A Stroll Along Ayala Avenue and Ayala Triangle on Christmas Night

I joked with my friend and former colleague, Mario, who now lives in Canada, that we must have memorized all the names of the buildings and familiarized ourselves with all the street names in the Makati Commercial District during our days as young accountants working in an accounting firm in Makati City, Philippines.

One of our duties as junior auditors was to deliver confirmation letters to financial institutions, law offices, and other entities as part of the audit process, and their offices were mostly scattered around Legaspi and Salcedo Villages, and along Ayala Avenue. And this was pre-Google Maps!  To make sure we wouldn't get lost, we would call the addressee's office if it was in the labyrinth of streets inside Legaspi and Salcedo Villages, or ask our colleagues in the office who knew the location. 

Those days were fun because we could stretch our legs outdoors instead of just sitting in the office the whole day among piles of working papers, and we could also stroll around Makati like it was our park! Even on hot days, walking seemed fun!😎 

             (The Ayala Avenue pedestrian tunnel)

A few times, we would ride a jeepney going to Pasong Tamo when it was in that area, and once, I took a cab because the addressee's office was at a residence inside Dasmariñas Village! I just told the cab to wait for me.😋

And before we headed back to the office after one of those 'legwork' (that's what we call the task), we took a side trip with my film camera and went to the rooftop of a building at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas and had our own photoshoot! I still have the photos!😂

And during all those Christmases that always brought really bad traffic jams on Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenue, and Paseo de Roxas, our busy work lives would be momentarily distracted by the Christmas lights and decorations of the buildings in the Makati business district and on the island along Ayala Avenue.🎅🎄 

So, when I was in Makati City lately, I did not pass up the chance to stroll once more along Ayala Avenue and the Ayala Triangle to enjoy the Christmas decorations that bring the Christmas spirit to the busyness of the place.😋

From the Greenbelt area, I simply walked towards Ayala Avenue, not via Paseo de Roxas, but through the De La Rosa Street side using the pedestrian tunnel near the PLDT building. I decided to go there before 10PM when I thought there would be less people on the streets. A few times that night, I stood still and just looked up to the tall buildings, and reminisced the days of my professional life (and legwork days!) as well as the fun Christmas memories with friends and colleagues.😍  

Looking at those office buildings, I could almost see deadlines, work pressure, and stress!😂

The best time to visit is late in the evening when there are less vehicles cruising along Ayala Avenue, and make sure you enjoy, not only the lights and decorations, but also the spirit of the holidays.😀 

These are the photos and videos of my 2023 Christmas stroll along Ayala Avenue and Ayala Triangle.😀

Merry Christmas! Maligayang Pasko!😎

#christmas #pasko #AyalaAvenue #AyalaTriangle #paskuhan #Philippines #travelblog

The Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Awards @ Chef Jessie's Place

All those years of living in Seoul and writing about the Korean dishes, and desserts and delicacies I had for lunch or dinner must have prepared me for this writing competition.

Since 2009, the year when I set up this blog, I have been writing about Korean dishes and my experiences with Korean cuisine. From my Korean lunch favorites like soondae, altang, mandu, and buddae-jjiggae, to desserts like hotteok and patpingsu, the flavors of these Korean dishes and delicacies would once more dance in my mouth when I blogged about them.😋

And whenever I was home in the Philippines, I would also write Pinoy delicacies that I missed when I was away from home: chicken inasal, bibingka, Manapla puto, batchoy, and those famous Silay delicacies.

I guess being home now in the Philippines has allowed me to discover the Pinoy cuisine, not just the different flavors of our favorite dishes, but also the history and the evolution of Pinoy food. Thus, this better understanding of our cuisine provided me with a different perspective on how to write about it.

In May 2023, when the winners of the 20th Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Awards (DGF) were announced, I was thrilled and honored (read blog here).

