Wish you were here

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

SOMETHING ABOUT JOLLIBIE

Although he was named Joe Marie by his mother -- after a popular local songwriter/singer -- he was given the nickname Jollibie because of his fondness to celebrate his birthday by having a meal at the popular fast food chain, Jollybee, though he simply changed the spelling of his for a touch of originality.

He's now 18 years of age and attends MLQ High School in Blumentritt. He is a senior, or as what local students refer to as "graduating." At his age, he should already have been in college but unfortunately, he had to quit for two years to help his mother earn a living in order to support his other siblings.

Jollibie was born and had grown up along the railroad tracks near the Blumentritt Station. A couple of months ago, their crudely built shack was among the hundreds in the area demolished by the government to make room for the railway system's revitalization program. And although the government provided them with the transportation to move their belongings to a relocation site in Marilao, Bulacan, they weren't given any lump sum financial assistance -- only a bag of groceries and a small dwelling for which they are to pay a hundred pesos a month for.

Regrettably, Marilao does not offer as much opportunity to earn a living as in Manila; hence, Jollibie's mother -- like many other recently transplanted folks -- has to commute back to Blumentritt on a daily basis to keep working as a vendor at the Blumentritt public market. She has developed a number of regular customers to make the daily commute worthwhile.

As for Jollibie, he very much wanted to finish his final year of high school at MLQ. However, commuting to school from Marilao is too costly. Therefore, he opted to stay in Blumentritt even if it meant living out in the street.

So nowadays, getting up at the break of dawn, Jollibie meets his mother and helps her set up her goods to sell, dashes off to take a bath from a pipe of running water near the tracks, and then off to school he goes at nine in the morning until seven at night.

He sleeps on a piece of cardboard by the outer edge of the Blumentritt Station platform. Whenever it's raining, he seeks shelter at the nearby stairwell of the LRT station without getting any sleep. He keeps his two sets of school uniform and black shoes along with his casual clothing and slippers in a cardboard box and leaves it under the watch of a street vendor at the station platform. On a couple of occasions, someone had rummaged through his box to steal his t-shirts.

His dream fuels his tenacity and keeps him from wallowing into self-pity. He is remarkably determined to finish high school, go on to college, and then get a job that would enable him to earn and save some money to someday buy his mother a house in Manila.

Be that as it may, by doing odd jobs during the weekends, he gets to earn some allowance money, as well as afford a game or two at a neighborhood Internet shop. Somehow, playing DOTA allows him to enjoy whatever childhood magic he has left.

Labels: life in Manila

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:22 AM | 27 comments

Monday, July 28, 2008

BLUMENTRITT TRAIN STATION

This is how the Blumentritt Station now appears after hundreds of shanty-like structures along the tracks had been recently demolished and their occupants moved to a relocation site in Bulacan.

This station was walking distance from where we lived at Misericordia and Batangas Streets. As a kid, there were many times I had gone to this station to meet or send off our mother's relatives from Bicol. Incidentally, the caramelized pili brought over by my grandfather and aunts were something to look forward to.

Compared to the railway systems abroad, ours is indeed in a pitiful state. A disheartening sight, indeed, especially to those who had experienced the high-tech train systems of foreign countries, or the old but well-maintained ones as those in India. Needless to say, our trains are all in dire need of retirement and seem to crumble at a certain speed beyond that of a calesa's.

Regrettably, many lives had been disrupted when the government began demolishing the thousands of houses along the railroad tracks -- from Caloocan to Los Baños. These structures were illegally and haphazardly built and certain parts of this railroad tracks had become nests for criminal and drug activities, difficult for local law enforcement forces to penetrate or conduct surprise raids and searches.

Nevertheless, our railway system needed to reclaim its land so as to make way for this multi-billion peso revitalization program. Hopefully, such modernized train and railway system will help reduce air pollution, ease traffic condition, and provide fast, efficient, cheap and enjoyable means of transportation to our local folks.

Labels: life in Manila

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:03 AM | 16 comments

Sunday, July 27, 2008

CHOCNUT, A PINOY DELIGHT

A true Manileño wouldn't be one without a fondness for one of these -- a ChocNut!

