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CONT ENTS 29 COVER Facing people’s underwater fears is child’s play
MAY 2015 06 FIXTURE Government offices are now setting up a less daunting environment for the public
18 FEATURE Media portrayals of sharks recast the sea’s predators as villains lurking in the deep
08 FIXTURE Oslob’s underwater giants face threats with mismanagement of eco-tourism
22 FEATURE How the old mussel industry relies on the gifts of the sea
12 SPACE Photographer Wawi Navarroza’s home doubles as an artist’s studio
54 RECIPE A common Japanese ingredient turned into a delicious summery rice meal
45 EATS A step to sustainable dining
26 FEATURE Reliving the glory days
Cover photo by Geric Cruz
EDITOR’S NOTE The call of the sea Taking a dip and enjoying the sea’s ebb and flow, and the idleness of the dog days become the perfect opportunity to examine our internal state as well as what’s around us. To question how else we could do better is to look at our lives with fresh eyes. This issue invites a little introspection while at sea. A portion of this issue is dedicated to Boracay’s historic heydays. As we look back to the island, we are reminded that nothing in this world is static but there are ways we can longer preserve the good that we have
around us. As little as using a reef-safe sunscreen can already make a difference. We also look into one of the most misunderstood creatures of the sea: sharks. There is a lot to be learned and we must get over our fear of them. Of course, there are certain precautions but when it comes to preserving our ecosystem, sharks (among other animals) are paying a portion of our debt. Like the sea that is everchanging, we hope that this issue will open the door for a better transformation—for ourselves and those around us.
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Southern Living is published by Hinge Inquirer Publications. 4F Media Resource Plaza, Mola corner Pasong Tirad Street, Barangay La Paz, Makati City. Visit www.facebook.com/ southernlivingmagazine now. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @slivingph. We’d love to hear from you. Email us at sliving@hip.ph. For advertising, email sales@hip.ph. This magazine was printed responsibly using recycled papers with biodegradable inks.
FEEDBACK
WELL TRAVELED SOUTHERN living
Hi! The moment I saw your issue in some coffee shop nearby, I was in love with your publication. But I am having a hard time searching for stalls or bookstores that sell your issues. Do you distribute around here in Batangas City? Please tell me where. It would be awesome!
Seatiel Mangubat For now, we only distribute in Metro Manila. Fortunately, we are available on digital newsstands. -Ed.
GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA MANAGING EDITOR BEVERLY DALTON ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS LEX CELERA, PRISTINE L. DE LEON CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM GRAPHIC ARTIST DANICA CONDEZ CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS PIERRA CALASANZ-LABRADOR, CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, AJ ELICAÑO, CHINGGAY LABRADOR, MONICA ELEAZAR-MANZANO, INA AMOR MEJIA, MARBBIE TAGABUCBA ILLUSTRATORS LEE CACES, TRISTAN TAMAYO STYLISTS EDLENE CABRAL, CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, INA AMOR MEJIA HAIR AND MAKEUP CHUCHIE LEDESMA, BULLET REYES PHOTOGRAPHERS GABBY CANTERO, GERIC CRUZ, TAMMY DAVID, INA AMOR MEJIA, ARTU NEPOMUCENO, JOSEPH PASCUAL, PATRICK SEGOVIA, JILSON SECKLER TIU, GUTSY TUASON COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER CESCA VIZCONDE EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO CUSTOM ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITORS PAM BROOKE CASIN, ANGELA VELASCO EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS PAULINE MIRANDA, KRISTINE FULGENCIO, THERESE STA. MARIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SHANNA MALING, INA MATEO, GENE PEREZ GRAPHIC ARTISTS ROI DE CASTRO, TEJ TAN, YAYIE MOTOS, JAYCELINE SORIANO, JANINE ALCANTARA PRODUCTION MANAGER NOEL CABIE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT MARICEL GAVINO FINAL ART SUPERVISOR DENNIS CRUZ FA ARTIST JR LAROSA BOARD CHAIRPERSON ALEXANDRA PRIETO-ROMUALDEZ FINANCE ADVISOR AND TREASURER J. FERDINAND DE LUZURIAGA LEGAL ADVISOR ATTY. RUDYARD ARBOLADO HR STRATEGY HEAD RAYMUND SOBERANO VP AND CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER IMELDA ALCANTARA SVP AND GROUP SALES HEAD, INQUIRER GROUP OF COMPANIES FELIPE R. OLARTE
This issue made me want to go camping! The photos are inspiring! I’m choosing which mountains to climb and I can’t wait to take this break. Thanks for encouraging me to explore more of the Philippines!! -Joshua Abraham
@slivingph @slivingph
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AVP FOR SALES MA. KATRINA MAE GARCIA-DALUSONG KEY ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST ANGELITA TAN-IBAÑEZ ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ABEGAIL GINAGA, ANDIE ZUÑIGA, SARAH CABALATUNGAN, ALETHEIA ORDIALES SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANTS RECHELLE ENDOZO, MARA KAREN ALIASAS HEAD OF MARKETING AND EVENTS ROUMEL ITUM MARKETING ASSISTANTS ERLE VIRGILIA MAMAWAL, JANNELLE TURIJA GRAPHIC ARTISTS LEE CACES, MAYSIE LECCIONES
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HEALT H
SACRED BIRTH
A gentle transition from the womb to the world TEXT MONICA ELEAZAR-MANZANO ILLUSTRATION LEE CACES
After giving birth via Caesarean section eight years ago, I knew I wanted something different for the coming of my second child. From conception onwards, I planned everything meticulously, almost obsessively. My research led me to do a home water birth, a VBAC or vaginal birth after a Caesarean birth. Through my readings, I found that it is no longer believed that once a C-section, always a C-section. In fact, the New York Times stated that there has been a medical shift in opinion. The National Institutes of Health found that a VBAC is safer to do than a repeat Caesarian. Also, a VBAC with more than one repeat Caesarean does not pose any risks.
