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Resci Angeli Rizada

Resci Angeli Rizada, a nursing graduate of one of the leading nursing schools in the city, has won the crown and the hearts of Dabawenyos for this year’s search for the Mutya ng Dabaw. She was hailed this year’s reigning Mutya during the coronation night held yesterday, 14 March 2009 (Saturday) at the CAP Auditorium.

Rizada, a summa cum laude graduate of the San Pedro College, is also a member of the Recognizing Outstanding Davao Youth (RODY) Project, Future Leaders of Asia, and a regional and national finalist of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines.

Representing the new, enlightened Dabawenya, a strong-willed, outspoken yet charming, confident yet humble woman whose intelligence and skills are dedicated to community building, goodwill and development, Rizada has won ₱50,000.00 in cash plus a trophy and other prizes.

She has also won a matching grant from her sponsoring foundation/organization for her chosen advocacy project, which is focused on “social change through social entrepreneurship”. We hope to hear from her soon with regards the concrete plans she has in mind to achieve this worthy advocacy.

Rizada’s court is comprised of Diwa ng Dabaw winner, Vanessa Ruth Chan; Sinag ng Dabaw winner, Patrice Su; Pag-Asa ng Dabaw winner, Richelle Ann Liao; and Patnubay ng Dabaw winner, Franilyn Sendiong.

The winner of the Mutya ng Dabaw was chosen based on the following criteria: intelligence (25%), communication skills (25%), personality (25%), talent (15%) and quality of proposed project design (10%).

The coronation night was Web-cast live worldwide though its official website, MutyaNgDabaw.com, a first in the history of the celebration of the city’s charter anniversary. Live streaming of other highlights and features of the Araw ng Dabaw celebration can be seen on ArawNgDabaw.com.

[Media Release]

March 12, 2009, Manila, Philippines — Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today formally announced that tens of thousands of edits made by Filipinos on Google Map Maker can now be seen on Google Maps. Google Map Maker–an application that allows users to edit Google Maps data–was launched in the Philippines in October last year to provide local map enthusiasts a means to personally contribute to the building and updating of online map data for the country. Now millions of Google Maps users around the world can see more accurate and updated online maps of the Philippines including new roads, points of interests and regions all over the country.

Since the launch of Google Map Maker in the Philippines, hundreds of users have contributed tens of thousands of edits, reflecting the overwhelming enthusiasm by Filipinos to collaborate online and share their knowledge of their neighbourhoods with the rest of the Internet community. Google Map Maker edits have come from a diverse group of Filipino users all over the country including civil engineers, business executives, programmers, entrepreneurs, and students. Through a moderation and verification process, most of these edits, which include street-level data, landmark tags and business establishments, can now be seen on Google Maps.

“Congratulations to the thousands of Filipino users who have successfully contributed to Google Map Maker! The Philippines is one of the most challenging places to map because of the diverse topography of its more than 7,000 islands–this is why there is a dearth of accurate map data available online. Because of the collaborative efforts of local map enthusiasts, we are beginning to see the “physical face” of the Philippines getting clearer over time for the global community to see. This is a great start, but know there is much more to do, so we encourage you to join your fellow Pinoys and contribute to Google Map Maker to give the Philippines an accurate virtual country map to be proud of,” said Derek Callow, Head of Marketing, Google Southeast Asia.

“I’m passionate about editing maps and Google Map Maker’s interface is very intuitive and user-friendly. I started adding streets and establishments in Tuguegarao, where I was born, and Baguio City, where we lived when I was growing up. Then I quickly moved on to editing municipalities and cities,” said Wayne Manuel, one of the Philippines’ top contributors to Google Map Maker with several thousand edits. Manuel is a Chemical Engineering Filipino student currently studying overseas at the National University of Singapore. “It started out like a big jigsaw puzzle with many pieces missing. But when I saw the roads, street names and landmarks coming together on Google Map Maker, I felt really happy for my country and it encouraged me to contribute even more,” Manuel said.

