BLANK PAGE Vol 1 Issue 2

CDO security tightens for upcoming fiesta

by Bonne Zalzos

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Cagayan De Oro City’s security heightens as the annual City fiesta nearly approaches.

Photo by Jim Bonner

COHARA to stage Kumbira 2013 on its 17th year

By Mike Limuel Felisilda

he Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA) will once again mount its annual culinary festival on August 14 to 16 at the Atrium of Limketkai Center.

Kumbira is a professional and student culinary show and live competition which promote healthy competition and camaraderie with different hotels, restaurants and schools, dubbed as the longestrunning regional culinary art show that recognizes the culinary skills and talents and at the same time promote the development of creativity and excellence in food and beverage artistry through various exhibitions.

Kumbira is a visayan word that means feast or food festival. It has earned the title of being one of the most exciting culinary events in the country and it boated of a very prestigious roster of judges who took turns in judging the competitions.

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KUMBIRA | p. 2

midst the trauma of the recent deadly explosion that happened in a popular shopping complex in Cagayan De Oro, the city’s police heightens security alert for the upcoming annual fiesta later this month.

Cagayan De Oro City Police Head Superintendent Graciano Mijares stated that their police forces are on high alert.

The bombing incident that happened last July 26th in an establishment,

killing at least eight civilians, causes the citizens to worry about the security of the city.

T h e archdiocese of Cagayan De Oro City, Msgr. Elmer Abacahin, said that the fiesta will go on despite the public trauma that the bombing incident had caused.

Mijares requests residents to cooperate with the City Police and to report any suspicious person or activity to the nearest police station.

CDO fiesta to go on amid lack of funds E ven without the budget from the city government for the fiesta, all the events lined-up will be pushed through.

The previous administration didn't allot funds for the city's annual festival in the 2013 budget. A private organization was commissioned to run the previous festival.

According to Maricel Casiño-Rivera, City Information Officer, there's no funds

have been generated for the fiesta activities since security of the upcoming activities has been prioritized.

Rivera said there is nothing to worry if funds for the festival are scarce since the city government can always find the means to celebrate St. Augustine's feast successfully.

The city government can resort to soliciting funds from sponsors and

other private entities that would be willing to help City Hall's quest to provide something new for the tourists and Kagay-anons.

Most of the mentioned core events in the festival have been partnered with different sectors, both from private or government entities.

She says, "We will provide the best activities from other sources."

She also assured that fiesta activities and merry making will not be economized and everything will be made transparent and will all be accounted for.

They will also request the city council to appropriate an amount to be taken from the socio-cultural appropriation budget.

With the city's approval, the partners would be given mileage in terms FUNDS | p. 2

Kagay-an Festival 2013 Core Events

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agayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno said that the 2013 CDO Fiesta will push through this year.

The Kagay-an Festival 2013, which is celebrated in honor of patron Saint Augustine, will hold the theme “Higala-ay: Kagay-an Festival

2013with the theme “Duyog sa dungog, Kuyog sa Kusog”.

Kagay-an Festival activities for the whole month of August starts with the Kumbira on August 14 -16, 2013 at the Limketkai Mall Atrium.This year, Kumbira has for its theme: “Negosyo Kulinarya – Building

Home-grown Brands”. This three-day event consisting of exhibits, seminars, and competitions will be participated in by restaurants, hotels, resorts, students, professional chefs, and food enthusiasts from all over the country.

The Garden Show

will be held in the historic Duaw Kagay-an Park and will feature an exhibition of garden plants and landscaping artistry from local gardeners and plant enthusiasts.

PBA Legends on August 17,2013 6:00 PM at the Xavier University Gym will

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MILF member condemns CDO bombing

INSIDE CAMPUS LICEO CAS unites at NEON Night he roaring contest is on. The Annual Acquaintance Party of Liceo De Cagayan University’s College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) is astonishing, celebrated on August 7, Wednesday afternoon till 10pm at the Country Village Hotel.

Tiger Logo and/ or look is deeply marked in our department so through in it, each course has a presentation. According to Ms. Neilgem Beja, CAS Student Body President, who’s also the host of the program said that each course must have to show the best roaring as a tiger because this is one of the criteria for judging.

Before the contest started, there are some students who got the lucky of winning the best neon outfit for the night.

Minutes later, roaring course presentation is on; CAS department consists of eight course but unfortunately only three course got the crown for the night – the second place goes to AB-Psychology, then the first runner up goes to AB-Masscom and the champion goes to ABLibrary Science.

The night was very enjoyable and people were united. Students and Faculty are glamorous in their outfit as neon colours.

By Maria Donita B. Hizon

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- Marilyn Veluz

Editorial Board Bonne Zalzos Editor-In-Chief Maria Donita B. Hizon News Editor Lovely Babe Estoista News Editor Marilyn Veluz Feature Editor Patricia Blanca Gamali News Writer Mike Limuel Felisilda News Writer Address: Door 1, Blue Apartment, Bulua, Cagayan De Oro City E-mail: blankpageofficial@gmail.com

he Moro Islamic Liberation Front condemns the possible terms of the senseless killings of eight slain and 40 injured civilians as an outcome of a bomb attack at the Rosario Arcade in a well-known mall in Cagayan De Oro City on the evening of Jul 26th.

An MILF negotiating panel member, Bobby Alonto, paid a courtesy call by City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno last August 6th. Moreno expressed gratitude by the gesture of support of the top MILF official.

Alonto further expresses the group’s deep condolences to the families of the victims of the said disastrous incident, as he manifested MILF’s support to the government’s peace initiatives in Mindanao.

