Five Dumaguete villages vie in streetdancing showdown

by: Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, May 6 (PIA) --- In an festive show to mark the fifth Kabulakan Festival inDumaguete City, five villages will take to the streets to battle it out for a street dancing on May 21. 

Dumaguete City Tourism Officer Andrey Noel Tumulak in a statement said that the villages sending dance contingents to the showdown are Brgys. Bagacay, Bantayan, Camanjac, Candau-ay, and Taclobo. 

Tumulak said the city government has earlier given a seed money worth P140,000 to each of the participating barangays. 

Up for grabs in the showdown are: P30,000 for first prize, P20,000 for second prize and P10,000 for third prize. 

Minor awards will be handed out for Best in Street Dancing, Best in Costume, Best Float and Festival King and Queen. 

Three celebrities have been invited to add star power to the showdown, namely: Isabelle Ole, Mark Strong and Nick Colleta, said Tumulak. 

The festival will start at 4:00 p.m. as participating contingents will romp in selected streets in the city and converge at the City Hall Quadrangle at 6:00 p.m. for the showdown. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from Syril Repe)

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Dumaguete city council approves yearly budget for 7 villages

by: Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, May 5 (PIA) --- The Dumaguete City Council has approved on Wednesday the annual budget for 2011 for seven barangays in the city totalling to around P16.8 million. 

The amount will be broken down to the following seven villages, namely: Candau-ay (P2,855,898.33), Bunao (P1,726,888.39), Cadawinonan (P2,182,179.25), Looc (P2,499,405.25), Piapi (P3,096,286.43), Daro (P3,249,327.49) and Poblacion 6 (P1,231,964.60), according to a statement from the Dumaguete City Public Information Office. 

The funds will be sourced from the barangays' 2010 income generated from its barangay real property taxes, barangay permits and clearances, internal revenue allotment and aid from the city or the province, explained Rodolfo Merced, former barangay captain of Poblacion 2 and now working at the City Mayor's Office. 

Merced added that the funds will be used for various operational expenses and development programs in the barangays, including risk reduction preparedness. 

The other barangays' request for approval of their 2011 budget are now pending at the city council for review, said City Community Affairs Officer Syril Repe. 

Dumaguete City, the capital and most populous city in Negros Oriental, has a total of 30 barangays. 

Councilor JV Imbo, acting in behalf of Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) President Albert Aquino, pushed for the approval of said yearly budget, added Repe. 

The city council also gave its nod to the P10,000 financial assistance sought by Brgy. Bajumpandan to purchase medicines for the beneficiaries of its upcoming "Operation Tuli."

Also approved in the same session was the funding assistance requested by Brgy. Balugo amounting to P20,000 for purchase of medicines to be used in its health center. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

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Dumaguete public school receives 30 solar lamps

by: Jennifer Catan-Tilos

  

DUMAGUETE CITY, May 5 (PIA)  The Dumaguete City government has accepted about 30 Solar Lanterns from the Ride for Light 2011 Taos Puso Foundation this week for   Cantil-e Elementary School.

The turned-over of solar lamps including the mobile phone chargers, City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria appreciated the donor for its assistance to improve study habits of students in the school, said Community Affairs Officer Syril Repe.

Mayor Sagarbarria said, “this innovative technology now a days can enhance education, no matter what we do technology has to come in and this program is bringing light here in Cantil-e.”

Barangay Cantil-e is situated kilometers away from the urban area of which the recipients of the solar lamps were not yet able to avail electricity connection due to poverty, Repe said.

Being solar powered, these lights can be easily installed without electrical wiring and save the user in electricity costs.

The lamp is a weather proof with solar panel perched on top of the light fixture itself, which faces directly up to the sun for maximum solar energy intake. 

Mayor Sagarbarria said Cantil-e Elementary School is also one of the beneficiaries of the e-impact type module, the new technology to be implemented during the opening of classes in June.   

Present during the turned-over ceremony were Dr. Ramir Uytico, OIC, Schools Divisions Superintendent, City Councilors Manny Arbon, Antonio Remollo and Kenneth Arbas; barangay Captain Pilardo Sarte, and other school officials and stakeholders. (PIA NegOr/JCT)

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DUMAGUETE’S 5TH KABULAKAN FESTIVAL SET by: Jennifer Catan-Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY, Apr 6 (PIA) Dumaguete five barangays ready to clash for the best street dancing and showdown team on May 21 at the main thoroughfare in the city for this year’s 5th Kabulakan Festival.  Participating barangays Bagacay, Bantayan, Camanjac, Candau-ay and Taclobo is given seed money from the city government of P140,000 for the necessary props and other expenses during their preparations. Winning barangays will receive P30,000 for the first place, P20,000 prize for the second spot and third placer, P10,000, said Community Affairs Officer Syril Repe. Every contingent must choose a flower endemic to the city as the theme and symbol of interpretation of their dance presentation, Repe said. The guidelines require all performances to show relevance to the chosen flower. The use of ornaments or embellishment such as bees, dragonflies, fairies may be incorporated for added impact, organizers said. The local government will also offer minor awards to all participating contingents for best in street dancing, best in costume, best float, king and queen. To add more color on this year’s festival, Repe said three showbiz personalities include Isabelle Ole, Mark Strong and Nick Colleta will participate in some activities. The street dancing will start at 4:00 p.m. to go around the city and showdown opens at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall quadrangle. This yearly event has kicked off on May 3 which feature various activities all throughout the month of May. The events promotes the provincial culture and arts for tourism development. Agro Fair will be opened on the 19th of May while Barangay and Schools Tree Planting activity starts on May 23, and the main highlights of the festival is the Flower ArrangementCompetition on May 7. This year’s festival banners the theme: “Nagpakabana, Nagamping sa Bahandi sa Kinaiyahan,” which focuses on the environment and protection of natural treasures in the city. The theme itself is a contemporary response to the many environmental issues that have surfaced throughout the country, said Repe. Local and foreign tourists are invited to witness the spectacle celebration of city’s Kabulakan Festival. (PIA NegOr/JCT)