Welcome to the 2024 PGE Travel Awards Voting Form!
This is your opportunity to support and celebrate fellow PGE members who exemplify the spirit of travel, community, and exploration. By casting your vote, you are helping to recognize those who have inspired, contributed, and made a positive impact within PGE and beyond.
Please take a moment to thoughtfully review each category and select the nominees who truly embody the qualities that make our community exceptional. Your vote is essential in honoring these remarkable travelers and the values we share as a community.
Thank you for making your vote count!
Most Inspiring Traveler
The nominee should have inspired others through their travel experiences, stories, and achievements. The nominee’s journey should have motivated individuals to explore new destinations, cultures, or activities.
Raquel Mogs
Raquel Mogs’ remarkable travel achievements in 2024 include thru-hiking the 192-kilometer Peaks of the Balkans trail and completing a 22-day trek in Nepal’s remote Kachenjunga region. She also hitchhiked and trekked along a perilous route in Shimshal and navigated one of Pakistan’s most dangerous roads. Currently, she is on the verge of completing the 437-kilometer Jeju Olle Trail. Her adventurous spirit and perseverance inspire others to embrace challenging journeys and explore the world’s most remote and rugged landscapes.
AJ Peregrino
AJ Peregrino has explored six continents in 2024, visiting the final countries on her list in North America, South America, Africa, and Oceania. She added eight new UN-recognized countries to her travels and visited a total of 27 countries and territories this year. As a PGE delegate for the 2024 Karabakh trip, AJ continues to embody the spirit of exploration. One of his most transformative achievements was completing a 10-day silent meditation retreat in Mexico, a testament to her personal growth and dedication to mindful travel. Her extensive journeys inspire others to broaden their horizons and embrace personal challenges.
Luisa Yu
At the age of 79, Luisa Yu achieved her lifelong dream of visiting every UN-recognized country, with Serbia marking her 193rd destination. Her journey exemplifies the power of determination, proving that age is no barrier to exploring the world. Luisa’s story encourages others to pursue their travel dreams, demonstrating that it’s never too late to discover new horizons and embrace the endless possibilities of exploration.
Most Adventurous Explorer
The nominee should have embarked on daring and remarkable travel adventures. The nominee’s travels should demonstrate a willingness to explore unconventional and challenging destinations or activities.
Emmanuel Palacio
Emmanuel Palacio, an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, made history as the first Filipino to reach the summit of Mt. Manaslu, Nepal’s eighth-highest mountain at 8,163 meters above sea level. On September 25, 2024 at 7:00 a.m., he accomplished this remarkable feat after a grueling 11-hour climb that began the evening before.
Emmanuel’s groundbreaking ascent has solidified his reputation as one of the Philippines’ most adventurous explorers, inspiring others to pursue daring, unconventional journeys.
Raquel Mogs
Raquel Mogs exemplifies the spirit of adventure through her daring and remarkable travel pursuits. In 2024, she completed the 192-kilometer Peaks of the Balkans thru-hike and a 22-day trek in Nepal’s remote Kachenjunga region. Her journey also took her to Shimshal, where she hitchhiked and trekked along a perilous trail, and traversed one of Pakistan’s most dangerous roads. Currently, she is on the cusp of completing the 437-kilometer Jeju Olle Trail in South Korea. Raquel’s willingness to embrace challenging and unconventional destinations solidifies her place as a trailblazer in adventurous exploration.
Mannie Dela Serna
Mannie’s definition of adventure is combining his love for sports and travel. This year has been a testament to fearless exploration and endurance as Mannie traveled to Sydney, Berlin, and Chicago for a triple marathon, bike-packing across Europe, hiking in the Himalayas, and immersing himself in diverse cultures from Krakow to Kathmandu.
From active recovery treks to Mount Everest Base Camp and Bhutan, to cultural tours in India and the Bahamas, Mannie embraced challenging and unconventional destinations with boundless energy. His remarkable travels embody the spirit of the Most Adventurous Explorer category, inspiring others to embrace bold, life-changing adventures.
