Save The Tawilis

At one time or another, you must have heard of the name of this fish: Tawilis, or Tunsoy in the southern regions. This is quite a popular fish. Unfortunately, it's endemic only to Taal Lake in Batangas. You cannot find this freshwater sardine anywhere else in the world!

The demand for this fish simply cannot be satisfied by the Tawilis population. Each year results in less catch. And we cannot rely on government, NGO, and environmental awareness groups alone. We all must act if we are to save this fish.

We can all help in saving this fish in two simple ways:
1. Do not patronize Tawilis products! As the World Wildlife Foundation once said, "when the buying stops, the killing ends." While this was the slogan for the more highly-publicized ivory trade and whales, this slogan is also very much applicable to us.
2. Spread the word. I myself was surprised to learn that the Tawilis is in danger of extinction and yet it is heavily advertised in restaurants along Tagaytay as a specialty. Had I known before the plight of this fish, I would have discouraged its consumption. Now you can have a more informed choice.

Feel free to copy the simple banner and display it in your site or blog.

Thank you, and hopefully that we can all make a difference.

References:
Wikipedia
Fishbase
Google for Tawilis to get other information

Batangas' Tawilis

We were done with our annual company sportsfest when some friends decided to drop by Tagaytay to while away the rest of the nice weekend afternoon and have dinner there as well. At the sound of dinner, the others exclaimed, let's have Tawilis!

The Sardinella Tawilis, or simply called Tawilis (a.k.a Tunsoy in Cebu), is one of its kind because:
- it can only be found in the Philippines
- it lives in only one place: the Taal Lake in Batangas
- it's 1 of only 2 freshwater fish in the family Clupeidae (which Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens also belong to).

Apparently the Taal Lake opened up to the Balayanbay until a violent eruption of the Taal Volcano in the 16th century sealed-off the lake. Eventually the water lost its salt content and the Tawilis evolved with the change, becoming a freshwater fish.

It was my first time to partake of this popular fish. We dropped by the RSM Restaurant in Tagaytay and ordered a fried version, along with Filipino favorites bulalo, sinigang, and some grilled meat and fish.

RSM is a nice restaurant with one side open to the side of the mountain, letting in the fresh, cool night air.

And how did the fish taste like? Hmmmm.... it was like unsalted tuyo... its texture and taste was certainly different from the salted ones. Ok, I'm not at all very good at describing the flavor but that's what it was. Like unsalted tuyo. Intriguingly different. Which reminds me... I have heard it's name in the Baguio public market too. Wow, it's really a popular local fish, isn't it?

Sinigang, bulalo, and grilled meat and fish with Tawilis!

Half-eaten sisig with Tawilis!Fresh coconut juice with Tawilis!

However, due to the uniqueness in habitat, the Tawilis is in danger of extinction, what with the increasing demand for the fish. I wonder if they can regulate its capture?


Addendum July 30:
I have heard before of the Tawilis and that it can be found in Taal Lake, but what I did not know was that it's not found anywhere else in the world! And that there are only two freshwater sardines existing in the world, one of which is the Tawilis. And that this fish is in the endangered list.

I just learned about this fact when I did this post and researched about the Tawilis. And it is indeed an endangered species.

Had I known the state the Tawilis is in, I would have discouraged our eating it.

Reference:
http://www.thenewstoday.info/2005/07/19/iloilonews10.htm

I will be posting in my blog a list of endangered species as part of my advocacy for nature conservation so guests to this blog will be better informed than I had been at that time.

Magellan's Cross in Cebu

April 14, 1521 is a very important date in our heritage as this was the day when the cross that symbolized Christianity was planted on Cebu's soil. Rajah Humabon, his family, and some of his subjects were baptized during the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan.

