Barangay Villamonte of Bacolod City is set to make a grand comeback this year as once again, they will join the Bacolod Masskara Festival Street Dance Contest.

Continue Bacolod Masskara Festival 2008 here.

Upcoming Events

In just a little less than three months time, the streets of Bacolod City will once again be decked with all the buntings and banners. Loud music and colorful costumes are de rigeur. And everyone is expected to be in a party mode.

The Philippines’ most colorful festival will be taking centerstage as hundreds of dancers in colourful and heavily decorated costumes and smiling masks dance to the loud music during the annual Maskara Festival 2008.

Continue reading Masskara Festival 2008 here

Upcoming Events

The 7-day Western Visayas Tourism Assembly with the theme, “Entrepreneurial Tourism: Beyond Tourist Arrivals”, is slated on November 12 – 18 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

The assembly aims to highlight, promote and showcase the diversity of the tourism attractions, services and facilities of the different areas of Region VI. It is intended to be a colorful display of destination attractions, cultural and historical events, shopping and investment opportunities.

Some of the highlights of the assembly are the Regional Tourism Fair and Cultural Showcase on November 12 – 18 at SM City Bacolod, Regional Travel Exchange on November 12 – 14 at Sugarland Hotel, Regional Tourism Congress on November 14 at L’Fisher Hotel, Tourism Excellence Awards on November 14 at Nature’s Village Resort, Talisay City, Search for Ms. WV Tourism on November 15 at the Provincial Capitol, and Regional Parade of Festivals on November 16.

The assembly is sponsored by the Department of Tourism – VI, Bacolod City Government, Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, Negros Island Tourism Inc., Association of Tourism Officers of Negros Occ. (ATONO) in cooperation with Naitas Hrano, Women in Travel in Bacolod.

For information, the Negros Occ. Tourism Center can be reached through 433-2515 and 709-8775 or e-mail at tourism_negocc@yahoo.com.

- Capitol News

Upcoming Festivals to watch out for!

Sinulog 2010
Ati-atihan 2010
Dinagyang 2010
Panagbenga Festival 2010
Philippine International hot Air Balloon fiesta 2009 Clark Pampanga

I’m experiencing problems with my life in Cebu during these times. At times like these, I just wanted to get out of everything, therefore I went home, to Iloilo. The sudden decision that I made affected the schedule of my whole week for I wanted to escape the urban jungle the soonest time possible, under the cover of the night. Crossing the seas and the mountains in the cover of the night and the shade of morning dew. In less than 12 hours.

For the faint-hearted and non-risk takers, this is not for you. For cash-strapped and the adventurous, this is one hell of a risking cutting trip to Iloilo from Cebu!

Cebu Leg

I was supposed to take the last trip to Bacolod City via Ceres Lines passing thru Tabuelan. At first I got confused whether it’ll be in the North Terminal or South Terminal. By the time I was in the former, the dispatcher told me that all Bacolod Ceres trips are at the Southern Terminus. Manong Taxi Driver rushed as if my soul was left somewhere down the road, by the time we reached there, the bus just left. I wasn’t discouraged, it motivated me more. It was 11PM.

I asked the dispatchers at the terminal, they told me that the last trip to Dumanjug, a town 70 kilometers south of the Queen City was headed for a port and the passengers are heading to Guinhulngan, Negros Oriental. I was curious yet hesitant at first. I might risk my life with a floating wooden coffin in Tañon Strait. But the dispatcher convinced me it was seaworthy. It will be my first time breaking the Barili limit, it will be my first time in Negros Oriental, it will be my first time crossing Tañon Strait.

The fare was P70 with a high-speed bus built to fly from Cebu to the southern towns. But in fairness, we reached thr rugged southwestern Cebu in just an hour and a half, after crossing the historic Carcar and breaking my Barili limit.

Midnight Sailing: Crossing Tañon Strait

We reached the port of Dumanjug at precisely 12:45AM. The ferry will leave at 1:30AM. I ate a hot noodle soup and listened to the screaming videoke singers and chikadoras who are having their own graveyard shifts.

The fare is P150 and it would last for an hour and a half to Guinhulngan, a town in Negros Oriental 3 hours away from its capital Dumaguete under the cover of the night.

