...for more family time.
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo
Being a predominantly Roman Catholic country, the Philippines observes "All Saints Day" and "All Souls Day" as important religious holy days. Therefore, November 1 (All Saints Day) and 2 (All Souls Day) are special non-working holidays. It is that time of year when those who work in the Big Cities, such as Metro-Manila, but hailed in provinces outside the City take time to visit the resting place of their beloved departed in their home towns. As they do, they visit their relatives and old friends as well. This has become the usual practice that, over the years, these holy days have become more of a time for family reunion, or a chance to travel and bond with family and friends, rather than just the mere observance of religious holidays.
This year, my own family took advantage of the All Saints/Souls Day to travel to Manaoag, Pangasinan - my birthplace - to visit my mother's and our grandparents' resting place. We avoided the crowd and traffic by going to Pangasinan on the 31st of October.
So, once again... roadtrip!! :) This time, we headed north!
***
The province that makes salt
Pangasinan is a Philippine province located in Northern Luzon, about 170 km north of Manila. One of Pangasinan's biggest industries is salt making, which earlier earned the province the nickname
asinan, or the place where salt (or
asin in the vernacular) is made. Later, the province was formally called "Pangasinan". Among many others,
it is famous for the Filipino culinary icon, the
bagoong - fermented baby fish in viscous brownish sauce that impart saltiness to a dish with the exotic flavors of young fish meat. Its by-product, the clear yellowish to brownish liquid is the fish sauce (or
patis in the vernacular).
Bagoong's variant, the
bagoong alamang (anchovies), is shrimp paste that is red in color, and made by the fermentation of minute shrimp.
Bagoong is usually used to season vegetable dishes, for which Pangasinan is also known, and to cut the sourness and enhance the flavors of the local green carabao mango and other unripe sour tropical fruits.
Pangasinan is where the famous wonder of the world is found: the Hundred Islands - a place of fascinating tropical beauty, comprised of more than a hundred islands and islets scattered beautifully in clear blue water. Thousands of Filipinos from different provinces and foreigners visit Alaminos, Pangasinan to enjoy the beauty of this iconic Philippine tourist destination every year. Surrounded by water, Pangasinan is known for its many beach resorts, especially in the Lingayen Gulf. As such, Pangasinan is also famous for its seafoods, and its waters is the home for the milk fish, or
bangus - the national fish of the Philippines.
***
The town of the Lady who calls
Manaoag is a small town in Pangasinan that is four- to five-hour drive North of Manila. While the town is economically progressive, boasting of good concrete roads and generally satisfactory public services, the quiet and slow paced "barrio lifestyle" is preserved in Manaoag. Still rich in its natural greeneries, Manaoag has no high-rise buildings and giant malls anywhere, but people generally live a comfortable life with the amenities of modern living in their homes.
Manaoag is famous for the "Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag", which is the home for
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag - a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with her image enshrined in the church. The ivory image of Our Lady, or
Apo Baket to the locals, was brought to the Philippines
from Spain by a Spanish friar in the 17th century. It is believed to be miraculous, surviving a number of catastrophes over several centuries now. According to legends, the Virgin Mary appeared to a local peasant. He was "called" (or,
tinaoag in the vernacular) by Our Lady, who held a rosary on one hand and the baby Jesus on the other. The peasant then related that the apparition was the same as the image of Our Lady. Later, a church was built in that same spot where the peasant saw Our Lady and the town was called "Manaoag" as a tribute to Our Lady who "calls" (or
mantaoag in the vernacular), and she became the Patroness of the town. The church was partially destroyed by a number of catastrophes, including a bomb dropped on the church that destroyed its sanctuary in World War II, but Our Lady's image remained intact. The Church was then rebuilt in its present location atop a hill, where the image of Our Lady resides. The Parish is presently ran by the Dominicans.
Over the years, devotees related several stories - testimonials to miracles and granted petition for intercessions to Our Lady. Soon, pilgrims from all over the country visit the church in multitudes yearly, to pay homage to Our Lady and to seek her intercession. Many of them testify to the miracles and favors granted to them. Members of our own family are devotees of Our Lady as well. We visit whenever we can... our first stop whenever we visit Manaoag is always the Church - it's like coming home to the Mother who gently calls.