I remember my first visit to Manila after a long absence -- while the kids relished the Godiva Truffles, the honey and almond nougat Toblerone bars, and those candy-coated M&Ms that I had brought them -- I was nagging my sister Inday to get me some peanut milk chocolate ChocNuts.

And when I finally got my hands on a 24-piece pack as in the above photo, it took me no time to gobble it all up -- and all by myself, mind you. I must've looked like a starved escaped felon to those who watched me in utter disbelief. But I didn't care.

Now, for those traveling abroad, one of the wonderful pasalubong ideas I would recommend is ChocNut. Trust me, your old friends will love you for it even if you overstayed!

Labels: Featured food

posted by Señor Enrique at 9:20 AM | 32 comments

Monday, July 21, 2008

REMEMBERING DON RAFAEL IBARRA

Don Rafael Ibarra, the largest landowner and richest man in San Diego. And even though many people loved and respected him, there were others who seethed with envy; thus, hated him with a passion.

And so one day when he came across a vehicle tax collector who was blinded with anger -- beating and stomping a downed man who earlier made fun of him as being illiterate -- Don Rafael, indignant that no one else had the courage to intervene, came to the rescue. He grabbed the tax collector to prevent him from inflicting further harm to the man lying bloodied on the ground.

There were witnesses who claimed that Don Rafael hit the tax collector, others that he only pushed him. In any event, the Spanish ex-artilleryman who had been thrown out of the ranks for being loutish and stupid, and eventually handed a job as a vehicle tax collector -- so he wouldn’t make a living doing menial labor which would only embarrass the army -- stumbled a few steps backwards and fell, hitting his head on a rock. Blood spurted out of his mouth. He died soon afterwards.

Consequently, Don Rafael was arrested and imprisoned. Everyone deserted him, including those who once thrived in his kindness and generosity.

There was, however, one person who chose to stand by him -- a Spanish lieutenant, an old friend, who went through the appeals process on his behalf. But it was all to no avail. Languishing in jail, Don Rafael suffered much unpleasantness; the cruelty that abound undermined his iron will that he eventually fell ill with a disease. Death seemed to be the only cure.

And just when he was about to be exonerated, to be absolved of the accusation of having murdered the tax collector, he died in jail alone. His body was relegated to the Chinese Cemetery for burial only to be later exhumed and thrown into the water.

Hence, the life of Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere character, Don Rafael Ibarra, the father of Crisostomo Ibarra.

Labels: Featured book

posted by Señor Enrique at 9:58 AM | 44 comments

Sunday, July 20, 2008

THE SNAKE VENDOR OF MANILA

posted by Señor Enrique at 11:02 AM | 24 comments

Saturday, July 19, 2008

BLACK FRIDAY RALLY

The presence of anti-riot police force and firetrucks at the corner of Morayta Street and C.M. Recto Avenue yesterday surprised me. I had no idea there was a planned protest march to Mendiola by militant students.

And although I knew they wouldn't get to Mendiola beyond this point -- as is usually the case during any weekday -- I decided to stick around to take some video clips of the approaching march. As it turned out, this particular rally was different from the previous ones I had covered. The presence of imminent danger made it so.

What happened was, while the protesters neared the corner of C.M. Recto Avenue where the police had formed a human barricade to block their path, the fireman assigned to one of the firetrucks inadvertently released the water off the nozzle atop his truck. Many protesters in front, including some members of the police force got sprayed with water.

In reaction, the protesters got enraged; thinking it was an aggressive tactic by the police to thwart their march. And that was the scene where my video clip started (below).

I must commend the top police officials on the scene who tried to calm the incensed youths by telling them that it was a mistake that the water was released on them. The other officials, on the other hand, ordered their men not to hit anyone with their sticks -- that maximum tolerance was to be exercised. Thus, a highly volatile situation was diffused.

It was only today that I learned this rally was dubbed Black Friday; the aim of which was to call for the junking of the oil deregulation law and for a rollback of tuition rates. But nonetheless, while at the scene yesterday, all I could think of was these young peoples' intense passion to join such protest marches despite the risk of getting their heads smashed in by the sticks wielded by the anti-riot police force.

