Chef Hasset Go Bloggers Night: The Il Mercanti Experience

Photo by Dessert Strip. Poster by Gian Pisuena. 

Free Recipe: Strawberry Cheesecake Springrolls

Ingredients

1 cup creamcheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1 can/cup strawberry preserves, filling
springroll wrapper / lumpia wrapper
cooking oil for frying
white sugar

Sauce
Prepared strawberry sauce

Procedures

1. Beat the creamcheese. Add powdered sugar. Mix for 10 minutes until creamy and well combined.
2. Fold in crushed grahams.
3. Add strawberry filling. Chill for 3 hours.
4. Scoop a tablespoon of the cheesecake mixture and place it on a springroll wrapper. Wrap and roll. Seal with water or flour-water paste.
5. Heat the oil and deep fry the springrolls.
6. Drain well and roll in sugar or crushed grahams.
7. Top with strawberry filling and dust with powdered sugar.

Free Recipe: White Chocolate Almond Cream Puffs

Choux Pastry

1 cup butter
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
8 pcs eggs

Pastry Cream
4 cups fresh milk
1 cup sugar
4 pcs egg yolks
4 pcs whole eggs
1 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp. vanilla
½ cup butter

Garnish
500 grams white chocolate, melted
toasted almond flakes

Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Choux: Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it simmer and butter has melted. Add flour at once. Stir very well until it forms like a ball or a dough.
3. Beat using wooden spoon until slightly cooled. Add eggs one at time.
4. Transfer dough in a piping bag or you can just use ice cream scooper. Scoop dough and place it in a cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until it puffs. Set aside.
5. Pastry Cream: Combine 3 ½ cups of fresh milk and sugar in a saucepan. Let it boil.
6. Meanwhile, you can now dissolve cornstarch in ½ cup milk. Add eggs. Set aside.
7. Once the milk mixture boils pour half of the mixture unto the egg mixture. When the egg mixture has been tempered, you can now bring that mixture back unto the fire and continue cooking until thick. Turn off heat, add butter and vanilla. Let it cool.
8. Assemble: Fill each choux puffs with pastry cream by using piping bags. Dip each puffs unto the melted white chocolate and sprinkle top with almond chips.

Chef Hasset's Top 5 Favorite Desserts

So what’s your favorite dessert?

We can’t help but ask this burning question to Chef Hasset Go- undoubtedly one the youngest and one of the most awarded pastry chefs in the country.

I’d say we never expected his answers. While we imagine highly complicated desserts and ultra expensive chocolates in our minds, Chef Hasset gave us answers that left us all in awe and lost for words.

Instead of expensive cakes and pastries, Chef Hasset gave us for answers ordinary desserts that we can practically find anywhere in the Philippines- something that continually reminded him of what used to be back in his hometown.

And so, ladies and gents, presenting Chef Hasset Go’s Top 5 Favorite Desserts!

Favorite Dessert #1: Leche Flan

Is this all-time Filipino dessert part of your list too? Chef Hasset confesses that this is on top of his list. Leche Flan, as we all know it, is a custard dessert with caramel syrup. It’s made of egg yolks, milk and sugar and is widely eaten throughout the world.

"Halayang Ube"
Photo Credits: www.atetesskitchenette.blogspot.com

Favorite Dessert #2: Halayang Ube

Now this got me nodding at Chef Hasset Go. Definitely, Halayang Ube is on my list too. Halayang Ube is a kind of jam made of purple yams that were boiled altogether with milk, coconut milk, sugar and for some, vanilla. My favorite Halayang Ube are the ones that can be bought in Baguio- made by Golden Shepherd.

Favorite Dessert #3: Buriki

Wow! Too bad we can’t find a photo of this one over the internet but Chef Hasset said that this one is a native dessert in Mindanao. It’s a kind of kakanin that is shaped into a thin saucer topped with some latik or caramelized coconut. (Please, if anyone of you have a picture of this yummy native dessert, please do send our team at once. Thank you.)

