HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween!

My grandnephew David Johnson dressed as Harry  Potter

It's an American tradition that has taken root in the Philippines. Half a century ago no one in the country had ever heard of observing  Trick or Treating... now we've embraced it fully. Most of the posh villages and expensive hotels have their ghouls and goblins on display. Halloween parties abound especially in street parties in Malate. Every excuse just to let loose...

This year, Halloween was sort of an advanced celebration with the Black Party having a tie -up with the Love Yourself Project at Malate last 29 October. This is an event that fosters self-love among members of the LGBT-MSM sector that propagates AIDS Awareness and Education among the youth. So the Orosa and Nakpil Bars had a hey-day of all sorts of gays in  outlandish costumes. If you really think about it, a considerable population of LGBT-MSM sector's population has been cut down by the deadly scourge of AIDS. But that's another story...

Grandniece Mia as Hermione Granger complete with wand and broom

I'm not certain which came first, though... Did we, Filipinos come up with the idea even before Trick or Treating became a trend in the gated communities of Makati?  Or was it more of an amalgamation of our Western and Asian influences?

The Two Hogwarts students hamming it up!

Filipinos have long honored their dead. This can be gleaned from pre-colonial artifacts like jewelry and funeral masks unearthed from archeological digs found all over the archipelago. The oldest and most distinct artifact would be manunggul jar found in the Tabon Cave complex in Palawan. The jar is a secondary funeral urn that has a boatman and passenger on a boat depicting a journey...to the underworld...

At the Ayala Museum, which houses an extensive collection of gold artifacts, the items were found in mostly grave sites as  send-off presents to the beloved who have moved on to the after-life. The jewelry and funerary masks are of exquisite quality with fine detailing and crafstmanship. Honoring the dead was carried on over the centuries up until the present.

Actually, the Filipino term UNDAS, was/is a term coined from the Spanish terms HONRAS FUNEBRES. It simply means funeral rites or last rites to honor the dead. Over the centuries, the term was shortened and eventually filipinized to the current term of undas. But ask any Filipino below twenty, no thirty even, and they wouldn't know how the term was derived.

So those ghoulish celebrations in Vigan and Capiz and the centuries old tradition of Pangangaluluwa, may not be western after all. But because of the hype and media attention of the Harry Potter, Vampire chronicles of Anne Rice and the Twilight Saga, not to mention the TV series of TeenWolf and Vampire Diaries have tweaked the celebrations into a more Hollywood style celebration. TV Networks cash in on the long weekend b scaring everyone  sh___tless by airing all the old horror movies and the scary TV documentaries.

As far as I can remember, we would  trek to the cemetery on 01 November to honor and pray for our dearly departed. My Lola (Candida) would painstakingly prepare food for everybody and my cousins and I would be in charge of carrying stuff. Cases of bottled soda, cauldrons of rice, adobo and pancit, bags of sandwiches. bayongs with cutlery and paper plates, wads of paper napkins, bunches of flowers and candles rolled in newspaper, folding chairs, umbrellas to fend of rain and heat. We carried everything but the kitchen sink in those days.

These days, it's all very convenient... Just step out of the cemetery gates and you can feast on pasta, pizza, doughnuts, burgers, fried chicken, sodas... anything your tummy craves for as long as you can afford it. Well, Filipinos love fiesta. So, the franchises have offered stiff competition to the common vendor who try to eke out a living specially on occasions like this.

So this year will be like the other years past. My brother Edwin and I will be trekking towards the Manila South Cemetery to offer prayers to our Lolo and Lola, my parents, and an aunt and a relative who took care of us. Food will not be as plentiful as before as it's only two of us visiting. But it doesn't make it any less fun... right? 

Badong's Swan Song

What is it about 2011 that seems to be bringing in news of doom and gloom? Yesterday, I received a disturbing text message from good friend Aries Alcayaga, that my mentor and friend and National Artist for Theater design Salvador Bernal, proud son of Dagupan has passed on.

Badong, as he is fondly called leaves behind a rich legacy in theatre design that many can only hope to emulate. Ballet Philippines, for one has accumulated a treasure trove of his sets and costumes over the company's four decades of existence.

