Angels amidst Sendong's wrath?

Pilar Benitez, a sister in the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals tells an inspiring story of unwaivering faith in the midst of the devastation by typhoon Sendong in Iligan City. Here's her account:


Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Let me just share with you a heartwarming story of faith and trust in our Father. As you know, Holcim has a cement plant in Iligan, thus quite a number of our employees were affected by typhoon Sendong. Most of them, lost their homes & property, while others lost relatives and friends. Now that the holidays are over, our Manila-based Iligan residents have reported back to work, they all have their stories to tell, and here is one of them:

At the height of typhoon Sendong, several residents found themselves jumping from one roof to another frantically trying to save themselves. A group of about 60 congregated on top of a large house and they settled there for the night. Most of them were BCBP members while quite a number were from Couples for Christ and a muslim family. The rain kept pouring hard, it was pitch black and all you could hear were desperate cries for help. Below them, these 60+ people could see that most of the houses were under water and those that remained were either washed away by the flood or were destroyed by the hundreds of logs that came crashing down with the muddy water.

In the midst of this chaos, our brothers and sisters came together and started praise & worship. Their prayers and their songs could be heard above the din and the noise of houses being smashed against each other. The muslim family did not join in prayer but kept crying out in desperation. One of our brothers approached them and invited them to pray - and they did. Across the street, there were several people also on top of roofs who could hear our brothers & sisters in prayer.

The next day, this same people across the street, told our brothers & sisters that their house was spared because they could see that there were several men in front of the house that kept pushing away the logs that came crashing down. Who were these men? And could ordinary men have the strength to push away these huge pieces of tree trunks? They didn't think so.
It seems that their angels were working over time that night! The power of prayer. The majesty of our God. God is truly a faithful God!

Let us continue to include in our prayers all our brothers & sisters in Cagayan, Iligan and in Compostela Valley.

LA Times features Dumagueteno’s pastry shop in US

A Dumagueteno family enterprise has successfully exported their local pastry business in the United States.
After thirty years, House of Silvanas, maker of the tastiest crunchy silvanas has reaped rave reviews from discriminating taste buds of American consumers.
The Los Angeles Times recently featured House of Silvanas bakeshop which has opened branches in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The popular pastries traces its origins in a quiet kitchen at the corner of San Jose Street and Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete.
It was the late Trinidad Teves-Sagarbarria (founder of San Rival) who crafted the recipe of the widely popular silvanas and other pastry products.
Trinidad then shared the recipes to daughter-in-law Mary Ann Demandante Sagarbarria, wife of Martin ‘Cholong’ Sagarbarria to make the delightful pastry products like silvanas and sans rival.
After a while, MaryAnn made some experiments and adjustments to the Silvanas products and added other cake products.
Mary Ann recalls she just baked cakes and made silvanas to close friends while they were living in Manila.
Friends enjoyed Mary Ann’s products and prodded her to open up a pastry shop.
Not long after, in 1978, Mary Ann Sagarbarria opened House of Silvanas in their home in San Lorenzo Makati.
Mary Ann was assisted in Manila by daughter Tricia Abregana.
Through the years, their home became the go-to pastry shop and was frequented by celebrities including Sharon Cuneta, Juan Miguel Salvador, who bought pastries in bulk.
Mary Ann later opened branches in malls in Metro Manila.
Soon, Mary Ann with daughter Kay and sons Manu and Don, with only US$15,000 capital, ventured to the United States and opened the first international branch of House of Silvanas in the city of Torrance.
Since, then House of Silvanas has received rave reviews from the American community.
Early this year, the Los Angeles Times ran a feature of House of Silvanas bakeshop, in its January 16 issue.
Here is that article by Miles Clements
(http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/06/food/la-fo-find6-2010jan06):

The Find: House of Silvanas offers colorful, classic Filipino cookies

Crisp, impossibly airy cookies served straight from the freezer, their centers stuffed with slick buttercream, seem almost Space Age. They're somehow both sturdy and weightless. They dissolve the second they touch your tongue. These otherworldly treats are silvanas, colorful and classic Filipino cookies that could easily be mistaken for oversized French macarons.
They're the namesake of House of Silvanas, a months-old sweets shop at the confluence of Silver Lake and Little Armenia. You won't find the place without some confusion -- it's but one of many stalls located inside Kusina, a surprisingly spacious cafeteria-style turo-turo joint where buffet trays are loaded with ruddy links of longganisa sausage and steaming cups of sinigang, a sour tamarind soup, serve as makeshift palate cleansers.
Never mind its humble surroundings -- House of Silvanas has a long, multi-generational history. Its cream-filled tradition began a world away in the Philippines, where Trining Teves-Sagarbarria's pastries were so popular that a business bloomed to satisfy demand. Those renowned recipes became heirlooms, passed down to daughter-in-law Mary Ann, who has now bestowed them upon her daughter Kathryn.
The first branch of House of Silvanas, like Teves-Sagarbarria's L.A. shop, was born out of necessity: Mary Ann launched it in 1995 after neighbors complained of the flood of customers overwhelming her metro Manila home.
An extended network of the Sagarbarria family tends to House of Silvanas' stateside branches, with dessert-driven relatives operating outposts in the Bay Area and the South Bay. Stand-alone stores in Torrance and Carson have come and gone, but the new stall inside Kusina marks a milestone: the bakery's first foray into Los Angeles proper.
Silvanas remain the bake shop's hallmark. The mystery of the cookies is revealed in their deconstruction: a layer of flavored buttercream is sandwiched between a pair of cashew-meringue wafers that are coated in microscopic cookie crumbs. The puck-sized indulgences are available in seven color-coded flavors: ube, buko-pandan, chocolate, strawberry, mango, mocha and plain buttercream.House of Silvanas in LA is at 4716 Fountain Ave ( www.houseofsilvanas.com )

In the photo above: Daughter Kay and Mery Ann Sagarbarria personally manage the US branches of House of Silvanas

Sad reaction on Dr. Madamba's slay

WHAT A SAD DAY !
What a sad day to know the death of Dr. Ami Madamba on the day I read his demise in your website and in the other news websites.
He is a kind-hearted person, a very intelligent doctor and a very respectable man indeed.
I analyze all the articles I read in the website news, I concluded the Killer take advantage of the series of killings in the city so his death will be put to blame in the City of Dumaguete.
Deeper into my analysis, the killing is intentional and it is the -MONEY- that lead to his death.
A random killings will only shot the person once and drove away as fast as they can but the killer of the doctor shot him twice to make sure that he is really dead.
I have a high regards of Dr. Ami Madamba way back then when I meet him 25 years ago.
You can talk to him anything and everything and he was there listening to you and understand your situation.
He is such a wonderful person to be with in every ways and in every day of your life.
I cherished people like Dr. Ami Madamba and it was sad to know that he was gone and never to see him again.
GOD BLESS ...

