Leonardo DiCaprio is reportedly set to visit Legazpi City and Albay particularly the ultra luxurious Misibis Bay resort in Cagraray Island. DiCaprio’s visit is being worked out by Joyce Ramirez, director for International Publicity at PR Asia Worldwide. If it pushes through, the actor’s visit is seen to help boost the tourism industry of the Philippines, especially in Albay, with Legazpi City as a world-class eco-tourism destination. Originally set for August, Leo’s visit has been pushed back a few months.

Ramirez invited DiCaprio to join an environmental-awareness project in cooperation with a huge conglomerate in Albay. “DiCaprio will be here for one week. He has reportedly chosen to stay at the Misibis Bay, an ultra-luxurious resort. As of now, negotiations are still underway to make the visit possible. The date of the visit has also not been divulged for security reasons.

Official Website of Misibis Bay
View 360 degree virtual tours of Misibis Bay and other Albay Destinations

*   *   *

Photos of Misibis Bay
Courtesy of Joyce Ramirez

DiCaprio here in August, The Philippine Star, July 1, 2010
Albay gears up for Hollywood star DiCaprio, by Cet Dematera, The Philippine Star, July 3, 2010

Less than a month after she was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe, Maria Venus Raj has been dethroned by the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. due to questionable birth records. Ms. Raj, 21, hails from Bato, Camarines Sur. She graduated cum laude from Bicol University with a degree in AB Journalism. Ms. Raj is also Albay’s youth ambassador on climate change.

Maria Venus Raj | Photo Courtesy of Raymond Saldaña Photography

According to Bb. Pilipinas PR Manager Jenny Inocencio-Marcial, there were inconsistencies in Venus Raj’s birth certificate. “Both Venus and her mother said she was born in Doha, Qatar, while yung na-submit nilang legal documents say she was born in the Philippines,” said Marcial. The dusky Filipino-Indian beauty was supposed to represent the Philippines in this year’s Miss Universe pageant. This early, she was already tipped as one of the favorites to win the crown.

In Bb. Pilipinas rules, when a titleholder is dethroned the first runner-up will replace her. However, this year’s 1st runner-up, Dianne Necio of Polangui, Albay is only 17 years old. The Miss Universe pageant’s age limit is 18 to 26 years old. Because of this rule, second runner-up winner, Helen Nicolette Henson will replace Ms. Raj as Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2010.

The Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. released a statement regarding the dethronement:
“Today March 29, 2010, Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. decided, with a heavy heart, to let Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2010 Maria Venus Raj go, after the organization discovered inconsistencies contained in her birth records, in contrast to her personal account of her birth.”

A similar incident happened in 1999 when Bb. Pilipinas-Universe winner Janelle Bautista was dethroned due to irregularities in her residency papers. Miriam Quiambao was asked to replaced her. Miriam went on to become the 1st runner-up in Miss Universe that year. Former winners Anjanette Abayari and Tisha Silang were also stripped of their Bb. Pilipinas-Universe titles due to citizenship issues.

There are petitions from Ms. Raj’s supporters urging the BPCI to reinstate Ms. Raj as this year’s Bb. Pilipinas-Universe titlist.

The city of Legazpi, under the leadership of Mayor Noel Rosal, was declared by the Department of Tourism as the top 14 major tourist destination of the Philippines for the first half of 2009. The city registered 67,264 visitors from January to June 2009 up by 10.9% from the same period in 2008 making Legazpi the 14th most visited destination in the country this year. With more tourism development projects in the pipeline and a more aggressive tourism campaign, Legazpi is expected to take a bigger share of the booming tourism industry.

Legazpi’s colorful month-long Ibalong Festival returns this October 2009. This year’s celebration promises to be more exciting and festive than ever before. The Ibalong Festival is a feast that celebrates Bicol’s ancient history as told in the Ibalong folk-epic fragment that recounts the adventures of Bikol’s early heroes: Baltog, Handiong and Bantong.

Ibalong Festival | Photo by Ariel Dennis Chua

First celebrated in 1992, the Ibalong Festival continues to be one of the most anticipated events in the city and elsewhere in the region. The Ibalong Festival also coincides with the feast of St. Raphael Archangel and the fiesta of the Legazpi Port District.

