What to see in Culion, Palawan heritage town

Culion, Palawan is a destination waiting to be discovered. It's not as popular an attraction to those who visit Coron. Most stays in Coron are only a few days, so one would rather spend time and resources exploring Coron Island, Malcapuya Island further south, or attractions near Coron town. But there's something about Culion that makes it an interesting find.

Ranch tourism in Masbate: Be a ranchero for a day! Holy cow!

The first time I visited Masbate some years back, I wanted to visit its famed ranches. We've all heard of the Rodeo Masbateño and how the province is home to many cattle ranches. I was told however that most of them were closed to the public. So I was pleasantly surprised during a recent visit that the ranches are slowly opening up to visitors. In fact, I visited one!

Masbate is now promoting ranch tourism as owners welcome visitors to their ranches. And they're definitely proud of their cattle! We visited the Sese Brahmans Ranch in Mandaon, which is a sprawling property set amidst rolling hills.

Chio Sai Siong Hong Kong Temple 石狮城皇公廟 in Manila Chinatown

Chinese New Year celebrations in Manila Chinatown have become extremely crowded, commercial, and in a way, adulterated – with the unwelcome aswangs, drag queens and ati-atihan groups going around and asking for money (they are obviously out of place); sometimes, I lose motivation to experience the festivities. But I was pleasantly surprised that outside Chinese New Year, there are other colorful celebrations in Binondo, Manila, such as temple feasts, if you know when and where to look for them (dates change with the lunar calendar too).

One of them is at the Chio Sai Siong Hong Kong Temple 石狮城皇公廟 where they celebrate annually the "birthday" of the Taoist deity Siong Hong Kong 城皇公, whose devotion originates from Chio Sai or Shishi City in Fujian, China. I realized San Fernando, Pampanga also has its own Jeosay Shinhongkong Temple meaning the forebearers who brought the images to the Philippines may have come from the same hometown.

So on Araw ng Maynila (good thing it was a holiday, no traffic), we were in Binondo first thing in the morning to watch a colorful procession leave the temple, go through the streets of Binondo and Santa Cruz, and return to the temple on Tomas Pinpin Street. It had all the makings of a community celebration without any trace of commercial advertising. Rather than brave the crowds on Chinese New Year, fight for space to watch the lion and dragon dances, or jostle for limited seats in our favorite restaurants, this was perfect! No tourists taking selfies here!

Fireworks announced the start of the procession. It was led by the temple banners, followed by the first carroza (yes, a Catholic carroza borrowed from the Binondo Church) with several Taoist deities with sampaguita leis. The drum and lyre band of Philippine Sun Yat Sen High School came after. It was quite amusing hearing the band play "Happy Birthday" every now and then for Siong Hong Kong.

Performing in the middle of the procession were lion and dragon dances.

Devotees bearing on their shoulders the century-old image of Santo Siong Hong Kong 城皇公 on a small wooden platform then followed. Everyone was in red!

At the end of the procession was yet another Catholic carroza with two Taoist deities, one of them Hu Din Ma. You could definitely see the fusion between different cultures here in the Philippines.

Back at the temple, the images were brought inside one by one beginning with Siong Hong Kong. They seemed to follow a particular order of entrance into the temple. Candies and coins were thrown for good luck. And the community partook of cha mi sua or misua guisado once the ceremonies were over.

Thank you to Ivan Man Dy of Old Manila Walks for letting me know about this! Since the celebration follows the lunar calendar, dates vary every year.

Isaw at Mang Larry's in UP Diliman

As a student in UP Diliman, I grew up enjoying isaw at Mang Larry's. His stand used to be right in front of our freshman dorm. He's moved now to the empty lot between the swimming pool and UP Law. And his booth has noticeably leveled up. But he still serves the same favorites we enjoyed back then.

From left to right, there's atay ng baboy (pork liver), isaw baboy (small pig intestines), isaw manok (chicken intestines), pork barbecue, tenga (pig ears), special isaw baboy, balun-balunan (chicken gizzard), botsi (chicken esophagus) and goto (large pig intestines). He has two sauces, sweet brown sauce and spicy vinegar. They also serve siomai too! Lines can be long, but it's worth the wait. Enjoy!

Here's a list of where to eat in UP Diliman!

Binondo Chinatown late night food trip at a discount!

