| Mayor Evelio Leonardia has directed tourism officer Imogene Kanaan to work closely with the Bacolod Tourism and Cultural Development Council chaired by John Orola Jr., to come up with new programs and plans aimed at making Bacolod City a major tourist destination, a City Hall press release said.
A Tourist Summit attended by tourism stakeholders of Bacolod City, owners and operators of hotels, resorts, restaurants and SPA, was held at the Grand Regal Hotel in Bacolod recently, to create new promotion marketing strategies for the city.
Resource speakers were Tourism Director for Western Visayas Edwin Trompeta, Assistant Director Helen Katalbas, Orola, Marjorie Lopingco, president of SPA Association of the Philippines, and Dr. Roger Balo, City Administrator, who gave an update on Bacolod City programs and projects as a highly urbanized city.
Medical tourism, health and wellness, culinary tours, heritage and cultural tours, and improvement of tourism services, including the re-introduction of the Meetings Investments, Conventions and Exhibition were among the topics discussed, the press release said.
Orola urged participants to join the government in the planning and development of tourism, as another industry in Bacolod and making it a source of employment and livelihood for the people.
Tour operators were urged to come up with new tour packages that travel wholesalers can recommend, promote and as they sell Bacolod to major markets such as Japan, USA, Korea and China, the press release also said.
Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Tourism Office started its three-day tour guiding seminar at the Liga ng mga Barangay Hall Wednesday.
It was attended by representatives from various city government offices and departments.
Historian and journalist Modesto Sa-onoy was the resource speaker for the second day of the seminar, who discussed the history of Bacolod and Negros Occidental including international, national and local geography.
Other speakers are Balo, Kana-an, Councilor Homer Bais, chairman of the Sanggunian Committee on Tourism, and Orola, the press release said.
Tour guiding-in-charge Marylin Relles will lecture about preparing tour itineraries for Bacolod City Tour including North and Central Negros, the press release added.*
back to top 
Medical clinic set tomorrow
The Rotary Club of Bacolod-West led by Myrna Desabelle will hold its quarterly “Cardio-Care Project” 7 to 10 a.m. tomorrow, at the Bacolod Girls Home Foundation, Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod City, a press release from the club said.
It will consist of hypertension clinic, electrocardiogram, diabetes screening, cholesterol, triglycerides determination and bone scanning.
Patients are requested to go on a fasting state for 10 to 12 hours before the examination, the press release said.
Nurses from the Philippine Nurses Association will assist in the medical clinic. Community Service director Nick Vargas, an internist, and volunteer doctors from the Bacolod Sanitarium and Hospital will conduct medical consultation, the press release said.
Interested parties may call the Rotary Club of Bacolod-West at Tel. Nos. (034) 433-6139 or 433-5535, or visit its office at the Bacolod Public Library, Araneta-Hernaez streets, Bacolod City, the press release added.*
back to top
Grandparents’ day
activities set at mall
SM City Bacolod has lined up various activities in celebration of Grandparents Day tomorrow, a press release from the mall said.
A grandparent's ballroom competition entitled “Vamos a' Bailar” will be held today. Registration for those interested will be from 2 to 4 p.m., and the contest proper will begin at 5 p.m. at the Northwing Event centre of the mall.
Winners in Best in Jive Boogie, Best in Cha Cha Cha, Best in Rumba, Best in Swing, Best in Mambo-Samba, will be chosen. Several special awards will also be given for Best in Ballroom Attire, Crowd Favorite, Dance Diva and Dance Master, the press release said.
A wellness clinic for grandparents will be available today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Northwing Event Centre. The Amity Youth will also be conducting a free blood pressure checkup, while private sponsors will be giving free body scan and eye checkup, the press release said.
Meanwhile, shoppers will also get the chance to greet and express their love and appreciation through the Great Wall of Greetings at the Southwing Cinema Lobby, where they can post their messages for their grandparents.
An afternoon of music, a tribute to the grandparents, with Pancho Uytiepo and daughter Eileen will be held tomorrow at 3 p.m., at the Northwing Event Centre.
Uytiepo has traveled for the last 30 years and played for the Hilton Chain of Hotels, Intercon Chain of Hotels. He has been to 80 countries and several love boats playing his classics, the press release said.
He is currently composing the Bacolod, Bacolod-Karon to be played at the grand opening of the new Government Center of Bacolod City. Uytiepo is not only famous for his music, but also for his tapestries which is known to all designers, the press release added.*
back to top
School to mark U-Week
The University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod City will hold its University Week on the theme “UNO-R: Moving Forward… Together!” on Sept. 8 to 13, a UNO-R press release said.
Opening day highlights will include the Negros-wide Math and Science Olympiad and the Cheer-Dance presentation of the colleges, while the closing ceremony will feature the News Casting Competition sponsored by ABS-CBN, and the playground demonstration by the Physical Education department.
The “Peryahan sa UNO-R” has opened with features such as the Ferris wheel and the caterpillar ride.
Other events are concerts, an acoustic night on Sept. 9, Search for Mr. and Ms. UNO-R on Sept. 10, Battle of the Bands on Sept. 11 and the Negros Gala and Matinee Shows on Sept. 12, the press release said.
Also part of the activities are the Literary-Musical Competition from grade school to tertiary level and the different sports competitions.
Meanwhile, the university began the Septenary Masses being offered to St. Nicholas of Tolentine, the patron saint of UNO-R whose feast day will be celebrated on Sept. 10, starting with a procession at 6:30 a.m. followed by a Concelebrated Mass, the press release added.*
back to top
| 
Medical clinic set tomorrow