Iloilo City and Province - Compiled Threads [Archive] - Page 9

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 01:29 PM

Iloilo's current news ..

More art as the Art Republic opens
By Kathy Villalon Cinco

(Part One)

LATELY, this column has focused mostly on art instead of parties. It is because this writer believes that art has to be given importance and the artists and their rare passion be recognized.

Last Friday, Ilonggo artists were again given boost when Art Republic opened at Robinsons Place Iloilo. This is the biggest step in honoring our very own, regardless of group affiliation or style, since the successful holding of Arte Ilonggo in another mall last month.

Art Republic provides an accessible venue for Ilonggo artists' works to be witnessed as this comprises half of the wing of the third floor of Robinsons Place Iloilo.

Comprising the gallery are the Gallerie Artesons composed of Ritche Baylon, Erwin Chiongson, Dante Aguirre, Angelo Duarte, Momo Dalisay, Voltaire Fernandez, Nelson and Pam Ferraris and Erwin Sabio; C' Calleria composed of Levy Salmon, Paulo Cabales, Prof. Ramon Sanares, Wilfredo Sy, Jhonny Liwanag, Mylen and Nikki Salmon; Gina Apostol Garcia's Gallery; Verneil Visitacion's Gallery; Angelo Moleta and Rene Peconcillo's Gallery; Brownman Gallery by the Busilak Artists Group composed of Jomari Moleta, Voltaire Fernandez, Nona Lasaga, Marlon Penetrante, Mike Moleta, Richard Rull and Eugene Cichon; and Hangaway composed of Mario Magno, Ronie Apines and Efraim Alfaras.

About time

Erwin Chiongson has been a virtual artist for the past 25 years but for a long time, he's more known as a fitness and health buff, being the owner of Winners Gym. Seeing Chiongson's artworks of glass formed into blocks with a faucet as their main element was a 'wow!' experience. “It's about time,” this writer said to herself. Yes, it's about time that Chiongon's rare artistry is witnessed by all.

Dante Aguirre, an Ilonggo who is an architect and interior designer in Manila, has finally diversified by featuring his glass art. Aguirre revealed that whenever he makes a house, he would always leave a trademark of his - a glass art.

Again, it's about time that another Ilonggo creates something different. His glass art will be on display at the Art Republic for a month.

Consistent

The consistency of Erwin Sabio in portraying one's daily chores through pastel or watercolor is impressive. He's one of this writer's personal favorites.

Angelo Duarte never fails to impress, either. He is an architect, a visual artist, designer and art instructor. In fact, he's into performance art, too. He's Iloilo's pride and his latest achievement was being nominated for the Thirteen Artist Award by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Pg Zoluaga, another Ilonggo who also makes waves in the national arena, never fails to awe an art lover. This writer's favorite is his Dinagyang Spirit, although this is not his recent work. This piece portrays beer as the icon of the celebration instead of the Child Jesus. Anybody who has witnessed Dinagyang can agree that his portrayal has a hint of truth in it. More people look forward to the celebration with drinking and parties in mind more than its religious aspect.

A woman’s touch

Gina Apostol's gallery features her paintings on canvas and clothes, carvings and necklaces. This founder of Clayworks Ceramics, Panubli Arts and Crafts, member of Ilonggo Producers Association and art instructor is perhaps one of the most versatile and active women artists around. In fact, she's already concocted some art festivals that we can look forward to. There's the Festival of Art Lamps on December 16 to 31 and Celebration of Churches: Clay Sculptures of Famous Panay Churchest on January 20 to February 31, 2006. All these at her gallery at the Art Republic.

What are the other artists up to? More of this on part two of this column . . . soon.

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Ronald McDonald House Charities, LCF provide new reading approaches to kids

MORE Filipino grade school students now have a fighting chance at better grades and a brighter future as more public schools benefit from new reading approaches with Ronald McDonald House Charities' (RMHC) Bright Minds Read (BMR) Program.

The League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) led by member organization RMHC officially turned over 126 BMR Kits to the Department of Education (DepEd) last October 18 at the DepEd national office.

DepEd will initially distribute the BMR kits to assigned beneficiary public schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Region 4 that will fully adapt the Bright Minds Read Program, according to Zonito M. Torrevillas of RMHC.

The Visayas and Mindanao will soon follow, with priority in places where McDonald's has presence, like Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Tagbilaran, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban, Butuan, General Santos, Ozamiz and Zamboanga, she added.

This is the first rollout of BMR kits that the LCF in partnership with RMHC has pledged to DepEd. Through the cooperation of its other members, LCF hopes to hit its target donation of 300 BMR kits to the DepEd by the end of next year.

The official turnover headed by DepEd Assistant Secretary Teodoro Katindig, LCF president Bobby Calingo and RMHC chairman George T. Yang signified LCF and RMHC's unflagging commitment towards better education through the development of beginning reading among grade school students.

According to George T. Yang, children have always been close to McDonald's heart and to be able to help them become brighter and more well rounded individuals through beginning reading merit their own rewards.

"McDonald's through its charity arm RMHC firmly believes in education as a powerful means to shape a better future for our Filipino youth. That is why we put its full support on the Bright Minds Read Program. By teaching kids how to read and understand their lessons better early on, they can make the most out of their education and hopefully, their lives," said Yang.

LCF member donors Petron Foundation and power-producer Mirant Philippines also graced the event to commemorate the turnover of BMR kits. Out of the total donated BMR kits, Mirant Philippines sponsored 29 kits for schools in Real, Quezon.

Petron Foundation handed out 22 BMR kits for schools in the NCR and RMHC contributed 70 kits to be disseminated in public schools around Manila and five in outlying Balayan, Batangas.

"The LCF has long been a supporter of children's literacy so when RMHC presented us with Bright Minds Read, we enthusiastically embraced it. BMR can help them do better in class. It can also build their self-confidence. To us, it's like giving these kids, especially the non-readers, a fresh start," says Calingo.

Each BMR Kit contains English and Filipino reading materials, teachers manuals and worksheets. The kits, which cost P11,200 each, are specially developed and produced to help improve beginning reading and comprehension skills of the grade school beneficiaries.

The BMR Program also includes training for teachers in implementing effective beginning reading. Trainings were recently conducted in Cebu and Davao.

Bright Minds Read is a collaboration between RMHC and DepEd that promotes reading and literacy among Filipino children. The program aims to address the increasing rate of non-readers among Grade 1 pupils in public schools by providing resources as well as training to stimulate beginning reading and improve the quality of instruction of teachers.

In a DepEd study conducted in select public schools four years ago, 40 percent of the Grade 1 pupils were found to have fallen behind in their studies simply because they cannot read. Upon subjecting the students to the BMR approach, the rate of non-readers dramatically reduced to 4 percent at the end of their grade one schooling.

Through the tireless efforts of the DepEd and RMHC, more and more Grade 1 classrooms in public schools are now using BMR approach. With LCF's support, BMR can hopefully achieve its main objective-make readers out of all grade schoolers across the country.

Ronald McDonald House Charities is supported by McDonald's, the world's number one fast-food chain providing high-quality products at good value.

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Tigkaralag Pavia Style
By Bombette G. Marin

IN the Roman Catholic Church, the observance of prayer and alms-giving to assist the souls of our loved ones in purgatory is the object of a festival falling on November 1 and 2. It has become an annual celebration to honor the spirits of the dead so they might rest in peace.

The elderly often tell stories of the day when the spirits of the dead return to commune with the living. Families leave offerings for these spirits and clean and decorate the graves of deceased family members.

Though the observance of All Saints Day and All Souls Day differ from region to region, and even between different social groups, for most Filipinos, It is not only the time for observing pre-Christian folk customs. Characteristics of this traditional family day gathering activity have also altered. The emergence of a communal celebration in a new form have become a part of the lifestyle of the people of a certain communities, thus, making a great contribution to the living history of modern civilization.

The municipality of Pavia, a fourth class municipality of 18 barangays, tagged as the region's Agro-Industrial Center for Western Visayas, is 9.6 kilometers north of Iloilo City. Believed to have been established during the Spanish occupation in 1848, Pavia is home to the oldest festival in the province - the Carabao-Carroza Festival established in May of 1973, It is also famous for its mouth-watering baye-baye - a by-product of rice made from the newly-harvested palay, a famous pasalubong of first-time visitors. Their century-old pottery industry (Pik- Pik Koron), which have been the source of livelihood of the people, is found in two neighboring barangays of the municipality. And their much-talked about flower and bonsai garden are just few of the many "must-see" in Pavia. In addition, the municipality, poised to be one of Iloilo's prominent and attractive tourist destination, will be celebrating the festival of the dead with their Halloween activity called TIGKARALAG.

Slated on October 30 , 7 p.m. at the Pavia Municipal Plaza, Tigkaralag is an inter-barangay Halloween dance drama competition participated in by the different barangays of the municipality and from the Youth Council. The event was conceptualized by Cecilia H. Capadosa way back 1992 and later on carried over by Councilors Maria M. Jaspe and then Raymund V. Gumban.

This year, the event is handled by their supportive and dynamic mayor, the Hon. Arcadio H. Gorriceta in cooperation with the Municipal Tourism Office headed by Itoa President Susan P. Jovero.

Dressed in Halloween costumes, the participating groups march around the municipal plaza before their actual performances. Each consisting of 15 to 25 members and outlined by a five to seven-minute storyline. With hair-raising props, costumes in playful imagery of skeletons, witches and half-bodied viscera eaters supported by grotesque make-up, the showdown reflects the Filipino's traditions and culture on what is considered as the second most-celebrated Christian celebration in the country.

The changing attitudes in communities resulted this old-age tradition becoming an occasion for merriment. Though for some traditional Filipino, the observance of All Saints Day and All Souls Day will remain unaltered, something they have considered as a tonic. But for the people of Pavia, TIGKARALAG hopes to offer an entertaining experience where family and friends get together and celebrate the day of the dead.

Capitol launches feeding program

ILOILO – The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) launched yesterday the National Supplemental Feeding Program at the capitol lobby here.

This program will contribute to the millennium development goals (MDG) target of reducing the number of underweight children up to five years old by 2015, lower poverty through job creation and increased income, and increase food production and reduce import dependence on milk, flour, vegetables, etc.

Targets of this program are pre-schoolers. They will be fed with nutritious food five days a week. The food comprises of coco pandesal and fresh milk for three days and hot meals for two days.

This program will last for 120 feeding days (six months) with total budget of P2,076,000 for Region VI.

This project is piloted in the municipalities of Cabatuan, Tubungan and Leon with P167,000 budget allotted for each municipality.

Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. said the provincial government will provide these municipalities with fresh milk and allocate budget. He did not mention the exact amount though.
He is also planning to implement the same program in other towns to eradicate malnutrition among school children.

This feeding program falls under the National Pre-School Education Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Education in the Province of Iloilo.

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Lanjagan, Ajuy: History & Mythology

I CAN always recall what famous southern Filipino poet Merlie Alunan once said – as she offered me beer (Was it in Los Baños or Tagbilaran?) - about post-modernizing Philippine fiction: “Weave history and mythology into the elements of fiction.”

I understand fiction. I am planning to write one amidst my pile of blank papers. But I still love poetry and would still spend time for it when I am in literature.

In a country of stories of history and mythology, I still find it rare for a barangay to have the “How it got its name?”

Everytime I go to Concepcion with my ping-pong buddy, we would pass through a feeder road – a short cut. Without the short cut from Ajuy to Concepcion, travel would take my buddy and his car about one to one-and-a-half hours instead of about 30 minutes from the poblacion of the former to the latter.

We would pass through Barangay Lanjagan, which I know recently happens to be one of the rare barangays to have its own historico-mythological story.

According to the barangay folks (this seems to have been made the official chronicle), Barangay Lanjagan was derived from the word “kalanagan” (flat land) or “kalutakan” (mud land). There was a “luyan” (concavity) in the area. Heavy rains eroded the hilly land and turned the concavity into a flat land. A road was then made on the new flat land and it was called Langjagan (trail or passage way) and now Lanjagan.

A friend Vicente “Nonoy Itik” Espinosa, the Barangay Captain of Lanjagan before he became a member of the board of directors of the Iloilo Electric Cooperative (ILECO) 3, says that the Barangay was a Spanish-owned hacienda during the colonial times. The hacienda was then sold to Don Joaquin Elizalde who later sold it to many different buyers.

Nonoy Itik when he was the barangay captain before he assumed the responsibility of director of the electric cooperative gave enough help to strengthen the infrastructures of the rice granary that is Lanjagan. He cleaned the barangay of drugs. It is now drug-free. For this, Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas signified One Hundred Thousand Pesos to Nonoy Itik and the people of Lanjagan. The amount will be used to promote sports (particularly basketball) among the youth and to continue to keep them away from drugs through the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) led by the intelligent Sangguniang Bayan member Loida Espinosa.

The slogan “Wala sing matamad sa Lanjagan (Everyone is industrious in Lanjagan) has been attributed to Nonoy Itik.

He was the best barangay captain Lanjagan ever had, the people would amiably say.He facilitated the entry of CIDSS-KALAHI, a socio-econo-environmental development project under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Iloilo Fifth District Congressman and House of Representatives Assistant Minority Floor Leader Rolex Suplico was heard to be planning to make more improvements on the national road traversing Lanjagan and going to the town of Concepcion. Fifth District Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Angel Briones is also very much willing to help.

From the historico-mythological to the socio-econo-environmental, Nonoy Itik has many stories to tell. He made Lanjagan prosperous and says will continue to make it such with all the positive changes he has in mind for the place of his birth.

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City proposes P754M budget for 2006

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod’s Committee on Appropriations has started public hearings on the proposed executive budget for 2006 – P754,543,397.

The budget proposal was prepared by the City Budget Office. It wou;d be sourced from local taxes, permits and licenses, service income, business income and other incomes of the city government.

Among others, the City Accountant, City Budget Officer and the City Treasurer attended yesterday’s public hearing.

The 2006 proposed budget is 7.48 percent higher than last year’s P702 million budget.
The five percent calamity fund for 2006 was raised to P37.7 million while the 20 percent Internal Revenue Allotment share for development projects reached P65.3 million.
At 10 a.m. today, the Committee on Appropriations shall hear the proposed budgets of the different city hall offices starting with he City Mayor’s Office (CMO), City Population Office (CPO), Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), City Budget Office (CBO) and the City Legal Office (CLO).

The CMO has a proposed budget of P 29.6 million; P5.4 for the CPO; P4.3 million for the HRMO; P6 million for the CBO and P4.8 million for the CLO.

On Thursday, the City Planning and Development Office, Sangguniang Panlungsod, City Auditor’s Office, City Treasurer’s Office and Markets shall present their respective budget proposals.

On November 3, the City Assessor’s Office, Municipal Trial Court in Cities, City Registry of Deeds, Board of Tax Appeal and the City Health Office shall have there budget proposals heard.

On November 7, the Committee shall discuss the budget proposals of City Schools, Agriculturist’s Office, Engineer’s Office, General Services Office and the Accountant’s Office.

On November 8, the City Social Welfare and Development Office will be presenting its budget proposal with the City Veterinarian’s Office, Slaughterhouse, Civil Registrar’s Office and the Tourism and Development Office.

On November 10, the budgets of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, La Paz Maternity and Reproductive Health Center, Technical Institute of Iloilo City and the Non-Office items shall be discussed.

The Committee had reserved November 14, 15 and 17, 2005 for those items which could not be accommodated in their schedule of hearings.

Councilor Jose Espinosa III chairs the Committee on Appropriation with Councilors Eduardo Peñaredondo and Merci Garcia as members.

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 01:33 PM

your welcome.parang cebuano yata yung not ilonggo.

olay lang ako dito.still working yet still having time sa mga forums

daw amo gid, Whyte ... ginhimo pa nila ang hiligaynon nga binisaya ... hahaha ... it just doesn't coincide with anythying gid ah. I asked my friends here, wala mn kabalo sang term nga ina ... same through sa balay since I'm clling Iloilo almost everyday now. Don't want to comment much kay basi ma-misinterpret kita di ... you know what I mean?

Anyway, good to hear you're doin' fine. Are you still visiting our school's website? Kind of lost in track lately.

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 01:40 PM

I heard it right...I dialled Globe 171 twice and chose the Ilonggo function...
>Kung guyod mong mamangkot sa Broadband Dsl, press 2
>Kung guyod mong mamangkot sa mga bag-ong promo, press 0
Anyway, maybe Globe just based it on an English-Ilonggo dictionary that's why they're getting very deep Ilonggo words.

Thanks for the info, Sinjin. I think I need to review my Ilonggo (Hiligaynon) vocabulary as well ... hehehe. I'm kind of lost with this new word ... it's so striking that I haven't heard it at all. But don't you worry. Nothing bad intended to question your post validity. Our landline in Iloilo is Globe as well. Hope I did try it when I was there. Thanks anyway.

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 01:43 PM

ok lang din sa akin yun...at least...it would help sta barbara or kung ano man nga municipality mag-develop...basta i-consider nila ang indi mabudlayan ang mga tawo...

yep, we have to lobby to transfer the regional capital to either Pototan or Sta Barbara, Freeze ... hehehe ... the city of Iloilo is so congested and traffic na ... besides, Iloilo City can stand on its own (through the test of time, ika nga .. hahaha) ... wala na lugar sa city for erecting more regional offices. Time for Pototn or Sta Barbara to soar high .. right now, both of them are developing fairly. It will further boast there economy is regional offices will be relocted inthese two towns.

chymera00

October 25th, 2005, 01:53 PM

yep, we have to lobby to transfer the regional capital to either Pototan or Sta Barbara, Freeze ... hehehe ... the city of Iloilo is so congested and traffic na ... besides, Iloilo City can stand on its own (through the test of time, ika nga .. hahaha) ... wala na lugar sa city for erecting more regional offices. Time for Pototan or Sta Barbara to soar high .. right now, both of them are developing fairly. It will further boast there economy is regional offices will be relocted inthese two towns.
I'm getting frustrated lately ... I'm sick of having to take a look at some local newspaper in Iloilo and find no good news at all ... all politics. I'm sure there are a handful of developments in Iloilo worth making an article of. Everyone needs to have an awareness of these developments so they will be supported and stuff ... I hope these developments we discuss here are very helpful in instilling optimism in our city and province :)
I'm still waiting for that big project (aside from the International Airport) that will jumpstart the real progress of Iloilo

slerz

October 25th, 2005, 01:54 PM

mamangkot is a tagalog word...I think.

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 02:06 PM

Sie le Weck! Oo gani, grabe, even the cemeteries are overly populated these days! So no choice but to buy. It so ironic really no, we work hard and earn more just to prepare for our deaths. I mean we live and at the same time worry for our deaths. What a cycle! Like sa Taiwan, you know when someone dies he would bring millions with him, kasi very xpensive ang funerals didto. The family have to hire a band, dancer, a person for crying service (I don't really know what's the term), etc, etc. And they would be spending millions just for this. So bizarre but this is their tradition. They're very supertitious.

hehehe ... you're right there, weina .. but hey, I won't ask my family to spend millions for my burial (just in case) ... it's too impractical ... hehehe. As long as it is decent and the whole family will be there to witness, it's fine with me na siguro .. hehehe. But the memorial lot is becoming too expensive I guess. I don't know what happened but many Ilonggos goes for it at the moment. Too many sales rep selling memorial lots back in Iloilo. They'll pest you around to get one when you're there .. just try ... hehehe

About Savannah, I'm not really sure if there's still available lots there coz when I checked their website, there's no available map or their master plan layout wherein you can see the exact location of available lots. Last time I visited twas still there so I doubt maybe it's all sold out already, guess ko lang ha. I also checked their prices, is it true that the 150sqm lot area with 171sqm floor area Victoria house is only for 1M??? Hirap kasi in my case coz I all depend on the internet. I've been looking for properties in Iloilo, but the information is just too limited. I hope internet info sharing mag improve more sa Iloilo. I'm also thinking of buying an agricultural land for investment. Talking about investment, ano maayo gali inegosyo didto sa Iloilo subong man. I'm thinking of going back to Iloilo next year kaya I'm making preparations na sa schedule ko didto. I like to visit Garins farm in Guimbal,? I hope next year maka put up business na rin. Saving money in the bank is not very ideal. With a meager interest, I'd rather put it to micro finance lending (3 to 5% interest) na lang no cguro, hhmmm :dunno: . Kaso lang dami rin complications. Hay, ambot basta maka start lang tani...anyway, Weck ikaw ya ano plano mo?

you can't barely see anything in the internet, Wein. My sis told me about it lang. I just send special power of Attorney to purchase one.

In Savannah, I think there's few more lots available. The Savannah Glades house and lots are all sold out. That was three to four years ago pa. So no chance for you to buy anything in Glades. In Savannah Trails, I think they are doing an expansion right now. The Savannah Trails -A were all sold out. There's a new Savannah Trails-B. Whether it's sold out or not, I'm not so sure. But I guess, you don't have much of the choices na. Same through with Savannah Glen. Savannah Glen-A, Savannah Glen-B, and Savannah Glen-C were all sold out as well. There's Savannah Glen-D na. So probably there'll be few more availble in this site. Another community in Savannah in the making is Savannah Crest. Savannah Crest I believe will be the forefront of Savannah communities now overtaking Savannah Glades. Savannah Crest will have house and lots costing 6-10 million pesos. About lots only, the last price of Savannah lots (two months ago) cost you 4,500 pesos per sq. meter. Probably, it can go up higher to 5,000 pesos per sq. meter pa. Just check with your agent if you have one.

With regards to a million peso house and lot in Savannah, you can probably get it in Savannah Glen, I guess being the low-cost community of the subdivision ... whether it is true or not, I'm not so sure. A house and lot with a land area of 100 sq meter and a floor area of more than 40 sq meter cost a little more than a million na. I guess, the advert you've read is not too updated, Wein. Let me know when you are going home. I'll ask one of my realtor's friend to come and visit you for further infos.

If you still have family back home in Iloilo, ask them to have a trip to Savannah. There's a regular site viewing that Savannah is providing for future buyers.

Business, agri lands, etc .. okay gid ina Wein. I can't divulge much of some properties back home ... hahaha ... basi mahambalan ta di nga tikalon or lagson ta sang BIR ... hahaha. I'll PM you na lang. Oks?

chymera00

October 25th, 2005, 02:09 PM

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 02:10 PM

yes, you're right Slerz, Ilonggos are known for being malambing, ingat ka lang pag galit ha, kasi it's not obvious, alam mo na baka smiling with bolo na pala, ha ha ha....Ang dami ko ring friends dyan sa Cebu pala. Sayang lang kasi we lost contact na for many years. Sana nga i'll find them soon so I can meet them in my next visit to Cebu. :)

So make your dream short na Slerz, wake up so you can start preparing na for your visit to Iloilo, I'm sure you won't regret it! 加有!加有! (go, go, go!)

I agree gid Wein ... hahaha .. Slerz, don't be mislead ... the "lambing" of Ilonggo is bit different though ... hehehe .. just joking. Hope you can visit Iloilo in the near future. And whoever this Ilongga friend you are talking about, goodluck to both of you? :)

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 02:17 PM

I'm getting frustrated lately ... I'm sick of having to take a look at some local newspaper in Iloilo and find no good news at all ... all politics. I'm sure there are a handful of developments in Iloilo worth making an article of. Everyone needs to have an awareness of these developments so they will be supported and stuff ... I hope these developments we discuss here are very helpful in instilling optimism in our city and province :)
I'm still waiting for that big project (aside from the International Airport) that will jumpstart the real progress of Iloilo

That's the problem with Iloilo newspapers Chy ... we, Ilonggos loves politics so much ... we are so alive and bickerers when it comes to politics ... hahaha. That's the way we live, you know. But don't get frustrated much, we are slowly changing the environment. We're not even affected with recent political news haunting our province.

Iloilo's development nowadays is quite noticeable. For some reason, I don't know why. Probably, we've all come to our senses, that aside from politics, Iloilo needs infras, investments, etc inorder to progress. Try to sit in any kapehans in Iloilo (both the posh and not-so-posh ... hehehe), people there talk about politics. You can see testaments with Franklin Drilon, Miriam Santiago, Raul Gonzales and Rolex Suplico ... they have one thing in common. They are all Ilonggos .... and in politics.

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 02:20 PM

mamangkot is a tagalog word...I think.

Mamangkot is a very Ilonggo word which means "magtatanong" in Tagalog. Anyway, mamangkot in tagalog dictionary could be in existence but probably in different meaning .. hahaha.

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 02:25 PM

Something I read in dinagyang.com:

The first Asian Player in Europe, Paulino Alcantara, born in Philippines (Iloilo) in 1896, moves to Spain and becomes FC Barcelona's all time top goal scorer, with 374 goals in 375 games. He made his 'pro' debut in 1912 scoring three-times in an 8-2 win, won 5 cups for Spain, played for both the Philippines & Spain National Teams and is most remembered for making a hole in the net playing for Spain in the international game against France on 30 April 1922 at Bouscat Stadium in Bordeaux.

That's right Chy. We posted this article in CPU forum as well. I just cn't relocate it. There's two threads in CPU forum which helps in Iloilo's promotion just like Skyscrapercity as well. They are:

ILOILO - The Heart of the Philippines

and

ILOILO WATCH

lately, it wasn't as updated as Skyscrapercity abi mo. But we'll try to put some more didto man.

wecky

October 25th, 2005, 03:50 PM

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051024/front20051024.jpg

wecky

October 26th, 2005, 10:25 PM

Garin: I’ll run again if…

BY GEROME DALIPE IV

ILOILO City – Undersecretary Oscar Garin said he is not anymore interested to run for public office. He said he would rather focus on his new post as Presidential Assistant on Agriculture and his businesses.

However, said the former First District congressman, he might change his mind if circumstances would compel him.

Garin said he would enter the political fray again if there is no other legitimate candidate for a post. He did not say which post he could be running for.

Second, said the acknowledged political kingpin of southern Iloilo, he might enter politics again if people would gladly vote for him even if he has no money to offer them.

“But as of now, I am happy with the position that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has given me. My son, Guimbal mayor Richard Garin and his wife Cong. Janette Garin are doing very, very well. I could even say they are doing better than I did,” said Garin.

Garin was appointed Undersecretary last August 15,2005. He said the President picked him for the position because of how well managed his popular Garinfarm in Guimbal town.

Garin ran for governor of Iloilo last year but lost to re-electionist Niel Tupas. He said he was inclined to refuse the President’s offer to be an agriculture undersecretary but, he said, having such a high respect for the Chief Executive, decided to accept it.

“It is my honor to have this position. The President noticed how I managed my farm that’s why she never hesitated to offer the position to me,” he added./PN

I rather Garin stay out of politics ... he's a very good businessman though. Look at what he did after he lost last election ... he simply turned Guimbal into the most business-friendly town.

Ford int’l fellowships open at San Agustin

ILOILO City – The Ford Foundation – International Fellowships Program (FF-IFP) has recently opened slots for grants that will commence in 2007. The deadline for pre-applications is November 30, 2005.

The FF-IFP awards graduate fellowships leading to a master’s or doctorate degree to candidates who have demonstrated social commitment, leadership and academic achievement. It reaches out to a new generation of potential leaders from groups and communities that have traditionally lacked access to higher education.

The master’s or doctorate degree to be pursued by fellows must be related to any one of the 12 Ford Foundation grant-making areas, namely: Arts and Culture; Civil Society; Community and Resource Management; Community Development; Economic Development and Economic Security; Education and Scholarship; Governance; Human Rights; Religion, Society and Culture; Media; Sexuality and Reproductive Health, and Workforce Development.

Selected fellows may enroll in any of the more than 300 top universities in Asia, Australia, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The grant covers tuition and other university fees, living allowances, travel allowances, and health insurance coverage.

To formally announce the fellowships in the region, representatives from the Philippine Social Science Council, which manages the IFP in the country, conducted last October 18 an information dissemination workshop on the fellowships at the University of San Agustin, the FF-IFP regional partner in Western Visayas.

The workshop gathered around 70 participants from academic institutions, local government units, non-government organizations, and people’s organizations in the region. Fr. Manuel Vergara, OSA, University of San Agustin president, welcomed the participants.

Applicants from Western Visayas may obtain more information on the IFP and application forms from the University of San Agustin. Prof. Jigger Latoza, director of the USA Center for Research and Publications, coordinates the program in the region. Interested parties may contact telefax no. (033) 337-7716 or email research@usa.edu.ph./PN

good thing happening in the University of San Agustin. Hope USA will be as active again as ever.

ConCom to feel Ilonggo pulse on Cha-cha today

ILOILO City - Two hundred Ilonggo multi-sectoral representatives will be heard today by members of the Consultative Commission (ConCom) at the Amigo Terrace Hotel over the proposed amendments to the l987 Constitution.

The 200 participants to the regional consultation will come from, among other sectors: farmers, fisherfolk, elderly, academe, youth, professionals, military, disabled, Muslim community, religious, business and indigenous groups.

ConCom is a study group and consultative body formed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Leading the regional consultation here is ConCom Team B team leader Joji Bian, a former Chair of the Mindanao Business Council and former President of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

With her are ConCom members Angelo Abarico, Ronald Admat, Andres Bautista, Ma. Romela Bengzon, Jarius Bondoc, Noel Carino, Francis Chua, Lito Monico Lorenzana, Emily Marohombsar, Victor Ortega, Vicente Paterno, Carmen Pedrosa, Sister Luz Emmanuel Soriano and Rey Magno Teves.

Meanwhile, Secretary Ignacio Bunye urged local executives to continuously intensify the information drive through broad consultations. “Indeed, charter change is an idea whose time has come,” Bunye said.

The regional consultation here is “timely and very necessary to feel the public’s pulse because the people’s decision is significant help to Congress should it decide to amend the present charter,” said Randy Bordon of New Lucena.

President Arroyo said the present political and economic systems need structural reforms to respond to inward and global changes to make them relevant and competitive. (T.Villavert/PIA)

we'll see how it goes in Iloilo City and province ... can't wait to know the results ... hmmm ..

Sentimental journey to Iloilo, 1

I WENT on a sentimental journey to Iloilo for two days last week. My main purpose was to visit the place where my wife, the former Barbara Ann Ford, used to live. The lot, which used to belong to her grandmother Marcela Ford, wife of John William Ford, is still there but the house is no longer standing.

John William Ford was an American civil engineer who helped build the Panay Railways from the Iloilo pier to Dao, Capiz. The lot now belongs to the family of Tony and Mildred Ascalon and I wanted to find out if it might be for sale.

As always, I stayed at Hotel Del Rio where I find the service always excellent. They have newly renovated and beautiful rooms, which are always immaculately clean. I see new improvements to the place every time I go there. In fact, there was still some kind of renovation going on in the ground floor near the barbershop.

Although I saw new faces at the front desk, like Charisse Ban, Angeline and Anton, the familiar face of Vic Improgo, working the afternoon shift, was still around. Vic Improgo is the first cousin of my dear friends, Vangie and Neri Improgo, who are now Sister Elizabeth and Sister Therese, respectively. Linda, also an old time employee, is still there. All the staff of the hotel have beautiful, ready smiles on their faces to greet their guests.

My good friend and room boy, David Dila, is still around too, as well as other familiar faces among the room boys and waiters.

I learned that Hotel Del Rio is now managed by Tata Loring, the son of the owner, Manolet Loring. The former GM, Jessie Ledesma, and his wife Arlet, are actually my very good friends and I was sorry not to have seen them.

I noticed that the room rates at Hotel Del Rio have increased a little, just like everything else, highly likely due to EVAT.

I've been a client of Hotel Del Rio since 1962, during my United Drug Company days, since before I got married to the beauteous Barbara Ann Ford of Lincoln Street, Jaro, a graduate of Nursing from St. Paul School of Nursing.

We took the opportunity to visit the American Cemetery where her mother, Pauline Ford, and her grandparents are buried.

We were guided around Iloilo and taken to dinner by the indomitable Vicente A. Yap Jr., the man about town, the man who knows everybody and everything that is going on in town. He and daughter, Joanna, took us to Krua Thai for authentic Thai cuisine. The place was clean with amiable and smiling waiters and waitresses like Josie Buala and Fred from Sagay City. We so enjoyed our meal that we went back there the next day.

Now I learn that there is a Krua Thai Restaurant here in Bacolod too which I will certainly visit some time. (To be continued)

wecky

October 26th, 2005, 10:34 PM

15 commissioners in Iloilo for consultations

Fifteen members of the Consultative Commission are in Iloilo City for the conduct of the Regional Consultations on the Revision of the l987 Constitution. The group is headed by Commissioner Joji Ilagan Bian, a former Chair of the Mindanao Business Council and former President of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also very active in the field of tourism, education and NGO work.

Together with her are the other members of Team B. The team’s membership is a multi-sectoral representation of members of the academe, business, farmers, fisherfolks, workers, students, lawyers, professionals military, senior citizens, media, ethnic and other similar groups.

The consultation workshop was launched by the three teams in Cebu October 25, after which the three teams proceeded to their areas of assignment. Team A will handle Zamboanga City and Puerto Princes, Team B for Iloilo and Davao City and Team C for Tacloban and Cagayan City

The members of Team B who are in Iloilo are: Angelo Abarico,chairman of the Board, Davao Press Foundation and concurrently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mindanao Media Center; Ronald L. Adamat, Secretary General, Tribal Community Association of the Philippines and President, Philippine Council for the Advocates of Peace (PCAP); Andres D, Bautista, Dean Far Eastern University Institute of Law and De L Salle University /FEU MBA-JD Dual Degree Program and President, Philippine Association of Law Schools;

Ma. Romela M. Bengzon, Managing Partner, The Bengzon Law Firm and Porfessor, Ateneo Graduate School of Business, Regis University, De La Salle University Graduate School of Business and FEU MBA-JD Program; Jarius Bondoc, columnist “Gotcha”, the Philippine Star and TV host, Linawin Natin, IBC 13; Noel Toti M. Carino, Chairman, Manila Times Publishing/Media Corporation and Vice-Chairman, Fil-Estate Land, Inc./Fil-Estate group of Companies;

Francis Chua, President, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. and President, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Foundation Inc., Lito Monico Lorenzana,Commissioner, EDSA People Power Commission and Chairman of the Board, Technical Assitance Center for the Development of rurual and Urban Poor (TACDRUP); Emily M. Marohombsar, former President of the Mindanao State University and Member, GRP Peace Panel negotiating with the MILF;

Victor F. Ortega, Vice-Chair of the Consultative Commission and Governor of the Province of La Union; Vicente Paterno, Director, First Philippine Holdings Corp, Cityland Development Corporation, Benpres Holdings Corporation and Stateland Inc.; Carmen N. Pedrosa, Vice-Chairman for Metro Manila and Columnist, The Philippine Star;

Luz Emmanuel Soriano, R.A., Board Member/Chair, La Salle College, USLS Affiliate Schools – Roxas City, St. Benilde School, Bacolod City;Rey Magno Teves, Executive Director and Secretary, Technical Assistance Center for Development of Rural and Urban Poor and Vice-Chair, Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc.

The consultations are expected to draw out people’s feedbacks, suggestions, recommendations regarding the revisions or amendments to the l987 Constitution. Results of the consultations and studies made by the ConCom will be submitted to the President who will forward it to Congress.

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Implementing rules on New Meat Code in effect

A year after Republic Act 9206 or the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines was signed into law, its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) are put into effect with Administrative Order No. 28, signed by Agriculture Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban.

The IRR is expected to put in place a clear-cut policy on the control and supervision of meat inspection in all meat establishments engaged in domestic and international meat trade.

The IRR clearly states important provisions on the country’s policies on safety and quality standards of meat and meat products. Likewise, the roles of agencies especially the local government units involved in the implementation of the law are also defined.

The IRR was studied and scrutinized by all sectors involved in the meat industry, for the past year that the draft was prepared.

The DA said that the IRR has paved the way for the meat industry to finally reach its full potentials in the domestic and international markets.

R.A. 9296 provides a concrete and tangible meat inspection system that is required to surmount the challenges faced by the meat and poultry industry in the country. The law strengthens and reinforces the existing programs and policies of the National Meat Inspection related to the production and handling of safe and quality meat.

This will ensure that consumers are protected from health hazards and risks when eating meat and meat products.

The law also responds to the needs of the meat industry as the latter is expected to develop and grow into a progressive industry consequently enhancing the competitiveness of Philippine meat products.

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WV OFW land-based deployment reaches 8,762 Jan.-Sept.

A total of 8,760 Filipinos were hired for overseas land based jobs from January to September of this year, according to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration 6. (OWWA)

The OWWA report indicated that of the 8,762 hired OFWs, 3,392 are males and 5, 370 are females. Most of these OFWs are employed in Saudi Arabia and Hongkong.

OWWA 6 Overseas Workers Welfare Officer III/Collecting Officer Nancy Oyco said that it was in the month of April that the highest number of OFWs deployment was recorded with 1,217. This is followed in May with 1,206, January with 1,192, June with 1,029, August with 939, March with 937, July with 832, February with 710, and September with 700.

Oyco said that these OFWs have also contributed a total of P11, 171, 550 to the OWWA fund during the same period.

One of the requirements before an overseas worker will be granted an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is to settle their OWWA contribution of P1,275 per validity of contract.

Uyco said the contributions are used for OFWs insurance coverages and repatriation assistance/services. This is also where funds for programs, projects and activities of OWWA are taken.

Aside from providing overseas workers assistance and on-site services, OWWA also provides education and training benefits not only to OFWs but for their families as well.

Some of the educational training and benefits being offered by OWWA to OFW and their qualified dependents include Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program (SESP), Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) and the Seafarers Upgrading Program (SUP). Just this year, it launched its "Tuloy Aral" project for dependents of former OFWs.

It has also set aside funds for its Loan Guarantee Fund program and other livelihood programs such as the "Groceria cum Botika". This is an income-generating opportunity for OFWs' families/organization where they could avail of loan in form of merchandise goods worth P50,000. This project is in line with the job generation thrust of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

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The USA Center for Culture and the Arts
By Wein P. Gadian

Independence Day, SM City, 2003

Samba ng Bayan, 2nd runner-up, Kasadyahan 2004
Man's existence is greatly influenced by culture and arts. These two different entities that co-exist with each other is one of the greatest phenomena of our times. From the visual arts, architecture, music, dance and literature–all an anthology of the past reflected in the present and future. Its continuous evolution (culture and arts) from one belief to another, from simplicity to complexity requires not only man’s knowledge but also his understanding. Although lots of books with or without photos/illustrations were written about it – it is still important to study, to promote, to develop and even to educate others about it. In Iloilo, this paradigm brought one prestigious university, the University of San Agustin (USA) in creating the University of San Agustin’s Center for Culture and the Arts (USACCA).

In a Nutshell

Noche de Gala, the Philippines-Spain Friendship Day Velada, CAP Auditorium, 2005

Literature Hiligayna, Philippines - Spain Friendship Day Opening Ceremony, Museo-Iloilo, 2005
USACCA is a center that coordinates a consortium of organizations, departments and units of the university that promote culture and the arts. Also it articulates an archetype of convergence by providing a venue for the merging of art disciplines on music, dance, theatre arts and visual arts. It also strengthens artists collaboration, cultural workers and the forging of partnerships among students, faculty and alumni and administration of the school as well as the community. The USACCA also plans to realize this model through varied programs covering arts, extension, publication, documentation and archiving, museum management, heritage promotion, arts and culture studies, arts in the curriculum, training and education and audience development.

USACCA is also impelled by the university's thrust of promoting Filipino heritage. Part of its advocacy is to conserve and popularize Western Visayas and Philippine culture and the arts. These are on its program of activities which include the staging of plays, musicals, concerts and other cultural presentations. It also holds visual arts exhibits, conducts lecture-workshops in the arts, management of arts festivals in the University as well in the local community. Resource persons are both alumni and all those who are expert on the field e.g. theatre workshops by Peque Gallaga, Poetry and Creative Writing by Leoncio Deriada and others.

USACCA with the USA Office of Co-curricular Activities conducts of the University’s literary-musical contests and assist students in off-campus cultural competitions e.g. Troubadours' competitions. It also provides artistic technical support to the productions of the University’s resident companies in the performing arts – USA Band, USA Choir and Troubadours, USA Little Theater and Kawilihan–USA.

The Activities

Lecture of Film Appreciation with Peque Gallaga, 9th Arts Festival, USA Conference Room, 2002
USACCA's significance in the arts has been proven in its almost three years of existence. From its establishment (school year 2002-2003) under the administration of Rev. Fr. Manuel Vergara, OSA and its coordinator Mr. Eric Divinagracia, it has maintained ties with leading cultural institutions including Museo-Iloilo, Department of Tourism, Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commision for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) through its various projects. These productions have been staged not only within the walls of the campus but have gone to all the provinces of Western Visayas, Cebu, Dumaguete, Laguna and Manila.

USACCA's productions (in campus and off campus) has truly brought in the Ilonggo heritage through arts. It has invited various experts in the field to help mold more artists in their craft. Also trained aspiring artists in discipline and practicing their skills. Among its many in campus productions are: Confessions of Three(August 2002 & 2003), Sining San Agustin during the University Day Centennial Veladas (July 2004 & 2005) and SAMBAyanan on the Patron Saint's Day Velada (August 2005). Confessions of Three is an original of USA and a new pop musical. All of which has been well applauded and appreciated by audience from different walks of life. Its in campus exhibits includes the: USA Arts Festival Exhibits (2002 to present), Homecoming: The Jose Dureza Art Exhibit (July 12, 2004). It has also conducted lectures about Arts Festival lectures since 2002 up to the present. Recently it has taken part in one of a kind celebration, Fil-Hispanic Friendship 2005 with a lecture on Spanish Influence on Philippine Architecture (June 29, 2005). It was delivered by Dr. Javier Galvante from the Instituto de Cervantes, Manila (A prestigious Spanish school). The lectures presented are all research based and were also publish in SANAG, the school's literary folio.

