2010 Danjugan Youth Marine and Wildlife Camp

The youth are the future steward of the environment so it’s better to teach them while they’re young. What better way to teach them environmental conservation than to let them appreciate the beauty of an unspoiled marine and wildlife sanctuary that is Danjugan Island? Let your kids experience the 2010 Danjugan Youth Marine and Wildlife Camp on April 13-17, 2010.

Since early 1990’s the Danjugan Youth Marine and Wildlife Camp has educated young people on marine and wildlife conservation through lectures and interactive exercises.  Danjugan Island, located in Brgy. Bulata, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, around 130 km south of Bacolod City, was declared a Marine Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary by the provincial government in 2000. Through the efforts of the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRCFI), linkages with international conservation societies were forged to source for funds in the acquisition of the island in 1994 and its maintenance.

This small island (1.5km by 0.5km) is home to at least 70 bird species, 9 bat species, 22 butterfly species, 17 species of mangroves, 572 fish species belonging to 139 genera, and more.  With this diversity, Danjugan is a microcosm of the world before mankind destroyed most of its natural flora and fauna.

Danjugan is a nature’s classroom where young people can learn how to take care of nature through exposure to the island’s diverse ecosystem. The kids will hear lectures from scientists, experience snorkeling and trekking, close encounter with wildlife, and they will also have games and art activities. The five days and four nights that the kids will spend on the island will give them lessons they can take with them for life.

For more information, contact:

Jay Jalandoni: 09173000529, jalandonij@yaho.com
Gerry Ledesma: 09189008113, glledesma@gmail.com
Nikki Cajili: n_cajili@yahoo.com
Ramie Babac: 09092073865, ramie_babac@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.prrcf.org/about_danjugan.html

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.

Agriculture and Tourism Potentials Don Salvador Benedicto

I passed by Don Salvador Benedicto for countless of times but the number of times I explored the town can be counted in my fingers. Aside from the Malatan-og Viewing Deck, the only place in Don Salvador that I spent more than 30 minutes was at the parish church when we were photo-documenting the churches in Negros Occidental.

We were invited to grace the opening of the 20^th Kali-Kalihan Harvest Festival and 27^th Founding Anniversary of Don Salvador Benedicto on Saturday, February 6.  Kali or what is popularly known Arnis, is an ethnic Filipino martial arts which Salvadorans celebrate in the annual Kali-Kalihan Harvest Festival.

I was there with my boss to present the programs and project of our office for the 3^rd Farmer’s Forum but I ended up cutting the ribbon for the opening of the Agro-Trade Fair. I was uncomfortable but Mayor Lawrence Marxlen “Mac” De la Cruz was very friendly and put us at ease.

The Agro-Trade Fair showcases the products of the seven barangays of Don Salvador. Visitors get a chance to buy various agricultural products such as root crops, fruits and vegetables at farm gate prices. Yakon which is known to thrive only in cold climate thrives well in Don Salvador.

Horticulture is also a potential industry for the town. Million flowers, Mickey Mouse plant, lirio and various variegated lampunaya are just some of the bestsellers of local growers. On ordinary days, these ornamental plants are displayed along the highway so motorists can stop over and buy.

Mayor Mac conceptualized the Fiesta sa nayon for this year’s celebration where every barangay were given a counterpart fund by the local government to set-up their booth at the Municipal Hall grounds. All barangays display their products and serve local cuisine to guests. Composo singers entertain the guests while they’re eating. Exotic dishes served were those of freshwater fish “bunog” and frogs. The local government wish to showcase their local culture and hoped to make this a future tourist attraction

The former Mayor of Don Salvador, now Board Member Nehemias “Nene” De La Cruz was instrumental in the passing of Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution declaring the town as the “Summer Capital of Negros Occidenal”.

Taking a cue from his father, Mayor Marxlen’s thrust is also on tourism with the theme “Turismo Isulong, Kauswagan Maagum”.  Mayor De la Cruz said that no matter how many times he visited the different places in his town, he’s still amazed at how blessed Don Salvador is. With more than sixty percent of the town still classified forest reserve, the town is still waiting for the approval and awarding of its Town Site which is pending at the House of Senate.

It’s also good to note that the Mayor is very aware of the ill-effects of unabated developments like what is happening to Boracay and other tourist destinations in the country. He said whatever developments in Don Salvador should benefit the people such as employment and should be regulated so that it won’t harm the environment.

I have to agree with him. Of what I have seen so far of Don Salvador, I can say there’s so much about this town that one needs to see and experience. The town is blessed with a good climate, fertile soil and beautiful landscape. These are some of the elements that make this young and small town stand out from the rest of the towns and cities in Negros Occidental. The Summer Capital of Negros Occidental beckons you to come and visit!

