Kamatis Iloko

Banna, Ilocos Norte. March 23, 2017.

KAMATIS ILOKO

Found these flower-like tomatoes in the public market of Banna, Ilocos Norte. March 23, 2017.

Notice the one behind looks like a red rose. You are looking at the bottom side of that tomato.

I am fascinated by their bright colors and they taste good in tinola and kinilaw.  Ano tawag nyo dito?

In Visayas, they have a similarly shaped tomato they called binakat, much like a tiny kalabasa (squash) without the warty underside, which I could not find easily in the public market the past few years.

Related post

• Kamatis Iloko (Philippine Food Illustrated)

Ficus pseudopalma - Why is it called Lubi-lubi and Niyog-niyogan

Bongalon, Daraga, Albay 07.23.2015

LUBI-LUBI  / NIYOG-NIYOGAN

(Ficus pseudopalma)

• Lubi-lubi  in Bicolano
• Niyog-niyogan in Tagalog 

ETYMOLOGY: The real and true reason why Ficus pseudopalma is called lubi-lubi or niyog-niyogan is its fruits that look like miniature coconut fruits, especially when they are mature and drying. It is also the reason why lubi-lubi is botanically called "pseudopalma," which means not a true palm or coconut. The plant does not belong to the family of palms. The prefix pseudo came from the Greek pseudḗs for false and pseûdos for falsehood. Lubi-lubi (niyog-niyogan) rather belongs to family of fig. The fact that it is called Philippine fig in English.

The real and true reason why Ficus pseudopalma is called lubi-lubi or niyog-niyogan are its fruits that look like miniature coconut fruits, specially when they are mature and drying.

Zone 4, La Purisima, Iriga City, Camarines Sur 10.10.2017

Young fruits of lubi-lubi

Explanation

As you take a closer look at the lubi-lubi (niyog-niyogan) you will notice that neither the shape of the leaf nor its foliage appeared to be a look-alike of coconut (Coco nucifera). It was a false claim for some writers and bloggers who might just copied and pasted this misinformation in their write-ups and did not research well. 

Notice that neither the shape of the leaf or its foliage appeared to be a look-alike of coconut (Coco nucifera).

If you look at the plant again and observe closely, you will notice that the coconut palm (leaf) is pinnate (resembling a feather), as well as the blades and veins of leaflets, are linear (straight and parallel to the midrib). Meanwhile, the leaves of lubi-lubi are neither pinnate nor linear but entire (whole, not split into leaflets) and serrated (with saw-like edges).

The stem of lubi-lubi and the coconut trunk are not look-alike. Do you know that the former would have branches while the latter would not.

Notice also that the stem of lubi-lubi (niyog-niyogan) and the trunk of the coconut tree are not lookalikes, aside from the fact that the former would have branches while the latter would not. The description in Wikipedia that lubi-lubi has an unbranched stem is not true. It is also not true that indentions left by fallen leaves or grooves on the stem of Ficus pseudopalma are similar to the grooves on the trunk of a coconut tree. Whoever said or wrote that must have not seen a real lubi-lubi (niyog-niyogan) and coconut tree in his/her life.

Whoever said or wrote that indentions left by fallen leaves or grooves on the stem of Ficus pseudopalma is similar to the grooves on the trunk of coconut tree must have not seen an actual lubi-lubi and coconut tree.

Lubi and niyog are local common names for coconut in Visayas and Tagalog regions, respectively. In Bicolandia, though coconut is called niyog, Bicolanos call Ficus pseudopalma a lubi-lubi being that peninsular Bicolandia is geographically already within the Visayas and it is no wonder Visayan words also appear in Bicolano languages. A long list of vernacular is shared equally by the Visayans and the Bicolanos. In fact, there exists a dialect called Bisakol on the border between Bicol's western side of the peninsula and eastern Visayas. Bisakol is a short name or the combination of Bisaya/Binisaya and Bicolano.

Dr. Godofredo Stuart of Stuart Xchange listed lubi-lubi as the Tagalog common name for Ficus pseudopalma. However, Tagalog dictionaries written by native speakers, such as the UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino (2001-2010), listed niyog-niyogan and not lubi-lubi. But a vintage Tagalog dictionary, the Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala (1753-1822), written by foreign Jesuit priests (Juan de Noceda and Pedro de Sanlucar), has an entry for lubi lubi defined as "La escorzonera, planta" referring to a Spanish plant (Perezia multiflora) with a whorled cluster of leaves appearing to be almost similar to that of lubi-lubi but with no outgrowing stem. This is entirely a different plant and it looks like we don't have it here in the Philippines.

UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino (2001-2010)

Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala (1753-1822)

Lubi-lubi is assumed to have originated in the Visayas then in Bicol and the produce was brought to the Tagalog-speaking region by trade where it was renamed to niyog-niyogan to fit the language of the Tagalogs. Whoever wrote that information in Wikipedia that lubi-lubi is endemic to the Philippines is correct, but to say that it grows especially on the island of Luzon has to triple-check the botanical facts. If we follow the etymology of lubi-lubi and its botanical facts, we will be directed to the correct geolocation of Ficus pseudopalma. 

Have you wondered why we could not easily find this plant in the north and central Luzon and the southern Tagalog regions, but aplenty in Bicol and Visayas?  The main reason why this species of fig does not spread and propagate easily to other places is that its reproduction system is unique. Each species of fig has an associated species of agaonid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcoidea: Agaonidae) and it is the only one that could induce pollination of flowers of that fig to become fertilized fruits. Thus, lubi-lubi can only be pollinated by their associated agaonid wasps and in turn, the wasps can only lay eggs within the fruit of lubi-lubi. Human intervention may also propagate lubi-lubi through cuttings. However, if cuttings are planted in a distant place without introducing its associated agaonid wasps, the plant will not self-propagate in that new place.  

Lubi-lubi (Areca catechu, L.)

To make things more confusing, there is also another palm tree in Visayas and Mindanao we really called lubi-lubi (Areca catechu, L.) also known as bunga, the one that bears fruits that natives would use in chewing mamâ (ngangâ). It is called "betel nut" in English. So-called lubi-lubi because this palm tree looks exactly like a small coconut tree with small coconut fruits, with leaves and foliage very much similar to that of the coconut, and its fruits are much like miniature coco fruits. The trunk is also much like that of a coconut trunk but very slender. Like lubi, this lubi-lubi palm is not also a look-alike of Ficus pseudopalma as explained above why the palm and trunk of lubi are not a look-alike of Ficus pseudopalma.

Lubi-lubi folk song and folk dance

The lubi-lubi folk song refers to the coconut tree (not the Ficus pseudopalma or the Solanum nigrum). The song is originally written in Waray, the language of Samar and eastern Leyte. The word silot in the lyrics is the giveaway of why the song is about the coconut. Silot means buko in Tagalog - the young coconut fruit. The song is later on used to accompany a folk dance with dance steps similar to that of Balitaw or of Cariñosa. Coconut is called lubi in Waray. In the song, lubi is uttered twice to rhyme with the lyrics and to complete the metric count of musical beats per line of the stanza.

The original song of LUBI-LUBI that I translated from Waray to Tagalog.

References:

• Ficus pseudopalma Philippine fig Moraceae, Forest Starr, Kim Starr, and Lloyd Loope, United States Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division Haleakala Field Station, Maui, Hawai'i January 2003. 
• Lubi-Lubi (Waray Song), Audio playback and lyrics by Tagalog Lang.

Lumpiang Shanghai is not a Pilipino invention

 

Lumpiang Shanghai in the Philippines.

LUMPIANG SHANGHAI is not a Pilipino invention.

SHANGHAI STYLE SPRING ROLL indeed exists in Shanghai for a long time. 

We call it here in the Philippines "lumpiang Shanghai" and some wrote it hastily as a Philippine invention just because they could not find this delectable crisp fried spring roll in Shanghai during one or two or few restaurant visits in that one corner of Shanghai.

Judy left for the US when she was just 16. She grew up in Shanghai and recalled they have this spring roll only during Chinese New Year, which could mean the spring roll could only be made once a year or rarely done on other days. In her article, she wrote in part:  

"Before immigrating to the US when I was sixteen, this was the only spring roll recipe I knew. It’s not to say that other versions didn’t exist, it’s just that I didn’t come face to face with them.

"...I grew up in Shanghai and remember clearly that these little babies only appeared during Chinese New Year celebrations. And they’re really good.

