Tarlac to Host Palarong Pambansa 2010

The provincial government of Tarlac will host the 53rd edition of the Palarong Pambansa to be held on April 11-17, 2010 at the Tarlac Recreational Park (TRP) in San Jose, Tarlac.

Prior to the event, a launching was held last February 18, 2010 simultaneously in four other towns -- Bamban, Concepcion, Camiling and San Manuel-- as a signal for the start of the Palaro 2010 countdown.

Tarlac province has started the counting from the 53rd day before the event as this is the 53rd Palarong Pambansa. The theme for this year is “Play for the Region, Win for the Nation”. The activity kicked off at 6:30 a.m. with all the 17 municipalities and one city in the province held a firecracker launch, simultaneous with the ringing of all church bells. This was followed by a province-wide cycling and motorcade.

The launching also introduced “Palaro” this year’s mascot. “As first time host, we mark this event with this mascot. We named “Palaro”, -- a multi-faceted yet roundly unified ball to symbolize the energy, the discipline and the verve that go with every jump, every kick and every bounce made during the games.” Gov. Yap said.

He also said that “much like Tarlac, dubbed as the melting pot of Central Luzon where diverse cultures meet and mix, mascot ‘Palaro” also represents convergence and oneness.”

The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Tarlac government also conducted a press briefing at the TRP where mechanics, security, fraud, accommodation of athletes, transportation, traffic and other matters about the competition were tackled.

Governor Victor Yap said that he was excited with the staging of the Palarong Pambansa in the province. He said that although there are some facilities that have not yet been completed, he assured that it will be done before the event. The DepEd, for its part, said that accommodations, mechanics, safety measures and other concerns were already been set.

Gov. Yap also emphasized that Palaro is a dream come true to all Tarlaquenos. “This is our chance to showcase our warm hospitality, our ability to handle the big sports event and to show not only to our countrymen but to the whole world as well the beauty of our province,” he said.

The Palarong Pambansa 2010 hopes to boost the province’s economy, especially the tourism industry. Some 25,000 guests from the country’s 17 regions are expected to attend the annual sporting event.

The 53rd Palarong Pambansa is in cooperation with the DepEd Task Force on School Sports and sponsored by Smart Communications, Inc., and SM.

For more information about the event, contact the Palarong Pambansa - Tarlac Secretariat at (6345) 6114148, (63910) 387-3956, email palaro2010@gmail.com or visit the Palarong Pambansa 2010 blog at http://palarongpambansa2010satarlac.blogspot.com/ or Tarlac Government website at http://www.tarlac.gov.ph/

Tourism Students Gathered for LTSP National Convention

At least 450 students enrolled in tourism and hospitality management courses in various universities, colleges, and schools from around the country gathered for the 2nd League of Tourism Students of the Philippines (LTSP) National Convention held last September 26 – 28, 2009 at the Cebu Grand Convention Center in Cebu City.

Organized by the Tourism Educators and Movers Philippines (Team Philippines), the three-day event aims to update students with the latest trends in the global tourism industry, integrate to them the culture of tourism, and involve and empower the tourism academic sector towards development.

In her welcome remarks, Department of Tourism (DoT) 7 Director Dawnie Roa challenged the tourism students to strive for excellence despite the current global financial crisis once they get employment in the industry. Dir. Roa added, ''The tourism industry will continue to soar despite the crisis and negative stories churned out by the media. Don't be distracted, just do your best and prepare yourself as you embark on the tourism industry in the future,''

Topics discussed during the convention included Basic Exhibition Planning, ASEAN 2015 and Mutual Recognition of Tourism Professionals, Bidding for an International Event, and Organizing an Exhibition. Speakers during the convention were LTSP President Xander Xim Sigua, National Association for Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS) Chairman Emeritus Robert Lim Joseph, Premiere Events Plus Group, Inc., President Mr. Joel Pascual, and several others, who shared their experiences with the students.

''There are things that can be learned in schools and there are things that can be learned based on experiences of industry movers,'' he stressed. ''The convention, hopefully, will give the students a glimpse of the industry in reality,” said Mr. Joseph.

The 2nd LTSP National Convention is supported by the Department of Tourism, Cebu Provincial Government, Philippine Tourism Authority, and Philippine Airlines.

For more information about the event, contact the League of Tourism Students of the Philippines, Inc. Secretary General at (632) 510-5129 or (63921) 686-8944. Visit their website at http://www.ltsp.org.ph/

Book Lovers, Authors, and Publishers Celebrate 30th MIBF

Book lovers, authors, and publishers from all over the Philippines are invited to be part of the pearl anniversary of the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) scheduled on September 16 – 20, 2009 at the SMX Convention Center , Mall of Asia Complex, in Pasay City.

The 30^th MIBF carries the theme, “Proud to be 30: Words Without Borders”. MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc., in partnership with Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc. (ACCI), Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP), Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc. (PBAI), and Publishers’ Representatives Organization of the Philippines (PROP).

This annual fair, which began in 1981, has grown to reach out to a wide range of audiences, spanning different generations, interests and socio-economic backgrounds to share and celebrate their love of books. And now, thirty years from when it started, the MIBF continues to promote books and reading by giving the bookselling and publishing industry a venue to promote new titles and authors, dialogue with readers, and discuss ways to improve the quality of books. In its 30-year run, the MIBF has been instrumental in showcasing books in all their forms, encouraging people to read and find their inspiration. Thus, the MIBF serves as a platform for traditional and new media, presenting books and other published works in all their permutations to an ever-growing audience. Yet its vision remains the same: to be a platform for books and other published works, and to promote reading and literacy.

Numerous activities have been lined up during the event such as storytelling sessions, writing workshops, seminars and talks about the issues and concerns of authors and publishers, and more. The 30^th MIBF will be highlighted with the exhibition of Tomas Pinpin's “Librong Pag-aaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla”, the first book authored and printed by a Filipino. The exhibition is in preparation for the book's 400th Anniversary in 2010.

Also co-located during the event is the Edu.Shop, a trade fair featuring school materials, supplies, equipment, and facilities.

The 30^th Manila International Book Fair is sponsored by Albergus Catering, The Brain Computer Corp., Oishi, ARMVET Printing Company, Immovation Printshoppe, Inc., and the following media partners: The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Veritas 846, 96.3 Easy Rock, A-Z Direct Marketing, Inc., Sambuhay (by Society of St. Paul), 99.5 RT , and NU 107.

For more information, call (632) 890-066, 896-0682, e-mail bookfair@primetradeasia.com or visit their website, www.manilabookfair.com/