A Walk Down History With Ramon Hofileña

The Annual Cultural Tour of Negros Occidental (ACTNO) organized by Mon Hofileña, now on its 37^th year, is the longest running cultural tour in the world. The tour is an excellent way both for Negrenses and non-Negrenses  to know Negros Occidental. And there’s no better person to do that than Mr. Ramon Hofileña.  The tour is often conducted all Saturdays of December every year. However, it was only conducted two weekends last December and our trip on December 12 was the last for the year 2009.

The tour commenced at the zero marker at the Provincial Capitol.  While snacks of native kakanin were distributed, Mr. Hofileña emphatically started his lecture. The Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol was built in 1927 using Neo-Roman architectural design of American Daniel Burnham and executed by Filipino Architect Juan Arellano. Negrense Architect Leandro Locsin considered it as the most beautiful capitol building in the country.  Fronting the capitol is a man-made lagoon with carabao statues at both ends, one with a man and the other with a woman.

We proceeded to the posh Sta. Clara Subdivision, considered as the Forbes Park of Bacolod. The Chapel of  Barangay Sang Birhen which was designed by Arch. Norman Campos is found inside Sta. Clara Subd. The chapel features a 19 ft x 21 ft mural mosaic of Barangay Sang Birhen made of 95,000 pieces of polished shells done by Ms. Leticia Sia Ledesma. Stations of the cross and images of saints and altar pieces are made of 30,000 shells.  An imposing chandelier made of 14,000 pieces of shells hang at the center of the chapel.

We then proceeded to Silay City which is considered as the Paris of Negros. Entering the city is like traveling into a time warp. You’d be transported back in time of affluence with Silay City’s 31 ancestral houses. One of which is the Bernardino‐Jalandoni House built in 1908. It is a perfect example of the affluent Filipino house of the late 19th to early 20th century. The house is now turned into a museum and was identified as a Heritage House by the National Historical Institute.

I again had a chance to visit the famous Church of St. Joseph the Worker popularly known as the Church of the Angry Christ. Mr. Hofilena doesn’t want to use that name “Church of the Angry Christ” since he said Christ in the church’s most famous mural is not angry. The church features the works of world famous artists including Alfonso Ossorio who painted the mural.

Lunch was at the Victorias Golf and Country Club located inside the Victorias Milling Corp., The golf club features 71 Par, 18 Holes, 6,000 Yards with Clubhouse Restaurant, Tennis Court and Bowling Alley.

We were unfortunately delayed since the bus had a slight mechanical problem.  However, it did not burst our bubble since our next stop was the Chapel of the Cartwheels. The chapel can be found inside the hacienda of the Gaston family in Manapla, Negros Occidental. It is made of cartwheels and other farm implements. The chapel was designed by Msgr. Gigi Gaston like a salakot. It was not my first time at the Chapel of the Cartwheels but Mr. Hofileña made it very entertaining you wouldn’t mind hearing the same story all over again.

It was then his time to welcome us to his home, the Hofileña Heritage House. It was the first Heritage House in Silay to be opened to visitors which is not surprising. Mr. Hofileña is an advocate in the preservation and promotion of Negrense cultural heritage. His house is a repository of his personal collection of the work of top Filipino artists including Amorsolo and Jose Rizal. Other interesting pieces in his collection are the world’s smallest dolls, copies of the world’s first pocket books, meteorite stones, Ming dynasty jars, manual printing machine and much more.

The tour would not be complete without trying Silay City’s famous delicacies.  We just couldn’t resist Nora Lacson’s pili squares and lumpia ubod.  Homemade delicacies are simply the best. These recipes were handed down from generations just like the original piaya and pastel de manga recipes of Rommie Lacson.

If you think you know enough about this genteel province, wait till you join the Annual Cultural Tour of Negros Occidental. There are loads of interesting stories and historical facts that you don’t get to read about plus nobody knows more about Negros Occidental than Mon Hofileña.  He spice up the tour with trivia and exclusive information. I wish they teach history like this in school. But it’s not yet too late to take an interest in Negrense history. Watch for the tour this year and don’t dare miss it!

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.

Federico’s Named Best Bignay Wine

Local wine producer Federico’ Island Wine based in Victorias City was named Best Bignay Wine in the Tropical Wine Competition hosted by the Department of Science and Technology South Luzon Cluster on November 11, 2009 at SM City Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

Federico’s bested other six finalists in the Bignay Category from other regions. Bignay (Bugnay) grows in the wild and are handpicked and naturally fermented. Bignay wine has a rich, fruity flavor and aroma. It is clear and dark plum in appearance and has 13 percent alcohol content achieved through natural fermentation.

Aside from the Bignay Wine, Federico’s also has Duhat and Pineapple Wine. The wine makes a good Christmas gift even Manila-based EchoStore carries Federico’s wine in its special Green Basket gift set. Locally, Federico’s Island wine is available at Fresh Start Organic Stores and Merci’s Pasalubong Center.

