Talentadong
Pamilyang La Vista
is this year’s
Christmas party theme
The Official Newsletter
of La Vista Village, QC
Oct - Dec 2015
La Vista has better signals
Residents are benefiting from stronger
signals in La Vista which are the effect of the
construction of 23 Outdoor Distribution
Antenna System (ODAS) poles by Smart,
Inc. The number of poles was based on
the requests of La Vista residents who
asked to be included in the ODAS project.
The project has been implemented on a
staggered basis since July 2015.
The ODAS poles have three antennas,
with one directly facing the house of the
resident who made the request and the
two other antennas facing the street.
Many residents have expressed satisfaction
with the improved signals in the vicinity of
their homes. Some who still have problems
with their signals may be those who live in
houses with walls that block the signals
from reaching rooms located in the back.
Residents who signed up for the
ODAS include businessmen, doctors who
need to be accessible to their patients,
families with elderly or sick members who
want to easily reach their doctors, and
residents who want to be able to check on
the whereabouts of their children and
those who are frustrated by the absence of
a signal inside their homes which makes
communication so difficult. CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
Dec 4, 5 & 6
Basketball Court/
Gazebo Skating Rink
LV CHRISTMAS PARTY
Dec 12, 5 PM @ LV Clubhouse
La Vista celebrates
Halloween 2015
By Ma. Laura Z. Mirabueno
Say “candy”! Grinning Trick-or-Treaters
trooped to La Vista last Halloween.
Celebrating Halloween has become a
much awaited tradition in La Vista Village
and the nearby communities. Despite the
tight schedule, several residents decorated
their homes with Jack-o-lanterns and other
eerie decor. Best of all, they opened their
doors to children knocking for a trick or
treat. Several gave candies, biscuits, ice
cream and even arroz caldo.
This year, the LVA experimented with
the idea of giving the residents the option
of giving their goodies to the LV office to
cope with the huge number of trick-ortreaters who flock to La Vista for Halloween.
According to Marban Security personnel,
there were about 700 participants who
trooped to La Vista.
The La Vista Secretariat got into the
spirit, too, and donned fitting costumes for
the celebration. The staff ably organized
the flow of visitors with the help of Marban
Security Force and themselves distributed
candies to children, parents, and even lolos
and lolas from surrounding areas of Pansol
and Kaingin.
The Board of Governors would like to
thank the residents who generously gave
so much joy and happiness. Talentadong Pamilyang La Vista is the
theme of the 2015 Christmas party which
will be held at the LV Clubhouse on
December 12, Saturday. Registration will
start at 5:00 p.m.
Fr. Francis Cruz will celebrate mass at
5:30 p.m..
Games will kick off the party proper,
followed by a program to be participated
in by LV residents, and dinner.
Focusing on the family, the program will
feature talented residents who will render
musical numbers and play instrumental pieces
to share their talents with the community.
Prizes will be raffled off and special
prizes given away.
LV residents are being urged to don
glittery outfits for a night of celebration of
the Yuletide spirit, with abundant food,
wine and camaraderie.
The Christmas party is being organized by
a committee headed by Nini Eustaquio.
The other members of the committee are
Sally Naguiat, Sylvia Pascual, and Ruben
Cortes (prizes); Tarra Naguiat (games);
Georgie Encanto (program); and Nedy
Cruz (mass). Marasigan Castaniel is the
chair of the choir committee.
The Choir of Luke 18 will perform,
while Margauz Atayde and Tinton
Crisostomo will serve as the emcees. OCT-DEC 2015
A gentleman,
a gentle soul
Bienvenido “Ben” M. Pangilinan,
a longtime resident of La Vista who
earned a reputation for his expertise in
helping struggling Filipino broadsheets
attain high circulations, passed away of
a heart attack on October 5.
