Manila: Chinatown food trip & staycation in Binondo

Who would have thought a staycation in Manila was a viable option? We got to experience one during Chinese New Year at Ramada Manila Central in Binondo where we spent the night before the Lunar New Year. It was a very convenient way of enjoying Manila Chinatown cuisine and the festivities the next day within walking distance from where we were staying.

In fact, as soon as we were done checking-in at the hotel, we went straight for dim sum at President Tea House. Restaurants were full that night since it was the bisperas and we had to queue. But it was well worth the wait as we enjoyed some really good Tsinoy food.

To get rid of the obvious weight gain from the sumptuous food, we walked around Binondo's interesting streets (which are very quiet on a normal night) and visited some of its hidden temples. I say hidden because most of them are located on the roof tops of buildings, such as the Te Ah Kong (Teyakong) Temple, a Taoist temple located near the corner of Ongpin and Kipuja Streets. Another interesting temple nearby is the Shi Ong Hu Temple along T. Alonzo Street, a Buddhist temple which occupies at least two floors of the building where it is located.

We were back at Ramada Manila Central before midnight and watched the fireworks from our hotel room window. The next day, we visited the roof deck bar of the hotel to see the view of Binondo from above. Ongpin was alive and crowded with so many visitors enjoying the festivities. Later in the morning, we got to watch the lion dance hired by the hotel before moving around.

Lunch was at Xiao Chun Yuan Restaurant near the corner of Ongpin and S. Padilla (Gandara) Streets. We tried out their Oyster Cake, Mapo Tofu, Polonchay and Pork Mushroom, another hearty Chinatown meal! For the afternoon, since it was a bit hot, we went back to the hotel to take a nap. Anyway, most of the dance troupes were resting as well.

By late afternoon, all the troupes were out again. Aside from the lion dances, we also got to see colorful dragon dance troupes. Unfortunately, the out of place freak shows were making their appearances as well, trying to compete for attention with the genuine lion and dragon dance troupes that are an inherent part of the celebration. These outsiders should be reminded that it isn't Ati-Atihan, nor was it a Pride March, or even Halloween (poor business owners were trying to shoo away people dressed as aswangs dancing in front of their establishments since to them, they are malas or symbols of bad luck). These outsider groups, mostly drag queens, fire eaters and fiesta drummers, were obviously there for the money. So at the very least, they should have matched their acts with the occasion which was Chinese New Year. And visitors should stop giving them money so as not to encourage them to come back again next year. But at least I noticed more lion dance troupes this year which was a good sign.

The main reason we went out was to get some Fried Siopao from Ching Hong Foods along Benavidez Street.  We got there just in time since a new batch was about ready for serving and this sumptuous snack is sold out before you know it.

We actually so enjoyed our stay at the hotel so much because of the convenience that we decided to extend for another night to experience more of Chinatown. Dinner was at the Royale Sharksfin Seafood Restaurant (no we did not have sharks fin and I hope they don't serve it), which according to my tokayo, Mr. Old Manila Walks, is one of the best restaurants in Binondo. We were not disappointed.

Before calling it a night, the two Ivans got a foot massage at the spa located at the first floor of the hotel, a perfect way to end the night, especially for Ivan Man Dy, who had been touring people around Manila Chinatown the whole day. It may not be as festive on other days, but Binondo is worth a staycation any day of the year if only for the food!

Where to stay in Binondo, Manila
Ramada Manila Central, a Wyndham hotel, is conveniently located at the corner of Ongpin and Quintin Paredes Streets, beside Binondo Church. Rooms are cozy and comfortable. And its location makes exploring Binondo even easier.

Telephone: +63 (2) 5886688 / 3544151
Fax: +63 (2) 3544152
E-mail: reservations@ramadamanilacentral.com

Negros Oriental: Food & cultural heritage in Dumaguete

Dumaguete, Negros Oriental is such a charming city! Its tree-lined seaside boulevard is the centerpiece of its historic core. The locals fought hard to preserve the character of Rizal Boulevard, vigorously opposing a reclamation by the Philippine Ports Authority that would have forever damaged its charm.

