I Am Blogie

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Edsa Revolution, Davao City joined the nationwide effort to keep the spirit of People Power alive through a “freedom run”, which happened early this morning. The event kicked off simultaneously in Manila (on Edsa, of course), Vigan, Zambales, Clark (Pampanga), Legaspi (Bicol), Cebu City, Dipolog City, Davao City, Zamboanga City, Sultan Kudarat, and Zamboanga Sibugay.

In Davao City, the Takbo Dabawenyo Takbo – Dabawenyo Freedom Run was organized by Holiday Gym & Spa (HGS) and the City Government of Davao, in association with the Mindanao Bloggers Community (MBC) and People’s Action Against Corruption (PAAC). The Davao Freedom Run project was given to PAAC and MBC less than a month before the run date, so it was fortunate that the city was already organizing one. In behalf of all the people behind the nationwide freedom run, we’d like to thank HGS and the Davao LGU for accommodating the Freedom Run and thus joining in the cause to remind Filipinos of the Edsa Revolution and its ideals.

We also want to thank the companies that wholeheartedly supported the event, especially Nature’s Spring Drinking Water, Google Philippines and Chevrolet – Davao. The proceeds of the sponsorship shall be contributed to the nationwide advocacy behind the Freedom Run, and that is to build classrooms for public schools.

It should also be mentioned that the Takbo Dabawenyo Takbo fun run is a campaign to promote a healthy lifestyle among Davaoeños. HGS has been conducting fitness programs in the city for many years now. And the City of Davao has always been in the forefront of health awareness campaigns. Speaking of which, the city is poised to hold its first ever Summer Sports Festival in April. Watch out for more announcements on that!

Hopefully, this won’t be the last Freedom Run. Together with PAAC, the Mindanao Bloggers Community would like to continue holding the fun run to give voice to the motto, “Run for Freedom, Run from Corruption!”

Today, Filipinos celebrate the 25th anniversary of the EDSA REVOLUTION, which brought the Marcos regime to its knees. On 25 February 1986, Filipinos peacefully won freedom from oppression and neglect by the conjugal dictatorship perpetrated by the Marcoses for two decades. Today, Filipinos can be proud of a legacy of revolution by peaceful means through People Power, the force that restored democracy to the Philippines.

(And as if in salute to the 25th anniversary, authoritarian regimes in the Middle East are falling one by one, each one through sheer people power.)

But after 25 years, how far have we really progressed? What has this freedom afforded us in terms of peace, development, unity, progress?

For 25 years we have endured incompetent, spineless, corrupt government officials, who have unconscionably squandered what the people achieved in 1986. We have had good leaders, too, but they were few and far between. We have even witnessed the likes of heroes in our midst, but their voices seem to have been drowned by the din of apathy.

Do young Filipinos, who were born after the Revolution, know why those of us who bore witness to the peaceful uprising are protesting against Ferdinand Marcos being interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani? Do they understand our anguish over the absurdity and audacity of this demand by the family of the deposed dictator? The explanation should be simple: We revolted against, and ousted, an overstaying president, who plundered the national coffers and tyrannized his opponents. And now there are people who want him to be accorded state honors?

And since we’re on the subject of the Marcoses, what about Imelda? She has been convicted by the Supreme Court for crimes against the Filipino people. …What in the world is she still doing unincarcerated? Are we so blind?

Are we, in fact, not responsible for transmitting our history to the next generation? Twenty-five years are an awfully long time to still be at the bottom of the global socio-economic food chain. Maybe it’s because we as a people have such a short institutional memory, that we forget the lessons of the evil past and thus keep getting ourselves mired in it?

We are a free and democratic state today because of our victory on Edsa that fateful February day. We should forever remember this, lest we unwittingly allow a repeat of the Marcos era. We must not forget, because in truth, we are not yet free from the more insidious evils that plague our country. The 21 years in which Marcos ruled the country brought about a pestilence of corruption and greed, and this has kept our country ailing — economically, socially, politically. Even after 25 years, we are still “the sick man of Asia.”

Early this month, a group of politicians, public officials, businessmen, artists, activists, development workers, journalists, educators, from almost all walks of life, from varying backgrounds, religions and cultures, gathered as one in Antipolo City to re-imagine the Philippines. I was fortunate to have been invited to participate in this unique meeting of minds, called reImagine Pilipinas Bukas. We were challenged with this one question: After another 25 years, where do you imagine the Philippines to be?

Nobody expected to arrive at any prophetic answer. But after three days together, the achievement was clear: as one people, unmindful of ethnic, religious or whatever differences, we can again accomplish our common goals through people power. Not the ‘people power’ that was distorted by subsequent so-called popular uprisings. What we need to realize is that the Filipino people is made up of different communities with different belief systems and histories. But we all do call ourselves Filipinos, and we all do aspire for prosperity and well-being. We can start from there, and proceed with the goals in mind and the tenet of People Power in our hearts.

Maligayang bati sa kaarawan ng Rebolusyon sa Edsa! Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

Due to popular demand, I’ve devised a way to improve the built-in search engine of WordPress for my Davao food blog. WP’s default search isn’t very impressive — ok let’s face it, it’s downright disappointing, especially if your blog has thousands of posts already. (Good thing there’s an abundance of 3rd-party plugins from the huge community of WP lovers.)

Now, the need was to provide DavaoDeli.com blog readers with a search engine that could operate with filters. Such would allow for more specific searching, with the aim of narrowing down search results. In techno-speak, I wanted to inject more granularity into my site’s search engine.

Here’s how my blog’s new search form looks like:

My readers can now search for, say, Malaysian restaurants that serve beef barbecue in the downtown area, and be assured that the returned results have a high rate of accuracy. Of course, this was accomplished with some coding and re-keying of meta data for my existing blog posts. So here’s what I did.

The basis of the work is a powerful search plugin called Relevanssi, created by Mikko Saari. Once activated, it automatically takes over and replaces WordPress’ default search engine. As is, it’s a much better on-site search solution because it returns search results by relevance (not by publish date, which is the default behavior) and because of a number of other enhancements. What I really appreciate about this plugin is that it is rich in features and comes bundled with admin-configurable options that let you fine-tune your search requirements, plus a number of custom functions and even its own shortcode.

In order to create the search filters, I created two custom taxonomy types: Cuisines and Locations, which I assigned to work with normal posts. I’m already using the post categories for distinguishing establishment types (Restaurants, Eateries, Caterers, etc.); and the tags for identifying keywords for each post. Then, I categorized each post under respective cuisines and general locations in Davao City — good thing I only have less than a hundred posts!

Next — thanks to some helpful posts over at the WP.org forum — I defined a function that would automagically generate a <select> form control populated with <option> items that would contain the custom taxonomies. Here is that function (placed in functions.php):

function make_terms_dropdown($tax, $taxs, $taxonomies) {
	$args = array( 'orderby' => 'name', 'hide_empty' => true);
	$myterms = get_terms($taxonomies, $args);
	$output = "<select name='$tax' id='$tax' class='postform'>";
	$output .= "<option value='0'>All $taxs</option>";
	foreach($myterms as $term){
		$term_taxonomy = $term->taxonomy;
		$term_slug = $term->slug;
		$term_name = $term->name;
		$output .= "<option value='".$term_slug."'>".$term_name."</option>";
	}
	$output .="</select>";
return $output;
}

You might be wondering, Why not just use the wp_dropdown_categories() function, since it works with custom taxonomies? The problem with that built-in WordPress function is that, it spits out <option> items with values corresponding to taxonomy or category IDs (e.g., <option value="222">French</option>) and not names or slugs (this is what’s needed: <option value="french">French</option>). Neither the search engine nor your browser will have any idea that taxonomy ID 222, for example, corresponds to the custom taxonomy ‘French’ (under Cuisines). So, if I’d used wp_dropdown_categories() to create the filter — which I did, initially — the search wouldn’t return any meaningful results.

To quickly explain the function’s parameters:

• $tax: name of the custom taxonomy type (e.g., cuisine)
• $taxs: plural form of the custom taxonomy type — this is just for aesthetic purposes, really
• $taxonomies: the list or array of taxonomies under the taxonomy type

The original function above works only if your custom taxonomy type is non-hierarchical. If you use it on custom taxonomies that have sub-taxonomies (like in Cuisines), the result will be a flat drop-down list. So, I’ve revised the function to work with hierarchical taxonomies. To wit:

function make_terms_dropdown($tax, $taxs, $taxonomies) {
	$args = array('parent' => 0,
			'hide_empty' => 1,
			'hierarchical' => 1
		);
	$myterms = get_terms( $taxonomies, $args );
	$output = "<select name='$tax' id='$tax' class='postform'>";
	$output .= "<option value='0'>All $taxs</option>";
	foreach ($myterms as $term){
		$term_taxonomy = $term->taxonomy;
		$term_slug = $term->slug;
		$term_name = $term->name;
		$term_id = $term->term_id;
		$output .= "<option value='".$term_slug."'>".$term_name."</option>";
		$termchildren = get_term_children( $term_id, $term_taxonomy );
		if ($termchildren) {
			$padd = "&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;";
			foreach ($termchildren as $child) {
				$cterm = get_term_by( 'id', $child, $term_taxonomy );
				$cterm_slug = $cterm->slug;
				$cterm_name = $cterm->name;
				$output .= "<option value='".$cterm_slug."'>".$padd.$cterm_name."</option>";
			}
		}
	}
	$output .="</select>";
return $output;
}

There is still one limitation. I haven’t figured out yet how to make the list of taxonomy children to appear in alphabetical order. Ideas?

