Pahiyas Festival(Lucban, Quezon)

Lucban is pretty much synonymous with the famous Pahiyas Festival, celebrated every 15th of May – and it is this Philippines festival that made Lucban a must-see destination for those exploring the decadently multicultural and multifaceted country that is the Philippines. The festival dates back hundreds of years long before the arrival of the Spaniards and started out as an animistic ritual for the locals to honor their gods for their bountiful harvest and believing that celebrating this great fortune would ensure another bountiful year ahead.

When the Spaniards arrived around the 16th century, the festival was appropriated to suit the Catholic taste (as it was the same with the Kalibo Ati-atihan). The Spanish friars introduced San Isidro Labrador (Saint Isidore) to the natives and shifted the allegiance basically from the animist gods to the Christian God whilst continuing the tradition of thanksgiving and prayers for more abundant harvests to come. The townsfolk started to bring their best harvest to the church for its blessing and later on, with the increasing bounty they started putting it outside their doors instead with the statue of San Isidro going out in a procession.

With Filipinos being naturally creative, the Lucban townspeople started hanging their harvests on their windows as well and then, the entire façade of their houses along the procession route. You would usually know the trade or industry of a particular house by the decorations themselves – rice stalks – means a rice farming family lives in that house; hats- meant there lives a hat-making family and so on and so forth. Don’t expect a house decorated with lingerie or kinky adult toys here though, however, we kind of had a wistful thought of that while we were strolling along the procession route. The procession route changes each year so that other houses may have a chance of participating in the festival. Giant papier-mache effigies are also paraded around town with a lively brass band, adding to the lovely fiesta atmosphere.

One iconic Pahiyas decoration is no other than the “kiping”, a colored (and edible) rice paper that is similar to the tacos of Mexico. The Galleon Trade between Manila and Acapulco (Mexico) in the 17th century was a major influence with this Pahiyas icon. A Lucban local by the name of Juan Suarez sailed to Mexico for training of some sorts, and was introduced to tacos in the port of Acapulco. Being a culinary talent, he tried to fashion out his version of tacos upon his return to Lucban using locally available ingredients (water, ground rice, salt and food coloring) – and thus, kiping was born.

Kiping is made by mixing all ingredients with water and pouring the mixture into a “kabal” leaf- a sturdy and wide leaf, while dripping the excess liquid (kipi) and then steaming it for 2-3 minutes. It is then hung up to dry after which you remove the kiping from the leaf to dry on a flat surface. You then put the “buntal” fiber for hanging and then you flatten (kipiin) several pieces by putting a heavy object on top. Kiping eventually became part of the Pahiyas Festival making the festival more colorful than ever – with chandeliers or “arangya” made out of kiping and sunflowers made to decorate the houses along with the vegetables. A drop by the local and surprisingly well-stocked souvenir shop can get you some kiping to take home (which is about PhP75 for six different colored pieces in a box). The kiping is usually deep-fried like prawn crackers and dipped in locally made organic spiked vinegar. It can also be grilled or microwaved and dipped in sugar, cheese powder, sour cream or however you like it.

In the ‘60s the local word “Pahiyas” meaning decoration was formally added to name the celebration. Each house would compete for the Grand Pahiyas Prize and when the day turns into night, the brightest and the most lighted house wins the “Kutitap Award” – suddenly transforming the entire town into a Christmas village in the middle of May.

The Pahiyas festival usually starts around the morning of the 15th May with a mass in its beautiful centuries old Lucban Church (photo below). The present church actually sits on the ruins of the previous churches on the same site. The first one was built in 1595 and was destroyed in 1629, and a second church was constructed between 1630 and 1640 but was seriously damaged by fire 1738. The present church was completed in 1738 and the convent in 1743. Right by the right side of the church was the site of the La Casa de Doña Ana. It was the site of a big “bahay na bato” (house made out of stone – an architectural style that is usually attributed to the well-off Filipino families as opposed to the “bahay-kubo” – also known as the nipa hut and is usually attributed as the abode of poorer Filipinos). The house, which was owned then by Pedro Nepomuceno Y Villaseñor and Ana Maria Herrera Y de la Concepcion, was built in a neoclassical style a few years after the couple’s wedding in 1842. It was the only house with the neoclassical style in the entirety of Lucban and was the favorite place to stay for prominent guests coming from Manila and neighboring towns. The house was subsequently named in honor of the wife for her role in establishing Hospicio de Pobres de Lucban, a facility taking care of Lucban’s destitute and sick.

