NAITAS Bacolod elects a new president: Pushpa Tan

AFTER a most successful stint as president of NAITAS Bacolod, Pinky Hautea takes a bow and hands over her seat to Lolita “Pushpa” Tan.

Putting together a reunion to depict “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”

THIS 2013, there are many family reunions scheduled. Planning should be around a year before or, at the very latest, six months. That is, if you have a very high stress degree factor. But nonetheless, depending on the magnitude of the endeavor, much conceptualization, preparation and doing is involved. What is important is that an active steering committee is formed and all subsidiary functioning committees are equally important.

Fresh off the boat

THE Philippines and the United States have had a long time to get acquainted with one another. Since the “benevolent assimilation” of the Philippines by the United States of America and, even after our independence from our second conqueror, our two countries have had an intimate relationship with one another. The Americans give us their exports, and we provide them with cheap labor.

Since the American colonial period, Filipinos have dreamed of going to America, the proverbial land of “milk and honey” or “Coke and hamburgers” to seek a better life across the Pacific.

The Prettiest Dog in the World

HELLO, kids! Here’s something that may spell fun for you this weekend. Fun can mean forming a group to read the script, taking on character roles, and acting out the lines. What’s even more fun is doing animal roles and sounds. Learn about loving your self but not loving it too much. Learn about loving those around you instead to make you happier. Read on and learn about a dog named Edith.

The Dogs of Susanito Sarnate

PEOPLE used to care for dogs principally for their love and companionship. These days the main reason for having one is to have a guard dog as a deterrent to crime.

Just recently, we acquired a puppy for both reasons. We named him Thor after the superhero in the movie blockbuster “The Avengers”.

At home in Pingtung

ONE of the greatest American poets Robert Frost once wrote “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in”.

Devotions and devotees

AS I was marveling at the procession of the devotees of the Black Nazarene, I couldn't help but be amazed of the millions of people who braved the scorching heat and intermittent rain showers in between just for a glimpse or the chance for their thrown white kerchiefs or towels to touch the sacred image. Fanaticism some call it, but for believers, faith moves mountains and nothing is impossible with Our Lord.

The Lizares family through the decades (Day 1)

IT HAD been 8 years since we last had our 3rd Lizares Grand Reunion—in 2004 to be exact. We venture to have it every 8 years but, as all family reunions go and grand at that, from conceptualizing to preparations to actualizing, it really takes a toll. However, when propelled with love, that spells all the big difference. And truth be told, there was a lot of love and excitement from onset to finish.

A visit at Fo Guang Shan

GETTING ready for what we thought to be a short visit to one of the Buddha temples in Kaohsiung County in southern Taiwan was not at all we believed it should be. We never thought that a trip to Fo Guang Shan Monastery in the township of Dashu would take more than half a day.

Fo Guang Shan, which literally means "Buddha's Light Mountain", is one of the largest international Chinese Mahayana Buddhist monastic orders based in Taiwan. The order also calls itself the International Buddhist Progress Society.

The Auspicious Arowana

CHRISTMAS rush is over and the next mad dash is to the New Government Center of Bacolod City for the application or renewal of one’s Mayor’s Permit to Operate a Business.

Among the unique and unusual business undertakings in the city are the pet stores. It’s always a joy for me to walk into such stores and see and admire the different animals that are for sale therein.

Going for the Gold: 50th Anniversary Outreach Concert Tour of the Philippine Madrigal Singers

MUSIC lovers, mark the date! January 22, Tuesday, is the day when the Philippine Madrigal Singers regales us once more with their unique singing style. Madrigal is a “polyphonic and challenging musical style popular during the Renaissance period where singers and guests would gather around the table during a banquet to sight-sing and make music together.”

John Cage and his four minutes

WHEN you think opera, you hear songs in your head like Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, the Hallelujah chorus, Ride of the Valkyries, the Ode to Joy and others. Those powerful, moving, ageless musical pieces that ignite the soul and inspire the mind… cannot be compared to a song by American composer John Cage who will forever be remembered as one of the craziest musicians of his time.

SM City Bacolod’s first media night

SM CITY Bacolod organized its first big event of the year last January 5 at their Event Centre. This is the first time that SM has held an exclusive party for the media. Media people from local publications, television, radio, and even the cyberworld via the local bloggers association were honored with dinner and entertainment that evening.

Treasures from the past made gloriously current

VINTAGE has become such a stylish word these days that I checked the dictionary for its meaning? Vintage more commonly referred to wines, meaning of high quality, identified as to the year and the vineyard or district of origin. It is characterized by excellence, maturity and enduring appeal. It can be representative of and most typical; of lasting interest and importance; venerable; classic.

Sepia and its designing women

SEPIA has reopened its doors to the elegantly-dressed women of Bacolod, this time, at a different location. Where once upon a time it was along Lacson Street, it is now at Pace II Building, Galo-Locsin Streets.

Sepia’s old patrons will be pleased to know that its tradition of making fine bespoke clothing still continues today with a few racks of ready-to-wear items also available.

Taipei Holidays

T’WAS a chilling 12°C very early morning when we arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan Airport. The wintry holidays are very much felt in this northern part of Taiwan.

With our luggage in tow, Tita Cora Maturan, Ronald, Jane and Marielle Dugangay, Elvi Summer Idiosolo and I braved the biting coldness of the weather and the full blast air conditioning units of Terminal 1 after passing immigration. Yet, the warm welcoming presence of our host, Fr. Owen Maturan, OAR (son of Tita Cora), plus the hot bowl of typical Chinese noodles, helped dispel our almost wintry weather experience.

Fire away!