By popular demand, I have installed a search engine that lets you, dear blog readers, perform granular searching on DavaoDeli.com. This means that you can now apply filters to your search: by type of cuisine, by general location, and by category. For example, if you’d like to know which coffee shops in downtown Davao offer [...]

Handuraw, a restaurant chain from Cebu, is now one of my favorite pizza places in Davao City. Their thin-crust pizzas are expertly made and they have various toppings that are flavorful and adventurous.

Since last year, I’ve been thinking about featuring Dabawenyo delicacies on DavaoDeli.com. And selling them here. The other night, I had a breakthrough. A Filipino celebrity, who has now made Davao his second home, has agreed to partner with me in this little venture. My dear friend Wency Cornejo has in fact been quietly establishing [...]

The area in Davao City called Barrio Obrero is fast becoming commercialized, what with its proximity to Victoria Plaza Mall, and a university right in the middle of it. I’ve been noticing that a lot of different types of businesses have been opening up in Obrero — Internet cafés, massage clinics or spas (on one street there are in fact three of them!), retail stores… and lots & lots of food establishments.

A new one that I’ve tried twice in the span of a week is Barrio Bistro. The first time, as I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, I wasn’t impressed at all. Together with a couple of friends, we had their Kaldereta, Spicy Ribs, and two kinds of pizza: Barrio Pizza (their house special, I presume) and Hungarian & Onion. Only the ribs made the grade, in my opinion. So the food trip was rather disappointing.

The spicy ribs was a hearty, enjoyable meal. It was indeed spicy, and the meat was tender. And, the rice was perfectly steamed: soft, moist, with just the right stickiness — a lot of times, no matter how good the main dish is, if the rice is bad the whole meal is ruined. The kaldereta would have been good if it had been cooked with more care, and time. I definitely detected an interesting flavor that I’ve never tasted in other kaldereta recipes before.

The two pizzas we had, unfortunately, were a disappointment. They have a buy-1-take-1 promotional offer, but that’s not going to keep their customers happy if the pizzas don’t get better. The crust was just too crunchy, like crackers, and the flavor of either pizza we had was nothing to rave about at all.

But I’m not one to dismiss a restaurant just after one visit. Plus, my close friends did say their non-pizza food was good. So off I went to Barrio Bistro again for a reprise.

This time, I had Grilled Pork Chops, and my dining companions had BLT Burger, Barrio Pasta, Spaghetti Bolognese, and Ham and Cheese Sandwich. The pork chops were tasty, if a bit dry because it was obviously overcooked. But it was a decent meal — and affordable at ₱140 for two big pieces of pork chops. And the rice was still perfect. I like it when restaurants are consistent.

I had a taste of the Barrio Pasta that my friend ordered, and it was satisfyingly good. Basically, it’s spaghetti aglio e olio, but enhanced with bite-sized bits of chorizo. On the other hand, the bolognese was a tad on the salty side. I think the cook may have underestimated how salty parmesan cheese can be. It was flavorful, though, so if you like this spaghetti, don’t forget to remind them about using less salt in the sauce.

Barrio Bistro is open everyday. They serve breakfast food as well, so I suppose they open early. To get there, drive from McDonald’s in front of Victoria Plaza, straight towards Obrero on Lacson St. You’ll pass two intersections (Porras and Cervantes streets) and you’ll see the bistro on your left.

The place is not very big — to guesstimate, maybe good for a total of 20-25 people, comfortably seated. They have an al fresco area out back (good news for smokers!). The service is pretty good, too. Free wi-fi available.

The area in Davao City called Barrio Obrero is fast becoming commercialized, what with its proximity to Victoria Plaza Mall, and a university right in the middle of it. I’ve been noticing that a lot of different types of businesses have been opening up in Obrero — Internet cafés, massage clinics or spas (on one [...]

Kami Nabe 【紙鍋】 — I had this interesting and totemo oishii Japanese dish for the first time at Izakaya Nonki. (My old friend, Ichido, invited me for a long-overdue bonding session, and I was very happy that he chose this restaurant.) “Kami” means paper, and “nabe” is Japanese for cooking pot or pan.

