What's your favorite place in the Philippines?

We’re fortunate to have such a beautiful country. The Philippines, with its more than 7,000 islands, gives us so many places to visit this summer. When planning for trips with my family, the first thing that usually comes to my mind is what country should we visit — then, one time when I was having dinner with my husband’s foreign partners, I was so amazed and happy to hear how much they loved our country.

So, for this coming summer, why not find out more about our country and visit any of the following beautiful places?

LULU TAN GAN, fashion designer: Batanes takes you to another time zone, visually and mentally.

REP. ANTON LAGDAMEO, Second District, Davao City: Distrito Dos, Davao del Norte, my district. Panabo and its environs have been very kind to our family; that’s why we give back to the people what we can in terms of service and projects, and when things get pretty rough, we hie off to the Island Garden City of Samal: white sand beaches, beautiful coral; we can go caving, dive into a pool at the base of a waterfall, see friendly faces. I can go on, and on, and on!

DUANE SANTOS, businessman: Polo Club. That’s where I watch my daughter run freely without a care in the world; where I spent 24/7 over six months studying for the bar exams; where I trained for the SEA games; where I met my best friends; and, above all, where I first saw my wife who was then wearing an unforgettable hot bikini.

LILA ALMARIO, shoe designer: An unforgettable place for me is Davao, which I first visited with my girlfriends. I still remember vividly the amazing coral that you can see under the pristine waters while on a motorized banca ride to Pearl Farm where, after a day of swimming, I had my fill of the most delicious crabs. I love the sun and the sea, and am so lucky to be living in a country blessed with so many beautiful beaches.

PAULINE GORRICETA BANUSING, chef, Al Dente: I love Iloilo. Iloilo is a progressive city yet it still retains its provincial charm. Iloilo is one rare place where you can be a very busy businesswoman yet allowing a person enough time to go home for a home-cooked meal, pick up the kids from school and have a merienda of batchoy and puto and meet up with friends for cocktails after. I also love Iloilo because of the values that people have and this is the place that you find genuine people. Iloilo is a place that has spretzzatura — an Italian term that means making something ordinary into the extraordinary. People in Iloilo seem to find real joy in ordinary things and this is what I find beautiful. Most of all, Iloilo is home.

JOYCE MAKITALO, jewelry designer: A friend of mine has a place in the middle of a mountain in Batangas. It’s very beautiful and lush, and cold. After breakfast and sipping hot drinks, we abandon our cardigans, change into our swimsuits and drive down the mountain where a beautiful beach awaits. It’s a 15-minute drive from the cold mountain to the warm, sunny beach. Two different worlds, 15 minutes away from each other — I love the Philippines!

BIANCA S. VALERIO, model, stylist, host, makeup artist for Modelco: The Farm at San Benito, Batangas, as it makes for a fond memory. While shooting for the cover of Mabuhay magazine, Phoemela Baranda and I met and hung out with Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson for two whole days. A certified yogi, he personally gave us an hour-long yoga lesson and because of the cold weather, he even gave us each a sweater to keep as mementos, which I actually still have to this day.

GABE MERCADO, actor: In 2006 I decided to live my life in the city like a tourist. There’s nothing like seeing a place where you grew up through the eyes of a stranger. Since I spent a lot of time as a child in Antipolo, I’ve decided to revisit it often over the past few years. There are many hidden gems in Antipolo — from Pinto Art Gallery to Vieux Chalet, which is still excellent after all these years, to the church and all the kasuy and suman stores around it, to the panoramic view of the city as seen from the Eugenio Lopez Training Center, to attractions in neighboring towns like the Angono Petroglyphs and the spectacular view and charming roads leading up to the Sierra Madre Mountain Resort in Tanay. It’s a perfect getaway that’s barely 30 minutes away from Quezon City.