Friday, May 29, 2009

VIVA MARINDUQUE 2009 REPORT

The VIVA MARINDUQUE (Ani ng Sining 2009) report was recently turned over to the National Commission for Culture & the Arts and may be browsed through the following link: www.geocities.com/teatro_balangaw/viva09.html




Next year's project may see the involvement of national mainstream artists who have recently undertaken research work on Marinduque culture as part of a forthcoming Philippine participation in a cultural exposition in South Korea.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

"HULING HIRIT SA TAG-INIT", MAY 29 AT POCTOY BEACH



Marinduque Tourism Council chair, Atty. Allan Velasco has met with officials of the municipality of Torrijos, Provincial Tourism Office and Sangguniang Kabataan for the holding of a summer youth adventure program dubbed as "Huling Hirit sa Tag-init".

This activity promotes sports and tourism development with Poctoy beach as the principal playground. It also provides an opportunity for the Marinduque youth to say goodbye to summer with a big bang before they go back to school or work within or outside the island-province - huling hirit, thus.

Competitions include "Beach Volleyball", "Battle of the Bands", and "Bikini Open", with the following prizes:
For Beach Volleyball (1st: P 2,000; 2nd 1,500.00; 3rd P 1,000)
For Battleof the Bands (1st: P 10,000; 2nd 7,000; P 5,000 with seven consolation prizes of P 1,000 each)
For Bikini Open: (1st: 5,000; 2nd 3,000; 3rd 2,000 with 10 consolation prizes of P 500 each)

Meanwhile, in cooperation with GMA7 and Q-TV a full program presentation on Marinduque was featured last Sunday in "Kay Susan Tayo" at 10:30 am. The program featured Balanacan harbor with Luzon Datum of 1911 landmark, Palo Maria beach (Marinduque's response to Boracay), Poctoy white sand beach, Malbog Sulfuric Spring, Marinduque Hotspring, Katala Beach Resort, "Putong" ritual and the favorite local dish, Adobong Manok sa Gata courtesy of "Kusina sa Plaza" with TV-hosts, Susan and Ariana.

Q-TV featured the Battle of Moriones in "Events Incorporated" at 8:30 pm last Saturday with hosr Tim Yap. The "Battle" was held on Holy Thursday in Boac and also featured an interview with Gov. Bong Carrion on the origin of the moriones tradition.

Forthcoming television features include a special coverage of Marinduque's lenten traditions in the Living Asia Channel and Kim Atienza's Saturday program "Matang Lawin.

Friday, May 15, 2009

MARINDUQUE PHOTOS



Non-marinduqueno photographers seem to have a way of looking at this island differently. Interesting sites I have visited recently are the following: Dong Ho's Eskapo http://www.dongism.blogspot.com/ and Tabblo.Com www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/bytag/marinduque with really unbelievably mesmerizing photos. Both seem drawn naturally to the island of Gaspar in Gasan, Marinduque.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

MORIONES AT THE ASEAN CORNER


The National Commission for Culture & the Arts was venue for The Asean Corner where the Moriones Mask of Marinduque was prominently displayed. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is actively promoting effective cooperation in the field of culture, with the aim of enhancing mutual understanding andsolidarity among the peoples of Southeast Asia. In this endeavor the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information agreed to have an ASEAN Corner in each of the member states.

This exhibition is the Philippine counterpart. The project promotes various aspects of culture emanating from the many artistic traditions of each country. Various artifacts were exhibited from the following countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

We, Marinduquenos should be happy with the singular recognition of our Moriones folk tradition. We may expect further interest on the Moriones to be generated with the NCCA's choice of this traditional mask as part of the exhibit. The mask displayed at the said exhibit is made of dita wood, walis tambo, latex paint and body hairs of a goat (for the eyelashes). It received the Most Original Award in the 2006 Moriones Festival Competition in Gasan (in photo with this blogger).







Saturday, May 9, 2009

'KABAYAN' VISITS MARINDUQUE

For the second time in six months Vice-President of the Philippines, Noli de Castro visited Marinduque for consultations and dialogue with local leaders headed by Gov. Jose Antonio N. Carrion together with the Marinduque Provincial Development Council. As Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (COD) for the MIMAROPA Region, de Castro wanted to find out if national government efforts to weather the storm brought about by the current global economic and financial crisis are felt in the local level.

De Castro gave an update of provincial government requests made through his office durng his November 2008 visit and made fresh commitments, foremost of which is the concreting of farm-to-market roads to the tune of P. 8-million in prioritized areas in the municpality of Buenavista. Following is this blogsite's media release on the said visit held last May 6th at the Marinduque State College, Boac Campus:


MARINDUQUE PROJECTS PINONDOHAN NI NOLI
Dumating ang pangalawang pangulo ng Pilipinas, Noli de Castro sa Marinduque noong Martes, Mayo 6, para sa isang pulungan tungkol sa lalawigan kasama ang mga lokal na pinuno at mga kawani ng Marinduque Provincial Development Council. Isinagawa ang pagpupulong sa Audio Visual Room ng Marinduque State College na dinaluhan din ng ilang representante mula sa ibat-ibang line agencies sa Maynila at pang-rehiyong mga tanggapan. Sinalubong si ‘Kabayan’ ni Gov. Jose Antonio N. Carrion mula sa Marinduque Airport patungo sa pagdarausan ng pulong.

