Monday, December 21, 2015

(99 kms, 99 quips) Eastbound: Roadside Ruminations



On November 27-30, I took part in the Bohol Climate Walk 2015, a 99-100 kilometer walk from Tagbilaran to Anda, to call for 100% clean energy in Bohol and the world and in solidarity with the People’s Pilgrimage to the Paris climate talks. (Two climate walkers have shared their stories, this past two Sundays.)

I made a similar trip by car, in 2007, which I wrote about in LifestyleBohol (“Go East! Chronicles of a Road Trip East of Bohol and Back”, 6 May 2007). While one was a leisurely holiday trip, this journey on-foot I made so I can keep living (and spending my holidays) in our island paradise of Bohol and elsewhere in our common home, the Earth – a meditation of sorts, each step a prayer, treading musings. Meaningful, mundane, riddled with expletives.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Tindogi Tagbilaran holds Inter-School Young Leaders' Forum

The youth taking a stand against illegal drugs. | Inter-School Young Leaders' Forum organized by Tindogi Tagbilaran | 9 December 2015 Holy Spirit School, Tagbilaran City

9 December 2015 - Tindogi Tagbilaran, in just one of its initial initiatives to empower the youth of this city, organized an Inter-School Young Leaders' Forum at the Holy Spirit School Auditorium, this city.

Tindogi Tagbilaran is a people-powered campaign to gain back the integrity & dignity of Tagbilaran City, and make it once again a safe, peaceful, happy and livable city.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Eco-advocates walk 99kms from Tagbilaran to Anda for 100% clean energy


27 November 2015 – 16 environmental activists are going east-bound today – on-foot – covering the
99-kilometer coastal highway from Tagbilaran to Anda to echo the global call of the people’s pilgrimage for 100% clean energy.

The 3-day pilgrimage dubbed Bagtas Lunhaw: Bohol Climate Walk 2015 will begin in Kilometer 0 at the Tagbilaran Plaza Rizal on November 27 at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. They will have a sleepover stop in Loay on the first day, and in Garcia Hernandez on Day 2, November 28. Midday breaks are pinned in Dimiao and Duero, on the 1st and 2nd day, respectively. Brown bag sessions on climate crisis, the climate talks and papal encyclical Laudato Si will be held along the way.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Boholanos join People’s Pilgrimage for Climate Justice


Tagbilaran City – Some 20 Boholano environmental activists are taking a 99-kilometer journey on foot, from Tagbilaran City to Anda, Bohol on the November 27-29, 2015 to call for 100% Clean Energy and walk in solidarity with the People's Pilgrimage to the Paris climate talks.

The pilgrimage which the group calls Bagtas Lunhaw: Bohol Climate Walk 2015, will begin in Kilometer 0 at the Tagbilaran Plaza Rizal on November 27 at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. They will have a sleepover stop in Loay on the first day, and in Garcia Hernandez on Day 2, November 28. Midday breaks are pinned in Dimiao and Duero, on the 1st and 2nd day, respectively. Brown bag sessions on climate crisis, the climate talks and papal encyclical Laudato Si will be held along the way.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

The School as a Canvas

Baji artist April Aquino conceptualized this wall's design
On November 7, 2015, the school buildings of Ubujan Elementary School in Tagbilaran became a canvas for a mural project initiated by its school principal Mrs. Evangeline I. Canda.

In an effort to bring more inspiration into the school environment, and inspired by a recent visit to a school in Negros festooned with wall paintings, Mrs. Canda sought out local artists to help bring into fruition her vision of a similar splash of color and creativity into her school. This is, in addition to existing school improvement programs in Ubujan Elementary School (ES) such as Bio or Green Parks, Gulayan sa Paaralan, Waste Segregation and the like.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Linog 10.15.2013 We Remember



Remember the fallen.
Remember the fear.
Remember the grief.
Remember the heartache.

Remember faith.
Remember strength.
Remember kinship.
Remember resilience.

Remember relief.
Remember gratitude.
Remember grace.
Remember love.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Boholanos as Filipino Americans



October is Filipino American History Month or Filipino American Heritage Month.

#FAHM2015 is the hashtag campaign in social media sites.

We saw one post in Facebook sharing this KVIE documentary on Little Manila.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Blood Moon

A fuzzy blood moon photo, but it's there. Missed the moonrise, this was taken around midnight of the 28th, in Siquijor.

Facebook exploded with photos of the blood moon over the weekend.

Apparently, Tagbilaran and Bohol had great blood moon sightings. And there's that haze that amplified the reddish hue. The total lunar eclipse comes quite rarely, this won't happen again for another 18 years. We wonder what FB or the social media would be like by then. Scary thought.

We hope you enjoyed the lunar phenomenon and had your rose quartz energized. 

Thursday, September 24, 2015

After the earthquake: McDonald's

The golden arches rise in Tubigon, Bohol
Legit question to a local: Unsa na'y mga nakita ninyong nangahuman nga mga post-earthquake projects diri sa inyo? (referring to the DILG-funded projects)

Her epic reply: Uhmmm, McDonald's?

#LOLBohol #bohol
#longroadtorecovery #bangonbohol #2yearson

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Happy Eid!

Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), the second of two religious holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide each year, honors the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son (Isaac), as an act of submission to God's command, before God then intervened, through his angel Jibra'il and informs him that his sacrifice has already been accepted. (Wikipedia)

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Calamay Redux

Jagna (Bohol) Kalamay, bought at P50 in Jagna.

A few will argue that the trusty kalamay is the quintessential Boholano delicacy.

The Bohol kalamay's signature bagul or coconut shell container makes it more appealing visually. When cracked and stretched open, the delight of unraveling the gooey goodness adds to the overall gustatory sensation. (Seriously, no?)

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Puddle Trouble

Malabon in Tagbilaran
On our way to a trip out of town, a friend pointed out this flooded area at Tagbilaran's Integrated Bus Terminal. He said it's been here for ages, the water, never drained, and seem to just be ignored by the authorities.

Talk about a breeding ground for mosquitoes, bacteria and other such disease-causing what-not's.

While that area out front of the Integrated Bus Terminal which used to be the problem-pool, ignored, left to turn green and disgusting, has vanished, now comes this new puddle.

There seemed to be someone digging something on the side, which looked like a sewerage manhole.

We hope this problem will get fixed. Soon.

Update (1 October 2015): The great puddle, unfortunately, was still there.

Heneral Luna: Adelante!

The student discount didn't count.
Heneral Luna, the independent film by Jerrold Tarog is the first Filipino I watched in the cinema since Eric Matti’s On The Job. Sadly, I only knew of it after reading raving reviews from Facebook and Twitter friends. Marketing budget was perhaps nil, which is unfortunate because these sorts of movies are exactly what Filipinos need, young and old. I watched a matinee showing at the Tagbilaran Island City Mall on its last day, and expected a full house. But alas, despite the 50% student discount (regular price is P120), the theater was mostly bare saved only by a string of senior Tagbilaranons enjoying their free movie passes c/o the city government. Where were the students?

Monday, September 7, 2015

In Photos: SidlaKasilak 2015

SidlaKasilak is an offering of dance and lights to Loon's patron saint the Lady of Light.
It was fortunate that we got the chance to again witness one of our favorite dance festivals in Bohol, Loon's SidlaKasilak Festival of Lights.

"SidlaKasilak is a combination of the words sidlak which means to rise, just as the sun rises to break the darkness of night, or to rise from life’s adversities; and kasilak, which means light. Collectively, SidlaKasilak expresses the Loonanons’ resilience amid challenges, hardships and suffering, and their ability to shine with their talents, capability and creativity." (Monreal, 2015)

Monday, August 17, 2015

Mosia: Must Love Dogs


Not your ordinary cupcake place.
Their minimalist logo is a cute dog nose-kissing a cupcake. And when you're lucky, the real-life fluffy Mosia avatar will usher you into the lovely quaint little sweets haven, south of Tagbilaran.

After a lengthy hiatus...