More fun in the Philippines? DOT blames abducted tourists for ignoring advisories

THE Department of Tourism on Friday seemingly laid the blame for the kidnapping of two Europeans in Tawi-Tawi squarely on the victims' shoulders.

In a press statement issued late Friday, the DOT stressed that "the issuance of travel advisories is part of the regular functions of embassies in line with ensuring the safety and security of their citizens in a foreign country. For the Philippines, advice against travel to some parts of Mindanao has been constant and common."

The DOT then added: "The Tawi-Tawi incident is considered unfortunate and could have been avoided had the visitors taken necessary precautions many European tourists usually take in heed of these advisories."

Police have identified the kidnap victims as Elwold Horn, 52, of Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, of Switzerland. They were abducted on Wednesday by unidentified armed elements while riding a boat back to the capital of Bongao, after a bird-watching trip. Their guide, Ivan Sarenas, managed to escape by jumping into the sea.

The DOT expressed confidence that tourists would continue to flock to the country despite a new travel advisory issued by the United Kingdom. (Click InterAksyon for the rest. My piece was published on Feb. 3, 2012.)

Leading with Mt. Apo Challenge, Davao tourism looks to scale new heights in 2012

Rising at 10,000 feet, Mount Apo is considered the highest point in the Philippines. Close to 1,000 mountaineers climbed the still active volcano in 2011 from the Sta. Cruz trail, according to data from the municipality. (Photo courtesy DOT/Rhonson Ng)

THE Department of Tourism is projecting close to 820,000 in tourist arrivals for the Davao region this year, as the area continues to attract the lucrative conventions and exhibitions market, as well as a growing number of eco-adventure travelers.

DOT Region 11 Director Arturo Boncato Jr. made this bold prediction after announcing the region's first major tourism event for the year – the 2nd International Mount Apo Boulder Face Challenge to be held on April 28-29, 2012 – a joint project with the municipality of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

"The Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge is one of the toughest adventure races in the Philippines," he said in a press briefing on Feb. 1 at the R.O.X., Bonifacio High Street. "It is a 24-hour extreme challenge using various disciplines such as mountain biking, trekking, water tubing and road running. The race starts from the Sta. Cruz beach lines and participants will navigate through the town's tough trails and raging rivers, scale the boulder face of Mt. Apo, and culminate in the skyline of the country's highest mountain." This year's grand prize is P150,000.

The event is one of the highlights of the annual Pista sa Kinaiyahan (Feast of the Environment) of the municipality of Sta. Cruz. The Boulder Face Challenge was first held in 2008. The DOT and the Sta. Cruz municipality decided to encourage international teams to participate starting last year. (Click InterAksyon for the rest. My piece was published on Feb. 3, 2012)

Pioneering techpreneur creates 'angel fund'

MYLA VILLANUEVA may not have invented the thinnest computer, the smallest smartphone, or a faster way to transmit data over the Internet, but among her peers she is considered every inch tech royalty.

After having successfully sold the idea of networking computers via an Internet protocol in the late ’80s, a time when most companies still relied on clunky mainframe computers for data storage, she is now on her fifth startup and focused on mass-marketing technology. (She calls herself a “serial entrepreneur.”)

As co-founder and managing director of Novare Technologies, she is developing products, software and architecture for local and foreign mobile operators in the field of “Fixed-Mobile-Internet convergence.”

Basically these are mobile applications and solutions for clients which include Globe Telecom, GSM Association, Meralco, PLDT, Philippine Savings Bank, RCBC, Smart, Standard Chartered Bank, Sun Cellular, and Norway’s Telenor, to name a few. Among Novare’s partners are IBM, Oracle, Research in Motion, Sybase, Tata Consultancy, etc.

She is now setting her sights on expanding Novare’s footprint in Southeast Asia and China.

“Our next goal as a group of companies is to hit China and other southeast Asian countries, which is made possible through partnerships with telcos and Internet companies localized and establishing there.... I feel this is a wave bigger than that of the last two decades of the Internet’s exponential influence and growth.”

Ever on the forefront of tech breakthroughs, Villanueva has launched what could be described as her best innovation to date.

Last January 11, she announced her personal advocacy called “Wireless Wings”, a P111-million angel fund which aims to support deserving information technology ideas from colleges and universities nationwide.

“I am trying to ignite a culture that I think is very ‘thin’ right now. I want to encourage people to innovate. I want them not to be just builders. I want them to build their own companies, craft their own models and be successful.”

Aside from funding ideas, Villanueva says her team will also provide beneficiaries with mentoring sessions from seasoned IT executives, as well as link them up with multinational companies and major players in the IT industry.

This way, “we will be able to expose them to the corporate setting, and to the type of thinking that businessmen have, because it has always been my dream to find emerging innovations that we can send outside the country.”

She adds: “We want them to think forward and realize that their ideas and products could also be used in Asia, in Indonesia and China.”

Villanueva also invites “other companies who have the same advocacy” to contribute to the angel fund to be able to boost the chances of these new techpreneurs in the international market.

It’s easy to understand why she has chosen this particular advocacy, having once grappled with the challenges of breaking into new markets dominated by the big boys of technology.

Flushed with idealism and inspired by the tech boom in Silicon Valley where she had studied and was living (and no less inspired by Apple’s Steve Jobs’s success), Villanueva, then just 21, came home to the Philippines in 1988, set up MDI Group Holdings, and introduced the idea of networking computers via Internet protocol.

Back then, most government agencies and the top Philippine firms shared and stored data using those clunky mainframe computers.

“It is so old tech today, but I cannot understate the challenges that came along, starting a new company to sell this concept, and competing against the IBMs and Digital Equipments of the world, in a male-dominated industry which was then very conservative and comfortable with the status quo,” Villanueva now recalls. But she pressed on, knowing that computer networking would soon be the norm.

Her very first deal was with the Social Security System which saw the value in decentralizing its members’ contributions system. This was soon followed by projects with Meralco, ABS-CBN Corp., PLDT and other private firms.

More pioneering efforts in the local tech sector followed.

With her husband Jun, she introduced consumer electronics equipment, gadgets and design software to a mass market via Microwarehouse (1995); created Wolfpac (2000), a mobile applications and content provider which was subsequently sold to Smart Communications; then set up Meridian Telekoms (2003), the first wireless broadband firm in the country (later sold for $50 million to Smart and now rebranded as SmartBro). All these breakthroughs earned her the first Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2003) under Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year program.

At the GSM Association, where she is a member of the executive management committee, Villanueva had pushed for the globalization of Mobile Money Transfers. It now benefits millions of migrant workers, especially Filipinos, who easily send money home to their families just using their cell phones.

Looking back on her very first networking project, and her subsequent achievements, Villanueva says the key to her success is that she has “never been afraid of hiring people who are much better than me.” Also, she is able to spot the major trends in her field because she has a voracious reading appetite and a constant curiosity about everything around her.

When she isn’t thinking up more ways to break ground in yet another tech field or indulge in her advocacies, Villanueva, now 45, loves chilling with her husband and their two kids: Blanca, 17, and Luis, 10. Usually they are out sailing and discovering the Philippines via their catamaran, the TutuTango. “We also love to travel the world anytime we can. I guess we are a family of gypsies.”

(My column, Something Like Life, is published every Friday at the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was published on Jan. 27, 2012. Photo courtesy Myla Villanueva.)

PAL needs more cash for refleeting program

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines believes 2012 will be crucial and will determine whether it could carry out a strong refleeting program, expand its routes, and return to better fiscal health.

Airline President Jaime Bautista said in an interview with select reporters on Wednesday evening that “from a management point of view, we need higher capital” to pursue a refleeting program and keep the carrier competitive.

But he said he could not determine how much new capital would be needed because this would all depend on whether the planes would be purchased or leased.

