The highly anticipated 31st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31st SEA Games or Hanoi 2021) is about 45 days away from formally opening in the city of Hanoi in Vietnam. Originally scheduled for 2021, the SEA Games this May will be significant not only because it will be the first time the regional sports gathering will be held during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it will test the resolve of the Southeast Asian members with regards to sports events organizing, location control and, of course, handling the participation of the many athletes from the member nations who will take part in a wide variety of sports competitions. The determination and focus on proceeding with the biggest sports event of the region (scheduled for May 12 to 23, 2022 although there will be some events taking place before the opening ceremony happens) is already being reflected with the newly unveiled official 31st SEA Games slogan called “For a stronger Southeast Asia”, as well with the official event song titled ‘Hay toa sang’ (Let’s shine), as reported by VietnamPlus.vn.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of VietnamPlus.VN. Some parts in boldface…
The official song for the Games ‘Hay toa sang’ (Let’s shine), composed by renown composer Huy Tuan, has been unveiled, showing the pride on the culture and people of Vietnam, and highlighting sportsmanship as well as efforts to achieve the best results, with lyrics in Vietnamese language and chorus in English.
The song also sends a message of development, solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and international friends.
Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Le Thi Hoang Yen said the song’s lyric is simple and easy to learn. It is hoped to encourage athletes and be favoured by sports fans at home and abroad.
The event’s slogan “For a stronger Southeast Asia” is to convey a message of solidarity to build a thriving ASEAN Community and further promote its role in the international arena.
Earlier, the regional sport events’ official logo and mascot have been introduced, with the logo symbolising a flying bird and a V-shaped hand and the mascot based on the saola – a rare animal listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of Endangered Species.
The saola, scientifically known as Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, is dubbed the Asian Unicorn because it is so rarely seen, looks like an antelope in appearance, and is recognised by its two parallel horns with sharp ends which can reach up to 50 cm in length.
The species was first discovered in May 1992 by a joint team from the MARD and the World Wide Fund for Nature during a trip surveying Vu Quang National Park in the central province of Ha Tinh, near Vietnam’s border with Laos.
The 31st SEA Games will be huge as it will take place in Hanoi and in the eleven neighboring localities. There will be forty specific sports and more than five hundred events. About 10,000 participants are expected to join in. A lot of preparations are being done by both Vietnam and the SEA Games members (and their respective athletes who qualified). The 31st SEA Games is something that should not be missed.
For additional insight about the 31st SEA Games and Vietnam, watch the videos below…
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the official slogan of the 31st SEA Games? Do you believe that even as Vietnam is struggling with very high COVID-19 cases, the SEA Games will be done orderly and successfully this May? Would you happen to know if someone in your local community qualified to represent your country in the SEA Games in Vietnam?
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of VietnamPlus.VN. Some parts in boldface…
The host Vietnam has built COVID-19 prevention and control measures, part of the preparations for the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), as regional sports delegations show a concern about the work.
At the recent second Chefs de Mission Meeting of the Games, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan told delegates that in the face of complex developments of COVID-19, Vietnam has devised three options of allowing full capacity, restricting or barring spectators.
In caseno fans are allowed in competition venues over COVID-19 concerns, all individuals are required to wear face masks, except for competing athletes. If capacity restrictions are observed, seats will be arranged to maintain distance among spectators. As for the no-restriction plan, spectators must still observe the 5K message on the prevention of the spread of the virus.
The commute of sports delegations and athletes must be held in a closed routine. Arrivals will take COVID-19 rapid antigen test within 24 hours.
Any found contracting the virus may stay in quarantine at hotels if they develop no or mild symptoms. Those with severe symptoms will be transferred to assigned medical facilities.
Athletes having contact with COVID-19 positives are eligible to compete and not be quarantined.
The organising board will cover COVID-19 testing and treatment costs for medical incidents handled at competition venues and accommodation facilities. Sports delegations are to bear hospital bills, insurance and other costs.
