Over 200 Capiz couples to say 'I do' on December 5

Over 200 Capiz couples to say 'I do' on December 5

Roxas City (27 November) -- More than 200 couples have been registered by the Office of the Population Commission (PopCom) in Roxas City for the upcoming wedding festival on December 5 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral here as part of the Sinadya sa Halaran (SSH) activities from Dec. 4 to 8 this year.

"This is a result of our citywide Responsible Parenthood advocacy," noted City Population Officer Remedios Laplana during an SSH working committees general meeting.

The list of the couples who will march for the wedding rites dubbed "Tambi-Palad" includes a 98-year old groom, and pregnant brides with a number of children, among others.

The city government has created a Roxas City Responsible Parenting Movement (RPM) Team composed of members from PopCom, City Health Office (CHO), City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Agriculture Office (CAO) as well as non-government organizations like Capiz Women, Inc. (CWI), Couples for Christ (CFC), and Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC).

PopCom Regional Director Vicente Molejona has turned over a check worth P120,000 for the Roxas City's population office last October for the city's RPM program.

The provincial government also received a check worth P206,000.00 during the turnover ceremony as partial release for the province's RPM program.

RPM aims to awaken the parents' sense of responsibility and commitment towards their family, neighbors, community, society and nation as a whole towards the attainment of sustainable human development. (PIA) A. Lumaque

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Mutya sang Sinadya sa Halaran 2008

presenting the candidates for the Mutya sa Sainadya sa Halaran 2008!

Gov. Tanco Invites Everyone to come and join the Sinadya sa Halaran Festival 2008

Sinadya sa Halaran to showcase 'Manggad sang Capiz'

Sinadya sa Halaran to showcase 'Manggad sang Capiz'

Roxas City – An exhibit of Capiceño culture history, governance and arts will be staged by the Organization of Tourism Officers of Capiz (OTOC) and the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) from December 4 to 7 in line with the Sinadya sa Halaran (SSH) celebration from Dec. 4 to 8 this year.

The four-day exhibit at the Governor's Hall of the Provincial Capitol Building dubbed "Manggad sang Capiz" will be participated in by the municipalities who will display their respective treasures and tourist potentials through flyers, pictures, books, and artifacts, among others.

"The tourism officers have already met last November 25 to finalize plans and preparations for the upcoming exhibit," said OTOC President and Pan-ay town Tourism Officer Antonette Delgado.

OTOC and PTO had also staged an interactive exhibit showcasing tourist destinations in Capiz last September in time with the Provincial Tourism Week Celebration.

"Manggad sang Capiz" is in line with the SSH objective of expanding opportunity for the tourism development of the province through by highlighting Capiz's rich culture and abundant natural as well as tourism potentials. (PIA/A.Lumaque)

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Sinadya sa Halaran Festival 2008

December 4 – 8, 2008 ● Roxas City, Capiz. Philippines
Theme: “Bugay nga Naagum, Ikalipay kag Ipaambit nga Mapinasalamaton”

GENERAL CONCEPT
Capiz’s abundance of natural resources and cultural heritage makes Capiznons naturally generous and thankful. Human existence, for a Capiznon, is seen as oneness with nature, fellowmen, and the Divine Provider.

SINADYA SA HALARAN (loosely translated as “joyful in offering/sharing”) FESTIVAL is a jovial celebration of thanksgiving and sharing of these blessings that took forms in programs and activities that depict oneness of Capiznon with his Divine Source of blessings, with the blessings themselves, and with the whole humankind.

OBJECTIVES:
1. To highlight Capiznon culture of “inner joy in thanksgiving and sharing”;
2. To expand opportunity for the tourism development of the Province;
3. To develop and strengthen collaboration between the government and the community.

OUTCOME:
By the end of the festival, the sense of pride and place in the consciousness of every Capiznon has increased, such that as the social relevance and implication of Capiznon culture of sharing and togetherness was upheld, every Capiznon, whether living here or abroad, will find his/her role for the tourism and cultural development of the Province.