USACCA's artists are not only limited in their performance within the university. Most of its well applauded productions were done out of the school. These off campus productions were also bests works of Augustinians. These includes the:Belasyon, a new Ilonggo Musical (February 2005) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila. This USA original is also an entry to Dayon!, a festival of university and community theatre groups in Western Visayas. The Dagway sang Binalaybay (October 2003) and also an entry to Pasundayag sang Western Visayas in the WOW Philippines 2004 at Intramuros, Manila. During the Philippine-Spain Friendship Week, 2005 at CAP Auditorium, USACCA was also responsible for bringing the Noche de Gala, were Augustinian artists performed for the city's elite, tourists, dignitaries and Iloilo residents. It's also involved in the annual celebration of Kasadyahan 2004 where it won 2nd runner up in its production, Samba ng Bayan.

USACCA's off-campus exhibits has also inspired many Ilonggos especially in the: Palimpsesto at Museo Iloilo. Palimpsesto is a contemporary art exhibit and performance of Spanish and Hiligaynon literature featuring six award – winning Ilonggos and a program on written works in the native Language and in Spanish (June 29, 2005). The Hinabol nga Pagtu-o (July 2004, Museo Iloilo), an ethno-iconographic representation of St.Augustine as a Visayan. It also featured the works of Rev. Fr. Dominador Besares, OSA, the poems of John Iremil Teaodoro and the hablon collection of Eric de los Santos. The 100 Artworks in SM City, Iloilo and in celebration of the USA Centennial Art Exhibit (July 10, 2004).

USACCA has also joined in various festivals and events like Duag Teatrokon: The Western Visays Theatre Festival and Conference (2004). An NCCA Arts Month grantee which featured nine plays from 5 provinces of Western Visayas. The festival were all in original works by local writers and performed by 15 performing/theatre groups. Other Festivals are: USA Arts Festival (every November), ILOPRISAA 2004 and WV PRISAA 2005 meet and the Spanish Film Festival 2005 at the institution during the Fil-Hispanic Friendship week. The Spanish Film festival featured four award winning films of Spain. These are: El abuelo, En la ciudad sin limites, La niña de tus ojos and Sin verguenza.USACCA's upcoming activities are:USA Arts Festival (November 14-18), Broadway Street (February 15-16), Troubadours Farewell Performance to Korea (November 7), summer workshops and more. USA Arts Fest will be a series of activities including visual arts, performing arts, literature and the like. The Broadway Street are excerpts from popular Broadway musicals. With the USACCA more minds are trained in discipline, appreciation and development in the culture and the arts. It has not only marked a significance to Ilonggo culture and arts but also uplifted it. In the future it will bring more productions that would encouraged more Ilonggos in their craft. USACCA office is at the University of San Agustin and continues its cause in providing venue for amateur and trained artists in the different art disciplines: visual arts, performing arts, dance, literary and the like. It also encourages the Augustinians, its alumni and those who are besting in the craft to share and help in promoting the Ilonggo and Philippine Arts and Culture as well as its literature.

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36 families to lose right of way in Princedale enclosure
By Maricar M. Calubiran

Some 36 families near Princedale Subdivision in Yulo, Arevalo are in danger of losing their way out as the management of Princedale Subdivision in Yulo, Arevalo finally decided to enclose their property come Thursday (October 27).

Part of the subdivision is used by said families as their passage area going to the main road.

This was stressed out yesterday by Garry Jaicten, general manager of the Princedale Subdivision during a dialog with the subdivision management, affected families and Iloilo City Police Office Director Sr. Supt. Norlito Bautista.

The dialog was called by Atty. Milagros Hechanova of the City Legal Office after the affected families sought the intercession of the city government regarding their problem.

The affected families was represented by Lourdes David.

Prior to the subdivision management's decision to enclose the property, the affected families and Princedale signed an agreement giving the former only until August 6, 2005 to use part of the subdivision as passage way.

Jaicten said, the Princedale management has already given relocation and assistance to ten families directly affected by the development of the subdivision.

On the issue of the passageway, Jaicten said the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao) has already identified the area they could use as such. The residents can use the area near the Sto. Niño Subdivision as alternative route other than Princedale, he said.

Meanwhile, Icupao chair Roy Firmeza advised the affected families to bring the matter to the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

Firmeza explained that the city government has no authority to intercede on the grievances of the affected families since the selling of the lot and the conversion of the property was done in 1990 yet.

By that time, the function of approving any land conversion or subdivision plan has yet to be devolved to the local government units. It is the HLURB and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which are the approving authority. It is already involves private properties, Firmeza noted.

He said the affected families particularly those who bought the property can contest it to the HLURB.

The questioned lot was formerly owned by the Abada family. The lot was bought by the IVQ holdings and later made it into a Princedale Subdivision.

In yesterday's dialog, Jaicten sought police assistance to avoid bloodshed during the closure of the property.

from The News Today Info online

October 27th, 2005, 09:37 AM

check this new illongo gangster rap...

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=282243

chymera00

October 27th, 2005, 02:20 PM

Thursday, October 27, 2005
Ilonggos support shift to parliamentary gov't
By Lory Ann B. Bilbao

"THERE is an overwhelming support of the Ilonggos to the proposal of a shift of our presidential form of government to the parliamentary form of government."

So said Atty. Leopoldo Causing, one of those who attended the Regional Consultation on Constitutional Reforms in Iloilo Wednesday.

He added that while the country is in deep trouble, it is also the time to realize the fault of the present political system and best time to amend the Constitution.

Lively and heated discussions, and friendly debates characterized the consultation.

Commissioner Lito Lorenzana, secretary general of the ConCom observed the eagerness among the participants to the said consultation, when they were grouped to discuss the three issues such as, the form of government, structure of government, and patrimony and economic reforms.

In the debate on the form of government, it was found out that majority wanted that the legislative and the executive be checked.

Another is that the main reason why there is a need to shift is the popularity and money politics, which characterized the failure of the Presidential Government.

The present system also failed to tackle the problem on the growing population and growing problems.

The value of the national leaders and not the government was also blamed for the failure of the present system to confront the trouble the country encounters.

There was also a proposal of the Ilonggos that the marginalized sector be consulted especially the barangays re parliamentary form of government.

The Philippines can be said that it can go parliamentary without going federal.

It was also found out that the Ilonggos do not welcome liberalization or ownership and intervention of tourists over business and agriculture.

Vicente Paterno, member of the Committee on National Patrimony and Economic Reforms, defined it as an indicator of Ilonggos being conservative and resistant to change. He added that Ilonggos give due importance to the quality of life and not that aggressive in making money.

LCP stand

During the activity, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas, president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), declared that the undertaking is supported by the LCP with 117 members in the entire country.

Trenas said it is high time that the Constitution must be amended.

"The LCP position is to shift from Presidential unitary to Federal Parliamentary system", Trenas said because it is through amending the Constitution that the LGUs can now have a hand in making decisions on how to fully utilize their respective resources for the good of everyone.

ConCom Team B team leader Joji I. Bian said the Iloilo consultation is significant because "it is the voice of the people that we will be bringing to the President when we give her our final report".

Bian said the various output of the Iloilo consultation would be consolidated with the outputs of other areas in the country. "It is very important that all sectors are well represented, the result of our study will not be our individual preferences. It is a consolidation of the people's sentiments", she said.

Not rubber stamp

The ConCom also clarified to the Ilonggos that they are not a rubber stamp of the President, considering the process undertaken through discussions and debates, and they will never allow it.

For his part, Commissioner Vicente Paterno lamented about the perception of some groups, but, "I suffered the consequences of my acceptance to the President's invitation for I have to resign my directorship in four companies", because he said that it might result in conflict of interest.

Can't change Constitution

Meanwhile, Lorenzana said the ConCom can in no way amend or change the process of amending the Constitution.

Lorenzana said nowhere is there in EO 453, which created the ConCom even a presumption that it is empowered to amend the 1987 Constitution. Only the Philippine Congress can do so under Article XVII of the Constitution. There is also no assumption in EO 453 that the Presidency has arrogated upon itself the prerogatives of Congress in creating the ConCom.

Lorenzana clarified that the ConCom is also not writing a draft of a complete constitution. They are only charged to propose revisions and amendments to the Constitution, which will be presented to the President at the end of their three-month term.

Contrary to what some people might think, the ConCom members are not government employees and receive no salaries said Lorenzana. In effect, the 49 Commissioners are merely volunteers, who headed the call of President to do a specific task for a three-month period.

For her part Commissioner Romela Bengzon said they were not appointed but were invited to serve which they accepted.

As to whether they report to Congress, Lorenzana said that the ConCom does not report to congress directly or indirectly. The proposals that they have gathered from the consultations will be presented to the President. The President will then send to Congress the proposals for consideration. The ConCom however have been exchanging information with the leadership of Congress on the sense of the ConCom on the shift from Presidential to Parliamentary government.

The ConCom is basically a consultative body tasked to conduct nationwide consultations that would ensure wide public participation in the formulation of the proposed amendments and revisions to the 1987 Constitution.

THE MAVERICK
BY OSCAR VERDEFLOR
Sentimental journey to Iloilo, 2

MAYOR Jerry Treñas is doing a wonderful job in Iloilo City. The city streets are clean and well-organized. The city is now as clean, if not cleaner, than Bacolod.

Under Mayor Mansueto Malabor, according to Panay News, Iloilo was the dirtiest city in the south while Bacolod, during my term as mayor, won twice as the Cleanest and Greenest City in the Highly Urbanized City category. What Iloilo needs is just a little greening of the streets, the planting of trees and a few landscaping here and there.

I saw new streets or avenues and bridges that connected different districts so that one could bypass traffic or go out of town without having to pass the center of town. I also saw areas which used to be fishponds and salt beds around and near the Benigno Aquino Drive (Circumferential Road) filled and turned into commercial centers.

One such area is Smallville, of the Kim Wah Development Corporation, where the Krua Thai Restaurant is located. It is a strip with restaurants, coffee shops, disco bars and a new hotel, the Iloilo Business Hotel. I'm sure more business establishments are planned there.
I also noticed that there are many Koreans in Iloilo and I heard that they are investing there. Some are students, Iloilo being the educational center of Region 6. Iloilo City has five universities, all first class institutions of learning: Central Philippines University, University of San Agustin, University of Iloilo, University of the Philippines in the Visayas and West Visayas State University. It also has several colleges.

Some residences in Iloilo are being turned into apartments for rent and some are renting out rooms they no longer need to these local and foreign students that abound in Iloilo.

Iloilo seems to have become the investor's hub in Region 6, meaning investors have confidence in their current mayor and/or his administration. Iloilo is now a city Ilonggos can be proud of.

Congratulations, Mayor Jerry, keep up the good work. You'll surpass Bacolod under the present mayor whose I.Q. is below 60. He is like a 12-year-old, this Forrest Gump of Bacolod, who is about to be replaced again.

Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas is also doing an outstanding job. He stopped illegal fishing like the hulbot-hulbot, trawling along the shorelines and most of all, dynamite fishing. Iloilo is the fishing ground of Region 6, in areas like Estancia and Brgy. Pili, Ajuy.

Panay is truly blessed with good fishing grounds and fertile lands for rice and other agricultural products.

My father was a native Ilonggo from Banate, where all our relatives hailed like the Bacos, Villaruel, Villaruz and Tupas. So, it is not surprising that Iloilo has a special place in my heart.

My good friend and fellow columnist in Panay News, Atty. Rex Salvilla, a national awardee as Most Outstanding Lawyer in the country, came by the hotel for a few minutes to see me. Even Christine Albastro, who was my favorite front desk girl and now works for Cebu Pacific, came by to see me, too. She has become a stunningly beautiful girl.

I spoke to Mayor Treñas and Gov. Tupas over the phone while I was in Iloilo and I am hoping to invite them to lunch the next time I come around.

I want to thank Red and Elsa Kapunan for having us picked up at the pier by their driver, Nani. Thru the kindness of Toto Yap and his daughter Joanna, we really had a pleasurable stay in Iloilo. It was truly a sentimental journey./PN

wecky

October 27th, 2005, 08:45 PM

you beat me posting those two Chy ... hehehe ... gosh, what a sentimental visit, indeed.

wecky

October 27th, 2005, 08:53 PM

want to share our neighbours progress as well ... I think I'll include Capiz, Aklan, Antique and Guimaras dev'ts in some of my news postings here as well ... here are the first few ones ...

Buco juice to boost Capiz economy

ROXAS City -- The buco juice production project initiated by the Capiz State University (CAPSU) was launched here recently to create a new enterprise aimed to boost the local coconut industry.

Dr. Nicolas Braña Jr., CAPSU vice president for research, development and extension, said dwarf coconut varieties will be used for the production of buco juice on a commercial scale.

To support the project, towns in the province will be encouraged to plant the required coconut varieties to supply the raw material needs of the project through a memorandum of agreement with their respective local government units. Dwarf varieties can bear fruits after three years.

This is an aspect of the project wherein the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) would be of great help especially in the propagation of dwarf coconuts, according to Braña.
CAPSU has a joint project with the PCA – the 62-hectare Coconut Breeding Trials Unit (CBTU) at its campus in Burias, Mambusao, Capiz.

CBTU has a collection of 86 varieties of which 24 are dwarf. It is one of the biggest seed gardens in the world.

A study conducted by PCA covering the Iloilo market showed that buco juice is a viable enterprise, especially owing to its reputation as a natural health drink.

Buco juice would be an addition to coconut products that have been produced by the province that include copra, copra meal, buko, matured whole nuts, coconut oil, and coconut coir and dust.

Located at Brgy. Ondoy in Ivisan town, the oil mill is a project of the Capiz Small Coconut Farmer Marketing Cooperative (CASCOFAMCO).

CAPSU has also asked the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Agriculture to support the venture.

Mambusao and Tapaz were the first municipalities to signify their support to the project during its launching last Oct. 13 at the CAPSU campus in Mambusao poblacion.

Mayors Jose Alba of Mambusao and Dr. Romualdo Exmundo Jr. of Tapaz were present at the launching together with CAPSU president Dr. Rochellir Dadivas and representatives from PCA and DTI.

The project jives with the coconut-based enterprise project of Mambusao under the One Town One Product (OTOP) project of the government spearheaded by the DTI. (JSC/PIA)

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Tourists generate billions of receipts

BORACAY – The arrival of 383,089 foreign and local tourists in this paradise island from January to September of this year has brought to the province of Aklan an estimated P2,916,546,582 in tourism receipts.

This estimate was based on the data submitted by the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) here for exhibit at the lobby of the Provincial Capitol. The exhibit was part of Aklan’s celebration of the National Statistics Month. Yesterday was its last day.

As revealed by the PTO’s inventory of tourist arrivals from 2002 to 2005, there is a constant rise in the number of tourists visiting the island.

In 2002, some 300,792 tourists went to Boracay. Of this number, 77,892 were foreigners while 22,900 were local ones. Their visit generated P2,290,000,182 in tourism receipts.

For the 2003 arrivals, 339,208 were recorded, with 84,514 of these foreign and 254,694 local. These arrivals brought in some P2,582,470,217 in tourism receipts.

The year that followed, 2004, was a good one for Aklan’s tourism industry too, with P3,264,182,199 tourism receipts brought in by 121,019 foreign visitors, 291,279 local and 16,453 overseas Filipinos.

The year 2005 is also expected to register a big increase in tourism arrivals and tourism receipts, as the total number of tourist arrivals for just nine months of this year is only short of some 45,662 to equal that of last year’s. And there are still three months to complete the current year’s inventory.

Roselle Ruiz, Provincial Tourism Operations Officer, said the Department of Tourism (DOT) formula for arriving at tourism receipts is by multiplying the number of tourists against the average length of stay and the average daily expenditure. (Venus G. Villanueva/PIA)

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Celebration to show coop gains in Capiz

ROXAS City – The weekend celebration of Cooperative Month from October 28-29 here will showcase various cooperatives in Capiz, their achievements, and projects.

Among the successful cooperatives in the province are those in the municipalities of Jamindan, Pontevedra, and President Roxas.

The program of activities for the two-day event will kick off with the opening of a trade fair on October 28. Also on the same day, free seminars on hog raising, aquaculture, livestock raising, broiler production, meat processing, control of chicken layer diseases, fighting cock raising, and health products will be held for cooperative members.
The opening day activities will be capped by a cooperative mini-olympics and PBA Fans Day for those who wish to secure the autographs, to interview or to have photo sessions with players from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

An out-of-town game between San Miguel Beer and Air 21 Express to be played at the Capiz Gymnasium will highlight final day of the celebration on October 29 at 4 p.m. It will be the second PBA road game to be played here after the April 16, 2005 match between Sta. Lucia Realtors and the now-defunct Shell Turbochargers in connection with the charter anniversary celebration of the province.

A flag raising ceremony, cooperative month commemorative program, salo-salo and cultural show are the other highlights on the closing day.

Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Vincent Fritz Cruz-Am, SP committee on cooperatives chair, said the provincial government is hosting the celebration together with the Provincial Cooperative Development Council, which has for its theme, “Magkaisa, Sama-Sama Bilang Isang Pamilya sa Pagpaunlad ng Kooperatiba.” (JSC/PIA)

wecky

October 27th, 2005, 09:13 PM

news from Panay News online

Dinagyang 2006 launching today

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

ILOILO City – The 2006 Dinagyang Festival will be launched today. The Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. will lead the launching with a motorcade around the city’s main thoroughfares starting at 2:30 p.m.

The motorcade will begin at the Plaza Libertad fronting the San Jose Parish Church. The Dinagynag 2006 working committees, tribe managers, media partners and sponsors are joining.

After the motorcade, a program will follow at the SM City activity center.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, 20 tribes confirmed their participation, said IDFI Vice President and Executive Director Ben Jimena.

The tribes that had been officially registered by the IDFI are Tribu Pag-asa, Tribu Panaad, Tribu Molave, Tribu Parianon, Tribu Atub-atub, Tribu Sagrada Familia, Tribu Bantu, Tribu Kalubihan, Tribu Dagyaw-ta, Tribu Angola, Tribu Aninipay, Tribu Hamili, Tribu Himala, Tribu Halimaw, Tribu Ilonganon, Tribu Silak, Tribu Paghidaet, Tribu Baryohanon, Tribu Bola-bola, Tribu Taga-Jaro and Tribu San Pedro.

“We will be extending the deadline,” Jimena told Panay News.

The original deadline was October 15 but this was extended to accommodate more tribes. The new deadline is November 30.

Jimena said SMART Communications committed a lockout sponsorship of the 2006 festivity with an P8 million bid. But no agreement has yet been signed.

The IDFI estimated the 2006 expenses to reach P12 million.

Jimena said they have not yet finalized the schedule of activities for the festivity – that is, if they would be giving barangay-based tribes a day to perform.

“We are certain to have a single ati-ati contest category for the Sunday festivity (which is the highlight of the Dinagyang Festival),” Jimena said.

As reported, the IDFI plans to introduce an Ati-Ati Contest sa Barangay if the Association of Tribes in Iloilo (ATI) would not perform during the Sunday affair.
In previous years, there were two ati-ati contest categories – the barangay category and the open category.

Today’s motorcade will start from Plaza Libertad passing through JM Basa, Iznart, Gen. Luna, Ledesma, Jalandoni, Delgado, West Timawa, MH del Pilar, Molo Plaza, Bureau of Internal Revenue area, Gen Luna, Casa Plaza, Bonifacio Drive, E. Lopez, Jaro Plaza area, Diversion Road and to SM City Iloilo.

The 2006 festival’s theme is “Healing through Devotion to Sr. Sto. Niño.”/PN

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Prov’l Capitol announces job vacancies for Dubai

ILOILO City – The Iloilo Provincial Employment Service Office through Coordinator Francisco Heler (PESO) announces job vacancies for Dubai.

Heler said the Industrial Personnel and Management Service Inc. (IPAMS) is now hiring Service Staff for Dubai, United Arab Emerates, especially waitresses as part of its current expansion. The candidates should be young, dynamic and hardworking to work in Costa Coffee outlets under the Maritime & Mercantile International (MMI).

Applicants must have a minimum of three years experience in a hotel, fine dining restaurant or coffee shops, and with proven skills to provide guests with a memorable dining experience.

They must also have excellent communication and guest relation skills, smart, well groomed and with pleasing personality.

Preferred age is below 26 years old and those with valid passport and authentic certificates will be given preference.

Heler said for over 120 years MMI has been successfully trading in the Arabian Gulf and has acquired breadth of local knowledge that is second to none.

Currently MMI, which is the subsidiary company of Emirates group (Emirates Airlines) does business with FMCg Distribution, Costa Coffee Outlets, Bar & Restaurants (Left Bank), Retail and Distribution of Beverages and Travels Services.

Other positions needed include Sales Staff and Customer Service Assistant.

Heler said Iloilo applicants may apply in person at the Iloilo PESO, Iloilo Sports Complex, Magsaysay, Village La Paz, Iloilo City.

Final interview will be conducted on Nov. 13-14, 2005./PN

chymera00

October 28th, 2005, 06:32 AM

you beat me posting those two Chy ... hehehe ... gosh, what a sentimental visit, indeed.
hehe ... leave some for me nmn :)

wecky

October 28th, 2005, 09:18 PM

hehe ... leave some for me nmn :)

hahahaha .. I'm not that greedy, you know? ... hehehe ... of course you can, amigo .. basta ikaw ah ... no problemo gid. Thanks for posting anyway. Sako ka guid subong? Diin ka na nga hospital naga-duty subong? Hope you'll enjoy it. Goodluck!

wecky

October 28th, 2005, 09:28 PM

Suplico hits Japanese contractors over airport delay
By Florence F. Hibionada

'I want them changed. I want them blacklisted. Let someone else finish the job.'

A call for the immediate scrapping of the contract involving a Japanese contractor has been made by an Ilonggo solon following official confirmation of significant delay in the construction works of the multi-billion new Iloilo airport project.

With reported slippage of over 55% and a failed 'catch-up' attempt from the contractors, Fifth District Representative Rolex Suplico wants speedy resolution of the delay. And this, he asserted, must be reached by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) alongside Iloilo provincial and municipal officials involved in the project.

The acceptable resolution, he added, no longer lies in the hands of the Japanese firm, Taisei-Shimizu Joint Venture, but on other capable contractors. As it is, Suplico stressed in a The News Today interview, the Philippine Government has had enough of the inefficiency and unacceptable delays courtesy of the unacceptable reasons as cited by the contractor.

And while at it, the Fifth District solon said, he is pushing for a monthly progress report from the DOTC saying the Committee on Good Government must be apprised of the developments relative to the airport project.

Suplico’s position came after getting the documents that validated the major construction delay and work slippage where some P1.9 billion in government funds have been paid thus far.

Said development came in time for next month’s last Committee hearing that will gather key figures from Taisei-Shimizu as resource persons.

With the conclusion of the House probe comes the much-awaited results and recommendation estimated to take some two months thereafter as earlier disclosed by Representative Arthur Defensor (Third District, Iloilo).

Defensor led the series of Committee hearings aimed at ascertaining the facts surrounding the project construction with charges of corruption and anomalies reported.

Meantime, more problems arose relative to the project with Defensor calling for the stoppage in the operation of a rock-crushing plant in Maasin, Iloilo. Clamors from the locals in the area reached Defensor where foremost of their concern was the damage done to the existing road network and the bridge.

(from the News Today info)

why not? If they are not apt to the job or responsibility given to them, struck them off the list ... nobody's invincible, I guess. Hope they can replace the contractor as soon as possible. It's not that easy but one must learn from this "always delayed" attitude.

wecky

October 28th, 2005, 09:41 PM

Calinog, Guimbal made it again

For the third straight year, the municipalities of Calinog and Guimbal topped the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran search for the cleanest and greenest municipalities in the Province.

Calinog and Guimbal were adjudged as champions in categories A and B, respectively, and will represent Iloilo in the regional search. Calinog won the national award in 2000 and 2001.

The Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran was first conceptualized in 1997 which aims to preserve and improve our environment. Presidential Memorandum Order No. 187 dated September 10, 1993, called for a search for the cleanest and greenest local government units to generate multi-sectoral advocacy, recognition and support towards a clean and green environment that is fit for human existence and ultimately rehabilitate and sustain the integrity of the environment.

The national government suspended the national search for this year. However, Western Visayas officials decided to continue the program because of its favorable impact on the environment and community mobilization efforts.

In fact, Iloilo Governor Niel D. Tupas, Sr. has a continuing parallel program dubbed as Project Cleaning and Greening which was launched in 2002 chaired by the province's First Lady Myrna C. Tupas.

The project was conceived to encourage all local executives to make cleanliness and environmental awareness a continuing concern.

Ms. Marylou B. Sumbing, Team leader for this year’s Search, lauded the efforts made by all the municipalities to maintain cleanliness and beautification, greening of their countrysides and their efforts towards an effective solid waste management. She further added that those who won in this year’s search deserved this accolade because they have made 'clean and green' as their way of life.

(Gina H. Celebria)

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Guv seeks P8M more as Capitol budget reaches P933M
By Florence F. Hibionada

About a month after the Iloilo Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) gave its nod on the over P13 million more in Capitol funds, over P8 million is asked anew for the operation of the Iloilo Provincial Government.

With the last quarter of this year nearing its close, the latest supplemental budget as sought will bring to over P933 million the Capitol’s current budget expense.

This, as Governor Niel Tupas made official his request for the SP approval, the bulk of the source of funds - the P6 million in local taxes generated from the sale of acquired real properties and sale of the Capitol’s fixed assets. The over P2 million as duly certified by the Provincial Treasurer as available for appropriation will come from the excess of collections of transfer taxes, sand and gravel taxes and certification fees.

Supplemental Budget No. 4 totals P8,045,382 where over P2.7 million of it will cover the 'donations' for the day care workers, barangay health workers and barangay service point officers. It will also see P1.5 million in 'equipment outlay' for the Governor’s Office and a P2.8 million allocation for the Don Valerio Palmares Memorial Hospital set to be used for its purchase of an anesthesia machine.

The Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC) will also get P83,000 for its computer equipment alongside a hospital equipment for the Ricardo Provido Memorial Hospital valued P450,000.

Supplemental Budget No. 4 comes at the helm of the questions surrounding Supplemental Budget No. 3. As presented before the SP body for deliberation and ultimate approval then, the Governor’s son, Fifth District Board Member Niel Tupas Jr. averred that the amount as sought is 'reasonable and the same is necessary for the operation of the Provincial Government and for the effective delivery of basic services.'

To recall, Supplemental Budget No. 3 had over P1.9 million in general services for the Governor’s Office, P1.8 million additional donations and the P1.9 million for the purchase of new 'homemade' police vehicles.

The Iloilo Provincial Government operated with an initial Executive Budget of over P814 million, followed by Supplemental Budget No. 1 of over P49.3 million, Supplemental Budget No. 2 of over P48.6 million, Supplemental Budget No. 3 of over P13 million and the latest, Supplemental Budget No. 4 of over P8 million.

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OWWA 6 starts OFW livelihood program

Overseas Filipino Workers in Region 6 could now start a business of their own.

This is the aim of the recently implemented Livelihood Development Program for OFWs (LDPO) of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional Welfare Office 6. The program provides entrepreneural development services and credit facilities to OFWs, their dependents, and organizations to improve their economic productivity and general welfare.

Implemented with the National Livelihood Support Fund and its network of conduits, the LPDO offers credit assistance to active and former OFWs for working capital, acquisition of fixed assets except land, and building improvement. Individual OFWs can avail of a maximum amount of P200,000 while legally organized OFW groups with at least five members, one million pesos. The credit bears a low interest rate of 9% per annum.

OWWA Loan Officer Noel Chavez said that interested OFWs must present, among others, collateral papers, proof of OWWA membership, and business plan. The LPDO is being implemented initially in the province of Iloilo with Progressive Bank, Inc. serving as conduit. Applicants may go to OWWA Iloilo office at Gen. Luna St., or at Progressive Bank in Balasan, Iloilo.

(OWWA/PIA)

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Barangay chiefs told to reactivate BADACs

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has ordered the reactivation of all dormant Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) in the city’s 180 barangays to help in the current campaign against dangerous drugs and purveyors of illegal substances.

The mayor's directive came after city police authorities identified 15 barangays seriously affected by drugs. These barangays are Zamora-Melliza, Veterans Village, Sto. Rosario, Tanza-Esperanza, Malipayon, and Rizal in the City Proper district; Bito-on and Simon Ledesma in Jaro; North San Jose, Calumpang and Boulevard in Molo; and Bakhaw, Yulo, Sta. Filomena, and Sto. Niño Sur in Mandurriao district.

Late last year, Treñas, through an executive order, also ordered barangay chiefs to submit a list of residents above 15 years old, including transients, in their barangays. The directive was primarily aimed at identifying measures to prevent or minimize, if not eradicate, drug abuse in the locality and to prevent any terroristic activity.

'We have been intensifying our efforts to make Iloilo a drug-free city. However, the effort requires everyone’s help because neither the city government nor the police authorities can do it alone. For us to succeed, our barangay officials should work hand in hand with the city government and our police authorities, and their respective BADACS can help in the effort,' Treñas said.

The mayor, who is concurrent chair of the Iloilo City Anti Drug Abuse Council (ICADAC), has been sending the ICADAC speakers bureau to conduct anti-drug abuse symposium in the affected barangays to educate its residents about the dangers and ill effects of illegal drugs.

The ICADAC speakers bureau have been doing the rounds of public and private schools and barangays since September 2003 conducting a series of symposia against drugs.

(Adora B. Bandorio/PIO)

wecky

October 28th, 2005, 10:36 PM

check this new illongo gangster rap...

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=282243

grabe ang mga taga-Bacolod ba ... TJ, are they performing in Iloilo as well? Hope they will ... they'll have to grab good markets on both cities, I guess. :)

TJ, thanks for dropping ... come visit us here in Iloilo thread once in a while.

chymera00

October 29th, 2005, 08:01 AM

hahahaha .. I'm not that greedy, you know? ... hehehe ... of course you can, amigo .. basta ikaw ah ... no problemo gid. Thanks for posting anyway. Sako ka guid subong? Diin ka na nga hospital naga-duty subong? Hope you'll enjoy it. Goodluck!

I'm still enjoying my sem break, hehe... We will be doing CHN first before having duty in the hosp. (WVSU-MC) :)

chymera00

October 29th, 2005, 08:06 AM

Ilonggos resistant to change, says ConCom commissioner

By Maricar M. Calubiran

Commissioner Romela Bengzon said Ilonggos are more conservative compared to Cebuanos when it comes to liberalization issues. “Ilonggos are conservative while Cebuanos are business minded people,” she said.

Bengzon along with Commissioners Vicente Paterno and Francis Chua were part of the Consultative Commission which conducted a regional consultation in Iloilo last Wednesday. They tackled issues on national economy and patrimony relative to the proposed shift of government from presidential to parliamentary.

Bengzon, an Ilonggo, said she is not saying Cebuanos are better compared to Ilonggos but the latter is resistant to change. Prior to their visit to Iloilo City, the group held consultations in Cebu.

During the consultation, the group on national economy and patrimony presented eight issues. The issues centered on whether the foreigners would be allowed to own agricultural and industrial lands in the country, change of lease, utilization of natural resources which include mining and oil exploration, public utilities, mass media, advertisement, educational institution and Filipino First Policy as qualified.

Of the eight issues, Ilonggos only voted for the opening of educational institutions and public utilities to foreigners. The rest of the proposal was junked by the multi-sectoral group when the commission presented it to them. There were 25 people who voted for the entry of foreigners in private educational institution. Only 15 people voted against the entry of foreigners. They also agreed that there is a need for the educational system to be upgraded.

In public utilities, there were 23 people who voted for the entry of foreigners in the country, 13 people voted “no” and five abstained. Public utilities are a capital intensive business.

In the landownership, Ilonggos contended that no foreigner should be allowed to own a land in the country. Cebuanos are divided on the issue of land ownership unlike in Iloilo City where Ilonggos completely refused the proposal for foreigners to acquire land.

In most cases in the country, though the names of the Filipinos appear on the land title foreigners still own the property.

On the lease agreement, Ilonggos rejected the proposal for private corporation or association to lease a certain property for more than 25 years.

Ilonggos also do not want the foreigners to explore the natural resources of the country. They said it will cause irreparable destruction to the environment.

Bengzon explained that Ilonggos do not favor the proposal to allow foreigners to invest in the mass media industry. They still want a 100 percent Filipino ownership of radio, television and newspaper.

The proposal on the entry of foreigners in the advertisement industry in the Philippines is also junked by Ilonggos. They fear that the income of the country will be siphoned by the foreigners.

On the Filipino First Policy issue, Ilonggos still prefer Filipinos to do certain transactions in the country even if the foreigners are more capable of handling such project.

Filipinos ready for shift of government

By Maricar M. Calubiran

Consultative Commissioner Carmen Pedrosa said there is a strong indication that Filipinos are ready for a change of government instead of involving themselves in a bloody revolution to cut short the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Pedrosa, in an interview with the local media, said Filipinos think that the change of government from the presidential to parliamentary is a better way of getting out of the political turmoil as well as economic problems. “The presidential form of government is a failure,” she said.0

The Consultative Commission is conducting regional consultations in the country relative to the proposed amendment of the 1987 Constitution.

Pedrosa, a long time advocate of parliamentary form of government, said the proposed revision on the 1987 Constitution will address the pressing issues which presently affect the government.

In the parliamentary form of government, there would be strong party and leadership. Public officials have more public accountability compared to the presidential form of government. 'Values come with a correct system in the government.'

In the proposed change, there is also permanency of political institutions as well as its members and better support from the party members or people in the government.

'If a politician transfers from one party to another, he or she will lose his or her term. This will also deter the political leaders from jumping from one party to another. Party power and discipline is inherent in the parliamentary,' Pedrosa added.

Pedrosa further said that in the proposed amendment, there is a plan to eliminate political dynasty in the Philippines. She admitted though that this proposal will face tough resistance among the political leaders.

In the country, even in Iloilo, political dynasty is happening. The powers are transferred from the parents down to their siblings and even to the in-laws.

The commissioner was also astounded of the political maturity of Ilonggos. They have high level of awareness in the proposed amendment in the Constitution and they are all in one believed that they don’t trust the congressmen to effect amendments in the 18-year old Charter.

wecky

October 29th, 2005, 06:05 PM

I'm still enjoying my sem break, hehe... We will be doing CHN first before having duty in the hosp. (WVSU-MC) :)

enjoy to the max, Chy ... ti, how's the mall sales doing in Iloilo City now? It's like a non-stop mall sales ongoing there at the moment ... sadya kuno ang midnight sales sa Gaisano City ... of course nag-sale na naman ang SM, Robinson's and Atrium.

wecky

October 29th, 2005, 06:13 PM

36 int’l airport cargo trucks apprehended for overloading

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

ILOILO – The Land Transportation Office (LTO-6) apprehended 36 cargo trucks, mostly haulers of sand and stone for the New Iloilo Airport Development Project (NIADP), for overloading since Wednesday.

LTO Assistant Regional Director Eric Lenard Tabaldo said these cargo trucks violated Republic Act 8794 (Motor Vehicles Users Charge or MVUC).

“We confiscated the drivers’ licenses and let the operators/owners of the motor vehicles pay the corresponding rates of the MVUC before we released their driver’s licenses,” Tabaldo told Panay News.

MVUC is collected from violators for overloading and excess load for cargo vehicles. The fine would be used for the maintenance of national and provincial roads.
Tabaldo said the deterioration of bridges and roads in Cabatuan and adjacent towns prompted his office to conduct apprehensions.

Section 6 of RA 8794 states: “an amount equivalent to 25 percent of the MVUC shall be imposed on trucks and trailers for loading beyond their prescribed gross vehicle weight; provided, that no axle load shall 13,500 kilograms.”

Earlier, 3rd District Cong. Arthur Defensor complained that existing road networks and bridges linking the towns of Calinog and Cabatuan, and Maasin and Cabatuan had deteriorated because of the overloaded cargo trucks.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Tabaldo said, lent LTO portable weighing scales to check the loads of the cargo trucks.

Tabaldo advised haulers to observe the proper and allowable tonnage of their cargoes to avoid apprehension.

The cargo motor vehicles, Tabaldo said, are only allowed to contain about 20 tons. However, some cargo trucks passing Cabatuan and Maasin would usually have over 20 tons of cargo, exceeding the allowable weight tolerable for the bridges and road networks of the 3rd District./PN

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Alimodian parties on Halloween night

ILOILO – Do you want to spend the Halloween night with fun and for a cause? The municipality of Alimodian will hold a unique Halloween party dubbed "Tagkaralag" on November 1, starting at 7 p.m. at their Market Square.

What makes this party different is that the admission ticket will be in the form of the junk materials collected in every "purok" and barangays of the town.

The local government of Alimodian, in collaboration with its various youth organizations that spearhead this activity, hopes that through this activity residents can help establish the Community Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) Center of the town.

The event also aims to increase the awareness of the residents on the scenes of All Souls and All Saints Day celebration and enhance the cultural and social development programs of their youth amongst others.

Partygoers will be treated with "Istorya Kang Tagkaralag," a narration of Halloween by an invited resource person, a Seminarian from the St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Other activities include a Horror Escapade, Rice Cake Festival and a Naidomila live concert.

The Horror Escapade is an impersonation contest of horror characters that will showcase the Alimodiananons talents in line of fashion, make-up and designs. (PIA/PN)

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DPWH: It’s 20 tons or else…

ILOILO -- With visible signs of structural defects due to wear and tear, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ordered that loads passing the 30-year old Tigum and Amerang Bridges along Iloilo-Capiz Road be limited to 20 tons.

DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. also directed that structural engineers from the Bureau of Design and Bureau of Research and Standards be sent to conduct a thorough inspection on the two bridges to check their structural integrity and come up with recommendations for possible retrofitting or reconstruction.

Recently, in compliance with the directive of Ebdane, DPWH Undersecretary Salvador Pleyto and Regional VI Director Rolando Asis personally assessed the conditions of the two bridges after conferring with Cong. Arthur Defensor who raised the issue of the “weakening” conditions of the said bridges.

“We have to protect the two bridges from further deterioration because of the reported overloaded trucks and haulers to assure safety of motorists,” Pleyto said.

Defensor said overloaded trucks hauling filling materials for the international airport project are the ones causing the bridges to weaken. He had asked Maasin Mayor Mariano Malones to stop or transfer the operation of a rock crusher plant in Maasin to a place where trucks would not have to pass the bridges anymore in going to the airport construction site.

Malones still has to act on Defensor’s request. The solon had threatened not to give projects to Maasin.

During the inspection with Asis, Pleyto observed that due to old age and overloaded trucks, the foundations of the bridge were scoured and some cracks can be seen in the main girders.

“These two bridges are vital as they link the municipalities of Cabatuan and Maasin and the province of Capiz to the ongoing construction of the Iloilo Airport,” Pleyto Added.

To prevent further damage to the bridges, Pleyto instructed Asis to coordinate with the local government officials to strictly enforce “one truck at a time” policy and to install portable weigh bridge near the bridge approach to monitor the load of trucks.” Warning signs were already installed to regulate the traffic.

To facilitate immediate protection works and other repairs, Pleyto also instructed Asis to prepare the necessary documents to start the repair works. An estimated P3.5 million is needed for the repair of the bridges./PN

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Overseas workers can now start own business

ILOILO City – Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Region 6 could now start a business of their own.

This is the aim of the recently implemented Livelihood Development Program for OFWs (LDPO) of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional Welfare Office (OWWA-6). The program provides entrepreneurial development services and credit facilities to OFWs, their dependents, and organizations to improve their economic productivity and general welfare.

Implemented with the National Livelihood Support Fund and its network of conduits, the LDPO offers credit assistance to active and former OFWs for working capital, acquisition of fixed assets except land, and building improvement.

Individual OFWs can avail himself or herself of a maximum amount of P200,000 while legally organized OFW groups with at least five members, one million pesos. The credit bears a low interest rate of nine percent per annum.

OWWA Loan Officer Noel Chavez said that interested OFWs must present, among others, collateral papers, proof of OWWA membership, and business plan.

The LPDO is being implemented initially in the province of Iloilo with Progressive Bank, Inc. serving as conduit.

Applicants may go to OWWA Iloilo office at Gen. Luna St., or at Progressive Bank in Balasan, Iloilo. (PIA/PN)

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Study: Rich nations aiding ‘brain drain’

ONE of every four doctors in North America, Britain and Australia is an immigrant who attended a foreign medical school, contributing to a "brain drain" that deprives poor countries of good medical care, researchers say.

As many as three-quarters of physicians who come to rich countries hail from less-developed ones grappling with AIDS, infectious diseases and other health scourges, the study found. In the United States, for example, most foreign doctors are from India, the Philippines and Pakistan.

The study comes on the heels of a World Bank report this week documenting the mass migration of middle-class professionals from impoverished nations in the Caribbean, Africa and Central America.

"The brain drain has also weakened the physician work forces of many poor nations," wrote Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, a professor of medicine and health policy at George Washington University, who led the study published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.

The foreign doctors typically come to the US and other rich countries to complete their residencies — the post-medical school training period — and many stay on to practice medicine.

