In Loving Memory of

Ret. BGen Roberto P. Dumalahay (GSC) AFP

RET. BRIG. GEN. ROBERTO P. DUMALAHAY (GSC) AFP

APRIL 11, 1958 – MAY 08, 2014

Wake is at his residence in Crossing Landing, 

Casisang, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Philippines. 

Necrological Mass and Interment will be on Monday, 

2014 at 9:00 A.M. at Shepherd Meadows, Malaybalay 

BGEN Roberto P. Dumalahay is survived by his 

wife, Cristita, and children, brothers and sisters.

A week ago, relatives and friends of the late Ernesto Fabella Pelaez, better known as Ernie to his legions of friends, fittingly gathered in Mapawa Nature Park in his memory.

Farewell Ernie

Speaking in behalf of The Plazans, media colleague Eddie Montalvan recalls how Ernie was fondly called “Migs” by the Plazans because it seems he was everybody’s “amigo”.

As Manny Valdehuesa recounted in his eulogy, “I think of Ernie, first and foremost, as a friend, warm, unassuming, obliging—no airs, dili hambugero. He was as modest as a Pelaez can be, I think.”

Indeed, such was my experience too with Ernie whom I first got to know when friends in Holcim invited me to interview him sometime in 2007 after his team became the Asia Pacific Silver Project Awardee for their project “Concrete Substrates for Accelerated Coral Restoration” in the inaugural cycle of the Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction in 2005.

The Prize Winning Acanthasia

The citation for the award reads:

“The success of this project lies in its innovative focus on the marine ecosystem. Of particular merit is the effort to regenerate an endangered environment, an environment upon which many small coastal communities depend for their livelihood and future development. Such effort yields not only a positive impact on the natural surroundings by providing an ecologically effective catalyst for coral growth, but also an ethically affirmative social impact by increasing the quantity and diversity of fish species for nearby fishing communities.

Coral

This project convincingly demonstrates the value of simple, yet intelligent tools that are affordable, require little technical expertise, and can be easily replicated in different contexts. Also to be commended is the adaptability of the structures to the varied needs of local communities. The project signals sensitivity to economic issues by promoting a low-cost, incremental infrastructure rather than costly large-scale investments. This entry displays ingenuity in tackling a highly complex issue while offering a modest, but aesthetically refined design solution to the challenges at hand.”

He had this dream about transplanting corals in concrete frames which would restore the country’s coral gardens to their former glory and stop global warming through carbon sequestration. I guess his work with Mapawa Nature Park and STEAG State Power Inc.’s carbon sequestration projects inspired him with a similar vision to restore the country’s forests through its coral gardens. With 17,500 kilometers of coastline, the potential to transform the Philippines’ coral reefs into “rainforests of the sea” as a significant mitigating factor against global warming is mind boggling.

He never got tired of describing his vision to anyone who would listen.

“Compared to forest carbon sinks, carbon sequestration in artificial reefs have a geometric growth progression, are safe from fire and usual threats faced by land-based forests, with most threats addressable by human intervention, offer permanent/longer carbon sequestration, and are adaptable to sand dunes or barren stretches of seabed, and make it easy to restore degraded coral atolls/reefs.”

Two year coral growths on the A Leg Beam

“In contrast, trees can only multiply arithmetically and face environment threats many of which cannot be mitigated by human intervention, and have a relatively short-span carbon sequestration period before they are cut down for lumber or fuel and the decay or burning releases carbon back into the air.”

Once adopted into the national integrated coastal management plan, Ernie envisioned his project would reduce human induced climate change by absorbing greenhouse gases, reduce immediate threats of declining water quality brought by land-use changes and pollution, and mass exploitation of fish biomass.

Yes, it was easy to catch the bug from Ernie. And of course, once you caught it, you were friends for life.

“Ernie’s work in Duka Bay began when its corrals were wiped out in the 90s by a great flood,” recalls his younger brother Eduardo, better known to friends as Bobong. “Ernie envisioned the replanting of corals. He built simple concrete structures to which the corals could be attached. Today the corals are thriving and Duka Bay is recognized globally as a successful coral rehabilitation project. In fact, it won a global award from Holcim.”

“Much of what Ernie did was very much a part of our concerns,” mused Manny V. in his eulogy. “His ideas, his initiatives, his dreams resembled our own. But he was different because he acted on them, so it is fitting that we remember and commemorate his life with us.”

Marine Biologist Lemuel Alfeche checks coral growths in the original acanthasia

“He was a true environmentalist. He pioneered in coral regeneration at Duka Bay, established the carbon sink forestation in Mapawa, used sound ranching practices, took part in the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council, and staunchly supported the Gising Barangay Movement as a concerned citizen,” he added.  “Only last year, he was all over the place, planning arrangements with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to help develop Mapawa and environs into a regional hub for training and developing ecotourism professionals.”

 “Mapawa was largely Ernie’s vision,” Bobong recalls. “Upon Ernie’s return from Washington DC where he served as assistant to our father, then the Philippine ambassador to the US, the family’s pasture lease agreement on Mapawa was about to expire. This was all grazing land then. No trees, no forest cover. But Ernie envisioned it as an industrial tree forest, a source of timber and At the same time a nature haven that would promote the environment.”

“A plan was hatched to plant hectares of trees every year for 10 years. And on the strength of that vision our lease agreement was renewed. Today, over 1,000 hectares of trees have been planted. Our primary forest of 30 hectares has grown to 300 hectares. In turn, the new forests have become a home to over a hundred bird species and has become a Trekkers paradise. Mapawa is now also a source of water for Cagayan de Oro and the key component of STEAG’s carbon credit program.”

“Ernie never lacked for ideas and until his first hydrocephalus attack six months ago continued to have grand projects. Among his final wishes were to be laid to rest by the Dao tree, Cagayan de Oro’s heritage tree.”

“But typical in his life, this vision was tempered by his siblings who pointed out that this would not be allowed by the Catholic Church and that it would be an inconvenience for some of his loved ones to visit him there. He has been laid to rest in St James Church in Ayala Alabang together with our father and two other siblings. His memory however will be perpetuated in Mapawa, which will always be associated with him.”

“Somewhere up there he must be making an account to his father—whom he loved dearly and regretted not having been dedicated enough in early days,” Manny V. recalls. “In his honor, I suggest to the family that some part of nature in this God-given ecology should be named after him.”

“Much of what Ernie did was for his children,” Bobong noted. “Monte and Nicole, who grew up with Thailee and Ernie in Manila and Washington DC, and his seven year old Clarissa, whose mother is Dinna, Ernie’s partner and primary caregiver for the last six months.”

-INDNJC-

There’s a new cosmopolitan culinary destination in the emerging Uptown Cagayan de Oro at Upper Macasandig that’s urbane, unique and uber cool.

Last May 9, Stargate Dream Vacation Resort officially launched its new Barbecue Garden with guests from the Department of Tourism, Cagayan de Oro Tourism Council and media.

Welcome Drink and snack

After GM Algen De Dios introduced us to her management team: Ms. Louella Pablo, operations head; Irene Dajalos, restaurant manager; Missouri Gevero, marketing staff; and Joefrey Jumeras, head chef, we immediately buckled down to the business at hand.

GM Algen De Dios with Ann Medes and DOT X RD Butch Chan and Chazz Ladera

As part of the media contingent invited by event organizer Southland Events head honcho Ann Medes to cover the event, we were treated to a culinary extravaganza that was sure to sate the appetites of all jaded local gourmets stepped in the Kagay-anon tradition of sinugba.

DOT-X and City Tourism Council Party

After starting off with a bevy of beverages which included Iced Tropical Tea (pineapple, watermelon) and Vietnamese tea (brewed and chilled), we were off on our culinary fest with international appetizers and salads with cheese sticks, cheese & beef bacon small skewers (bacon roll with cheese), Barbecue Garden fried spring rolls with crab meat; Asian (Heart of Palm and Beef filled salad, Jalapenos with Bacon-wrapped cream cheese) and Filipino (Mango salad).

Cooking on the grille

For the family or barkada on a night out, try their BBQ Combo- Family Combo 1 with Family Skewers (beef, squid, fish fillet skewers, vegetable and steamed rice) or  Family Combo 2 with Family Beef (Beef with cheese, Beef 5 Spices, Beef with Lemon Grass & Chili, Beef with Honey, Vegetable and steamed rice).

If you’re coming solo or out on an intimate date, try their a la carte specialties such as Asian Meat Beef (Grilled Beef rolled on sugar cane); Asian Meat Chicken (Grilled Chicken with Lemon leaf skewers) or Filipino Meat Beef (Grilled Beef Skewers marinated with Maple Syrup).

Grilled Prawns with Tamarind sizzling on the grill

Or you may want something more exotic like Asian Seafood such as Grilled Prawns with Tamarind or Steamed Prawns with Coconut Juice.

For those jaded sinugba enthusiasts, try their BBQ World Tour with Sesame Soy Beef Skewers,

Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Coconut

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce or Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Coconut.

And not to forget vegetarians or those on a diet, they have their Asian Vegetarian BBQ and Side Dishes like Vegetable Corn Griddle Cakes or Grilled Eggplant Vietnamese Style. Of course, if you prefer something Pinoy, there’s always their Filipino Hot Pot with Prawn with Tamarind Hot Pot.

