Celebrating 40 years of UNESCO World Heritage!

Batad Rice Terraces

On November 16, 1972, the General Conference of UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Today, we celebrate the 40th year of World Heritage! For the next few days, I will be featuring UNESCO World Heritage Sites that I have visited. To date, I've been to over a hundred UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 32 countries. Experiencing them first hand were always memorable trips for me.

The Philippines has five inscriptions. These are the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Bangaan, Batad, Hungduan, Mayoyao and Nagacadan), Historic Town of Vigan, Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Paoay, Santa Maria, San Agustin and Miag-ao), the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

Bangaan Rice Terraces

Hungduan Rice Terraces (Hapao and Baang)

Mayoyao Rice Terraces

Nagacadan Rice Terraces

It is the responsibility of each state party to safeguard UNESCO World Heritage Sites in its jurisdiction. While the Philippines has had its share of bad experiences such as the influx of tourists to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River and the violations currently being committed by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte in the core and buffer zones of Paoay Church, this year has been a proud year for the Philippines as it was recognized by UNESCO for its management of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras which was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger, and the Historic Town of Vigan which was recognized as a model of best practices in World Heritage site management.

Historic Town of Vigan

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Paoay Church

Santa Maria Church

Miag-ao Church

To learn more about the criteria for innscription to the UNESCO World Heritage List, read Nominating properties to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Conference & 2012 ICTC Annual Meeting

The ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Conference and 2012 ICTC Annual Meeting came to a close last night as we returned from the post-conference tour to the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. We've been very busy the past two weeks since our first delegates arrived on November 2.

Conference Chair Ivan Henares, National Museum Director Jeremy Barns, Ambassador Jose Maria Carino, ICOMOS Philippines President Augusto Villalon, ICOMOS ICTC President Susan Millar, DOT Director Cynthia Lazo, Conference Co-Chair Ivan Man Dy. Photo by Anson Yu

Conference Chair Ivan Henares, ICOMOS Philippines President Augusto Villalon & Conference Co-Chair Ivan Man Dy. Photo by Anson Yu

Official activities started on November 5 with the Welcome Reception at the Old Senate Session Hall of the National Museum. Before that, foreign delegates were transported from Intramuros to the National Art Gallery on an air-conditioned jeepney courtesy of Jeepney Tours, followed by a tour of the newly-opened galleries of the National Museum. I was astounded with how much of our national treasures were in storage all these years before they finally seeing light in these new exhibits.

Food was catered by Cibo, and cultural performances rendered by the Ramon Magsaysay High School and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

The next day, delegates flew to Laoag City. We got to visit Paoay Church which was the only major embarrassment during the conference as ICOMOS experts pointed out violations that were being committed by the local government as we were visiting. Structures were being constructed in the core and buffer zones which raised a major concern among our guests.

In the Historic Town of Vigan, we got a grand and festive welcome at the City Hall of Vigan as each foreign delegate was assigned an assistant for the duration of the conference. Dinner was at the Burgos House (National Museum) hosted by the Department of Tourism Region I.

For the next two days, the conference was held at the recently-restored Ilocos Sur Provincial Capitol. A temporary exhibit on archival material of the town plaza of Vigan was also opened by the National Archives. In the evening, the City Government of Vigan invited everyone to watch a sarsuela which was followed by a festive dinner in front of city hall.

The next day, the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee held its annual meeting followed by a workshop with local stakeholders. The day ended with a Closing Reception hosted by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur at the Vigan Plaza Hotel.

We returned to Manila the next day. In the evening, we got a glimpse of the reconstructed Ayuntamiento de Manila, as well as an evening tour of Fort Santiago, the Rizal Shrine and Casa Manila. A Farewell Reception was hosted by the Intramuros Administration at Barbara's. Check out photos of the conference in the Ivan About Town FB page and with Estan Cabigas.

