After lunch at nearby Cafe I’m Here, my friend and I hied ourselves over to the Macao Imperial Tea outlet along Timog Avenue. Occupying a narrow area in the second floor of RTT Building, it is one of eleven outlets in Metro Manila of this new entrant to the milk tea business.
When we arrived as the lunch hour was nearing its end, there was an impressive line to the counter of people waiting to order their drinks, a testament to the popularity of this milk tea brand. Despite the narrow space, there were quite a few seating spaces.
Having been named one of the top ten milk tea places in Metro Manila, Macao Imperial Tea serves an extensive menu that includes coffee, milk tea and cream cheese-based drinks.
For this visit, we each ordered a Black Pearl Milk Tea. At only Php100, each drink comes in a premium-looking reusable plastic cup. The milk tea was creamy and not-too-sweet with pearls serving as nice accents to the drink.
We took our drinks back to the office to enjoy at our leisure.
This Macao Imperial Milk Tea branch is located at RTT Building, Tomas MoratoCorner Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City. Other branches are located at:
780 Banawe Street, Banawe, Quezon City
Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Circuit Makati, Olympia, Makati City
308 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City
Third Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
Fourth Floor, SM City Manila, Ermita, Manila
Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth, Old Balara, Quezon City
Second Floor, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo, Manila
Ground Floor, Unimart Supermarket, Oranbo, Pasig City
As can be gleaned from its name, Outback Steakhouse is inspired by the hearty meals of burgers and barbecued meats in Australian cuisine. Being a core component of the Australian diet, meat does take center stage in the restaurant’s menu: with Signature Steaks of various cuts cooked to order, Australian-themed appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and more.
The place is not as full as we expected despite the lunch hour on a Saturday. The ground floor dining area is for smokers but the second floor dining space is more geared towards families and non-smokers. The darkwood floors and furniture give the place a masculine feel (quite appropriate for a steaks and grill place).
Light lunch fare and Outback steakhouse’ offerings do not usually go together but my daughter and I solved this dilemna by splitting an order Bacon Cheeseburger (Php499). This consisted of an Outback Steakhouse’ humungous ground beef burger patty, grilled to medium doneness per our request, topped with bacon, American cheese, pickles, onions, mayo, lettuce and tomato between warm fluffy burger buns, certainly juicy and meaty with every bite. It is served with Aussie Fries, large fried potato wedges which helped make this meal filling enough for two.
Considering availing of the same Metrodeal offer? Here are some friendly reminders:
Note the validity period of the Metrodeal voucher. It may not be valid for use during holidays or special events.
You can only use a maximum of 8 vouchers per table per redemption.
Be sure to reserve your table before you go to the resto.
This Outback Steakhouse branch is located at the Ground Floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City, open daily from 11am to 1am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 7298458.
Other branches are located at:
Ground Floor, ATC Corporate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa (open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm and Fridays to Saturdays 11am to 11pm; Tel: +63 2 7721844)
Blue Bay Walk, Macapagal Avenue Corner EDSA, Libertad, Pasay City (open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 10.30pm and Fridays to Saturdays 11am to 12midnight; Tel: +63 2 8931026)
Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City (open Sundays to Thursdays from 10am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays 10am to 12midnight; Tel: +63 2 2773216)
Superheroes embody all that is noble and good in all of us. They serve to inspire us to do and be better, to give us hope when feel disillusioned or to provide us a respite from the mundane aspects of daily life.
This November, SKYcable subscribers can revel in the feats of these super-powered beings.
After the death of his father, Crown Prince T’Challa grapples with the weight of the crown of Wakanda and its relationship with the outside world in Black Panther. Catch the TV premiere of this blockbuster on Fox Movies (ch 55SD, 170HD),November 17, 9pm.
In The Gifted, suburban parents discover that their children have mutant powers and takes them on the run. Follow their continuing fight for peaceful coexistence with humanity in a brand new season airing on Fox (ch 50, 173HD) same day as the US, Wednesdays at 9pm.
