Here they are:

1.  The establishment of a LONE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT for General Santos City.   – This is long overdue considering that the total population of GenSan has already reached more than half a million already.  But unless the National Government approves for publication the 2010 National Census figures, which will peg latest census figures at 600,000 and which will be a major basis for the re-alignment of the congressional districts of South Cotabato, this will have to wait.  Hopefully, by the 4th quarter of 2012, our representative, Congressman Jun Acharon will be focusing on just the city alone.

2.  The construction of Gokongwei’s GoHotel beside their Robinsons’ Place GenSan lot in Barangay Lagao. – With more and more conventions and large conferences being conducted in GenSan, the hotel boom will reach fever pitch this year with the entry of national players in the hotel industry, including GoHotel which will open its Tacloban branch this year.  That only means that GenSan will be next.

3.  The ground-breaking of the Mindanao Campus of University of Santo Tomas in Barangay Ligaya, General Santos City.  Touted to be a full university and not just a college annexed under the UST Main Campus in Manila, UST General Santos will offer the same courses.  This will give Mindanaoans full access to quality education under the tutelage of the Dominicans.

4.  The expansion of the General Santos City Hospital and the improvement of its operations. – Health being at the forefront of the administration of Mayor Darlene Antonino Custodio, expect this one to materialize with the entry of Private-Public-Partnerships (PPP) in the operations of key departments in the City Hospital.  Thus within the year, we shall witness the opening of the Dialysis Center that will drastically lower the costs of a dialysis procedure,  PPP-initiated pharmacy and laboratory which will offer lower medicines and services, respectively; and additional beds with the opening up of the 2nd floor of the hostpital’s new building.

5.  The commencement of the construction of the city’s Sanitary Landfill in Barangay Sinawal which hopefully can begin its operation by the end of the year or early 2013.  This will further boost the city’s Garbage Disposal and Segregation Program which it is trying to strengthen among the generals.  Cleaner city = healthier environment = mas Magandang GenSan!

6.  The entry of more major players in GenSan, notably Ayala Land.  - With Robinsons and SM here, can Ayala be far behind?  This could either be by the Kastilaloy-owned company’s joining the now very competitive mall industry or through the still-very-open and lucrative mass housing business in the Home of Champions.  Either way, we have received reports that Ayala has sent feelers to brokers to look for large tracts of lands in Barangay Lagao.

7.  The privatization of the General Santos City Central Public Market. –  As mentioned earlier, since the local government is keen on Private-Public-Partnerships, then the idea of pushing for the privatization of the GenSan Central Public Market should be put in the forefront.   Reports have reached us that the SM group is keeping an eye on this possibility.  If that happens in 2012, then we will soon have our very first air-conditioned MALLENGKE!   Cool!

So that’s it –  our 2012 Top 7 Predictions for GenSan!  Do you agree with most or some of them?

What does your own BOLANG KRISTAL say?

The Jollibee Family Values Awards aims to celebrate the genuine and irreplaceable joy of the Filipino family.  It will recognize those who exemplify the values that Pinoy families are known for and those who have inspired the community through their deeds.

Nomination is from July 1, 2011 to August 30, 2011.  Anybody could nominate a family whom they admire and think is worthy enough to matter in this nationwide search.  One winning family will be chosen from each of these clusters:  MegaManila, Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Prizes for each of the five winning families are P100,000 cash (tax-free), a trophy and P10,000 worth of gift certificates.

Nomination forms are available at any of the Jollibee outlets all over the country.  In GenSan, these are at Jollibee Pioneer, Jollibee RD Plaza, Jollibee 24/7 Drive-thru National Highway, Jollibee Gaisano, Jollibee KCC and Jollibee Robinsons.  It may also be downloaded at Jollibee’s official website.

Do you know of a family who exemplifies the best of Filipino values in GenSan?  Nominate them now!

This post actually explains the influence that my travels with my Dad had on me becoming a movie freak that I am right now.  And so, please I beg your indulgences as your friend Bariles goes more personal this time.

