Celebrating Filipino Food Month, Chef Jam Melchor unveils "Kayumanggi: A Kaleidoscope of Filipino Flavors and Food Traditions," a cookbook featuring 150 regional recipes that honor the Philippines’ rich culinary heritage.

Kapampangan chef and founder of the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement, Jam Melchor, officially launched his cookbook "Kayumanggi: A Kaleidoscope of Filipino Flavors and Food Traditions," during a February event at Sheraton Manila in Newport World Resorts, Pasay City. The launch, held in time for the upcoming Filipino Food Month celebrated every April, offered guests a taste of featured dishes like Chicken Galantina, Misua Patola, Lumpiang Sariwa, and Kalderetang Baka.

Melchor shared that his inspiration for the book grew during the pandemic when his group conducted cultural mapping in Central Luzon, which includes Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, and Pampanga’s cities, Angeles and Olongapo.

“For Central Luzon alone, the number of heirloom recipes that we have is like astounding. So, I think there's more to learn, there's more to this discover. It's just the start,” Melchor said, acknowledging the culinary pioneers before him whose efforts he continues.

The chef, who previously opened Villa Cafe in 2011 and runs Healthy Eats, a food delivery service for health-conscious consumers, emphasized that the cookbook features personally tested recipes.

“I think the recipes in this book is probably meron sa iba, but these are my recipes. They have been tested. They have been used in promoting Filipino cuisine abroad and, of course, in some hotels across Southeast Asia. Talagang subok na subok na itong recipes na ito,” Melchor added.

Chef Jam's latest work aims to bring Filipino food traditions to greater prominence, both locally and internationally.

REFERENCE LINK: 

https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/food-and-leisure/2025/04/28/2438285/kapampangan-chef-releases-cookbook-featuring-150-regional-filipino-dishes

Drew Arellano undergo vasectomy. After of getting vasectomy, Drew knew that common misconceptions about vasectomy are not true.

“Hindi lang natuloy, kaya nagkaroon ng panglima. So nalaman ko na lang din na may mga kaibigan ako na nag-vasectomy after I did it because nga they reached out na parang ‘Oh. Welcome to the V club,'” Drew said.

“If there’s already medical data, then ako, you know I follow medical data. And I believe when the data shows itself that it’s OK, then it’s OK,” Drew said.

According to the report, only 242 men have had a vasectomy in Quezon City this 2025 so far compared to the 26,648 women who received tubal ligation in the same city this year.

The Philippine Statistics Authority National Demographic and Health Survey found that only 1.6% of males used condoms in 2022, which reflects low observation of male-centric family planning method.

REFERENCE LINK: 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/healthandwellness/944674/drew-arellano-on-getting-vasectomy-amid-misconceptions-i-follow-medical-data/story/