Philippines is composed of 7,107 island and one of the best tourist destinations in Asia even around the world.  It has a diverse wildlife and beautiful white sand beaches that would make any tourist day full of adventures and amazement.  From the Banaue rice terraces to Boracay island, ancient church ruins, chocolate hills in Bohol, mayon volcano, Guimaras Island, Palawan, etc., are some of the best places worth exploring. 

Philippines is a cultural goldmine,  and a melting pot of all race.  People are very friendly, hospitable, and accepting of any other culture.  English is our second languange and mainly used for business communications, school and day to day conversation.  If you are a tourist in this country, you will not have a hard time communicating with the local people because even kids can speak English. 

Inorder to appreciate the beauty of the Philippines, you need to explore it like the local does.  Be with the people, learn how to live like the locals.  Most of the time we are very friendly to foreigners and would always make sure that they will have the best of time.  The country is divided into different regions and Islands, each region and islands offers unique culture, food, dialects,idealism, etc.  Most often, we need to speak the national language or English  because even we live in thesame country we are divided with differenct dialects.

Yes, the country is facing alot of social issue such as poverty, polution, corruption, etc., however, the Government is trying their best to eliminate such issue .  Although, tourist should take these issue into considerations, but it should not mainly affect their descision into visiting Philippines.  Infact, it should be put into one of their agenda to visit a country, like Philippines to see and observe how people live despite of their situation.  It should be part of their learning experience.

Explore many parts of the Philippines by boats, airplanes, or other land transportaion.  Witness several festivities like Dinagyang in Iloilo, Atiatihan in Aklan, Mascara in Bacolod, etc.  Explore the white Sand beaches of Guimaras Island, Palawan, Boracay, and Bohol.  Enjoy the beautiful vesta of Mount Mayon.  Dive into the coral reefs of Palawan and Siargao Island.  Enjoy the perfect temperature in Baguio City and Tagaytay.  Discover, how the Ifugao built a rice terraces (one of the wonders of the world) by hand. Be amazed by the beauty of pearl farm in Davao. 

Ahhh...Philippines! beautiful Philippines...

by: maldita

"Another tragedy has struck the ferry industry in our country.  People lost their lives because of poor regulation being implemented and poorly maintained ship by the ferry industry.  The government should impose stricter regulations and make sure it is being followed.   Statistics indicates that Philippines has the worst history on ferry accidents.  When is this going to stop?  Lets think of how many people's life was lost here, how many familys without a mother, a father, children, and so on because of this accident?  Accident that can be prevented if  only the ship is not poorly maintained and a stricter regulations was imposed by the government.  Let's not wait of another tragic accident to happen again...next time it might be you or someone you know. 

Let's pray to all the people that lost their life on this tragedy...May your soul rest in peace"  Let's hope justice will be served...."

by maldita"

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 18:30:00 09/07/2009

Filed Under: Maritime Accidents, Transport

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - Irene Samis, 84, lost most of her belongings when she jumped from the SuperFerry 9 shortly before the ship sank off the coast of the Zamboanga Peninsula Sunday morning.

But her small black leather purse never left her side from the time she and a grandson left their economy section bunks around 3 a.m. until they jumped from the ship and were picked out from the waters by a Navy rescue boat.

"I only have P5 inside my bag but the pictures of my grandchildren are inside and I did not want to lose them," she told the Inquirer at the passenger lounge of the Iloilo port on Monday where the first batch of 47 survivors from the ill-fated ship where taken shortly after they arrived from Bacolod City.

Her right hand was wrapped in a bandage to cover a wound she incurred when she lost her grip on a rope while climbing down from the ship.

Samis, a resident of Maasin town in Iloilo, said her bag also contained her handkerchief and a rosary, which she held on as she continued praying when the passengers started to leave the ship.

"People around us were crying and screaming but I tried to keep silent and just prayed. I don't know how to swim but I wasn't that afraid. I was more afraid of the Japanese soldiers during the war," she said while resting at the passenger lounge.

She recalled holding on to her grandson Glene Bermejo as they inched their way from their bunks toward the side of the ship and stood on the outer side of the tilting ship before climbing down through a rope.

"It was very hard holding to the rope but I did not want to let go," she said.

