Pampanga: Giant Lantern Festival 2009

Masayang Pasko ampong Masaplalang Bayung Banua kekayu ngan! Like every year, I attended the annual Giant Lantern Festival of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. And every year, the lanterns never fail to amaze me. Congratulations to Dolores, Telabastagan and San Jose for winning this year's competition!

I've written a lot on the Giant Lantern Festival here so if you want to learn more about the festival, see the previous entries. You can still catch the giant lanterns in the next few days. They'll be on display in Robinson's Starmills Pampanga beginning tomorrow.

Related entries
Giant Lantern Festival 2005
Giant Lantern Festival 2006
Giant Lantern Festival 2007

Here are Christmas greetings from all over the country:
Aklanon - Malipayon nga Paskwa ag Mahigugmaon nga Bag-ong Dag-on!
Asi - Maadong Santos Paskwa ag Masadyang Bag-ong Tuig!
Ata - Maroyan na Pasko woy Kaopia-an ng Bag-ong Tuig kaniyo't langon mga sulod
Bikol - Maogmang Capascuhan asin Mamura-way na Ba-gong Taon sa indo gabos!
Blaan - Pye duh di kaut Kristo klu munt ug Felemi Fali!
Binubolinao - Marigan Nabidad
Boholano - Malipajong Pasko
Cebuano - Maayong Pasko ug Bulahang Bag-ong Tuig!
Chavacano - Felices Pascuas y Prospero Año Nuevo con todos!
Dibabawon - Marayaw na Pasko aw Bag-ong Tuig kaniyo tibo na mga soon!
Gaddang - Mangamgam Bawa a dawun sikua diaw amin
Hiligaynon - Malipayon nga Paskua kag Malipayon Nga Bag-ong tuig!
Hungduan - Maphon au nitungawan. Apo Dios Kituwen baron di toon
Ibanag - Mapalupaguiya nga Pascua
Ibaloi - Eshadsak ja Paskua! Eshadsak ja Badon Tawen!
Ifugao - Malinggop an Baro an Tawon
Ilocano - Naimbag a Pascua ken Naragsac nga Baro nga Tawen!
Kankanaey - Gawis ay Paskua ya Nalagsak ay Balo ay Tu-en!
Kapampangan - Masayang Pascu ampong Masaplalang Bayung Banua kekayu ngan!
Mandobo - Mepiya Pagasaulog sa pagka-otawni Jesus aw maontong kaling Omay!
Mangyan Buhid - Fiya Pagpasko
Mangyan Hanunuo - Mayad paq Pasko
Mansaka - Madyaw na Pasko aw malipayong Bag-ong Tuig kamayo, mga lumon!
Masbatenyo - Malipayon nga Paskwa
Onhan - Mayad nga Paskwa kag Masadya nga Bag-ong Tuig!
Pangasinan - Maabig ya Pasko! Maliket ya Balon Taon!
Romblomanon - Malipayon nga Paskwa kag Masadya na Bag-ong Tuig!
Sambal - Maligayang Pasko at Masayang Ba-yon Taon!
Subanen - Piak Pasko pu Piag Bago Tawn!
Surigaonon - Malipayon na Pasko sanan Bag-on Tuig!
Tagakaolo - Madyaw Pagsalog sa Pagka-otaw ni Jesus
Tagalog - Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!
Tala-andig - Maayad ha Pasko daw Bag-ong Tuig!
Waray-waray - Maupay nga Pasko ngan Mainuswagon nga Bag-o nga Tuig!

...wishing for a united Filipino nation this Christmas!

Pangasinan: Puto Calasiao, talaba and more from Pangasinan

This year, I've seen Pangasinan quite often. During the latest trip to distribute Northbound Magazine, we drove again fron Tarlac all the way to Bolinao. Along the way, you could stop by the churches of Mangatarem, Aguilar, Salasa, Lingayen, Alaminos and finally Bolinao.

We stayed at Puerto del Sol for the night. It's definitely the best hotel in Bolinao. We weren't able to pass by Patar Beach or Tondol Beach anymore the next day since we wanted to find some nice beaches in Dasol. On the way to Dasol, we visited the Agno Church.

The bad news was the roads to Dasol's white sand beaches were quite rough and no way was I going to drive my car through the rough road. So we turned back and made our way to Dagupan. Between Lingayen and Dagupan is the town of Binmaley. The Binmaley Church has a really massive belfry.

As we entered Dagupan, one thing I noticed was the abundance of talaba, kampis, kalansipay and lukan sold in stalls along the National Highway. I was told they come all the way from Alaminos.