GM Algen related to us that Stargate Dream Vacation Resort is owned and managed by UIG property Development Corporation. The whole conceptualization of the resort was done in 2011 and soft opening was celebrated on the 9th of March 2013.

GM Algen De Dios with Management Team

“Stargate offers a unique vacation experience with its fascinating concepts and designs. We have four different bungalows, white house, Victorian, Mediterranean and Colonial house. We also have luxury houses, Royal house and Flower houses for big families and honeymooners respectively. For outdoor functions we have our garden patios and for indoor functions, we offer our unique Banana Leaf and Cowboy house.”

Stargate Dream Vacation Resort is just a few minutes away from downtown Cagayan de Oro at Upper Macasandig.

-30-

The power shortage in Mindanao has caused billion in losses to the Gross Regional Domestic Product of the island in the last 74 days.

During an energy forum held in Davao City recently, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) reported that a rapid assessment conducted by the agency disclosed estimated economic losses of P2.3-billion due to rotating brownouts from Feb. 28-May 12 this year.

Former Oro Chamber Pres. Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio relays to the Cagayan de Oro City Council Energy Committee chaired by Kag. Bong Lao May 23 at the SP Session Hall the results of a power forum held in Davao by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA). (photo by Mike Banos, NPN)

“This is a very conservative estimate that does not even factor in opportunity losses,” said Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio, former president of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) during a May 23 meeting called by the Cagayan de Oro City Council Committee on Energy chaired by Kag. Teodulfo Lao, Jr. to discuss the power situation.

Ms. Alegrio said the figure includes cancelled consumption and equipment breakdown in some of the industries.

“NGCP just informs their customers 15-30 minutes before cut-off,” she said. “When you’re running to reduce your load with that kind of time you will have breakdown of equipment. This is the problem now confronting most industries who are forced to buy gensets or otherwise face shutdown or closure.”

Although acknowledging committed power projects are now online, many small scale businesses cannot wait for March 2016 when they start coming online.

“It’s important the problem be addressed immediately. The problem is who is in charge of the power crisis? We don’t know who is accountable and responsible,” Ms. Alegrio said. “This was the same scenario in 2010. And our new capacities are only good for three years. After that we will again have shortage especially during the dry season. We have to look at long term solutions to this problem.”

During the stakeholders forum in Davao, the PSALM/NPC reported that as of May 20 the water level of Lake Lanao stood at 699.51 meters, barely 36 centimeters (cms) above the critical level of 699.15 meters when the hydro plants would have to be shutdown.

Ms. Alegrio said most of the hydro plants in the Agus complex are derated or producing their installed capacity mainly because of old age since many were built during the 1960s and 70s.

The Ma. Cristina Plant (Agus 6) with an installed capacity of 200 megawatts (MW) is producing less than 100MW with many other hydro units not operational because of the lack of spare parts.

“Government is not keen on spending for plants slated for privatization. Although the privatization of the Agus-Pulangi complex has been deferred, PSALM remains cautious.

The NGCP has forecast a peak demand of 1,400MW for this year but the island’s power plants can only produce a peak supply of 1,200 MW, Ms. Alegrio noted.

PSALM recently awarded to ITP Construction a P438-million contract to replace a unit of the Agus 6 plant which consists of two units with combined capacity of 50 MW and three units with total capacity of 150 MW. Last December, PSALM also awarded a P1.59-billion contract to rehabilitate two units of the Agus 6 to a consortium of ITP and China-based Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau. Rehabilitation works have been set to start this October and completed by the second quarter of 2016.

The project aims to increase the output of the first and second units of the Agus 6 from 25 MW to 34.5 MW each.

Modular Genset

Meantime, none of the government’s ballyhooed modular gensets acquired by electric cooperatives are yet operational due to pending approval of the units power rates at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Ms. Alegrio reported.

A May 5, 2014 report compiled by the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives (AMRECO) shows that seven cooperatives are acquiring modular gensets totaling 48MW, another six coops are considering acquiring them (total capacity: 20MW) while another three have acquired them privately (total capacity: 42MW) but have been unable to start operations to date due to the rate applications still pending with the ERC.

Meantime, the planned P24-billion Visayas-Mindanao interconnection project has been moved further to 2020 since initial findings show the Surigao del Norte interconnection point to be not feasible due to the 10 kilometer depth of the seabed. The NGCP is initiating another study to investigate alternative sites.

- I N D N J C -

The electric distribution utility serving 69 barangays of Cagayan de Oro and the municipalities of Tagoloan, Villanueva and Jasaan in Misamis Oriental is eyeing lower generation costs from three of its embedded renewal energy power plants to reduce its total generation charge.

Engr Richard Ratunil presents CEPALCO's rate reduction applications

Engr. Richard S. Ratunil, energy compliance officer for the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. (CEPALCO) disclosed in a May 24 briefing to energy stakeholders at a local hotel that the distribution utility (DU) has filed  four rate applications with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) which would in effect reduce its average distribution charges.

The ERC would conduct the hearings for the four cases over the next three days starting Tuesday, May 27 at the CEPALCO Corporate Office at 33 Toribio Chaves Street.

First is its annual rate translation for 2015 which seeks ERC approval to adjust the distribution charges for each type of customer.

“The new rate will be applicable for the period July 2014 to June 2015 (Regulatory Year 2015) and has been filed pursuant to the timelines prescribed in the Rules in Setting Distribution Wheeling Rates (RDWR),” Ratunil said.

2015 is the last year of the third regulatory reset of the DU and would reduce its maximum average price from P1.2014 per kilowatt hour (/kWh) in 2014 to P1.1406 in 2015 for a five percent reduction of P0.0608/kWh.

Once approved, this would reduce electric rates across the franchise area as follows:  Streetlight       (0.070; Residential (0.13); Commercial (0.12); Industrial (0.07); and Bulk Power (0.06).

The next three applications cover the DU’s power supply agreements (PSE) with three of its embedded power generators. Embedded generators are power plants located within a DU’s franchise area which supply power directly to it without passing through the transmission network of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Cepalco solar power plant

Its PSA with Kirahon Solar Energy Corporation (KSEC) covers a 10MW Solar PV power plant in Kirahon, Villanueva which was signed November 22, 2013 and would start commercial operations by the 1^st quarter of 2015.

Another application covers amendments to CEPALCO’s PSA with Bubunawan Power Corporation (BPC) for its 7MW hydroelectric power plant (HEP) in Baungon, Bukidnon.

“The existing approved rate is pegged at the landed rate of the National Power Corporation (NPC) so as not to displace cheap NPC hydro,” said Ratunil.”However, it is no longer applicable because of NPC’s insufficient supply for new loads so adjustments are needed to adjust energy charges corresponding to actual cost of power plant.”

Another application covers the amendment to CEPALCO’s PSA with sister company Minergy Energy Systems for its 8MW Cabulig HEP in Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

“The Rate impact of three renewable energy (RE) projects is +PhP 0.06/kWh but will lover the generation cost in the entire CEPALCO franchise area since it would displace our more expensive MINERGY Bunker C plant and reduce total generation cost from P4.3015/kWh to 4.1853 or a reduction of 0.1162/kWh,” explained Engr. William U. Lim, senior vice president, Minergy Energy Systems.

Lim said the adjustment of the Capital Recovery Cost based on actual project cost is a allowed under ERC approved PSA of CEPALCO with Minergy.

Ratunil said CEPALCO has been experiencing an unprecedented five percent average load growth for the past 10 years. Should this continue, the DU would need an additional power supply of 101MW over what it now has to accommodate new customers.

Peak load within the DU’s franchise area is expected to double from 141MW (2013) to 281 MW in 2018 and it is now scouting for additional power supply next year. Among the options now being evaluated are the coal fired power plant of Therma South Inc. in Davao City, the DOE’s modular genset program, the suspended Interim Mindanao Electricity Market and  Kirahon Solar Energy Corp.

“We want to take care of the energy requirements of our service area especially considering the growth is really that fast,” said Marilyn A. Chaves, senior manager for customer and community relations. “We are also working on a power supply agreement with Therma South, and also sourcing from our sister company Minergy Kirahon Solar Plant. Hopefully the 10MW will be available by early next year, plus Cabulig. We are making sure in the next few years we can supply the needs of our service areas.”

Visitors checking out a solar panel in Cepalco's Solar Power Plant

Last July 2011, CEPALCO cut its power rates by an average of five centavos per kilowatt hour

and has continued to reduce it until 2014 for a cumulative total of 20-centavo cut per kilowatt hour over four years. The cut is equivalent to a P10 reduction in the monthly power bill of the average 200-kilowatt hour consumer household starting July 2011, P20 in 2012, P30 in 2013 and P40 in 2014.

-I N D N J C-

Things are looking up for Cagayan de Oro City as it enjoys a respite from the spate of rotating brownouts which have plagued it for the past few weeks.

“We are happy to announce we had no rotating brownouts these past three days  because our allocation from NGCP has improved,” said Marilyn A. Chavez, senior manager for customer and community relations of the Cagayan Electric Power & Light Co. (CEPALCO) during a May 23 meeting called by the Cagayan de Oro City Council Committee on Energy chaired by Kag. Teodulfo Lao, Jr. to discuss the power situation.

