September usher in Christmas vibes in Angeles City 

Text and Photos by ERLIN M. DUE 

Christmas has officially arrived in the Philippines, which starts promptly as soon as the month of September steps in.

If you are an Angeleño, Plaza Angel is the place you want to be to enjoy early Christmas vibes.

Plaza Angel is a historic public square located in the Heritage District of Angeles City in the Province of Pampanga in the Philippines located right in front of The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary or Pisamban Maragul and beside the Museo ning Angeles.

Bibingka and puto bumbong brewing at Plaza Angel in Angeles City.

The rains spawned by the southwest monsoon did not stop people from coming over to Plaza Angel and lining up to enjoy the famous suklating batirul of Café Museo and Grace’s bibingka and puto bumbong.

Batirul is a Filipino hot chocolate drink made of tablea de cacao, milk and peanuts. A traditional Kapampangan heritage drink, it is rich, warm and timeless; a taste of our roots served with pride, according to Café Museo that has been serving the drink since 2014.

I could smell it from afar along with the aroma of the cooked bibingka and puto bumbong, reminding me of happy Christmas memories from my childhood.

Bibingka is a traditional Filipino rice cake that is famous during the Christmas season. It is made of glutinous rice, water or coconut milk, sugar and butter. I don’t know but Kapampangans have a different flavor to make it special.

It is baked in traditional clay pots with banana leaves that create an aroma that is smoky. It reminds me of my late father. This is my favorite pasalubong (treat).

Puto bumbong is purple kakanin and steamed in bamboo tubes. I like hearing the sounds it makes when it is cooked and served with a swath of margarine. When I was young, I loved seeing the smoke coming out of the tubes that look like smoke from a train’s steam engine.

Both the bibingka and puto bumbong are best partnered with a hot cup of batirul, a clear indication that Christmas is definitely near.

People don’t mind if the line is long. I saw a lot of couples, families, and friends living and working in the United States of America or elsewhere come. It was a wonderful mini-reunion.

The recent, nearly month-long heavy rainfall and flooding caused by the southwest monsoon made the people excited to go out to recharge and meet with friends in Plaza Angel.

We all deserve this sometimes.

There is also a busker playing for tips from which you can request your favorite songs and join in as he is open for jammers. Christmas is, after all, about giving.

Food carts, stalls selling souvenirs, toys and lighted balloons, also elevate the vibes at the plaza.

Suklating Batirol costs Php130.00 per cup at Café Museo. The café management encourages batirul patrons to bring their own thermal mugs or cups as part of their environment-friendly advocacy and Zero Waste Policy.

Meanwhile, Bibingka De Leche is Php120.00, Special Bibingka Php90.00 and Puto Bumbong De Leche Php100.00. The Special Puto Bumbong is Php80.00 and regular is Php70.00.

Being seasonal traditional foods, these bring families together and become a celebration of Filipino culture. That is why the Philippines is famous and distinguished for having the longest Christmas celebration in the whole world.

It’s nice to go home to Angeles City at Christmas.