Negros Food Gallery: Places

Showing posts with label Places. Show all posts

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Spaghetti in Basil Peanut Pesto (Php 50), with grilled shrimps, eggplant, kalobay and tomatoes.

Peanut Curry (Php 50) with chicken, vegetables (squash, jackfruit, eggplant, okra) and brown rice.

Italian Wrap (Php 50) with shrimps, eggplant, tomatoes, homemade pesto and lettuce.

In this cafe, THE MOST EXPENSIVE DISH COSTS JUST 50 PESOS! How could this be when all of the food at this cafe is organically grown? Photographer Andreo Bongco explains this unique find in Negros Island, the Sweet Spot of the Philippines.Some of my favorite outtakes from a recent pro-bono shoot with Welcome Home Foundation's Natural Garden Cafe in Bacolod.

All of the food at this cafe is organically grown, prepared and cooked by the deaf-mute, but probably the best thing about this cafe is that THE MOST EXPENSIVE DISH COSTS JUST 50 PESOS. Weird right? Let me explain.

As I've mentioned before, one of my advocacies as a photographer is to provide pro-bono (free) imaging work to organizations which strive towards the common good. By taking pictures and writing about their efforts, it is my little way of helping them market what they believe in.

Natural Garden Cafe is one such organization I've come to help because it recruits, trains and employs the deaf-mute of Bacolod at their cafe. The deaf and mute are given dignified jobs with fair salaries and are trained excellently in HRM and the culinary arts.

Aside from this, the cafe takes on a farm to table approach in its dining. All the vegetables and meat are grown on the restaurant's grounds either in pesticide free vegetable beds, or in aquaponic fish tanks to raise awareness for a more natural diet free of GMOs and preservatives.

Now you may ask, why all of this for JUST 50 pesos? (Don't believe me yet? I posted the menu here just in case) The cafe prices their meals this low because their aim is not make a profit, rather it is to allow everyone (most especially low income workers) an alternative to cheap GMO and preservative laden food that people are so used to eating nowadays.

If you're interested in seeing what this bold yet well meaning cafe has to offer, drop by their alfresco cafe anywhere from 10AM to 5PM from Monday to Friday. (Better to go there during lunch because most of their food is sold out come 2PM).

They are located on the right side of the road entering Villa Valderrama Subdivision along Lacson Street going to the North of Bacolod past CountryMart.

I swear, you will not regret visiting it. Neither will your wallet, your tummy or your lymph nodes.

Photos and words by Andreo Resurreccion Bongco.

The Most Expensive Dish In This Cafe is PhP50! Find out where it is!

Sunday, January 24, 2016 Cafes, City-Bacolod, Food, Fun Tips, More Fun In The Philippines, Places, Restos

Thursday, January 21, 2016

While the famous Malacañang Palace is easily referred to as the Presidential Residence in the Philippines, many do not know that the title as Residence of the President of the Philippines came upon Malacañang only upon the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines on November 15, 1935.

Also not known to many is that before the first Philippine Republic was established in January 23, 1899, there already existed the República Cantonal de Negros or the Cantonal Republic of Negros
which came about in November 5, 1898.

This makes the Ancestral House built by General Aniceto Lacson in Talisay City, the first Presidential house in the Philippines.

Last September 23, 2014, the descendants of General Aniceto Lacson, who are now the co-owners of the ancestral house, released this statement for the public to know (via the local Negros daily, the Visayan Daily Star):

The Ancestral House built by General Aniceto Lacson in the 1880’s is a fine example of a 19th century Philippine Architecture known as “Bahay na Bato” or House of Stone. Uniquely, it has a balcony that surrounds the entire 2nd floor giving a panoramic view of its surroundings has its own chapel at ground level.

As most Negrenses would know, General Aniceto Lacson was among those who successfully led a province-wide Katipunero revolt against the Spanish garrison in Bacolod City on November 5, 1898. When the Spanish forces surrendered, he was chosen as President of the short-lived Cantonal Republic of Negros. Today, Negros Island celibrates as an official holiday, “Cinco de Novembre” on November 5 to commemorate the surrender.