Favorite Dessert #4: Bolanghoy

"Nilupak"
Photo Credits: www.capalonga.blogspot.com

In our province in Batangas, we call this one balinghoy. In some areas it is also known as kamoteng kahoy. In Mindanao, Chef Hasset Go said they used to call it bolanghoy. This goody made of grated cassavas  were being steamed and topped with bukayo or sugared coconut.

Favorite Dessert #5: Nilupak

Nilupak sounds familiar but I realized me and my teammates haven’t eaten one yet. Nilupak is made of mashed saba banana mixed with grated coconut. Yum! We should be knowing where to get some of these right? Or better yet ask Chef Hasset to make some for us?

There you have them all- Chef Hasset Go’s Top 5 Favorite Desserts!

Were you as surprised- even a bit?

Chef Hasset Go may be widely known as a chef who creates mouth-watering cakes and yummy-tasting pastries, but his personal taste is very much Filipino.

I can’t wait for the time that he’ll be able to incorporate his love for native Filipino desserts into his future creations! I have a gut feel that this is going to be a great idea!

Good luck, Chef Hasset!

-Mediactiv8 Team

Chef Hasset Go at 700 Club Asia

Free Recipe: Chocolate Whoopie Pie

Ingredients

3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cups cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups butter
1 ½ cups sugar
2 pcs. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup lukewarm water or brewed coffee

Vanilla Filling
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup corn syrup

Procedures

Chocolate Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (can also use a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg beating well. Beat in the vanilla extract. 
4. In a small measuring cup, mix the buttermilk and coffee (or water). With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk/coffee mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. 
5. Drop heaping tablespoons (can also use a small ice cream scoop) of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm.) apart. 
6. With moistened fingers or with the back of a spoon, smooth the tops of the cookies. Bake for about 9 - 10 minutes or until the tops of the cookies, when lightly pressed, spring back.
7. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling 

1. Beat the shortening and butter until soft and creamy. 
2. With the mixer on its lowest speed, gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. 
3. Then, with the mixer on low speed, beat in the vanilla extract and slowly drizzle in the corn syrup. 
4. Continue to beat until the filling looks like soft mayonnaise.

Chef Hasset Go at Kabuhayang Swak na Swak

Chef Hasset Go at UNTV's Bread and Butter

Free Recipe: Cashew Butterscotch Bars

Ingredients
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup liquid glucose
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 pcs. eggs
2 cups cashew nuts

Procedure

1. Line and grease 9x9 square pan. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Combine butter, glucose and brown sugar. Beat well.
4. Add eggs with vanilla one at a time.
5. Add sifted dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda).
6. Fold in cashew nuts.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until done. Cool.

Free Recipe: Ube Jackfruit Cake

Cake
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 1/8 teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
3 pcs eggs
1 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups, boiled, shredded pure ube

Filling
1 can condensed milk
1 cup thinly sliced langka/jackfruit
12 pcs egg yolks

Frosting
2 cups whipped cream
drops of violet food color

Garnish
toasted almonds

Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line and grease 9 inch round pan. Set aside.
3. Cake: Sift together all the dry ingredients except for sugar. Set aside.
4. Mix together oil and sugar. Stir very well. Add eggs one at a time.
5. Add mashed ube.
6. Add dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Do not overmix.
7. Pour unto prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes.
8. Filling: Combine everything in a double boiler and cook over medium heat until thick. Cool.
9. Assemble: Divide cake into 3 portions. Fill each layer with jackfruit filling. Frost all over with whipped cream. Garnish all over with toasted almonds. Chill.

Chef Hasset Go's Top 5 Baking Secrets

Chef Hasset Go is undoubtedly one of the youngest and one of the most locally and internally recognized chefs in the country. With his numerous awards such as the 2010 Asian Star Achiever Award for Culinary and being named as one of the Top 50 Young Entrepreneurs by Go Negosyo, we got curious. What are some of the secrets behind his success as a pastry chef?

And we’re lucky. He gave us not just one, not even two. But five simple baking tips that he would like to impart to all baking enthusiasts out there who would like to learn from him. He said that these tips are simple, but often overlooked by some.

Let's take a look at them one by one.

