Feasting on Our Chicken Inasal Dinner at Aida's Manokan Country in Bacolod

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Our culminating meal for almost an entire day's tour around Bacolod city is Chicken Inasal dinner at Aida's located at Manokan Country,  a complex of a couple dozens of stalls serving Bacolod's most sought-after gastronomic delight, Chicken Inasal - a Filipino variant of roast chicken, marinated in a mixture of Calamansi - a Filipino citrus reminiscent of lemon, orange and lime, pepper, coconut vinegar and annato, then grilled over hot coals while basted with the marinade. Now there may be some secret ingredients added to make each uniquely their own taste but basically that is how they are prepared.

Aside from the ubiquitous chicken inasal, there were also other grilled options for chicken innards or entrails like isaw (intestines), atay (liver), puso (heart), and isol (chicken tail). I let my companions order them for photo ops but I only prefer to eat the chicken. Some readings tell me innards are questionable with regards to our health. Though called superfoods, since organ meats are dense sources of vitamins and nutrients, they do carry some risks, as well as benefits, when they are consumed, despite their nutritional value. They are very high in some vitamins and nutrients, however, there are issues with harmful bacteria in intestines if not cleaned properly.

Better be safe than sorry? Well, if given a choice I would rather go for the muscle meats. Across the world, many different cultures like to use an animal in its entirety for food, including making use of the blood, bones, and organs...and the chicken and it's parts, except for its feathers, is the most popular when it comes to being eaten in it's entirety. Just like our coconut tree, the chicken is the most convenient and less wasteful because you can almost cook and eat it's every part for your meal.

I was a bit worried of being late for my flight that I forgot to do a selfie with the peeps I was with....Well, they know who they are...and I happily shared a very fulfilling day with them.

My flight was scheduled at 10:55 pm, the last flight out of Bacolod, via Cebu Pacific. We started eating our Chicken Inasal dinner at around 8:15pm. As instructed by the airline on our digital flight tickets, arrive two hours before  the flight, so counting the travel time to the airport, it was understandably worrying. However, I was a bit comforted because I'm sure the LGU of Bacolod would take good care of me just in case I missed my flight...and would give me a reason to stay longer and even find the opportunity to watch the Philippine Football team Azkals play against the Vietnam team at the Panaad stadium scheduled on the night of December 2, just only a day after my flight out of Bacolod. If I knew Bacolod was the host city of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018, I would have requested my extended stay until December 3.

By the way, Aida's is now in Manila at Makati (Cinema,) Square. I learned about this because there was a small tarpaulin posted on the wall fronting the table where we ate and announcing the brand is now in Makati, so If you want to try one of the most popular, if not the most patronized, at Manokan Country, you know where to go.

Their chicken is undoubtedly a bigger cut, of different taste than the popular Mang Inasal, that is now also owned by Jollibee Foods Corporation after they bought it from the original owner, which originally came from Iloilo but my designated tour guide said that the Inasal way of cooking originated from Bacolod.

At this restaurant, all the grilled chickens you ordered are served in one plate, the same with the rice topped with fried garlic, and kalamansi / sili. It's your job to divide them among your group.

During that night, it seemed all seats were taken! I do not know if it was because of the Festival of Lights Parade, but the Masskara mask-adorned restaurant was full of people of all ages that were all wanting a piece of Aida's chicken Inasal. Night time is when most people come to feast on the chickens, so it's the busiest time of the day. If you don't want the long wait, better arrive early. 

Yet, for me, seeing a lot of people filling themselves up, is more appetizing and makes you want to eat more than the usual. Though they do not have the "unlimited rice" option like that of Mang Inasal, and other chicken inasal restos in Manila, their genuinely tasty chicken is all worth the P565 I paid for our group of three. Our order composed of two "paa" and a few innards, three or perhsps four cups of rice, two bottled water and one small bottle of softdrink.

When we arrived at Manokan Country and saw the numerous lineup of chicken Inasal restaurants, situated side by side each other, the curious me asked a group of teens by the road "Which one is the best?" and they all said Aida's....so when my designated tour guide Jang C Yap chose to eat there, that was sort of a confirmation that the brand is probably the best at Manokan Country

I am not entirely sure of the waiting time but in our case, we let Joey, our van driver, ordered in advance while we set off to watch the arrival of the parade at the plaza. So when we left the plaza and arrived at the restaurant, (I couldn't really say it was a stall since the floor area was too big if compared to the stalls in Manila). It was like a typical un-airconditioned restaurant in the provinces that you can find along the highways, but in this case, there were so many all serving basically the same star of the show, chicken and it's innards prepared and grilled the Inasal way.

You can find Aida's at Manokan Country located at Nenas Rose II, Father M. Ferrero St, Bacolod, 6100 Negros Occidental.

And as mentioned earlier, at Makati Square in Makati City. Hhhmmm, I might drop by there soon and see how their resto looks like, and if their chicken is similarly marinated and grilled.

