Due to my tight and busy schedule (I was busy with school work, especially with the then upcoming National Cheerleading Championships 2014) my pre-debut shoot was pretty delayed – about a month before my debut. Thankfully I found the time to squeeze in the shoot before my afternoon classes! 🙂 Since I lived really far from where the shoot was going to be held at, plus the shoot itself would start early the following day, I checked in at Bayleaf Hotel.
The Bayleaf Hotel is a 9-storey, 57-room hotel located at Intramuros. It was acquired by the Lyceum of the Philippines University in 2006 but then two years later the University decided to convert it into a research and teaching hotel (the school was just a few minutes away walking distance) and at the same time aimed to contribute to the country’s tourism and redevelopment efforts of Intramuros. It’s the perfect place to stay in after all the trekking and walking around the country’s walled city. Intramuros has been a warzone and a historic place of colonial invadors particularly the Spanish.

What an environment-friendly looking environment, right? Oh, and Animo La Salle. 😀
The restaurant is on the second to the highest floor and overlooks the walled city. I was lucky to catch a nice glimpse of the sunrise (Manila is a perfect place to watch sunrises and sunsets). I had 50-50 plans on eating heavy breakfast but I honestly my expectations were killed since the food selections there was pretty limited. The lunch there at the hotel made up for it anyway – I had a happy stomach!
And now.. to the behind the scenes of my pre-debut shoot! It was also an educational experience for me since I also got to learn more about my country’s history.
Of course I’d have to thank the team behind our five hour shoot for braving the heat, carrying things, fixing me up, etc.
Photos by Ronan Capili
Styling by Nancy Vitangcol and Dale Feliciano
Hair and Makeup by Aikynar Jairi
Special thanks to Pia Lago, Miles Magbanua and the Viktoria Couture & Designs Tag Team
See the actualy shoot HERE.