“Refleeting is a challenge. Wide-bodied aircraft are needed. You need to pay delivery fees [about 15 percent to 20 percent of plane cost], that’s where the cash is needed,” he said. This is why “management welcomes new investors,” he said.

Businessmen Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corp. and Manuel V. Pangilinan of the First Pacific Group are reportedly both keen on investing in PAL and help it carry out its refleeting and modernization effort. PAL is 94-percent owned by PAL Holdings Inc. which is led by taipan Lucio Tan.

Of the 36 aircraft currently in the PAL fleet, it has five Boeing 747-400s that were purchased during the carrier’s first refleeting program as a privatized company. “These five B747s are aging. By 2015 they have to be replaced as they will be 21 years old already. They’re still good airplanes, but the maintenance costs are higher.”

Bautista said while the carrier could, on its own, push its refleeting program, “our capacity to compete [with other carriers] would be limited.” Delivery of new aircraft takes about two or more years after ordering so PAL’s new refleeting program needs to be finalized in the new fiscal year, which begins on April 2012 and ends in March 2013.

Other than the five B747s, PAL’s fleet also includes two B777-300ER, four Airbus 340-300, eight A330-300, 13 A320-200, and four A320-319.

The carrier is also counting on the US Federal Aviation Authority to upgrade the country’s safety status Category 1 status by November, which will enable it to expand its routes in the United States.

“We will back to Category 1 [status] Timing nalang. Maayos na,” the PAL president said. “Many of the needed reforms have been instituted by relevant government agencies. PAL itself will be undergoing a technical review then a technical audit by the FAA.”

A team from the FAA will be in town next week to assess the safety measures and equipment installed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (which replaced the Air Transportation Office). The Aquino administration has predicted an upgrade in the country’s safety status to Category 1 by June.

Bautista said the carrier is considering an expansion in routes to San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington State; and New York, which hopefully can be mounted within the year. He added that once the country is back to Category 1 status, PAL can also resume its services to Europe, using its Boeing 777-300ER. The carrier will be taking delivery of two more Triple 7s and four Airbus A320s are arriving this year.

Following the FAA downgrade in 2008, the European Union had also banned Philippine carriers from flying there.

Bautista predicted a loss in fiscal year 2011 (April 1, 2011-March 31, 2012), a reversal of the $72.5-million profit recorded in FY 2010.

Bautista said the loss was due to the higher fuel costs, the labor strike, and lower passenger revenues from the Japan earthquake and tsunami as well as the floods in Thailand. The carrier reported a loss of $39.4 million from July to September 2011.

He said the carrier’s operations were “back to normal,” after flight disruptions were felt initially after it implemented its much-needed but controversial outsourcing program in October 2011. About 2,400 employees were affected by the outsourcing program.

(My piece was published on Jan. 20, 2012 in the BusinessMirror.)

DOT moves to improve tourist facilities

NO tourism enterprise should be allowed to operate in the country, unless it meets the minimum standards set by the Department of Tourism.

Lawyer Ma. Victoria Jasmin, DOT undersecretary for tourism regulation, coordination and revenue generation, said the agency is currently working on new hotel and resorts standards to be published before the end of March.

“This would mean that all primary tourism enterprises should be accredited by the DOT prior to operation, hence, they should comply with the DOT’s minimum requirements,” she said in a memorandum to Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., a copy of which was sent to the BusinessMirror.

“Primary tourism enterprises,” are defined in the implementing rules of the Tourism Act of 2009, as “travel and tour services, land, sea and air transport services exclusively for tourist use; accommodation establishments; convention and exhibition organizers; tourism estate management services; and such other enterprises as may be identified by the Secretary, after due consultation with concerned sectors.”

Jasmin’s memo was prompted by the recent publication of the results of a 2009 survey of tourism establishments in the country by the National Statistics Office —a joint undertaking with the DOT—which showed that 548 of the 1,475 “accommodation establishments” surveyed did not offer essential tourism services such as laundry, airport transfers, spa/massage therapy services, tour services, medical services, cultural and recreational shows, among others. (See "Tourism-wise, Philippines was not fun in 2009–NSO", in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 16, 2012.)

But she said those who responded to the survey were “both accredited and non-accredited facilities,” and that most of those failed to offer the essential tourism services “are non-accredited by the DOT.”

According to the NSO, the 2009 Survey of Tourism Establishments in the Philippines (STEP) covered four tourism industries: hotels and motels, pension houses, other short-stay accommodation, and transport equipment rental. Also covered in the survey were establishments engaged in: accommodation, restaurant passenger transport, transport equipment rental, travel agency, tour operator and tourist guide services, recreation, entertainment, cultural services and similar activities, financial and insurance activities, and health and wellness.

The survey showed “only 194 establishments or 13.6 percent of the total” were accredited by the DOT in 2009 and that “more than half of the total establishments with DOT accreditation in 2009 were…tour and travel agencies.”

“The respondents are a mix of big, medium, and small-scale tourism facilities which have varying all types of services offered to tourists,” Jasmin said. “It would, therefore, be inappropriate to assume or conclude that same must be required for all types of accommodation facilities, since different categories of facilities required different sets of services.”

She said the survey was also conducted “to determine at the time of approval of RA 9353 [the Tourism Act of 2009], the state of accommodation capacities in the country, so that appropriate measures could be undertaken toward ensuring that most, if not all accommodation establishments, comply with the necessary requirements for mandatory accreditation.”

Meanwhile, the survey also indicated a robust growth among tour and travel agencies—one out of 10 of such establishments said they were going to expand in the next five years.

Other significant findings in the 2009 STEP survey were:

• Tours and travel agencies accounted for the largest number, or 60.4 percent, of the 1,430 establishments counted by the survey. This was followed by supporting and auxiliary activities to water transport industry (10.6 percent); Booking offices/Tourist assistance activities, not elsewhere classified (8.3 percent); Inter-urban bus lines (6.2 percent); Chartered buses and cars operation/Other land transport operation (4.9 percent). Domestic air passenger and freight transport/International air passenger and freight transport, registered only five establishments and thus classified under “other industries.”

• Overall, the tourism industry is male-dominated at 77.2 percent of total employees in 2009. Only tours and travel agencies (60 percent), as well as booking offices/tourist guides (65 percent) were dominated by female employees.

• Transport operators, tour and travel agencies reported a total revenue of P164.5 billion, of which 41.6 percent was generated from tourists. Among industries, domestic air passenger and freight transport/international air passenger and freight transport earned both the highest total revenue and revenue generated from tourists with P97.1 billion and P54.3 billion, respectively.

• There were 1,012 tour guides registered, of which 74.3 percent were hired by tour and travel agencies. “One out of three tour guides were freelancers or on commission basis.”

• A total of 5,319, units or 42.2 percent, of the total land transport facilities owned and operated by the establishments were cars/sedans. More than half or 3,285 cars/sedans were used as public utility cars and taxicabs.

(My piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 24, 2012.)

Luck for Aquino, disasters for PHL– feng shui expert

Master Joseph Chau, resident feng shui expert of the Mandarin Oriental Manila.

THE Year of the Water Dragon, which starts on January 23 will bring general luck and prosperity to the Philippines but because of a Disaster Star in the southeast where the country is located, it must be prepared for natural disasters during the year.

In a recent press briefing to announce the Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, its resident feng shui expert, Joseph Chau gave a preview of his forecasts for the coming year.

“The birthday of the Philippines is June 12, 1898, at 3:30 p.m. So the Philippines was born in an Earth Dog year, the month of the Earth Horse, the day of the Fire Horse and the time of the Fire Monkey. There are so many fire elements in the Philippines. In the Year of the Water Dragon, there will be an abundance of water. But what happens when abundant water and too much fire get together? They fight each other. But on the positive side, there is harmony because you need water to extinguish fire. So that means the Philippines will have good luck in 2012.”

