ABSOLUTELY FILIPINO MAGAZINE FALL 2017

Uplifting PINOY FALL 2017 ISSUE # 13

APPRECIATE C O N S U L G E N E R A L N E I L F R A N K F E R R E R A N D H I S FA M I LY Glisha Dela Cruz: Destined to Shine Etiquette of Social Media Invitations Justine Felizarta, Our Delegate for Beauty and Self-Confidence Melarie Joy, Winner of the First Junior Miss British Columbia Pageant www.absolutelyfilipinomagazine.com

A B S O LU T E LY F I L I P I N O M A G A Z I N E

ABSOLUTELY FILIPINO MAGAZINE

B EDITORIAL BOARD FALL 2017 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Jinkee Porta-Mercurio PUBLISHER: JPM Publishing CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Joandrea Santiago Arjay Bartolome Marjorie Anne Macahilas Kurt Zubieta Dwight Simon GUEST CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Cav Butchoy Sievert Justine Felizarta Melquea Marie Eustaquio COPY EDITOR: Joandrea Santiago LAYOUT AND DESIGN EDITOR: John Paulo Fernandez PHOTOGRAPHY: Dwight Simon *other photos as specified on the page

ecause of the many things that are going on around us here in Canada and even in the Philippines, somehow it is effortless for us to simply dwell on all the negative aspects of life and thoughts that are not healthy and productive. Each day indeed is a constant and continuous battle. Being easily distracted by many things, we tend to overlook and disregard all the good and positive events so quickly. But here at Absolutely Filipino, we chose to focus on the positive side of every Filipino people no matter what. Our goal is always to boost and uplift the morale of every Filipino anywhere in the world.

This fall season, we want to share with you some of the inspirational stories that serve as a reminder of how hard work, talent, and determination can eventually lead us in achieving things that are not even possible. Their stories will also encourage us to keep on chasing our dreams no matter how hard it is. We love those kinds of stories here, and we welcome everyone to share their own inspirational stories, too.

Once again, we thank you all for supporting us all throughout this season. This wouldn't be even possible without the help of our loyal readers and my excellent staff. I also acknowledge God in this publication, for AFM is simply nothing without Him. I am hoping to bring more inspiration to your home in the future. So please watch out for our new magazine issue and don't forget to visit our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram pages including our website, www.absolutelyfilipinomagazine.com. #UPLIFTINGPINOY Jinkee Porta-Mercurio Editor-in-Chief

What’s INSIDE? F A L L

CIRCULATION: Marlon Mercurio FOR SALES AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Q MEDIA @ 778-987-7778

2017

4. FEATURE

Glisha Dela Cruz: Destined to Shine by Arjay Bartolome

6. SOCIAL MEDIA

jinkee.mercurio@outlook.com 778-792-0071 • 778-792-0049

Etiquette of Social media invitations by Kurt Zubieta

WEBSITE: www.absolutelyfilipinomagazine.com

7. PINOY GROUP

Philippine Military Academy Western Canada Group (PMAWCG) by Cav Butchoy Sievert ‘85

8. ON CENTRE STAGE DISCLAIMER: The articles and opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of the publisher. All written materials are designed for educational and informational purposes only, and no one should use it as a replacement for any expert’s advice. Sponsors and advertisers are solely responsible for the content and legitimacy of information published in their ads. Advertisers who don’t have their own art and asked AFM to aid in making the art or advertorial/write-up are responsible for its content. There is no guarantee that all submitted materials such as articles, photos, and artworks will be published. AFM can edit and alter any submitted material before publication.

A Heartfelt Goodbye to Consul General Neil Ferrer and his Family by Joandrea Santiago

12. FEATURE

Justine Felizarta, Our Delegate for Beauty and Self-Confidence by Justine Felizarta

14. ZEST AND FLAVOUR

Adobo and Adobo Tacos by Dwight Simon

17. FEATURE

Melarie Joy, Winner of the First Junior Miss British Columbia Pageant by Melquea Marie Eustaquio

18. TRAVELOGUE

Family Travel Tips by Jinkee Mercurio

19. CROSSWORD

Crossword Puzzle by Marjorie Anne Macahilas

All contents © Copyright 2017 | No part of this magazine maybe reproduced in whole or in part without written permission.