As most of the delegates went back home, the other half braved the long drive and truck traffic to visit the Rice Terrace of the Philippine Cordilleras in Ifugao. It was a very meaningful visit to Banaue, Lagawe, Kiangan and Hungduan as we got to interact with local officials and stakeholders. The group had a very comfortable stay at the Banaue Hotel. Here are some photos of our post-conference tour to Ifugao.

Thank you very much to everyone who contributed, particularly the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur, the City Government of Vigan, Department of Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs-TCCP, UNESCO National Commission, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Metrobank Foundation, City Government of Manila, Intramuros Administration, TIEZA, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), National Museum and the Provincial Government of Ifugao among many others!

Join me on a tour to Hanoi & Halong Bay, Vietnam (January 15-20, 2013)

People have been asking if they could join me on one of my trips abroad. So I'm inviting to a 5 day, 4 night tour of Hanoi and Halong Bay, Vietnam. I've made everything easy for all so the tour includes all meals, four nights accommodation in 3-star hotels (twin/triple sharing), tours and entrance fees, and transfers. Tour cost is US$387 + airfare.

Make sure to book your flights on Cebu Pacific: January 15, 2013 (Tue), 5J744, Manila-Hanoi departing at 22:30 / return January 20, 2013 (Sun), 5J745, Hanoi-Manila departing at 01:00. E-mail info@ivanhenares.com to reserve a slot.

Itinerary is below. Hope you could join me!

Day 1: Late night arrival, check-in and overnight at hotel in Hanoi

Day 2: Visits to Ba Dinh Square, Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's House, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, Sword Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and Hanoi's old quarter. Water puppet show in the evening. Overnight in Hanoi

Day 3: Halong Bay cruise and visit to Surprise Cave. Overnight in Halong Bay (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Day 4: Free day in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi

Day 5: Visit to Hoa Lu, Dinh and Le Dynastic Temples, Van Lam Village and Tam Coc Caves. Depart for Manila after dinner

From Saudi to Manila: Pag-ibig na Pangmatagalan

Finally, the Tide with Downy story is complete! Selected from the hundreds of stories shared to us via the Tide Bangong Padala Promo, the love story of Myrna and Emmanuel truly represents Pag-ibig na Pangmatagalan.

Emmanuel had been in Saudi for 16 years, occasionally reunited when he flies home. And sadly, he never saw his children grow up. But that is the reality overseas workers have to face. The lure of a better future even if it means staying away from your family becomes a clear choice given our situation here in the country. They may have been separated for so long, but their love remains fresh and strong. That’s why we selected their story.

After selecting their story, visiting Myrna at their home and sending Emmanuel her package in Saudi, the ultimate goal was to reunite them here in Manila after being separated for a long time. It was obvious that Myrna yearned to see Emmanuel again. The tears that flowed down every time she told the story was really a sign of longing to see her husband.

When we visited Myrna at her home in Novaliches, we never said when Emmanuel was coming home. When the day finally came, we motored to NAIA Terminal 1 to meet with Emmanuel who was flying in from Saudi.

Indeed, simple scents can remind you of home. I was standing at the arrival area when I saw Emmanuel walking down. And I knew it was him since he was wearing the Tide with the Freshness of Downy shirt that was sent to him from Myrna.

I got to talk to him while on the van en route to where Myrna was. He said that he had been in Saudi for 16 years since he had to earn money to raise his family. While working abroad, you can’t help but remember your family at home. He mentioned to me how the simple scent of his t-shirt reminded him of home, how the scent of freshly washed clothes remind him of Myrna’s care.

Myrna was actually not aware that Emmanuel was home, not aware that she was going to be seeing him that night. She was just being interviewed about her love story with Emmanuel when suddenly…

So what happened really? Watch the video and see how the two got reunited!


This whole experience touched me as a frequent international traveler. I can get homesick especially when I’ve been away for weeks, what more for people who have been away for years. It was also impressive to see how despite distance, love prevails.

If you missed the first video, here it is as well.


Thank you Tide with Downy for that heartwarming experience!

