Friday, January 05, 2007 Serna: Another Cebuano wins By Roger Serna Sounds and images
IT’S already the fifth day of 2007, still this columnist wants to greet every reader a happy and prosperous new year. As we fondly recall the happenings of the past year, both good and bad, let us be grateful for each as they helped build up our reservoir of knowledge, experiences and wisdom which we may be able to put into good use in the near future.
From there, let’s move on and look forward to more challenges and triumphs that will come our way! Welcome the year of the fire pig with optimism and determination.
One important event which was drowned out (well, almost) by the revelry for the advent of the new year was the victory of another Cebuano last Dec. 28 in the First Rizal Festival of Excellence held at the Bayview Park Hotel in Manila.
Participated by the best young orators from the different regions in the country, James Arthur Fernandez, a third year HRM student of Southwestern University, was the unanimous grand prize winner of the board of judges for his dynamic delivery.
According to the young orator’s coach, Al Evangelio, SWU’s cultural affairs director, the dean’s lister from Carcar is also the lead dancer of the SWU Zugbo Dance Theater and a principal actor of the school’s annual play, Calamba Joe, which will be staged on Jan. 12-14 at the SM Cinema One and also inside the school campus.
For this feat, Fernandez received a certificate, books on Rizal and P25 thousand. Other events during the festival were the quiz bowl which was won by a Dapitan rep and the music theater won by the contingent from Gingoog City.
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By the way, this columnist learned from Evangelio that SWU will be celebrating its university week on Jan. 11-14. The celebration was originally set last Dec. but because it will clash with the original schedule of the Asean Summit, the school administration decided to move it to this year.
Unfortunately, the Asean Summit was also moved and, as a result, the two events will again clash. This time, however, the school administration decided to push through as the alumni had already been informed and are set to visit their alma mater for the homecoming.
Yours truly, though, have yet to experience firsthand the excitement of setting foot again in this particular occasion on the same grounds which stood witness to four years of academic struggle and meet old friends, some of which have already reached their cherished dreams.
Will the excitement be felt finally this year? Hopefully.
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After receiving the Hall of Fame award (the first ever) from the Sinulog Foundation for winning the grand prize in the Sinulog-based category of the grand parade several times a few years back, and after an absence of around six years, the Southwestern University Sinulog contingent will make a comeback this year.
For the first time, the contingent will compete in the free interpretation category. Will it catch the fancy of the audience and the judges as it did several times before under the Sinulog-based category?
That’s for us to find out when the grand parade unfurls on Jan. 21.
*** Before the Sinulog fever reaches fever pitch, however, there’s the concert of the Lettermen on Jan. 15 that will come our way. Scheduled at the Pacific grand ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, the show will transport everyone present down memory lane with every song in the repertoire.
Ticket reservations are accepted through tel. nos. 232-6098 and 0917-6228705.
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When the Sinulog fever dies down, and when almost everyone will have that sparkle of love in their eyes in time with the celebration of Valentines day next month, Lea Salonga will come to Cebu with the show Lea In Love … With Cebu, a dinner concert.
After that highly-successful Christmas concert in Cebu in 2005, Lea’s comeback to the Cebu entertainment scene is eagerly anticipated. Couples whose tickets entitle them for dinner and reserved seats will have a long-stemmed rose from the Gallery of Roses for the lady and, for the gent, an item from the Gifts for the Boys.
Doors of the venue will open at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7. For those who opt for tickets at the mezzanine level, it will be a free-seating arrangement.
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Maging Sino Ka Man female lead star Bea Alonzo has a mature and intelligent outlook behind that youthful and charming exuberance. When asked if she’s going to openly support or endorse a candidate in the May election whether from showbiz or not, Bea said that she has to fully believe in the platform of that candidate for her to be convinced to do so.
This was during the interview held after a sumptuous lunch tendered by Rosemarie Gaisano at the Lighthouse Restaurant along Gen. Maxilom ave. Bea hastened to add that it’s an important option that she needs to weigh carefully so as not to be blamed later if ever things go wrong.
She describes her relationship with Miko Palanca as ‘more than friends.’ At least she did not use the cliché: ‘just friends.’