The Arrowverse is continuously expanding with new fierce warriors and metahumans joining the fray on Tuesdays starting at 9pm on Warner TV (ch 34SD, 197HD). After being forced to reveal the secret identity behind the Green Arrow, Oliver Queen is incarcerated and must deal with the criminals he put behind bars in Arrow. In Legends of Tomorrow, the super-powered band of misfits continue to travel through time to protect history.
If these channels are not in your SKYcable line-up, don’t fret! Get 15-day access to these and so much more with SKY Select’s Holiday TV Fest promo. Until November 12, activate up to 70 SKY Select channels for FREE for 15 days by simply texting SELECTCHRISTMAS to 23662 or activating them online via mysky.com.ph/selectpromo. You may also call SKY’s Customer service hotline(02) 381-0000 or your local SKY office.
SKY Cable Corporation is the first to introduce cable television to Filipinos in 1990. Since then, it has been a frontrunner in technology and cable TV content by being the first to design a highly customized viewing experience among subscribers, and offering the most number of HD channels.
Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.
Dining at a roofdeck restaurant affords you a spectacular view to enjoy together with your meal. Aside from the stunning vista of city lights, you also get to enjoy cool, clean and calming breezes far removed from the busy streets below.
Despite my acrophobia, I have a special affinity for roofdecks: I guess the peace and relaxation I experience when situated far above my normal concerns outweigh my chronic fear of heights.
This is why I was excited when Zomato invited me to a foodie meetup at Firefly Roofdeck.
Located at the 32nd Floor of City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati, Firefly Roofdeck provides a chill ambiance in which you can relax and while away the workday’s stresses. The resto’s ceilings, spacious dining area and al fresco setup give you an expansive background for your get-together with friends or solo chill-out drinks while waiting for Makati rush hour traffic jams to abate.
Firefly Roofdeck’s view of the Makati skyline is quite simply breath-taking. Especially during evenings, you will see a wide expanse of blue-black sky awashed with pin-points of colorful lights and skyscrapers jutting upward.
Firefly Roofdeck recently launched its Japanese-Korean buffet, coincidentally, two of my favorite cuisines. It boasts of an extensive menu of new and favorite Japanese and Korean dishes, giving diners a wide selection of viands to choose from.
These include:
Salad Bar (with choice of Wafu, Ponzu, Yangnyeom Jang dressing): Kimchi, Sigeumchi Namul, Oi Muchim, Hobak Bokkeum, Gaji Namul, Gamja Jorim, Mu Saengchae, Pajeori, Eomuk Bokkeum; Chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard dish)
Japanese Bar: assorted maki rolls and takoyaki
Cook-to-Order marinated Chicken and Pork
Assorted bread rolls
Soup: Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Carving Meat/Centerpiece: Buta no Kakuni (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)
Main Courses: Seafood Cheese Tteokbeokki (Spicy Rice Cake), Chicken Nanban (Deep-Fried Chicken with Tartar Sauce), Gaji Namul (Steamed Eggplants) and Japchae
Rice: Tori Chahan and Steamed Rice
Dessert: Sata Andagi (Okinawan Doughnuts), Fresh Fruits and Chef’s Discretion Desserts
At only Php800+ per person, it is available only for dinner until November 30, 2018.
The sheer variety of food on offer can be quite overwhelming at first, but as I’ve often advised when eating at an eat all-you-can buffet, concentrate on food that are your absolute faves or try out ones you don’t get to eat often. This way, you get to maximize your savings and the experience.
Some menu items could use a few tweaks such as offering mild and spicy ssamjang dipping sauces to go with the grilled pork and chicken, replenishing the ebi tempura more often, offering more dessert choices (hopefully bingsu!) and lessening the sweetness of the teokbokki.
Other than those points for improvement, the upscale ambiance and the superb servicing of Firefly Roofdeck’s wait staff make dining at Firefly Roofdeck truly memorable.