Wiki Loves Monuments Philippines winners named

The winners of the Wiki Loves Monuments Philippines contest was announced last night at awarding ceremonies held at the Filipinas Heritage Library. Of the 2,300 entries uploaded over the thirty days of the competition, fifty advanced to the final round. From the fifty finalists, ten winners were selected. These ten will represent the Philippines in the Wiki Loves Monuments global competition.

Since the ranks will be disregarded in the global competition, here are the top ten in alphabetical order:

Batad Rice Terraces
© User:Captaincid / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Capas National Shrine
© User:RainJorque / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Daraga Church
© User:Angelonce / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Manila Cathedral
© User:Bhoyetjumpay / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Manila Post Office
© User:Corteco8 / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Paoay Church
© User:Leoviernes1 / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Quiapo Church
© User:Obra19 / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

The Ruins (Mariano Ledesma Lacson Mansion)
© Ninya Regalado / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

UST Main Building
© User:Tristantamayo / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Vigan Cathedral
© User:Jsinglador / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Wiki Loves Monuments 2011 was limited to European countries. Here are the winners from last year's competition. This year, thirty six countries participated, including the Philippines. Good luck to the winners!

Laguna: Save the Alberto House!

If you believe that the Philippine Government should save the ancestral house of Jose Rizal's mother Teodora Alonzo, share this until it reaches our government leaders. No to transfer to Bagac, Bataan!

From Dr. Bimbo Sta. Maria of United Artists for Cultural Conservation and Development (UACCD) in Binan, Laguna:  "A part of the Alberto House caved in yesterday. This is the beginning of the end of this historic house. After it was demolished from the inside and its parts transferred to Bataan, the house has been left exposed to the elements. No ceiling, no floor and its foundations dug and exposed, it was inevitable for the house, now left only with its shell, to go down.

"The planned expropriation proceedings by our local government did not push through for some reasons. UACCD has followed it up in the past until the present but the LGU has other pressing problems to attend to. RA 10066 is in effect. But as stated before, the national government does not have the funds to save all heritage structures.

"It is a fact that the house remains to be private property. With the owner's loss of interest to preserve the house and his selling it, this is the moment he has long been waiting for to get rid of this important cultural property. Consummatum est! (Photo courtesy of Star Jenny Carpena Chiucinco-Temprosa)"

Get ready for the International Cultural Tourism Conference and Heritage Conservation Summit in November! Register now!

Mark your calendars! We have two interesting heritage conservation and cultural tourism events this November which you all should not miss, especially for national cultural agencies and local government tourism, arts and culture offices, cultural workers, tourism policy makers and stakeholders, architects and urban planners, faculty and students, and the general public. Make sure to register early since slots are limited!

ICOMOS International Conference on Cultural Tourism 2012
City of Vigan, Ilocos Sur (November 7-8, 2012)

November 7, 2012 (Wednesday)
08:00-09:00     Registration
09:00-09:05     Philippine National Anthem
09:05-09:10     Welcome Message – Augusto F. Villalon, President, ICOMOS Philippines
09:10-09:20     Opening Address – Susan Millar, President, ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC)
09:20-10:00     Keynote Address – Hon. Felipe de Leon, Chairman, National Commission for Culture and the Arts
10:00-10:30     Cultural Tourism: Challenges and Opportunities for Community Development / A Destination Approach to Protecting Heritage Values and Enhancing the Visitor Experience – Policy, Planning and Management – Susan Millar, ICTC President
10:30-11:00     Coffee Break
11:00-11:30     Tourism and Community Development through Successful Cultural Heritage Merchandising – Graham Brooks
11:30-12:00     Shared Built Heritage in Asia – Sue Jackson-Stepowski, ISC SBH Vice President
12:00-13:00     Lunch
13:00-13:30     Economic and Social Impact of Heritage – Michele Prats, Vice President, ICOMOS France
13:30-14:00     Community Based Tourism in the Philippines: National Tourism Development Plan and Intramuros Master Plan – Augusto Villalon, ICOMOS Philippines President
14:00-14:30     Cultural Heritage Tourism Development Framework for Enhancing Heritage for Tourism: Case Study, The Grand Trunk Road in Punjab, India – Gurmeet S Rai, Director, CRCI New Delhi  
14:30-15:00     Gabii sa Kabilin – Joy Gerra, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation
15:00-15:30     Coffee Break
15:30-16:00     Heritage Site Visitation Management – Randy Durband, USA
16:00-16:30     Cultural Tourism in a Multi-Ethnic Traumatized Community – Pali Wijeratne, Sri Lanka
16:30-17:00     The Role of Cultural Heritage in Peacemaking and Rebuilding Post-Conflict Communities – Suzanne Bott, PhD
17:30-18:00     War and Peace in Tourism – Mark Torres, MSU Iligan
18:00-18:15     Announcements

