When in T’boli: Gunu Bong Lunch

We love tagging along our parents all the time, no matter how old we get, we still love being with them and experiencing new things with them. On the regular meeting of T’boli Pawnshop, we all went with them to experience the Lemsnolon Homestay.

Gunu Bong means the big house in T’boli’s dialect. It is a big house above ground with a big open hall where the bed room, dining room and the kitchen are found. The ground floor of the Gunu Bong is where the economic activity of the T’boli women happens, weaving instrument and a small shop selling crafts and accessories.

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Lemsnolon Homestay is open to guest staying for a night for ₱300 per person, it includes a meal and place to stay for a night inside the Gunu Bong. While we did not stay for night, we get to enjoy their traditional food offerings. Food was prepared in a long table at the center of the Gunu Bong. For snacks we had; Soging Hega (hega means steamed) and Ubi Hega with an unlimited coffee. Lunch was a feast of traditional T’boli food; Onuk Heklafak(roasted chicken), Nelut (chicken cooked inside a bamboo trunk), Onuk’ Lagpang(roasted chicken made into a soup with tomato,onion and ginger), Onuk Snubaw(Tinolang Manok) and Ken Hnunges be Doun Menge(rice packed in Balantik leaves).

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It was a great experience to eat seated on the floor that from time to time we have to change position for a little stretch. The best thing about the food they offer at Gunu Bong is that they use herbs and spices grown around the Gunu Bong.

We were so full after, that we went to walk around the Gunu Bong while the parents are in the meeting. Lemsnolon Homestay is managed and operated by the women of Lemsnolon assisted by the Local Government of T’boli.

It was so empowering to see a group of indigenous women managing an entrepreneurial project that help them have an extra income for their family.

Gunu Bong Lemsnolon Homestay is located within the compound of Brgy. Lemsnolon Barangay Hall. Lemsnolon Barangay Hall is about 5 kilometers from the main highway, of rough road passing through farm lands. Located along the highway, on your way to town proper of T’boli in Brgy. Edwards on the left side is a signage directing you to Lemsnolon Homestay.

Table Date: May 18, 2019 Table Buddies: T’boli Pawnshop Shareholders,empoyees and their families

When in Koronadal City: Mother’s Day Lunch at Ebon’s Restaurant

Mother’s day lunch is our annual family food adventure when Papa never complains of having lunch out on a Sunday(it’s his TV boxing day).

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Mother’s day for Mama means having another phaelenopsis orchids as a gift, it’s the 3^rd year and for this year I got her a white one. Attended the Sunday Church service where I get prepare the Mother’s Sunday token for mothers in the Church. I bought “prayer plant” from my aunt’s garden, MGM Garden, here in Crossing Rubber, Tupi. I spruce it up by putting it inside a hand sewn jute sacks and had some inside a brown bag or “supot,” with a short message, “Thank you for helping me grow in CHRIST.” Lately, I been obsessed with creating DIY tokens using local products and plants.

After Church service, we went to Koronadal City for our mother’s day lunch at Ebon’s Restaurant. Ebon’s Restaurant is one of the newest additions to Koronadal City’s growing food places. Located in one of the subdivision in the city, Triniville Subdivision, I made reservation two days before.

Ebon’s restaurant has an Asian fusion menu, putting together the best of our Asian neighbors with Filipino twist. I ordered; Steamed Pompano, Kare-Kare, Shrimp with Floss, Me Goreng, and Crabs with Vegetables in Coconut Milk. I forgot the other noodle dish that I ordered, that my brother joked about while waiting for. I attended my best friend’s daughter christening before I went for our lunch, on my way to Ebon’s my bother texted me that “noodles lang gali ipakaon mo sa amon te, amo nagpaulihi ka.” Always the jester of our family, my brother has shown how responsible he has been with the tasks I’ve asked him to do like; getting our mother’s day surprise and the plants I ordered for the tokens.

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Food at Ebon’s are very filling and heavy, the kind that would make every cent count, busog na busog ka talaga in every serving that is good for 4 to 6 people. I highly recommend it for those craving for Asian dishes and come with an empty tummy. Ebon’s Restaurant is located at Delos Reyes St., Triniville Subdivision, Zone 4, Koronadal City. For inquiries, orders, reservations and catering services you can contact at 09126532137 or 09174606090.

Nolasco Clan 6th Reunion

Family is a gift from God but having a clan is a blessing. The reunion started with just a simple wish of Mama B, a younger sister of father, to have the whole family gather together for a reunion.

The first family reunion of the Nolasco was a success with relatives coming from my great-grandfather’s two siblings and the Nolasco of Sarangani. We had the annual family reunion in the next four consecutive years, with Nolasco families coming from Sarangani and South Cotabato. As the family grows through the years, more Nolascos from other part of Mindanao wanted to attend.

