Meet Ronnie Guance, he doesn’t want to be called Chef but rather wants to be referred to as Kusinero Negrense. I’ve known Ronnie since I started working here in Bacolod eight years ago as one of our clients. When he learned that our agency is assisting a group in developing a product from sugarcane juice he eagerly offered to help. That’s Ronnie, always willing to share his knowledge.

Once again, he has shared his knowledge on healthy cooking using his own resources through a series of lectures he calls Healing Through Healthy Food. He believes our food should not only nourish our body but heal it as well. With Mr. Aboy Evaristo opening the doors of Aboy’s Restaurant for his lectures, Ronnie has found a venue for his advocacy. It’s very personal for him since he has once been diagnosed with pancreatitis more than ten years ago. His change of lifestyle and diet helped him overcome his illness.

Ronnie never had a formal education in cooking. He has a degree in Agriculture, worked in a multi-national  food company, left the corporate world and started his bakery business. In spite of his lack of formal culinary education, his passion for cooking and natural innovativeness made him develop healthy food recipes from local ingredients. And he is all too willing to share all these so he can help other people start eating healthy foods.

Locally Available Organic Vegetables

Ronnie lectured on the benefits of healthy eating and demonstrated how to prepare different healthy recipes he has developed over the years which the attendees also get to taste. All these for free.

Ronnie makes healthy breads with a mixture of taro root and vegetables such as saluyot and malunggay sweetened with fresh sugarcane syrup. He didn’t use lard with the bread but instead used coconut oil. Lard has trans fatty acid which is said to cause hypertension. He also makes veggie siopao with okra and takway filling which doesn’t taste like vegetables.

Kusinero Negrense’s version of breakfast oatmeal is Pinipig Porridge with coconut milk and fresh mullberry toppings. Pinipig is more healthy than regular rice because it still has rice husks which has most of the nutrients.

Pinipig Porridge

He also concocts a delicious Organic Salad of  fruits, vegetable and rootcrop salad with mullberry, coconut oil and pure tuba vinegar as vinaigrette.

Organic Salad

Fresh Lumpia has fresh vegetables in it but Ronnie’s version has lots of fresh vegetables found locally with lots of nutrients and medicinal values – lupo, kulitis , alosiman, kangkong, malungay, cabbage, carrots, takway, saluyot, and okra.  For the sauce, he blends together taro , garlic, camias flowers , honey, and mulberry.

Kusinero Negrense's version of Fresh Lumpia

It’s already been two sessions of Healing Through Healthy Food with the Kusinero Negrense and so far there’s been a great turn-out of participants.

Health Conscious participants

If that’s an indication that more people are becoming health conscious then I guess our Kusinero Negrense is influencing more people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Subscribe to our feeds for the next schedule of Healing through Healthy Food.

Rinjin Japanese Restaurant opened only a few months ago at Eroreco Subdivision but it has already gained a lot of attention through word of mouth.  Rinjin means neighbor in Japanese and the fact that it’s located in a residential subdivision that makes it your neighbor if you live in the area.

The restaurant was on the former garage of a family and can accommodate around 30 people on a packed seating.  The restaurant is very cozy and you can see the kitchen area through the glass partition so you know how they prepare your food. It has no fancy decoration and what might catch your eyes is the large metal clock on the wall which is rather artistically made.

Rinjin Japanese Restaurant Interior

Bang Agustin, the daughter of the owner is a friend of ours so it’s a must that Team Tikim visit Rinjin Japanese  Restaurant.

Betsy and I ordered Miso Soup while waiting for our friend Pushpa. Miso soup is probably the most popular Japanese soup. Its ingredients are very simple, dashi soup stock, miso paste, tofu and chopped onions. Rinjin’s Miso Soup really tasted good, it’s not too salty and the serving size is just enough to prepare you for the next dish.

Rinjin's Miso Soup

We ordered Spicy Rinjin Salad as recommended by Bang since it’s one of their best selling dishes. It’s raw tuna with tugarashi sauce, bread crumbs and mayo. I love spicy foods, so it’s definitely a hit for me.

Spicy Rinjin Salad

We decided to have a light dinner so we did not order anything with rice. Instead, we had Soba which is cold noodles which you dip in a sauce with raw egg and wasabi.  Most of us are fond of eating hot noodles but Soba is served chilled so that the texture of the noodles is retained.