Again, kudos to both the protesters and the policemen for allowing a calm predicament to prevail at the peak of this intensely volatile situation.

Labels: Political Rally

posted by Señor Enrique at 9:48 AM | 4 comments

Thursday, July 17, 2008

HIDALGO STREET REVISITED

Named after one of the country's brilliant 19th-century painters, Felix Resurrection Hidalgo, the entire stretch of this street is bounded by San Sebastian Church on the east and Quiapo Church on the west. Notably, Hidalgo Street was one of Manila's most beautiful and fashionable streets -- boasting grand houses of some of Manila's finest families.

More than a year has passed since I first walked along Hidalgo Street and blogged about it. I went back there the other day, only to be dismayed to find it just as I had the first time -- jeepneys making a terminal out of the western end of the street, while a number of what used to be impressive ancestral homes remain neglected if not abandoned altogether. And from what I was told, the vagrants that gather at night makes the street even less desirable for anyone to venture into.

However, according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer article, some of the residents and leaders of various organizations located on the street and in the nearby area -- such as the NCS, Manuel L. Quezon University, St. Rita’s College, San Sebastian College, the Shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus and Hospitaller Order of the Brothers of St. John of God -- are now involved in some sort of concerted effort to restore certain aspects of the old Hidalgo Street, especially those that are historically and architecturally significant.

Msgr. Gerry Santos, director of the Nazarene Catholic School, claims that such restoration program is part of the school’s social commitment. “It is important to become socially aware and be concerned about our environment,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer during a recent meeting with different sectors involved in the project.

He added, “It’s a historical street, and if only for that, it merits the attention of educators as well as other stakeholders. So I decided to gather not only the residents but also the parents of children enrolled in our school, teachers and the Muslim community in Quiapo to ask what they could contribute to the project. The program has become multisectoral in terms of focus.”

The article also mentioned Dr. Fernando Nakpil Bautista, editor of the book "Quiapo: The Heart of Manila," who said that R. Hidalgo Street -- originally named Calzada de San Sebastian during the Spanish era -- is now a far cry from what it was decades ago. He recalled this street was once a "favored location for upper to middle class families because of its proximity to Malacañang, schools and churches, and recreational facilities on Rizal Avenue."

The article goes on to mention that:

“Many prominent families lived on the street in fabulous mansions, a few which are still around. The Aranetas, Zaragosas, Ocampos, Genatos, Paternos built their homes there because the street has a strategic location,” Zialcita said. “In fact, in 1817, the street was called the most beautiful street in Manila because of its grand homes,” he said, adding that the street was “okay” until 1960 when it started to decline.

Zialcita, who usually takes tourists around for a glimpse of Old Manila, also revealed that European architects were amazed at the vista. “But because it is congested with vehicular and human traffic now, one cannot appreciate its former beauty,” he lamented.

However, Zialcita stressed that the problem of R. Hidalgo has also been a problem of the City of Manila, and perhaps all cities in the country. “There was no plan for the buildings which were gradually neglected by the owners. Eventually, the owners left the place and fled to the suburbs,” he said.

But despite these unhappy changes taking place, Zialcita said it was nice to know that there are people who still feel affection and a pride of place for the street, and hope that restoring it to its old glory would not just be a pipe dream.

Below is a slide show of photographs I had taken during my walk on this street the other day.

Labels: life in Manila, Quiapo

posted by Señor Enrique at 9:35 AM | 14 comments

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

COTTON CANDY VENDOR IN QUIAPO

Imagine my great surprise when I ran into this cotton candy vendor at the corner of Bilibid Viejo and Matapang Streets in Quiapo the other day. It has been ages since I've had one of these sweet treats.

According to CottonCandy.net, although it's made mostly of sugar and food coloring, cotton candy doesn't contain all that much sugar; only as much sugar as one would get from drinking a can of soft drink. Supposedly, a normal serving of cotton candy (about a 1 oz. cone) contains only about 100 calories; that is, compared to anywhere from 130-170 calories in a can of non-diet soft drink.