One of the story that keeps on going around the Nolasco clan is the story of seven brothers from Luzon. Some went to Visayas and Mindanao. My great-grandfather, Sotero Nolasco was from Iloilo and was part of the pioneers who came to Mindanao in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

Living in the province, a family gathering means having relatives coming together to do the preparation; cleaning and arranging the venue, slaughtering the pig and chicken and cooking food for the reunion.

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  Water from Ate Vivian and Kuya Asher of Denver Water

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  Token for Red Cross

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  Chairs and tables from Tito Razan

The Nolasco Clan 6th reunion had Nolascos from North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat attending. It was a happy experience to meet a Nolasco from other places and feel like family right away. For this year’s family reunion, it started with a praise and worships with Pastor Jerome Esmeres, the husband of my 2nd cousin. We had a blood letting activity with the Philippine Red Cross with 23 blood donors. It was one of the activity that made our family reunion more meaningful.

The 2019 Nolasco Clan reunion was happily accepted by the Nolasco’s of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat that will happen a Sunday after Easter Sunday. Hoping to have more Nolasco coming for next year’s reunion.

Pototan’s “Uga” and Mapols Farm

The passing of Tita Fe made a way for me, Mama and my sister to go home to Iloilo for 4 days. Being there during the wake up until the funeral is a Filipino way of showing one’s love and respect to our dearly departed. 

A visit to Iloilo would not be complete unless we are able to buy “uga” for pasalubong and supply at home. “Uga” or dried fish is a common pasalubong item to every Ilonggo visiting his/her hometown, this would sometimes last for a year until the next vacation.

Dried Fish or “uga” in Pototan Public Market

While we get to visit Iloilo almost every year, there are times of unexpected homecomings that we must have to go to. With no plan or itinerary, I was able to convince Mama on our “uga” shopping in the town of Pototan to visit Mapols Farm.

Mapols farm is an integrated farm advocating organic and sustainable farming in a rural community. Entrance fee to the farm is ₱20.00 per person, where one get to see the 3R’s for the environment. One of the attractions of the farm is the “pugad” or bird’s nest inspired by Bali, Indonesia. If you want to have your photo taken inside each “pugad,” it costs ₱10.00 per person. Our visit inspired me more to plan and take little steps to develop our farm.

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Inside their farm is a restaurant that serves organically produced food and “pasalubong” products made or produced by local artisans and producers.

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The next time you visit Pototan, make a quick tour at Mapols Farm to draw more inspiration that we can make a difference for our environment.

Travel Date: March 14-17, 2019 Travel Buddies: Mama and Sissy

Good Bull Lunch

After a morning of errands, round and round we go around General Santos City looking for a place to have lunch. Until we decided to go to Gensan Foodtrip Plaza, at least we get to choose among a number of food stall that offers a diverse cuisine but nothing beats a good old Filipino home cooked recipes. Good Bull has been a GOOD choice for us.

Good Bull is an all day comfort food restaurant along side Gensan Foodtrip Plaza, an Old House converted into a restaurant. The experience was like visiting your grandmothers house and feasting on traditional family recipes.

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Food was so good that I just felt like I am at home enjoying a meal with my family. Price and serving sizes makes every cent counts. For lunch we had; Ranchero’s Baby Back Riblets, Sizzling Bulalo and Pork Adobo.

Good Bull for me is the best place to satisfy your cravings for comfort food that makes you feel you are at home.

Table Date: March 9, 2019 Table Buddies: Mama, Sissy, Browie & Jade

RM Buko Halo-Halo, a Place to Cool Down in Malapatan, Sarangani

RM Buko Halo-Halo

Summer in SOX gets too hot at times that a place to cool down and stop is a must in long road trips. After spending a night at Belimac Sumbang Point, just before lunch, we decided to pack and go home.

The whole family enjoying halo-halo

Hours on the road in a hot sunny mid-afternoon calls for a stop; for the driver to have a quick rest, the vehicle to cool down and the passengers to recharge and calm down. RM Buko Halo-Halo is aptly situated along Alabel-Malapatan Highway giving travellers a place to stop.

Halo-halo is one of the most popular summer coolers in the Philippines. It is a mix, thus the name “halo-halo,” of tropical fruits cooked in sugar syrup such as; saba banana, langka/jackfruit, sweet potato, macapuno coconut, red beans, kaong and nata. It is topped with leche flan, ube halaya and ice cream, sprinkled with rice crispies or cornflakes.

RM Buko Halo-Halo has a separate restaurant that offers halal food, for our Muslim brothers. A serving of buko halo-halo is ₱80.00 per buko, that is enough for two persons.

RM Buko Halo-Halo is located in Lun Masla, Malapatan. The place is easily seen by the curve road going to Malapatan because of the windmill that supplies water to the banana farm within their property.

Table Date: February 17, 2019 Table Buddies: Family