Working in the largest city in the world for the past five weeks has been quite a walk down memory lane. My earliest thoughts of Davao was when i was barely five years old when my Dad (God bless his soul) took me on what was my first plane ride from what was then known as Dadiangas. I forgot how long the trip took but i remember puking all over my Dad’s perma-pressed trousers and rousing the entire cabin. It was a relief landing on Davao soil after what could have been an eternity.

Dad usually spends the whole morning in Davao buying everything he needs for his tailoring business, scouting the various textile and tailoring supplies stores owned by local Chinese. He however never fails to drop by into a toy store and buys me anything i fancy plus gifts for my younger bro and sis back home. Then, we visit a clothing store where he picks something for mommy, mostly top-of-the-line dresses because he sure wants to please my fashion-conscious teacher-mom.

 

THE OLD MEN SENG HOTEL. PHOTO COURTESY OF WAWAY OF SKYSCRAPER.

Lunch is either at the 1st floor of Men Seng Hotel along San Pedro or at the Davao Famous Restaurant across the street. My favorite food has always been their steaming pancit canton and tasty sari-sari which we always down with Lemon o’lime (Dad says, less acidity.). Right alongside this place is Merco, where we always drop by for Fresh Milk and where I had my first real burger(!). At that time, they used pure beef in their patties and I even recall that it was quite thick.

From then on, it was movies, movies, movies all the way. For the next couple of hours or so, my Dad with me in tow, consume all the available movies showing in all the theaters along San Pedro, Ilustre, and Claveria. In between, he never fails to buy me soft dairy ice cream and barquillos inside the moviehouses’ fully-loaded canteens. Daddy made sure that all our senses are fully satiated by the last full show. The following day, it’s the same routine all over again.

Did i complain from all of these? Of course not? Who would if the movies we saw served as my flying carpet at that time and are now forever etched in my memory…. memories of those private precious times with my Dad? Classics like The Graduate, Yellow Submarine, Psycho, McKenna’s Gold, That’s Entertainment, Dr. No, Godzilla, Bonnie & Clyde, The Hand, Funny Girl, The Big Boss, All Mine to Give, and even Banaue have more or less transported me into worlds far beyond what my young mind could imagine, teaching me lessons on love, life, loss and even lust…. and gradually molding me into what I am now.

Now, while walking along the streets where these theaters used to stand before and trying to relieve the past, everything seems to have faded into oblivion. While I tried to scour these old Davao streets for these landmarks that have become so much a part of my growing-up years, all i see now are but remnants of it…. ruins….. skeletons.

But walking slowly and closing my eyes, however, everything gradually seems to be just fine.  The familiar sights return, the fragrant smells again beckon and the sounds once more take me back to those times in the city of Durian when Daddy was just beside me holding my tiny hand while walking along its busy sidewalks, ensuring me that everything was all right and the words “death” and “decay” were never even part of my infantile vocabulary.

SOCOTECO II Power Interruption Schedule for 14-15 May 2011

The good news is – this has nothing to do with the power supply from Transco but due to the replacement of electric poles near Robinsons (for the traffic signal system project of the LGU) and near the ongoing SM City GenSan construction project.

Whew! Mabuti na lang!

These are in high traffic areas like Aparente Avenue in Purok Malakas (across the satellite wet market), Pioneer Avenue (fronting the old Pioneer Theater lot), Osmena North Avenue (just beside the Diagan Hospital) and across the Lagao Satellite Public Market.

Above is a shot taken by Bariles late one evening of their Purok Malakas mobile store.  Do not let the empty stools fool you.  In less than 5 minutes after this photo was taken, it was immediately filled up with customers wanting a quick fix of their “BUY ONE-TAKE ONE” offers.

Here are photos of their burgers from their official website:

All of their burgers and hotdogs are offered on a “Buy-One-Take-One” deal which is basically the reason why there are long lines in all their 3 mobile stores in GenSan.