LUKE 1:37 “FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.”

Glisha Dela Cruz:

DESTINED TO SHINE Article by Arjay Bartolome • Photos by George Bencze

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On the other hand, her father funded her first CD album entitled “Glisha: From The Heart” released last 2012. Part of the proceeds went to the imagine1day fundraising campaign of her school for the kids of Ethiopia.

“Without their support and encouragement, this hobby of mine wouldn’t have been able to prosper,” Glisha added.

Transitioning from a singer to a performer was crucial for Glisha’s journey.

Being on stage is not just about her voice; she needs to consider other aspects such as her presence, audience engagement, and proper etiquette. Glisha is thankful to have vocal coaches who also taught her how to present herself well, connect with her audience, be less nervous, and most importantly, to have fun.

“The more I performed and bettered myself, the more that the stage felt like a second home to me,” Glisha said.

The show must go on, was something she taught to herself especially when it is really hard for her to perform. This year’s Fort Langley Canada Day Celebration was a challenge for her. Three days prior the event, she had a terrible fever, sore throat, stuffy nose and a cough. Still, at the end of it all, she was able to perform well despite her condition.

Her Filipina blood has a great contribution to where she is and who she is right now. Since she knows how to speak the Filipino language, Original Pilipino Music (OPM) was also a big influence on her. She enumerated some OPM icons who inspired her such as Juris, Aiza Seguerra, and Sarah Geronimo. “Matud Nila,” a Visayan song is also one of her favorite Pinoy music.

“It’s great to be able to combine my passion with my culture. And aside from this, it’s known that Filipinos are usually great singers!,” Glisha exclaimed.

Behind all of these, Glisha is still a typical teenager who loves to go shopping, try new foods, read and write poetry, and play the ukulele.

As she shared her message to all aspiring singers, she encourages everyone to share their talent with the world, let their voice be heard and be open for new opportunities.

Furthermore, she also reminded everyone not to lose their individuality and culture in singing.

“Music is an art, never be hesitant to get lost in it and enjoy the craft. At the end of the day, no matter how good or bad you sound, what stays with you is how you feel when you sing. So, sing boldly, fearlessly, for everybody to hear.”

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FEATURE

M

usic is everywhere, but for her, music is everything.

With a mesmerizing voice and extraordinary passion for music, Glisha Dela Cruz, a young local artist from Surrey proved that age will never be a limit in taking the journey in the music industry.

As early as eight years old, Glisha had been chosen to sing the national anthem, O’ Canada, in Fort Langley Canada Day celebration in 2009. The coordinators had been so impressed by her singing that they invited her to sing for each Canada Day celebration thereafter. This year marks her 9th year singing for the event, and she looks forward to next year which will mark her 10th year with them.

Her performance at Fort Langley Canada Day opened opportunities for Glisha to be invited in various shows, events, and concerts in British Columbia and other cities. By the age of 16, she already performed in Cranberry Festival in Fort Langley, the Surrey International World Music Marathon 1 & 2, the B.C. Summer Games Opening Ceremony, Chinese International Festival, and Richmond Summer Night Market.

Socio-civic blood runs in the Dela Cruz family. Glisha is the daughter of Joel Dela Cruz, ASTT-BC’s Top in Technology 2010 Awardee and Narima Dela Cruz, 2012 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant awardee. Her brother, Daryl Dela Cruz, is a popular young transportation advocate, who is a recipient of Surrey’s Top 25 Under 25 Surrey Leader Community Leader Awards in the Community Builder Category in 2012 and among Metro Vancouver’s Top 24 Under 24 in 2013.

Her family plays a significant role in Glisha’s musical journey. She is not only gifted with a sweet and compelling voice but with very supportive parents as well. They motivated and supported her in enhancing her gift and had enrolled her in vocal lessons.

“Music and singing were always something I liked as a kid. I grew up around very musical parents who liked to sing karaoke, so naturally, I found myself enjoying the craft as well,” Glisha explained.

Moreover, her mom provided Glisha some exposure through her organization, Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society (SPIDS).