1. Good mood makes good cakes. Chef Hasset Go said he starts with a good mood whenever he bakes. He reminds himself every single time that baking is his passion and what he always wanted to do. He said love is the single most important ingredient that will complete a cake or a dish. Be sure to fill everything that you do with it and your work will never go wrong!
2. Precision and accuracy. The Sweets Master never undermines the power of precision and accuracy whenever he bakes. He said that getting the right ingredients at the right amount and cooking it within the right time frame using the right tools is what made all his cakes right.
3. Keep it fresh! Chef Hasset Go reminded us that if we want to bake or cook something really good, we must strive hard to use only the freshest ingredients as much as possible. One of the greatest reasons of his success with MedChef is because he always work hard to deliver only the best products for his clients using only the best ingredients.
4. Patience is a virtue. Aside from getting all the ingredients and materials right, baking also requires a great deal of patience especially when you’re starting to learn. Following the procedures correctly is the key. Also, patience is what makes us wait for our goodies before we let them out of the oven.
5. Trust your tastebuds. Chef Hasset Go shared the importance of trusting one’s own taste bud for the simple reason that the first judge of whatever you baked or cooked is you. He also stressed the importance of taking risks sometimes- to play with herbs, spices and other ingredients in order to create something new. Never be afraid to try. Who knows? This can be your chance to be discovered as a new great chef in the making!

-Mediactiv8 Team

MedChef: The Sweets Master's Factory

Hasset never went to college. Right after high school, he went to Manila to enroll himself at the Heny Sison Culinary School to pursue his passion for baking. During our interview with him, he recounts that his days at the culinary school was one of the most challenging but also one of the most fulfilling part of his life as a chef.

He won’t forget the time when he literally got nothing to eat nor anything to pay for his fare to the school. Ironic as it may sound, he became a hungry chef back then. But he also said that it became a great moment to experience the power God. He said that God sent him the people who eventually helped him out of the great distress that he was once in.

When we asked him what his greatest achievement is so far, he said that it’s finishing his course at the Heny Sison Culinary School. He said that it’s where everything started for him. When he graduated, he worked as a pastry chef and also accepted other jobs such as food styling and consultancy for various cafes, restaurants and shops. When he finally got enough money from his savings, he decided to put up a shop of his own.

He created MedChef.

MedChef is a small but quaint pastry shop that you will find along Mother Ignacia Avenue in Quezon City. It’s just right in front of ELJ Building within the ABS-CBN compound. He built it with his friend and business partner, Jayson Carlos, who was a medical technologist by profession but now working as a full-time entrepreneur just like him.

MedChef came from the two words: Medical Techonolgist and Chef.

Today, you won’t only find Chef Hasset’s Go’s homemade cakes and pastries at MedChef. They also join bazaars such as Mercato Centrale in BGC and Il Mercanti in Metrowalk to introduce their products to more people.

When it comes to bestsellers, Chef Hasset Go proudly declared that his clients' all-time favorite Bread Pudding Crème Brulee as well as his newly-introduced Pastry Tower were on top of the list.

Last October 2010, Chef Hasset Go received for himself and for MedChef the prestigious 2010 Asian Star Achiever Award for Culinary as well as the 2010 Outstanding Pastry and Consultancy Restaurant during the 12th Annual Asian Star Awards. He was also recently named as one of the Top 50 Young Entrepreneurs by Go Negosyo.

MedChef is located at 139 Mother Ignacia Ave., Diliman, Quezon City. You may contact them at 585-6052 or at 0917-3659415.

-Mediactiv8 Team

Chef Hasset Go: A Short Blogiography

Chef Hasset Go grew up in Oroquieta City in Misamis Occidental with his mom and two brothers. He is the middle child of three. Being a single mom, her mother had to find other ways to earn for their family aside from being an employee during daytime.

Fortunately, his mom knows how to bake. And so she was able to use this skill to supply cakes and baked goodies to canteens and offices in their hometown. And the young Hasset, she will fondly recall to us during our interview, was her right-hand assistant.

This is how the story of Chef Hasset Go, the Sweets Master, begins.

