PURE BLISS IN PALAWAN

Sabang Beach

I've been to Palawan many times over. I never get tired of going there. Each visit I take allows me to open my eyes with wonder. This visit took nine days going to and re-visiting some areas and discovering newly developed ones that have sprung up quite recently. So despite being a tourist "must see", Palawan seems to re-invent itself. 

Sheridan Resort and Spa

Extensive travel to Palawan can cost a hefty amount. It's not because the province has become a tourist trap, it's just the topography and geographical location lends itself to long drives and boat rides that enhance the experience of exploration. This time around it was the northern part that I went to visit. I wasn't alone. I was guiding for four Israeli VIPs.                 

Sheridan Resort and Spa

DAY 1

The 45 minute plane ride made touchdown by dusk. A heavy dinner at Ka Lui's is de rigeur if you're in Puerto Princesa (Palawan's capital). It's comforting to know the famed restaurant still offers great cuisine and fresh seafood. The standard has been maintained. I can not help but notice the city is no longer the quaint little city of three years ago. Yes, there are now malls aside from the obligatory bars that cater to foreign visitors... and taxi cabs too. A van took us directly to Sheridan Resort and  Spa in Sabang. Today was the first day of our trip. The roads have been well maintained but the solar lamps that used to line the road were not working. Thank God for bright headlights!

poolside

DAY 2

I woke up to a glorious morning so I lost no time walking around the familiar Sabang Beach. Still clean and picturesque, Sabang now is a bustling town with restaurants and B&Bs, lots of souvenir shops, ambulant vendors, an ukay-ukay (pre-loved goods). Last time I was there, there were 2 hotels and a few houses for home-stay. Not anymore! Sheridan and Daluyon can be a bit pricey so if you're on a budget I would recommend you stay in Balay-Balay. An air-conditioned room costs (Pesos) 1,600.00/night/pax while a fan room costs half the price. Good enough for two people and it has its own bathroom. 

lobby

I stocked up on snacks and cold water for guests, myself and the driver. These long distances can make one hungry and you never know when the next sari-sari store will come along. No. there are no no convenience stores along the way. Sari-sari stores come few and far between. From Sabang, it would take another 3-4 hours of driving to our next stop - Port Barton. We got there by 2pm to take a boat ride to Palawan Camping Adventures midway between Port Barton and San Vicente. That boat ride was a good half hour still.

Port Barton

More than ten years ago, my friends and I stayed in Port Barton. At most, there were two resorts. The entire stretch of beach was ours to play around in. The place we stayed in was called Swissipini owned by an enterprising lady named Flora. Now, Port Barton is a bustling town. The wide stretch of beach has given way to B&Bs, resorts, restaurants and karaoke bars. Still a nice place to visit but forget peace and tranquility here. You'll find those in Thelma and Toby's. We arrived around three in the afternoon.We had to pay for environment tax prior to the boat ride (P50.00/pax). We were welcomed by the resort's owner Toby ( a Canadian citizen married to a Filipina from Palawan) Thelma.

My guests at  Port Barton

After the welcome drinks and small talk, we were shown our accommodations. We had time to get settled and were told that dinner was at 7:00pm.The meal was fresh seafood, rice, salad, laing (taro leaves in coconut cream, and fresh fruit for dessert. Before you know it the sound of the waves along the shore and the balmy winds got me all sleepy. By nine pm, I turned in for the night.

Thelma and Toby's

DAY 3

I was up at dawn to the sound of waves. The wind had brought the waves crashing to shore at night and in the morning, it was calm and peaceful. I was at the beach way before the other guests were. The good thing about the Thelma and Toby's operation is that it's run by the couple and their staff (whose almost family). Grace is the all-around supervisor, accountant, cashier, et.al. She is god daughter to Thelma. In the summer Thelma and Toby's children are hands on at their resort. Two of their kids are in Canada while the youngest is in college at Puerto Princesa. Toby and Thelma decided to purchase the 5 hectare property when they got married and started working on the resort while the family was growing. 

Thelma and Toby's (Palawan Camping Adventures

The resort has 10 tents and three cottages. It's not your typical campsite. It's glamping at its best! Each tent has its own fire pit. you gotta pay 50.00 for firewwood though. But that's plenty of warmth at night and it drives away mosquitoes. At (pesos) 1,600.00/pax/night, it's pretty reasonable considering you get full board plus use of the facilities. The water is abundant, and even if the bathrooms are shared, it is always clean and well stocked with tissue paper. The meals are always fresh catch of the day ranging from Giant Trevalli to Yellow fin Tuna and shrimp. The guests get a treat when the staff clamber up the trees to fetch young coconut. You can kayak to a waterfall in the adjacent cove and the locals are always willing to welcome you to that area. A small donation won't even wreck your budget.

My accommodations at Palawan Camping Adventure

Chatting with Toby over breakfast is a great fun. He has this "awww shuchks" vibe about him and he's always up for good conversation. The days go by slowly over this tranquil spot on earth but not one of the guests can be heard complaining. Actually, quite a lot want to extend their stay. It's just beautiful out there. Good reviews on trip advisor keep the guests coming. Toby wants to keep the resort the way it is though. No need to expand operations. All one needs to do is get an online reservation.

Sunset at Palawan Camping Adventures

Day 4

It was time to leave for Taytay as the guests were booked for 1D/2N in Apulit. I made arrangements to have the boat drop us off at San Vicente, which was the next town. A bigger one than Port Barton! It would have meant a shorter drive to Taytay plus the roads are better. Nonetheless, the  drive is another 3-4 hours. We stopped midway for snacks at Lorna's where for 750 pesos, all five of us had a heavy snack of pork nilaga, menudo adobo chicken. plus drinks.

Sala de Apulit

We reached Taytay by noon and had lunch at Pem's Pension house two blocks from the Sala de Apulit. What used to be known as Club Noah Isabel was acquired by the Ayala Group and they decided to use the name of the island. A lot pricey but still in great demand. Those cabins in the water attract a lot of foreign tourists. 

Cabin 20 at Pems Pension House

I on the other hand, stayed in Taytay and found my lodging at Pems Pension House. At (pesos) 1,500.00/night I had an air-conditioned cottage with TV to myself with a great view of Fuerza Sta. Isabel. This fort was completed in 1738 after the Spaniards decided to stay in the area when it was discovered by the survivors of Magellan's fleet. After Magellan's soldiers were massacred by Lapu-Lapu's men, the survivors fled Mactan and were said to have been pursued by the Muslims. They ended up in the northern tip of Palawan and took Taytay's local King and Queen as hostage demanding they be given food and supplies so they could sail to the Moluccas strait where they could seek help from the Portuguese sailing in the area. They started building the fort to protect themselves and stayed when the Philippines was colonized. The Fuerza de Sta. Isabel stands as a mute witness to Spanish colonization in a least likely Spanish ruled area.

Fuerza de Sta. Isabel, Taytay, Palawan

Last order prior to the kitchen closing was at eight p.m. Ms. Jen (whom I had met earlier in the day), the supervisor, came knocking at my door to asked if I was interested in having dinner. I decided to order a plate of spaghetti bolognese for (pesos) 295.00. The order was a huge serving of pasta good enough for three people. Later on, I discovered that the servings in Pems Pension House was always huge

Backyard of Pems Pension house with the fort in the background

DAY 5

I woke up early morning to the sound of birds chirping in the garden. I had the day all to myself to do as I pleased. The owner of Pems, Chan Lee mentioned the Cayawyaw falls as an interesting destination 45 minutes away from the town of Taytay. I'd have gone except that I would get calls from the tour operator about changes in itinerary. It had to be cancelled. 

Pems Pension House lobby

So for the rest of the day, I explored Taytay. The fort was a  necessary stop.  and then I went around the market area to buy mosquito repellent and some other supplies. Took a million photos of the area and the church of St. Monica. I didn't venture too far out to visit the Cathedral of St Joseph as it was too far off town. The rest of my day was spent at the Pems Cafe where there was wi-fi and chatting with the locals. Pems is a nice set-up. I could have stayed in Casa Rosa but I didn't want to clamber up the hill where it was located. Too much hassle. But my stay at Pems was worth every cent. Near the coastline and the market area, and right next to Sta. Monica Church. 

Sta. Monica Church, Taytay Palawan

Chan Lee and some of the staff are exactly the right people you wanna hang out with. I also met some of the guests from all over the world and my free day was all over before I knew it. I was also getting tired from all that walking so I slept like a log after downing a huge plate of shrimp in garlic and butter.

Bar area of Pems Pension House

DAY 6

Woke up at dawn to get ready for Mass. It was a Sunday. I got dressed and ready and went next door to the church. Apparently, there was no fixed time for Mass. They start when most of the neighborhood was present in Church. At 7:00 a.m. the processional went on and an hour later, I was at the breakfast table with a plate of toast, bacon and eggs. My guests were scheduled to arrive after lunch and then we move to El Nido. 

Cadiao Island, El Nido, Palawan

The van arrived shortly after lunch and we waited at the Sala de Apulit for the guests. The boat was a little late and once we had loaded the luggage in the van, we sped off to El Nido. We reached El Nido Town around 2:00p.m. and the guests decided to have late lunch. We stopped in town so the guests can do some walking and a little exploration and they decided to eat at Angel's for their spicy chicken. El Nido  is the touristy version of Puerto Princesa. The shoreline is dotted with hotels and B&Bs and bars that cater to tourists. Name your cuisine and you'll find it in El Nido. What makes for interesting backdrop while your dining are the islands jutting out from the  West Philippine Sea.

We had to continue to drive to Tapik Beach which was a 2-hour drive along the El Nido Coast. It was dusk when we got to Tapik Beach so I checked in the guests and found my accommodations for the rest of our stay. It was a two-man tent with a thatched roof over it. It was similar to the Palawan Camping Adventures in Port Barton  but a lot smaller in scale. This is far removed from the busy street scene of El Nido and access to it is through the beach. It is quiet, secluded and off the beaten track - literally! After dinner, I decided to settle into my tent and fell asleep by 10:00pm.

my accommodation at Tapik Beach

DAY 7

I woke up at dawn to get ready for a heavy schedule. I was going to take the guests back to El Nido for an island hopping tour. The guests were to ride bikes to town and from there board a private outrigger for Island Tour A: Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Seven Commando. 

Overcast skies loomed over the coastline and the bikes came 2 hours late. But when it did, the guests were so gung-ho about taking the bike ride to town. We reached El Nido near noon, boarded the boat, got the coast guard clearance and sped off. It was a rainy day but it didn't dampen the spirit of my guests. They were gobsmacked with the beauty of the limestone cliffs rising above the deep indigo water.

Small Lagoon

The small lagoon was the first stop and the three of the guests snorkeled all the way to the small lagoon. One of them stayed on the boat to watch lots of tourist renting kayaks. He spotted a lady using an oar that had dark and light streaks and decided to buy it for himself. Apparently he has a collection of oars from every country he has visited. we decided to make a pitch for it at he purchased it after haglling for (pesos) 500.00. After the rest came back from snorkelling, they were treated to lunch of tuna, crabs, shrimp, mussels, and mangoes and watermelon for dessert.

Entrance to Secret Lagoon

Next stop was Secret Lagoon. Once we reached the spot, they decide to make a swim for the secret lagoon entrance and they had to line up to get in. Our boat was easy to maneuver as we had the boat all to ourselves.we weren't sharing it with twenty other tourists. 

Shimizu Island

We made our way to Shimizu Island. Named after a man who was said to have drowned in its waters, it is rich snorkeling area. Beyond it is open sea but the water on our side was calm. Not far from from the island is Turtle island which is where sea turtles spawn and lay eggs. One would need special permission to do a night watch there.

Big Lagoon

Big Lagoon was our next stop. The lagoon is big enough for boats to sail into. There's a portion where one can walk the shallow part but watch out for bancas that go in and out of the lagoon. Those jagged limestone cliffs can be sharp. Big Lagoon is the deepest, reaching up to 80 feet. Whute tipped reef sharks can sometimes bask in its depths.

Big Lagoon

7 Commando is an inhabited island. After a long day of swimming and snorkeling the island is the last stop where tourist can get a cup of coffee prior to getting back to El Nido port. We decided to skip this one and headed back to El Nido so we can get back to Tapik Beach by nightfall. Those roads going through the different barangays are dark and unlit. The roads are now paved except for some portions where road construction is still ongoing.

Big Lagoon

DAY 8

Our stay was made memorable when one of the guests decided to go to Barangay Sibaltan to look for a guy who makes oars for canoes. I found out through the staff that the guy was employed at Tapik Beach. I asked him to go home and fetch his oars so the guest can take a good look at them. Those oars he made by hand fetched (pesos) 300.00 each. So my happy guest came back to Manila lugging 2 oars for a canoe and one for a kayak.

