Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

The most awaited 2 days - 19-20 April 2008, we went to Laiya San Juan, Batangas, rented 2 cottages at Kimberly Beach Resort. We occupied one cottage and the other for the parents and siblings of Che. We prepared the food at home and cooked them in the resort. One dish that got so much attention is presented below. I call it 'pinaputok na seafoods' - it is composed of a slice of bangus, 3 pcs halaan, 3 pcs tahong, 1/2 alimasag, 2 slices of pusit, 2 pcs hipon suaje. A slice of margarine is placed on top and garnished with a mixture of vegetables such as celery, onions, ginger and garlic, all chopped. The ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves very tightly and wrapped with aluminum foil to steady the banana leaves and grilled in very high heat for 4 to 6 minutes. The sawsawan is toyo with calamansi. We also have big bangus and a big container of chicken BBQ prepared by Jay. We did a lot of eating that we forgot that all of us are on-diet. Hindi bale paminsan-minsan lang ito. We did not eat so much rice to lessen the intake of calories. We deeped (because I do not swim) into the water late before the sun sets to refresh and early in the morning to avoid the heat of the sun. It is amazing that at 9 am it is already very hot so all of us stayed in the cottage and eat the rest of our 'baon'. The chicken-pork adobo of Che's mom is very good when it is 'bahaw' so we brought home some which was eaten the following morning. The outing turned out to be more of 'food trip'. I guess all of us earned extra pounds.

Lola Goring's 14th Death Anniversary

Before Mama died on April 7, 1994 we were celebrating her birthday on Nov. 17th in Tanauan at Tio Dioneng's house. All the relatives were expecting this event every year. She's liked a debutante with food enough to feed a barangay including special cakes for take home. She emphasized the take home. Now, after her first death anniversary which we celebrated here at my house at LB, the yearly celebration was done at different places where her sisters live. One time we did it in Sto. Tomas at Tia Oreng's house. the following year at Tia Henya, then Tia Nena's. We are all comfortable at Tia Nena's house so we made it there often. Every year, Ronald had the assignment of taking pictures, he made a collage of the event in one page and distribute a copy to the 4 sisters (Elena, Dominga, Asuncion and Aurelia) and of course to Tia Henya. This year, Issa took the pictures because Ronald and Nancy were on a pleasure trip to Sagada, Mountain Province.
I brought beef caldereta, pork hamonado, fresh lum,pia ubod, pancit malabon, bangus and tilapia for inihaw, buco pandan, green mango salad prepared by Che. All the foods were cooked by Jay, except of the inihaw done by Domeng and Joel.
Tia Nena prepared a galapong na bibingka and cassava bibingka, Tia Asuncion, a rice cake the recipe of which was taken from her biyenan who died years ago and prepared by one of the apos, suman sa lihia was given by Tia Ludy who happened to be here visiting her kids. All unconsumed foods were packed for take home.
Cely came with Heidi and Ellen and 3 apos, Hanna. Hazel and Reine, the boys were left behind hindi kasya sa kotse.
We have a short time to interact, but I am so happy for the party was well attended.
I brought one bottle each of multivitamins and calcium, I guess this time it will be for Tia Nena and Tia Inggay na lang.
I almost forget, before we eat we prayed a very long prayer for Mama led by Tia Inggay, the usual prayer for the dead. I think tia Inggay is sickly now, mahina na parati sa doctor, meron siyang scoliosis and heart problem.
Tia Ludy is with Lina in California. She went home to visit the other children. She is very healthy.
We left at 4:30 pm and proceeded to the Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas to hear the sunday mass. I had a 9 days mass novena for the dead at San Antonio parish from March 29 to April 7 for Daddy whose death anniversary is on March 30.

Holy Week

We had our annual Pabasa here are home... with the Virtucio's of course! The San Pedro and Calamba families came and they had a whole time bonding with the kids. Ivan, son of Ian and Mae is the latest addition in the family. Watch out for Jonjo and Anna's baby coming soon.... We hope it will be a BOY again! So here is the slide of the Holy Wednesday event at our home in Rhodas...

Chuy turned 4!