For additional insight about the SEA Games and the reopening of the nation to foreign visitors, watch the videos below…
Vietnam recently reopened its borders for foreign tourists (for references, click here and here). The COVID-19 crisis negatively impacted Vietnam’s tourism industry and like any other nation, there is a drive to achieve economic recovery which means creating jobs for the unemployed, generating additional economic activities for the surviving businesses, and more . On face value, the delayed SEA Games is key in helping Vietnam achieve recovery. Local tourism insiders state that the recovery of the tourism industry will take a long time. At this point, it remains to be seen how much of an impact the SEA Games in Hanoi will have on the nation’s ability to attract visitors from overseas.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you looking forward to the 31st SEA Games? Does the current high number of new COVID-19 cases in Vietnam concern you? Do you think that the announced COVID-19 prevention and control measures are sufficient? Among the many sports events of the 31st SEA Games, which one interests you the most?
Have you been at Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City lately? If you are craving for delicious food at one of the many Japanese restaurants inside Festival Mall, then you should take a look at SaibachiJapanese restaurant (stylized as SAI-BACHI) at the ground floor level just steps away from SM Savemore Supermaket.
In my experience, I’ve been dining at Saibachi in the mall from time to time over the past several years. Their restaurant has limited space (note: they have a counter for orders and payments, and a selection of food at a space by the wall just outside their restaurant), some chairs and their tables are small compared to those in other restaurants there. The current COVID-19 pandemic saw the imposition of limitations on how many customers could be allowed to eat inside restaurants (I’m looking at you – MMDA, Metro Manila Council and IATF). Even so, Saibachi still succeeded in staying in business and keeps on feeding customers with delicious food. Not even the pandemic and government overreach could stop them.
At this point, you must be wondering what food of Saibachi’s do I enjoy eating. Let’s move on!
Miso Soup
The single serving of Miso Soup in a small-sized cup.
For starters, I like their Miso soup which as of this writing costs P55 per single serving (small sized). In terms of taste and ingredients, it is good and satisfying to have. It is also one of the earliest items to be served to me in most of my dine-in visits at Saibachi Alabang through the years.
Futo Maki (Foto Maki according to Saibachi)
The 5-role Futo Maki set.
Saibachi’s Futo Maki is served with five pieces along with soy sauce and wasabi. Each roll is not as thick compared to what is served in other Japanese restaurants but to Saibachi’s credit, each roll is tasty and their specific selections of ingredients per roll shows precision. The 5-roll set is good enough in terms of taste and content for me personally. Those who crave for greater satisfaction with Futo Maki should consider a second set to order. The Futo Maki set nowadays costs P125 per order.
Fried Rice
A solo serving of Fried Rice.
Fried rice at Saibachi (P150 per order as of this writing) is pretty tasty on its own. The taste is strong enough, I did not need to add any condiments anymore. Their fried rice has bits of meat, carrots, egg and a few other vegetables. For a single serving, the content is satisfying enough for me dining in. For anyone who craves for greater satisfaction of fried rice, you should consider ordering Saibachi’s fried rice offerings through their delivery and catering services.
Beef Sukiyaki
A bowl of soup-style Beef Sukiyaki on the right, Miso Soup cup on the left.
A close look on the ingredients prepared in Saibachi’s Beef Sukiyaki.
This one is easily my favorite in Saibachi when dining in. At P220 per order, the Beef Sukiyaki is served by the bowl and it is what others would refer to as the “soupy type Sukiyaki” for it is prepared in soup-style. On face value, the bowl looks small but in reality, it contains a good amount of hot soup, Sotanghon-style noodles, pieces of beef, vegetables and one egg on top. Beef Sukiyaki served in other Japanese restaurants are often large (note: with lots of vegetables and ingredients served fresh apart from the soup) and prepared to feed at least three people. If you want a tasty Beef Sukiyaki for your solo enjoyment with lots of soup, enough ingredients and a strong taste, you will get it at Saibachi! Personally, I consider this as Saibachi’s dine-in special and I highly recommend it.
