President Cory Aquino, 1933-2009

Maraming salamat sa pagbibigay ninyo ng pag-asa sa sambayanan.

Independence Day?

The Filipino people celebrated Independence Day today. Yesterday, several groups rallied to protest the Constitutional Assembly (Con-Ass) that is being pushed by some Congressmen to amend the Constitution. Now I wonder, are we really free or are we still being controlled by a powerful few for their own selfish gain? Is there a difference between the time when colonizers ravaged our country and now that it is being plundered in broad daylight by greedy people in the government?

One thing is for sure, Revolution will result when push comes to shove.

Kontra-usog

I mentioned in a previous post that I spent my childhood and teenage summers at my maternal grandmother's house in a little town in Zambales. One of my memories when visiting a newborn cousin or a relative who just gave birth is how the elderly handle comments from admiring fans. It seemed like we cannot praise the little baby without being shushed. After each positive word we utter, they would exclaim "pwera usog" and they would wet their thumb with their saliva then rub it on the baby's forehead. And that is just one of the many things I have witnessed.

Usog is a concept similar to evil eye curse. It is believed that comments from other people will cause the baby to become sickly. So something good, like a positive comment or a praise, will result into something bad? That's why a lot of people now just shrug it off as a superstitious belief.

And to counter the bad effects of usog, mothers would pin a lubigan to the baby's shirt or make the baby wear a red and black bracelet (sometimes orange and black) made from corals, the corales. I was told by the vendor that lubigan is a little pouch with dried ginger and some other herbs. I just learned recently that lubigan is a medicinal plant that is used to cure cough and tummy aches, so maybe the lubigan plant was the original content of the pouch. The little pouch usually comes with the corales pulseras / bracelet, which is originally made from corals but a lot are just made from plastic now. These are sold for P20 from vendors outside a church like Quiapo Church.

Here are some kontra-usog pics as modeled by my baby*:

*no, he doesn't wear any of these. :)

Lubigan and Corales




Lubigan when pinned to shirt




The corales when worn



And another shot

Once King of the Road: The Pinoy Jeepney

the FX fare is a little higher than the jeepney's, and there is airconditioning. But one can also see them plying the EDSA route! If one's running late or too lazy to climb up the stairs of MRT to take the train, taking the FX is more convenient but be prepared to shell out double the MRT fare!


SUVs may now be a popular means of public transporation, especially for the working class , but one cannot deny that the jeepney is one Philippine icon.

What's in a Name?

I received the following sms from my sister this morning:


How Pinoys can be so creative with names:

Wholesale store of Balot in Sto. Tomas - STARDUCKS

Laundry shop in Manila- SUMMA CUM LAUNDRY

Petshop in Ortigas - PAKITA MO PET MO!

Bakery in Cainta - BREAD PITT

Restaurant in Pampanga - MEKENI ROGERS

Copy Center - PAKOPYA NI EDGAR

Boxing Gym - BLOW JAB

Tombstone Maker in Antipolo - LITO LAPIDA

Beerhouse in Cavite - CHICKPOINT

Laundromat in Manila - STAR WASH: ATTACK OF THE CLOTHES

Internet Cafe in Taguig - N@KOPI@

Name of a Kambingan - SAGOAT KITA

Chinese Restaurant - LAH FANG

A store selling feeds for chicken - ROBOCOCK

Flower shop - SUSAN'S ROSES

Ceiling Installer - KISAME STREET



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PacMan

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao is now in Vegas for another much-awaited fight, this time against Ricky Hatton of Manchester, England. The upcoming fight will be held at at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 2.

The last Pacman action the world witnessed was a sweet victory against renowed boxer Oscar dela Hoya. Prior to the fight, a couple of lawmakers even tried to dissuade Pacquiao from fighting Dela Hoya.

