IBON EBON

Candaba Swamp is located in the municipality of Candaba, Pampanga, 60 km northeast of Manila. The swamp encompasses about 32,000 ha, composed of freshwater ponds, swamps and marshes surrounded by seasonally flooded grasslands. During the wet season, the entire area becomes submerged underwater, but dries out during the months of November to April, when the swamp is converted to farmland by the locals. Rice and watermelon are usually planted, comprising the vegetation of the flood plain, together with patches of nipa palm and some mangrove species.

The swamp is an extremely important staging and wintering area for thousands of migratory birds, particularly during the months of October through April. Rare migratory birds, such as seven purple swamphens (Porphyrio porphyrio), Chinese pond herons (Ardeola bacchus), and black-crowned night-herons (Nycticorax nycticorax), are included in the list of species documented in the swamp by birdwatchers. In 1982, about 100,000 ducks (Anatidae) were observed in a single day, a record for any site in the Philippines.

Because of its biodiversity, and because there are few other places close to Metro Manila that support such a range of wildlife, the swamp is a favorite spot for birdwatching, conservation education, and other nature-oriented outdoor activities. In order to protect the area, the swamp has been declared a bird sanctuary, under close monitoring by the DENR and the local government. Regulations include a permanent ban on hunting and strict management of land use.

Dapat mung subukan

Sisig, is a Kapampangan dish made from parts of a pig’s head, liver, seasoned calamansi (a small green citrus fruit that is very popular in Southeast Asia especially in the Philippines) and chili peppers. This dish is extremely popular and it ranks right up there with adobo, lechon, sinigang, tinola, and pinakbet among others in popularity amongst Filipinos. The recognized inventor of the dish is Lucia Cunanan (also known as Aling Lucing), with her trademark concoction developed in 1974 made of boiled and chopped pig ears and cheeks, mixed with chopped onions, chicken liver, calamansi juice, vinegar and served on sizzling plates.
Although heaps of variations have been made throughout the years (such as adding pork cracklings, mayo, eggs, etc.), the sisig is continually evolving with local chefs experimenting with tofu, chicken, squid, tuna, and even frogs. While Aling Lucing’s stores are still very much in operation to this day (in Pampanga and in other places including Manila), the Grand Dame of Sisig was found murdered in her Angeles City home April of 2008. Every year, Angeles City celebrates a Sisig Festival (Sadsaran Qng Angeles) where heaps of sisig is cooked and made available to the public.

Hot Air Balloon Festival king Clark

Every February, the former American airbase of Clark (just outside Angeles City) hosts one of the biggest and most festive air shows in Asia drawing an approximately 60,000 visitors in 2007. Celebrated since 1994, the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival takes flight in a field next to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (one of the increasingly important Philippine international gateways), with at least two dozen of hot air balloons of different shapes and sizes (we spied a balloon shaped like a rolled newspaper, a coffee cup, a huge elephant) from all over the globe participating. Skydiving exhibitions, flights of ultra lights, motorized hang-gliding, remote controlled model aircraft, kite flying and other aero-sports activities keeps the usually week-long festival busy. Rides on the hot air balloon are not for free and is on a first come, first served basis. Arrive as early as 4-5am, and then head out to the booth where they hold the list-up. Usually the registration area is in the middle of a concrete pavement leading to the main hangar. Organizers and contact persons on the ground can be very disorganized, so once you sign up, stay where you are- there is a huge chance of being bumped off the list unceremoniously. Unless you finally paid for your ride (do not forget to get a receipt), do not leave the registration booth.

ALTAR GAWA KENG PASU

kapampangan cuisine

Lútûng Kapampangan "differed noticeably from that of other groups in the Philippines."It has many similarities with Cantonese cuisine, particularly Macanese cuisine, with a touch of local, Spanish, Malay, and even Mexican. The Kapampangan kitchen is the biggest and widely used room in the traditional Kapampangan household. When the Philippines was under Spanish rule, Spanish friars and sailors taught Kapampangans the basics of Spanish cooking. The Kapampangans were able to produce a unique blend that surprised the Spanish palate. Soon Spanish friars and government officials were entertaining foreign guests at the expense of Kapampangan households. In the late 18th century, the Arnedo clan of Apalit were commissioned by the colonial government to entertain foreign dignitaries that included a Cambodian prince and a Russian archduke.Kapampangans were given the task of creating the meal and menu that was served in the proclamation of the First Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan.

Some popular Kapampangan dishes that have won over the Filipino palate across the country include its famous sisig, the "tocino" or pindang and their native version of the longaniza. A unique Kapampangan dish that is well enjoyed by other ethnic groups is nasing biringyi (chicken saffron rice). Since nasing biringyi is so difficult to prepare, this unique Kapampangan dish can only be enjoyed during fiestas in Pampanga. It should be compared to the Nasi Briyani dish of Malaysia.

Kapampangan dishes that remain a challenge to other cultures include burung bulig (mudfish fermented in rice) of Candaba, betute tugak (stuffed frogs) of Mexico and Magalang, adobung kamaru (mole crickets sauted in vinegar and garlic), calderetang barag (spicy monitor lizard stew), kubang asu (sweet and spicy dog stew) of Macabebe and tidtad itik (duck stewed in blood) of Masantol.

sisig king kapampangan

Reng Parul queni Pampanga

The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held in December (Saturday before Christmas Eve) in the City of San Fernando in the Philippines. The festival features a competition of giant lanterns. Because of the popularity of the festival, the city has been nicknamed the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines".
The first lantern festival was held to honor President Manuel L. Quezon. At that time, Quezon made Arayat his rest area and converted Mount Arayat into a tourist resort. As a show of gratitude to Quezon, the people of San Fernando held a Christmas lantern contest to honor the first family. Quezon himself donated the prize for his lantern contest, which was personally awarded to the winner by First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon.