Welcome to My Site

If this is your first visit, welcome! This site is devoted to my life experiences as a Filipino-American who immigrated from the Philippines to the United States in 1960. I came to the US as a graduate student when I was 26 years old. I am now in my mid-80's and thanks God for his blessings, I have four successful and professional children and six grandchildren here in the US. My wife and I had been enjoying the snow bird lifestyle between US and Philippines after my retirement from USFDA in 2002. Macrine(RIP),Me and my oldest son are the Intellectual migrants. Were were born in the Philippines, came to the US in 1960 and later became US citizens in 1972. Some of the photos and videos in this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringing on your copyrights. Cheers!

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Christmas Shopping Online is Fun and Easy


Last week, I started my Christmas shopping online. There were no crowds to fight and hustling for a parking space in the Mall. I did this to purchase gift cards. I have to give gifts to my six home health aides. I decided a $25 gift certificate from See's Candies is appropriate.

I have also to give gifts to my six grandchildren. This year a $50 gift certificate from Best Buy is all I can afford. Last year I gave $100 cash to my six grand children. This year my budget has been stretched to the limit because of the home health care expense for Macrine that I am paying on my own( not covered by my Federal Medical insurance and Medicare). With regards to my four adult children and one daughter in-law, I may also give them gift cards if I have no time shopping in the Mall or online. With gift cards, there is no problem of returned gifts. With the gift card they can buy whatever they need this Christmas season.

Besides the gift cards, I also purchased three items for the house and one item for Macrine, FREE of shipping charges. The free shipping was only available from Walmart with no minimum amount of purchase. Other stores ( JC Penny, Macy and Sears) required a minimum of $50 purchase to get free shipping. You can also save shipping charges if you pick up the merchandize in the store nearest you, instead of shipping it to your residence.

If you have not done shopping online, try it. It is so easy and convenient. If you love the crowds, Online shopping is not for you.

Recent News on Shopping Online by Americans: Americans are big-time online shoppers, according to a new survey by NPR and the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. And by “online shoppers,” most shoppers mean Amazon.com. But just because they’ve bought things online doesn’t mean Americans are turned off by shopping at small retailers or brick and mortar stores of any size. Most of those who have shopped online say they prefer shopping in a brick and mortar store.

Advance Merry Christmas to you all!

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

A Visit from a Former Dorm Mate and UPSCAN from the University of the Philippines

If you recognize anyone in this photo, please contact me. ( UPSCANs, 1956-1957)

Last Thanksgiving Day, I had a surprise visit from a former dorm mate from the University of the Philippines South Dorm ( Narra Hall) and also a fellow UPSCAN.

Dr Felix Llamido, MD and son ( resident of Los Angeles) visited us Thanksgiving day morning just to see Hello and get reacquainted and met Macrine in person. Felix and I were dorm mates from 1955 to 1959 and also active with the University of the Philippines Student Catholic Action (UPSCA).

The photo above was taken in 1956 during an UPSCA picnic in Los Banos, Laguna. Felix is kneeling in front with the newspaper. ( He claimed I bought the newspaper-but I do not remember). I am at the back row, standing 3rd from the left. I do not remember the names of other UPSCANs in the photograph except for Connie Del Rosario and Viven Villaflor. I believe the person on my left is Dr Viven Villaflor from Dagupan, Pangasinan, also another dorm mate at that time.

About two months ago, I received a note from Felix after he saw my picture in my blogs. We communicated that he will be in Dixon, CA to visit his ailing older sister on November 22. I asked him if he could drop by since Dixon is only about 20 minutes drive from us. He said he will try.

Felix practiced medicine in Long Island, New York for a number of years. He is now retired in Fort Myers, Florida and has a son residing in Los Angeles area. Here's a short biography of Felix from the Internet via google.

Dr. Felix Llamido is a plastic surgeon in Fort Myers, Florida. He received his medical degree from University of the Philippines College of Medicine in 1963 and has been in practice for more than 40 years. He is 79 years old.