#WazzupPilipinas #PambansangBlogger #ChickenInasal #Chicken #Inasal #Grilled #Aidas #ManokanCountry #Foodies #Bacolid #Travel #Foid #Tourism Aida's Manokan Country Aidas Manokan! Aida's Manokan, Manokan Country Wazzup Pilipinas Aida's Manokan Country Aida's Manokan

The Commissariat Manila: All Set for Christmas Treats

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


The Commissariat Manila is a purveyor of the finest goods and delicacies under the entrepreneurial skills of siblings Gino Asensio Lopez and Monique Lopez Ong who hail from the Visayas (Iloilo and Bacolod). They believe that "good food must never be kept secret and should be experienced by everyone."

The Commissariat Manila opened its doors in July 2020 during the early days of the pandemic. As the country went into lock down period, there was a rising need for good food to be delivered to people’s homes.

The Commissariat Manila was established to fulfill everyone’s need for first-class goods from Visayas, particularly Bacolod City, the place that Gino and Monique both know has unrivaled pastries, cakes, chorizos, and seafood.

Many of their sought-after delicacies come from Negros Occidental’s Felicia’s Pastry Shop. These pastries come from the kitchen of the three Lacson sisters namely Sony Lacson Cometa, Fely Lacson Montelibano, and Margie Lacson Macasa. Their pastry kitchen was established in the 1970s, and continues to be passed on from one generation to the next. They have been whipping masterpieces such as the famous Felicia’s Ensaimadas, Cheese Rolls, and many other favorites.

 
In Bacolod, good life means good food all the time. The Felicia’s experience promises that you will keep coming back for the good life! Most travelers, who fly out from Bacolod, hand-carry Felicia’s products to bring home to their families. These beloved Felicia’s pastries are baked fresh, and air-flown from Bacolod to Manila every week beginning November 13 to December 18.

The Commissariat Manila has prepared a lineup of limited edition Christmas sets featuring their Felicia’s Ensaimadas that come in a box of 6 (P1,215) or a box of 12 (P2,430), Felicia’s Cheese Rolls box of 16 (P1,420), cookies in can variants such as their Almond Crisps (P490), Lemon Thins (P425), Almondettes (P475), and their yummy Pili products such as their Pili Crumble (P675) and Turron de Pili (P585).

Felicia’s also released their outstanding cake line in Metro Manila and Cebu. These best-loved cakes in cans such as their notable heirloom Potato Cake (P975), Sans Rival (P995), Swiss Chocolate Cake (P980), Classic Chocolate Cake (P995), and Butter Cake (P850) are all available on-hand at The Commissariat Manila.

Other top-rated Bacolod brands are also found at The Commissariat Manila such as Casa Carmela’s “Bacolod in a bottle” line, which are known for their best-selling gourmet bottles such their Crazy Rich Crabs (P500), Sexy Squid (P375), Chorizo Pudpud (P375), and their signature Papa Daniel’s Bangus (P365).

Another crowd favorite that never fails to satisfy everyone’s “breakfast all-day” palate is the Ereñeta-Manaloto Chorizo Recado or Hamonado Bilog, and their newest addition to their Chorizo line, the Chorizo Mozzarella or “Muchorellas” which are a total hit with the kids! (All variants for P395/ pack of one dozen).

Moreover, The Commissariat Manila offers some of their own products such as The Commissariat Flat Quillos (P185), and seasonally, The Commissariat Bantayan Bay half-shell scallops (P675) which are harvested from the deepest parts of Bantayan Island and flown straight to The Commissariat freezers.

Due to the influx of orders, we advise that you plan and put in your pre-orders ahead of time to make sure that you get on The Commissariat Manila’s delivery list early. For advance placement of orders, please refer to the social media links below for the Felicia’s In Manila delivery schedule.

For Felicia’s fresh air-flown pastries and limited edition Christmas sets, the pre-order cut-off for each week is on Wednesdays by 7 PM. All late pre-orders will carry over to the next available shipment date. Deliveries for Metro Manila begin every Saturday of each week from November 13th to December 18th, their last shipment for 2021.

All on-hand products such as Felicia’s Cakes in cans, Casa Carmela bottled goods, Ereñeta-Manaloto Chorizos and The Commissariat Flat Quillos will be available for delivery until December 23 (Thursday) before Christmas Eve, and will continue to be available from December 27 - 31 before the New Year’s countdown. Fresh air-flown Felicia’s Ensaimadas and Cheese Rolls will resume on Jan 8 (Saturday) when The Commissariat Manila opens their first shipment for 2022.

To know more about the variety of finest goods and delicacies that The Commissariat Manila offers within NCR Plus (Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal), you can visit and order from their website at www.thecommissariatmanila.com.

Please follow, like, and tag us by using the hashtags #TheCommissariatManila and #FeliciasInManila this Christmas holiday season on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! You may also scan The Commissariat Manila QR code to pre-order!



