Good Refuge in the North: BRIA Homes in Pampanga

It's been a wild two years for all of us and I'm sure, you've seen countless people opt to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and live elsewhere. Even TV programs suddenly went to Pampanga and set up a studio there just to get a glimpse of the countryside life and have a lee way in a safe place,

Aside from the sights, the community, Pampanga is certainly a culinary destination. It's a place that home buyers would love to live in. BRIA Homes has always built their projects in prime locations like this mega city in the north San Fernando and a first class municipality like Magalang in Pampanga. People flock in San Fernando during the holidays for the yearly Ligligan Parul or Giant Lantern Festival. The communities in Magalang are also perfect to raise a family. BRIA Homes San Fernando and Magalang are kept secured, built with quality in mind and also affordable. It's why a lot of OFW's, people who are starting a family chose to live here. It's near historic places, malls, local markets and restaurants so you don't go hungry when you're here. It's also near Mabalacat and Concepcion townships, plus, it's easy to move in. BRIA model houses like the Elena and Airene are really good row houses. The 2 storey Angeli Duplex, Bettina, Angelique and Angeli can cater those who would prefer a different setup, there's really a lot you could choose from. If you want to take a look at it from the comforts of your home, you can get detailed 360 Virtual Tours via bria.com.ph. You may inquire also via BriaHomesOfficial on Facebook or their site onlinereservation.bria.com.ph which is safe and lovely. They've got green spaces, sprawling landscapes, and a safe community where you can let your kids grow, educated and all.

As BRIA Homes President Red Rosales puts it, "We are excited to offer our homes in BRIA San Fernando and Magalang. It's value for money, also gives you what good things that Pampanga has to offer."

Now isn't it a good thing to get a BRIA? 

The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in Pampanga

Woke up very bright and early for this popular Big Bad Wolf Book Sale which is currently happening in San Fernando Pampanga's Lausgroup Event Centre, a pretty rough drive from Manila where I live. I guess it was the call of books that got us all through the distance, and weird traffic (which later we learned a bus fell off the highway) but we safely arrived in this air-conditioned warehouse of sorts.

It's not my first time, but they've done it in different locations for years now. The book prices are just ridiculous to ignore so people really flock these places, including bookstore owners so they could earn a buck over the sale... People really hoard, I couldn't blame then at all.

The place is filled with books to the brim, even the outside shelves had customers scavenging for more. Big Bad Wolf in Pampanga had bout 400-500 square meters of floor space, an L shaped place for all the books and about a quarter for the payment counters. 

There were about 4 tables full of fiction and non fiction books, 3 of Childrens books and tons more in between. It was a little scattered where the nice titles were so you have to scan a lot if you wanna get a good one. It's called Treasure island for a reason and I got a few that cost around 90 bucks. Not bad eh?

There were no Marvel books, but several DC ones with Batman, Superman, Wonderwoman posters in it. (I dropped it before I went to the counter). Doh!

It's not a place for references, but when we got there for the VIP event, there were a few childrens books good for IT inclined kids. Coding!

Romance, adventure novels abound from great authors. They even have best sellers on paperback and hard bound versions.

There are tons of childrens books and activity laden ones too, people were bringing along kids and students to purchase their own. Believe me, there were even babies in tow. 

This box set of JK ROWLING's Harry Potter for pottterheads cost Php 3,900 for a complete set. It's a steal considering how much this cost elsewhere. Not even joking.

There were several leadership themed books, this Starbucks one is just in front. You can't miss it!

Found a Snoopy book in the Children's section. Tons more where that came from.

This was also selling a lot, Paulo Coelho is still breaking brains in the rack. You should get this as it costs less than the Harry Potter line and he's also on Twitter if you had questions.

Then after a few books on my cart, I had to check out. This day was pretty busy so there was a line forming at the payment counters, the difference though was how fast it was going because they were pro active in asking customers to go to the counters and also the payment options during this event.

I paid via Paymaya as it was their official payment system partner this year. I have been using the QR Code payment scheme for a while so I know how this works. I just waited for them to tell me the total and put the price on my app. Clicked PAY and voila! It's done! I didn't get an ecobag because it was priced 20 bucks each. I opted to out it in my backpack and called it a day.

Almost after my transactions I got the surprise of my day, I GOT CASH BACK from Paymaya, the whole 100% was returned to me, so I literally just went there and got the books for FREE! It's random so even if my friends didn't get it when they paid, I was super happy I got my CASH BACK :) 

You too could get the chance to have cash back if you purchase books during the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale with Paymaya, so make sure you download it before you go there. They have loading stations in the front so it would be easy. Who knows you might just get as lucky as I did! 

Go get them books!

Pampanga: San Fernando City Calesa Tour

We've been wondering how to go about around town and cities of Pampanga but I really didn't expect this to be part of it. Calesa, the national vehicle of the Philippines was just at the venue that afternoon and it was the perfect way to show us what San Fernando had to offer. We started at the town's HEROES HALL where most of the events of the city are held.

This hall houses some local government offices, conference rooms and a full sized auditorium that can probably fit around 500 peeps in one event. 

They also got some pretty impressive artwork on display which you should definitely check out.

Then our ride arrived. It was time to go around town on these contraptions. It was surprisingly comfortable. Even Az slept a bit because he found it relaxing.

We met the City Tourism Director and her staff. They briefed us a little about what we were going to see during the calesa tour. I was hoping the kutsero/coach drivers would be able to tell us while on site but maybe they'll train them later on. Then off we go!

Though it felt like a little like you were in a fishbowl and everyone was looking at you, you'll feel OK after a few minutes. The path has a bit of traffic in between so it is a bit adventurous. Old structures, previous government buildings and historical landmarks were a plenty. Didn't get to shoot some of them so you can check it out when you plan to visit San Fernando. 

I thought this was an abandoned building but the kutsero said it is still operational but harvest won't start til the wnd of November hence it's not busy. This is their sugar mill. Sugar cane from Pampanga and nearby provinces are all processed here.

You'll also pass by the provincial capitol where the Governor presides. This also includes the other government offices under her jurisdiction.

This was the old train station of San Fernando.

This place is part of our dark past where the Japanese lead American and Filipino Soldiers on a literal Death March. The sick and almost dead were put in a train coach by the hundreds. Almost everyone died of suffocation or perished with their own wounds during world war II. You'll also see Rizal's statue because he went down and recruited a couple writers here for a leftist publication. This place had walls that can speak, you should visit this place.

The tour ended at this church where previous Parol festivities were held. I think this was also named Immaculate Conception if I'm not mistaken. Most government seats were in this same area before they were transfered elsewhere.

Don't forget to drop by NATHANIEL's which houses the best and softest Puto Pao, some of the tastiest Siomai, native Mochi and the best Buco Pandan drink in all of Pampanga! Thanks to the Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators of Pampanga (ATAP) for hooking us up on this tour! We really enjoyed the first day with you guys! :)

More of Pampanga soon!

Kumagcow.com