The only municipality in Metro Manila with the smallest land area as well as in resident population and the only first rated urban municipality. Even though that is the case, its popularity has become a mighty word to all walks of life in the Philippines and in the world for its famous industry of duck raising and the world renowned egg “Balut“. Balut …the exotic Philippine food that is hyped to be a potent aphrodisiac is from the Municipality of Pateros. Balut is a duck egg incubated for 17 to nineteen days. The egg is boiled and eaten with salt. Apart from being an aphrodisiac, balut is touted to be an excellent source of energy. Duck raising, balut and salted egg making are considered to be the prime source of livelihood of the people in Pateros. Duck raising was a thriving business in Pateros as the place is rich in kuhol, tulya, and susu which are the food sources of itik (Mallard ducks). This famous industry that has been handed down from generation to generation is considered to be a tourist attraction of the Municipality of Pateros. Pateros used to be an agricultural community. Presently however, fishing, manufacturing, quarrying, construction are the sources of income of the people. Additionally, it can be discerned that the Pateros economy is service based given that quite a big percentage of the population are employed. Pateros is also considered as the biggest manufacturer of alfombra slippers in the country.

In 1700, Pateros used to be a barrio of Pasig. Back then Pateros was known as barrio Aguho due to the numerous Aguho or shade trees the profusely grow along the banks of Pateros River. Embarcadero which means port was also a name given to Pateros during those times as this barrio with a small land area served as the hub of trade and commerce for Pasig and the neighboring municipalities. Moreover, Embarcadero served as a port of call for foreign traders like the Chinese, Malays, Indians and Swedish. Because of the brisk trade, Pateros is considered to be the most progressive barrio of Pasig. The Chinese traders eventually became settlers and they were the ones who introduced the balut industry and the manufacture of alfombra slippers to the people. It was during this period that the name of Barrio Agoho or Embarcadero was changed to Pateros as the name came from the word “pato” which means duck and “sapatero” which means shoemaker.

Balut making is considered to be the biggest tourist attraction of Pateros. This is the reason why this municipality is called the Balut Capital of the Philippines. Here are some facts to get things straightened out for this native delicacy.

• Only duck eggs can be made into Balut. More specifically, it is the egg laid by the local duck variety called the “pato”, sometimes more commonly referred to as “itik”. They should not be confused with the common white-colored duck, which we call “bibe”. The eggs laid by itiks can be distinguished by its hard shell. In the olden days, these ducks were raised in the Pateros River, where abundant shellfish were conducive for ducks to produce these hard-shelled eggs. But now the river is dead and the ducks are gone, thus Pateros imports the eggs it uses to produce balut from Laguna. Some towns have tried to imitate balut by using chicken eggs. Believe me, you will not like what you will see when you crack open those bogus baluts. So make sure the shell is hard enough before buying that balut.

• Fresh duck eggs are called “sariwa”, which literally means fresh. This can be boiled like ordinary chicken eggs and eaten with salt, or made into delicious omelets. The “sariwa” is also the base for another famous Pateros product – the red egg. The fresh duck eggs are immersed into a salty concoction for some time, then boiled and colored red to distinguish it from its more famous cousin. The best “maalat” or “itlog na pula”, as the red eggs are called by locals, are those that have yolks oozing with natural oil. Definitely yummy, especially with fresh tomatoes and rice, or as filling for hot pan-de-sal.

• Those that are selected to become balut are put into large drums made from bamboo strips filled with dried rice husks and kept in warehouses called “kamalig”. This is the native and completely organic version of an incubator used to keep the eggs warm. The counting of the days need to be precise, or else you may end up with embryos that are either too small or too large. Monitoring is done through “pagsisilaw” or putting the eggs against a small hole carved out of a wooden box with a high-wattage bulb inside working pretty much like an x-ray machine. The ideal incubation days would be between 16 to 17 days for a perfect “balut sa puti”.

