Naga and Iriga Cities, and Camarines Sur Province - Compiled Threads [Archive]

Sinjin P.

February 4th, 2006, 02:56 PM

NAGA CITY: The Heart of Bicol

Even before the coming of the Spanish colonial government, Naga, which was then a flourishing village off the riverbanks of the storied Naga River, was already a thriving community. As pointed in the book of Prof. Danilo M. Gerona, a local historian, Naga was then a premier village with a comparatively sophisticated weaponry and surprisingly advanced technology. The name “Naga” derived its origin from the narra trees, which were then in abundance. Thus, in 1573, when the Spanish Troops arrived led by Capt. Juan de Salcedo, the colonizers were amazed to find a community with a fairly well advanced culture. In 1574, Captain Pedro de Chaves founded Ciudad de Nueva Caceres in honor of Don Francisco de Sande, then governor of the province and native of the City of Caceres in Spain. Naga, the premier native village and then a Spanish pueblo, formed part of the Spanish colonial city. Nueva Caceres remained the capital of Ambos Camarines provinces and later of the Camarines Sur province until the formal creation of the independent component city of Naga under the Philippine Republic. Naga’s birth as a chartered city formally took place on December 15, 1948 by virtue of Republic Act No. 305. Rep. Juan Q. Miranda sponsored this legislative act which put flesh into the city’s bid to become among the only few independent component cities in the country.

CIUDAD NIN NAGA has been for hundred of years a center of trade, education and culture, and the seat of governmental and ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

In 1573, on his second expedition to this region, the great conquestador, Juan de Salcedo, discovered here a flourishing Bikol Village called Naga, because it is said, of an abundance of Narra (naga in Bikol) trees about the place. In 1575 (200 years before the start of the American Revolution), Capt. Pedro de Chavez, the commander of the garrison left behind by Salcedo, founded on the site of the present business center (across the river from the original Naga) a Spanish city which he named Ciudad de Caceres, in honor of Francisco de Sande, the governor general and a native of the city of Caceres in Spain. It was still by this name that it was identified in the papal bull of August 14, 1595 that erected the See of Caceres (together with those of Cebu and Nueva Segobia) and made it the seat of the new bishopric.

In time, Spanish city and native village merged into one community and became popularly known as Nueva Caceres, obviously to distinguish it from its namesake in Spain. It had a city government as prescribed by Spanish law, with an ayuntamiento and cabildo of its own. At the beginning of the17th century, there were only five other ciudades in the Philippines.

With the advent of the American rule, it was reduced to a municipality. In 1919, it lost its Spanish name, when, by law, it became officially known as Naga. It acquired its present city charter in 1948, and its city government was inaugurated on December 15 of the same year.

The bishops of Caceres occupied a unique place in the Philippine Catholic hierarchy during most of the Spanish regime. By virtue of the papal brief of Gregory XIII, ecclesiastical cases originating in the Spanish Indies, which ordinarily were appealable to the Pope, were ordered to be terminated there and no longer elevated to Rome. Decisions of bishops were made appealable to the archbishop and those of the latter to the bishop of the nearest see. Thus, in the Philippines, the decisions of the archbishop of Manila were subject to review by the bishop of Caceres whose jurisdiction then extended to the province of Tayabas. In this sense, bishops of Bikol were delegates of the Pope and could be considered primates of the Church of the Philippines.

This was the reason why bishops of Caceres and archbishop of Manila were sometimes engaged in interesting controversies in the sensational Naga case and in such issues as canonical visitation and the secularization of the parishes.
As papal delegate, Bishop Francisco Gainza, then concurrently bishop of Caceres, sat in the special ecclesiastical tribunal which passed upon the civil authorities' petition to divert Fathers Burgos, Gomez, and Zamora of their priestly dignity. Gainza did not only refuse the petition but also urged their pardon.

Situated at the center of the Bikol peninsula and surrounded on all sides by rich agricultural, forest and fishing areas, Naga is also at the confluence of the Naga and Bikol Rivers. Thus, it has always been an ideal place for trade, and as center for schools and church and government offices.

In downtown Naga, just opposite Naga's tallest structure, the Holiday Hotel, you will see a park situated between Peñafrancia Ave. and Elias Angeles Street, and right in the middle of it the lofty monument to Bikol's Quince Martires. Actually, Bikol's martyrs of freedom number in the thousands but these fifteen have been specially singled out as symbols of the rest because on January 4, 1897, just five days after Dr. Rizal was executed, eleven of them were likewise shot at Bagumbayan field in Manila. The others died for country in exile or in prison.

They were avenged, however, at the Peñafrancia Fiesta, September 18, 1898 for corporals Elias Angeles and Felix Plazo convinced their fellow members of the guardia civil not to allow the same fate to befall them as had befallen the Daet patriots. So on the night of the fiesta they attacked the Spanish officers' quarters, routed them and then did battle with the rest of the Spanish community who had established themselves in the convento of the historic San Francisco Church (just opposite the Quince Martires monuments, its old bell tower can still be seen). When word of this startling defeat reached Partido, Legazpi, Sorsogon and Catanduanes, all Spanish forces and governmental men withdraw to Iloilo.

Sad to say, in January 1900, the American imperialistic forces invaded Camarines Sur and headed for Naga. However, Naga resident General Ludovico Arejola, organized a large guerilla army and fought the Americans at Agdangan, Baao. Afterwards he set up a camp in the mountains of Minalabac and held out for a full year and two and two months more, until rampant sickness forced the surrender of himself and his men in a formal ceremony in Naga on March 31, 1901. In late December 1941, Naga was again put under another foreign power, Japan, but once again on May 1 and 2, 1942; the combined guerilla forces of the province smashed their way into Naga. Their main purpose in doing so was to liberate the 30 American prisoners in the provincial jail. At the risk of their own lives and those of their relatives and neighbors not only freed, but also sheltered their former colonizers in the mountain.

On April 9, 1945, a large number of Major Juan Q. Miranda's guerillas again attacked the Japanese forces in Naga. American planes also heavily bombed the city. The American army arrived finally on April 27. Naga became a chartered city in 1948.

On the first decade of 1700's the first chapel to the Virgin Mary of Peñafrancia was constructed just above the city and along the banks of Naga River that is the avenue upon which the image is triumphantly borne from downtown Naga on the afternoon of Peñafrancia Saturday. This devotion is an authentic regional fiesta and the population of the city more than doubles on those days as pilgrims come from all over the six Bicol provinces as well as many from Manila and other distant places to share in this great religious experience and festival.

Three (3) of the most venerable institutions and structures in Naga are clustered together along the upper part of Elias Angeles Street. They are the Cathedral that begun in the year 1816, the Holy Rosary Seminary and the Colegio de Sta. Isabel. Founded in 1793 as both a college and a seminary, The Holy Rosary Seminary is one of the oldest schools in the republic. It educated literally thousands of the sons of all the leading families from as far north as Mauban, Quezon, and as far south as Leyte. In 1925, the laymen’s department was separated from the seminary and became the Camarines Sur Catholic Academy, which in turn, in 1940 became the Ateneo de Naga. Naga Parochial School took over the training of the elementary boys in 1948.

In 1868, the first normal school for women in the entire Orient was established in Naga as the Colegio de Sta. Isabel. Each parish in Bikol was required to send at least one pensionada to study there that they might be trained to run the parochial school in their own home place. The colegio’s present day population of more than 5,000 shows the appreciation of the Bikol people for its century of work for Bikol youth.

The University of Nueva Caceres, adjacent to Naga’s Centro, is the first university in southern Luzon. Over 9,000 students are being trained “non scholae ser vitae” in its halls. Students come from as far south as Zamboanga to attend its law, engineering, commerce, liberal arts courses. Its Bicol Museum is the best in the entire Peninsula.

Naga has a multitude of other fine schools: Naga College Foundation, Camarines Sur National High School, Bicol College of Arts and Trade, Naga City Science High School, St. Joseph School, Hope Christian School, Philippine Union College and many energetic business and fashion academies.

Sinjin P.

February 4th, 2006, 02:58 PM

Naga City in Pictures

Naga City Public Market
What meets the eye when crossing the Tabuco bridge is the hubbub of traders and marketgoers at the Naga City Public Market, one of the largest supermarket in Southeast Asia.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/4/4_20030903162529.jpg

Bichara Mall
The Bichara Mall in General Luna street is a convenient haven of shoppers and on-lookers for today's latest fashion trends.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/4/4_20030903132305.jpg

Balogo Beach
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/contrib.approved/6_20030923154511.jpg

Peñafrancia Basilica Minore
In 1985, a new bigger house was built for Ina in barangay Balatas to accommodate the increasing number of devotees who come to thank and pay homage to the Virgin.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/4/4_20030912101426.jpg

Naga: A Rising Metropolis
The busy south entry point shows heavy volume of inward traffic cutting through a bustling commercial area along General Luna Street in Naga City.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/6/6_20030922132731.jpg

Milaor Church and Tower
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/contrib.approved/4_20030923154425.jpg

Walls of Colors
Gurit Bikol, a Naga-based group of artists recently launched a campaign to grace the vacant walls of the city through colorful paintings of varied subjects. This to counteract the growing fondness for vandalism and redirect the energy of the youth to more worthwhile activities.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/4/4_20040107191532.jpg

Plaza Quezon
The newly built Plaza Quezon standing proud at the heart of Naga's bustling commercial area treats constituents and visitors with various spectacles and cultural presentations.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/6/6_20040826140408.jpg

Yuletide Landmark
The giant christmas tree in the middle of the busy commercial strip at Plaza Quezon stands bright and beautiful to greet Nagueños with holiday cheers this season.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/6/6_20031216111508.jpg

Above and Beyond
Space adventure at the refurbished Bicol Science and Technology Centrum adds perk to curious visitors. Impressed by the life size wallpaper space shuttle, this space enthusiast takes a closer look at what goes above and beyond.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/6/6_20040126164855.jpg

Mt. Isarog at Sunrise
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/contrib.approved/1_20050606092427.jpg

Pedestrian Crossing
With the newly painted and more visible pedestrian lanes at the old business district, unruly drivers don't have any reason not to give way to the passersby especially during traffic clogged rush hours.
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/7/7_20031216111312.jpg

Our Lady of Peñafrancia Fiesta
http://www.naga.gov.ph/gallery/photos/5/5_20050927105506.jpg

kevinb

February 8th, 2006, 02:43 PM

ei!!! :D
tenks for d compliments..weheh..
tenks also,sinjin for helping me out.. :cheers1:

Sinjin P.

February 8th, 2006, 02:52 PM

^No prob! :okay: I hope I could go to Naga someday. I want to discover the culture and the development in Naga. :)

kevinb

February 8th, 2006, 03:07 PM

it's go0d to come to naga during peñafrancia fiesta..
many gigs are happening..weheh..
jst last fiesta,many many many many bands went there..
especially the gayon bicol fiesta 3 which coincided with the 2005-fiesta.. :)

drfeelgood17

February 8th, 2006, 04:03 PM

Hey Kevin - I was about to post some Naga pics but Sinjin beat me to it! hehe
Anyway they're pretty much the same as Sinjin's.

Matteo

February 8th, 2006, 06:09 PM

kevinb, are you in naga now?
if you are and if you've got a cam, go take some shots for us and post em here hehehehehehe hihi.
we're all thirsty for pics :lol:

hi doc. how are you

drfeelgood17

February 8th, 2006, 06:11 PM

^^ Yeah Kev, take somore more pics pls!! Of Legazpi too if you can! thanks
hELLO Matt - hows pac man today?

Matteo

February 8th, 2006, 06:19 PM

:hahaha:

i didnt have breakfast so im kinda starving doc. hehee
you know what place i wanna see in pics?- Iriga City.

drfeelgood17

February 8th, 2006, 06:27 PM

^ just google....mind you there's probably not a lot to see ...

Matteo

February 8th, 2006, 06:31 PM

yap all i saw were old ones...

kevin, whatever happened to Bichara Complex?
hey doc you still coming to the ny meet?

drfeelgood17

February 8th, 2006, 06:49 PM

^ I hope so....not 100% sure though...depends on when exactly it will take place.

jayzee25

February 10th, 2006, 11:06 AM

so, naga is now catching up with 2 new but still-on-the-planning malls, huh? sm naga and pacific mall! keep going on naga!

kevinb

February 11th, 2006, 10:19 AM

Matteo

February 11th, 2006, 11:16 AM

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/mass.gif

The formal opening of Robinsons Supermarket at the city’s newest downtown shopping mall, Naga E-Mall.

manileño

February 11th, 2006, 11:22 AM

wow. i didnt realize there was a separate thread for another Bicolano city, Naga.
Looks like the same cast tho.. except there's kevinb. :)

:applause: Congratulations to Naga, Camarines Sur for their first thread :applause:

Matteo

February 11th, 2006, 11:23 AM

thanks manila boy

kevinb

February 11th, 2006, 11:24 AM

yeah!!lol!!
i ddnt even new that e-mall has oledi opened..
p0or me..im so far away from my place.. :no:

manileño

February 11th, 2006, 11:30 AM

@Matt, bakit ikaw nagtetenks? taga Naga ka rin? o Bicol pride lang? :lol:
Nakakatawa si Esteban din o, andaming post dito. hehe

kevinb

February 11th, 2006, 11:37 AM

@Matt, bakit ikaw nagtetenks? taga Naga ka rin? o Bicol pride lang? :lol:
Nakakatawa si Esteban din o, andaming post dito. hehe

cno si esteban?? :)

Matteo

February 11th, 2006, 11:39 AM

si esteban si steve o si doc

ok bicol pride na nga hehehe
no i have friends in naga and its a very nice place.
i love it there

kevinb

February 11th, 2006, 11:42 AM

si esteban si steve o si doc

ok bicol pride na nga hehehe
no i have friends in naga and its a very nice place.
i love it there

so steve is drfeelgood? :)

tenks for liking naga..heheh.. :)

manileño

February 11th, 2006, 11:42 AM

^ buti pa talaga ang may mga probinsya. Ako naman even if i were from Quezon, i don't associate much with Batangas, or Laguna. Siguro nga cos Tagalog is already national.

kevinb

February 11th, 2006, 11:46 AM

maybe..pro ok din nmn s quezon ah?my mom's from lopez,quezon.. :)

Matteo

February 11th, 2006, 11:50 AM

So whatever happened to this. I haven't read any more updates...
Hopefully it still pushes through, and not be hindered by politics.
As far as SM and Pacific Mall goes, I dont think Pacific is scared of SM and its competition. They did it in Lucena.

