Gensan Gazer August 2010 by Armando Nicolas PJ

Arts & Entertainment ● City Life ● Shopping ● Tools & Gadgets ● Weekend Getaways ● Wining & Dining

Gensan Gazer

General Santos City’s First Lifestyle, Trades & Travel Magazine ● August 2010

ready or not,

tuna festival

rocks gensan again! Exclusive: Tuna Festival 2010 Sneak Peek XB Gensan: The Boys Who Wore Skirts

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P-Noy, Darlene, iPhone 4 & More!

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MP Princess Digital Printing Solutions JMP2 Bldg, Aparente St General Santos (083) 552 8880 JMP Printing Press JMP2 Bldg, Aparente St General Santos (083) 303 5052

JMIX Resto Bar JMP2 Bldg, Aparente St General Santos (083) 552 8880 (0928) 776 1240 Pacman Sports Bar JMP2 Bldg, Aparente St General Santos (083) 552 8880

Armando Nicolas P J Editor Bing Cariño Donna Mae Congson Romarie Ivy Cunanan Apple Greatson Francisco Avel Manansala Orman Manansala Marthin Millado Guest Contributors Angelo B. Sangrador Advertising Sales Jay Harvey G J Circulation Gensan Gazer™ Magazine is published monthly and distributed free in General Santos and SoCCSKSarGen by Armanikolas Publishing ®™. It is printed by Gregoria Printing Press in Gen. Santos City, Philippines. Gensan Gazer shall not, without the consent of the Publisher, be given, lent, resold, used as textbook, hired out or otherwise disposed of; or affixed to any part of any publication or advertising material in any way whatsoever. While all reasonable care is taken for contributed material, no responsibility will be assumed for its return or for corrections. Opinions expressed or implied in Gensan Gazer are solely those of the authors, and are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or Publisher. Advertisers and/or their representatives shall indemnify the Publisher in relation to any slander, defamation, breach, royalties, intellectual property and copyright infringements, unfair trade practices, or violation of privacy rights. All photo and story contributions must be submitted to writing@gensangazer.com and are subject to editorial review for possible inclusion in any issue of Gensan Gazer. Armanikolas Publishing ®™ B34 - L7 Doña Soledad II A, Espina Gen. Santos City 9500 Philippines Phone : +63 83 826 9221 Phone : +63 83 554 7055 Mobile : +63 908 337 3005 Website : www.armanikolas.com Website : www.gensangazer.com Email: inquiry@armanikolas.com Email: inquiry@gensangazer.com Email:jobs@gensangazer.com Email: advertising@gensangazer.com

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Gensan Gazer For your advertising opportunities and options contact: Angelo B. Sangrador angelo.sangrador@ gensangazer.com 0939.5426217 (Smart) 0908.8883423 (Smart) 0922.8632233 (Sun)

editor’s

note his issue of Gensan Gazer sports a few firsts, among them the inclusion of City Hall Snapshots by Avel Manansala, Culture Shock|Arts attack by Bing Cariño, an expanded Urban Living, GGList, and our first tear-out ad. City Hall Snapshots gives us a first-hand look at the goings-on inside the city’s highest office, while Urban Living now features places and people to watch, as well as practical insights into green living. Culture Shock|Arts Attack is an inquiry into Gensan’s artistic future. GGList, on the other hand, combines our blog, book and music reviews, and other snippets into one easy page. On page 32 we place our very first tear-out ad, sale stubs you can actually cut out and use to get discounts at select shops. Last but not least, our first foray into Gensan’s Tuna Festival Experience makes us within reach to our readers here and elsewhere in the world, and brings our Gensan agenda even closer to home.

Armando Nicolas PJ

what’s

inside

Talk, Places2Go 20 GGadget a and GGPick

3 TTravel Tales & Trivia 4 CCity Hall Snapshots

B Buzz: Business Biz news & more n

22 HHealth Bits 23 CCulture Shock|Arts Attack 25 GGGList

R Ready or Not, Tuna Festival Rocks Gensan Again! R

26 TThe Boys Who Wore Skirts P Profile Focus: XB Gensan,

18 1 8

T Twin Tw Triumphs; Go Global, Gensan!

19 UUrban Living / Going Green

B Beauty&Fashion Back2Back b by Donna & Romarie U Urban Living / People & Places

our cover

story

una Festival 2010 is foremost in the minds of most everyone these days, and for good reason -- the Generals are about ready to celebrate the city’s 42nd charter anniversary in style. There was that hitch about pushing back the festival week, but we like that it made the celebrations sort of a month-long affair, with Mr Gensan search adding to the pomp and pageantry this year. As Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr says, “It’s that time of year again -let the festivities begin!”

Thanks to Marthin Millado for the cover design and the motif for the Tuna Festival spread, and to Orman Manansala for the Tuna Festival feature concept: their creativity soars. May their tribe increase!

traveltales&trivia • ajlakbaydiwa

 Plan enough

and ahead of time, but don’t overdo it. Visiting a new place for the first time requires ample legwork and a little research for practical reasons, like getting a good deal on early flight bookings, finding the best tour and accommodation packages, and picking your base and the highlights of the trip. But leave a little for the discovery bit; make room for a bit of pleasant suprise. The preparation should only be an outline -and the details (the meaty parts, that is) experienced and enjoyed firsthand during the trip.

 If you have to

settle for less-thanperfect travelmates, you can always settle on a compromise. Ideally it’s best to go on holiday

with someone who enjoys what you enjoy -- scouring the town on foot, looking for unusual bargains at quaint flea markets, getting some sun at the beach or the park, having a drink and checking out the girls (or boys) where the locals hang out. Agreeing on common activities and synchronizing separate ones es can help minimize e stress and disruptive ve disagreements. I especially cringe ge at having to go to a zoo or theme me park, for examample, so when n anyone I travel el with insists on that, I’d probbably propose e the do-yourown-thing plan and set a meet-up later in the day. There iss nothing more e

The Wonders of Ayutthaya AYUTTHAYA, THAILAND -- The long weekend of Chinese New Year 2009 was as good as any to visit Ayutthaya in Thailand. Ayutthaya is the name of the Thai province and its capital city, which was founded in 1350 by King Ramathibodi I and singled out as the capital of what was often referred to as Siam or the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It is believed that Ayutthaya had a population of about 300,000 by the year 1600, even reaching 1,000,000 in 1700, making it one of the world’s biggest cities at that time.

Plan Ahead, Don’t Obsess. ---Can’t Find a Perfect Travel Comp p ion? Companion? Compr mise. Compromise. ----Soak in Soa n tthe Cult e. Culture. ----Travel Tra el Lig Light..

annoying than ending up with a travel partner who dictates the affairs of the day, for example, or insists on having his or her morning fried rice when you’re at a bedand-breakfast that serves only toast and fruits. Which brings us to Tip № 3.



When in Rome... You know the drill. If you’re you planning to do and eat exactly the same things when you thin go g o to a new place, then p you probably don’t need to be go there to b begin with. b Immersing in Im the culture of strange lands and stran engaging the local engag people are vital to peopl truly rich expea tru rience in traveling. Learning a new Learni language is a plus. langua

In 1767 the Burmese army looted the city, marking the kingdom’s collapse. The ruins now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park, now recognized internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the temple ruins I visited was Wat Phra Si San Phet, which was built in the reign of King Boromtrilokanath inside a compound that was used as royal palace and home to a few kings. The complex holds 3 large pagodas/chedis (left) containing the ashes of 3 Ayutthayan kings: Trailok, Borom Ratchathirat III, and Rama Thibodi II. Wat Chaiwatthanaram (below) was erected by King Prasat Thong in 1630. It has a 35-meter-tall Khmer-style



Travel fashionably light. Hauling a 5-piece Delsey luggage can be a real pain. (Unless you’re filthy rich, in which case you can travel in your own jet with an entourage of people to take care of your stuff, and a private limo at your destination to get around in style). For us mere mortals, enjoying any trip is almost always inversely proportional to the volume of non-necessities and distractions we lug around with us. An allaround pair of shoes or 5 changes? Toiletry case or quick stop at 7-Eleven? Checked-in coat or worn in flight? These and similar questions can be your key to trimming your luggage, keeping your airport stops hasslefree, avoiding excess baggage, and looking smart in your sport jacket and backpack.

central prang (temple spire) with four smaller prangs on a rectangular platform, surrounded by 8 chapels. The grandeur I felt here was tempered only by its many headless Buddha statues. Wat Maha That, built in 1374 by King Borom Rachathirat I, served as royal monastery and spiritual center of the city. Its more famous resident is the sandstone Buddha head (below) entrapped in the roots of a banyan tree. The other ruins I visited include Lokaya Sutharam, Na Phra Men, Phanan Choeng, Phra Ram, Phutthaisawan, Phuttai Sawan, Ratchaburana, Suwan Dararam, and Thammikarat -- all wonders of Ayuthhataya.

t has barely been two months since the new mayor of General Santos City, the Hon. Darlene Magnolia Antonino-Custodio took over the reins of running the city affairs from now Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr of the first district of South Cotabato. During these times, the lady mayor has been holding orientation meetings with the different departments of the city hall, with the business, civic and community leaders, and going around the city’s 26 barangays, all in a move to consolidate her new administration’s efforts to streamline and improve the way it renders service to the city’s constituents. On the side, she had to squeeze in not a few inaugurations of new business establishments and personally meet visitors from local and foreign shores who drop by her office to make the mandatory courtesy call as well as welcome delegates and guests of the numerous regional conferences and conventions being conducted at the Tuna Capital. These, plus a million other consulta-

City Hall Snapshots Text and photos by Avel Manansala tive conferences from different sectors to orient herself on the intricacies of her new role as administrator of the South Central Mindanao’s premier city. Through it all, Mayor Custodio has remained nonplussed and unperturbed and focused on the tasks at hand. Being a workaholic just like her parents, the former Mayor Adelbert W. Antonino and former Representative Lualhati Antonino, her diligence and fresh work ethics have rubbed off on to her staff and co-workers. Here then are some photos chronicling her first few weeks as the 8th City Mayor of General Santos City. Although not complete, they show us the portrait of a young hard-working official who even just at the start of her term is proving to us that we were all right in getting her elected. 1// The female members of the City Hall Press Corps smile for posterity after Mayor Darlene’s first Press Conference. The CMO Press Conference is held regularly every other Tuesday. Among those in the photo are RPN’s Faith Barcelona and Ina Daven, ABS-CBN’s Chat Ansagay, and former radio broadcaster and now Councilor Beth Bagonoc. 2// Raising platefuls of grilled pangasius are SMED Council Prexy Tess Pacheco, Lagao Barangay Captain Meynard Avila III, Calumpang Brgy Capt. Cirilo Forones, Bawing Brgy Capt. Jerry Jugarap, DTI 12 ARD Doris Delima; GSC Chamber ED Pilar Afuang, among others, together with Mayor Darlene at Yaman GenSan’s Pangasius Sinugbahan Night. 3// Mayor Darlene signs an MOA accepting the donation of six 2-room school buildings from of the Federation of the FilipinoChinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the SoCot FilChinese Chamber of Commerce during turn-over ceremonies at FVR Elem. School in Fatima. With her are SCFCC Prexy Kerwin Cue, past prexy Doming Teng, and school principals of the recipient schools -- H. Bayan, FVR, S. Saway, F. Oringo Sr., Upper Tambler, and Katangawan Central Elementary Schools. 4// XB Gensan, the dance crew that won the P1-million grand prize in ABS-CBN’s It’s Showtime, made a courtesy call on Mayor Darlene after their arrival from Manila. The Mayor encouraged them to continue their studies while honing their skills, and suggested to do it through the Home Study Program of the DepEd. As the new Ambassadors of Goodwill of GenSan, they were challenged by the mayor to be good examples of their fellow young Generals. With them is Bing Cariño, XB’s mentor and trainer.

P-Noy wants businesses up & running fast; calls on LGUs not to delay

reminder to all: creating jobs is foremost on our agenda, and the creation of jobs will come from the growth of our industries. Growth will only be possible if we streamline processes to make them predictable, reliable and efficient for those who want to invest. We make sure that the BuildOperate-and-Transfer projects will undergo quick and efficient processes. With the help of all government agencies concerned and the people, a process that used to take as short as a year and as long as a decade will now only take six months. The Department of Trade and Industry has already taken steps to effect this change, under the leadership of Secretary Gregory Domingo: The never-ending horror story of registering business names, which used to take a minimum of four to eight hours depending on the day, will be cut down drastically to fifteen minutes. What used to be a check list of 36 documents will be shortened to a list of 6, and the old 8-page application form will be whittled down to 1 page. I call on our local government units to review its own procedures. While we look for more >>>

bizbuzz

Birth Pains of Starting a Business T by Kaye Z. Marks

here is value when you look at how businesspersons started their company. While there are snippets of experience here and there, there is no real forum to describe the real experience of starting up a company. Most of what is written deal with the technical aspect of setting up the company like designing the business plan or drafting the marketing strategy, or developing marketing collaterals like flyers and brochures. However, there is little interest in the human aspects of starting a company. It seems that this aspect is completely ignored because most writers want to focus on the inspirational and positive features of creating a startup. Yes, setting up a business has its ups. You will experience satisfaction, fulfillment, and often, it can be life altering. Nevertheless, what we tend to not discuss, albeit deliberately, is that in starting a business one goes through both emotional and physical stress, anxiety, sleepless nights, panic attacks, destruction of relationships either with family or business partners, embarrassment, lawsuits, health problems and worst, bankruptcy. There are the doubts or the if thoughts -- If I could have just… or If I could have borrowed more… or If I just lowered the cost… Indeed, these are thoughts that could haunt you for life. Given the other side of starting a business, would you still pursue your dreams of owning and managing your own business? Yes, it can definitely be a nightmare, but you would not want to be haunted by the thought that you chickened out, would you? I always believe that people who do not fail are those that do not risk. Having said that, I still believe that despite the negative aspects of starting a business, there is still light at the end of the tunnel. What you should do is to try to understand and accept some things in the process. This would help you become more resilient. First, you must come to an agreement with yourself that there is a chance that

you will lose everything. Businesses do fail. That is a fact of life. You have to come to terms with this fact that not all businesses will succeed. Needless to say, you have to be prepared to watch your dreams fall apart. Second, when it comes to business, you have to be ready to sacrifice. I know of a dying entrepreneur who reprimanded his family for being at his bedside because no one would tend to their shop. This is extreme, but one that would capture the message: even if you are dying, there is nothing that should keep you from being ready to work. You must also be prepared to sacrifice your holidays or alone time. You have to be reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. There is no downtime or alone time. Technology has made it possible to stay connected to the world, to your employees, to your partners, and most

importantly, to your customers. Third, related to that, you must be able to insulate your relationship or marriage from any business problem. More often than not, marriage or relationships with family are the first casualty if something goes terribly wrong. You must make this clear with yourself and with your spouse or with your children or siblings that your relationship with them is strong and that no work related problem could ever damage it. Amen. Finally and most importantly, be ready to walk away if it does not work out. Cut clean and cut the losses. There is no point in fighting for something that cannot and will not survive anymore. Be prepared to walk away to fight another day.

ways to streamline our processes to make business start-ups easier, I hope the LGUs can also find ways to implement reforms that will be consistent with the ones we have already started. All will certainly benefit from this streamlining -- be it businessmen,

soldiers, rebels and ordinary Filipinos. As long as the interests of Filipinos will not be jeopardized, we will explore all available avenues to make this a reality. We must start now, and we should all help achieve this and not stand in each other’s way.

Excerpt of the State of the Nation Address of His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Philippines, to the Congress of the Philippines at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, 26 July 2010, Batasang Pambansa Complex, Quezon City.

About the Author: Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of the developments in brochure printing industry that helps businesses in their marketing and advertising campaigns. Please visit http://www. printplace.com/printing/brochure-printing.aspx.

erwin Dy Photo by Sh

Gensanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tuna Festival Experience is brought to you by

General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

at Jr do Maliw y Rolan Photo b

Photo by Dino P Kintanar

City Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office General Santos City

ready or not,

tuna festival rocks gensan again !

his year’s incarnation of world-renowned Gensan’s Tuna Festival Experience, the only full-fledged tuna spectacle on the planet, kicks off September 5, which also commemorates the 42nd Charter Anniversary of the City of General Santos.

The annual flea market Tinda-Tinda sa Oval Plaza and Fiesta Tuna Carnival will also open on the same week. The Tuna Festival Week will run September 18 through 26. This year’s grand celebrations will be highlighted by 6 major events. (Turn the pages to be amazed!)

Monta単o Photo by James

Major Sponsors

San Miguel Corporation Philippines

Photo by Jing Velos

Photo by Omar Galline ro

Smart Communications Philippines

Major Sponsors

Globe Telecom Philippines

Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc.

he Search for Miss Gensan 2010 has always been the standard prestige- and pompbearer of the Tuna Festival. This year, 10 gorgeous beauties will vie for the much-coveted crown. Witness their craft on Talent Night September 19. Prepageant night is on September 24, and the grand Pageant Show September 25.

r. Gensan 2010, which takes over the Body Fest Modeling Competition and runs as a separate event, is the Organizers’ answer to the need to establish the male counterpart of the prestigious Miss Gensan pageant. Talent Night is September 18, pre-pageant night September 22, and a joint Pageant Night with Miss Gensan, the first time in General Santos City’s history, on September 25.

ne of the top draws of Tuna Festival 2009 was the dynamic Cheer Dance Competition. The 8,000-capacity Lagao Gym was packed to the brim, the adrenaline rush of a showdown of music and movement absolutely wowing the captive audience. This year’s show aims to match or surpass that feat with more contenders from around the SoCCSKSarGen area. The Grand Finals rocks Gensan September 18.

riginally a Tuna Festival event until its move to Pasko Sa Gensan, Gensan Pop Idol is back to Tuna Fest, once again bringing to the fore Gensan’s ultimate singing talent. Who among the wannabes will emerge as the 2010 Idol? Witness their journey beginning September 12, on through the semi-final rounds on September 19, and the Grand Finals September 24.

ensan is fast becoming a breeding ground for world-class hip hop dance crews. This year’s FishDance Hip Hop Dancing Competition opens its door to groups around Mindanao, and pits them against each other during the SoCCSKSarGen eliminations on September 11 and elimination rounds for the other Mindanao areas on September 21. The Grand Finals rocks the stage September 22.

inang Bariles this year goes against type again as our plussize women -- mostly married and with children -- take to the stage to strut their stuff and awe us with their beauty and brains. Catch them on Pageant Night September 22!

rock gensan with us at tuna festival 2010 !

nd what’s a fiesta without the Street Dancing Competition? Fifteen contingents (at last count) fielded in two contest categories (for elementary and high school entrants) will fill the streets of Gensan with color and creative chaos September 26. Don’t miss the spectacle -- live, in full color and in real-time sound!

ompeting floats will also take to the streets in the Float Parade Competition at the same time as the street dancing contest. The focal showdown of Mardi Gras 2010 shakes the ground 3 pm at Lagao Gym.