ANNIE TAN ANDERSON
MICHIGAN,UNITED STATES

P11M Amlan hydropower plant to be built

An P11M hydropower plant will soon begin construction in Amlan, the first hydro power plant to be built in Negros Oriental, to serve the electricity needs of the town and nearby areas.
This was learned from Juan Eugenio “Johnny” Roxas, who hails from Dumaguete City, and is the president of ICS Renewables, the company that won the bidding for the hydro facility
Located in Sitio Pasalan, Barangay Silab, Amlan, Negros Oriental, the Amlan plant is the first power facility to be constructed in the province. According to Mr. Roxas, “it is designed to operate as a base-load plant, supplying the town of Amlan and nearby villages.”
Last Wednesday Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) conducted a state auction for the Amlan hydro power plant.
ICS Renewables topped the bidding, after it offered US$230,000 (or P11,270,000.00) for the Negros Oriental-based generating facility.
“The winning bid exceeded the reserve price set by the PSALM Board for the generating asset,” the state-run company said in a statement, without disclosing any figures.
ICS Renewables is a newly incorporated, Filipino-owned company engaged in the manufacture of alternative fuels. Its president is Mr. Juan Eugenio “Johnny” Roxas of Dumaguete City.
The firm is also involved in acquiring, developing, owning, leasing, subleasing, operating and managing real and personal property of every kind and description, including but not limited to, properties using alternative fuels and other environment-friendly device or equipment.
ICS Renewables would be declared the winning bidder of the Amlan plant as soon as PSALM has verified the accuracy, authenticity and completeness of the bid documents that the company had submitted. Psalm will then issue the Notice of Award to formally notify ICS Renewables as the winning bidder.
With the sale of the Amlan hydro plant, PSALM closed the government’s power privatization program for 2008 on a positive note as it successfully bid out more than its targeted 70 percent of the National Power Corp.’s generating assets in the Luzon and Visayas grids.
PSALM achieved its privatization goal for this year after successfully selling the 146.5-megawatt Panay and 22-megawatt Bohol power plant package on November 12.

Off-road vehicles

I flew to Dumaguete recently for a professional engagement.
I was surprised when I arrived at my parents' home when there were huge, skeletal jeeps parked in front.
I realized these were off-road vehicles that were tmeporarily parked and were on their way for an off-road activity.
I was told that there is now a venue for off-road vehicles.
I was more surprised to hear that this is quite an expensive hobby.
One of the young owners of one of the jeeps I asked said that his vehicle already cost him more than one million pesos.
Off road jeeps are a combination of different parts to enable it to traverse difficult off road tracks.
I was also told that in order to even own one off-road jeep, it would cost at least three hundred thousand pesos.
What an expensive hobby!
This does not include the costs of maintenance, and perhaps re-modelling and improving these vehicles.
But the jeeps looked cool and rugged, I must admit.
Huge tires, elevated chassis, almost open air on all sides.
I couldn't afford this hobby.
So I contented myself by just taking pictures.

Who had Prem Bernadez murdered?

Last Saturday September 6, 2008, an anonymous poster posted a message in my blog, www.jaydejaresco.blogspot.com.
The message was posted in my article about illegal possession of firearms.
I sensed the anonymous poster had a message for me
The message said: “Please view this video link and see for yourselves the culprit of the murder of Prem Bernadez: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qi7PtGICHQ”
Out of curiosity, I followed the Youtube address.
It turns out that the video freshly posted (only two days earlier September 4, 2008) in Youtube was the burial of Prem Bernadez.
I did not know Prem Bernadez personally.
I made some checks on my own in the internet, about Prem’s life and what happened to him.
I learned he was shot by assassins as he was going to his house last June 21, 2008.
He died a few days later.
Prem Jesswani Bernadez, 45 years old, I learned, was a magna cum laude accounting graduate from Silliman.
He was 18th placer in the CPA exam.
I gathered Prem was proprietor of an internet café, BizHub.com.

The mystery of the white towel

The anonymous poster in my blog obviously wanted me not just to share the grief by view his gloomy video, but for me to do something as a writer.
The way I see it, the anonymous Youtube video poster is insinuating possible characters who could shed light into the unsolved killing of Prem Bernadez.
Mr. Anonymous poster tells viewers about a Filipino superstition, a belief that if a white towel is placed in the coffin of the body of one who had been killed, the guilty persons will be forever tormented.
It is on the basis of this superstition, that the anonymous poster leads to a theory that there were people seen in the video trying to remove the white towel that was placed in the coffin bearing the remains of the late Prem.
The anonymous video poster contends this is abnormal behavior.
In my case, I haven’t heard of this superstition before.

No basis

As a lawyer, reliance on superstition to point at possible suspects or characters has no basis in law.
Its quite a long shot from downtown.
In other words, superstition does not equal evidence.
But having said that, this does not mean that the police should not pursue this possible “lead”.
The anonymous video poster suggests there were unusual behavior of persons seen in his video.
If crime investigators want to leave no stone unturned, then it won’t hurt if they give adequate treatment of the video.
It may lead to something, like the accumulation of evidence that is acceptable in law.

