RECIPE FOR A DELIGHTFUL ORCHID FLOWER SALAD 2009

Orchid Flower Salad

Ms. Nancy Lumen (culinary expert )- She Ka co-host

Orchid Flower Salad By: Mr. Lawrence Chan

Ingredients:

¼ kilo fresh lettuce

2 pcs. medium size carrots grated

chopped celery

3 pcs. medium size shallot onion (sibuyas tagalog ) finely chopped

¼ kilo bacon bits / 1 piece chicken breast

24 pcs. medium size Dendrobium hybrids (Organically grown, not chemically sprayed and pollinia must be removed). ( The orchid flower may be blanch for several seconds- optional )

Definition: This term means to plunge vegetable into boiling water for a few seconds or a few minutes, then remove and place in ice water. This process sets the color of vegetables, lets you easily peel fruits, and slip the skins off nuts. The food does not cook all the way through, so crisp texture is preserved.

12 pcs. small tomato chopped

½ cup squeeze lemon juice

2 cups mayonnaise

2-4 tablespoon sugar

Pinch of iodized salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese for toppings (optional)

author with Ms. Nancy Lumen during the 

February 14, 2008 episode ” She Ka” NBN channel 4

Preparations:

1.) Mix 2-4 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 2 cups of mayonnaise in a bowl and mix well ( This would be your salad dressing)

2.) In a separate bowl add fresh lettuce , chopped celery , chopped tomato , chopped shallot onion, grated carrots , bacon bits, orchid flower and add the salad dressings

3.) Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and toss the salad

4.) Sprinkle parmesan cheese as the final topping and add garnish for final presentation.

5.) Serve and enjoy the orchid flower salad!

” Ang Barangay ” community newspaper of

Lakandula High School, Tondo -Manila taken last July 5, 2009

with Ms. Alexandra Balingit editor- in-chief and staff .

Note* This recipe is common in some countries like Thailand , Southern China and Hawaii were Dendrobium orchid plantations are very common sight .

In the Philippines, few exclusive organic and exotic restaurant may offer this dish.

(oct26,2009)

HERITAGE TREES 2009

old trees behind the main building

Far Eastern University is one unique institution that had molded hundreds of thousands of its alumni, employees and even passerby to the campus vicinity. This institution had preserved its unique architectural heritage which earned 1st runner-up mention during the 2005 UNESCO – for the largest and best preserved Art Deco architecture ensemble in the entire country. Various national artists like Vicente Manansala, Pablo Ocampo Sr., Carlos “Botong ” Francisco, Antonio Dumlao , Robert Ko and international artists like Italian sculptor Francesco Monti made its lasting contributions to the university.

But, silent testimonies to the university history are its living natural heritage found inside its main campus located inside Nicanor Reyes Sr. street (formerly Morayta). Several trees like acacia (Samanea saman) and narra (Pitherocarpus indicus ) were carefully planted and nurtured by its founding president Dr. Nicanor Reyes Sr .in the early 1930’s. During convocation in the university before the outbreak of war, the late President Manuel L. Quezon visited the university in 1940 and paid unsolicited tribute to Dr. Reyes “ as an educational builder”. The trees were already several years old back then and the student population is more than 10,000. Then during the early part of the bombing of the Philippines in 1941, Dr. Reyes was only person among the officials of the university to visit the school every morning to check the school premises and usually hands over the keys of the post office inside the school compound.

When the Japanese brought chaos to the country, The Imperial army had occupied the school compound and the school was crisscrossed with foxholes and the whole place was enclosed with barbed wire. The university became a veritable prison and was made a headquarter of the Kempetai (Japanese military police) the trees were the silent hostages, the army used some of the branches as firewood or bonfires which lighted the campus grounds since there was lacked of electricity.

On February 5, 1945 at around 7:00 pm heavy bombing and air raid were rampant in the Sampaloc area. Battle was ranged in the vicinity as the Japanese in heavily fortified campus sternly opposed the American advance. When the American occupied the university the school was re-opened during the second semester in 1945 .the Americans also set up quonset huts at the quadrangle which was later converted into classrooms. The trees were also there to witness the university rise in the ashes of the war.

After the war, some trees still stood within the campus, while some of the trees were toppled down by typhoons that had hit Manila during the 1960’s and 1970’s. These trees were also there when then president Cory had visited the campus in 1987 .

present day- FEU chapel with narra trees

Somehow trees do tell stories of happy individuals, students who stayed under their canopy, famous personalities and common people who happily stayed under these old majestic trees inside the campus that is not only known for its architectural heritage but also living natural heritage that one will surely become a link to a distant past.

The university also had a guided tours around the campus which attracts art , environment , architecture and heritage advocates for more information:

Address: Nicanor Reyes Sr. Street ( formerly Morayta) Sampaloc, Manila

Telephone : 735-56 21 loc. 283 Alumni Affairs ( Mr. Martin Lopez)

Monday to Friday -Office Hours

(September 15, 2009)

MR. FLORENTINO CAYCO MEMORABILIA 2009

Mr. Florentino Cayco Sr. memorabilia housed inside the library

The late Florentino Cayco, Sr., first Filipino Undersecretary of Public Instruction and illustrious educator, conceptualized the birth and administered the growth of Arellano University.

This prestigious institution of learning opened in 1938 as the Arellano Law College, named after Cayetano Arellano, first Filipino chief justice. It closed in December 1941 until March 1945 under the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. At the end of the war, this educational institution reopened in April, 1945 and was renamed as Arellano Colleges offering a two-year preparatory law course and the regular four-year law course, as well as a complete secondary education curriculum.

In June 1945, Arellano Colleges offered a four-year course in education (Bachelor of Science in Education), a two-year teacher training course (Elementary Teacher’s Certificate) and an elementary school training department. Likewise offered were courses in commerce, foreign service, and arts and sciences.

A year later, in June 1946, Florentino Cayco, Sr., became the first President of Arellano Colleges. Through his efforts, Arellano Colleges was elevated to, and recognized as, Arellano University on February 22, 1947 by the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports.

It was also in 1947 that the graduate school was organized and authorized to offer a course leading to the degree of Master of Arts in education as a requisite for the grant of university status.

In 1954, Arellano University opened a school of nursing which offered a basic nursing course. In April 1960, the School of Nursing expanded its curricular offerings by adding courses in post-basic nursing with majors in public health and clinical teaching. The School of Nursing was later renamed College of Nursing. At about the same time, a preparatory medical course was added to the general curriculum of the College of Arts and Sciences.

In 1978, the graduate school was renamed Florentino Cayco Memorial School of Graduate Studies, in honor of the founder and first president of Arellano University. Added to the graduate courses were the degrees of Master of Business Administration, Master of Science and Economics and Master of Arts in Nursing. In the same year, the management of the College of Law was turned over to Arellano Law Foundation under a Memorandum of Agreement.

Its incessant expansion in all areas and locations has evolved into a network of campuses, the better to serve Metro Manila by going closer to the people.

At present, the Arellano University System boasts of seven campuses, as follows:

Arellano University Main, Legarda Campus Juan Sumulong Campus in Legarda , Manila Jose Abad Santos Campus in Pasay City (AU School of Law) Apolinario Mabini Campus in Pasay City Andres Bonifacio Campus in Pasig City Plaridel Campus in Mandaluyong City Elisa Esguerra Campus in Malabon City.

Arellano University- Legarda main library

A street in Sampaloc was named after this famous educator. The Legarda campus also boast some of his memorabilia like photographs, awards, plaque, certificate, collections of rare books , medals and other stuffs. The current collection is housed within the university main library .

(September 17, 2009)

PACEM ECO-PARK 2009

PACEM is a short acronym for Peace And Care For Earth Ministry . The PACEM Eco-Park was established in 1994 inside Assumption College in Antipolo City as a place for retreat and a rescue center of both animals and plants.

Assumption College – Antipolo entrance arch

There was an aviary and eagles were on the ground not in a cage! There was even a big bird,the Cassowary, monkeys,deers , bantam chicken , silky chicken, native chickens, Kabir chicken, parrots, parakeets, snake , pigeon, bear cats a walk through butterfly garden.There’s also an herb garden, a big fountain and fish pond with kois in it.

It has a trail that you have to go to in order for you to check the whole place and the animals can be pet like the snakes , rabbits and exotic birds. It was a breath of fresh air in the city after a nights work in an enclosed work place confined to a cubicle, talking to people half way accross the globe….

collection of preserved beetles

There is also a fine collection of mounted butterflies from different parts of the globe , shell collection, insect collection like mounted walking sticks, beetle, moths , flies , dragon flies etc… According to the guide this was mostly donated by private individuals, DENR Region IV rescued animals, who donated their collections to the center. The center served as a rescue center for all the live plants and animals.

collection of butterflies from Asia

There is also an audio visual center where a short film regarding nature was shown to the group.

stick insect

The staffs and the crew were very friendly and had given the members of the Philippine Orchid Society tour group a special discount when the group visited the place last September 19, 2009

a gaggle of geese

In return the organization through POS president Mr. Carlos Valeriano C. Lazaro donated a healthy Aerides quinquivulnera to the manager of the center.

The center had a small Orchidarium area where various orchids like Dendrobium anosum, Dendrobium aphyllum , Hoyas , native ferns , Cattleya hybrids, Dendrobium hybrids , Vanda Hybrids are gown and nurtured by the staffs. The center accepts donated plants and orchids.

Various components of PACEM Eco-Park, such as the Eco-Center, the Wildlife Sanctuary, the Butterfly Garden, are open for visits as follows :

From Monday to Friday, from 8.00am to 3.30pm

On Saturdays from 8.30am to 12.00noon.

For inquiries pls write or call:

********PACEM*********

Center for Peace and Ecology

Assumption Antipolo

Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City

Tel.(+63-2)696-3274 or 697-2354

(original publish date on WP @september 23,2009)