I'm going HOME

In less than 5 hours from now, I will be going home to my hometown, Dapitan City. I'll be casting my vote for the Barangay Election on October 29. Aside from that, it is time to relax and be with my family. Hope you will also have an enjoyable and fruitful holidays. :) Read more...

Pichuri Dance

Pichuri is a chavacano version of "Pipit" song. This video shows a group of students from Western Mindanao State University dancing on the tune of Pichuri.

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Paper Bag, Bayong or Plastic Bag

Plastic bags consumed this year:

Everyday, when we buy bread for breakfast or a kilo of rice for lunch, usually the goods are placed in a plastic bag. There have been a buzz on the ill effects of using plastic bags as they are produced from non-renewable petroleum resources. Yes, plastic bags can be recycled but not as easy as paper. The usual reason of clogged sewerage in the streets in the Philippines is the bundle of plastics which cannot decompose easily.

Several groups propose the use of paper bags as an alternative for plastic bags. Paper bags easily decompose and do not clog the sewerage. However, paper bags come from trees. Therefore, the impact on the production of paper bags on forests is huge.

Another alternative is the use of reusable bags. In the Philippines, the use of bayong has been done since time immemorial. A bayong, is made of coconut or other natural materials. The coconut leaves are being woven to make it as strong container of goods. The coconut leaves are renewable. Usually, the bayong is being used by Filipinos for buying vegetables from the market.

Hopefully, there can be a law in the Philippine against the use of plastic bags and promoting the use of bayong. Read more...

Zamboanga Hesmosa Festival 2007 & Fiesta Pilar

I missed some of the events of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival and Fiesta Pilar on October 12, 2007 because I was in Manila for a seminar.

photo courtesy of Jan Santos

One of the events during the festival is the Street Dance competition. Since Zamboanga changed it's promotional identity to being the Asia's Latin City, the Street Dance competition features costumes that mix the colors that reflects the vinta and the Hispanic inspired flowing skirts. The said festivity is similar to the Mardi Gras of the Latin countries.

Aside from missing the Street Dance Contest, I also missed the Fiesta Pilar. The fiesta is a tribute to the Lady of Pilar. My father is one of the devotees of the Lady of Pilar. He made a promise to light a candle in For Pilar every the fiesta. Since I am the only son who is based here in Zamboanga, I was the one who goes with him during fiestas to light candles. Unfortunately, I missed that this year.

There are still several activities that are on-going and will be conducted in the coming days. There are still time to catch up with the festivities. :) Read more...

Regatta de Zamboanga: Vinta Racing Contest

One of the highlights of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival is the annual Vinta Racing Competition. During the competition, a number of colorful vintas line up the boulevard of Zamboanga City to take part in this fun event. I was glad to be there to capture the moment.

If you happen to visit Zamboanga during the Hermosa Festival, check the city's official website for the Vinta Racing competition. I assure you that you will enjoy the sight of these colorful sails which you can only see in Zamboanga.

Taken on October 7, 2007
R.T. Lim Boulevard, Zamboanga City






For more regatta pictures, please visit my Multiply gallery. Read more...

Dapitan City's Old and New Architecture

If you are looking for a place to reminisce the past but at the same time enjoy modern amenities, I recommend you to visit my hometown, Dapitan City.

Around the City Plaza are structures that were preserved to give tourists a feel of the Spanish era. St. James Parish church which was built in the 18th century still bears the original architectural design. Several ancestral houses are also commissioned by the City Tourism to be preserved.

At the City's boulevard, which is around 10 minutes away from the City plaza (and around 2 minutes away from our house) is an entertainment complex that has a modern cockpit arena, restaurants, video arcade, bowling alley, carnival and clubs. Local and foreign tourists can enjoy their night by hanging out in this area.

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I'm a Monkey, I love Bananas

I'm a monkey. I was born during the year of the monkey based on the Chinese calendar. I do not know if it has something to do why I love eating bananas so much. lol... It has become my regular routine to buy a "sipi" of banana every Sunday and cook it as fried banana or locally called "rebusao". During weekdays, I take fried bananas during snack time. This snack looks like french fries coated with sugar.I did a little research on bananas. Whfoods.com talks about the history and benefits from bananas. According to the site, "bananas are thought to have originated in Malaysia around 4,000 years ago. From there, they spread throughout the Philippines and India." The fruit is still widely grown in the Philippines up to this day. Western Mndanao is one of the major producers of bananas as it has hectares of plantation in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.Aside from the taste of banana, I am fond of eating this fruit for its health benefits. Whfoods.com enumerated the benefits we can get from bananas.
Cardiovascular Protection from Potassium and Fiber

• Soothing Protection from Ulcers
• Improving Elimination (it helps you popoo with ease )
• Protect Your Eyesight
• Build Better Bones with Bananas
• Promote Kidney Health

Aside from these benefits, accordingly, bananas helps prevent pimples. hehehe.... nakahanap ka na ba ng ungoy na may pimple? hehehe... Read more...