BEAUTIFUL SPOTS IN PINAS

While I was looking at other photos in i.ph blogsite, I noticed that a lot of people are so enchanted with Boracay probably because of so much publicity it gets now a days. I therefore want to share with you some of the sights(also food) that I have personally experienced (and tasted)and is the best in the Philippines.

1)SIARGAO ,Surigao- I visited this place in the 80’s when I was still with the Development Academy of the Philippines and what I can remember is dining in a restaurant on top of stilts(bamboo stilts) and the bariles(tuna fish) as big as my leg was our main course. The bariles was barbequed in total perfection complete with the native salad of lato(seaweed) with onions ,tomato and kalamansi juice. So far I have never tasted fish that would surpass my Siargao experience. The beaches here are tops in the world specially for surfing since the waves are like what you can see in Hawaii 5-0(a 70’s TV show)

In Surigao, just go to the beach and fishermen wont hesitate to give u a fish or two specially if they know u r a tourist or come from Manila

2) PUERTO GALERA UNDERWATER- I dont know how to swim nor snorkel but in my last year of college I joined the UP Skin Diving Club and some UP Camping Club members to Naujan ,Mindoro and onwards to Puerto Galera and with my sister Mariecel(who can swim) I dared to snorkel in Puerto Galera and what I saw will forever be etched in my mind. It is a wonderful dreamland of different colors of corals, fishes and even some sea horses ,some even staring you in your face.I dont know about Boracay but the underwater scenery in Puerto Galera is the best(that probably is the reason why for years UP’s Biology students spend their summers in this island).

Sea Anemone in Puerto Galera

3) DANAO CITY - this is a 3rd rate municipality compared to its uppity neighbor Cebu but going to Danao is an experience in itself. This City is located  by the sea . Another interesting thing in Danao is that it is home to a unique local industry gun making. So they say, if you hear a gunshot here,somebody is making money. For such a big place, almost everybody in this town knows everybody. Check out the Durano Cemetery where you can see lifesize replicas of the seven stations of the cross.

4) ILOILO- One thing that I like about Iloilo is my friend Meh(Carmela) Guadarama whose family owns Biscocho Haus. Meh has been my good friend since our UP days and everytime I go to Iloilo I stay at her place gratis et amore. Her biscocho is the" best in the west". It was when I stayed with her that I started hearing about Boracay. That was several years ago. Meh has introduced me to such flavorful dishes as Snipe(small quials that are cooked like adobo but deep fried so u can even eat the quials head), diwal(angel tongue shells that are so delicious abalone will pale in comparison) and nilagang mais(very small size). The city planning of Iloilo reminds you of a typical Philippine town. It can be a sleepy city for some but Iloilo is neat and well planned and the people are always smiling.Until now Meh would give my friends samples of her shops goodies whenever they mention my name or get a discount just knowing they are my friends.Another UP classmate Cecil owns Pancit Molo restaurant(the famous one)/.One shouldnt leave Iloilo without trying to eat at Titays by the sea(the best chicken inasal and seafood,yummy).

5) THE TOPS(the best dating place in Cebu)-I dont really know whether there is still a Cebu Plaza but the TOPS is located above Cebu Plaza hotel and gives you an overview of Cebu City. At night it is a cool romantic place to bring your date to.

The View from the Tops (Cebu City at night)

Niles Silver Ring

My youngest son Niles is a very charming child. He never fails to charm our visitors at home. HE IS A VERY GRACIOUS HOST. He entertains our guests and welcomes them like long lost relatives or family members. Two days ago, we had a guest from Manila staying with us for the week end. Since it was school holiday, NILES requested if he could join my maid and our guest to go to Chinese garden.

Before I left the office,Niles already called me and so excitedly said that he has a surprise for me. I am always excited whenever any of my two kids say they have a surprise for me because normally it turns out to be something that brings me joy whether its just a drawing they sketched for me, or something like cooking chocolate cake for me or cleaning up their rooms or saying that they have a star from school.

As soon as I reached home, Niles welcomed me at the door and asked his ate, Nygel and our guests not to reveal his surprise to me . As he came near me, he first told me a story …he said Mommy, we went jalan jalan(Malay for window shopping and going around) and then I saw this shop where they sell rings,so I asked the shopowner how much are the rings. He told me that previously he bought the rings at an expensive price but now he is selling it cheap…so he bought one ring for me. It is the most precious ring I got apart from my wedding ring and it goes well with the silver band that his father gave me as a souvenir from Thailand. I am now wearing it everyday. Thank you to my very carinoso child—NILES. Mommy likes it very much!