Rendering for Landco Pacific's Pacific Mall Naga City:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/pmallnaga.jpg

And the proposed 12 hectare business park:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/pmallnaga2.jpg

Avenue Square Mall, Naga City:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/avenue.jpg

manileño

February 11th, 2006, 11:51 AM

^ haha. di ko alam yang lopez. medyo may kalayuan yata na yan.

kevinb

February 11th, 2006, 11:55 AM

^ haha. di ko alam yang lopez. medyo may kalayuan yata na yan.

sort of..heheh..
mejo mlapit n xa s bicol eh.. :)

drfeelgood17

February 12th, 2006, 03:25 AM

^ haha. di ko alam yang lopez. medyo may kalayuan yata na yan.

I think Lopez is after Lucena, on the way to Camarines Norte.

Jubelum

February 12th, 2006, 02:14 PM

yeah..SM and pacific..go naga!! :cheers:

im not on naga ryt now..
sorry..heheh..im at UP los baños ryt now..studying.. :runaway:
heheh..
im not criticizing iriga city much,,but there's really nothing to be seen..
very few infrastructure..just like other cities in the region..
but mind you,iriga is the 3rd richest city in bicol after legazpi and naga..
but in physical development,,nothin much..

hey, how do we know, if iriga is the 3rd richest city in bicolandia?
ive seen the progress in Sorsogon and Tabaco city, but Iriga? i think there is really nothing there...

drfeelgood17

February 14th, 2006, 02:03 AM

I'm not very familiar with Iriga, so I can't really comment. What I can say is that both Tabaco and Sorsogon are currently thriving. I think Bicol was quite lucky this year as there were very few strong typhoons - most of them headed further north than usual. So hopefully the income levels for 2005 will be good for Region 5.

kevinb

February 15th, 2006, 03:31 PM

hey, how do we know, if iriga is the 3rd richest city in bicolandia?
ive seen the progress in Sorsogon and Tabaco city, but Iriga? i think there is really nothing there...

well,,im pertaining to annual income,,that is..heheh..
i saw in the net that iriga is the only 3rd class city..
all others are 5th class,except for naga and legazpi which are 1st class cities.. :)

Matteo

February 15th, 2006, 06:15 PM

well,,im pertaining to annual income,,that is..heheh..
i saw in the net that iriga is the only 3rd class city..
all others are 5th class,except for naga and legazpi which are 1st class cities.. :)
i dont think sorsogon, tabaco and ligao cities are considered 5th class, dude
that's like a town or something

Matteo

February 15th, 2006, 06:24 PM

Ok here:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/bicolcities.jpg

- http://bicol.da.gov.ph/Statistics/regional_profile.html

Matteo

February 15th, 2006, 06:45 PM

uh-oh.
Then I found this too:
I think kevin's right, with the exception of Iriga, the rest are 5th class.
Wonder what that means...
nalito ako

CITY OF TABACO
050517000 5th Class* Component Partially Urban 1st 63,987

CITY OF LIGAO
050508000 5th Class* Component Partially Urban 3rd 48,178

IRIGA CITY
051716000 3rd Class Component Partially Urban 4th 44,924

CITY OF SORSOGON (Capital)
056216000 5th Class* Component Partially Urban 1st 47,971

CITY OF MASBATE (Capital)
054111000 5th Class* Component Partially Urban 2nd 35,052

- http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/regview.asp?region=05

Matteo

February 15th, 2006, 07:19 PM

NAGA CITY, Bicol

Street shots:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/nagacity1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/nagacity2.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/nagacity3.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/275864809WtCHMI_ph.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/275864900wujUvW_ph.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/275865009MLLmrR_ph.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/275865226tNGeeu_ph.jpg

LCC Mall, Naga City:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/lccnaga.jpg

Penafrancia Festival:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/482067315mDZBpN_ph.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/465805760pgfIZl_ph.jpg

drfeelgood17

February 15th, 2006, 10:06 PM

[QUOTE=Matteo]uh-oh.
Then I found this too:
I think kevin's right, with the exception of Iriga, the rest are 5th class.
Wonder what that means...
nalito ako

Now you've confused me too! :bash:
Your post 49 contradicts post 48...so which is correct? :)

Lili

February 16th, 2006, 12:53 AM

Nice. Thanks Kevin. I want to visit Naga, too. I see that the major form of transportation is the tricycle.

What are the culinary delicacies in this area?

olineil

February 16th, 2006, 02:37 AM

Matteo

February 17th, 2006, 06:37 PM

CSur provincial board wants airport renamed after Pili town
By Juan Escandor, Jr.

PILI, Camarines Sur—The provincial board of Camarines Sur has approved on Tuesday a resolution asking President Macapagal-Arroyo to issue an executive order that renames Naga Airport to Pili Airport.

Sponsored by board member Angel Naval, the resolution was aimed at correcting the impression that the airport here is located in Naga City.

In his introductory speech on the resolution, Naval said that it is just but proper that the airport here be named after the town of Pili which maintains the airport even as the tourism map names it as Naga Airport.

for the complete story: http://www.bicolmail.com/issue/2006/feb16/csur.html

source: http://www.bicolmail.com/issue/2006/feb16/csur.html

-------

Why was Camarines Sur's capital changed from Naga City to Pili?
It doesn't make sense to me. Naga is the hub of everything in Cam Sur

kevinb

February 18th, 2006, 12:12 PM

bout the iriga thing,,i think this will help evryone..

http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/listcity.asp

and population is not a major basis if a city will be 1st class or what..
it's mainly the income..

kevinb

February 18th, 2006, 12:18 PM

Naga, Legazpi rank on top 10
of RP's most dynamic cities

NAGA, along with Legazpi City, has been chosen one of the “Most Competitive Small Cities in the Philippines” by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in its Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2005.

A double victory for Bicol which ironically has been rated as the second most depressed region in the county, Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo and Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal received their respective awards during rites held last Feb. 13 in Makati City.

In an interview with local mediamen upon his return from Manila the following day for the Valentine celebration, Robredo said Naga was “honored for our economic dynamism, participatory governance, accountability and effective initiatives on information communication technology that taken together contributed immeasurably to the progressive transformation of Naga as a competitive, investment-friendly city.”

The citation, etched in a glass trophy, was signed by AIM President and former Finance Secretary Roberto F. de Ocampo and AIM Executive Director Dr. Federico M. Macaranas.

It reads in part: “The city (Naga) has provided an environment that nurtures the progress and dynamism of its local enterprises and industries. It also has obtained one of the highest overall competitiveness ratings among the Small Cities based on cost of doing business, infrastructure, human resource, linkages and accessibility, quality of life, local governance, and dynamism of local economy.”

The competitiveness ranking covered 65 cities nationwide comprised of 13 metro cities, 15 mid-sized cities, and 37 small cities.

Business owners of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) were the primary respondents for the survey, which formed one of the bases for the competitiveness ranking. Thereafter, industry associations, local chamber officials and businessmen were convened to discuss issues relevant to the city’s overall performance. The cities competitiveness ranking project is aimed at looking at the ability of leading and emerging Philippine cities to nurture healthy businesses and communities. The project is supported by the USAID, the Asia Foundation, and gtz, a German non-government organization.

“An examination of the cities’ strengths and weaknesses is an imperative task in coming up with better recommendation for the cities’ development,” an AIM statement stressed.

c0kelitr0

February 18th, 2006, 12:20 PM

kevinb

February 18th, 2006, 12:26 PM

ei matteo,,to answer ur sig..
Csur's capital was moved to Pili because Naga was transformed into an "independent component city" like Ormoc city in Leyte and Baguio in Benguet..
meaning,,the city is a component of the province,like naga in Csur,only in geographical terms..
but in government terms,,naga city is independent..
that's why naga city is not voting for Csur's governor..
the province has no direct contact with the city government..
the city can move freely on its own without asking consent from the provincial government..

kevinb

February 18th, 2006, 12:27 PM

They should have revised the classification by now...for god's sake it's already 2006! that classification is based on 1999-2001 incomes!

you can look at what link i have posted a while ago.. :)

kevinb

February 18th, 2006, 02:15 PM

Metro Manila cities top business survey

By CHERYL M. ARCIBAL
The Manila Times Reporter

Cities of the National Capital Region still dominated the list of most investor-friendly localities, the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2005 reported on Monday.

Cities in Mindanao however figured prominently in the list of most competitive mid-size and small cities, indicating an improvement in the performance of their local governments (LGU).

The poll used seven criteria for its ranking, namely the cost of doing business, dynamism of local economy, linkages and accessibility, human resources and training, infrastructure, responsiveness of the LGU to business needs and the quality of life.

The report cited Davao, Las Piñas, Makati, Marikina and Muntinlupa as the most competitive metro cities, with Marikina topping the survey in infrastructure, responsiveness of the LGU to business needs and the quality of life.

Davao was voted as the city which had the least cost of doing business, while Makati excelled in human resources and training.

Although Manila was voted as having the most dynamic local economy, it failed to get a high rating on other standards.

The most competitive mid-size cities were Bacolod, Batangas, Iligan, Iloilo, and San Fernando (in Pampanga province).

Bacolod dominated in infrastructure and quality of life; Batangas in linkages and accessibility and the responsiveness of the LGU to business needs; and Iloilo in human resources and training.

Zamboanga got the highest ranking in cost of doing business and dynamism of local economy but they were not enough to put the Mindanao city among the top five.

The top 10 small cities were Dagupan, Koronadal, Legaspi, Naga, Olongapo, San Fernando (La Union province), Santa Rosa, Surigao, Tagbilaran and Tagum.

Dagupan was ranked first in human resources and training, while Koronadal got high ratings in cost of doing business and infrastructure.

Olongapo also scored well in linkages and accessibility and in human resources and training. Santa Rosa had the most dynamic local economy and also did well in responsiveness of the LGU to business needs.

Surigao had the least cost of doing business while Tagbilaran had the best quality of life.

Coming in second on the quality of life criterion was Naga. It also got good ratings in human resources and training and the responsiveness of its LGU to business needs.

Tagum, meanwhile, got good grades in responsiveness of the LGU to business needs.

The project, which included 65 cities, was undertaken by the Asian Institute of Management Policy Center, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development, the Asia Foundation and the German Technical Cooperation.

kevinb

February 18th, 2006, 02:39 PM

Report Shows Naga Investments Bullish in 2005naga.gov.ph

NOTHWITHSTANDING the financial crisis hounding the nation, total amount of investments in Naga City in 2005, including new subdivision development, surpassed it's past year's performance, posting P1.63-billion in 2005 in new investments, compared to P88.6 million registered in the previous year, or a marked improvement of 84.93%.

This was bared by Naga City Investment Board executive director Reuel Oliver in his year-end report to Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo.

Oliver also reported that Naga City managed to double the entrance of new first-class subdivisions, from 3 in 2004 to 6 in 2005. The number of new enterprises, however, registered a slight increase, from 1,010 in 2004 to only 1,013 in 2005, or a variance of 0.3%.

He added that while registration of new building permits was down at 95 in 2005 from 118 in 2004, investment amounts covered by the new building permits for commercial, industrial and institutional establishments reached P643.1-million in 2005 compared to P430.1-million in 2004, or a variance of 49.53%, another marked improvement in these trying times.

kevinb

February 18th, 2006, 02:41 PM

Bicol Tourist Arrivals Hit .5Million Mark

naga.gov.ph

FOREIGN tourist arrivals in Bicol rose by 19% while domestic tourists increased by 5% in 2005 compared to 2004 figures, latest report from the regional office of the Department of Tourism based in Legazpi City shows.

A total of 471,409 domestic tourists arrived in Bicol in 2005, compared to 449,295 posted during the previous year; foreign travelers numbered 29,969 in 2005 compared to 25,143 registered in 2004, or a total of 501,378 tourists (domestic and foreign) in 2005 as against 474,438 in 2004.

There is clearly a regional increase of 6% where for the first time Bicol hit the half million mark, which was DOT’s target for 2005.

Legazpi and Naga, the traditional hub for Albay and Camarines Sur, respectively, occupied the first two highest number of tourist arrivals. Legazpi/Albay registered a total number of 160,185 tourists in 2005 while Naga/Camarines Sur posted 144,252 tourists during the same period.

Legazpi/Albay’s increase, however, from its previous record in 2004 was pegged at only 5%, or one percentage point lower than the regional average of 6%; while Naga/Camarines Sur soared higher at 6.38%.

But the biggest performers in terms of improved arrivals are Catanduanes (from17,745 in 2004 to 28,305 in 2005) and Masbate (from 50,812 in 2004 to 62,512 in 2005) which posted an increase of 59.50% and 23.03%, respectively.

As expected, Legazpi/Albay posted the biggest number of foreign tourist arrivals at 15,372 in 2005 compared to second placer Naga/Camarines Sur’s 4,266.

Noticeable also, is Sorsogon’s leap, from 1,844 foreign tourists in 2004 to 3,662 in 2005, due mainly to increasing popularity of the “Butanding” or Whale Shark watching/interaction in Pilar, Sorsogon, DOT Regional Director Nini Ravanilla pointed out.

Whale Shark watching in Sorsogon is Bicol’s flagship eco-tourism allure, the regional tourism director added.

Overall, Sorsogon registered an increase of 10.47% in 2005 from its previous year’s record.

In the ranking of provinces, Masbate replaced Camarines Norte in third place, with 62,512 and 58,667 total tourist arrivals in 2005, respectively. In fact, Camarines Norte was the only province that posted a decrease in its tourist arrivals at negative 12.53%.

The DOT regional office clarified that the basis of tourism arrival report per province are the registry books of hotels, resorts, and other accommodation facilities where a tourist booked for at least an overnight stay. The report does not include visitors (domestic and foreign) who opted to stay in private homes or through unregistered homestay facilities.

Director Ravanilla suggested a mechanism to input the otherwise unlisted visitors, balikbayan and backpackers who chose to stay in private homes and non-commercial billeting facilities in order to have a more realistic monitoring of tourists and travelers to Bicol.

