DevCom students to stage election advocacy concert

A GROUP of Communication Media and Society (DC6) students will stage a free concert at the Lim Ket Kai Rotunda on March 2 in connection with the May elections.

The concert, dubbed “Vote or Die Trying,” is a collaboration of the students with the Development Communication Department, Kagayanon for Good Governance and Kagayanon for Good Governance-Youth. It is an advocacy of the students to raise awareness for clean and honest elections through a display of musical talent.

Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio

AS YOUNG children we often have our own memories of taking strolls in Burnham Park just enjoying the chilly weather in a picnic with the family relishing boating at the lake, experiencing the bicycle rides, gobbling cotton candies, sipping hot choco and feasting on street food galore.

But Burnham Park was more than just that last February 10.

All is set for Kaamulan Festival 2013

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon -- The province of Bukidnon, known as Mindanao’s food basket, is primed and ready for this year’s Kaamulan Festival with big events to be featured on a grand scale.

The soft opening, which was held in February 18, kicked off with the traditional “pamuhat” (ritual) dedicated to the “Magbabaya” (deity) for a bounty harvest.

Practical parenting

IN THE late 1960s, hundreds of four-year old kids in the U.S. were invited to take the marshmallow test.

They were placed in a small room with a marshmallow and were given specific instructions that they could eat it only if they wait for 15 minutes. If they were successful, the researcher promised that they will be rewarded with not just one but two marshmallows.

Musikahan 2013 kicks off with Tourism Portal Launch

RAIN or shine, the 12th Musikahan Festival opening salvo commenced inside the Atrium of the New City Hall of Tagum this February 19, where the crowd converged to celebrate the city’s most popular celebrations.

The 6-day festivity is aimed by organizers to help raise funds for Compostela Valley after its ordeal with typhoon Pablo, a noble act which ComVal Provincial Governor Arturo Uy highly commended. For Tagum Mayor Rey T. Uy, it is but a social responsibility and a commitment.

Relics of St. Therese to visit Cebu

CEBU CITY -- The Catholic Church here is preparing the activities to welcome the pilgrim relic of St. Therese of Lisieux, popularly known as "St. Therese of the Child Jesus," which will stay here next week to visit the Catholic faithful.

Relics are the "material remains of a saint or a holy person after death, as well as objects sanctified by contact with his body," according to the Catholic Church.

Laudico couple promotes Pinoy cuisine to the world

FOR ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Masterchef co-host Rolando Laudico, or popularly known as Chef Lau, cooking every single day is a learning experience.

“Kami every day, we learn from cooking. Marami pang kailangang malaman about cooking and you can never learn everything about cooking,” Chef Lau shared.

Let’s celebrate - with a cake or cupcakes?

IN ANY soiree or gathering, it is inevitable that the presence of a cake or cakes would make a grand entrance. It is like the “cherry” on top of a whipped-cream covered dessert.

An event would not be complete without the cake which always would absolutely require a prominent space or corner in the venue. And it always highlights the party, be it a wedding, birthday, baptismal, shower, blessing and much more.

Mushroom Burger

WHAT does this mushroom column have to do with the horrifying news that in Europe there has been a scam where horse meat, yes, horse meat, has been passed off as beef and added to lasagna and other dishes which call for beef and has been accepted by the consumers as beef. It is worthwhile to maybe refrain from meat such as beef imported from abroad. Be careful of what you feed your family.

That being the case and if your family members like to eat hamburgers and other such beef dishes, may we suggest that the children and family are introduced to a burger filling substitute? What to substitute you ask?

RAFI launches children's book ‘Akong Bugsay’

PRESCHOOLERS lightened up the mood of what could’ve been just another book launch when they sang “bugsay bugsay, kilingkiling diyutay” to the familiar tune of nursery rhyme “sit down, you’re rocking the boat” during a storytelling of the new book launched by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI).

Lizada: First and Last

I HAVE always liked reading and I have this quirk about books. It is rather simple. If the first line of a book does not elicit interest I drop the book. To me the first line is important. In a nutshell, the first line is the line that determines the book itself. So when I open the book and look at the first line I am very careful and very aware of what I feel. It is a matter of feeling and not a manner of thinking, the opening line is.

If it is good, it pulls you in and never lets go.