Tara na Byahe Tayo

Philippines is the best!

Vinta

The vinta ( locally known as lepa-lepa or sakayan) is a traditional boat found in the Philippine island of Mindanao. These boats are made by Bajau and Moros lining in the Sulu Archipelago. It has a sail with assorted vertical colors that represents the colorful culture and history of the Muslim community. These boats are used for inter-island transport of people and goods. Zamboanga City is known for these vessels.

Candaba Swamp and Wild Duck Sanctuary

The Candaba Swamp is located 60 kms north of Metro Manila. It encompasses about 32,000 hectares of wetlands located mostly in the town of Candaba, Pampanga, and is bounded by the towns of Baliuag, San Ildefonso and San Miguel in Bulacan, San Luis and Arayat in Pampanga, and Cabiao in Nueva Ecija. Situated at 11 meters above sea level, the swamp is the lowest point in Central Luzon. It acts as a natural flood retention or catch basin holding wet season overflows from the Maasim, San Miguel, Garlang, Bulu and Penaranda rivers, and draining into the Pampanga River. The natural retention capacity is approx 1.5 billion cubic meters. The swamp is the staging and wintering area for migratory birds from October up to April of every year. It is a significant part of the East Asia-Australiasian Migratory Flyway that includes Siberia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Korea and Singapore. WHAT TO SEE: Migratory birds spend winter in the Philippines or pass through the islands on their way to points South and North on their return trip to their native habitats. Egrets and indigenous birds like the rare salaksak and batala can be observed especially during dry months when the fishponds turn to rice fields - when large numbers of egrets descend on shallow pools teeming with snails and small fish. In 1982, about 100,000 ducks were observed in a single day, thus having the largest concentration of birds in the country.

Galing ng Pinoy Music Video

This song was written and sung by Ogie Alcasid, a Filipino singer-songwriter. The video was made to salute all Filipinos around the world who bring pride to our country. The video features Filipino athletes like Manny Pacquiao, Fashion Designer, World Performer and Entertainer, Movie Directors and Producers and Beauty Queens who made us proud to be a Filipino.

Escabeche

There are many version of Escabeche around. This version that we have here is probably the most simple of all. However, the taste will not be as simple as it seems because this recipe has all the good flavors in it.

Not to be mistaken as Ceviche — which is a South American favorite that makes use of raw fish — like kilawin. Filipino Escabeche requires the fish to be fried and cooked in vinegar.

I grew-up eating different kinds of fish. I enjoy both fried fish dishes and fish dishes with sauce. I am always excited to have this dish because I personally think that the result of fried fish being cooked in any type of sauce is truly amzing. You get the good flavor of the sauce while enjoying the texture of the fish — which is not too soft at all. Having escabeche is like eating fried fish with a hint of atchara.

Ingredients:

1 large fish (1 to 2 lbs), cleaned and salted

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips

1 medium red onion, sliced

1 cup white vinegar

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon whole peppercorn

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

1. Heat cooking oil in a frying pan then fry both sides of the fish until a bit crispy. Set aside.

2. Heat a clean pan and pour-in the vinegar. Let boil.

3. Add sugar, whole peppercorn, and galic. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Put-in the onion and red bell pepper. Stir and cook until the vegetables are tender.

5. Sprinkle salt and then stir.

7. Put-in the fried fish. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Turn-off heat and transfer to a serving plate.

9. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Margarita Moran

Maria Margarita Morán Róxas De Floirendo won the Miss Philippines and Miss Universe crowns in 1973. A granddaughter of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas she has also been known as Margie Morán Róxas and Margie Moran Róxas De Floirendo. She's the second Miss Universe of Philippines.

Heritage Town of San Miguel, Bulacan

San Miguel de Mayumo is very historic town in Bulacan where you can find old Hispanic houses.

It is the site of Biak na Bato National Park, made a big part of 1897 revolution against Spain.

