Updating Cebu City Dates

This calls for great for a celebration. I just noticed that this humble cebuano blogger got PR 3. Pinch me if I'm dreaming, otherwise Yippee!

Will this beautiful development mean better income opportunities? I don't know but sure do hope so. For more than a week of cubicled playground absence, simply meant that got a new to experiment, twist and tweak. My previous posts mentioned about a funny yet exciting attempt to launch a cebuano website. During the days of Cebuano Blogging absence meant days spent on mygoldendagger.com. I have named it Cebu Imaginations.

I do hope you could drop by sometime on the site and give me your ideas or opinion about it. Be expecting you guys there on my Cebu Imaginations.

Cebu City Map to Business: SPEED DATING in CEBU CITY

Advertisements are now much more open on this activity since it first invaded the CEBU CITY MAP some three years ago. I am talking about SPEED DATING in CEBU CITY. The concept of this is to go out of one's comfort zone by widening a person's circle of friends. Through Speed Dating, a person could meet friends and probably, develop a more intimate relationship with one of the participants. This is just one opener for VALENTINES happening over the weekend in CEBU CITY MAP.

My opinion could be summed up in three words: WAY TO GO! This activity invites CEBU CITY's eligible bachelors and single ladies in a specifically intended venue for such. Three years ago when I first knew of this activity, I have just heard of it from a friend who was excited to join the activity. Though I did not join it, I heard that it involved some cocktail tables where single ladies would wait. Bachelors would be given a 5-minute limit to a lady in waiting and after such time, he would have to go to another cocktail table and in no way would be given the chance to go back to any lady he has approached earlier. The concept is to Speed Date, and hook up to her in 5 to 10 minutes depending on the rules set by the organizers.

CEBU CITY MAP has indeed evolved from timid, conservative singles to now more open ways of meeting people. Cebuanos have now played by the rules of world yet maintaining a culture of its own and is all the more displaying CEBU CITY MAP.

The ISLANDS that Divide us Draws us CLOSER, from Cebu to the World

No man is an ISLAND. Even the PHILIPPINES, looked for companionship the it decided to gather a bunch of it's friends and called itself the PHILIPPINE archipelago. Being a TROPICAL COUNTRY, we are blessed with lots of exotic BEACHES, some of which distinctly it's own that nowhere else in the world exists. Our ISLANDS prides itself with lavish VACATION BEACH RESORTS and DIVE SPOTS, yet still be within reach to CITY life amenities, which CEBU CITY is very much known for. These places are even more memorable because of loved-ones and friends that we share with.

Francine, who used to enjoy the beautiful BEACHES during her childhood in the PHILIPPINES, who I think is also a CEBUANO, gave me this tag. Nice to have such wonderful friends from CEBU to the rest of the world.

After serious and cautious consideration…your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2008! It was a very hard decision to make. So try not to screw it up!!!My Wish for You in 2008;

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!

May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words …May 2008 be the best year of your
life!

And yes Francine, from MY CUBICLE, CEBU CITY, I send you my warmest regards!

Of Teleseries and Reality

It's not that I am a die-hard fan of whichever of the two GIANT TV NETWORKS at war. I just happen to be a buff of horror movies, and wherever there is one showing, I will try my best to watch it even if that means following a TELESERIES. I am talking about the television series "Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara". It's shown in Abs-Cbn while Gma shows Kamandag during that time-slot.

I have mentioned in a separate post that during the Sinulog week, my relatives on my mother's side usually hold the annual clan reunion as this is also the time when most of our relatives from abroad comes home to Cebu. Yesterday, my Lola's sister and Uncle arrived from Chicago. They said SINULOG is on full swing IN CEBU as they themselves were greeted with SINULOG dancers upon arriving at the Mactan International Airport. They were actually on one of the balikbayan trips scheduled to arrive on that day.

As customary for my clan, we welcome the arriving relatives in throngs at that airport. Among those who even fetched my Grand Aunt and Uncle were my nephews and nieces. Lucky for them - my nieces and nephews, I mean, they were the first ones to receive news of their pasalubongs.

