Ang Dabawenyo

I’m not much of a spa person really — a great massage is all I’m usually after. So, even though I’d known of BioEssence for the longest time, I never thought of going there until today.

My friend Joel is a regular, and he was able to convince me to tag along for his diamond peel session. He treated me to a facial spa treatment. One of the reasons I can’t imagine myself in spas is the time that it takes to enjoy their services. I was forewarned that my session would take about two hours, so you can imagine how apprehensive I was about the whole thing… until I actually went through it. When it was over, it felt like the time flew!

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I heard from a reliable source in the travel industry that the organizers of the Kadayawan sa Dabaw are seriously considering moving the festival’s dates! This is going to be a huge mistake, if it happens. Philippine festivals are probably our #1 tourist attraction: that is, it’s our best way of pulling tourist arrivals. What does this mean? Simple: visitors to Davao, especially those who come for Kadayawan, plan their vacations way ahead of August.

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After a morning meeting, fellow bloggers Andrew, Marc and I found ourselves near Chimes, so we decided to have lunch at one of the restaurants there. Against someone’s better advice, I opted for the Banana Leaf Asian Cafe — but only because I hadn’t tried it there yet. It was a regrettable mistake. Read more »

Pretty soon the Comelec will be announcing the victors of the last Philippine elections. Namfrel Davao wrapped up its operations last Saturday, having canvassed almost 90% of the city’s 3,600+ poll precincts. It was a very successful effort, considering that we had only 5 days of lead time to organize the citizens’ quick count.

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My friend Ian brought me to this fairly new chicken place in downtown Davao, Papa Ching’s. I want to say straight away, their greaseless chicken is awesome!! It really was greaseless, and the taste was just heavenly. I don’t particularly enjoy chicken as much as, say, beef. But that experience last night made me reconsider… it was that good. Read more »

This is the first of a series of personality features that will be published in this blog. I’ll be featuring Davao people who have somehow made a mark in their particular fields of interest, and in Davao. And what better way to embark on this series but with the Dabawenya herself, Jojie Alcantara.

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Tomorrow, 14 May, Dabawenyos will once again go out and catapult into power our city’s and our country’s elected government officials. I hope that the turnout will be considerable, so that the populace will have enough confidence in whomever assumes public office.

I have mixed feelings about this, though. I will go out and vote, definitely. But with a heavy heart. Even up to now I still don’t know whose names to write in my ballot…. The city councilors are a relatively easy deal: I get to see them a lot here in Davao. But what about the senators?

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When my aunt asked me for suggestions of names for their upcoming restaurant, that was way back in the very early 90s (or was it the very late 80s?). Tsuru is Davao’s longest-running Japanese restaurant (but not the first, which was in the old Hotel Maguindanao back in the 70s). The name that my aunt and uncle eventually decided on is very apt, because “Tsuru” is Japan’s national bird. Read more »

Took this photo while in a cab, just before the ramp of Bankerohan Bridge. By now we all know the traffic situation in that part of the city due to the impassability of Bankerohan Bridge I. And look! Right above these jaywalkers is a pedestrian overpass…. Read more »

All of us have something that we’re proud of in our families. Mine is the creative blood that courses through our veins. Our clan is populated with artistic people, from painters to writers. An aunt is adept at the canvass, and has done exhibits in New York and the Hague. While she modestly disavows being among the likes of Davao’s Ang Kiu Kok, Tita Didit is an accomplished artist in her own right. Other members of our clan are writers with portfolio: three of us have been published already. Yet another: a cousin, Celeste, a star pupil of the renowned Fernandez Piano School in Davao, is now a bona fide student of the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. She is also a practicing doctor in the United States. Read more »