Celebrating Iloilo’s heritage online with Google; Iloilo heritage joins Google Cultural Institute collection

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Google has collaborated with the University of the Philippines Western Visayas to launch Iloilo’s rich collection of heritage structures on Google Cultural Institute, an online platform that helps to make the world’s culture accessible and available to anyone. The collection shows off Iloilo’s rich cultural backdrop, dating back from the pre-colonial period up to the 20th century.

“This collection is set to make Iloilo join the growing list of historic cities featured on the Cultural Institute. It highlights the significance and importance of preserving culture, history and heritage among the Filipinos,” said Joyce Christine Colon, University Research Associate II of UP Visayas.

The exhibits describe Iloilo’s transformation into one of the leading provinces in the country. With the Cultural Institute, viewers can zoom in to appreciate the unique details and diverse influences on the architecture of religious landmarks such as the Miagao Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Jaro Cathedral, and the Molo Church. The Cultural Institute also makes it possible to view structures such as the Miagao Church over time, by enabling users to place old and new photographs side by side. 

A comparison of Miag-ao Church then and today

On the left: Miagao Church (undated) and on the right: Miagao Church (2015), both from the CWVS Collection, University of the Philippines - Center for West Visayan Studies

Iloilo’s prosperity resulting from the textile and sugar export trades can be seen in its grandiose ancestral homes, and in the construction of a number of public buildings also featured on the Cultural Institute. Prime examples include Iloilo’s first City Hall and the Baluarte Elementary School, the first public school in the Philippines established in 1905. 

The history of Iloilo’s City Hall, which was later donated to the University of the Philippines and declared a National Historical Landmark, can also be traced in a special exhibit. Old photographs and documents tell the story behind its transition from city hall, to a garrison during World War II, to a university. 

Another exhibit on the River Esplanade also puts the spotlight on the importance of Iloilo River in history and the government’s bid to protect it and promote environmental consciousness among Ilonggos.

“The Philippines has such a rich culture to be proud of. Every city and every province has something to show off and the Cultural Institute aims to make all these available to everyone in a format most accessible to them ---- digital. This is our effort to educate and inspire future generations,” said Dennis Dizon, Google Cultural Institute Program Manager.

Top most in demand car features that buyers want

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Technology plays an important role in society today. It spurs up the growth of the business and creates new opportunities. 

Carmakers are investing billions of dollars to add new technologies that, it turns out, are not being utilized by many of the owners of those vehicles. In fact, the survey finds that at least 20-percent of new-vehicle owners have never used 16 of the 33 technology features measured. 

Carmudi has analyzed data based on hundreds and thousands of global listings uploaded to the company’s car classifieds website to determine the most in-demand features worldwide. 

The Philippines is the only country where tinted windows made the list of in-demand car features. Twenty-seven percent cars sold on its site have tinted windows and forty-five percent of cars in the site are equipped with advanced entertainment systems, followed by Indonesia at 36-percent and Vietnam at 34-percent.

One car feature that varied in terms of popularity worldwide was the alarm system. Indonesia posted the highest number with 57-percent users, followed by 48-percent in the Philippines. In Bangladesh and Pakistan, only 7-percent of vehicles sold on the site featured an alarm system. 

Subir Lohani, managing director of Carmudi Philippines, said: “Technology has transformed the driving experience of every motorists. Motorists nowadays are looking for vehicles that are smarter and innovative.”

“The growth is due to the demand of needs of car buyers who are looking for cars that will change how they drive ,” adds Lohani.

Log on at www.carmudi.com.ph

Goldilocks raises the level of rice toppings

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Rice has always been a staple in the Filipino diet. No matter where you are in the Philippines – regardless of your age or social status – at least one meal a day is composed of a delicious viand and a heaping serving of hot rice. 

It is this love for rice that has inspired Goldilocks Foodshop to come up with their latest line of pork rice topping dishes, which are affordably priced and prepared in the way that only Goldilocks can. The new pork rice topping menu comes in delicious variants including pork gravy rice toppings, the pork teriyaki rice topping, and the sweet & spicy pork rice topping meals. All of these are conveniently priced at under P100 per order.

The good news is that these delectable pork dishes are part of the ongoing Buena Mano Monday promo of Goldilocks Foodshop. 