The Pact of Biak na Bato

signed on December 14, 1897, created a truce between Spanish Colonial Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera and Emilio Aguinaldo to end the Philippine Revolution. Aguinaldo and his fellow revolutionaries were given amnesty and monetary indemnity by the Spanish government in return for which the revolutionary Government would go into voluntary exile in Hong Kong. Aguinaldo would later use the money to purchase firearms.

According to Aguinaldo, writing in 1899, the principal conditions of the pact were:

(1) That I would, and any of my associates who desired to go with me, be free to live in any foreign country. Having fixed upon Hongkong as my place of residence, it was agreed that payment of the indemnity of $800,000 (Mexican) should be made in three installments, namely, $400,000 when all the arms in Biak-na-bató were delivered to the Spanish authorities; $200,000 when the arms surrendered amounted to eight hundred stand; the final payment to be made when one thousand stand of arms shall have been handed over to the authorities and the Te Deum sung in the Cathedral in Manila as thanksgiving for the restoration of peace. The latter part of February was fixed as the limit of time wherein the surrender of arms should be completed.

(2) The whole of the money was to be paid to me personally, leaving the disposal of the money to my discretion and knowledge of the understanding with my associates and other insurgents.

(3) Prior to evacuating Biak-na-bató the remainder of the insurgent forces under Captain-General Primo de Rivera should send to Biak-na-bató two General of the Spanish Army to be held as hostages by my associates who remained there until I and a few of my compatriots arrived in Hongkong and the first installment of the money payment (namely, four hundred thousand dollars) was paid to me.

(4) It was also agreed that the religious corporations in the Philippines be expelled and an autonomous system of government, political and administrative, be established, though by special request of General Primo de Rivera these conditions were not insisted on in the drawing up of the Treaty, the General contending that such concessions would subject the Spanish Government to severe criticism and even ridicule.

Mount Apo

Mount Apo is a large solfataric, potentially-active stratovolcano in the island of Mindanao,Philippines. With an altitude of 2,954 metres (9,692 ft), it is the highest mountain in the country and is located between Davao City and Davao del Sur province in Region XI and Cotabato province in Region XII. The peak overlooks Davao City 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the northeast, Digos City 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the southeast, and Kidapawan City 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the west.

Apo, which means "ancestor", is flat-topped mountain with three peaks and is capped by a 500-metre-wide (1,600 ft) volcanic crater containing a small crater lake. The date of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historical times.

The volcano is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Philippines with the summit, on the average, takes two days to reach. The first recorded climb was on October 10, 1880, by a party led by Joaquin Rajal, then Spanish governor of Davao.

Mount Apo Natural Park

On May 9, 1936, Mount Apo was declared a National Park with Proclamation no. 59 by President Manuel L. Quezon, followed by Proclamation no. 35 of May 8, 1966 then Proclamation no. 882 of September 24, 1996. On February 3, 2004, the approval of Republic Act no. 9237 established Mount Apo as a protected area under the category of natural park with an area of 54,974.87 hectares (135,845.9 acres); with two peripheral areas of 2,571.73 hectares (6,354.9 acres) and 6,506.40 hectares (16,077.7 acres) as buffer zones, provided for its management and for other purposes.

Although a declared Natural Park, the current climbing trails are littered with rubbish by irresponsible climbers, opening paths for soil erosion across the already denuded mountain sides. Some mountain and social climbing groups conduct climbs after the Holy Week/Easter, the peak climbing season, to clean the affected areas.

UNESCO World Heritage list

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) submitted Mount Apo on December 12, 2009 for inclusion in the UNESCO world heritage list. The mountain is considered by DENR as the center of endemism in Mindanao. It has one of the highest land-based biological diversity in terms of flora and fauna per unit area. It has three distinct forest formations, from lowland tropical rainforest, to mid-mountain forests, and finally to high mountain forests.

A portion of the eastern slopes are also within the scope of the UNESCO Hydrology Environment Life and Policy (HELP) Network. The Davao HELP Network is focused on building collaboration among watershed stakeholders.

Flora and Fauna

The mountain is home to over 272 bird species, 111 of which are endemic to the area. It is also the home of one of the world's largest eagle, the Philippine Eagle, the country’s national bird.