Here's what I found about Viven Villaflor, MD in the Internet

Dr. Vivencio Villaflor, is the owner of Villaflor Hospital, the biggest hospital in Pangasinan.. Villaflor is a proud ( Philippine Veteran Affairs Office (PVAO) scholar. He finished his medicine(UP) through PVAO educational benefit. — in Dagupan, Pangasinan.




Sunday, November 25, 2018

Our First Taste of Dungeness Crabs this Season-The Climate Change Report


I purchased 3 Dungeness Crab at Food Maxx yesterday. The 3 crabs costs me $29. The last time we tasted Dungeness was last year. My stomach was aching and mouth watering when I saw the crabs. I was planning to cook honey baked ham and potato souffle, but when I saw the crabs, our dinner menu was changed. We ate the crabs with gusto. It was delicious and worth every penny I spent. I hope the price will decrease soon as the supply will exceed the demand.

The Crab Industry is directly related to climate changes and global warming. Here's the latest news on California Dungeness Crab fishery*.

“California’s Dungeness crab fishery is one of the most progressively designed and collaboratively managed fisheries on the West Coast,” Oppenheim said, while warning of possible long term problems due to global warming. “Our crab populations are stable and doing well. Yet climate change continues to threaten crab fisheries in complex and unpredictable ways.”

“In California alone,” he said, “Dungeness crab fishing is worth $50-$60 million to the local economy. Losing this economic driver would mean disaster to fishing families and would be an irreplaceable loss to Bay Area culture. We can’t allow that to happen, and that’s why we’re taking a stand now.”

This week, the federation of crab fishermen in California and Oregon filed a lawsuit that seeks to hold 30 fossil fuel companies responsible for contributing to climate change that has warmed oceans, leading to the crab-season delays in recent years and the resulting economic hit to the industry. Oppenheim said the 2015-16 closure cost the fishermen and folks up and down the supply chain $110 million in lost revenue.

“Climate change is impacting the oceans by increasing average sea temperatures, increasing the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves, destabilizing and disturbing marine wildlife populations, affecting ocean circulation, and increasing the frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms,” the group said in its lawsuit. “These changes threaten both the productivity of commercial fisheries and safety of commercially harvested seafood products. In so doing, they also threaten those that rely on ocean fisheries and ecosystems for their livelihoods, by rendering it at times impossible to ply their trade.” *(https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/11/15/fishermen-head-out-on-opening-day-of-the-2018-recreational-dungeness-crab-season/).

Donald Trump pay attention to climate change and global warming! For the latest climate assessment report read:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/climate/highlights-climate-assessment.html

Friday, November 23, 2018

A Tribute to My Parents-The Prayers of St. Francis

I am reposting this article since next week will be the death anniversary of Papa David. I wrote this tribute several years ago.
Mama Pacing and My Siblings, 1976

My parents, David Jamili Katague and Paz Barrido Balleza were simple people, but proud of their children accomplishments. The following article discussed some excerpts in their lives that I will always remember. I remember them clearly when I hear the song, The Prayers of St Francis. My parents had passed away several decades ago, but the lessons they taught me in my childhood years still reverberates in my mind today.

I attended Catholic mass this morning here in Northern California, USA. It was a perfect autumn day, cool and sunny. The beautiful mass liturgy, music and the priest homily reminded me of my deceased parents and my own mortality. The communion song was the Prayers of St. Francis. The lyrics of the song still reverberate in my mind, especially the last line “and it is in dying that we are born to eternal Life”.
The Prayers of St Francis song is still ringing in my mind, reminding me of the many pleasant memories of my parents and my own mortality.
My father, Dr. David Jamili Katague was born in Guimaras, Iloilo, Philippines on December 29, 1905. He was the middle son of three brothers, Julio (the youngest) and an older brother-Guillermo. His parents were poor, but have a small property in Guimaras and Binalbagan, Negros Occidental. My father was a very smart child. Since his own parents could not afford to sent him to college, a rich aunt from Leganes, Iloilo adopted him. He was sent to Iloilo High School in Iloilo City, where he graduated salutatorian of his class. He was a freshman in high school when the three brothers of Guimaras, Iloilo changed the first letter of their last name from a “C” to a “K”.

