Gensan Gazer Aug 2011 by Armando Nicolas PJ

Gensan Gazer

acuteEYE

THE

by Apple Greatson Francisco

strobe (from the Greek strobos, meaning act of whirling) light or stroboscopic lamp is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. Strobe lights are used in scientific and industrial applications, in clubs where they are used to give an illusion of slow motion, and for aircraft anticollision lighting. Other applications are in alarm systems, theatrical lighting and photography, and as high-visibility running lights. The origin of strobe lighting dates to 1931, when Harold Eugene Edgerton employed a flashing lamp to make an improvised stroboscope for the study of moving objects, eventually resulting in dramatic photographs of objects like bullets in flight. Here we employ strobes to capture Julius Lagare in this otherworldly glimmering motion.

Strobos

Live Life Here!

he exclusive lifestyle that awaits you at Camella General Santos only gets better and more colorful with the expansion of the gated community to nearly 10 more hectares of quality homes and landscaped lawns along NLSA Road in Barangay San Isidro, and the future addition of a commercial center at the estate’s main façade.

Isn’t it about time you called Camella your home?

Camella General Santos, 2nd Flr, Mandarin Tea House, South Osmeña St, General Santos City (083) 553 3377 | www. camella.com.ph

O O

Camella

rom the sea’s bounty to the land’s mystique to its people’s charm, all roads lead to the first and only premiere Caribbeaninspired community in SoCCSKSarGen -- Camella General Santos. A beautifully evolving new landscape spanning 12 hectares of prime residential land, this impeccably masterplanned community offers real luxury within reach to diverse homeowners -- the newly independent, newly-weds and start-up couples, big families, pensioners, practically across all income brackets. With fast and easy access to schools, malls, markets,

City Hall, the business district, and the second largest international airport in the South, Camella Gensan features exquisitely themed houses that are spacious and built in harmony with its tropical setting and the Caribbean ambience. The community is cable- and Internet-ready, with amenities such as a grand entrance plaza, an elegant clubhouse and a tastefully designed pool to match, gardens, children’s playground, multi-court activity area, tree-lined roads with flood-proof drainage, a CCTV monitoring system and 24-hour security, and all these, managed by an independent property management team to ensure quality, continuity, and service excellence.

Armando Nicolas P J EDITOR Van Almeria Egai Cadiente Bing Cariño Donna Mae Congson Romarie Ivy Cunanan Apple Greatson Francisco Nusha Heit Avel Manansala Orman Manansala Marthin Millado CONTRIBUTORS Gensan Gazer™ Magazine is published by Armanikolas Publishing ®™ and printed in General Santos City, Philippines.

editor’s NOTE

Gensan Gazer

We all come home, eventually...

INE

S CITY’S MAGAZ GENERAL SANTO R5 VOLUME II NUMBE

The

Coming e Hom Issue

As someone who had been based overseas for more than 12 years, traveling to five contiJust 4 Reasons nents for both business to Come Home! and pleasure most of that time, this headline couldn’t have rung truer. I’ve returned to Gensan a couple of years now, the same amount of time Gensan Gazer has made a following here and around the world, 297 cities across 45 countries and territories in fact, a feat attempted by many to emulate -- to no avail. (We’re happy many players are now aplenty, albeit scrounging for advertising cash and appealing content; we wish them all the best!) Bohol Sweet Bohol

GENSAN GAZER SEP 2011 Gensan Gazer shall not, without the consent of the Publisher, be given, lent, resold, used as textbook, hired out or otherwise disposed of; or affixed to any part of any publication or advertising material in any way whatsoever. While all reasonable care is taken for contributed material, no responsibility will be assumed for its return or for corrections. Opinions expressed or implied are solely those of the authors, and are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or Publisher. Advertisers and/or their representatives shall indemnify the Publisher in relation to any concomitant slander, defamation, breach, royalties, intellectual property and copyright infringements, unfair trade practices, or violation of privacy rights in their ad material. All contributions must be submitted by email to writing@ gensangazer.com and are subject to editorial review for possible inclusion in Gensan Gazer. Armanikolas Publishing ®™ B34 - L7 Doña Soledad II A, Espina Gen. Santos City 9500 Philippines Phone : +63 83 826 9221 Phone : +63 83 554 7055 Mobile : +63 908 337 3005 Website : www.armanikolas.com Website : www.gensangazer.com Email: inquiry@armanikolas.com Email: inquiry@gensangazer.com Email: advertising@gensangazer.com

● Travel & Leisure ● People & Places

t le & Entertainmen nment ● Lifesty ● Health & Enviro Arts & Culture

Paraiso Verde Resort & Water Park

BalikMSU Tambler 2011

Gensan’s 13th Tuna Festival

Back to the subject of coming home, V2N5 (that’s Version II Number 5 for the uninitiated) features four different homecoming perspectives -- coming home to (and from) Bohol, not my hometown but my mother’s; coming home to MSU Generals Santos in Tambler, now supposedly Fatima; coming home to Koronadal and its prized jewel, Paraiso Verde; and coming home to General Santos City’s 43rd Charter Anniversary and 13th Tuna Festival celebrations. Wherever you are and wherever home may be, just let’s come home! Our contributors bring us an eclectic mix of topics this issue: Egai primping and priming the next beauty queen, Bing finding the city’s bay connection, Donna’s 23rd year of making Mindanaons beautiful, Romarie’s Q Bar first anniversary experience, and Van’s rainy day fashion style. Elsewhere we round up two must-read books, and two not-to-be-missed albums -- and last but not least -- pore over themes of healthy living and green lifestyles, and this issue’s FutureScape feature: the Gensan University Belt (Part I) with Marthin. Here’s a toast to coming home, and to all of life’s simple pleasures! Armando Nicolas P J

Gensan Gazer makes an appearance in Morocco! Our new friends Abdellah and Nadia,

Paris-based newly-weds honeymooning in Meknes, Morocco, spoke of a future visit to the Philippines -- “when the opportunity arises” -- as well as other countries in Southeast Asia. Congratulations to the newly-weds! Et au monde entier, merci beaucoup!

INSIDE V2N5 6 20 28

Gensan News: Gensan PNP named as the nation’s Best City Police Office, Karagatan Awards: Gensan Honors 10 Outsanding Handline Fishermen

Arts Attack, Culture Shock by Bing Cariño: The City and the Bay

MSU Gensan’s Daughters and Sons Come Home by Armando Nicolas PJ

8 10

Places2Go | GGPicks: Roster of bars, cafés, hotels, resorts, and restaurants to enjoy Book Pickings: Of Missions and Metaphors Music Reviews: Self-titled, Self-styled

45 Nations Now Read Gensan Gazer eZines

Green Living: Environmentally Unfriendly -How We’re Destroying the Earth

Party Nation: Sponge Cola, Starr Bar, Q Bar

Pinoy Says, Tisay Says by Mandi and Nusha Infidelities and I-Love-You’s

Travel Tales & Trivia by Armando Nicolas PJ Coming Home to (and from) Bohol

32 36

GG Presents Erwin Emata: Everest Enigma

Health Bits: Safe Diets to Lower Cholesterol

Biz Talk: Tired of your work? Try putting up a small business!

Ambush Fashionista by Van Almeria: Wet Season, Trendy Fashion

Mangrove: A Gift to Humanity by Nard Mann

Mr. & Miss Gensan 2011 by Orman Ortega Manansala

Pop Pizzazz by Egai Cadiente: And the Winner is...

13th Tuna Festival and Fishdance Cinco by Orman Ortega Manansala

FutureScape Gensan Series: University Belt by Armando Nicolas PJ and Marthin Millado

Back2Back by Donna Mae Congson and Romarie Ivy Cunanan: Hairs & Nails Turns 23! | Q Bar Turns 1

Postscript by Armando Nicolas PJ: Reimagine 3

gensanNEWS

Gensan PNP named as the nation’s Best City Police Office His Excellency President Benigno P-Noy Aquino III this month conferred to the General Santos City Police Office through Philippine National Police (PNP) City Director PSSupt. Cedrick Train the distinction as the country’s Best City Police Office. In this year’s search, the Gensan Police Office prevailed over its closest contenders to the top spot, namely, previous winner

Davao City Police Office and the Isabela Police Office. The awarding was held on August 8, 2011, during the 110th PNP anniversary celebration at Camp Crame Headquarters. Earlier the GenSan Police Office was conferred the following awards at the regional level: Best City Police Office Desk, Best Human Rights Desk, Best City Public Safety Company, and the City Police Community Relations Award. Gensan’s recognition as the best city police office in the country is testament to the success of the measures undertaken by City Director PSSupt. Train and City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio to ensure peace and order in the city and stop the spread of lawlessness. The award puts this tandem and their team at

the pinnacle of the very best to have come out of General Santos City thus far. The local constituency congratulates and thanks them, the city leaders, and the men and women of the Gensan

Karagatan Awards: Gen. Santos City Honors 10 Most Outstanding Handline Fishermen

n time with the city’s 43rd charter anniversary, the City Mayor’s Office, Gensan Tuna Festival organizing committee and Tropical Motorama honor this year’s winners of the Karagatan Awards. Karagatan Awards is an annual search for the ten outstanding fishermen of SoCCSKSarGen, whose distinct valor, strength and courage spell inspiration and blessing. It is an endeavor to recognize and honor the men of the sea whose sterling contribution to the fishing enterprise is an unquestionable feat of toil and tale, sweat and blood, giving meaning to the industry that made Gensan the country’s undisputed Tuna Capital. This initiative was conceptualized by one 4

man who had seen the trials and triumphs of these unsung heroes, the handline fishermen. Thomas Bebot Haw, the brainchild of this initiative, is a businessman and a believer in the power of the human spirit. It was in 2006 when the Karagatan Awards debuted through his vision. Now on its sixth year, Karagatan Awards has conferred honor and recognition to 60 brave men who have exemplified the spirit and soul of the true sons of the sea. The stories of the awardees -- at times different and at times the same -- have one common defining fiber, that is, all of these stories are tempest-tossed in the waters of the sea. But like all things that float in the ocean, the waters always bring them back to shore where they belong. (Bing Cariño)

Police Office. The collective hope and optimism is that this award inspires the city police to strive harder for an enduringly peaceful and progressive city. (Story and graphic condensed from a post by Avel Manansala in GenSantos.com)

artsATTACK cuLtureSHOCK

ater comprises 70% of the human body. People can survive with little food but without water, death is imminent within a few days. This is the reason why important civilizations are founded right next to a body of water. Egypt rose from the banks of the Nile. The civilization of Mesopotamia was fed by the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Manila rose from the Kingdom led by Rajah Sulayman at the mouth of Pasig River where it meets Manila Bay. The lifeblood of General Santos flows from the waters of Sarangani Bay to the city, and has kept the pulse of its life, culture and industry beating.