Rinjin's Soba

Soba is very healthy since it’s made from buckwheat noodles which have low caloric and glycemic values compared to wheat noodles.  Buckwheat is also gluten free, which makes it an ideal food for those with allergy or sensitive to the gluten found in wheat.  I love the texture and the balance of flavors when you dip the noodles in its sauce.

Fake or Authentic?

I’m not sure if it’s because it’s near the so called “fake Bob’s” why some people refer to Rinjin as the “fake Inaka”, a famous Japanese restaurant in Bacolod. For me, to call it fake Inaka would be unfair to both Inaka and Rinjin.

A fake is something that is not authentic and Rinjin does not try to be a copycat of Inaka. When I asked Bang of her opinion when people call them the “fake Inaka” she says it’s ok but then they want to make a name of their own. They do not compromise their quality and use authentic Japanese ingredients since using local substitutes just don’t make the taste the same. That’s probably why you can’t even consider their price as cheap, more like reasonable but definitely more affordable than the other Japanese restaurants in Bacolod.

How to get to Rinjin Japanese Restaurant

Eroreco may be a little out of the way for most people but getting there is very easy. Rinjin is along Margarita St., Eroreco’s main road. Take the Eroreco jeep  from downtown Bacolod and once you’re inside Eroreco Subdivision, watch out for the wall painted with dolphins on the right side of the road. Next to it is Rinjin Japanese Restaurant

Rinjin opens from  11:30am – 2pm and 5:30 – 9pm. For those in the neighborhood, they serve Filipino breakfast upon request.  Call them at 708-8188

Have you been to Rinjin? Tell us what you think of their food.

Gary Consing, the Chieftain of an Eata tribe in Cadiz Cit, addressed the small crowd that gathered at the Negros Museum last February 29 during the launching of the exhibit of the Saulog! Celebrating an Ancient Culture & Way of Life in the Visayas.

Albeit quite shyly, Manong Gary thanked the organizers for giving them the chance to share their culture. He apologized that he doesn’t know how to speak English yet even with his lack of mastery of the English language, it couldn’t hide the fact that he’s a leader since he’s quite adept at speaking in front of a crowd.

Eata Chieftain Gary Consing (Photo by Lee Santiago)

Eatas are hunter-gatherer and as what we learned during interviews with them, they are not nomadic unlike the Aytas. Theirs is an ancient culture handed down for centuries and if you think about it, they are the original inhabitants of Negros Island. They are the Negritos that the Spanish explorers saw when they arrived in the island thus they name d the island Negros.

Their life in the hinterlands of Negros is quite fascinating. Despite being exposed to the culture of the lowland people, they still practice their ancient way of life. For the Eatas, the forest is their life that’s why they protect it. Their food comes from the forest as well as their source of income.

The Eatas have mastered how to survive in the forest. Can you imagine yourself cooking without a stove or pot for that matter? They don’t need those. They start fire by using stones and they cook using young anahaw leaves. They usually gather food found in the river and the riverbanks like bunog (fish), banag (shell), and padampang (vegetable). A usual fair would include boiled camote, banana or cassava and a stew of padampang, ubod of balasya palm, flavored with batwan and wrapped in young anahaw leaves. When cooking, they apply bulitik, the sap from the bark of almaciga tree, under the anahaw leaves. When placed above the fire, the bottom of the anahaw leaves with the bulitik will be on fire but will not burn.

The Eatas use simple tools in hunting such as the bow and arrow and spear. They make brooms and bags from rattan which they sell to the lowlanders as a source of income.

Broom and Rattan Bag made by Eatas

They also gather honey by smoking the hive by burning a bunch of palm leaves they call banuot. The trick is not to put the smoke too near the hive so as not to kill the bees but only to make them escape from the smoke. We tasted the honey they brought and they really tasted different. As what Lee Santiago said, you can taste the forest with it. It’s sweet with a hint of sourness.

Banuot is used by Eatas to gather honey in the wild.

All natural honey gathered by the Eatas in the wild.

It was an interesting look into the lives of our indigenous people. Modern technology may have reached them with their use of cellphones but I hope they retain their culture. Manong Gary says they’re poor but perhaps by our standards only. The forest has given them more than enough for their needs and if kept protected from exploitations of lowlanders, it will continue to provide for them for generations to come.

Get a chance to have a glimpse of their life and culture during the exhibit culmination of the Saulog! Celebrating an Ancient Culture & Way of Life in the Visayas  on May 2, 2012 at 10am at the Negros Museum. It will be followed by Dulhog, a symbolism of the traditional barter system where products of the indigenous people can be bought.

Those who want to buy honey for sale at the Saulog/Dulhog (May 2, 2012) can pre-order a 750ml bottle for 230 php (discounted pre-order price, original price at 270 php) at the Negros Museum. Look for Phoebe or Niña.

Bacolod MassKara was adjudged as the Showtime Inter-Town Grand Champion. Despite a slight technical problem at the start of their performance, the Bacolod MassKara dancers went on with their world-class performance garnering a perfect 10 score from all the judges. The group went home with the P2M prize and another P1M for the City of Bacolod.

Bacolod MassKara became a trending topic worldwide on Twitter even hours after Showtime. The show was aired a few hours behind on TFC in other countries and eventhough most OFWs know which group became the Champion, a lot of them posted on Facebook and on Twitter that they’re still going to watch the winning performance of Bacolod MassKara dancers.

The Masskara Dancers at the Bacolod Government Center were represented by Brgy 17 and 23 while Brgy Alijis performed at the ABS-CBN studio.

Watch the replay of Bacolod MassKara’s performance below:

Another contingent from Negros Occidental, the La Castellana’s Bailes de Luces came one point short of the perfect score. They also gave a spectacular performance and many were expecting a tie between Bacolod MassKara and Bailes de Luces.

Watch the replay of Bailes de Luces performance below:

Experience the best of Negros Occidental in Panaad sa Negros Festival 2012. It is always the best time for Negrenses to reconnect with their roots and rediscover their culture and heritage. For visitors, it is the best place to savor Negors Occidental’s native delicacies, buy fresh produce, and native products which are showcased in each pavilion.

Don’t miss the fun at the Panaad 2012 on April 9-15, 2012 at the Panaad Park and Stadium.

I can’t think of a better restaurant for our first Team Tikim review for 2012 than Delicioso, one of the newest addition to Bacolod City’s growing list of dining places , deli and cafe.

The team – Betsy Gazo, Bambi Borromeo, Maricar Dabao and myself,  were met by Delicioso’s Chef in Heels, Mari Stelle Estrella. Chef Mari Stelle was trained as Garde Manger at Kingston Plantation- Embassy Suites and got her education from the American Hospitality Academy.

Who says you can’t stay in the kitchen and be fashionable? Chef Mari Stelle may not be wearing high heels and couture clothes literally but she looks good enough to be in a magazine cover. She could be the next celebrity chef of Bacolod and it’s just as well that we have Channel 13 to cover our exploit.

Delicioso Chef Maristelle with Maricar Dabao

Delicioso is located near Convergys in Mandalagan where Café Breizh used to be. The owners travel a lot and would want to eat the food they love to eat abroad so there’s really no single theme for Delicioso. Delicioso’s ambiance is very relaxed. It can seat around 40 people and also has a small board room for about 10 people for a meeting or a small function.

Choices of cold cuts at Delicioso.

Choices of cheese at Delicioso.

Delicioso also sells cold cuts and cheeses. They have around 17 kinds of cheeses with gouda and sage as their best sellers during the holidays. They also sell pasta, paella rice and other condiments.

To Bambi Borromeo’s delight, Delicioso has a good collection of wine and he treated us ladies with a bottle of Chilean cabernet sauvignon. After a few sip of wine, we’re now ready for business.

Delicioso wine selection.

I love anything spicy so I was really delighted with the spicy Shrimp Arrabiata made of bavette pasta with Delicioso’s freshly cooked special tomato sauce. Arrabiata is a spicy pasta that’s where it derived it’s name which means angry in Italian. It has a few ingredients but tasted really good with just a hint of herbs.

Delicioso Spicy Sshrimp Arriabata

Truffled Jamon Serrano Panizza which came with lettuce and spicy hot pico de gallo. Panizza is originally served with arugula and alfafa sprouts but alfafa is hard to source locally. Chef Mari Stelle advised that Panizza should be eaten while hot so you can still roll the ultra-thin dough.