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecommissariatmanila/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecommissariat/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/CommissariatMNL

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/thecommissariat/

Nominees for 2015 Globe Media Excellence Awards in Visayas Announced

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A total of 53 entries were shortlisted for various categories of the Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA), the most anticipated premier award-giving body that gives recognition to excellence in journalism in central Philippines

The premier award-giving body which recognizes excellence in journalism from the best breed of scribes in Visayas and Mindanao, the awards pay tribute and gives recognition to print, broadcast, and digital media practitioners who have excelled in their respective fields.

Awards night for the GMEA Visayas leg will be held on September 24, 2015 at the Grand Convention Center of Cebu, to coincide with celebrations for the Cebu Press Freedom Week.

Entries were from various media organizations in Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo. The finalists will vie for nine award categories namely: Reporter of the Year for Print, Explanatory/Investigative Story of the Year for Print/Online, Columnist of the Year, Photojournalist of the Year, Reporter of the Year for Television, Explanatory/Investigative Story of the Year for Television, Reporter of the Year for Radio, Blogger of the Year, and Social Media Advocate of the Year. There were a total of 688 entries this year compared with 522 last year.

Color Manila Launches Blacklight Tour

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Manila, Bacolod and Davo will soon be lit via blacklight as thousands of runners are soon to join Color Manila's Blacklight Run Tour happening soon.

The first CM Blacklight Run will happen at Filinvest in Alabang. You can check out the video invite we got from the two founders of Color Manila, which may not be the very first fun run organizers that grew into an epic series but it is undoubtedly the most "colorful" one indeed.

The organizers has truly lived up to its name as even their race singlets deserve more than a second look for its very attractive designs. 

I've seen runners carrying lights on their heads from other runs but Color Manila brings it one level above by making it a black light instead. I'm sure to take advantage of the black light, there will be neon colored shirts and props within the race venue to make it a really awesome spectacle of blacklight-lit items.

Though the Filinvest area is quite far for me, I'm tempted to join the run. I just hope there won't be a conflicting event happening that day which will prevent me from joining.

Masskara Festival Food Trip at Bacolod - 18th Street Palapala Seafood Grill & Restaurant

Wazzup Pilipinas! Our Team goes to Negros together with Wyatt Belmonte and Jayson Biadog to celebrate the much-awaited and exciting 3 weeklong Masskara Festival. Too bad that our Editor in Chief Ross Del Rosario was out, covering several out-of-town events in Ilocos and different regions in the country.

But what happened last Sunday was the final main event highlight of the Bacolod Masskara festival. So before heading to the main event in Lacson Street Bacolod city. Together with Wyatt and the 3 owners of the restaurant we just had a great late lunch. A little talk about being owners managing the 40-staff restaurant now on its 19th year in business. It's the usual routine and different unique tasty menus.

Also, a little chitchat when it comes to who visits the restaurant like it was called 4 times by former VP Leni Robredo, Chavit Singson, and Manny Pacquiao. And supposed to be VP Sarah Duterte, with her staff having lunch beside us at the other table. Also the most viral talks with Joel Torre and Edu Manzano dining in the area.

With lots of car park available and can dined around 300+ persons. I think this will be a perfect lunch or dinner stopover when you are touring around Negros or the Bacolod area to feel the local vibe. To taste the rich taste of local seafood from different Cities and Towns of the Negros Island.

Teodoro, Sister, and Roy Lopez talked to us about how fresh they sourced the seafood with a roving freezer. To make sure the freshness of seafood in different areas in Negros like Ilog, Victorias, Hinobaan, Bacolod, Silay, and much more. The Tuna and Marlin were not coming from Davao or Mindanao area but all from Negros Island.     

Roy told me about that Kinilaw with salted egg and beans. Is kinda unique and he recommends this to anybody that will visit the place. Also, the Chef or Cook recommends the Crab to be cooked with butter and it really tastes good. Also, their crab was fat and tasty. 

You can customize the way you want the seafood to be cooked for as low as 250 grams or 1/4 kilo or more. You can just tell the cook or chef what kind of dish you wanted to be prepared.  The food looks expensive but they have a platter that only cost 1000 peso good for 4 people.  Perfect budget for students, workers, and OFW returning home for vacation. Also with lots of Foreigners as well visiting the restaurant.

See more of photos and videos at Facebook.com/wazzuppilipinas and Facebook.com/18thpalapala visit the place at Address: Aguinaldo St., Cor 18th St., Brgy. 4, Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines 6100  Cell no. 0905 543 4136 Email 18thstreetpalapalabcd@gmail.com

BingoPlus adds smiles to MassKara Festival celebration with Bacolod Yuhum Foundation team-up

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BingoPlus, the first live streaming bingo in the Philippines, added more life and gaiety to Bacolod’s MassKara Festival, one of the country’s biggest festivals that came back with a vengeance after an absence of two years.

