SLICE at Bonifacio High Street Central

Just before Senator Pia Cayetano's birthday and a week before their soft opening, she invited me to try out the food they will be serving over at her newest baby, a restaurant cafe called SLICE at the Bonifacio High Street Central. I was a willing guinea pig, so I went and gave my opinion on almost all the food on her menu I tried that night.

The menu for that night is a choice of an appetizer, soup, salad, sandwich, pasta and main course. So these are what I chose to try:

Bruschetta (Half Moon) - Slice chicken and beef ball with cheese over pesto puttanesca sauce. I am not sure if it is still called Half Moon Bruschetta until now but what you see in the picture isn't its look anymore. The topping is more defined, but with the same amount of cheese love.

A SLICE of life from Pia Cayetano

SLICE: A Slice of Life in Every Bite is the newest baby, a product of the "creative and entrepreneurial mind and spirit," of Senator Pia Cayetano. The restaurant cafe, which will open around first week of March, will serve breakfast all day, and desserts at the top of the menu. It's basically a cafe which serves healthy offering at the same time something worth indulging in, to make life more fun and worth it.



Right now, it has a stall or cart cafe right outside their space which serves Paninis, Muffins, Cookies, Granola and Coffee. I saw the senator's Tweets about Slice the day before yesterday, and asked her about it. Since it triggered the foodista in me, I decided to have dinner and try it out with Ly, my friend from college, and now my colleague at the Department.



We ordered Panini for dinner. Ly got the Quatro Formaggio with Pesto (Php 150), while I got the Turkey and Cheddar (Php 120). The Quatro Formaggio and Turkey and Cheddar are definitely a must try for cheese lovers. Both of them are tasty and filling, definitely a nice treat to end the day.




We also got the Deep Dish Cookies at Php 50 each. We tried both the Chunky Peanut Butter and the Chunky Chocolate Chip. Both are equally lovely, and perfect paired with coffee. I personally like the Chunky Chocolate Chip, but it really depends if you like chocolate better than peanut butter. I can vouch that both cookies won't fail your expectations.



We also tried the Muffins (Php 60 each - see MUFFIN MENU here), courtesy of Sen. Pia (thank you!). We had the Sprinkle Me Cinnamon, which is actually her favorite, and the Choco Monkey PB. I am really picky on my muffins because those that I have tried before tend to be dry and "lifeless" or dull, but this is different. The two muffins really stand out because of their flavor, consistency and overall finish. Oh, I heard that they will be offering Red Velvet this February!

The Sprinkle Me Cinnamon is another banana overload muffin, with the "irresistible aroma and taste of cinnamon spice," which when "taken with high carb food lessens impact on blood sugar level. It's high manganese content is good for the bones. Recommended for those watching their blood sugar."



The Choco Monkey PB on the other hand is a "delightful blend of everything nice from chocolate chips, peanut butter to banana." Not only is it high in fiber, but it is also loaded with antioxidants. "Both chocolate and peanut butter are anti-oxidants, which peanut butter is also a good source of protein."

Right now, they also serve Granola (Php 70 for 80g), which has oats, grains, nuts, and dried fruits. Granola is a good source of fiber and vitamins. This sure is a good breakfast treat. I am actually eating this now as I type :)



Slice offers original and borrowed recipes which Pia herself likes and wants to share with others. With the help of a chef consultant, because of obvious reasons (busy schedule with her work as a public servant), she manages the cafe personally.

Asked to describe what's the inspiration behind SLICE, Pia says it "is the product of my imagination, dreams, travels, food cravings and a desire to share my ideas on healthy eating with occasional indulgences."

Ever since, she has been a fan of social entrepreneurship, healthy living, and teaching her already grown-up daughter and kids these values which she had grown-up with, and which made her what and who she is today.


If I'm not doing what I am doing right now, I would probably be a chef. Beyond the love of trying new food, and tasting new things, I have a desire to cook and recreate yummy and wonderfully created dishes. I try. :)) I someday dream of having my own cafe or restaurant, some place to chill, have friends over, eat good food, and celebrate life.

