The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
How old are the balangays or Butuan Boats? OLD ENOUGH. The Butuan Boats, as we call them in the National Museum PH, or the “balangays” as it is popularly known, is the oldest archaeological evidence of watercraft in the Philippines. The boats were likely to have existed around 689-968 or 7th to 10th centuries Before … Read more
How were the balangays used in the past? LAYAG NA! The ‘balangay’ or Butuan Boat was the first and oldest wooden boat that was excavated in Southeast Asia demonstrating early Filipinos’ boatbuilding genius and seafaring expertise in pre-colonial times. These boats were instrumental in the settlement of Austronesian peoples in the Philippines and the Malay … Read more
New Tutuban Train Station (Calle Mayhaligue) The New Tutuban Train Station, also known as the Tutuban Station Executive Building, was opened in 1996. It replaced the original Tutuban Station located 500 meters to the south. In front of the new tutuban station are several old locomotive models that were previously used by the Philippine National … Read more
Utak Utak Tausug dishes deserve the spotlight for their rich diversity of flavors. Utak utak is a spiced fish cake made of shredded tuna meat mixed with spices and grated coconut meat. Ingredients are shaped either by hand or by using banana leaves then coated in a flour-egg-water combination for frying. Each bite is a … Read more
Tausug Pastil Zamboanga is a repository of ethnolinguistic groups from Mindanao, enriching the destination’s foods and cultures. Meet the Tausug pastil, which resembles an empanada in a savory version. Call it a vegan empanada filled with sauteed mung bean sprouts encased in crispy dough. What makes it exciting? It is served with a bottle of … Read more