Here’s the results of the military parade competition during the Peñafrancia festivities regional parade held in Naga city last week. Photo here is the winning form of the corp of cadets of the CBSUA-Calabanga.

We focus our attention on the volunteer devotees, the people that paddles manually the boats all stringed together pulling the “vancuerna” or “pagoda” or the barge that carries about one hundred fifty people including the images of the Virgin of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro.

Some 300 military personnel helped in cleaning the river due to unwanted debris and garbage before the actual fluvial procession. The residents and the city government of Naga should take not only one look but also envision a program on how to keep the river clean and alive again before is too late.

This is part two of the photo recap of the Penafrancia fluvial procession last Saturday. This is a photo-study of how people waited for the procession and the fluvial event in back yards, alleys, and every available space one can occupy to gaze at the passing venerated images of the Divino Rostro and the Virgin of Peñafrancia.

This is part one of the photo recap of the Penafrancia fluvial procession last Saturday. If only to give us an idea of how people celebrated, witnessed and participated in their own ways the tercentenary celebration of the devotion to the Virgin of Peñafrancia.

It’s all systems go for the Penafrancia fluvial and procession this afternoon. The event rolls on at 2:30 P.M. with the recitation of the novena at the cathedral. Tentative schedule here- Procession starts at 3:00 P.M. At 4:00 P.M. arrival at the embarcation point- the place where the images are destined to be transferred to the barge. It will happen at the foot of the Tabuco bridge.

The official opening of tercentenary celebration of the devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia winds down this Saturday with the traditional fluvial procession. It is the combined procession and river boat ride of the images from the Metropolitan Cathedral back to the Basilica Minore by way of the Naga river.

The thirteenth edition of the colorful and now popular “Voyadores festival” was held yesterday at the parochial grounds of Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. The show of colors and body movements through street dancing was focused on the alternative expression of piety and devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia (Ina) through music and vibrant dancing.

Katherine Dominique Lagrimas was proclaimed Miss Bicolandia 2010 in the pageant held at the new multi-million peso Metro Naga Coliseum. She won over four other lovely Bicolana semi-finalists in the September 8 crowning ceremony.

The past days and more to come, many of us get the kind of “high” feeling because of jubilation and things happening about the neighborhood or pretty much everywhere. But away from the maddening crowd of people celebrating fiestas and other festivities, away from the euphoria of highly charged atmosphere […]

The province of Albay is in a tight bind caused by the pending threat of electric supply disconnection by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Albay electric cooperative (Aleco) due to unpaid and outstanding power bill debts.

Earlier, at noon, the procession started out from the Plaza de Padre Miguel de Covarrubias (the Peñafrancia shrine patio). It was dampened with a downpour that actually cooled the air. The throng of people that heared the mass, the crowd waiting outside the church and the sideways of the Peñafrancia avenue where the procession passed got some relief from the previously prevailing sweltering afternoon heat.

This afternoon, the official festivities on the celebration of the tercentenary of Peñafrancia in the region kicks off at the Basilica Minore in barangay Balatas of Naga city. The revered images of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro will be transported via a long and winding procession on the city streets after the traditional high mass at the home church of the images.

The Archdiocese of Caceres unveils today the Porta Mariae, a commemorative arch of the tercentenary or 300th celebration of the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Naga city.

Happy Fiesta, Calabanga! The town fiesta here seems to be a one week affair now which began a few years back with two separate parades on two days. And there are may more fun attractions and happenings about the town. And don’t forget to check-out the video-report of the civic parade below the text post.

Fancy drills of cadets may have engaged the crowd to cheer and swoon. Perhaps, the training and discipline instilled was enough guarantee that not one may not slip in their routine. It must be exhilirating for every participant but over all, they delivered what was expected.

With every observance of the town fiesta here in Calabanga, we also look forward to the drum and bugle corps that now has been transformed and adapted to the current trend- a band more apt to the occasion. The cacophony of sound and music more enlivens the festive mood.

Yesterday, during the pre-fiesta parade celebration, many of these institutions fielded representatives showcasing the showmanship, talent and faces of their students. Consider how long the parade went on with the long list of participants. They presented exhibition and action fronting the makeshift review grandstand, right into that commercial area, everybody calls the “Parada”.

