City hosting Balik
Bacolod delegates

The Bacolod City government will host a dinner for all Balik Bacolod delegations for the MassKara celebrations in Bacolod City on Sunday, a press release from City Hall said yesterday.

The dinner will be hosted by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the city officials, together with the Tourism and Cultural Development Council and the Skal International-Bacolod City Chapter.

The Negrosanon sa Guam delegation, headed by Fred and Rose David, in response to Leonardia's “Balik Bacolod” campaign for the homecoming of “balikbayans” to the 33rd MassKara Festival, arrived Tuesday and witnessed the coronation of MassKara Queen 2012 last night at the University of Saint La Salle.

They will pay a call on the mayor today and will be present at the gift-giving to 200 families, at 9 a.m., in Brgy. Singcang, in coordination with the office of Councilor Em Ang and the City Department of Social Services Development, the press release said.

After lunch, they will be escorted by personnel of the Tourism Office to the Capitol Lagoon and Lacson Street for the Electric MassKara that will commence at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, the Guamanians will be at the medical mission in Brgy. 35 at about 8:30 p.m. and at 2 p.m. will watch the MassKara street dancing competition schools category at the Bacolod public plaza.

On Sunday, the City Tourism Office will fetch the Guamanians from their hotels and they will be conducted to the churches nearest to their hotels and later will watch the competition at the plaza for the street dancing barangay category.

The activities will be capped by dinner for the guests hosted by the city.

Leonardia has instructed the offices of the city government and staff “to extend all courtesy to our ‘balikbayans' and guests, and emphasized that ‘a tourist is a friend' and thus, must be given our brand of hospitality.”

He is also enjoining all Bacoleños to do the same, the press release added.*

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Free immigration
seminar tomorrow

A free seminar on immigration processes and applications will be hosted by the New Zealand Immigration Service, an immigration consultancy company based in Auckland, at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the Governor's Hall, Provincial Capitol Building in Bacolod City.

Cristina Orbecido, officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center, said yesterday that Ken McDonald, international marketing manager of SIT and NIZS directors and licensed immigration advisers Holger and Maricel Weischede, will be the speakers.

Orbecido said McDonald will discuss the advantages of studying and gaining qualifications in New Zealand through the various courses offered by SIT while the Weischedes will talk on immigration procedures, options, visa applications for skilled professionals, visitors, business migration, partnership category, and family reunification.

There will be one-on-one consultations with the advisers. For reservations and appointments, participants may text their names to 0932-8698-472 or email them at bacolod@nzimmigrationhelpservice.com, she said.

NZIHS is an accredited Education Specialist Agent of Education New Zealand with five branches in the Philippines. Its head office is located in Henderson Heights, Auckland, New Zealand, and has been in operations for over nine years, she added.*LTG

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Fashion show set in mall;
concerts at plaza

Electric MassKara revelers are encouraged to join the free hugs campaign 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at 6 th and Lacson streets, Bacolod City, a press release from promoters said.

The movement is now in its fourth year in Bacolod, and is an event to celebrate with the MassKara at the tourist-packed streets of Lacson. It will be participated in by individuals from all walks of life, who will give hugs to festival goers along the tourism strip, the press release also said.

A simple gesture with a great impact to persons being hugged, the campaign aims to promote peace, love, unity and respect, and is being organized by Elleson Serna, Rez Villarosa and Jeffrey Kho Javellana. The social movement was started by an Australian, “alias Juan Mann”, on December 1, 2004 in the Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, the press release added.*

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