All posts tagged: Marikina

Metro Manila Flood August 9, 2026

‘Bad Weather’ Is a Luxury Word

Published by

Somewhere in Metro Manila this morning, someone is posting a photo of coffee by the window, captioned with some version of ang ganda ng weather, sana all pahinga. Not far from that window, a family in Rizal is arranging a wake for someone the floodwater took over the weekend. Somewhere else — Benguet, maybe, or a low-lying barangay along the Marikina — people are standing on a roof right now, watching the water climb, waiting for a rescue boat that hasn’t come yet. I’m not writing this as either of those people. I’m the guy in between — the one who got mildly, expensively, embarrassingly inconvenienced last night trying to get home, and who’s uncomfortable enough about that to actually sit with why. The Weather Is Not the Same Weather for Everyone Here’s the thing about a red rainfall warning: it describes rainfall, not risk. On paper, everyone under it gets the same millimeters. In practice, “bad weather” means a cancelled outdoor lunch for one person and a flooded sari-sari store for another, sometimes on …

Lola Helen Panciteria in Marikina

Lola Helen’s Panciteria: Marikina’s Humble Heart in the Michelin Guide Philippines

Published by

There are restaurants that dazzle with spectacle — and then there are restaurants that warm you with familiarity. Lola Helen’s Panciteria in Marikina belongs to the second kind: the quiet, comforting kind. The kind that feels like stepping into a memory you didn’t even know you missed. For 25 years, this unassuming eatery has served classic Filipino-Chinese stir-fried noodles to loyal locals who know exactly what they’re coming for: honest food, generous portions, and flavors that feel like home. In 2025, that warmth and sincerity earned Lola Helen’s a place in the Michelin Guide Philippines, proving once again that culinary excellence can be found far from the glitz of fine dining. Sometimes, it lives in the steady hands of a cook tossing noodles in a battered wok, and in the simple joy of a steaming plate placed before you. ⸻ A Pancit Story Rooted in Tradition Pancit is more than a dish in the Philippines — it’s a cultural motif. We eat it during birthdays, family milestones, town fiestas, and even on the most ordinary …