 "...These spring rolls bring me back to Shanghai and some of the better memories of my childhood."

This explains why lumpiang shanghai is thought never existed in Shanghai if you go there at the wrong time of the year. It was a mistake when it was claimed by a newspaper food writer that Pilipino invented it. After all, the big truth is IT IS INDEED IN SHANGHAI. Thus, not a Pilipino original dish. I can't believe it too, but it is.

Looking at her photos in her blog, Judy appears to be in her early 40's. The fried roll was already in Shanghai when she was a very young girl. We cannot argue the fact that her elders were already making this spring roll a long time ago. It has pork, cut into tiny pieces, not ground (both mincing and grinding are of the same effect on the meat). 

The thinly sliced cabbage and mushroom used by Judy are all additives to this dish, just like what we are doing to our lumpiang Shanghai, we also added an assortment of additive ingredients, such as that you can mix and match any or some of the following (or even all of these at one setting): carrots, parsley or kinchay, celery, green or spring onions, singkamas, patatas (potato) or kamote (sweet potato), togue (bean sprouts), fresh or pickled cucumber, green peas, raisins, minced hotdogs, eggs, tufo or tokwa, bell pepper, garlic, cheese, and believe it or not, some of us Pinoys would also add tenga ng daga or any other kabute (mushroom) in lumpiang Shanghai. These additive ingredients are not necessarily indispensable ingredients or something that must always be present in the ingredients. They can be excluded or substituted, but not the pork and the lumpia wrapper (thin flour crepe) as these are the main and indispensable ingredients of the lumpia.

Courtesy of Works Of Life website

Judy's rendition of Shanghai-style fried spring roll.  

Courtesy of Works Of Life website

Basically, the process and likely the taste of Judy's fried spring roll are the same and it looks exactly the same to our lumpiang Shanghai here in the Philippines. Also eaten with vinegar, just like we do here in the Philippines. Though our version of lumpiang Shanghai now is of many variations depending on what other ingredients are added to minced or ground pork.

The origin of Philippine lumpiang Shanghai is indeed from Shanghai.

What's your take?

The website, The Works of Life, wrote a brief description of Judy Sarah  as follows:  

JUDY

Courtesy of Works Of Life website

Judy is the mom of The Woks of Life family. Born in Shanghai, she arrived in the U.S. at age 16. Fluent in both English and three separate Chinese dialects, she's our professional menu translator when we're eating our way through China. Dedicated to preserving disappearing recipes and traditions, her specialty is all things traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries.

• Read here the full story of Judy's article, Shanghai-Style Spring Roll.   

Bulaklak ng sasa (nipa palm flower)

BULAKLAK NG NIPA

Nipa palm flower (Nypa fruticans)

On one of my tours in Malolos, Bulacan, I was very lucky to find this blooming inflorescence of nipa palm.  Beautiful.

Captured here is the male phase of nipa antheses or the blooming of inflorescence. The bright yellow part of the flower is the stamen or the male pollinator. The female phase is beneath the orange sheaths where the ovule or female part of the flower is set to catch the falling pollens of stamen and when fertilized by pollens, the female phase would start to emerge as a ball of clustered nipa fruits. The male parts would start to dry and the growing clustered fruits turned into reddish brown and evolved into a bunch of closely clustered woody and fibrous nipa fruits. It is at this stage that the peduncle of the clustered fruits is bent down and beaten hard on regular intervals many times for a week or two before the bunch is cut off away from the peduncle to collect the sap (tuba) that would ooze and drip from the headless peduncle.  The tuba produced is very sweet and can be processed into syrup or sugar. If left to stand for days, the tuba would sour to become a vinegar called sukang sasa.

Meanwhile, if the bunch of fruits are allowed to mature and not cut off from the peduncle, the fruit would produce a nut inside that started as a tender mass similar to a buko ng niyog. This tender nut of nipa fruit is as good as kaong or buko in creamed fruit salad, or just eaten fresh as is. When fully matured, the nut would become very dense and hardened inside a tiny globular hard shell covered tightly with densely compressed husks, the outer layer is glossy and hardened almost like wood.

DON'T GET LOST in the Philippines! Be aware of these places

Philippine maps. Photo by Edgie Polistico (c) 2022 - ALL RIGHTS RESREVED

Confusing Names of Places in the Philippines

by Vince Ferreria

YOU ARE WARNED: 

DON'T GET LOST! 