And on November 22, 2023, I flew to Manila to attend  the awards luncheon at Chef Jessie Sincioco's Place in Makati City, Philippines. I told myself I had to attend as this may be my first and last time to win.😁

It was the right decision to travel to Manila because I met the food writers extraordinaire and chefs behind the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Awards: Ms. Micky Fenix, head, Mr. Alfred 'Krip' Yuson, Chef Myrna Segismundo, Chef Datu Pendatun, Ms. Ana Ozaeta, Ms. Maya Besa, Mr. Ige Ramos, and Ms. Nina Daza-Puyat. Ms. Felice Prudente Sta. Maria and Chef Jessie Sincioco were out of the country that day. Mrs. Clara Reyes Lapus, representing the Mama Sita brand of food products, was also there to share some Mama Sita goodies with the winners. We're grateful to these individuals who organized the DGF in honor of Doreen Gamboa Fernandez, and at the same time, for championing Pinoy food!😋

I was able to meet my fellow winners, Reynadel Cayetano (1st prize) and Kaye Leah Cacho-Sitchon (co-3rd prize), while Jeanne Jakob-Ashkenzi (2nd prize), based in Spain, was not able to attend.

Before I received my award, Mr. Alfred Yuson, one of the judges and a Palanca hall-of-famer, read an excerpt from my winning essay. Having a legendary writer read my written words is an honor and a highlight of my years of writing.😎Thank you, Mr. Yuson!🙏

With treasured book prizes like the Flavors of Iloilo by Chef Rafael Jardeleza, The Ultimate Filipino Adobo by Claude Tayag, Sangkap, Table for Ten, and the brilliantly conceived, bilingual book, Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai written by Ms. Nina Daza-Puyat, I am inspired and encouraged to continue writing about our Pinoy food and cuisine, lending my words to the efforts of preserving and promoting our culinary heritage.😊

The link below is the Facebook page of the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Awards. The deadline for the essay and short video competitions is March 31, 2024.😍

https://www.facebook.com/DoreenGamboaFernandezFoodWritingAward

The awards luncheon was even more memorable with special dishes whose flavors my palate still remembers. The charcoal-grilled lemongrass chicken and the milkfish belly roll were amazing! And the ube panna cotta was sublime! These were all curated by Chef Jessie herself. Thank you, Chef Jessie!😀

Here's the clip where Mr. Alfred Yuson reads an excerpt from my food essay. I was over the moon with pride and honor as he was reading my piece.🙏

Mabuhay ang Pagkaing Pilipino!🍴😎

A Hundred Years of Tita Isa's Dulce Gatas: Sweet Memories of a Sweet History

It was now past 11PM, cold but not freezing. The airport bus finally arrived at Hannam-dong in the Yongsan District, my home in Seoul. My plane from Manila just landed over an hour ago. It was time to go back to work; my Christmas vacation was over. 

As I waited on the sidewalk for the bus driver to pull out my maleta from the luggage compartment of his bus, Seoul welcomed me with a drizzle. 

Wanting to get out of the cold, I started dragging my 30-kilo luggage with my left arm while my 10-kilo hand-carry bag burdened my right shoulder. 

The final leg (pun, intended!) of my journey to my home-away-from-home would require me to walk for 400 meters and traverse two pedestrian lanes that crisscrossed one of the busiest intersections in Yongsan. I was now very tired and hungry.😩

And as I stood alone waiting for the green light at the crossing, the exhaustion from my cargo was too much that I looked up to the dark winter skies, my face wet with mist, and wanted to wail as the honking city buses and cars drove past me.😢

I then realized that, among my clothes and shoes, were the prized contents of my bags: dried mangoes for my Korean friends, homemade brazo de mercedes from Tita Gamay, Salazar hopia from Binondo, Mary Grace chocolate truffle cake (in a plastic container) and ensaimadas from my friend Cielo, piaya from Bailon's, Dolor's sapin-sapin, El Ideal's bread snacks, packs of tablea tsokolate, Manapla puto, and Tita Isa's dulce gatas!😁

Instead of crying, I started to chuckle!😅 I wasn't carrying ordinary cargo. I was carrying goodies from home! These weren't burden; these were delights!😄

           (Tita Isa's dulce gatas from the maleta)

That was how these Philippine delicacies cheered me up in Korea. Even during freezing winter mornings in Seoul, when I couldn't go out because of heavy snowfall, I'd steam a pair of Manapla puto and melt tablea tsokolate in hot milk, and my day would feel warm and better. 