The relaxing effect of water, with its support and warmth, helped alleviate my pain during labor. It also gave me a private and protected space with less medical intervention. In my research, it is found that babies born into water without medical intervention have good, even better, Apgar scores than babies born on land. They come out very calm, awake, and alert. Psychologists also state that when babies are born peacefully, they are most likely to become compassionate adults. Because of the holistic experience, mothers who have had water births want to experience this kind of delivery again. For my water birth, I chose to do it at home. CNN Hero of the Year 2011, midwife, and author Ibu Robin Lim mentored me on this process. It seemed natural for my baby to leave my womb and swim out into warm waters before emerging to our physical world. I was free to move into positions led by my own body. I did not cut her umbilical cord until it fell off on its own after the third day. This process allowed my baby to receive all the blood and stem cells she needed. Lotus birth, it is called—truly the most gentle birth I can give.
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BEAUT Y
EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED
Shedding some light on summer’s most wanted beauty product TEXT BEVERLY DALTON ILLUSTRATION LEE CACES
We are all very aware of how hot Manila can get, what more during these recent dog days even when we’re trying to cool at the beach? Truth is, there’s no escape from the sun. And because there is no break from the heat, the least we could do is to be safe from the harmful rays of the sun: we turn to sunscreen. All year round, most especially this summer, we slather on this protective gear to bring redemption to our skin. After all, we know that wearing sunscreen every day is the easiest way to prevent everything from photo-aging to skin cancer. The fact is, even if we’ve been living in this tropical country for years, we’re not as sun-savvy as we think. There is something about sunscreen we should be wary about. The sunscreen that we religiously and indulgently apply to our skin at the beach before we go for a swim is slowly killing coral reefs. According to National Geographic, a new study finds that chemicals in sunscreen can awaken dormant viruses called zooxanthellae. These dormant viruses provide coral with food energy through photosynthesis and contribute to the coral’s vibrant color. The chemicals
in sunscreen cause the viruses to replicate until their algae hosts explode and when they explode, the coral turns white and dies. Even low levels of sunscreen could activate the viruses and could completely bleach the coral in just four days. We must also remember that it is not just chemicals in sunscreen that affect the water. So do other compounds contained in the other products we use every day. So what are sun worshippers like us to do? Reading the label of our beauty products, including sunscreen, is a must. If it has paraben, cinnamate, benzophenone, and a camphor derivative, we are better off wearing a wide-brimmed hat to the beach. Of course, there are other options: we can also buy a natural or organic reef-safe SPF product and wait at least 15 minutes before going to the water. This is to make sure that the lotion is already absorbed by the skin. If we heed summer’s call, it’s not just asking us to go to the sea. It’s asking us to love the sea truly and take care of it.
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FIXT URE
FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE The ire caused by red tape slowly dissipates with the rise of easier-access government services TEXT CHINGGAY LABRADOR ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ
The amount of bureaucracy one has to go through with official business can be daunting in a country that has, unfortunately, become known for government corruption. Long queues, piles of paperwork, and a seemingly long list of requirements are needed to get even the most basic of services done—renewing your driver’s license, securing an NBI permit, or sending a check by air mail. The number of steps to achieve any of the aforementioned services, many of which are necessary to live and function as a citizen of the country, can be daunting. Government offices have been known for the many “windows” that come as pit stops for a stamp or signature, each dealing you with an official who’s worked long hours running the same mindless task over and over again. With fixers making an extra buck in order to expedite the mind-numbing task for some, it’s no wonder how corruption finds its way even into the most mundane tasks. And while every trip to a government agency is likely to come with a laundry list of complaints, it is also easy to miss the minute, and sometimes the big changes that certain agencies and officials are, in fact, implementing to skirt this whole red tape issue. We have a long way to go before the system straightens up, but there are little victories that take away some of the headaches that
come with dealing with the government. The mobile Land Transportation Offices or LTOs, for example, have been making their way around barangays all over Metro Manila for a number of years now, allowing drivers to renew their licenses without the hassle of traveling all the way to the LTO. Without the tension-causing environment of a cramped office, and even with satellite spots at malls, the whole process takes just about an hour. Pretty painless. Other government agencies are now comfortably located in the city’s busiest shopping hubs: the DFA fills up its slots rapidly, but a quick look at available branches on their website will have you easily hopping from north to south, to find a schedule that fits yours. And while an NBI clearance still requires a full day of waiting, knowing that you’re at least in a covered area with air-conditioning (and an option to step out of line to grab a snack, if the person next to you is kind enough) is enough to bring relief. Even premier spots like the SM Aura Office Tower holds everything from the SSS, the PRC, PhilPost, Pag-ibig, and PhilHealth. While it may take a lot more time to get to absolute ease when it comes to government services, we can rest easy at least for a moment, knowing that we’re better off than we were before.
