Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Winners Proclaimed

Miss Universe- Philippines 2020 winners and runner-ups were proclaimed few hours ago at a pre-taped telecast.

This was after more than 10 months of preliminary competition, enhanced community quarantine lock down, some candidate had dropped out due to covid 2019 and personal reasons.

Image: courtesy of the Miss Universe Philippines organization

Miss Universe -Philippines 2020 Winners

Ms. Rabiya Mateo  of Iloilo City was named Miss Universe Philippines 2020 during the pageant’s pre-taped coronation ceremonies at the Baguio Country Club’s Cordillera Convention Hall over the weekend.

The almost three hour pageant was also shown in different parts of the world via youtube and television broadcast.

Ms. Ysabella Ysmael from Parañaque City bagged first runner-up honors while Ms. Michele Gumabao from Quezon City was named second runner-up.

Ms. Pauline Amelinckx from Bohol was named third runner-up while Ms.Kimberly Hakenson of Cavite was fourth runner up.   

The 22-year-old Mateo, who bested 45 other candidates, will represent the country in the 69th Miss Universe pageant, the venue and date is still to be announce.

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Horticulture Walk and Visit to Family Mausoleum within Manila Memorial Park ( Part 2)

Manila Memorial Park is a treasure trove of tombs, family mausoleum, flora, fauna and famous personalities.

walking or jogging around the park is a healthy option to enjoy the scenery. The park is ideal for spotting some insects, birds or even flowering plants.

Among the unique tomb is the pyramid shaped tomb of Mr. Pedro T. Patalinghug Sr.

Pedro T. Patalinghug Sr. tomb

Pyramid shaped tomb of Mr. Pedro T. Patalinghug Sr. who died in 1975.

chinese temple style mausoleum

frangipani/ plumeria aka kalachuchi

Horticulture Walk

This chinese temple style mausoleum had several decades-old kalachuchi / plumeria or frangipani trees blooming.

traveller palm, kalachuchi, mango tree, royal palm, mussaenda hybrid

Ravenala madagascariensis, commonly known as traveller’s tree or traveller’s palm

Familia Rocha-Perez mausoleum

Famila Rocha -Perez mausoleum is overrun with Ficus pumila which reminds me of an open type tomb at the Manila Chinese Cemetery. The family tomb also had palms and potted sanseviera / mother- in- law plant.

Catañeda family mausoleum with Ficus pumila creeping into the walls of the family mausoleum.

L- R Dr. Nicanor Reyes Sr., Teresita M. Reyes, Amparo Reyes, Luis M. Reyes and Alfredo M. Reyes

Reyes-Montinola family mausoleum- I have been to this mausoleum several times. Paying my homage and respect to the founders of Far Eastern University.

Reyes- Montinola family mausoleum

The outer and inner wall had old Ficus pumila creeping of the walls of the family mausoleum. The hedges are planted with Hibiscus or Gumamela hybrids.

Mr. Geronimo Velasco tomb- The walls had creeping Ficus pumila, palms, crotons and bermuda grass.  The family tomb is located just beside the Reyes-Montinola family mausoleum.

Sison family

Montinola-Varona family mausoleum

Montinola-Varona family plot is neatly planted with bermuda grass, blooming boungainvilleas, auracaria and sansevieria plants.

classic with touch of modern style

Bangkok Kalachuchi or Adenium obesum hybrid blooming

Antonio Welborn mausoleum

Manila Memorial Park creek area

There were several ficus trees, bougainvillea hybrids and hedge plants planted in this portion of the park. The creek which flows within the manila memorial park property is dirty and needs periodic flushing to remove the trash.

boungainvillea hybrids

columbary units with cycad

The columbary area had some man-made cave with planted areas for foliage anthurium, ficus, dracena plant and aviary. There is also an aviary where a couple of crows are kept.

Euphorbia millii hybrid

Some family plot owners and caretakers prefer to plant Euphorbia millii hybrid within their designated area. According to them, It save them money and their brightly colored flowers also serves as flower arrangement. This also avoid some park goers to pick them since these plants are thorny.

Court of Eternal Tribute

The adobe entrance also had several Ficus trees planted to create an effect.

