Bulalo of MerBen Canteen in Tagaytay

After our climb in Mt. Talamitam, we decided to have a late lunch in Tagaytay, despite the quite heavy traffic from Alfonso to Mendez crossing. Having tried more than 10 bulalo specialties in the area, I still like to explore other options, so we stopped at MerBen Canteen after a friend recommended it.

MerBen Canteen is beside Bulalo Point, and has more individual dining huts for privacy. Parking is not a problem, with a blue guard assisting their customers on their open space at the right side. Its signage has a large "Tapsilog" written on it, but I haven't seen other customers ordering it. Perhaps their tapsilog is more popular in early mornings, while bulalo is their bestseller on lunch onwards.

A Fun Climb to Mt. Talamitam in Batangas

The other Sunday morning, I took my 2 sons and a nephew with me for a fun day hike to Mt. Talamitam in Nasugbu, Batangas. Its about 10 km. farther than Evercrest Golf Club, the jump off point to its neighboring Mt. Batulao. Pinoy Mountaineer has the following description of Mt. Talamitam:

MT. TALAMITAM
Nasugbu, Batangas
Jump-off point: Sitio Bayabasan, Brgy. Aga, Nasugbu (KM. 83)
LLA: 14.1158° N; 120.7577° N; 630 MASL
Days required/ Hours to summit: 1 day / 1.5-2.2 hours
Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-3 with steep assault (100m)

The jump off point in Sitio Bayabasan is at the road on the right side after the Km. 83 sign post, immediately after a grade school. We parked outside the compound of Mr. Nick Wicangco, who is working on restoration of japanese soldiers' statues of Fort Santiago. 

Where to Shop for Cheaper Prices in Manila

Frugal or expense-conscious people are always on the lookout for "bagsakan" or cheaper sources of products. Buying from the source is usually cheaper, like if you buy from farmers or fishermen in case of fresh produce. For consumer goods, factory outlets are popular among buyers, like the Citygate mall in Hong Kong.

In Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, there are places known and becoming popular bargain havens. From my professional and personal buying experiences, I compiled below a list of such places per product category. Prices become a lot cheaper when buying in bulk, and when you've canvassed first before haggling for lowest or last price.