Chix & Tell

There’s something magical about chasing the sunrise while chasing a milestone, noh? That’s exactly what happened when I looped and logged 12 kilometers for the first time ever during the SCUDS Run 2025 . The plan? Simple: walk when tired, run when ready. The result? A personal record , 818 calories burned, and a heart full of pride (and sweat, of course).Very good ka, ghorl! I think I may have pushed myself a little  harder than usual  but that feeling of crossing the finish line was priceless .  I even did a little happy singing and "ho-ho-hoing" along the road… or was it just the pure rush of endorphins? 😄 Either way, I couldn’t be prouder! The Route: New Starting Point, Familiar Vibes The race took off from a new starting point , which was a pleasant change. While the route had a few familiar parts, especially from the VL Anniversary Half Marathon , it still had its unique features like a new scenery and elevation for Poppy and me .  The route was well-organize...

MagKalilangan Kita! The Local Government of General Santos City, together with   Mindanao State University, is now at heat of preparations for the staging of this year's  Kalilangan Festival in commemoration of the City's 79th founding anniversary. Bannering the theme " Cultivating Cultures, Inspiring New Ways, " the week-long festival kicks off today, February 22, with a civic-military parade dubbed as "Hudyat Parada" . This will be participated by representatives from the academe, the private and public sectors. Simultaneously, Barangayan at the Oval grounds will also open.   DAYUN KAMO  (Tuloy Kayo). As of press time, Birit Queen Jona Viray has already set foot on Gensan soil. She will be joined later by   PGT Grand Winner  Marcelito Pomoy for a powerful performance during the grand opening ceremony tonight  at the Oval Grand Stand.  The festival week also includes a series of fashion shows and works...

Throughout the month of August, SM Supermalls in Mindanao will be home to festive celebrations of key cities, highlighting food, music, arts, fashion and people of this colorful island. This will happen through a regional campaign by SM aims to shine a brighter light on the South's tourism potential by establishing malls as the new cultural centers: Festive Mindanao. Through this campaign, SM hopes to put emphasis on the already colorful festivals that Mindanao celebrates to create a renewed interest and awareness about the fun and festivity in the island at this time of the year. Festive Mindanao is based on the idea that there is much to rediscover in the region. Tourists and locals do not have to look far to experience Festive Mindanao—there are SM Supermalls in key cities in the island! With the exciting line of activities under this campaign, the celebrations cement the idea of SM as a cultural venue and Mindanao as an enduring tourism destination. Festi...

The City of General Santos will officially be celebrating it's 19th Tuna Festival in a couple of days and I am just so excited because aside from the interesting events lined up for this year's celebration, this also signals the 3rd run of Sugbahan sa Dalan ( SSD for brevity )!   2015 saw the birth of Sugbahan sa Dalan  when the GSC Tourism Council , headed by its passionate chairman in the person of First Lady  Jane Rivera, thought about coming up with an activity that will appeal to the public and bring the Generals to come together to celebrate the bounty of the sea and enjoy the tuna festival in the most exciting way: grilling, eating,  sharing smiles and  spreading a wave of good vibes in thanksgiving for the year's abundant blessings. Surprisingly, this one-night open picnic celebration earned an overwhelming response from the public and so here we are,  grinding our way to sizzle for the 3rd time! Happening on September 5, 2017 ...

  Recognizing the importance of education and the spirit of volunteerism, SM Supermalls has embarked on an Adopt-A-School program that is aimed at rehabilitating and improving school facilities of the different public elementary schools nationwide. Just recently, SM Supermalls simultaneously conducted Brigada Eskwela  to  their chosen schools in their respective communities. This is part of their Employees Volunteerism Program (EVP), wherein employees pool their funds together as a way of giving back to the community. In General Santos City , SMGS employees chose Balite Elementary School in Barangay Lagao to be this year's beneficiary of the said program. More than twenty (20)  employees volunteered to do the school's makeover: from cleaning  the classrooms to re-painting the classroom walls. Cleaning materials and health kits were also donated thereto. “I am privileged to have been given a chance to go back here and...