During his tenure as President of the Cantonal Republic of Negros, General Aniceto held office in this ancestral house. During those years, he was visited by General Emilio Aguinaldo, Andres Bonifacio, Antonio Luna, Emilio Jacinto, Claro M. Recto, President Manuel Quezon, President Sergio Osmeña, among other dignitaries. It is no wonder that in March 13, 2002, the National Historical Institute (NHI), thru Board Resolution No. 2, 5. 2002 declared the General Aniceto Lacson Ancestral House as a NATIONAL HISTORICAL LANDMARK, as provided for by a Presidential Decree.

The Ancestral House has been occupied by the succession of General Aniceto’s children and grandchildren. It is at present, owned-in-common by its co-owners, the Claparols, Rossello, and Balcells families, descendants of his daughter Carmen Lacson
married to Ricardo Claparols.

In the early 1970’s, a strong typhoon damaged the entire roof and since then has been left unoccupied up to this day. The descendant co-owners have tried to maintain it but could not cope with the scale and magnitude of the repairs. Sadly, the
ancestral house went through an accelerated process of deterioration, as portions of the ceiling crumbled down and worse, a part of the second floor, including the staircase began to sag.

It was for this reason that we, the undersigned, aware of our responsibilities as co-owners, looked into how we could restore and preserve the ancestral house.

Therefore, in 2002, we decided to form a foundation so that it would serve as an avenue to formally solicit and generate the much-needed funds for its restoration. Due to limited funds, the restoration is being done in phase prioritizing on the more critical areas, primarily in restoring structural stability. Donations received from individuals, corporate and government institutions are properly documented and accounted for.

All descendant co-owners were invited to participate in the foundation, however only seventy percent (70%) responded favorably. We then pooled in our personal financial contributions to establish the General Aniceto L. Lacson Ancestral House
Foundation,Inc. ( GALAH). Registered on May 7, 2002 as a non-stock non-profit corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission with Company Registration No. E200200273, the foundation was established with the sole purpose to fully restore,
repair, maintain and preserve the ancestral house.

When GALAH Foundation hired the services of both local and national level architects to inspect the ancestral house, they discovered that the main cause as to why the house was deteriorating rapidly was due to termite infestation. After further ocular inspection of the premises, from inside the ceiling and around the flooring area, it revealed the extent of the damage caused by the termite infestation, which was not limited to the wooden columns that support the structure of the ancestral house but has damaged as well the ceiling girts and the joists and the flooring girts and joists.

Photo by Dennis John Reyes

They advised us to immediately install (coconut lumber) scaffoldings on the affected area of the 2nd floor, including the staircase, in as much as its elevation has already sagged at about 8 inches. The architects warned us that if we did not support a part of the 2nd floor with scaffoldings that it was a matter of time that it would collapse and cause greater damage to the ancestral house.

Restoration architects such as Architect Augusto “Toti” Villalon ( Architect and Cultural Heritage Planner) together with Architect Melvin Patawaran (Principal Architect of Tropiks Design Studio) in coordination of Architect Jude Tipon ( Past
President, United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)) have been working together to supervise the restoration.

Ocular inspections were conducted by Architect Augusto P. Rustia, the Cultural Properties and Conservation Division Chief of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Executive Director Ludovico D. Badoy, Mr. Reynaldo A. Inovero, and Engineer Candido H. Castro from NHI Historic Preservation Division and Architect Norman H. Campos. NCCA and NHI prepared their own respective project studies and program of works and have been submitted to GALAH foundation.

The restoration started in February 2013 and as of December 2013, the following have been accomplished;

Note: Only Mahogany (hardwood) lumber has been used. All undamaged ceiling and flooring panels have been catalogued to ensure that they well be placed back in its original position.

- the 10 inch x 10 inch x 40 feet wooden column that was the main cause for the flooring to sag has already been replaced. About 3 more damaged wooden columns need to be replaced while those columns that are undamaged have not been touched.

- the entire ceiling girts and ceiling joists have been repaired, replacing only the damaged sections of the wood frames, either by cross-sectional repair if the remaining portion of the wood frames are still in good condition or if not, replace the entire wood frame. The undamaged ceiling panels will be placed back once the flooring alignment is completed including the neo gothic arch traceries.

- the replacement of the entire roof of the main area of the ancestral house with new 0.24 mm gauge Galvanized Iron (GI) sheets were very corroded. In time, the roof will be painted with anti-corrosion metal primer and roofing paint.

