‘The 2013 Bautista Clan Reunion’

THE Bautista clan, the Amado, Fernando, Vicente and Conrado (from the eldest to the youngest) Bautista families held a family reunion last March 9 at the University of Baguio Centennial Hall.

Splashing into summer with kaleidoscope of colors and prints

COLORS as bright and juicy as summer fruit, relaxed silhouettes, and fearless mixing and matching: this is only a fraction of Kikay's newest collection, Printed Summer. Greet the sizzling season and enjoy the relaxed elegance of the collection while still maintaining a standout style and flair.

"Think brights for the colors," said Kikay owner Kathy So. "We wanted this collection to be about having fun, yet still making a statement."

Every reason to rejoice this Easter at the Manor at Camp John Hay

THE Manor at Camp John Hay gives us every reason to rejoice this Easter with its treasure trove of activities during the Holy Week.

Easter Eucharistic celebrations come alive starting with Palm Sunday Mass as the congregation celebrates Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem at The Manor Garden, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. of March 24.

Making dreams come true

FOR the last couple of years, events like weddings, debuts, corporate launches and other grand celebrations have reached a higher level, thanks to event organizers who make sure that these events are made truly special, eventful and memorable.

And true enough, lately, our society has become a lot busier that the need for event/wedding organizers has increased since they are instrumental in taking off the stress of making a special event “your dream event.”

Metro stores hold Sidewalk Sale

METRO Gaisano stores (Colon, Mandaue, Ayala, Naga and Toledo) Maasin, Legazpi, Lucena, Binondo, Alabang, Market! Market! and Pampanga is holding their much awaited annual Sidewalk Sale from March 15-17.

UB opens Bachelor of Arts in Music Degree

THE wealth of the Cordillera culture and the richness of its music now has a home at the University of Baguio with the opening of the Bachelor of Arts in Music Degree last March 11. Not only will Cordillera music be accessible but all other theories and history of music to all who will study it as a degree or as a diploma or certificate.

Kapampangan master painter wows Manila students

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Master portrait artist Rafael Maniago wowed dozens of students of the Art Discovery and Learning Foundation Inc. during a weekend showcase of artistic skills at Tropical hut in Quezon City.

The artist exhibition was organized by fellow artist Fernando Sena which also featured Master landscape artist Delfin Garcia. The event aimed at giving students of the foundation who come mostly from schools and universities in Manila a chance to learn skills from one of the top portrait artists today.

Philippine regional cookery

WHEN discussing Philippine regional cookery, we surely notice the influence of the availability of the ingredients and its supply, and in this case a place like the Bicol Region with its unique combination of coconuts, peppers and taro illustrates well this thesis.

Nowhere is this more noticeable than in the case of the hot and spicy cuisine of Bicolandia. Bicol's regular use of gata (coconut milk and cream and chilis in almost all its dishes marks the regions uniqueness relative to the rest of the country's). The use of gata gives its cuisine an authentic Malay touch. Chili or Sili and coconut cream gata, come together into an appetizing dish to go with rice. Following are some of the more popular dishes for which the region is noted.

One-stop place for fun, adventure

FROM adults to children, from teenagers to young professionals, D'Leonor Inland Resort and Adventure Park has something for them.

"If they are looking for some fun activities or extreme adventures, or just to unwind themselves from the hassles of urban living, the resort is the place to visit," says Jules Melencion, the operations supervisor who is also the sales and marketing head.

Oral Healthcare: Foundation for healthy life

"Aside from brushing your teeth, flossing, and using mouthwash, we should also replace our toothbrushes every three to four months, follow a healthy diet, and limit our between-meal snacks," shared Dr. Jayme Concepcion, a Metro Dental resident dentist.

A call to a Celebration of Thanksgiving

TADIAN, Mountain province – Another bountiful harvest, another festival it is for in Mountain Province.