And it wasn't just for BP that he designed. His other works for the other resident companies were equally as brilliant. his plans were well-conceived and well-thought out, well-planned and well-executed. It didn't matter whether the resident companies could not afford the massive scale of his grandiose designs. Badong would inevitably have what he needed for the sets. For instance, in one ballroom scene for Ballet Philippine's production of Cinderella, he created two huge chandeliers with wrought iron frames and he utilized nothing more that empty barrels of  Bic Crystal ballpens dangling from the frames to catch the lights. IT WORKED!

I myself have benefited immensely from his wise tutelage. He was hands-on in his work, designing, making patterns, cutting material, directing where each bead and sequin and appliqué would fall. He was just as astute with his sets from floor plan to maquette to actual set execution. Each and every production he designed for Ballet Philippines had that inimitable stamp of Bernal.

I first met him at a theater workshop of Tanghalang Ateneo. Then eventually  found myself working with him again when I pursued my career in dance. Oh, how marvellous it was to be dancing in his sets wearing his costumes!!! I was a butler in Cinderella, townsfolk in Rama Hari, and as my roles grew and grew my costumes became more elaborate. He made a costume for my High Brahmin role in La Bayadere made out of voluminous layers of satin and brocade edged with yards and yards of curtain doiley. The undergarment was maroon with the top layer; a caftan of gold brocade and a tall fez with the same gold cord. It didn't matter what type of material he used, Badong made me look powerful... and expensive!!!

Among my personal favorites of Badong's works are (in no particular order) : 

Cinderella - complete with pumpkin carriage

Rama Hari - stark split- level set blocks that change configuration and Gintong Usa Costume

The Firebird -Edna Vida's debut as a star with her glittering unitard

Nutcracker Ballet - Philippine version with art noveau sets and Maria Claras made of sinamay and canamazo

Encantada- I had to clamber up three flights of steps 18 feet high with two female dancers on my shoulders in my moriones costume

Itim Asu, May Day Eve, La Loba Negra- all of Tita Alice's (Reyes) ballets

La Bayadere - complete with fire pit dead center of the stage

Peter Pan - I remember Bettina Escano as Tinkerbell with her costume lighting up at certain parts and Bam Damian as the Indian Chief with a ceremonial feather headress for the powwow

Carmen - those maroon toreador costumes still survive to this day

Badong did so much more for Ballet Philippines and for Tanghalang Pilipino as well as for television shows like Superstar (yes, she created gowns for La Aunor). His works loom larger than life as he has lived productively as a consummate artist and good friend. I can almost hear him now in his big booming voice... "Manash, ang ganda mo ngayon!" 

We'll miss him...

*photos from imagebucket, gibbs cadiz, wikipedia and phil. star

Spain's Mistake

In the wake of the massacre of soldiers in Basilan, a lot of armchair politicians have been calling for massive retaliation against the MILF/Abu Sayaff forces who were responsible for the death of 19 soldiers, some of whom have been in service for only a few years...

Meanwhile, both the Philippine Armed Forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front have been pointing accusing fingers at each other claiming that each one started the fray. The president in the meantime has maintained a calm demeanor by not joining the fracass. To his credit, he has decided to pursue peaceful means in sorting out who's at fault.

Running Priest Fr. Robert Reyes and no less than Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Ambassador Jorge Domecq has praised the president for maintaining his peaceful stand in resolving the matter. Both the ambassador and PNoy were at the opening of the Spanish Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum when the ambassador praised the president for taking the high road regarding the conflict.

Ambassador Domecq went so far as to state his praise for PNoy by saying that retaliation was not an option to achieving lasting piece. He had admitted that in the case of our history, Spain had made its biggest blunder by  having  our national hero Jose Rizal executed. The humble ambassador had recounted how, in Spain's desire to maintain peace in an already volatile nation hungry for independence, revolution had erupted because of an act that captured a nation's sympathy and exacerbated the situation further.

I have high respect for Ambassador Domecq for this humble admission... However, had it not happened then we probably would still be under colonial rule much longer... Oh well, all's well that end's well!

Tutuban Gets Accredited

Even before 168 or 999 or 1188 came into existence, there was TUTUBAN MALL!