Royal palm, Bunga China were some of the palms planted in this family mausoleum

modern neo-gothic style mausoleum

Lagdameo-Revilla family mausoleum

Hibiscus or Gumamela  flowering

a circular family mausoleum

family mausoleum with a lot of bromeliad hybrids and date palm

Limpe Family mausoleum

 family mausoleum

bromeliad hybrid planted in a family mausoleum as hedge

Japanese-modern family mausoleum

Evangelista -Ongpauco family mausoleum

Carunugan family mausoleum

Carunungan family mausoleum is chic and shabby style architecture. With large windows, natural light can enter the mausoleum. This looked like a tooth from a distance.

Guatemalan rhubarb ( Jatropha podagrica), sometimes mistakenly called tropical ginseng. A deciduous ornamental often grown as a pot plant or in rockeries, this shrub has a thick gouty, swollen stem up to 60cm, often a few large leaves near the top of the plant.

This ornamental plant was introduced into the country during the Spanish colonial regime. This is normally used for landscaping, ornamental plant and hedge plant. This does not require frequent watering and does not have any medicinal value. Do try to eat any parts of the plant since it had a toxicity level of 2 and 3.

Dischidia ionantha or Manaog ka Irog naturalized on a tree

family mausoleum

ornately decorated family mausoleum

chapel style family mausoleum

Tantoco-Rustia family mausoleum

Samson family plot with neatly manicured lawn and ornamental plants

Cabarrus Family mausoleum with family crest

Castillo family mausoleum – Mr. Horacio ‘Atio’ Castillo III is buried along with his grand parents. He was a University of Santo Tomas (UST) freshman law student who died due to hazing cause by frat members on September 17, 2017.

Don Mariano Lim mausoleum

mausoleum

mid-modern family mausoleum painted in apple green

This family tomb had several mahogany trees, talisay trees planted within their property.

There is problem in water supply in the memorial park. Those planning to plant ornamental plants or trees within their family estate. Try to choose native flowering plants and trees which can withstand drought, minimal care or even petty theft, like those picking flowers or branches.

Dita tree

Alstonia scholaris or Dita tree is a native tree which is commonly planted in open spaces, parks and glad to have seen several trees planted in this portion.

Kalaw -Katigbak family mausoleum

Barringtonia asiatica or locally called Botong/ Bitun/ Bitung/ Boton is another tree which is commonly planted in the memorial park.

Lim family mausoleum- This reflect combination of Filipino-Chinese, Catholic and simple modern mausoleum.

De Vera family mausoleum- This family mausoleum is located near Rico Yan , Angela and Narciso Ramos mausoleum. The mausoleum architecture is the same with the Lim family mausoleum since they were designed by the same contractor.

family mausoleum

Co family mausoleum with blooming ixora / santans, Ochna serrulata / Mickey Mouse plant planted in cement plant boxes.

cannonball tree flowers

 Couroupita flowers also have mild scent

Couroupita guianensis is also called Ayahuma or cannonball tree. This tree is extensively used as landscape tree in Manila Memorial Park and even at the Holy Cross Memorial.

Pisonia alba is also known as Lettuce tree, maluku or Koles maluku. The apple green leaves of this ornamental tree can be eaten and used as salad or fried into tempura. This ornamental tree used to be commonly planted in many parks, private homes and garden in the 1970’s till the late 1990’s.

Tricycle TODA

Saw the mausoleums of AJ Perez, Ambassador Yuchengco along the way. There are also tricycle route inside the park. The special fare cost Php 30.

meditation tower – one of the landmarks of the park

One can visit Manila Memorial Park anytime. People could normally visit the park early in the morning to avoid the traffic and late afternoon.

Horticulture Walk and Visit to Family Mausoleums within Manila Memorial Park Part 1

 

Kumpares 24 Hours Restaurant in Quirino Avenue, Paranaque

Kumpares is a 24 hour pares restaurant which had a capacity of between 20 to 30 people at any given time. This is one of the few places that is open when you visit the famed Baclaran church.

