there you can hire a motor taxi or tricycle that can take you to Lambug Beach. The fare is ₱30 per person. Sealouge: “Guba jod ang itinerary” These were the words that we kept on repeating like a litany as we helplessly watched the Philippine flag being blustered by the robust wind on the peak of Mt. Kandungaw. It is in our knowledge that three low-pressure areas will land in the Philippines, but our eagerness to finally step foot again on the mountains pushed us to continue the trek and disregard the possible dangers. Our itinerary was to visit on foot, the three adjacent mountains in Dalaguete, Mt. Kandungaw to Casino Peak, then to Osmena Peak and traverse to Kawasan Falls. However, the locals in Barangay Maloray ( Mt. Kandungaw’s foot ) discouraged our group to follow the itinerary because even the locals are not familiar to the unestablished trail. Nonetheless, our minds were made and no one can change that, except the weather ( hay nako, we aborted the plans jod because of the bad weather ). OUR JOURNEY: We started our journey with a meet-up in South bus terminal at around 7 in the morning. Without further delay, we rode a bus bound for Dalaguete and equipped ourselves for a 3 and a half travel time. At around 11, we disembarked at the town proper, hailed a motor taxi to Barangay Maloray, and registered ourselves and pay P20 for the environmental fee. Tip #1: Start your journey early Tip #2: Bring your student’s ID for fare discount We were welcomed by concrete and steep steps on the first part of the trek. On my prior blogs, I mentioned that we hate concrete steps because our knees were used to walk on steep dirt trails, and not on artificial concrete steps, although these concrete steps make the climb easier, climbing them is painful to the legs. As we covered some remoteness, my legs kept on protesting and my back started to get numb because I packed too much, so I had to make numerous stops to rest. After an hour of a rocky and steep assault, we reached the peak and got rewarded by the picturesque view of Southern Cebu. 30 minutes after taking solo and group pictures, the rain accompanied by a robust wind started to attack the whole place. Just like that, our plans to trek the other mountains and kawasan falls got cancelled. Tip #3: Travel light. This will be beneficial once you covered some remoteness Tip #4: Be courteous and greet other climbers and locals Tip #5: Water proof your things After a deep introspection, we decided to fully abort the itinerary and to spend the night in the house of one of our member, Kim Cameros in Argao. The next day, Kim’s father drove us to the boundary of Argao and Badian. We disembarked at a remote barangay in Badian and walked for an hour to reach the barangay’s chapel. From the chapel, we rode another motor taxi to bring us to Badian’s proper for a jeepney that will later bring us to Kawasan falls. We paid another P30 entrance fee of Kawasan falls, took pictures and inhaled the fresh air and turquoise waters of the falls. ( a separate blog will be posted soon ). After hours of satisfying ourselves with the Gatorade waters of Kawasan falls, we decided to go home to rest, but while waiting for a bus bound for Cebu city, Nysse talked about wanting to go to Lambug beach and minutes later, we found ourselves in the beach. We pitched our tent at Lambug beach and had some alcoholic drinks while inhaling the salty air. It was a failed and tiring itinerary but it was filled with good and bad memories that worth to keep ( a separate blog will be posted soon ). Total expenses:
P90 - Cebu south bus terminal to Dalaguete (discounted) P150 - Dalaguete proper to Brgy. Maloray P30 - Kandungaw peak's environmental fee P50 - Remote barangay of Badian to Badian proper P10 - Badian proper to Kawasan Falls P30 - Entrance fee of Kawasan falls P50 - Kawasan falls to Lambug beach P50 - Lambug beach to Badian proper P90 - Badian proper to South bus terminal Last year, I’ve started to love one of the most exhilarating and dangerous outdoor activity, the mountaineering. Ever since, I’ve been on a series of day and night hikes with the #TeamKatkats, and in my 8 months of being a mountain trekker, I’ve conquered 10 mountains in Cebu. In celebration for my blog’s first anniversary, Nysse’s birthday, and Glomark’s graduation ( he ditched us ), we climb Toledo’s Mt. Kalbasaan or colloquially called as Mt. KM 28. We started our journey in South bus terminal at around 9 30 A.M. and rode a bus bound for Toledo. It took us about 2 hours to reach Landingan Elementary school, and after settling ourselves, we immediately hailed a motor taxi to the drop off point. It took us almost 30 mins to finally reach the starting point of Mt. Kalbasaan, the village’s wood-and-iron bridge. Soon after, we took the trail to the scenic Mount Kalbasaan. We were welcomed by concrete and steep steps on the first part of the trek. It made the trek challenging because our knees were used to walk on steep dirt trails not on artificial concrete steps, although these concrete steps make the climb easier, climbing them is painful to the legs. We had numerous stops to rest because our legs kept on protesting (especially khate because she didn’t sleep), nevertheless, we were entertained and awed by the view of Mt. Kalbasaan. Mount Kalbasaan was an exhausting hike with extremely never-ending ascent, but after an hour of challenging trail, the trail became easier and offered some beguiling sights. As much as I want to rest after the ascent, we had to move and quicken our pace since the sun was starting to hurt and we can’t waste time because we don’t have any guides in the hike. Moments later, we passed a group of locals resting in an open-air shed. They were kind enough to allow us to rest and have our lunch in their resting hut. We spent nearly an hour talking to the locals and they offered to guide our group to the peak, but we refused because they’re busy with their chores. After refreshing, we had to keep things rolling and continue to the trek, but 30 minutes after, we got lost in the midst of corn fields. We tried to ask for help but aside from carabaos and goats, there’s no sign of any people wandering. Nysse, the group’s lakwatsera heard voices while she was urinating. I first thought she was hallucinating, but after a few seconds, we saw a girl carrying a toddler. The odds are with us! They taught us the right directions to the peak and they even shared experiences on how they also helped past mountaineers who got lost along the way. We heeded their tips and after an hour, we had finally reached the peak of Mt. Kalbasaan. The place somehow reminded me of New Zealand, it was really worth the 2 hours bus travel and the 3 hours trek!! To make Nysse's birthday memorable, we surprised her with cupcakes, watermelon, and a flower (Bisag wa jod siya na surprise kay dungan man mig palit sa watermelon and nips). We stayed on the peak for almost 2 hours, eating, picture taking, and inhaling life. When we descended, a local congratulated us for conquering Mt. Kalbasaan via Toledo to Minglanilla. I was shookt when he told us we were already in Minglanilla!!!! I didn’t do any prior research, so I was really clueless! Could you imagine how far Minglanilla is to Toledo?!
TOTAL EXPENSES: P 50.00 South bus terminal to Landingan P 20.00 Landingan to drop off point P50.00 Kalbasaan, Minglanilla to Minglanilla proper P10.00 Minglanilla to Basak P10.00 Basak to Colon KatkatLogue: “Ngano mo katkat jod kag bukid?” An innocent question from a friend that made me really ask myself why. It was a year ago that I first climbed a mountain. At first, it was all for fun and pictures but as we slowly advanced and covered some remoteness, I’ve realized that mountains have something to offer for everybody, regardless of age, gender, and numbers. And as I reached the peak, a thirst for a life-changing story emerged in my core which made me fell in love with ascending mountains and Cebu. If you want to start a new hobby and explore Cebu’s best peaks, here are my recommendations for the best mountains to hike and camp. 1. MT. KAN-IRAG ( 700+ MASL ) Commonly known as Sirao Peak, Mt. Kan-irag is considered as the rising mountain because of its accessibility to the city and level of difficulty. My first climb happened in Mt. Kan-irag, which played a big role in our group’s love for