Aside from the Japanese-Korean Buffet, diners can opt for other menu items ala carte such as:
Rooftop Barbecue (includes vegetables and choice among rice, French friends or mashed potatoes):
Grilled Squid (Php650)
Grilled Liempo (Php325)
Beef Tenderloin (Php780/200g | Php1,395/400g)
Lamb Rack (Php728/200g | Php1,195/400g)
Rib Eye (Php840/200g | Php1,395/400g)
Salmon Fillet (Php875)
Tiger Prawn (Php595)
Chicken Breast (Php295)
Hungarian Sausage (Php575)
Veal Bratwurst (Php575)
Bar Chow
Mezclado Nueses & Patatas Fritas (Php195)
Lechon Kawali (Php495)
Tinapa Salted Egg Roll (Php225)
Buffalo Itik (Php625)
Grilled Tuna Panga (Php850)
Grand Chicharon (Php150)
Adobo Potato Wedges (Php225)
Lechon Sisig Overload (Php350)
Crispy Crablets (Php245)
Papas Fritas (Php195)
Chicken Fingers (Php295)
Cerveza Pescaito Frito (Php325)
Nachos A La Queen (Php395)
Camaron Picante (Php425)
Pollo Palomitas en Parilla (Php295)
Firefly Roofdeck is located at the 32nd Floor of the City Garden Grand Hotel, Makati Avenue corner Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City, open daily from 10am to 2am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 5543429.
Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Need some tips to maximize your eat-all-you-can experience? Read my buffet survival guide.
The ghost of an unborn infant haunts HBO viewers on SKY as the Malaysian flick “Toyol” airs this Sunday (November 4), the fifth episode of the horror anthology series, “Folklore.”
A Member of Parliament (Bront Palarae) of a fishing town seeks the help of a mysterious woman (Nabila Huda) with shaman-like powers in order to save the town from its dire economic situation. After she miraculously fixes the problem, the two fall in love. But the woman hides a deep, dark secret that will threaten to destroy everything as she could unleash the “toyol” upon the world.
According to Malay folklore, the “toyol” manifests itself as a newborn baby, only with blood-red eyes and sharp teeth. It is summoned through black magic by its owner and does their bidding no matter how gruesome the wish is.
Will the local politician know the real motive of the shaman before it is too late?
HBO Asia’s first horror anthology, “Folklore,” is a series that draws on the local myths from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Following “Toyol” is the last installment, the Korean episode,“Mongdal.”
Episodes are helmed by different directors from various Asian countries, and are filmed in the local language of the country that the episode is based in.
Watch “Toyol” on November 4, 10PM on HBO Ch. 54 SD/Ch. 168 HD (For Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Lipa-Batangas) or on Ch. 402 SD/710 HD (For Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo). SKYdirect subscribers can watch on Ch. 22 HD. It is also available for streaming on HBO GO which is exclusively available to SKY subscribers. To subscribe, call 418-0000 or your local SKY office or visit www.mysky.com.ph.
Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.
Happiness comes to SKY homes in a new channel addition that’s filled with vibrant and grandiose costumes, colorful cinematography, and gorgeous production numbers—ZEE Sine, the 24/7 Tagalized Bollywood movie channel.
If you’re looking for a break from traditional movie storytelling, this is the channel to go to. Check out these Bollywood cinematic gems that’s sure to pull at your heart strings and even bring a smile to your face!
MUNNA MICHAEL
A young man idolizes Michael Jackson and is intent on forging a successful dancing career leading to adventures along the way. Be sure to catch this dance film on “Pinoy Bollywood Box Office” (PBBO), November 17 at 9pm.
RAEES
King of Bollywood Sharukh Khan stars as a man who builds an empire in the state of Gujarat. Follow his rise in society as well as his relationships, making him the single most powerful man in the state in this action film on “SunDate with Shah Rukh Khan,” November 11 at 6pm.