Growing up from a broken family was never easy. Hasset told us that he had to stand up on his own at a very young age. He had to sell his own creations such as brownies, pastillas and yema to his classmates and teachers just to have his allowance. But this hardship, he recounts, is what made him the successful chef and entrepreneur that he is today.

Hasset never went to college. Right after high school, he went to Manila to study at the Heny Sison Culinary School to pursue his passion for baking and cooking. This is where he met his mentors Chef Ed Quimson and Chef Jane Paredes who advised him to start a commissary first before putting up his own shop or restaurant.

When he finally got his certificate, that’s when he started to bake his own cakes and pastries and supply to coffee shops and restaurants in Quezon City. He used to do his creations in a small kitchen in a small apartment where he used to live. Time came when he can no longer cope with the growing demands for his products and that’s when he started to think of taking in a partner who will help him grown his venture.

MedChef was coined from the words Medical Technologist and Chef. His business partner, Jayson Carlos, was a medical technologist by profession. Jayson was Chef Hasset’s friend from church who also used to resell his cakes and pastries to friends and officemates. He invested PhP50,000 to Chef Hasset Go’s business and that’s how MedChef was born.

This year, 2012, MedChef is going to celebrate its second year anniversary. Since it was founded, Chef Hasset’s life never became the same again. Aside from helping his own family, he is also now an employer to 15 workers in his business. For the past few years, he was receiving prestigious awards such as the Young Achiever for Culinary by Global Excellence. Also recently, he was named as one of the Top 50 Young Entrepreneurs by Go Negosyo.

Despite the many successes he had attained, Chef Hasset Go never failed to look back. Every weekend, he will fly to Mindanao to teach aspiring bakers and pastry chefs at the Culinary Institute of Cagayan de Oro. From time to time, he will also share his story to students during career events to encourage them to pursue their passion to succeed in life. In all that he had achieved, is achieving and will achieve, Chef Hasset never fails to thank God as the source of his blessings and inspiration.

-Mediactiv8 Team

Welcome Message

Dear friends, bakers and countrymen,

Welcome to Chef Hasset Go.com!

This blog is an online resource of everything about Chef Hasset Go- his life as a pastry chef, entrepreneur, brand ambassador, culinary school instructor and even a bit about his personal life!

Through this blog, Chef Hasset Go would like to share his tips to everybody (baker or not, young or young-at-heart) on topics such as baking and starting one’s own business to following one’s passion and becoming a successful entrepreneur!

Join us as we discover more about this young chef from Mindanao who at the young age of 23 had already started his own business and how he triumphed over all his trials and finally become a locally and internationally recognized chef that he is now.

We hope that you enjoy your journey with us as we start our work of sending you, through this blog, inspiring stories and exciting treats- straight from the Sweets Master’s kitchen!

-Mediactiv8 Team

Butanding Festival 2012

[Photo Credits:  http://wwf.org.ph/wwf3/news/article/35 ]

What: Butanding Festival
When: May 14 - 20, 2012
Where: Donsol, Sorsogon
How to join: Would you like to cover at least one whole day of activities within May 14-20, 2012 during the Butanding Festival in Donsol, Sorsogon? All you need to do is to help us gather sponsorships/donations for the event and we'll take care of your transportation, accommodation and meals. To signify your interest, please send a message to Mark Joseph Delgado on his Facebook account. Click here.


To see the schedule of activities, please click here.


FOLLOW SLEEK IN THE CITY.com!
Email: markjosephdelgado [@] ymail [.] com
Facebook:  Sleek in the City
Twitter: @sleekinthecity
YouTube: markjosephdelgado

Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012: Winners

BEST FOOD BLOG 
Buffet Dinner Plus Daily Cultural Presentation at Barbara's Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila
Blog by Cha Sy


BEST TRAVEL BLOG
Intramuros, within the walls of a historic city
Blog by Estan Cabigas


BEST PHOTO ENTRY
Photo by Sumi Go
Adjudged by Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST PHOTO - BARBARA'S RESTAURANT
Photo by Cha Sy

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST PHOTO - INTRAMUROS
Photo by Karla Mae Brazil

Greatness starts at home

My parents were the earliest witnesses of my insatiable thirst for blogging and social networking. I had been blogging since 2005 and I even used to blog at Tabulas back then. I also used to be online in Multiply and Yahoo! Messenger every day, especially during summer, chatting and having fun with my friends. My mom is usually the last person to go to bed (after finishing the chores) and usually is the first person to rise in the morning to prepare for breakfast. And in both instances every day during summer, she can’t fathom how I manage not to get any sleep at all and how I can stay wide awake in front of my laptop from dusk till’ dawn.

