Pope John Paul II Tower Blessed by the Papal Nuncio

February 18, 2010 is a historic day for the Catholic faithful in Bacolod and Negros Occidental. No less than Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Joseph Edward Adams blessed the Pope John Paul II (PJPII) Tower at the Bacolod Reclamation.

The P17-million eight-storey tower stands on a 700 square-meter lot at the  reclamation area just behind the SM City Bacolod. The site  was where the late Pope John Paul II spoke to thousands of Negrenses during his historic visit to Bacolod City on February 20, 1981. The tower was built to commemorate the event and we have to thank Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (BREDCO) president Simplicio Palanca for his generosity in donating it to the Archdiocese.

Hundreds witnessed the blessing of the tower and the unveiling of the 8-foot sculpture of the Pope by Bro. Jaazeal Jakosalem which stands on top of a 6-foot pedestal fronting the PJPII tower.

The tower offers a breathtaking view of Bacolod City and the Guimaras Strait. As if to guard the shores of Bacolod and to guide the sea travelers to safety, a cross by Architect Chick Garcia was placed on top of the tower which is lighted at night. The tower is also equipped with a glass enclosed elevator, a water system and a generating set.

Every floor on the tower features pictures and items of his historic visit to Bacolod City.  Stanistaw Cardinal Dziwisz, Archbishop of Krakow donated the alb of the late pontiff that he used during his visit. Also featured was a photo of the fireworks last December that show a resemblance to the famous gesture of the Pope.

In his message after blessing the tower, His Grace Archbishop Joseph Edward Adams said,

“When you see this tower, remember him (PJPII), and remember also his message. Message about God, message about love, message about the human race. This building will serve to remind us of what the good Pope said to us of God, of our need for God, and he hoped to inspire us to live, as God meant us to live on this Earth.”

Indeed, the late Pope has been a source of inspiration for the millions of Catholics in the world and Bacolod is lucky to have been visited by him at a most challenging time for the Province of Negros Occidental. The Pope Tower will be more than a tourist attraction for the Negrenses but it will also serve as a reminder that God will never forsake His people.

Experience the 1st Bacolod Jazz Fest 2010

Bacolod City is a Jazz haven. No other city outside of Metro Manila has more loyal Jazz followers who kept the music vibrant other than Bacolod. As a testament, Bacolod City will be one of the venues in the annual Philippine International Jazz & Arts Festival (PIJazzFest) which runs from February 12-28 this year.

The 1st Bacolod Jazz Fest 2010, presented in cooperation with the Jazz Society of Negros (JSN), will be held at the L’ Fisher Hotel Roofdeck at 6pm on February 20, 2010. The event will showcase 20-year-old British-Filipino jazz singer Mishka Adams, Sinosikat?,  Jazz Volunteers and Ilonggo artists Gabe Ascalon and Nancy Brew.

The annual PIJazzFest which debuted in 2005 gathers local and international artists in a month long festival which include mall and bar tours and campus workshops. Jazz, despite being confined to a niche audience, is slowly gaining followers from the younger generation through promotions such as the PIJazzFest. The local scene in Bacolod has likewise been very alive with JSN’s hosting of jazz shows since its inception in 2006.

Spend a jazzy evening with friends and loved ones at one of Bacolod City’s scenic spot, L’ Fisher 2 (Chalet) Roofdeck on February 20. You can grab your tickets to the 1st Bacolod Jazz Fest 2010 at the L’ Fisher Hotel for only P500 (P150 consumable).

Got Wowed by Ballet Philippines

I guess most girls thought of ballet dancing once in their life. At least I have. The art requires a lot of practice and those who want to get into it should start early in life. Financial resources are likewise needed to sustain such training. Thus, my dream of ballet dancing never got farther than watching The Nutcracker.

Fortunately, young girls such as the daughter of fellow blogger Ruby of  PinayMommyOnline got a chance to watch a live ballet performance of Ballet Philippines’ Masterworks presentation at SM City Bacolod. Together with May, we got invited by Ms. Lorena of SM City Bacolod to watch the live performance last February 2 at SM City Bacolod Cinema 1.

Ballet Philippines was founded in 1969 by Alice Reyes with the support of Eddie Elejar and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.  Ballet Philippines is the country’s premier professional dance company and the resident dance company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Ballet, whatever music accompaniment is still ballet to me. The effort exerted by the dancers in classical music or in OPM music looks the same. Years and years of practice must have made the routine easy for them and they made pirouetting looks effortless! The dancers received applause after each performance as the audience was quite amazed by their gracefulness.

There were a lot of girls at the audience and I’m sure some of them were thinking of one day joining Ballet Philippines. Thanks to SM City for bringing ballet to the masses.

Bacolaodiat 2010: Bigger and Better

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Today, the Filipino-Chinese community is celebrating the New Year and ushered in the Year of the Golden Tiger. The whole Bacolod City joins them in the celebration with the annual Bacolaodiat Festival. Unlike the previous years, Bacolaodiat 2010 was held at the Lacson Tourism Strip. This made the different events more accessible to the public as evidenced by the throngs of people who came to join the festivities.