Fruits like durian, the king of fruits, grow abundantly in Mt. Apo.

University of Santo Tomas

The University of Santo Tomas is one of the oldest existing universities and holds the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines and in Asia. It was founded on April 28, 1611 by the third Archbishop of Manila, Msgr. Miguel de Benavides, O.P., together with Frs. Domingo de Nieva and Bernardo de Santa Catalina. It was originally conceived as a school to prepare young men for the priesthood. Located within Intramuros, the Walled City, it was first called Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario and later renamed Colegio de Santo Tomas in memory of the foremost Dominican Theologian, Saint Thomas Aquinas. In 1624, the Colegio was authorized to confer academic degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Arts. On November 20, 1645 Pope Innocent X elevated the College to the rank of a university and in 1680, it was subsequently placed under royal patronage.

Through the centuries, the University was given the following titles: Royal, Pontifical, and Catholic University of the Philippines. In 1785, for the loyalty shown by the administration and students who volunteered to defend Manila against the British invasion, King Charles III of Spain granted it the title of "Royal University". Pope Leo XIII made the University of Santo Tomas a "Pontifical University" on 1902 and in 1947, Pope Pius XII bestowed upon it the title of "The Catholic University of the Philippines". Thus its complete name is The Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines.

Panglao Island

Currently Panglao is one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines, famous for its beautiful dive spots and its coral reef, as well as many several islet ideal for beach bathing like the islets of Gak-ang and Pontod.

About 250 new species of crustaceans and 2500 new species of mollusks were found around the island. The discovery was the work of the Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project. The project found that Panglao alone has more marine biodiversity than Japan and the Mediterranean sea.

Embutido

Embutido is a type of meatloaf prepared Filipino style. Though a well known dish for the holidays, Embutido can be enjoyed everyday without any hassle. Several meat processing companies now produce this meatloaf for commercial purposes; all you have to do is grab one from your favorite grocery store.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground pork

12 pcs vienna sausage or 6 pcs hotdogs, cut in half lengthwise

3 pcs hard boiled eggs, sliced

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 pcs raw eggs

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup red bell pepper, minced

1 cup green bell pepper, minced

1 1/2 cup raisins

1 cup carrots, minced

1 cup onion, minced

salt and pepper

2 cups bread crumbs (made by placing 4 slices of tasty bread in a food processor. If not using any food processor, just tear the bread.)

Cooking Procedures:

1. Place the ground pork in a large container

2. Add the bread crumbs then break the raw eggs and add it in. Mix well

3. Put-in the carrots, bell pepper (red and green), onion, pickle relish, and cheddar cheese. Mix thouroughly

4. Add the raisins, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper then mix well.

5. Place the meat mixture in an aluminum foil and flatten it. (see video for guidance)

6. Put in the sliced vienna sausage and sliced boiled eggs alternately on the middle of the flat meat mixture.

7. Roll the foil to form a cylinderlocking the sausage and egg in the middle if the meat mixture. Once done, lock the edges of the foil.

8. Place in a steamer and let cook for 1 hour.

9. Place inside the refrigerator until temperature turns cold

10. Slice and serve. Share and Enjoy!

Apo Island

Apo Island in a small island in Dumaguete Negros Oriental that is rated as one of the most popular dive sites in the Philippines. This island is a premier diving destination which offers excellent diving and snorkeling in the Philippines. Apo Island offers an adventurous diving to professional and novice divers. Local and foreign visitors go here to Apo Island for diving because of the island’s pristine coral reefs and marine sanctuary. Apo Island is made up of towering of cliffs and limestone and the average height of the cliffs is 20 meters. That is why Apo Island is also a great spot for climbing because of the limestone cliffs that are very stable.

Apo Island is located about 5 kilometers off the southeast coast of Negros Island and south of Dumaguete City. This small island which has a land area of 12 hectares can be reach by boat from Silliman Beach, on the North side of Dumaguete. In 1985, Siliman University made a marine sanctuary in Apo Island.

Apo Island’s terrain is hilly with volcanic rock but this island has magnificent dive sites. Apo Island Beach Resort, formerly known as the Kan-Upe Cove Resort, has spectacular dive sites and eight honeymoon cottages. The dives sites have amazing wall reefs, beautiful lush coral gardens with a variety and colorful tropical marine life such as hawksbill and green turtles, schools of jacks, bid red snappers, groupers and clown fish.

Here are the some of the popular dive sites in Apo Island Chapel Point, Rock Point, Marine Sanctuary, Mamsa Point and Coconut Point.

But if you don’t want to dive but snorkel only, we have Apo Island Snorkel Fun. Not only Apo Island offers best and excellent diving but also offers snorkeling at its best. In Apo island, you will enjoy the snorkeling at the marine sanctuary which is 15,00 square meter and is very abundant of coral cover and marine life.

Mabinay Philippines Caves & Natural Springs

Mabinay Caves & Natural Springs in Mabinay Negros Oriental Philippines

Oriental Negros’ answer to those who want to spelunking is the town of Mabinay in the central portion of Negros Island. Mabinay, which is 87 kilometers from Dumaguete City, is bounded in the north by the municipality of Ayungon, the city of Bais in the south, the municipalities of Bindoy and Manjuyod in the east and the provinces of Negros Occidental in the west.

Mabinay boasts of 22 caves and is place where the second and ninth longest cave in the Philippines can be found, the Odloman and the Cayaso caves. Odloman  is 8,870 meters long while the Cayaso cave is 2,222 meters long.

Mabinay is also home to a natural spring where local and foreign tourists can take a dip for free. Tourists, who want to explore the caves in the town, can first drop by the spring, which is just a minute away from the town proper. Legend says that the spring was named after a young woman named Binay, who lived in the area. Binay was said to have grieved for a lost love and then suddenly disappeared. People believed that she was swallowed by the earth. In the place where she disappeared, came a spring, thus the people named it after her.

After a dip in the cool waters of the Mabinay spring, spelunking enthusiasts can then proceed to the different caves in the town.

The Philippines’ second longest cave, the Odloman cave, which is 8,870 meters long, has a vertical range of 82 meters. It has large galleries, many small corridors, active streams and interesting obstacles. The Casayo cave, meanwhile, the ninth longest cave in the country measuring 2,222 meters long has a subterranean river flowing beneath its main chamber. It also has stalagmites and stalactites in its different chambers and has stones that glitter.

The Panligawan cave has a big gaping hole upfront and requires a descent. It is a short one but has a skylight in the middle. The nearby Pandalian Cave is also short and cavernous like the Panligawan Cave. Another famous cave in the town is the Crystal Cave, called as such because of many stalactites and stalagmites that have formed into pillars or columns, which appear to shroud some sections. The Crystal Cave has a length of 209 meters and a depth of 5 meters.

Cantabon Cave, Siquijor

Cantabon Cave is more than the ordinary. It has not been commercially developed—giving people more reason to explore its natural marvel. Famed for its impressive group of stalactites and stalagmites among 45 other caves in the island, the trail to its very end can be difficult. Experiencing the unexploited grandeur, however, is surely worth the take.

The trek to Cantabon Cave has been proven to be a difficult one, as one would have to face 1 1/2 hours of walking past little streams, waterfalls, and dodging past stalactites and stalagmites. No matter how hard it might be, the reward is truly refreshing, as a spring and pool awaits travelers to cool down their tired bodies.

The best way getting to Cantabon Cave entails you a one-hour plane ride from Manila to Dumaguete, another forty-five(45) minute ferry ride to the island of Siquijor, and some nine(9) kilometer travel to Barangay Cantabon via a motorbike or what people would often call as “habal-habal”.

Now, the next thing you have in mind is the cost to enjoy a whole day of fun. An entrance fee of 10 pesos will be charged and if you wish to have trekking guide with you, you’ll need to pay an additional of 300 pesos which already covers the use of gear such as flashlights and helmets.

Mountain climbing, in addition to trekking, is an excellent way to enjoy your trip. From preparing your gear down to the last minute of discovering the cave, the excitement will keep you. Another fascinating way to spend the day in Cantabon Cave would be to explore the various rock formations in the walls of the cave.

Visitors say it’s indeed a rocky travel along those slopes and areas where you have to bend over to avoid bumping into the formations. A quick note would be to equip yourself with durable shoes that can endure rocks and secure your helmet in place. Moreover, travellers often say that it takes about two (2) hours to explore the whole place to and from and that it wouldn’t be complete without taking shots of the beauty the cave beholds.

