MassKara Festival Bacolod City

The Masskara Festival 2023: Schedule of Activities this Year

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, Philippines, VisayasPosted on No Comments

Bacolod City’s Masskara Festival is a world-renowned celebration that has captivated the hearts of both locals and tourists for decades. This festival has become an iconic symbol of Bacolod’s resilience, creativity, and indomitable spirit. Its colorful masks, lively street parades, and infectious energy are the stamp of the Masskara Festival. The Masskara Festival 2023 is …

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Iconic Masskara-themed McDonald’s store opens in Bacolod

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, events, products and promo, food, Philippines, Visayas, World travelPosted on No Comments

Driving along Galo St. in The Upper East, property giant Megaworld’s 34-hectare township, in what used to be the Bacolod-Murcia Milling Company (BMMC) complex brings a sense of nostalgia to me. My paternal grandfather had worked in BMMC, and later on my father as well. He and his siblings lived in the BMMC compound before …

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A relaxing dining experience at LANAI by Fresh Start

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, food, Philippines, VisayasPosted on No Comments

Fresh Start’s Lanai restaurant opened its doors to the public on December 8, 2021, and although I wasn’t able to visit on that day, I took the opportunity to meet up with a friend during the weekend, a few days after it welcomed customers to its quaint dining place. LANAI by Fresh Start is a …

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The international cuisines at Vikings Bacolod

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, food, PhilippinesPosted on No Comments

Smörgåsbord. It is a word we often hear that is associated with having so many food preparations where you can enjoy a lot of choices. Merriam-Webster defines it as “luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (such as hors d’oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and …

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GrabFood in Bacolod: your fave food at your doorstep

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, events, products and promo, foodPosted on No Comments

Bacolod City is always known for its sumptuous food offerings that one should try the various food products available locally. Restaurants and eateries dot different parts of the City of Smiles, which locals and tourists alike have come to enjoy. Now, you can feast on your favorite food in the comforts of your home, office, …

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Upper East Mall envisioned as Bacolod’s first “green” mall

by Claire Algarmebusiness travelPosted on No Comments

Megaworld, the country’s largest developer of integrated urban townships, is building a three-level lifestyle mall inside its 34-hectare The Upper East township in Bacolod City. Covering a gross floor area of 24,200-square meters, the P1.2-B lifestyle place Upper East Mall is set to become Bacolod’s new architectural landmark as it showcases a blend of neo-classical …

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A peek to Forbes Hill’s luxurious village Clubhouse

by Claire Algarmeevents, products and promo, PhilippinesPosted on No Comments

and more Megaworld development on the rise in Bacolod The view of the serene mountains, the gush of fresh wind and the quiet relaxed surroundings are enough to say that being in this prime location is a great privilege and living in this area is a blessing. I was fortunate to be invited by Megaworld to join the media …

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Binondo feels in Bacolod at Binondo888

by Claire AlgarmefoodPosted on No Comments

A new eatery has opened in Bacolod City that can put smiles to the faces of those who are craving for Binondo street food. Binondo 888 is located at Unit 105, Del Rio 2, San Agustin Drive, right beside Riverside Hospital. It opened its doors on December’s new moon for a soft launch. [UPDATE 2023: …

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Merzci! A sweet gift from Bacolod for all occasions

by Claire AlgarmefoodPosted on No Comments

When you hear or read the word “Merzci” you will unmistakeably connect it to Bacolod City, the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, which is the Sugarbowl of the Philippines. Although it is based on the French word “Merci” for “thank you”, Merzci is synonymous to sweet treats produced in this province. Every time …

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Stonehill Suites opens in Bacolod City

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, Philippines, VisayasPosted on 2 Comments

The name “Bacolod” came from the old Hiligaynon word “bakolod” that described the stony, hilly resettlement (currently the site of Barangay Granada) that evolved into a city. Now, that piece of history of Bacolod City is brought to memory with the opening of a modern hotel bearing the name Stonehill Suites. Standing at the corner …

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Rotary Day Care and Community Center

Rotary colors Day Care and Community Center in Bacolod

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, Philippines, Visayas, volunteerismPosted on No Comments

Coming from my previous article “Can You Make a Difference while Travelling?” you will read that one of the ways of making a difference while in another place is through volunteer work. With my career spent mostly working as a full-time staff in non-profit charities like international organization Habitat for Humanity, Points of Light Foundation …

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The Boxes

The Boxes: A Restaurant Strip in Bacolod

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, food, Philippines, VisayasPosted on No Comments

The number one question I always get from friends visiting Bacolod City is what else are the good places to eat in the Philippine City of Smiles. There are the usual suspects and if you have been following my blog, you will find my posts about restaurants to try in my city, such as Eat …

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MassKara Festival

MassKara Festival 2017 and its ASEAN theme

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, Indonesia, Philippines, VisayasPosted on No Comments

The MassKara Festival of Bacolod: City of Southeast Asia The MassKara Festival 2017 theme focuses on “Bacolod: City of Southeast Asia,” which highlights the local culture as part of the larger ASEAN heritage as well as a look to the future towards a stronger ASEAN integration. It is understandable why this is the theme for …

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Seda Capitol Central, Bacolod Facade

Seda Capitol Central: A New Hotel in Bacolod City

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, business travel, Philippines, VisayasPosted on No Comments

Bacolod is seeing the rise of a new hotel in its locality. With the promising financial development in Western Visayas, Seda hotels, homegrown brand of AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts, is opening its 7th property in the Philippines in the City of Smiles — Seda Capitol Central. Business travelers will have something new to look forward …

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Cabalen Restaurant Bacolod

A Cabalen in Bacolod

by Claire AlgarmeAsia, food, Philippines, VisayasPosted on 2 Comments

“Cabalen!” is how people from the province of Pampanga in the Philippines call each other. Filipinos would generally refer to each other as “kababayan”, while Hiligaynons, from the western part of Visayas in the Philippines, would call their fellow Ilonggos or Negrenses as “kasimanwa”. Now, Cabalen is also referred to as the “eat-all-you-can” Filipino restaurant …

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