November 8, 2012 (Thursday)
08:00-08:30     Arrival of Participants
08:30-09:00     High-Impact Tour Packages for Sustainable Community Development: The Case of Kularts Tribal Tours and Cultureight Travel – Carlo Ebeo and Charisse Aquino-Tugade
09:00-09:30     Liternature: Cultural Tourism Destination and Opportunity for Community – Kwangsik Kim, Senior Member, ICOMOS Korea
09:30-10:00     Cultural Tourists of the Future for the Asia-Pacific Region – Hilary du Cros
10:00-10:30     Coffee Break
10:30-11:00     Cultural Heritage and Local Development: A Case Study of District Mansehra KP, Pakistan – Sattar Fazli Durrani, Assistant Professor, Hazara University
11:00-11:30     Communicating Heritage Values - Creative Conversations – Peter Ross and Susan Millar, ICTC President
11:30-12:00     “Telling the Stories of The Rocks”:  Place Based Interpretation (Ian Kelly, Director, The Rocks and Circular Quay, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority)
12:00-13:00     Lunch
13:00-13:30     The Heritage River Island, Assam – Dilip K. Medhi, Gauhati University, Guwahati Department of Anthropology
13:30-14:00     Developing Values-Based and Participatory Tourism: A Need for “River Island of Majuli Cultural Landscape in the Midstream of Brahmaputra River, Assam, India” for a Prospective World Heritage Site in North East India – GSV Suryanarayana Murthy, Conservation Architect, Hyderabad, India; and Syed Iftikar Hussain, CEO, Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority, Assam, India
14:00-14:30     Sustainable Tourism on World Heritage Properties Linked to Agricultural and Livestock Rearing Practices: Enhancing the Role of Communities – Celia Martínez, University of Granada, Spain
14:30-15:00     Small Town Heritage Tourism and the International Cultural Tourism Charter – Jim Donovan, FASLA
15:00-15:30     “The Castle and the Community” – The Key Role of Hillsborough Castle Northern Ireland in Cultural Tourism for Community Development – Sharon Brown and Alan Oliver, ICOMOS UK
15:30-16:00     Coffee Break
16:00-16:30     Limunsudan Falls, Northern Mindanao Heritage Tourism – Rosario Dizon
16:30-17:00     Argao Youth for Heritage Society - AYHS: Empowerment through Community-Based Cultural Education – Ruel Javier Rigor, AYHS Founder and Adviser
17:00-17:20     Open Forum
17:20-17:30     Conclusions and Announcements

For registration to the conference, send an e-mail to vigan2012@icomosphilippines.com. Note that seats are limited. We will accept participants on a first come, first served basis. Payment of conference fee confirms your slot.

Participation fees are Php3500 for professionals (inclusive of lunch on both days, conference kits) and Php600 for undergraduate students with ID (inclusive of packed lunch on both days, conference kits)

Note that the fees do not include transportation to/from Vigan and accommodation there. The City Tourism Office of Vigan, Ilocos Sur can assist you in looking for accommodation. You may contact the office at (077) 7228776 or admin@vigancity.gov.ph. Registration begins at 8 a.m. of Wednesday, November 7, 2012. Conference will end at 5:30 p.m. of Thursday, November 8, 2012.