On one end of Rizal Boulevard is historic Silliman University, established by Presbyterian missionaries in 1901, the first American private university in the Philippines. Silliman Hall is the iconic structure of this heritage campus, built using materials taken from and old theater in New York. One of the oldest American colonial buildings in the country, it now houses an anthropology museum.

Along the boulevard are centuries-old trees, old lampposts and heritage houses brilliantly reused as restaurants and hotels. It was a beautiful example of how adaptive reuse can breathe life into heritage structures and that one need not demolish old buildings to make them economically-viable today.

Around town are reminders of the city's colonial past. The Dumaguete Bell Tower and Cathedral, in front of Quezon Park, the city's main plaza, are major landmarks found in downtown Dumaguete. A house where Jose Rizal stayed en route to Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte still stands. We also visited Sidlakang Negros Village, an expo park that features the different municipalities and cities of Negros Oriental, their arts and crafts, delicacies and souvenir items, a one-stop shop for everything Negros Oriental.

Where to eat in Dumaguete
Food options are also interesting. From the traditional delicacies to new restaurants, there's always something different to try.

We trooped to the Dumaguete City Public Market to try out the famous Budbud Kabog, a suman made of millet instead of the regular glutinous rice, which is actually from the town of Tanjay. Make sure to have it with a hot cup of tsokolate! We also had the Chocolate Budbud which is the regular glutinous rice suman with chocolate.

Another pride of Dumaguete are the Silvanas of Sans Rival, which come in the regular butter and chocolate flavors. We actually had dinner at Sans Rival Bistro, their branch along Rizal Boulevard, one of the beautiful old mansions by the sea, adaptively-reused as dining space. Of course, we had to try their cakes for dessert. We ordered Date and Walnut Dacquoise and Salted Caramel Cheesecake.

Speaking of dessert, Fried Ice Cream of Panda is also a popular snack. We also dropped by to enjoy this popular Dumaguete treat.

One of our dinners was at Hayahay Treehouse. We got to try out Dumaguete Express, Hayahay's version of the famous Bicol Express topped with Lechon Kawali. Baked Talaba was also on the menu.

Where to stay in Dumaguete
We were hosted by GoHotels.ph Dumaguete during our stay in Dumaguete, Negros Occidental. You could actually get a decent room for Php388++ a night if on sale. Airport transfers are also available for Php98 per person. You can book your stay via the GoHotels.ph website.

Negros Oriental: Lake Balanan, Dauin Church & Bacong Church, road trip south of Dumaguete

Late last year, I got to fly twice to Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. The first trip was a familiarization tour with GoHotels.ph Dumaguete and Cebu Pacific. The group got to experience Dumaguete and areas nearby. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and it was raining every now and then. So our trip to Apo Island did not push through due to rough seas. We instead drove south all the way to Lake Balanan in Siaton, the southernmost municipality of Negros Island, and passed by heritage churches on the way back to Dumaguete.

As we neared the lake, we were met by a road blocked by a river that overflowed. Some of the locals were saying that there was no other way to the lake. And it was a bummer if we didn't get to see it. But just as we were about to leave, someone pointed to us a trail to the lake. So we walked for a few minutes and finally made it to Lake Balanan.

Lake Balanan is actually a success story. It used to be full of informal settlers. And like in most informal communities, it was riddled with garbage. The local government organized the informal settlers, gave them a community away from the lake, and set-up a cooperative for them to manage the tourism facilities around the lake. It was a win-win-win solution since Lake Balanan looks very clean now, you don't see any informal settlers by the lake, the former informal settlers now have a place to stay plus they have livelihood from tourism.

We had lunch at one of the function halls built by the lake. Among the dishes we had was the Negros Oriental version of halang-halang which to me tasted like chicken tinola with pepper and gata (coconut milk).

From Sioton, we motored back to Dumaguete. We stopped along the National Highway at Barangay Maluay, Zamboanguita to try out the town's famous torta. Note that torta has striking differences depending on where you are. In the Visayas, it's usually bread. And various places have different recipes. In Zamboanguita, torta looks like dinner rolls, but sweeter, denser and more filling.

In Dauin, we stopped by the centuries-old Dauin Church. The exterior is well-preserved and has character but the inside seemed to be renovated. We also stopped by the Bacong Church which is a National Cultural Treasure.

GoHotels.ph Dumaguete
We were hosted by GoHotels.ph Dumaguete during our stay in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. You could actually get a decent room for Php388++ a night if on sale. Airport transfers are also available for Php98 per person. You can book your stay via the GoHotels.ph website.

Davao Occidental: Beach adventure in Jose Abad Santos

Before I flew down south to Davao Occidental, a new province carved out of Davao del Sur, the area had been experiencing torrential rains. People were actually discouraging me from pushing through, suggesting to move the trip a week later. But gut feel told me to go. And I was blessed with several days of sun. For my third day, we explored Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, the southernmost municipality of Mindanao Island.

I had arrived the day before after a three-hour drive from Malita, through rough mountain and coastal roads in Don Marcelino, before reaching Jose Abad Santos or JAS. After breakfast that morning, we visited the old municipal hall of JAS, over fifty years old, which the locals preserved and hope to get declared. Note that they built a new municipal hall a few meters away and kept their old one.

We drove to the next barangay and spent the whole morning in Culaman Beach where the Joyce Ancestral House is located, exploring the nearby beaches, a picturesque mix of sand and rock. It was a pleasant trek through the rocky shoreline. But you need to be careful though since you can easily lose your balance.

Further down the coastline, there was one relatively white sand beach in a small cove. Near it, we sat under a tree, enjoying the warm sea breeze and the sound of waves hitting the shore.

Some locals brought us coconuts, a refreshing treat after that short walk under the hot sun.

Before going back to the Joyce House, we passed by the parola, the recently-built Culaman Lighthouse, which offers a spectacular view of Culaman's shoreline. Lunch was at a kubo beside the house. I could have stayed there the whole day and just stared at the view!

After lunch, I was brought back to Malita for me to catch a bus to Davao City. But I took more photos along the way, especially in Barangay Mangile and the Lawayon Plantation. Of course, I enjoyed the views of the vast coconut plantations and rice fields from high up the National Highway. But every now and then, you'd get reminded of the old forest cover of the area that was cleared for these plantations, when you see a large centuries-old tree.

I made it back in time for the 3:30 p.m. bus (no more aircon buses) to Davao. I decided to get a ticket to Digos and wait for a more comfortable and faster ride from there which was a good move since it only took me an hour to get back. All in all, it took over five hours from JAS to Davao City. By the time the bus arrived at Ecoland, it was raining again.

That was a good trip! I'm definitely coming back to Davao Occidental to see Balut Island and Sarangani Island, and the southern barangays of JAS which I was told has better beaches!

Part 1 - Davao Occidental: Road adventure to Santa Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino & Jose Abad Santos

How to get to Davao Occidental
There are regular buses to Santa Maria and Malita from the Ecoland Bus Terminal in Davao City. I paid Php213 for the air-conditioned ride from Davao to Malita. From Malita, there are buses to Don Marcelino. To get to Jose Abad Santos, you can take a van from Malita (although the service is not regular) or from Davao City which costs Php500. But you will need to know the number of the van drivers since they are private vans which will pick you up from your hotel in Davao. Contact Junjun at (0928) 2645527.

Where to stay in Jose Abad Santos
There is only one place to stay in JAS. You may contact Traveller's Inn at (0908) 8855687.

Thank you to the family of Rep. Franklin P. Bautista, JAS Mayor Jimmy Joyce and Atty. Jason Joyce for their warm hospitality!

Davao Occidental: Road adventure to Santa Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino & Jose Abad Santos

It's been quite a while since I've gone on an adventure to a remote area of the Philippines. I looked at Jose Abad Santos on the map, at the southernmost end of Mindanao Island, as I planned this spur of the moment trip to what could be the country's newest province. How on earth do I get there?

Davao Occidental had just been created a week before, five towns separated from Davao del Sur. Only a plebiscite separates the province from formal existence. But despite the uncertainty, I still decided on a whim to fly to Davao and explore these rarely-visited municipalities at the southwestern end of the Davao Gulf.

Getting to Malita, Davao Occidental's future capital was no problem since there are regular buses from Davao City's Ecoland Bus Terminal. Unfortunately, the bus I was on seemed to stop at every town. So it took me over two hours to get to Digos, and another two hours to Malita. While there is accommodation and small beach resorts available in the area, I was graciously hosted by the local congressman's family.

