Titas de Bacolod

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

 “He looks like a character actor in a British film!” This was the whispered comment of a local resident, who caught a glimpse of HE Ambassador Asif Ahmad, who led a group of British Embassy officials from Manila, who came to Bacolod recently to hold a consular clinic for members of the British community from Negros Occidental, Iloilo and Guimaras.

The clinic, held at Nature's Village in Talisay City, gave some 40 British nationals the opportunity to learn more about how the Embassy can help them as well as talk to Embassy officials one-on-one. The British community welcomed the clinic and the Ambassador's visit, saying they now had a much better idea of what the Embassy can do for them, especially in times of natural disasters, such as typhoons or earthquakes.

This was Ambassador Ahmad's first visit to Bacolod and he certainly impressed the locals, who said that his diplomatic charm and urbane bearing made meeting him such a delightful experience. During his trip, he had meetings with city and provincial officials, including Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., Mayor Monico Puentevella, Congressman Bing Leonardia, Bureau of Immigration officers, and Negros Occidental provincial police chief.

The ambassador must have found our province fascinating because he said he was looking forward to his next visit.

One lucky individual during the occasion was the province's British warden, Ditas Montilla, whose birthday fell on the Ambassador's visit. During the luncheon hosted by Marañon at The District's Terrasse Restaurant, Ditas was showered with birthday greetings from the guests, who thoroughly enjoyed the continental cuisine especially prepared for the affair.

Ditas said it was one birthday she will always remember. After all, it isn't every day that you can celebrate your natal day with the Governor and the British Ambassador to wish you a Happy Birthday!

A few days later, Ditas was again greeted by her friends and relatives during the swanky dinner hosted by sugar tycoon, Nene Rojas, for special guest Judy Araneta Roxas, mother of Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

It was a regular working day at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital. But for an hour, the staff temporarily put aside their hospital gowns and working clothes. Instead, they wore the most comfy workout clothes and beautiful smiles. Doctors, nurses and personnel of the CLMMRH in Bacolod City greeted the morning with a sweaty, healthy Zumba party.

This is not the first time for CLMMRH medical staff and employees to experience a Zumba party, which was probably the reason why they were not only comfortable grooving to the beat, they also enjoyed it. During the opening of their Hospital Week celebration this year, they were more energetic and insatiable on the dance floor.

With the Zumba Angels, headed by pioneer licensed Zumba instructor, Jo-Ann Visitacion, and Ronald Gangoso Dolar, the group was led by Hospital Chief, Dr. Julius Drilon, with Drs. Marlon Tabligan, Guerrero, and Nanette Dumaguit, Jorselyn Bala-an and Sheila Go. Everyone got lost in the workout frenzy under the mesmerizing Latin world rhythms.

The group enjoyed doing the salsa, mambo, samba, reggaeton and even the hip-hop and other popular dance music. No less than Dr. Eriberto Layda took the front row and grooved to every beat. In one number, the MassKara Festival dancers joined the Zumba Angels onstage, making the entire show more colorful and fun.* a

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

 

It had been close to 20 years since Vreneli Abellar, a former high school student of La Consolacion College Bacolod, had last seen her high school batch of 1983. After graduation, Vreneli had since fulfilled her dream of being a career nurse and is now a successful head nurse in a big hospital in New Jersey, USA.

Now, with the onset of their golden years, she wondered how it would be to gather her school batch for a big reunion.

Through her high school best friend, Christine Nicavera, and their Class FB admin Anthony Visitacion, messages were hurriedly emailed about their big reunion this year, to be hosted by Vreneli. She requested that everyone should come in their most comfortable attire. The venue of this gathering would be Apollo Restaurant, owned and managed by their batch mate, couple Wilson and Chiqui Palermo-Chiong, who prepared a superb menu for this memorable occasion.

Close to 50 members of their LCC High School Class showed up, and the result was a big noisy gathering of the young once, who forgot that they were no longer teenagers and greeted each other with screams of recognition and tight hugs. Vreneli also hired an acoustic band to play songs of the 80s where everyone could sing or dance along, but it turned out to be a riot of fun and laughter. Old friends recalled happy days full of mischief and - escapades, of secret loves and crushes, of small victories and heartaches. Oh, what memories they all shared!

Two other batchmates, who have also been successful abroad, arrived and joined the big reunion. Nurses Mary Charity Ortaliz-Maldonado and Cora Basio-Egger were in town for their annual medical mission in the province as part of their advocacy to be of service to their fellowmen.

Charity also sponsored a game portion where she gathered class couples to play “How Well Do You Know Your Partner?” It was a smash hit and winners for that night were dentists couple Mario and Tina Oliveros. It was also a gathering of August birthday celebrators for the Abellar family, that included Vreneli, her daughter Dani, who turned 11 this month, and her brother Vincente. A teary-eyed Vreneli expressed her happiness and gratitude that she saw her old high school batch - still wacky, goofy and noisy...

Classmate Olive Ledesma felt really nostalgic and couldn't contain her joy, knowing that she didn't regret taking a one day leave from her job in Iloilo City, to be with her classmates, whom she has not seen for the past 32 years.

After the event, pix was posted on FB, and a lot of other classmates expressed their plans to come home next year to have another big fun get together with their high school batch. As Paris said in the movie, Helen of Troy, “What is remembered, is forever young”.*

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

 There was a huge crowd from all sectors of the local community at Bacolod's St. John Mary Vianney Hall when Very Reverend, Fr. Felix Pasquin, well-loved rector of the San Sebastian Cathedral, celebrated his 70 th birthday July 29.

By the time John Orola and yours truly arrived, Fr. Raymond Asoy was holding the audience in stitches delivering his homily with his irrepressible humor and wit. After the mass, Fr. Pasquin welcomed everyone who came to celebrate his birthday and the crowd responded with a vigorous rendition of the Happy Birthday song.

The guests enjoyed the sumptuous dinner which began with a generous serving of everyone's favorite – lechon. After each one had his fill of the delectable food, the program began with a vocal solo by baritone Woodro Guanzon, Parish Pastoral Council president, who sang “The Impossible Dream” to the delight of the crowd. Another guest who rendered a song was Mayor Monico Puentevella, who sang a touching Filipino song a capella and was loudly applauded.

Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra went up the stage to deliver his birthday greetings to Fr. Pasquin, who embraced him warmly. A slight mishap occurred when the top portion of the towering birthday cake fell, due to a wobbly table on stage. Nevertheless, the two gentlemen gamely went on spoon-feeding each other with slices of the birthday cake amid laughter and applause from the audience.

It was obvious how happy Fr. Pasquin was on his natal day and how the people hold him in high esteem and affection. Happy Birthday, Fr. Pasquin! *