Lola: Girls, I have a surprise for you!
Nieces: Yehey! What is it Mommy?!
Lola: I brought you baby dolls!
Nephew: Hala! Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara!

My nieces though were happy that they'd have something in store for them when they arrive home, were already frightened of the thought already.

As expected, it took the whole family the entire afternoon to convince my nieces that the dolls were beautiful and far from what they saw in television. The nieces were so afraid upon seeing the dolls that they cried when they saw it.

It's freaking similar, looked really like the one used in the show!

I hope ABS-CBN and GMA airs Sinulog

Having been almost at almost the same age as the Sinulog festival itself, I could fairly call myself well-informed of the activity. I remember even the days when I had to sit over my father’s shoulders just to watch the parade pass by us. I have even been a participant at one-time during my elementary, of the grand parade being a part of the "Landonian Tribe" contingent. I've experienced how it was to wear an elaborate costume and at the same time dance the Sinulog beat under the scourging heat of the sun for almost about 10 hours. Interestingly, I remember not ever feeling tired even from the weeks of evening practices up to the grand parade itself.

My mother's side of the family is very active of the Sinulog. My uncles, being kababata to the owners of the renowned San Diego Dance Company made us, which of course include my uncles, me and my cousins, be part of a number of Sinulog parades. Sinulog fiesta is usually the time where we hold our family reunion on my mother's side, since Cebu is really my maternal ancestry is rooted.

Here's my survival list for those who which to join all the activities for the Sinulog starting Saturday up to Sunday.

1 - Prayer First
The grand parade happens to be a Sunday so better fulfill your obligation first before the merry making. It would even be better that you attend a mass at the Basilica if you're up to the challenge of haggling amongst the sea of people who attends the masses during that day.

2 - Use Coin Purse
Rather than using your usual wallets, I suggest you use a coin purse just big enough to carry some cash and an Identification Card. The streets will be overflowing with people and you'll be literally face-to-face with a lot strangers so you would rather put your mind on the merry making rather the worrying of pick pockets. Using a coin purse will give you the convenience of tucking it in the front pockets of your pants where it will be safe from strange hands.

3 - A scarf or a sarong would be handy
A sun screen would only last you for at most four hours so it would help if you bring with you a scarf or a sarong to protect you from the sun. Bringing a bottle of sun screen simply takes away the adventures for the day.

4 - Keep dehydrated
That wouldn't be much of a problem as there are plenty of sources for that. Every corner you look, there is most usually bottled waters for sale.

5 - A good pair of shoes
Forget those fancy sandals or expensive high heels. Though you wouldn't be going on a mountain climbing, but your feet will fighting for walking and standing space every now and then during that day so better be equipped with that.
My uncle will be arriving tomorrow together with my lola from abroad, so that simply means that reunion activities kick off.

Updates from the Queen City of the South, Philippines

It is good to note that Cebu City is once again noticed for it's potential for being a Business Hub in Asia, as it ranked eighth of the Top 10 Asian Cities of the Future, in a list by the Finance Direct Investment (FDI) magazine of the Financial Times Group. Cebu City also ranked fourth in the list of 10 most cost-effective cities, seventh in the best quality of life category and second in development and promotion, next only to Singapore. To read more on the story, the link is here.

Preparations for the Sinulog grand parade on Jan. 20 are in place with around 13,000 police officers and deputized volunteers to secure the festivity. As of the last count, there are already 24 contingents which have registered for the grand parade, and a few more expected to sign up in the coming days. It is also final that the inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), who became famous via YouTube on their "Thriller" dance performance, will not be able to join the Sinulog grand parade citing security reasons by the Cebu City Mayor. Tomorrow, Saturday, and on Sunday will be held the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan and Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan, respectively. A parade will kick-off at 1pm on both days from Capitol Site going to the Cebu City Sports Center, upon which the presentations of the various contingents will be held. This would be composed of school children, competing in two categories - the elementary and secondary level categories.

