VINTAGE: A Manny Librodo Workshop

Photo enthusiasts and hobbyists from General Santos City and other cities around Mindanao have converged once more for the GenSan leg of photography workshops given by world renowned and Bangkok based Filipino photographer, Mr. Manny Librodo.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Ronald Rivera

For the first day of the workshop, they had the privilege of having a photo shoot with one of the country's most photographed faces, the very versatile Ms. Kharunisia Jazmin. This lovely lass is a talented young lady who does her own styling and concepts, and is a very competent hair and make-up artist.

The 1st two sets of the photo shoot was shot on location at the Manilay Ancestral House in General Santos city. One of the first of its kind in GenSan housing a variety of antiques and vintage artifacts that the participants had a myriad of picture perfect possibilities to choose from. 

The third set of the photoshoot was shot at Mt. Sabrina, which was supposed to be a sunset shoot but the elusive sun decided not to show herself in this shoot. But still, the photos were still exquisite. 

This Manny Librodo workshop themed: Vintage was organized by Prism Events 

in coordination with the Gensan Camera Club.

Special thanks to Mr. Warren Manilay for allowing us to use the Manilay Ancestral House as well as Mr. Orman Manansala for sourcing out our male model for this workshop.
Thanks also to the following gentlemen who acted as assistants in this workshop: Omar Gallinero, Bong Maliwat, Ronald Rivera, Don Pagunsan and Ybrael Abergas.

For more information on future Manny Librodo workshops in Gen. Santos city, you can check out the facebook page of Prism Events here. Thank you to Sir Manny for letting us use his photos for this blog post. 

The Prestigious Mr and Ms Gensan Pageant 2012 Coronation

This year's pageant welcomes finalist number 6: Nasser Malaguiok who bested nine other candidates. He exudes a stance worthy to be called Mr. Gensan for this year. And of course, considering this year's roster of candidates, we couldn't agree more with this year's winner of Ms. Gensan, finalist number 6: Mary Elizabeth Eastes. Her grace and poise are apt for the much coveted title.

It truly was an awesome experience watching the Mr and Ms Gensan Pageant. The pageant never fails to instill awe and admiration from the Generals especially when the candidates paraded in their one of a kind festival costumes.

It was a different experience for these candidates as Project O! and consultants made this year's pageant different by making it an "invitation only" event. So each one of these gorgeous candidates are handpicked from a hefty list of wannabes.

Candidate number 5: Ms. Sheryle Mae Eyong won this year's Best Festival Costume.

For the gentlemen, candidate number 6: Mr. Nasser Malaguiok bagged the Best Festival Costume.

Of course I couldn't fail to mention this year's winners of Ms. Photogenic, chosen by master lensman and the pageant's official photographer: Mr. Omar Gallinero (yep Mr OSG to this blog :),  finalist number 6: Mary Elizabeth Eastes who is a true beauty in person and in print. In the same light,   finalist number 6:  Nasser Malaguiok  was chosen as Mr. Photogenic for this year.

Thailand Chronicles: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

It was my first time to be at a floating market. So you can just imagine my excitement when it was final that we were going on the Floating Market Tour and have a 30-45 minute boat ride to the famous ...

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

in Ratchaburi, Thailand. 

It is one of the most famously known floating markets, and a major tourist destination in Thailand.

Our guide keeps on stressing that the market has been around for decades. And riding on the small boat, I thought.. "boy.. she sure wasn't kidding!". On the way to the market, there were inhabitants on the sides of the man-made canals which were there probably for years and years. And I think we passed by a huge pipe or two which was literally connected to a Thai house's restroom!  I almost had a heart attack when the water on the stream was literally splashing on our faces. Talk about a real adventure. hehe.

Of course, I was just trying to be sarcastic about the polluted water. But the trip going to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, was like a trip back in history. It was as if I was living in the era where rivers were part of the main thoroughfares of this culture rich country. Most of the houses we passed by have their own boats so it means that in this part of Thailand, most of them still use the streams if only for the benefit of tourists since the floating market is a major tourist destination in Thailand. So it was obvious that most of the people living there mainly benefit from tourists frequenting the area.

At the floating market, the merchants are literally selling their wares in boats. There were fruits of every kind, food and snacks like traditional Thai rice cakes, and souvenirs for every avid tourist. 

SM Cinema's 44th Branch at SM GenSan

It was a wonderful experience being included in the select few invited to watch The Bourne Legacy at the newly opened SM Cinema GenSan.

