Buklod sa Dapitan

I was blog hopping when I saw Flisha's post about the new site for Dapitan City. Buklod sa Dapitan is a website of a travel agency for tourist who would like to visit my hometown Dapitan. The website is pretty simple but it is very informative as it shows the prime toursit spots of the city as well as a guide to get to Dapitan.

Christmas time and the Handuraw Festival is coming soon and most hotels and pension houses will be fully book. I suggest you book your visit early to avoid the hassle and enjoy the beautiful and historic Dapitan.
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MYMP in Asia’s Latin City

Pep Talk by Dante Corteza

One of the country’s best bands, Make Your Momma Proud or a lot famous as MYMP, performed in Zamboanga City Coliseum to an enthusiastic crowd last October 9. It was part of the grand celebration of the Zamboanga 2008 Hermosa Festival. And it was made possible by St. Joseph School (SJS) High School Batch ’83, the school jubilarian honoree this year.

MYMP is the author of the sweetest, softest and most soothing music the Philippine Music Industry could have. Pairing up the guitar work of Chin Alcantara and the most angelic voice of Juris Fernandez is truly heaven’s work. This tandem, together with their other band mates, has brought fans and listeners everywhere great music and pleasant times both with their wonderful personalities and their heart-warming songs.
The band’s female singer Julie Iris Fernandez (better known as Juris) hails from Davao and took her early education in Ateneo de Davao. She comes from a family of doctors and took BS psychology in Miriam College as a pre-medicine course. Although she graduated a BS psychology student, she pursued a career in music as a vocalist despite having no formal training in singing. Her cool and soft voice was eventually loved by the airwaves and the fans. Her quiet, simple and sweet appearance has made her appeal to the fans in their bar gigs and on TV. But despite all her success, she remains kind and fun-loving at heart. She is a great person to know and an even greater friend to have.

Chin Alcantara, born on March 12, started learning the guitar when he was 15. His talent and skill blossomed and with the support of his Dad, pursued a career in music. His musical influences are Jimi Hendrix, SRV, Mr. Big and Led Zepelin. His friendly and funny appeal makes him a crowd and fan favorite on and off the stage. He finished his college degree in communication arts in Miriam College. Here are some of his favorite things: favorite movies are Legends of the Fall and Star wars, favorite cartoon character: Sponge Bob and favorite book Thick face Black Heart.

Juris sang a duet with Asia's Latin City Mayor Celso Lobregat
St. Joseph High School Batch'83 with City Mayor Celso Lobregat
Thanks, SJS, for bringing MYMP to Asia’s Latin City.

More pictures at the photo gallery of What's on Zamboanga. Read more...

Lupang Hinirang

I bumped to this video at Jayvee's blog. This video has indeed moved me as it reminds me of how proud I should be as a Filipino. The message of the video is very simple, yet it touches my heart.

With all the controversies surrounding the Philippines this days, I hope that we would be able to revive the patriotism and love for our country.

This rendition of Lupang Hinirang is intended for reflection. It is not meant to replace the official anthem normally played as a march.

Recently a talented and nationally known film director, Mae Paner, crafted a new and moving version of our national anthem. This unusual audio visual presentation of “Lupang Hinirang”* has been shown many times in various events and has consistently touched the hearts and minds of viewers to the point of tears of awakening and gratefulness.

Because of its consistent positive impact, PAGASA and Ehem! have decided to make this version of “Lupang Hinirang” available nationwide as a reflection piece to trigger a deeper awareness of oneself in relation to the country and encourage the emergence of positive images of the Philippine future.[source and video link]

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Ateneo Fiesta 2008 Schedule of Activities

The Atfest fever is once again here. Here is the schedule of activities for this year's festivities.

