LIVE, LOVE and EAT SEA FOODS

               Filipinos love to eat sea foods and I am one of them. I was born in Silay City and our house is near by the seashore. My father is a fisherman so every time he goes to his "tangkop" every 4:00 a.m in the morning and come back at 6:00 a.m, he always bring us seafoods like "bangus, sapsap, asuos, lambiyaw," and etc. The other fishes that left is ready to sell by my mother to our neighborhood.

              There are also Silaynons that are far away from the sea and in short they are called "taga-uma". They love to go at the shore to get some foods to eat and it is sea foods like shells(green shells, punaw, litob, ugpan, sisi) and as the pail they bring is full they are ready to go home and to cook it but some of them sell it at the wet market.

             But there are so many places and restaurant here in the Philippines that sells sea foods. One of them is in Brgy. Balaring, Silay City, Philippines, there are many restaurants here and you can choose where do you want to eat. You might gonna order like "Squid Rings, Fried Bangus", and their specialty is the "talaba", and a talaba is served 50 pesos in a bowl.

            We Filipinos know that the Sea Food Capital of the Philippines is Roxas City. It holds one of the richest fishing grounds and is a major contributor in the aquamarine industry of the Philippines. You can experience the bounty of this province by the sea and be captivated by this peaceful and lovely place at the heart of the Philippine Island while eating sea foods.

            Seafood is also good for the health. Fish and shellfish are a good source of protein and other vitamins and minerals. Many types of seafood contain an important ingredient called Omega-3 which is fatty acid that must be consumed through food, as the body does not produce it on its own. Don't let the words "fatty-acid" scare you! This is a healthy fatty acid that has a number of benefits including improving cardiovascular health and neurological development,  reducing tissue inflammation, correcting heart arrhythmia, and preventing weight gain, heart failure, strokes, and diabetes, as well as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

          According to my research there are top 5 best Filipino Seafood Dishes like Inihaw na Pusit, Kinilaw na Isda,Sinigang na Hipon, Ginataang Alimango/Alimasag, and Adobong Pusit.

5. Adobong Pusit (Squid Adobo) - Filipinos love adobo. No doubt about it. Give us any main ingredient and we'll make an irresistible adobo out of it. And when it comes to seafood, the slippery squid inks on every other candidate. It's dark brown to black appearance may throw off an unsuspecting first-timer in the beginning, but any Pinoy who has tried it will tell you that it's squidoo-squidly flavor compliments the salty and the sour, provided by the perfect blend of soy sauce and vinegar.

4. Ginataang Alimango/Alimasag (Crabs in Coconut Milk) - Throw away the cutlery because there is no other way to tackle bright orange crabs in the Philippines than with bare hands. (of course you can always use a crab mallet or a claw cracker but they are rare, if not non-existent, in most Pinoy kitchens.) The coconut milk absorbs the crab's flavor, creating an irresistible combination of milkiness and a taste that is undoubtedly seafood. Don't forget the rice.

3. Inihaw na Pusit (Grilled Squid) - There are many things that you can do with a fresh squid. But the most popular, apparently, is the simplest-grilled. Usually stuffed with tomatoes, onions and what have you, the plump squid reveals a healthy surprise when it's time to chop. The squid is marinated first before it is allowed to hit the grill.

2. Kinilaw na Isda (Raw Fish Salad) - Also known as the Pinoy version of the ceviche of the Americas, kinilaw uses raw fish as main ingredient. No fire is needed because what "cooks" it is the acetic acid (vinegar) or in other cases, the citric acid (lemon). Ginger, black pepper, and onion are added for a more spicy kick. Perfect for pulutan!

1. Sinigang na Hipon (Shrimp in Tamarind Soup) - When its crustacean flavor meets the sour mood of the soup, it creates a distinct taste that is very hard to forget. The souring agent varies from region to region but the tamarind is probably the most commonly used. Other ingredients include tomatoes, water spinach (kangkong) amd onions.

  

        There you have it. The five most popular seafood dishes in the Philippines. Other culinary concoctions which almost made it to the list are "Sinaing na Tulingan, Nilasing na Hipon, Lato (seaweed) Salad, Danggit, and Baked Talong".

Having Fun in It's Showtime! - Makes People Happy

               

             It's Showtime!, this two word is known as a tagline in every shows o talent around the world but here in the Philippines there is a program in ABS-CBN that every Filipinos love to watch it. It's Showtime is a Philippine noontime variety show that premiered on October 24, 2009 on ABS-CBN. The show broadcasts from the ABS-CBN studios at the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in Quezon City.

            I always watched It's Showtime during weekdays from 12:15 to 3:45 p.m and Saturdays from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. As I watched It's Showtime since the first day until today, I consider myself as a "solid showtimer" even though I didn't visited the studio as live. O  its first day I am excited to turn on our television to watch it, when it starts there are only six hosts named Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda, Teddy Corpuz, Jugs Jugueta and Kim Atienza. On October 24,2009, showtime premiered as a morning program, airing before the network's noontime shows, and serves as a replacement for Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba?. During the third season, the show added previously evicted judges Billy Crawford and Karylle as hosts.