At times, after a busy day in the office, I'd try to forget the stress and irritating office characters with a bar of Tita Isa's dulce gatas! 

These flavors that reminded me of home always made me feel not so far away from home. 

But now that I was, it was a delight to be 'reconnected' again with Tita Isa's dulce gatas!😊 

Right in the middle of the 2023 Kaon Ta Festival at Balay Negrense in Silay City I met Tita Isa's daughter, Mrs. Sonia Javier-Tordesillas who has continued her mom's dulce gatas business. 'Tita Isa's Dulce Gatas' was one of the stalls of other Silaynon heritage recipes at the food festival. (According to my mom, it was Mrs. Sonia Tordesillas who took her orders when she phoned.😊)

And while the Silay rondalla was providing music to everyone, I told Mrs. Sonia Tordesillas that her Mom's dulce gatas was one reason I was at Kaon Ta!

And how did the story of Tita Isa's dulce gatas start?

According to one of her daughters, Sr. Vicenta Eloisa Javier, R.A., it all started with their Lola Hortensia 'Oten' Gamboa who made dulce gatas in the 1920s. With lots of sugar available in Negros plus the available supply of carabao's milk from their hacienda, it was easy to create such yummy delicacy. Back then, Lola Oten used milk cans as her dulce gatas containers.

(If you want to order, these are numbers to call in Silay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines)

In the 1950s, when Lola Oten felt she needed to turn over the dulce gatas business to the next generation, she passed it on to her niece, Eloisa 'Isa' Gamboa-Javier, who also added pili macaroons, merengue, pastel, and barquiron to her sweet creations. 

It was her dulce gatas that stood the test of time and the discriminating taste of her customers. Although branded as "Tita Isa's Dulce Gatas", it is also called "mazapan de leche" when her sewing teacher, Señora Montserrat Viaplana, asked her to make some so she could bring this sweet delight to Spain as pasalubong. Tita Isa named dulce gatas as mazapan de leche for her Spanish consumers. 

With Lola Oten's original recipe in the 1920s up to today, for a hundred years now, dulce gatas has been enjoyed by generations and has been a pasalubong to Spain, to Korea and to many other places and countries, I'm sure.

When I look back now, I'd chuckle again at those funny memories, but at the same time, I now have a bar to enjoy, and I know that any time, I could always order and travel to Silay City for those yummy Tita Isa's dulce gatas. 

How about you? What are your sweet memories of Tita Isa's dulce gatas?😍

#titaisasdulcegatas #dulcegatas #mazapandeleche #Silay #NegrosOccidental #bacolod #pasalubong #pinoyfood #food #foodblog

Restoring History: El Municipío de Victorias

Years ago, my excitement of spending my Christmas vacations in my hometown would be ruined by the sight our historic city hall horribly painted green and white that made it look like it was missing some wrapped gifts for it to be mistaken as a Christmas corner (read blog here). 

(The new look after the 2023 make-over 

of the 1930s municipio)

I later wrote about this in my blog in November 2019 when I featured the history of the município in the chapters I wrote about the History of Victorias City (read blog here). I remember when I was kid I sort of enjoyed looking at its ivory-colored walls that gave out red-orange hues when it was struck by the setting sun as the município's orientation was to the northwest. It was a beautiful sight then; nature taking part in beautifying the elegant município. Today, the tall trees in the plaza, and probably a few structures to the west are blocking the last afternoon rays of the sun before it sets for the day.

So, how was its old glory restored?

Fortunately for the city of Victorias and its people, its new mayor, Javier Benitez, listens. And I, for one, am glad he does.

In February 2023, the repainting of the city hall began with the white paint replaced by ivory, and the green replaced with "plum jam"color. That's the official label of the paint. It's like burgundy from afar.

