ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

With Santa Barbaranhons predominantly Roman Catholics, the Municipal Tourism Office spearheads three activities in respect with the celebration of Holy Week. These are the Kapiya Contest, Pasyon Singing Contest and Palm-Leaf Creation.   Kapiya and Pasyon-singing contest are century-old traditions observed by Santa Barbaranhons every Holy Week, wherein, the life story of Jesus Christ is foretold through singing with strings as accompaniment. This activity is participated by the different barangays in the town.  Palm leaf Creation is another activity wherein old folks compete for the most intricately-designed palm-leaf. This is staged every Palm Sunday to celebrate Christ’s triumphal entry intro Jerusalem. He was welcomed with a crowd waving palm branches. All these activities are celebrated annually.  PASYON The Pasyón is normally heard during Holy Week in the Philippines, where its recitation is known as the Pabása ("Reading"). The rite can span severa...

I never planned on taking the taxi a few days ago but when this 3G WIFI taxi stopped in front of me, I immediately hopped in. Mr Rhodney Uy, owner and driver, was quick to notice that I had an Android phone and he immediately offered what his taxi has to offer above other taxis - WI FI service. So that started the conversation in the taxi... I told him that it was through the social media that I got to know of his 3G wi-fi enabled. According to him it could be the first taxi in the Philippines that has this service makes every stop a wi-fi hotspot for a few moments. Its a very good service to us who don't have data plans in our mobile to stay in touch onoine for the little while. During that ride (from Sta. Barbara to the city), I checked my Facebook pages, updated my Instagram and watched a Youtube video. An Instagram update But I wasn't sure if the service was free that time that I dread the moment as I was nearing my stop. But good thing it was free - despite it w...

Technology is making it easier for visitors to learn more about Iloilo’s popular destinations as well as move from one attraction to another. Using any smartphone to scan quick response (QR) codes like this one provides tourists with information about anything Iloilo. Also embedded in the code is a link to an online map that shows nearby must-go places or must-try experiences once visitors turn on their gadget’s GPS. The QR code, e-guide, and online mapping projects will start with Iloilo City and spread out to the rest of the province. QR codes and electronic guidebooks add to the visitor experience by providing them relevant information about Iloilo’s historical, cultural, and other attractions. This Digital Tourism Project is a collaboration among the City and Provincial Governments of Iloilo, Smart Communications, Inc., Innopub Media, and Iloilo private sector partners. About the QR Code tourism, heritage guide To download information on heritage and touris...

Former PBA superstars Ronnie Magsanoc,  Jojo Lastimosa and Jerry Codiñera  have once again returned to Brgy. Tabuc Suba Jaro Iloilo where basketball court dubbed as “Court of Inspiration” was built by local volunteers last year. It was around the first week of June when Alaxan harnessed the power of brgy. Tabuc Suba through the  Aray Natin, Galing Natin  campaign—a collaborative effort between small-town locals to construct these symbols of community, and turn them into something that moves people to aim for greatness.  Read More. Together with Patrimonio, Abarientos, Paras, Magsanoc, Lastimosa and Codiñera have been going around the country to conduct basketball training camps. The program is part of Alaxan FR's nationwide advocacy to promote a culture of hard work and dedication, where pain is seen as a badge of honor. Dubbed as the Galing Mo Camp , the program had young, local basketball players showing off their skills for a chance to receiv...