Balikbayan Magazine August-September 2011 Vol.2 No.9

www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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PUBLISHER & CEO | Roger L. Oriel

Contents 5 kEEPING A jOURNAL

Love of Country at Twenty and beyond

By Roger L. Oriel

7 EDITOR’S NOTEbOOk

PRESIDENT & CO-PUBLISHER | Cora M. Oriel EDITOR IN CHIEF | Lito Ocampo Cruz MANAGING EDITOR | Louie Jon A. Sanchez

On the cover Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan Photo by Raphael John Oriel

38 RED CARPET

Lights.. Camera.. quezon!

The Entertainment Capital of the Philippines

By Mario Banzon

46 REMINISCENES

Refreshing My Memories

By Lito Ocampo Cruz

Cubao Wow and Then

By Althea Lauren Ricardo

ASSOCIATE EDITOR | Rochelle C. Pangilinan EDITORIAL ASSISTANT | Danielle Clara P. Dandan CONTRIBUTING EDITORS | Prosy dela Cruz, Malou Liwanag-Bledsoe, Cynthia de Castro, Cristina PantojaHidalgo, Nancy Lumen, Candy Lykes, Rene Luis Mata, D.M. Reyes, Althea Ricardo, Joel Pablo Salud CONTRIBUTING WRITERS | Jennifer Balboa, Mario Banzon, Alma Anonas-Carpio, Jewel Castro, Mark Anthony Cayanan, Susan Lara, Ruben Nepales, Janet Nepales, Joselito Reyes CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS | Oliver Bayani, Joe Cobilla, Phillip Kimpo Jr., Ted Madamba, Miko Santos, Andy Tecson, Noel Suministrado, Christina Oriel VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | Raphael John Oriel CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Alvin John Adriano VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVERTISING | Noel Godinez

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52 Lucban: A q’linary journey

By Joselito Reyes

VICE PRESIDENT FOR SALES | Sharon Ann Bathan-San Pedro VICE PRESIDENT FOR CIRCULATION & SPECIAL EVENTS | Vince Samson TEAM OF WRITERS | Billy dela Cruz, Julie Matienzo TEAM OF GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | Valory Lim, Kendrick Tan, Joyce Balansag, Bienvenida Salazar

59 SCENIC ROOTS

bALIkbAyAN jOURNALS: baguio, Cavite, Down balikbayan Lane

By Rico Dizon batangas, Davao, boracay, Puerto Princesa,

CIRCULATION MANAGER | Arthur Sibulangcao FINANCIAL OFFICERS | Ria Fabro, Gemma Fabro balikbayan Magazine is published by Asian Journal Publications, Inc.

Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Manila bay

2/F Units D&E Fort Palm Spring Cond., 30th Street, cor. 1st Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, 1200 Philippines. Tel. (632) 856–4921

60 SCENIC ROOTS

12 The Man & the Moment

balikbayani: The Long-Standing battle of Ten Things I Love About the Philippines

By David Katague Manuel L. quezon

By Joel Pablo Salud

6 1 Homecoming: Rediscovering the

18 Full Circle

Treasures of the Philippines

By Malou Liwanag-Bledsoe

The quezon Memorial Circle as ‘Memoryvilla’

By Louie Jon A. Sanchez

Pugad Lawin: The Shout That Was Heard Spoon & Fort

By Rochelle C. Pangilinan Around the World

By Rochelle C. Pangilinan

32 SOUTH SIDE HISTORy

At the Crossroads of Timog and Morato

By Mario Banzon

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Printed in the Philippines. Distributed in the Philippines for newly arrived balikbayans at Duty Free Philippines, as well as at select hotels, resorts, restaurants and cafes and major bookstores and magazine distributors. Circulated at special events and through subscription in the United States of America.

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66 ESTATESIDE

Las Vegas: 3700 W. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89102 Tel. (702) 792–6678

Globalland & Presidio Are With you Every Step of the Way

By Rochelle C. Pangilinan

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Asian Journal Publications, Inc. regrets that no responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited material, which will be returned only if stamped, addressed envelope is enclosed.

USA Advertising Offices Los Angeles: 1150 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90017-1904. • Tel. (213) 250–9797

64 FOOD TIPS

2 4 battle Cry

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage of retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

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LOVE OF COUNTRy AT TWENTy AND bEyOND k e e P i n G

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THE ISSUE yOU NOW HAVE IN yOUR HANDS IS THE 20TH EDITION OF bALIkbAyAN MAGAzINE.

W

E CELEBRaTE OUR MagaZINE’S 20TH turn as it also falls on the monumental 20th year of the Asian Journal Publications. We began rather humbly, as many people know it. In 1982, we first ventured into the publishing industry through the Filipino Directory (Yellow Pages) in California. We look back at our journey and continue to take the challenge, day by day, of bringing relevant news and information for the Filipino-American community, through the Asian Journal newspaper and the website www.AsianJournal.com.

And what better way could we celebrate than to remember a man whose life had been lived in both the Philippines and the US? In history, he found himself treading through both lands, trying to reiterate his faith in the Filipino.

Manuel L. Quezon, the Philippine President of the Commonwealth Period, exemplifies what it is to be a balikbayan. He shared the tragic fate of the many that had not seen the twilight of life in the country of one’s roots. He

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passed away, in exile, at Saranac Lake, in New York, just as World War II was about to take its pivotal turn. But he returned as a well-remembered hero. In Metro Manila, he is immortalized in a city he once built, a bustling capital of trade, recreation and history. Today, the city that is Quezon boasts itself of a big land area where commerce and urban living come alive.

First, it is a shopping city, having the institutional and changing Cubao in its realm, and its many other packets of shopping destinations, such as the ones in the North Triangle sector (SM City North Edsa, Trinoma) and the posh Eastwood City in Libis. Quezon City too, is the entertainment city, once hailed “city of the stars.” All the major broadcast networks call Quezon City home (ABS-CBN, GMA 7, NBN 4, RPN 9 and IBC 13 at Diliman; TV 5 in Novaliches), making this city the ultimate star-studded locale.

The city too is host to two important fixtures in the Philippine academe—the Ateneo de Manila University in Katipunan and the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Quezon City too has been a residential capital as well, with various real estate projects up and coming.

What more is there to ask for? The Quezon Memorial Circle at the heart of the city still stands proud, seemingly overlooking the amazing life and brilliance that glitters far and near. It carries the memories of the good President who fought for this country’s freedom by showing America that it is capable of governing itself. The city where it stands is a testament in itself.

President Quezon also finds himself remembered in his own home province, Tayabas, now the Province of Quezon. The province is much known for its mystique down south, and it is also home to a world-

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famous fiesta, the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban. Quezon spent his formative years in the province, until his date with history sought him, and he became the man he was.

His spirit, however, is beyond the confines of edifices and naming after. We must remember that he was the engineer, the brains behind our national language. As the Father of the National Language, he was aware that a country, to come to terms with its own nationhood, must strive to unify by way of language. In his time, he formed the Institute of National Language—now the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino—to study the Philippine languages and recommend a basis for the National Language.

Quezon believed that the spirit of a nation is dependent on a language that will gather together the whole archipelago. A nation’s consciousnessis created by its utterance, and consequently, its values and beliefs. Once he admonished Filipinos to “(l)ove your country for it is the home of your people, the seat of your affections, and the source of your happiness and well-being. Its defense is your primary duty. Be ready at all times to sacrifice and die for it if necessary.” Through fighting for the vital presence of a language, he himself embodied patriotism and love of country.

In his Civics and Ethics code, he said that “(t)he vital lesson we must learn from our past is that we can triumph if we only persevere. The Filipino people, by grit, hard work, and faith in God, will march forward to fulfill their destiny.” Quezon’s story, which we celebrate this issue, is indeed not only a chronicle of monumental perseverance, but also of sheer faith in the Filipino.

This same faith, we share, in this Balikbayan 20th issue, and beyond.

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PUERTO PRINCESA THE UNDERGROUND RIVER OF PALAWAN: THE WONDER OF IT ALL

DOT in full swing for Puerto princesa underground river as ONE OF New 7 Wonders of Nature

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Mainland Chinese to vote as well,” the Secretary shared.

Recently, there was a Grand Media Launch at the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR), which was covered by around 200 media practitioners, to kick off the aggressive campaign towards the countdown to the Grand National Launch on August 25.

n the next months, the DOT will conduct familiarization trips for the media and produce an episode in a produce an episode in a travel program in TV, to encourage DOT Secretary Alberto Lim media friends and countrymen to spread the word about the campaign and the natural wonder of the PPUR. It is hoped that through various advertisements, forum and voting stations, the PPUR’s bid to be in the N7WN will be strengthened.

Meanwhile, Secretary Alberto A. Lim recently met with the officials of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCI). “I have made a pitch for them to support the program and I am happy that they have responded positively by saying they will encourage

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The Department of Tourism (DOT) is in the forefront in campaigning for the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) as the Philippines’ bet to the New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7WN).

The next three months are expected to be crucial in the promotion and advertising activities of the Puerto Princesa Underground River, before the announcement of the Top Seven Wonders of Nature on November 11, 2011.

Last day of voting is midnight of November 10, 2011. To vote via email, log-on to http://www.new7wonders.com/.

To vote via SMS, write PPUR, PPUR7, or PPUR15 to signify your number of votes then send to 2861 (for all networks in the Philippines).

The Puerto Princesa Underground River was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in December 4, 1999, which is now the Philippines’ official nominee to the New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7WN) campaign. The official website for PPUR is http://www.puerto-undergroundriver.com/. balikbayan August-September 2011

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e d i t o r ’ s

n o t e b o o k

Refreshing My Memories

BY LITO OCAMPO CRUZ, EDITOR IN CHIEF

This issue is a sort of a homecoming for me too. Quezon City is where I spent some of the best years of my life, the ‘70s to be exact. I lived on Mother Ignacia Street, now Eugenio Lopez Jr. Street, a stone’s throw away from the “avenue of the stars.”

Fresh out of college, I was a struggling young copywriter for a television network on Bohol Avenue, known as KBS in Martial Law days. The likes of Johnny Manahan, Wilma Galvante, Bert De Leon, Tessie Taylor and Cory Vidanes were just starting out. The list goes on and on.

If I remember right, I was a co-writer for Vicor’s (now Viva) first television show called “Music Factory.” The other writer was Apeng Daldal. John and Marsha then ruled the airwaves. The other networks then were IBC 13, owned by the Soriano Group and Radio Mindanao Network, and “Uncle” Bob’s Stewart’s Channel 7. The rest is television history.

In 1974, as Assistant Merchandising/Creative Director to Salvii Casino, I was lucky to have been part of the unforgettable BBC Channel 2 launch campaign called “BIG, BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY.” And that was before the late Joe Aspiras coined the word “BALIKBAYAN.” Who says you can’t

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go home again?

In this issue, contributor Mario Banzon revisits the entertainment capital of the Philippines from a new point of view. He also makes a side trip to the “South Side” of town called Timog, where Tomas Morato and history meet. In our time, Tomas Morato Avenue was known as Sampaloc Avenue because of the tamarind trees that lined the street. Before it became Quezon City’s restaurant row, Alfredo’s Steak House was the place to be.

To further refresh my “memories,” contributing editor Rene Luis Mata takes us back to a place and time when everything revolved around the Quezon City Circle. Managing Editor Louie Jon A. Sanchez meanwhile takes a more youthful look at the Circle’s life and style.

Althea Lauren Ricardo returns to our pages in search of the Cubao of her childhood.

Ironically, only recently, I’ve been back to Broadcast City as part of the new management team of IBC 13 which, in a team-up with ABC TV 5 called AKTV on IBC, is on the threshold of another renaissance.

It’s good to be home again.

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balikbayanJournals baguio

Cavite

batangas

While known to many as the summer capital of the Philippines for its pine-scented cool breeze, the highlands of Baguio situated in the mountainous region of the Cordillera, is indeed an ideal getaway treat all year round, not just for Filipinos who want to escape the city heat, but also for tourists who are looking for a great adventure.

Ideally, you can start your tour at Burnham Park where you can enjoy simple yet fun activities like boat riding and horseback riding. If you walk around, you can also see the Children’s Park, the Rose and Igorot Garden, the Athletic Bowl, the Pine Trees of the World, among others. Wright Park is also a good place for horseback riding.

You could make your next stop at the Minesview Park. Here, you will enjoy the panoramic view of Benguet’s gold and copper mines and its surrounding mountains. Shopping is also a popular thing here, next to Session Road and Maharlika Market, the main commercial districts of Baguio. One good buy can be the strawberry taho. And while you’re at it, you may also want to take a photo op with a St. Bernard.