hiking. The backdoor trail of Mt. Kan-irag is the playground for beginners, while the Budlaan trail via Mt. Kan-irag is the daredevil trail because it will let you experience gigantic bouldering rocks, river trekking, and some rock climbing beside the Budlaan falls or tinisik-uwang falls, and it usually takes up to 5 to 6 hours of trekking to reach the peak If you want to unleash your inner ninja and be the first-hand witness of God’s creation, you should climb Mt. Kan-irag. Level of Difficulty: 7/10 Read more at: https://mariawentto.weebly.com/blog/mt-kan-irag-a-day-hike-journal 2. MT. NAUPA ( 584 MASL ) Mt. Naupa in Naga gained its popularity because of its beginner-friendly trail and its panoramic bird's eye view of Naga and its neighboring municipalities. The hike will last for only 45 minutes but it can be pretty exhausting due to its slightly steep trail but once you reach the camping site, it’s totally worth it. The camping site is safe because the landowner's houses are located at the foot of the camping site Level of difficulty: 4/10 Read more at: https://mariawentto.weebly.com/blog/mt-naupa-a-birthday-climb 3. MT. TAGAYTAY Mount Tagaytay in Toledo is one of the many hidden paradises of the renowned Copper city. Toledo is two hours away from the city, but the long travel pays off once you step foot on the phenomenal Mt. Tagaytay and laid your eyes to the mythical Malubog lake. It is called Mt. Tagaytay because the view atop is similar to the beautiful view deck in Tagaytay at Region IV-A. Level of difficulty: 5/10 Read more at: https://mariawentto.weebly.com/blog/the-copper-citys-hidden-gems-malubog-lake-and-mount-tagaytay 4. MT. BABAG (750 MASL) Mt. Babag is located within the eventful city of Cebu. To get to Mt Babag, you need to get to the jump-off point at Brgy. Napo, Guadalupe, Cebu. The climb to Mt. Babag is mostly a gradual ascent which will hurt your knees and exhaust your lungs and heart, so I suggest bringing lots of water and snacks on the trail is essential. It took us almost 5 hours to reach the peak but our exhaustion from the 5-hour trek got rewarded upon arriving at the Mt. Bocaue Peak. The peak offers a city view on the left side, while a peaceful mountain views on the other. Level of difficulty: 6/10 Read more at: https://mariawentto.weebly.com/blog/the-copper-citys-hidden-gems-malubog-lake-and-mount-tagaytay 5. MT. MAGO ( 700+ MASL )
Mt. Mago in Carmen, Cebu is considered by outdoor enthusiasts as one of the easiest climbs in Sugbo. But in our experience, the difficulty of the climb depends on what trail you’ve chosen – unfortunately, our trail was bumpy, muddy and longer than the usual trail. It took us at about 1 hour and a half to reach the peak of Mt. Mago. Level of difficulty: 5/10 Read more at: https://mariawentto.weebly.com/blog/mt-mago-a-year-starter-climb Few meters away from Lataban hills, the trending hill in social media platforms is the veiled paradise of Mulao, Lilo-an, Mount Lanigid. It helped our inquisitive selves to figuratively drink information on how the mountain sheltered and safeguarded Filipinos during the Japanese regime. It was said that revolutionaries were slaughtered on the said mountain when the Japanese troops knew their whereabouts. As a horror junkie, the hike made me really thrilled and electrified because I was thinking that I will see souls of the Japanese troops and Filipinos marching around the vicinity (weirdo). We started our journey at Lilo-an’s market where we hailed a motor taxi that will take us to Mt. Lanigid’s foot for P100 per trip. It is advisable to go in a pair to divide the fare (it rhymes!) After the 30-minute ride to Barangay Mulao, we registered our names and paid P10.00 to develop the mountain’s current situation. It took us 30 minutes to reach the peak. This mountain is often called as a pabebe ground because of its easy trail but as a hiker, always put in mind to never underestimate a mountain. The ascent to the camp was knee cracking due to its slippery slope and lack of branches to hold on, so to avoid further accidents, it’s better to look for a twig if you don’t have trekking poles. After inhaling God’s phenomenon, we assembled our tent