For cash and check payments, you may deposit to:
International Council on Monuments & Sites Philippines, Inc.
Bank of the Philippine Islands S/A No. 3083 7113 95 (Loyola Katipunan Branch)

Scan and e-mail a copy of the deposit slip to vigan2012@icomosphilippines.com. Keep the original slip and present it when you register during the conference. You will need the deposit slip to claim your conference ID, kit and official receipt.

Heritage Conservation Summit 2012: Economics of Heritage
Batangas City Convention Center (November 24, 2012)

07:30-08:30     Registration
08:30-08:40     Welcome Remarks – Mayor Vilma Dimacuha, Mayor of Batangas City
08:40-08:50     Opening Remarks – Gemma Cruz-Araneta, Heritage Conservation Society (HCS) Chairperson
08:50-09:00     Summit Goals and Expected Outcomes – EnP. Nathaniel von Einsiedel, HCS President
09:00-09:30     Incentivizing Preservation under the Tourism Act of 2009 – Atty. Mark Evidente, President of TwoEco, Inc.
09:30-10:00     Open Forum
10:00-10:30     Report of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) – Dr. Jaime C. Laya, Chairman of Committee on Monuments and Sites (CMS)
10:30-11:00     Report of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) – Chairman Ma. Serena Diokno
11:00-11:30     Report of the National Museum (NM) – Director Jeremy Barns
11:30-12:00     Open Forum
12:00-13:00     Lunch
13:00-13:20     Batangas City's Heritage Conservation Initiatives – Eduardo V. Borbon, Vice Chair, Batangas City Cultural Affairs Committee
13:20-13:40     BPO@Escolta – Arch. Dominic Galicia, ICOMOS, 20th Century Architecture Committee
13:40-14:00     Ayala Land, Inc.'s Heritage Conservation Initiatives – Arch. Joel Luna, Vice President, Ayala Land, Inc.
14:00-14:20     Orchid Garden Suites: A 16-Year Economic Case Study of Adaptive Reuse – Simon Paterno, former president of Development Bank of the Philippines
14:20-15:00     Open Forum
15:00-15:30     Coffee Break
15:30-15:45     Report of the HCS – Arch. Manolo Noche, Corporate Secretary of HCS
15:45-16:00     Report of ICOMOS Philippines – Arch. Augusto F. Villalon, President of ICOMOS Philippines    
16:00-16:15     Report of the Diwa ng Batangan
16:15-16:45     Open Forum
16:45-17:00     Closing Remarks – Ivan Anthony Henares, HCS Vice President
17:00-17:15     Adjournment (Proceed to Bahay ni Ka Tonying)
17:15-17:45     History and Restoration of Bahay ni Ka Tonying – Arch. Rene Mata, Treasurer of HCS
17:45-18:30     Tour of the Acosta-Pastor Ancestral House
18:30-19:30     Concert
19:30-20:30     Dinner

For registration to the summit, send an e-mail to hcs_secretariat@yahoo.com.

Participation fees are Php1000 for professionals (inclusive of lunch), Php800 for HCS members in good standing and Php300 for undergraduate students with ID.

Thailand: Bangkok day-trip to the Historic City of Ayutthaya

My family has been to Bangkok before. Having seen many of the major attractions in the Thai capital, my parents asked me to plan a day-trip outside Bangkok this time around. So we rented a van and motored to the Historic City of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and capital of the Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya from 1350 until it was ransacked by the Burmese in 1767. The trip to Ayutthaya takes about two hours.

It had been several years since I last visited Ayutthaya and it was raining during that trip. So I was looking forward to this visit, especially since the sun was out this time (after several days of nonstop rain). Since the city is mostly ruins of the ancient capital, and noting we had my young niece with us, I decided to start the day with an elephant ride around some of the historic monuments to get her excited.