Photo by Dino Kintanar

Photo by Leoonard Pe

Major Sponsors

Photo by Paul Funte

Department of Tourism Region XII

Dole Philippines, Inc.

Message from the GSCCCII President Magandang Gensan! On the surface, the twin-bill Charter Anniversary and Tuna Festival celebrations are a festive occasion for locals and guests to reunite, but below the surface a deeper movement and meaning prevail. For after the parades, pageants and parties have come to pass, Gensan’s academes, businesses and communities will carry on with the daily grind -- business as usual, so to speak. After the music has died down and the colors have waned, a strengthened community spirit pervades in our midst -- businesses, schools, government, church and communities once again one under common aspirations. With the festivities’ passing, renewed friendships and partnerships remain. This year we challenge our leaders, academics and entrepreneurs: Go global, Gensan: We are ready for the world! The business community, in collaboration with local governance, is especially called on to nurture local talent, empower its human resources, encourage creativity, and promote global competence. This is an ongoing quest, one that extends beyond the life cycle of any project, celebration or tenure. But back to the celebrations, let’s kick off our shoes and enjoy ourselves. We have prepared a busy September, and we expect you to have fun, no less. Jan Ced President, Gen. Santos City Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.

Tuna Festival 2010 Organizing Committee

he Organizing Committee of the 2010 Tuna Festival is competently comprised by the members of the prestigious General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GSCCCII) -- named Most Outstanding Chamber in Mindanao by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the years 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006 and 2007, the same group behind the successful Tuna Festival 2009 and this year’s much-lauded Kalilangan Festival -- with GSCCCII VP and banker-blogger Orman

Manansala again serving as Festival Director. He is ably assisted by Gensan Chamber Executive Director Pilar Torrijos Afuang, who heads the Secretariat Committee; Edna Bautista Simon, Finance Committee; Lucy Kate Bautista and Rose Ann Mertalla, Secretariat; James Eric Aniversario Simon, Logistics Committee; Marthin Millado, Creative Design Committee; Peter Lubria, Transportation Committee; and Teresita Fuentes, Food Committee. (In photo, from left to right: Edna, Rose, Marthin, Pilar, Orman, James, Lucy, Peter, and Teresita) Organizing a major multi-event production such as Gensan’s Tuna Festival Experience is no mean feat. The festival, one of the most elaborate General Santos will ever see thus far, covers more than 30 events spanning a month-long period beginning September 5, with the festival highlights falling on the main festival week beginning September 18 and winding down to the grand finale September 26. The pressure is building up as the event kickoff nears, but the veteran organizing committee is unfazed. They’re in familiar territory.

Kintanar Photo by Dino

Photo by Arnold Velsaquez

Minor

Asia United Bank

Bounty Agro Gaisano Mall GandaEver Ventures, Inc. of Gensan SoMuch.com

Gensan Gazer

GenSantos.com

KCC Mall of Gensan

Photo by Leonard Pe

Photo by Omar Gallinero

Sponsors

Land Bank of the Philippines

Phil. Spring Water Resources

Pizza Hut

RD Fishing

Sagittarius Robinsons Place Gensan Mines, Inc.

SMWPI Wood Products

Message Mayor

from the

ear Generals, Guests -- Magandang Gensan! Once again we stand at the forefront of Gensan’s charter anniversary, and we see with both pride and pleasure that we have gained substantial mileage economically, socially and culturally. Over the last 42 years, we have transformed into a multifaceted regional hub -- nurturing business growth, promoting educational advancement, enriching our heritage and the arts, and energizing SoCCSKSarGen relations. It is most fitting that we can stand and own this year’s theme: Go Global, Gensan: We are Ready for the World! There is no better place and time than right here and now for Gensan to face the challenges head-on, and realize its vast potential as a powerhouse of talent, opportunity and growth. The charter anniversary marks a significant step in our continuing milestones of glory, and we deserve to have a great time, and let the colors, sounds and spectacles of Tuna Festival 2010 fill our senses. Let this be a Tuna Festival and Charter Anniversary to be remembered for always. Darlene Antonino-Custodio Mayor, General Santos

calendar Sep Sep Sep Sep Sep SEP

SEP

6-30 6-30 6-30 6-30 6-30

Continuing Activities Tinda-Tinda sa GTx, Oval Plaza Tuna Food Plaza, Oval Plaza Tuna Fiesta Carnival, Oval Plaza Plantuna Garden Show, OP Garden SMB Barkada Zone, Oval Plaza

3 pm - Press Presentation of Candidates for Mr. Gensan 2010 & Miss Gensan 2010 8 am - Opening of Exhibits: 12th National Tuna Congress Family Country Hotel 8 am - 12th National Tuna Congress Plenary Proper, Family Country Hotel 7 pm - Tuna Congress Appreciation Dinner, Isla Parilla Resort 8 pm - Karagatan Awards, Isla Parilla

6 am - 42nd Charter Anniversary Commemoration 6 am - Thanksgiving Mass, Our Lady of Peace & Good Voyage Parish 7 am - Charter Anniversary Program, City Hall Façade 8 am - Almusal Alay sa Kapwa, Oval Plaza Covered Court SEP

10 SEP

8 pm - ASAP Sessionistas Live in Gensan, Lagao Gym 3 pm - Gensan Pop Idol Screening, Gaisano Mall of Gensan

SEP

3 pm - Eliminations, FishDance Competition, Gaisano Mall of Gensan

SEP

3 pm - Munting Mutya Talent Presentation, Gaisano Mall of Gensan

11 17

8 am - Tuna Motorbike Competition 2010 Day 1, Sinawal 7 am - Beach Volleyball Competition Day 1, Queen Tuna Park 7 am - Cheer Dance Competition, Lagao Gym 9 am - National Skim Boarding Competition Day 1, Queen Tuna Park 3 pm - Mr. Gensan Fashion Show and Talent Night back-to-back with FishDance Competition Semi-Finals SEP

8 am - Tuna Motorbike Competition 2010 Day 2, Sinawal 8 am - Tuna Motorcross Competition 2010, Sinawal 7 am - Beach Volleyball Competition Day 2, Queen Tuna Park 9 am - National Skim Boarding Competition Day 2, Queen Tuna Park 3 pm - Praize Xtreme, Oval Plaza Covered Court 3 pm - Miss Gensan Fashion Show and Talent Night back-to-back with Gensan Pop Idol Semi-Finals, Gaisano Mall of Gensan SEP

7 am - Flag Ceremony, Announcement of Events & Activities, City Hall Façade 9 am - PESO Jobs Fair Day 1, Robinsons Place Gensan 5 pm - Tuna Festival Week Opening Program, Oval Plaza Stage GTX Mardi Gras (One-Dance Presentation), Oval Plaza Stage 7 pm - Splash in the Sky (Fireworks Display), Oval Plaza Grounds 8 pm - Campus Radio’s Disco Sa Oval Plaza, Oval Plaza Grounds SEP

Message from the Congressional Representative

of events 8 am - HRM Mini-Skills Competition Day 1, KCC Mall of Gensan 9 am - PESO Jobs Fair Day 2, Robinsons Place Gensan 4 pm - FishDance Competition Semi-Finals (Other Mindanao Areas), Gaisano Mall of Gensan 7 pm - Sayaw sa Baybay - Kids Edition, Oval Plaza stage SEP

8 am - HRM Mini-Skills Competition Day 2, KCC Mall of Gensan 8 am - The Grand Fish Fest sa Fish Port 8 am - 1st Lawihan Street Dancing Competition, Gensan Fish Port 9 am - Langoy Bugsay Marathon Challenge, Gensan Fish Port 5 pm - Mr. Gensan Pre-Pageant Night back-toback with FishDance Competition Grand Finals, Gaisano Mall of Gensan 7 pm - Ginang Bariles Pageant Night, OP Stage SEP

armest greetings to the constituents of General Santos City on the occasion of their 42nd Charter Anniversary and the 12th Tuna Festival! Without fail, the larger SoCCSKSarGen community takes great pleasure in seeing Gensan move forward and become a world-class metropolis and South Mindanao’s premier regional hub. We never cease to take pride in this boom-town city’s presence and involvement in the affairs of its neighbors and fellow collaborators within the region -- be it in commerce and industry, culture and arts, or community and society. On this most asupcious occasion, we look forward to a strenghtened union with Gensan and an enhanced mutual commitment to make South Mindanao a more bountiful, brighter and better place for everyone. Most especially, we send our utmost congratulations to the Generals for 42 wonderful years since its city charter, as we celebrate with them the Tuna Festival, a most fitting complement celebration that is keenly awaited by locals and visitors alike. It’s that time of year again -- let the festivities begin! Magandang Gensan!

SEP

8 am - HRM Mini-Skills Competition Day 3, KCC Mall of Gensan 2 pm - Inter-Tribe Tuna CookFest Robinsons Place Gensan 7 pm - Gensan Pop Star KidsCompetition, Oval Plaza Stage

Pedro B. Acharon Jr Representative, First District of South Cotabato and Gen. Santos

SEP

3 pm - Miss Gensan Pre-Pageant Night back-to-back with Gensan Pop Idol Grand Finals, Gaisano Mall of Gensan 7 pm - Gensan Band Idol, Oval Plaza Stage 3 pm - Kapuso Night, KCC Convention Center 8 pm - Street Party @ EARH (Night 1), East Asia Royal Hotel Grounds SEP

10 am - Meet and Greet Katrina Halili @ Gaisano Mall 2 pm - 1st Tuna GENBODIS Bodybuilding Competition, Robinsons Place Gensan 4 pm - Mr. Gensan / Miss Gensan Pageant Show, KCC Convention Center 7 pm - Smart Concert, Oval Plaza Stage 7 pm - RMN Live Drama, Oval Plaza Covered Court 7 pm - Al Fresco Sashimi Night, Robinsons Place Gensan Al Fresco 8 pm - Street Party @ EARH (Night 2), East Asia Royal Hotel Grounds SEP

6 am - Bombo Radyo’s Bancarera, Queen Tuna Park 6 am - Thanksgiving Mass, Our Lady of Peace & Good Voyage Parish 8 am - Tuna Festival Program, Plaza Heneral Santos 8 am - 1st Mayor’s Mountain Bike Downhill Challenge 2010, Olympog 9 am - Float Parade Competition, Pioneer Avenue 9 am - GTX Mardi Gras Street Dancing Competition (Carousel Parade), Pioneer Avenue 1 pm - Young Blood Media/K101/Red Cross Blood-letting Activity, Oval Plaza Covered Court 2 pm - Munting Mutya ng GenSan, Gaisano Mall of Gensan 3 pm - Best of Gensan Show, Lagao Gym GTX Mardi Gras (Focal Presentation), Lagao Gym 8 pm - Globe Concert, Oval Plaza Stage 8 pm - SMB Concert @ the Junction, Pioneer Avenue Junction 10 pm - Splash in the Sky (Fireworks Display), Top of City Hall Listing accurate as of printing date; to confirm schedule, call (083) 554 6108 | 301 6937.

Twin

Triumphs: TunaFest’s 12th Year, Gensan Charter’s 42nd

e Generals can say for a fact that, unlike other longer established and more extravagant of Philippine festivals, which had their beginnings as a product of a premeditated and thoroughly planned out concept, the Tuna Festival was born from from an idea that’s both natural and spontaneous. During the 30th Charter Anniversary of General Santos City in 1998, the General Santos City Tourism Association -- a consortium of hotels, resorts, restaurants, travel agencies, and other tourism-related establishments -- staged a one-of-a-kind affair at what is now known as RD Plaza, which showcased gastronomic spectacle of tuna cuisine through culinary

competitions, exhibits, and many other visual and taste delights, anchoring on the bounty of the sea with emphasis on tuna as the central theme and motif. Then mayor Adelbert W. Antonino thought that the theme could actually be the basis for a festival, and so the now world-famous Tuna Festival was born. Now, on its 12th year, TunaFest is one of the highlights of culture, society and life in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, a spectacle that is only keenly followed by tourists from elsewhere in the Philippines and the globe.

epublic Act 5412, known as the Charter of the City of General Santos, was passed on 15 June 1968. Years before, and long after the resettlement led by Gen. Paulino Santos, RA 82 in January 1948 named Buayan a full-fledged municipality, bounded by the municipalities of Sarangani and South Cotabato, with Irineo I. Santiago as its first mayor. In June 1954, Buayan was renamed General Santos as a tribute to its great pioneer through RA 1107. From 1963 to 1967, an upsurge in the economy was experienced as a result of the operations of several large agri-based businesses that expanded into the area. Finally, in 1968, upon approval of RA 5412, the Municipality of General Santos was converted into a city, and was inaugurated on September 5 of the year. Antonio C. Acharon became the young city’s first mayor. In 1988, two decades after its inauguration, it was declared as a highly urbanized city. Over the years, it has produced world-class personages in the field of business, sports and entertainment.

Photo by Van Almeria, General Santos City, Philippines

Go Global, Gensan: We are Ready for the World!

ayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio’s ascent to the highest office in General Santos City has been marked both by hopeful enthusiasm and high expectations. Her youthful determination and unbridled optimism as Congressional Representative of of the first district of South Cotabato and General Santos in her previous term makes her entry in local politics all the more exciting and eagerly watched. Her entrance signals the era of a new leadership, which is markedly leaning towards community involvement, education and empowerment, and global competence. In her inaugural speech, Mayor AntoninoCustodio captured her vision in the theme of this year’s Tuna Festival: Go global, Gensan. We are ready for the world! Tall, tough talk from a smallframed leader, who has shown already a handful in her first 5 weeks in office, but yet to set into motion her global agenda.

e share in her fiery challenge unreservedly, and throw our support to her leadership. At the same time we will remain as her critical collaborators for a Global Gensan. (Expanded from Orman Ortega Manansala’s Dear Darlene post on top Gensanblog GandaEverSoMuch.com)

urbanliving / goinggreen

ith the high cost of energy, we really have to learn how to conserve electricity. People who want to reduce electricity bills will surely find these tips truly helpful. In our world today, a lot of people are searching for ways to save electricity. In fact, one of the biggest challenges we face nowadays is the question of how we can reduce electricity bills. Because of the many gadgets and appliances we have in our homes, energy consumption is really high, thus, if we can’t live without those appliances, we have to find out how to conserve electricity for our pockets not to be hurt with sky high energy bills. Before tackling energy saving tips, it’s good to know that there are two types of electricity conservation. The first is our use of energyefficient products; the second type is the change in our behavior, meaning that we should feel it within ourselves that we do want to conserve energy. Here are some ways to save electricity, specifically in the places we reside in:

by Karen Winton Tip № 1: Replace your old light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Did you know that traditional light bulbs give off too much heat while producing very little amount of light? Thus, one of the most effective energy saving tips is to replace those old bulbs with CFLs. Compact fluorescents actually produce just a little amount of heat, but gives off more brightness than conventional bulbs. Take note, too, that CFLs have longer life spans than conventional ones, thus adding to the savings in your

Green Cleaning, Green Living and Growing Green Children by Nick Vassilev

hat do you need to have a more environmentally friendly baby (by which I mean that you want to raise and care for your child in a more environment-friendly way)? People love handing out lists of what you need when you go to pre-natal classes. What about a green list? This is just a start. Cloth nappies. Get at least 2 dozens. Your choice as to whether you’re going to use the old-fashioned square sort or the newer readyshaped sort. Folding the square sort isn’t as hard as you think. If you can fold a letter to put in an envelope, wrap a parcel or make a paper plane, you can fold a nappy. Safety pins. For fastening the squarestyle cloth nappies around the baby. Lots of flannels. Use a damp flannel instead of disposable baby wipes. Huge bucket with lid. For soaking dirty nappies and flannels. Breast pump. If you want to breast-feed. Feeding bottles. You can sterilize them in

pocket since you need not buy new bulbs immediately. Tip № 2: Avoid leaving your appliances in the so-called standby mode. Turning off your electrical appliances completely, and then, pulling the plugs, is also part of energy saving tips that work. A lot of individuals think that leaving the TV, PC, etc. on standby is enough. However, that action will not help reduce electricity bills. In fact, appliances on standby actually contribute to high energy bills worldwide. Every time you’re finished using a gadget or home appliance,

boiling water or in the dishwasher. If you don’t want to share feeding duties, you won’t need bottles and all other paraphernalia. Second-hand clothing. Or good quality clothing that you plan on passing on to a friend or family member, the nearest charity store or a younger child. This cuts down on landfill waste, both in the form of old clothes and in packaging on new clothes. A food processor. You weren’t going to buy baby food, were you? Instead of buying oodles of little tins and glass jars (which are recyclable, admittedly), you can use ordinary fruit and veg as first food for your baby. Potato, pumpkin, banana and sweet potato are all suitable first foods, and they mash up a treat. Bananas are also portable. If you can get hold of organic fruit and veg, all the better. Farmers’ market may be a good source of locally grown and organic fruit and veg that are suitable, like potatoes, carrots and apples. Blend one or several in the food processor, either raw (for bananas) or cooked (for everything else) to make a smooth puree. You can freeze home-made baby food in regular ice trays. Cornstarch. This is safer than talcum powder for your baby’s skin, but still stops chafing. Decent-sized pushchair. You’re going to walk instead of driving everywhere, aren’t you? This is great exercise and gives you more chance to interact with your baby. A potty. The sooner you can get them out

it is best that you turn it off completely. Tip № 3: Minimize the use of air-conditioners. Part of the ways to save electricity is also for you to lessen the use of air conditioning. One technique on how to conserve electricity during warm months is to use ceiling fans and interchange it with your air conditioner. Ceiling fans actually give you more coolness because of their moving air compared to using stand fans and the common electric fans. Using a ceiling fan can help you decrease the frequency of using air-conditioning.

here are actually several ways to reduce electricity bills. Before thinking of purchasing the latest appliances/ gadgets because of their promise of cutting down the rate of electric consumption, why not try the above mentioned techniques first, and you may be surprised to observe that they actually work.

About The Author: Karen Winton believes in the importance of going green. To drastically reduce your power bills, build magnetic generators via http:// dp-db.com/free-power-blueprint. To build energy saving wind and solar powered devices, see http://dp-db. com/power-4-home.

of nappies, the better. Less washing for you therefore less work for your house cleaner. Thick bathmats. Who needs a plastic-backed changing mat when you can use a thick bathmat that will then be used as a mat once the baby is out of nappies. Change the baby on the bathmat on the floor; they can’t roll off the floor and you won’t need a big changing table.

utting down on packaging and waste is an important part of sustainability and living green. Buying second-hand items helps here. However, some items should always be bought new, such as cot mattresses, car safety seats and soft toys. If you must, you can buy soft toys second hand, but give them a thorough wash first to make sure no germs or residues of steam cleaning fluid remain on them. But potties, baby baths, toilet seats, changing tables (if you must), backpacks and the like can all be obtained secondhand as part of the great recycling chain of society.

About The Author: Nick Vassilev is the managing director of a successful London based cleaning company Anyclean Premium. Please visit www.anyclean.co.uk.

gadgettalk

iPhone 4 Redefines Sleek. With craftsmanship and build quality Steve Jobs compares with that of an old Leica camera, the iPhone 4 is sculpted from stainless steel and finished all around with glass -- the result a very solid, sleek, even sexy look. The 3GS is a fairly pretty device, but when placed side by side with the iPhone 4 it looks bulky and cheap, like a bad plastic demo version at a product design class. Deceptively as light as the 3GS, the iPhone 4 is a few millimetres thinner and is flat on the back, unlike the curved 3GS. This slab-like mold makes for a more snug grip compared to the tapered 3GS, hence ensuring less drops and cracks (for the clumsy ones out there). Retina Rules! The iPhone 4’s key feature and selling point is the retina display -- not to be mistaken for retina scanning security, which it doesn’t have

way >

nother iPhone? You probably exclaimed. I for one am just halfway through paying off my 3G (it’s not even a 3GS, poor me!), and already the best smartphone yet is here on some grand drool-fest. Like it or not, the iPhone 4 has arrived.

-- a coinage that plays up the fact that the human retina cannot decipher individual pixels on an HD screen. Name and near-confusion notwithstanding, the iPhone 4 looks amazingly gorgeous. With screen 4 times 3GS’s resolution, it shows not only super sharp text, but crisp videos and vivid games as well. Web pages come out amazingly clear; even when zoomed out the minuscule text can still be read, whereas it would blur away on 3GS. The display is crisper and brighter, so viewing in direct sunlight is not a problem. Its black levels are more richly rendered, with some black backgrounds appearing so deeply dark that they seem to bleed into the black of the casing.

iPhoto 4 Ups the Ante on Photo & Video.

Stills and video capabilities are significantly revved up here: 3G’s 2 megapixels and 3GS’s 3 Mpx have been almost doubled to 5. The iPhone has one camera on the front and another on the back; FaceTime lets you switch between them

places2go • GGPick

bars 

GGPick Babes Bar - One of East Asia Royale Hotel’s watering holes, with discotheque, live music Thu-Fri (2nd Flr, Arcade 1, East Asia Royale Hotel, National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-835534123 ext. 106) GGPick Cassado Billiard Bar - Pool tables, ice-cold beers (Grd Flr, Arcade 1, East Asia Royale Hotel, National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3028389) GGPick Pacman Sports Bar - Five pool tables/dart boards, The Pacman himself if you’re lucky, lots of lounge space (JMP Bldg 2, Aparente, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5528880) GGPick Q Bar - Great place to be seen in, for chilling and dancing, with superb music and yuppie crowd (SunCity Complex, Gen. Santos) WhereElse Bar - Place to chill, drink, even play online casino (2nd Flr, Arcade 2, East Asia Royale Hotel, National Highway, Gen. Santos)

cafés 

GGPick BluGré Cafe - Next best thing to Starbucks, designer coffees, hot/cold mixes, filling meals (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5542177) [wi◦fi]

GGPick BluGré Cafe - Bigger/more relaxing than the one at Robinsons, same great drinks/eats (South Osmeña, Gen. Santos, +635521111) [wi◦fi] GGPick Cafe Amoree - Local gem, great drinks / eats, off city center but worth a visit (Mabuhay Rd, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5542173) [wi◦fi] Cafe Paulino - Unpretentious coffee place, central yet a quiet retreat from the crowd (Gaisano Mall, Gen. Santos) Coffee Club 101 - Coffee, pasta, desserts, free PC stations for patrons (Laurel East, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5535430) [wi◦fi] GGPick Coffee Club 101 Great place to people-watch and be seen in, perfect chill after shopping (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5534878) [wi◦fi] Coffee Dream - Coffee and sweets for after shopping or while waiting for company (2nd Flr/Basement 1, KCC Mall, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3018263) [wi◦fi] Fagioli Coffee Shop - Great after hours haunt, tends to get

really crowded at night (Petron Station, Lagao, Gen. Santos, +63-83-552749) [wi◦fi] GGPick Fagioli Coffee Shop - Private yet accessible, perfect chill after shopping (Grd Flr, KCC Mall, +63-83-5542384) [wi◦fi] Generals Brew - Fine gourmet coffees, sandwiches, combo meals (Pioneer, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5526559) [wi◦fi] Red Ribbon Bakeshop Cakes, pastries, sumptuous Filipino/Western meal combos (Lower Grd Flr, KCC Mall, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3018388)

hotels 

GGPick East Asia Royale Hotel - Stone’s throw away from the financial district, shopping malls, convention/exhibition centers, with function rooms/ restaurants/bars (Grand Royale Ballroom, Babes Bar), business center, 24-hour room service (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5534123) [wi◦fi] GGPick Family Country Hotel & Convention Centre Guest rooms, meeting/banquet halls (up to 1,000 heads), pool, in-house Cafe Leticia amidst greenery (Mateo Rd, Lagao, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5528895) [wi◦fi] GGPick Ice Castle - Modern, centrally located, offers excel-

lent accommodations, in-house bar and restaurant (Provido Village, City Heights, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5544423, +6383-8269026) [wi◦fi] Phela Grande Hotel - Basic to luxury guest rooms, in-house Meilih Restaurant/Cafe Eduardo, offsite Phela Convention Center (Magsaysay cor. Atis, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5524220) [wi◦fi] GGPick SunCity Suites Hotel at the heart of upscale and trendy SunCity Complex (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5523333) [wi◦fi] Sydney Hotel - Centrally located, offers comfortable accommodations and excellent restaurants, professional banquet/ conference facilities (Pendatun cor. Pioneer, Gen. Santos, +6383-5525479) [wi◦fi] Tierra Montana Hotel - Airconditioned guest suites/function rooms, pool, restaurant (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5538553) [wi◦fi]

resorts 

Davak Ridge Resort - Sun, sky, and all-year-round beach fun (Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani, +63-83-5524492) GGPick Gensan View Resort - Sun, sky, swimming pool (Nursery Rd, Lagao, Gen.

Santos, +63-83-3028237) GGPick Merl Garden Spring Resort - Zip-line ride, pool, horse-backriding and more (Lahit, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, +63-919-4577221) Olaer Spring Resort - Natural springs, city icon (Apopong, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3802345) GGPick Rosal Beach Resort - Sun, sky, and all-yearround white sand beach fun (Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani, +63-920-9212203)

restaurants

Andrea Ticia Family Restaurant - Green, homey setting for a relaxing dining experience (Mateo Rd, Lagao, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5528896) GGPick Big Ben Steaks & Grills - Steaks you can always rely on in a homey, central setting, you’d wanna hang out long after the plates are cleared. (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3030315) GGPick Bigby’s Cafe & Restaurant - Great coffees and sumptuous food platters. Try Pescado Al Fresco -- dory in onion sauce! (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5520111) Cookie Factory - Homestyle restaurant (J. Catolico Sr, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5522035)

GGPick Gio’s Mongo Grill One of Tiongson Arcade’s main draw, Gio’s has great tasting barbecue (Tiongson Arcade, Lagao, Gen. Santos) GGPick Grab-A-Crab Exciting seafood, crab specialties (Laurel East, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5535430) [wi◦fi] GGPick Grab-A-Crab Same Grab-A-Crab vibe, only smaller (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi] GGPick Little Dubai Kebab Grills - Taste of exotic Middle East at half the price (Safi Arcade, Bula Rd, Gen. Santos) GGPick Mandarin Tea Garden Restaurant - Amazing dimsum, Chinese/Filipino delicacies (South Osmeña, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3013333) [wi◦fi] GGPick Marasa Grill - Nofrills home-style food in unpretentious setting (Kadulasan, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5524628) GGPick Pablo’s Steaks and Crabs - Pablo’s of Paseo Del Sol has perfected the art of preparing steaks (certified US Angus) (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5539298) GGPick Paseo Del Sol -

Hacienda-style haven, catering to theme/special events, serving Pablo’s/Ranchero fare, as well as exclusive dishes for private functions/catering service (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5539298) GGPick Ranchero Grill - Paseo Del Sol’s old-timer Ranchero takes native/Filipino/ ranch-style food to the next level (National Highway, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5539298) GGPick Red Trellis Seafood Garden - Asian fusioninspired, gives Singapore-style chili/black pepper crab places a run for their money (Across NDDU-IBED, Tiongson, Lagao, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3022722) Rooftop Grill Ihaw-Ihaw - Seafood/grill, great view of Plaza Heneral Santos (6th Flr, Sydney Hotel, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5525479 Ext.103) [wi◦fi] GGPick Royale Lounge Relaxing café with minimalist decór, acoustic music Wed-Sat (East Asia Royale Hotel, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5534123) [wi◦fi] GGPick Sarangani Highlands Garden & Restaurant - Hillsidetop joint with views of Sarangani Bay, downtown Gensan, Mt Parker/Mt Matutum. Nature, fresh air, good food, great for private parties