SLICE will be open until around 11pm on weekdays, and 12 to 1am on weekends. It is located at the new extension wing of the Bonifacio High Street (BHS), The Fort, in Taguig (right beside Jamba Juice). Grab a healthy muffin paired with their cappuccino or brewed coffee, a perfect pairing for a perfect hard earned day's end, or start, in your slice.

I am voting this May 10, 2010. You should too!

May 10, 2010, the day everyone's waiting for or dreading about - take your pick. It's Election day again for the Philippines, and the next administration and the next set of leaders would spell our future in this fast paced and flattening world caused by globalization and the changing needs of the times.

What's in it for me? What's in it for the Filipino people and the Philippines? That's the first and foremost question/s my mind is thinking right now; and this question/s resounded even through the process I did choosing the candidates who deserve my vote.

At first, I really wanted to blog about my President and Vice-President, together with my Senatorial Candidates, but I later thought, what difference will my post make, when most probably they're all decided already anyway? My close friends know whom I will vote for, and let's keep it at that.

We were supposed to run for the Presidency, but in the end, it didn't happen. It's not time, they said. Funny, this elections shouldn't be about who is running or who will eventually win. At least for me, that's not the most important consideration we should look at or dwell on. It's about moving forward and moving on together; after all we're not the Liberal Country or the Nationalista Country, neither are we the PMP, Bagumbayan, or Lakas-Kampi-CMD Country, we're the Philippines - a country with so much richness of different resources.

This election has left dents and bruises among people. It might be true that it's the dirtiest elections. At least in my lifetime as of yet, I think I have to agree with that. I have friends from different camps, and I would not like to add more to what is between and among them.

So, I would rather abstain telling you, dear readers, who to vote for as President or Vice-President. I know that you've followed the candidates, the election fever, closely. I am sure you've seen and decided in you whom you'll vote. I respect that. We may not have the same candidates, but heck, whoever wins, we must help each other move to where we want our country and our people to go.

As for the Senators. Fine, I think there's no harm in publishing whom I'll give my vote to, since there are 12 slots anyway. And so, here goes..as of 1:00am of May 10, I am voting for NERIC ACOSTA #1, RUFFY BIAZON #7, PIA CAYETANO #10, MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO #13, TG GUINGONA #19, RISA HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL #20, YASMIN LAO #26, DANNY LIM #28, TOOTS OPLE #38, SERGE OSMENA #40, GILBERT REMULLA #49 and I voting for KAAKBAY #151 for Partylist.


With Senator Pia Cayetano in our Blogwatch interview during the campaign season. I think she deserves to be #1 today. I dare say that we don't deserve Bong Revilla as our #1 Senator, please. Let's make Pia #1! :)

Susan Ople, Adel Tamano and Gilbert Remulla visit UP Diliman

I had the chance to follow Nationalista Party (NP) senatorial candidates Susan Ople (Estelle), Adel Tamano and Gilbert Remulla as they went around UP Diliman the other day. I had the privilege to ask them this question. “Why did you choose UP as one of your stops in the campaign and what can you say to all of the UP students?” You can read more about their campaign in UP on my article in Blogwatch.

Adel Tamano says that, “UP is special. The best and the brightest come here. My wife is a graduate of UP, which shows you how high and esteem I hold UP. It is important that before the students participate in the mock elections that we go to them. My message wasn’t vote for me. I came here to tell them to choose the best. Just like in UP, you don’t choose the most popular or the one who was a former UP student when you choose the students who will enter [the school, instead] they choose the best.”

“That’s the message I want the UP students to have – that they learn about all the candidates. I hope that they also learn about me, what my accomplishments are, what my track record is, so that they could choose. I am not saying that I am the best, but though I am saying is that let’s choose the best. I think we have had enough of Lito Lapid’s and Bong Revilla’s in our Senate, it’s time that we choose the best,” he stresses.


On the other hand, Gilbert Remulla, through his media officer Gelo Villar says, “Of course, it’s his Alma Matter. He has a sense of loyalty to UP, and also since he values education the most. The campaign is a way to give back the scholarship of a UP education to the taxpayers who paid for his studies. If he wins as Senator, he will be able to repay them with public service.”


His message to the UP students is to “make the most out of your stay, be active and vigilant to social issues around. It’s not all about studying, but to also to finish on time to give other worthy scholars a chance to have a UP education,” he says.