He did not tell me much of his college days, but he finished dentistry (Doctor of Dental Surgery) at the University of the Philippines, Manila in 1929. That same year he passed the Philippine dental board examination copping second place nationwide. That same year he also married my mother, Paz Barrido Balleza of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo. They resided in Jaro and built a two-story house in Arguelles Street. My father had a dental office in the first floor of their residence.
Papa David, 1950

My father’s childhood years were very normal for his generation. When he was in high school his father died and his mother remarried the younger brother of his Dad, so his mother’s name was still Mrs. Catague. This second marriage produced nine children, three girls and six boys. The family resided in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental. I had two occasions in my childhood years visit relatives in Binalbagan.

My father was a people person. I remember during our monthly shopping trip for supplies in Iloilo City, that he would greet and smile at every person we met along Iznart and JM Basa Streets. On one occasion, he greeted a person with enthusiasm as if they were long time friends. Afterward, I asked him who the person was and he said he does not even know his name. He treated men, women, young and old, all alike. I told him he would be a good politician. He could also draw freehand. His sketches and freehand drawing were beautiful. I know now that my children and grandchildren talents of drawing, sketching and painting is from his genes, since I have no ability at all to draw, paint or sketch.
Mama Pacing and Me, 1984

My mother on the other hand was very reserved. Although she had not finished high school, she was good in mathematics. She could add and multiply in her head. One day, a vendor came to the house and was selling some farm products. She asked for the price and the vendor said 3 for 1 peso. Without blinking an eye or hesitation, she said, here is 8 pesos give me two dozens. I was amazed at how fast she could compute in her head, ratio and proportion problems.

My mother, Paz Barrido Balleza and family are big landowners in Barotac Viejo and the neighboring towns of Banate and Ajuy. The Balleza family were considered rich at that time. She was born on January 14, 1909 and is the youngest of three children, the only girl with two older brothers, Modesto, Jr (lawyer) and Jose who are much older than her. My mother’s parents both died, when she was only in high school. So, she was under the care of her oldest brother, Modesto. At that time, Modesto Balleza family had a big house in Iloilo City, just across the street from St. Paul Hospital and one block from Assumption College-an exclusive and private school for girls.

My mother went to high school at Assumption College until she was a junior. In her senior year, she met my father, fell in love with him, stopped school and got married. My mother with tears in her eyes told me that the reason she married without finishing high school was to get away from the control of her oldest brother. When their parents died, there was no will. Thus, the Balleza properties (rice and corn lands, coconut plantations, fish ponds) were all under the control of her two brothers.
The division of property according to my mother was very unfair. The brothers claimed the best rice lands to themselves. What was left for her to inherit were the properties in the distant barrios, rice land with no irrigation, except for one parcel of rice land (20 hectares) near the town. Of course, she did not receive one-third share of their parents' properties. When she married, control of her properties was given to her. My Dad then helped her manage the rice lands and other properties.

I remember that more than 20 tenants come to the house in Barotac Viejo, almost every week during the planting and harvest season, besides the encarcado (the overseer) of my mother’s properties. At the side of our house, we built another house to store the rice harvests, so that we could sell the rice when prices are high because it is off season. The proceeds from the rice harvests sent all seven of us to college. The income of my father as a dentist was just enough for our daily expenses. His dental patients oftentimes had no cash. In exchange for his dental services, they would bring chickens, eggs and vegetables and other farm products.

My mother was very frugal. She would not leave a morsel of rice on her plate. I remember her saying, “If you do not finish your food, God will punish you”. So even today, I always have a clean plate after lunch or dinner. My mother had a strict budget and allocated 10% of the farm income into her savings. By the time, I was in college, they had enough savings to purchase a commercial property in Iloilo City. With the back pay that my father received having served as a Dental Officer in the Philippine-American Army from 1941-1945, they were able to build a commercial building at Iznart street very close to the provincial capital.

