Peñafrancia 2022 – CITY OF NAGA

Phil Army in Bicol: “It was an honor to serve Inang Peñafrancia”

CEPPIO Naga — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 10:00:17 +0000

NAGA CITY — “Our participation is a testimony of our support, not just to the Bicolanos but to all Filipino pilgrims who showed their unwavering faith to Ina during the conduct of all the Peñafrancia activities in Naga City.”

These were the words of gratitude that 902nd Brigade Commander Col. Edmundo Peralta said during the conduct of the Thanksgiving and Awarding of Certificate of Merits last Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, here.

More than 1,000 Spear troopers, including Army reservists took part in ensuring the safety of the devotees and pilgrims as part of the contingency force during the entire duration of the Peñafrancia festivity.

“To be able to execute contingency plans and secure the pilgrims of our recent Peñafrancia Festival 2022 has already been a success for us, the Philippine Army. The early preparation, coordination and collaboration with other security forces, the local government units, force multipliers, advocacy groups and the Archdiocese were already an indication that there is unity amongst groups of individuals involved,” Peralta stated.

Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) Chief Major John Paul Belleza also extended his appreciation to the participants and partner agencies which all contributed to the peaceful and solemn celebration of the Peñafrancia events.

Aside from those who helped secure the images of Divino Rosto and Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia during the Traslacion and Fluvial processions, there are also members of the Philippine Army who were deployed at the upper barangays of Naga City.

Part of their task is to ensure that there are no terroristic activities or threat that will compromise the safety of the pilgrims and visitors.

“Our presence was felt, our effort was appreciated and our dedication was respected. May this serve as an inspiration to be more thankful and push forward for our common goal, for peace and unity. Ang buong kasundaluhan ng 902nd Brigade at patuloy na maglilingkod sa Diyos, sa Tao at sa Bayan,” Peralta added.

(Ana-Liza Macatangay, PIA5/Camarines Sur)

Fluvial Procession Highlights Festival

CEPPIO Naga — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 02:00:04 +0000

After the Traslacion on September 9, anticipation is high for the Fluvial Procession.

A foot procession, to begin after the 2:00pm Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, will bring the images of the Divino Rostro and of Our Lady of Peñafrancia to the Reina del Bikol (Danlugan) at the east side of Tabuco Bridge, Naga City.

According to Fr. Juan Pablo Z. Carpio, Vice Rector of the Peñafrancia Basilica Minore, medical frontliners have been invited to board the pagoda. They will come from the parishes of the Archdiocese of Caceres and the six suffragan dioceses of Legazpi, Sorsogon, Masbate, Daet, Virac and Libmanan.

In 2019, the last fluvial procession, representatives of the youth sector rode the pagoda in keeping with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines designation of 2019 as Year of the Youth. The tradition of inviting a particular sector to the fluvial procession was introduced by Caceres Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD, DD.

This year, the Archdiocese of Caceres invited Most Rev. Jose Colin M. Bagaforo, D.D., Bishop of Kidapawan, to join the fluvial procession. He will board the pagoda, according to Fr. Gerome N. Pelagio, secretary to the Archbishop of Caceres.

Bp. Bagaforo is the Chairman of Episcopal Commission on Social Action Justice and Peace, the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. The commission, commonly known as NASSA (National Secretariat for Social Action), is the national Caritas of the Philippines, a member organization of the Caritas Internacionales, a worldwide confederation of Catholic charities.

Fr. Pelagio revealed that Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose F. Advincula, Jr, D.D. will preside over the Mass at the Peñafrancia Basilica Minore, after the fluvial procession. Cardinal Advincula was the archbishop of his native Capiz when he was elevated as cardinal in 2020. A canon lawyer, he was appointed Archbishop of Manila in 2021, succeeding Cardinal Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle.

“The Archdiocese holds Cardinal Advincula in high esteem. As a member of the College of Cardinals, he is eligible to vote in a conclave to elect the next pope,” Fr. Pelagio explained.

Another guest of the Archdiocese is Bishop Oscar Jaime L. Florencia, of the Military Ordinariate. He will say Mass on September 16 at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. The ordinariate is the ecclesiastical jurisdiction responsible for Catholics in the Philippine armed forces, the police, and coast guard.

“Inviting bishops and priests to our celebration is one way of sharing our experience of the devotion,” Fr. Pelagio added. “But while they help devotees bring the devotion to the head level, so devotees can understand better the various expressions of faith, bishops and priests are also inspired by the devotion of the people. The strong faith of the people strengthens the clergy.”