She noted that regional, national and international conventions and seminars, FilAm-sponsored medical missions, sports and cultural events are the biggest contributors to visitor arrivals. She noted the heightened influx of visitors during the Peñafrancia fiesta and the Gayon Bicol Festival held in Naga City, as well as the various government national and regional conventions hosted by Legazpi City and the packaged eco-tourism tours to Sorsogon.

Naga City last 2004 hosted the 1st international rondalla festival where 340 musicians from 5 countries and the Philippines were billeted in the city’s hotels for 7 consecutive days whose accommodation and food expenses were shouldered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, with counterpart funding assistance from the city government. This was duplicated in February 2005 by the 120 FilAm surgeons from Washington D.C. and Chicago who stayed for 6 days in at least two hotels and spent through their own bankbooks some P8-million for billeting, food, native crafts and novelties, and entertainment alone. Another P11-million were spent by the visiting surgeons, the amount representing the cost of medicines and equipment brought here from the US, more medicines locally purchased, and the equivalent professional cost of major surgical operations that were conducted for free.

Matteo

February 21st, 2006, 12:48 AM

How close to, or far from Naga City is this place?

C A R A M O A N P E N I N S U L A Camarines Sur, Bicol Region

Caramoan is composed of islands big and small, craggy peaks, sheer cliffs and imposing limestone rock formations, powdery white and pink-sand beaches, crystal clear waters, hidden lakes, enchanting caves, freshwater underground stream and magnificent diving spots that will captivate your heart and senses and make you in love with this unexploited slice of Eden. It’s an island with self-respect, a paradise for people who know better than to believe in paradise..

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/306032423NHEPSn_ph.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/306032248ORGPHe_ph.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/123278968jdSPSH_ph.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/123278819UEoExo_ph.jpg

related article: http://www.pilmap.com.ph/PILMAP%20(Special%20Edition)/Header/caramoan.htm

tigidig14

February 21st, 2006, 05:37 AM

^wow bicol has those too :eek2:
love the pics second to the last

Kaiser

February 21st, 2006, 07:08 AM

Beautiful!

c0kelitr0

February 21st, 2006, 08:14 AM

omg bicol looks like palawan or surigao!

manileño

February 21st, 2006, 08:45 AM

ans the WASP will laugh and say Caramoan? I just been to Sexmoan (a town in Pampanga). :lol: :jk:

drfeelgood17

February 21st, 2006, 04:11 PM

^ Harharharh Juan......
Yeah just imagine.....if you get asked: place of birth sir? Sexmoan?? I thought that town wanted to change it's name as a result of all the ridicule? Isn't there another town called Condom, also in Pampanga? It really is a horny province....
Caramoan Peninsula is a about an hour or so by car from Naga, or even 2 hours as it's a very large peninsula with the most remote parts only served by narrow roads. We really need a decent road infrastructure in Bicol so places like these get visited more often.

manileño

February 21st, 2006, 04:32 PM

Matteo

February 22nd, 2006, 06:23 PM

Naga Hailed as Most Cost Effective City in Asia

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/naga.jpg

David East, publisher of London-based Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) magazine came to town Tuesday (Feb. 21) to hand over to Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo the citation for Naga City as most “Cost Effective” (city category) in its search for “Asian Cities and Regions of the Future (for year 2005-2006)” whose winners were featured in the magazine’s Dec. 2005-Jan. 2006 issue. www.naga.gov.ph for full story.

source: Naga City Website
photo credit: www.naga.gov.ph

kevinb

February 25th, 2006, 09:53 AM

whew!
i wasnt able to log in for quite a time..
heheh..
caramoan peninsula is 2-3 hours from downtown naga..
it is on the eastern tip of camarines sur,facing the pacific ocean..
it really is beautiful there..
the bad thing is that the road going there is a hassle..
and narrow..
hope gov. l-ray does something about it,.

kevinb

February 25th, 2006, 10:01 AM

Matteo

March 8th, 2006, 06:55 PM

Naga City's newest shopspots:

Nagaland E-Mall

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/emall.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/4_20060308102628.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/4_20060308103238.jpg

Chris2pher

March 8th, 2006, 10:00 PM

Nice! New mall to stroll around. Where's this new mall located, btw?

=========
Plaza Rizal

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/7a4dfbfe.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/2731d014.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/d1a1f3e9.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/79e1dbd2.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/7e2d4f74.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/x7.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/x8.jpg

============
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/x9.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/robbonto/2663f1fa.jpg

Matteo

March 9th, 2006, 02:54 AM

Chris2pher

March 9th, 2006, 10:01 PM

Pardon, bro, but I don't...at the moment. 'Pa-ayos ko muna 'yun notebook ko (where most of my pics were stored) 'coz it isn't charging properly.

About LCC Naga, the last time I was there, their business hours were shortened. I believe the mall now closes at around seven in the evening on weekdays...which really sucks coz those were the only times I mostly enjoy hanging in there.

By the way, have any of you guys ever gone to Club M8 (?) along Magsaysay Ave.? I think it is a nice place to hang out during late night hours. Good music ang lots of cool chiks :cheers:

kevinb

March 10th, 2006, 01:05 PM

^^ nice ones, chris2pher.
You got any shots of LCC Mall Naga? interiors and exteriors?
I think LCC Naga looks good.

I duno where E mall is located.
Maybe kevinb can tell us, but he hasn't been logging on for weeks. hehe
I think he's busy with school

u got that ryt matteo..hehehe..
Emall is found near the parish of san francisco..
i think 1 or 2 blocks away from plaza rizal..=D

kevinb

March 10th, 2006, 01:47 PM

@chris: clubm8 is a good restobar in naga..
but there are still more to see.heheh..
too bad i dont have pix of those bars..hehe..

another mall will open i think this 2nd quarter of the year..
it's called the avenue square..

Lifestyle Center has finally arrived in Naga City.

A new lifestyle center will soon open right at the heart of Naga City’s entertainment zone - Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City in the middle of November, this year.

The Avenue Square, as the lifestyle center is named, is envisioned to be an oasis of landscaped open areas, patio views, ample parking and dynamic architecture.

It will feature two function halls or a convention center, which can accommodate about 600 persons. It will also offer a great mix of restaurants, bars, convenience store, shops and hang-outs. More than 2,000 square meters of commercial space is available for lease.

Don’t worry about parking space, the center has a total of 3,000 square meters of parking area available, found at the back of the center.

The Avenue Square is being administered by G7 Holdings, Inc., an affiliate of G7Bank.

Zandro O. Babol, project officer for the center, said Avenue Square is “a place where family, businessmen, professionals and friends could converge.” He said G7 Holdings has commissioned ADI Ltd., the landscape artist for Greenbelt in Makati, to do the landscaping for the Avenue Square. Royal palm trees will be lined up in front of the edifice, he said.

As to the tenants, he said what he can divulge at the moment, is that Max’s Restaurant and Mocha Blends are two of the famous food establishments from Metro Manila that will cater to the visitors of the center.

“We have a study which shows that the city is ripe for a lifestyle center,” Babol said.

The Avenue Square will serve its target clients coming from the students in the nearby Peñafrancia Avenue’s campus belt such as the Naga College, Bicol College of Arts and Trade (BCAT), Camarines Sur National High School; from the students of the Unibersidad de Santa Isabel (USI) and Ateneo de Naga University. It will also cater to the church goers who attend Sunday Mass at the Peñafrancia Basilica which is close to the Square. The City Hall Complex is also situated nearby.

Babol said the square is about 85 percent complete, what remain unfinished are the landscape, aluminum cladding and the parking area. About 80 percent of the commercial spaces have been booked and tenants have started with their own construction, he added.

According to a study made by G7 Holdings, large central lobby will be the focal point for all future developments of malls. That’s why the Avenue Square features two multi-purpose, fully air-conditioned function halls for medium and large trade exhibits and gatherings.

It also features two levels of al-fresco dining areas with fully landscaped ground patios and well-stationed kiosks. Moreover, it offers two levels of leasable commercials units with a provision for stairs for each unit so that tenants can have the flexibility in choosing the right areas for their needs and requirements.

The Avenue Square is also built with glass facade which offers maximum visibility for both tenants and patrons. (UEI)

-bicolmail.com

kevinb

March 11th, 2006, 01:27 PM

Budget approval key to staging of Palaro 2006

First posted 03:21am (Mla time) Mar 09, 2006
By Marc Anthony Reyes
Inquirer

Editor's Note: Published on page A20 of the March 9, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE PALARONG Pambansa in Naga City in Bicol region this May is in danger of being scrapped unless the 2006 national budget is approved.

The expenses for staging the Palaro, estimated to be from P20 million to P50 million, are embodied in the budget proposal of the organizing Department of Education (DepEd) which is now being tackled by Congress.

Bacolod City Representative Monico Puentevella, one of the proponents of an increased budget in sports, said everything depends on the bicameral hearing late this month.

The Palaro, featuring high school and elementary athletes from the public schools, has a long history of getting shelved due to monetary constraints. The event was shelved the last time in 2002 when the money coming from then organizer Philippine Sports Commission was diverted to the country’s campaign in the Busan Asian Games.

Puentevella said he discussed the Palaro budget this year during a meeting with DepEd officer in charge Fe Hidalgo two weeks ago and again in Congress last Monday.

“It (the Palaro) is in their proposed budget being presented in Congress now,” said Puentevella. “If we pass the new budget it’s included there. It depends when we approve it. But I’m optimistic we’ll pass the new budget with the support of the Senate.”

Palaro regional coordinator Len Toledo expressed confidence the event would be held this year because there’s no need to spend on infrastructure as the Naga City Sports Complex has been kept in good shape.

He also noted that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. spent for the 2005 Palaro in Iloilo last year and this could be done again this year.

The PSC itself is bracing for harder times with the Department of Budget and Management proposing only a P28-million budget this year.

kevinb

March 13th, 2006, 01:19 PM

Mayor Robredo Reports Gains in 2005; Sets 2006 Targets
naga.gov.ph

SAYING that past year’s performance in all major levels of governance and service delivery surpassed 2004 records, Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo in his state of the city address last Monday stressed that the city government will continue to create a positive climate for entrepreneurial initiatives where the bottom-line is for local business to feel protected and secured as new investors from Manila and elsewhere continue to march in.

He further announced that the city government will soon launch “Viva Naga 2007”, an ambitious investment and tourism program that will put into high gear all the city’s programs and projects aimed at making Naga a certified preferred location for businessmen, investors and tourists. “This will also mean upgrading our physical and service facilities at par with other highly-progressive urban centers in the country,” he added, saying that the program will take off this year and hit its climax in 2007.

In his report, the mayor noted that total amount of investments in 2005 reached P1.63 Billion, surpassing 2004’s record of P886 Million, or an impressive 84.9% mark up.
“The new investments generated approximately 6,500 new jobs in 2005,” the mayor said.

Promotion efforts in 2005 focused on commercial development and ICT-enabled services where approximately P350 Million were invested in three commercial development projects (Naga E-Mall, Paseo de Caceres and Avenue Square) and the first-ever call center established in the city during the first quarter of this year.

On job placement assistance, the mayor reported that at least 2,513 job applicants were successfully placed for local employment in 2005 and another 458 for overseas employment during the same period.

Robredo said that “with the continuing business expansion confronting us, the task at hand is to invest in human capital and make individuals and businesses fit for the knowledge-based economy of the future.”

The city mayor promised that city hall would continue to improve a notch higher on its achievements, making service delivery speedier at least cost to the government.

He said that accomplishments in 2005 are reflected on the awards and honors that the city received during that period. These honors include Naga’s citation as:

• “One of the 10 Most Competitive Cities” in the country, given by AIM, USAID and the Asia Foundation;
• “Most Cost-Effective City in Asia, 2005-2006”, given by UK-based Financial Times Group’s Foreign Direct Investment Magazine;
• “Best practices Award for i-Governance”, given by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat);
• “One of the Best Performing Cities” in the country, given by the Institute of Solidarity in Asia;
• “Most Business-Friendly City in South Luzon”, the 4th time that Naga was given this award by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
• “Best LGU Website”, the second in a row since 2004 given by the National Computer Center and the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication; and
• “CEO Excel Award 2005,” conferred on the city mayor by the International Association of Business Communicators.

garzland

March 19th, 2006, 01:42 AM

Robredo Dares Local Businessmen, Traders

Mayor Jesse M. Robredo has called on the officers and members of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) to widen their membership and make themselves a stronger force to face the challenges of bigger business growth in the city and expanding socio-economic developments ahead.

With a current membership of 200 local traders and businessmen, already considered the biggest in Bicol, the MNCCI needs to tap more from the over 4,000 registered business establishments in the city.

The mayor’s challenge came Friday last week during the induction of the new set of officers and new members of the MNCCI at Villa Caceres Hotel here where he has been the guest of honor, along with Marcus V. Romera, Vice President for Luzon of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) as guest speaker and inducting officer.

The mayor was also around during the blessing and inauguration in the afternoon of the same day of the e-Biz Center at the ground floor of the MNCCI office at Velasco Building, along Panganiban Avenue, this city.

The eBiz Center is a one-stop service shop for local enterprises’ business data, IT and e-commerce needs. It also stores the Naga City Registry Databank (NCBRD) which was created through an ordinance passed by the city government.

The NCBRD is meant to facilitate effective communication, improve business information data, rationalize business zoning and keep track of business developments in the city.

Robredo said a stronger force is needed to provide a balance to the emerging bigger investments from Manila and elsewhere which are coming in as new players in Naga City’s burgeoning trade and commerce.

Newly-elected MNCCI President Engr. Emeterio ‘Boy’ Aman, developer of the Palafox-designed 105-hectare Haciendas de Naga, said they have accepted the mayor’s challenge as in fact the Chamber’s membership development efforts would be among his administration’s priority goals within the next two years.

The city mayor disclosed that city hall is preparing a blueprint that will create a CBD 1 development council which will sustain and enhance further the dynamism obtaining in the old business district and leverage its old ambiance and strategic location vis-à-vis the emerging new business and investment hubs in other parts of the city.

“We need to uplift and preserve the centro for it has been traditionally the heart of the city’s commerce and trade from which all other socio-economic activities in the city and its adjoining towns gravitate from,” the mayor said.