Susan Ople, through her daughter, said, "We chose UP as one of our stops because we believe the youth have the capability and desire to change Philippine politics for the better. We appeal to all voters, UP students or otherwise, to vote wisely. Look beyond celebrity and established names. New politics requires new names and faces in the Senate. So look at the new names more closely. Don't rely solely on media and ads. Google your candidates and share what you find out to fellow voters. If we do that, there is a better chance of us obtaining the change we deserve."

In the Philippines, Politics is also celebrated

The deadline for the filing of Certificates of Candidacies has already expired. Comelec says “we have final tally of 99 candidates for president, 20 for vice president, and 158 for senator.”

But a day before the end of filing, more and more politicians, and political aspirants, are trooping over at the national headquarters of the Commission on Elections in Intramuros, Manila with their family and supporters backing and cheering for them.

For most of them, bringing the whole baranggay and bands to cheer them are necessary. It's to depict a very jovial atmosphere or to just boast around of who they are and who they are with? Some, can be likened to circus clowns if you ask me.

Early Monday morning, Nacionalista Party’s standard-bearer Senator Manny Villar and Senator Loren Legarda, together with their senatorial slate Senator Pia Cayetano, Representative Bongbong Marcos, Former Labor Undersecretary Toots Ople, Col. Ariel Querubin, Adel Tamano, Gwendolyn Pimentel, and Ramon Mitra, had mass at the Manila Cathedral, followed by their filing of CoCs.


Ousted President Joseph Ejercito Estrata and his running mate Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay led Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino slate with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and Joey de Venecia III.


Brother Eddie Villanueva, of Bangon Pilipinas Movement, also filed his certificate of candidacy on the same day.


Tito Sotto of the Nationalist People’s Coalition also filed his CoC to run for Senator, vowing to continue his fight against illegal drugs. With him is his wife actress Helen Gamboa and daughter-actresses, and Senator Gringo Honasan and election lawyer Atty. Romulo Macalintal.


On the last day of filing, Gibo Teodoro-Edu Manzano of Lakas-Kampi and Richard Gordon-Bayani Fernando filed their CoCs as President and Vice Presidents respectively. Also, Senator Jamby Madrigal and Businessman Mark Jimenez filed to run for the Presidency.


Last week, Liberal Party’s standard-bearers Senator Noynoy Aquino and Senator Mar Roxas filed their CoCs with their senatorial slate. Presidential aspirant and environmentalist Nicanor Perlas also filed his candidacy.

Leader's Forum: Dialogue on Federalism with Senator Sharon Carstairs and Senator Aquilino Pimentel

The Office of Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., together with the UP Pagdumala, and the Center for Local and Regional Governance brought to the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance Dialogues on Federalism: Leaders' Forum, with guest speaker Senator Sharon Carstairs from Canada, and Senator Aquilino Pimentel himself. Also in attendance were Senator Pia Cayetano, Congressman Antonio Cuenco and Congresswoman Faysah Dumarpa, among others.

Dean Alex B. Brillantes, Jr., of the UP NCPAG, welcomed and introduced everyone to the Leaders' Forum. After his speech, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. introduced the guest speaker to the audience.

Basically the main topic presented, discussed and enlightened by Senator Carstairs were the Trends and Challenges for Federalism, how it was for the Canadians, and their experiences and dealings in their own country.

Senator Carstairs was able to briefly and concisely retold the history of Canada, and how Federalism came about in their region - its evolution, major political milestones to the current issues and trends of Federalism in Canada. She also told us about their financial, educational, health, and other sectors and how it interplays in the Canadian system.

For me, she clearly painted a picture of how Canada came to progress with their system. Despite the flaws and intricacies of Canadian Federalism (Yes, they do have problems too, like the Philippines), for me, it's ultimately about learning about these structures, and seeing if it will or will not, if it will help or will not improve our own system.

As Senator Pia Cayetano said, it's important that we initiate these dialogues and debates in order for everyone to be challenged and think about how it will or will not affect us in the end.

Jester, on the other hand, was able to record the whole lecture, and the question and answer portion which came right after the lecture. Go and see for yourself what Senator Carstairs and the Canadian experience has for us. Enjoy! :)