MV Leonor 2 looks seaworthy though, for a calm day. The sea was calm, I’m freakingly tired. 48 hours of no sleep and no rest after my last duty. I tried my very best to go asleep but it was futile. The volume of the TV was to the nth decibel and it was warm. Thank goodness it was not raining that night. The sea was very calm. It was perfect. I wonder where are the famous Bais dolphins were doing during those times?

Ringing Bells: Guingulngan, Negros Oriental

I reached the northern town of Guinhulngan in Negros Island, this time the eastern side! Yipee!! The first time I reached the eastern soil of the Sugar Island! Finally! Yet I asked, how far is Dunaguete from here? “3 hours pa dong!” Yikes! Ang layo! But anyway, it was exiting, even though the town is blanketed in slumber with its own Rizal Boulevard well lit. So I head to the bus terminal. It was dark, there were only a few people, the first trip was 4:15AM to San Carlos City! Dang! I have to wait for an hour and 15 minutes in darkness. Good thing the dispatcher was there too.

I noticed that whenever the locals speak Bisaya, they speak it gentler than their Cebuano counterparts. They have a slightly different accent. And yes, the dispatcher and I exchanged ideas for an hour.

Different Negros: To San Carlos City

I’m very oriented about Western Negros. Sprawling plains with sugar plantations everywhere. Yet I was quite shocked that the topography of NegOr was different. Literally, the mountains meet the sea. All the way towards the border of San Carlos City. It was an hour and a half ride in the winding and narrow road. The bus driver was a Lucifer! Good at first, quite slow then driving madly when he was already in Vallehermoso, where the road is at the edge of the mountain and the sea! Yikes! Look how he drives!

I noticed old rail tracks crossing the field as we approach the border of San Carlos, and vast tracks of sugarcane plantations with a very Ilocos-like topography. Canlaon’s peak watches over the plains, watches over the Visayan Islands as his face is lit with the morning twilight.

I have a short time with the port and plantation city of San Carlos as I’ve stepped out the bus from NegOr and headed towards the airconditioned bus bound for Bacolod City through the mountains.

Crossing the almost Impenetrable Border

Known for decades as the bailiwick of communist guerillas and almost impassable terrain, in early 2000 the provincial government of Negros Occidental opened finally a road that will cut the travel time from San Carlos City to only 1 hour and 45 minute ride.

To be greeted by the tangeringe color with its warmth while ascending the Negros cordilleras, the San Carlos side of the mountains are quite steep, similar to those in Talisay in Batangas, and then a plateau with the majestic Canlaon Volcano looming above with vegie patches in its foothills.

Negros has also its own “Chocolate Hills” somewhere in San Carlos Highlands. The cliffs and the verdant scenes were stunning enough to make me awake while listening to Steps’ soundtracks in the bus.

After DSB (Don Salvador Benedicto), we made a descend towards Murcia. Then, I saw the familiar Negros that I know eversince I first stepped here. Sugarcane plantations in gently sloping hills. And the language that has been familiar to me as it was part of me. Finally, I’m closer to home. Oh, its already the City of Smiles, Bacolod City.

Smiles and Warmfelt Love: Last leg from Bacolod to Iloilo

I know Bacolod City streets by heart since for me it was my extention of my hometown: Iloilo. I hailed manong driver to stop at Libertad Market and followed the sign towards Jolibee. My bladder was about to explode and i’m very hungry! Waahh!!! Jolibee’s quite far! And finally I’m there. Ate voraciously and peed as if there are tons of urine that needs to be exreted.

I don’t have the luxury of time staying in Bacolod so I zoomed in to the port where the newly opened and airport-inspired SM City is.

The sidecar driver kicked the pedal and rushed towards the fastcraft terminal. I thought I will be late, I was wrong. I made it! And after giving P10 to the sidecar driver, I went to the ticketing and flashed my expired student ID and paid P210 for the fare going to my hometown. The ferry was jampacked, I never minded it. And as the ferry whisked itself at Guimaras Strait, I felt asleep. I’m tired and I know I’m near home after an hour.