Such was the experience of Fr. Enrico Paglinawan who got a glimpse of the devotion of a voyador. He was one of the priests tasked to guard the andas (carriage) of the Divino Rostro.

Fr. Paglinawan recalled how a man climbed the andas. “He asked politely if he would be given the chance to stay as he was praying for his father. When he was again reprimanded to get off, he replied, pwede pong dai ako maghali ta dai man po baga ako nagpapasaway (May I stay? I am not causing any trouble.),” Fr. Paglinawan added. “He prayed sincerely to the Holy Face of Jesus.”

Prior to the procession, the Joint Operations Center composed of Church and civil authorities repeatedly said that only Cofradia de San Jose members who registered and attended the Life in the Spirit Seminar would be allowed to carry the andas. Police and military personnel were also deployed as human barricade in an attempt to prevent people from climbing the andas. Wearing of face masks was required, but most voyadores did not comply.

Similar to the pre-pandemic Traslacion, thousands of voyadores pushed and pulled each other as they clawed their way towards the images of the Divino Rostro and Our Lady of Penafrancia. Another familiar sight along the procession’s route were the rows of eye-catching banderitas of the Naga City government’s corporate sponsors which include telecommunications networks, a food chain, and a beer company.

The Traslacion was opened by the ceriales, altar servers bearing the processional cross and candlestick. Ahead of the image of the Divino Rostro, schools and organizations walked to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, heeding the call for a solemn procession. According to Fr. Glenn Ruiz, Director of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission, out of 173 listed participating groups, 82 were present.

Julma M. Narvadaez

Resulta kan 2022 Bicol Regional Military Parade

CEPPIO Naga — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 10:00:22 +0000

MATRAYUMPO na piggibo an Bicol Regional Military Parade Competition 2022 kan Setyembre 16, aldaw nin Byernes na pigpartisiparan kan 47 competing schools sa secondary asin tertiary level.

Kabale sa 47 participating schools an nagkapirang mga eskwelahan na nakaguno nin mga awards sa parada na surunudan na pig-anunsyar sa Plaza Quezon banda alas-3:00 nin hapon.

Sa Best Marching Band Majorettes awards:

Nangenotan bilang first placer an University of Saint Anthony (USANT) na gikan sa syudad nin Iriga, Camarines Sur na may 92.78 score. Pigsundan ini kan University of Nueva Caceres (UNC), second placer sa score na 87.58, Camarines Sur National High School (CSNHS), third placer sa score na 87.45, Sorsogon State University, hale sa syudad nin Sorsogon, fourth place sa score na 84.47 asin Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), fifth place sa score na 84.36.

An CBSUA na may nagkapirang campuses sa Camarines Sur nag martsa sa parada bilang sarong eskwelahan.

Sa Best Marching Band awards:

First place sa score na 97.90 an Camarines Sur Polytechnic College (CSPC) na hale pa sa banwaan nin Nabua, Camarines Sur na pigsundan kan CSNHS, second placer sa score na 96.65; USANT, third placer sa score na 95.87; CBSUA, fourth placer sa score na 95.35 asin Partido State University gikan sa Goa, Camarines Sur, fifth placer sa score na 92.61.

Sa Best Marching ROTC Unit awards:

Nakua kan Holy Trinity College of Camarines Sur (HTCCS), kan Bato, Camarines Sur an first place sa score na 91.40. Nagsurunod an CSPC bilang second placer sa score na 90.39; Bicol College hale sa Daraga, Albay, third placer sa score na 89.90; USANT, fourth placer sa score na 89.60 asin CBSUA, fifth place sa score na 89.50.

Sa Best Marching WATC Unit awards:

Naokupar an first place award kan CSPC sa score na 97.07; USANT, second placer sa score na 96.82; HTCCS, third placer sa score na 96.61; Naga College Foundation, fourth placer sa score 96.21 and CBSUA, fifth placer sa score na 95.51.

Sa Best Marching DLC/Lyre Majorettes awards:

1st place: Unibersidad de Santa Isabel (USI) – Pili Campus, sa score na 92.21,

2nd place: Blessed Name of Mary Learning School Inc. (BNMLSI) na gikan man sa Pili, Camarines Sur sa score na 87.57,

3rd Place: Naga City Science High School (NCSHS) sa score na 86.48,

4th place: Colegio del Santisimo Rosario (CDSR) gikan sa Libmanan, Camarines Sur sa score na 86.35,

5th place: Siena College of Tigaon (SCT) na haleng Tigaon, Camarines Sur sa score na 85.54,

6th place: Zeferino Arroyo High School, gikan sa syudad nin Iriga, Camarines Sur sa score na 84.18,

7th place: Lagonoy High School sa score na 89.17,

8th place: HTCCS sa score na 83.55,

9th place Lyceo de Pasacao Inc. (LDPI) sa score na 83.23 asin

10th place: San Agustin Integrated School (SAIS) na haleng Libon, Albay sa score na 83.08.