Other points of interest are the Philippine Military Academy, The Mansion, Camp John Hay and the Baguio Botanical Garden.

The province of Cavite is primarily known as the birthplace of Philippine Independence in 1898, where Caviteno leaders Mariano Trias and Emilio Aguinaldo figuring in the revolution that eventually lead to victory, but aside from its historical landmarks, there are a lot of other sites to see.

You can visit the Geronimo Berenguer delos Reyes Jr. or the GBR Museum in General Trias which showcases antiquarian photos, prints and paintings of the 19th and 20th century Philippines.

If you have a penchant for old churches, you can visit the St. Francis of Assisi Parish, which was built in 1611 by the Franciscan Missionaries.

This old church is where the national anthem was first played by the San Francisco de Malabon Band. You can also go to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, which is patterned after the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.

Families can also enjoy going to the Eagle Ridge Golf & Country Club in Amadeo Road.

Eagle Ridge has the largest golfing facility in the country and the country club has a family and sports clubhouse where families can enjoy a game of bowling or badminton or swim at the resortstyle swimming pool.

Batangas, a province bordered by Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon on its east, is a perfect weekend treat for people who are looking for a relaxing historical, religious-and fun-filled getaway, being only less than three hours away from Manila by bus.

It is most famous for the Taal Lake and Volcano, but Batangas also has a number of premier beaches such as the Matabungkay beach in Lian, Nasugbu beach in Calatagan and the Natipunan beach in Nasugbu. Batangas also boasts of great diving spots like Anilao.

The waters surrounding this part of Batangas are teeming with marine life, corals and diverse kinds of fishes, making it popular among amateur or experienced divers and snorkellers. There are about 24 dive sites to choose from between the coast of Anilao and Maricaban Island, of which the Cathedral (average of about 60 feet) was said to top the list, followed by the Sombrero Island and the Mapating rock.

Meanwhile, for some historical retreat, try visiting Basilica of St. Martin de Tours, the church considered to be the biggest in Asia.

Although it was destroyed several times by natural calamities, its baroque facade still never fails to fascinate its visitors.

Microtel Baguio Upper Session Road, Baguio City Tel (074) 619 3333; Mobile (0927) 516 4129 E-mail: baguio@microtel.ph

Microtel Cavite Eagle Ridge Golf & Country Club, Amadeo Road, General Trias, Cavite 4107, Philippines Tel: (046) 509 3333; Mobile (0917) 551 7878 E-mail: eagleridge@microtel.ph

Microtel Batangas First Philippine Industrial Park, Sto. Tomas, Batangas 4234, Philippines Tel: (043) 405 6957; Mobile (0917) 823 9058 E-mail: sto.tomas@microtel.ph

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Davao

boracay

Puerto Princesa

Davao City is known as the premier city and hub of Mindanao. It is also the largest city by land area in the country, three times the size of Metro Manila. Davao City is a great tourist spot all-year round as it is a typhoon-free area. It has good beaches and mountain resorts which are sure to catch the fancy of any beach lover. Davao City is also in close proximity to diving spots and the highest peak in the country, Mount Apo. Nature lovers are sure to find bliss in Eden Nature Park and Resort, encompassing about 80 hectares of land home to vast gardens of herbs and organic vegetables, lush field of exotic and tropical foliage, acres of tall pines and fruit trees and showcases of exotic and indigenous creatures at the Deer Park and Bird Walk. You can also visit the Philippine Eagle Center, which is home to the Philippine monkey-eating eagle.

Those who are interested in the city’s cultural and historical heritage can go to Museo Dabawenyo, a must-see destination. This museum features an indigenous and galleries of Moro people showcasing the tribe’s colorful arts, culture and way of living.

Those who want a real adventure can go to the Crocodile Park for white water rafting in Davao River. For those who want thrills can go to the Talomo District for The Accelerator, which is 200 feet high, one kilometer in length and sends the zip line adventurer flying at 100 kilometers per hour. It is said to be the longest and fastest zip line in Asia.

For shopping you can go to Aldevinco, which is the largest shopping area in the city composed of 100 stores and stalls.

When both tourists and locals talk about the wonderful beaches in the Philippines, you can be assured that Boracay will always be mentioned. Even for Filipinos, Boracay is one destination that families, friends and lovers wish to go to every summer.

In Boracay, you can get the incredible feel of the fine white sand and cool yourself in the pristine waters.

While swimming and getting a tan are the default activities, there are other things you can do such as getting body massage or spa, doing island hopping to Crocodile Island and the other islands, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, parasailing, banana boat riding and jet skiing—activities all available for a few extra bucks but don’t worry as they are worth it.

Of course, what is a Boracay trip without seeing the gorgeous sunset? You can watch the sunset while enjoying some sweet champange in a Paraw boat. And then there’s the nightlife for those who love to party as Boracay is not without its party events.

On the side, affordable treats include getting a henna tattoo and getting your hair braided for less that P300 each. Of course, shopping is a must. For women, there is a wide variety of accessories that you can find—bangles, earrings, necklace, anklets, rings and many moreall a perfect match for your beach wear. For the men, fan shirts, board shorts and some accessories and key chains are all but nice to take home.

Puerto Princesa has long been a hot tourist spot and is even becoming more popular because of the Underground River which is now a finalist in the Search of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, where voting will end November 2011 (Please see page 6 for the voting information). The underground river is part of the Subterranean River National Park, which was declared as a World Heritage Site

by UNESCO on December 4, 1999.

If taking leisurely walks is your thing, you can go to the Puerto Princesa bay where you can catch a glorious view of the bay. It is said that you can also get a sight of dolphins and whales here. This site is also famous for the annual celebration of Layagan, which is a boat-sailing contest and festival.

The Salakot Waterfalls in Napsan is also a popular tourist spot where you can enjoy swimming at the three layers of waterfalls. At Honda Bay Islands, there are numerous diving spots like the Pandan Island, Arreceffi Island and Panglima Reef. Snake Island, on the other hand, is great for snorkeling—you can even buy a piece of pandesal to feed to the fish while snorkeling.

For a thrilling adventure, you can go to Ugong Rock where you can go spelunking. After spelunking, you can go ziplining at 23 meters high (75 feet) and be prepared for the thrill of your life. You may need to shell out a few extra bucks but it’s going to be money well spent.

You can also go to the Crocodile Farm, which is maintained by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The farm is home to hundreds of baby crocodiles bred in captivity.

Microtel Davao Damosa Gateway Complex, Angliongto Road (Mamay Road), Lanang, Davao City 8000 Tel: (082) 233 2333; Mobile (0915) 586 8198 E-mail: davao@microtel.ph

Microtel Boracay Diniwid Beach, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan 5608, Philippines Tel: (036) 288 4311; Mobile (0917) 716 5004 E-mail: boracay@microtel.ph

Microtel Puerto Princesa The Emerald Playa Beach & Nature Park, San Manuel, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan 5300, Philippines Tel: (048) 723 0977; Mobile (0908) 862 8081 E-mail: puertoprincesa@microtel.ph

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Nueva Ecija

Tarlac

Manila bay

Occupying about one third of Central Luzon’s land area, the province of Nueva Ecija is surrounded by provinces Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Aurora. It is also considered as the largest province in the region.

Tagged as the Rice Granary of the Philippines, its visitors should not miss the beautiful hues of greeneries from its wide range of rice plantations in most parts of the province.

One of most popular places to visit is the Minalungao National Park in General Tinio. The mystical view of the 16-meter high limestone walls which encloses the narrow but deep Peñaranda River never fails to give its discerning tourists an exhilarating experience.

The Pantabangan Dam located at the Pantabangan Complex, on the other hand, is popular among artists and photographers for the wonderful view of its engineering design enveloped by the mountains of Sierra Madre. Its lake is also home to different types of fish like tilapia and carp.

While it is okay to visit the province at any time of the year, visiting during the month of February will give you a chance to witness the Longganisa Festival of Cabanatuan City, the main economic site of the province and also the best place in the province to buy your pasalubongs. Another festival worth watching out for is the Taong Putik Festival of Aliaga.

If you happen to find yourself in Nueva Ecija during the Holy Week, you can go to Puncan, one of the oldest towns in Nueva Ecija, to witness the town’s unique Holy Week rites.

The province of Tarlac is now more known as the home province of the late parents of the current president, but a lot of people may not know that this province is rich in history. For one, it was the last to be organized under the Spanish regime and also became briefly the seat of the Philippine Republic headed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo when he left Malolos, Bulacan to avoid the American forces.

There are many historical landmarks which history buffs can enjoy in the province of Tarlac.

Among these are the Capas National Shrine, the Capas Death March Monument and the Sto. Domingo Death March Marker. You can also go to the Maria Clara Museum in Camiling where mementoes of Leonora Rivera are kept and the San Sebastian Parish in Tarlac City.

For nature lovers, you can take a dip in Dolores Hot Spring (the waters of which are apparently medicinal) or the Bueno Hot Spring. which are both in Capas.

For food lovers, you can go to the famous Isdaan Floating Restaurant in Gerona. Aside from the sumptuous food treats, the singing and dancing cooks here will surely entertain you. Plus you can stroll around the area and admire the statues.

One can also visit the Aquino Center in Hacienda Luisita, which was built in honor of the late Senator Benigno Aquino. This museum now houses different memorabilia related to the political careers of the late senator and his wife, the late Cory Aquino. The museum also has a conference center and meeting venue, as well as a ballroom (which can sit up to 180 people) where one can hold different functions.

The SM Mall of Asia (MOA) is a shopaholic’s heaven. Its wide array of shops provide many options for the whole family, plus there are a lot of other activities which family and friends can enjoy like in the skating rink and the bowling alley. There is also a music hall and you can enjoy going to Storyland and the Science Discovery Center as well.

For movie buffs, the IMAX theater is a great with its high-tech equipment that ensures a spectacular viewing of any movie or dining.

One will never run of options as well as there are loads of dining places which appeal to different tastebuds. The SMX Convention Center is quickly becoming the no. 1 choice to hold concerts—international music superstars like Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus recently staged their concerts there.

MOA is also near to Roxas Blvd where Rizal Park is located, as well as to the Cultural Center of the Philippines. You can also easily go to the Philippine International Convention Center and the World Trade Center where exhibits are often held or you can just stroll around the bay area and catch a view of the beautiful sunset of Manila Bay. For museums, you can go to Metropolitan Museum of Manila or the Museo Pambata.

MOA is also near to hotels like Manila Hotel, Sofitel Hotel and Midas Hotel & Casino (which was formerly called the Hyatt Regency Manila).

And for churches, you can go to the Shrine of Jesus just beside the SMX Convention or go to Intramuros to San Agustin and the Manila Cathedral.

Microtel Cabanatuan Sta. Arcadia, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija 3100, Philippines Tel: (044) 464 7777; Mobile (0927) 804 2929 E-mail: cabanatuan@microtel.ph

Microtel Tarlac Luisita, San Miguel, Tarlac 2301, Philippines Tel (045) 985 1770; Mobile (0927) 723 8454 E-mail: tarlac@microtel.ph

Microtel Mall of Asia Coral Way Avenue cor. Seaside Blvd. Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City Tel: (02) 403 3333; Mobile (0917) 590 5914 E-mail: mallofasia@microtel.ph

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the man & the moment

BALIKBAYANI the long-standing battle of manuel l. quezon

By Joel Pablo Salud

The young boy probably stood out among a curious crowd like a white grain of rice on a heap of brown sugar. This is not at all strange in a land besotted in foreign blood. Manuel’s parents were Castilian mestizos—Lucio and Maria Dolores—from whom the young Manuel learned the rudiments of language, culture, literature and history. Their small hometown of Tayabas where he grew up had little of the trappings of big city life. He was born in a small hut typical of the era: of pawid-stitched roof and windows, with a three-step staircase fronting the house that’s made of wood. A modest bamboo porch held together by threads formed the façade of this humble home. Here he learned to live the life of one accustomed with simplicity and poverty; familiar to its demands, though not impatient of them.

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Photo by Alvin John Adriano

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he young Manuel’s home province is one of the oldest provinces founded by Franciscan missionaries in the late 1500s. Much of its native inhabitants lived in small scattered villages, with a communal system of selfgovernance, trade and an ancient form of religious belief. Social order and activities were grounded on the familiar bayanihan system of the time. Largely agricultural, the Tayabaneses’ life revolved around the planting and harvesting of crops. A culture of harvest, where the natives help one another in the gathering of fruits of the land by rotation, marked the way communal landholdings were done at the time.