Bermejo, 31, said they were roused from sleep around 2 a.m. on Sunday by a loud rumbling sound and realized that the ship had already tilted sharply.

He ran to get life jackets and went to the deck with his grandmother. Moments later, the crew started assisting passengers to abandon the ship.

But the ordeal for some of the survivors continued.

Eufemia Orbina, 64, was still waiting for word of her husband Paterno after they got separated when they left the ship.

The 47 survivors were taken to the passengers lounge at the Iloilo port in Fort San Pedro by WG&A officials where they were given food and they underwent a medical checkup by Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) personnel.

Joel Ybañez, area manager of the Aboitiz Company, said another batch of survivors on board the SuperFerry 1 was expected to arrive Iloilo Monday afternoon or early Tuesday.

Ybañez said they would extend financial and medical assistance to all the rescued passengers. They will shoulder lodging and food accommodations as well as transportation to the passengers' residence.

The passengers only suffered minor injuries like cuts, scratches and chaffing due to the wearing of life jackets, according to PNRC Officer-In-Charge Maricel Linga.

"There are no signs of trauma or shock," she said.

But a two-month-old Raymond Tirado of Duenas town in Iloilo was taken to a hospital because of high fever.

source: inquirer

A traditional Tagalog dish, Kare-Kare is a Filipino party favorite. It is made with oxtail, beef tripe(tuwalya) and vegetables cooked in thickened peanut gravy.

The dish is yellow-orange in color and is made by using the hot oil steeped with achuete or annatto seeds. The sauce is flavored with ground peanuts and thickened by rice grains that have been toasted and powdered.

Kare-Kare is served with sauteed shrimp paste(bagoong). It's a perfect dish to pair with Crispy Pata (deep fried Pork Knuckles).

Nowadays, you can make this dish vegetarian or even seafood style. And also, I think it's more practical to use peanut butter instead of toasting and grounding the peanuts.

The oxtails take a long time to tenderize if you use the conventional simmering method. So I cook the oxtails in the pressure cooker. Then, I skim the fat off.

The same is true with the tripe, which is the lining of the cow's first and second stomachs. Tripe is as challenging to cook as the oxtail. The tripe needs to be cleaned and blanched thoroughly and it must be cooked for hours to make it tender and edible.

YOUR KARE-KARE SHOPPING LIST:

• Oxtail
• Beef Tripe(Tuwalya)(optional)
• Peanut Butter
• Achuete or Annatto Seeds
• Eggplants
• Banana Bud or Heart(Puso ng Saging)(optional)
• String Beans
• Bok Choy or Chinese Cabbage(Pechay)
• Beef Broth

IN THE PANTRY:

• Garlic
• Onion
• Salt
• Sugar
• Rice Grains
• Pepper
• Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang)
• Cooking Oil

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds Oxtail, cut in 1" thickness
• 1 pound beef tripe,(Tuwalya) cut into 2" squares (optional)
• 1/2 pound string beans, sliced in 3" lengths
• 2 pcs. eggplants, sliced in 3" wedges
• 1 banana bud or heart(puso ng saging), sliced in strips(optional)
• 6 stalks Bok Choy(Pechay), leaves and stalk separated, cut in 2" length 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, dissolved in 1 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup toasted rice, powdered, dissolved in 1/2 cup beef broth
• 5 cups beef broth (total)
• 2 tablespoons achuete (annatto) seeds
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang)

PREPARATION TIME : 20 minutes

COOKING TIME : 30 minutes
(pre-cooking the oxtail and beef tripe not included)

1 Heat up the oil, then put in the achuete seeds for a couple minutes until the oil becomes deep red. Strain out the seeds.

2 Saute the garlic and onion using the achuete oil, then add the oxtail and beef tripe, salt, pepper, sugar, beef broth and the dissolved-peanut butter. Bring to a boil.

3 Turn the heat down, and put the vegetables(except the Bok Choy leaves) into the sauce. Cover and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the vegetables are done.

4 Add the dissolved rice flour into the sauce to thicken.

5 Add the Bok Choy leaves. Cook for another minute and it's ready to serve.

6 Serve with rice along with a side of Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang).

COOK'S TIPS

The achuete oil can stain tile counters so be careful not to spill or splatter any oil. Although bleach can remove the stain, you may want to test it first to make sure it will not affect the color of the tiles.If string beans and Bok Choy are unavailable, substitute green beans for the string beans and spinach for the Bok Choy. The difference is negligible and the flavor of the dish will not be affected.