Sa Best Marching DLC/Lyre corps:

1st place: NCSHS sa score na 96.12,

2nd place: LDPI sa score na 96.0,

3rd place: Buhi St. Joseph’s Academy Inc. (BSJAI) sa score na 95.47,

4th place: BNMLSI sa score na 95.15,

5th place: Sto. Niño National High School (SNNHS) kan Iriga City, Camarines Sur sa score na 94.50,

6th place: SC sa score na 94.40,

7th place: Sacred Heart Academy gikan Garchitorena, Camarines Sur sa score na 92.65,

8th place: HTCCS sa score na 92.11,

9th place: Don Mariano Veneracion National High School (DMVNHS) na haleng Pamplona, Camarines Sur sa score na 91.35 asin

10th place: Goa Science High School sa score na 94.01.

Sa Best Marching CAT Unit Boys awards:

1st place: BNMLSI sa score na 92.57,

2nd place: CSNHS sa score na 91.75,

3rd place: NCSHS sa score na 91.15,

4th place: DMVNHS sa score na 90.89,

5th place: BSJAI sa score na 90.57,

6th place: HTCCS sa score na 89.85,

7th place: SNNHS sa score na 88.85,

8th place: Malawag National High School (MNHS) na gikan sa Nabua, Camarines Sur sa score na 87.11

9th place: SAIS sa score na 86.88 asin

10th place: La Consolacion College – Baao campus sa score na 86.48.

Sa Best in Marching CAT Unit Girls awards:

1st place: HTCCS sa score na 96.83,

2nd place: La Consolacion College – Baao campus sa score na 94.43,

3rd place: BNMLSI sa score na 94.06,

4th place: Zeferino Arroyo High School (ZAHS) sa score na 93.82,

5th place: NCSHS sa score na 93.64,

6th place: SNNHS sa score na 93.43,

7th place: MNHS sa score na 93.36,

8th place: DMVNHS sa score na 93.34,

9th place: LDPI sa score na 92.42 asin

10th place: Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High School na hale sa Caramoan, Camarines Sur sa score na 92.21.

Sa Best Marching MAPEH Unit Boys awards:

1st place: USANT sa score na 86.10,

2nd place: USI sa score na 81.06,

3rd place: CDSR sa score na 80.25 asin

4th place: Lagonoy High School (LHS) sa score na 80.17.

Sa Best Marching MAPEH Unit Girls awards:

1st place: CDSR sa score na 98.41,

2nd place: USANT sa score na 97.51,

3rd place: USI sa score na 96.31 asin

4th place: LHS sa score na 92.32.

Winners for DLC/Lyre Competition:

1st place: BSJAI sa score na 96.67,

2nd place: NCSHS sa score na 95.55,

3rd place: Naga City School of Arts and Trades sa score na 96.50,

4th place: LDPI sa score na 94.75 asin

5th place: ZAHS sa score na 94.74.

Winners for DLC/Lyre Majorette Exhibition Contest:

1st place: SCT sa score na 91.55,

2nd place: Nato National Hogh School na hale pang Sagñay, Camarines Sur sa score na 89.26,

3rd place: NCSHS sa score na 89.16,

4th place: HTCCS sa score na 89.09 asin

5th place: ZAHS sa score na 89.03.

Winners for Band Majorettes Exhibition Contest:

1st place: CSPC sa score na 94.90,

2nd place: UNC sa score na 94.87,

3rd place: USANT sa score na 93.89 asin

4th place: CBSUA sa score na 88.88.

Winners for Band Exhibition Contest:

1st place: USANT sa score na 92.71,

2nd place: CSPC sa score 92.37,

3rd place: UNC sa score na 91.83 asin

4th place: CBSUA sa score na 89.05.

(Paulo S. Delos Santos, CEPPIO)

Resulta kan 2022 Civic Parade and Float Competition

CEPPIO Naga — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 09:00:40 +0000

ANOM na partisipantes an nakaguno nin awards sa piggibong Civic Parade and Float Competition 2022 kan Setyembre 15, aldaw nin Huwebes.

