Philippines Guide
For Travelers, Expats and Pinoys
The Myth about Bernardo Carpio in Montalban
Sacrifice and determination are noble qualities rare in people today. The myth about the legendary strong man of Montalban, Bernardo Carpio, exalts these exemplary character qualities. Yet, it also shows his disenchantment.
The myth starts by depicting the wrath of a Spanish king who was cruel enough to imprison his own sister, Infanta Jimena, and the rebellious general, Don Sancho Diaz of Cerdenia, for their forbidden love. Self-ambition was thicker than blood.
The myth says the King punished even the child, the fruit of the forbidden love, by having him cared for by Don Rubio, the antagonist against Infanta and Sancho. Rubio was a general.
The child, according to the myth, named Bernardo, was a boy of great strength. As he grew, so did his physical prowess and sword skills, says the myth. Whatever his fingers clutched died: a mischievous boar, an angry bull, a naughty horse.
Bernardo easily became a master swordsman. And, according to the myth, he challenged Rubio, his foster father, in a duel, which resulted to Rubio’s death. Bernardo became right-hand general of the King. The myth says, this was just the beginning of Bernardo’s adventures: with a sword, the knight Bernardo single handedly repulsed idolatrous enemy soldiers, and vowed to fight idolatry and win for the one true God of the Christians!
However, the myth says, he eventually learned of the fate of his real parents, and how his uncle King Alfonso had a direct hand in it. The king had been fighting pagans but was really no different from his enemies, treating his own flesh and blood wickedly, and hindering the true love of Infanta and Sancho, Bernardo’s parents. How can a king go against true love when the God he vowed to fight for was the God of love?
So, the myth says, Bernardo thought of forgetting about religious conquest and just working for the redemption of the whole human race because of its extreme wickedness, himself included. Even the Christians themselves were into sin. After seeing his father and mother released from captivity, Bernardo was led by an angel into a cave between two huge mountains to await redemption, after which he may be able to redeem the world. So there, between two mountains (thought to be Montalban in Rizal), according to the myth, he still remains to this day, waiting to be redeemed.
The myth about Bernardo Carpio is a classic example of how some people have become disenchanted with religion, even Christianity, in early times.
The Maiden Who was Turned into a Myth
On a quiet town of Talim Island in Binangonan, Rizal is a curious mountain that resembles the robust breast of a young, slim virgin. Mt. “Susong Dalaga” (“breast of a young virgin”) has many tales and myths circulating in the lowland vicinities, and this myth version is among them.
A young virgin lying down the green meadows of a nearby hill—this is how most old folks in the locality of Sapang in Talim would probably start the myth on the 200-meter high mountain that is said to be inhabited by monkeys, iguanas, and wild boars. The native beauty of this unnamed teenage virgin was once said to be the town’s pride and the townsmen’s obsession. She had lots of suitors, and the myth even ventures to say that all the men of the place and the adjacent towns all came running after her.
She had the most conspicuously upright breasts of all the women in the place, and made sure the prominence was even more pronounced through the showy dresses she wore. Her suitors feasted their eyes on her most striking feature—the myth depicting men falling heads over heels, drowning in their wild imagination.
But the young virgin didn’t seem impressed by any of them. All she ever did was to go up the hill and lie down to watch the distant Laguna Bay quietly. Nobody knew exactly where she lived—the myth paints her as an elusive maiden, suddenly seen ambling in pathways, and then disappearing into the thickets. Accordingly, she was some kind of a human with the delicate features of a mystical creature—a nymphet’s fine physique, a voice as soft as the bay’s breeze, a face as clear as a summer morning sky, and hair as full as the fields in harvest, and black as the Binangonan night.
Then the women of the vicinity started turning against her. Losing their husbands and sons to this alluring damsel, they sought to bury her alive and leave nothing of her but a myth, assigning her memory to oblivion. And one night they did so. Spotting her strolling to her favorite hilltop, they choked her to death and buried her right on the hilltop, ending her life and starting her myth.
Mornings after, the hilltop gradually transformed to resemble the full-bodied breast of a young virgin. Even to this day, men stop to stare in wonder at the amazing likeness it has to the real thing—and if the myth was real after all.
