Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival, the queen of festivals in Eastern Visayas

I Am in Manila but My Heart is at the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival in Tacloban City!

Now ongoing at the Leyte Sports Development Center (Grandstand)... The City Government did not allow the organizers permit to use the usual parade route. Instead, it gave the nod to the pedicab race! 

I will not waste my time asking why this has to happen? What I will just say is some people have not learned the lesson of Yolanda!
 
Anyway this is nothing new. But let me say this =Anywhere the Pintados (now on its 28th year)-kasadyaan Festival of Festival is held, devotees and spectators in thousands, will be there.

Twenty -eight years ago, Pintados Festival was conceptualized and started as a brainchild of young professionals and businessmen in Tacloban City who felt the vacuum that was left when the Marcoses and the Romualdezes were forced to leave the country after EDSA 1. I know because I was there in the middle of all the preparations and chipping in of resources. 

I know because together with my friends Marirose Veloso and Pinky Cruz who composed the Ms. Pintados committee, we had to go around mobilizing people and stirring the conscience of our friends just so the Pintados Kasayadyaan will be staged for the first time in 1987. 

This was our way of helping our husbands who composed the Pintados Board.

More than ever this Twin Festival is relevant and needed. Not only to provide a semblance of normalcy but because we have more than ever reasons to thank the Patron of Tacloban for delivering us from the wrath of Yolanda.

No festival competition will be conducted in deference to the economic crisis brought about by Yolanda.

Instead, best festival groups from all over the Visayas Island will perform among which are the Maskara Festival of Bacolod, Dinagyang from Iloilo, Sinulog of Cebu, Banigan Festival of Basey and Buyugan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte.

After the Festival, a concert of matinee idol Daniel Padilla whose mother Karla hails from Tacloban, will be conducted right at the Grandstand. opt

ON JUNE 28 TO JULY 28, LET US REVEL IN THE SPIRIT OF RAMADAN.

 

As Ramadan is celebrated around the world, the message of peace, togetherness, sacrifice always resonates with me.

Ramadan serves as a reminder that we cannot take our gifts for granted and we should express our gratitude to the Almighty every now and then.

Well, a little to the east, and also in the US, our Muslim friends today, begins their holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, is a time for spiritual purification achieved through fasting from dawn to dusk and offering prayers to the Almighty.

In addition to gratitude towards the Almighty, let us spare a moment for our friends. Remember the last time a friend helped save the day for us. But how often we take our friends for granted, and miss wishing them on key occasions. How often, despite of our follies, they are there for us, and don't judge us. opt

REMEMBERING MY LATE FATHER...

Let me talk about my late father. I rarely talk about him to my friends, but he had the biggest impact in my life of service.

His name is Hildebrando M. Pecson. To his relatives, he is known as the youngest son of a well known family in Santa Cruz, Zambales which is not only known for its beautiful beaches just a few stretches at the back of the ancestral home. To his friends and town mates, he is known as the first Mayor of Quezon, Isabela, known as the Little Texas of the Philippines.
 
It was he who taught us the value of saying "I am Sorry"even to the lowly.  Whenever, we commit mistakes he would call us in their bedroom and in his well modulated voice, asked us privately what mistake we committed. He would give us a sermon which really made us cry. Then he would send us out. After less than 5 minutes he would call us back to say "I am sorry I had to call your attention and made you cry. It is difficult for me to see you crying but I have to because I want you to be a better child..."

He who was my number one critic...even in the choice of lipstick and nail polish when I was yet in College. He would always encourage us to use black ink or ballpens especially when signing documents.

We were always in the opposite basketball camps. He was with Crispa, I was with Toyota. But he was also my number one supporter in my undertakings and endeavors. He was always ready to listen and ever humble, never forced his ideas to us all.

My father, my friend (standing at the back) with his parents, brothers and sisters. He aspired not for wealth nor fame, he sought for opportunities of service.

Thanks, cousin Lita for sharing this picture!

NO COLLEGE TUITION HIKE IN YOLANDA HIT EASTERN VISAYAS

This is good news. Higher Education Institutions in Yolanda-hit Eastern Visayas posted no tuition and other fees increase. This, as the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) announced that 287 Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) have been given the go-signal to increase their tuition and other fees this year. The increase will be an average of P35.66 per unit for academic year 2014-2015. opt

WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY

"SAFE BLOOD FOR SAVING MOTHERS:" World Blood Donor Day on June 14 is commemorated through a two-day Mass Blood Letting activities on June 13 and 14 at the Philippine Red Cross Leyte Chapter office along Magsaysay Boulevard, Tacloban City, from 8AM to 3PM. PRC Leyte calls on the public to be a Blood Samaritan and be a hero in someone's life.opt

116th Anniversary of Philippine Independence

I have been invited to deliver a message for the 116th Anniversary Celebration of Philippine Independence Day of the Province of Leyte on June 12, 2014 at 7am. Unfortunately, I am in Manila. Had i been informed earlier, I could have booked a flight. Anyway, there is always another time. Maybe next year. Thanks for the invitation, Mr. Onie Balintong.

I was part of the Independence Day celebration for the province of Leyte last year.

EASTERN VISAYAS GAWAD SAKA AWARDEES

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EASTERN VISAYAS GAWAD SAKA AWARDEES!

Despite the devastation that Yolanda wrought to Eastern Visayas, the Agriculture sector has proven its resiliency as manifested during the recent awarding of the Eastern Visayas Gawad Saka winners.

Topping the awardees was Dr. Jose I. Bacusmo, President of the Visayas State University (VSU) at Visca, Baybay, Leyte who was adjudged as this year’s Outstanding Agricultural Scientist.

The Maasin Rural Improvement Club (RIC) Federation bagged the Outstanding RIC Award while Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin D. Gerona and Family of Sogod, Southern Leyte won as Outstanding Farm/Family. 

Mr. Arnulfo Buzon of Brgy. Juaton, Ormoc City was cited as Outstanding Sugarcane Farmer while Ms. Gliceria Emoylan of Tabon-tabon, Leyte was chosen as Outstanding Rural Woman.

Commendations were bestowed to Ormoc City former Mayor Eric Codilla, owner-proprietor of AOG Farm, as Outstanding Agricultural Entrepreneur and to Ormoc City’s Independent Component City Agricultural Fishery Council (ICCAFC) as Outstanding AFC. 

Moreover, the Outstanding Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) Award went to BFT Tomas Oppus of Southern Leyte for the LGU category and to Our Lady of Remedies Parish Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Baybay, Leyte for the non-LGU category. 

The Outstanding Small Animal Raiser was awarded to Mr. Patricio A. Arradaza of Ormoc City and the Outstanding Rural Woman by Ms Anna Lebite of Allen, Northern Samar.

Rice Achiever Awards were also given to various outstanding rice farmers and Agricultural technicians from the provinces of Biliran and Southern Leyte.

As posted in the DA Regional Field Office website, the VSU Horticulture Department was also cited for showcasing Urban Gardening and Landscaping Technology at the DA-8 Plant Nursery which is now an attraction at the DA-RFO 8 compound. 

The Regional Gawad Saka winners will represent the Region in the national search.

The Gawad Saka, the search for outstanding Filipino farmers, is an annual undertaking of the Department of Agriculture which aims to give due recognition and pay tribute to dedicated individuals and institutions whose exemplary accomplishments contributed to the country’s agricultural development. opt