Technology helps solve, fight crime

From my standpoint, I realize the technological advances can do something in possibly helping solve crime.
The anonymous video poster had a message to convey.
I think he deliberately wanted to use me as a medium to convey his message.
That is why he posted the Youtube address to my blog.
That is why one is called a “mediaman”---he is a medium, a bridge.
Although I have reservations about the theory of the anonymous poster, I take his position at face value.
My role here is merely to provide an avenue with which he can further scatter his message, as unadulterated as it can possibly be.
So if you are interested, I suggest you go to the Youtube video yourself
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qi7PtGICHQ), and read the posts there.
For graphic’s sake, let me post the Youtube video below.

Taxi service in Dumaguete

There are taxi services beginning to operate in Dumaguete City.
The last time I flew in to Dumaguete, I immediately saw a line of white taxi cabs waiting for passengers at the airport.
I inquired from Mario, a driver of a rent-a-van who was also waiting for customers at the airport about the new fleet of taxi cabs.
He said it is being operated by a Korean, and indeed, the cars were Korean brand.
It is a good thing to note that taxi's have begun to ply the streets of Dumaguete again.
Apparently there is a growing clientle taxi customers, particularly from teh tourist sector.
I recall the first time that taxi's operated in Dumaguete was in the 1970's when I was a small kid.
I think it was the late Fr. Eleuterio Tropa who began operating taxi cabs in the city, using small cars called "minicas".
The service was shortlived, however, as there was not enough market to sustain the viability of the taxis then.

Bloody labor unrest at Dumaguete pier

The labor unrest at the Dumaguete pier has turned bloody.

I read from news reports that the violent scuffle has resulted in injuries between the police and the picketing laborers.
There is a photo of one member of the picketing labor force bloodied, and accosted, perhaps for treatment.

It pains me to see such situations where laborers, have to experience such violent controntations in defense of their rights and interests.

One has to emphatize, in order to feel the greivances sentiments of the poorer sector of our society.

They are natural victims of social inequities.

The laborers have simple wants.

They merely want to have the basic necessities in life---food, clothing and shelter.

Yet, they have to experience violent confrontations to achieve their ends.

Those who have less in life must have more in law, according to one of the greatest presidents of this country, President Ramon Magsaysay.

He was a president who exemplified the meaning of true public service, which is service to the poor first, not to the capitalists, the rich, who can afford all the luxuries in life.

That is why we have a constitution that seeks to protect the interests of labor.

But these constitutional precepts are so difficult to uphold in day-to-day practice.

Blood, sweat, tears have to flow in defense of these social justice provisions.

Debate rages on Coca-Cola ads

The debate on this blog about the issue of Coca-Cola painting the town red hasn't slipped away.

I just received a obviously irate reaction from a blogger named Kareen Ann, who came raging like a bull, vigorously, or almost-violently defending the "fence-advertisement" campaign of Coca-Cola in Dumaguete City.

It apparantely is a reaction to an earlier comment by Dinah Penaflorida (also posted in this blog), who had said the fence-advertisements of Coca-cola are insulting to the intelligence of Dumaguetenos.

Kareen Ann, angrily disputes this.

By the tone of her reaction, I can sense it comes from somebody who is not familiar, or hasn't imbibed the polite, gentle approach, commonly attribtable to Dumageutenos.

I will post her reation (with some correction on the English), and later below, present it again, the way a true-blooded Dumagueteno would argue.