As the ferry slowed down, I woke up and saw the old scenes. The Muelle and the Aduana. I’m home.

To as much adventurism that I wanted to, it was this risk that I took. I wish I took a morning trip to see the beauty of the Visayas. But I was in a hurry. I wanted to go home and seek the comforts of it. I compared my life with the path I took. Risky but hopefully will be rewarding. As I took the risk, it took me to new destinations and new people, of the other side of Cebu and of Negros. I’ll do this thing again!

I’ve been a jetseater for almost 20 years now. I was only a few weeks old when I first rode an airplane bound for Cebu from Manila. I’m used to jetlags and delays at the airport. Been to the worst weather and the best flights. Last month, I’ve experienced the shortest flight that I had so far. The route: Cebu to Bacolod. Duration: 25 minutes!

Since CebuPacific Air was having its P99 seat sale for Cebu-Bacolod (which by that time Cebu-Iloilo is already P1200 one way) after relaunching the seat to accommodate the entrepreneurs and Bacolodnon-Negrense market of a quicker way for Cebu and vice-versa or for rather than taking an 8 hour bus and ro-ro ride.

The flight to Bacolod was so short, that I spent most of my time in Mactan International Airport than at the plane itself (which by the way, the flights for Iloilo and Bacolod got delayed due to a delayed connecting flight from Davao). Taking off was comfortable. Crossing the low mountains of Cebu, then Tañon Strait then the vegetable patches and the soaring Mount Canlaon.

The usual ice tea drinks were not served since the flight was too short to serve food anyway. Better eat first before taking the flight or else (bleeeh).

Immediately, we can feel the plane slowing down drastically. We were maybe to fast or maybe to high that speedbrakes were applied 10 minutes before landing. There were a lot of low lying clouds that day, and it was a thrilling ride as we decend towards Bacolod airport. It was thrilling because the thought of overshooting the runway lingers in my mind (after what happened to Philippine Airlines’ A320 that overshot the runway a few years ago in Bacolod).

After 25 minutes, we safely landed in the City of Smiles and boy the flight was so short yet I was surprised that the language shifted so quickly.

This mansion belong to Victor F. Gaston, the son of Yves Leopold Germain Gaston. The Gaston clan hailed from Republique de France and are considered as the pioneers of the Negrense Sugar Industry.

This house has already been declared by the National Historical Institute as one of the thirty Heritage Houses in Silay City Negros Occidental.

This cultural treasure has already been converted into a museum for everyone to appreciate its beauty and be able to get a glimpse on the lifestyle of the wealthy sugar barons.

The Balay Museum houses priceless heirlooms like the famille Gaston’s telephone, bicycle, old books, dolls, gowns, and furnitures made of hard wood.

Here, you will get to feel how the Negreses of the past lived. You will get to imagine how lavish their lifestlye was during its golden era.

During its heyday, the city of Silay was the center of education, culture, and entertainment. It was the same reason why this charming city got the title “the Paris of Negros.”

Historians would tell that during the 20′s-40′s decade entertainers coming from Europe and the Americas would visit and perform in Negros Occidental. No, voudeville and concertos were not performed in Bacolod, but in the nearby city of Silay.

It was also in Silay where the affluent Ilonggos, known as the sugar barons or hacienderos built their fortune in this side of the provice. More than thirty ancestral houses, or bahay na bato has already been decalred by the National historical Institute as part of our National Heritage. Some of these houses have already been converted into museums.

Until now, Silay is still one of the cities in Negros Occidental that produces sugarcane. Indeed, Silay is a city that sugar has built.

Bacolod City will never be called the City of Smiles without any reason at all. Once again, this charming city in the province of Negros Occidental has celebrated the country’s most colorful fiesta: The Masskara Festival. Thousands of people flocked to the streets and the judging areas to witness streetdancers clad in smiling masks colorful costumes and intricate headresses. Three days of streetdancing under the heat of the sun brought out the party-animal instinct in all of us.

The Masskara Festival is a celebration of victory over tragedy. Hapiness over grief. Abundance over poverty. The Ilonggo people really knows how to live up to the Masskara tagline” Sige Lang, Sige Na. Bacolod Bato Kita” (It’s ok, it’s alright. Bacolod, fight on!)

