images from the 2007 Fiesta Parade

Hi! Just wanna share with you the pix I took during the Annual Fiesta Parade. As in the past years, it is always a crowd-drawer. The participants and some officials were up early, so were the onlookers who made sure they got the best view.

Calbayog City National High School Drum Corps

San Policarpo National High School Drum Corps

La Milagrosa Academy High School Drum Corps

Christ the King College YDT Drum Corps

The TTMIST ROTC Unit

Below are pix of some drum corps doing their exhibition in front of the City Hall Stage

Gab-i san Pagpasalamat

I hosted this year's Hermana Night dubbed as Gab-i San Pagpasalamat. I can't believe it I forgot to take pictures during the event. Anyway, some good friends, among them mana Edel Alegria promised to email me some pix and I would be very glad to share it with you the moment I got it.

Tonight the Hermana Mayor hosted Bishop Isableo Abarquez, Mayor Mel Sarmiento, the Parish Council Officers and a good number of balikbayans and Calbayognons to dinner and dancing and of course, the usual kuratsa which raised more than twenty thousand pesos for the Parish.

I managed to get hold (I think grab is more like it) of the copy of the short thank you speech that Vhiyaja delivered. Here's what she said:

Your Excellency Monsignor Isabelo Abarquez, Honorable Mayor (and Mrs.) Mel Sarmiento, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Maupay nga Gab-i sa iyo ngatanan!

On behalf of my sister, Velinda, and the rest of our families, I would like to welcome you all to this Thanksgiving Celebration of Our Lady's Nativity. We are so happy and proud that we are able to participate in Calbayog's biggest event.

I would like to acknowledge the role of some special people who helped us make this event happen. Without them, this celebration would not be a success:

1. My aunt, Miss Veronica Obong
2. My godmother, Miss Ignacia Cui
3. My Uncle, Raul Isidro (who designed the souvenir program)
4. Mr. & Mrs. Reno Araneta (who printed the souvenir program)
5. My cousin, Ronnie Obong (my coordinator)
6. My (new found) good friend, Ronald Ricafort
7. My cousin, Dominga Dira
8. The(Parish) Pastoral Council

And to everyone who pulled their resources together to make "Gab-i sa Pagpasalamat" a night to remember.

Let us show our appreciation for all their hard work with a round of applause.

Your presence this evening has made it a special occassion for all of us, one that will be cherished for a long time.

May the Good Lord continue to bless the City of Calbayog and fill us with the abundance of His love and protection.

Salamat sa iyo ngatanan!

the Celebrity hounds (5) with Bamboo

I posted this at around 6pm, approximately an hour before the Bamboo concert at TTMIST. A few hours earlier, the group paid a courtesy call to the City Mayor. So, I grabbed that chance for a photo op.

I took this picture after the group posed for a pix with Mayor Mel Sarmiento

Bamboo in Concert

Bamboo will perform in Calbayog tonight

at 7:00 pm at the TTMIST Socio-Cultural Center

when Umbria Street got clogged

Patron na man ada? Last Monday it happened, as far as I can remember it was the first time I saw Umbria Street clogged with vehicles and people. Traffic was rerouted as some streets along or leading to Gomez Street were closed for the night's activity at the Nijaga Park.

While some may frown on it, I appreciate the presence of police and military personnel in the activity areas. Sometimes you have to take some unconventional measures (if you call military and police guarding crowded places as such) if only to ensure a peaceful celebration. And I think they are succeeding, it's 3 days to the City Fiesta and no casualties as of yet.

only in Calbayog? I don't think so :-)

We did a wedding last week. It was not not one of those grand Calbayog events but certainly it was not a bad event either (others read bad as disaster). Two young people got married, the sponsors came, the wedding started almost on time (the couple was in the church 15 minutes before the scheduled time - a rarity in Calbayog weddings) and most importantly, there was more than enough food for everyone.

So what about it? I would learn during the ceremony that they did not hire one of those professional video service providers in the city. They asked someone to shoot the ceremonies using their personal video camera. And what a pleasant surprise it was to see a camera man doing the video and holding the lights at the same time.

Seriously, it turned out the the "lightman" had to do something important (hit the loo perhaps) , just when the ceremonies started.

if only they knew (something personal this time)

Electricity was out yesterday so I did my emails and blog at the nearby internet cafe. I was expecting the usual bunch of noisy (not to mention smelly) kids getting busy over some violent games that they do over the internet and the usual chatters who are into the webcams and stuff - something I never understood and won't be into, not for now anyway.

