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.

The Korean invasion

OKAY, okay, due to insistent public demand (in other words, pangungulit of readers), here are more juicy tidbits for your consumption:

1. Contrary to what the Asian Hospital wants the public to think, our sources say details of the presidentita's recent surgeries most probably didn't come from any of the hospital's doctors nor staff. In fact, as one source admitted to us, the presidentita has already undergone "several procedures" in the past at the very same hospital and none of the details have ever been found out by the media. Until now. The reason Asian Hospital called the NBI to investigate its medical staff is because management was shaken at the accuracy of the details that were recently published such as the mammoplasty repair, removal of cyst in the groin area, and the laser removal of unwanted hair in the presidentita's private parts. Given the hospital's past discretion, some in the hospital feel that the leak didn't come from them but from where else? Malacañang. But obviously someone has to be a fall guy so...

(Photo of Asian Hospital from Medtourlink)
2. Our sources also say that despite the controversy over the presidentita's surgeries, Asian Hospital is in fact, fully booked! I've toured the facility before for a story I was assigned to do, and have even consulted in its ER and some of its doctors and I can say that I've always liked its facilities and services. But I dunno lang ha, if I were among the 5 patients who were removed from the VIP floor just to accommodate the presidentita during her recent stay, I wouldn't be going back there. Aba! And just the thought about the hospital comping the surgery and stay of the presidentita, teka muna, isn't there a law against the head of state receiving "gifts" more than a certain amount?

3. So da who's office in Malacañang is now being suspected of leaking the boob job story of the presidentita to the media? No doubt the act was deliberate and well-orchestrated, as the story came out on the same day in one major daily and a well-known columnist of another respected broadsheet. Now, said office has 24/7 access to all the presidentita's moves and was obviously the one in charge of the country for those many hours that the Great Leader was out like a lightbulb while her boobs were being fixed. Most mammoplasties are done under general anesthesia and that means the Philippines basically had no functioning head of state for three hours.

Why would any officers in that snake pit called Malacañang leak the story? As Pia Hontiveros says in her show, "Nothing personal. It's strictly politics." The 2010 elections are approaching and Malacañang staff are not immune from politicking and positioning themselves for whoever will be the next occupant of the palace by the smelly river. No doubt, a witch hunt is currently ongoing on who in that very office spewed the details of the presidentita's hospitalization to the press.

(One of the best wet markets in the Metro Manila, Farmers Market in Cubao, Quezon City. Photo from Panoramio)

4. From one smelly locale in Manila, to another in Cubao, this time. If you think the Koreans have not only invaded our TV screens, well look again, they are in your neigborhood markets as well. Our source who went on her usual palengke-run at the Farmers Market said she noticed a stall filled w/ all sorts of Korean veggies and other ingredients, and manned by a Korean palengkero. Nothing wrong with that really except that according to her suki, managers of Farmers have apparently been giving choice spots to these Korean traders eager to sell their produce to not only fellow Koreans who have decided to reside here, but to Pinoys as well. Unfortunately our source didn't ask the Korean guy running the stall how much he's selling his produce. We'll try to get a photo of these Korean stalls soon.

5. More on the Zest Airways' accidents involving its Chinese-made MA-60 planes: According to our sources, the pilot involved in the first accident in January where the plane undershot the Caticlan runway had been unceremoniously "sacked" faster than you can say...Zest-O! The pilot in the second accident, this time last June 25 where the plane overshot the runway is very pissed off at the carrier's management right now. "He feels na pinabayaan sya ng management," and allowed to take the rap for this accident by his lonesome. In truth, however, our sources say Zest Air's pilots have long been telling management that the brakes on the MA-60 planes are faulty, "mahina ang kapit" is how these have been described.

Also, according to the MA-60's own web site maintained by the Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group or XAC, this turbo-prop, whose airworthiness has not been given the seal of approval by the US Federal Aviation Authority, needs a landing distance of 3,477 feet, and a takeoff distance of 3,600 ft. How long is the Caticlan runway? The airport's runway 06 has a landing distance of 2,952 ft. and a takeoff distance of 3,117 ft. Its runway 24 has a landing distance of 2,900 ft. and takeoff distance of 3,117 ft. So don't blame Zest Air's pilots, but the plane's configuration itself. Or actually Zest Air management for refusing to listen to its pilots. Why the government aviation authorities have yet to ground Zest Air, or penalized its management? Follow the stink and it will likely take you the residence by the river.