VOLUME 2 ISSUE 6 PhP 45 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 6 WWW.SIDETRIPONLINE.COM APRIL - JUNE 2009 T R A V E L M A G A Z I N E PLUS FOLLOW PAMPANGA’S SCORCHING SUMMER TRAIL UNCOVERED SPECIAL A GUIDE TO PHILIPPINES’ HIDDEN BEACHES & WHITE SAND ISLANDS PARADISE NEGROS OCCIDENTAL A FUN ATTRACTION ON THE BEACH OH POI ! A SWEET MIX OF OLD & NEW + ILLUSTRATED DESTINATION MAP FROZEN TREATS MOST EXTRA- ORDINARY ICE CREAM FLAVORS THE P500 CHOW-LLENGE HUNT FOR INEXPENSIVE EATS IN THE METRO WIN THE NORTH FACE & EAGLE CREEK BAGS CALAGUAS GUMASA BANTAYAN NAGSASA + MORE
Transcript
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V O L U M E 2 I S S U E 6 W W W . S I D E T R I P O N L I N E . C O M A P R I L - J U N E 2 0 0 9T R A V E L M A G A Z I N E
PLUS FOLLOW PAMPANGA’S SCORCHING SUMMER TRAIL
UNCOVERED
S P E C I A L
A GUIDE TO PHILIPPINES’HIDDEN BEACHES &
WHITE SAND ISLANDS
PARADISE
NEGROSOCCIDENTAL
A FUN ATTRACTIONON THE BEACH
OH POI !
A SWEET MIX OF OLD & NEW
+ ILLUSTRATEDDESTINATION MAP
FROZENTREATSMOST EXTRA-ORDINARYICE CREAMFLAVORS
THE P500CHOW-LLENGEHUNT FOR INEXPENSIVE EATS IN THEMETRO
WINTHE NORTH FACE &
EAGLE CREEK BAGS
CALAGUASGUMASA
BANTAYAN NAGSASA
+ MORE
Paradise UncoveredIvan Anthony Henares gives a
fresh take on travel destinations for summer. Join him as he revisits
the beaches and islands in the country not usually found in your vacation list.
COVER A photo of the twins Chris and James Sanchez playing on the
beach of White Island in Camiguin. The island of Camiguin is located off
the northern coast of Mindanao.
TRAVEL ESSENTIALSBeach Basics
Know what to bring to your most awaited summer vacation
FOOD TRIPMerry Mix-Up: Halo-Halo Tales
Clare Amador shares where to find various versions of this
interesting Pinoy summer treat
The P500 CHOW-llengeDianne Monsod tours the
Metro for tummy fillers that are easy on the budget
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Ivan Anthony Henares gives a fresh take on travel destinations
for summer. Join him as he revisits the beaches and islands in the country not usually found in your vacation list.
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CONTENTS42
ATTENTION ALL SHUTTERBUGS!
Explore your creativity with Sidetrip! We invite you to send us a photo that best describes or represents a VINTAGE WEEKEND – the theme of Sidetrip’s next issue.
Turn to page 8 for details. P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y R O N A R G U E L L E S
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Bookmarked
READERS SECTIONWeekend Cover Contest
Letter of the Issue
Subscription
REGULARSSidetrip Staff
Contributors
Editor’s Note
Fiesta Calendar
Directory
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CONTENTS42
PLUS!EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS
Conquer Zambales 89
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TRAVEL TALESPampanga In the Sun
Join Anne Elicaño as she explores what Pampanga has
to offer beyond its kitchens.
Negros Occidental: A Sweet Mix of Old and New
Walk with Maica Lagman and Glenn Diaz as they visit notable heritage houses and structures -
Gaston, Hofileña, Lopez, The Ruins - of the sugar capital of the country.
Take Home Treats from Negros Occidental
Maricar Cadavicio gives a rundown of pasalubong to take home from sugarland.
PEOPLE, ARTS & CULTUREWelcome to Ugu’s PlaygroundThis summer, Pryme Queblatin
follows the way of the sun to Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Workshop in
Tiaong, Quezon.
Celebrity Traveler: Gaby Dela Merced –
Beyond the Fast LanesChrista De La Cruz chats with Gaby dela Merced to find out
what she loves to do when she’s not on the race track.
SPECIAL SECTION: SUMMER TOOL BOX
Sidetrip provides fun facts and advisories to help you
prepare for a memorable and excitingsummer escapade.
A-Z Bakasyon Grande Travel Tips
Managing Editor
Creative Director
Associate Editor
Editorial Assistant
Illustrators
Photographers
Contributors
Publishers
Advertising Managers
Advertising Executive
Marketing Coordinator
Subscription Officer
Sidetrip is a quarterly travel magazine published by Pico Integrated Marketing Agency, 3328 Matanzas St., Palanan, Makati City, Philippines. Phone (+632)
must be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. While every reasonable care will be taken by the editors, Sidetrip is not responsible for the return of
unsolicited submissions. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Pico. Reproduction of photos in full or in part is
probihited, unless permission is secured from the editor and/or publishers.