Delicioso Truffled Jamon Serrano Panizza

Here’s how you eat panizza, get a slice, put some lettuce, top it with a little pico de gallo, and roll it. We had a fit laughing because it reminds us of old folks rolling their betel nuts. We loved the panizza, it’s novel (at least for me), spicy and the flavors blended well with herbs.  Just a little caution to those not accustomed to spicy dishes, you can advise the waiter to make the pico de gallo not too hot.

Chef Mari Stelle confessed she love herbs but she knows not a lot of Pinoys are accustomed to herbs so she has adjusted the taste to the local palate. This love for herbs was evident in her Baked Chicken Maryland which is chicken leg stuffed with sausage and wrapped in bacon. The stuffing has just enough herbs for the usual Filipino palate and it was sprinkled with herbs as well.

Delicioso Baked Chicken Maryland

Of course we had to try the Paella which is already a complete meal with paella rice, clams, squid, pimento, jamon Serrano and chorizo.  We really loved it especially since the rice was cooked just right.

Delicioso Paella

The serving of the Philly Cheesesteak with its thick meat and cheese was fit for an American appetite so it’s already a meal itself.

Delicioso Philly Cheesesteak

We had two choices for dessert – Lava Cake and Bailes Cheesecake.  But of course, we tried both. Lava Cake is a round moist chocolate with a molten chocolate inside that oozes out when you slice it. This one is best be eaten while hot so that the molten chocolate still retains its gooey consistency.

Delicioso Lava Cake

Don’t worry if you don’t drink Bailey’s, the Bailey’s Cheesecake will not get you drunk but will give you sugar high instead. It’s a unique offering of Delicioso.

Delicioso Baileys Cheesecake

Well, what can I say? Delicioso was aptly named since all we’ve tasted so far were muy delicioso!

Sipalay City is the top tourist destination in Southern Negros Occidental because of the city’s many tourist spots. Sipalay beaches and diving sites are some of the best in the country. It has been the favorite escape of European tourists from the cold winter season.

Sipalay City has attracted a lot of tourists and so various beach resorts and pension houses sprouted in the city. Below are some of the Sipalay Resorts and Pension Houses were you can stay if you happen to be in the Jewel of the Negros Island.

Sipalay City Resorts and Accommodation Establishments

BEACH RESORTS

1. Artistic Diving Beach Resort

Punta Ballo, Brgy. IV, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person: Arthur and Evalyn Mueller
Contact #: 09194095594/453‐2710
Website: www.artisticdiving.com
Email Add: info@artisticdiving.com

All room rates are good for 2 persons only. Extra pax is charged P 300.00.

EXTRA PERSON/NIGHT P 300.00
Children from 6‐11 years old P 200.00
Infants up to 5 years old no charge
Total # of rooms: 14

Amenities/ Facilities:  Swimming pool, sports facilities (Volleyball, billiard Dart) dive center, sunken bar, restaurant, parking space, mini library.

2.  Robinson Cruse Beach Resort

Punta Ballo, Brgy. IV, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Jozsef and Elmie Lakatos
Contact #: 09208890139, 09203318508
Website: www.robinsoncruse.com
Email Add: robinsoncruse@sipalay.com

Total # of rooms: 8

3.  Nataasan Beach Resort

Punta Ballo, Brgy. IV, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Louis Nelson Simkins and Joyce Garcia Simkins
Contact #: 0999‐344‐1113 (smart)/0915‐670‐5027 (globe) Landline #: (034) 453‐89‐36
Website: www.nataasan.com
Email Add: nataasanbrdc@yahoo.com

Total # of rooms: 17

 Ocean view room # 1 & 4 (maximum of 4 occupants)

Garden view

 Private Bungalow: Ocean view (4 Bungalows‐maximum of 4 occupants)

Poolside Room: (8 Rooms‐maximum of 4 occupants)) 6 & 2 suite rooms

Suite Room/Poolside

Family Villa (maximum of 10‐15 occupants)

Amenities/Facilities: Swimming pool, Bar & restaurant, souvenir shop, parking space.