“Seeing that the edits–including the ones I did–have been pushed to Google Maps means the Philippines is more and more on the global map, and that we put it there through our own Pinoy passion! It was personally satisfying for me. The reason I set out making edits is because I wanted to help promote the places that I grew up in and the country as a whole to the rest of the world. The mission continues and I hope even more Filipinos will join us on Google Map Maker to improve the online map of our beautiful country,” said Bernard Arellano III, another top contributor to Google Map Maker in the Philippines. Arellano, who works as a call center agent, made several thousand edits on Guimaras and Iloilo.

”I think it’s important that local users keep the edits coming in because having accurate map data helps promote the country’s viability to foreign investors and tourists,” said Dante Varias, a 56-year-old civil engineer who is also among Google Map Maker’s top contributors for the Philippines. “The Google Map Maker interface is so user-friendly you don’t need any specialized training before you can start editing.” Varias said that he had been looking for map-making software prior to the launch of Google Map Maker late last year. “When I discovered Google Map Maker, I immediately started enjoying the process of editing the map tiles of Cavite, so much so that after only 37 days, I had already added over several thousand edits on my own.”

Here are some screenshots and videos showing the amazing contributions of thousands of users of Google Map Maker in the Philippines:

Manila [watch video]

Cebu [watch video]

Davao [watch video]

About Google Inc.

Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising programme provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.google.com.ph/.

Google and Google Maps are trademarks of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

Food-tripping at Tunalicious

It’s very refreshing to see food establishments in Davao that come out and offer new things to stimulate the taste buds — those that veer away from the typical chicken barbecue that you see all around. This is what my friends and I have discovered at Tunalicious, a relatively new ‘native’ restaurant in town.

From the outside, the place doesn’t look very impressive (especially because there’s still some construction going on around it). Also because it looks much like all the chicken-barbecue places out there. The tables and chairs aren’t anything you might find terribly comfortable, and the surroundings look decidedly low-budget. But the food–! Delicious!

Pinutos na Adobong Baboy

I had the Pinutos na Pork Adobo, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. They have 3 kinds of Pinutos: pork adobo, chicken adobo and, of course, grilled tuna. And get this — the price tag on this dish? Only ₱38 for a generous plate of rice and meat (or fish) wrapped in banana leaf! I loved the banana-leaf-infused flavor of the steamed rice, which was cooked just right. For the price, I wasn’t expecting it to be that good, but it was.

I was able to talk to the manager, Rainier Bello, and he said something that made a lot of sense. He said that, instead of offering “unlimited rice” — a common tactic hereabouts to attract patrons — they decided to serve the Pinutos dishes with a healthy amount of rice. Aside from the fact that rice isn’t cheap anymore, large intakes of rice isn’t really very good for the body.

I will surely be back to sample the other Pinutos (which literally means “wrapped”) dishes soon!

Sinuglaw

The Sinuglaw (₱108) was also quite enjoyable. The tuna was very fresh, and the grilled pork blended quite nicely in the whole ensemble. Sinuglaw is a concatenation of “sinugba” (‘grilled (pork)’) and “kinilaw” (the term used to mean ‘eating raw food’, usually fish).

The vinegar they use in their Sinuglaw is sukang tuba. It’s the kind that comes from ‘coconut wine’ — fermented coconut sap. And they don’t scrimp on the ingredients: chili, radish, cucumber and everything that makes kinilaw a uniquely Filipino appetizer.

Tuna Chicharon

True to their name, Tunalicious also serves Tuna Bopis (₱88), Tuna Sisig (₱88), even Tuna Chicharon (₱68)! Rainier, who has helped set up other restaurants in Davao City, said that they really want to specialize in various tuna preparations, to provide Davao with a healthier dining alternative.

The Tuna Chicharon was good. It tasted just like the real thing. And, it’s guilt-free! But the Tuna Bopis was rather fishy… Their sisig, however, was a hit. Even Andrew, who gets queasy about unfamiliar food, found it to his liking.

