All systems go for Davao de Oro's Bulawan Festival

The province of Davao de Oro is gearing up for a momentous celebration as it marks its silver founding anniversary in conjunction with the Bulawan Festival 2023. This event is set to take place on March 6-8, 2023 at the provincial capitol in Davao de Oro, a province located in the southeastern part of the Philippines.

The Bulawan Festival is an annual event that celebrates the province's rich cultural heritage, the bountiful harvest of its farmers, and the golden-hearted people.  The festival's name is derived from the local word for gold, which is a significant resource in the area. It is an opportunity for the people of Davao de Oro to showcase their traditions and customs, including traditional dances, songs, and costumes.

The festival's 2023 edition holds particular significance to its 25 years of service as it carries the theme, "25 ka tuig nga mapasalamatung pagpangalagad."  This milestone highlights the progress and development of Davao de Oro since its inception as a separate province from Davao del Norte in 1998.

The Bulawan Festival 2023 and the province's 25th founding anniversary will be marked by a series of events and activities that aim to celebrate the culture, heritage, and progress of Davao de Oro. These events include motorcade and float parades, cultural performances, talent showcases, trade fairs, nightly concerts, jobs fair, and free legal services day, among others.

In addition, a "Bulawanong Hatud Serbisyo"  will have different agencies pooling for medical and dental outreach and other services to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas  (GIDA) in Mawab, Compostela, Montevista, and Laak on March 4, 11, 18 and 25, respectively.

Another highlight of the festival is the Trade Expo and Furniture Fair which will showcase the province's abundant agricultural products. This fair provides a platform for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to promote and sell their products to a wider audience.

The celebration of the Bulawan Festival 2023 and the 25th founding anniversary of Davao de Oro serves as a testament to the resilience, creativity, and unity of the province's people. It is an occasion for them to come together, celebrate their heritage, and showcase their achievements. More than just a festival, it is an expression of the province's identity and a symbol of its bright and golden future.

The Bulawan Festival and 25th Founding Anniversary are brought to you by the provincial government of Davao de Oro, co-presented by the Apex Mining Co., Inc, and SILVER PARTNERS: Diatech Laboratory Supplies Co., Inc with ComVal Capitol Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CCMPC).

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Commuters asked to identify taxis collecting excessive fares in Cagayan de Oro City

by Franck Dick Rosete

A law enforcer from the Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board of Northern Mindanao (LTFRB-10) inspects a taxi vehicle along Macabalan Port of Cagayan de Oro on February 24, 2023, over the alleged over-charging of fare rates and contracting of passengers. (Photo courtesy of LTFRB Region 10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board of Northern Mindanao (LTFRB-10) has asked the commuters to report any irregularities committed by taxi drivers here.

The LTFRB-Reg. 10, in its Facebook post, said that details including plate number, operator’s name, trade name and the body number of the taxi must be taken should any passenger find any irregularity being committed by a taxi driver.

The agency issued the reminders amid allegations that numerous taxis, particularly in the Macabalan Port of Cagayan de Oro, were either over-charging their fare rates or resorting to a practice of ‘contracting’ the passengers instead of using meters.

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LTFRB-10 director Aminoden Guro said the agency did receive complaints from commuters who were victimized by scrupulous taxi drivers.

The agency also said it had received a resolution from the city council urging LTFRB-10 to solve the matter.

Councilor James Judith II, during the regular session of the city council on Jan. 30, presented his special report on the alleged over-charging of fare rates and contracting of passengers in Macabalan port.

Judith said that drivers in various public utility vehicles (PUV) in Macabalan port refused passengers who are not in favor of their fare contract.

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“Kung dili nato ni masumpo, makahatag baya ni og kadaot sa kadungganan ug imahen sa atong dakbayan (If we failed to solve this, it would bring damage to the reputation and image to our city),” said Judith.

“Maka-ingon ang atong mga bisita, asa naman ang giingon nga dakbayan sa bulawanong panaghigalaay (Our visitors would say, where is the so-called city

Jeannette Solas, a resident here, said a taxi driver asked for a fare amounting to around P400-P600 just for Barangay Nazareth destination.

“Giingnan nakog metro ra boss dili musugot. Ingnan pa kag “wala kay masakyan diha dam nga musugot og metro. Sige na dam ulan bya mangabasa mo (I said just use the (taxi) meter, Boss. He refused. And I was told “You cannot find a (public utility) vehicle there, Madam. Just go for it. It’s raining, you all get wet),” Solas said in her comment on LTFRB-10’s post pertaining to the inspection it conducted in Macabalan port.

Apart from the inspection in Macabalan port, the LTFRB-10 also conducted inspections on taxi drivers in the Cogon area here on complaints about taxi drivers refusing passengers.