NOVENA CHURCH

This is Novena church of Singapore. It is located just 5 minutes from the Novena MRT Station and it is a favorite church for filipinos living in Singapore specially for the thousands of maids who congregate here every Sunday.

Just like the Baclaran Church in the Philippines, this church is run by the redemptorist congregation .It is a church that has produced a lot of miracles,answered a lot of prayers and petitions much like what Baclaran Church and St Jude Church in the Philippines is known for.

Last Christmas, Father Angel gave a homily about several Filipinos whose petitions have been answered when they come to this church. Thus, hoping against hope, I started my novena in February and my fervent wish was that my kids pass their chinese exams. I know it is a hopeless case but I persevered. In my whole life, I had never gone to a novena much less finish one but I am determined to do so for my kids.

Less than 8 weeks into my novena my kids took their first Continual Assessment -and their grades were dismal. but I am not giving up. Somehow it gives me peace of mind that I will say a little prayer everytime for my two kids. It is still my hope and wish that despite their poor showing in school they will still be happy and healthy and maybe that is what GOD wants me to be blessed with and I thank GOD for this blessing of health and happiness.

Ikea sale!

IKEA has always been one of my fav stores and when they have a sale I will surely go.

I didnt want to miss out on this sale so off I went with my two boys to IKEA last week end. The first thing we did was to queue up for the $1.70 hotdog and softdrinks meal-yuyummmy…THE SALE IS ON UNTIL MARCH 26. Here are the items worth buying:

Below $4 items:(vase$1.5,Dishrack,3plastic containers,4tealights for $3.5, Rugs and 6 glasses for $3)

Good Buys:$8.95 chair        shoe organizer$12(can hold up to10 pairs

BIRTHDAY CALCULATOR

I found a site that is quite interesting.just enter your birthday and you find out more about yourself.

http://www.paulsadowski.com/birthday.asp

MIGRAINES

I had been having migraines since Friday .Its quite inconvenient. I missed out the Boyscout Bonfire activity of Niles on Sunday. I should have been with him while he was roasting his marshmallow by the campfire. He was so excited when he got back home that he showed us his picnic mat, his raincoat and the new badge he got for joining the bonfire.

Niles has been growing so fast that his shoes now fits me. He also doesnt mind going out to school activities on his own. Yesterday he said"Mommy, I dont mind going alone, anyway others also dont have their parents with them". Much as I have wanted to join him, this migraine has left me weak and inactive for almost two days.

PINOY BIG BROTHER

Everyday the headline in the Philippine news is either Pinoy Big Brother or about Big Sister Gloria.I am quite detached actually from the Philippine situation and  dont know why people pay so much attention to Pinoy Big Brother or why it is such a big issue that Rustom is gay when u no longer have to ask him because its quite obvious.It’s like asking Rene Salud whether he is gay or not.

 I thought Pinoys have accepted Gays as part of Society so why is Rustoms "paglaladlad" a big thing? The same way the telenovela of Pinoy government goes on like Gulong ng Palad(Sometimes ur up sometimes ur down).Kanya kanyang eksena lang ang ginagawa ng mga politiko and we seem to take them seriously kaya it becomes such a huge thing.

We are really an artistic nation, the government is either full of "Artistas" or trying to be one.

SEAFOOD!!!!!

I long for inihaw but in Singapore we cannot do barbequing inside the flat, isusumbong ka ng kapitbahay mo. So each housing block has specific barbeque pits, doon ka lang pwedeng mag ihaw.

This is the barbeque pit, specially assigned for Muslim party-goers by the government. For us, it is funny to see "a religious barbeque pit".

Below are two recipes which are superdelicious. try it: 

Seafood Kinilaw

350 g fresh white fish fillet (lapu-lapu)
150 g blanched shrimps, squid or baby octopus
½ red onion, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, peeled and cut into thin round slices
3 small tomatoes, yellow or red, halved
1 ½ tbsp ginger, chopped fine
2 tbsp scallions

Sauce:

1 tbsp calamansi
¼ c spiced native vinegar
1/8 c coconut milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut seafood to bite-size pieces and mix with vegetables. Add sauce ingredients and mix well.
Let sit at least 15 minutes before serving. Do not pre-marinate the fish, it will destroy the flavor.
Garnish with chopped pork chicharon

Inihaw na Pusit

1 kg squid, lumot, cleaned
Marinade:
½ c soy sauce
¼ c brown sugar
½ c native vinegar
3 cloves minced garlic
¼ tsp crushed peppercorns
2-3 pcs siling labuyo, sliced
¼ c cooking oil (for basting)
Combine in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Cool.
Pour half the mixture to marinate squid. Reserve the rest for basting and as dipping sauce.
To the basting sauce, add ¼ c cooking oil. Grill for seven minutes, basting with sauce.
Serve with reserve sauce for dipping

OH MY GOD!!!

