Monday, September 5, 2016

Summit sweetens emerging Bohol cacao industry



Some like their chocolates and sikwate sweet, some like theirs bitter; but everyone will like a sweeter, better cacao industry in Bohol as both government agencies and private organizations offer more and more initiatives pushing for its growth and expansion.

This was the consensus during the first Bohol Cacao Summit and Exposition, on Friday, the 2nd of September 2016 at the Kew Hotel this city, which gathered more than 95 cacao stakeholders from Bohol, Manila, Samar, Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete.

Monday, July 25, 2016

Review: President Duterte's First State of Nation Address (SONA)

President Digong looked and spoke like the badass Mayor that he was.

We watched the first State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Here's what we have to say:

Sunday, July 24, 2016

MoveBohol launched at MovePH Citizen Journalism Workshop

Raisa Serafica gave an orientation on Rappler's Move 
23 July 2016 - #MovePH prime mover Raisa Serafica and Rappler Cebu's Mark Macasero visited Bohol over the weekend, not for the Sandugo festivities, but to facilitate a Citizen Journalism Workshop. Participants included student journalists from Bohol Island State University (BISU) Main Campus and Holy Name University (HNU), bloggers from the Bohol Bloggers Collective and freelance writers.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

In Photos: Sandugo Fusion Nights 2016


Foodies will delight in the cornucopia of international and regional dishes laid out at this year's Sandugo Fusion Nights. We did.

Sandugo de Kuradang - The Most Fun Sandugo Yet!

Kuradang Queen and King 2016
22 July 2016 - For once, a Bohol Day brought us a Sandugo event where the performers were genuinely having fun -- more smiles, vigour and energey and less strained & exhausted faces (the late afternoon start sure helped) --  which inspired the audience and in turn inspired the performers. It also helped that the familiar fun(ny), upbeat melody, lyrics and dance steps (!) of the Kuradang that harked back actual fiestas and family celebrations had us all beaming and wanting to join in the fun.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Music and Heartbreak (Millennial Edition) at the Freds Book Cafe Poetry Night

Krizzia and Erick sing their heartbreaks away
Very briefly, Friday night, Freds Book Cafe became the "Sagada" for millennial broken hearts as the coffeeshop-cum-library hosted its first poetry night bannered "Music and Heartbreak".

The intimate gathering kicked off with the reading of "Broken Hearts" written by literati-snubbed social-media-darling multimedia artist Lang Leav. Where the first line of the night is -- "I know you’ve lost someone and it hurts." -- you know you're in the company of romantics who embrace all of love and life's joys and pains.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Vice President- Elect Leni Robredo & kids vacay in Bohol


After taking a break from the media and the spotlight in general, we received a tip from that Vice President- Elect Leni Robredo and her daughters are in Bohol for a short vacation.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Reporters in the Making

Kiddie reporters at the Cogon Market (SCI-Bohol)
“Naka-recover na pud,” answered the woman interviewed by young reporter-in-training Devin at the Cogon Bus Terminal in Tagbilaran. 10-year-old Devin, clutching an improvised cardboard prop microphone intent at looking professional in the video being filmed by fellow child-partner, has been asking the woman about her experience during the big earthquake back in 2013.

For Devin’s final question, he asked, “Andam na ba ka sa sunog nga linog?”

“Dili pud ko musugot nga mubalik ‘to!” was the interviewee’s quick response to a crowd bursting in laughter.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Elections in Bohol Organized and Orderly - Int'l Election Observers

Bohol election observers share their experience at a press briefing in Tagbilaran City. 
The International election observers found the conduct of the May 9 elections here in Bohol generally “organized and orderly”.

In a press briefing here on Tuesday, May 10th, the team deployed to sixteen voting precincts in Panglao, Tagbilaran, Baclayon, Tubigon and Inabanga, Bohol as part of the Compact for Peaceful and Democratic Elections (COMPACT) - International Observers Mission (IOM) 2016 said the voting process here was well coordinated.

Friday, May 6, 2016

International observers to monitor the May 9 elections in Bohol


An international election observers’ mission will monitor the elections in the towns of Tubigon, Baclayon, Panglao and the city of Tagbilaran.

The group of five international observers deployed to Bohol is part of the 15-delegate Compact for Peaceful and Democratic Elections (COMPACT) - International Observers Mission (IOM) comprised of parliamentarians, academics, development workers, youth and student leaders from the United States of America, Germany, Sweden and Japan who will monitor the conduct and outcome of the 2016 Philippine elections.


Monday, May 2, 2016

In Photos: Saulog Tagbilaran 2016


Saulog! Tagbilaran Festival, now on its 4th year, is getting more spectacular! spectacular! by the year. We can't say we haven't seen these costumes and dance moves and formations before, but those smiles are sure Tagbilaranon! 

Maayong pista!

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Earth Day Jam with Joey Ayala

Joey Ayala
Boholanos were once again regaled with one of the country's quintessential folk singer/songwriter Joey Ayala, this time in an intimate setting by the Tagbilaran Bay in celebration of the Earth Day, April 22.

