Trivia Night

Last Saturday, I went out with two of my high school friends (one of whom I haven't seen for more than a decade) for trivia night at The Daily Table in Ma-a. Tin has been inviting me since last year. Recently, she has been putting off her weekend travel plans because of the rising fuel prices, so we finally had the chance.

That's us to the left of the host. (Photo courtesy Trivia Nights Pinas)

I genuinely thought I wouldn't be able to answer anything, but it's surprising what random things we have stored in our brains. And we won the night! We were lucky enough that some of the questions catered more to our age group. Most youngsters would not have heard of Diana Ross, much less know what group she's in. It was overall a very enjoyable game, with a funny host, and great company!

After the game, we went to Starbucks to chat. Tin and I meet yearly, so it was mostly Jeck who gave us life updates. But the highlight every now and then... was BTS. I'm not really a fan, so they ended up trying to convince me. Just so you know, I'm not a hater. I'm more into vocal groups like BtoB, Beast, Pentagon... and my favorites have goosebump-inducing voices (Changsub, Yoseob, Jinho, Sandeul). The sole BTS song in my K-pop playlist is a ballad called "The Truth Untold" sung by their vocal line.

I got home at around 1:30 AM. That's how much we needed catching up. Next time, we'd have to meet earlier.

National Museum of the Philippines – Davao

I read about the term microadventure last January. It is defined as an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding. Come to think of it, as kids we had this all the time. We didn't need to travel to distant places; every new experience, however small, was an adventure.

So I made a short list of places in my area that I haven't gone to yet. Just a short one, otherwise a homebody like me would be overwhelmed. I started listing our neighboring villages, which I realized I haven't ever explored. Then I moved on to important landmarks in Davao City.

On February 28, I initially only planned to go out to use my voucher in NCCC Mall grocery, Ma-a. But then my sister wanted to come with me and that meant we'd be wandering around somewhere. After buying the groceries, she suggested we check out sewing machines in the Brother store downtown (our mother wanted to sew curtains).

So we went there and were shown the different machines available. We called our mother, and she was fine with the most basic one. We thought we'd show her the brochure first, so we decided not to buy it yet.

It was still early in the afternoon, and we were near People's Park, so off to the National Museum we went.

When the plan for the museum was first released, I thought the durian-inspired design was a bit overused and awkward. In spite of that, the final building looked neat. It is hidden by trees when you enter the park and will only be visible once you get closer. It was interesting to look at, a modern structure framed by a green canopy, with an eye-catching interplay of light and shadow.

There are four floors that are open to the public. When we visited, however, the 4th floor was closed for renovation or something.

On the first floor, we found paintings by my former high school art teacher, Sir Bong Perez. My sister was impressed! I thought his were the best paintings displayed there.

Fisherman's Village by Bong Perez

We lost track of time on the second floor, particularly the display of rocks found in the different blocks of Davao Region. They reminded me of some small rocks I collected during my high school and college field trips to the geothermal plant at the base of Mt. Apo.

The second floor was dedicated to natural history, while the third floor was about Davao's cultural heritage. Overall, there was excellent representation of Davao City.

We then had dirty ice cream outside the park. I wondered why my sister looked at me funny when I ate it all, including the bottom of the cone. Turns out the vendor, who wears a plastic glove on his left hand where he holds the cone, receives money with the same gloved hand. She thought I saw it, too. Anyway, she finished the cone as well.

Before going home, we were back at the Brother store for some last-minute shopping.

43 Years

We didn't have anything prepared for my birthday last week. We had no time to plan because things had been busy the previous few days. So it was a normal lunch at home after attending noontime Mass.

My sister, however, really wanted to go out because she filed for leave. She insisted on having a snack at Azuela Cove in Lanang, but it was too far, so I suggested places in Juna instead. She was not interested.

While looking at Google Maps again, I rediscovered the French farm-to-table restaurant in Tacunan called Tomate Cerise. This was formerly called La Fermette, and I have always wanted to go there. I showed it to her, and voilà! Instead of going far north through the city traffic, we'd go far south to the more rural part of Davao.

Inside Tomate Cerise, Tacunan, Davao City

My father was a little sick, so he stayed home; it was only us sisters with Mama.

The distance was totally worth it. The place was cozy, the air fresh, the staff helpful, and the food nice and a bit different from the usual offerings of restaurants popping up around the city. If it didn't rain, we could have enjoyed the surrounding area a bit more.