Nothing so marks this area in the heart of Southern Tagalog region as the small pockets of revolt that had transpired here against the Spanish colonials early on. Those who had lived to tell the tale told and retold stories of the brave Apolinario “Hermano Pule” dela Cruz and his religious group, the Confradia de San Jose. An encounter well worth mentioning is the Battle of Barrio Isabang where Hermano Pule killed the Alcalde Mayor Joaquin Ortega. Pule was later on executed, which provoked a staged assault on Intramauros among the revolutionaries of the time. Such tales of courage were told and retold to the Tayabanese in recollection of the times they stood up against Spanish colonial abuses.

Such tales, no doubt, had reached the ears of the young Manuel who, after cutting short his studies in the University of Santo Tomas, had joined Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in the struggle for freedom against another foreign country—the United States of America—which went on until about 1901 when Aguinaldo surrendered to the Americans. Three years later, Manuel, a young man now, took himself to task by returning to the university to obtain his law degree. His thoughts of freedom were still as poignant as when he fought the Americans in the hinterlands of Southern Tagalog. He thought thereafter of a different approach to gaining independence: politics and cooperation with the Americans.

He ran first for governor of Tayabas until he was elected as a representative of the Philippine Assembly in 1907.

His attempts to convince the Americans paid off one day when he was chosen to take his seat in the US Congress as resident commissioner for the Philippines—with

Photo from the book ‘150 The Ateneo Way’ by Fr. Jose S. Arcilla, S.J. courtesy of the Ateneo de Manila archives

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speech but no voting rights. Through all his efforts at gaining independence, Manuel Quezon pushed for the passing of the Jones’ Act, a pledge of independence for the Philippines. This piece of legislature was a stunning victory to the cause of liberty and self-governance for the country, having paved the way for a bicameral national legislature to be established as modelled after the US Congress.

As quickly as one could detail what was transpiring, one thing led to another—his entry into the Senate and the Nacionalista Party—and before anyone could say anything, Manuel Luis Molina Quezon was elected as the President of the newly formed Commonwealth in September 1935. This came about on the strength of the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934, which opened the chance for full independence for the country within a decade of the creation of a Commonwealth and a Constitution.

His first state of the nation address was a telling tribute to his childhood and how his humble agricultural hometown had formed his ideas on the plight of the farmers and workers in industries.

“While the Government cannot compromise with public disorder,” Quezon said, “it is equally its duty to right social injustices. That our laborers in the farm as well as in the factories still suffer from longstanding unfair practices, no one can successfully deny. These injustices, however, cannot be remedied by merely applying here legislation in force in other countries. For such legislation would not take into account local conditions, nor the incipient stage of our industrial life and the almost primitive state of our agriculture. Government administration is a practical question and statesmanship consists in the wise application of sound doctrines bearing in mind the actual conditions that have to be met with in each case. Even the most up-to-date progressive labor legislation, if not in keeping with the prevailing conditions here, may easily upset our existing industries, preventing the establishment of new ones, and retard the advance of our agriculture. I, therefore, advocate a policy of progressive conservatism based upon the recognition of the essential and fundamental rights of labor.”

He further expounded on the rights on which a specific and effective labor code must be established: “The Philippine Legislature has in the past enacted several measures for the protection of labor, but while they have improved somewhat the lot of the workingman to the extent that the Filipino laborer enjoys more rights and privileges than his brother in other Oriental countries, it is necessary that we should go further and give better and more effective protection to the rights and interests of our wage earners. I would, therefore, urge the enactment of a law authorizing the creation of boards of arbitration to settle questions of labor, minimum wages, working conditions, and other matters affecting their relations.”

That such problems in labor and land continue to this very day speak loudly of the labyrinthine processes through which governance and the labor sector must seek redress through the centuries. But despite problems with existing haciendas and friar lands, Quezon had opened the door for Filipinos to understand the processes of self-governance and the inherent problems that go with self-determination. His solution—giving farmers and tenants right over land on which they settle—had given rise to present day legislation on agrarian reform.

“I also recommend the immediate passage of a law authorizing the expropriation of those portions of the large “haciendas” which are urban in character and are occupied by the houses of the tenants. With the opportunity to own their own homes thus assured, the settlement of the present difficulties of the tenants relative to their farm lands might no longer be of urgent necessity.”

Criticism had marred this man’s Presidency for the better part of its existence, until the Philippines had been granted independence. No doubt birth pangs of the most painful kind, Quezon still managed to uphold what he had chosen to uphold, with gumption enough to leave his mark in Philippine history. Manuel Luis Quezon may be many things to various people, but he was hardly the loser in the battles he chose to contend with—battles which even now the country fights with vigor and relentless courage.

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Photo by VINCE SAMSON, AJPress Photo by VINCE SAMSON, AJPress

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FULL CIRCLE THE QUEZON MEMORIAL CIRCLE AS ‘MEMORYVILLA’

BY Louie Jon A. Sanchez | PhotographY by alvin john adriano

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For Northerners like me (and I mean to say the far North suburbs of Metro Manila), Quezon Memorial Circle was once a logical Sunday recreational rendezvous. The other option, of course, was the big and wide greens of what we used to call the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay City, overlooking Manila Bay. At the Circle, as in CCP Complex, my family used to bike a lot or even spend small picnics together. We shared space with thousands upon thousands of families enjoying the last of the weekends, basking under the sun and enjoying the shade of the trees surrounding that monumental structure—three pylons supported by a memorial complex actually—that remembers the man whose vision made Philippine Independence finally a reality. www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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nd I am of course talking about Manuel Luis Quezon, the “Father of Philippine Independence” during the Commonwealth Period, as the tarpaulins in the exhibit boast of, and considered most of all as the “Father of the National Language.”

Quezon finds himself as an important figure in history; the naming after him of his own birth province Tayabas, and this Metro city, attests to this. But more than anything, Quezon is relevant nowadays to this place because early on, the area where the Circle is now situated was originally planned to be the nation’s capitol. What reminds us of this plan are what remains of a whole complex of government buildings that still stand around the Circle’s Elliptical Avenue. History, however, diverged and went the other way.

Now we find all of our three government branches in different parts of Metro Manila.

Quezon City too ceased to be the nation’s capital, and since the seat of government is Malacañang, Manila had always been the logical Philippine capital. And we even have at least two Malacañangs in history—the first one being in Ilocos Norte, during the Marcos era, and the other one, in Cebu, during the time of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The Circle remains a repository of Quezoniana, and of every good the Commonwealth President did during his term, until his death in exile during the World War II. I remember visiting the Museum right beneath the three pylons—and your guess is as good as mine, since the three are pillar representations of the major Philippine island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—many times as a young boy. It was always a fascinating albeit creepy experience to revisit the President’s life and times through photographs and memorabilia.

All Quezoniana visits always end up with a viewing of the enormous sarcophagus of Manuel L. Quezon at the heart of the memorial, and one visit, I remember going around it with my classmates, tight-lipped and proper without our teacher’s prodding, aware of whatever solemnity resting in the place.

I read somewhere that there is an oculus on top of the complex, lending sunlight to ICE CREAM MAN. An ice cream vendor waits for customers at the Quezon Memorial Circle park the final resting place of this great Filipino. air-conditioning too, as I descended the stairs that led to the photograph It fascinated me as a young boy as it fascinated me in my recent visit to exhibition. I found the same photographs portraying the colorful political the Museum. Not much has changed really, except for the fact that in a career of Quezon, his family life, his many meetings and sidelights at the quite queer manner, the museum curators turn the lights off inside the height of Independence Missions to the United States, his days in the exhibit hall when no one’s visiting. When I asked around during that Philippine Senate, his presidency, and his eventual bout with tuberculosis cloudy morning, I was led to the office whose staff explained the little during World War II. Along with the photographs are memorabilia, which “cost-cutting” measures. They turned the lights on anyway, and the

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include among others, tableware, collectible displays and gifts, paintings, awards, and even clothes and suits. The Museum also featured a frame containing Quezon’s transcript of records at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), where he finished his law degree. He was a sobresaliente student.

Along the way, what struck me really were many of the Quezon Family’s heirloom collection buddhas and other Oriental items, which according

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to museum captions were either gifts from loyal followers or bought from abroad. One of the panels housed an ivory carved Chinese puzzle ball, an intricately done piece that contained ball upon ball of ivory carvings, its minute design showing on close scrutiny. I have watched somewhere that these kinds of ball puzzles take special craftsmen many years to make, and I was delighted to see one in the flesh. The other oriental collections of the

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Quezons, as well as the other mementoes they received from well wishers (there is this big glass panel containing the Chinese “Gods of Luck” in a corner, and it was a gift to President Quezon by a group of Chinese businessmen), remember the cordiality the President accorded to peers and his countrymen.

The Museum also features paintings and artworks depicting Manuel L. Quezon’s legacy.

A sculpture housed in glass immortalizes Quezon’s day in the fields—him bending down and planting rice, a typical pastoral scene during his time of the romanticization of the rural. In the middle of the gallery, there is also a painting of four Filipino figures—the rural worker, the ordinary citizen, the professional, and the farmer, all seem gazing at the bright end of the canvass. The four have just crossed what is labeled as the Philippine Commonwealth Arch, a symbolic gesture of positive assimilation of the American ideals while searching for one’s own, before Independence was finally granted. It easily reminded me of the Communist imagery, and the musical memorabilia praising Quezon’s “Socialism” located somewhere in the floor below seemed to re-echo what may be a political allusion. I observed too that there were a number of birds of prey (the proverbial eagle most probably) in wood collected in the museum— and each speak about the colonial context of Quezon’s time.

What moves, however, are the personal effects of the President and his family—a set of closets there, Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon’s dresser, the matrimonial bed, and the family’s luggage set—complete with an “MLQ” embossment— used for most of their travels. At the end of the hall, there lies the hospital beds used by President Quezon while he was battling tuberculosis at the Malinta air raid tunnel in Bataan. Quezon was

unfortunate not to spend his last days in the country—he was flown to the US as part of the Philippine Government in exile, and the return of his remains to the country was immortalized in photographs of the funeral march, and of the requiem mass at his alma mater UST. Quezon’s remains were reinterred at its present location at the Circle in 1979. It was also during this time that President Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed the Circle as a National Shrine, remembering the various contributions of the Commonwealth President.

I have not seen the Circle for quite a while, and what surprised me in my recent visit was the presence of another tomb within the memorial circle—that of Doña Aurora’s. Doña Aurora died a tragic death in 1949. With a convoy of other dignitaries and two of her children, she was on her way to an event when a group of armed men cornered and shot them. It is believed that the armed men were part of the Hukbalahap. In 2005, the government reinterred Doña Aurora’s remains under the cross that faces the sarcophagus of President Quezon. The scene now is as poignant in the shrine—the two, after many years, find themselves together, in this eternal repose.

I left the Musuem after paying respects to the Quezons. I also went around to view the bas-reliefs depicting the many episodes of Philippine history, remembered in the walls of the monument’s base. By reading the historical events depicted in the bas-reliefs, one can’t help but realize the tumultuous episodes that helped form what we now know as the Philippine story. Quezon is very much part of it, and his place is literally and figuratively cemented for his important moves to free his country from the bondage of colonialism. .

The beautiful Quezon Memorial Circle arc at night.

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AD

Unwind at the Quezon Memorial Circle park.

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battle cry pugad lawin: the shout that was heard around the world

By ROCHELLE C. PANGILINAN | PHOTOgraphy BY ALVIN JOHN ADRIANO

The Andres Bonifacio revolutionary monument which stands at the Quezon City Hall.

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In 1984, the National Historical Institute of the Philippines installed a commemorative plaque in a small plaza in Pugad Lawin in Brgy. Bahay Toro in Quezon City which says,”On this site Andres Bonifacio and one thousand Katipuneros met in the morning of 23 August 1896 and decided to revolt against the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines.

As an affirmation of their resolve, they tore up their cedulas which were symbols of oppression of the Filipinos. This was the very first cry of the oppressed nation against Spain which was enforced with use of arms.”

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further walk down from the marker in this crowded residential area lies statues of men with one of their arms raised or in the act of tearing of what looks to be a piece of paper. In the middle stands what looks to be Andres Bonifacio with his trademark Katipunero shirt and tie with both of his arms raised. There is also a statue of a woman, believed to resemble Melchora Aquino, who seems to be walking towards Bonifacio and a statue of a man in a calm state as compared to the rest who is believed to represent Emilio Jacinto, who is said to be the brains of the Katipunan. Not far away is also a KKK marker.

Surprisingly, at the back there is a statue of a man with a rope sitting down besides a statue of a carabao (What a man with a rope and a carabao had to contribute to the Philippine revolution, I can only guess).

