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ILOILO LEAVE NO STORY UNTOLD SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2012 HIDDEN GEMS OF A charming group of islands in the northern part of Panay Island in Visayas is set to carve its name in tourism

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SPRINKLES

ILOILO

L E A V E N O S T O R Y U N T O L D SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

HIDDEN GEMS OF

A charming group of islands in the northern part of Panay

Island in Visayas is set to carve its name in tourism

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3random

3 gastronomics

Contents

3reviews

6 trips

SPRINKLESSEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

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13INSIDE THE HALLS OF THE

NATIONAL MUSEUM

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TheEditor’sLetter

The best is yet to come

2ISSUE

Democracy’s famous home once again left the world in awe in its recently-concluded presidential election that saw the close battle between two candidates who went head-to-head in their ambitious plan to clinch the most powerful job in the entire world. That night saw the reelection of America’s first black president whose historic first term in office was carried through a platform of hope and change. Rising through a fresh mandate for a second term, Barack Hussein Obama, the name of whom doesn’t even sound like an American at all, confidently faced a cheering crowd in his hometown Chicago and the world in particular on that election night complete with soaring rhetorics and as expected, an exceptional oratorical skills. On that night, this line stroked a chord in me as it did the same for the many embattled Americans in the world’s superpower: Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come. These words got the crowd stood into their feets, made a sound through their hands. For a problematic nation, whose grappling with the worst economic dillema

in a century that left many of his citizens unemployed and struggling to meet both ends, a reassuring leader maintained composure--ever hopeful and never faltering that this can be solved, given more time. Obama, who have become a witness to how greatly divided his country was when one would see the electoral map, rallied his countrymen to unite, saying that they are not as divided as their politics suggest. They, as their president proudly said, are greater than the sum of their ndividual ambitions and they remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. “We are, and forever will be, the United States of America” One would wonder why many of us Filipinos, including me, are fascinated with the grandeur of American politics. It could very well be explained by how the people in general see the elections as a venue for their voices to be heard. To vote is a sacred thing and to choose their country’s next leader, they cling to it as if it’s the last hope in their pursuit for transformation and change. That certain level of maturity among the electors and their candidates is definitely the kind we lack here at home. We certainly hope America’s success because their success is also our success. This can be better understood if we put it into the context of a tough man acquiring a severe virus for the very first time. When it coughs, each of one us is affected in ways we could barely imagine.

While in its soil the Americans rejoiced over the outcome of the election, many people across the globe, from the streets of Tokyo to the forgotten corners of the Arab world and even in our little office here in Tagum, posed a seemingly difficult question to answer: Can we do just the same? I came with this article in light of the upcoming 2013 midterm elections on the first quarter next year. An eclectic mix of people signified intention to hold public office who will be defending their paltforms of governance

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SPRINKLESL E A V E N O S T O R Y U N T O L D

EDITOR IN CHIEF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR

FEATURES EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

PHOTOGRAPHER

GRAPHIC ARTISTS

CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS

LOUIE BRYAN LAPAT

LEO TIMOGAN

RIC KEVIN CONDE

RICHARD ARELLANO

JIVE GUMELA

JIO JOHN MANAGBANAG

LOUIE JAY LOSARIA

HAROLD LUPOGANAPRIL SALINAS

ANDIE BRAGAHARLEY AGLOSOLOSMIGS HIPOLITOMONET FEDERISOEDWIN LASQUITECROMWELL BONGHANOY

SPRINKLES IS THE QUARTERLY ONLINE MAGAZINE OF THE TAGUM BLOGGERS SOCIETY. THE EDITORS AND MEMBERS OF THE TAGUM BLOGGERS SOCIETY GIVE NO WARRANTIES, GUARANTEES OR ASSURANCES AND MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING ANY GOODS OR SERVICES ADVERTISED IN THIS EDITION. NO PART OF THIS ONLINE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED, IN PART OR IN WHOLE, WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER.

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On theScene

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The Star of Bethlehem once heralded good news of the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Thousand

of years had passed, we immortalize its symbol through giant lanterns that, among many other

symbolisms, celebrate the joy of the holidays and Filipino ingenuity. The Queen of Apostles College

and Seminary in Tagum City invites us to take a glimpse of their giant parols.