We made a temporary stop at the viewpoint overlooking Deep Blue beach in Barangay San Fernando in El Nido and by ten a.m. we had reached El Nido Airport for our flight back to Manila.

AHP VISITS NAGCARLAN, LILIW AND MAJAYJAY

Facade of San Bartolome

I've written about the churches of Nagcarlan and its underground cemetery and Majayjay and its majestic church and heritage hoes before. And when I learned that the Advocates for Heritage Preservation was going to do a walking tour of these locations I immediately signed up so I could visit these areas again.

Convento of San Bartolome

This time, I was in a van with Alice de Vera Vasquez, Bhel Asinas et.al. who all came from the Makati pick up point. Our first stop was the underground cemetery of Nagcarlan. For a first time visitor, it can be a real surprise to visit. Its historical significance and architectural uniqueness makes it a definite must see.(For details on it, see my earlier post on Nagcarlan and Majayjay)

 Dennis Roland Castanos, Dennis Geronimo Red Maristany, Vica Tigno, Maricar Anatalio, Esquierdo Bhel Asinas and Dodi Esc at Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery

We were welcomed by the tourism officers of this  town and then we were off exploring the underground chamber where the obligatory selfies and groupies were taken for posterity. After this was the short drive to the church of San Bartolome. There was a wedding/s so we had to wait for our turn to be able to meander along the church's ancient aisles. A short talk on the church's history was given by our guest who "made extensive studies of all the churches in southern Luzon." I managed to reach the belfry and have my photo taken. Vilma Santos' film Kampanera'ng Kuba (Hunchbacked Bellringer) was filmed here. After which we boarded our respective vans to have lunch in Liliw. Again, you must read an older post on this blog site if you wish to know more on Liliw.

channeling my inner "Kampanera'ng Kuba"

Prior to lunch, we stopped at the San Juan Church of of Liliw where we were met by a young lad who was in charge of the museum. This was a treat for me. Everytime I visited Liliw, the museum was always closed. Finally, this time I got to see the museum's content. I wasn't much but there was a vignette of Christ's baptism by John and another vignette of St. John's eventual demise. A gruesome scenario of the saint's beheading.  

a gruesome beheading

with Faviola Torres, Enrico Brion Gapangada and Jigs Medina

Lunch would have been a culinary treat at Bahay na Puti except that we had to wait for more than an hour for our order to be set at the table. Apparently, the chef was overwhelmed by the size of our group. This isn't the biggest AHP gathering, mind you. I guess they were not prepared for the volume of diners this time around. We then meandered the streets of Liliw to view some heritage homes but were not able to go in. Shopping then, became the main agenda.

,Rheeza Santiago HernandezDennis Geronimo Red Maristany,Jose Benigno Salvador, Arwin Arca Arceo, Blanquita Pimentel Hernandez, Yitte P Hernandez.

Desspite of the Town Hall being closed on a Saturday, we were allowed entry by the caretaker. Unfortunately, I noticed that the mural on the second floor by Amorsolo was no longer there. Apparently, it had been taken down for "restoration". I hope it doesn't end up in someone else's home...

Liliw Municipal Hall

Finally, it was time to visit Majayjay. The church and its surroundings look the same. Unfortunately, the Lyceo was closed off to the public as there were no classes. I was not able to show them the original beam that had the date 1898 carved into it. A part of the roof was blown away during the storm Pedring. Luckily, part of the roof was kept intact. The gnarled trees of plumeria right outside the side entrance planted and tendered lovingly by the priests at the time of the church construction remain sentries to the faithful who go through the arched doorway.

Plumeria trees at the side entrance

Retablo of San Gregorio Magno

We then visited the Ermita, a smaller church which houses the original painted image of Nstra. Sra, de Porteria. The church now is kept and maintained by a group of volunteers who open the gates for visitors interested in seeing its interiors. The belfry was said to be very fragile and in danger of crumbling. A serious retrofitting of the structure is in tall order.

The Ermita of Majayjay

Like all AHP visits, this one came to an end by sundown. The AHP family came home, sated, satisfied and having more knowledge of the country's best known secrets...