Nonetheless, watching how cotton candy is made never cease to fascinate me -- sugar, along with some food coloring, is poured into the bowl at the center of the machine. The heated rim melts the sugar and out through the center bowl's tiny holes it gets spun out of. It then solidifies in the air looking like cotton within the large cylindrical metal bowl.

And from this vendor, the small one costs five pesos, while the large is ten.

Labels: Featured food, Street foods

posted by Señor Enrique at 7:04 AM | 24 comments

Sunday, July 13, 2008

STUDENT PROTEST AT MORAYTA

Labels: Political Rally

posted by Señor Enrique at 5:11 PM | 8 comments

GIRL WITH BROTHER CROSSING THE STREET

Whenever embroiled in some arguments with playmates when I was a kid of no more than seven, on very rare occasions, I'd resort to challenging the annoying culprit to a fistfight, "Suntukan na lang!"

And whenever the other boy agreed, wait one second, I'd tell him. I would then fetch my sister Inday (a year my senior) from the house and tell her that someone outside was challenging her to a fight.

She'd immediately drop whatever she was doing -- usually reading a comic book while chewing a bubble gum -- and hurriedly run outside. And with her hands akimbo and head held high, she'd yell, "Which one?" Sure enough everyone would scamper and clear out of sight.

Yes, Inday was a tomboy; encouraged as such by my older brothers so that no boy in the neighborhood or school would ever take fancy on her, or ever intimidate her. This, however, was frowned upon by our eldest sibling Fraulein who wanted Inday to be a dainty and demure little girl. But Inday got to like acting butch.

On the other hand, with the protection of five older brothers and Inday, one can only imagine how invincible I felt. However, I was never a combative kid; I actually got along rather well with all my playmates, including the couple of pesky ones. Hence, all that muscle wasted on the affable and agreeable bunso.

These days, although Inday enjoys doting on her six grandchildren, she doesn't appreciate being called a lola. No grandchild would dare do so lest he or she wants to face the dire consequences. Mama Inday is just fine.

Labels: Growing up memoirs

posted by Señor Enrique at 9:12 AM | 16 comments

Saturday, July 12, 2008

UGLY BETTY COMES TO QUIAPO

This old house at the corner of Bilibid Viejo and Progreso Streets has once again become the center of attraction in this Quiapo neighborhood. Certain segments of the Philippine version of the popular television show Betty La Fea is being shot here.

This house and the immediate neighborhood have been the backdrop for many movies and tele-novelas produced in the past couple of years; thus, many local folks, much like New Yorkers, are quite used to the presence of production crews and major stars coming to the neighborhood to film or videotape their latest projects.

Labels: life in Manila, Quiapo

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:26 AM | 9 comments

Friday, July 11, 2008

SAMALAMIG VENDOR IN QUIAPO

Ed, a reader from San Francisco, California had just made me realized that a popular refreshment that I'm yet to feature is the gulaman. So after doing my errands in Quiapo yesterday, I walked over to the southeast corner of Recto Avenue and Quezon Boulevard to take a picture of the samalamig (chilled drink) vendor (above photo).

Since Ed may be away from Manila for quite some time, like me, he may be astonished to learn that the usual sago't gulaman of decades past has evolved to a selection of different flavors from pandan to fruit salad. Typical tropical fruit drinks such as pineapple and coconut have also become regular offerings. Served in plastic cups, the street price of these drinks vary from five to ten pesos.

These samalamig refreshments are also served at Manila's popular restaurants such as Aristocrat's, Chow King, President's, and Max's, to name a few.

Gulaman is made from seaweed called agar-agar, and can be served as gelatin dessert, with fruits included if desired. Sago, other than in samalamig drinks, can also be served in taho and ginataan.

I never bought any of these samalamig drinks from street vendors because of the rumor that they use "magic sugar" as sweetener and not sugar derived from sugar cane. Magic sugar is supposedly a chemical concoction from China created to simulate the taste of sugar; much cheaper in price, too. Sago, on the other hand, is supposedly created from not so sanitary methods. However, I'm not completely sure about these claims, and would appreciate the input of fellow bloggers.

Nonetheless, whenever I crave for a tall glass of gulaman, I always head over to Chow King for its black gulaman which costs 37 pesos.

