Popular Pinoy Soup


Summer is over and the cold rainy season is here. It’s time to indulge on some warm soups and dishes that will surely satisfy your cravings and warm your belly. Forget the ice cream, smoothies and all other summer comfort foods because we deliver to you some of the Filipino popular foods that are best eaten during the rainy season of the year.

ARROZCALDO
Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken; cut in small pieces
1 cup uncooked malagkit or plain rice or combination
1 small onion; chopped
4 cloves garlic; chopped
1 root ginger; sliced
Fish sauce
Cooking oil
Salt to taste
1 tbsp minced fried garloc
1 tbsp green onions

Larong Pinoy

A few decades ago, kids used to gather in the streets or in the neighborhood playground to play their favorite Larong Pinoy. It is an important part of growing up; it also teaches camaraderie and sportsmanship. Some games are physically challenging, some are intellectually stimulating. Traditional Filipino street games are commonly played using native materials but since there is a limited resource of toys, Filipino children usually come up on inventing games without the need of anything but the players themselves.
With the increasing popularity of western sports activities like basketball and volleyball and the emergence of high tech gadgets, children playing traditional street games gradually reduced. If only we could revive it and maintain it, children of today can reap the benefits of playing these games - a positive influence on our physical, mental and emotional well being.
According to Magna Kultura Foundation, Larong Pinoy fosters appreciation of national culture especially the new generation. Through play, children can experience the Filipino spirit and in fun way, it instills patriotism.
The following are popular Filipino Games we used to play growing up:



1. Chinese Garter – two people hold both ends of a stretched garter while the other attempt to cross over it. The goal is to cross without having tripped on the garter

Pintados Festival


The Pintados Festival is a cultural-religious festivity celebrated annually on the 29th of June in Tacloban, Leyte. The festival is based on the traditions of the ancient tattooed “pintados” warriors and in honor of Sr. Sto. NiƱo.
The Pintados Festival recalls the pre-Hispanic history of the native Leytenos and showcases the cultural heritage of the people of Leyte by incorporating native music and dances. The word “pintados” refers to the body tattoos of the native warriors which represented courage and beauty.
When the Spaniards came to Visayas in 1668, they found heavily tattooed men and women whom they called Pintados. In the 17th century, the friars banned the use of tattoos branding the practice as savage and evil. In 1888, the missionaries from Spain brought the image of the Child Jesus that was known as El Capitan to the island. The Leyte natives were drawn to the story of the Child Jesus and became devotees and worshipers of El Capitan.

Parada ng Lechon

   The Parada ng Lechon is celebrated annually every 24th of June in Balayan, Batangas. This festival commemorates the feast day of St. John the Baptist and is celebrated by a procession of roasted pigs or lechon. 

    During the event, a mass is held at the Immaculate Conception Church. After the mass, the participating lechons are lined up at the church patio, the parade then proceeds after the blessing of the roasted pigs in St. John’s name. In this festival, one can witness a hilarious sight when the roast pigs are dressed according to the theme of participating organizations. Some of the lechons are dressed in wigs, sunglasses, clothes and whatever the decorators want. While the parade passes by the streets, bystanders will drench the participants with water. They are even free to take a piece of lechon while on parade. 

Manny Pacquiao: Pambansang Kamao

     Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao also known as Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is a Filipino boxing superstar that was named Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America. He is the first 8-division world champion as well as the first to win the lineal championship in 4 different weight classes. He is also a three time The Ring and BWAA Fighter of the Year winning the award in 2006, 2008 and 2009. He was long rated as the Best Pound for Pound Boxer in the world by some sporting news and boxing websites including BoxRec.com, Sporting Life and The Ring Magazine. Pacquiao has a record of 54 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws with 38 wins coming by a knockout. He was ranked 22nd in the 3rd annual Time Magazine’s 100 poll for the World’s Most Influential Person. He also ranked 2nd in the Forbes Magazine list of World's Highest Paid Athletes for earning $62 million between June 2011 to June 2012.

This Day in History: 114th Independence Day


Aguilando Shrime in Kawit Cavite
One of the most important events in the Philippines is the Independence Day. Observed every June 12, it commemorates the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain in June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite. With the public reading of the Act of Declaration of Independence, Filipino revolutionary forces under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippines from the colonial rule of Spain.

This Day in History: Mt. Pinatubo, the Aftermath


   Mt. Pinatubo lies at the intersection of the borders of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga. Before the volcanic activities in 1991, its eruptive history was unknown to most people. It was covered with dense forest which supported a population of several thousand indigenous people, the Aetas. 

    

Top 10 In Demand College Courses

A college degree is important if you want to pursue a successful career. While the cost of college education is increasing every year, finding a high-paying job is equally hard because of the stiff competition. So choosing a course in college needs time and deliberation, here’s the top 10 in demand college courses you may want to consider.


Typhoon Names in 2012



The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration or PAGASA already presented the list of names of the typhoons that will hit the Philippine Area of Responsibility this 2012. The names of the typhoons are arranged alphabetically as it happens after the other. Since its June and the start of the rainy season, we are expecting a wet 2012 considering that an average of 20 storms visit the country every year.

AMBO
NINA
BUTCHOY
OFEL
COSME
PABLO
DINDO
QUINTA
ENTENG
ROLLY
FRANK
SIONY
GENER
TONYO
HELEN
UNDING
IGME
VIOLETA
JULIAN
WINNIE
KAREN
YOYONG
LAWIN
ZOSIMO
MARCE



Balik Eskwela 2012


     The Department of Education is all set up for the opening of school year 2012-2013 in public elementary and secondary schools nationwide on Monday, June 4. The opening of classes will also start the pilot implementation of the K-12 Basic Education Program. Of the 21.49 million enrollees this year, 5.76 million are secondary, 14 million are elementary and 1.73 million are kindergarten. They will be accommodated by over 45,000 public schools nationwide.