WHENEVER gun owners point their guns up in the air and blast away, something, somewhere is going to get hit.

It’s irresponsible, dangerous and stupid – but it’s also really fun, if you happen to own a gun, you’ll know what I’m talking about, but if you don’t, then you’re probably one of those people that say we should outright ban guns during New Year’s Eve.

A December Wedding

DECEMBER is the happiest time of the year and, for Eric Apostol and Maricel de la Torre, it was also the best time to get married. Their solemn wedding ceremony took place at the Sacred Heart Shrine in Bacolod City last December 28.

Eric Apostol is my first cousin on my mother’s side and the occasion also served as a family reunion among the Apostol clan.

For the New Year, cyber classrooms from Victorias Milling Company

KARYLL Aguilar, 11, walks to and from school daily. Her slippers bear the signs of wear and tear as the prongs holding her “smuggle” slippers are about to give. No matter, she happily skips in them past the Internet café on her path home. Painfully shy, she seldom lets go of her best friend’s hand when in class. She peeks through the glass door of the shop, and wonders what her schoolmates see in the box in front of them. Karyll has never seen or touched a computer before.

Name the baby!

ABOUT five years ago, I was doing scripts for a children’s program on radio. The usual practice was for our Manila headquarters to send the scripts until a reorganization was done so that local stations around the country were required to make their own.

I was into my third year handling the program already so I was tasked to make the scripts for the Bacolod station. I remember the late hours I’d put in so I can finish a script and its accompanying introductions and endings to fit the gospel for the week in time for recording every Saturday.

When Christmas came to town

“NO ONE will be sleeping on the night of Christmas eve hoping Santa’s on his way…”

So goes the lyrics of the song from the movie The Polar Express top billed by multi-awarded American actor Thomas Jeffrey “Tom” Hanks. I remember watching this movie yearender with the whole family back in December 2004 when it came out in local movie theaters.

Holiday treats for Mother Earth

WHAT would the treats be? A candy cane, gooey nougat, eau de cologne, or a branded in-fad dress? But, of course, the great Terra can’t make use of the aforementioned ones. The fertilizers, and pesticides, unless organically made, are not even friendly with her basic elements. So, the best choice of a holiday treat is that which Mother Earth can nurture in her bosom: trees.

And this is the very reason why members of St. Joseph’s High School Batch ’84, who give themselves the monicker “Bagol”, went up the mountain in Brgy. Mailum, Bago City last December 9, 2012 to give back sustenance to Mother Earth.

Alternatives to fireworks

FIREWORKS have always been a part of the Philippine New Year. Even though hundreds of people are injured each year, people just shrug that off, thank the powers that be that it wasn’t them and launch another rocket manufactured by the “Prosperous Red Dragon and Panda” factory into the night sky.

The Department of Health has, with limited success, tried to limit the use of fireworks to local government units and professionals, but the natural hardheadedness of the Filipino people prevent them from listening. People like watching pretty lights in the sky—that’s all there is to it, folks.

Dr. Jose Rizal: Dimasalang, The Mason

WHEN the Masons had their convention here in Bacolod, I saw them making a flower offering in his statue at the Jose Rizal Elementary School. Of course, my curiosity prompted me to look further into his life.

The Lizareses of Talisay

The Lizares Family will be having its 4th Grand Reunion on the 29th and 30th of December with the theme: “The Lizares Family through the Decades.”

“Every family has a place, be it a town, a barrio or a sitio, to which it holds a certain attachment—a place which provides the family a setting for fond memories, for fun and sad times, the gatherings big and small. . . a place which it can almost claim as its own. For the Lizares family, the place is the city of Talisay, Negros Occidental, Philippines.”

What is our Advent mode these days?

WHAT mode are we all in now? It’s a few days before Christmas and everything is in a frenzy! The new reality about Christmas is commercialism. Everything is geared for the profit. There is great externalism and we see it all around us. The shops have kept their doors open for a longer period to accommodate all those who have not yet fulfilled their Christmas list. Advertisements for promos have so successfully created a need when there is none. Isn’t that the new dictum? This is the best time for business and income. Everyone is busy, busy, busy.

A morning at Murcia

I JOINED my partners in crime, i.e., Bambi Borromeo, Ruth Cruz, and el boliviano Julio la Fuente, on an early Sunday morning to Murcia. Sunday is market day in the municipality and is famous for farmers and retailers bringing their wares to provide buyers fresh and inexpensive food items. The open air venue can be an exciting site for food lovers.

Veterans’ Christmas Party by the Seashore, Year 2

TIME just flies and before we know it, a year has passed and it's time once more for a year-end get-together with the gallant members of the Bacolod Veterans District, led by District Commander Mr Pio C. Rodrigo.

Around fifty World War II veterans and survivors attended the Christmas Party held at Villarosa Beach in Punta Taytay last Friday, December 21, 2012. Christmas songs filled the air as the party progressed, getting everybody in the mood for the joyous celebration which included some parlor games and an exchange of gifts. 

Coop Samaritans

WHEN one teacher of the law asked Jesus “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus told him the story of the good Samaritan who was moved by compassion when he saw on the road a man who fell into the hands of robbers. At the end of the parable, Jesus told the teacher of the law to “go and do the same.” This Christmas is one opportune time to do the same.

A note to the 12-21-12 survivors

IF YOU are reading this, congratulations — you have either survived the apocalypse or you are from a future civilization analyzing documents from the past. If you are the former, after you finish reading this article, keep it for later. Eating paper is a great way to fend off starvation. If you’re the latter, I feel it is my duty to inform you about all the landmark achievements that our species had made in 2012, before the world came to an end in a great bang . . . or a puny fart.