This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading!
Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?
There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!
Based on Proclamation No. 368 that Malacañang issued in October last year, the two holidays this month are: August 21 (Wednesday) Ninoy Aquino Day, and August 26 (Monday) National Heroes Day.
Two holidays, including one long weekend, await Filipinos this month of August.
File photos
Based on Proclamation No. 368 that Malacañang issued in October last year, the two holidays for August are:
August 21 (Wednesday): Ninoy Aquino Day
August 26 (Monday): National Heroes Day
Early this year, President Marcos reminded the public to make advance preparations and take advantage of the long weekends in 2024. "Lubusin natin ang mga long weekend ngayong 2024 kasama ang ating pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay (Let’s take advantage of the long weekends this 2024 with our families and loved ones)!” he said.
“Paghandaan din nating mabuti ang ating mga transaksyon at bakasyon para sa isang produktibo at masaganang taon (Let us also prepare for our transactions and vacations for a productive and prosperous year),” he added.
Ninoy Aquino Day, which falls on a Wednesday this year, is a special nonworking day under Republic Act (RA) No. 9256. It commemorates the assassination of former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. in 1983.
Meanwhile, National Heroes Day, one of the country's oldest public holidays, is celebrated every last Monday of August, making it a long weekend. The celebration started during the American Colonial Period and became a holiday through RA No. 3827 on Oct. 28, 1931.
Initially, the law declared the last Sunday of August of every year an official national holiday until the late President Jose P. Laurel moved it to Nov. 30 through Executive Order No. 20 signed in 1942.
In 1952, the late President Elpidio Quirino reverted the date of National Heroes Day to the last Sunday of August until former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law RA 9492, which moved the holiday to the last Monday of the said month.
Many pre-colonial Philippine cultures were maritime voyagers, some using their boats to trade with nearby countries. Unfortunately, this once vibrant seafaring tradition has all but died out.
Fortunately, an organization of adventurers has been working to keep these traditions going. Its latest project: building a balangay and setting sail from Butuan to Manila, with the main purpose of making a peaceful visit to the Spratlys.
Last May 27, the Florentino Das started its maiden voyage, leaving Butuan, where it was constructed, and arriving at the CCP area in Manila on June 11, a day before Independence Day.
Das Boat
What made that voyage special was that the Florentino Das isn’t just any ordinary vessel. It's a balangay, a wooden boat that was used for trading in the pre-colonial era.
“We have a proud maritime heritage. Our ancestors have been sailing our archipelagic waters since the dawn of history. The Austronesian migration out of mainland Asia across the Pacific to Madagascar in the West and to Easter Island in the East is a testament to our innate ability as a people of the ocean. That the Kingdom of Butuan was able to send trade missions to the Song Dynasty as early as 1003AD using boats like the balangay is proof of our forefathers’ ship-building skills and mastery of the seas,” said Fung Yu, the project’s media coordinator and part of the land support team.
This balangay, the sixth of its kind, was built using traditional materials and methods and indigenous hardwoods donated by the DENR, though it does have an engine, making it a hybrid.
It was named after Florentino Das, the first Filipino to sail the Pacific solo.
The building and the voyage event was organized by the Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation, the group behind the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition and the Voyage of the Balangay Project, the latter involving the building and sailing of balangays as a way to keep pre-colonial maritime cultures and traditions from going extinct.
“The majority of the crew are from our previous expeditions, that of the first balangay project that sailed around Southeast Asia in 2009-2011, then the second balangay project (2017-2018) that sailed to China and HK for the 600th anniversary of Sultan Paduka Batara’s historic trade mission to the Ming Emperor of 1417. The boat builders were once again the Sama Dilaya group from the island of Sibutu in Tawi-Tawi, our southern province where traditional boat building is still being handed down from generation to generation, but sadly, this intangible cultural heritage is slowly vanishing.”
The crew in front of the balangay Florention Das in San Vicente, Palawan after visiting Pag-asa (Thitu) Island. (Photo from Fung Yu’s Facebook account)
Dubbed “The Balangay Expedition to West Philippine Sea,” the crew consisted of Art Valdez, the expedition leader and former DOTC/DENR undersecretary; expedition coordinator Jody Navarra, Fred Jamili, skippers Cesario Cornejo and Raf Carolino, Fil-Canadian adventurer and mountaineer Ramon Ruiz, expedition doctor Ted Esguerra, Wendell Tamayo, chief engineer Jeffrey Zaragosa, Dhandy Paiton, Edward Valdez, Ernie Oquendo, Gaude Gaylon, Richard Mark Yamba, Meljun Villacura, Jade Castillo, Sama boat builder Al-nadzmie Abdulla, and ABS-CBN embedded media crew Job Manahan and and cameraman Manny Bongcayao.
