Camote

THE Frugal Housewife went to market and guess what she came home with? The nicest food and quite inexpensive camote. Camote in the City of Baguio comes from the low regions, the Ilocos and other surrounding lower portions of Benguet.

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens.

Barangay owned energy plant

THE Ambuklao Dam experience still painfully lingers among the people of Benguet where the Ibalois’ gave up their priceless landholdings for the sake and in the name of development and got an empty bag in return. It took almost 40 years for the national government to correct the social injustice, partly.

Maybe, taking cue from such experience, residents of Barangay Puddong, Kapangan bonded together for a progressive involvement in the construction of a hydro-electric power plant where they are co-partners and shareholders.

The first woman

THERE are great women in time who were the first to offer service, to fight for justice, to rule a land, to lead, to govern and to give hope and light to mankind, with their great deeds and stories. They own a very special spot in our history. Reading and retelling their stories may inspire us and their heroism and fearlessness may uplift our spirits. May the stories of these remarkable women in history provide us women today a strong determination and willpower to become the best.

Boracay: Asia’s hidden gem

FROM Kalibo, Liza Ilagan, Rey and I proceeded to Caticlan via van, motorized banca, and mini jeep to Liza’s Boracay residence.

Session Road in full bloom as Panagbenga closes

IT WAS a battle of the longganisa versus shawarma stalls, a friend of mine quipped.

Ati-atihan Festival

KALIBO is the capital of Aklan, northwest of Panay Island. The population of about 80,000 explodes to more than 200,000 during daytime being a commercial and educational haven that caters not only to the people of Aklan but also to transients coming from other nearby provinces and cities.

Strengthening the Japanese and Filipino ties

LAST February 10, the Filipino – Japanese Foundation of Northern Luzon Inc. (FJFNLI) held a welcome program for the members of the Baguio Scholarship Foundation (BSF) headed by Mr. Shoichi Maekawa of Japan at the Sister Theresia Unno Memorial Hall at ABONG. Mr. Carlos B. Teraoka, President of the FJFNLI, the Rotary Club of Baguio headed by Florence Bayquen and President Tony Tactay of the Rotary Club of Baguio Summer Capital were very pleased to receive scholarship donations from the BSF. The grantees and their parents were very grateful as expressed in their intermission numbers and speech.

SMART opens LTE network

SMART communications opened its first and only Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in here in time for the Baguio Flower Festival servicing the entire Northern Luzon.

Asia’s chicken soup: Congee

IN ASIAN countries, including the Philippines, Malay though it may be, one of the favorite breakfast, merienda, or anytime foods, is congee.

Gods and goddesses of Benguet

MOST of the popular gods and goddesses are from Greece like Zeus, Aphrodite, Venus, Poseidon, among others.

The art of flower arrangement

FLOWERS are one of God’s creations that embellish our surroundings. They bring color and vibrancy to our homes, gardens, and altars. Flowers can be arranged in different ways to create style and design.

A fruit to save you money

ARE you ready to know practical tips to help you minimize your expenses?

Passion fruit, locally known as masaplora, is a perennial vine widely known in the Cordillera. It is abundant in Atok, Benguet, where the vine literally “climbs” trees. What is with this plant?

Panagbenga: A true Cordillera festival

SHOWCASING the rich culture and heritage of the Cordillera people is definitely back in the Panagbenga street dancing parade.

The family physician as champion of Filipino families

THE Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP) held its 51st Anniversary and annual convention last February 15 to 18 at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Founded on April 30, 1960, the vision of the PAFP is a “Filipino Family Physician for every Filipino Family.”

Le Monet opens in CHJ

A TOTAL comfort experience awaits guests at the newly opened Le Monet hotel at Camp John Hay.

Dancing fountains greet guests at landscaped entrance of the new 70 room hotel; at the lobby chandeliers designed by top Korean artists will get your attention as they change color.

JCI Baguio Joint Induction

ANOTHER year to look forward to in the world of Jayceeism as the local organization recently conducted a joint induction of the 2012 set of officers at the Baguio Convention Center.