“My mom is very selective in [ where she allows] me to perform. She doesn’t want overexposure or ‘just for the sake of singing’ kind of performances. She always makes sure I get the best opportunities,” Glisha shared.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Etiquette of Social media invitations

By Kurt Zubieta

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ave you ever wonder how invitations in social media help and annoy people at the same time? To be honest, a lot of people use social media sites as their way to invite friends and relatives, and sometimes strangers.

First things, first, you should invite someone you know, not someone you knew. If the person you have invited is three cities away, two days before the event, you should consider the answer is a big no. Another question the event host should consider, are your Facebook friends really your friends? It’s not like someone liking your post makes you friends - It’s different, and the whole world knows it.

Seriously, a lot of times, I am receiving event invites from people I don’t know or someone six hours away from me. The hassle about receiving this kind of invitations from stranger or old friends is that, I have to open my Facebook to check the invites I received. Declining doesn’t make you a hambog-ish (arrogant) person who tells, “Get off my yard!” to the organizers.

It is an etiquette of how to interact with people that might be interested in the event. Don’t select all. Remember that not all your Facebook friends are interested in your event. They might also report you for spamming.

Boosting events to be popular is like drinking a cup of tea, it tastes good while it’s hot and tastes awful when it’s cold.

Marketing is the best strategy to make your event popular and known. Creating a business page is a must, along with taglines and photos of your previous events with your happy guests. If you are charging the event, make sure you put the details of the event along with the ticket details. Make sure your guests will checkin to the event for a headcount. Make the details clear to avoid confusion. When you change something on the details, make sure to update your guests immediately. Possible changes of the details might disrupt the consistency of the number of guests that will attend. You might set conditions, like guests should pay their accommodation or tickets even if they canceled their appearance at the event.

Harness visual images to catch your target number of guests.

Visual images can put your event in the right place. Use different kinds of colors to convey the identity of your event.

Create one unified hashtag for your event. Hashtags can make your event popular and can make your next event more successful than the previous one.

When creating a workshop, upload quoted pictures of your keynote-speaker. This can make your event attractive and inspiring.

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Guests, on the other hand, must ensure their attendance when they click the word “going.” It’s deafening to hear your friend tell you, “drawing ka naman, kailan mo lalagyan ng kulay?” or “nangindyan ka yells naman!” Guests should always be punctual. Late comers might miss an important part of the event like special performance or even dinner. Make sure to inform the event organizer if going to be late. Contacting the host is the best way to do.

Today is the time of the best machines and networks.

The social media sites made our lives easier to interact and communicate. It’s like chatting window to window. Events are very easy to advertise. One click and the whole world knows what you’re up to. The downside of the event invitations in social media is the assurance of the attendees and its personality. Fake events are also rampant on social media sites. It might be a scam or some promotions of a certain company. Being viral is the best achievement of a particular institution. It boosts their popularity and product sales. This practice may also lead to confusions. The event organizer should be very careful about writing the details to avoid misunderstandings.

Additionally, the hosts have the right to update the people who are coming to the event. Some people will confirm their attendance personally without even updating the Facebook invite. So, in case you change your mind, don’t get mad at the hosts when you find out that you are already part of the not going list because, for the purpose of head counting and preparation, somebody has to update the page event. Instead, talk to the hosts nicely and let them know your intent to come to the party.

Sometimes, this incident happens because some people just don’t like the hosts or they don’t personally support the hosts.

Then finding out that their friends are coming to this event, that’s when they suddenly changed their minds to be a part of it.

Without social media, the host must travel kilometers or pay expensive commercials on T.V. and radio to invite people to attend their event. The social media made everything easy and more convenient for the host - just one click away. It’s hassle free, budget wise, and not time-consuming. Social media brought us the convenience that we’ve always wanted. Hence, we must remember, seeing your friends or the event host personally can build a relationship and may boil for more interesting ideas to improve future events - the best rule of thumb to consider.

PINOY GROUP

Philippine Military Academy Western Canada Group (PMAWCG) Article and Photos Courtesy of Cav Butchoy Sievert ‘85

T

he PMAWCG came into existence in the summer of 2013. It was formed to gather all graduates, non-graduates & former cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) including our wives who have chosen British Columbia as home.

