GenSan News Online Mag

The people of General Santos City are in for a real treat this Christmas Season as three renowned composers from Manila will be flying in to regale them with original Filipino love songs they have penned themselves and a number of  Christmas carols.

A Christmas Dinner Show with the Maestros (click on the image for a larger view)

Collectively known as The MAESTROS, they are Nonoy Tan, Mon del Rosario and Tito Cayamanda who will be showcasing their musical pieces in a concert billed as “A Christmas Dinner Show with the Maestros” on December 13th, Saturday, 9pm at the San Mig Sports Bar beside the Six’Blings Ostrich RestoBar inside the NCCC Compound, National Highway, GenSan.

Here is their Profile Sheet which I got from Kuya Bebot Haw, their Christmas Concert producer:

MAESTRO is composed of 3 highly acclaimed and multi-awarded songwriters, who individually have carved their own place of recognition in the music industry. Many of their songs have become standards in karaoke and videoke shops in the Philippines and in the Asean region.

The name MAESTRO reflects the group member’s depth of experience in the field of songwriting and music production. In a literal sense, the name embodies what each of them are- Masters of Songwriting!

MON DEL ROSARIO
A film composer, music arranger and record producer whose hits include Sino ang Baliw?, Isang Linggong Pag-ibig (Imelda Papin), Somewhere in My Past (Julie Vega), Boy (Timmy Cruz) and Tamis ng Unang Halik (Tina Paner). A recording artist himself since 1981, he released an album of his hits in 1998 under Harmony Music. As a Film Composer, he has more than 300 full length films to his credit. He is currently the President of FILSCAP (Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).

TITO CAYAMANDA
The youngest among the group but equally talented as well, being a composer,  musical arranger, keyboardist, guitarist and singer rolled into one. His hits include Kailan Pa Man’y Ikaw (Christian Bautista), Till My Heartaches End (Ela Mae Sayson) and Bakit Di Totohanin (Carol Banawa). While being a very idealistic person, he is also one who has the knack to see the brighter side of things no matter how hard conditions are at the moment. Such view in life is reflected not only in his songs but also in his community involvements such as Couples for Christ, where Tito currently holds a very important post as Musical Director and Sector Head for Laguna.

NONOY TAN
A former member of the famed band WADAB, he has distinguished himself as the composer of the karaoke mega hit “My Love Will See You Through” popularized by Marco Sison. A record producer who discovered the multi-platinum selling group AEGEIS, he is a seasoned record producer with an eye for great talent. He is presently, the Chairman of FILSCAP and serves his fellow composers side by side with Mon del Rosario.

Tickets which are inclusive of DINNER is priced at P500 per head only!  That’s quite a steal considering you get three very good artists in one sitting. 

As an added treat for the song and music lovers of General Santos City,  Sabrina Voice Recording Studio and Hitback Music…. Today @ SanMig Sports Bar Is inviting aspiring & professional Singers, Musicians, Songwriters & Artist to a SONGWRITING WORKSHOP on the afternoon of that day, December 13, (Saturday) 2008 from 1 to 5 pm at the Home Theatre of Shalom Crest Wizard Academy, to be conducted by the MAESTRO’s themselves.

Workshop Topics for the generals are:
1.)    How to write a Hit Song
2.)    Know your rights as a composer.
3.)    How to make a demo and break into recording scene and other related matters.

REGISTRATION FEE is only P200 inclusive of Snacks.

Wow!  This is like hitting two birds with one stone!  For just one day, not only will the young talented people of GenSan  be entertained by three of the country’s best composers but will also be learning how they improved on their craft.

Thanks to Kuya Bebot Haw for this very special Christmas gift for the composer and perfomer in all of us.

For reservations to both the “A Christmas Dinner Show with the Maestros” and “Songwriting Workshop” events, please call 0917.715.2528, 0922.859.1961, 302.1961 & 553.8808.

Finally, the event that everyone has been waiting for, the formal opening of Pasko sa Gensan 2008 Celebrations, dubbed as Enchanted GenSan: Once Upon A Yuletide Season is now scheduled to happen on December 5th at the Oval Plaza Stage.

