Author Archives: tylerhassig

During the process of ‘closing’ our Peace Corps services two friends and I decided to escape Manila for a week and head north to the famed Mountain Province.  An overnight bus brought us to the town of Banaue and the … Continue reading →

In December 2014, two of my coworkers and I attended a Peace Corps sponsored seminar led by Dr. Filipina Sotto at the University of San Carlos- Mactan Island, Cebu.  Dr. Sotto shared her methods for low-cost, low-risk coral gardening to assist … Continue reading →

I first arrived in the Philippines two years ago, on July 7th, 2013.  If my Peace Corps service were a bottle of wine (or perhaps a box) it would now officially be considered ‘vintage’ or ‘fancy’, dare I say it- over ten … Continue reading →

Reeling off the excitement of Manggahan Festival, June has started strong with an eventful first two weeks. June has also brought daily afternoon rains, providing much welcomed relief from the oppressive heat of the dry season. With three months of … Continue reading →

Once again its that time of the year, time to celebrate all that is mango. On Guimaras the mango is not just a fruit, its a way of life.  Known (among Filipinos) as having the worlds sweetest mango, Guimaras takes … Continue reading →

27  has dwindled down to 4.  In just 4 months I will be ‘closing’ my Peace Corps service. With America on the horizon I find myself scrambling to leave my mark on Guimaras. Ideally I would like to be immortalized … Continue reading →

They say its not where you are but who you are with that is important. Of all the things I have learned during my two years in the Philippines this by far has carried the most weight.  My favorite memories … Continue reading →

Last week my coworkers and I facilitated a community meeting in Barangay Tando (at the southern tip of Guimaras island) on establishing a coral garden in their Tan-Luc Marine Protected Area. Over the next several months, with the assistance of the … Continue reading →

It has taken over a year, but I have finally tamed ‘the beasts of the Philippine wild’ that lurk outside of my front door.  And by ‘beasts’ I am referring to the ever-changing pack of ascals, or street dogs, that … Continue reading →

Last week I had the good fortune of meeting US Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg, who joined a group of 8 Peace Corps Volunteers and I for a ‘happy hour’ in Iloilo city, an event that coincided with the 2015 Dinagyang … Continue reading →