The province of Albay and the Albay Electric Cooperative braces for a bleak week with the looming disconnect action that dangles from the National Power Grid Corporation of the Philippines. This is due to Aleco’s falure to pay the PHP982M outstanding electric bill with the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation.

The image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Divino Rostro was routed around the parochial vicinity of the parish of Divine Mercy in Paolbo. Pious volunteer “voyadores” carried the images in a makeshift platform on their shoulder towards the San Miguel bay by the shoreline of barangay Belen.

Twelve maidens from 11 barangays of the town vies for the honor of being crowned the most beautiful girl and Miss Calabanga 2010.

Candidates for the search for Miss Calabanga 2010 in a location shoot at Barangay San Bernardino. On August 30. candidates don their swimsuit for the competition held at the main lobby of the municpal hall.

On September 6 and 7, the townsfolk of Calabanga will celebrate the feast day of Nuestra Señora de la Porteria. The civil and religious heirarchy in the whole municipality closes ranks to celebrate as one the joyous occasion.

The Parish of our Lady of La Porteria released the detailed religious “Solemn Patronal Celebraton” and schedule of activities during the feast day and town fiesta celebration.

The newest toast of the town in Legazpi’s math class circle is this fourth grader enrolled at the Bicol University integrated laboratory school.

A few days from now, on September 10, the region begins the celebration of 300 years of devotion, the Tercentenary of the Virgin of, and Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

Two lovely Bicolanas took the win in the just concluded Mutya ng Piipinas 2010 beauty pageant. Carla Lizardo and Ashley McGarry shared the stage with two distinct crowns at the end of the pageant.

Come South, CamSur. For all our friends, kababayan, visitors and prospective tourists, come and enjoy the hospitality, sights, sounds, food, adventure, amenities and many more of the premier province of Bicol. Appearing on this tourism campaign commissioned by the provincial government is the singer and movie actor Karylle with the […]

The Philippine Postal corporation will issue on September 8 commemorative stamps that will mark the Tercentenary of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the Patroness of Bicol region.

A graduate from the Ateneo de Naga University college of nursing topped the nursing licensure examination given this July 2010, according to the statement released by the professional regulation Commission.

Look, we have another news-source of joy. This is a belated report on the result of Mrs. Universe beauty pageant. Bicolana Maria Muriel Moral added more laurels for the Philippines upon coveting the Mrs. Intelligence award in the just concluded pageant.

Since this post is too graphic, we advise caution and discretion in viewing with adult supervision. And check-out the videos below the post text.

Bicolana and Ms. Philippines Maria Venus Raj was heavily applauded after being declared the fourth runner-up in this year’s Miss Universe pageant.

Beauty titlist Melody Gersbach, Binibining Pilipinas-International 2009 died in a car crash this Saturday morning.

So how do we get a good impression of the vicinity about the poblacion- Parada of Calabanga, other than taking a snap from the window of a plane or helicopter or using the Google satellite-generated image?

To many who eat always with rice as part of the regular meal, the knowledge that the country is awash in supply of the commodity is one good news.

With the looming prospect of the San Miguel bay to exploratory mining for iron ore deposit, we surmised the immediate areas that maybe opened. Here we conceptualized that prospective zone of one kilometer from the shore and three kilometers outward. The same area runs in conflict with municipal ordinance that […]

During one of those tempestuous days long, long ago, the Lady of the Gates was said to have saved the areas by the bayside from an impending giant water surge. The Lady was said to have waved Her hand in a gesture like pushing the oncoming water far back from where it came to the relief of the residents.

The Alpha Kappa Rho (akrho) chapters in Albay celebrate in a parade about the main streets of Legazpi city. Some fraternity and sorority members wear their signature black shirts emblazoned with the organization’s name.

Mang Jaime lives at a make-shift nipa shack across our house by the creek. On farmers market days, he would get up early and harvest fresh shoots of kangkong and sell at Calabanga’s only public market. A bundle of the aquatic vegetable would earn him about five pesos (one peso is equivalent to US $0.0223 at the current exchange rate). Whatever money he gets from the sale of his bundles, he would buy bread and food for his family.

