New Year na liwat

It's two days to the new year and what do we have? A good number of Calbayognons doing the thing they do best this time of the year - buy foodstuff and what have you for the Media Noche. Above pix shows how the front of the Cosoy Rosales Public Market looked like at around 8:00 pm tonight. Yup that's almost 2 hours past the normal closing time for the stores at the market . . .

. . . earlier today, the Gomez street area was abuzz with people and well, PD cabs and other vehicles . . .

. . . thanks to these police interns (yup, a good number of them are all over the place the past few days) there was some kind of order despite the good number of PD cabs and pedestrians.

. . . Gelera street was closed to traffic to provide space for the fruit vendors (whose number always seem to multiply this time of the year). And thanks (?) to that old belief of collecting fruit for good fortune in the new year, no need to say that the fruit vendors will be raking it in in the next two days

in memoriam Romulo Bartolome

Mano Moling returned to his creator today. He was 76.

Phone Videos from Taragpo 2008

I attended Taragpo 2008 last night. For those who hae been out of the Calbayog for a long time, Taragpo is the annual CKC-CSVP Grand Alumni Homecoming. The affair was held at the Frs. David and Leopold Auditorium. I am still waiting for the pictures which a good number of friends took during the affair. In the meantime, let me share these videos which I took. The first one was during the singing of "Christie Regians" and fireworks display that followed. The other video is a short clip showing some alumni during the dancing. Please bear with the image and sound quality, I took these vids using my old mobile phone.

in memoriam Rodolfo Serrano

Mano Rudy returned to his creator today. He was 67. Many Calbayognons will remember him as one of the anchors of local radio station DYCC.

TTMVS-TTMIST Grand Alumni Homecoming

TTMIST Class Black Panther (SLS Batch 1988) will be hosting this year's TTMVS-TTMIST Grand Alumni Homecoming. The event will be held at 6:00 pm tonight at the TTMIST Socio-Cultural Center.

Merry Christmas!

Maupay ug Malipayun nga Pasko sa atun ngatanan!

in memoriam Prudencio Capeding

Mano Puding returned to his creator today. He was 84.

Dennis and Myla

It was a happy couple we saw in Dennis Ortiz and Myla Bañocia when they got married yesterday. Their wedding mass was held at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral with Archbishop Pedro Dean at the mass presider and Fr. Gil Cagomoc as concelebrant. Reception was held at the Julio Cardinal Rosales Hall of the Centennial Pastoral Center.

Dennis with his parents Boy and Diding Ortiz

Myla with her mom Nilda Data - Bañocia and her bro, Roy Bañocia

Archbishop Pedro Dean blessing the couple during the rite of marriage.

Lemuel Tecson and Melba Bañocia Tecson laying the veil.

Igor and Irene Pastrana putting the cord.

An informal shot with the principal sponsors. (l-r) Mrs. Estrella Chan, Mrs. Edith Ortiz, Mrs. Erlinda Ortiz, Mrs. Linda Dean, the couple, Mayor Mel Sarmiento, Mr. George Castro, Mr. Sebastian Hernandez, Mr. Ramon Rosales and Mr. Pempe Rosales.

Patique Isidro Domingo as she wished the couple well.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento giving a toast to the couple.

Warren Taperla assisting Myla as she prepared to walk down the aisle.

That's me with Patique and Irene partaking of the wedding cake (which was done by Patique).

Dennis and Myla

Dennis Ortiz and Myla Bañocia will get married today. Archbishop Pedro Dean will preside over the Wedding Mass which will be held at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Reception will follow at the Cardinal Rosales Hall of the Centennial Pastoral Center.

Halad Sa Pasko 2008: Day 4

The 12th Calbayog Christmas Festival continues with Pasipara Band onstage at the Nijaga Park tonight. This band is composed of the new-found talents of Direk Chito Roño.

from my old hometown

Do you still remember the days when watching a movie in the local movie house was something to look forward to every week? And in those days, billboards with the images of the stars of the latest movie were all over the place. Then came the betamax, the VHS, the VCD and the DVD. Well, not to mention the pirates in between. In some barangays, some enterprising folks earn some amount from showing the latest film (usually pirated copies) of some popular films; and they have these kids go around with a small billboard announcing what's showing for the night.