With the objective of camaraderie & brotherhood in whatever form since our cadet days in the Academy, we were able to muster enough members from all over BC including a few from the USA based PMA Northwest Group in Seattle, WA. In so doing, we came-up with our first official gathering, a summer picnic held at Langley Park in Langley, BC which we initially hosted along with Cav Singson & Gerry. It was followed by a Christmas Party later that year and was held at the residence of one of the senior members of the group in Coquitlam, BC.

As we gained momentum after the creation of the group, we were able to muster enough numbers to host our visiting alumni from Washington, USA who came to join us on our second summer picnic in 2015. There were a lot of attendees from both sides of the border and so we decided to have a sports fest.

Golfers enjoyed the day in the greens, while we, the lawn tennis players had a great time at the tennis courts and our ladies either went sight-seeing or the usual shopping.

It is indeed a wonderful feeling of experiencing the company of our upperclassmen and underclassmen with which we shared fond memories while still cadets at the PMA. After all, it is the aim of the PMAWCG to be always there for each other as brothers-in-arms whether you are an alumni (dubbed as a Cavalier/Cav) or a former cadet/non-graduate, for as long as once in your lifetime you stepped on the hallowed grounds of the Academy.

Roster of Members are: Cav Bang Adriano ‘70 Cav Romeo Ranay ‘74 Cav Mervin & Virgie Espadero ’77 Cav Roxy & Judith Roxas ‘77 Cav Jess & Blue Lomeda ‘80 Cav Jun Ancheta ‘80 Ike Talens & Cris Talens ‘80 Cav Oscar & Mercy Singson ‘85 Cav Butchoy & Marichu Sievert ’85 Nimrod & Cris Ordonez’87 Gerry & Joy Saguin’88 Ariel & Carel de Guzman ’89 Cav Jun & Gaykee Azurin ‘89 Cav Glenn & Donna Dublin ’91 Cav Ed & Roselle Sumergido ’93 Honorary: Alex & Ying Barros ‘88 Cav Boyet & Pinky Santiano ’84

ABSOLU T ELY F ILIPIN O MA G A ZI N E

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A Heartfelt Goodbye to Consul General Neil Ferrer and his Family

By Joandrea Santiago

O

ur beloved Consul General Neil Ferrer is about to complete his term at the end of the year. Here are some of the highlights of the interview where we got to know our ConGen a little bit deeper. We talk about his passions, his family, and of course, the community he’s been serving.

The Man Behind the Title of Consul General Neil spent more than half of his life in government service-four years in the Foreign Service Institute followed by 21 years in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

We talk about the reasons why he took up this career as well as his passions and interests.

What is the story behind becoming a diplomat and following a service-oriented career?

It all started in my undergraduate studies in UP

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Diliman. It is a government funded university, and it is where my mind was opened to public service and giving back the privilege I was given as “Iskolar ng bayan”. To me, it’s not necessarily about the title or position you hold; when you enter government, it’s always about public service. And, as a Filipino diplomat, we essentially work to promote and enhance our country’s national interests vis-a-vis other countries, as well as protect the rights and promote the welfare of overseas Filipinos.

What is something you love and hate about the position of being a ConGen? In a busy post, like here in Vancouver, I engage in a host of activities, including numerous cultural and community events.

In this job, you have to love interacting with people, but should remain focused on your objectives – such as promoting

trade and investments or tourism to the Philippines, or sharing our country’s culture and heritage to the public. While I enjoy interacting with people, at times it could be exhausting, especially when you have to go to three or four events in a day and deliver speeches in all the events; many weekends are taken away from my family because I have to attend functions or conduct consular outreach services in remote areas.

But overall, it has been a very enjoyable and productive stint for me here in Vancouver. We have a vibrant Filipino-Canadian community here, who are proud of our heritage; very generous in helping our kababayans and supporting medical and dental missions and other projects in the Philippines; very supportive of various projects and activities we conduct at the Consulate; and volunteering and actively engaging locally in the community.

