Camella Meridian Bacolod

“It’s more than just a place, it’s a lifestyle”

Goes the slogan of the first real estate development project in Bacolod City of Camella Communities, Camella Meridian Bacolod. How aptly the slogan also described Bacolod City. Camella Meridian is located in Cordova/Buri Road in Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City.

Five model houses are currently available, Lara, Marvela, Carmela, Drina and Elaisa. Amenities include sports facilities, jogging trails, residential enclaves, parks and clubhouse.

For inquiries, below are the contact informations:

Tel. No.: (034) 435-2736

Website: http://www.camellacomm.com

Office Address:
Ground Floor Salvacion Center
27th Street Lacson, Bacolod City

Site Address:
Cordova/Buri Road
Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City

Site development photos courtesy of Tony Manso.

Catch the Dinosaurs at Robinsons Place Bacolod

The “Dinosaurs Are Back” and they’re out to entertain you. Children and adults alike get a chance to learn more about dinosaurs when nine fully automated robotic dinosaurs are displayed at the Robinsons Place Bacolod. The exhibit opened on August 20 and will end on August 31.

“Dinosaurs are Back” feature Tyrannosaurus Rex, Deinonychus, Triceratops, Apatosaurus, Apatosaurus baby, Dimetredon, Pachycephalosaurus, Stegosaurus and Stegosaurus baby. The dinosaurs are displayed in a simulation of their original habitat, complete with lights and sounds.

Come and experience this rare exhibit at the Robinsons Place Bacolod! Tomorrow may be the last time you’ll get to see these Dinosaurs roam the Mall. Entrance fee is only P25.

Bacolod Chicken House…the local legend

Bacolod Chicken House…the local legend
by lloydtronco

If ever there was any reason why Bacolod chicken inasal became the legendary Bacolod delicacy it is now known to be, it can all be traced back to Architect Joe Cajili’s Chicken House. Currently known as Bacolod Chicken House, the real Chicken House started as a hole-in-the-wall at San Sebastian Street, catering to everyday passers-by.  Later on, it opened as a  small restaurant just across Colegio de San Agustin along North Drive (B.S. Aquino Drive today).

It’s humble beginnings as a restaurant included an al fresco (back in the days it was just called “open-air”) section which one was able to access through the sidewalk and that small street leading to the back of the Redemptorist Church. Long before there was a Manokan country at Bacolod’s reclamation area, Chicken House had already set up shop. Joe Cajili’s initial patrons were also his golfing buddies at the nearby Marapara club (Negros Occ. Golf and Country Club)

Chicken House’s next branches were located at the downtown area along San Juan street (across the current location of Sylvia Manor) and at Mandalagan where it still serves its mouth watering roasted delights to this day. In the days when Chicken House was at San Juan, which was around the mid 1980s, I would only have to cross the Bacolod Public Plaza with my classmates from La Consolacion College to get to the little haven of chicken barbecue.  There, we would while away some time before catching up with one last class at 6:30 p.m.

Many other chicken houses or “inasalans” have followed the path led by Joe Cajili’s local legend of a resto. One thing is sure though. One cannot claim to have been in Bacolod if he or she hasn’t eaten at the real and only Bacolod Chicken House.

Bacolod City Welcomes 3rd LCP Negros Caravan Delegates

The Bacolod City Government with the leadership of Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia welcomed the delegated of the 3rd League of Cities of the Philippines Island Caravan at the New Government Center. The delegates and visitors were greeted with a fireworks display and with the performance of the Masskara Dancers.

The 3rd LCP Island Caravan for Negros Island is slated on August 26-30, 2008 with a motto “A brotherhood of leaders: One vision, one mission, one nation.”

The following are the 3rd LCP Island Caravan in Negros Island Schedule of Activities:

TARGET DATE	PROPOSED ACTIVITIES	DESTINATION
August 26 (Tuesday)
9:00 AM	Arrival/Check-in at L’Fisher Hotel	Silay City/Bacolod City
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM	Lunch/City Tour – c/o Talisay City	Talisay City Hall
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM	Tour of Bacolod City	Bacolod City
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM	Welcome Dinner/Fellowship Night sponsored by the Negros Occidental Provincial Gov’t and 13 Cities of the Province	Provincial Capitol
	Post Dinner Activities – c/o the Negros Occidental Mayors	Bacolod City
August 27(Wednesday)
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM	LCP Island Cluster Consultation	L’Fisher Hotel
11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon	Outreach Activities for 1st Cluster (Bacolod, Silay, Talisya, Cadiz, Victorias, La Carlota, Bago)
	Distribution of wheelchairs, eyeglasses, vitamins, livelihood support, scholarship & deworming)
12:30 PM – 3:00 PM	Lunch/City Tour/Program	Silay City
3:30 AM – 4:30 PM	Presscon	L’Fisher Hotel
6:30 PM	Dinner	Bacolod City New Gov’t Center
	Post Dinner Activities c/o Negros Occidental Mayors
August 28 (Thursday)
8:00 AM	Breakfast	L’Fisher Hotel
9:00 AM	Departure for San Carlos City
11:00 AM- 1:00 PM	Lunch/Outreach Activities for 2nd Cluster (San Carlos, Escalante, Sagay, Canlaon)	San Carlos City
	Distribution of wheelchairs, eyeglasses, vitamins,etc.)
1:30 PM	Depart for Don Salvador Benedicto
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM	Outreach Activities/Merienda	Don Salvador Benedicto
	Distribution of wheelchairs, eyeglasses, vitamins,etc.)
3:30 PM	Depart for Bacolod City
January 0, 1900	Dinner (Free Time)
August 29 (Friday)
8:00 AM	Breakfast	L’Fisher Hotel
	Depart for Bago City
8:15 AM – 9:00 AM	Bago City Tour	Bago City
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM	Himamaylan City Tour	Himamaylan City
12:00 Noon – 2:00 PM	Lunch/Outreach Activities for 3rd Cluster (Kabankalan, Himamaylan, Sipalay)
	Distribution of wheelchairs, eyeglasses, vitamins,etc.)
2:00 PM	Depart for Muni. Of Mabinay	NEGROS ORIENTAL
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM	Outreach Activities in Mabinay	Elementary School in Mabinay
3:00 PM	Depart for Bais City
3:30 – 4:30 PM	Outreach for 4th Cluster (Bais, Tanjay, Dumaguete)	Bais City
	Distribution of wheelchairs, eyeglasses, vitamins,etc.)
6:00 PM	Depart for Dunaguete City
7:00 PM	Check in Hotel	Dumaguete City
	Dinner – proposed sponsor	Dumaguete City
	Bais or Dumaguete City
August 30 (Saturday)
8:00 AM	Breakfast in Hotel
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM	Depart for Bayawan City
1:00 PM	Outreach Activities/City Tour	Bayawan City
3:00 PM	Lunch
4:00 PM	Depart for Duaguete City
	Check in at Dumaguete Airport
	Flight out

Here are some photos courtesy of Tony Manso:

The Don Mariano Ramos Ancestral House

The Mariano Ramos Ancestral House is the ancestral home of the late Don Mariano Ramos, first appointed Presidente Municipal of Bacolod City, Philippines. It was built in the 1930s and its architecture is a combination of Castilian and Tuscan traces. It comprises three storeys including the tower room, known as the mirador.

Being the second tallest structure in Bacolod City, the house became the first choice of the commanding officers of the Imperial Japanese Army when they set up their command in Negros in World War II. From this house, General Takaeishi Kono directed the entire Japanese occupation forces encompassing more than 20,000 troops and eight airfields in Negros.

The Mariano Ramos Ancestral House is located on the short stretch of Burgos Street, once known as “Millionaires’ Row”. It was built in 1937 by an Architect Mendoza from Manila for Don Mariano Ramos. The Castillan and Tuscan influences and touches were the request of Don Mariano to his architect.

The most prominent feature of the house is the three-storey octagonal tower which gave the owners a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding landscape. At the rear portion of the house is a rounded balcony adjacent to the master bedroom.

Don Mariano Ramos loved to entertain. Many elegant parties were held here attended by the creme de la creme of Bacolod society and visited by both local and national government officials. One such guest was Mariano’s close friend and classmate, Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon.

Legendary in those days were his twenty or more cars of different makes chauffeured by Spanish mestizo and Filipino drivers.

The clan descending from Don Mariano Ramos and his wife Josefa Villanueva include notable people in Bacolod City. Among them, the late Raymundo Ramos Dizon, Jr., former mayor of Bacolod City, and Bro. Rolando R. Dizon, FSC, once a president of the La Salle Schools in the Philippines. A great-grandson, advertising executive and Negrense visual artist, Lloyd Tronco also grew up in this house.

Things to See and Do in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental

Fast Facts (from Wikipedia)

Kape Musang of Don Salvador Benedicto

“The Luwak (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) denizen of the coffee (kopi) plantations of Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi, eats only the ripest coffee cherries.

Unable to digest the coffee beans, the Luwak graciously deposits them on the jungle floor where they are eagerly collected by the locals.

