Nito Bracelets by Lumads

Remember the face of this lass because she is going to be a great business woman someday. 

A Charming Matigsalug Lass

This Matigsalug girl has a good business acumen and this early she already knows Marketing 101.

Upon parking our van at this cozy diner at Buda-Davao City, four children hurried near the van door. Each one trying to outdo another in getting my attention to buy some handcrafted "Nito" bracelets as token to friends back home. (Nito is a kind of forest vine found growing abundantly in the mountains of Buda and neighboring areas.) I opened the door and told them in vernacular, "No thanks, I am just from the city".  Then the children dashed to meet another car which had just arrived and parked a few meters from us.

 Only this charming Matigsalug girl with that ring full of Nito bracelets stayed and waited for me to step-out of the van. And when I did, I noticed that she glanced at my legs. She moved closer to me and flashed that sweet smile of hers. The girl raised her ring of native bracelets to entice me to thumb through these and said in her soft voice, "Mam, please buy some of my Nito anklets.  They prevent varicose."

Surely, that punchline got me! :)

Locating Father Franco Uras - Don Bosco Living Hope Center for Integral Human Development of Indigenous Youth - Buda, Marilog District, Davao

First landmark: Buda National High School

 April 5, 2015 - Easter Sunday

We have long been planning and salivating to taste Father Franco's organic pizza/s and also wanting to take home some of  "Padre Ninno's gourmet" products in olive oil.

Since we are already within the vicinity, we decided to make a go for it. Even though how vague the directions we got from the internet and from the people in the area (+/- 10 kms from exact location, nobody could really tell the exact location).  It took us quite sometime to locate the place of Father Franco Uras, S.D.B.  He is also the Founder of Don Bosco Living Hope Center for Integral Human Development of Indigenous Youth.

We missed the location by 8 kms on our first pass going to Bukidnon and decided to go back towards Seagull Mountain Resort. On our second pass, we hit the right spot.  We were really meant to be there!  With quickened strides we went straight to Father's kitchen to order some pizza and  to get our hands and teeth on these heavenly treat. No regrets whatsoever.

This prompted me to write where to find this little treasure of authentic Italian and organic pizza because I know a lot of you out there would like to sit a while and take a break on the road just like us.

Directions:

From Davao going to Bukidnon, you will first pass-by Seagull Mountain Resort.  Along the way, you will come across La Toscana Pizza Parlor.  Sorry to say that this is not the one.  Drive on for that original Italian Pizza of Father Franco. On the left side of the highway, you will pass upon the landmark - Buda National High School.  Slow down now because about 50 meters from this school is Don Bosco Living Hope Center (still on the left side of the highway). This is the place where you can order the authentic organic pizza of Father Franco. This is the boundary of Davao City and Tawas. 

If you are coming from Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon areas going to Davao, Don Bosco Living Hope Center is situated on the right side of the  highway. When you see "Tawas" on businesses' signboard, you may want to slowdown and start watching for this building. (photo below)

Don Bosco Living Hope Center. This is how the building looks like from the highway.

This is the driveway.

"Padre Ninno's gourmet" products in olive oil.

Herbed Tuna Pizza

Going....going....gone.... Burp! :)

Organic Mushroom Pizza

Dining Area - They have four tables for visitors.

Green house for tomatoes.  Harvested and processed for the pizza, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil - bottled, etc. This structure is beside the main building and is also visible from the highway.

Happy eating and it is for a good cause too!  Father Franco Uras runs Don Bosco Living Hope Center for Integral Human Development of Indigenous Youth on charity and augmented by whatever income generated from pizza sales and Padre Ninno Gourmet products.  Kindly eat more pizza and buy more bottled gourmet products in olive oil.  You will certainly not regret visiting this place.  To date, Pizza is only P250.  Very cheap indeed!

Please don't forget to drop-by when you are in the area. :)