Be aware. 

In the Philippines, there are too many confusing geographical names that are bound to bewilder reporters, travelers, and most often the courier services when they are not careful.

Firstly, there are far too many pairs of places with exactly the same name which I think there must be legislation negating it.

Here are the examples:

Apo Island  

Apo Reef

The first one is an island off Dumaguete City. The second is somewhere in Mindoro. The first is Apó (with stress on the second syllable) is also the Visayan and Tagalog word for grandchild, and the second is Ápo (with a long sound on the first syllable) is an Ilocano term to address an elderly who held with a certain regard in the community.

City of San Fernando, La Union 

City of San Fernando, Pampanga 

Yes, they are two different cities, and both are in the upper half of Luzon, with just a few miles between them.

Danao, Bohol 

Danao City, Cebu 

One can be easily mistaken for the other. The first is known for nature adventure tours; the other for guns/weapons.

San Carlos City, Pangasinan

San Carlos, Negros Occidental 

One is in Luzon, while the other is in the Visayas. To make things more confusing, however, the historic San Carlos University is in Cebu City.

Samal, Bataan

Samal Island, Davao del Norte

Samal is a town in Bataan province. The latter is officially called the Island Garden City of Samal, the 'garden' referring to the corals below the sea.

Camiguin, Babuyan Island 

Camiguin Island

The former is a town located in the farthest northern territorial border of the country, the latter a small island province off the northern side of mainland Mindanao.

Wait, there are more  to get confused with: 

There is a Talisay City in Cebu, and there is another Talisay City in Negros Occidental, then there is even a third one: a Talisay town in Batangas. 

There is Cabatuan town in Isabela and another Cabatuan in Iloilo, both of which can, of course, be easily confused with Cabanatuan City of Nueva Ecija. 

Did you know that there is a Divisoria in Zamboanga City too, aside from Divisoria in Manila? That aside from the China Town of Manila, there is also a China Town in Davao City of Mindanao and another China Town in Iloilo City, and one more China Town in Bacolod City in Visayas. 

Places named after saints are especially tricky, owing to their ordinary, generic sound. For example, how many towns and barrios/barangays are named Sta. Barbara? Indeed, if you are from the Philippines and say you are from San Jose or San Isidro town without qualifying from which province, you will be risking a lot of confusion. That's because there are 10 San Jose towns and 9 San Isidro towns in the country.

Zooming in on just the Philippine towns and cities to exclude the barangays and simplify matters, did you know that there are towns and cities named after bamboo, such as these:

Caoayan (Ilocos Sur)

Cauayan (Negros Occidental)

Cauayan City (Isabela)

Cawayan (Masbate)

Kawayan (Biliran)

Meycauayan City (Bulacan)

Another case of homonyms:

Laua-an, Antique
Lawaan, Eastern Samar

Who knew there is a Naga City in Cebu, too, aside from the Naga City of Camarines Sur? Did you know that there is also Naga in Zamboanga Sibugay? 

Moreover, who lost a letter or parcel because the courier sent it to the wrong place, are apparently confused about which of the two is the right destination or not aware that the following places  are not of the same location: 

Calamba in Laguna

Calamba in Misamis Occidental. 

Casiguran in Aurora province

Casiguran in Sorsogon.

Catarman in Camiguin island province

Catarman in Samar 

Hagonoy in Davao del Sur 

Hagonoy in Bulacan 

Lemery in Iloilo

Lemery in Batangas 

Bontoc town in Southern Leyte

Bontoc in Bulacan

Infanta in Pangasinan

Infanta in Quezon Province 

Hold your breath for more of the same:

Alaminos (one being Alaminos City)

Alcala

Alcantara

Alegria

Anda

Argao (one being Argao City)

Aurora

Balete

Banga

Baras

Batuan

Bontoc

Cabatuan

Calamba (one being Calamba City), Calatrava

Candelaria

San Carlos City

San Enrique

San Ildefonso

San Jacinto

Casiguran

Catarman

Cauayan (one being Cauayan City)

Clarin

Compostela plus one Compostella Valley

Cortes

Danao (one being Danao City)

El Salvador (one being El Salvador City)