'Healthtea' options

MUCH has been said about the health benefits of a tea. Its ability to lower cholesterol level and anti-cancer property are just few out of its many health effects.

There are different types of teas now available in the market, but they aren’t technically tea as some of these are results of the concoction of different plants. According to Time.com, the authentic tea is extracted only from the leaves of a plant "Camellia sinensis" and has only four varieties, namely: green, black, white, and oolong.

HAIMA Cars Baguio continues to serve more customers

HAIMA Automobiles Philippines Inc. (HAPI) is all set to inaugurate another dealership, which is conveniently located along Marcos Highway, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet – Haima Cars Baguio.

Local government officials led by Tuba, Benguet Mayor Florencio V. Bentrez; Laus Group of Companies top executives led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Levy P. Laus and Director Tess A. Laus; HAPI executives represented by General Manager Donald T. Calma and Business Development Officer Erwin I. Galang; and Haima Cars Baguio Officer-in-Charge Roma B. Manzano, along with Haima Cars Baguio's guests, friends, and customers will gather today to bless the three-storey building.

Lowly sweet potato goes high

TO REDUCE the incidence of virus-complex attacking sweet potato, farmers in Tarlac and Albay are using tissue-culture clean planting materials (CPM), the quarterly publication of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).

"Pathogen-tested, tissue-cultured sweet potato seed pieces are produced in the laboratory and then grown in net houses and multiplier farms for distribution to a wider number of growers," The PCARRD Monitor reported.

Another mile for Beneco BDEAP

EDUCATION is a real opportunity for every individual to learn, to develop skills, and to discover the world that is full of challenges. Literacy is always a need for every society, community, and family that spearhead towards development and progress.

Education, therefore, is a powerful tool for meeting life’s adversities, tasks and being perceptive to adjust to different situations. But reality proves that everybody is not provided or given the opportunity to education.

A new look at our past via the Siday or Kandu

SINCE February is known as the Philippine Arts Festival Month, I wanted to write something about the prehispanic Visayan literature that is part of our cultural heritage. But what I found were two ancient Visayan epics that were originally sung for several nights and were later written down by the 16th century Spanish missionaries.

What is lamentable is the fact that these works were summarized and because of its brevity, so many of the beautiful lines were excised. Now you can read the epics in less than fifteen minutes!

Bukidnon town celebrates lifestyle festival

RICH culture and tradition have defined events and festivities in the Philippines. Different local festivities, lifestyle, art, songs and dances may create an icon depicting Filipino celebrations, which are translated to festivals that bring more fun in the Philippines.

One of the major cultural attractions in the country is the province of Bukidnon where seven ethnic tribes reside, namely the Manobos, Bukidnons, Talaandigs, Higaonons, Umayamnons, Tigwahanons and Matigsalug tribes.

Panagdait Festival: A showcase of talents

LICEO de Cagayan University’s Hospitality Management and Tourism Department (HMTD) successfully held the colorful and flavorful “Panagdait Festival” last February 6 at the school’s civic center.

Now on its 4th year, “Panagdait Festival” is the most anticipated event that showcases the college’s own version of Kumbira, an annual prestigious culinary showdown organized by the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (Cohara). It has become a venue where guests, sponsors, instructors and students not only show off their expertise in culinary arts but also their love for Kagay-anon and Filipino cultures through dances, their passion for teaching and learning, appreciation for labor, respect for one’s work and compassion for people through genuine services.

Julia Montes look-alike wins ‘Macho Gay’ title

A CONSTRUCTION worker got the biggest surprise of his life when he was crowned “Macho Gay 2013” during the final night held last Feb. 7 at the town plaza of Barangay Iponan.

Jun Adonis Patriana, 31, looked like actress Julia Montes on stage. He bested all other candidates in the contest, one of the highlights of Barangay Iponan’s week-long “Kalumpangan Festival” in honor of the village’s patron saint, San Guillermo, whose feast falls on Feb. 10.

Food makes the better lover...

... It gets sweeter with every encounter, loves you unconditionally through thick (read: fat) and thin, and it never disappoints you, ever, not unless it isn’t prepared right. In which case, the chef will always give you a replacement and/or not let you pay for the whole meal.