From October 1 to 23, BingoPlus was in the mainstream of the celebrations as sponsor of the Festival. With the celebration theme of “Balik Yuhum” (comeback), BingoPlus joined hands with the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation to pull out all the stops in staging a memorable and super-fun return to revelry in Bacolod City.

BingoPlus brought its signature feel-good mission to the month-long celebration of food festivals, beauty pageants, concerts, racing competitions, football games, and dance contests capped by a colorful, glittering night parade and street party, making this a Festival to remember for a long, long time.

The brand’s presence was felt in major events such as the Electric MassKara, the MassKara Street Dance & Arena Competition, the Miss Bacolod MassKara beauty pageant, and the Dance Off Competition. The competition where participants donned colorful costumes and smiling masks while dancing to festive music was the highlight of the Festival.

From October 1 to 22 BingoPlus also ran the MassKara Raffle Campaign and awarded Php100,000, Php 75,000, and Php 25,000 to lucky winners.

The annual festival, first held in 1980, showcased the Bacolodnon’s joyful spirit and creative talents. MassKara made Bacolod the “City of Smiles”, which became a catalyst for the city’s development in tourism, crafts, arts, and services. It eventually became one of the major annual tourist attractions of the Philippines.

“We see the passion shared by MassKara and BingoPlus in bringing entertainment that gives rewarding experiences and added value to participants and audiences,” said Jasper Vicencio, AB Leisure Exponent Inc. (ABLE) President. “It is for this reason that we find our support of Masskara as a very meaningful CSR initiative for BingoPlus.”

Since its launch, BingoPlus has supported numerous local talents and sports events. It is the official bingo partner of the PBA’s 47th season, and is the official gaming partner of the Premiere Volleyball League.

In September, Bingo Plus held BingoPlus Day, an online celebration for its loyal supporters where Maine Mendoza was introduced as its newest celebrity endorser who will work alongside its first endorser, the most sought-after host, Luis Manzano.

BingoPlus also plans to grant scholarships to lucky dreamers who will be given a chance to take a technical course in one of the schools in Metro Manila.

BingoPlus is licensed by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the flagship brand of Leisure & Resorts World Corporation (LRWC)’s subsidiary, AB Leisure Exponent Inc. (ABLE).

ABS-CBN Stages Simultaneous 5-City "One Run, One Philippines"

Wazzup Pilipinas!

One Run, One Philippines,” the five-city simultaneous advocacy run of ABS-CBN in the Philippines and the United States this October 6 as part of ABS-CBN’s 60th anniversary celebration.

Thousands participants are expected to take part in the “One Run, One Philippines," in five cities to save five environment projects including Pasig River rehabilitation.

In cooperation of ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP), Regional Network Group (RNG) and The Filipino Channel (TFC), the “One Run, One Philippines” will invade Quezon City, Cebu City, Bacolod City, Davao City, and Los Angeles (USA) to clamor for the protection of various environmental advocacies.

Cruisin' to Iloilo and Bacolod : 2GO Travel Adventures (Part 2)

Wazzup Pilipinas!

 The adventure began aboard the St. Michael the Archangel cruise ship. I can't compare if its the best ship 2GO Travel has because this was really my first time to travel via cruise ship. The only thing nearest was a much smaller boat going from Batangas port to Puerto Galera in Mindoro. I'm been traveling via plane all my life, locally and internationally.

What is so sad about traveling by plane is that I just sleep inside and wait for my arrival to the destination. With the 2GO Travel cruise ship, there was plenty of time to do other stuff....and if ever I slept on some of these hours, I slept on a very comfy bed in an air-conditioned room with great amenities at my easy reach.

Bonding with my fellow passengers were also very easy. I believe I was able to chat with more people than traveling by plane. Actually I gain zero acquaintances if I travel by plane but with the 2GO Travel experience, I now have plenty of new Facebook friends, and a lot more blog followers!

Beyond the Metro: Property Sector of Several Progressive Provincial Cities on an Upswing

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Thanks to a booming economy, the real estate sector of several progressive cities outside of the metro are on a roll, growing remarkably well over the last few years and expected to continue soaring to new heights in the next decade or so.

More and more property developers are answering the growing demand for residential and commercial properties in Cebu, Cavite, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Pampanga as their property landscapes evolve and are expected to be at the forefront of a property development boom in the country.

A pronounced surge in demand and supply

The growing interest from local and foreign investors, as bolstered by the national government’s robust infrastructure projects in these provincial cities, attracted a surge in interest among property buyers from here and abroad.

From 2017 to 2018, Pampanga registered a whopping 873-percent increase in leads on the Lamudi platform. During the same time frame, Cavite witnessed a 298-percent increase in leads, Davao raked in 69 percent, while Cebu and Iloilo also increased by 274 and 214 percent, respectively. Page views among properties in Bacolod likewise spiked by 38 percent.

These numbers go to show that these cities are currently enjoying a shining moment in their real estate sector. In conjunction with this impressive upward trend in demand, the property supply in these cities followed suit.

Based on Lamudi listings from 2017 to 2018, Davao enjoyed a 102-percent increase in listings while Pampanga saw a 202-percent spike. Likewise, Cavite’s listings spiked by 188 percent. Cebu-based listings increased by 27 percent while Iloilo grew by 29 percent. Bacolod, however, had more property searches than the available supply during the time period, where apartment and land searches were seven (7) percent and 12 percent higher than the supply, respectively. This could mean that there is a well of opportunity for property developers in the city to answer to the growing demand that is yet to be addressed.


Average prices and a notable increase in page visits

Page visits, which likewise signify interest among property buyers, in these provincial cities also increased. From 2017 to 2018, Pampanga, Cebu, and Bacolod grew by 65 percent, 23 percent, and 38 percent respectively.

Iloilo, on the other hand, rose by 22 percent from the first quarter of 2018 to the first quarter of 2019.

Davao, despite being one of the country’s most competitive cities and investment hubs, remains affordable for prospective investors and home seekers. The average price of a condo property in the city is Php4,622,195, where the average price per square meter is tagged at Php 100,377.

Meanwhile, Cavite’s residential sector also maintains its relative affordability, with an average price of Php 6,372,632 for houses. The average price per square meter is Php 50,576.

Most Searched Areas

The most searched for areas in Davao that property seekers searched for are Buhangin and Sasa. These were followed by Barangay 19-B, Ma-A, Talomo, Barangay 20-B, Bucana, Barangay 34-D, Matina Crossing, and Matina Aplaya. 

In Cebu, the most searched for properties were those in Cebu City, followed by those in Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Talisay, Consolacion, Minglanilla, and Liloan.

Bacoor, Dasmariñas, Tagaytay, General Trias, and Imus were the most searched cities in Cavite.

On the other hand, the towns of Pavia, Jaro, Oton, Guimbal, and Mandurriao generated the most interest in Iloilo.

In Pampanga, Angeles, San Fernando, Mabalacat, Arayat, Mexico, Bacolor, and Magalang.

For Bacolod, the towns of Alijis, Estefania, Mansilingan, and Tangub drew in the most interest.

House and lots dominate property types

Majority of these property seekers are interested in house and lots, although there’s also a growing interest for residential condo units. The majority also prefer to buy these types of properties compared to those who want to rent them. In Iloilo, for instance, the page views for houses were close to 62 percent among property seekers, about 52 percent when it comes to sessions, and 59 percent for leads generated, based on Lamudi’s data. The same is true for Cavite, where about 64 percent of the leads came from house searches.

The preference for house and lots, as well as lands, in these provincial cities, show that the prices of these property types in Cavite, Pampanga, Cebu, Bohol, Davao, and Iloilo are still relatively more affordable compared to those in Metro Manila. Many of those who were also searching for properties in most of these progressive provincial cities are from Metro Manila, according to Lamudi data. In Pampanga, for instance, although the number one city that searched for a property there came from Angeles City, the next three came from Quezon City, Makati, and Manila, data from the property portal shows. Pampanga’s proximity to Metro Manila has attracted quite a number of property seekers from Quezon City, Makati, and Manila who are planning to relocate in the province, live a more relaxed lifestyle and escape from the urban chaos of the metropolis while also pursuing great careers with the growing number of companies opening their offices there.

With the property sector of these thriving provincial cities on the upswing, expect their economic landscape to evolve and benefit nearby towns and municipalities as well.

Cruisin' to Iloilo and Bacolod : 2GO Travel Adventures (Part 3)

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Third day of our adventure was spent on board St. Michael the Archangel ship of 2GO Travel on our way back to Manila. It took us around 8 hours to travel from Bacolod to Manila. I dedicate Part 3 of my Cruisin to Iloilo and Bacolod mostly to the people I met at 2GO Travel.

Sir Chef, who was responsible why we all gained a few weights after the trip, performed a cooking demo cooking some kind of fish in vinegar, and some kind of dessert using bread crumbs. SActually he showed us  how to impress the ladies using a wine glass. We also had two guest bloggers that shared with us their experiences with 2GO Travel and learned a few tips from them on how to enhance our blogs. Awarding of Certificates of Cruisin' for everyone, plus the special awards given to those that made their posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram more creative and viral.

Due to the lack of a stable Internet connection, I was not able to participate actively. I was also in awe when I found out one of the bloggers was able to tweet more than a hundred times on Twitter within those three days! Wow!

One made an impact on Instagram with so many Likes and shares. However, the Facebook challenge announcement of winner was postponed due to intermittent Internet connection.
 

Cruisin' to Iloilo and Bacolod : 2GO Travel Adventures (Part 1)

Wazzup Pilipinas!