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FIXT URE
WHALE SONG
Why the domestication of whale sharks may be bringing them to the shallow end TEXT LEX CELERA ILLUSTRATION TRISTAN TAMAYO
Oslob, situated on the south west coast of Cebu, is home to pristine white pebble beaches and crisp clear water looming towards the horizon. The shallow waters sit adjacent to a steep incline, where the whale sharks, locally known as butanding or tuki, abound. The coastal community of Oslob takes pride in being a prime destination for whale shark watching, and rightly so when many tourists visit the Philippines specifically with whale shark watching in mind. The whole country follows suit. Flip a 100-peso banknote and you’ll see a beautiful illustration of the whale shark—an indication of our ecosystem being a hallmark of Philippine tourism. The average whale shark measures almost 10 meters and 20,000 pounds, easily dwarfing almost all other creatures it comes across. Floating several feet above this creature comes off as a fantasy. And like all fantasies, is disillusioned with the travesties of life reality has been known for. In less than a year since news of tourist feedings of whale sharks reached the public last 2011, changes in the mannerisms of the whale shark have been observed. The whale sharks have been spotted visiting shallow waters frequently and casually, most of the time to approach boats. This makes them susceptible to injuries and poaching, and is inconsistent with their behavior as migratory species. Our current model of
whale-watching may not hold water, especially when the possibility of the whale sharks’ return diminish as time passes by. A concerted effort with the Local Government Units, the Bureau of Fishers and Aquatic Resources, other allied agencies, and the private sector has been in motion for years: laws protecting whale sharks and other endangered species exist, such as the Philippine Fisheries Code (RA 8550), the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147), and the Animal Welfare Act (RA 8485). Although laws do not translate well when it comes to personal interactions, on the ground, all watchers are required to attend an orientation before heading out. A BIO (Butanding Interaction Officer) goes with them, and acts as both tour guide and lifeguard to both the whale shark and the observers. What is to lose with the whale sharks? In terms of the ecosystem, no one really knows. The resulting loss of diversity may not show up immediately, and it may only contribute to a tipping point beyond which there is no recovery for the ecosystem. What we lose, however, is a profound sense of wonder towards these gentle giants of which we know so little, despite our technological advancements. Maybe it’s time for a paradigm shift, to think of these gentle giants as kindred spirits, rather than mere spectacle.
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CR AF T
TOSSED BY THE SEA
A sultry spray that gives hair beach waves at whim TEXT, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND STYLING INA AMOR MEJIA
SEA SALT SPRAY What you’ll need: 1 cup hot water 1 tsp. sea salt 1 tbsp. cold-pressed virgin coconut oil Drops of rosemary essential oil (optional) Sprig of rosemary (optional) Clean, recycled spray bottle
Directions: 1. Carefully pour the hot water into the spray bottle. 2. Add the salt, coconut oil, and essential oil (optional). 3. Shake the bottle well to mix all the ingredients. 4. You can insert the rosemary sprig for more fragrance. 5. Spray on towel-dried hair. Put hair up in a bun and let it air-dry completely for piecey results. 6. Shake bottle each time before using.
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SPACE
THE EVERYDAY SUBLIME
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SPACE Amid the modern whites, Wawi Navarroza still maintains old fashioned corners. In a charming nook by the door, she keeps a guestbook where every visitor must sign.
Photographer Wawi Navarroza creates a home in between life’s order and chaos TEXT MARBBIE TAGABUCBA PHOTOGRAPHY TAMMY DAVID
In Wawi Navarroza’s 2011 photography book Dominion, the photographer and visual artist captured the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda in her home-studio, her drenched furniture covered by a white cloth. On the next spread are volcanic rocks covered by the same white cloth. These inanimate things survived the fury of nature. In these depictions, they convey peace—or relief, perhaps. Navarroza’s unit is a warehouse on Veterans Road, Taguig, and she started out with wide bare-bones space. “It was pure, empty, and full of possibilities.” It had the ceiling height she wanted and the light she needed. She painted all cement walls white to maximize light. “White walls are part of my life as an artist, whether in a gallery or a studio,” she explains, pointing out the exception of the warm white walls by the window to offset the unobstructed view of the sky and its many shades of blue. Only the floor remains in cement until her return from studying in Madrid in 2013. “When people say ‘artist,’ they think [we] respond and work in [our] own chaos like most painters,” she compares. “For photographers, it’s a huge part of our life to maintain the upkeep of our equipment. “It’s also a huge part of my aesthetic and my personality to keep everything streamlined. I’m either super clean or super messy; in between, life happens,” she explains, and her space is a reaction to this whirl. She has created a setting that is silent and still in which
even her books are turned, keeping its spine design out of sight. “My mind, as it is, is full of stuff. If I see a lot of colors, I might go berserk,” she confesses. By choosing to contain her material passions to clear her head, she draws out the openness of the room. Movement comes from her leafy plants and succulents in every corner of the pragmatic arrangement of stark black and whites, while bare wooden counters lend rusticity and warmth. Basketry from Bukidnon and weaves by the Mangyans of Mindoro and the Yakan tribe of Zamboanga, among others, all hum a story from her travels, giving color and texture. She cannot stand plastic, and has accumulated recycled glass containers and empty gin bottles from a factory; Navarroza, being a collector of the herbed clear spirit and an expert at mixing a gin and tonic. Sunlight streams through the windows and bounce off the glass, glimmering at random spots throughout the space. Her two cats move along slyly. As you read this, she could be hiking up the geological landscape of Romblon pursuing mountains of marbles in her return to photographing landscape. Her home studio had turned into a contemporary photography hub Thousandfold. And there is her piano, “a life milestone, a dream come true!” she exclaims. Amid the transitions taking place in Navarroza’s life, on the piano, she plays a melody, and once more, all is still.
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SPACE
At the far end where she mixes work and relaxation is a window offering a view of Taguig (above right). Navarroza keeps classics, art books, and indie and local publications (above). Plants from her travels abound (right).
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SPACE
“I’m either super clean or super messy; in between, life happens.”