The balangay was built in Butuan, Agusan del Norte, near the mouth of the Agusan River, to commemorate the three balangays that were accidentally excavated in 1976. They were carbon-dated to the late ninth to 11th century AD. “...To put that into context, that is an average of at least over 600 years before the arrival of the Magellan Expedition in 1521,” Yu said. “So, it was only fitting that the boats were constructed in Butuan, to give pride and homage to the place of their discovery.”
Construction began in the first quarter of 2024. The keel, or the boat’s backbone, was laid in the middle of pouring rain and it took about 100 days for six master builders led by Master Boat Builder Ibrahim Abdulla from Sibutu to complete.
Although one always hopes for smooth sailing, the crew was well aware of possible difficulties that can be encountered on such a voyage.
“There is always the fear of bad weather and shifting sea conditions, plus the worries that the boat may encounter challenges from the contested claimant nations, particularly China and its coast guard ships and maritime militia. Fortunately, no untoward incidents happened, both balangay and crew safely returned after the conclusion of the mission,” Yu said.
“The boat sailed out of Butuan without any sea trial ([the crew were] confident in the skills of the boat builders themselves) to avoid any sudden change of sea conditions that could hamper its voyage as well as the safety of the crew. From Butuan, the balangay boat made a short port call in Dumaguete, then in San Vicente, Palawan for an overnight rest and re-provisioning before heading to its intended purpose, a humanitarian-medical mission to Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the Spratlys Group,” Yu said.
After arriving at the Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the Spratlys, the team conducted a tree planting activity and participated in, as Yu wrote in a Facebook post, “ a humanitarian/medical mission for the residents as well as to assert for the maritime rights in the WPS (West Philippine Sea).”
When asked what he wanted more Filipinos to understand about the voyage, Yu replied: “The current disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea in general belong to the common heritage of mankind, a traditional fishing ground of all claimant countries, and therefore must be protected, sans bullying, intimidation, force, and military actions. It must be resolved peacefully, objectively, and fairly, for the sake of our children, and our children’s children.”
Georcelle also said G-Force is set to introduce swing dance among the current generation of dancers.
G-Force Artistic Director Georcelle Dapat-Sy (Instagam)
G-Force Artistic Director Georcelle Dapat-Sy is on cloud nine following the success of the G-Force Dance Project 2024, which was held at The Theater Solaire in Paranaque City on July 28.
After two sold-out recitals on July 7 and 28, Georcelle announced that G-Force would be embarking on a tour in Canada and the Middle East, marking their global expansion.
"We've been touring the Philippines. This August, pupunta naman ang G-Force sa Canada. What's great about this tour is the Filipino touch. Whenever Filipinos see G-Force, they feel like they're home," Teacher Georcelle said.
She added: "Ang dami kong gustong mangyari. So we had a one-month brainstorming meeting. And we are going global. We will be in the Middle East in November."
Georcelle also said G-Force is set to introduce swing dance among the current generation of dancers.
"Nag-swing ang Gen Z (kanina sa stage). This is us introducing the movements from before. Bakit hindi natin ituro sa kanila at bigyan nila ng bagong interpretation? I recently reconnected with my first mentor, Eric Edralin. I started in this business at an early age.
Teacher Georcelle with Johnny Manahan, also known as Mr M
"Then, I started professionally at the Sharon Cuneta Show when I was 14 years old, and I reconnected with Eric Edralin. He is the choreographer of Sharon and The Penthouse Live! Pops Fernandez and Sharon Cuneta. I'm just excited that this is all happening," she said.
Georcelle stated that G-Force is renowned for training celebrities who want to learn how to dance.
"With the competitions and what we're doing, they see G-Force in TV shows and social media, so they see G-Force as trainers of celebrities.
"For you to be trained by the trainers of Kathryn Bernardo, they also want to be taught the same way kung paano tinuruan ang kanilang mga idols. Sabi nga ng ating special guest Ling Zhang sa aking mga students, lahat sila are superstars," she said.
When G-Force began 19 years ago, the letter G in G-Force only meant Georcelle. However, it has since evolved with different meanings for the letter G in G-Force.
"G was for Georcelle when we started. But now, it's a global force. And now, with Gen Zs, it has become an operational force. Throughout the years, nag-iiba na ang meaning ng letter G."
G-Force at ASAP 2024
Georcelle also encouraged everyone to dance which she said is very beneficial.