Ben, who was born on March 21,
1929, belonged to a big family with
Bienvenido “Ben”
eleven children from Macabebe,
M. Pangilinan, 86
Pampanga. Since Ben had many siblings,
two of whom went to medical school, Ben had to become selfsupporting at an early age. He would tell his children that he
would go to school in the morning and work in the factory in
the afternoon.
Ben got married in 1963 to Julieta and had seven children—
four of whom were boys and three girls: Gil (also an accountant
who joined the PDI in 1992 upon his father’s invitation), Gina,
Ben, Mac, Franco, Alma and Carina.
After a short stint as an accountant for a pharmaceutical company,
he joined the newspaper industry where he had a long, successful
career. It started in the 1960s when General Hans Menzi, the
publisher of Manila Bulletin, tapped him to join the Circulation
Department of the then struggling broadsheet. With his business
savvy and painstaking efforts to work with the independent
newspaper dealers throughout the country, he was instrumental in
making the Manila Bulletin one of the most read newspapers in
the country.
From being the head of the Circulation Department, he moved
up the corporate ladder, becoming Vice-President for Circulation
of the Manila Bulletin.
After the EDSA “People Power Revolution” in 1986, Pangilinan
and Mariano Quimson, a co-officer in the Manila Bulletin with
whom he had worked closely, were invited to join the Philippine
Daily Inquirer, a broadsheet that was started in December 1985.
The two joined the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 1987. With
their expertise in managing the business side of newspapers, Ben
and Quimson turned around the then struggling newspaper into
the newspaper with the biggest circulation. Writing about the
phenomenal rise of the PDI from an ‘alternative’ newspaper in a
dictatorship to the number one broadsheet with the biggest
circulation and influence in the mainstream media, Ben called it
“an achievement that is unprecedented in local newspaper
publishing history.” He added that “what makes it even more
remarkable was that we achieved such success without compromising the editorial integrity and independence of the newspaper.”
Ben became Vice President for Marketing in 1990 and President
of the PDI from October 1992 to April 1998. He stayed on as
Board Member until 2005.
Ben and his family migrated to Canada in 1990 but moved back
to the Philippines where he resided in #8 Montesque Street.
Relatives, neighbors and friends who learned of his demise had
consistent words of praise for Ben whom they described as “a
good man,” “a humble person,” a “good husband and father,”
“a decent man,” a “gentleman and a gentle soul.”
He was a reticent person who shunned publicity but was quietly
supportive of La Vista community projects. CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
23 November 2015
Dear La Visa Neighbors and Friends,
As we near the end of year 2015,
there is much for which we are thankful.
Our country was blessed with the visit of Pope Francis
who inspired us with his message of mercy and love for
the poor and care for the environment. We responded
courageously to potential disasters arising from the
Marikina Valley Fault, as we received training and
organized for emergency disaster response.
We improved our security procedures and systems.
We continue to beautify our Eco Park and improve our
waste management systems.
All these and many others could not have been done
without your generous cooperation and commitment to
build La Vista into the village of choice in Metro Manila.
As we enter into a new year, we give thanks to the Lord
for his many blessings and pray for good health,
prosperity and security in our community.
On behalf of the Board of Governors, let me convey our
thanks and best wishes for a truly Merry Christmas and a
Blessed New Year. Let the spirit and reason for the season
renew our hearts and bind us together as a community.
Serge T. Naguiat
LVA President
FROM GARBAGE DUMP TO GARDEN:
Except for La
Vista walkers who
get to see what’s
happening to their
environment, not
many residents may
be aware of how
the once unsightly
dumping grounds
at the far end of
Bagobo and Ifugao
Streets are now
slowly but
miraculously being
transformed into a
visually delightful
park and vegetable
garden.
Thanks to the
painstaking efforts
of the Environment
Committee headed
by Nini Eustaquio
and landscape artist
Marisa Romero who
are supervising the
makeover of the
Continued next page >
2
The La Vista Newsletter
Into the (Bagobo) Woods…
former dump, the area is now being
cleaned, better maintained and beautified.