• When an egg fails to fertilize during this period, it becomes another incarnation of the balut, the “penoy”. Remember, your friendly balut vendor always shout “balut! penoy! balut!” as immortalized in that catchy folk song. The Penoy is a Balut that failed to fertilize, and is boiled like an ordinary egg and can become either a “higupin”, meaning it is creamy and can be sucked from the shell – literally, or like an ordinary hard boiled egg but with the yolk and the white already mixed together – imagine scrambled egg but still inside the shell. There is also the “heko-heko”, which is a bit blackish and had a slight pungent smell. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

• As in any pregnancy – which is what balut is all about anyway, things can go wrong along the way. The fertilized egg can “die” before it reaches the ideal maturity date – a miscarriage if you may call it. The embryo stops developing and start to rot inside the shell. Ordinarily, these rotten eggs will be thrown away, or put into better use by being thrown towards the direction of rotten politicians. But in Pateros, there is a special name for this – the “abnoy”. It is a delicacy that requires an acquired taste. It is not for everyone, especially if you do not relish eating a rotten egg. But like the durian, its connoisseurs swear that it might smell rotten like hell, but it sure does taste like heaven. Just be careful in case you want to be adventurous with what you put in your mouth.

The Manggahan Shrine that separates Pasig City from the town of Pateros is the place where Marcos Lozada and Macario Almeda, two of the heroes that defend the town were killed. Every 29th of August, a program that commemorates the heroes is held in the Manggahan Shrine. The Dulong Bayan Monument, the same as the Manggahan Shrine, is a historical site that depicts the Filipinos bravery and resistance to Spanish colonizers. Guillermo Manalo and Eusebio Hermosa are only two of the brave Filipinos who defend the town. Another point of interest is the San Roque church that was built in 1815. Although the church interior is furnished with chandeliers and new pews, the exterior and the main church is a legacy of the past to the people of Pateros.

Polo, a small but peaceful town was once a part of Meycauayan, Bulacan. In 1623, Polo was made into an independent town through the joint efforts of Don Juan Monsod and Father Juan Taranco. The San Diego de Alcala Chapel which was completed in 1632 became the gathering place of the town people and has stood witness to the battles fought between the brave Filipinos and the colonizers during the Spanish, American and Japanese times. On July 21, 1960, through Executive Order No. 401, President Diosdado Macapagal has conferred the creation of Municipality of Valenzuela in honor of Dr. Pio Valenzueala, an important personality in the history of the Philippines. Dr. Pio Valenzuela was one of the leaders of the Katipunan who instigated the revolution of the Filipino people against Spain. In September 11, 1963, another order was signed by the president uniting the municipalities of Polo and Valenzuela under one government.

Although the late seventies and early eighties was considered to be a period of turmoil for the country, this era was considered to be the golden age of Valenzuela as during this time, the economy has enjoyed tremendous growth. On February 14, 1998, the municipality of Valenzuela was turned into a city. Valenzuela City is the 12th city of Metro Manila and from then on until the present time, Valenzuela’s economy rapidly flourished. Valenzuela City’s textile mills, lumberyards, ceramic factories, auto assembly plants are only some of the industries that have provided the residents with livelihood. The city is also noted for its export quality bamboo furniture.
Did you know that Valenzuela City has the largest barangay hall in the Philippines ? The 3 storey building that is touted to have a 3,000 square meters floor area was inaugurated on May 15, 2008 by President Arroyo and Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian. In spite of the fact that this city is less than an hour drive from the busy metropolis, a visitor can find interesting places with rustic ambience in Valenzuela. The centuries old house where the patriot Dr. Pio Valenzuela was born on July 11, 1869 is still standing in Velilla Street, Barangay Pariancillo Villa. Another point of interest is the belfry and the entrance arch of the San Diego de Alcala Church. Residents of Polo were forced by the Spanish friars to build the church which was finally completed in 1632. The main church was bombed during the Japanese occupation and to this day only the four centuries old belfry and entrance arch exist.
People of Valenzuela City have their share of festivals too. The Mano Po San Roque Festival is celebrated every May 12th with street dancing and a procession of the image of San Roque along the main streets of the city. The feast of San Diego de Alcala is celebrated every 12th of November. Street dancing, procession, boat racing and other merry making activities characterize this occasion. The Putong Polo Festival is in consonance with the feast day of San Diego de Alcala. This food festival has the Putong Polo as its main feature. This native kakanin was originally created by people in Polo, Valenzuela.