The building was named the “KATAGUE BUILDING”. The building was not properly maintained after the death of my father in the early 1970s. In the late 1980s when my mother died, the seven of us decided to sell the building and land. The land was more valuable than the building, because of its location. The new owner demolished the “Katague” building, built a bigger building and is now a school and a bank.
When my parents died, they have a will allocating the lands to the seven of us. As the oldest child, I inherited the best of the rice land, the 20 hectares of rice land near the town with irrigation. . My sister in Iloilo is now managing it for me. The rental income is barely enough to pay for the annual taxes.

Fifteen years ago, I visited the rice land that was land reformed. I cried when I remember the history of this particular piece of land. Of the ten tenants that benefited from this agrarian program, only one approached me and acknowledged his gratitude. He told me he was able to send all his children to college from the proceeds of my inheritance.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Three Cases of Abused Husbands that I Know


I know of three men being abused by their wives(both physical and mental). Two of these men are from the Philippines. Both men are from upper middle class families. I knew the wives and parents of these two guys. The other man I know is from the United States and I supervised his work before my retirement from Federal employment. Nobody believed him until he finally decided to end his marriage.

I have read and heard many cases of battered wives but not of battered husbands. The first time I heard of a case of a battered husband was about 16 years ago when I was still working for Food and Drug Administration in Maryland. A Review Chemist I had supervised confided in me, that the reason he is now divorced is because his former wife has been beating him at least once a month for the last two years. At first, he just protected himself, but after the fourth beating he reported it to the police. The police came to their apartment, investigated and nothing else happened. The physical and mental abuse continued until he finally decided to break the marriage and left his wife. There was a restraining order issued against his wife.

My first reaction was of disbelief. This man although softly spoken is 6' 6" tall, athletic and very masculine. He has a PhD in chemistry and is very personable and friendly. I ask myself-is this man telling the truth? But the way he confided in me was very convincing and I believe him. The abuse was not only physical but also mental according to him. The guy is about 45 years old and they have no children.

The second case of a battered husband that I heard was in the Philippines. This case is sad and really touched my heart since the battered husband is a close relative of my wife. During one of our many family reunions, I noticed the absence of his wife. I ask him why his wife was not around. He replied "I do not have a wife anymore". I was embarrassed for asking the question and totally forgot about the incident. However, the next day, I was talking to his mom. She told me about the domestic abuse that her son had tolerated for the last 10 years. It was only last year that he told his parents what was going on. They are now separated and have two children, 9 and 2 years old. The children are with him, but his wife has visiting rights. In this case the abuse is also both physical and mental. As in case above, this man is good looking, athletic, very personable, and intelligent. This guy is only 39 years old. His wife is also a college graduate and comes from a rich family in the suburbs of Manila.

This third case of an abused husband is a classic tale of greed and marital disorder of a wealthy Filipino couple. The abused husband is a kin of my wife. For the purpose of this article, let me call the husband Benjamin and his wife Lola. Relatives and friends of Benjamin oftentimes just call him Benjie while Lola has another name Bu-angit (crazy in the Ilongo language).

Benjie's family are rich landowners in Mindoro. When Benjie's parents died, the property were divided into the 7 siblings. But Bu-angit was later able to claim and usurp portions of land supposed to be inherited by one of the sisters of Benjie. The story of Benjie and Lola is a classic tale of greed, indifference, envy and marital discord in a well to do filipino family.

I have met Benjie and Lola and have interactions with them several times during their married life. Lola has a temper, so I was sure that Benjamin was a victim of verbal abuses. Lola several years ago came to visit relatives here in US. On her way home to the Philippines, she had a temper tantrum at the airport. It took a while for her to calm down.