The cross stands protected inside a domed gazebo-like structure. The cross itself, though, is shrouded in mystery. While some say that the original cross is encased in wood (because people would chip-off some of the wood as they believe it was miraculous), others theorize that the original cross has been destroyed long ago and this is a "replacement". Whatever the case, this place is as close to the birth of Christianity in our country as you can get and whether the cross there is the real thing or not, it's the faith of the people manifesting itself how powerful an influence it has since that monumental day.

watson was here :-)

Right beside Magellan's Cross is the impressive Basilica del Sto Niño. The place is rich with our religious cultural heritage. The place exudes an atmosphere of celebration, and at the same time inside was serenity and powerful meditation. People listened to the Gospel, or else milled about and prayed.

While walking about, I felt awed by the place and by the people.




Outside the Basilica is an open-air amphitheater-like structure where you can also hear mass. That was quite extraordinary.


Outside, a number of vendors sold religious icons.

Wingardium Leviosa!

The closest thing I will ever get to visiting Japan

Japan, the land of the rising sun, has always fascinated me. Their origami, ikebana, samurai, anime, onsen, kites, sushi, sashimi, asimo, bento, manga.... simply amazing. So if I were granted one wish to visit a foreign country with all expense paid (I wonder where I can get this?), Japan will surely be at the top of the list. And I'm sure to come back to the Philippines with 10 times the luggage I originally hauled going there. It will be smack full of ramen, action figures, DVDs of Godzilla and Gamera, toys, a samurai costume (or two), and more action figures!

Dream on.

So how do you get to experience a bit of Japan? Go to Little Tokyo!

Little Tokyo is like a small town square with a small park in the middle and small shops on the perimeter. To get to the "town square", you have to cross a narrow corridor with lamps lighting the way.

I have been here previously with a couple of friends, but that was years ago. We just chanced upon this place, not unlike Burnett's The Secret Garden, and we were mesmerized by its tranquility. In fact, you couldn't imagine that the street just outside Little Tokyo is one of the more notorious traffic jam magnets in the city. We arrived late, though, and most of the shops have already closed except for one, which was preparing to do the same. We implored that we be let in and the owner, who is a sweet Japanese lady, smiled and ushered us in. We removed our shoes, squatted beside the low table, and had a nice, light dinner of rice balls, fish, and some sake'.

My going back there a couple of days back as a treat from a friend brought back this nostalgic memory. It seems that Little Tokyo is doing rather well because tables and chairs have now joined the park.








It was still quite early so I was surprised that a couple of the shops were closed, including the one I visited years ago. Then we saw Niko-Niko Tei, which was quite packed. The food must be good there. And so we decided to dine there.

We were greeted by the waitresses as we entered thru the sliding door and we got ourselves comfy on our bench as we were served appetizer on saucers.

The place looked deceptively small. In fact, the dining area is just a section. There are separate rooms where you do squat and there's even TV. I would think that's for videoke? In the dining area where we were, there's a sushi bar at the corner with the seats fully occupied. A TV overhead broadcasted football in Japanese. And there were Japanese guests as well. There were announcements on our table written in Japanese. It wasn't difficult to imagine at all that you're in a small, homey shop in suburban Japan. Nice.

We ordered items we were familiar with such as sushi and sashimi, and we also tried out new dishes.

This dish used small shrimps.





I love Yoshinoya's beef bowl, but this dish is simply something different altogether. Sweet, tender beef! I wonder why we forgot to order rice?

There was also a small sampling of ginger that came with the maki. The ginger was delicious! Sweet when you first bite into it, and then its spiciness would gradually ensue.

But I rather like the flavor of the mung bean sprouts in Tokyo Tokyo better though. This one was tasteless. Or is it really supposed to be this way?

Hmmm... my camera phone is missing other shots, like a couple of the sushi and maki! Aaargh.

One had sea urchin on it. That one I watched with a weary eye as I picked the fish, shrimp, and roe. I had a rather unsettling experience with the sea urchin a couple of years ago. In the end, the sea urchin remained untouched. *sigh* It's one of the more popular food items but I guess for me, getting used to it will take longer.

It was overall a wonderful dining experience!