CHENNAI EXPRESS
Rahul, an orphaned bachelor, embarks on a journey to a small town in Tamil Nadu to fulfill the last wish of his grandfather to have his ashes immersed in the holy waters of Rameshwaram. He meets a South Indian girl (Deepika Padukone) the daughter of a local don and they find love through this journey in the exuberant land of South India. What follows is a series of adventures where Rahul finds himself in strange situations, challenged with an unfamiliar language! Watch this action-packed romantic journey also starring the Bollywood legend on “SunDate with Shah Rukh Khan,” November 25 at 6pm.
SECRET SUPERSTAR
A 15-year old Muslim girl who dreams of becoming a music star conceals her talent as her father is against it, beating her and her mother each time she shows signs of pursuing her dream of being a “superstar.” Watch this family movie on “Aamir Khan Special,” November 9 at 9pm.
ANJAANA ANJAANI/ “ SUICIDAL STRANGERS”
A hopeless man who bankrupted his company is about to jump off the Manhattan Bridge but meets a heartbroken woman who caught her fiancé cheating. Their suicide attempts prove to be unsuccessful and eventually decide to accomplish their unfulfilled wishes before they end their lives. This quirky romcom is available on “Pinoy Bollywood Box Office” (PBBO), November 10 at 9pm.
Craving for more Bollywood masterpieces Tagalized for the Pinoy’s more immersive viewing experience? Discover them on ZEE Sine on SKY Select. Watch for this channel for free until April 14, 2019 on channel 112 for Metro Manila, channel 424 in Baguio, Cebu and Davao. SKY Select offers SKYcable subscribers the option to add channels to their existing cable TV lineup for a customized TV viewing experience. For more details on ZEE Sine and other SKY products and services, visit mysky.com.ph, call the Telesales Hotline (02) 418 0000, or visit SKYzone or SKY office nearest you.
ZEE SINE takes us to a new magical world of 24/7 Bollywood entertainment brimming with spectacular production values, relatable plots, colorful costumes, amazing cinematography, breathtaking locations, casting coups and that distinct song and dance number, all curated and dubbed in Filipino. Zee Sine has over 355 new titles, 3 new movies per day with repeats featuring the freshest global Bollywood stars.
SKY Cable Corporation is the first to introduce cable television to Filipinos in 1990. Since then, it has been a frontrunner in technology and cable TV content by being the first to design a highly customized viewing experience among subscribers, and offering the most number of HD channels.
Show details by SKYcable in a recent press release. Trailers linked from Youtube.
Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.
San Fernando, Pampanga is only about two hours ride from Manila. It is usually a place my family and I pass by on the way to our hometown of Bataan. While I may have visited the city once or twice over the past years (and usually on business), I have never thought of it as a foodie destination. (I admit now that this notion is a bit odd, considering that Kapampangans are known for their culinary skills.)
Fortunately, I recently took part in the Giant Lantern Festival Bloggers Tour organized by the city’s Tourism Promotion and Caravan Sub-Committee, YALLA Book of Coupons and the Giant Lantern Festival Foundation, Inc. Together with fellow bloggers, I toured San Fernando’s heritage sites and learned about the city’s thriving Christmas lantern industry and annual competition. Plus, our group was treated to an EPIC seven-stop food crawl of the city’s top restaurants.
I can hardly keep myself from talking about all the great foodie finds discovered during the tour, so I wrote a curated list of the “absolute must-trys” that represent the various cuisines available in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Check them out and try to include these restos in your itinerary on your next visit to the area.
Baked Goods: The Original Cheesebread at L.A. Bake Shop
L.A. Bakeshop prides itself on being the “Home of the Original Cheesebread.” And, oh, its artisan cheesebread is really worth boasting about! When served while still warm from the oven, it emits a sweet cheese-y smell that has you salivating. Bite into it and the soft fluffy sweet bread gives in to the explosion of cheese flavor in your mouth. Enjoy it for breakfast together with L.A. Bakeshop’s Spanish Bread and Tsokolateng Batirol for a truly indulgent start to your day.
L.A. Bakeshop is located along MacArthur Hi-way, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 7am to 9pm. For inquiries, call +63 045 4360153 or +63 916 2623098.