Aimee Paragas
At 48 countries, adventure for Aimee has no specific definition. For her, adventure can be anything – from exploring local hiking trails to just taking the cheapest flight to whichever destination, unplanned and raw. Sudan, marked the start of her unquenchable thirst for extreme adventure and the rest is history. Her navigation skills is superb because her favorite way of discovering a country is by driving. She recently covered almost 80% of Tunisia in 4 days, and has successfully visited Libya.
Most Progressive Wanderer
The nominee should have demonstrated the most progression in their travel through the number of countries and/or UNESCO World Heritage sites visited.
Jamela Santos
In 2024, Jamela Santos embarked on a deeply personal journey of growth and healing, traveling to 32 countries as part of her transformative exploration. Inspired by the memory of a lost friend, she immersed herself in diverse cultures, learning resilience and the power of connection. Through solo travel, she not only honored her friend’s spirit but also demonstrated a profound progression in embracing the world and giving back to the communities she encountered along the way.
AJ Peregrino
AJ Peregrino has explored six continents in 2024, visiting the final countries on her list in North America, South America, Africa, and Oceania. She added eight new UN-recognized countries to her travels and visited a total of 27 countries and territories this year. As a PGE delegate for the 2024 Karabakh trip, AJ continues to embody the spirit of exploration. One of his most transformative achievements was completing a 10-day silent meditation retreat in Mexico, a testament to her personal growth and dedication to mindful travel. Her extensive journeys inspire others to broaden their horizons and embrace personal challenges.
Jazmin Gaite
Jazmin Gaite’s travel achievements in 2024 are a testament to her impressive progression as a wanderer. She visited 19 new countries and territories, including Bahrain, Angola, and Ecuador, while revisiting 21 locations. Her year’s highlights include circumnavigating Africa, crossing the Equator three times, and traveling to 81 degrees north of the Arctic Circle. By year-end, Jazmin had visited 188 TCC countries, 137 UN member states, and 45 of 50 U.S. states, along with her 45th U.S. national park. Her accomplishments reflect a dedication to exploring the breadth of the world’s diversity.
Lowela Ramos
Lowela Ramos continues to demonstrate extraordinary progression in her travels, maintaining a streak of exploring new destinations every month in 2024. She increased her country count from 20 to 58, with new additions such as India, Maldives, Armenia, Guatemala, and Kenya, among others. Beyond international exploration, she also immersed herself in the Philippines, visiting Bicol, Palawan, and Bataan. Her repeat visits to locations like the UAE, Singapore, and Vietnam reflect her deepening connection to her travel experiences. Lowela’s steady and ambitious journey highlights her commitment to global discovery.
Most Impactful Globetrotter
The nominee’s travel initiatives should have significantly benefited local communities, conservation efforts, or exemplified responsible tourism practices. The nominee’s contributions should have demonstrated a clear and measurable positive impact on the destinations they visited.
Morse Caoagas Flores
Morse Caoagas Flores is a Human Rights Officer with the United Nations known for his impactful work advocating for indigenous peoples’ rights, sustainable tourism, climate action, and business and human rights. He has focused on empowering indigenous women and youth through capacity-building initiatives and ensuring their participation in global policy-making. As Secretary of the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples, he played a key role in amplifying indigenous voices in international forums. Morse’s prior work includes human rights monitoring in Bhutan, Nepal, and Cameroon, further advancing his commitment to indigenous rights worldwide.
Alvidon F. Asis
Alvidon spearheaded the organization of the International River Summit and as a member of the National Cave Committee which advocates policies to protect Philippine cave ecosystems. He also helped local governments on how to execute sustainable tourism through solid waste management plans. Also, Alvidon, was an integral part of PGE Project Vinzons where over 40 participants received a 2-day workshop which showcased eco-heritage and tourism best practices in the CamNorte area.
Riza Rasco
Riza is nominated for PGE’s Most Impactful Globetrotter Award for her dedication to empowering local communities through projects in education, tourism, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. She leads by example, fostering meaningful collaborations and inspiring others in her mission to explore, serve, and uplift the Philippines.
Most Active Contributor
The nominee should have actively participated in and contributed posts or content to PGE’s various social media platforms. The nominee’s engagement should have provided valuable insights, guidance, or support to fellow travelers and enriched PGE’s community.