“Di ka ba natutulog?” she used to ask me every time she catches me in the morning clicking and typing in front of my laptop. I used to provide her a lot of explanations such as, “Ma, I’m nocturnal.”, “Ma, it’s summer. I have so much reserved energy.”, “Ma, this blog post can’t wait for tomorrow. This has to be posted already otherwise I’ll lose it.”

Despite my parents’s little worries about me having too much online activities and less relationship with my bed, I am so glad that they never planned, not even once, to have our internet subscription at home cut. In fact, they even bought me and siblings one of the early versions of Globe Broadband Tattoo which I am still using until now whenever I need internet outdoors.

My old but still very reliable Globe Tattoo Broadband had always been with me especially during my travels. It had been the partner of my laptop for the longest time. I use this for blogging and connecting to my social networks.  

My greatest moment of achievement started last year, 2011, when I was lucky enough to be picked to attend the online classes in the Ateneo-DigitalFilipino Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur Program  (CBSMEP) for FREE! I won this from a writing contest wherein I needed to answer the question, “Why do I want to become a Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur?”

My greatest moment!

Last February 2012, I created a blog activation campaign called Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012. My objective is to promote tourism in Intramuros, the Walled City of the Philippines, through blog and social media. The idea is to let the bloggers experience Intramuros through (a) food- during a free dinner at Barbara’s Restaurant, the only restaurant in the Philippines that holds daily cultural presentations; and through (b) travel- during a one-day walking tour with top-caliber tour guiding groups in Intramuros such as Celdran Tours, Castillan Tours and Mabuhay Guides.

This photo was taken during my briefing with the bloggers before the walking tour inside the exclusive Club Intramuros. This project was supported by the Department of Tourism and by various private organizations. To know more about Intramuros Bloggers Challenge, you may click here.   

It was none other than Ms. Janette Toral, an internet marketing guru in the Philippines, who selected my work from among the many entries that participated in the writing contest. And to top it all off, she, herself, became my mentor for the nine-week intensive training in blog and social media entrepreneurship certification.

I am thankful for this program. Because of this, I am now starting to learn how to earn from a hobby that I only used to enjoy doing at home- seven years ago. I am thankful for my parents too for being an inspiration for me to continue doing what I love to do, for reading my blog from time to time (my biggest fans) and also for giving me and my siblings the great gift of being “connected” with the world- through the world wide web.

The coolest parents!

This photo was taken during the summer of 2011 in the beautiful island of Boracay. Actually, my parents are heavy users of internet too. My father had been working in Mexico for a couple of years now and he only returns to the Philippines once a year- during summer. The only way for my parents to stay in touch with each other is through Facebook and Skype. Thanks to the power of the internet! My dad seems to be closer- even though he's miles apart from us.

I am now only less than two weeks away from attaining my dream of becoming a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur. I know this is just the beginning of my journey towards achieving more accomplishments in the future. I wish more and more parents will be able to realize the great gift that they can give their sons and daughters by just merely giving them the advantage of staying connected, at the comforts of their home, with the bigger world that is out there- the internet.

Greatness starts at home.

Part of the perks of being a blogger and a social media entrepreneur is meeting famous celebrities and notable personalities during "work". Posing with me is Carlos Celdran during the first premiere of his disco-themed play entitled "Livin' La Imelda Loca" last February 7, 2011 at Silverlens Lab where I was invited as a blogger.

Carlos also sponsored my blog activation campaign for the Walled City, Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012.