When the National Land Settlement Administration (NSLA) led by a visionary Gen. Paulino Santos sailed south of the archipelago to establish the settlement districts of Lagao, Polomolok, Tupi, Koronadal and Allah Valley, the main obligation of the NLSA to the settlers, aside from transporting their families from Luzon, was a 12-hectare parcel of agricultural land and standing credit to supply building implements, machinery, planting materials and fertilizer, livestock and agricultural equipment. Early on, agriculture was envisioned to be the viable resource that could sustain the settlements. In a brochure for the International Fair in Manila in the 1950s livestock and agricultural products were the main produce of the settlements managed by the Land Settlement Development Corporation. Fishing remained

The City and the Bay

by Bing Cariño

a minor occupation at a scale akin to a cottage industry that supplied fish for local consumption. The waters of Sarangani Bay as a commercial resource was limited to its use as the highway of mobility to and from the young settlements. This early, the settlement district of Lagao (which shortly became the Municipality of Rajah Buayan, then in 1968 the City of General Santos) benefited commercially from the bay as a natural infrastructure that moves people and products long before the concrete highways were constructed to serve this purpose. The makings of a commercial center took root by way of this geographical advantage. A few years after the landing of the general in 1939, aquaculture and salt production was established in Amao along the BulaBuayan coast of Sarangani Bay, making the young municipality’s food production self-sustaining. Mentioned in a historical essay written by Rafael Aquino for a Rotary Club souvenir program: “sold in the wet market of General Santos is a harvest of fresh catch of fishes and shell products from the rich bay.” The richness of Sarangani Bay gave rise to a thriving occupation of the fisherfolk who established sitios or miniature districts along the waterfront of

the bustling municipality. These sitios later became the prosperous barangays of Bula and Calumpang. The expansion and growth of the city was fueled by the resource-rich bay. The large volumes of catch led to the rise of an informal fish market known as Landing Fish (interchangeably called Fish Landing), the predecessor of the Gen. Santos City Fish port. Fish trade in Gensan in those years was an important economic activity that became the backbone of the city’s economy and gave rise to its first millionaires.

When Gensan was chartered as a city in 1968, it easily became the commercial hub of the south, attracting business and other investments. It grew faster than the settlement districts established before the war. Today, there are as many financial institutions concentrated in Gensan than the combined dossier banks in the cities, towns and municipalities of SoCCSKSarGen. The old Fish Landing Market became spacechallenged and has since moved to its new site at the international-grade Gen. Santos City Fish Port.

ut Sarangani bay is not only fueling the economic grind of the city. As picturesque as it is clean, the bay is also dotted with resorts that heal weary bodies and tired souls. It also supports the city’s tourism industry. Just recently, off the coast of Barangay Bula, a coral reef of several hectares is discovered thriving and healthy, a sign that the bay remains pristine and unspoiled despite its role in the growth of the city. This does not mean, however, that overexploitation of the bay does not take its toll. The city charter is four decades old on September 5, 2011. The celebration has been branded as Tuna Festival for 13 years now. On the surface, we might see the significance of Sarangani Bay as an economic catalyst of growth and no more; but there’s more to the blue waters of the bay than that which makes us prosperous. It defined us as a people at a certain place and time.

Sources: www.notredamegensan.org/GSCBK2.PDF | Engr. Leonardo J. Salazar Family Photo | NLSA Document Archive 5

he Balik-MSU Tambler 2011 homecoming is unique in a number of different ways, least of which is the fact that the event is spearheaded by neither of its two often disagreeing, at times antagonistic alumni asso-

ciations, but by a close-knit group of alumni (circa 1980s1990s), most of whom still gravitate toward their Alma Mater and its home in General Santos. That being said, Balik-MSU Tambler is not an alumni homecoming per se either, as everyone who’s ever stepped on Tambler soil -- as a student, teacher, or staff even for just a few months (we realized a long time ago that Mindanao State University in Tambler was not an easy place to spend four or five years in) -- are welcome to take part in and celebrate this one-ofa-kind gathering. Balik-MSU Tambler, organizers later found out, is generally an awkward name for the event as the area where the MSU campus is located in General Santos has since been renamed Barangay Fatima, a fact that drives many discourses on the Facebook group (facebook.com/ groups/baliktambler) and page (facebook.com/BalikTambler2011) set up for the event. (Come on, Gensan can still be referred to

as Dadiangas, so what’s the big fuss about the name?) Nevertheless, the consensus stands that Tambler refers to the current location of the MSU campus, albeit a contention reeking of romanticism, nostalgia, and plain, old-fashioned reminiscing.

s a matter of fact, it is this exact same nostalgic reminiscing that has spawned the seeds of Balik-MSU Tambler three or four months earlier. Granted that the Mindanao State University system celebrates its 50th foundation anniversary in September 2011 and that

numerous activities have been lined up in different MSU campuses to commemorate the foundation day celebrations. Where Balik-MSU Tambler stands out, executive committee chair Mario Aguja sums it up in his public invitation: “Balik-MSU Tambler 2011 is a gathering of our former students, the men and women who became part of the MSU Tambler campus and helped shape its tradition of excellence. It aims to be an occasion of reminiscing the past, of thanksgiving, of renewing friendship and camaraderie, and an opportunity to help shape the future direction of the university.

MSU Gensan’s Daughters & Sons Come Home We are expecting more than a thousand former students, faculty, staff, friends and supporters to attend the celebration come September 3, 2011.”

It aims to be an occasion of reminiscing the past, of thanksgiving, of renewing friendship and camaraderie, and an opportunity to help shape the future direction of the university. Support and interest has since poured in from all four corners of the world, where some of MSU’s sons and daughters have made a name for themselves in different ways. Come September 3, MSU Gensan’s daughters and sons come home at last.

Text by Armando Nicolas PJ Photos by Alma Celesthia Dumalag-Aguja Balik-MSU Tambler Executive Committee: Alma Celesthia DumalagAguja, Mario Aguja, Mercy Galdonez-Aquino, Sheila Marie AlonsabeDumaguing, Joseliza Aguelo-Eralino, Armando Nicolas PJ, Rolando Maliwat Jr 7

bars Babes Bar - One of East Asia Royale Hotel’s watering holes, with discotheque, live music Thu-Fri (2nd Flr, Arcade 1, East Asia Royale Hotel, National Highway, Gen. Santos, +6383-5534123 ext. 106) Cassado Billiard Bar - Pool tables with lady attendants, live band, icecold beers (Grd Flr, Arcade 1, East Asia Royale Hotel, National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3028389) GGPick N O 1 Bar - Live band, ice-cold beers, best live guitar by Gifford (Mezzanine, Marietta’s Bldg, Magsaysay Ave., Gen. Santos) GGPick Pacman Sports Bar - Five pool tables/dart boards, The Pacman himself if you’re lucky, lots of lounge space (JMP Bldg 2, Aparente, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5528880) GGPick Q Bar - Great place to dine and be seen in, for chilling and dancing, with superb music and yuppie crowd (SunCity Complex, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5543202) GGPick Red Rocket Sports Bar Warm meals and ice-cold beers (Grd Flr, Arcade 2, East Asia Royale Hotel, National Highway, Gen. Santos)

GGPick Coffee Dream - Coffee, sweets an refuge after shopping or while waiting for company (2nd Flr, KCC Mall, Gen. Santos, +63-833018263) [wi◦fi] GGPick Fagioli Coffee Shop Great after hours haunt, tends to get really crowded at night (Petron Station, Lagao, National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-552749) [wi◦fi] GGPick Fagioli Coffee Shop - Private yet accessible, perfect chill after shopping (Grd Flr, KCC Mall, +63-835542384) [wi◦fi] Generals Brew - Fine gourmet coffees, sandwiches, combo meals (Pioneer, Gen. Santos, +63-835526559) [wi◦fi] Red Ribbon Bakeshop - Cakes, pastries, sumptuous Filipino/Western meal combos (Lower Grd Flr, KCC Mall, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3018388)

SunCity Suites - Hotel at the heart of upscale and trendy SunCity Complex (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5523333) [wi◦fi] Sydney Hotel - Centrally located, offers comfortable accommodations and excellent restaurants, professional banquet/conference facilities (Pendatun cor. Pioneer, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5525479) [wi◦fi] Tierra Montana Hotel - Centrally located, offers comfortable accommodations and excellent restaurants, professional banquet/conference facilities (National Highway, beside DHL, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5547733) [wi◦fi]

hotels iFAMILY COUNTRY HOTEL

resorts iRICHEVA GENSAN SUITES

iQ BAR

cafés GGPick BluGré Cafe - Next best thing to Starbucks, designer coffees, hot/cold mixes, filling meals (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-835542177) [wi◦fi] GGPick BluGré Cafe - Bigger and more relaxing than the one at Robinsons (South Osmeña, Gen. Santos, +63-5521111) [wi◦fi] Cafe Amoree - Local gem, great drinks/eats, off city center but worth a visit (Mabuhay Rd, Gen. Santos, +6383-5542173) [wi◦fi] Cafe Paulino - Unpretentious coffee place, quiet retreat from the crowd (Gaisano Mall, Gen. Santos) GGPick Caffe Firenzo - Gourmet coffees, desserts, sandwiches, pizza, open 24/7 (SunCity Complex, National Highway, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi] GGPick Choca Loca - Pasta, sandwiches, specialty hot/cold chocolate drinks, shakes, halo-halo (South Osmeña-Quirino Sts across from DTIXII Bldg, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi] Coffee Club 101 - Coffee, pasta, desserts, free PC stations for patrons (Laurel East, Gen. Santos, +63-835535430) [wi◦fi] GGPick Coffee Club 101 - Great place to people-watch and be seen in, perfect chill after shopping (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-835534878) [wi◦fi]