ROXAS EAST AVENUE, GENERAL SANTOS, 9500 PHILIPPINES | (0921) 8485515

at any time during a video call at the tap of a button. (Support for 2-way video calls, however, apply only between iPhone 4s and only over wi-fi.) The niftiest feature for sure is the video capture at HD-720 (HDTV mode at 1280×720 pixels) -- useful when a full HD camcorder is not within reach, which is most times for most people. Finally, a Gamer’s iPhone. Some prefer 3GS’s curved back (I don’t), but the iPhone 4 is way more suitable and comfier for playing games. In spite of being thinner than the 3GS, the iPhone 4 actually has more surface area around the edges, which allows one to rest the finger easier and grip it better for extended play, most especially when using two hands for virtual races or for role-based shooter-style game consoles. Games running at heightened resolution is a big plus. Real Racing looks divine on the iPhone 4, and most would agree, even better than on iPad. he iPhone 4 is a fitting successor to 3GS: it’s sleek, works flawlessly fast, and tops the iPhone test in every way -- that, is until an even better iPhone comes out. Its new features may seem more luxury than necessity for others, however, precisely why the high-end device is just that. Unless you need the new features to help in your everyday tasks, or simply to show off, then my lowly 3G should do just fine. (ANPJ)

Salon

George B. Bisnar

newslettermagazinebrochure annualreport yearbookpostcardcalendar businesscard flyerofficialreceiptposterstickerpamphletlabel namecardmanualpackaging paperboxpaperbagtagteeshirt plasticbagweddinginvitation menubookothers

Cagampang Street General Santos City Tel (083) 5535684 | Tel (083) 3044745 | Fax (083) 5524873 gregoria.pp@gmail.com

or company events (Tambler, Gen. Santos, +63-83-3040752) Wanchin Dimsum Restaurant - Good food, pool table, piano, great view of Plaza Heneral Santos (2nd Flr, Sydney Hotel, Gen. Santos, +63-835525479) [wi◦fi]

resto-bars

Crocodillo’s Resto Bar Occasional expat haunt, laidback crowd, cheap beers (Laurel East, Gen. Santos) GGPick Grab-A-Crab Same Grab-A-Crab vibe, more intimate dining/wining (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos) [wi◦fi] GGPick Jmix Resto Bar - Great food, great music (JMP Bldg 2, City Heights, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5542368) GGPick Piyesta! KTV & Resto Bar - Valuefor-money combo meals, inventive dishes, novelty cocktails, tower drinks, intimate KTV rooms, friendly staff (Robinsons Place, Gen. Santos, +63-83-5542139). Please call +63-83-8269221 to be included in this listing.

healthbits

What Weight Training Does for

You

by Aaron McCloud

he effects of weight training are on the whole very positive. However, there can also be the possibility of detrimental effects - though usually only through carelessness. Here’s what you can expect from regular weight training!

POSITIVE Increased Strength. Naturally one of the biggest weight training benefits is an increase in strength. Training well-developed muscles means gaining greater potential output from them, and for some this may be the goal of weight training. However, greater strength is not at all the only goal. Additionally, increased strength doesn’t necessarily mean lifting a bigger barbell. Weight training for seniors can be really useful in maintaining a level of physical strength needful to stay readily mobile and keep healthy. Increased Muscle Tone. Welldeveloped muscles are also bettertoned muscles. Consistent weight training should not only leave you feeling better, but looking better as well. Increased Metabolism. Regular exercise will cause your metabolism to be heightened for a period of time after your exercise. If you do a bit every day, your metabolism will be kept relatively higher as long as you keep up your exercise. Getting more energy out of what you eat and building up less body fat are two of the biggest benefits of weight training. Psychological Benefits. The psychology of exercise and fitness may often be overlooked, but is nevertheless often the most important part of any kind of ex-

ercise. Exerting yourself to keep fit feels good, and overcoming the challenges you’ll encounter in that exertion will build confidence and character. The effects of weight training should lead to not just a strong body, but a strong person. Better Connection With Your Body. In order to avoid injury, and naturally in the course of consistent exercise, you will develop a better sense of your body -- how it works, what it needs, how much it can do without strain, how much strain it can withstand, and so on. Getting more in touch with your physical self and thereby understanding more of your whole person are some of the most important effects of weight training. NEGATIVE Repetitive Stress Injury. The effects of weight training aren’t always all good. Working your muscles too hard either through an excessive number of repetitions or by using too heavy a weight can lead to minor and major injuries. Fortunately, injury can always be avoided in weight training simply by being careful, pushing your limits gradually, and always listening to your body. One More Thing To Do. For all the benefits you can get, it is another thing to fit into your

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Coffee and How it can Affect You

o you like coffee? Ever wonder about how caffeine in coffee affects you beyond the taste and aroma that you love? Want to know some actual facts?

First, it takes between 15 and 45 minutes until the caffeine reaches its highest level in your bloodstream. The quantity of caffeine that gets to the brain will determine how intense the effects will be on the body and will generally peak within 30-60 minutes of ingestion and last for as long as there is caffeine in the blood. On average this will be 3-4 hours for a non-smoking adult to get rid of half of the caffeine. However, in the case of a woman taking the pill, caffeine’s half-life reaches 13 hours. For a pregnant woman, it is 20 hours and part of it secretes into the breast milk. For those who are

breastfeeding, it takes the baby 30 hours to get rid of half the caffeine. Caffeine in your coffee affects you in a positive way and a negative way. The positive ways include: Antioxidants. Coffee is rich in antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins. Antioxidants help prevent oxidation, a process that causes damage to cells and contributes to aging. Parkinson’s disease. Regular coffee drinking reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Two studies have demonstrated that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are significantly less likely to develop the disease. Diabetes. Coffee drinking has the potential to protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. One study found that moderate consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower the risk of type

2 diabetes in younger and middle-aged women. Liver cirrhosis. May protect against liver cirrhosis, especially those with alcoholic cirrhosis. Gallstones. May protect against the formation of gallstones in both sexes. Kidney stones. Coffee consumption lowers the risk of kidney stones formation. Coffee increases urine volume, preventing the crystallization of calcium oxalate, the most common component of kidney stones. Increased mental performance. Once caffeine

is absorbed in small doses by a healthy person, it will have beneficial effects on the body, such as increased alertness and reduced fatigue. It can also reduce boredom of a lengthy, repetitive task requiring sustained attention. Physically, the heartbeat, respiration, gastro-enteric reflexes and stomach acid production are increased, and smooth muscles like the bronchial muscle are relaxed. It can also increase information processing. Alzheimer’s disease. May help to protect against Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study in mice showed that caffeine in the amounts equivalent to 5 cups of coffee per day reduced the buildup of destructive plaques in the brain. Asthma. Caffeine in coffee is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication. Caffeine can open airways and improve asthma symptoms.

by Joyce Kaaland

kay, sounds good, but let’s see the negative ways.

Heart disease. This is somewhat controversial. Most prospective cohort studies haven’t found that coffee consumption is associated with significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A recent Greek study and one at John Hopkins Medical Institute provided evidence that heavy coffee drinkers (5 cups or more) are more likely to have coronary heart disease than non coffee drinkers. These tests did not take in other factors such as lifestyle, caffeine content or brewing methods. On the other hand, a lower risk of heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers who drank only one or two cups per day might be due to antioxidants found in coffee. Cholesterol. Heavy

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cultureshock|artsattack ● bingcariño

Why We’re Almost a Town without Culture

was a member of the University of the Philippines Filipiniana Dance Troupe back when I was a student at the university. When we were on a performance tour of France and Germany, a fellow dancer asked me which part of the country I came from. I answered, “General Santos City.” He retorted, “Aah, from BWK -- Bayang Walang Kultura.” A town without culture. I started to argue but ran out of endemic cultural material after mentioning about ten. Twenty years ago when General Santos was just 50 years old, our cultural resources were too recent to be antique; they couldn’t even qualify as vintage. Gensan is home to the B’laan and the Maguindanao, but aside from a sprinkling of showcasing their cultural assets in festivals (which are few and far between), we hardly feel them in local mainstream art-making. I feel strongly about commodifying heritage. But even if I don’t feel this way, the cities of

Davao, Koronadal and Cotabato beat us in mainstreaming indigenous culture in our daily lives. Try showing pictures of our festivals without labels and captions -- they are easily confused with either that of the Kadayawan or the T’nalak Festival. Back to BWK. Unbeknown to me, I became a cultural Sherlock Holmes of some sort. I refused to accept that General Santos is a town without culture. With Emmie Nazareth, Phebe Preña and the visual artists of General Santos, we formed the SoCCSKSarGen Arts Council, Inc. (SACI), and discovered a wealth of artists in the city. In the earlier years of the council we discovered that one of the earliest academically trained Filipina artists (a contemporary of National Artist Vicente Manansala), Elvie Lagdameo

About the Author: Aaron McCloud runs Complete-StrengthTraining.com, which provides high-quality info on strength training. For more on weight training, routines and exercises visit Complete-StrengthTraining.com/weight-trainingfor-beginners.html.

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consumption of boiled coffee elevates blood total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Unfiltered coffee contains two cholesterol-raising compounds cafestol and kahweol. Effects of dripped filtered coffee

Royeca, has been painting in General Santos back in the settlement days. Lola Elvie gave up an illustrious visual arts career in Manila because she chose to join the settlers in building this city. She may have passed up what could have been a successful profession but was able to rub in her artistic sense to people in her immediate surroundings. Her descendants are active in the creative industry that is now booming in the city. A daughter, Milagros, is also a painter. Four years ago she mounted a one-woman show of paintings depicting the early years of the settlement. Promoting the cornhusk industry makes her busy of late; I hope she comes up with a show soon. A daughter-in-law, Girlie, brought the art of ballet in Dustdiangas, inspiring young dancers to take up the craft, educating the local audience in the process. Back in the 70s, the choral music scene was making harmonious melodies when a musician St Paul of Chartres nun, Sister Anunciata, initiated the Serenata, a choral competition. In a city wanting of cultural excursions, the yearly Serenata was a dressup affair. There were piano Continued on page 24.