If you're a weekend Divisoria denizen like me, you know that Tutuban was the very first all-in-one shopping mall that had scores and scores of tiangge style spaces leased out to retail traders. Then other establishments in the area followed suit. 

The original building right smack in the center of the mall complex is actually the original building that rose up in the area to serve as the railway station of the Philippine National Railways. Built in 1892, the railway began and ended in this area. The Toot-toot of the trains affixed with the name of an instrument that made the same sound, the Tuba eventually was coined to give the area its name... Ergo, Tutuban was born!

Directly across the street where the former train station was erected is the home where Andres Bonifacio was born and raised. It was also a few blocks adjacent to the Mall where Andres founded the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangan'g Katipunan was founded. Andres eventually came into the Filipino consciousness and convinced our forefathers to rise up in arms against Spain.

Incidentally, there is a monument to honor Gat Andres Bonifacio in the center of the Tutuban Mall's entrance. The monument depicts the hero in a thinking man's position and the monument is surrounded at the base by a sun that represents the provinces convinced by Bonifacio to rebel against Spain.

The station had been relegated to disuse when the PNR eventually stopped operating. trains as mode of transport had virtually died down. So the idle building lay in waste until it was renovated and restored but this time as a shopping area. Two other building complexes were constructed flanking the main building on each side to accommodate more vendors. The rest is, as they say, history.

Fortunately, the re-purposing of the Tutuban building has paid off. No less than Asec. Victoria Jasmin of the Department of Tourism has granted the establishment of Tutuban accreditation as an official tourism establishment and a tourist attraction in the country. This is in line with the Department of Tourism's efforts at promoting the country as a top tourist destination.

All three buildings offer a range of items for sale. Each level has aisles of merchants selling everything imaginable: apparel, fashion accessories, shoes and bags, intimate apparel, novelty items, toys, home decor, food... you name it...

Promoting Batangas (or Not!)

Look at this view...

Now look at this one...

This is perplexing at the very least... It is a proposal by the local government unit of the province of Batangas to promote the tourism industry of the province. I found it really funny at first... Yeah, it is tacky... but when you think about it it reeks of bad taste. The Hollywood style letters in high relief came as a proposal to highlight the province's efforts at hiking its tourism up a notch. Each letter would stand 14m high and the whole sign would measure 110m wide. and it would sit strategically on the side of the teeny tiny volcano.

To her credit, Governor Vilma Santos- Recto decried the proposal as having no support whether financial or otherwise as of yet. There is no budget for it and it (hopefully will remain) as a proposal. In any case, I've written some articles on how beautiful the sight of Taal Volcano really is. A visibly peeved Vice-Governor Mark Leviste lashed out at critics stating that they weren't stupid to actually put the sign up on the volcano as it would mean they have to take into consideration the weather conditions and the vegetation that could get destroyed during construction. For now, that's that!

In the meantime, speaking of Governor Vi... turn on to YouTube and you'll be pleasantly surprised that Filipinos (who are so hung up on the Christmas spirit) have posted snippets of Ate Vi  together with arch-rival Ate Guy pitting them against each other yet again in terms of their recorded Christmas carols. 

And since it's only a matter of 65 days to go before Christmas, listen to the songs... and if you want to... re-live or re-ignite their rivalry... Enjoy!!!!

Much Ado About NAIA

Ok... Ninoy Aquino International Airport is number one in the world's worst airport list according to a travel blog.

Now, before we Filipinos let that idea hit a sore nerve amongst us, we should take it on a positive note and not be overly sensitive about it. After all, there's nowhere to go but UP from there (pardon the pun). An international  airport is the country's gateway to all the different destinations in our beautiful country and now that the news is all over the world through the internet you would think our tourism industry is all but just a memory. These guys who lambasted the airport just took "poll votes and user reviews for reasons such as safety concerns, lack of comfortable seating, rude staff, hostile security, poor facilities, few services to pass the time, bribery and being kicked out or other hassles of being in the airport."*  The website is called Sleeping in Airports - c'mon, what decent tourist does that?