Navotas is one of the cities in the CAMANAVA sub region of Metro Manila, other cities being Caloocan, Malabon and Valenzuela. Navotas City is practically an island as it is a stretch of narrow land on the eastern shore of Manila Bay and bounded by Bulacan on the north, by the coast of Manila Bay on the west, by the City of Manila on the south and on the east by the Malabon Channel. The rivers Binuangan, Dampalit and the Daong Kawayan also flow on its eastern side. Two thirds of the 10.77 square kilometer area is under sea level making this city prone to floods during high tides and during the rainy season. The local government has made several measures to address this concern and presently, Mayor Tobias Reynald Tiangco has made an innovative solution by launching the “Kilos Kontra Baha” project that has stopped the floods in this city.

Navotas City is dubbed as the Fishing Trading Capital of the Philippines because of its location and its prime fish trading, considered to be one of the largest fish trading centers in Asia. Fish traders from the surrounding regions flock to the fishing port of Navotas City, The Navotas Fish Port. The proximity to the Manila and Laguna Bay and the Daang Kawayan, Dampalit and the Binuangan rivers that flows on its eastern shore have contributed to the fishing industry of this city. Seventy percent of the population draws their livelihood from fishing and other fishing related industries like fish net making and mending and trading while also famous for its fish sauce (patis) and fish paste (bagoong). Navotas fishing port and the fish market complex managed by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) distributes fish in the major markets in Metro Manila.

Just like any other place in the Philippines, Navotas too has a legend on how the name came about. According to folklore, the narrow stretch of land extends continuously from north to south linking the area to Tondo. Overtime, a gap was created as the land was slowly swallowed by the sea. Water flow on the opening that was made and the gap developed into the Navotas River. People then call the place “nabutas” which means pierced through. Through the years, nabutas was changed to Navotas. Another legend states that the name came from San Jose de Navotas, the patron saint of the town.
Unlike other highly urbanized cities, Navotas City does not have large and modern shopping malls. However, this city does have a most unique open air public market. The Agora Market is divided into the dry and wet section. The wet section houses the meat, fish and poultry stalls and the dry section have stalls for furniture, garments, groceries and similar products.
The Kubo sa Karagatan is a must-see tourist attraction. These nipa huts that are used by fishermen as guardhouses for their baklad (fish trap) are constructed six kilometers from the shoreline. Another tourist attraction is the Linggo ng Mangingisda that is the city’s celebration for being the fishing capital of the country. Various activities connected with the fishing industry are done every 2nd week of March.

Las Pinas City…the bamboo organ is what made this city famous. Construction and installation of the bamboo organ was initiated by Fr. Diego Cera in 1832. Hundreds of bamboo pipes were buried for a year in salt water to be preserved and treated. The organ has mesmerized countless people for years but in 1882, the Saint Joseph Church along with the bamboo organ was destroyed by a strong earthquake. Through the years, natural calamities took their toll and the organ was not restored for so many years only partial restorations were attempted but it was only in 1973 that complete restoration was made in Germany. On March 1975, a completely restored bamboo organ was installed in the newly refurbished Saint Joseph Church to delight not only the people of the Philippines but also foreign visitors who have wanted to hear the unique sound of this organ that is considered to be one of the country’s treasures. A very unique point of interest is the nature church. The Mary Immaculate church is a 4,000 square meter area that consist of a mango orchard, school buildings, counseling centers and a well maintained picturesque gardens and park. As the name suggests, the church is an open pavilion. The roof that is in the form of a big salakot (native hat) is supported by hardwood posts. The altar is made of drift wood and instead of pews visitors and worshippers would be delighted by tree stumps. On the altar, you would see the wooden sculpture of the Madonna and Child and the wooden image of Jesus Christ set amid lush greenery.