In General Santos City , when one craves for baby back ribs, roads will take you to a  place with a rustic ranch-feel and where dishes are served  on top of a check-covered table by a wait staff clad in a cowboy's outfit. Owned by the Sunglao 's, Ranchero Grill and Seafood Restaurant   soon earned the reputation of serving the best tasting baby back ribs and scrumptious -no-fuss meals in town. Ranchero Grill moved out from their old familiar location in 2012  to join a strip of restaurants in  SM General Santos Al Fresco bringing their sumptuous  cuisine to where the food trend is : The Malls. Fast-forward to April 2016, Ranchero gives their menu a face lift keeping the restaurant's best-selling items and adding a number of new offerings that will surely tickle the fancy out of your taste buds. Just recently, the SoxBloggers were invited to savor these new dishes. Spread out on  a countrified table setting is a lineup of delectable dishes w...

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Those are the words of Pssupt Orlando O. Yebra , Jr. , Chief , Information, Education and Family Liaison Division (IEFLD), PNP-Anti -Kidnapping Group, during the  recently concluded " Seminar on Community Security Awareness and Action on Anti-Kidnapping" in General Santos City. The activity , which aims to equip the participants with a firm grasp and better understanding   of the Kidnap-for-Ransom Situation in the region, was well attended by local businessmen, private individuals and representatives from different Barangays of the Tuna City.    Psupt Arthur L. Valdez, OIC, Mindanao Field Unit, PNP-AKG, provided comprehensive s ituational update on  Kidnap for Ransom and walked the participants through different KFR Modus Operandi. Pssupt Yebra , Guest Speaker for the day, shared  to everyone  a secret on how to strengthen a community's campaign agains...

Kare-Kare is always on my list of  favorite dishes. I love it with its thick peanutty-sauce and al dente cuts of pechay, puso ng saging and string beans. Very recently, my good friend Cathy, introduced us to Fonti Cafe 's Native Chicken Kare-kare. Yup, its chicken we're having the kare-kare with! We were assured a good tasting one and they definitely did not fail to deliver as promised! Fonti Cafe's Kare-kare is made the old -fashioned way with pieces of native chicken cut-ups sauteed in corn oil, red onion, garlic and tanglad (lemongrass) then patiently boiled to tenderness. What makes their kare-kare more special is that they use only the finest ingredients and they make its thick peanut sauce from scratch! Nothing instant, really! Their signature golden-yellow peanut sauce is made from achuete seeds, toasted brown rice and coconut milk for that added creaminess, perfected by  their homestyle peanut butter. The sauce alone will make you want ...

Since it was officially launched in August 2015,   Ordinance No. 6 Series of 2015  , otherwise known as the Anti -Smoking Ordinance of General Santos City , it has already gained positive feed backs from the residents of the City especially the non-smokers. However, some residents felt that the ordinance lacked "Fangs" as people are still seen puffing like dragons openly in public. Well, I think the scenario is about to change as Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera has ordered for the strict implementation of the ordinance. Currently, the office of the City Mayor is conducting a series of meetings with different stakeholders to present the  Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the  Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance   and to enjoin every General in this effort to clean the air of Gensan for the future generation. The administration has high hopes of replicating the success the same kind of ordinance has reaped following its successful implementation in ...

Nagging my kids about how they waste food on their plate, over-spending  on unnecessary items and failing to re-purpose stuff is nothing but a normal scene at home.  As a mother hen  of three, I try to inculcate to my chicks how important it is to learn how to stretch what little resources their Papa and I can provide for them. A lucky mom that I am, am happy to share that my kids grew up to be very understanding and never demanding when it comes to keeping up with what is "uso" among their circle of friends. In this time and age where even a toddler already owns a gadget even before they're able to walk, my kids are actually lucky to have received their own smartphones just three years ago! And, an agreement was forged between parent and child that they have to save for their own cellphone loads! Well, sighs of discontent and attempt to appeal were made, to no avail! Take it or leave it ang peg ng Mudra here! After all, I gave up buying ...

Planning for a business trip to the land of Tuna anytime soon? Do business as usual in Gensan's first value business inn : Casa R afael . Located at the heart of the City, Casa Rafael conveniently stands near major shopping centers, hospitals , churches and the seat of the Local Government. It has the space and essential amenities that would make any businessman's stay relaxing and convenient. Here's a quick look at Casa Rafael's facilities: Check out their Introductory and Published Room Rates below.