The economy would face some challenges this year, he said, “fluctuating from time to time,” so businessmen are advised not to be “too stubborn” and to be “flexible in their work.”

The lucky businesses to engage in this year include lumber, fashion and garments, and publishing because all of these are ruled by earth elements.

“For the earth ventures to grow, you need water, isn’t it?” Chau said.

Lucky and unlucky directions this year. (Image courtesy Mandarin Oriental Manila)

He said banking, the production of raw materials and mining “will face many challenges this year,” with the real-estate industry and the construction business slowing down.

“If President Aquino wants to push the mining business, he must organize [the regulations] well so he can attract good business. For real estate, if the property companies want to be able to sell their buildings, they must consult a licensed feng shui expert before constructing,” he added.

He also said that for the banking industry to expand, banks should adopt longer hours like in Hong Kong, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“If you are a businessman, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is too short a time to complete your business, especially if you’re coming from abroad, and your flight comes in the afternoon.”

What Chau was most excited about, though, was the tourism industry. He said the sector would prosper if the country were promoted well.

Lucky New Year platter at the the Mandarin Oriental Chinese New Year feast. Photo courtesy MOM.

On the heels of the newly launched tourism campaign of the country, the feng shui expert, who is a resident of Hong Kong, even declared “Chinese New Year is more fun in the Philippines!”

He said, “tourism is a water element, and can cool down the fire in the country’s sign. So President Aquino should tell the tourism secretary to do more promotions to encourage tourists to come.”

He suggested that the Philippines do away with visa requirements altogether.

President Aquino, having been born in the Year of the Golden Rat (1960), also has a lot of fire elements, and would need the water in the coming Dragon Year to “cool down. This will help him bring money luck to the country,” Chau said.

But he underscored the possibility of more rains, floods, earthquakes and “explosions” in the Philippines, especially in the southeast location, because of the presence of the Disaster Star in the southeast quadrant.

“These may happen in the months of April, October and January 2013. So I hope the government can prepare for these, and prevent them when possible. They must make adjustments to avoid flooding.”


Chau's forecast for those born in the Year of the Rat like President Benigno S. Aquino III.

Most of the zodiac signs are lucky in the Year of the Water Dragon, except for those born in the years of the Dragon (1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012); Dog (1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006); Ox (1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009); Goat (1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991); and Rabbit (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011).

The lucky colors of the year are gold, silver, white, sky blue, green, red, pink, violet, peach, orange, beige, yellow and brown.

The Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila are among the most anticipated in the metropolis, outside of those in the Chinatown area in Binondo, Manila. They regularly attended by Vice President Jejomar Binay and his spouse, Dr. Elenita Binay, as well as business executives who work or reside in Makati.

(My piece was originally published on January 13, 2012 in the BusinessMirror. I own the copyright for the photos and video on this blog, except where otherwise indicated.)

* * * *
Here are the rest of Master Chau's forecasts for the different animal signs in the year of the Water Dragon (courtesy Mandarin Oriental Manila):

Your Chinese zodiac sign in 2012 (Year of the Water Dragon)

Or click here.

Impressive, incredible, sensational (slogans)!

WHILE doing research on the tourism slogans of other countries, I stumbled on the site of travel blogger, Fiona Cuillinan. In 2009, she compiled a list of slogans used in a number of countries, including our own (back then it was still "Wow Philippines, of course).

So I'm posting her list here. An asterisk means it's an updated entry or correction.

Albania A New Mediterranean
Anguilla Feeling is Believing
Aruba One Happy Island
Belize Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret
Brazil Sensational!
California Find Yourself Here
Canada Keep Exploring
Croatia The Mediterranean As it Once Was
Ecuador Life at its Purest
Viva Cuba
Egypt Where It All Begins
El Salvador Impressive!
Visit Finland Breathe
Visit Florida
Florida Keys Come As You Are
France Rendez-Vouse En France
Germany Affordable Hospitality
Grenada Rhythms of Spice
Hong Kong Best Place Best Taste
Hungary A Love for Life
I heart New York
Incredible India
Indonesia Admit It You Love It
Italy Much More
Jamaica Once You Go, You Know
Cool Japan
See the world. Visit London
Malaysia, Truly Asia*
Maldives Sunny Side of Life
Montenegro Wild Beauty
Namibia Land of Contrasts
New Zealand 100% Pure
Romania Land of Choice
Discover Peru
It's more fun in the Philippines*
Uniquely Singapore
Slovakia Little Big Country
Slovenia I Feel Love
I need Spain*
Switzerland Get Natural
Taiwan Touch Your Heart
Tanzania Land of Kilimanjaro Zanzibar and the Serengeti
Texas (visual representation of ‘Everything’s bigger in Texas’ – I think)
Amazing Thailand

Btw, the "I❤NY" is probably the longest-running tourism slogan in all of history, and according to marketing experts, it is the most successful as well. No wonder New Yorkers don't have any reason to change it. It was created in 1977 primarily for New York City, but was later adopted as a campaign for the entire NY state.

'It's more fun in the Philippines' - Spread the word, says DOT

Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. shows off the new Philippine brand "It's more fun in the Philippines" translated into various languages, in a press briefing at the Department of Tourism Auditorium on Jan. 6. He said positive responses to the slogan were received from the test markets. (Photo by this blogger)

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., in an exclusive briefing for InterAksyon.com prior to today's public launch of the campaign, said the slogan created by advertising firm BBDO Guerrero | Proximity Philippines, answers a traveler's fundamental question, "Why [should I go to] the Philippines?"

"What differentiates the Philippines from every [other place] in the world, as we said from the start, is the Filipino. [It's] his special gift for transforming what is already a beautiful place into an unforgettable special place," Jimenez said. "You take two identical islands, put Filipinos in one, it’s going to be more fun there."

Also launched on Friday was a new logo, which is a "banig weave that forms the map of the Philippines. It's very colorful, very graphic, sa biglang tingin [at first glance], it's a pixelized version of the map. It has that very modern feel also," Jimenez said. President Benigno S. Aquino III, he noted, also gave his inputs on the colors. (Click InterAksyon for the rest of my piece. This was originally published on Jan. 6, 2012.)

(Photo by Roland Benzon via Facebook.)

UPDATES: No big deal: DOT, BBDO shrug off 'coincidental' Swiss campaign; Now 'fun' is ours

Obviously not bothered by allegations that the slogan isn't original, Pinoys have 'Fun' with 'More Fun in the Philippines'.

Doomsday you say?

FROM my friend, Manila Standard columnist Jojo Robles comes this cartoon:



Haha! ;p

Happy New Year folks!

Sharing the Noche Buena feast

Last of two parts

THE holiday season continues as we eat through more parties, food presents, and reunions with family and friends.

So what is your dream Noche Buena feast?

On my family’s dining table, the staples are usually a Chinese jamon, queso de bola (we prefer the more biting Dutch Master edam to the usual Marca Pato or Piña brands), and a pasta dish done by Big Sister or Kulit Niece. Then there are the ensaymadas from Mary Grace and the steaming Tsokolate Eh (Antonio Pueo) whisked to a froth with a batidor in an ancient blue ceramic chocolatera that’s been in my family as far back as I can remember. (For New Year, we decided to go a little more decadent and bought the fluffy and light delicious Cunanan ensaymadas.)

The other accompanying dishes usually vary depending on our mood and budget—sometimes there is Pancit Molo and prawns in lemon butter sauce. This year, we tried something new and had Baked Norweign Salmon with Pesto Parmesan from Dulcelin. (For some reason, Big Sister and I got particularly obsessed with a fish dish this Christmas.)

