Best Places To Put On Your U.S. Camping Bucket List

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Although no one can say that staying in a hotel, sleeping in a warm bed and taking a hot shower whenever you want isn’t amazing and relaxing, there is something undeniably charming and soothing about camping and spending the night underneath the stars. Heading out into the wilderness, reconnecting with nature and getting away from the city crowd can be a cure for the soul. Luckily, there are so many places in the United States where you can spend several days surrounded by serene and breathtaking landscapes. If you can’t decide where to go on your next camping trip, here are several destinations you should consider.

Pinon Flats, Great Sand Dunes National Park

Do you wish to wake up and drink your morning coffee while enjoying the view of sand dunes? Or maybe you prefer to look at snow capped mountains? No matter what your preferences are, Great Sand Dunes National Park is the place to go. This campground located in Colorado is suitable for both young and old, so whether you are traveling with friends, your spouse, kids or other family members, everyone will find something they enjoy.

Tuweep, North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park

Some campsites offer shops, hot showers and rest restrooms, but if you really want to get a taste of primitive life and go off the grid, this place in Arizona might be perfect for you. It is surrounded by dirt roads, and located miles and miles from food, water, gas or lodging so be sure to pack everything you will need during those several days. You can easily find useful reviews of camping gear at THEGEARHUNT and get all the information you need before you start buying your equipment. 

Fruita, Capitol Reef National Park

If the sound of traffic is starting to drive you crazy and you just want to spend a couple of days away from it all, Fruita campground in Utah is a great option. This low-key campground offers amazing views of the red rock desert, but its best features are definitely fruit orchards. Make sure you come here during the harvest season and you will be able to pick your own fruit right off the trees. When it comes to reconnecting with nature and its treasures, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Garden Key, Dry Tortugas National Park

If instead in a desert you prefer to spend your days camping on a beach, plan a trip to Garden Key Campground in Florida. The only way you can get to the Dry Tortuga Islands is by ferry and once you get there you will be able to engage in various activities such as snorkeling or touring the nearby abandoned Fort Jefferson.

Wonder Lake, Denali National Park

Located in the heart of the wilderness of Alaska, Wonder Lake is definitely one of the most scenic and beautiful spots to camp. As you might assume since the campsite is located in Denali National Park, it offers the most epic view of Mount Denali. Keep in mind that this place only allows tent pitching so it is not the best choice for rookie campers who are looking for a little more comfort.

Seawall, Acadia National Park

Located in Maine, Seawall Campground has so many amazing things to offer. Here you won’t just be able to enjoy the view of the Atlantic Ocean, but you will also have the opportunity to learn more about the culture and history of the nearby towns that lie on the border of Acadia National Park.

Each of these places has its own unique qualities, so wherever you choose to go you won’t regret it. Of course, there are also other amazing campsites across the U. S. so don’t be afraid to do your research and make your own list of all the destinations you want to visit.

Philippines Underscores Commitment to ASEAN-ROK Film Cooperation

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Film agencies from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Republic of Korea (ROK) have been coming together over the past few years to foster better ties within the region. As 2020 had just begun, film agency heads from the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and South Korea proved their dedication to the ASEAN-ROK convergence once more by participating in the 2020 1st ASEAN-ROK Film Agency Meeting at Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay from January 20 to 21.

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) continued its commitment to the ASEAN-ROK group, being one of the frontrunners for pushing for the creation of the ASEAN-ROK Film Cooperation Organisation (ARFO). “Our objective for this mission is to lay down our 2020 regional film cooperation plan as we simultaneously continue to work towards the establishment of ARFO, a governmental organization that will function like the European Union of the ASEAN region, and create programs and initiatives to support the film industries of all ASEAN member states,” explained FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.

During the working group session with the heads of Korean Film Council (KOFIC), Singapore Film Commission, Cinema and Cultural Diffusion Department of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in Cambodia, Film Development Center under the Ministry of Information in Myanmar, and Vietnam Cinema Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Diño shared FDCP’s new programs that aim to widen support mechanisms to accommodate not just Filipino film industry stakeholders but also ASEAN filmmakers.