Late night food tripping in Binondo Chinatown can be really fun! Not many people know that a number of restaurants drop prices for selected dishes usually after 9 p.m. Just ask the restaurant if they have a late night promo.

The other month, we made a dim sum stop at Wan Chai Tea House. All dim sum (except the Hakaw) sells for Php47 per serving after 9 p.m. We had Pork Spareribs, Siomai, Goto Curry and Pipa Tofu.

Several years ago, we tried the late night shabu-shabu at Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant offered with a hefty discount depending on the ingredient. Also check out the dim sum at King Chef at Lucky Chinatown Mall. Yes, it's happy hour for Chinatown treats! I'm getting hungry! Time to head out to Binondo!

Tandang Sora Shrine & Emilio Jacinto Memorial at Himlayang Pilipino, Quezon City

Tandang Sora in Quezon City is named Tandang Sora because the area was where Melchora Aquino de Ramos (known as Tandang Sora) actually lived. Tandang Sora aided the Philippine Revolution by caring for sick and wounded revolutionaries, and opening her home to secret meetings of the Katipunan. She was already 84 when the Philippine Revolution broke out and lived until the grand old age of 107!

Her house was located in Banlat, where the Resting Place of the Remains of Melchora "Tandang Sora" Aquino or the Tandang Sora National Shrine, was built in time for her birth bicentennial in 2012. Her remains were transferred from Himlayang Pilipino just a few kilometers away to the current location in Banlat. The actual location of the house, two alleys from the shrine, is marked by a bust and marker in what used to be a wide open space, but unfortunately has been chocked by informal settlers.

Since Himlayang Pilipino was just nearby, I decided to visit as well. The former tomb of Tandang Sora is still there. We really don't make shrines like they used to. There's no doubt, the tomb in Himlayang Pilipino is more elegant and more stately than the current Tandang Sora Shrine they built in Banlat. I don't know who approved the design of the current shrine. But I hope the Quezon City Government, which now manages it, raises the bar by upgrading and improving the shrine to make it more stately.

The tomb in Himlayang Pilipino is a scultural mural made by renowned sculptor Florante "Boy" Caedo. Made of concrete with marble dust and chips, the tomb captures the compassion of Tandang Sora for her countrymen. Even the wrinkles on her face convey such a strong message. I wish the current shrine could express as much emotion as the one in Himlayang Pilipino.

On the opposite end of the memorial park is the General Emilio Jacinto Memorial where the remains of the young general are still resting. Also made by Caedo, the sculptures on the tomb were cold cast in bronze. The setting is fantastic, located on top of a small hill with a large open space around it.

I really hope they make memorials and shrines like they used to. Who approves the new ones anyway? To them, it's pwede na, I guess. You have to visit Himlayang Pilipino to understand how powerful a message our monuments used to convey.

Recess by Chef Chris serves the original panizza!

The original panizza is now in Makati! Long before commercial pizza outlets served rolled pizza with arugula and alfalfa, we were already enjoying them in Clark, Pampanga! Chef Chris Locher now brings his panizzas to Makati with Recess by Chef Chris.

There are two sets of panizzas in the menu, the Original and Pinoy Originals, panizzas with Pinoy toppings. I got one pick from the Original, Tin Sn 50 with chorizo, bacon, ham, salami, assorted peppers and mushrooms for toppings. Others interesting choices are Platinum Pt 78 with Angus beef, Gold Au 79 with barbecued chicken, and Magnesium Mg 12 with barbecued pork.

From the Pinoy Originals, I got BeTa which is beef tapa, onions and pickled sayote atchara. There's PoTo with pork tocino, red onions, and salted eggs, TiTo with smoked bangus, red egg and onions, and CoBe with corned beef, egg, caramelized onions and potatoes.

There's much more on the menu. But if only for the panizza, you've got to visit Recess by Chef Chris!

Recess by Chef Chris
50 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air, Makati
Telephone No. (02) 8991818

Hagisan ng Suman and Mayohan sa Tayabas, Quezon! Viva San Isidro Labrador!

While Lucban celebrates the Pahiyas Festival, other towns in Quezon have their own celebrations for the feast of San Isidro Labrador every May 15. In Tayabas, the city holds the Mayohan sa Tayabas. Unlike Lucban, only the area of Munting Bayan in Tayabas has pahiyas or decor on the houses.

