Approximately 4.5 km of pinakbet, igado and rice laid on banana leaf-lined tables for everyone to partake at major streets in Sunshine City Laoag was the highpoint of the month-long Pamulinawen Festival celebration. It was a good fight, a major boodle fight aimed to break records.

There’s a secret to eating kamayan style — get with your left and eat with your right. The event was a success if no status barrier is taken into account. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed selfieing, eating, selfieng. Even Marc Logan came!

Congrats, Laoag!

The indefatigable Laoag mayor, Chevylle Fariñas and her daughter Mikee, the young Laoag ABC President, in photo below. Hahah, Marc Logan in Laoag!
Photographed by Blauearth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Palm trees, hibiscus flowers, fresh fruits, seashells, blues, splashes of white, sandy shores and Havaianas.

Did you know that Havaianas was inspired by the Hawaiians and their hang loose culture? To celebrate the 10th year of Make Your Own Havaianas, our favorite flip-flop brand is all set for the biggest customization ever. It’s a nationwide luau celebration from May 7th to the 10th! Flash the shaka! In Ilocos, Robinsons Ilocos Norte Activity Center will be echoing the warm air of Aloha Hawaii. Aloha hula girls, ukeleles, tikis and pineapples!

© Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Hau`oli la ho’omana’o, MYOH!

The MYOH 10 years commemorative pair is the best ever! Why is it so easy to love the Vintage Hawaii pair? Because it’s blue and blue is the most universal color I know:) It’s my most favorite color and any color becomes livelier next to blue. Also, because we say “Aloha” here more than anywhere else in the country. It’s safe to say Ilocos is partly the land of Hawaiianos and Hawaianas. And, of course, they are Havaianas, now a (essential) part of our daily lives.

So this is what happened on the first day of the MYOH 2015. I saw many of my dear friends. I had fun being in a photo with everyone. Aloha can mean a lot of different things. I like it more as a hello than a goodbye. Actually.

Mahalo to Bernard and Me-Ann Macaraeg. Love the couple!

Ace is always so photographable eh?Eric Cayetano and my good friend Marianne Pasion are always cute together, Toni Carag’s pick.Kenneth, Chef James and blogger/artist Vince Canlapan.My crush, James Burns.I’m in my red phase.Lulu DK Havaianas. tattoos.Teenie Umali- Fariñas and Ann Ang on the other end.Strumming Pearly Shells!And she got another pair for her birthday.With artists Mara Manuel and Katrina Mandac.

Thank you, Havaianas!

© Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Remember my very own adventure (hahah, tricycle adventure) in and out of NOAH, in institutional parlance, the Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub, a tourism complex in Bulanos in the Southern Ilocos town of Narvacan, which centers on eco-adventure activities, primarily the 280-ft. via ferrata along the walls of Bantay Abot (again, not to be confused with the Bantay Abot Cave in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte) and river and sea adventure thrills?

From its caterpillar stage, Narvacan’s tourism project has morphed into a butterfly, staging sports events and attracting extreme sports enthusiasts.

Among the activities of various genres in the line-up for their summer sea festival, dubbed Fiesta del Mar, was the Narvacan Mountain Bike Challenge, consisting of DH, Enduro, XCO and Fatbike races, attended by top Filipino riders, among them JR Barba, Jeric Farr and Parabanne Mendoza, international downhillers and XCO bikers from as far as Slovenia and Indonesia and local mountain biking enthusiasts.

The number one advocate of eco and adventure tourism in his town, young and dynamic Mayor Zuriel Zaragoza was visible throughout the events.

To calm down the adrenaline rush, on the first night of the weekend races, everyone was treated to the mellow music of the Freestyle band surrounding the Bulanos Beach, harmonizing with the rushing waves from the West Philippine Sea.

Indonesian riders chilling in between rides.Ilocos Norte’s very own consistent national placer in his age category, the Burgy of downhill biking, Robert John Eulalio Burgos. (now a board-certified engineer, congrats for successfully juggling biking and studies!).

Photographed by BlauEarth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Local artists creating art from waste join the citywide celebrations of Laoag’s Golden Year of Cityhood through an eco-themed art exhibit entitled “naglabas, agdama, masakbayan [past, present, future]” slated to run on June 18-20 at the Laoag City Hall Auditorium.

Organized by the LEAD Movement in collaboration with the City Government of Laoag, the art show hopes to inspire sustainability and making a difference in the present and future. Laoag through the years has garnered numerous accolades, among them Clean and Green City.

Up for viewing are the works of Margo Rae Alesna, Rizaldie Altuna, Carl Martin Aragones, Khervin John Gallandez, Gerome Malbas, Marc Nicolas, Dexter Robiñol, Janer Santos, Juan Elani Tulas and Marvin Xavier Vea.

The event is free and open to the public. Hoping you could drop by.

© Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

The Laoag City 50th Charter Day Anniversary was the perfect venue for the just concluded “naglabas, agdama, masakbayan [past, present, future]” eco art exhibition, inspired by “basura ti naglabas, tignay ti agdama, para ti narimat a agsapa”. To borrow the words of Francis Kettering, we should all be concerned about the future because we have to spend the rest of our lives there.