Originally set on December 1st, the opening was moved to the 5th since the first day of the month has been declared a holiday by Malacanang.

That means everything, from the Drum and Lyre Parade Competition and the Grand Fireworks Display will all happen on December 5 instead.

Below is the Schedule before the move.  Click on the image to enlarge it.

Last September 2008, I blogged about the plan to put up a Regional Consular Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs here in General Santos City, following a directive from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.  That article elicited a lot of positive responses from Bariles Republic’s readers, especially those availing of their passporting services.

Now, according to General Santos City Tourism Officer Cora Tito, a site has finally been found for the proposed office which will be called the Regional Consular Office of the DFA.

After weeks of scouting for the venue, she added that DFA Davao Consular Officer Daniel Te has revealed that his bosses has opted for the vacant portion of the Annex Building of Gaisano Mall of GenSan.  This is the leftmost 2-storey unit of the building which also houses Shakey’s Restaurant, Uno Cafe and Big Chow Chinese Resto.

On December 2, 2008, top honchos from DFA Manila, among them Consular Officer ASec Domingo Lucenario, Personnel Officer ASec Corazon Yap Baijin will be flying in to seal the deal with the Gaisanos for the use of their building.

And yes, before I forget, they want to open the office to the public before Christmas 2008.

I received this invitation yesterday from my friend and fellow blogger Danny Sabino of the Kapayapaan Kapatid Council (KKC) to the Art for Peace Exhibit Opening at 1pm today, November 28th at the KCC Mall of GenSan mallway. (Click on it for a larger view.)

The Art for Peace Exhibit is a project of the Kapayapaan Kapatid Council and is supported by the GOP-UN ACT for Peace Programme, the SocSarGen Peace Network and the Kalimudan Culture and Arts Center.

It is an event in celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace (November 27-December 3, 2008) whose theme this year is “Integrity of Heart and Mind, a Way to Reconciliation and Peace“.

So there.

With the long weekend upon us, why not drop by KCC Mall of GenSan and visit the Art for Peace Exhibit together with your friends and family?  The exhibit which runs until December 3, 2008 will not only educate you and give you a glimpse on how talented the Soccksargen artists are.

It will also be a show of support for our people’s seemingly never-ending quest for solutions to a lasting peace in this island.

The entertainment picture in General Santos City has been undergoing a major transformation these days, owing partly to the entry of more and more dining establishments, some of which were featured here like Grab A Crab and Coffee Club 101, EARHotel’s Royale Lounge, Sud-An Restaurant and Grill, Six-Blings Restobar, Euro Kitchen, Afordabolz Oriental Native Food, and Pablo’s Steaks and Crabs.

A new kid in the block has joined this group but is offering a whole new dimension in entertainment.

Capitalizing on the Filipino’s love for singing, Rolee Bakeshop’s Bing and Armie Royeca has just opened their Bread and Music Box Family KTV, GenSan’s first Videoke Bar which is for General Patronage.

Located at the 2nd floor of their equally new Rolee’s Bakery and Cafe at the RD Buidling along Santiago Boulevard, the establishment has eight themed private rooms: the Britney Spears Room, the ABBA Room, the Beatles Room, the Madonna Room, the Celine Dion Room, Elvis Presly Room, the Michael Jackson Room and the Frank Sinatra Room, which are all equipped with the most modern audio and video equipment.

The Standard Rooms (Britney, Celine and Michael) of Bread and Music Box Family KTV will set you off at P300/hour during Happy Hours (2pm-6pm) and P400/hour beyond 6pm.

The Britney Spears Room (P400/hour)

Celine Dion Room (P400/hour)

The Michael Jackson Room (P400/hour)

The VIP Rooms (Elvis and ABBA) cost P500/hour during Happy Hours and P700/hour beyond that.

The Elvis Presley Room (P700/hour)

The ABBA Room (P700/hour)

The 3 Presidential rooms, (Frank Sinatra, Beatles and Madonna) which could accommodate one purok each, all have a Happy Hour rate of P700/hour and a Primehours rate of P900.

