Yam Croquettes at Sam U Claypot

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zarah Gagatiga (@zarahgeeh)

Singapore Sunshine: Meet-ups and Reunions

Apart from an enjoyable workshop in Singapore last week, meeting new friends, visiting libraries and conversing with librarians from different International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in the Asia Pacific, I had a wonderful time meeting storytellers and a Filipino Librarian there. Plus, I got lost and found myself being adopted by a Filipino family for 30 minutes.

Here is how it all went.

Sheila Wee of the Singapore Association of Storytellers couldn't make it to our meet up in her place. I was supposed to visit her and join in the weekly story circle of the group hosted by a member. But, she set-up Panna Kintalil and Swee Yean to meet me. We had dinner at a mall in Tong Baru and for an hour and a half, touched based, shared life stories and compared notes on the status of storytelling in our respective countries.

I was impressed at the political will and the effort that the association has taken in promoting and advocating storytelling. They have professionalized the art form and defined that reading aloud is not storytelling. Definitely, I will be back in Singapore to join them in another storytelling event or festival. This I promised myself.

I planned to meet a librarian friend who works in the National Gallery, but our schedules just did not allow it. Instead, I found myself en route to the National Gallery on my last night in Singapore to have dinner with Von Totanes, the Filipino Librarian. Von is on leave and having a good time. Who would have thought we would meet in Singapore in all places? Apparently, the country holds a special place in our hearts but, for different reasons.

An hour early, before meeting Von, I actually got off on the wrong bus stop. The family waiting at the same stop I got off at went up to me and asked if I am a Filipino. I said yes and I knew they were too. Glorian and Miguel, with their daughter helped me find my way to the correct train station. We had a good chat about life back home, the high cost of living in Singapore and reasons to go back and visit the country and the motherland once in a while. We were the only ones talking in loud voices in the bus. Of course, they brought me to Orchard Road where I could get good bargains for pasalubongs and sent me off to the right train station. 

Some plans do not always go as expected. But the journey turned out to be insightful and life affirming as well.

Japan Trip 2015: Friends New and Old in Osaka and Kyoto

A groupie before they bid me farewell for my lone journey to Kyoto

I look back at the week I spent in Japan and words come to me to describe it: mentoring; adventure; kindness; intellectual discourse; art and culture; international mindedness; serenity; order; discipline; risk taking; friendship.

For today, I will write about FRIENDSHIP.  

Friends Old and New

I think when people travel, they are bound to discover new ones and were helped by the good old ones. This happened to me at the onset. It was Ann Grace Bansig who pushed me to submit a paper in the IAFOR LibrAsia Conference. I remember it well. We were having a light dinner in Tokyo Tokyo last year when the idea of attending conferences in 2015 came about. There is no harm in trying so I told Grace and Darrel (who was with us at the time). After reading the guidelines of the IAFOR's Call for Papers, I submitted my paper on leadership and school librarianship. In less than a week, I got an acceptance letter. A few weeks after this good news, Grace sent a text message informing me of the good news she and Darrel received from IAFOR. We were all very excited at the opportunity to engage in conversation with librarians from different cultures and backgrounds. And yes, the idea of visiting Japan thrilled us to the bone!

A lot of friends helped me too in planning and preparing for the trip. Many of them wished to remain anonymous especially the kind of help they extended to me. I am sure of one thing though, I will do more random acts of kindness especially to travelers and librarians dreaming of traveling abroad to attend a conference. I will pay "it" forward.

With Ryota who is a Manny Pacquiao fan. He believes that Pacman will defeat Mayweather!

Candy May Schijf, a friend I have met over in FB, whom I briefly had an EB (eye ball) at the Rizal Conference in November last year, submitted a paper and it too got accepted. Her friend from DLSU Taft, Willian Frias got an acceptance letter as well.

So our company of three, became five. In December 2014, we met to plan the trip. We had constant convo in FB on flight details, lodging, logistics and visa applications. A week before the trip, Cristina Villanueva of UP Baguio sent word via FB since she learned that there are Filipino librarians attending and presenting in the conference. She too was a presenter and session chair at the IAFOR. We arranged to meet in Osaka during the conference.

Leaving Manila on different routes and plane reservations, we all met at Osaka International Convention Center on Day 1 of the IAFOR LibrAsia. Happiness!

