BAHAY KUBO

Nipa huts were the native houses of the indigenous people of the Philippines before the Spaniards arrived. They are still used today, especially in rural areas.

A nipa hut is an icon of Philippine culture as it represents the Filipino value of bayanihan, which refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective.

(google.com)

TASTE OF ADVENTURE

TUPIG is a native delicacy made with glutinous rice and grated coconuts wrapped in wilted banana leaves and cooked over live coals. 

The Vigan EMPANADA is much in keeping with the Vigan people’s love for vegetables in their cuisine. It is similar to a thin taco that is fried to a crisp, with vegetable and meat filling.

BAGNET is one of the many Filipino food recipes that is sought after because it is actually a regional recipe. This deep-fried pork Filipino recipe is native to the northern regions of the Philippines, specifically the Ilocos region.

PINAKBET is a popular Ilocano dish made with vegetables and shrimp paste. It is usually made with snake beans, bittermelon, okra, squash and eggplant.

(google.com)

PHILIPPINE MOUNTAIN PARADISE

Sagada is indeed one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines if you want to commune with nature. You have the mountains around you, the clean and cold air to breathe, and the lush foliage to remind you of how good Mother Earth really is. 

The village of Sagada is in the Mountain Province in Luzon, the largest island in the country. Because of its elevation it generally has cold weather throughout much of the year as compared to the lowlands. The coldest are from the months of November to February and as such has become a favorite summer destination.

(sagadaphilippines.com)

FAMOUS SINIGANG

Sinigang is a Philippine dish consisting of meat or seafood and vegetables simmered in a sour broth, often with a base of rice washing. The sour soup goes well with rice, the staple food of all Filipinos. Fish, pork,chicken, shrimp, or beef may be used for sinigang. There are usually leafy vegetables like gabi (taro), siling labuyo (red chili), or malunggay leaves, or kangkong (water spinach). Other vegetables cooked in sinigang may include okra, radish, eggplant, tomatoes, sitaw (snake beans), and string beans. The vegetables are chosen to complement the dish’s flavor.

by: Minni Del Mundo

(jimenez-online.com)

PUERTO PRINCESA

Puerto Princesa City, a tropical paradise with a bustling urban center perfect for business with leisure trips. Lush rainforests and white sand beaches are simply hours away from the city proper, where a banking and commercial boom has made life easier for workaholics who can never run away from the office.

(www.puertoprincesaphilippines.com)

BEAUTY OF SURIGAO...

DEL NORTE

DEL SUR

ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES!

PAHIYAS FESTIVAL

The fiesta color of summer come alive again as Lucban celebrates the SAN ISIDRO PAHIYAS FESTIVAL - referred to by many as a fiesta to end all fiestas.

Every year, thousands of tourist and holiday makers flock to this historic town commended as one of the cleanest and most peaceful community in the country. Its cool, fresh and invigorating climate earns her the singular distinction of being called the Summer Capital of Quezon Province. The town's natural scenic spots and colorful lifestyles add to the charm that entices both foreign and local tourists to visit the place. The San Isidro Pahiyas Festival held every May 15 has become one of the country's tourist attractions prompting the Department of Tourism to list down Lucban as a tourist town and a cultural heritage site.

During the San Isidro Pahiyas Festival, each household tries to outdo each other in friendly competition as they vie for honor of recognizing their creativity. As incentives to their effort, prizes were given to the winning pahiyas based on a given criteria. This accounts for some of the most curious décor that the unstoppable spirit of the festival tends to show. Decking the hall or decorating the wall with "Kiping" and agricultural harvest is what "PAYAS" or "PAHIYAS" literally means.

Farmers show their bountiful produce such as chayote, radish, pepper and grains of rice. There are miniatures locally known as "ANOK", fruits, vegetables and longganisa (local sausage) strung together in the most original fashion. Residents engaging in other forms of livelihood display their products too in thanksgiving. The handicraft manufacturer has his house decked with colorful buri/buntal hats, bags, placemats and others while the butcher has a head of roasted suckling pig (lechon) peeking from the window.