There was a grand parade which featured illuminated floats, lanterns, lions and dragons and was joined by the 34 Fil-Chinese organizations. There was also the dragon and lion dance which are customary in any Chinese celebrations.  In Chinese culture, the dragon is believed to have control over water, rainfall and flood and the dragon dance will ensure that no drought will be experienced . On the other hand, the lion signifies courage, stability and superiority. The lion dance is performed to chase away ghosts and evil spirits.

A food walk and night market was opened at the Chopsticks Alley located at the North Capitol road where visitors can buy souvenir items and feast on the different Chinese cuisine. A fusion of Filipino and Chinese cultures was showcased during the cultural show also held at the North Capitol Road. Any Chinese celebration would not be complete without the firecrackers and fireworks so a fireworks display capped the nightly celebrations  which is believed to ward off evil spirits.

This year’s Bacolaodiat was bigger and better than the previous year and as it becomes another tourist attraction for Bacolod, we expect it to be even bigger next year.

Uncover: In Touch Events Grand Launching

Be in your glamorous Casual Chic Attire in Black or Red for a chance to get fabulous items from corporate sponsors. See great talents, see real beauty at In Touch UNCOVER – A Grand Launching Party on January 30, 8pm at the Metrodome Lobby.

In Touch Events Network & Promotions is a professional corporate & event management agency based in Bacolod City. In ouch offers events management services for Corporate Events, Entertainment Events, Marketing & Promotions, Advertising Design & Communications and Creative Media Management.

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A Night of Music with Lea Salonga

Audiences did not mind lining up last January 8 from the USLS gate to the coliseum in order to watch the performance of a world class performer such as Lea whose mother Ligaya happens to hail from the town of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental.

Lea Salonga’s repertoire in her “Lea… Your Songs” concert was requested by her fans from around the world and from all walks of life.  The result was a smorgasbord of all time favorites. She sang these songs as if they were written for her.

Lea sang pop classics This One’s For You, Making Love Out of Nothing At All, and Now and Forever. Her repertoire also included the latest chart toppers Halo and the ever popular Poker Face. Her tribute to the King of Pop Michael Jackson was a poignant rendition of Gone Too Soon.

A GK volunteer was brave enough to sing A Whole New World with Lea onstage. He earned a round of applause and perhaps, the admiration of the female audiences.

A lot were surprised with her Rehab song and dance number with Hip Hop dance group The Philippine All Stars. We all know Lea’s a world class singer, but most of the audiences haven’t seen her dance as well.

Lea’s OPM medley includes Ang Himig Natin, Huling El Bimbo, Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal, and Salamat. She sang I Don’t Love You Anymore with up and coming singer Reymond Sajor.

As expected, she belted some of her fans’ favorite”high brow” songs, as what my friend refers to Broadway music. She sang I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, and her version of Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked was simply wicked!

We are so used to hear Lea sing Broadway songs but surprisingly, she can sing Jukebox songs such as Basang Basa sa Ulan and Halik just as well. This was in collaboration with “Comedy Concert  Queen” Ai-Ai de las Alas who was simply hilarious. Ai-Ai’s antics onstage simply brought the house down.

For finale, Lea sang the most requested song, Bayan Ko. Hers was a moving rendition audiences must have felt goosebumps. For encore, she sang Thank You For The Music and her signature song Tomorrow.

The concert is for the benefit of Gawad Kalinga (GK) and Lea Salonga was introduced by no less than fellow Negrense Tony Meloto of GK. She said GK is not just about building homes, but it is about building hope. Prior to her concert, she visited GK sites in Bacolod City and she was overwhelmed by the happiness of the people she met. She said she did not see despair on their faces but she saw hope.

It was the second concert of Lea Salonga in Bacolod City. The first time was her All For Love concert where she had the USLS Coliseum jam packed with around 7,000 fans. Well, we hope this will not be her last concert in Bacolod City since we are looking forward to her next concert.

Thanks “Tikalon” for sharing your pictures.

Lea Salonga Will Sing Your Songs

Lea Salonga will again entertain the Negrenses at her concert “Lea… Your Songs” in Bacolod City on Friday, January 8, 2010 at USLS Coliseum. Lea will be accompanied by a 32 piece Filharmonika Orchestra under musical director Gerard Salonga. The show will be directed by Bobby Garcia with special guests  Ai Ai de las Alas and Reymond Sajor.

So, what can we expect from the concert? A great time! If you were fortunate to watch her perform live then you know how very good she is as a performer. With Ai-Ai de las Alas we can expect a hilarious number. Lea’s repertoire for “Lea… Your Songs” includes songs requested by her fans so expect her to sing some of today’s popular songs.

The concert is for the benefit of Gawad Kalinga to help raise funds for its growing work of building communities for the poorest in the province.

Tickets for the concert will be available at Café Bobs Lacson, Gawad Kalinga office and Robinsons Mall, SM City Bacolod and the USLS Coliseum, and those interested may call GK at Tel. nos. 433-4718 and 457-1004.