So before we even consider tearing down the airport and replacing it with a new one consider these facts:

• The Philippines is the first Asian country to have its own airport. Add to this the fact that we had the first international airline in Asia when Philippine Airlines was established.
• The first airport (the original one) was the Nielsen Tower now known as the Filipinas Heritage Library (many thanks to the Ayala Corporation for preserving the building).
• The original runways of the Philippines are now the streets that border the Ayala Triangle; now the financial hub of the Philippines: Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas
• The first airport was built in 1937. Then it was moved to the site that is now occupied by Terminal 2 and named Manila International Airport. This was in 1948 after WWII and after the Philippines was granted independence by the U.S.
• In 1954 The MIA was built and its runways constructed by 1961. Then it was burned in 1972. So this site was designated to service domestic flights until a new airport was built.
• In 1983 Benigno Aquino was assassinated at the tarmac and in 1987, by virtue of Republic Act 6639 the international airport was named in his honor and NAIA was born.
• Construction was undertaken almost immediately and by 1989 a spanking, state of the art airport was inaugurated.

So technically, NAIA is more than 30 years old. It was the benchmark after all other airports in the region were patterned after.

• In 2009, the airport saw a growth in airport arrivals by 11.4% or a total of 24.1 million
• By 2010,  it had increased to 27.1 million arrivals
• NAIA is on the list of the top 50 busiest airports worldwide in terms of passenger traffic

With Boracay as the top draw for honeymoon destinations, and other scenic spots (which the Philippines is abundant in) it's only natural for arrivals to start trooping in specially during the holiday season. The Philippines also holds the distinction of having the longest Christmas season in the world. WE DO have to adapt to bigger and bigger passenger traffic. However, since there are 86 airports in total scattered all over the 13 regions of our archipelago and only 40 of them in operations, something's gotta give. For now, all our government can offer is a fixer-upper as  major construction work would mean loss of, or at least a reduction of aircrafts serviced in the terminal and  reduced tourist arrivals... Something we don't need just when Philippine tourism is booming. It would be better to go slow and get it right than start building and discover the kinks later (remember terminal 3?).

So before we even condemn NAIA as the worst airport, these guys who take polls should really come to Manila and experience it for themselves... You readers can help by spreading this article around... we may have an airport that sucks but what we have is a GREAT country...

*quote taken from Sleeping in Airports

Tarsiers of Bohol

Bohol may be famous for the Chocolate Hills. But no other resident from Bohol gathers as much attention as the Tarsiers. A common misconception is that these little critters are monkeys... not! The Tarsiers are close relatives to monkeys, chimps and apes but these primates are an evolved species on their own.

These adorable little critters  have a benign countenance that belie their ferocious countenance as hunters and predators. They feed mostly on live insects. Grasshoppers, locusts moths are their prime diet. They are also know to feed on spiders and lizards as well. They're equipped with the longest tarsals of any mammal which can allow them to jump to a height of three meters. Given that, they can jump from tree to tree without even touching the ground. 

They have a hunting range that averages six to ten hectares per animal. This makes them seem solitary animals but they do communicate through sound emitting a shrill cry to identify their mates and their young. They also mark their territory with scent from gland near the mouth (females) and urine (for males) so they can emit an pungent odor that may not augur well with their cute looks

They have the largest eye to head ratio among any mammal and they use their eyes when they hunt at night. Their eyes are fixed in their sockets and these animals adapt with a special neck that rotates 180 degrees. So I hope tourists to Bohol can read this article before they have an encounter with these creatures in the wild or in Tarsier reserves. DO NOT EVER use flash photography when you take their photos. These Flash bulbs are likely to make them blind. They use their eyes mainly when they hunt at night exposing them to bright lights will definitely impair their vision.

Also, do not attempt to squeeze them tightly and prevent them from jumping from your hands. They are well equipped for that. And remember, they are shy animals. They tend to live at least 24 years in the wild but less than half in captivity. They can pass on worms and parasites to humans as well as these tend to inhabit their fur. They also have small sharp teeth that can bite into flesh.