The riotous procession of San Isidro Labrador makes its way around Tayabas City on May 15. Notice the baliskog piled on both sides of the road, showcased during the Parada ng Baliskog.

Mayohan sa Tayabas actually lasts several days, usually beginning on May 7 with the Parada ng Baliskog (kog means arch) at 3 p.m. The sixty-six barangays and various organizations create arches made of indigenous materials, flowers and produce and parade them around the city.

But the main event is the Hagisan ng Suman on May 15 itself. It is actually a procession of the centuries-old image of San Isidro Labrador. It leaves the Tayabas Basilica between 2 to 3 p.m. and makes its way around the city for several hours. It ends up being a males only procession because things get really rough and riotous.

Hundreds of suman are thrown from the balcony of Tayabas City Hall

As the image of San Isidro Labrador passes by a house, its residents start throwing suman, fruits and other local produce, as well as money and other goodies (some immigrant families ship boxes of imported goods to their relatives for the hagisan). This symbolizes the sharing of wealth and prosperity to farmers and peasants. The farmers believe that the more suman you catch, the bigger the yield for the year.

Unfortunately, the crowd of catchers has changed and the catching has gotten really aggressive. Even I got caught in the frenzy while taking photos, and one can get hurt if you don't move with the crowd, especially since the procession moves really fast. But it's really fun watching. And if you know anyone from Tayabas, you should join the hagisan from their balconies since that is even more fun!

Tayabas Basilica

And since you are in Tayabas, you should visit their heritage sites. The city has several National Cultural Treasures, namely the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel and the Tayabas Historic Bridges namely Alitao, Isabel II, Francisco de Asis, Gibanga, Malagonlong, Lakawan, Mate, Ese, Despedida, and Tuloy. The Casa de la Communidad de Tayabas is a National Historical Landmark.

Santuario de las Almas

Ermita Church

Tayabas Cemetery

Tayabas Cemetery Chapel

The town also has three centuries-old chapels, namely the Santuario de las Almas on the way to Lucena, Ermita Church near the basilica, and the Tayabas Cemetry Chapel in Munting Bayan.

Here's information on the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon.

Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon! Viva San Isidro Labrador!

Quezon celebrates the feast of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers, on May 15 every year, with colorful festivals. The Pahiyas Festival in Lucban is the most popular and no doubt, the most lively of the festivals! Here's a guide to help you experience the Pahiyas Festival.

The day starts with a Mass at 6 a.m. at the Lucban Church. It is followed by a procession of the images of San Isidro Labrador and his wife, Santa María de la Cabeza (Blessed Maria Torribia), that leaves the church at 7 a.m. It makes its way around Lucban's designated procession route for the year. There are years when a marching band accompanies the procession, announcing its arrival along the route. But there are times that there is none, which unfortunately makes the fiesta atmosphere less lively.

Not all houses in Lucban decorate for the Pahiyas Festival. Only houses along the procession route are decorated. And every year, the procession route changes. It takes about seven years before the procession passes by a house again, giving a household enough time to save resources and prepare for the colorful and ostentatious decorations that are an inherent part of the Pahiyas Festival.

In between the morning procession and the parade in the afternoon, visitors get to walk around town and look at the colorful decorations called pahiyas, thus the name of the festival. You can also go shopping at the many stalls and a tiangge featuring handicrafts from Quezon and Laguna. Some use the time to explore other towns, or visit restaurants and resorts outside Lucban.

At about 3 p.m., a lively parade makes its way around town. Unfortunately, this parade has been invaded by not so subtle commercial advertising. Some people like it. But I don't. So I usually end up in Tayabas to watch the procession and the riotous agawan of suman (glutinous rice cakes).

In the evening, there's a different atmosphere in Lucban. The same decorated homes now compete for the evening pahiyas competition. Lighting becomes an important factor. And the procession route becomes a fantastic display of color and lights.

Traveling to Lucban, Quezon
There are two routes to Lucban, the one via Los Baños and Pagsanjan, and the other via San Pablo City and Maharlika Highway. I recommend the one via Los Baños after experiencing heavy traffic along Maharlika Highway (total standstill for an hour at 4 a.m. due to a truck accident). And since there are so many buses and trucks, the route can get really dangerous.

If you're taking a private car, you have to leave Manila before 4 a.m. if you want to make it to the morning procession. That also means there are more parking slots available outside town when you arrive. It's best to park farther away (for ease when leaving) and then just take a tricycle to the drop-off point.

Those who don't want to drive can join a tour, which is more convenient than taking public transportation, especially since all roads lead to Lucban, Tayabas and Sariaya.

Things to eat in Lucban
Lucban longganisa tops the list of things to eat and take home from Lucban. You can enjoy them deep-fried served with rice and egg in restaurants and stalls, or grilled on a stick along the street.

Pancit habhab is another favorite. While it's available along the parade route and sold in small servings on banana leaves (Php10), I noticed the ones at restaurants tend to have more toppings.

Read more on the Pahiyas Festival, Agawan Festival in Sariaya and Mayohan sa Tayabas.

Sorsogon: Bulusan Lake & Volcano, Barcelona Church & heritage houses in Juban

If you're looking for something else to do in Sorsogon after whale watching in Donsol, drive down south! The province has a few interesting sites south of Donsol, particularly in the towns of Barcelona, Bulusan, Juban and Matnog.

The capital of the province is also named Sorsogon. Sorsogon City is actually two towns that were merged when the city was created: Sorsogon and Bacon. Drop by the Sorsogon Provincial Capitol which has a really elegant park with centuries-old trees still standing. Taste seems to be a missing element among many local governments. But Sorsogon proves that it still exists.

A few kilometers from Sorsogon City is the town of Barcelona. The Barcelona Church is the best preserved Spanish colonial church in the province. But the altar has been altered. In front of the church are ruins of the Old Barcelona Presidencia. We noticed construction going on beside the ruins of large letters which spell "Barcelona, Sorsogon." By now, it should be finished and I'm sure this will be a popular photo spot for visitors.

Further down is the Bulusan Volcano Natural Park where Lake Bulusan is located. The lake, on the southern slope of Bulusan Volcano, is quite small at 28 hectares. There are facilities for rowing and kayaking. You can also walk around the shore which is a little over two kilometers, or hike up to Bulusan Volcano.

The town of Bulusan used to have a fortress church. The church is no longer there. But the walls and belfry, which must have doubled as a watchtower against Moro pirates, are still standing.

Bulusan Volcano towers over the towns in the southern end of Sorsogon. We got a really nice view of the volcano from Irosin Church.

On the way back to Sorsogon City, we passed by Juban which has five elegant heritage houses namely Alindogan, Alindogan-Gorospe, Grajo, Lasala, and Olondriz.

Anyway, you can visit all of these sites in a day. At the southern end of Sorosogon is Matnog, the jump-off point for Samar. The town has the best beaches in the province, particularly Subic Beach on Calintaan Island. That's my next target.

Here's something for you. Saw this quite a lot around Sorsogon. How many people are in this tricycle?

Ilocos Norte: Empanada, tupig & bibingka food trip

Even after my trip to Ilocos Norte, the taste of the crunchy and savory empanada is still vivid. I was finally able to complete my Ilocos Norte empanada experience by trying out the Dinardaraan (Dinuguan) Empanada at Johnny Moon Cafe and Elvie's Sweet Empanada near PLDT.

Johnny Moon also serves Bagnet Empanada and Sisig Empanada. But I don't think the bagnet meat is tasty enough for an empanada for you to notice it. So I really recommend the Dinuguan Empanada if you want something different.

And speaking of different. While most empanadas use the garlicky longganisa, Elvie's offers Ilocos empanada with sweet longganisa. The sweet taste of the longganisa plus the sour sukang Iloko makes a very interesting combination.

From Batac to Bacarra, here is my list of the best empanadas in Ilocos Norte.

I also didn't realize they took their tupig (glutinous rice cakes with coconut) quite seriously in Ilocos Norte. They even have an intense competition every year to determine who makes the best tupig. But those from Currimao and Sarrat are the ones which stand out.

I got to try the Sarrat tupig during a trade fair at the Ilocos Norte Capitol in Laoag. They use purple glutinous rice which is why the tupig is dark purple.

We drove to Currimao the next day to try out the tupig at Irene's Native Delicacies along the National Highway. They mix in margarine, milk and cheese to add flavor to the glutinous rice and coconut.

And instead of the usual tupig grill we see on the street, they cook their tupig by baking it in a traditional wood-fired oven.

In Currimao, they also make bibingka with glutinous rice and coconut, and topped with peanuts. The consistency actually reminds me of tikoy.

What other Ilocos Norte delicacies do you like?