CBHL Garden Rooms & Dormitel - Central location and tasteful guest rooms at budget rates (Laurel, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5546336) [wi◦fi] GGPick East Asia Royale Hotel Stone’s throw away from the financial district, shopping malls, convention/ exhibition centers, with function rooms/ restaurants/bars (Grand Royale Ballroom, Babes Bar), business center, 24-hour room service (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +6383-5534123) [wi◦fi] GGPick Family Country Hotel & Convention Centre - Guest rooms, meeting/banquet halls (up to 1,000 heads), pool, in-house Cafe Leticia amidst greenery (Mateo Rd, Lagao, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5528895) [wi◦fi] Florotel - Strategic downtown location, modern amenities (North Laurel Ave., Gen. Santos, +63-83-5540880) Ice Castle - Modern, centrally located, offers excellent accommodations, in-house bar and restaurant (Provido Village, City Heights, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5544423, +63-838269026) [wi◦fi] Phela Grande Hotel - Luxury guest rooms, in-house Meilih Restaurant/ Cafe Eduardo (Magsaysay cor. Atis, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5524220) [wi◦fi] Residencia Heneral Travelers Inn - Prime location, affordable rooms -Your home in Gensan (RD Bldg, Pioneer Ave., Gen. Santos, +63-83-3020533, +63-922-8420103) GGPick Richeva Gensan Suites - Minimalist-modern, centrally located, offers affordable quality accommodations (11 Sampaguita St, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5540410, +63-919-7936227, +63-932-3753001, gensansuites@gmail.com) [wi◦fi]

iISLA JARDIN DEL MAR

Amandari Cove - Resort-quality accommodations, pool, Cafe Amoree and Caicos Restobar (Dacera, off Mabuhay Road, +63-083-5542654 | 8261074 | 8261070) [wi◦fi] Gensan View Resort - Sun, sky, swimming pool (Nursery Rd, Lagao, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3028237) GGPick Isla Jardin del Mar Sand, sun, sky (Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani, islajardindelmar@yahoo.com) GGPick Le Jardin Arnevel Convention halls, swimming pool, 2,000-m2 garden, spacious parking area (Mabuhay Rd, Gen. Santos, +6383-3012513) [wi◦fi] GGPick Lemlunay Resort Clifftop seaside resort with excellent villas, restaurant and bar, pool, and worldclass dive site (Tinoto, Maasim, Sarangani, +63-920-914 9259 | South Point Divers: www.southpointdivers. ph) [wi◦fi] Merl Garden Spring Resort Zip-line ride, pool, horseback riding and more (Lahit, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, +63-919-4577221) Olaer Spring Resort - Natural springs, lasting city icon (Apopong, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3802345) GGPick Paraiso Verde Resort & Water Park - Modern recreational facility with main attractions Moby Wave Pool, Adventura River Rapids, Freestyle Swim Pool, and Wiggles Kiddie Pool, a 300-person capacity pavilion, and food court (Gen. Santos Drive, Koronadal, +63-832281988, +63-923-8701483)

pLaces2GO

GGPicks

GGPick Rosal Beach Resort Sun, sky, and all-year-round white sand beach fun (Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani, +63-920-9212203) Shellrock Spring Resort - Natural springs and greenery, a welcome escape from city life (Barrio Cebuano, Tupi, South Cotabato, +63-9182821801, +63-83-5524278)

restaurants GGPick Aunt Ludi - Apart from a wide array of gourmet breads, Aunt Ludi serves great burger, pastas, and rice meals. (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos and J&G Propriedad Bldg, Nuñez Street, Purok Malakas, Gen. Santos, aunt_ludi_bakeshoppe@yahoo.com) GGPick Big Ben Steaks & Grills - Steaks you can always rely on in a homey, central setting, you’d wanna hang out long after the plates are cleared. (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3030315) GGPick Bigby’s Cafe & Restaurant - Great coffees and sumptuous food platters. Try Pescado Al Fresco -dory in onion sauce! (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5520111) [wi◦fi] GGPick Cookie Factory - Homestyle restaurant (J. Catolico Sr, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5522035) Firenzo Deli - Pastries, sandwiches (SunCity Complex, National Highway, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi] Gio’s Mongo Grill - One of Tiongson Arcade’s main draw, Gio’s has great tasting barbecue (Tiongson Arcade, Lagao, Gen. Santos) Grab-A-Crab - Exciting seafood, crab specialties (Laurel East, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5535430) [wi◦fi] Grab-A-Crab - Same Grab-A-Crab vibe, only smaller (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi] Gusteau’s Restaurant - Fine crab and seafood delicacies (SunCity Complex, National Highway, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi]

iLITTLE DUBAI KEBAB GRILLS

GGPick Little Dubai Kebab Grills- Taste of exotic Middle East at half the price (Gen. Santos, +63-835520140, +63-922-8141010) [wi◦fi] GGPick The Little Kitchen - Serves European (pizza, pasta, chicken cordon bleu), Oriental (kalbi chim, ebi tempura, chao fan), and Filipino (sizzling bangus sisig, buco pandan with lychee) in Mediterranean-inspired and Filipino-warmed ambience. (Cor. Quirino and Zapote, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi]

iRED TRELLIS SEAFOOD GARDEN

Ocean Cave Restaurant - Fine seafood and Filipino specialties (SunCity Complex, National Highway, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi] GGPick Pablo’s Steaks and Crabs - Pablo’s has perfected the art of preparing steaks (certified US Angus) (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5539298) GGPick Paseo Del Sol - Hacienda-style haven, for theme/special events, serving Pablo’s/Ranchero fare, and exclusive dishes for private functions/catering (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5539298) GGPick Ranchero Grill - Takes native/Filipino/ranch-style food to the next level. Book in advance to play it safe! (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5539298) GGPick Red Trellis Seafood Garden - Asian fusion-inspired, gives

Singapore-style chili/black pepper crab places a run for their money (Across NDDU-IBED, Tiongson, Lagao, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3022722) Rooftop Grill Ihaw-Ihaw - Seafood/grill, great city view (6th Flr, Sydney Hotel, Gen. Santos, +63-835525479 ext. 103) [wi◦fi] Royale Lounge - Relaxing café with minimalist decór, acoustic music Wed-Sat (East Asia Royale Hotel, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5534123) [wi◦fi] GGPick Sarangani Highlands Garden & Restaurant - Hilltop joint with views of Sarangani Bay, downtown Gensan, Mt Parker/Mt Matutum. Great for private parties (Tambler, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3040752) GGPick Taps & Mix - Healthy meals, relaxing atmosphere, eclectic crowd, affordable price 24-7 (Roxas East across NDDU campus, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5542846) [wi◦fi] GGPick Tricia’s The Coffee Pot & Tables - Coffee and pastry, buffet meals twice a week, homey atmosphere (20 Champaca St, Gen. Santos, +63-933-9411941) [wi◦fi] Wanchin Dimsum Restaurant Good food, ample space, great view of Plaza Heneral Santos (2nd Flr, Sydney Hotel, Gen. Santos, +63-835525479) [wi◦fi]

resto-bars Drill Shack- Aussie staples such as salads, steaks, burgers and condomwrapped beers (Grd Flr, Arcade 1, East Asia Royale Hotel, National Highway, Gen. Santos) GGPick Jmix Resto Bar - Great food, great music, the one place you’re most likely to have a drink with Manny Pacquiao -- if you’re lucky. (JMP Bldg 2, City Heights, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5542368) GGPick Piyesta! KTV and Resto Bar - Value-for-money combo meals, inventive dishes, novelty cocktails, tower drinks, free KTV rooms up to your total food/drinks bill, friendly staff, al fresco heaven (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5542139) [wi◦fi]

HOME AND SAFETY: ONLY A CALL AWAY! Socsargen Taxi 083-5521164 Cede Taxi 083-5523084 Gensan Taxi 083-3802118

iPIYESTA KTV & RESTO-BAR

Shellrock Spring Resort

A Hidden Paradise

For reservations, please look for Ms Susing at 0918-2821801 or Lucris at 5524278. Better yet, visit us at Barrio Cebuano in Tupi, South Cotabato soon.

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Somewhere Special to Go and Nothing to Wear? We have high-quality gowns, formal dresses, and costumes to wear to your event -- be it a cotillion, prom, graduation ball, Halloween party, or stage play -- even a Linggo ng Wika, United Nations, or Santacruzan affair. We have the outfit you’ve always wanted but just couldn’t find anywhere. Visit us at Block 29, Lot 2, Gensanville, Bula, General Santos, call/text (0930) 2732867, or write to anntquijano@yahoo. com.ph now. Don’t be late! 9

bookPICKINGS

Of missions & metaphors

Blacklands

I is an Other

by Belinda Bauer A gripping debut by journalist and screenwriter Belinda Bauer, this fictional thriller tells of a young boy named Steven who corresponds with an imprisoned serial killer, Arnold, long suspected of having murdered the boy’s eleven-year-old Uncle Billy. Steven hopes to become a hero and win his grandma’s affection, as well as his mother’s, by locating and digging up the remains of his uncle. As the letter exchanges between Steven and Arnold progresses, a thrilling cat-and-mouse story follows. There is something contrived about the prisoner’s escape and the child’s extraordinary wisdom, but as in real life, the beauty and tragedy is in not knowing how their story ends.

musicREVIEWS Bon Iver (2011), by Bon Iver | êêêêê -- We first got wind of Bon Iver in the 2008 debut, For Emma, Forever Ago, and since then we’ve been privy to frontman Justin Vernon’s unadorned yet emotion-rife folk ditties essaying a not-so-pleasant parting of ways. On his second outing three years later, Vernon has brought his game to a new level -- harnessing with masterful flair moods that beguile, melodic strains that swoon, textures that amaze, and vocals that entrance -- in the process expanding his horde of followers, such as Kanye West, Greg Leisz and Neil Young. Justin Vernon’s self-styled acuity for writing lyrics to his music only sweetens the pot. Here’s one of the album’s many passages 10

by James Geary

A non-fiction book about metaphors, this New York Times bestseller by James Geary is a must-read for Anglophiles and wordsmiths of all ages. (A metaphor is a figure of speech where unrelated words are used to describe something. For example, His life is a prison, or, You have a brilliant plan. One’s life isn’t literally a prison, and a plan simply can’t give off light.) Here the author explains the psychology behind using metaphors for different aspects of our life, including advertisements, innovation, politics, technology, and the stock market. It also discusses metaphors and Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism that inhibits non-verbal communication and social interaction skills.