Labels: Featured food, life in Manila

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:51 AM | 26 comments

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

FRIENDS ON-BOARD A JEEPNEY IN QUIAPO

Labels: music, photography, Quiapo

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:17 AM | 10 comments

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN

Imagine my great surprise last week to find this fairly recently built structure at the corner of Ongpin and Padilla Streets in Binondo now painted green, housing Mang Inasal. Originally painted yellow, it used to be a Jollibee.

I guess, even the residents and employees in the area would rather patronize the more affordable Chinese food eateries that littered the neighborhood; hence, even the incredibly popular Jolibee didn't stand a chance of making it here. Come to think of it, there may not be enough kids in this enclave to sustain a Jolibee, either. Kids, as we know, are Jollibee's most ardent supporters.

But would an eatery that offers Pinoy-style grilled meals and all the rice that you can possibly eat in one seating such as Mang Inasal have more success in this neighborhood?

As for the visitors in the area, I'm sure they'd rather go for Chinese food being in Chinatown. But then again, I may be wrong. Nonetheless, I tip my hat off to Jollibee and Mang Inasal for their courage to try their luck in such unusual circumstances.

Good luck, Mang Inasal! Hope you do well in this corner.

Labels: eateries

posted by Señor Enrique at 11:49 AM | 19 comments

Monday, July 07, 2008

KWENTONG TAMBAY

The next time we feel the urge to bash Manila or its people, take a minute and consider how even peculiar the post-Soviet Russians can get. Some of them, that is.

Take for example a recent event held In the Caucasus Mountains region recently. A monument to the enema, nozzle and all, has been unveiled at a spa in the southern Russian city of Zheleznovodsk.

Claimed as devoid of kitsch and obscenity, the monument -- with angels modeled on those in works by Italian Renaissance painter Alessandro Botticelli -- was supposedly designed with "irony and humor" by sculptor Svetlana Avakina (to see the article and photo, click here).

Now, I don't know about you, but this is one procedure I cared not think about; let alone erect a 5-foot-high bronze monument in its honor. In fact, my Tia Inez used to threaten me with it (purga in Tagalog), if I didn't eat my vegetables and fruits. Later on in life, I learned that a simple regimen that includes kamote or a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil will assuage or prevent constipation.

On a more somber note, the 20-year-old supermodel Ruslana Korshunova turned out to be suffering from severe depression over a failed affair with a Moscow man when she leaped to her death from a luxury Manhattan apartment building.

Sadly, even though she had attained the status of a supermodel from the young age of 15, she never was able to cope with her inner turmoils caused by loneliness. And despite all that fame and fortune, there was really no one dear to her, except for her mother. Goes to show that Manhattan can be a lonesome town.

Many photographers, especially those who delve in portraiture, certainly aspire to someday discover an ideal model. It must indeed be thrilling to find a local talent, and help him/her attain international prominence. Anna Bayle, after all, is a Filipina who became the first Asian supermodel -- well-loved by couture designers and premier fashion editors.

Be that as it may, my heart goes out to Ruslana Korshunova and her family.

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Please note:
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!


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posted by Señor Enrique at 6:47 AM | 4 comments

Sunday, July 06, 2008

A SOOTHING TRIPLE COMBINATION

posted by Señor Enrique at 5:52 PM | 12 comments

ON SAN SEBASTIAN STREET IN QUIAPO

Labels: Quiapo

posted by Señor Enrique at 12:45 PM | 20 comments

Saturday, July 05, 2008

CAR-MOTORCYCLE CRASH ON RECTO AVENUE

The above photo shows the corner of C.M. Recto Avenue and Nicanor Reyes Street (formerly Morayta). A couple of meters from this corner was the scene of the crash between a private sedan and motorcycle. The video clip below shows its immediate aftermath.

Although it happened only a few meters from where I was at that time, I didn't see it unfold; only startled by a loud, eerie crashing sound that suggested a car crash. By the time I had crossed the avenue to get as close as I could to the scene, the motorcycle driver was already on the ground, seriously traumatized by injuries he had sustained from the impact.