At Tennoji Park. Our first encounter with the glorious sakura!

Dare and Grace

One dynamic of friendship I find worthy of reflection is that of collaboration. This is very evident in the relationship of Darrel Manuel Marco and Ann Grace Bansig. I have seen these two together in many instances where one's personality and strength complement the other. Where Grace lends energy and sprite, Darrel provides balance and introspection. In my imagined reality, I see them as a couple perfectly fitted to each other. But, sad to say, this is just me dreaming romantic dreams unsuitable for others to make it come true. The point is, good friendships thrive in all walks of life and in all peoples regardless of age, religion, cultural background and sexual preferences. This is the magic of friendship that is why, it must be nurtured and kept healthy.

Sadly, I didn't see Darrel and Grace present their paper on the Overseas Filipino Worker and Philippine Children's Literature since I needed to be in Kyoto on Saturday night. More on this in another post.

I am impressed to see both of them go beyond the horizon. How many Filipino school librarians venture into writing about children's literature, analyzing context and determining the constructs of knowledge found in these children's stories? Only a handful dare to do so. I think it is relevant that school librarians look at the reading materials that children read because, after all, school librarians bridge children to books and information sources. From what I read in FB, the duo dared to push the envelope during their presentation and they both accomplished this with grace. Congratulations!

As of writing, Darrel and Grace are still in Japan, meeting friends and having the summer of their lives! As I posted on FB, I wish them well and that their friendship may bring forth more collaborative endeavors in the future. 

Friends in Kyoto

I spent my last day in Japan in Kyoto. I took the subway from Osaka then made the connecting ride via the Limited Express in Kyobashi. It took me an hour to reach Demachiyanagi station. I met Lani De Vera there, a friend from way back. She teaches English in an IB school there. She treated me to dinner in a ramen house and the ramen was delicious! I spent the night at her place and the morning after, we met her friend, Midori-san.

With Lani and Yanagida-san who has been to Bohol and Cebu.

It was raining that Easter Sunday. I wore three layers of clothing but the cold climate got through my bones. This did not stop me from enjoying the walk down the Philosopher's Path. Lani and Midori-san planned a hanami but due to the rain, a change was imminent. Lani and I found ourselves in Midori-san's home. It was mid-way the Philosopher's Path. I just have to say this: the whole place was like a setting in a Miyazki movie. More on this in a future post. Again.

With Midori-san whose name means "green" in Japanese.

At Midori-san's home, we met Yanagida-san, her husband. He is a retired teacher. He likes taking photographs, traveling and listening to music. He showed me his CD of Celeste Legaspi songs. He showed me his album filled with his photographs of fall, winter, summer and spring in Kyoto, Okinawa and Mt. Fuji. He even offered his place for me the next time I am in Kyoto. Their hospitality warmed me enough to still the shaking coldness in my toes and fingers. Midori-san fed us a plateful of pizza, salad, fresh juicy tomatoes and sweet bread. The coffee was great too! The brunch was perfect for the long walk she had thought out for us to take.

The rest of the morning, Midori-san was with us as tour guide to the Nanzen-ji Temple. There I saw girls in kimono, a temple gate that reminds me of Avatar (think Aang and the gang), an aqua-duct, more sakura and rain. Lots and lots of rain!

At noon, Lani brought me to Kyoto Station where I started my journey towards Nagoya to Central International Airport. I have fond memories of these three cities: Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto. I meant to go back to Japan. God willing.

Now, I need to save up. And do more thinking and working and engagement in an endless conversation on matters that are relevant to the profession.

Taal Heritage Tour: Spanish Ancestral Houses

We left Taal Basilica for a tour of the old Spanish houses of the Apacibles, Agoncillos and Villavicencios. Each exude a different character. The Apacible house has the receiving area for guests and a separate one where business is conducted. Leon Apacible was a lawyer. He was also Emilio Aguinaldo's Finance Officer and delegate to the 1898 Congress.

