SM GROUP TURN OVER HOUSES FOR YOLANDA SURVIVORS IN NORTHERN ILOILO

SM Cares serves as the holistic and cohesive flagship of the group’s CSR programs. The goal is to ensure that SM serves not only as the retail industry leader, but also acts as a catalyst towards positive change in the nation and leading by example when it comes to corporate social responsibility.

The SM Group through SM Cares turn over houses in Northern Iloilo that marked the company’s second leg in the housing project for survivors of super typhoon Yolanda

The project will also roll out in other areas in the Visayas such as in Tacloban City and Ormoc City, Leyte. The first SM Cares Village were turned over in Bogo City, Cebu.

Ms. Annie Garcia, SM Supermalls President, Ms. Marissa Fernan, SM Prime Holdings Inc., Vice President and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. led the ground breaking ceremony of the SM Cares Housing Project in Brgy. Bacjauan Sur in Concepcion, Iloilo on October 3, 2015. Joining them were Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, SM Foundation’s Linda Atayde and officials of the Municipality of Concepcion led by Mayor Millard Villanueva as well as Monsignor Meliton Oso of the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center, who will be in-charge of the soft components of the project.

(seated 2^nd from left to right ) SM Prime Holdings Inc. Vice President Marissa Fernan, SM Foundation Inc. Executive Director Carmen Linda Atayde, Jose Roberto Tirol, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr., Concepcion Mayor Millard Villanueva,SM Supermalls President Annie Garcia and Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias pose with the beneficiary representatives of the SM Cares Village in Concepcion, Iloilo. Also in Photo is Brgy. Bacjawan Sur, Brgy. Captain Noni Villarias(leftmost, standing) Msgr. Meliton Oso of the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center(7^th from left, standing).

This project is in cooperation with the family of Roberto and Gloria Lorca Tirol and was represented by by Jose Roberto Tirol, who donated a 1- hectare property to the SM Group as a show of support for the project. The company built a village of 200 houses in the donated lot in Concepcion, Iloilo.

The SM Cares Housing Project is over and above the SM Group’s P100 million commitment for various assistance to communities affected by typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas. The SM Group’s efforts include immediate relief operations, building of housing communities, rehabilitation of schools,  churches,  hospitals and community centers, and providing medical missions.

Each house, which costs P200,000, was built with concrete roofing, high ceiling, proper ventilation and utility-ready provision. The village will have 5-meter wide road network, a concrete perimeter fence, a community center and a basketball court.

SM Cares serves as the holistic and cohesive flagship of the group’s CSR programs. The goal is to ensure that SM serves not only as the retail industry leader, but also acts as a catalyst towards positive change in the nation and leading by example when it comes to corporate social responsibility.

Chan-Lim Family of Artists share works to Ilonggos

To celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival, the Chan Lim Family of Artists and Students has prepared 217 of their artworks done in Chinese Scroll Painting, Lantern Painting & Oil Painting. The exhibit was joined by 34 artists. Exhibit will run from Sept. 26 to Oct.11, SM City Iloilo Event Center 

The Chan Lim Family of Artists has been actively involved in the arts for more than four decades now. 

The family patriarch, Chan Lim, has dabbled in Western art, specializing in Oil and Watercolor. The Chan Lim siblings Alex, Felix, Rolex and Jolex are all engineers by profession and are actively engaged with multinational companies. Bound by their passion with the arts, the Chan Lim family of Artists has conducted numerous art classes, workshops, seminars, and on-the-spot painting demonstrations. They have joined several art exhibits locally and internationally.  The 3rd generation Chan Lims follows in the footsteps of both the family patriarch and their fathers in nurturing their artistic talents. To date, the family has staged thirteenth family painting exhibits.

The Chan Lim family is one of the few remaining notable Chinese brush painting artists in the country today, and is sought after in this field. Art classes are conducted in the family studio located in Pasig City. Their paintings can be found in private collections here and abroad. You may email them at chanlim@yahoo.com or view their artworks at www.chanlim.com.