March 1 was such a busy day! Aside from lots of food orders because it was a Saturday! Luigi had a dance number in the afternoon at the UPLB Auditorium. They celebrated their School's Foundation Day and Annual School Presentations. I prepared dinner for Chuy's little celebration... we had pork hamonado, beef potroast, chicken macaroni salad, buco-fruit salad, pancit luglog, sweet and sour fish and Luigi's favorite carbonara with bacon and botton mushroom. Issa bought a little chocolate cake at Ahl's and just put 4 candles...

Chuy was officially 4 years old then!

His Ninang Glee and Papa Rambo came to celebrate...

With Ninang Janice, Uncle Jonjo and Tita Maan

With his friend Ethan, Yoyette's grandson.

My balaes came too, Pareng Jun and Mareng Gay Manahan, Cheche's parents

Elsa, Angelo and Gale came late...

He got lots of gifts...

And this was his favorite of all... a gift from Lola Elsa!

Luigi and his adviser Teacher Pia Banasihan

Luigi with his classmate

Their dance number... highschool musical!

Happy Birthday Chuy!

Chuy is turning 4 tomorrow!!! We'll have a simple celebration tomorrow night, so just stand by for more photos...

Remembering our Daddy... Major Leopoldo A. Alicbusan, Sr.

Issa was talking to Heidi this morning, Heidi forwarded this article about my Daddy... you might be interested to read it? This was posted at Balitang San Pablo Online on August 2007, 6th article and we just discovered it now.

MAJOR ALICBUSAN, LIMOT NA BAYANI
Pag-alinsunod sa Batas Republika Bilang 9492, na sumusog sa Section 26, Chapter 7, Book I of Executive Order No. 292, o Administrative Code of 1987, ang huling Araw ng Lunes ng Buwan ng Agosto ay itinatakdang Pambansang Araw ng mga Bayani o National Heroes Day.

Simula ng manungkulan si Alkalde Vicente B. Amante ay naging tradisyon na ang paggunita sa Pambansang Araw ng mga Bayani ay ganapin sa paanan ng bantayog ni Gat Andres Bonifacio sa dahilang ito ay nakatayo sa kapaligiran ng Doña Leonila (Mini-Forest) Park, at ang bantayog ay malapit lamang sa Bantayog Para Sa Alaala ng mga Martir ng Himagsikan na ipinatayo ng mga Diakonesa ng Iglesia Filipina Independiente noong ikalawang dekada ng pananakop ng mga Americano; at pananda para sa mga Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor at iba pang bayani ng Ikalawang Digmaan.

Ang bantayog ay halos katapatan ng isang concrete obelisk o pananda para sa alaala ni Major Leopoldo Alicbusan ng 27th Company ng Philippine Constabulary (PC) na nasawi sa pagtatanggol sa kalunsuran laban sa sumalakay na mga kaaway ng katahimikan noong madaling-araw ng Marso 29, 1950. Ang nabanggit na obelisk sa dati o orihinal na kinatatayuan ay nadalaw ni Pangulong Ramon F. Magsaysay noong Marso 29, 1954 nang ang Pangulong Idolo ng Masang Pilipino ay gumawa ng biglaang pagdalaw sa himpilan ng pulisiya ng Lunsod ng San Pablo, na walang kasama liban sa kanyang official driver at isang tradisyonal na military aide, na sa katotohanan ay tagabukas lamang ng pinto ng kotse, sapagka’t noon ay ika-4 na anibersaryo ng kamatayan ni Constabulary Major Leopoldo Alicbusan na napatay noong madaling-araw ng Marso 29, 1950 sa pagtatanggol sa kalunsuran sa pananalakay ng isang pangkat ng mga Huk. Subali’t sa tuwing magaganap ang palatuntunan sa paggunita ng Araw ng mga Bayani, ay walang isa man sa mga tagapagsalita ang nakakaalaala sa pagkapag-alay ng buhay ni Alicbusan.

Limampo’t pito (57) taon na ang nakalipas, at kapansinpansing maging ang obelisk sa alaala ni Alicbusan ay nanganganib ngayong mabuwal dahil sa isinasagawang konstruksyon ng Proposed City Engineer’s Office Building. Nagpapatunay na “Si Major Alicbusan ay limot na bayani.”