Nstra. Sra. de Porteria

AHP (A HERITAGE PARTY)

The AHP family

The Advocates for Heritage Preservation celebrated it very first Christmas Party at Barbara's in Intramuros on Sunday, 18 December, 2016. What happens when you get at least seventy individuals who have a shared passion for heritage?  If you think, people who appreciate the value of ancestral homes, ancient sites and magnificent churches have boring, stuffy celebrations... you are sadly mistaken!

Tito Encarnacion, Earl Gamboa, Jigs Medina, Faviola Torres, Ace Burwell, Jose Benigno Salvador, Mark Fule, Me*

We were meant to have a party last year, which did not materialize. This year, Tito Encarnacion rallied the members to push through with the event. The word spread like wild fire. And before we all knew it, the event had transformed into a costume party for everyone to come in Filipiniana attire. 

The women of AHP

Dennis Roland Castanos

Prior to the event, board members of the Dakila'ng Pamana ng Lahi met at the adjacent Ristorante del Mitre to discuss our position paper on the destruction of some heritage sites in Manila. You see, we don't just admire these sites we visit, we also try to preserve and protect them by playing an active role in these localities. Present at the meeting were Tito Encarnacion and Aye Encarnacion, Ka Lino Atienza and Mye Atienza, Febe Sevilla, Tim Delez, Lito Ligon and myself. By a quarter before six, we had to adjourn as we had started to observe some members of AHP arriving in full regalia.

Lea Amante Villapando

Now normally, we visit areas in our now identifiable yellow gold tees and we make a statement to local governments that: "hey, we're watching you preserve heritage sites!" This time around, everybody was dressed to the nines. It was difficult identifying the attendees at times because they actually looked... well... different...

Alice De Vera Vasquez and son*

Orven Cataniag

I had arrived in gym attire just in case no one was in the agreed costume. I'm glad I packed my costume lest I look out of place. When I got to the venue I saw friends groomed and manicured; glamorized and stylized; be-jewelled and be-dazzled.Was I going to be left out? I had to give in. Quick Change...and voila, instant Cinderella transformation!! Tim Delez and Lito Ligon had acted as official photographers. But this being an AHP gathering, selfies, groupies, shoefies and costumefies were de-rigeur.

the Magbubukid group*

The first person I saw taking shots was Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols in a formal black gown with a butterfly sleeved bolero in jusi and an accent choker dripping in mother of pearl. Precy Vivar Quinto arrived much later in a little black dress version When i went upstairs, Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador, who was the evening's host, was in an all white sack linen ensemble with a maroon insert and a mis-matched pair of bakya (wooden clogs). What a statement on his footwear! Faviola Torres (utility LGBT) was in a black and white Barong Tagalog and black trousers. Madam Pheeyah Salones was in a purple terno which was heavily embroidered in colorful blooms. That convinced me to get dressed!

the Mindanao Group*

People started arriving randomly in pairs or in groups but they were garbed in native dress. The group of Rheeza Hernandez (the co-host) were in rural Bulacan attire. The San Pablo contingent of Mark Fule, Naning Esguerra, Earl Gamboa were dapper in their callado pina Barongs. Maricar Anatalio, Esquierdo Bhel Asinas, Marichelle Santos and the rest of the "tribal" group were either in ikat, hablon or malongs and tons of beads.  Vica Tigno and Bing Tubid were in patadyong. The Kultura Filipina Dancers (composed mainly of students) provided a suite of indigenous dances representing Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Ace Burwell, Faviola Torres took a jab at Tinikling ( native dance set to bamboo clappers. Then photo ops with the dancers took place.      

Group pic with Alice de Vera Vasquez and son, Vica Tigno, Maricar Anatalio, Dennis Rloand Castanos, Mary Grace Artuz, Marizelle Agapito, Emy Emerald, Claro Viloria, etc.