The 19 barangays of this town celebrated the Ayyoweng di Lambak ed Tadian as a thanksgiving for another bountiful harvest.

300 women judges attend confab in Tacloban

AROUND 300 women justices and judges led by Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno arrived in Tacloban City on March 6 & 7, 2013 to attend the 18th Annual Convention of the Philippine Women Judges Association at the Oriental Hotel.

In the evening of March 6, the honorable members of the Bench – put their hair down, donned colorful, flower-printed dresses accessorized with leis and flower-hair bands – took to the floor – singing, dancing and bonding the evening away at a Luau reception hosted by Mayor Alfred and Councilor Cristina Romualdez at Patio Victoria.

‘Sunggod ta Kamanga’ Festival

THE municipality of Quezon in Bukidnon has celebrated the richness of the Manobo culture and tradition through the “Sunggod ta Kamanga” festival held recently.

Different activities, events and festivities were organized to showcase the lifestyle of the indigenous community in the town.

Lapu-lapu can be raised commercially

IT'S a common knowledge that Chinese restaurant is not complete without a bubbling tank full of grouper. Asia's most demanded reef fish, grouper fetches up to P6,000 per piece in Hong Kong and Singapore. In the blockbuster movie, Drunken Master, steamed grouper was one of the many dishes Jackie Chan's character requests during an attempted meal-theft.

Most of the fish comes from the Philippines, as the country is considered the center of the Coral Triangle, a region between the Pacific and Indian Oceans that harbors 75 percent of all known species of plants and animals that thrive among coral reefs.

Blessed are our women...Honoring our women leaders

LET THE world know, in the eyes of God and men, how extraordinary women can face challenges, responsibilities and hardships in their lives. Through difficult and tough circumstance, women have survived the test of times.

Earlier in history, women were not entirely given the chance and privilege to show and express their capabilities. But as time passed, the fast crusade by concerned women resulted to granting women equal ventures in all fields of endeavor.

Masbad: Record Life as It Happens

NOW that we all have a video taking app on our phone (last week's iSupr8, for example) and I'm pretty sure you bring your smartphone with you wherever you go. It's about time that we put those apps to good use. We can't let your app just sit in your smartphone and waste precious bits and bytes and consume digital space there.

It will be short and sweet this week. I'll set you up with a few suggestions for a short video project that you can shoot for yourself. So let's get it started.

Apu Ceto at 76 shares views on Church, Papacy, Politics, RH

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Pro-life Archbishop Paciano Aniceto or “Apu Ceto” shared on Saturday, during his 76th birthday, his thoughts about the advocacies of the Catholic Church, conclave, and politics, among others.

Apu Ceto celebrated his birthday in the Mother of Good Counsel Seminary in this city.

‘Sarap mag babad’ this summer

AS SUMMER is about to start, beer drinkers will surely enjoy this year’s one of the most anticipated events, the “Sarap mag babad” series of summer parties specifically conceptualized by beer market leader San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB).

The series of summer parties to be held every Friday starting March 15 until the whole duration of summer is a way of celebrating the Filipino’s zest of fun, friendship and pulutan (beer match), in the company of one of the world’s best-tasting beers, San Miguel Pale Pilsen.

Creating a positive first impression

WORLD-RENOWNED Belgian bag and luggage company maker Hedgren recently conducted a style and professional clinic for yuppies at Seda Hotel in Cagayan de Oro.

The Primer Group of Companies, in partnership with the Cagayan de Oro Hotels and Restaurants Association (Cohara), conducted the Cagayan de Oro-leg of the series of style clinics last February 27 with Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Abbygale Arenas-de Leon, personality development expert, as facilitator.

A prelude to summer

ALL aboard!

The gathering usually occurs before the temperature soars toward boiling point and heats up the city—that time of the year when the beach is what every perspiring soul has in mind as the great escape.

Hong Kong - Disneyland and Macau – Venetian (Part 2)

THE Rey B. clan continues its Hong Kong sojourn. Having several children in the group meant a trip to Disneyland. What else?