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EDITORIAL Bombing incidents are not anymore new in this Region. Iligan City experienced it a lot of times, and even Cagayan De Oro’s having almost every year. It’s the same old cycle that after one incident, city security will then heighten its cause. Is it really impossible

Security still at stake to keep the City’s safety by assuring its security at all times?

The latest incident caused casualties; some of them are visiting folks, attending a certain occasion.

The news spread internationally thus affecting not only the City’s tourism, but also the country’s,

FUNDS | from p.1

of promotion but they must abide with the terms and conditions set by the committee for the festivities, Rivera said.

On city councilor Alexander Dacer's part, he said the socio-cultural appropriation budget is not intended for the fiesta activities but for the improvement of the city museum.

Dacer said, last year, the city government handled back the fiesta activities and cited that the Promote CdeO, the private organization which managed the city's fiestas celebration for the past five years, al-

EVENTS | from p. 1

treat basketball loving folks to a visit by ten of the PBA Legends led by Vince Hizon.

Kagay-an Festival Marathon on AUGUST 18, 2013, 3:00 AM at Start/Finish – Centrio Mall is set to hit with a 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km run. All finishers will receive medals and certificates.

A western cowboy style atmosphere will pervade the Cowboy Festival where visitors enjoy a spectacle of horsemen events including Oval Race, Obstacle Race, and Barrel Race which will be participated by horse enthusiasts from all levels of expertise from all over the country. The Festival National Horse Show and Competition will be

hence the restoration of the Black Travel Alert of Hongkong against Philippines.

Other countries having the same alert include Australia, Canada, UK, and even China.

Last week, the City Police heightens its security for the upcoming fiesta, to fur-

ther evade another disastrous incident, like the Rosario Arcade bombing.

Though, it is a good move but the City Government, however, must maintain the City’s security at all times to gain back the positive public image it once had.

They have to keep

legedly mishandled the event.

He said Promote CdeO only turned over P493,000 as part of the city's share during the years that it handled the annual event and P507,000 as "continual contribution."

"The city government had a hard time looking for sponsors as we did not set aside a budget because we were banking on Promote CdeO," he added.

Meanwhile, Department of Tourism or DOT Region 10 director Catalino Chan has pledged an amount

on August 23 – 25, 2013 at the SM Grounds.

The Kahimuan Regional Trade Fair on August 24 – 28, 2013 at SM City will be highlighted with a specialsettingoftheOneTown, One-Product (OTOP) of the different cities, municipalities, and provinces of Region 10. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will spearhead the event together with various local producers.

Miss Cagayan de Oro 2013 Coronation Night on August 24, 2013, 7:00 PM at the Limketkai Center Atrium, lives up to Its tradition of searching for young women with beauty, wit, and charm, to be Cagayan de Oro’s Ambassador of Goodwill.

the vicinities safe from the prying eyes of the terrorists, not just only for the upcoming city feast but to protect what is to be proud for. They have to show that it really is the Most Competitive City.

to be contributed for the expenses of the fiesta activities.

Chan said that they will also provide trophies and prizes to some events of the fiesta.

He said, "It is DOT's concern and task to achieve targets for tourists' arrivals, be foreign or local."

"We are positioning Cagayan de Oro, being the city of Golden friendship, as an ideal destination in Mindanao that is why we give our full support to the city," Chan added.

-Lovely Babe Estoista

The Kagay-an Pyro Festival will be on August 25, 2013, 7:00 PM at SM CITY This year, SM City Cagayan de Oro will once again partner with the City Government, Pueblo de Oro and ABS- CBN fOr another Pyro Festival. It will be a grander and bigger fireworks competition on August 25, 2013 as a prelude to the City’s fiesta celebration.

The PE Rhythmic Dance Competition will be on August 26,2013, 7:00 AM at the Pelaez Sports Center.

The PE Rhythmic Dance Competition is a special dance showcase and field demonstration participatedinbyPhysical Education (PE) students from different schools

of Cagayan de Oro City.

HIGALAS: Parade of Cagayan de Oro Icons on August 27, 2013.

Start: Rodelsa Circle 7:00 AM, Finish: Limketkai Center. This year’s Parade of Cagayan de Oro Icons will fuse the usual city fiesta parade and the street dancing into one meaningful milestone that will have greater impact, broader participation, and healthy sustainability.

Religious Street Procession on August 28,2013 will start at 4:00 AM, Fernandez St. Will end at 7:00 AM, St. Augustine Cathedral.

Fluvial Procession on August 28,2013 starts at 1:00 PM, Macabalan.

Will end at 3:00 PM, Duaw Kagay-an Park.

-Patricia Gamali

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Like the city fiesta, Kumbira has become an event eagerly awaited not only by the city residents but by people from neighboring cities as well, especially the HRM students and hotel and restaurant staff, with busloads of students and professionals from all over the Mindanao who make their annual pilgrimage to Cagayan de Oro to witness how stunning Kumbira is.

Now on its 17th year, Kumbira 2013 will highlights local brands and products with its theme, “Negosyo Kulinarya – Building Home-grown Brands”.

Various local brand leaders will participate in the festival event to impart their expertise on franchising, entrepreneurship, and marketing.

Kumbira Festival 2013 is organized by the COHARA and is supported by the Department of Tourism Region 10.

Kumbira enthusiasts will witness culinary competitions for professional and students, allowing visitors to listen to demo and participate in the various hands-on activities.

In this year’s culinary event, COHARA President Nelia B. Lee hopes that Kumbira will add another attraction to Cagayan de Oro, not just as tourist adventure destination but also as a culinary highway promoting the city to food enthusiasts all over the world.