These statues make up the Pugad Lawin Shrine to commemorate the “Cry of Pugad Lawin.” Sadly, in a time where history and revolutionary heroes go unnoticed while fiction featuring werewolves and vampires and TV and movie celebrities are regarded as heroes and are built personal shrines, whatever “cry” these statues were making on that rainy day in Saturday when I came to visit, it most probably fell on deaf ears.

If we are to base on our history classes and lectures, the Cry of Pugad Lawin was the one which started it all—the match that lit the fire, so to speak. If it were not for these brave men who stood here on that day of August 23 years ago and tore up their cedulas (residence tax certificates) as an act of defiance against the Spanish rule, our country would not have gained the independence it deserved (Cedulas during the Spanish colonial time was issued to all Filipinos between the ages of 18 and 60 upon payment of an annual residence tax. When the US occupied the Philippines, the cedula and payment of the

residence tax was abolished until it was imposed again in January 1).

Historian Teodoro Agoncillo relayed in his book “The Revolt of the Masses” that that after the “cry,” Bonifacio was informed by Katipuneros who arrived from Manila that Spanish civil guards were following their trail, to which Bonifacio bravely took command of the situation and ordered his men to get ready to deploy. During this time, some of the men “thoughtlessly grasped the pots of boiling rice, poured the half-cooked contents into their hats containing cut tobacco leaves, and ate the black mixture of rice and tobacco as they marched toward Pasong Tamo. For these men were hungry, tired, sleepy and suffering from cold weather,” according to Agoncillo.

The Katipuneros arrived at the house of Tandang Sora (Melchora Aquino) on the next day, August 24. By August 25, the Spanish civil guards arrived at the scene while Bonifacio and his men were planning their next move. The guards began to shoot Bonifacio and the others, and Bonifacio ordered them to deploy and surround the attacking guards. As a result, two Katipuneros perished in the fight and one guard from the opposing side.

In August 30, there was a major battle by the Katipunan and the Spanish forces in San Juan in a place known today as Pinaglabanan. The Cry of Pugad Lawin was also followed by other important events pertaining to the Filipinos’ struggle to be free of the shackles imposed by the Spaniards: from the publication of La Solidaridad in 1889 to the Battle of Bud Bagsak in 1913.

National Historical Commission Chair Ambeth Ocampo wrote in his Philippine Daily Inquirer column “Looking Back” that in 1931, when the National Heroes Day was imposed to commemorate the Philippine Revolution of 1896, there arose conflicting versions of the event as at the time, many of those who took part in the revolution were still alive. Their testimonies varied as there were other places which were mentioned other than Pugad Lawin , and these included Bahay Toro, Pasong Tamo, Pacpac Lawin and Banlat. Before 1963, it

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was widely accepted then that the place was Balintawak, not Pugad Lawin.

In fact, in 1908, the first annual commemoration of the “cry” was in Balintawak.

In 1911, a monument to the “cry” ( a lone Katipunero reminiscent of Bonifacio who had a Katipunan flag in his left hand and a gun in his right hand) was erected there. This monument was the work of Ramon Martinez based on the drawing of Jorge Pineda. The sculpture now stands on the driveway of Vinzons Hall at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. In relation to the date, others contested the fact that it was not actually August 23.

Teodoro Kalaw, in his book The Filipino Revolution, wrote that the “cry” took place in Balintawak in the last week of August 1896.

Santiago Alvarez, the son of Mariano Alvarez, the leader of the Magdiwang faction in Cavite, stated in 1927 that the “cry” took place in Bahay Toro, while Pio Valenzuela, a close associate of Andres Bonifacio declared in 1848 that the “cry” happened in Pugad Lawin on August 24.

Ocampo also wrote in the same column that an academic forum was held in UP Diliman back in 1996 in the hope of settling the matter once and for all. In the midst of a serious exchange of ideas, someone suggested that the “cry” happened in Pugad Baboy (the popular comic strip).

In 1998, Oscar Evangelista, former professor of History at the University of the Philippines wrote in the foreword of Soledad Masangkay Borromeo-Buehler’s book, The Cry of Balintawak: A Contrived Controversy, that in a conference held by the Philippine Historical Association in 1960, the late Professor Nicolas Zafra maintained that the place was Balintawak and the date was August 23.

Through her book, Borromeo-Buehler aimed to shed light on the controversy and presented analyses on eyewitness accounts, as well as contemporary documents and concluded that the Cry of Pugad Lawin never took place.

Despite the controversy, to this day one cannot dismiss the significance of commemorating this event that shaped our history and our quest for independence.

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essence Of Place

THe circle Of life & sTYle

IT WAS A HECTIC RUSH HOUR IN EARLy jUNE. GETTING STUCk AT THE qUEzON CIRCLE IS NO WALk IN

THE PARk. I WAS bEGINNING TO DREAD THE DELAy AS TRAFFIC PILED UP IN ONE OF THE FEW ROTUNDAS REMAINING IN THE CITy. TRAFFIC SLOWED TO A CRAWL, AND I COULD SEE THE CONFUSION OF THE

LATEST MANIFESTATIONS OF qUEzON CIRCLE “REINVENTIONS.” THE CLUTTERED qUEzON PARk WITH A PHObIA FOR EMPTy UNUSED SPACE AND SMALL bUSINESS OVERkILL. BY rene luis s. MaTa | PHOTOgraPHY BY alvin JOHn aDrianO

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owering over it all was the pristine pylon of a bygone era—the Memorial to illustrious Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon. The traffic jam fortunately got me to thinking of the Memorial to this president of the preindependence years, delayed by the Great War of the Pacific, and the preparations for Nationhood.

But it was after the War that this monument was built. There was a move, I recall, to transfer the Central Government to Quezon City. Come to think of it, most of these buildings around Quezon Circle and the avenues that radiated from the center were built right after the country’s independence. But where are they now? What were their functions as symbols of this New Nation?

In my early student days as a UP habituate, I used to pass through this area with imposing government buildings in a modernist style. Now, everything has been reinvented and obliterated by annex monstrosities of so-called Post-modernism alibis. Only in certain areas can you see vestiges of the old buildings—they are still there. It’s just that they have been covered up with new facades and refinished to the detriment of pure simple unadulterated form and function—as the modernist movement dictated then.

Gone were the Classic Columns and ornate sculptures, the ceremonial fountains and orderly boulevards. In was the clockwork efficiency of form and function, of curtain walls wrapped in patterned screens, of cubic masses and volumetric play of light and shadow. Now, gone also are these forms for a more eclectic and global-oriented pastiche of media and message. What one sees today is Billboard architecture, someone said. Or better still: Las Vegas.

There was the venerable Philcoa building—you couldn’t miss it, for it was the building at the corner before you hit Marcos Highway and towards University Ave. and the University Campus. Now hidden by a concrete curtain of new construction, this building showcased Philippine Modernism at its transition from Classic columns and temple-like proportions. But at my age at that time, one did not even know such terms—just that it brought a certain comfort to a long traveler from

Manila, knowing he was on the right track to school. Or to visions beyond and Lagro and the mountains in the distance.

There was this idea that conforming to the new style would show the government’s new thrust towards progress and a new and prosperous future. Is it still so? At least many of the old buildings in UP Diliman still exist, with their bold interpretations of what Modernism was to the Filipino of the 50’s. There is always the Administration building, Liberal Arts, and Engineering building to point to. Also the Student Center by Concio. But I just left that easily an hour ago.

Traffic has now moved past Philcoa onto the cicle. The rotunda of old city ambience, slow and ceremonial, but now utterly inefficient. Time was when a “paseo” around the imposing structures of the city was a civilized walk around a grand city and its future as a new nation as seen in the new civic center of the new capital—Quezon City. Time was. There was also the Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources, right next to it, and its quaint carabao sunscreen motif—very ’50s, very thoroughly modern. How has time treated these symbols of a progress to come?

The were plans for a new Quezon City Hall—not the confusing structure we still see today. This, after all, speaks of a different era.

It wasn’t there until the ’70s. A little farther away, I can recall the old building that is now the National Housing Authority.

As the slow sinuous snake of heavy traffic finally moved on towards EDSA (Highway 54 back then?), I could still see the old SSS building along Luzon Ave. I remember thinking then how very advanced its lines were—who built it? Nakpil and Sons, they say. All mass and simple sculptural lines. An interesting display of glass, steel and concrete. It was —and still is—a fine example of simplicity and fine function. At least, it has kept its general form. A wave of familiarity and security permeated my being. Do I also see this in the other buildings along the way?

Then I remember other buildings. East Ave. still has the old Veterans Complex, the old LTO must still be there, with its geometric interplay of sunscreens and cubic forms.

I suddenly realized there is still much to see, but it would be foolhardy to go around the rotunda once more at this point. Time enough to reflect how far away the ’50s has become. Yet even at that time, I was a creature of the ‘60s and late ’70s, struggling with the concepts of freedom and free will, as only these old buildings struggled to emulate.

At least, then, I could still see these buildings in their maturity. But there were already new ones coming up to spoil the party. The Marcos era was with us to banner a new vision of society for good or ill.

Eighties, anyone?

Quezon City Hall

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Book through Mango Tours Mobile The Mango Tours Mobile application was developed to take advantage of the refined capabilities and rich user interface of the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. It is conveniently designed to make booking flights as easy as 1-2-3. Through the application, you can reserve, book, purchase and search for the most affordable flights that are available in the Mango Tours booking engine. It can also give you on-the-go information about your flights details for future reminders so you will always be updated.

B2C Online flight Booking Portal The Online Booking Website facilitates in the creation of the client’s own website complete with an Online Flight Booking Engine.

The creation of the client’s website will offer convenience and ease of accessibility for both the client’s business and his/her customers as well. balikbayan August-September 2011

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Mango Tours President Johnny Francisco with DOT Secretary Alberto Lim

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SOUTH SIDE HISTORY at the crossroads of timog and MORATO

By Mario Banzon | photographY by alvin john adriano

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CHEAPER THAN MAkATI AND THE FORT AND CERTAINLy qUIETER THAN EASTWOOD AND MALATE, THE CLUSTER OF bARS, CAFÉS AND GRILLS ALONG TIMOG AND TOMAS MORATO HAS bECOME A GO-TO-PLACE FOR qUEzON CITy RESIDENTS IN SEARCH OF A NICE NIGHT OUT. bUT bEyOND THE USUAL WATERING HOLES AND COFFEE AND TEA SHOPS, THE PLACE ACTUALLy OFFERS HINTS OF THE CITy’S COLORFUL PAST. IF ONLy ONE READS THE STREET SIGNS. www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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SCOUTING FOR GOOD FOOD AND HISTORY Passers-by and habitués alike are welcomed by this permanent fixture along the Timog-Tomas Morato Crossing: the 11th World Scout Jamboree Memorial Rotunda, erected in the Scout Area in memory of the Filipino boys scout contingent that perished in a plane crash in India, en route to Marathon, Greece for the 1963 Jamboree. The “Scout Area,” as it is known today, immortalizes the names of the 22 young men who would have represented the country in the international scouting event. These “Scout Streets,” which criss-cross both Timog and Tomas Morato come alive with delightful nightlife and culinary offerings.

Manuel and Tommy: a historical bromance What they had was what is perhaps in today’s parlance called a “bromance.” They first met when both were relatively young—one was already 22 years old and the other a mere 13 years old, but their friendship spanned decades and their adventures was set against the backdrop of Philippine history. And just like any other buddies, both courted girls together and both had each other’s back during a tumultuous time in their lives.

Former President Manuel L. Quezon was already 22 years old when he met Don Tomas Bernabeau Morato, an uprooted Spaniard who practically grew up in the Philippines. Between the two of them, it was Quezon who first entered into politics and it was only upon his encouragement that his buddy Tomas—Tommy, was what Quezon called him— followed suit. In fact, when Quezon was elected president of the Philippines, Tommy was among the very few who could enter Malacañang at all times.

It was definitely a friendship that was strengthened through time and when Quezon was building a new city—a model city—he turned to his best buddy for help. Tommy was already then already twice elected as mayor of Calauag and as expected he joined Quezon in his newest adventure.

Though Quezon served briefly as the mayor of the new city (a mere ten days) Morato soon took over the job. Thus, in many ways, he became the first mayor of what is now known as Quezon City.

Morato was to be remembered as a hard-working and fastidious mayor, headstrong even when given limited funds and limited manpower. “Vice is the father of crime” was his belief and gambling, cabaret, and dance halls were his pet peeves. But the rise of the new city was soon hampered by the onset of World War II. When news of the Pearl Harbor attack reached the Philippine shores, Morato was said to be in his home in New York, Cubao burning Quezon’s handwritten letters to him. But despite efforts, he was eventually captured by the Japanese and held prisoner in Fort Santiago. By then Quezon and Tommy’s spanking new city merely became a part of Greater Manila.