Kumpares Restaurant

Our first visit was 2 years ago, second visit was last year, third visit was Maundy Thursday April 13 and 4th Good Friday April 14, 2017  and  then We again ate at this place yesterday. This is our fifth time to eat at this place.

menu board

The menus are well-posted. The restaurant is well-lighted and located along Quirino Avenue, just a few meters away from the 2 churches. Santa Rita of Casia and Baclaran Church. 

rice and chicken pares

There were 3 of us and we ordered chicken , pork pares priced at Php 65.00 and their unlimited rice. The pares soup is quite salty. The chicken and pork meat are deep fried but not really that good, since what we got are the bony parts. At least we got free soup.

Bagnet Pares at Php 95 that we ordered. It was crisp and not oily. There are chili paste, calamansi and soy sauce to accompany .

Service is quite quick, since i think we were the only customers of the pares store at 6:00 am . Price is affordable even to the masses.

The saving grace for this 24 hour pares restaurant, is that it had been in business for more than 3 years. Thus had some loyal clientele.

We do not know what happened to the dishes of this pares store, since we last eaten there last April.  It needs to bring back the good old days.  Hope the management of this place will improve the quality of the pares meal and unlimited rice.

A Visit to Kiu Pat Liong Shiao Temple within Don Galo,Parañaque City

Kiu Pat Liong Shiao is a Taoist temple located along coastal road located within Barangay Don Galo within Parañaque City. This is sometimes referred as Chinese temple.

Kiu Pat Liong temple compound with high walls

This is one of the iconic landmark located within the city . This is temple which was built more than 30 years ago and is one of the more elaborate temple. Traffic reporters would put this temple as their reference point during traffic report or segment.

Kiu Pat Liong Shiao gate 

We decided to visit this temple after a certain Mr. Marcelino Chua Sy posted in a FB religious site last May 27 that the temple is closing down and is giving away some of the altar and Taoist deities.

FB page group post

Some of them are shocked with the posting, so they told us to recheck if the story is true.

local marker 

I tried to ask some of my friends who are active at the temple , one of them is Master Chua Hu Hua and some of my friends living within the city.

Santa Monica chapel

I decided to tag along a friend, who is a volunteer at a Buddhist shrine in Makati , They might need an altar ( just in case) We decided to visit the temple last June 3 saturday . We took a jeepney ride ( with Baclaran with Zapote , Quirino Avenue) paid the Php 8.00 fare and dropped off at Santa Monica chapel along Quirino Avenue .

The place is less than 4 kilometer from Baclaran church .

There was a bronze statue which commemorates the Lim Ah Hong or Ah Hong  which attacked the area on  November 29, 1574 , later identified as Don Galo or Dong Galo

We went to the temple and talked with the caretaker and 2 Filipino-Chinese guardians of the temple.  They allowed us to visit the altar and lighted an incense.

We manage to talk with the caretakers and they told us that there was no truth with the rumors and They do not know anyone with a surname Mr. Chua who is in charge of the place.

Address: Buensuceso St, Don Galo, Parañaque, Philippines

Visita Iglesia 2017 of Churches within Parañaque City

It was Maundy Thursday  when we decided to visit some churches within Parañaque City , Las Piñas and Pasay area within a few short days.

Left around 5:00 am in our home and traffic was quite smooth from Fairview and Novaliches area until a major road repair along EDSA- Magallanes area to Malibay , Pasay halted the buses , jeepneys to almost a crawl . I was stuck to almost standstill for more than 1 hour and arrived almost 7:45 am at the Baclaran church. The 2 hour and 45 minute traffic is still short compared to 3 hours to almost 3 1/2 hours in ordinary days.