A free Chinese Painting Workshop was conducted at the Sun Yat Sen High School Auditorium last Sept. 25.

A press conference was set September 26 at 11am wherein members of the media and their family members got a chance to have a mini-workshop with the Chan-Lim family.

  

A formal opening  followed at the Event Center.

SM City Iloilo, Iloilo Dynamic Youth and Sun Yat Sen High School jointly sponsor this event.

Photo credits: Chan-Lim Facebook page

Enjoying the Sunset and more in Buenavista: A Side Trip Proposition

Spending the night in Buenavista, Guimaras is like doing a retreat in the hussle and buzzle of city life.

If you want to feel like you are on a daily vacation mode, then the vibe of Buenavista is for you.

To get there you need to ride a pumpboat in the Parola. Riding the boat starts all the adventure.
 A pump boat is an outrigger canoe powered by a small gasoline or diesel engine.

After a 15-minute ride, you will arrive in Buenavista wharf.  Buenavista is the oldest municipality on Guimaras. It was established in 1775, during the Spanish colonial period. A Spanish governor general was reputedly impressed by the scenery of the location, and called the place Buenavista, Spanish for "beautiful view".

An unassuming place, i should say, the town of Buenavista's rustic beauty is enough to calm one's senses.
Upon arrival at the wharf, you will be greeted by courteous locals who will offer you  choices on what mode of transportation you prefer to take you around town.

The usual motorcycles which local calls Singgol(single), the tricycle(meaning motorcycle with the side car) or rent a jeepney.

Any of these transportations are okay depending on the number of the riders taking it. But the usual jeepney ride is suggested to get the feel of the place, its people and its sorroundings.

So while this is a sidetrip, Batchoy Republic recommends that you make a stop in the town center New Poblacion or simply called Calingao. New Poblacion (Calingao) belongs to the barangays of Municipality Buenavista which compose the center of the Municipality. And it is where the action happens.

Local restaurant are located in the area in the area. But for the the "cowboy" tourist, there is this unassuming kiosk near the public market that will provided you with a simple but interestingly adventure-filled gastronomic experience--MJ Fruit Shake.

The fruit shake is surprisingly good and it sells for only P10 pesos a cup! One can even buy at P5 for a smaller cup. Guimaras being the home of the sweetest mangoes in the world, this fruit shake is made from natural mangoes. Mind you, it is so refreshingly delicious!

Aside from the shake, another attraction are the fish balls. Surprisingly, these fish balls are soft, flavorful and tastes so good. You can choose to eat it with the sweet or hot sauce.

But here is the explosive catch about this place.

 Dynamite--a spring roll like specialty but different. Really different as this is not for the faint of heart. These "babies" are really explosive! Red and green chilly peppers wrapped in lumpia wrappers--It only costs 10 pesos a piece.The fruit shake is perfect to set off the fire! Just a perfect combo.

Calingao itself is an interesting place to wander around worth for a side trip. Mingle with locals in other homegrown restos. Two of more recognized are Pit Stop, owened by Eugene Torento and the place of the famous Mango Pizza. The other one is Buena Pastelle owned by Precy Reily.

One can simply enjoy the provincial atmosphere at the public plaza and market. A retreat from the city life for several hours, Buenavista is worth your time.

Don't worry about going back to Iloilo City when night time comes. Pumpboat trip is 24 hours a day. You just have to rent it though when it is already a little around 8pm or so.

But staying until around 7pm is already a complete trip for starters.

And yes, on the way back to the wharf, Enjoy the sunset...

Baguio On My Mind

Strawberry Taho

What comes to mind when people think of Baguio are images of Pine Trees, Igorot lining up outside the Botanical Garden, and images of mountains covered by white smoke caused by the cold weather in the Summer Capital of the Philippines.

When I visited the city, I was expecting a sweet surprise during my stay and it never failed me. Quite literally, I was in for a sweet treat. The city being popular in producing strawberries in this part of the country. But not the usual strawberry jam or raw strawberry from the farm.