Italian: Shrimp Bisque Fusili at Parmisano’s
An exciting take on the Pancit Luglog, this dish features al dente fusilli pasta tossed in a creamy shrimp sauce, topped with onion leeks, plump shrimp, soft-boiled egg and bits of savory chicharon. What a fun way to enjoy a local classic!
Price: Php286
Parmisano’s is located at KM 78, San Agustin, City of San Fernando, Pampanga (across Vista Mall), open Tuesdays to Sundays from 12nn to 9pm. For inquiries, call +63 045 4027639.
American: Grilled Beef Steak at Meats and Match
For the true-blue carnevore like me, there is nothing like the taste of freshly grilled steak. Sourced from local farms, cooked to medium doneness and served on a sizzling plate together with mashed potatoes and buttered corn and carrots, the meat is tender, juicy and oozing with flavor. I love it when its accompanying gravy has caramelized a bit below the steak, adding a more intense flavor to every bite.
Price: Php194
Meats and Match is located along McArthur Highway, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga. For inquiries, call +63 998 9888917.
American: Double Smoky Mushroom & Cheese Burger at Roberto’s
Two juicy flame-grilled meat patties topped with a flavorful mushroom sauce and accompanied by crisp greens inside a warm burger bun. Crispy battered onion rings and tartar dip are served on the side.
Price: Php450
Roberto’s is located in Dolores (beside the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital), City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries, call +63 998 9888914.
Seafood: Bag of Fresh Catch at Orange Bucket
Steamed or boiled crabs, shrimps and mussels in a savory-spicy Cajun-style sauce. It’s best eaten by hand and you can expect to be messy so take advantage of the disposable gloves and bib provided by the resto (it’s a lot more fun that way anyway).
Price: minimum order of 300g
Crab: Php540
Shrimp: Php450
Mussel: Php270
Clam: Php60
The Orange Bucket is located at the Erazone Square, Kalahi Business Road, Bgy San Isidro, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For inquiries, call +63 045 4022611, +63 906 2468000 or +63 998 8597750.
Filipino: Sizzling Sisig at 4MD’s Manukan at Ihaw Ihaw
Since Pampanga is the birthplace of the sisig, a Pampanga food crawl would hardly be complete without it. This dish is made in the traditional way: boiled and chopped pig ears and cheeks, seasoned with vinegar, and served on a hot plate with roughly chopped onions. I found this version dryer than other sisig I’ve tasted (which usually incorporate mayonnaise), but it did not detract from the taste.
Price: Php175
4MD’s Manukan at Ihaw Ihaw is located along MacArthur Hi-way, Dolores, City of Pampanga, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For inquries, call +63 045 9633283.
Dessert: Chiffonelle at Cafe Noelle
Made from the recipe crafted by the chef’s family matriarch, this dessert treat is composed of classic chiffon cake with a decadent yema custard filling and butter icing. It’s simple and light on the tastebuds but absolutely wonderful.
Price: Php140/slice; Php 980/whole cake
Cafe Noelle is located at the Greenfields Square along MacArthur Hi-way, Sindalan, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 10am to 10pm.
The #PampangaFoodCrawl helped to open my eyes to the many gustatory delights available in the city of San Fernando and I look forward to my future trips up north so I can explore more of the city’s dining possibilities.
Planning a trip up north? Check out these restos and be sure to head out and experience more of what makes the city of San Fernando, Pampanga unique. Check out my previous blog posts on the city:
Disclosure: Together with other bloggers, I participated in a tour and food crawl sponsored by the city government of San Fernando, Pampanga. The experiences provided and food served were not paid for by the attendees including myself.
San Fernando, Pampanga was founded in 1754, carved out of neighboring towns Mexico and Bacolor during the reign of King Fernando III of Castile and Leon. Since then, the city has been both a witness and setting for many of the region’s significant historical events.
In a recent trip to the city sponsored by its tourism office, I was able to get a peek into San Fernando’s past together with fellow bloggers through – of all things – a calesa ride!