Our next stop was the Agoncillo house where Marcela Agoncillo sewn the Philippine flag. Apparently, Marcela Agoncillo finished a masters degree in needle work. So the first Philippine flag was made by a professional of high caliber! In the Agoncillo house, we noticed the narrow passage ways that surround the living room. These passage ways are marked off by dividers from floor to ceiling. Windows of capiz shells make for light and ventilation to enter. I followed the passage ways that led to the komidor, or the kitchen. So it turns out that these passage ways were for the alipins, servants, who cater to their masters needs. I could not help but remember a piece of trivia learned from grade school history class on social classes: the existence of aliping sagigilid and aliping namamahay in noble families.

What was interesting in the Villavicencio house was the basement used as a secret meeting room of the Katipuneros. While the wives of the members of Katipunan were dancing, singing and partying in the living room, their husbands were plotting the revolution. The house was used to stock copies of Rizal's novels, the Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo.

Sa durungawan, tanaw ko ang mga bituin. Naks!

In my imagination, I see Andres Bonifacio attending one meeting disguised as a common alipin. He would have slipped in the party upstairs and passed unnoticed through the narrow passage way that led to the dinning hall and the kitchen. He opened a small trap door in one corner of the room to go down the basement and join the Katipuneros' rendezvous. What plans and schemes were they plotting against the Spaniards! And then, perhaps, after the meeting, the men must have discussed Rizal's novels.

By noon, we headed on to Villa Tortuga. By the way, we did the tour on foot as the town of Taal is very small. I'm saving the Villa Tortuga experience for my next post.

At the Villavicencio house, the trap door that leads to the basement still exist.

Taal Heritage Tour: Taal Basilica and Our Lady of Caysasay

Basilica of St. Martin of Tours, Taal, Batangas

When my dear good friend Mona Dy sent me a text message regarding a heritage tour to Taal, Batangas in early July, I replied in the affirmative. It was my summer off from work and she was looking forward to visiting Taal, Batangas during her off season month. I have not seen her in a while so, a day trip with her would be bonding time. The trip she was planning at the time required three to four people. Our common friends could not make it on the given date so, I broached the idea to a friend from work, Riza E., who gamely said yes.

We decided to take the public transport. I met Riza in Alabang and together, we took the one and a half hour commute to Taal, Batangas. From Lipa, we jumped on a jeep and reached Taal around nine in the morning. We were blessed with good weather. Mona arrived a few minutes later followed by our guide, Art B. He is a native of Taal, Batangas and an engineer by profession.

A peddler selling peanut brittle at the entrance of the Basilica

According to Art B., Taal Basilica is the largest one in Asia. Ogie Alcasid, a Filipino actor and singer who traces his ancestry in Taal married his first wife, Michelle Van Eimeren, a former beauty queen, there. It was a celebrated occasion, so he told us. But simply looking at the common people visiting Taal Basilica satisfied me. A group of young people were gathered at the plaza just in front of the Basilica that morning. They held what looked like a copy of a song as they hummed and sang a local folk song. There were the peddlers at the church steps selling peanut brittle and local sweets. Church devotees walk in and out of the Basilica to pray and offer candles and flowers. Peddlers rest under the shade of the big, old, historic church bell that is displayed in front of the Basilica. There were so many things that reminded me of the simple, provincial life that I longed for a visit to my father's or my mother's home province.

Plaque by the National Historical Institute

The Basilica is indeed dubbed as Asia's biggest and I suppose, it is big not just in size but in history, art and architecture. As told to us by our guide, the Basilica was first built as a small church near Taal lake. It was destroyed when Taal volcano erupted.

I wonder who did the religious art works, the fresco, the painting on its ceiling and walls, the tiled floors. Local artists, I guess, who will forever remain nameless.

We were given a tour of the kumbento as well. We were let in to see the parish office, the monsignor's study, the dinning hall and a bulwagan type area where a group of young people were practicing a dance number. It was like walking back to the  colonial time because much of the architecture, interior design, furniture, furnishings and decorations are Spanish in taste and influence.

One fascinating story told to us by Art was that of  Taal's patron saint, St. Martin of Tours, whose statue disappears on stormy nights. Locals believe that St. Martin rides his horse around town to guard them from natural disasters. The Our Lady of Caysasay, only six inches tall, is likewise miraculous and mystical. The statue is placed in a smaller church very near the spring of water where she was found. This spring of water leads to the Pansipit River where, in the olden days, fish, turtles and other marine life abound. The river is still alive with marine fauna and flora as well as the spring of water. It is now a grotto where devotees flock the site every Semana Santa for prayer and pilgrimage.