Hacendera for A Day: My Negros Hacienda Tour Experience

The sugar barons of Negros Occidental lived in an era long forgotten. They lived in mansions in the middle of sugar plantations, attended by their servants and money seem to be overflowing. It is a life that most of us can only dream of. Thanks to Imelda Tinsay of Next Stop Negros Tour, my friends and I got a glimpse of the life of the hacenderos even just for a day.

I am as much a stranger to hacienda life as the next tourist.  I grew up in Iloilo and the social structure there is much different from that of Negros. Landholdings were not as large and the main crop is rice and not sugarcane. So, when Imelda invited me and my friends for the Negros heritage lunch tour, she did not have to ask me a second time.

Manapla is around an hour’s travel from Bacolod City. Aside from the famous Manapla puto (rice cake), the town is also where you can find Hda. Rosalia , the  ancestral home of one of the sons of Yves Leopold Germain Gaston, Jose Gaston and wife Consuelo Ascona. Yves Germain was a Frenchman who settled in Negros Occidental and was instrumental in modernizing the sugar industry by bringing in “horno economico”.

The Chapel of the Cartwheels

The white mansion stood proud in the middle of the estate. No sugar baron lives here anymore but a servant of the church does, Monsignor Gigi Gaston. It’s not surprising then that inside the estate is a unique church, the Chapel of the Cartwheels. Monsignor Gigi was the one responsible in designing the chapel as a way of enculturation of the local culture in the church.

All the parts of the chapel were made out of cartwheels and other farm implements. The benches were made by families who attended the mass, one bench for every family. The candle holders were made out of mortars and the pestle was turned into a holy water container during christening. From afar it looks like a salakot, Filipinos’ native hat. You can’t find anything like it anywhere in the Philippines.

The Jose Gaston Mansion

Imelda then toured us around the mansion which was built in the 1930s. The high ceiling, large windows and wooden floors were typical of the period. The mansion was featured in the Peque Gallaga classic movie Oro, Plata, Mata. I was half expecting to feel something creepy as what they say of old houses. But my fears were unfounded. Besides, our noise was enough to scare any spirit lurking around.

I like old houses for they have their distinct character and seem to be frozen in time. The mansion must have witnessed a lot of happy moments and even challenging times. Monsignor Gigi kept as much of the original furniture of the house. The knitted bed sheets were still the works of Doña Consuelo who stayed at home to take care of the family. If you think that’s an easy job, think again. She and Don Jose had eight children! Even with all the servants they have, that is still one tough job. During World War II the whole clan stayed in the mansion. Imagine the fun and chaos!

We went up a steep flight of stairs to the tower where you have a 360-degree view of the hacienda. It’s probably here where you can appreciate the life in a farm. It’s away from the busy life at the city and the fresh air and the excellent view are hard to resist. But the best is yet to come.

The Delectable Food!

Celebrity Chef Jomi Gaston of  the Promdi Chef culinary show and owner of Trattoria Uma prepared a feast for us. We had chicken liver pâté and tomato and beans brusqueta for appetizer with a bottle of wine. Lunch was served at the table where the family used to eat. The couple had eight children so the table was really long. We were told the children sat according to age and nobody should sit unless the parents already sat down.

We had grilled chicken liver, fresh salad greens with mango cubes, and crab cake for starter. I thought I already had my fill but I couldn’t resist the creamed dory with tomato-caper sauce, osso buco and Monsignor Gigi’s Adobong Milyonaryo. We had the opportunity of meeting Monsignor Gigi and we asked him why the name. He said somebody described his adobo as very rich in flavor thus it came to be known as Adobong Milyonaryo. I thought it was aptly named since most of those who had a taste of his adobo must have been rich also. I just hope the luck would rub on to us as well.

Chef Jomi ate with us and we were surprised at how down to earth he is. Conversations vary from Facebook, horror movies, food, celebrity gossips and comparing notes on Iloilo and Negros. We even thought of opening a Facebook page on Iloilo vs Bacolod! It was just a friendly banter so nobody got hurt except for the panacotta on fruits which was gone in seconds.

The afternoon breeze at the hacienda was very tempting to have siesta and I imagine that’s what they do in the old days. Hacienda life must be bliss. No wonder a lot of foreigners, just like the Gaston family, had made Negros their home. I’d like to think it’s more than just the money that the sugar industry brings. It’s the landscape, the culture, the food, and the charming people. As they say, Negros is sugar and more.

For more inquiries on Negros Heritage Lunch Tour,  contact Imelda Tinsay
Tel. No.+63.34.4355377
Mobile:+63.917.5122071
Email: nextstopnegrostours@gmail.com
www.nextstop-negros-tours.com

Photos by: Anne Valdez and Maymee Mojeno

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