Every Monday of this month, customers who order any of the pork topping meals will receive a free 12 oz. coke. Try the new Goldilocks Pork Rice Toppings today and taste what it truly is to be Pinoy! 

Follow Goldilocks on Twitter or Instagram at @GoldiclocksPH, on the Goldilocks Facebook page, or at the official Goldilocks website at www.goldilocks.com.ph

Philippines and Portugal Sign two Agreements to Strengthen Relations

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic in Lisbon, Portugal, Ambassador Philippe J. Lhuillier of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon signed on behalf of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs a Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Diplomatic Training and Exchange of Information and documentation,  October 7, 2015.

Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Diplomatic Training and Exchange of Information and documentation at the Portuguese Foreign Ministry on 07 October 2015 by Ambassador Philippe J. Lhuillier (left) and Portuguese Foreign Ministry Secretary General, Ambassador Ana Martinho (right).

Signing for the Portuguese Foreign Ministry was its Secretary General, Ambassador Ana Martinho. The signing was witnessed by the Foreign Ministry’s Chief of State Protocol, the Director of the Diplomatic Institute and the Director for Asia and Oceana. 

Ambassador Lhuillier noted the significance of occasion in the sense that the signing of these two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) institutionalizes formal mechanisms for having more dynamic and closer engagement and bilateral relations between thePhilippines and Portugal.

He said, “The Philippines and Portugal stand to benefit from closer cooperation and relations considering that both countries serve as ideal gateways to each other’s regional markets. Establishing a regular consultation mechanism will allow both countries to develop a roadmap for activities and initiatives aimed at broadening the scope of current engagement in vital areas such as trade, investment, culture, tourism, defense and security.” 

Ambassador Lhuillier further noted that the last two bilateral consultations were held back in 2000 and 2002. He said, “It is high time that the Philippines and Portugal start to more regularly sit down at the table in order to revitalize the bilateral relationship so that both countries can work together in pursuit of common interests and benefits.” 

Regarding the MOU on cooperation in diplomatic training, The Ambassador remarked that this will facilitate interaction between the two countries’ diplomatic training institutes. 

He notes that this will allow Filipino and Portuguese diplomats to learn from each other and exchange views and insights concerning global and regional developments and issues. With the signing of the MOUs concluded, both sides are now looking to hold bilateral consultations by next year.

#QCBlogventure : Historical travel and adventure is available right here in Quezon City

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Enjoying the wonderful world of Quezon City as it celebrates this month of October its 75th Diamond Jubillee Anniversary.

It’s always more fun in the Philippines and traveling within the city I think is a must and discovering good spots in Quezon City is a journey. And here's a part of our historical and fun experience in this years #QCBlogventure to celebrate Quezon City’s 75th Diamond Jubillee Anniversary.

I am one of the bloggers in the group that assigned to journey with the nature and arts in QC.

The first adventure is at the Ecopark at La Mesa Dam La Mesa Ecopark and La Mesa Watershed Nature Reserve.

The Ecopark at La Mesa Dam, what used to be the virgin forest beside the road has been adopted by ABS-CBN Foundation and was lately given a new facelift, converted into an Ecopark.

Now open to the public, undeniably, the most complete family-oriented Nature Park in Metro Manila.

The Ecopark offers a lot of family-oriented activities like Boating Lagoon, Bicycle rides, Swimming Pool, Fitness Trek, Fishing Pond, Camping Ground, Open Amphitheater.

ABS-CBN Foundation's Bantay Kalikasan (Nature Watch) Project collaborated with Metropolitan Waterworks & Sewerage System (MWSS, the government agency that owned La Mesa Watershed) and the Quezon City government to stop illegal settling, poaching and logging through a proactive Bantay Kalikasan Project that aims to rehabilitate, reforest, preserve and protect the area. The Adopt/Protect-A-Tree/Hectare Program was so successful that out of the 1,500 hectares that needed reforestation, only about 158 hectares remain to be planted, providing children and adults with experiential learning about environmental and biodiversity conservation.

La Mesa Ecopark has become a center for Bantay Kalikasan's environmental advocacies and causes. La Mesa Ecopark continues to be a venue for both recreation and raising environmental awareness.

We were lucky and I am really glad that our next adventure is for the first time to see one living hub and nerve center of the arts within a place in Quezon City.

Erehwon Center for the Arts 

The Erehwon Center for the Arts devoted to the Arts, aims to bring together artistic energies of the Filipino here and around the globe, and create a new brilliant rebirth of the arts, which the opportunity of working together with both traditional and modern concepts, media, tools and resources will inspire. This is a living hub and nerve center of the arts in the Philippines and in the region as a whole.

According to Erehwon Chairman and CEO Mr. Rafael Benitez, "it is a space which will provide a multi-sided colloquium of artists eager to advance art to a new and higher level in our world and to strengthen art as a means of communication and understanding among people throughout our contemporary world."

To achieve this, the Center opens a project of space residency for working together in a non-formal education program, exhibiting in large and small shows, as well as storing and documenting artists’ works. 

The Center hopes to stimulate and invigorate art-making in the region, and will give the needed boosts to artists and to their role in the contexts and in the region as a whole.

The company, Erehwon Artworld Corporation is a business enterprise offers integrated publishing, design and modern printing services.

The Erehwon Center for the Arts Building is located #1 Don Francisco Street, Villa Beatriz Subdivision, Barangay Old Balara, Quezon City.

After the journey at the arts, we just had a quick sneek at the Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center.

Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center, a 64.58-hectare (159.6-acre) zoological and botanical garden located in Diliman, Quezon City. It was named after Benigno S. "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. The Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center has a lagoon, an aquarium, a playground, botanical garden and a Wildlife Rescue Center, which the Department of Environment and Natural Resources uses as a temporary shelter where confiscated, retrieved, donated, sick, abandoned, and injured wild animals are placed to be taken care of. The park houses several indigenous plants and animals such as crab-eating macaques, water monitors, Philippine deer,binturongs, Palawan bearded pigs and several varieties of birds.(Wikipedia)

Quezon City is really one of my comfort places in the country. As the final bloggers adventure is the foodtrip, food journey with side trips to some of the attractions in the vicinity.

We had our snack time or early dinner at Kenny Rogers Roasters at the Matalino St., Brgy. Central, Quezon City.

Kenny Rogers a casual dining restaurant that offers friendly service in a comfortable setting of serving home-style family foods. Kenny Rogers Roasters is well known as "the favourite place for rotisserie roasted chicken.” And it also makes healthy lifestyle choices.

Known for all-time favorites, like Round-up Platter, a medley of 3 side dishes complemented with 1 Kenny's Home-made Muffin.

We also witnessed the Grand Parade of Lights at the Quezon City Hall where we started and ended up the #QCBlogventure this October 10, 2015.

The whole Saturday is not enough to do blogdventure around Quezon City to celebrate the city's 75th anniversary. And on Sunday, I joined the Concert and parade of lights held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle with celebrities and Mayor Herbert Bautista. (Watch out for more updates in the coming stories here)

There are many places worth visiting in Quezon City, Quezon Memorial Circle, a national park and a national shrine, Quezon Memorial Shrine, an entertainment capital and media houses TV and radio buildings, education as UP in Diliman, Ateneo and more.. a shopping destination too, a health and wellness center and hospitals, like Heart Center and many places of government operations, places or restaurants, streets where people can take their foodtrip and festivals… and more.

#QCBlogventure Bloggers group at the rooftop of Erehwon Center of the Arts Building with Erehwon Head and staff (photo: Martin Andrade)

With all these happenings and celebrations, I agree to Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista as he said in one of the events before:

“The 75th Diamond Jubilee of cityhood gives us the perfect opportunity to show off what Quezon City has to offer not only to the country but also to the world, and this can only be achieved successfully if we work hand in hand.”

This is one fun and awesome historical adventure and educational trip! We have seen some and experienced what Quezon City achieved. More great opportunities, travel and adventure is available right here in Quezon City.

Thank you very much to the organizer of ‪#‎QC75‬ ‪#‎QCRocks75‬ #QCBlogventure #‎QuezonCity75thJubileeAnniversary who invited us bloggers to become part of Quezon City’s celebrations.

Happy 75th Anniversary Quezon City!