At present, there is only one movie house left in the city. Gone are the billboards, but they still do the streamers - AND - this . . .


. . . a multicab garbed in billboards (and yes, sound system included) announcing what's "now showing". In this case, it's Scaregivers "double with" and Twilight. Whew! A far cry from the triple and quardruple (is there such a term?) program of old.

Halad Sa Pasko: Day 3

The KITA Parish Choir goes onstage tonight at the Nijaga Park. They will be having a concert to promote their Christmas CD entitled "Pasko Na! Kanta Kita!"

Halad sa Pasko 2008: Day 2

The 12th Calbayog Christmas Festival continues tonight at the Nijaga Park.

In Concert tonight is Greenpeace Band

The Calbayog Coffee Table Book

The first copies of the Calbayog Coffee Table Book are out. Earlier this morning, I chanced upon Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento scanning his copy of the said book.

The book features six major stories / chapters:

1. Calbayog’s social and economic history;

2. Calbayog as the Religious Center of the province;

3. The culture of Calbayog showing its music, theater & dance, literature, and visual arts;

4. Governance with its unique role as the only city in the entire island of Samar;

5. Its people who have propelled Calbayog to national prominence and have accomplished outstanding achievements; and

6. Calbayog’s Natural Heritage.

It is hard bound with protective jacket, contains about 200 full color pages and glossy photographs, 11×26 inches in full spread, and will be printed in limited (1,000) copies only.

For details and reservation of copies, please contact:
Engr. Arnol F. Trani

City Administrator

Calbayog City

(+63 917) 304-36-57 or (+63 55) 209-29-13

email: arnoltrani@yahoo.com

Here's the video teaser courtesy of Nelson Petilla and Dante Rosales

Happy Birthday Fr. Cesar and Aika

Fr. Cesar Aculan (of the Diocesan Social Action Center) and Aika Uy - Delgado will both turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

Halad Sa Pasko 2008

The Halad Sa Pasko 2008: The 12th Calbayog Chirstmas Festival officially opens at 6:00 o'clock tonight at the Nijaga Park.

Tonight's activities include the following:

- Lantaka Competition

- Rondalla Christmas Carol

- Sino Si Santa? (a play featuring the Calbayog Dance Company and the Calbayog Kahiaraan Scholarship Grantees)

- Christmas Pop-Dance Competition

RDC - 8 meeting in Calbayog

The Regional Development Council (RDC-8) which is chaired by Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento will meet in Calbayog today.

The meeting will be held at the Calabria Formation House in Dagum Hills from 1:30 to 4:00 pm.

It will be capped by a fellowship dubbed as Pagtigman to be held at the Nijaga Park at 7:00 pm

Happy Birthday Roselle

Ms. Roselle Palermo - Esponilla will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

Images from the Urban Poor Solidarity Week 2008

The 2008 Urban Poor Solidarity Week ended today with a parade and fellowship at the TTMIST Socio-Cultural Center. Gracing the occasion was HUDC Secretary-General, Usec Lucille Ortile. The officers and members of 54 Homeowners Asociations were joined by the City offficials in the actvity.

Here are some pictures from the day's event.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento delivering his message

Usec. Lucille Ortile delivering her message

Usec. Ortile with Mayor Sarmiento and Col. Corleto Vinluan, Jr.

Usec. Ortile with Councilors Sonny Salurio and Ina Rabuya and Linda Calesa

Mayor Sarmiento with Col. Vinluan, Bebot Oquendo and Vir Tomnob

ah Manny

It's all over the news, Manny won again. As with the other parts of the country, the streets of Calbayog are always clear (well, almost) of both human and vehicle traffic each time Manny enters the ring to fight for some boxing title and the prize money, of course.

Yesterday, the streets of Calbayog were once deserted, thanks to Manny and the overcast skies (which later on brought rains that lasted 'til early tonight) . . .

the northern skies as viewed from the rotonda

the view to the south as seen from the rotonda (again)

. . . and the usually busy Rosales Boulevard

. . . however the rain did not stop some of our fellow Calbayognon from enjoying the greatest show of the day . . .

. . . and from our neighborhood carenderia, here's how the crowd sounded (or should I say behaved?) during moments when Manny scored againts De La Hoya . . .

a year and a half ago today

Exactly a year and a half ago today (or tonight), GMA7 News featured this report in 24 oras. It's a report by JP Soriano on a Hawk in one of the restaurants in the City. I would like to refer to it as an offshoot of the sad story (in Gadgaran) which caused JP Soriano and Joey Villarma of ABS-CBN to be in Calbayog for a good number of days.

I thought I'd like to share with you this archive video which I got from GMA News.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

The KITA Choir Christmas CD

(CD Cover designed by Ronnie Obong)

You are looking at the cover of KITA Choir's Christmas CD entitled "Pasko Na! Kanta Kita!"

This CD is a compilation of original Calbayog / Waray-waray Christmas songs composed by Boi Nicolasora, Ronnie Obong, Mawe Doroja, Nati Mancol - Biliran and Fr. Roland Cajegas. The CD will be officially launched via a concert tonight at the La Milagrosa Academy Auditorium.

For copies of the CD and other inquiries, you may get in touch with any KITA choir member or Mr. Bong Obong at (+63 905) 224-0933.

Happy Birthday Vice, Mano Massey and Cris!

Vice Mayor Onald Aquino, Mr. Dalmacio Grafil (LSDE publisher) and Mr. Cris Trani will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

something from the U.S. State Department website

Do you still remember my blog post about the Cocopeat Bio-Filter Wastewater Treatment Project? (please check this link). It was one of the projects under the Local Initiative for Affordable Wastewater Management (LINAW) Program (a joint undertaking of LGU Calbayog and USAID); and was initially installed at the SOS Children's Village. It's the same project that was put in place at the Greenland subdivision when the members of the USNS Mercy ENCAP came to Calbayog for their engineering civic action mission.

This project landed in one of the reports featured in the U.S. State Department's website.

The article entitled "Philippine Alliance Helps Reduce Water Pollution, Diseases" enumerates how the United States supports wastewater treatment and sanitation improvements. It tells about the good experience of some cities in the Philippines, Calbayog included:

"... A new low-cost housing development under construction in the Philippines will provide former slum dwellers with proper sewage treatment to protect their health and the environment.

The wastewater treatment system will be installed in Calbayog City on the Philippine island of Samar with assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Philippine Sanitation Alliance (PSA) and the U.S. Navy... "

For the rest of the article, please check this link.

Happy Birthday ma'am Francie

Dr. Francisca Palermo - Santos will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

in memoriam Armando Talahiban Julaton

Mano Monding (of Oquendo District and California) returned to his creator today. He was 50. His body lies in state at Cypress Funeral Home in Colma, California.

They have lighted the Tree

The Giant Christmas Tree at the Cardinal Rosales Plaza had been lighted. The tree which has become one of the fixtures of Christmas in Calbayog has taken different styles and motifs through the past so many years. But its purpose has remained the same - as a fund-raising activity of the Rotary Club of Calbayog.

The Light-A-Tree Project which the Rotary undertakes in cooperation with the City Government of Calbayog, SAMELCO and the Diocese of Calbayog is but one of the activities which has helped the club to raise funds for their various projects which include among others, feeding programs and the annual free eye operations.

Here are some pictures from tonight's tree-lighting program:

Monsignor Leonardo Guadalquiver as he said the prayer

Mayor Mel Sarmiento delivering his message

Some KITA Choir members as they did their song number