Out of the official roster of guests indicated below, only a few could not make it to the event. But here are the names of those who made the evening memorable:

Annie and Jayce Obeya, Allan Martinez, Aye and Tito Encarnacion, Ding and Pheeyah Salones, Bhel Asinas*

1) Agapito, Marizelle

2) Anatalio, Maricar 

3) Artuz, Maria Grace 

4) Asinas, Bhel 

5) Atienza, Lino 

6) Atienza, Mye 

7) Basco, Mark 

8) Bernardo, Johnson 

9) Bolislis, Ferdi 

10) Castanos, Dennis 

11) Cejar, Arlene 

12) Cejar, Czar 

13) Cejar, Jonny 

14) Cejar, Lord

15) Cejar, Prince 

16) Delez, Marlene 

17) Delez, Tim 

18) Delez, Trishka

19) Dulay, Emy 

20) Dulay, Joem 

21) Encarnacion, Aye 

22) Encarnacion, Tito 

23) Escartin, Dodie 

24) Escartin, Corinne 

25) Esguerra, Naning 

26) Faustino, Dominic 

27) Fule, Mark 

28) Gamboa, Earl 

29) Garcia, Arthur 

30) Gonzales, Gema 

31) Gorme, Jhon 

32) Hernandez, Jonathan 

33) Hernandez, Rheeza 

34) Lapira, Addel 

35) Ligon, Lito 

36) Limbo, Ruel 

37) Marasigan, Zaldy 

38) Maristany, Dennis 

39) Martinez, Allan 

40) Mateos, Lorenzo 

41) Medina, Jigs 

42) Morales, Alejandro 

43) Nuqui, Del 

44) Obeya, Annie Grace 

45) Rafols, Anthony Lloyd 

46) Roldan, Anette*

47) Rosero, Earl 

48) Salones, Pheeyah 

49) Salones, Pheeyah 

50) Salvador, Jose Benigno 

51) Santos, Joyce 

52) Santos, Marichelle 

53) Sevilla, Febe 

54) Tigno, Vica 

55) Torres, Faviola 

56) Tubid, Bing

57) Vasquez, Alice 

58) Villapando, Lea Amante 

59) Viloria, Claro 

60) Viola, Maria Santos 

Myself, Jonathan and Rheeza Hernandez, Marichelle Santos, Bing Tubid, Orven Cataniag

Jigs Medina, Jose Benigno Salvador, Mark Fule, Febe Sevilla, Naning Esguerra

1) Abellera, John Paul
2) Aranilla, Jojie
3) Burwell, Ace
4) Caminade, Bunny
5) Coscolluela, Ana David
6) Cruz, Chi-chi
7) De Los Reyes, Susan
8) Galvez, Jennifer
9) Galvez, Noel
10) Jusi, Joel
11) Jusi, Ma. Dulce
12) Jusi, Jannah Aleeza
13) Martinez, Fely P.
14) Obeya, Jace
15) Quinto, Precy Vivar
16) Raymundo, Melchor
17) Ver, Maricris 

the Tribal Group with Maricar Anatalio and Lea Amante Villapando*

Tito Encarnacion and Ka Lino Atienza delivered very short speeches  to announce next year's protest against the demolition of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and to kick of the rest of the evening's activities. Some generous members, donated prizes for a raffle draw that proved to be the highlight of the evening. Some people actually burned off what they ate from the sumptuous dinner buffet from laughing so hard at the antics of the trio of Jose Benigno Salvador, Rheeza Hernandez and Faviola Torres. Keepsakes, gift items and precious coffee table books were given away to lucky winners.

L-R: Pheeyah Salones, Faviola Torres, Myself, Bing Tubid, Jigs Medina, Bhel Asinas, Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols*

The announcement of the Best in Costume winners was the highlight of the evening. Leah Amante Villapando and Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols were the big winners having won books as well. While Pheeyah Salones and myself lorded it over everyone else as the party's Hermana and Hermano Mayor. On a personal note, I think we will be facing a dilemma for next Christmas... How on earth are we gonna top all this fun?

L-R: Pheeyah Salones, Lea Amante Villapando, the author, Lloyd Anthony Nuestro Rafols*

Merry Christmas to my readers and followers!!!!

my photo edited by Bhel Esquierdo Asinas*

*photos used in this article were taken by Tim Delez, Lito Ligon, Jonathan Hernandez, Mitoy Orosa, et. al.

PAWIKAN PAGEANTRY

I was invited to be a judge for the Pawikan Turtle) Festival for a second year in a row. This was a thrill I wouldn't want to turn down. Specially because I was one of the resource persons tapped to lecture on costume design and production two years ago.