SOL RACELIS
J.R. FELIPE
KRISTY ANN TEXON
CHRISTA DE LA CRUZ
MARIE MONELLENE JIMENEZLUCILLE ANTONETTE TUNGOLOCHELLE MAE DALUYO
IAN ONG, IVAN ANTHONY HENARES, BIKOY VILLANUEVA, JETHER AYALA, JEROME BALUYUT, AMY LEIGH ROLLERA, ALLAN BARREDO, CHESTER CATILAGO, ALLAN R. ASCANAO, JOEL V. SISON, PAWEL ZUREK
IVAN ANTHONY HENARES, DIANNE MONSOD, MARICAR CADAVICIO, CLARE AMADOR, ANNE ELICIAÑO, GLENN DIAZ, MAICA LAGMAN, PRYME QUEBLATIN, APRIL YAP, CONSIGLIERE DE LENA, MIGUEL VILLEGAS
JOANNA MARIE MONTOYAJ.R. FELIPE
ROMMEL BOBILES
MARK VERGEL ROSOS
MELODY MAGBANUA
MELINDA VALENCIA
w w w . p i c o m a n i l a . c o m
EXPLORE YOUR
CREATIVITY WITH
SIDETRIP! We invite you to send
us a photo that best describes or represents
a VINTAGE WEEKEND – the theme of Sidetrip’s next issue. The winning
photograph will be on the cover of the magazine and the owner will receive a surprise gift pack from us.
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CONTRIBUTORS
IVAN ANTHONY HENARES is a young man who is well on his way to exploring the country’s 7,107 islands and more. His candid and well-written travel journals in Ivan About Town (www.ivanhenares.com)—named Best Travel Blog at the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards— give his readers a glimpse of Philippine culture. A staunch heritage advocate, he is a trustee of the Heritage Conservation Society and represents the Philippines in the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC). Henares is currently the Marketing Operations Manager of the North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB).
ANNE ELICAÑO regularly writes for Philippine glossies and won the 2007 International Essay Competition for Young People award from UNESCO and the GOI Peace Foundation of Japan. She was bitten by the travel bug when she joined an international non-profit organization in 2005, a job which took her to various countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
DIANNE MONSOD doesn’t consider herself a writer. But since she’d like to find good deals and tell people about them, she decided to share her finds with Sidetrip. Having a day job at the country’s largest oil company, she finds writing for a travel magazine an outlet for her desire to experience trips and adventures (even if it’s just in the metro).
APRIL YAPhas a day job in the media industry but is a closet writer. She leans towards humorous non-fiction when she has the time to write but has to admit there aren’t that many funny things about advertising.
CLARE AMADORis part of Youth Trip Philippines, a volunteer-based group that promotes responsible travel and sustainable local tourism. http://www.ytrip.org.ph
MARICAR CADAVICIOPreviously a production manager and episode writer for a local cooking show, Maricar continues to prowl the Philippines for good eats and great getaways as she hums to the tune of Discovery Channel’s “Boom De Ah Dah” on her ipod.
MIGUEL VILLEGASis a Sagittarius whose centaur hooves mean that he’s got itchy feet. He loves to travel, something he’s been doing since he was a child with his family. He believes no matter how far you may travel, there will always be new horizons to push. He also loves to write, having written for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as being a part-time performance poet, aspiring author and English teacher.
MAICA LAGMANAfter writing and editing several books, Maica Lagman decided it was time to shift from writing full-time to growing her herbs and whipping up original Filipino salad dishes. Her new project, tossed.multiply.com, keeps her occupied for now. Email her at [email protected].
PRYME QUEBLATINalways has a lot of things on her mind. Most of the time, it revolves around finding a way to fund her next travel stint.
GLENN DIAZis a freelance writer who dabbles with something as mundane as “Grey’s Anatomy” spoilers and things as weird as corporate annual reports and reviews on postmodern stage plays. He has written for several magazines, specializing in travel, cafe lifestyle, and business, among others. He also freelances for PR agencies and once or twice has given workshops on campus journalism to teachers. He earned his secondary education degree from UP Diliman in 2008.
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CONTRIBUTORS
F our years ago, I set foot on the powder-fine sand of Boracay for the first time and
fell in love with the island immediately. Fast forward to 2009, while most people—myself included—still seem to be enchanted by this piece of paradise and consider it a summer staple working for a travel magazine has led me to discover that with an archipelago like ours, the list of “paradisos” yet to be explored and enjoyed seems endless. We’ll take you to some of these uncommon beach destinations in the article “Paradise Uncovered” and also introduce you to other treasures found in Negros Occidental beyond its sugar plantations—the heritage houses and structures reflective of the strong Spanish influence in the province.
This is but the second Summer issue of Sidetrip but we already have so much to be proud of, much to be thankful for and much more to offer to you, our dear readers. Starting with this issue, Sidetrip comes to you in wider and more colorful pages so you can better enjoy our travel features and food finds. You will also get a chance to know more about celebrities and their travel stories, PLUS get an interesting review of the metro’s restaurants and dining places; see a sampler in our P500 Chow-llenge. Aside from coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and terminals, you will see more of Sidetrip in leading bookstores nationwide. Each of these milestones is possible because of your continued support, our dear readers. And for that, we are truly grateful.