Tarsiers have shown a remarkable population re-growth as of late. The problem to their decline has been human capture to keep them as pets. They are also prone to be eaten by large predatory birds, feral cats. It's been discovered that when they roam freely, they have a tendency to mate and re-populate. In cages, they have an inbred instinct to bang their soft heads against their cages and commit suicide. None of them live to make babies... talk about birth control! :-)

Jojo's B-day at Yakimix

It seems I've been bingeing every weekend now... Last Saturday, I got a text message from Sarita reminding me about lunch... I immediately called up Mudra and said I was just getting ready and would be on my way to his house in about half an hour. Apparently, Sarita had decided we would have lunch at Yakimix on the third level in Greenbelt 4. We left Mudra's house by 11:00am and took a cab to the designated restaurant by half past the hour.

Yakimix is a buffet style restaurant that serves Japanese food. The place is well-appointed with 4 food stations: sushi, dessert, salad and entree. It's a modern japanese style set-up with misono tables on each table. It is well-equipped for large groups and families who get together over lunch or dinner to savor the varied  mix of ingredients. Sarita was already seated when we came in and Fides was the last to arrive as she had come all the way from Quezon City.

Jojo and Mudra were the first to check out the sushi station while Sarita and I continued chatting over recent goings-on in her household. When Mudra cam back his late had potato balls and tamago and all sorts of sushi  one could ever dream of.

I came back with salmon belly sushi, dynamite sushi, black sesame seed sushi, california maki, kani maki, kani rolls, ikura sushi and salmon sashimi. Needless to say, I had seconds after I had totally devoured the contents of my plate. 

Mudra next went to the entree and got a plate loaded with chicken an pork on sticks, bacon wrapped chicken slivers, gizzard and some bits of pork belly marinated in asian seasoning and started to fire up the misono.

I had two styles of pork belly marinated in : teriyaki and sesame oil. I also had fillets of milkfish slices of chorizo more alsmon belly sushi and salmon sashimi and green beans stir fried in chilli/garlic with minced pork.

I also had straw mushrooms tied up with bacon strips, some bacon strips and pork sate which went directly to the oven hot misono grill. I relished every morsel of it. Unfortunately, the tempura was almost immediately consumed before I even got to the station to have a taste. Other diners often beat us to it as we were a bit distant from the food stations.  Nonetheless, we all had our fill.

I was searching around for fruit salad in the attempt to get some fiber into my meal. I had gorged on fish and meat all through lunch but since I found none in the dessert station, I settled for good old reliable leche flan. No... I didn't get just one piece of course...silly!

Update! Update!

I was browsing at my previous blog sites the other day and I realized I had done a lot of writing over the past two years...

Alright, I wasn't consistently writing everyday but I had already made quite a hefty number of entries on my blogs. What to do with them? I learned the fine art of importing my blog to this current blog site! It's the practical thing to do, really...

I'm hoping those who view this site will end up reading some, if not all of my older entries. I have written about a lot of topics. Some of them contained personal opinions which some readers have reacted to. I can't promise to always be nice about the comments... after all... this is MY blog!

Some have reacted to my photos... well... not all of them are picture perfect. It really depends on my mood and physical state on the day I took the photos. There are days when I just couldn't keep my hands still, ergo the jerking motions. Sometimes, they come out worthy of being published in a magazine. I promise to take more photos and publish them online. 

I don't know if it's a bad habit to take photos of the food that I get served in restaurants that my friends and I visit. It's becoming more of a regular thing nowadays. I'm afraid of annoying my friends when they have the hunger pangs to literally dive into the food and I go, "Wait!!! Let me take a picture first!!!" I get dagger looks when I do that. But then, if it's really good then it's blog-worthy, right?

I just hope my next entries will still reflect my personality. Now, you may or may not like my opinion on stuff. Feel free to react. But I urge you to keep an open mind and while you're at it... be nice!

Well, enjoy reading!!!!

Binge Weekend II

     After Ruby and Nanette dropped me off at the corner of Alabastro and Zobel Roxas streets, I proceeded to June's house (batik shirt). June, Jojo and Edna were already there when I came in. We waited awhile for mother and daughter Lulut and Peachie to arrive before heading out to dinner. Once everyone was there, we headed out to Harbor Square in Jojo's (blue polo) van. They decided to have dinner at Dencio's so as we were ushered to our table, it had started to rain... really hard! You would think that since I had gorged myself all morning I wouldn't have the appetite to eat; yeah. right!!!