Here is that stern reaction of Kareen Ann:

"Insulting?! Insulting to whom?! The Coca-cola Ads is (sic) [are] insulting? yes it is to those who wants (sic) [want] money but sad to say Coca-cola is not like that! Before u point the finger's to Coca-cola manalamin kau! Coca-cola have (sic) [has] been there for the poor people, may Red School sila for the very poor and hard to reach area...mga [may?] Corporate Social responsibility sila... kaya bago kau mag salita kala mo kung sinong malinis na nagtuturo sa companya na yan...tingnan nyo ang Local officials nyo! Bakit ang ibang beverage company wala bang ginagawang ganyan! ang Kapal ng Mukha nyo"

"Before i go..By the way, Meron din silang ADAPT (sic) [ADOPT] A SCHOOL program...founder Coca-cola...if my reply will not be posted then my impression sa mga taga Dumaguete City is wrong.... "

Neg. Or. IBP hosts lawyers convention

The IBP WESTERN VISAYAS REGION under the leadership of Atty. Raymund J.A. Mercado, the incumbent IBP Governor for Western Visayas Region and the Negros Oriental Chapter headed by Atty. Samsodin Tahir will be hosting the IBP WESTERN VISAYAS REGIONAL CONVENTION AND MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION [MCLE] on March 6,7 and 8, 2008 at the Negros Oriental Convention Center here in Dumaguete City.
The affair will be attended by at least 400 lawyer - delegates from the Romblon, Guimaras, Antique, Capiz, Kalibo, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Siquijor. The theme of the convention and MCLE is “Raising the bar of the BAR: A Call to Excellence in the Practice of the Legal Profession”.
Among the topics relevant to the times that will be discussed during the MCLE will be as follows:

1. Writ of Amparo
2. Updates in Legal Ethics
3. Enhancing Negotiating Skills for Lawyers
4. Media & Lawyers
5. Oral Argument before the Court Of Appeals
6. Updates in Criminal Law
7. Relevant Special Laws on Land Registration Law
8. Energy, Environment & the Law

The keynote speaker is Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, while the other speakers are: Mayor Tuting Perdices, Cong. George Arnaiz, Gov. Dodo Macias, Sen. Mar Roxas and Sen. Dick Gordon. The registration fee for the three – day affair which includes meals, fellowship and kits is PHP4,000.00. Payment can be made at the IBP Neg. Or. Office at the Hall of Justice, Piapi, Dumaguete City.

Queries can be made too at 422-1572 thru the IBP Secretary Elsie Malayo.

Russian martial arts experts in Dumaguete to learn Arnis

Russian martial arts experts flew halfway around the globe to Dumaguete in order to learn Arnis.
Arnis is a form of martial art that uses a pair of cylindrical wooden sticks.
In Dumaguete City there is a formal training for a martial art called "Eskrima"
Erwin Almagro wrote to tell us the story of the Russia-Dumaguete tie up for Arnis:
Eskrima, also commonly known as Arnis for Dumagueteños, is gaining interest from martial artists across different cultures around the world.
The term Eskrima is the Filipino spelling which comes from the Spanish word esgrima, "fencing". Arnis is thought to derive from the phrase arnés de mano, Spanish for "harness of the hand". Both refer to the same Filipino Martial Art (FMA) and are interchangeable.
Last January 28-February 7, 2008, a group of experienced martial artists from Russia trained in Dumaguete in the art of Eskrima De Campo JDC-IO (http://www.eskrimadecampo.com/). Eskrima De Campo JDC-IO Philippines, Inc. is founded and headed by Ireneo “Eric” Olavides. The group’s headquarters which is in Dumaguete City is supervised by Ruel Tubang.
In the photo submitted by Erwin Almagro, Dumaguete's Arnis specialist Maestro Ruel Tubang (LEFT wearing white shirt) shows head of the Russian group Alexander Furunzhiev (RIGHT wearing black shirt) how the strike should be executed.

Daddy demanding support from own child

Let's talk about "Support" in our Family Code.