Amy Canares of the Bataan Tourism Council and Nilo Agustin of the Department of Tourism tapped me as one of the judges in a panel composed of Nonoy Froilan, Ato del Rosario, Nilo Agustin, Arman Sta. Ana and myself. However, because of conflicting schedules, Nonoy Froilan and Nilo Agustin couldn't make it so they were replaced by Rodel Fronda and Peter de Vera.

I was in Pampanga earlier in the morning of the 26th of November  to be with my Advocates for Heritage Preservation family (see my Pampanga post). I had to cut it short so I could take the bus to Balanga, Bataan and meet with my hosts. By 1:00 p.m. I was dropped off at the Robinson's Mall I San Fernando, Pampanga so I could take the bus to Mariveles, Bataan and get off at the Bataan Tourism Office in Balanga. I was at the tourism office by 4:00 p.m. then I was whisked off to my home for the evening in a resort along the coastline of Morong, Bataan.

Bataan has an organization of resorts and hotels which take turns in hosting special guests for the Pawikan Festival. This year's host was the Phi Phi Beach Resort, After the obligatory check-in procedures, I was ushered to my room facing the ocean. It was past sunset so everything was dark but the sound of the waves was unmistakably clear and loud. Then I was off to dreamland,,, I had missed the night watch to witness the turtles digging their nests to deliver eggs after which they return to the ocean never seeing their offspring ever again.

I was up early in the morning to get ready for the Pawikan Festival. Festivities last the whole day but one of the activities was the Street Dancing Competition which starts at nine a.m. After a hearty breakfast, we headed to the venue. People had come from near and far. Families came with their kids to watch the hatchlings and some adults released into the wild.  The Governor of Bataan and most of the Mayors were present. Congresswoman Geraldine Roman was present too. The Tourism sector was represented by Undersecretary Benito  Bengson who accepted a plaque of appreciation for Secretary Wanda Teo .

To see these creatures wiggling to be free was just amazing! The other activities included were the Body Painting Competition, Beach Volleyball, and the Ceremonial Releasing of the turtles. Many years ago, locals were stealing the turtle eggs for their high protein content and served as meals or sold as souvenirs to unwitting tourists. Thankfully, people have become aware of preserving these creatures.

This year's Street Dancing competition was an improvement from last year's. The story boards were clearer and "tighter". The productions were cleaner. However, on some instances, the execution would suffer from inconsistencies in  terms of costume and music. There were only 11 participants out of the 12 towns of Bataan. In some performances, I can recall parts of costumes from last year that have been rehashed perhaps due to budget constraints. I am surprised that expenses for these production numbers were subsidized by the province's tourism committee. And so on the day of the event, eleven towns competed with a contingent of  25-30 members doing a 10 minute dance number that captures this year's theme: One Bataan in Saving the Pawikan!

The province realizes the potential for tourism that the conservation of these gentle creatures bring. It has now become so popular among wildlife enthusiasts to go to Morong on weekends and experience the process of egg laying of these turtles during egg laying season. Even beyond the day of the festival, interested parties may visit the Pawikan Conservation Center and do a night watch. They have a website and email address where you can coordinate with them if you plan to witness this exciting natural event. I plan to visit again next year and witness what I missed.

AHP's PAMPANGA PART 2

I didn't want to miss the second part of Advocates for Heritage Preservation's  Pampanga tour so I confirmed my participation weeks in advance. This time, the areas to be explored were Mexico and San Fernando. Naturally, I didn't want to miss the food lovingly prepared by long time friend and doyenne of Pampango heritage cuisine Aching Lillian Borromeo. I had brought some tourists on a culinary tour of Pampanga to her home to savor all the delights she would lovingly prepare in her kitchen. November 26th was no different.

As early as half past four I was at the appointed rendezvous in Buendia and Makati Avenue. There I met up with Ace Burwell and Bhel Esquierdo Asinas. Later on we were joined by Mike Asinas (our San Pablo host) and his friend Ed and Alice deVera Vasquez. We waited a little longer until Del Nuqui arrived and we were off to Pampanga. This time it was Johnson Bernardo on the steering wheel.