and then ate our lunch on the peak. Mt. Lanigid is perfect for overnight campers and for those who want to escape city life’s buzz. We stayed on the peak for not too long since we planned to go river trekking. We descended all over again to Mulao’s barangay hall, where we registered and paid again P10.00 for Mulao river. Locals tried to discourage us to go through Mulao river in Lilo-an to Mulao in Compostela because they believed there are supernatural residing at the said place, but I don’t know why we were so hard headed (tsk). I was so amazed by how big the stones were and how locals enjoyed swimming while washing their clothes at the river, it made me miss rural life. The start of our river trekking was already challenging. We were barefoot and the sun was shining right above our heads, so imagine how hot the stones were. (I AM NOT EXAGGERATING!) I expected that river trekking meant walking directly in the water, hence the name “river trekking”, but it was even more challenging than that. We had to jump from one stone to another and climb big chunk of stones. . We were completely on the different part of the world (Just in Compostela haha) when we saw houses. We didn’t expect that the river trekking would take us 4 long hours, but you know what they say, IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT! INDIVIDUAL EXPENSES:
P10 Jeep from Mandaue to Liloan P50 Habal2x from Liloan to Mulao P10 Brgy hall fee for Mt. Lanigid P10 Brgy hall fee for Mulao river P50 Habal2x from Mulao Compostela to Compostela proper P15 Jeep from Compostela to Mandaue Total: P145.00 All pictures were captured by the Glomark Pahignalo KatkatLogue: “The Earth is beautiful. If you start living its beauty, and enjoy its joys with no guilt in heart, you are in paradise.” One gloomy afternoon, my phone pinged which indicated that there’s a new message from #TeamKatkats group chat. Hearing something from them after a long time made me thought about how our deranged souls had finally emerged after weeks of staying idle. The team’s bata batuta, Nysse suggested climbing Toledo’s best kept hidden gem – Mt. Tagaytay. Without hesitations, we agreed to see what Mama Nature has to offer. OUR JOURNEY TO THE COPPER CITY: We started our journey at exactly 11 in the morning, which is 3 hours late for our supposed meet up time because of our artista member, Khate. The three of us met at the South bus terminal, Cebu even though our Official photographer, Glomark wasn’t around because of prior commitments. We rode a bus bound for Toledo which is 2 hours away from the Terminal, and we disembarked at Barangay Magdugo near Julies Bakeshop. After a two-hour long travel, we then chartered a Motor taxi that will take us to the mythical Malubog Lake, then Mount Tagaytay. Cliché as it may seem, but the moment I laid my eyes to the lake, I was bewitched by its mouth dropping setting. It made me remember a scene from my favorite series, Once upon a time, where Rumplestiltskin saw the lady of the lake (Shameless fangirling). We inhaled the tranquillity of the place albeit the sky started to cry. We took copious pictures with minimal voices because it was rumored that the mythical creatures like the giant octopus and the “dyosa” don’t like to be disturbed. Moments later, we continued our journey to the drop off point in Mt. Tagaytay. It was drizzling when we started to hike but despite the mild rainfall, the trail was pretty easy because it was made of concrete, but when we reached the remote part, the trail became murky, muddy, and slippery which caused us struggle while going uphill. We were so dirty, and wet when we reached the peak of Mount Tagaytay, but everything was rewarded with an awe-worthy scenery. The Malubog lake was captivating but it was a hundred times enthralling on bird’s eye view just like the Taal Volcano. We ate our late lunch on top but it was a struggle due to its strong wind and drizzle (no joke, our lunch boxes were blown by the wind so we had to run after it.) The struggles and our experiences on the place was really one for the books. I thank the heaven for these moments! ALL PHOTOS WERE EDITED BY THE GLOMARK PAHIGNALO HOW TO GET THERE?