Starsconstellation of

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CComplete darkness wrapped the whole place on that moon-lit Friday night when, as the hours leading to the first day of December looms, the Queen of Apostles College and Seminary opened its door to us to witness the tradition that has spanned years of delicate and meticulous art of making parols, perhaps the well-revered Christmas icon of the Filipinos second to the belen. Quite ironically, the bright sky on that night brought by the romantic moon didn’t offer a vista of little, twinkling, and sometimes falling, astronomical dots. What I saw instead are big ones that are very well-decorated with indigenous and recyclable materials that are brought to life by lights of different colors in the spectrum. Had I been so crazy, I would have thought some of the stars up above camped in this part of the world! Past a dark and eerie driveway bordered on the sidelines by old, towering trees is the great seminarians’ abode, home to the future men of the Catholic church. These people are also the young men who carried on the tradition of putting up giant lanterns not just for the sake of having it, but to remind themselves and the faithful community

in general, of the great celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Through their artistic collaboration to produce such marvelous lanterns, they were able to bring such magnitude of joy eminent during the holidays. This tradition traces its roots way back in the year 1996, according to the dean of the seminary and our host for that night, Rev. Fr. Emerson delos Reyes. In the past years, he said, belens add up to the hype of the seminary’s Christmas tradition other than the giant lanterns. In recent years, they shifted their focus on the latter, with seminarians organized in several groups thinking of different sets of designs every year in a competition that has meted their caliber for arts and design. In the seminary’s gymasium, about ten giant Christmas icons were on display, each having distinct and intricate designs that are rich with meanings and symbolisms. One particular design that caught my attention was the smiling snow man, the famed symbol of a White Christmas everybody in the Philippines is dreaming-

-that kind of moment when you wake up on a bright Christmas morning with falling

In the seminary’s gymasium, about ten giant Christmas icons were on display, each having distinct and intricate designs that are rich with meanings and symbolisms.

snow outside your window and freckles across your nose. This particular fixture stands smiling beside an old ship adorned with a cross and a handful of stars, made more vibrant by the tiny dots of yellow lights. The group’s representative would later explain its meaning as such: The snow man represents the imperial West and the decline of faith in that spot of the world. On the other hand, the sacred mission of spreading the Word is ably represented by the old ship, with exterior made of envelopes urging the faithful to support the missionaries in the different parts of the globe. This is of primary importance since the year 2012 is assigned as the year of faith by the Catholic church. The recent addition of another Filipino to

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In the seminary’s gymasium, about ten giant Christmas icons were on display, each having distinct and intricate designs that are rich with meanings and symbolisms.

the Canons of Saints is also celebrated by this largely Christian country. Saint Pedro Calungsod--the second Filipino saint after Saint Lorenzo Ruiz--is also a missionary who was killed in the line of duty. Aside from this, the sight of belens of different interpretations is also a sight to behold in the designs of the displayed giant lanterns along Seminary Drive. With just a few weeks to prepare in between their busy academic life, the seminarians were able to craft wonderful pieces of art from a tapestry of resources, be it recycled or indigenous materials found inside the seminary. And sometimes, from their respective homes. But with the kind of product they produced, no wonder if it would

be a hit among locals here. The City of Tagum, known for its love for culture and the arts, is beaming with colorful lights during the holidays. This is very well evident when its famed giant holiday tree (measuring 110 feet this year) comes to life. People from all walks of life gather at the holiday tree that stands tall and mighty in the Freedom Park which is at the central part of the bustling city. The parols in the seminary would surely be a big crowd-drawer too, making more people appreciate the real meaning of these Christmas icons behind those designs and amazing lights. There’s a certain festival in Pampanga where the locals put into spotlight their humungous parols. I cannot fathom

why we can’t do the same in this city where once the impossible is turned into stunning possibilities. As soon as these parols were lighted up, darkness was soon replaced with eagerness and hope--fitting symbolisms the parol represent. The Scripture pointed out that it was the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three wise men in their search for baby Jesus. So when you see a constellation of stars in a dark night, think of the better days that lie ahead. May the stars of Christmas, whether hanged in your respective homes or in the streets, remind you of hope, of new beginnings and happiness that the Christmas bring. Merry Christmas!