For those who love books and other literary pieces, this week is an important time. Tuesday this week is calendared internationally as Literary Day – to highlight the role of literature in the development and the shaping of societies.

Organizers are encou-raging those observing the day to either read a new book, re-read a favorite one, share volumes to friends and even express appreciation to librarians, whose lives and job revolve around the beauty of the printed word and bound volumes.

It's not only literature that is being celebrated this week. The Western world is also commemorating special occasions focused on two lives – Elvis Presley whose birth anniversary is being celebrated this week and Stephen Foster, the first professional music writer of the United States who composed well-loved and enduring songs, like Beautiful Dreamer.

Oriental Negros honored five Negrenses who have carved their marks in various fields of endeavor. Orient Express columnist Cecil Genove introduces to our readers the five outstanding Oriental Negrenses and their respective contribution to life and development of the western side of Negros island.

Our other cover story features two perspectives of one experience written by a teacher and student of Negros Occidental High School who went on a two-week study tour of Japan in December. They share with us their learning insights gained during their first-ever overseas trip, which also allowed them to experience winter for the first time in their lives.

And as a postscript to our back-cover feature of popular travel destinations of Thailand , we showcase this time four provinces near and beyond Pattaya, the tourism recreational center in the southeastern side of the Kingdom.

We leave you, our readers, this thought from writer-naturalist Edward Payson Powell: “ The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months! “