ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

(L-R) Rene “Tatay Ete” Vendiola, Ramon Aboitiz Awardee for Exemplary Individual, and Manuel Margate who serve as client service department manager of Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF) that was declared Eduardo Aboitiz Awardee for Outstanding Institution, raised the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Triennial Awards trophies during the award ceremony last March 22 at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. Preserving the environment does not need a high educational attainment but it requires a high degree of passion and love for nature. These characteristics are manifested by self-made environmentalist, Rene “Tatay Ete” Vendiola, who is a high school dropout and former kaingin farmer but managed to set up a Liptong woodland that preserves local fauna and species of plants and native trees. For his effort in biodiversity conservation and forestation in Bacong, Negros Oriental, Vendiola was awarded with the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual during the 5th Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RA...

Visitors to Dinosaurs Alive happening on February 15 to 21 at the op en space parking area of SM City Iloilo can step back in time to period between 65 to 245 million years ago. Featuring 10 life-sized dinosaurs on display in Dinosaurs Alive! in a spectacular outdoor Jurassic forest setting. The multi-sensory and interactive dinosaur exhibit brings inspiration, science and technology together where guests can feel, see and hear the sounds and movements of 10 full-sized creations made to replicate nearly every feature of the dinosaurs. Each of the animatronic dinosaurs is hand-carved and covered with a skin-like material. Highlights of Dinosaurs Alive! includes the lizard-like Stegosaurus, the meat eating Tyrannosaurus Rex, the three horned Triceratops, the flying Pteranodon and the beloved long-neck Apatosaurus. The dinosaurs have interactive consoles which allow guests to guide dinosaur movement so they can see how scientists believe each dinosaur moved its arms, tail, mouth and ey...

Congratulations to the Dinagyang 2012 Festival winners led by the defending champion Tribu Pan-ay from Fort San Pedro National High School . The tribe under the helm of multi awarded choreographer and artist Rommel Flogen gave an outstanding performance that WOWED the audience which ever stage they performed. It was even grander than their winner performance last year. They are also the defending Aliwan Fiesta champion and with that breathtaking performance and awesome production it could spell another Aliwan Fiesta crown this coming April or May at the Aliwan FiestA in Manila. Salakayan Festival of Miag-ao, Iloilo emerged as the Champion in the Kasadyahan Regional Festival. It was a first for the kasadyahan to feature festivals from all over the region as contingents in the cultural presentation. Here is the list ofDINAGYANG 2012 WINNERS: Dinagyang Festival 2012 Major Awards Winners CHAMPION - Tribu Pan-ay from Fort San Pedro National High School FIRST RUNNER UP - Tribu Lunok from Il...

Dinagyang Festival 2012 Schedule of Events (as of January 4, 2012) Iloilo City, Philippines January 6 Friday 4:00 PM Miss Iloilo Dinagyang 2012 Talent Competition SM City Iloilo Events Center January 6 to February 29 5:30 PM Dinagyang Carnival Rides SM City Iloilo Carpark January 7 to 22 Monday to Sunday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM Dinagyang Information and Assistance Center Robinson Place Iloilo January 7 Saturday 10:00 AM Dressing-up Dinagyang Dagoy Dolls (D4) 2012 SM City Iloilo Events Center January 7 Saturday 3:00 PM “PANATA” A Dinagyang Variety Show with Patric Sugui of PBB Teen Edition SM City Iloilo Events Center January 8 Sunday 8:00 AM -11:30 AM Dinagyang Medical Mission Brgy. Concepcion Iloilo IDFI / Philippine Red Cross / Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Panay, Inc. January 9 – 22 Saturday to Sunday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM Dinagyang Information and Assistance Center SM City Iloilo January 10 Tuesday 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Dinagyang Food Aid Program for School Children (I...

