My Zambaleño food experience was always about mangoes, freshly caught tunas, and delectable kakanin rice cakes. But the past Dinamulag Festival weekend and recent family visits introduced me to more than the usual table fares in the province, discovering the more metropolitan side of eating places in Zambales. From local dishes and Filipino comfort food, to street food and posh café offerings, I was pleasantly surprised at the variety culinary places in Zambales worthy of a side trip from its beaches and mountains.

And if the mangoes are what stay with you after the Dinamulag weekend, there are carabao mangoes from Filipino growers you can order online long after the festival ends.

We’re two hours early at the train station, waiting for an eleven-hour hard seat ride from Pingyao to Beijing. My travel partner and I had just finished the first leg of this year’s summer trip and it’s only now that I’m getting the chance to write the prelude to our last summer trip as a couple. Yes, It’s gonna be a while before our next one, and that next one’s gonna be totally different. From a traveling couple, we’re going to be a trio. A baby’s coming in soon to join our backpacking trips!

READYING FOR THE COLD, OUR LAST MEAL BEFORE THE TRIP ~ PHOTO BY SHERWIN ARANIEGO

Since BG’s carrying a baby now, a few changes are in order for this year’s backpacking trip. We shortened our usual two-month tour by two weeks. Instead of hitting out of the way destinations, we thought of trying easier routes, lessening land travel to a minimum as much as we can. We also thought of staying longer on places than the usual three to four days stay. And lastly, we ditched our backpacks for something far easier on our backs, luggage trolleys (after five days, I can say that rolling around a trolley is indeed easier, albeit less convenient when riding trains and city buses).

I have previously wondered about the heritage churches in Zambales, or more accurately, the absence of them. I knew that the Spanish conquistadores have definitely reached this part of the Philippines, but every time I visit my wife’s (Blissfulguro) hometown of Cabangan, the churches I pass en route are all modern ones. This province is old, founded in the 1500’s, but where oh where are its massive stone churches?

It was only recently that I finally got a glimpse of the Spanish colonial churches in Zambales. It turns out, I need to go past the sleepy town of Cabangan to finally see these old behemoths. Out of the thirteen municipalities of Zambales, four of these has old churches (it’s worth noting that all of these are located on the northern parts of the province), and of these, one even has a seal of being a National Cultural Treasure. Not really a lot, and I’m really curious as to the reason why, but still a good enough collection worthy of a Visita Iglesia pilgrimage in Zambales.

The glittering yellows worn by the dancers shimmered, reflecting the hot afternoon sun. Drumbeats rumbled across the asphalt road fronting the natively dressed capitol building as Zambaleños cheer the festival queen holding a basketful of ripe golden mangoes. Her contingent, intricately dressed in gold and greens, gyrated and jumped as they parted the crowd—the queen twirling, her unwavering smile beholden to her audience.

GETTING READY FOR THIS YEAR’S DINAMULAG FESTIVAL IN ZAMBALES

Zambales is a province I've visited countless of times, but witnessing the Zambales Dinamulag Festival was a first for me. And what a first it was.

It’s officially summer in the Philippines! And while going to the beach to cool off is definitely on everyone’s list of things to do during the break, you really can’t stay the whole summer lounging on the sand and swimming on the sea, can you? In between your beach get-aways, you may want to try a few things you can do within the confines of the city too—and there’s actually a lot you can do within Metro Manila without the need to spend hours on end driving out of town.

To make things much easier, you can even book your tours within Metro Manila via Traveloka. As one of the top travel apps in the country for booking flights and hotels, Traveloka has now upped its game by letting its users book tours within the app. Just fire up the app, click on the “Attractions & Activities” tab, then either search for places or activities. Besides tours in the Philippines, they also have international activities covered. Convenient and hassle-free, eh? Here’s a few things you can do in Manila this summer via Traveloka.

Three of my photographs appeared on NGCP’s 2019 calendar. NGCP or National Grid Corporation of the Philippines is a privately owned corporation that manages the government’s nationwide power grid and transmits power from where it is produced to areas that need it.

Their calendar focuses on off-the-beaten places in the Philippines, particularly those from Sorsogon, Mountain Province, Iligan City (Tinago Falls), Romblon, La Union, Quezon, Aklan (Bakhawan Eco Park), Antique, Aurora, Surigao Del Sur, Nueva Ecija (Minalungao National Park), and Zambales.

Two of my photos recently appeared on Crescent Hopes, a small book published by the Ayala Foundation. The book delves in detail about the Bangsamoro Young Leaders Program- Leadership Communities which aim to uplift the lives of the people of ARMM by recruiting young people to enact sustainable programs.

SULU SUNSET TAKEN FROM THE MARINES CAMP IN PATIKUL

It tracks the progress of the first batch of fellows chosen by the foundation who spearheaded projects in the five provinces of ARMM and the changes they have imparted in their communities. From the Yakan weaving and dried fish processing in Basilan, crab farming and Inaul weaving in Maguindanao, a boat project that ferries students and transports fishes in Tawi-Tawi, coffee farming in Sulu, and marketing the palapa condiments in Lanao Del sur.