Reminders of good behavior when in church. Can you read the old Tagalog?

 In my next post, I'll share pictures and insights on our visit to ancestral houses in Taal, Galeria de Taal and Villa Tortuga.

The Colors and Flavors of Bacolod

We arrived in Bacolod at 3PM. Except for the air turbulence, it was an uneventful trip. Not that I am wishing for delays or disasters. The weather was good and everyone was in high spirits. After gathering our bags, we all headed down to Bacolod Pavilion Hotel, registered and took a rest before hitting the town for some sight seeing. The itinerary was The Ruins, dinner and a walk back to the hotel.

The Rizal Library librarians, Karryl Sagun and Shielski Montenegro, efficiently attended to our needs and joined us for a late afternoon trip to The Ruins.

I have read and heard good things about the The Ruins in Bacolod so, it was in my To See list. Well, indeed, it was what I expected it to be, a haunting beauty. After a series of picture taking at the The Ruins, we headed to Aida's for dinner. The chicken inasal was divine! We ate using our hands for there were no silver ware set on the table. The experience of eating chicken inasal sans fork, knife and spoon was satisfying! Fresh oysters were served on the side.

This maskara is one of the many decorations at Aida's. The Masskara Festival is celebrated every October in Bacolod. The colorful accessories, beads and blings, as well as the maskara itself, are intriguing elements I plan to use for a future storytelling gig.

This maskara has become a cultural icon of Bacolod.

In the 1980s, Negros was affected by the depletion of the sugar industry and a tragic sea accident, the sinking of the ship Don Juan, that killed nearly 700 Negrenses and Bacolodnons. As a strategy to cope and pull through tough times, the local government unit took the opportunity to use the city's monicker, City of Smiles, into an art form that depict smiling faces on masks.  Thus, the MassKara Festival was born. Since then, it has become a tourism strategy that uniquely identifies Bacolod from the rest of the Visayan islands.

Mass means multitude. Kara is Spanish for face. A multitude of smiling faces. That's Bacolod! That's the Philippines!

Book Launch: Top Ten Travels

Scott Lee Chua, a former student, will be launching his books about places he's been to. Congrats Scott!

Picture! Picture!

Bohol Island Day 1-3 (May 15-17, 2010) Part 2

From island hopping, we went inland to discover more of Bohol's splendor. The day's itinerary were as follows: Tarsier, Chocolate Hills, Man-Made Forest between Bilar and Loboc, Floating Restaurant on the Loboc River, Baclayon Church and the shrine of Pacto de Sangre.


It was a long drive inland but leisurely and relaxing. Our first stop was the Tarsier zoo. Finally I saw them, live! They were so small indeed. They clung to the branches in huddled repose, eyes wide and bulging, fingers wrapped securely on a tree branch.


Dianne and I said our goodbyes to the tarsiers. Mang Jerry our driver and tour guide of the day, brought us to Chocolate Hills. The road was paved but windy. It sort of reminded me of Baguio because there were big boulders that flank the road left and right. According to Mang Jerry, Bohol rose up from the bottom of the sea. That's not impossible as all islands are volcanic and most are formed under the sea where forces of water, air, fire and earth combine. See how magnificent this universe is!



It's no wonder that the Chocolate Hills were formed. It's nature's way of having fun, really. Just imagine if these hills developed into mountains, then, there would have been a mountain range in the Visayas. But no. The universe did not allow it. So now we had a wonder of the world to behold. The hills do look like chocolates as the foliage turns brown in the sun. Dianne was thinking, how come there were no chocolates for sale around? Peanut kisses were a plenty. Perhaps it's time to make a choco-peanut variant as homage to the Chocolate Hills.


Next stop was the Butterfly Sanctuary at Bilar. We were entertained by Jobert, the guide there who gave us an amusing tour of the place. The butterflies were beautiful. All butterflies in the garden are endemic to Bohol.

On our way down to Loboc, we passed by the Man Made Forest which is five hectares wide. Mahogany trees were planted by students of the Holy Name School of Bohol. They've been doing this for forty years! Dianne was reminded of the US when we stopped for a short while to take pictures. It was a cool spot.