Tunalicious is actually just one of the shops in what is now known as “The Strip” at the old “The Venue” (couldn’t they get even more generic??). The place is on Jacinto Extension, across the road from the Bangko Sentral complex. But, Tunalicious seems to be the one that people look for when they go there. Aside from their tuna dishes, they also have what they call Sabaw Republic, or their line of stimulating soup dishes for the after-party market, if you know what I mean.

Tunalicious is open daily, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, then from 5:00 to 11:00 PM. Sabaw Republic, on the other hand, is open until 4 in the morning — although, Rainier said they’re thinking of keeping it open until 8:00 AM in the near future.

For takeout or for catering requests, here’s their phone number: 225-8588.

[Media Release]

Araw ng Dabaw, the city’s celebration of its 72nd charter anniversary, officially opens on 9 March 2009, 4:00 PM with the “DAWOW” Grand Opening Ceremony at Quezon Park (in front of City Hall).

The program will kick off with a musical presentation by the Davao Community Band and Blue Velvet Band, followed by a prayer to be rendered into song by the Davao Boys Choir, Matina Central ES Choir and UIC Chorale. A thanksgiving prayer will be led by Carlito Guinto, Jr., representing the indigenous community, Samrah Nuh, representing the Muslim community, and Archimedes Udaundo, representing the Christian community, symbolizing the city’s multi-cultural population.

After the prayers, “Bahaghari Tayo”, the celebration’s official theme, will be performed by popular Dabawenyo artist and the song’s composer Popong Landero, together with the Davao Community Band, Blue Velvet Band and the Kaliwat Theater Collective. Kaliwat Theater Collective, Davao Community Band, Blue Velvet Band, Davao Boys Choir, Matina Central ES Choir, UIC Chorale, Madayaw Cultural Troupe, and students from Magallanes Elementary School will then share the stage for the “Dabaw: Sulyap Salaysay” production number.

Mr. Sammy Uy, this year’s co-chairperson of the celebration’s Executive Committee (EXECOM), will deliver the Pagpapasalamat speech while City Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz and Mr. Lafayette Lim, EXECOM vice-chairperson will talk about the theme and introduce the EXECOM members of this year’s celebration.

This will be followed by the “Ang Dakilang Pangako” number to be performed by local artist Juliet Bahala together with the Davao Boys Choir, UIC Chorale, Matina Central ES Choir, Blue Velvet Band, Davao Community Band and Kaliwat.

City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is the chairman of Araw ng Dabaw 2009 EXECOM, will deliver the celebratory address while Councilor Ortiz will raise the theme along with EXECOM co-chairperson Mr. Samuel Uy.

The program, to be hosted by Oscar Casaysay and Mutya ng Dabaw 2004 Aileen Cainglit, will close with the community singing of the “Tayo’s Dabawenyo”.

The 72nd Araw ng Dabaw celebration highlights include the Museo Dabawenyo DUHWOW : DABAW Exhibit Opening (March 10, 10 AM, Museo Dabawenyo), Kalasikas Cultural Performances (March 10-16, 6-9 PM, People’s Park), PAGTUGYAN: Yuchengco Scholarship Program Launching (March 12, 3 PM, Rizal Park), Unveiling of Datu Bago Mural (March 12, 5 PM, Museo Dabawenyo), SALIDAbaw: MTV Finals (March 13, 3 PM, Gaisano Mall), Mutya ng Dabaw Coronation Night (March 14, 6 PM, CAP Auditorium), Sayawan sa Da’n (March 15, 2-8 PM, from Legazpi St., Rizal St., Bolton St., San Pedro St., to City Hall Drive), Pasasalamat :Thanksgiving Mass (March 16, 6 AM, San Pedro Cathedral), Parada Dabawenyo (March 16, 8 AM-12 NN, from Magsaysay Ave., CM Recto Ave., Bonifacio St., Legaspi St., San Pedro St., to Quimpo Blvd.), Banda Hudyaka : Showdown Presentation (March 16, 2 PM, People’s Park), Dickies presents: Pahalipay ni Mayor Concert featuring Slapshock (March 16, 7 PM, Rizal Park). On-going events include the Agri-Trade Fair (February 28-Macrh 16, SM City Grounds), Hudyakaan: Street Food Festival (March 9-16, 4 PM-2 AM, Bolton St., beside Sanguniang Panlungsod), and Chinatown Night Market (14-16 March, 6 PM-2 AM, R. Magsaysay Ave.).