Self-titled, self-styled that would give even avid poetry fans sweaty palms: Armour let it through / Borne the arboretic truth you kept posing / Sat down in the suit / Fixed on up it wasn’t you by finished closing (Minnesota, WI). James Blake (2011), by James Blake | êêêêê -- Our first encounter with this London-based singer-songwriter was when he

broke out with a cover of Limit to Your Love (Feist) that went viral. On this self-titled debut, he delves into darker realms, taking on the alien-like side of dubstep and R&B to haunt and bewitch. This 22-yearold’s self-styled harmonies are difficult to shake off -- a mix of gospel (think D’Angelo), acid house, and lots of otherworldly overtones.

GENSAN GAZER We’re not just about Gensan, and we’re read not only in Gensan. This town is our home. The world is our playground. SkyCable Gensan Channel 21 SkyCable Davao Channel 19

Gensan Ground. Global ® Groove.

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We were a bit late getting on board Facebook but it’s not too late for you to like us. Find us at facebook.com/GensanGazerTM soon! :)

297 Cities in 45 Countries Now Read Gensan Gazer eZines Reader 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Cities are as follows: Davao City Manila Quezon City Cebu Mandaluyong Singapore Makati New York General Santos Brooklyn Jeddah Cagayan de Oro Tacloban Cotabato Los Angeles Houston London Dubai Liverpool Moscow

Gensan Gazer

Photography by Apple Greatson Francisco Model: Julius Lagare (Atlanta Festival Ballet Company) Production: Marthin Millado, Bing Cariño

Gensan Gazer

wo-hundred and 97 cities across 45 countries now read the Gensan Gazer eZine, according to statistics posted in Google Analytics on August 10, 2011. Newcomers Denmark, Italy, and Morocco join the GROUP OF 45 GG READER NATIONS, along with the Philippines, United States, Singapore, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Netherlands, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Japan, South Africa, Malaysia, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Qatar, New Zealand, Colombia, Brunei, Croatia, Micronesia, Greece, Sweden, Vietnam, Guam, Bahrain, Brazil, India, Kuwait, Serbia, France, Hong Kong, Norway, Spain, and Turkey, Chile, Portugal, Indonesia, and Switzerland. Of the Top 20 Reader Cities, Davao City remains in the first spot, besting 9 other cities elsewhere in the Philippines. General Santos moves down from fourth to 9th spot, an indication that more local readers resort to the printed magazines. Outside the Philippines, Singapore (6th spot) remains the top reader city, with New York (8th), Brooklyn (10th), Jeddah (11th), Los Angeles (15th), Houston (16th), London (17th), Dubai (18th), Liverpool (19th) and Moscow (20th) in tow. The Top 20 Gensan Gazer eZine

ensan Gazer is published 9 times a year by Armanikolas Publishing and delivered free at GensanGazer.com as a Flash-based eZine. Limited copies are sold at select shops in Gensan, including AUB Santiago, Aunt Ludi Robinsons, Big Ben’s Robinsons, Blugré Robinsons, Choca Loca South Osmeña, City Mayor’s Office, Fagioli KCC/Petron, Gaisano

Post Office, Hairs & Nails KCC, Piyesta Robinsons, Sydney Hotel, and Taps & Mix. It is also sold at select shops in Davao City, Panabo, Tagum, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Polomolok. For ad inquiries, call +63-83-5547055 or +63-83-8269221, or write to advertising@gensangazer.com. (www.GensanGazer.com/gg_menu.html)

greenLIVING

ust like any landlord, our planet will not tolerate our irresponsibility when it comes to being residents. We’re messy, we don’t pick up after ourselves, and we are not friendly with our neighbors. We’ve created a lose-lose situation. It’s not news that the state of our planet has been swiftly deteriorating, and is it any surprise? We’ve not been environmentally friendly residents of the earth, and now the earth is retaliating. We see it in the escalating frequency and intensity of natural disasters all around the globe -- floods, droughts, hurricanes, etc. These occurrences will continue to escalate as we keep destroying the earth’s equilibrium.

Environmentally Unfriendly: How We’re Destroying the Earth by Stephanie Barker

Our environmentally UNfriendly behaviors have thrown the planet off balance. If you thought the natural disasters were bad, think about the biological disasters we are creating. The greater our negative impact, the greater the chances of more deadly diseases sprouting up and spreading around the world. More epidemics are the last thing we need. As we continue to use up all our planet’s resources, war and terrorism will prevail as we need to fight for what

has become scarce. We need to support each other, and discover the resources and knowledge we hold that could potentially save humankind.

Might it not be cheaper to make friends of potential enemies than to defend yourself against them later? (Bono)

Mother Nature holds a grudge but she also possesses remarkable healing powers. If we take immediate action to reverse the way in which we are now poisoning the planet and sowing the seeds of our own demise, her restorative qualities will prevail and she will continue to take care of us with the bounties of her blessings. Stephanie Barker is a writer looking to spread awareness and relief to the world, one enlightened reader at a time. Visit the author’s website at www.goodagainstevil.com

partyNATION

Sponge Cola wows Davao by Kasserine Joy E. Lim

AVAO’S Kadayawan Festival is adopted from the tradition of early settlers, dancing and rejoicing to celebrate and thank their gods for the bountiful harvest. Kadayawan, which has since become a yearly celebration

for Davaoeños, is one of the most colorful and lively celebrations in Southern Mindanao. Most Filipinos, especially from Luzon, would want to witness and take part in this celebration in part because this is that time of year when fresh fruits abound, generously offered everywhere -- mango, rambutan, banana, pineapple, and the heavenly fruit which Davao is truly known for, durian. Lots of celebrities come to enjoy Kadayawan, among them Sponge Cola, which rocked Davao on August 18 at Matina Town Square. Organized by Genesis Althea Productions, the concert party was a success. Heavy rains earlier in the evening did not stop the pouring in of people; long queues and heavy traffic within the area indicated how much the Davaoeños love to dance to Sponge Cola’s songs and party all night. Yael, the band’s lead vocalist, despite a slight fever, did not fail his fans. He went down from the stage and danced with the crowd. The security personnel could hardly contain the audience but luckily he was not mobbed by his female followers, who continuously chanted his name, their shrieks almost overpowering his singing. The audience was in awe: they were not ready for Yael’s surprise pole dancing. Everybody jumped in amazement. I was just a few steps away when he circled the pole, climbed sexily and slid down the pole headfirst like a pro. The crowd went so wild that I almost got trampled on by the fans. It seemed magical for every girl present who secretly wished she was the one Yael was serenading that night. As the band sang their last song, people were left asking for more. I think another Sponge Cola concert is being arranged for another round of all-night merry-making. During my interview (for a local cable TV piece), I jokingly mentioned his pole dance stunt. Yael said it was his first time to do that; he imagined trying but never really did until now. This was because he was over-

whelmed by the audience’s warm welcome and love for him, and he tried to impress them by doing the unexpected. “I was just lucky I did not fall,” he said, smiling sheepishly, remembering his stunt that night. The interview went well; it was truly memorable. I may not be his most avid fan, but he captured my heart because of his deep and smart remarks. A true-blue Eagle, an Ateneo graduate, he commands respect by writing sensible songs that not only make one sing and dance but also reach out to the heart, even touch the soul. The more we talked, the more I admired him to know that his most admirable trait is not his voice or looks but his brain. As charming as he is, he is not just any other singer or vocalist. His intelligence and wit transcend through the songs he writes. I am truly honored to get the chance to be up close and personal with Yael. Cheers and Happy Kadayawan, everyone!

Starr Rocks! by Mandi Nikölas

OTHING beats writing a piece on bars and clubs more than doing so while listening to Le Duplex’s compilation mix online. (Check out www.leduplex.com, you just gotta!) Incidentally, we visited Le Duplex in Paris a few years ago, that certain groove nirvana only a stone’s throw away from Arc du Triomphe in Paris. (Thanks to the friend of a friend who’s a serial guestlister in Paris circuits, getting in was a breeze. Merci beaucoup!) Duplex is a clear benchmark for the world’s best bars and clubs (it is, in fact), and it’s all about the sound, the vibe, and the crowd. It’s true everywhere, but given the competition and clientele with short attention spans, whether Continued on page 34

If I Had A

Camella Home Series Romarie Ivy Cunanan, beauty queen, businesswoman, banker: If I had a Camella Home, it had to be the Elaisa (Camella Home Series). Although I’m now all set for the grown-up stuff -- career, investment, the future -- I also need to keep up with a very social and active lifestyle. Elaisa offers me the space and comfort I need to go home to after a long day at work, to relax in, maybe 14

entertain friends and family when I feel like it. Camella Homes’ pool and sports facilities also help me stay fit and focused.

Emmanuel Sarifa & Donna Mae Congson, business couple, restaurateurs, amateur athletes, travel partners: If we had a Camella Home, it had to be the Emerald (Crown Jewel Series). We love manicured gardens*, the combination of comfort and function, ample space for home entertaining, breakfasts by the balcony, safe and green environment -- everything that the Emerald

Camella General Santos is a development of Camella, a subsidiary of Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc., the country’s largest homebuilder. It has 36 years of experience, built more than 250,000 homes through 87 projects, and maintains a strong presence in Mega Manila and 122 other key provincial destinations and 44 cities and municipalities, while expanding to other regions. For more information, call (083) 5533377 | (0917) 5134764 or log on to www.camella.com.ph.

offers. Camella’s exquisitely landscaped grounds, quaint courtyards, modern facilities and sports amenities also complement our need of and preference for healthy living, active lifestyle, natural environment, and some sense of exclusivity and privacy despite the urban setting. As with all other house models, we can plan the interiors however we want based on our own tastes.

Crown Jewel Series

Camella Home Series

The Camella Home Series features elegant house models ideal for start-up families and young professionals with business or work assignments in Gensan. Available at a price range of PHP 1.3-M to 3-M, it offers floor area options from 40 to 96 square meters, with two to five bedrooms.