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have not been determined. Blood vessels. Coffee negatively affects the blood vessel tone and function. Heart rhythm disturbances. Coffee can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias) in some people. Blood pressure.

Though coffee drinking is not a significant risk factor for hypertension, it produces unfavorable effects on blood pressure and people prone to hypertension may be more susceptible. A recent Italian study found that coffee drinking can slightly increase the risk of developing sustained hypertension in people who already have elevated blood pressure. Osteoporosis. Coffee intake may induce an extra urinary excretion of calcium. Heavy coffee consumption (600 ml or more) can modestly increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women with low calcium intake. Heartburn. Coffee my trigger heartburn, depending on the health of the individual and his/ her sensitivity to acidity. Sleep. Most are aware

of the stimulatory effects of caffeine. High amounts taken before going to bed can cause difficulty in falling asleep, tendency to wake more readily by sudden noises, and decreased quality of sleep. However, some people can drink coffee and fall right asleep. Dehydration. Caffeine is a mild diuretic and can increase urine excretion. This effect may be easily neutralized by drinking an extra glass of water. Doing so hydrates your body, especially in hot weather. Dependence. Though generally recognized safe by the FDA, caffeine is still a drug, a mild central nervous system stimulant that produces dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is a real syndrome. You may get a few days of headache and irritability if you choose to quit drinking coffee,

but it is relatively easy to break this habit, and most people are not addicted to caffeine. Caffeine addiction is usually seen in those who drink more than a moderate amount of coffee.

n the final diagnosis, each individual has to be aware of what their body tolerates and what it does not. Women need to be more careful when they are pregnant or nursing infants, but we should all be careful to respect the possible negative affects of caffeine in a cup of coffee.

About the Author: Joyce Kaaland runs CoffeeMakersShop.com and is very knowledgeable about commercial coffeemakers. She has written info on taking care of coffeemakers and espresso machines, and why one year warranties are not a bad thing, on her blog http:// todayscoffeeblog.com.

For TV Ad info and inquiry, contact 0939.5426217 (Smart) | 0922.8632233 (Sun), or email phil.southspot@live.com. Continued from page 23

and voice recitals sprinkled, albeit sparsely, season after season. A piano prodigy, Eduardo Martin Leyson, gave concerts whenever he found the time. When I decided to join the academe ten years ago, I chose to apply as faculty at the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges. Why not MSU or Notre Dame? Because in my youth, the arts movement was vibrant and thriving at RMMC. The school had a very good marching band under band master Prof. Saligumba, a nationally acclaimed Himig Chorale under the baton of Jess Abragan, and a groundbreaking Indak Dance Troupe under Felmar Cañete. But I came a little too late; the RMMC arts program was discontinued for lack of funding.

here are they now? Except for Lola Elvie and Prof. Saligumba (who passed away a few years back), the local artists either moved to another place or became busy doing other things. Most of the members of SACI moved abroad. While maintaining a small dance studio in the city, Girlie is more active in dance education in Davao. Martin is now a full-time accountant, and last I heard, Felmar was out of the country. I was in Manila at the inter-committee meeting of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and striding with the great musicians of the Philippines was Sister Anunciata.

Ten years ago, in our effort to energize the local arts scene, SACI organized the Mindanao Arts Festival, one that had for its objective the development of artists and audiences for a more sustainable arts and culture community -- a tall order in those days. There was very little government support. The arts during those times were not yet the priority.

...More artists became frustrated, and moved... Imagine the Gensan arts scene if they stayed. Gensan lacks the infrastructure and facilities to maintain and sustain local talent. The next generation will entirely forget Lola Elvie as they will never see her wonderful landscapes, or learn Gensan’s history as captured in her paintings. We don’t need a national gallery; a small town museum would suffice to exhibit her works. We don’t need an opera house, just a small theater where our performing artists can stage their works. We are still not a BWK entirely. We have artists who feel positive that the arts will now be a priority: • SACI has since been functioning under the auspices of the LGU

• • •

•

regulated General Santos City Culture and the Arts Council; Jess Abragan is still active in training choral groups; Al-Nezzar Ali, an internationally recognized visual artist, maintains a studio in Buayan; MSU Kabpapagariya Ensemble, an Aliw awarded theater group that recently performed in Cyprus and Israel, is working on a new play; Teatro Ambahanon, a multiawarded contemporary dance company representing the Philippines in an international dance festival in Fukuoka, Japan, is opening its fourth season; XB Gensan, first grand champion of It’s Showtime, is starting a junior company; and maybe more.

There are great artists and cultural movers here and in other cities who thought of Gensan as a BWK. The visual artists of SACI, Felmar, Martin, and perhaps many more artists, became frustrated and moved to more culturally vibrant communities, while the others did other things. Sister Anunciata is still active in teaching music and creating wonderful concerts in Manila. Girlie has a regular ballet season in Davao. Except for one, the dancers of XB Gensan moved to ABS CBN in Quezon City to pursue a dancing career. Imagine the Gensan arts scene if they stayed.

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e’re doing away with separate columns for blog, book and music reviews, and pooling them into one spread instead, throwing in other nifty stuff, too.

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profilefocus

narez Gym, It’s Showtime Grand Finals, 24 July 2010. Forty judges. Eleven contestants. An SRO crowd. A mounting tension. Hope is gleaming faintly for the only Mindanao-based finalist to the first ever grand showdown of It’s Showtime, the biggest and grandest talent search in Philippine television that had been running for nine months. Exhausted from a week of rigorous rehearsal schedule right after a gripping wildcard week, XB Gensan, a group of young men from General Santos City, catches some sleep backstage to gather their remaining strength for that final act, that final dance…

FLASHBACK, Lagao Gym, 9 July 2010 -- XB GenSan would hone their dancing

The boys who wore

skirts XB Gensan at It’s Showtime! How the Day was Won by the Skirt-Wearing Barefoot Warriors of Gensan Text by Bing Cariño | Photos by Apple Greatson skills in unlikely places. On normal days, as most of the members are students of Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges, they would rehearse in the free spaces of RMMC campus practicing alternately with RMMC Teatro Ambahanon. On easy days they’d troop to the sandy beaches of Queen Tuna Park for some drills, and on occasions that they run short of tricycle fare, which came very often, they’d take the

streets as their makeshift dance studio, occasionally interrupting the traffic of vehicles that ply the streets of Barangay Bula. Oftentimes, they’d begin as late as eleven in the evening when the streets are empty. CUT TO Ynares Gym, It’s Showtime Grand Finals, 24 July 2010 Ann Curtis: At syempre guys hindi magpapatalo ang Mindanao! (And of course, guys,

Mindanao won’t concede without a fight!) Vhong Navarro: Eto na ang ating 11th and last finalist. Nagmula pa sa General Santos City, madlang people, palakpakan natin ang XB Gensan! (Here are our 11th and last finalist. Coming all the way from General Santos City, people, let’s give XB Gensan and round of applause!) The moment has arrived. Donning their new skirts, the Extreme Boys (XB) are ready to give their all. The new costume done by one of the aunts of the dancers, had to be shipped to Manila as news of their inclusion to the wildcard week came with just a week’s notice. Even before the music played, the dancers channeled the combination of love of craft, determination fueled by an earlier frustration, and perhaps some pride in their hometown, which is the land of winners; they exuded the persona of someone who will conquer the stage. Even with just a short nap while the ten groups were doing their finals rouutine, they had to move to o the beat. It’s only grit, pasasas s-

27 sion and love, fueled by the last and only chance they had to prove their mettle and their artistry. Their apt music (using military motifs) and their Maori war dance concept were so hewn well that they very well looked like soldiers fighting in a strange land. In the middle of the routine where they incorporated their ballet, they completely won the crowd. At the last strains of the music, and with energy left just enough to sustain the finale, they bowed humbly in prayer. After they danced, with no more strength to control their emotions, they wept. FLASHBACK, Bobong Otanes’ House March 2010 -- The trip to the wildcard week was not easy for the already hard up young artists. When they joined the March competition of It’s Showtime, they had to join and win several local competitions to save up for the trip to Manila. It’s a bitter-sweet romance with fate as their style of dancing is yet strange to the d world of street dancing in w Gensan. The angry and fierce G demeanor in their dancing d

is quite strange in the cuteboy-next-door dancing image Gensan was quite accustomed to, that they set their eyes to competing in Manila where, just maybe, they will find some approval. The auditions and the daily competitions proved to be inspiring, after all, XB Gensan was among the very few who got the perfect score of 10 from all five judges. Unfortunately, the show had to break for the holy week that the competition for the weekly finals was set in three weeks. With their limited funds, staying in Manila for three more weeks was not an option. What they won in that contest was spent for their trip back home, depleting the already short funds. With time running shorter by the minute, a meeting was called at Bobong’s house to explore the remaining options for the boys. With just four days to the weekly finals, the boys had to source funds for their passage to Manila. Solicitation for funds failed, and no one was willing to gamble on an obscure group from Bula. Arrangements like advance payments for fu-