The most traditional and certainly the most attractive décor comes of course in the form of "KIPING" which are adorn and strung together to form all sorts of shapes, from chandelier called "ARANGYA" to huge flowers. Kiping is made from ground rice flour, shaped using "cabal" leaves or other leaf forms and colored in radiant red, fuschia, yellow, green and other bright shades. When kiping catches the light of the sun it turns into a veritable cascades of color.

The celebration is a form of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and in honor of the patron saint of farmers, San Isidro de Labrador. A procession of the image of San Isidro is planned long before the festival and it is said that houses along the route of the procession passes will be especially favored and blessed in the coming year. It is from this belief that the lavish decoration of the home began. After all, one must welcome the saint's blessings with rapture and gratitude.

Since the tradition started, Lucban benefits from this event through the TIYANGGE SA LUCBAN, an agro-industrial fair showcasing Lucban's products. This fair features foods native to the town like the delicious Lucban longganisa, puto seko, broas, tikoy and other delicacies; ornamental plants like dapo and cutflowers; handricrafts such as buri/buntal hats, bags and a number of other cottage industry products.

reference: www.pahiyasfestival.com

SMILE

Filipinos manage to wear smiles on their faces, despite of the problems they encounter or they may encounter. They are aware that life can never be absolutely happy. It can never be perfectly made. It will always have its twists and turns. Ups and downs as well. It will make them strong and have faith. Sometimes it makes them cry but it will make them stand and learn that no matter how difficult it is, there will always be many reasons to live and SMILE.

BAYANIHAN

The origin of the term bayanihan can be traced from a 
common tradition in Philippines towns where community members volunteer to help a family move to a new place by volunteering to transport the house to a specific location. The process involves literally carrying the house to its new location. This is done by putting bamboo poles forming a strong frame to lift the stilts from the ground and carrying the whole house with the men positioned at the ends of each pole.(wikipedia)

Hindi pwedeng puro reklamo. Hindi pwedeng puro kontra.

(pagodkanaba.blogspot.com)

PINAY'S BEAUTY

I was thinking what will be my next article in my blog. After an hour of thinking (yah… an hour), I decided to compose an article about Filipinas who joined an international pageant.

My attention was caught by these two paragraphs (from epilipinas.com): "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. But when an international beauty pageant crowned someone the winner, we better believe it that she's the fairest of them all.

I'm proud many Filipinas won an international beauty pageant. No doubt they are beautiful and talented as well. 

 (google.com)

FOOD LOVERS...

 

 TRADITIONAL PINOY ADOBO

 LECHON BABOY

 DINUGUAN WITH PUTO

 PANCIT

 LECHE FLAN

FRESH LUMPIA

Filipinos are food lovers. No doubt about that...

FAMILY-ORIENTED INDIVIDUALS...

Filipinos are known as very loving and caring individuals. They work hard for them. They always find time to show how much their loved ones mean to them although they are very busy. They organize reunions just to be with them despite of their very busy schedules. They are fun of taking pictures and videos of their loved ones.

They feel happy and blessed every time they see their families. Their families are their treasures.

 

T .G.I.F

Early evening yesterday, I was thinking what will be my next article for my blog. After an hour of thinking, I remembered that I had this book entitled, "Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ang mga Pinoy?" by Bob Ong. One of the questions there was -as I remembered it well- Are you proud of being a Filipino?

I hurriedly got my phone and started texting my friends if they are proud of being a Pinoy and their reasons why they said so. All of them said yes with their reasons- Filipinos are intelligent, hardworking, creative, resourceful, loving, caring, talented, and hospitable and a lot more. The next thing I did was I asked them the question, "Don't you like other nationalities?" I gave options for them to choose. I used nationalities whose cultures and races are well-defined and picture of real wealthiest. Obviously, I was trying to convince them to change their answers. After patiently waiting for their responses, well to my surprise, only two of them change their answers (taksil lol). Again, I asked, "Why???" As I read their responses, it made me smile. Without any doubt, I am proud of being a Pinoy.