Sa Civic Parade, nangenotan sa best marching awards an Social Welfare Volunteers bilang champion na nakakoa nin 90.33 na grado. Nagsunod an Naga City Queen Federation, second place sa score na 88.33 percent. Third placer sa best marchers award an grupong Lakas ng Kababaihan na may gradong 88.3 percent.

An mga grupong ini kabale sa 63 na participating organizations na katuwang kan lokal na gobyerno sa pagbosol nin mga manlaen-laen na programa.

Sa Float Competition, ginana an pagiging kampeon kan Palawan Pawnshop sa iskor na 96 percent. Second placer an Sutherland company na nakaguno nin 95 percent asin pigsundan kan Camella Homes bilang third placer sa gradong 94 percent.

An mga kompanyang ini kabale sa walong competing contingent na kompwesto kan Mesa Restaurant and Ilao-Ilao, Ionic CMD, Fil-Global Immigration Services Corporation, Mega Sardines asin kan Sogo Hotel.

Presente sa non-competing float contingents an mga beauty titlest kan Miss Bicolandia 2022 kaiba an manlaen-laen na pribadong organisasyon asin kompanya.

(Paulo S. Delos Santos, CEPPIO. Retrato kua ni Aldren Abay.)

Committee releases 2022 Scouts Parade, DXMC Competition results

CEPPIO Naga — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 07:00:22 +0000

NAGA CITY — All schools participated in this year’s Scouts Parade and Interschool DXMC Competition received awards last Wednesday, September 14 at Plaza Quezon.

The awardees in the following order:

The Naga Central School I is champion for Kid Scouts category, Cub Scouts category B and for Boy Scouts category B.

The Minds That Matter Tutorial, the only private school that participated in the competition, received the championship award for Boy Scouts category A.

For Senior Scouts A category: Cararayan National High School won as champion followed by the Camarines Sur National High School as the first runner up and Naga City School of Arts and Trades, second runner up.

For Girls Scouts marching competition: The Twinkler and Star Scouts who represented the Naga Central School I were awarded champion. Central one also won the best in Junior Scouts marching competition.

For Senior Scout category: Cararayan National High School again triumphed over Camarines Sur National High School which won as first runner up.

For DXMC competition: The consolation award was granted to Tinago National High School Drum and Xylophone corps. The marching band from Camarines Sur National High School received the championship award. Naga City Science High School was declared the first runner up followed by the Naga City School of Arts and Trades, second runner up.

The Zeferino Arroyo High School, from Barangay San Agustin, Iriga City, Camarines Sur, the only public secondary school that participated, won the championship for category F.

Best Band Leadership Awards were awarded to Camarines Sur National High School and Zeferino Arroyo National High School.

Consolation prize for majorette corps was awarded to Tinago National High School. The Naga City School of Arts and Trades was awarded the second runner up participating school.

The best in Majorette Leadership Awards were given to Camarines Sur National High School and Zeferino Arroyo High School.

The best in Drum and Xylophone Awards were handed to Camarines Sur National High School and Zeferino Arroyo High School. These schools were also given an award for being the best in majorette corps.

Cararayan National High School was adjudged the most disciplined participating school in the competition.

Paulo DS. Papa, CEPPIO

Naga to break the 1M mark on tourist arrivals this year

CEPPIO Naga — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 06:00:39 +0000

The conduct of festivals by other regions shall depend on how the Bicolanos celebrated the Peñafrancia fiesta.

That was emphasized by Mario Villanueva, president of the Metro Naga Tourism Council, who said that while Covid-19 pandemic is still around that is why everyone has qualms about huge crowds for fear of resurgence of the dreaded disease.

Villanueva, who is also the president of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), said that other regions in the country are observing on what will be the results of the conduct of the regional fiesta in the Pilgrim City of Bicol Region.

He said that if the fiesta celebration ended without the occurrence of surge, the situation would provide other places like Cebu, and Davao a sort of template for the conduct of their own festivals and fiestas.

“If it happens that no surge of Covid-19 is logged after the fiesta, I will consider such situation to be the beginning of the disease’s transition from pandemic to endemic which means the disease becomes more stable and manageable, spreading in our community at the normal or expected level,” he said.

“Bicolanos should constantly seek for the intercession of our beloved ‘Ina’ as we wish to celebrate the fiesta without compromising the health of every one of us,” he said.