This summer and hopefully, for countless summers in the future, I encourage you to share in our journeys as we open doors to new adventures and discover a world of never-ending possibilities.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
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San Guillermo Church, Bacolor
Old Philippine churches will tell you much about a town’s legacy and history, and San Guillermo Church is no exception. First built in 1576, the church looks like it has been transplanted directly from Spain and into her former colony. Augustinian friars supervised its construction, but all of the handiwork—from the intricate carvings on the retablados to its wrought iron chandeliers—has been made by Pampanga’s talented artisans. Mother Nature also had a hand in San Guillermo’s overall
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Food trips to the province of
Pampanga—a mere three-hour drive from Manila—have always been all the rage. But while the restaurants
dotting the culinary tour trail are open
all year round, there are certain things
about Pampanga that are best experienced
during the summer. When the skies are clear and the sun is
golden, it is time to go beyond Pampanga’s
kitchens and fully enjoy its heritage sites,
idyllic barrios, and rugged terrain.
IN THESUNPAMPANGA
BY ANNE ELICANO PHOTOGRAPHED BY SOL RACELIS
Here are the spots we recommend for your Pampanga Summer Trail:
TRAVEL TALES
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design. In 1995, a flooding of lahar (a deadly mix of volcanic ash and mud) from nearby Mt. Pinatubo submerged half of the church. As a result, San Guillermo’s windows have been reduced to low and almost hobbit-like concaves on its side walls. Residents of Bacolor, ever mindful of the church’s rich heritage and place in town life, have since then lovingly excavated and restored the formidable church to what it is today.
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Betis Crafts Inc. Showroom, Guagua
The sleepy town of Betis has been known within these parts for its woodcarving and its furniture makers. The world is also taking notice. One of the town’s biggest furniture firms, Betis Crafts Inc. (BCI), supplies And So To Bed in the United Kingdom and Williams-Sonoma and Restoration Hardware in the United States, among others. It also counts no less than
W W W . S I D E T R I P O N L I N E . C O M
TAKE A SIDETRIP TO:Betis Church, also in Guagua, Pampanga and known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Philippines.” Intricate designs depicting significant events and figures from the Bible are painted on its walls and ceilings. This century old structure is also the 2nd oldest church in Pampanga and declared as a national cultural treasure of the country by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA).
The San Guillermo Church is also known as the
“Half-buried Church”
Retablo of San Guillermo Church
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Hillary Clinton as a customer. Although BCI is mainly an exporter, its showroom in Guagua is open to the public. Visitors can witness how traditional materials—such as dried banana tree bark—can be fashioned into chic, contemporary designs. While the furniture on display is a must-see, the vast garden surrounding the showroom is also to be enjoyed. BCI owner and managing director Myrna Bituin is as passionate about her garden as she is about furniture design, and it shows. In partnership with local tour organizer TEAM RH 500 Expeditions, she plans to showcase the best of Pampanga woodwork, and also serve refreshments here. Not to be missed are her lemon grass juice and Kapampangan merienda (afternoon tea) staples from local bakeries such as taisan, golgoras, and sampaguita cookies.
Ostrichland Leisure Farm, San Luis
There are only five ostriches in the farm, and they are kept as pets and not as livestock. However, that does not seem to be the point of the 12-hectare property owned by the Manliclic family. While not your typical working farm, Ostrichland seems to have captured the best elements of the Philippine countryside. The main road cuts through sampaguita groves and ilang-ilang trees. A bamboo nipa hut (the traditional Filipino farm house), a pond, tropical fruits on the ground, and wildlife are
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La Moderna Treats – served as afternoon snacks at Betis Garden
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part of the scene. Perhaps the only modern fixtures here can be found in the Log House, a sprawling wooden guest residence with modish furnishings. Originally intended to be a place where the Manliclic clan can spend the holidays together, Ostrichland can also be reserved for private picnics and corporate summer outings.
Sacobia Riverbed, Sapang Bato
Gorges, rugged valleys, and canyons all became part of the Pampanga landscape when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991. An ideal place to experience the scenery would be driving through the Sacobia River, which runs through where the earth split during the volcanic quakes. Sacobia should only be traversed during the summer season, when the riverbed—made up of lahar, sand, and rocks—is mostly dry. Tearing through rocky crossings and craters in off-road 4x4 vehicles is not only the best way to get really close to the terrain, but is awesome fun as well. Visitors who need a break from the bumpy ride can pause and take a dip in one of the eight spring pools along the way.
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Contact Betis Crafts Inc. at (045) 900-0309.For Ostrichland Leisure Farm, contact Anne or Jun Manliclic at (0917) 792-8121.
All locations are part of Team RH 500 Expedition’s “Secrets of Pampanga Revealed” tour). Contact Poch Jorolan at [email protected] or (0917) 245-4834 for other schedules and details.