Chapchae
The very tasty Chapchae on display.
While they are referred to as a Japanese restaurant, Saibachi also serves non-Japanese food. Anyone who loves Korean-style noodles should order the Chapchae whenever dining in. To begin with, Saibachi’s Chapchae are really prepared to be very tasty and anyone who loves strong flavors will enjoy it. When it comes to content, I find the Chapchae solo-serving (P150 per order as of this writing) to be rather lacking. Any customer who wants more of the very delicious Chapchae should consider ordering another serving or go for the bilao-sized servings (for multiple people to enjoy).
The above-mentioned foods are the ones that I enjoyed collectively when dining inside Saibachi at Festival Mall over the past several years. That being said, I recommend their Miso Soup, Futo Maki, Fried Rice, Chapchae and Beef Sukiyaki to you readers. Apart from serving food for diners, they also serve meals of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Thai cuisine through delivery and catering. Going back to my previous dine-in experiences with them, they need to improve on their Beef Ramen which I must say is flawed and not exactly a satisfying ramen experience (note: the beef served had that burned taste and feel, and the noodles served did not look and feel made in store but most likely were sourced from the wholesale market).
Saibachi’s Beef Ramen needs improving.
Also, in my opinion, the interior of their restaurant inside Festival Mall needs some improving to be more comfortable for families or groups of friends (five people and more) to enjoy. I understand their restaurant space is limited and they need enough space for the kitchen personnel to work in, but I can see that some improvements could be made on the dining area. When I say improvements, I don’t mean a full renovation which can be very costly.
Ultimately, if you love Japanese food and you want it with the best possible value for your limited budget while visiting Festival Mall, I encourage you to try the food at Saibachi’s restaurant. Go there! They have lots of other food offered and their menu has lots of items for you to select.
The wide menu at the space by the wall just outside their restaurant. Look at all the choices and prices.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Have you dined in at Saibachi inside Festival Mall lately? What meals do you enjoy there the most? Also, have you tried ordering Saibachi’s food through delivery service or through their catering packages? How often do you eat inside their restaurant whenever you visit Festival Mall?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Here in the Philippines, what is considered by many to be the most popular local dessert reflecting the Filipino culture is the Halo-halo. For the foreigners and newcomers reading this, the Halo-halo is the cold dessert composed of crushed ice, milk (condensed or evaporated) and a variety of ingredients such as purple yam (ube), nata de coco, leche flan slices, sweet beans, coconut strips, jelly orbs, gelatin portions, fruit slices and a scoop of ice cream.
In Tagalog (the major language here in the Philippines), halo means mix. Halo-halo then means mixture (rough translation – mix-mix) which is realized when a consumer mixes all the ingredients together. In this form, the consumer will experience a unique, sweetened taste with each serving by the spoon complete with different ingredients entering his or her mouth.
Now in line with this article’s topic, try to imagine halo-halo in the form of an ice cream! That’s right! There is such a thing and in certain points during my lifetime, I consumed ice cream designed to have the taste and ingredients of halo-halo! Such halo-halo flavored ice cream were temporarily offered by the different ice cream makers.
Here, I want to show you Gold Delight’s Coco Halo-halo ice cream which is now available in pints and half-gallons!
Gold Delight’s Coco Halo-Halo ice cream in half-gallon.
This is what the Coco Halo-halo ice cream looks like up close.
Coco Halo-halo in pint and in half-gallon. These were sold in Las Piñas City for P90 and P275 respectively.
So what can I say about the Coco Halo-halo ice cream? It is made with water, coconut milk, sugar, milk solids, red mongo beans, white beans, kaong, nata de coco, and jackfruit strips to name some. The ice cream itself is mildly sweet. Its taste is enhanced when you eat the ice cream with the frozen (but not hard) ingredients. While it is not as sweet as the standalone halo-halo dessert (note: which can be served sometimes with condensed milk by certain sellers), it still is delicious in my taste. It is also ideal during this hot summer season. As such, Gold Delight’s Coco Halo-halo ice cream is recommended.
