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.

GMA'S promises fulfilled

WHOEVER said that promises are meant to be broken does not know the meaning of palabra de honor. Haven't you noticed that keeping one's word has become harder to do? Some have the knack of forgetting what they said, yet a valiant few remember.

That old school value of saying what you mean and meaning what you say is still alive and electrifying the airwaves with a force that is stronger than ever.

Bukas Loob sa Diyos Christmas Bonanza

GETTING into the Christmas spirit this holiday season was easy, thanks to the early Christmas party tendered by the Bukas Loob sa Diyos (BDL) last December 1 at the St John's Institute Gymnasium in Bacolod City.

Upon entering the gym, we were greeted with the sight of giant letters spelling out Merry Christmas onstage. Very prominent were the meaningful words "Keep the Faith," which served to encourage the faithful. Eye-popping were the major and minor prizes for the Christmas raffle draw arranged nearby.

Christmas is for children

"WHENEVER I see boys and girls... I remember the Child, in a manger as He sleeps... I believe that Christmas is truly in their hearts…" - Jose Marie Chan

As the Advent season is coming to an end, and we will again wake up in the cold early mornings to attend and hear our Simbang Gabi masses, we are again reminded of the little babe in a manger in that early Christmas morn. And so as most parent-shoppers, or even godparents, uncles and aunties are doing their shopping, they, like all of us, have one of these thoughts-buying a gift or two for the small , wonderful, precocious wonders called children.

Gift ideas for the financially challenged

TO QUOTE the legendary Snoop Dogg, in this day and age, a lot of people have their mind on their money and their money on their mind, that is to say -- a lot of people are thinking about their budget this Christmas season.

In the old days, people would get you what they thought you wanted. Nowadays, people get you what they can afford. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that everything you buy should be a soulless shell of a gift. There are several ways to get more "bang for your buck" or "pow for your peso" while still getting your friends what they want this Christmas. Here are a few ideas:

Women in Travel: Out of Africa

THE Christmas holiday is a busy time with preparations and gift buying, retreats for reflections and parties for reunions as well.

After a truly successful Hollywood theme the ladies had two years ago, this time around, to add humor and spunk and to unearth the creative juices dormant or alive in all, the Women in Travel decided on the theme Safari. Held at the Nature's Village Resort Hotel, Diotay Lopue, a Tiger in the Zodiac sign, was most gracious in lending us his collection of tigers, which complemented the jungle effect Sonia crafted in one of her function rooms.

Untitled by Rafael Paderna

WHEN one buys a piece of art, it usually comes with a name of its own. Who wouldn’t want to bring home the Mona Lisa (da Vinci), Supper at Emmaus (Rembrandt), Conversion of St. Paul (Caravaggio), Maids of Honor (Velazquez), Bar at the Folies-Bergeres (Manet), The Luncheon of the Boating Party (Renoir), Still Life (Cezanne), and even The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo) if you can only transport the Sistine Chapel to your backyard? These paintings’ titles aptly describes what the whole shebang is all about. Hang them on the wall and proudly call them your own. If you can!

Edna and Ramon’s Wedding: Love is a love song

RAMON V. Manglallan Jr. and Edna L. Desabelle are both engineers. He is a Piping Engineer and she a Materials Engineer. They both work for the same company, JGC Philippines, Inc. which is located in Alabang. These are their first jobs, and they've been colleagues since January 2006.

Edna claims that Ramon loves being an engineer more than she does. He’s straightforward, while she would want to try doing other things aside from engineering someday.

Art District II

WE ALL know that one of the hippest places to see and be seen in Bacolod City is at the Art District at Lopue’s Mandalagan. The vibe is unmistakably cool and the atmosphere allows one to let down his or her hair in style whatever age group he or she belongs to. A mixed evening crowd gathers inside the small bars and restaurants or under the star-lit sky. The larks also enjoy a visit to Orange Gallery for a needed art attack, or lunch at Chicken House for a dose of inasal and having de rigeur dessert afterwards at Miren’s.

2012 and the Mayan calendar

YOU’VE heard it countless times before. It’s either “the world is doomed” or “repent before it’s too late” or “the end is nigh” or “we’re all going to die” or “aliens are coming to destroy our world” et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

And here’s another doomsday prediction that promises to dampen the holiday spirits of the more paranoid members of the population – the end of the Mayan calendar.

Celebrating the spirit of volunteerism

MONDAY’S big news that made it to the headlines, the entry of Super Typhoon Pablo in the Philippine area of responsibility, placed everybody in the typhoon’s path on full alert.

On Tuesday, classes in all levels were suspended here in Bacolod City and we braced ourselves for the expected strong winds and the rainy weather. By Wednesday morning, however, the skies over the city had cleared and there was much rejoicing and thanksgiving over this fortunate turn of events.

