Starbucks Coffee branches in the Philippines will serve half-price Frappucino ice blended beverages every Monday from April 30, 2012 through May 28, 2012 from 2:00 PM-6:00 PM on their Happy Hour. So beat the heat this summer, and get one of their signature frappes, however you want it, every Monday of May!

A list of their Philippine stores can be found here, and find out more about Starbucks Philippines here. P.S. I often get a Venti with Whip Java Chip Frappucino Light Blended Coffee.

If you were to ask my mom's native officemate as to what the top three delicacies of Dumaguete are, she'd say budbud kabog, chicharon (pork rinds), and of course, sans rival. Established in 1977 as a small garage bakeshop by Trinidad Teves-Sagarbarria, Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries grew as one of Dumaguete's top culinary attractions. Whenever I am in Dumaguete, I make sure to drop by and completely satisfy my sweet tooth.

Hungry from my adventure to the Twin Lakes of Danao and Balinsasayao, I went to Sans Rival's quaint shop and tried one of their "Menu of the Day" set lunches, which I have been meaning to try on my previous visits. For around 150php, I got Spanish bean soup, a greens salad with vinaigrette, chicken sticks with herb sauce and white rice, and a glass of soft drink. I also got silvanas and brazo de mercedes separately for dessert. Read more...

I read that a good Dumaguete breakfast would include a budbud in one of the city's painitans (morning eateries). I asked the hotel receptionist where I could buy budbud, and he gave me directions to the city market and even gave me a piece of paper that says "budbud kabog."

I immediately walked to one of the many painitans in Dumaguete City Public Market and said in my broken Cebuano, "Naa'y budbud kabog, 'nong? (Do you have budbud kabog, sir?)" He said they were selling at 10php apiece. I bought some, and as much as I want to consume it right then and there to eat with the locals, I had to bring it with me as I was running late for a flight to Cebu. Read more...

The Campus Food Trip series focuses on places near schools and universities that offer appetizing, filling, and budget-friendly food for students or just about anyone.

I heard there's a quaint Korean coffee shop called Cafe Noriter (놀이터) along Taft Ave., popular among students of De La Salle University Manila and College of Saint Benilde. I've also read raves about it, notably from blogging multimedia artists David Guison and The Creative Dork. So I was surprised one late afternoon when I chanced upon a Cafe Noriter while walking not along Taft Ave. but a Dumaguete side street. According to blogs and friends, it is the mother branch of the one back in Manila. I got curious, so I decided to come back later at night. Read more...

I arrived at Dumaguete Airport (IATA: DGT) past eight in the morning via Cebu Pacific Air flight 5J 625 from Manila. Right after the baggage claim was the tourism desk of Negros Oriental. I knew beforehand that the Twin Lakes are found somewhere in Sibulan, which is the same town as the airport, thus I asked them how I could commute from the airport to the lakes. I was given the simple direction to take the multicab outside the airport to San Jose or Tanjay for 15php then ask the driver to drop me off on the road leading to the Twin Lakes. I negotiated with a habal-habal (motorcycle) driver and was initially given the going rate of 400php for a back and forth trip. I haggled and assured him that I won't take long, so we agreed at 250php.

The part-dirt, part-concrete road trip going to the lakes is 13.5 km and takes around 35-40 minutes by habal-habal per way. The sign at the highway states that the path is scenic, and scenic it was. We went up a mountain with fresh air and a cooler temperature, so the ride was well worth it. The Twin Lakes Natural Park is maintained by the government, hence they charge a minimal 10php entrance fee for locals and 100php for foreign nationals. Read more...

Last Tuesday, I was fortunate to be able to participate to a phone conference mounted by FOX Network with Filipino pride, Charice. As you may know, this week, Charice is back on FOX's primetime hit Glee to play her role as Filipina exchange student, Sunshine Corazon.

Charice, a runner up on a national TV singing contest here in the Philippines, rose to fame when a video of her singing on a Korean TV show was shown on Ellen. She was then asked to perform by Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey on their respective daytime shows, and before you know it, she was making waves in Hollywood and was invited to guest star on Glee's current season, making her more of a household name both here and abroad.

Over the phone, I asked her, "If there is one song at this point that you’d like to sing in Glee, what is it?" She answered, "It’s been fun that I’ve covered like Beyoncé songs and stuff, but if they’re going to give me a chance, I think I would love to sing my own song, especially the song that is actually coming out—my song that’s coming out today. It’s called “Before It Explodes.” It’s written by Bruno Mars. It’s a heartbreaking song but it’s a very great, powerful song. If they’re going to give me a chance, I would love to sing that song."

While we were asked to only ask one question, I couldn't help but ask her for a message to all the Filipino fans back home who are so proud of her. The sweet girl gave this message, "To all my Filipino fans, I’m just really happy that they’re supporting me right now. The support is just very strong. I can totally feel it, and I just want to say that I’m just hoping that [you] keep on supporting me, and mahal ko kayo. (I love you all.)"

Catch Glee every Tuesday at 8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT on FOX. In the Philippines, ETC and JackTV both have match airing episodes 4:00PM on Wednesdays. Know more about Glee here.

I tell my story about what could be the most distressing portion of my life. It meant traveling alone feeling lost and hopeless while fighting for love. To say that my life went in disarray is an understatement. But you see, with little pain left, I'm rebuilding myself and about to start anew. I'm getting there. Read more...

Bus Ride by ~JustERose

Boarding Pass for the Canceled Flight

I never knew that I would finally experience first hand to have a flight canceled and more so being stranded somewhere far alone. It was an unexpected turn in my supposed grand adventure, but I have no regrets. After all, Cebu is the city where I'd love to live in outside of Metro Manila. It's like a compact, laid-back, and less stressed version of Metro Manila.

Anyway, I flew to Dumaguete last Thursday and flew from Dumaguete to Cebu Friday morning. The original plan was from Dumaguete, I would connect via Cebu to Siargao and spend two days there to see the beach, then take the barge from Siargao to Surigao. I'd then take a connecting flight from Surigao to Manila with a six-hour long layover in Cebu, just so I can spend the afternoon there. Read more...

Article first published as To the Valour of the Filipino and American Soldiers of Bataan by The Lost Boy Lloyd on Blogcritics.

In the Philippines, April 9 is a national holiday to commemorate the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valour). Ironically, it marks the day in 1942 when Maj. Gen. Edward P. King, U.S. senior commander in Bataan, surrendered his forces, all 76,000 of them, which included almost 11,800 Americans, to Japanese Maj. Gen. Kameichiro Nagano. What followed that fateful day was gruesome: the Bataan Death March.

Mt. Samat Cross by flimsymissy

The Bataan Death March, considered a Japanese war crime, was a "march" of 60 miles from the Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga under inhumane conditions. Reports asserted that the soldiers were given no food or water and those who would fall weak were driven over by trucks or killed altogether. Beatings and bayonet stabs, considered as random harrasments, were common too. The aftermath was appalling—American reports document that only 54,000 soldiers made it.

Surrendering the troops against orders could have put Maj. Gen. King under court martial, yet after his liberation, he was considered a hero and so were the thousands who risked or ultimately lost their lives until the liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese in 1945.

To celebrate the heroism of the Filipino and American troops who fought for Bataan, the Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valour) was built in Mount Samat in Bataan. It consists of a colonnade and a 302-foot memorial cross, designed by Filipino artists Lorenzo del Castillo and Napoleon Abueva.

While the cross stands mightily, ruins in the nearby island of Corregidor are still preserved to remind everyone of that fateful day in Bataan and those soldiers who battled to safeguard our freedom.

Mabuhay ang magigiting na mandirigma ng Bataan! (Long live the valiant warriors of Bataan!)

The Campus Food Trip series focuses on places near schools and universities that offer appetizing, filling, and budget-friendly food for students or just about anyone.

Since I'm around the area, my high school buddy, Patrick and I went out to catch up and get dinner. The place we intended to eat was closed, so we walked a little to the recently reopened Ning's Thai House of Noodles and Restaurant, which is about 250 meters from University of the Philippines Los Banos, 65 kilometers south of Manila in the province of Laguna.

We had to pass through a short, narrow path from the main road to get to the place, and it's more like a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. We were presented with a menu, and compared to Thai restaurants in Manila, it is way more affordable. Rice meals range from 100-120PHP, and bigger platters average 350PHP. Patrick and I both got khao kapi (bagoong fried rice with fried egg), since we're not too adventurous when it comes to Thai food. I also ordered another Thai favorite, yom ga gai (chicken red curry in coconut milk), to share. Read more...

Khao Kapi (Bagoong Fried Rice with Fried Egg)

I rounded up some songs you might want to bring to the beach with you. There's an embedded player after the jump. Enjoy!

Jessie J feat. B.o.B - Price Tag
Ke$ha - Blow
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Rihanna - S&M
Katy Perry feat. Kanye West - E.T.

Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes - Look at Me Now
The Black Eyed Peas - Just Can't Get Enough
Britney Spears - Till the World Ends
Cee Lo Green - Forget You
Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull - On the Floor
Click here for the embedded player...

I actively participate in Cebu Pacific's wall discussions on Facebook. I've seen people rant about how they are treated like pigs and left without food and accommodations because of a delay or a cancelled flight. I explain to them that it isn't budget carrier policy to give out food and accommodation due to force majeure or the rather vague "aircraft situation," as stipulated in the terms of carriage. It's unfortunate, yet as a budget carrier, they operate at limited passenger liability and the smallest cost.

What recently caught the ire of people is what were presumed to be money-making tactics of Cebu Pacific, the fuel surcharge and the Lite Fares scheme. They went off as far as saying that Cebu Pacific is involved in deceit, ergo they called on to boycott the company. Read more...