The initial analysis by a traffic officer on the scene suggested the crash may have been provoked by road rage -- both drivers having had an altercation earlier, which led to the car chasing the motorcycle. Seconds later, the car hit the motorcycle from behind, causing its driver to fly off his bike and crash against the road divider.

Luckily, he was wearing a helmet and thus, prevented any life-threatening injury to his head. He was, however, in great pain from injuries he had sustained on certain parts of his body.

Should the result of an official investigation later on reflect the initial on-the-spot analysis of the said traffic enforcement officer, the car driver may face criminal charges such as attempted vehicular murder.

Labels: life in Manila

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:02 AM | 18 comments

Friday, July 04, 2008

MMDA AT WORK

Besides managing the flow of traffic in the entire Metro Manila, some members of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) workforce -- under its Metro Gwapo initiative -- have been busily rehabilitating and repainting the facades of some of the buildings along C.M. Recto Avenue in Manila's university belt area.

I think it's a wonderful idea. It sort of pursues the efforts to revitalize Manila as conducted by the previous administration of former Mayor Lito Atienza. It is indeed disheartening that many property owners in Manila somehow do not expend any effort to beautify, or at least, maintain their structures.

This reminds me of a conversation I once had with fellow blogger, Sidney Snoeck. He said that recent building codes in Belgium obligate property owners to refurbish the entire building, not just the ground floor spaces only. Unfortunately, here in Manila, most property owners especially in the prime tri-district area of Binondo-Quiapo-Santa Cruz mainly focus on the ground floor which generate substantial income from rental fees, while leaving the second and upper floors to decay.

The video clip below shows one of the few remaining wooden structures on C.M. Recto Avenue being repainted by the MMDA crew yesterday. The photo above, on the other hand, shows the structure a couple of days after this video was taken.

Labels: life in Manila

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:08 AM | 13 comments

Thursday, July 03, 2008

THE BEST TURON SABA VENDOR IN QUIAPO

It remains as one of my favorite merienda foods. I can eat one everyday, in fact. The caramelized deep-fried crispy wrapper and the soft saba banana with a sliver of langka (jackfruit) inside make a heavenly texture.

The ones we make at home are much smaller and only slightly sweetened with brown sugar (above photo) unlike those sold by street vendors. However, the best turon and banana-cue street vendor in Manila that I know of is in Quiapo -- right on Bilibid Viejo and Ludovico Streets (near Loyola Street, formerly Lepanto). She has become so popular that the administration office staff from a couple of major universities in the area order turon by the hundreds from her during special school affairs. Hence, none would be available for the public on those days.

I was also told that the vendor, for sanitary reasons, first boils the sticks that she use for her banana-cues. Moreover, word has it that her earnings from selling turon and banana-cue enables her to send her kids to school. The eldest has already graduated from college and now working abroad.

The photos below were taken from her stall. Both the turon and banana-cue are ten pesos each.

Labels: Featured food, life in Manila, Quiapo, Street foods

posted by Señor Enrique at 7:13 AM | 16 comments

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

DIVISORIA

It isn't exactly the most photogenic part of town but Divisoria has got to be the hub of commerce serving the entire country. Many dry goods, farmed produce, seafoods, and all sorts of locally-produced and exported merchandise pass through here.

I've decided to feature photos of items sold right along the streets because the various malls in the area do not allow the use of any photographic equipment inside. The main reason: smuggled pirated and counterfeit products from China and other Asian countries are allegedly sold in the stores inside those malls -- such as fake iPods and iPhones, DVD movies, various designer fashion accessories, top brand athletic footwear, and etc.

I rarely venture into Divisoria. I find it as nothing more than one gigantic tiangge or marketplace congested with people, shoulder-to-shoulder. However, many of Manila's savvy shoppers -- young and old alike -- always make it a point to make Divisoria their first stop whenever in the market for something.

Labels: Divisoria, life in Manila

posted by Señor Enrique at 10:46 AM | 17 comments

Life in Manila as observed by a former New Yorker who with a laptop and camera has reinvented himself as a storyteller. Winner of the PHILIPPINE BLOG AWARDS: Best Photo Blog in 2007 and three Best Single Post awards in 2008.

 

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