***
A Soulful Place
After hearing the mass and paying homage to Our Lady in the Shrine, my family and I then proceeded to visit the resting place of our late mother and grandparents in the old town cemetery, a few minutes away from the Shrine. Unlike the modern cemeteries in the City, the Manaoag public cemetery is not a sprawling manicured lawn where
beautifully carved stones in the departed souls' graves are nicely arrayed in a fashion that "simulates" peace and serenity.
My niece who was born in Manila and is so used to seeing modern cemeteries in the City was fascinated by all the old tombs, painted shabbily in white and other colors, that are scattered on muddy soil in almost a confusing disarray in the Manaoag cemetery. Characteristic of a person with a kind heart, like a little child, my niece gasped at the "chaos" and then cheerfully lighted candles and erected them on our departed's tombs. Afterwards, she lead us in prayers to God and in saying words of praises in soulful dedication to our dear departed. She then proceeded to explore the cemetery with fascination and enthusiasm, taking note of how each family lovingly dedicated prayers to their departed everywhere in the cemetery. She commented that the "soulfulness" of the place more than made up for its shabby facade.
***
Eating with our bare hands
After accomplishing our holy day mission, it was time to savor what Pangasinan is famous for gastronomically speaking - seafood and freshly picked vegetables cooked in
bagoong! :)
We ate a (very) late lunch in a popular restaurant in Dagupan City - Silverio's. Dagupan is about 30-minute drive northwest of Manaoag. While far from being as Metropolitan as Manila, Dagupan is easily one of the most modern places in Pangasinan - it's where the malls, movie houses and other modern hangout places,
as well as the more advanced universities in Pangasinan can be found. It is known in the country for its big fish pens that culture, among many others, the
bangus, making Pangasinan an important province of the Philippines. Silverio's is surrounded by fish pens, and located on the periphery of the City center. It's fame is not so much for it's ambiance, which is far from being subtle and "classy" (they have a band performing Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber songs live on lunchtime, imagine?), but for its deliciously cooked food that are authentic
Pangasinense dishes!
Being true blue Pangasinense himself, my father ordered most of the food for us. His mouthwatering picks consisted of large grilled
bangus - freshly caught from the fish pen, large crabs in
deliciously spicy garlic sauce, large octopus - fresh and tender, and grilled medium rare,
pancit guisado (an Asian noodle dish seasoned with soy sauce and garnished with stir fried thinly cut lean pork and greens), and "the other" Pangasinense specialty:
pinakbet - a dish of fresh tropical vegetables cooked in "that condiment" that a true Pangasinense can't do without, the
bagoong, until the veggies become so tender that they melt in the mouth. We chose a table outside the building - right next to the fish pens, and watched the fishes swam and jumped while waiting for our food.
Having spent all my summer vacations helping out in my grandparents farmland in Manaoag until I was in College, I know that there is only one way to enjoy a sumptuous Pangasinense meal - eating with bare hands! :) In my book, a Pangasinan restaurant could claim to be serving "authentic" Pangasinense food only if: (1) it provided a station for washing hands so its
patrons can enjoy the food by eating with their bare hands, and (2) it served
bagoong with calamansi and
siling labuyo (bird's eye chili) - before anything else! Silverio's did both... so, you could actually forgive the band-on-lunchtime appetite killer. And so, we washed our hands with soap and water, took our individual sauce bowls, poured a decent amount of
bagoong, squeezed calamansi juice into it - to taste, and then crushed in a couple of
siling labuyo into the mix - for a most exciting gastronomic experience. And then, yes, our orders were served -
chow time! All of a sudden, the "noise" from the live band seemed like a little murmur from a distance! Needless to say, we enjoyed every fistful of our food! Silverio's didn't disappoint - at all! :)
***
That mouthwatering gold
After eating, we set out to return to Manila... but not after getting a few kilos of another Pangasinan delicacies:
Puto Calasiao and
Kutsinta Calasiao. Calasiao is another town in Pangasinan - about 30-minute drive southwest of Dagupan towards Manila. It is famous for another "national food treasure"
Puto Calasiao and its variant,
Kutsinta Calasiao.
Puto Calasiao is a snack/dessert made by fermenting semi-glutinous rice flour, usually in earthen jars. The resulting bite-
size white rice cakes are sweet with soft texture and a faint fermented note that makes them so unique.
Puto making is one of the major industries of Calasiao, Pangasinan - and it's a big industry, too... earning the white rice cake the nickname, "the white gold" of Calasiao. The marketplace for
puto in Calasiao is an (tourist) attraction on its own. There were more than 200 stalls in one roof - selling
puto and other Pangasinan snacks/dessert, like
bucayo (candied coconut strips in caramelized sugar) and candied tamarind. The
kutsinta is a variant of
puto, which is made of sticky rice flour. As such, it has a more distinctive jelly-like texture that allows a clean bite - making it not only delicious but also fun to eat. While, I love
puto Calasiao eversince I was little, I notice that I usually end up eating more
kutsinta whenever I'm given both. So, maybe I secretly prefer
kutsinta? Either way, I recommend both rice cakes to anyone who visits Pangasinan.
We bought a few kilos of the rice cakes, ate some, saved some for
pasalubong (Filipino for presents for those who were left at home) and then headed out to Manila.
***
A pleasant surprise
While searching for the Calasiao Puto Cooperative Market, we stumbled upon another Calasiao treasure - the Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul. I gathered that this Roman Catholic church was built from the 17th to the 19th centuries by Dominican
friars. While the bell tower of the church is a recent reproduction of the original, as the original was destroyed by an earthquake, most of the structure, including its sprawling convent, was original. We were mesmerized by how well-preserved the interior of the church was, it was a most charming treasure that anyone, including us, would be so thrilled to find - while finding his way in an unfamiliar place. And, there was a bonus, too - we found an image of one of our favorite saints, St. Therese of the Child Jesus! Naturally, my sisters, niece and I didn't waste the opportunity to take a few souvenir photos.
***
A fascinating detour on the way home
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows on the ground, we reluctantly got ready to head home... and then we got a text message from another sister, who was vacationing with her husband and in-laws in his hometown: Pampanga, another province - north of Manila, south of Pangasinan... about 1.5-hr drive from Manila. My sister's in-laws were inviting us to drop by and eat dinner at their place as their town was celebrating its
fiesta. As Philippine town
fiestas are celebrated with grand "parade" of food originating from the town, naturally, we were thrilled by the prospect of eating
Kapampangan (local reference to Pampanga inhabitants) food! And so, we willingly detoured to Pampanga
en route to Manila.
The Province of Pampanga is known as the "Culinary Capital" of the Philippines. It is what Bologna is to Italy. Among many others, it is famous for that "sinful"
sisig, a dish made from ground parts of pig's head
and liver, cooked until almost crispy and seasoned with salt and vinegar. It is usually served on a sizzling plate, as "sizzling
sisig", which adds to its exotic culinary uniqueness.
Longganisa (pork links or Philippine chorizo) and
tocino (cured meat) are two of the most sought-after Pampanga culinary specialties. They are different from other product of their kind because of their tender texture and distinctive sweetness that balances out the tartness. The sweetness comes from the sugar in the recipe, which caramelizes and, together with the fat of the meat, turns the
longganisa and the
tocino to an appetizing glazed golden brown when cooked. The manufacture of these meat products had become one of the biggest industries of Pampanga, and the process has evolved over the years, spawning a number of variants of these culinary treasures such as the delicious skinless
longganisa and the boneless chicken
tocino.
As far as tradition, Pampanga has a number of unique features that attract many tourists, such as the re-enactment of the nailing on the cross of Jesus Christ on Good Friday, which draws an incredible size of crowd and media coverage each year. Another thing that Pampanga is known for that showcases the creativity of the
Pampanguenos is its colorfully lit Christmas lanterns.