All the President's Men

Internet headlines are buzzing about the Iowa caucus as primary elections in the US go into full swing. This is one of the many steps that the United States goes through in the process of selecting its 44th President. Here are the bets from both parties:

Democrats

1. Joe Biden
2. Hillary Rodham Clinton
3. Chris Dodd
4. John Edwards
5. Mike Gravel
6. Dennis Kucinich
7. Barack Obama
8. Bill Richardson

Republicans

1. Rudy Giuliani
2. Mike Huckabee
3. Duncan Hunter
4. Alan Keyes
5. John McCain
6. Ron Paul
7. Mitt Romney
8. Fred Thompson

All eyes are now in Iowa's caucus as both parties' candidates will be voted on. Already, there are candidates pulling out of the race. Updates of which are found here.

Updating Cebu City

With cellular phones still part of the must haves that every Filipino wishes for, undoubtedly we still are the texting capital of the world. We don't use cellular phones mainly for calls, but we mostly use it for short messaging service (sms) or most popularly known in the Philippines as text messaging. Here is an article from Sunstar Daily on the still text-crazed Filipinos and why the Philippines is still the texting capital of the world.

New Year's celebration is actually just the start of grand festivities for Cebu as this still continues until the third week of January for the Sinulog celebration. This festival complementarily infuses religious and civic activities in one grand celebration which formally starts at about the first day of the Novena mass for the Senor Sto. Nino (Baby Jesus) up to the day of the street parade which we call as the Sinulog.

One controversial move that's making headlines also the past few days is the request of the Provincial Government to have the provincial jail inmates join, at least, on the Sinulog dance showcase as guest presentors. As you may have read or perhaps seen over the net, these Cebu Provincial Jail Inmates made record by dancing Michael Jackson's Thriller and showed it via YouTube (But that’s nothing compared to an appeal on Britney Spears’ Fan on YouTube). They even made it to Time Magazine's list of top videos for 2007, or something sounding-like-that award. For anyone privy to Cebu politics, the governor and the city mayor aren't the best of friends, so I'd leave the math to you.

And talking about that celebration, it's such a boo-hoo that I haven't been able to get that dreamed and dreamt DSLR Camera yet so I think I'd have to pass on my good friend's invitation, the Magnificient Perez and his cousins, on joining the photoshot contest during the Sinulog. That would have been a blast.

Another interesting item today is Cebu's know newscaster and journalist Leo Lastimosa, arrested on the count of Libel. It came from a case filed by the Governer of Cebu Province against the said newsman. Here's the rest of the story from The Freeman Newspaper.

Whenever I See Girls and Boys…

I’m trying to beat my own deadline of posting at least one entry during the Christmas Holidays, thus this. Tomorrow, my family’s going out of town to celebrate the annual family gathering of my wife’s and be back to the city on the 26th yet, back to my cubicled playground. It’s around 11PM as of this writing and I intend to finish this entry as quickly as I can. I still could hear a neighbor’s videoke machines enslaved since this morning yet and I see no reprieve of it any moment soon. I couldn’t even recognize what is being sung anymore as it seems that the microphone has already had its share of alcoholic drinks. Oh well, if only it was not Christmas, police sirens would have already replaced those ear-bleeding rendition of “My Way”.

Fireworks are beginning to build up as we near 12 midnight. Having attended an early edition of the supposed midnight mass in our community, I seen quite a lot of teens and even kids lighting up firecrackers using their bare hands on my way to and from the community chapel. I just hope those kids could still count 1 to 10 using their fingers tomorrow. The sky’s already busy with colorful fireworks, though some are identifiably Cebu made, some are definitely the more expensive type.

Simply, I should say that today’s Christmas celebration is turning out to be the “as expected” Filipino way of Christmas. As expected, it is this time of the year that we all forget our little differences and for the time, patch up and be merry with each other. Both old and young wears on happy and jolly faces ready to greet, even people we’ve seen in our neighborhood for the first time, a merry Christmas. But all the most Filipino way of celebrating Christmas is seeing houses brighten up as homes, with family from all over the country and even from different corners of the world gather around the dining table and share not just food but most importantly, good tidings. Every Christmas, families share not only material gifts but symbolically, families through these gifts tell one another that they shall always be with each other no matter what each one will go through. It is because of these promises we renew every year, with the people we hold dear that makes Christmas always a joy to celebrate.

Here’s wishing you and your families a Blessed and Merry Christmas.