Because of the aging of the baby boom generation, experts say the United States faces a shortage of 200,000 doctors and 800,000 nurses by 2020. To deal with the problem, the Association of American Medical Colleges is asking the nation's 125 medical schools to increase their enrollment. The number of first-year medical students in the United States is already at an all-time high of about 17,000.

Some say a boost in enrollment would help ease the US medical system's dependence on foreign doctors to fill residencies.

Dr. Edward Langston of the American Medical Association said the US should not abandon its long-standing practice of training foreign doctors. But he said the US and other rich nations need to strike a balance so that developing countries are not stripped of their own physicians.

"We have a responsibility to train international medical graduates because we're looked upon as the gold standard around the world," Langston said.

Before foreign doctors can do their residencies in the US, they must pass the same exams administered to graduates of American medical schools and must also prove proficiency in English.

In the latest study, Mullan culled data on doctors practicing or training in the US, Canada, Britain and Australia. He found that foreign-born and -trained physicians account for 23 percent to 28 percent of doctors in those four countries. The US has the largest share of foreign doctors, with nearly 209,000.

Developing countries supply between 40 percent to 75 of the foreign doctors in the four nations, the study found.

Only three percent of US doctors went to foreign medical schools and returned to the states to practice.

Africa has just 600,000 doctors, nurses and midwives for 600 million people, yet wealthy nations continue "poaching" them, Drs. Lincoln Chen of Harvard University and Jo Ivey Boufford of New York University wrote in an accompanying editorial./PN

(from Panay News online)

wecky

October 30th, 2005, 08:46 PM

http://www.signweb.com/dimensional/images/iloilo.jpg

funny pic I've seen in the net while googling ... wonder where the place is .. actually? ... hehehe

wecky

October 30th, 2005, 08:49 PM

http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/images/bvimages/_26J1Y-q-c_10A93C.jpg

Iloilo

photo: Katja Snozzi

In 1957, the then Ambassador of Austria and his wife, who had been living in the Philippines for thirty years, started supporting a child at SOS Children's Village Imst, Austria (the first ever SOS Children's Village). In 1959, after a visit to Imst, they started talking about this idea in the field of child care to some people in the Philippines. In 1963, Hermann Gmeiner, the founder of SOS Children's Villages, came to the Philippines. One year later, the national SOS association, SOS Children's Villages in the Philippines, was founded. In 1967, the first SOS Children's Village of the country was erected at Banay-Banay, Lipa. Nine family houses were built within a year. Over the years, several more SOS Children's Villages have sprung up all over the country. Many ancillary facilities, such as SOS Kindergartens, SOS Youth Facilities, SOS Social Centres and SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools, have been built as well. Additional work, such as renovation or extension of existing facilities, has also been necessary due to the ever-increasing need for SOS Children's Villages.

In early 2000, after a visit to SOS Children's Village Manila, Gloria Arroyo, then vice president and today president of the Philippines, approached SOS Children's Villages to ask for the construction of a new SOS Children's Village in the Western Visayas region. There were still many orphaned or abandoned children in need of care but the country's existing SOS Children's Villages were all filled to capacity. The Archdiocese of Jaro donated 2.6 ha (6.4 acres) of land with good infrastructure to SOS Children's Villages. The site is located in the centre of a town called Zarraga, which is about 20 to 25 minutes from the centre of Iloilo. The nearest airport is 20 km (12.4 miles) away.

SOS Children's Village Iloilo consists of 12 family homes, a community house and the necessary administrative buildings. In addition, there is an SOS Kindergarten with four classrooms. Four teachers look after about 80 children from the SOS Children's Village and from the neighbourhood. The country's existing SOS Kindergartens have shown that they are of great help to the families who live around the SOS Children's Villages. At SOS Kindergarten Iloilo, courses for the local inhabitants, especially for girls and women, are held in the evenings.

wecky

October 30th, 2005, 09:09 PM

http://www.firstbalfour.com/uploadpix/33e_POWERPLNT_WARTSILA_NSD_72MWPanay.jpg

72MW Panay Power Plant
Client: WARTSILA NSD CORPORATION
Location: Iloilo City
Scope of Work: Design and construction of the power plant complex and miscellaneous buildings, equipment supports and foundations, site development works and utilities. Scope also includes the electro-mechanical installation works for the client-supplied materials and equipments including heavy-load engines, generators, transformers and Desox.

wecky

October 31st, 2005, 02:48 PM

Dinagyang 2006 officially opens

Dinagyang Festival 2006 is now officially open!

This Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas declared in front of the excited audience during the festival's launching at SM City Activity Center last Friday, October 28.

The launching signifies the start of all the promotional activities for Dinagyang 2006 festival which promises to be a grand one, according to Ben Jimena, executive director of Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Incorporated (IDFI).

The launching activity started with a motorcade around the city participated in by the IDFI board of directors and all members of the various working committees, the tribe managers, tri-media and sponsors.

Jimena disclosed that several changes would be implemented in next year's Dinagyang which will surely improve the celebration. One of which is in the ati-ati contest which will only be made under one category.

Aside from the usual Ati-ati tribe and Kasadyahan competitions, concerts, food festival, exhibits and sports tournaments, new and exciting activities lined-up for Dinagyang 2006, he said.

The IDFI headed by Lee Chuan was designated by City Mayor Jerry Treñas, as this year’s host organization that will administer and operate the holding of the celebration.

Next year's festival banners the theme 'Healing through devotion to Sr. Sto. Niño.'

------

Panay-wide caravan honors the heroes and martyrs

In the wake of killings of members and leaders of militant organizations in Luzon, a 'caravan for justice' journeyed around Panay over the weekend in anticipation of All Saints' Day.

Human rights groups Panay Alliance-Karapatan and Mothers and Relatives Against Tyranny (Martyr) spearheaded the Panay-wide caravan in honor of contemporary Panayanons who died in the struggle for freedom.

Martyr has listed nearly 400 such 'martyrs and heroes', who were remembered and honored in this years Luksang Bayan (people's mourning). Included in the list are peasant leader Valeriano Caro and Evelio Javier.

Meanwhile, human rights groups here condemned the spate of killings of leaders of cause-oriented group in Central Luzon.

'We have the strongest condemnation for the senseless and brutal killings of Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CATLU) President Ricardo Ramos, Piston-Bulacan president Federico de Leon, Bayan-Pampanga chairman Francisco Rivera and Dr. Angel David and Von John Maniti on Tuesday and Wednesday this week,' said Samuel Torato, Panay Alliance secretary general.

Torato joined the call for swift and judicious investigation of the killings. He criticized Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon for putting the blame on militant groups, who, he said, will kill their own' to destabilize' the government.

'Surely, our heroes and martyrs must be turning over their graves on issues of GMA's cheating, lying and stealing and of 'calibrated and pre-emptive response', EO 464 and the 12% EVAT,' Panay Alliance and Martyr said. They will rest only when the people, especially the poor are living truly decent and free lives.

The caravan will started in Molo district Saturday morning. It had stopovers in Belison, Antique, in Kalibo and in Roxas City to join relatives and friends of martyrs and heroes in activities commemorating their courage and selfless sacrifice for the sake of the country. The caravan ended Sunday afternoon at Plaza Libertad, Iloilo City where a simple program capped the two-day activity.

Began in the last years of the Marcos dictatorship to grieve and seek justice for the many who were killed in extra-judicial killings or 'salvaging' in the hands of the military machinery of martial law, Luksang Bayan has become a yearly activity, usually on the weekend before All Saints Day.

'Through the caravan, we hope to reach out to the relatives of heroes and martyrs in other places in Panay and to the people as a whole,' said Jocelyn Mana-ay, Martyr chairperson.

She noted that most of the activities in the past have been centered in Iloilo City, where a monument has been erected in Plaza Libertad for the heroes and martyrs. For most of the loving families, however, it is not just the monument that can give them honor.

'The most fitting honor we can give them is to keep burning the flame of struggle that they started,' they said.

(Leeboy Garachico)

-------

Capitol to proceed with P100M loan despite TRO
By Florence F. Hibionada and Erly C. Garcia

'Moot and academic.'

This was how provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada described the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the Court on the controversial P100 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Mejorada said the resolution has already been unanimously passed so in effect the TRO no longer holds water.

The supposed P100 million loan would be used to procure dump trucks for the province.

Guimbal RTC Judge Teodulo Colada issued the TRO following the petition filed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan's conscience block, Board Members Manny Gallar (Third District, Iloilo), Macario Napulan (First District, Iloilo), Bernardo Silla (First District, Iloilo) and Licurgo Tirador (Third District).

'On the basis of the evidence adduced by the petitioners, he/they were able to show and/or established facts entitling them to the relief prayed for without which great and irreparable injury as Board Members duly elected by their respective constituents to safeguard their interests.

Part of that relief prayed for consist of retraining the respondents floor leader Board Member Rodolfo Cabado and the Vice Governor, Roberto Armada to cease and desist from signing the resolution confirming and ratifying the loan agreement entered into by the Province of Iloilo through Governor Niel Tupas and LBP,' excerpts of the TRO went, a copy of which was obtained by The News Today.

'This court is a Court of law, justice and equity. It has a mandate and sworn duty to perform. The court is aware that the instant proceedings involves a justifiable controversy and in the exercise of its power of judicial review it has to act on certain matters, such as the case at bar which involves public interest.'

Administration Board Member Domingo Oso, Jr. however called the TRO a 'moro-moro.' He implied that Colada being close to Governor Niel Tupas' nemesis Oscar Garin, now Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary, is siding with the petitioners.

Docketed as Civil Case no. 300, the matter called for the declaration of nullity, certiorari, prohibition, injunction and restraining order of the P100 million loan.

In what was to be a reunion of sorts, Gallar was represented in the summary hearing by former Tupas counsel, longtime confidant and former Capitol legal office chief, lawyer Manuel Justiniani. For the defense, current Capitol legal chief Salvador Cabaluna led the defense team while the Vice Governor was assisted by counsel, Igmedio Prado Jr., former ex-officio member of the Iloilo SP.

Hearing for the Preliminary Injunction is set on the morning of November 9th.

Reached for reaction, Vice Governor Armada told The News Today he will “definitely abide” by the Court’s order while stressing that all previous objections of the conscience bloc were duly noted by the SP body.

No further comment was made by the Vice Governor on the subject.

To recall, the P100 million was identified by the Governor as his topmost priority in an October budget message sent to the SP. The planned purchase is important, he argued, in order for the Capitol to fast track rehabilitation efforts throughout the province.

Oso decried the TRO and in a speech before hundreds of barangay captains, relayed to the group how much he is trying to comprehend the conscience bloc’s action.

As such, blame them and not us nor the governor, Oso told the group for lack of much-needed repairs in the provincial and barangay road networks. He went on to include the Vice Governor in said 'lamentation speech' saying he has no idea what provoked 'them' (referring to conscience bloc and the Vice Governor) to do stop the P100 million loan agreement.

This as he also pointed out the need to hasten the planned purchase with the prices of the heavy equipment escalating.

------

For a successful Dinagyang 2006: Treñas appeals for unity
By Maricar M. Calubiran

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas appealed to Ilonggos to unite and cooperate for the success of next year's Dinagyang celebration. He made his appeal in last Friday's launching of the Dinagyang 2006 in SM City.

Treñas said there is a clear division among the political leaders in the country. Yet, he assured that this division could not be manifested in the holding of the yearly religious rites in honor of Sr. Sto. Niño should there be cooperation and unity among the Ilonggos.

He added that next year's theme of the celebration is also timely in the present political crisis the country is facing right now. The 2006 Dinagyang theme is 'Healing Thru Devotion to Sto. Niño.'

'The country needs healing,' he said.

The Ilonggos should help and cooperate in the success of the celebration as their devotion to the yearly festivity, said Treñas.

Meanwhile, Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. executive director Ben Jimena said the celebration is an avenue to promote Iloilo City. The same reason they added a tag line in the theme which says 'Iloilo, the only one.'

Jimena said they have come up with several objectives to make the festival far better than the previous years. Among the objectives of the IDFI are to increase the tourist arrival by 50 percent, strengthen claim for national and international recognition and to involve and promote local enterprise.

He said they have a rough target of 430,530 tourist arrivals next year in time with the Dinagyang celebration. In 2005, he estimated the tourist arrival at 287,000. The figure only covers the first quarter of 2005.

To address the influx of the tourist arrivals in the city, they also come up with an idea for a home stay scheme to address congestion in hotels. Tourists will stay in different homes in the city. Councilor Merci Garcia, chair of the committee on tourism is set to file a resolution in the Sangguniang Panlungsod relative to the home stay plan. As early as this, they are already coordinating with some house owners regarding the home stay plan.

The foundation which was also given authority by the chief executive to operate the 2006 festivity also come up with new ideas for a far more better 'ati' celebration.

The IDFI decided that there should be only one category in the 'ati' contest, prizes are bigger, additional awards include five major winners, two more special winners, the performance of every tribe is only 10 minutes to include props set up, entrance and exit, said Jimena.

There would also be a separate criteria for performance and choreography, the criteria for judging will include dance consistency, and there are new stakeholders which are the travel and tour operators and the holding of masses every Saturday and Sunday in honor of the patron saint.

Additional sports events such as marathon and basketball are also added to make the event colorful.

However, the IDFI rejected the idea to include baroto race and water ski competition during the week long activity. 'They are not effective and are not congruent with the Dinagyang celebration,' said Jimena.

On the security plans, Iloilo City Police Office Director Sr. Supt. Norlito Bautista said they are in forefront of securing the festivity in spite of the global threat on terrorism.

Bautista admitted urban cities are targets of terrorism. He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines will augment their force to beef up their security measures.

The police will also coordinate with the Department of Tourism and hotels for the visitors to enjoy the activity to the fullest, said Bautista.

------

Massive inspection up on 3rd district cargo trucks
By Erly C. Garcia

In the wake of reports that several bridges and road networks in the third district have deteriorated due to overloaded cargo trucks, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has implemented a massive inspection of vehicles in said area.

LTO has sent a team to check on the tonnage of cargo trucks passing by the Maasin-Cabatuan road network. Haulers of sand and stone for the New Iloilo Airport Development Project (NIADP) mainly use this road network.

Recently, the LTO reported that they have already apprehended 36 cargo trucks since the start of the inspection. Apprehended cargo trucks exceeded the allowable tonnage set by the DPWH which is 20 tons.

Earlier, Rep. Arthur Defensor raised the issue of the weakening conditions of Tigum and Amerang bridges in Cabatuan due to constant overloading.

In an inspection DPWH confirmed that the foundation of the bridge were scoured and some cracks can be seen in the main girders.

Eventually, DPWH Regional Director Rolando Asis coordinated with the local government officials of Maasin and Cabatuan to strictly enforce 'one truck at a time' policy.

DPWH also installed portable weigh bridge near the bridge approach to monitor the load of trucks. Warning signs were already installed to regulate the traffic.

Meanwhile, DPWH Undersecretary Salvador Pleyto instructed Asis to prepare the necessary documents to start the repair works on the said bridges which need P3.5 million.

(from The News Today Info online)

wecky

October 31st, 2005, 03:07 PM

more news ...

DENR, PSME forge strong alliance

ILOILO City -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region VI represented by Regional Executive Director Celso V. Loriega, Jr. and the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, (PSME) Inc., Iloilo Chapter represented by its President, Engr. Richard E. Eugenio, Sr. had recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for a strong commitment to effectively implement environmental laws, rules and regulations.

PSME will assist DENR in the dissemination of environmental laws and regulations by coordinating and conducting trainings for their members, and will shoulder all the cost for food, accommodation, and honorarium for resource persons.

DENR will provide resource persons, information materials and technical assistance in the formulation of training designs/programs.

Loriega lauded PSME, Iloilo Chapter for going beyond their profession.

“This is the kind of alliances that we have to support in this time where we are tightening our belts. We can seldom find professional organizations that support the government in its efforts to inform the people about environmental laws and regulations,” said Loriega.

He also cited the valuable efforts of Regional Director Bienvenido Lipayon of the Environmental Management Bureau of DENR VI and his staff for making this alliance a reality.

PSME - Iloilo Chapter is happy with the partnership because it will ensure for them a guideline on how to protect and conserve the environment and will update its members of the latest environmental laws, rules and regulations.

It will not only enhance the knowledge of their members and help them to avoid committing violations.

Non-commission of violation means a saving to the business from paying penalties and surcharges.

-----

Brgy folks find relief with accessible mini-market

CARLES, Iloilo -- For as far back as they could remember, going to the market for their everyday needs is one task too hard to handle. This is because the people in Brgy. Cabilao Pequeño here had to travel several kilometers in order to reach the market in Poblacion.

“We leave home at 6 a.m. because finding a motorcycle to drive us to the Poblacion was also difficult. But even if we leave that early, we would still arrive home way past 11 a.m.,” revealed 68-year-old Amalia Mateo. “Aside from that, the P15 fare that we have to spend just to go to the Poblacion market is already too expensive for us,” she added.

With this problem, the people longed for the establishment of a market within their area. With the arrival of KALAHI-CIDSS:KKB (Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services: Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay) in the municipality, the people presented as their immediate need the absence of a market in their barangay.

KALAHI-CIDSS:KKB is the poverty alleviation program of the national government through a loan facility from the World Bank. Its implementing arm is the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Last January of this year, the mini-market in Brgy. Cabilao Pequeño was realized. Situated at the heart of the barangay, the mini-market is now accessible to 244 households.

The construction of the mini-market cost P328,757.12. Of this, P266,269 was KALAHI’s grant while the P62,488 was the local counterpart contribution mostly in the form of labor and equipments.

At present, the mini-market was subdivided into four stalls. Mateo is one of the first four leasers. Having opened last May 2005, Mateo, who sells mostly grocery items and sometimes fresh fishes, said she averages P500 in sales a day.

Initially, she said there were 14 residents who signified interest in renting a space at the mini-market. All paid P50 as membership fee. From this, the first four leasers were selected through the drawing of lots.

Operations manager Antonio Teneso said the leasers have a contract of three years afterwhich, another drawing of lots will be conducted so that the other members will also get a chance to do business.

Leasers, he added, pay P150 a month for the rentals. The electric bill is divided equally among them.

Mateo said the mini-market has greatly benefited not only barangays folks but more so small entrepreneurs like her.

“I used to walk all day selling dried fishes from one house to another and it was difficult. The meager income that I got could not compensate for the fatigue that I feel at the end of the day. Now, it’s the other way around. Now, I just wait for the people to come to me whenever they need to buy something,” she said.

------

DSWD-6 joins 16th nat’l statistics month

ILOILO City – In line with the celebration of the 16th National Statistics Month, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-6) held a photo exhibit at the 2nd floor of Gaisano City in La Paz here featuring the different sub-projects implemented in KALAHI-CIDSS areas in Western Visayas.

KALAHI-CIDSS or Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan: Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is a program of the national government aimed to alleviate poverty by empowering the people. Funds for the projects implemented in identified depressed barangays in Iloilo, Capiz and Negros Occidental are sourced out from the $100 million loan from the World Bank.

Among the projects featured during the exhibit include the post-harvest facility in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo; hanging bridge in Jamindan, Capiz; rehabilitation in Maasin, Iloilo; and fishing boat, health station and 2-classroom school building in Carles, Iloilo.

The National Statistics Month is celebrated in October every year pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 647. It aims to promote, enhance and instill nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics to the different sectors of society, as well as to elicit the cooperation and support of the public in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country.

This year’s celebration is anchored on the theme, “Modernizing Agriculture and Fishery Through Quality Statistics. The theme highlights the critical role of quality statistics in the identification, design and implementation of appropriate programs and projects for modernizing the agriculture and fishery sectors of the country. It also supports the continued improvement of the Philippine Agricultural Statistical System.

Dinagyang 2006 launched
By Lory Ann B. Bilbao and Ramon Salvilla

WITH its new slogan "Iloilo: The Only One", Dinagyang 2006 aims to be the premier festival of the country.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas led the launching of the Dinagyang 2006 with an impression that this year's Dinagyang is a symbol of unity among the various sectors in the City.

Dinagyang Festival executive director Ben Jimena said that in line with the aim, Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (Idfi), as the organizer, and Iloilo City, Provincial Government, both public and private sectors, and the church, Dinagyang will offer new and notable things this time.

Though he did not reveal the exact prizes yet, Jimena said that this year's Dinagyang celebration will offer bigger cash prizes.

A special award which is Best Costume is also one of the new things that will add color to the event, noting that its different with Best in Costume.

Another revision is the merging into one of the open and barangay categories while the Kasadyahan will remain.

However, each tribe will be given only 10 minutes to perform that includes props set up, entrance, performance and exit from the judging area.

Criteria for judging include performance 30 points, choreography 25 points, costume 20 points, music 15 points and dance consistency 10 points among others.

The Smart Telecommunications again claimed the major sponsorship as Jimena hopes that more sponsorship will be coming in.

According to Jimena, the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will provide judges for every category this year.

Jimena earlier said it is only the Dinagyang Festival that showcased a success story of the government and private partnership that led to economic development for Iloilo, adding that the raves and reviews of the festival has earned motivation from local, national and international observers.

Jimena said that NCCA has tagged Dinagyang as the "Festival of Excellent Folk Choreography." By winning a national street dancing competition, Dinagyang has etched an identity that "Dinagyang is Iloilo, and Iloilo is Dinagyang".

He added that Dinagayang still remains focused on its religious color, a celebration that brings people together in honor of the Child Jesus.

One of the objectives of Idfi, is to firm up a marketing plan that will bring Dinagyang to a higher level of public consciousness and sensibilities so as to strengthen its aim as the premiere festival of the country.

It further aims to regain the crown in Aliwan and promote local enterprises through showcases of local products; improve quality performance and continually enhance its preparation and performance.

As of Friday, 21 tribes have already registered for the Ati-ati category. These are the Tribu Pag-asa, Pana-ad, Molave, Pari-anon, Atub-atub, Familia Sagrada, Bantu, Kalubihan, Dagyaw Ta, Angola, Aninipay, Hamili, Himala, Halimaw, Ilonganon, Silak, Paghidaet, Baryohanon, Bola-Bola Taga Jaro and San Pedro.

The foundation will give financial assistance to the participating groups to defray their expenses in joining the contest provided they have to meet the criteria.

For the tribes that were among last year's top ten but, joined the contest for the last two years, 50 percent will be given as partial financial assistance and those within last year's top ten but, has joined the contest last year, only 25 percent is given.

For the tribes that ranked 11 and 12 but, joined the contest for the last three years, they can avail 50 percent; 25 percent for the tribes that joined the contest for the last two years and those that joined the contest last year, they will receive 10 percent.

The new entries might get financial assistance of 10 percent of the full amount or P20,000 whichever is lower.

The Dinagyang is slated Jan. 28 to 29, 2006 with the theme "healing through devotion to Señor Sto. Niño.

chymera00

November 1st, 2005, 09:59 AM

enjoy to the max, Chy ... ti, how's the mall sales doing in Iloilo City now? It's like a non-stop mall sales ongoing there at the moment ... sadya kuno ang midnight sales sa Gaisano City ... of course nag-sale na naman ang SM, Robinson's and Atrium.
Well once again ... there was a city-wide sale in Iloilo. There was a lot of people in SM, I don't know about other malls.

Yesterday, I went to Balaan Bukid. I went with my new found friends in www.dinagyang.com, it was fun! I'm going to post some of the pictures I took ... I hope it turns out great coz I only got a few pictures coz the cam's battery went dead. Anyways .. ENJOY THE PICS!
http://www.signweb.com/dimensional/images/iloilo.jpg

funny pic I've seen in the net while googling ... wonder where the place is .. actually? ... hehehe
lol ... I wonder where that is ...
http://www.firstbalfour.com/uploadpix/33e_POWERPLNT_WARTSILA_NSD_72MWPanay.jpg

72MW Panay Power Plant
Client: WARTSILA NSD CORPORATION
Location: Iloilo City
Scope of Work: Design and construction of the power plant complex and miscellaneous buildings, equipment supports and foundations, site development works and utilities. Scope also includes the electro-mechanical installation works for the client-supplied materials and equipments including heavy-load engines, generators, transformers and Desox.
Is this operational already?

For a successful Dinagyang 2006: Treñas appeals for unity
By Maricar M. Calubiran

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas appealed to Ilonggos to unite and cooperate for the success of next year's Dinagyang celebration. He made his appeal in last Friday's launching of the Dinagyang 2006 in SM City.

Treñas said there is a clear division among the political leaders in the country. Yet, he assured that this division could not be manifested in the holding of the yearly religious rites in honor of Sr. Sto. Niño should there be cooperation and unity among the Ilonggos.

He added that next year's theme of the celebration is also timely in the present political crisis the country is facing right now. The 2006 Dinagyang theme is 'Healing Thru Devotion to Sto. Niño.'

'The country needs healing,' he said.

The Ilonggos should help and cooperate in the success of the celebration as their devotion to the yearly festivity, said Treñas.

Meanwhile, Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. executive director Ben Jimena said the celebration is an avenue to promote Iloilo City. The same reason they added a tag line in the theme which says 'Iloilo, the only one.'

Jimena said they have come up with several objectives to make the festival far better than the previous years. Among the objectives of the IDFI are to increase the tourist arrival by 50 percent, strengthen claim for national and international recognition and to involve and promote local enterprise.

He said they have a rough target of 430,530 tourist arrivals next year in time with the Dinagyang celebration. In 2005, he estimated the tourist arrival at 287,000. The figure only covers the first quarter of 2005.

To address the influx of the tourist arrivals in the city, they also come up with an idea for a home stay scheme to address congestion in hotels. Tourists will stay in different homes in the city. Councilor Merci Garcia, chair of the committee on tourism is set to file a resolution in the Sangguniang Panlungsod relative to the home stay plan. As early as this, they are already coordinating with some house owners regarding the home stay plan.

The foundation which was also given authority by the chief executive to operate the 2006 festivity also come up with new ideas for a far more better 'ati' celebration.

The IDFI decided that there should be only one category in the 'ati' contest, prizes are bigger, additional awards include five major winners, two more special winners, the performance of every tribe is only 10 minutes to include props set up, entrance and exit, said Jimena.

There would also be a separate criteria for performance and choreography, the criteria for judging will include dance consistency, and there are new stakeholders which are the travel and tour operators and the holding of masses every Saturday and Sunday in honor of the patron saint.

Additional sports events such as marathon and basketball are also added to make the event colorful.

However, the IDFI rejected the idea to include baroto race and water ski competition during the week long activity. 'They are not effective and are not congruent with the Dinagyang celebration,' said Jimena.

On the security plans, Iloilo City Police Office Director Sr. Supt. Norlito Bautista said they are in forefront of securing the festivity in spite of the global threat on terrorism.

Bautista admitted urban cities are targets of terrorism. He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines will augment their force to beef up their security measures.

The police will also coordinate with the Department of Tourism and hotels for the visitors to enjoy the activity to the fullest, said Bautista.
Finally, the Dinagyang is open ...
I hope the target of 430,530 is reached, especially now that promotion has been intensified and it has proven to be the best (in choreography, at least)in the whole country, when the tribes that Iloilo sent won the all of the top 3 awards in the Aliwan Festival (Festival of Festivals in Manila) last year.

BTW, the maskot looks really freaky

chymera00

November 1st, 2005, 10:12 AM

http://thenewstoday.info/20051031/dinagyang.2006.officially.opens.html
Dinagyang 2006 officially opens

http://thenewstoday.info/20051031/dinagyang20062.jpg
Dinagyang 2006
IDFI Cive Chairman Ben
Jimena briefs the audience
of what to expect in
Dinagyang 2006.

http://thenewstoday.info/20051031/dinagyang20063.jpg
Dinagyang 2006
Dinagyang mascot Dagoy
again comes to life.

http://thenewstoday.info/20051031/dinagyang20065.jpg
Dinagyang 2006
"Let us work together for
a better and successful
Dinagyang," says
Mayor Jerry Treñas.

http://thenewstoday.info/20051031/dinagyang20061.jpg
Dingayang 2006
The different heads of the
Dinagyang Executive
Committes face the media
during a press conference

Dinagyang Festival 2006 is now officially open!

This is what Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas declared in front of the excited audience during the festival's launching at SM City Activity Center last Friday, October 28.

The launching signifies the start of all the promotional activities for Dinagyang 2006 festival which promises to be a grand one, according to Ben Jimena, executive director of Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Incorporated (IDFI).

The launching activity started with a motorcade around the city participated in by the IDFI board of directors and all members of the various working committees, the tribe managers, tri-media and sponsors.

Jimena disclosed that several changes would be implemented in next year's Dinagyang which will surely improve the celebration. One of which is in the ati-ati contest which will only be made under one category.

Aside from the usual Ati-ati tribe and Kasadyahan competitions, concerts, food festival, exhibits and sports tournaments, new and exciting activities lined-up for Dinagyang 2006, he said.

The IDFI headed by Lee Chuan was designated by City Mayor Jerry Treñas, as this year’s host organization that will administer and operate the holding of the celebration.

Next year's festival banners the theme 'Healing through devotion to Sr. Sto. Niño.'

Iloilo City to have a President’s Bridge

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

Iloilo City will soon be a recipient of a new bridge from the President’s Bridge Program. Mayor Jerry Treñas said he had applied for the bridge program. He wanted to have more access roads in the city to ease traffic congestion.

The first project here under the President’s Bridge Program is the rehabilitation of the bridge linking Brgys. Sta. Rosa and Dungon A in Jaro District.

Treñas said the bridge would serve as access road from Housing in Mandurriao to the Diversion Road.

The existing bridge in the area is only made of wood.

Treñas said the project in-charge shall visit Iloilo City this week.

The bridge will be 25.5 linear meters long.

Treñas said the bridge would be useful to commuters and private vehicles from Mandurriao plaza, ALEOSAN (towns of Alimodian, Leon and San Miguel) area and Oton going to Central Iloilo.

Treñas said if the project is realized immediately, the city government shall purchase the lot owned by Sarangani Lone District Cong. Erwin Chiongbian at Housing in Mandurriao to be used for road access.

The city government shall purchase about one thousand square meters (of the 18-hectare Chiongbian property
.

Friendship and heritage in a jewel city

First posted 07:44am (Mla time) Oct 31, 2005
By Constantino Tejero
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page C4 of the October 31, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

ILOILO-THE ORIGINAL QUEEN CITY OF the South before its center was razed by fire in the 1960s and Cebu seized the title-was rightly chosen as this year's venue for the celebration of the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Week.

Made a city under a royal decree issued by the Regent Queen Cristina of Spain on Oct. 25, 1889, Iloilo is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific. It was one of the original five royal cities of the colony, its cultural capital and second most important city.

Thus, in 1898, after the fall of Manila, it was where the seat of government was transferred, making it the last capital of the Spanish empire in Asia.

On June 29-30, the city hosted the celebration in cooperation with the Embassy of Spain, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Instituto Cervantes.

The event's organizing committee, created by the city government and chaired by Elena Jison Golez, invited representatives of national newspapers from Manila to a cultural tour sponsored by the Iloilo City Convention Bureau, the Department of Tourism Regional Office, and Cebu Pacific Airways.

(The tour was conducted with clean dispatch, cool efficiency and infinite patience by the informative and ever-amiable Bernadine Palacios, DOT Region VI senior operations officer, together with Reuel Yanson, adventure guide and tour operator of Panay Adventures-both soft-spoken, as Ilonggos generally are.)

Cultural collapse

This was only the second time the event was held outside Manila. Two years ago, the festivities were held in Baler, Quezon, Spain's last military stronghold in the country.

It was there where the last 33 Spanish soldiers, under siege for 11 months, surrendered to the Filipino revolutionary force, prompting Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the First Philippine Republic, to issue on June 30, 1899, a decree declaring them friends instead of prisoners of war.

The annual commemoration is meant to revive and fortify the waning friendship between Spain and the Philippines-a decline reflected in the sorry state of Iloilo's colonial structures.

Calle Real, where our national hero Josè Rizal went on a promenade during a stopover on his aborted way to Cuba, now looks more like Divisoria than a proud showcase of a jewel city. (That's what usually happens when the malls take over, as with Session Road in Baguio.)

Calle Real, once pleasant to the eyes, now appears abandoned and left to its own devices. What we have here is rubble, squalid quarters, congestion, an air of seediness and strange affairs.

So when a heritage structure is being demolished, no one seems to be watching or is interested. We can even imagine a few muttering, "Good riddance!"

The Beaux Art architecture of Panay Electric Co., so picturesque, is no more.

The unusual Art Deco government building in Jaro has been turned into a seedy police station. The stately slate-gray prewar building of Asilo de Molo has been splintered by the nuns into squat brown bungalows.

Foes of culture

And not just in the city. The manifestations of decay is everywhere one goes in the province.

During a brief trip to southern Iloilo, the visitors were visibly awed by the colonial architecture, or remnants of it, particularly of the churches ranging in styles from the Baroque to the Gothic to the Romanesque. But then, these national-treasure structures are now in various stages of decrepitude, notwithstanding their so-called restoration.

The Church of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, 40 km from the city proper, is being eaten by mold and erosion. The facade is moldering, its architectural details such as the Spanish coat of arms are falling apart, while the statues of the saints in niches have been painted tawny to approximate the natural color tone of the structure's stone slabs.

This was once considered the most beautiful church in the Philippines, one of only four Baroque churches in the country, and has been declared a World Heritage Site by the Unesco. But we don't think it's properly preserved and protected at all, not to say restored.

As part of the activities, a series of interesting and packed lectures on the Spanish influence on Philippine architecture was conducted by Instituto Cervantes. Someone commented the greatest enemies of church restoration were the parish priests. (No comment.)

Full-packed affair

The two-day celebration was a full-packed affair.

University of San Agustin and Museo Iloilo (the first government-sponsored museum outside Metro Manila) presented "Palimpsesto," a theater form of presenting Hiligaynon literature, as well as an art exhibit by Ilonggo artists.

San Agustin also held the lectures on colonial architecture and a festival of award-winning Spanish films. Over at Iloilo National High School, a workshop was conducted by Centro Flamenco.

Del Rio Hotel held Feria Española, a trade fair of Spanish wines and consumer products; a wine-appreciation seminar; a demo on Spanish cooking by chef Sandra Cacho of Gaudi restaurant; and a flamenco performance by Guillermo Gomez.

In the evening at Sarabia Manor Hotel, the Ilonggo èlite in full fineries attended Tertulia y Tapas, a dinner with entertainment featuring a fashion show by Patis Tesoro and Jackie Peñalosa, poetry reading, classical guitar and Spanish songs by the University of San Agustin Troubadours.

Praise and protest

For the formal opening of the event on June 30, Secretary General Rafael Dezcallar flew in from Madrid. He arrived with Spanish Ambassador Ignacio Sagaz and Instituto Cervantes director Javier Galvan to attend the ceremonies at the provincial capitol.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came surrounded by the Ilonggos in national government: Senate President Franklin Drilon, Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez, then Land Reform Sec. Rene Villa.

In the provincial jail just a spitting distance from the capitol grounds, an inmate peering through a hole in his prison cell was yelling through the brass band's music and politicians' speeches, protesting something or other.

Along Bonifacio Drive a stone's throw away, farmers were slowly marching, bearing antigovernment placards.

And this, while Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas was praising the President to high heavens, and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas was turning over the key of the city to Secretary General Dezcallar.

On a light note, the President commented that the two nations' friendship was further bridged by the Spanish ambassador's marriage to an Ilongga.

Lasting legacy

The Ilonggos of Iloilo (as distinguished from those of Negros) are among the most low-keyed and laid-back people in the country, yet Iloilo was the first city in the Philippines to have a Millionaires' Row. Think Lizares Mansion. Think Nelly's Garden. Think Casa Mariquit.

If all these colonial structures disappear tomorrow, the Hispanic legacy would still persist in the culture. It would still appear in the people's character and customs, their arts and crafts, literature, cuisine.

The Ilonggos' pride of heritage, albeit colonial, clearly manifested during a steak lunch with Zafiro Ledesma II, a trustee of Iloilo Cultural and Research Foundation, which manages Museo Iloilo.

Asked if the tureen on the Art Nouveau table in his heritage house was made of pewter, he quickly replied: "We don't use pewter, excuse me. Only sterling silver."

The mansion may now look ramshackle side by side with the rococo-baroque villas of the nouveau riche, but you can be sure it is authentic, never faux.

http://images.inq7.net/news/lifestyle/images/2005/oct/31/tejero_heritage7.jpg

Iloilo rocks

First posted 06:53am (Mla time) Oct 31, 2005
By Lito B. Zulueta
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page C1 of the October 31, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

ILOILO HAS ALWAYS competed with other key Visayan capitals, such as Cebu, Bacolod and even Dumaguete, as center of commerce, education and tourism. Now, with the just-ended First Iloilo Arts Festival, it has served notice that it would also establish itself a center of arts and culture as well. What we are seeing is a cultural giant waking up.

And the waking-up seems the message of the First Iloilo Arts Festival. Organized recently by the Iloilo City Convention Bureau and its president, Ma. Teresa S. Sarabia, the festival signaled a shift in the tourism promotion of the province. From here on, for Iloilo to put its best foot forward means exposing its cultural soul to tourists, the better for them to appreciate what animates the best and the brightest of the Ilonggo.

But as a culture center, Iloilo hasn't exactly been lethargic all these years. Without fanfare, it has achieved relative success in raising heritage awareness.

Through private sector initiative for instance, the Museo Iloilo was established by the Iloilo Cultural and Research Foundation (ICRF), making its home in a modest modern building standing on the provincial government grounds.

Work for the museum is purely voluntary, and a visitor appreciates the cooperation and professionalism that have gone into the setting up of the museum showcases and the running of museum operations.

The showcases allow the visitor to survey Panay island's rich prehistory and recorded history through archeological artifacts and dioramas of colonial lifestyle and historical developments up to the Second World War.

The presentation is succinct and efficient. It has no airs, no pretensions. It puts the visitor right where the cultural and historic heart of Panay Island is.

Solidarity

The visitor will likewise marvel at the solidarity and sense of cooperation among community leaders. As gleaned from the Museo, there appears a strong sense of urgency among Ilonggos to conserve their cultural heritage as well as mine the legacy to look for cultural guideposts for the present.

It is surprising, for example, to find that the ICRF has its own quarterly publication, Museo Iloilo, which publishes news updates as well as learned papers on Panay culture.

All of this should make Iloilo perfectly qualified to organize an arts and culture festival. And it is a credit to the good sense of the organizers that the festival focused on Iloilo's strong suits while not exactly coming less than adventurous.

The media-familiarization tour of the festival, for example, focused first on Iloilo's strong suit as a business convention site as well as a rest and recreation enclave.

The city is near the airport (the media were brought to the city by Air Philippines) and is home to a number of well-furnished hotels such as the Sarabia Manor Hotel.

Since Iloilo is a commercial center, it hosts leading business establishments as well as shopping malls.

Educational center

As an educational center, Iloilo hosts several colleges and universities as well as established medical centers such as the Iloilo Doctors Hospital, St. Paul Hospital, West Visayas University Hospital, and University of San Agustin Hospital.

The rest-and-recreation regime mainly consists of first-rate food places and bars such as Breakthrough Restaurant, which serves seafood, and Flow Resto Lounge, a top watering hole.

Iloilo's built heritage, particularly from the Spanish colonial era, is the most evident cultural resource of the island. An arts festival, or a tourism campaign for that matter, could not just ignore the churches of Iloilo, particularly the magnificent Miag-ao church, which is inscribed in the Unesco World Heritage List.

The arts component of the festival consisted of an interactive art session and art exhibit at SM Iloilo, an arts workshop for beginners and advance fine arts students by the Young Thomasian Artists Circle (YTAC) at the Museo Iloilo, and a festival of dances at Robinsons Place opened by Tourism Usec. Salvador Sarabia Jr.

The latter featured top local dance groups such as the Pag-asa Dinagyang Tribe, Hugyaw Arts Company of the St. Therese-MTC Colleges, Irong-irong Dance Company of the West Visayas State University, Binanog Tribe of Lambunao, and Kawilihan Dance Troupe of the University of San Agustin.

Highlight

The highlight of the festival was obviously the exhibit by the YTAC at the Museo Iloilo. Opened by Rosalie Trenas, wife of Iloilo Mayor Jerry Trenas, the exhibit, "dog/god," is familiar to Metro Manilans since it had previously been exhibited at the University of Santo Tomas Museum of Arts and Sciences and Cultural Center of the Philippines.

YTAC is an informal organization of young artists-alumni from the UST College of Fine Arts and Design (and its earlier version, College of Architecture and Fine Arts).

The participating YTAC artists in the Iloilo exhibit were Lindslee, Lawrence Borsoto, Ivan Roxas, Mark Magistrado, Buen Calubayan, Jaime Pacena II, Wesley Valenzuela, Andres Barrioquinto, and CJ Tanedo. Curator was Jocelyn Tullao of the UST Museum.

By hosting the touring exhibit, Iloilo got a first crack at the unique show, which is an instructive showcase of the plurality of mediums and expressions in contemporary art as well as the generous pool of young talents that has emerged lately to explore new materials and genres.

The exhibit, which will be brought to Singapore and South Korea, might have been too arriere-garde for Iloilo taste (it explores the binary between the sacred and the profane, a calculatedly ticklish theme for artists who came from the Pontifical University), but the consensus from the art scene in Iloilo was that the exhibit was bold, daring, and inspired.

Not that the Iloilo arts scene is not familiar with art trends. The Independent Artists Studio of Iloilo, for example, is an informal group of Iloilo artists experimenting with new styles and expressions. Its members--Faith Anastacio, Nil Capinianes, Joseph Firmeza, Carlo Juntado, Liby Norman Limoso, Norman Posecion, and J. Scott Saria--have exhibited at the Museo Iloilo, Space Between and Days Hotel Iloilo Art Gallery.