I was surprised to learn that Benjamin was also a victim of physical abuse besides the emotional abuse. Benjamin and Lola have four adults children and several young grandchildren. Both hailed from Mindoro(neighboring island of Marinduque), but decided to reside in Quezon City after their college graduations. Benjamin was an engineer and a business executive before his retirement. Lola was a full time housekeeper and occasionally teaches piano. We know of several friends of the couple and heard of incidents of Lola's temper tantrums. Lola is also known for her erratic behavior during full moon. We did not have much contact with Benjamin and Lola for the last 5 years, not until last week when Benjamin died of heart attack at the age of 71. We were also informed that a week before Benjie died he was scheduled for heart by-pass surgery. For unknown reasons, the surgery was cancelled. It is rumored that Lola convinced Benjie not to have surgery, because of the costs of the surgery. I feel this is not really the reason, since the couple are very wealthy. They owned lands and two houses in Mindoro as well as beach houses in Batangas and Marinduque and has a good business in Quezon City.

Benjamin had several relatives residing in the US. Last week, a relative( Gilda) flew to the Philippines just to attend for his funeral and cremation services. It was at this time that she learned of Benjie's suffering as a victim of Lola's verbal and physical abuse. The story was relayed to Gilda by the personal caretaker of Benjamin.

The story of Benjie's abuse was relayed by Gilda to my wife and I am writing this story. This is a true story. But to protect the family and privacy of both the late Benjamin and Lola, the names and places in this article are fictitious but the story of Benjamin as a battered husband is true and not a product of my wild and vivid imagination.

From the Web: More than 830,000 men fall victim to domestic violence every year, which means every 37.8 seconds, somewhere in America a man is battered, according to the National Violence Against Women Survey. While more than 1.5 million women are also victims, everyone -- no matter their sex --deserves help. "Domestic violence is not about size, gender, or strength," says Jan Brown, executive director and founder of the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men. "It's about abuse, control, and power." www.webmd.com

"Society does not have the right to discriminate against a victim of domestic violence because of their gender".
— Roger Eldridge

Some Statistics of Abused Men versus Abused Women: In the UK in 2015, 2.8% of men (equivalent to 500,000) and 6.5% of women (equivalent to 1.1 million) experienced partner abuse: For every three victims of partner abuse, two will be female and one will be male.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Learning to Enjoy Canned Menudo with Tripe


Yesterday, I tasted my first canned menudo with honeycomb tripe dish (see photo). It was good but not as good as the taste of my own Filipino recipe. I added a small canned of tomato sauce and it tasted better. I also boiled it for another 10 minutes and to soften the garbanzo beans.

For my own Philippines recipe of a tripe dish read: https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2014/10/have-you-tasted-tripe-soup.html

There are 6 other canned of menudo made by Juanita's food as follows:

https://www.juanitas.com/kitchen/menudo/

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Going to the Dentist is a Pain in the Butt and in the Pocket

Citrus Heights Dental Patients Waiting Area

According to the Web in 2015 the average tooth removals cost is $75 to $300 for non-surgical, gum-erupted tooth extraction, $150 to $650 for a surgical extraction utilizing anesthesia and $185 to $600 for soft-tissue and complicated surgical extractions. It is very important to select a Dentist who will not overcharge you specially if you do not have dental insurance. My Federal Medical Insurance do not cover my Dental needs.

A couple of months ago, I broke four teeth that is supporting my lower denture( partial). It was not aching so I did not go to the dentist. However, yesterday one of my four teeth started aching showing signs of infection. I called several dental offices in the area, but only one could accommodate me within 24 hours. This office is the Citrus Heights Dental-a private group practice. The four teeth (lower left) extraction cost me over a $1000 even after my 10% senior discount. The office normally do not give discount, but I charmed the office manager for the discount by promising to write a good review of my visit.

I went to the Citrus Heights Dental for evaluation for my lower denture repair last September. I have also an upper denture and I am very happy with it. I informed the office I just want the lower denture repair or replace. As a new patient I had free X'ray of my whole mouth and Evaluation( Office Promotion). After the 30 minutes consultation, I was told my lower denture can not be repaired. I was told I need a complete mouth repair including a new upper denture at a cost of over $6000 even after a 10% senior discount. I will have all my remaining teeth ( 6) extracted. Needless to say, I went out of the dental office in a hurry. I felt that the dentist who saw me is pressuring me for more dental work that I really do not need. I went to the Internet and found the following reviews for Citrus Heights Dental.