The Legend of La Union Province
Long ago it’s well known among old folks living in Pangasinan and Ilocos that the province of La Union not yet existed. But a feud between the people of Pangasinan and Ilocos over a vast area between them sparked the idea of creating a separate new province. They referred to it as the uniting factor, and later called it La Union. Then the legend of La Union started to circulate around.
It was about siblings that kept on quarreling with each other—Pangasinan and Ilocos. They had different mothers but had the same father. Pngasinan’s mother was named Pampanga while Ilocos’ was named Cagayan. This allegedly started the story that is now the legend of La Union.
The father of the siblings, Fernando, was often put to shame when his sons quarreled in public. And it was often about who Uniangan, their brother born between them, would follow. The legend of La Union goes that each of them would make Uniangan run errands at the same time. When Uniangan could not satisfy their demands simultaneously they two other brother would fight over it.
One day a Spanish Friar passed by their house and observed the brothers Pangasinan and Ilocos quarreling and shouting at the top of their voices. The priests stopped for a while to listen but could not understand the dialect. Finally an interpreter was called and the mothers of the two boys were summoned. This story on the legend of La Union says from what the priest heard all the quarrel was centered on who had more clout to order Uniangan around.
“Ah!” the priest finally remarked. “I know what you should do! We’d cut Uniangan into two so that each of you could have half of him!” The two brothers were taken aback by the advice and looked at each other—and then at Uniangan. The legend on La Union continues that they finally realized their foolishness and started to pity their brother Uniangan. The priest saw the wonderful reconciliation among the brothers and patted Uniangan on the back. According to this legend of La Union the priest said Uniangan was the cause of The Union—or in Spanish, “La Union.” From the day on Uniangan was renamed La Union.
When the 3 brother got old and eventually died they were buried side by side with La Union in the middle of Pangasinan and Ilocos. So, as this legend of La Union goes, the mounds grew bigger with the passage of time until they became provinces.
The Folklore on The King an
What would be done to somebody who dares shoo off a king from a church seat? And what should be done to woo an insulted king who owns everything. These are the issues of this Philippine folklore.
According to this folklore, a long time ago, when Spain had just newly conquered the Philippines, there was a town church. It was newly built by the Spanish missionaries who had first come to the islands prior the invading forces. Many converts to Christian Catholicism had joined the church, among them a rich, old lady. The folklore says, she was known in the town as arrogant but religious. She was able to keep all the rigorous rituals of the religion, but people were aloof to her.
Every morning, the folklore continues, she wanted to occupy the first pew in the church. Daily, she would march up straight to the very front pew to take her place. Nobody dared occupy the front pew.
One morning, she came in a bit late. She marched down the aisle, proudly but solemnly, fan gently covering her face, until she reached the front pew. But, the folklore says, to her consternation, she saw a man already seated there. She snapped close her folding fan and shouted at him in impaired Castilian: “How dare you sit there in my pew!” Then, according to the folklore, in a milder tone, she said, “You’re new around here, I suppose, because you don’t know who it is reserved for!”
The man, simply dressed but nonetheless very honorable-looking, smiled and excused himself. He sat in another pew behind her. Afterwards, the folklore says she noticed that people were still looking at her with apparent unbelief and astonishment. She wondered why. Then, the folklore says, an altar boy, or “sacristan,” approached her and told her why. The king of Spain himself had just arrived last night and was now in church to hear the first morning mass—the same guy she had just shooed off to another pew!
The folklore says, the king kept his decorum by simply enjoying the mass, smiling, and shaking the hands of everybody in church after the mass, even the old lady’s. She was speechless. The folklore poses this dilemma: What could she say to somebody she had insulted who turned out to be owner of everything?
This Philippine folklore reminds people to treat everybody fairly, and not value them according to their looks and material possessions.
Philippine Cuisine: Pickled Pork and Tofu
Looking for a super appetizer that also serves as a super meal viand? Then try this simple but heavy and healthy local dish. It has meaty goodness with a variety of other nutritious and delicious ingredients.