Under the Family law, support comprises everything indispensable for (1) sustenance, (2) dwelling, (2) clothing, (3) medical attendance, (4) education and (5) transportation.
In short, support is to be given to a family member when it is needed for continued existence.
It is normal that minor children, specially when they are still in school, have to be accorded support by parents.
It is not also abnormal that a parent seeks support from his children, specially when he is already old, and has no means of getting income for his food and continued existence.
What is abnormal, though, is when a parent, who is exercising a profession, earning income, in the fit of health, demands support from his own children.
There is a story about a former high ranking city official, who, while engaging in his private profession, filed a complaint against his own child. Daddy is demanding that he be supported by his own child.
The child, I heard from the grapevine, is very suspicious as to why the daddy, who has a profession of his own, is earning income, as able-bodied (baskug), and is a good provider, is demanding support.
The child strongly suspects that the father filed a complaint seeking support in order to help maintain his “chiquiting”. Daddy is Mr. Valentino.
That is why the child resisted giving extra money to daddy.
The internal parent-child squabble has jumped out of the domestic window and has turned into a pending case where daddy is the complainant for Support pendente lite, while the child is respondent.

Support pendente lite means daddy is asking that support be given "while the case is pending."

Ikaw giyud daddy... sobra na pod nang imo...
The presiding officer handling the complaint is bewildered.
I think daddy "groovy", the former city official, has a distorted understanding of the concept of Support in our law.
Daddy ought to be reminded that support is demandable only for things which are indispensable for sustenance and continued existence, not for maintenance of extra-curricular activities.
According to a report I got, in one proceeding, the child reportedly complained that daddy is maintaining a young lady whose age is not far from that of the child.
The complaining daddy reportedly retorted, slyly: “Alang-alang manguyab ta ug tigulang.”
Guess who the daddy "groovy" is?
e-mail: elmarjay@pldtdsl.net

Court acquits alleged drug pushers

A regional trial court in Dumaguete City has acquitted two accused of drug selling.
The reason for their acquittal was that the prosecution lacked the evidence to prove the charges that the accused indeed sold or poseessed drugs.
The court found that while the charge was that the accused sold nine packs of shabu, only frive packs were presented.
The court also was not convinced of the conspiracy charge by the prosecution.
Here is the press relase submitted by lawyer Raymund Mercado who acted as counsel for the acquitted:

LAW PROTECTS DRUG
SUSPECT - SET FREE

THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT LAST JANUARY 23, 2008 DISMISSED THE CASES AGAINST KHALIL OROZCO y VILLARIZA and CORNELIO GRAPA y ROSALES FOR VIOLATION OF SECTIONS 5 [DRUG SELLING] AND SECTION 11 [ILLEGAL POSSESSION] REPUBLIC ACT 9165 AFTER ACTING FAVORABLY ON THE DEMURRER TO EVIDENCE FILED BY THE MERCADO & PARTNERS LAW FIRM THROUGH ITS’ SENIOR PARTNER ATTY. RAYMUND J.A. MERCADO.

THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH 30 PRESIDED OVER BY HON. JUDGE CRESENCIO TAN GAVE CREDENCE ON THE DEMURRER TO EVIDENCE FILED BY THE MERCADO & PARTNERS LAW FIRM ON THE FOLLOWING GROUNDS:

1. THE NUMBER OF ALLEGED PLASTIC SACHET OF SHABU CONFISCATED ON THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2004 NUMBERED ONLY FIVE BUT THE CRIMINAL INFORMATIONS FILED IN COURT FOR THE TWO [2] CASES TOTALLED NINE [9] IN ALL. THUS, THE ELEMENT OF CORPUS DELICTI REQUIRED IN DRUG CASES HAS NOT BEEN SATISFACTORILY ESTABLISHED.

2. THE PROSECUTION FAILED TO PROVE CONSPIRARY OF THE TWO ACCUSED IN THE CASE OF DRUG SELLING. THE COURT ADDED THAT THE PROSECUTION HAD NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER ON THE PARTICIPATION OF ACCUSED GRAPA IN ANY WAY IN THE COMMISSION OF THE OFFENSE CHARGED. MERE PRESENCE OF A PERSON AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME DOES NOT MAKE HIM A CONSPIRATOR FOR CONSPIRARY TRANSCENDS COMPANIONSHIP.

