December 2016
Free
Here Comes Christmas!
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It should be with great pride to once in a while explore, remember and appreciate how fortunate we are to have rich culture, custom and traditions, especially during the Yuletide Season.
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Guest Editor’s Note
CHRISTMAS IS There are millions of Filipinos all around the globe. As what they always say, wherever you maybe, even in the deepest corners of the world, there will definitely be a Filipino working or residing there. But in the 365 days, there’s this time of the year when OFWs excitedly head back home…The Christmas Season. Like the bunch of stingrays migrating in the “Finding Dory” movie (insert the “We’re Going Home” song), everyone seems to be rushing back to the Philippines amidst all the hustle and bustle of airports, long queues, commotions on delayed flights and getting through tons of balikbayan boxes in the baggage conveyor. What’s so special in this Yuletide Season? What makes it worth it to travel thousands of miles just to be home? When you are born in a country where there’s only sunny and rainy days all throughout, it’s no wonder if you dream of having a White Christmas. Just the idea of building a snowman, gliding on ice and relaxing beside the chimney are few of our childhood dreams since it never snows in this part
of the world. But there are also so many things in the Philippines which makes the Christmas Season as one of the most anticipated time of the year. There are number of traditions which were handed down from one generation to another…from food recipes and ornaments, to songs and dances…keeping the legacy alive until today. Once September starts, the streets and homes are being adorned with
sparking lights, Christmas songs start to be played on radios and music channels on TV, we unwrap again the decorations and Christmas Tree we had last year (or buy new ones), begin our shopping spree and plan the
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exchange gifts and parties with friends and families in the coming months until
Christmas Day. Businesses and establishments are always well-prepared during the holidays as it is also known to be the “Sale Season� since people are heading the malls more often than usual to buy presents. The art of giving and receiving gifts during Christmas has been a long existing tradition as it is a sign of gratitude and thankfulness to those close to our hearts. It is but expected that malls are
jampacked with families and group of friends even on weekdays especially when there are sponsored programs and shows with games and prizes. The Catholic Church is also lively during this time of the year as Christmas is truly the celebration of the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. There are detailed preparations in the church for Advent, the 9-morning early masses, and the last Eucharistic celebration before Christmas Eve. Oftentimes, there are
also Christmas charity programs and bazaars organized by parishioners as a means of giving back to the community. It should be with great pride to once in a while explore, remember and appreciate how fortunate we are to have rich culture, custom and traditions, especially during the Yuletide Season. These traditions may have been influenced by the foreign colonizers from hundreds of years ago but this what
makes our culture diversified and more colorful. The happiness and fulfillment brought about by these traditions is something that makes us want to go home to be with our family and friends as we celebrate Christmas with one joyous heart.
Editorial Box
-Eva EVANGELINE ANCHORES Guest Editor-in-Chief E.M. ALGER Publisher
GENDALE BIEN TOMAS Features Editor
CHRISTINE SORIANO Community Manager
ED JOSEPH CO Multimedia Editor
OUTRIGGER is published bimonthly by Outrigger Media. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. For inquiries, contact Tin Soriano at outriggermag@gmail.com / +639175144383
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Places to Visit during Christmas Season Article by Tin Soriano
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Photo Courtesy of Star City (www.starcity.com.ph)
Star City This is where the Christmas trade exhibit by Philippine Center for International Trade and Exhibit (PHILCITE) used to take place but have been developed into an amusement park which is now known as Star City. If you are looking for fun adventures with your family and friends at affordable prices, I would recommend this place. Star City is strategically located in Pasay City, right across Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). It offers more than 35 different rides and 100 food stalls. Unlike other amusement parks, 70% of the facilities are indoor and air-conditioned which means you can enjoy the games and rides regardless of the weather outside.