The fact that there are artist groups in Iloilo and a growing number of galleries should bode well for a more thriving arts scene on the island in the future.

But Iloilo cultural leaders aren't relaxing. Next year, according to Teresa Sarabia, the Iloilo Arts Festival will be bigger and brighter. We have no doubt it will be.
http://images.inq7.net/news/lifestyle/images/2005/oct/31/iloilo23.jpg

chymera00

November 1st, 2005, 10:16 AM

Iloilo City to have a President’s Bridge

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

Iloilo City will soon be a recipient of a new bridge from the President’s Bridge Program. Mayor Jerry Treñas said he had applied for the bridge program. He wanted to have more access roads in the city to ease traffic congestion.

The first project here under the President’s Bridge Program is the rehabilitation of the bridge linking Brgys. Sta. Rosa and Dungon A in Jaro District.

Treñas said the bridge would serve as access road from Housing in Mandurriao to the Diversion Road.

The existing bridge in the area is only made of wood.

Treñas said the project in-charge shall visit Iloilo City this week.

The bridge will be 25.5 linear meters long.

Treñas said the bridge would be useful to commuters and private vehicles from Mandurriao plaza, ALEOSAN (towns of Alimodian, Leon and San Miguel) area and Oton going to Central Iloilo.

Treñas said if the project is realized immediately, the city government shall purchase the lot owned by Sarangani Lone District Cong. Erwin Chiongbian at Housing in Mandurriao to be used for road access.

The city government shall purchase about one thousand square meters (of the 18-hectare Chiongbian property.
My house is in Housing :) and we have to drive a long way just to go to diversion road ... now we dont have to! this is really nice... but I hope they will expand diversion road coz some parts are still only have 2 lanes, and the traffic there is a big problem.

Only downside is, more vehicles will pass by our neighborhood and there will be more noise :)

chymera00

November 1st, 2005, 05:12 PM

Here it is pano of whole Iloilo City taken in Balaan Bukid ... Its only recently that I've discovered that the Mountains are visible, and they make a good background of the city !! Anyways, me and my friends over at Dinagyang.com had a good time :) I didn't take a lot of pictures though because the battery went dead after an hour or so..

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/SkylinePano.jpg

sugbuanon

November 1st, 2005, 08:08 PM

iloilo corporate tower

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/6817/office022ni.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

got this rendering from their site: http://www.palafoxassociates.com/index.htm

tigidig14

November 1st, 2005, 08:51 PM

oton church, d2 daw 'to galing, ano na nangyari d2 sa simbahan na 'to ganda kasi eh
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/db/dlmap/SEAiT/htdocs/data/images/uw/large/ph01063l.jpg
animo

wecky

November 1st, 2005, 09:57 PM

Well once again ... there was a city-wide sale in Iloilo. There was a lot of people in SM, I don't know about other malls.

it's like a regular days of shopping na lang da ba? Anyway, I suggest you go to Robinson's when there's a mallwide sale. When I was in Manila 6 years ago, I used to frequent Robinson during sales time. Mas manami bal-an ila sales. Of course, in regular days, SM is much,much better than Robinson. Sayang no, if there's an Ayala Center in Iloilo, I guess it's another place to do shopping during sales period, too ... hehehe.

Yesterday, I went to Balaan Bukid. I went with my new found friends in www.dinagyang.com, it was fun! I'm going to post some of the pictures I took ... I hope it turns out great coz I only got a few pictures coz the cam's battery went dead. Anyways .. ENJOY THE PICS!

wow ... good thing Chy. Bal-an ko enjoy ka gid kay wala ka nakabalik sa forum mo ... hehehe. Nice to hear from somebody to visit a place like Balaan Bukid ... so refreshing on tops, isn't it?

lol ... I wonder where that is ...

I don't know as well .. probably somewhere here in Europe, I guess. I've heard there's an Ilonggo resto in Germany. Been there several times pero daw wala ko man makita ... hahaha.

Is this operational already?

think so ... but not really sure though. It's one of the Lopez businesses there in Iloilo.

Finally, the Dinagyang is open ...
I hope the target of 430,530 is reached, especially now that promotion has been intensified and it has proven to be the best (in choreography, at least)in the whole country, when the tribes that Iloilo sent won the all of the top 3 awards in the Aliwan Festival (Festival of Festivals in Manila) last year.

BTW, the maskot looks really freaky

Dagol, wierd? hahaha ... daw ati gid itsura niya 'ka mo ... hahaha. The first time it came out, I thought it was SM Iloilo mascot since SM Iloilo (the original one, not the SM City) used to sponsor Tribu Atub-Atub .. and may mascot man sila ... just almost like Dagol, the official Dinagyang Mascot for 3 years time na.

With the tourist, I don't know how they will reach the target. We don't have enough hotels in Iloilo to accomodate them all. I know there's a lend a house or share a house scheme they are promoting now. Seems okay, I think as we used this mode during CPU Centennial as well. Too many alumnis don't have houses in Iloilo so some of them are sharing with other alumnis or they rent a whole to accomodate them all. But this is Dinagyang Festival, the main festival of the region. There'll be enormous influx of tourist every year. Some of them don't bother attending anymore due to no hotel accomodation left for the visitors.

Anyway, let's hops for the best na lang.

wecky

November 1st, 2005, 09:58 PM

wecky

November 2nd, 2005, 03:29 AM

Dinagyang Festival 2006 is now officially open!

This is what Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas declared in front of the excited audience during the festival's launching at SM City Activity Center last Friday, October 28.

The launching signifies the start of all the promotional activities for Dinagyang 2006 festival which promises to be a grand one, according to Ben Jimena, executive director of Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Incorporated (IDFI).

The launching activity started with a motorcade around the city participated in by the IDFI board of directors and all members of the various working committees, the tribe managers, tri-media and sponsors.

Jimena disclosed that several changes would be implemented in next year's Dinagyang which will surely improve the celebration. One of which is in the ati-ati contest which will only be made under one category.

Aside from the usual Ati-ati tribe and Kasadyahan competitions, concerts, food festival, exhibits and sports tournaments, new and exciting activities lined-up for Dinagyang 2006, he said.

The IDFI headed by Lee Chuan was designated by City Mayor Jerry Treñas, as this year’s host organization that will administer and operate the holding of the celebration.

Next year's festival banners the theme 'Healing through devotion to Sr. Sto. Niño.'

seemed the opening is too early for next year. They really are too serious of this festival, I believe. Grabe! Sang una you'll hear Dinagyang mga mid-january na ... then to early Jan .. subong October pa lang, start na sila sang ila promotion. I know Trenas went to Hawaii and Vancouver, Canada this year for more promotion of iloilo city's festival, tourism, investments and businesses. He started forging Ilonggos power here abroad. He is really good where to get his international support, just in case. Anyway, glad that Dinagyang moves another step higher to claim its title as the country's premiere festival.

Iloilo City to have a President’s Bridge

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

Iloilo City will soon be a recipient of a new bridge from the President’s Bridge Program. Mayor Jerry Treñas said he had applied for the bridge program. He wanted to have more access roads in the city to ease traffic congestion.

The first project here under the President’s Bridge Program is the rehabilitation of the bridge linking Brgys. Sta. Rosa and Dungon A in Jaro District.

Treñas said the bridge would serve as access road from Housing in Mandurriao to the Diversion Road.

The existing bridge in the area is only made of wood.

Treñas said the project in-charge shall visit Iloilo City this week.

The bridge will be 25.5 linear meters long.

Treñas said the bridge would be useful to commuters and private vehicles from Mandurriao plaza, ALEOSAN (towns of Alimodian, Leon and San Miguel) area and Oton going to Central Iloilo.

Treñas said if the project is realized immediately, the city government shall purchase the lot owned by Sarangani Lone District Cong. Erwin Chiongbian at Housing in Mandurriao to be used for road access.

The city government shall purchase about one thousand square meters (of the 18-hectare Chiongbian property

good to hear. Paving another way to decongest the heavy traffic of Iloilo City. Traffic around the city is getting worse and worse as the days go by. It's ironical to note that even the increase of gasoline prices did not have any minute effect in the city's traffic congestion. Moreso, the number of private cars entering the city proper is on the increase as well. Surely, we need more roads and bridges at least but it's more ideal if we can have bigger and wider roads in place.

Friendship and heritage in a jewel city

First posted 07:44am (Mla time) Oct 31, 2005
By Constantino Tejero
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page C4 of the October 31, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

ILOILO-THE ORIGINAL QUEEN CITY OF the South before its center was razed by fire in the 1960s and Cebu seized the title-was rightly chosen as this year's venue for the celebration of the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Week.

Made a city under a royal decree issued by the Regent Queen Cristina of Spain on Oct. 25, 1889, Iloilo is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific. It was one of the original five royal cities of the colony, its cultural capital and second most important city.

Thus, in 1898, after the fall of Manila, it was where the seat of government was transferred, making it the last capital of the Spanish empire in Asia.

On June 29-30, the city hosted the celebration in cooperation with the Embassy of Spain, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Instituto Cervantes.

The event's organizing committee, created by the city government and chaired by Elena Jison Golez, invited representatives of national newspapers from Manila to a cultural tour sponsored by the Iloilo City Convention Bureau, the Department of Tourism Regional Office, and Cebu Pacific Airways.

(The tour was conducted with clean dispatch, cool efficiency and infinite patience by the informative and ever-amiable Bernadine Palacios, DOT Region VI senior operations officer, together with Reuel Yanson, adventure guide and tour operator of Panay Adventures-both soft-spoken, as Ilonggos generally are.)

Cultural collapse

This was only the second time the event was held outside Manila. Two years ago, the festivities were held in Baler, Quezon, Spain's last military stronghold in the country.

It was there where the last 33 Spanish soldiers, under siege for 11 months, surrendered to the Filipino revolutionary force, prompting Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the First Philippine Republic, to issue on June 30, 1899, a decree declaring them friends instead of prisoners of war.

The annual commemoration is meant to revive and fortify the waning friendship between Spain and the Philippines-a decline reflected in the sorry state of Iloilo's colonial structures.

Calle Real, where our national hero Josè Rizal went on a promenade during a stopover on his aborted way to Cuba, now looks more like Divisoria than a proud showcase of a jewel city. (That's what usually happens when the malls take over, as with Session Road in Baguio.)

Calle Real, once pleasant to the eyes, now appears abandoned and left to its own devices. What we have here is rubble, squalid quarters, congestion, an air of seediness and strange affairs.

So when a heritage structure is being demolished, no one seems to be watching or is interested. We can even imagine a few muttering, "Good riddance!"

The Beaux Art architecture of Panay Electric Co., so picturesque, is no more.

The unusual Art Deco government building in Jaro has been turned into a seedy police station. The stately slate-gray prewar building of Asilo de Molo has been splintered by the nuns into squat brown bungalows.

Foes of culture

And not just in the city. The manifestations of decay is everywhere one goes in the province.

During a brief trip to southern Iloilo, the visitors were visibly awed by the colonial architecture, or remnants of it, particularly of the churches ranging in styles from the Baroque to the Gothic to the Romanesque. But then, these national-treasure structures are now in various stages of decrepitude, notwithstanding their so-called restoration.

The Church of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, 40 km from the city proper, is being eaten by mold and erosion. The facade is moldering, its architectural details such as the Spanish coat of arms are falling apart, while the statues of the saints in niches have been painted tawny to approximate the natural color tone of the structure's stone slabs.

This was once considered the most beautiful church in the Philippines, one of only four Baroque churches in the country, and has been declared a World Heritage Site by the Unesco. But we don't think it's properly preserved and protected at all, not to say restored.

As part of the activities, a series of interesting and packed lectures on the Spanish influence on Philippine architecture was conducted by Instituto Cervantes. Someone commented the greatest enemies of church restoration were the parish priests. (No comment.)

Full-packed affair

The two-day celebration was a full-packed affair.

University of San Agustin and Museo Iloilo (the first government-sponsored museum outside Metro Manila) presented "Palimpsesto," a theater form of presenting Hiligaynon literature, as well as an art exhibit by Ilonggo artists.

San Agustin also held the lectures on colonial architecture and a festival of award-winning Spanish films. Over at Iloilo National High School, a workshop was conducted by Centro Flamenco.

Del Rio Hotel held Feria Española, a trade fair of Spanish wines and consumer products; a wine-appreciation seminar; a demo on Spanish cooking by chef Sandra Cacho of Gaudi restaurant; and a flamenco performance by Guillermo Gomez.

In the evening at Sarabia Manor Hotel, the Ilonggo èlite in full fineries attended Tertulia y Tapas, a dinner with entertainment featuring a fashion show by Patis Tesoro and Jackie Peñalosa, poetry reading, classical guitar and Spanish songs by the University of San Agustin Troubadours.

Praise and protest

For the formal opening of the event on June 30, Secretary General Rafael Dezcallar flew in from Madrid. He arrived with Spanish Ambassador Ignacio Sagaz and Instituto Cervantes director Javier Galvan to attend the ceremonies at the provincial capitol.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came surrounded by the Ilonggos in national government: Senate President Franklin Drilon, Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez, then Land Reform Sec. Rene Villa.

In the provincial jail just a spitting distance from the capitol grounds, an inmate peering through a hole in his prison cell was yelling through the brass band's music and politicians' speeches, protesting something or other.

Along Bonifacio Drive a stone's throw away, farmers were slowly marching, bearing antigovernment placards.

And this, while Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas was praising the President to high heavens, and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas was turning over the key of the city to Secretary General Dezcallar.

On a light note, the President commented that the two nations' friendship was further bridged by the Spanish ambassador's marriage to an Ilongga.

Lasting legacy

The Ilonggos of Iloilo (as distinguished from those of Negros) are among the most low-keyed and laid-back people in the country, yet Iloilo was the first city in the Philippines to have a Millionaires' Row. Think Lizares Mansion. Think Nelly's Garden. Think Casa Mariquit.

If all these colonial structures disappear tomorrow, the Hispanic legacy would still persist in the culture. It would still appear in the people's character and customs, their arts and crafts, literature, cuisine.

The Ilonggos' pride of heritage, albeit colonial, clearly manifested during a steak lunch with Zafiro Ledesma II, a trustee of Iloilo Cultural and Research Foundation, which manages Museo Iloilo.

Asked if the tureen on the Art Nouveau table in his heritage house was made of pewter, he quickly replied: "We don't use pewter, excuse me. Only sterling silver."

The mansion may now look ramshackle side by side with the rococo-baroque villas of the nouveau riche, but you can be sure it is authentic, never faux.

http://images.inq7.net/news/lifestyle/images/2005/oct/31/tejero_heritage7.jpg

such a great thing to note of glorious past of Iloilo .. a thing all Ilonggos need to remember and preserve for a lifetime.

Iloilo rocks

First posted 06:53am (Mla time) Oct 31, 2005
By Lito B. Zulueta
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page C1 of the October 31, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

ILOILO HAS ALWAYS competed with other key Visayan capitals, such as Cebu, Bacolod and even Dumaguete, as center of commerce, education and tourism. Now, with the just-ended First Iloilo Arts Festival, it has served notice that it would also establish itself a center of arts and culture as well. What we are seeing is a cultural giant waking up.

And the waking-up seems the message of the First Iloilo Arts Festival. Organized recently by the Iloilo City Convention Bureau and its president, Ma. Teresa S. Sarabia, the festival signaled a shift in the tourism promotion of the province. From here on, for Iloilo to put its best foot forward means exposing its cultural soul to tourists, the better for them to appreciate what animates the best and the brightest of the Ilonggo.

But as a culture center, Iloilo hasn't exactly been lethargic all these years. Without fanfare, it has achieved relative success in raising heritage awareness.

Through private sector initiative for instance, the Museo Iloilo was established by the Iloilo Cultural and Research Foundation (ICRF), making its home in a modest modern building standing on the provincial government grounds.

Work for the museum is purely voluntary, and a visitor appreciates the cooperation and professionalism that have gone into the setting up of the museum showcases and the running of museum operations.

The showcases allow the visitor to survey Panay island's rich prehistory and recorded history through archeological artifacts and dioramas of colonial lifestyle and historical developments up to the Second World War.

The presentation is succinct and efficient. It has no airs, no pretensions. It puts the visitor right where the cultural and historic heart of Panay Island is.

Solidarity

The visitor will likewise marvel at the solidarity and sense of cooperation among community leaders. As gleaned from the Museo, there appears a strong sense of urgency among Ilonggos to conserve their cultural heritage as well as mine the legacy to look for cultural guideposts for the present.

It is surprising, for example, to find that the ICRF has its own quarterly publication, Museo Iloilo, which publishes news updates as well as learned papers on Panay culture.

All of this should make Iloilo perfectly qualified to organize an arts and culture festival. And it is a credit to the good sense of the organizers that the festival focused on Iloilo's strong suits while not exactly coming less than adventurous.

The media-familiarization tour of the festival, for example, focused first on Iloilo's strong suit as a business convention site as well as a rest and recreation enclave.

The city is near the airport (the media were brought to the city by Air Philippines) and is home to a number of well-furnished hotels such as the Sarabia Manor Hotel.

Since Iloilo is a commercial center, it hosts leading business establishments as well as shopping malls.

Educational center

As an educational center, Iloilo hosts several colleges and universities as well as established medical centers such as the Iloilo Doctors Hospital, St. Paul Hospital, West Visayas University Hospital, and University of San Agustin Hospital.

The rest-and-recreation regime mainly consists of first-rate food places and bars such as Breakthrough Restaurant, which serves seafood, and Flow Resto Lounge, a top watering hole.

Iloilo's built heritage, particularly from the Spanish colonial era, is the most evident cultural resource of the island. An arts festival, or a tourism campaign for that matter, could not just ignore the churches of Iloilo, particularly the magnificent Miag-ao church, which is inscribed in the Unesco World Heritage List.

The arts component of the festival consisted of an interactive art session and art exhibit at SM Iloilo, an arts workshop for beginners and advance fine arts students by the Young Thomasian Artists Circle (YTAC) at the Museo Iloilo, and a festival of dances at Robinsons Place opened by Tourism Usec. Salvador Sarabia Jr.

The latter featured top local dance groups such as the Pag-asa Dinagyang Tribe, Hugyaw Arts Company of the St. Therese-MTC Colleges, Irong-irong Dance Company of the West Visayas State University, Binanog Tribe of Lambunao, and Kawilihan Dance Troupe of the University of San Agustin.

Highlight

The highlight of the festival was obviously the exhibit by the YTAC at the Museo Iloilo. Opened by Rosalie Trenas, wife of Iloilo Mayor Jerry Trenas, the exhibit, "dog/god," is familiar to Metro Manilans since it had previously been exhibited at the University of Santo Tomas Museum of Arts and Sciences and Cultural Center of the Philippines.

YTAC is an informal organization of young artists-alumni from the UST College of Fine Arts and Design (and its earlier version, College of Architecture and Fine Arts).

The participating YTAC artists in the Iloilo exhibit were Lindslee, Lawrence Borsoto, Ivan Roxas, Mark Magistrado, Buen Calubayan, Jaime Pacena II, Wesley Valenzuela, Andres Barrioquinto, and CJ Tanedo. Curator was Jocelyn Tullao of the UST Museum.

By hosting the touring exhibit, Iloilo got a first crack at the unique show, which is an instructive showcase of the plurality of mediums and expressions in contemporary art as well as the generous pool of young talents that has emerged lately to explore new materials and genres.

The exhibit, which will be brought to Singapore and South Korea, might have been too arriere-garde for Iloilo taste (it explores the binary between the sacred and the profane, a calculatedly ticklish theme for artists who came from the Pontifical University), but the consensus from the art scene in Iloilo was that the exhibit was bold, daring, and inspired.

Not that the Iloilo arts scene is not familiar with art trends. The Independent Artists Studio of Iloilo, for example, is an informal group of Iloilo artists experimenting with new styles and expressions. Its members--Faith Anastacio, Nil Capinianes, Joseph Firmeza, Carlo Juntado, Liby Norman Limoso, Norman Posecion, and J. Scott Saria--have exhibited at the Museo Iloilo, Space Between and Days Hotel Iloilo Art Gallery.

The fact that there are artist groups in Iloilo and a growing number of galleries should bode well for a more thriving arts scene on the island in the future.

But Iloilo cultural leaders aren't relaxing. Next year, according to Teresa Sarabia, the Iloilo Arts Festival will be bigger and brighter. We have no doubt it will be.
http://images.inq7.net/news/lifestyle/images/2005/oct/31/iloilo23.jpg

profoundly good in playing words, ain't it? ... hehehe ... but that's the way they view Iloilo, the centre of culture and arts. What really catch most of my attention is the passage of the "waking up of the sleeping cultural giant". It's just nice to note that Iloilo starts to whisk her grandeur again signifying her will to regain its glorious past. Once more, Iloilo is proving how well she play her game ... fair and square.

wecky

November 2nd, 2005, 03:40 AM

My house is in Housing :) and we have to drive a long way just to go to diversion road ... now we dont have to! this is really nice... but I hope they will expand diversion road coz some parts are still only have 2 lanes, and the traffic there is a big problem.

Only downside is, more vehicles will pass by our neighborhood and there will be more noise :)

it's a good thing Chy .. and like you, we will be benefited as well ... the whole ALEOSAN District and of course the Jibao-an, Pavia-Oton commuters as well ... that includes residents of Savannah subdivisions. It'll be easier and more accessible for us to get to Diversion Road where major developments in Iloilo is happening. Not to mention, better access to Pavia as well, where like Diversion, the area starts to pick up businesses and investments. And you're right too to say that Diversion Road needs to expand as well ... just like in front of SM City Iloilo. I think it's more like of 4-6 lanes now ... the rest of Diversion highway is 2-3 lanes one-way only.

wecky

November 2nd, 2005, 03:43 AM

iloilo corporate tower

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/6817/office022ni.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

got this rendering from their site: http://www.palafoxassociates.com/index.htm

this was the first plan of Palafox for the ILOILO CORPORATE CENTER. The center at the moment is still in doldrums ... no much news about erecting buildings around the site. Btw, Iloilo Corporate Center is right beside SM City Iloilo in Diversion Road (Benigno Aquino Ave) is Mandurriao. All its plans are still in limbo. Probably they are still awaiting of the transfer of Iloilo-Mandurriao Airport to the new site in Sta.Barbara-Cabatuan area.

wecky

November 2nd, 2005, 03:55 AM

Street kids’ families soon to have houses

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

ILOILO City – The city government will not only build houses, but also build communities. Mayor Jerry Treñas said the city government would begin the construction next month of around 32 houses intended to shelter families of street children here.

The houses would be built under the Gawad Kalinga program.

Different institutions, local government units and individuals, among others, shall fund the project. Among them are groups from Manila (10 housing units), Taytay sa Kauswagan (10 houses), Senator Francis Pangilinan (10), Sangguniang Panglungsod (1), and Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo (1).

Treñas disclosed that Lone District Cong. Raul Gonzalez Jr. pledged P5 million from his Countrywide Development Fund and another P5 million from the House of Representatives.

Smart Telecommunications pledged P500,000.

The housing project site is situated at the 1.2-hectare city lot in Brgy. So-oc, Mandurriao district. Approximately 60 square meters of land area shall be allocated to each family of the street children.

another good deed Iloilo City government is doing for its residents. Remember, shelter is one of the basic human rights to all.

Weina

November 2nd, 2005, 06:06 AM

you can't barely see anything in the internet, Wein. My sis told me about it lang. I just send special power of Attorney to purchase one.

In Savannah, I think there's few more lots available. The Savannah Glades house and lots are all sold out. That was three to four years ago pa. So no chance for you to buy anything in Glades. In Savannah Trails, I think they are doing an expansion right now. The Savannah Trails -A were all sold out. There's a new Savannah Trails-B. Whether it's sold out or not, I'm not so sure. But I guess, you don't have much of the choices na. Same through with Savannah Glen. Savannah Glen-A, Savannah Glen-B, and Savannah Glen-C were all sold out as well. There's Savannah Glen-D na. So probably there'll be few more availble in this site. Another community in Savannah in the making is Savannah Crest. Savannah Crest I believe will be the forefront of Savannah communities now overtaking Savannah Glades. Savannah Crest will have house and lots costing 6-10 million pesos. About lots only, the last price of Savannah lots (two months ago) cost you 4,500 pesos per sq. meter. Probably, it can go up higher to 5,000 pesos per sq. meter pa. Just check with your agent if you have one.

With regards to a million peso house and lot in Savannah, you can probably get it in Savannah Glen, I guess being the low-cost community of the subdivision ... whether it is true or not, I'm not so sure. A house and lot with a land area of 100 sq meter and a floor area of more than 40 sq meter cost a little more than a million na. I guess, the advert you've read is not too updated, Wein. Let me know when you are going home. I'll ask one of my realtor's friend to come and visit you for further infos.

If you still have family back home in Iloilo, ask them to have a trip to Savannah. There's a regular site viewing that Savannah is providing for future buyers.

Business, agri lands, etc .. okay gid ina Wein. I can't divulge much of some properties back home ... hahaha ... basi mahambalan ta di nga tikalon or lagson ta sang BIR ... hahaha. I'll PM you na lang. Oks?

yes, tuod guid na weck, info in the nternet is too limited in Iloilo. Yes, i also think the page i've seen regarding savannah is not updated, co'z the price is quite impossible. the best way is to visit na lang next time if i'm in Iloilo, kaso lang di pa sure kon madayon next year, if funds is enough to put a project cguro then mas ok, gusto ko every puli ko may new project para may pag bisihan man ako didto. Indi lang kada puli waldas didto waldas diri, wala makadtuan ang kuarta, typical sang iban naton nga mga kababayan. Kanugon sang pinangabudlayan sa iban nga pungsod. Cge Weck PM mo ko kon ano nami to sa Iloilo, very kind guid sa imo ba, treat na lang kita in the future, ha ha ha... :)

sugbuanon

November 2nd, 2005, 07:11 AM

this was the first plan of Palafox for the ILOILO CORPORATE CENTER. The center at the moment is still in doldrums ... no much news about erecting buildings around the site. Btw, Iloilo Corporate Center is right beside SM City Iloilo in Diversion Road (Benigno Aquino Ave) is Mandurriao. All its plans are still in limbo. Probably they are still awaiting of the transfer of Iloilo-Mandurriao Airport to the new site in Sta.Barbara-Cabatuan area.

thanx for the additional info wecky... i really have no idea bout this building i just found it in their site.. :) hope they'll be building this one.. i really like the design

wecky

November 2nd, 2005, 09:41 PM

News from The News Today Info online:

Dungog Panay 2005 to showcase island's positive images
By Erly C. Garcia

Amid all the political conflicts happening in the country the Professionals for Social Responsibility (Pro-SR) will be showcasing positive images which will create a visionary Panay through what is to be considered the biggest cultural event this year, the Dungog Panay 2005.

To be held on November 12-13, 2005 at the West Visayas State University Cultural Center the Dungog Panay 2005 will also pay tribute to outstanding leaders and artists who made positive image for Panay.

Charrie Perlas, president of Pro-SR said, the two-day affair would be a mix of lectures and artistic performances.

Day one will focus on the theme: 'Conservation and development: Creating a culture of sustainability.' Meanwhile, day two will center on the theme: 'Mobilizing entrepreneurship and culture for poverty eradication.

A partial listing of cultural performances include: Kahilwayan Dance Troupe, Dagway Sigmahanon, Tultugan Ensemble, Dagyaw Dance Theater Company, Panayana, Bola-bola Tribe, Tibu ni Mali, Iloilo Children's Choir, VOX Choir, INHS-SPA Young Artists, Ilahas, ICNHS Rondalla, SPED Hearing Impaired Dancers, Aurora Strings, Federico Caballero, Romulo Caballero, Conception Diaz, Aurelio Damas.

These will be complemented by a wide range of plenary speakers such as socio-cultural anthropologist Dr. Alicia Magos, TOYM Awardee Dr. Josette Biyo, World Wildlife Federation's Ms. Ina Pozon and Dr. Vincent Perlas, President of Lifebank, the event's co-sponsor.

'It's a rare opportunity to see this kind of diversity of expression of cultural excellence in one event,' says Dr. Henry Española of Pro-SR.

Tickets are priced at P250, P400 and P500 per day which entitles ticket holders to attend all performances, plenary presentations, workshops and exhibits for that day. Tickets are now available at the Atrium, Goodwill Bookstore and Four Season Hotel.

'Operation Yuhum' medical mission

A smiling future for hare-lipped and cleft-palate Ilonggo kids may be assured by the Rotary Club of Iloilo City through 'Operation Yuhum.' On December 12-16, the club will bring a team of four experienced surgeons from Manila to perform the necessary operations for children from poor families for free. The Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan will also provide free operating rooms, nurses and beds.

The current efforts of the Club are geared toward fund raising for the medication expenses, including anesthesia, disinfectants, bandages, sutures , needles, etc., that is expected to reach P6,500.00 per patient. The club hopes that at least 50 children can benefit from this project.

In particular the club is organizing a Bingo Social on November 5, at the Iloilo Central Elementary School - quadrangle area, at 2:00 p.m. to help raise these funds. The Bingo tickets are priced at P500 and include a free snack. The major prizes are P20,000 - First Prize; P10,000 - Second Prize; and P5000 - Third Prize . There will also be five consolation prizes of P1,000. Ticket claim stubs are available at all Winners Gym outlets.

To enroll a potential recipient of the 'Operation Yuhum' free medical mission, please contact Project Committee Chairman - Rotarian Markus Duenneisen , or Rotary Ann Eva Duenneisen at telephone number 3374025, or cell-phone number 09275536491 .

On its part, Winners Gym will contribute 5 One- Year LifeStyle packages for the fund-raiser. The One Year Sports Gym Package is valued at P8,000; the One-year packages of Fitness Garden (Fundidor, Molo) and Super Studio ( at the back of Robinsons) - P14,000 each; and the Body Fitness Center (Amigo) and soon to open Skyline Fitness (Jaro), P18,000 each . Interested donors / patrons may exchange the above Certificate-values with cash to help meet the medical mission's objectives, by contacting the same persons at the secretariat of the bingo social.

Ilonggos celebrate All Saints Day peacefully
By Maricar M. Calubiran

Ilonggos celebrated yesterday's All Saints Day generally peaceful even as cops continue to be on guard today, All Souls Day. The police trooped to the different cemeteries in the city as early as 7:00 a.m. It was learned that each police station in the city's six districts came up with their own preparations.

Though, the actual day of remembering the dead is November 2 people have already followed a tradition to visit the cemetery on November 1st. Others would visit even days before to avoid congestion in the cemeteries.

Yesterday, masses for the dead were also held in the different cemeteries. Individual 'responso' for the dead is stricken from the usual practice of the Catholic church. Instead a common mass is held for the repose of all souls particularly those believed to be in purgatory.

Police assistance centers are set-up in every cemetery entrance to cater to the needs of the public. The cops also checked the belongings of the people who visited the cemetery. All pointed items, bladed weapons, liquor and firearms are banned inside the cemetery. A no gambling policy is also imposed.

As of press time, no untoward incident was recorded in the different police precincts in the city. However, heavy traffic flow was experienced in all roads leading to both public and private cemeteries particularly in Jaro area.

Aside from uniformed police personnel, non-uniformed police personnel were also deployed in the cemeteries. Traffic aides and barangay tanods were there too to help ease traffic flow.

In Molo district, people visited their dead since Sunday. Among the prominent persons laid in Molo cemetery are Senator Rodolfo Ganzon and Hon. Jose Ma. Arroyo Ray Pidal, the grandfather of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

Molo cemetery’s nearby barangay, Barangay Poblacion also held a Halloween party for their kids Monday night. Little kids wore scary costumes and brought a pumpkin pail to collect candies from the stores. They were assisted by their parents. Beating of the drums while on the streets added fun to the activity.

Ilonggo solon elected to executive board of int'l org

For the first time a Filipino was elected to the Executive Board of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB). First district Rep. Janette L. Garin is now one of the nine directors of the global action-oriented organization of parliamentarians advocating for transparency and accountability in international development.

PNOWB is an independent network of nearly P1,000 parliamentarians from 110 countries. It is tasked to monitor World Bank-International Monetary Fund (WB-IMF) funded projects all over the globe.

A first-termer congresswoman, Garin is lucky to have been elected to the board of the prestigious organization.

Among the functions of the board are: to help develop key relationships, ensure current programs are properly managed, and monitor the integrity of the financial statements of the PNoWB.

Although financed by the World Bank, PNoWB is autonomous from it and meant to comment freely on it, developing cooperation in general. It gathers a large number of parliamentarians from around the world, the aim being to facilitate and encourage a direct dialogue between them and multilateral development institutions, in order to promote greater transparency in policies and practices, in particular of the World Bank. It has the further aim of providing PNoWB members with a platform for coordinated parliamentary advocacy on international development issues.

Another purpose is 'networking', that is, to encourage concerted action, timely debate and exchange of information among parliamentarians on major issues of international development, finance and poverty eradication.

A further objective is to encourage partnerships among parliamentarians and policymakers, while also involving the academic community, the business sector and non-governmental organizations. There is also the endeavor to promote parliamentary mechanisms and practices to carry out democratic control of development assistance in all its aspects.

Asean taps SEAFDEC to help develop Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and RP thru fisheries

Representatives of the Asean Foundation and SEAFDEC recently signed an agreement to implement the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asia Growth Areas) Project. The project 'Human Resources Development for the Sustainable Development of Fisheries in the BIMP-EAGA Region' aims to develop strategically isolated areas of the four member countries with potential in fisheries. The BIMP-EAGA region was identified as less developed areas due to its distance from the capital city of each country. Their isolation has resulted in fewer infrastructures, less financial and technical resources for economic activities. These limitations have contributed to slow pace of economic development in these concerned areas.

Considering that the target areas are islands surrounded by oceans Asean and SEAFDEC targeted fisheries as a sector for further development in order to harmonize their economic development with other areas of the concerned countries. By building and strengthening human capacity and human resources in fisheries, a better understanding of fisheries will eventually result in the formulation of development programs and sustainable utilization of fishery resources in the region.

Sustainable fisheries development was highlighted in the Asean-SEAFDEC Conference on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security in the New Millenium: 'Fish for the People', that was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2001.

The project will be implemented in the entire country of Brunei Darussalam, West Kalimantan in Indoesia; Sabah State in Malaysia, and Mindanao in the Philippines. It is being funded through the Japan Asean Solidarity Fund. It formally started on April 25, 2005 when the Memorandum of Agreement was signed by SEAFDEC Secretary-General Niwes Ruangpanit and Asean Executive Director Apichai Sunchindah.

Coffee Break opens new branch at The Atrium
By Wein P. Gadian

After an evening of fun, a tedious activity whether its work or school-related, a cup of coffee is something we look forward to. It' starts the day right. From its aroma to its taste - everything is perfect. And if there's a cozy atmosphere, cool music and a good conversation with friends everything else is history.

Now with various coffee shops to choose from - drinking coffee is never the same. You can choose from hot, cold, with or without cream, mixed and blend of Arabica or Colombian coffee beans with your favorite dessert, pasta , pastries and more. One store that has all these is Coffee Break at the 2nd level of the Atrium and serves coffee or your preference. It has hot, cold, frappe, chocolate-based coffee that are sure to perk you up. Of course, while waiting for your companions, you can do some light reading. Check on the latest fashion or learn new tips for cooking and others from their periodicals. There's also the friendly staff who will assist your needs.

Coffee Break serves hot coffee of your choice from Espresso, Americano,Latte', Mocha, Cappuccino, Caramel Machiato and Gourmet cappuccino. You can also ask from the staff for its 'Brew of the Week' specials. Cappucino, Latte', Mocha, Americano, Caramel macchiato are also in cold preparations with a smooth whiff.

To relax and ease your migraine, you can try its Frappe' Coffe. Enjoy its taste in Mocha and White Mocha, Caramel, Oreo, Espresso Crumble, Amaretto, Tiramisu, Irish Cream and Macadamia. And if you have a sweet tooth and loves chocolate you can choose from its Chocolate-Based styles: Hot Choco, Hot White Choco, Iced Choco, Iced White Choco, Choco Frappe', Choco Oreo Frappe', Rocky Road Frappe', Dark and White Choco Frappe'. To suit your personality try Dark Choco Frappe' in Brownie, Peppermint, Almond Roca, Hazelnut and English Toffee. Or White Choco Frappe' in Cherry, Blueberry, Mango, Cheesecake and Strawberry. Also try its other beverages in tea, milk and more.

Drinking coffee alone or with someone while munching on something makes it even perfect. Coffee break also serves cakes,pizza, pasta, roll, sandwiches and more. It has cakes that would swept you off like Better than Sex, Black Forest, Chocolate Decadence, Rocky sensation, Rum Passion, Devil's Fantasy, Blueberry Cheese Cake, Oreo Cheese Cake, Triple Temptation and more You can also try its meat pizzas in sausage and mushroom or vegetarian for your diet palate are available. Or try its pastries in Peach and Cherry Danish, Blueberry Danish, Cinnamon Swirl to name a few.

A chill out in Ube Roulade, Chocolate Roulade, Mocha Roulade and Brazos de Mercedes is a sure match for your favorite Coffee mix. And a selection of bars from Triple Chocolate Mousse, Beehives, Nutty Chocolate Brownies, Angel Bars, Choco Toffee Bars and Flapjack will re-energized your mood.

Add more carbo to your diet for a more active you with Coffee Break's Lasagna, Baked Macaroni and Cheese and Tuna Casserole. For a lighter snack or an easy lunch munch on Panini (grilled) sandwiches. Have it your style from Oriental Grilled Chicken, Bacon-Lettuce and Tomato, Hot and Spicy Corned Beef, Seafood Salad, Salami-Cheese & Egg, Ham & Cheese & Egg, Chunky Chicken Salad, Roast Beef and Ham and cheese duo.

Of course the treat doesn’t end by a coffee or the food medley. Coffee Break also offers its smoothies to your satisfaction. Try its banana Blast, Dalandan Drums, Durian Desire, Nangka Nirvana, Peach Passion, Pineapple Pleasure, Strawberry Seduction, Ube Unbound among others.

Nothing is more fulfilling than loading yourself with your fave coffee and match with good food. Have a break at Coffee Break.

Coffee Break Atrium branch is open from 730-930pm seven days a week. It also has a smoking terrace designed to soothe your mood. Coffee Break is also at Gen. Luna and opens twenty-four hours from Mondays to Saturdays (24/6) and Timawa Avenue, across Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital open from 7am to 7pm from Monday - Saturday.

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 02:58 AM

thanx for the additional info wecky... i really have no idea bout this building i just found it in their site.. :) hope they'll be building this one.. i really like the design

the design is good, Sugbuanon .. but whether they'll push through to build it as a signo for Iloilo Corporate Centre, I don't know. I wish that this building will be realised as well. Looks classy and up to the century. Like I said, no much news about the Iloilo Corporate Center lately. Hoefully, they'll start paving new roads, etc for new buildings and mini-scrapers to come.

Btw, I tried the Palafox and associates website. I don't think all their projects are up to dates. There are few projects not included that was designed by Palafox and Associates, I've known. One example is the Savannah Communities/Subdivisions in Oton, Iloilo. It's Crown Asia's project but it was the Palafox who designed to the whole community concept.

Sinjin P.

November 3rd, 2005, 03:09 AM

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns5.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns4.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns2.jpg

*by: Serena Bowles, 2005

sandrin

November 3rd, 2005, 03:22 AM

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 03:40 AM

yes, tuod guid na weck, info in the nternet is too limited in Iloilo. Yes, i also think the page i've seen regarding savannah is not updated, co'z the price is quite impossible. the best way is to visit na lang next time if i'm in Iloilo, kaso lang di pa sure kon madayon next year, if funds is enough to put a project cguro then mas ok, gusto ko every puli ko may new project para may pag bisihan man ako didto. Indi lang kada puli waldas didto waldas diri, wala makadtuan ang kuarta, typical sang iban naton nga mga kababayan. Kanugon sang pinangabudlayan sa iban nga pungsod. Cge Weck PM mo ko kon ano nami to sa Iloilo, very kind guid sa imo ba, treat na lang kita in the future, ha ha ha... :)

try visiting Savannah when you have a chance pagpuli mo Wein. Actually mas madamo pa guid nga mga bag-o nga subdivisions ang ginapatindog sa Iloilo subong. There's a Centennial Village, etc. Mostly sagwa na sang city. Either Pavia or Oton ang area kung diin sila nagapatindog. Kanami man kay wala baha. Unlike sa may Jaro dampi where it is flooded during rainy days. Another good subdivision is The Metropolis by Sta. Lucia. There's another Sta. Lucia Realty subdivision nga newly opened na naman sa may Jibao-an, Mandurriao. Daw Sta. Rosa bala iya name mo. I'm not so sure.

Property investments? nami man pero patay nga investments ina unless otherwise you want to own a land lang and i-develop mo lang siya pagpauli mo for settlement na later part of your life. Pero kung gusto mo nga moving and action, try sang mga businesses like retailing, selling, etc. And tuod ina imo hambal. Last year ang idea ko pagpuli amo man sina. Mapuli lang and magwaldas but you know, indi siya economically viable. Dapat may negosyo ka gid nga pagka-busy-han kung ato ka na sa Iloilo. Sayang ang kuwarta. Okay lang mag-shopping pero mas okay pa gid kung may nagasulod pa gid sa imo to cushion whatever expenses you incurred during sang time sang bakasyon mo sa aton. Of course, dala na ina ang bulig naton sa pareho naton nga mga Ilonggos to have a job of their own.