Masskara Festival Open Category Champion, Barangay Alijis:

Byahilo: Your Journey Begins Here

Upcoming Festivals to watch out for!

Sinulog 2010
Ati-atihan 2010
Dinagyang 2010
Panagbenga Festival 2010
Philippine International hot Air Balloon fiesta 2009 Clark Pampanga

Get the chance to seethe best festivals of Western Visayas all in one event! You don’t need to go to Intramuros, Manila to witness this event at the Wow Philippines. This time the event will be held right in the regional capital of Western Visayas, Iloilo City.

Babaylan Festival of Bago City Negros Occidental

On October 27, 2006 all festivals will converge in the Queen’s City of the South for the Parade of Festivals 2006. This event is part of the upcoming Western Visayas Tourism Assembly slated October 23-29, 2006.

Tultugan Festival of Maasin, Iloilo

Among the contingents expected to perform are the world famous Kalibo Ati-atihan Festival, Antique’s Binirayan Festival, Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival, Maasin’s Tultugan Festival, Bacolod’s Masskara Festival, Passi City’s Pintados de Passi Festival, Guimaras’ Manggahan Festival, Santa Barbara’s Kahilwayan and the Sinadya sa Halaran of Roxas City.

Iloilo city’s Dinagyang Festival

The parade will start at 8AM in front of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, going to the Freedom Grandstand.

Five out of the top 10 contingents in the Aliwan Fiesta 2006 came from the Western Visayas Region. These are the Dinagyang Festival (2nd place), Pintados de Passi (3rd place), Kahilwayan Festival (5th place), Tultugan Festival (7th place), and Babaylan Festival of Bago City (10th place).

Masskara Festival of Bacolod City

The Aliwan Fiesta is an annual competition of festivals from all over the Philippines. This year’s edition was participated by 30 festivals from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

Santa Barabara, Iloilo’s Kahilwayan Festival

http://www.byahilo.com
Your Journey Begins Here

Upcoming Festivals to watch out for!

Sinulog 2010
Ati-atihan 2010
Dinagyang 2010
Panagbenga Festival 2010
Philippine International hot Air Balloon fiesta 2009 Clark Pampanga

Kari na sa Bacolod, magdala sang maskara, kag magsinadya kita! (Come to Bacolod, bring your masks, and we’ll have some fun!)

This is the usual chant that you can hear from the Ilonggo people of Bacolod City, Philippines. Talk about parties and they know how to do it, Ilonggo-style. Streets will be closed for vehicles, large boomboxes will be placed on the streets. Non-stop dancing day in and day out. On the other end of the street is a wide array of foods and booze, while on the other end of line is the fairground and carnival for the young and young-at-hearts.

And who doesn’t love the Masskara Festival?

The Philippines’s most colorful festival is set to take centerstage once again on October 20-22, 2006 during the three-day street-dancing competitions. Aside from these, there are also other activities lined up until the grand highlights of the festival. Here are just some of the activites you should not miss during the Masskara Festival:

October 15 – Miss Masskara Beauty Pageant
October 18 – Countdown to Charter Day Grand Srteet Party. All intersections of Araneta Street will be lined with stages and showbands
October 19 – Bacolod Charter Day. Civic Military Parade in the afternoon
October 20 – Masskara Festival Streetdance competition (Schools Category)
October 21 – Masskara Festival Streetdance competition (Baranggay Category)
October 22 – Masskara Festival Streetdance competition (Open Category)

The Masskara Festival has been invited to perform in several key cities in the country including Manila, Iloilo Davao, and Bohol. They have also danced their way to Singapore during the Chingay Festival. It was a proud moment not just for the Bacoleños, but for the entire Filipino nation, when they won the top prize in the 2004 World Tourism Festival in Shanghai, Chaina. They also won the Best Foreign Contingent Award during the 2005 Midosuji Festival in Japan.

Byahilo: Your Journey Begins Here

Upcoming Festivals to watch out for!

Sinulog 2010
Ati-atihan 2010
Dinagyang 2010
Panagbenga Festival 2010
Philippine International hot Air Balloon fiesta 2009 Clark Pampanga