The other night I was watching a special feature about Manny Pacquiao on local tv. It showed the house he is building in Beverly Hills, California, his big mansion in General Santos City, the big parties for his family. We already know how rich Pacquiao has become from the series of victories but do you know that he is now worth roughly 1 Billion Pesos? Now that's a lot of moolah! Not to mention that he is also in the candidate list of Time's 2009 Most Influential People Online Poll.

Everyone will be watching the fight this Sunday. Whether he wins or not, it's going to be a zero crime rate day again for us.

Lechon

Our lechon or slow-roasted pig is considered "the best pig ever" by famed chef Anthony Bourdain.

Lechon is generally served on special occasions. Although some hosts prefer a chopped up lechon served on a chaffing dish, many still clamor for the whole lechon and person-who-will-carve-it package as it serves as an absolute status symbol and focal point in a traditional Filipino banquet. One can easily get lechon within Metro Manila but a lot of people still order for an authentic lechon from Cebu, a province in the central part of the country.

A good lechon should have meat that is evenly and fully cooked, tender and not dry, and its skin should be crisp. Most people eat lechon with a thick brown sauce. This is pork liver paste mixed with vinegar, sugar and herbs and thickened with breadcrumbs. Others just prefer vinegar with chilies. (Philippine Food and Life, p.42)

To read the article in TIME.com, click HERE.



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Taal Volcano

Tagaytay is the favorite weekend getaway for most city dwellers like me. Fresh air, dining by the ridge overlooking a tiny volcano while the cool breeze brushes against my face? It doesn't get any better than that. Tagaytay, by the way, is only a 1.5 to 2-hour drive from Manila.

While many Manileños are aware that Taal Volcano is one of the smallest volcanoes in the world, very few know its and the surrounding towns' history. Did you know that the city of Lipa is now on its fifth site due to Taal's volcanic activity?

Taal Volcano's first documented eruption was in 1572. It was the year when Agustinian priests established the mission of Taal. The lake around it, Lake Taal, was once connected to the sea by a river. A violent eruption blocked off this connection and now several centuries later, the lake became fresh water.

Some details were taken from Thomas Hargrove's book The Mysteries of Taal.

Paradise North of Manila

If you are not anywhere near Manila, you've probably never heard of Pundaquit a.k.a. Capones Island a.k.a. Anawangin Cove. Some people interchange the names but they are not one and the same. Pundaquit is a a fishing village (barangay) in the town of San Antonio which is in the province of Zambales. Capones Island is, well, an island across the town of San Antonio (please refer to the map below), while Anawangin Cove is a crescent-shaped cove accessible only by a half-hour boat ride from the town. Anawangin Cove is owned by one local family there.

I have never heard of Pundaquit until recently. It is surprising for me because I spent my all childhood and teenage summers at my grandmother's house in San Felipe, which is just two towns away or a 10-minute drive from San Antonio.

Now, everyone is buzzing about the place because of the very nice scenery and pristine water. What makes it very special is the presence of pine trees near the beach of Anawangin Cove. According to the caretakers, the white sand is from the lahar (mudflow) of the Mount Pinatubo eruption back in the 90s. I'm not sure what geological phenomenon happened since mudflow is dark and, well, muddy. For me, it is as white as the ashes spewed by the volcano. As for the pine trees, we were told that they just started growing there after the infamous volcanic eruption, too.

Now the only downside is that there are no resorts or inns by the beach. The nearest places of accommodation will be at the town proper. Some backpackers just set up a tent when spending the night there.

Getting there: (Please refer to the map)

Manila to San Antonio, Zambales is probably a 3 hour drive if it's by private transportation. Once you get to San Antonio, you can just ask one of the tricycle drivers to take you to Pundaquit on a convoy.

However, a Victory Liner bus going to Iba or Sta. Cruz can take you to the town of San Antonio. From the San Antonio municipal hall, you can take a tricycle going to Pundaquit which is just 10-15 minutes away. They charge PhP30 per passenger.