"Kaya love ko ang TikTok, hindi siya intimidating. It's so inviting. My advice is not to be intimidated. Through TikTok, marami ang nag embrace ng dance. There's dancing for all, and there's also a dance studio where you can learn how to dance.
"So, if your goal in dancing is to lose weight, then dance. If your goal is to be happy, then dance. If you want to become a professional dancer, do it seriously.
"Dance is very beneficial. Papasayahin ka and it's very healthy kasi gagalaw ka. And you will meet a lot of friends," Georcelle said.
Among the highlights of the just-concluded Tagaytay Food and Wine Festival was dinner at Fatted Calf Tagaytay, a farm-to-table restaurant down a steep slope of hill across the ridge. It is, after all, along with her co-chef and husband Jayjay Sycip, run by pastry chef Rhea Sycip, who chaired the group of chefs who came up with the idea of holding the two-week-long festival, the first ever, to highlight Tagaytay’s growing reputation as a gastronomic hotspot and not just for the famed, always comforting bulalo.
ALL FOR FARMERS Senator Loren Legarda (second from left) with chefs Rhea Sycip, Noah Go, Jeramie Go, and Jayjay Sycip
I was very honored to have been one of the few names on Senator Loren Legarda’s guest list to this hotticket weekend event called “Harvest Dinner,” a list of a few people she called “an intimate bunch.”
Rhea Sycip, Jeramie Go, Senator Loren Legarda, Babette Aquino, and Pepper Teehankee
Senator Legarda calls the Fatted Calf her “second home.” The restaurant, with a big lanai that juts out over the garden, sits on what used to be a lush forested plot of land, which belonged to her grandmother. She offered the land to house the restaurant of Jayjay and Rhea when she discovered that they shared with her the same passion for uplifting the conditions of farmers and other food producers by cultivating and nurturing fair trade with them and making something wonderful out of their produce. “My only condition,” said the senator, “was for Jay and Rhea to make room for my paintings.” She did these paintings when she was young, as young as 15, and now, through the Fatted Calf, they have pride of place, accessible to the dining public.
BUFFALO PANEER in coconut curry broth with Bahay Kubo vegetables and kale chips
The Harvest Dinner was a superb product of this partnership between the senator and the chefs in behalf of the Filipino farmer, whom the three of them champion. The Fatted Calf collaborated as well with Davao chef Jeramie Go of Pilgrim Davao, who flew his son and sous chef Noah Go in with him for the Tagaytay Food and Wine Festival.
The menu was a “Harvest Dinner” exclusive, each item on which, beginning with the buffalo paneer in coconut curry broth with Bahay Kubo vegetables, including kale chips, was a celebration of the handiwork, whether dairy, livestock, crop, fruit, or vegetable, of farmers across the Philippines, from General Trias in Cavite and the Cordilleras to BuDa on the border between Davao and Bukidnon.
ARROZ MELOSO With Chong-Ak rice, kiniing, Bu-o mushroom, sorrel
Served after the paneer, which was paired with sauvignon blanc from Vina Casablanca Cefiro from Casablanca Valley in Chile, was a dish of Benguet cherry tomatoes, donburi caramelized onions, pan de sal croutons, and Kaluga Queen caviar with kesong puti foam and tomato powder. It came with a Pinot Noir-ish sparkling wine from the Taltarni T Series from South Australia.
Next, along with a dry, fruity, and spicy white wine from Almansa, Spain, the Piqueras White Label 2022, was stuffed rabbit with spinach, white beech mushrooms, onions, potato fondant dressed in Dijon cream and flavored with sakurab or sibujing, derived from a relative of scallion or a variant of wild leek and used extensively and traditionally as seasoning in Mindanao and the Visayas. What followed was a Ranger Valley Black Tyde ribeye, along with Arroz Meloso, featuring Chong-Ak rice, the “Cordillera paella,” a slow-growing rice variety from Kalinga, with sorrel and Bu-o mushroom, an Earthball type of mushroom abundant, especially after a lightning storm, in the Cordilleras, where it is often dubiously and inaccurately, if not even opportunistically, called the “Cordilleran truffle.” A temperanillo accompanied this meat dish, Bodegas Faustino Crianza from Rioja.
PAN DE SAL Benguet Cherry Tomatoes in kesong puti foam with donburi caramelized onions, pan de sal crouton, tomato powder, and Kaluga Queen caviar
A peach melba on almond butter cake, lush with wild raspberries and white chocolate, capped off the Harvest Dinner, along with 66 percent sikwate hummus and tableya chocolate cake with pistachios, orange blossom, and extra virgin olive oil. A Californian merlot from The Path helped wash it all down.