The Frank Sinatra Room (P900/hour)

The Beatles Room (P900/room)

The Madonna Room

All the rates are consummable.

When I was there with my friends Rachel and Rob and Marz, we had the most fun inside the privacy of the Madonna Room.  Their library of songs were the most comprehensive I have seen in years and contained even the more popular newer hits. We had no qualms dancing and prancing around our room which could accommodate at least 10 rowdy singers.

“…like a virgin, touched for the very first time…”

The food we ordered (pancit canton and fried chicken) also tasted good considering that Bread and Music Box Family KTV is still on its soft-opening stage.  Although all the rooms are now equipped with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment which, the owners attest, are better than Greenbelt Makati’s The Red Box, they are still bringing in more features and services to better give their clients a whole new enjoyable experience.

For one, they are planning to add a comfort room at the 2nd floor so that their guests wouldn’t have to go down to the Rolee Bakery and Cafe at the 1st floor to relieve themselves.  Secondly, they will install more sound-proofing materials for each room to ensure a quiet atmosphere all your own.

With all that commitment, there is no doubt that Bread and Music Box Family KTV will soon turn out into one of the most patronized entertainment places for the whole family in GenSan.

Bread & Music Box Family KTV is located at the 2nd floor of Rolee Bakery & Cafe, RD Building, Santiago Boulevard, General Santos City.  Doors open at 1pm-12 midnight. For reservations, please call (083) 304-9171.

It’s all over the papers this week.

According to reports from Philippine Star and Business World, to name just a few, General Santos City has the second lowest poverty incidence in Mindanao (at 13.98%), based on the latest survey of the National Statistical Coordination Board in the region for 2006.

Topping the list is General Santos’ sister city in Soccsksargen, Kidapawan with a poverty rate of only 12.46%.

Th NSCB refers to “poverty incidence” as the “proportion of population (or families) with per capita income which is less than the per capita poverty threshold to the total number of pupulation (families) of an area“.

In simple terms, this is an indication of the percentage number of people living below the poverty line in a certain area.

Here then is Mindanao’s Top 10 Cities and Municipalities with the lowest poverty incidence or according to Philstar, “Mindanao’s 10 Richest Municipalities” and Cities:

1. Kidapawan City – 12.46%
2. General Santos City -  13.98%
3. Polomolok, South Cotabato – 14.29%
4. Davao City – 14.94%
5. Tagum City – 15.42%
6. Cagayan de Oro City – 15.5%
7. Koronadal City – 16.18%
8. Digos City – 18.22%
9. Padada, Davao del Sur – 21.99%
10. Hagonoy, Davao del Sur – 22.60%.

To all these cities, especially the ones from Region XII (Soccsksargen), congratulations!

And to the administration of GenSan City Mayor Jun Acharon, kudos!

In what is the longest celebration of Octoberfest in the World, San Miguel Beer continues its nationwide concert series’ OKTOBERFEST 120 (120 days aapaw ang saya) by bringing the band RIVERMAYA to General Santos City on Friday, November 28, 2008.

The band Rivermaya which recently took in a new vocalist Jayson Fernandez after former lead Rico Blanco left to pursue a solo career, will perform in a FOAM PARTY at the parking lot of the East Asia Royale Hotel.

Foam parties seem to be in vogue in GenSan these days as every month, one happens at the East Asia Royale Hotel.

Anyway, foam party or not, what’s more important is that our young generals have good reason to go out and have fun on a regular basis these days.

To open the Foam Party are the bands Cold Four of Davao City and Interfaith Band of GenSan.

Entrance Fee is only P100 inclusive ONE FREE SAN MIGUEL BEER.

WOW! At 1OO bucks, I would have to be at East Asia Royale as early as 7:00pm! Am sure that this would be another jampacked part event in GenSan!

Here is Part Two of the HBO TV Special for the forthcoming Dela Hoya-Pacquiao Fight on December 6, 2008 happening at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  If you have not seen the first part of Dela Hoya-Pacquiao 24/7 HBO Special yet, then do so by CLICKING HERE.