Thanks to my sister, B, for the photos.

Harana: Authentic Filipino Music

Harana or Serenade is a traditional way of courting a woman. The man, at times armed with a guitar, tries to win the affection of the woman by singing underneath her window at night.

Philippine Opera Company is restaging a show named after this traditional way of courtship, "Harana, A Cultural Journey". The audience will be serenaded with Filipino classics by the country's top musical artists such as Ana Feleo, Deeda Barretto, Florence Aguilar, Karla Gutierrez, Miguel Castro, Lawrence Jatayna, Noel Rayos, Sherwin Sozon, and Juan Alberto Gaerlan. It is, by the way, a showcase of indigenous, pre-colonial, colonial and contemporary music.

I am now itching to ask my husband if he wants to watch this show with me. He is, by the way, an American and he might be a little reluctant since he only understands little of our language. He is very interested though with the history of our colonial past. I'm sure he will enjoy watching Filipino creativity through the spectacle of music, choreography and elaborate costumes. :)

Oh Bohol!

This is my favorite Bohol photo. I took this while waiting for our lunch to be served in one of the restaurants in Panglao Island, Bohol.

Here is a nice photo of the clear water. Would you believe that some of the people that you see here were either sitting or standing up?

This is a tarsier. A very small type of monkey that can only be found in Bohol. It's as small as the mouse that you are clicking right now.

The most popular site in Bohol, the Chocolate Hills. These are actually not man-made. The sign located halfway to the top of the viewing deck says, "The unique land form known as the Chocolate Hills of Bohol was formed ages ago by the uplift of coral deposits and the action of rain water and erosion."



Cruising Loboc River. The food was oh-kay. I was more interested with the guide's stories.



Not a very good shot of Baclayon Church, one of the oldest churches in the country. It started as a visita in 1595.




Here's a shot of the altar.


The place where we stayed in 2007. We were staying in Cebu but decided to spend the weekend in Bohol. Without prior reservations, we ended up staying here in Alonaland. Not beachfront but it is just a minute walk from the beach. It is owned by a German guy named Rolf. We paid PhP3,000 a night for a two-story house with 2 bedrooms. The place was nice but only one bedroom has airconditioning unit so all five of us stayed in one room. Plus, the water tasted like sea water! We were all laughing at the weird taste of toothpaste and salty water after brushing our teeth.


My sister-in-law's hands, while eating sizzling chili prawns. This photo was taken during our second Bohol trip in August 2007. The food at Lost Horizon Resort was amazing and reasonably-priced, too! Around Php 300-400 per head.






Bohol is a province in the Visayas region. You can take a plane from Manila (which is in Luzon) going to Tagbilaran City in Bohol. Panglao Island is a 40-minute drive from the airport, so make sure you book transfers so it will be a comfortable trip, you can arrange this with the resort where you will be staying. Airfare would be around PhP 3,000+ and accommodation can range from Php 1,500 for a non-beachfront room to as much as Php 7,500 for a beachfront suite.
Prices vary depending on the season. Lean season is usually July-October while November to June is peak season.

My Tribute

Today is a very special day. I am finally launching this blog on the 22nd day of April. You see, 22 is my favorite number. My birthday and wedding day are both on the 22nd. I have always planned to start a blog every 22nd of the month but something will always get in the way (laziness, maybe). :)

Now, on this 22nd day of the month, I give to you, View from the Philippines, a blog about living in the Philippines. Posts will vary but the main focus will be Philippine culture. It is a tribute to all Filipinos and an information guide to those who are not.

The study of culture has always fascinated me. I love observing my fellow Filipinos and the way we interact with the world. This blog aims to present my culture, from language to food to the most trivial detail of the Filipino psyche. I am not a know-it-all person but I will include my sources if the topic becomes too academic or is verifiable only by an expert.

So if you want to know more about the Philippines, read on.

Welcome to my world, my view, A View from the Philippines.