On October 5, 2015, we had a farewell
or despedida party at my cousin's house in Quezon City, Philippines.
This is also a family reunion for Balajadia family at my grandfather's
side. I asked my cousin Ester Garcia to contact all our relatives to have a mini-reunion at her house and beauty salon along Cordillera Street in Quezon City, Philippines starting at 7:00pm.
Me and my mother went to my cousin's salon around 5:00pm. We know that
the traffic is so terrible and heavy especially if there's a rain and
also during rush hour. We bought ube cake at Merced Bakeshop along EDSA
near to Quezon Avenue before we went to my cousin's salon.
While waiting for our other relatives, me and my mother had hair and
facial treatments with the assistance of Malou and Susan. My cousin's
salon is already in the business in 1970s at the present location. My
cousin is also a friend of Mr. Ricky Reyes, a well-known hair stylist in
Philippines.
My cousin bought softdrinks, pancit Malabon,
lumpiang prito, and puto (stramed rice cake). We brought biko (sweet
rice cake) also. Her family like her children and grandchildren are also
present in the family gathering.
Unfortunately, many of our
relatives were not able to make in our family gathering because of many
reasons. Some of them are already tired from work, stranded in heavy
rains and traffic, and so on.
Our relatives like my cousins Daniel Balajadia Dalacat, Estrella Garcia Carpio, and Erlinda Garcia Fernandez as well as my aunt Beatriz Balajadia Garcia were able to attend in our family gathering.
We had fun and socialized to each other while eating and waiting for
our other relatives to come if they can. Since we set our family
gathering on weekday which is October 5, 2015 (Monday), then many of our
relatives were not able to make in our family gathering. I know that
most of the people are busy and tired from work on weekdays. Because of
my cousin, Ester Garcia was not available last weekend and her schedule
is already fully booked, then we decided to move on October 5, 2015 so
that she can attend in our family gathering.
Well, my vacation
in Philippines is only 15 days and I have hectic schedules. 15 days is
too short for me because of heavy traffic especially in Manila.
Unfortunately, I didn't meet my other cousins because of my hectic
schedules and short vacation. Anyway, because of the social media like
Facebook, then we can still communicate and chat each other.
I hope that I will meet my other cousins and relatives later probably in 2017.
#Balajadia #QuezonCity #Rizal
After we visited the Capitol Commons
and the downtown area of Pasig City on October 3, 2015, we went to The
Podium which is located at Ortigas Center in Pasig City, Philippines.
The Podium is also a shopping center located at Ortigas Center, Pasig
City. It is also located at the back of SM Megamall. Since we came
early, we had a tour there. There are many stores, restaurants, and
salons inside The Podium. It is not a very crowded shopping center
compared with the other malls and shopping centers.
At 6:00pm,
we had a dinner at Healthy Shabu Shabu located at the second floor of
the building. It is a Japanese restaurant and you can cook the food at
your table. You can dip the choice of your food in a boiling soup or
stock like Japanese beef, big prawns, fish fillets, tuna slices,
scallops, and assorted vegetables and noodles. You can season them with
sauces and condiments. We ate there with my friends from PSI and OCCI
like Rocel Santiago Borilla, Benjie Leogardo, and Aurora Cobarrubias.
Our other friend, Claude Santa Ana was not able to come for any reason.
We spent our time while cooking, eating, and socializing to each other.
Because of having social networks like Facebook, I was able to find and
communicate with my long time no see friends from PSI and OCCI. We
didn't see each other since 2000 when I came in USA. I made a promise
that I will meet and see them later if I will visit in Philippines
later. Thanks God that my wish came true. I know that it is hard to
invite people because of their hectic schedules.
#ThePodium #OrtigasCenter #Pasig #Rizal
On October 3, 2015, I went to Pasig
City, Philippines with my cousin, Rose Ann Zapanta. From EDSA and Shaw
Boulevard (Crossing), we took a jeepney ride going to Capitol Commons.