I have always been a believer in spontaneous travel. The hype, anticipation, and keenness for the unknown are truly different from those meticulous-planned journeys (I know you guys know that). You may call these types of travelers as impulsive, unorganized and imprudent but their stories are truthfully life-changing and embellished. My friends from #TeamKatkats love spontaneity as much I do (Praise the Lord). Everything started with drawings with all conversations happening only through Facebook Messenger, but on the following day, we chose to put some colours on our drawings. With muscle aches and burnt skin from my football game, we ascended Cebu city’s highest point – Mt. Babag, which rises for about 752 meters above sea level. We were supposed to meet with the group at 9 in the morning but Filipino time is real so we got delayed for an hour, and that’s as pinoy as pinoy can get (not Sinigang, Liza). Our first setting happened in Birhen sa Guadalupe Church in Guadalupe, Cebu city. From the church, we hired some motor taxis for 20 per person to the drop off point - Sitio Napo. It was approximately a twenty-minute bumpy ride to Sitio Napo. Tip # 1: The motor ride was slightly challenging, safeguard yourself ( KAY WA KAY UYAB ) Tip # 2: Buy trail foods and lunch before going to the drop off point. I was a little worried that I might slow the team down because of my muscle pain caused by playing football, but thankfully, we started off at a fast pace. At the first hours, the mountain ‘s shade helped us to elude the scorching heat of the sun. As we advanced and already covered some remoteness, the sun has started to position and fought us. The scorching heat made us took numerous of water break. It took us almost one and a half hour before we reach the chapel which will help you determine that you’re almost there ( 2 hours more!!!) !!!). A group of mountaineers (LakTud) was eating their lunch at the chapel, so we decided to have our lunch there too. By the help of God's grace, the LakTud mountaineers offered our team to join them. Who are we to say no to God's blessing? (God is good)! Our exhaustion from the 5-hour trek got rewarded upon arriving at the Mt. Bocaue Peak. The peak offers a city view on the left side, while a peaceful mountain view on the other. After being renewed, we decided to go home and go back to civilization. We followed the backdoor trail heading towards Mt. Babag and RCPI towers then exit to Temple of Leah in Busay. The tranquillity that you’ll feel will let you ponder on how boundless God’s creations are and how beautiful the world is. Truly, the energy and time spent on trekking don’t really matter as long as you’re having fun! This won’t be the last time, Mount Bocaue! HOW TO GET THERE?
Itinerary: 9:00 – 10:00 – ETA Guadalupe Church 10:30 – ETD to Sitio Napo 10:55 – ETA Sitio Napo 11:00 – Start trek 12:40 – ETA Napo Chapel 3:00 – ETA Bocaue Peak 3:40 – ETD Bocaue Peak 4:30 – ETA Busay 5:00 – ETA J.Y Square 6:00 – Home Katkatlogue: ALL PHOTOS ARE CAPTURED BY THE GLOMARK PAHIGNALO! The Christmas holidays are over, but for Cebuanos the holidays don’t end on the first of January because it continues to the annual Sinulog Festival. I’ve been dancing for Sto. Nino for years in mardi gras, praising the image of the young Jesus through the 9-day novena, and enjoying myself with the street parties – my two eyes have perceived the sturdy faith of the Cebuanos and understood that there is actually a lot more about Sinulog Festival. For this year’s celebration of Sinulog, instead of engaging myself with street parties and booze, I’ve decided to escape the crowd and enjoy the fresh air on the northern side of Cebu. The original itinerary of the #TeamKatkats was to conquer Mt. Kapayas in Catmon, but the group was too small for the minimum number of hikers required by the authorities. As an alternative, we agreed to take a plunge in Maravilla, Tabuelan. OUR JOURNEY: The meet-up place happened in Tabok, Mandaue city wherein we were left with no choice but to ride a full mini bus. Nysse and I sat on the bus machine for three long hours! It was an uncomfortable ride but thankfully, we endured it ( thanks to our stamina lol ). It was already dark when we