There’s something about the feeling the balmy morning hangin amihan on my skin and hearing the clip-clop of hooves against the pavement as we circled around San Fernando’s Heritage District in an old-timey horse-drawn carriage. The calesa drivers are friendly and have been trained by the city’s tourism office to serve as tour guides.
Our tour started at the Heroes Hall, which showcases the statues of eight local and national heroes, including those of Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Jose Rizal, Don Tiburcio Hilario, Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos and of Nicolasa Dayrit-Panlilio who, in March 1899, led a group of Kapampangan women to prevent a violent altercation between Generals Antonio Luna and Tomas Mascardo. (Yey for girl power!)
The hall, which used to be the municipal office, now functions as a government office and conference hall.
The park in front of the hall is decorated with life-size lanterns depicting people celebrating a Kapampangan holiday. The pieces were provided by the award-winning RolRen’s Lanterns which also supplies the parols used during the Metro Manila Filmfest and in the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
In the Heritage District, we passed by the houses of some of Pampanga’s notable historical denizens such as the Lazatin Residence, the Tabacalera House, the Hizon-Singian House and more. I would have loved to spend more time gossiping about the descendants of the historical figures who lived there but, alas, our time was limited.
We also passed by the San Fernando Metropolitan Cathedral, a stone church founded by the Augustinians in the late 18th century. It was burned, along with its convent, by the Philippine Revolutionary Army on the order of General Antonio Luna in 1899 buy was restored by Kapampangan architect Fernando Hizon Ocampo in 1948.
Other historically notable structures we passed by include the City Hall Building built in 1917, the Pampanga Capitol Building which is currently the seat of the provincial government and the Presidio or the Pampanga Provincial Jail which was originally designed in 1907 as the Court of First Instance.
The final stop of our calesa tour is the ruins of the San Fernando Train Station. Opened in 1892 as part of the Bagbag-Mabalacat stretch of the Manila-Dagupan Railway System, it marked the start of the region’s economic growth due to massive growth in the Pampanga’s sugar industry.
In mid-1892, national hero Dr. Jose Rizal made a stopover in San Fernando to recruit members for the La Liga Filipina. Ironically, the train station was designed by Engineer Charles Henry Kipping who ended up marrying Jose Rizal’s childhood love, Leonor Rivera. His visit is commemorated by a statue of the national hero seated on a bench seemingly awaiting his friends or the Kapampangan woman he was rumored to be courting at the time, Rosario Joven.
In 1941, the Japanese Army bombed an ammunition train said to be parked in front of the station, causing significant fire damage to some portions of the building, which are still evident from the black stains on the structure’s walls.
In 1942, train station served as the last stop of the Bataan Death March, wherein thousands of tired, hungry and ill Filipino and American POWs, after walking 102 kilometers from Bataan, were stuffed like sardines into box carts and transported to Capas, Tarlac. The horrendous event is commemorated by a diorama of life-size statues depicting soldiers consoling fellow prisoners and gearing up for more hardships that they are to face.
The calesa tour is a memorable way to take a step into the past, revisit some of the events and areas of interest in the city’s history and appreciate how far we’ve come since then.
For inquiries on the calesa tour, call the San Fernando City Tourism Office at +63 045 9615684 or email ctipo.csfp@gmail.com.
Disclosure: Together with other bloggers, I participated in a tour and food crawl sponsored by the city government of San Fernando, Pampanga. The experiences provided and food served were not paid for by the attendees including myself.
San Fernando, the provincial capitol of Pampanga, is a bustling city that houses the provincial presence of some of the country’s largest retail outlets, financial firms, restaurant chains, manufacturing companies and more. The city also plans to further expand the modernization of its infrastructure and services.
Despite its drive towards modernization, the city also stays true to its roots as the home of Christmas Lanterns, as manifested by its support to its handcrafted parol industry. San Fernando Pampanga’s parol makers are known for their grandiose creations: colorful and ornately patterned lanterns which light up and blink in cheery rhythms. Largely because of this, San Fernando, Pampanga has been hailed by CNN as “Asia’s Christmas capital.”