THE COURT CONCLUDED THAT THE DRIVE AGAINTS ILLEGAL DRUGS DESERVES EVERYBODY SUPPORT. DRUG ADDICTION IS DETESTABLE IN ANY SOCIETY. HOWEVER, THE COURT HAS THE DUTY TO PROTECT THE ACCUSED WHERE THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED FAILED TO PROVE HIS GUILT BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT.

Coca Cola ads not insulting to intelligence

Here is a reaction (Anonymous) to the comment of Dinah regarding the Coca-Cola "fence" ads:

I don't see how placing banners of Coca-Cola around the city results to insulting the "intelligence of the gentle people of Dumaguete." I agree they may be an eyesore to some, but how did Dinah come to the conclusion that placing banners of Coca-Cola conveys that Dumaguetenos have a "one track mind" of drinking said product?

Dumaguetena loves Arnel Pineda

A Dumaguetena , '4everursarnel,' now residing in Canada reacts to the blog on Arnel Pineda:

hi, i have a feeling ur from dumaguete.
i am a true dumaguetena who now resides in canada. anyway, i enjoyed reading your blog.
i have been one of those who stalked anything about arnel on cyberspace since he became journye's lead vocals.
his video clips never fail to charm me and i dont call it a day wihtout a dose of it. some people just cannot take the fact that steve perry is no longer coming back and that with arnel, the hardcore journey fans in my opinion are threatened that journey finally had the 'right deal' after several attempts to find a replacement close to perry.
i dont expect him to be steve perry because arnel will be arnel. and i love him for the kind of voice he possess--raspy and deep and that his ability to sing a cover from the beatles to led zep, from john farham to heart shows his versatility as a singer.

Jay's reaction:
Go Arnel!
And yes, ma'am I grew up in Dumaguete.
Basta, no disrespect meant, in my musically-unschooled opinion, Arnel Pineda sings "Faithfully" better than Steve Perry. Arnel injected that raspy ingredient which made a lot of difference.

Coca Cola ads: an insult to intelligence?

Another reaction from Dinah Penaflorida on the Coca Cola "fence" advertisements seeks information on how much was paid to the city government for these ads. The email goes:

Please inform me how much did Coca-Cola pay the city Council to get a permit in creating this"eyesore"? This is an insult to the intelligence of the "gentle people of Dumaguete"...it conveys the message that they have a one track mind of drinking exclusively...coca-cola...what happened to C2 Pepsi,calamansi,tea, taho etc? If Coke has alot of money to burn - why not pay the school children to paint a mural over these signs?I am not a resident of Dumaguete..but I remain loyal to Silliman and love Dumaguete City!

Dinah Penaflorida
SUCN, '69

Coca Cola advertisements: an eye sore?

Reacting to the email about Coca Cola painting the town red, through their massive "fence" advertisements all over Dumaguete City, ADumlao is suggesting to the city council that it take action.
Here is the email reaction of ADumlao to the Coca-Cola fence advertising:

"I looked at the 2 photos and find the COKE Ads as "eye sores" that affect the "character" of the city.They should not be allowed to "litter" the beautiful city that I once knew and fell in love with when I was a student in Silliman in the late 60s.Companies should have specified places to put their advertisements, that would be a great thing to impose, by the city council"

How to get to the sandbar

Someone sent an email to inquire hot to get to the sandbars.

“Hi, I am planning to visit Dumaguete soon and Manjuyod Sand Bar is one of the places I want to go to once I get to Dumaguete. I have several questions regarding going to Bais and Manjuyod, I hope you don't mind answering them. :)1) Are there trip schedules for Bais-Dumaguete? Di po ba kami mahihirapan makabalik ng Dumaguete if we leave Manjuyod at 3pm?2) How much is the rental fee for local boats that will charter us to Manjuyod? Di po ba mahirap kumuha ng boat from the minidocking area?Thanks.Gene”

Hi Gene.

