By Ariel BalofiñosPhotos by Joseph Garcia

Much has been said about beauty and our quest to find true beauty.

I have seen countless arti-cles and features that range from the mundane and worldly kind (such as skin care regimens and beauty enhancement procedures) to the profound and some-times esoteric (like inner beauty and inner peace). Beauty is something that has al-ways been associated with women. And there are many forms of beauty that the world sees in women, de-pending on culture. Physical beauty is perhaps the most readily recog-nizable form of beauty in many so-cieties and is therefore much more talked about. In the Philippines, the very fact that we are consid-ered as one of most prolific beauty contest capitals of the world is one of the many solid evidences of our passion for the constant search for ‘beauty’.

EDGEDAVAOARAW NG DABAW SUPPLEMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 10 • MARCH 16-17, 2012

The beautiful Dabawenya

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matet

twinkledotty

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I have been to several places in my many travels and have heard people, men and women alike, discuss what they consider beauti-ful among different ethnic groups in the country. I have been told, for example, “oh, the Maranao women are re-ally pretty have flawless skin”, “Ilonggas are distinctly chin-ita and have fair skin”, and the “and a lot of women from Zamboanga are an epitome of what many consider as the classic Mestiza”. I have heard people point out that many wide eyed, tall, fair skinned women from Pampanga or the morena Bicolana who have dominated national beauty pageants. In many cases, the refer-ence can be specific to an area. For example, you men-tion a specific municipality or city, people would tend to say, “ang daming magaganda at guwapo dyan!” Of course, the opposing end would be, “hay naku, konti lang ang magaganda and guwapo sa lugar na un!” (of course I would not dare say what re-gions they are referring to ha ha ha) But don’t get me wrong… I don’t think that these are exact and precise descrip-tions that should be taken as general truths. In fact, I do understand that these opinions on physical beauty can spawn discussions and debates that are far and wide or perhaps an elabo-

rate discourse that would look at the cross-section of the social values towards physical beauty. What I am pointing out though is that there seems to be threads of descriptions of what is con-sidered beautiful that are perhaps, at the end of the day, reflections of personal preferences and prevailing standards of beauty. The ad-age “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, thus remains applicable up to this time. And so I wonder, in the current society that we live in where values and stan-dards for beauty are influ-enced by many factors and continually evolve at an im-mensely rapid pace, what in the current description of the “beautiful Davaoena” would distinctly define her? What perspectives towards physical beauty can be con-sidered as solely hers? For any person who describes the Davaoena, what draws the line between the ‘blah’ and the ‘va-va-voom”? I have been told that there are many beautiful women from Davao but I have not heard of a specific defin-ing physical description. So when an acquaintance from Manila said, “uy, di ba maraming magaganda sa Davao?!”, I had very little idea as to what he meant or as to what specific measur-ing stick he was using. Beauty pageants or model searches are a grow-

ing industry in general and has definitely invaded the Davaoena’s psyche. There is a flurry of contests being or-ganized here and there and a demand for this is not only created but is also nurtured. On another level, beauty enthusiasts also watch with much gusto how this beau-tiful Davaoena fare against other women from other regions and even other na-tions via prestigious national and international beauty pageants or perhaps talent searches. All of these, ap-parently, are different forms

of validating our concept of physical beauty. But what this tells us is that our search for the beautiful Davaoena remains alive and vibrant. Our concept of physical beauty is changing. While standards grow higher, I also hope that we do not forget to make our quest deeper and much more diversified. Just a few years ago, a renowned beauty pageant yielded a winner who was what I would personally describe as ‘beautifully different’ from her predecessors, I think we have made a major stride,

as a city and as a people, to become more embracing of a wider standard and defi-nition of physical beauty… and I think we should con-tinue to be like this in the years to come. So what is a beautiful Davaoena (at least physi-cally)? Morena? Fair? Tall? Short? Straight hair? curly hair? I really don’t know… but I think I would leave it at that because the fact of the matter is, it will always be an ever-evolving search and the answer can vary across time and I guess this makes our

pursuit all the more exciting and relevant… I also believe that Davao’s being a melting pot for the past 75 years re-flects our idea of the beauti-ful Davaoena as a mix of dif-ferent races and cultures… What I do think, for cer-tain, is that the Davaoena will always be beautiful by any standard or yardstick. A new Mutya ng Dabaw will emerge in the coming days and I hope that she carries the tradition of exemplify-ing whatever and however we define as a beautiful Davaoena.