[Little Tokyo is located at Pasong Tamo near Makati Square]

Surviving the July 16 earthquake

Today is Cordillera Day. I was in Baguio last weekend and we dropped by SM to watch the latest Harry Potter flick but when we saw the looong line, we shrugged off the idea and shopped instead. There was a program showcasing native dances from the different regions of the Cordilleras. It's good that they have this to remind us of our proud heritage. Did you know that in the 70s there was an annual celebration by the locals called the Grand Cañao? It was held in the Burnham Park soccer field. There would be dancing and pigs and cows slaughtered, with the participants given a hefty slice of meat! Gone are the days...

But I digress.

Incidentally, today is also the anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Baguio City and other regions in 1990. 17 years... has it been that long? I can still vividly remember that time when I was in college. There was a strike, forcing SLU to suspend classes. The library, among other offices, had to be kept operational and so we were asked to report for work. I was working my way through college as a library assistant then. We held office in the Basement of the 6-floor Fr. Ghisleen de Vos Library Bldg.

So there we were, around 4 of us, typing and writing the time away when we felt a jolt. We paused and everyone looked at the ceiling. It was quite strong but when it gradually slowed down, we continued with our work. And then just as sudden, the ground began to shake sideways! The sound was a deep bass that sounded like a machine grinding stone, combined with bookshelves falling one on top of the other like dominoes and books flying everywhere. Our shouts cannot be heard on top of this noise as we ran to the medical library adjacent to our office. The exit was so near us but when we were already a few steps from it, the roof collapsed! We held on to the nearest post and saw tables and chairs being crushed by the collapsing shelves.

After what seemed like hours, it finally subsided and we ran to the exit and shouted for help. People nearby heard our call and helped us over the debris. We went to the open space in front of the SLU Hospital and huddled together with grade school and high school kids as people and ambulance ran to and from the hospital bearing the wounded. There was crying and shouting everywhere. It was like you were watching something from a movie. We felt numb.

It was Daylight Savings Time. It was the first and last time ever that DST was implemented in the country and to some extent, I think the grade and high schools suffered less casualty than it would have because students left an hour early. If the multi-floored schools were fully-occupied at that time, I couldn't imagine what would have happened.

We walked down Session Road later that afternoon. It was like a ghost town. The wind felt eerily cold. Everybody had to walk home; we lived in San Vicente in Kennon Road at that time. Where there was once a winding cemented road, there was instead a muddy hill.

Those times were truly unforgettable. We walked from home to town to buy supplies from stores that had to close and keep just one window open with people scrambling to buy whatever they can. We received periodical relief goods. We listened to the AM Radio and candles lit our nights, with the aftershocks keeping us on our feet. Dead people's feet sticking out of makeshift tents in morgues out in the streets. Media frenzy told stories of outbreaks.

Looking back, I feel blessed to have survived the earthquake, and to have my family. Some were not so fortunate. While such calamities cannot be avoided, I pray in memory of July 16.

Photo credit and related link: Baguio Earthquake by the Hawaiian Webmaster

Surviving the July 16 earthquake

Today is Cordillera Day. I was in Baguio last weekend and we dropped by SM to watch the latest Harry Potter flick but when we saw the looong line, we shrugged off the idea and shopped instead. There was a program showcasing native dances from the different regions of the Cordilleras. It's good that they have this to remind us of our proud heritage. Did you know that in the 70s there was an annual celebration by the locals called the Grand Cañao? It was held in the Burnham Park soccer field. There would be dancing and pigs and cows slaughtered, with the participants given a hefty slice of meat! Gone are the days...

But I digress.

Incidentally, today is also the anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Baguio City and other regions in 1990. 17 years... has it been that long? I can still vividly remember that time when I was in college. There was a strike, forcing SLU to suspend classes. The library, among other offices, had to be kept operational and so we were asked to report for work. I was working my way through college as a library assistant then. We held office in the Basement of the 6-floor Fr. Ghisleen de Vos Library Bldg.

