Wednesday, October 29, 2008

IT'S BACK!

NEW NCCA GRANT FOR MARINDUQUE

After the success of last February's "Viva Marinduque" cultural showcase tour on the island-province, the National Commission for Culture & the Arts (NCCA) has decided to provide a new grant to the provincial government of Marinduque for the re-mounting of the presentation in celebration of Philipine International Arts Festival (PIAF)2009.

It will be recalled that since the inception of the said festival there has been no known effort from the side of local government units in Marinduque, nor national line agencies offices or cultural organizations to celebrate it with appropriate programs and activities. The provincial government thus took up the challenge in December last year by spearheading the "Viva" move. This was quickly responded to by the municipal LGUs and the private sector.

The Marinduque celebration of the Philippine Arts Festival 2008, (Ani ng Sining in Marinduque), through a cultural showcase that included the various art forms was conducted from February 6-26, 2008. This was done through a series of shows presented in all the six (6) municipalities of Marinduque that saw the participation of some 100-120 artistic and production staff. All the municipalities contributed their own showcases/numbers through songs, dances or plays, making it a truly unifying project. This has also probably made it the longest Philippine Arts Festival held in a particular locality.

Critical acclaim to the project was strengthened by two separate resolutions – one from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Marinduque that praised the project for having “exuded the province’s unique culture, customs and traditions which were hailed by most of those who witnessed the various activities and presentations relative to the same” and “ despite the limited time and budget of the provincial government and the six municipalities, it did not constrain them from organizing a committee that made the event a success and even strengthened a collaborative effort with the national government offices/agencies and other organizations that led to such an achievement”.

The second resolution was adopted by the Sangguniang Bayan ng Gasan which stressed that “those who were able to watch the presentation of this theatrical production can not help but admire the depth of its message, the beauty of its choreography, and the craftiness of its adaptation of light and sound effects and musical scoring”, that “Viva Marinduque is truly reflective of the richness of Marinduque’s beliefs, customs and traditions, and can also be an effective vehicle in the preservation of these cultures”; further stating, that the participation of Gasan youths “in this theatrical production have elevated them to a new dimension of skills, confidence and discipline” and that Viva Marinduque “is worthy of watching again and again and again”.

Cultural presentations of this nature also play significantly in continuously unifying the people. "Viva" organizers hope that the 2009 presentations could also be presented in far-flung areas on the island.

SCUBA-DIVING IN MARINDUQUE



The Capitol's Tourism Team (Prov.Adm. Lord Allan Velasco, Joven Lilles & Gerry Jamilla) went scuba diving recently at the west wall of Elephant Island for updates on the state of Marinduque's divesites. This underwater photo was taken by Engr. Pampola.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER

Saturday, October 25, 2008 11:23 AM
From:
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"Willie O. Monroyo"
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To:
"Marinduque Governor"

Dear Gov. Carrion,

Thank you for publishing in the Marinduque Government website my letter sent to you dated August 11, 2008 regarding your infracstructure project, Farm to Market Road. In my letter, I referred to the dirt road stretch from Maygayo to Tumapon which requires much needed attention to alleviate inconvenience experienced by commuters from the affected Barangays. Aside from publishing the letter in the Provincial Government website, your office acknowledged it in a letter addressed to me personally prepared by Atty. Lord Alan Jay Q. Velasco, Provincial Administrator on August 27, 2008.

I was informed that there was work done to improve the road recently. I personally thank you for the immediate attention given and I am pretty sure the people are happy to see the improvement made.

It is good to know that our Government leaders are sensitive to the needs of the ordinary citizens who for a long time prefer to remain silent and unable to express their concerns to the people in power. By communicating with you, I feel I am fulfilling my obligation to help our people.

I hope you and other elected officials will continue your dedication to the upliftment of Marinduquenos' lives.

God Bless Us All!

Sincerely,

Wilfredo (Willie) Monroyo

Wilfredo O. Monroyo, EA, ABA
Proud member of the National Society of Tax Professionals
Needs assistance with IRS account resolution,
contact me for free consultation
Em:womonroyo@earthlink.net

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

FOREBODING TARUG CAVES



The approach to TARUG CAVES. Ominous, foreboding limestone protuberance. With 32 million years of geological history on how it appeared on the face of the earth. The French naturalist, Alfred Marche, enticed by Marinduque's reputation more than a hundred years ago as "the isle of grottos", traveled to the island from April to June of 1881, to rediscover the island's one hundred caves. What appeared to be a description of Tarug Caves was written in his journals:

"On June 2, I went to a new find. It was raining hard and after several hours of horseback riding we had to abandon our horses which advanced only with difficulty on a wet and slippery soil. We were even obliged to leave our dripping clothes and to go in shorts. At noon we reached the foot of a perpendicular madreporite or coral rock, 70 meters high: on its sides were five to six caves. In the lowest cave I found a skull with a slight stalagmite covering and a small broken gargoyle. It took us nearly an hour to climb this rock, at whose peak was an elevated vault which crossed it entirely. From there, one could see many easily accesible corridors. In one of them, there were debris of coffins and tibors (or Chinese jars).

Monday, October 20, 2008

TARUG CAVE


Tarug cave entrance.