Crown Jewel Series

The Crown Jewel Series is best suited for established individuals who have worked hard for their accomplishments whether abroad or within the country. These premium homes, ranging from PHP 3.2-M to 4-M, combine maximum comfort and superlative elegance into one offering you don’t want to miss.

Luxuria Series

The Luxuria Series, a testament to ultimate personal accomplishment and high success, a badge of achievement declaring, “I made it” – without compromise – combines luster, luxury and lifestyle in one irresistible package. The Luxuria Series comes in the PHP 4.5-M and 5-M price range, for the select few who has made it far and big.

Luxuria Series Orman Ortega Manansala, banker, multi-awarded blogger, events guru: If I had a Camella Home, it had to be the Murano (Luxuria Series). I am very particular with the littlest details and I want all the space I need, so the Murano perfectly fits the bill. Details like the princess window accent to the master bedroom, the pocket garden* for the ground floor toilet and bath, manicured lawns*,

arches, balconies, and lights all add to a sense of drama and beauty to suit my every whim and mood. I love to entertain friends at home, too, and the Murana gives me the option to do it indoors or out, depending on the time of day or the weather. I love Camella’s stately treelined boulevards and parks leading to my own private abode, something to look forward to at the end of a long, busy day.

* Lawns and gardens are not part of house purchase package.

Pinoy Says C

Tisay Says

Mandi

I’ve a big hunch Sierra knows what she’s doing, and that she’s sticking by this man because she truly loves him. Who are we to tell her otherwise? Time and again I’ve gotten into trouble putting my nose where I shouldn’t, so my advice to you is to just mind your own business. Unless of course Sierra seeks your opinion, in which case you have to find out what her real feelings and intentions are, the situation the married guy is in, and what their plans are. I’m sure there’s more than enough casting-the-firststone here, so as a friend, you need to lay low on the judgment bit. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend you don’t know (or know better) either. I wish you and Sierra good luck!

Mandi:

I won’t say exactly how often, but saying it casually all the time so that it feels like a hello or seeya somehow robs it of its real meaning. So saving it for crucial and profound moments could be an option, where its impact is stronger and more heartfelt. Your partner, however, may need to hear it more than you do, so that’s where disagreements and compromises need to come in. Truth be told, love is in feeling and doing, and saying is of little consequence when insecurity is absent and trust prevails. But yes, we do need to hear it from time to time. 16

Nusha Hi gu ys! I’v good frie nd sewbeithenSive ry (n ot he r real na m e) erra fo r m an y years no w, an d re ce nt ly I lea rn ed be en sle epin ithsh e’s a m arried m ang Iwkn ca su ally fro m a prevow on ly iou s jo b. Sh ou ld I thin g to he r orsajuy stso m em y own bu sin ess? min d -- Piscea n1989

ied I’ve bee n m a rr My wife a n ,da n d we’ re doi n g 6 y ea rs n ow a h ectic ho m e life g ood d espiteg rowin g u p too fa st. wit h 3 kids d I lo ve ea ch ot h er My wife a n g h we don ’t sa y it d ea rly, th ouer ofte n -- a fa ct to ea ch ot h ie n d dis misse s a s on e clos e fr d” in th e re lation“g rowin g ti re sa k e of a rg u m ent, ship. For th e ou ld on e ve rba lly how ofte n shyou” to a pa rt n er? sa y “I lo ve on gDu g on g -- Dod

Nusha:

Give her a reality check! Don’t close your eyes and just let your friend run off a cliff! Contrary to what you may observe in celebrity circles, statistics say that cheating men actually very rarely leave their partners -- and cheating is in fact what he’s doing. He lies to his wife and children, if any, and most probably he wouldn’t think twice about doing the same to your friend. Would she want to be in his wife’s shoes? What goes around comes around! Hence, attend to your duty as a friend. Help her to break up the affair, and stop her from wasting her time -- time she deserves to give a chance to someone who really loves her, and let her have a normal relationship without hiding, lying, and counting on false promises.

How often to say those three words is a common dilemma not only for established relationships but also for couples who are just starting to get their relationship going. What frequency is too much or too little? What is the right balance between annoyance and pressure, and lack of affection and commitment to a relationship? The truth is, there is no formula and it depends very much on individual needs. Some save it for moments of profound feelings only; others do not say it much at all but indicate their love in small but significant gestures, and some couples reassure their unflinching love verbally as often as possible. In general, people like to know that they are truly loved. But if the three famous words are tossed mechanically, not reflected in affectionate care or even accompanied by contradictory behavior, they are not worth a toss and can become meaningless. It is difficult to find the balance between being dramatic, syrupy and inducing an overkill, and being too restrained. Prejudices aside, women are generally more romantic and emotionally expressive than men. For many men it is pretty difficult to utter the three words, and some even consider it unmanly. But this does not mean that they do not love and cherish their partners anymore. But as mentioned earlier, there is no formula. People just feel differently about their lover’s verbal reminder. Understanding, tolerance, willingness to compromise and openness are key to avoid misunderstandings in the display and verbal communication of love in a relationship. More importantly, verbal assertions should always be in line with gestures and behavior. As soon as the sweet words no longer go together with loving care, perhaps it is time to ask the infamous question: Don’t you love me anymore?

Travel Tales & Trivia

Coming Home to (and from) Bohol by Armando Nicolas PJ

t’s remarkable that it was a friend from Germany who actually brought me in 2003 to my mother’s hometown in Central Philippines, the island province of Bohol. His intention then was to see about a girl, and I, the tag-along, didn’t know what I was in for until I immersed in the bigness and blueness of its seas and skies.

I’ve come home to Bohol on many more occasions since -alone and with family, with a friend, with an old flame -- and always that sense of returning home pervades the senses. Each time was like being on your front porch, only with a new sense of awe, just like seeing an old friend, or running into a loved one’s arms. Continued on page 20

Come Home to Koronadal City and Experience Pure Fun

oronadal City has come a long way. It is now the center of the Province of South Cotabato, and local entrepreneurs are working double time to provide amenities and services to tourists and visitors in their booming city. It is still the homey city where you grew up but with better things to offer. Come home to Koronadal City to experience the exciting new place, cuisine, and adventures that await you. Proof that Koronadal City is growing as a tourist destination is the Paraiso Verde Resort and Wave Park. The Paraiso Verde Resort and Wave Park was built with the vision to be

a world-class tourist destination and a leader in wholesome family leisure in Southern Philippines. It opened with a big bang in July 2011, and has kept locals and tourists in awe since. Paraiso Verdeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities are internationally designed, and its much talked about water attractions feature state of the art filtration systems that provide utmost sanitation, comfort and quality for guests. Each water park is designed for the enjoyment and fun for every guest that enters the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gate. The worldclass MOBY WAVE POOL offers spectacular fun and thrill as it allows both young and old to enjoy almost real ocean waves, here simulated to perfection, coupled with a

giant bucket that empties hundreds of gallons of water into the pool. For adventure lovers, the ADVENTURA RIVER RAPIDS offers a safer and more accessible alternative to whitewater rafting as it offers the fastest tube ride in town through a 185-meter loop of rough tides and waves. For fitness buffs, the FREESTYLE SWIM POOL is a lap pool with six lanes for competitions, training, or just pure swimming fun. It is covered by a canopy to protect lingering swimmers from the harsh heat of the tropical sun. And of course, your kids will be endlessly delighted by the various features of the WIGGLES KIDDIES POOL.

Your kids will definitely look forward to each trip to Koronadal City as they will forever remember the various buckets, slides, and other fun features of this unique kiddie pool. Coming home to Koronadal City will not be complete without a hearty meal at Paraiso Verde. The food and beverage facilities of the resort is operated and managed by Cinco Niñas Filipino Cuisine. Snacks and meals that are classic Filipino favorites are served throughout the resort. When coming home with your countless friends and relatives, avail of Paraiso Verde’s meal package, which also includes the Filipino classic, lechon. Truly, Paraiso Verde Resort and Water Park will make each trip to Koronadal City more enjoyable as they offer a unique experience that is best enjoyed with your family and friends. Celebrate your homecoming, your birthday, or any ordinary day, and make it special by making it happen at the only resort that offers world-class facilities with a touch of the trademark Filipino hospitality and local charm.

araiso Verde Resort and Water Park that this little city in southern Philippines is growing to become an exciting tourist destination

yet still maintaining its unique heart-warming qualities that make each trip akin to your childhood days when life was simpler and everything was just unadulterated PURE FUN.

Paraiso Verde Resort and Water Park is located at Zone 1, General Paulino Santos Drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato. For more information, call +63-83-2281988. You may also visit their website at paraisoverresortandwaterpark.com, write them at paraisoverderesort@yahoo.com, or connect with them on Facebook at facebook.com/ParaisoVerde.

Cinco Niñas Filipino Cuisine

oming home is never complete without the perfect Filipino feast that would remind you of your family traditions and fun family bonding moments. Adjacent Paraiso Verde Resort and Water Park is Koronadal’s most famous culinary destination, Cinco Niñas Filipino Cuisine. Cinco Niñas Filipino Cuisine serves delicious Filipino dishes with their own unique twist. Take a bite of their tempting Crispy Pata and enjoy a delight of flavors and textures that you will savor for a long time. Try their seafood dishes that celebrate the bounties of the SoCCSKSarGen region. Cinco Niñas Filipino Cuisine also has amenities and facilities for private and corporate events. Each trip to Koronadal City is not complete without a meal at Cinco Niñas Filipino Cuisine. Contact us now at +63-83-2289365 or write to cinconinas@gmail.com.

l boho s phil

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. (George Moore)

E Continued from page 17 abilao Island lies on the western coast of mainland Bohol, facing Cebu across the strait. This triangular isle less than 10 square kilometers across is a few minutes from Sandingan in Loon by boat. It was the drive from the provincial capital of Tagbilaran to the municipality of Loon that was long, if not uneventful.

