I am officially joining Amazing Grace 1st Blog Anniversary Giveaway! So if you want to join too, please visit the giveaway post at 1st Blog Anniversary Giveaway. Contest runs from May 1 to June 15, 2010.

I desperately need a new bag. Therefore, I want to win the bag!!

Anyway, I am having a Blog Anniversary and Christmas Thanksgiving Contest as a way to celebrate my one year blog anniversary and of course for being a stay at home mommy (my dream career, of course now a reality). So, I am inviting you to celebrate with me by joining. There are many prizes at stake like cash, domain & hosting, domain, blog makeover, EC credits, ad spaces and many more.

Interested, please visit my contest post here. Thanks in advance!

Photo Credits: Mara Lopez

In 1770, a settlement was founded at the stony hill area in the north western part of the island of Negros. The place was then called Bacolod deriving it from their local Ilongo dialect “bakolod” meaning “stonehill.” Around 1787, Muslims raids have forced them to transfer near the shoreline. The old settlement was later called “Da-an Banwa” which means old town. The old town is now the district of Granada, part of the city of Bacolod.Bacolod City, now the capital city of Negros Oriental, is famously called the Sugar Bowl of the Philippines because of the numerous sugar plantations along its highways. They have also supplied the sugar needs of the world market about three decades ago.

The introduction of High Fructose Corn Syrup as a sugar alternative in the US and the Caribbean sugar crisis has caused an excess supply of sugar in Bacolod; thus causing the massive down drop of sugar production around the mid 1970s. A few years later, the ill-fated luxury liner MS Don Juan of Negros Navigation crashed with a tanker leaving many locals in grief because of the lost of their loved ones.

Because of the massive depression the local suffered from these unfortunate events, the First Masskara Festival was held in the year 1980. The local politicians and big business owners used smiling masks to conceal the sufferings of the Negrenses. They make use of the smiling masks to encourage the people to stand up and be optimistic despite all the problems because hope is still alive.

Photo Credits: Enrico Dee

Later, the annual masked parade turned into a 20 days of merry-making from October 1 – 20 with street dancing as the highlights of the festival using beautiful hand crafted masks. The Masskara Festival then became one of the Philippines most renowned festivals drawing thousands of tourists both local and foreign. Different delegates from other countries claimed that the Masskara Festival is the most beautiful and colorful festivals in the Philippines. From then on, Bacolod City was called the City of Smiles having the smiling masks as the city’s symbol.

Bacolod has been my second home. I lived here for almost four years. It may not be in my hometown but still I believed that where ever a Filipino may be they should hold on to the values depicted by the words “walang iwanan as bayan in Juan.”

If you haven’t been to Bacolod City, come and visit us. Experience Philippines and its wondrous sights and sounds. Experience Tourism Pilipinas 2009!

Get a chance to grab a handbag now. Visit www.HandBagPlanet.com and register. Below are the 24 handbags to be givenaway!

Head now to www.HandBagPlanet.com!!

1st Prize: