Category Archives: Uncategorized

When my mother, Ma. Ester Desembrana Baños passed away a few years ago, among the mementos she left behind were a number of photo albums some of which had pictures of Old Zamboanga dating back to the early 1920s and 1930s.

I was particularly intrigued by one which showed a regal residence which she  captioned “Zamboanga 1931” which showed our late Tito Antonietto and Tita Francesca Bayot (actually our grandparents on my mother’s side, Tita Francesca being the elder sister of her mom Ester Navarro Desembrana) and “Pasonanca” on the  bottom of the staircase where they were seated, and where Tito Antonietto was holding a child whom I’m guessing was our late Tita Nena Bayot-Blanco, who  was born in 1925.… Continue reading... “Memories of Old Zamboanga: The Old Mankin House in Pasonanca”

“Pagkadako sa atong kalipay  sa pagpasalamat sa Ginoo kay karong adlawa natawhan kita sa Dios, ang atong Manunubos.”

Kini  ang mensahe sa mga anghel ngadto sa magbalantay sa karnero sa panahon sa pagkatawo sa atong Manunubos. Mianhi Siya aron makig-uban kanato sa atong managkadungan nga  pagbaktas sa dalan.

Ang dalan mao gayod ang atong Ginoo mismo, ang dalan sa kinabuhi,  kapuno sa kinabuhi.… Continue reading... “Christmas Message 2021”

In January 2022, three-time Oro Chamber President Ruben A. Vegafria formally turns over the gavel of leadership to incoming president Raymundo G. Talimio, Jr. during the Oro Chamber’s 4^th Quarter General Membership Meeting, Awards Night and Fellowship.

Among the highlights of the occasion is Vegafria’s presentation of the President’s 2021 Annual Report, and he shared with BusinessWeek Mindanao some salient points of the year’s accomplishments among of which are the following:

For the first time, NON-TRUSTEES of the chamber were appointed to chair Permanent Standing Committees, which allowed them to submit activity designs and to report accomplishments during the monthly board meeting.… Continue reading... “Our Year Together – Highlights of 2021: Oro Chamber Scales Greater Heights with Response to the Challenges of the New Normal”

Cagayan de Oro has retained its 7^th Place Rank in the Philippines’ Most Competitive Highly Urbanized Cities ranking in 2021.

Besides its Top 7 ranking, Cagayan de Oro was also tagged as the 6^th Most Improved Highly Urbanized City in the recently concluded virtual awarding rites of the 9^th Regional Competitiveness Summit of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) conducted on 14 December 2021 by the  Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) together with the Ayala Corporation and Globe Telecom.… Continue reading... “Cagayan de Oro remains PH’s 7th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City in 2021”

When people in most cities in Mindanao woke up in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette on Friday, 17 December 2021, they found they had neither mobile nor internet services in their gadgets and computers.

This posed a major problem not only for LGUs and disaster response agencies unable to contact their personnel in the field, but perhaps even more to residents stressed out from their all-night vigil of the super typhoon as it wreaked destruction in its wake.… Continue reading... “How they did it: Parasat keeps CDO, Misor and Bukidnon towns connected in Odette aftermath”

After a long wait, the premier showcase of Northern Mindanao’s artists and designers was formally opened on December 8, 2021, the Feast of the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“Three years ago we envisioned to have a “preview” store in Cagayan de Oro, where designers, artists, and manufacturers could showcase their crafts to viewers and buyers,” said Chris Gomez of Chris Gomez Creative Design, one of four partners who put their talents and efforts together to come up with the landmark store located at the ground floor of Centrio Ayala Mall (near BPI).”… Continue reading... “Lunâ : Artisanal Lifestyle Store by Oro Creative opens at Centrio Mall”

Indeed it has been a long and winding road for cousins Rosemarie Balan Uzon (Buding to family and friends) and Cinderella “Cindy” Waban Uy to get to where they are right now.

Buding is the youngest of three children of the late Jessie and Tata Balan. Kizzay is her elder sister and JJ is the only son.… Continue reading... “Letters from New York: Kagay-anon Duo makes it happen in Long Island, New York”

Everyone’s favorite Babu is back!

The first Moro-themed and inspired restaurant in Cagayan de Oro opened in April, 2019 at the ground floor of Saavedra Building (Vines Pension House), Yacapin corner Aguinaldo Streets, Barangay 32, Cagayan de Oro City, just across Wilshire Inn and 110 meters from Masjid Oro Jama-ah along Aguinaldo Street.… Continue reading... “What’s New Babu?”

There is an ongoing campaign now by Caritas Philippines called “I Vote God”, “I Vote Good” and we add to that campaign now with “Let’s Vote Peace!” This is intrinsically related in the sense that Peace with God, with oneself, with others and with creation is one and interrelated.  Since peace is integral, this too relates well with the theme for Mindanao Week of Peace: “Interfaith Unity Inspiring Health Protocols.”… Continue reading... “VOTE FOR PEACE”

Cagayan de Oro’s signature restaurant of Mindanao Heritage Dishes is five years old, and looking forward to more decades of furthering its cause to bring the Culinary Patrimony of the island to the rest of the Philippines and the world.

During a simple program and lighting ceremony of the restaurant’s Christmas tree commemorating the event, Jan Michael Uy, president and CEO of the TFC Group which owns and manages Cucina Higala spoke of their gratitude in reaching the milestone.… Continue reading... “Cucina Higala Celebrates Grateful Fifth”