Do we always need to be in a hurry? Should we always race against time? Should we make every moment count as if it was our last day on Earth? I know that life has a lot of responsibilities that need to be addressed immediately, but there should also be times when we need to let loose and let go of the complexities and priorities so we could relax and re-energize.

Pause for awhile, pamper yourself, indulge on your favorites, give in to the temptations and you'll be surprised that you're now looking differently at the world. All it takes is a short pause good enough to show you a different perspective of the world around you.

Taking a flight across the different islands is a splendid adventure! However, your adventure usually starts when you arrive at your destination. Many should also consider making use of the travel time as part of the adventure. It's an unexplored opportunity to bond with friends and families - to strengthen the ties that unite by simply having more time to cuddle up in bed or breathe the fresh and warm sea air aboard a cruise ship via 2GO Travel.

An Overall Supremacy for the Raider R150 at the Super Series Nationwide Championships - Bacolod GP

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Suzuki Raider R150 proved itself once again at the 3rd Leg of the Super Series Nationwide Championships in Bacolod City. With combined agility and strong performance of the Suzuki-VMan Racing Team with the Raider R150, Team Suzuki reigned supreme attesting that it is indeed the Underbone King at the Super Underbone races of the Bacolod GP.

Suzuki-VMan Racing Team’s April King Mascardo and Eane Jay Sobretodo grabbed the Champion and 2nd Runner Up spots respectively after an intense battle at the Baywalk Karting Zone in Bacolod City on board the Raider R150 Fi. Mascardo who was also the pole sitter of the race consistently led the competition from the time trial to the finals while Sobretodo who started 3rd on the grid had an exciting battle with other riders but still managed to cap the race on the podium after an intense head on with his peers.

Another promising rider from the Suzuki-VMan Racing Team Djereck Ondillo and Dan Carlo Alvarado also dominated the Underbone Beginners/Novice Class with a powerful 1-2 finish with the Raider R150 Fi. Ondillio also had a very strong performance securing 2 more championship wins at the Raider Breed Wars R150 Fi and R150 Carburetor One Make Races. Alvarado also had a strong finish with a 2nd runner up win at the Raider Breed Wars R150 Fi One Make Race.

 

The Raider Breed Wars Raider R150 Carburetor and Fi One Make Races were also a hit to the riders of Visayas testing the Underbone King’s power and performance with its signature 150cc engine. Privateers Kirby Caparon dominated the 2nd Place on both Raider Breed Wars Races while RJ Comendador won 3rd Place for Raider Breed Wars Raider R150 Carburetor One Make Race.

The Super Series Nationwide Championships is already in its mid season but we still have a lot to witness with Team Suzuki-VMan Racing’s performance and the whole racing battle. Catch the action again on the following dates and venues:

Cebu GP – Aug. 26
Bulacan GP- Sept. 16
Manila GP – Oct. 28

The Suzuki-VMan Racing Team is powered by Racing Boy Philippines, RK Racing Chain and Sprocket, Faito, VMax Racing, Koso, Pirelli, LS2 and Motoworld. The Raider Breed Wars is powered by Pirelli, Racing Boy, YRS, Faito, Koso and RK Racing Chain and Sprocket.

Post Office opens SM City Bacolod branch

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



In its continuing effort to relocate Post Offices to a more convenient location to better serve the public, the Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) opened another branch located at 3rd Level, Government Service Express (GSE), Rizal Street, Reclamation Area, SM Bacolod City, 6100 Negros Occidental.

On hand to formally opened the Post Office are: Regional Postal Area 6-Director Donabel Asuncion, Acting Support Service Manager Atty. Stevenson Conlu, Postmaster Rinald Rosadia, Ronald Vilches-Cashier and in charge of SM Bacolod Tellering, Mr. George Jadriolin, Mall Manager, SM City Bacolod, Ms. Julia Javellana, Assistant Mall Manager, Van Sombito, Property Manager, Enzo Benedicto, Building Admin Manager, May Castro, Public Relations Manager and Glen Sazon, CRS Manager.

“I would like to thank SM, one of the largest and most extensive over-the-counter one-stop shops for government services in the country, for giving us the opportunity to bring Post Office services closer to the public”, Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio said.

He added, “I believe the Post Office can do so much in bringing daily convenience in the lives of the Filipinos by means of this partnership with SM Supermalls on government-private sector collaboration in order to expand its accessibility by bringing the Post Office closer to the community.”

“The Post Office today is way faster, more reliable, convenient, and innovative than it ever was in decades. In an effort to digitize and modernize the services of the Philippine Post Office, we launched early this year a new range of innovations to improve the operations and delivery of the country's postal system”, he said.

Regional Postal Area 6 Director Ms. Donabel Asuncion said that shoppers will be able to conveniently and quickly mail letters and express packages, buy stamps and other philatelic products, apply for Postal ID, and send electronic Postal Money Orders, postal cards, and so much more.