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COV FEAT ER STORY URE
SHARKS, MISUNDERSTOOD SOUTHERN living
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FEAT URE
Sharks, humans, and the question of apex predators TEXT AJ ELICAÑO PHOTOGRAPHY GUTSY TUASON
When it comes to images of fear on the open sea, it’s hard to beat the visceral alarm that comes with seeing a shark’s dorsal fin slicing through the surface of the water. And yet, these fins play a huge role in the dwindling numbers of sharks in the ocean, as humans catch and kill hundreds of sharks every year to satisfy the demand for shark’s fin. We’ve taken this symbol of terror and turned it into a luxury item. Sharks featured regularly in local news last year, as Cebu revised Ordinance 2012-05, the Provincial Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ordinance of Cebu. Even as policymakers fought to protect species like the endangered scalloped hammerhead and squatheaded hammerhead (in addition to the thresher shark, already covered by the original version of the policy), many locals still had no clue that the shark trade was even illegal. Shark meat continues to be sold today despite attempts to regulate it and disseminate the ordinance, and shark’s fin remains a delicacy and status symbol the world over. Shark conservation efforts are often met with resistance; many people actively oppose them or simply don’t see the need for all the fuss. The truth is, sharks of all kinds—from plankton-grazing whale sharks (locally called butanding) to aggressive bull
sharks to the iconic great whites themselves—are under threat of pollution, overfishing, climate change, and other factors, to say nothing of the shark trade itself. And this is already wreaking havoc; sharks do so much for the health of our seas, from preventing disease outbreaks among fish to controlling marine wildlife population explosions. Healthy predator populations mean healthy ecosystems, and now sharks are dying in alarming numbers worldwide, largely thanks to humanity. The problem isn’t awareness of sharks per se; they’ve been a subject of fascination for pop culture ever since Spielberg’s Jaws was released in 1975. The movie, based on Peter Benchley’s novel by the same name, is widely credited for bringing widespread attention to the shark and forever fixing it in the popular imagination. Consider the movie poster, in which a great white looms open-mouthed below a bite-sized man. The message is as clear today as it was 40 years ago: sharks are awful monsters that want to eat you. Contrast that with another image, one that makes the rounds of social media every now and then. Here, a shark and a diver are swimming next to each other, and three sentences are splashed beside them
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COV FEAT ER STORY URE
in plain white text. The message reads, “This is the most dangerous animal in the world. It is responsible for millions of deaths every year.” By its side, a great white shark swims peacefully. It doesn’t take a statistician to figure out which of the two images is winning. Even as their numbers dwindle, sharks are still misunderstood, perceived as vicious man-eaters. We’ve heard the rhetoric— “sharks don’t seek out humans; they only eat surfers or swimmers because they look like seals”—but it never sticks. Shark attacks still get inordinate amounts of media coverage when they occur, never mind that you’re over 80 times more likely to die in a car accident than in a shark attack. People still believe in hunting sharks for protection, for prestige, for sport. Or consider the more profit-minded views on sharks, views that drive the shark trade locally and overseas. Even in places where fishermen are banned from explicitly trying to catch sharks, there are loopholes. Bycatch, the term for wildlife unintentionally caught in the net along with a fisherman’s main quarry, is understandably difficult
to avoid, and while fishermen are told to throw caught sharks back, this is difficult to enforce. Shark meat sells well, to say nothing of internal organs and the coveted shark’s fin, and when you need to provide for your family, something like “the health of the sea” seems abstract at best. In the sea, it’s perfectly reasonable to be afraid of sharks, particularly when you’re one lone human facing down four meters of toothy predatory fish. And a lone fisherman can hardly be blamed for wanting to prioritize his family over the life of one bycatch shark. But small choices consistently become patterns, and when we start to look at species and ecosystems, the balance shifts, and we become the powerful ones. Humanity, blinded by our fear of sharks, slaughters them by the thousands with our greed, our apathy, our thoughtlessness, while they are powerless to retaliate in turn. And it’s not only sharks paying the price for our choices; the seas, the world’s ecosystems, and we humans are paying for it as well. In the greater scheme of things, we, not sharks, are the ones to be feared, and it is we who have a debt that demands to be repaid.
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FEAT URE
MUSSEL HUSTLE
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FEAT URE
The mussel trade in Barangay Sineguelasan, Bacoor, sails strong despite looming threats TEXT LEX CELERA PHOTOGRAPHY JILSON TIU
The city of Bacoor is on the verge of transition. Located 15 kilometers southwest of Manila, Bacoor, is considered a gateway towards the rest of Cavite province. Land development has been ongoing to accommodate the large influx of residents surging to the metro; projects such as the Manila–Cavite Expressway or CAVITEx pave the way for Bacoor and other cities in Cavite towards modernization. The agricultural lands are gradually being developed. No longer are stretches of farmland the common sight; in its place stand concrete roads or exclusive villages. The sea tells a different story however. The barangays surrounding the coastline of Bacoor remain a pasture in the sea despite the urbanization. Barangay Sineguelasan is one of the many barangays embracing the coastline of Bacoor, and is considered the frontier of the mussel or tahong trade the city has been known for. Visiting the barangay during the morning shows you how the residents’ daily routine ties with the sea. Numerous motorized bangkas head to the shore, which serves as both a dock and a wet market for their catch. Tahong is being sold by the gallon while being brought to the market by the bucketful. In the distance are numerous windswept pieces of kawayan planted across hectares of sea. According to Allan Chua, former chairman of the
City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council or CFARMC and now kagawad of the barangay, livelihood within the barangay has been centered on the tahong trade ever since 1968, when locals started taking notice of the shelled creatures. The fast growth rate and the rising demand made the livelihood grow exponentially throughout the years— enough to be sustainable for the community to thrive on selling tahong alone. The waters surrounding Barangay Sineguelasan are deeper than neighboring towns and so are more favorable for farming. Yet Chua considers the consistently bountiful harvest a blessing. “Maybe the blessing is from the heavens. Why do the other towns have little to no harvest and we do, even though we’re all connected to the same sea?” he said. Simple as it seems, the life of a mussel farmer is no joke. Kawayan is bought by the truckload, sharpened, and buried deep in the water. From there, they wait two months for the kawayan to have a rough texture akin to sandpaper; the rough texture indicates that the mussel seeds, locally known as taliptip, can now attach themselves to the kawayan. Seeing shades of dark green after another 15 days signals the growth of the mussels. Waiting for six to seven months yields mussels two to three centimeters in length, now ready for harvesting. Several steps are ensured for the livelihood of
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FEAT URE Mussels are sold by the gallon in Brgy. Sineguelasan, and prices have been steady since 2011 at 35 pesos per gallon
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FEAT URE
“Why do the other towns have little to no harvest and we do, even though we’re all connected to the same sea?” Barangay Sineguelasan to continue over the years. Laws such as Republic Act No. 8550 and city ordinances protect the rights of the fisherfolk, while Local Government Units act with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the CFARMC to organize a system for the farmers while ensuring the sustainability of the tahong. Certain areas of jurisdiction for the farmers to harvest are mapped; potential farmers rent spaces within the area for 50 centavos per square meter or 5,000 pesos per hectare. Methods of harvesting that could potentially harm future harvests are banned. A coastal law enforcement alliance has been formed to combat those violating the rules, as well as to protect the area from illegal poachers. Despite this, a significant number of fisherfolk have a hard time adjusting to the rules set in place. Some do not pay their rent, either because of having no savings or mismanagement. Chua stresses the need to respect the law, “There are rules already set in place. The blessings we receive are from the sea. Who are we to call it our own?”