Those first few moments I set foot on Cabilao Island were magical, almost surreal, evocative of a dimension where there was only the sky and the sea, and everything else was insignificant. It was like being in the womb again, only with my eyes wide open, and all my faculties at full throttle. It 20

was like being born again, and at the same time the world was giving birth to itself once more, and there was only myself and the world that could only be home. After that first rush, the thrill lingered, whetted only by the constant deluge of visual cues that seem to empty and engulf me at the same time: a cornucopia of clouds that perpetually metamorphose in the horizon; the shimmering surface of the water in the shallows, seaweed and sand and sea urchins beneath it; the limitless blue and its hues in the vast expanse all around this piece of paradise on earth. This must be how it was when life first began.

Perhaps the children there knew the things I was going through then, for in their own way they acknowledged the clouds and the shallows and the heavens -- in the way they whispered and giggled to each other in between takes for their photograph, or how they chased each other in the water and bathed as if in one colossal tub much, much earlier. For them this is home, devoid of cellphones and handheld game consoles and the Internet. They have their friends during the day and their families home when the day is over, and that’s all that matters. Back on my own, I scoured the western coast further onward -- combing what seemed like an endless stretch of white beach, negotiating my way

Life’s a voyage that’s homeward bound. (Herman Melville)

up an abandoned lighthouse and then again down, taking photos of everything that moved and didn’t, worried I might never have the chance to do so again.

The next day when it was time to go home, the missing began, Cabilao seeming like a friend to pine for no end. It’s one big world, and we come home everywhere in time. (ANPJ)

Everest Enigma

ount Everest is the world’s highest mountain, with a peak at nearly 30,000 feet above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas on the Nepalese side of the Nepal-China (Tibet) border. Its massif includes neighboring peaks Lhotse (8,516 meters), Nuptse (7,855 m) and Changtse (7,580 m). In 1856, the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India established the first

published height of Everest, then known as Peak XV, at 29,002 ft (8,840 m). In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon a recommendation by Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India. (Tibetans had called the mountain Chomolungma for centuries.) Waugh named the mountain after his predecessor in the post, Sir George Everest. The highest mountain in the world attracts many well-experienced mountaineers as well as novice climbers willing to hire professional guides. While not posing substantial technical

climbing challenges on the standard route (other eightthousanders such as K2 or Nanga Parbat are much more difficult), Everest presents dangers such as altitude sickness, weather and wind. By the end of the 2008 climbing season, there had been 4,102 ascents to the summit by about 2,700 individuals. Climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal, which requires climbers to obtain permits costing up to US$25,000 per person. By the end of 2009 Everest had claimed 216 lives, including eight who perished during a 1996 storm high on the mountain. Conditions are so difficult in the death

zone (altitudes higher than 8,000 m or 26,000 ft) that most corpses have been left where they fell. Some of them are still visible from standard climbing routes. Based on the Himalayan Database, Erwin Pastor Emata (born 1973 in Davao City), below, is the third Filipino to reach Everest’s peak. Leo Oracion is the second Filipino on top of Mount Everest, next only to Dale Abenojar, the first to summit on 15 May 2006, just two days sooner than Leo and three days earlier than Erwin. (Technical data extracted from Wikipedia.com)

You’ve climbed the highest mountain in the world. What’s left? It’s all downhill from there. You’ve got to set your sights on something higher than Everest. (Willi Unsoeld)

Photo of Erwin Emata by Van Almeria 22

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Safe Diets to Lower Cholesterol

healthBITS

by Todd Peterson

f you have high cholesterol and want to lower it, you may consider changing your diet. There is no shortage of diets on the market today to help you do this.

You can lower your cholesterol by eating foods that include more plant-based foods. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes are great excellent substitutes for high cholesterol foods. Choose foods like cereals, breads, rice, pasta, and other grains, as well as dry beans and peas. These are high in starch and fiber and low in

saturated fat and calories. These kinds of foods naturally contain a low amount of fat and cholesterol and should be added to your menu; but some bakery breads and sweet bread products that are made with high-fat, highcholesterol milk, butter and eggs should be consumed sparingly. Six to eleven servings of foods from this group each day is recommended. People who have low HDL (the good cholesterol), should keep their carbohydrate intake below the maximum of 60% of total calories. Too many carbohydrates will force your liver to increase its production of cholesterol resulting in high cholesterol rather than decreasing the cholesterol in the blood. If you follow a diet regimen that allows low animal product intake, your cholesterol levels should improve. A lot of animal products are high in cholesterol and are high in saturated fats.

Saturated fats will actually raise your blood cholesterol level more than simply eating cholesterol itself. Red meat with visible fat, organ meat, processed meat like bologna and salami, duck, and goose are an example of some foods that are really high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Foods that are made from animals like butter, egg yolks, cheese and even ice cream are also high in cholesterol and saturated fats. Consuming excess animal products of this type will prevent you from lowering your cholesterol level. Another diet avenue that

you can consider to lower your cholesterol is to decrease the amount of trans fat you consume. Although saturated fats do increase your bad cholesterol trans fats will do this as well. Trans fat will also lower your HDL levels. Look at the ingredient list on the food label to see if it has trans fats. Trans fat containing foods usually have words printed on the label like shortening and hydrogenated vegetable oil (even partially). The ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance. Close to the end of the list you will find the smaller amounts of trans fat. You can also look under fat. Trans fat, often listed just after the saturated fat, is found in foods like salad dressing, vegetable shortening, sweets, baked goods, fried foods, and other processed foods. When trying to lower your cholesterol, these types of foods should be avoided. Todd Peterson has done extensive research on nutrition and heart health for many years. For more info on diets to lower cholesterol, visit his website on maintaining healthy cholesterol levels the natural and healthy way: how-lower-cholesterol.com.

Zone 1, Gen. Paulino Santos Drive, Koronadal, South Cotabato | +63-83-2281988 | paraisoverresortandwaterpark.com

bizTALK

re you one of those who really feel continuously burned out with work? It’s like there isn’t any more progress or fulfillment in what you’re performing. Frequently, you just appear like a robot programmed to do the routine over and over again. If this so, why don’t you contemplate a brand new job or an entirely unique career path? Or better yet, put up your own business, where you will be your own boss and at the same time you’ll oversee everything that the business entails. Putting up a business, even as tiny as a popcorn or snow cone stand, might be a significant challenge. There are a lot of factors that you simply have to consider, but in spite of the heavy work, you will find it very satisfying not only financially but also in terms of personal fulfillment. It’s a key achievement

Tired of your work? Try putting up a small business! by Brett Bushman

you would surely be proud of. So what do you need to put up a little but profitable business? Here are the first steps.

would require business permits and a lot more. It can be ideal to consult a business professional as a way to have a thorough understanding of this procedure. Don’t be discouraged by this step. Although there are loads of paperwork, everything could be worth it in the end.

Step 1 - Decide on your business undertaking. You need to consider several aspects. One is profitability. It doesn’t make sense to go for one that doesn’t earn you any cash. You also have to pick something that you get pleasure from. If you are a foodie, a food stand could be an excellent option. If you’re a pet lover, you may wish to open a pet shop. If you enjoy computers, try selling them. Not surprisingly, you also have to know something about the business that you’re putting up. If not, it is best to brush up on your knowledge.

interesting, but also relevant to the business, and must be brief and basic enough to stick in the minds of your possible buyers. Go online to check out numerous concepts for names that apply to your business option.

Step 2 - Think of a name, something catchy, creative, and

Step 3 - Organize the requirements. Putting up a business

Step 4 - Raise capital. Obtaining a bank loan is one option, but you need to calculate your finances properly to ascertain just how much of a loan you’ll be able to comfortably afford. Step 5 - Invest on quality equipment. If you’re going to put up a popcorn or snow cone stand, you’ll come across plenty of commercial popcorn and snow cone machines too choose from online. The author invites you to visit historicalclothingrealm.com.

ambushFASHIONISTA

enerals were basking in the mystic beauty of the sun here in the south while the southern winds swayed and swaggered during the fine days of July, when I was sent to Luzon for business cum pseudo vacation. I envied the idea that most people in General Santos were happier than I was; I considered myself unfortunate to experience the monsoons during most of the period of my travel. On the brighter side, nevertheless, rain can be a good topic for a fashion article. More often than not, fashion is dependent on the season. Rain, on the other hand, is indecisive. We can’t control or even decide when it should come. It cannot be stopped.

by Van Almeria

Instead, it forces us to go on, with or without it. We always think of jackets and sweaters as portable garments when the weatherman announces even the slightest chance of rain. The term jacket comes from the French jaquette, referring to either a man’s morning coat or the coat of a lady’s suit. Jackets are light coats with a zipped or buttoned front opening. It is similar to a zip-less sweater, which is relatively thicker compared to a jacket. Both jackets and sweaters are perfect for protecting ourselves against rain. They are perfect shields even on the foulest of days. Wearing jackets and sweaters is a fashion statement for some, who make it a point to

Wet Season,

Trendy Fashion show off their style in them, while others simply wear them for protection against the cold. Jackets and sweaters are trendy additions to any outfit. They are among the most important pieces in any person’s wardrobe. With so many shapes, styles and variations in jackets being sold in the

market and advertised online, it shouldn’t be difficult to find just the right jacket to pair with a favorite shirt, skirt or pants. For me, it is extremely important to choose not only the right style of jacket but the right fabric as well. Cotton jackets and sweaters are suitable for most circumstances, more comfortable, are easy to care for. They can be machineor hand-washed.

Among them hoodies or hooded jackets are the most popular as they offer warmth to the wearer. This kind of jackets is generally worn when the temperature drops. Nowadays, they are becoming trendy in men as their versatility promises not just style but comfort as well. Hooded jackets can also compliment a more hip or urban look. They are usually paired with denim jeans, t-shirts and sneakers.

Showing off their fashion styles at Mall of Asia, from left, Joseph Christian (18), Mark (17), and Vincent (20) were not as burdened as the weather outside. Amid the sporadic July rains in Manila, they still managed to look favored and fashionable.

reparation is the key to getting through a rainy day with style and flair. After all, you definitely do not want to compromise being stylish into being not-so-fashionable-ugly-duckling.

Mangrove: A Gift to Humanity

Rotary Cub of General Santos City participates in coastal clean-up and mangrove planting

s part of its Environmental Project, and the District Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Challenge (Rotary International District 3860) for Rotary Year 2011-2012, the Rotary Club of General Santos City participated in the coastal clean-up and mangrove planting activity on 13 August 2011 in the mangrove areas of Minanga, Barangay Buayan, General Santos City. The activity was organized by the Rotaract Club of General Santos City - University Based

Text by Leonard Nard B. Mann | Photography by Van Almeria (Mindanao State University) led by President Nicho Ponz Bastareche, and 16 Rotaractors. The mangrove planting project has been a yearly activity of the Club. The Rotaract Club of General Santos City is a service club for young professionals and students ages 18-30, sponsored by the Rotary Club of General Santos City. Rotaract clubs provide young people with opportunities to foster leadership and responsible citizenship, and to promote international peace and understanding. Four Rotarians and 1 Rotakid headed by President Leonard Mann joined other volunteers from the PNP-General Santos City headed by PSSupt Cedrick Train, and the Rotaract Club of General Santos City (Community Based), together with President Isagani Masamayor in

planting a total of 200 mangrove propagules in the said area. Apart from significantly improving the condition of this mangrove sanctuary and the future sustainability of the thriving ecosystem therein through the recent intervention, this activity also promoted harmonious relationship among participants, inculcated the importance of caring for the environment, and developed climate change awareness among all the 80 volunteers.

angroves, although considered a soft option when compared to seawalls, can be one of the most effective forms of coastal protection that also provide a range of other benefits. Mangroves provide ecosystems to other marine species and also act as buffers to storm surges and sea sprays. Holding this activity is an opportunity for

the youth, and the participants, to increase their awareness on the importance of mangrove planting as an aid in controlling soil and beach erosion. Also, in line with the Rotary Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme this year, Reach Within to Embrace Humanity, the event gave the volunteers the opportunity to reach out to Mother Nature to embrace humanity and its future generations. Nard Mann is an attorney, a law professor, and the current President of the Rotary Club of General Santos City. 27

held at 3 pm on Sunday, August 28, at the Atrium of Gaisano Mall of Gensan. Grand Coronation and Pageant Night -- The Mr. & Miss Gensan 2011 principal pageant and coronation night takes place at the KCC Events and Convention Center at 5 pm on September 3,

Saturday. Congressional First Lady Rose Acharon has invited 40 fellow congressional wives to grace the affair. The 20 contenders to this year’s Mr. & Miss Gensan search have been officially unveiled online through GandaEverSoMuch.com and on Facebook, where votes are

also cast to determine this year’s Mr Facebook Gensan and Miss Facebook Gensan winners. They are (shown below, from left to right, top to bottom) Luck Tampus, Melody Joy Cosep, Caroline Lim, Frances Gaye Gonzales, Rochelle Angelada, Windy Pontino, Sheena Mae Gonza-

les, April Joy Balindoa, Ayana Joy Grico, Sahara Cabreros, Romeo Guevarra, Francis Lagudas, Gevic Romero, Rahj Jose, Jeffrey Grana, Gian Cortes, Jeffthie Cardino, Serafin Lim, Mark Anthony Magnayon, and Jerick Chan. (Photography by Omar Gallinero, direction by Dino Veloso)

Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who’ll be the fairest of them all? Catch them for a sneak peek at the Pre-Pageant Night on August 31 at Gaisano Mall of Gensan Atrium. (Pre-Pageant Night accounts for 40% of candidate scores, the Grand Coronation Night the other 40%; 10% is derived from their individual talent presentation, and the last 10% from the judges’ personal rating.)

popPIZZAZZ

peak from the heart, I told Bea, a beauty pageant candidate I coached once for a local beauty contest. Typically, I customize a training module for a candidate, which includes speech fundamentals, posture and projection enhancement, and handling stage fright, among others, depending on which field of improvement she needs. Normally, Filipina delegates to international beauty tilts undergo such training before they compete abroad. I’m sure our very own Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2011 Shamcey Supsup had one before she was sent off to Brazil. But you would be surprised to know that even aspirants for an inter-barangay or intermunicipality beauty gala, go through such intricate training. I figure, it is because even local beauty tourneys engender a beguiling glamour that entices young women. They can not afford to represent themselves poorly. And, considering Filipinos are a mean audience - always ready to unleash hearty hoots at a lousy candidate - an elaborate training becomes a necessity. Philippines is a country of beauty pageants. It is an anywhere, anytime event. I can’t imagine a Philippine town fiesta without a beauty contest. More often than not, a beauty competition is the celebration‘s highlight. Filipinos’ fondness for this pageantry is unmistakable. Not surprisingly, we created one international tourney - the “Miss Earth” pageant - which debuted in 2001. Like many Filipino fascinations adapted into mainstream culture, pageant acculturation is I suppose, courtesy of western domination. The origin of beauty pageants can be traced as far back as 1920s in America. From being a simple sideshow, it evolved into a worldwide multi-billion enterprise. Today, beauty spectacles abound with such hype and well, controversy. Illustrious as they are, pageants are oftentimes hounded by scrutiny – ranging from morality slant to skepticism. Many feminists criticize the parade of women in skimpy swimsuits, specifically. In fact, a local ordinance was passed banning swimsuit wear in such competitions. On general terms, they say beauty contests degrade females. Other critics even question the intentions of beauty competitions. Once, I saw myself in the critics’ fold. Handling candidates for a local contest 30

And the winner is...

by Egai Cadiente

not too long ago, I ended up writing the organizers a grunting manifesto. Point by point, I documented my objective observations on how they handled that year’s beauty search. My gripe centered on the event’s messy management. Here’s one of the many ill-fated instances. As required, the winners were to be paraded aboard a float the day after the coronation night. At the designated rendezvous the following day, not only there was no float, not only there was no single organizer around, worst, the candidates, donned in their long gowns, make-up melting under the midday blazing sun, had to hail one passing vehicle as the parade was already moving along. How abysmal! I did not quit as an advocate of beauty pageants after that though. I figured, the organizers’ atrophic handling stemmed from their lack of purpose. Obviously, the pageant for them starts and ends during the pageant night itself. Well, end it did. The beauty search is now dissolved. For one, I regard beauty competitions as a venue where young women can explore their potentials as human resources. It’s no different from other personality quests that abound. Aspirants’ talents are honed and self-confidence enhanced, equipping them with a positive experience that should leave a positive mark in their young lives. Seen this way, I deduce this is the context of Miss World beauty pageant’s slogan: “Beauty with a Purpose.” Major international pageants in fact, foster charitable causes. Though beauty competitions largely anchor on beauty of face and physical attributes,

it is not always form. Substance matters too. That’s where intelligence, inner beauty and other abstract positive ideals come in as important criteria in the contest. The proverbial “grace under pressure” during the question and answer portion is a factor that must surface. To some extent, beauty pageants are seen as events of worldwide importance. Countries send representatives in the spirit of goodwill and worthwhile universal involvement. What benefits ultimately from these events are thousands of children in hunger-stricken nations and victims of catastrophes. For this reason, notwithstanding the downside and regardless of what critics say, beauty contests today have become a respectable entertainment with a noble goal. Beyond spectacle and grandiosity, is a decent purpose.

his is what I hope local pageants should deepen. Giving a candidate sophisticated training will only be complementary to the beauty pageant’s well-meant intentions. Beauty queen aspirants – young women like Bea – will surely gain beautiful experiences from joining. But what’s more beautiful is when they embrace and share the beauty of purpose that a beauty contest espouses. Surely, amidst blinding lights, a well-meaning candidate will spontaneously speak from her heart, because she knows, she is joining a hearty cause. Comments are welcome. Please write to my_eyeview@yahoo.com.

Fishdance Cinco: Gensan’s TunaFest Hip Hop Dance Competition Year 5

ishdance, reportedly the biggest dance competition in Mindanao, has contestants from as far as Surigao, Davao and Cagayan de Oro running to General Santos to compete come Tuna Festival season. And proudly, the best ones to emerge victorious have always come from Gensan. The very first Fishdance champion was Teatro Ambahanon, whose male members are now mostly with XB Gensan, the first ever It’s Showtime grand champions. Another Fishdance winner, the Amazing Kids from Bula, has made it to the Pilipinas Got Talent semi-finals. It’s Showtime III champions, True Colors, also competed in Fishdance not too long ago. If Gensan is indeed the Home of Champions, then Fishdance has been its training ground for several years now, on the dance

Previous Fishdance winner Hip & Hot Dance Crew, Project O! Consultants’ chosen coordinator for Fishdance Cinco. Photography by Omar Gallinero for Montage Digital Photography. front, that is. Now on its fifth year, Tuna Festival’s signature dance competion swims further as it discovers a new breed of champions in Fishdance V. Event organizer Project O! Consultants again holds the dynamic showdown this year. Open to all dance groups in Mindanao,

fishdance welcomes groups composed of only 10 members ( male and/or female) aged between 8 and 24 years old, minors being required to submit a parental consent waiver. Fifteen groups compete at the semi-finals on August 27 at Gaisano Mall, and the top 6 fight it out in the finals on August 28. (Orman Ortega Manansala)

futureSCAPE gensanSERIES

e’re far from seeing urban decay in Gensan in this lifetime (or ever, we hope), but surely we feel a bit queasy when businesses steer away from once prominent city districts and set up shop elsewhere, mostly new enclaves sprouting up in areas where only decades ago swamps were commonplace. Especially when, where development was concentrated aggressively before, now only old, dilapidated buildings stand.

Take Pioneer Avenue, once the center of life in the city, which, though

by Armando Nicolas PJ still intact in part due to its proximity to the City Hall and the successfully revamped Plaza Heneral Santos, has lost some of its luster of yore. Several buildings here are at varying levels of disrepair, aggravated by the closure of at least one medium-sized mall and a general merchandise shop after they burned down years ago, and at night the groups of people frequenting the area are not quite the same bunch as during the daytime’s, seemingly. Urban decay is when a once prosperous city or area falls into a state of decline -- due to an industry’s demise, inhabitants’ depar-

GEnsan’s very own university belt in the process of being redrawn

FIRST OF TWOPART SERIES

ture, economic slowdown, mass abandonments, and massive local job losses, to name a few. One result is blight -- the physical and psychological impact of living among empty lots and condemned buildings -- a danger to the community as they tend to attract undesirable elements and add to the prevalence of crime.

or two installments starting with this one, we recreate Gensan’s University Belt, spanning the breadth of Pioneer Avenue (shown in the sketch below) toward the plaza and City Hall, all the way to the Oval Plaza and the campuses of Mindanao State University (MSU) and Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU). The vision is to make this stretch as conducive as possible to learning -already a prominent factor here with the prominence of educational institutions in the area.