“I always believe that collaboration is key and the spirit of working together is integral to our region's success. I really have a good feeling that 2020 is going to be a game changer for the Asian region's film industry,” added Diño. The ASEAN-ROK technical working group also had conversations on film industry project proposals about archiving, research, education and training, box-office system, and content promotion. In addition, the 2020 ASEAN-ROK Film Cooperation Plan was discussed. Other member states involved in ASEAN-ROK are Indonesia, Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Diño then took the time to thank her counterparts from Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Singapore, and South Korea. The 1st ASEAN-ROK Film Agency Meeting for 2020 was sponsored by Singapore under the leadership of Singapore Film Commission Director Joachim Ng. Diño also gave special mention to KOFIC Chairman Oh Seok-geun. “KOFIC, as the national film agency of South Korea, is leading this movement to form a regional cooperation hub among ASEAN member states. The Philippines, through FDCP, is in full support of this initiative and has been participating in all roundtable discussions and meetings towards the achievement of this ambitious but very noble vision,” she commented.

In 2019, three ASEAN-ROK Governmental Roundtable Sessions were held: Bangkok, Thailand in July, followed by Cebu, Philippines in August (hosted by FDCP), and succeeded by Busan, South Korea in November. Meanwhile, the ASEAN-ROK Filmmakers Brainstorming Session took place in Busan in August, the ASEAN-ROK Culture Innovation Summit was mounted in Busan in November, and the ASEAN 3-ROK Filmmakers Network was held in Cambodia in December.

“When we share our stories, there are no bounds to it. It’s always based on our own cultural identities, our way of showing who we are, and our way of showing how important it is to share our stories as people and our stories as a country. I hope that as we move further into the realization of this regional collaboration, we bear in mind that the most important thing is we are working together,” Diño stated.

The efforts to form ARFO is backed by the various successes of ASEAN-ROK and Southeast Asian initiatives that FDCP has been ardently supporting. Among these are the ASEAN-ROK FLY Film Lab and Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC). FDCP has also mounted its own Project Market and Film Industry Conference with the goal of connecting Filipino talents to ASEAN counterparts.

Once ARFO becomes official, it is expected that there will be improvements in film industries across ASEAN and South Korea, with upgrades in skills and technology, opportunities in talent exchange, sharing of resources, collaborations in production and film distribution, developments in policy-making, enhancements in educational programs, more incentives in film location promotions, reinforcements in film archiving, and possibly, the establishment of an ASEAN Film Fund.

DOTr to Remit Millions in Collected Fines to Treasury from Erring PETCs

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to remit millions of pesos to the government’s coffers as it continues to impose stringent sanction against erring Private Emission Testing Centers (PETCs).

PETCs are authorized private facilities of the DOTr which are engaged in testing the level of opacity and analysis of the gaseous emission of a motor vehicle in accordance with Republic Act 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act.

DOTr, through its Investigation, Security and Law Enforcement Staff (ISLES) and Franchising Review Staff (FRS) have recorded millions of pesos worth of fines collected from numerous PETCs nationwide with violations ranging from having no testing probes, no testing machines, to the non-appearance of vehicles for testing or falsification of test results.

The agency notes a significant increase in fines collected starting 2017.

For the year 2017, ISLES/FRS only collected a total of PhP90,000 in fines from three PETCs, while a total of PhP450,000 in fines were collected from six PETCs in 2018.

In 2019, ISLES/FRS received a whopping PhP10,890,000 in collected fines for the period of April to December from 89 erring PETCs nationwide.

For the period of January 1 to January 27, 2020 alone, there were already 86 PETCs that have been found to commit violations.

These erring testing centers have paid a sum of PhP9,990,000 in penalties.

DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade meanwhile expressed his disapproval as the violations committed by these testing centers endanger not just the lives of the public, but also harms the environment.

“This increasing number of violators is a clear manifestation of their defiance to the law. Your accreditation as emission testing center is just a privilege given to you by the government. Do not wait for us to issue suspension orders or revocation of your permits to operate,” Secretary Tugade warns.