This Valentine’s week seems to prove my point why food is the best company (aside from good friends) in singledom (by choice), at least from my point of view.

Masbad: Passwords: Keep it secure

LAST year, an editor of a popular technology magazine was hacked. Another person through social engineering techniques retrieved his password. In just about an hour, he practically “lost” his digital life all because the hacker wanted to get his current Twitter username. It’s an interesting story of how one tech savvy person was still hacked. But we won’t be talking about how he was hacked and how all the other factors contributed to him getting hacked.

This week though I’ll talk about a few things that you can do and tools to help you secure your passwords.

My best Valentine gift

MY VALENTINE’S Day ended with a bang. I still received flowers from my knight in shining armor. Peach roses, that is. And the day would not be complete without sumptuous food.

But before it made way to our tummies, I and my husband had to wait for an hour when we ordered it. Yup, you heard that right. But since we think that they are the most-sought-after restaurant during that day, all that we can do was grumble, mumble and consult the counter thrice. Blame it to their Chinese recipe. Now what?

Boracay: A perfect island getaway

BORACAY has come a long way from a somewhat sleepy island in the 1980s with nipa huts and little infrastructure to a first class resort destination, and is voted one of the best beaches in the world. This place is the perfect island getaway that offers warm blue waters, powder-fine white sand, and a palm-fringed four-kilometer beach front.

Boracay has all the ingredients of a fun-in-the-sun resort destination with diverse choices of delectable food, pulsating nightlife and a wide variety of sports and activities.

Fashion fun under the sun

JUST because the summer heat is unbearable doesn't mean we have to surrender style. Now that the hottest season of the year is just a few weeks away, Davao City's top fashion bloggers show us how to be effortlessly fashionable under the heat of the sun.

Getting Ready is the Key

Beyond durian and orchids

ON MARCH 6-9, Davao City will host the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions/events conference (MICECON), according to Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).

"MICECON will bring together delegates from the Philippines and foreign MICE industry comprising meeting/event planners, destination management companies, incentive tour operators, hotels and resorts, airlines, convention and exhibition centers, local tourism offices, and association executives, among many others," said TPB Chief Operating Officer Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III.

Brewing your own coffee

THE popularity of coffee has in recent years given rise to a lifestyle where people congregate, talk, write, read, surf the net, and play games in coffee shops while enjoying a great brew. There is nothing, after all, like sipping the perfect cup of coffee individually or in the company of friends and family.

The good news is that, you can have the coffee culture experience right in your own home, with cool coffeemakers from SM Homeworld. These are not only sleekly designed and compact, but make it easy for you to be your own barista at home.

Flowers of the North

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - Northern Blooms have defined the celebrations for the month of February here.

Benguet flower farmers are bound to make a profit this month with Valentine’s Day rush to buy blooms as well as the upcoming Baguio Flower Festival demanding a myriad of cut flowers from the province.

The most romantic place in the world

SIPPING coffee in small cafe by a quiet alley in Marais in Paris, France, sitting on a bench by the busy path of Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain, strolling under the heavenly Cherry Blossom trees in Kyoto, Japan, wading on the shallow waters of a deserted beach in a South Pacific island, shaking your bodies to the Salsa beat at the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, riding the elephants through the forest of Chiang Mai, Thailand, or the Ferris wheel magically stopping at its highest point facing the setting sun in some theme park...

... you stare at each other's eyes, lips curled in smiles, time stands still...

My Foodie Valentine

A YEARLY event and celebration, the 14th of February has become synonymous with love, flowers, cards, teddy bears, balloons, chocolates, candies, strawberries, cherries and food, especially baked goodies. But one thing in common is the color red, and being “heart-shaped!

Much has been written about the history of St. Valentines, hence Valentine’s Day. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that this occasion became hugely popular, particularly the valentine card. Remember Hallmark Greetings? And the rest, as everyone would say, is history.

Is Valentine’s Day celebration comes with age?

TODAY is Valentine’s Day but here I am staring at the computer and thinking if I have something essential to write.

Well, for a start, my husband and I planned to go out with the kids but as to where and what time, the answer is still vague. As of this writing, I am still busy finalizing the list of the staff who will be on probation as recommended by our regional director while my husband is probably cramming for their general inspection.