CoVid 19 and the Rant of Jeng

Photo from CDC

I am supposed to work on the last few assignments for Statistics and call it the end of the semester for me since you know Final Exams are supposed to happen on April 25 but then the Enhanced Community Quarantine is being extended to April 30. (Still waiting for announcements on exams!)

But being on Facebook and the Internet exposes you to a lot of things. Plus the discussions with husband does not really help matters. My brain is full of Covid News and Covid Controversies and Conspiracies and I feel that I should write it all down so that I can let it out and finally get back to Statistics.
So CoVid 19 is a pandemic that when left on its own will double every day, and that's a conservative estimate if we use 2^N (2 raise to the power of N). With a greater base, the exponential increase would be overwhelming as shown in Italy and the US' increase in cases.

So THE WHO decided as the procedure to combat the disease is to:

1. LOCKDOWN everything though air travel is still open for some countries and those with vehicles can still get everywhere.
2. SOCIAL DISTANCING (3 feet apart should be practiced. But well, damu japon gapost sa FB na super close ang pamilya. Pero well, wala man guro me virus sa ila.
3. DISINFECT all the time, tapos me ng hoard alcohol. Hmmm, Soap guro dapat gi-hoard, ang alcohol ipadala na to sa Hospital mas needed nila ang fast disinfection. Ikaw kay sa balay ra man ka dapat, panghugas ug kamot or ligo lang gud pirmi. Especially na init ang panahon kay summer na.
   
   Then NEW UPDATES,
4. WEAR FACE MASKS all the time kay indi lang siya gale ma contract from people who showed symptoms. There are people who are asymptomatic, meaning sila ni ang wala gabatyag pero me COVID na gale sila. 
5. The TESTING KIT is now available in the Philippines, and so people with authority had themselves VIP TESTED bypassing those people who are critical in the hospital for reasons nga me upod sila sa isa ka MEETING na me COVID kuno.

Pero in times like these, we see people both in power and outside of power who shows pasaway behaviour and have not done any good for the country the past month that everyone has been quarantined.

There are people na galagaw japon without any protection to themselves and does not seem to care nga dapat gahalong ang tanan karon nga mga panahon. I, myself is guilty since I allow the baby and myself to roam around our block since 7 lang man di kabilog ang mga balay sa palibot namun and wala kami immediate neighbors.

There are people who tested POSITIVE then mapalagyo from the authority kay Hindi nila gusto ang OSPITAL nga dal an sa ila. EXCUSE ME, Limited PO ang Hospitals na Allowed to House COVID PATIENTS kasi nga po we do not want it to SPREAD.

Tapos asta subong wala man japon concrete plans ang atong gobyero panu ni tapna-un ang COVID disease without resorting to extending the LOCKDOWN until the end of the year. Tani mag participate man ang tanan, para ang VIRUS nga ara sa isa ka person ndi na mapasa sa next na person.

TIME is an asset that if WASTED will be never returned to you. TIME spent with FAMILY is WELL and GOOD but doing this only during LOCKDOWN lacks planning in your part. MAKE TIME for your FAMILY biskan busy ta always.

KUNG MA FREE NA ANG ATON PUMs (Person Under Monitoring) and PUIs (Person Under Investigation) after sang ila QUARANTINE days, INDI NA PAGDUGANGI PLEASE ky ginatrace pa to gani ang naka meet and greet sa ila.

AMU NG FOR THE BENEFIT of EVERYBODY nugay lagaw sa mga Lugar nga damu tawo nga gakadto. Kung gusto mu gid ma gwa because some People are JUST EXTROVERTS na indi makapahimuyong kung sa balay sila, PALIHOG PROTECT YOURSELF!

And then there are THE PEOPLE who ROSE to FAME because they did something right like MAYOR VICO SOTTO, and THE PROVINCE OF ILOILO, and those people nga na #hashtag pirmi because ang ila response to the VIRUS has been effective.

SO Kung me nami kamu na IDEAS to HELP, Go as long as you are not endangering yourself.


Tapos na ko rant, thoughts naman!
------

In the Philippines, a lot of issues has arisen. But the main point of the government is: we should help stop spread the virus by distancing ourselves from other people and keeping ourselves safe inside the comforts of our HOMES.

Remember, we are a third world country. Our government cannot afford to provide for us for long. Its resources are limited. AND this time, we cannot rely on other nations to provide for us, since everybody else is going through the same calamity / tragedy, whatever you want to call it.

If the government can no longer provide for those who need it the most, the poorest of the poor, that are being blamed because they are poor, what will they do then?

Please do not be insensitive to the welfare of other people. If you can provide for yourself and your family, because you still have online work, you still have salary even if you are staying in the house, you have savings, you have plants in the garden or you can ask from your neighbors, you have food (rice) that will last for months on end. Then yes, you are privileged enough to last long.

But those people, who rely on their everyday income as drivers, manual laborers, peddlers, sidewalk vendors, even farmers and fisherfolks who are banned from going outside their houses. Those who are contractual and do not have permanent incomes that are the ones most affected by this lockdown. Have you given them thoughts?

Then we can see all these negative comments on people (Huya man ta sa 8k na kulang pa sa 1 week), and those members of 4Ps (Gasalig lang sa gobyerno, wala man gabayad tax).