I like a hint of sweetness for my Kare-kare so I add a tablespoon of sugar. If you are using a sweet peanut butter, you can omit the sugar.

 To cut some of the preparation time, try looking for Powdered Annato (Achuete) and Toasted Rice Flours which are readily available in the Asian Markets. They come in small packages with their equivalent Vietnamese or Thai names on the labels.  

Is this recipe a little too much work for you? If so, you can simplify it by using the Stew Base Mix for Kare-Kare that you can buy at any Asian store. I suggest, though, to try making it from scratch at least once, and compare the difference in taste.

*source for recipe text-filipino-food-recipes.com

Anhawan beach Iloilo is located in Oton Iloilo probably a 20 minutes ride from the city there is not much traffic.   The place is alot nicer now that the last time I have visited this place.  New amenities were added and it looks enticing on this video.  If you just want to relax and chill out for a day, this is a good place to go...or even just for the weekned.  It is difinitely a must see beach in iloilo.

This is the new Iloilo Airport of International Standard.  It is a million times better that the Mandurriao Airport, wow, I remember the last time I was in the mandurriao Airport and men it was ancient...It is almost like going back to the pre-war era...I am glad that the Government has prioritized building a new Airport for the region 6.  Iloilo airport is the 4th busiest airpot traffic in the country so this is a well deserve investment... Go Iloilo...

"This is the news we wan to hear from the Government, awarding  housing to the poor ie, squatters people.  We need to address this social issue because it is rampant in our country.  We need to make Philippines beautiful again and reclaim squatters area land for a good development.  New condos, new highways, create parks, gardens, recreation area, etc.  To help squatters people to have a better housing and access to better amenities is one step closer to a better Philippines."

=====================================================================================

Read Full story below:

By Niña Catherine Calleja
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:21:00 08/29/2009

Filed Under: Housing & Urban Planning

MANILA, Philippines-The city government of Pasay has awarded 112 squatter families with ownership titles to apartments in a four-storey condominium still to be constructed in Pasay City.

These families were among the 33,493 informal settlers in Pasay City who occupied government lands, private properties and danger zones, Alex Acabado, chief of the Pasay Housing and Homesite Regulatory Office said.

He said each family is expected to own a 24-square-meter unit at the 1, 300 square-meter building to be constructed in the Hankins Compound on Tolentino St. by the middle of September.

The city government will shoulder the interest, leaving the homeowners to pay P2,000 monthly for 10 years. The beneficiaries will be able to transfer to their units within five months after the construction of the building.

Pasay City Mayor Peewee Trinidad, who signed a memorandum of agreement on the housing project with the Philippine Business for Social Progress, United Nations Habitat and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, said the city has shelled out only P6.5 million for the program with PBSP providing them with P16 million.

Trinidad noted that the Hankins project will provide the homeowners complete amenities, including a water treatment facility.

"This (project) started as a dream," Trinidad said in statement. "All eyes are on this project because its success will be replicated in other cities."

In February this year, the city relocated 32 squatter families to Calauan, Laguna. Another 500 families were relocated in Tanay, Rizal this month.

source: Inquirer.net

INGREDIENTS

1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast meat
• 1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced
• 4 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 lemons - cut into wedges, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the rice noodles in a large bowl, and cover with warm water. When soft, drain, and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in chicken cabbage, carrots and soy sauce. Cook until cabbage begins to soften. Toss in noodles, and cook until heated through, stirring constantly. Transfer pancit to a serving dish and garnish with quartered lemons.

 source:http://allrecipes.com

*Source: http://business.globaltimes.cn/world

Positive developments from the United States trickled down to the Philippines on Thursday, sending the local market in the green territory.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed by 38.01 points or 1.51 percent to 2,553.96, while the all share index rose by 24.12 points or 1.5 percent to 1,627.40.

Trading improved where some 2.03 billion shares worth 3.72 billion pesos (77.30 million US dollars) were traded. Foreign investors continued to be net seller with 256 million pesos (5.32 million US dollars).