So there we were, around 4 of us, typing and writing the time away when we felt a jolt. We paused and everyone looked at the ceiling. It was quite strong but when it gradually slowed down, we continued with our work. And then just as sudden, the ground began to shake sideways! The sound was a deep bass that sounded like a machine grinding stone, combined with bookshelves falling one on top of the other like dominoes and books flying everywhere. Our shouts cannot be heard on top of this noise as we ran to the medical library adjacent to our office. The exit was so near us but when we were already a few steps from it, the roof collapsed! We held on to the nearest post and saw tables and chairs being crushed by the collapsing shelves.

After what seemed like hours, it finally subsided and we ran to the exit and shouted for help. People nearby heard our call and helped us over the debris. We went to the open space in front of the SLU Hospital and huddled together with grade school and high school kids as people and ambulance ran to and from the hospital bearing the wounded. There was crying and shouting everywhere. It was like you were watching something from a movie. We felt numb.

It was Daylight Savings Time. It was the first and last time ever that DST was implemented in the country and to some extent, I think the grade and high schools suffered less casualty than it would have because students left an hour early. If the multi-floored schools were fully-occupied at that time, I couldn't imagine what would have happened.

We walked down Session Road later that afternoon. It was like a ghost town. The wind felt eerily cold. Everybody had to walk home; we lived in San Vicente in Kennon Road at that time. Where there was once a winding cemented road, there was instead a muddy hill.

Those times were truly unforgettable. We walked from home to town to buy supplies from stores that had to close and keep just one window open with people scrambling to buy whatever they can. We received periodical relief goods. We listened to the AM Radio and candles lit our nights, with the aftershocks keeping us on our feet. The feet of the dead sticking out of makeshift tents in morgues out in the streets. Media frenzy told stories of outbreaks.

Looking back, I feel blessed to have survived the earthquake with my family safe and sound. Many were not so fortunate. While such calamities cannot be avoided, I pray in memory of July 16.

Photo credit and related link: Baguio Earthquake by the Hawaiian Webmaster

I smell something fishy...

When you think of Cebu, what comes in mind?

Magellan
Lapu-Lapu
Beaches
Dangit
Pusit
Lechon
Otap

Not necessarily in that order. Although, when you're the one going to Cebu and delighted friends know it, for sure you can't bring the first three back as pasalubong.

"I want Magellan's cross!"
"Eh? Gusto mong masaktan?" hehe

They will surely want danggit, pusit, otap, lechon, or all of them.

We were recently in Cebu for a business trip. The last day was our free time, and our host advised us to be really early and take a bath only after going to Taboan.

Taboan is a very famous place in Cebu where you get your fill of dried fish and squid. While it is indeed a delightful place, the dried fishy smell permeates the area and it sticks to you. You will get quite accustomed to the odors though as you become busy choosing and haggling. And then, you end up smelling like your purchase! But hey, that's part of the adventure.

Danggit is the most popular item here, closely followed by pusit.

Oh wow. I can smell the dried fish even just by looking at these photos. Overpowering me... gotta buy more... and deep fry it... and soak it in vinegar....After our purchases here, we decided to go directly to the place where necklaces and bracelets can be bought. Perhaps if we linger in a stall with our collective smell, the vendors will give in to our haggling just to get us away from their place! How's that for a strategy?

So right after Taboan, we headed for Carbon. We were so early that only a couple of stalls were just open. We were quite engrossed with the variety of goodies and pretty soon the other stalls were opened too. The girls were absolutely delighted at the variety (my wife loved my pasalubong as well).


This nice, huge half-shell as prominently displayed and when I pointed them to it, Dessagirl began singing a haunting song from Disney's the Little Mermaid. hehe. I was tempted to buy it but it was quite pricey at around 220 pesos. I won't say how much the other necklaces in the other stalls are but you will indeed be surprised, and will result in spurgling. Warning: make sure you have your fare back to the hotel and the airport in a safe place. Never mind lunch. Haha
The photo below was prompted by Dessagirl, my first commenter. We were told to wear things we would usually wear at home. I took it to heart and wore shorts and a shirt. I really looked like I just came from the house. haha

So many beads, so little time!
Did our smelly strategy work? Nah. Although we were able to haggle, their noses did not tremble at our new-found scent and did not shoo us from their stalls.

