In a report from Business World Online today, July 6, 2009, SM Prime Holdings, Incorporated Vice President, Hans T. Sy officially declared that SM City GenSan (or ShoeMart GenSan) is scheduled to open in 2011.

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of the SM Group’s shopping malls and is the largest shopping mall and retail operator in the Philippines.

According to Bariles’ sources, SM Prime has already closed the deal with the Salazar Family on their  5-hectare property along the corner of Santiago Boulevard and San Miguel Street.  Right now, if you happen to pass by the area, the old houses of the Salazars  at the back-end of the property are being demolished to give way for land clearing for Shoemart GenSan.

In the same Business World report by Marites Villamor, Mr. Sy further said that, “SM usually starts with small developments, or about 85,000 square meters, but with provisions to expand to 200,000 square meters.”

The report then added what the people of General Santos City wanted to find out all along these years:  SM recently acquired properties in Davao and General Santos cities in Mindanao. Both malls are scheduled to open in 2011.

Take note that Robinsons Place GenSan is opening in September 2009 this year.

With this development, the countdown for SM City-GenSan actually begins NOW.

If you happen to watch a movie lately in any of the KCC Mall of GenSan’s six cinemas, you must have seen the trailer of an upcoming feature directed by Topel Lee.  The movie’s entitled “Wapakman”.

Wapakman’s trailer has a funny concept, with most of the performers, acting out as if they we’re hit by an unseen fist.

The movie which is slated for the Metro Manila Film Festival in December 2009, is the story of a superhero, played by who else but Manny Pacquiao himself. His nemesis is Fil-Am wrestler Batista while  Pussycats Dolls’ lead Nicole Scherzinger, who is also half Pinay, is his love interest.

From what Bariles has heard from the grapevine, “Wapakman” is a sci-fi, fantasy, action comedy which he thinks is more on Manny Pacquiao’s league.  Unlike his first unsuccesful film features, he is praying that all Pacquiao-loving Filipinos will watch this movie and make it a blockbuster.

Yaman GenSan 2009 is turning out to be the most event-filled festival of the Tuna Capital this year with concerts and gigs being churned out one after the other during its four-week period, aside from the conduct of more than the usual number of conferences, fora and trainings intended for business-minded generals.

A day prior to the “Side A All Hits Live Concert” on July 16, an intimate dinner show is going to happen at the all-new Tierra Montana Hotel, formerly known as Tierra Verde.

Tierra Montana Hotel’s Official Logo

This one is bound to be most talked-about because it features the most controversial sexy Pinay celebrity today who, for a couple of years, topped FHM’s Sexiest Poll, Ms. Katrina Halili.

Tierra Montana’s July Fever with Katrina Halili and Anna Leah Javier

Touted to heat up the men and big boys of Gensan, the all-new Tierra Montana’s “July Fever with Katrina and Anna Leah“.

Being billed equally with Katrina is another sexy Pinay celebrity, Ms. Anna Leah Javier, a member of the Viva Hotbabes.  Please note that a few weeks back, another Hotbabe, Ms. Maui Taylor also performed at the Tierra Montana Hotel.

Providing the front act are two stand-up comedians from Manila, Chubbylita and Wendel.

Both Ms. Katrina Halili and Ms. Anna Leah Javier will be performing song-and-dance numbers after the dinner buffet which comes with the P600 admission ticket.  Only about 500 can be fitted inside the Tierra Montana Ballroom and so everyone is advised to buy their tickets early.  Early, as in, NOW!  TODAY!!!

It might be the generals’ first and perhaps, the last chance to see the lady who has now become the “Pambansang Pantasya ng Pilipinas”, performing live and in the flesh.

And yes, if you plan to be there, why not check out any of Tierra Montana’s newly-refurbished 27 rooms, all designed by Architect Brixton Teng (who also did the Royale Lounge).  Each room is equipped with flat wall TV and wi-fi connection.

Inside one of Tierra Montana’s 27 Newly Refurbished Deluxe Rooms

Or you may try and dive into their swimming pool, complete with an open-air jacuzzi.

Tierra Montana Hotel’s Swimming Pool and Outdoor Jacuzzi

As for those thinking about it now, watch out for the announcements on our Tierra Montana presents “July Fever with Katrina and Anna Leah” Blog Writing Contest next Monday.

Related Blog Posts (photos above are courtesy of Lyle Santos):

• Tierra Montana: Luxe Living in GenSan
• Tierra Montana

For inquiries on tickets to Tierra Montana’s “July Fever with Katrina and Anna Leah”, please contact telephone #s (083)554-7733.  By the way, this show is STRICTLY FOR ADULTS ONLY.

The local government of General Santos City has once again added a feather to its cap with another achievement, this time by one of its 26 barangays.

In a faxed message from the National HQ of the Department of Interior and Local Government to the city hall, it was announced that Barangay Katangawan has just been declared the National Awardee in its search for the Best Lupong Tagapamayapa (Barangay Dispute-Mediation Council, Highly Urbanized Cities Category) for its Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Award (LTIA).

What, by the way is a Lupong Tagapamayapa?

