BIG POLITICAL SURPRISE. Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Maranon, Jr., who is unopposed on his last term as top Capitol executive, pulled the biggest political surprise in local politics when he endorsed the re-election bid of Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella and his congressional candidate, former Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, at the sidelines of the COMELEC-organized signing of peace covenant and Forum on Women and Election-Related Violence at the Bacolod Pavillon Hotel.

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Bacolod City Will Be First In Using Hummers as Jeepneys

Hummer Jeepney : Ready for rollout in Bacolod City by end of the year.

The Filipino Jeepney has for many years been a symbol of Filipino ingenuity being the most popular means of public transportation in the country.  Often known for their kitsch decorations, which have become a ubiquitous symbol of Philippine culture and art, jeepneys are now ready for a new image in Bacolod City.  Read More...

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Maranon, Jr., Endorses Mayor Monico In Re-Election Bid

Friday, April 01, 2016 City-Bacolod, Province-Negros Occidental

Bacolod Jazzfest 2016

The 2016 Bacolod Jazzfest  is  be held on February 19 at the L’Fisher Hotel, Bacolod. The annual jazzfest  is organized and  conducted under the auspices of the Jazz Society of Negros.

Now on its 7th year and featuring notable jazz artists and groups both locally and internationally, the Bacolod Jazzfest this 2016 will have among its performers  The Working Stiffs and Better than Sax. More featured jazz artists will be included in this event.

First held in 2010, the Bacolod Jazzfest had Nancy Brew (Bacolod), Mishka Adams (UK), The Jazz Volunters  (Manila) and Sinosikat (Manila) among its roster of performers. The success of the event led to five (5) more annual jazzfests that also featured jazz artists such as LOGIC (Australia), Boy Katindig, West Negros University Big Band with Lucy Santibanez, Absolute Zero (Manila) featuring Johanes Radianto (Indonesia), KIOSS THE BRIDE (Manila, The West Boarders with Mike Tambasen and Gelo Oro, Clara and Joey Benin (Bacolod) BALOOZE with Riki Gonzales and Henry Katindig, Alvin Cornista, Humanfolk (Manila) featuring Johnny Alegre, YOSHA (Manila, Mike Tambasen Project (Bacolod), Nimrod Villamarzol (Bacolod), Mari Pena (Bacolod), CLAUDE Diallo (Switzerland) and the KRISTEN FLETCHER TRIO (Australia).

Bacolod Jazzfest 2016

Monday, January 04, 2016 Arts, City-Bacolod, Concerts, Culture, Events, Lifestyle, Negros Island, Philippines, Province-Negros Occidental

2015 MassKara Queen Bets In Their Swimsuits

Candidate No. 1 Aniara Faduhilao

Candidate No. 2 Sam Gergiana Yu

Candidate No. 3 Ronilyn Baloco

Candidate No. 4 Chin-chin Golez

Candidate No. 5 Ivy Benedicto

Candidate No. 6 Mae Alyn Marzan

Candidate No. 7 Jennifer Agudelo

Candidate No. 8 Mae Lourine Mercado

Candidate No. 9 Rezel Esporas

Candidate No. 10 Janelle Pauline Teo

Candidate No. 11 Kennyveb Casabuena



*photos from MassKara Queen 2015 Facebook Page

2015 MassKara Queen Bets In Their Swimsuits

Monday, September 28, 2015 City-Bacolod, Events, Festival-Masskara, Festivals, Masskara, Pageants, Province-Negros Occidental

October 1 Events for Masskara Festival 2015

October 1 - Opening Salvo : MassKara, Kari na!

5:30 AM Fun Run from People's House & Fun Walk from Capitol Lagoon to Plaza.
 
7:00 AM Opening Salvo at the Bacolod Public Plaza

8:00 AM DepEd Drum and Bugle Competition at the Bacolod Public Plaza

8:00 AM Senior Citizens' Mass at the BAYS Center

10:00 AM ABS-CBN Masskara Village (until Oct. 19) at Robinsons Place

6:00 PM Biggest ZUMBA event in the City at the People's House

9:00 PM Fireworks at the People's House



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October 1 Events for Masskara Festival 2015

Sunday, September 27, 2015 City-Bacolod, Events, Masskara, Negros Island, Province-Negros Occidental

Bacolod Releases Masskara 2015 Festival Schedule

The Philippines' City of Smiles, Bacolod City, recently released the schedule for the 77th Charter Festival, also known commonly as the MassKara Festival.

The Masskara Festival through the years gives the people of Negros Island, as well as local and foreign visitors, a chance to drink and be merry for 20 days. Originally designed to show the hardships of the people of Negros, the Masskara Festival has come a long way, and is considered one of the most highlighted festivals of the Philippines.