Actually, ako mismo naghambal sa mga relatives ko and my sis to be aggressive sa negosyo subong. Right now, paspas ang development sang Iloilo so dapat maki-ride on ta. It's all booming, booming, booming. You will see man ina kung magpauli ka kay every single month may bag-o nga business and building (small or big) nga nagapatindog sa aton. The city is experiencing an economic wake-up plus the fact nga tourist-wise, damo na nagabisista sa aton subong in comparison sang mga 10-20 years ago ... hehehe. Pero ang ma-notice mo gid kung makapuli ka sa Iloilo ang sa pagkadamo sang bangko. Every corner may ara, ss in. Very ironic ang sitwasyon sa aton kumpara sa iban nga ciudad.

Last month nag-open kami mini-mart sa Jaro sa may Sambag dampi. Of course ang mga wala obra to sa Alimodian binitbit ko sa ciudad to help eh. Subong happy-happy na sila. It's a start of our family going back to business liwat. Man few years ago, sang napatay mother ko, pati amon family business napatay man. At least now, medyo okay-okay na naman liwat.Our family is looking for quick store expansion by next year. Ang agot namon nga babaye kay siya na lang ang nabilin sa Iloilo is expecting to open an enterprise (electrical, vehicles, etc) hopefully before the end of this year. Nagapangita pa kami maayo nga pwesto. Two weeks ago may ara na tani, pero ang buangit nga tag-iya ginhatag niya ang pwesto sa iya friend though nagsugtanay na sila sang utod ko so delay na naman amon plano eh... hehehe. Amo na ang problema subong kay gamay na lang ang lugar to set-up a business. Most sang family businesses indi na kami gauyat pero kami man guihapon ang finacier. Ginpakapot na namon sa amon mga paryente kay basi the whole family is planning to move here sa Europe. Except siguro sa father ko kay daw halos indi siya maghalin sa Pinas ... hahaha. Loyalista bal-an ... hahaha. Ang agot namon will take up nursing naman para makaapas di sa London or sa relatives namon sa US. So we are looking in 3-5 years time, ari na kami tanan sa abroad.

Baw gin-estorya ko pa sa imo amon kahimtangan ba ... hehehe. Anyway, kung gusto mo magbakal properties sa Iloilo, you can ask your sis or any sa family mo to acquire it for you. Padala ka lang sang Special Power of Attorney. Madali lang gid ina. Sa amon ang family lawyer na lang namon ang naga-prokorar sang tanan. Actually, wala gani ko kabalo sang tanan nga nagakatabo to sa Iloilo. Amo lang ina mabudlay. Pero really Wein, the ealier nga maka-start ka negosyo mo, the better. Panumdumon mo nga may kita ka na sa abroad, may ara ka pa gid kita sa Pinas. You can forge to accelerate sang family income ninyo just in case. Ang importante lang da is makakita ka sang (even isa) trusted mo nga taho or paryente to do it for you.

I hope may nai-share man ako da ah .. hopefully we can meet along the way kung makapauli man ako sa Iloilo in two years time for a visit. Ti, halong lang da.

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 04:28 AM

Iloilo NGO makes makes OFW remittance easier

Iloilo City (2 November) -- Remittance of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the United States to their families in the Visayas and Mindanao has been made easier with the launch of the Opportunity Card recently spearheaded by Taytay sa Kauswagan Inc. (TSKI), a non-government organization, with its head office based in Iloilo City. It is an ATM card that allows easy access to a person in the United States, who has access to a personal computer to send money to the Philippines. The United States is the initial country of origin for the remittance project.

TSKI has tied up with Opportunity International, an international network of 42 partners in 30 countries that share skills, resources and funds to help the poor, and with Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the second largest bank in the world.

TSKI has decided to include Overseas Filipino Workers as one of the recipients of its service, knowing the expense and at times the difficulty of sending home remittances to their families in the Philippines.

Remittances from Overseas Filipino workers coursed through banks recorded a year-on-growth of 28.3 percent in August 2005 to reach a record high of $954 million. This brought the cumulative eight-month level to $ 7 billion. This is expected to hit the ten billion mark by the end of the year.

TSKI'S decision to enable its clients to avail of cheap and accessible remittance services find support in a study by the International Monetary Fund cited by Cebu Congressman Eduardo Gullas which said that the aggregate annual cost of ""OFW remittances was pegged at 13.5 percent. This means that OFWs pay anywhere from $15 dollars to $26 for a typical $200 remittance. Gullas says if global remittance charges are just but in half, it could mean savings of up to 675 million for hundreds of thousands of low-income families struggling to make both ends meet.

Former Vice Governor Demy Sonza, Chairman of the Board of Taytay sa Kauswagan (TSKI) said they welcome this opportunity to serve the Overseas Filipino Workers, which is another first for TSKI.

For his part, Mr. Mark Hibbard, Chief, Operating Officer of the HSBC Internet Payment Services Inc., said this project is also a first for them because normally HSBC does not go into projects where the returns are not big, but they are open to initiating change in the Philippines and it is ideal to set the example to other countries. (PIA 6)

(from PIA website)

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 09:35 AM

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ilo/2005/11/03/article_152052_11-03-2005.jpg

Sandcastles are a common sight in Boracay Island. A donation is asked from tourists who want to have their photos taken with these sand sculptures. (Kathy V. Cinco/Sun.Star Iloilo photo)

wowoweee ... i like this sandcastle. Chy, when is Porma Balas contest in Villa, Iloilo again?

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 09:42 AM

Iloilo Stockton Sister City: Relationships transcending boundaries
By Bombette G. Marin

ILOILO is gearing up for the visit of the 30-man delegation from Stockton, California, USA. on Nov. 5 to 8 as it celebrates its 41st anniversary with its sister pact with Stockton City.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas and Governor Niel D. Tupas, Sr. merited their full support to this annual undertaking.

According to organizers, the Vice Mayor of Stockton City, Gary Giovanetti, will head the delegation.

Many activities have been lined-up including city and provincial tours.
The mission of the Iloilo-Stockton Sister City Association is simple: to strengthen cross-border relationship with the hope of building better futures for the Ilonggos. Thus, the association, headed by Ruth T. Jarantilla as president is hopeful that the visit might just be the answer to the needs of times for the people of Iloilo. The association will have very little to look forward to except business opportunities, prior to this development. In the end, this will redound to the benefit of Ilonggos.

Events and activities for delegates will also receive support from the Municipality of Miag-ao headed by Mayor Gerardo N. Flores for their heritage tour and the Municipality of Guimbal under Mayor Oscar S. Garin, Jr. for their Garin Farm and MBC Hatchery visit. The local tour set for November 7 is the most anticipated activity of their stay in Iloilo - an opportunity to see Iloilo's rich history, the culture and arts that have enhanced the uniqueness of the Ilonggo race and the wonder that is Iloilo. The association is also collaborating with the Province of Guimaras under the leadership of their Governor, the Hon. JC Rahman A. Nava for their Agri-Tourism side trip. A trip to the different tourist destinations in the city and province would not be complete without the full support of Tours Committee Chairperson, Girlie Ganzon.

Known for their intriguing mixture of the familiar and the exotic, Ilonggo cuisine will obviously be a lot to enjoy for our delegates. A welcome dinner on November 5 will be hosted by the Iloilo City Government through the efforts of the City Mayor and Heloise Javellana, City Tourism Officer at the Sta. Clarita International School. November 6 will be a very rare treat for our guests. Dr. Gil Lopez Kabayao and family - internationally renowned for their artistic talent in musical instruments such as piano and violin, will be hosting a dinner cum concierto in their residence. Their last dinner in Iloilo will be hosted by the Iloilo Provincial Government at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol lobby.

The organizers has been preparing their host families for an intensive advocacy of the "Culture of Iloilo" as reflected through their warm smile and a cheery welcome and with their innate sense of having fun and of living life to the fullest.

The prince of Iloilo fashion shines anew
By Kathy Villalon Cinco

ERIC de los Santos, Iloilo's well-loved Prince of Fashion made the Ilonggos proud again.

He was among the top 10 in the Fashion Design Council of the Philippines competition held in Manila recently.

This feat made him the region's representative to the Concours International Des Jeunes Creatueurs de Mode (International Competition of Young Fashion Designers) in Paris, France this December.

"I'm so happy with this development. I did not expect it. In fact, during the competition I was so tense, and it showed. Anyway, it's so great that an Ilonggo has made it to the top 10," he said.

Out of hundreds that applied, only 23 were accepted to join the competition, which by the way, was the best batch ever, according to FDCP President Randy Ortiz.

Happiness

De los Santos also expressed his happiness for the support that family and friends gave. His fellow members in the Fashion Design Council of Iloilo - Jasmine Castelo, Aldrich Aparicio and Bo Constantino - and his family flew to Manila to cheer for him. Well, cheer wasn't exactly the literal word one has to use because those mentioned were in fact in pins and needles and speechless, as they pinned for their bet to shine. And De los Santos did shine.

Speaking of support, isn't it time that the City Government supports De los Santos's upcoming 'battle' in Paris? After all, he is going to represent the Ilonggos in such a prestigious competition. Even the Fashion Design Council stint was De los Santos's representation of the Ilonggos.

Ilonggo professionalism

De los Santos, who is known for his undivided attention towards a task he is involved in, also showed the country that Ilonggo designers are a professional bunch. Despite his busy schedule, he took time to attend the competition's orientation in Manila; he was the earliest to arrive; the earliest during the fitting; and even the earliest during the passing of the final sketch and the final entry.

His entry's concept was that of a mermaid. His creation was made of Capiz shells, shell buttons, hablon, synthethic leather and metallic organza.

Amy Verbo, a six-footer, wore the dress.

Upbeat career

De los Santos revealed his career has been blessed.

His talent has been so overwhelming that Iloilo City has become a small place that such creative ability had to be unleashed even more.

So, he opened a shop at the Prince Plaza I in Legaspi, Makati and enjoys the support of fellow designers and Ilonggos residing in the metropolis.

"The Ilonggos in Manila are pushing me. I really appreciate their help," he said. "The designers also welcomed me with open arms. Those who were very supportive were Rajo Laurel, Joji Loren and Frederick Peralta, among others.

He admits that it could be quite tiring to fly from Iloilo to Manila and vice versa. "But, I chose this kind of life," he said.

De los Santos is more visible in Manila now, especially in the social scene but he considers Iloilo his home base. Most of his work are done here. He has two personnel in Manila who handle repair and alterations.

Studies

Apart from his shop, he was able to hone his fashion expertise by studying Experimental Fashion Design, Fashion Forecast, Street Style London and Fashion London at St. Martins, London.

Apart from that, De los Santos, who's into vintage looks - girlie, soft and sexy of the 60s and 70s - creates bags to go with the designs he makes. These clutch bags come as a bonus - another service that keeps him apart from other designers.

Come November, his line will be available at the House of Laurel.

Environment

Those who have known the Eric de los Santos line for quite sometime now, will see a different style on November 25, as he showcases 60 pieces comprising the earth, wind, water and fire collection for Earth Statements, a fashion show for the benefit of the environment at the Iloilo Grand Hotel.

While he used to feature gowns, expect swimwear in every segment.

Expect him to use jerseys and hablon and his usual chiffon and georgette.

At the finale, the audience will see his winning entry at the FDCP competition.

Earth Statements is a fund-raising project of the Workers for the Environment and Health (We-Heal), a group which feels that human health and the environment are intimately interconnected.

De los Santos's models will be made up by Pepoy Tancinco; the show will be directed by his good friend, Aldrich Aparicio; and the head of the production is Joanne Marie Combong Pijuan.

two of the best news Iloilo is having right now .. yohooo ... fashion and culture .. and of course tourism and investments ... more to go !

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 09:53 AM

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051102/coffeebreak5.jpg

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051102/coffeebreak6.jpg

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051102/coffeebreak7.jpg

Coffee Break opens new branch at The Atrium

Coffee Break Atrium branch is open from 730-930pm seven days a week. It also has a smoking terrace designed to soothe your mood. Coffee Break is also at Gen. Luna and opens twenty-four hours from Mondays to Saturdays (24/6) and Timawa Avenue, across Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital open from 7am to 7pm from Monday - Saturday.

classy ... hmmm .. coffee shops are increasingly popular nowadays in Iloilo. Too many coffeeshops proliferating around the city area and its malls .. mind you, all is becoming a coffee addict including those who doesn't like coffee in the past, too ... hahaha.

Weina

November 3rd, 2005, 02:18 PM

try visiting Savannah when you have a chance pagpuli mo Wein. Actually mas madamo pa guid nga mga bag-o nga subdivisions ang ginapatindog sa Iloilo subong. There's a Centennial Village, etc. Mostly sagwa na sang city. Either Pavia or Oton ang area kung diin sila nagapatindog. Kanami man kay wala baha. Unlike sa may Jaro dampi where it is flooded during rainy days. Another good subdivision is The Metropolis by Sta. Lucia. There's another Sta. Lucia Realty subdivision nga newly opened na naman sa may Jibao-an, Mandurriao. Daw Sta. Rosa bala iya name mo. I'm not so sure.

Property investments? nami man pero patay nga investments ina unless otherwise you want to own a land lang and i-develop mo lang siya pagpauli mo for settlement na later part of your life. Pero kung gusto mo nga moving and action, try sang mga businesses like retailing, selling, etc. And tuod ina imo hambal. Last year ang idea ko pagpuli amo man sina. Mapuli lang and magwaldas but you know, indi siya economically viable. Dapat may negosyo ka gid nga pagka-busy-han kung ato ka na sa Iloilo. Sayang ang kuwarta. Okay lang mag-shopping pero mas okay pa gid kung may nagasulod pa gid sa imo to cushion whatever expenses you incurred during sang time sang bakasyon mo sa aton. Of course, dala na ina ang bulig naton sa pareho naton nga mga Ilonggos to have a job of their own.

Actually, ako mismo naghambal sa mga relatives ko and my sis to be aggressive sa negosyo subong. Right now, paspas ang development sang Iloilo so dapat maki-ride on ta. It's all booming, booming, booming. You will see man ina kung magpauli ka kay every single month may bag-o nga business and building (small or big) nga nagapatindog sa aton. The city is experiencing an economic wake-up plus the fact nga tourist-wise, damo na nagabisista sa aton subong in comparison sang mga 10-20 years ago ... hehehe. Pero ang ma-notice mo gid kung makapuli ka sa Iloilo ang sa pagkadamo sang bangko. Every corner may ara, ss in. Very ironic ang sitwasyon sa aton kumpara sa iban nga ciudad.

Last month nag-open kami mini-mart sa Jaro sa may Sambag dampi. Of course ang mga wala obra to sa Alimodian binitbit ko sa ciudad to help eh. Subong happy-happy na sila. It's a start of our family going back to business liwat. Man few years ago, sang napatay mother ko, pati amon family business napatay man. At least now, medyo okay-okay na naman liwat.Our family is looking for quick store expansion by next year. Ang agot namon nga babaye kay siya na lang ang nabilin sa Iloilo is expecting to open an enterprise (electrical, vehicles, etc) hopefully before the end of this year. Nagapangita pa kami maayo nga pwesto. Two weeks ago may ara na tani, pero ang buangit nga tag-iya ginhatag niya ang pwesto sa iya friend though nagsugtanay na sila sang utod ko so delay na naman amon plano eh... hehehe. Amo na ang problema subong kay gamay na lang ang lugar to set-up a business. Most sang family businesses indi na kami gauyat pero kami man guihapon ang finacier. Ginpakapot na namon sa amon mga paryente kay basi the whole family is planning to move here sa Europe. Except siguro sa father ko kay daw halos indi siya maghalin sa Pinas ... hahaha. Loyalista bal-an ... hahaha. Ang agot namon will take up nursing naman para makaapas di sa London or sa relatives namon sa US. So we are looking in 3-5 years time, ari na kami tanan sa abroad.

Baw gin-estorya ko pa sa imo amon kahimtangan ba ... hehehe. Anyway, kung gusto mo magbakal properties sa Iloilo, you can ask your sis or any sa family mo to acquire it for you. Padala ka lang sang Special Power of Attorney. Madali lang gid ina. Sa amon ang family lawyer na lang namon ang naga-prokorar sang tanan. Actually, wala gani ko kabalo sang tanan nga nagakatabo to sa Iloilo. Amo lang ina mabudlay. Pero really Wein, the ealier nga maka-start ka negosyo mo, the better. Panumdumon mo nga may kita ka na sa abroad, may ara ka pa gid kita sa Pinas. You can forge to accelerate sang family income ninyo just in case. Ang importante lang da is makakita ka sang (even isa) trusted mo nga taho or paryente to do it for you.

I hope may nai-share man ako da ah .. hopefully we can meet along the way kung makapauli man ako sa Iloilo in two years time for a visit. Ti, halong lang da.

Ensakto guid na Weck. Bal-an mo madamo na ako nakilala nga patay patay ang obra sa iban nga mga pungsod, apang pag puli sa pinas amo man gihapon wala sang nakadtuan ang ila pinangabudlayan, kanugon kag kaluoy sa ila. Tani kon indi amo sini ang paminsaron sang aton iban nga mga kasimanwa ti maayo guid kay indi lang nga makabulig sila sa ila nga iban nga mga kasimanwa labi na guid nga makabulig man sila sa aton gobyerno kay man mabuhinan na ang mga imol kag dapat nga bululigan, indi bala? Ba grabe, ang akon diri nga ginasulat, matyag ko daw nagawali ako, pero amo ini ang akon mga nakit an kag nahibal an sa mga iban naton nga mga pinoy. Man sang naga obra ako sang una sa Taiwan madamo kami sang kliyente nga amo sini ang natup an.
Abe mo Weck, nalipay man ako nga nakasulat ako sa hiligaynon kay madugay na guid nga wala ako gagamit sang lingguahe nga ini, kay man diri sa akon subong nahimtangan wala guid ako kilala nga ilonggo ukon pinoy man lang. Wala man ako nagasulat sa balay, tapos once a month man lang ako naga tawag sa balay. Ti amo lang guid ini ang tsansa ko nga makasulat sa hiligaynon. Paagi sini indi na ako mahadlok nga malimtan ko ang aton nga lingguahe. Abe mo, pamatyagan ko daw nagasulat lang ako kay tiyay evelyn sa bombo radyo, ha ha ha.

Ti nami lang gali kay halos tanan na nga mga pamilya mo maapas na dira sa imo. Lain guid man kon sa gwa ka. Ang akon ya pamilya watak watak. Ang iban ko nga utod ara man sa gwa. Next year ang magulang ko matapos sa masteral nya maapas man diri sa akon ina kon indi sya mamana. Tapos ang nanay ko amo na lang ang mabilin sa balay kay nanugon man sya sa negosyo nya didto, may grocery sya kag bugasan amo ini ya negosyo sang pamilya ko halin sang una pero wala ako nanamian kay puro utang kag kakapoy. Kabudlay man mangita sang kabulig nga puede masaligan. Sila didto sa balay daw halos kada bulan daw ga ilis sang tinawo kay indi masaligan pag abot sa kuarta. Kag kon may negosyo ka nga wala kabulig kabudlay guid. Kon kis a masakit pa kay mga paryente mo man indi masaligan, ha ha ha...

Property investments, tama guid na. Patay nga investment, imagine you put millions tapos patulugon mo lang, ok lang kon commercial area kay madali pa rentahan pero kung residential hmm medyo mabudlay. Ok lang na kon ga lapaw na sa baol ang manggad mo kay bisan diin mo lang ibutang wala problema, ha ha ha...

About sa business, gusto ko tani mag start sang import/export business halin diri sa china, bal an mo naman halos tanan nga commodities nga ginabaligya sa aton didto kag sa iban nga pungsod halin diri sa china. Kabudlay lang kay wala ako sang partner nga masaligan didto sa pinas. Hopefully pag puli ko ma plastar na tanan. Abi mo Weck para mabawi ko expenses ko every puli ko, ga pamakal ako diri sang puede ko ibaligya didto sa grocery store sang mother ko, ti makabawi man. Kadlaw gani sila sa akon kay kabagit bagit kuno sa akon, daw nalapnan na ako sang mga intsik. Hambal ko, why not kung puede man lang di ba? Kanugon man, ha ha ha...Ambot ah daw kalawig na ini ang sulat ko diri, sa sunod na naman salamat guid sa mga information nga ginhatag mo. Hopefully madamo pa ang improvements nga matabo sa Iloilo para pagpuli naton didto, with the capital on hand, madali na lang mag business. Halong and I owe you a :cheers:

slerz

November 3rd, 2005, 03:51 PM

Ensakto guid na Weck. Bal-an mo madamo na ako nakilala nga patay patay ang obra sa iban nga mga pungsod, apang pag puli sa pinas amo man gihapon wala sang nakadtuan ang ila pinangabudlayan, kanugon kag kaluoy sa ila. Tani kon indi amo sini ang paminsaron sang aton iban nga mga kasimanwa ti maayo guid kay indi lang nga makabulig sila sa ila nga iban nga mga kasimanwa labi na guid nga makabulig man sila sa aton gobyerno kay man mabuhinan na ang mga imol kag dapat nga bululigan, indi bala? Ba grabe, ang akon diri nga ginasulat, matyag ko daw nagawali ako, pero amo ini ang akon mga nakit an kag nahibal an sa mga iban naton nga mga pinoy. Man sang naga obra ako sang una sa Taiwan madamo kami sang kliyente nga amo sini ang natup an.
Abe mo Weck, nalipay man ako nga nakasulat ako sa hiligaynon kay madugay na guid nga wala ako gagamit sang lingguahe nga ini, kay man diri sa akon subong nahimtangan wala guid ako kilala nga ilonggo ukon pinoy man lang. Wala man ako nagasulat sa balay, tapos once a month man lang ako naga tawag sa balay. Ti amo lang guid ini ang tsansa ko nga makasulat sa hiligaynon. Paagi sini indi na ako mahadlok nga malimtan ko ang aton nga lingguahe. Abe mo, pamatyagan ko daw nagasulat lang ako kay tiyay evelyn sa bombo radyo, ha ha ha.

Ti nami lang gali kay halos tanan na nga mga pamilya mo maapas na dira sa imo. Lain guid man kon sa gwa ka. Ang akon ya pamilya watak watak. Ang iban ko nga utod ara man sa gwa. Next year ang magulang ko matapos sa masteral nya maapas man diri sa akon ina kon indi sya mamana. Tapos ang nanay ko amo na lang ang mabilin sa balay kay nanugon man sya sa negosyo nya didto, may grocery sya kag bugasan amo ini ya negosyo sang pamilya ko halin sang una pero wala ako nanamian kay puro utang kag kakapoy. Kabudlay man mangita sang kabulig nga puede masaligan. Sila didto sa balay daw halos kada bulan daw ga ilis sang tinawo kay indi masaligan pag abot sa kuarta. Kag kon may negosyo ka nga wala kabulig kabudlay guid. Kon kis a masakit pa kay mga paryente mo man indi masaligan, ha ha ha...

Property investments, tama guid na. Patay nga investment, imagine you put millions tapos patulugon mo lang, ok lang kon commercial area kay madali pa rentahan pero kung residential hmm medyo mabudlay. Ok lang na kon ga lapaw na sa baol ang manggad mo kay bisan diin mo lang ibutang wala problema, ha ha ha...

About sa business, gusto ko tani mag start sang import/export business halin diri sa china, bal an mo naman halos tanan nga commodities nga ginabaligya sa aton didto kag sa iban nga pungsod halin diri sa china. Kabudlay lang kay wala ako sang partner nga masaligan didto sa pinas. Hopefully pag puli ko ma plastar na tanan. Abi mo Weck para mabawi ko expenses ko every puli ko, ga pamakal ako diri sang puede ko ibaligya didto sa grocery store sang mother ko, ti makabawi man. Kadlaw gani sila sa akon kay kabagit bagit kuno sa akon, daw nalapnan na ako sang mga intsik. Hambal ko, why not kung puede man lang di ba? Kanugon man, ha ha ha...Ambot ah daw kalawig na ini ang sulat ko diri, sa sunod na naman salamat guid sa mga information nga ginhatag mo. Hopefully madamo pa ang improvements nga matabo sa Iloilo para pagpuli naton didto, with the capital on hand, madali na lang mag business. Halong and I owe you a :cheers:

Weina, maka hilak guid ako sang imo gipang storya.
About our government, sa akon la.... nakita na naton na wala gid na usab, amo la gihapon ang Pilipinas sa kadamo na nga Presidente na nag ingkod sa aton gobyerno mao na it's time for us to realize na kon dili kita mabuligan sang ato na gobyerno kita na lang mismo ang maga bulig sa aton kaugalingon. Kun dili naton mapugngan an ila mga kabuang, bahala na sila sa ila kaugalingon kay kon mag salig lang kita sa inda kag maga apil sa mga rally para daw sa hustisya kag change, usik la ang panahon mao na we should do our part as the least citizen of this country. Dili na kita mag huna huna sa National Government naton, Huna hunaon la naton ang aton gamay na teritiryo sama sang Iloilo, mapalambo gihapon naton ang Iloilo kung mag bulig kitang tanan....

bout sa imo da sa abroad....
maayo gani nahinumduman mo pa an lenguahe mo na Hiligaynon, lisod gid kon wala ka kaila da... good luck gali sang imo business.... nyan siguro naga sul ot kapa san smagol pero buwas usa na ka ginto na sapatos...hehe.
ayaw kalimot, bahini mi san imo kalampusan...:)

Sinjin P.

November 3rd, 2005, 03:53 PM

Weina, maka hilak guid ako sang imo gipang storya.
About our government, sa akon la.... nakita na naton na wala gid na usab, amo la gihapon ang Pilipinas sa kadamo na nga Presidente na nag ingkod sa aton gobyerno mao na it's time for us to realize na kon dili kita mabuligan sang ato na gobyerno kita na lang mismo ang maga bulig sa aton kaugalingon. Kun dili naton mapugngan an ila mga kabuang, bahala na sila sa ila kaugalingon kay kon mag salig lang kita sa inda kag maga apil sa mga rally para daw sa hustisya kag change, usik la ang panahon mao na we should do our part as the least citizen of this country. Dili na kita mag huna huna sa National Government naton, Huna hunaon la naton ang aton gamay na teritiryo sama sang Iloilo, mapalambo gihapon naton ang Iloilo kung mag bulig kitang tanan....

bout sa imo da sa abroad....
maayo gani nahinumduman mo pa an lenguahe mo na Hiligaynon, lisod gid kon wala ka kaila da... good luck gali sang imo business.... nyan siguro naga sul ot kapa san smagol pero buwas usa na ka ginto na sapatos...hehe.
ayaw kalimot, bahini mi san imo kalampusan...:)

@slerz: Makahilak sad ko sa imo gi post. :cry: I didn't know that you knew how to speak in Ilonggo. Are you an Ilonggo, BTW? :)

slerz

November 3rd, 2005, 04:15 PM

@slerz: Makahilak sad ko sa imo gi post. :cry: I didn't know that you knew how to speak in Ilonggo. Are you an Ilonggo, BTW? :)

huh! ka Cebuano nakog nawng, diba? kita naman jd kas akong dagway...wapa gani ko kaadto og Iloilo nya na Ilonggo na nuon... saon...hehe :jk:
anyway, its not a pure Ilonggo, combination of Bicolano, Cebuano and Ilonggo...

Sinjin P.

November 3rd, 2005, 04:18 PM

wow! And me, a combination of Pampango, Mindoro, Cebuano and Hispanic blood. :)

chymera00

November 3rd, 2005, 05:12 PM

oton church, d2 daw 'to galing, ano na nangyari d2 sa simbahan na 'to ganda kasi eh
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/db/dlmap/SEAiT/htdocs/data/images/uw/large/ph01063l.jpg
animo
wow... Is this really what Oton Church looked like back then? ... Haven't seen Oton's Church before, so I don't know if it still looks as magnificent as it was.
seemed the opening is too early for next year. They really are too serious of this festival, I believe. Grabe! Sang una you'll hear Dinagyang mga mid-january na ... then to early Jan .. subong October pa lang, start na sila sang ila promotion. I know Trenas went to Hawaii and Vancouver, Canada this year for more promotion of iloilo city's festival, tourism, investments and businesses. He started forging Ilonggos power here abroad. He is really good where to get his international support, just in case. Anyway, glad that Dinagyang moves another step higher to claim its title as the country's premiere festival.

Last Dinagyang, I wasn't able to attend because I was lazily watching it at home :) But the next Dinagyang will be a lot different (judging from the mipressive preparations that the city has planned for), so I'm going to do "dagyang" (or merry making) in the streets of Iloilo this coming January :D
profoundly good in playing words, ain't it? ... hehehe ... but that's the way they view Iloilo, the centre of culture and arts. What really catch most of my attention is the passage of the "waking up of the sleeping cultural giant". It's just nice to note that Iloilo starts to whisk her grandeur again signifying her will to regain its glorious past. Once more, Iloilo is proving how well she play her game ... fair and square.
I agree ....

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns5.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns4.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns2.jpg

*by: Serena Bowles, 2005
Thanks for posting the pics sinjin
The city has too many overpasses for its own good. People rarely use them and avoid them whenever possible. Some of them are never used they only serve as eyesores and politician's way to pocket money.

Chymera congratulations pala to the success of your online gaming business.

IloIlo City should be established as the Medical Transcription hub of the Philippines.
One can't go wrong in a city that houses a huge number of Universities that offer an excellent medical allied courses such as nursing, med tech, etc.
You should thank my parents:) hehe, its not me who owns and operates it :D

I agree ... Universities that offer medical allied courses are among the top performing in the country. Perhaps, after proper promotion, building of IT infrastructure the city will be able to rake in investments.

wowoweee ... i like this sandcastle. Chy, when is Porma Balas contest in Villa, Iloilo again?
last time it was held during May 22-29. I found some pics of some sand sculptures made during the porma balas bur can't find it now, it was posted in the earlier threads though. Basta, they were really impressive

classy ... hmmm .. coffee shops are increasingly popular nowadays in Iloilo. Too many coffeeshops proliferating around the city area and its malls .. mind you, all is becoming a coffee addict including those who doesn't like coffee in the past, too ... hahaha.
I agree ... but its funny coz a lot of teens go to these cafes just to make a statement, pretend to bee "socialites" or something, my friends and I like to refer to them as feelers.
Ensakto guid na Weck. Bal-an mo madamo na ako nakilala nga patay patay ang obra sa iban nga mga pungsod, apang pag puli sa pinas amo man gihapon wala sang nakadtuan ang ila pinangabudlayan, kanugon kag kaluoy sa ila. Tani kon indi amo sini ang paminsaron sang aton iban nga mga kasimanwa ti maayo guid kay indi lang nga makabulig sila sa ila nga iban nga mga kasimanwa labi na guid nga makabulig man sila sa aton gobyerno kay man mabuhinan na ang mga imol kag dapat nga bululigan, indi bala? Ba grabe, ang akon diri nga ginasulat, matyag ko daw nagawali ako, pero amo ini ang akon mga nakit an kag nahibal an sa mga iban naton nga mga pinoy. Man sang naga obra ako sang una sa Taiwan madamo kami sang kliyente nga amo sini ang natup an.
Abe mo Weck, nalipay man ako nga nakasulat ako sa hiligaynon kay madugay na guid nga wala ako gagamit sang lingguahe nga ini, kay man diri sa akon subong nahimtangan wala guid ako kilala nga ilonggo ukon pinoy man lang. Wala man ako nagasulat sa balay, tapos once a month man lang ako naga tawag sa balay. Ti amo lang guid ini ang tsansa ko nga makasulat sa hiligaynon. Paagi sini indi na ako mahadlok nga malimtan ko ang aton nga lingguahe. Abe mo, pamatyagan ko daw nagasulat lang ako kay tiyay evelyn sa bombo radyo, ha ha ha.

Ti nami lang gali kay halos tanan na nga mga pamilya mo maapas na dira sa imo. Lain guid man kon sa gwa ka. Ang akon ya pamilya watak watak. Ang iban ko nga utod ara man sa gwa. Next year ang magulang ko matapos sa masteral nya maapas man diri sa akon ina kon indi sya mamana. Tapos ang nanay ko amo na lang ang mabilin sa balay kay nanugon man sya sa negosyo nya didto, may grocery sya kag bugasan amo ini ya negosyo sang pamilya ko halin sang una pero wala ako nanamian kay puro utang kag kakapoy. Kabudlay man mangita sang kabulig nga puede masaligan. Sila didto sa balay daw halos kada bulan daw ga ilis sang tinawo kay indi masaligan pag abot sa kuarta. Kag kon may negosyo ka nga wala kabulig kabudlay guid. Kon kis a masakit pa kay mga paryente mo man indi masaligan, ha ha ha...

Property investments, tama guid na. Patay nga investment, imagine you put millions tapos patulugon mo lang, ok lang kon commercial area kay madali pa rentahan pero kung residential hmm medyo mabudlay. Ok lang na kon ga lapaw na sa baol ang manggad mo kay bisan diin mo lang ibutang wala problema, ha ha ha...

About sa business, gusto ko tani mag start sang import/export business halin diri sa china, bal an mo naman halos tanan nga commodities nga ginabaligya sa aton didto kag sa iban nga pungsod halin diri sa china. Kabudlay lang kay wala ako sang partner nga masaligan didto sa pinas. Hopefully pag puli ko ma plastar na tanan. Abi mo Weck para mabawi ko expenses ko every puli ko, ga pamakal ako diri sang puede ko ibaligya didto sa grocery store sang mother ko, ti makabawi man. Kadlaw gani sila sa akon kay kabagit bagit kuno sa akon, daw nalapnan na ako sang mga intsik. Hambal ko, why not kung puede man lang di ba? Kanugon man, ha ha ha...Ambot ah daw kalawig na ini ang sulat ko diri, sa sunod na naman salamat guid sa mga information nga ginhatag mo. Hopefully madamo pa ang improvements nga matabo sa Iloilo para pagpuli naton didto, with the capital on hand, madali na lang mag business. Halong and I owe you a :cheers:
Daw nawili man ko mag basa sang post mo Weina. Whenever mabatyagan mo ang urge to talk in hiligaynon ari lng man kami diri para magpamati :) You bring a lot of good points, tani mas damu man nga mga ilonggo ang "malatnan" sang mga intsik pareho sa imo kay kalabanan sa mga tawu di nasubrahan sng laid-back nga atmosphere. Continue to do what you're doing, and in the process I hope you will be treated as an good model by others.
Weina, maka hilak guid ako sang imo gipang storya.
About our government, sa akon la.... nakita na naton na wala gid na usab, amo la gihapon ang Pilipinas sa kadamo na nga Presidente na nag ingkod sa aton gobyerno mao na it's time for us to realize na kon dili kita mabuligan sang ato na gobyerno kita na lang mismo ang maga bulig sa aton kaugalingon. Kun dili naton mapugngan an ila mga kabuang, bahala na sila sa ila kaugalingon kay kon mag salig lang kita sa inda kag maga apil sa mga rally para daw sa hustisya kag change, usik la ang panahon mao na we should do our part as the least citizen of this country. Dili na kita mag huna huna sa National Government naton, Huna hunaon la naton ang aton gamay na teritiryo sama sang Iloilo, mapalambo gihapon naton ang Iloilo kung mag bulig kitang tanan....

bout sa imo da sa abroad....
maayo gani nahinumduman mo pa an lenguahe mo na Hiligaynon, lisod gid kon wala ka kaila da... good luck gali sang imo business.... nyan siguro naga sul ot kapa san smagol pero buwas usa na ka ginto na sapatos...hehe.
ayaw kalimot, bahini mi san imo kalampusan...:)
Hehe, nice to hear you trying to talk in Hiligaynon, slerz ... Kinanlan guid man nga kita ang mangita sang mga paagi para maging progresibo ang aton nation and not wait for our gov't to do something about it.
@slerz: Makahilak sad ko sa imo gi post. :cry: I didn't know that you knew how to speak in Ilonggo. Are you an Ilonggo, BTW? :)
:D Just so you know, we don't speak Ilonggo our dialect is called Hiligaynon. Ilonggo would refer a people, not the language. Just so you know :)

chymera00

November 3rd, 2005, 05:14 PM

wow! And me, a combination of Pampango, Mindoro, Cebuano and Hispanic blood. :)
I kinda though you had a mix of Chinese ... I guess was wrong :)

slerz

November 3rd, 2005, 05:28 PM

wow... Is this really what Oton Church looked like back then? ... Haven't seen Oton's Church before, so I don't know if it still looks as magnificent as it was.

Last Dinagyang, I wasn't able to attend because I was lazily watching it at home :) But the next Dinagyang will be a lot different (judging from the mipressive preparations that the city has planned for), so I'm going to do "dagyang" (or merry making) in the streets of Iloilo this coming January :D

I agree ....

Thanks for posting the pics sinjin
The city has too many overpasses for its own good. People rarely use them and avoid them whenever possible. Some of them are never used they only serve as eyesores and politician's way to pocket money.

You should thank my parents:) hehe, its not me who owns and operates it :D

I agree ... Universities that offer medical allied courses are among the top performing in the country. Perhaps, after proper promotion, building of IT infrastructure the city will be able to rake in investments.

last time it was held during May 22-29. I found some pics of some sand sculptures made during the porma balas bur can't find it now, it was posted in the earlier threads though. Basta, they were really impressive

I agree ... but its funny coz a lot of teens go to these cafes just to make a statement, pretend to bee "socialites" or something, my friends and I like to refer to them as feelers.

Daw nawili man ko mag basa sang post mo Weina. Whenever mabatyagan mo ang urge to talk in hiligaynon ari lng man kami diri para magpamati :) You bring a lot of good points, tani mas damu man nga mga ilonggo ang "malatnan" sang mga intsik pareho sa imo kay kalabanan sa mga tawu di nasubrahan sng laid-back nga atmosphere. Continue to do what you're doing, and in the process I hope you will be treated as an good model by others.

Hehe, nice to hear you trying to talk in Hiligaynon, slerz ... Kinanlan guid man nga kita ang mangita sang mga paagi para maging progresibo ang aton nation and not wait for our gov't to do something about it.

:D Just so you know, we don't speak Ilonggo our dialect is called Hiligaynon. Ilonggo would refer a people, not the language. Just so you know :)

nop, I'm not trying... I lived in Bicol particularly in Masbate for several years thats why I can understand Hiligaynon and can speak it... some words are different though...

yup, pa kadto la gihapon ta sa maharuhay na Pilipinas kon maga sugod ta sa aton syudad.... basi gani sila pa an makamatngon pinaagi sa aton mga maayo nga pag dala sa aton lugar... sila na ang mag agad sa aton kon unsa ang maayo na recipe sa pag dala og pag manage sang ila na mga syudad ...

about the skywaks... same here in Cebu, "eyesores".... but its not called overpass here, it's skywalk... overpass here in Cebu are flyovers and is called flyovers...

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 10:04 PM

Ensakto guid na Weck. Bal-an mo madamo na ako nakilala nga patay patay ang obra sa iban nga mga pungsod, apang pag puli sa pinas amo man gihapon wala sang nakadtuan ang ila pinangabudlayan, kanugon kag kaluoy sa ila. Tani kon indi amo sini ang paminsaron sang aton iban nga mga kasimanwa ti maayo guid kay indi lang nga makabulig sila sa ila nga iban nga mga kasimanwa labi na guid nga makabulig man sila sa aton gobyerno kay man mabuhinan na ang mga imol kag dapat nga bululigan, indi bala? Ba grabe, ang akon diri nga ginasulat, matyag ko daw nagawali ako, pero amo ini ang akon mga nakit an kag nahibal an sa mga iban naton nga mga pinoy. Man sang naga obra ako sang una sa Taiwan madamo kami sang kliyente nga amo sini ang natup an.
Abe mo Weck, nalipay man ako nga nakasulat ako sa hiligaynon kay madugay na guid nga wala ako gagamit sang lingguahe nga ini, kay man diri sa akon subong nahimtangan wala guid ako kilala nga ilonggo ukon pinoy man lang. Wala man ako nagasulat sa balay, tapos once a month man lang ako naga tawag sa balay. Ti amo lang guid ini ang tsansa ko nga makasulat sa hiligaynon. Paagi sini indi na ako mahadlok nga malimtan ko ang aton nga lingguahe. Abe mo, pamatyagan ko daw nagasulat lang ako kay tiyay evelyn sa bombo radyo, ha ha ha.

Ti nami lang gali kay halos tanan na nga mga pamilya mo maapas na dira sa imo. Lain guid man kon sa gwa ka. Ang akon ya pamilya watak watak. Ang iban ko nga utod ara man sa gwa. Next year ang magulang ko matapos sa masteral nya maapas man diri sa akon ina kon indi sya mamana. Tapos ang nanay ko amo na lang ang mabilin sa balay kay nanugon man sya sa negosyo nya didto, may grocery sya kag bugasan amo ini ya negosyo sang pamilya ko halin sang una pero wala ako nanamian kay puro utang kag kakapoy. Kabudlay man mangita sang kabulig nga puede masaligan. Sila didto sa balay daw halos kada bulan daw ga ilis sang tinawo kay indi masaligan pag abot sa kuarta. Kag kon may negosyo ka nga wala kabulig kabudlay guid. Kon kis a masakit pa kay mga paryente mo man indi masaligan, ha ha ha...

Property investments, tama guid na. Patay nga investment, imagine you put millions tapos patulugon mo lang, ok lang kon commercial area kay madali pa rentahan pero kung residential hmm medyo mabudlay. Ok lang na kon ga lapaw na sa baol ang manggad mo kay bisan diin mo lang ibutang wala problema, ha ha ha...