If only administrators and concerned officials can equate a pastel paint job to good service and health care, then many will change their concept about a government-run hospital. Until then, the poor will be in constant want for good health care service delivery with friendly and courteous attitude from the staff.

The volume of recorded crimes committed in the province of CamSur rose to 256 per cent or 294 cases in the first six months of the past year against 1,047 for the same half-year period, this year. Meanwhile, Naga city’s crime index seemed to follow the provincial trend.

The seven-year journey from its foundation and since the time capsule lowered down the ground, the Divine Mercy parish of Paolbo realized a long- sought dream, the final completion of the church edifice. The last phase that hindered the said event was the altar, the focal attraction of the building.

Our folks would always tell us that experience is a good teacher. I beg to disagree in some instances when the subject is like weather, weather forecasting and disaster preparedness in our country. Either people don’t seem to learn or have short and protracted memory.

Some 350 residents, including children, from five barangays of Calabanga travelled to the off-site location of West Coast high school in Dominorog, were accorded free consultaton and given appropriate medicine, vitamins and anti-biotics.

Majority of the fifty million registered voters trooped to Philippine polling precints as early as six in the morning Monday in the nationwide exercise of electing a new set of government officials from the president down to municipal town councils.

Viewed by the ricefields at the back of our house, Kanibag hill is a balding mound of soil, a geological anomally, perched on the shoulders of Mount Isarog.

Tourism industry in the Bicol region leaped a considerable improvement beginning last year when it ranked fourth overall compared to other regions of the country.

While the combined local and national election brings a cacophony of promises from candidates addressed to all the voting and non-voting people of the land, I wondered what promises are hollowed ideas and concepts that may just fade in thin air once elected.

A boat ride is one way in getting to the city of Masbate and the island province of Masbate from the Bicol peninsula.

What can the alliance of dream, determination, cooperation, faith, hope, charity, hard work, perseverance, community organization and vision accomplish and build?
A parish church and pious Catholic community in the sub-hilly part of Calabanga’s village in Paolbo.

Beside the gate of the public Calabanga central division pilot school is its massive, proud, yet paint-fading marker signage.

People watching people at the bay. Many times I do engage in people watching just for the joy of it. But how do I know I am not the object/ subject of another’s curiosity?

The “Octagon” is a squat building that occupies the municipal lot which used to be an open space with a basketball court. It was there we watched various village teams compete for the championship trophy during the summer night games.

The great divide between the poor and the rich in the country is nowhere more clear than when one goes to the rural areas. In the seaside village of Sabang, more than many nipa houses abound and inhospitable for people to live in. Dilapidated. Frail. Not safe for human habitation. Inadequate.

Twenty one year old Bicol lass Maria Venus Raj from the town of Bato here in the province of Camarines Sur, bested twenty three other beauty contestants.

At 6:28 in the evening, stalls at the only public market in the town start turning off lights one by one.

The nipa (pronounced neepa, as in long e) palm or nypa fruticans is an unusual tree that thrives abundantly on the creek at the back of our house. Obviously it is the perfect and natural breeding area which is muddy and wet ground.

The gate opens up and lead to the Archbishop’s Palace, the official residence of the archbishop of (Nueva) Caceres in Elias Angeles street in the city of Naga.

The parish church of Our Lady of La Porteria, one of the six in the town, gets the much needed roof renovation.

When bank and store credit was eased even to low income singles and families, the first option was to get one motor bike for ease in mobility. A very affordable monthly, some weekly, financing plan enticed one too many in our region; an effective sales drive that spread like wildfire not only in urban centers but also in suburban areas. Add to that the prospect of more savings on daily gas expense, and there should be no second thoughts but walk into the bike store and grab one.

Thankfully enough we have this boat on the foreground. There’s the hint of blue in the sky but so faint and the general mood of the day is drab and dreary. The port at the city of Legazpi is the port of call for cargo and passenger ships that ply […]

Our town offers a distinct opportunity for local cycling enthusiasts to prove their prowess and grit by trekking to the hillsides and the rural country which is literally straddling the broad shoulders of mighty Mt. Isarog.

The other night, I have to “combat” an infection of my daughter’s notebook. It was an oversight on my part the real antivirus software expired a week ago.

This is a sky photo taken during our visit of the village of Balongay here in Calabanga.