With more people looking out for a bargain food deals, Minute Burger is surely one of the best solutions to satisfy their hunger pangs.  Who cares if it’s greasy?  Definitely not the hungry grumbling stomachs of people who make it a point to visit any of their four outlets regularly.   And definitely not Bariles who go for their Double Patty Burger which at P38 gives you two servings already!

Sulit Saraaap talaga!!!

The earliest among them has proven to be the most inventive with the various exciting  promotional gimmicks and the classy culinary treats that go along with them.  Of course, we are referring to Ranchero’s and for the most anticipated season of the year, it has come up with a double whammy of a winner.

If you want your Noche Buena or Christmas parties to be more than special without tiring yourself, then check out Ranchero’s Signature dishes from the poster above.  Consider these mouth-watering culinary fare which are entirely different from your usual yuletide food…

• The tender Beef Pot Roast at only P775
• The Classy Callos ala Madrilena at P750
• The succulent Baby Back Ribs Platter at P795
• The aromatic Herbed Baked Jumbo Chicken at P650
• The healthy Fisherman Christmas Delight at P850
• and the flavorful Chicken Galantina at P850.

Then if you’ve had your feel all all those meaty dishes, check out any of their delectable array of their famous cakes and kakanins!

• The glorious Concorde Cake at P1085 (10″ x 2″) and P750 (7″ x 4″)
• The sinful Dulce de Leche at P680 (9″ x 4″)
• Their heavenly Blueberry or Strawberry Cheesecakes at P1100 (10″ x 2″) and P750 (7″ x 2″)
• A box of exciting Gourmet Cupcakes at P475 (9 pieces) or at P375 (6 pieces)
• Their to-die-for Frozen Brazo de Mercedes at P675 (12″ x 8″ x 2″)
• Their comforting 3-Flavored Sapin-Sapin at P475
• The homey Tibok-Tibok at P475 (Big Bilao) and P375 (Small Bilao)
• Their delightful Suman sa Lihiya at P550 per Dozen in a Basket

These Christmas Food Delights from Ranchero’s could also serve as Christmas gifts for your friends and loved ones.  It sure beats the hell out of scouring for good buys inside an overcrowded and stuffy mall department store along with hundreds of other frantic holiday shoppers for gifts.

At Ranchero’s, there’s definitely no rush, no waiting in line… just the dreamy thought of the wonderfully lavish Yuletide feast that is waiting for you.

To reserve your orders, please call Ranchero’s at (083) 553-9298 or 303-1120.

It’s the  famous NY Fries and Dips!

NY Fries & Dips compared to other french or potato fries are giant hand-cut potato strips from imported Idaho Russet Potatoes cooked with transfat-free oil. It also serves a variety of gourmet dips.

Bariles was used to the usual thin potato fries and the mayo and catsup dips that come along with them from the local fastfood service outlets.  However when he first tried NY Fries & Dips at its first standee snack outlet at KCC Mall of GenSan, he was hooked!

The hand-cut fries are bigger, longer, crunchier on the outside and tender on the inside.  Even the potato skin which is actually healthy is visible on some strips. And the fact that these are fried only in CANOLA OIL, make them healthier to snack on!

But they have more than that! NY Fries and Dips also offer ONION RINGS and CHICKEN NUGGETS for moviegoers who would rather eat something else while watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster on screen.

Then there’s the all-natural-NO-MSG gourmet dips which are conversation pieces in themselves – LEMON HERB, PEPPER STEAK, PESTO, ASIAN, GRAVY, HAWAIIAN CURRY, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, RANCH, GARLIC WASABI, TARTAR SAUCE, THAI PEANUT, GARLIC PARMESAN, BARBECUE, CHEESE, HONEY MUSTARD and BACON ONION TOMATO!  All these

Now that’s what you call DIPS HEAVEN!!!

So now, with a new NY Fries & Dips snacks bar to serve the moviegoing clients of Robinsons Place GenSan, expect traffic to their four cinemas to thicken even more with the intro of this unique American dining concept.