(Apples Chen with husband, Peter)

Our Christmas Day lunch would never be complete without a lengua dish from Mama or Big Sister. It takes me back to memories of my lola who was a superb cook, and whom I always hung out with in the kitchen as she experimented with a new recipe from a cookbook or from the women’s magazines she subscribed to. But her fork-tender ox tongue with tomato sauce, potatoes and carrots had been my favorite since I was little. It is a dish that will always remind me of the comforts of home and family, and I’m glad that Mama has learned to make it.

Of course, if I won the Super Lotto, I’d probably fly in Chef Eric Ripert of the three Michelin-starred Le Bernadin to whip our Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve feast. I know there are far more experienced French chefs out there, but Ripert is way hotter! And he’s a Buddhist, so I’d like to see if the family’s loud squabbling over the dining table would eventually annoy him and send him screaming back to New York. Hahaha!

(Rep. Jun Abaya w/ his wife Ria and their kids)

To continue, more thoughts on the Noche Buena feast from friends:

Rafaela “Apples” V. Chen, general manager, International Hoteliers and Associates (Shanghai) Ltd.—This year will be very different from my other Christmas Noche Buena feasts. For the past 15 years, my husband and I were always in the Philippines, but this time we will spending our Christmas in Shanghai. It will be a cold and chilly Christmas, but I will try to put on the table my favorite dishes that I could prepare here, like puto (China has this in their supermarkets), fruit salad, queso de bola, and I will have stuffed chicken that I can ask our chef to help me grill in the oven.

We will be missing the sumptuous food festivities but our thoughts will always be there for our families and mutual friends out there this season.

(Chef Joie Candelaria and daughter Jasmine Danielle)

Rep. Joseph Emilio “Jun” Aguinaldo Abaya, LP, Cavite—I have an eclectic taste for food. I love mussels and oysters prepared by Mommy Alice in any of the fine-cooking traditions of my hometown Lawit, Mama Vivien’s laing, a bowl of chirashi, some fajitas or gyros, pizza with everything on it, cold shrimp salad. End the meal with a bar of Butterfinger and a hot cup of excellent Cavite coffee, and I’m content!

More important for me, however, is sharing my meal and a good conversation with my favorite people: my wife Ria; my kids Miong, Gogo and Ichay; my family and my in-laws. And if God will grant me a miracle, I would be most delighted to be in the company of my daughter, Veanna, and my great grandfather, Emilio Aguinaldo, both of whom have been granted, ahead of us all, the privilege of celebrating Christmas with the ultimate birthday boy, Jesus, in Heaven.

Chef Josephine Yu Tanganco-Candelaria, executive Chinese sous chef, Mabuhay Palace, Manila Hotel—Well, for me I still go for the traditional comfort food and then add a twist of something different. A Noche Buena feast should be a delectable combination of all the dishes that a family loves.

(Anthony Abad)

My family and I still take pleasure in drinking Tsokolate (Chef Konrad Walter’s recipe) to accompany my homemade bibingka topped with adobo flakes, melt-in-your-mouth ensaymada with queso de bola (Marca Pato) and bone-in-ham from Hong Kong served with Mantou bread. We also have creamy leche flan, lechon and lechon manok with my very own version of liver sauce, pancit malabon, barbecue pork, and—for dessert—moist dark chocolate cake, and of course my very own salted duck egg ice cream which my family and kids love!

Anthony Amunategui Abad, CEO, Trade Advisory Group—My dream Noche Buena feast would be a baked lechon de leche stuffed with truffle rice. Try it and you will know why!

(Patrick Tan)

Patrick Tan, vice president for commercial affairs, Southeast Asian Airlines—For the past years, the Christmas/New Year staples on our family table have been an assortment of prepared foods like confit de canard (from the can, and then baked), pate de foie gras with truffles which we serve with crackers and lumpfish caviar; smoked salmon with capers, and different cheeses.

Our home-cooked foods include pata tim, cha-misua, duck casserole a’la chinoisse, callos, bacalao, and ox tail ragout. For dessert we have chocolate truffles, as well as fresh grapes and oranges.

The meals are characterized by richness and a variety that includes Chinese, French and Spanish dishes. This is what we have gotten used to and this is our dream Christmas meal. Of course we can never finish what’s on the table, but the meal symbolizes abundance, so it is appropriate.

(JJ Yulo)

JJ Yulo, founder, choreographer, GRO, Pinoy Eats World—My lola’s food will always make it to my list of my fantasy Noche Buena, starting with her galantina. It’s basically a mixture of pork and other spices that’s been stuffed and rolled into a chicken—a terrine of sorts that is an absolute pain to make. It’s a labor of love, and it shows not only when you see it, but when you eat it. It’s been a Christmas tradition for me since I was small to get a slice, put some mustard and a bit of mayo on the side, and eat it with her signature bread called frescas (sort of like a brioche), and a bit of Russian salad, colorful with boiled beets. These are my real flavors of Christmas.

Since we are in fantasy mode, my lechon would be a bit different: the best Cantonese suckling pig I’ve ever had would be at this restaurant called The Manor in Hong Kong. I can’t figure out what it is about it, but my educated guess is that 1) it’s a specially sourced pig; and 2) they’ve been doing it so long that they’re masters in the art. The skin is impeccable—not a single bad piece—all loudly crunchy (you can hear your seat mate crunching), and with meat that’s so tender and succulent and flavorful with every bite. Their special seasoning is masterful too—it never gets too salty. It’s a game changer for me, palate-wise. I’ll take my Cebu lechon for Noche Buena anytime, but this—this is something else.

(Carla Humphries)

This meal would be consumed with all my loved ones around me, all laughing and making merry with no talk of politics or sad stories, and in attendance would be the Christ child himself, because even Jesus deserves a birthday party, don’t you think? And I really think he’d like my lola’s galantina.

Carla Humphries, actress—If I could not worry about gaining weight for a night, a Willy Wonka-inspired Christmas would be nice. Imagine all the chocolates, candies, etc., and not a single calorie on them.

(cont'd from last week, "The true spirit of Christmas is in giving," BusinessMirror, Dec. 23, 2011. My column, Something Like Life, is published most Fridays in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was published on Dec. 30, 2011.)

Pinoy stars share their fave Noche Buena dishes

THE Noche Buena (literally, “good night”) is the meal all Filipinos look forward to as a way to honor the God and tradition, as well as share our bountiful blessings with friends and family after a year of challenges in our careers and personal lives.

The traditionalists among us will usually have a Chinese leg of ham topped with pineapples and caramel glaze, a tray of rich and buttery ensaymada topped with grated quezo de bola with a steaming cup of hot tsokolate on the side, and a creamy fruit or buco salad for dessert.

Like many of us, our kapatid in the entertainment profession also partake of classic yuletide fare that epitomize our Spanish-Chinese-American influences, even as a few dream up of delightful (or zany!) dishes to enliven their midnight supper.

• LORNA TOLENTINO – Every Christmas, I always look forward to the food made by dear friends. Sandy [Andolong] makes the best sardines, Bibeth [Orteza] gives tuyo, Tita Pilar’s [Pilapil] ham is very good. I also look forward to the roast turkey my best friend will make. Basically, my Noche Buena feast is food made by friends. I can feel their love for me through these gifts. (Click Celebrity Noche Buena Feasts for the rest of my piece.)

Hope floats

THIS is the best editorial I've read so far this year. It captures the essence of who we are as Filipinos in a time of tragedy - how we all come together, and give hope to others. It is the Christmas story all over again.

EDITORIAL: Rejoice for a nation reborn
InterAksyon, Dec. 25, 2011

We have heard the good news reprised in various ways, and each story, we have on good account, is true:

The child was found floating on a raft of debris. He was saved by a dog. She clung to a pig until some higher power calmed the seas. He lost his wife and son and daughter and ended up saving, and being saved by, a stranger. Oh, the selflessness and the courage, the triumphant spirituality and enduring faith: The survivors are too busy saving each other to grieve for themselves.