For this recipe we need three fourth kilo of boneless pork head, a fourth cup of red cane vinegar, a can (439 grams) of pineapple tidbits (drained), pineapple syrup from the tidbits, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, a fourth spoon of powder pepper, 3 regular squares of fried tofu or “tokwa” (sliced into cubes), a piece of chopped onions, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and one medium size diced red bell pepper. With these ingredients all ready, we can start cooking this dish.
We begin this recipe by cleaning and boiling the pork head in three cups of water and a half tablespoon of salt. Boil for 30 minutes or until the pork and meat are very tender. After boiling, drain the water and place in a container. Slice the meat and pork into cubes measuring about 2X2 centimeters. Then soak the sliced meat and pork in vinegar for 10 minutes for a slightly sour pork and meat dish.
Mix recipe of pineapple tidbit syrup, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Put in tidbit pieces and other ingredients, including stew from the boiled meat and pork. This dish serves 7 persons.
The meat and pork of a pig’s head is tasty and delicately tender when boiled and soaked in vinegar. This includes the ear parts, the fleshy nape, the plump cheek flesh, and a part of the neck. When boiled the stew produces a pungent concoction perfect for this recipe. Partnered with the tofu and other ingredients, the resultant whole dish produces a sweet-sour meaty taste with everything tender to the bite.
This special dish is often a favorite finger food or “pulutan” that goes with special or local liquors. It is also a special appetizer before a major dinner meal is served, or a perfect dinner meal in itself in family or party dinner tables. This recipe of combined meat, pork, tofu, and vegetable spices is also perfect for athletes in training and who need large doses of protein, carbohydrates, and fibers.
This local recipe is easy to prepare and cook. It can be enjoyed as a party dish in outdoor picnics, elegant dinners, and as packed lunch in the office. It is one of the local flexible dishes in Philippine culinary art.
The Folklore on How Manila Got Its Name
Manila is sometimes the popular name by which the Philippines is known abroad. The recycled and cheap paper popularly used in the Philippines and exported abroad also goes by the name of Manila paper. Ever wondered how Manila got its name? This folklore has some answers to offer.
A long time ago, according to this folklore, when the Walled City of Intramuros was newly built, a peculiar stalky rice-like plant that proliferated near the delta of the Pasig River and the Manila Bay grew abundantly. The Pasig River, the folklore says, was then very clean that people went there to wash clothes or swim. The folklore says the local folks came to know the plant as Nilad because of its gently swaying soft but long trunks when the wind blew from the bay. According to the folklore the arm-like swaying plants that seemed to bid goodbye or welcome at the river banks or at the seashore reminded visitors of the native inhabitants of the area. They were then known to be kind and hospitable. The folklore says they always welcomed visitors who stopped by the coastal vicinity.
Nilad plants boasted of very beautiful flowers of bright white and yellow, which became more spectacular when rayed by the bright tropical sun. According to the folklore, locals and foreigners, kids and old alike, would come to the banks of the river to pick the dazzling flowers. Nilad flowers were made into garlands or laces that, the folklore says, were offered to sacred statues in religious altars or in churches. Because of this, Nilad flower products were soon distributed in other places, and they were known to come from this part of the Pasig River and Manila Bay, the folklore adds.
One day, two Spaniards approached a woman busily arranging Nilad bouquets in a market in the hinterlands. The folklore says, the Spaniards were so intrigued by the beauty of the flowers and wanted to know the place where the flowers had come from. The woman, at a loss where exactly the place was, merely said in the vernacular, “Sa Intramuros, sa mga may Nilad” (in Intramuros, the place where there are Nilads). The natives had since then been referring to the place as such: “Sa may Nilad.” Pretty soon, natives and foreigners came to know the area outside the Walled City or Intramuros as “Sa Maynila,” or Manila.
The folklore on how Manila got its name is amusing and historically possible.
Philippine Cuisine: Identifying Prime Beef Cuts
Many Philippine native recipes and native cuisines are either enhanced with natural beef flavor or made primarily of beef. In cooking any beef or beefy recipe (casseroles, steaks, stews, grills barbecues) it’s also important to know what beef part should be bought.
