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20 Contemporary Philippine Art Galleries Worth Visiting

James Gonzales Lifestyle, Travel February 6, 2020February 6, 2020 0 Comment

The new year is the season for trying out new experiences, and nothing is more life-affirming or transformative than developing an appreciation for the arts. According to writer Thomas Merton, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” It provides a deeper look into the human psyche, and allows us to share and foster creativity and connection with each other. From the visual arts to performance arts like ballet and musicals, art has brought together people of all ages, genders, creeds, and races throughout history.

As we approach the National Arts Month in February, it becomes more and more apparent that the Philippines is a country with a rich history of the visual arts. Greats like Juan Luna, Jose Joya, Araceli Dans , and many more have made their mark on the local arts scene over the decades. And even today, the tradition is alive and kicking, as you can see in our article ’24 Philippine Artists Shaping Local Contemporary Art’. If you’re curious about what’s going on in the Philippine arts scene, 2020 is your chance to broaden your horizons. To start off your art appreciation journey, here are twenty Philippine art galleries that are showcasing the best and brightest of the local modern arts scene.

The Most Popular Traditional Filipino Drinks

Jonah De Jesus Food, History January 27, 2020January 31, 2020 0 Comment

Every culture has its own history of brewing and distilling liquor and spirits from local ingredients. When Ferdinand Magellan and the rest of the Spanish conquistadors first arrived in the Philippine islands, natives offered them local goods like fish, figs, and coconuts. They also gave them a jar of local alcohol, which historians claim was either arack, which is wine made from palm, or tuba, wine made from fermented coconut nectar.

The culture of drinking in the Philippines has continued into the present, with different bars, pubs, speakeasies, restaurants, and the like serving a wide variety of liquor and alcoholic concoctions. If you’re looking to explore locally-made spirits and wines made from native ingredients and rooted in cultural history and tradition, here’s a list of common Filipino drinks worth trying out.

10 Filipino Celebrities Who Are Making Waves in the United States

Jane Adamson Lifestyle December 9, 2019December 9, 2019 0 Comment

The representation of Asian Americans in popular media has only been getting better with this generation of movers and shakers in Hollywood. After an overwhelmingly positive response from audiences for the world premiere of Crazy Rich Asians, more and more creators have been looking for ways to focus the spotlight on Asian communities in pop culture.

Even Filipino artists with talent and charisma in the showbiz industry have been finding themselves getting more roles then ever. Hawaii native Jacob Batalon, whose parents are Filipino, recently made news as one of the few Filipino actors to appear in a Marvel film. Jacob Batalon starred in both Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) as Ned Leeds, Peter Parker’s best friend.

Even before the premiere of the Spider-Man movie series, Filipino actors, musicians, entertainers, and the like have been working hard in Hollywood, building their craft and make a name for themselves. Here are 10 other Filipino celebrities who’ve made it in the United States.

Filipino Entrepreneurs Who Have Made it in America

Jane Adamson Business, Lifestyle December 3, 2019December 3, 2019 0 Comment

The migration of Filipinos to other countries has a long history. An article from the Pulitzer Center notes that the Philippines is one of the major sources around the world for migrant workers in the seafaring, domestic work, and nursing sectors. Although many Filipino families are sustained by temporary labor migration, plenty of Filipinos have also made their homes in countries around the world, including the United States.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are currently 1,942,000 Filipinos in the immigrant population in the United States as of 2016. Some of them have found a home overseas, making names for themselves as entrepreneurs. Here’s a list of Filipinos who successfully established businesses in America.

Common Misconceptions About Travelling in the Philippines

James Gonzales Travel December 2, 2019December 2, 2019 0 Comment

Traveling to the Philippines has been making trends on the internet lately, and the statistics don’t lie. An article by Business Mirror reports that in the span of 8 months, visitor arrivals to the country increased by 14.08% or approximately 5.55 million tourists. With quite a number of tourist destinations in the country, that number of tourists isn’t too much of a surprise. If you’re interested in traveling the country but have your personal hesitations, here’s a list debunking common misconceptions about traveling in the Philippines.

2020 Cryptocurrency Trends You Need to Be Aware Of

Daniel Ling Finance, Tech November 29, 2019November 29, 2019 0 Comment

With the end of 2019 fast approaching, it’s high time we started discussing what’s next for cryptocurrencies in 2020. Of course, the state of the cryptocurrency market is variable, and with so much global unrest both politically and economically it may be difficult to say for sure what the future of cryptocurrency will be. Still, it’s possible to make a few predictions based on the behaviors of certain coins and trends over the past few months. As we close off 2019, here are a few cryptocurrency trends you need to be aware of as you begin investing for the year 2020.

A Definitive Guide to Festivals in the Philippines

James Gonzales Travel October 30, 2019October 30, 2019 0 Comment

Whether it’s an intimate gathering of family and close friends, or a huge celebration that includes the whole village, Filipinos love parties. The Filipino fiesta or festival has been a momentous event binding communities together for centuries, with the tradition tracing back to the Spanish colonization.

There are plenty of festivals in the Philippines — every local province, city, and town has a different patron saint, and each one is celebrated in a unique way as defined by cultural traditions. Some festivals include large celebrations that are attended by thousands, with extravagant and lively parades, events, and street celebrations, while some are small and involve potlucks between families and neighbors.

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, here’s a list of some of the biggest, grandest festivals in the Philippines.

The Most Popular Tourist Destinations in the Philippines

James Gonzales Travel October 30, 2019October 30, 2019 0 Comment

2018 was the year when tourism in the Philippines hit an all-time high. The Department of Trade and Industry reports a recorded 7.1 million foreign tourists that visited the country, an increase of 7.7% when compared to 2017’s statistics. This year, the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down, with the Manila Standard noting foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines increasing to 12.4% in the first seven months of 2019 alone.

Domestic travel also seems to be flourishing these past couple of years. The Department of Tourism’s (DOT) recorded number of domestic travelers have already exceeded 97 million since 2017, which prompted the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) to revise their target of 89.2 million domestic tourists by 2022. This has been a fairly recent trend, too, with DOT noting that these statistics have doubled from the 45 million domestic tourists recorded four or five years ago.

With the tourism industry booming, the tourism market is catching up with things that make traveling easier and more accessible. As noted by lifestyle magazine Preen, seat sales and apartment rental apps like Agoda or Airbnb make booking your next getaway easier and more wallet-friendly.

If you’re already building up your wanderlust spirits and looking for your next R&R destination, here are some popular locations in the country that you might want to look into.

10 Local Foods to Try When Visiting the Philippines

Jonah De Jesus Food October 30, 2019October 30, 2019 0 Comment

Filipino food can be considered an underdog when it comes to internationally-acclaimed cuisines, but according to an article by Vice, it’s been slowly gaining traction and charming palates from around the world.

The slow rise of the global popularity of Filipino cuisine might be due to its complexity, with its various elements and the wide variety of culinary traditions in the archipelago alone. Food website Pepper.ph says that the food traditions of the more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines can be hard to capture. Add the fact that most ingredients that are staples in Filipino cuisine can be hard to come by internationally, which makes authentic Filipino cuisine difficult to achieve in other countries.

This only proves the fact that the only place to enjoy the best Filipino food is in the Philippines itself. Here’s a list of local food dishes you definitely have to try.

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