We have heard of the miracles as well as of more numerous tragedies that engulf but all the more give them brilliance, and like wisened men now understanding why every star is surrounded but never denied by the larger night, we know that both light and darkness exist to help us navigate to wherever it is we need to go – and, should we choose to do so, to find our way home.

And so as we had gone, we now come from all corners of the world. Carpenters, sailors, teachers, engineers, nurses, lawyers, farmers, entrepreneurs, doctors, students, mothers, fathers – babes and wise men simultaneously, us all – bearing gifts for every child lifted from carnage.

The pilgrimage for Filipinos this Christmas is to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, and though God knows we are weary of uniting over grief, the nation embraces (yet again) the call to help sift through mud, trash, and logs. We embrace, yet again, the chance to help rebuild lives and homes, with as much zeal as we would curse out the evils that buried, and continue to bury, our compatriots. The corruption, ineptitude and apathy we decry. And then we put even our most jaded side aside to roll up our sleeves for the immediate tasks at hand, which include:

Donating in the face of corruption, working with the notoriously inept, and believing that this time around, nobody is apathetic.

How do we do it? How do we come back again and again, to say there is no hope, and then to show the hope to be as common as a loving parent, as a volunteer from every barangay, as an OFW in every home, as a Facebook account and a cellphone number that’s given up for spreading all things to #HelpCDO? How do we come to be our own best refutation of our most cynical selves?

Perhaps we look to CDO and Iligan as we did to Ormoc and Payatas and every town that drowned with every Ondoy and Pepeng and Ruping. Which is to say, here, all over here, there are as much children and whole families to be rescued and given room in our selfish lives, as there are seeds of hope to be planted in our own hearts. We are tired as a nation, and yet we know that in every tragedy, salvation is not the gift we bring for others, it is the miracle we hope to find for ourselves.

In the end, the wise men of the east got so much more than what they thought they were gifting the child in swaddling clothes. They received license to go home with vision and purpose, to rebuild cities on compassion, selflessness, sacrifice, and dreams shared with others. They received blessing to be reborn as simpler and humbler persons, but more worthy of their own nations, if not of their place in a Kingdom in heaven.

We are stubborn for the opportunity to see our nation reborn, with greater values of vigilance but also sacrifice, compassion, and united purpose. Tragedy that brings us home makes us both the wise men bearing gifts and the babe for which we would like to build a home. We are out to rescue ourselves.

The true spirit of Christmas is in giving

(First of two parts)

I’M sure that like me, you too are at a loss on how we can still make merry during the holiday season with what just happened in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City and other areas struck by Typhoon Sendong’s fury.

It is a common feeling especially among survivors, that sense of guilt over why we are alive or doing well while our neighbors, the victims, are not.

And we wonder why this tragedy happened so close to Christmas, as if it will hurt less if it occurred any other time of the year.

What I do know is that because of this tragedy, we are now better attuned to what the yuletide season is really all about. It’s about sharing and giving, not just among friends and family, but also with complete strangers. We help them not because they can help us back, but because they are hurting from the loss of their homes and their loved ones.

Ramon Jimenez Jr. (Photo NPPA Images)

This time of the year, it’s usually about how big a gift one can give, or how much we’d like to impress a boss, or a lover with our presents. But in the case of Sendong’s victims, any donation, large or small, will be much appreciated. These are gifts that will truly mean something and make a difference in a person’s life.

With everyone helping out, we can make the victims of Sendong less cold, less hungry this Christmas. Please keep those donations rolling. And if you haven’t done it yet, please give now. Check out the Internet for the different organizations that are assisting in the relief effort, such as Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Red Cross. Thank you.

****
Rosanna Roces

FOR my annual Christmas forum, I asked a number of leaders in government and politics, business executives, artists and food enthusiasts what their fantasy Noche Buena feast would be. Most of them were actually quite happy with their usual midnight spread, although a few did unleash their creativity and came up with an eye-popping, lip-smacking sumptuous array of dishes.

A number of them actually cooked the dishes served for Noche Buena, while others mentioned family members as the geniuses behind this dish or that. There were those who stuck to the traditional dishes with recipes handed down from relatives who’ve passed on, while a few—like foodie JJ Yulo—gladly dreamt about “a plate with roasted bone marrow with the marrow quivering like a freshly-made flan, and eaten with toast points, sea salt, and a parsley salad.” (I, on the other hand, want a foie gras-stuffed cochinillo. I don’t know how that will taste, but I bet it’ll be good!)

But amid all the food and festivities, most underscored that what’s great about the Noche Buena is having the entire family around to share it with. My friend Leah Castañeda put it best: “To me, there is no need for steak, lobster or foie gras as long as everyone is present and having a great time.”

Malu Gamboa

To everyone, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Peace, love, and prosperity to you all. And thank you for your continued patronage of this column.

Ramon Jimenez Jr., Tourism secretary—The centerpiece of my Noche Buena is the Christmas ham that I cook myself, which contains the secret family recipe handed down from my grandparents. It’s more than just a dish. It represents history and tradition which I would like my family to observe for generations to come. When you think about it, that’s actually what Filipino Christmas is all about—family and tradition, two essential ingredients that complete the Noche Buena experience.

Rosanna Roces, actress—I thought of bubble tea and pizza for Noche Buena, just to have something new on the table. But Pinoy tradition is hard to miss. We always have kaldereta and other Pinoy food. I want to dine on banana leaves.

Malu A. Gamboa, general manager, Azuthai, Cirkulo and Milky Way Restaurants—Our Noche Buena menu has been the same for as long as I can remember. Mama (Julie Gamboa) always serves the same family favorites at midnight. First comes a hot cup of chocolate laced with peanut butter that Chu, our yaya of 50 years, whisks to perfection with a very old batidor that has been with the family forever. At the bottom of the cup is newly harvested duman, the eagerly awaited Christmas present from our relatives from Guagua, Pampanga. Duman, toasted green malagkit rice, is a Pampanga delicacy that is only available around Christmastime.

Mike Navarrete

Queso de bola (microwaved for five seconds), Majestic ham, Hizon’s ensaymadas and our own Milky Way Macaroni Supreme Salad with bits of Spam, peas and pineapples are always star on our table. We don’t get to enjoy these dishes on regular days, which is why we look forward to celebrating and feasting on these once a year all together as a family.

Miguel “Mike” Y. Navarrete, adviser-Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (former CFO, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.)—For our Noche Buena here in Atlantic, Canada, we enjoy with friends and relatives delicious Atlantic lobsters, Digby scallops, steak, prawns, haddock, eggnog, etc. My wife Gina makes excellent leche flan for dessert. However, we do miss the lechon, queso de bola, bibingka, puto-bumbong, etc. back home.

My dream Noche Buena would be to combine the best of what we used to regularly have in the Philippines with what is special here. Lechon stuffed with Atlantic lobsters and Digby scallops enjoyed during a White Christmas, perhaps? Sarap!

Leah Castañeda with daughter, Carmen

Leah Castañeda, vice president, Bank of Commerce—Our Christmas Eve celebration ends at dinner, which I will prepare this year, and starts again at lunch on Christmas Day. I’m keeping it simple on Saturday—chicken relleno and a killer lasagna that takes five hours to make. I will prepare a light salad of greens (with arugula), feta cheese, honey roasted walnuts and Parmesan shavings. Dessert will be a rum butter cake baked by my classmate/architect Nina and brewed coffee aero-pressed (hopefully) by my dad.

In the off-chance that we get hungry after Midnight Mass and don’t fall asleep while walking home from the church, my mother will prepare a cheese platter (with Marca Piña queso de bola) and Virginia ham from the US, I’ll ask her to prepare authentic tsokolate the way her lola used to make it (with butter and sesame seeds). She also has a bowl of grapes to counter the richness of the cheeses. Let’s not forget the castañas.

