National Day of Belgium Marked

Every year and the years past, after having been the Honorary Consul of Belgium in Cebu, Consul Enrique Benedicto and Mrs. Helena Benedicto never missed to celebrate the National Day of Belgium. And H.E. Ambassador of Belgium and Mrs. Roland Van Remoortele would always grace this auspicious occasion.

Last July 23rd, Ambassador And Mrs. Roland Van Remoortele flew in all the way from Manila to grace the occasion. In his short speech, the Ambassador acknowledged how close the relationship is between the two nations, Belgium and the Philippines. In fact, during the Yolanda catastrophe, Belgium was the first to respond to the needs of the beleaguered Tacloban.

On the National Day of Belgium, cocktail reception was held at the Manila Room of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel attended by government officials led by Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, members of the Consular Corps, the media and a lot of the Belgian nationals who have been doing business here and residing in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Bohol churches before and after the earthquake

The University of San Carlos and Holy Name University are jointly publishing a 240-page coffee table book that describes in both text and photography the before-and-after images of 26 churches in Bohol that were impacted in varied ways or were totally destroyed by last year's 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the island.

The book, titled "Pagsulay: Churches of Bohol Before and After the Earthquake of 2013," is to be launched on Monday, August 25 at 5 o'clock in the afternoon at the Ayala Center Cebu Activity Center. The book, written by Jose Eleazar R. Bersales with foreword by renowned church art historian Regalado Trota Jose, features photographs taken by Fr. Generoso Rebayla, Jr., SVD and Estan Cabigas three weeks after the earthquake.

The "Pagsulay" launch coincides with the opening of an exhibition of select photographs from the book, courtesy of Canon Philippines. The Bathalad group of Cebu-based poets are reading works they composed specifically for the event, while the University of San Carlos Dance Troupe is to perform traditional Boholano dances. Laureano Rogero is singing harana songs during the program to be emceed by Archt. Manuel Guanzon, past president of Carolinians Inc., one of the alumni associations of the University of San Carlos.

The event is supported by The Freeman,  Sun-Star Cebu and Cebu Daily News. Copies of the book, intended to help raise funds to rebuild Bohol's churches, are available during the whole week at the exhibition area as well as at USC Press (032) 2300100, local 290, and USC Museum (032) 253-1000, local 191, and soon at Islands Souvenirs, Benchmark and other book distribution outlets.

More information on the "Pagsulay" launch and exhibit is available at the website:  www.ayalamalls.com.ph; or by calling Ayala Center Cebu Concierge at (032) 516-2035 or (032) 231-5342; or thru www.facebook.com/AyalaCebu or www.facebook.com/pages/USC-Press.  (FREEMAN)