Before driving back to Manila, we made one last stop in the town of Calasiao. The Calasiao Church is of course a National Cultural Treasure. But the town is better known for producing sweet white puto which we all know as Puto Calasiao. Aside from the kutsinta also being sold there, the puto now comes in various flavors which include mango, banana, strawberry, pandan and ube.

Ilocos Norte: Empanada, miki and more street food from Batac, Ilocos Norte

A trip to Ilocos Norte would not be complete without a food trip in Batac, the home of the Ilocos Norte version of the empanada.

The Batac empanada has a lot of variations. There's the ordinary empanada (just the papaya, bean sprouts and egg), ordinary eggless (just the vegetables), special empanada (with longganisa and egg), special eggless (with longganisa but no egg), special w/o mongo (everything except bean sprouts), jumbo empanada (with hot dog), double special (double longganisa and one egg), double egg (one longganisa and two eggs), and the heaviest of them all, the double double (double the longganisa and egg). They even serve just the crust which they call pinais. For more on the Batac empanada, read Ilocos empanada! Dissecting the Batac and Vigan empanada.

But there's more to Batac than just the empanada. In the empanda stores, they also serve longganisa, kudil (fried pork skin), isaw (fried chicken intestines), pusit (fried dried squid), balut and kwek-kwek among others. It's basically fried stuff! Talk about cholesterol and uric acid high!

But across the street is another treat. Batac is also known for its miki (noodle soup) which they serve for Php20 for the plain miki or Php25 if you want a hard-boiled egg in it. The noodles are freshly made and you can see it still has its flour coat when its dropped in boiling water.

In another store, they served grilled pig parts. There was pig snout, ears, tongue, intestines, pork sausage (longganisa) among others.

Related entry
Street food in the Philippines

Ilocos Norte: Carasi road trip to Sabo Dam

Carasi is one three Itneg mountain towns of Ilocos Norte, the other two being Adams and Dumalneg. It's an hour away from Laoag by private vehicle passing through the towns of Sarrat and Piddig. You'll need a 4x4 to get there. At the moment, there's nothing much to do in Carasi except a visit to Sabo Dam and several waterfalls which would require trek quite a distance.

One thing we noticed was the water was crystal clear. I hope it remains that way. It was explained to us that the reason behind this is that nobody lives further upstream.

But plans are bright since in the next few months, they'll be opening and promoting bike trails, and organizing white water rafting activities and treks to the different waterfalls. In fact, we're inviting people to try the trails soon.

On the way back we stopped by Piddig Church and Sarrat Church which are very much intact. Sarrat is a bit closer to Laoag so it's usually visited as part of a church tour. Piddig is further away so not many people know about it. But it's one old church worth visiting for anyone interested in old architecture.

Manila: Malabon's Immaculate Concepcion fluvial procession

Like our Southeast Asian neighbors, the Philippines is known for its water festivals. Some are wet and wild, others are solemn religious fluvial processions, others are both. I was invited to witness the fluvial procession in Concepcion, Malabon last December 9.

Why December 9? The Concepcion, Malabon fiesta actually lasts three days from December 8 to 10. December 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception nationwide. Aside from the fact that they did not want to compete with the significance of the nationwide commemoration, December 9 is the Pista ng mga Mangingisda (Fishermen's Festival). That's why the fluvial procession is held on that day. December 10 is the Pista ng Parokya ng Concepcion (Feast of the Concepcion Parish) when a grand procession of the image of the Immaculate Concepcion is held.

I'm used to the day time fluvial processions. The one in Concepcion in contrast, left at sunset. The pagoda that bears the image of the Immaculate Concepcion is constructed on top of two cascoes (traditional trading boats dating back to the Spanish colonial period that are fast disappearing) and elegantly lit with blue and white lights.

From the Rufina Patis factory in Concepcion, it goes as far as the mouth of the river close to Manila Bay, then back all the way to the San Bartolome Church, before finally making its way back to Concepcion. Despite the water pollution, the slow and solemn movement of the procession and the elegant lights make the trip an enchanting one.

Through the years, some traditions disappeared. They used to stopover in Navotas (said to be the original home of the image) to sing praises which made the procession last until the wee hours of the morning. But when Martial Law was imposed, together with curfews, this practice was stopped.

The pagoda also used to go as far as Manila Bay as well where boats participating in the procession would honor and salute the image by circling the pagoda. But after the Bocaue tragedy, the Philippine Coast Guard became very strict. And that practice was stopped as well.

After the procession, we feasted on a sumptuous dinner prepared by the Lucas Family that owns Rufina. Pardon the quality of the photos. It was a spur of the moment trip and I only had my camera phone with me.

Related entry
Malabon, Metro Manila's hidden gem