He said that it is a matter of time that an SM Mall would soon rise in CBD II along the site of the Metro Naga Integrated Bus Terminal and the Naga City Coliseum, the latter to be completed and become fully operational next year.

Meanwhile, preparations are up for the 2nd Bicol Business Week which the MNCCI and the city government are hosting here in Naga City on August 18-25.

MNCCI Vice-President and Project Chair Crisanto ‘Colats’ Guysayko told the Bicol Mail that this year’s business week, which is a grand show of Bicol’s business and investment potentials, would be bigger and more colorful.

The 2nd Bicol Business Week’s principal venue for trade exhibits would be the combined spaces of adjoining Plaza Rizal and Plaza Quezon.

kevinb

March 19th, 2006, 07:37 AM

$30-M WB project to start in Bicol
By Juan Escandor Jr.
Inquirer

Editor's Note: Published on Page A17 of the March 19, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

NAGA CITY-The World Bank-funded $30-million new Bicol river basin project will start soon, Rep. Joey Salceda said.

Salceda gave the assurance that, under his term as chair of the House committee on appropriation, the project-dubbed the Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project (BRBWMP), would take off this year.

He said funds for initial implementation had already been allotted.

Salceda said the Department of Agriculture would now take the lead in implementing the BRBWMP.

The BRBWMP aims to stop flooding in the area, which hinders farm productivity.

In a visit to Camarines Sur in 2004, President Macapagal-Arroyo said the project would make use of excess water for farm production.

Bicol's river basin is a wide plain that straddles Albay and the two Camarines provinces, and is nestled in the middle of the Bicol Peninsula.

It is a 377,000-hectare area that is easily inundated by the run-off water coming from the mountain range that stretches from Mayon Volcano, in the southern portion, up to the mountains north of Bicol.

The Bicol river basin, described as the drainage area of the Bicol Peninsula, has meandering rivers that empty in San Miguel Bay on the northeastern part of Bicol.

Due to this periodic flooding, this huge area, with several major rivers and three of the four lakes in Bicol, has been a big challenge to development planners since the Marcos regime.

The perennial flooding is a natural phenomenon dictated by the geographical configuration of the area.

Sinjin P.

April 12th, 2006, 09:20 AM

Reactivate! :)

Sinjin P.

April 12th, 2006, 09:25 AM

Good Morning, Naga
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07112004.jpg

Plaza Rizal
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07122004.jpg

Naga Cathedral
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07132004.jpg

http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07142004.jpg

http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07152004.jpg

http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07182004.jpg

Naga National Road
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07162004.jpg

Photos by: Peter Tongco

nikki_18

April 12th, 2006, 07:05 PM

hello....its my first tym to be in this forum....:D..its really nice to know that there are more that appreciate and like naga(d city i love most)...starting frm now i will also be posting comments and hopefully picstures as well...i jz hope that u guys would like me here...

nikki_18

April 12th, 2006, 07:11 PM

[dx]

April 12th, 2006, 07:20 PM

hi nikki! :wave: welcome to SSC. hope we get to see lots of pictures of naga soon, and interesting info too.

btw, pardon the avatar, eto kasi ang virus na kumakalat ngayon sa mga scc pinoy forumers haha :lol: ..visit the samahan threads too..see ya around :colgate:

nikki_18

April 12th, 2006, 07:56 PM

tnx 4 d welcome....ei, pano b mgpost ng pics...d kc me marunong pa....lots of 2 things learn pa eh!!

Chris2pher

April 13th, 2006, 08:46 AM

Thanks for posting those morning pictures of Naga... I love 'em and I can't wait to experience spending most of my mornings in Naga very soon! =)

Hi Nikki! I think this thread sould help out: "Paano Magpost Ng Pix?" (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=200800)

nikki_18

April 13th, 2006, 12:51 PM

tnx... :) :) :)

nikki_18

April 13th, 2006, 01:03 PM

"caramoan"http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/926/caramoan0418cm.th.gif (http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=caramoan0418cm.gif)

Ina's first Home (Peñafrancia Church)http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1853/thumbnail93gd.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Traslacionhttp://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1940/thumbnail103zz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Colorful NAGA!!
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7601/thumbnail111nu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8638/thumbnail393qj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

one of the many street parties
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7462/32003100710281414dc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Hope all of u guys like these pics!

[dx]

April 13th, 2006, 01:29 PM

ei nikki, m glad that you already know how to post pics. just take out the extra [IMG] codes at both ends. :) hope you will post bigger pics soon. :D:

hmm..caramoan, ever been there nikki? i'd love to go there someday. :yes:

nikki_18

April 14th, 2006, 12:18 PM

i havnt been there yet...but its one of my dreams... :) actually my friend and I are planning to go to caramoan before summer ends....ganda tlga ng place dba? ei, malaki tlga yn mga pix..kaso ng pinose ko mliliit ang lumabas..pano b palakihin and pano matangal ung mga xtra letters...?

nywei are u frm naga?? :) :) :)

[dx]

April 14th, 2006, 12:42 PM

ei nikki :) nope, im from Legazpi..:D, pero pareho man kita Bicolano kaya, it's all good! ;) :pepper:
i suggest you use Photobucket (www.photobucket.com) or ImageCave (www.imagecave.com) instead, i think mas user friendly yun, they already provide you the EZ code for posting in forums, all you need is to copy/paste the code as soon as you upload.

nikki_18

April 14th, 2006, 01:36 PM

these are some religious landmarks and pilgrimage sites in naga!!!!
you can visit them anytime...i chose to post this pics in tym for the lenten season!!! hope all of us will hav a meaningful and holy lenten season..
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/cathedral1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/basilica_exterior1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/basilica1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/chapel_precol1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/coronation1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/fluvial1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/ina1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/major1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/mass1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/minor1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/palacio1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/precol1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/quadri1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/resurrection1.jpg

nikki_18

April 14th, 2006, 04:34 PM

try this guys....a lot of things to know about cam sur are discussed...plus many beatiful photos of heritage and natural sites in cam sur!!!

http://www.adnu.edu.ph/wowphil/gallery.asp

kevinb

April 27th, 2006, 01:47 PM

Robredo Is One of RP's Real Best Leaders
Thursday April 27, 2006

NEWSBREAK, a prestigious national magazine that “makes sense of the news” hogging today’s headlines, has named Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo as one of the “Outstanding 6” local leaders whose honest intentions as public servants change things for the better.

The magazine, edited by veteran journalist Marites D. Vitug, in its April 24, 2006 issue takes a special report on leadership in its cover story as it chose Robredo, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Bulacan Gov. Josefina de la Cruz, Tagaytay City Mayor Francis Tolentino, San Fernando (La Union) City Mayor Mary Jane Ortega, and davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as the country’s exemplary local chief executives whose leadership is about serving the public interest.

While she took issue on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s penchant to boost herself by telling us that God is on her side and that she is the best person to lead this country in its trying times, Vitug in her editorial note wrote to readers that the magazine’s issue, “would like to show that leadership need not arise from proclamations of anointment by God.” She pointed out that leadership in a true democracy is about being elected to cater to the common good.

The magazine credited Robredo for his improved education services; increased annual revenues (from P13M in 1988 to P132M in 2002); reduced procurement costs thru transparent transactions under the award-winning i-Governance program; and higher annual family income (Nagueños’ average family income is 126% higher than the average family in the Bicol region, and 42% higher than the national average, based on ADB data).

The magazine noted Robredo as having imbibed his innovative streak from his experience as a corporate executive before he joined politics after Edsa 1.
Under Robredo’s stewardship, Naga has earned 140 regional, national and international awards, and still counting.

His i-Governance was chosen as one of the best practices at the 2004 Dubai International awards and was recipient of the United Nations Public Service Awards during the same year for applying information and communications technology in governance.

Matteo

April 27th, 2006, 06:57 PM

caloy

April 27th, 2006, 07:28 PM

hello....its my first tym to be in this forum....:D..its really nice to know that there are more people that appreciate and like naga(d city i love most)...starting frm now i will also be posting comments and hopefully picstures as well...i jz hope that u guys would like me here...

hi nikki, welcome to ssc. hopefully you can do that. posting about naga, im a bicolano by love (nagauena ang aking other half). never been to naga pero impressed ako ca history and the developments.

keep up the good work.

btw nice pics.

nikki_18

April 29th, 2006, 12:35 PM

tnx, its good dat u liked d pics....hope u can visit here soon....btw, do u knw dat the palarong pambansa is to be held hir in naga....its the 3rd tym for the event to be hosted by the city..hope many people, tourist(both domestic and foreign) could come and experience wat naga can offer... :) :)

kevinb

May 2nd, 2006, 11:05 AM

Hey kevin, nabuhay ka.
Where have you been, man? hehehe
is school done yet?
You planning on going home for the summer?
Maybe you can take pics of Palarong Pambansa :D hehehe

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/vivo.jpg

sorry for the late reply..heheh..
im already here in naga..
i actually cant watch the palaro..
how sad..heheheh..
i cant even visit the 2nd bicol business week..
have to leave on june10th for the enrolment..
anyway,nikki's there to take the job..heheh.. :jk:

nikki_18

May 2nd, 2006, 02:02 PM

hehehehe!!! wat hinders u frm watching d palaro or visiting d bicol bus wik...??? u said ur leaving on june 10..and d palaro is on may 8...i assume your still hir in naga by dat tym...:)

nikki_18

May 3rd, 2006, 01:10 PM

sunrise at d naga city sports complex...
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/grandstand1.jpg

flash news....hehehe!!

some of the delegates coming frm visayas nd mindanao had arrive for the opening of the palaro next week....:)

tagacebuako

May 4th, 2006, 07:45 AM

nikki_18

May 4th, 2006, 04:28 PM

hehehe! tnx..

nikki_18

May 4th, 2006, 05:28 PM

Spring resort at the foot of mt. isarog....
there are hot and cold pools that everyone would really enjoy...

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/init91.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/6dd439c5.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/init51.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/init31.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/init11.jpg

while in this resort you'll feel very close to nature while enjoying its beauty and charm......there is also a lush vegitation and a river with crystal clear water... the spring resort is actually surrounded by very steep cliffs with great collections of flora and fauna....

Matteo

May 4th, 2006, 06:35 PM

hey nikki. musta na? :)
are you gonna be watching pamabansa games?
wanna take pics of the opening ceremony? hehehe :D
how about the new Emall, Robertson Mall and LCC Mall? Never seen them before.

what school do yo go to anyway? USI?

nikki_18

May 4th, 2006, 06:43 PM

i'd love to watch the opening and the games, unfortunately i have classes to attend to....huhuhuhu but ill try to watch whenever my sched permits me and whenever i hav the chance to go to pacol....

but if i cant really be there to take some pics, ill jz ask my friends to do it for me so that i can post them here..

im studying at ADNU, nursing student!!:)

nikki_18

May 6th, 2006, 02:24 PM

hey guys...2morow will be the big day!!!

may 7, 2006, opening of the Palarong Pambansa 2006...in Naga city...

:) mabuhay ang mga atletang Pilipino!!!

nikki_18

May 7th, 2006, 04:24 PM

Palarong Pambansa 2006 is finally opened!!!! the stadium was so crowded with visitors and locals who wants to watch the colorful opening....

it was really fun to watch the event....ang dami ng tao and delegations from all the regions of the philippines came in great numbers.....

it was a great show!!!

caloy

May 8th, 2006, 06:48 PM

nikki update mo lang kami ca palaro. that is very nice. sana manalo tayo. lol. as if athletic ako. hahahaha...

nikki_18

May 9th, 2006, 04:46 PM

hi caloy!!!

ito po official website ng palaro sa naga....

http://pp2006.naga.gov.ph

nikki_18

May 9th, 2006, 05:12 PM

here are some pics of the palaro...i got dis from the palaro website...he9!!

hope u guys like it!!

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/21.jpg

Ateneo de Naga University high school Campus...jz adjacent to the Naga city sports Complex...http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/Ateneo1.jpg

Palaro athletes with mt. Isarog in the background
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/Athletes1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/241.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/31.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/82.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/Day3-Image42.jpg

University of Nueva Caceres grounds!!
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/201.jpg

bitoy

May 10th, 2006, 02:40 AM

Thanks!!! -Nice Photos Nikki, keep it up, baka makita ko kamag-anakan ko. :D

nikki_18

May 10th, 2006, 03:01 PM

bkit? r ur relatives playing 4 d palaro??? ano event? san k galing n region? :)

bitoy

May 10th, 2006, 07:09 PM

bkit? r ur relatives playing 4 d palaro??? ano event? san k galing n region? :)

Not relatives playing on Palaro, yung mga nanonood(baka me kakilala ako).... hehehe, nagkalat ang mga Dy's diyan sa Naga diba? :D

kevinb

May 11th, 2006, 11:08 AM

hehehehe!!! wat hinders u frm watching d palaro or visiting d bicol bus wik...??? u said ur leaving on june 10..and d palaro is on may 8...i assume your still hir in naga by dat tym...:)

nyehehe..
i was thinking b4 the palaro will open this june..
i was shocked, and ashamed of you guys, when the palaro formally opened last sunday..heheh..
i was actually there when it opened..
but, my bad, i have no functioning camera..lol!
but anyway, congrats nikki for the wondeful pics!!

kevinb

May 11th, 2006, 11:16 AM

here are some pics of the palaro...i got dis from the palaro website...he9!!

hope u guys like it!!

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/21.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/31.jpg

hey!!the girl in the right is my classm8 in HS!!
and the officers in blue are students of Camarines sur natl HS!!that's my school!! :)

nikki_18

May 11th, 2006, 12:13 PM

hehehehe!!!

classmate mo pla xa......and ur from cam high??? san k n ngaun?? ano pla batch mo?

kevinb

May 14th, 2006, 02:37 PM

hehehehe!!!

classmate mo pla xa......and ur from cam high??? san k n ngaun?? ano pla batch mo?

and2 ako ngaun s naga..but i go to skool in UPLB..batch '06 ako dun.. :)

nikki_18

May 14th, 2006, 05:22 PM

ahhh, grad kana pala ngaun?? hehehehe

post k nman pics....

kevinb

May 15th, 2006, 12:03 PM

chincha n..
ala ako pix ngeon eh.. :bash:

Sinjin P.