A generous serving of salad. I didn't know I could just pick and eat bougainvillea flowers.

The highlight of the trip, however, was chatting with the drivers during our rides. The taxi driver going to Tacunan questioned our choice to travel that far just to have a snack. When the taxi entered the compound of the restaurant, he exclaimed, "Mura ma'g manukan!" (It looks like a chicken coop/farm!)

Our Grab driver going home detoured inside a subdivision in Catalunan Grande. It was where he grew up, and he pointed to the house of his father.

When we got home, my father told us Kuya Jay from Bohol visited. We invited him again to visit the following day.

* * *

From the Mass that day:

"Fasting is the prayer of the body," the priest said in his homily. He also added that this Lent, we should strive to fast from the 3Ps: pleasure, possession, and power.

I am grateful for another year. <3

Mergrande's Eco Park and thoughts on green spaces

My cousin had his early birthday celebration on Chinese New Year because it was a holiday. We were informed just the day before that it was going to be held at Mergrande Ocean Resort (formerly Villa Victoria). I got excited because I've always wanted to go back after they reopened in 2022. I filmed a walking tour the last time I visited.

During their pandemic closure, Mergrande added the Eco Park, which has among its features a koi pond, a gazebo with swings, an aviary dome, and my favorite, the maze-like Bougainvillea garden. (I recorded my short walk around the garden.)

Mergrande's bougainvillea garden and aviary dome

I expected a lot of people that day. Most of the visitors, however, gathered by the beach and the pool. So my sister and I had the Eco Park all to ourselves after the ladies ahead of us left. It was windy and peaceful, aside from the squawks of the parrots at the aviary. Otherwise, it was the perfect spot to escape the bustle of a party. I was glad my father and uncle followed us inside the park. They chatted while swinging in the gazebo.

How I wish Davao City had more green spaces within its urban area. I grew up here when the city still had a small-town feel, so whenever a tree-covered area was being replaced by a building/mall/subdivision, I always felt a kind of grief for the loss of trees.

In the 80s and early 90s, it was easy to be with nature. It was in our backyards or just a short walk away. Now, to get to the nearest ones would require public or private transportation (Shrine Hills, Mergrande, People's Park, Malagos, Eden in Toril) and they are few and far between. You'd have to go out of the city to visit, guess what, even more resorts! It's a shame public parks are not a thing here.

Family Trip at Eden Nature Park

Photo by my sister Jamie

When I was young, we always had family outings with cousins to the beaches. Because we lived just a few kilometers away from two of the most popular beach resorts** in Davao City in the 80s, we just walked. We would start early in the morning and pass by rows of tall coconut trees. Our humble breakfast by the sea consisted of canned sardines in tomato sauce paired with loaves of bread.

By the time I reached high school, these trips eventually stopped happening. The beaches near home became more polluted and were replaced by the white sands of Samal Island. Our family of five only had opportunities to visit beaches and resorts on reunions or other important events. We've never had a family vacation with just the five of us, ever --- until this August.

It was the Sunday after all of us got fully vaccinated. I booked a day trip to Eden Nature Park & Resort, an 80-hectare mountain resort in Toril, where I wanted to film my walk. I was expecting a sunny day because the first half of the week was clear and hot until it rained hard three days before our scheduled visit. It stayed cloudy with some showers till the end of the week. Thankfully, it didn't rain while we were at the resort. Instead, we were greeted by a lot of fog.

My father always expressed interest in fishing so, I chose Eden's consumable Fishing Village Package. He caught four tilapias and had them deep-fried. Meanwhile, my siblings and I had our walk through the park. We took the long and ascending road to one of the sights, which, I found out later, can be reached by a shortcut. My mom only rested thru the day and walked about just a little because of her knee pain. But when she thanked me, it made my day! Next time, I will look for a place with flatter terrain.

**Both Times and Bonguyan Beaches are now blocked by the new coastal road.

Kadayawan Walk

Two days ago, I filmed a walking video around Magsaysay Park. I specially waited for this time of the year because of the Kadayawan Festival, when the tribes of Davao would build their houses inside the park --- called the Kadayawan Village. Thankfully it didn't rain the night before; the day was bright and the dirt tracks were dry.