The JCI Baguio Senate IPP JCI senator Taggy Tagudar relinquished his post to incoming president JCI senator Monch David with JCI Baguio senator Rudz Paraan as the secretary-general and JCI Baguio senators Beverly Montenegro, Roselle del Prado, Vanny Roncal and PP Romy David as Board of Directors, JCI senator Bong Magsino as vice president and JCI senator Rommel Alcid as the Treasurer.

Depression makes people look older

STRESS has numerous detrimental effects on the human body.

Economic use of termites, anyone?

THERE’S a group in Tabuk City, Kalinga who looks for termite mounds to demolish. They are not pest exterminators. On the contrary, instead of looking for the queen and king of the termites to kill them and in effect, put an end to the colony, these men are careful not to harm the royalty of the mound. They dig carefully and upon finding the queen and king, they hide them in the diswemboweled mound so that they could pick up the pieces of the life of the colony again.

Cobcobo: Haricuts to try

1. Layered bob. This is a classic cut but ask your stylist to give it a little twist by giving her personal touch and creativity. Color it or perm it to make it more edgy and you can even color and perm it at the same time.

Making puto bung-bung

BEFORE our usual food-do, may I ask our city officials and powers that:

DMMMES wins drum and lyre competition

DON Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School this time stopped Baguio Central School from winning in the land near where the Panagbenga was born.

It’s more fun in Panagbenga

IMAGINE about 5,000 people dressed in colorful costumes with fully decorated floral designs, sequins and glitters, enhanced in creative ensembles.

Encounters of a foreign exchange student

EXPERIENCES are like shadows, we try to leave them behind but they keep on following us and they form part of what we become in future.

Just like any other person, I’ve had so many experiences but one of the greatest of them all is my education in the Philippines.

SOUTH AFRICA – ‘The Rainbow Nation’

AFTER the Delphic Games and moving about in JOBURG for a few days, Liza Ilagan, Rey and I, still had another week in SOUTH AFRICA. What to do? Go on a SAFARI! Rey and I had previously gone on safaris in TANZANIA and KENYA in the 1990s and SOUTH AFRICA in 2008. But it was Liza’s first time in Africa. With the help of our host, Nepeti Nicanor, we decided to travel to the nearby province of MPUMALANGA. Via internet, we booked an evening bus from the Central Bus Station and stayed at the BIG 5 BACKPACKERS INN (recommended by the Lonely Planet book) in HAZYVIEW, a 421 km distance away from JOBURG.

UB Science High holds immersion camp

THE University of Baguio Science High School held its yearly immersion camp last February 10 to 12 at the Tubao Central School for a very minimal cost inclusive of food, lodging and transportation.

40,000 participate in Etag Festival

FORTY thousand tourists, traders, and guests participated in the five-day Etag Festival with the theme “Cultural identity, the Strength of our Community” where Sagada folks showcased their unique culture and local products.

Tips for curled hair

MANY women try having their hair curled because of the misconception that curled hair is easier to maintain. But they are absolutely wrong because curled hair takes a lot of caring to do. Here are some tips for you to have a nice curl and how to maintain it.

Matagaon Festival: A burst of colors and cultures

IF YOU want to catch Tabuk City at its most colorful and most lively, come to attend the Matagoan Festival which is held in conjunction with the Foundation Day of the city every June 24.

Making strawberry preserve

LAST Saturday, two wonderful religious groups in Baguio celebrated their centennials - the Maryknolls Sisters and the United Church of Church in the Philippines. The latter unveiled a marker on the front lawn of the church and the former celebrated with a Mass and a reunion of all the alumni of the old Mary knoll Convent School at the Santo Tomas Sanctuary. Both organizations have a solid and sustained record of vibrant and active programs for the mission of bringing the Lord's Word to the populace as in the former, while the present Marknoll Sanctuary focuses on the preservation of both the Earth’s resources and the environmental purity which is so neglected these days.

Singles’ ultimate guide to Valentine’s Day

IT IS the cheesiest time of the year when couples flock to fancy restaurants to catch romantic dinners for two. Jewelry and chocolate stores and even flower shops are in demand as men begin their meticulous hunt for awesome and exquisite presents to rekindle their love for their real-life princesses.