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SM Cinema opens its 44th branch at SM General Santos on August 10, 2012. The Blessing Ceremony was held on August 9.SM Prime Holdings'President,Mr. Hans T. Sy, local officials and business heads graced the event.

Mr. Hans Sy with Cong. and Dr. Acharon, photo courtesy of Mr.Orman Manansala :)

The newest branch has 4 digital cinemas equipped with state-of-the-art projection system, high quality sound system and cozy seats. Cinema 1 boasts 504 seats, Cinema 2,3 and 4 have 308 seats each.

The branch screens chartbusters The Bourne Legacy, Step Up: Revolution, the animation Brave and SM Cinema's CinExclusive The Ring 3:Sadako on its first week.

SM Cinema currently has 236 theaters located in 43 branches scattered all throughout the country. SM Cinema will continue to hold the torch as the country's leading film exhibitor with its ongoing expansion and theater renovation. Before the year ends, it will open more digital theaters and IMAX theaters.

SM Cinema's goal is not only to reach far and wide, but also to provide excellent service to its patrons. Proof to this is its aggressive pursuit of technological advancement in order to bring efficiency to moviegoers. SM Cinema is the first in the country to introduce the turnstile system for a more convenient cinema entry. It also introduced Cinemobile which allows patrons to purchase tickets online and redeem them in their phones. Another interesting system that SM Cinema recently presented is e-PLUS. E-PLUS (Entertainment, Privileges, Lifestyle, Upgrades and Surprises) is designed to bring convenience and rewards to SM Cinema's patrons. It is convenient to use because one doesn't have to fall in line during blockbuster seasons if one has a loaded e-PLUS card. Patrons just have to go directly to the ticket booth and insert their e-PLUS cards.

Pacing alongside SM Cinema is SnackTime, SnackTime offers a wide array of quality snacks for moviegoers.

"At Your Service" now at SM Supermarket Gensan

The long wait is finally over! SM Supermarket in Gensan is now open! It was a wonderful experience being toured around SM Supermarket. They really did all the research in providing good customer service that will surely make grocery shopping at SM a good experience. 

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Brace yourself for exciting promos and deals, never seen before customer service innovation in the SM Supermarket history. SM Supermarket chooses GenSan, of all cities to introduce many firsts in its products and services. 

And that is just icing on the cake. Want to hear more food news? Here are more reasons to check out SM Supermarket at the ground floor of SM City in GenSan, at your service daily from 10am to 9pm, MOndays thru Thursdays and 9am to 9pm daily on weekends. 

800 Generals can win

From August 10 to September 6, a total of 800 winners of super exciting prizes will be drawn - week after week, after week!

Week 1 - 100 winners of super cool aircon

Week 2 - 500 winners of super strong industrial fans

Week 3 - 100 winners of amazing washing machines

And on week 4 - be one of the 100 winners of Magic Sing and sing like a pro!

Open to all SM Advantage, Prestige BDO Rewards or Card members, e very P500 grocery purchase entitles a shopper for one raffle ticket. So the more you buy the more chances of winning.

SWIPE your way to exciting promos and freebies

Simply swipe your SM Advantage Card, Prestige or BDO Rewards Card into the SWIPE machine to get a promo list of discounts and giveaways. The promo list is your ticket toa world of exciting deals at SM Supermarket.

Freshness all the way

Visit SM Supermarket fresh section and find the freshest meat, poultry and seafood - cut, sliced or marinated according to your choice of dish.

Be it adobo, sinigang, menudo or inasal, name it - SM Supermarket has a full line of meat and poultry cuts, and flavors that will suit your taste.

Craving for fish? Choose from a number of fish of different types and sizes - all fresh catch from the different regions in the country.

Freshness and more

In a rush and don't have time to cook? don't worry, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat items are available to save your day.

If shopping on a budget, visit our takal-takal section for just the right amount of ingredients you need at very affordable prizes.

And with SM Supermarket's best price for the whole chiken, you can cook your family's all-time favorite chicken meal any time, any day.

For a nutritious and complete meal, have some veggies as your side dish or fruits as dessert for that sweet ending. The store has both local and imported, even those hard to find fruits and vegetables.




Get a BONUS in every Value Pack

 Value Packs are specially bundled packs with FREE SM Bonus item/s - with savings as much as 80%. Trust that there's always a mix of your favorite brands in every pack.

 Be a winner with Yellow Tag

Win instantly with a minimum P500 purchase of Yellow Tag items. Cool prizes wait you at the redemption booth.

Food Service Center- for the entrepreneur in you

Find the ingredients you need and other essentials for your food business operations at the Food Service Center. Check it out and be delighted with what you'll find.