The details regarding ordering such as how to pay, what form to fill up and how long it will take for orders to be delivered are available for viewing at the FB page.
For those of you living in or near Las Piñas City, there is a local seller of Gold Delight ice cream products and you can call them at mobile phone numbers 0915-4606505 or 0917-3646363.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
It has been quite some time since I last visited my favorite place for noodles here in Alabang. This is because mainly of the pandemic that started in March 2020 followed by a series of lockdown periods and varied forms of community quarantine. Along the way, I kept focusing on my corporate work and as a result of the social effects the pandemic had on local society, eating outside or having drinks at a coffee shop became much less frequent for me.
Very recently, I revisited Commercenter and, finally, I returned at last to Sigekiya Ramen which is a great place for Japanese meals, especially noodles (note: Sigekiya makes their own fresh noodles which always have nice texture and are always filling). For the newcomers reading this, I previously wrote my opinions about Sigekiya’s other meals like the Gojira Ramen, the Chicken Teriyakidon, the Yokohama Tantanmen, and my personal favorite the Tsukemen.
Other than missing their great tasting food, I returned to the restaurant mainly to try out their latest offering – the Haruichiban Ramen.
The Haruichiban Ramen with a nice presentation!
Shortly after taking my seat inside, I ordered one Haruichiban Ramen which was priced at P300 (introductory price) and it was served to me in less than ten minutes time. It came in a regular-sized bowl which was still large in terms of containing all the content. Right from the start, the Haruichiban Ramen was hot and it had a very nice smell.
As this was my first time to have Haruichiban Ramen, I slowly examined it and noticed it had a brown looking soup with Sigekiya-made noodles under it, an entire boiled egg slashed into two, vegetables and a nice serving of pork. Everything was well prepared!
A closer look…
Then I started consuming the soup. It was delicious! To be specific, it had a strong flavor and I felt the taste of garlic. This is no ordinary soup. It’s really something made with careful mixing of ingredients with the goal of giving customers a delicious and unique experience. According to the Sigekiya waitress I talked with, the soup for Haruichiban Ramen has the taste on tonkotsu combined with miso and shoyu. Minced garlic was a key ingredient.
From that point on, I went on to consume the rest.
The noodles made by Sigekiya are always nice and filling to eat with the rest of the meal!
Ultimately, I really enjoyed Haruichiban Ramen. In fact, I love it and I would not hesitate to come back for it again in one of my future visits at Sigekiya. Haruichiban Ramen is very delicious and since it has Sigekiya’s own ramen combined with a nice serving of vegetables and the pork serving, it was easily filling. For the P300 I paid, I got great taste and satisfaction in return.
That being said, Sigekiya’s Haruichiban Ramen is highly recommended!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
You guys and gals enjoy the taste and coolness of gelato? For the newcomers reading this, gelato is a frozen dessert of Italian origin and what makes it different from ice cream is that it is composed with more milk and less cream than ice cream, and is also usually made without egg yolks.
For us living in Metro Manila here in the Philippines, there is a certain gelato that consumers can avail of locally thanks to the Ice Cream House company and it is called Pastillas de Langka.
The Pastillas de Langka from Gold Delight.
Called a coconut gelato, Pastillas de Langka is pastillas ice cream with bits of jack fruit. It is composed of coconut milk, jackfruit, milk powder and extract, sugar, water, stabilizer and emulsifier. Served in 1-liter plastic containers, the Pastillas de Langka I bought in nearby Las Piñas City (note: vendor of Gold Delight ice cream there can be contacted for orders and inquiries 09154606505) cost me P135.
For the newcomers and foreigners reading this, pastillas (AKA Pastillas de Leche) is a popular Philippine delicacy made with milk as its core ingredient with refined sugar and calamansi juice as additional ingredients. I remember way back in my high school days when we were taught at school to make pastillas with powdered milk, refined sugar and condensed milk (liquid).
Going back to the Pastillas de Langka, I noticed how smooth, creamy and yet firm it is even when exposed to room temperature minutes after being brought out of the freezer. In short, it takes longer to melt compared to ice cream. If you want to know specific differences between gelato and ice cream, check this out.
How does it taste? Really good! Each serving of Pastillas de Langka I had was mildly sweet (with light flavors of pastillas and coconut milk). The bits of jackfruit (langka) added variety to the flavor.
A close look at Pastilla de Langka after a few servings scooped up. See the jackfruit bits?
If you are fond of cold dessert and want something tasty and mild with the sweetness, not to mention having lower fat content, then Ice Cream House’s Pastilla de Langka is recommended.
The details regarding ordering such as how to pay, what form to fill up and how long it will take for orders to be delivered are available for viewing at the FB page.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
What I want to share to you here are my observations about another interesting thing from the Ice Cream House company that has been released to customers in light of the Christmas season. It is something meant to delight families, bring the parents/guardians and the children together in connection to their enjoyment of ice cream. That thing is the DIY Sundae Box which, as of this writing, is offered for P395 to customers (P295 if three Gold Delight half-gallon tubs were purchased).
The DIY Sundae Box has a nice exterior with a top label that says “Just add ice cream” and has the Gold Delight logo on a corner.
What does the DIY Sundae Box look like and what does it have? Check the pictures below.
This is what it looks like upon opening. Nice cards included.
Six party cups and six sugar cones.
Clockwise from the upper-left: roasted nuts, caramel syrup, choco fudge, chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles and mini-marshmallows. Partially seen above is the ice cream scooper.
One nice pack of Fornaio de Fran Brownie Brittle! This one alone makes a nice snack.
With all the nice stuff in place, I decided to do some experimenting with the Gold Delight ice cream available (specifically Triple Chocolate, Avocado Frost and Mango Overload) using two party cups and one sugar cone. Check out the pics below…
I had Triple Choco ice cream scoops with mini-marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles. A great tasting delight!
My first experiment was a party cup filled with portions of Triple Chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and mini marshmallows on top. The result is a great taste! The Triple Choco ice cream has the expected strong chocolate flavor and the taste is enhanced with the rainbow sprinkles. The mini marshmallows made each bite delightful. I highly recommend this combination.
Scoops of Mango Overload plus Avocado Frost plus mini marshmallows plus rainbow sprinkles equal a nice fruity taste!
The next experiment was another party cup with portions of Avocado Frost and Mango Overload. I used mini marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles. The result is a really delightful taste that is fruity and has a candy taste. I personally recommend this combination.
I used one sugar cone with Mango Overload ice cream.
Out of curiosity, I used a cone with a rough scoop of Mango Overload. Good enough.
Conclusion
The DIY Sundae Kit is a nice package designed to delight families, provide consumers (especially children) the opportunities to customize their ice cream, and even serve something nice to guests at parties. At its current price, it is worth getting and it spares the consumer from having to go all the way out to the stores to buy the ingredients to customize ice cream at home.
If you are curious for more or if you want to order a DIY Sundae Kit from Ice Cream House, contact them directly at mobile phone number 09190091543 or visit them on their Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/icecreamhouseph
The details regarding ordering such as how to pay, what form to fill up and how long it will take for orders to be delivered are available for viewing at the FB page.
If there is anyone among you who already availed of the DIY Sundae Kit of Ice Cream House, please tell me what you think of it. Did your kids enjoy it? Let me know in the comments below.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Let me start by making clear to you all that I love eating the pandesal (a roll of bread common in the Philippines) sold by Mang Pandesal located at El Grande Avenue corner Tropical Avenue in BF International, Las Piñas City. Every day they sell freshly baked pandesal that is both affordable (at P2 each as of this writing) and very delicious. Mang Pandesal is so good, many times lines of customers are formed just outside of their store, as well as vehicles suddenly parking nearby with a driver or a passenger coming out to line up and buy pandesal. If you are not familiar with Mang Pandesal, check out my opinion piece.
This past weekend, I passed by Mang Pandesal to take home freshly baked bread. Look at the pic below…
Freshly baked pandesal at Mang Pandesal! Highly recommended!
Normally, I ate Mang Pandesal’s bread standalone because each and every pandesal tastes great. There never was a time I had any bad bread from the BF International baker. This time around, I decided it was high time to experiment something that could be very enjoyable. As such, upon arriving home, I placed the Mang Pandesal bread on the table and pulled out a can of the worldwide favorite meat SPAM.
The world-famous SPAM canned meat, just with less sodium.
Some of the Mang Pandesal bread arranged on the small plate for SPAM.
So step by the step, I pulled out some pandesal and carefully cut out slices of SPAM and divided each slice of the meat into three. Each pandesal from Mang Pandesal were cut into half to resemble clamshells. Then carefully I placed each SPAM portion into each pandesal.
Mang Pandesal’s bread with SPAM meat inserted.
A shot from above.
With the best tasting pandesal and the best tasting canned meat combined, the result was, unsurprisingly, a very delicious experience and totally enjoyable eat! This is an experience that food enthusiasts should have whenever they have Mang Pandesal bread and SPAM available!
And then out of curiosity, I decided to try another experiment…I decided to try pandesal with SPAM with a thin layer of white cheese added.
Thin layers of cheese added.
The result? A very creamy taste that’s also very nice for consumption!
Depending how you like your Mang Pandesal bread and SPAM together, you will definitely get a great taste of the two. If you want the cheesy or creamy taste, that is what you will get with pandesal and SPAM with white cheese added.
As such, having Mang Pandesal’s pandesal and SPAM’s meat together is highly recommended! That being said, whether you like meat with your pandesal or you simply want the best pandesal around, I recommend you to go to Mang Pandesal in BF International now and buy.
Let me end this piece with a scripture from the Holy Bible, the Passion Translation to be precise.
Whether you eat or drink, live your life in a way that glorifies and honors God.
1 Corinthians 10: 31 (TPT)
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced by means of interviewing Ditas Antenor. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Spotlight on BF HomeSarap, The Village Home-Cooked Food Directory
Do you love home-cooked food? Do you love BF Homes, the very large residential-commercial community that occupies portions of Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Las Piñas? Do you love grouping together on Facebook forming a very lively online community?
If you love all three, then you cannot go wrong with the BF HomeSarap Facebook group!
BF HomeSarap is not just any food-oriented, regional group on the social network. It is one of the fastest growing FB groups that highlights home cooking, good tastes, small enterprise and the BF Homes community members (plus friends).
BF HomeSarap’s growth in terms of membership is truly amazing. The FB group only started on April 2019 and from zero members it attracted to more than eight thousand (8,000+) members as of this writing! By comparison, there are other BF Homes-related (plus Barangay BF Homes-related) FB groups that lasted for years and still their respective memberships were exceeded by BF HomeSarap.
The FB group has described itself to be the resource for delicious home-cooked food (and drinks) right inside the village. As big businesses are prohibited, BF HomeSarap allows foodie sellers to post their specialties by showing pictures of the products, the name of the food or drink, prices and how they are being sold. What is notable about the group is that the people who make food at home are granted valuable opportunities to reach out to other members who might be interested to buy from them. In a business sense, the small food enterprises are able to make themselves known and gain chances to grow not only with selling products but also attracting new customers and establishing new business relationships.
