Category Archives: South Cotabato

3rd Agten Tufi Festival: Truly Beautiful, Truly Bountiful

September 11 is approaching once again! Guess what awaited festival shall I be sharing to you today?

None other than the beautiful and bountiful festival of my beloved hometown, Tupi, South Cotabato!

Agten Tufi: Truly Beautiful, Truly Bountiful Festival

About Agten Tufi Festival

Agten Tufi Festival, a thanksgiving celebration of Beauty and Bounty, is a convergence of various ethnic and cultural dances featuring Tupi as the province’s flower, fruit and vegetable basket and a place where various cultures abode. Held every September 11 in celebration of the town’s foundation anniversary.

For more than a decade, the Municipality of Tupi had been holding” Kasadyahan Festival” as a celebration of its foundation anniversary. Usual to the celebration were replications of the practices of other festivals that it loses its real essence as to creating its own identity, reflective of the aspirations of the Municipality of Tupi as a people. The festival name Kasadyahan is generic to fiestas in the Visayan regions –its literal meaning, ‘merriment’, had been misconceived as a reason for escapism from the stark realities of life and governance because as a whole concept, there is no relevant, more so, pertinent reason for celebration but just that, to celebrate in grandiose pomp and pageantry.

The proposal to rename Tupi’s festival is one executive effort to redirect the visions of governance towards more meaningful celebration of its foundation anniversary. The creation of a concept based on social realities such as cultural heritage and its cultural assets could well define what direction the Municipality takes as it identifies the reason why it has to celebrate – a festival that gives weight to the programs of government, the aspirations of its people, the history of its constituents that creates a holistic showcase of the tri-partite relationship between social/cultural, political and economic institutions as pillars of development.

Why Agten Tufi?

Beautiful Tupi

Agten Tufi is from Blaan etymology meaning “beautiful or bountiful Tupi”. Considering its cultural history, Tupi (tufi), along with Koronadal (kolon datal), Polomolok (flom molok) and Tampakan (tamfaken) derived its name from Blaan origins – making its tribal roots a significant part and parcel of its social history. As such, the tourism and economic potential of its culture is high – if only realized and anchored to programs of the government.

Most Philippine festivals anchored in Culture are most successful. Sinulog of Cebu, Dinagyang of Ilo-ilo, Ati-atihan of Aklan, Pintados of Leyte and South Cotabato’s Tnalak festival to name a few! These festivals had taken off from the usual merriment – instead, these particular festivals became venues for image making and packaging that speak of the existence and aspirations of their respective people, manifested by a strong political will, creating vast opportunities in business and investments. To top all these, their festival names are unique and their respective people had established a sense of ownership that concretized their directions for growth and development.

Agten Tufi attempts to establish the same direction. As a name with holistic meaning, the Municipality of Tupi drives into the very same holistic programs making it one of its vehicles for establishing identity. It becomes the true mirror of all its institutions combined in positive efforts to respect the cultural past that made Tupi what it is now and what it will be in the future. The new leadership’s visions cater to change  – the most imperative change could be the renaming of its reasons to celebrate (the festival) because festivals in the political, economic and social mainstreams are true reflections of a stable governance and a strong political will that establishes a community with right visions and positive directions. In totality, it becomes the main reason to celebrate the goodness and the bounty of the Municipality of Tupi!

Agten Tufi Festival Schedule of Activities

Below is the schedule of activities for the 3rd Agten Tufi Festival.

Agten Festival Schedule of Activities

See you there!

Dolefil’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Kabataan now on its 6th Year of Nourishing Kids in South Cotabato!

One of the major challenges that constantly faces our beloved Philippines is the present nutritional situation of the country. Being a nurse myself I couldn’t help but shed a tear whenever I come face to face with this reality, from images in television of children dying in hunger from various parts of the country, news articles depicting increases prevalence rate of malnutrition, and even from day to day experiences of seeing these little ones beg for food on streets.

A 4-YEAR-OLD boy eats rice in Sultan Kudarat. JEOFFREY MAITEM, INQUIRER MINDANAO

That is why I really felt grateful whenever I read about programs from various organizations that seeks to improve this reality. One of this is Doleful’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Kabataan (KBPK) in South Cotabato.

An all-time high of 89% over-all improvement rate was achieved in Dolefil’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Kabataan’s (KBPK) Phase V (2011-2012). In 2011 alone, over 5,000 children, ages 0-8,now have better nutritional status, the program’s ultimate goal. Following this success is the launching of KBPK’s 6th year (Phase VI), which aims to rehabilitate more than 5,000 kids from 10 municipalities and one city of the South Cotabato province from 2012-2013.

The launch of KBPK’s 6th year was spontaneous with the Province’s culmination event for the Nutrition Month (July) in Koronadal City on July 27, 2012. Graduates of KBPK Phase V, along with their parents, were also present to celebrate their newfound health and agility. Likewise, winners of the “Gulayan sa Barangay” Contest (part of the program’s food security initiative) were announced during the event. Winning barangays received gardening tools as prize, which will help them improve and expand their backyard gardens.

The Provincial Gov’t of South Cotabato, Dolefil and Mahintana Foundation, Inc., along with numerous business partners and sponsors, are hand-in-hand (hence, “kapit-bisig”) in addressing undernutrition in the province.

“I am grateful to Dolefil & Mahintana for their partnership with the Province of South Cotabato, in programs covering health, education, environment & basic social services,” South Cotabato Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy Jr. stated.

For its 6th year, the project components (health education, deworming, micro-nutrient supplementation, livelihood programs, backyard gardening, etc.) are focused on sustainability and capacitate families to address the nutritional needs of their children. To date, almost 15,000 undernourished children have been improved nutritional status through the KBPK Program of Dolefil.

