As for car owners, I don’t know if they have announced that there will also be a prize freeze for car accessories and parts since many private vehicles have been damaged by flood waters.

Anyway, many store owners have already been penalized for not following the imposed price freeze law. I hope this will serve as a lesson to others so that they will follow what the government has imposed.

Well, if we will be able to get our own house in the next two years, I guess we will not be moving as before. It would be our last move and settle to our very own!

Anyway, since I have two children already, I can’t help but worry about their Christmas expectations. I mean kids even how financially smart they are in understanding our situation; they will always have hopes to receive gifts this Christmas. That is why I am looking for the most affordable and exciting Christmas gift ideas to make their December a month to remember despite all things!

Well, I am glad that I was able to bump into www.designergifts.com. They have plenty of gift items to choose from, not only for children but for all as well. They also boast their collection of personalized Christmas gifts. But as for me, I was really attracted with their collection of Christmas gift ideas for baby. My kids are no longer babies but I am pretty sure my daughter will love to a Pink Baby Girl Christmas Stocking and my son with the Christmas Musical Stocking! You see, Christmas Stockings are always a hit especially if you have goodies inside it.

By the way, www.designergifts.com is not only for buying Christmas gifts but also for every occasion all year round! Sounds interesting right? Check them out!

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!