In Photos: Saulog Arts Exhibit 2016


The 22-28 April 2016 Saulog Arts Exhibit at the BQ Mall Atrium features the latest works of Bohol visual artists. It is organized by Bohol visual artists led by Joey Labrador and Jhacky Curambao in cooperation with the City Government of Tagbilaran.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Deep Deep Blue (Updated)

Bohol Dance Project dancers Marvin Ablao, Jerrey David Aguilar, Jay Banquil, and Yassie Nalo dance, fly, swim, move the blue way.
Blue Way is a trippy choreographic creation -- a metaphysical study in contrasts and progressions set to motion by  the ebb and flow of sea/river waters -- by French dance guru/choreographer Gigi Caciuleanu (with music by French-Cameroonian Manuel Wandji) featuring Bohol Dance Project dancers Marvin Ablao, Jerrey David Aguilar, Jay Banquil, and Yassie Nalo.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Bohol Fever


Behold...Bohol
"BEHOLD (the beautiful)...BOHOL" Take a peek at the newest promotional video for the island of Bohol, including #SUPToursPhilippines, in partnership with Bohol Tourism Office and the Philippine Department of Tourism. filmed and edited by Bohol's finest, Chris Ramasola. #suprivers #suplove #supbohol #supholiday #suptravel #supyoga #supyogaretreat #standuptraveller #supschool #asieducation #starboardsup #beholdbohol #itsmorefuninthephilippines #thephilippines #travelPH
Posted by SUP Tours Philippines on Sunday, March 13, 2016

With Bohol being THE hottest destination this part of the islands, thanks to the Tenten and Serena's Dolce Amore wanderings in the island, the release of this beautiful no-nonsense Bohol promotional video (filmed and edited by Bohol's finest, Chris Ramasola) is very timely -- and a much-needed follow-through to the stunning Bohol imagery that was backdrop to Tenten and Serena's budding "thing".

We say no-nonsense because devoid of the usual voice over and captions -- it "shows" not "tells". And we like it!

The catchphrase Behold... Bohol, though, still "meh". 

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Mga Kalaki sa Baji (The Baji Arts Exhibit 2016)

"Ang Bildo nga Kisame", installation by Regina Estorba Macalandag
Now on its 6th year, the annual Baji Arts Exhibit 2016 was unveiled last Monday evening at the Oak Brook Library, showcasing 38 Boholana artists aged 11-86 and around 70 works of arts, creative interpretations of this year’s theme: “mga kalaki sa baji”.

In her installation work “Ang Bildo nga Kisame” where red female figures are barred from going further up the ladder by a glass ceiling only occupied by black male figures, research and development worker Regina Estorba Macalandag enjoins women to take on the “glass ceiling”, the “unacknowledged discriminatory barrier that prevents women and minorities from rising to positions of power or responsibility”. The accompanying note reads: Unsay kalaki sa mga baji?/ No.1 tig-atiman sa pamilya./ Mao na sa trabaho, gawas niini, /maglisod na mobida./ Kalaki sa mga baji/ Ang dugmokon ang Bildo nga Kisame/ ang dili makita nga babag/ naghikaw ug nag-abog / sa kaangayan sa responsibilidad ug gahum /nga angayang pagabahinon sa laki ug baji. 


Thursday, March 10, 2016

Another one bites the dust.

The corner building in front of the Royal Theater (now Novo Jeans) in Tagbilaran City.
Another old-ish building (70s or 80s) succumbed to demolition and will soon be supplanted by some bland or gaudy concrete and glass mid-rise.

(Bohol Republic is documenting the changes in the urban fabric of Tagbilaran City.)

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Dolce Amore de Bohol


The #LizQuen #SerTen tandem just made Bohol even more sweeter. Loveteams are cash cows, let Bohol milk them, why not. Symbiosis. 

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Baji Exhibit 2016 opens Monday at the Oakbrook Library



The Baji Arts Collective once again celebrates womanhood with the annual Women’s Month showcase Baji Arts Exhibit that is set to open on Monday, March 7, 2016, 6:00PM at the Oakbrook Library and shall open until March 20, 2016.

Friday, February 26, 2016

BB5: Reading Poetry in the Rain

Development worker Nestor Pestelos read from his own book of poetry and essays.
Poetry is night and day, love and war, rain or shine - literally.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Kaliwat ni Karyapa presents...


In celebration of Arts Month, Kaliwat ni Karyapa presents Balut, Beer ug Balak, an open mic poetry session, on February 26 at the Plaza Rizal, Tagbilaran City. Beers will be waiting by 7pm.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Kurambos sa Arte ug Kultura: NAM 2016 - Bohol Opening Salvo

Diwanag Cultural Group of the Holy Name University is Bohol's most accomplished cultural group.

5 February, 2016 - The National Arts Month (NAM) 2016 kicked off in Bohol with a simple program at the Bohol Cultural Center, with an arts circle of sorts where the audience and artists alike were regaled with a preview of the month-long celebration of the arts and culture in the province.

Monday, January 4, 2016

New Autism Society Philippines (ASP) Tagbilaran Chapter launched

Members of the newly-installed ASP Tagbilaran Chapter (Photo by Darlene Sanguenza-Cano)
Autism Society Philippines (ASP) - Tagbilaran Chapter, a first of its kind in Bohol, was formally launched on December 30, 2016 at Reyna’s Haven and Garden in Tagbilaran City.

The ASP-Tagbilaran Chapter founding officers, inducted by Barangay Cogon Chairman Nicanor Besas, are: Darlene Sangueza-Cano, President; Luis Lanzaderas, Vice President; Mildred Patac, Secretary; Cherry May Odal, Treasurer; Angelita Ayco, Auditor; Ana Marie Dajao and Marites Siga, Press Relation Officers; and Teodoro Dano, Jr. and Alex Oclarit, Sergeants-at-Arms.