Among the temples you get to see is the Wat Phra Ram which you won't miss because of the lagoon in front of it. The elephant ride is one activity you should do to encourage young people to appreciate the heritage of the place. We also got to feed the elephants after the ride which was really fun.

With that done, we proceeded to the temples. Note that each temple has its own entrance fee which costs more for foreigners. Our first stop was Wat Phra Mahathat วัดมหาธาตุ, also known as the Monastery of the Great Relic. Walking through the temple, you will notice rows of headless Buddhas and leaning prangs.

But one of the highlights of the visit would be the Buddha head engulfed by the roots of a fig tree. Remember to kneel or squat when having your photo taken since the Thais consider it disrespectful if you are higher than the Buddha head in the photo.

After a sumptuous Thai lunch, we visited Wat Ratchburana or the Monastery of the Royal Restoration. The highlight of the visit would be the main prang and royal vihara. After two temples, my family was all templed out. So we called it a day but stopped by Bang Pa-In Summer Palace พระราชวังบางปะอิน on the way back to Bangkok.

More photos of Ayutthaya, Thailand in the Ivan About Town FB page.

How to get to Ayutthaya, Thailand
Aside from renting a private vehicle, there are several trains and buses which conveniently connect Bangkok to Ayutthaya several times daily. In fact, they are very cheap! During my previous visit, I took the train going there and an air-conditioned bus going back.

The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok
During our visit to Bangkok, we stayed at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit which was conveniently located close to the BTS Asok Station. The hotel is quite memorable to me since this was where the opening ceremonies of the Thailand Medical Tourism Blog Contest were held.

We spent a comfortable two days at the Westin. And I enjoyed their breakfast buffet spread!

259 Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok 10110 Thailand
Tel. No. +66 (2) 2078000
Fax No. +66 (2) 2552441
E-mail: bangkok@westin.com

BDO offers online shopping on installment

Have you ever wanted to purchase something online but couldn’t because it would be too much to pay one-time within a month or so? How I wish I could buy airline tickets online automatically on installment as I’ve already had quite a number of online airline ticket purchases that would have been made even better if payments were spread out.

Well, the good news is... BDO Credit Cards is offering a first for online shopping with their automated Online Installment promo! Hopefully, this will be the start of a new local trend when it comes to online shopping.  With a bit of luck, I might just be able to purchase my long-haul flights on installment too! (fingers crossed)

For a minimum spend of P3,000 at BDO partner merchants, all BDO Credit Cardholders (except Corporate, Commercial, Tie-up & CUP credit cards) have the option to pay on 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months installment terms for online purchases until December 31, 2012. Cardholders may choose to avail of either the Absolutely Zero Percent or Regular Installment promo offer. It’s such a great deal, right?!

So with your BDO Credit Card, you can now purchase products and services from Ensogo, Filgifts.com, Reebonz, Hallo Hallo Mall, Deal Dozen and the Philippine Hotel Reservations Service on installment. Other BDO online partner merchants include ZestAir, Ava, CashCashPinoy, City Delivery, Zalora, Shopinas.com, Gupo and Lazada.

If you have a BDO Credit Card, you should not let this opportunity go to waste especially with Christmas just around the corner.  This would be a great - not to mention convenient - way to complete your Christmas list and be able to spread out the payments to make it easier on your pockets!

For more information, visit the BDO website.

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The happy Filipino makes traveling to the Philippines more fun!

Traveling the Philippines is most definitely fun! After seeing all 80 provinces of our country, I can attest to the fact that it's more fun in the Philippines!

Having explored the islands of Batanes and experienced the warm Ivatan hospitality; knowing that the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are not only breathtaking sites and that the Ifugaos that live there are truly a happy group; spending a night with the Manobos in the Agusan Marsh who opened their floating homes to me; visiting the T'boli in Lake Sebu, all these experiences in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, there's one thing is common, Filipinos are welcoming, and know how to smile and have fun!

This kind of hospitality makes our country a viable tourist destination. Everywhere I go, there are always locals willing to help a visitor enjoy his or her stay.