Remember these people do not have Financial Management Background, Budgeting is one of the hardest things to do and we even have difficulties doing it. It would have been better if what they needed was provided and not the money because now that they have money, they will not be able to know how to use/budget it to fit in a month. One computation was it was 47 pesos/meal per person. That's correct if it's a big household. You will not understand this because if you are in Jollibee and decides to buy a Jolly Savers Meal, you will not even think twice that its 50 pesos. They, on the other hand, would, and asked what can they buy with 47 pesos that will feed more than one person. See? Difference?

Also, in 4Ps, it is not true that they are not paying taxes because every one of us is paying E-Vat whenever we buy something. They are not exempted. And if you have problems with 4Ps recipients, Facebook or Twitter is not the right platform, send a message to your DSWD branch since they are the ones responsible for this. Have pity to the Lumads and other indigenous tribe members that are benefiting from this.

Ohkiey, I think I am good to go now.

-----

Last thoughts.

We are a people under one nation. In these times, fighting over who's better or needs help the most is not the way to go. Just do what you can to help.

1. Stay inside your own house / community , if your community is safe.
2. Remember these people who did good and bad, and VOTE Wisely next Elections.
3. Start planning on how we can live with Covid as the LOCKDOWN is never a good solution for our nation.
4. My friends in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and outside the country. Keep your body and mind safe in these times. Boredom is the least of our problems. 
5. Prioritize your Health, Security, and Mental Capacity.

Tapos na gid man siya.

Statistics na ta liwat!
I


Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

Dear Mr. Martinez

Today we applaud the memory of a man who loved me more than any man could.
Today we honour the man who raised such independent children that it felt like I moved on, the moment I heard that you have slept the eternal sleep.
But I think, my siblings could not really blame me. After all, for the last decade, you have constantly reminded me of what may or may not happen to you and the responsibilities that will fall on my shoulders the moment it will. I have taken the role now, and I hope that I am not failing your expectations.

But today is for your memory, and my role in that is as a daughter who remembers her father as someone to look up to.

My father is a person who had held responsibilities in many private and public institutions. The last of which is as president of the senior citizens association. That one he held with pride because even in his old age it felt good bringing a very disorganized group into something that the whole city organizations models in their own associations now.

My father has faced a lot of battles, in court and outside of it. I hope that it will come to an end soon as it has deprived my father of the privileges that he should have enjoyed after all the hard work that he has done in his employed life. It almost also deprived us of our education if not of luck and sheer perseverance.

My father is a very proud man, who felt that he has wronged his children by not being able to provide them with a good life. But I do not feel that I am unlucky that I cannot afford what others can because I know that I can live without them. This has been one of his regrets, though time and time again we have assured him that it was fine.

My father has raised us to follow our own morals, to own up our mistakes, and to choose our battles well. He has always reminded us that character is better than intelligence. But at the same time, preach that without intelligence you cannot get anywhere.
He always says that we can follow whatever path we want in life as long as we do not regret it. But after that, give suggestions on what are the best options to choose from. In time, I have learned to nudge him into my own direction. And that is an accomplishment in itself.

My father is very strict, but he has always allowed me to do things outside of the house as long as I inform mama about it. I am proud to say that amongst my siblings, I never experienced the 'paha' only the tongue-lashing. Though that is harsher,at least you can argue your way out.
The only quarrel with papa that I cannot really forget is the one from college when I finally confronted him on the reasons why 'technically I am a bastard child'. That was a sad argument that left me in tears for hours and I think hurt papa more than it did me. The parents' mistakes should never be blamed on the children, he quipped. But I cannot understand that, and society is not really a forgiving enemy. But I have made peace and he knows that I no longer blame him for it.

My father tried to raise independent children that I was sent out of the house when I was eleven. My brother when he was fourteen, and PJ when she was sixteen. But whenever I had problems, it was always a comfort to know that you and mama are just a phone call away. Thank you for the technology.
This year, I missed hearing your voice over the phone even if it was just you scolding me that you cannot hear whatever is being said.

But I do not have regrets, I know that you are at peace. You had live a good life. You outlived some of your siblings even if you are the eldest of them all. You had held your apos and great-apos. you had doled out advice to lots of people both asked and un-asked for.

This is for you. And I will always remember you.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

Journey to 60: Week 9

I've been neglectful in my duties of blogging the progress in the diet program we implemented for my not so little sister.

It has been 2 months since we started this project and her school will open the calendar for Academic Year 2018-2019 by the end of this month. She wants to lose a bit more weight before that happens, though I am planning to take her to the tailor next week so that her uniform will be ready by the time school opens.

As to lifestyle change, we made her undergo; she is still on intermittent fasting for the diet and the exercise is still a combination of strength training and jogging. We are adding more exercises for Arms and Legs since we do not want her skin to sag especially now that she has lost some weight.

I also offered that we buy new clothes especially shorts since some of them no longer fits her. but she declined, saying she might still lose some weight and we'll have to buy new ones again.

So I think, July will be for shopping clothes just before school opens for her.

Updates on her statistics:

WEIGHT: 

• 85 kgs before the road to 60 program
• 85 kgs after 1 month of training at the end of May
• 76 kgs after we introduced intermittent fasting in June

WAISTLINE:

• 42 inches before the road to 60 program
• 37 inches after 1 month of training at the end of May
• 34 inches after we introduced intermittent fasting in June

Before Pic

After 2 months

Before

After 2 months

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Journey to 60: Week 7

This week marks the 3rd week of the fasting regime of our not so little project. We planned to escalate her fasting to 48 hours instead of 24. But unfortunately, it did not go as planned because of various circumstances like an invitation to the fiesta. :D

Anyway, for this week this was the routine she made. I cannot detail the exercise or name them for the circuits done because most of the time I am doing something else.
But the workouts usually are a combination of Gym Rings routine and Bodyweight exercises and Bodyweight  exercises with Weights.

Monday (June 11)

• Circuit C Workout
• Fasting
  

Tuesday (June 12)

• No Workout
• Dinner - Tinolang Manok
  She was allowed to eat as she was the one who prepared the chicken for the stew.
  

Wednesday (June 13)

• Walked for 3 km.
• Dinner at the Fiesta :D
  

Thursday (June 14)

• No Workout
• Homemade Shawarma
  We made her eat Shawarma condiments wrapped in Mustard Leaf instead of Pita Bread. :D
  

Friday (June 15)

• Circuit C Workout
• Fasting
  

Saturday (June 16)

• Leisurely walk for an Hour or so.
• Late Lunch at Jollibee
  I allowed it because she was with me all throughout my medical appointment that lasted for 3 hours.
  

Sunday (June 17)

• Combination of Circuit C, Circuit D and Circuit B for a single rep of each.
• Fasting
  

And this marks the end of the 7th week. Today we start a new one and hopefully, we can strictly follow that diet order :D


Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Journey to 60: Week 6

I am required to report to the office the past week and was not able to see what workout conditions were being imposed on our not so little project.

One thing for sure she's on her 2nd week of intermittent fasting.
With regards to fasting, we make her eat once every 2 days or let's say once every 36 hours.
No snacks in between, only water.

And before you react, I ask her every 2 hours if I am at the house if she is hungry.

We noticed though that even after fasting, the amount of her food intake is the same when she was not on fast.
Hmmm... Makes you wonder if an extension of the fast is in order.


And so for the workout.
Just to be clear, there are 5 circuits that the husband is making her do, that I am aware of.
I am not really sure which were done this week and I do not also know the routines in between, but I'll try to fill in the blanks in the succeeding posts.
After all, we are halfway there.

Monday (June 4): Yoga

• Yoga with the Pregnant Lady to improve Breathing and Lower Back Mobility.

Tuesday (June 5): Circuit A

• Squats
• Push Ups
• Pull Ups (in her case Hanging from the Gym Rings)
• Chair Dips
• Bent Knee Rows
• Bear Crawl 
• Squats with weights
• Rest

Wednesday (June 6): No workout

Thursday (June 7): Run

• 5 KM Run, she was able to run for almost 1KM without stopping this time, so improvement.

Friday (June 8): Circuit B

• Reverse Lunges
• Bridges
• Push Ups
• Bent Knee Rows
• Squats

Saturday (June 9): No Circuit

• She should have one but we were walking half the day in the city because of some errands, so this was skipped.

Sunday (June 10): No Circuit

• We were also walking for an hour or so because we attended a birthday celebration and we let her eat a lot of Meat, and No Rice but a Pizza is still carbs. Not entirely cruel.

For now, she is complaining that when lying in a prone position she can feel her bones.

A bit of progress there then :D

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Journey to 60: Week 3

As we were on a trip, the hubby and I were not really able to monitor what our little project was doing except for her Monday workout which was circuit involving gym rings and bodyweight.

Monday:

• Lunges
• Bridge
• Push Ups
• Bent Knee Rows
• Hanging on the Gym Ring

The rest of the week according to her was divided between walking and some Rows.

I'd like to add that at the beginning of this endeavor, she

WEIGHS 85 kgs 

AND her

WAISTLINE is 42 inches.

Slowly but surely getting there.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

My Trip to the Capital

The last week has been busy for me. I had my very first trip to Manila, though not to Luzon as I was in Palawan a few years back for a vacation.

We stayed over with some friends who work in the business capital, Makati.

SM Mall of Asia

Makati and its neighboring cities did not turn out to be what I expected. Yes, the traffic is ever a pain in the neck as projected and commuting is hard. The population is overflowing which leads to the main problem people are facing which is the traffic.

But, it was not as expensive as I expected nor was it as polluted as I dared not hope it to be.

Expense-wise, if you spend your time eating in the malls and restos, then check it will consume half your paycheck. Though, if you spare some time to do marketing and cooking, I think you will save a lot more. The prices for meat products and vegetables and fruits are almost the same in Iloilo, some are even cheaper. True, the beef and fish products are a bit on the pricey side but the pork and chicken products are priced exactly the same in Iloilo. Ours are just fresher :D

Dining at Chili's

The fare is cheap. I think me and the hubby spent a total of 100 pesos in fare excluding the taxi to the airport and my Grab ride to Diliman.

Pollution-wise, the Pasig River stinks and there was trash everywhere on the streams leading to it and basically everywhere. But only a few cars smoke-belch so that's a plus. And the vehicles are not as noisy individually, though there are just a lot of them so it's still too hot to be walking anywhere with cars around you.

Though, I like the effort put in by developers to add green things like trees and shrubs to their buildings. It adds are refreshing vibe to the whole scenario of tall buildings, no sky dilemma.

The greenest place I've seen was the UP Diliman Campus and I hope it stayed that way.

Bringing Tibiao to Diliman

All in all, the experience was not so bad. There are just too many people for my taste. I hope our City of Love does not turn out as bad as Manila when all the developments are done.

A BIG thanks to all of our friends who accommodated us and spared some time in their busy schedules to chit-chat with us.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Journey to 60: Week 2

So for the 2nd week of trimming down fats of this BIG girl emphasis on BIG. This was her routine.

Aside from the Bodyweight Workouts and Yoga Sessions, Gym Rings were added because the hubby bought a set.

Monday:

• Knee Push Ups 10
• Climbers 10
• Leg Raises 10

Tuesday:

• Yoga Routine with the Pregnant Lady for 45 minutes

Wednesday: Gym Ring Exercises as long as she can

• 15 counts of Hanging / Suspension / Pull ups
• 15 counts of Reverse Hang or at least we made her pull the rings as far as she can go and had her in a push-up position with her arms stretched backward holding the rings 

Thursday:

• 5 km run / walk

Friday:

• 10 km run / walk 

Saturday:  3 sets of

• Knee Push Ups 10
• Climbers 10
• Leg Raises 10

Sunday: Gym Ring Exercises as long as she can

• 15 counts of Hanging / Suspension / Pull ups
• 15 counts of Reverse Hang or at least we made her pull the rings as far as she can go and had her in a push-up position with her arms stretched backward holding the rings 
• Bodyweight Rows 10

All of our pet projects exercise are done as long as she can.

Though next week, we won't be around but we hope she stick to the routine we set.
At least the walking part.



Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

I post an article once a week... :D

Journey to 60

It has been so long since I last posted anything online.

With the Baby Shark on its way, the end of the school year, and a new adventure coming up, I cannot really think of anything worthwhile to post for a while. Or I had too many and did not really know what to write.

But this time, I have a new project ongoing and I really want to see an improvement by the end of June. I hope you bear with me as I try on new things for this project to be successful.

So here goes.

Starting this week or precisely as of the 2nd of May 2018, I had become a legal guardian of a 16-year-old kid, all 85 kgs of my youngest sister. She decided to study in Iloilo, and so I gained custody of her for the next two years at least.

I think this is a prime of example of too much love resulting to neglect. My parents tried to limit her food intake and made her diet to no avail. She gained 5 kgs each year, staring her Junior High Days and did not stop.

So here we are now.

 


Since she will be living with me. The husband and I will be disciplining her to change her lifestyle. Starting with EATING and EXERCISE.

For eating, we banned eating in-between meals. So no junk foods for her. She can eat fruits or drink water in between and nothing else. She has 2 months before the start of the class, so we hope to instill this training before then.

For exercise, this was the program so far:

• May 4 - Friday
• Run / Walk 5 km
• Chair Push Ups 
• Leg Raises
  
• May 5 - Saturday (5 reps)
• 5 Knee Push Ups
• 10 Mountain Climbers
• 5 Leg Raises
• 10 Jumping Jacks
  
• May 6 - Sunday
• Walking for 1 hour or more

We are hoping for the best in this endeavor.

Hopefully, we achieve the 60 kgs goal by the end of June :D

Join us on this adventure to NIWANG in 60 days :D

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Pork Adobo (Pig's Feet)

Happy New Year everyone...

As the new year starts, the hubby started dominating the kitchen. For the weekend, we got this for lunch. Yay! Adobo na Tiil sang Baboy. It feels good to be not doing anything really.

Adobong Baboy

I do not know the accurate measurements of the ingredients; so, experiment according to your taste. You can never go wrong with adobo after all.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pork Feet (ask the vendor to slice it beforehand)
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
• Ginger, sliced
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 cup Vinegar
• 5 pcs calamansi, extract the juice
• 1/2cup Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• 3 pcs bay leaves
• 6-10 cups water

Preparation:

For the amount of salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce added, I am giving you free reign because it will ultimately depend on your taste.

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Sautee the garlic, onion, and ginger for 2 minutes.
3. Add the pork, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
4. Stir every now and then until the pork turns slightly brown.
5. Add the calamansi, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar.
6. Stir sporadically for 5 minutes and add 3 cups of water and cover.
7. Once it starts boiling, uncover and wait for the water to evaporate?
8. Check if the meat is tender. If not add another 3 cups of water and simmer until tender.
9. You can keep doing this until you are satisfied with the tenderness of the pork meat.
10. Check the taste as well, if it's to your liking and adjust according to preference.

Pork Feet Adobo

Serve with rice.

Enjoy.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Recipe: Spaghetti

Because its' Christmas and the Spaghetti pack is cheap.

