Plurk Fiestas conducted by Bariles‘ close-knit group of blogger friends have already become a regular staple.  These were instances for them to catch up on the latest on the blog world and also to try out the services and offerings of the establishments sponsoring their meet-ups.

Giacomino’s Pizza Restaurant at East Asia Royale Hotel Arcade

One of their recent Plurk Fiestas was held at Giacomino’s Pizza Restaurant at the East Asia Royale Hotel Arcade owned by hotelier Rombar Bartolome and his amiable wife Dr. Aimee.

Now, 10 years old in GenSan, Giacomino’s which means “little James” in Italian was actually a franchise started by an Italian named Signore Giacomino who came to the Philippines in the early 70s, the height of Martial Law.  Having decided to settle in the country after falling in love with the people and its culture, he developed his own pizza which combined Italian and Filipino ingredients.  Thus Giacomino’s Pizza was born and in later years, had franchisees all over the Philippines, including GenSan city.

Eventually, the Bartolome couple was able to acquire the whole company after buying out its original owners.  This made them decide to re-engineer their pizzas by improving the taste even more, adding more toppings, tweaking with the sauces.   They also infused new offerings in their menu since their own outlet (now the flagship branch) is almost on its 10th year already.

The walled history of Giacomino’s Pizza.

The plurkers/bloggers of GenSan (composed of Gilbert, Rain, Sheng, Kyawster, Leonard, SamaraFae, Lito, Tanchi, Rammyboi, Gheltac, Daxi Weida) had the good luck of testing these out one rainy afternoon during their eye-ball with some Davao-based plurkers/bloggers (Blogie, Chattee, Lyle, Brendel, Anyabelle & Boink).  Bariles who negotiated the event with the Bartolomes wanted them to taste the better and yummier taste of the newly-improved Giacomino’s pizzas.

(from left) Brendel, Daxiweida, Cidy, Sheng & Kyawster

Gheltac, Tanchi, Rammyboi and Sheng

Anyabelle (back to the camera), Chattee, Leonard and Lyle

The bloggers, in between their sharings on blogging and photography tips were served the new Giacomino’s Ottima Pizza, the Giacomino’s Veggie Pizza, the sinfully moist chocolate cake, among others.  Others also tried the new Giaco’s Halo-halo, a recent addition to the menue.

Giacomino’s baker preparing the Veggie Pizzas

Below is the soon-to-be famous Giacomino’s halo-halo.

The new Giacomino’s Halo-halo

Since the group was served two pizza variants, some like the Veggie for its healthy toppings of sweet corn, pepperoni, mozzarella, green bell pepper, etc while the rest opted for Ottima’s rich meat-based toppings. Their verdict?

Giaco’s improved pizza offerings indeed taste better now especially when served piping hot and are even comparable to the more expensive ones from multinational pizza chains.

And of course, what could be better paired with hot pizza than beer which is also available in Giacomino’s, something which the other pizza restos do not serve.  This is one reason why Giaco’s lords it over the other  restobars in the East Asia Royale Hotel Arcade.

Next:  Plurk Fiesta at Orange Bistro

Young general Philip Cesar Nadela who is the first Litle Grand Winner of ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Dream Academy was recently in the land of Asian telenovelas, Korea to guest in the top-ranking TV show, Star King.

He was with Amy, who placed 2nd to him in the talent competition.

Philip, all of 8 years old, the son of a local policeman in GenSan City and a teacher came home last year to a hero’s welcome a few days after winning the Grand Title.

GenSan City Mayor Jun Acharon and PDA Little Grand Winner Philip Nadela during his hero’s welcome at the Gen.Santos City International Airport last year

You can read about that homecoming by CLICKING HERE.

Philip and Amy follow the footsteps of Charice Pempengco who was discovered by Americal talk-show host Ellen de Generes when a video of the talented young singer’s performance at Star King landed on YouTube early last year.

Check out then these Philip Nadela videos below, and that of Amy while they perform their numbers at Korea’s Star King TV show and in the process, mesmere the visibly appreciative Koreans in the audience. Here is a low-quality video of all of Philip Nadela’s performances. The audio is good though.

Now here is the High Quality but longer 2-part YouTube video of the uncut performances of both Philip and Amy. The first one shows Amy singing “And I Am Telling You” from DreamGirls and Philip doing his signature song “Diana” plus Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Ben“.

This is the 2nd part showing Philip and Amy doing a duet with “How Could You Say You Love Me“.

Now, the only thing to do is to wait and hope that Oprah or Ellen or Jimmy Kennel or David Lettermen discover any of these Philipp Nadela video performances in Korea’s Star King and maybe, just maybe, invite him to perform for them in their highly rated TV shows.

Now that Michael Buffer, the barker during the Pacquiao-Hatton fight last weekend has already announced Manny Pacquiao’s new official hometown as Sarangani Province, perhaps owing to his plan to run for the lone Congressional seat of that province, then the “generals’ will be witnessing what could be the last “hero’s welcome” for him by the local government of GenSan when he comes home next week.