For more information, visit www.arawngdabaw.com and www.mutyangdabaw.com.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, TO THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, TO THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, and TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

We, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) with a combined service of 44 years have committed ourselves and hundreds of thousands of our volunteers towards…

• Voters’ education aimed at the formation of conscience of the Filipino electorate to vote responsibly and wisely — boto ko dangal ko ipagtatanggol ko
• Monitoring the conduct of elections so as to safeguard the sanctity of the ballot and the integrity of the electoral process — isang tao, isang boto
• Good governance and responsible citizenship particularly through the election of public officials with unsullied integrity, proven competence, non-negotiable independence — it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

PPCRV and NAMFREL believe that…

• Elections determine democracy.
• Elections measure “the rule of the people, by the people for the people”.
• Elections define the political stability of a government, and consequently, of the nation.
• Elections are a source of hope to impel our people to come together, to pray together, to act together, especially in times of crises as we did in 1986, that will prove to the world and to ourselves that Filipinos are proactive movers of freedom and democracy.

That is if elections were clean, honest, accurate, meaningful, peaceful – CHAMP. That is if elections were free and fair. That is if elections were liberated from graft and corruption.

At long last we have in our hands, as provided for in R.A. 9369, the means for CHAMP elections — the full automation of the election system (AES) for the 2010 National and Local Elections. The AES was actually tested in the 2008 Regional Elections in the Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the most election fraud-prone area in the Philippines, and the result was good due to the following…

• The AES diminished dramatically the space for cheating because of limited human intervention in the process of counting, canvassing, consolidation and transmission of votes
• The AES radically cut short the period for election results to be known by the public
• Violence related to elections was minimal, most importantly no election related killing took place
• Nuisance pre-proclamation election protests were contained, no election protest was filed

PPCRV and NAMFREL now ardently ask…

Dear President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, please use the vast power of your office to be the unwavering advocate of the full automation of our electoral system for the forthcoming 2010 National and Local Elections. We believe in your promise that a new transformed electoral system will be your legacy to the nation.

Dear Members of Congress, please use the force of your authentic actual power to see to it that compliance of R.A. 9369 of fully automating the 2010 National and Local Elections is implemented untrammeled by strange
conditions, and not be perceived as using the “power of the purse” as a tool to derail full implementation of the AES nationwide for the 2010 polls. We believe that the trust the voting public invested in you and your avowed pledge to serve the common good are still the primordial interest that govern your service, your words, your motives, your works.

Dear Officers and Staff of COMELEC, please use the actual force you hold as mandated by our Constitution to stay the course for the implementation of R.A. 9369 mandating full automation of the 2010 National and Local Elections, and continue with courageous commitment to restore credibility to Philippine elections, and consequently to the Commission itself, by cleaning the voters’ list and providing our electoral process with an untarnished Book of Registered Voters, prosecute with the full force of the law those who undermine our election laws from within and without. We believe in the new leadership of COMELEC and in the current determination of the entire Commission to give the Filipino people elections we can all be proud of.

Dear Filipino Citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, let us come together, discern together, pray together and act together, please act together in making the 2010 National and Local Elections the framework for re-defining our identity and re-invigorating our sense of nation.

PPCRV and NAMFREL continue our care of the elections with unabated enthusiasm and hope.

Please God, help us.