           Showtime ended its pre-noon time slot run on January 28,2012, to prepare for a noon-time. The show retained all of its hosts, including Vice Ganda while adding former judges Jhong Hilario, Ryan Bang, and Coleen Garcia, Eric Tai was also added as a new host during the pilot episode.

          There are a lot of segments that I really enjoy watching in It's Showtime just like:"Miss Q and A, Tawag ng Tanghalan, MNL48, Cash-ya, Kaya!, Kantanghalian, Donna What to do, Donna What to say,Magpasikat, Showtime Holy Week Special and etc.

          During January 02, 2016, Amy Perez and Mariel Rodriguez were added to the show's main hosts, after guest co-hosting in December 2015, Coleen Garcia was dropped from the program because of her acting career and was briefly replaced  by Joey Marquez. Meanwhile, Eric "Eruption" Tai left the show to focus on his sports career and married life. On May 13, 2017, the show announced that James Reid and Nadine Lustre were added to the show as co-hosts. Lots of people are happy and excited when they heard it and I am also surprised that the "Jadine" is officially a part of Showtime Family.

         For me It's Showtime is number one in the Philippines noon-time show because of its happy and energetic hosts that influenced us to be kind, caring, loving individual. So, I am excited to visit the It's Showtime studio and to step on the showtime stage but before that I have to save money first before I go there and also to meet my favorite showtime hosts and my ultimate crush Anne Curtis.

Suroy-suroy in Silay-The Paris of Negros Silay City: Where life is sweet and the past is forever.

     

Suroy-suroy in Silay-The Paris of Negros

Silay City: Where life is sweet and the past is forever.

         In my 19 years here in Silay City, I can say that I'm not a resident in this city, I feel like I'm a tourist of my own city. Others said that Silay City is known as "dalok na lugar" but they didn't know that the people of Silay or what we call "Silaynons" are generous in terms of food, water and etc. and also a loving, caring and a helpful individual.

         Silay City is a 3rd class city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. Silay is often referred to as the "Capital Artistica de Negros" due to its artist, cultural shows and large collection of perfectly preserved heritage and ancestral houses have been declared by the national Historical Commission of the Philippines as part of Silay National Historical Landmark. Silay is also known as the "Seat of arts, culture and Eco-tourism" and is recognized by the Department of Tourism as one of the top destinations in the Philippines.

        Silay City can be reached in 20 minutes by private car from Bacolod City (Capital City of Negros Occidental). Public utility vehicles plying the route abound and can reach the city at the same time. Traveling to the city is made easier by its four-lane highway. Silay City is bounded on the west by Guimaras Strait, on the east by Marapara mountain ranges, on the north by the Municipality of E.B. Magalona and on the south by the City of Talisay.

        There are famous landmarks in Silay City that I'd already visited like:

1. San Diego Pro-Cathedral- it is the only pro-cathedral outside of Metro Manila. This is the church where I attended mass every Sunday to serve our God. It was built in 1920 and designed by Italian Architect, Antonio Bernasconi.

2. Balay Negrense- one of the most known historical landmark here in Silay owned by the Gastons that was converted into a lifestyle museum showing how sugar planters lived at the beginning of the century. Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday at 10:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m, located at Cinco de Noviembre Street, Silay City.

3. Bernardino-Jalandoni House (museum)- this house is also known as "Pink House" because of its paint color. This house was built in 1908. All items that display inside the house are authentic period pieces. It is located at Rizal Street, and opensTuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m

4. Silay City Park- it is a garden complex that features a children's park, a fountain, a basketball court, and a family lair. Back in 1951, the Old Silay Plaza was adjudged the Most Beautiful Plaza in the Philippines.

5. Mangrove Canopy- it is located at Barangay Balaring and it is a romantic promenade featuring mangrove conservation and a perfect view for sunset at the horizon.

         Silay City has its own sea port also and it is called as "Old Sea Port", it was built in 1933. Designed by Lucio Bernasconi an Italian architect who is also responsible of the San Diego Pro-Cathedral. This old sea port is located in our barangay which is Barangay Mambulac. Consider to be the first operational seaport in Negros Occidental.

  The city has two main fiestas, the Charter Day celebration every June 12 of the year, and the Feast of San Diego de Alcala, its patron saint every November 13. But rankly, I don't remember any merrymaking or commemoration of the Charter Day when I was growing up. To me and for most Silaynons of my generation, the parish church's fiesta was always the one that the people celebrated.

        However, in the last 20 years or so, the Silay Charter Day celebration has gradually taken over the parish fiesta as the primary festival of the cityin terms of scope and grandeur. Kansilay Festival is celebrated every 12th of June every year, this is the day where the 16 barangays competing in Silay City covered court and more dramatic depicting the "Legend of Kansilay" through dancing, using lively original music composition of "Hugyaw Silay" and colorful costumes.

      When you visit Silay, you can say "Walang Goodbye sa Silay" because here in Silay City: Where life is sweet and the past if forever."