Filipina Soul

Bacolod City in Negros Occidental celebrates October like no other in the Philippines, when the city celebrates its Charter Day. It’s one whole month of gaiety and festivals, street dancing and competition, food and a charged atmosphere of fun.
The month-long activities culminates with the MassKara Festival, a street dancing parade through the main highway of Bacolod by locals and tourists wearing elaborately decorated masks and costumes. This video montage captures the festival’s fun-factor:

Now one of the most sought after festivals in the Philippines for its 10-scale decibel of fun, the MassKara was born out of adversity and crisis. …read more

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image: flickr

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image: flickr

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The Philippines is a dumping ground of many China-made food products. So following the ban of melamine contamination found in milk products, the Philippine government is now looking into other food products that are made in China.
Among the first batch of products that passed the malamine test are processed meat products, you know, like the famous MaLing Pork Luncheon Meat.
So, Pinoys, we can eat luncheon meat again! Go here for a list of the products that tested melamine-free.
Oh, I got the image above from the Hongkong government website, and a note attached to the image said …read more

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Gary Valenciano is among the rare breed of Filipino singer-performers whose success continues to climb, even after 25 years in the business.

So, the versatile performer will treat his fans to a rare, memorable 2-night concert “Gary V: Live at 25” to celebrate this milestone in his career. The biggest and most historic of all his concerts, Live at 25 will be held at the Araneta Coliseum on November 14 and 15, 2008.
Tickets range from PhP 150 to PhP 3,000. Get them online or over the phone –

Ticketnet 911-555
garyv.com
Genesis 721-4405 local 201.

(International calls dial 011-63-2 …read more

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image used with permission: Flickr
What was the first thing in your mind when you saw this image?
Poverty? Yes, obviously. It’s a family in the middle of what could only be a squatter site backdropped with high-rise buildings. Trash all around, and maybe it’s a dumpsite too. There’s a really tiny house/store and a bathroom made of corrugated metal to the side. Teenagers loitering around means they’re not in school, or maybe out of it, either by choice or out of luck.
Blog Action Day 2008 brings Poverty in focus, and the Philippines is a perfect case study. Filipino bloggers …read more

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Welcome to Vigan City, Ilocos Sur,  the most-preserved Spanish-era community in the country.

Unique in all of Asia and part of the UNESCO World Heritage list, Vigan is the best example of a planned Spanish colonial town with its ancestral homes, cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages (calesa) and a people known for its traditional friendliness and laid-back way of life.
This week, we’re going to explore Vigan City and its communities and unique museums. We’ll feature native delicacies from the region and other “what-to-do”, “what-to-see” for both ecotourists and local visitors.
Check back this week for more of Vigan, the …read more

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It’s the season for awarding films and actors, and the celebration rolls with the 6th Australian Film Festival from October 11 to November 7.
The festival opened this week with the VIP screening of “Romulus, My Father” topbilled by Eric Bana. The movie won top honors in last year’s festival including Best Film and Best Actor for Eric Bana.
Touted as Asia Pacific’s Hollywood, Australia has been showing off its talented actors and outstanding films since the 1906. We’re very familiar with these Australian actors who have carved out successful careers in Hollywood USA – Nicole Kidman, Geoffrey Rush, Guy …read more

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  The French have discovered the Philippines!

For two years in a row now, the Philippines has played host to the reality show “Koh Lanta”, the French franchise of the American show “Survivor”. El Nido, Palawan was the site of the first season in 2006, and one year later the show’s producers went to Caramoan, Camarines Sur with a new batch of competitors. With 8 million Frenchmen watching each week, that was instant publicity for our country’s tourism industry. Says Koh Lanta host Denis Brogniart –
“It’s just incredible! The rich images, the amazing sea side, the rich formations, the …read more

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With 7,107 islands in the Philippine archipelago, there is no shortage of things to do, places to visit, and scenes to enjoy.
Within the Philippine culture are countless mini-cultures, each one distinct from the others. Natural wonders abound. Shopping malls will satisfy even the hardiest shopaholic.
Get a glimpse of what you can discover in the Philippines:

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