Inauguration

The Mambukal hot dipping pool and seven new villas of the summer resort worth P27.3-million will be inaugurated this noon, according to Provincial Administrator Enrique Pinongan.

Japanese landscaper Kouchi Yamaguchi who designed the Japanese-style hot spring dipping pool, will also attend the affair.

Thursday evening, Yamaguchi, who arrived in Bacolod in the company of four other Japanese residents of Mikawa, Japan, were feted in a dinner by officers and members of the Bacolod Capitol Lions Club.

With the group was the son of the late Yukei Honda, who operates the Honda Hostel in Mikawa which served as the hotel of the delegation from the Bacolod Capitol Lions Club who had visited the Japanese village several years back.

Yamaguchi was also accompanied by his younger brother, his wife, and a sister.

The affair held at the Hoshi Restaurant fronting the Robinsons’ Place turned out to be a slam bang event with Lions belting one song after another and responded to by the Japanese guests.

Among those present were Bacolod Capitol Lions Club president Honorato Tonogbanua, past presidents Pons Manayon, Steve Po, Johnny Chua and Bert Espina. I was also present as charter president of the 38 year old club.

Yamaguchi briefed the Lions on the plan by Mikawa Lions Club members to attend the formal inauguration of the hot spring dipping pool sometime in September or October.

The initial group will also usher in a flood of Japanese visitors who will be attracted by the hot spring resort, which also has a cold water stream nearby where the sweating pool clients could easily get themselves drenched.

But Yamaguchi did not reveal that he is famous in Japan as the fourth biggest landscape developer.

Thus, the fact that he was the one who had crafted the hot spring pool, has already been known by Japanese fans of Yamaguchi.

Incidentally, he is also one of the favored Japanese rice providers for the Imperial family. Every year, Yamaguchi is given an audience by the Imperial couple when he presents them his first rice harvest.

Yamaguchi was also the architect and landscaper behind the Filipino-Japanese Friendship Garden in Bacolod City, which is now considered a tourist destination.

He also handled the construction and landscaping of several projects in the Japanese shrine at a local subdivision, Rosario Heights.

The villas will have four rooms each. This is an addition to the cottage which were constructed through the efforts of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. to draw in more tourists into Mambukal.

The Mambukal Resort is the top earner of the Economic Enterprises Development Program of the provincial government, Marañon said.

Last year, during the Holy Week alone, Mambukal earned P1 million from some 10,000 tourists.

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Thursday afternoon was as memorable. The reason – I attended the modern Token Lizares Music Studio at the MG Metroplex Building along Aquino Drive.

Initially, we were just a small and compact group, with Bing Ascalon, Leilani Alba and Ryan Gamboa of ABS-CBN, myself and several doctors.

Fr. Ruel Jundos, chaplain of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel of the Riverside Medical Center, blessed the studio.

The initial small group found ourselves treated to songs by Token, one of the most popular singers here and several other singing physicians.

Later, when we found ourselves treated to an impromptu merienda at Quan downstairs, a horde of news media workers and nuns filled up the area.

Among the group wee Pert Toga of the Negros Daily Bulletin, Henry Streegan, Daily Star editor Carla Gomez and other prominent media figures.

Token was exuberant with her forthcoming presentations at the SM Mall, and other places in Bacolod. All of these for charity.

To Token, my prayers that God blesses all her dreams to help God’s poor children. And may God’s blessings remain with her always.

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Kudos to the new officers of the Sampaguita Lions Club. Lion Teresita “Tess” Yusay who turned over the gong and gavel to Dr. Rebecca G. Filosofo in the presence of 301-Bi Lions Governor Antonio Uy.

To all the officers of the Sampaguita Lions Club our best wishes and our prayers for more successful Lions years.*

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