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!