Bacolod Gets Ready for Color Manila's CM Blacklight Run

Wazzup Pilipinas!

After the recently concluded CM Challenge Cebu last May 14, that drew thousands in attendance; Bacolod folks who can’t wait for their turn to have that Color Manila experience, can now look forward to the next CM Blacklight Bacolod run, set to take place on the evening of June 3, 2017.

The run will be held at The District North Point, Bacolod, and is part of the 3-city CM Blacklight Tour that includes Manila and Davao City.

For a quick preview of what to expect, participants will be immersed in glow-in-the-dark vibrant colored powder in a series of color stations. They will also be wearing the CM Blacklight headlamps to heighten their blacklight experience. For Rockstar and Challenge categories, they will also have face paint applied on their faces.

Of course, runners can look forward to the signature Color Festival at the end of their journey, wherein everyone throws colored powder up in the air (and at their friends), while the latest beats are playing and everyone just dances to the music.

Participants can choose between three race distances - the 3K, 5K and 10K categories, and 3 types of kits - the Deluxe, Rockstar and Superstar kits. The Deluxe kit is priced at Php750, with the kit containing a singlet, costume prop, race bib, drawstring bag, finisher's medal and a color packet. The Rockstar kit, priced at Php1,050, comes with a drifit shirt, race bib, headlamp, drawstring bag, color packet and finisher’s medal. The Superstar kit, priced at Php1,500, comes with a drifit shirt, race bib, headlamp, 3 drawstring bags, headwear, CM sticker, color packet and finisher’s medal.

Six Highly Urbanized Cities With Homes Under Php1 Million

Wazzup Pilipinas!

These cities outside Metro Manila have what it takes to give you a spacious home that fits your one-million-peso budget.

Many assume that buying a home in a highly urbanized city (defined by the National Statistics Office as having a minimum population of 200,000 and an annual income of at least Php50 million) is expensive. But it looks like this is not the case. According to data from MyProperty.ph, the following are highly urbanized Philippine cities that boast urban yet laidback lifestyle, great culinary tradition, buoyant economies, and most importantly, affordable real estate.

DUMAGUETE CITY
Photo by Mike Gonzales via Wikimedia Commons

Dumaguete City, nicknamed the City of Gentle People, is located in the province of Negros Oriental. This city is accessible by air via Sibulan Airport (aka Dumaguete Airport), which is located in the general area of the city. If traveling by sea, it can be reached via daily ferry transportation to and from neighboring Cebu Province.

This city is also the home of Asia’s first American private university, Silliman University, which makes Dumaguete a popular college town in the Visayas region.

According to the 2014 Retire Overseas Index released by Live and Invest Overseas, Dumaguete is one of seven best places to retire in the world. The index, which was cited in an article published in Forbes magazine, singled out Dumaguete’s beaches, affordable real estate, and good health care facilities are major draws.

So if one plans to relocate in Dumaguete, he will be delighted to know that houses for sale in the city are some of the most affordable. MyProperty.ph data shows that depending on the area, a two-bedroom house may cost as low as Php410,000.

Youth Blitz campaigns for Urban and Home Gardening

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On June 2020, The Sigaw ng Kabataan Coalition (SKC Philippines), a nonpartisan, non-governmental organization and a national consortium of youth organizations aimed at amplifying youth voices in the Philippines, together with 24 Partner-Organizations all around the Philippines have launched an online campaign for Urban and Home Gardening titled “Youth Gardening Blitz” as part of the Philippine Environment Month.

The online campaign is in support of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s pre-existing efforts. It is the second annual inception of SKC Philippines’s National Tree Planting Blitz which planted more than 24,000 trees in its first installment on June 2019 but due to limited mobility and restricted public gathering brought by numerous quarantine and lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the main environmental consciousness campaign of SKC Philippines has moved online with relevant modifications such as a mental health advocacy component.

#YouthGardeningBlitzPH took form in two parts: 

1. Through information dissemination on environmental consciousness and how gardening can help alleviate mental health suffering especially in the middle of a pandemic that is continuous beyond June 2020 until the next inception of an environmental blitz campaign; and 

2. A month-long online contest for June 2020 whereby it engaged young people into urban/home gardening by encouraging them to showcase their creativity in developing innovative ideas on upcycling/reusing household materials in their gardening activities which were shared through social media.