Areas that were once full of asphalt
and cement from houses that were
constructed or gardens that are being relandscaped are being cleared and the
adobe rocks which were dumped as debris
are being used for landscaping.
Much of the work is being done by
Bitoy Camero, a member of the La Vista
Maintenance in his 50s whose landscaping
skills were discovered by Nini and Marisa.
He is assisted by three to four casual
workers who are paid by the La Vista
Board to help with the project.
There are no expenses for the project
except for the salaries of these casual
workers, as the soil and plants for the garden
are donated by residents who constructed
houses or who are having their gardens
renovated. Adobe rocks which used to be
scattered in what used to be called Bagobo
Park are collected and arranged in a slanting manner to make the passage walk look
more presentable and even artistic by
planting fast growing green palms in between
the adobe rocks. The park has been renamed
Bagobo Woods. Tree trunks which have
fallen are cut into planks and put to good
use either as benches or as steps.
Some areas especially near the former
Ecology Center have started to be cultivated
and converted into vegetable gardens
planted to local vegetables like pechay
Tagalog, okra, talbos ng kamote, alugbati, talong,
tomatoes, and siling haba and labuyo. Plans to
grow luya, tanglad, pandan, basil, and achuete
are being considered after more areas are
cleared of asphalt and cement.
La Vista residents can pick what they want
from the vegetable patches. Some over
eager residents help themselves to the
vegetables and pick them prematurely.
This environmental project is intended
to make a formerly unsightly dumping
ground for debris more useful, visually
pleasing and better maintained.
Bagobo Woods which used to be an
unsightly dumping place for debris has
now become a scenic corner of La Vista
for health conscious walkers to appreciate,
a trysting place for young lovers to exchange
sweet nothings while holding hands and
strolling or sitting down, and a haven for
La Vista barkadas and residents.
While the project is ongoing, the cleaning
and preparation for the planting of
vegetables are expected to be completed
by the first quarter of 2016.
By Georgie Encanto
FAVE RESTAURANTS
La Vista residents’
UP Town Center “likes”
By Marisa Romero and Georgie Encanto
La Vista residents have started to get addicted to the idea of trying the different restaurants in
the UP Town Center and why not? They don’t have to contend with traffic on Katipunan
and long trips to Greenhills, The Fort or—horrors—Makati which could take as long as
two looooong hours depending on what time of the day it is. With UP Town Center
within walking distance, La Vista residents can be there in 10 to 15 minutes. Some even
park their cars in Petron and just walk over to their fave restaurant for the day.
For this issue, we decided to make a random survey of La Vista residents who have
become habitués of the UP Town Center and which restos have earned their loyalty and why.
Here are their “tried and tested” choices:
Toti Casino:
Torch — for the tender steak
that is cooked on a rock.
Depending on whether you like
it rare or well-done, you can
take it off from the “rock” and
transfer it to your plate or else
put it back again to cook some
more. Torch also serves a
mountain of fresh sashimi piled
in a cone. Truly authentic.
Pepper Lunch — for the tender
steak that is set on fire just
before it’s served.
Kyo Chon — for the whole roast
chicken which can be eaten
sliced and dipped in honey sauce
Bibi Yu:
Shrimp Bucket — delicious shrimps in
cornflake crust and delicious sauce;
mussels cooked in a spicy ground beef
or pork sauce that is so yummy!
La Lola — huge crispy churros handily
placed in carboard cones that can be
stuck in “holes” perfectly fitted for the
distinctly Spanish merienda, dipped in
chocolate sauce.
Cold Stone — delicious ice cream
whatever the flavor
Lissa Romero:
La Lola — I have eaten there five times.
Wang Fu — tasty and reasonably priced
Mad Mark’s — great ice cream, not too sweet
Boogie Romero:
La Lola — perfect churros
Mad Mark’s — best ice
cream… you’ll eat lunch
there just to have an ice
cream dessert!
Pepper Lunch – satisfying
and good priced; when you
can’t decide where to eat,
go to Pepper Lunch!