About sa business, gusto ko tani mag start sang import/export business halin diri sa china, bal an mo naman halos tanan nga commodities nga ginabaligya sa aton didto kag sa iban nga pungsod halin diri sa china. Kabudlay lang kay wala ako sang partner nga masaligan didto sa pinas. Hopefully pag puli ko ma plastar na tanan. Abi mo Weck para mabawi ko expenses ko every puli ko, ga pamakal ako diri sang puede ko ibaligya didto sa grocery store sang mother ko, ti makabawi man. Kadlaw gani sila sa akon kay kabagit bagit kuno sa akon, daw nalapnan na ako sang mga intsik. Hambal ko, why not kung puede man lang di ba? Kanugon man, ha ha ha...Ambot ah daw kalawig na ini ang sulat ko diri, sa sunod na naman salamat guid sa mga information nga ginhatag mo. Hopefully madamo pa ang improvements nga matabo sa Iloilo para pagpuli naton didto, with the capital on hand, madali na lang mag business. Halong and I owe you a :cheers:

Wein, naga-letter writing ta di nga duha pero sige lang .. hahaha. I miss writing in Ilonggo or Hiligaynon as well so mas maayo kay mas mahasa man ako ... hehehe.

Wein, bay-i na iya ang nagahambal nga kuripot ka, ang importante may kuwarta imo bulsa. Amo na iya idea ko. Wala ako iya nagapati sa tikal-tikal a. Mas mahipos, mas okay basta may sulod lang bulsa mo. Budlay man maglagaw sa SM nga imo dala magpauli isa lang ka bag nga gamay whilst ang imo porma daw malaya ang hilamon kung mag-agi ka ... hahaha. Amo gid ina ang indi ko magustuhan. Biskan simple lang bala ikaw kung maglagaw pero imo dala magpuli damo haw and ang imo shopping puro di tatak, ti amo na iya ang maayo.

Anyway, maayo man ina nga may plano ka mag-start sang negosyo a. Okay man ina imo plano. Make sure lang nga ang hatagan mo sa Iloilo masaligan mo gid. Of course, medyo caution ka gid maayo kay ikaw ang capitalista. Pinangabudlayan mo ina ang kuwarta diri sa abroad.

This last few months, I was getting in touch sa mga classmates ko di sa UK and sa US. I asked them to invest back home sa Iloilo. And dira ko lang nabal-an nga mostly sa amon naka-start na sa realty investment. Most of us may mga ginbakal na nga balay and duta for ourselves ... hehehe. Isn't it great? Right now, we are looking into business investments as well. Actually, may nakilala ako sa Toronto, Canada two years ago as well. Presidente man ina siya sang Canadian Centralians. Mapauli siya kuno in next few months to start his realty business. Kanami subong sang dalagan sang negosyo sa Iloilo, Wein. Barely you can see sang mga nagaka-pierde nga negosyo sa aton. Pero of course be aware sang ups and downs sang business. Dapat ang capital mo maka-sustener gid.

About sa balaligyaan sang mother mo, for you to make an easier entry sa businessworld, why don't you start to plan expanding it? Mas mahapos. May regular client ka na dayon. From thereon, plan ka na sang iban pa nga negosyo eh. It's always makapoy sa negosyo ... you have to invest time, money and effort. Akon naman iya, monitor ko gid pirmi ang dalagan sa Iloilo. I call Iloilo almost everyday kay barato man lang ang tawag di sa amon. Wala oras ah. Total may phone man ang duwa ka balay and hopefully, ang store namon magka-phone na ... kay puro mobile na lang ang amon gamit. Mas importante sa negosyo ang communication kuno ... hehehe and of course ang transpo.

Malawig na na naman ni karon .. medyo untaton ko anay ... hahaha. Wein, hopefully makakit-anay kita sa next ko nga pagpuli ba. Basi maka-share pa kita mga business tips .. hehehe. About sa import/export mo nga negosyo, my friend nga taga-amon proposed same thing man sina. I lost contact with her pero willing gid to siya.

Have a good day then.

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 10:10 PM

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 10:12 PM

chymera00

November 3rd, 2005, 10:24 PM

nop, I'm not trying... I lived in Bicol particularly in Masbate for several years thats why I can understand Hiligaynon and can speak it... some words are different though...

yup, pa kadto la gihapon ta sa maharuhay na Pilipinas kon maga sugod ta sa aton syudad.... basi gani sila pa an makamatngon pinaagi sa aton mga maayo nga pag dala sa aton lugar... sila na ang mag agad sa aton kon unsa ang maayo na recipe sa pag dala og pag manage sang ila na mga syudad ...

about the skywaks... same here in Cebu, "eyesores".... but its not called overpass here, it's skywalk... overpass here in Cebu are flyovers and is called flyovers...
I didn't know Bicolanos speak Hiligaynon, yes you're right in saying that the words are different. I don't even have an idea of what maharuhay, makamatngon , and agad mean.

I'm not sure if the general population of Iloilo refers to them as overpass or skywalk but I'm used to using "overpass", short for pedestrian overpass. Of course, flyovers for flyovers :)

I saw some of the oskywalks in the pics posted @ the Cebu thread, they look much better that Iloilo's.

chymera00

November 3rd, 2005, 10:26 PM

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 10:32 PM

wow... Is this really what Oton Church looked like back then? ... Haven't seen Oton's Church before, so I don't know if it still looks as magnificent as it was.

not that I know of Chy ... Oton Church now looks so small in comparison. Hoefully, they can rebuild the church again back to its original size.

Last Dinagyang, I wasn't able to attend because I was lazily watching it at home :) But the next Dinagyang will be a lot different (judging from the mipressive preparations that the city has planned for), so I'm going to do "dagyang" (or merry making) in the streets of Iloilo this coming January :D

ohhh ... streetdancing? Chymera, you really amaze me, amigo.... hehehe. Like you, I watched most of Dinagyang celebrations at home as well. Time to paint your face with soot and wears your mini-Indian hat. But mind you, I never expect CPU to join Dinagyang coz it's a Baptist school but hey, they did ... and they were even in the opening parade last year. Things changed, you know?

You should thank my parents:) hehe, its not me who owns and operates it :D

I agree ... Universities that offer medical allied courses are among the top performing in the country. Perhaps, after proper promotion, building of IT infrastructure the city will be able to rake in investments.

it will still be yours in due time. goodluck!

last time it was held during May 22-29. I found some pics of some sand sculptures made during the porma balas bur can't find it now, it was posted in the earlier threads though. Basta, they were really impressive

I'm trying to locate some pics in the net as well but can't find much ... I'll wait for new pics na naman ... hay.

I agree ... but its funny coz a lot of teens go to these cafes just to make a statement, pretend to bee "socialites" or something, my friends and I like to refer to them as feelers.

TH / social climbers (SC) ... hahaha .. don't want to mention much. I'll be misunderstood later. But I agree with you on this. Last August whilst we are having a coffee at Vienna Koffehaus and Blue Jay, I was so shocked to note that there are many students proliferating around the area. My oh my, they are too noisy. Me and my business friend can't hear much what we are talking about. After thirty minutes, we left and go to Punta Villa for some serenity. Gee .... masabad sa mga coffee houses dira sa Iloilo.

Daw nawili man ko mag basa sang post mo Weina. Whenever mabatyagan mo ang urge to talk in hiligaynon ari lng man kami diri para magpamati :) You bring a lot of good points, tani mas damu man nga mga ilonggo ang "malatnan" sang mga intsik pareho sa imo kay kalabanan sa mga tawu di nasubrahan sng laid-back nga atmosphere. Continue to do what you're doing, and in the process I hope you will be treated as an good model by others.

damo pa gid man mga laidback dira sa Iloilo Chy ... pero okay-okay na ina gani subong. Iloilo is moving out of ultraconservatism. Mind you, where else can you find a city with an ordinance curfew for minors... it's only in Iloilo .. hahaha. Okay man ina ah. Mas matawhay ang ciudad kung gab-i for students. I don't even like seeing students hanging around in Smallville area around 2-4 am. Daw indi na nagabagay ... hahaha.

Hehe, nice to hear you trying to talk in Hiligaynon, slerz ... Kinanlan guid man nga kita ang mangita sang mga paagi para maging progresibo ang aton nation and not wait for our gov't to do something about it.

Tama gid ina, Chy.

:D Just so you know, we don't speak Ilonggo our dialect is called Hiligaynon. Ilonggo would refer a people, not the language. Just so you know :)

that's right. Ilonggo is the people/residents of Iloilo. Our language is Hiligaynon. But sometimes, to make it very distinct, we used the term Ilonggo to refer to the language as well.

chymera00

November 3rd, 2005, 10:35 PM

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/Dinagyang2006.jpg

Iloilo City and Province thread I (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=166860)
Iloilo City and Province thread II (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=214487)
Iloilo City and Province thread III (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=257299)
Iloilo City and Province thread IV (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=257299)
Iloilo City and Province thread V (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=277073)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/IloiloLocation.jpg

Iloilo City, Philippines

FACTS & FIGURES (Updated!)
Land Area : 56 sq. km (2004)
No. of Barangays: 180 (As of September 2003)
No. of Districts: 6 (As of September 2003)
Total Population: 365,820 (As of May 1,2000 census)
Total Population: 400,000 (2005 Estimate)
Population Density: Iloilo - 6,533 (As of May 1,2000 census)
Population Growth Rates: 1.93 (1995-2000)
Income Class: First
Consumer Price Index (2000=100): 129.1 (2004)
Inflation Rate: 7.7 (2004)
Purchasing Power of Peso: 0.77 (2004)
Average Family Income: 283,604 (2000)
No. of Elementary Schools:
Public: 52 (SY 2003-2004)
Private: 29 (SY 2003-2004)
No. of Secondary Schools:
Public : 14 (SY 2003-2004)
Private: 15 (SY 2003-2004)
No. of Tertiary Schools: 30 (SY 2003-2004)
No. of Health Centers: 7 (2003)
No. of Barangay Health Stations: 44 (2003)
No. of Motor Vehicles Registered: 49,408 (2004)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/feelthedrumsbeating.jpg

Iloilo Province, Philippines

FACTS & FIGURES
Land Area : 4,719.4 sq km (2004)
No. of Barangays: 1,901 (As of September 2003)
No. of Municipalities: 42 (As of September 2003)
No. of Cities: 2 (As of September 2003)
Total Population: 1,925,002 (As of May 1, 2000
census)
Population Growth Rates: 2.10 (1995-2000)
Income Class: First
Consumer Price Index (2000=100): 114.4 (2004)
Inflation Rate: 5.2 (2004)
Average Family Income: 110,114 (2000)
Average Family Expenditure: 91,900 (2000)
No. of Elementary Schools:
Public: 1,043 (SY 2003-2004)
Private: 38 (SY 2002-2003)
No. of Secondary Schools:
Public : 166 (SY 2003-2004)
Private: 19 (SY 2002-2003)
No. of Tertiary Schools: 25 (SY 2003-2004)
No. of Licensed Hospitals: 20 (2003)
Telephone Loads: 50,254 (2003)
Telephone Density: 2.5 per 100 population (2003)
No. of AM Broadcast Stations: 7 (2003)
No. of FM Broadcast Stations: 12 (2003)
No. of Motor Vehicles Registered: 74,316 (2003)
No. of Establishments (3rd Qtr. 2004)
Business Name Registration: 913

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/iloilobanner.jpg

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 10:36 PM

Chy, continue na naton ang kata-kata ta sa thread V na kay basi mangakig na sila nga more than 500 na kita, wala pa ta kahimo sang bag-o nga thread. Pirme lang ta di sa Iloilo Thread nagasululubra postings ... hahaha. Great stuff ... more things to learn gid.

Wein, didto na kita mapadayon sa thread V. Hope to hear from you more. Goodluck to you and your family. Halong gid maayo.

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 10:40 PM

wowoweee ... we're in Thread V (na gali?) already. Can't believe it, mate !

Wein, diri naman ta sa thread V mag-exchange ideas. Chy, thankskie!

Good day to all !

PS. I'm bringing some of my fave recent post here from Thread IV. Cheers!

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 10:41 PM

kiretoce

November 3rd, 2005, 10:45 PM

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
CONGRATULATIONS ILOILO! You folks are unbelievable! Keep up the good work! :okay:

chymera00

November 3rd, 2005, 11:02 PM

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 11:04 PM

Ensakto guid na Weck. Bal-an mo madamo na ako nakilala nga patay patay ang obra sa iban nga mga pungsod, apang pag puli sa pinas amo man gihapon wala sang nakadtuan ang ila pinangabudlayan, kanugon kag kaluoy sa ila. Tani kon indi amo sini ang paminsaron sang aton iban nga mga kasimanwa ti maayo guid kay indi lang nga makabulig sila sa ila nga iban nga mga kasimanwa labi na guid nga makabulig man sila sa aton gobyerno kay man mabuhinan na ang mga imol kag dapat nga bululigan, indi bala? Ba grabe, ang akon diri nga ginasulat, matyag ko daw nagawali ako, pero amo ini ang akon mga nakit an kag nahibal an sa mga iban naton nga mga pinoy. Man sang naga obra ako sang una sa Taiwan madamo kami sang kliyente nga amo sini ang natup an.
Abe mo Weck, nalipay man ako nga nakasulat ako sa hiligaynon kay madugay na guid nga wala ako gagamit sang lingguahe nga ini, kay man diri sa akon subong nahimtangan wala guid ako kilala nga ilonggo ukon pinoy man lang. Wala man ako nagasulat sa balay, tapos once a month man lang ako naga tawag sa balay. Ti amo lang guid ini ang tsansa ko nga makasulat sa hiligaynon. Paagi sini indi na ako mahadlok nga malimtan ko ang aton nga lingguahe. Abe mo, pamatyagan ko daw nagasulat lang ako kay tiyay evelyn sa bombo radyo, ha ha ha.

Ti nami lang gali kay halos tanan na nga mga pamilya mo maapas na dira sa imo. Lain guid man kon sa gwa ka. Ang akon ya pamilya watak watak. Ang iban ko nga utod ara man sa gwa. Next year ang magulang ko matapos sa masteral nya maapas man diri sa akon ina kon indi sya mamana. Tapos ang nanay ko amo na lang ang mabilin sa balay kay nanugon man sya sa negosyo nya didto, may grocery sya kag bugasan amo ini ya negosyo sang pamilya ko halin sang una pero wala ako nanamian kay puro utang kag kakapoy. Kabudlay man mangita sang kabulig nga puede masaligan. Sila didto sa balay daw halos kada bulan daw ga ilis sang tinawo kay indi masaligan pag abot sa kuarta. Kag kon may negosyo ka nga wala kabulig kabudlay guid. Kon kis a masakit pa kay mga paryente mo man indi masaligan, ha ha ha...

Property investments, tama guid na. Patay nga investment, imagine you put millions tapos patulugon mo lang, ok lang kon commercial area kay madali pa rentahan pero kung residential hmm medyo mabudlay. Ok lang na kon ga lapaw na sa baol ang manggad mo kay bisan diin mo lang ibutang wala problema, ha ha ha...

About sa business, gusto ko tani mag start sang import/export business halin diri sa china, bal an mo naman halos tanan nga commodities nga ginabaligya sa aton didto kag sa iban nga pungsod halin diri sa china. Kabudlay lang kay wala ako sang partner nga masaligan didto sa pinas. Hopefully pag puli ko ma plastar na tanan. Abi mo Weck para mabawi ko expenses ko every puli ko, ga pamakal ako diri sang puede ko ibaligya didto sa grocery store sang mother ko, ti makabawi man. Kadlaw gani sila sa akon kay kabagit bagit kuno sa akon, daw nalapnan na ako sang mga intsik. Hambal ko, why not kung puede man lang di ba? Kanugon man, ha ha ha...Ambot ah daw kalawig na ini ang sulat ko diri, sa sunod na naman salamat guid sa mga information nga ginhatag mo. Hopefully madamo pa ang improvements nga matabo sa Iloilo para pagpuli naton didto, with the capital on hand, madali na lang mag business. Halong and I owe you a :cheers:

Wein, naga-letter writing ta di nga duha pero sige lang .. hahaha. I miss writing in Ilonggo or Hiligaynon as well so mas maayo kay mas mahasa man ako ... hehehe.

Wein, bay-i na iya ang nagahambal nga kuripot ka, ang importante may kuwarta imo bulsa. Amo na iya idea ko. Wala ako iya nagapati sa tikal-tikal a. Mas mahipos, mas okay basta may sulod lang bulsa mo. Budlay man maglagaw sa SM nga imo dala magpauli isa lang ka bag nga gamay whilst ang imo porma daw malaya ang hilamon kung mag-agi ka ... hahaha. Amo gid ina ang indi ko magustuhan. Biskan simple lang bala ikaw kung maglagaw pero imo dala magpuli damo haw and ang imo shopping puro di tatak, ti amo na iya ang maayo.

Anyway, maayo man ina nga may plano ka mag-start sang negosyo a. Okay man ina imo plano. Make sure lang nga ang hatagan mo sa Iloilo masaligan mo gid. Of course, medyo caution ka gid maayo kay ikaw ang capitalista. Pinangabudlayan mo ina ang kuwarta diri sa abroad.

This last few months, I was getting in touch sa mga classmates ko di sa UK and sa US. I asked them to invest back home sa Iloilo. And dira ko lang nabal-an nga mostly sa amon naka-start na sa realty investment. Most of us may mga ginbakal na nga balay and duta for ourselves ... hehehe. Isn't it great? Right now, we are looking into business investments as well. Actually, may nakilala ako sa Toronto, Canada two years ago as well. Presidente man ina siya sang Canadian Centralians. Mapauli siya kuno in next few months to start his realty business. Kanami subong sang dalagan sang negosyo sa Iloilo, Wein. Barely you can see sang mga nagaka-pierde nga negosyo sa aton. Pero of course be aware sang ups and downs sang business. Dapat ang capital mo maka-sustener gid.

About sa balaligyaan sang mother mo, for you to make an easier entry sa businessworld, why don't you start to plan expanding it? Mas mahapos. May regular client ka na dayon. From thereon, plan ka na sang iban pa nga negosyo eh. It's always makapoy sa negosyo ... you have to invest time, money and effort. Akon naman iya, monitor ko gid pirmi ang dalagan sa Iloilo. I call Iloilo almost everyday kay barato man lang ang tawag di sa amon. Wala oras ah. Total may phone man ang duwa ka balay and hopefully, ang store namon magka-phone na ... kay puro mobile na lang ang amon gamit. Mas importante sa negosyo ang communication kuno ... hehehe and of course ang transpo.

Malawig na na naman ni karon .. medyo untaton ko anay ... hahaha. Wein, hopefully makakit-anay kita sa next ko nga pagpuli ba. Basi maka-share pa kita mga business tips .. hehehe. About sa import/export mo nga negosyo, my friend nga taga-amon proposed same thing man sina. I lost contact with her pero willing gid to siya.

Have a good day then.

PS. Wein gin-copy ko ni from Thread !V para dire-diretso aton estorya di ah.

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 11:08 PM

here's few of ILOILO's pics:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005053.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005054.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005056.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005095.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005165.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005113.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005116.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005117.jpg

IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005138.jpg[/IMG]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005139.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005119.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005121.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005132.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005133.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005131.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005127.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005128.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005123.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005122.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005102.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005101.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005091.jpg

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 11:09 PM

and more:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005090.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005089.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005088.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005087.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005086.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005085.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005084.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005082.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005081.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005080.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005077.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005078.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005076.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005073.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005069.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005068.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005067.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005065.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005063.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005062.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005061.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005060.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005060.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005052.jpg

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 11:25 PM

Chymera congratulations pala to the success of your online gaming business.

IloIlo City should be established as the Medical Transcription hub of the Philippines.
One can't go wrong in a city that houses a huge number of Universities that offer an excellent medical allied courses such as nursing, med tech, etc.

Toto Chymera, negosyante ka naman gali? ... hahaha. Baskog a. Chymera, really glad for you. So young, so talented, and now earning money na? Hmmm .. goodluck, amigo. Dira gid ako sa imo iya. You don't dwell much in your family business (set up by your father), you made your own. Maayo-maayo gid nga bata. :pepper: :pepper: :pepper:

Sandrin, hello once again. We miss you here in Iloilo forum. Thought you are really busy there in America. Anyways, I like your suggestion. It could really be true, you know. We have three colleges of medicines here in the city, six or seven colleges/uni offering nursing as well. What else can they ask for? Hopefully, we are gearning towards that directions.

wow... Is this really what Oton Church looked like back then? ... Haven't seen Oton's Church before, so I don't know if it still looks as magnificent as it was.

not that I know of Chy ... Oton Church now looks so small in comparison. Hoefully, they can rebuild the church again back to its original size.

Last Dinagyang, I wasn't able to attend because I was lazily watching it at home :) But the next Dinagyang will be a lot different (judging from the mipressive preparations that the city has planned for), so I'm going to do "dagyang" (or merry making) in the streets of Iloilo this coming January :D

ohhh ... streetdancing? Chymera, you really amaze me, amigo.... hehehe. Like you, I watched most of Dinagyang celebrations at home as well. Time to paint your face with soot and wears your mini-Indian hat. But mind you, I never expect CPU to join Dinagyang coz it's a Baptist school but hey, they did ... and they were even in the opening parade last year. Things changed, you know?

You should thank my parents:) hehe, its not me who owns and operates it :D

I agree ... Universities that offer medical allied courses are among the top performing in the country. Perhaps, after proper promotion, building of IT infrastructure the city will be able to rake in investments.

it will still be yours in due time. goodluck!

last time it was held during May 22-29. I found some pics of some sand sculptures made during the porma balas bur can't find it now, it was posted in the earlier threads though. Basta, they were really impressive

I'm trying to locate some pics in the net as well but can't find much ... I'll wait for new pics na naman ... hay.

I agree ... but its funny coz a lot of teens go to these cafes just to make a statement, pretend to bee "socialites" or something, my friends and I like to refer to them as feelers.

TH / social climbers (SC) ... hahaha .. don't want to mention much. I'll be misunderstood later. But I agree with you on this. Last August whilst we are having a coffee at Vienna Koffehaus and Blue Jay, I was so shocked to note that there are many students proliferating around the area. My oh my, they are too noisy. Me and my business friend can't hear much what we are talking about. After thirty minutes, we left and go to Punta Villa for some serenity. Gee .... masabad sa mga coffee houses dira sa Iloilo.

Daw nawili man ko mag basa sang post mo Weina. Whenever mabatyagan mo ang urge to talk in hiligaynon ari lng man kami diri para magpamati :) You bring a lot of good points, tani mas damu man nga mga ilonggo ang "malatnan" sang mga intsik pareho sa imo kay kalabanan sa mga tawu di nasubrahan sng laid-back nga atmosphere. Continue to do what you're doing, and in the process I hope you will be treated as an good model by others.

damo pa gid man mga laidback dira sa Iloilo Chy ... pero okay-okay na ina gani subong. Iloilo is moving out of ultraconservatism. Mind you, where else can you find a city with an ordinance curfew for minors... it's only in Iloilo .. hahaha. Okay man ina ah. Mas matawhay ang ciudad kung gab-i for students. I don't even like seeing students hanging around in Smallville area around 2-4 am. Daw indi na nagabagay ... hahaha.

Hehe, nice to hear you trying to talk in Hiligaynon, slerz ... Kinanlan guid man nga kita ang mangita sang mga paagi para maging progresibo ang aton nation and not wait for our gov't to do something about it.

Tama gid ina, Chy.

:D Just so you know, we don't speak Ilonggo our dialect is called Hiligaynon. Ilonggo would refer a people, not the language. Just so you know :)

that's right. Ilonggo is the people/residents of Iloilo. Our language is Hiligaynon. But sometimes, to make it very distinct, we used the term Ilonggo to refer to the language as well.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns5.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns4.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/michaelsinjin/ilosigns2.jpg

*by: Serena Bowles, 2005

Sinjin, thanks for posting. Too many signs, indeed. Anyway, like some of the saying/proverbs they painted in all those overpass and building. Cheers!

wecky

November 3rd, 2005, 11:32 PM

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
CONGRATULATIONS ILOILO! You folks are unbelievable! Keep up the good work! :okay:

Thank you so much, Kiretoce.

Sinjin P.

November 4th, 2005, 02:33 AM

Kudos Iloilo! :applause: Good luck and more power!

sugbuanon

November 4th, 2005, 04:40 AM

wow!!! ilioilo is now on its 5th thread.. :okay: keep it up guys!!! :applause: :applause: :applause:

sugbuanon

November 4th, 2005, 04:44 AM

and more:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/wecky/IloiloVisit2005082.jpg

i didn't know iloilo is building a castle.. :D

slerz

November 4th, 2005, 05:05 AM

MORE POWER to Iloilo thread V....:okay::okay:

---------------------
I didn't know Bicolanos speak Hiligaynon, yes you're right in saying that the words are different. I don't even have an idea of what maharuhay, makamatngon , and agad mean.

I'm not sure if the general population of Iloilo refers to them as overpass or skywalk but I'm used to using "overpass", short for pedestrian overpass. Of course, flyovers for flyovers

I saw some of the oskywalks in the pics posted @ the Cebu thread, they look much better that Iloilo's.

halos pareho la an tono kag mga words an gina gamit sang Hiligaynon kag Bicolano...di ko hambal kon amo gihapon an panultihon sa Albay kag Camarines Provinces... damo ako'n kaila na mga Ilonggo di sa Cebu amo na na compare nakon kon ano an difference sa duha ka mga lenguahe....

Weina

November 4th, 2005, 09:35 AM

Wein, naga-letter writing ta di nga duha pero sige lang .. hahaha. I miss writing in Ilonggo or Hiligaynon as well so mas maayo kay mas mahasa man ako ... hehehe.

Wein, bay-i na iya ang nagahambal nga kuripot ka, ang importante may kuwarta imo bulsa. Amo na iya idea ko. Wala ako iya nagapati sa tikal-tikal a. Mas mahipos, mas okay basta may sulod lang bulsa mo. Budlay man maglagaw sa SM nga imo dala magpauli isa lang ka bag nga gamay whilst ang imo porma daw malaya ang hilamon kung mag-agi ka ... hahaha. Amo gid ina ang indi ko magustuhan. Biskan simple lang bala ikaw kung maglagaw pero imo dala magpuli damo haw and ang imo shopping puro di tatak, ti amo na iya ang maayo.

Anyway, maayo man ina nga may plano ka mag-start sang negosyo a. Okay man ina imo plano. Make sure lang nga ang hatagan mo sa Iloilo masaligan mo gid. Of course, medyo caution ka gid maayo kay ikaw ang capitalista. Pinangabudlayan mo ina ang kuwarta diri sa abroad.

This last few months, I was getting in touch sa mga classmates ko di sa UK and sa US. I asked them to invest back home sa Iloilo. And dira ko lang nabal-an nga mostly sa amon naka-start na sa realty investment. Most of us may mga ginbakal na nga balay and duta for ourselves ... hehehe. Isn't it great? Right now, we are looking into business investments as well. Actually, may nakilala ako sa Toronto, Canada two years ago as well. Presidente man ina siya sang Canadian Centralians. Mapauli siya kuno in next few months to start his realty business. Kanami subong sang dalagan sang negosyo sa Iloilo, Wein. Barely you can see sang mga nagaka-pierde nga negosyo sa aton. Pero of course be aware sang ups and downs sang business. Dapat ang capital mo maka-sustener gid.

About sa balaligyaan sang mother mo, for you to make an easier entry sa businessworld, why don't you start to plan expanding it? Mas mahapos. May regular client ka na dayon. From thereon, plan ka na sang iban pa nga negosyo eh. It's always makapoy sa negosyo ... you have to invest time, money and effort. Akon naman iya, monitor ko gid pirmi ang dalagan sa Iloilo. I call Iloilo almost everyday kay barato man lang ang tawag di sa amon. Wala oras ah. Total may phone man ang duwa ka balay and hopefully, ang store namon magka-phone na ... kay puro mobile na lang ang amon gamit. Mas importante sa negosyo ang communication kuno ... hehehe and of course ang transpo.

Malawig na na naman ni karon .. medyo untaton ko anay ... hahaha. Wein, hopefully makakit-anay kita sa next ko nga pagpuli ba. Basi maka-share pa kita mga business tips .. hehehe. About sa import/export mo nga negosyo, my friend nga taga-amon proposed same thing man sina. I lost contact with her pero willing gid to siya.

Have a good day then.

PS. Wein gin-copy ko ni from Thread !V para dire-diretso aton estorya di ah.

Cge Weck padayunon ta estoryahanay naton, he he he...
nami na inyo Weck sang mga friends mo kay you're on investments, tsakto guid na. Para pagpuli nyo bisan lagaw lagaw lang da obrahon nyo wala problema na. Kay man may gasulod na may pundo pa! Excited ako sa mga gina post nyo diri nga mga balita sa Iloilo thread kay man it means Iloilo is on the go na guid ya, and this is really a good indication na Iloilo is on the way to prosperity, WOW tani mangin madali kag mangin matuod ini tanan. Ako ya gahulat lang nga matapos ang int'l airport sa Iloilo kag mabakal liwat properties dira sa aton. Just make sure na may in'tl airport kay kabudlay mag travel with connecting flights pa, ok lang kon PAL ka lang pirmi kay tupad lang ang domestic, pero kon mag iban ka nga airlines mabudlay. Manami guid ya kon may direct flight na sa Iloilo. By that time I can bring na cguro a lot of taiwanese tourist sa Iloilo. Indi na sila mag reklamo nga maagi pa sa manila. Last time amo na ang natabo eh, bal an mo naman mga intsik, naga kisik kisik lang, paspas sila kaayo, madasig so gusto nila indi mag waste time sa bisan ano nga bagay, kag syempre sa travel man. Unlike sa aton no, laidback guid kaayo ang life. Hay, i really experienced this sang magpuli ako sa aton, kahinay kaayo sang service. Even sa mga banks, labi na guid sa government offices naton. Ambot kon hasta subong amo man gihapon. This is a not really a good scenario kon gusto naton mag invite sang foreign investors. Imagine kita nga locals ga reklamo gani, how much more sa mga foreigners, di bala? I admit nga nalatnan na ako with the chinese way of doing things, but to think na this is a positive side, why don't we do things in Iloilo in the same manner also, di ba? Imagine last time I went to one of the biggest banks there in Iloilo, it took me many days to process a simple bank transaction. WOW, kon sa Taiwan ina, out ka na, mabankrupt ka guid kon that is the type of service you give to your clients. Although you seldom see lang smiling and very accomodating faces sa taiwan but they give you that fast and quick service, and that is what working people are looking for di bala, indi laminday katama. Makutso kutso anay sa tupad nya antes tapuson ang iya obra, baw nag init guid ang ulo ko. Maayo lang kay na infiltrate na sang chinese subong ang bank nga ina, although i'm not sa happy about it kay tani aton ina nga mga pinoy. Apang kon pinoy lang siguro maputo ina nga bangko, kay man kulang sa good business atmosphere and attitude, not competetive, more on bureaucratic attitudes. I can speak of this well kay man diri ako ga obra sang una. Galing indi lang ako client sang branch nga ini kay nabudlayan kami mag negotiate sang deal sa ila sang una sang ga obra pa ako sa bangko nga ini, puro manila ako, h.o. Bal an mo if you want to invest sang kuarta mo sa let's say, treasury bills or other bonds mas maka save ka sa fees kay don't need na kuhaan sang commission sang branch, diretso na mo. Kag ang exchange rate mas mataas man. Kag medyo madali mag transact.

One time nag process ako sa HLURB sa titling sang lot sang manghod ko kay man ato man sya sa gwa, ti ako na lang nag process kay nahadlok ko basi ibaligya liwat sang tag iya kay man wala pa na transfer sa iya ngalan ang title, so gin process ko na lang. One of the reqt's gin request sang HLURB is to get a blue copy sang original title to see if theres a right of way, and so I went there sa, nalimtan ko kon ano nga office ina, Land ....it's near sa city hall nga office. When I arrive there I saw a post there in their boards, na their service matapos for 20 or 30 mins only . Wow so nalipay guid ako, ok ah madasig. But after waiting for almost 20 mins. the employee attending to me told me that I have to go back the next day na lang kay sako sila and no available hands para mag process sang transaction ko. But I insisted, hambal ko sa iya in a very angry voice, 'hulaton ko subong' kag nag talikod dayon sa iya. I waited there until lunch, mga 3 to 4 hrs. man ang hulat ko kag nakuha ang blue print. Sang nakita na nya gin tawag nya ako nag kadto kami sa 1st floor para mag pa photo copy. And then ginhatag nya sa akon ang copy and she waited sa tupad ko natingala lang ako kon ano pa ang ginahulat nya, gani nag thank you na lang ako kag nag dali dali lakat. When I was on my way sa HLURB, na realized ko nga cguro she was waiting all the while for suhol. I was so happy na lang nga manhid ako, i didn't gave in. Or else I would be blaming myself for being part of the lagay system sa aton. I didn't escaped however, sang nag process ako building and fencing permit, elctrical permit para sa property ko nga ginbakal. Kay man ang process is very complicated kag very tedious. My sister keep on insisting na lagay na lang kay mabudlayan guid kon ako ma process, so no choice guid. It seemed weird for me doing everything by myself, but aside from thinking of saving some fees I also want to see kon how does our public offices works. And I've seen nga indi pa guid puede. Kinahanglan pa guid ang changes and improvements. I'm not sure lang subong kon ok na. Tanan nga criticism ko diri is not only for myself, I just wish the best for our country and especially of course sa Iloilo. Coz nagapati ako nga these scenarios is not only happening sa Iloilo but to other places sa pinas man. We really need change of attitudes if we want to prosper and develop. We need moral and social changes, not only changes in infrastructures and the physical environment. We have to change ourselves from within first. If you happen to be in China, I think you'll clearly see my point. The rapid pace of physical developments of the country is not in pace with the moral and social developments of the people. Indeed you can see high rise buildings, superb and magnificent city landscape, ordinary people wearing business suits in the streets, fantastic tourist spots, views, etc. etc. ; but hey makakita ka rin sang parents nga, gina patae lang ang ila bata sa dalan, gina haboy ang basura bisan diin lang (halong ka maglabay sa mga residential houses labi na guid sa daan nga buildings kay man basi mahabuyan ka basura, maayo lang kon indi tae, through the windows he he he), dupla diri dupla didto, very bad ang service nila sa private or public offices, etc. This is not true lang sa bangko nakon diri, kay man kon may pundo ka nga over 10K RMB lang equivalent sa 60K PHP you're a VIP client and of course you have a special window, no need to fall in line. But to other offices it's not that ideal. Unless they know you're from taiwan. basi bala dakpon na ako diri karon sang polis haw, ha ha ha...Anyway, I hope you guys get my point here, indi na ko mag padayon kay daw kalawig na guid.

Weck hala sigehon ta ni aton istoryahanay ya, with regards sa business suggestion mo, actually medyo expand na rin sya, naga wholesale naman sila kag naga distribute sa mga small stores (tyangge) didto sang goods. Pero ang dako nila kuno nga kita ara sa retailing, kay man mostly didto sa aton ara pa sa low end or middle income bracket. Damo pa guid ang can't afford mag grocery in volume so mabakal pa rin ang retail.

Nami tani kon my business guide para sa Iloilo no, i'm not sure kon may na published nga books about sini, tapos business directory. I remember before you and Chymera mentioned about the book that TNT is gonna publish about sa Iloilo, tapos na? Available na sa market? Mas nami guid tani kon all the informations about doing business in Iloilo is available in the internet. Para madali lang mag put up business sa aton. Information like business rentals fees, avaible office space, list of establishments, list of suppliers, etc. , tani kon in a click of your mouse ara dayon nami guid no like sa iban nga country, like taiwan. hay dreaming, but I hope in a few years time Iloilo can make it all in the net. I hope the city gov't would encourage business establishment to invest more on this infrastructures and technologies.

Ok sa imo da Weck ah barato lang and tawag sa inyo, sa akon diri medyo mahal gani hagan hagan lang ako kay basi bala maubos lang kita ko sa telepono, kanugon man. Ok lang tani kon sa internet wala problema kay free lang so bisan 24 hrs ok lang. I think normally sa country nga wala pinoy amo ini ang sitwasyon. Man indi madamo ang nagagamit sang linya pakadto sa pinas amo na nga mahal pa. Wala masyado transaction ang mga telecom companies sa diri kag sa aton. So no competition, no need for them to offer cheaper rates.

About sa friend mo interested tani sa import export business nami tani kon mabusisi sya to details no, my very clear and excellent picture sya sa business dira sa Iloilo. Bal an mo naman ang business ga depend lang sa aton nga effort, so dapat mapisan kag may initiative, indi lang depend sa tinawo pirmi. Dapat ikaw guid ga pangamot sa negosyo.

Baw daw lawig na guid ni sa sunod naman, kay mabasi mapuno na naman ang aton nga thread, he he he. Ti kmusta lang da imo kag halong man. Pasensya lang dira kon may mga error akon nga post kay man tamad na mag review kay daw kalawig guid, ha ha ha.

Weina

November 4th, 2005, 09:54 AM

[QUOTE=wecky]Toto Chymera, negosyante ka naman gali? ... hahaha. Baskog a. Chymera, really glad for you. So young, so talented, and now earning money na? Hmmm .. goodluck, amigo. Dira gid ako sa imo iya. You don't dwell much in your family business (set up by your father), you made your own. Maayo-maayo gid nga bata. :pepper: :pepper: :pepper:

@Chymera,

wow galing mo ah, padayuna guid na imo chy. Guys, we have one future CEO diri sa aton thread ba. There are still lots of business potentials and opportunities there s aton for tech experts and I think you have the edge already so grab mo chy. 加油加油! (Jia you Jia you, go go go!)

Sandrin, hello once again. We miss you here in Iloilo forum. Thought you are really busy there in America. Anyways, I like your suggestion. It could really be true, you know. We have three colleges of medicines here in the city, six or seven colleges/uni offering nursing as well. What else can they ask for? Hopefully, we are gearning towards that directions.

@Sandrin,

Hi Sandrin, welcome back to Iloilo thread. :)

wecky

November 4th, 2005, 03:04 PM

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ilo/2005/11/04/article_152186_11-04-2005.jpg

Jojo's Christmas Cottage is one of the awesome sights at the Sampaguita Gardens Resort, New Washington, Aklan. Built by Sam Butcher, the cottage contains dolls, Christmas trees and other memorabilia under the Precious Moments brand. (Sun.Star Iloilo)

grabe ang Aklan .. paspas ila promotion sang ila tourism man. Keep up the good work, Akeanons !

wecky

November 4th, 2005, 03:16 PM

Town combines livelihood and environmental protection

CABATUAN, Iloilo - Small initiatives like rolling stores for misplaced vendors go a long way in giving livelihood to the poor and keeping the environment orderly and healthy.

Cabatuan Mayor Ramon C. Yee kept saying his efforts were just small, but they make his leadership meaningful.

Small, misplaced vendors used to dot the busy streets and corners, including the plaza of Cabatuan, which for Mayor Yee, was not a pleasant sight for the residents and visitors alike.

He did not, however, want to deprive these poor people of their little means of livelihood, while taking the efforts to clean up the streets. What he did then was to call these vendors and presented to them the action he would take.

After several dialogues, the municipal government introduced the program Kabuhayan sa Kaunlaran 2000 project, which initially provided rolling stores for 18 poor, misplaced vendors, who sell cigarettes, candies and other handy stuffs.
The local government had rolling stores constructed with trash cans at the sides to contain garbage. They were intended to be handy and can be brought anywhere where they cannot distract commuters. But some of the vendors have located themselves in some strategic areas in the municipality, like terminals and offices.

Mayor Yee said the vendors are now issued business permits while their carts are being improved every now and then to suit the commodities they sell.

"I am just happy that while I wanted to put order and cleanliness in my town, I have not deprived the poor of their means of living," Mayor Yee said.

Mayor Yee has gathered success stories of this project. One is about a vendor with a special child, who is so withdrawn and afraid to face people. When they were given a rolling store, the vendor started to bring the child with her and allowed the latter to help in selling goods, until such time that the child had overcome her difficulty and has become outgoing.

Another is that of a mother who has been a vendor for years and depend on the meager income to send her children to school. With a more presentable and decent rolling store, her vending improved, which until now sustains the education of a child in college.

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P8M bonus for City Hall staff awaits release
By Lory Ann B. Bilbao

THERE is a chance for the regular employees of Iloilo City Hall to have a truly merry Christmas as the City Government has P8 million allotted for their bonus pending the approval of Malacanang.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas said that there has been no order from Malacanang to release the said bonus yet, but the City Government has very sufficient fund to supplement.

The City, according to him has saved a lot from the deduction in casual employees this year.

Though he did not revealed the exact percentage that was saved out of the appropriated amount for salary this year, he assured employees that the lowering down of payroll for casual employees from 45 percent last year aided the city's financial adequacy for the provision of the said benefit for the regular employees.

Trenas said that GMA Bonus entitles every regular employee P5,000. A total of P8 million will be shelled out from the salary savings of the City.

"Maskin subong pa," he said.

He also said that the bonus is different from the 13th month pay and cash gifts.

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Civil society calls for regional consensus on Charter change

WHILE advocacies for the shift from unitary form of government to parliamentary-federal are getting stronger, there is yet to be a visible consensus among the residents of Western Visayas to show that they are for it.