Changing times set the direction of the local industry to unknown waters. The reclamation of land in Manila Bay has displaced several residents within the shoreline due to the rising sea level while settlements have been demolished to make way for roads. “Hindi lang kabuhayan ang naapektuhan, buhay mismo,” Chua laments. Yet the history of the fisherfolk tell a story of patience and diligence as they wait for harvest time. Most, if not all, of the farmers are also the owners of the space where they harvest, working hand in hand with their fellow employees. The industry has yet to fall into a greedy capitalist’s hands. The joint effort between the government and the fisherfolk stems from a mutual love for the open sea, and this passion fuels the industry’s will to thrive despite seemingly insurmountable threats. The livelihood of the people of Barangay Sineguelasan thrived on the bounty of the sea for a long time and they have no plans of shutting down. And even if the industry succumbs to the changing times, the sea will be there to even out the odds.
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FEAT URE
ISLAND GIRL SOUTHERN living
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FEAT URE
In remembrance of Boracay, a long-lost love who still lies where we left her TEXT PIERRA CALASANZ-LABRADOR
On dreary days when we’re stuck in the city, we close our eyes and dream of an island girl: crystal clear waters, powdery fine sand, banana shakes, and rows of palm trees basking in the sunshine. Her name is Boracay. Do you remember your first time? Boracay was our introduction to an authentic island paradise, when her virgin shores were pristine all year round, back in her youth (and ours) some 20-odd years ago. Others remember visiting as far back as the ’70s and the ’80s, when the island was devoid of electricity and deliciously provincial. Do you remember roughing it out in spartan accommodations, taking a bangka around the island, consuming the catch of the day for lunch, and shopping for cheapo sarongs in the old talipapa on lazy afternoons? We wax nostalgic about being able to disconnect from the world and lie in the sun all day, getting up only to slather some more tanning oil or a nasty concoction of coconut oil and beer that left unlucky souls with crackling, lobster-red skin instead of a sun-kissed glow. Bliss was waking up from our siesta to stroll down the sandy beachfront path for a bite to eat—would it be a chori burger, a French crepe, or, if we were feeling a little fancy, an Indian feast at Tru Food? Then at night, dancing at Beachcomber or Bazura in a t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops. Part of the fun was never knowing whom you would bump into—friends, acquaintances, crushes—and the thrill of a serendipitous surprise. These days, you’d think the summer gods were taking attendance by the way everyone checks in on social media upon arrival. Station 2 was the place to be, but we knew there was something special if our crush strolled along the entire stretch of White Beach with us from Fridays all the way to the sketchy end of Station 3. Did you ever attempt the 15 shooters at Cocomangas? Sip drinks from jam jars before they were a thing? Spy on random topless sunbathers? Lie on the sand and count shooting stars?
Run into the ocean in the middle of the night? Everyone has their own Boracay story: a barkada getaway, a family trip, a dear friend’s wedding, a summer love. We loved chatting with the foreign tourists who came to Boracay for a tropical holiday, fell in love with her simple charms, and decided to stay for good. Are they still there now? Boracay was our very own Ms. Congeniality in the beach edition of Ms. Universe, alerting the world to the beauty of the Philippines. Before we knew it, everyone wanted a piece of our provincial lass. With the commercial boom came all its enchantments and evils: luxury resorts, land-grabbing disputes with the natives, fabulous dining choices and recreational activities, petty crime, sound pollution, alarmingly high levels of coliform—sorry, were you eating? When Starbucks arrived, it was truly the end of Boracay’s bohemian era. Refusing to age gracefully, she still parties like it’s 1999, except now it’s with an entirely new generation, the kind that has no qualms sharing their gym selfies in preparation for that summer escapade of Bacchanalian proportions (a.k.a. Laboracay). Still, she is a beauty. On lumot-free days, new and old fans alike are blown away by her legendary charms: crystal clear, temperate waters that make us the envy of the world, glistening sand that is surprisingly cool underfoot, and a pulsating nightlife. We complain that she’s different now, but once we’re in her arms again, we remember just why we keep coming back. Even just to sit on the beach, sip a margarita, and watch the world go by. Some things never change: Jonah’s fruit shakes, Real Coffee calamansi muffins, and magnificent sunsets. Sadly, the golden rule no longer holds: “What happens in Boracay, stays in Boracay.” We smile at the memory, and thank our stars that we met her at a time when we could truly let our hair down, with no fear that our seaside shenanigans would make the rounds on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
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PHOTOGRAPHY FINDSHARE.COM
“Do you remember your first time? Boracay was our introduction to an authentic island paradise.”
COV ER STORY
IN TREACHEROUS WATERS
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COV ER STORY Tuason is one of the very few who shoots in black water. He teams up with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, and the Natural History Museum in Australia, to discover unknown species.