Spaghetti Madness

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions minced
• 5 cloves of garlic minced, preferably large also
• salt and pepper
• sugar
• water
• 5 pcs of Jumbo Hotdog, sliced thinly :D
• 1/2 kg ground meat
• oil
• 1 kg Spaghetti Sauce
• 1 kg Spaghetti Pasta

Preparation:

THE SAUCE

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot (good for 1 kilo of sauce).
2. Sautee the garlic and half of the onions.
3. Once slightly brown, add the ground meat ( I usually use meatballs in my spaghetti, so this is actually a trial run).
4. Stir lightly for 10 minutes or until you feel that meat is cooked.
5. Add 1-2 cups water and wait for it to boil.
6. Once boiling, check if the ground meat is cooked and add the hotdog, and the remaining onions.
7. Stir well and add the Spaghetti Sauce. (I also usually add Tomato Sauce and season again, but not this time :( )
8. Bring the sauce to a boil and salt and pepper and sugar, depending on how sweet you want your sauce.

THE PASTA

1. Boil a large amount of water in a pot, bout 3 liters since the pot is almost full.
2. Once boiling, add 2 tbsp of salt and 2 tbsp of oil.
3. Add the 500 gram of pasta.
4. Cook the pasta for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  (For al dente, do not cover the pot)
5. Remove from the fire and strain. Wash with cold water.

NOW TO EAT.

Serve pasta with sauce and grated cheese.

Bon appetit :D

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D just because!

Thoughts On: Iloilo City PRISAA Math Challenge

The Iloilo PRISAA(Private Schools Athletic Association) is currently ongoing.
And as different sports team seeks to destroy each other physically on the field, some students battle it out in talent, skill, and intelligence on stage.

Last Saturday was the Math Quiz which ended with Hua Siong College of Iloilo taking home the bacon. The 2nd place was a tie between Paref Westbridge School and Ateneo de Iloilo, not that the students did not try to duke it out with 5 clincher questions that failed to select a winner so both were declared.

Our team contestants ranked 6th or 7th depending on how you look at the ranking and they are happy with it though we hoped for a better result, same as with the other 26 teams that did not cut it.

For me, as a first timer in this type of events was just happy that I was able to contribute a bit to the students' preparation for the contest. It was a matter of giving questions and making sure they got the correct answers based on the answer key provided or be able to justify the answers if it was different. It also involved practicing trial time and some shortcuts that are not really taught in general classes.

I also learned new things during this sessions and that's good enough for me. It was worth the effort.

During the contest, it was really fun to watch students enjoy answering Math questions and debating on which answers are correct and why. Debating in Math. Yay!

Made me wonder what would it be like to have 87 students, all brilliant in the subject in your class.

Must be what a NASA office will feel like. All have the answer, but which is the best?

I can resent it or embrace it.
Such simple choices, but really hard to act upon.

I guess I'll answer it when I am given a roomful of Einsteins next time.

For now, I am just happy to have one.


Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

 I post an article once a week... :D

Resto Review: Monkey Grounds

If you're a yuppie and wants to drown yourself in coffee, Monkey Grounds is the place to be.

If that sounds rhyme-y, blame it on the literature stack, the place has.

This quaint little place is located just below the overpass in Barangay San Rafael along Benigno Aquino Avenue (Diversion Road) and Donato Pison Avenue.

I have been here 3 times and I ordered a different pancake each time. And so far I have not been disappointed. As for the coffee, I am not a fan but my friends always orders, so far no complaints, so you will just have to take my word that they loved it.

The price ranges from 50 to 250 Philippine peso depending on what your order is. They have pancakes, sandwiches, pasta, coffee, some fruit juices and yogurt, and they also have brownies and cakes and yeah! milk and coffee.

Monkey Grounds Menu

This week, we felt like chilling out on a Saturday night, so there were only a few people. The place is not too crowded, though that also depends on the time and day because sometimes when I pass it also has a full house especially on weekdays.
But I guess the relaxing atmosphere and good music always draw people in.

As seen from inside.

Our orders were: Funky Monkey is a pancake with attitude, that's Peanuts and Banana Toppings with Chocolate Syrup. The yogurt tasted like Dutch Mill, so tangy with a hint of strawberry.

Funky Monkey Pancake with a glass of yogurt.

 Garlic Bread and the Dip is made up of Mozzarella and Spinach and some other cheese.

Garlic Bread with Spinach Dip or somethin

 Spinach and Mozzarella Melt Sandwich: The name I think suggests what its like, so no need to explain. It comes with a Tomato Dip and French Fries as a side, so it's really worth it.
The Fried Mushroom is a different appetizer though.

Spinach and Mozzarella Sandwich and Fried Mushrooms

 And for dessert, it's brownies because, with chocolate, one can never be wrong.

Brownies

I forgot to take a picture of my friends coffee.
I got distracted by the food.


Anyway, let me know if you liked your own visit.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Recipe: Fish Burger

Because we usually buy a big tuna mackerel (budlisan) from the market to make fish fillet. We always end up having lots of excess tuna since some parts cannot be sliced well.
When I was young, my mother always do this to make us eat fish without us knowing.
I adapted this one to give you my version of the Fish Burger. (You can use any fish)

Fish Burger

Ingredients:

• Leftover fish
• 2-3 pcs Calamansi, we use the juice
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 onion,minced
• 1 cup flour
• water
• 1 egg
• salt (and pepper)
• 1/4 cup oil

Preparation:

Fish:

1. Place the leftover parts, like head, tail, and parts of the body that where not filleted inside a pot. (You can either have fish adobo or sinabawang isda, your call really).
2. This time, we have sinabawang isda, so add 1-2 cups water, salt, crushed ginger, 1 medium onion, and pepper corns inside the pan and wait for it to boil.
3. Taste the broth if the flavor is just right for you and remove the pot from the fire.
4. Separate the fish parts that you will use for the burger like the tail and body parts, the head does not really have much meat, so you can eat that with the soup.
5. Allow to cool.

