Vox Bikol

Naga City - Fr. Andrew Recepcion, a priest from the Archdiocese of Caceres has been elected president of the International Association of Catholic Missiologists (IACM) during the organization's fourth conference and assembly last 27 July to 1 August at Tagaytay City.

Recepcion, the Mission Director of the Archdiocese, was one among 80 participants coming from varied parts of the world engaged in Catholic mission activities.

Recepcion also currently serves as the Executive Secretary of the Tercentenary Celebration Committee.

Naga City (22 August) - Organizers of the Miss Bicolandia pageant are mourning the sudden and tragic death in a vehicular accident of reigning Bb. Pilipinas-International Melody Gersbach yesterday.

Gersbach was headed to Naga City from Legazpi City in order to attend the screening of this year's candidates to the Ms. Bicolandia pageant when the vehicle she was on, a Toyota Innova, was hit head-on by a Guevarra Lines minibus along Sitio Banasi, Brgy. Pawili, Bula town.

Naga City (20 Aug) -- The Archdiocese of Caceres will launch commemorative stamps to mark the 300 years of devotion of the Bikolanos to Our Lady of Penafrancia on September 11, 2010 at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, at 10 o'clock in the morning.

The Philippine Postal Corporation granted the issuance of commemorative stamps in four different designs, plus other philatelic products such as first day issue, souvenir sheets, souvenir folders and souvenir frames.

The Postmaster General Hector Villanueva and Most Rev. Leonardo Legaspi, OP, DD, shall grace the occasion.

Pictures are not just moments frozen in time. They bring back memories and lest they lose the delights they bring along with them, they are always worth sharing. Pictures speak of thousands of emotions and of moments of endearment.

It is in this light that Cherished Memories: Peñafrancia Tercentenary Photo Contest 2010 has been launched.

The contest is sponsored by the Documentation and Publication Sub-Committee Caceres Tercentennial Celebration 2010 whose coordinator is Fr. Roy Remo.

Bishop Francisco Gainza Trade Fair invites Bikolano entrepreneurs and exhibitors on September 9 to 20, 2010 at SM City Naga Open Parking A, B & C.  The trade fair will feature processed food, homestyle and living (furniture, gifts, toys, housewares and wearables), tourism services, organic and natural products, religious and souvenir items.

Institutions such as LGUs, government agencies, nongovernment organizations, banks, financing institutions, foundations and similar organizations are also invited to present their programs, services and advocacies.

LEGAZPI CITY --- The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) urged the Aquino administration to just distribute the excess rice that are still in the warehouses of the National Food Authority to the more than 4 million Filipinos that according to government data eat less than three meals a day.

In an austere yet momentous occasion, the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) welcomed its new lawyers in a simple but sumptuous banquet.  The activity, which was held over the weekend, was spearheaded by the UNEP College of Law, under the headship of its Acting Dean and concurrently UNEP's President, Atty. Remelisa Alfelor-Moraleda.

Masbate City - The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Office No. 5 in partnership with the City Government showcased the first harvest from the Mariculture Park Project in Masbate Bay, with the theme, "Produktong Mariculture: Una nga Pag-ani" held on June 10, 2010.

The first "Bishop Francisco Gainza Trade Fair" which would showcase the best of Bikol products is set to be conducted on September 9 to 20, 2010 at the Open Parking Area of SM City Naga from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.

The activity is named in honor of Bishop Gainza who pioneered the first agricultural and industrial expo in Bikol in 1875 as a feature of the Peñafrancia Festivities.