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COV ER STORY
Exploring the dangers of what lies beneath the blue remains a natural fascination for Gutsy Tuason TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON PHOTOGRAPHY GERIC CRUZ
It would be an overstatement to say that Gutsy Anilao, and Notes from the Sea, to name a few. Tuason is incurably drawn to danger. “I like sharks. Launched in 2000, in collaboration with Eduardo They seem to be just the perfect predator,” says Cu Unjieng, Anilao won the grand prize at the 27th the underwater photographer who has swam with World Festival of Underwater Images in France. the ocean’s most infamous predators for 30 years; “[Anilao] is really one of the best places in the world we’re surprised that he stands before us now with for macro photography,” explains Tuason. “It has the his body parts still in place. “What’s so scary? They rare, sought-after fish. Like hairy frog fish,” he says, have these cute little mouths,” he quips. Blame it and like a boy eager to show off a treasure scavenged on his boldness or his amusing childlike quirks; from a hunt, he sits beside me now to show the frog whatever frightens most people, to him, holds a fish photo on Instagram. natural fascination. One other picture had a diver Nicknamed “Gutsy” for his holding a metal box against an greedy appetite when he was born, approaching shark. “He’s keeping “The interest in the there’s one striking similarity the shark from biting him,” he between the photographer says, partly in jest. He assures underwater world and the predators he dotes on: me, however, that these predators has always been Tuason hunts from one body of are nothing to be feared. In three water to another, and like sharks, decades of diving, Tuason has with me since my never seems to get his fill. “The never been bitten by a shark, earliest memory.” interest in the underwater world and when asked what his most has always been with me since frightening experience was: “I my earliest memory,” he adds, almost got ran over by a bangka remembering a book of marine life that he found at and that pretty much scared the hell out of me!” two years old. He was already scuba diving with his When most of us would think that Tuason has dad at eight, unearthing the fantasy that the picture exhausted all the dangers of the deep, he comes up books had promised. with Black Water and Open Blue, an ongoing project This past time, of course, came with its fair amount that poses more challenge than any of his previous of perils. Once, on a dive 20 meters below the deep, works. This time, it’s not just capturing sea predators Tuason ran out of air and, with his dad, tried to shoot in a frame; here, the photographer comes face to face too fast for the water’s surface. “You shouldn’t do that with everyone’s fear of the unknown. when you’re scuba diving,” he says. “My dad’s nose “The whole premise of black water is that the largest was bleeding and he dropped his camera.” While the migration on the planet happens every night when imagery might have been enough to scare the rest of billions of microorganisms from the deep go up to us away, Tuason eagerly recounts, “I loved it so much, the shallow area.” He dives at night, taking on the I didn’t want to get traumatized.” Undaunted, he dark, bottomless pit of the ocean—where never has returned to the shores the following weekend, hungry the water coughed up creatures with as much arresting for yet another dive. surrealism: animals at their larval stage, and deep His explorations have since spawned hundreds of water specimens that no one encounters during day underwater photos compiled in his books: Bahura, dives. “A lot of that stuff, nobody has ever shot before,
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COV ER STORY
“The interest in the underwater world has always been with me since my earliest memory.” and a lot of it, nobody even [has a name for].” It’s a tough wait for creatures to show up around the lights, and the most difficult part of it, he quips, “is you have to give up happy hour.” While Tuason is known for being the man with the guts to face both sharks and black water, and come out with all sorts of pictures depicting the glory of the dive, of course, the man doesn’t do it purely for the thrill. Simpler things can equally satisfy the adventurer: whale sharks swimming about together, dolphins mingling with yellow fin tuna alongside birds diving 15 meters from the surface, playing with turtles who come towards him in Sipadan islands—“I even took a selfie!” he exclaims—or playing with his daughter Antarctica on days when he’s staying in the city with his family. Out of sea water, Tuason could just be playing tennis after dropping off Tica at the pool. “She loves the water. She bugs me every morning, at 6:30, [saying] she wants to go swimming,” which is understandable for a three-year old girl who innocently tells me that
she wants “to be a mermaid with a golden tail.” If not, he could be manning Squires Bingham Sports, his lifestyle store that houses everything from underwater camera equipment, to tennis rackets, golf clubs, and shooting gear—a lifetime supply of essentials for all hobbyists, and most especially for Tuason, who’s set on doing underwater photography “for as long as I can still see and still go diving—until I’m a hundred, if I live that long!” That wouldn’t be so unlikely for this 47-year-old guy who looks as though he found the fountain of youth there in the deep. “The sea keeps me young,” he laughs, cold beer and buko juice in hand. “Or maybe it’s just the way I act.” Looking at the man who then plays with his daughter, lifting her up in the air and twirling her around, it’s not gallant fearlessness that prods him to face the sharks and the dark and the open ocean. It’s something a bit more admirable than that: his childlike wonder and curiosity, that even with over 20,000 photos of sharks, he tells me, “I’m still waiting for an even better shot.”
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AND THE SEAS ECHOED Revel in the daylight and explore nature’s beauty in printed summer garb
STYLING EDLENE CABRAL PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEPH PASCUAL
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ST YLE Knit top, P1,099, Suiteblanco, SM Aura Premier. Straw hat, P895, Forever 21, SM City Makati.
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ST YLE
Sandals, P2,990, H&M, SM City Makati.
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Top, P1,495, Bershka, Glorietta 2. Bag, P2,290, H&M, SM City Makati. Straw hat, P845, Forever 21, SM Aura Premier.
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SHOT ON LOCATION PINTORESCO. MAKEUP CHUCHIE LEDESMA. HAIR BULLET REYES. MODELS PAMELA AND CRYSTALLE OF ELITE MANILA.
Scarf, P549, Forever 21, SM Aura Premier.
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Woven clutch, P2,990, H&M, SM City Makati. Bra top, P399, and shorts, P1,799, both Suiteblanco, SM Aura Premier. Scarf, P549, Forever 21, SM City Makati.