The star that guided the three Magi to the manger where the baby Jesus was born on that silent and holiest of nights is that symbol of Christmas closest to the Filipino heart. Therefore, hanging the Christmas lantern - in the shape of a star - on our windows is our way of welcoming the Christmas season. Filipinos usually troop to
Pampanga during Christmas season - and for the Filipinos, that's right after the All Saints/Souls Day - to choose (and purchase) among the thousands of beautifully designed lanterns with their amazing electronically designed lights. This has become a major industry in the Province of Pampanga. A cooperative was also set up to oversee the industry, putting most of the lantern stores in one place. The beautiful lanters were showcased in a long stretch of stalls along the North Superhighway. Passers by are completely wowed and lured by the fascinating lanterns... we were so wowed and lured, we bought one for our house. The decision to choose one amongst thousands was indeed exciting, and at the same time, an agonizing can't-make-up-my-mind process! But we survived! :)
We then headed to my sister's in-laws place to partake of and enjoy the sumptuous feast that featured about a dozen of Pampanga's amazing cuisine... and then headed home - happy and, oh, so belly- satisfied!
Indeed, it was a wonderful day spent with the family - eating, praying... and yet again savoring the renewal of familial love, the warmth of which saw us on our way home.
***
Photo credits: I own all photos, except
Collage 1 (Hundred Islands,
bangus and
bagoong alamang): grabbed from various travel blogs/websites, and
Collage 9 (
longganisa, skinless
longganisa,
tocino,
sisig): grabbed from various cooking and food blogs/websites. Thanks for the loan.
***
opening with their epically expensive Spanish acquisition from Liverpool, the gorgeous Fernando "El Niño" Torres. The Blues had home advantage... and the Stamford Bridge fans didn't disappoint - not a surprise, of course! While the Citizens put up a tough contest, mostly preventing El Niño from scoring, the Blues trashed them via a 2-0 victory in an action-packed match. Of course, El Niño is yet to make his first goal for the Blues. The Stamford Bridge action was followed by another tight match between Sunderland and El Niño's former Club, Liverpool, which the latter won, 2-0, out of sheer pride - again, no surprise. 
which is about five minutes away from our place - without the Parking wait, that is. :) While SM City has always been jampacked on weekends, there was an unusually big crowd at "The Block" - one of the newest additions to "The City". We went to check it out... and were pleasantly surprised to see that the United States Embassy's Roadshow, "America in 3D: Diplomacy, Development and Defense", stopped by and stationed for three days at "The Block". We were lucky to catch it on its third day. So, we made the most of it! :) 
(PAEF)/Fulbright Commission of the Philippines! They invited me and my sisters inside the PAEF Booth with a "we have a surprise for you" teaser, and what I found sent me reeling in excitement! It was a "Wall" of Fulbright Alumni Testimonials... and my own "testimonial" was part of it. Beside my testimonial - a sentence from my post-Programme report, to be accurate - was a photo of mine from ten years ago... from my Fulbright application packet in 2001! It made me feel kind of nostalgic and felt a pang of longing for those exciting Fulbright/Cornell University days. Aaah, those were truly incredible days... exploring what one of the best Universities in the world had to offer under the auspices of the "Mother of all Scholarships" - absolutely surreal! Until now, I am still figuring out whatever good thing I've done to deserve such an incredible experience - I am so undeserving. Nevertheless, my sisters and I were so delighted to re-live those days through the "Wall"! We posed for a few souvenir shots beside my testimonial panel, chatted with my PAEF/Fulbright friends for a few more minutes... and then continued shopping. :) 
concoction... and we were happy to find a little ice cream parlor close to where we live. It was simply called "Ice Cream Store" - a small, two-car parking, four-table store, with no airconditioning. They weren't just serving ice cream concoctions with a surprisingly wide range of choices, but they were also selling packed ice cream in an impressive variety of flavors and formulations that were absolutely unexpected given the store's size. The Food Scientist in me was very impressed to see their coconut milk and virgin coconut oil (VCO)-based formulations. I myself am working on stuff like this in my research work, and I understand the challenges in formulation, processing and overall quality... thus the fascination. 
then, we brought home several of the varieties they were selling - in pints and cups - and continued eating at home without feeling "robbed" since all products were reasonably priced! :) The coconut milk varieties were very good - light and tasty, with decent texture. But what was best about them was that there weren't lactose intolerance-induced stomach upsets after enjoying them, and that added to the sweetness of sisters bonding. :) Naturally, we vowed to return to the Ice Cream Store soon... and to spread the word about the store's existence.