     Dencio's is a family style restaurant that doubles as a watering hole for yuppies on a night out. They are well known for cheap beer and meals to accompany the drinks. So for starters, we had Calamares. The Squid is sliced thinly crosswise and dredged in a breading mix and deep fried. It's served on a platter with a dip of garlic and tartar sauce.

     It was Lechon Kawali for me at lunchtiime... for dinner, it had to be Crispy Pata! Ooooh, the calories were starting to pile up for me. Thankfully, the pork hock was pre-sliced into bite size pieces served on a platter with some slices of bird-s eye chilli and two types of  soy sauce dip: one with minced onion and the other with calamansi juice. After the turf came the surf. A platter of Shrimp fried and served with soy sauce with the option to spike it with sili'ng labuyo. 

     In any Pinoy gathering, Pancit is a staple. We ordered a platter of Dencio's Pancit Canton and found the flavor quite surprising. The vegetables were fresh and still crisp. The canton noodles were perfectly tender and not soggy like other restaurants are wont to serve it. Actually, this version of Pancit Canton was less oily with just the right amount of saltiness to it.

     Edna, on the other hand, was watching her food intake and she had requested for a vegetable dish. Jojo agreed so he ordered a plate of  ... Chop Suey! Again the vegetables were cooked with just the right amount of tenderness without being overcooked. It had the right amount of bite to it. Jojo relished the slivers of liver as well as the hard boiled quail eggs in the dish. All in all, it was a great Pinoy dinner and since it was Edna's birthday the day before (07, October) she treated us to coffee at Starbucks after dinner. We went back to June's house to chat some more. We were having so much fun just talking until someone realized it was midnight so we all decided to call it a day...

Binge Weekend I

     My friends from Elizabeth Seton School in Paranaque called me about a week in advance to invite me to a lunch treat. My birthday fell on the last Friday of September and they were busy at work in school honing young minds to become responsible citizens of the Philippines. They decided to treat me to lunch on  the following weekend so they wouldn't have to worry about leaving campus early and there would be no classes to teach. Originally, we were to meet at Resort World at eleven. The rains continued to pour and my friend Ruby sent a text message to say that lunch had been  moved to Conti's in Greenbelt. It was easier to get there for all three of us... more accessible... no floods to hurdle!

      Now... Conti's has always been known for its cakes and baked goodies. It started with a small outlet in Paranaque where,  due to word of mouth, the business expanded and started sprouting branches all over Manila. So from a small coffee shop, Conti's developed it's menu chock-full of home-made recipes that  ranges anywhere from intimate dinner dates to huge parties for family or corporate occasions.

     This was a particularly rainy Saturday morning and my friends, Ruby and Nanette were prone to give in to their hunger pangs. Apparently, the trusted cook at the cafeteria where they work had been transferred to the other campus and his replacement's cooking left much to be desired.They were so craving for great food. While we were taking our pick from the menu, Nanette (who had arrived a few minutes earlier had ordered a salad of herb and cheese crusted tofu with slices of tomato and drizzled in a citrus vinaigrette. The parmessan and pesto crust was light and crispy and provided a perfect contrast to the soft, chewy tofu inside.

     Having just had a birthday celebration, I had been watching my food intake all week prior to this lunch. I had been eating healthy meals of fish and veggies and had been strict about eating reasonable (if not small portions) of every meal. So this weekend meant I could just forget being obsessive about eating right and BINGE!!! So it was quite a surprise that both Ruby and myself had ordered the same entree - Lechon Kawali, no less.  Maybe subconsciously, I had been craving for a different type of protein all week. I couldn't have made a better choice. The Lechon Kawali had a siding of Fresh Lumpia with  julienned veggies and bean sprouts, finely minced fresh garlic rolled in an egg wrapper and drenched in a sweet and sour gravy. The   Lechon was deep fried to a perfect brown. Its skin had just the right crispiness while the meat was cooked well done but still moist.

