In the town of Daraga, in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region, lays the most beautiful volcano in the Philippines – Mayon volcano. Its picturesque view may have been what inspired the...

It is said that in the early times, the island of Bohol in the Visayas is a vast mass of dry land. Rice fields tend to crack under the heat of the sun. During...

Olongapo is a city located in the province of Zambales. It is one of the most cheerful cities in Central Luzon. It is near the Subic bay and is also one of the places...

Philippine culture is rich in folklore. One tale I enjoyed during my childhood was the legend of the guava fruit, which comes with a moral lesson. A guava tree or fruit is called bayabas...

The bell fruit, or the makopa, is a familiar sight in most tropical countries. Its skin ranges in color from white to red, with some varieties having black skin. Its flavor is similar to...

The Philippine mango is inarguably the beloved darling out of all our local fruits. Mangoes thrive in the tropics, and are cultivated everywhere from the Carribean Islands to Southeast Asia. But it is the...

At the foot of Mt. Alindayat in Pampanga, Philippines, a beautiful maiden by the name of Ara Ayat lived. She was an orphan and is only living with her sick grandmother. Around their small...

Lansones grow in clusters like grapes, and have clear, translucent flesh that hides bitter, inedible seeds. The story goes like this: Lansones is actually derived from the word lason, which is Tagalog for “poison.”...

Malate is a place that can be found in Manila, Philippines. This extends from Mabini and Harrison near Roxas Boulevard, beside the sea. This is how it got its name: There were two sibling...

Possibly the default symbol of the tropics, the coconut tree was dubbed the “tree of life” for its versatility. Its trunk makes for sturdy lumber, its leaves and husks are woven into decorative items,...