All six subsector indices went up, led by property shares which jumped by 21.54 points or 2.57 percent to 856.75, which analysts attributed to the declining interest rates prompting investors to consider and look into the property stocks again.

More stocks gained than lost 76 to 25 while 65 shares did not move.

"The Philippine market rose as the US markets shot up by almost 3 percent last night. Positive earnings, together with slightly upbeat economic data, led the US investors to believe that a turn is still possible," Maria Arlysa E. Narciso of local brokerage AB Capital Securities, Inc. said in its daily stock market comment.

Narciso said the gains of the US markets gave a push for the local equities to finally move by more than one percent. The US market's rally, she said, was also coupled with the US Federal Reserves' statement that the recession might soon come to an end and this provided a breath of relief for the local market.

The Dow Jones industrial average on Wednesday climbed by 256.72 points or 3.07 percent to 8,616.21.

"Reports of lower credit defaults for June and less cuts in industrial production lifted the market's hopes. Brighter economic data encouraged the investors that this may be a sign of a turnaround," Narciso said.

Because of this, Narciso said investors on Thursday remained optimistic about investing in the Philippines even if several groups have already expressed their concerns regarding the country 's growth.

The Philippine central bank's announcement that inflow of money from overseas Filipino workers for May went up by 3.7 percent year- on-year also boosted investors' confidence to buy the equities.

But the remittances figure was a sign of improvement, Narciso cautioned investors not to relax or ignore the signs of weakness, pointing out that it will take huge amounts of effort for the economy to turn strongly away from a slump.

"Right now, the local market is taking whatever chance it can get out of the developments in the US Highlights for the week are earnings, most of them outperforming initial estimates. Past days' performance show that there is a growing volume in this uptrend. Hopefully, more fundamentals and better local economic data would provide the leverage that the market needs for an advance," Narciso said.

Most stocks in the 30-company index rallied.

Philippines' largest power distributor Manila Electric Co. continued to climb, jumping by 9 pesos (0.18 US dollar) or 5.42 percent to 175 pesos (3.63 US dollars). Narciso said shares of the power distributor has been rising ever since outlook improved with the entry of two other partners and the implementation of the performance-based rate scheme.

Heavyweight Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. went up by 5 pesos (0.1 US dollar) or 0.21 percent to 2,385 pesos (49.56 US dollars).

Hello,  this youtube video is agood example why we should all be proud of being Filipino.  It shows irony.    Yes, we are facing alot of issue on our country what country does not?  In the past decades, our country has shown alot of development.  From infrastructure, education, cultural, etc.  Not so much in politics though, corruption is still rampant and it have'nt change since Marcos left and Imelda spent all our tax money in shiny shoes.  I must admit people are more educated and wiser nowadays, and they think before they vote.  (I hope so).  That's the very essence of freedom and democracy.  Vote freely, think freely, be what you want to be.

Wherever you are in the world be proud of who you are, where you came from and always think it is good to be "HOME" Philippines.

I came across with this article from "The News Today" paper and  I thought It would be kool to  share it with everybody.

New flavors at The Promenade

Sit down, relax, get served and enjoy your dinner.

The Promenade, well-known for its sumptuous daily lunch buffets, Japanese and Spanish regular buffets, themed Saturday buffets and family feast every Sunday, had been aggressively promoting its sit-down lunch or dinner through its regular set menu that changes every 15 days. Since it started last May, the response had been very good.

You're not just pampered like royalty, but your taste buds are also in for a treat. There's a brand new food that's being dished out at the restaurant. Chef Tim Freeman, an American chef who has a vast culinary experience in the country and abroad, has been serving the diners of The Promenade with his modern Asian cuisine.

For June 1 to 15, 2009, The Promenade's set menu consists of Tom Ka Gai, Crispy Fish Cakes with Green Mango Salad, Wok Fried Vietnamese Beef with Coriander and Ginger Crème Brulee. All these for only P475.

Tom Ka Gai is Thai coconut soup with chili and kaffir lime. In the traditional way, Thai soup is served hot. But Chef Tim decided that this thick and creamy interplay of sour and spice should be served cold. Great idea, especially when it's been really hot lately. The aromatic astringent flavor of kaffir lime is very evident.

To read the whole article please visit :

http://www.thenewstoday.info/2009/06/02/new.flavors.at.the.promenade.html

check out this amazing video about iloilo