This year's Kadayawan is noticeably different. The whole month is full of activities from different groups and sectors, including the usual trade fairs and bazaars inside malls and at the Davao Convention Center, food fests at Damosa and mall parking areas, concerts, cultural shows, exhibits, art, fashion, dance and sports events. You'd only have to look at the festival's official Facebook page to see what I mean. Last Monday, there was a free Taiwanese Cuisine Cooking Demonstration at the Grand Men Seng Hotel organized by Davao's Chinese Community, and yep, it's still a Kadayawan event.

Another thing that's different is the schedule of the two well-known parades. While before they were held on two consecutive days (Saturday and Sunday), this year the Indak-indak sa Kadalanan will be tomorrow, Saturday August 17, 2019, and the Pamulak or the Floral Float Parade will be on the next Saturday, August 24, 2019.

As for me, hopefully I could have some time to visit the remaining events. Happy Kadayawan!

Quiet Tours Youtube Channel

Some of my favorite TV shows to watch are related to travel. There is always something relaxing about travelling videos. Back then, when it was still shown locally, I closely followed the Amazing Race and discussed passionately with my classmates. But what really gives me great satisfaction is a handheld walking or guided tour, with or without talking. These kind of videos give me goosebumps on the head --- if you know ASMR, then you know what I mean.

With the rise of YouTube, I have found several kindred channels and have benefited from them especially on chaotic times. I've decided that if ever I make a YT channel, this will be the first one on the list. So this year, three days after purchasing a GoPro, I filmed my walk to Shrine Hills where I attended a recollection, then uploaded it to Quiet Tours.



In a way, this might be a hobby that will make me go out more since I work from home; and walking would be my exercise. Aside from that, it will also be one way to document the places in and around Davao City. And lastly, I would be forced to learn video editing.

Currently I am working on my second walk --- around Victoria Plaza, the first mall in Davao City, and was recently acquired/managed by NCCC.

Please visit my YouTube channel Quiet Tours, and subscribe for future videos.

Hana-san

That was how a young Japanese soldier called my late grandmother during their WWII occupation of Davao. Hana means "flower," and because my grandma was around ten years old that time, the soldier probably meant that she was in her flowering age. Her real name was Beatriz.

Lola Beatriz (girl) with Mamerto (left)
and Mama Tibay (bride)

My lola, whose father was Chinese, was raised by her grandparents. When she was still very young, her father, a tailor, took her elder brother back to China (remember that the Chinese prefer sons). I guess they never heard from them again. Then her mother, Manuela, married another man and had other kids.

Lola used to help man a sari-sari store her grandparents owned in Panacan. That was where she met the friendly Japanese soldier, who along with other soldiers assigned around the area, were frequent customers. She said he often brought her sweet manju, something she really liked. She also learned Japanese words and songs during that time, one of which she would gladly sing when we requested. Then one day the Japanese soldiers were sent away and she never saw her friend again.

Lola also liked talking about a grandpa who was very fond of her. She calls him Mamerto Osorio (I think he is her great grandpa. This bit got me confused when I asked about her ancestors because the last names didn't match.) He liked bringing her when he walked about town. Then she would talk about dulce (she meant candies). There were always candies aplenty in her pockets.

Although she descended from some of the oldest families in Davao, she grew up poor. In fact she only had elementary education. Nevertheless, she became a cook and a seamstress.

With seven children you would think a woman of her stature would find it hard to be successful, but she sent them all to college. Not only that, she even had the grace to accept into her home some relatives and friends who needed a place to stay. Though they were living in one of the poorest areas in the city, her neighbors considered her rich, thrifty, and enterprising (must be the Chinese blood in her).

Eventually she and my grandfather (who also didn't finish school) were able to save money and buy a property in Buhangin. Just thinking about all they have gone through makes me proud.

I had tough and strong grandparents. Both my grandfathers I consider warriors: one was a soldier feared even by his superiors; the other was the quietest, most intense man I have ever met. But lola Beatriz outlasted them all. Happy birthday Lola! May you be in the arms of our Lord forever!

Did Not Survive

When my sister told me there was a place downtown where you can solve puzzles and other mysteries for a time limit, I could not get it off my mind. I googled it and found MysterEscape, located in Lanang. It is called an "escape room," a live adventure game where players are locked in a room and have to find clues and solve puzzles before the time runs out to escape, usually within 60 minutes. Apparently businesses like these have been popping up since 2006 and it's only in 2015 that it's reached Davao.