4. Easy Diving Beach Resort

Punta Ballo, Brgy. IV, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Christian Reinwald
Contact #: 09104926622
Website: www.sipalay.com
E‐mail Add: diving@sipalay.com
Total # of rooms: 22

Bungalow

All bungalows have sea view, own terrace, hot water and safety box.

Deluxe Bungalows have mini bar and Super Deluxe have mini bar and television.

5. Takatuka Lodge & Dive Resort

Sugar Beach , Brgy. Nauhang, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Marc , Evarose, Cathy, & Kalle Kalitta
Contact #: 09202309174/09206792349
Website: www.takatuka‐lodge.com
Email Add: relax@takatuka‐lodge.com

Total # of rooms: 8 rooms

“Bongo Bongo”

Beachfront with private bathroom and veranda. Maximum of 3 persons.

“Rockadelic”

In the tropical garden, private bathroom and veranda. Maximum of 2 persons.

“The Cave” and “Treasure”

In the idle of the tropical garden, with each a private bathroom and terrace. Maximum of 3 pax each.

“Superstar”

2nd floor, tropical garden view. Private bathroom and spacious balcony. Direct access to the roof terrace. Maximum of 2 persons.

“ Madmix”

Garden and mountain view. 2nd floor with private bathroom and spacious balcony. Direct access to the roof terrace. Maximum of 3 persons.

 “El Castillo”

A spacious castle style cottage in the tropical garden, with a private bathroom and a huge terrace. Maximum of 4 persons.

“Negrito”

Our native cottage in the garden, with cozy porch and a separate, private bathroom. Maximum 2 persons.

Amenities/Facilities: Swimming, sport & games, boat & snorkeling tours, diving, kayak/sailing, book exchange, DVD rental.

Note: Cooking or bringing food and drinks is not allowed in the resort area.

6.  Bermuda Beach Resort

Sugar Beach, Brgy. Nauhang, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Francis & Zenaida Buchwalder
Contact #: +63 9205292582, +639186363618
Website: www.bermuda‐beach‐resort.com
E‐mail Add: francis.buchwalder@bluewin.ph

Total # of rooms and bungalows: 10

Bungalows and rooms price list

 Aircon and electric fans

 BUNGALOWS

7.  Driftwood Village

Sugar Beach, Brgy. Nauhang, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Peter and Daisy Ganz
Contact #: 09202529474/09209003663/09192367055
Website: www.driftwood‐village.com
E‐mail Add: info@driftwood‐village.com
Total # of Rooms: 17
Capacity: 50 pax

Amenities/Facilites: Bar and restaurant, massage parlo, pump boat, mini library, internet café, sports facilities (dart, volleyball, billiards) kayaks.

8. Tawhay Beach Resort

Sugar Beach, Brgy. Nauhang, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Norma, Thomas & Gary Hubscher
Contact #: 09396248350
Total # of Rooms: 9
Capacity: 45 pax

9.  Sulu Sunset Beach Resort

Sugar Beach, Brgy. Nauhang, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Jurgen Fahrner
Contact #: 09197167182
Website: www.sulusunset.com
E‐mail Add: mail@sulusunset.com

10. Langub Beach Resort

Sugar Beach, Brgy. Nauhang, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Mr. Redemy Palic
Contact #: 09185738952 Landline #: 432‐14‐09
Total # of rooms:

11. Fiesta Cove

Sugar Beach, Brgy. Nauhang, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Edna F. Meñez
Contact #: 09266445954/

12. Campomanes Beach Resort

Brgy. Maricalum, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Ms. Florita & Florinda Balag
Contact #: 09108947563, 09291859417

PENSION HOUSES

1. Sipalay Suites

Mercedes Blvd., Brgy. 1‐Poblacion, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Mrs. Jane Montilla
Contact #: 090575170477 Landline #: (034) 473‐0350
Website: www.sipalaysuites.com
Email Add: reservation@sipalaysuites.com

 Amenities:  Glass Bottom Boat, Pump Boat, Swimming Pool

2.  Langub Pension

Brgy. 1‐Poblacion, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Mr. Redemy Palic
Cell Phone #: 09185738952
Email: langub_beachreosrt@yahoo.com
Total # of rooms: 15

VIP Suite: B‐11, B‐12, & B‐15

*1 double and single bed, with toilet and bath shower and cable TV, good for 3 pax aircon: Php 1,200.00/room

