Interview w/ MARCK MARASIGAN, Mister Friendship International Philippines-Batangas 2023

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Interview w/ Upcoming Male Model JACQUIS MANLOSA of Lipa City

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Interview w/ Lipa City's Female Fashion Designer PRECIOUS JEWEL

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Interview w/ Mister Continental International 2022 MELMARK CARCIDO

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Interview w/ Male Model & Ginoong Barako 2017 SELL JAY PACIA

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HALF MOON VILLAGE RESORT in Lian, Batangas

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My First Bb. Pilipinas 2021 Top 12

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Batangas City: Another Southern Gateway to Luzon

Batangas City is the capital of the Province of Batangas. It is located in the southern portion which makes it a viable place to be a gateway not only to the province but to the rest of Luzon as well. It has a port that is important to the delivery of goods and services to this side of the country.

The effective management of the city is one of the best attributes that makes it efficient and progressive. Batangas City has become an important area in making things easy for business to flow flawlessly from any point in Southern Philippines to the northern-most part of Luzon.

The Batangas Port is one busy hub as evidenced by the many sea vehicles that ply the route from different island-provinces in the south. Roll-on, roll-off ships as well as passenger boats dock there and commerce starts to flow.

It is to no surprise that big businesses have started to mushroom in Batangas City. SM City Batangas and Waltermart are just two of the establishments that offer shoppers convenience for their daily needs. With the mall psyche of Filipinos, these malls and supermarkets have their share of the trade.

Other business establishments are also doing well in the city. With the many patrons that go to them, commerce is alive in Batangas City. Of course, with development comes the problem of traffic but the city government has formulated a system that is effective as evidenced by the smooth flow of automobiles in their formulated one-way routes.

Batangas City has always been ready for the influx of tourists. Big hotels and resorts are scattered everywhere in the city. With the many times that I have visited the place, it is noticeable that foreign and local visitors can be seen in tourist areas such as malls, hotels, restaurants and other places of interest. It is a major area this side of the country.

Batangas City has a homey atmosphere that might be considered for retirement purposes. With its vast land area, it is no wonder anymore that residential enclaves have been developed. Modern houses have been built and property is relatively affordable.

The Philippines being a predominantly catholic, churches abound. But Batangas City respects the religious affiliation of people especially so that Batangas has a history of Islam in its midst. Everybody is welcome to the city whatever religious persuasion one might have.

In the many years that I have been invited to sit as a judge in the annual Bb. Lungsod ng Batangas, I can say that it is also a land of beauty. Some of their winners and candidates have moved on to join national pageants and made names for themselves. Thanks to Mr. Ed Borbon of the Batangas City Cultural Affairs Office for always inviting me and to ace fashion designer Renee Salud for bringing me with him to do the pageant judging duties. The Batangas City Coliseum is a fitting venue for the pageant.

But Batangas City has a certain appeal that makes you want to go back. The people are warm and friendly. The city is relaxed and still has that certain appeal unspoiled by the onset of development and progress. It is a gateway that has a character of its own.

Year in, year out, I always look forward to be invited to Batangas City. I feel at peace when I am in the city. After the pandemic, when everything is okay already, I hope to go back and enjoy the sights, sounds and people of Batangas City once more.

Credit goes to the owners of the photos.

A Petal of Rose Called Lipa City

Lipa City is a component city of Batangas and is one of the four cities of the province. Since its founding in 1702, Lipa has undergone a lot of transformation through the years...keeping up with development, of course.

Lipa City has always been busy since the olden days. People doing their own business as well as vehicles plying its streets have been usual sights since way back then. The Casa de Segunda, which was a favorite hang-out place of our national hero Jose Rizal, is still up and standing.

Local government leaders, from the past to the present, made and make sure that Lipa City maintains its good image and excellent peace and order situation. True to their  motto of Virtud and Trabajo, Lipenos value work with virtue.