ON CENTRE STAGE

We are very thankful that it has been a positive experience for her; she is a very strong and intelligent girl. Now, she is on her senior year at the University of British Columbia here in Vancouver, taking up international relations – and probably might pursue a career in the foreign service in the future.

Miriam: Before quitting my job in the Department of Finance, I was also very career-focused.

But thru the years, I saw that we will have to adjust to a new environment all the time, and it’s not easy for the kids. I stopped working in 2009 when we came back from Neil’s post in London.

Because of it, I can engage with the kids’ teachers, classmates, the other parents and with the community--especially in Canada where community engagement is very important. We volunteer and attend different kinds of events in school, and we also enroll the kids in different activities. So in that sense, the children do not feel alienated in the place, they feel more integrated into the community, and that’s how they adjust, that’s how they feel more at home.

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Photos by Dwight Simon Make up by Sheena Ho Hair by Narcy Vinluan

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Tell us something that most of your constituents don’t know about you.

I like the outdoors. I enjoy walking and hiking; and Vancouver or BC is a very good place to do these because there are plenty of green spaces, rolling hills, and mountains. Going out to experience nature is one of the things I try to do when there is an opportunity and time, especially now na nagkaka-edad na (that I’m getting older). My youngest daughter is only four years old – so it is still some more years before she becomes an adult; I wish to stay healthy for my family, which is not always easy because of the demands of the job.

ConGen and His family Being in the foreign service, one is assigned a 6-year tour of duty outside of the Philippines.

After which, they go back to the Philippines and stay there for about 2 years (or more) before another 6-year assignment overseas. Congen Neil and his wife Miriam have four daughters ages 20, 11, 9, and 4--the first was born in Manila, the two in the middle in London, and the youngest in Ottawa. ConGen Neil and Miriam tell us how they keep their family close and their kids grounded despite their unique situation.

We’ve just learned that the life of a diplomat is always moving.

Once you feel like you’ve already taken root in one country, you will be assigned to move again. What are the struggles your family faces given the nature of your job?

Neil: We experienced how hard it is for our children – to constantly move over several years and to uproot them from where they grew up in and adjust to a new environment. My eldest daughter, for example, had to go to several schools during my first foreign assignment in Beijing and London.

When my tour of duty ended and had to go back to the Philippines, it was not easy for her to say goodbye to her classmates and friends; and adjust to a new environment.

So Miriam and I have to be there for her and really support her emotionally and psychologically.

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Are your kids well-adjusted now?

What happens when you return to the Philippines next year?

Miriam: We are always transparent and open to our kids. We remind them that we’re going back to the Philippines; they always know when and where we are going and make sure they know that our stay is not permanent.

We try to tell them, they are in a privileged position. It may not be easy transferring from one place to another, from one school to another but they are actually experiencing something that not all children get to have--living in different countries, experiencing multiple cultures.

And as a whole, when they grow up, like what we see in our eldest daughter, the sum of their experiences will be good for them. Neil and I assure them that they have our support. We are fortunate, we feel very blessed that we are able to say together. Not every family can do that. And because of this, our family is very close-after all, it’s only the six of us who are always together.

The Milestones of the Filipino Community The Filipino community in Metro Vancouver and all across our jurisdiction continue to grow. In fact, for the last

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four years, the Philippines has been the number one major source country of immigrants to Canada and Tagalog has become the fastest growing language in the country.

In Metro Vancouver, the Filipino community hosts various festivities during the month of June every year to celebrate Philippine Independence. Because of this, we at the Consulate initiated (way back in 2014) the month-long celebration not only of Philippine Independence but also the friendship between Canada and the Philippines every June, culminating with our participation in the Canada Day Parade on 1 July.

During the last national elections in the Philippines, the Filipino community within our jurisdiction recorded the highest number of overseas voting registration and actual votes cast during the election period, in the whole of Canada. We are also among the top 10 Foreign Service Posts in terms of overseas voting registration and voter turnout during the last elections.

Indeed it has been a good run for our ConGen Neil Ferrer and for us, his constituents, in last four years or so. It’s back to the Philippines for his family early next year until he will once again be

assigned a duty overseas. Let’s all wish him continued success and a bountiful career of public service.

Thank you, Sir Neil!

