And we thought all will be ready and well, despite the City Hall petition for the retention of the Bacolod facility, when the Silay Bacolod Airport will open – reportedly on Jan. 18.

But our columnist, Silay resident Carlo Leonardia, reiterates the public woes — from the poor access road to the absence of streetlights that will hound pre-dawn and post-dusk commuters as well as the uncertainty of shuttle or transport services— that, otherwise, could mar the appreciation of a more spacious check-in, pre-departure and arrival areas, and other perks that come with the modern infrastructure program.

On a brighter note, we extend our belated cong-ratulations to Binalbagan native John Baylon, who won his eighth successive gold medal in judo in the Southeast Asian Games, with the victory giving the Negrense athlete his own place in the book of records of Philippine sports. In our cover story, John spells out the formula for his enduring success and recounts how he etched his mark enroute to sporting glory.

Safety and disaster management will be the focus of the Red Cross summit which will be held in Bacolod City late this week. The summit will gather stakeholders and Red Cross partners to increase public awareness on the need for everyone to take responsibility for personal and community safety.

For those who frequent the Hong Kong travel route, a trip to the neighboring Shenzhen in China and Macau, a former Portuguese colony, is almost inevitable, especially for those whose two week's travel permit is about to expire and would like to have their passport stamped with another authorized two-week stay.

Macau, which has its own attractions distinct form Hong Kong due to its colonial past, is home to about 20,000 Filipinos. Our back page feature focuses on some of the Macau attractions that have made it a home-away-from-home for Filipinos working there.

Check out in our opposite-page feature the attractions of Australia and New Zealand at this time of the year. With their music, outdoor and and wine festivals, it appears the summer upbeat mood Down-Under and in Kiwiland is there to stay.

For those who want their share of colors, beats and sounds, visit Kalibo, Kabankalan, Iloilo city and Cadiz , where the ‘Hala, Bira' ati-atihan season is reaching fever pitch.

Joyful and jovial January, indeed!