ture shows for the city were forged just for them to get loans from people who were also short on funds. Barely making it to the ABSCBN studios in Quezon City, the pressure took its toll. They lost to a group (who also lost in the monthly finals) with just one point. The world around them dimmed, then crashed. FLASHBACK, Wildcard Week, 17 August 2010 Vice Ganda: XB Gensan, hindi ako nagbibigay ng 10 sa unang contestant kasi with 10, wala nang magiging adjustment. Pero wala talagang puwang para hindi… Eto ang score ko sa inyo. 10! (XB Gensan, I don’t give 10 to the first contestant because with 10 there’s no more room for adjustment. But there’s really no point not too... Here is your score. 10!) XB Gensan won in the daily round during the wildcard week on a Monday. Automatically, they performed first in the weekly finals. Four of the 16 groups competed. In this round they would compete with the next three winners including Boys Unlimited, the

same group that eliminated them in the March competition. What the televiewers did not see in this Showtime competition was the very long debate on which group gets to the finals, XB Gensan or Boys Unlimited; what they saw was the brightening of the new light for the XBs -- a tie with Boys Unlimited and a twin slot for the finals! CUT TO Ynares Gym, It’s Showtime Grand Finals, 24 July 2010 Jhong Hilario: Mahirap humakot ng fans dahil ang layo ng pinanggalingan nyo. Pero nakita nyo ang response ng tao… Alam ng buong Mindanao, ng buong Pilipinas, at ngayon pinaalam nyo sa buong mundo na kayo ang dapat manalo. The crowd at Ynares agreed -- a sea of 10s were flashed by the audience. “Sila ang dapat manalo,” quipped one chosen to speak. And for the people that mattered, the judges, they verified this -- 36 of the 40 jurors gave them 10, three gave 9 and one gave 8, giving them an average of 9.875, enough to defeat the 9.67 of the next best group,

profilefocus

28 regularly at the top-rated ASAPxv on national TV. An invitation to perform overseas dangles, waiting for their return to Manila.

the Philippine Island Assassins. The skirt-wearing, barefoot warriors from Bula, General Santos City won that day, the day that shall always be remembered by the XBs long after the world forgets. City Mayor’s conference room, 9 August 2010 Mayor Darlene: “Natutuwa ako’t (I’m pleased that) you are successful in your quest, and I am happy for the success that you are

enjoying right now. I am also happy that you came back, this is an act that shows how you love your families and how proud you all are of the city that you came from. On behalf of the Generals I wish to congratulate you all. Since the moment they were declared It’s Showtime grand champions, the XBs have been itching to go back to General Santos; not to the old lives they have for they have yet to fulfill

commitments that came with being the winner of that talent search. It was in the series of appearances on national television that they realize that a platform for creative expression has been opened for them. An important show on TV hailed XB as “the group that will change Philippine Dance” -- not bad for the same group that was once upon a time misunderstood. Starting September, XB Gensan will be appearing

Barangay Bula, 26 August 2010 -- Back in the deserted street late at night, the music ends. The dancers take a break from a grueling rehearsal. The XBs have gone back to Manila to fulfill the ASAP commitments, but Esha, one of the founding members of XB, decided to stay. Not abandoning the streets that gave them their dreams, he is now working hard to mold the next generation of warriors from the street. Perhaps, with some little help, the legacy lighted by streetlamps continues. XB GenSan (Extreme Boys Gensan) is a hiphop group made up of young boys >>> Continued on page 32

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Bar’s opening night rocked! When joined the Look & Learn Make-up I entered the Q, I was astonished Seminar of Fanny Serrano by by its interior, the lights perfectly Natasha on July 21. I learned lots of blended, the bar area very inviting, and tips from the guru himself. Armed with filled with different kind of liquors and my Lumix camera, pen and notebook I spirits. Overflowing food, nice repertoire of documented Fanny Serrano’s tips and songs and outgoing people made the opentrade secrets. ing night most ideal. Last but not the least As a make-up artist wannabe I try they have a big enough dance floor. to gather and absorb all tips to improve The my craft. Here I share the new things. party was The tools Fanny used, which he said filled with you must have, are: candy, mint or gum; prominent hand sanitizer; facial tissue; Wet Ones; personcotton buds; Johnson’s baby oil; tweezer; alities. water gun; towel; head band; make-up Ran into gown (for when make-up is also applied Gov. Migs on neck and shoulders); brush set; and Domingez sponge (Fanny uses the seaweed type.) (SaranAnd so here are master’s make-up Masthead photo by Brian Congson gani), as tips (most of them anyway): well as Alona Miguel (BDO), • Practice, practice, practice. When he was just starting Kate Budke (SunCity) and out Fanny practiced on a piece of paper stuck on the wall; Jobeth Cantiveros (KCC he drew eyes, eyebrows and nose, then imagined it was Mall). There I also found the the client’s face. Make-up artists are like painters, but their group of friends of Randall canvas is the face. Gotan, who happens to be • Exercise your hands the one of the owners. I took to make them flexible, opportunity to ask him about Q light and soft, just like Bar, in short we had a questionpianists do. and-answer session. (See the • Use hand sanitizers. transcript on page 32.) We Alcohol dries your hands. ended the interview by toasting • Know your client, her our drinks. Thanks, Man! lifestyle and the way she As I continued to roam presents herself so you around I found this cozy compliment her with the place with couches; here you perfect make-up. can catch up with friends and • Respect your client’s generally just have a good time time. They have special while relaxing. Plus, they have occasions to attend. Coma veranda where you could sit pute the time it takes to around and talk while drinking do the make-up and when and you’d still have fun. she is supposed to leave The night was still young, your shop for her party. kikaymuch.me so I went back with my • Make-up is all about girlfriends and enjoyed the blending. Different colors atmosphere of the crowd. Met must not have any demarnew people, had pleasant concation line. Colors should versations, danced a bit, and compliment each other. laughed so hard at different hilarious stories I heard from them. • Invest on high-quality You see those people who seem to be comfortable in any social brushes. Keep them clean. situation anywhere. What’s their secret? What’s my secret? • Contour using founda• Dress to kill. Wear something very fashionable but make tion. Do not use blush. sure you are comfortable wearing them. • Eyebrows. Clean found• Be confident! Confidence is a big turn-on for cool people. ation remnants and brush • Stand up straight and look people directly in the eye-brows before using the eye. Self-assurance is very attractive. People will believe eyebrow pencil. (Shape the that there must be some underlying reason for your selfpencil like a chisel so it’s confidence. thin and wider.) Brush it to • Smile. It’s free and it’s contagious. eliminate pencil look. • Compliment each person you talk to. Find something • Try eyeshadows at interesting about them. the back of your palm • Circulate! Don’t get trapped with and be smothered by the first. Like painters use same people all evening. the palette to mix paints. • Introduce people you meet to each other. • Put concealer and • Don’t drink so much that you lose control. Have fun! foundation up until hair line, on ears, neck and ast 12:00 am my phone beeped. Time to go home now, sides of nose. chuckles. While on my way going out the bar, I was so up• Use old angled brush beat. Somehow it’s a good thing to go out sometimes. See to put mascara to eyenew place, new things, new people, new friends, and who knows, lash base. If eyes get teary use cotton buds to release tears. new love? A truly ϋber great Q Bar experience!

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Q Bar Bar Aims Ai Aim ims to to Change Cha ha ange ng nge ge th tthe he Way Wa ayy People Party in General Santos

eauty queen, media specialist and writer Romarie Ivy Cunanan and her girlfriends trooped to Q Bar on opening night in July. She eventually ran into one the brains behind Q Bar. Here is the impromptu oneon-one into an insight on Gensan’s current it bar: Rom: Why Q? Ran: Q is actually the name of the mother branch located at Damosa in Davao City. Q because it’s easy to remember. The letter Q is often associated with question. We want people to ask, What is Q all about? and easily remembering a great experience, they would always want to come back for more. Rom: Why this business? Ran: My friends and I hang

>>> Continued from page 28

out almost everyday and as time passed by, we all realized that we have been to every restaurant and nightspot here. We were craving for something new. That’s why we decided to put up a resto-bar, to give locals a new, exciting place with mouthwatering dishes, great drinks and vibrant music. Rom: How is Q bar different from the other bars? Ran: Q Bar is not just a bar, it is also a restaurant. We are open for lunch and dinner. We are not just for bar habitués but for everyone who wants a super dining experience. We want everyone to have a taste of the Q experience. Rom: Your clientele? Ran: Every person who

from Barangay Bula, General Santos City. It was formed as a community training project of the RMMC Teatro Ambahanon Contemporary Dance Company. Eight of the Extreme Boys, Vincent Joey Jopia, Jippy Bantug, Donald Orcullo, Jan Michael Vincent Gungun, Michael Ver Acharon, Argie Lepana and Jay Joseph Roncesvalles are RMMC scholars. Bobeth Papellero and Elmer Fajardo are high school students from Bula National School of Fisheries. Ivan Mark Vergara and Ricky Cañete are out-of-school youth. Esha Lingcob just graduated with a degree in business from RMMC, and the artistic director Jan Robert Acharon, a Gensan Youth Achiever Awardee, graduated last March from RMMC. About Bing Cariño. One of XB Gensan’s artistic direction advisers and founder/artistic director of RMMC Teatro Ambahanon Contemporary Dance Company, Bing is currently the assistant secretary of the National Committee on Cultural Education of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

wants a delightful dining experience, who wants a wide array of drinks, who wants to relax and unwind, who wants a night of fun in the city. In short, anyone who enjoys great food, drinks and music in the company of wonderful people. Rom: How do you plan to change the way people party in Gensan? Ran: We will be bringing a new meaning to partying in Gensan. We will be introducing the latest music from different genres. We will also be hosting a variety of exciting parties. Everyone will get to have the Q experience -- partying with a great crowd and excellent food and drinks.

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