GENERAL MECHANICS:
1. Sinadya sa Halaran should be highly participative in nature.
2. Sinadya sa Halaran should highlight Capiz’s rich culture and abundant natural assets.
3. Performances and other art components should express and utilize Capiznon art forms.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES:
1. HALAD SA KASIMANWA. Capiz’s abundance of natural resources takes actual expression in the communal act of sharing and oneness. Being the core of the Festival, everybody shares for his fellow Capiznon and for the community, cash, school stuff, clothing, community services, feeding program for street-children, free services of tourism-related facilities such as beauty parlors and transportation, and others. Collected donations will be given to identified beneficiaries.
2. PASUNDAYAG CAPIZNON. It is a showcase of festivals of the city and all municipalities. Music, beats, musical instruments, props, costumes and choreography depicting the way of life of Roxas City and each municipality displayed in the major streets of Roxas City during the Parade and Street-dancing in the morning and during the Cultural Showcase at Capiz Gym in the afternoon.
3. PROSESYON SA SUBA (Fluvial Procession). Panay River is one of the most important bodies of water in Roxas City. During this festival, its significance in the social, economic and religious life of Capiznons is being highlighted. Several rafts of the BEC Zones of the Immaculate Concepcion Parish will start the fluvial procession carrying their respective patron/patroness. The major raft carries the image of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the Archdiocese of Capiz. All rafts are heavily lighted with different colors of light.
4. DUAG CAPIZNON (Civic Parade). Inspired by Capiz folklores, the civic parade features Capiz’s copious harvest of the sea and land through giant images (higantes). It is participated in by Provincial, City and Municipal Officials, public and private schools in Roxas City, Barangays of Roxas City, and the Civic Organizations. After the parade, Higantes will be displayed at Roxas City Plaza until December 8.
5. SINADYA SA KALYE. Having no tradition of street-dancing, this event brings to street Capiznon the different faces of Capiz way of life, whether in the farm, sea, in the office and others. It utilizes Capiznon beat and music.
6. BUGSAY, BUGSAY! (Banca Race) depicts Capiz’s earlier commercial and social life in which the river and bancas played a very important function. With their cargoes of goods that serve as décor, participating banca racers will vie for the first place to reach the finish line.
7. DILAYAG CONTEST. History tells us that Capiz is very important in the trading and administrative life of Filipinos and Spanish. This contest reminisces this age through colorful dilayag boats that acquire their new form, beautiful racing boats.
8. LUTONG CAPIZNON (Seafood Tripping) – Capiz has the most delicious seafood in the country. Different ways of preparing different kinds of seafood produce, affordable even for the masses especially talaba, alimango, and the like.
9. PAHAMPANG SA PLAZA showcases the ingenuity of Capiznon traditional games. Participating children and spectators will enjoy and appreciate the value of Filipino culture of togetherness through these games as opposite to individualism.
10. MUTYA SANG HALARAN is a beauty pageant that goes beyond judgment of wit and charm. Capiznon ladies embody the best of the LGU or organization they represent.
11. HUGOD CAPIZNON (AGRI FAIR) promotes agricultural products of Roxas City and the sixteen (16) municipalities.
12. MANGGAD SANG CAPIZ is an exhibit of Capiznon culture, history, governance and arts.
13. GAB-I SANG PAGPASALAMAT (LGU Fellowship Night). In the spirit of joyful thanksgiving, Provincial, City and Municipal Officials gather together with other partners in the development program.
14. PAMUKAW-PUKAW. Like the spirited crowing of the cocks, the reverberating sounds of drums emanating from the four corners of the city in the wee hours of the morning usher in the day’s activities.
15. THANKSGIVING MASS. A religious ceremony early in the morning to keep with the essence and spirit of the festival. It reflects the sense of gratitude of Capizeños for the goodness of God the Almighty.
16. PROSESYON SANG PATRON SANG BARANGAY SANG BIRHEN. A solemn procession with the images of Patron Saints of barangay chapels in the city after which the Misa sa Plaza (Vesper Mass) is held.

Sinadya sa Halaran, Capiz News, Capiz Tourism, Capiz

Sinadya sa Halaran publicity goes worldwide

Roxas City – The Sinadya sa Halaran (SSH) Publicity and Promotions Committee through the Capiz Provincial Press Bureau (CPPB) has created a Sinadya sa Halaran blog site in the aim to globally promote and disseminate the Capiceños’ premier festival on December 4 to 8 this year.

The blog, www.sinadyasahalaran.blogspot.com, contains press and photo releases, video clips and other related information about the upcoming SSH celebration.

“It will have regular entries of articles and other materials such as graphics and videos,” said CPPB staff and blogger Arnold Alarcon, Jr.

The Committee has also tapped the various local and regional newspapers, radio and television stations, and Community Antenna Television (CATV) companies to drum up the 5-day celebration.

Some of the tapped media entities have also online sites for wider coverage of their news and information articles or broadcasts.