Fish broth

Fish Burger Mixture:

Na sipad-sipad na isda

1. I cannot find the English translation for the word, sipad-sipad. Basically, you separate the bones from the meat while crushing the fish meat to fine texture.
2. Once its fine and the bones have been removed, add one cup flour and mix thoroughly.
3. Add the calamansi juice and soy sauce.
4. You can have fresh onion or use the onion from the fish soup, mince this and add to the fish meat and flour.
5. Beat the egg and add to the mixture. Mix thoroughly.
6. Add a bit of salt and ground pepper for the egg and flour.
7. Add water slowly while mixing the ingredients. Stop adding water once the desired mixture is achieved. It should be not be too sticky but definitely not watery. The mixture texture should be similar or close to meat balls.
8. Set aside.

Sticky Fish Mixture

Now to fry.

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat stove.
2. Form burger patties by taking 1-2 tbsp of fish burger mixture and flattening it inside the heated pan or in a separate plate.
3. Fry for 1-2 minutes and flip. Flip from one side to another until patty is golden brown.
4. Remove from pan and drain oil by placing it in a strainer or on a plate with tissue paper.
5. Serve with ketchup, or ketchup and mayo dip. :D
   OR  Serve inside a burger bun with all the burger trimmings. :D

Note:**

1. The thinner the patty, the crunchier it is.
2. I do not recommend super thick patties and high heat because there is a possibility that the inside parts will not be cooked.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

I post an article every two days... :D Just because!!!

Recipe: Cheese Stick

Because I was too lazy to leave the house last week, I spent all my time cooking.

Let's start with the hardest of them all.

Ingredients:

• Cheese
• Lumpia Wrapper
• Oil

lumpia wrapper and cheese with sample roll

Preparation.

1. Slice the lumpia wrapper into 2 parts. We use only half for cheese sticks.
2. Slice the cheese into sticks, thickness depends on how big you like your cheese sticks.
3. Place 1 and 1/2 cheese on top of the lumpia wrapper. It is highly advisable that you start at the sliced edge.
4. Roll the lumpia wrapper around the cheese, moisten the end of the lumpia wrapper to lock it. You can fold the endpoints or not, it depends on how long you want your cheese sticks. :D
5. Put the wrapped cheese in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

And now we fry.

1. Remove the cheese sticks from the freezer.
2. Heat a pan over medium heat stove.
3. Once hot, place 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil in the pan, this depends on how many cheese sticks you will fry. Fewer sticks = less oil.
4. Place the sticks in the pan and wait for it to float or turn golden.
5. Flip to check even frying and remove from pan.
6. Place in a strainer to remove excess oil or on a plate with tissue paper.
7. Serve

Cheese Sticks with Cheese

Happy eating :D

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Resto Review: Luis Linaga-an

Because Life caught up with me and I was busy with it. I did not really have time to sit down and type articles though I have lots of ideas.

Today, since there was a power outage and I could not do anything without electricity, the hubby and I decided to go to the city. SM City was still close at 9:30 AM, so we walked a little bit further and ate at Luis Linaga-an. Where the BEST PATA is served in Iloilo, according to the hubby and who am I to argue. (did not bring camera, so no pix: photo below grabbed from the net)

Grabbed from https://yuhumweb.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/311.png?w=880

Luis Linaga-an has 2 branches; one in Diversion Road near SM City Mandurriao, Iloilo City and the other one near Mandurriao Plaza.

It's open 24 hours a day and the menu for Nilaga is shown here, not updated. The PATA is no longer 70 pesos, it is now 80 pesos and the UNOD is 70 pesos. The rest is as is.

Although famous for nilaga, they also serve other dishes since this is technically an eatery.

But this review is for the nilaga, so I'll get on with it.

What we like about the nilaga (boiled meat) of Luis Linaga-an first and foremost is it's not oily. So imagine how many filters and processes the meat has gone through to remove all those oily substances you normally have to contend with when eating this kind of dish.

Second, the unod (meat), kasudluan (innards), and matuk (eyes and brain) are tender and easy to chew, again the intricate process of cooking perfection is not neglected.

Third, no matter what time of day you eat at Luis Linaga-an, the Linaga is always; not microwaved hot but HOT as in left to boil in a pot kind of hot.

Fourth, UNLI SABAW (broth). Yey!!! Even if you do not ask for one, its offered readily. And its tasty sabaw too.

Fifth, the eatery is always clean.

Sixth, the meal is always delicious so you get your money's worth.

Today, we had HALO because that's the only available Laga. And the hubby commented that it's only in the Philippines where you can find a tasty dish that involves the intestines of animals because in other culture, they usually throw this away or use it only as a wrap for sausages and that's rare.

So happy eating.

Let me know what you think of Luis Linaga-an in Iloilo in the comments.

Or if you haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting for? Visit them NOW!!!!



Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Come Back To Me

I am walking home alone
And the rain is falling strong
I remember all the times
You were there to make it rhyme

It's hard for me to admit
But this is my defeat
Even though it was my decision
I cannot seem to move on

Even if it hurts my pride
I want to hear you say
That you belong with me

So....

Come back to me (2)
Say that you're the prince that is meant for me
Come back to me (2)
Say that you belong with me

Oh baby,

I long to hear you whisper
That it's alright
You are near
And you will make it right

But I pushed you away
And you found happiness
Today's a rainy day
It covers up my madness

Even if I shout for you to

Come back to me (2)
Say that you're the prince that is meant for me
Come back to me (2)
Say that you belong with me

It will never happen now
I must move on
Must continue forward somehow
Its a wrenching lesson

Goodbye to you,
I must put this to rest
I must smile and show
That it was for the best!


------
Supposedly a song but since I am not gifted in that department
Sending this to someone who can.



Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!
I post an article once a week... :D

Recipe: Laswa

Because one-third of a kalabasa is too much to add to the ukoy especially that there are only 2 people eating inside the house. Half of that was set aside, and so we decided to have laswa the next day. Laswa is staple in the Philippine culture and every wife is kinda expected to know how to cook it. Since I do not really like okra and talong, here's a version of laswa without these.

Laswa in a Pot

Ingredients:

• Kalabasa (Squash)
• Malunggay Leaves
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 medium sized Onion
• Saluyot (Jute)
• Dilis (Anchovies)
• Water
• Salt

Preparation:

1. Cut the kalabasa into cubes.
2. Slice the tomatoes and onion into eights.
3. Remove the malunggay leaves from its stalks.
4. Wash the saluyot thoroughly.
   
5. Put 2 cups of water and the tomatoes in a pot  and bring to a boil.
6. Once boiling, add the anchovies (as many as you like) and onions. Boil for 2-3 more minutes.
7. Add pepper and salt, if needed, to taste.
8. Add the squash and boil for 5 minutes or until squash is tender.
9. Add the malunggay leaves and saluyot.
10. Remove from the heat and transfer to serving bowl.
11. Serve with dried fish or fried fish.
    

Fried Dried Squid

Enjoy your meal.!!



Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

I post an article once a week... :D

Recipe: Kalabasa Ukoy

The vegetable peddler sold me one-third of a kalabasa (squash) for only 20 pesos. To not waste it, I decided to cook ukoy or fritters with squash as the main ingredient.

Kalabasa Ukoy

Ingredients:

Vegetables

• Squash (Kalabasa)
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Malunggay
• Kangkong Leaves
• Flour
• Egg
• Water
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil

Preparation: Vegetables

1. Wash the vegetables thoroughly.
2. Add 1 tbsp of salt into half a bowl of water.
3. Slice (julienne) the carrots, potatoes, squash into strips not too thinly and soak into the bowl of water with salt.
4. Slice the kangkong leaves into strips and place inside a separate bowl.
5. Remove the malungggay leaves from its stalk and add to the bowl of kangkong leaves.

Julienned veggies with the leaves

Preparation: Mixture

1. Crack the egg, and add half a tsp of pepper into a bowl. Add a dash of salt and beat well.
2. Mince garlic and onion and add to the mixture (optional).
3. Add a cup of flour and mix while adding water (a cup more or less) slowly.
4. If you attained a nice mixture that is no longer sticky but not too watery either, add all the vegetables into the mixture and mix well.

Mixture with veggies

Preparation: Frying

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Once the oil is hot enough, scoop 1 tbsp of the vegetable mixture into the pan, 3-4 pieces should fit.
3. Fry until side is firm and flip to the other side, flip the fritter from side to side until its golden brown or you are satisfied with its color.
4. Do not let it stay on one side for so long to avoid over cooking the vegetables.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Cooked Ukoy

Enjoy your meal!

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

I post an article once a week... :D

Revisiting Gigantes

My first trip to the sleeping giants' isle was a few months after Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) devastated a big chunk of the Northern parts of Iloilo. During that visit, Carles is not considered a getaway place for most people. I don't think it was even on the top 20, considering the Philippines has over a thousand other islands to see.

Islas de Gigantes

But here we are 5 years later, Islas de Gigantes has become a social media phenomenon that more and more vacationers flock to this pristine little island to experience authentic island living even if it's just for a few days. I was actually afraid that maybe it was not as clean as it was when I first take a peek. My worries were for naught though as the beaches are still as white as before with only a few pieces of garbage here and there and a cleaning crew combing the beaches for pieces of trash that may have been accidentally left behind.

I am getting ahead of myself, so before I get carried away again, here are the details that you are looking for.

How much did I spend?

For this entire vacation, I spent 3500 pesos including fares and a bit of pasalubong. But this is on the pricey side because there are less than 10 or us. The more people you have, the less money you'll pay.

How did this happen?

I have a friend who knows a friend that offers tour packages. But on Facebook, you can find people who also offer tour packages and even promo packages to Gigantes.

How to get there?

From Iloilo City, ride a jeepney to Tagbak Terminal for 7-10 pesos depending on where you are in the city. If you're from the airport, you can grab a taxi for 350. The fare for the VAN is 150 pesos until Estancia Terminal, and the trip is for 2 hours.