Tickets are sold at 400, 1000, 1500,2000, 3000, 4000. There is a special price for those who want to buy tickets for the bleachers. You can buy 3 tickets  for P1000. Better hurry before tickets are sold out.

Organic Lunch with Margarita Fores

Another cause worthy of our support is the Organic Lunch with Margarita Fores and Chef Richard Ynayan of the Culinary Institute De Lasalle – Bacolod on November 26, 2009. Proceeds from this event will go to the Suntown Camp Cancer Foundation. This event is still a part of the 4th Negros Organic Farmers Festival.

Manila-based Ilongga restaurateur Margarita Fores traces her roots from the Araneta clan of Bago City. Ms. Fores owns Cibo, Pepato, Cafe Bola in Manila. The benefit lunch will be at the Provincial Social Hall where Ms. Fores will be cooking her specially prepared menu using locally  produced certified organic ingredients.

Among the dishes are organic salad of palm heart and guava jelly vinaigrette,pate raviolini with sage butter, roast Bacolod style lechon with duetto sauces of liver and mostarda di frutta, roast goat capretto rosmarino with English mint, lemon and pepper roast chicken, and fried organic boneless bangus with mango wansuy salsa.

Tickets for this activity will be available at Fresh Start Organic Foods Stores in Sweet Greens and Robinsons Place and at NISARD Office. For reservations, call 4332174 and 7071434.

The 4^th Organic Farmers Festival is a project of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental in cooperation with the Organik na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association and Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development.

4th Organic Farmers Festival Schedule of Activities

The Organik na Negros! Market will be holding the 4^th Organic Farmers Festival on November 25-27, 2009 at the Organic Market at the back of the Provincial Capitol. The products available at the trade fair are organic certified fruits, vegetables, rice, coffee, herbs, spices, free range native chicken, pork and fish.

Let us support our local organic producers and help promote organic agriculture by joining the activities for this festival.

Schedule of Activities

November 25, 2009
8 am	Opening and Cutting of Ribbon
Whole Day	Ongoing cooking demo and organic food tasting by Chef Guido Nijssen and the students of the International Culinary School of West Negros
1:30 – 4:00 pm	Agriculture at the Crossroads by Dr. Romeo Onijano (Bacolod Pavilion)
6:00 – 9:00 pm	Talk Shop with Folk band serving Natural Wine, Draft Beer and Organic Foods
November 26, 2009
8:00 – 10:00 am	Organic Vegetarian Cooking: Organic Vegan 101 by Dr. Albert Jo
10:00 – 11:30 am	Official Launching of NICERT Organic Certification Services
11:30 – 1:30 pm	Organic Lunch and cooking demo by Margarita Fores with Chef Richard Ynayan & the Institute for Culinary Arts De La Salle – Bacolod. Proceeds is for the benefit of Suntown Camp Cancer Foundation (Social Hall)
1:30 – 2:30 pm	Donors’ Forum
2:30 – 3:30 pm	Marketing Opportunities
3:30 – 5:30 pm	Packaging and Labeling by Lina Gelonga, DOST Region 6
6:00 – 9:00 pm	Talk Shop with Folk band serving Natural Wine, Draft Beer and Organic Foods
November 27, 2009
8:30 – 9:30 am	Organic Free Range Chicken Production by Mr. Philip Reyes, Fresh Start Organic
9:30 – 10:30 am	Organic Bangus Production by Josephine Ledesma
10:30 – 12:00 nn	Practical Organic Approaches on Livestock by Ramon Peñalosa
1:30 – 4:00 pm	Healthy Lifestyle: The Organic Way by Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan
4:00 pm	Closing Program and Talk Shop with Folk band serving Natural Wine, Draft Beer and Organic Foods

The 4^th Organic Farmers Festival is a project of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental in cooperation with ONOPRA and NISARD.

Uratex Bacolod Showroom Now Open

Bacolod has more reasons to have a good sleep as Uratex, the country’s best-selling foam producer opened its showroom to the public last November 9, 2009. A wide range of highly durable foam products such as mattresses, sofabeds, pillows, and Uratex monoblocks such as chairs, tables, and cabinets are available in the showroom located at 60^th Lacson St., San Sebastian, Bacolod City.

“We offer to the Bacoleños more selections of our best-selling foam products that complement their discriminating taste in comfort, quality, and price. We want to give Bacoleños the best quality and comfort they deserve,” Mr. Ryan Magalona, Operations Manager of Uratex Foam Bacolod said.

An interview with Mr. Stephen Brian Lee, Industrial Marketing Manager, revealed that Bacolod City is the 3rd branch outside of Metro Manila after Naga and Cebu. The company plans to expand and open more branches in the Vis-Min area. With the opening of the showroom, customers are assured they will be buying original and high quality products.

Uratex also produces high quality foams for automobiles and in fact one of its big  clients is Vallacar Transit, owner of Ceres Line of buses operating nationwide with corporate office in Bacolod City. There has been a clamor for Uratex to open a branch in Bacolod for a long time but now seems an opportune time with the current developments in Bacolod City.

Congratulations Uratex and welcome to Bacolod!

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