Capiz Gov. Victor A. Tanco, Sr. has recently called on Capiceños in some parts of the country and abroad and other tourists to witness SSH “as the province and city have prepared new and exciting activities.”

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) – Capiz also supports the publicity and promotion efforts of the various working committees through SSH – related press and photo releases posted in its website, www.pia.gov.ph.

Tourism promotion has been included in President Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo’s priority agenda to generate livelihood and employment opportunities in the country. (PIA/A.Lumaque)

RDC 6 meeting in Capiz Dec. 5

Roxas City – A regular conference of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Western Visayas is set here on December 5 as part of the activities for the Sinadya sa Halaran (SSH) celebration from Dec. 4 to 8 this year.

“All the six governors and city mayors in the region as well as national government agencies regional directors and non-government organizations will meet here for the fourth quarter RDC meeting,” said Capiz Governor Victor A. Tanco, Sr. in an interview over RMN – Roxas.

RDC is the highest policy-making body in the region and serves as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the subnational level. It is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region. It also serves as a forum where local efforts can be related and integrated with national development activities.

“Six congressmen from Metro Manila will also arrive here by Dec. 6 to conduct a committee hearing on ancestral domain issue,” added Tanco during the interview.

The chief provincial executive has also called on Capiceños here and abroad and other tourists to witness the celebration “as the province and city have prepared new and exciting activities.”

The 5-day SSH celebration with the theme “Bugay nga Naagum, Ikalipay kag Ipaambit nga Mapinasalamaton” is the province’s way of life demonstrated in various merrymaking and thanksgiving activities for its blessings and good fortunes during the past year.

It culminates on the Dec. 8 feast day of Roxas City’s Patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. (PIA/A.Lumaque)

Capiz, Capiz News, Capiz Tourism, Sinadya sa Halaran

Mutya sang Sinadya sa Halaran 2008

The Contestants for the Mutya sang Sinadya sa Halaran 2008


Images courtesy of Lions Club - Roxas
Music by Pussycat Dolls "Dont Cha"

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Sinadya sa Halaran Invitation of Mr. Alphonsus Tesoro, Acting Provincial Tourism Officer of Capiz

Video Courtesy of Capiz Provincial Press Bureau

Sinadysa sa Halaran 2007 Fluvial Parade Pictures

Sinadya sa Halaran Fluvial Parade (Images courtesy of PIA - Capiz)
Sinadya sa Halaran Fluvial Parade (Images courtesy of PIA - Capiz)
Sinadya sa Halaran Fluvial Parade (Images courtesy of PIA - Capiz)
Sinadya sa Halaran Fluvial Parade (Images courtesy of PIA - Capiz)

Here are some pictures during the Sinadya sa Halaran 2007 Fluvial Parade.

Capiz, Capiz Tourism, Sinadya as Halaran

'Higantes' return to rock 2008 Sinadya sa Halaran

by: A. Lumaque (PIA - Capiz)

Roxas City (25 November) -- 'Higantes' or giant mascots made of paper-mache will again invade the major thoroughfares here as among the new and exciting activities for a more colorful and meaningful Sinadya sa Halaran (SSH) celebration from December 4 to 8 this year.

"The 5-day packed celebration will again feature giant paper-maches (higantes) during the civic parade before the formal opening rites of the celebration on Dec. 4 at the Roxas City public plaza," said Roxas City Tourism Officer Rodolfo Maestro, Jr.

"At least 6 giant seafoods will be showcased from Roxas City alone," added Maestro.

The municipalities are also encouraged to feature paper-maches of their respective products during the parade.

"The province will also have a surprised higante," said Provincial Tourism Officer Alfonsus Tesoro.

These higantes, usually about 10 feet tall, are made of bamboo frames covered with cloth and topped by paper-mache, were a spectacle during Sinadya celebration in the past two decades.

SSH celebration is the province's way of life demonstrated in various merrymaking and thanksgiving activities for its blessings and good fortunes during the past year. It peaks on the feast day of Roxas City's Patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, every Dec. 8.

Sinadya sa Halaran, Capiz, Capiz Tourism, Capiz News

P2.3-M budget for Sinadya Sa Halaran ok’d

Sinadya sa Halaran (Images Courtesy of PIA - Capiz)

Sinadya sa Halaran (Images Courtesy of PIA - Capiz)

ROXAS CITY – The City Council here yesterday approved the P2,367,392
Sinadya Sa Halaran 2008 budget in their regular session.

