BATANGAS

Batangas City ( Filipino : Lungsod ng Batangas ) is a first class component city and
capital of the Province of Batangas , Philippines . It is the largest city in the province in terms
of land area, and is currently classified as one of the fastest urbanizing cities of the Philippines.
According to the 2015 census, the city has a population of 329,874 people.

The Philippines is generally a festive nation, and Batangas festival is one good
example. Maybe because of the Spanish influence during the 16th – 18th century the
Philippines was colonize by the Spaniards. According to the old Filipinos, the Spanish in the
early days where the one’s who initiated the festive mood in the Philippines.

Tradition
The significant marriage rite reflects
the Batangas family tradition from their
ancestors. For them, the wedding day should be
treasured and remembered forever.
It all starts with the bulungan, where the groom
together with his parents makes a social call
with the bride’s family and asks for her hand in
marriage. During the visit, all wedding plans
are arrange including the date, the principal
sponsors, secondary sponsors, budget and
guests to be invited. The groom shoulders all the cost of the wedding expenses.
 Traditional games are usually played during fiestas and festivals and held in tuklong
(chapel) or at the municipal ground. Furthermore these indigenous games usher the children
back to field games and make them healthier like palo-sebo, habulan ng baboy, kadang-kadang
etc.

Foods
The major crowd drawers in Batangas are its inviting beaches, breathtaking dive
sites, and challenging mountains. But one thing that isn’t always highlighted enough is its
cuisine. Batangas offers a wide, wide selection of gastronomic delights.

1. BULALO
Bulalo has been the signature dish of the
province. Also known as bone marrow soup, it is a very
simple dish when you break it down to its ingredients.
Basically, it’s just beef shank boiled in water with onions,
garlic, black pepper, and salt.

2. BATANGAS LOMI
Why can’t I just drop the term Batangas and just call it
lomi? Because lomi in this southern corner of Luzon is
far different from what I have seen and tasted in other
parts of the country. Our lomi is so thick, others are just
completely weirded out by its gooey consistency.

3. BATANGAS GOTO
Goto means tripe. But if you’re in the Ala-eh province and
you order goto, expecting a type of congee topped with
bits of tripe, then you will be shocked. Rice porridge or
congee, regardless of what its meat ingredients are, is
lugaw to us. Whether it has chicken, hardboiled egg, or
ox tripe, they’re all called lugaw.
Culture
Batangas is known for its fan knife, locally known as balisong, with its manufacture
also becoming an industry in the province.
Pineapples are also common in Batangas. Aside from the fruit, the leaves are also
useful such that an industry has been created from it. In the municipality of Taal, pineapple
leaves are processed to form a kind of cloth known as jusi (pronounced 'hu-si), from which the
Barong Tagalog, the national costume of the Philippines is made.

RIZAL

Rizal is one of the Philippines first class provinces that belongs to CALABARZON
(CA-vite, LA-guna, BA-tangas, R-izal, Que-ZON) Region or region IV-A in the island of Luzon.
The province enjoys a natural beauty of nature and a perfect setting for investments, business
establishments and settlements. It is bounded by Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges and Quezon
Province in the east, the province Laguna in the soutwest, the province of Bulacan in the north,
Metropolitan Manila in the west-northwest portion and by Laguna de Bay in south/south-
western portion. Rizal is one of the neighboring provinces of Metro Manila.

Culture and People

Tagalog is the main language in the province. Majority of the population practice
Roman Catholicism and many towns in Rizal have centuries-old Spanish churches. A notable
church is the Antipolo Cathedral in Antipolo City.

Tradition
 HIgantes Festival of Angono
Angono part of Rizal city regiom is also known for its
colorful fiestas and festivals. One of these is the
colorful pageantry of giant paper figures locally know
as Higantes Festival (Parade of the Giants) together
with street dancer called, the Parejadoras, women
wearing traditional costumes and wooden sneakers
holding paddles swaying, dancing and parading in
the street cheerfully.

Pilgrimage of Antipolo
The Maytime is the most colorful month in the
Philippines where catholic devotees are celebrating
different festivals and traditions like the coloful
Fiestas, the 'Santacruzan' and the 'Flores de Mayo'
(May Flower Festival) all over the archipelago.
Antipolo City is the one of celebrating these
traditions. Likewise, Antipolo City is known for its
numerous cultural traditions like 'Ang Tipulo
Festival' (formerly Sumakah Festival), and the
pilgrimage to the Patron Saint Nuestra Señora Dela Paz Y Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and
Good Voyage), where it is popular for the most catholics. The tradition paying homage to the
image started during the Spanish era, evidently it was mentioned in ‘Noli Me Tangere’ the
great novel of Dr. Jose Rizal, our National Hero, where he was one of the pilgrims during his
youth days. This occasion madeAntipolo City the “Pilgrimage Capital of the Philippines.” The
pilgrimage celebration starts from first Tuesday of May to the second Tuesday of July. The
tradition also dressed up with native foods & delicacies, street dancings & parades, trade &
arts exhibits, and nightly entertainments.

