Hello, dear hivers!! Welcome back to MIYA’s blog!! 💕
Scouting has been a big part of my life ever since I was in kindergarten, and I still love it just as much now. One of my favorite things about scouting is meeting new people, especially at camp. This year, we had our Senior and Cadet Council Camp 2025 at Camp Marina from January 31 to February 2, and it was honestly one of the best experiences ever! Now, allow me to share with you my amazing journey! 💚
Day 1: A New Dawn Toward Empowering Women
Since the opening ceremony was moved from the evening to the morning, we traveled to Camp Marina one day early to have enough time to set up our area and camp gadgets. I was so excited to be back!
The opening ceremony started at 11 AM, and we all wore our Type A uniform (our official uniform). After that, we had a city tour from 1 PM to 5 PM!
Our first stop was the Basilica del Santo Niño, one of the oldest and most important religious sites in Cebu. We only had 30 minutes, but we made the most of it by praying and lighting candles (nanagkot). Of course, we also took lots of group pictures!
Next, we went to Fort San Pedro, which was my first time visiting! Fort San Pedro is the oldest and smallest fort in the Philippines, built by the Spanish under Miguel López de Legazpi in 1565. As soon as we entered, I was amazed by the massive stone walls and the triangular layout of the fort.
Inside, we saw cannons, old Spanish-era weapons, and historical artifacts. The fort also had a small museum showcasing old documents and paintings from the Spanish period. There was even a garden courtyard in the center, which made the place feel peaceful despite its historical significance as a military defense structure.
I also noticed the guards outside the entrance, wearing old-style Spanish soldier uniforms. It made me feel like I was stepping back in time. It was such an amazing experience, and I couldn’t believe I had never been there before!
Our third stop was the National Museum of the Philippines - Cebu, which was near Fort San Pedro. The waiting line was so long (about 15-20 minutes), but the wait was so worth it!
The National Museum of the Philippines - Cebu takes visitors on a journey through Cebu’s rich history and culture. The Pre-Colonial Gallery showcases ancient artifacts like pottery, tools, and gold jewelry, highlighting early Filipino craftsmanship. The Spanish Colonial Gallery features old maps, church artifacts, and galleon trade replicas, emphasizing Spanish influence. The Revolution & American Period Gallery displays weapons, uniforms, and photographs from the Philippine Revolution and World War II, showing Cebu’s role in the fight for independence.
Lastly, the Modern & Contemporary Art Gallery highlights paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works by Filipino artists, capturing Cebu’s vibrant culture. Other notable exhibits include a massive whale skeleton, interactive displays, and a research center. Unfortunately, since the museum was huge and time was running out, I wasn’t able to fully explore the museum, so I’m really looking forward to visiting again and taking as many pictures as I can!
For our last stop, we went to SM Seaside City to grab some food. Since we were all tired, my ates and I decided to buy coffee jelly and shawarma to get our energy back.
The coffee jelly was so good and the shawarma was amazing! I was really craving Moshi Manju, but I couldn’t find it and didn’t want to risk getting left behind, so I promised myself I’d buy it next time.
As the sun set, Tita Jack called us all back to Camp Marina to prepare for the fellowship night. That night was so fun! I met girls from other schools, added them on Facebook, and we had a mini concert! I really wished the night didn’t end so fast.
Day 2: Unwritten Stories
The next morning, we had the STOP THE VIOLENCE (STV) session from 8 AM to 12 PM. We talked about girl power and how to prevent violence. This session really hit me hard because we had an activity where we expressed our feelings, and almost everyone ended up crying. There were so many emotions, and it made me reflect on what I wanted for my future. This is one of the reasons why I love council camps, they really make you think about yourself and your dreams.
In the afternoon, we made our own DIY candles using jelly! It was so fun, and at the same time, we were having a free concert! I swear, everyone was so talented. We were just vibing and enjoying the moment, I wished we had more time!
(I apologize for not including any pictures from Day 2 since we weren’t allowed to use our phones during activities.)
Then came the big event of the camp, the CAMPFIRE PRESENTATION! Each school had to perform, and everyone gave their best. We at San Remigio National High School performed "Lapyahan sa San Remigio," and we put so much effort into it.
The costumes were colorful, and we practiced so hard for this moment. While watching the other schools perform, we used our light sticks to cheer for them because we always follow Girl Scout’s Law No. 4: "A Girl Scout is a friend to all and a sister to every other Girl Scout." It was such a fun night, and after all the performances, we were so exhausted and just wanted to sleep. But the excitement for the results kept us awake!
Day 3: A Bittersweet Farewell
The next morning, we had our SAVERS session and went to the Boy Scouts' camp to swim! The SAFARI crew taught us different swimming techniques, kicks, and more. And guess what? It started raining while we were swimming! It was so fun, and I couldn’t stop laughing with my friends. After that, we had a knot-tying session, where we learned different knots like the square knot, figure-eight knot, and etc. It was really useful and fun to practice!
Then came the closing ceremony, where we finally found out who would be the CHAMPION. Everyone was so nervous because some schools already won so many awards. When it was finally time for our subcamp results, we thought we didn’t win anything at first… BUT THEN... San Remigio National High School was called for BEST IN CAMP GADGETS, BEST IN BULLETIN BOARD, BEST IN CAMP SANITATION, BEST IN LATRINES AND WASHING CUBICLES, AND BEST IS CAMP LAYOUT! We were all shouting and crying because we did NOT expect to win that many minor awards!
But the biggest moment was still ahead, THE CAMPFIRE PRESENTATION RESULTS. The emcee asked, "Who is the undefeated school ever since?" and everyone started shouting "San Remigio National High School!" Then, the emcee said, "Yes, you're right! The 1st place in Campfire Presentation is none other than San Remigio National High School!" We were shocked, speechless, and crying. Not only that, but we also won Best in Costume! All our hard work—the whole day practices, the body pain (pamaol), and even the scoldings from our ates were SOOOOO WORTH IT. WE WERE CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN! 🏆✨
When we got back to our camp, our titas were smiling and congratulating us. We were so proud to bring the championship home, and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone at SRNHS! 💚💚
This was the BEST council camp experience I’ve ever had. I love scouting so much, and I’m so grateful to our titas, facilitators, ates, and all the amazing girls I met. Thank you for making this experience so so so memorable! Camp Marina, you will always be my home away from home.
Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout! See you next time, Camp Marina! 💚🌱
That is all for today’s blog my dear readers! Thank you for being with me today. As I continue this journey, I @miyasomi, look forward to sharing more insights, lessons learned, and perhaps a few more simple joys that make the hard work worthwhile. Until next time, keep pursuing your dreams with determination, and don’t forget to appreciate the beauty in the everyday moments. Bye-bye 💞
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