Feature Story

February 08, 2016

Filipino-Chinese Relations: Chinese New Year 2016

Filipinos and Chinese have known each other even before the arrival of the Spaniards. We have traded with them for hundreds of years, and have had them in our country ever since. While most of our countrymen bear a Spanish surname, it’s hard to find a Filipino without a tiny bit of Chinese blood. It should not come as a surprise that Filipinos join the Chinese in celebrating Chinese New Year. GONG XI FA CAI! Set on February 8, Chinese New Year celebrations are done as close as possible to how the Chinese community does it. Dragon and lion dances, wearing red, a bowl of 12 round fruits, […]

February 04, 2016

Philippine Elections: The Culture, the Drama, the Battle

Philippine elections has a unique colorful character As the presidential poll nears, you may have already noticed the election scene in the Philippines on full display. And yes, it is not without its share of peculiarities and action consisting of serious controversies, meme-worthy issues, and escalating drama. A republic, the country’s citizens exercise their power to vote With posters of candidates flashing their most pleasant smile plastered around, political TV ads ranging from commercial-type vignettes to soap opera style dominating the prime time, non-stop word bouts among presidentiables and their running mates served daily on the news, and candidates with quite controversial backgrounds – from the son of a former […]

January 07, 2016

It’s National Tempura Day!

TEMPURA FOREVER AND EVER. Celebrate National Tempura Day on your favorite Japanese restaurants – who knows, you might get a big discount! Photo grabbed from nationaldays.net Today, we celebrate the day of our most loved Japanese food—Tempura! Although today is a remarkable day for all of us tempura lovers, sadly it’s not a recognized holiday. But hey, who says we can’t celebrate this very special occasion? Why not go to restaurants which serve the best tasting tempuras? But before you daydream about that, here are some interesting facts you should know about the mighty and all-time favorite deep fried delicacy. 1. History of Tempura The origin of Tempura traces back […]

December 31, 2015

2015 Philippine Newsmakers

Another year has passed and it wouldn’t be complete without summarizing all the biggest events that happened in the Philippines. Here is a list of some of the news that made it to the front page, created waves in social media, and impacted the world. 1. Papal Visit PAPAL VISIT. Pope waves at the crowd in Tacloban. Photo by rappler.com From January 15-19, Pope Francis went to the Philippines for an Apostolic and state visit. His Holiness also paid a visit to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban and Leyte, and celebrated mass in Manila. The 5-day event became the largest papal event to date, with the Pope’s concluding […]

December 30, 2015

From Zero to Hero: Dr. Jose Rizal, National Hero

The construction of the Torre de Manila in Ermita, dubbed in social media as “Terror de Manila”, continues to be a controversy. Apart from alleged building and zoning violations, to both local and foreign tourists, the building is a “photobomber”, ruining the view of the landmarks in the area. The most damage seen is its effect to the monument of the national hero of the country, Dr. Jose Rizal in Rizal Park, found a few kilometers away. Regarded as one of the Renaissance men and the most influential Malay of his time, Dr. Jose Protasio Mercado Rizal y Alonzo Realonda was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. The seventh […]

December 13, 2015

AlDub: The TV Phenomenon That’s Been Sweeping the Nation

You see and hear them around through numerous billboards, TV commercials, radio commentaries, forum topics, and social media. This “AlDub” thing that is all the rage these days conquering all kinds of media may have made you feel curious and we can’t blame you. No one wants to feel left behind especially when something has become too big to ignore and almost everyone around you is talking about it. So what exactly is AlDub, and what makes it such a huge hit in the Philippines? Topping social media trends since July 2015, AlDub is now considered one of the most popular loveteams in the history of Philippine entertainment. AlDub is […]

August 28, 2015

5 Top Family Activities in the Philippines During the Rainy Season

Bitten by the travel bug during typhoon season? Fret not. With these five rainy day destinations, you and your family won’t have to settle another day for the indoors. – – 1. Dip into the hot spring pools in Laguna. Dubbed as the “resort capital” of the Philippines, Laguna houses a flurry of natural hot spring resorts fit for the cold, rainy season. Resorts in the town of Calamba – a two-hour drive south of Manila – are popular for their soothing hot spring pools, which come straight from the natural springs of Mt. Makiling. – 2. Surf in Baler. A scenic six-hour drive from Manila through winding roads and […]

June 30, 2015

LiSA: Another Great Day for an Interview (EXCLUSIVE)

– The day was warm, but her smile was even warmer. Philippine Primer was able to catch up with the pretty, bubbly and kawaii-all-over JPop idol LiSA at the F1 Hotel, Taguig last Friday, June 26, 2015. With her coming in all the way from Japan on that day itself, she must have been tired. However, one cannot see a trace of this exhaustion as she waves enthusiastically to everyone, greets everyone with her own version of the traditional bow – and even gives out unexpected hugs. LiSA truly made sure that everyone felt how happy she was to be here. “[The Philippines] is really tropical. [I imagine it having] […]

