Lifestyle

Kent John Desamparado *A film about a grandfather’s love for his granddaughter expressed through letters and songs is this year’s best picture of the Margaha Film Festival, which was announced during the awarding ceremonies at the Sagay City Public Plaza, Saturday, March 25.The film entitled “Ang Kining Ambahanon kag Binalaybay ko Para sa Imo” was announced as SineMargaha Best Short Film for 2023 by the five-person panel of jury during the awards night, as it showed “a story that challenges the concept of the family.”The Jury’s Citation stated that despite the sentimentality and drama inherent in the story, the film avoided romanticizing the adventures of two persons, a decision that renders it even more realistic.This year’s panel of jury was composed of ...

The entries from the cities of Sagay and Cadiz won the Visual Arts Scholarship Grants of the Negros Occidental provincial government and were given the Linangan Art Residency Program Scholarship.The Visual Arts Exhibition that was open to all LGUs in Negros Occidental was launched at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City Wednesday afternoon, February 22.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, and Board Members Rita Gatuslao and Araceli Somosa led the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the art exhibit. Also present was Board Member Pal Guanzon.The activity is themed, “Abanse Negrense: Reimagining Our Future”.It is an initiative of the Negros Occidental provincial government through Gatuslao, to give young Negrense artists the creative space to engage in...

In its goal to become one of the film hubs in the region, Sagay City’s Margaha Film Festival, or “Sine Margaha”, is back on its 4th year, with eight short films in competition that will be screened at Margaha Beach, Brgy. Old Sagay on Friday, February 24.The festival, which started in 2020, will feature eight new short films created by Sagaynon filmmakers which will highlight the tangible and intangible cultural heritage mapped in the city, a press release from Sagay City said Wednesday, February 22.A film still from “Pandayunon” directed by Mery Grace Mission*In the past years, films from Sine Margaha have competed and exhibited at various film festivals and events, including Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, Gawad Alternatibo, Cinema Rehiyon, Sine Negrense, amo...

A three-hectare area in Megaworld’s The Upper East in Bacolod City will be developed as a Japan Town, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced on Monday, February 20.Benitez and Megaworld’s Kevin Tan joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his recent trip to Japan.The mayor said his trip to Japan, which was similar to the president’s state visit to China, was a marketing effort to present and promote Bacolod for future investments. “You would be surprised, some of them did not even know where Bacolod is,” he said.But Benitez said it was a very fruitful trip because there were a lot of people who asked questions.There were a few investors who expressed interest in investing in renewable projects and others in infrastructure, including reclamation work, Benitez said....

Jan Marie Bordon is one of 40 candidates who will vie for the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 crown.*Miss Universe Philippines photoA fourth year tourism student of La Consolacion College Bacolod is one of 40 official candidates set to vie for the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 crown.Jan Marie Bordon, 22, who won the Miss Bacolod MassKara International title in October 2022, said she was "supper happy" when the organizers announced on Saturday, after a rigorous screening, that she was among the top 40 official bets.Bordon said as Bacolod’s Miss Universe Philippines candidate she will promote the city’s tourism destinations, the friendly nature of its people and the MassKara Festival.Carlos Durana, Miss Bacolod MassKara chairperson, also said he is very happy Bordon was chose...

Over 80 film works from 75 Negrense filmmakers are being showcased in the 3-day Bacolod Short Film Festival at the University of St. La Salle (USLS) that kicked of Wednesday and will run until Friday, February 17.The Bacolod Short Film Festival (BSFF), formerly known as Bacolod Shorts, is an annual event organized by the USLS Institute of the Moving Image in collaboration with the La Salle Film Society under the University’s Artists’ Hub, and the Museo De La Salle Bacolod.BSFF aims to showcase the growing young talents of filmmaking in the region and highlight the creativity of local filmmakers through an exhibition, a press release from USLS said.Some short films to be showcased in the BSFF have previously participated in various local and national film festivals and have rece...

Rodney Martinez*Visual artist Rodney Martinez promises something different in his upcoming solo exhibit at the Charlie’s Art Gallery in Italia Restaurant, Bacolod City, which will open this weekend.Entitled “Nature’s Playground,” Martinez is offering a more colorful take on nature which is far from his usual artworks of women, children and seascapes that he is known for.“Painting is an unending search and one must always continue,” Martinez said of his new collection that explored new forms, colors and techniques derived from his favorite subjects.Martinez offers a new collection entitled "Nature's Playground" for his upcoming solo art exhibit.*This journey, he added, has produced a fresh kind of idea in totally new creations.Martinez has c...

The couple’s kiss at the Valentine’s Day Mass wedding in EB Magalona.*Mayor Marvin Malacon underscored the indispensable role of parents in raising responsible children who will later become responsible adults and make up a caring and loving community, during a Valentine’s Day mass wedding at the EB Magalona Public Plaza Tuesday morning, February 14.The EB Magalona mayor solemnized the wedding of 33 Saraviahanon couples during the ceremony.It is the seventh year that Malacon officiated the Valentine Mass Wedding in E. B. Magalona since he became mayor in 2016, a press release from the EB Magalona public information office said.Mayor Marvin Malacon, Vice Mayor Eric Matulac, Sangguniang Bayan Members and other officials with the 33 Saraviahanon couples at the Valentine’s Day ...

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz*The launching of the Panaad sa Negros Festival on Monday, February 13, has been postponed.The festival that returns after a three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will be heldApril 17 to 23.Diaz said the launching on Monday was postponed because they did not like the logo and the music, and there is no need to rush.The executive committee will announce the final schedule of the launching soon, he added.The Association of Negros Producers will be the provincial government’s partner for the festival.The festival director will be Engineer Jojo Amugod.*