May 15th, 2006, 12:11 PM

^^ Please don't type as if you were texting. :D

kevinb

May 15th, 2006, 12:48 PM

sorry..whehe..
might have neglected some rules..
sorry again.. :)

Sinjin P.

May 15th, 2006, 01:15 PM

^^There are no rules for that but typing the whole words isn't much of a hassle right? So why shorten them to their text message counterparts? :D

nikki_18

May 15th, 2006, 03:45 PM

ok poh

[dx]

May 15th, 2006, 04:53 PM

hi nikki! kumusta kayo dyan sa naga city? kumusta yung palarong pambansa? :)

nikki_18

May 16th, 2006, 05:22 AM

hei

nikki_18

May 16th, 2006, 05:23 AM

hello, its been a long tym dat i hvnt heard frm u..he6!!

the palao was a huge success...sad to say i havnt got some pics....nywei u can always try to browse on the official website of the palaro for some pics....

u knw, during the plaro wik, it was really fun..u can see many guest and athletes jz anywer around the city..

the guest were all very friendly and the locals are also as frinedly to them......i jz hope that nxt yr naga city will still host the event unfortunately it will be hosted by one city sumwer in mindanao..

let me share u a secret..my crush nga ako dun na isang badmiton player frm ncr...he6!!

kya lng i wasnt given the chance to converse wit him...kkhiya kc...llam u nman me..demure nd conservative...hahaHahAha

nghost n pla ang legaspi ng palarong ambansa??

[dx]

May 16th, 2006, 09:16 AM

hi nikki..kaw ha..heheh..dapat naglaro ka rin badminton..anyways, buti naman at ok na ok ang palaro 2006, as expected.. Congrats to Naga City, uragon kita!

i hope you have pics...pleeezzz...

btw, nope, di pa yata nakahost ng palarong pambansa ang Legazpi.

nikki_18

May 16th, 2006, 01:23 PM

ah, ganun b?? sna in the yrs to come sa legaspi nman an palaro..

ill try to find pics dat i can post hir...he6!!

actually i jz finished playing badmin2n with my friend...hehehe

kpagod!!

kevinb

May 16th, 2006, 01:33 PM

^^There are no rules for that but typing the whole words isn't much of a hassle right? So why shorten them to their text message counterparts? :D

wehehe..
okay sinjin..if you say so.. :D

Matteo

May 16th, 2006, 06:52 PM

hi nikki!!
mag photo shoot ka naman dyan o, ng naga pics heheh
gusto ko makita yung bagong Emall and Avenue Square, maganda daw e
sige na, ipaayos mona cam mo hehehe
ano na nga pala nangyari sa pacific mall naga? alam ko dapat nag ground breaking sila nung december?

nikki_18

May 16th, 2006, 08:12 PM

unfortunately pacific mall backed out due to the scare that sm is pursuing to make a mall in naga...syang nga bcoz mggrounbreaking n tlga sana...advantage of sm is dat i was able to get a better loc...sumwer in the cbd 2 unlike pacific mall were in it is planned to be build in almeda hiway...kaya un...note: ol d info dat i posted are subject to changes and errors....he6!!

i thnk la na chance ang cam ko...sad 2 say repairs cant do anything. huhuhuh!
actually im palnning 2 buy a new one when i already have enough fund....hehehehe

bout emall and avenue square, both were already open but not full functional..constructions are still ongoing...

in emall, an arcade opened in the 3rd floor.

in avenue square, some restos had already opened like d MAXX'S CHXN and WOK ORIENTAL FOOD.

other's are still under construction and expected to open soon...these are shakey's, a coffee house, LOLO'S BAR and a japanese resto...

a mercury drugstore is also operating in the place...and one of this days a street party will be held in the are. this will be sponsored and organized by avenue square...

truly magsaysay is already the entertainment district of naga..
:) :)

Matteo

May 16th, 2006, 08:43 PM

ow that sucks. ganda pa naman nung plan sana.
its okay.at least may SM naman hehehe
first SM sa bicol. :okay:

i used to go to naga before, i had friends there.
we would go to Bichara Complex, is this still around?
and Ramada Center (?)

nikki_18

May 17th, 2006, 05:15 AM

sayang tlga..nywei bka in the yrs to come ituloy nila...let's jz just pray 4 dat..

ramaida and bichara are still open but no longer that popular...unlike b4...

[dx]

May 17th, 2006, 05:44 AM

hi nikki, sayang nung cam..invite ka n lng ng iba mong friends, yung may cam..hehe..tas kuha kayo tons of pics..i wanna see e-mall too, i heard ok daw yung two other malls..kahit cam fone niks, pleezz..hehe :)

boybleauXx

May 17th, 2006, 05:45 AM

marhay na aga sa indo ! ( tama ba Bicol Express-ion ko? ) :)

n the other end.....could it be possible also that SM did not favor Legaspi considering that there's already an existing standard mall in Legaspi (Pacific Mall) ?

Is it possible that the feverish expansion works at the Pacific Mall in Legaspi could be due to the anticipation of SM coming into Bicolandia most likely in Naga?

I believe Robinsons has also a presence in Naga with their department store at EMall....

nikki_18

May 17th, 2006, 02:57 PM

dnt worry psycho, ill try my best to hav pics of naga...jz w8 4 it..hehehehe

wish me luck..sna my mahiraman ako... :)

bout ung sa sm, actually even b4, way way back b4, sm had been trying to put a branch in naga...but unfortunately they cant get a lot where they can put their mall...but now they finally had a good loc...

i think they favored to put their bicol branch in naga because there is a good business climate here. aside frm the fact that nagueños has the highest purchasing power in bicol.. :)

although naga has higher tax rate, actually the highest in bicol, compared to other neighboring provinces and cities. they still chose naga, so i believe they find naga as an ideal place for their investment..

and if pacific mall ddnt backed out they were actually building their biggest mall here in naga..as far as i knw, it will be 4x the size of the mall in legaspi....plus a 12 hec. business center...

[dx]

May 17th, 2006, 03:11 PM

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j156/picfreak_2006/camsurwatersports3.jpg

Camsur Watersports Complex is a unique watersports park designed for wakeboarding, wakeskating and waterskiing. For beginner riders to the professional wakeboarders and skiiers from all over the world, CWC offers a 6-point cable ski system, coupled with restaurants, sand bars, spas, pro-shops and grand stands to hold guests. Riders can also enjoy their favorite water sports at night as the park will be equipped with spotlights that allow for it even to be open on evenings. Because of the good weather 10 months a year, the variety of sites to see and competitive pricing. Camarines Sur will be the cable skiing Mecca of South East Asia.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j156/picfreak_2006/camsurwatersports.jpg

Amenities:

SPA Pavillions
Beach Volleyball
Clubhouse
Pool
Pro Shop

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j156/picfreak_2006/camsurwatersports2.jpg

How to get there:

Fly to Manila, Philippines via NAIA or CENTENNIAL 2 airports and take a 40 minute domestic flight via Philippine Airlines to the capital town of Pili, Camarines Sur. If you’re up for a road trip, Air-conditioned and ordinary buses ply the 8-hour route daily to and from Manila. Click here to get the road map (http://www.camsurwatersportscomplex.com/cwc/pages/roadmap.htm)

The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, south of Taiwan and east of Vietnam.

The Camarines Sur province is geographically located in the central part of the Bicol peninsula which is in the southeastern part of the island of Luzon. About 450 kilometers from Manila, it is bounded on the north by the province of Quezon and Camarines Norte, San Miguel Bay and the Pacific Ocean; while the province of Albay bounds it by the south. Adjacent to the east is the Lagonoy Gulf while the Ragay Gulf borders it by the west. The province is the largest among the six provinces of the Bicol Region with a land area of 526, 682 hectares which is 29. 87% of the total regional area, and 1.75% of the total area of the Philippines.

The Camsur Watersports Complex is located within the Provincial Capitol complex in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur. It is 5 minutes away from the Naga airport. (Pili)

Visit: http://www.camsurwatersportscomplex.com/

nikki_18

May 17th, 2006, 03:17 PM

WOW!! kakahiya ako tga d2 di ko yn alam....hehehehehe

open na b yn???

that park is really cool....:)

[dx]

May 17th, 2006, 04:06 PM

hehe, cool nga 'sya..

invite ka na kasi nikki ng ibang Nagueños..para naman maging exciting 'tong Naga City thread. Let's promote our cities. Pride of Place 'ika nga...

pwde na b ako kumandidato? wahahaha...juk-juk:lol:

Matteo

May 17th, 2006, 06:22 PM

nikki_18

May 18th, 2006, 04:12 AM

o neat. nice park.
ma i should really go on vacation nyahahaa

asan na ba si kevinb, sya nagstart ng naga thread heheh
baka busy sa school.

yea, ive never seen any reports na nagback out ang pacific mall sa naga.
im sure they'll start construction soon.
i really like that project. i posted the rendering before but i cant find it now...

Dex, punta ka kaya sa Naga, then take pictures hehehhe

d info that i actually posted was from a forum about pacific mall in the naga website.....

http://naga.gov.ph/forum/index.php

para ako lng at ska c kevinb an tga d2 ha.......

kevinb

May 18th, 2006, 12:20 PM

sori s late reply..weheheh..
as far as i know,pacific mall already backed-out from building it's largest mall ever..nikki's right..pacific mall is "afraid" of SM's presence in naga..just like in lucena city..it has an SM mall and a pacific mall(PM)..PM is afraid for it's mall here in naga to be like the one in lucena..katakot takot na kalugihan na kasi ang inaabot ng PM dahil s SM dun sa lucena eh..if you could only see the plans of PM naga,sayang talaga..i'll try to put it here if i could.. :)

as for SM,they have already bought the land in CBD II where the van terminal used to stand..the location is right beside the u/c naga city coliseum..news said,construction will start next year..opening date, not known..basta next year din daw.. :)

kevinb

May 18th, 2006, 12:23 PM

i can't seem to copy and paste here the article..
PDF kasi eh..
i'll just put the link here..

http://www.naga.gov.ph/sr/chm/issue3.pdf#search='avenue%20square%20naga'

nikki_18

May 18th, 2006, 04:31 PM

buti nman bumalik kna!! hehehehehehe!

nikki_18

May 19th, 2006, 02:36 PM

kevinb

May 20th, 2006, 11:40 AM

^^that's what i know..okay naman kung dun ilalagay..the squatter's area are far off at the back of the mall and the coliseum.. :)

caloy

May 20th, 2006, 01:11 PM

uy at least marami tayong pupuntahan dyan ca naga city. mall wise and its old buildings.

kianshi

May 20th, 2006, 01:32 PM

Thats a good news..!!SM will build a mall in Naga...!Thats bcoz Naga is one of the most promising cities of the Philippines...!Fly HIgh...!!!GO NAGA>>>...!! :) :) :) :) :)

nikki_18

May 22nd, 2006, 06:39 AM

hi guys....jz wana invyt u ol to come at the kaogma festival here in cam sur....great parties, events, games/sports, and good food!!

kevinb

May 22nd, 2006, 10:35 AM

uy at least marami tayong pupuntahan dyan ca naga city. mall wise and its old buildings.

^^yup..heheh..sana nga lang talaga tuloy ang Pacific Mall dito..

Thats a good news..!!SM will build a mall in Naga...!Thats bcoz Naga is one of the most promising cities of the Philippines...!Fly HIgh...!!!GO NAGA>>>...!! :) :) :) :) :)

correct ka dyan kianshi!! :okay:

[dx]

May 22nd, 2006, 01:07 PM

ei guys, kakainggit mga SSC meets nila sa Samahan, organize din tayo ng SSC Bicol meet...what do you think? :)

nikki_18

May 22nd, 2006, 07:47 PM

masaya nga yn!!! pero san?

legapi o naga?

[dx]

May 22nd, 2006, 08:06 PM

dunno, saan ba mas ok niks?..hehe

Matteo

May 22nd, 2006, 08:25 PM

do both.
basta pics pics kahit saan ok hehee
niks sa naga duon sa emall, avenue square saka paseo de caceres :D
sa legazpi naman ewan, sa pacific mall sa loob. break the rules and take pics.
do the snap and run thing - take the pic tapos takbo :lol:
sige na, 2 oras lang naman ang pagitan nyo ni dex heheh

drfeelgood17

May 22nd, 2006, 10:04 PM

mag undercover photographers na sana kamo...with dark shades.... :cool:
for the greater glory of Bicol!

nikki_18

May 23rd, 2006, 07:49 AM

kevinb

May 24th, 2006, 11:10 AM

mag undercover photographers na sana kamo...with dark shades.... :cool:

men in black ba ang drama? :hahaha:

nikki_18

May 28th, 2006, 06:13 PM

ei guys, jz wanna share that d "Primero" street party at the avenue square was rescheduled on june 3....hope to see u guys there...

kevinb

May 29th, 2006, 05:53 AM

^^ako ppnta s primero..ksma ate ko..heheh..

nikki_18

May 29th, 2006, 10:05 AM

tlga??? mgdala ka cam para nman makakuha k pics den post mo d2..plzz...

para nman makita nila kung gano ksaya nytlyf d2 sa naga..

sira na kc cam ko eh..

kevinb

May 29th, 2006, 10:07 AM

The Manila Times
Thursday, February 02, 2006

Landco allots funds for
residential, mall projects

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter

LANDCO Pacific Corp., the property unit of Metro Pacific Corp., has allotted billions of pesos over the next two years to fund its residential and mall projects.

Jose Ma. K. Lim, Metro Pacific president and chief executive officer, told The Manila Times that Landco set aside P2 billion for its capital expenditures.

Lim said the capital will fund projects in Catalagan, Batangas; the Villa Escudero in Laguna with 500 hectares; a residential project in northern Manila; and a mall in Naga City.

Earlier, Francis Cebelles, Landco assistant vice president, said the Calatagan project, estimated to cover 100 hectares, will have residential and commercial components, including a resort.

The Villa Escudero project involves developing some 500 hectares as a tourist destination.

“[We’re going] to develop the 400 hectares around it, because the 100 hectares is occupied by Villa Escudero. Probably we will call it the Villa Escudero [and] will be a tourist destination,” Alfred Xerex-Burgos Jr., Landco president and chief executive officer, earlier said.