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Below are some of the amazing rides you can try: 1. Telecombat - composed of 16 vehicles that turn, lift and drop like mini space ships 2. The Red Baron - allowing your child to imagine himself as an ace flyer during World War I 3. Quack-Quack - a 7-meter revolving ride with 6 duckshaped tubs that can seat four small kids each 4. The perennially popular Bumper Cars 5. The Adventure Water Ride inside the Pirate’s lair 6. Family Roller Coasters, Wacky Worm & Dragon Express 7. At the newly opened Annex, children and parents alike can enjoy rides such as the Music Express, Mini Carousel, Tornado, Star Frisbee, Quack Quack, Kiddie Wheel, Frosty Train and Play Ground. The thrill rides are located outdoors where adults and teens savor increasing levels of excitement and exhilaration with each loop and tumble. Many of these rides are their only kind in the Philippines like the Surf Dance, Star Flyer, Star Frisbee, and the nearly 200-foot high ferris wheel, the Giant Star Wheel, which is the tallest in the country
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Enchanted Kingdom Popularly known as “EK”, Enchanted Kingdom is our very own local version of Disneyland where “The Magic Lives Forever!”. Located in the heart of Santa Rosa Laguna, EK is an amusement park with worldclass rides and seven (7) themed zones. Regular Day Pass: Enjoy unlimited use of all the Park’s rides: FREE! EKstreme Tower Ride, NEW! Disk-O-Magic, NEW! Bump n’ Splash - electric bumber boats with water squirters, Rialto Theater in 3D, Space
Admission Fees: Regular Day (Weekday): P 500
Weekend / Holiday: P 600
Junior Regular Day (Weekday): P250
Junior Weekend / Holiday: P320
Photo courtesy of Wigbert John Cancino
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Shuttle, Jungle Log Jam, Swan Lake, Up, Up & Away, Roller Skater, Dodgem, Wheel of Fate, Anchor's Away, Rio Grande Rapids, Flying Fiesta, Grand Carousel, Boulderville Express, Air Pterodactyl, Stone Eggs, and Dinosaurus. Junior Day Pass:
Applicable to children between 36” to 47” tall. Children 35” and under are FREE. Enjoy unlimited use of all the Park’s rides: Space Shuttle, Jungle Log Jam, Swan Lake, Up, Up & Away, Roller Skater, Dodgem, Wheel of Fate, Anchor's Away, NEW! Bump n’ Splash - electric bumber boats with water squirters, Rialto Theater in 3D, Rio Grande Rapids, Flying Fiesta, Grand Carousel, Boulderville Express, Air Pterodactyl Stone Eggs, and Dinosaurus.
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Photo courtesy of Marian Austine Novicio
Ayala Triangle Gardens – Festival of Lights The park located in the middle of Makati’s business district is converted into an open stage of the 15minute lights show accompanied by Christmas Carols. For this year, the 6th Annual Ayala Triangle Gardens Festival of Lights opened last November 15, 2016 and will run until January 8, 2017. The show runs every 30 minutes from 6pm until 10pm. This Lights Show has become a popular itinerary during Christmas Season to chill-out and relax with family and friends.
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Christmas Village in Baguio City
Photo courtesy of Rodney Tabor
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If you want to experience the cool breeze of the holiday season, go to the Christmas Village in Baguio Country Club (BCC) Road Camp John Hay which is now on its 6th year. The grand opening for this year was held last November 11, 2016 with a Pokemonthemed Christmas Village. They are open daily from 10am - 11pm from Mondays to Thursdays and 10am 11pm from Fridays to Sundays. The Christmas Village park will be open until January 8, 2017. Below are some information that you need to know about this magical place. Entrance fee: Adult (13 yrs. old and above) - Php 100.00 Children (4 - 12 yrs. old) - Php 40.00 Senior Citizen - Php 70.00 3 yrs. old and below - Free Person with disabilities - Free BCC Members - Free of Charge (Have to present a membership card) Program: Nativity Pageant: 6:00 pm Chorale Presentation: 6:15 pm Snow Fall: Every 30 mins. after 7:00 pm Not allowed: - Rubber Slippers - Outside food and drinks - Pets.
Photo courtesy of Rodney Tabor
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Photo courtesy of Sheryl Aquitania
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Giant Lantern Festival “Parol” or Star Lantern is the ultimate Filipino Christmas symbol - colorful, crafted with love and aglow with the spirit of the season. Parol symbolizes the “Star of Bethlehem” said to light the birthplace of Jesus Christ. San Fernando in the province of Pampanga is famous for its creative lanterns most especially during the Christmas Season. The city shines the brightest during its celebration of “The Giant Lantern Festival” where various skilled parol makers exhibit their masterpieces. It is actually a religious activity which we know today as “Lubenas”. The lanterns are usually made of large steel barrels called rotors with hand-controlled switches to control the lights. As years passed by, these manmade lanterns have also grown in size. From merely average of 2-feet before, it now reaches approximately 20-feet+ and illuminated by about 3,500 to 5,000 light bulbs. The light changes as if it is dancing with the melody. The Giant Lantern Festival starts on December 17, 2016 while the exhibit will run from December 18 - 30, 2016 and January 1, 2017 at Robinsons Starmills
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Celebrating the
Most Wonderful
Time of the Year Article by E.M. Alger
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Filipinos are known around the world to have the longest Christmas celebration. Once we hit the “ber� months in our calendars, it means that the countdown until Christmas Day officially starts. The long Christmas celebration in the Philippines, characterized by festivities and ornaments, is part of our rich culture and traditions handed down from one generation to another. Most of these Christmas traditions existed from hundreds of years ago, as a result of colonization, and has eventually evolved over time resulting to a more diversified and colorful celebration as how we see it today. OUTRIGGER
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Simbang Gabi 18
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A series of 9-day masses which ends on December 24. The mass celebration on the last day of Simbang Gabi, before the Christmas Eve, is called Misa de Gallo. This is part of the Roman Catholic tradition which originates during the Spanish Era in the Philippines. Masses are held during early mornings to give chance to farmers who begin their work before sunrise to attend the service.
This Christmas custom has become distinct to Filipino culture and still being observed until today. Nowadays, anticipated Night Masses are also celebrated in some churches.
The tradition of caroling has no direct history in our country. But regardless of its origins, there’s so much joy in hearing little kids sing Christmas carols during the Yuletide Season especially when you see big smiles on their faces as you give them a few coins after and hear their “Ang Babait Ninyo” song.
Adult choirs are also being organized for Christmas Carols. Their upbeat Christmas songs will surely put one into a cheery mood while the slow ones will surely make you feel nostalgic.
Karoling
We often hear that Filipinos are born musically inclined. And they say one would know that Christmas is already in the corner once you hear Christmas songs not just being played on the radio but from kids in your neighborhood belting out some Christmas carols accompanied by flattened “tanzans” converted into improvised tambourines or drums made out of empty milk cans.
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Monito / Monita
Gifts! Gifts! And more Gifts! Christmas is a season of giving. For us Filipinos, it’s part of our tradition to share our blessings by giving out tokens of gratefulness to the ones close to our hearts. The gifts under the Christmas tree for the kids and the Kriskringle among friends and colleagues will always be part of the celebration.
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The Policarpio Street in Mandaluyong is one of the most popular locations to visit during Christmas because of the vibrant decorations, lights and displays that are visible in the row of houses along the street. One of the highlights in Policarpio is the lifesize statue of Santa Claus where people of all ages flock to have their photos taken.
Christmas Decors
Adorning every house are the twinkling Christmas Lights wrap around the Christmas tree, the bright lights in Santa Claus shape and the signature Parol hanging on the windows/balconies of most of the houses both in the city and rural areas.
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Noche Buena 22
After attending the midnight mass, Filipino families gather and eat together to celebrate Noche Buena. It is the biggest feast traditionally shared by families on Christmas Eve mainly influenced by the Spanish. Hamon, Queso de Bola, hotdogs and bread are the most common food being served on the table. It’s usually just a simple night of celebration, with a little alcohol, where members of the family sit together in the dinner table, exchange stories and enjoy one another’s company. Some will have their gift giving before retiring for the night.