This year 2014, the restoration continues, focusing on the re alignment of the 2nd floor. It is a slow tedious process of removing the flooring panels and the floor joists so as to expose and to replace the damaged floor girts and joists. As of today, three sections of the 2nd floor have already been aligned and its flooring panels have been placed back to its original position.

We, the members of GALAH foundation and as a co-owner descendant are fully committed to restore and preserve the General Aniceto Lacson Ancestral House. We are inviting all patriotic Filipino to support our cause in restoring the General Aniceto Lacson Ancestral House to its historical grandeur as a fitting symbol of our country and its people. We are also inviting you to visit the ancestral house and see for your self.

The goal is to restore and preserve the ancestral house and unselfishly shares the historical glory not only to the people of Negros but to the whole country as well. As such, the concerned co-owner descendants and members of the GALAH foundation are doing everything possible to achieve this purpose.

           The 70% descendant co-owners and members of GALAH Foundation

                      Rosario Claparols
                      Patricia Claparols
                      Victoria Claparols
                      Alxandra Claparols
                      Michael Claparols
                      Francisco Rosello
                      Carmen Rosello
                      Miguel Rosello
                      Teresa Rosello
                      Eduardo Balcells
                      Ana Balcells
                      Alfonso Balcells
                      Carlos Balcells

Negros Island History : Why People of Negros Celebrate on Cinco de Noviembre (Nov. 5)

The 5th of November is a special day in Negros Island. The Negros Revolution, now commemorated and popularly known as Al Cinco de Noviembre or Negros Day, was a political movement that in 1898 created a government in Negros Island in the Philippines, informally ending Spanish control of the island and resulting in a government run by the Negrense natives......Read More

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Negros Island. The SWEET Spot of the Philippines.

Discovering "Millionaire's Row" In Bacolod City

Wander in the part of Bacolod City which is not usually written about in tourist guidebooks or travel blogs and discover the charm of Old Negros Island. ....Read More

Discovering The First Presidential Residence of the Philippines - General Aniceto Lacson Ancestral Home

Thursday, January 21, 2016 Ancestral Homes, City-Bacolod, City-Talisay, Culture, History, morefunphilippines.org, Places, Scenic Spots

Monday, August 10, 2015

FLASH! Headquarters Of Minions Located In Metro Manila!

Monday, August 10, 2015 Hot, Metro Manila, Places

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Bacolod Traffic Cop Singing and Dancing In The Rain.

Bacolod Traffic Cop Singing and Dancing In The Rain

Tuesday, August 04, 2015 City-Bacolod, Negros Island, Places, We

Friday, July 17, 2015

It's more fun playing golf at Club Intramuros these days because golfers can now ride a Segway while doing their 18 holes.

Intramuros golf course, also known as Club Intramuros, is a public course with a short length (par 66, 4,326 yards). The club (which was established in 1907) is located in the heart of Manila and can be played in just over two hours, which makes it ideal for business people looking for a quick round of golf.

With the use of a Segway, the round can even be much quicker.

Prior to playing golf on a Segway, one will be trained by the Segway staff on how to use the equipment properly.

The Club Intramuros golf course surrounds Fort Santiago, in the heart of historic Old Manila.

Contact Details

Club Intramuros,
Bonifacio Drive cor. Aduana Street,
Port Area,
Intramuros
Manila
Tel: +(63-2) 527-6613
Fax: +(63-2) 527-6614

Club Intramuros is managed by the

You Can Now Ride A Segway While Playing Golf At Intramuros

Friday, July 17, 2015 Golf, Golf Courses, Intramuros, Metro Manila, Places

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Tucked away in the PHINMA Gallery of the Negros Museum along Gatuslao Street, the Negros Museum Cafe has served only the best cuisine that the local produce has to offer.

Veering away from preserved meats and products, the Cafe’s head chef and proprietor, Guido Nijssen, has chosen to use only the freshest ingredients found in local markets. Fresh artisan bread, smoked ham, bacon, and different kinds of cheese are prepared every day.

Join us in the 4^th year anniversary celebration of a true Negrense experience, the Negros Museum Cafe.

4th Year Anniversary of the Negros Museum Cafe

Thursday, June 25, 2015 City-Bacolod, Events, Food, Places, Province-Negros Occidental

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Many people associate progress with the emergence of spanking new buildings cladded with aluminum sheets and "clean" lines which actually border on bland. In the heart of the Visayas, where two regions are comfortably nestled, the Western Visayas Region, and the newly formed Negros Island Region better known as The Sweet Spot of the Philippines, such may not be the case.