The stomach acids and enzymatic action involved in this unique fermentation process produces the beans for the world’s rarest coffee beverage.” - Raven’s Brew Coffee, Inc.

Wohooo! we didn’t have to pay a premium price to sample this rare coffee, we actually had it for FREE! Turns out, the relatives we visited in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental grow coffee and had sightings of the musang (which they locally refer to as a wild cat but is actually a civet). When they learned about Kopi Luwak and Kape Alamid (the Philippine version), they knew they were in for a treat! They call their local brew Kape Tae, which really, isn’t all that appealing. I hope they change their mind about it and call it Kape Musang when they start selling their brew commercially.

Our host didn’t think we were up to the challenge so they just brewed enough for six cups. The hubby and I had to wait a little while for our coffee to be served. When it came, it was simmering hot hot hot! They ran out of non-dairy creamer so we had to take it black just as it should be.

By ocular inspection, I noticed a thin sebo-like layer on my cup of coffee. Must be natural oils or something (or so I hope LOL!). I’m no coffee connoiseur so I’m trying to explain this based on my personal, non-professional opinion. The taste? indescribable but the coffee experience was heavenly, according to the hubby. What with the cold weather and the sumptuous buffet of lutong-bahay we feasted just a few minutes passed. Me, I found it rather interesting! The coffee was so dark you’d think it would either have a burnt flavor or bitter taste. Surprisingly, it tasted just… I guess I’d have to agree with the hubby – indescribable but the coffee experience was indeed heavenly.

I would have wanted to ask if I could have some beans to take home with me but I chickened out right after I thought about it. Baka masanay tayo, eh, mahirap na, LOL!

Text and Photo: Roxie Yap

The Stone House in Don Salvador Benedicto

There used to be one but now there are three – one, where the founder of Don Salvador Benedicto, its first mayor and now a Sanguniang Panlalawigan Board Member, Nehemias G. De la Cruz. The second one is home to the current mayor, Mayor Marxlen Del a Cruz and the third one, still undergoing construction is for the other son, Nehemias Jr.

The Stone House has been featured in many local and national television programs including one aired on the The Filipino Channel (TFC). You will find many interesting furniture/art pieces all over the place. Some of my favorites are the old oil lamp which was revived and used as outdoor lamp, the tree trunk which served as the base of a garden table and the body of the sewing machine which got a makeover and is not used as a base for a utility table.

Entertaning guests wouldn’t be a problem. Not with the many garden settings, a pavillion (complete with a mini-bar) and a bahay kubo conveniently placed all over the property. We sat and dined where politicians have forged agreements and tv personalities like Cesar Montano and the Viva Hot Babes have had their pictures taken.

The Don Salvador Benedicto Magnetic Hill Experience

Road to Don Salvador Benedicto via the Pandanon, Murcia route.

I heard about the same occuring in Los Banos, Laguna but I haven’t experienced it until this. We parked our car beside the KM34 SB13 road marker, put in on neutral and then voila! our car moved backward on the downhill slope.

They call this occurence the gravity hill or magnetic hill. We were awed by what we saw and talked much about it after the trip. Fascinating as it is, though, science (or is it?) explains it as a mere optical illusion. According to Wikipedia, “…Objects one would normally assume to be more-or-less perpendicular to the ground (such as trees) may actually be leaning, offsetting the visual reference.”

Down goes my excitement….Oh well, whatever it is, it still makes for a good tourist attraction. Check it out for yourself!

7 Negros Occidental Cities Ready to Streamline Business Licensing System

Seven cities in Negros Occidental yesterday forged a Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for the implementation of Streamlining Business Permits and Licensing System (BPLS) Project.  This project is aimed at upgrading their business permits and licensing issuance system, a common backlog in starting a business.

Volker Steigerwald, Visayas coordinator of GTZ-SMEDSEP, said that after piloting the project in Bacolod City and Ormoc City , they are now ready to replicate it in other parts of the Visayas. The cities of Bago, Cadiz, Kabankalan, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, and Talisay will replicated the Business Permits and Licensing System which has been proven to considerably cut the processing time for business licensing.

Present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding were Mayors Jose Montelibano of Silay, Alfredo Marañon of Sagay, Eugenio Jose Lacson of San Carlos, Pedro Zayco of Talisay and Salvador Escalante who were the signatories in behalf of their respective LGUs. Bago Mayor Ramon Torres and Talisay Vice Mayor Neil Lizares, who was supposed to represent Mayor Eric Saratan, failed to come.

GTZ will provide technical assistance through capacity building by training the LGU personnel. The local government on their part will assign a focal person who will work closely with DTI and GTZ in the implementation of the BPLS Project.

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