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These are just few of the unique Christmas traditions we still keep until today. The way we celebrate Christmas may actually be different from one another but what is important is that amidst all the songs, cheers and greetings, we fully understand the meaning behind of these traditions and we, as Filipinos, imbibe the true spirit of Christmas in our hearts. OUTRIGGER
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The holiday season is already fast approaching. The nights are getting longer as the breeze also starts to get colder. This reminds
us that it is the time of the year again to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Since food is an essential part of our Christmas traditions, we have listed the Top Five (5) Filipino Food Favorites that are available during the Yuletide Season.
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Bibingka Bibingka is a type of rice cake traditionally made from milled glutinous rice, which is locally known as Galapong, combined with coconut milk, margarine, and sugar. To make the Bibingka more special, the mixture is topped with salted duck eggs (itlog na maalat) and white cheese (kesong puti). It is cooked in special clay pots or terra cotta pots lined with banana leaf. The process of cooking Bibingka is similar to baking. But instead of oven, lit charcoals (uling) are placed below and on top of the clay pots so that the heat is distributed evenly. Once cooked, the Bibingka is served with grated coconut (niyog) and margarine on top which adds more flavor to the rice cake. The texture of the Bibingka is sponge-like and is quite similar to pancakes. It has distinct taste due to the fact that it was charred. Currently, there are already many variations to this favorite Filipino snack depending on the ingredients used and the process of cooking the rice cake.
Photo courtesy of Ferino’s Bibingka
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Puto Bumbong is another variation to the classic puto. The name Puto Bumbong is derived from the words “puto”, which means steamed glutinous rice, and “bumbong”, a bamboo canon or cylinder. This Filipino delicacy is traditionally made from Pirurutong, a variety of glutinous rice that has a distinct purple/brown color. The rice is soaked in salt water and then dried overnight, to make sure that all the excess water from the rice are already removed. Once dried, the rice is grinded and this will be used as the batter for the Puto Bumbong. The ground
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Pirurutong will be poured inside the bamboo cylinders. The cooking process is through steaming with the use of a Lansungan, which is heat steamer mounted on a pot of boiling water. It is a kettle shaped metal with protruding tubes which holds the bumbong.
It will only take a few minutes for the batter to be cooked. Once you checked that the puto is already sticky, you have to shake it loose from the bumbong which is greased with margarine, butter, or coconut oil. Before serving, the Puto Bumbong is topped with margarine, fresh grated coconut, and muscovado sugar. During Simbang Gabi or night masses, street vendors selling Bibingka and Puto Bumbong is a common sight outside the churches. It is recommended that you eat the Bibingka and Puto Bumbong while they are freshly cooked. You can also partner them with hot chocolate.
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CastaĂąas CastaĂąas is the Spanish term for chestnuts. The chestnuts are roasted and are commonly sold by sidewalk vendors during the holiday season. The most common type of chestnuts sold are the Chinese chestnuts. The aroma from the chestnuts while being roasted is enough to entice people of all ages. One downside is that the castaĂąas sold at this time of the year could be quite pricey
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Queso de Bola Queso de Bola is a Spanish term for Edam Cheese, which when literally translated means “Ball Cheese.� Edam Cheese originated from the town of Edam in the Netherlands. This semi-hard cheese is traditionally sold in rounded cylinders and coated with red paraffin wax. Edam Cheese has a very mild flavor and is slightly salty and nutty. This cheese does not spoil easily but its flavor sharpens and becomes firmer as it age.
Queso de Bola is best eaten with Hamon and Pandesal, or any type of bread. It can also be paired with fruits like apples and pears. And if you want a little booze, you can eat this cheese while drinking your favorite red wine. The cheese can also be used as an ingredient for a variety of dishes and desserts. You can make a cheesecake using Queso de Bola as your main ingredient. You can also use this as an alternative to cheddar or parmesan cheese for your pasta. 30
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Hamon or Jamon is a Spanish term for ham. The Noche Buena will not be complete if there is no Hamon on our tables. There are a few varieties of ham sold in the market today but the two most popular types during Christmas are: (a) the typical sweet ham and the Chinese ham. The Chinese ham is definitely the talk of the town during the holidays especially when you buy it from Excelente in Quiapo, Manila. The Chinese cooked hams from Excelente are deemed firmer and less juicy, but not totally dry. Excelente offers a few ham variants ranging from deboned ones to bone-in hams and even sliced hams which you can take with or without syrup.