     

Nanette, who was oblivious to healthy food choices ordered a plate of Fish Fillet that had broccoli and cauliflower florets with slices of bacon and a cream sauce. Then when she had devoured the meal, she called the waiter and asked for a plate of Seafood Pasta that had a generous amount of prawns, scallops and some bits of crab meat in it slathered with a marinara sauce and slivers of bell pepper and garlic toast.

     

     I actually had the courage to skip dessert! I opted for coffee instead while Ruby had Sans Rival. The Sans Rival was covered in crushed nuts and was chewy but not too sweet.  Nanette decided on the Chocolate Cake with mocha and chocolate icing. Those cake slices at Conti's are their trademark. Each slice was generous enough to be shared by three people. Okay, so I gave in... I did ask for an extra fork to taste their desserts. We ended the meal and proceeded to the fourth level of Greenbelt 3 to watch a movie. The ladies dropped me off at another friend's house after. By then it was half past five.

Bless the Beasts!!!

     Malate Catholic Church is home to the Nuestra Senora de los Remedios. It has a long and rich history behind it  (see my earlier blog) and many have come to the church to bring their sick children, ask for petitions, and just pray there to feel the comfort the Lady of Remedies brings to tired minds.

    

 Okay, so I'm biased... I grew up in Malate. I even served at the church before I left to live in other shores.  Anyway, On every first Sunday of October there is a special event that happens during twelve o'clock Mass. Today, that's where I heard Mass. And I had the good sense to bring a camera with me. On the feast of Saint  Francis of Assisi, the parishioners are advised to bring their pets with them to the church grounds for the annual blessing of the animals. 

     The priests and staff make an effort to dress up the church to allow the parishioners to take part in the festivities marking St. Francis day. On a side note,  St. Francis (Giovanni Francesco Bernardone 1181- 4 October, 1226) was the son of wealthy Italian merchant (Pietro) whose aspiration was to have a son who would carry on his passion for wealth and business. Born while his father was away on a trip, he was incensed that  his wife had named their son after John so he added the name Francesco because he loved France. Francis grew up enjoying the wealth and luxe that money could buy. He successively joined the battles against Perugia and the Fourth Crusade to become known as a nobleman and rise in status and power. However, as he was off to another war, the Lord persuaded him to go back home. In all his finery, he was scorned and labeled a coward upon his return and his father was so humiliated by his action that he wanted his son to bring back his lost prestige. While praying at the old church in San Damiano, Francis was said to have heard the crucified image of Christ speaking to him to rebuild His church. and the rest of the story goes that Francis was disowned by his father and he in turn renounced all his worldly possessions. Francis ended up living in a cave owning nothing and asking for stones with which he used to literally build the damaged church.

      Anyway, because of his deep love for God, St. Francis the wealthy savant turned into the humble, animal loving, preaching head of a religious order which he disdained in the first place. And even then his own order had turned away from what he espoused as they found his teachings to hard and too spartan to follow. He lived in suffering for the rest of his days until his condition had worsened and he died at age 45.  His most devoted follower was his former sweetheart Clare, who on her own, went against her family's wishes and went into a nunnery and live a life similar to Francis. She later was to found the Poor Clares. But that's another love story worth another blog.

    

So this particular Sunday, Father John Leydon (parish priest) gave a stirring sermon extolling St. Francis' virtues and expounding on the importance of preserving nature as opposed to its wanton destruction for profit. How very appropriate for the times we live in. In so few words, he managed to sum up how important it is to care for our environment. At the end of the Mass, the blessing of the animals followed. Incidentally, the  church patio turned out to be one big fairground where pets had freebies and free check-ups. Dogs of all breeds came lining up for the blessing. Huge dogs... teeny tiny ones... hairy ones... wiry haired... smooth.... parakeets... love birds... even plants were brought up to the altar for the blessing. The proud pet owners had their pets on leashes; some were dressed, groomed, tethered, carried on pet bags, placed on strollers. They were all cute and cuddly and some loved all the attention they were getting.

     Dog lover that I am, I can't help but recall when Muffy came into my care as the parish priest and Father Mickey Martin had asked if I can adopt her... I do miss having a dog to care for but there's no stopping me from admiring the ones that came to be blessed this noon.