Being a fan of this genre from movies, to series (Sherlock, Survivor), books and games, I really wanted to go. The problem was my sister thought it was too expensive. The other people I could do something like this with would be my college friends, and our reunion plan last January was cancelled so this would be a great quick bonding activity. I posted about it on our fb group and one of my classmates already heard about the place and wanted to go for months. So she set our meeting immediately on the coming Saturday (Feb 18).

There were 3 rooms at the site: Girl in the Mirror (for horror fans), The Survival Game, and Redrum: a (murder) Mystery. I would have chosen to play Redrum, but when we arrived at about 5 in the afternoon, the Survival Game was the one immediately available. So we had no choice.

The Survival Game's story goes like this: we were kidnapped by an unknown group and sent to a locked room where we have to find our way out before the hour is finished. We kind of started great. Ten minutes in we were already finished with the first two steps. But the third clue consumed a lot of our time and by the fourth clue I felt like we were going nowhere and needed new ideas. Too bad because the last few puzzles would have been easier. In the end we didn't make it alive with two locks still unopened, so we just took our picture before our kidnappers finally get rid of us. :)

Clockwise from top left: moi, Eds, Annie, Eds' husband Francis and their son Red.

P.S. 34 yesterday yeehaw!

#TindogDavao

I was planning to post personal updates that Friday night. But then, at about 10:45 PM, I received a call from my sister. I don't have television, so I mostly rely on the internet for news. She wanted to confirm if the explosion was true, so I looked it up on FB. Apparently, this is where I get most of the news updates nowadays. The first things I saw were video clips from witnesses of people running away from something and then the aftermath. So it was true. The first reports included an exploding tank as a possibility, but the next day the ASG owned up to and later disowned it, saying an ally was behind the blast. I really hope the authorities get to the bottom of this.

All I can do now is say prayers for the victims and also pray for our leaders especially the president and his daughter. He is old and isn't getting much sleep while Sara is pregnant, and they still do what they do best and that is be with the people in times like these. May the Lord guide us all!

I'm currently listening to this song:


Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth
There's something happening here
what it is ain't exactly clear
there's a man with a gun over there
telling me i got to beware
i think it's time we stop, children,
what's that sound everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
nobody's right if everybody's wrong
young people speaking their minds
getting so much resistance from behind
i think it's time we stop, hey,
what's that sound every body look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
a thousand people in the street
singing songs and carrying signs
mostly say, hooray for our side
it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
into your life it will creep
it starts when you're always afraid
you step out of line, the man come and take you away
we better stop, hey, what's that sound
everybody look what's going down
stop, hey, what's that sound
everybody look what's going down
stop, now, what's that sound
everybody look what's going down
stop, children, what's that sound
everybody look what's going down

Easter Bookhunt 2015

Join the 5th Easter Bookhunt at the Magsaysay Park, Davao City on April 5, 2015! To register, just donate 3 books to Alleycat Tea House from March 23-31, 2015. For inquiries, contact 09085470950 or 09177949431.

Poster by Xiao and Aidx.

Update: The Davao Readers Circle, the organizer of this book hunt, now has an FB page. Like us for news and updates on upcoming events.

Kulas' Davao Invasion

Kyle "Kulas" Jennermann, the Canadian who wants to "Become Filipino," has finally reached the Davao Region!

With the help of his uyab (girlfriend) Cindy, the scooter, and Kumar, the man behind the camera, he traveled from Cagayan de Oro, where he is based, through Bukidnon, Buda, Davao City, Compostela Valley, Cateel, and finally to Mati.

Below are his video diaries while in Davao City. I love it!





Check out more of his videos in his Youtube Channel or Facebook Page.

There's a good chance he'll be coming back this Araw ng Dabaw. So atchup! Whatever that means hehehe.
#BecomingFilipino

MVGNA espasyo alternatibo

Meet our new office + creative space:

photo by Angely Chi

In partnership with an architect who runs Disenyo + Arkitektura's Showroom, some friends and I started MVGNA (pronounced mug-na, Visayan for: "to create", "to initiate", "to actualize") as an alternative space for artists and other creatives to meet, work, and collaborate.