Latest Review #1: The staff was good and friendly and all. It's the dentist that sucked. Long story short; I had a tooth ache, they x-rayed and she looked in my mouth for literally about 15 seconds and said I needed a root canal, post and a crown. Cost was 2500. I called BS and got another opinion from another dentist and after a more through examination, I was told all I needed was the crown. Cost about 1000. This place is unscrupulous and dishonest. I will never go back.( One Star)

Latest Review #2:
I lost a portion of the bridge and was forced to get it replaced. I had no insurance and certainly didn't have the money to pay upfront for the work but this place was absolutely as accommodating as they could be with the payments. Now let's talk about the doctors and the assistants. I was sitting there with missing teeth and some pretty tough cosmetic work needing done. But when I left I had a temporary bridge in place that looked phenomenal! Talk about being happy smile again!! It was definitely a long session but the staff tried to make me as comfortable as possible and that included laughing when we could. I would recommend this location in a heartbeat! (Five Star)

Latest Review #3: I will never come back to this dental office. All they do is to pressure you on adding for service. My husband went in for a regular cleaning and half way thru the cleaning. The hygienist said she doesn't know how to clean his teeth unless he paid her more using the laser which will cost another $100+ dollars. She has done this so many times. He didn't want to argue with her. So this will be the last time he's coming back here. I'm canceling all my appointments also because I think they only think about money and not treat their patients as real customers.( One Star)

Latest Review #4: I woke up on a Tuesday morning with a terrible toothache. I had to call and make an emergency appointment at 4:30 P.M. They were able to get me in at 5:30. The office was easy to find and the staff was super helpful. The dentist was good and the exam ended with having to have my wisdom tooth pulled. The extraction took minimal time and I had zero complications afterwards. No swelling and very little pain. I HATE going to the dentist but I have found a place that has made me comfortable.( Four Star)

My Personal Review: I gave this place a four star. The office manager assigned me to a new dentist. He pulled my four teeth with professional expertise. I went home with prescriptions of antibiotics and Tylenol and a mouth wash. Today is the second day after the extraction and I feel good except for a pain in my pocket.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

The Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines

Do you like museums? If so visit the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines if you are in the area.

This is a beautiful contemporary and modern art museum housed in a mission-styled architecture on a 1.2 hectare property owned privately in a subdivision in Antipolo, Rizal. Several art galleries can be found in the open-air Mediterranean-inspired villas, shrouded by well-manicured gardens and landscaped greens. Pinto means door in Filipino, and the museum aims to be a gateway for modern and contemporary art.


For more details VISIT:
https://lostandwonder.com/travel-guide-to-pinto-art-museum/

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Have You Been to Malacanang Palace?


If not the following photos taken by Dr Joel Cuello, President of PAASE, October 24, this year is a must see.
Entrance to The Palace( Night Time)
The Court Yard

Dr. Cuello wrote of his recent visit to Malacanang: "Arguably the most storied and iconic residence in all of the Philippines, Malacanan Palace has endured and has -- since 1863 -- served as the principal workplace and official residence for 18 Spanish Governors-General, 14 American Military and Civil Governors, and the subsequent Presidents of the Philippines. It is without doubt a national historical treasure and has in recent decades become a powerful locus of contention for the soul of the Philippines' modern-day vibrant, though at times still seemingly tenuous, democracy".

The Reception Hall

I have been to Malacanang Palace a few decades ago when I attended a Paranggal Ceremonies honoring a friend from Maryland. Dr Cuello's photos also showed The Drawings of Juan Luna -a coffee book from the collections of my former classmate in Chemistry in UP, Dr Eleuterio Pascual.




My association with Dr. Pascual and his coffee book about the paintings and drawings of Juan Luna is discussed in my blog as follows:

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/search?q=pascual


Note: The photos of Dr Cuello has a SAMPLE mark because I converted it from PDF to JPG format. I have not purchased the converter program, thus the SAMPLE mark. I have the permission of Dr. Cuello to post some of his pictures in this blog.

