GenSan News Online Mag

GenSan News Online Magazine is pleased to announce that General Santos City has been included in the list of cities in the Philippines where media conglomerate ABS-CBN will be holding a nationwide simultaneous countdown to the New Year and will broadcast it all over the world where TFC is avelabol!!!!!  Now, isn’t that great?!

"FIREWORKS LIGHT UP THE SKY OF GENSAN IN THIS AWARD-WINNING PHOTO BY LEONARD PE"

Earlier today, Bariles was privileged to attend a coordination meeting between ABS-CBN and the City Mayor’s Office to map out plans to ensure that the New Year Countdown in GenSan will be a success.

This comes right at an opportune time for the city which has been hit by an unfortunate firecracker-related accident last Christmas Day which resulted to the deaths of three residents. Being included in their nationwide coverage and the only city in Mindanao to be afforded this privilege means that ABS-CBN still has the faith and trust in the city’s ability to mount a festive New Year’s Eve celebration and speaks much of the city’s clout with regard to newsworthiness in the global arena.

From the meeting, it was decided that the venue of the countdown, which now becomes the culmination of PASKO SA GENSAN 2009 will be at the City Hall Drive, FLAGPOLE area at the Plaza Heneral Santos right across the City Hall Building.

From 11:30am, ABS-CBN’S MOR FM deejays will be hosting a program featuring the best talents of the Tuna Capital.

Little Grand Winner Philip Nadela (who hails from Barangay Fatima) will highlight the program and will sing the KAPAMILYA Christmas Song, “STAR NG PASKO”.  Together with him is the CENTERPOINT Band, the GenSan POP Idols, Hip-Hop Dance groups, etc.

Expected to join Philip and these artists in the song are City Mayor Jun Acharon, Congresswoman Darlene Custodio, and the other City officials and workers.

After that, the focus will be on Bernadette Sembrano in Manila who will lead the countdown, simultaneously with GenSan and other cities all over the country.

And that’s where all the cities put on an aerial magical show together, including our very own GRAND FIREWORKS DISPLAY courtesy of the City Government of GenSan, ….. a very fitting end to PASKO SA GENSAN 2009.

HAPPY NEW YEAR GENSAN!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE GENERALS ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!

So, tell your family and friends about it and join us for the ABS-CBN Nationwide Countdown to the New Year, 11:30-12:00 midnight, December 31, 2009 at the Flagpole Area, City Hall Drive, GenSan.

In wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, GenSan News Online Mag is featuring one of Pasko Sa GenSan 2009’s more attractive features which is still proving to be its crowd drawer up to this writing.

Friends, readers, subscribers, here are some of the Christmas Towers of General Santos City’s barangays, which can still be seen at the Oval Plaza 24/7.

Maligayang Pasko sa Magandang GenSan!

"THE CHRISTMAS VILLAGE OF BARANGAY CONEL WHICH WON THE GRAND PRIZE AT THE PASKO SA GENSAN CHRISTMAS TOWER COMPETITION."

"ANOTHER ENTRY TO THE PASKO SA GENSAN CHRISTMAS TOWER COMPETITION, FROM AN UNNAMED BARANGAY."

"BARANGAY CALUMPANG'S GIANT SANTA ATOP HIS CASTLE."

"A PINEAPPLE ON TOP OF THE VILLAGE OF THIS UNNAMED BARANGAY"

"A SIMPLE HUT STILL HAS THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT SHINING AND TWINKLING WITH IT."

More pictures coming up…. check back!  Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

Ever since Bariles started this blog, he has been religiously putting out the pictures of the calendar posters released by the Local Government of General Santos City.

In 2008, this was the calendar of the GenSan City Hall, designed by BARILES, featuring the city officials beginning with Congresswoman Darlene Custodio, Mayor Jun Acharon and Vice Mayor Flor Congson.

"THE OFFICIAL 2008 GENSAN LGU CALENDAR WITH THE MAYOR JUN ACHARON, VICE MAYOR FLOR CONGSON, AND CONGRESSWOMAN DARLENE CUSTODIO, WITH THE 12 MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Early this year, he blogged about the 2009 Kalilangan Calendar, as shown below.  This time, it was designed by RONALD VELASQUEZ.

'THE 2009 CALENDAR RELEASED BY THE KALILANGAN FESTIVAL COUNCIL, FEATURING THE PRESENT AND PAST MAYORS OF THE CITY."

For this year, the faces of all the public officials have been replaced by a breathtaking aerial shot of the Plaza Heneral Santos by Leonard Pe.  He took this picture during the opening of Pasko SA GenSan 2009 last December 4, 2009,  Here it is…

Eduardo Pardillo, a pastor from the municipality of Maasim, Sarangani Province took home a Toyota Vios, the Grand Prize in the much talked about 31st Birthday Concert of World Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao at the KCC Convention and Events Center, KCC Mall of GenSan last Thursday, December 17, 2009.

"EDUARDO PARDILLO, A PASTOR FROM MAASIM, SARANGANI STANDS BESIDE HIS RED TOYOTA VIOS WHICH HE WON FROM PACQUIAO'S 31ST BDAY CONCERT RAFFLE DRAW."

The family man and his three kids were holding Yellow Passes and were seated at the farthermost end of the cavernous birthday concert venue when his name by called three times by birthday boy Manny Pacquiao.  He was at the stage in less than a minute to claim the keys to his car.

By the way, here are other pictures from Manny Pacquiao’s 31st birthdy concert.

"A PORTION OF THE DINING GUESTS INSIDE KCC EVENTS & CONVENTION CENTER."

"A GIANT TARP OF THE PACQUIAO FAMILY HANGS ON THE WALL OF THE HALL"

"A GIANT SCREEN ON STAGE SHOWS THE PERFORMANCE OF MANNY AND LITO CAIMO UP CLOSE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GUESTS LOCATED FAR FROM THE STAGE."

"MOMMY DIONISIA IN HER NEW PURPLE DRESS MADE BY A LOCAL GENSAN DESIGNER SPECIFICALLY FOR HER SON'S 31ST BDAY"

"MANNY PACQUIAO'S 6-FOOT TALL CAKE BAKED BY MIX AND MAGIC"

"MANNY'S KIDS, NEPHEWS AND NIECES PERFORM THEIR SURPRISE DANCE NUMBER"

"ACTOR CESAR MONTANO CHOSE TO STAY IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE ACCEPTING NUMEROUS REQUESTS FOR PHOTO OPS"

"THE WALLPAPER LEADING TO KCC CONVENTION HALL"

More pictures to be posted later.    CHECK BACK LATER guys….

Bariles just found out this afternoon that effective this Sunday, December 20 and all Sundays thereafter, shoppers of Robinsons Place GenSan have another event to look forward to inside the mall.

A Holy Mass will be offered at 11:00am every Sunday at the center of their huge atrium or activity center.  This, after the management got the go-signal from Diocese of Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez to their request of holding one there for the benefit of Catholics who weren’t able to catch the mass early during the morning at any of GenSan’s six parish churches and one Novitiate Chapel.

"Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez and other priests officiate a mass during the opening of Robinsons Place GenSan last September"

This coup of sorts augurs well for Robinsons which still has to attract the same number of weekend shoppers as those of either KCC or Gaisano.  Offering their shoppers the chance to fulfill their Sunday obligations inside their airconditioned mall before they shop or dine is the best marketing weapon on their hands so far.

Airconditioned comfort and convenience while hearing Sunday mass, why not?

We just hope that Robinsons GenSan’s management go up another rung by not only giving their mass offertory collections to the diocese but by providing coin cans to all their checkout counters for the benefit of Bishop Gutierrez’s flagship project – the Bahay Pari.

That will endear Robinsons more to the Catholic faithful not only of GenSan but the whole of Soccsksargen.  What do you think, Sir Dan Camat?

We just found this on the web!

A private learning institution will soon rise in General Santos City, along the Leon Llido Road in Barangay Lagao, together with a branch of an international pre-school.  The whole thing costs P70 million!!!!

The names of the schools: The Institute of International Culinary and Hospitality Entrepreneurship (ICEHEF); and, Tumble Tots, a franchise of a Uk-based pre-school, also at the same venue.

Not only will this mean that GenSan is on its way to be the EDUCATIONAL CAPITAL of Region 12  (with the UST commencing the construction of their campus in 2010), but also more employment for our local teaching force.

"The property where the P70million Culinary School and Pre-School will rise. It is located along Leon Llido Street."

Ibang klase ka na talaga, GEnSan!!!!

Here is the news report from Philippine News Agency:

DAVAO CITY, Dec. 5 (PNA) — The Institute of International Culinary and Hospitality Enterperneurship (ICHEF) and Tumble Tots, a franchise of the International UK Based Pre School, run by Joji Ilagan Foundation, Inc. will expand in Barangay Lagao, General Santos City.

George Bian, president of JIB Welding Academy said a 3,000-square meter lot ground preparations are underway to fast track the construction in time for the June 2010 opening of classes.

Bian said the school has a capital expenditure of P70 million.

He said there is a need to expand to the provinces because in the coming years people would have problems on transportation cost and would rather look for good schools in the locality that could provide the kind of standards that they want to have for their children.

Joji Ilagan Foundation, Inc. chairperson Joji Ilagan Bian said the school will have the same instructions as all their schools follow uniform concepts including operations based on international standards.

Bian said the reason they are expanding in General Santos is that they believe in the economy of the city.

“We will be introducing the concept of international hospitality schools in the city noting that they have lots of students coming from that area in their Davao City-based schools,” she said.

She said they really have plans for General Santos City even as she said that they are eyeing other neighboring areas like South Cotabato and Sarangani.

She said the General Santos City expansion is part of their five year plan from 2010 to 2015 to put up schools in key cities in Mindanao like Sultan Kudarat. They had one in Iloilo, she added.

The schools could smaller but the facilities will be the same, Bian emphasized. (PNA)

On December 18, 2009, the whole Islam world observes the Amon Jadid or the Islamic New Year.

The date corresponds to the 1st day of Muharram 1431 Hijrah, or the first day of the month of Muharram, the month in which the prophet Mohammed emigrated from Mecca to Medina.  The holiday is also called simply Muharram.

The way our brother and sister Muslims celebrate the New Year is very much different from our traditional way of doing it. They congregate in mosques to offer prayers and stay on to listen to readings from the Koran.

A very significant portion of the prayer service is the narration of the Hegira.  This is the story of the above-mentioned migration of the prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Medina.  The day is spent in prayer and reflection on one’s life.

There are usually no fireworks, noisemakers and the usual celebrations we associate with the New Year, althought the open cities in the Middle East have been imitating the Christian way of doing it.  Otherwise, it is one solemn day for the Islam world.

Here in South Central Mindanao, particularly in General Santos City, the Office of Muslim Affairs XII-A, has declared December 18, 2009 as a Muslim Holiday, by virtue of PD 1083 and Civil Service Commission Resolution No. 81-1277 dated November 13, 1981.

In his letter to GenSan City Mayor Pedro B. Acharon, Jr., OMA Officer-in-Charge Datumanong S. Colano wrote, “In view of the significance of the occasion, please excuse concerned officials and employees of your office from reporting to office to allow them (sic) celebrate the holiday.”

That means, no work for government agencies, bank institutions, etc and no classes in all schools in the city.,

With that, allow us to greet our pagari’s a “HAPPY AND PEACEFUL ISLAMIC NEW YEAR!”

On Thursday, December 17, 2009, all roads lead to  World Boxing Champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao 31st birthday celebration in General Santos City.  And why not?  He will be celebrating it in a manner bigger and more grandiose than his all his past birthdays combined.  (See our blog posts on his 2008 and 2007 parties by clicking on their respective years.)

Consider these….

To be held at the huge KCC Mall of GenSan Events and Convention Center, the celebration will take the form of a birthday concert for the first time.  Dubbed as “Manny Pacquiao’s REVOLUTION“, Bariles, who has gotten an invite will surely be treated to Manny’s rendition of his favorite English songs and original Tagalog compositions by his good friend Lito Camo.

Secondly, there will be a Raffle of sorts again.   This time however, Manny is raffling off something bigger – a brand new unit of TOYOTA VIOS!!!  This and seven other major prizes, as indicated in the Gate Pass cum Raffle Ticket to his birthday concert.  Whew!

Thirdly, Manny Pacquiao’s Birthday Party will be star-studded as usual with a guest list consisting of names from the entertainment, government, sports and business sectors.  But look who will be there for the Champ’s grand celebration this time?  If latest media reports are to be believed, Pacquiao’s 31st birthday concert will be graced by the presence of his latest boxing conquest, planing in from Puerto Rico, Mr. Miguel Cotto!

Of course this time, Manny will not  be the only crowd-drawer during his 31st birthday.  For the past 24 months, another Pacquiao has earned enough stalwart points to be in the running for “Entertainer of the Year”.  Of course you know who that is.

Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao, of course, who for sure will be making her own grand entrance.   But what’s keeping everyone guessing is what exactly will she be wearing this time?

Now that should be something that should not be missed by Bariles’ camera.

Here below are the different pages of the fold-out invitation which Bariles received for “Manny Pacquiao’s REVOLUTION” – A Grand Birthday Concert.

"The Front Page Invitation to the Manny Pacquiao's "REVOLUTION" Grand Birthday Concert"

Above is the Front Page of the invitation to Manny Pacquiao’s REVOLUTION:  A Grand Birthday Concert.

"The Second Page of the Invitation"

Above is the second page of the fold-out invitation, featuring a photo of one of Pacquiao’s captured moments of victory after a title fight.

"The inside foldout to Manny Pacquiao's Invitation...."

And finally, the inside centerfold of the birthday concert Invite of Manny Pacquiao.

And with that, from all of us here at GenSan News Online Mag, HAPPY 31st Birthday, Manny Pacquiao! We can only wish you the best in all your undertakings!  MABUHAY KA!!!

One of the glossy publications published locally in Mindanao is M Magazine.

M Magazine is a monthly lifestyle slash travel slash outdoor magazine which has been running features on the Promised Land and the personalities who matter on the island.  Only on its 2nd year, M or m, which runs the blurb “Live and Living in Mindanao” on its front cover has proven itself to be Southern Philippines’ social barometer.

For its latest December issue, it featured six Mindanao blogs, two of which were by bloggers from General Santos City.  This is for a short feature they entitled,“wwow.Mindanao”.

According to its introduction. “Here’s one kind of surfing that needs no sun, sea or wet surf.  Hit the techie side of the island and get awashed with these interesting sights, created by Mindanawons for the virtual universe.”

Then, it proceeded to name the six blogs including our friends Bob Timonera’s Kape Ta Bay;  Blogie Robbillo’s DavaoDeli plus our very own “GenSan News Online Mag” and  our sister blog “Ganda Ever So Much” (from younger sibling Orman),  together with screenshots of the blogs themselves.  

Noteworthy is Ganda Ever So Much since it is less than 4 months old and yet has reached quite a sizeable number of followers and dedicated readers due to the author Orman’s no-holds-barred style of spewing tales of  love, laughter, and the latest on Pinoy Big Brother.

Below is a picture of that page from m Magazine.

"M Magazine's feature on Mindanao blogs, including two from GenSan - GenSan News Online and Ganda Ever So Much"

Thank you to the writer behind this feature on us and to the editorial staff of m Magazine. Mabuhay kayo!!

Nokia Care Center, the only Service and Repair Center of Nokia Philippines in South Central Mindanao, has been around for almost a year now at the upper floor of the KCC Mall of GenSan.   It was only last week however, that Bariles had the reason and the chance to visit it.  His ever loyal and trustworthy Nokia 6288 phone unit wouldn’t function anymore.

Bariles got his Nokia free from SMART Communications two years ago when he signed on to his postpaid account.

It did not give him any major problem at all even after the second year that they have been together but upon entering its 25th month on earth, Bariles’s 6288 phone unit simply went kaput(!).

In short, it would not turn on or function, maybe exhausted after working non-stop for somebody as active and as mobile as Bariles.  It has fallen to the ground inumerable times already and has undergone the worst in wear and tear and thus looks older than it should.  If it was human, Bariles’ Nokia 6288 would have been a war veteran.

He did not present it to any unauthorized or run-of-the-mill service center however, since  the words of assurance of Nokia Philippines General Manager William Hamilton Whyte (whom he personally met in 2009 during the opening of the 1st Nokia Store in Region 12, at KCC) kepta ringing in his ears.

The Finnish gentleman said at that time that once Nokia Care opens in Gensan, it would accept any Nokia unit regardless of condition and age.  Bariles then hied off to KCC, went up the 3rd floor and entered the doors of their unassuming care center.

There was no client inside the office and so Bariles immediately surrendered his deader than dead phone to the amiable lady behind the counter.

In less than 5 minutes, after handing the phone unit to their technician,  she made him sign some papers, put up a deposit of P200 since the phone has gone past the warranty period of one year.

Bariles was about to go when advised by Maritess (that’s her name) that he can wait for his phone.

WOW!

To while away the time, he engaged the other lady working there who happened to be the the Center Supervisor, Ms. Annavi Abulag to some small talk.  A local resident, Annavi revealed that the NOKIA CARE CENTER in GenSan is being operated by Greystone Data Systems.  They have another one in Cagayan de Oro.

Annavi mentioned that there is still a need to educate Nokia phone users in the Philippines to not just entrust their units to any service repairman.  Bariles himself was aware of this because at least 3 people advised him to take his busted phone unit to one of the many repair centers at the basement of Gaisano Mall of GenSan since they are very affordable.

"The NOKIA CARE CENTER staff"

Of course he didn’t want to take tha risk, and knowing that his phone is better off at the authorized service center, he was willing to pay the price for the quality repair of his clunky, best friend.

In about 15 short minutes, the technician handed him back his Nokia 6288, repaired, renewed and ready to service his master, the Fishman again.

Bariles tried it and it was perfectly fine again, just like it used to be the first time he had it.   And to top it all, if he wanted to replace his phone’s parts and accessories, he can just order from Nokia Care Center who will have it delivered in a matter of days from Manila.  He promised to come back in a matter of weeks to refurbish his 6288 with its much needed new armor.

The center also accepts unwanted, unused and ready-to-be thrown phone parts, accessories and batteries of any Nokia phone.  They will have them sent back to their RECYCLING CENTERS in Asia as part of their commitment for a GREENER WORLD.

By the way, Bariles’ total bill amounted to  P 500++ ONLY with a warranty of 90 days.

Not bad considering that whatever defective part was replaced, it was done so with original parts that only NOKIA CARE CENTERS can provide.

Thank you NOKIA CARE.