The online contest was joined by many participants who submitted their garden entries but only three stood out from the rest due to creativity on their photoshoots and captioning, clarity of narration on how gardening has helped them get through on this COVID-19 Pandemic, faithful adherence to the provided mechanics such as the usage of official hashtags in post captioning, and concise description of what and how the materials are used in a ‘do-it-yourself’ manner, especially if recycling or upcycling are practiced. On July 2nd of 2020, SKC Philippines announced three winners from the month-long online contest.


https://www.facebook.com/sigawko/posts/4010980038943862

Top 3 goes to Vanessa Joy Dela Cruz of Aklan province where she wittingly described the process of gardening like having a “jowa” or to care for a significant other with love and passion. She also provided a realization “that farming is the most essential in this world” by having an impactful opening providing a quote saying “Imagine a day without a farmer.” especially in the middle of various forms of community quarantines and lockdowns, amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic where it is most recommendable to be self-sustaining through edible gardening to keep ourselves at home where it is safer and more secured from local virus transmissions.

https://www.facebook.com/vanessajoydc/posts/2723770721201161

Meanwhile, Top 2 goes to Jake Flores of Ilocos Sur province where he shared how tedious he has been tending to his indoor garden located in his bedroom by checking his plants “one by one, leaf by leaf, stem by stem and watch every progress they make”, as he said. He also provided that he used recycled materials for his indoor garden by using a scrap wood plank, and a PVC pipe. He has indeed not only surrounded himself by people who make him happy but also by plants! He has provided the benefits of gardening that has done to his mental health by boosting his mood during this COVID-19 Pandemic. He then ends his post by encouraging people by giving an “effort to make ourselves to be more productive and creative”. He then continued by saying that effort shows you are interested and that by looking after plants, we can reap all of its rewards.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=142367487440434&id=100050015497119

Lastly, but not least, Top 1 goes to Neljoy Nobleza Galigao of Capiz province. She began her submission by providing a quote from Wendell Berry saying “The Earth is what we all have in common.”, she has narrated well how the COVID-19 Pandemic brought devastation and distress that can influence the mental health of each one of us. She provided information on how SKC Philippines’s environmental and mental health advocacies through the Youth Gardening Blitz was timely and relevant to both World Environment Day which is celebrated on June 5th of every year, and the coinciding Philippine Environment Month as it isgiven force under Proclamation No. 237 signed by then-President Corazon Aquino on April 4th of 1988 which highlights the government’s advocacy to spread environmental consciousness among Filipinos.


She then provided each one of her plants with bits of information such as their common names and even their scientific names, these include Cucumber also known as Cucumis Sativus, Pole Sitao which is also known as Vigna unquiculata subsp. Sesquipedales (L.) Verdc., Mango with a scientific name of Mangifera indica, Rambutan that is known in its scientific name as Nephelium lappaceum, Guava which is known scientifically as Psidium guajava, Gmelina Tree which is also known as Gmelina Arborea, Ampalaya which is also known scientifically as Momordica charantia, Eggplant also is scientifically known as Solanum melangena, and Mung beans with a scientific name of Vigna radiata. She ended her submission by saying that it is better to plant a tree and be productive than by pondering on negative possibilities, which means that gardening has helped her keep distracted from the dire effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.


https://www.facebook.com/neljoy.galigao/posts/2755300604756944


The online campaign is done with warm support from these 24 organizations as partners:

1. Akeanon - Aklanon sa West Organization
2. Abra Youth Organizations Society
3. Interact Club of Zamboanga City West
4. Kids Who Farm
5. Online SDG Youth Action Forum
6. Rotaract Club of Fort Bonifacio Global City, District 3830
7. Rotaract Club of Zamboanga City West
8. Rotaract Club of Rizal Centro
9. Sangguniang Kabataan ng Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu
10. Sangguniang Kabataan ng Barangay Barangobong, Villasis, Pangasinan
11. YouthResist
12. 2030 Youth Force in the Philippines Inc.
13. Interact Club of La Consolacion College- Metro Bacolod
14. Interact Club of Negros Occidental High School-Metro Bacolod
15. Lacub Organization for Unity and Development - LOUD
16. Rotaract Club of Metro Bacolod - Community Based
17. Rotaract Club of University of St. La Salle - Metro Bacolod
18. Sangguniang Kabataan ng Barangay Tinajeros, Malabon City
19. Buhangin Stake Primary Organization - TCJCLDS
20. Youth for Mental Health Coalition, Inc.
21. Pangasinan Youth for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
22. ROTARACT CLUB of MAKATI
23. Rotaract Club of Miraculous Medal - Sucat
24. Youlead Initiative


Gardening has been seen to have positive effects on mental health according to numerous studies. It can reduce the risks of depression, anxiety, stress, and mood disturbance. It also leads to increases in quality of life, sense of community, physical activity levels, and cognitive function. It is given evidence through the numerous submissions to the Youth Gardening Blitz online contest especially by the Top 3 winners as provided above. With numerous quarantine and lockdown measures being put in place in reaction to the COVID-19 Pandemic that has led to many restrictions on many of the regular social routines that people are used to such as physical socialization and other activities, tending a small garden while locked up at home can alleviate mental health sufferings.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_Ql44HIamBpI-2b3V_jLC_9wjYf8klXl1CUvIVBZJmo/edit?usp=sharing