Who will run in 2016?; EJ goes to UK

• Who will run in 2016?

• EJ goes to UK

 

It’s not sure if former Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim will run for mayor (or congressman) and so did Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco, Jr. for  board member (or congressman) of Bohol’s first district.  Booy Captain Eutorgio “Jun” Telmo seems to enjoy keeping people guessing whether he will run for councilor in Tagbilaran or not.  According to reports, Kap Telmo is not really interested but people close to him are pushing him into…running?

 

“Politics is addicting,” said my media friend who heard that some of our friends are thinking if they will file their certificates of candidacy (COC) tomorrow, Oct. 12 (until the 18^th).

 

“It’s a good thing that some media friends got back to their senses,” s/he said.

 

My unsolicited advice to them?

 

Don’t! Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

Buenavista Mayor Ronald Lowell Tirol
 and Tubigon Mayor Marlon Amila
during the United Nationalists Alliance
(UNA)’s gathering at Cebu Coliseum
 on Friday led by Vice-Pres. Binay.
The question is: Who are those 19 mayors who
attended the gathering brought by
Mayor Che Toribio-De los Reyes? Contributed Photo

Anyway, here’s a partial list of political luminaries who have made known their intention to run in the 2016 elections:

 

• Erstwhile Carmen Mayor Che Toribio- De los Reyes for representative (against incumbent Art Yap)

• Doxson Asoy for mayor of San Isidro

• Former Panglao Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan for mayor (against incumbent Nila Montero)

• Former Panglao Mayor Dodong Alcala for vice mayor (against incumbent Pedro Fuertes)

• Former Sierra-Bullones Mayor Renfredo Buslon for mayor

• Former Loboc Vice-Mayor Artemio Delfin for Mayor (against incumbent Helen Alaba)

 

...And here’s a list of those running for reelection:

• Gov. Edgar Chatto

• Vice-Gov. Conching Lim

• Rep. Rene Relampagos

• Rep. Aris Aumentado

•Rep. Art Yap

• Panglao Mayor Leonila Montero

• Panglao Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes

•Dauis Mayor Marietta "Miriam Tocmo-Sumaylo

•Dauis Vice-Mayor Luciano “Lulu” Bongalos  

• Tagbilaran Mayor Baba Yap

• Tagbilaran Vice-Mayor Toto Veloso

• Tubigon Mayor Marlon Amila

• Sevilla Mayor Ernesita Digal

•  Sierra-Bullones Mayor Dodie Maestrado

•  Clarin Mayor Allen Ray Piezas

•  Getafe Mayor Casey Shaun Camacho

 

 

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EJ goes to England

 

“The United Kingdom is a great place to visit,” said fashion icon EJ Relampagos  who is visiting the four kingdoms of UK—four days in England, three days in Wales, three days in Scotland and three days in Ireland.

 

He said that England, Scotland, Wales and the Offshore Islands offer a host of great vacation and holiday destinations with something for everyone.

 

 “The weather here is predictably unpredictable!  Nevertheless, I think the UK weather loves me. Every time I'm on tour, the sun shines! Fair enough!” said EJ.

 

In England, he visited the Stonehenge, Big Ben, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral (where Prince Charles and Lady Di were married in 1981), Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Royal Courts of Justice and the Tower Bridge. Grosvenor (“Pronounced with a silent ‘s’,” said EJ) was a good place for another adventure.

 

“I experienced the London Eye which gives me the full aerial view of the City,” said EJ.

 

Fashion icon EJ Relampagos (at Stonehenge, a popular
Solstice destination) is wondering around United Kingdom
to visit the sites of the legend of King Arthur,
Shakespeare’s sonnets and the palaces. Contributed Photo

I asked EJ, “Did you visit The Queen?”  He said, “Unfortunately, the queen was not around when I visited the Buckingham Palace. I should know because the flag was not up at the top of the castle.”

 

EJ said that Wales, Scotland and Ireland are not popular tourist destinations but he said Scotland is the most beautiful so far.

 

“I love UK, it’s a totally different setting compared to the other countries I have visited before,” he said.

 

When EJ was online on FB last night, I asked him if how his tour was.

 

“My trip so far has been very hectic but a lot of fun and surprises,” he said.

 

 “Did you cross London Bridge?”  I asked.

 

EJ told me, “I cross the London Bridge and Tower Bridge through a tourist shuttle.”

 

But he assured me that London Bridge is still there. (Remember the nursery rhyme?)

 

EJ said, “No, London Bridge is not falling down. The Queen had it fixed already! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

 

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Will Mayor Evasco, Tessie run in 2016?