Lim earlier said the Villa Escudero project is in the final stage of planning, adding the project is comparable to existing first-class subdivision projects outside Metro Manila.

In the first nine months of last year, Metro Pacific posted an after tax profit of P100.9 million from the previous year’s net loss of P75.3 million.

The nine-month profit last year resulted from improving operations at Landco and shipping unit Negros Navigation Co., as well as certain exceptional gains realized during the period.

Consolidated revenues rose 12 percent to P2.5 billion compared with P 2.2 billion reported for the same period in 2004, principally reflecting revenue improvement at Nenaco.

----------

narinig ko s radio d2 s naga n may 2 supermall developer n knakausap ang city hall pra mgtayo d2..and i feel n SM and pacific mall ung 2 un.. fortunately, one was, which is SM, about to build its mall here next year..
sana tlg matuloy.. :)

kevinb

May 29th, 2006, 10:12 AM

tlga??? mgdala ka cam para nman makakuha k pics den post mo d2..plzz...

para nman makita nila kung gano ksaya nytlyf d2 sa naga..

sira na kc cam ko eh..

eh sira din nga cam ko db?

nikki_18

May 29th, 2006, 10:25 AM

ahhh, ganun ba?? syang nman...

nkkaawa na kc tong thread na 2...la nang ngpopost ng pics for a long tym....

hay, i'll really try my best para mkahiram ng cam sa frnd ko..gusto ko mabuhay uli an thread...

fearno1

May 29th, 2006, 12:41 PM

well,i dont have to have a very lengthy introduction bout Naga city coz it's already introduced in the "Legazpi" thread..

i'll just tell u what i know..

Naga City
-the 2nd richest city in Bicol after Legazpi
-2nd most populated city in Bicol
-the city in Bicol with the highest PP(purchasing power)
-namer of Metropolitan Naga Devt Council
-the oldest city in Bicol
-former name;Nueva Caceres(New Caceres)
-one of the 5 cities established by the spaniards
-Archdiocese of Caceres,suffragan of all the dioceses in Bicol
-Bicol city with most banks
-received over 40 natl and intl awards
-used to be Bicol's capital(now Legazpi city)
-Universidad de Santa Isabel-->very first normal school for girls in the Orient
-University of Nueva Caceres-->very first univ in southern Luzon outside Manila
-Ateneo de Naga Univ-->Ateneno campus in Bicol
-Camarines Sur Natl High School-->one of the three pilot high schools in Bicol
-feast of our lady of Peñafrancia-->largest Marian devotion in the country
-Holy Rosary Minor Seminary-->one of the oldest schools in the country
-home of regional headquarters of many companies like coke,,pepsi,,philam life,,etc
-will have the very first master-planned golf course in Bicol

those are what i thought of..
i'll try to think of some more.. :)

2nd richest city in the Bicol? hahaha.. You never know what you are talking about. You are not from Bicol i guess?

Please do your research well before posting here.

Sinjin P.

May 29th, 2006, 12:42 PM

^^ Welcome, please do not ignite another word war here. ;) If you have researched about the income of Naga (not being the 2nd richest), please just post it here so we could compare without much speaking.

kianshi

May 29th, 2006, 01:13 PM

nikki_18

May 29th, 2006, 09:33 PM

2nd richest city in the Bicol? hahaha.. You never know what you are talking about. You are not from Bicol i guess?

Please do your research well before posting here.

welcome sayo....

its nice to knw na my bago n nman d2 s thread...

but lets all be friends here..if you have datas bout the current status of naga please post it here...

i would love to read that..nd beside i also believe that naga is more progressive than legaspi..its jz that i hav no enough resources to prove it...he6!!! and i think its useless to compare the two cities....lets jz be united for the whole region... :nocrook:

nikki_18

May 29th, 2006, 09:35 PM

kevinb, i thought ngback out na ang pacific mall bcoz of the threat that sm is also putting a mall here nd they have a better location compared to pacific mall....

Matteo

May 30th, 2006, 09:37 PM

okay. some Naga pics:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/naga.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/4_20060308103238.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/4_20060308102628.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/nagacity3.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/nagacity2.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/nagacity1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/basilicaminore.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/NagaCityHall.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/PlazaTresseMartirez1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/lccnaga.jpg

Matteo

May 30th, 2006, 09:51 PM

hey niks, kevin, do you guys know what happened to this? Sounds like a good project:

Fil Estate earmarks P1B for 2005 projects

Fil-Estate Land Inc. (FELI) has allocated P1 billion for its major residential and leisure-related projects this year. Among the companyâ€™s projects in the
pipeline are:

The Phase 5 of the Manila Southwoods Estate covering 29 hectares;
The Nasugbu Harbor Town in Batangas, occupying 216 hectares, featuring a nine-hole golf course, a marina, condotel, a beach
resort, and a facility center;
Laurel Ridge, a residential project located in a 900-hectare property in Tagaytay;
Isarog Hills, a 24-hectare residential subdivision in Naga City;
Hacienda Pililia, a 400-hectare farm estate in Rizal; and
Sunflower, a socialized housing project.

The property firm is currently in talks with several groups of foreign and local investors for possible joint development of planned real estate
projects. Prospective investors or partners will be issued preferred shares in
exchange for ownership in Fil-Estateâ€™s projects

www.business.gov.ph/uploads/ files/Forms8_File_1122029458_pbrjune.pdf

nikki_18

May 31st, 2006, 10:00 AM

i can here bout that too....

wat i knw is that it will be a new subdivision in pacol, naga city..that will be near the foot of mt. isarog.....but im not sure yet....

and i think they already started developing the area for the subdivision...

subdivisions in the city are really sprouting anywhere like mushrooms..but the concentration of most subd r the pacol area and concepcion area...

[dx]

May 31st, 2006, 10:14 AM

hi nikki! :) wala pa ba new recruits from naga?

Sinjin P.

May 31st, 2006, 10:17 AM

@Matt: Where's that Robinson's Supermarket? And what's the largest mall in Naga?

kevinb

May 31st, 2006, 11:18 AM

@Matt: Where's that Robinson's Supermarket? And what's the largest mall in Naga?

(kunyari ako si matt.. :D ) ^^as of now, LCC p lang..it's way bigger than LCC legazpi, but far too small for pacific mall legazpi..we'll have to wait for SM and pacific mall to operate in naga..heheh..

as for robinsons supermarket in naga, it's the anchor of local Nagaland Emall.. :)

kevinb, i thought ngback out na ang pacific mall bcoz of the threat that sm is also putting a mall here nd they have a better location compared to pacific mall....

yeah, that's what i know, too.. i found that in the community forum of naga.gov.ph, which also i am a member of..i checked it out on the net, at totoo nga..but i'd say mas maganda ang offerings ng landco pacific for their PM naga than SM naga..ang problema nga lang yung location nila..malayo sa CBD 1.. :sleepy:

----------

sayang..i can't show you any pic of avenue square..ang ganda na niya..sabi nga ng mga tao dito, parang greenbelt yung style..eh kasi naman, yung architect eh yung gumawa ng greenbelt!!heheh..kaya lang hindi pa fully operational..matagal ng open yung max's..ang ganda talaga.. :)

bobbymay74

May 31st, 2006, 11:42 AM

Hi Everybody, this is my first time. i already read most of your reply. This site is very nice compare to the groups in Naga.gov.ph , you can share without any hesitancy. I have been to Europe last 2002, and have visited Madrid and Barcelona (the center of Arts in the European Community) i was really excited to learn Spain, but other than that. i reminds me of Naga City. i can say, that The Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, the metrolopitan cathedral, the quince marteres plaza, old penafrancia church, archbishop palace, and USI are very similar places in Madrid and other parts of Spain. If you have the chance to go to Spain. You will find Naga not far from the Spain. Naga have a very rich culture, base on our roots in Spain. this will help us to promote Naga for tourism here and aboard. you can ask our dear Bicol Historian-Mr. Danny Gerona(Professor of Ateneo de Naga Univ.).he had been to Spain most often. and do research in Sevilla, Spain about Naga. And you can also visit this site about our Naga( Nueva Caceres) Catholic heirachy since 1795. it gives you idea about our history. why we are one of the main cities during the spanish times including Cebu establish a diocese same with Naga, nueva Segovia( ilocos sur) and Manila.

the site is http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dccrs.html

LET US HELP PROMOTE NAGA FOR TOURISM

this is all for now, we can have more discussion about the city...

:)

Good Morning, Naga
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07112004.jpg

Plaza Rizal
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07122004.jpg

Naga Cathedral
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07132004.jpg

http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07142004.jpg

http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07152004.jpg

http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07182004.jpg

Naga National Road
http://www.mymanila.net/gallery/001_07162004.jpg

Photos by: Peter Tongco

kevinb

May 31st, 2006, 11:49 AM

nikki_18

May 31st, 2006, 12:11 PM

Hi Everybody, this is my first time. i already read most of your reply. This site is very nice compare to the groups in Naga.gov.ph , you can share without any hesitancy. I have been to Europe last 2002, and have visited Madrid and Barcelona (the center of Arts in the European Community) i was really excited to learn Spain, but other than that. i reminds me of Naga City. i can say, that The Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, the metrolopitan cathedral, the quince marteres plaza, old penafrancia church, archbishop palace, and USI are very similar places in Madrid and other parts of Spain. If you have the chance to go to Spain. You will find Naga not far from the Spain. Naga have a very rich culture, base on our roots in Spain. this will help us to promote Naga for tourism here and aboard. you can ask our dear Bicol Historian-Mr. Danny Gerona(Professor of Ateneo de Naga Univ.).he had been to Spain most often. and do research in Sevilla, Spain about Naga. And you can also visit this site about our Naga( Nueva Caceres) Catholic heirachy since 1795. it gives you idea about our history. why we are one of the main cities during the spanish times including Cebu establish a diocese same with Naga, nueva Segovia( ilocos sur) and Manila.

the site is http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dccrs.html

LET US HELP PROMOTE NAGA FOR TOURISM

this is all for now, we can have more discussion about the city...

:)

i felt glad wen u started to talk about your trip to spain....its so nice to know that you saw so many comparisons of spain and naga...it overwhelmed me that a beautiful city in spain is being compared to naga.

actually there are really many areas in naga that looks very spanish..

and basing on my knowledge, naga is one of the first 5 cities in the phil..so its not so surprising that we have a lot of historical landmarks and very old architecture in the city... the newly built church in the ateneo campus also looks very old and beautiful in its baroque architecture...there are also alot of spanish houses in the city, but sad to say many are already abandoned and left by owners to deteriorate through time and become eyesores....nd more disappointing the city dont care to revive these century old houses...

i just hope that the city government will develop this areas for tourism and at the same time protect, care and rehabilitate them so that futere generation will be able to see enjoy it....

if legaspi has mayon, why dont we develop and promote this historical landmarks and very old architecture as one of the primary attraction in the city....plus the veery old and rich culture of bicolanos... :)

bobbymay74

May 31st, 2006, 01:00 PM

Hello Nikki and Kevin. Yes, I'm from Naga. i just have the oppurtunity to go aboard and learn more. That's alright, if we dont have the old houses anymore, but at least we have a main establishment intact and promote it. like the compound of the minor seminary, it's an 16-18 century design building. which before the Marcos time was a main destination for Tourism of foriegners in South Luzon. About the main cities during the spanish times, it's really 4 cities only Caceres( Naga City), Cebu, Nueva Segovia( Ilocos Sur) and Manila as the main capital during that time. DID YOU KNOW ALSO that Archdiocese of Nueva Caceres (now Naga City) or Bicol area is as far as the boundery of Lucena(kaya mga bicolano pa sinda kadto) to Masbate and Sorsogon during the spanish time, that's how big is bicol region before. . But when the americans came , they change the political boundery. where right now camarines norte is situated as the bounderyin the north.

manileño

May 31st, 2006, 06:07 PM

^ Right. i also read about Bicolandia being a much bigger region before and included South-Southeastern towns of Quezon province and Lucena. And that Tayabas (Quezon) extended to the north instead to present day Aurora province.

And its true about there being only 4 main archidioceses in the country in Spanish times. Nueva Caceres (capital: Naga), Nueva Segovia (capital: Lal-lo in present-day Cagayan province), Cebu and Manila.

Gracias por compartir esta info con nosotros, bobbymay74. :cheers:

nikki_18

May 31st, 2006, 06:17 PM

ic, tnx 4 d infos...

u said that the seminary compound was once a major destination in southern luzon during the marcos regime...wat happened?? y does the foreign tourist arrival in the city dropped..

fortunately the city is going being flocked by tourist....i hope it will continue...

yeah i also knw that the archdiocese of caceres is one of the biggest and oldest...

bitoy

May 31st, 2006, 06:38 PM

Yup, Bicol area was so vast during the early days that we still have Bicol speaking relatives in Lucena and Tagkawayan area.

Matteo

May 31st, 2006, 08:36 PM

hey bobbymay. welcome to the ssc naga forum :D
enjoy your stay, post naga pics - we want those hehehee

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 03:08 AM

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 03:12 AM

Hi Nikki, to your question, during that time there was no political problem yet, until martial law started the political turmoil in our country. From second to the richest, we end up the second to the last. til he(marcos) left the country. but before the marital law time where many foriegners came to saw our City.

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 03:14 AM

sORRY MATEO I dont have pics with me. i have pics in spain much similar to Naga, but i haven't use a digicam there. I will try to transfer it from negatives to CD.