The rib. Beef rib section is just at the back of a cow’s shoulders. It is almost in the mid section of a cow’s body. Beef ribs are extra delicious, very tender, and brings out the full savor of beef. They are best for beef native recipes that include boiling, grilling, roasting, and barbecuing. The stew of boiled beef ribs is perfect for all stewed beef native cuisines. Usually, in Philippine wet markets, beef ribs easily run out of stock. So the best option in buying them is go very early in the morning or have an order reserved in the evening for tomorrow.
Beef sirloin. Beef sirloins come from the lower mid section of a cow’s body. It has parts of the backbone and some portions of the hip bone. This beef part is also very tender, savory, and contains less fat. Native recipes for grilling, boiling, and frying are best with beef sirloins. Native cuisines like Beef Michado, SInigang Beef, Boiled or Beef Nilaga, and Beef Caldereta go well with sirloins. This beef part is also perfect for fried Beef Tapa and native cuisine Bistek.
Beef round cuts. This beef part is found in the leg part of the cow, with the shank and also part of the tailbone. Beef round cuts from the rear legs are more tender than those from the front legs. This beef part also has less fat and best for boiled native recipes. Native cuisines like Beef Nilaga and Beef Morcon are best cook with this main ingredient.
Beef brisket and Shank. This beef portion is found between the neck and front legs of the cow. Included with this part is the breast. Briskets are often tough and fatty. They are excellent for prolonged and slow cooking of stewed native recipes like Kare-Kare, Beef Nilaga, Beef Sinigang, and Beef Picadiso. Shanks, in contrast, are a bit more tender choice cuts and also best for shorter-time boiling of stewed native cuisines like some other Beef Nilaga versions and Beef Pochero.
Cooking native recipes for beefs also involves a basic knowledge of beef choice parts. Often, a particular beef cut goes more excellently with a particular native cuisine than other beef portions.
The Folklore on Balintawak
Balintawak is a historical place in Quezon City where Andres Bonifacio, the Katipunan’s founder, was said to have led his men to renounce Spanish atrocities with a loud cry. How did such a strange name as “Balintawak” come about? This folklore has this to say.
Long ago, the folklore begins, before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, there came an Indonesian to a certain part of the highlands north of Manila. The Indonesian, with his family and men, after some exploration, decided to settle in that area. There they introduced to the natives their arts and handicrafts for bartering these with foods and other household needs. The Indonesian wares and crafts were all interesting and quite unique from what the natives have been accustomed to with their trades with the Chinese, according to the folklore.
But what really amazed the natives were the Indonesian metal swords. The folklore describes them as being designed with interesting curves and crescents and other odd-shaped symbols that other Asian swords they have seen did not have. The Indonesians, from Bali, were also warriors and taught the natives some moves from their war dances using the special swords. The natives started calling the Indonesians and their dances Bali, and later, Balin. The folklore adds that soon the dance was called Balin Tabak locally, referring to the swords or “tabak” in the vernacular used in the dance.
And so one day, the folklore says, the Spaniards came, and when they first reached the area they wondered what the place was called. After everybody was introduced (and it was quite a scene with the different languages used), the local chieftain decided to entertain the guests with an evening feast. At the community center, a presentation was given, and of course their newest cultural dance was presented—the Balin Tabak. The foreigners were amazed and asked what the place was called so they can report back to headquarters their remarkable found. The folklore paints this scene with confusion because the natives, thinking the guests were asking what the dance was called, shouted “Balin Tabak!” The Spaniards started calling the place Balin Tabak. After some time, the name evolved to Balintawak.
Well, afterwards, history ironically tells us that this place of folklore hospitality later turned out to be the place where the first rebellion against abuses to that hospitality was shouted with raised “tabak” in protest.
Filipino hospitality figures mostly in most local folklores. The trait is not only reflected in folklores, it is also historically true.
Philippine Cuisine: How Vegetables are Often Cut
In Philippine culinary practice, as in many places, vegetables are not just cut any which way. Some native dishes require specific cut styles. There are specific styles or kinds of cutting vegetables to go with specific native recipes.