Oh My God , my kids are at it again, their grades are low again. No matter what i do I cant really see why they have very poor memory and very little interest in studying. When I was a child  my memory was very good, I can memorise anything within seconds. I have terribly good concentration power.

I guess I should not compare them to my previous achievements as a child. But I always remind them that underperforming would mean that they would probably be basureros(garbageman), paupers or beggars in the future.

So last night ,I asked them for the nth time to write a sorry and a resolution letter for me to appease my anger for their low grades in school. Nygel came up with a very realistic and very safe resolution–he would just improve a little bit on his dismal grades. I told him I need him to write out what they want me to do if they totally fail me again. My youngest son was taking a long time to write down his resolution but when he came up to me what he wrote was what I had expected.He wrote :

My target: Maths-100/100,English 100/100, Science 90/100, Chinese 50/100

What you will do to us if we dont pass: You will get angry and beat us, you will not allow us to play computer,TV and go out with our friends, you will not buy presents for my birthday and you will let us sleep in the laundry room.

Niles compared to Nygel absorbed everything that I said while Nygel is the usually "segurista" and "safe" person .He would rather play it safe than promise something that he cannot do. Of course I dont expect them to get 100/100 but giving me this target, Niles probably wanted to try his best while Nygel will just try a little bit better than what he had accomplished. Sometimes I wonder –I thought intelligent parents produce inteliigent children.Maybe I havent done so much,maybe I let them play to much computer or watch too much TV or maybe because I gave birth to them at an older age, "latak" na lang ang natira. 

OK– we have decided as a family, we will try again but this time no TV, no computer and only studying. I hope my boys will keep up their side of the bargain.Let us see what happens in June.

CANADA

My sister Bambi and her husband Marvin are based in Scarborough,Canada. She has been egging me to apply for immigration to Canada so we can be with them. It was only about 1 1/2 months ago that we have decided to start the process of completing our documents prior to submission for application for the Canadian Embassy. Why are we taking this step:

1) We thought it was OK since some of our friends say that the process will take about 2-3 years before we get an approval for a Canadian PR. By that time, our two boys will already be in secondary school and about to enter University which is just right;

2) At this point in time, we dont see any future if we go back to the Philippines neither do we see a long term future if we continue settling in Singapore until our retirement.Singapore is not a good retirement place.

3) Aside from my sister Bambi, my other cousin Cattleya and her husband are also based in Canada plus I have a best friend Len who also stays in Canada with her family.So it will not exactly be an unfriendly environment for me.

4) My two boys wont have to attend NS(National Service) when they reach 18 years of age which is a requirement for Singaporean PRs like them.

5) the price of real estate property(house) and vehicles are quite affordable in Canada vs a vs Singapore.

THE DOWN SIDE?

1)Canada is too far from the Philippines and maybe settling there would mean we would have fewer trips back home(Manila) not like the regular yearly trips we make from Singapore to Manila.

2) Canada is a very cold place so the weather might not be too friendly for us.

3) We have to have another career change especially Tony who has a very good job in Singapore;

Well , we shall see.

See this site: My sister, her family,my cousin cattleya and my cousins from LA (Susan and Oyen)

http://www.geocities.com/mikkamadibambi/flavier04/flavier2.html

Here is my Sister Bambi and her family (Marvin,her husband, and her two kids, Madi and Mikaela and our neighboy from Singapore (girl with specs)

LOVERS IN PARIS

My husband has been addicted to Lovers in Paris, a korean tele novela airing in Channel U. This is the first time he has been hooked on a tv show and a love story at that. He often comes home before 7pm from Mondays-Wednesdays just to catch the show. Now that he is in Taiwan, he even asks me for a recap of the show. I have to  report to him everynight what happens.

Well the show has premiered in the Philippines last year and I know that it was also such a huge hit there. I cannot however see the lure of the show, it is a love triangle and the actress who plays the lead role is not that pretty but she moves like Mariecel Soriano(medyo astig). Her face looks cartoonish specially the way show pouts and talks. She’s cute though.