Honor above all else It was the biggest event in the scouting world in 1963. That year, the 11 World Scout Jamboree was slated to be held in Marathon, Greece and www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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the ripples of excitement were felt even in the Philippines. A Philippine contingent was drafted and only the crème de la crème were included. In a report published in Businessworld titled “Scouts’ Honor” it recalled how most of the Boy Scouts in the contingent came from exclusive schools.

Preparations were done months in advance and the ever diligent scouts were, as expected, ready to wow the contingents from other countries with their oaths and marches.

“The scouts were all very excited,” according to the Businessworld report.

“For most of them, it was their first time to ride an airplane.” Indeed, it was an exhilarating day for the Boy Scouts. Perhaps childhood fantasies were being fulfilled then. Perhaps the airplane ride and the trip to an old city were more than enough.

But of course it would be expected that beyond the excitement what the boys probably felt, above all else, was honor. After all, they were chosen among the many scouts in the country to represent the Philippines in a prestigious world scouting event. “Big deal” probably fails to describe the entire experience.

But the excitement, as we all know now, eventually ended in tragedy.

Twenty-four years after Morato was declared mayor of Quezon City, the 24 Filipino Boy Scouts en route to Greece for the 11th World Scout Jamboree died in a plane crash in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Of the 24, only five were positively identified.

In honour of the 24 Boy Scouts, the streets in Kamuning district were named after the perished scouts in addition to the monument that still stands in the middle of Tomas Morato and Timog Avenues. at a crossroad Interestingly enough, the two stories of Tomas Morato and the Boy Scouts, which occurred at different times, somewhat strangely and quite literally intersect as the statues of Morato and the scouts share a space in the middle of a busy rotunda in Quezon City. Their monuments stand unperturbed even as the old establishments of the surrounding area are constantly replaced by new ones, serving as the perfect reminder of a time when the city was spanking new and the people value honour more than anything else. balikbayan August-September 2011

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AT TWENTy, MILESTONE

CELEbRATING TWENTy MOMENTOUS yEARS AND THE NExT GENERATION OF FILIPINOS IN AMERICA. IT’S TIME TO TELL THEIR STORy TODAy. TOMORROW, IT’S HISTORy www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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WE LEFT NO UNTURNED

LOS ANGELES -www.balikbayanmagazine.com SAN FRANCISCO - LAS VEGAS - NEW YORK - MANILA balikbayan August-September 2011

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Welcome Rotunda welcomes you to Quezon City.

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LIGHTS !

CAMERA !

quezon ! welcOMe TO THe enTerTainMenT caPiTal Of THe PHiliPPines

BY MariO BanZOn | PHOTOgraPHY BY alvin JOHn aDrianO

IN THIS ERA OF TRANSCONTINENTAL LIVE FEEDS WHERE HOSTAGE DRAMAS, ACTION-PACkED MUTINIES AND FLOODS ARE FED INTO THE TV SCREENS AS THEy UNRAVEL, IT IS RATHER qUAINT kNOWING THAT THE FIRST EVER EVENT bEAMED ON LOCAL TV IS A GLAMOROUS SOCIETy GARDEN PARTy. yES, A HIGH SOCIETy GARDEN PARTy ATTENDED by NO LESS THAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES AT THE TIME. THE yEAR WAS 1953 AND THE STATION WAS DzAq-TV CHANNEL 3. bUT NO, IT WASN’T bEAMED LIVE FROM MOTHER IGNACIA STREET IN TIMOG, qUEzON CITy. THE FEED CAME FROM “A MAkESHIFT bARN” ALONG FLORENTINO TORRES STREET IN MANILA, AS WHAT ALIxANDER ESCOTE WROTE IN HIS PAPER ON THE HISTORy OF PHILIPPINE bROADCASTING. APPARENTLy, NONE OF THE MAjOR NETWORkS AT THAT TIME CAN bE FOUND IN qC, WHICH WAS THEN STILL PRObAbLy A MARSHLAND. THEy WERE ALL IN MANILA, bUT OF COURSE EVERyTHING WAS IN MANILA bACk THEN. IT WASN’T UNTIL THE ‘60 S WHEN TV STATIONS bEGAN SPROUTING AROUND qUEzON CITy THEREby EARNING THE CITy THE LAbEL AS THE “ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES” IN 2000’S. www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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NETWORK OF CELEBS Nine television networks, 13 radio stations, and four print media offices, that’s what the press release stated when Quezon City was officially tagged as the center of local entertainment. Quezon City, however, is hardly Hollywood where glitzy movie stars drive by in snazzy luxury cars, but it cannot be denied that it is the epicenter of showbizlandia. How can it not be when press conferences, story conferences, late-night brainstorming sessions and even movie deals are held and hatched along the restaurants and cafés along Tomas Morato and Timog Avenue? In anytime of the week, from Monday morning to Sunday evening, tapings and live broadcasts are ongoing. Of course, this is due to the fact that two of the most prominent television networks of the land are located within a five-minute EDSA, another network albeit a fledgling one, UNTV, can be found. PTV 4, the government-owned station, on the other hand is located along Visayas Avenue while RPN 9 and IBC 13 (recently re-launched as a premier sports network, sort of a local version of ESPN) are located in Broadcast City in Diliman—Broadcast City, if one could remember, used to be the centre of local TV production back in the ’80s. Quezon City was also home to the local top-caliber movie studios such as LVN Pictures and Sampaguita Pictures.

Dine with the Stars In between these TV stations are a steady stream of movie and TV personalities going in and out of studios for their steady fill of rakets (“work” in showbiz lingo). Most have actually settled in QC itself either in condominiums now sprouting around the area or in nearby villages and exclusive subdivisions. In fact, hang out in Tomas Morato and chances are one could get a glimpse of these big-time movie stars. I remember having coffee in a café in Imperial Palace (a hotel owned by a popular film producer) and guess who came walking by? It was none other than the biggest dramatic actor in the land, Piolo Pascual! But Pinoy movie stars not just lounge and party in QC but some have even set up their own cafés and bars along Timog and Tomas Morato. The popular comedy club, Klownz, for example is owned by comedian Allan K and a host of other celebrities.

The now defunct Barracks was reportedly co-owned by a group of celebrity friends while Judy Ann Santos used to have her own Carrabana in Scout Tobias Street where she sometimes hangs out. Just a short walk from Tomas Morato and you will find celebrity make-up artist and occasional actor Fanny Serrano’s salon.

Live from QC! But Quezon City is not just a place to catch and ogle at local stars. It’s also a venue for watching live TV shows. ABS-CBN for example has ASAP Rocks, a Sunday noontime show and Showtime, a daily dance competition.

GMA Network, on the other hand, has Party Pilipinas and Eat Bulaga, which broadcasts live from Monday to Saturday at Broadway Centrum in Aurora Boulevard in New Manila. The emerging broadcasting behemoth also known as TV 5 may be in far-flung Novaliches but one of their biggest hits, Talentadong Pinoy, is taped in a small auditorium in one of the malls in Quezon City. These shows are almost always in need of live TV audiences and in some instances, TV contestants.

There is of course a pretty good logic as to why TV shows and events are held within QC. Having live shows near the mother station makes it easier for the production staff to transport TV equipment and props from the main office to the venue of the live event. The area is also one of the most accessible places in the metropolis with the MRT, buses and jeepneys always being readily available. The producers no longer have to hire www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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The headquarters (currently under construction) of TV 5 in Pioneer, Mandaluyong City.

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transportation just fill the studio with audiences. The studios of Talentadong Pinoy and Eat Bulaga, for example, are always packed with people wanting to get in.

Rarely is there a live TV show that airs outside of QC, which makes Willie Revillame’s hugely popular evening variety show Wiltime Bigtime a bit of an aberration since it is held in TV5’s Novaliches studio. Incidentally, the emergence of TV5 with Manny Pangilinan at the helm has definitely shaken up the TV landscape. It has become a formidable threat to existing network giants ABS-CBN and GMA Network, eating up as much as much as 50 percent of the audience share on certain weekends. TV5, along with a number of other emerging networks such as the newly invigorated IBC-13 aka Aksyon TV, the QC entertainment scene may just become a little busier than usual.

Another good reason QC figures prominently in the local entertainment scene is the Araneta Coliseum or the Big Dome, perhaps one of the biggest indoor venues in the country. Located in the heart of Cubao, since its construction it has hosted big events from boxing matches such as Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazer to glitzy concerts from local artists to foreign acts. QC is also the headquarters of Optical Media Board headed

by Ronnie Ricketts and the Mowelfund Film Institute.

Closer to the People It is interesting to note, however, that unlike in Hollywood where stars are almost ensconced and ushered from one exclusive establishment to another to the point of total isolation local stars are more or less within reach. There is a reason why these TV shows and live events are in Quezon City and not in, say, The Fort in Fort Bonifacio or in Greenbelt Makati.

Quezon City is one of the most heavily populated cities in the metropolis and the producers and the stars have to make an effort to reach out to the fans and audiences. It is definitely not the other way around. After all, in the wild and ever colorful world of local entertainment, it is the TV ratings and mass support that bring home the buck.

As a result, one can always find oneself sitting shoulder to shoulder with the hottest young stars as they read their spiels in ASAP Rocks or Party Pilipinas. And if you really want to know if Bossing Vic Sotto is as gwapo and dashing as he appears to be in his blockbuster comedies then all you have to do is to troop to Broadway Centrum and secure a seat in Eat Bulaga’s studio. And if you really have a big crush on the cute host Ryan Agoncillo, you can just take a jeep to the mall and there you are, inside the swanky studio, being smothered by Ryan’s quick wit and charm. Indeed, where else in Metro Manila can you easily slide next to the perfumed big time movie star and have your picture taken without being ushered out by the guard.

It’s only in Quezon City where stars not only deign to come out and mingle with the crowd but more importantly it is a place where they roll up their sleeves and well, work. Yes, just like the rest of us.

The office of IBC 13 The Broadcast City in Capitol Drive which will be ready by 2015.

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Manhattan Garden City is one of the township projects of Megaworld Corporation that promote sustainability.

Manhattan Garden City named a sustainable project Manhattan Garden City was identified as one of Megaworld Corporation’s sustainable township projects during the 1st Sustainable Building Technology Conference held on November 11-12 at the SMX Convention Center.

According to Megaworld’s Sustainability consultant, Edmond Maceda, township developments like Manhattan Garden City are the perfect models for sustainable land use planning.

Compact townships promote “densification over sprawl” and transportation connectivity.

Residents are encouraged to walk from the home to the mall or office.

Manhattan Garden City, located at the Araneta Center, offers an abundance of public transport options from buses, taxis to train lines. It is the only point in the metro where the LRT2 and MRT3 train lines converge, thus making any point of the metro from the north, south, east and west accessible within minutes.

Since this urban enclave will encourage residents to live, work, play and shop within the community, they are forecast to consume less electricity and water, buy a lesser quantity of items and discard less trash and spend far less time in automobiles. With the train lines as an option for transport, they will significantly contribute to lessening greenhouse gas emissions, according to Maceda.

Manhattan Garden City is a joint venture

project between the Araneta Group and Megaworld, the country’s #1 developer of residential condominiums for the mid- and upper-income market.

“The green aspect of Manhattan Garden City also makes it a sustainable project. 65% of the total land area is dedicated to greeneries. Sky gardens at the upper four floors of every tower of our new phase, Manhattan Heights, will give residents a refreshing option to unwind high up the metro’s confines,” Megaworld Central Properties Inc. President Anthony Charlemagne Yu declared.

More than 20 different amenities – such as a lap pool and kiddie pool, skylights and jogging paths – like amidst tropical landscaping at the fourth floor podium level of Manhattan Garden City. The podium level also hosts a 729-meter walkway through which residents can reach the other phases as well as the train stations via Gateway Mall for LRT2 and Farmers Plaza for the MRT line.

“Township living in a special place like Manhattan Garden City points the way to a sustainable future. You can live, work, shop and play here everyday of your life with the entire family,” Yu concluded.

To inspect the benefits of living at Manhattan Garden City, please call 810-3333 or visit the showroom at the 3rd level of Gateway Mall. g

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Residents will enjoy the live-work-play-shop lifestyle on offer at Manhattan Garden City.

Manhattan Garden City is the only transit-oriented development that is linked to both LRT2 and MRT3 train lines.

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The new office of IBC The New Broadcast City in CapitolDrive, QC which will be ready by 2015.

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reMiniscenes

CUbAO WOW AND THEN BY alTHea lauren ricarDO

I AM SCANNING A bOOkSHELF FILLED WITH DECADES-OLD bOOkS, SUPPRESSING A SNEEzE, WHILE My FRIEND AND CUbAO ExCURSION COMPANION IS CHECkING OUT OLD VINyL RECORDS WHEN THE DARk AND MUSTy SHOP SUDDENLy bURSTS INTO SONG AbOUT A GIRL FROM FRISCO WHO HANGS OUT EVERy NIGHT AT THE DISCO. jENNy AND I LOOk AT EACH OTHER AND SHARE A DELIGHTED LAUGH. ANNIE bATUNGbAkAL’S NIGHTLy HAUNT, COCO bANANA, MAy HAVE bEEN IN MALATE, bUT NOSTALGIA IS THRIVING AT THE CUbAO ExPO, AND THE DISPATSADORAby-DAy COULD jUST AS VERy WELL bE DISCO-DANCING HER PRObLEMS AWAy IN ANy OF ITS GRUNGy, RETRO CORNERS. www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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R, MayBE NOT. Perhaps some of its duskier nooks belong more to elegant and stylish women from an earlier era when it was still fashionable for ladies to smoke with silver and ivory cigarette holders, and it was absolutely scandalous for glorious movie stars like Susan Roces or Amalia Fuentes to be caught with a single hair strand out of place at any given moment outside their mother studio.

Then again, Jenny and I, self-declared daughters of the ’90s who found a friend in each other during graduate school, are also feeling very much at home amidst all the vintage. The only thing keeping us from ordering bottles of ice cold beer and parking our flip-flop-wearing selves at any of the establishments around us is that it is a Sunday afternoon, and many of them, specifically the more intriguing ones, are taking their own sweet time to open, if at all they intend to.

But no matter. There are many other things that we can do. The beauty of Cubao is that it does not have to be one thing in particular, and can, in fact, be many things to many people. It can either be current hotspot or old haunt, fashionforward or kitschy, sparkling or soiled city, avant-garde or nostalgic, a new jewel or a fading memory—all depending on which way you look at it.

For those who were children in the 1970s to the 1990s, for instance, it was the site of the annual C.O.D. Christmas on Display show—or, if you insist on spelling out the acronym, the Cash on Delivery Christmas on Display show— which moved to Cubao in 1966 from the smaller Avenida branch. Who has spent Christmas in Manila that doesn’t have at least one memory of this Yuletide tradition of traveling all the way to Cubao to stand outside in the crowd—perhaps eating Coney Island mint and chocolate chip ice cream or bright pink cotton candy or a jumbo hotdog sandwich slathered with catsup and mayonnaise— and watch motor-powered mannequins and wooden figures repeatedly acting out a version of whatever Christmas story, sometimes with snow and reindeer and Santa Claus chilling in his thick, fur-lined red suit in our beloved tropical country?

On the site of the old C.O.D. Department Store, upon which

thousands of children once trained their dreamy eyes on countless chilly December nights, now stands a rather nondescript, purely practical Puregold supermarket. The tradition of Christmas on Display, still being managed by the same family that started it, is now being continued at the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City, giving this generation of children another venue for our collective memory.

For others who were old enough to remember, Cubao is also boxing holy ground for the 1975 Thrilla in Manila at the Araneta Coliseum (which is now called the SMART Araneta Coliseum), the third and final match for the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, and considered one of the greatest boxing fights of 20th century. Those looking for traces of the glory days—a time when the Philippine government could actually sponsor the boxing purse of an Ali–Frazier fight—can still find a plaque marker somewhere on the walls of the Araneta Coliseum, but they really need not look too close for a reminder, as Ali Mall, the country’s first multi-level commercial shopping mall, was thus named in honor of Muhammad Ali’s victory.

For me, all of 31 years old and born in the latter and not-so-eventful part of the ’70s, Cubao is the cradle of my college memories as much as it is a marker for many things I only remember for not getting: that much-coveted UAAP win; the Earth, Wind and Fire concert I couldn’t afford to watch, but the traffic jam it caused I got to suffer anyway; street smarts when it came to such matters of consequence, like haggling for the price of a bunch of bananas at the Farmers Market; and the love of a boy who, at the close of every semester, always took a bus bound for Tabaco, Albay at the Cubao bus terminal across Ali Mall.

As a University of the Philippines (UP) student in the late ’90s, I lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Project 4, Quezon City for close to three years.

The Araneta Center, then and now at the heart of Metro Manila, was a short, but circuitous jeepney ride away. Traversing my route—from the stop at the barbecue stand at the corner of Kalantiaw Street to the get off point behind Farmers Plaza—felt like navigating the veins of a city that was close to dying in some parts, but fighting valiantly to stay alive.

My college friends and I, who lived in places as far apart as Antipolo and Las Piñas, all found the Araneta Center the

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perfect converging point. It wasn’t lost on us that just a few decades earlier, other UP students had trooped to the same area seeking safe venues for their political awakening—one of my friends was, after all, christened Labrador Rojo, while another was named after the martyred poet and activist Maria Lorena Barros, though neither followed in their parents’ early footsteps.

Our Cubao, however, was simply blissfully the site of an all-night Wendy’s near SM or an A&W that stayed open late near the Fiesta Carnival at a time when call centers were unheard of and 24-hour fast food restaurants were a rarity. Our Cubao was also booklovers’ college-budget-friendly heaven, and we would spend whole afternoons scouring bookstores, from the fourth floor of the National Bookstore Superbranch, where one could find among the old stock vintage editions of literary staples for P10 a pop if you dug deep enough, to the Book Sale branches in Rustan’s and Ali Mall. Our Cubao was much like what we were at our generation’s turn of the century: cheap and grubby, quaint and wistful, fast-changing and growing up.

There is little left of that Cubao now—this was pretty clear as soon as I stepped out of the Farmers Plaza from the MRT station, to cross the elevated walkway to the relatively new, high-end Gateway Mall, where Jenny, who had taken the MRT 2 from Recto, was waiting for me at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

This is not to say, however, that I do not like the new developments, as, after all, it has been over a decade since my college self thought nothing of covering myself with a sopping wet denim jacket and a shared broken umbrella, running in the rain, splashing my sneakers in puddles of rainwater and city grime, just to hang

The old Cuba o

Expo

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The old Farmers Market

driano lvin John A Photo by A

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The old

Ali M all

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out at A&W with friends. I actually like my comforts now that I’m older, and if there’s one thing that Gateway Mall offers, it’s precisely that: comfort in the heart of a harried metropolis.

Nothing offers more of this than “the Oasis,” a 450-square meter garden atrium inside the mall, complete with fountains and a pond, and easily one of my new favorite spots in the city. You can enjoy a light meal or coffee and a quick snack in this open-air, yet air-conditioned garden. True to its name, stepping inside the Oasis gives one the feeling of being in a garden in the country’s cooler areas, like Tagaytay. It is, if you ask me, the mall’s best feature, with the Globe Platinum Cinema and its La-Z-Boy seats and unlimited popcorn and drinks, coming a close second.

Still, Cubao would no longer be the same if one could no longer take a leisurely walk out. One of the things that I have found to remain constant about the expansive, 35-hectare Araneta Center is that it is more pedestrian friendly than other commercial areas in the metropolis.

Walks around the shopping center are often reward with the sight of lovely old trees that bloom with yellow and orange flowers in the summer.

After our filling, scrumptious lunch at Big Buddha in Gateway, Jenny and I decided to dedicate our day out to the exploration of the rest of the Araneta Center, while the new still has not completely taken over the old, as signs announcing new developments are all over the place, concealing sites already under construction. Photo by Alvin John Adri ano We exited Gateway Mall at Gen. Roxas Avenue, and headed for the direction of the old C.O.D. Jenny, who said she used to take a jeep from her Manila trial court office to spend late afternoons buying books and checking out record stores in Cubao every payday, pointed to the decrepit sign of the old New Frontier Cinema-Theater. Nothing is new about the sign, or any part of the building, for that matter. While everything looks dilapidated, yet still intact, there is no telling what the site would look like a few months from now. For now, the theater stands as a reminder of how things celebrated can eventually fade without much ceremony.

The Araneta Center is thick in the middle of a makeover, and the energy of the place kept shifting as we walked, with memories surfacing and places shaping and reshaping themselves. I had forgotten about the murky artificial lake behind the New Frontier, and I suddenly remembered I had walked to the MRT station with a silly grin on my face once, many years ago, after seeing huge cardboard swans, perhaps leftover props from a show, floating in it years ago. This artificial lake will soon be replaced by a high-rise residential development; I suspect it would not be missed.

Jenny couldn’t remember the Fiesta Carnival, perhaps, she said, because they never went there. But I did, because while I never did get to try the go karts and the other biggie rides, it was there that I first had a bite of the preservative-laden hotdog that used to be a no-no, like other processed meats, at my house. The Fiesta Carnival has now been replaced by a not-sofestive Shopwise, which also occupies the A&W I used to frequent with my college buddies.

As we walked past it, I recalled sleepless, laughter-filled nights; the pleasures a shared rootbeer float and large fries could bring; and the innocent silliness that came with loving a college friend, who remains a dear friend and is now married and lives in the province with a beautiful daughter who looks exactly like the dream girl he used to sketch in his notebooks. I have lost touch with many of those friends now, and I only get to communicate with some of them online or through texting—modes of communication that were only starting to exist when we all started to www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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become friends.

But life goes on, and Jenny and I kept on walking.

Rustan’s has moved on to greener pastures in Gateway—half of its building now houses a call center, while the other half is now the Automatic Superstore—but the old Book Sale still stands, and we made a side trip, just to check out what were on the shelves, and stepped out, as is always the case, with a couple of prized purchases: a college poetry textbook for her, a compilation of poet Adrienne Rich’s essays on motherhood for me.

We turned the corner into Gen. Romulo Avenue and found ourselves face to face with a Cubao that hasn’t changed much just yet. MSM Surplus USA, one of the intriguing surplus shops that sell anything from antique glass bottles to rickety umbrellas. It is an ukay-ukay for every possible thing you can imagine—there was even a piano—but what caught my attention was its shelves upon shelves of brightly colored dolls and other previously loved toys that somehow found their way to the Philippines for a second shot at making a child happy.

I talked myself out of buying any knick-knack, while Jenny decided against buying a beer mug after noticing a hairline crack on its base.

Then we crossed the street to the Cubao Expo, the new name for what was known as the Marikina Shoe Expo, one of former First Lady Imelda Marcos’ projects to promote Filipino craftsmanship in a product obviously close to her heart. It used to be a one-stop shop for bargain shoe-shopping, and it still is—but there’s more. Next to the old stores like Soliman, where you can still buy leather shoes made-to-order, there are pubs, cafés, curio shops, and a fairly decent, albeit a little bit on the expensive side, ukay-ukay store. Cubao’s best kept open secret, the authentic Italian restaurant Bellini’s, loved by foodies and forever immortalized in Star Cinema hit One More Chance starring Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz, can also be found in this little horseshoe drive.

So we find ourselves in this little tiny shop, listening to the funky strains of a disco ditty. “This is quite appropriate,” I quip. Jenny laughs, as just a few minutes earlier, we were sifting through old photographs, finding pictures of a very young Nora Aunor with a handsome man, presumably an early loveteam partner, which we both did not recognize. It was too far into an unfamiliar era for us to dig into, and just as well, because, perhaps, not everything about the past should be forcefully revisited, even if much of it is worth some fond, if not amused, recollecting.

Later, we would walk to the newly renovated Ali Mall and find it totally unrecognizable from what it used to be before—any trace of its sullied reputation completely gone and replaced by a vibrant, brightly lit, though not yet completely finished, shopping mall. We would end up laughing over Dairy Queen ice cream, and not even remember to check if any trace of the old Coney Island is still around. We would cross the street in front of an SM that has been made over. Pretty soon, perhaps sooner than we all would notice, a new Cubao would emerge, a new face of the Araneta Center, completely different, brand new, another blank slate for the creation of new, indelible memories.

But for now, my friend Jenny and I stand quiet in a tiny little shop stuck in time, surrounded by dusty books and records and vintage bric-a-brac, with silly grins plastered on our faces and just enjoy the old song about that girl from Frisco who dances all her concerns away every night at the disco. balikbayan August-September 2011

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LUCBAN A Q‘linary JOURNEY OUR QUEZON

BY Joselito D. Delos Reyes | PHOTOGRAPHY BY noel suministrado

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It is not a Baguio trip without the saccharine peanut and strawberry jam, the eternal everlasting garlands, and the stiff walis tambo; a Cebu excursion without the sodium-rich danggit and the dried tangy mangoes; a Bacolod sojourn without the flaky piaya; a Davao escapade without the flavorful scent of candy durian as signature pasalubongs. The same biyaherong Pinoy code of conduct applies to Lucban without the the garlicky longganisa in tow.