Filipinos are known for being hospitable. It is frequently seen during fiestas and other celebrations. They entertain their visitors very well. They lend their best mats, utensils etc. for their guests to use. 

Filipinos are also well-known for their bravery and for being hardworking. A good example of which are those domestic helpers who work abroad just to sustain the needs of their families. It shows how brave they are because the fact that they don't know what awaits them in foreign countries didn't hinder them to give what is best for their families.

Aside from it, Filipinos always wear a smile on their faces even they encounter a lot of struggles.

If I will be given a chance to choose a nationality in my next life, I will proudly say that I want to be a Filipino once more.

Thanked God I am a Filipino. 

"Tahoooooô!"

TAHO is a Philippine snack food made of fresh soft/silken tofu, arnibal and pearl sago. It is a street food sold by ambulant vendors.

In Baguio, there is also a strawberry variety of taho, wherein strawberry syrup is used instead of arnibal. Other varieties are in chocolate and buko pandan flavor.

Most magtataho carry plastic cups for their product, often in two sizes (though vendors in residential communities tend to use their customers' cups and price their product accordingly). Using a wide, shallow metal sandok or scoop, they skim the surface of the bean curd and toss out any excess water, subsequently scooping the bean curd itself into a cup. Then, using a long, thin metal ladle, they scoop sago or tapioca "pearls" and arnibal into the cup, loosely mixing it in.

Tahô is enjoyed either with a spoon, sipping it with a straw, or by simply slurping it straight from the cup. Though traditionally served warm, cold varieties exist in supermarkets and in food stalls in cafeterias which have the bean curd in a solid, unbroken state. These pre-packed cups tend to contain a firmer tofu which need to be broken up and is sold either with a plastic spoon or a wooden popsicle stick.

 

reference: wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

THE FAMOUS LECHON BABOY...

What comes out on your mind when you hear the word "lechon?"

For me, a big roasted pig with a red apple on its mouth that is place on the center of the dining table...(yum yum)

LECHON is very famous during fiesta and in other different occasions such as birthdays,weddings etc. It is commonly placed at the center of the table. La Loma in Quezon City is known to be the "Lechon Capital of the Philippines." Actually there is this "Parada ng Lechon" in Balayan, Batangas. They do this tradition for the commemoration for their patron saint, St. John the Baptist. 

It's one of the most irresistible food in the country. It is mouth-watering to be exact!

(it is my intention not to place the picture of this delicacy because very time I see lechon, I'm starving:D )

 

WHAT's THE TASTE???

TAMILOK or WOODWORM:
ONE OF PALAWAN's DELICACY...


(yah woodworm... literary, worm in wood...)

(raw woodworm. clarkriveratravels.tumblr.com)

I'm very curious with its taste... Well, its not my first time to hear this tamilok. I saw it many times on tv, on magazine and even in Clark Rivera's photo. Others would say it is more delicious than talaba(oyster)...(wondering) 

HAVE YOU EATEN BALUT???

BALUT...


A certain show(I forgot it already:) )said that," kung Filipino ka, dapat nakakain ka na ng balut."


Well, I should say, Filipino talaga ako..haha. Pero yung yellow lang kinakain ko:D (I just can't imagine that while eating balut, I could feel the feathers on my tongue...lol)

You would haven't find a hard time in searching for this delicacy. It is almost sold everywhere(from 5pm onwards I guess...).

(he was not actually a vendor of balut :D. He's my friend...)

What is BALUT?

Balut is actually a fertilized duck embryo that is boiled alive and eaten in the shell(wikipedia).

(wikipedia.org)

Others would say it is one of the most terrifying food but well, for me, its not that bad... Actually there is already a balut-flavored ice cream.. haha...

-I almost forgot, this is one of the most favorite "pulutan" of beer drinkers."