As you can see in the pictures, the cooking pot is made of one whole sheet of paper. It won’t burn because the ingredients effectively raise the flash point (burning temperature) of the paper.

And it’s quite thick so it won’t turn soggy from the food — after it’s cooked, the vegetables produce soup, you see. Yes, this order is served raw so you can watch it cook. Fascinating, really.

The Kami Nabe at Nonki has shrimp, mushrooms, lettuce, leeks, squid, marlin, and — surprise! surprise! — salmon. It cooked in about 10 minutes, and it was utterly delicious!! Love is a dish that makes you happy!

All the ingredients brought together a delectable taste that’s unforgettable. The salmon was fresh and added a twist that was entirely enjoyable. The shrimp gave the soup a flavorful finish, which went oh so well with the other ingredients. I all but drank the soup from the paper pot after the meal…

This is served with a dip that’s similar in taste to the dip served with tenpura. One order serves one.

Aside from the usual sashimi platters, Ichido and I also had Ume Chazuke 【梅茶漬け】 and Tanuki Udon 【狸うどん】 to cap off the evening meal. And during the whole time, we were enjoying a bottle of Kurokirishima Shochu 【黒霧島焼酎】, which is similar to sake but is made of potatoes. This drink is quite smooth. We had it “mizu-ari” — meaning, mixed with water and ice.

Ochazuke (literally, soaked in tea) is to a Japanese like bulalo or balbacua is to a Filipino. In other words, it’s one of the dishes they look for after a drinking spree. But it’s also a kind of breakfast food, so I’m told. My order, the Ume Chazuke, is served with preserved plum on top of Japanese rice, which is soaked in tea and nori and other seasonings. Yummy!

Ichido let me have a small bowl of his Tanuki Udon. I don’t know why it’s called that, because “tanuki” means raccoon… Anyway, it was very good. I loved the bits of tenkasu, which lent a creamy, buttery taste to the soup. “Tenkasu” is what they call the scraps of tenpura batter after cooking.

It really pays to have a Japanese friend when eating at a Japanese restaurant. They know the best and most fascinating food to order!

In the past few weeks, I’ve tried some of Davao’s new restaurants, although I haven’t even come close to covering half of them — quite a few have opened for business since late last year.

One of the things my friends in Manila envy about Davao is the presence of eat-all-you-can-crab restaurants here. If I’m not mistaken, it was Glamour Resto that started that, then some other restaurants followed suit. I haven’t been to Glamour yet, and I don’t think I’ll even bother anymore because of negative feedback from trusted friends.

What I did try was Sari Makan, where my I feasted on kilos and kilos of crab. My friends and fellow foodies, Rodney, Christian & Bhambee, and Jude & Joy, had been there before and we were there again last week behaving like a raiding party!

The crab was cooked just right, but it was only the ordinary steamed variety that they served that night. My friends were telling me they also had another preparation, which is crab in curry sauce. Maybe next time. Thing is, the manager mentioned that they were staying in that place — Bonifactio St. — only up to March. It’s either they’re looking for a new place or thinking of shutting down for good. I hope it’s the former.

Speaking of crab buffets, Hanoi Vietnamese Cuisine is taking crab out from their monthly buffet. Shucks! In Davao, Hanoi has one of the best-tasting crab, in my opinion. But it’s not off the menu — you can still order it à la carte.

Before that, I was invited by a childhood friend to dine at Aseya Café in Hotel Tropika. The hotel is at the back of the K7 strip mall and just after Grand Regal Hotel if you’re coming from downtown. It’s a branch of the original Aseya Bistro, but they have their own menu. I’ll be blogging about this place as soon as I’ve had another go at their gastronomic goodies.

Another type of food that’s gaining a lot of popularity in Davao is pizza. I have yet to do my pizza roundup post, by the way… Problem is, maybe half of the pizza places in Davao aren’t really worth mentioning at all.

For example, last night, I went out with a couple of old friends to have dinner at Barrio Bistro in Bo. Obrero, and we were really disappointed with the two flavors of pizza we ordered. The crust of both their special and their hungarian-and-onion pizzas was tough, and the toppings were bland.

We also had their kaldereta and spicy ribs, which was the only redeeming factor that night. The kaldereta had an interesting flavor to it, but it was obviously cooked too quickly — it was probably rushed because the place was jampacked — and so the generous helpings of potatoes and carrots and other veggies didn’t absorb the taste. The spicy ribs, however, was delicious!

Our waiter said that one of their cooks didn’t show up that night. No excuse, really, but maybe their pizzas do taste better when that cook’s around…

Next up for me: Handuraw, Don Beppe and Alor’s. The first two are pizza places, and the last is a Filipino fine-dining restaurant, so I’ve heard.