Kabulakan Festival promotes Dumaguete as green and garden City
by: Jennifer Catan-Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 11 (PIA) Dumaguete City government celebrates the 5thKabulakan Festival aimed to inspire people to start a garden, plant flowers and trees, also vegetables and fruit that will increase food sustainability in the city, according to City Tourism Officer Andrey Noel Tumulak.
Tumulak said the festival sends the message the beauty of flowers and the lush greenery of trees and make possible to make Dumaguete a green and garden city.
The Kabulakan festival pays tribute to the Mother natures for her kindness and blessings that she has continually bestowed upon Dumaguete City, Tumulak, added.
Tumulak further said, this festival does not aspire to be the flower festival of the Philippines, also not designed to duplicate the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio and Kadayawan festival of Davao City.
The City Tourism Council organized the Santacruzan Festival for 15 years and made it the most awaited event in the city, but the council has to give up the celebration of the festival in deference and courtesy to the catholic church, the only institution that could give more religious emphasis and significance to this time to honored tradition, the tourism official explained.
This year’s celebration has introduced innovations to the previous years of celebration, Tumulak said.
This time around, lectures on organic gardening and solid waste management were held with the City Agriculture Office taking the lead as part of the city’s efforts to support the environmental protection and conservation program.
A three-day food festival at the Quezon Park on May 13-15 also highlighted the month-long celebration, where food stalls were rented out to high-end restaurants and low-budget alternatives so people could dine and listen to live band music.
Tumulak added, this festival will be more exciting because of the selection of the Kabulakan king and queen and some showbiz personalities will join the street dancing and showdown on May 21.
The showbiz personalities include Isabel Oli, Neil Coleta and Markki Stroem. (PIA NegOr/JCT)
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1,256 barangay residents avail army’s medical service
by: Jennifer Catan-Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 10 (PIA) A total of 1,256 barangay residents have benefited the free medical and dental mission on May 6-7 in two villages of the first district of Negros Oriental.
The 11th Infantry “Lapu-Lapu” Battalion and 302nd Infantry “Achiever” Brigade Medical Teams participated in health services with the Office of Representative Jocelyn Limkaichong and the local government units of Tayasan and La Libertad in a two- day Civic Action in barangays Pinalubngan and Kansumandig of Tayasan and La Libertad, respectively.
According to Civil Relations Officer Sonny Gonzales of the 302 Brigade the Lapu- Lapu and Achiever Troopers led by two battalion and brigade commanders LTC Ramil Bitong and Col Manuel Luis Ochotorena together with members of the Provincial Board Liland Zoila Estacion and Georgita Martinez; local health and barangay council officials, and police personnel provided various free services to the residents most of whom came from far- flung neighboring barangays.
Gonzales said in Brgy Pinalubngan, about 490 residents availed the services on medical consultation with 215 individuals; circumcision, 66; ear piercing, 60; eye check-up, 71; free haircut, 17; tooth extraction, 42 and minor surgery of five patients.
The residents were also given free medicines for various illnesses, Gonzales said.
He said the soldiers also initiated parlor games followed by gift giving to the residents personally led by Congresswoman Limkaichong.
Similarly, in barangay Kansumandig, La Libertad a total of 766 residents benefited also the medical mission with 375 persons availed the medical consultations; 122 underwent circumcision; 91 had ear- piercing; 89 availed of eye check-up; 21 for free haircut; 46 had tooth extraction; nine underwent minor surgery and 13 availed free massage.
Meanwhile, Limkaichong has recognized the soldiers’ dedication and commitment in assisting the LGUs in delivering social services to the stakeholders especially in far- flung barangays of the province, said Gonzales.