The 5th Street Cafe

They buy the organically grown coffee beans from small farmers of Davao and Mindanao. They roast the beans, grind and brew into a sweet smelling hot coffee.
This you could find at 5th Street Cafe along Ecoland, Matina, Davao City.
Actually it started as a non-government organization whose aim is into organizing farmers to go into chemical-free farming.
The organization, Siad Initiatives in Mindanao Convergence for Asset Reform and Regional Development, has not limited itself into organic farming as it has started operating its coffee shop, 5th Street Café, located along the 5th Street of Ecoland Subdivision, just a stone’s throw away from SM City Davao.
It is an alternative meeting place and a neighborhood store for organic products and a cafe at the same time.
It started with a P300,000 investments but the management believes that the organization will be able to recoup its seed fund in the next two years.
The café concept came about after finding out that people, mostly those involved in non-government organization work, could hardly find a place to meet and discuss issues. At the 5th street cafe “they are who they are” that even students have started trooping to the café especially on Saturdays to work on their assignments as it is also a wireless fidelity spot, or an area where someone can connect to the Internet without the use of a telephone line.
Browsing on the menu list, one can find what the organization has been advocating. The chicken is native, the rice is organic, and the coffee, of course, the coffee, is from farmers all over Mindanao.
Part of the coffee is from Basilan, the besiege province that has been hounded by the armed conflict between the military and the dreaded Abu Sayyaf Group. The Basilan coffee is even comparable with the much-touted Barako coffee of Batangas.
Other sources of coffee are the farmers of upland Maragusan in Compostela Valley and those in Sultan Kudarat.
Also in its menu are food that one cannot usually find in a regular diner or café like the best seller native chicken adobo, and other food recipes mostly cooked only at homes. And if one goes daring, you can try their dalag or mudfish in spicy coconut milk as indicated in the menu.
But one good thing for those who dread food with a lot of cholesterol, the place is not for pork eater as operators want to help you stay healthy. So no port and beef nor use MSG (monosodium glutamate, an artificial spice), a warning also indicated in the menu.
The price is just right and those who are into tight budget, a hearty meal would only cost at about $1 and 20 cents or less than a dollar (US) for “bibingka with tsokolate” (rice cake and hot choco drink)
Coffee drinkers, on the other hand, will have two shots of hot espresso for USD $1 or USD $1.10 for a large mug of cappuccino which usually sells about USD $2.50 in the regular coffee shops in the city.
But for those who don’t want coffee, but want to quench their thirst, they can try “sambong tea, a uniquely healthy drink made from powdered, sambong leaves.”
Or for the young people, there are fruit shakes to choose from, all sold at 90 cents a glass.
But the café management warns for those who love to drink using straw. “We do not use plastic straw and coffee stirrer as our humble contribution to protecting Mother Earth. We hope you understand,” the menu adds.
The café also doubles as a store for organic products, from premium denorado rice to the muscovado sugar from Agusan del sur and Sultan Kudarat.
For someone who wants to sip a steaming coffee and tastes mouth-watering organic meal, then 5th Café is the place. (Thanks CQF).

Davao Adventure at ITB Berlin

Davao and Mindanao will be featured in an international travel show in Germany. The Philippines through the government's tourism department will spearhead the participation of tourism players in the international travel show in Berlin, Germany.

No leas than Philippine tourism secretary Ace Joseph Durano announced the participation of the Philppines during the 2nd International Travel Show held in Davao City February 22 to 24, 2008 at SM City Event Center.

Durano said the travel show is the biggest International Travel in Berlin, Germany where the Philippine booth will highlight the destinations of Davao and other parts of Mindanao.

ITB Berlin is the world's leading travel and trade show that will be held in Berlin, Germany on March 5 to 9, 2008.

There will be 10,856 exhibitors from 180 countries and regions and covers the entire spectrum of international travel and tourism. Over 100,000 trade professionals attend ITB Berlin annually together with thousands of the international press, making it the largest travel and tourism event in the world. Its leading position as a truly international meeting place for buyers, sellers, and the media makes ITB as must-attend event for business, information gathering and networking.

