The Tricycle: So Pinoy

Some people consider this a nuisance because of the noise they create. You can hear them coming towards you from a few blocks away, which can be good news if you are waiting for one, but bad news if you are trying to read a book or watch a really good movie. The tricycle is the most common form of transportation in small towns and inside subdivisions and villages. It is the common motorcycle, not the big bikes of the Harley-Davidson type, but the typical two-passenger motorcycle where a side-car is attached. The simplest type can accomodate only 3 people, while in other areas, the sidecars can accomodate 7 because some drivers make contortionists out of their passengers, especially the long-limbed foreigner.

Fruit in Season: Santol (Sandor Fruit)

The very thought of eating santol makes my mouth water, not because it is tasty in the classic way, or the ideal way that people describe tasty, but because its taste can range from really sour, to just sour and to sweet, depending on which part of the fruit you are eating, also. To eat santol, the skin should be pared of thinly to uncover a thick pinkish pulp that becomes purple when exposed. Even if it is soaked in water, after sometime, that area beneath the thin skin covering still turns purple.



Some people love to eat this part of the fruit (but no thanks, I cant bear its acidity) now, here is the interesting part. After eating all that pulp, you will see 5 big seeds. No matter how you try to resist to not swallow the big santol seeds, your resistance will crumble as the seeds are the sweetest and most delicious part of the santol. I just cant help but swallow them. I remember being warned by the old folks that the seeds should not be swallowed otherwise a santol plant will grow in your stomach. So I thought who would swallow this big seeds anyway, but, try it and you'll see what I mean.

WOW Showcases Northern Mindanao in Pasundayag at the CLAMSHELL 1 in Intramuros from May 27 to June 14, 2009

Northern Mindanao, which is composed of the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin and Bukidnon as well as the cities of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog is currently the region being featured in Clamshell 1, in Intramuros. Having spent the first 17 years of my life in Mindanao, I consider it my home. I am proud of the abundant resources, breathtaking naturescapes, laid-back culture and the simplicity of life that make Mindanao deserving to be called the Land of Promise. Here are snapshots from the exhibit.

Indigenous groups and their activities



A beadmaker from the Umayam tribe of Bukidnon. She was intently and quietly making headwear and other accessories from beads so I decided not to interrupt her, would have wanted to engage in a short chitchat with her, but still there was the language problem.



Umayam kids in traditional and colorful garments make cute models too.




A member of the Talaandig group gladly posed with us, after performing a native dance for the visitors.



A life-size figure of a Higaonon which inhabit the land surrounding Gingoog, Camiguin, Cagayan de Oro and Misamis.


Products:



Bags made of buri. Buri is a palm plant with fan-shaped leaves that grow up to 20 -40 meters. It is made into baskets, bags and other novelty items.



Shirts and textile products with batik design. Batik is very expensive in the cities but they are considerable cheaper where they are produced.



Household items made from rattan plant. Rattan is another palm plant that grows in profusion in this area of Mindanao.



Ladies accessories made by the locals and of genuine materials.



Baskets which are used by the indigenous groups as they make their living. According to one of the basket-maker, it is also used as an accessory for their traditional dances.

Food Items



They call this the "binaki" a delicacy made from ground yellow corn, mixed with coconut milk, wrapped in corn husk and steamed. Best eaten with chocolate drink.



Food products made from banana, peanuts and pineapple which are grown in large plantations in Bukidnon.


The exhibit is from May 27-June 14, 2009 only, so please come and support this endeavor of the WOW and the DOT and you will see the Best of Northen Mindanao and appreciate the natural beauty and resourcefulness of the people.

Fruit in Season: Avocado

It's the avocado season once again, time to make that guacamole dip and avocado flavored ice cream. According to an expert, the best variety is the lagkitan as it is moist, smooth and compact and ideal for deserts. Dont buy the variety that has plenty of black veins as they are not pleasant tasting. Enjoy your avocado treats now.

Here is a simple guacamole recipe shared to me by a Peace Corps Volunteer: who modified the ingredients in favor of the local resources.

Slice a medium sized avocado and mash it. Chop the following finely: a small head of onion, 2 cloves of garlic and mix thoroughly with the mashed avocado. Squeeze one calamansi and season with black pepper and salt.

