This Week in Batangas (September 12 to 18, 2016)

Sto. Tomas, the first Batangas town to be reached from Manila, is being positioned as the province’s Religious and Agri-Eco Tourism Gateway, Municipal Development Council (MDC) of Sto. Tomas, Batangas told ShoppersGuide.com.ph, and it is for good reason. Sto. Tomas is home to the National Shrine of Sto. Padre Pio, the monument for Philippine hero Gen. Miguel Malvar, the best bulalo in the country, and notable natural attractions like Mt. Malipunyo and Mt. Makiling via Sipit trail.

The MDC recently drafted an Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) for the next three years for Sto. Tomas to live up to the status. The ELA, which was done in consultation with the private sector and civil society, focused on agriculture and livestock; tourism and cultural heritage; and entrepreneurship, business, and industry promotion.

September 12 is a holiday but the rains “have decided not to take the day off.” But if it is any consolation, the chance of rain occurrence during the holiday is only at 40 percent and will last for only short durations. For the rest of the week, a temperature between 25°C (77°F) and 32°C (89°F) with a real feel of between 28°C (82°F) and 40°C (104°F) is forecasted. However, despite the warm weather that the forecasted temperature brings, Batangas will still have showers and thunderstorms, which can last for two to three hours for each.

The chances of rain are 40 t to 60 percent except during the midweek with only 25 percent chance. The cloudy skies notwithstanding, applying of sun block lotion is still a must as protection from sun rays passing through the clouds.

If visiting the emerging tourism hub, Sto. Tomas, one can visit the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio which is a favorite religious pilgrimage destination in the south of Metro Manila. There are two things that make pilgrims visit the Shrine. First, Padre Pio is a mystical and miraculous Capuchin priest who received the stigmata (wounds of Christ). Second, the Shrine has a welcoming ambience which makes it a suitable place for prayer and meditation amid the expanse of nature.

The Shrine also has other places of interest like the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, the St. John Marie Vianney, the Chapel of Reconciliation, the Mother of Mercy Belfry, the Chapel of the Living Water, Stations of the Cross, and Calvary Site. Religious articles and other Batangas products are available in the vicinity. The National Shrine of Sto. Padre Pio, Sto. Tomas is just 69 km away or an hour and 45 minutes drive from Manila.

September is the birth month of Batangas hero, Gen. Miguel Malvar, making it a timely season to visit the Malvar Shrine and Museum. The Museum houses artifacts and other personal belongings of Gen. Malvar who is known as the last Filipino general to surrender to the Americans. He is also subject of a Bill seeking to declare him as the second President of the Philippines being the Commander-in-Chief after the surrender of Vice President Mariano Trias and President Emilio Aguinaldo in 1901. Before and after Gen. Malvar became a war general, he was a farmer who started sugar and orange farming in Sto. Tomas.

The Malvar Museum is located between Jollibee and Rose and Grace Restaurant; and across The Lifestyle Strip and Shell Gas Station. The Shrine where the monument of Gen. Miguel Malvar is erected is locally known as Parke.

September 12 is declared a public holiday all over the Philippines to let the Muslim community properly celebrate the Eid’l Adha or the Moslem Feast of the Sacrifice. For the Catholics, especially those in Lipa City, September 12 is an appropriate day to visit the churches in Batangas in celebration of the National Pilgrimage Day in the city.

The National Pilgrimage Day is a day of prayer for peace and the sanctification of the clergy in Lipa City. Lipa City is 20 km away or a 43-minute drive from Sto. Tomas through the Calabarzon Expressway. One can opt to travel the via Sto. Tomas-Lipa Road to have a glimpse of Mt. Malipunyo.

What sets the Batangas bulalo (beef shank and marrow soup) apart from the other bulalo is that it does not have vegetables, just the bone marrow and beef shank with the usual seasonings to make the dish tasty. Sto. Tomas is one of first homes the Batangas bulalo. It was first made famous by Sinoy and Trining Restaurant and Ever’s Kitchenette but it is Rose and Grace Restaurant, whose owner is the sister of Trining, the other half of the Sinoy and Trining Retaurant, that maintains the bulalo’s current authentic recipe.

Rose and Grace Restaurant, however, does not have the monopoly of bulalo in Sto. Tomas. Mando and Elvie, Batangueña, and Fae Ann are all offering bulalo following Batangas bulalo standards. Dencio’s Grill also offers bulalo but with corn and leafy vegetables.