SLEEPING WITH MY KIDS

Whenever Tony is off overseas, my two kids will only have one request and that is—they will sleep with me. Last night was no exception. My youngest son Niles came to my room and said" Mommy, Nygel and myself have a request" I thought they would be asking again whether they can play the computer. It turned out that they wanted to sleep in my room. I said no.

Then Niles went in my room again and asked me," Then Mommy, can you sleep in our room?" Looking at him smiling I didnt want to  say no again. When I said yes, he instantly said YIPEE.

I guess for my kids sleeping with me was a special privilege because it happens only when their daddy is away.

After I told Niles about the scary story of the White Lady of Balete Drive, we slept cuddled together like three peas in a pod.  

I guess children are so easy to please, just sleeping with them makes them happy.So as long as they still want me, I will sleep with them.Maybe a few years from now when they are both teenagers I will reminisce today and surely miss sleeping with my two kids.Guess What…I slept like a baby!!!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Tony is leaving for Taiwan tomorrow . He will be gone for a week. Sometimes, it takes time getting used to his travelling so much, but its part of his job. The benefits—he gets more mileage on his card, he gets more perks. The downside– he gets fat everytime he comes home, he gains weight.For us , the saying Absence Makes the heart Grow Fonder is always true. I’ll be the first one to welcome him when he comes home! Love u dear!

A Comparison of HDB Bank Loans (2005)

For those thinking of getting their own homes, here is a comparison of HDB(Housing Development Board) Bank loan rate comparisons last year June 2005. Give or take a few % the ranking of the banks with the best rates would probably be almost the same.

Take note however that effective March, most banks are increasing their HDB Home Loans interest rates

Try This Seven Day Juice Detox Diet

I am not recommending this to everyone, but for those who want to lose weight and fast during this Holy Week period, this diet will surely cleanse your system

This 7-day juice fast was designed to support, detoxify, and strengthen the major organs of elimination in the body, including the liver, colon, kidneys, skin, and lungs. The juices provide concentrated vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients that are easy to absorb.

• Day 1: Apple and celery juice: Intestines, liver, kidneys. Use 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 celery juice.

• Day 2: Pineapple juice: Enzyme bromelain for the small intestine. Also specifically helpful for inflammation, allergies, arthritis, edema, and hemorrhoids. Add 1/2 cup juice to 1/2 cup water.

• Day 3: Lemon juice and water: Detoxify and cleanse the liver. Add the fresh juice of 1/2 lemon to each cup of water.

• Day 4: Carrot Juice: Liver, lungs, kidneys, eyes.

• Day 5: Beet Juice: Removes toxins from the liver into the bloodstream. Also specifically helpful for arthritis and menstrual problems.

• Day 6: Green Juices: Believed to cause an exchange of toxins across membranes resulting in the systematic flushing of toxins out of the body. Also specifically helpful for circulation, skin, digestive problems, obesity, bad breath. Green vegetables include watercress, broccoli, kale, collard greens, parsley, spinach, beet greens. Green juices have a very strong taste, so carrot juice can be added as needed to improve the taste.

• Day 7: Distilled Water: Cleanses the entire system.
  

Drink these juices throughout the day. You are also encouraged to drink water on all days of the fast to help remove toxins. Fresh, rather than frozen, canned or bottled juices should be used, because processing destroys many of the nutrients and enzymes in juice. Use organic fruit and vegetables.

Writing as a Theraphy!

I had never had a diary before and blogging is like having a diary except that it is open for everyone to see. I have surely enjoyed writing although lately my spelling and tenses are getting screwed up ..probably a product of speaking singlish(Singapore English) to my kids and working 5 years for a Japanese company(where they cannot understand u if you dont speak like Tarzan–u know — Me Tarzan u Jane).

 I love writing and I discovered it quite late. I know when I was young I wanted to be an Architect like my father and I dreamed of going to UST and sitting infront of the fountain near the UST gate(mga gwapo kasi ng mga taga UST) So in High School everyone thought I would pursue the Arts. I was writing for the HS paper then as a Literary Editor(yung Valedictorian namin kasi ng Editor). I was therefore so disappointed when despite passing the entrance of UST my father (whose a UST graduate) decided that I should go to UP(dahil mas mura daw doon ng tuition.)

