Events:

Pintados de Passi

Photo credit to Raine Medina

By Pepin

Pintados de Passi Festival transforms Passi City into a vibrant ethnic site. This cultural event, celebrated every third week of March, is one of the most exciting and prized festivals in the province of Iloilo.

There are competing tribes that will be presenting interpretative dances at different judging areas around the city. Aside from the remarkable dance portrayal, spectators are also excited to see the performers being ornamented with traditional body tattoos. These tattoos tell a story of the early days of Passi and how its story time evolved throughout the years.

Events

Gowns at Iloilo Designers Week 2013

 

    Angellete Borja-Ragus/Ayan Jorda

Binky Pitogo/Eric Delos Santos

Jaki Penalosa/Jet Salcedo

John Montinola/Jun-g Candelario

Paul Conte/Poli Abastillas

Sidney Eculla

Photo credit to Iloilo Designers Week Official Facebook Page

Events:

Happily Hopping For Prosperity

By Pepin

It’s the year of the Metal Rabbit and the Filipino-Chinese communities from all over the country believe that this will be a great year for business opportunities and economic recovery.

Yesterday, the city of Iloilo successfully celebrated the Chinese New Year with an expectation that this will be a year of peace and greater success. It started with a foot parade from Museo Iloilo going to dalan Ladesma, where a stage has been set. Spectators gather on the sidewalks to witness the graceful dance presentations of students from various schools in the city that cater Chinese Education. There were also Dragon and Lion dances that people were eager to see in the parade. Firecrackers sounded with a big bang all over the place to drive out bad luck.

A cultural show started at almost six in the evening. The Ilonggos had a chance to experience the culture of China through song numbers and more colorful dances rendered by the students, as well as members of the different Filipino-Chinese organizations in the city. The sky was once again filled with pompom-like fireworks as the program came to conclusion.

For the Ilonggos, whether with Chinese blood or not, this celebration of the Chinese New Year signifies a new beginning and a new hope. There are those who have surrendered their vices to live a healthy life, while there are some who are ready to start a new career this 2011. The story of the twelve animals in the Chinese calendar and their representations has long been considered as a handbook by many people to help them fulfil their dreams. The charms and gems that promise luck and fortune were also patronized by many, especially those who are doing business.

But then again, fate cannot fully be determined by the Chinese symbols and ornaments. It is still a person’s choice on how he will live his life that will decide what he will be in the future. The Chinese New Year itself is just a reminder that everybody has a year to make their lives better and work hard that everything will fall in the right place.

Events:

It's Dagyang time once again

in the city of love

By Pepin


Groovin' during the Kapamilya
Dinagyang Dance Showdown

 Iloilo city, home of the Dinagyang Festival, is more than ready to rock the world this 2011 with the loudest drum beats and the flamboyant display of culture.

With a theme of “Iloilo’s Finest, Nation’s Best,” this year’s edition of the world class festival will again set a new height in Philippine cultural celebration and will aim to further boost the tourism industry of the country. People from different parts of the globe will travel to Iloilo, known as the city of love, to witness the spectacular event that takes place every fourth Sunday of January.

During the first few days of the 2011, several activities have already taken place. These include the Kapamilya Dinagyang Dance Showdown at SM City Iloilo, and the Dressing up the Dagoy Doll at Robinson’s Place Iloilo. The gorgeous delegates for the 2011 Miss Dinagyang Pageant have already been revealed to the public, and they will be competing in various pageant activities, including a talent show. The final pageant night will be hosted by one of the sought-after actors in the country today, Derek Ramsay.

Dressing up the Dagoy doll contest held at Robinson's Place Iloilo

Heating up the dancefloor during Kapamilya

Dinagyang Dance Showdown

Other activities to watch out for are Luces in the sky pyro-musical display, Tambor Trumpa Martsa Musika, Sponsors Mardi Gras, The Little Miss Dinagyang, and the Dinagyang Photo Exhibit.

Dinagyang 2011 will be another blast in Iloilo’s history, as more and more people will bear witness to this undisputed event that only happens in a city that serves as the heart of the country.

Events:

Spotlight On Little Monsters

The 2010 Witches And Wizards

Costume Contest For Kids

SM City Iloilo was turned into a huge house of fright as children age three years old and up donned their spooky Halloween costumes and lurked around the mall last October 31, 2010 for the annual Witches and Wizards Costume Contest for Kids.

Little girls dressed like witches were the ones who dominated the crowd. Their bloodcurdling faces and huge brooms frightened little kids, as well as adults. There were also young boys on wizard costumes, who waved their wands and mumbled their spells as they passed by a crowded lane. Other kids were clad as animals, super heroes, and characters from folklores and ghost stories.

The participants of the contest paraded around the mall and were asked to pose on stage afterwards. They impressed the crowd with their horrifying facial expressions and body movements as their names were called one by one. The much-loved costumes were awarded with big prizes. This year’s category included the scariest costume, the funniest costume, and the most creative costume.