Just a few inputs from LGU Naga’s Arts, Culture, and Tourism Office (ACTO) headed by Alec Francis Santos with regards to this year’s conduct of the regional fiesta:

The effects of the 2-year hiatus of the Peñafrancia Festival on the local tourism industry

Historically, the month of September is one of three distinct peak seasons in tourist arrivals for Naga. The absence of the Peñafrancia Festival for the past two years has negatively affected our tourism industry, which is one of the economic pillars of Naga.

The expected benefits of the resumption of the Peñafrancia Festival

Tourist arrivals declined by 76% in 2020 compared to 2019 and partially recovered in 2021. The resumption of the Peñafrancia Festival is a much-needed boost to tourism related businesses in Naga. On the average, tourists spend an average of P22,000 per visit to Naga so their influx is expected to generate hundreds of millions of pesos in revenues to local businesses.

Preparations that ACTO made for the Peñafrancia Festival

In addition to implementing Covid-19 health protocols, the City Government of Naga, through the Task Force Tourism, has also conducted surprise inspections of hotels, restaurants, and malls in August. Various national government agencies and LGU departments assessed the readiness and compliance of tourism businesses’ facilities and personnel with sanitary and security standards.

How is Naga’s tourism industry faring this year?

In 2019, Naga welcomed close to 1.6 million foreign and Filipino tourists. The onset of the pandemic in 2020 hit the city’s tourism industry hard, resulting in a 76% decline in arrivals. Last year brought in more tourists, around 800,000 or 50% of pre-pandemic levels. With the resumption of the Peñafrancia Festival, we expect to break the 1-million mark this year and help bring in an estimated P22 billion to the local economy.

On road management

The Public Safety Office will be implementing a traffic management plan for every event during the fiesta. The plan will be made public a day before the event. The objective is to be able to prevent traffic disruptions in the city’s major thoroughfares.

PSO Executive Director Renne Gumba said that due to effective road management, it was observed that no piling up of automobiles happened along Roxas Boulevard (former Diversion Road), Panganiban Drive, and some of the city’s main roads last September 9, this year, unlike the traslacion procession in 2019 and the years preceding that year.

Gumba said strategic rerouting and road closures are being arranged based on the event’s number of participants, location, and formation area.

This year’s structure of Joint Operations Center is composed of 7 task groups, namely, the Joint Task Group (JTG) on Traffic Management and Enforcement, JTG Security and Peace and Order, JTG Fluvial, JTG Medical and Health, Joint Information Center Cluster, JTG Utilities, and JTG Emergency Preparedness and Response Cluster.

The Joint Operations Center refers to a jointly manned facility of a joint force commander’s headquarters which is established for planning, monitoring, and guiding the execution of the commander’s decisions on each civic and religious event. The Inter Agency JOC is spearheaded by Mayor Nelson Legacion and Most Rev. Rolando Tirona, OCD, DD as command chiefs.

To bring in P20-M to local economy.

Jason B. Neola, CEPPIO

PNP augmentation force yaon na ngonian para sa pyesta

CEPPIO Naga — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 06:00:45 +0000

Laog sa 1,402 na personahe kan Philippine National Police gikan sa manlaenlaen na probinsya kan rehiyon Bikol an nag-abot sa syudad nin Naga kan Miyerkules, Setyembre 7, tanganing magtabang sa pagmantenir kan pagiging trankilo asin kan marhay na kamugtakan kan syudad sa pagselebrar kan Peñafrancia fiesta.

An regional fiesta na pigdadayo nin sobra sa sarong milyon na debotos, peregrino, turista, asin mga balikbayan hali sa ibang rehiyon kan Pilipinas asin sa luwas kan nasyon, tradisyunal na pigseselebrar sa Naga asin pigbibistong pinakadakulang Marian festival sa Asia.

An ayudang augmentation force pighagad kan Naga City Police Office (NCPO) sa Police Regional Office 5 laen pa kan mga personahe kan Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Public Safety Office personnel asin iba pang grupo nin force multipliers sagkod volunteers.

Nangapudan si Police Lt. Col. Errol Garchitorena, deputy city director for operations kan NCPO, na parte kan saindang pagtao nin seguridad iyo an pagpaotob kan polisiya na dapat magkoa nin permit an siisay man na operator na igwang planong magpagpalupad kan saindang mga drones sa tahaw kan mga kasirubtan na dara kan Traslacion Procession, Bicol Regional Military Parade, Civic Parade, Fluvial Procession, asin kadakol pang iba.

(Jason B. Neola, CEPPIO)