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Enjoying Mexican Dishes-Beef Tamales, Chile Relleno and Menudo

Beef Tamales

For the last two weeks, Macrine and I had been enjoying Mexican Food. We have hired two more Mexican-American aides (LC and CB) just these past two weeks on a part time basis and on trial. Both of them love cooking Mexican dishes. One day, I mentioned that my favorite Mexican dish is Chile Relleno. The next day LC brought us 4 Chile Rellenos(CR), she cooked the night before. Besides the CR, she brought with her one dozen tamales. She said her MOM ordered the Tamales from a friend. I have not eaten a Tamale for quite sometime. The first Tamale(TA) I had was in Chicago in the mid-1960's. Both CR and TA were delicious. My taste buds for TA were awaken by this event, I searched for frozen Tamales in our local Mexican-American Grocery store ( Food Maxx). I found the El Montery brand( see photo) that I really enjoy for breakfast.


For the Chile Relleno, two Mexican Restaurants in our neighborhood have it in their menus. However, it is expensive. I was searching for frozen CR that I could just heat in the microwave. The Internet shows, Walmart carries the Goya brand. I called our local Walmart store, and they have no stock. There are several brands you can buy on-line but expensive. I decided to check our Food Maxx store. Food Maxx carries the Frida brand. I purchased a package of 4 for only $10.50. It is still in the freezer, since yesterday LC cooked us again six Chile Rellenos costing me only $10 for the ingredients.


Another Mexican dish that Macrine and I enjoyed just recently is the Menudo soup purchased from our neighborhood Mexican restaurant(TH). I purchased the dish from Tres Hermanos(TH) which is available only on weekends. The dish serving for 4 cost me $10. Besides the tripe it has one pig's feet but no hominy. The dish was good and the tripe was soft. The pigs feet just melted in my mouth. To the left over two servings, I added Garbanzo beans and Macrine and I enjoyed the soup again the next day.

Speaking of tripe, I have a favorite Filipino recipe for tripe that I cooked every now and then. The recipe is listed in my Food blog as follows:

https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2015/02/how-to-cook-pinoy-menudo.html

Sunday, November 4, 2018

My Movie Review of Metro Manila

The Bar Scene

I am not an avid movie goer, but a couple of years ago, I rented a movie because I heard so many good reviews about the above film. In addition, the title attracted my attention having resided in Metro Manila for a number of years during my college years.

The movie was advertised as a crime drama and thriller. However, the first hour of the movie was no thriller at all. It was almost like a love story of a poor couple with two young kids from Northern Philippines who went to Manila for a better life. It was only 45 minutes before the end of the movie when the movie fulfilled its label as a crime drama and thriller

The opening scenes in the movie with the Ifugao Rice terraces in Banaue was mesmerizing and beautiful. It makes me feel like visiting the place again. I was in Banaue in 1970.

As the movie progresses the scenes of the poverty and traffic congestion in Manila was filmed so realistically even including the smog from exhaust of thousands of vehicles including Jeepneys, tricycles, buses and cars of all kinds , The movie was filmed entirely in the Philippines, mostly in Manila. This has save thousands of British pounds for movie director and producer Englishman Sean Ellis. As a Filipino-American, the movie brings me some nostalgia even though some of the scenes were filmed in a neighborhood, I will never visit even in broad day light.

The movie starts with farmer Oscar (played by Jake Macapagal) and his wife, Mai (played by Althea Vega), unable to make a living on rice fields of Banaue Province in the Philippines. decided to migrate to Manila to find work, tagging along their two young children . They obtained a ride on a cramped produce and vegetable truck. Immediately after arriving in the city, they encounter a real estate swindler who rented them a house that is government owned. They were forced to live in the streets for a while and witnessed a kidnapping episode.

