Always on the go with Tiggo

Photos by Bernard L. Supetran

At this most wonderful time of the year, you can’t help but keep looking at the so-called Christmas Capital of the Philippines—San Fernando, the provincial capital city of Pampanga, which in turn is known as the country’s “culinary capital.” And since the holidays cannot be divorced from the bright lights of its giant lanterns and much talked- about cuisine, everyone is looking to driving to this northern neighbor for food, festival, faith journey, and testing fast cars.

If you do your Googling recon work on Pampanga, there is so much to discover on the road aside from the much-anticipated parol shows and dishes cooked with the local flair, and even beyond this Advent’s festivities. And an exciting way to explore is onboard the Chery Tiggo 8, a 7-seater revolutionary mid-size crossover SUV, which can take your typical road trip into a “joy ride” in the real sense of the word.

With an ergonomic H-type seat design and a panoramic sunroof with anti-pinch function, cruising along the charming countryside is sheer pleasure.

Pit Stop 1: Magalang. At the northern fringes of the province is this boomtown at the foot of the legendary Mt. Arayat, home of the local mythical goddess Mariang Sinukwan.

Its upland barangays, have a relatively cooler climate, and are dotted with notable restaurants and farm resorts for a close-to- nature interlude. An old guard in the area is Abe’s Farm of the late famed restaurateur Larry Cruz which has been luring road trippers to this cozy remote retreat for a taste of Kapampangan delights, get a massage, or lange at the native gazebos and couches.

At a nearby bend are the family-style Nauvoo Farm Resort, Orissa Garden of Wellness, which prides for holistic healing, and the Banal A Bunduc Dalan Ning Krus stations of the cross. With just a few unpaved roads and moderate elevation, driving the Chery Tiggo 8 is such a breeze with its 18-inch wheel hub, and can undoubtedly scale the mountainous and rough parts with stability and style.

Pit Stop 2: Mexico. Food trippers and culture vultures would brave driving through the gauntlet in this this rapidly-urbanizing municipality, if only to sink their teeth on the fabled cooking of Atching Lillian Borromeo at her 103-year old Spanish-style ancestral house in the población.

Regarded as the “Gatekeeper to Kapampangan Cuisine,” she operates a by-appointment-only specialty kitchen, which one could easily mistake as a museum with the antiques adorning the dining area. Aside from her mouth-watering sisig, biringhe, heirloom dishes and her trademark San Nicolas cookies, it is also a soulful journey with her amusing but insightful stories on Pampanga’s food culture, and life in general when her motherly instincts comes out.

Her place, called Kusinang Matua, has hosted prominent celebrities and political personalities, most notably her kabalen former President and Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who is putting together a culinary heritage and tourism program which will make the province a top-of-mind destination for everyone.

A likely candidate for cityhood, Mexico is outgrowing its road system, and navigating its narrow streets can be challenging with the presence of nearly all types of vehicles. Chery Tiggo 8’s superior sensor system allowed us to go around the town confidently and emerge without a scratch.

Pit Stop 3: San Fernando. The regional center of Central Luzon, this commercial hub has maintained its Old World charm and has put itself in the limelight with the spectacular Giant Lanterns Festival which showcases the artistry of local artisans who combine the iconic parol, with the technical wizardry of music and dancing lights. The Ligligan Parul (Lantern Competition) drew 12 huge entries from the barangays and will continue to dazzle the crowds and families at the Robinsons Starmills nightly until Jan. 1.

When the shows conclude at 9pm, guests can swing by the Pampanga Capitol complex or the Heroes Hall which have their own mesmerizing lights for an overload of kumukuti- kutitap (sparkling light) displays throughout the night. These night lights run until the Christmas season ends officially.

San Fernando is also host to the restored train station which figured at the Bataan Death March during World War 2 where Filipino and American soldiers were hauled to their concentration camp in Tarlac.

Seen as a northern satellite of Metro Manila, Chery Tiggo 8 will be a classy conveyance to the growing middle class who can easily zip into the growing metropolis and head off to the natural getaways in minutes. Its 892L-1930L trunk capacity is ideal for the active lifestyle, not to mention all the pasalubong items you can buy on the road.

Pit Stop 4: Guagua. Known for a sought-after halo-halo and palabok brand, this riverside town is likewise teeming with artisans and craftsmen who have put Guagua into the country’s cultural map. The St. James the Apostle Church in Betis is regarded as the counterpart to the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel because of its ornate era ceiling paintings which helped it earn the National Cultural Treasure accolade from the National Museum.

It is also noted for scores of sculpture workshops which do mostly religious statues and music stores of fine handcrafted guitars and ukuleles.

Pit Stop 5: Lubao. One of the towns which bore the brunt of Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption, traces of lahar are still evident in the rivers where the destructive flow passed 28 years ago. The hardened lahar, which altered the town’s landscape would be an exciting playground if you want to try the mettle of Chery Tiggo 8’s suspension for off-road driving.

The birthplace of the late President Diosdado Macapagal, his hometown immortalizes the memory of its revered son at a government museum dedicated in his honor. The complex contains a replica of the nipa hut where the so-called “poor boy from Lubao” was born in 1910, an outdoor relief sculpture, and a museum and library of his life and times.

To the town’s western edge near the boundary with Bataan is Prado Farms, a community training center, retreat house, haven for music and arts, events place, and dining haunt for organically-grown Kapampangan food.

If you’re ready to go, hop on the Chery Tiggo 8 and paint the Pampanga towns red this Christmas.