Cantabon Cave’s existence is dated back in 1985 during its discovery by some foreign hunters that thrived in the place. Stories don’t really tell of mystifying folklores except that Cantabon is just sitting next to Barangay Antonio which they describe as a “voodoo place”. Nevertheless, the trip to this cave is breath-taking and would continue to leave awe to its visitors.

Turon

Turon or deep-fried banana rolls is a typical Filipino meryenda and dessert. This can usually be seen on the streets being peddled along with banana-que. In Makati, several jolly jeeps (stalls along the road; formerly jeepneys  that serve lunch) sell Turon along with other meryenda during the afternoon.

This delicious and healthy dessert is an all time Filipino favorite. 

Ingredients:

6 pcs Cavendish banana (saba), cut in half (lenghtwise)

1 cup ripe Jackfruit

1 ½ cup brown sugar

12 pcs spring roll wrapper

2 cups cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

1. Roll the banana on the brown sugar plate and ensure that the banana is coated with enough sugar

2. Place the banana with sugar coating in the spring roll wrapper and add some ripe jackfruit

3. Fold and lock the spring roll wrapper, use water to seal the edge

4. In a pan, heat the oil and put-in some brown sugar.Wait until the brown sugar floats

5. Put-in the wrapped banana and fry until the wrapper turns golden brown and the extra sugar sticks on wrapper

6. Serve hot during dessert or meryenda. Share and Enjoy!

Camiguin Sunken Cemetery

As the rising sun clears away the shadows of the previous night over the island of Camiguin, an imposing silhouette of a large cross stands guard over the location of the old capital of the island. Due to a fatal volcanic eruption of Mount Vulcan, the sea now hides the old capital, which was founded during the Spanish era.

According to local historians, Mount Vulcan had four historic eruptions. The first one was in 1827 but records of this eruption were nil. The second one was in 1862 when thick ashes from the crater flowed and overtook people who were fleeing towards the sea, resulting in 326 fatalities. The third one started in 1871. Previous experience had taught some of the Camiguin people of the dangerous whims of Mount Vulcan. Thus, when earthquakes were felt, they fled as far away as possible from the volcano, but some stayed behind. There were spasmodic eruptions and the people who fled decided to stay away until the time when the volcano finally subsided in 1875. But when they returned, they have lost their land and their friends.

The whole capital of Camiguin, with its cemetery, sunk under the sea. In the following years, the sunken land and the gravestones can still be seen when the tide is low. But in 1948 until 1953, Mount Vulcan erupted again, sinking the whole area deeper, to around twenty feet. In 1982, a large cross was built on the solidified lava to mark the site that became the graves of the ancestors of the Camiguin people. It has become a sunken cemetery. Now, it is one of the world’s most unique diving sites.

To reach Camiguin, a tourist can take a plane flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro City. From Cagayan, one must take a cab to the bus terminal at Agora Market. At the bus terminal, one will take bus going to Balingoan, which is a mere 88 kilometers away. Once at the Balingoan, one must take the ferryboat bound for Camiguin. This boat ride will take about one hour.

If taking the bus does not appeal to you, take the ferryboat, M/V Yuhum, at the Cagayan de Oro Ferry Terminal. It is a leisurely three-hour ride. But once in Camiguin, you will find several standard hotels. Not the five-star variety but the rooms are clean and the staff is friendly. Or one may opt to stay in thatched huts along the beach. There will be no air-conditioning but the refreshing sea breeze and the welcoming waves are far more attractive.

To get to the sunken cemetery and other tourist attractions of the Camiguin Island, one can rent a $10-a-day scooter. At the sunken cemetery (in front of Barrio Bonbon), after putting on one diving equipment, one will find the gravestones that were already gilded with colorful corals.

Typhoon Bebeng

Typhoon Bebeng hits the Bicol Region and other parts of Luzon. Typhoon Bebeng is moving with a maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph.

Update as of May 9, 2011 (Monday):

At 5:00 a.m. today, Tropical Storm "BEBENG" was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 60 km Southeast of Casiguran, Aurora (15.9°N, 122.6°E) with maximum winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It is forecast to move North Northwest at 15 kph.