BARILES himself couldn’t wait to watch PIRANHA 3D over the weekend while munching on his favorite GIANT CUP of NY Fries & Dips with THAI PEANUT Gourmet Dips!  DROOL!!!

How about you?  What is your favorite NY Fries & Dips?

From out of the combination of votes tallied from the Facebook Fan Page of the Big & Small Company, from the comments counted from our blog post featuring the photos of the kids, and the vote coupons received at the Big & Small Company outlet at the KCC Mall of GenSan (for every P100 purchase), the management of the kids apparel store and the contest organizer was able to come up with the winners.

The entries were divided into two – the Toddler Category and the Infant Category.

Much weight and percentage was placed on the votes from the Facebook Fanpage of B&GC.  All the 800++ votes from this blog were also counted but they only comprised 20% of the total scores.  This is due to the fact that there were a lot of bogus voters (with fake names and non-existent email addresses) and spam votes which almost got this blog suspended by the server.  That is also the reason why Bariles had to stop the voting through this blog on July 27, 2010.

Anyhow, here are the charts of the votes for the two categories tallied from the three sources.

The winner of the INFANT CATEGORY which received 17.22% of the votes counted is Photo Entry #20 featuring the cute and chubby cookie-of-a-girl, Beatrice Benedikt M. Dy.

And the winner of the Toddler Category is the jolly and handsome Aethan Troy S. Lazaro, who was featured in photo #23.

The two winners will each receive a gift certificate worth P2,000, gift certificates from Worlds of Fun, 10% discount on any outlet of Big & Small Group and a Gift each on their birthdays.

And with that, in behalf of the management of the Big & Small Company in GenSan, we would like to say “Congratulations to the winners and of course, to their parents as well!”

The Robinsons Value Card is meant for their customers who prefer to shop for their groceries at the Robinsons Supermaket.  They just have to apply for membership of the supermarket’s VALUE PLUS and voila!  They will be given the card for free.

Each time a card-carrying member  makes a purchase, the amount is then encoded into the card to earn a corresponding number of points.

These points may then be redeemed for special gift items in the future.  At times, just by showing to the cashiers will earn one discounts on certain items being sold inside the supermarket.

For the month of July 2010, holders of Robinsons Value Card who purchase at least P2,000 worth of goods at the supermarket are entitled to a FREE Healthy You Orange Juice 1 Liter.

For inquiries, please call Robinsons Place GenSan at Telephone #s (083) 553-3188.

This contest by the Big & Small Group of baby and kids apparel’s which is for their patrons and clients was announced earlier by GenSan News Online Mag in a post which can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Now all you have to do is CHOOSE WHAT YOU THINK IS THE BEST PHOTOGRAPH AMONG THESE 26 ENTRIES.

Leave a message in the REPLY SECTION below stating your choice of the BEST PHOTO.

You can not vote more than once if you are planning to do so.  Therefoee so give it up because we would know if you are bogus or not.

Good luck on your search for the best “Big & Small Kid photo.”  You may campaign if you want to for others to vote the same way you did.

Voting period is only up to August 15th.  Announcement of winners will be on August 20th!  VOTE NOW!!  BUT YOU CAN VOTE ONLY ONCE.

GenSan Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio is sworn into office while flanked by parents former Congresswoman Lualhati and former Mayor Adelbert Antonino with husband Benjie Custodio.

Mayor Darlene delivered it on the day she took oath together with Representative Pedro B. Acharon,  Vice Mayor Shirlyn Banas and the twelve city councilors on June 28, 2010 at the Oval Plaza Covered Court. Inaugural Address of Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio

Effective June 18, 2010, the biggest homegrown malls in Soccsksargen are running the following…

First is their annual but much bigger KCC COMPUTER INSTANT PRIZES for KCC Mall of GenSan.  This one is limited to supermarket purchases of participating brands which are given corresponding points.

Then for KCC Mall of Koronadal is their MILYON MILYON NA CASH!  This time, every P100 purchase from both the supermarket and department store of participating products is eligible to join this promo.