Wake-upper:

Nestor Pestelos is Rappler’s
 Enterprise Mover. Photo Courtesy: Alecs Ongcal/Rappler

Scene:  Poet and community organizer Nestor Pestelos is Rappler’s The Enterprise Mover awardee. As president of the Bohol Local Development Foundation, he launched the Bohol Quake Assistance Fund Drive to help families who were homeless by the strong earthquake. "This award will inspire our young volunteers and fieldworkers to work harder to expand our current work," he told Rappler after accepting the award on Sept 26 at the World Resorts Manila. The Move Awards is Rappler’s first effort to celebrate those who actively campaign and move for social change.

 

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Barely eight days to the deadline of COC (Certificate Of Candidacy) this month, Tessie Labunog-Sumampong is pestered with the question…is she really running for  councilor of Loboc?

 

 “I’m not sure,” Tessie told VRS.

 

She was offered to run for councilor in the past elections, confessed Tessie, “but I still have to think. Basically, ’m not interested. I’m not into politics.”

Tessie Labunog –Sumampong (with hubby Libby) of Cuisina ni
Tisay  is not giving any last word to run for councilor in Loboc.
 Contributed Photo

 

Neither is Tessie saying if her hubby Libby will run for councilor in 2016, but if he does, Tessie said that she will support him all the way.

 

She also said she is busy for Cuisina ni Tisay (inside the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park in Carmen town), which offers authentic Boholano cuisines.

 

 In the meantime, Tessie said she doesn’t let herself be distracted by the 2016 to-do.

 

Meanwhile, amidst the noise about his being drafted or invited to run for Governor or Representative, Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco, Jr remains, believe it or not, un-flattered, unmoved and unaffected.

 

Now on his third and last term as Maribojoc mayor, Evasco has no ample time to decide whether to file his COC for a higher position.

 

“Mudagon ko governor sa Lion’s Club,” he said with a laugh.

Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco, Jr to run for a higher position?
Only time can tell.-LPU

 

Lower or higher position?

 

“Lower house,” he laughed again.

 

Only time can tell.

 

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

 

AlDub vs Pastillas unstoppable

Like millions of Filipinos around the world, we are also crazy about AlDub and Pastillas Girl.

 

AlDub is the daily kalyeserye romance portion involving split-screen lovers Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza as Yaya Dub. Its “love from a distance” tale has captured the hearts of the viewers, including yours truly, who was bitten by Eat Bulaga’s AlDub bug two month ago.

 

AlDub

Then, amid Eat Bulaga’s surging ratings owing to AlDub’s success, the rival show It’s Showtime came up with its own kiligserye featuring Angelica Yap, who was known online for her viral video of “bitter” pastillas recipe. She first appeared in the show asking Vice Ganda’s alter ego Madame Vertud for advice on how to move on after she was ditched by her boyfriend for her best friend.

 

Analyn Pollenza-Arbilo and her colleagues at the Philippine Port Authority unabashedly showed how gigil they were about the AlDub love team. All eyes are glued on Eat Bulaga’s kalyeserye.

 

Student and peanut vendor Roniel Villanueva shared he is an AlDub fan, while his sister Renelyn is a fan of Pastillas Girl.

 

Analyn, Roniel and Reselyn are up-to-date with the free-flowing AlDub romance and Pastillas heartaches.

 

AlDub or Pastillas Girl?

 

Anthony Aniscal shared he likes Pastillas Girl. “She is beautiful.”

 

“I rarely watch them pero I’ll choose Pastillas because it is a hard process of fixing and closing your pasts relationship and past issues before opening your heart for the next chapter of lovelife,” said Ferome Almine.

 

“AlDub because I found it funnier compared to Pastillas,” said Hazel Panlita. “I’m not being judgemental but you can’t pick good lessons with them, compared to AlDub show, Lola Nidora has lessons to ponder.” She also said Pastillas is boring, and the big difference is Yaya Dub keeps on making her face ugly during kalyeserye. “But the uglier she pretends the more beautiful she glows, unlike pastillas, she keeps on pa-cute but .... HeHeHe never mind,, but she is pretty naman but Maine is by choice.”

 

Pastillas Girl

“AlDub,” said Beryl Elizabeth Lupot. “Gi-rekindle ang old ways of courting in a modern twist.”

 

US-based socialite Mikey Gatal confessed he is an Aldub fan. “I am AlDub and Yayadub forever.”  He said AlDub is an effective stress reliever. “Let's put it this way, AlDub fever shares a unique sense of humor and at the same time it reminds us of ourselves and gives moral lesson.”

 

Jhoel Lim said: “Di ko ka relate sa giyera ng Aldub at Pastillas.”

 

“None of the two,” said Fiel Angeli Araoarao-Gabin.  She said she was curious on Pastillas Girl and AlDub. “The (funny, crazy or utterly annoying) things that media moguls do to pull the ratings.”