Baclaran church

There were a lot of devotees and people taking photos around the church compound. We were also lucky to go inside the main altar took a few snap shots. Before we went to another smaller parish just a few minutes away. Baclaran church had their own website and is open 24 hours . Baclaran Church is known as National Shrine of the Mother of Perpetual Help.

main altar

iron works of the our lady of perpetual help

side chapel

latin inscription 

History :

The present church building is the third built on the site in Baclaran. The first was a small wooden structure dating back to 1932 when the Redemptorists moved into Baclaran. It was in this small church that the first novena was conducted by Fr. Leo English on June 23, 1948. By the end of 1949 the novena had grown to eight sessions with about 60,000 people attending. To meet this demand the church was extended to double capacity by Frs. Taylor and English. This was the second building.

the third building, the present National Shrine, was begun in December 1952. The cornerstone was laid by Cardinal Gilroy of Sydney on January 11th 1953 and it was conseｬcrated on Dec. pt 1958 by Archbishop Rufino Santos, assisted by Bp. Antiporda and Bp. Shanley O.CD.. The solemn opening and inauguration took place a few days later on Dec. 5, 1958 by the same Archbishop Rufino Santos, accompanied by Cardinal Agagianian and other bishop.

Santa Rita de Cascia Parish

This is just located a few meters away from Baclaran church , a short walk from the church , this also serves a a border between Maricaban , Pasay and Parañaque.

Saint Rita of Cascia Parochial School

There is a parochial school beside the parish church. Saint Rita of Cascia  died on May 22 at Cascia, and many miracles were reported instantly. Canonized in 1900, she is honored in Spain as La Santa de los Impossibles and elsewhere as a patron saint of hopeless causes.

Saint Rita of Cascia

One can offer sampaguita garlands or light a candle

Santa Rita of Cascia side entrance

There are smaller side chapels within the parish compound. The chapels can be rented for funerals.

main entrance

The main entrance boast of stained glass windows

The architecture is rather new and the bells beside the church is late 19th century. A larger hall is located within the compound.

Address : Quirino Avenue, Baclaran, Parañaque City, Metro Manila

Tel. Number s – +632832 1525; +6328323505,  Telefax: 853-063

United Methodist Church 

The United Methodist Church is located at 0199 Qurino Avenue, Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City. It is considered as one of the oldest Methodist churches within the city. This had a historical marker installed by then National Historical Institute now (NHCP )  in 1991.

National Historical Commission of the Philippines marker 1991

History :

The church was established in 1901 in Mabong, Pasay by the American Methodists Missionaries . It was subsequently transferred in Pildira, Pasay in 1915 and in its present location in 1917. The church premises suffered a major blow during World War II when it was hit by a bomb which claimed the lives of seventy-seven Filipinos. In 1950, the church was renovated through the help and generosity of the Philippine War Damages Commission and the Trinity of the United States.

Saint Joseph Parish of Tambo,  Parañaque City

Saint Joseph Parish of Tambo, Parañaque City is located at 223 Quirino Avenue – One can walk for about 20 minutes from Saint Rita of Cascia Parish or take 1 jeepney ride going to Tambo. The church facade had been recently renovated .

statues within the parish courtyard

History :

 According to the community and family friends that we met during the short Visita Iglesia . It was Belgian Catholic missionaries of the Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae (CICM) from nearby Saint Andrew Parish of La Huerta helped planted the seeds of Catholicism in Tambo and by 1969, the barangay have its own Catholic parish named after St. Joseph, the Worker and Husband of Mary with Father Leonardo Marquez as its first parish priest.

Few years ago, the church had some renovation and the main facade was made bigger.

Telephone: +63(2)8528441, (632) 853-4446; 851-2380

San Dionisio Chapel facade made from adobe, bricks and cement. While there are some old acacia trees and palm growing within the outer courtyard of the chapel. The beams are supported by large wood with chandelier.

The main altar retablo  is made from hardwood and St. Dionysius or San Dionisio – local call the saint “Tata Dune” Home of the headless patron saint which is enshrined  at the center of the altar.  Tata Dune was a Bishop from France who was beheaded by his persecutors.

Barangay San Dionisio 

Barangay San Dionisio building was patterned after the facade of the chapel. The Barangay building is just located near the chapel.

local marker

Local marker was installed on May 19, 1990. Beside the chapel is a stage area where a yearly senakulo is staged.

people are refrain from making noise within the chapel premises

located in El Filibustermo Street  corner Quirino Avenue, San Dionisio ,  Parañaque City

Santa Monica Chapel -Don Galo ,Parañaque City

religious statues are covered with purple cloth to symbolized mourning period

Address: 619 Victor Medina Street , Don Galo ,Parañaque City

Barangay La Huerta arch and bridge 

We met some old -time residents of the place, They are quite gracious to tell us the way to Saint Andrew Cathedral . We passed the La Huerta arch and bridge, some old ancestral houses , a couple of eateries along the way.

mansion beside the river

This is a beautiful mansion beside the river with manicured garden and orchids which cling to the coconuts within the property.