Aimee Paragas
Aimee Paragas has been an integral contributor to PGE’s community, actively engaging with members and providing valuable insights through her leadership as editor-in-chief of Layag Travel Magazine. Her involvement spans the Middle East Chapter and the wider PGE network, where she fosters meaningful connections and collaboration. As a key member of the Communications Team, Aimee has played a pivotal role in shaping content that informs and inspires fellow travelers. Her work as project lead for the upcoming Zamboanga Sibugay initiative in partnership with the Yellow Boat Foundation further reflects her commitment to service and her dedication to enriching the PGE community through impactful initiatives.
Redgyn Fernando
Redgyn’s engagement with the Philippine Global Explorers (PGE) community has been nothing short of impactful. He is known for his consistent, insightful, and encouraging trip reports that have resonated with fellow travelers. His contributions are grounded in practical advice, ranging from budget-friendly travel strategies to exploring lesser-known destinations. He’s used his platform to debunk the myth that travel requires a lavish budget and has consistently showcased that the real value of travel lies in the experiences, not the expenses.
Eden Candy
Eden Candy has demonstrated exceptional dedication as a contributor to PGE’s community in 2024. As the US West Coast Chapter Coordinator, Eden organized meetups and personally traveled from Utah to attend and foster connections. She also actively posted updates about activities across group chats and the Facebook page, encouraging inclusivity and belonging among members. Beyond digital contributions, Eden collaborated with members from Cagayan Valley to lead a medical mission, partnering with an NGO and the Philippine Marines to support indigenous students through the “Brigada Eskwela” initiative in five sites. Her multifaceted efforts, including conducting interviews and assisting with annual dues, have enriched PGE’s community with guidance, support, and meaningful engagement.
Nolan Tianco
Nolan or as we fondly call him, Tito Know-lan, is a wealth of information and one of the most active contributors of PGE. Nolan regularly shares his commentary on all things travel in the Official Members or Metro Manila chat groups. Whether its the latest flight routes or last-minute travel deals, you can be sure that Nolan is on top of it and is more than willing to share his knowledge with the rest of PGE.
Most Valuable Volunteer
The nominee should have dedicated their time and effort (including meet-ups and trip expeditions) to volunteering for PGE by creating the most impact toward achieving the organization’s mission, vision, and objectives.
josaida mae "djosa" Richards
Djosa Mae Richards has dedicated her time and efforts to making a significant impact on PGE’s mission and community. She played a central role in organizing PGE’s 5th Founding Anniversary celebration, handling event logistics, procuring giveaways, and serving as the event host. Djosa also participated in the Sagip Reef scuba diving project in Atimonan and initiated impactful programs like the “PGE Member of the Month” and “Friday Festivals” segments. Her commitment extends to organizing meetups in Metro Manila and planning the upcoming GAM, demonstrating her dedication to fostering community engagement and collaboration.
Eden Candy
Eden Candy’s contributions as a volunteer have significantly advanced PGE’s mission and vision. She led the “Where in the World Wednesday” segment, ensuring weekly engagement and inclusivity across the PGE community. For PGE’s 5th Founding Anniversary, Eden coordinated a congratulatory video featuring members and international guests. As the US West Coast Chapter Coordinator, she organized meetups, traveling from Utah to attend and participate actively. Eden also spearheaded a medical mission in Cagayan Valley, collaborating with an NGO and the Philippine Marines to support indigenous students through the “Brigada Eskwela” initiative. Her multifaceted efforts, from assisting with membership dues to fostering inclusivity, highlight her invaluable role within PGE.
Aimee Paragas
Aimee Paragas has made significant contributions to PGE as the Editor-in-Chief of Layag Travel Magazine, a key platform for storytelling and community engagement. Her active involvement with the Middle East Chapter and the broader PGE community demonstrates her dedication to fostering global connections. As a member of the Communications Team, Aimee has been instrumental in driving meaningful conversations and initiatives. She is also the project lead for the upcoming partnership with the Yellow Boat Foundation in Zamboanga Sibugay, showcasing her commitment to service and creating a lasting impact through PGE’s projects.
Most Outstanding PGE Member
The nominee should exemplify PGE’s Core Values: One Global Community, Responsibility, Respect, Spirit of Adventure, Collaboration, and Service. The nominee’s overall impact, enthusiasm, and dedication to the travel should be exceptional.
Eden Candy
Eden Candy exemplifies PGE’s core values through her unwavering commitment to fostering a sense of community and service. She managed the “Where in the World Wednesday” segment, curating weekly themes to engage and inspire members. For PGE’s 5th Founding Anniversary, Eden coordinated with members and international guests to produce a celebratory video, presented during the Vinsons Celebration.
As the US West Coast Chapter Coordinator, Eden traveled extensively to organize and attend meetups, ensuring a strong sense of connection among members. She spearheaded a medical mission in Cagayan Valley, partnering with an NGO and the Philippine Marines to support indigenous students through the “Brigada Eskwela” initiative. Eden’s dedication to inclusivity, collaboration, and service reflects the true spirit of PGE.
Lowela Ramos
Lowela Ramos has demonstrated exceptional dedication to PGE’s core values through her impactful contributions in 2024. Traveling with 10 fellow PGE members, she fostered camaraderie and collaboration while representing the organization in various initiatives. Lowela supported the Adopt an LGU project in Bicol and led the Sagip Reef conservation project in Atimonan, Quezon. She also played a pivotal role in hosting PGE’s 5th Founding Anniversary celebration.
Beyond her travels, Lowela actively participated in meetups, recruited members in Africa, and led the nominations committee. As part of PGE’s Board of Directors, she contributed to administrative responsibilities, including assisting with the organization’s annual income tax filing. Her enthusiasm, leadership, and commitment to service embody the values of PGE and make her an outstanding representative of the community.
Andrea Umali
Andrea Umali has demonstrated exceptional commitment to PGE’s mission and values, making her a true embodiment of the community’s spirit. As the Head of Merchandise, Andrea played a key role in raising funds for PGE’s “Adopt an LGU” project, showcasing her dedication to service and collaboration. Her organizational skills and leadership as the Metro Manila Coordinator further reflect her ability to bring people together and foster a sense of unity within the PGE community.
Andrea’s adventurous spirit is evident in her personal travel achievements, including completing the Seven Wonders of the World—a testament to her passion for exploration and curiosity about diverse cultures. Her impactful contributions and unwavering enthusiasm continue to inspire and uplift fellow members, making her a standout nominee for the Most Outstanding PGE Member award.
PGE Spirit of Travel Award
This award honors a foreign traveler who has inspired the Filipino community, and ignited a spirit of cross-cultural curiosity and adventure within PGE’s community, inspiring them to venture beyond their borders and embrace the world.
This award recognizes an individual who has not only embarked on their own global journeys but have also kindled a desire for exploration and understanding in their local communities and PGE.
Charles Veley
Charles Veley, founder of Most Traveled People (MTP), has significantly influenced the PGE community.
His extensive travels and dedication to cataloging the world’s destinations have inspired many to explore beyond their borders. Charles has been a supportive partner to PGE, notably in organizing delegations to Karabakh, Azerbaijan, fostering cross-cultural understanding and adventure among members.
Thor Pedersen
Thor Pedersen, a Danish traveler and adventurer, is renowned for his “Once Upon a Saga” project—a nine-year journey visiting every country in the world without flying.
His commitment to overland travel and cultural immersion has inspired the PGE community to embrace sustainable and in-depth exploration. Thor’s experiences and storytelling have ignited a spirit of adventure and curiosity, encouraging members to venture beyond their comfort zones and engage with diverse cultures.
Drew Binsky
Drew Binsky is a renowned travel content creator and global explorer whose journey has taken him to all the 193 UN countries, including several notable expeditions throughout the Philippines. His authentic, engaging, and educational approach to travel has earned him a massive following on social media, where he shares his experiences, insights, and inspiring stories from around the world. Drew’s passion for immersing himself in local cultures, uncovering hidden gems, and highlighting the diversity of human experiences has made him one of the most influential travel influencers of his generation.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CASTING YOUR VOTE!