If you have a tour package waiting and you want to get all your money's worth, I suggest you leave for Estancia or Carles early like 4AM (not that you won't get its worth if you'll leave at a later time ).

THE TOUR

At the terminal, we were met by the tour guide and he has tricycles waiting for us, so that's 15 pesos for the tricycle ride to the Port of Estancia. Then we paid 10 pesos for environmental fee and off we go for Gigantes.

We left the Port at around 1 PM and arrived at the resort that we will be staying at around 3PM and waiting for us is Mr. Crab asking to be eaten.

Eat me! -Mr. Crab

One of the things that I was really looking forward to in this vacation was the food and it never failed to deliver from the lunch we ate upon arrival until the breakfast we had right before we left.

We delivered our bags to our room and dig right in.

So we had sinigang na isda, crabs and some shells for lunch and unlimited rice :D.

Sinabawang Fish

After resting a bit, we went on to our island tour because we requested for a night swimming activity.

The first stop is Cabugao Island, the "selfie capital" of the Philippines. I think this was more fun than when we first went because now they have stairs and railings to hang on to while going to the top, and they also have barricades and warning signs so that you won't accidentally fell down.

Cabugao Island

The island also has Buddhist stone stacks arranged around creating a nice view on the ground.

While there, we observed locals cleaning up the island, they were combing the beach for trash, fallen leaves and sticks and other pieces of stuff that had fallen on the beach.

A reminder to our fellow travelers, please pick after yourselves.

Buddhist Stones

Next, for the night swimming activity, we were ferried to Bantigue Island, where the Sand Bar is.

It was a very long beach and all you can see is white white sand. The locals were even asking our ferrymen to attend the bonfire party for later that night. :D

Sand Bar, Bantique Island

They definitely have the place for it. Some people were already pitching tents on the beach when we get there. But we were there to swim, so that was what we did until the sunset turned to dusk and the night settled in.

Sunset at the Sand Bar

Then we were deposited to our room for cleanup and dinner.

Dinner was laswa with crab meat, grilled squid, squid adobo, calamari, and some scallops with eat-all-you-can rice.

Delicious foods, eat-all-you-can

After dinner, we stayed at the beachfront talking and playing with the fine white sand until bedtime.

2ND DAY

For the second day, the day started with breakfast. The breakfast consisted of fried dried fish, sunny side up and shells, I forgot the specific shell and lots of rice. Rice is the staple food for Filipinos.

The view during the climb.

The tour started with mountain climbing for the caving. I was excited at first, because the first time I went here for spelunking, it was inside a very magnificent cave with stalactites and stalagmites everywhere, though a bit of a hard work to squeeze through gaps to reach the other end. The cave this time was also good but it was small compared to the first one and it did not have any mineral formation. There was a very huge space though that can enclose a large building.

Caves

Then we went on another island hopping.

The first island was Antonia Island for snorkeling and swimming. If you come here, bring your own snorkels and lifesaver if you do not know how to swim. The corals are wonderful to see if you can hold your breath long enough especially in the slightly deeper areas near the beach. they also have jet skis for rent and banana boat rides available.

Antonia Island for Snorkeling

The next stop was the Tangke, this is a natural saltwater lagoon or pool found on the island. But for some environmental reason, it was close to tourists, so we had to content ourselves to having our picture taken and left. You can also cliff jump here.

Tangke - Saltwater Lagoon

Some of our companions are leaving ahead because they have a flight to catch early the next day, so after visiting the Tangke, we head off to the resort so they can clean up and leave with the other guests. We cleaned up also and eat lunch.

Lunch was crabs, calamari, and squid. The food is really delicious.

Delicious lunch :D

After lunch, we told our guide that we will rest a bit and explore the islands some more afterward. We went to our room for a bit to siesta and ended up sleeping until evening.

We messed up on our tour but still sleep is also part of taking a vacation :D

But we were not able to visit the lighthouse :(

So, we were woken up to eat dinner.

Dinner was squid adobo and sinabawang isda (fish soup). The fish was fresh as the soup was slightly sweet. Perks of being on an island.

Dinner :D

After dinner, we watched the lightning storm some distance away. And we were also told that we had to leave with the passenger boat because the boat was not available for the next day.

Lightning

There was also a masseuse who offered massage services after dinner but failed to show up after.

The next morning, our breakfast was fried dried fish, dilis and tapa, and scallops.

Then we were lead to the passenger boat and its Goodbye Islands.

Bye Islands

Before leaving Estancia though, we passed by the market to buy dried fish as pasalubong since we really loved the tapa we ate for breakfast.

So that ended our tour, it was not as fully packed as what was promised during negotiations. Some of it, our fault for delaying and arriving at the islands late and sleeping off half a day. But all in all, it was a relaxing trip and a memorable one as it was spent with friends you do not see on a daily or even monthly basis as they live so far away.

Sunsets

The food is unforgettable and one of those nice things you always want to have in the house, simple yet delicious. But since fresh is not in our vocabulary lately, so we settle for what we can have.

But if the opportunity arises, please grab it and rise above what is common and make it good.

Go UP!

Until the next adventure.!!!

If you want the number of the tour guide, send me a message or search for persons on Facebook who offers tours to Gigantes.



Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

I post an article once a week... :D