It is my hope that more organizations will follow the steps of Dolefil until our country will no longer witness hungry beggars on streets or hear about incidences of malnutrition.

Way to go Dolefil!

Yay! Another Feat for Adventuroj!

People often ask why I blog? Most of them thought it’s for the sake of earning some pennies. Others even thought that I am paid to blog. How I wish I am! But to be honest I am not earning even a single Peso from my blog, I just blog because it’s what I love.

Blog Because You Love to Blog

I am not blogging for income, numbers, or solely to provide free stuff. I am blogging because I love to write and I want to share my passions, my travel, and my adventures.

But once in a while it feels good to be rewarded.  Continue reading →

TNALAK FESTIVAL 2012: 15 Reasons Why It’s More Fun in South Cotabato, Amo na ya!

I shielded my eyes from the glaring heat of the sun. From afar I could hear the distant sound of the forest, the chirping of the birds, and the rustling of the leaves as they danced with the wind. I’ve been a traveler long as I could remember.  I’ve been to a lot of places, seen various faces, and indulge myself in worlds all foreign to me.

But today is different; I don’t know where I am yet my heart feels at home.

In front of me is a majestic, cone-shaped mountain with luscious rainforest that literally beckons every climber to climb it.

1. The Towering Mt Matutum

The Pride of South Cotabato: The Picturesque Mt Matutum. Photo Courtesy of Atty Nonoy Rojas

I know I’ve seen this before. If only I survived that bungee jump long ago in one of my outdoor adventures, I wouldn’t have to undergo that brain surgery that damaged my memory. Nevertheless I still thank my God for keeping me alive. And now here I am with my travel buddies alike whose names I can no longer recall, on a tour they say could help me remember. Continue reading →

2012 T’nalak Festival: The Grand Street Dancing Parade

In the much anticipated Street Dancing Parade yesterday T’nalak Festival culminated its weeklong celebration that started last July 13.

T’nalak, hailed as the province’s ultimate cultural emblem, is a traditional masterpiece of geometric patterns dreamt to life by T’boli weavers who translate their dreams into intricate patterns of intensely colored abaca fiber. Celebrated in July, this festival anchored on the t’nalak is timed with the province’s founding anniversary and has become the biggest, brightest and most colorful celebration in South Cotabato. Continue reading →

Let’s Get Loud: T’nalak Festival Cheerdancing Competition!

Koronadal City, South Cotabato — The T’nalak Festival cheerdance competition takes centerstage Saturday with the Saravia National High School going for its second straight crown at the South Cotabato Sports & Cultural Center.

The Winning Team Saravia National High School

Five  more teams joined the loud and vibrant competition.

Cheers and yells filled the jam packed Cultural Center as  people trooped to support their teams in their magnificent performance. Continue reading →

T’nalak Festival 2012: Amo na ya!

One of the biggest, grandest, and brightest festival in the province of South Cotabato – the 13th T’NALAK FESTIVAL has already started last July 13 and will continue it’s week long festivity until July 18.

This year’s celebration has the theme “South Cotabato: Making a Difference, Amo Na ‘Ya!” Continue reading →

Kalilangan Festival 2012

This year I was one with General Santos City in celebrating its Kalilangan festival last February 27.

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The word Kalilangan is derived from the Maguindanaoan word “kalilang” which means “festival,” or “celebration.” The anniversary celebration commemorates the landing of the city’s founder, General Paulino Santos, along with the first settlers from Luzon, at the shores of Sarangani Bay.

Kalilangan celebrates colors, ethnicity, thanksgiving. There’s actually more that depicts Kalilangan, and and I am so proud to say that this year I celebrated Kalilangan with awesome friends.

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Photobucket  Photobucket   Photobucket Continue reading →

100 Things That Are More Fun In The Philippines (1/5)

The DOT’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines!” slogan has spark the imagination of a lot of people. And so to take my part in my country’s tourism campaign, I’ve gathered 100 photos from all over the web and compiled them here. These will be a series of 5 posts, each containing 20 photos (along with their sources).

So sit back, relax, and have fun because It’s More Fun here in the Philippines always, in all ways.

100. Solo Flight

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99. Status Updates

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98. Dusk

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97. Resourcefulness

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 96. Etching

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95. Apologies

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94. Currency Continue reading →

Ang Nahanap kong Liwanag sa Kadiliman

Gabi na naman. Magpapaalam na naman si haring araw at papalit si kaibigang buwan. Ewan ko ba kung bakit gustong-gusto ko sa tuwing sumasapit ang gabi. Weirdo nga siguro ako kung tatawagin, pero pakialam ko, lahat naman ng tao ay may kanya-kanyang ka-weirdohan. Mas weirdo nga sigurong matatawag ang taong walang ka-weirdohan.

Ayos na sana lahat. Ang mga tao nasa kani-kanilang bahay na. Wala ng gumagala, maliban na lang kung piyesta at marami kang mapupuntahan na mga pakulo ni Mayor sa plaza. Ganito dito sa probinsya. Tahimik hindi gaya sa siyudad na ang gabi ay tila nagiging umaga na kung ingay lang ang pagbabasehan. Dito ganitong oras (7pm) nagpapahinga na ang mga tao. Magluluto. Kakain ng kanilang hapunan habang nagkukuwentuhan tungkol sa buhay-buhay nila. Pagkatapos ay magbubukas ng telebisyon at manonood ng balita. Magkukunwari na may pakialam sila sa mga nangyayari sa bansa, na kung pakikinggan mo ay wala naman silang ginawa kundi ang magreklamo at punain ang pagkakamali ng ibang taong nasa balita. Bakit ba kasi hindi na lang nila tingnan ang sarili nila bago ang iba, baka sakaling may magawa pa sila sa ikauunlad ng bansa natin. Continue reading →