To your first question, the answer is yes.
I might suggest that you arrange with the rent-a-van to pick you up at the sandbar at 3 p.m. That’s the most convenient, although you have to pay higher for this arrangement.
If not, buses ply from Bais to Dumaguete at 3 p.m., even later.
Whoever takes you to the dock, make arrangements with the driver to fetch you in going back. That would be safest I suppose.

I am not sure I got your second question right.
If you are seeking to charter a boat from Dumaguete to Manjuyod, that’s expensive. The travel time is two hours. Not practical. We did that once before.
The usual practice is to charter a small motor boat from Manjuyod or Bais to the sandbars. You take the land trip from Dumaguete to Bais or Manjyod.
The last time I inquired, the rates were P2,500 per trip. That motor boat emanates from Bais (not Dumaguete)
Perhaps the rates have increased a bit.
The telephone number of the Negros Oriental provincial tourism office is (035) 225-1825.

Better, the Bais Tourism Council telephone numbers are (035) 402-6629 or (035)541-5161. They can answer your querries also.

I’ll inquire, and get back to you soonest.

Comment on Coca Cola's 'fence' advertising

Let me give my two cents worth about Coca Cola's aggressive posturings in local advertising.
Whoever is the local advertising guy for Coca Cola in Dumaguete, should get the attention of Coca Cola higher ups, plus a pat on the back.
I commend this local advertising guy, whoever he may be.
He gets a grade of ten out of ten, for aggressiveness.
I like these kind of people.
I call this type of advertising "fencing", because the product advertises on fences.
But lets talk a little legal.
Is Coca-Cola committing anything unlawful with their massive "fence-advertising" in Dumaguet City?
First, the question we might ask is, whose fence is it?
Is it a private fence or a public fence?
If it is a private fence, who are we to interfere with the presumed agreement between Coca-Cola and the fence owner?
To me, an analogy would be the jurisprudence on freedom of expression on our electoral processes.
The Supreme Court said it is not illegal for candidates to post any size of their posters and visual political propaganda if these are posted in private property, like gates, houses, fences of private persons.
But the political poster size is strictly regulated in designated poster areas.
So I think it would be hard to find legal fault on Coca-Cola for their massive fence-advertising on private property.
There is one long-shot argument against Coca-Cola on their fence-advertisements on private property.
That is, if these huge advertisements become a distraction to motorists that it endangers their safety.
This kind of argument was raised against the giant billboards in Metro Manila.
But what if the fence is public property?
Can Coca Cola paint their logo, let's say, on the white provincial capitol building?
That would pose some problems, wouldn't it?
It would be like the state or the government, endorsing a product, wouldn't it?
What would rival Pepsi Cola say?
Can the government do that?
One of the pictures taken by Leo Mamicpic was the picture of Coca Cola advertisements painted on the fence of the Piapi Elecmentary schools, a public porperty.
Is this legal?
If Globe streamers litter all around the premises of Sidlakan Negros, a public property, is there a legal issue here?
It is legal for private property to be used for public purposes, as long as there is just compensation.
What about the reverse?
Can public property be used for private pruposes?
Ah.... with "just compensation"(?)
But in whose pockets will compensation go?

Coca Cola painting the town red

The second portion of Leo Mamicpic's email is his observation that Coca Cola is painting the town red.
Here is the second portionof Leo's email:

"Has anyone noticed what's been happening to our city recently? Notice the occurrence of red paint all over town? May I ask if our city officials are aware of this, especially our Tourism Council who should me mindful of how we project Dumaguete's Image? Is Coca-Cola this INSENSITIVE? Am attaching photographs. If you all think this is OK, then God Help Dumaguete City.

I'll make this plea to Gov. Dodo Macias: Since you're able to ban smoking, drinking, etc at Sidlakang Negros and since Dumaguete is the capital of the province you are strongly promoting with a better image, perhaps you can do something about banning Coca-Cola from painting our town red (no pun intended)."

Leo Mamicpic
Brgy Bantayan, Dumaguete City