The Kapampangan tradition of handcrafting lanterns can be dated back to the 16th century when the Augustinian friars started the practice of holding processions honoring the town’s patron saints leading to the cathedral. This practice coincides with the Misa de Gallo, or dawn masses held for nine days leading to Christmas. The processions would later evolve and become locally known as Lubenas.
During these processions, the candles held by the devout would sometimes get blown out by the hanging amihan (cool northeast wind). The enterprising Kapampangans took to covering their candles to protect the flames from the breeze, thus making them lanterns. And since Kapampangans are also characterized by their appreciation for beauty, joy, grandiosity and pomp, the lanterns grew in size and complexity of design as the years went by. They evolved from being made of simple bamboo and other indigenous materials to incorporating dancing lights as well as the use of colored plastics and fiberglass in the design.
This interesting origin story of the parol was retold by Rolando Quiambao, the lantern maker/designer behind RolRen’s Lanterns and General Merchandise. The parols of this home-grown business have enjoyed not only national, but also worldwide acclaim. If you chanced upon the bombastic parols used during the Metro Manila Filmfest or those gracing the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), chances are, these were supplied by RolRen’s.
RonRel’s also produces lanterns for Saipan, Korea, Guam, Taiwan, Palau and more. While its products geared towards the international market retain the Kapampangan parol at their core, the execution of these lanterns reflect the culture of the country they are going to. Palau-bound lanterns, for instance, depict the nipa huts and boats used in local culture.
Recently, RolRen’s supplied San Fernando’s Heroes Hall with colorful life-size depictions of the Paskong Kapampangan (Christmas in Pampanga).
RonRel’s has also incorporated innovations in parol into its parol design. Its designers worked with computer programmers to facilitate choreographed blinking of the parol’s various lights via rotors, for example. Previously, these lights were manipulated using on/off switches.
Mr. Quiambao shares other interesting snippets of trivia as well. Did you know that what sets the Kapampangan parol apart from other Christmas lanterns are its component parts which are steeped in tradition? These are:
The middle portion called the tambol (base drum) so named because its round shape resembles that of the drum
The star-shaped portion after the tambol is the pito-siko, named after the way the star’s corners resemble bent elbows
Surrounding the star is the palimbon from the Kapampangan word for procession that circles the town on the way to the cathedral
The outer layer is called the ponteta, from the Kapampangan word punta, which refers to it being the final component of the parol.
The artisans of RolRen’s don’t have a monopoly of Kapampangan parol-enthusiasm either.
With the approach of the holiday season, amateur lantern makers from various barangays in the city are gearing up for this year’s Giant Lantern Festival. Already on its 110th year, the festival displays the artistry and passion the Kapampangans have for their parols as representatives from participating barangays contruct lanterns up to 20 feet tall to compete with those from other barangays.
Barangay San Jose, in particular, is represented by the Ambrosio family, the only team that has a female lantern-maker, Mary Anne Torres. (The lantern makers of the other contest entries this year are all male.)
This year’s entry from San Jose will reach up to 19.8 feet and will requires 10,000 lightbulbs.
Barangay San Jose’s last win in the Giant Lantern Festival was in 1991. Their winning piece was later displayed during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
The Giant Lantern Festival Competition will be held at the Robinsons Starmills on December 15, 6pm at the Robinsons Starmills. Participating barangays include Calulut, Del Carmen, Del Pilar, San Jose, San Juan, San Nicolas, San Pedro, Sindalan, Sta. Lucia, Sto. Nino and Telabastagan.