Senator Legarda, happy with the results of the first Tagaytay Food and Wine Festival, committed to make it an annual event on the foodie calendar. Addressing the chefs, she suggested that a similar festival be held in other regions across the Philippines so as to expand the movement championing the integral role of farmers in building a nation such as ours.
STUFFED RABBIT on potato fondant in Dijon cream with spinach, Shiimeji mushrooms, and onions, flavored with sakurab
Just like our chefs, who are becoming bolder and bolder in their pursuit of the possibilities of Philippine cuisine, Senator Legarda is a true inspiration. Singlehandly, she has pushed the envelope of national development, taking care of perhaps the most important yet most overlooked and neglected aspect of building a great nation—culture.
PEACH MELBA CRUMBLE and Almond Butter Cake with wild raspberries and white chocolate
From art to literature, from agriculture to infrastructure, from our languages to education, even climate change and foreign relations, Senator Legarda sees to it that the Filipino—our way of life, our heritage, our distinct identity, our general welfare—isn’t pushed down the priority list, even if often, especially before her efforts bear fruit, she feels like a lone voice crying in the wilderness.
K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE captured the hearts of the audience as they performed at Korean rapper Psy’s “Summer Swag 2024” concert.
Psy’s “Summer Swag” concert is one of the popular summer shows where people get drenched.
(G)I-DLE’s Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi, Shuhua) appeared on stage as a guest at Psy’s “Summer Swag 2024,” also known as the “Drenched Show,” on July 27 held at the Daejeon Mokwon University’s main stadium in Daejeon, South Korea.
K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE performing at Psy's "Summer Swag 2024" concert in Daejeon, South Korea on July 27 (Cube Entertainment)
They made a surprise appearance and sang the chorus of their song “Klaxon,” receiving enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
(G)I-DLE then sang “Fate” and went to the extended stage. They were originally scheduled to appear at Psy’s concert on July 27 in Daegu, South Korea but the show was canceled due to heavy rains.
Soyeon said, "We're also having a concert on August 3 and 4. It'll be really fun.” (G)I-DLE took a commemorative photo with the audience and performed a powerful live performance of “Tomboy.”
Last July 8, (G)I-DLE released their mini-album “I Sway” fronted by the main track “Klaxon.”
After finishing the promotions for the album, (G)I-DLE will embark on their third world tour “iDOL” in Seoul on Aug. 3 and 4 at KSPO Dome.
K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE performing at Psy's "Summer Swag 2024" concert in Daejeon, South Korea on July 27 (Cube Entertainment)
Following the dance recitals at The Theatre at Solaire, G-Force gears up for its out-of-Canada tour in August with classes in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Vancouver.
Teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy (center) and members of the G-Force team prepare to take a bow following the successful staging of the G-Force Project 2024 held at The Solaire in Paranaque City on July 28.
G-Force concluded its G-Force Project 2024 with 39 classes at the Theatre at Solaire, ending with two sold-out recitals on July 7 and 28.
The hashtag #MovingForwardWithAI saw the embrace of the future of dance with the visit of two internationally renowned choreographers.
Filipino-American Brian Puspos, who worked on the moves of Jungkook (“Seven”, “3d”, “ Standing Next To You”), Justin Bieber, Chris Brown and BTS danced with G-Force and its students last July 7.
Teacher Georcelle of G-Force with international choreographer Ling Zhang
Ling Zhang, a member of Jam Republic, the Royal Family Dance Crew, and ReQuest, also visited Manila as she got to watch and groove with the students during the July 28 recital.
Ling is scheduled to do a master class on July 29 at Blanco by G-Force in Taguig.
“When we conceptualized this year’s G-Force Project, we thought of how to adapt to the future of artificial intelligence,” G-Force artistic director Georcelle Dapat-Sy. “
And while there are still questions, one thing is clear – dance will evolve, and Brian and Ling’s visit just showed that we as human beings continue to create movements that AI will not easily replicate.”
Teacher Georcelle of G-Force with international choreographer Filipino-American Brian Puspos
The G-Force Project students, composed of kids, teens, and adults, got to groove to Hip-hop, Dancehall, Sexy Class, Contemporary, K-Pop and OPM. More than dancing, the students met new friends, built confidence, and enjoyed themselves. Everyone is already looking forward to next year’s Dance Project.
The future of dance is something to look forward to as G-Force continues with its classes at their dance centers in Quezon City, Alabang, and BGC branches all year round.
Following the dance recitals at The Theatre at Solaire, G-Force gears up for its out-of-Canada tour in August with classes in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Vancouver.