Capitol Commons is a new shopping and commercial complex in Pasig City
which is located at the former site of Rizal Provincial Capitol. The new
Rizal Provincial Capitol is now located in Antipolo City since March
2009. After the transfer of Rizal Provincial Capitol from Pasig City to
Antipolo City with the help of Ortigas Company, the capitol building at
the old site is returned to Ortigas Company. Later, the old capitol
building is demolished and converted into shopping and commercial
complex. They called it Capitol Commons because the former site is Rizal
Provincial Capitol.
Let's talk about the history of Rizal
because it is part of the history of Pasig City. On June 11, 1901, the
province of Rizal was created and Pasig became its capital. The first
capitol building is located at Lopez Jaena Street in Barangay Santa Rosa
(near to Pasig River) which was built in 1901. During Japanese
Occupation and World War II, the capitol building was used for prison
and it is damaged by fire in 1944. From then, the capitol building
didn't repair because of the shortage of the provincial fund.
Later in 1950, the Ortigas Company donated their building to the
provincial government of Rizal which is located at Shaw Boulevard corner
Meralco Avenue. That building became the second capitol building. Rizal
became a premier province because Manila is surrounded by the towns of
Rizal. The towns which are closer to Manila became most progressive
including Pasig, its capital.
On November 7, 1975, Metro Manila
was created thru Presidential Decree 824 and the 12 most progressive
towns are separated from Rizal. Because of that, the second capitol
building became out of the provincial territory for more than 30 years
because Pasig is also separated from the province . Pasig became an
independent city on January 21, 1995. Still, the second capitol building
is out of the provincial territory.
On March 4, 2009, the
capitol building of Rizal was transferred from Pasig City to Antipolo
City with the help again of Ortigas Company. The new building in
Antipolo City is their third capitol building. The old capitol building
in Shaw Boulevard is returned to the donor and later, it is demolished
and converted into shopping and commercial complex. Right now, that site
is Capitol Commons.
We walked around at Capitol Commons and
there are many restaurants, fast food chains, and office buildings
there. Later, there will be new condominiums and townhouses in the area.
After that, we took again a jeepney ride and we dropped off
at Barangay Santa Rosa to visit the old provincial capitol of Rizal
along Lopez Jaena Street. Unfortunately, the area is closed to the
public and you can take the pictures from outside. The whole area is
closed and secured by wire fences . We're glad that the first capitol is
still there. The government of Pasig City is trying to preserve and
build the first capitol building later for their tourist spot.
After that, we went to the downtown area of Pasig City. The city hall
is now bigger and taller. The public market is still the same. I missed
Pasig City very much because I used to live there in Barangay Rosario
when I was working at CFC Corporation (now Universal Robina Corporation)
and Republic Asahi Glass Corporation. I was eating my lunch and dinner
at the carinderias of Pasig public market. Unfortunately, because of the
shortage of time, we are not able to visit at my former residence at
Barangay Rosario along Ortigas Avenue. We just passed along Shaw
Boulevard and Pasig Boulevard.
While riding in a jeepney going
back to EDSA Crossing, we passed at Rizal Medical Center along Pasig
Boulevard. Rizal Medical Center is formerly Rizal Provincial Hospital.
Because Pasig is separated from Rizal, Rizal Provincial Hospital is
changed later into Rizal Medical Center. I'm glad that the hospital is
still there in spite of being a crowded city.
Pasig City is
still a memorable place for me since my childhood days. We used to visit
my aunt and my relatives often in Barangay Rosario and visit at Pasig
public market. There are so many changes in Pasig City because there are
many buildings and establishments and the whole city becomes more
crowded. The traffic is so terrible especially during rush hours at
Ortigas Avenue and Shaw Boulevard as well as in Ortigas Center where
most of the Head Office of the well known companies are located.
#RizalCapitol #OrtigasCenter #CapitolCommons #Pasig #Rizal
On September 25, 2015, we went to RJ
Bistro at the lower basement of Dusit Thani Hotel along Epifanio delos
Santos Avenue (EDSA) corner Pasong Tamo in Makati City, Philippines
after we had our tour in Makati City.