So, what about yesterday's visit to the internet cafe? Well, it was that scene wherein a family (I suppose) of five chatting (pix above. The kid in yellow is not a part of that famliy) with someone whom I figured was a daughter who is now abroad (after marrying a foreigner?) And lo and behold, voices were heard! They were arguing about a lot of things and the tsismoso in me (and the rest of the customers who were present, I suppose also got interested coz we were all smiling) can't help but eavesdrop (Ok, I know its not good) and sadly, I figured that they were arguing about money. It's not nice to be arguing about personal problems in public, certainly it's not good to discuss about domestic problems in "front" of a relative who is abroad (who I suppose is a source of fund for the relatives left at home).

I thought I was gonna post the picture just for fun. As I did this blog entry, I realized how some locales (or Calbayognons) can give kins abroad a hard time. If stories I heard are indeed true, many of them see their children or bros and sis abroad as constant sources of funds (easy, if i may add), ATMs kumbaga.

There was this story about an OFW opening up with her former teacher about how her family would ask this and that as if she picks money on the streets. At one point the father was asking for money because it was his birthday. Knowing the way her father is, that OFW who was caregiver confided to her teacher if only they knew what it was to care for old or sick people, and all that her relatives can think of is something for a goodtime. The teacher tried to something about it. What did he get? "Dire la ada siya tihatag, kadamo pa san iya satsat!" Of course not all Calbayognon OFWs have this sad story to tell, but then again it happens.

So, whoever that girl is on the webcam whom the family whose picture appears above was chatting with; and to all OFWs who have sad stories to tell, let's just wish them the best, or at least wish them well.

the cross

I dunnow what the occassion was, but they lighted the big cross at the Centennial Pastoral Center last night. The last time I saw it lit was on the eve of the installation of the new bishop. I always find that lighted cross a sight to behold.

My apologies, I used my old mobile phone to take these pictures.

The Cover of the Fiesta 2007 Souvenir Program (draft copy)

Reno Araneto whose printing company LODESTAR will be printing this year's Fiesta Souvenir Program emailed me a draft copy of the the cover for the said publication. It's a detail from a painting by RAUL ISIDRO. It was Man Raul himself who chose that painting to complement the theme of this year's celebration: "Heeding the Call of the Social Concerns Year".

We're keeping our fingers crossed, we expect to distribute the program on September 5. Please note that the image below is a draft copy and we still need to put the article "THE" before "Social (concerns year)".

Unob san Calbayog Mask and Painting Exhibit

As part of the 2007 Hadang Festival, they formally opened an exhibit tonight. The exhibit dubbed "Unob san Calbayog Mask and Painting Exhibit" features masks by Eric Salurio and paintings by Jun Salurio and Jun Sabile. The exhibit is ongoing until the Charter Day Celebration at the Tiptoe Dance Studio, 2nd floor Mancol Building (JC Foodspot) in downtown Calbayog.

The Hadang Festival 2007 Opening Ceremonies

The 2007 Hadang Festival formally opened tonight. I emceed the two-part program at the Nijaga Park.

The first part was a homage to the late Boy Isidro. In attendance were Mayor Mel Sarmiento, Councilors Julius Mancol, Ver Porlares and Virgil Clemens. The Isidro family was represented by mommy Luz Isidro, Lily Isidro - Andrada and Bruce Andrada. Mrs. Andrada received the plaque and medallion - CACO's way of thanking Inay Boy for what he has done for the office.

The second part was the opening proper where there were speeches and rituals. The Sarakiki-Hadang performers outdid themselves again with their presentation.

I'm still waiting for some friends to email me digital pix taken during the event. In the meantime please bear with what I've got using my mobile phone (again. Or is it as usual?)

Mayor Mel Sarmiento takes time to talk with some guests during the program

Below are some pictures of the ritual dances

OLPHI

I drove around with my friend Alvin after work this afternoon and we came across this very nice view. Something which proves that the skyline of Calbayog is somewhat changing. This is still part of the OLPHI. It houses the Dialysis Clinic, the Eye Clinic and other services. It's located along Rueda Street, on the ground where the CKC Auditorium (or some parts of it) used to stand.

the city hall gets a facelift

I took these pictures yesterday after the flag-retreat ceremonies. The City Hall stage kinda looked good with the flowering plants and other accessories.

And on the sides where the flagpoles are, they have installed those giant flower pots (?). No comment as of yet with regards to the color and the design coz they are still to put on some finishing touches. I even saw workers at the site til 10 pm tonight.