Both mega-promotions of KCC Mall of GenSan and Koronadal run from June 18, 2010 to August 1, 2010.  

In a few weeks time, a whole new adventure awaits YOU in General Santos City!

GenSan, are you ready for the ICE CASTLE Experience?

The ICE CASTLE Experience.

To enchant you.

Soon.

Jinkee Pacquiao’s FLAWLESS is offering Student Discounts for a month from March 15, 2010 to April 15, 2010.

There is a 15% Discount on Advanced and Regular Facials and there is also a 10% Discount on selected in-house products.  Just show them any valid school I.D. to avail of these discounts.

Check out the product listing below which is part of their Summer Promotions….

Summer Promo

Flawless, a beauty and skin clinic, another one of Jinkee Pacquiao’s business ventures, can be found at the 2nd Floor of the KCC Mall of GenSan.  For more info, you may call them at 0922-5431511 or (083) 554-2422.  Their email address is flawless_gensan (at) yahoo (dot) com.

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…

Now, here is their Press Release…

Franchising has evolved through the years to be the most successful way to expand a business or to go into a business by yourself. The fastest way for business owners to grow a business is to franchise it out instead of opening own branches. On the other hand, the safest way to invest money is to get a reputable franchise as franchises offers the advantages of being proven profitable, provide training, opening assistance and operations manual.

The General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), SMED Council, Inc., the City Government of General Santos, and RK Franchise Consultancy together with the Filipino International Franchise Association (FIFA), will hold the 4th Mindanao Franchise Expo on June 26-28, 2009 at the Gaisano Mall of GenSan Atrium, General Santos City.

The three-day 4th Mindanao Franchise Expo is one way of bringing franchise opportunities closer to the Mindanao regions where the franchise market is growing stronger. This event is definitely a showcase of successful franchisers from Manila, Cebu, Davao and General Santos City to prospective Franchisees and new and promising concepts in food, retail or services to consider franchising.

The expo timed during the GenSan Business Month (Yaman GenSan) is open to the public and is designed to allow aspiring owners to get a close-up look at a range of different franchises, meet with the company representatives, attend franchise seminars and become familiar with the growing world of franchising.

Interested exhibitors may get the APPLICATION FORM by CLICKING HERE.

This exhibition is managed by the CEO Events and Expos Organizers, Inc. (02) 995.0734 or email to info@ceoexpos.com and sponsored by FranchiseToday for the Yaman GenSan/GenSan Business Month.

The picture you see below features Bariles together with the Day Shift staff of the Emergency Room of the General Santos City Doctor’s Hospital, taken on the afternoon of Sunday, March 8, 2009.

These people, especially attending physician Dr. Joy Flores (in white), nurses Anne Hazel Posadas (sitting, grand daughter of Bariles’ Godparents, Dr. Gervacio and Alice Posadas), John Pascua and Robert Romero attended to him when he showed up at their E.R., complaining of something.  They gave him all the assistance he needed, making him as comfortable as possible despite the pain he was feeling that time.

He also had no problem applying for a room and having his x-ray taken.  All the ladies he encountered were accommodating, friendly and cheerful, which was surprising considering the stressful field they were in.

At some point when it was clear that he does not need to be admitted (thank God) and was to be sent home, Nurse Anne, John and Robert even helped him with the process of reimbursing the money he paid for some medicines at the pharmacy which he did not need after all.

Bariles has always dreaded hospitals and emergency rooms for that matter but with the kind of service that the E.R. staff and other personnel of GSC Doctors Hospital showered him with, that feeling was erased from him, hopefully forever.

Thank you guys!

To my partner, my sister Maravel and her husband, Alan together with my nieces, who kept me company all throughout what could have been a painful and costly ordeal, no words can express how grateful I am even just with your presence. God is so good for giving you to me. 

