Written by: Ate Issa Gayatin, Core Member
It was a bright morning in Manila Ocean Park, a magical and adventure-filled place for bonding of friends and families. Ate Rose Razonable and her friends are all geared up to explore the attractions in store for them together with Bahay Aruga. This was the second time Ate Rose volunteered in U!happy events. The first one was in Kidzoona. She and her friends are volunteering for kids every year as a part of their team engagement.
The day started with the kids pairing up with the volunteers. Since this was a big group to handle, Ate Rose and her friends were joined by some U!happy volunteers. As soon as the tickets arrived, everyone excitedly entered the park. The first stop was the Oceanarium, the park’s main attraction- a walkway tunnel with a spectacular underwater view of the amazing sea creatures swimming overhead. Everyone had a great time looking and taking pictures of the variety of fishes. It was like we were truly inside a huge aquarium. Everyone were seen to be having a fantastic time. Majority were thrilled by the different sizes and wonderful colors of fishes. It was truly a magical experience.
Afterwards, Kuya Harvard led us to the Trails to Antartica. There, the kids get to see real penguins swimming and playing in their haven. Kids and volunteers took pictures with the playful penguins. The kids were also led to the Christmas village and they get to see and touch real snowflakes.
Next stop is the World of Creepy Crawlers, a place where a magnitude of insects, worms, spiders, frogs and other different kinds of reptiles and crawling creatures are situated. Everyone took the time to read and study the information about the creatures. What’s more is that it’s impressive to know that the kids were not scared. In fact, they took pictures with them. The different abilities of the creatures delighted the kids and volunteers.
Then we headed to the Barnyard, a place filled with chickens, guinea pigs, rats, fluffy hamsters and cute bunnies. Last stop was the Sea Lion show, where two adorable sea lions showcased their special skills and unique characteristics. Despite the heat of the sun, the audience watched and enjoyed the show, which was engaging and entertaining.
Truly, Manila Ocean Park is worth a visit to friends and families. The kids truly learned so much from this experience. Thanks to Ate Rose and her friends for sponsoring this exciting activity with Bahay Aruga. They will truly remember this once in a lifetime experience.