Actually, the people of Cebu are very friendly and hospitable! I truly enjoyed my stay there. Even in our work where we were required to do customer survey... you can see the difference in attitude between people in Manila and in Cebu. Really nice bunch, the Cebu people. I find the atmosphere relaxed and somewhat informal. Thanks for making our stay sooo nice!

More than meets the eye

My thirst for Transformers merchandize has been satisfied recently, thanks to Dessagirl's Dakki business. I was just dropping by her cubicle a couple of days back when I saw the Dakki catalog on her table with "Transformers" boldly written on the cover. Mesmerized, I flipped it open and before I knew it, I had already placed my order for two shirts and a pillow for Jo-Lo. I notified a colleague who simply loves Transformers and not surprisingly, he placed orders for himself and his kids too. Our orders arrived this morning. Yipee!

Hmmm... I'll wear this Autobot shirt when I feel good, and the Decepticon shirt when I feel bad... some more colleagues ran off to Dessagirl to order when they saw the shirt. hehe

Men and their toys. hehe

The last time I have seen creative interest on a movie displayed so widely was Star Wars. And now here's Transformers of the 80s generation with the movie bringing it to new audiences.

I have seen at least 4 forwarded e-mail messages with a Transformers theme to it. Here are some of them:

This is supposed to be an animated gif. Try downloading the image and see if it works on your viewer.

Another e-mail was about a jeepney transforming into Bumblejeep! Still another is about a list of transforming actors and actresses. Here's a snapshot:

Want the e-mail in its entirety? Give me your address and I'll forward it to you. :-)

Oh yes, about the movie. To tell you frankly, I was a bit disappointed with it. Anticipation ran high, and we watched it on its first day of screening. I was expecting the storyline to be somewhat aligned with the cartoons, which will appeal to the 80s generation who knew the Transformers that way. But it turned out to be totally different. The storyline, the characters, they way they looked, etc.

I had a second opportunity to watch it again when we had an event with a film showing at the end of the seminar. Between entertaining the customers and dozing off at the lobby, I managed to watch the action scenes and at that time I began to appreciate the movie. It was actually cool when they had the battle scene in the city. So if somebody will treat me to the movie, I'll watch it again and perhaps gain a better appreciation of it. So who's treat is it?

The toys, though, which features the original transformers line, is now at 30% off! Hmmm... I just need to save a little in my next salary for that Bumblebee....

Breakfast of the Islands

One thing I enjoy about going to different places in our lovely country is that I get to sample and enjoy the culinary specialties of the region. Alaminos in Pangasinan, for example, brings us sumptious longganiza. Dolores in the province of Quezon has this tasty vinegar extracted from kaong. Then we have danggit and pusit from Cebu!

What a wonderful way to have breakfast!

Do you know how to cook your longganiza? Here's how.

Put the sausages into the frying pan, and pour water over them. The water should submerge only about a quarter of the sausages. Cook over medium heat. I have been advised to simply cover it and let the simmering heat cook the meat but I like to occasionally take a peek and turn these over to make sure the other half gets cooked well too.

Soon, the water will have evparated. Weaken the fire a bit, and using a fork carefully pierce the sausage. Oil will ooze out. The sausage will start frying on its own oil. If this is insufficient, just add your favorite cooking oil. Turn the sausages occasionally until golden brown. Remove from oil.

Now, what to do with the remaining oil? Chop up a couple of garlic cloves and mash some cooked rice. Saute the garlic in the oil then fry the rice in it. Mmmmmm....

Now for the sauce. Crush a couple of garlic cloves and pour vinegar onto it in a sauce dish.

Hmmm... some danggit and pusit ought to complete this delectable meal? Go fry some too over a fresh set of pan and oil!

Now that's what I call a breakfast that's truly Filipino! Different food items from different regions, in the cool climate of Baguio.

Only it's not breakfast ... it's my merienda! :-)