Strawberry Taho is goodness in a plastic cup-- Taho is a Filipino snack made of fresh soft tofu arnibal   (sweetener and flavoring), and sago pearl (similar to tapioca pearls). The usual sweetener used in this snack is caramel but only in Baguio you can find a strawberry version of it. Of course, anybody can do this anywhere, but having it in Baguio makes it more deliciously authentic--I got a taste of it outside The Mansion which is just infront of the Wright Park, one of the many scenic parks in Baguio which is located at the eastern part of the city.

 The Mansion House (also known as the The Mansion) is the official summer residence of the President of the Philippines.

The Mansion House consists of an elegantly designed Spanish Colonial Revival main building and a guest house. It has an elaborate main gate, made of ornate ironwork. The front gate is still one of the most photographed section of the property.

The Mansion

 

Across the road from the Mansion House is Wright Park, a quiet promenade with a long reflecting pool lined with pine trees.A long stairway lead visitors to the back where ponies for children are available for hire. Speckled all around the nearby hills are vacation homes and small inns.

Wright Park

The good thing about Baguio is it will just take you about ten minutes to get to another attraction.

Burnham Lake

Burnham Park is an urban park located at the heart of Baguio. It was named after the American architect and urban planner, Daniel Hudson Burnham who laid the plans for the city.

The Children's Park and the Orchidarium is located at the western part of the park. There are also bike rentals if one so wishes. You can rent either single bikes, tandem bikes or even bikes with side cars. They even have small bikes for the little kids of both two and three wheel versions.

The park features a man-made lake situated at the center where tourists can enjoy boating with rented boats.

Massage services are available in the park but don't be fooled by the cheap offer of P50 for a back massage. I ended up paying P150 pesos after the massage since I only asked for a back massage and I was given a hand and a head massage. I thought it was an extra service since I did not ask for it! That was a total turn-off but it did not ruin my whole experience, anyway.

Burnham Park

So the journey continues.
Needless to say, one major sign of progress in every Philippine city is the presence of an SM mall.

SM City Baguio

SM City Baguio is located on Luneta Hill on top of Session Road overlooking historic Burnham Park and opposite Baguio's City Hall which is situated on a northern hill.

It is also the first SM Supermall which does not use an air-conditioning System. The mall is the only SM Mall, other than the SM Mall of Asia, that make use of natural lighting and which does not have an air conditioned common area.

Going around Baguio is quite an adventure. With the steep thoroughfares around the city, SUVs are  ordinary vehicles in going around tourist spots. Of course, jeepneys are available as public transport, but these sure are well-maintained ones as these machines have to pass through the same roads day after day.

Popoy

But on this trip, I was lucky enough to have been given the luxury to be toured around by a cool ride. They simply call him "Popoy".

Popoy endured the rough terrain going to the Philippine Military Academy headquarters, as roads at that time were under construction. But of course, the adventure and the ride was all worth despite Popoy's occasional kissing of to the bumpy and jagged roads going to the area.

Next stop. The Philippine Military Academy(PMA).

For the past 100 years, the officers training school of the Armed Forces in the Philippines has made Baguio City its home.The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) boast of a long and illustrious history of preparing only the best Filipino men (and, in recent times, women) for military service.

Located at Fort Gegorio del Pilar on Loakan Road, visitors of the Philippine Military Academy who wish to know the history, traditions & general information to the City of Pines are welcome to explore the grounds, view the cadets performing their drills, and explore the PMA museum and walk around its manicured grounds to see vintage tanks and other historical military weapons.

Another beautiful landmark attraction in Baguio City is the Mines View Park.

Mines View Park is an overlook park on the northeastern outskirts of the city.
Located on a land promontory 4 km from downtown Baguio, the park overlooks the mining town of Itogon, particularly the abandoned gold and copper mines of the Benguet Corporation, and offers a glimpse of the Amburayan Valley.
The observation deck is situated below a winding stone-covered stairway close to the parking area.

--This article is under construction--

Photos by Batchoy Republic

Credit sources: Philippine Military Academy website