And then something significant happened on December 7 and 8, 2019 – selected BF HomeSarap members came out in full force as sellers in the first-ever BF HomeSarap Community Food Fair and Bazaar which was held at the open-air basketball court and at the nearby covered stretch inside BF NorthWest, Parañaque City. That community event, which was organized by village governor-at-large Lorea Miren in cooperation with the BF NorthWest Homeowners Association and supported by PARA APP, was a big success as it attracted between 250 to 300 visitors (including Parañaque City Councilors Jackie Bustamante-Mendoza and Wahoo Sotto) and almost all the vendors sold out! Apart from that, a strong spirit of community interaction, business and socializing took place.
A look at just one section where the first-ever BF HomeSarap Community Food Fair was held inside BF NorthWest. This one was taken at a covered facility near the open-air basketball court (where the other vendors were present and selling too).
With all of these mentioned, you must be wondering: Who started BF HomeSarap in the first place? Why was it established? How did it happen? Where will BF HomeSarap head to now that its presence online and within the real environment inside BF Homes has been felt?
For all of you, my readers and food enthusiasts, I am happy to present to you my interview with BF HomeSarap founder and food stylist Ditas Antenor.
To begin with, Ditas Antenor worked in the corporate world as an advertising executive and worked with her employer’s big-time clients. After more than a decade managing multinational accounts in various multinational ad agencies, she moved on to the production side and there she became a food stylist. She even spent time in the United States to learn about food styling (for print and broadcast).
“I decided back then to take up food styling because I made plans regarding my career ahead of time,” Antenor recalled. “I really planned ahead. I could quit my nine-to-five job and engage in freelancing. So what would be a good, lucrative freelance job that I know I could be good at? That was food styling which is rare (in the Philippines.)”
Back then, food stylists in the Philippines were rare. Antenor became the fifth among the already established food stylists at the time. She eventually got hired by some clients and established herself nicely. Raised as an Alabang Girl, she and her children currently live in the Las Pinas City part of BF Homes subdivision.
BF HomeSarap’s origin and tremendous growth within Facebook
So how did BF HomeSarap start as a group within Facebook? It all started with a trigger on the part of its founder Ditas Antenor.
“There was a trigger. It was related to me and my kids moving into BF Homes subdivision coming from Alabang. Our house here in BF has been around for a very long time,” Antenor said. “My kids grew up with my cooking. Although they enjoy commercial foods like pizza or burgers that can be ordered, they can only eat those sometimes and ultimately they still love home-cooked food.”
Being the highly focused planner she has always been, Antenor had prepared menus for their family up to a few months ahead. She does the home cooking and, from time to time, her children cook adding variety. The love for home cooking, good food and relationships all connected with the beginning of BF HomeSarap.
“Then one day, I said to myself ‘maybe I should form a group’. I’m not an original member of the BF Homes community but still this is our home, even if I still maintain and occasionally stay in our Alabang house” Antenor recalled. “After doing an initial search for food-related FB groups that were related to BF Homes, I formed an FB group for BF by BF focused on home-cooked food.”
Along the way, the founder recalled her efforts on forming a name for the FB group that is unique and would strongly resonate with food enthusiasts and BF Homes residents and stakeholders. The result, clearly, was BF HomeSarap which was a clever combination of the name of the subdivision as well as the Tagalog word “Sarap” (English: Delicious).
“The name BF HomeSarap was formed out of my intention to include the local community’s name while reflecting people’s enjoyment of good home-cooked food. It had to be catchy and relevant at the same time. After searching for possible combinations of words, I came up with ‘sarap’ to partner with BF Homes,” she stated.
BF HomeSarap was created on April 2019 by Antenor reflecting her interest of good, home-cooked food her children would enjoy while establishing ties with the many members of the BF Homes community who share her interest.
The result? The membership of BF HomeSarap on Facebook went from zero to over eight thousand as of this writing. The members were a big mix of food enthusiasts as well as home-based cooks who are quietly selling food or drinks through their respective small-sized businesses. Already several small-time food sellers posted food or beverages for sale complete with contact numbers, prices, ways on how to avail of ordered items and the like. BF HomeSarap excludes the bigger, commercial food sellers giving more space and priority to the small ones. Along the way, there were a lot of buyers who had been searching for tasty home-cooked food. The result is BF HomeSarap establishing itself as a very lively online community whose members are united by home-cooked food and delicacies.