Watch out for the interviews of Manny Pacquiao’s mother Dionisia and father Rosalio at their home in General Santos City.  Open your eyes and be sure to catch the awesome shots of interiors the 50-year old Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church in downtown General Santos where Dionisia was filmed was hearing a mass.

I was there at that time trying to get into the camera’s sight but to no avail.  I knew that the American crew present was fiming Dionisia for their Dela Hoya-Pacquiao 24/7 HBO Special and was conscious of the fact that I could be caught on camera.

Too bad.  God must have other plans that day. 

Catch Part 3 of the Dela Hoya-Pacquiao 24/7 HBO Special after a week only here at Bariles Republic.

Early this November, ESPN USA came out with their TV special on the forthcoming December 6th Dela Hoya-Pacquiao Fight in the 10-minute THRILLA, which Bariles Republic featured here.

On November 16th, it was HBO USA’s turn to start airing its series of episodes for their Dela Hoya-Pacquiao Fight Special called Dela Hoya-Pacquiao 24/7.

As a sort of a teaser, they have released a 2 1/2 minute trailer to drumbeat the TV special.

Here is that trailer of that Dela Hoya-Pacquiao 24/7 HBO Special.

And much even better, here is Part 1 (30-minutes long video) of that Dela Hoya-Pacquiao 24/6 HBO Special:

Watch out for Part 2 of the Dela Hoya-Pacquiao 24/7 HBO Special only here at Bariles Republic soon….

A few hours before my blogger friends from Davao which included Blogie, Migs, Chattee, Lyle, Brendel, Patrick plus a Kidapawanon Richard left for their homebases late last month after the conduct of the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit, I had a chance to take them to a Gensan restaurant, the Sud-An Grill and Restaurant.

Inside Sud-An Resto

Ever since Sud-An Grill and Restaurant opened along Santiago Boulevard in General Santos City, it has been lording it over competition in the so-called commercial and banking hub of the Tuna Capital.  Aware of this fact, I wanted my friends to try it and find out for themselves why this fine-dining resto of couple Tony and Petit Veneracion specializing in Pinoy fare including GenSan’s famed TUNA, has achieved this status.

Our group arrived at the airconditioned Mediterranean-designed resto that Monday a little after 12 noon and were led inside by the amiable staff to our reserved places.  In a while, Petit arrived and joined us but not before instructing her staff to serve us her specialties.

What came out one by one from Sud-An’s kitchen was an array of dishes which had the Davaoenos and the lone North Cotabatenio nodding in agreement after every taste.  In less than 30minutes, nothing was left on our plates.

Here are some of the pictures of the sumptuous feast laid down before us which Petit has handpicked:

Crispy Tuna Tail

Malutong na Buntot ng Tuna (Crispy Tuna Tail)

Grilled Tuna Belly

Inihaw ng Tiyan ng Tuna (Grilled Tuna Belly)

Honey Chili Chicken

Honey Chili Chicken

Sugpo in Aligue

Sugpo in Aligue

Baby Back Ribs

Baby Back Ribs

Baby Squid with Garlic

Baby Squid in Garlic (foto grabbed from Lyle Santos)

Crispy Maki Sushi

Crispy Maki Sushi

Mixed Fruit Fiesta

Mixed Fruits Fiesta

Bariles’ specially liked the crispy Tuna Tail which crackled at his every bite; the Sud-An exclusive Sugpo-sa-Aligue and its addicting sauce which I swear, can be “pang-ulam” in itself.  Then the Baby Squid in Garlic, and its most tender-to-the-bite white tiny bite-sized mollusks was also something which couldn’t be found anywhere in GenSan.

All these plus the warmth and undivided attention afforded to us by Petit Veneracion and the Sud-An staff convinced my blogger friends that indeed, Sud-An Grill and Restaurant is up there when it comes to native Pinoy fine dining in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines.

Sud-an Grill and Restaurant is located at Santiago Boulevard, beside the Medical Plaza.  For reservations, please call (083) 3017471.