This Year’s “Pet Festival Philippines”

CEBU, Philippines — An all-breed fun match for dogs, a pet adventure race, a pet fashion event, bespoke pet- care talks and series of animal awareness for a were among the many highlights of the recent “Pet Festival Philippines,” Parkmall Cebu’s award-winning annual pet fair.

Mainly staged at the mall’s outdoor activity area on May 4 to 6, this year’s event had furry, feathery and scaly best buds of all sizes take part in the activities together with their masters.

Last weekend’s pet fair’s “All Breed Fun Match” got the attention of a good number of dog lovers and would-be dog owners – as large dog breeds like Great Danes and small breeds like Pomeranians were entered in the competition. Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, Akitas and various Shepherd breeds were also entered, and the sight of these large breed dogs in one venue was one to remember.

Various pet clubs and organizations also hosted their own set of activities throughout the event. Aside from talks organized by guppy collectors and a pocket competition organized by local hamster groups, the fair also had exhibits by various pet suppliers.

Since it opened its doors to pets in 2010, Parkmall Cebu has become a pet and pet lovers’ haven among Cebuano mall-goers.  Last year, the mall also gained a milestone for being the first Cebuano community mall to be recognized by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Asia-Pacific Shopping Center Awards.

The mall won the 2017 Silver Award in the Cause Related Category of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Asia-Pacific Shopping Center Awards for the “Pet Festival Philippines” pet fair, with Island Rescue Organization (the first non-profit animal rescue organization in Cebu) as beneficiary.

Mother’s Day Brunch and Afternoon Tea

This Mother’s Day, take Mom out for brunch and a quintessentially British afternoon tea set at The Pig & Palm, the first restaurant in the Philippines of renowned Chef Jason Atherton, who across his 17 restaurants globally, has four restaurants awarded with a Michelin star.

Diners savor familiar brunch favorites such as Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, Pancakes, Bacon & Egg Sandwich, and French Toast or indulge in popular picks on the lunch menu from the house’s signature Confit Pork Belly with apple caramel, mashed potato, and broccoli; Salt-Baked Beetroot with goat’s cheese and walnut, and  Roasted Parrot Fish with clams, bacon, leeks, and parsley sauce. Kids are sure to enjoy the bestselling croquettes and karaage chicken.

To add to the occasion, afternoon tea, a British tradition, is served until 5 p.m. A selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream, and layers of pastries, paired with a choice of Earl Grey, Chamomile, English Breakfast, Peppermint, or Green Tea are there for everyone to delight in.

The Pig & Palm is one of the Top 20 Restaurants in the Best Restaurants Guide for 2018 by T. Dining. It is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11 a.m. onwards, and is located at the MSY Tower, Pescadores Road, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City. The contact numbers are +63 917 657 6866 and (032) 255 8249.

Gabii sa Kabilin:Balangay “Tagay” and “Tuba”

Visayans are known to be good drinkers. Drinking was not only for social occasions, such as feasts and ceremonies. It was also present when dealing and sealing negotiations, whether for family-related matters, community affairs, or business.

Misconstrued as an “overindulgence in wine,” drinking among Cebuanos is said to “lubricate” conversations. Fr. Francisco Ignacio Alcina, S.J., one of the early Jesuit missionaries and Spanish historian, assessed that “if they meet dry and without a little wine first to enliven their interest, they talk little, discourse poorly and slowly, and decide worse.”

Visayans did not drink alone; drinking was done in small groups or during social gatherings. Their ancestors had high tolerance to alcohol and do not appear drunk in public. Men and women drank, although the latter in moderation.

There was already an economy of drink, mentioned in the section on “How to Drink in Cebuano” in “Cebu – More than an Island,” edited by Resil B. Mojares. “Tangway” was to trade in wine, while “tarangwayan” was the place where people habitually gathered to drink, a precursor of today’s beer gardens or bars.

One of the most popular of the drinks identified during Spanish contact was “tuba.” And this drink continues to be proffered and preferred by local Cebuano drinkers, especially in the rural areas.

According to Paul Gerschwiler, who wrote the book on Argao, (“Argao In Search of a Usable Past”), a municipality in Cebu known for cultivating the drink, tuba “is a local palm wine made from the sap of the inflorescence of coconut (or nipa) trees.”

Between nipa and coconut, coconut palms were considered better, according to “Barangay Sixteenth-century Philippine Culture and Society” by William Henry Scott. It further elaborates that the reddish color of the tuba is because of the addition of the “tungug” or “lawaan” bark, which also strengthens the spirit of the drink.

Gerschwiler describes the process of making tuba: it begins by tapping the coconut tree “by making an incision in the flowering or fruit-bearing stalk, under which a bamboo vessel is hung to receive the sap.” The sap’s sweet taste stays for only a short time for fermentation and ‘ripening’ begins for a short time only.

Tuba is also used for the production of vinegar. And when distilled becomes “alak,” a drink with brandy-like strength. Distillation, however, is not done anymore in Argao.

When distilled, tuba, in moderation, can “act as medicine for the stomach” and “protection against tumors and all sorts of rheumatisms.”

Tuba-making was so widespread before, for the Cebuano soil was favorable for the natural propagation of coconut trees and coconut plantations proliferated on the entire island. A family of 10 are said to live off on just two trees. That is why, says in Scott, that Magellan threatened Lapu-lapu that he would “burn their land and the palm groves off which they supported themselves.”

During the “Gabii sa Kabilin” on Friday, May 25, 2018, the Cebu Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church will be giving tuba demonstrations to visitors.

“Gabii sa Kabilin” opens the doors of 27 participating museums and sites from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight to visitors with the P150 ticket. The theme of this year’s Gabii sa Kabilin is “Balangay,” a tribute to Cebu’s pre-colonial culture and in preparation for the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s arrival and Chistianization of the Philippines. “Gabii sa Kabilin” is spearheaded by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.

In the Mood for Summer

is A collection of everything everyone loves under the sun is at The SM Store. Aptly called #SMSummerMood, it’s all about high style under the summer heat, wherever the sun takes anyone. After all, the season of sun and fun is the best time to:

Refresh your look. Whether you’re discovering new destinations or unwinding at home, start the season with hot new duds that express you best. Update your summer staples with the hottest trends and create a look that will surely make a statement.

Dive in fashion. Keep it lit when hitting the coasts or lounging by the pool in swimwear that elevates your style to a whole lot of character. And as you prepare for your best summer yet, how about trading your usual swimsuits with fresher and brighter pieces to match your golden sun-kissed glow?

Chill with style. Live your best La Dolce Vita: bask under the sun, take things slow, and don’t worry about a thing – but don’t forget to look the part! Keep it cool but be sure to pop in bright and warm colors that give your summer style a fresher spin. To cap off your beach-ready look, grab a trendy towel that echoes the season’s vibrant spirit!

Everyone may express their #SMSummerMood as the The SM Store takes shoppers into an on-ground experience of The SM Store’s summer collection, matched with the many things people love during summer.  Great summer deals are also available online through Lazada and Shopee!

The SM Store is on facebook.com/TheSMStore, @thesmstore on Instagram and on youtube.com/TheSMStore.