If I had it my way, every year would be celebrated simply and quietly, but with the family complete at the dinner table.

(Conclusion next week...)

(My column Something Like Life, is published most Fridays in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was originally published on Dec. 23, 2011. Photos courtesy of interviewees, except where stated.)

BBDO wins bid to craft new PH tourism slogan

The Department of Tourism has chosen BBDO Guerrero | Proximity Philippines as the winning bidder in its P5.6-million "Philippine Brand Campaign focusing on Tourism" project.

However, no new tourism slogan was announced by the DOT, adding in a press statement that "further development of BBDO Guerrero's concept is underway, and the first iterations of the new campaign will emerge in the course of the first half of 2012."

A source at the DOT said Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. decided to defer the launch of the new slogan due to the calamity wrought by Typhoon Sendong.

Questions have risen, however, about just how fast the new brand campaign can be rolled out due to the limited funds of the DOT, which has an annual budget of only P2 billion. (For the rest, click InterAksyon.)

No bad hair days this Xmas!

LIKE most women, I too have a love-hate relationship with my hair.

I get obsessed brushing it, fluffing it this way and that, or blow-drying it just to make it look like I just came from the salon. The obsession takes on a more intense turn even more so now that it’s barely two weeks before Christmas. I mean, there are those Facebook photos to think about!

Because no matter how great our make-up is, or what fabulous clothes we have on, if a few of those hairs stray all over our face, or the grey hairs start making their presence felt (aka "chismis"), then our coiffeur is ruined and we look less than perfect. Maganda na sana, kaso bad hair day. Ay!

As usual, at this time of the year, I’m already hanging about my favorite salon – Essensuals Toni&Guy – at the TriNoma, for the best treatments for my locks. It’s always a must that I get my hair cut, dyed and highlights done at least a week before Christmas Eve, just to avoid the mad rush of fellow customers.

Cherry Reyes, T&G co-owner, and a kick-ass stylist herself, has just come back from London with some of her senior stylists and color-technicians after attending the courses at the parent company’s Toni&Guy Academy at New Oxford St.

The result is the salon’s latest offering for hairstyles called the Alignment collection – inspired by fashion, music, street culture, and architecture. “Think decades gone by and futuristic ideals, giving an ‘old meets new’ approach and an eclectic high-fashion feel,” Cherry notes.

And just in time for the holidays, too!

The new collection is "characterized by minimum effort and maximum impact,” she explains, “from strong statement cuts to uncomplicated naturalistic shapes with an anti-product finish, not too many hair products; versatility is key in creating the hairstyle. It’s a ready-to-wear approach, parang ‘do-it’-yourself’, low maintenance but high impact hairstyles. The styles incorporate trend-driven techniques with ultra wearable finishes.”

The cuts, she says, range from strong and classic shapes like the Wedge and 1990’s Crop, to soft long layered tresses with real emphasis on texture – “vintage and lived-in meets groomed and tailored.” Think youthful, fresh-faced with a hint of attitude!



So what about the men? Cherry says the men’s cuts are all about clean lines and groomed texture worn with confidence. “The classic short back and sides complemented with length on top will continue to remain a dominating iconic look for seasons ahead.”

In terms of color, Cherry says her colorists will combine and blend chocolate, caramel, and whiskey shades, which are very apropos for Asian hair. “We can also infuse some red or violet colors depending on how brave or bold and playful our clients are.”

Career women, for instance, don’t have to fear a touch of striking color in their hair just because they work in offices. “We create color that is highly individual. ‘Work’ now is fashionable regardless of age. We can look corporate with a touch of red, plum or gold in our hair for the holidays. Or we can do our latest Dip-Dye technique wherein the color is noticeable at the ends or inside the hair, or just one side. We can do colors that may be hidden during the day and bold at night when partying for the Holidays.”

Aware that the frenzied partying season has already commenced, Cherry stresses that our hair can always look its best even without visiting the salon every party day. “Just keep it moving! Avoid using too much products or hairspray, wax etc. If you have long hair, wear it down - it's sexier,” she advises.

The festive season is not the time to be safe and conventional with regard to our hairstyles, ladies. Take a chance, go for a different look, or just adopt something edgier to give us that extra oomph!
Let’s make our gorgeous ‘dos our fashion statement for the Yuletide season.

(For inquiries, call Essensuals Toni&Guy at 812-8002/812-8559 at 6750 Ayala, Makati; 9007169/9007168-TriNoma, QC; and 470-1806/470-1446 and cell. no. 09194222600-SM Megamall Atrium, Mandaluyong.)

* * * *
HOW is the Filipino faring in the 21st century? How are media, the Internet and social-networking sites affecting today’s children?

These are some of the issues to be discussed in “Family Congress 2012” to be held on February 18, 2012, at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City. The congress has as its theme “BFF: Building the Filipino Family.” The event is jointly organized by the Love Institute, Galileo Enrichment Learning Program and FID Events Services.

The congress aims to reaffirm the value and relevance of the Filipino family in the face of changing times. Love Institute has enlisted esteemed experts in their fields to talk on issues concerning children, relationships and families. Guest speakers include psychologist Dr. Honey Carandang, educator Dr. Queena Lee-Chua, inspirational speaker Francis Kong, and parenting and relationship experts Allan and Maribel Dionisio.

Workshop topics to be discussed during the Family Congress include “Bridging the Facebook Fad: How Can Parents Manage the Invasion of Media and Technology,” “Built for Forever: Preparing Singles for a Lifetime Relationship,” “Being Friends Forever in Marriage: Learning the Art of Fighting,” and “Teaching Parents to Talk to Kids and Teens about Sex and Relationship.”

Marriage and family counselor Maribel Sison-Dionisio and corporate trainor and relationship counselor Pia Nazareno-Acevedo founded Love Institute.

According to Nazareno-Acevedo, “Love Institute was born out of the acceptance of the fact that there is just not enough systematic knowledge available out there for all those who take their love relationships seriously.”

The company offers various classes and seminars on relationships and love in a small group setting to set the foundation of loving relationships and balanced individuals. One-on-one and couple counseling sessions are also offered, as well as individual evaluations and assessments (compatibility, self-esteem, life plan, etc.) to provide the individual with the needed life skills and knowledge.

Both Sison-Dionisio and Nazareno-Acevedo took graduate studies in Family Ministries at the Ateneo de Manila University. They both have extensive experience in counseling and training, which they put to use at Love Institute.

Galileo Enrichment Learning Program is headed by Ma. Rowena J. Matti, who has been involved in the education sector since she was a child. Her mother founded the Sacred Heart School in Malabon. Galileo offers enrichment programs to children aged three to 12, by making learning a happy experience. It offers programs in math and English.

FID Events Services is headed by Fides M. Reyes whose expertise in PR and events organizing has been strengthened and refined by over 30 years of experience. She is passionate in the ministry of strengthening relationships within the family. She serves at the Light of Jesus Community of Bo Sanchez as pastoral head and part of the creative media team.

Participation in the Family Congress is at P1,500 per person, inclusive of seminar fee, congress kit and meal.

There is a special group rate for families joining the congress. For every six paid participants, a seventh member will be admitted for free.

• For inquiries about the Family Congress, e-mail familycongress@gmail.com. You may also call Love Institute at 436-4143 and 0922-8944143, or Galileo Enrichment Center at 810-8506.

(My column, Something Like Life, is published every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was originally published on Dec. 16, 2011. Photos courtesy Essensuals Toni&Guy.)

'Paskuhan sa Paseo' draws 'em with the best Filipino Christmas treats

(Bangus embotido)
MANILA, Philippines - Say “food festival,” and I’m usually there in a heartbeat.