Seasoned Ilocano artists and rising local talents pooled their efforts to draw attention to environment issues such as the global plastics issue, environmental degradation through tree cutting, dynamite fishing, irresponsible consumerism, among others. Guests were appreciative of the art created from everyday waste such as styro containers, packing materials, empty bottles and cans, used motor oil, and space-eating trash such as abused skateboards, scratched vinyl, old toys,  galvanized iron sheets and so on.

Garnering good reviews and requests for a rerun, the zero waste art exhibit was a worthy show of local artistry. Juan Elani Tulas’ art installation from styro and 400 pieces of wood scraps, entitled “Poetree”, was inspired by Joyce Kilmer’s “Tree”. Each enigmatic piece can stand on its own. Janer Santos, a tattooist by profession, infused humor into his compositions. “Pagfiesta-an” with recycled junk is rather provocative. UP Fine Arts graduate Margo Rae Alesna had a winner in “The Heart of the Matter” in mixed media on old wood. Young artist Gerome Malbas put to good use his predilection for pop art by turning used spray paint cans as his canvas. His “Mandala” inked skull was unexpected. Khervin John Gallandez put life into rusty galvanized iron scraps. To convey his message of anti-dynamite fishing, MMSU student Marvin Xavier Vea incorporated his intricate doodle art into an installation. Carl Martin Aragones and Dexter Robiñol highlighted the wonders of nature with vibrant color while Rizaldie Altuna used heritage as the subject of his mixed media work. Reluctant artist Marc Nicolas made his debut via his scotch tape sculpture.

Laoag Mayor Chevylle Fariñas with LEAD member and City Hall IT department employee Marc Nicolas.

When styro artist Juan Elani Tulas messaged me for a possible collaboration with LEAD Movement, I didn’t think twice even if it meant I had to bypass protocol within the organization (LEAD is a NGO, btw) and work double time, with barely two weeks preparation. By happy chance, Laoag Mayor Chevylle Fariñas was open to community involvement. A proponent for a clean environment, the city hopes to sustain its initiatives and efforts in environment management, among them the banning of plastic bags.

The Heart of the Matter.Mixed media artist Janer Santos.Riknakem columnist and blogger Herdy La Yumul.With me from left to right are Marvin Xavier Vea, Janer Santos, Juan Elani Tulas and Khervin John Gallandez.

LEAD Movement would like to extend its gratitude to the City Government of Laoag for allowing the use of the city hall auditorium, Mayor Chevylle Fariñas for her invaluble help and for welcoming artistic freedom as a tool for change, the artists, the staff of the GSO and mayor’s office and those who viewed the show and continue to share the advocacy.

Photos of author by Khervin Gallandez and Marvin Xavier Vea
Photographed by BlauEarth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

Former National Treasurer Professor Emeritus Leonor Briones of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance will be in Ilocos Norte on July 16, 2015, 1PM, to conduct a public lecture at the MMSU-Batac Teatro ILocandia. The lecture is titled “Balancing Fiscal Autonomy with Responsibility and Accountability“, and delves on the red flags in the financing provisions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). Here’s the chance to ask Prof. Briones relevant topics like the BBL and the 2015 National Budget during the meet-and-greet.

She is bringing with her the Manila Concert Choir to perform in a concert following the lecture. Now on its 63rd year, the Manila Concert Choir explores the power and language of love conveyed through songs in times of conflict and struggle in a performance entitled “Love in the Time of Revolution and War”, in homage to the resilience of the human soul in finding beauty in life’s harshest of times.

An evening gala sponsored by the City Government of Laoag is also slated at the Laoag City Auditorium on July 17, 2015 at 6PM, free of charge.

© Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2015

It’s fiesta season once again in the Ilocos Region. Stumbled upon this poster of Ilocos Sur’s Kannawidan Ylocos Bicentennial celebration schedule of activities on social media and might as well share it with you. Ilocos Sur and its seat of government, Vigan, like to do it customarily grand in their own unique Southern Ilocano way. Kicking off on January 26, with Sun Soaked beach sports competitions and Parokya ni Edgar concert at the beach in Magsingal, the province’s 200 years commemorations will be livened up with a dancing fountain spectacle, art and poetry competitions, Chef Wars, a longganisa eating contest, stamp exhibit, street dancing showdown capped by an Ely Buendia performance, a rodeo parade, a drag race, etc. For more details, visit their websites at the bottom of the poster.

Lady Pamulinawen transcends, and so does Laoag. Hope you can join the celebrations.

Here’s the programme of activities, courtesy of Agserbi 24/7 community page on Facebook:

What’s sexier at the celebrated Laoag Sand Dunes than a pumped up night of music? The much anticipated Pamulinawen Sand Tunes Music Festival is finally happening! (Check out poster above.)

Then there’s also the chance to experience Laoag’s signature sand dune adventure for free, courtesy of the Laoag Sand Dunes Coop, in cooperation with the City Government of Laoag.

Save the date, folks… February 21, 2018! Am to Pm!

Happy Fiesta, Laoag!