Here at the heart of the sugar industry, where elegant mansions were erected at the turn of the century due to the sugar boom catalyzed by a British man named Nicolas Loney, the locals are training their sights on enshrining their culture by preserving old houses, instead of knocking them down.

In Iloilo City, citizens were first aghast at the idea that the famed Yusay-Consing Mansion in Molo district could be demolished by its new owners, the SM Group . Thinking that the Yusay-Consing Mansion would fall prey to the wrecking ball, recent photos have shown that the SM Group is sticking to its 2014 press statement in restoring the ancestral home through adaptive re-use, hiring no less than Architect Augusto Villalon.

SM emphasized that there is an adaptive reuse plan for the Yusay-Consing Mansion, which faces the plaza in Molo and gothic-designed Roman Catholic Saint Anne Parish Church. While a commercial building will be built within the compound, the mansion, which was in a decayed state, is currently being rehabilitated for use as a heritage museum with a cultural retail shop.

“The mansion will showcase the best of Ilonggo arts, crafts and delicacies,” SM said in a statement.

Built in the 1920s, the Yusay-Consing Mansion was originally owned by Doña Petra Lacson-Yusay. It was later handed down to the family of Timoteo Consing Sr., who served as Iloilo governor from 1935-1937. The mansion was said to be where Presidents Manuel Quezon and Sergio Osmeña were hosted and stayed in when they would visit Iloilo.

Art Deco Staircase of Balay Daku

Across the pond in the island of Negros, families have been refurbishing their homes to further showcase to visitors, the splendor of a glorious past.

Just as what is happening in Iloilo, a number of houses have been brought to better shape to show future generations the Negrense life as it was in the first half of the 1900s. Museum Curator John Silva recently made a public post on Facebook showing the Most Beautiful Art Deco House in the Philippines.

Located in a street which was once known as Millionaire's Row, the Generoso Villanueva house, also known as Balay Daku (big house) continues to wow its limited visitors.

On the same street, Burgos Street, another similar balay daku also shows the shining past of Negros and Bacolod City. This is the house of Don Mariano Ramos.

Between the two houses and other mansions for which Negros is known for, Ms. Bambi Harper had this to comment on John Silva's post on Facebook, "Negrenses appear to have better taste than Manileños. Think of all those Art Deco houses in New Manila that were replaced by condos of no particular artistic value."

Ramos Ancestral Home

Photo credits to : Hawili Hurom (Iloilo), Voltaire Siacor and John Silva (Daku Balay), Lloyd Tronco (Ramos Ancestral Home).

Heritage Preservation - More Fun in West Visayas and Negros Island

Wednesday, June 17, 2015 Ancestral Homes, Iloilo, Lifestyle, Negros Island, Places, Scenic Spots

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

There's nothing quite like watching the sun rise from the other side of Boracay Island. While most visitors of Boracay flock to the white beach on the west side, there is a charming hideaway on the east side which is perfect for those who want to relish the seclusion and serenity of being with oneself.

We recently found the place where one can best experience a Philippine sunrise. The place is called Private Mountain Casitas. Pleasantly contrasted to all the modern developments of Boracay, Private Mountain Casitas is ideally perched on the hills of Bulabog. Reaching the casitas is a bit of a hike upwards. Nevertheless, as one ascends and looks back to the sea, the grandeur awaiting at the top can easily be envisioned.

From the casitas, one can wake up early in the morning to watch a splendid light show which we often take for granted - the Philippine sunrise. First, the sky is tinted with a strange hue of purple signalling the end of night's darkness. Then the sun eases up from beneath the horizon, casting a rosy-tinged glow across the east side of Boracay to fully spill that golden cast on the sea before you. Some things are worth getting up early for and a sunrise at Private Mountain Casitas is one of them.

Private Mountain Casitas is rated the #1 Specialty Lodging in Boracay according to Tripadvisor.

The Best Place To Experience A Philippine Sunrise

Tuesday, June 02, 2015 Accomodation, Beaches, Boracay, Lifestyle, Nature Adventure, Places, Scenic Spots, Water Activities

Negros Food Gallery