Indeed the happy Filipino makes traveling to the Philippines more fun!

Filipinos are known to be among the happiest people in the world. Anybody who has been to the Philippines will attest that the remarkable ability of Pinoys to face anything with a happy and positive outlook truly is what sets them apart from the rest of the world.  When it comes to observing distinctly Pinoy quirks and sensibilities and highlighting the best of what the country has to offer, the insightful and humorous videos of YouTube sensation Bogart the Explorer always hit the spot.



Here is the latest video brought to us by Jollibee, where Bogart tours his newfound friend Kirk, a foreign tourist on his first visit to the Philippines. It features some of the most popular tourist attractions in North Philippines such as Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, Vigan in Ilocos Sur and Baguio City. But more than that, it highlights how Filipinos have fun while traveling or welcoming people.

More than the diversity of the country's natural resources and its often-cited world-class beaches, it is the Filipinos' warm hospitality and happy character that inspired the It's More Fun in the Philippines campaign.  While other countries definitely have their own breathtaking attractions, the Filipino people are the number one reason why tourists should travel to the Philippines.

To find out more about Jollibee's happy Filipino, visit www.thehappyfilipino.com.

Splenda is the healthy sweet!

I’ve so gotten used to drinking black coffee since I have to avoid sugar as much as possible. That’s the life of a diabetic. Looking for the words sugar-free has become routine if I want to satisfy my sweet cravings. Which is why I am always happy, just as I was today, when my coffee is served with packets of Splenda!

I found out that Johnson & Johnson has started officially distributing Splenda in the Philippines! That explains why it’s now more readily available than before. It has been such a great friend the past few years as it has allowed me to enjoy things I would otherwise try to avoid.

But Splenda is not just for diabetics like me. We can all enjoy “sweet” without any guilt or downsides. Aside from being sugar-free, Splenda is a Low Calorie Sweetener (LCS) that comes closest to the taste of sugar. I myself can attest to that. It has no bitter aftertaste like other artificial sweeteners, and no calories!

Plus preparing sugar-free food and beverages is now made possible with Splenda. It is actually the only brand that can be used for cooking and baking because it is heat-stable. That’s why there are a lot of sugar-free cakes, pastries and desserts coming out in the market today. And that definitely keeps us all smiling, especially since Splenda can remove three-fourths of the calories that comes from sugar.

Did you actually know that? We’ve been so used to sweeteners only for coffee and other beverages, many don’t realize there are now more possibilities because of Splenda, a sweetener that can actually be used for cooking and baking. I’m looking forward to trying out some great recipes in the next few weeks now that Splenda is here in the Philippine market. Time to dish out something healthy yet sweet from our kitchen!

Pampanga: Hillside Ranch Slow Roasted Beef Belly & Corned Beef Brisket

From Pampanga comes another great food product! My high school classmates had been bugging me to try their new product: Hillside Ranch Slow Roasted Beef Belly and Corned Beef Brisket. So they gave me some of their stuff. It had been in the freezer for the longest time since I'm always out of the house.

Hillside Ranch Corned Beef Brisket

But I had guests a few weeks ago and decided to take them out to serve. It's easy to prepare actually since it's fully-cooked and microwavable. I first defrosted them using the microwave oven for a few minutes. Then I popped them in the toaster for a few more minutes. And they were done!

Hillside Ranch Slow Roasted Beef Belly

I served the Slow Roasted Beef Belly with the gravy that accompanies it. You only need to heat it in a pan or the microwave. But we have a special barbecue sauce that we always get from the Legazpi Sunday Market and it works quite well with it. The Corned Beef Brisket I served with horseradish and mustard. My guests were all raves about dinner.

So I'm sharing this with you. It's available at Essel Supermarket in San Fernando, Pampanga. In Manila, you can get it at Trellis Quezon City, Trellis Makati, or pick-up in Valle Verde 5. Call (0917) 5301251, (0917) 5319351 or e-mail hillsideranch@me.com. Happy eating!