Kagay-an Festival 2010
Since “Kagay-an Festival” just happened here in my hometown, Cagayan de Oro City, I thought it would be best that I write something about it. I have been living in Cagayan de Oro City for 10 years now and though I was not born here, I have to admit that the fiesta that we have here is something that is awaited for each year because of the many activities in store for both locals and tourists.
Kagay-an Festival is actually Cagayan de Oro’s version of the mardigras celebrated and it is during this time when the patron saint of city Saint Augustine’s feast is celebrated. The festival is on the 28th of August but weeks before that you will feel the city’s vibe because of the many things happening around the malls, tv commercials and so much more. On the day of the fiesta, a traditional float parade is done and this also is a contest. The best float bags the award of the float of the year. Schools, offices and government officials take their part in participating on this parade. The streets are filled with huge, colorfoul floats with sound and music placing the whole city alive and busy that day.
Each year different activities are done in line with the celebration of the Kagay-an Festival. Below are just a few of the things that happened this year.
First is Kahimunan Northern Mindanao: Regional Trade Fair 2010. Here the local products of the region is being sold and displayed around the rotunda of Limketkai Mall starting on August 23 until 29. Almost all the products that region 10 produces is found here from plants, to fruit candies, to native handicrafts and so much more. This is done with the cooperation of the Department of Trade and Industry. There also is the Ms. Kagay-an 2010 where each year a search for young and talented beauties from the city is done and this year it has been held at the Atrium of Limketkai Center last August 26. Here the contestants show off not just their beauty but also their talent and wit for answering questions from the judges. The winner of the pageant becomes the city’s tourism ambassadress.
Another sought after activity during this year’s celebration is the Kagay-an Folkloric Dance Competition. It is here where not just any dance is showcased. The different legends, stories and epics of the old folks are interpreted into a dance. The competition this year was held last August 27 at the city’s main streets and a tableau presentation was done at the Pelaez Sports Center Complex. Everyone here is invited to join. From schools to government agencies and communities or organization is open to join. The winners of the competition receive cash prizes of big amounts and consolation prizes are also given to those who have joined and gave their best efforts. Then there also is the 4th Golden Float Parade Competition 2010. As mentioned earlier, float entries from also different sectors show off their creativity and represent their organization, company, school or community with the floats that they have come up with. Like any other competition, there are also cash prizes at stake that is given to the winners. 
These are just a few of the spectacular activities in store during the city’s fiesta. I look forward to next year’s colourful celebration. It truly makes me feel proud to be part of the Filipino culture and to come from a city with rich historical backgrounds. Viva San Augustine!
Philippines and its Casinos
Philippines is one great place to not just see its gorgeous beaches and its historical landmarks but it is also one perfect place to check out the fast rising casinos. Today’s Philippine economy is looking at casinos as one of the rising tourist attraction in the country. It is not only a place loved by the locals but even the tourists as well who serve as the very foundation of the casino’s regular customer.
Before majority of the Philippines casinos are allowed to run with a license from a state-owned company, PAGCOR. But because of the growing regard for gambling across the country, private firms are granted permission to open up casino businesses.
To no surprise, the one place that has a number of casinos to choose from is in Manila—the Philippine’s capital. One of the major reasons why most of them are in Manila is because of the urban setting the place has and since it is the capital it is one location that captures most of the tourists coming in and out of the country. The finest casinos are in Manila. These big multimillion establishments draw in thousands of people each year and most of their regular customers are from abroad. People who come to casinos are not necessarily there to seriously gamble but simply to try some luck and experience fun in a whole new level. Manila is one viable place for almost all kinds of businesses because of its geographical location which is near an open sea close to neighbouring countries. Tourists who come to check out the casinos in the Philippines are not just from around Asia, some even come from as far as USA and even Europe. As a result, the casinos in the Philippines are a crowd-puller for people who just want to sit back and relax in a city that can get real crowded at times that has a diverse and a booming nightlife scene. If there is one thing that makes casinos in Manila well known among tourists and even locals because of its laid-back environment and mingling with other people is said to be thought of something that is as essential as gambling. This is because games can be real slow so meeting people is somewhat a remedy to the uptight pace of urban life.
A very famous casino in the Philippines was Subic Bay Legend. It is to be found at Subic Bay just north of Manila and it was once owned by PAGCOR but unfortunately it closed last May of 2006. On the other hand, there is another casino in the area named Diamond that is tentatively planning to expand the area by putting up more casinos.
Apart from these, there are also other casinos found scattered all over the Philippines. Places like Cebu and Davao which are also cities have casinos in their area. Poker players will surely love the fact that PanAsia Poker Tour once hosted its very first even in a casino in the Philippines which is the Philippines Open that invites poker players across the globe and the event is usually held at the Airport Casino Filipino.
Filipino Weddings
Filipinos are very traditional people and what else could be more traditional than Filipino weddings. It is every girl’s dream to walk down the aisle and exchange I do’s with her dream guy but ofcourse, these ‘dreams’ vary because every wedding from different cultures have their own tradition and practices to follow.
For Filipinos, the very first step is to get engaged. This is a time when the man’s family especially his parents go to the home of the bride to be and seek for her hand with the blessings of her parents. Along with this is the plan on the weddings and other family-related discussions. In the tradition of the Filipino culture, it is usually the men who pay for the expenses and the girl’s family helps out at times.
Weddings in the Philippines are not necessarily expensive not unless both parties are from prominent families otherwise, simple weddings with just a little feast at their own homes are what happens. Since most Filipinos are Catholics, weddings start off at catholic churches. There’s the walking at the aisle of the bride escorted by her father and the father hands the bride to the groom.
After exchanging I do’s, the bride and groom exits the church while people throw rice on them. It is believed that the throwing of the rice is a symbol of prosperity and fertility. Then the bride and groom and the guests head to the reception. Receptions in the provinces are usually held in their homes. Dancing and singing and of course eating is what happens here. There is another tradition called a ‘money dance’ where the bride and groom dances infront of the guests and bills are pinned to their clothes showering them with money.
The key to most weddings are getting as much sponsors as you can. This is to help the couple get as much money as they need for the wedding and as well as some money to start their lives as a couple.
Today, wedding traditions are still practiced such as weddings at the church, the throwing of a bouquet to the bachelorettes, etc. but because the modern era has affected even weddings, some weddings are held at the beach and at other places.
Even when it comes to financial expenses, modern day grooms and brides take part on giving their share. Weddings are highly publicized in the Philippines most especially if the couple getting married are part of a prominent family, celebrities, or of the elite social circle. Wedding gowns by the brides here in the Philippines are usually custom made.
Traditionally, the groom and bride cannot see each other before the wedding and the bride is not to fit her wedding gown the day before her wedding but because photography is a major role in weddings, the bride and groom usually have photo shoots prior to the wedding ceremony at the church.
Filipinos have a very rich culture and family is very important to them which is why like every big event in people’s lives, weddings are special occasions that are well prepared and of course very much celebrated. Come see a traditional Filipino wedding yourself here in the Philippines and experience the rich tradition and the colorful celebration of life and love in the eyes of the Filipinos.
Philippine Call Center Culture
Information Technology is one fast growing industry that required customer service assistants for its clients and consumers worldwide. It has brought out a lot of effects in the economy and one of which is the rapid growth of call centers most especially in the Philippines. Call centers have become a solution to a lot of companies because it is their way of meeting the demands of their market and what better place to put up one but in the Philippines.
Call centers in the Philippines are widespread which has given thousands of people who are college undergraduates or even graduates who are unemployed and are in need of jobs. A call center has inbound customer service, outbound telemarketing, lead generation, customer contact services, finance and accounting, legal and medical transcription, logistics, administration, technical support, web development, software development, language training and human resources management. These companies should not be taken for granted because they play a big role in giving out quality customer service to customers all over the world.
There are a number of technical expansions done in order for call centers in the Philippines to work better and give better service to customers not only with in the country but also abroad. The outsourcing companies who have placed their trust in building call centers in the Philippines are United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Australia to name a few.
The companies from the said companies have eyed the Philippines as the premier resource for work simply because of the fact that the Filipinos are one of the best English speakers around the globe and are very accommodating people when it comes giving service that not even the phone is a hindrance to them. Call centers that are small to medium usually have an average of a hundred to 500 call center agents while large call centers comprise of a thousand to 5000 call center agents.
The Business Process Outsourcing is a big help to the Philippine economy which is no wonder that the Philippine government is all out with its support to these companies that are of local and foreign managements. BPO parks are found in Manila, Cebu, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and slowly growing in Dumaguete, Ilo-ilo, Legazpi and more places around the Philippines.
The Best of Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. This city is inevitably one busy place where tall buildings, noisy cars and lots of people bring life to the place. If there is one thing that Manila is known for, it is the urban life style. A lot of people come to this place for many reasons. First of all there are those bakasyonistas (vacationers) from all over the globe who come here to shop, dine and just relax and enjoy this tropical country. Some of the vacationers happen to be Filipinos who are already based in other countries just dropping by to feel that good old Manila vibe. Others come here for business. Hotels here come in a wide variety catering to different people with different needs. For shoppaholics, you will not run out of choices on where to go shopping as malls here, like hotels, also come with many choices to choose from. From small stalls to high end shops, people here will surely get tired not because there’s no where to go but because of the many places you can run into. At other times, people come here to study. There is no doubt that universities here offer the best education but with a cheaper price compared to universities abroad. For those who are interested in learning English but with a cheaper price to pay then you have come to the right place. Filipinos are said to be one of the best English speakers so most of the people you would bump to in here can speak and understand good English.
Because Manila is one fast growing city and still continues to develop up to this day, livelihood here are no longer in line with farming nor fishing. Gone are the days when Filipinos were thought to be good at just planting crops or harvesting them. Today, people come to Manila from different parts of the Philippines to seek for better paying jobs that are usually in line with office work. Call centers are fast rising industries here as foreign companies continue to believe in Filipino talent and there is also the fact that labor here is cheap. Not only do they get the quality of work but they are also able to save up with the cost of labor and in return, Filipinos are then able to expand their careers by applying on call centers. 
There are also a number of historical places to be found here in Manila. First of all there’s the infamous Quiapo Church located in the district of Quiapo, Manila. This is one famous church for it is where the Black Nazarene is found and where thousands of devotees each year flee in to join the feast day. This church is one testament as to how Filipinos were converted to Catholicism back in the 1500′s when the Spanish first set in. Another historical site is the Intramuros just at the Southern bank of the Pasig River. This gives us another view of how Manila is greatly influenced by the Spanish regime. Binondo is one place here in Manila termed as China town because of the many Chinese immigrants that are settled in here. Prior to Makati being the business center, Binondo was once the capital for trade and businesses.
There are lots more of sights and sounds to come familiar with when coming to Manila. What makes this place great is you get the same service, quality fun and friendly locals but pay half the price when vacationing to other countries. There is so much to love about Manila. Come and see the place yourself and fall in love with the culture, people and the place.