Other kids, who did not reach the age requirement of the contest, also dressed up to celebrate Halloween. They roamed around the mall carrying pumpkin baskets to collect candies from the event sponsors. It was also a family day, because parents and grandparents enjoyed a lot of their time with the kids.

  

Events:

Bamboo: The Green Gold

Iloilo Bamboo Market Week 2010

By pepin

The bamboo has become a part of the Filipino culture for so many centuries. Its many valuable contributions to the lives of every pinoy made it as one of the most treasured gifts of Mother Nature.

From October 8 to 14, 2010, SM City Iloilo is home to the annual celebration of the Iloilo Bamboo Market Week. With a theme of “Bamboo: The Green Gold,” the said event aims to promote bamboo as one of the best raw materials for so many things, such as tables, window panes, arm chairs, accessories, and even as ingredients to cooking.

The week long fair includes exhibits of finished bamboo products of some local craftsmen and artists, essay writing contest, bamboo food preparation contest, painting contest, and a forum about the bamboo and the environment. All of these activities are thought to raise people’s awareness on how versatile and functional this natural gift can be.

A team from John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation (JBLCF) joins

the bamboo food preparation contest.

Judges deliberating over food taste.

An exhibit of some of the finest bamboo crafts

Participants for the bamboo food preparation contest

get ready for the panel of judges.

A unique delicacy called Bamboo Shoot  Bringis

Events:

Her Secrets Revealed To The World

The visit of the International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Iloilo City

By Pepin

A grand celebration welcomed the International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima from Portugal last September 7, 2010 at the Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Alta Tierra Village, Jaro, Iloilo City. Hundreds of devotees from the different parishes of the Archdiocese of Jaro gathered as one to witness the event.

At around one in the afternoon, the image arrived at Jaro Cathedral and together with a motorcade participated by different religious groups, it was brought to the parish where it will stay for almost a week. At the entrance of the village, a solemn procession was held and school children from catholic schools waved blue and white flags to express their gratefulness to the Holy Mother. After which, a simple, yet meaningful ceremony was held at the church, and white doves where released to honor her. The local leaders, Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Governor Arthur Defensor, crowned the statue as a symbol of consecration.

Hundreds more of devotees from all over Panay are expected to pay homage to the pilgrim image as the days goes by. There will be novenas, masses, praying of the rosary, and simple gatherings of the faithful followers to take place. On September 8, volume of devotees is also anticipated to celebrate the birthday of the Holy Mother at the parish.

The title, Our Lady of Fatima, of the Blessed Virgin Mary was given to her after she appeared to the three shepherd children, namely Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco on May 13, 1917 in Fatima, Portugal. Her apparition did not only happen once but for six consecutive times. During those events, she revealed three secrets to the children, which includes ways on how to save souls from hell. At present, these secrets are fully revealed, and through these visits of her pilgrim statue to different parts of the world, the people are being informed.

Events:

Fiesta 2010: Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

by Pepin

Much to the heavy traffic and frenzied fair, the 2010 Fiesta of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria at Jaro, Iloilo City was in every inch a victorious celebration last February 2. People of different ages from every corner of Panay, and even across the country and the globe, flocked the festivity to honor the Lady, who is considered by many as an inspiration and a miracle worker.

During the mass, the cathedral was overcrowded by faithful devotees, while several others endured a long queue to pay homage to the image of the Holy Mother at the balcony of the church. Most of them prayed for good health, more success in life, and a peaceful and honest election come May 2010. Some of the pilgrims offered flowers, while a lot of them lit their fuchsia perdon (candles) on designated spots for candle lighting in honor of the patron Mother. Other religious practices that were commonly done were the palapak (blessing of an individual by stamping his head with a statuette of the Holy Mother), and pinning of devotional scapulars to devotees.

While the mass was going on inside, piercing voices of merchants screaming around the borders of the cathedral capitulated people’s attention. They took the opportunity to earn by selling different products, such as potteries, home decors, ornamental plants, pillow cases, balloons, and fashion accessories. Aside from the small businesses, there were also several handicaps soliciting for alms.

In the afternoon, people witnessed a solemn procession, which was participated by different religious sectors of the Archdioses of Jaro, students from various Catholic schools in Iloilo, and more faithful devotees of Our Lady of Candles. The procession was followed by the coronation of Ms. Clarice Helene Guadarrama Saulong, the elected queen of the 2010 Jaro Agro-industrial fair.

Above all, it was a successful fiesta even if there were some police reports of atypical events. Merchants earned their fair share of their income, guests enjoyed a scrumptious dinner at their friends’ homes, and the solemnity of the feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria and her message to the people were greatly emphasized.

Decorating the altar the night before the fiesta

People flock to Jaro church to attend mass

The perdon is being sold at 23 pesos per piece and

115 pesos per pack

This year's official color of the perdon is fuchsia pink

Small business opportunities booms around the Jaro church

Other people came, not to attend mass, but to buy

products being sold in the Jaro Agro-industrial fair