Malabon: The Metro's Unassuming Heritage City

The proper noun "Malabon" conjures images of the pansit Malabon, the famed pansit variety that has become the symbol and pride of the place and its people. Other than its delicacies, though, Malabon struck me as uninteresting and not worth a visit. Its infamous perennial floods may have contributed to people's low regard for this otherwise culture-rich area.

Gapan City’s Old Casa Municipal Undergoing Restoration

In December 2016, the city’s old municipal building still sported its baby pink stucco façade. The side walls, however, were brick, prompting one to surmise that the cement front was most probably just a permutation of, or digression from, the original design. Whether the change in the  exterior’s material served a purpose or whether it conformed to some construction codes or engineering principles, one thing was certain: to restore the building to its original design, new materials have to be removed. And true enough, the structure’s ongoing restoration has revealed its brick masonry walls.

A Colonial-Themed Hotel & Restaurant and Bato Springs Resort: San Pablo City’s Pride

I visited San Pablo City, Laguna, in April of this year primarily to see its seven lakes, but I didn’t want a rushed day trip. I wanted to linger and experience a little more of what the city had to offer. And so I decided to stay overnight and try another destination that a friend referred, the Bato Springs Resort, and other places in neighboring towns (to be featured in a future post).

(READ:  Day Trip: 7 Lakes of San Pablo City)

Day Trip: 7 Lakes of San Pablo City

by Randy R.I. Espinoza

I have long been raring to see these lakes, prompted by a declaration of them as "the most threatened in the world" years ago by a foreign organization. After having had the time to finally explore San Pablo’s natural bounty last summer, what’s my verdict? Was the declaration warranted or a little exaggerated?

Muhikap Lake

Gapan: Nueva Ecija’s “Heritage City”

(Part 2 of a series on Gapan City)

by Randy R.I. Espinoza

Gapan's Old Casa Municipal (Municipal House), the pink building to the right

Unknown to many, Gapan City, established in 1595, is the oldest town in Nueva Ecija and one of the oldest in the Philippines. Cabanatuan City may be the provinces’s most progressive city and the town of San Isidro was declared the country’s interim capital in 1899 by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine-American War, but Gapan remains the province’s crown jewel, a veritable heritage town that rivals others in the entire Central Luzon in terms of historical and cultural significance.

Gapan’s Heritage Houses: Nueva Ecija’s Hidden Jewels

(Part 1 of a series on Gapan City)

by Randy R.I. Espinoza

Gapan City is home to the oldest and biggest church in Nueva Ecija, but most people, even Novo Ecijanos themselves, are not aware that the city has some more hidden cultural jewels: its colonial-period houses. Nueva Ecija has never been regarded as a cultural center of Central Luzon. Gapan is overshadowed by the bigger cities Cabanatuan and San Jose and the capital city, Palayan; and the local government itself prefers to market the city as the “Footwear Capital of the North.” These factors contribute to a virtual ignorance of Gapan’s rich cultural heritage.

"Crazy Beautiful You,” a Photoshopped Romantic-Comedy Pic

by Randy R.I. Espinoza

My apologies to those who loved the movie, but I didn’t find much “real” value in one of the year’s most successful screen offerings that stars two of the top teen stars of local Tinseltown, Kathleen Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, otherwise known as KathNiel. Perhaps because I’m biased toward indie cinema’s in-your-face grittiness and social realism. Or is it because I’m more tolerant of the likes of KimXian & JaDine?

Okay, the main stars are probably show biz’s most popular love team, touted as the young generation's Guy and Pip (but then there’s also James Reid and Nadine Lustre, that other popular tandem who may be considered today's Vilma and Edgar, who are out to challenge the former couple's supremacy :-) ). The flick was produced by Star Cinema, the biggest movie outfit in the country. These very factors could have contributed much to the artificiality of the entire production. What do you expect? Drizzles of cheesiness all over, of course. ‘Cause that’s what sells. And that's what the fans want. So never mind the picture-perfect Pinatubo and the fascinating katutubong Aetas. They just serve as the backdrop and the decorative extras to add color and flavor and boost the production design. No real discursive analysis of family conflict and relationships but more forgive-and-forget, kiss-and-make-up, young-love/sweet-love, love-conquers-all, all's-well-that-ends-well sentiments that gloss over the serious issues.

Cinemalaya 2014: The Frontrunners

By Randy RI Espinoza

DIRECTORS’ SHOWCASE

Contenders

Rediscovering Minalungao National Park, Nueva Ecija’s ‘Hidden’ Wonder (A Guide)

By Randy Renier I. Espinoza

Where are the views captured in the photo below located?

Answer: Nueva Ecija. One would not have guessed. After all, the province is not really considered a tourist destination.

2013: Banner Year for Philippine Cinema (Prospects for the Future)

By Randy Renier I. Espinoza

The naysayers are mistaken. Philippine Cinema is not dead. And 2013 was shining proof that it is alive and flourishing. Even pop culture commentator Jessica Zafra was quick to say in September that 2013 heralded another golden age of Filipino movies and could well be the best year the industry has ever had. We’re not talking about box-office revenue, though. We’re talking about the breadth of the year’s harvest of quality films, most of which were independently produced.

Three Filipino features made it to Cannes, arguably the world’s most prestigious festival:  Lav Diaz’s Norte, The End of History and Adolfo Alix’s Death March in the Un Certain Regard section; Erik Matti’s On the Job in the Directors’ Fortnight section. Four films made the cut at the Toronto International Film Festival, currently the world’s most “important” film market:  Diaz’s Norte, Jeffrey Jeturian’s The Bit Player, Brillante Mendoza’s Sapi, and Raya Martin’s La Ultima Pelicula (in collaboration with Mark Peranson). Not to mention many others which were exhibited in major and minor international film festivals and continue to make the rounds in the film fest circuit.