Titas de Bacolod

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

It was a lovely sunny day recently when Ana’s Garden Grill & Seafood Restaurant at 6th Street in Bacolod City, held its blessing and inauguration.

Our good friend, Ricky Trinidad, introduced us to its pretty owner, Ana Maria Ledesma Blardony, who also happens to be his fiancée. The good-looking young couple revealed that they plan to get married soon (early next year, perhaps?).

Fr. Felix Pasquin officiated in the blessing, while Bacolod socialite Loreto Lopez Gonzaga and Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya did the ribbon-cutting. Soon, the place was overflowing with guests, who kept admiring the décor and the sprawling Bali-esque ambiance of the restaurant.

Everyone trooped to the Function Room where the buffet tables groaned with a cornucopia of delectable dishes designed to tantalize the most discriminating taste. The luncheon started off with a refreshingly cool green camias juice that certainly hit the spot. The food was an all-sensory experience. There was a wide choice of time-tested culinary classics to new epicurean delights. Ricky and Ana made sure to keep the guests abreast on their exciting plans for the new restaurant.

We were informed that the food was “bueno, bonito, barato”, because they aim to offer affordable dishes without sacrificing on the ingredients. Apart from the great Pinoy comfort food being offered, seafood lovers will satiate their cravings with the vast array of fresh seafood on display. For hopeless ‘foodies’ like our group - Ninfa, Perla, Buddai, Nena and Carla - this was certainly good news.

Kudos to Ricky and Ana, and good luck on their new venture “Ana’s Garden Grill & Seafood Restaurant”. See you there!*

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

They were certainly there – the city’s A-list businessmen, corporate VIPs, socialites, civic leaders, movers and shakers, etc. It was a night of thanksgiving to all the guests invited by Island Living Channel for a special dinner, sponsored by Smart Infinity, at L’Fisher Hotel recently.

The evening’s guests, dressed in cocktail chic, soon filled up the La Proa venue as the band kept the mood in high gear. The program was hosted by two extremely good-looking celebrities: Lorraine Kendrickson, Ms World Philippines 2014 first princess, and Andrew Wolff, popular celebrity in Metro Manila.

On hand to welcome the guests was ILC chairman and CEO, Radjie Caram Jr., looking a bit young for such a big position (he actually looks like a college student, would you believe!). But I guess it is Radjie’s “aw shucks” charm that manages to convince the businessmen to advertise in ILC. Smart Infinity’s big brasses, Julie Carciller and James Yulo Chi were there to see that everything ran smoothly.

Dinner was a lavish array of scrumptious dishes designed to ignite the sensory indulgences of the A-list guests. The program hosts kept the audience enthralled with their superb emceeing job as well as the attractive prizes given away. Yours truly was one of the lucky recipients of the numerous prizes but don’t ask me what I won, cuz my lips are sealed!

Kudos to the Island Living Channel for a most successful two years! We know this is just the beginning of more years of success.*

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

 The Bacolod Cultural Foundation Inc. held its induction of officers and new members at Business Inn in Bacolod City recently. Club members, led by re-elected president Araceli Mirano, worked tirelessly for days to ensure the evening’s success.

We arrived promptly at 6:30 p.m. to find most of the club members already waiting at the venue, looking so elegant in their colorful Filipiniana attire. The invocation was led by club director Emilie Zayco, followed by the Pambansang Awit sang by Edith Robillo. Pacita Adeva welcomed the guests to the evening’s affair.

A cocktail of delicious light white wine, brought by Inday Pefianco, was served to the delighted guests who enjoyed sipping while waiting for dinner. The meal was a fine selection of popular favorite dishes which had guests coming for seconds.

The second part of the program opened with Mayor Monico Puentevella inducting the officers, with Araceli Mirano as president; Celia Ferrer, vice president; Pacita Adeva, secretary; Myrna Desabelle, treasurer; Norma Garbanzos, auditor; and Violeta Caram, public information officer.

The members of the Board of Directors are Angie Echaus, Charito Parreño, Gilda Puey, Elsie Gonzaga, Prima Inday Pefianco and Emilie Zayco. Mirano thanked the club for giving her a new term as president, and spoke of various plans for the club during her new term. Puentevella delivered an inspiring speech and thanked the club for its theme, “Embracing Filipino Culture and Values”.

Then the club members relaxed and enjoyed the impromptu performance of its members, who surprised all with their talents in singing, reciting and dancing. It was fun to watch these elegant ladies let their hair down and give their all.

Kudos to the Bacolod Cultural Foundation Inc. for a successful induction.*

The legal counsel of the man shown in the airport CCTV video, whose bags caused a 64-year-old Bacolod resident to trip and suffer serious injuries at the pre-departure area of the Bacolod Silay Airport in Silay City, yesterday apologized for the injuries suffered by the victim.

Rayfrando Diaz II said his client, whom he did not identify, never knew that the injuries suffered by Rosario Hofileña of Barangay Taculing, Bacolod, were that bad, and did not realize that there was a complaint about the incident.

He said his client welcomes the fact that all these things came to light and that he is now informed that the injuries were suffered but were “purely accidental.”

The airport CCTV video shows the man taking his bags off the X-ray machine after entering the pre-departure area and placing them in the path of the elderly Rosario, who did not see them, tripped over them and landed flat on her face.

As airport personnel and other passengers rushed to help the woman, the man calmly put his shoes back on, picked up his bags and walked away without assisting or even speaking to the woman, as also shown in the CCTV footage.

Diaz said they would like to assure the family that his client is willing to face whatever responsibility and would like to make amends and reach out to them. However, they would like to request for privacy because his client is a private person and considers the “alleged mystery” solved, he said.

He said they are already in touch with the victim’s lawyer, Renecito Novero, and have already intimated their intention to sit down with him and the family of Rosario Hofileña.

Diaz said that his unnamed client said he saw that there were airport personnel already attending to Rosario so he thought they were in a capable position to help her.  The incident caused injury to the left side of her face, fractured her left shoulder bones, and dislocated her left shoulder joints which totally disabled her, the complaint said.

Nobleza y Valor

Estimado Sobrino Mar,

I watched you on the news this evening talking to the SAF and I felt your pain.  You mentioned in your talk to the brave and gallant members of the SAF that lingering questions bother you as you lay your head to sleep.  Questions of what could have been if only you were told in advance of the Mamasapano raid.

One thing is clear.  You were kept in the dark and "out of the loop" for an ominous plan which deviates from simple service to the people. 

This note will be short but it hopes to take you back to what may truly count for you and our beloved Inang Bayan.

You only have to look at the escudo de armas of our family.  Go back to Nobleza y Valor.

If there is an opportune time to break away from the forces that are weighing down the flight of our nation, it is now.  Let Nobleza y Valor rise up within.

In the spirit of the unswerving bravery displayed by the great General Juan Araneta, I trust that you will do the right thing.