Our kids were uncontrollable with excitement so the adults had to be extra vigilant not to lose them among the crowd! We covered every site of Disneyland like Toy Story land, Fantasy land, and Tomorrow land. The best feature of Adventure land was the “Festival of the Lion King,” a 45-minute pageant of song and dance. Riding a raft to Tarzan island and climbing his Treehouse was tedious. On the Jungle River cruise, our 5-year old Ethan was terrified with a crocodile that popped out beside the boat and bursts of fire that spewed out from a volcano.

Dream Big

A FEW years ago, the dream of having a high school orchestra seemed to be an ambitious project for Davao Christian High School (DCHS).

But, through the collaboration of Patricia Chambi Soriano of Zion Praise Ministry Inc. (ZPMI) and the DCHS administration, the school started its Practical Music Course (PMC) in 2009 which taught students how to play either the piano, guitar, violin, drums, keyboards, cello, saxophone, or flute.

The essence of storytelling

READING books to children bring them to a world without limits. It gives them a sense of appreciation for words, education and the medium used-books.

In celebration of the World Read Aloud Day 2013, Xavier Ecoville, the Xavier University-led resettlement community for Sendong survivors in Barangay Lumbia, organized a storytelling session for over 70 children aged three to six.

Baboo Mondoñedo's book launch and CNA's circle of friends

IT WAS an affair to remember. If there's one thing missing in Baguio, I suppose it's the booming of not only the visual and performing arts but also the literary arts.

Recently, Baboo Mondonedo launched her book "Stepping Stones" and Babeth Lolarga who wrote the intro or preface of said book set the program's mood when she requested Bubut Olarte to sing "Like a Rolling Stone."

Pasalubong from Davao

MENTION Davao and what comes into your mind - Philippine eagle (the country's bird icon), Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, No Smoking, the country's biggest city in terms of land area, and Kadayawan (Mindanao's festival of all festivals).

Le luxe de VIE Hotel

EVENING flight. Late night arrival. No airport pick-up. Taxi or bus. Airport rail link to the city was still open. Front door delivery.

This is what I love about Bangkok, it has made traveling convenient for everyone and the airport link to the city is just the best. It swiftly transports me to the city, connects my ride to the BTS or MRT and gets me to your final destination in a flash. Bangkok’s infamous traffic jam is non-existent along this path.

Graduation memories

IN THE next few weeks, we will all be a part of our children or love one’s milestone in life as we see them advance and step up in life for a better future. Graduation!

Coming from a big family (there were six of us) would mean several graduation rites for my parents to attend, be it kindergarten, elementary, high school or college.

P7 Children’s Day brings joy to 700 pupils

SEVEN hundred children of Bakakeng Norte/Sur were full of joy as they enter their final month of this academic year as the Purok 7 Association of Bakakeng Norte/Sur conducted P7 Children’s Day on March 1,2013 held at Bakakeng Elementary (BES) School Grounds.

The celebration includes a feeding activity, games and a talk from the Barangay Nutrition Action Officer Nardo Agpad about ways on how to give importance to health.

Cowboy traditions live on at Pony Boy’s Day

IT’S probably only in this part of Luzon where one could still wear leather boots and jackets, don a cowboy hat, listen to country music, ride a horse and do the line dance.

This old Baguio tradition was relived once again by Wright Park pony boys who started a tradition of horse racing and other western-style fun games several decades ago.

Fettuccine Carbonara Alfredo and Banana Loaf Cake

ONE of the nicest and healthiest things to eat are raisins. Yes, simple old raisins and yet, they are so under rated, and as a food, thought of as a decoration and garnish.

This is due maybe, except for very small patches of land, especially in the Ilocos, we are not a grape producing country. We hardly know about the making of and the nutritional value of raisins, and the various varieties of raisins. There is often great confusion on the difference between these dried fruits when used in cookery.