Ferdz Decena

A smartphone’s camera is no longer just an added feature but a necessity in this age of Instagram and Facebook social statuses. High-quality cameraphones tend to come with a steep price tag though. But here comes Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE500KL , a mid-range priced shooter boasting a class-leading Laser Autofocus that can lock into focus in 0.3 second. We put this camera into real-world use in my recent trips and see how it performs as a smartphone and cameraphone.

A multi-purpose bag is quite a commodity for a traveler. Most common are the trolley-type bags that can turn into a backpack like the old Eagle Creek Twist Pack 22 I reviewed before. Eagle Creek may have done something revolutionary this time with their patent-pending Eagle Creek EC Lync System . So imagine a rolling bag that has a detachable and collapsible frame to convert it to a backpack or duffle bag and can also be stuffed in a smaller sac for storage. The idea seems doubtful for me at first. I was thinking, collapsible? Is it durable enough for rough handling in airport check-ins? Is it easy to assemble or convert? I had the opportunity of testing the Eagle Creek EC Lync System 22 bag for more than four months now and used it for a few local and international trips already.

I have worked with the Dornier/InFlight team for quite a while now and most of the time, the assignments had been really interesting much like the Cebu-Bohol “Escape Into the Wild” and the Laguna Lake Loop “Slice of Art” story. I like working mostly as a photographer with a team comprised of a writer and sometimes the art director as I’m more focused on shooting than interviewing for the story. For this five-day Bicol assignment with InFlight Traveller , I was with writer Monica de Leon and and Art Director Jocas See. We were accompanied by our guide, the Bicolano Man himself, Renato Jao. This assignment was pretty close to me as for the very long time (I think 10 years) I get to go back to my mom’s hometown which is Daraga, Albay. I used to spend summers here when I was a kid and I really like how the places has developed from what I remember. Also in this issue is a feature on one of my favorite resorts in Palawan, Qi Palawan . Check out the sprea...