]]> http://www.gensantos.com/2009/03/10/general-santos-city-doctors-hospital-er-staff-thank-you/feed/ 44 http://www.gensantos.com/2008/12/13/roasters-ablaze-oven-roasted-chicken-gensans-healthier-chicken-take-out/ http://www.gensantos.com/2008/12/13/roasters-ablaze-oven-roasted-chicken-gensans-healthier-chicken-take-out/#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:50:51 +0000 bariles http://www.gensantos.com/?p=2980 In General Santos City, one wouldn’t miss the sight of a “lechon manok” cart or “grilled whole chicken” stall standing on almost every corner, especially on the roads leading to the city’s suburbs where most of the subdivisions are situated.

Sporting names as only the Pinoys can cook up such as Sanok’s, Banok’s, Kini Rogers, Kurdapoy’s, King Jan’s (!?), Tikboy, BJ’s, Jo’s Manokan, etc., they all offer the “generals” the most convenient and inexpensive “take-out” dinner for the family – roasted or grilled chicken.   Basically, all these offer the same thing, chicken cooked evenly in a rotisserie, rotating them over live coals.

If you are tired of chicken cooked this way, and are wary of the views of many experts who say that grilling over high temperatures over charcoal creates chemicals linked to cancer (like carcinogens), then ROASTERS ABLAZE is for you.

Roasters Ablaze which offers oven-roasted chicken in a rotisserie is owned by cousins Ronald and Arlan Velasquez.  Its first outlet can be found near the entrance of the Arnevel’s Restaurant, the first and only “eat-all-you-can” diner in the city.

The cousins have adopted the slogan “healthier, tastier even” because aside from cooking inside an oven where it is not exposed to any contaminants, they do not use MSG or vetsin in their Roaster Ablaze chickens.

Cousins Arlan and Ronald Velasquez at their 1st Roasters Ablaze stall

I had the chance to taste one yesterday and I must say that at only P130 per whole piece, you get your money’s worth.  Not only does its meat’s aroma smell good but but it also tastes good.

Bariles swears that he could actually savor the distinct taste of the chicken’s juicy meat, which he opines was tenderized overnight in a gracious mixture of the Velaszquez’s very own herbs and spices. And of course, it doesn’t have the burnt charcoal or “uling” smell in it.

And one last thing – here’s a tip for the budget-conscious general – Roasters Ablaze Chicken can be bought at half its size at only P70.

That is more than enough reason to go and visit them at Arnevel’s National Highway and find out why Bariles is drooling all over while writing this post. 

Roasters Ablaze Oven-Roasted Chicken can be found at the Arnevel’s Restaurant entrance, along the National Highway across the Philhealth Office. For orders, please call them at telephone # (083)304-8125.

Bariles just got married.

The place: KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The bride: Ms. Marilen Zabala, my Notre Dame of Dadiangas highschool batchmate.

The date: September 31, 2008.

Here is the photo to show for it.

My Internet Yahoo Group ICON (International Circle of Online Noranians), with GANAP (The Grand Alliance for Nora Aunor Philippines) and the Federation of Nora Aunor Followers, Inc., is proudly announcing the celebration of GUY an PIP DAY (in honor of Superstar Nora Aunor & her former screen partner Tirso Cruz III) slated on Monday, February 25, 2008 as part of the opening of STARS CONVERGE: The Stellar Art and Career of Elwood Perez, a film retrospective of the University of the Philippines Film Institute.

This film retrospective will also give recognition to two movie production outfits who were instrumental in the evolution of the craft of director Elwood Perez, the Sampaguita-VP Pictures and Regal Films.

GUY AND PIP LOVETEAM DAY

During the Guy and Pip Day , two movies of the greatest Filipino loveteam of all time will be screened at the UP Film Institute in Diliman, Quezon City. First to be shown at 5:00pm is “Till We Meet Again“, their “comeback movie” which destroyed all cinema box-office records in 1985.

This is followed by “I Can’t Stop Loving You” at 7:30pm. This movie is one of the top-grossing movies during the 1985 Metro Manila Film Festival. Incidentally, an exhibit of Guy & Pip memorabilia will be conducted at the lobby of the UP Film Institute.