The ITB Berlin 2008 Convention Market Trends and Innovation offers an international program of professional presentations and networking opportunities.

Adventure Davao will take center stage in the Philippine booth and will feature among others the Mt Apo mountain climbing, the various sites of scuba diving at the Davao Gulf, Philippine Eagle Center, water rafting, trekking, kayaking and other related events.

So when you happen to be in Berlin do check this out and when you are planning to travel in Asia come and visit Davao because the paradise is here.

Adventure Davao

Several must see places in Davao are ups for you to grab for an adventure. One is the Water Tubing in Sibulan River in Davao del Sur then a trip to the pygmy forest in San Isidro, Davao Oriental. There is also the Coral Garden Diving in the Island Garden City of Samal and the Caving in Kapalong, Davao del Norte. The Maragusan Falls in Compostela Valley Province is equally exciting as well as the Davao Wildwater Adventures and Davao’s Orchid Garden.

And the most challenging is the Mt. Apo highest peak at 10,311 feet. You can experience the best adventures as you backpack your way across the islands and highlands of Davao and get to the peak of nature.

From trekking, caving, mountain bike safari, rapelling down waterfalls, river tubing to diving, mountain climbing and island hopping, this is the ultimate eco-tourism expedition in one fun-filled package.

Daily accessible by land, sea, and air, Davao City, the country’s largest city is just an hour and a half flight away from Manila by plane.

Adventure Davao, a fun-filled package ready for the takers.

Retiremet havens in Davao get accreditation

Retirement havens in the Davao region are given accreditation by the Philippine Retirement Authority and are being promoted by private and government groups that foreign retirees may want to acquire.

The areas are the Villa de Mercedes in Catigan, Toril and the Pacific Heights of the Island Garden City of Samal. A new one came in as retirement getaway in the Island Garden City of Samal - the Kembali Coast see related article high-end residences at www.prixbanzon.wordpress.com.

Both areas are considered as high-end locations where Villa de Mercedes main feature is its high elevation while the Pacific Heights attraction is its beaches.

The Philippine Retirement Authority, Inc. which is private sector led will complement the government's PRA.

Several private sectors bond themselves together to form the PRAI composed of those coming from the housing industry, health care facilities, hotels, spa and other related facilities.

In Manila moneyed private individuals had contributed the seed fund to support the PRAI and had started talks on the target market and some marketing strategy.

The existing facilities that the country has like housing, hospitals, golf courses, etc. has to be promoted.

Although there are already existing foreign insurance here, in the works are geared on the portability of other foreign insurance like that of the US.

Hospitals that have met international standards namely St. Luke, Asian Hospital, and Medical City. The medical facilities in the Davao Region are also being looked into. (Photo by fotogail/flickr)

Davao roses for Valentines Day

Even this early flower shops are already preparing for next week's big heart day. Valentines Day is here again and it already became a practice among Dabawenyos to celebrate the occasion with their loved ones. For the past ten years here leading the celebrations are families going out together for dinner in restaurants, at the food street, cafes and almost all establishments with restos are beaming with people to celebrate the occasion. But this outing is not complete without the husbands, the fathers or the boyfriends sending roses to their beloved and chocolates as add ons.

This is a universal celebration and people around the globe do celebrate this occasion as a reminder perhaps that we people came to this world because of love.

Going back to the Davao roses, it is expected that prices will go up with the huge demand.

Roses now for 12 pieces of good variety can be bought at $3 in the market while inside the malls for a bouquet arrangement would cost about $4 and 50 cents. The price becomes triple on February 14 to close to $25 for a good arrangement.

Also on Valentines Day exchanging of cards is a long running practice too among families and when you drop by the bookstores this time you are left with very limited choices.

I've noticed that immediately after New Year what were displayed on the racks are Valentines Card and that early people already started buying their cards.

And if you are not quick enough to pick one you will be left using your hand to draw the best heart that you could ever capture. Better for you if you are good at art. But that is a well liked present because it is personalize and a labor of love. So whatever that would be come February 14 I wish everyone Happy Valentines Day !