Day by day, week after week, the walls, the columns, the sharp corners, and the statue of an eagle that symbolizes power, freedom, leadership and resilience gradually changed colors.

Since this restoration was bringing back the historical colors of the 1930s município, I chronicled the work and the workers through these photographs.

(Other than being a good painter, one other qualification for these workers must have been 

being fearless of heights.)

(The workers take an afternoon break 

under the shade.)

(We pay tribute to Raymond and his team of painters from Bacolod City)

(The statue of the eagle that symbolizes freedom, power, leadership and resilience is being repainted before it soars to the Visayan skies.)

I am glad that the colors of the old municipio, the one built during the term of Don Felix Montinola with the help of then President Manuel L. Quezon and the people of Victorias during that time, are back. I pay tribute to Raymond and his fellow painters from Bacolod City. Don Felix and the workers who built and painted the município in the 1930s would have been proud.

I am all for telling the truth of each story, not just through colors, but also through words. 

For the history of Victorias and the truth about the fake history some people in position have been trying to spread, do click and read these Chapters on the History of Victorias City:

• History of Victorias City

• The truth behind the local propaganda 

Let's all help restore truth in our History.😋

#history #VictoriasCity #NegrosOccidental #Philippines

#historian #Victorias #Negros #NegOcc #pinoyhistory

Renewing My PRC I.D. Is As Easy As A-B-C!

As my CPA license was about to expire, I needed to renew it. 

I thought it would be another bureaucratic process like the one I endured years ago when I first had to go through the POEA as an OFW after I was offered a job in Seoul. 

By comparison, it took me about four months to complete the POEA process, including the sending back and forth of documents to and from Korea, while it just took 36 days for the Korean Immigration Office to process my application for a permanent resident visa (read blog here).

But I am surprised that the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has leveled up: it has streamlined the process and provided an online portal for all of its services! This means the only time I had to leave home was to have my 2x2 photo taken, photocopy my old PRC ID and print the application form and proof of payment, and visit the PRC satellite office at Robinsons Mall in Bacolod City to get my new PRC ID!😎

These are the things I did to renew:

1. Visit the PRC portal and register to create an account (make sure you do this on a laptop and not on a smartphone, and have all your contact and professional details on hand).

Here's the official PRC website:

https://www.prc.gov.ph/

If you don't have a computer at home, there are shops with internet services that can help you create an account and process your transaction for a fee.

2. In order to create your PRC online account, you will need a digital photo that you will upload.

3. Create a transaction request for the renewal of PRC ID.

4. Pay the renewal fee of P880 online (I paid through phone banking). Print the ELECTRONIC OFFICIAL RECEIPT (eOR) and submit this together with your APPLICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL IDENTIFICATION CARD (PIC) form on the appointed date.

5. Request for an appointment through the portal at the nearest regional office and the website will give you the next available date and time at the nearest PRC office.

6. The PRC website has a step-by-step manual that you can download for detailed instructions.

7. Download and print the APPLICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL IDENTIFICATION CARD (PIC) form that includes sections for DECLARATION AND ATTESTATION and UNDERTAKING in case you do not have enough CPD points. Also sign below UNDERTAKING if you do not have enough CPD points.

8. Photocopy your old PRC ID (front and back) and bring it with you on the appointed date.

9. Go to a photo studio for a 2x2 ID photo with white background and in a business attire. You will need to have the photo attached to your printed PIC.

10. If you have a PWD ID or a Senior's ID, include it in your online information, and you can use it to queue at the special lane for PWDs and senior citizens at the PRC office.

My entire visit to the PRC Office was quick and convenient. It only took about 15 minutes since I had all the required documents: the signed PIC with 2x2 photo, eOR, and a photocopy of my old PRC ID. 

I simply queued at the PWD line, submitted my documents, and waited. After the wait, my name was called and the lady gave me my new PRC ID!

Getting my new ID was as easy as A-B-C!😀

Maraming salamat, PRC!😎

(The PRC Office at the 3rd floor of Robinsons Bacolod)

#professionalregulationcommission #PRC

#CPA #Robinsonsmall #Robinsons