The park at Phil-Am Village (PVHA Park to some) is wonderful. Why? Let us count the ways…read more 1. Lots of trees means lots of shade so you can actually lay a banig, rest under trees and enjoy the breeze. 2. There's a jogging patch along the perimeter of the park. Then there's one inside as well, which the trees hover upon so the path is quite shaded. 3. Aside from the jogging path, there are also benches under the trees where those who don't have their banigs can rest. 4. Free massage! The baranggay of Pamplona Dos gives free reflexology training and the dedicated are for the masseuse to put these skills to practice and gain customers is at the PVHA Park. 5. There's a well-maintained children's playground with the standards like swing sets, a slide, see-saw, monkey bars and more. 6. The full-sized basketball court at the PVHA Park is of such good quality that it is even rented by companies for their sportsfests. 7. There's also a tennis court which the PVHA Tennis Club calls home. 8. An open area serves as a small soccer field where villagers and non-villagers play in the afternoons. 9. Another structure serves as a badminton and volleyball court, plus a venue for zumba classes at least twice a week. 10. Every Sunday, there are several food stalls selling an assortment of snacks and other delicacies for villagers and church-goers alike. Would I dare say it's the best park in our area? Why not visit then you be the judge.

Whenever my friend, Mica, and I get bored of the Belvedere Park, we end up in Merville's…read moreContinental Park. This park is more secluded and there are fewer cars that pass by this place. It's also a great place to just hang out and talk because the airplanes don't really pass overhead. Yes, the noise of the airplanes can be heard but not as bad or as loud as the sound you'll hear when you visit the Belvedere Park. When the airplanes pass, you don't have to stop telling your story to your friend. During the rainy months when Mica and I visit the park, we end up here because there's a little gazebo that has a roof. There are no tables or chairs, so we just sit around on the floor and have a little picnic. At night, children don't really visit the park. There are times when people come to play basketball or practice some dance they need to perfect. Another thing, you can smoke in this park and they won't tell you to stop. Bad for your lungs. But, oh well.

While we always go to Tagaytay - both planned and unplanned. We would pass Nuvali on our way up and…read moresometimes stop over when we're hungry. I've seen the 'Wakepark' signs but didn't really know where it is, maybe because I wasn't looking hard enough. Or I just have just looked it up online to see the map. My friends took me to go Republic Wakepark because it's their recreational activity, to get away from the stress that living in the Metro brings, well, also school. And it's something that's fun to experience together as a group (individually if we're being specific but you get what I'm saying). I love these types of things because I know everyone gets tired of doing the same old thing and with Nuvali being about an hour or less drive away from Metro Manila, it's the perfect thing to do. If you don't think it's for you and you're being invited to come along then you can always go and stay at the bar or at the pool, take pictures and hang out.

This is the main hangout space for my friends whenever we come back to Manila from studying abroad…read more The employees are very accommodating and are very helpful in teaching you how to wakeboard. It is in a great location and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves water sports within the South area. However, the rentals for boards are quite expensive and are very limited to only a couple of boards if you have grown out of the slip-on boards. The food service takes quite awhile for you to get your food. Putting that aside, this is a place that I would highly recommend anyone to come to for a day mainly just for the awesome facility to wakeboard. It's also best to go during the weekdays early in the morning so that you can get the most out of your buck, or else you would be in line for quite awhile as that takes up your riding time. Night boarding on the weekends are also enjoyable and are less crowded than during the day based on my experience from going.

When I was a kid, I would spend hours and hours playing with friends and biking around the Cuenca…read morePark. Located just beside the St. James the Great Parish, this park is one of my favorite places laced with fond memories. Most of our after-school activities back then involved a lot of sports and outdoor activities; More often than not, we would end up here playing football, track, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, softball, kickball, and even badminton. Up to today, most afternoons at Cuenca park are filled with students and residents of Ayala Alabang Village enjoying the playground, the bike and running path, the covered basketball court, the football field, as well as the newly-upgraded Rustan's Fresh and Starbucks cafe. On Sundays, you will find residents stopping by post-mass to buy a quick treat at Rustan's or going for a stroll. During some weekends of the year, this well-loved park is also home to many food and specialty bazaars. Make sure you don't miss out on the biggest bazaar called the St. James Bazaar which usually takes place before Christmas!