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 03:21 AM

Talking about our history of Naga, we can have at least in mind, a deep sense of belongingness and love of our City. This is a start of different discussion of the present events happening in our City, specially our Vibrant Economy going own, and how we can help our city and other people migrating in our place. People are resources we need to top.

kevinb

June 1st, 2006, 06:45 AM

And its true about there being only 4 main archidioceses in the country in Spanish times. Nueva Caceres (capital: Naga), Nueva Segovia (capital: Lal-lo in present-day Cagayan province), Cebu and Manila.

true..but on a later date, the archdiocese of jaro in iloilo was also granted the privilege of being one of the earliest cities in the country, along with the ones above.. :D

[dx]

June 1st, 2006, 07:01 AM

hi bobbymay, welcome to SSC! It's cool we have another Bicolano here. I really hope we get to see some pictures of Metro Naga soon. :)

nikki_18

June 1st, 2006, 08:05 AM

Hi Everybody good morning! hi Matteo, I'm really happy you have knowledge about Bicol History. Everybody can have more information if you drop by Ateneo De Naga Library at the second floor, there is a book about the Pre-Spanish culture of Naga, authored by our own Danny Gerona, maybe Nikki have knowledge about him. if you can see him at the centro, you can talk to him about the history of our city. Actually He have a good knowledge about Naga during the Pre-Spanish colonization, but he get his information or study in Sevilla, Spain. where it has ALL the information about Naga before the spanish time. WHY? because the spaniard during the time before they colonize our area, they had to record the details of people and culture. DID YOU KNOW that before the spanish came to our area (now Naga City) there was already a number of barangays besides the riverside like for example of Brgy. Dinaga, Tinago, Mabulo and Tabuco etc.. The spanish saw a sophisticated work of arts like pottery, gun making, material for food making, etc.. ( you can ask Danny Gerona about it, he will give you a very specific details)

i'll try to go to school dis week to enroll....hope i can visit the library...what is the name of the book pls?? so that it will be easier for me to look for it...

are dinaga, tabuco, mabulo and tabuco are the pre spanish names of those barangay....or it were just changed during the spanish occupation???? and if there was already a civilization in the city b4 the spanish came, therefore its not the spanish who founded our city??? am i ryt?? who were the early inhabitants of the city??

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 08:32 AM

Thanks dex for welcoming me. I really dont have any pic yet to post right now. i will try to look for my old pic when taken in spain last 2002 and have it transfer to CD. But it's better if we have the complete SKYSCRAPER including the malls of Paseo De Caceres, E-mall, Ave. Square, LCC, and soon next year 2007 SM City Naga and hopefully Pacific Mall . Pacific Mall bought a very expensive lot in area of ALmeda. I think they will maintain that lot, until they are going to put up a very big Mall and a number commercial tall bldgs. spaces for rent, much bigger than the Legaspi Pacific Mall ( if you have seen the prespective posted last year in the Naga.gov.ph) it's really big. I would go for the idea of Pacific Mall with commercial spaces for rent than purely SM Mall. But the plan was hold for a moment as what they said. If Pacific Mall push through " it's really a Skyscraper in Naga". And they can have their commercial spaces for rent, which the city or the local businesses really needs, because most of the buildings in the CBD I (Centro) are old and also expensive too. by it's strategic location in ALmeda will give way to a manageable traffic as it is just at the outskirt of the centro will be nice and easy to go. SM and Pacific Mall are outsiders that we can't control to come to the local Market, they will come bec. they believe in our city. If the question , will they take a chunk of our economy or cash flow, will depend on the capacity of the City Govt.. What i believe " this is another History" since 1995 there are 2 mall would like to put up in Naga, but because the City Govt. doesn't have any policy of Malls. they have the fear that the cash flow will go out in the city and elsewhere. But now the Mayor is confident that he can manage the fiscal policy and have things in-order.

SM City Naga 2007- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM_Supermalls

Pacific Mall- http://www.metropacific.com/operations/index.shtml.

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 08:37 AM

HI Nikki, yes . check it out at the second floor of the Ateneo Library, you can ask the asst. librarian or(Ms. Edna the chief librarian) just ask about the book of Danny Gerona about the Pre-spanish culture of Naga " not exact title of the book. but surely they can tell you where. i saw the jacket of the book at the billboard inside the library, but not at the stairs. i dont have a exact name of the barangays during the pre-spanish period, but you will find the book of Danny Gerona (bicol historian) very interesting to read.

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 08:41 AM

Hi Nikki, Naga became a City since the 1950's. The correct word is "barangay". I just use the word CITY to described Naga.

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 08:45 AM

Pacific Mall Naga will be a regional hub -As 2005 progresses,....
" Plans are underway for both expansion and rehabilitation of Landco’s existing Pacific Malls. More than Pesos 160 million are marked to expand the Pacific Mall in Legaspi City from 32,000 square meters of lessable space to more than 40,000 square meters by 2006. In 2004 Landco also announced plans for a mixed-use regional shopping and business center in the growing Southern Luzon City of Naga. The project is expected to break ground before the first quarter of 2006. "

website- http://www.metropacific.com/operations/index.shtml

kevinb

June 1st, 2006, 09:02 AM

nikki_18

June 1st, 2006, 12:42 PM

ako rin hihintayin ko yang mall n yan..

bobbymay, are you an atenean or working in the institution??? how r u related to mr danny gerona?? can u convince him to join skyscrapercity???hehehehehe

so dat he can also share his knowledge and stories to us...we really crave for those!!!

i have this friend who was a former student of mr. gerona...my frnd told me that mr. gerona really knows alot bout naga...he even told me that any question bout naga is easily answered by mr. gerona....i guest he's really a great professor...plus he is also a sociologist..

tnx

Sinjin P.

June 1st, 2006, 01:16 PM

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 02:19 PM

Hi Everybody, good evening. about Pacific Mall, they are the once, who will make the decison when. i just get the information sa web. It should start this first quarter 2006 base on their website.

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 02:31 PM

Hi Nikki, I know Danny Gerona, but seldom we meet, I just saw him at the centro and say Hi. but i know he is still teaching in Ateneo De Naga. I have know idea if he have had time to chat with us or share his knowledge. But if you are still studying, you can check what subject he is teaching, coz i know he is teaching Philosophy and other Socio(anthropology) subjects. you can ask your classmate about it. Danny Gerona is really well inform about Bicol History, he had been to other areas in Bicol too. but much of the information is in Sevilla, Spain. ( it's a castle with a huge data of records about the spanish colonies around the world). But Nikki my advice is, if you can borrow the book and have it xerox, it will do already. and you can share it with the group.

nikki_18

June 1st, 2006, 03:44 PM

ok...i hope i'll be able meet him in the corridors of adnu....

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 03:48 PM

hi nikki, where are the others? where is KevinB?

bobbymay74

June 1st, 2006, 03:52 PM

Well, i think we are the only one's online. is there a way we can chat here Nikki?

caloy

June 2nd, 2006, 01:21 PM

ay that is very nice, a very rich culture and history of naga city. keep it up...

bobbymay74

June 2nd, 2006, 02:10 PM

hi caloy are you staying in UK?

caloy

June 2nd, 2006, 03:35 PM

yes, i am. puwede man japa-uk. lol. how about you?

Matteo

June 2nd, 2006, 06:25 PM

Some Naga city pics found online:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/naga2.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/naga3.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/naga4.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/naga1.jpg

photo credit: username chari7, webshots.com

bobbymay74

June 3rd, 2006, 02:11 AM

Nice Pic Mat. ,(can i make a comment at the pics?) I was trying to assess if i remember your 1st or top pic. it seems, at the boundery of Naga and Milaor. the construction taken besides the road is the rural bank of Camalig (at the area of Milaor) if i'm right? It puzzles me a lot why Rural bank of Camalig open their branch at the area of Milaor, and just besides at the border of Naga, do you think they have clients there?( asking myself) or maybe the real property tax in naga is too high.
2nd pic. is the aristocrat hotel of Pedro Lee (another rich guy pinoy-chinese here) the building construction is done wisely. i mean "pa dikit dikit lang" hangan matapos. He is a very pratical businessman, not need to loan at the bank.
3rd pic. that was the old cinema (The Vic cinema) it was already rehabilitated to a new big store-Nova ( the one who sells affordable Jeans and other dry good products) occupied the whole building. The "Nalds " is really HISTORICAL. It is the first fastfood of BIGGS(present name), actually they started their business there, before they expand in the whole Bicol Region. Probably you know the story of Biggs? when and where they start their business here in Naga. NICE PIC MAT.. THANKS

Matteo

June 3rd, 2006, 02:20 AM

hehe thanks bobby.
i really didnt know where those areas in the pics are, so thanks for the captions heheh :lol:
biggs: you can check www.biggsdiner.com (thanks to Monsi for the site)
hope you guys can post current naga photos too so we can see naga's vibrance as well.
i really wanna see exteriors/interiors of LCC mall, Emall, Bichara, Avenue Square, Paseo de Caceres :D

nikki_18

June 3rd, 2006, 07:48 AM

nice pics matt.....im jz curious, who were those people in the pics?? r they ur relatives??he6!!

nikki_18

June 3rd, 2006, 07:56 AM

pics of beanbag coffee and molino grill....two of the coolest and more popular party places in magsaysay....this two are adjacent to bombay blues, clubm8, coco leaf, chili peppers and cobbs...and some meters away from avenue square..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3499366774072m1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3500544682607m1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3499390098479m1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3500500835358l1.jpg

nikki_18

June 3rd, 2006, 07:59 AM

ateneo high school campus, pacol, naga city.

4 pillars
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3438718540800m1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3273353634504m1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3438712276400m1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3438705752006m1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3274517690008m1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3273318884897m1.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g70/marlon_ld/3273361296633m1.jpg

Matteo

June 3rd, 2006, 09:48 AM

nice pics matt.....im jz curious, who were those people in the pics?? r they ur relatives??he6!!
nope. just found those pics sa www.webshots.com :D

nikki_18

June 3rd, 2006, 10:34 AM

ahh..ok

overtureph

June 3rd, 2006, 10:38 AM

The enduring joys of ‘kinalas’ and ‘log-log’
By Mariane M. Umali
The Philippine STAR 06/01/2006

Winner, Lifestyle Journalism Awards 2006 sponsored by The Philippine Star, Stores Specialists, Inc. and HSBC.

Mariane Umali has a big heart. She works with a humanitarian NGO. Her other passion is food – reading and writing about it. "I view food as a part of culture which needs to be documented and promoted. When stressed, I cook. Food is my therapy… This fondness (for food) was brought by my parents who taught us to appreciate food to make family and friendship ties stronger. It does not matter if a dish was prepared in some far-flung area, hole-in-the-wall or five-star restaurant." Umali is a BS Developmental Communication graduate of UP Los Baños.

I just had three of the best meals in my life, and they all started with, pardon me, a sore rear end. One Friday morning, my mom, who has been staying with me in Laguna, asked: "I’m going home for a while. Do you want to come?" By home she meant Naga City, that bustling Bicol metropolis where my siblings and I were born and grew up.

It’s been three years since I last visited Naga, and I sorely miss the city. Not only because it is where most of my family are, but also I felt the need to get a dose of its subtly proud individuality. Naga, you see, is a conservative boomtown. It fervently clings to its old ways and traditions while embracing rapid development. Take, for example, the Nagueños’ loyal patronage of decades-old five-and-dimes while looking forward excitedly to the opening of three big new malls. Or the brisk sales of native handicrafts sold side-by-side gadgets hawked by peddlers from Manila. Yes, the people are fiercely passionate about their ways and beliefs, but they always welcome new things.

"Will you come?" my mom interrupted my thoughts.

"Yes, but only for the weekend," I said.

At the crack of dawn, we jumped into the car and headed for Naga. My husband drove, so I had the pleasure of seeing the laid-back charms of several Quezon Province towns. I was immensely enjoying the interchanging sceneries of rice fields, ocean, and hills, until we entered that perforated Quirino Highway.

For two hours, we tumbled in our seats as the car lugged through one craggy pothole after another. I thought I had been through the worst the highway could offer when my husband suddenly hit the brakes to avoid crushing two ducks, which, mind you, were not crossing, but were swimming lazily in a deep, rainwater-filled pothole in the middle of the road. By the time we got out of that battered highway, my rear end was so sore and I felt a migraine creeping in.

So upon reaching our ancestral house, I asked my brother Boyet to drive me downtown so I can buy painkillers. Being familiar with the traffic bottlenecks of the city, Boyet diverted to the streets of Barangay Dayangdang for a short cut. It was there where I discovered the best joints to relish kinalas and log-log.

Tucked in one corner of Dayangdang’s main road is the Kinalas Twin, one of the few eateries specializing in the dishes. You can spot the Kinalas Twin right away not because of its sign but by the traffic it causes. Outside the main road, movement was slowed down by motorcycles, jeeps, and cars parked hurriedly by eager customers. One look at the hectic place and I needed no invitation. I gestured to Boyet to squeeze our car in the sidewalk as I went ahead to order two bowls of kinalas.

To the uninitiated, kinalas and log-log are mami or noodle soup dishes, Bicol style. They are made up of flavorful broth, fresh noodles, and, akin to log-log’s counterpart in other places, a thick savory sauce. The sauce, however, is not red-orange but deep brown. Kinalas and log-log are basically the same, except that the former contains meat pieces while the latter has not.

The very essence of kinalas and log-log comes from their sauce and broth, and both depend on an utterly humble ingredient – skinned pork head. Usually discarded after obtaining the face for sisig, the whole skull is simmered to make a full-bodied broth. Before you cringe, let me say that using pork skull to make soup is not crudeness but sheer ingenuity. The great cuisines of the world – French, Italian, Chinese, and others – have long depended on bones to make a decent stock to give character to their soups, sauces, and stews.

Bones, which consist of collagens and mineral salts, are packed with flavor. As they are simmered, they release their essence and give a deep taste to the stock. Pork skulls are nothing but pure and solid bones that are not only cheap, but also give a full-bodied taste without the grease that comes with those with marrow.

The meat found in the head is another bonus. Near the bone, it has a tender flavor that other cuts lack. Around the world, great delicacies have been created using meat from the heads of hogs and cows. Among these are France’s tete de veau or rolled veal face, reportedly a favorite of François Mitterand, and Mexico’s traditional barbacoa (barbecued pork head).

To make kinalas, the tender meat from the simmered head is pared off (hence its name), sliced, and placed over the noodles and sauce before the broth is poured on. For log-log, the hot broth is simply ladled over noodles and sauce. Each bowl is served steaming hot with a sprinkling of chopped fresh green onions and a range of condiments on the side. These include patis to add a piquant saltiness, sliced calamansi or vinegar steeped with chilies to give a subtle tang to the broth, and a handful of fresh siling labuyo to pep up each bite. For those who do not have asbestos-lined palates like us Bicolanos, there is always ground black pepper.

