Mt. Arayat as Viewed from the SCTEX

Traveling from Pangasinan to Bulacan involves passing through the 94-kilometer-long Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway or SCTEX in Central Luzon.  While aboard a bus, I grabbed the opportunity to take a picture of Mount Arayat.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the 1,026-meter-high land formation is classified as an inactive volcano.  In folklore, Mount Arayat is also said to be the abode of the sorceress Maria Sinukuan. Mount Arayat is also found in the backdrop of some movies by the Filipino actor Lito Lapid.

Very Adorable "Aratiles" Berries

Most of us, especially those who came from rural areas in the Philippines, are aware of aratiles berries coming from the Muntingia calabura tree.


The trees flourish even in poorly nourished soil, while the small seeds are easily scattered on the ground as the sweet and juicy berries are crushed through eating, or any other force. As a result the trees are so ubiquitous.


I bet that many of us have already tasted the very adorable berries which may come in glossy fuchsia, red, maroon or yellow green - appearing like miniature Christmas balls.


A few months ago, I had the privilege of eating some of these berries for dessert. Nibbling each piece almost brought me tears of happiness, since memories of my carefree childhood were relived.


These are the aratiles berries I ate:

Cassava Chips

Last January 24, I chanced upon cheese-flavored cassava chips for sale, while walking along the sidewalk near the intersection of EDSA and Panay Avenue in Quezon City, Philippines.

Movie Ads: Johnny Tinoso and the Proud Beauty (1994)

In January 1994, right after the Metro Manila Film Festival, Jestoni Alarcon and Gretchen Barretto were paired in the fantasy film Johnny Tiñoso and the Proud Beauty. The film's story was based on a work of Nick Joaquin, a Philippine National Artist for Literature.


This is a newspaper advertisement for the film:

Movie Ads: Nandito Ako (1994)

Kris Aquino and Phillip Salvador were paired in the film Nandito Ako [English: Here I Am] which opened in theaters on May 12, 1994. The reel love story eventually became real, and their relationship resulted in a child named Joshua.

This is a newspaper advertisement for the film:

Shopping at the Public Market

Going to the public market  (palengke) in the city of Malolos, Bulacan is a chore that I enjoy because of the curious offerings seldom available in supermarkets. Sundays are shopping days at the palengke. Following are some pocket-friendly items that I bought there:

Typhoon-Prone Country

It is common knowledge that our country is regularly hit by typhoons. We, Filipinos, have always been accustomed to the effects of this natural disaster.

I took the following video on September 27, 2011 as Typhoon Pedring (International Code Name: Nesat) hit various parts of Central Luzon:

Prayle (Friar): A Poem

In the October 7, 1997 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, a poem in written in Tagalog was published as a paid advertisement. The poem's title Prayle (Friar in English) attacks members of the clergy who seem to be very fond of meddling in Philippine politics.


Here is a scanned image of the poem:

Movie Titles with Double Meaning

In the October 7, 1997 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Nestor U. Torre discusses in his column, Viewfinder, double entendre titles of a number of Philippine movies. The emergence of these movie titles titillated the general public and scandalized the moralists.


A scanned image of the column follows:

Pinoy TV in the '70s

Although I was born in the '80s, I have always been wondering how Philippine television programs were like in the past. The following article by Ronald G. Mangubat is a personal narrative that provides insights into TV fare in the '70s. It was originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on November 15, 1997.

Hello and Mabuhay!

Hello and mabuhay to everyone.

Through this blog, I will do my best to share snippets of Pinoy popular culture that amazed, thrilled, and entertained us through the years.

Comments and constructive criticisms of the upcoming features are very much welcome.