Went looking for diwal but...

WE WENT to the Dampa at the Farmers' Market this morning looking for diwal (angel wings clam), today being the second day of the 2-day Capiz Seafood Fest, but didn't find any. According to the one and only seafood vendor there, the waves were strong in Capiz this morning so divers couldn't get to the clams.

We were there at 7:30 am bec. we were told the diwal ran out quickly yesterday. When we arrived, however, there was no Capiz seafood yet, so we went to the main market instead. Good thing bec. there were great finds - and we went home with a lot of fresh seafood at incredibly reasonable prices. I just love Farmers' Market because buyers are guaranteed good deals on most purchases.

I so wanted to buy the haricort vert but they were more expensive than the ones sold at the Salcedo market. So I passed on them. But we found lovely cherry tomatoes; I'm looking forward to our green salad tonight!

Suahe cost between P400-P450 per kilo, depending on the size; mud crabs (alimango) were priced between P450-P550/k depending on the sex (babae, lalaki, bakla); Kuhol was P40/kilo w/c we had coooked in coconut milk (gata) at one of the restos in the Dampa area (unfortunately, the dish didn't taste as good as the one done by Aling Tonya's at Dampa, Parañaque); med-sized mussels at P60/k, etc.

Here are some of the products found at the market:

All in all, it was a productive morning and I didn't mind at all that we couldn't get our diwal. (I was told that yesterday, at the start of the Capiz Seafood Fest, the clams were selling for P250/k but buyers were limited to one kilo each.) But our loot today was more than enough to overcome our diwal disappointment.

Anyhoo, I understand that the Capiz Seafood Fest is just first among province-themed festivals that the Araneta Center would be mounting in the next few months. It's a great idea, so the food and products of many of the country's distinct regions can get the promotion they deserve. It makes these items very accessible to Manila-based consumers, and is a good way to market these provinces as food and travel destinations.

It takes a village... (updated again, 6:36 pm, Oct. 5)

At the offices of many civic groups and private organizations, hundreds of people showed up to volunteer in packing relief goods or going to evacuation centers to help distribute care packages. At the Tulong Bayan center at the Expo Centro in Cubao, it was heartwarming to note that most of the volunteers were adolescents as young as 10 years old, along with their kuya or ate in high school and college. Many of these kids, as you know, would normally spend their time away from school hanging out at the mall.

They came in huge numbers, many of them barkadas, classmates or siblings, dressed just in their tees and shorts, wearing their Havaianas. All were just enthusiastic to do their share! (Click Something Like Life, BusinessMirror, Oct. 2, 2009 for the rest.)

(Even grade school kids pitched in to help! According to singer/activist Leah Navarro, there were so many volunteers at Tulong Bayan's centers in Cubao and White Space, Pasong Tamo Ext., others were asked to return at later schedules. PHOTOS BY LEAH NAVARRO)

(Volunteers of Tulong Bayan unpack cartons of biscuits.)

(Pass it on, guys. Youth volunteers at the Expo Centro in Cubao move the relief goods for loading into a flatbed truck.)

UPDATED ANNOUNCEMENT (10/05/09): Tulong Bayan has closed its Cubao operations but its operations at White Space, Pasong Tamo Ext., Makati City, continues. Volunteers are most welcome. Donations too of course! Aside from food, we need slippers, underwear for men women and children, basic medicines (paracetamol, anti-diarrhea, disinfectants, etc.), toothpaste and toothbrush, etc. Thank you!

ANNOUNCEMENT 2: For other relief centers needing volunteers, click BayanihanOnline. Thanks!

Here are some photos I took at Tulong Bayan center in Cubao last Thursday, Oct. 2:

(Bags of relief goods for distribution this weekend.)

(Cardboard cartons as beds for the flood victims.)

(Here's how the bed looks up close. It includes a blanket to keep warm.)

(Youth volunteers repack detergents for distribution to evacuation centers.)

ALSO, on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 4:

(More relief goods for distribution, Oct. 4)

(Unpacking biscuits for donations.)

(Making the beds from carton boxes.)


(Sacks of rice to be transported to White Space, where Tulong Bayan's relief efforts continue until Thursday, Oct. 8)

(Boxes of canned tuna on their way to White Space too.)