Home sweet Home

SM Supermarket is not all about groceries and fresh items - you'll also find appliances, furniture and home and kitchen items at very affordable prices.

Supermarketing experience just got personalized and high-tech

Need assistance while shopping? SM Supermarket's friendly and reliable assistants will attend to you. Or look for press-for-help buttons and a store personnel will be with you shortly.

Allergic to long lines? Queue-busters will come to the rescue. SM Supermaket's assistants will scan your purchases even before you get to the cashier so when you finally get there, all you have to do is pay. Checkout will definitely be fast with our speed lane.

The store also has priority lanes for senior citizens and Prestige cardholders.

Lastly, your coffee is on them when you do your groceries on a Sunday. 

 

There's an SM Greenbag for every shopping occasion

SM Supermarket Gensan does its share in saving Mother Earth by encouraging the use of reusable bags when shopping through its JOIN THE M.O.B. or MyOWNBag campaign.

Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bag and are given extra points on their SM Advantage Card each time they use an SM Green bag for their purchases.

Big or small size, or the chiller bag - there's an SM Greenbag for every shopping occasion.


All under one roof

After shopping (or before), grab a quick bite at the food court of SM Supermarket and choose from a variety of great tasting meals you surely can afford.

Have bills to pay or need to exchange or transfer money? You can run these errands at the bills payment and Western Union counters of the supermarket.

A True Blue South Cotabateño

Its been more than a decade since I’ve moved here in South Cotabato. So the question of whether I am now eligible to be called a true South Cotabateño still remains to be answered. To most of you who are from this beautiful province, but are scattered all across the globe in search of greener pastures, let me tell you what I loved about your province, this often misunderstood part of Mindanao and why I came to love living here. Then maybe you can decide for yourselves whether or not I am worthy of being called a true blue South Cotabatenean.

Pictures courtesy of our official lensman: Mr. Omar S. Gallinero :) Taken from his collection of photos. 

1. The T’boli Tribe. What I love about this tribe is their adeptness in preserving their culture despite the modern times. Their culture has been shared to tourists and guests all around South Cotabato. I think the region should thank them for sharing their culture with us and hoping that they get to preserve it for years to come so our children can also enjoy the richness of their way of life. To get a taste of their culture, you can read about some of them in this post here.

2. T’nalak fabric. Although most would not classify it as a fabric or cloth, due to its course texture, the T’nalak fabric is highly revered in the T’boli tribe. This cloth is part of every T’boli’s culture and way of life. You can say that it is similar to the importance the Scottish people give to their kilts. The T’bolis consider the T’nalak part and parcel of every significant event in their life such as in birth, marriage or even in death. And it is in this deep veneration for the T’nalak that South Cotabato adapted it to symbolize the richness of the region’s culture.

3. T’nalak Festival. Aptly called since it holds the T’nalak fabric in high esteem. This festival is a tribute to the T’boli tribes, the first settlers in South Cotabato. I love that this festival showcases T’nalak in a variety of forms, there even has a fashion show using the fabric in modern, hip designs. The street dancing alone is a fun-filled event celebrating the South Cotabatenean’s veneration for the T’nalak and the T’bolis of South Cotabato. 

4. Lake Sebu. Oftentimes referred to as the summer capital of the southern Philippines. What I love about Lake Sebu besides its cool climate is the tranquil view of the lake. We always bring guests from Manila here.

5. Seven falls. Needless to say, the 7 falls is a true gem. I mean, who ever comes across not one or two but seven (!) falls in one place, right? At first, even before I set my eyes on them it sounded crazy… I mean seven falls? :) But then I know most of first time tourists will be in awe of the beauty of these falls. It is nature’s hand at its finest. I do recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes for first time guests. Read more about the seven falls here.

6. The Majestic Mt. Matutum. Of course I couldn’t fail to mention this resplendent mountain towering over all of us in South Cotabato. Despite the qualms that this is a dormant volcano… Mt. Matutum gives the people of South Cotabato a reason for its fertile lands. I don’t know maybe once upon a time it erupted, but the fertile soil surrounding it continues to give farmers a bountiful harvest all year. During the summer months, I was told that it is also an exhilarating feeling to climb the summits of this revered mountain, but I have yet to see this for myself. :) In plane rides over the region, you just know you are in South Cotabato once Mt. Matutum comes into view in your airplane windows. 