Julienne cutting style is for native recipes requiring fine and narrow vegetable sticks. They are about 2 to 3 inches long and about an eighth inch square thick. Some native dishes may require finer julienne styles. This may be used for cooking fried potato or sweet potato as an appetizer, or as a side dish for several native dishes like fried chicken. It may also be used for stuffing vegetables in rolls, like fried or fresh “lumpya.”
Shredding is cutting vegetables into long, thin pieces like when a grater is used. This cutting style is used for cabbage or lettuce. Native recipes requiring shredding are sautéed and/or stewed cabbage, string (Baguio) beans, “pechay” leaves, “patani” flat beans, and sometimes even eggplants and “ampalaya” or bitter melon. Shredding is usually done in stuffed native dishes.
Sliced vegetables are also often used in cooking native recipes. This involves cutting the vegetables crosswise or lengthwise or even diagonally, thinly. This style of cutting is required in the following native dishes: “amplaya” or bitter melon “con carne,” choy suey, vegetable salads, the Ilocano “pinakbet,” some sautéed vegetable recipes, “sinigang” recipes, and vegetable omelets, among others.
Diced cutting is used for quick-cooking native recipes using tough vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, tubers, and some fruits used for salads. Diced pieces in native dishes often measure a fourth to a third inch square. Dicing, along with shredding and julienne cutting, is used in stuffing rolls and omelets.
Minced vegetables are cut much smaller than diced ones. Mincing is often done with vegetable spices to better bring out their flavors and better supplement a native recipe. Vegetables in native dishes often requiring mincing are garlic and ginger. Mincing in Philippine culinary often means crushing the vegetable first before cutting it in small pieces.
Chopping is often required in cooking most vegetable native recipes. Chopped vegetables are usually onions, string beans, some “pechay” and cabbage recipes, carrots, apples, onion leaves, celery, among others found in native dishes.
Chunked vegetables are for native recipes with potatoes, radish, carrots, and other tough vegetables. They are used for prolonged cooking of native dishes.
Vegetables ought to be cut as specified or required in a particular native recipe. Vegetable cutting styles contribute much to the precise cooking of native dishes.
The Folklore About Tabaco, Albay
At first glance, anybody would think that Tabaco, Albay in Legaspi City probably got its name from some tobacco plants in the area. Well, one thinking that would wrong.
Here’s a folklore on how the place really got its name.
The folklore begins with a time when the Bicol region, during Spanish times, was said to be inhabited by very friendly natives. But then some Spaniards occupying the region became hostile to the inhabitants. Being too cruel to the natives, the news soon spread quickly to other localities in the area. Soon, many local people despised the mere sight of the invaders. One day, the folklore has it that two Spaniards ventured to some remote village and there found a beautiful young lady. She was known in the place for her talent for herbal medicine. One of the two foreigners fell for her native beauty.
The young lady’s father was annoyed by the two foreigners so that one day, as the folklore goes, when the two came over to the girl’s home for a visit and some herbal medicine samples, her father reacted in an unfriendly manner. The folklore adds that the place was also known for the people’s penchant for bladed weapons and its craft. Thus, the father owned a well sharpened native sword known in the vernacular as a “tabak.” The folklore stresses that every man in that village was armed with a “tabak” as a work implement and for self-defense.
So, as the Spaniards approached, they wondered about what the name of the place was. They thought it was a perfect way to establish rapport with the father. Coming closer and asking the name of the place, the folklore says the father was very alarmed at them and shouted to her daughter for his native sword. “Give me my sword! Give me my sword!” In the vernacular, he said, “Tabak ko! Tabak ko!” The foreigners, thinking that the answer to their query was “Tabaco,” soon spread the word that the name of the place was Tabaco in Albay. Soon afterwards, even local folks started calling their place by the name.
What of the “tabak” and the Spaniards? Well, the folklore admits that the natural friendly and hospitable spirit of the natives in the place got the better of the father, and soon the foreigners were tolerated and befriended.
Though fond of deadly bladed weapons, this folklore shows a people naturally gifted with kindness and hospitality can still opt for peaceful settlement in the face of adversity.