P8-M PARA SA BUENAVISTA
Agad na ibinalita ng bise-presidente na base sa kanyang pakikipag-usap kay Carrion ay nagpasya siya na maglaan kaagad ng 8-milyong piso mula sa tanggapan ng bise-presidente para maisagawa na sa lalong madaling panahon ang farm-to market roads sa bayan ng Buenavista, isang balitang masayang tinanggap ni Mayor Ofelia Madrigal na dumalo rin sa pulong.

PAUNANG P10-M PARA SA OSPITAL
Inihayag din ni ‘Kabayan’ na ang isa sa mga hininging tulong ni Carrion noong huling bumisita siya sa lalawigan tulad ng ilang taon nang nabinbing pagpapatapos sa Diagnostic Building ng provincial hospital ay natugunan na rin. Kamakailan ay naglaan ang tanggapan ng pangulo aniya ng 10-milyong piso para sa nasabing pangangailangan. Prayoridad rin ang kahilingan ng lalawigan na pondohan ang tuluyang rehabilitasyon ng ospital at ang pagpapatayo ng microbiology building na naghihintay na lamang ng panibagong pondo.

AIRPORT AT CAWIT PORT
Ang patuloy na pagsasagawa ng asphalt overlay sa mga may sirang bahagi ng Marinduque Airport na inaprubahan na ng DOTC ay mangangailangan na lamang ng lagda ng pangulo para agad na maisagawa, at ito ay kanyang tututukan pagbalik sa Maynila, aniya.

Nakikipag-ugnayan din ang kanyang tanggapan sa Philippine Ports Authority upang matugunan pa ang mga pangangailangan ng Cawit Port matapos itong maisaayos sa ilalim ng programa ng pangulo. Matatandaang sa programa ng pangulo ay lumitaw na ang Cawit Port ang pinakamahalagang karugtong ng lalawigan sa konsepto ng Strong Republic Nautical Highway (Western Seaboard), at bahagi ng Luzon Urban Beltway project.

Ang mungkahi aniya ng lalawigan na magpagawa ng breakwater structure sa Cawit upang ito ay maging isang all-weather port ay hindi kaagad matutugunan dahil sa mas malaking halagang kinakailangan para ito maisakatuparan. Inihayag naman ni Carrion na may commitment na ang isang foreign government base sa pakikipag-ugnayan ng kaniyang tanggapan para ito tuluyang mangyari.

Iminungkahi din ni De Castro ang pagsusumite sa kanyang tanggapan ng ilan pang kahilingan mula sa ilan pa na mga bayang naghahangad na maisama sa ports development program ng national government ang kanilang mga daungan. Si De Castro ang tumatayong Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD) para sa MIMAROPA Region.

PANDAIGDIGANG KRISIS
Tinalakay ni De Castro ang epekto ng kasalukuyang krisis pang-ekonomiya na bumabalot sa mga bansa sa Europa kasama na ang Estados Unidos at Japan na nagdulot aniya ng pagkawalan ng milyon-milyong hanapbuhay, gayundin ang mga bansa sa Asya. Ang Pilipinas sa kasalukuyan, aniya, ay malakas ang ginagawang pakikipaglaban upang hindi gaanong maramdaman sa bansa ang pandaigdigang krisis. Sa katunayan, aniya,ang Pilipinas ay nagtala ng 4.6% growth rate na mas mataas kaysa naitala ng South Korea (3.4%), Thailand (3.5%) at Singapore (3.7%).

Kung ang Estados Unidos aniya ay nawalan ng 3.6-milyong trabaho at ang China ay nawalan ng 20-milyong trabaho ang Pilipinas ay nakapagtala ng 530,000 na mga karagdagang trabaho. Nakatulong ng malaki, ani De Castro ang OFW remittances noong 2008 na umabot sa 16.43-bilyong dolyar, pinakamataas sa kasaysayan.

PGMA PROJECTS AT GLORIA SCHOLARSHIPS
Ipinaalam din ni De Castro na ilan sa mga ipinapatupad na PGMA projects sa Marinduque ay ang Integrated Services for Livelihood Advancement of Fisherfolk (ISLA) sa bayan ng Sta. Cruz para sa isang mariculture project para sa 70 mangingisda (P 345,000), Tulong Pangkabuhayan para sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) sa 120 katao (P 309,000), isang Comprehensive Product Development Program for OTOP na ipinapatupad ng DTI (P 350,000), Integrated SME Development Program, pagtatalaga ng P 21.9-million para sa mga school buildings. Para naman aniya sa mga proyektong ipinapatupad ng Department of Agriculture para sa MIMAROPA region kasama na ang Marinduque ay ipinapatupad ang mga programa para sa organic fertilizer production at GMA fisheries projects.

Sa usaping pangturismo ay patuloy aniya ang isinasagawang Tourism Promotion and Marketing, Tourism Development Service at Tourism Classification Services na isinasagawa ng Department of Tourism.
Ibinunyag din ni De Castro na patuloy ang pagpapatupad ng TESDA ng Gloria Scholarships program sa Marinduque kung saan libo-libo na ang nabiyayaang beneficiaries na may edad 15 hanggang 24 taong gulang, ang pinakamalaking bahagi ng populasyon na walang hanapbuhay. Pakay ng TESDA na umabot sa 566,000 scholars sa buong bansa ang madaragdag sa scholarship program na nabanggit.