Although the place is not yet ready (water, phone, and wifi have yet to be installed), we celebrated our soft launching last Saturday with presentations from 98B co-founders Mark Salvatus and Mayumi Hirano (also chief curator of Koganecho Bazaar).

Follow us, we are on Facebook.

New old books

I need to go out more often. Staying at home most of the time makes me sick, literally. I spent last year's Christmas week in bed, my first time to be ill on Christmas day. Then there are things going on around the city that I missed. My brother just told me that there's a new McDonald's, which has been there quite a while, in front of the first ever Jollibee branch in Davao City (Bolton St.). From what I can remember, that place was still under construction. Did I fail to notice it while riding the jeepney? Did I even go that way this past few months?

It was also just lately that I walked by the new Booksale branch in SM City Davao. Booksale sells second hand books, and when my sister and I looked around, we got these:

yay books!

Since I already have P&P and Persuasion, all I have to find is a copy of Sense & Sensibility.

First up for reading, Mansfield Park. I've seen the 2007 ITV production starring Billie Piper as Fanny Price. It's a fair film, though a bit underwhelming most probably because of its characters, or lead character who isn't at all like the other Jane Austen heroines. With the book, which started out slow, I had to force myself to continue reading after the first few chapters. However, as I'm nearing the middle, I'm starting to like Fanny and the pace is getting better, so we'll see.

What else? I watched Austenland last night. :)

#SHIFTDavao

Technically, my "technical" work only involved live tweeting. Other times, I was a runner. This was volunteer work which I apparently signed up for after I joined the Davao Catholic Herald family.

Because I was checking live tweets all throughout the event, half the time I could not listen to the speakers. I was even unaware that the woman asking me from behind was already Maria Ressa, Rappler CEO. When she had her face next to mine looking at the computer screens in front of me, that's the only time I knew.

But from what information I gathered, these are the ones that stood out:

Maria Ressa:

A leader must

1. Set direction
2. Identify values
3. Set the bar for ethics

80% of how we make decisions is based on how we feel.

Sec. Lucille Sering:

The Philippine mean temperature for the past 60 years increased by 0.64 degrees Celsius. An increase of 1 degree is critical. An increase of 2 degrees is irreversible.

Atty. Yves Gonzales:

Do good things and people will follow you in every sense of the word.

Eleanor Roosevelt:

Do one thing a day that scares you.

And Bianca's 10 Tips to make your voice heard on social media

photo by @yhen_cinderella

1. Pick a fitting username and photo
2. Start strong
3. Engage in conversation
4. Content is KING
5. Write your idols
6. Use relatable #hashtags
7. Use catchy images
8. Go multi-platform
9. Grow your network
10. Follow with ACTION

P.S. It's worth noting that this event was conceptualized just last May, with only two months of preparation. The participation of volunteers and sponsors made this a success.

Davao Catholic Herald Website

Hello there, I'm back. I have been quite busy the past month, most of that time spent revamping Davao Catholic Herald's website. This is volunteer work that hopefully I could persevere in because I've been waiting for an opportunity to work for the Church all my life. I tried or thought about doing catechesis, but any job that needs a lot of speaking is really not my thing. Then there's the church choir, but I find the songs too high or too low for my voice. So, when my father told Fr. Gamaya, the paper's editor-in-chief, that I was signing up for the web development, he was delighted. I finally found the right role for me.

In case you were wondering, the site uses a customized Gonzo WordPress theme.

Happy Easter!

This, today.

I'll be bringing two books, crocheted uterus bags and local bread sticks.

The Angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen as He said." ~ Mt. 28:5-6

Look Up

fly

stop

shine

hang on

buzz

glow

color

sparkle

Random photos around Davao City

Website: Dominican Sisters of the Trinity Davao

My aunt, Sister Annabelle, requested a new website for the Dominican Sisters of the Trinity's Center for Justice & Peace. I used GeoCities for their old site, and fortunately, although GeoCities is no more, we can still view it here thanks to the web archive project of geocities.ws. Also shown here are some of the Center's products, made to order cards and bracelets.

Kadayawan 2012

These are some of the photos I took at this year's Kadayawan sa Dabaw. Late as I was, I went straight to Rizal Street hoping it was not too late. It was a pleasure to still catch about ten contingents in the Indak-indak although most of the time was spent just walking and waiting for the parade to move. The last time I went was back in 2008 so seeing more tourists really made me excited for my city.

More photos in the Folkerie site.