The latest one being raved about is the “Paskuhan sa Paseo” at the Mandarin Oriental Manila’s Paseo Uno interactive buffet outlet, ongoing until December 18.

Chef Ed Quimson, a veteran of many of the metro’s best restaurants, whipped up a line of traditional Christmas treats and Filipino comfort food, with the help of his associate, Chef Booj Supe of M Fine Foods, especially for this feast.

It proved to be another belly buster, as only Mandarin’s food festivals are wont to be. The best thing about this particular feast is, we get to eat our favorite Noche Buena dishes weeks before Christmas!

(Pomelo or suha salad)
Of the many foods laid out, the clear winner for me—among the cold appetizers—was the suha (pomelo) salad. It was prickly sour and sweet at the same time, the flavors playing off each other but still making for a cohesive whole. Certainly, it’s a favorite of the other diners as well, because it ran out quickly when I tried to get seconds!

The bangus embutido was a delightful surprise. Moist and flaky, with very balanced flavors. And thankfully, no overly fishy (malansa) taste. Truth to tell, I am not really an embutido person. But made with fish, the embutido (our local version of meatloaf) flies in the face of convention, thus providing a welcome alternative to diners who wish to eat light.

(Prawns with Aligue)
I thought the most awesome dish in the entire lineup, just because it was so perfectly Christmasy, was Chef Ed’s Chicken Relleno. A usual staple at the Noche Buena table, this chicken relleno was certainly one of the best I’ve tasted in a long time. The fowl’s skin was just lightly singed a golden brown, while the stuffing was so succulent, brimming with an all-meaty goodness. There was none of the usual extenders of hotdogs, hard-boiled eggs, and pickles as with most commercial chicken rellenos. It was pure holiday joy at every bite.

I also liked the braised beef belly adobo—and again, I’m one person who can live without adobo (so I’m weird, sue me!)—and only eat it if it’s deep-fried in oil. But braising it, not only broke down the beef belly, but it also reduced the vinegar and soy sauce blend into a light sauce, not cloying and heavy like some adobos are made that I try to steer clear of.

Of course, it was impossible to eat everything. My tummy was already bursting at the seams, and so I had to reluctantly move to the dessert table. The only dishes I managed to partake of were the light and fluffy cheese bibingka—loved this!—and the leche fan (milk flan) with dayap (native lime). The latter was still a bit too sweet for me, despite the dayap, but what I liked about it was its luscious creamy texture.

(Afritada)
Chef Ed, of course, has been involved in many well-respected and long-favored establishments such as La Tasca, Via Mare, Nielsen Tower Club and Restaurant, Broker’s Lounge at the Philippine Stock Exchange, Giraffe, Subic Bay Yacht Club, Rastro, Chef Ed’s, Club Noah, Splendido, Petra and Pilar, and Delimondo, to name a few.

He started working professionally at 17 years old, and considers his passion for cooking a legacy from his grandmother, Doña Consuelo Tuason Quimson, with whom he shared well-spent moments in the family kitchen when he was a wee five years old.

The dishes he creates are traditional Filipino home-cooked delights with some Spanish influences. “Filipino food is so diverse and flavorful and we are incredibly excited to bring Chef Ed’s specialties to Paseo Uno this Christmas season, just in time for festive gatherings and family reunions with balikbayans,” says Chico Angeles, MOH’s director of food and beverage.

“We look forward to again working with Chef Ed,” notes Executive Chef Rene Ottlik “and present to our diners his divine recipes that are as rich in taste as they are in tradition.”
(Crispy pork belly)
Diners will expectedly find themselves lining up at the carving station for the scrumptious lechong Cebu and crispy pork belly. Other specialty favorites in the menu include Tortang Alimasag with Fresh Lumpia Sauce, Paella Tinola, Tinapa Paté served with melba toast, Kilawin Na Tangigue with Gata in wanton cups, and Crispy Kare-Kare.

Also on the menu are more than a half dozen of mouth-watering Filipino desserts, including Palitaw filled with Langka, Halo-halo with Gata and Moscovado, and Pastillas de Leche Cheesecake.

The festive buffet spread is priced at P1,650+, while Friday and Saturday dinner is priced at P2,200+ inclusive of Paseo Uno’s Luxury Buffet.

(Braised Belly adobo)
(For more information on “Paskuhan sa Paseo Uno”, email momnl-fb@mohg.com. For reservations, call Paseo Uno at 750-8888. My piece was originally published in InterAksyon, Dec. 14, 2011.)

Finding love in the Year of the Water Dragon

(Feng shui expert Marites Allen gave a preview of her 2012 predictions during a recent press briefing at Manila Hotel. On January 22, 2012, the hotel will usher in the Year of the Water Dragon with a Chinese bazaar, fireworks, blessing ritual by Allen, and an exquisite midnight feast at the Mabuhay Palace. The dishes will symbolize luck, longevity and wealth in the coming year. Copyright Stella Arnaldo)

EVERYONE’S still talking about the bombshell that showbiz princess KC Concepcion dropped last Sunday.

Well, I won’t dwell too much on it, since I don’t want to add any more to the noise. And as her mega-mom Sharon Cuneta did say, KC and Piolo are adults. In other words, KC knew exactly what she was getting into.

Of course, like many single, unattached women...KC’s desperate cry about wanting to find true love does tug at the heartstrings. But who, where and how to find it—that’s the big question.

Well, if you ask feng shui consultant Marites Allen about love, she can tell you that she is proof positive of how geomancy can help us single women find Mr. Right. After a failed first marriage back home in Cebu was annulled, Marites says she was able to activate her love life and attract many suitors with the help of feng shui.

She says she found her Prince Charming—an Englishman whose name she declines to reveal due to privacy issues—and married him. That is, “only after I carefully studied his chart!” Marites says she is very much happily married, with a wonderful family life with their four children. What’s more, she now has a great career as one of the country’s top feng shui consultants.

Marites, who is president of the World of Feng Shui Philippines, spoke to the media recently in a preview of Manila Hotel’s festivities to help usher in the Year of the Water Dragon on January 22, 2012.

So, of course I asked her: What can KC do to find that elusive “true love”? (KC, by the way, was born in 1985, the Year of the Ox.)

Marites says that KC’s “best match are those born in the Year of the Rat.” She cites the UK’s Prince Harry (Rat) and his girlfriend Chelsy Davy (Ox)—“they were having an on-and-off relationship but they seem to keep going back to each other.... So an Ox pairing with a person born in the year of the Rat is surely a very good start in finding the right one.”

Marites adds that KC’s best allies or friends are Snakes or Roosters.

But the feng shui expert counsels: “For a very pretty, intelligent and independent lady like KC, surely too many guys are already waiting for their turn to woo her heart. However, it is best for her to enjoy her singlehood and surely, when the time is right, she will find another love.”

Marites assures that love will come a-calling again, especially if “KC activates the southwest section of her bedroom with love charms such as peony flowers or double happiness symbols, such as the dragon and phoenix symbol, etc.”

***
(Just some of the lucky charms and feng shui books available at Marites' World of Feng Shui shops in the metro.)

SPEAKING of Rats, guess who was born in that year, KC?

Well, it’s none other than President Noynoy Aquino, who was born in 1960.

Hmmm...KC and P-Noy? Well, why the hell not?! I think it could be a perfect match!

Both of them are smart, well-bred individuals.

They are currently loveless.

They both belong to respectable families with their feet dipped into politics and show business. So there would be an immediate understanding of each other’s priorities, background, and ways of thinking.

Okay, so there’s a 25-age gap. But maybe a more mature man (accent on the latter quality) is exactly what the young KC needs.

After all, this is a lady who virtually grew up without a strong male figure in her life. It was really her mom Sharon who was both mother and father to her, rearing KC as best as she could.