Photos by Gil V. Alpapara and Ariel Dennis Chua (Click on an image to view large version)

Highlights of the Ibalong Festival include:

• Ibalong Street Presentation – Hundreds of colorfully costumed dancers depict scenes from the epic with lively dances and chants.
• Mutya ng Ibalong – The most beautiful ladies from all over Bicol converge for this annual beauty pageant
• Mayon Trail Run – The race with a purpose, this 21-kilometer run aims to increase awareness on climate change and environmental issues.
• Ibalong Art Exhibit
• Ibalong Agri-trade Fair
• Infotek 2009

Here are some photo galleries from Bicol’s top photographers showcasing last year’s festivities:

2008 Ibalong Festival by Gil Alpapara
Ibalong Festival 2008 by Herald Presado
Ibalong Festival 2008 (Street Presentation) by Tom Falcon Jr.
Ibalong Festival 2008 by Robert Chan
Images of Ibalong 2008 by Ariel Dennis Chua
Ibalong Festival 2008 by Ronald Redito
Ibalong 2008 by Mikko Ranola
Ibalong Street Presentation by Marius Patrick Encinareal

*     *     *

Ibalong Festival 2009 Calendar of Activities

OCTOBER 01, 2009

Joint Ibálong and Fiesta Eucharistic Celebration – 07:30 am Albay Cathedral
Breakfast – 08:30 am Ibalong Conference Room
Joint Ibálong and Fiesta Motorcade – 01:00 pm Legazpi City
Cocktails – 04:00 pm LCC Food Court
Joint Ibálong and Fiesta Grand Opening Program (feat. Anne Curtis & Kris Lawrence) – 04:00 pm Quezon Avenue

OCTOBER 02, 2009

Mutya ng Ibálong: Preliminary Screening – 09:00 am 4/F Pacific Mall
Mutya ng Ibálong: Press Presentation – 04:00 pm Activity Center, Pacific Mall
Opening of Art Exhibit – 04:00 pm 3/F Pacific Mall

OCTOBER 04, 2009

“Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer” (Walk For A Cause by AVON) – 06:00 am AVON Legazpi
Ibálong Rockfest - 02:00 pm 3/F Pacific Mall

OCTOBER 11, 2009

Ibálong Rockfest – 02:00 pm 3/F Pacific Mall

OCTOBER 18, 2009

Mayon Trail Run – 05:30 am Peñaranda Park
Ibálong Rockfest – 02:00 pm 3/F Pacific Mall
1ST Cong. Al Francis Bichara Boxing Cup – 03:00 pm Quezon Avenue

OCTOBER 25, 2009

Ibálong Rockfest – 02:00 pm 3/F Pacific Mall
Mutya ng Ibálong: Dinner Fashion Show – 07:00 pm Hotel St. Ellis

OCTOBER 26, 2009

Opening of Agri-Trade Fair – 10:00 am 3/F Pacific Mall
UP Padunungan – 08:00 am Divine Word College (High School)
Mutya ng Ibálong: Talent Show – 03:00 pm Activity Center, Pacific Mall

OCTOBER 27, 2009

UP Padunungan – 08:00 am Divine Word College (High School)
Mutya ng Ibálong: Swimsuit and Long Gown Competition – 07:00 pm Embarcadero

OCTOBER 28, 2009

UP Padunungan – 08:00 am Divine Word College (High School)
Opening of Infotek – 08:00 pm Embarcadero
“Siram Na Sana” Food Festival - 06:00 pm The Concourse

OCTOBER 29, 2009

National Motocross Competition – 08:00 am Legazpi City Bus Terminal
“Pasiriraman Sa Linsa” Part 2 Cooking Contest – 10:00 am Pacific Mall
Ibálong Street Presentation – 12:00 pm Peñaranda Park to Legazpi City Bus Terminal
Mutya ng Ibalong 2009: Grand Coronation Night (hosted by Luis Manzano with Jennylyn Mercado & Ronnie Liang) – 07:00 pm Albay Astrodome

OCTOBER 31, 2009

Ibálong Cup: Mayor Noel E. Rosal Golf Tournament – 06:00 am Doña Pepita Aquino Golf and Eco Park
Ibálong Festival Closing Program – 07:00 pm Landco Business Park

OCTOBER 02 – 25, 2009 – ART EXHIBIT at 3/F Pacific Mall
OCTOBER 26 – 31, 2009 – AGRI-TRADE FAIR at 3/F Pacific Mall
OCTOBER 28 – 30, 2009 – INFOTEK at Embarcadero

Mari na…dagos po kamo…

I welcome you to the City of Legazpi with great joy and excitement.

Allow us to take you to the beauty and wonder of our great pride, the Mayon Volcano. Experience the exhilaration of being close to and being at peace with nature. Climb our Lignon Hill. Take a look at our array of tourist destinations.

Enjoy the comfort of our inns, lodging houses and hotels; good food in our restaurants and fast food chain of stores, as our experienced tour guides take you to an adventure that will leave a beautiful imprint in your memories, and one which you can fondly reminisce with your loved ones and friends. Shop at our malls and convenience stores. Feel right at home in our city with our warm and charming people, the Legazpeños.

After all, tourism in our city has come of age. I attribute this to the long and hard work of all the tourism stakeholders in our locality that have merged their efforts to slowly transform our city into a showcase of tourism progress and development. This strongly manifests that when hands are joined, nothing can go wrong.

Come one, come all. Visit us. Give us the chance to provide you the tourism option, that is, the City of Legazpi.

NOEL E. ROSAL
City Mayor