June 12, 2015

6 Things to Do on June 12 at P120 or Less

Philippine Primer offers 6 (almost) cost-free activities for #FreedomFriday! . (Photo from Manila Bulletin) . The Philippines is celebrating its Independence Day! It’s Friday the 12th and most of the work force is up for a long weekend! Bad news, though: payday for most is also on Monday. Yes, three days after the three-day celebration! While the lucky ones had it all planned out and are probably going on a short vacation on these three days (like, say, Tagaytay, Laguna or even as far as Palawan), some of us are stuck in good ol’ Metro Manila. Hold your horses, though. Before deciding to spend the day at home, watching reruns […]

June 09, 2015

Exclusive Interview: Meet Two Artists of ArtBGC TheNextAct ONE Festival

Meet two of the talented international artists who contributed to the art scene of Bonifacio Global City: Nate Frizzell and AKA Corleone. – – Since the kick-off of the festival last May 23, The ArtBGC TheNextAct ONE Festival has been nothing but awe-inspiring. Watching the artists themselves paint the blank concrete walls of BGC to life is such a sight to behold, and one would just be wowed with the talent and passion they see from the artists while doing their work. Philippine Primer was able to meet two of these artists and learn more about their respective works around BGC and their pursuit of creativity. – Nate Frizzell – […]

May 31, 2015

5th Annual SNUPS Awards 2015: Witnessing the Splendour of our Oceans

Philippine Primer gets an exclusive chance to witness the beauty of our deep blue sea! . SNUPS Awards Night Marine photography enthusiasts and contestants gathered on the evening of May 27 at the Glorietta 5 Atrium, in Makati to attend the 5th Annual Splash-NUDI Underwater Photo Shootout (SNUPS) Awards 2015 to celebrate this. It was a spectacular night as people felt and behold the underwater-like ambience of the event. Through a splendid gallery of photographs taken under the deep blue sea, the magnificence of the aquatic life was seen. . SAMPLE SHOTS. Photographers display their works. . SNUPS is an annual underwater photo and video competition that took place in […]

May 05, 2015

Exclusive Interview: The Chefs of Madrid Fusión Manila

Learn more about two culinary masters who graced the event: Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz and Chef Paco Roncero. Yes, it has been ten days week since the biggest gastronomical event of the year, but we are definitely not over it! Philippine Primer enjoyed attending the first day of the International Gastronomical Congress and tasting different cheeses and more at the food tunnel, but we still have a lot more to share! Behind a great dish is a masterful chef. Madrid Fusión Manila was teeming with them: great dishes perfect for this culinary feast and even greater, multi-awarded chefs. Philippine Primer was able to speak with two of them about the […]

February 13, 2015

It’s Almost Valentine’s Day

Here’s a Fun Fact: Did you know that Valentine’s Day in Japan is celebrated differently? It is the women who show their love by giving chocolates to special people in their lives. Men, on the other hand, will get their turn but not until March for “White Day.” What makes it more complicated is that there are different chocolates to be given out according to the person you are giving to. Tomo choco can be given to a friend. Giri choco is ordinarily given to co-workers, classmates, a male friend or superior. Hon mei choco is the chocolate given to a very special man in a girl’s life. Usually, this […]

December 22, 2014

Gift Idea Series: All Ye Gents

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… …or not, if you are behind your Christmas shopping. Yikes! Double yikes if you find it doubly difficult to think of the perfect gift for the men in your life. With all the sweet, cutesy and sparkly little trinkets out of the list, what else is there to give aside from that usual Nirvana t-shirt? Fight the urge to around like a headless chicken. Primer Magazine advices you to ACT COOL and check out our list of seven possible presents for the gentlemen: An NBA 2K15 Source: http://espn.go.com/ Holiday appeal: …or any video game related to the following: sports, cars, monsters, heroes, […]

December 17, 2014

Gift Idea Series: Scents and Suds

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… And so the famous song goes. A few days to go and it’s Christmas! While this festive season begs the aroma of flavorful food wafting around, you don’t want to end up smelling like the Christmas feast, right? Surely, your loved ones wouldn’t want to do so either. This is especially true since our sense of smell is so powerful that it creates and evoke memories that can stay with us forever! So, why not wrap a fragrant bottle up? For the second edition of Primer Magazine’s gift idea series, we present something sweet again…only this time, something sweet-smelling from two local/artisan/quirky businesses and […]

December 05, 2014

Gift Idea Series: Sweets for the Sweet

It’s the last month of the year, and everyone knows what that means: Christmas is just around the corner! Merry Christmas, everyone! Here in the Philippines, the holiday season comes with one very important tradition: gift giving. The significance of this custom in the Filipino culture can be seen in hustle and bustle of malls and bazaars as Christmas eve draws nearer and nearer and nearer… …just like, well, right now. Feeling jolly yet? Perhaps not so, especially if you are haunted by this one question: have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Fret not, though, as Primer brings you a list of wonderful gift ideas twice a week for […]

September 26, 2014

Recipe Corner: Beer Battered Chicken Strips

PRIMER’S FEATURED RECIPE How to cook Beer Battered Chicken Strips w/ Vegetables, Chili Soy Glaze over Japanese Rice, a recipe by Brasserie Girolle’s Chef Amando Ian Padilla. For more info about Brasserie Girolle, please click here.