The typhoon unleashed a lot of rains and made a zero visibility in most of roads in Metro Manila and most of the passengers are stranded on ports and airports. It left flash floods, landslides in different part of Luzon. PAGASA warned stromsurges due to Bebeng. The typhoon left 8 people dead.

Caramoan Islands

Very little is known about Caramoan. Isolated from the rest of Camarines Sur, it is no surprise why Philippine's Secret Paradise remains unexploited from commercial tourism.

Caramoan gives 'island hopping' a new meaning. Enjoy its beauty in many ways. Great ocean adventures for kayakers, snorkle and scuba dive to experience the diverse marine life, trek and search for the enigmatic lagoon, rock climb the limestone cliffs, explore the caves or just star gaze at night.

Pichi Pichi

Pichi-Pichi is a gelatinous dessert (this can also be eaten as a heavy mid-afternoon snack) made from grated cassava and sugar. The concoction is placed in a mold and steamed until a sticky-gelatinous texture is formed. After steaming, this is coated with grated coconut for additional flavor.

It was not until a few years ago that I was able to try Pichi-Pichi. This is usually ordered in our workplace on special occassions along with Pinoy Style Spaghetti and Pork Barbeque (these are grilled pork slices in skewers). I liked it because the taste is not too sweet and it fills me up fast.

The cost of this recipe won’t hurt your wallets. For the business minded individuals, you can start a food business by selling Pichi-Pichi with the other foods featured here in Panlasang Pinoy. Let’s remember that it is good to fill our stomach but it will even be better if our wallets are filled at the same time.

Ingredients:

2 cups cassava, grated

1 cup sugar

2 cups water

1 cup coconut, grated

1/2 tsp lye water

1/2 tsp buko-pandan essence

Procedure:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine cassava, sugar, and water then mix thoroughly

2. Add lye water while continously stirring the mixture

3. Put-in the buko-pandan essence then mix again

4. Once the mixture is evenly distributed, pour in individual cup molds and place in a steamer

5. Steam the mixture for 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until the color turns translucent)

6. Allow the steamed pichi-pichi to cool down (at least 40 minutes to 1 hour ; you can even place it in the fridge after letting it cool down at least 15 minutes) then remove from the molds

7. Roll the each piece over the grated coconut

6. Place in a serving plate then serve. Share and Enjoy!

Manny Pacquiao Wins

WBO welterweight title: Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley

Round 1

Really impressive entrances for the two fighters ... Bob Arum wasn't joking when he said he had learned lessons from UFC and the likes of the Klitschko brothers in Europe. Live music — including a live rendition of "Eye of the Tiger!" Awesome!

It's the first mega-fight of 2011 in boxing. They spend most of the first round feeling each other out, with Pacquiao using his speed to get the odd shot off quickly. Pacquiao digs in a big punch to the body. Mosley responds with a body shot of his own. Pacquiao lands a quick jab. Both fighters clearly respect the other's power. Mosley gets a right hand through clean but misses with a body punch. Pacquiao threatens with a left hook. Close round as both fighters were tentative. Difficult to score due to so little happening. Pacquiao probably took it with all round ringmanship, his speed clearly making Mosley uncomfortable.

10-9 Pacquiao

Round 2

Pacquiao is certainly far more tentative than in previous fights. Mosley talking to Pacquiao trying to goad him into a wild lunge. Both fighters are trying to hit while staying out of range. Both successfully connecting with long-range punches. Mosley doing well to avoid having Pacquiao dictate where the fight takes place. Pacquiao backs Mosley up with several quick punches to the body. Pacquiao flicking out the jab. Mosley fires out one of his own. Pacquiao goes for a flurry of punches later on but Mosley seems to have it covered. Another even round with Pacquiao clearly concerned about the threat posed by the bigger man. Another difficult round to score but Pacquiao probably took it just.

20-18 Pacquiao

Round 3

Pacquiao starting to push the pace in an attempt to use his speed to take the fight away from Mosley. Pacquiao getting more punches in. Pacquiao floors Mosley with a big right hand after a straight jab and Mosley is on glass legs. Pacquiao has a minute to get what could be the telling blow. Pacquiao pushing for the finish but Mosley doing well to avoid taking a clean shot. A big round for Pacquiao.