We drove further down to Loboc River to have lunch at the Floating Resto. It comes with a singer cum guitarist. There was a part where the raft paused so that guests and tourist would be entertained by local community for some singing, dancing and banduria serenade. The whole community of Brgy. Gotozon did a fantastic job at performing traditional dances. I have not seen folk dancers do the tinikling since I was a kid. Bravo!



The final leg of the journey was the Baclayon Church and Museum. It is the second oldest church in the Philippines. The Jesuit fathers built it in 1727 out of wood. In time, the Augustinian Recollects took over and renovated the church in to its current state. It's made of coral stones taken from the sea. The adjoining museum is another interesting site and sight. I could not say they're doing a great job at preservation and conservation efforts though. The church was named a national historic site in 1994. With a flourishing tourism trade, the Baclayon municipal government or the LGU of Bohol could at least find ways to finance its restoration, especially the artifacts that has been corroded by the salty sea air. It doesn't help that Baclayon Church faces the sea.


Speaking of care and respect for historical sites, Filipinos need to be educated on this matter. I am embarrassed at the lack of historical pride and cultural appreciation among my country men. Napoleon Abueva, National Artist, made the sculpture of Pacto de Sangre, the one that stands in front of Baclayon Church. Abueva based his work form another master, Juan Luna, who painted the Pacto de Sangre when he was in sojourn in Europe. Tourists would climb up the sculptures and pose wacky faces between Urdaneta and Legaspi. I did not see any foreigner doing so, just Pinoys.



Despite this, the tours and sight seeing in Loboc, Baclayon, Bilar and Carmen were highly educational and leisurely. Now I've so much to share to my own children, the kids I teach and the colleagues I interact with. From mountain to sea, there are so many things that bind these archipelago together - love for family, generosity, simplicity...and a need to know more deeply beauty of these islands.

Bohol Island Day 1-3 (May 15-17, 2010) Part 1

A day after the Sagada adventure, Dianne and I had a day's respite with our respective family and friends. It was an opportune time to sort out stuff and things needed for the next leg of the journey -- Bohol! From the mountains of Luzon, we headed down south to the seas of the Visayas. We reached Tagbilaran on Saturday morning, May 15, 2010. The sun was shinning, the sky so blue and the sea! It glimmers and glistens. In thirty minutes, we were at Alona Pyramid Resort. It was a striking contrast to our Sagada days yet, we were welcomed with the same friendly smiles and warm greetings from the locals. These islands are as diverse and varied as a jar of jelly bean candies but each is flavored with a delightful sweet taste.



We took it easy the first day and decided to go island hopping and sight seeing the next day. Dianne hired a bangka so we could see the dolphins and snorkel. At 7.30AM we were out in the open sea. Once in the middle of the sea, the dolphins made their appearance. They were so fast! You have to carefully watch for them for they disappear too soon. After a few rounds, we headed to the island of Balicasag for some snorkeling.


A starfish I found on the shore of Balicasag. I threw it back to the sea where it belongs.

My first snorkeling experience was a disaster. In Balicasag, we were blessed with a competent guide, Sinio, who taught me how to use the snorkeling gear first. On the small bangka, he gave me instructions on how to use it; made me breath using the tube before going down to the reefs. Dianne was a snorkeling pro. Growing up in Hawaii sure has great advantages.

With the help of my life vest and Sinio's assuring words, I was snorkeling in no time. He allowed me to hold his hand as he led me to the rope that marks the drop off - the end of the coral reef. It was awesome! The reef was teeming with marine life. There were parrot fishes, blue devil fishes, clown fishes (Nemo) butterfly fishes and small yellow fishes that come near snorkelers. I was up close and personal with nature once again. I thank God for giving me this life and this wonderful world!



Once the snorkeling was over, we headed to the island to rest before going to another. There at Balicasag, Dianne met some local islanders selling jewelry. It was the children who were more than endearing. For a few minutes, Dianne played with them and told them stories. Too bad, we had to leave for Putod island. At Putod, we met vacationers too - a Polish couple, Pinoy balikbayans and their friends from Siliman University. They were having a grand time as well.

By lunch time, we headed back to Panglao island. We set up our laptops at the resto to work. Yes, it's a working vacation. We have a book to plan, write and finish. The moment was perfect to note observations and list down insights. All these will fuel inspiration for Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories!