Read and Ride Online Store, Now Open!

Visit our own website: https://read-and-ride.com/

We also have accounts on Instagram and Facebook. You can also watch Read and Ride vlogs on Youtube.

Thanks!

KWENTONG LOCKDOWN #02 – So gusto mo nang umuwi ng probinsya?

Dito sa aming probinsya, tuwing Monday naka-lockdown talaga kami, as in walang pwedeng lumabas kahit sabihin mo na bibili ka lang ng bigas, bawal ‘yun, tsaka sarado rin naman ang mga tindahan. Sa observation ko disiplinado naman ang mga tao dito sa amin. Talagang naiipatupad ang social distancing. At mangilan-ngilan lang ‘yung mga pasaway.

Sa Maynila napakarami raw ng pasaway na nagsisilabasan pa. Siguro ang iba ayaw naman talagang lumabas at napipilitan lang. Isang dahilan ay pupwede naghahanap sila ng pagkain dahil na-late ang dating ng relief o never pa talaga nakapamahagi ng relief in the first place. ‘Di hamak nga naman na mas marami ang mahihirap sa Maynila kumpara sa probinsya.

Dito sa probinsya basta bakante ang lote sa tabi ng bahay mo, kahit hindi iyo ay pwede mong taniman. Ang iba sa amin, hindi pa nage-ECQ ginagawa na ito. Kaya kahit wala kaming pera ay sagana kami.

Kaya napakaganda nung idea ng gobyerno na balik-probinsya. Kaya lang sana noon pa ito nagawa.

Bakit?

Noon pa naman maraming gustong umuwi ng probinsya kaso nga lang hindi talaga pwede kasi walang trabahong naghihintay dito.

2 weeks na kaming COVID-free. Tapos heto, kahapon may 2 na namang mga bagong case.

Bakit? Ano ‘yun, magic?

Hindi ko din alam. Siguro talagang ganyan kapag hindi natin nakikita ang kalaban. Kahit gaano ka kaingat malulusutan ka pa rin, kahit hindi ka naman pasaway gaya daw nung mga taga-Maynila.

So ilan pa kaya ang magiging new cases dito kapag nagbalik-probinsya ang mga taga-Maynila na epicenter ng pandemya.

Hindi naman ako tutol sa paguwi ninyo. Ang sana lang noon pa kayo pinauwi noong hindi pa nagkaka-COVID.

Anudaw?

Duterte institutionalizes Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program

Bagong pag-asa? O baka naman bagong COVID cases.

Read and Ride in UPCWGS

UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS) is the University of the Philippines System’s Center that addresses concerns and issues involving women and the LGBT in the university and society.

As a part of their women’s month celebration, they organized a bazaar which will be participated by UP Community Women Entrepreneurs, PWD Group, White Cross Orphanage, FPSDC, Mission Business Center, Homenet Coop Network, LiveGreen, Trimona, Security Bank, Alaska Pollock, and many more.

Check their Facebook page here.

Read and Ride Customer From Batangas

Thank you, Teacher Kristelle for buying “Bulaklak sa City Jail” book by Ma’am Lualhati Bautista.

Read and Ride in Gantala Press

“Founded in 2015 in Metro Manila, GANTALA PRESS is an independent, non-profit, volunteer-run Filipina feminist press that centers women’s stories and issues in our projects (publications, small press fairs, discussions and workshops) and in our participation in people’s movements. We believe in the potential of feminist publishing as a social practice and in solidarity work with women artists and collectives as vital political action.

Gantala Press always donates part of our earnings to projects that support the dispossessed and other victims of state violence. All our sales go to publishing projects for long-silenced communities in the margins.”

Check out their website here.

Read and Ride in Real, Quezon Province

Read and Ride Mobile Book Store will join Lion and the Scouts anniversary beach party at the Park Surfing Camp in Real, Quezon this February 22-23, 2020!

Lion and the Scouts is a reggae band formed 10 years ago, with members, Joshwa “Bigote” Espiritu (vocalist), Bobbie Esteleydes (guitarist), Rence “Enkee” Abustan (guitarist), Nino “Emman” Ogsimer (bassist), Jeffrey Manuel (keyboardist) Eejay “E.Z” Escalona (shakers), Bhey Marley (percussionist), Bryan David (percussionist), and Marc “Cholo” Montano (drummer).

Beaches in Real, Quezon is becoming popular because of its wave which is perfect for beginner surfers. Some call it the Elyu (La Union) of the South!

BATWITAAL: Fundraising Para Sa Mga Batang Bakwit ng Taal

Bumuo ako ng isang fundraising activity para sa mga batang bakwit ng Taal. Pinag-drawing at pinagsulat ko sila tungkol sa danas nila sa pagputok ng bulkang Taal.

Gumawa ako ng marami kopya nito, ginawang zine (mini book) at pinangalanan kong: “BATWITAAL (Mga Batang Bakwit ng Taal).”

Ibinebenta ko ito sa halagang PHP 120 kada kopya. Ang malaking porsyento ng kita kada kopya ay mapupunta sa mga author na batang bakwit. I-email niyo ako sa lexin.production@gmail.com kung interesado kayong bumili. Pwede kong i-ship o dalhin sa inyo ng personal ang mini book.

Kapag bumili kayo, kailangan ko ng contact number ninyo para mabalitaan ko kayo kung saan mapupunta ang pera niyo. May control number ang bawat kopya ng mini book, at ipa-publish ko ang lahat ng pangalan ng mga bibili. Sana rin ay pwedeng magpa-picture sa inyo hawak ang zine at mai-display iyon sa blog na ito (optional naman po ito, hindi ko kayo pipilitin kung mahiyain kayo).

Sa darating na Sabado (February 1, 2020) nasa UP Town Center ang aking mobile book store cafe. Ibebenta ko doon ang “Batwitaal.”

Magtitinda rin ako ng kape, tinapay, at iba pang desserts. 🙂

Sana ay magkita-kita po tayo doon. Ang event na iyon ay inorganisa naman ng UP medicine students para sila ay maka-likom ng pera na ipapamahagi naman nila sa mga batang cancer patient ng PGH.

Oh ‘di ba… makakatulong ka na sa mga batang bakwit ng Taal, makakatulong ka pa sa mga batang cancer patient ng PGH.

Bongga!

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August 2020 update:

Dahil sa COVID19 crisis, kinailangan naming pataasin ng kaunti ang presyo mula PHP 120 to PHP 150.

Biyak (book)

Ang “Biyak” nga pala ay librong aking isinulat at dinrowingan ni Bebang Siy. Unang lumabas ito bilang zine (babasahin na inimprenta sa printer sa bahay at inistapleran) noong December 2016 at ibinenta sa BLTX sa pamamagitan ng Balangay Productions, ang publishing outfit ng asawa ni Bebang Siy na si Ronald Verzo. 7 copies lamang ang nailabas namin noon, at pahirapan din sa pag-ubos. Haha!

Noon namang 2018 ay inedit ng mag-asawa ang materyales at dinevelop iyon bilang isang libro. Sa ngayon ay matatagpuan ito sa maliliit na book store (na hindi ko alam kung saan. Haha!), pati na rin sa Shoppee. At kasalukuyan din itong binebenta sa Manila International Book Fair sa SMX MOA. Magtatagal ang nasabing book fair hanggang September 15, 2019.

Sana po ay masilip at mabulatlat ninyo ang “Biyak” sa booth ng Visprint sa 2^nd floor, Aisle D. At kung may ekstrang pera kayo ay sana’y makakuha kayo ng sarili niyong kopya upang inyong makilatis at ma-examine maigi. 🙂

Caleruega Church And Its Other Attractions

“Close to nature, close to God.”

Caleruega Church is often mistaken to be located in Tagaytay, Cavite. Its real location is in Nasugbu, Batangas, which is less than 30 minutes away from Tagaytay depending on traffic. Like Tagaytay, Nasugbu is also a mountainous town. It is the home of some upscale beach resorts and the famous island resort, Fortune Island.

Other than Caleruega Church itself which has become famous shooting spot of Pinoy films and teleseryes especially for wedding scenes, there are many attractions inside Caleruega Church’s compound that you will surely enjoy.

There is Koi Pond, Garden Café, farm and many more.

Though we didn’t have enough time to explore every corner of the church’s compound, our eyes were already satisfied with the spectacular view of the mountains.

There is an entrance fee to access the whole compound which is about 40 pesos. But that entrance fee is not bad because the compound is well maintained. They have enough comfort rooms which are clean, and you won’t see any garbage on the floor.

How to get there:

It is about 3-4 hour drive from Manila. It is best to come early because you need to pass through Tagaytay when getting there, and traffic in Tagaytay can be awful especially on weekends.

It is best to come with your own car than to commute because the compound is secluded and not accessible via public transport.

But if you don’t have a choice but to commute, you can ride a bus going to Nasugbu, Batangas from LRT Gil Puyat. You can alight at KC Hillcrest Hotel and Golf Club (formerly known as Evercrest Golf Club Resort) in Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas. From Evercrest you can ride a tricycle going to Caleruega Church in Brgy. Caylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas.

Additional reminder:

It is better to bring your own food than to buy. Food stalls outside the compound are “presyong panturista.” But luckily there is a karinderia there where you can eat your baon and you just have to rent their table for a reasonable price.

Food Trip in Baguio

La Comida De Antonio Ristorante is a homey restaurant in Baguio, with a serene ambiance that offers Spanish and Filipino cuisine at a very low price of 100-500 pesos per dish which can already serve 2-3 persons.

Among their specialties and best-sellers are:

Squash Soup – Yellowish, creamy, and light tasted squash with broccoli soup. It is perfect for Baguio’s weather to keep you warm (and healthy, because of its veggie ingredients).

Chef’s Salad –pan grilled chicken breast with tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper tossed in leaf vegetable and sweet strawberry vinaigrette.

Riva’s Ribs – their original family tender pork ribs recipe in sweet barbecue sauce. This one is said to the bones because it is very tender. You won’t even need a knife to cut it. The meat easily falls off from the bone by just using your spoon and fork. Definitely, there’s no leftover!

Antonio’s Chicken – the pride of La Comida. It is their signature fried chicken slowly cooked in secret herbs to achieve tenderness and juiciness. There’s no need for unli gravy to soak this fried chicken into tastiness. It is already very tasty from the inside. You won’t even need to ask for a small bowl of gravy or any kind of sauce.

Rosa Maria – their much loved boneless crispy pata sinigang with a different twist, and also perfect for Baguio’s weather. Its soup is thick and tasty, with just the right amount of sourness. Its main ingredient is Rosemary herbs. They also add other secret herbs to achieve that perfect sourness and saltiness of a sinigang. Its meat is also very tender, and can also be cut even into shreds by just using your spoon and fork.

They also serve beer and wine.

This simple, cozy, and peaceful restaurant is located at #9 Worcester Road, Fil-Am Compound, Baguio City. It is a much more elevated area than the core city. So if you take a peek at their veranda, you’ll see the breath-taking view of downtown Baguio. You will see the cute boats of Burnham Park.

It is definitely worth the climb!

They also accept catering and reservations for private events and parties. They operate daily from 10 AM to 10 PM.

Contact them at: 0922-8716578

This May 2016, they will also open another restaurant which will be located at the Upper Session Road near Victory Liner Bus Terminal. It will be called Leaven Food Café. They will offer good food, coffee, and music there.