My side of the family recently got into the habit of going to the Muntinlupa Sports Center very…read moreearly in the morning. This sports complex is just 15 minutes away, by foot, from our respective homes. My husband, our toddler, and I decided to tag along in one of their morning trips. We got there at around 7AM and found my nephew and nieces riding their bikes and a lot of people doing their own thing across the vast, grassy field that was part of the center. On the shady part of that area, some families are having a little picnic. In front of that grassy area is a long stretch of pavement, facing the Laguna Bay, where a lot of people jog and walk. Adjacent to that is the parking area where every day, several sessions of aerobics classes take place from 5AM to 6:30AM. Behind the parking lot is the Muntinlupa Sports Center building where people can play basketball (a PBA team used to practice here), tennis, badminton, table tennis for a fee. There is also an area where kids have classes on martial arts. You don't have to be a resident of Muntinlupa to get access at the complex. You can do your morning exercise, play with your kids or even have a picnic as long as you clean up the area that you have occupied. Should you want to play inside the Muntinlupa Sports Center building, get in touch with the management and pay for the required fees.

Located right at the entrance of the Assumption school campus, the PACEM Eco Park is part-garden,…read morepart-museum, and part-mini zoo. It was established by the school to raise concern for the environment for its school community and for visitors who can visit the eco park for just a minimal entrance fee. It's amazing how this little pocket of green in Antipolo houses some amazing animals endemic to the Philippines like the Monkey-Eating Eagle or the Philippine Eagle, the "Pilandok" or Philippine Mouse-deer, the Flying Lemur, the Palawan Bearcat, and the Calamian Deer among others. There's also a cheeky myna bird somewhere in there that keeps asking, "Kumain ka na?" Lol. It's a well-maintained park so you can easily walk through the mini-forest inside, peek into the pond and this wishing well at the front, and stop by the butterfly garden and mini museum as well. It's pretty cool to have something like this in this area. Makes for a great environmental education trip with family, especially for those with little kids!

Kids today are more indoors than ever before. Pollution, crime and the heat are making parents…read morerethink their child rearing ways. Tablets and other gadgets are being freely given to these kids and in turn, they become perfectly content with staying in their rooms all day. Our outdoor culture is already diminishing and what better way to bring it back than to take children to the farm? Holding baby pigs, fishing, riding carabaos, feeding rabbits- these are just some of the things that your kids can experience at the Sta. Elena Fun Farm. I see this place as a quick retreat from the city, a breather from the traffic, buildings and all the asphalt that has enveloped Manila. It doesn't take so long to get there and once you reach the place, you'll fall in love with it. Tips: 1. Take the kids here on a weekend complete with a picnic basket. 2. Entrance is P300 for kids and adults. Any kid below 2 years old is free. 3. Lolos and lolas get discounts too!

One of my best friends had her son celebrate his second birthday at The Fun farm at Sta. Elena for…read moreseveral reasons: 1. the little boy loves animals 2. the weather during that time of the year was suitable for an outdoor/al fresco party She had decided on a theme reminiscent of barns, the countryside, and good old fashioned country living. The Fun Farm was perfect with it's main hall made of wood exuding an earthy feel, wooden tables and benches perfect for picnic set-ups, and of course, the venue was surrounded by horseback riding trails, rabbit houses, a pond where kids and their daddies can take a swing at fishing, and other animals that kids and adults can enjoy seeing up close. She was also allowed to bring in her own caterer which was very convenient as they preferred all sorts of food and got a few suppliers for several kinds of items they wanted to serve, like grilled chicken, lechon, pansit, chicken drumsticks and other food everyone gets to enjoy at kiddie parties. It turned out to be a simple but very memorable afternoon, not just for the kids but for adults like me, too.

You know how Superman has his Fortress of Solitude he retreats to every now and then? Well, I have…read moremy own, too. Granted, it's not made of ice and doesn't have a statue of Jor-El and Lara holding a globe of Krypton, it is my place of solace. Post-class hours, pre-class hours, and sometimes even during class hours, you'll find college me here. To say that this park is beautiful is an understatement. Seriously, it's almost offensive! Freedom Park (aka F-park) is beyond beautiful, it's ineffable. Anyone who's ever been, can attest to this. But hey, you don't have to take our word for it, go on a roadtrip to Elbi this weekend. Bring a blanket and a telescope. You're welcome.

I lovr this place. You can bring your own food then enjoy the scenery of the campus. There are also…read morelots of people around so it is easyto meet new friends

I was actually confused on how I would categorize this part of my village park. The truth is that…read morethis facility of the park is just a covered court and is used for a wide array of different activities. When it was first made, this court was actually meant to be a volleyball court or a badminton court. It could be used by the village residents absolutely free of charge. There were times when my mother and I would spend our afternoons playing badminton here. Those were the good old days. Anyway, things have changed since then. Nowadays the net isn't there anymore. Im not sure what happened to it, but with the net gone people don't play volleyball or badminton there anymore. However, during the morning I noticed that the court is used for Zumba. There are moms, lolas, and titas there who all dance to the beat in order to lose weight. I have no idea if its free or open to anyone though.