Short Detours

Joey Ayala in Sagada. The gargantuan task of putting together 30 great artists in faraway Sagada in one show for a cause can now be rightfully called the greatest show in the mountains. Freddie Aguilar singing with toned-down voice. The artists include Gary V, Acel, Adinkra Lumads, Kat Agarrado, Sinosikat, Freddie Aguilar, Aoui, Apartel, Asch, Abbey Asistio, Joey Ayala, Edgar Banasan, Behind Bears, Blue Jeans Junkies, Ely Buendia, Noel Cabangon, Lolita Carbon, Giniling Festival, Dane Hipolito, Kordilyear Jam ni Peter Wasing, Raymond Luchenco, Lenses, Lunar Landings, Maude, Monolog, Moonwalk, Native Flavor, Ransom Collective, Reggae Mistress, Skymarines, The Ringmaster and Up Dharma Down. “And if only from my perspective, then this one was,” said Formosa who also produced the music of many of the Manila artists who came to the show. Noel Cabangon shared his time and talent to the cause. Working together with Sagada folks, Formoso said “when you put all it...

Sagada's annual Ap-apoy. Sagada’s Ap-apoy is a celebration of All Saints Day combined with the traditional way of commemorating dead loved ones. During late afternoon of November one, people of Sagada visit the tomb of their dead loved ones carrying with them bundles of firewood. The practice was also adopted by the people who migrated to the place whose dearly departed are buried in the cemetery. I went to this event hoping not only to understand the culture but to find the tomb of American anthropologist and educator William Henry Scott. From what I heard, he fell in love with this place and made it his last resting place. It was a fortunate visit as I not only found his tombstone, I also found his foster family who come here often during this event to commemorate him. Miguel Talaney is one of the 15 foster children of Scott. Talaney, who is now 85 years o ld, was closest to the anthropologist as he and his family were the ones who stayed with him. The famil...

If you’re a biker and close to the next annual Shell Bike Fair series, you might want to get a chance on free motorbikes being raffled. With its cool climate known as bikers’ favorite, Baguio was the starting point of the fair series. The bikers are treated with performances by Sky Dive, Uptown Rascals, Sky Light, Imago, Go Girls, and the “pambansang banda” Parokya ni Edgar. It was also attended by Shell’s celebrity endorser Diana Meneses.   With the growing number of motorcycle riders in the Philippines, Metro Manila has 860,517 motorbike owners while up north, there are 576,573, the fair was well attended. The succeeding series are expected to fare the same. I made a short stop at the Fair at the CAP Building in Camp John Hay hoping to win in the raffle for another motorbike, but with more than a thousand bikers assembled, it’s exactly more than a thousand to one chance. But I was lucky to bring home some souvenirs, thanks to the media privileges....

This article was first published in ABS-CBN New Online   BAGUIO CITY -- “Don't forget, we still have Cafe by the Ruins Dua!” This was the message posted by the management of Cafe by the Ruins on its official Facebook page after the original branch of this well-loved Baguio restaurant was hit by fire last April 30. “If you're craving bagnet or our fan-favorite strawberry shortcake you can get that here along with other great dishes,” it reminded its customers. The loss of the original Cafe by the Ruins was quickly mourned by the Baguio community and other guests who have been regular patrons of the restaurant. “After 29 long years, it’s heartbreaking to see it go out in flames,” said managing partner Benguetaña Villanueva, who came home just three months ago from Canada to co-manage the business. Villanueva is the daughter of the late Roberto Villanueva, who named her after his birth province. The surrealist painter was among the restaur...

Hidden deep in Benguet Mountains is an outdoor Green Living Room featuring 24 beautiful landscapes inspired by the best gardens in the World. Each garden has its story to tell: the origin of life is a legend told at the Inca garden, the love story that was torn apart at the Romeo and Juliet garden, the musical garden that rhymes with the wind, and many more. The Zen garden and concentric garden are places to contemplate and meditate. The favorite of many visitors is the mirror garden where they can have creative photography of themselves. Aside from the Award winning flowers from All American Selections (AAS), other materials like rocks, twigs, sand, cement, pebbles, even strings and mirrors are artistically used to design the 24 gardens and ponds located inside a 3-hectare mountain resort called Mount Costa. The clean, crisp and fresh mountain air amidst the sound of tranquility is a glimpse of what Baguio used to be before the hustle and bustle of moder...