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ut aside from munchies, why would you visit this rain-drenched town at the eastern fringe of Mount Banahaw?

Topping the list of the draw is the now big-time corporate advertising event Pahiyas festival every 15th of May. This annual telecom-liquor-soy sauce sponsored affair, complete with dance contests, various product samplings, on-site noontime variety shows and emo-rock concerts on the street, honors San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. Pahiyas is one of Las Filipinas’ fiesta centerpieces and a haven for newbie photographers who want to prove their DSLR’s mettle and their photographic eyes’ worth. To take part in the tradition and aesthetic competition, houses along the procession route are ornately designed with colorful rice crispies called kiping. Heated in medium coal-fire, kiping may be a suitable source of extra carbo after a long walk at this summer heat festivity because vehicular and humanity queue can reach fullmarathon distance. Since kiping is made of rice and food color, one should not expect a grand spice explosion in crunching the razor-thin crisps that is usually molded out of a kabal leaf.

Second reason for a Lucban sortie is Kamay ni Hesus, a pilgrimage site carved out of an imposing hill beside the national highway. This 200-plus steps of an ascending Via Crusis houses the third biggest statue of Jesus Christ in the world. Aside from the Way of the Cross and the chapel, Kamay ni Hesus is also a venue for spiritual retreats. One can wander and contemplate the magnificence of earth’s bounty, not to mention the Great Flood feel in a concrete replica of Noah’s ark turned dormitory

for soul searchers. Resident healing priest, Fr. Joey Faller, heads the flock of faithfuls who seek healing of their physical, emotional, spiritual and sometimes financial ills. During Semana Santa, the mound from afar resembles an anthill crammed with pilgrims. Traffic in Lucban during this holy occasion reaches half-marathon distance made worse by vendors that slowly inch their way to the church at the town center and at the Kamay ni Hesus grounds selling wares ranging from native hats to hammocks to telescopes and bootlegged you-knowwhat’s. Schedule of healing masses can easily be checked at your friendly neighborhood search engines.

If Pahiyas and Kamay ni Hesus are not reasons enough to visit this thousand-plus-feet elevation of a town where a jacket and an umbrella is part of the normal get-up, then the numerous icy spring resorts is a good excuse to have a weekend stay in this place named after a citrus fruit synonymous to suha or pomelo. Just a four- to five- hour commute from the smoggy metro, Lucban now offers recreational and adventure facilities to the city-weary in search of cleaner air and better back drops for their social network account’s profile photos.

Room rates fluctuate from a high of a thousand plus pesos—Patio Rizal Hotel at the heart of Ilaya, the towncenter, and Batis Aramin resort-hotel now etched with a mountain bike trail, wall climbs, and zip line—to a few hundred bucks for rooms barely the length of an out-stretched arm and a half. Or you may want to check out and be a witness to the hostility between Tayabas’ Nawawalang Paraiso Resort and Lucban’s Natagpuang Paraiso Resort. Forget about reserving a room for a stay during Semana Santa, and worse, Pahiyas; it’s next to Azkals whacking Ronaldo and Ronaldinho’s Brazil, 4-0, or Manila hosting the 2028 Olympics. Almost all rooms are reserved going to the next millennium of Pahiyas.

For adrenaline-enhanced nature trip, Lucban offers a number of waterfalls deeply entrenched in the few remaining primal flora and fauna gardens at the outskirts bordering the town of Sampaloc. For a two-hour leg-grinding buttslamming trek, the pristine waterfalls of Maapon River is surely a generous prize for an arctic bath and a cascade of “likes” in your Facebook photo album. Just don’t forget to commission a guide or two at the barangay hall of Piis or Aliliw because challenge is an understatement

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for the usual slippery, criss-crossing, and sometimes quadricep-deep muddy path leading to Maapon falls. Also, you may want to immerse at the sprawling College of Forestry laboratory of Southern Luzon State University above town, the laboratory is also known by its more common name of Banahaw de Lucban. Special arrangements should be made to university authorities before scaling the protected mystical mountain where myth has it, alien crafts abound and anting-antings can be recharged like your typical consumer electronic blings

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Maapon Falls

Food trip You cannot mention to someone in a single breath that you have been to Lucban without citing the diet guilt-laden longganisa and pansit habhab you downed with impunity. But of course there’s more to Lucban than the standard longganisa and pansit which lately have been creeping Metro Manila courtesy of Buddy’s: Lucban’s swanky gustatory envoy in Timog Avenue, Ortigas, Makati and some yuppie places.

Aside from longganisa and the vinegar-spiked pansit habhab (it’s not the spices nor the noodles, habhab, a verb, is chomping the fist-sized and

saucy serving of noodles in banana leaf straight to your mouth, yes, no forks, and yes, awkward and sometimes disgusting for first-timers), Lucban also offers broas (arguably better than graham crackers in preparing your fridge cake), Venn’s heat-inducing puto seko topped with margarine and melt-in-your-mouth meringue, buttery and milky tikoy (more of a kalamay than your average Chinese New Year version) and hardinera pork meat cake.

For a more daring craving, Lucban public market, which undergone a major facelift, presents an arsenal of delicacies such as sinantol

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or pork innards cooked in pork blood, pinangat or sardines wrapped and cooked in gabi leaves, pinais or shreds of tender coconut meat sauted in kamamba leaves, tamales or rice cake steamed in flavorful meat broth, and tenderly boiled carabao skin and meat in veggies. For the really wild, conservationists excluded, there’s a cute turtle for you. Yes, freshwater turtle sour stew washed with Lucban’s favorite spirit: lambanog, which, gallons upon gallons, you can make a score so cheap it’s like actually being given free. But remember, freshwater turtle is not, and I believe, won’t be a mainstay in the public market lest

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it picks DENR’s gripe, although some veteran lambanog guzzler will guide your way through the labyrinthine, and almost black-market trade of these hapless Pong Pagongs. And did I mention adobo and deep-fried bats (yes, Batman and Dracula, your minions) on premium invitationonly rounds of alcohol drinking binge?

To and fro Since pump prices are a bit weighty and toll fares at SLEX continuously flares, here are some of the commuting tips coming from a part-time resident of this damp town: for day and sight-seeing travelers from the metro, you can find the terminals of buses bound for Sta. Cruz, Laguna at the corner of Gil Puyat and Taft avenues; and Edsa-Cubao before the intersection of Aurora Boulevard. After the almost three hour traffic-free trip (do I hear “Next to impossible!”?) to Sta. Cruz, Laguna, ride

the 44-seater jeepney (yes, that’s 44, two 4s, not a typo error) going to Lucban. But before lodging into the diesel and daredevil behemoth, buy a pack or two of cassava chips being peddled at the jeepney terminal or a pocketful of military-strength menthol candies and gums to make your mouth busy during the trip. The current 45-peso fare is basically

inexpensive considering the exhilarating one-hour turnpikes, vomit-inducing, and uphill journey through the towns of Pagsanjan, Cavinti, and Luisiana in Laguna over the ocean of coconut trees below, before arriving at the misty breeze of Lucban. You may also ride the Legarda buses bound for Infanta, Quezon (which traverses Ortigas Avenue going to Antipolo) through the scenic Manila East Road overlooking Laguna de Bay of Rizal Province and eastern Laguna towns before transferring bus going to Lucena at a national highway crossroad at Famy town. Again, keep your travel sickness bags handy unless you want to review your half-digested pre-voyage meal.

For an after-office hour journey, the old reliable Bicol road is the way. Lucena-bound buses which are equipped with sub-zero airconditioning units fit for frozen meats also have terminals at the corner of Gil Puyat and Taft avenues and at the corner of Kamias Road and Edsa in Quezon City. This occasionally wifi-ready but unexciting journey—lest the bus showcased exciting movies, but it usually is a dull B-action flick—will take you to the crossroad of Lucena and Tayabas roads in four hours. Mammoth jeepneys that negotiate this steep, smooth, and horrifyingly dark 40-minute route going to Lucban don’t usually leave in schedule after ten in the evening unless you rent the metal hulk for six hundred a pop compared to individual fare of thirty bucks with full contorting passengers.

After this nuclear winter trip and after checking in at your weekend dig and after a spicy plate of fried rice topped with carabao tapa at nearby Chito’s, maybe you’re just in time for a swig of house-specialty chilled and slightly flavored lambanog at Café San Luis before it closes around midnight. And maybe, just maybe, you will find me at the corner table of that cozy mango tree-roofed café with friends and former colleagues, or alone pounding my dilapidated lappy, walloping my equally dilapidated neurons out for my next article, this time not about my adopted humid hometown.

Lucban Church

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SCENIC ROOTS

down balikbayan LANE

BY RICO DIZON

The heartfluttering feeling of coming back to the welcoming arms of a loved one after a long absence is what I look forward to and actually experience every time I visit Manila as a balikbayan (a tourist revisiting his country).

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here was really nothing grand and special in particular but just the collective sights, sounds and smell inherent in my native land that I have missed so much make me cherish them all over again once I exit at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport where I would see Jess, my “kababata” (childhood friend), from among a thick crowd of welcomers would cheerfully wave at me. Aboard his old car, as we pass by familiar roads, places, malls and buildings, they would instantly give me that feeling of deja vu—happy yet melancholy. This happens inspite of the fact that I don’t have any immediate family anymore in the cramped Sampaloc district near the university belt where I used to live, just cousins and friends like Jess whom I stay connected throughout those long eventful years.

From day one, I like to relive my old daily routine as if I did not really leave Manila. Early mornings, I would hail this vendor hawking by foot his ware—he hot sweet-tasting slimy-

soft taho. By noon, I would be with Jess and his neighbor cooling off on a papag (bamboo bench), under the shade of huge acacia tree drinking my favorite ice-cold San Miguel beer paired with freshly-picked green mangoes dipped in cooked bagoong (salted tiny shrimps).

Come late afternoon on our way to the malls we would stop by the roadside and wolf down baluts (duck eggs and embryo, still in the warm shell) with the vendor serving us salt or vinegar (whichever you want it with). Once inside the mall, I love to see the smiling faces of salesgirls in white over blue attires addressing us “sir” always. I enjoy shopping for denim that are almost tailor-fit to my 5’6” height and 30” waist.

It is a good feeling eating out in familiar restaurants patronized by big crowds of local Pinoys. Chances are you will stumble on an old acquaintance or officemate that will make your day. These are the exciting bonuses that make me cherish the more during my visits as a balikbayan. I usually make a list of people I intend to meet during my three-week stay but I

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always end up not seeing every one of them.

I guess for somebody like me who had lived most of his adult life in the Philippines, there would always be fond memories of every visit despite the uncomfortably hot and humid weather, the long stalled traffic, the smell of burnt diesel fuel and crowded places. As Joe Montelibano wrote in his column in this paper, “Filipinos who became American citizens still prefer to be called Filipino-Americans simply because of that deep bond with our motherland that is still very much alive in most of us.” Notwithstanding the major changes in culture and lifestyle that we have to adapt ourselves into here in America, we just cannot detach ourselves from our roots—our own race, culture and country—who will always welcome us back with open arms. *** Rico Dizon is based in Lakewood, California. He was in the Advertising and Public Relations industry in the Philippines, the longest being a PR Associate at J. Romero & Associates in Makati.

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SCENIC ROOTS

Ten things I love about the Philippines

BY David B. Katague

CDM Beach House

David & Macrine Katague

Main House ( Retirement Home)

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y wife MACRINE and I are balikbayan retirees living the “snow bird” lifestyle between the Philippines and Northern California. We spent half of the year in the beautiful Island of Marinduque­—my Island Paradise. If this is your first time to hear of the term “snow bird” lifestyle, it means that if it is winter time in the US, my wife and I fly to the Philippines. When it gets super hot and humid in the Philippines, we fly back to US. We do this every year. Most of our friends and contemporaries are envious of our lifestyle. But I say to them, “Eat your hearts out!”

Here are ten things I love about the Philippines.

1.The pocket-friendly standard of living: The cost of food and services with the exception of electricity are easy on the pockets especially services like haircuts, massages, pedicures and manicures, which are expensive in the US. A specific example is the haircut services offered for men. I pay between 60 to 100 pesos in Marinduque, but here in Northern California, I pay between $12 to $14 for a haircut.