Another Guy & Pip movie showing on February 26, Tuesday at 7:30pm is the classic “Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit” which was shown on 1989 and reaped a lot of trophies from award-giving bodies the following year.

On February 27, Wednesday, as a finale to the retrospective, the movie, “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.“, another multi-award winner for Nora Aunor will be shown.

Tickets for all the screenings cost only P80.00. Student discounts will be available as part of ICON’s objective to inform and enlighten the new generation on the remarkable body of work of Nora Aunor.
GABI NG PARANGAL (AWARDS NIGHT)

The night of February 25 is also the “Awards Night” for the the 2nd ICON Awards which are given to showbiz personalities who have contributed a lot to the growth of the Pinoy movie industry. Some of the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2008 are Director Elwood Perez (film directing), Ricardo Lee (Screenwriting), Tirso Cruz, III (Film Acting), Nestor Torre (Film Journalism) and Ronald Constantino (Film Journalism).

Expected to grace this event are the children of the Superstar, Lotlot de Leon, Matet, Kiko and Kenneth and other close friends of the Noranians. The trophies are donated by Antonio Flores of ICON-Canada.

Note: As far as I can recall, I have been a Noranian since I was 8 years old when the Superstar first came into the consciousness of the Filipinos after winning the then #1 Singing Competition in the land, “Tawag ng Tanghalan”. My mom used to feed us with local showbiz magazines Kislap, Liwayway and the pre-Martial Law tabloids The Sun and similar print materials with her on the covers and since there was nothing else to read, that got me and my younger siblings hooked.

For his part, my Dad bought all the long-play vinyl records of the young Bicolano he could find. These made us fanatics of the diminutive singer-actress that I remember joining a local “Guy and Pip Forever” Fans Club with my brother, Orman which was organized by Ate Linda, who was a box-office ticket seller at the Capitol Theater along Pioneer Avenue, just beside the Arenas Building where we were renting a unit for my Dad’s tailoring shop.

. Best-sellers are the baby rockets, trumpillo, kwitis, roman candles and the torotot. Gone are the triangles, super lolos, sawa, judas belt and thelike due to the FIRECRACKERS BAN of the mayor.

It is our first Christmas as full-fledged orphans. Mommy died in April 26 of this year while Daddy passed away in 2004. It was but fitting that we spend Christmas Eve at their resting place at the Forest Lake San Carlos Memorial Park.  So for just this one time, I want to veer away from the usual pictorial “reports” I feed in this blog and instead, post this one picture I took that night… hoping that it relays to the reader the emotions of spending Christmas when some loved one is not there anymore to spend it with.
Merry Christmas Daddy and Mommy. Don’t worry about us anymore. The kids are fine. God is good to us. We just miss you so much. But other than that, we’re great! Always remember that we love you.

A carpenter rushing work on the coco lumber flooring of the tents to be used for the

flea market section of the main christmas festival area of the oval plaza.

Coconut Shell Charcoal or “ULING” from
sArAnGaNi island
unloaded at the old pier at the Lion’s Beach or what is now Queen Tuna Park.
The trip from the island to GenSan normally takes 5-6 hours.
90% of the needs of the islanders there and nearby Balut Island are sourced from the
Tuna Capital
and most of their agricultural produce are also being sold here.

Folk dancers from a local high school in GenSan smile for my camera in this shot taken after their performance during a competition at the Oval Plaza stage. Despite the searing heat, their troupe managed to perform beautifully to take home the Grand Prize.

This boy must have been sooo tired helping out his family prepare
flower arrangements for their clients on hAlloWeeN or Kalag-kalag.
Their flower stall at the Gen. Paulino Santos Park in front of the
Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish Church is one of the many who made a killing with their overpriced MuMs, rOsEs, oRcHiDs, and dAiSiEs
harvested from the plantations at the balmy hills of
Tupi, South Cotabato.

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