November 29 - December 1
7:30 AM /Sports Elimination /MPCC

December 3
2:00 PM /University Mass
Organization Shirt Contest
3:30 /PM University Parade
Float Competition
5:00 PM /Opening Ceremonies
Cheerdance Competition
Modern Dance Competition /MPCC

December 4
5:00 - 8:00 AM /5KM Run
9:00 AM /Debate
1:00 PM /Dance Sports Competition /Brebeuf Gym
6:00 PM /Grade School Night /MPCC
7:00 PM /College Night /Brebeuf Gym

December 5
6:00 AM /Golf Tournament Tee- off /Zamboanga Golf and Country Club
8:00 AM /Alumni Registration /Grade School Waiting Shed Area
9:00 AM /Quiz Bowl
4:00 PM / Jubilarians and Honoree's Mass /Sacred Heart Chapel
Alumni Torch Parade
Lantern Contest
Christmas Tree Contest
7:00 PM /Welcome Program
Alumni Fellowship Night /Backfield

December 6
3:00 PM /Awards Ceremony /LRC Garden
6:00 PM /High School Night /MPCC
7:00 PM /Singing Competition /Brebeuf Gym
Evening Individual Batches Fellowship

December 7
8:00 AM /Alumni Homecoming Mass /Sacred Heart Chapel
9:00 AM /Breakfast, Musical Program /LRC Garden
11:00 PM /General Assembly /CDCH
4:00 PM /Festival Dance /MPCC
Awarding /MPCC
6:30 PM /Blue and White Dinner Read more...

Tita Caling’s Chocolate Cake

In celebration of its’ 25th Silver Anniversary in the cake and pastry industry, Myrna’s Bake House launched a new chocolate cake in honour of the late Congresswoman and Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Clara Lorenzo-Lobregat last October 3.
Named as Tita Caling’s Chocolate Cake, it is a premium moist chocolate cake exquisitely filled with buttered rum raisin and topped with smooth dark chocolate walnut mousse.

The formal acceptance ceremony was witnessed by her son and Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat and other top city officials at the conference room of Zamboanga City Hall. According to Mayor Lobregat, chocolate was one of her favorite desserts. Tita Caling’s trusted aide, Benita Feliciano, said the late and the first woman mayor of Zamboanga City loved the chocolate cakes of Myrna’s Bake House ever since.

Tita Caling’s cake is frosted with high quality bitter sweet chocolate (has a high cocoa content that makes it chocolaty and very tempting to the palate) according to Myrna Incocencio, founder of Myrna’s Bake House. And the top design of the cake is engraved with the initial MCLL (Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat) with the used of supreme white chocolate, she furthered described it.

It is so far one of the best chocolate cakes baked by Myrna’s Bake House since 1983. “Made of the finest ingredients, it has been thought passionately for a long time and had undergone several changes before the final product outcome,” the cake creator Ivy Inocencio-Simbajon said. Mayor Lobregat approved of it as it went several revisions before it was made officially presented to the public.

Ivy Simbajon describing Tita Caling's Chocolate Cake
Simbajon described that Tita Caling Chocolate Cake is composed of two layers – the upper portion is made of smooth dark walnut mousse (that taste like soft delicious ice cream), and has a solid and firm lower base made of rich moist chocolate cake to support it.

She explained that the upper portion of the cake represents her feminine side – very cool and refined. The lower portion solid base cake represents her strong convictions and firm values in life that has made her one of the most respected and loved Zamboangueña in the history of Asia’s Latin City.

Like her charming personality, Tita Caling Chocolate Cake is a mouth-watering master piece that attracts and gives a delightful eating experience, Myrna’s Bake House boasted. It is now available in their four outlets.

Like all other Myrna’s Bake House products, the ingredients used in Tita Caling’s Chocolate Cake are manufactured and purchased from big and reputable companies and suppliers in the Philippines.