The Sights and Sounds of Quiapo

Quiapo is perhaps one of the busiest districts in Metro Manila, if not THE busiest. To one who does not frequent the place, going around it is an eye-opener about the way of life of the people and economy within the area. Quiapo Church is the focal point of the district and the Friday mass is the number one crowd-drawer. But the main thing that it is famous for is the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which is held in the month of January. But that is a topic for another blog.

After my fall-in-line-till-you-drop day at the DFA, my feet dragged me to Quiapo. After not seeing it for over a year, I find it amazing that life remains the same to the mainstays here. It is as if it is still the 1900s.



Save for this concrete canopy-like structure that covers the entrance to the underpass, Quiapo is stagnant. Although it is kind of like preserving the memories of Manila in the past and its historical legacies, i.e. Plaza Miranda and it's bombing.



Quiapo is the melting pot of folk-Catholicism, outside the church are countless vendors selling and hawking religious objects such as: rosaries, candles, prayer books, novenas and what have you. For a fee you can even have them pray for you.



You might want to have your fate or destiny, whichever way you call it, read by these fortune-tellers. For a minimum of P50, you will know if you are destined for stardom or become a Lucio Tan in the future. If you dont try it then only the cards will know. These ladies were beckoning at me to have my fates read, but instantly covered their faces when I asked if I can take a photo!



There ia buko (young coconut) vendor ready to serve you fresh buko which is a healthy alternative to the soda-bubbling cola and the food-coloring and sugar-filled unnatural juice drinks.



A treat for the struggling student and the bookworm are the second-hand bookstores found in the small alleys before reaching the Carriedo LRT station.



Since Quiapo is just a stone's throw away from Chinatown, some stores that sell Chinese decorative items, some of which are believed to attract good fortune can be seen within the district too. Next time you see them, buy one, you just might get fortunate in the next lotto draw.

Quiapo has different symbolisms to each and everyone, to some it may just be an ordinary district: bumper-to-bumper, polluted and dirty. But there's more than meets the eye, and it is up to us to uncover the secrets behind the facade.

The Lone Authentic Ifugao of Barangay Banga-an

Our difficult trek to Banga-an, a small barangay in Banawe, Ifugao, was rewarded upon seeing this lone authentic Ifugao gentleman who we caught chewing a betel nut under one of the huts (probably his own). We were disappointed at first when we noticed that almost all people living in this barangay no longer wear their traditional clothing, so it was a pleasure for us to see this authentic Ifugao in his traditional garb. As not one of us could speak Ifugao, we could not converse with him, but according to the neighbors, he is slightly deaf.



From the Greenview Hotel where we were billeted, we could see the Banawe Rice Terraces in all its grandeur. But at that time, the vegetation was not as thick as it would be during the rainy months.



We arranged for a local jeepney with a guide whose name is Manong Johny, it cost us P2,000 and P700 for the guide. The ratio of a tour guide to the number of tourists is 7:1 or thereabouts. But if you are travelling on a budget, you may just hike going to Banga-an so that you can enjoy the sceneries from the hillsides. This is one of them.



Going down the village is quite difficult as the hill was slightly steep. Although it is quite a low hill, it can be challenging to someone like me who has no regular physical workout. The trek going up is more difficult. I had to stop quite a number of times. Upon reacing the village, we will see stalls or huts that sell souvenir items and other traditional products. We were encouraged to try on a traditional wear.



On our way to the hotel, we decided to take the backdoor in order to walk through the long hanging bridge which really scared the wits out of me. I thought it cant carry the weight of 12 big people, mostly Koreans and worst of all, it was rusty, although made of really thick steel.



One of the souvenir items that I decided to buy is this sunflower wall decor. To the Ifugaos, the sunflower plant is very valuable as they use this as fertilizers in their fields when they plant rice. It was also my little way of supporting their barangay.

When we first arrived in Banawe, the provincial capital, I finally saw what I have been hearing for a long time, that the roads and soil around Ifugao are red because of the juice of the betel nut, the palm fruit that the Ifugaos chew on.

How to get to Ifugao: Take a bus at Dangwa bus station which is located in Aurora Blvd past Cubao and Aurora intersection going towards Sta. Mesa.

But I see Peanuts

The Hot Peanut Cart, which can be seen in practically every corner and every barangay in Manila and the Philippines for that matter, is an example of the unique English of the Filipinos and the "gaya-gaya" culture.