Our concept of physical beauty is changing. While standards grow higher, I also hope that we do not forget to make our quest deeper and much more diversified.

daVao City mayor Sara duterte-Carpio poses with the mutya ng dabaw finalists.

Water bill over-the-counter payment at BDO available starting Feb. 14

“With these new payment methods, the DCWD management foresees a lot of improvements in terms of its services to customers considering they are given more options for their convenience. These new payment methods will also greatly help decongest long queues in DCWD offices and designated collecting centers especially during due dates,” Regala do said.

Over-the-counter payment in BDO banks can be availed by DCWD customers, with or without any existing BDO accounts. All they need to do is fill out the BDO payment slip by writing Davao City Water District, DCWD or Davao Water District in the institution / company name, the date, subscriber’s

account number and name, and the amount.

Customers can also pay with or without water bill, however, those who do not have water bills are advised to furnish the account number with the corresponding amount to be paid on the BDO payment slip. Payment of bills with notice of disconnection is also allowed but penalties and surcharges shall apply. The second copy of the validated bills payment slip serves as proof of payment in lieu of the DCWD receipt.

Payments can be made partially, in full or in advance and can be made before, on or after the due date. Aside from over-the-counter payment, other modes of payment allowed include cash

in Peso, debit from account, and On-Us, local, regional and cashiers / managers checks.

Servicing for BDO account holders are up to the bank’s closing time while non-account holders are only up to 5:00 PM. Payments made o-weekends and holidays are subject to verification and will be considered transactions on the next banking day.

For more information, customers are encouraged to visit DCWD offices or call 221-9400 local 219 and 205 or contact DCWD call center at 221-9400 or 0927-7988966. DCWD frontline service attendants and call center agents are ready to assist on queries or concerns. [Jovana T. Duhaylungsod]

DAVAO City Water District acting general manager Edwin V. Regalado is pleased to announce that aside from designated

DCWD payment centers, all 726 Banco de Oro branches nationwide will be accepting over-the

counter water bill payments starting February 14, 2012. Payment via BDO’s internet banking and ATM electronic channels is projected to be made available sometime in March.

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1PAellA: This traditional Spanish rice dish is given Davaoeno flair at Tiny Kitchen with their Paella Negra. Served in a traditional paellera (the pan used to

make paella which allows even cooking for the rice and other ingredients), this heaping helping of perfectly-cooked rice blackened with Squid Ink topped with Spanish Sausages, Vegetables, Fish, Squid, Shrimp, and Shells fresh from Davao seas makes for a complete meal that excites the palate and leaves you craving for more. Tiny Kitchen is located at F. Torres St corner Mabini St.

2SioPAo:   Davao serves some of the best Siopao in the country. As an on-the-go snack or as pasalubong,

these meat-filled buns give comfort to a hungry tummy. Kuilans and Tevanj offer some of the best Siopao in Davao that is small in size, big in flavour, and oh-so-addictive. For a baked (instead of steamed) take on Siopao, try Bontee Toasted Siopao. Kuilans is located at #36 Lacson

St Barrio Obrero Davao city, #55 r. castillo St Agdao Davao city, #24 Acacia St Juna Subdivision Matina Davao city, and KM 18 48-A Barangay Tibungco Davao city. You may also call them at (082) 2214105. Tevanj is located at Door #3 Tan Building R. castillo St Agdao Davao city. There are sever-al branches of Bontee, some of the most accessible ones may be found along Legaspi St and along SIR.

3PizzA: When craving for a slice of this sa-voury pie, the must-go pizzeria for the local pizza lover is (and will probably always be) Pi-cobbello Ristorante Italiano. Located at the top-

most floor of Gaisano South citimall along Illustre St, this warm resto provides great ambience. The wafting smell of freshly-baked pizzas draws any passerby in. Picobello serves the classic Pepperoni Pizza, Marinara, Quattro Formaggio, Quattro Stagioni, and the folded pizzas—calzone. Make sure to drop by Picobello be-tween 2 to 5 in the afternoon where they offer a free pizza for every purchased pie.

5AlinG FoPinG’S HAlo-HAlo: When craving for a cool treat to beat the heat, Filipi-nos instinctively think of the halo-halo. This mixture of crushed ice, milk, preserved fruits

and beans, leche flan (custard), ube (purple yam) jam, tapioca balls, gelatine, and a scoop, or two, of ice cream is served best at Aling Foping’s inside Matina Town Square (MTS) along MacArthur hi-way in Matina. What makes their halo-halo so special? They use pu-rified water for the ice and shave it twice to create su-perfine ice shavings. When mixed with milk and other ingredients, it congeals to a consistency not unlike ice cream. 