A taxi or any PUV under the jurisdiction of LTFRB may be meted with a fine of P5000 in first offense if found to be over-charging or refusing passengers,  P10,000 in second offense and P15,000 in third offense.

AUDIOJUNKIE: The Weeknd x Ariana Grande, Sarah Geronimo, newbie Earl Agustin, Josh Cullen lead new singles releases

Published February 27, 2023, 7:02 AM

by Punch Liwanag

From left: The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Sarah Geronimo, and Earl Agustin

The Weeknd and Ariana Grande does it slow but grooving on a remix of “Die For You.” Originally from The Weeknd’s 2016 album “Starboy,” the just-released remix is basically a reboot of the track as a duet between these two modern pop stars. Whereas the original was a one-way laundry list of reasons for The Weeknd why he won’t leave his girl, with Ariana on board, it has become a call-and-response between two lovers working the kinks of their relationship.

The Weeknd and Ariana trade falsettos in between robust synth stabs and R&B-tinged choruses. “Die For You” is not the first time The Weeknd and Arianna paired up. The most recent was back in 2021 with “Save Your Tears” which to date has just surpassed a billion streams just on Spotify alone.

Newcomer Earl Agustin is a promising artist who just released his label debut via his original titled “Dalangin.” Mixing R&B, retro pop elements and catchy OPM lyricism that comes out entirely fresh in the hands of Earl. Southern-bred singer-songwriter Earl Agustin had an indie-released single titled “Tapos Na.” Said single puts on display Earl Agustin’s vocal stylings that’s similar to fellow southerner Arthur Nery. And while a case could be made that the former sounds a bit like the latter, the sure thing that can be said about the two is their deft handling of the R&B style. 

Now this is something really worth checking out. For the first time, Sarah Geronimo sings on an almost bluesy number on her recently released single titled “Himig.” Released Valentine’s Day 2023, the song opens with rhythm and blues styled guitar lines that outline the bluesy nature of this new song. For her part, Sarah Geronimo equally sings the soulful melodies of this Jin Chan-written song (who wrote Sarah’s disco inflected “Dati Dati) and is arranged by ace guitarist Janno Queyquep of South Border. Minimalist Sarah Geronimo on vocals coupled with a clean and fat-sounding neck pickup guitar sound? Yes please!    

Josh takes a break from all things SB19 on his solo debut “Wild Tonight.” Synth bass lines rumble, and the club vibe is strong on this upbeat track that sees Josh Cullen Santos channeling modern day club sounds and rapping about haters and why he’s unfazed by all of it.   

Singer-songwriter Kyla Miel Camerong collaborates on a modern love song titled “Sige Sige.” Kyla sings over boom bap beats and lo-fi guitars about giving love another chance. Supplying rap verses is rising P-pop solo artist Valfer Alo.

Blindside is a rockin’ three-piece band led by lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Riane Foronda, bassist and back-up vocalist Mathew Dooma and wonder kid drummer Wakin Ramos. Blindside’s new single titled “Antok” is their version of the classic “Harana” and an energetic take at that.

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After a brief spell of absence, BennyBunnyBand returns with an introspective new song titled “ParePareho.”  Songwriter Benny James Giron is a skilled electric ukelele player and can coax the most out of said instrument besides being a decent songwriter. And we can hear it in this tune–with those uke-guitar fills in between his rhythmic stabs and singing–all while looking back at his journey so far and how life has shaped him, which he posits, we all go through.

Palace: PBBM admin to upskill PH workers as foreign investors come to PH

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, MB

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is preparing for the entry of more foreign investors in the country, particularly by ensuring that the Philippines has a pool of well-educated and highly-skilled workforce, Malacañang said.

(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULELTIN)

In a statement, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said that the DOLE is paying attention to resolving job mismatch issues by upskilling Filipino workers.

Citing Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Garafil added that the upskilling of workers must be industry-led and demand- and market-driven so they can find employment that suits their skills. 

In a press briefing, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the government needed to boost its efforts to digitalize available jobs so workers would have the chance to choose where they want to work and the type of work they wanted to do.

He added that job mismatch issues could also be addressed by conducting jobs fair, with the DOLE focusing on knowing the requirements of every industry to manage them effectively.

Energy supply 

Meanwhile, Garafil said another focus of the Marcos administration is ensuring that the Philippines has a cheap and stable energy supply that could sustain manufacturing industries that create jobs with the expected influx of foreign investors.

Citing Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, the Palace official said the DOE targets to have 35 percent of the country’s supply coming from renewable energy sources (RE) by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

In a press briefing, Fuentebella said the shift to RE was timely because of the high fuel prices that burden power-generating plants.

He added that part of the government’s initiative to lower electricity prices is the diversification of energy sourcing.

According to Fuentabella, another government strategy is educating the public on saving energy. He said it would address other issues like inflation, environmental degradation, high electricity prices, and the Philippines’ competitiveness with other countries.