Bacolod City's Masskara Festival takes place here Oct. 1-20. Local and foreign visitors get a chance to enjoy 20 days of merry making, beer drinking, dining and street dancing. On the weekend nearest to 19 October, the biggest party in Bacolod is scheduled to take place. Bacolod is the capital city of the country's sugar-producing province of Negros.

October 1 Events:

Opening Salvo : MassKara, Kari na!
5:30 AM Fun Run from People's House & Fun Walk from Capitol Lagoon to Plaza.
7:00 AM Opening Salvo at the Bacolod Public Plaza
6:00 PM Biggest ZUMBA event in the City at the People's House



Photo Credit to Camera Club of Negros

* Above schedule is a partial list.  For other dates, please Click Here.

Bacolod Releases Masskara 2015 Festival Schedule

Saturday, September 26, 2015 City-Bacolod, Culture, Events, Festivals, Hot, Negros Island, Province-Negros Occidental, Slider

4th Year Anniversary of the Negros Museum Cafe

Tucked away in the PHINMA Gallery of the Negros Museum along Gatuslao Street, the Negros Museum Cafe has served only the best cuisine that the local produce has to offer.

Veering away from preserved meats and products, the Cafe’s head chef and proprietor, Guido Nijssen, has chosen to use only the freshest ingredients found in local markets. Fresh artisan bread, smoked ham, bacon, and different kinds of cheese are prepared every day.

Join us in the 4^th year anniversary celebration of a true Negrense experience, the Negros Museum Cafe.

Related Posts :

Discovering "Millionaire's Row" In Bacolod City

Wander in the part of Bacolod City which is not usually written about in tourist guidebooks or travel blogs and discover the charm of Old Negros Island.  ....Read More

4th Year Anniversary of the Negros Museum Cafe

Thursday, June 25, 2015 City-Bacolod, Events, Food, Places, Province-Negros Occidental

Negros Island - a One Island Region, the SWEET Spot of the Philippines!

Negros Island - a One Island Region, the SWEET Spot of the Philippines!

Saturday, June 06, 2015 Accomodation, Adventure, Negros Island, Negros Trade Fair, Province-Negros Occidental

The Negros Trade Fair Is On It's 30th Year!

Negros Trade Fair at 30

"Truly Negros"

30th Negros Trade Fair, 
September 16-20, 2015, 
Glorietta Mall, Makati

The Negros Trade Fair Is On It's 30th Year!

Saturday, May 30, 2015 Advertising, Business, Business Activities, City-Bacolod, City-Makati, Conferences, Exhibitions, Hot, Negros Trade Fair, Province-Negros Occidental, Tradeshows

Experience All of Negros Island in One Place - The Panaad Festival

The Panaad sa Negros Festival, also called the Panaad Festival, is a festival held annually during the month of April in Bacolod City, the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. Panaad is the Hiligaynon word for “vow” or “promise”; the festival is a form of thanksgiving to Divine Providence and commemoration of a vow in exchange for a good life. The celebration is held at the Panaad Park and Stadium, which also houses the Panaad Sports Complex, and is participated in by the 13 cities and 19 towns of the province. For this reason, Negros Occidental dubs it the “mother” of all its festivals.

The theme for this year is “Organik na Negros: Rising to the Challenge of Globalization in 2015″.

The first Panaad sa Negros Festival was held at Capitol Park and Lagoon in a three-day affair in 1993 that started April 30. The festival was held at the lagoon fronting the Provincial Capitol for the first four years. As the festival grew each year, it became necessary to locate a more spacious venue. In 1997, the festival was held at the reclaimed area near where the BREDCO Port is located today.

The construction of the Panaad Park and Stadium paved the way for the establishment of the Panaad Park as the permanent home of the festival.

Related Posts :

Discovering "Millionaire's Row" In Bacolod City

Wander in the part of Bacolod City which is not usually written about in tourist guidebooks or travel blogs and discover the charm of Old Negros Island.

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Experience All of Negros Island in One Place - The Panaad Festival

Monday, April 13, 2015 City-Bacolod, Festival-Panaad, Festivals, Province-Negros Occidental

Bacolod City Will Be First In Using Hummers as Jeepneys

Hummer Jeepney : Ready for rollout in Bacolod City by end of 2015

The Filipino Jeepney has for many years been a symbol of Filipino ingenuity being the most popular means of public transportation in the country.  Often known for their kitsch decorations, which have become a ubiquitous symbol of Philippine culture and art, jeepneys are now ready for a new image in Bacolod City.

Originally made from U.S. military jeeps left over from World War II and improvised and refitted through Filipino resourcefulness, the jeepney will take on a new shape this year when ingenuity meets the legendary decadence of Negros Island. 