Myrna’s Bake House has always been known for its best tasting cakes and pastries for the last 25 years. It has been named as one of the biggest consumers of Nestle, Anchor, Magnolia-San Miguel, and other popular and reputable brands in the market.
City Mayor Celso Lobregat accepted the first chocolate cake named after his late mother Congresswoman and City Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat
Top city officials at the launching of the Tita's Caling Chocolate Cake
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Zamboagueña alluring beauty

by Tita Corteza/ Social Whirl- Society Columnist of Daily Zamboanga Times

I Love Biocare

She is the epitome of a real modern career oriented Zamboangueña beauty – Jennilyn “Jet” Tenorio. Dedicated to her work but never neglects her physical beauty. And she has made us proud in her own way.

Not fair skin or of the mestiza type, her gorgeousness has been compared to Techie Agbayani or Anjanette Agbayari many times. They have these strong Filipina features admired by men and women as well all over the world. Their morena beauties are timeless. Their golden tan skin are desired by Europeans and Americans everywhere (which makes me still wonder why do most Filipinas like to be fair when we have the exotic skin that makes us stand out above the rest of the women).

I am a morena myself and it has never hampered me from entering beauty contests. As a matter of fact, my glowing brown skin makes me the center of attention of men in my younger days and the envy of other ladies until today. Beyond beauty skin, it is the self-confidence that will bring us forward. I have always believed I am beautiful and so is Jet.

A professional singer, Jet, has been in and out of our country to perform with top bands as their lead singer in big cities all over the world. With a melodramatic sweet voice, she can carry her audience into the air and feel the emotions of her songs. And she can also swing her audience into a dancing mood by changing to an exuding sexy voice.

On a short vacation here, Jet took a beauty rest and was elated when she learned about the beauty and health festival offers of fave Biocare Skin Slimming Spa Center. To maintain her glowing and radiant skin, she regularly visits the best skin centers of other countries and seeks professional reliable skin experts. Before coming home to Zamboanga City, Biocare was top on her must do list.

Preparing for her beauty treatment


It is so relaxing at Biocare

She likes Biocare because of their modern treatments and procedures that help bring out and enhance her natural looks, not changed it, she said. Biocare, she added, knows how to reveal the true value of a woman’s beauty no matter what’s their age, their skin type or even lifestyles. They don’t impose beauty, they make you more beautiful of your God-given physical asset which is the main reason she is a Biocare avid client she explained.

She saw herself how the different beauty levels of Biocare clients are being taken care off. From high school to college students, from housewives to professionals, they keep on coming back to Biocare like her, Jet told me. They’re her beauty mates, she claimed.

“I love going to Biocare because it’s so clean, cozy, and everyone respects your privacy. They’re very accommodating. It’s like having a home service here, so relaxing and an exhilarating beauty experience,” she continued in our conversation.

She excitedly talked also about the Biocare Oxygen Biologie Mask she availed of. It has done rejuvenating wonders to her stressed out skin. She has looked younger because of it, she swore. She had a full body scrub done by Biocare to remove her dead skin all over her body she revealed too.

No wonder Zamboangueñas are admired wherever she goes because Biocare has taken good care of her physical assets.

Preparing for her body scrub

Inside Biocare Luxurious Sauna Room

Jen had a Biocare volcanic stone massage

Biocare Polarized Light Skin Treatment

Biocare Biologie Oxygen Mask

To keep her fats out, Jen had a slimming treatment too

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“We therefore celebrate moments of victory when such humble woods and sticks are transformed...into human beings which play with the cosmos through syllables” (Excerpt from Kiko Miranda’s Speech).

To be daring is one thing most people are afraid of being. They are afraid of taking risks, afraid of failing, afraid of the unknown. But without the proverbial mantra of “No Guts, No Glory”, man would be as stagnant as a rock.

Last October 14, at the façade of The Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, 24 students of Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU), dared to make history and a difference. Guided by their instructor Marco Alfino “Kiko” Miranda, the students of ADZU Creative Writing and Playwriting of the Department of Mass Communication launched the first-ever all-student publication in the city entitled “Binurong Lapis”.