The Sarao Jeepney factory that was noted for making the Pope Mobile way back in 1981 and 1985 is located in Las Pinas City. Production of the jeepneys have grown and with more colorful styles and are also available for private uses that were once public utility vehicles. Las Pinas City is known also for its salt beds where salt is produced the old fashioned way. Salt making was once a flourishing business in Las Pinas but the locals way of living were converted into manufacturing sites and commercial establishments. Through the efforts of government officials spearheaded by Congresswoman Villar and Senator Manny Villar, the salt making industry was revived and is now providing the people with a steady source of livelihood. Manny Villar also introduced the affordable housing in the area where he started Camella Homes and grown full blast in the real estate business, hence followed by other investors. The construction of the South Super Highway paved the way for this city’s growth and development. Its proximity to Metro Manila is a major advantage as developers and investors were attracted and the once quiet coastal town was turned into a booming area with the area development enhanced in the 1980’s when the coastal road that links Metro Manila to Cavite was constructed. Las Pinas is now tagged as the gateway to the CALABARZON areas.

The most famous festival in Las Pinas is the week long bamboo organ festival. Series of cultural events would highlight the one of a kind bamboo organ. Another attraction is the street dancing and merry making that characterize the water lily festival. The water lily festival is said to be the residents’ way of thanking Mother Nature for providing them with the water lilies that would augment their income. The local government of Las Pinas has solved the problem of water lilies that clogged the waterways. The over abundance of these water plants have provided residents with livelihood. Stalks of water lilies are made into export quality baskets.
Visit Las Pinas and see for yourself the world famous bamboo organ, the salt beds and join the merry making in the water lily festival.

Located at the northwestern shore of Laguna de Bay and the upper mouth of the majestic Pasig River, this city is bounded on the north by Pasig City and Pateros; on the west by Pasay City and Makati City; on the south by City of Muntinlupa and Laguna Lake; southwest by the City of Paranaque and to the east by Taytay Municipality.
Aside from the hilly and elevated portion on the western and southern side, this city is characterized by the wide expanse of plains that was once devoted to agriculture. During the pre-Spanish time, people in this area subsist on the yields from the nearby bodies of water and the harvest from the fertile lands. Legend has it that the name Taguig actually came from the word “taga-giik” which means rice thresher. Spanish colonizers have a hard time pronouncing the word and what came out was the word “tagi-iig”. Later on the word was shortened to tagig and after so many years the spelling was changed to Taguig.

Through the years, Taguig has experienced a lot of reorganization of territories. This area was once a part of Tondo and under the rule of Raja Soliman. In 1900, Taguig became an independent municipality under Rizal Province. Several reshuffling of territories transpired from the year 1901 to 1908. In 1975 Taguig was removed from the Rizal Province and was added to the cities that comprise the National Capital Region.
Taguig City’s flourishing trade and rapid economic growth can be attributed to the five booming industrial centers that are considered to be major economic contributors. The Napindan- Elizalde compound that is a major steel producer; the RSBS located in Western Bicutan that houses big industrial companies; the Veteran’s Center; the Manalac Estate in Bagumbayan and the Food Terminal, Inc. which is considered to be the food center of the country. The food terminal has more that 300 medium scale industries that manufactures electronics, garments, food among others. The economic growth of Taguig City was further boosted by the development of Fort Bonifacio into a premier shopping and entertainment area. Fort Bonifacio was once a bone of contention between Makati and Taguig. The once Philippine military base that was developed into a modern business and residential area lies in an indefinite location. A 2003 ruling of the Pasig regional Trial Court ceded the whole Fort Bonifacio to Taguig City.

The Bonifacio Global City now houses the Metropolis’ most upscale residential and commercial establishments. The Market! Market! that is located at the corner of 26th street and C5 road boasts a five level structure that accommodates numerous stalls offering all kinds of local and imported goods. Truly a shoppers’ haven! Dining al fresco on must-taste native dishes of broiled blue marlin belly, roasted pig, the out of the ordinary balut and a lot of rice cakes and kakanin would be an unforgettable experience. The Bonifacio Global City is foreseen to be the most excellent residential area of Taguig City due to its proximity to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and to the commercial and business districts of Makati.