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ST YLE
On Crystalle: Knee-length dress, P2,990, H&M, SM City Makati. On Pam: Maxi dress, P3,490, H&M, SM City Makati. Belt, P699, Suiteblanco, SM Aura Premier.
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Dress the room with elements inspired by the the natural bounty of the ocean TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO
1.Black koi fish, P3,800, Purple Orchid Home, Power Plant Mall. 2. Tray, P880, Firma, Greenbelt 3. 3. Dreamcatcher, P1500, Craftsmith Living. 4. Scented candle, P600, Nippon, www.nipponesthetic.com. 5. Shell clutch, P4,000, Tantease, Power Plant Mall. 6. Shell clutch, P4,000, Tantease, Power Plant Mall. 7. Porcelain container, P2,480, Firma, Greenbelt 3. 8. Fighting fish pewter, P2,500, Purple Orchid Home, Power Plant Mall. 9. Copper koi fish, P4,800, Purple Orchid Home, Power Plant Mall. 10. Antler boat, P5,000, Purple Orchid Home, Power Plant Mall.
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EATS The Quinotta is quinoa risotto with radish and mushroom “scallops.” Pair it with a refreshing super food smoothie and cap off your meal with Cacao That Cares, a tart with dark chocolate ganche and poached pear.
VEGAN AGAIN
The key to sustainable living lies in flavorful vegan and gluten-free food TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY GABBY CANTERO
Some people tend to forget that the road to healthy living involves more than just doing yoga and eating salad once in a while. It means a complete lifestyle change—a fact that most people who join the wellness bandwagon ignore. For example, a 180-degree change of diet would be in order, and for Filipinos who are natural-born carnivores and carbo-loaders, this would be a great challenge to conquer. Aside from seeing people eat rice and ulam left and right, healthy options are scarce in Manila. This is why Bianca Mabanta decided to open a vegan restaurant in BGC, in hopes to disprove all the incorrect assumptions about eating clean food. They say home is where the heart is, and with her restaurant, Mabanta followed just that: she made Susi her second home, a place where she can work and play. An interior designer by profession, she made the place as cozy and homey as possible. Natural light seamlessly passes through floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors and windows, and the wooden furniture, with potted greens and dried flowers as accents, exudes warmth. Mabanta says of her struggles and the reason why she put up the restaurant in the first place, “You kind of have to rely on yourself.” Aside from designing the entire restaurant, she came up with the entire menu using her personal compilation of hundreds of recipes
she has acquired in over 10 years of being vegan. She injects a little fun to the menu with witty food names like Carb-No-Nara and Mac and Geez. The latter is a pasta dish made of quinoa or non-GMO corn, while for her version of the carbonara, she uses creamy cashew alfredo pasta with mushroom bacon and capers. You can find burgers, pastas, chips, and desserts that are entirely vegan and gluten-free—food that can make you forget that you’re actually eating healthy. Flavor is definitely not compromised, even without the meat and the dairy products. “I think more people are now open to the idea of [eating vegan],” says Mabanta. “One of the reasons people don’t go vegan is because it isn’t very convenient. [But] people know nothing about it and they make these big assumptions that vegan food is really boring or really expensive.” She adds that those aren’t necessarily the case anymore. Organic food is known to be expensive since there are only few farms that operate the clean way. But with the increase of establishments selling organic produce and serving clean food, there are more suppliers today compared to before. “When I first looked for kale suppliers, there were only maybe three. Now, I have 15 [suppliers] to choose from,” she attests. Certainly, the movement is making waves slowly but surely.
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EATS “None of my chefs knew how to cook vegan or gluten-free food,� shares Bianca Mabanta. Aside from personally teaching them how to prepare vegan fare, she makes them watch documentaries and read books on veganism.
Susi. Forbes Town Road, Burgos Circle, Taguig City. 833-7874. www.facebook.com/susiphilippines.
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SPECIAL FEAT URE
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April 2015 Volume 8 | Issue 20
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EATS All kinilaw dishes are good for three to four people to share. Remember that to ensure freshness of the seafood, not all kinilaw variants are available regularly.
ACID ROYALE
A classic Filipino dish gets its much deserved renaissance in the local food scene TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO
Finesse, delicacy, and a strong sense of intuition—all three are needed to prepare what seems to be the simple dish of kinilaw, food that is often mistaken for kilawin. (To clarify, kinilaw is a dish that uses raw seafood while kilawin uses ingredients cooked by heat.) Yet while eating raw is not foreign to the Filipino tongue, this dish has been viewed as something that is only for the adventurous and those with strong stomachs. Now, chef JP Anglo of Sarsa brings prestige to the common kinilaw. Along with reintroducing the dish to the Metro, he also shows mastery in the art of cooking raw seafood with vinegar. With him is Vicente ‘Enting’ Lobaton, a man who has developed a great technique in making the kinilaw, who flew to Manila from Bacolod to open the newest kinilaw bar in the city: Enting’s Corner at the Sarsa Kitchen+Bar. If the Japanese have sushi, we have kinilaw. “The presentation is a little bit contemporary but it is still kinilaw,” Anglo explains. The bar is similar to how the Japanese present their sushi: they have a chiller where fresh seafood are stored, then trained cooks prepare them in front of the diners before serving. With Lobaton’s guidance, Anglo makes his own version of kinilaw while still retaining his mentor’s techniques. “I
put my own personality into every dish. [The differences] are just the garnishes and the presentation, but the flavor profile is [still] Negrense. This is because we use tuba or coconut vinegar for all,” he explains. Anglo experiments with different types of seafood, from the usual tuna and tanigue to oysters and shrimp. Every kinilaw dish is special because of the add-ons that he incorporates into the dishes. For example, the pasayan or shrimp kinilaw is served with coconut milk, mango, and tulapo or the Negrense version of chicharon. There are four kinds of dipping sauces: regular, spicy, sweet, and coconut. There is a specific sauce for each seafood dish, which servers could explain to diners, but you can make your own preference. The kinilaw bar, exclusively available at Sarsa’s Mall of Asia branch, has piqued diners’ curiosity. Unlike the usual kinilaw where raw fish meat is cooked in vinegar for a lengthy period of time, Lobaton’s version is really fresh. Anglo cautions people, though, “You have to be careful [eating it]; baka hindi kayanin ng tiyan nyo.” He suggests eating kinilaw with beer on the side to prevent any bad reaction in your stomach—a win-win situation in any case.