Of course, not just anyone could join the BF HomeSarap FB group. With the help of a few friends (who lived in BF Homes for a long time) and her daughter, Antenor and her co-administrators carefully review the many pending applications of FB users who wanted to join in as well as the many private messages sent.
“The membership of BF HomeSarap just kept on growing fast. Along the way, we made sure it would not become just another buy-and-sell type of Facebook group. I really wanted it to be an online community about good, home-cooked food and BF Homes which will be engaged with good quality content from time to time. I really want community engagement,” she said.
To engage the BF HomeSarap group members, Antenor researched online about the latest food trends, what kind of food people like lately, cooking tips, recipes and the like. The result was her releasing unique content in the form of articles, short videos, special greetings and customized images that get posted in the group occasionally. This approach of hers helped keep BF HomeSarap interesting and engaging, and prevented it from becoming stale or getting too flooded with sales-related posts.
For the future, Antenor stated that she is still striving to come up with ideas to make life better for the sellers and buyers of the group. She is exploring how to establish a dedicated delivery system that will carry BF HomeSarap’s name and cater to the clients’ needs. She and her team are also looking for other enclaves around BF Homes that could possibly host the next edition of the BF HomeSarap Community Food Fair this year.
With almost 9,000 members counted (and growing) and continued daily engagement, BF HomeSarap is undoubtedly the premier FB group focused on home-cooked food with the people of BF Homes in mind. Even FB users from the rest of South Metro Manila noticed the group.
“BF Homes is very unique,” Antenor said in relation to the group’s phenomenal growth and influence.
“When I cook, I continue to engage the community. There is, indeed, a wealth of home-cooked food in this community. You just need to look for it. You just need to know who cooked it. Also, level up your food in terms of nutrition and quality. If you want good food for your family, aim for home-cooked. It can be cheaper and yet it can be prepared with the same love and care for the family.”
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
Note: Article cover photo contains images from the book “SULÓ: Where Taste Was Style”, written by author/founder Erlinda Panlilio, published in 2015 by Anvil Publishing.
2nd MediCard Sprint Triathlon in Clark on November 10
With a field of close to 300 participants listed, the stage is set for a beginner-friendly racing experience as the 2nd MediCard Sprint Tri fires off on November 10 inside the Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga.
The race organized by Bike King features a course of 600-meter swim at the Olympic-size pool of the water park followed by a single loop 20-kilometer bike course around the Clark grounds and a single lap 5 kilometer run on the rolling paths of the resort. The finish line will be located along J.P. Rizal Avenue.
At stake in the event sponsored by MediCard Philippines, Standard Insurance, Klean Athlete Nutritional Supplements, Smart, official timing partner Garmin, hydration partners Pocari Sweat and Sip Purified Water, recovery partner Air Relax Massage Guns Philippines, hotels Fontana and Royce Hotel & Casino are specially designed trophies and gift items for the age-group winners, Team Competition, and relay category winners. The awarding ceremony is scheduled to take place at 10:30 AM.
“Wellness is more than being free from illness. It includes physical, mental and social well-being. This is the reason why MediCard promotes wellness through sports because aside from promoting physical health through physical activities, sports also improve social skills and gives positive mental health,” said MediCard President Dr. Nicky S. Montoya
The 2nd MediCard Sprint Tri is a joint project of Bike King and MediCard. The company is a leading health maintenance organization (HMO) dedicated to building a culture of health awareness and behavior. MediCard’s extensive connections with outpatient clinics, partners and affiliate doctors nationwide allow us to offer an array of total healthcare services to suit the needs of corporations, SMEs, individuals, and families. Visit http://www.medicardphils.com or call (02) 884-9999 for your healthcare needs.
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Press release issued on behalf of Bike King Philippines and MediCard Philippines.
Author Carlo Carrasco 