For $2000 plus or minus 10 percent a month, my wife and I live like a queen and king in Marinduque. The current exchange rate is about 43 pesos for one dollar as of this writing date. However, if you live in big cities like Makati and Manila, your $2000 may not allow you to live like royalties.

2.The simplicity and peaceful life in the provinces. The locals are easygoing and do not hurry for their appointments. There is not much traffic in the provinces and in small towns.

3.The abundance of fresh meat and seafood, vegetables and fresh fruits (papayas, mangoes and bananas) and they are available at reasonable prices, as well as the Filipino delicacies (lechon, lumpia and pancit) and

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desserts (bibingka, leche flan and halo-halo).

4. Accessibility to the beaches, mountains, cave , rivers, islets for picnicking, bathing, snorkeling, scuba diving or simply relaxing. I am talking about Marinduque, not the big cities.

5.The social support is fantastic. The presence of friends and relatives especially during the Christmas and Easter seasons is an experience one cannot forget. In the Philippines, Christmas five months every year starting from September 1 until January 31.

6.Availability of all modern amenities, good restaurants, international food, modern health services in Manila, Iloilo, Cebu and other big cities and four- or five-star vacation resorts all over the islands. The five-star Bellarocca Resort is located in Marinduque.

7.The dry and cool weather, ocean sea breezes at the Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort during the months of November to February.

8.The numerous fiestas and festivals the whole year round, especially during the months of January and May. Marinduque has the Moriones Festival on Easter Week.

9.The hospitality of the people and their attitudes toward foreigners and visitors.

10.Historical and cultural heritage we have as a nation from Spain, such as our old churches, folk dances, Kundiman music, putong, kalutang and respect for our elders and freedom of the press and speech and educational opportunities inspired by the US. *** David B Katague is a retired Filipino-American ( from USFDA). His wife (of 54 years) enjoys the “snow bird” lifestyle between the Philippines and Northern California. David enjoys writing (he currently maintains nine blogs including http://chateaudumer.blogspot.com and http://marinduqueawaitsyou.blogspot. com), gardening and photography. David and his wife own a small beach resort (Chateau Du Mer) in the beautiful island of Marinduque. They have four children, now all professionals, and six grandchildren. David’s goal is to promote Marinduque as a tourist destination worldwide not only during Easter Week, but also in the whole year round.

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HOMECOMING THe 6TH aMBassaDOrs, cOnsuls general anD TOurisM DirecTOrs TOur

REDISCOVERING THE TREASURES OF THE PHILIPPINES

BY MalOu liwanag-BleDsOe

A

IMINg TO PROMOTE THE PHILIPPINES not only as a tourist destination but also as a viable investment option and/or retirement haven, the 6th Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) continues its mission to help us rediscover the country.

The ACGTDT is an annual project of the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States and Canada, in cooperation with representatives of the Department of Tourism assigned in key cities in the US mainland and Canada. Conceptualized during the Philippine Consuls General Conference held in San Francisco in October 2004, its goal was to implement a major tourism campaign that would address the major deterrent factors affecting travel to the Philippines. It was designed as a promotional tour to encourage residents of North America; both Filipinos and non-Filipinos, to visit the Philippines, www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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especially those who have not been to the country due to various reasons or have been afraid to return back.back.

Tour packages consist of a three (3) nights/four (4) days stay in a hotel in Manila, guided tours of city spots, including lunch at the MalacaĂąang Palace.

The tour’s highlight is a photo opportunity with the President of the Philippines. Participants also have chance of a one-day out-of-town tours to top destinations like Corregidor, Laguna, Quezon Province, Batangas and Cavite, and Bulacan and Pampanga. This year, there was a total of 457 participants in the ACGTDT, with Honolulu, Hawaii heading the list with 132 people. Other areas include Agana, Guam (42 participants); Atlanta, Georgia (4 participants); Chicago (33 participants); Detroit, Michigan (20 participants); Edmonton, AB Canada (11 participants); Los Angeles (63 participants); New York (29 participants); San Francisco (73 participants); Toronto, ON Canada (9 participants); Vancouver, BC Canada (17 participants) and Washington, DC (24 participants).

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THE 6TH AMBASSADORS, CONSULS GENERAL AND TOURISM DIRECTORS TOUR

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Anton and Rache Diaz, RJ and Vanessa Ledesma and Janice and Gary Villanueva

fOOD TiPs

SPOON & FORT BY rOcHelle c. Pangilinan

FILIPINOS ARE NOT ExACTLy LACkING IN OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO WEEkEND GETAWAyS. NEARby TOWNS LIkE LAGUNA AND bULACAN PROVIDE THRILLING SWIMMING SPOTS WHICH THE WHOLE FAMILy CAN ENjOy WHILE TAGAyTAy PROVIDES GREAT DINING PLACES WHILE yOU TAkE IN THE PLEASURE OF THE COOL bREEzE. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE TIME, FOOD IN THESE PLACES, LIkE IN MALLS, ARE OFTEN IN LIMITED VARIETy. www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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ood thing there is a one-stop place like the weekend markets where you can enjoy a wide variety of great food where you and your family or friends can go to in a matter of minutes. A great example is the Mercato Centrale weekend market which opened November of last year.

Mercato Centrale is open on Saturdays and Sundays, from 7am to 2pm. Last February, they also launched the night market, which is open from 10pm to 3am. The night market was inspired by the bustling night markets of Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand.

Mercato Centrale is the brainchild of three different entrepreneurial couples: businessman RJ Ledesma and his wife Vanessa; food & travel blogger Anton Diaz and wife Rache; and Gary and Janice Villanueva, who manage an events management company called Mommy Mundo.

In an exclusive interview with the Asian Journal at the bustling Mercato Centrale one sunny Saturday morning, RJ Ledesma shares that the inspiration for Mercato Centrale were two different sources. It was during RJ and his wife’s honeymoon when they had a chance to visit European capitals, where they immensely enjoyed visiting the open air weekend markets. One of these was in Florence, Italy and it was called Mercato Centrale. For balikbayans, they will surely experience a treat as Mercato also offers gourmet takes on Pinoy street food.

“That’s why we called this Mercato Centrale because we were very inspired by the place,” he says. “It has an extensive selection of food but gives you an intimate feel as opposed to going to a supermarket or a grocery. You have the opportunity to interact with the proprietors or the other visitors.”

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Photos from www.mercatocentrale.ph

RJ also reveals that he was also partly inspired by the Salcedo Market at Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City, which was one of the first to give Filipinos a taste of the weekend market.

“I was inspired by their example,” he says.

He also stresses that he does not see competition in attracting food lovers but rather sees an opportunity to turn more people into food lovers.

“Nothing’s stopping you from going to both in the same day,” he says with a chuckle. “It would make the market grow and encourage more people to become entrepreneurs and stimulate small-to-medium sized enterprises.”

Mercato Centrale is a vibrant market where you can have a wide variety of food—from Moroccan to organic food. For balikbayans who have missed Pinoy street food, Mercato Centrale also offers a wide selection of gourmet versions of Pinoy street food.

Aside from its great food selections, another strength of Mercato Centrale is its strategic location, which is at the 34th St. and 8th Ave., across MC Home Depot in Bonifacio Global City, where residents from the high-rise condominiums and employees of different BPO companies are teeming.

Aside from these, Mercato Centrale also attracts runners who love to jog in the area, as BGC is a favorite location for the “run for a cause” marathons.

What’s more, the venue is also air-conditioned, has free wi-fi, live acoustic entertainment and is pet-friendly too.

RJ believes that not only has the market attracted locals, it has also attracted Filipinos from the US to put up a booth.

“The business here is booming right now,” he says. “There are a lot of chefs who left the US who chose to bring their business here and bring their ideas here and they’re doing pretty well. They can be great entrepreneurs here.

I encourage them to come home because it is really the key time right now. If they enjoyed their time in the US and fulfilled their American dream and want to find their roots again, this is a great time to come back home.”

For more information, please visit www.mercatocentrale.ph or www. midnightmercato.com. You can also follow Mercato Centrale on www.facebook. com/mercatocentrale or @mercatocentrale on www.twitter.com

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ESTATESIDE

L GlobalaND & Presidio with you every step of the way

By ROCHELLE C. PANGILINAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALVIN JOHN ADRIANO

Globalland General Manager Antonio Molina

Philippine Properties Center, Inc. Chairman Mike Gaviola

With the availability of residential and rental properties now that are available for sale, these properties continue to make for a great investment here in the Philippines especially for balikbayans. However, it is not enough that you are thoroughly guided through the process of buying or renting the property, it is also important that you have a company looking out for you once the property has been turned over to you.

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hoosing a property management company is difficult but as those who bought properties at Presidio at Lakefront City Central, Sucat, Muntinlupa can attest, they need to look no further than Globalland Property Management, Inc. Antonio T. Molina, the General Manager for Globalland Property Management, Inc., shares that how they do property management is to begin with taking care of the physical aspect of the property, which includes taking care of the common areas like the gardens and the landscapes, the roads and the sewers, elevators and generator sets and the pumps and making sure everything is working fine. The physical aspect also includes security management. Then they deal with the people who bought the development, making sure that the property is maintained to the point www.balikbayanmagazine.com

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that the one who bought it is happy and that the maintenance program is attuned with how it was designed. Lastly, property management deals also with the business side of the property, whether it is a subdivision or a condominium, they make sure that it is viable in terms of supporting itself.

“In short, we manage the totality of the property and by doing so, we maximize your investment, making sure that the value appreciation or the equity is ensured, so that any investor, be in an end user or a business inventor, would get his money’s worth,” he explains.

Even though he has only been in the property management industry for four years, Antonio says he can’t imagine doing anything else, even though there are challenges along the way, like being berated by owners or receiving unusual and crazy requests from owners.

“You’re dealing with a rainbow of people so there are a lot of challenges,” he says. “You just have to smile a lot and listen to them intently and deal with them with utmost sincerity. Most importantly, you must have a strong desire to serve.”

Antonio was actually part of the sales team from Vistaland who handled the sales for Presidio when the project started in 2005. Now, Antonio is more than happy to lead the property management team of Globalland balikbayan August-September 2011

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who handles Presidio.

“When Presidio was first conceived, there were a lot of promises made, and they have been fulfilled, like the beautiful clubhouse, the swimming pool, the gym and others. There is a commercial area that is being developed right now, where a supermarket will stand, as well as a convenience store. We make sure that while construction at the commercial area is ongoing that the residents are not disturbed,” he says.

Current chairman of Philippine Properties Center, Inc. Mike Gaviola can also certify for Presidio fulfilling its promises.

Mike was actually with the project even before it started.

“We were the ones who initiated everything,” he says. “That area, it was marshlands in the beginning, nothing was there.” From mere marshlands, the area has now become known as a premier residence because of Presidio.

Presidio now has seven condominium buildings in place, with only five percent waiting for occupancy, along with a clubhouse, a swimming pool, a billiard room, a fitness center and a function room which can accommodate 120 people.

Mike recalls a time when they had to promote the project to FilipinoAmericans in the US even before construction for the project began.

“All we were selling were just our words and paper,” he shares. “At the time, no one believed that we can do that. But we knew there was a huge market in the US and so we persevered. I made myself as an example.

I was a US immigrant myself but I wanted to go back to my home in the Philippines. That was how I felt. That motivated me even more to promote the project. I knew that if I had that feeling then I’m sure many others felt the same way.”

Mike also says that they are the pioneer of promoting properties in

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the US, and now with their hard work and perseverance, they have been able to bring in $15 billion worth of investments in the country.

However, for Mike, that is just the tip of the iceberg, it seems, as this August, they are set on promoting the eight-building expansion of the Presidio project through a road show from East Coast to the West Coast for 90 days. They are targeting a sale of 200 units to Fil-Ams, including the 1.7 million retirees between this year and the next eight years.

This time, Mike feels confident and is very excited to touch base with the Fil-Ams in the US. “We have nothing to fear because we know that we have complied with our previous commitments,” he says.

Antonio adds that with the case of Presidio, they actually went beyond the things they have committed, like providing a transport system within the community and the medical emergency evacuation which will make use of state-of-the-art ambulances (the same ones used by the 911 rescue team in the US). Even though Lakefront is not a flood-prone area, Antonio made sure that measures are in place when a flood does occur. Antonio felt proud when one property owner told him that they have exceeded all expectations.

Globalland will sure to impress property owners even more as the company is also looking into providing water services, laundry services and housekeeping services (for those who do not have household help) in the future.

Antonio sees a long relationship with Globalland and Presidio as he says that there is much “positive collaboration” between the two companies. “We hope to continue to deliver the promises we have made to the people that we serve,” he says.

balikbayan August-September 2011

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