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FEATURE

Justine Felizarta, Our Delegate for Beauty and Self-Confidence Article and Photos Courtesy of Justine Felizarta

J

ustine Felizarta is a 23-year-old licensed medical esthetician, a signed model, a Binibining Pilipinas 2015 semi-finalist, and an aspiring humanitarian vying for the title of Miss Universe Canada 2017. She was born in Olongapo City, Philippines but migrated to Vancouver, Canada at the age of six with her family.

Growing up in Canada has taught her the beauty of diversity and to adapt to the different cultures ubiquitous in school, work, and social gatherings. From a young age, she developed an interest in the arts and decided to explore it further by joining the school choir and dance group. Through this, Justine was able to get out of her comfort zone and realize her passion for performing in front of people.

But Justine’s true passion lies in the field of beauty and esthetics. She always dreamed of opening her own medical spa and treating skin concerns. Justine studied medical esthetics, because at a young age, she experienced being bullied for the way she looked and did not have the courage to stand up for herself. Then, when she started modelling at 17, she realized that beauty is more than just looking a certain way but also about being confident in oneself. From there, Justine incorporated her experiences with bullying towards teaching others how to boost their self-esteem and help them to be more confident in themselves inside and out.

Justine is an advocate for those who are experiencing selfesteem issues and bullying, which can lead to a bigger issue of mental health. She wants to use Miss Universe Canada as a platform to inspire others to have the courage to stand up for themselves and be comfortable in their own skin. She also wants to break the stigma of the standard beauty that society dictates and instead celebrate the unique differences we all have, from our sizes to our skin color, it is all beautiful. Justine believes that everyone deserves to live a life where they can fully express themselves because that is the only way we will be able to grow as a person and reach our full potential.

Justine is a part of several charitable organizations such as Helping Hands Foundations, ANCOP, and Operation Smile.

However, she hopes to one day amplify her contribution to society by having her own non-profit organization. Her main mission and goal would be to speak out on behalf of people who deal with body image problems in their everyday lives and to take action through different support outlets of wellness, skills development workshops, and makeover treatments.

Aside from all her work and volunteer endeavours, Justine likes being outdoors exploring the city in search of new local hot spots to spend quality time with her family and friends. No matter what she does, Justine is set out to enjoy what life has to offer and takes every opportunity to make herself and the people around her better.

Let’s support our candidate at the national pageant to be held in Toronto on October 7th. She is excited to be a delegate in the Miss Universe Canada pageant and is ready for the road ahead!

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ZEST & FLAVOURS

Adobo and Adobo Tacos Article and Photos by Dwight Simon

T

he Philippines and Mexico were both Spanish colonies for hundreds of years. As a result, both cultures share a lot of similarities, and one of the biggest ones is our love for pork! From adobong baboy to carnitas and a shared love of lechon, there is never a shortage of pork dishes at a Filipino or Mexican party. They even have their own version of adobo! What they do is quite different from their Filipino friends. It is strictly a preservation technique that employs several different spices, with paprika being the most prevalent. A very popular way to preserve jalapeño peppers is to smoke them, put them in a jar and cover them with Adobo sauce. It is called chipotles chiles en adobo.

To celebrate our shared struggles and the similarities that come with it, this issue’s recipe will combine our garlic and soy version of adobo with the fiery Mexican version. I will then turn it into carnitas, which is a pork shoulder cooked low and slow in lard until it falls apart and then pan seared until crispy. And then we will wrap it in a delicious tortilla and make some tacos!

METHOD

INGREDIENTS Adobo 3 lb. portion of raw pork shoulder, bone in (this cut goes by pork shoulder roast or blade roast) 6 cloves garlic Handful whole peppercorns 3 bay leaves Splash chilli vinegar Dark soy sauce to taste 1 can chipotles chiles en adobo Salsa 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced finely ½ bunch green onion, finely chopped 2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 jalapenos, de-seeded and diced finely Juice of 1 lime Olive oil to taste Corn tortillas

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dwight Simon is a food enthusiast and a blogger. He is also a photographer in Vancouver and anurse by profession.