Mr. Ramon P. Jacinto or
RJ Jacinto in short is a well known musician and guitarist in
Philippines. He owns RJ Guitar Stores, RJTV 29, and radio stations (DZRJ
810AM and RJ 100.3FM). He is a King of Rock and Roll in Philippines.
He's a legendary and respected musician in Philippines.
Since I
visited in Philippines, I decided to have a mini-reunion with my high
school classmates of Mapua Institute of Technology at RJ Bistro. I chose
RJ Bistro because I want to watch the concert of RJ Jacinto again. He's
my favorite musician since my high school days. We scheduled our
mini-reunion on Friday so that we can watch RJ Jacinto in the concert.
The entrance fee is PHP 500 per person but the good news is that the
entrance fee is waived only that day for any reason. We just paid the
drinks and snacks. The whole area was full and the concert was also
tapped live at RJTV 29. RJ Jacinto's wife, Frannie Jacinto was also
there in the bistro.
We love the music from 1960s, 1970s, and
1980s. Everyone were enjoying in watching the concert even my
classmates. RJ Jacinto started his concert from 9:00pm to 11:00pm
although the bistro started at 8:00pm. I suggested to come early as much
as you can so that you can get a nice spot at the nearest.
There's a promotion also. If your total bill is PHP 2000, you will get 1
free t-shirt. If PHP 4000, 2 free t-short. If PHP 6000, 3 free t-shirt
and so on.
You can visit the official website of RJ Jacinto for more information:
http://www.rjplanet.com/
#RJJacinto #RJBistro #DusitThani #EDSA #Makati #Rizal
After we arrived at Ninoy Aquino
International Airport (MNL) on September 23, 2015 at 4:00am, my
relatives like my aunts Leonila Magtalas and Estelita Zapanta and my
cousin Rodelio Magtalas gave us a tour ride after they picked up us from
the airport. Thanks God that our flight was good although there's a
rain with thunderstorms during our landing. The rain finally stopped
when we arrived at NAIA. Thanks God also that my luggage and my mom's
luggage are passed the X-ray inspection after we gave the Declaration
Form at the Immigration Department.
Well, from NAIA airport,
the traffic begins at Airport Avenue, Domestic Avenue, Tramo Avenue, and
then Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). After 6 years since my last
visit in 2009, the traffic conditions are worse than before and there
are more vehicles as well. While driving along EDSA, there are more
buildings, malls, and new establishments. There are many billboards
along EDSA also.
When we reached to Balintawak Cloverleaf, the
area is also congested in traffic especially along A. Bonifacio Avenue,
Quirino Hi-way, and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). The NLEX is better
now than before because the highways are repaired and the systems of
paying at the toll gates are now different also. The traffic there is
lesser and faster.
When we exit at Santa Rita exit in
Guiguinto, Bulacan, the roads are now crowded with many vehicles like
jeepneys and trycycles. The province of Bulacan is now crowded also
because there are many factories, industries, subdivisions, and shopping
malls. It is also close to Manila.
Once we reached to
Baliuag, Bulacan, we went first to Baliuag Memorial Park to visit the
grave of my grandparents and my uncles at their mausoleum. My mother
didn't see the grave of her parents and her brothers for 12 years. The
memorial park is expensive and most of the graves there are came from
the rich and business families. We made a promise that we will improve
the mausoleum of my grandparents and my uncles later.
Our
hometown in Baliuag, Bulacan is also crowded. There are many
subdivisions as well as shopping malls like SM Baliuag. The traffic is
also congested especially during rush hours and raining. I almost got
lost there in finding my grandparents' residence because the
surrounding is now different than the last time that I visited in 2009.
They put blue gates at my grandparents' residence. The caimito trees
that we planted since 1975 are still there at the backyard.
After this, we sleep for few hours because we have jet lag. The time in
Philippines is 15 hours ahead from California. The weather here in
Philippines is warm right now like 95*F during daylight and 85*F during
nighttime. We experienced sweating all the time because it is humid.
#MNL #Parañaque #Rizal #EDSA #NLEX #Baliuag #Bulacan