Regular aircon room: B‐4, B‐5, B‐6, B‐8 & B‐10

*2 twin bed w/ toilet and bath shower good for 2 pax: Php 850.00/room

Economy fan room: B‐7, B‐9

*2 single beds w/toilet & bath shower:  Php 600.00/room
*1 single bed‐double B‐1, B‐2, & B‐3 w/toilet and bath shower:   Php 500.00/room
*extra persons/aircon:  Php 150.00/head
*extra persons/fan:  Php 100.00/head

3.  Manna Pension House

Brgy. 1‐Poblacion, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Gladys Campillanos
Contact #: 09268254159
Total # of rooms: 13

With fan good for 2 persons                  Php 160.00
With aircon good for 2‐4 persons       Php 600.00
With aircon good for 2 persons           Php 400.00

4. Aussie Inn

Brgy. 3, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Contact Person/s: Meriam C. Argoncillo
Contact #: (034) 473‐06‐11

Master VIP Bed Room Aircon with Balcony

 *Rates are subject to change without prior notice.

Cell Phone #: 09185738952
Email: langub_beachreosrt@yahoo.com

February is the Arts Month and this year, Bacolod City will host Bacollywood: Cinema Rehiyon 2012, , a National Independent Film and Video Art Festival, a project of the National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA) on February 8-11, 2012.

Bacollywood has featured films in Negros and other provinces in the Visayas since its inception in 2009. It has served as platform for budding film-makers to be featured and a venue for discussions on the different issues in the local independent film industry.

Cinema Rehiyon is a non-competition film festival showcasing the works of film-makers from different regions with films set in their respective regions in their own dialect.  With the joint holding of Bacollywood and Cinema Rehiyon, more independent films will be featured and will be made available to local filmgoers.

The festival starts with the opening of “Killing Time,” a Video Installation on February 7, 6 PM at the Negros Museum.  This will be a first time in Bacolod and the exhibit will feature the works of internationally acknowledged Filipino video artists Tad Ermitaño, Gerry Tan, Kiri Dalena, Bea Camacho, Kaloy Olavides, Yason Banal and Maria Taniguchi. It is curated by Clarissa Chikiamco and open to the public until February 29.  This will be followed the next day by the festival opening on February 8, 9 AM, also at the Negros Museum.

Screenings of the different films will be at the Robinsons Movieworld Cinema 6 on February 8-11. The first day will feature Bacolod short films by directors Peque Gallaga, Carlo Ledesma, Jed Sicangco, Cindy Ballesteros, Junjun Montelibano, EJ Ballesteros, Neil Colanggo, Miguel Cruz, Paolo Lindaya and Michael Varca.  Also to be featured will be more than fifty short films from all over the Philippines.

Full feature films from Luzon, Visayas and Minadanao will also be shown such as BIYERNES, BIYERNES (Cebu), DI INOGON’ NATO (CEBU), ING BABAING MAPAMALIT SIM (Pampanga), SA KANTO NG ULAP AT LUPA (Nueva Vizcaya), BUSONG (Palawan), GAYUMA (Bicol region), LAWAS KAN PINABLI (Pangasinan), etc.

Pureza, the full length documentary film on the Negros sugar industry by Jay Abello will be shown on the last day of the festival, February 11.

Films will also be shown in barangay public venues through Cine de Barrio.  After doing the barangay rounds from December 2011, Cine de Barrio venues for the festival proper will be on Brgy. 19 on Feb. 8, Brgy. Villamonte on Feb. 9, and Brgy. Punta Taytay on Feb. 10, all at 6 PM.  Each cinema and barangay screening will be followed by interaction with the film directors as the festival will be graced by filmmakers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

There’s a wealth of talent in film-making in the regions that has not been getting a lot of attention and support compared to their Manila-based counterparts. As moviegoers, by supporting Bacollywood: Cinema Rehiyon 2012 will be our way of helping our local artists and also learn more about our culture.

For FREE Tickets, please contact the secretariat at 09162173010.

Below is the schedule of activities:

February 7-8, 2012

February 9, 2012

February 10-11, 2012

Pureza: The Story of Negros Sugar is a full-length documentary film dissecting the sugar industry and how it has affected the lives of almost 3 million people in Negros island.