Manuel Hernandez -Bernabe  historical marker

Biography 

Manuel H. Bernabe (1890-1960) “King of Balagtasan” in Spanish was a poet, linguist and politician, Manuel Bernabe was born on February 17, 1890 to Timoteo Bernabe and Emilia Hernandez of Parañaque, Rizal.

At the age of 10, he already started writing verses. He studied at the Ateneo de Manila where he finished his Bachelor of Arts degree with high academic standing in 1907, and then took up law at the University of Santo Tomas, but not able to took up the bar exams. In 1910, Manuel’s first poem was published in the Renacimento Filipino. In 1912, he translated Virgil’s Aenid from Latin to Spanish. In 1913, he received an award for his poems: “Himno al Sagado Corazon de Jesus (Hymn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus), “El Zapote,” and “Espana a Filipinas”.

In 1912, he joined the staff of La Democracia and in 1918, of La Vanguardia of the Roces Publications. He was a columnist but from time to time he also published poems and short stories in the magazine Exelsior.

Manuel also excelled in the balagtasan, where his stalwart adversary was Jesus Balmori. In 1927, he published Balagtasan a compilation of his three poetic joust against Balmori; “El Recuerdo y el Olvido” (Memory and Forgetting), “El Hombre y la Mujer”(Man and Woman), and “La Ilusion y el Desengano” (Illusion and Deception). His other works were: “Cantos del Tropico” ( Songs from the tropic) in 1929, which contains poems. He translated into the Spanish the English version of Edward Fitzgerald’s Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which was praised as the best Spanish translation of that masterpiece by Blasco Ibanez, a Spanish novelist, and also Perfil de la Cresta.

an old mansion near the Saint Andrew Cathedral 

In 1925, he won the Premio Zobel for his translation of Rubaiyat. In 1926, for his and Jesus Balmori’s Balagtasan, “El Hombre y La Mujer.” For high academic and excellent performance, Manuel was chosen a member of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language in the Philippines in 1931 and was named poet laureate in Spanish (National Poet) on February 25, 1950. For his untiring efforts in the propagation and conservation of the Spanish language, Bernabe received two decorations from Spain – El Yugo y las Flechas in 1940 and orden de Isabela la Catolica in 1953. In 1964, he was also awarded the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinagan Award by the City Government of Manila.

He taught Spanish in different schools such as: Far Eastern University, Philippine Law School and Institute de Espanol at Colegio de San Juan de Letran. In 1951, he accompanied President Elpidio Quirino on the latter’s state visit to Spain. He joined the world of politics, as a representative to Congress of the first district of Rizal.

He retired from politics and once more joined the journalistic profession in the La Vanguardia. He was appointed professor of Spanish at the University of the Philippines and a technical assistant for Filipino-Spanish Relations at Malacañang from 1943-1947. Bernabe died of coronary thrombosis on November 29, 1960, at barrio La Huerta,Parañaque , as he was having conversation with his friends, he collapsed and never regained consciousness.

He was also featured in Philippine stamps in 1990 to commemorate the centennial of his birth.

References: Philippine Postal Corporation Philatelic Bulletin : May ,1990 ( Manuel H. Bernabe)

National Historical Commission of the Philippines

Saint Andrew Cathedral

Saint Andrew Cathedral is officially The Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew and commonly referred to as the Parañaque Cathedral, is one of the oldest churches in the country. It was established on May 11, 1580 by the Agustinian order. The church is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Parañaque.

apostolic marker installed in 2011

main altar

painting which depicts Saint Andrew parish and its images

These churches and shrines is just 2 ride away from Asiatel Airport Hotel .

Address : Aurora formerly Tramo Road, cor. Andrews, Aurora Blvd, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Near Resorts World Manila, NAIA Terminal 3.
(02)8332136
09222837339
09773283313
09216809738