Republic Act 7160 known as the Local Government Code of 1991, mandates in its Section 399 the creation in each barangay a Lupong Tagapamayapa.   It functions as a body for dispute settlement and conflict resolution among barangay constituents.

Before any case is filed in higher courts, the Lupong Tagapamayapa aims to patch up or solve any conflict arising from complaints logged in by any person on a barangay resident. By the amicable settlement of disputes, at the barangay level, the government is saving a lot on litigation costs which could have been incurred had these cases been filed at the proper courts.

Invited to the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awarding Ceremony at the Rizal Hall in Malacanang Palace on July 30, 2009, at 9:00 in the morning, are GenSan City Mayor Jun Acharon and Barangay Captain/Lupon Chairman Remie Herceda.  President GMA will confer the awards to the winners.  Barangay Katangawan and the rest of the winners bested more than 36,000 Lupong Tagapamayapa in cities and municipalities all over the country due to their exceptional implementation of the rules that govern the said council.

Other winners from the region are Barangay Palo, Tampakan (1st runner-up, 4th-6th Class Municipalities Category) and Barangay Pedro Colina, Cotabato City (2nd runner-up, Component Cities Category).

Meanwhile, Barangay Katangawan will receive a Presidential Trophy plus a cash prize of P125,000 from the DILG, Supreme Court and the Gerry Roxas Foundation. Wow!

To Mayor Jun and Kapitan Herceda, congratulations from all of us here at the GenSan News Online Mag!

The LTIA was established in 1997 as a means to institutionalize a system of granting economic benefits and other incentives to the Lupong Tagapamayapa that demonstrates exemplary performance in settling disputes at the grassroots level.

The performance and accomplishments of the lupons were evaluated by committees organized at the regional, provincial and municipal levels on the basis of a) efficiency of operations; b) effectiveness in securing the katarungang pambarangay objectives and c) creativity and resourcefulness of mediators.- from the Office of the President Website

Bariles has never been to Dolores Garden Resort before and so after bringing Davao bloggers Lyle and Brendel to hear Sunday mass at the Trappistine’s Monastery at the foot of Mt. Matutum in Barangay Landan, Polomolok,  they,  together with his small bro Orman, proceeded to the place.

Dolores Farm Resort Signage

It was not difficult to locate the resort at Barangay Pagalungan, being just a few kilometers along the highway from the Polomolok bus terminal.  Once Bariles, who was driving saw their signage, he right away turned left to a small dirt road with durian trees planted on both sides, leading to their main entrance.

Dolores Farm Resort Main Dining Gazebo

A big gazebo welcomed the group of hungry mass-goers where they were met by resort manager Bernard Lauron, who was once and still is GenSan’s best tuna sashimi slicer.

They were herded off to a long table at the main dining gazebo (serving as the lobby area) beside picnic huts overlooking the two large swimming pools, one for adults and one for kids.  These are the Kanyao Pools.  Its cool waters were so inviting that if only the group brought swimsuits with them, they would have jumped in right away.

Dolores Farm Resort’s Kanyao Pools

The resort was jampacked with weekenders from all over the province of South Cotabato and GenSan and as Bernard himself revealed, some groups were there since Friday and have booked overnight rooms, in their Hotel Karancillo.

Dolores Farm Resort’s Hotel Carancillo

At that time, too, a religious group was conducting a seminar at their Kradumthong Function Hall just beside their Main Gazebo.

Dolores Farm Resort’s Kradumthong Function Hall

Eventually, our attentive waiters began serving us our food.

Dolores Farm Resort’s Crispy Tilapia with Mayo Dip

The crispy tilapia crackled at our every bite but the meat was soft and didn’t have that fishy pond taste.  The mayo dip was a good foil, adding more flavor to the fish fingers.

Dolores Farm Resort’s Oriental Veggies

Bariles does not really dig vegetables but Dolores Farm Resort’s Oriental Veggies made him partake more than the usual because of its appetizingly tasty flavor (could be the oyster sauce).

Dolores Farm Resort’s Garlic Chicken

This one dish, Bariles particularly really  liked because it had him licking his fingers with the sweet sticky sauce from the honey-glazed chicken cut-ups.  And of course, the whole course wouldn’t be complete without the Fresh Fruit Platter and their naturally sweet fruit juices.

And hey, Dolores Farm Resort is also wifi-enabled that the satisfied group could have surfed the internet after their hearty lunch  except for the fact that PLDT/SmartBro was having problems that day.  Too bad because they would have wanted to stay longer and later, maybe catch some Pangasius FisH at their Monthong Game Fishing Park at the farther back portion of the resort.

Anyway, Bariles’ blogger-friends from Davao were ecstatic about their whole Dolores Farm Resort escapade that they also wrote about their experiences in their individual blogs below:

• GenSan Revisited:  Dolores Farm Resort
• An Unforgettable Weekend in Gen. Santos

Dolores Farm Resort is located at Pagalungan, Polomolok, South Cotabato.  For more info, please contact Manager Bernard Lauron at (083) 500-9260 or 500-9362.  Thanks to RD Hotels and Resorts’ Head, Ms. Teresa Mondido for facilitating the bloggers’ visit.