General Luna

Infanta

Kalayaan

Kapatagan

La Libertad

Sagay (one being Sagay City)

Salcedo

Isabela (one being Isabela City)

Lemery

Libertad

Liloan

Looc

Loreto

Malinao

Malitbog

Mercedes

Morong

Naguilian

Pandan

Parang

Pitogo

Placer

Pontevedra

Santa Teresita

Santa Rosa (one being Santa Rosa City)

Santa Rita

Santa Ana

Santa Barbara

Santa Catalina

San Remigio

San Rafael

San Quintin

San Pascual

San Mateo

San Narciso

San Pascual

San Quintin

San Rafael

San Remigio

Sogod

Socorro

Sison

Tubod

Tudela

Tuburan

Taytay

Tanauan (one being Tanauan City)

These are, so far, the most interesting things I have gathered from studying closely the current list of towns and cities of the Philippines' 81 provinces, prodded by little encounters here and there every now and then while writing and traveling. It is a comprehensive assembly of such factoids in Philippine geography no one has considered so far, as far as I know.

The next case in point is the one-letter difference that sometimes ends up in little disasters, like mailed packages being brought to the wrong province.

Here are quick cases in point:

Bayambang vs. Bayombong

My hometown, Bayambang, Pangasinan, is often mistaken for Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, not the least by American history writers - sad story, but true. One just have to Google for abundant examples. And I actually experienced having my college transcript of records mailed through courier service from Diliman, Quezon City to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

Pamalican Is. vs Pamilacan Is.

When I visited this tiny island off Baclayon town in Bohol for a travel-writing assignment, I half-expected seeing high-end resorts frequented by Hollywood denizens. Instead, all I saw were the typical houses of ordinary folk. In my ignorance, I thought Pamilacan Is., which I knew to be located in Palawan, was Pamalican Is. No wonder I was feeling strange. I knew my Philippine map, and I should have known that Palawan couldn't be very near Bohol, yet I still felt disoriented.

The following are towns or cities with almost similar names, save for one, two, or three letters:

There is a Poro, a Pura, and a Porac

Abulug and Abuyog

Bacolod and Bacolor

Balaoan, Balasan, Balatan, and Balayan

Basay and Basey

Batad and Batan

Bolinao and Boliney

Buruanga and Busuanga

Cabiao and Cabuyao

Calauag and Calauan

Castilla and Castillejos

Dauin and Dauis

Ilagan and Iligan

Jiabong and Jabonga

Laoac and Laoag

Laoag and Laoang

Looc and Loon

Maasim and Maasin

Mamburao and Mambusao

Noralah and Surallah

Pagsanjan and Pagsanghan

Palanan and Palanas

Pila and Pili

Sibonga and Jabonga

Sibutu and Sibutad

Sigay and Silay

Solano and Solana

Talisay and Talitay

Tayug and Tayum

Tibiao and Tigbao

There are other similarly situated names, this time 'kangaroo names,' i.e., one small name contained in a bigger name with roughly the same letters: 

There is one Bauan and one Bauang

Bauan and Batuan

One Bongabon and one Bongabong

One Bacoor and one Bacolor

Badian and Badiangan

Bago City and Baguio City

Balanga and Balangiga

Bamban and Bambang

Banga and Bangar

Bani and Banisilan

Bantay and Bantayan

Bula, Bulan, and Bulacan

Buluan and Bulusan

Caba and Cabagan and six other names starting with Caba-

Cabusao and Cabuyao

Camalig and Camaligan

Candon and Candoni

Caramoan and Caramoran

Claver and Claveria

Guimba and Guimbal

Iba and Ibaan

Lobo and Loboc

Looc and Loboc

Luba and Lubang

As though that's not enough, here's more: 

Isabel and Isabela

Laur and Laurel

Lian and Lianga

Libon and Libona

Luba and Lubao

Maco and Maconacon

Madrid and Madridejos

Pila and Pilar

Pili and Pinili

Pola, Polanco, and Polangui 

Sara, Sarrat, and Sarangani

Siay and Siayan

Tago and Tagoloan

Talisay and Talisayan 

Tuba, Tubao, Tubay, Tubaran, and Tubajon

Tubo and Tubod

Tunga and Tungawan

Viga and Vigan

There are also names that are almost similar, save for one or more appended words:

San Lorenzo and San Lorenzo Ruiz

San Jose City, San Jose de Buan, and one San Jose del Monte City

Furthermore, three places are named these:

Alfonso

One is Alfonso

One is Alfonso Castaneda

One is Alfonso Lista

Alicia

Bacolod

One being Bacolod City, and the other being Bacolod-Kalawi

Bato

Claveria

Dolores

Esperanza

Luna

Magallanes

Naga

Two being Naga City in Camarines Sur and Cebu province

Pamplona

Plaridel

Santo Niño

Santo Domingo

Santiago

One being Santiago City

San Manuel

San Nicolas

San Pablo

One being San Pablo City

Tagoloan

Valencia

One being Valencia City

San Pablo

One being San Pablo City

San Agustin

San Andres

Four places have these same names:

Concepcion

La Paz

Mabini

San Luis

San Vicente

Santa Fe

San Vicente

San Antonio

Talisay

Two towns, two cities

Victoria

Plus Victoria City

There are five towns named after these:

Buenavista

Rosario

San Francisco

There are six places named after each of the following:

Burgos

Carmen

Santo Tomas

Santa Cruz

San Fernando

Two being San Fernando City

Then there are six towns designated as new, plus one old, giving another new opportunity to confound - because of course, a 'new' whatever implies an 'old' version somewhere else, and vice-versa: 

New Bataan, Compostela Valley

New Corella, Davao del Norte

New Lucena, Iloilo

New Washington, Aklan

Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte

Nueva Valencia, Guimaras

Old Panamao, Sulu

There are seven towns named after each of the following: 

Pilar

San Juan

San Miguel

Santa Maria

And, far from surprising, eight towns are named after our national hero (Jose) Rizal, including Basilisa town, which is also called Rizal, in Dinagat Islands.

There are 9 towns named after San Isidro.

And tadaaa... the most popular name in the town/city category is... drum roll please.... the aforementioned San Jose! ...For there are ten (10)  places named San Jose, one being San Jose City. That's on top of one San Jose de Buan and one San Jose del Monte City.

But our present interest in confusing geographical names doesn't end there, for there are at least seventeen (17) places that repeat the name of their respective provinces: 

Batangas City, Batangas

Biliran, Biliran

Cavite City, Cavite

Cebu City, Cebu

Compostela, Compostela Valley

Davao City, Davao del Sur

Dinagat, Dinagat Islands

Iloilo City, Iloilo

Leyte, Leyte

Masbate City, Masbate

Quezon, Quezon

Romblon, Romblon

Siquijor, Siquijor

Sorsogon City, Sorsogon

Surigao City, Surigao del Norte

Tarlac City, Tarlac

Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur

 

Bonus: Bulakan, Bulacan

Big-time disorientation is potentially high in the following cases, however, for another reason. Bizarrely enough...

Cotabato City is not in Cotabato province but in Maguindanao

One town called Sultan Kudarat is in Sharif Kabunsuan, not in the expected province of Sultan Kudarat.

Cagayan de Oro City (nicknamed CDO) and Cagayancillo town are not in Cagayan but in Misamis Oriental and Palawan, respectively

There are two Aurora towns, but both are not in Aurora province. Interesting reversals all.

(A side note: The Catholic religion apparently really played a large part in the act of name-giving, for there are five towns named Rosario (after rosary), one town named Bautista (after St. John the Baptist), one city called La Trinidad (Benguet), a town called Santa (Ilocos Sur), a city called Santiago City (Isabela), and the towns of Santiago (Agusan del Norte), Santiago (Ilocos Sur), Maria (Siquijor), and Natividad (Pangasinan). To the uninitiated: La Trinidad refers to the Holy Trinity, and Santiago is Spanish for St. James.)

When confusing one place name for another result in mis-education or being actually lost -- say, ending up in Bacoor, Cavite, instead of Bacolor, Pampanga, as planned (hey, it can happen!) -- that is when things cease to be amusing.

Maybe one way to end the confusion is through legislation requiring modifications for similar names, particularly those too similar for comfort. 

Or we can just embrace the ensuing confusion as one big joke that Philippine history foisted on all of us.

Originally written by Vince Ferreria in his Facebook account.
Reprinted with permission.
Posted in this blog with revisions, edits, additions, and layout reformatted by Edgie Polistico.