Ronnie Romero:
Boon Tong Kee — not greasy, filling; love their
Hainanese chicken!
Ginza Bairin — enjoyed their pork and salmon
katsu w/ shredded cabbage siding
Pepper Lunch – reasonably priced and tasty
Continued next page >
OCT-DEC 2015
3
UP Town Center…
Georgie Encanto:
Steveston Pizza — The pizzas are
terrific, flavorful, with different
ingredients combined to create a
distinct memorable taste that will
keep the customers coming back
for more of the same. Try their
Margarite zero and their prosciutto
ham with brie, semi-dried Roma
tomatoes, and a dollop of roasted
garlic mousse. As their window display
says, their pizzas “are pure poetry”!
Ba Noi’s — light Vietnamese dishes
like steamed Polunchay, fried rolls
with chili sauce, butterflied tilapia,
fried rice with tangy tasting beef
or pork
Shrimp Bucket — delicious sea food
dishes like shrimps coated with
crushed cornflakes and deep fried
and huge mussels cooked in a spicy
pork and soy sauce
Bernice Ocampo:
Nic’s — love the mozzarella–tomato
sandwich and the desserts!
Sbarro — favorite of my apos
Fely Reyes:
Rita’s Ice Cream Shop —
great assortment of ice cream
Bon Toon Kee
Lucy Fernandez:
Banana Leaf — Tasty!
Ramen Nagi
Clean Plate — organic food
Wing Stop — favorite of my boys
Marisa Romero:
Boon Tong Kee — my favorites
are prawns in cereal bottles and
Hainanese chicken
Ramen Nagi — best ramen dishes
Café Shibuya — best French toast!
Kyo Chon —
yummy honey chicken wings;
try soy garlic chicken, too;
generous salad portions
RESTO RECAP:
American - Dulcelin, Mad Mark's, Wing
Stop, Pepper Lunch, Torch
Asian - Banana Leaf (mix); Wang Fu
(Chinese); Crisostomo, Clean Plate
(Filipino); Pepper Lunch, Cafe Shibuya,
Ginza Bairin, Ramen Nagi (Japanese);
Kyo Chon (Korean); Boon Tong Kee
(Singaporean); Ba Noi's (Vietnamese)
Dessert parlor - Cold Stone, Nic's, Rita's
Italian - Clean Plate, Mama Lou's,
Sbarro, Torch
Pizza parlor - Steveston Pizza
Seafood - Shrimp Bucket
Spanish - Clean Plate, La Lola, Torch
Ginza Bairin —
well–done hatsu dishes
Marivic Pizzarras:
Crisostomo — seafood kare-kare and crispy pata
Pepper Lunch — beef pepper
Ginza Bairin — seafood tonkatsu set
Nini Eustaquio:
Mama Lou’s — all the pasta and pizza dishes are good
Banana Leaf — reasonably priced, delicious baby back ribs
Dulcelin — Love the desserts! Mango torte is to die for!
Helen Mayo: Wang Fu
Melissa Tagarda:
Mama Lou’s — vongole,
cheese pizza, calamares
Ba Noi’s — fried rice,
seafood, noodle soup,
bagettini, fried pork
Ginza Bairin — tonkatsu
Mad Mark’s — ice cream
Miguel Tagarda,
2 years old:
Mamal Lou’s —
pasta vongole
Ba Noi’s —
yummy fried rice,
fish and kropeck
Family Mart —
“Wha ish kyeam!”
Mad Mark’s —
“Moh ice kyeam, Papa!”
La Vista NEWSLETTER
The official newsletter of
La Vista Village Quezon City
Georgina R. Encanto
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Marisa G. Romero
Ma. Laura Z. Mirabueno
CONTRIBUTORS
Contributions for the next
issue are welcome and should be
submitted by Feb 25, 2016 to
lavistavillageqc@gmail.com.
4
The La Vista Newsletter