(To be continued)

SKETCH & ADDITIONAL TEXT BY MARTHIN MILLADO 32

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE Gensan Gazer Gensan Gazer

Gensan Gazer REACH 45 NATIONS WITH US.

Photography by Apple Greatson Francisco Model: Julius Lagare (Atlanta Festival Ballet Company) Production: Marthin Millado, Bing Cari単o

Photography by Apple Greatson Francisco Model: Andrea Simonsson (Sweden) Producer: Marthin Millado

O THE POWER OF ADVERTISING.

Gensan Gensan Gazer Gazer

Gensan Gazer

E Continued from page 13 or not a bar, club, restaurant or a mixture of all three remains hot depends on its staying power -- the ability to build on what customers come back to again and again, and to reinvent itself at the most opportune time. Starr, Davao City’s club of the moment, has what it takes to be in the game for a long time to come. Unlike Le Duplex, Starr is smaller and hence more intimate, which makes seeing and being seen par for the

H&N Is 23!

airs & Nails Bodies & Faces Salon & Spa and sister companies Envy Me Salon & Spa and Expression Salon celebrated its 23rd year anniversary of beautifying Mindanaoans last July 30 at Royal Mandaya Hotel’s Lantawan Hall in Davao City. With a Roaring 20s motif organizer Daniel Lois Buddy Congson pegged the event on glamor and style. Yours truly played two roles that day -- makeup artist for the models of Envy Me by Ada Dolosa and one of the hosts for the glamorous event.

8 34

course, and partying with guests and hosts alike a natural recourse. Starr is a singlehouse discothèque, which means that both main arena and VIP lounge on two separate floors share the same music vibe. Whereas bigger joints like Le Duplex have the luxury of hosting several houses with different DJs under one roof, Starr’s singular theme makes it more focused, doubly cohesive, and so much easier to follow. Nothing can be more entrancing than catching a glimpse of a hottie downstairs, both of you grinding to

Hairs & Nails believes in the beauty of the real men and women of our times, so it was just right to showcase our loyal clients as models. It was a fashion show like no other, with four different salons showing off their artistry and craft in hair color, haircut, hairstyle and makeup. A ballet number by two young ballerinas made the night exquisite. Hairs & Nails also launched their exclusive BB Club, for clients who already availed and will avail of the Brazilian Blowout treatment. A photo collage presentation by Brian Dan Congson presented the history of the salon and how it grew over the years with con-

the same groove, and then your eyes meet. Sounds like a line from a third-rate romance novel, but trust me, there are sweeter (and stranger) things than fiction. he fastest way to feel at home at any club or bar anywhere in the world is to be friendly with the hosts, bartenders and other staff, and that’s perhaps the easiest part at Starr. (We can’t guarantee your successful introduction with the hottie, but hey, that’s you’re job!) Rest

stant upgrading. Hairs & Nails is grounded on the importance of family, the reason why over the years customers remain loyal because they feel that the salon is their second home. They shared the most important events in their lives -- proms, graduation, weddings, and even the worst times, when they have problems or heartaches -- Hairs & Nails has always been there to make them look good and feel good. Over the span of 23 years the business grew. Currently Hairs & Nails have 10 branches in key cities all over Mindanao: Gensan, Marbel, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Panabo, and Tagum. This year Hairs & Nails and its sister companies will have a massive expansion, and will open a branch in Metro Manila. Truly it was a glamorous night with guests and VIPs showing off their 20s-inspired outfits. It was also a night of thanksgiving for all the blessings bestowed upon Danilo Congson and Evelyn Congson, together with their children and loyal staff.

H&N 23 photos by Brian Dan Congson

Back2Back by Donna Mae Congson and Romarie Ivy Cunanan

assured Mildred or Norma can recommend the perfect drink for one (or two, we hope). You can always bring the whole gang along for good measure. We’re easy to please, sure, but it still gets us in the mood when everyone dresses up for the night, and such is the crowd that brings life to Starr. (The operative phrase here is dress up, but mind that there’s a huge disparity between dressing up for a night out on the town, say, in Paris, and dressing up for a party in Davao.) We could be wrong,

Q Bar

Turns 1!

rooving to the music of Black Eyed Peas (I have a feeling / That tonight’s gonna be / A good night) while prepping up made me very excited to attend Q Bar’s first year anniversary. Straightening my back, squaring my shoulders and jutting my pelvis out, I was in perfect geometry as I went inside the bar. I was wearing 5-inch heels and I prayed that I wouldn’t trip. There my friend Randall, one of the brains behind Q, greeted me and led me to one of the cocktail tables. Photo by Apple Greatson Francisco | Hair by Envy Me Salon | Makeup by Donna Mae Congson

but perhaps Davaoeños know a thing or two about party fashion, compared to the generally laid-back General, who’d go for comfort and blending in over trendy and standing out. We’re no Tom Ford either, so maybe we leave this bit to the pros. Whatever the case, we were thrilled no end by the sound and the vibe and the crowd at Starr, in no small part owing to co-owner Jasper Huang, DJ Torch and his star-shaped birthday cake (here we show a mere lookalike, the real thing disappeared as quickly as it showed up) and DJ Ritchie Rich, friends Steffen Eisenbarth, Popee Manapat, Angel Abella, Apple Greatson Francisco, Marthin Millado and Ching Sitjar, and celebrity guest Maui Taylor. If the clumsy point-and-shoot snapshots were any indication, it doesn’t look like we’re leaving Starr for any other celestial destination anytime soon. (Starr is located on Palma Gil Street off J. P. Laurel Avenue in Barrio Obrero, Davao City. We hear they serve great food, too -too bad we missed that -- so you definitely shouldn’t.)

Everybody dressed up for the party and looked sharp and striking. EVENING MAKEUP TIPS: When doing your makeup for an evening look, choose either your lips or eyes as focus. Heavy eye makeup and dark lipstick looks something like the pages of Vogue circa 1984. If you like intense eye makeup with layers of different shades, thick liner and mascara, then you are better off toning down your lips by doing a neutral shade or keeping them sheer and glossy. If you have great lips and want to play them up with a sassy red or deep plum, then you can use just a touch of liner on the lash line, and a neutral sweep of shadow. If the focus is on your lips, make sure to take care of them by moisturizing and exfoliating so your lip colour doesn’t look flaky on dry lip skin.

The bar was jam-packed with people eager for their favorite drink. Delicious food were served. It was one fun night for everyone!

Q is Hippest in Gensan N THE HOME front Gensan’s hippest party destination is no doubt Q Bar at SunCity Complex. Q is where many a great night had been spent with friends and fellow partyphiles, a nifty versatile bar and restaurant that morphs beautifully into an intimate dancehall (albeit small) after the dinner plates have been cleared. On its busiests nights the main lounge and openair terrace fill up to the rafters -- exactly how we like it on a weekend night out. On mellower occasions Q is a perfect place to chill out and mingle, though it only takes a group of eager partyfolk to get things on hyperdrive again. We don’t mind that either. (Q Bar recently downgraded their beer prices when they went exclusive on a particular brand. Read Romarie’s Q Bar first anniversary experience below.)

At the party Ryan and Randall Gotan, Glenn Yap and Steven Pua struck a pose. My lovely girls Chenee Natividad, Ailen Quirit and Kate Zabala didn’t let the photo opportunity pass either. Team GG was also there, with Mandi, Apple Greatson and Marthin Millado (too bad we missed my sissie Donna Mae Congson), and Manila socialite Che Tiongson. People were dancing at the terrace, too. Indeed Q Bar brought a new meaning to partying in Gensan. They brought in the latest music from different genres, and also hosted exciting parties. Partying with a great crowd, excellent food and drinks aplenty, is a Q Bar experience! Congratulation to a

successful first anniversary, Q! Tonight, indeed, is a good, good night! 9 35

postSCRIPT

ReImagine

sing the computer for many years now has left me with a few strange behaviors. One of them is the tendency to automatically think undo whenever I make a mistake -- even when I’m not at my PC. So if I meticulously dishevel my hair and mess it up the wrong way, I quickly press Ctrl-Z in my mind. When I spill a glass of water, I mentally reach for the undo option straightaway. Wouldn’t that be nice, an undo option for the mistakes you make, big or small? At the click of a button, you can start over and un-commit the last error. In many different ways we have our own version of the fabled undo button. Devout Catholics seek the confessional. Office folk use correction fluid to this day, which I must commend for

by Armando Nicolas PJ saving precious paper and ink. Broadcast TV disclose errors spontaneously as they manifest. Print publications, on the other hand, generally issue an erratum (good luck to that magazine that has every possible typographical error and errors of ignorance on every single page!) in a succeeding issue. The list goes on. Perhaps the reimagining of films is part of this undo longing and logic in the artistic realm. And how else would you rectify the flaws or misgivings (imagined or otherwise) of an earlier motion picture based on an even earlier idea or tale? To the sheer delight of studios everywhere, sequels and prequels, even reimaginings of old movies are quite a big hit at the box office. Franchise or not, ideas are revamped over and over, in a way undoing the last effort to improve it, hopefully. In the same breath, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) by director Rupert Wyatt, which stars James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow and Andy Serkis, is a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series. It forms the basis for a distinct origin tale for a new franchise. Though its premise is similar to the fourth film in the original series, Conquest of the Planet of

the Apes (1972), it is not a straighforward remake since it strays from that series’ continuity. This reimagining is brilliant in its marriage of technology and credible characters, human or not,

to advance the premise of the end of humanity by its own folly. (That in itself is a poignant enough premise for the undo rhetoric I espouse.) If indeed life had such a utility, what would you undo?

Arts & Culture ● Health & Environment ● Lifestyle & Entertainment ● People & Places ● Travel & Leisure

Gensan Gazer GENERAL SANTOS CITY’S MAGAZINE VOLUME II NUMBER 5

The

Coming Home Issue Just 4 Reasons to Come Home!

Bohol Sweet Bohol

Paraiso Verde Resort & Water Park

BalikMSU Tambler 2011

Gensan’s 13th Tuna Festival