(Signed)
Ambassador Henrietta T. de Villa
National Chairperson
PPCRV and NAMFREL

01 March 2009
First Sunday of Lent

One of my guilty pleasures is good coffee — that elixir of the gods. And that’s one of the rare reasons why I miss Metro Manila. In Davao, we don’t have the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (my most favorite café) or UCC (whose coffee offerings might be overpriced, but are excellently brewed). There may have been a number of coffee shops that have opened in Davao in the past year, but sad to say, only very few really know how to serve to a discerning coffee lover.

Not that I’m a certified coffee connoisseur, but I think I do know what good coffee is.

My favorites, so far, are Kangaroo Coffee Company’s Americano and Espresso con Panna. In my estimation, it is this coffee shop that seems to have invested the most time and effort into perfecting their brews. And their customer service. And their scrumptious food (which could, however, use larger portions). My only real complaint now is that they’re closed Sundays.

In the past weeks, my friends and I have been doing the rounds of Davao’s newest coffee shops: Coffee for Peace in Matina, La Core in Victoria Plaza, Brewedkaster, Lorie’s, Chicco di Caffè, the new branch of Tata Benito’s on Legaspi Street. Still, none of them surpasses (or even approaches) the quality of Kangaroo’s coffee.

Chicco di Caffè does serve a mean Espresso con Panna, though. They boast of having a US-trained barista… although, there was something wrong with the Caffè Americano that I ordered the first two times I was there. But, they’re still very new (as of this writing), so I’ll give them a few more weeks and then I’ll give them another go. They’re in this new building on the corner of Roxas Avenue and Padre Faura St., near the Ateneo de Davao college campus.

Coffee for Peace. Now that’s an idea, don’t you think? The owners donate a portion of their income to the farmers of Mindanao, as well as to other beneficiaries all over the country. This NGO also conducts training programs for skills enhancement among the less privileged. So when you have a cup of joe at Coffee for Peace, you are in fact helping out. I just wish they’d make the experience as gratifying taste-wise as it is soul-wise.

The other new coffee shops? Let’s just say I wouldn’t bring my coffee-loving friends there. Then again, I believe in second chances…

It’s going to be quite a spell before we see the likes of CBTL in Davao. In the meantime, coffee lovers will have to settle for the slim pickings hereabouts. Aside from Kangaroo, there’s also Bo’s Coffee Club, the one in SM City. Basti’s Brew too (but they do have a slight problem with consistency…) — but the service is top-notch and their place is always good for people-watching. Also, Fagioli Coffee Club and Caffè Firenzo offer some good alternatives. For a different experience, Kopi Roti is a good bet.

Where do you go for your caffeine fix in Davao?

Joey Ayala

Recently, I’ve rediscovered one of the musical gems that moved me — nay, jolted me out of my stupor — the first time I heard it. The music of Joey Ayala. Discographies label his tracks as “folk rock” or even “indigenous music”. But I think his music goes beyond that, because it has purpose and it is timeless.

You will find in his music themes about environmental issues, social realities, even politically-charged chants. Joey Ayala does have tracks that might be meant for pure entertainment, but those that really matter are those songs that move listeners to realize certain truths — and, hopefully, to action.

My favorites include Agila (”Eagle”), Bathala (”God”) and Karaniwang Tao (”Common Man”). But there’s one piece whose lyrics ring true and must ring even louder, if people are to realize what purpose their lives serve on this earth. I’d like to share Awit ng Mortal (”Mortal Man’s Song”) with you. It was composed by Joey and performed by Bayang Barrios.

Mga Awit ng Tanod-Lupa

For the benefit of my non-Tagalog readers, here’s a rough translation:

Joey Ayala, while his family has roots in the North, grew up in Davao City. His sister, Cynthia Alexander, is also an accomplished musician. His brother and my friend, Pido Ayala, is one of the pioneering IT professionals in Davao. Their mother, the poet Tita Lacambra-Ayala, is one of Davao’s literary inspirations.

Joey’s music and his blog are online at joeyayala.com. There is also a wiki entry about him.