TARUG CAVE AS ECO-TOURISM SITE


NEW ADVENTURE. Tarug Cave's peak, Mogpog, Marinduque. Locals take seriously now the conversion of Tarug Caves into an eco-tourism site that involves immersion into their folkways.

Friday, October 17, 2008

GOV. CARRION AND VICE-GOV PIZZARO

Marinduque Governor Bong Carrion and Vice-Governor Tom Pizzaro. Taken from last year's Moriones Festival parade in Boac in preparation for a much bigger MORIONES 2009 Celebration. Visitors to Marinduque are expected to witness a new spectacle, "BATTLE OF THE MORIONES", a first mock-battle spectacle to be participated in by the different municipalities and contingents from various schools and colleges in Marinduque. A workshop program for actors also are in the offing for the evening stage presentations that culminate in the Black Saturday "PUGUTAN".

Better book early now to experience Marinduque's Moriones 2009! It is going to be different!



MORE ON CAWIT PORT & MARINDUQUE AIRPORT, etc.

CAWIT PORT
Cawit Port, located in the municipality of Boac is identified as a most vital linkage connecting Marinduque to the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (Western Seaboard). Port rehabilitation which is part of the Luzon Urban Beltway project, has been completed and the port is set to open within October 2008.

The said Port, however, remains vulnerable to big waves brought about by strong winds coming from the southwest and northeast directions. This necessitates the construction of a breakwater structure that ensures the Port’s continued operation any time of the year, and its accommodation to most of the water transport traffic on the island-province.

A study and a preliminary plan for a Breakwater Structure for conversion of Cawit Port into an all-weather port, drawn up by the Provincial Engineer’s Office but that involves a staggering cost. The provincial government, however, could not cease to dream about converting it into an all-weather port.

Meanwhile, going to Marinduque is a lot easier now, particularly for residents of Boac, Gasan and Buenavista.

PORT OF MACALELON TO PORT OF BUYABOD

Governor Carrion has also made representations with the Governor of Quezon, Raffy Nantes to prioritize the Port of Macalelon in Quezon (directly north of Marinduque), to link it with the Port of Buyabod in Sta. Cruz. Eventual travel between this two ports will only take 45 minutes...


MARINDUQUE AIRPORT.

It is and always has been known as "Marinduque Airport" not "Masiga Airport", which continues to be used now and then.

The Marinduque Airport in Masiga, Gasan, the only existing commercial airport in Marinduque has not been in operation for the last four (4) years. A proposed runway extension to allow jets to service the airport costing PHP 161-Million has received the endorsement of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Civil Aeronautics Administration and is awaiting implementation.

It is of paramount importance, however, that the airport is opened to domestic flights, particularly 70-seater aircrafts, to boost the tourism thrust of the provincial administration and in response to increased public clamour.

This necessitates the rehabilitation of a somewhat deteriorated portion of the existing runway (measuring 486 m. x 30 m), through asphalt overlaying.

Provincial Board Member, Allan Nepomuceno, a former commercial pilot, has thoroughly inspected the airport condition and is instrumental in getting the nod of ZESTAIR to include the airport in their destinations with their 50-seater planes for now.

It should be stressed that domestic flight operations scheduled for next month or early December will not be hampered by the eventual implementation of the proposed runway extension earlier mentioned.

By the way, the ZESTAIR one-way airfare is less than P. 500.00! Asian Spirit is the former owners of said new airline company.

OF CAWIT PORT & MARINDUQUE AIRPORT

Hmm... Now it can be told after the long wait. Plans and projections apparently just couldn't be easily conveyed to those who have repeatedly kept asking about the status of the above matters. They get stalled. But now, Cawit Port has been reopened since October 8 (it should have been re-opened on Oct. 2), but Marinduque was placed under signal no. 1 because of a tropical depression (the island was to be directly hit after a day), but the typhoon never came. (Vice-President Noli de Castro was supposed to visit Marinduque the day after - Oct. 2, for the Mimaropa Regional Development Council meeting which had to be postponed on the 13th due to the threat of bad weather).

M/V REBECCA, a huge 4-storey RORO owned by Montenegro Lines now plies the Cawit-Dalahican (Talao-Talao) Port daily, leaving Cawit at 12:00 noon and 8:00pm. Now Cawit Port is again abuzz with life and the residents of Bunganay and Cawit are happy again.

The MARINDUQUE AIRPORT on the other hand await the touchdown of a 50-seater ZESTAIR (labelled as "a new refreshing brand of airline"), which is ready to serve passengers starting November or December this year (a specific date in November was mentioned in press releases but local sources revealed that it really is first week of December. Maybe best to browse through the airline's website at http://www.zestair.com.ph/. I haven't had the time today.

So that's two of the most frequently asked questions being answered.

Vice-President "Kabayan" Noli visited Marinduque last October 13 after the postponement of the RDC Council Meet. Governor Carrion took up with him certain issues and concerns about Marinduque. That included the said port and airport yes, the hospital and other important matters taken up by the Marinduque government with the President in other venues, which certainly needed follow-ups.

Ecstatic about the opening of the airport is Provincial Administrator Allan Q. Velasco, who met with the Provincial Tourism Council yesterday in preparation for what may well be the biggest Moriones Festival celebration in years! The airport opening is a shot in the arm at this time, indeed!