Having a blast on a zip

PRRRTTTT, goes the whistle and aloud wheeeew. Couple these sounds with a soft caress of the breeze, a gentle body twist by a gust of air, a sense of freedom feel, and a smooth touchdown. And off you have conquered your acrophobia or even the unfounded fear of the unknown. How? By mustering all courage, praying, and taking the challenge of riding a zipline.

The very word connotes adventure, excitement and freedom. Add to this a little lurking term “danger”. Yet, the staff, besides being friendly, are so reassuring of providing and maintaining safety and the very fact that the come-on opportunity beckons are all open invitation to face the challenge and try it. So dared we did. With friends, I ventured on a zipline ride at La Vista Highlands Mountain Resort at Barangay Prosperidad, San Carlos City.

Sharing our love for reading by sharing books

IN 2009, I gathered all of my books consisting of novels, condensed books of Reader's Digest, and some self-help books and gave it to the school in the fond hopes that they will find their way to the reader who cannot afford to buy books or who cannot decide yet what books to read. Actually, I have a twin intention. The other one was the hope that I can free my shelves too. And the recipient is my alma mater: Dona Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School (DHSBNHS) in La Carlota City, through the outgoing student government at the time.

When it’s December

WHEN it’s December, many locals usually make a beeline to Jara Laboratory to book a cultural tour of Negros Occidental. The Annual Cultural Tour of Negros Occidental (ACTNO) is touted as the longest-running cultural tour in the world. Ramon Hofileña’s 39th year as tour guide par excellence has brought countless tourists to famous attractions in the province at cost, i.e., with no profit at all to Mr. Hofileña who is also known as the Father of Heritage Conservation in Silay City.

Lonely Planet thinks The Suites is sweet

I’M kinda proud of The Suites at Calle Nueva. This cozy, 20-bedroom boutique hotel with a non-descript façade was given high marks by the 11th edition of the travel bible Lonely Planet. Among the hotels in Bacolod City, it became the secret viajeros’ top choice. Page 271 of Lonely Planet Philippines said that The Suites at Calle Nueva is “undoubtedly the best value for money in town. This centrally located boutique hotel has tasteful rooms every bit as comfortable as a mini high-end hotel. Beds are new and comfy, couches are embellished with pillows, and rooms have plasma TV and sparkling bathrooms with modern fittings. The free cooked breakfast will tide you over for most of the day.”

The art of gift-giving

THIS literary piece is inspired by a book in my personal collection entitled “Only the Best, A Celebration of Gift-Giving in America” by Stuart Jacobson. The book features extraordinary and unique gifts given by famous personalities to their recipients.

The gifts are classified as the Romantic Gift, the Gift to a Child, the Gift for an Occasion, the Gift of Appreciation, the Humorous Gift, the Gift of Friendship and the Gift of Largesse.

Of Sinda, her lumpia, atbp.

ROSALINDA “Sinda” Belleza. Her nickname is the carrier label of the fresh lumpia (spring roll) of which Silay City is noted for.

My visit to the Silay City market looking for some “kakanins” proved the aforementioned statement true. Buyers of lumpia ask the food stall vendors, “Kay Sinda ni lumpia?”(Is this lumpia made by Sinda?). So tickled with curiosity, I asked one lady named Christy, who happened to be Ma’am Sinda’s niece, for Sinda’s address and contact number. And after two phone calls, I made my visit to the haven of a home of the famous lumpia maker of Silay City.

Don’t drink the water

JUST when you thought your water was safe to drink, it turns out that drinking water in Bacolod city is like playing roulette. It turns out that the National Water Resources Board has recently discovered that several water refilling stations in Bacolod City have no permit to extract ground water, according to the head of the Bacolod Permits and Licensing Office, Vicente Petierre III.

The National Water Resources Board is worried about several things – the first of which is their inability to monitor the sources of groundwater that are being pumped up by the water refilling stations. According to Petierre, there is a possibility that the sources of groundwater could mix with saltwater. And I know none of you like the taste of saltwater with your morning coffee.

Andrei and Aissa

IT WAS an entrance like in no other wedding reception I have ever attended. While the nuptial Mass officiated in the Barangay Sang Birhen Chapel at the Sta. Clara Chapel was cultural, with the mosaic collage of various shells of varying colors, shapes and sizes adorned in walls and images, and solemn, the bride and groom took a different turn and departed from waiters with torches or flowers strewn at their feet as they entered the ballroom of L’Fisher.