Sikaran Festival Of Baras

Baras is known for popular traditional and local martial
arts called Sikaran, a martial art using the bare hand
and foot to defeat the enemy. This martial art was
develop local folks and established in these town,
garnered merits and awards in the international
competitions. Sikaran now a Festival in Baras
celebrates during last Saturday and Sunday of January.
Sikaran derived from the word ‘sikad’ means kick.
Food
Native Food And Delicacies
'Kakanin' had been known for filipinos for
centuries. Historically, Rizaleños are very popular
for making of kakanin even Spanish time. The
'Suman sa Ibos' of Antipolo City and the 'Matamis
na Bao' of Cainta are among the favorites of the
travelers or tourists to carry along as 'baon' (bring
along foods) or 'pasalubong' (give away) to friends
or siblings. These native delicacies are also best desserts or appetizers on special occasions
like birthday, anniversaries, holiday season, and
especially during the Maytime Festivals. The most
favorite among theses are; 'suman sa latik or lihiya',
'kutsinta', 'puto', sapin-sapin, 'pichi-pichi',
'bibingka', 'halayang ubi', (sweet purple yam) 'maja
blanco' and 'biko'. The common ingredients of these
delicacies are glutinous rice and/or tapioca
(cassava), ubi, corn, sugar and coconut milk. These
native delicacies are available in most places in the province like shopping centers, public
markets, restaurants and delicacy shops.

Specialty Dishes
Lying along lakeshore of Laguna de Bay, Rizal
Province is abundant in freshwater fishes like
Tilapia, Bangus, Dalag, Ayungin, Kanduli, Big
Head Carp, Dulong, shrimps, and freshwater
shellfish where the common cooking preparation of
these are 'Sinigang sa Miso' (kanduli or dalag) dip
with 'Balaw-balaw' (sour-salty sauce of partially
aged shrimp or fish), 'Prito’ (tilapia, bangus or dalag) with pickled papaya relish, 'Relyeno or
Inihaw na Bangus' and 'Pinangat na Ayungin sa
Sampaloc' among others. Each localities in Rizal
has their own specialty like: 'Fried Itik' or Fried
Duck of Angono and Binangonan, 'Lauya'
(pronounced: La-u-ia) of Taytay, this is a soup
preparation with boiled tender beef or pork skin
topped with vegetable and some spices;
'Binarutak' of Pililla (in some places they called
it 'Pinugutan'), a slightly sour-spicy shrimp best partner with 'Okoy' (fried sweet potato with
shrimp blend in flour) with spicy vinegar dip; in Binangonan one of the favorite snack is the
'Abnoy', a preparation of blighted eggs (looks like native kakanin with strong foul odor) which
taste tangy and slightly salty; in Cardona, the favorite fiesta treat is the 'Nilasing na Hipon',
where its taste is sweet and tangy; in Teresa and Morong its best seller is the 'Adobong
Matanda' or 'Arobong Matanra' in their native tounge, a variation of Abodo one of Filipino's
most favorite native dishes.

LAGUNA

Laguna is the Spanish word for lagoon or lake. The province was named such because
of Laguna de Bay, the lake surrounding the province. It has Asia's 3rd biggest lake-the
Laguna de Bay- which ably supplies the Province's fresh water resource requirements and
form part of the people's livelihood. Laguna is a province just southeast of Manila and
Laguna de Bay, in the Philippines. In Calamba, the Jose Rizal Shrine is a reconstruction of
the national hero's childhood home. To the south is Mount Makiling, a dormant volcano. The
town of Pila has well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture. The crypt of Nagcarlan
Underground Cemetery holds 19th-century graves. Boats travel over the rapids of Pagsanjan
Falls.

Custom and Tradition

Anilag Festival
The yearly tradition in Laguna is their ANILAG
Festival. It is a weeklong celebration that usually
happens during the month of March. The
ANILAG Festival is held to give thanks to the all
the blessings that the people of the province had
in the previous year. ANILAG Festival is
celebrated through beauty pageants, dance
showdowns, food contests, and woodcarving competitions.
Aside from the annual events and festivities, there are customs in Laguna that can be seen
only in some parts of the province. In Magdalena, Laguna, there is a wedding custom called
Galahan. It is a wedding practice for newly wed couples where it is mandatory for them to
dance in front of the relatives. What sets this custom apart from the norm is that they must
carry a plate where a glass of wine and a bottle are placed. After the dancing and the drinking,
the relatives of both parties must place any amount which would help the couple in starting
their married life.

There is also a custom called Bayanihan where neighbors offer an extraordinary kindness to
their fellow Laguenos in times of need. This hospitality and thoughtfulness that they show to
everybody makes foreign tourists come back again and again. Only in the province of Laguna
where you can experience this warm welcome.

Culture
Foods
It is time to feast on treasured Laguna delicacies to fill up that empty feeling inside of you.
Yes, we all know you’re hungry all the time!

1. ESPASOL
This is a rice cake cooked in coconut milk filled with
coconut powder which gives an appealing snowy
feature. Heaven. It has a soft and chewy texture
with a sweet taste that leaves you craving for more.

2. BIBINGKA DE MACAPUNO
It’s a rice cake filled with macapuno, a soft processed
coconut meat. It has a texture similar to bread but
it’s sweet!
3. PUTO BIÑAN
Puto, which is grinded rice mixed with eggs and
cheese, may be a common delicacy in the Philippines,
but “Puto Biñan” makes all the difference. It has
many variations, with different flavors and sizes,
making it unique to all the other traditional putos
out there. Some have fillings inside, some on top,
and can be as large as the size of a pizza.