Chito Tionko of Panay Rural Development Center, Inc. said that in many of their consultations with various communities, they gathered that the people have become "fed up" of the present political system. Tionko said, however, that what is lacking still is the public consensus that can push harder the need for change.

"It is time for the people in the Visayas to have a share in the bargaining power, that often takes place only in the seat of the national government. It is also time that they should participate in the present efforts being undertaken to realize the change," Tionko said.

June Jordan of the Citizens Movement for Federal Government said that the people in the local communities have long been ready for a change, which can give them more empowerment to initiate and sustain development in their areas.

Engineer Ely Bagtasos representing the business sector in the movement said that local businessmen have long been clamoring for a system that can give them more autonomy in decision-making for productivity. He added that in the present system many of the economic potentials of Iloilo are not harnessed well.
On the other hand, Emmanuel Areno of the Iloilo Code-NGO said the Civil Society Organization (CSO) believed that there is strong resistance to the move to shift from unitary to parliamentary-federal form of government because it can stir some people in their "comfort zones."

Areno said there will be change in the political set up that can deprive some politicians, top officials and the national agencies of government of the power, privileges and incentives which they are having, but this will not be very detrimental in general. It will perk up the economy and make governance easier, Areno added.

Neda VI Economic Specialist, lawyer Raul Anlocotan said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself expressed in her latest Sona the need for a change in the form of government in order to spur meaningful development.

Anlocotan added that Arroyo's call for "transferring power to the countryside" is getting answer from the mounting calls for shift from unitary to parliamentary-federal form of government.

Anlocotan, however, said many segments of the population are still not knowledgeable about the Parliamentary-Federal system, hence, they can be deterred from actively participating in forums and discussions and making the decision to fully support the move.

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Tski continues to expand services for the poor

FORMER Vice-Governor Demy Sonza, chairman of the Board of Taytay sa Kauswagan (Tski) said, 2004 and 2005 continue to be banner years for Tski as it has embarked on many firsts for its poor clients.

Tski is a non-government organization, which was first organized in September 1, l986. Presently, it is one of the largest micro-finance organizations in the Philippines.

Tski is the first micro-finance organization to provide cheap remittance service for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) through its Opportunity Card, in partnership with HSBC and Opportunity International, which was launched recently.

According to Sonza, the Tski was awarded as the Ulirang Kabalikat Award for 2005 for being the most outstanding Micro Finance Institution in the country, by no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in ceremonies held at Malacanang.
It is also the first micro finance institution accredited by Philhealth to provide health care services to its poor clients.

Sonza also revealed that Tski will also be launching soon the Community-based Entrepreneurship Development Project which will be implemented along the lines of One Town One Product (Otop) being encouraged by the Department of Trade and Industry. It will provide financing to small entrepreneurs, who will go into the identified business for a particular area.

It is also the first micro finance institution which will provide its clients and staff with housing finance. The Asian Development Bank will fund the project, with the Development Bank of the Philippines as its conduit bank./

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DTI to guard consumers against abuse, unnecessary price hikes

AS A result of the lifting of the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) by the Supreme Court of the value added tax (VAT) law on October 18, 2005, there are mitigating measures that will be undertaken to prevent unreasonable increases in the price of goods.

DTI - Iloilo is undertaking a series of activities intended to guard and protect the consumers against abuse due to and/or unnecessary price increases.

Immediately today and at least during the next two (2) weeks, the DTI-Iloilo will be conducting daily price monitoring in the key trading centers in the province, most especially Iloilo City.

The daily price report shall be made available to the public through the radio and TV. The 24 hr. hot line of DTI - Iloilo (335-01-49) shall also be activated to act on queries and complaints on the price and quality of products.

Other activities that will be undertaken are: monitoring of strict compliance of the Price Tag Law and the Standards Law; close coordination with the LGUs against defective weighing scales and to ensure that price boards and 'timbangan ng bayan' are installed in the wet market of their respective municipalities. Local Price Coordinating Councils will be conducting similar activities in the city and the province of Iloilo.

The DTI also adds that agri- products are still exempt from the R-VAT while the processed goods were already covered by the VAT. The manufacturers, of the goods monitored by the DTI are willing to absorb the impact of the R-VAT on the price of goods, which is estimated at only 2 percent.

The DTI-Iloilo enjoins the business establishments to continuously comply with Price Act or Consumer Act.

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9 biznesses under probe for selling substandard products

ENFORCEMENT and monitoring teams led by Provincial Director Diosdado P. Cadena Jr. of the Department of Trade and Industry-Iloilo Provincial Office confiscated non-compliant products covered by mandatory standards from nine establishments in the city on October 20 to 21.

These establishments face formal investigation with the DTI and may be charged formally for violation of Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2 Series of 2002 or the Product Standards Law.

Confiscated items were automotive batteries, brake fluids, Christmas lights, fake lighters, switches, outlets, and steel bars that do not bear the PS (Philippine Standards) Quality Certification Mark for locally-made products and those without the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) document attesting that these imported products conform to the specific Phil. National Standard.

DAO No. 2 Series of 2002 defines the responsibilities and liabilities of manufacturers, importers, traders, wholesalers, distributors, retailers and or their agents, with regard to products covered by mandatory product certification and prescribing penalties for violation thereof.

The teams consist of DTI-Iloilo staff, representatives of the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS), Bureau of Import Services (BIS) and Phil. Product Safety and Quality Foundation (PPSQF) who came over from Manila to participate in the activity. This is to send the message to the Iloilo traders that DTI-Iloilo is serious in implementing the provisions and intent of trade and industry law.

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1st Ted's Old Timer Lapaz Batchoy Cup slated Nov. 4-6

THE 1st Ted's Old Timer Lapaz Batchoy Cup takes off Friday at the RPGC Shooting Rage in San Miguel, Iloilo. The event will last until November 6.

The Philippine Practical Shooting Association (Ppsa) and the Iloilo Practical Shooting Association (Ipsa) sanctioned this event. This Level 1 Match has 5 challenging courses of fire and 103 minimum rounds.

Competitions will be in the open, standard, production, modified and revolver divisions. The categories are Standard Senior, Standard PNP/AFP, Standard RO, Standard SSRO, Production Senior, Production PNP/AFP, Production RO, Junior, Open RO, Lady, Classic 1911 and Media.

The schedule is as follows: November 4, 8 a.m to 12 p.m., RO Match; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and whole day of November 5, Match Proper; November 6, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Match Proper; 4 p.m., Score Verification; and 5 p.m., Awarding Ceremony.
The registration fees are as follows: Civilian, P500; Lawman, P300; Junior/Media, P300; and Arbitration fee, P1,500.

A raffle will be held after the awarding of trophies at Larry Borro's residence, Gran Plains Subdivision, Jaro, Iloilo City.(KVC)

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Christmas all year round at Sampaguita Gardens
By Kathy Villalon Cinco

THIS writer has heard so many good things about Sampaguita Gardens, located in New Washington, Aklan. So, despite a tiring trip from Boracay Island, our group decided to check the resort for ourselves and there, we discovered that the stories were true.

The 2.7-hectare Sampaguita Gardens is indeed Aklan's gem that spells elegance, serenity and beauty.

Our first stop was the Butterfly Garden. Before reaching said garden, one has to pass through a souvenir shop that has several unique items ranging from household decors to personal stuff. We purchased some crystal coasters that had preserved butterflies pinned in between.

Second stop was the Butcher Mansion. The upper floors are open to the public while the basement is where the owner, Sam Butcher and his family live. The floors and furniture were polished to perfection, so we were required to take off our footwear. The interior of the mansion was Thai inspired. It showcases Oriental arts, crafts, furniture and antiques that Mr. Butcher has collected over the years.

Third stop was Jojo's Christmas Cottage. The place was named after Jojo, Butcher's most trusted and loyal staff for 20 years and who is now the chief operations executive of Sampaguita Gardens. The green and pink colored cottage boasts of a black vintage car at the garage. Inside, one will feel that it's Christmas - dolls abound in every corner as well as Christmas trees and gifts bearing the Precious Moments tag. Now, everybody can enjoy Christmas all year round.

Fourth stop was the aquarium, which contains sharks, arowana, gold fishes and more.

We also passed by the area with a boat, ferris wheel, carousels and other rides that children can enjoy.

Fourth stop was the swimming pool area. There are two pools - one for adults and one for children. Beside it is a restaurant where we had pizza. By the way, the entrance to Sampaguita Gardens costs P50 per person and it's consumable. That's how we had our pizza.

Fifth stop was the spa, which is Thai-inspired. We were not able to view the amenities because there were clients inside but a view of the pictures holds a promise of a truly relaxing experience there.

Our last stop was the chapel, which is still under construction. Nathaniel Edroso, the spa manager, was kind enough to show us the place. He explained that Mr. Butcher himself climbs and paints the ceiling. The ceiling had paintings of young angels with trumpets.

We left Sampaguita Gardens still in awe and we made a promise to visit the place once another long holiday permits it./KVC

(from Sunstar Iloilo News online)

wecky

November 4th, 2005, 03:20 PM

Ilonggo excels in nat’l art scene

ILOILO City - College students from 64 schools across the country submitted 1, 277 entries in the recently concluded 38th Shell National Students Art Competition.

Rymer Gengoni from Central Philippine University won as honorable mention with his sculpture “The Unfortunate One.”

He received a plaque, a medal and P5,000 cash during the awarding on October 24, 2005 at SM Megamall, Manila.

Rendered in terra cotta medium, Rymer’s sculpture depicts a child sitting despondently on a broken kite. This symbolically portrays how poverty causes a child’s broken dreams.

In a national art contest like Shell, one has to contend with the best fine arts schools, not to mention the subjective factors involved in NCR-dominated contest.

Still, Ilonggos are blessed with the only Visayan who won a major award in this category. He does not even have a fine arts course to back him up.

Rymer is a junior BS Software Engineering students who has been participating in local art contests.

He was also the first prize winner of the other year’s painting contest (open category) sponsored by the National Economic and Development Authority. He is an active member of Hebron Artists, a CPU-based art group founded by Asst. Prof. Lucell Larawan.

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PPA owes Iloilo City gov’t P46.1M in taxes

BY DAVID ISRAEL SINAY

ILOILO City – The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) owes P46,173,471.40 in tax liabilities to the Iloilo City government since December last year and it has only until this December 2005 to pay up or else City Hall takes over port operations.

The city government’s taking over of port operations “will be part of the economic enterprise of the city,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday.

City Legal Office Chief Atty. Edgardo Gil wrote PPA General Manager Atty. Oscar Sevilla in a letter dated October 28, 2005 that the city government is demanding for the payment of P46,173,471.40 in tax liabilities.

“I am writing this final demand to the PPA to pay P46,173,471.40 for the real property taxes computed until December 2005,” Gil’s letter read.

It was reported that PPA has not been paying its taxes to the Iloilo City government since the late nineties.

Treñas said he was able to discuss the matter with Sevilla, but said the PPA shall only pay if the city government will separate the billings of the real property taxes of the port with that of their warehouses.

“We cannot separate the billings because the case was already resolved by the Supreme Court and is already final and executory,” Treñas stressed.

Treñas, however, is still hopeful to resolve the issue “to the satisfaction of everyone.”

On the other hand, City Treasurer Katherine Tingson required the different government banks, were the PPA has accounts, to pay the city government parts of the P46,173,471.40 the PPA owes.

Tingson said she had informed the top executives of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Philippine National Bank (PNB), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Philippine Veteran Bank (PVB) to pay the PPA’s tax liabilities.

“PPA Central Office is very apprehensive to send any amount here (LBP-Iloilo) because they knew the city government shall only garnish it,” she said.

Tingson said the PPA had initially paid P1.2 million for their real property taxes and P600,000 for their business taxes after the Supreme Court handed down their decision over the case.

“After that they haven’t paid anymore,” she said.

On September 23, Tingson notified PPA Port Manager Fernando Claveria for the Notice of Garnishment of PPA’s bank account with the LBP – Iloilo Branch “until the PPA pays in full all its taxes due to the City of Iloilo.”

“The Supreme Court in a landmark decision in the case of the Philippine Port Authority vs. City of Iloilo, et al., (GR No. 109791), has decided with finality not only the factual issues concerning the propriety of tax assessment of PPA’s various facilities…but also the legal issue that PPA is a profit-earning corporation and its properties are subject to tax,” Tingson’s letter to Claveria read.

Tingson explained that the garnishing of PPA’s bank account with the LBP – amounting to P44,298,470.11 – “is being supported by laws and jurisprudence.”

The PPA and the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex has a real property tax and penalty for various properties amounting to P46,173,471.37, as of December 2004.

However, Claveria claimed that the Notice of Garnishment issued by Tingson “was against the account of PPA in LBP Iloilo Branch.”

Also, the Sangguniang Panlungsod had denied the PPA’s request for condonation of their penalties.

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Price monitoring of basic goods intensified

ILOILO City - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is intensifying its daily monitoring of prices and observation of supply of goods even on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays in Western Visayas to see to it that unscrupulous persons do not take advantage of the implementation of the RVAT by increasing prices that are not warranted.

Per their monitoring, DTI said they have not noted any increase in the prices of basic commodities in region 6 since the full implementation of the RVAT starting November 1.

While they also have not noted any panic buying on the part of the consumers, DTI Regional Director Dominic Abad said there is no reason for people to engage in panic buying because supply of goods are adequate and government has put mitigating measures in place to cushion the impact of the RVAT implementation.

DTI Secretary Peter Favila said impact of the RVAT on the prices of goods is estimated at two percent.

Since the impact will be minimal, manufacturers have expressed their cooperation and support by agreeing to absorb the added cost instead of passing it on to the consumers. Although Favila said they expect prices to increase, it could not be attributed to the RVAT but to the forthcoming Christmas season.

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the Philippines is already reaping the gains of fiscal stability in terms of investment surges, the stability of the peso and overall enterprise building due to the implementation of the RVAT.

She expects that the Philippine credit rating would improve as the world looks towards a new vibrancy in the economy.

(from Panay News online)

wecky

November 4th, 2005, 03:24 PM

i didn't know iloilo is building a castle.. :D

It's a new hangout in Smallville, Sugbuanon. It just opened last week. The resto is called "the Pirates and the Shipwreck". I hope Chymera can take photos of the new hangout place in Smallville. It really looks like a castle plus as I've heard from its opening, there's some sort of shipwreckage attached to this new castle then. Let's have a look or wait if someone from Iloilo can post the picture now.

wecky

November 4th, 2005, 07:13 PM

Cge Weck padayunon ta estoryahanay naton, he he he...
nami na inyo Weck sang mga friends mo kay you're on investments, tsakto guid na. Para pagpuli nyo bisan lagaw lagaw lang da obrahon nyo wala problema na. Kay man may gasulod na may pundo pa! Excited ako sa mga gina post nyo diri nga mga balita sa Iloilo thread kay man it means Iloilo is on the go na guid ya, and this is really a good indication na Iloilo is on the way to prosperity, WOW tani mangin madali kag mangin matuod ini tanan. Ako ya gahulat lang nga matapos ang int'l airport sa Iloilo kag mabakal liwat properties dira sa aton. Just make sure na may in'tl airport kay kabudlay mag travel with connecting flights pa, ok lang kon PAL ka lang pirmi kay tupad lang ang domestic, pero kon mag iban ka nga airlines mabudlay. Manami guid ya kon may direct flight na sa Iloilo. By that time I can bring na cguro a lot of taiwanese tourist sa Iloilo. Indi na sila mag reklamo nga maagi pa sa manila. Last time amo na ang natabo eh, bal an mo naman mga intsik, naga kisik kisik lang, paspas sila kaayo, madasig so gusto nila indi mag waste time sa bisan ano nga bagay, kag syempre sa travel man. Unlike sa aton no, laidback guid kaayo ang life. Hay, i really experienced this sang magpuli ako sa aton, kahinay kaayo sang service. Even sa mga banks, labi na guid sa government offices naton. Ambot kon hasta subong amo man gihapon. This is a not really a good scenario kon gusto naton mag invite sang foreign investors. Imagine kita nga locals ga reklamo gani, how much more sa mga foreigners, di bala? I admit nga nalatnan na ako with the chinese way of doing things, but to think na this is a positive side, why don't we do things in Iloilo in the same manner also, di ba? Imagine last time I went to one of the biggest banks there in Iloilo, it took me many days to process a simple bank transaction. WOW, kon sa Taiwan ina, out ka na, mabankrupt ka guid kon that is the type of service you give to your clients. Although you seldom see lang smiling and very accomodating faces sa taiwan but they give you that fast and quick service, and that is what working people are looking for di bala, indi laminday katama. Makutso kutso anay sa tupad nya antes tapuson ang iya obra, baw nag init guid ang ulo ko. Maayo lang kay na infiltrate na sang chinese subong ang bank nga ina, although i'm not sa happy about it kay tani aton ina nga mga pinoy. Apang kon pinoy lang siguro maputo ina nga bangko, kay man kulang sa good business atmosphere and attitude, not competetive, more on bureaucratic attitudes. I can speak of this well kay man diri ako ga obra sang una. Galing indi lang ako client sang branch nga ini kay nabudlayan kami mag negotiate sang deal sa ila sang una sang ga obra pa ako sa bangko nga ini, puro manila ako, h.o. Bal an mo if you want to invest sang kuarta mo sa let's say, treasury bills or other bonds mas maka save ka sa fees kay don't need na kuhaan sang commission sang branch, diretso na mo. Kag ang exchange rate mas mataas man. Kag medyo madali mag transact.

One time nag process ako sa HLURB sa titling sang lot sang manghod ko kay man ato man sya sa gwa, ti ako na lang nag process kay nahadlok ko basi ibaligya liwat sang tag iya kay man wala pa na transfer sa iya ngalan ang title, so gin process ko na lang. One of the reqt's gin request sang HLURB is to get a blue copy sang original title to see if theres a right of way, and so I went there sa, nalimtan ko kon ano nga office ina, Land ....it's near sa city hall nga office. When I arrive there I saw a post there in their boards, na their service matapos for 20 or 30 mins only . Wow so nalipay guid ako, ok ah madasig. But after waiting for almost 20 mins. the employee attending to me told me that I have to go back the next day na lang kay sako sila and no available hands para mag process sang transaction ko. But I insisted, hambal ko sa iya in a very angry voice, 'hulaton ko subong' kag nag talikod dayon sa iya. I waited there until lunch, mga 3 to 4 hrs. man ang hulat ko kag nakuha ang blue print. Sang nakita na nya gin tawag nya ako nag kadto kami sa 1st floor para mag pa photo copy. And then ginhatag nya sa akon ang copy and she waited sa tupad ko natingala lang ako kon ano pa ang ginahulat nya, gani nag thank you na lang ako kag nag dali dali lakat. When I was on my way sa HLURB, na realized ko nga cguro she was waiting all the while for suhol. I was so happy na lang nga manhid ako, i didn't gave in. Or else I would be blaming myself for being part of the lagay system sa aton. I didn't escaped however, sang nag process ako building and fencing permit, elctrical permit para sa property ko nga ginbakal. Kay man ang process is very complicated kag very tedious. My sister keep on insisting na lagay na lang kay mabudlayan guid kon ako ma process, so no choice guid. It seemed weird for me doing everything by myself, but aside from thinking of saving some fees I also want to see kon how does our public offices works. And I've seen nga indi pa guid puede. Kinahanglan pa guid ang changes and improvements. I'm not sure lang subong kon ok na. Tanan nga criticism ko diri is not only for myself, I just wish the best for our country and especially of course sa Iloilo. Coz nagapati ako nga these scenarios is not only happening sa Iloilo but to other places sa pinas man. We really need change of attitudes if we want to prosper and develop. We need moral and social changes, not only changes in infrastructures and the physical environment. We have to change ourselves from within first. If you happen to be in China, I think you'll clearly see my point. The rapid pace of physical developments of the country is not in pace with the moral and social developments of the people. Indeed you can see high rise buildings, superb and magnificent city landscape, ordinary people wearing business suits in the streets, fantastic tourist spots, views, etc. etc. ; but hey makakita ka rin sang parents nga, gina patae lang ang ila bata sa dalan, gina haboy ang basura bisan diin lang (halong ka maglabay sa mga residential houses labi na guid sa daan nga buildings kay man basi mahabuyan ka basura, maayo lang kon indi tae, through the windows he he he), dupla diri dupla didto, very bad ang service nila sa private or public offices, etc. This is not true lang sa bangko nakon diri, kay man kon may pundo ka nga over 10K RMB lang equivalent sa 60K PHP you're a VIP client and of course you have a special window, no need to fall in line. But to other offices it's not that ideal. Unless they know you're from taiwan. basi bala dakpon na ako diri karon sang polis haw, ha ha ha...Anyway, I hope you guys get my point here, indi na ko mag padayon kay daw kalawig na guid.

Weck hala sigehon ta ni aton istoryahanay ya, with regards sa business suggestion mo, actually medyo expand na rin sya, naga wholesale naman sila kag naga distribute sa mga small stores (tyangge) didto sang goods. Pero ang dako nila kuno nga kita ara sa retailing, kay man mostly didto sa aton ara pa sa low end or middle income bracket. Damo pa guid ang can't afford mag grocery in volume so mabakal pa rin ang retail.

Nami tani kon my business guide para sa Iloilo no, i'm not sure kon may na published nga books about sini, tapos business directory. I remember before you and Chymera mentioned about the book that TNT is gonna publish about sa Iloilo, tapos na? Available na sa market? Mas nami guid tani kon all the informations about doing business in Iloilo is available in the internet. Para madali lang mag put up business sa aton. Information like business rentals fees, avaible office space, list of establishments, list of suppliers, etc. , tani kon in a click of your mouse ara dayon nami guid no like sa iban nga country, like taiwan. hay dreaming, but I hope in a few years time Iloilo can make it all in the net. I hope the city gov't would encourage business establishment to invest more on this infrastructures and technologies.

Ok sa imo da Weck ah barato lang and tawag sa inyo, sa akon diri medyo mahal gani hagan hagan lang ako kay basi bala maubos lang kita ko sa telepono, kanugon man. Ok lang tani kon sa internet wala problema kay free lang so bisan 24 hrs ok lang. I think normally sa country nga wala pinoy amo ini ang sitwasyon. Man indi madamo ang nagagamit sang linya pakadto sa pinas amo na nga mahal pa. Wala masyado transaction ang mga telecom companies sa diri kag sa aton. So no competition, no need for them to offer cheaper rates.

About sa friend mo interested tani sa import export business nami tani kon mabusisi sya to details no, my very clear and excellent picture sya sa business dira sa Iloilo. Bal an mo naman ang business ga depend lang sa aton nga effort, so dapat mapisan kag may initiative, indi lang depend sa tinawo pirmi. Dapat ikaw guid ga pangamot sa negosyo.

Baw daw lawig na guid ni sa sunod naman, kay mabasi mapuno na naman ang aton nga thread, he he he. Ti kmusta lang da imo kag halong man. Pasensya lang dira kon may mga error akon nga post kay man tamad na mag review kay daw kalawig guid, ha ha ha.

diri kita iya nagasulatanay, Wein. Sige lang. Wala man ina siguro problema ah.

Btw, tama ka gid sa imo obserbasyon sa aton. Ang lagay system, ang kakuri sang paghulag sang taho, ang mga labay-labay ang gina-una. Normal na ina siguro sa pinoy dira sa Pinas. Biskan diin ka magkadto, damo mga amo sina. Pasalamat man gani ako kay na-out ako sa sistema nga ina noh. Na-realisar ko na gid sang maayo sang diri na ako sa abroad. Kalayo guid pinamatasan sang taho diri, which in my part mas gusto ko. Diri prangka tanan, wala damo samok. Kung may kinahanglan ka ara dayon. Service is really good no matter what. Kag halos tanan naga-strive nga ihatag ang kaayuhan sa ila serbisyo. Sa aton naman iya suli. Patawhay ang kadam-an. So, wala guid mabasol kung ngaa ang Pinas wala naga-uswag. Also, tama ka guid sa paghambal nga kung gusto naton mag-maayo nga pungsod, ang binatasan gid sang mga taho dira ang dapat bag-ohon, wala na sang iban.

Sa lagay sytem nga ina, may ara man ako mga eksperensiya dira. Indi guid kita siguro kalusot sa bagay nga ina ah. Man biskan pagpauli mo sa pinas, ang mga taho sa NAIA patay kapangayo sang kung ano-ano. It's degrading, you know and indi guid ko gusto sang bagay nga ina.

Anyway, back sa negosyo na lang kita kay kung isipon mo lang ina ang mga kurakot da, mairita ka lang. Mas maayo nga i-focus naton estorya ta sa negosyo ah. Gin-contact ko na ang taga-amon nga friend ko sa HongKong. Ato bala sa import-export ah. Medyo sako pa siya kay towards December, so basi maka-estorya man kami early next year. Gatawag na di siya sa akon. Kis-a ga-email man. Otro man to ka negosyante ... hahaha. Mas maayo kay damo kuhaan ideas kag negosyo ah. Bay-i lang kay i-update ta man ka kung ano ang ma-estoryahan ah.

Wein, nice to hear nga na-expand mo na ang negosyo niyo. Tama ka, time to rethink for a new one guid. Ano imo mga plans haw? Like ano ang i-import/export mo? mga electronics? or mga bayo-bayo na da? Basi feasible man sa aton ina ah. Tutal na-try mo naman sang una sang nagpuli ka and bring sang mga items nga ina, so basically may idea ka na.

About sa mga classmates ko, well, gina-update lang namon ang isa kag isa ah. Kung ano na ang mga na-achieve na namon for the last ten years nga nag-graduate kami. Sa 230 students sa batch namon, more than 160 ari na diri sa abroad. Diri sa UK, more than 60 kami iya. Ang kadamuan ato na sa States. But happily, we still keep in touch with each other. Sang centennial gani ang iban nag-alabot man. May ara pa gani kami mga classmates sa KSA and Mid-East, Actually, sa Savannah, medyo may ginpanguha man ang iban. So few of them are my neighbours na ... hahaha. Okay man ah. Most of us medyo stabilise na naman. Akon iya, wala na ako na-kuntento sang acquiring land properties ah. Gusto ko negosyo naman. And mentioning sang Iloilo International Airport, tama ka guid. Amo man ina ang ginahulat ko to open. Mas madali ang negosyo kung mag-open na siya. To tell you frankly, nakabakal man ako duta da sa sulod sang airport zone. Mga 1 km lang away from its admin building. Amo man ina ang ginahulat-hulat ko nga mag-open kay ma-full blast man kami negosyo. We're planning to build sang gamay lang nga hotel around the area. Basi gani biglang liko kung pwede ... hahaha. Mas madali ang kuwarta. Man sang nag-site tour kami sang nagpauli ako, patay kami kinadlaw sang mga plano. Puro lango-lango akon mga upod. Actually, may ari man ako application sang Jollibee franchising. Last year ko pa gin-download. Galing daw medyo mahal pa eh. Ang ila franchise bala daw 10-25 million. Okay man tani, galing kay indi ko gusto magbaligya sang properties nakon para lang sa franchise nga ini. Maayo man siya, pero sa near future lang siguro ... just in case. Ti, daw amo lang ina anay ma-share ko sa imo. Daw nahuya man ako sang iban pa nga plans. Basi sobra na katayog kag linugon ta di sa forum ... hehehe. Pero update ta guid ka ah. :cheers1: Actually. nalipay lang ako sa gakatabo to sa aton sa Iloilo kay baskog aton ekonomiya iya. Although indi man ta maghambal nga indi kita apektado sa krisis sang Pinas, pero ang impact sa aton indi guid sobra. Hambal sang manghod ko, puno man gihapon ang mga malls biskan may EVAT na and tass ang gasolina. Mind you, ang kwarta sa Iloilo iya are mostly supplied sang taho sa abroad. So ma-cushion gid naton ano man nga kapigaduhon ang nagakatabo sa Pinas. I'm just so positive Wein because nakita ko guid when I was there. It might be a tip of an iceberg lang pero it made a big difference. Basta medyo hinay-hinay na ta iya sulod sa businessworld. Tan-awon ta lang later kung diin ta asta eh.

Alright Wein? Kung may paki ka, let me know kay basi makabulig man ko sa imo. If ever you need sang subdivision lot and kinahanglan mo gid, basi pa lang mapatigayunan ta ah. Take time lang da. Pareho ta di, supot-supot diutay then grabe nga lagaway ah ... hehehe. I had a six-country European tour this year before ako nagpauli sa Pinas last August. Promise ko sa self ko nga indi na ako maglakat pero here I am again. Lakat naman kami sang utod ko and some of our Ilonggo friends this coming first week of December. Ti, paano bala ina makasupot ta sini?

Anyways, tama na ini anay ah .. basi ma-overload ang Iloilo forum sa aton duaw ... hahaha. Ciao!

wecky

November 4th, 2005, 07:18 PM

Kudos Iloilo! :applause: Good luck and more power!

wow!!! ilioilo is now on its 5th thread.. :okay: keep it up guys!!! :applause: :applause: :applause:

Madamo gid nga salamat sa inyo duha!

wecky

November 4th, 2005, 07:38 PM

Some Pics of Downtown:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid192/pbc2615ae42f372cced45e9a6bfff7a81/f1a4a258.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid193/p9eee5caaf701b9e6235c532b9ef0fba7/f19c449e.jpg

Chy, are these new pics taken during your mini-EB with your Dinagyang friends last week? Kinda nice and cozy .. a good shot from an island hopping motorboat from Iloilo. Cheers!

PS.
Hapit ko to karon sa Dinagyang forum na naman .. mas masadya kay nakakinadlaw ko to ... hehehe.

ferrersky

November 5th, 2005, 04:29 AM

ferrersky

November 5th, 2005, 04:35 AM

lewdsaint

November 5th, 2005, 04:40 AM

Skyblade

November 5th, 2005, 03:40 PM

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA IS ILOILO'S SISTER CITY!?!?!?!?!?!?! :eek2:

Iloilo Stockton Sister City: Relationships transcending boundaries
By Bombette G. Marin
Link to the article (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ilo/2005/11/03/life/iloilo.stockton.sister.city.relationships.transcending.boundaries.html)

ILOILO is gearing up for the visit of the 30-man delegation from Stockton, California, USA. on Nov. 5 to 8 as it celebrates its 41st anniversary with its sister pact with Stockton City.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas and Governor Niel D. Tupas, Sr. merited their full support to this annual undertaking.

According to organizers, the Vice Mayor of Stockton City, Gary Giovanetti, will head the delegation.

Many activities have been lined-up including city and provincial tours.
The mission of the Iloilo-Stockton Sister City Association is simple: to strengthen cross-border relationship with the hope of building better futures for the Ilonggos. Thus, the association, headed by Ruth T. Jarantilla as president is hopeful that the visit might just be the answer to the needs of times for the people of Iloilo. The association will have very little to look forward to except business opportunities, prior to this development. In the end, this will redound to the benefit of Ilonggos.

Events and activities for delegates will also receive support from the Municipality of Miag-ao headed by Mayor Gerardo N. Flores for their heritage tour and the Municipality of Guimbal under Mayor Oscar S. Garin, Jr. for their Garin Farm and MBC Hatchery visit. The local tour set for November 7 is the most anticipated activity of their stay in Iloilo - an opportunity to see Iloilo's rich history, the culture and arts that have enhanced the uniqueness of the Ilonggo race and the wonder that is Iloilo. The association is also collaborating with the Province of Guimaras under the leadership of their Governor, the Hon. JC Rahman A. Nava for their Agri-Tourism side trip. A trip to the different tourist destinations in the city and province would not be complete without the full support of Tours Committee Chairperson, Girlie Ganzon.

Known for their intriguing mixture of the familiar and the exotic, Ilonggo cuisine will obviously be a lot to enjoy for our delegates. A welcome dinner on November 5 will be hosted by the Iloilo City Government through the efforts of the City Mayor and Heloise Javellana, City Tourism Officer at the Sta. Clarita International School. November 6 will be a very rare treat for our guests. Dr. Gil Lopez Kabayao and family - internationally renowned for their artistic talent in musical instruments such as piano and violin, will be hosting a dinner cum concierto in their residence. Their last dinner in Iloilo will be hosted by the Iloilo Provincial Government at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol lobby.

The organizers has been preparing their host families for an intensive advocacy of the "Culture of Iloilo" as reflected through their warm smile and a cheery welcome and with their innate sense of having fun and of living life to the fullest.

chymera00

November 5th, 2005, 05:25 PM

Toto Chymera, negosyante ka naman gali? ... hahaha. Baskog a. Chymera, really glad for you. So young, so talented, and now earning money na? Hmmm .. goodluck, amigo. Dira gid ako sa imo iya. You don't dwell much in your family business (set up by your father), you made your own. Maayo-maayo gid nga bata. :pepper: :pepper: :pepper:

Arghh ... Its a family business, not mine :)
Sandrin, hello once again. We miss you here in Iloilo forum. Thought you are really busy there in America. Anyways, I like your suggestion. It could really be true, you know. We have three colleges of medicines here in the city, six or seven colleges/uni offering nursing as well. What else can they ask for? Hopefully, we are gearning towards that directions.

Yes, I hope these kind of things get noticed by our local gov't so that it can be properly promoted

ohhh ... streetdancing? Chymera, you really amaze me, amigo.... hehehe. Like you, I watched most of Dinagyang celebrations at home as well. Time to paint your face with soot and wears your mini-Indian hat. But mind you, I never expect CPU to join Dinagyang coz it's a Baptist school but hey, they did ... and they were even in the opening parade last year. Things changed, you know?
Hehehe, well not really. I'd probably just hangout somewhere and be a spectator, lol. But I remember when I was young, my dad used to take me streetdancing with competing tribes, or join the parade of the company where my dad works. Now, I don't think I'm up for that. :) I'll be fine taking pictures, the real fun starts at night ...

it will still be yours in due time. goodluck!

:|

I'm trying to locate some pics in the net as well but can't find much ... I'll wait for new pics na naman ... hay.

I'll try to find it too ...

grabe ang Aklan .. paspas ila promotion sang ila tourism man. Keep up the good work, Akeanons !
Sampaguita Gardens looks and sound grand!, it totally went beyond my expectation coz my friends from Aklan tell me stories about it... The owner has a really intersting story, especially regarding his "precious moments" dolls
Christmas all year round at Sampaguita Gardens
By Kathy Villalon Cinco[/CENTER]

THIS writer has heard so many good things about Sampaguita Gardens, located in New Washington, Aklan. So, despite a tiring trip from Boracay Island, our group decided to check the resort for ourselves and there, we discovered that the stories were true.

The 2.7-hectare Sampaguita Gardens is indeed Aklan's gem that spells elegance, serenity and beauty.

Our first stop was the Butterfly Garden. Before reaching said garden, one has to pass through a souvenir shop that has several unique items ranging from household decors to personal stuff. We purchased some crystal coasters that had preserved butterflies pinned in between.

Second stop was the Butcher Mansion. The upper floors are open to the public while the basement is where the owner, Sam Butcher and his family live. The floors and furniture were polished to perfection, so we were required to take off our footwear. The interior of the mansion was Thai inspired. It showcases Oriental arts, crafts, furniture and antiques that Mr. Butcher has collected over the years.

Third stop was Jojo's Christmas Cottage. The place was named after Jojo, Butcher's most trusted and loyal staff for 20 years and who is now the chief operations executive of Sampaguita Gardens. The green and pink colored cottage boasts of a black vintage car at the garage. Inside, one will feel that it's Christmas - dolls abound in every corner as well as Christmas trees and gifts bearing the Precious Moments tag. Now, everybody can enjoy Christmas all year round.

Fourth stop was the aquarium, which contains sharks, arowana, gold fishes and more.

We also passed by the area with a boat, ferris wheel, carousels and other rides that children can enjoy.

Fourth stop was the swimming pool area. There are two pools - one for adults and one for children. Beside it is a restaurant where we had pizza. By the way, the entrance to Sampaguita Gardens costs P50 per person and it's consumable. That's how we had our pizza.

Fifth stop was the spa, which is Thai-inspired. We were not able to view the amenities because there were clients inside but a view of the pictures holds a promise of a truly relaxing experience there.

Our last stop was the chapel, which is still under construction. Nathaniel Edroso, the spa manager, was kind enough to show us the place. He explained that Mr. Butcher himself climbs and paints the ceiling. The ceiling had paintings of young angels with trumpets.

We left Sampaguita Gardens still in awe and we made a promise to visit the place once another long holiday permits it./KVC

(from Sunstar Iloilo News online)
Chy, are these new pics taken during your mini-EB with your Dinagyang friends last week? Kinda nice and cozy .. a good shot from an island hopping motorboat from Iloilo. Cheers!

PS.
Hapit ko to karon sa Dinagyang forum na naman .. mas masadya kay nakakinadlaw ko to ... hehehe.
hehe ako man gani ...bulos2 lang ang dinagyang kag skyscrapercity

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 05:41 PM

I had a terrible week!! But whoooooshhhhhh! I was caught off-guard when I saw Iloilo thread 5 instead of 4.

This time, I'll try to make sure that I will be the one posting the last message of this thread!!! Joke!!!!

Hey, Chymera!!! can I have the web address of your online gaming business?

Now, I have a beautiful day!!!!

Ferresky, how do you do? Glad to see you here once more. We'll PM you next time for the "finale" post ... hehehe. Also, I'm so happy ypu're having a beautiful day. Keep it up, mate! There's no better than having a wonderful day in a wonderful place. Cheers !

chymera00

November 5th, 2005, 05:43 PM

Thank you so much, Kiretoce.
wow!!! ilioilo is now on its 5th thread.. :okay: keep it up guys!!! :applause: :applause: :applause:
MORE POWER to Iloilo thread V....:okay::okay:

---------------------

halos pareho la an tono kag mga words an gina gamit sang Hiligaynon kag Bicolano...di ko hambal kon amo gihapon an panultihon sa Albay kag Camarines Provinces... damo ako'n kaila na mga Ilonggo di sa Cebu amo na na compare nakon kon ano an difference sa duha ka mga lenguahe....
Kudos Iloilo! :applause: Good luck and more power!
Thanks soo much, it wouldn't be the same without you guys too:D :D :D
:grouphug:
GROUP HUG
:drunk:
i didn't know iloilo is building a castle.. :D
Yes wecky it said right ... It looks quite weird, I'll be going there tomorrow to have a better look :) It is a new bar/resto in Smallville, there are quite a number of bor/restos popping up there at the moment. The place is turning our to be something of a "mini-Libis".

I had a terrible week!! But whoooooshhhhhh! I was caught off-guard when I saw Iloilo thread 5 instead of 4.

This time, I'll try to make sure that I will be the one posting the last message of this thread!!! Joke!!!!

Hey, Chymera!!! can I have the web address of your online gaming business?

Now, I have a beautiful day!!!!
Heheh, that's why you have to log-in more often :) MAybe you could even start the next thread if you stay long enough :)

Web address ..hmm... It doesn't have a website .... ITs a PC Station in Iloilo, but its not mine... Its a family business >: (
Dugay na ako gabasa sang thread sang Iloilo but only this time that I have a chance to post my message. Gabisita man ako sa forum sang dinagyang kita nyo man ako siguro.
Thanks for posting news, photos and articles about Iloilo. Hope that I could also share soon some articles about Iloilo.

Salamat guid mga kasimanwa!

Congrats sa pang-lima 'ta ng thread!

Go Iloilo!
Hello there lewdsaint, tani ma post ka man diri once and a while ... don't be a stranger :) Feel free to share your articles here
[QUOTE=wecky][I][B]Toto Chymera, negosyante ka naman gali? ... hahaha. Baskog a. Chymera, really glad for you. So young, so talented, and now earning money na? Hmmm .. goodluck, amigo. Dira gid ako sa imo iya. You don't dwell much in your family business (set up by your father), you made your own. Maayo-maayo gid nga bata. :pepper: :pepper: :pepper:

@Chymera,

wow galing mo ah, padayuna guid na imo chy. Guys, we have one future CEO diri sa aton thread ba. There are still lots of business potentials and opportunities there s aton for tech experts and I think you have the edge already so grab mo chy. 加油加油! (Jia you Jia you, go go go!)
I guess .... but I want to be a nurse more! hehe
Cge Weck padayunon ta estoryahanay naton, he he he...
nami na inyo Weck sang mga friends mo kay you're on investments, tsakto guid na. Para pagpuli nyo bisan lagaw lagaw lang da obrahon nyo wala problema na. Kay man may gasulod na may pundo pa! Excited ako sa mga gina post nyo diri nga mga balita sa Iloilo thread kay man it means Iloilo is on the go na guid ya, and this is really a good indication na Iloilo is on the way to prosperity, WOW tani mangin madali kag mangin matuod ini tanan. Ako ya gahulat lang nga matapos ang int'l airport sa Iloilo kag mabakal liwat properties dira sa aton. Just make sure na may in'tl airport kay kabudlay mag travel with connecting flights pa, ok lang kon PAL ka lang pirmi kay tupad lang ang domestic, pero kon mag iban ka nga airlines mabudlay. Manami guid ya kon may direct flight na sa Iloilo. By that time I can bring na cguro a lot of taiwanese tourist sa Iloilo. Indi na sila mag reklamo nga maagi pa sa manila. Last time amo na ang natabo eh, bal an mo naman mga intsik, naga kisik kisik lang, paspas sila kaayo, madasig so gusto nila indi mag waste time sa bisan ano nga bagay, kag syempre sa travel man. Unlike sa aton no, laidback guid kaayo ang life. Hay, i really experienced this sang magpuli ako sa aton, kahinay kaayo sang service. Even sa mga banks, labi na guid sa government offices naton. Ambot kon hasta subong amo man gihapon. This is a not really a good scenario kon gusto naton mag invite sang foreign investors. Imagine kita nga locals ga reklamo gani, how much more sa mga foreigners, di bala? I admit nga nalatnan na ako with the chinese way of doing things, but to think na this is a positive side, why don't we do things in Iloilo in the same manner also, di ba? Imagine last time I went to one of the biggest banks there in Iloilo, it took me many days to process a simple bank transaction. WOW, kon sa Taiwan ina, out ka na, mabankrupt ka guid kon that is the type of service you give to your clients. Although you seldom see lang smiling and very accomodating faces sa taiwan but they give you that fast and quick service, and that is what working people are looking for di bala, indi laminday katama. Makutso kutso anay sa tupad nya antes tapuson ang iya obra, baw nag init guid ang ulo ko. Maayo lang kay na infiltrate na sang chinese subong ang bank nga ina, although i'm not sa happy about it kay tani aton ina nga mga pinoy. Apang kon pinoy lang siguro maputo ina nga bangko, kay man kulang sa good business atmosphere and attitude, not competetive, more on bureaucratic attitudes. I can speak of this well kay man diri ako ga obra sang una. Galing indi lang ako client sang branch nga ini kay nabudlayan kami mag negotiate sang deal sa ila sang una sang ga obra pa ako sa bangko nga ini, puro manila ako, h.o. Bal an mo if you want to invest sang kuarta mo sa let's say, treasury bills or other bonds mas maka save ka sa fees kay don't need na kuhaan sang commission sang branch, diretso na mo. Kag ang exchange rate mas mataas man. Kag medyo madali mag transact.