It is an anthology of 10 short stories and 10 one-act plays originally written by Kiko’s students in COMM324 (Creative Writing) and COMM425 (Writing for Stage). The concept of Binurong Lapis was actually taken from the native delicacy, atchara or pickled papaya. No wonder they gave bottles of atchara as give-aways to the guests - an artistic way to symbolize the title of the book.


The students of Creative Writing and Playwriting with Kiko Miranda
The stories and plays, like the papaya, were given more flavors through series of writing workshops where the student’s works were sifted, edited, criticized, and dissected. Given time and the countless “ingredients” added from the workshops, their stories and plays are now ready to be served to the public, proving that to be daring, is to succeed; and to believe is to achieve, Kiko said.

Kiko always believed that Zamboanga is a melting pot of talents that are just waiting to be brewed and eventually be served. This book launch was his way of showing the Zamboangueño’s talents are now ready for the picking. All they, the talents, need is a little push, a little pinch in the butt, and a stampede of talents will definitely happen, he said.

Those who graced the events were Dr. Aireen Barrios, ADZU Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Ed Baños, ADZU Department Chair of the Department of Mass Communication, and Cheng Ordoñez, Editor-in-Chief of Sunstar Zamboanga Online.
“Writing transforms not only the ink, not only the paper, nor the syllables, letters, norwords. It also transforms people. It changes souls,” Kiko proudly announced.

From humble lowly seemingly useless pieces of wood, the students under Kiko Miranda’s tutelage, are now transformed into links to the divine. They have made history. They have made a difference. They have created change.

(For your copies of the Binurong Lapis, you can contact Joseph Roger Subong cellphone
number; 0927-666-4828.)
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Let’s have our 3rd cup

by Dante Corteza

Asia’s Latin City is getting to be a highly urbanized place and will be like big metropolitan cities of Makati, Cebu, or Davao someday. We are catching up with the changing lifestyles today. One of these is hanging outside our home for a good cup of coffee. A coffee shop – where we can unwind and relax with families, friends or business associates. Where we can freely talk, plan, or simply chat with one another.

What’s best, we can go there all by ourselves too. Alone – we can lighten up, reflect, and think better. And where we can find this right spot? The 3rd Cup Coffee Shop at Gov. Camins Avenue (it is on the left side if we are coming from the Sta. Cruz Market and before the bridge of the crossroads of Canelar and Sta. Maria).
Under a better management, this is the new hype place to be and where we can enjoy more than two cups of coffee. Aside from making us alert, coffee has its good health benefits too according to recent medical findings. This is good news for coffee addicts!

Pair our coffee with a sandwich, pasta, pastries, or a slice of cake, the day is complete at 3rd Cup. Now if we’re not coffee drinkers, they serve smoothies, teas, cola drinks, or even beers to satisfy our thirst. We can also surf the net for free at 3rd Cup.

What’s makes 3rd Cup different from others is that it can accommodate up to 60 people at the same time. It is the biggest coffee shop in town. For smokers, they have a separate room specifically for them. And now, if we’re planning to have a small pocket meeting, 3rd Cup has a small function room that can accommodate 20 people.

What I like about 3rd Cup? It has a classic and comfy ambiance with friendly budget prices.


3rd Cup Assistant Marketing Manager Nini Arquiza welcomed the 3rd Cup guests and Friends


Cutting of ribbon by Helen Tan and Ed Ong


Blessing the entrance of the 3rd Cup


Bankers at 3rd Cup


3rd Cup brings harmony in short orders of drinks and food


Where ladies can enjoy the latest fashions and vacation places


Where ladies can enjoy the latest fashions and vacation places


Fr. Butch Candido with 3rd Cup Operation Managers Allan Luy, Alvin and Angel Luy


Fr. Butch Candido welcomed the grace of God


New place to hang-out in Asia's Latin City
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