The festival season – based both on cultural and religious origins – is on in southern Negros Occidental and Panay, particularly in the CHICKS area – Candoni, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Cauayan and the cities of Kabankalan and Sipalay.
The merrymakers’ road leads first to Kabankalan City, where the Sinulog festive atmosphere is already on high gear until the main highlight on Sunday, Jan. 21. The festival honors the city’s patron, Saint Niño.
The mood is also already upbeat in my hometown, Cauayan, which is getting ready for the finale of Lubay-lubay Festival on Thursday, Jan. 25.
Lubay-lubay celebrates the resilience of the townsfolk as reflected in the swaying of the bamboo, where the town is said to have gotten its name from.
On Feb. 11, Candoni will cap the Dinagyaw (previously called Pabalhas) sa Tablas, the old name of the mountain valley area.
The festival recalls the ‘bayanihan’ efforts of settlers led by Tagoy Diego in clearing the Tabla tree forest to build a road to the upland community.
Ilog is next in the CHICKS festival parade with its Kisi-kisi, which will climax on March 25.
Kisi-kisi reflects the brisk movement of crustaceans and fish, the main industry in the southern town located off the main road artery in the south, along with Candoni.
Sipalay, the southernmost city in Negros Occidental, holds Pasaway Festival on March 31.
The festival recalls the once thriving ‘saway’, or copper, industry and diggings in the riverbeds and hills in the city.
Capping the CHICKS festival parade on the fourth month of the year is Pagbana-ag, the celebration in the southernmost town, Hinoba-an.
The April 24 festivities recall the optimism of the townsfolk in overcoming the challenges that the symbolic break of dawn brings.
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The Kabankalan celebration, now on its 48th year, culminates on Jan. 21. It was ushered in by the opening of the Sinulog Trade Fair early in December last year.
The festival’s opening salvo will be held on Thursday, Jan. 11 with the celebration of the 6 a.m. mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño following the Walk with Jesus activity at 4 in the morning.
Various religious, cultural, sports activities and evening shows are lined up during the celebration.
Among the highlights are the festival queen coronation on Jan. 19 and the traditional fluvial procession on Jan. 20.
The pontifical mass will be held at 5 a.m. on Sunday with Archbishop Jose Palma of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño of Cebu.
The grand parade and performances of tribes follow the religious gathering.
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We are deeply saddened by the passing away of Dumaguete City-based Renato ‘Rene’ Genove, a media colleague.
Rene, the husband of our dear friend, Cecil Genove, a fellow Negros Weekly columnist and media educator, passed away on Jan. 4. He was 67.
He was our fellow journalist in the Visayan Daily Star, being the Dumaguete correspondent for 16 years.
Rene is survived by Cecil, and three sons – Percival Gerard (and wife, the former Joy Piñero), Vito Carlo, and George Michael – and grandchildren Theo Ivan, Trinity Lois and Tobi Markus.
Recollections of Rene flowed in the social media, describing him as, among others, “full of life, always with a smile with a distinctively warm welcoming disposition”.
A fellow fraternity member recalled that he was “a banker turned journalist and loyal roommate and No. 1 fan of local celebrity (wife Cecil).”
Rene will be interred at the Dumaguete Memorial Park on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
Our deepest sympathies and prayers for comfort, strength, hope and peace to Cecil and family.
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And writing about the eternal journey of friends, we marked the first death anniversary of my former student, media co-worker and long-time neighbor Eric Loretizo on Dec. 31.
With Maricon Ramos and Jerome Jordico, I visited his grave at Forest Lake Memorial Park in Bacolod City on the day of the anniversary.
It was a memorable get-together with Maricon, also my former student and media colleague, who is now back in Fullerton, California after a two-week vacation, particularly to celebrate the birthday of her mother, Nanay Mering, on her 93rd birthday celebration on Dec. 16.
Maricon has been living in California for about 17 years now following her stint with the Provincial Capitol Information Office.
She also visited the grave of former Capitol co-worker with Eric, Ian De Ramos.
Our two meetings were rather swing-by moments but we made sure we filled the important spaces that time and distance have brought.
Thanks for the time and thoughtfulness. See you again, dear friend.
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I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. (Ecclesiastes 3:12) | NWI