Bacolod City will be the first city in the Philippines to see the rollout of the new generation of jeepneys using GM Hummers as its platform.  The project is spearheaded by a visionary from Bacolod who requests to be made anonymous at this time. 

The visionary sugar baron relates, "There is really nothing new about this except the new platform using Hummers.  Jeepneys are here to stay.  The "Humjeep" project is faithful to the original intentions of the of the jeepney, and that is to convert a military transport vehicle into a form of public conveyance".  He adds, "My close friends who know this project tell me I'm nuts, but I tell them that you're the ones who don't know what legacy is all about. Years from now, tourists in the Philippines will go to Bacolod just to ride one of the five Hummer jeepneys I'm deploying by end of the 2015".

"Love it or hate it, the Jeepney will never go away.  All that's needed is a new platform for which the Hummer is perfect.  The fact that the Hummer was also a military vehicle adds to the novelty". 

A look at the current "Humjeep" hidden in a Negros gamefarm shows that it has been modified by eliminating the rear side doors and creating a single rear door which is typical of regular jeepneys.

The Bacolod-based visionary adds, "For the additional Humjeeps, we will be sourcing two more from Port Irene and we are eyeing to buy Piolo Pascual's H3 and Angel Locsin's H2."

Soon, riding a jeepney will really be more fun in Bacolod.

Visual peg of the interiors of the Bacolod "Humjeep" project (source : PDI)

Bacolod City Will Be First In Using Hummers as Jeepneys

Wednesday, April 01, 2015 City-Bacolod, Province-Negros Occidental, Visions

Discovering "Millionaire's Row" in Bacolod City

Heritage conservation advocates are totally aghast at the ongoing demolition of the Carlos Palanca mansion in Pasay.  This comes just a few months after the Army and Navy Club and the Admiral Hotel fell prey to the wreckers of Manila's historic architectural icons.  To those who remember the wonderful edifices of Manila's glorious past, the current spate of demolitions are really a nightmare.

One cannot say the same though of Bacolod City, the premier city in the Philippines' Sugar Bowl.  This summer of 2015, tourists from Metro Manila and all over the country will visit Negros Island, the Sweet Spot of the Philippines and have a glimpse of Bacolod's fabled glory days.  This is due to the revitalization of a small strip of houses known back in the 1930s as "Millionaire's Row".

For those who arrive in Bacolod City and follow what is usually written on travel books and blogs, the usual stops are the Negros Museum, the Provincial Capitol of Negros Occidental, and the Ruins (Mariano Lacson Mansion) which is technically located in the next city of Talisay.

What is often missed in Bacolod is a street which was once known as Millionaire's Row.  This street is hardly publicized because most tour guides can only reach back to Bacolod's glory days of the 1960s and the 1970s.  The importance of this street goes back to the pre-war decade of the 1930s.

It was back in the 1930s when Generoso M. Villanueva, a prominent sugar planter, and his wife Paz, built the first art deco  structure in Bacolod City. Designed solely by the owner, the three-story, poured-concrete steel reinforced building with graceful curved balconies, parapets, and porthole steel-cased windows looks like the Titanic on land. It was known among the locals as the Boat House. Among family, though, it was simply called Daku Balay (the big house).

On the same street, another similar daku balay (big house) also shows the glorious past of Negros and Bacolod City.  This is the house of Don Mariano Ramos.

Mariano Ramos was among the first Presidente Municipals appointed in Bacolod City.  At that time, Bacolod was not yet chartered as a city and thus did not have any mayor yet.  Mariano Ramos was a former classmate of Manuel L. Quezon in Letran and the late president did stop by this house often during his many trips to Negros Island.

Between the two mansions mentioned are other houses which are resplendent of Bacolod's decadent pre-war past.  It is of little wonder then that during the Japanese occupation in World War 2, the head of the Japanese Imperial Army, headed by General Takeshi Kono, took over the houses in Millionaire's Row as these two houses had the tallest miradors (viewing towers) to observe the city from all directions.

The Japanese Imperial Army commanded all forces occupying Negros from Millionaire's Row until the surrender in August 1945.

The street known as Millionaire's Row is commonly known today as Burgos Street.  In the same manner that one visits Lombard Street (the most crooked street in the world) in San Francisco, or the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, or Las Ramblas in Barcelona, one should not miss Burgos Street when in Bacolod City.

All mansions can be viewed from the street as these are all still closed to the public, except one which is the currently run as a museum, the Dizon-Ramos Museum.




Photo credits to Voltaire Siacor (Villanueva Art Deco House) and Lloyd Tronco (Mariano Ramos House)

Discovering "Millionaire's Row" in Bacolod City

Tuesday, March 17, 2015 Ancestral Homes, City-Bacolod, Hot, Negros Island, Province-Negros Occidental, Slider