[Source:  http://blog.globe.com.ph  ]

About the Author
Mark Joseph Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur in the making. He maintains three blogs namely, www.sleekinthecity.com, www.intramurosmanila.asia and www.bloggers4change.net under his online marketing company called Think Marketing Group. He is madly in love with Thai dishes and loves to cook pancakes.

Puratos Carat Ganache Live Demo with Chef Hasset Go

Chef Hasset Go is in need of 10 bloggers to come to this event on March 8, 2012 at 1:00pm - 5:00pm. Witness his live demonstration on new chocolate recipes and techniques using Puratos Carat Ganache! See you there!

To register, please place your e-mail addresses at the comment box below. Thanks!

List of participating bloggers here. Congratulations and see you there!

1. Foodie from the Metro
2. Serial Tripper
3. Purple and Hue
4. Spread Some Awesome
5. Tin Gonzaga
6. Travel on a Shosetring
7. High Gear Full Throttle
8. House of JCJEE
9. Larawan at Kape
10. Singlemom Supermom

FOLLOW SLEEK IN THE CITY.com!
Email: markjosephdelgado [@] ymail [.] com
Facebook:  Sleek in the City
Twitter: @sleekinthecity
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Manila Transitio 1945: Remembering the day that changed Manila forever

Organized by Celdran Tours, Manila Transitio 1945 is an event commemorating the Battle of Manila fought from February 3 to March 3, 1945 by American, Filipino and Japanese army. After the battle, Manila was regarded as the second most devastated city in the world, second to Warsaw, after the World War II. More than 100,000 Filipinos died in the battle, around 10% of the entire population of Manila, resulting to what is presently known as the Manila Massacre. After the war, Manila had never been the same. 

Sixty seven years after, one man led us all to remembering once again the day that changed Manila forever. 

It's going to be a sunset tour for all us last February 26, 2012 with Mr. Walk This Way, Carlos Celdran. At 4:00pm, we assembled in front of the Fort Santiago ticket booth. Minutes after, the event was started with the singing of the Philippine National Anthem.

And then Carlos started to talk. Armed with a lapel mic and visual materials, he gave us the most insightful and most amusing history class we ever have attended. In this picture, Carlos showed everyone the symbol of Manila during the Spanish Era. A Chimera, a mythological symbol for illusion, is at the center of that symbol.

More than 200 people attended the Manila Transitio 1945 event last February 26, 2012. They're from all walks of life. Most are Filipinos, some are from the US. There's even a Buddhist monk who attended the event. It's a good crowd that day!

When the Spanish came to the Philippines, they built a fortress called the Fort Santiago. An image of Santiago Matamoros or St. James of the Moors was etched at the facade of the fortress. According to the legend, St. James appeared as a warrior on his white horse to help the Christian army of King Ramiro I of Spain against the Moors. Until today, St. James is the patron saint of Spain.

Before the Spanish Era, the Pre-Hispanic Filipinos were Moslems. 

Contrary to what the Spanish did to the Filipinos, the Americans taught the Filipinos their language. They were taught English. Now this was part of a bigger strategy. Carlos said, "Because we were supposed to be made to the image of the United States. We were supposed to be the 50th state."

Carlos also said, "Thanks to the United States! We now have a national hero!" Now this is insightful. Jose Rizal was an artist, a doctor, a poet, a scientist, a writer and etc. In short, he was westernized. For an ordinary Filipino during that time, his image was boring. Remember that the Filipinos were clamoring for a revolution, for a real change. Why would the Filipinos choose him as the national hero?

But we didn't! It was the United States. But the question is why? Why the diplomatic, the educated and the peace-loving Jose Rizal? Why not the revolutionary Andres Bonifacio? Was this part of a bigger picture again? Was the United States "softening" our warring tendencies during that time?

This got me thinking. 

We offered a short prayer for the souls of the more than a hundred thousand Filipinos who were killed in Manila during the World War II. Across us actually stood a white cross which was dedicated to the many Filipinos who were buried there, nameless.

Carlos enlarged this picture of an American bomb landing somewhere in Manila. Apparently, it wasn't just the Japs doing all the killings of the Filipinos during the Battle of Manila. This American bomb, along with the other armaments which devastated the former "Pearl of the Orient", has its own share of murder.

