Schedule for the Dinagyang main festivities:

January 22, 2011, Saturday
7:00:00 AM Mass for Kasadyahan San Jose Parish Church
8:00 A.M. 2011 KASADYAHAN Competition Freedom Grandstand and other stages
2:00PM SPONSORS MARDI GRAS Judging Area #4 to Freedom Grandstand
7:00 PM LUCES IN THE SKY Part II
7:00 PM Religious Sad-sad to Sr. Sto. Niño San Jose Parish Church

January 23, 2011, Sunday
6:30 a.m Concelebrated high mass for devotees, Tribes, Gov’t. Officials, LOMAS in attendance San Jose Parish Church
8:00 A.M. 2011 Dinagyang Ati CONTEST Freedom Grandstand and other stages
7:00 P.M. Awarding Ceremonies Freedom Grandstand

The President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session. He may also appear before it at any other time.

For President Aquino’s first SONA, he will discuss his promises to the watchful Filipinos and to the observing foreign countries. His SONA is more expected to be focus on corruption matters among government officials. The Noynoy Aquino SONA 2010 will broadcast live stream over you television and over the internet online. So don’t miss to watch this historic event. Watch Noynoy Aquino SONA 2010 live stream online for free and on pay-per-view subscription on the match event as well as on sopcast channels, justin tv, freedocast for free live stream broadcasting online.

Watch the Noynoy Aquino SONA 2010 Live Stream video.

Watch the Noynoy Aquino SONA 2010 Live Stream video.

The celebration will focus on the information, education and advocacy efforts on family planning.

The month-long celebration also calls for Filipino couples to space births of at least 3 years and practice responsible parenthood so that every child born to a family is properly fed, clothed, nurtured and educated.

Family planning issues has been the subject of a heated debate lately between the Catholic Church and proponents of the “free-choice” on family planning methods. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, on the other hand, has reiterated her stand on the family planning issue in her 8th State of the Nation Address (SONA):

The President said: “By promoting natural planning and female education, we have curbed population growth to 2.04% during our administration, down from the 2.36 in the 1990’s, when artificial birth control was pushed.”

“Our campaign spreads awareness of responsible parenthood regarding birth spacing. Long years of pushing contraceptives made it synonymous to family planning. Therefore informed choice should mean letting more couples, who are mostly Catholics, know about natural family planning,” she added.

How to Get There

Concepcion is located in the northern portion of Iloilo and is more or less a 2 and a half hours drive from Iloilo City. You can either go to the Boracay/North Panay Bus Terminal in Tagbak, Jaro or if you are going with the barkadas, rent a van. Both options will not cost more than 120 pesos.

The island itself is some 30 minutes boat ride away from mainland Concepcion. You should call ahead to arrange for someone from the resort to meet you in the Concepcion market (”banwa”) to take you to the island. A big motorized bangka which can sit up to 15 will cost around 1500 pesos for a round trip travel.

What You Can Enjoy

Upon arriving, you can see a white sandbar about half a kilometer long, framed in the horizon by the Pan de Azucar mountain and other islets. The water is clear as glass and very inviting. One word to describe it would be “breathtaking”.

You may opt to rent one of the two bamboo cottages near the sandbar or pay for a home stay in any of the concrete houses of the Eusala and Fransisco families who make up the island’s native population. An overnight stay will cost 1000 pesos in any of the cottages.

Unspoiled as unspoiled could get, Sandbar Island Resort doesn’t have most of the modern conveniences found in the city. Lights are run by solar energy in the Eusala ancestral house while the rest of the cottages in the beach area are powered by a generator.

Fresh fish can be bought from the main island of Concepcion or from the neighboring islands like Agho. You must also bring any other things that you might need (ice, rice, canned food etc.). You can then request the resort cook to prepare food for you for a minimal fee.

After you have your fill of sunbathing, swimming or sunset watching, you can ask for someone to take you island hopping. There are still a lot of beautiful beaches and islets surrounding the island and you can take your time to explore and know the area even more. The views around the island are simply magnificient.

In the afternoon, you can join the natives in “panginhas” - collecting shells and other edible marine life during low tide before sunset. In the evenings, the same could be done with the aid of a torch or petromax. We call this “panulo”.

After dinner, you can arrange for someone to make you a bonfire. However, you must inform the resort beforehand (ideally in the afternoon) so that they can collect firewood for you.

There are some hammocks scattered around the island. These are definitely perfect for you to lie on and just enjoy some solitude, after from the busy buzz of the city life.

Sandbar Island Beach Resort
Contact Person: Manong Sanny
Mobile: (+63)9068197516

Concepcion Municipal Tourism Office
Contact Person: Mario Lazarito, Municipal Tourism Officer
Mobile: (+63)9194588451 or (+63)918311923
Email: mla65[at]my.smart.com.ph

Next: Celebrate Family Planning in August

Ben Jimena, Iloilo City Tourism Officer and Festival’s Executive Director said the participation of the tribes in the opening salvo as well as in other 2008 Dinagyang activities determined by the Dinagyang Foundation is one of the requirements of the competition.

The Dinagyang Ati-Competition is one of the highlights of the festivities where tribes composed of dark-brown colored warriors perform in music dominantly using drums in identified judging areas.