You can reach him at 604-781-5483 or through his email:dwightsimon@ gmail.com. You can also visit his blog: dwightsimon.blogspot.ca

Let’s start with the star of the show, the pork! Cut most of the meat off the bone. Leave them in big chunks. It does not have to be perfect, and if you leave some meat on the bone, it’s all good! Cut the rest of the meat into even, medium-sized chunks. Put the cut meat and bone into a heavy-bottomed pot. Add garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, vinegar and soy sauce. Cover with water and simmer until meat is falling apart and water has evaporated. All that should be left at the bottom should be the fat that rendered out of the meat. Set aside and let cool.

Put all the salsa ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Open your can of chipotles en adobo and chop them finely. Put into a bowl and set aside.

Take your cooked adobo out of the pot. Discard the bay leaves and peppercorns.

Heat up a cast iron pan on the stove over medium-high heat.

Heat up an additional pan to a low-medium. The pan on low heat will be used to heat your tortillas. The goal here is to heat them through and not to add colour to them. They will be slightly brittle when cold and will be nice and flexible when warm. Stack your warm tortillas on a warm plate and cover with a kitchen towel.

In the hot cast iron pan, sear off your adobo in the fat you reserved from the pot earlier. When you get a beautiful golden-brown color and crispy crust, add your chopped chipotles chiles en adobo sauce. Toss in the pan and make sure all your meat is covered in sauce. That adobo sauce burns easily so continue cooking only until meat is covered and the sauce is heated through.

Now assemble your tacos starting with two warm tortillas, a portion of adobo and top it off with a little mango salsa. Eat on the beach with some cold cervezas for the win!

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FEATURE

Melarie Joy, Winner of the First Junior Miss British Columbia Pageant Article and Photos Courtesy of Melquea Marie Eustaquio

M

elarie Joy Eustaquio is a 12-yearold girl from Coquitlam who was the very first crowned Junior Miss British Columbia Pageant 2017 in history. Only this year, during Miss BC’s 15th-year anniversary celebration, when they decided to open a new category for preteens to compete for a title and have a venue for them to shine.

The first Junior Miss BC Pageant took place on July 3rd of this year, at Chandos Pattison Auditorium in Surrey, BC. Before coronation night, contestants attended judges’ interviews and workshops in the days leading up to the event. In the workshops, the girls were taught about selfconfidence, inner beauty, etiquette, and talked about their dreams and role models.

Pageant winner, Melarie, says, “Being able to participate in the Junior Miss

pageant was one of the most incredible times in my life! It was so fun being able to meet and get to know the other girls who were running in the pageant with me! My favorite part of the workshop was when we asked each other why we joined Junior Miss. Most of us answered that we were there to have fun and make new friends!

Like them, I personally came to Junior Miss, regardless if I win or not, to increase my self-confidence, have fun, meet new people, and use it as a platform to reach and achieve new and greater opportunities!

I had such amazing experiences and met so many beautiful people in the pageant! I encourage all girls from all over BC to join and make remarkable memories of their own! :)” Melarie was born in Marikina City, Philippines in 2004 and moved to Canada with her family when she was three years old. They stayed in Winnipeg for five years before deciding to move to Coquitlam in September 2013. Melarie loves to paint,

draw, and is an active competitive tap dancer for four years now! She has wowed the judges with her talent, authenticity, humility, passion for serving girls that are younger than her and her big dreams in one day becoming a real estate developer.

Her biggest role model is her big sister who has supported her throughout this pageant and was the one who has pushed her to join.

The crown may have been earned in one night, but the sowing of good values and character in Melarie took her years to build, to which her family takes credit.

Throughout this journey, her greatest desire was to build self-confidence, display a role of leadership at a young age, and simply bring Glory to God! We congratulate our very own Melarie and wish her a bright future.

The Junior Miss BC pageant was aired on SHAW TV on July 12th. You may watch Melarie’s pageant vlog behind-the-scenes in the YouTube channel @HeyMelquea.

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TRAVELOGUE

FAMILY TRAVEL TIPS

By Jinkee Mercurio

S

ince we moved to British Columbia, my family and I find that travelling out of town or outside the country is the best activity for bonding time and getting our minds away from work, responsibilities, and school. It’s a time for us to catch up and reacquaint ourselves with each other. Even the long drive and calm scenery is something we look forward to.

