Family, Pandan, Tugbong Festival
Every April, Pandan celebrates its Tugbong Festival. It’s the time of the year where my family and other relatives get together. I also get to meet some of my friends. With all the activities during the fiesta, I lost my voice the first time I attended an event which was my High School’s Alumni Homecoming on April 22, 2008. See the schedule of activities at the Tugbong Festival Website.
I will not be posting a lot of photos of the other events. You probably experience it already that when you’re too excited, you tend to forget to take photos. You just want to have fun talking to your family, relatives, and friends, and that is just what I did.
For instance, in the evening of April 23, 2008, the Antique’s Binirayan Festival’s Swimsuit and Gown Competition was held at the Pandan auditorium in Pandan, Antique. Before the event, my uncle, my aunt and family from another town arrived, and I was not even able to take pictures, not even one shot. After the event, some people came to our house, and again, I forgot to take pictures. I have photos during the competition but they were not that nice as I was just using a point and shoot digital camera.
Then I got sick on April 24, 2008. Despite my colds and cough, I still tried my best to enjoy, and I did.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
The last day of the Tugbong Festival was on April 25, 2008, and in the evening, the ever popular Urihing Tubo Night was organized by Pagtatap Youth. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend as I really didn’t feel well during that night.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
It was really nice to be with my family again. The reason, aside from the Tugbong Festival, why I always go home to the Philippines every year.
On other matters, Antique declared a state of calamity because of the typhoon Frank. I heard that a lot of towns in Antique were flooding including Pandan. I have been calling my family especially my mother in Pandan but I couldn’t get through to both landline phones and mobile phones. I don’t know if our house was affected or reached by the water because it never happened in the history of Pandan when it was flooding. If indeed our house was flooding too, then this typhoon Frank, I say, is really worse and could really be devastating.
I am kindly asking all of you, please pray for all the people of Antique. I will be very grateful to you for all your prayers. A lot of people have been affected and a lot of them have already lost their lives. I can’t just imagine the aftermath of the typhoon and the flood.
Well, that’s all for now! Have a great week and until the next blog entry. 
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at 9:21 am
Love the parade. nakaka-miss ang pinas, sayang wala kaming pamasahe for 5 every year kaya laway-laway na lang sa pictures
by the way, i was just able to contact my mom tonight even though they were in Manila. Sabi malakas din daw sa Luzon that time since nagbyahe sila from the province. I pray your family is safe and sound. I remember when I went with home with you in Pandan. Lovely family. I treasure memories of our stay there. I think I have some pictures although not sure which boxes or albums
Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 11:35 am
Hello Jen!
Grabe no, that was more than 10 years ago when you went with me to the province during the fiesta too. My nephews and nieces were so young then. Look at them now, dalaga’t mga binata na.
Pictures ulit ha. 
You know what, until now, I can’t contact my family in Pandan. Still wondering. Hay…
O shya, enjoy the rest of the week dear!
Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Hi Sofielein,
Truelily na nakakamiss kaya nga ako umuwi na dito eh. Kumustamos na diyan? I hope you are enjoying the summer.
Advance happy weekend!
Best regards from the 3 of us. Hugs!
Saturday, June 28, 2008 at 10:15 am
ate sofieeee, gusto ko sumama sayo jan pag umuwi ka net time. sama mo koooooo!!!!
Monday, June 30, 2008 at 3:44 am
day ok ba ang ang family mo?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 10:42 am
Hi ‘te Beng!
Ay talaga, sinabi mo, lalo na pag pagkain ang pinag-uusapan.
Regards uli kay Kathleen and Gillian! Enjoy your week!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 10:44 am
Ate Buruka!
Sige, sama ka next time pag type mo. Have to warn you though, basta pag fiesta, super busy si akesh.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 10:47 am
Hello Sha!
Ay naku, di ko pa rin sila makontak sa probinsya. Pero tumawag ako sa pamangkin ko sa Manila, nakontak nila sila sa probinsya, ok naman daw sila sa probinsya. Di naman daw naabot yong bahay ng baha. Salamat sa Diyos!
Enjoy your week!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 11:57 am
sofie, oo nga pala, taga antique ka. i read somewhere that the mayor of antique was crying kasi daw he could hear people crying out for help but they cannot help them. same here, we still couldnt contact our relatives in iloilo - ang balita ko kasi down pa rin ang phone lines at wala pa ring kuryente sa lugar e.
let’s pray that the people in the affected areas a doing great and am sure we would be able to reach them, soon. have a great week.
i love the photos, sana makapag celebrate din kami ng mga pista sa pinas!
Friday, July 4, 2008 at 5:44 am
hi bungisngis,
nice pics! parang pinoy version ng carneval ng brazil.
ang laki pala ng angkan niyo—sayang tingnan!
Friday, July 4, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hello Kengkay!
Grabe daw talaga yong nangyari sa Panay, most affected sa typhoon Frank. I still couldn’t contact them sa landline. Pero gumagana na yong mga cellphones. May koryente na rin daw sa amin. Salamat sa Diyos!
Oks na oks pumunta sa mga fiesta, just be ready dahil super maingay at magulo talaga. At dahil doon mag-e-enjoy ka. Super mainit din.
Visayas area lalo na sa Panay have famous festivals like Kalibo Aklan’s Ati-Atihan, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival, Bacolod’s Maskara Festival and Capiz’s Halaran Festival. Add mo na rin yong Sinulog sa Cebu.
Have a nice weekend!
Friday, July 4, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Hello Justice!
Hehehe… napansin mo palang bungisngis ako.
Ay oo, malaki talaga pamilya namin kaya nag-e-enjoy talaga kami pag nagsisiuwian lahat lalo na pag fiesta. Di pa kompleto yan.
Have a nice weekend!