Carlos was mimicking Gen. Douglas McArthur complete with a hat, a pipe and the infamous photo which was even made a life-sized replica in Leyte. The photo showed Gen. Douglas McArthur along with his troops dramatically stepping unto the Philippine shores to fulfill the promise he made more than two years before the photo was taken. "I shall return."

Apparently, this photo had to be taken thrice. It's part of the drama.  

We walked upon the walls of Intramuros. I wonder how the Walled City looked like before the Battle of Manila. The Philippines was the "Pearl of the Orient". It must be THAT beautiful and prosperous during that time. I yearned for Manila of the past which I haven't even seen.

This was the prison cell where Jose Rizal was jailed before the day of his execution.

On the other side of the river is Binondo, home of the Filipino-Chinese in Manila. During the Spanish Era, Binondo was called Parian. As said, the Parian is one canon ball away from Intramuros. It was a place where non-Christian Chinese settled. The Spanish had to keep them in one place due to the alarming growth of their population during the 16th century. They were allowed residency in Manila as long as they convert to being Christians. Those who refused conversion had to settle at Parian.

Carlos stood at the tranvia with an enlarged image of the San Agustin Church. During the World War II, this was the only structure in Intramuros that was spared. All the rest had to be flattened. It was said that someone placed a red cross on top of the church- symbolizing that the structure had to be spared. It'll be a great war crime to destroy it.

San Agustin Church is now regarded as the oldest church in the Philippines.

To cap off the whole walking tour, we were treated with halo-halo! The Philippines was compared by Carlos to this all-time favorite Filipino dessert. Like a melting pot of many culture and ethnicity, the Philippines can be compared to the halo-halo which is composed of many ingredients and flavorings. Yum!

That night, the beautiful music of the Mabuhay Singers filled the air in the heart of Manila again. They sang a lot of Kundiman songs that the younger ones like me may not be familiar with, but truly enjoyed listening to. It was so much fun to see them perform!

After a short while, Carlos showed us how to light the flying paper lamps or the spirit balloons to be released in a short while. This is one of the highlights we all awaited for.

We held our spirit balloons in front of Fort Santiago.

And then one by one, the spirit balloons all rose to the air and into the night sky!

Like stars at night, they shone. It was truly an amazing experience!

While the spirit balloons all rose above the ground, a beautiful rendition of the patriotic song, "Ang Bayan Ko" was given by the awesome Mabuhay Singers. They were the real stars that night!

My spirit balloon took a couple of minutes more before it took off. And when it finally did, the feeling was inexplicable. It was actually the last lamp to rise. I think I might join Manila Transitio 1945 again next year.

Special thanks to Carlos and his team for organizing this wonderful event.

God bless Manila! Long live the Philippines!

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Email: markjosephdelgado [@] ymail [.] com
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Strawberry Fields Forever: My Baguio Strawberry Farm Experience

It had always been a dream for me to go to the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet. I had been to Baguio a couple of times but I never had the chance to visit the famous farm. But during my last visit to Baguio during the third week of February 2012, a few days before Panagbenga Festival, I swore I won't miss it anymore. And so I went.

Tip #1: Never leave for the Strawberry Farm later than 7:00am. Traffic can be ugly in Baguio. The farm opens as early as 6:00am. As much as possible, be there at that time for maximum farming experience. It's fun seeing the dew on the leaves you know?

We arrived at the farm of my dreams at around 6:30am. Not bad. This morning photo of the strawberry field as well as the houses and hills in La Trinidad relaxes me a lot.

When we arrived, we were greeted with a smile by the kind-faced caretaker of the strawberry field we went into. There are actually a lot of them in here but he was the first one we met so we decided to pick in his field. That morning, he had already harvested this basket full of "Festival" breed of strawberries. Festival strawberries are the elongated shaped and bloody red colored strawberries growing in La Trinidad.

Tip #2: Notice that every other walkway in between rows of planted strawberries are wet. Some are dry. This means you can only walk upon the dry ones. Don't get slipped ok?