One time nag process ako sa HLURB sa titling sang lot sang manghod ko kay man ato man sya sa gwa, ti ako na lang nag process kay nahadlok ko basi ibaligya liwat sang tag iya kay man wala pa na transfer sa iya ngalan ang title, so gin process ko na lang. One of the reqt's gin request sang HLURB is to get a blue copy sang original title to see if theres a right of way, and so I went there sa, nalimtan ko kon ano nga office ina, Land ....it's near sa city hall nga office. When I arrive there I saw a post there in their boards, na their service matapos for 20 or 30 mins only . Wow so nalipay guid ako, ok ah madasig. But after waiting for almost 20 mins. the employee attending to me told me that I have to go back the next day na lang kay sako sila and no available hands para mag process sang transaction ko. But I insisted, hambal ko sa iya in a very angry voice, 'hulaton ko subong' kag nag talikod dayon sa iya. I waited there until lunch, mga 3 to 4 hrs. man ang hulat ko kag nakuha ang blue print. Sang nakita na nya gin tawag nya ako nag kadto kami sa 1st floor para mag pa photo copy. And then ginhatag nya sa akon ang copy and she waited sa tupad ko natingala lang ako kon ano pa ang ginahulat nya, gani nag thank you na lang ako kag nag dali dali lakat. When I was on my way sa HLURB, na realized ko nga cguro she was waiting all the while for suhol. I was so happy na lang nga manhid ako, i didn't gave in. Or else I would be blaming myself for being part of the lagay system sa aton. I didn't escaped however, sang nag process ako building and fencing permit, elctrical permit para sa property ko nga ginbakal. Kay man ang process is very complicated kag very tedious. My sister keep on insisting na lagay na lang kay mabudlayan guid kon ako ma process, so no choice guid. It seemed weird for me doing everything by myself, but aside from thinking of saving some fees I also want to see kon how does our public offices works. And I've seen nga indi pa guid puede. Kinahanglan pa guid ang changes and improvements. I'm not sure lang subong kon ok na. Tanan nga criticism ko diri is not only for myself, I just wish the best for our country and especially of course sa Iloilo. Coz nagapati ako nga these scenarios is not only happening sa Iloilo but to other places sa pinas man. We really need change of attitudes if we want to prosper and develop. We need moral and social changes, not only changes in infrastructures and the physical environment. We have to change ourselves from within first. If you happen to be in China, I think you'll clearly see my point. The rapid pace of physical developments of the country is not in pace with the moral and social developments of the people. Indeed you can see high rise buildings, superb and magnificent city landscape, ordinary people wearing business suits in the streets, fantastic tourist spots, views, etc. etc. ; but hey makakita ka rin sang parents nga, gina patae lang ang ila bata sa dalan, gina haboy ang basura bisan diin lang (halong ka maglabay sa mga residential houses labi na guid sa daan nga buildings kay man basi mahabuyan ka basura, maayo lang kon indi tae, through the windows he he he), dupla diri dupla didto, very bad ang service nila sa private or public offices, etc. This is not true lang sa bangko nakon diri, kay man kon may pundo ka nga over 10K RMB lang equivalent sa 60K PHP you're a VIP client and of course you have a special window, no need to fall in line. But to other offices it's not that ideal. Unless they know you're from taiwan. basi bala dakpon na ako diri karon sang polis haw, ha ha ha...Anyway, I hope you guys get my point here, indi na ko mag padayon kay daw kalawig na guid.

Weck hala sigehon ta ni aton istoryahanay ya, with regards sa business suggestion mo, actually medyo expand na rin sya, naga wholesale naman sila kag naga distribute sa mga small stores (tyangge) didto sang goods. Pero ang dako nila kuno nga kita ara sa retailing, kay man mostly didto sa aton ara pa sa low end or middle income bracket. Damo pa guid ang can't afford mag grocery in volume so mabakal pa rin ang retail.

Nami tani kon my business guide para sa Iloilo no, i'm not sure kon may na published nga books about sini, tapos business directory. I remember before you and Chymera mentioned about the book that TNT is gonna publish about sa Iloilo, tapos na? Available na sa market? Mas nami guid tani kon all the informations about doing business in Iloilo is available in the internet. Para madali lang mag put up business sa aton. Information like business rentals fees, avaible office space, list of establishments, list of suppliers, etc. , tani kon in a click of your mouse ara dayon nami guid no like sa iban nga country, like taiwan. hay dreaming, but I hope in a few years time Iloilo can make it all in the net. I hope the city gov't would encourage business establishment to invest more on this infrastructures and technologies.

Ok sa imo da Weck ah barato lang and tawag sa inyo, sa akon diri medyo mahal gani hagan hagan lang ako kay basi bala maubos lang kita ko sa telepono, kanugon man. Ok lang tani kon sa internet wala problema kay free lang so bisan 24 hrs ok lang. I think normally sa country nga wala pinoy amo ini ang sitwasyon. Man indi madamo ang nagagamit sang linya pakadto sa pinas amo na nga mahal pa. Wala masyado transaction ang mga telecom companies sa diri kag sa aton. So no competition, no need for them to offer cheaper rates.

About sa friend mo interested tani sa import export business nami tani kon mabusisi sya to details no, my very clear and excellent picture sya sa business dira sa Iloilo. Bal an mo naman ang business ga depend lang sa aton nga effort, so dapat mapisan kag may initiative, indi lang depend sa tinawo pirmi. Dapat ikaw guid ga pangamot sa negosyo.

Baw daw lawig na guid ni sa sunod naman, kay mabasi mapuno na naman ang aton nga thread, he he he. Ti kmusta lang da imo kag halong man. Pasensya lang dira kon may mga error akon nga post kay man tamad na mag review kay daw kalawig guid, ha ha ha.
Nalingaw nman ako sa inyu duwa ah...

TNT will release the yearbook in January pa during the Dinagyang. Goodluck on your businesses nlng :)

That was a funny story with the girl in HLURB ... malas niya nlng :)

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 05:46 PM

I just wonder if more malls will be adding in the city, what will happen to businesses outside these establishments? It would seem that most people will have spent most of their time in malls instead of strolling around the city; get my point. I admit, I prefer walking around air-conditioned rooms instead of having dehydrated by the city's solar heat. But will happen to these SME's?

Sorry, I have this attitude of starting topics....

I know what you mean, Fer ... actually there's not too many malls around the city. Only that these malles are big enough ... hehehe. SMEs can still survive I guess. Damo pa gani gapatindog tiyangge eh. Dira mo lang mabal-an nga SMEs have still a good place in our city to progress. Actually, I wouldn't worry much about it. I placed Ilonggos employment above anything else than this SMEs and giant corporation proliferating and competing within the city.

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 05:49 PM

Dugay na ako gabasa sang thread sang Iloilo but only this time that I have a chance to post my message. Gabisita man ako sa forum sang dinagyang kita nyo man ako siguro.
Thanks for posting news, photos and articles about Iloilo. Hope that I could also share soon some articles about Iloilo.

Salamat guid mga kasimanwa!

Congrats sa pang-lima 'ta ng thread!

Go Iloilo!

WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME, amigo diri sa aton forum. Glad to see you around here in Skyscrapercity. Wishing that some Dinagyang forumers can drop here from time to time as well. Kasadya man bi to sa Dinagyang forum mo. Well recommended gid ang Dinagyang.Com for all Ilonggos. See you around and help us out in posting photos, articles, etc of progress around our beloved city and province.

Cheers !

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 06:00 PM

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 06:03 PM

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 06:16 PM

Arghh ... Its a family business, not mine :)
Sandrin, hello once again. We miss you here in Iloilo forum. Thought you are really busy there in America. Anyways, I like your suggestion. It could really be true, you know. We have three colleges of medicines here in the city, six or seven colleges/uni offering nursing as well. What else can they ask for? Hopefully, we are gearning towards that directions.

we miss you SANDRIN! yohooo ... guess she's really busy in America, Chy. She's saving for her plan business in Guimaras or Guimbal, I guess. Well Sandrin, having six uniersities and several colleges in 56 sq km city is nothing but a proof of our living-legend medical center in the region.

Hehehe, well not really. I'd probably just hangout somewhere and be a spectator, lol. But I remember when I was young, my dad used to take me streetdancing with competing tribes, or join the parade of the company where my dad works. Now, I don't think I'm up for that. :) I'll be fine taking pictures, the real fun starts at night ...

I remembered once like you Chy ... my father and I did it the same thing as well ... my mom just kept on laughing to death seeing both of us with soot-painted all over our face and doing streetdancing ... hahaha ... it both gave me a smile and shrill all over me once in awhile. Btw, Sarabia Manor Hotel always have there nightly streetdancing for all of Dinagyang's week. It usually starts around 5pm ... hehehe. Dare you to go ...

I'll try to find it too ...

Okay then amigo.

Sampaguita Gardens looks and sound grand!, it totally went beyond my expectation coz my friends from Aklan tell me stories about it... The owner has a really intersting story, especially regarding his "precious moments" dolls

hmmm ... kinda curious, huh. I'll try to ring my friend in Cali about this. He's from Aklan and our cumlaude as well. He might know the story about this Sampaguita Gardens. He never told us about this before. See, sana I went there last year on our way to Boracay.

hehe ako man gani ...bulos2 lang ang dinagyang kag skyscrapercity

sadya man to sa Dinagyang ... basta puro Ilonggo, puro lang kadlaw imo obra ... hahaha. Nice to visit there most of the time.

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 06:32 PM

Thanks soo much, it wouldn't be the same without you guys too:D :D :D
:grouphug:
GROUP HUG
:drunk:

agree gid Chy.

Yes wecky it said right ... It looks quite weird, I'll be going there tomorrow to have a better look :) It is a new bar/resto in Smallville, there are quite a number of bor/restos popping up there at the moment. The place is turning our to be something of a "mini-Libis".

Chy, in front of that Palace resto (The Pirates and Shipwreck), there's another construction on going. Probably additional resto na naman. Kanami da at night time. The place is so alive til 4am basta Fri and Sat. Smallville is creating their impact for Iloilo and Ilonggos. Medyo nadula ang mga Marina, Ocean City, no? They were even toppled down by Barbecue Park now when it comes to business and customer. In food chain naman, Mang Inasal is expanding well. Soon to open (or open na) is Mang Inasal - SM City branch. That will make three Mang Inasal in the city na.

Heheh, that's why you have to log-in more often :) MAybe you could even start the next thread if you stay long enough :)

absolutely !

Web address ..hmm... It doesn't have a website .... ITs a PC Station in Iloilo, but its not mine... Its a family business >: (

That's toto Chymera's business ... lango-lango lang. I know it's your family business ah. Maayo gid ina. Ti, family of business people na di kita dugay-dugay .. mga SMEs ah kung si Ferrersky pa ... hehehe.

Hello there lewdsaint, tani ma post ka man diri once and a while ... don't be a stranger :) Feel free to share your articles here
[QUOTE=Weina]I guess .... but I want to be a nurse more! hehe

'na ya !

Nalingaw nman ako sa inyu duwa ah...

Chy, basi maka-share ka man sa amon ni Weina. Ara si Weina nagapangita man sang extra negosyo oh. Ti, another investor na naman ina sa city naton. Dugang naman ang income sang ciudad, just in case. Ako iya may nahuman na nga plano sa akon paminsaron. Hinay-hinay lang pero gatupa ... hahaha. Budlay na maunahan .. and budlay magtikal ... hahaha.

TNT will release the yearbook in January pa during the Dinagyang. Goodluck on your businesses nlng :)

awaiting for it .. sureball mabakal gid ako biskan mahal pa .. bitbiton ko na diri sa UK no ... paila-ila ... hahaha. Probably, I'll get 3-5 copies .. hatag ko man di sa mga amigo ko nga Ilonggo man sila man nag-start na sang ila mini-businesses kuno ... both in the city and outside. Sounds great, aint' it? That what CPU Centennial brings for Iloilo City and province, less the 100 million and more of projects they gave for CPU alone.

That was a funny story with the girl in HLURB ... malas niya nlng :)

malas niya tuod, wala siya katilaw mo ... hehehe.

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 06:39 PM

Spooktacular halloween @ SM City
By Wein P. Gadian

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/spooktacular1.jpg
Finalist pose for judging

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/spooktacular3.jpg
Wrap me up - Mummy!

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/spooktacular5.jpg
Christopher de la Luna as
Adams Family Winners

Halloween maybe a 'trick or treat' but not for SM City in their TREATS for everyone during the celebration. Fun games and contests which kids and parents alike enjoyed. One treat that made everyone's afternoon last October 31 memorable was the 'Spooktacular Halloween Costume Contest'. It was open to all kids ages 10 and below. One winner was chosen for each of the three categories: The Most Original Costume, Scariest Costume and the Funniest Costume. Another treat given was a special prize for the family who came in Halloween costume dubbed, 'Adam's Family.'

The day ended full of surprises to each of the 202 kids who participated in the Halloween event. A stirring magical performance by a local magician kept the crowd in awe. The girls and boys in their costumes of witches, goblins, elves, superheroes, fairies, fairy tale characters and many more paraded inside the mall prior to the contest.

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/spooktacular6.jpg
Lucena (scarriest)

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/spooktacular7.jpg
Santamena (Most Original)

Dressing up for Halloween is much more exciting for the winners as they brought home P5000 worth of SM Gift certificates and the Adam's Family with an P8000 worth of SM Gift certificates. The winners are: Mark Jasper Santamena (Most Original), John Lloyd Malijan (Funniest) and Mamerto Lucena (Scariest).Christopher De la Luna and his family received the special prize as the winner of the Adam's Family Contest.

Part of SM's Spooktacular Halloween was also the Hat Making Contest. It was open to all interested and was adjudged for creativity, originality, craftsmanship of the hat. Winners received P5000, 1st place, P3000 2nd place and P1500 3rd Place SM gift certificates. Winners of the Spooktacular Hat Making Contest are; Filemon Gayo, Jr as first placer, Arnold Billado as 2nd placer and Celestino Decena as 3rd placer.

The event was sponsored by SM City, Jellyace, Ace Hardware, San Miguel Corporation, Picture City, smart,Universal Rubina Corporation and more. It was also an activity of the Leo Club and the Integrated Lions Club who all came in their Halloween get-up. Dada's Party Favors brought kiddie stuffs and games for kids. Party Bliss's as the event coordinator made things happen as planned...treats for everybody and fun, fun, fun!!! Join next year's Halloween celebration with more treats at SM city.

(from The News Today Info online)

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 06:44 PM

UP VANGUARD FRATERNITY
UPV Iloilo Chapter

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/vanguardcolors.jpg
UPV Colors

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/vanguardball.jpg
Frat Ball

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Boodle fight

We have seen the deterioration of pre-reservist training in this country. The system crumbled before our very eyes, rotting in corruption and derelict by the powers that be.

But for the UP Vanguards, it matters not whether the very foundation of its existence is amidst uncertainty; The Brotherhood isfirm and lives under the shibboleths of 'Honor Untarnished, Duty well performed, and Country Above Self' since its inception 83 years ago.

Not an ordinary fraternity

The UP Vanguard is a civic-military fraternity in the University of the Philippines. It has its roots from the ROTC, and was formally established when the UP Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST) was formally organized in March 17, 1922. It was formally called under various names, and the appropriate choice of the UP Vanguard Fraternity came about with the class 1934.

For many years, the UP Vanguard has been a training ground for Filipino leaders not only in the military but in the government as well.

During the World War II, many of these brave men fought with the resistance forces against the Japanese imperialists, some were even able to distinguish themselves from common soldiers. These distinguished men includeMajor Alfredo Santos, who later became the first four-star general of the AFP; Major Macario Peralta, who carried on the guerrilla warfare in Panay, and whose scientific approach to warfare earned him respect from hiscolleagues;Brig Gen Carlos P. Romulo, later the first UN Secretary General;and Ferdinand Marcos, a Bataan Death March survivor who lived to be one of the most brilliantPhilippine presidents.

There were also those who served during the Korean War. One of thosewas then 2Lt Benjamin Vallejo of class '51, hewas also one of the UP Vanguard men who served during theVietnam War and received a Silver of Gallantry in action and Medal of Honor for civic action duty.

The list of thesedauntless men whooffered their lives forthe service of the country is endless. They are not mentioned here but we know that their sacrifice was not in vain.

http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/vanguardexhibit.jpg
The queue of heroes continues

Saga of Heroes Exhibit The UP Visayas Cadet Corps has been around since 1956, and the establishment of the UPV Iloilo Chapter has been a dream for a long time. This was realized in 2000 during the term of then UPV ROTC Corps Commander, Vgd Hilario, who personally went to UP Diliman to discuss the organizing processunder the supervision of his tactical officers, Vgd Rovel Tomambo and Vgd June Francis Tansiongco. The rest then, became history.

When the ROTC became optional the enrolleeslowered, and this proved to be a difficult time for the Corps. However, Vgd Rovel Tomambo, now a successful realtor based in Makati, encouraged the young UP Vanguards to remain strong and committed. He funded a tour which allowed the Cadet Officers to study the Philippine wars, sponsored the procurement of M16 replicas, air soft guns and other weapons.

A ' UP Vanguard Week' is held in the UP Campus to commemorate the institutionalization of the UPV Iloilo Chapter every year. During the celebration, activities that involve the students are initiated. Examples of such activities are film showing, weapons and visual exhibits, and alumni visit. This week-long celebration ends in a 'Frat Ball' where the young UP Vanguards get a dose of their elders' wisdom and simply enjoy their company.

Students of War
http://www.thenewstoday.info/20051104/vanguardrotc.jpg

UPV ROTC This coming November 20, 2005, the UP Vanguard Fraternity UPV IloiloChapter will be having a Paintball tournament in cooperation with the Junior Chamber International, Metro Iloilo 'Dinagyang' Jaycees, aptly titled 'Tiruhay sa UP Miagao'. The UP Vanguard has invited the ROTC units from the 604th CDC and student/ staff organizations from UPV to join. 'This is not a fund raising event,' says a member. 'In addition to a healthy simulation of warfare, this is meant to foster camaraderie and sportsmanship among the units, and of course among the studentry of UPV'. After all, these students realize that the study of war does not stop in knowing the theories, analysing the geopolitics, foreign policies and local conflicts, but because the field is always the best place to learn.

bagel

November 5th, 2005, 07:05 PM

^ are you a member of this frat?

I'd be wary of any club that is proud that Marcos was a member and called him a most brilliant president.

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 07:46 PM

^ are you a member of this frat?

I'd be wary of any club that is proud that Marcos was a member and called him a most brilliant president.

not at all, Boy .. and I'm not a Marcos fanatic to say the least .. but there you go .. we can't deny that Marcos is a brilliant president (probably not the MOST) ... and of course, we can't deny these people for their diversity of ideas and beliefs.

wecky

November 5th, 2005, 09:31 PM

8 cities shine amid
gloom of RP politics
By Tarra V. Quismundo
Inquirer News Service

WITH OPTIMISTIC passengers on board, "ISA Flight 810" took off on a hopping trip around the country's "dream destinations" despite the threatening skies.

Fueled by hope for fairer weather, the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) gathered mayors from the country's most promising cities for a ride to a sunnier future, in a conference tagged "Vista ISA: A Panorama of our Dream Cities."

"What we are really saying is, not everything in politics is done in Manila, so there's a lot that is very positive that is being done outside Manila," said Jesus Estanislao, chairperson of the ISA, a non-government think tank on good governance.

So far, the cities of San Fernando (La Union), Tagbilaran, Calbayog, Iloilo, Naga, Samal, Cebu and Marikina have fared well, as they have inched closer to goals they aimed to accomplish in five to 10 years from now based on presentations they gave before a gathering of professionals, businessmen, and the youth at the Rizal Ballroom of the
Makati Shangri-La.

In a show of optimism in the midst of the crisis-plagued national government, the ISA led mayors of the eight selected cities in a report on how their cities have progressed since a year ago, when they adopted ISA's Public Governance System (PGS).

The PGS is a performance measurement tool that was a public sector adaptation of the corporate "balanced scorecard" principle, used by companies to determine achievement of set goals within a given period of years.

"There is still hope for our country. While the national government is concerned with the impeachment, the cities are moving forward. The cities have bonded to ensure that basic services are delivered," said Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas.

He was referring to the impeachment complaint against President Macapagal-Arroyo, which arose in the midst of allegations that she had rigged the May 2004 elections.

It was under similar politically turbulent times that ISA was born, as it was established just after the breakdown of an impeachment trial against ousted President Joseph Estrada in 2001. Headed by Estanislao, finance secretary during the tenure of President Corazon Aquino, the ISA began a campaign for effective governance among local government units (LGUs).

And through LGU ties, the ISA selected the best-performing cities a year ago for the pilot application of the PGS, which encouraged local administrations to operate under established mission, vision and set of values from city hall to the grass roots.

The project was supported by a grant from the USAID, the Asia Foundation and the Center for International Private Enterprise in Washington, D.C.

Realistic goals

After consultations with the ISA, the first batch of cities created their Public Governance Roadmaps based on realistic goals in terms of local management, delivery of basic services, education and infrastructure, among other things.

In a nutshell, here's how the mayors envisioned their cities in the near future.

San Fernando: The Botanical Garden City by 2010

Mayor Mary Jane Ortega aims to develop both its environment and its people, with equal focus on nurturing the locale's 20-hectare botanical garden, and providing skills training to constituents to make for a more economically viable city.

Tagbilaran: A Prime Eco-Tourism Hub by 2015

Mayor Dan Neri Lim drafted a plan to improve living standards in his city, where poverty continues to be an affliction. Foremost on the goal list are the creation of more employment, giving locals access to capital and better delivery of health services.

Calbayog: One City, One People, One Culture by 2015

The city aims to bring the government closer to its people to boost pride of place. At the same time, Mayor Mel Sarmiento said the city, with a thriving farming and fishing industry, would like to maximize commercial potentials through skills training and improvement of infrastructure.

Iloilo: Premier City by 2015

This Visayan city aims to be more attractive both as a business and cultural center in the region. Treñas laid out a plan to establish business facilities including a stock exchange, convention centers, manufacturing facilities, and an interconnected mass transport system, while preserving cultural heritage.

Naga City: Model City for Participatory Government by 2015

The thriving city of the Bicol region aims to bring together government, the constituency, the private sector and civic organizations toward city-wide multi-sectoral progress, said Mayor Jesse Robredo, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee for public service.

Samal: Island Garden City by 2015

Mayor Rogelio Antalan envisions his city to become an eco-tourism center at par with international standards, capitalizing on projecting the island-city as "a city of character" that is highly livable, with a "well-preserved and enriched cultural heritage."

Cebu: Most Livable City in Asia by 2015

In a presentation by City Administrator Francisco Fernandez, one of the Visayas region's best known business and tourism centers drafted a plan to make Cebu the most peaceful, cleanest and greenest city in the Asian region.

The city aims to give its constituents the most efficient delivery of basic services, transportation and communications systems, employment opportunities, and an internationally competitive quality of education.

Marikina: A World-Class City by 2015

The only Metro Manila city among the ISA picks, Marikina presented its plan to become a "Little Singapore" someday soon. Banking on improvements initiated by former Mayor and now Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairperson Bayani Fernando, the city, now ran by Fernando's wife Marides, aims to sustain a clean and green program that had turned the Marikina Riverbank into a bustling community park, maintain peace and order, and become "part of the international directory of business, sports, and the arts."

Binding commitment

The mayors present during the conference, including Sarmiento, Treñas, Robredo, Antalan, Ortega and Lim, were also recognized as the first batch of ISA fellows, binding them to the commitment of pursuing the plans they had laid out for their cities.

(from Inquirer.Net)

freezing_pt

November 6th, 2005, 07:18 PM

haay...dasig gid ba...thread V na ta ba....

wecky

November 6th, 2005, 10:06 PM

hi Fer ... hehehe .. we're taking things slowly here in Iloilo thread now ... wala man ta ginalagas ah ... hinay-hinay lang ah ... 1-3 post of news are more than enough .. the rest estoryahanay na di.

wecky

November 6th, 2005, 10:17 PM

current news:

Iloilo gets its 2nd Catholic bishop

BY RAJ PADILLA

ILOILO CITY – Call it a twist of fate but the Ilonggos have all the reasons to be in high spirits. Not only they take pleasure in Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo’s imminent assumption to the presidency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the Ilonggos also celebrate the appointment of Ireneo Amantillo as superior of the Redemptorist Community in Panay and Guimaras.

Amantillo, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Tandag, Surigao del Sur, was named head of the Redemptorist Community late last month, confirmed Fr. Frank Tobin, parish priest of the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in La Paz district here.

Tobin said, as superior of the community, Amantillo would have over-all jurisdiction of the entire Redmptorist Community and its activities in the area. Amantillo replaced Fr. Patrick Sugrue.

A native of Alimodian town in central Iloilo, Amantillo is a known peace advocate, taking into account his participation in peace forums and consultations while still assigned in Mindanao.

He was the first bishop of Tandag, serving from 1978 to 2001, when he left the Diocese of Tandag for health reasons. He was 66 when he retired.

As bishop of Tandag, Amantillo served the entire province of Surigao del Sur and all of its 19 parishes, three Catholic colleges, 13 high schools, four elementary schools and a pre-school.

While bishop of Tandag, Amantillo helped steer the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Missions of which he was vice chair.

Born on December 10, 1934, Amantillo finished his elementary and high school education at the Alimodian Central School and Alimodian High School, respectively.
He studied priesthood at the St. Alphonsus Seminary in Bangalore, India and at the St. Alphonsus Seminary in Cebu City.

Amantillo was ordained priest in Cebu City and bishop in Iloilo City.

Prior to being named bishop of Tandag, Amantillo served as rector of the Redemptorist Community in Iligan City, vice rector of the Redemptorist Community in Bacolod City, novice master of the Redemptorist Community in Lipa City and auxiliary bishop of Cagayan de Oro.

Law students in the Visayas hold confab in Iloilo
By Kathy Villalon Cinco

LAW students from different parts of Visayas had a chance to experience Ilonggo hospitality when they trooped here to attend the 5th Alsp Visayas Regional Conference last October 28 to 30.

Alsp stands for the Association of Law Students of the Philippines. It is a part of the Association of Law Students in the Asian Region (Alsa), which acts as a platform for students in different countries, diverse cultures and various legal systems to meet as friends, as law students and as prospective lawyers. Alsa originated from an Indonesian law students conference in 1989. At present, eight countries are members of Alsa.

Last month's event was in cooperation with the Alsp Regional Board, Central Philippine University (CPU), University of Iloilo (UI), University of San Agustin Colleges of Law and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines -- Iloilo Chapter.

The conference's activities include the motorcade, provincial tour of Miagao, Guimbal, Tigbauan and Molo, cocktails and talks. It was capped with a dinner held at the CPU Educational Media Center last October 29. Mark Borres, president of Alsp Visayas, in his message, stated "We as law students are not only trained in the field of championing the cause of our clients as future lawyers but also as great leaders in our community promoting among others the needs and interests of our fellow Filipinos, particularly this time that our country is wounded with political, economic and social divisions."

He added, "May we become agents of change through the valuable knowledge and skills in law that we possess so we may all discover that all of us can make simple and affordable changes in ourselves and the community that will spark our natural potentials in law and leadership to be as alive, receptive and as focused as possible. This can help bring about justice, charity, peace, joy and prosperity. It is only in this manner that we can make a change and help this country a better place to live in."

Judge Josue Bellosillo, who had been the senior justice of the Supreme Court, was the guest speaker.

His speech focused on the role that lawyers play in solving the crises that the country faces. "We need the guidance of lawyers as leaders by reason of unique and appropriate training. You should be the vanguards of the rule of law. You should act to bring justice to the oppressed and comfort to the impoverished," he said.

He added that the law students can already make "earth-shattering" decisions even if they are not full-pledged lawyers yet.

Others who spoke before the law students were Attorney May Laserna, vice president of the IBP -- Iloilo Chapter and Rev. Juniel Howard Gico, vice president for administration of CPU.

-----

Hotel del Rio: A haven by the river

THERE'S a haven by the river that tourists and fellow Ilonggos crave -- Hotel del Rio.

This Mediterranean-inspired hotel, which is conveniently located beside the scenic Iloilo River, offers an ambience suited for both business and family vacations.

It has 57 fully air-conditioned rooms and suites each with private toilet and bath, hot cold water, telephone and colored television. The selection of guest rooms include: Standard (for single or double occupancy), De Luxe (for single or double occupancy), Junior suite, Executive Suite and Presidential Suite.

It has a clean fresh-water pool, business center, barbershop, souvenir and magazine shop, travel and tours, and a car rental desk for the guest's convenience.

Hotel del Rio accepts banquet reservations for weddings, conferences and seminars, baptismal, special gatherings, and other occasions.

Cafe del Prado serves daily breakfast buffet from 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. This is also an ideal place for rendezvous and great conversations while having a sip of a variety of brews and pastries.

Plazoleta Gay, on the other hand, is ideal for business lunch or dinner date. It serves delightful culinary specialties -- a true landmark. Another gem for a great dinner is the Sunset Terrace, the hotel's main function room. This elegant area serves international cuisine. It's also home to Iloilo's lively band and nights of dancing.

Igma-an is for those who want to dine near the river. The fresh breeze can be enjoyed while one partakes of Igma-an's char-grilled native food.

Ohana is for Japanese food lovers. It serves all kinds of Japanese dishes, including the popular ricebowl, sushi, sashimi with wasabi. Lastly, there's the Director's Room, which is ideal for conferences, board meetings and a party of 40 persons.

Want to know more about Hotel del Rio? One can e-mail the hotel at hdelrio@iloilo.net, call (033) 3351171 to 74 or fax to (033) 3370736. Hotel del Rio is located at MH Del Pilar Street, Molo, Iloilo City.

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Iloilo kiddie run slated Nov. 13

IT'S all systems go for the first-ever Governor's Cup Kiddie Run that starts November 13 at the SM City Carpark in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Race director Raffy Uytiepo said over 500 kids aged 13 and under are expected to participate in the race sponsored by the Iloilo Provincial Government under Governor Niel D. Tupas, SM City Iloilo, Icsec Kaplan, King's Oil, McDonalds, Faforma Boutique, Milo, Trans Asia, Casa Ilongga, Pepsi Cola and Burlington Socks.

"This is a truly grassroots program where children as young as five years old are encouraged to be aware of wellness through physical activities such as running," said Provincial Administrator Manuel Mojorada.

Kid's aged 5 to 7 will run one lap around SM City Carpark while those aged 8 to 10 and 11 to 13 will cover two and three laps respectively. The event's theme is "The children are our future."

Up for grabs are trophies, medals, T-shirts and certificates.

The registration fee of P120 entitles each participant a t-shirt, certificate and kiddie snacks.

Registration is now ongoing at Faforma Boutique at Gaisano City, Casa Ilongga, SM Food Court and McDonald's SM City. (PR)

Weina

November 7th, 2005, 10:57 AM

Nalingaw nman ako sa inyu duwa ah...

TNT will release the yearbook in January pa during the Dinagyang. Goodluck on your businesses nlng :)

That was a funny story with the girl in HLURB ... malas niya nlng :)[/QUOTE]

He he he, Chy you won't mind naman I think if me and Wecky is sort of doing some story telling here, slip out of topics sometimes, he he he... :tongue4:

Weina

November 7th, 2005, 11:26 AM

chymera00

November 7th, 2005, 02:27 PM

Nalingaw nman ako sa inyu duwa ah...

TNT will release the yearbook in January pa during the Dinagyang. Goodluck on your businesses nlng :)

That was a funny story with the girl in HLURB ... malas niya nlng :)

He he he, Chy you won't mind naman I think if me and Wecky is sort of doing some story telling here, slip out of topics sometimes, he he he... :tongue4:[/QUOTE]
waay kaso ah

chymera00

November 7th, 2005, 02:28 PM

Parliamentary-federal gov't to hasten economic growth of cities

By Maricar M. Calubiran

For the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) the parliamentary-federal form of government is favorable to the various city governments as it would hasten their economic growth.

Mayor Jerry Treñas, president of the LCP, said the allocation of financial resources in a federal system is of crucial importance to the development of each city.

With the parliamentary-federal form of government, Treñas said, the city's income would redound to the benefit of the city concerned.

Relatedly, the province of Negros Occidental also favors the parliamentary-federal form of government. This was learned recently from Commissioner Rolando Adamat.

In the proposed amendment of the 1987 Constitution, the Philippines will be called as Federal Republic of the Philippines consist of Federation and New Manila and eleven constituent states and their local governments.

Each state is an autonomous regional movement of the Federal Republic. The territory of the different state is determined by the combination of geographic contiguity of their component areas, their ethnic, linguistic and other cultural aspects of their socio-economic potential and viability.

In the parliamentary-federal government, there will be democratization of powers and resources to the states and their local governments. It will provide the state much freedom to solve prevailing socio-economic concerns.

In the federal set-up, there are more opportunities for consultations with local communities as proponents of investments or development plans shall deal directly with state and local officials.

The debt of the national government shall remain with the national government or in this case, the federal government. There is also a need for the federal government to formulate a sharing mechanism to gather resources to support the servicing of the national debt with a greatly reduced tax and revenue base.

The proposed taxes to be allocated to the States are individual income tax, corporate income tax, Value Added Tax, franchise tax, tax on banks and non-bank financial intermediaries, tax on finance companies, tax on gross receipts of life insurance companies, documentary stamp tax, motor vehicle registration fees, private motor vehicle tax, travel tax and charges on forest products.

Sta. Barbara Golf Course officially the country's 'oldest'

http://thenewstoday.info/20051107/iloilogolfclub.gif http://thenewstoday.info/20051107/iloilogolfclub2.gif

And it's finally official.
Iloilo Golf Club

The Santa Barbara Golf Course in Barangay Cadagmayan, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo has been declared as the country's oldest existing golf course. As such, the National Historical Institute approved the construction of a centennial marker that will formally recognize the site as 'Oldest Existing Golf Course in the Philippines.'

The effort has since been lobbied to the Insititute by Ilonggo historians and officials of the Sta. Barbara Municipal Government and the Provincial Government of Iloilo.
Iloilo Golf Club

In a letter sent to the Capitol, Ambeth Ocampo, chairman of the National Historical Institute confirmed the official declaration following last month's query and request made by the Iloilo Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).

The SP move aimed at having the golf course declared a provincial historical landmark yet with the national recognition, Ocampo said such is no longer necessary.

http://www.iloilogolfclub.com

wecky

November 7th, 2005, 07:44 PM

Nalingaw nman ako sa inyu duwa ah...

TNT will release the yearbook in January pa during the Dinagyang. Goodluck on your businesses nlng :)

That was a funny story with the girl in HLURB ... malas niya nlng :)

He he he, Chy you won't mind naman I think if me and Wecky is sort of doing some story telling here, slip out of topics sometimes, he he he... :tongue4:[/QUOTE]

agree Wein .. too much of high-talking, I guess. At times, it's good to share experiences, wishes and plans ... hehehe .. it make things easier to do.

wecky

November 7th, 2005, 07:55 PM

although not in good mood ako these days but I still don't want to miss anything of this thread. aside from a very unstable weather here lately, sudden init sudden lamig, i just called my mother and learned that she was victimized of pickpockets just right in front of metrobank Iloilo. luckily though the amount involved is only 8K. This is her second case already. the first time inside my house. somebody pretended to rent the house. a guy, good looking, in business attire and alam mo na sweet talker. you will not really assume na manloloko. this time jewelleries naman ang biniktima. I just pity co'z my mother is very old already to lost her trust with people and to have that fear. I just only hope that it will not affect her emotionally and for her to be skeptical of other people because it's too hard to live like that.

very unlikely story, Wein. Halong gid. You know, you can't trust other prople much. It doesn't matter if he is wearing coat and tie .. or in grumpy baggy outlook. Some people are just "manloloko", so halong lang gid maayo.

i visited the dinagyang forum today to see to it that I don't miss any news from Iloilo. I think i'll be a frequent visitor of that forum too. I hope you guys keep posting news and even kotso kotso about Iloilo. Alam mo naman, when there's smoke, there's a fire sabi nila, so ok lang kahit rumors, it helps a lot especially for Ilonggos abroad.

yeah right, Wein .. I love Dinagyang.Com .. you can really have a laugh out there ... nami man kis-a kay iban bungol .. ang mga sunluganay, etc. I just love it. Did you see chymera and friends mini-EB at Balaan Bukid ... hmmm ... thrilling. I haven't been to that place for quite a long time na. Guimaras is always a lovely place for me anyway ... both in memories and in nature ... hehehe. tama gd ina .. didto pwede gid kotso-kotso ... hahaha. See you in Dinagyang.Com from time to time, Wein.

wecky

November 7th, 2005, 07:58 PM

He he he, Chy you won't mind naman I think if me and Wecky is sort of doing some story telling here, slip out of topics sometimes, he he he... :tongue4:

waay kaso ah

pwede man timo ka-join sa amon ah ... hahaha .. laktan ko bala ja kinaray-a .. lantawon ta guid .... hehehe

wecky

November 7th, 2005, 08:41 PM

Parliamentary-federal gov't to hasten economic growth of cities

By Maricar M. Calubiran

For the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) the parliamentary-federal form of government is favorable to the various city governments as it would hasten their economic growth.

Mayor Jerry Treñas, president of the LCP, said the allocation of financial resources in a federal system is of crucial importance to the development of each city.

With the parliamentary-federal form of government, Treñas said, the city's income would redound to the benefit of the city concerned.

Relatedly, the province of Negros Occidental also favors the parliamentary-federal form of government. This was learned recently from Commissioner Rolando Adamat.

In the proposed amendment of the 1987 Constitution, the Philippines will be called as Federal Republic of the Philippines consist of Federation and New Manila and eleven constituent states and their local governments.

Each state is an autonomous regional movement of the Federal Republic. The territory of the different state is determined by the combination of geographic contiguity of their component areas, their ethnic, linguistic and other cultural aspects of their socio-economic potential and viability.

In the parliamentary-federal government, there will be democratization of powers and resources to the states and their local governments. It will provide the state much freedom to solve prevailing socio-economic concerns.

In the federal set-up, there are more opportunities for consultations with local communities as proponents of investments or development plans shall deal directly with state and local officials.

The debt of the national government shall remain with the national government or in this case, the federal government. There is also a need for the federal government to formulate a sharing mechanism to gather resources to support the servicing of the national debt with a greatly reduced tax and revenue base.

The proposed taxes to be allocated to the States are individual income tax, corporate income tax, Value Added Tax, franchise tax, tax on banks and non-bank financial intermediaries, tax on finance companies, tax on gross receipts of life insurance companies, documentary stamp tax, motor vehicle registration fees, private motor vehicle tax, travel tax and charges on forest products.

absolutely agree with parliamentary-federal form of government !

Sta. Barbara Golf Course officially the country's 'oldest'

http://thenewstoday.info/20051107/iloilogolfclub.gif http://thenewstoday.info/20051107/iloilogolfclub2.gif

And it's finally official.
Iloilo Golf Club

The Santa Barbara Golf Course in Barangay Cadagmayan, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo has been declared as the country's oldest existing golf course. As such, the National Historical Institute approved the construction of a centennial marker that will formally recognize the site as 'Oldest Existing Golf Course in the Philippines.'

The effort has since been lobbied to the Insititute by Ilonggo historians and officials of the Sta. Barbara Municipal Government and the Provincial Government of Iloilo.
Iloilo Golf Club

In a letter sent to the Capitol, Ambeth Ocampo, chairman of the National Historical Institute confirmed the official declaration following last month's query and request made by the Iloilo Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).

The SP move aimed at having the golf course declared a provincial historical landmark yet with the national recognition, Ocampo said such is no longer necessary.

http://www.iloilogolfclub.com

that has long been known to be as the oldest in the Philippines and in Asia... there's no point of much proofs for that ... recognising of National Institute is fine .. however, erecting a centennial marker will make it more better ... i just would like to know what the centennial marker looks like then ... hehehe .. that's much better.