Unlike in the previous years, the 20 competing tribes on Sunday, January 27, will perform in four judging areas instead of five. These judging areas are the Freedom Grandstand, Provincial Capitol, Quezon-Ledesma and Ma. Clara Rotunda.

The 20 competing tribes are Tribu Ivatan, Baryohan, San Pedro, Binhi, Hamili, Paghidaet, Angola, Kalubihan, Molave, Ilonganon, Pag-asa, Silak, Pana-ad, Atub-Atub, Himala, Familia Sagrada, Aninipay, Pari-anon, Ang Taga Jaro and Bantu.

For two years in a row, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival had been cited by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) as Best Tourism Event in the country. It has also received international recognitions such as given by the United Nations Development Programme in a CityNet conference in Katmandu, Nepal as Best Practice in the Promotion of the Localization of the Millennium Development Goals and by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice in Public and Private Cooperation.

Last year, Dinagyang also emerged first runner-up in the Aliwan Fiesta 2007 held in Manila and awarded Best in Music in the Western Visayas Tourism Assembly held in Bacolod City. (PIA)

Next: Sandbar Island Beach Resort in Bolobadiangan Concepcion Iloilo

Certainly, you and your family don’t want to miss the fun the holiday season brings - all the merriment, food and excitement. In line with this, the Department of Health (DOH) has the following health tips for this holiday season:

• Plan Christmas activities for yourself and your family to prevent tension and stress.

• Take care of yourself and your family against changes in temperature. Children and adults may become susceptible to cough, colds and fever. If your cough, colds and fever is more than five days, consult your nearest health station.

• Prepare a well-balanced Noche Buena and Media Noche meals. Make sure that vegetables and fruits are on the table together with your traditional ham and queso de bola.

• Be kind to your heart. Eat a moderate amount of nutritious foods to sustain your daily activities.

• Drink plenty of liquids. Drink plenty of water and fruit juices to facilitate excretion.

• Have enough sleep. Give yourself enough sleep so that the mind and body can rest.

• Avoid crowded areas because bacteria that cause diseases multiply and spread easily. Airy and well-ventilated areas are essential to healthy living.

• Use environment-friendly Christmas decors that cost less and are not fire hazards. Save decors for next year and store them in a safe place.

• Buy toys with no pointed or sharp edges; nor too small toys that can cause choking.

• Do not use fireworks and firecrackers during the Holidays. Make some noise even without fireworks and firecrackers.

Finally DOH advises, “Stay alive and whole for the coming year”. (PIA)

Next: Dinagyang Festival fires opening salvo

This year’s observance of the Bonifacio Day, a regular holiday nationwide, remains on Friday, November 30, 2007.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita by order of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on August 6, 2007 per Presidential Proclamation No. 1353 declared Friday, November 30, a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Bonifacio Day.

Philippine Information Agency Assistant Director General for Visayas Atty. Janet C. Mesa clarified in a radio interview that based on Proclamation No. 1353 the observance of Bonifacio Day need not be moved to the nearest Monday as provided under Republic Act No. 9492 because the day falls already on a Friday.

R.A. No. 9492 dated July 24, 2007, entitled “An Act Rationalizing the Celebration of National Holidays Amending for the Purpose Section 26, Chapter 7, Book 1 of Executive Order No. 292, as amended, otherwise known as The Administrative code of 1987″, was issued to declare certain days (specific or movable) as special or regular holiday.

Also, based on Proclamation No. 1353, Rizal Day on December 30, 2007, a regular holiday in the country need not be moved to the nearest Monday because December 31, 2007 is already a special non-working holiday per RA 9492.

December 31, being the last day of the year is listed under special holidays in RA 9492.

Mesa said with Friday, November 30, a regular holiday the public could look forward for another longer weekend. Source

Next: Holiday Health Tips

Iloilo City (23 November) — “Biotechnology sustains increased crop yields and farm productivity enhances the quality, value and sustainability of crops for food and other uses that are complementary to modern agriculture,” President Gloria Macapagal said as she declared the last week of November of every year as “National Biotechnology Week”.The President signed Proclamation No. 1414 to arouse greater public awareness, education and understanding of biotechnology, its many uses, advantages and responsible applications and the regulation of the new technology.

Proclamation No. 1414 stipulates that it is the policy of the government to promote safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology and its products as one of several means to achieve and sustain food security, equitable access to health services, sustainable and safe environment and industry development.

The said Proclamation tasks the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Health, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Education to create a National Biotechnology Week Committee that would formulate a program for a meaningful celebration of the event.

The Malacanang press report disclosed that President Arroyo emphasized that public awareness, education and understanding of biotechnology is essential for the responsible application of this new technology. Source

Next: November 30 is Bonifacio Day

How’d to all of you. It’s been awhile coz I have been under the weather for some time (translation –> I’ve been sick).

I have updated the site structure of this site. Making things easier for all of you. You can now access Events, Places, or Food in the navigation bar so everything is categorized according to topics.

If you have something in mind, feel free to drop me a word using the comments section under each entry.

Salamat guid!

Next: November’s Biotech Week