OCTOBER 3, 1924 – ONE HUNDRED YEARS AFTER One hundred years after General Juan Araneta’s passing in October 3, 2024, over 500 of his descendants got together to pay tribute to their patriarch. With the appropriate pomp and ceremony befitting a hero, the city officials of Bago paid homage to this beloved Bagonhon at a […]
Author: emjoven
Bacolod City, known as the “City of Smiles,” witnessed the grand launch of Parkville by SMDC, marking a pivotal moment in the real estate landscape of the city. The 52-hectare master-planned residential subdivision is the real estate giant’s first venture in the lots-only space, catering to a broader market of prospective home seekers. In his […]
The newly-opened Weego Bistro is such a joy to visit. Cozy and tucked away somewhere at Go Hotel’s lobby, the 40-seater restaurant is the youngest family member to join Terence Dacles’ Tippy’s and Imbiss. Imagine dining in a room with art on the walls and ceilings. And such art! The whimsical style of Nemar Sencil […]
The seven-hour non-airconditioned bus ride from Bacolod to our next-door neighbor was fatigue-inducing but rewarding when the diverse country scene rolled by. Sugarcane fields are juxtaposed with the steep rocky mountainside. Hidden bends unveil breathtaking cliffs and the blue Tanon Strait beyond. Bamboo-and-nipa huts perch on road edges cheek by cheek with concrete residences creating […]
When the handle of my binangon flew off, I knew whom to call. The neighborhood pamandayan to the rescue! What is a Filipino household without the all-purpose knife that can cut down a tree, open a coconut, and peel an unripe jackfruit for ginat-an nga munggo? The binangon is a tool so essential for a […]
It was the topic of salt that brought me to Pulupandan and unearthed another industry – from the salt of the earth to the earth itself. Here’s Earth calling the potters of Brgy. Utod. One of the potters who showed me around was the very helpful Kagawad Roy Veraguas. He is a salt producer for […]
Tucked away by the side of the highway leading into Bago City from Bacolod are seven hectares of coastal land converted into saltbeds. You won’t miss these wide patches of grids dotted by windmills. Yet, a lot of people do. Nondescript and hidden partially by tall wild grass along the road, the salt beds blend […]
The sea is calm, the sun not so hot at 9:30 in the morning while we crossed the sea to get to the group of islands know as Islas de Gigantes. Wispy white clouds hovered above hiding the blue of the sky of Carles. Inday Nancy bobbed rhythmically as the waves slapped a lullaby on […]
Susan is in. A baby has its back to her, its face serene and innocent. It won’t be long when the baby screams in pain as had the baby before it, and all the other babies before have had. For generations, the manoghilot has been the go-to medicine man, or woman, for babies, toddlers and […]
FOR the first time in many years, I wake up to the sound of an orchestra playing. A thousand crickets are making beautiful rhythmic music at 5:30 in the morning. In my spacious, tastefully-appointed, purple-themed casita, I lay quietly for a while before throwing off the purple wool blanket to thrust my feet into the […]