Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Tagbi’s Saulog beat

Wake-uppers:
Scene: The researchers conducted a survey involving students from selected public and private high schools in Tagbilaran City. Out of 1300 respondents mainly students who regularly ride tricycles as a means of transportation in going to school, 83% answered that they have often been charged with fares higher than the mandated tricycle fare, with respect to the distance of their flag-down location to their school, meaning, overpricing of fares is a common experience for high school students in the City. Project Citizen, an international program being implemented in sixty (60) countries committed to active citizenship, is being implemented by PCCED, a non-government organization which promotes good citizenship and participatory democracy through education. The TCSHS group were chaperoned by Geraldine Doron, TCSHS Araling Panlipunan teacher, and Marina Salamanca, Education Program Supervisor of the Tagbilaran City Schools Division.
 
Scene: There were no international participants in the 2nd Dragon Boat Competition-First Bohol Challenge. Spotted during the event was Sev Lubigan, a corporate trainer and training coordinator of the Asian Gaming Academy. He is also a freelance fitness personal trainer.
 
Seen: Spotted in Bohol last week was Kapamilya Star Melissa Ricks. She visited Bohol Bee Farm, Tarsier Botanika and other beauty spots. She also went diving in Balicasag Island.
 
 
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Tagbilaran City, the city of friendship, was unmistakably the top destination over the weekdays.
 
St. Joseph Cathedral
After lunch at The Buzz Cafe at Galleria Luisa along Gallares Street, Tagbilaran City, my nephew Jhelmar Jala and I went to BQ Mall to buy some cranberry juice. That’s where we watched and took pictures of the first Saulog Festival, a cultural event in honor of Saint Joseph the Worker, the City’s patron saint, featuring the contingents and floats (carrying Kapuso star Angelo Ilagan of Munting Heredera fame and Ramp Models Association of Bohol or RMAB models). Highlights include a dance competition among groups from the city’s different barangays in elaborate costumes, all of them honoring Señor San Jose.
 
Even under the scorching heat of the sun, locals and visitors alike, including award-winning Boholano director Maryo J. delos Reyes (who told me that he has an upcoming movie “Bamboo Flowers” to be filmed in Anda, Alicia and Maribojoc on May 15-30), lined up the streets to get a view of what was going on.
 
Bool
It took the uncommon streetdancing route from the Old City Hall, Gallares Street, B. Inting Street, CPG Avenue, J.S. Torralba Street, E. Sarmiento Street, then to the long stretch of J.A. Clarin Street leading to the Tagbilaran City Hall where the ritual showcase took place. At least, it was something “new” for the people of Bohol.
 
The first-ever “Saulog Tagbilaran” was held under the auspices of the City Government of Tagbilaran (through the City Council for Culture and Arts) and its partner, the Cathedral  Parish of Saint Joseph, with the support of the participating barangays of Bool, Booy, Cabawan, Cogon, Manga, Mansasa, Poblacion 1, Poblacion II, and Ubujan. Barangay Manga got five of the nine special awards, followed by Cogon with three and Bool with one.
 
Manga
Cebu’s Ricky Ballesteros, Sinulog Foundation, Inc. executive director, along with Ormoc’s Glenn Aparis, Tubigon’s Dennis Walton Balbero, Cathedral Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker’s Msgr. Jeffrey Malanog and City Planning and Development Coordinator and City Council for Culture and Arts chair Paterna Ruiz composed the panel of judges.
 
Our good-friend, the ever-generous US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal of mikeygatal.com, sponsored the 40 white-collared T-shirts with prints used by the working committees during the event. Part of the streetdancing committee were Fiel Angeli  Araoarao-Gabin, Butch Bernas,  Edison Gumapac, Romel Sapid, Jovenal Edquilag, Antonette Bongalos, William Aranilla and Monica Boyboy.
 
Cogon
Oh, what a day when I met some friends— Emerson Pinos, Alexis Cadeliña and Liza Macalandag — you know it was comforting to see old friends.
 
After the dance showdown, we had our pamiesta. Burp! Burp! (That’s what I like during the Merry Month of May, everyone is happy.)
 
Hopefully, Saulog will continue to become a well-sustained cultural activity of Tagbilaran, considering that Tagbilaran’s May 1 fiesta is the opening salvo of the month-long fiesta celebration in Bohol.
 
Take a bow, Maam Pat! Take a bow, Fiel!
 
***
Lots of people in Tagbilaran ride bikes for lots of different reasons. It is widely acknowledged that cycling is one of the best ways for people to achieve good health and fitness.
 
It was Nikki Quintia who convinced me to join them in their rides for, you know, health reasons.  
 
“Biking is great for your health, good for the environment and can save you money,” said Nikki.  “It can be done by people of all ages.”
 
Cyclists are a diverse group but Nikki and her hubby Mike are members of the group “Cute 16 Folders” who are using folding bikes, very small bikes that are super cute (Members are also cuties!).
 
Folding bikes come in an increasingly wide variety of shapes, sizes, weights, and “fold-abilities.” In my visit to Nikki’s home at Airport, she showed me her collections of folding bikes.
 
Nikki explained that folders are efficient, economical, healthy, ecological, fashionable and fun transportation.
 
“The difference between a folding bike and a standard bike is that folders are easier to transport and store, said Nikki. “The modern folder is lightweight, versatile and easy to use.”
 
“Cute 16 Folders” members have nightly rides every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For short ride, they have the Airport Road to Manga, Airport to Dauis and Airport to Baclayon.  For long ride, they have the Airport to Cortes, Airport to Panglao and Airport to Loboc.
 
Last November 30, 2012 (Bonifacio Day), the Cute 16 Folders held the "1st Tagbilaran City Folding Bikes Unity Ride” organized by the "Cute 16 Folders" under the leadership of hot couple Nikki and Mike Quintia and Jake Gregorio.
 
Folding bikers from the entire city gathered together for the said event that brought more friendship and camaraderie.
 
The event was participated in by different bike clubs and bike enthusiasts around the city, unexpectedly it reached to about 100 plus bikers. It was sponsored by Mikey Gatal (OMG). OMG shirts were worn by the bikers from the starting point at CPG North Avenue to Baclayon, then a stopped-over in Dauis Bridge where prizes were drawn and given to the lucky winners, then back to Plaza Rizal for the finale group picture taking.
 
Like “Cute 16 Folders” on Facebook to know more of their events.
 
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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

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