Want to take part in this fun and light-filled event as well as check out the local delights that San Fernando, Pampanga has to offer? Check out these packages centered around the competition night from tour operators accredited by the city government:
M.A.G. Travel & Tours
Tour Highlights: Giant Lantern Grand Competition Night, visit and learn how to make giant lanterns, Kapampangan cookery and food crawl, learning indigenous ways of preparing and cooking meals, a visit to the Sunken Church of San Guillermo Parish, a visit to the San Fernando Train Station
Rate (with overnight stay ay Imerex Hotel): Php5,650 (single)/Php4,280 (twin)
Tour Highlights: Early Buffet Dinner of heirloom Kapampangan recipes; lantern-making workshop and factory tour; Giant Lantern Festival Show
Rate: Php2,000 pax
Contact Details: dontskipmanila@gmail.com
CultureShockPH
Tour Highlights: Early Buffet Dinner of heirloom Kapampangan recipes; lantern-making workshop and factory tour; Giant Lantern Festival Show
Rates: Php3,000 (discounts will apply for multi-person booking, students and children age 12 and below)
Contact Details: +63 917 7146737 (Osep Reyes)
LQM Travel
Package Inclusions: round trip transportation (pick up from Clark or Angeles); entrance to Clark Museum and VIP Seat at the Giant Lantern Exhibition; Lunch and Dinner; Souvenir T-Shirt and Licensed Tour Guide
Rate: Php3,000 (discounts will apply for multi-person booking)
Disclosure: Together with other bloggers, I participated in a tour and food crawl sponsored by the city government of San Fernando, Pampanga. The experiences and food served were not paid for by the attendees including myself.
ZOORI (Zoo at Residence Inn) is a perfect spot to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Taal Lake and Volcano while having some fun with exotic animals amidst lush surroundings.
I visited the place recently together with fellow bloggers as well as candidates of the Miss Tourism Queen Worldwide 2018.
First, we enjoyed a very Pinoy lunch of Chicken Pork Adobo, a Zoompia (their gigantic version of a spring roll) and Puto Bumbong. We had our repast at the restaurant gazebo while taking in the majestic view.
Afterwards, we discovered that we were in for a treat: an animal show in which the Miss Tourism candidates from different countries gamely interacted with the featured critters which included snakes, lizards, a tarantula and more.
After the show, we explored the many attractions that the ZOORI had to offer: from the mini-zoo with an interesting collection of birds and livestock, the zip line which the beauty queens lost no time in trying out, and the cable car for us who were decidedly less adventurous.
Before we left, I went to the shops and scored some good finds: a wolf hat for my baby boy, a couple of scoodies and a long cardigan for me.
Unfortunately, we ran out of time. I would have loved to check out ZOORI’s other attractions such as Wall-Climbing and Horseback Riding, or had an eat-all-you-can Korean Barbecue at Samgyupsalamat.
But those are what return visits are for. 🙂
Still, it was a fun afternoon that showed me and my fellow bloggers more the entertainment and recreation possibilities available in Tagaytay.
ZOORI is located KM 65 Barrio Neogan, Tagaytay City, open daily from 8am to 5pm. To commute going to ZOORI, take a bus ride from Cubao to Alfonso, Balayan or Nasugbu. Alight at Residence Inn Tagaytay along the National Highway.
Rates:
Adult: Php249
Child (3 feet to 4 feet): Php199
Children below 3 feet free of charge
Special Packages:
Entrance with Paradizoo: Php299
Entrance with Paradizoo and Set Lunch at the Gazebo: Php499
Entrance with Paradizoo and Samgyupsalamat: Php699
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat and Photo with Birds: Php799
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat and Zipline: Php899
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat, Dessert & Coffee and Zipline: Php999
Here’s a tip: you can get discounted tickets to Paradizoo Theme Farm by signing up for a free YOGO customer account and ordering tickets via the YOGO PH app (download now on Google Play or the App Store).
You can also enjoy savings when you book your tickets via Klook.
For inquiries, email zoomanityonline@gmail.com or call +63 046 4131244 | +63 966 1938965. Know more about Paradizoo and other Zoomanity’s attractions at zoomanity.com.ph.
For queries, call +62 046 413 1244 or +63 02 847 0413.
Disclosure: Together with fellow bloggers, I was invited by the Zoomanity Group to tour and experience the attractions at ZOORI. The tour was sponsored by the company and was not paid for by the attendees including myself.
Jellybeans in the City 