8Maja Blanca: Alright. So Maja Blanca isn’t ex-actly the most exciting dessert (or snack?) in the Philippines. But cellar de Oboza, a Neo-Filipino resto at Rizal St corner Ponciano St

has made it one of their bestsellers by fusing it with a popular Western dessert: the cheesecake. Their Maja Blanca cheesecake provides a sensory overload as the creamy smoothness of the cheesecake is contrast-ed by the grainy texture of the corn. The sweet and salty taste of the whole dessert melds in your mouth. This makes for unforgettable treat that is truly worth the trip. As a bonus, you could also try many of cel-lar’s different Neo-Filipino food offerings.

4DiMSuM Diner: If you are craving for fast and fresh chinese food, you might want to check out the Davaoeno take on delicious dim sum. This local fastfood chain is open

24 hours and serves filling chinese-inspired dishes with Filipino flair. With an expansive menu of Rice Toppings, Breakfast Sets, congee creations, Noodle Offerings, other chinese-style meat dishes and Dim Sum, and their addictive Bulad (Salted Fish) Fried Rice; this chain is a definite must-try. Dimsum Din-er is located at Bajada, Market Basket Damosa, 3rd Floor Gaisano Mall, Shoppesville  Arcade Guerrero St, Quirino St, Fairlanes Bowling center F.Torres St, and along McArthur hi-way.

6DinAkDAkAn: If you are look-ing for some exotic fare, Goat’s Eye (located at Matina Town Square along MacArthur hiway

in Matina) must be your destination. They serve the popular Dinakdakan—an Ilocano dish of pig ears and cheeks, on-ions, pig’s brain, and some citrus—with a Davaoeno twist. This dish goes well with some beer or as a main dish with rice. Its citrusy kick offset by the creaminess of the sauce and crunch of the pork makes this dish explode in the palate. 

7oSvAlDo’S CAkeS: This quaint shop is located inside the Legaspi Suites compound along Pelayo (formerly Legaspi) St in downtown

Davao. Osvaldo’s offers many different cakes, pies, and pastries but their Lemon Pomelo Pie truly stands out. Although Davao city is popular for growing the best Pomelos in the country, the fruit is rarely seen in pastries such as this. With a smooth consistency and a tangy kick, this is definitely the most exciting way to enjoy the Pomelo in Davao.

Your Davao food guide

By zhaun ortega

ArAw ng Davao is one of the best times to visit Davao City. with all the activities lined up by the local government as well as the private sector; the city’s Charter

Day is bound to fill a tourist’s itinerary. when one wants to recharge or simply experience the best of Davao cuisine, it is easy to get lost in the flurry of Davao food stops. For that purpose we have come up with a food guide for the visiting foodie.

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10e.Y.’S TunA DAvAo: Located at #49 Lacson St Barrio Obrero, this simple joint boasts of

the freshest and most budget-friendly seafood fare in Davao city. Only two years old, E.Y.’s has already made a name for one of the best seafood restos in the city. Try their Deep-Fried crab-lets, Bihod (Tuna Roe), Sizzling Bagay-bay (Tuna Testicles), or grilled Panga (Tuna Jowls). You could also buy Tuna Belly by the gram and have it cooked two ways: grilled, and as a soup.

9BurGerS: It may seem odd for tourists, but Davao city is slowly becom-ing a hub for local burger

brands that are big in size and big-ger in flavour. One of the favorites is Al’s & Robz Diner located along Ponciano St near the city hall that serves American-style burgers that come in huge servings. They also serve really good strawberry milkshakes and a burger that ca feed twelve. For a more Europe-

an take on the classic burger, De Boerderij may be your best bet. Located along MacArthur hi-way in Matina, De Boerderij serves up unique burger creations and ups the fun ante with quirky dishes, hilarious menu humour, and a kitschy barnyard interior. Outkaz is the best choice for affordable burgers that come in huge serv-ings. Located along uyanguren St, this simple canteen is starting to make a name for itself as the new

player in the local burger scene. Gino’s Burger is the latest toast-of-the-burger-town in Davao city. They offer crazy variations to the traditional burger which include Taco Burgers, Giant Burgers, Ba-conmush Burgers, Inferno Burg-ers, and Stuffed Burgers, all char-broiled to get juicy patties that are perfectly-seasoned. Visit Gno’s Burger at Sobrecarey St Barrio Obrero.

Your Davao food guide

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