The next morning, I was taken around Malita and Santa Maria by motorcycle. The communities along the coastline of Malita, particularly Musa Compound and Fishing Village, must be predominantly Muslim since I noticed several mosques can be seen in the area. I particularly liked the bright blue and gold Jamiri Musa Mosque.

We visited Little Boracay Beach in Santa Maria, about 40 minutes from Malita. Off the National Highway, it's several kilometers of rough road to get to the beach. The beach is secluded with rough cream sand. There are several huts, including air-conditioned ones for those who want to stay overnight. It's a decent beach resort, but they need to pick-up the plastic wrappers more often. Plastic seems to be a plague even in rural areas of the Philippines where many locals just throw their wrappers anywhere.

By lunch, we motored back to Malita where the former municipal administrator of Jose Abad Santos was waiting for me. I was introduced to him by a common friend. And lucky me, he was on his way to JAS from Davao City which made my trip more comfortable. My other choice was to hire a habal-habal from Malita to JAS, a trip that would take almost three hours! Good thing I had a ride since the roads were really rough. And I would have gotten really wet at the river crossings!

We stopped by Captain's Lake in Don Marcelino. It's a resort with a stream and freshwater pond that drains into the beach. Looks fun to swim in. And the beach is just outside the fence.

From there to JAS, we were incommunicado. The ride took another two hours (or more because of the picture stops) through rough mountain and coastal roads. It was mostly coconut plantations. And I would think the original forest cover was wiped out during the colonial period when Mindanao became the land of agricultural promise.

There were several river crossings. And unfortunately, when it rains hard, the southern end of Don Marcelino and the whole of JAS are cut off from the rest of civilization. Some people have earned a living from these river crossings. I've only read of stevedoring in old books and the term is still actively used in these crossings. Roads are being constructed as we speak, and hopefully bridges. So this rugged adventure drive won't last for long.

As we were driving, we saw a group Manobo kids selling lansones. We asked how much and they told us they were selling them for Php3 a bag. We bought the whole lot and gave them a bonus. The smiles said it all. Don't you just love the simple pleasures of traveling through rural Mindanao.

All throughout, views of the coastline were picturesque. We finally made the border between Don Marcelino and JAS which was another river crossing.

We passed through the Lawayon Plantation and noticed the plantation carabaos converged at the mouth of the river. A flock of egrets were there as well, most probably feasting on mites feasting on the carabaos.

In the next barangay, we saw a basketball court right on the unpaved National Highway by the beach. In this area, there is no electricity. So this must be a very important pastime. The players have to clear the court every time a vehicle passes. But it doesn't happen very often. There should have been electricity in this area late last year. But I was told the extension of power lines all the way to JAS was delayed due to opposition from a local politician because the northern barangays of JAS were not his supporters.

It was getting dark, so we rushed straight to the town center of JAS. We charged our phones as soon as we got to my host's home. Since power in the poblacion is served by generator, it's only available from 2 p.m. to midnight. They also have solar power units available in some houses. Satellite cable TV is the only choice since they are too far away to receive signals from the free channels. But what surprised me was that there were Internet shops and WiFi, also served by satellite signal since mobile phones hardly have any signal (only Smart functions there).

We had a sumptuous dinner at the mayor's house before calling it a night. I spent the rest of the time uploading photos on Instagram before going to bed. More on Jose Abad Santos and Davao Occidental in my next post.

Part 2 - Davao Occidental: Adventure in Jose Abad Santos

How to get to Davao Occidental
There are regular buses to Santa Maria and Malita from the Ecoland Bus Terminal in Davao City. I paid Php213 for the air-conditioned ride from Davao to Malita. From Malita, there are buses to Don Marcelino. To get to Jose Abad Santos, you can take a van from Malita (although the service is not regular) or from Davao City which costs Php500. But you will need to know the number of the van drivers since they are private vans which will pick you up from your hotel in Davao. Contact Junjun at (0928) 2645527.

Where to stay in Jose Abad Santos
There is only one place to stay in JAS. You may contact Traveller's Inn at (0908) 8855687.

Thank you to the family of Rep. Franklin P. Bautista, JAS Mayor Jimmy Joyce and Atty. Jason Joyce for their warm hospitality!