As for PNoy, he is no stranger to relationships with younger women. His ex-girlfriend Shalani Soledad is 20 years his junior—so what’s an additional five years in the case of KC?

And apparently, he is not intimidated by intelligent, outspoken women, having had relationships with Korina Sanchez, Bernadette Sembrano, Shalani, Liz Uy, Bunny Calica, etc. And KC is the same...articulate, well-read, and with just a touch of the right demureness. (She is actually like a slightly refined version of presidential sister Kris Aquino, don’t you think?)

But more important, KC and P-Noy have compatible Chinese zodiac signs! She’s and Ox. He’s a Rat. Who knows, it may just work!

***
(Manila Hotel Executive Chinese Chef Sun Bing will be preparing a delectable feast for the Chinese New Year celebration at Mabuhay Palace, on Jan. 22, 2012. Photo courtesy Manila Hotel.)

KIDDING aside, Marites says the year 2012 brings a “general” risk of illness for those born in the Year of Rat, so the President should watch out. “It is a mixed year, so look after your health. Adjust to a less demanding schedule.”

She advises Rats in general to “focus on mentally-challenging activities, rather than doing the party scene.”

Marites adds that stress will bring tension to a Rat’s life, but his allies “are there to the rescue him.” A Rat’s best friends are Dragons and Monkeys.

To avoid falling ill, Marites advises Rats to acquire a Medicine Buddha Moving Mantra Watch “to create an aura of good health around you.” Also they should place a Brass Wu Lou in the Northern sector of the bedroom “as an antidote to the illness star.”

The year 2012 will be a generally favorable for those born in the year of the Tiger, Rabbit, Horse and Sheep, she says.

According to Marites, the Water Dragon’s power will help push dramatic changes in 2012. It may not mean the end of the world as the Mayan calendar supposedly indicated, but it will certainly be a “year of transformation.”

To indicate how momentous the transformation in 2012 would be, Marites recalled the previous Water Dragon years, the last one occurring in 1952. That year saw the passing of King George VI of the United Kingdom and assumption into office of his daughter Queen Elizabeth II. The first hydrogen bomb was detonated in 1952, ushering in the nuclear age. World War II also came to an official end with the Treaty of Peace signed between Japan and 48 countries aligned with the Allied powers coming into force.

She says although 2012 “will be better than 2011,” the Year of the Rabbit, “it does signify continuing disharmony, with conflicts between governments and social classes, and political and social unrest. There are to be key leadership changes; and social and industrial disputes are to escalate.” 2012 in an election year in the US, France, Russia and India, she points out.

Asked whether this meant a new President for the U.S. next year, Allen said: Yes, [US President Barack] Obama is an Ox (1961), and is slowly losing popularity with the yearly economic challenges in the U.S. So chances are, he may not make it to another term… unless he implements major changes more favorable to the U.S. economy.”

Marites will unveil her other 2012 predictions on January 22 at Manila Hotel’s Chinese New Year celebration. A Grand Chinese Bazaar will be held on the hotel premises featuring different stores selling lucky charms, house decorations and delectable Chinese delicacies.

While the fireworks light up the evening sky, hotel guests will dine on a feast prepared by Executive Chinese Chef Sun Bing at the Mabuhay Palace. The dishes will symbolize luck, longevity and wealth in the coming year.

Doomsday enthusiasts believe the world would end on December 21, 2012 because the calendar of the Mayans—a now-extinct indigenous civilization that once dwelled in Mexico—ends on that date. Well, I looked through Marites’s feng shui almanac for 2012 and it does include a 2013 calendar at the back. Whew!

(For ticket inquiries and reservations to Manila Hotel’s Chinese New Year celebration, call 527-0011 local 1108 or 1243.)

(My column, Something Like Life, is published almost every Friday, in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was originally published on Dec. 2, 2011. If you need to borrow the entries and photos on these pages, pls. cite your source. Thanks.)

DOT to decide new slogan this week (UPDATED)

THE Department of Tourism is currently weighing the proposals of eight short-listed advertising agencies that submitted bids for the P5.6-million Philippines brand campaign project.

The agency’s Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) has until Wednesday to decide on the winning slogan and brand campaign from those proposed by eight of the country’s leading advertising agencies, according to Tourism Assistant Secretary Domingo Ramon Enerio III. Enerio oversees the branding campaign project, and is a member of the five-man SBAC.

The eight agencies—Dentsu Philippines Inc., J. Romero & Associates Inc., Lowe Inc., BBDO Guerrero Proximity Philippines Inc., DDB Philipines Inc., WPP/J. Walter Thompson, Young & Rubicam Philippines Inc., and Aspac Advertising Inc.—made their advertising pitches to the SBAC on November 21 and 22, according to agency sources. They were earlier shortlisted from 13 agencies which had indicated their interest to participate in the bid.

In a text message, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., who sat in the presentations of the eight ad agencies, told the BusinessMirror that the proposed slogans and advertising concepts were all excellent.

“Magaganda lahat. They were all rooted in solid strategy and showed the hard work everyone put in,” he said. “We are now in a difficult process of selecting a winner.”

In previous media interviews, the DOT chief promised to announce a new tourism slogan before Christmas.

Asked how the SBAC will be choosing the new tourism slogan and brand campaign, Enerio explained that it will be “a collegial decision with major directions coming from the secretary.” He declined to reveal any more details of the pitches made by the advertising agencies due to the “confidentiality undertaking” he had signed, but promised that “all will soon be revealed.”

Unlike the “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” slogan prematurely launched during the tenure of Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, and which was later scrapped due to a major industry outcry, the new slogan would be tested, and consultations held with industry stakeholders, Enerio said.

“Consultations are essential to success, acceptance, and ownership of the brand by all stakeholders. For sure, the [new] brand will be vetted extensively before being announced,” he said.

A separate bidding will be conducted for the supplier of the advertising materials such as television commercials, brochures, posters, and other collateral materials. It will probably take a year before the new advertising campaign will be finalized and rolled out to the target markets.

The P5.6-million “Philippine Branding Campaign focusing on Tourism” is the DOT’s third try at creating a new tourism slogan for the country, which for years, has been using the “Wow Philippines” campaign crafted by BBDO Guerrero in 2007.

The Philippines, with its lackluster manufacturing sector and sluggish agricultural performance, has set its sights on the tourism industry as a new engineer of economic growth. At present, the sector accounts for less than six percent of the gross domestic product, unlike other countries such as Spain, Thailand, Singapore, etc., whose tourism sectors represent over 40 percent of GDP.

Visitor arrivals from January to September this year jumped 12 percent to 2.89 million from 2.58 million in the same period last year. Jimenez has announced a 4-million target for tourist arrivals in 2012.

The Philippines hopes to attract 6 million tourist arrivals by 2016, or when President Aquino steps down from office.

However, a meager tourism promotions budget, lack of adequate infrastructure and facilities, and conflicting government policies could stand in the way of achieving those numbers.

The DOT for instance, has had to make do with an annual budget of P2 billion allocated by Congress.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), the gateway to the country, is old and decrepit, with a runway too small to accommodate the growing number of flights in and out of Manila. Some of its passenger terminals such as Naia 1, for instance, have been dubbed the “worst in the world” by international media outfits and travel bloggers.

And while the Aquino administration has just implemented a “pocket open skies” policy to encourage more international carriers to come to the Philippines, the government continues to charge taxes and fees on foreign airlines which unnecessarily increases the latter’s operating expenses. Only recently, Air France-KLM announced it would be dropping its direct flights to the Philippines due to the continued imposition of these taxes.

(My story was published in the BusinessMirror, Nov. 28, 2011.)

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(UPDATE) Checked with Asec. Enerio just today, Dec. 2, and he said "deliberations are ongoing. Sec. [Jimenez] is out of town, so we continue to evaluate up to next week."