For budget-conscious foodies out there, it is quite not economical to go for the Chinese hams because the price per kilo can go from Php600 to as high as Php1,000+ depending on what kind of ham you opt for. If you want to be practical, there are always commercialized hams in the market where the price ranges from Php150 to Php500 depending on the brand. I believe that it doesn’t matter if you bought your ham from Excelente or from the grocery store nearby. The taste will always be better (regardless where you buy it) when the food that you serve on the table is being shared together with your family during Noche Buena.
Hamon Photo courtesy of CDO Ham
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The Artist Behind Starbucks’ Article by E.M. Alger Dreamcatcher Red Cup Photos and Artworks by Anz Soza From the big screen of Times Square, to the pages of New York Times and Toronto 32
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Times, Anz Soza’s Starbucks Red Cup design is making everyone’s coffee experience
a very special one. Filipinos across the globe are showing their love as they proudly post in various social media their pictures with Anz’ red cup design. Get up close and personal with Anz as she answers some candid questions about her personal life and her works. Outrigger: So, who is Anne Michelle Sosa Peñaflorida? Anz: “It’s Anz Soza for short. I love playing Sudoku,
traveling, cooking, visiting new restaurants & museums…also writing poems (pero once in a blue moon lang siya since kailangan talaga ng extreme emotions ko dito bago ako makagawa). Most of the time I want to be alone.” Outrigger: When and how did you start doing artwork? Is it just a hobby or you do it for a living?
Anz: “I started showing interest in drawings when I
was in Grade 1. I used to draw my own paper dolls with its clothes & house since my family can’t afford to buy one for me. When I was in Grade 4, I learned to draw Disney princesses & Sailormoon characters. It was all pure hobby but then if someone request for something, there’s a professional fee depending on what type of artwork.”
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Outrigger: What are the artworks have you worked on? Which one is your favorite and why? Anz: “I have tried almost everything but my favorite
is drawing on my cups & vector art. The Starbucks cups with my drawings on it are my collection. While Vector art is interesting, turning an actual photo into comic style or cartoon.” Outrigger: Where do you get your inspiration when doing your art work? Anz: “Mostly based on my mood and situations.”
Outrigger: Which other artists’ works have inspired you and why? Anz: “Da Vinci. His artworks are enigmatic.” 34
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Outrigger: We’ve noticed in your Instagram posts that you’ve been using cups as your canvass. Why cups? What makes it special? Anz: “Well, if you do something, it has to be unique.
Papers & canvasses are too mainstream. I chose cups because it is something most people use everyday. Every time I draw on my cups, I always imagine myself as another person using the cup I designed. It’s like talking to them through my drawings. I want the other person to feel that whatever situation he/she is in right now, everything’s gonna be okay.”
Outrigger: What has been your most touching or amazing moment you’ve experienced as an artist? Anz: “Starbucks Holiday Redcups! I’ve been reading
a lot of posts in Instagram and Facebook. It made me genuinely happy knowing I’ve cheered someone up through my designs which is my main purpose.” Outrigger: Briefly, how do you want to be remembered or known for? OUTRIGGER
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Anz: “I can work on any medium, usually artists are
known for their style but for me I want to be remembered as someone who inspired people through my drawings.”
Outrigger: Anything that you want to share with us? Future plans, things to be checked off from your bucket list? Anz: “My ultimate dream is to have an exhibit all
over the world. I’ll make my way on that. Bucket list, I have tons but number one is to save a life.” Outrigger: What can you say to those who share the same passion that you have with art? Anz: “It’s okay to change and explore what you
really want in life because along the way, you will find out yourself. Once you did, stick to it and try to innovate from there. Never get tired in doing what you love, have faith in it and believe in yourself. You can check other artists’ masterpiece and use that as an inspiration but never ever compare yourself and your artworks to others.” And lastly…
“Choose a job that you love so you don’t have to work a day in your life.” There you go. To see more of Anz amazing works, you may follow her Instagram Account: @ArtObsessionbyAnz 36
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