30-26 Pacquiao

Round 4

Pacquiao threathening Mosley as the challenger is allowing himself to be pushed around the ring. They engage on the inside and Mosley takes a tumble after a slip. Pacquiao connects with the jab and this looks like the mismatch we were all expecting. Mosley tries to find success with body shots but Pacquiao walks through with a hard one-two combo. Mosley falling backwards as Pacquiao is dominanting. Mosley comes back with a nice little combination, although the hook landson Pacquiao's gloves.

40-35 Pacquiao

Round 5

Pacquiao is trying to connect with big hooks to the head of Mosley. Mosley complains about a clash of heads. Pacquiao flicking out the jab. Mosley doing better in standing his ground and got some tidy little body punches off. Pacquiao is starting to miss slightly and his decision to just go for power punches seems ill-judged given Mosley's clear discomfort when Pacquiao punches in bunches. Instead Mosley is doing a good job of avoiding taking anything too powerful cleanly. Pacquiao's round, but the fight has stabilized after it seemed on the brink of being over in the third.

50-44 Pacquiao

Round 6

Pacquiao turns up the pace midway through the round and Mosley is clearly struggling to match fire with fire. But Pacquiao clearly can't sustain the pace for anything more than the occassional burst. And it's when he slows down that Mosley is able to re-establish himself and claw his way back into the fight. Mosley is doing a good job of avoiding taking too much damage and is clearly trying to fight off the back foot and counterpunch Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is clearly frustrated but he's 60-53 ahead.

Round 7

Mosley controlling the beginning of the round with his jab, as the crowd gets restless at the slow-paced fight. Pacquiao is trying to get inside of Mosley, but the defensive tactics are confounding the champion. Pacquiao puts together a flurry that has Mosley on his bike, but he never comes close to landing a telling blow. Mosley flicking out the jab and is really showing superior ringmanship in this round. Pacquiao puts together some good combinations. Crowd boos that round, not very happy at all. Difficult round to score with little action. Pacquiao was the aggressive but he landed nothing of any quality so I'll give that to Mosley for superior ringmanship.

69-63 Pacquiao

Round 8

Pacquiao is clearly struggling to box his way inside Mosley. Mosley landed a right hand that spurred Pacquiao to put together a nice-looking flurry that was ended by another right hand from Mosley. Pacquiao is looking very flat here, struggling to force the openings to really punish Mosley. Pacquiao lands a couple of odd punches throughout the round, but could never put them together in a telling sequence. Mosley lands a good right hand on the gloves of Pacquiao toward the end. Another close round that but Pacquiao was more active than in the seventh.

79-72 Pacquiao

Round 9

Pacquiao is struggling like we have not seen for awhile, with Mosley's disciplined counterpunching perfectly pitched to play the spoiler against the fast moving champion. Regardless Pacquiao's performance is baffling as its all power punches and single shots when the third round should have gave him the template as to how he would secure a quick victory against Mosley. He does show better work towards the end and snaps Mosley's head back with a straight punch.

89-81 Pacquiao

Round 10

More action in the the 10th than the previous than in the past few combined. Pacquiao tries to push the action by once again increasing the speed and his punching volume. A Pacquiao flurry is cut shut by Mosley complaining of a clash of heads. Pacquiao resumes the flurry but isn't quite landing the telling blow. Mosley pushes him down to the canvass with his right and incredibly the referee gives it as a knockdown. A furious Pacquiao comes forward and clips Mosley with a strong left that hurts the challenger. Best action of the fight but terrible officiating.

10-9 to Mosley based on the fact that Pacquiao took almost all the round save the "knockdown."

98-91 Pacquiao

Round 11

Pacquiao delivers another one-sided round. He can't land the big blows on Mosley, but clearly won the round.

108-100 Pacquiao

Round 12

Mosley continues to stay away from Pacquiao. Pacquiao tries to throw big punches to get the KO, but can't land on the retreating Mosley. Pacquiao's round.

118-110 Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao defeats Shane Mosley by unanimous decision to retain his WBO welterweight title.