Bicol Beckons

Looks like 2026 is becoming my most Bicol year.

This weekend trip was my 4th for the year. And no matter how many trips I've made, I'll never get tired of this view.

Magayunon!

Hello, Halo

Of course, a visit to Bicol isn't complete without DJC Halo-halo.

This is an icon in Tiwi and- when we were younger - we would just go to Tiwi for this halo-halo. 

They've tried expanding to different parts of Albay. Some succeeded, like this one in Tabaco. It's just walking distance from where we usually stay, so looking for and enjoying it is a lot easier.

Hello again, DJC!

Across the Hall

One thing that always amazes me during my Bicol trips is the fact that it still follows the old Spanish set-up of having a plaza across the City Hall.

Having studied this back in HS and College, the centre of old Filipino towns would have the trifecta of government, religion and commerce. Thus, there would be a city hall, a church and a market situated around the town plaza.

The plaza across the city hall in Tabaco is always bustling with activity and people. Whether it's joggers in the morning, students hanging out in the afternoon, or couples in the evening - there's always some sort of activity happening there. 

And when you're in Bicol, do as the Bicolanos do. That's why I'd hang out in front of the city hall wheneer there's free time.

Ah, the joys of provincial life.

That's great!

Especially if it's St. Gregory the Great!

Yup, my visits to Bicol won't be complete without dropping by St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in Legazpi. 

Yes, I was just here last January, but I'm going to keep coming back to this place whenever possible.

Ancestral Home is where the heart is

Even as a kid, this Ancestral Home in Tabaco always had a special place in my heart.

It's not just because I'm a fan of old Filipino homes and architecture. It's deeper than that.

It's because this ancestral home was once owned by my great-great-grandfather, Mariano Villanueva.

Now, it's a National Heritage site, though it's in a state of disarray. But looking at it, both from afar and up close, you can feel the stories and traditions behind these walls.

Gosh, if I had the means, I'd buy this home and restore it.

Sea of Faith

Those words came to my mind while watching the Good Friday procession last night.

There were more than 50 "pasos" and - in my estimate - more than 5,000 people who attended the procession in Tabaco. It was so heartwarming to see a sea of people, carrying candles, ushering the Saints around the Centro.

Truly, Holy week in Bicol hits different.

FMM: Words of Tradition

If there's one thing that was on my agenda on this trip to Bicol, it was to go to Malinao and hear the Siete Palabras.

We did this when we where kids. As early as 1pm, we'd go to Sts. Joaquim and Anne Parish, and we'd listen to the  last words and wait for the image of Christ to breathe his last. Yes, the image of Jesus Christ actually "dies" at 3pm. And, back then, it was a novel sight for a kid from Manila to see.

I'm glad to have witnessed this again, albeit the scriptures and sharing went a bit overtime and the culmination happened around 3:30pm rather than 3:00pm.

One of the songs that they sang during the 7 last words is an old church song that's been a favourite of mine since childhood. And on today's Good Friday Magic Madness, it's only apt to play this song:

"Pananagutan" is a church hymn that was written sometime between the 60s and the 70s. It was written by a Jesuit preist named Fr. Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ, and has been part of church hymns ever since. 

It's such a classic song that while listening to it this 2026, it still hits the same way as it did when I'd listen to it as a kid in the 80s.

I'm so glad to have heard this, and witness this tradition, after decades.

Big(gs) Time!

One thing that's always on my list during my Bicol trips is eating at Biggs.

That became easier now that they've opened a branch in Tabaco!

Now, that's one item ticked off my list.

View-tiful

I've been to Bicol hundreds of times, but this view still takes my breath away.

Hello again, Mayon! Glad to see you.

Feeling great!

It's always great to go back to Bicol, even if it's for a very short, weekend trip.

It's also great to be able to hear mass at the church that holds a lot of history and memories for me.

St. Gregory the Great Cathedral is where we used to hear mass when we'd go to Legazpi as kids. This is also where my uncles and aunties got married. 

Another great thing? The officiant of today's mass was my classmate in UP! Fr. Raleigh was my classmate in MA, and our class was BC201 under the late Prof. David. Those were fun times.

Needless to say, it was a great weekend.

Shy boy

Unearthed this very old photo of me and my cousin, Maricel.

This was taken during the wedding of Tito Tony and Auntie Eden. To make their wedding different, they asked their young nephews and nieces (including me and Maricel) to be the secondary sponsors. This was novel because boys and girls were usually relegated to flower girls and the bearer boys. But they gave us "adult" responsibilities.

It's easy to see my shyness in this photo. Looking at this made me smile and reminded me of how shy I was as a kid.

Then again, I'm still a shy kid now. Albeit inside.

Back to Bac

As much as I'm a big city kind of guy, a smaller, more quaint and quieter city like Tabaco will always be appealing to me.

It's always good to be back.

Well Dan

Luckily, my Bicol trip also coincided with the Bicol visit of my cousin, Dan Dan.

When we were kids, the 3 of us were best buds - Dan Dan, Maricel and myself. Since we were almost the same age, we gravitated towards each other. We'd be the ones hanging out, reading comics, playing outside, or just hanging out by the kalachuchi tree in Malinao.

It's been a while since we last saw each other. When we were trying to recall the last time we met, we figured out that it was during the golden wedding anniversary of Uncle Coye and Auntie Mila. So, this reunion was long overdue.

Well, that's a great way to wrap-up my Bicol visit.

(Ma)Yon!

Some people complain that they rarely see Mayon whenever they visit Bicol.

Luckily, during every Bicol trip, Mayon welcomes me in its full glory. Including yesterday.

Hello again, Mayon! Great to see you again.

FMM: Night sounds

Today's Friday Magic Madness song is inspired by Bicol. 

That's because I'm here now.

One of the most famous songs to come out of Bicol is the iconic "Sarung Banggi."

Written in 1910 by Potenciano Gregorio, it's a love song about a chance meeting between a man and a woman in the province. Most likely, the setting is in Bicol, where the author is from.

During our summer visits to Bicol as kids, this is one of the songs that the older people would sing for us, and we'd be fascinated by it. 

Any trip to Bicol won't be complete without listening to this iconic song.

Siniguel-uel-uel-as

You know it's summer when siniguelas is back in season.

This fruit really takes me back to my childhood. Particularly eating it while sitting on a tree branch in Lolo's place in Bicol.

Ah yes, the fruits of my childhood.

When life gives you Delimons

This is one of my core memories from my childhood days in Bicol.

We went to a nearby sari-sari store and there was a big jar of multi-coloured candies covered in sugar. The bright hues made it instantly attractive, and my curiosity was piqued.

It turned out that they were candies called "Delimon."

I'm not sure where the name came from. Maybe because of the lemon-y undertones of the candy. But since then, I'd go back and forth to that little store near Lolo's beach house and buy these candies. The tindera would carefully roll a phone directory page and put the delimon inside.

Haven't been to a sari-sari store nor seen delimon in my recent trips to Bicol. But next time I'm going there, this will definitely be part of the agenda.

About the Grill

Whenever the topic of Bicol comes up, one of the places that always pop up in my memory is Bamboo Grill.

Back in the 80s, Bamboo Grill was a popular spot in Tabaco. As the name implies, it's a restaurant that has a lot of grilled offerings. But what it's better known for is the 2nd floor where mahjong games are played daily.

Lola Dita and Mama would go here to play mahjong, and they would allow us kids to roam around the grill, and we'd often go to the ground floor function hall. The reason why we were here often was that the walls were adorned with all these fantasy tableaus, including one with King Neptune and mermaids, one with various sea creatures, and another with a giant oyster and pearl.

Now, it's 2023, and that childhood place from the 80s is still around.

It's not the Bamboo Grill that we know of. It's now a private residence, and most of the structures that we'd frequent as kids - including the ground floor function hall - is gone.

But their iconic gate is still there, and that's enough for me to appreciate all the wonderful memories this place brought us.

Just Be-cous

Another perk of celebrating Mom's 80th birthday in Bicol?

Getting together with the Regalado cousins!

No exaggeration, it's been decades since some of us saw each other. When I last saw Mary Jane, we were just teeners!

What's amazing is the fact that the cousins in the photo is just a fraction of the Regalados. This is just 1/4th, or even less.

Looking forward to a bigger reunion with the cousins soon!

FMM: One Night Only

Today's Friday Magic Madness song is inspired by my current location.

One of the most iconic songs in Bicol is "Sarung Banggi." 

Literally translated as "One Night," it's a folk song that has been part of Bicol for generations. As a child back in the 80s, I'd hear my relatives sing this song. And now, in 2023, they still sing this song!

That's one, long, one night.