St Monica's relic

We made a roundabout route by exiting on the Mexico ramp along the North Luzon Expressway so we had to back-track through wide open expanses of rice fields and quaint communities around Mt. Arayat until we reached Sta. Monica church.  Located 71 km north of Manila, Mexico has had many changes over the years. One such "victim" of this change is the church. Fortunately, it was not through human intervention or neglect that caused the destruction but an earthquake in July 19, 1880. The church was badly damaged and never restored. The original belfry and convent, however, remained intact.

original belfry

The belfry now is in a fragile state; parts of it crumbling and so, out of sheer necessity a carbon copy is being constructed a few shorts steps to the left of the church. The tourism office of the town of Mexico was on hand to orient and give and audio-visual presentation while we were there. But the bonus was we, as guests, were given permission to enter the cloister of the Benedictine convent. This allowed for some, a clearer understanding of the contemplative order. Silence and introspection are necessary to drown out ambient noise in order to hear the voice of God in praise and adoration.

Old photos of Sta. Monica

It was a cloudy (rainy?) day so the next stop wasn't a walk in the park. The Hizon ancestral home was a welcome discovery despite the rains. I learned that the upkeep and maintenance of the home is currently being undertaken by Dita Sandico Ong. Famous for her extensive use of  native diaphanous material in barong  jusi and pina fibers which she fashions into wraps and shawls, tops and skirts the house sits as a testament to her artistic background in fashion. I have, on occasion, brought guests to her atelier in Wilson street, Greenhills. This was before she closed shop and moved to somewhere in New Manila.

This ancestral home sits on a huge lot surrounded by fruit trees and has a kamalig ( rice warehouse) at the back of the house. Her silong (ground level quarters) has been converted into a costume exhibit area where some of the AHP members tried on various head gear and shawls for photo ops. I stayed in the upper level to take photos of the well-appointed home where the callado (carved wooden valences indicated the initials of the former owners and the date in which the home was built (1927). The dining area featured huge plateras (serving trays) and pewter candelabras, a punkah ( indian inspired, manually operated fanning mechanism) and a collection of deer antler on the wall.

The Kusina (kitchen) was just as huge. the prepping table dominated the space  with a paminggalan (food storage) on the side wall. The kusinilyas (open fire pit/stoves) were on the far end complete with palayok (earthenware pots) and banga (earthenware water jar) were by the banggera (dish rack). Beyond it was the azotea (rear balcony) where the banyo and latrina (bath and toilets, literally) were located.

the undisputed Queen of Pampango heritage cuisine

The piece de resistance of this trip was a lunch stop at the home of Aching Lillian Borromeo. Her usual, bubbly self, Aching Lillian welcomed us into her improvised kitchen cum exhibit/demo area. This time around, I noticed a lot of improvements in her compound. For one, there is now an upper floor in the kitchen. It used to be just a wide open fenced in area in the bakuran (garden area)  with her century old cooking utensils within easy reach of curious onlookers and guests. We were given cucumber flavored welcome drinks to begin with then the cooking demo was underway. Tito Encarnacion (our dear founder/ motivator/influencer) introduced Aching Lillian to the other guests and the panecillos de San Nicholas (St. Nicholas cookies) demonstration took on a comical turn when she was assisted by Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador and Ace Burwell. Jerry Punzalan Sagmit also did a demonstration of another version of empanada. This was unlike the empanada kaliskis (scaly empanada) of Malolos. This empanada uses a pillowy soft dough that Jerry lovingly crimps by hand using a dying technique and is baked in the oven.

Jerry Punzalan Sagmit preparing heritage empanada

Lunch was one for the books! Pako (edible fern) salad,  chicharon (crispy pork rind) from Guagua, spring rolls, okoy na kalabasa (squash fritters with shrimps), steamed fish, embotido (meat roll), pork belly), chicken roulade...etc., etc. The food went on and on. I've forgotten some of the viands prepared. To sum it all up, there were 16 of them. I was too full to recall all of them but it was capped off with a dessert of tibok-tibok (carabao milk infused panacotta-like dessrt). After that, bedlam ensued when everybody wanted their photos taken with Aching Lillian and those who bought the second edition of her recipe book of heirloom recipes wanted their copies signed. I have the first edition with her signature on it but i'm looking forward to get the re-print because this one has me in one of the photos. Gotta get my second copy.

Aching Lillian Borromeo, Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador, Ace Burwell

Then it was off to their second stop in San Fernando which I wasn't able to go to. I had to be dropped off at the bus station in Robinson's Mall in San Fernando for my trip to Bataan so I could judge the Pawikan Festival the next day....

Panecillos de San Nicholas mould