CEPALCO Sr. Mgr. Marilyn Chaves listens intently as KKI and SULOG member and columnist Ben Contreras asks a question during the May 23 meeting of the City Council Energy Committee at the SP Session Hall. (photo by Mike Banos, NPN)

Chavez said CEPALCO’s hourly allocation as of last Friday at 1PM had risen to 75 megawatts (MW) compared to only 54MW for the same time a week ago, or an increase of +21MW or 39 percent.

“That’s a big improvement and that’s why we did not implement the brownouts. Even if we exceeded our allocation by 15MW, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) did not ask us to shut off. Although we have no official word from NGCP but there’s reportedly been an improvement in the production of the Agus plants, probably because of the rains,” she added.

Chavez added that they expect the power supply situation to improve further this week once the first unit of STEAG State Power Inc.’s (SPI) 105MW plant gets back online.

STEAG State Power Inc. coal-fired power plant

“Unit 1 will be operational by June 1 and recommissioning will be done this Sunday for Boiler No. 1,” said Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio, community relations manager of SPI at the May 23 meeting called by the Cagayan de Oro City Council Committee on Energy chaired by Kag. Teodulfo Lao, Jr. to discuss the power situation. “Barring any complications to our turbines, we hope to be online before June 1.”

The power plant’s turbines suffered extensive damage during an accident last February 27 which sent it offline for protracted repairs. Unit 2 went back online earlier this month, partly relieving the critical power supply situation in Mindanao.

“We hope this will continue and with the good news coming from STEAG anytime next week the additional 105MW will be on-stream, that’s really welcome news because that could also mean our allocation would also increase,” Chavez noted.

However, she added that CEPALCO would still continue posting its rotating brownout schedules since NGCP could shut it off anytime once the Mindanao grid goes critical.

“Although we are not cutting off power as announced exactly but anytime NGCP calls us to shut off, those who are on the schedule will be the one interrupted. Normally during weekends our loads are manageable because most offices are closed and some industries also don’t operate during weekends,” she said.

-          I N D N J C -

After attending the second public hearing of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation chaired by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Jr. last May 22, 2014, the Movement Against Dynasties (MAD) is confident the 16th Congress will finally pass an Anti-Dynasty Law before  the 2016 National Election.

Young volunteers from PPCRV and Fatima Parish in Camaman-an shout ISA LANG KADA ANGKAN the battle cry of the Movement Against Dynasties (MAD)

MAD, through its Chairman Quintin Paredes San Diego, submitted its final position paper to the Senate a day before the May 22 hearing. 

GMA Testigo CDO interviews MAD Chair Quentin San Diego during the movement launch at Nazareno church

San Diego said in the paper that enough has been said and debated on regarding the “. . . missing and intentionally ignored” enabling law to complete the implementation of Section 26 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution that will “. . . put an end to the violation by the Congressmen and Senators of the Constitution that prohibits the establishment of political dynasties.”

San Diego said that discussions on the prohibition of political dynasties by the Constitution for the last 27 years is enough and the people are already sick and tired of the “zarsuela”, and it is now the Senators and Congressmen who are mandated by law to craft an enabling law as required by the constitution to finally passed the required legislation.

During the May 22nd hearing, Sen. Pimentel himself repeatedly referred to political dynasties as “evil”. 

MAD co-chairman and spokesperson Danilo P. Olivares, who along with San Diego attended the May 22nd hearing, outlined MAD’s position on the definition of what should be banned as a political dynasty. Olivares said that there was no need for a discussion on the definition of what constitutes a political dynasty because the Senate should just refer to the Family Code.

MAD Co-Chair Danny P. Olivares being interviewed by local media during the MAD launch at Nazareno Church

Olivares specifically and categorically stated that MAD will agree to the banning of members of a family up to the second degree by consanguinity or affinity to run for public office.  He further stated that there should not be a distinction between national and local elective positions, that the ban should cover positions from the president down to the kagawad in the barangay level. He stressed that the training ground for the younger members of a dynastic family ruled by a senator or congressman are the positions of Barangay Chairmen and kagawads and therefore these positions should be covered by the definition of a political dynasty.

Olivares also said that they are against immediate succession by members of a family not occupying an elective position simultaneously, such as a wife or son succeeding the husband/father as congressman, governor or mayor , as is the case in Makati. This “rigodon” is another way of perpetuating a political dynasty.

Olivares also said MAD another practice of families fielding members in different provinces or regions is also dynastic and should be banned.  He gave as an example the Arroyo family where Gloria Arroyo was president and her two sons were congressmen in Pampanga and in the Bicol region.

MAD Leaders (L-R) Jun Almeda, Danny Olivares and Ting San Diego interviwed by local media at the Nazareno church

As an example of the flagrant violation by politicians of the Dynasty prohibition of the highest law of the land, the 1987 Constitution, Olivares said that even in the absence of a clear cut definition of what a political dynasty should be, how close could they be to be a family dynasty when a brother and a sister sit as senators and the brother’s wife is mayor, when the father is mayor and a son and his half brother sit as senators, when a father is vice-president, a daughter is senator, another daughter is congresswoman, and a son is mayor? 

There is no respect for the Constitution, Olivares said.

Olivares challenged the 16th Congress to leave a legacy to their children and grandchildren and to the whole Filipino nation by no longer being a part of this EVIL “rigodon” and “zarsuela” by finally passing an enabling law after 27 long years that will prohibit the establishment of political dynasties all over the country- the source of corruption, massive cheating,  violence, poverty, poor education, and strangle-hold control over business, the police and even the military where dynasties rule.

Two-time Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature Grand Prize Winner Antonio Reyes Enriquez passed way on 14 June 2014 in Cagayan de Oro City at the age of 77.

In Memoriam

Ñor Tony, as he is fondly known to his compoblanos from La Bella Ciudad de Flores Zamboanga, won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Grand Prize for Literature in 1982 for first novel “Surveyors of the Liguasan Marsh”and again in 1993 for his third novel, “Subanons”. He previously won First Prize in the Short Story Category for“Spots on their Wings” (1973) and Third Prize for the same category for “The Icon” (1969). The Palanca Award is considered the Philippines most prestigious award for literature.

Palanca Award

His second collection of short stories, Dance a White Horse to Sleep and Other Stories (UQP, Queensland, Australia, 1977) was the first work of fiction by a Filipino writer writing in his own country to break international publication. He has been published in his homeland, the Philippines, and abroad. His short stories have been translated into Korean and German.

In 1996, he was recognized with the “Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas” Award for Fiction in English by the Unyon ng Mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL, or the Writers Union of the Philippines). In 2000, he was presented by the Thai Royal Family with the “Southeast Asia Writers Award” (S.E.A. Write) in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2013, he was recognized by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University with the “Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros SJ Award for Culture and Arts”.

Zambo-SEA Award

He was also cited with the U.P. National Fellow for Literature lifetime award and the Hawthornden International Retreat for Writers Fellowship in Scotland, U.K.

“Truly a prolific writer that Zamboangueños and Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) can be proud of!” noted Fr. Antonio Moreno, S.J., Jesuit Philippine Provincial and former AdZU president.

In his bio-brief in Zamboanga.com, the late author noted how his “fearful and unforgettable experience in Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao likely started his career as a novelist; Liguasan Marsh was the setting of his first novel, “Surveyors of the Liguasan Marsh.”

However, it was his “happiest times” in his grandfather’s land in a coastal village of Labuan, west of Zamboanga City that encouraged him to write about farmers, fishermen, and the rural folks. Labuan village is the setting of most of his stories; like in his short story collection, “Dance a White Horse to Sleep and Other Stories.”

Ñor Tony was born in Zamboanga City, the setting for many of his short stories and novels. Despite the formidable talent which made him besides the illustrious Quijano de Manila the only Filipino writer to be selected for inclusion in the Asian and Pacific Writings Series of the University of Queensland Press in Australia, he was never much of a journalist.

Tony Enriquez singing his heart out in happier days with fellow Illustrados Isagani Cruz, Krip Yuson, Butch Macansantos and wife Joy at the piano in Edith Tiempo's house in Dumaguete (photo by Sue Lara)

The only time he dabbled with the press was during the early 1960s when he was invited to join Proc Montesino’s Mindanao Life magazine with Tony Elias of the Philippine Free Press. Commissioned in 1993 by Time Magazine to do a feature on Zamboanga City for its Village Series (published in its August 16, 1993 issue), he admits it took him much more effort to do than a short story on the same subject would have.  He preferred creative writing, starting with the short story though gravitating to the novel and essay in his later years.

The shift from the short story to the novel was brought about mainly by the lack of outlets where to publish his short stories due to the strict censorship and curtailment of press freedom by the Marcos regime. He took a two-year leave from his job as Assistant Regional Director for the Department of Public Information in Zamboanga City to finish “Surveyors of the Liguasan Marsh,” and the rest is history. He said his greater inclination for the novel was also a graduation to a higher creative plane which allowed him greater room for expression than the short story.

“Actually I finished a second novel before Subanons, which however, was published later by Giraffe Publishers.” The Living and the Dead chronicles the decline of an aristocratic dynasty in Zamboanga when faced with the onslaught of uncouth immigrants from Luzon and the Visayas.

Tony Enriquez with Nene Pimentel during the 55th Philippine PEN Conference held at the CCP, Dec. 6-7, 2012. (photo by Hermie Beltran)

During the launching of the book  on 17 September 17, 1994 at the VIP Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City, Sen. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, a close friend of the author remarked in his review: “I see Tony Enriquez’s book:  The Living and the Dead as more than a novel.  It is a historical commentary that bears a kernel of truth concerning the evanescence of wealth that, unfortunately, to this day, continues to define many a person’s attitude towards life in purely mundane terms, forgetting that man is not only a body, he also has an immortal soul.”

The exotic locales and unforgettable characters in many of the tales of Antonio Enriquez are drawn from the colorful mosaic of his checkered past.

“There was a time when I did nothing but hunt and fish for two years in the old Basilan City during the time when my father Isidro was the City Auditor,” he recalled in an earlier interview.

“I knew in my youth on that now besieged island of Basilan (called Taquima by my ancestors). There I used to hunt wild boar, deer, monkey; they were everywhere then.”

“I remember sometimes shooting at wild boars not in the thick of forest or woods, but right there in the cornfields of Moro Abdul, shooting them without much effort as shooting at domesticated pigs that would overnight devour poor Moro Abdul’s entire corn harvest he had tended for months. But now I was told that gone are the wild game, just as the forest and the rivers are gone, and the wild orchids too, taken over by even something wilder, more cruel and unpredictable than the wildest beast or denizen: yes, man himself — hunting his own kind, Moros against Christians, in a fratricidal war!”

His favorite indulgence during that period was deep sea fishing with Samal fishermen in the Sulu Sea.

Fishing the Samal way with only hook, line and bare hands, he once caught a shark that was even bigger than the seven-man pumpboat they were riding on.

“The Samal fisherman who owned the boat pleaded with me to cut the shark loose but I refused.” In an epic battle reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, the great fish towed them around in circles for hours (it was too big to be landed on the pumpboat) until it managed to shake free, much to the relief of his petrified companion.

Like Alberto Gonzales, the hero of his first novel, Ñor Tony was once a party chief of a survey team of the El Certeza Surveying Co. doing triangulation towers for a watershed project in Pikit, Cotabato during the early 60s. During those times, Mindanao was still a wild, unexplored frontier and Mr. Enriquez recalls encounters withMaguindanaos, Maranaos, and even small, curly haired Mamanwas armed with only spears and arrows who neither looked left nor right whom they once chanced upon in the deep marshland.

Ñor Tony is survived by his wife, Joy Viernes Enriquez, only daughter Vanessa and husband Ulysses Madelo, and grandchildren Anton Vladimir, Julien, Nikka Eloise, Dominique Ysabelle and Andrei Joshua.

His wake is being held at Palermo Chapel, Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, Gen. N. Capistrano Street, Cagayan de Oro City. Final vigil and necrological services will be held on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 after which his remains will be cremated at Forest Lake.

In his acceptance speech for UMPIL’s “Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas” Award for Fiction in English in 1996, Ñor Tony recalled how the fields of Bukidnon were excellent hunting grounds for wild pigeons and wild ducks.

“And so, now, after we’ve decided which hunting area we’d go to and the pre-dawn hour we’d meet at a friend’s place, we’d conclude our meeting, saying: “Sigui, `pareng; we’ll all meet here, here at Jun’s, tomorrowabout two, buntag, morning, ha, hindi afternoon: rain or shine— basta hindi u-ulan!”

Antonio Reyes Enriquez (photo by Tibo Fernandez)

We will all see you down the road, Señor Antonio, same time, rain or shine – maskin ya ta cay ulan! Hasta la vista amigo…..vaya con Dios para siempre….

-          INDNJC -

Guests at Seda Centrio this Saturday evening are in for a treat as Yin Yoga Master Dona Tumacder-Esteban renders a free talk and session of her Yin Yoga technique.

Dona is a yoga therapist and teacher, women’s health advocate and integrative well-being and nutrition counselor at St. Luke’s Medical Center. Her work centers on helping people achieve balance and harmony by learning to embrace and skillfully navigating the oscillation between yin and yang.

Donna Tumacder-Esteban

She has conducted workshops in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to empower people with simple regimens that enhance the basic foundations for health- better digestion, sounder sleep, a relaxed body and calm mind.  More details at www.donaestban.com

Her talk starts at 6:00PM at Seda’s Misto to be followed by a demonstration of the techniques she espouses at 7:00PM poolside.

To complement Dona’s talk and session, Seda Centrio is laying out a healthy buffet around the Health & Wellness theme of the evening at only PhP 550.00 nett per cover. Guests who avail of this buffet are free to join the 7PM session of Ms. Esteban.

“We will have healthy salads and entrees that will have lesser calories but more nutrients, low carbs and plenty of anti-oxidants that promote a healthy appetite without compromising your health,” said Chef Dean Manalo.

Chef Manalo has patterned Saturday’s buffet after the American Heart Association, World Cancer Research Fund, and American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations for a diet that consists mostly of unprocessed plant foods, emphasizing a wide range of whole grains, legumes, and non-starchy vegetables and fruits.

“This healthy diet is chock full of non-starchy vegetables and fruits, with plenty of different colors including red, green, yellow, white, purple, and orange,” he notes. “Tomato cooked with oil, allium vegetables like garlic, and cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, provide protection against cancer. This healthy diet is low in energy density to protect against weight gain and associated diseases. Not the least, we will have no sugary drinks, energy rich foods, and no red and processed meats.”

Overall, researchers and medical policy have shown that this healthy diet can reduce the risk of chronic disease and cancer.

“As the World Health Organization  (WHO) recommends, our buffet will have plenty of  plant foods, particularly fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts. We will have less fats, and focus on unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats and trans fats. Plant oils, nuts, and fish are the best choices. Less sugar, salt/sodium from all sources. And not the least, plenty of essential micronutrients such as vitamins and certain minerals,” noted Hotel Manager Lorenzo Tang.

Not the least, Saturday’s Health &Wellness Buffet will also observe the Nutrition Source of Harvard School of Public Health  recommendations for a healthy diet.

“Besides what’s already been mentioned, our buffet will have good carbohydrates: whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans but no white bread, white rice, and pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods,” Chef Manalo notes.

And not the least, Seda Centrio’s Health & Wellness Buffet will have plenty of that best choice beverage: good ole water!

“Water is the best source of liquid,” Chef Manalo advises. “Avoid sugary drinks, and limit intake of juices and milk. Coffee, tea, artificially-sweetened drinks, 100-percent fruit juices, low-fat milk and alcohol can fit into a healthy diet but are best consumed in moderation.”

Looking to have your cake and eat it too? Come join Seda Centrio’s Yoga and Wellness Night this Saturday, 21 June 2014 starting at 6PM. For reservations, please call (088) 323-8888 today to place your reservations or book directly with the front desk.

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MANILA, June 20, 2014 – It is sad to note from the scanty comments to Mike Banos’ Facebook posting on the death of Antonio Reyes Enriquez (1936-2014) in Cagayan de Oro last June 14, that few Zamboangueños (and Filipinos) were aware of the life and works of this literary giant who placed Zamboanga City in the world map through his novels and short stories.

Antonio R. Enriquez

While young Zamboangueños hardly know him, Enriquez, or Ñor Tony to friends, once walked with the country’s literary greats and was often compared to Nick Joaquin, Bienvenido Santos, F. Sionil Jose, Jose Garcia Villa, Carlos Bulosan, and NVM Gonzales.

Born in Barangay Labuan, Zamboanga City in 1936, Tony Enriquez wrote novels and short stories that were published here and abroad. Most of his writings won international acclaim and some of his short stories were translated into Korean and German.

He won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Grand Prize for Literature twice: 1982 for first novel, Surveyors of the Liguasan Marsh, and again in 1993 for his third novel, Subanons. Earlier, he won First Prize in the Short Story Category for Spots on their Wings(1973) and Third Prize for the same category for The Icon (1969). The Palanca Award is considered the most prestigious award for literature in the country.

His second collection of short stories, Dance a White Horse to Sleep and Other Stories was the first work of fiction by a Filipino writing in his own country to break international publication. It was published in Queensland, Australia in 1977.

In 1996, he was recognized with the Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas Award for Fiction in English by the Writers Union of the Philippines (UMPIL).

In 2000, Enriquez was presented by the Thai Royal Family with the S.E.A. Write (Southeast Asia Writers) Award in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2013, he was recognized by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University with the Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros SJ Award for Culture and Arts.

Reviewing his novel Dance A White Horse to Sleep and Other Stories, Australian literary critic Elizabeth Perkins of the James Cook University said: “It is difficult to claim greatness of soul for any man until his life’s work is known, but there is a breach of understanding, a depth of insight, a sensitivity and a flexible creativity in the work of Antonio Enriquez that give his short stories already an intimation of greatness.”

“Enriquez is a generation younger than the better known Nick Joaquin and Francisco Sionil Jose, but already his work invites comparison with theirs,” Perkins added.

According to the book The Unseen War and other Tales from Mindanao published by Giraffe Books in 1996, Enriquez grew up in Zamboanga City “like the heroes in his novels.”

His parents wanted him to take up medicine and sent him to a Manila university but after several schools and courses, he returned to Zamboanga City without a college degree. Enriquez later did various odd jobs including writing news and features for various newspapers and magazines. He once had a stint with a surveying company in Cotabato where his experiences provided him with the setting and characters for his novel Surveyors of the Liguasan Marsh.

A writing fellowship award brought Tony Enriquez to Silliman University where he graduated with a liberal arts degree in creative writing. He later taught in that university where he met some of the country’s top writers today.

Enriquez’s second novel The Living and the Dead was published by Giraffe Books in 1994 while another collection of stories The Night I Cry was published by New Day Publishing in 1989.

The Chronicle, a newspaper in Australia, had this to say about Enriquez’s work: “This collection of short stories is cast in an unusual setting—the island of Mindanao, its principal city of Zamboanga, and the rural and coastal areas.

The stories are characterized by strength of atmosphere, a forceful fluidity of style, and a deep perceptiveness as they delineate the various types of people—the simple, humble fishermen with their fears of superstitions, the struggling farmers, the city-bred types with their different problems—all with their loves and hates, ambitions and, often, bitter memories.”

“There is love, faithfulness and unfaithfulness, conflict and death in the stories, which have action, colour and commentary on a way of life not so very different from ours.  The author of these often stark tales of the Philippines is himself a Zamboangueño,” The Chronicle noted.

I must confess I knew little of Tony Enriquez literary work when I met him in Zamboanga City in the early 1980s. I was an aspiring reporter, fresh out of campus journalism, while he was deputy regional director of the Ministry of Public Information now known as the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)).

I met Tony, the beer drinker, first before I met Tony, the literary giant.

Relaxing over bottles of beer while enjoying the famous Lantaka Hotel sunset view, I would find Tony in the distinguished company of my editors Rene Fernandez and Rolly San Juan, National Press Club President Tony Nieva, Philippine News Agency’s Felino Santos, senior reporters Bob Jaldon and Roy Ramos, government information officers Rick Villanueva, Al Mendoza, and the late Romy Enriquez.

At that time, I knew that Tony was already an award-winning literary giant but I never had the chance to read any of his novels since books were scarce in Zamboanga City and money to buy them was hard to come by for a financially struggling young reporter then.

I read Tony’s novels and short stories after I moved to Manila in 1986 and took frequent trips to the many book stores here on payday. When the Internet came, the astonishing reviews of Tony’s literary genius became even more accessible.

I liked Tony on our first drink. Despite his fame, Tony remained humble, modest, and unassuming. He was the quiet type but he was always generous with his compliments and words of encouragement, even for impertinent and intoxicated young men like me.

Very vividly, I remember Tony’s characteristic patience and tolerance for me and my rowdy gang of young reporters like Joel Fabian, Pal Marquez, and Raymond Enriquez as we would blabber about our dreams and aspirations in the journalistic (and literary) worldin Tony’s presence after having one San Miguel beer too many.

Tony’s humility inspired young people. His advice to us then was simple: “Just keep on reading and keep on writing.”

Tony liked to laugh a lot. I do not remember him bad mouthing anybody. He hardly criticized people and since he was connected with the Ministry of Public Information then, he never spoke against President Marcos and his authoritarian regime. He projected an image that he was apolitical.

Years later, I would discover that some of the major characters in his novels were inspired by the antics of the late Zamboanga City Mayor Cesar Climaco, then one of the heroes of the political opposition in Mindanao who led the struggle against human rights abuses and the rampant corruption of the Marcos regime.

In fact, I was already with the Philippine Senate when I came across his book The Activist, a historical novel that tells the life, struggles, agony, and death of fictional activist Lorenzo Diaz Jr. under the brutal Marcos dictatorship.

As Tony wrote it, Diaz’s character was based on two persons—Mayor Climaco who was assassinated 1984 and Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. from Cagayan de Oro—making him an idealist, an advocate for justice, and a freedom fighter.

Nene Pimentel was still a senator when I got a copy of The Activist and had it autographed while we were having leisure coffee at the Senate Lounge one afternoon.

Nene and I had a long talk about our mutual friend Tony and reminisced about the many dark years of Martial Law we endured in Mindanao. It was too bad Tony was not there to share the moment.
Nowadays, after giving up my 20-year career in print media to join the Philippine Senate as its print media director, I still get the chance to share drinks with accomplished writers and “literally giants.”

My favorite beer buddy now is PDI columnist Conrad de Quiros (though he stays with his red wine under pain of gout attack) as we frequent a common music bar in Quezon City called Conspiracy.

Every now and then, we would get lucky and our table is enhanced by the presence of poet, writer, and editor Pete Lacaba; award-winning writers Krip Yuson, Bien Lumbera, Marne Kilates, and Charlson Ong. These are the regulars in Lacaba’s Salinawit singing sessions where artists interpret Lacaba’s Pilipino translations of English, French, or Spanish songs.

Conspiracy is also the favorite hangout of extraordinarily fine writers and poets who match words with music such as Gary Granada, Joey Ayala, Noel Cabangon, Cooky Chua, Lolita Carbon, Bayang Barrios, Mike Villagas, Mel and Nori Villena; but that is another story, for a different column.

With Tony now gone, I can only wish that I had the chance to bring him to the Conspiracy bar. The beer there is always ice-cold, just the way Tony liked it.

Postscript: Tony is survived by his wife Joy Viernes Enriquez, daughter Vanessa and son-in-law Ulysses, and grandchildren Anton Vladimir, Julien, Nikka Eloise, Dominique Ysabelle, and Andrei Joshua. They request the pious reader to pray for Tony’s peaceful journey to the afterlife.

His wake was held at Palermo Chapel, Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, Gen. N. Capistrano Street, Cagayan de Oro City. Final vigil and neurological services was done last Wednesday, June 18 after which his remains were cremated at Forest Lake cemetery in that city.

In Memoriam

In Memoriam

ANTONIO REYES ENRIQUEZ

1936-2014

passed away on 14 June 2014 in Cagayan de Oro City at the age of 77.

His wife, Joy Viernes Enriquez, only daughter Vanessa and husband Ulysses, and grandchildren Anton Vladimir, Julien, Nikka Eloise, Dominique Ysabelle and Andrei Joshua, request the pious reader to pray for his peaceful journey to the afterlife.

Antonio Reyes Enriquez

Wake is being held at Palermo Chapel, Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, Gen. N. Capistrano Street, Cagayan de Oro City. Final vigil and necrological services will be held on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 after which his remains will be cremated at Forest Lake.

Antonio R. Enriquez won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Grand Prize for Literature in 1982 for first novel “Surveyors of the Liguasan Marsh” and again in 1993 for his third novel, “Subanons”. He previously won First Prize in the Short Story Category for “Spots on their Wings” (1973) and Third Prize for the same category for “The Icon” (1969). The Palanca Award is considered the Philippines most prestigious award for literature.

Palanca Award

His second collection of short stories, Dance a White Horse to Sleep and Other Stories (UQP, Queensland, Australia, 1977) was the first work of fiction by a Filipino writer writing in his own country to break international publication.

Zambo-SEA Award

In 1996, he was recognized with the “Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas” Award for Fiction in English by the Unyon ng Mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL, or the Writers Union of the Philippines). In 2000, he was presented by the Thai Royal Family with the “Southeast Asia Writers Award” (S.E.A. Write) in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2013, he was recognized by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University with the “Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros SJ Award for Culture and Arts”.

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The City of Golden Friendship has a good number of fine hotels but trust its leading Urban Lifestyle Hotel to break ground in yet another avenue.

Come Saturday, 28 June 2014, Seda Centrio unveils its “Fine Dining Experience” at the iconic Misto Club Dining starting at 7 o’clock in the evening.

“The Seda Centrio Fine Dining Experience will allow guests to get up close and personal with a chef’s table,” said Dean Manalo, Seda Centrio’s young and amiable Executive Chef. “A chef’s table is usually located in the kitchen of a restaurant, reserved for VIPs and special guests. Patrons are served a themed tasting menu prepared and served by the head chef. It strikes the perfect balance between a hidden enclave for private parties, and the chance for guests to participate in one of the most highly regarded kitchens in the city.”

Chef Dean Manalo prepares a Chef's Table for the Tia Family.

But Seda Centrio’s Chef’s Table promises an extraordinary sensory experience for dining habitués, and offers the rare opportunity to enjoy a culinary journey of unforgettable sights tastes and smells personally hosted by the executive chef.

“Our Chef’s Table is dedicated to providing the best food that not only looks good but tastes great,” said Chef Dean. “The Seda Fine Dining Experience brings diners to the heretofore sacrosanct inner sanctum of the Chef’s Table where they can enjoy a special multi-course tasting dinner with an option for wine pairing in the dining room for only PhP 999 nett per person.”

Chef's Table Menu

Saturday evening begins with Chef Dean d’ personally welcoming the guests to their special table at Misto’s Fine Dining Section where he previews the details of the menu for the evening.

The multi-course menu is specially created by Chef Dean, who will be on hand to introduce each menu with multisensory theatre such as demonstrating the effect smell has on taste, discuss the philosophy and preparation of the meal.

Starter

For the inaugural Fine Dining Menu, diners can choose from either Roasted Pumpkin Cinnamon Soup, Sweet Pea Soup or Nutritious Cream Soup spiced with Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

This would be followed by either Red Beet and Apple Salad, or Tossed in Balsamic Vinaigrette and topped with feta cheese and walnuts.

“As each course comes up, I will explain in detail its special features, how it is prepared and tasting suggestions,” Chef Dean said.

The Main Entrée includes Prawn Thermidor, Baked Shrimps in Mornay Sauce, accompanied by grilled vegetables and rice timbale, or Rolled U.S. Beef Tenderloin in Burgundy Sauce, accompanied by Mashed Potato and Vegetables.

Flambe

“We will also offer diners optional wine pairing of specially selected wines they can choose from to go with their meal,” he adds.

Festive Wine - Four Seasons

Not the least, dinners will have a choice of their Ending Pleasure from either Peach Mango Jubilee or Freshly Baked Pudding a la monde.

“For the dessert course, I will join the group at their private table for a discussion of the evening’s meal, answer questions, and share culinary secrets behind each course’s extraordinary taste,” Chef Dean said. “Guests would also enjoy a complimentary photo taken at the private table with the chef.”

The Seda Centrio Fine Dining Experience can be reserved for a minimum of 10 and maximum of 25 dinners. For reservations, please call (088) 323-8888 today or book directly with the front desk.

While the Seda Centrio Fine Dining Experience is scheduled to be held only once a month, private parties can book a Chef’s Table at any date depending on Chef Dean’s availability.

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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -The highest ranked executive of Mindanao’s biggest power plant has urged ASEAN companies to build up their resiliency to cope with natural and man-made disasters to assure the continuity and sustainability of their respective enterprises.

16th Mindanao PMAP Summit

“Business Continuity is more than just about recovering business functions from a disaster. It is ensuring that critical business functions continue promptly in the event of a disruption or disaster,” stressed Carsten Evers, power plant manager of STEAG State Power Inc. during the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) 16th Mindanao Summit recently hosted by Cagayan de Oro City. STEAG owns and operates Mindanao’s largest and most modern plant.

In his talk, “Business Continuity Management: Leadership in Crisis and Disaster Preparedness Response”, Dr. Evers shared his company’s recent crisis experience when the power plants two turbines were damaged in an industrial accident.

“As a leader, you must have a vision for crisis resolution. Without a clear and compelling vision for response and recovery, you will not be able to adequately lead your people during times of crises.”

SPI Plant Manager Dr. Carsten Evers leads other plant employees in an emergency drill as part of its on going efforts in practicing Business Continuity Management exercises. The BCM Program of SPI has been adopted to protect the business operation of the plant as well as its most valuable assets - its employees.

“Your people will be stressed out and deadlines time-compressed. Information will be inadequate and the high consequences of your responses could determine if people will be harmed, careers ruined and your company seriously damaged,” he added.

The BCM Institute defines BCM as “an organization-wide discipline and a complete set of processes that identifies potential impacts which threaten an organization. It provides a capability for an effective response that safeguards the interests of its major stakeholders and reputation.”

Dr. Evers cited the five guiding principles for managing a crisis and how STEAG closely observed them in dealing with its disaster: (1) Well-being of people first, with caring and compassion;  (2) Assume appropriate responsibility; (3) Address needs of all stakeholders in a timely manner; (4) All decisions and actions based on honesty and ethical guidelines; and, (5) Available, visible and open communication with all impacted parties.

According to research conducted by the Center for Risk Communications, demonstration of caring is more important than all other leadership traits combined.

“If you come across as uncaring, people will become outraged,” Dr. Evers said. “Caring during crisis response is not a feeling. Caring is a set of corporate and personal behaviour that elicit the perception in impacted stakeholders that you and your company truly care.”

The executive singled out the importance of two-way communication in clearly coming across with caring.

“Simply put, you will never be any better at responding to crisis than your communication. That involves how well you listen to obtain facts, and how well you speak openly to impacted stakeholders.”

He cited how all too often human communications fail during a crisis.

“Unclear goals, misunderstood instructions, poor delegation, incomplete feedback systems – lack of decision-making – these are the core communication failures within most crisis situations.” Dr. Evers stressed. “Leaders must therefore continually focus on crafting and sending clear, unambiguous communications with little or no error of misinterpretation by their supervisors, peers, subordinates, customers, community, or the media.”

He urged crisis managers to adopt specific, concise, and action-focused language to effectively connect with everyone impacted by the crisis.

“Experience and empirical research all seems to agree. It is best to prepare. Crisis leadership planning, training, table top exercise and simulations, they all play an important part in helping you become a crisis leader,” he concluded.

The summit was focused on the theme “Gearing Up for ASEAN Integration” which is scheduled to be implemented next year with the planned creation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

The AEC envisages the creation of a single market and production base, a highly competitive economic region, equitable economic development, and a region fully integrated into the global economy.

Human Resources Development and Capacity Building ranks high among the AEC areas of cooperation along with recognition of professional qualifications; closer coordination on macroeconomic and financial policies; trade financing; enhanced infrastructure and communications connectivity; development of electronic transactions through e-ASEAN; integrating industries across the region to promote regional sourcing; and enhancing private sector involvement for the building of the AEC.

The AEC aims to transform ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor, and freer flow of capital. ASEAN Leaders adopted the ASEAN Economic Blueprint during the 13th ASEAN Summit held 20 November 2007 in Singapore to serve as a master plan for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015.

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Startup Weekend Cagayan de Oro which will be on its first staging come July 11-13 at Capitol University Corrales Avenue/Osmeña St., Cagayan de Oro City

Devcon's Haifa Baluyos welcomes participants to Startup Weekend CDO Pre-Event Orientation Program 04 July 2014 at COC Phinma Multipurpose Hall

“Startup Weekend is a 54-hour competition where developers, designers, marketers, technopreneurs, and venture capitalists come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startup businesses,” said Haifa Carina S. Baluyos, executive director, Developers Connect (DevCon), Philippines, Inc. during the launching press conference held 04 July at COC Phinma Multipurpose Hall. “ Startup Weekend Cagayan de Oro aims to generate breakthrough ideas from tech communities in the Mindanao region.”

Startup Weekend is a global movement fostered by a non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington, USA to empower young entrepreneurs to nurture their innovative ideas into becoming sustainable businesses.

VISP & Cleversoft Exec Todd Grannis, VP of CDO ICT Business Council, presents Business and Revenue Modeling

This organization of passionate entrepreneurs has conducted over 400 past events in 100 countries all over the world since 2011. 1,500 events have been held in 726 cities, 13,000 startup companies created and 123,000 entrepreneurs have attended Startup Weekend events to date.

The event gathers experts and practitioners from various fields of business to mentor participants as they launch their concepts into business reality.

Gus Rodano, CEO & Pres of Red Lemon Digital Media and CDO ICT Business Council secretary lectures on Building your Team

Startups are basically companies that are still in their infancy. They come up with an idea or a “solution” to common everyday problems and work around that idea to turn it into a business. They’re often supported by entrepreneurial founders during their early stages until their product kicks off and they can continue their business independently.

Some examples of the most successful Startups of all time are Facebook, Amazon, eBay, Apple and Google.

Compared to opening a bakery, building a tech startup has a “low entry barrier “. There’s no need to rent space, hire a lot of people or buy expensive equipment. You can start by simply building it on your laptop, then place it in the app store (like what developers of Flappy Bird did), and later make a proposal to interested companies/entrepreneurs for additional support.

Startup Weekend involves “walking the participants” through different stages of the business cycle including idea creation, business pitching, prototype development, mentorship and networking sessions until product or business presentations are proposed to possible investors and funders.

 “Startup Weekend is also an opportunity for  Kagay-anons to showcase their startup ideas and talents, so younger generations of professionals will be encouraged to start their own business,” said Stephanie Rosalind P. Caragos, president of the CDO ICT Business Council, and president & CEO of Syntactics, Inc., a startup IT Company that’s already existed for 14 years.

CDO ICT Business Council Pres. Stephanie Caragos lectures on How to Pitch Effectively

“During Startup Weekend, these young professionals will learn and experience how to pitch ideas in front of investors,” Caragos said.

Jonathan Arvin Adolfo, CDO ICT Business Council executive director, moderates the open forum

“The event is open to anyone with a passion to learn and to share what they know. Participants may register as “Technical – Software Developer”, “Designer” or “Non-technical”, said Jonathan Adolfo, executive director, CDO ICT Business Council and Business Development Officer of Syntactics, Inc. “With the help of Startup Weekend, Cagayan de Oro can show investors that it’s ready to be their next business investment!”

This weekend workshop teaches people how to start their own businesses,” said Chris Ian Fiel a Director of the CDO ICT Business Council, owner and manager Netogo, one of the longest running chain of internet cafés in Mindanao and Visayas and co-founder of Barato Online and Sureblooded.

“It also gives them the experience of how to start a business by themselves,” he added. “ This volunteer-organized workshop unites the local tech and business communities to come together and teach/show people how to build their own tech-based business/startups.”

Following the success of the first Startup Weekend Cebu in May 2012, organizers have staged several other Startup Weekend events in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Geraldine Ricalde, Syntactics Web Division Team Leader discusses the finer points of Project Management

Bohol hosted its first Startup Weekend last May 23 to 25 at the University of Bohol in Tagbilaran City. It was topped by the Flipnotes app which allows users to create notes that have pictures in front with the text behind it and which can be flipped using a flip function.

The Flipnotes team was awarded a three-month virtual incubation by CebuinIT, Geeks on a Beach ticket from TechTalks.ph, Freelancer membership, access to Auza.net OSX development facilities, an iPod from Airbnb, free massage, and Ideaspace mugs and shirts.

Second place went to RentMINE, an app that provides a venue for users who want to rent out their personal items for extra cash. RED App or the Ready for Emergency and Disaster mobile application won third place.

Meantime, the fourth Startup Weekend Cebu (SWCEBU4) was held last June 6 to 8 at the University of Cebu(UC)-Banilad Campus, as one of the highlights of Cebu Business Month.

GigBox, an online scheduling system for band events and venues in Cebu, topped the lineup of 17 participating teams, followed by Likha, a web-based shirt printing platform and JustBecause, an event listing website that sends SMS notifications of upcoming events to subscribers even when they are offline.

The winning team’s package of prized included enrolment in the CebuinIT or Cebu Business Incubator for IT, a DOST-UP Cebu TBI Project, Arcanys mentorship program, and serviced conference room usage by Global Hub Serviced Offices, in order to cultivate GigBox into a business.

Other notable startup ideas presented during SWCEBU4 included Rebit, a bitcoin-based online remittance provider; Cobill, an online bills payment and management system; YouSchool, a net-based teaching platform for language and alternate courses; and SproutBooth, a fun app that lets you play with photos to make memes.

For registration, simply visit the event website http://cdo.startweekend.org.  Inquiries may be sent through email at .

Startup Weekend Cagayan de Oro is organized by the CDO ICT Business Council, TechTalks.ph,  DevCon Philippines, and Ideaspace in partnership with the DOST-ICT Office (Department of Science and Technology Information and Communications Technology Office),

Startup Weekend CdO is sponsored by Ideaspace Foundation and Capitol University; Microsoft and Arriba Telecontact; Bohemian Express Travel and Tours, InDinero, Mozilla, Syntactics, Red Lemon Digital Media, Airbnb, All I Want, Barato, Interspace Computer Systems, FBC business Solutions, Centrio Mall, Ayala Malls, Smart Communications, and CDO College-Phinma.

Media Partners include Clix, CDO bloggers, Magic 89.3, the CDO Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, and iNewMedia.

It is also supported by the City Government of Cagayan de Oro and the Department of Trade & Industry.

Special thanks to Capitol University for providing Startup Weekend Cagayan de Oro with a venue at their newly renovated Little Theater and AVR Rooms, and Smart Telecommunications for providing internet connection at the CU Little Theatre.

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The Department of Trade and Industry maintains prices of basic and prime commodities in Region X (Northern Mindanao) are stable and have not gone up significantly, contrary to some published reports (not on this paper).

“Per confirmation with provincial offices there were no movements in the movements in the prices of basic and prime commodities monitored by DTI,” said Atty. Fel Lester G. Brillantes, spokesperson and legal counsel for the Dept. of Trade and Industry Region 10 Office (DTI-X). “We have not received any formal charges from DTI provincial offices for violation of The Price Act.

Unloading sacks of flour in a local bakery. Flour is one of the commodities subject to price control by the local price coordinating council under The Price Act of 1992.

Brillantes said the DTI Lanao del Norte provincial office reported that per its local price coordinating council monitoring conducted last Thursday (July 3) for agricultural products, NFA rice was down from P32 to P27 per kilo, thus regular milled rice was also down from P37-39/kg. to P34-35/kg., but well milled and premium rice remained at P40-49/kg. Sugar and oil were stable. Garlic was at P250-260/kg.

No price movement for basic commodities in Cagayan de Oro

In its latest Weekly Price Monitoring Report dated July 4, 2014, DTI Misamis Oriental provincial office reported there were no significant changes in the price of basic and prime commodities monitored n Cagayan de Oro city over the past three months.

The report said that “This week’s price ranges for both basic and prime commodities reflect some minor changes in the prevailing prices for several items monitored compared to the previous week. This is per Manufacturers/Suppliers instructions to the different Supermarket/Groceries/Wetmarkets being monitored weekly.” “Newly approved SRPs (Suggested Retail Prices) also reflects price change. Supply of different products monitored remain stable and readily available to consumers.”

To ensure that meat and poultry products sold at Cogon public market are safe and clean for human consumption, the City Veterinary Office, headed by City Veterinarian Dr. Perla Asis, conducted a routine inspection on July 1, 2014 at the city's biggest public market. (City Information Office)

In fact, the report listed only the following products with slight price increases: Milkmaid 300 ml, Alaska 370 ml, Bear Brand with Iron 150 gms, Nido Fortified Full Cream Milk 160 gms, Birch Tree Full Cream Milk 150 gms and PF Chinese LM. Commodities monitored include processed milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, evaporada and powder filled milk; coffee refill; detergent/laundry soap, salt (iodized refined/rock salt), load bread, flour, processed canned pork and beef, beef loaf, instant noodles, vinegar, patis, soy sauce, toilet soap and brown/white sugar.

Dried fish for sale

Products reported with price decreases for the period included Ligo, Mega Star canned sardines and Safeguard (white) 90 gms.

However, Brillantes clarified that it is the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agriculture Statistics (BAS) and National Food Authority (NFA) and not DTI which is mandated to monitor the prices of agricultural products and rice, respectively.

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno has convened the City Price Coordinating Council (CdO-CPCCP) which is scheduled to have its first meeting on Wednesday, 09 July 2014 at the DTI Misamis Oriental provincial office conference room.

As specified by Executive Order No. 089-2014, the CdO-CPCC will have the following functions:

1) Coordinate the production, distribution, and marketing programs of various agencies under the care of the City Government for the purpose of stabilizing price of prime and basic commodities at reasonable levels;

2) Investigate and recommend actions and steps to correct unwarranted price increases and supply shortages, including suspected price manipulation and control activities in the city.

3) Gather pieces of information from its members or other government agencies and offices, as it may deem necessary, for the purpose of assessing the supply, distribution, and price situation of any basic necessity or prime commodity.

4) Conduct in-depth analysis of causes of price fluctuations.

5) Publicize from time to time developments in productivity, supply, distribution and prices of basic necessities and prime commodities; and

6) Whenever automatic price control of basic necessities is imposed under Section 6 of Republic Act 7581 (Price Act of 1992), it shall cause the immediate dissemination of their prevailing prices or the price ceilings imposed in lieu thereof through means that will result in a wide dissemination.

The CdO-CPCC will be chaired by Mayor Moreno as chair, with Atty. Jose Edgardo Y. Uy as co-chair and DTI Misamis Oriental Provincial Director Ma. Eliza A. Pabillore as vice chair.

Its members include the presidents of the Cagayan de Oro Groceries Association; Konsumanteng Kagay-anon, Inc.; Cagayan de Oro Press Club, Transport Federation of Cagayan de Oro; chair of the City Council Committee on Trade and Industry and the Heads of the Xavier University KKP-SIO, Social Action Center, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro; Agricultural Productivity Office; City Economic Enterprise Department; City Legal Office and the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office Director.

The CdO-CPCC was created by virtue of Section 1, Rule IV, Creation of the Local Price Coordinating Council, its Powers and Functions, of the Rules and Regulations Implementing RA 7581 (IRR) otherwise known as the “Price Act of 1992.”

Memorandum Order No. 2004-75 of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG) strongly urges the Local Government Units to activate their respective Price Coordinating Councils to monitor, convene and formulate policies and strategies to keep prices of basic consumer goods at reasonable levels.

Despite the best efforts of City Hall, many people are still not aware that Cagayan de Oro City has re-adopted the June 24, 1990 seal as the Official Seal of the City.

Official Seal of the City of Cagayan de Oro

Two recent major events in the city featured the previous seal which has been declared in violation of DILG and NHI status on the creation, modification, change and registration of corporate seals of local government units.

In a 12 March 2014 news release, Atty. Roy Hilario P. Raagas, City Administrator and Spokeperson, said Mayor Oscar S. Moreno had issued Executive Order No. 030-14 titled “An Order Re-Adopting the June 24, 1990 Seal as the Official Seal of the City of Cagayan de Oro,” effective immediately.

“For the past 14 years, the city has been using a seal which highlights the words “Dakbayan sa Cagayan de Oro” in gold letters over a black background, followed by the words “Mindanao” and “Philippines” below center; with a core visual field, defined by two green laurel twigs with 40 leaves each, showing three stars, a sun, and a white dove in flight draped in the Philippine flag. This seal was adopted on February 1, 2000 through City Ordinance No. 7168-2000.

In the website, Elizaga.net, Elson Elizaga of the Heritage Conservation Advocates (HCA) wrote about the background of that seal:

Vicente Y. Emano became mayor of Cagayan de Oro in 1998. Shortly thereafter, he organized a City Hall seal contest. None of the entries was declared a winner. Instead, Emano made his own seal.

HCA is a multi-sectoral group that campaigns for the preservation and promotion of Cagayan de Oro historical and archological sites (http://heritage.elizaga.net/about_hca.html).

On January 5, 2012, Dr. Antonio J. Montalvan II, another HCA official, wrote in Facebook: “To begin with, it was wrong for him to re-design the city seal. By law, only the National Historical Commission of the Philippines has the authority to design official government seals. The NHCP has a special division for that, the Heraldry Section. I was a member of the City Historical Commission when he undertook the change. I was against it. Your narration is correct: he discarded all entries and made his own design. That is the city seal that he now uses. It is, at best, an illegal seal.”

Montalvan II is a Mindanao anthropologist and ethnohistorian on Mindanao Studies who has been published on Mindanao history and culture in academic journals and is the authot of “A Cagayan de Oro Ethnohistory Reader” which is used as a textbook by some of the city’s elementary schools.

The former seal was adopted by the past admistration when the city council passed Ordinance No. 7168-2000 “An Ordinance Adopting the new official seal of The City of Cagayan de Oro and for other purposes which was approved on the first reading on January 25, 2000 and passed on February 1, 2000 under motion no. 7556-2000 and took effect  fifteen days following its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Those who voted in its favor were councilors President Elipe, Michelle Tagarda, Alvin Calingin, Noel Beja, Jose Benjamin Benaldo, Maryanne Fillarica C. Enteria, Annie Y. Daba, Edgar  Cabanlas and Juan Sia. Councilor Celestino Ocio III abstained while Councilor Alfonso Goking

The session was chaired by the late John Elizaga who was vice mayor and subsequently signed by Vicente Emano as mayor.

However, according to the news release issued by Atty. Raagas, Dr. Maria Serena I. Diokno, chair of the National Historical Commisison, informed Mayor Moreno through a letter dated 18 November 2013, that “the corporate seal of Cagayan de Oro has not been properly registered with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.”

Dr. Diokno informed Mayor Moreno that this was a violation of Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No, 92-30 (Policy Guidelines on the Creation, Modification, Change and Registration of Corporate Seals of Local Government Units).

This memorandum stipulates “that creation, modification, change of corporate seal shall undergo four (4) phases: Designing; Review; Approval and Registration before such seal becomes an official instrument for public use or purpose.”

In his executive order, Mayor Moreno declared: “Whereas, considering the creation and adoption of the current seal of the City of Cagayan de Oro failed to fully comply with the guidelines laid down by Memorandum Circular No. 92-93, the same failed to become and cannot be considered as the official corporate seal of the City of Cagayan de Oro. Thus, there is a need to discountinue the use of the current seal and revert back to the use of the June 24, 1990 Seal as the Official Seal of the City of Cagayan de Oro.”

However, Montalvan recently told this writer that the 1990 seal does not also have the approval of the NHCP either.

“I was at NHCP and it was I who asked Maris Diokno for her official opinion, with she subsequently wrote in an official letter to Moreno thereafter. The NHCP showed me the only approved seal for Cagayan de Oro which was the 1950 seal. Hence, for all intents and purposes, even the 1990 seal is illegal. The only recourse at this time is to revert back to the 1950 seal; or to develop a new city seal that passes through the legally prescribed process, e.g. submit it to the NHCP Heraldry Division for approval.”

“Also FYI, the Raagas order came after Save CdO Now wrote a position letter to the Moreno informing him of the illegality of the Emano seal and that only the 1950 seal has the NHCP approval. To put his revocation of the Emano seal into context, this must be mentioned.”

Raagas clarified that there is no “Raagas order” to speak of. “The EO was issued by Mayor Moreno Moreno with the draft reviewed by the City Legal Office before he signed and issued it.”

“DILG Memo Circular 92-30 outlining the guidelines for the formulation/ design and approval of official seals of government agencies including LGUs was issued pursuant to and in implementation of Republic Act No. 8491 – Flag and Heraldic Code of the Phils,” Raagas clarified further.  But DILG MC 92-30 was issued after the 1990 seal was approved (actually just a modification of the 1976 CdO seal with the words “City of Golden Friendship” in place of the words “Official Seal”).

 Hence, the 1990 and 1976 seals were not covered by RA 8491 and DILG MC 92-30 and were therefore presumed and deemed duly approved as the subsequent and duly approved and adopted official seals of CdO.

Notwithstanding this, Raagas said the NHCP subsequently concurred in a letter to Moreno dated 26 May 2014 and signed by Ludovico D. Badoy, Executive Director III that “The Commission hereby concurs with the 1990 seal as the official seal of the city of Cagayan de Oro, considering that it represents the visions and ideals of its people.”

The 1990 Seal – which is almost a replica of the June 7, 1976 seal (Ordinance No. 85 Series of 1976) except that the words “Official Seal” were replaced with the word “Philippines” through Ordinance No. 280 on Sept. 24, 1990- contained the words “City of Cagayan de Oro” over a core visual field with the following symbols: two laurel leaves with 80 green leaves, representing the city’s 80 barangays; and the colors of the Philippine flag as background to a golden shield, representing the city’s committment to nation-building.

On the shield are representations of an industrial mill emitting smoke symbolizing the industrial character of the city’s economy; a bridge; an airplane, indicating the city has an airport; an ocean liner, signifying that the city is a port of entry and is considered the gateway to Mindanao; coconuts and pineapples, characterizing the two main agricultural products of the city; ceramics, depicting the flourishing of this homegrown industry; mining tools and products, announcing that the city has rich mineral resources; a torch of knownledge, announcing that the city is an educational center; and a tambuli pouring money, showing that progress and prosperity may be pursued through the wise management of the city’s resources.

Finally, the seal is clinched by a golden slash underneath, with the words “City of Golden Friendship.”

Before the 1976 seal, the City Government of Cagayan de Oro used the first city seal. Created under Republic Act No. 521 on June 15, 1950, Cagayan de Oro City used a seal which had the following elements: coconut and pineapple, representing the city’s two known and main export products; cornocopia, signifying the non-extravagance and thrift of its people (the older inhabitants of the place used the cornocopia as a piggy bank); three stars, echoing the Philippine archipelago in the Philippine flag; and two Spanish galleons, indicating that the city has engaged in trade during and even before the Spanish colonial regime. This original seal also bannered the words “City of Cagayan de Oro” and “Official Seal.”

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After a successful run maiden run last month, the City of Golden Friendship’s leading Urban Lifestyle Hotel brings back its “Fine Dining Experience” this Saturday, 19 July at the iconic Misto Club Dining starting at 7 o’clock in the evening.

“Our first takers enjoyed their Seda Centrio Fine Dining Experience so much we have decided to bring it back every third Saturday of the month to allow other people to also get a feel of what it’s like to be in a chef’s table,” said Lorenzo Tang, hotel manager.

With its merry mix of excellent cuisine, fabulous wine, a capella rhythms and butler service, the Fine Dining Experience will still be available at its introductory price of PhP 999 per person nett for a five (5) course meal. Two days advance reservation is required, and dinners are requested to come in formal attire for complete thehaute cuisine ambience.

Seda Centrio’s Fine Dining Experience promises an extraordinary sensory experience for dining habitués, and offers the rare opportunity to enjoy a culinary journey of unforgettable sights, tastes and smells personally hosted by Executive Chef Dean Manalo.

“Our Chef’s Table is dedicated to providing the best food that not only looks good but tastes great,” said Chef Dean. “The Seda Fine Dining Experience brings diners to the heretofore sacrosanct inner sanctum of the Chef’s Table where they can enjoy a special multi-course tasting dinner with an option for wine pairing in the dining room for only PhP 999 nett per person.”

Saturday evening begins with Chef Dean d’ personally welcoming the guests to their special table at Misto’s Fine Dining Section where he previews the details of the menu for the evening.

The multi-course menu is specially created by Chef Dean, who will be on hand to introduce each menu with multisensory theatre such as demonstrating the effect smell has on taste, discuss the philosophy and preparation of the meal.

This Saturday’s culinary adventure starts diners on Carrot Ginger Cream Soup with  Seafood Salmon Roll as appetizer and Mesclun with Walnut and Green Apple Jelly Salad tossed in citrus vinaigrette. The main entrée will be a most tender Filet Mignon served with herbed mashed potatoes in green peppercorn sauce. The tenderloin is the most tender cut of beef and is also arguably the most desirable and therefore the most expensive

“As each course comes up, I will explain in detail its special features, how it is prepared and tasting suggestions,” Chef Dean said. “We will also offer diners optional wine pairing of specially selected wines they can choose from to go with their meal.

And for their ending pleasure, Chef Dean will serve up Apple and Triple Nuts Baklava, a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire (Turkey), but is also found in Central and Southwest Asia.

“For the dessert course, I will join the group at their private table for a discussion of the evening’s meal, answer questions, and share culinary secrets behind each course’s extraordinary taste,” Chef Dean said. “Guests would also enjoy a complimentary photo taken at the private table with the chef.”

The Seda Centrio Fine Dining Experience can be reserved for a minimum of 10 and maximum of 25 dinners. For reservations, please call (088) 323-8888 today or email 

While the Seda Centrio Fine Dining Experience is scheduled to be held only once a month, private parties can book a Chef’s Table at any date depending on Chef Dean’s availability.

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