Inside the Kinalas Twin, Edwin Rey, the owner, served our orders after assembling them from his prep corner. As I took hold of my spoon and fork and inhaled the appetizing aroma, Boyet dumped a handful of labuyo on a saucer, squeezed the juice of two calamansi, sprinkled ground pepper, and began making a spice paste using a special pestle. I ladled tablespoons of the stuff onto my steaming bowl and slowly folded the noodles over with my spoon, making sure that the clotted sauce was completely blended in the broth. My noodle ecstasy was ready.

One bite and I savored the hot broth that is so full of refreshingly pure meat flavor. Another spoonful and I felt the firm noodles providing an almost ethereal contrast to the succulent meat pieces, pleasantly interrupted by the crunch of green onions. One more sip of the broth and I relished the addicting tang of calamansi and the invigorating zing of crushed labuyo, prompting me to take another spoonful. Each sip and chew expunged my aches, and before I could finish my bowl dry, my migraine was gone.

Edwin tells us that sales have been brisk since he opened Kinalas Twin in 1991. "Each day, I buy 70-75 kilos of fresh noodles, 40 kilos pork head, and five kilos lean meat. All these are consumed before we close every 6:30 p.m., nothing is left, even during the Holy Week," he says.

Edwin reveals his trade secrets lie in the sauce and in freshness: "I make a very flavorful sauce and I make sure that every ingredient I use is fresh."

As we paid him, I asked if he feels threatened by the sprouting restaurants in the city. He answered no confidently, saying, "What we offer is satisfying and fresh food at a very low price."

True enough, prices at Kinalas Twin range only from P11 to P26. "And you can ask for additional sauce and broth, even noodles!" say the men from a nearby table.

I left Edwin’s place eased of pains and tiredness, but I craved for more. Boyet then took me to another corner in Dayangdang where we entered a hut with walls made of alternating sawali and galvanized iron. The place had no sign, but like Kinalas Twin, droves of vehicles were parked alongside.

The hut is owned and run by Aurelio or "Manoy Elio" Amelano and his wife Helen. In this seemingly run-down place, they serve kinalas and log-log cooked in a charcoal stove along with baduya (plantain fritters), chakoy (fried chewy bread rolled in sugar), and balisoso (sweetened ground rice wrapped in banana leaves). While these native snacks are reason enough to search for Manoy Elio’s hut, his kinalas and log-log are those which attract a loyal following.

Upon taking a mouthful of the kinalas he served, I immediately understood why. The sauce had this velvety richness that gave boldness to the already flavorful broth, and the noodles a tender yet springy chew that tasted clean of lye.

"I buy my noodles fresh and hot every day from the factory," Manong Elio said.

A slight prodding and he revealed how he makes his sauce. "Just brown some garlic, add the brains from the pork heads you simmered along with salt, ground pepper, and patis; thicken the mixture with flour; and pour enough broth," Manoy Elio said.

Like Edwin, Manoy Elio makes sure that everything he uses and serves is fresh. "Customers will discern if you serve them day-old broth or sauce. I do not have a refrigerator here because all the ingredients I buy for the day – 45 kilos of fresh noodles, and 10 pieces of pork head – are cooked early and consumed before we close at 5 p.m."

Before we left, Manoy Elio gave me one important advice in running a kinalas and log-log eatery: "Make sure you provide excellent and fresh siling labuyo. No matter how good your broth, sauce, and noodles are, nobody will patronize you if you serve poor chilies."

As we exited Manoy Elio’s hut, Boyet asked me if I could take another bowl of kinalas. Upon nodding, he took me to an unnamed tumbled-down shack in Dayangdang where a petulant lady served kinalas and log-log using beef heads instead of pork. One taste and I knew why the place thrived despite its ramshackle state and not-so-cheerful owner. The broth was complex but not overwhelming, lifting the whole dish into a new level of flavor and enjoyment. I was extremely full, but I left the place in a state of nirvana.

As we drove home, I felt proud that my hometown offers two simple yet enduring noodle dishes. Most of all, I felt proud of Edwin, Manoy Elio, and the lady serving beef kinalas and log-log.

Culinary experts say that the competence of a cook or chef lies in his ability to make extraordinary dishes out of the barest ingredients. The kinalas and log-log titans in Naga have long proved their mettle by creating these enduring noodle dishes out of something that most people would not have hesitated to discard. Edwin, Manoy Elio or the lady serving beef kinalas may not have gone to a formal culinary school, their joints may not be for the hoity-toity, and they may not have NASA kitchens or a legion of help. What they serve from their crude open-theater galley may not require menu sampling or ring molds and shot glasses; but each bowl that they churn out is mighty good, so good that they are unfazed by the competition posed by the many fast-food franchises, cafes, and diners mushrooming in the city.

And they prevail because they give what their discriminating customers want: freshness, simplicity, and a downright gratifying fare. You experience freshness in every bowl they serve – the broth and sauce are made from heads of hogs and cows slaughtered the same day, the noodles hot from the factory every morning, the green onions still holding life, even the chilies are plump and firm. Further, the simplicity of what they serve does not distract one from enjoying the basics of taste, and this is what distinguishes kinalas and log-log from other noodle dishes.

Most of all they thrive because we Nagueños, though open to other gustatory experiences, cling fiercely to our culinary traditions. Yes, we welcome and try new dishes, but we are never distracted from our very own. For me, the best noodle soups would always be kinalas and log-log. And I don’t care if I have to drive through the potholes of Quirino Highway again just to enjoy them.

http://philstar.com/philstar/lifestyle200606030901.htm

kevinb

June 3rd, 2006, 12:02 PM

Pacific Mall Naga will be a regional hub -As 2005 progresses,....
" Plans are underway for both expansion and rehabilitation of Landco’s existing Pacific Malls. More than Pesos 160 million are marked to expand the Pacific Mall in Legazpi City from 32,000 square meters of leasable space to more than 40,000 square meters by 2006. In 2004 Landco also announced plans for a mixed-use regional shopping and business center in the growing Southern Luzon City of Naga. The project is expected to break ground before the first quarter of 2006. "

website- http://www.metropacific.com/operations/index.shtml

So it has broke ground already?

nope..not yet..and i believe it will take a little time before PM breaks ground..even in legazpi, they have waited for some time before PM broke ground there..

nikki_18

June 3rd, 2006, 12:14 PM

kevinb

June 3rd, 2006, 12:25 PM

haaa, nkakagutom nman ang article na to.....log log and kinalas...it has been a while since i last ate these mouth watering dishes.....im jz confuse, is loglog and kinalas originally from naga and can you find them elsewhere???

i dont think so..maybe those are also found in other cities, even outside the Philippines..maybe they just changed the names, or they really have different names.. :)

nikki_18

June 3rd, 2006, 12:33 PM

ahhh, ic..pero although loglog and kinalas are comparable and somehow similar to other dishes in other places and country but i think there is still a unique original bicolano touch and taste... that u can only taste from loglog and kinalas in naga city...heheheheh

bobbymay74

June 3rd, 2006, 02:20 PM

caloy

June 3rd, 2006, 02:22 PM

hmmm parang gusto kong tikman yan ah. excited na talaga akong makapunta ng naga.

nikki_18

June 4th, 2006, 09:37 AM

About Food, People of Naga are the most particular of the quality of taste and good price. That's why Biggs and Graceland had become bicol success story in food industry. When it comes to Loglog and Kinalas the best place is in Barlin St. near La Residencia (BBQ house) and second is in Diversion Drive. Siramm...

sa aling cely's ba ung sinasabi mo??? sa may barlin...i used to go there when i was still in high school...and there loglog and kinalas are truly one of the best..but i dont knw where is that loglogan place in diversion... :) :)

kevinb

June 4th, 2006, 09:39 AM

excited k n?punta k n..now n!! :lol:

kevinb

June 4th, 2006, 10:53 AM

CITY HALL- Mayor Jesse M. Robredo was elated over the very positive response of the Korean team which visited Naga City last May 19 to learn more about its award-winning I-Governance project.

“The Korean VIPs from the Guro District Office visited Naga City primarily to learn more about Naga’s I-Governance program which the visitors learned through the web,” said Mayor Robredo.

The Guro District is an IT city situated near Korea’s capital city of Seoul and the site of the 2007 e-Participation Forum which will be held on February 7-9, 2007.

The Guro officials were composed of Mr. Yoon Hee Lee, general director of Culture, Public Relations & International Relations Department, together with Mr. Bo Sang Lim, deputy director of International Relations and Ms. So Hee Kim(Miss), assistant director of International Relations.

“We deeply appreciate that Naga’s I-governance team gave a wonderful presentation to us,” said Ms. So Hee Kim, “the I-governance project including the Citizen Charter, web site, netserve and textserve are all great.”

According to the trio: “We are just impressed how Naga City has ably encouraged its citizens to participate in Naga city government by using their mobile communications tool. I think this strategy has been very successful in an environment where there isn't an easy access to internet.”

“We're sure that Naga's I-governance will be an excellent model to the cities which has similar conditions,” added Mr. Bo Sang Lim.

As an IT city, the Guro District is home to the so-called “Guro Digital Venture Valley,” an IT-intensive industrial complex which was one of the first national industrial complex in Korea pursuant to its "export industrial complex creation” directive.
The Guro Industrial Complex was able to create an economic miracle and transform the Han River area as the mecca of labor-intensive industries, such as textile and needlework industries, in 70s-80s and later on harmonizing the existing traditional manufacturing industry with new cutting-edge industries such as venture and IT.

source: naga.gov.ph

bobbymay74

June 4th, 2006, 02:02 PM

Hi Nikki, sa may Diversion Road, just across kang waiting shed( subdivision ) , It's a small and simple place lang, near Docards.

bobbymay74

June 4th, 2006, 02:14 PM

As what Kevin has posted, if you go to the www.Naga.gov.ph website , you can see the icon " TEXT NAGA 2960 " if you want to make any comment or participate in governance process and improving transparency about our city. You can text the City Govt. through texting 2960(either smart and Globe). Another " Innovation of our City Governance" that is why the City Government is harvesting lots of national and international awards.

[dx]

June 4th, 2006, 05:32 PM

I already posted some info about this park a few weeks ago. Here's the latest article about it, from PDI

++++

PILI, Camarines Sur—Gearing up for bigger entrepreneurial challenge in addition to several tourist resorts and facilities already in business for 10 years now, the provincial government here has opened a cable park, the second in the country but the first one owned by a local government unit.

A cable park is a facility that allows sports enthusiasts engage in water sports—water skiing and its derivatives—wake boarding, wake skating and knee boarding sans towing motorboat but using a cable technology to tow the riders.

Relatively new, the cable technology for water skiing was introduced in a six-hectare cable park complex here with a 4.5-hectare oval artificial lake around a mounted island.

It has an overhead cable suspended 8-12 meters above the water using specially designed pylons.

The cables run counterclockwise around the lake and is powered by a variable electric motor that generates speed of 20-65 kilometers per hour.

Technology

The cable technology has evolved from and popularized derivative extreme sports of water skiing among several Asian nations.

These extreme sports originally made use of the wake or track left by a speeding towing motorboat to perform water stunts called "tricks."

Its development opened wide access to the extreme sports because it had reduced performance costs and increased the number of enthusiasts performing the acts—from one to several performers at a time—without the costly requirement of a motorboat.

All over the world, there are 150 cable parks, 60 of which are in Germany, seven in Asia and several others are in the United States and Australia. Two are in the Philippines—in Calatagan, Batangas, and the other one in Camarines Sur.

Sports tourism

Optimistic that the cable park would bring in water skiing and wakeboard enthusiasts around the world, Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte looks forward to capturing the growing market of sports tourism worldwide, especially from the cold regions.

"We are confident we could draw sports tourists in at least four of the eight cold months, from May to August, with Thailand, our closest rival, having three cable parks at present," Villafuerte said. He said the demand for alternative destination for watersports in Asia during the cold months had increased dramatically because of the growing number of enthusiasts embracing the lifestyle of wakeboarding.

In temperate climates, enthusiasts have only four months of warm weather suited for watersports. The rest of the months of the year are chilly and wintry.

Emergence

The governor, a recipient of World Young Business Achiever Award for Excellence in International Operations in 2002 expanded the entrepreneurial thrusts of the corporate provincial LGU that included investments in digital animation and a five-hectare information technology (IT) Park in the sprawling 118-hectare capitol complex where the cable park is also located.

He is a seasoned businessman who built a technocraft business, the Lara's Gifts & Decors, from a P50,000-capital into a multimillion-peso enterprise in his early 20s.

Wakeboarding emerged with the creation of a specially designed short board sometime in 1985 in the United States. Wakeboarding or riding on the water tracks of a towing motorboat has achieved sports level in 1990 with the holding of the first international competition, which was broadcast worldwide through the ESPN sports channel.

Wakeboarding makes use of a short board with foot bindings on which a rider is towed by a motorboat or cable across the wake, especially up off the crest for aerial maneuvers.

Wake skating is performed similar to wakeboarding but without foot bindings and kneeboarding and requires the rider to sit on a board secured in adjustable strap, follow the same principles of riding the crest to do tricks.

Kinga Horvath, 25, a Hungarian female rider and the champion of the European Cup in 2004 and 2005, described the Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) as comparable to the most innovative cable parks in Europe.

Horvath said the cable park here has enough room for aerial maneuvers and great obstacle courses to perform exciting tricks.

Ronald Cailao, 47, a wakeboarding instructor for 20 years, described the cable park here as thrice bigger in area and twice bigger in lake size than the Lago de Oro, the first cable park in the country located in Batangas province.

Cailao, who worked in Lago de Oro for eight years, said that in comparison, the CWC has six pylons planted around the lake that provide smooth turns for riders maneuvering the bends while the latter has only three.

The lesser the pylons, the more difficult the course, he said.

He added that another advantage of the cable park here is that it has an island in the middle of the lake that prevents the waves from the other side of the bend reaching the opposite side, which affects performance of riders.

Villafuerte said the CWC blends the ideal combination that makes cable parks more diverse and competitive to attract and hold sports tourists for days to enjoy.

"With the cable park here following the latest trend in technology, location that requires sunny weather and flatlands, use of potable water to fill in the lake, spaces that diversify enjoyment like artificial beach, pavilion and other services, our facility can compete easily," the governor said.

He added that the rates are even affordable to locals at P150 an hour to a bargain rate of P350 a day.

He said he expected to generate foreign clients through word-of-mouth channel.