Later on the story, Oscar was able to move his family to a slum outside of town. After searching for a job for quite sometime, he was so glad to finally get a modestly paying job as an armored car driver. Mai on the other hand finds work in a bar where she’s routinely exploited and harassed by the male clientele. The manager of the Bar is Charlie( played by Angelina Kapati), a masculine woman, who seems sympathetic to Mai needs for money...

Oscar learned very fast of the ways of downtown, or “metro” Manila, after being taught by his driving partner, Ong (played by John Arcilla). Arcilla's acting ability was fantastic and superb.

The movie, Metro Manila offers a realistic view of a crowded and chaotic place where Oscar and Mai struggle against poverty and indifference. Manila is so unforgiving, and their poverty is so desperate. It is no surprise that when the Ramires Family seem to get a happy welcome to the city, their story turns up to a sad and, deadly ending. Watch the movie for a twist in the end.

I recommend this movie to all especially to those who enjoys a love story with a twist at the end. The movie is in Filipino (tagalog) with English subtitles. Since I understandTagalog there was no need for me to look at at subtitles which was hard to read because it was in a small font on my TV screen. Otherwise I enjoyed the movie very much. It was worth more than the $4.99 rental fee that I paid to Comcast Movie in Demand-My Internet and Cable movie Provider.

The film is unrated. It contains profanity, violence, smoking, adult themes and brief nudity, The running time is 115 minutes. It is available through Amazon Google Play, YouTube and Sony Entertainment Network. Metro Manila is 2013 British-Filipino independently produced crime drama film directed by Sean Ellis. Ellis also co-produced and co-wrote the film. The film was selected as the British entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards.

Metro Manila had its International premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on 20 January 2013. It was also released on 17 July 2013 in France, 28 August 2013 in Belgium, 29 August 2013 in the Netherlands, and 20 September 2013 in the UK. Metro Manila had its Philippine premiere on October 9, 2013. It is now available in Comcast Movie in Demand under Indie and Foreign Films category. The two day rental is $4.99 here in Northern California.

Other Reviews-From the Washington Post


Perhaps inevitably, the complications that ensue in “Metro Manila” begin to look a little contrived and exaggerated. But Ellis has nonetheless created an absorbing, poignant portrait of contemporary life in the Philippines, here pessimistically depicted as a place of cruelty and greed, but also courageous striving. And he’s enlisted a superior group of actors to ground his sometimes schematic story in unguarded sincerity. Macapagal and Arcilla are both solemn and attractive as a young couple the audience never hesitates to root for, and Arcilla handles his character’s own complexities with talky, charismatic flair.

“Metro Manila,” finally, is a sobering portrayal, not just of the abuse of power, but the abuse of hope, which might be even more unforgivable. As Mai tells Oscar at one point, “sometimes the only thing left to hang on to is the blade of the knife.” It cuts even deeper when there’s another human being holding the handle.

Another Review-Telegraph.CO.UK

Metro Manila is so spellbound by its setting that it is a good hour before we discover what kind of film it is going to be. It begins as a swirling drama of survival in the Filipino capital — but then suddenly it slips off down an alleyway, only to emerge a scrupulously engineered, Christopher Nolan-ish crime thriller.

On paper, that sounds awkward: in fact, it’s an entirely logical reflection of the experience of anyone who has ever taken on a city and won. Early in the film, Manila is an inscrutable tangle of bodies and streets, but it gradually takes on the shape of a puzzle that is waiting to be solved. At stake are the life-changing contents of a missing safety deposit box, and a changed life is the reason Oscar Ramirez has come to Manila.

Oscar (Jake Macapagal) is a penniless rice farmer who brings his young family to this city of close to 12 million souls in search of work and food. Slum landlords and brutal employers take an almost overwhelming toll, particularly when Oscar’s pretty wife Mai (Althea Vega) takes a job in a smouldering go-go bar.

Oscar tell his new boss a joke is crisply written and beautifully performed. Moments like that can give you dangerously high hopes for a film, and Metro Manila amply meets them. For details visit the following site.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/10320301/Metro-Manila-review.html

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