Lording over the Molo plaza is one of the most beautiful churches in the Philippines – St. Anne’s Church. More popularly known as Molo Church, it was constructed in 1831 under Fr. Pablo Montano, with the imposing edifice is made of massive white coral rock. It is the only Gothic church in the entire country outside of Manila. The Gothic character of the church is manifested not only in its two pointed towers but also on the pointed arches at the main altar and four side altars, pulpits and confessionals. Its two belfries had around 30 bells of different sizes ranging from small hand bells to big campaniles making a musical tone. Church interiors from www.jennydayao.com On August 4, 1886, national hero Jose Rizal dropped at Molo on his way back to Manila from exile at Dapitan in Mindanao. He went to see his friend, Raymundo Melliza who showed him the church. In his diary, Rizal wrote, " We went to Molo to see the church painted by a lad who has left the locality. The ch...

The inauguration and blessing of the 5-storey YGQ building along Boardwalk Avenue beside Smallville solidifies the stand that Skinetics Wellness Center is truly among the region’s premier medical tourism destination. In a simple, yet at the same time lavish, ceremony last Oct. 27, 2011, the all in one medical spa, skin clinic, boutique hotel and restaurant of Ms. Yul Garcia Quiampang has awed the invited guests, friends, relatives and the media. A Dinagyang presentation opened up the event after which VIPs led by Gov. Arthur Defensor, former Sec. Mike Defensor, Pavia Mayor Arcadio Gorriceta among others, cut the ribbon that finally opened the one stop wellness destination to the Ilonggos. A short mass followed and finally the whole facility was blessed. I was fortunate enough to have been part of the event upon the invitation of Ms. Regine Algecera who is producer the TV program Good Day Western Visayas over Sky Cable Iloilo. The first level of the building houses the Ohana Japanese Re...

Halloween in the Philippines is celebrated with a variety of somber, spooky and fun traditions. The observance is much more popular in rural areas as local beliefs and customs mesh, creating a distinctly Filipino version of Halloween. It has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic and superstition. People would share stories of the dead, witchcraft, tell each other's fortunes and mischief-making of all kinds. Ghosts are often depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, and our customs and superstitions are scarier too. Halloween is traditionally the time when common superstitions, folklore, myths and omens carry more weight to those who believe. Bad fallacies far outweigh the good. Many people still believe that omens can predict our destiny and misfortune such as avoiding to cross paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck, or avoiding to break mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road or spilling salt. And as they say, those who follow Halloween supersti...

" Filipinos, beloved countrymen! Let us never destroy our precious rights because their loss will be our death and shame. Even if we do not have a single rifle, if all the towns will refuse to surrender, with one mind and one heart, the Americans will be ashamed to subjugate or kill us all. If this is the fate that will be ours, you will be greater, Filipinas, than all the nations!” General Martin Teofilo Delgado, the Ilonggo revolutionary leader and Filipino nationalist penned the previous lines with pride and high hopes for the nation. Popularly known as Tan Martin, he was responsible for the start of the revolution against the Spaniards, and later the Americans in Iloilo. With his leadership and gallantry, his hometown of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo is known to be the seat of revolution in the Visayas and Mindanao and where the first Philippine flag was raised outside Luzon. Standing proud, the GMTD Monument at the plaza of his hometown, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo His bravery and heroics a...

They’re young, they’re hip and they bring a “fishpalaxing” experience to everyone from all walks of life. Meet Flord, Noel and Rex – still twenty-something yet these “Iskolars ng Bayan” already have success in the bag. As schoolmates from University of the Philippines Visayas in Miag-ao, they started a business venture in 2009 that is now a novel form of relaxation at the same time a tourist attraction. Despite the busy schedule in college, they pooled their talents, funds, and spare time to come up with the concept, technologies, and strategies for the successful operation of Tibiao Fish Spa . A form of ichthyotherapy, fish spas make use of small fish to clean and exfoliate the skin. The distinct sensation produced by the skin-nibbling fish adds to the cleansing benefits and relaxing ambiance of fish spas that made them popular in many Asian countries. MEET FLORD The Aggressive Guy “Collecting fishes as pets was my hobby when I was younger,” said Flord Nicson Calawag. When he entered ...