That said, I am not one of those “we’ll see how it goes” kind of people. I like our trips to have an itinerary, more-or-less, so that when it’s vacation time, we can just chill since the details, bookings, tickets have already been pre-set. Sometimes, it’s easier to be flexible when you’ve already got the basics covered.

Here are a few tips we’ve learned along the way: 1. First, do your research. Know the place and best things your destination has to offer. When booking a hotel or Airbnb, you don’t need to be fancy (since you’re just mostly going to sleep there) but you still have to do some research online.

Almost all the places you can stay at have reviews online, and recommendations from friends are always a plus!

Also, don’t forget to check the weather of your destination! In my case, who would

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have thought that it will be snowy and foggy at the Grand Canyon in the month of May? We ended up not enjoying the place because we did not wear the proper attire and the very thick clouds encapsulated the Grand Canyon--fail.

2. Set a budget that is within your financial capability, so think of something reasonable and affordable. Is going out of town for your trip within your budget?

Maybe having a staycation or a weekend dinner out and movie will suffice for now.

Aside from your hotel booking, take into account travel fees (airplane tickets, renta-car, bus or train rides), of which prices can be researched online. Also, take into account daily budget for food and tickets to shows or theme parks. It’s always good to have an extra amount of money in case of emergencies. As a rule, we do not spend savings on our vacation; we make a separate budget for it.

3. To enjoy your vacation, try just to stay in one particular place. If you are in Las Vegas, stay in Las Vegas. During our recent trips, we sought to “maximize” by going to multiple destinations travelling to different cities and states. Because of that, we missed some famous spots because we were in a rush to move to the next place.

Aside from that, it’s also exhausting to travel back and forth--it’s no fun for the designated driver. That’s when a vacation becomes a source of stress.

4. Make an itinerary. It’s still better if you have detailed plans for your vacation. I’ve been doing a lot of planning, and it never gets easier.

But getting the dates, time, place, address and activities, all written in my planner relieves me from arguments and need for brainstorming once it’s all set--I just have to sit back and follow the plan.

5. Pre-book your stay including hotel, transportation and other appointments (i.e., spa and other relaxation activities).

How good it is when all you need to do is to go there without anything to think about? Most often, booking online has more advantage than being a walk-in customer.

6. Use coupon codes and rewards to get a good deal. Some of my colleagues have been using reward points from a Facebook game app to get many freebies like a hotel room, entertainment tickets, food and other vacation packages. We got $18.00/day rent-a-car deal through employee discount offered by my employer.

7. Most importantly, have fun, soak it all in, and travel safe!

I hope this article helped you in some way! If you have adventures and misadventures, travel tips and useful advice, send us an email with subject “Travel Advice.”

CROSSWORD Crossword Puzzle by Marjorie Anne Macahilas

ACROSS 1. Salita na kasingkahulugan ng sayaw 3. Nagsisilbing harang o pasukan bago pa ang pangunahing pintuan ng bahay 5. Inilalagay sa mukha upang mapaganda pa ito ng lalo 7. Salita na kasingkahulugan ng himagsik 9. Isa sa mga kulay ng ulap; tawag rin sa kulay ng dugo ng pamilyang royal 11. Alaala 13. Banga na ipunan ng tubig noong unang panahon 15. Panukat sa katawan para sa tatahiing damit 17. Linya sa mukha na mas prominente sa noo 19. Isang uri ng gulay na madalas rin itawag sa malapad na paa

DOWN 2. Wasak, hindi maaliw-aliw na damdamin 4. Pag-awit upang mapasagot ang dilag na sinusuyo noong unang panahon 6. Mga awiting pag-ibig 8. Kapalaran; tawag sa mga pangyayari na pawang wala kang kontrol 10. Suspetsa o kutob 12. Ito’y pagsapit ng dapit-hapon 14. Panibagong kabanata sa buhay 16. Pagkokontrol o pagpipigil sa bugso ng damdamin 18. Akompanyamento; sabay na tugtog sa umaawit 20. Salitang Pandamdam na maaaring gamitin upang ipahayag ang hiling

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