 

***

If ever he decided to run in 2016, Clarin Mayor Allen Ray Piezas told VRS last Wednesday that he would seek re-election for Mayor.

 

AlDub fans say that the AlDub phenomenon is
 not just a noontime craze, it tells our Filipino society.
- Photo by LPU

“If gusto sa mga tawo, I am open for my last term,” said Mayor Piezas who steels the wheels of Clarin’s development.

 

Vice- Mayor Velden Aparicio told VRS that she will seek re-election. “Yes for re-election. Second term if ihatag sa katawhan sa Clarin ug sa Ginoo.”

 

Incidentally, Clarin will celebrate the feast of St. Michael on Sept. 29. Visitors and guests will be impressed in the town’s physical landscape. One noticeable structure that greets the eyes is the two-storey public market which was built in 1988 and was partially damaged by the Bohol earthquake in 2013.

 

On the other hand, Doxson Asoy is planning to run for mayor in San Isidro town. On Facebook, he said he will definitely run for Mayor.

 

“But I still have to finalize it,” explained the former Bohol SK federated president of Bohol and ABC president. His wife, Karen, will support whatever decision he will make.  

 

Clarin Mayor Allen Ray Piezas (center, seated) and
Vice- Mayor Velden Aparicio (extreme right, seated)
with the members of theSangguniang Bayan. Photo by LPU

James Tripoli of the office of Tubigon Mayor Marlon Amila is running in 2016 as persistent reports have been mentioning him as on the short list of administration bet Amila’s councilor. James said he has to think whether to file his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for councilor in October.

 

Barely two weeks from now,  we will know who will be running in the May 2016 elections.

 

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Festival of Lights in Loon creates fusion and ethereal effect

There were little surprises last week that VRS could not help but smile.

 

Surprise No.  1:  Julmar Joseph Misa and Raclaire Stephan Trigo from the high school department were crowned Mr and Miss University of Bohol Personality 2015. They were also declared Mr and Miss Talent.  Take a bow, Sofila Lafuente Gantalao!

 

Jassenie Mangaron is Miss Cebu
Normal University 2015. Contributed Photo

Surprise No. 2: High-ranking officials (HRO)  had witnessed a real life furious “lovers’ quarrel” during a seminar which was held somewhere in the haven. It involved a matured woman (MW) and her young beau (YB). Thinking they were watching #kalyeserye, there was no effort from HRO to quell the fight until the security guard approached them. The LQ ended at the police station. MW told VRS, “I learned my lesson now. Don’t trust a young heart. Sobrang mapusok! Now, I no longer believe in forever!”

 

Surprise No. 3: Matildi Magali, 56, mother of Pinoy boxer Carlo Magali: “Siyempre nalipay ko pero naguol sa nadangatan sa iyang kontra. Kay kung kita mahitabuan ingana dili sab lalim.”  Carlo, 29, won against Aussie boxer Davey Browne Jr  who died after the fight.

 

Surprise No. 4:  Jassenie Mangaron was crowned Miss Cebu Normal University (CNU) 2015.  Jaseenie who hails from Loon town was Miss Bohol 2014 Miss Photogenic. She is a consistent honor student of  CNU taking up Education. She is a dog lover and big fan of the movie ‘Hachiko.”

 

Well, speaking of Loon, they had a unique festival of lights which was held recently.

 

Tourists visiting Loon town in the north-west side of Bohol province, can now look forward to witnessing a spectacular sound and light show, the SidlaKasilak or Festival of Lights, which is held annually every first week of September in honor of the town’s patron saint, the Virgen de la Luz or Birhen sa Kasilak (Our Lady of Light).

 

This year’s festival was held for the first time inside the destroyed Nuestra Señora De La Luz Church (Our Lady of Light Church) or commonly known as Loon Church suffered total damage in the aftermath of the October 15, 2013 earthquake. Within the first 36 seconds of the 52-second quake, this national historical landmark and national cultural treasure was turned into rubble and powdery dust.  Three churchgoers were reportedly trapped inside the Church.

 

As people gathered to witness the festival, emotions poured in as they remembered the old church that stood very firmly in the town’s plaza, said to be Bohol’s biggest Catholic Church.

 

“I tend to experience goose bumps upon coming in as I remember a significant. And I think all us felt the same way. For the first time since October 15, 2013, this is my first to step inside the church,” said Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto.  He also said that Boholanos always recall that the structure was what Bohol was so proud of.

 

Chatto also said that the festival of lights was a clear manifestation not only of the recovery of Loon from the ashes, not only for the recovery of Bohol for the great catastrophe that happened in the province, but  gathering symbolizes  the strength of the spirit of the Loonanons and the people of Bohol.