Being a center for commerce and education, Lipa City is a host to many educational institutions. It has its own city college and other public colleges and universities. It is also home to high standard schools such as De La Salle-Lipa.

A big and busy city such as Lipa will not be complete without the modern-day amenities of malls. SM City Lipa and Robinsons Place Lipa have large malls that cater to the needs of its populace as well of those from neighboring towns.

The city has a booming economy. Aside from malls, business establishments are scattered in the city. In fact, the traffic problem is one thing that the local officials are trying to solve. New roads and highways have been constructed for the ease of the riding public.

Despite the busy-ness of the modern atmosphere, Lipa City exudes a homey feeling. My parents once owned a farm there and they spent their weekends in our property. Believe it or not, I was not able to visit the place before they gave it up. Unlucky me...

Lipa City is known for its lomi and the kapeng barako. It is a must to eat lomi when in the city. Liam's Lomi House is a favorite among Lipenos. They usually bring their visitors to try this delicacy. Whether night or day, savor their delicious concoction of a Filipino comfort food.

Twice, I was invited by Lipa City tourism office and museum president Minnie Atienza and fashion designer Rey Lazaro of the Designers Circle Philippines to judge in their annual Miss Lipa Tourism held at the Lima Park 0/0utlets. It is a sprawling area of outlet stores and it also has a hotel called Lima Park Hotel which, for me, is the best this side of Batangas.

Other hotels will not be left behind in terms of accommodations. Lipa City is always ready to welcome local and foreign visitors with open arms. After this pandemic, I hope that visitors will put Lipa City in their itinerary.

Filipinos being a religious lot, Lipa City is home to a cultural heritage church which is the San Sebastian Cathedral. In this city, you will also find the Mt. Carmel Church which is said to be the venue where a rose petal shower miracle happened in 1948 after an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

 But despite the skepticism of some people, Lipa City can be aptly called a petal of rose.

 Credit to the owners of the photos.

The Secret Gem Called San Juan, Batangas

San Juan, Batangas is now popular among the local as well as foreign tourists. The reason - it has one of the best beaches in the country. Aside from that, Batanguenos in general are a welcoming lot. They do not discriminate and they welcome guests with open arms.

Tourists flock to San Juan because of its beautiful beaches located at Laiya-Aplaya or simply known as Laiya. Its white sands and clear waters make it appealing to people who love swimming on the beach. Good thing that there are hotels and resorts to cater to its numerous visitors the whole year round.

One of the country's popular fashion designers, Renee Salud, was born and raised in San Juan. He is proud of his town in as much as the town is also proud of him. He is proud of is heritage especially when he meets his fellow San Juan townsfolk here and abroad. In the Philippine fashion industry, his name is synonymous to his town.

The town's patron saint is San Juan Nepomuceno. Its church stands aloft in the center of San Juan. It has a museum beside it. Knowing Batangenos to be religious, the church is big enough to accommodate its populace as well as visitors especially during the fest of their patron saint.

One thing that I've noticed in San Juan is how they preserved their heritage houses through the years. In every nook and corner of the town, you will see well-maintained centuries-old houses that mix with the new edifices. Rumor has it that the owner of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar bought old houses there and brought them to their resort in Bataan for proper preservation.

One more nice attitude of the people of San Juan is how they patronize local restaurants which serve food that can only be tasted in town. Despite the proliferation of fast food chains, the locals still opt to eat the local fare. In all fairness, they are palatable and give the fast foods a run for their money not to mention the home-cooked taste.

As part of development, modern groceries and restaurants have opened their branches in San Juan. They know that they already have a market there that is why they have made it an extension of their businesses.

But for me, San Juan is still the quaint town in Batangas that welcomed me in my early days as a production person. It has been part of my growth as a director and a special place that occupies a space in my heart. To all the people of San Juan who took care of me in the early years of my career, you are all still in my heart. San Juan, Batangas is secret gem waiting to be explored.

Credit to the owners of the photos.