Introduction: Why it’s More Fun in the Philippines?

As an introduction to my slide you can expect to see how we Filipinos value each other, you

can also see the different kinds of Filipino food that you would like to eat and some good places you would like to visit here in our country ,the Philippines,. Hope you like

the Filipino Culture! Enjoy!:D

The origin of the term bayanihan can be traced from a common tradition in the

Philippines towns where community members volunteer to help a family move to a new

place by volunteering to transport the house to a

specific location. The process involves literally carrying the

house to its new location. This is done by putting bamboo

poles forming a strong frame to lift the stilts from the ground and carrying the whole house with the men positioned at the

ends of each pole

There is no winter or snow in the Philippines at Christmas time.  There are very few pine trees.  There is no traditional Yule log or fetching of the pine sprigs from the woods.  And Santa Claus, though visible in displays and believed by most Filipino children  to exist, seldom comes bearing gifts. Even without snow or pine trees, there's no doubt it's Christmas in the Philippines.  Filipino Christmas decorations are abundant and beautiful.The bamboo parol (pah-role), or star lantern, is the symbol of Christmas in the Philippines, representing the guiding light, the star of Bethlehem.   It emits a warmth unparalleled among holiday adornments and is unique to the Philippines. Filipinos enjoy decorating their homes not only with star lanterns but also with all sorts of Christmas decors.  Brightly colored buntings or streamers are hung inside and out.  Often, Christmas cards that illustrate  scenes in the Philippines are pinned on  red and green ribbons.  The cards are then hung in the sala, or living room, for all to enjoy. Candles and wreaths are also common adornments.  Recently, Filipinos have begun choosing wreaths and other decorations made with local native materials rather than those patterned after western designs.  And many houses, particularly those in the urban areas are strung with tiny multi-colored lights both inside and out. Most Filipinos think that decorating their homes for the Christmas holidays is a must.

Going BananaNo food holder? Go banana. It has been a usual custom for most Filipinos that if they do not have any plates, bowls, spoon or pork for eating, they go banana. No, they do not go nuts but they go on their backyards to find help from a banana plant. Most Filipinos, I bet, already know what I am talking about, that is, Filipinos will cut then banana leaves and will use it as their plates or food holder and eat with their bare hands.Going Banana -SweetsSuman is a snack treat we often ate here in the Philippines.  It is typically made from sticky rice half-cooked with  coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed to finish the cooking process. During Christmas, Suman was served with rich and dark hot chocolate drinks, using freshly ground cacao beans.   We would peel the banana leaf of the Suman, and if freshly steamed, take in the aroma and wow!!

Balut(Boiled Duck's Egg)The notorious boiled fertilized duck's egg is what the town of Pateros and neighboring towns of Rizal in Metro Manila is famous for. It takes 28 days to hatch a Duck's egg and producing this one of a kind egg, a perfect balut is boiled at 17 days, when the chick is still wrapped in white and showing no beak or feathers.There is an art to eating balut. First, make sure it's hot. Hold up the egg and determine the wider end and lightly tapping it here to break off a piece of eggshell and then taking a sip to savor the balut's tasty broth - you may want to salt it before doing so. Once all the soup has been sipped, crack the rest of the egg, peel it open and sprinkle it with rock salt. The yolk is firm yet tender and the chick should go down smooth and sweet.Said to be an aphrodisiac, balut is traditionally sold by vendors who do their rounds on the streets peddling the eggs in baskets in the evening, bellowing, "Baluuuuuuuut!" The men folk like to gather at street corner sari-sari stores with their bottles of beer or gin and balut as pulutan (bar chow), spending many a happy happy hour.

Tamilok (Woodworm)Finding food that is ewiiiiee!? Yucky?! Then tadaa!! Tamilok is here! It is woodworm found in driftwoods and is common in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Davao provinces. Tamilok is not for the squeamish nor the faint of heart. The experience of eating it is more risque than eating sushi. Forget raw, these worms are eaten alive! The driftwood is chopped so you are able to extract pink juicy worms measuring six to eight inches long. The worms are then washed then dropped onto the tounge. Fans love the clean taste and the tingling sensation through the digestive tract.

Paniki (Bat)A fruit bat that feeds on over-ripe lanzones, jackfruit, durian and other tree fruit. The Philippines has over 50 species of fruit bats found throughout the country, including Subic, the Samal Caves in Davao and San Juan, Batangas. Batman, beware! Nothing is spared of the fruit bat once it's been caught. To prepare it for cooking, the entire bat is skinned, and the two glands found at the base of its limbs are removed. It is then chopped into bite-sized pieces, sauteed in oil, garlic, vinegar, tomatoes, pepper, laurel leaves and simmered until the broth has almost dried out. Although some Filipinos consider these fruit bats a delicacy, eating them must be stopped since many bat species are close to becoming endangered. These fruit bats play an important role as they help to maintain the biodiversity of the Philippines' ecological system by propagating fruit-bearing trees.

The Historic Town of Vigan,Ilocos

Time travel? Here it is! one of the best examples of a well-preserved Spanish Colonial Town established in the 16th 

century. It is famous for its authentic Spanish-era homes lining the restored cobblestone streets.

Thankfully, this heritage gem has survived World War II and the onslaught of natural calamities.

During World War II, as story has it, the Japanese Military commander Captain Fujiro Takahashi asked the help of Fr. Joseph Kleikamp to take care of his Filipina wife and child in exchange for not burning

the town when the Japanese forces retreated. When

the Japanese left, the people of Vigan spread an oversized American flag in the plaza to avoid being

bombed by the Americans.

Banaue Rice Terraces Looking for stairs? Hahaha! Here it is! The Banaue Rice Terraces (Tagalog: Hagdan-

hagdang Palayan ng Banawe) also called Payaw, are 2000-year old

terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in thePhilippines by

ancestors of the indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to

by Filipinos as the “Eight Wonders of the World” It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal

equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately

1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometers

(about 4000 square miles) of mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the

rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps are put end to end it

would encircle half the globe.

For the link of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZgXHjtcqaM

Thanks for watching! Hope you like the FILIPINO style!