 

Mr and Miss UB Personality 2015 winners are
 Julmar Joseph Misa and Raclaire Stephan Trigo.  Contributed Photo

“More strength to move on as we construct our church, as we construct our town and we construct of our lives,” Chatto said.

 

Started in 2000, the SidlaKasilak is one of its kind in the Philippines because the street-dancing is done at night.  The highlights of the event are the street- dancing presentation and Dance of Lights competition whose contest criteria revolve solely on the lights, choreography of lights such as movement, synchronization, formation and dynamics and quality of lights such as design, color harmony and brightness.

 

“If you like bright lights and a show, you’ll love this festival. The emphasis is on the lights on how to make it move and dance,” said Reigh Monreal, SidlaKasilak chairman.  

 

Monreal said that since the competition is held at night and is quite literally a festival of lights. “It will be dark enough to let the light shine through and you will experience light dancing in front of your very eyes,” he said.

 

The fusion of lights creates more drama and ethereal effect against the darkness of the night.

 

Participants came from different schools of Loon. Some barangays (villages) joined the competition before but for the past years it became a competition for schools.

 

“I am joining this in honor of Our Lady of Light,” said Keisha Figuracion, 11, of Loon Sentral Elem. School, who joined the SidlaKasilak for the first time.  But for Princess Uy,11, she  joined the contest hoping to win the cash prize  for her school, Lintuan Elem. School. “Our school needs a new fence,” she said.  

 

“It also expresses the enduring qualities of the town,” said Loon Mayor Lloyd Peter Lopez. He said the word SidlaKasilak is coined from the Visayan words "sidlak" which means to rise and "kasilak," which means light. “It best describe the character of Loonanons as they conquer life’s adversities and make the best out of their inherent talents and capabilities,” he said.  

 

SidlaKasilak was inspired by past religious processions in Loon when the faithful would light candles in colorful hand-held lanterns or “parow”, the local version of the “parol”.

 

During the first few years of the festival, the dancers brought traditional lanterns wrapped in Japanese paper.  

 

“Candles, however, are no match to the wind made even stronger with every sway of the hands that held the lanterns. The Japanese paper, too, could not withstand too much heat nor could it resist the rain,” said Monreal.   He also said that candles were later replaced with permanent yet adjustable lights like flashlights, magic sticks, light-emitting diodes and others. Glazed paper, plastic wrap and cloth have been used instead of Japanese paper.

 

People witness the SidlaKasilak or Festival of Lights in Loon town of Bohol province as participants dance and shine in darkness to create fusion of lights and ethereal effect inside the hallowed ground of the Our Lady of Light Church which turned into rubble and powdery dust during the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Oct. 13, 2015. Photos by Liza Macalandag

Last year, the SidlaKasilak was held in a school ground since piles of stones and debris clouded inside the church.   This year, after debris was finally cleared, a small “retablo” was constructed at the exact place where the Our Lady of Light was enthroned.  Searchlights were placed near the retablo to create three vertical columns of light as symbols of Our Lady of Light.

 

“The distinctive nature of SidlaKasilak is manifested in its being the only evening street dancing event in Bohol,” said Lopez.  He said the competition does not require lavish costumes and props that onlookers do not appreciate in the dark.

 

Chatto said that Loon’s lights festival is the brightest, so to speak, addition to the ever-growing tourist attractions of Bohol.

 

Fr. Ruel Tumangday, parish priest of Our Lady of Light, said that the Nuestra Señora De La Luz Church was established in 1753 by the Jesuits, and administered later by the Augustinian Recollects, the parish of the Birhen sa Kasilak constructed what was to become the biggest church in the province, and perhaps in the entire Visayas and Mindanao.

 

During the Filipino-American War in 1901, the Loon Church served as garrison of American soldiers and, in the Second World War, as refuge of Japanese forces wounded during the Battle of Moalong. Visited by ambassadors of the Holy See and relics of popular saints, this church, more appropriately called the Crowning Glory of Recollect Architecture in Bohol.   

 

“In the ensuing years, this church figured prominently in the annals of Loon’s history outside of its being the main venue for holy masses and other Catholic rites and activities,” said Fr. Tumangday.  

 

Fr. Tumangday also said that the festival was to honor the Virgin Mary.

 

“ Above all, we honor Mary, Mother of Christ, the Birhen sa Kasilak, who brought into this world the Greatest Light of All - - Jesus Christ who saves us from the agony of darkness in the abyss of sinfulness,” said Fr. Tumangday. 

 

Lopez said that like the phoenix, however, “Loon will rise from these ruins, every good and godly way we can.”

 

“Collectively, SidlaKasilak expresses the Loonanons’ resilience amid challenges, hardships and suffering, and their ability to shine with their talents, capability and creativity,” said Lopez.

 

 

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