Lifestyle

The US-bound Bacolod Masskara Festival dancers with Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and other city officials.*The world-renowned MassKara Festival dancers of Bacolod City will perform in New York City for the first time during the 125th Philippine Independence Anniversary Commemoration Parade on June 4.The performers will be comprised of 22 dancers from the multi-awarded Barangay Granada street and arena dance team, who will fly to the United States on May 29.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who will lead the contingent, said on Friday that the presence of MassKara Festival dancers in the cultural event is an opportunity to promote Bacolod, which celebrates the colorful "festival of many faces" in October each year.“When we promote Bacolod City, awareness about the city will ...

The Department of Tourism in Western Visayas has cited Campuestohan Highland Resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, for being one of the Top Tourist Attractions/Sites in Western Visayas for Calendar Year 2022 at rites held in Iloilo City Wednesday, May 17.DOT Region VI Director Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez handed the plaque of appreciation to Ralph Richard “Siote” Tan, son of founders Ricardo “Cano” Tan and Nita Tan, at the Pagdayaw 2023 rites.The event was held to show appreciation to tourist destinations in the region for their contribution to the growth of the tourism industry in the region, she said.*Ricardo “Cano” and Nita Tan with their Gawad Agustino - Gabi ng Parangal 2023 awards.*Campuestohan Highland Resort was also named the Best Resort in Negros Occidental ...

Dr Christine Joan Ragudo, Marides Zayco, Sugar Tonogabua, Jaquelin Tamayor, Sherwynn Cadianza, Steve Maquiling, Cyrene Cuenca, Patty Jane Ku Ong, February Cheryl, Juliet Emperado, Anthony Tonogbanua, Wen Quilisadio, Roselyn Cuenca, Arlene Gomez, Ziarene Talamillo and Maluo Flores at the opening of the exhibit.*The Mixlada Art Group in partnership with SM City-Bacolod, opened a group art exhibition at the mall’s Event Center Tuesday, May 2, that will run until May 31.The show in celebration of Mother's Day is titled “Handog kay Nanay” and features the works of about 29 Negrense visual artists which highlights “mothers and flowers” in different mediums.Malou Flores, Christine Joan Ragudo, Ziarene Talamillo, Mae Nicole Subebe, Zhyenaiah Tonogbanua, Anthony Tonogbanua, Arlene Gomez...

The Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company in Negros Occidental.*Ronnie Baldonado photoA sugar heritage trail in Western Visayas (Region 6) is being proposed to be included in the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).Iloilo City Planning and Development Officer Jose Roni Peñalosa, said what started as a proposal of the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the trail as part of the destinations in the region has led to the idea of pushing for its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Site given the role of the region in the world’s sugar industry.“It all started with a study that was commissioned by the DOT 6 to explore the possibility of establishing a Western Visayas Sugar Heritage Trail. The intended outcome is to better un...

Glensie Hombrebueno beside her "Babaeng nakaperlas” that is on exhibit at The Mauritshuis.*A painting by a Bacoleña based in the Netherlands is on exhibit at The Mauritshuis, The Hague’s leading museum which is home to the finest works of Johannes Vermeer, one of Netherlands’ painters of the 17th century, and Rembrandt van Rijn, the most famous painter of the Golden Age.Glensie Hombrebueno of Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod, submitted an entry along with 3,427 artists, both amateur and professionals, to an open call of The Mauritshuis to creative makers all over the world to unleash their imagination, reinterpret and make their own rendition of the Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring”, the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands announced on Sunday, April 30.Hombrebueno’s "Babaeng naka...

Five Negrense bookmakers won the 2023 Gold Quill Award bestowed by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) based in Chicago, USA.In collaboration with Impress Quality Printing Philippines Inc. and Media Wise Communications Inc., their winning entry was the pioneering coffee table book titled Sugar & Smiles: The Negrense Legacy Beyond 2020.The team that produced Sugar & Smiles was led by Conrado Gen Tomas, Jose Kilayko Montalvo III, Benjamin de Leon Torre, Ma. Teresa Quebrar-Manalili, and J. Albert Araneta Gamboa.Together with 30 writers and creative staff, they launched the book in November 2021 at the main activity center of Ayala Malls Capitol Central.Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson supported the book project along with severa...

Manami Resort by night*Perched in the best-kept-secret nature oasis of Negros Occidental, Manami Resort, the first and only luxury nature resort in Sipalay was officially unveiled over the weekend.This is the first resort under the Signature Collection of Discovery Hospitality Corporation—Manami Resort—also a part of Kiwi Collection, the curator of the world’s most exceptional hotels.‘Manami’ is a Hiligaynon word that means beautiful and the resort offers everything beautiful indeed – beautiful nature experiences, beautiful connections created, beautiful feast of flavors over curated food, and highlights the beautiful Negrense culture – all coming together to make a “Manami nga pangabuhi,” which means ‘beautiful way of life’ – the Manami life.THE RESORTCristina Corro, A...