 That started my love affair with UP (I stayed 5 years for my undergrad and another 2 years for my Masters in Pey Ups). I was staying inside the campus(Area 14 infront of the playground) so I can spot an IKOT jeep from a Katipunan jeep from just the sound of the vehicle. My friends who dont take the jeep would be surprised to know that I could guess what kind of jeep is coming (IKOT or Katipunan) Blindly I would say ah IKOT yang darating. I know—-it takes familiarity to know the difference.

 I know every nook and cranny of UP, sometimes I even dream of it climbing up the stairs of Palma Hall(Arts and Sciences building) and slipping due to the 3 inch clogs that I have. I know of every tambayan, every acronym ,every Frat and sorority secrets. Tambay UP ako. If I have no classes I love making tambay(thats taglish ha) sa 2nd floor lobby infront of the UP Palma Hall theatre and when there is a sit in or a rally I join it(para maging in).

No wonder I became the head of our Sorority, Founding member of several campus organisations at sa kakulitan ko I tried out for the PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN. Every true blue blooded PEY UPS student knows when ur a Philippine Collegian writer, you either have it or you dont. 

Katuwaan lang,wala akong magawa so I sat in to take the exams for the Philippine Collegia staff writers. Aba-nakapasa ako. Our editor then was a Senior Law student, Alex Poblador whose sweetheart Cynthia became his wife. Probably I looked cute,so everytime they had a moot court o kunyariang trial sa class nila sa College of Law ako ang ginagawang witness. Minsan ginawa akong witness ng rape case. Nag rehearse kami. So dun ko nalaman na rehersado pala lahat ng mga witnesses at biktima .  

Sa madaling salita nagsulat ako sa Collegian for 1 year, mga kasama ko lang naman eh sina Senador Joey Lina at mga countless congressman na ngayon di ko na sila kilala, tapos si Bobby Coloma na head ngayon ng Agence France at si Diwata Reyes(2nd Female Collegian Editor after Miriam Defensor). I enjoyed writing for the Collegian, what I learned was not only writing but how to stay awake at night while one is doing press work in Quiapo.

One thing that I love doing I am doing it now—Writing and to those bloggers–pardon my English ha, kasi I am getting rusty already.

DI NA NATUTO

This is my (Dis) passionate letter to  Twinkle Delos Reyes, an Ateneo Student who wrote in the Inquirer (March 1,2006 issue about the state of Philippine affairs)H

Huwag kang mag-yehey dahil walang pasok (Inquirer Article dated March 1,2006)

First posted 08:53pm (Mla time) Feb 28, 2006
By Erica Clariz C. de los Reyes
Inquirer

  Dear  Twinkle:

I read ur piece in the newspaper. That was exactly what happened when I was a student in UP in 1978 and also way back in 1969 when my cousins were trying to oust Marcos from Malacanang. It happened again during the time of Estrada and now Gloria. It is a never ending cycle my child.

MY BLESSING-MY HUSBAND

Some people are blessed with riches, beauty and others, but me I am blessed with the most important person in the world-my husband. I never knew that marriage can be this good.

I met my husband at work and actually I had a hard time thinking about marrying him that is why I asked God’s guidance (for the first time in my life). I clearly remember that the stars(in the sky) where all out that night and the Miraculous Black Blessed Virgin was at the chapel near our workplace. I went to mass just to see the Virgin and ask her for guidance. I actually have decided to just keep him(my husband) away but for the last time I asked God for a sign if he was really meant for me. (I remember several friends were saying –ask for a white rose or anything as a sign from God ) After that I felt so sad because I was thinking what if there was no sign. Lo and Behold after I came out from the chapel, he was the first person I saw smiling at me. That clinched it-mabigat ang matchmaker -si Mama Mary.

Everyday, my husband has brought me joy. Of course sometimes, there are also some quarrels but it never brought me heart pains in fact oftentimes  I completely forgot what we quarelled about. He has given me more than what I have given him back and he never complains,altho sometimes he does about work not about our life. We are continuously blessed by our two healthy boys(maski na hindi sila kasing tatalino ng mga magulang).

 About two weeks ago my husband was scratching his hand (a sign daw that money is coming)and asking me if he should bet  system 12(playing lotto with 12 numbers and if u get 6 numbers right u win) at the Hongbao(New Year) draw, I jokingly told him I dont want to win the Lotto kasi happy na ako. Actually u know he got all 6 numbers right except that he didnt bet on the system 12.But he still won. If he did bet on system 12 sana milyonaryo na kami. Well anyway, lucky in Love naman siya eh(at ako pala ,he ,he he).