Again, another departure was the entrance through the side door, which is the norm, bride and the groom made their “dramatic” appearance from the back stage dancing their way down the aisle to the tune of PSY’s Gangnam Style with moves that set the fun mood of the evening. As she pranced animatedly holding her skirt so as not to trip, Aissa displayed a pair of rubber shoes beneath her flowing gown. Instantly, the adrenalin rush of an enjoyable night was established. Definitely stilettos were not going to inhibit the bride’s movement tonight. Even the wedding cake echoed Aissa’s spirit which must be one of the qualities that endeared her to Andrei.

Venezia Hotel in Subic

I RECEIVED a call inviting me to judge masks made by employees of a hotel in Subic and because the caller was a good friend, who I just couldn't turn down, I willingly accepted since there was no urgency on the date except what was convenient for me.

The mermaids of Jeju Island

One of the things that really caught my attention in Jeju Island was its matriarchal structure. Sunny, our pretty guide, told us that Jeju is known for their strong women. Quite a tag and when she started explaining this, the more amazed I was.

Being an island, the bounty of the sea is a thriving industry. Diving rather than fishing was the choice of acquiring abalones, conchs and seaweeds from the ocean. This was the territory of men originally but, when the job became unprofitable because of the heavy taxes, women took to the task.

Cebu Pacific now flies Iloilo-Hong Kong

YES, it's now a reality. You can now fly to Hong Kong via the Iloilo International Airport. It's just a ferry boat away from Negros Occidental and Bacolod City and just a thirty-minute drive from the other parts of Iloilo towns, as Cebu Pacific Air made Iloilo as one of its latest international gateways to the region of Asia.

Cebu Pacific Air Vice-President for Marketing and Distribution Ms. Candice A. Iyog led her airline officials and staff to bid goodbye to the first batch of passengers taking the maiden flight bound for Hong Kong two Thursdays ago.

Sun.Star turns 30

SUN.STAR Publishing Inc. celebrated on November 14, 2012 its 30th year in the media industry by hosting a party at the Hotel Dusit Thani for its advertisers, news sources, stakeholders and supporters.

Disneyland: Where everyone’s a child, regardless of age

WHEN you enter Disneyland, you leave your age behind at the gates. And that’s exactly what we did last November 7 when we visited Hong Kong’s land of magic peopled by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy.

In 2010, I visited Xiamen and Shanghai while 2011 found me in Bangkok and the sugar areas of Thailand. In both those trips, I was asked by National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) president to join the group as documenter. I thought it would be three-in-a-row this year but conflict in schedules precluded another NFSP sugar tour.

Jeju Island: One of the 7 wonders of nature

THE highlight of our South Korean trip was a visit to Jeju Island sponsored by the Jeju Tourism Board, and it was a delightful hour’s ride from Gimpo Airport. My very first impression of Jeju Island was that I was transported to some Hawaiian Island. The weather was a little warmer than Seoul and there were palm trees like California and the people were cheerful.

The Biadog Brothers’ Subaro Impreza Experience

WHAT you do with your hands makes you, or breaks you. In many cases, our hands help us do a lot of things. From our daily living of bathing, eating, working and praying, we also use our hands to express our emotions, create our arts and express ourselves.

Women – the dominant gender?

THROUGHOUT most of history, women were classified as second-class citizens. Since the dawn of time, prehistoric societies have imposed gender-based roles on members of their tribe. The males would go out and gather food while the women would gather fruits and berries from bushes near the settlement and care for the children.

Now I bet you’re thinking, “That makes man the dominant species – he’s doing the manual labor to feed his family.” But have you ever asked yourself if man was working for woman?

Sharing at Christmas with joy

GOD loves a cheerful giver and the giver is also gifted with much cheer and joy. When Christmas is in the air, generous souls can smell the fragrant opportunity to share their blessings with others in need. Opportunities for giving are plentiful and it is just a matter of choosing a favorite charity or cause.

After all, there are so many causes to support, too many charity cases to contribute to, and countless people in need awaiting a little blessing. Remember, we neither can save nor feed the whole world but we can save one person, one animal, or one tree at a time.

Remembering the painful lessons of the past

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 is a day I can never forget, for very early on this day I received the following heart-stopping text message “Ma maupod ko sa ambulance kay mapa check up ko kay nabunggo amon tricycle.”

My youngest daughter was on her way to school when the road accident happened and to this day I am just so thankful that my daughter is still alive and doing well.

Korean cars, food, and getting lost in Seoul

SOUTH Korea is Samsung land so if you are looking for a charger for your Apple, then your chances are close to nil. If you ask what the mighty company in South Korea is, the answer spells Samsung. So be sure that you have all your other branded gizmos packed and tucked in your suitcase when you visit South Korea.

When it comes to cars, Korea is the new Japan. Overtaking Toyota, Hyundai and Kia have sold more vehicles to Americans than all European automakers combined through the first seven months of 2011, and they’re growing faster than any other automaker.