The money will be shared by the city and provincial government.

City Tourism Officer Rodolfo “Bong” Maestro Jr. said the event will
kick off on December 4 – 8.

For the five-day celebration, Chief Insp. Leo Batiles will deploy
165 police personnel to maintain peace and order.

Some of the highlights of Sinadya Sa Halaran are Jobs Fair (Halad sa
Tawo), Mass Wedding for more or less 300 couples, Sinadya sa Kalye,
Barangay Night, De Layag Race, Skimboarding competition, Banca Race,
Fireworks, Kapisnon Trade Fair, Sinadya Parade, Fluvial Procession,
Lighting of Plaza, Hugod Capiznon Trade Fair, Daigon Contest, Lutong
Capiznon ( Food Festival).

This year’s fiesta queen is Rita Marie Felisa Ignacio.

By Robert C. Borres - The Daily Guardian (Capiz)

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Pictures from the previous Sinadya sa Halaran Festival

Sinadya sa Halaran: ...experience more than seafood...

Sinadya sa Halaran is the joint festival of the Province of Capiz and City of Roxas. It is celebrated in honor of Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion every first weekend of December each year.
The most fitting description of this festival is a “fete of faith and thanksgiving through the joyful celebration of the Capiznon way of life”. Loosely translated, Sinadya sa Halaran means joy in thanksgiving and sharing.

Among the highlights include the Grand Dancing Parade where participants dance their way on the streets wearing colorful and unique seafood costumes depicting the underwater world. Clearly this event is a manifestation of true Capiznon artistry and love for merry-making. The real feast however is the Seafood Festival where mouth watering and sumptuous seafood, so many to choose from, are available.
Among the highlights include the Grand Dancing Parade where participants dance their way on the streets wearing colorful and unique seafood costumes depicting the underwater world. Clearly this event is a manifestation of true Capiznon artistry and love for merry-making. The real feast however is the Seafood Festival where mouth watering and sumptuous seafood, so many to choose from, are available.
The battle cry of Capiz is being the “Seafood Capital of the Philippines”. The markets are always abundant with almost every kind of seafood imaginable. From blue marline, tuna, prawns and shrimps, crabs, eel, shellfish and other marine species. Capiz offers only the best. And if you have had a taste for its exquisitely delicious seafood delicacies, surely you would agree.

(pictures courtesy of Philippine Information Agency - Capiz)


Capiz, Sinadya sa Halaran

Roxas City, Capiz: ...an experience beyond seafoods!

Dubbed as the "Seafood Capital of the Philippines", Capiz boasts of its 80-kilometer coastline and wide expanse of swampy land easily covered into fishponds. It holds one of the country's richest fishing grounds and is a major contributor to the aquamarine industry.
Full of enchantment and mystery, Capiz claims to possess several legends and beliefs from which the name "Capiz" originated. More popular of these belief stories is that Capiz comes from the word "kapid" (which means twin). When the Spaniards settled in the place, they found it difficult to pronounce the word "kapid" thus giving birth to the name "Capiz". Still , some old folks claim that Capiz got its name from "kapis", a shell of the mollusk family that is very much abundant in the place.
Capiz is one of the provinces comprising the Western Visayas Region. It is composed of 16 municipalities, 1 city and 473 barangays. Based on the 2007 Census, it has a population of 701,664, with an average annual population growth of 0.97% (the second lowest in Region VI). Farming and fishing are the primary sources of income of the people. Capiz is blessed with very rich fishing grounds that makes it popular as the "Seafood Capital of the Philippines". Apart from the surplus of agricultural products it generates each year, Capiz is also the country's major supplier of prawns and milkfish.
Legends have it that the name of Capiz came from Akean and Kapid (meaning -"twin") which Balingagan, Datu Bangkaya's eldest son, named his "sakups" (territories) in honor of his twin daughters "Bulan and Adlaw" (Moon and Sun). Another version was based on the story that when the Spaniards came to settle it was the time when the wife of Bangkaya (head of the Aklan District then) gave birth to twin daughters. Twin in the local dialect is "kapid" but the settling Spaniards adopted the name of "Capiz" either due to their difficulty in pronouncing the "d" in "kapid" or as inadvertently miscommunicated to them by the natives. Still, some old folks believed that Capiz got it's name from "Kapiz" or "pios" (a shell in the mollusk family) which were found in abundance at the time.
Centuries before the coming of the Spaniards to the country, Capiz was one of the early settlements of the Malays. It formed part of the Confederation of Madya-as after the purchase of Panay Island by the Bornean Datus from the Negrito King Marikudo.
Panay was divided into three major districts and the Aklan District that included Capiz was formally formed in 1223. Later, Datu Kalantiao, heading the Madya-as Confederation and as chief of Panay Island, promulgated the famous code of Kalantiao sometime in 1433. In the Spanish era, Capiz became the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines when the Spaniards, under the Miguel Lopez de Legaspi entered Pan-ay, a town of Capiz, in 1569. May 8, 1570 marked the conquest of Panay and consequently the district of Aklan under the leadership of Martin de Gotti. Capiz was created into a separate "encomienda" and later was organized into a politico-military province in 1716, emracing the neighboring islands of Romblon, Nuestra de Campo, Tablas and Sibuyan.
Capiz, was not the capital of the province but the town of Pan-ay. However, when the Spanish discovered that Capiz is near the sea and had better docking facilities for their galleons, they moved the capital to its present site.
The Americans established a civil government on April 15, 1901. Simplicio Jugo Vidal was appointed by William Howard Taft as first Municipal President. On May 12, 1951, the town of Capiz was converted into the City of Roxas, named after one of its' most illustrious and famous son -- the late First President of the Philippine Republic Manuel Acuña Roxas. In 1954, by virtue of the R.A. 1414, Aklan was separated from Capiz and made into a distinct province.