Sugar is the oil that runs the economy of Negros. Negros Occidental alone produces more than half of the total sugar production of the Philippines. Despite the efforts from various sectors to veer away from a monocrop industry,  Negros remained dependent on the sugar industry.

The proverbial image of a Negrense hacendero.

Sugar has been part of the turbulent history of the island where social unrest has been the cause of insurgency in the past. I’m sure most of us has some stereotypical image of the proverbial hacendero (landowner) throwing lavish parties in their palatial mansions while their sacadas toil in the fields. That has been the stigma that Negrenses have to live with for for more than a century.

Pureza refers to the purity of the sugar yield and depends on the different stages in the value chain, from planting to harvesting to milling. It’s an apt title for a documentary which delves  deeper into the historical, cultural and economic aspects of the sugar industry. It looks into the industry not only from the point of view of somebody born into it but also from somebody looking from the outside.

A farm worker planting sugarcane.

The production team were mostly Negrenses/Ilonggo by birth and affinity thus everybody had their own personal story with the sugar industry making the project very personal. Chroma Key technology was used for the Pureza cosplay where they used hundreds of costumes in recreating period scenes retracing the history of sugar in Negros. Animation was also used using the works of Negrense artist Edbon Sevilleno.

The film was produced by Bonfire Productions and Negros Pureza Foundation with support from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Although you can say this documentary is mostly funded by hacendero money, Director Abello made sure there will be no “sugar coating”.

Here are the production team which made “Pureza: The Story of Negros Sugar”

Executive Producers J. ABELLO, JOEY GASTON
Producers FIONA BORRES, AGNES VILLAR
Director J. ABELLO
Writers JET ORBIDA, CHECCS OSMEÑA
Editor FIONA BORRES
Director of Photography J. ABELLO
Asst. Director LOVELLE BELLOCILLO
Visual FX Supervisor RICHARD FRANCIA
Sound Engineers ALBERT MICHAEL IDIOMA, ALEX TOMBOC
Music PEARLSHA ABUBAKAR
Researchers IHVONIE SEVILLENO, KAT VALENCIA

Cosplay Actors

Oying Osmeña
Milton Dionzon
Mandy Alimon
Eero Martinez
Dante Amaguin

Pureza: The Story of Negros Sugar will be shown on the following dates and venues:

February 7 -  Premiere at SM City Bacolod Cinema 3, Screenings at 6:30pm and 9:00pm – (by invitation only)
February 11 – Robinsons Place Bacolod as part of the Bacollywood: Cinema Rehiyon 2012. Free Screening at 6:00-8:00pm. For Free Tickets, contact the  secretariat at 09162173010.
February 17 – Regular screening at SM City Bacolod (Regular Screenings at 12:00nn, 2:00pm, 4:00pm) Tickets are available at P120.00 at Café Uma (709-9966) or contact 0932-3065277 | 0917-3012878 | 034-708607

Watch the full trailer below:

The Bacolaodiat Festival 2012 will be celebrated on January 20-23 and  this year will be the 7th BacoLaodiat Festival which will usher in the Year of the Dragon with the theme  “A Majestic Spirit in a Challenging Year.”

Bacolaodiat which was coined from Bacolod and Lao Diat (Fookien word for celebration), is Bacolod City’s celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Every year, the Bacolaodiat Festival gets bigger with the support of Filipino-Chinese community. Filipinos have also embraced the celebration since the Chinese culture has a very strong influence us.

Chinese foods will be showcased at the Chopsticks Alley with cooking demo from our local cooking experts such as Chef Sandy Solinap of Verdera and Chef Ronnie Guance of PURO Organic.

The Lantern and Street Dance Competition also gets more exciting every year with more groups joining. Dancers wear colorful Chinese costumes and uses lanterns as they dance to the lively Bacolaodiat theme song.

Last year I wished that the Chinese New Year will be declared a non-working holiday and I’m glad this came true this year. With the declaration of January 23 as a non-working holiday, expect more people to come to the Bacolaodiat festival.

Chines New Year is more fun in Bacolod City so don’t be left behind. Mark your calendar Toto and Inday. Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!

 2012 Bacolaodiat Schedule of Activities