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EATS Under Enting Lobaton’s close supervision, JP Anglo prepares the kinilaw dishes for the public for the first time (right). Sarsa’s all-time bestsellers are Sarsa kare-kare with ginamos (below) and sinigang fried chicken (below, right).
Sarsa Kitchen+Bar. 2F South Veranda, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. 0915-3071426. www.facebook.com/sarsakitchen.
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EATS Choose from an array of noodles for your own hot pot: Hong Kong style, macaroni, and vermicelli among others (extreme left). A round table makes for a convivial space (left).
PERENNIAL FARE
The metro’s latest hot pot destination exudes an Oriental flair TEXT LEX CELERA PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA
The city of Hong Kong is a city in flux. People wander the city in constant motion, yet through traversing the nooks and crannies of the city streets you see yourself interspersing with the city’s culture, especially when it comes to dining. Dining out happens more than often in this city, where daily routines ingrain themselves within the confines of public space. Take the best out of Hong Kong food culture, add in a diverse selection of meat and vegetables, put all of it in a pot with simmering broth, and you get the latest venture under the Vikings name: Four Seasons Hotpot City, located in SM Mall of Asia by the Bay Complex. This latest venture brings something new to the dining table by employing the hot pot experience: not only are diners gathered at one table sharing a meal, but each diner’s food is cooked together in a shared pot. The freedom to choose from a wide selection of ingredients is a staple in buffet dining destinations. In Four Seasons, however, the choices you make define your overall experience—everything from the variety in ingredients to the flavors of your food is up to you. The selection of broths to choose from are pork, chicken, si-but, and sinigang, either of which determines the overall taste of your viands. The food to choose from are abundant enough to cater to any
of your cravings: Noodles and meatballs, thin cuts of pork and beef ordered by the plateful, leafy vegetables sourced from both local and foreign suppliers, and assorted seafood fare. Some meals make for a pleasant surprise, such as the cheese balls which melt in your mouth once cooked, and Pinoy street food, such as congealed pork blood and pork intestines. Thirstquenchers come in the form of several juices and beers. For the impatient, there are several food servings that are ready to eat. Four Seasons offers the convenience of housing a very wide selection of varied cuisines under one roof. But more than that, the quality of service is top notch. Raquel Bartolome, Marketing Manager of PR and Advertising, emphasizes the freshness of their ingredients before anything else. “No matter what season it is, all the ingredients are here,” she says. With several branches opening soon, Four Seasons ushers in a different brand of the buffet dining experience; one that caters to those who prefer full control on how their dishes are served while dwelling on the companionship of others, where space becomes both public and private. After all, good food is meant to be shared. Hopefully, the premium section, which serves high-grade meat and seafood, will be up soon.
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EATS Premium meat and fish section will soon be serving wagyu and lapulapu. Follow @slivingph on Twitter and Instagram to know more.
Four Seasons Hotpot City. SM by the Bay, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. 831-7777. 0998-9881888.
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RECIPE
FRESH CATCH
Assemble this exotic Japanese dish with a zesty twist TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY GABBY CANTERO
DECONSTRUCTED UNAGI SUSHI WITH WILD ARUGULA SALAD INGREDIENTS
1/2 vacuum pack frozen unagi 2 1/4 cups japanese rice 2 1/2 cups water 10 tbsp. mirin 7 tbsp. vinegar 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup arugula 1 pc. mango 5 pcs. calamansi 1/2 cup olive oil Shredded nori
PREPARATION
1. Clean Japanese rice with running water. Repeat until water gets clear. 2. Put the rice and water in a pot and cook on high heat. 3. When it starts to boil, cover and continue to cook on low heat for 13 minutes. 4. Turn off the fire and keep it covered. Wait for 3 minutes and then transfer in a bowl to cool. 5. Mix the mirin, vinegar, and sugar, and heat it in a saucepan until boiling.
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6. Slowly pour the mirin mixture while stirring the rice. 7. Cover the rice mixture and grill the unagi for about 7 minutes. 8. Slice the mango. Prepare the calamansi vinaigrette by mixing the calamansi juice, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. 9. Toss the sliced mango and arugula with the vinaigrette. 10. Arrange the rice, unagi, and arugula salad in a bowl. Finish off with shredded nori on top.
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Finding your center through a household chore TEXT BEVERLY DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO
One of the many difficult things we are confronted with when we leave home is doing laundry for ourselves. A monotonous sort of experience, just like any house chore, needs patience or endurance. We could easily just send them out in a heap to be returned washed, precisely folded, and neatly wrapped in bags, but where’s the accomplishment in that? A certain criteria comes to mind when choosing a laundry soap. We want one that cleans thoroughly and leaves a fresh scent. There is one that stands out and still comes in the form of bareta, reminding us that the use of our hands can be a moving meditation. Coconut oil-based Victoria Herbal Soap is quick to clean. It is not made with chemicals, is nonpollutant, and is 100 percent biodegradable. We can even use the soap in the shower because it’s mild enough to be used for the hair and body. After the task of cleansing, we look forward to a chirpier chore: hanging the laundry. Filling the stretch of the clothesline with wet garments under the sun allows time for us to daydream—in which wonderful ideas are born.
Ritual. 2/F Languages Internationale Building, 926 Arnaiz Ave., Makati City.
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MAY 24, 2015
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