arrived at the well-structured Maravillosa Park so we directly looked for a carinderia to feed our fuming monsters. A local approached us at the carinderia and offered to rent his tent for P350, but with our powers, we were able to negotiate with the price. Tip #1: It’s better to start your voyage in North bus terminal to have a proper seat. Tip # 2: Bring student’s Identification card for discounted fares. Tip # 3: Try negotiating with the prices. WHERE TO STAY?: Along the shoreline, several private beach properties were developed. The developed ones included a resort with a swimming pool and a Tarzan aura resort. Since we were on a very tight budget, we chose the postcard view inside a tent – best idea ever!!!!! Tip # 4: Be a responsible camper, Practice the LNT attitude. Tip # 5: Always remember that there are other campers and locals in the vicinity. Lower down your voices so that you’ll not disturb their sleep or siesta. SIDE TRIPS: Click pictures to know where Maravilla White Sand Beach is a promising gem in the very northern side of Cebu. It is a small piece of heaven where you can have fun without having to worry about spending too much. It is definitely a hidden gem just three hours away from the city. I will be back! Abangan! Travel Expenses:
Bus fare: P80 (discounted fare) P100 for normal rate Foods: P100 Tent: P300 (negotiated amount) motor taxis: P30 Sealogue: All pictures are captured by The Glomark Pahignalo . I thought I had already lost my stamina and sanity after having almost a month of eating-sleeping routine, and hiatus from hiking because of Christmas. The holiday activated a button of my unhealthy self, and that made me really exasperated (feeling health conscious). Thankfully, an angel heard my silent plea when Khate from #TeamKatkats invited the group to go for a climb. With absolutely no idea where to hike, and what to expect in Mt. Naupa, I responded with a resounding yes. Unfortunately, Nysse and Glomark can’t join the climb due to some prior activities, but they were substituted by Kim, Clyde, and Katrina. OUR MOUNT MAGO ADVENTURE: Our Mount Mago experience started with a waiting game in Cebu’s North Bus Terminal (It took us almost an hour to be finally complete). We then took an air conditioned bus headed for Bantayan for P40, and after almost two hours of ass butchery, we arrived at our destination, Carmen’s Public market. We looked for motor taxis and tried our best to negotiate on the fare; unfortunately, P100 is the fixed fare. Tip #1: Bring Student’s ID for discounted fares Tip #2: For trail foods and lunch, purchase it at the market because there are no stalls at the drop off point. When everyone was geared up for the climb, we wasted no time and took the one-hour motor ride to Barangay Santican, Carmen, Cebu. I almost fell off the motor because it was really the bumpiest ride I’ve ever had. Tip #3: Hold on to your life, the motor ride is challenging. As soon as we reached Barangay Santican, we met a family whose abode is located in a remote area of Tuburan, which is beyond Mt. Mago. They were on their way home so they tagged us along. The family suggested the bumpy route or the road less travelled to save time (IZ ZA WRONG!)It took us almost two hours and a half to reach the peak – an hour delayed to the plan. We were breathless when we reached the peak. Nevertheless with such great company of old and new friends, the time of brawling the heat were all worth it and as usual, we ended our journey with some picturesque view atop. WOOOOOH!
Tip #4: Based on some blogs, if you take the flat road route, it will only take 1 hour and a half to reach the peak. Tip #5: Never underestimate a mountain This climb made me wonder more about the beautiful phenomenon of God’s creation. Thank you, Mt. Mago for the memorable first 2018 climb. Even after the hiatus from outdoor undertakings, I had a great time with you, Mt. Mago! All the love! Katkatlogue : |
AuthorAn 18-year old frustrated storyteller, soul searcher, and a wanna-be writer. Born and raised in a humble town of Cebu in the Philippines & a Proud Cebuana-Ilocana. She's blogging for herself, her creative development, and for her chaotic thoughts to be heard. #TeamMorena Categories |