Tourism Through Photography – Philippines Photographers Unite!
September 15, 2008
What better way to help our country than spread the news through our photos! Tourism through Photography! Lets spread the photo bug and show the world the beauty of our country! We are undertaking a special project and that is to develop Festival Websites by using our photos in our travels to various parts of the Philippines.
I started my quest early 2002 and this blog came to life in 2003 (i set it up because it seemed like everyone had a blog, didnt realize it was going to get serious later on and get some attention online.) It all started with the Sinulog.. a blessing in disguise.. (met my lovely wife in cebu) we got married and made a promise to my parents that I was going to give them a baby girl.. thus started my panata to the sto. nino.. i got my wish to have my baby girl and decided to make my panata for life… to visit sto nino every year.
When I started shooting the Sinulog Festival in 2003, I didnt know what it was to bring.. slowly i figured out that why not show the beauty of the Philippines, We have a rich and colorful culture that is unique to our islands.
After shooting Sinulog for a couple of years, I decided to studyIother festivals and found out that a lot of them where devoted to the Sto Nino too! thus started my quest to travel around the country and visit these Festivals.
The year after that realization, I decided that it was time to expore, so I decided to go to the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City. Boy oh boy! I caught the Dinagyang Fever.. and it was never the same.. I have been going back every year.. The Beats and the Energy is something you have to experience..
Where am i now? well i decided to go a little further.. for every festival i went or plan to go to, I have set up a website.. not complete yet but will try to put it together through the years and some research. The original intention was to make a book, I still plan to do that but for now the festival websites are better since they can help in promoting the festivals and spread tourism over the islands and being online breaks down borders and barriers, we are able to share our photos to anyone in the world (the book will just stay on the coffee table and collect dust!) so digital is the way for now..
Here is the list of some of the festival sites i have set up or plan to set up under the philippinefiestas.com domain
PANAGBENGAFESTIVAL.COM
HIGANTESFESTIVAL.COM
HERMOSAFESTIVAL.COM
KASADYAANFESTIVAL.COM
DIYANDIFESTIVAL.COM
CARACOLFESTIVAL.COM
CARABAOFESTIVAL.COM
KAAMULANFESTIVAL.COM
KALILANGANFESTIVAL.COM
This doesnt end here, I guess I will be busy for the next couple of years travelling around and spreading the word.. drop me a line if you want to join. Put value in your photography and share it with others.. (of course sharing means only viewing it for free and enjoying it and not stealing it and printing it somewhere without even citing the source.. tsk..tsk..)
For now, go shoot and promote Tourism though your photography!
- more festival photos online – http://photo.net.ph/index-29.html – this is just a few of my photos most of them are offline for protection.
Kabankalan’s Udyakan Festival gets workshop to polish Udyakan moves.
July 15, 2008
Negros Occidental (14 July) — Choreographers and selected students all over Kabankalan city underwent a week-end workshop conducted by Ismael “Maeng” Java, artistic director and choreographer of Kalingaw: Ang Teatro Hiligaynon, of West Negros University.
The workshops held for two consecutive weekends are in preparation for the Udyakan Festival, a highlight of the 11th Charter Day celebration of Kabankalan City, set on July 28 to Aug. 2. The participants are both from the public and private schools in the city.
Java, who started this workshop last year, said he was polishing the distinct steps and movements for the dancers that will truly and eventually reflect the true culture of Kabankalanons without the influence of any other festivals in some parts of the country. Java also said that a music designed for Udyakan has already been created whose basic tunes were composed by a Kabankalanon.
From his experience, Java said, that it will take a few years before the festival can establish its own identity and that is what he is doing now with the Udyakan.
The Udyakan street dancing is set on Aug. 2 and under the auspices of the Kabankalan City Cultural and Tourism Foundation, Inc. chaired by Dr. Enigardo Legislador. (Kabankalan City/PIA/EAD)