Capiz News, Capiz Tourism, Capiz History, Capiz, News

Capiz’s Sinadya sa Halaran leaves pleasant memories

by: PIA, Published in The Manila Bulletin
ROXAS CITY – Capiceños capped their annual Sinadya sa Halaran festivities here Saturday, with a spectacular grand parade of festivals and the 300th year celebration of the city fiesta in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, their patroness as the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
The parade of festivals showcased the culture and way of life of Capiceños whose people have reinforced intertown collaboration following the successful holding of the three-century-old city’s fiesta.
Judy Araneta Roxas, mother of Capiz Senator Manuel A. Roxas, Gov. Victor Tanco, and City Mayor Vicente Bermejo led the local officials of the province and city and the Capiceños in celebrating the province’s premier festival that started Dec. 5.
Sen. Roxas, who was in Manila, conveyed his greetings to fellow Capiceños on the occasion of what he called a showcase of "our unique treasure that is our culture."
The event fused the Sinadya city fiesta celebration and Halaran cultural festival of the province, the seafood capital of the Philippines, to symbolize the unity of the Capiceños in their quest for progress and a better life.
Capiz produced one of the country’s presidents, Manuel Acuña Roxas, its most illustrious son. He is the grandfather of incumbent Senator Roxas.
Various cultural events, a beauty pageant, inauguration of development projects, sports competitions, indigenous games, exhibits of local products, food festival, musical shows, religious activities including special Church masses, a fluvial procession, fireworks display and other activities had filled every hour of the four-day celebration.
For the first time, a fashion show was held featuring formal and casual wear adorned and accented by Capiz shell, coconut shells and crochet by international fashion designed PJ Arañador, in tandem with events director Bombette Marin.
The show was a back-to-back event with the launching of the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) project of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here.
The provincial and city government also had a Kapisnon Products Exhibit organized by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist headed by Sylvia De la Cruz.
So far, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has not reported any major untoward incident during the celebration. Capiz PNP Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Roberto Villanueva said the province enjoyed a generally peaceful celebration of the festival.
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) blessed and inaugurated its new office building here last Friday with senior officials from its central office present.
The Home Mutual Development Fund (HDMF) or Pag-IBIG conducted a two-day activity featuring the sale of acquired housing assets and a seminar on how to avail of the agency’s housing program. A team from its regional office in Iloilo City headed by Assistant Regional Manager for Support Group Edith De la Cruz led the holding of the activity.
De la Cruz said it was meant to bring Pag-IBIG programs and services to its members and clients in the provinces for their convenience.
This year’s festival also marked the revival of the tribes’ competition. The event had drawn a large crowd during its finals, Dec. 7 at the city plaza, with 10 tribal groups from the province and city exhibiting their talents and skills, proving that it could be a potential tourist attraction. (PIA)
The 2007 Sinadya sa Halaran was the first for Tanco as governor and Bermejo as city mayor. The two top local officials hoped that next year’s celebration would be bigger and more colorful as an offshoot of this year’s successful festivities.

Capiz News, Capiz Tourism, Capiz, News