7. Kape Alamid. or otherwise known as Civet Coffee. I've been a coffee lover for how many years now, and I just can't find another coffee to equal the robustness of the civet coffee harvested from the coffee trees in Mt. Matutum. Let's just not discuss where the coffee bean actually passes through that gives it that delectable taste. But this makes it to my list of  top 15. :)

photo courtesy of  http://www.telegraph.co.uk

 


8. Pineapples. This is the fruit of life for the South Cotabatenean. Many of the people here breathe (as in literally :) ) and have livelihood thanks to this fruit. I vouch for the truth that the South Cotabatenean - grown pineapple is the sweetest in all the world. 

9. Dolefil. Call me biased or what, but living in Polomolok, South Cotabato, Dolefil has always been an integral part of my everyday existence. My prejudice comes from the fact that most of the people here have a dependable livelihood (well probably me included) because of the existence of this multinational fruit company. And… Polomolok will not be world famous for it’s sweet tasting pineapples if not for Dole Phils. So excuse my being blunt in including them in my top 15 list of favorites. :)

 

10. Kalsangi. Of course Dolefil’s Club Kalsangi also made the cut to my list. Where else can you find a top of the class residential area comparable to Baguio’s Camp John Hay or Clark field’s loghouses other than at Kalsangi? It Is worth mentioning since our country’s leaders such as President Ramos, President Erap, even the late President Marcos and President Cory have all spent the day or night within its boundaries. Its streets are all lined with big acacia and macademia trees. It even boasts of a 9-hole golf course which is one of the best and well maintained in Mindanao. To read more about Club Kalsangi, click here. 

11. Polomolok Sunsets. Living in Polomolok, I’ve come to love my Polomolok sunsets. It’s a rare treat for someone like me from the Metro waking up to a glorious sunrise and ending the day with a breathtaking sunsets. It is only in these parts of Mindanao where we rarely experience monsoon rains or typhoons for days at a row so the sun gets to shine its rays all throughout the region. More pictures on my Polomolok sunsets here.

12.Ukay – ukay. South Cotabato of course is also famous for its “ukay-ukay” or to literally “dig” hordes of used clothes and what have yous for a bargain. I wouldn’t forget the bargaining prowess I picked up in these flea markets. 

13. Fresh food. The standard of living here is not high compared to highly urbanized regions. There is an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, plentiful seafood, poultry and meat. It is an adage here that when you live in South Cotabato, you will never go hungry since most of the country’s food come from here. The biggest piggery can be found at Koronadal city. There are also a number of cattle raisers and poultry farms. Not to mention vegetables and fruit farms dotting the entire region. So if you are from Manila, some of your food comes from here. We can literally have steak and vegetable sidings each day here if we wish without burning a hole in our pockets. 

14. South Cotabatenean Charm and Hospitality. Part of the wealth of any place comes from its people. Guests can be prepared to be welcomed warmly in this parts of the island. South Cotabateneans know how to treat guests amiably. 

15. Peaceful living. These parts of the island, I am proud to note that people here live peacefully. There are no Muslim-Christian conflicts here. Nor are there an abundance of street thugs or pickpockets for that matter. Maybe it is one of the reasons why many people have come to relocate in South Cotabato (well me included :)).

“This is my submission for the T'nalak Festival 2012 Blog Writing Contest, which is made possible with the support of sponsors such as Hon. Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy, Jr and the province of South Cotabato, Sun Cellular - get two days of unlimited text to all networks for only ₱15 with SUN TEXTALL15, Dole Philippines, Representative Teddy Casiño & Bayan Muna Party-List,  KCC Malls, SouthCotabato.Org and South Cotabato News.”

Hotel San Marco Exudes Class

Tucked in the middle of the bustling business and commercial areas of Gensan,  

Hotel San Marco

never fails to instigate a second look from passers-by. 

It's imposing structure screams elegance through and through. 

A first for General Santos city I think.

Upon entering the main lobby, I was in awe of its sophisticated interiors. 

The chic furniture was obviously carefully chosen. It made me feel like being in Venice all of a sudden.

It's baroque interiors remind me of the hotels I only see in luxurious hotels in Europe, so the only question left for me to ask was... is it also as pricey as the grand hotels it depicts?

Of course, being in Gensan has its perks... 

and among them is the affordable price of staying in this hotel. 

It was like having a taste of classy Europe without breaking the bank or putting a hole in your pockets. 

Their rack rate starts at P2,500 for a standard single but currently, they offer a promo rate of  P1,750. 

For their superior room, be prepared to shell out P3,200 rack rate/ P2,240 promo rate.

For more information, you can visit their website here. 

Hotel San Marco is located at Laurel East Avenue, Gen. Santos City

Or call them at: 083 301-1818/ 0922-8217332

Photography by Mr. OSG :)