Ever since Manny Pacquiao began winning all those major boxing titles, it was the local government of GenSan City which has been rolling out the red carpet for him each time he comes home,  affording him with a hero’s welcome complete with a victory party at the Family Country Hotel and Convention Center.

Bariles must have witnessed at least five of these homecomings and participated in all of the motorcades from the General Santos City International Airport up to the city oval plaza covered court.

Let him then take you back down memory lane by giving you the links here at Bariles Republic to GenSan City’s past hero’s welcomes for their favored son, Manny Pacquiao:

• March 2008 Homecoming
• November 2008 Homecoming

This time, Manny Pacquiao’s arrival which has been moved from its original May 11 (Monday) date to May 13 (Wednesday) tentatively due to the postponement of his Manila motorcade today (Friday) should be the most anticipated in GenSan City.  That is, if we have to gauge it on the enthusiasm and record-breaking number of the “generals” who watched his fight against Ricky Hatton at the Gen. Santos City Gym last weekend.

For those wanting a good look at him and listen to his anecdotes about his most recent fight for the title World IBO Light Flyweight Champion before he moves on to Kiamba and begin his new life as a “Sarangan“, be sure to be there at the oval plaza covered court.  That is where his motorcade will proceed to after he arrives at the airport via a Philippine Airlines morning flight.

A night after Maui Taylor’s performance in An Intimate Dinner show at Tierra Montana along the National Highway and at around the same time that stand-up performers Arnel Chika and Donita are regaling the generals with their risque humor in A Night of Laughter at the Jam’s Resto Bar in Barangay Lagao, another imported set of performers will be packing it all in at the 18th Holes Driving Range beside the East Asia Royale Hotel.

Aimed at the younger set, JCI Phils (Mindanao Chapter) and San Miguel Beer present “A Mindanao Concert Tour: Getting Hot at Dawn” featuring rock icon The Dawn and Viva Hotbabes Sarah Lopez, Anna Leah Javier and Jen Rosendahl at the 8th Holes Driving Range.

Compared to Maui’s P800/ticket and Jam Resto’s P200/ticket price tags, this OPEN-AIR Concert will only cost P100 a pop!

Local bands Scare Crow and CenterPoint will be frontacting the concert making it one rather looooong night of partying at the place formerly known as the Anchor Driving Range.  Anchor DR was the site of the jampacked street parties during the early part of this decade spearheaded by Anna @ Rhythms 97.5 FM and RD Hotels and Resorts.

Now choose your wild and tell me if there still isn’t any reason to go out and enjoy this 2nd weekend of May 2009.

This 2nd weekend of May 2009  has got to be the busiest so far this year in the entertainment circuit of GenSan city because of the upcoming shows slated to be mounted.

One of these is  Maui:  An Intimate Dinner Show, featuring FHM Icon and Viva Hot Babe Maui Taylor on May 8, 2009, Friday.  This will happen at the La Montana Hotel.  It is definitely a must of the general who has lots of moolah to spare since the ticket which is inclusive of dinner is sold at P800.

If you just want to laugh out loud while downing bottles of San Mig Light and munching on pica-pica Tuna delights, then “A Night of Laughter” at Sol Manangquil‘s  Jam’s Resto Bar (GenSan’s Tuna Specialty Restaurant) is for you.

A Night of Laughter (May 8-9, 2009) features Arnel Chika and Donita, stand-up comedians who make the rounds of the comedy bars in Manila including Punchline, Laffline and Metro Bar.  This time, entrance fee is only P200 which entitles you to a free bottle of Coca-Cola.

Arnel Chika actually performed already at Jam’s Resto Bar last year in a Halloween Show which Bariles was able to watch.  He is quite good in what he does and with a new partner in Donita, it will be definitely a whole night of naughty songs, booze, tuna pica-pica and laughter this weekend for the generals again at GenSan’s Tuna Specialty restaurant.

Just be sure to be a good sport since these comedians will certainly make you blush and squirm if they get a hold of you. 

“A Night of Laughter” at Jam’s Resto Bar is rated PG and will happen on May 8 and 9, 2009.

Yes!  You read it right!

As the title of the post says, there are really Cheap Flights from Philippines Airlines starting from P10.00 all in,  and one of these is the Davao-GenSan-Davao route.  The catch is, you will have to travel via TIME MACHINE to get them because they were offered ages ago.

The year?  1961.

During that time when the Philippines was still in equal footing to Japan in terms of economic wealth and prosperity and the term OFW was unheard of, cheap flights from the country’s only airline was the order of the day.  Since the dollar exchange rate was only P2.02 then,  a lot of Filipinos were jetsetters, doing their shopping in Europe, and in the United States of America.

Although there were fewer local flights that time, the available ones were priced at amounts that will make you salivate for the old days !  In the early 1960s, the only way to travel to Davao from GenSan and vice-versa was to go around what is now Sultan Kudarat and make your way out via North Cotabato.  Since the roads were still unpaved, a one-way trip would take more than 12 hours.  But then, Philippine Airlines were offering quicker Davao-GenSan and GenSan-Davao flights, and they really come cheap!

The scanned images of the plane tickets below are proof of the cheap flights from Philippine Airlines that time.  These are the Davao-GenSan plane tickets of my parents, Avelino and Maria which they used in May 9, 1961, after their honeymoon in Davao City.  They were married three days before that in May 6, 1961 at the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish Church, which was then a new parish.

Tomorrow, May 6, 2009 would have been their 48th Wedding Anniversary.  This post is dedicated to them.

Ticket Issued to my mother, costing P10 only, from Davao to GenSan

Ticket issued to my father for the Philippine Airlines Davao-GenSan route

In a strictly formal affair at the Bacolod Pavilion Hotel and Resort last March 27, 2009, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines conducted its awarding ceremony for its exceptional members and chapters, as part of its 12th National Convention of Lawyers.

The local SocGen Chapter copped two awards – Most Outstanding Chapter (2007-2008) and Most Outstanding Chapter President (Category B) given to Atty. Raul Josefino Miguel.

Atty. Raul Josefino Miguel receiving his award as the Most Outstanding IBP Chapter President for 2008-2009

Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Puno personally handed out the awards to Atty. Miguel and his companions.

“Upholding the rule of law, IBP’s continuing challenge,” is the IBP theme for 2009.

With these honors, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of General Santos City immediately passed Resolution No. 133 series of 2009, congratulating the IBP-SarGen.

“Such tribute truly gives honor, dignity and inspiration not only to the officials and members of IBP South Cotabato and General Santos City Chapter and the constituency of General Santos City, but to the rest of the country as well,” the resolution says.

“This Sanggunian firmly believes in the capacity of IBP South Cotabato and General Santos City Chapter as the rightful recipient of such award as much as it recognizes the organization’s importance as the defender of people’s right for justice and strong advocate of non-discriminatory legal service.”

The SP also passed a separate resolution congratulating Atty. Miguel for being awarded “Most Outstanding Chapter President” for 2007-2009.

Manny Pacquiao did it again!

Here is a brief on the Pacquiao-Hatton fight result and the Pacquiao-Hatton fight video replay at the bottom.

With his deadly left hook, Manny Pacquiao knocked out Ricky “Hitman” Hatton in the second round of their fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, a few minutes before 12 noon (Philippine Time), Sunday to wrest the IBO Light welterweight crown.

Even during the first round, Manny Pacquiao made the Briton kiss the floor twice with his swinging hooks, first with a left, then the 2nd time with his right.

This awesome Pacquiao-Hatton fight result makes Pacman (whom the barker announced as from “Sarangani Province, Philippines) a six-time world champ in five weight divisions and sealing once more his reputation as the TOP pound-for-pound fighter in the world!

GenSan Gym full of generals eagerly awaiting the Pacquiao-Hatton fight result

Here in GenSan, the 8,000 capacity Gym shooked,  and rattled with the thunderous roar and cheers of the “generals” including Mayor Jun Acharon and Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio.

From left:  former Councilor Chito Natividad, wife Councilor Nep Natividad, Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio & GenSan City Mayor Jun Acharon cheering for Pacquiao at the GenSan Gym

The fight was too short for some but was enough for everyone to feel mighty proud of their town mate once more.

The Pacquiao-Hattn fight video replay is here, thanks to Jehz Laurente.

Bariles came across some links where you could watch the FREE LIVE STREAMING Feeds of the Pacquiao-Hatton fight which is undergoing right now.

Without wasting any time, here is one Pacquiao-Hatton Fight FREE LIVE STREAMING video link:

Channel Surfing

Here is another Pacquiao-Hatton Fight Free Live Streaming video link:

Justin TV I

Justin TV2

And closer to home are these two:

GenSan Exchange

Jan Dave’s Blog

Now, enjoy any of these Pacquiao-Hatton Fight Free Live Streaming Video Links and pray that our Manny Pacquiao wins!

It’s only a few hours away before anyone would know the much-awaited Pacquiao-Hatton Fight Results.  One of the ways in which you could make a good guess on who will win this fight dubbed as “War of the Worlds“, better finish watching the Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7 Episode 4 first which we are featuring here.

It is the last in a series produced by HBO Sports in preparation for the Pacquio-Hatton Fight later today in Las Vegas and meant to give people more reason to watch the fight.

Without much further ado, here is the Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7 Episode 4.  Thanks to jandave for the tip.  Now let’s just wait for the Pacquiao-Hatton Fight Video Replay in just a few hours from now.