Monday, October 13, 2008 Costanilla: Cultural events By Sam Costanilla Spotlight
FROM the Arts Council of Cebu’s Mariz Rallos, I gathered that the 6th Australian film festival here will be on Thursday, Oct. 16, starting at 7 p.m., at the Ayala Onstage. The event which is under the auspices of the Australian Embassy Manila will feature the special screening of Romulus, My Father, with Eric Bana playing the lead role.
* * *
MEMBERS of the Cebu Chamber Singers (CCS) are preparing for another major choral singing competition, this time in Busan, South Korea, come Nov. 12-15 this year. The international choral festival and competitions will be participated in by 40 countries vying for big cash prizes. CCS will bring the name of Cebu and the Cebuanos to the event.
* * *
FLYING to South Korea for this major singing contest entails a lot of money on the part of the CCS. So they are thinking of mounting a fund-raising concert on Oct. 24 at the City Sports Center fronting the Cebu City Marriott Hotel. The amount they need is so big considering the large number of singers that are participating in the event. ImageWise, the group’s public relations and marketing agent, is asking the general public to watch the group’s Oct. 24 fund-raising presentation. For sponsorships and ticket purchases, you may call or text lawyer Ging Navarro-Laude’s cell phone number (09173207572).
Tess Catipay is her partner. You may also call or text this writer anytime regarding tickets and sponsorships.
* * *
BARRING unforeseen circumstances, the Cebu United Radio & Television Artists Inc., headed by Emil Rizada Jr., will be staging a second fund-raising show on Dec. 6 at Baseline Restaurant. As one of the club’s consultants, I suggested to Rizada that the event should only have a maximum of four singers who will take turns in entertaining the audience. I suggested names such as Dante Luzon, Baby Condeno, Dr. Warfe Engracia and his daughter Athena Ever. Their concert, as initially agreed upon, should not exceed the one-hour duration because after the singing part, there will be a 30-minute dinner to be followed by non-stop ballroom and disco dancing. The Zugbu band will provide the live accompaniment during the entire show, titled “Some Enchanted Evening: Usa ka Paskohanong Dalit.”
* * *
THE launching of the “1st Baroto Regatta sa Talisay” yesterday was an overwhelming success. It was a fitting event to mark the birth anniversary of Gov. Gwen Garcia who was the program’s guest of honor. She also fired the starting gun. We should commend the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council, headed by former Customs Collector David “Kuya Boy” Odilao Jr., for spearheading this event designed to pay tribute to those fishermen whose livelihood depends on sailboats that don’t consume gasoline or diesel.
* * *
AS EMCEE of the historic event, I have seen everything up close and personal. I was very much impressed with the way the launching was mounted and I hope that the sailboat race will be institutionalized as an annual province-wide venture. It is another tourist attraction for Cebu.
* * *
IT IS heartening to note that more and more local government units are participating in the “Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival of Festivals” that the provincial government has initiated. Last August, Bogo City and Liloan town took part in the festival despite the fact that they have not yet presented their respective festivals in their own localities. Bogo’s Pintos and Liloan’s Rosquillos were submitted and performed as entries in the Pasigarbo — and they did well.
* * *
BECAUSE of Gov. Gwen Garcia’s challenge, the province’s cities and towns have been able to come up with their respective festivals, a move that has made Cebu the undisputed festival island in the entire country. We Cebuanos should sustain this tag and one way of doing that is for the cities and towns to keep on improving their respective festivals so that they would always look refreshing and more fantastic every year.
* * *
LOCAL cinemas should field at least two security guards — one each for both lower and upper sections — right before the screening of the last full shows.
Why am I bringing this up? Because I’ve noticed that every time the national anthem is played inside cinemas, some movie-goers don’t stand at attention.
Frankly, I really hate to see some individuals who just sit down while the national anthem is being played. I believe the sight of security guards looking at them would compel these people to stand at attention and sing the national anthem.
* * *
THIS lovely singer here has been offered by her booking manager a room in his rented apartment somewhere in Banawa but she refused. The singer is now looking for a more financially rewarding job. (E-mail: samcost@yahoo.com or text 09268443888)
