Titas de Bacolod

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

 The Visayan DAILY STAR's annual Christmas party this year was a unique Cowboy and Indian themed bash at Business Inn, where everyone came in various cowboy or Indian attires.

Everyone came in the mood to have fun and enjoy the camaraderie of the VDS group. Christmas songs were sung as the guests began arriving. Congressman Bing Leonardia dropped by to greet the crowd and left shortly for another party.

Singing diva Token Lizares arrived laden with gifts and prizes for the party. Dr. Bambi and Jonathan Avelino were there, and so were members of the Board, Paeng Golez and Tutay Corral.

Dinner was a marvelous array of scrumptious party fare, highlighted by two lechons with crispy skins that we kept going back for more.

After we had our fill of the delicious dinner, it was time for the entertainment portion. It began with a contest of production numbers by the various groups. The columnists were the first to perform a Christmas song number, followed by the Star Printing boys.

The Editorial group came fully prepared with a western backdrop, an Indian teepee complete with burning flames, and well-rehearsed dance number. Their performance was followed by an equally brilliant production by the Leo Star group, who showed dancing puppets, and Village People costumes, etc. The cowboys and girls of the Business Department, complete with hats, boots and guns, showed their dancing prowess to the tune of “Ang Kawawang Cowboy”.

Wow! What a performance! All the participants showed their talents in performing that night. The winners for the first prize was a tie between the Editorial and Leo Star, second – Business Department, third – Star Printing, and fourth - columnists.

The games were so riotous and funny, it had everyone in stitches. Fabulous prizes like DVDs, electric fans, food baskets and a 3 day and 2 nights trip to Boracay, courtesy of Radjie Caram, were given away at the end of the program, and made the party super fun for everyone.

It was a blast! MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!*

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

Spellbound! This was the reaction of the enchanted A-list audience during the “Gershwin in Concerto in F” concert held recently at the Santuario de La Salle, Bacolod.

The audience, composed of the city’s literati, glitterati and culturati, sat in rapt attention all throughout the concert, that began with the awesome sounds of the 56-member Metro Manila Concert Orchestra (how young they were!), brilliantly conducted by maestro Josefino Chino Toledo. I was told that you would need a minimum of 55 players because of the instrumentations required for the Gershwin concerto.

Their majestic rendition of the Pambansang Awit was absolutely superb, making us all feel justifiably proud of our national anthem. From then on, we were caught under the spell of their repertoire of Philippine airs, Harry Potter Suite, selections from the Phantom of the Opera and Overture from Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide”.

A hush fell on the audience as the lovely star of the show, pianist Cristine Coyiuto, made her entrance in a shimmering fully-beaded aquamarine gown which was perfectly enhanced by her glittering diamond drop earrings as the ladies in the audience whispered a collective, “Wow!

With a dazzling display of dexterity, Cristine launched into the first movement as we were swept through the fascinating sounds of Gershwin’s composition rich with jazz inflections, Charleston rhythm and blues. The crowd was transfixed and the atmosphere electric as the concerto wove its magic. The artist played with masterful brilliance, marvelous intensity and when so required, an almost tender delicacy. We could see how passionate she was about her music as we watched the expression written on her face with her eyes closed.

As the last notes ended, a euphoric audience roared into cacophonic approval as they gave her a standing ovation amid shouts of, “More! More!” With a radiant smile, Cristine gave her encore number, “Embraceable You”, sending the romantics in the crowd into a different stratosphere.

What a performance! Bravo!

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

They’re here!

Around 45 Australian teenage students from Southern Hills Christian College in Perth, Australia arrived in Bacolod Sunday as part of their training and exposure to cultures in various parts of the world.

These tours give the students the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, learn invaluable lessons for themselves, and are given the opportunity to assist in an under-privileged community.

From the airport, we had them sample our famous chicken inasal at Chicken House, where the other customers were taken aback by the sight of the mostly blonde and blue-eyed teenagers filling up the entire restaurant. They even tried dipping their chicken in our indescribable local dipping sauce - the sinamak!

Plans are being drawn up to have an international school in Bacolod as a counterpart of Southern Hills Christian College. Who knows? Someday, the students in the international school here might go on a similar tour in Perth Australia as part of their curriculum!

Early the next day, the group was interviewed on ABS-CBN’s “The Morning Show”. Some of the televiewers inquired about the visiting Australians and were delighted to know that, in the past two years, the school has put up an orphanage in Brgy. Cabacungan, La Castellana in Negros Occidental. Last year, after their short stay with the orphans, the Aussie students even cried when they had to leave, as they had bonded with the orphans who stole their hearts. Their latest project is to put up a basketball court, comfort rooms and a training center in Sagay City to help out-of-school youths in the area.

What a wonderful character-building program this is, where young people are exposed to different cultures and circumstances. Welcome to Negros, boys and girls!*

Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion

  The Coyiuto House in Bacolod opened its doors last Tuesday with a spectacular blessing and inauguration of the newly-renovated building of Prudential Guarantee and Assurance Inc., or PGAI. Rizal Street was closed to traffic for the event and all the guests were given car passes to enter the area.

When we arrived, the atmosphere was delightfully festive with the throbbing sounds and music of the MassKara Festival dancers and the Chinese dragon dancers performing in front of the Coyiuto House. On hand to welcome the A-list guests were Ramon Kilayko, senior vice president of Prudential Guarantee, and his son, Allan, senior manager of PGAI. Everyone wanted to meet the elegant Robert Coyiuto Jr., chairman of the Coyiuto Group of Companies and his equally gracious brother, James, senior VP and treasurer - PGAI, who both came with a party of 50 executives from Manila.

The affair was a glittering constellation of top local officials, movers and shakers, VIPs of the local business community, civic clubs and socialites.

After the blessing and cutting of ribbon, everyone trooped to the hall where the tables were set for the reception. We enjoyed the hors d’oeuvre, capped by an excellent red wine that flowed throughout the evening. A lavish buffet of gourmet delights sated our appetites as we listened to messages from the top executives of PGAI. Mayor Monico Puentevella lavishly praised the organizers for the superb handling of the event. The guests went home laden with party favors from the hosts.

Kudos to PGAI for a grand blessing and inauguration!*