Peñafrancia Festival 2011 Schedule of Events / Activities
September 2011 Activities


Schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

Penafrancia Festival 2011

The Peñafrancia festival is set for September 9 to 18 of this year.

 The Our Lady of Peñafrancia Basilica is located in Naga City.

 The feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is celebrated on the third Saturday of September in Naga City, Bicol.

 The feast day is preceded by a novena, nine days of prayer, in honor of the Virgin. 

On the first day, the image of the Virgin, a copy of the Madonna in Peñafrancia, Spain, is brought from its shrine to the Naga Cathedral where the novena is held. 

On the last day, the image is returned to her shrine following the Naga River route. 

The colorful evening procession is lit by thousands of candles from devotees in boats escorting the image. 

When the barge reaches its destination, the devotees shout "Viva la Virgen" (Long live the Virgin!) and the image is brought back in a procession to the cathedral.


Photo credits to my cuzin Rafael Matubis Jr.

Happy Eid’l Fitr

The nation is marking today (Tuesday) the end of a long weekend with the celebration of Eid’l Fitr, a Muslim holiday. Eid’l Fitr (the Festival of Fast-breaking) is a three-day celebration of the Muslim world commemorating the end of Ramadan, a period of dawn-to-dusk fasting. Eid is a time for giving gifts, especially to children; giving charity to the poor; and celebrating with family and friends the completion of a month of blessings and joy.

4 DAY LONG HOLIDAY IN AUGUST YAHOOOOO!

There will be a four-day long weekend towards the end of August, Malacanang announced on Saturday.

In a radio interview, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said August 29, a Monday; and August 30, Tuesday, have been declared non-working holidays.

August 29 marks National Heroes’ Day while August 30 is the end of Ramadan. - source inquirer.net

TRABAHO SA BAWAT PILIPINO THE 4th JOB SEARCH JULY 15 & 16, 2011

TRABAHO SA BAWAT PILIPINO

THE 4th JOB SEARCH

JULY 15 & 16, 2011

2/F TRADE HALL, STARMALL

EDSA SHAW, MANDALUYONG CITY

PNR FARE FROM MANILA TO NAGA

photo by wowee dollente

photos by vic nierva

PNR Bicol Express train fares are as follows: 

P    548 for the tourist section

P    950 for family-style cabins 

P 1,000 for executive cabins

PHOTOS BY VIC NIERVA

The tourist section of the train features reclining chairs and more space for passengers. Meanwhile, family coaches provide double-deck beds that can accommodate up to 4 people and the executive coach has private cabins.

PHOTOS FROM RIHSPI

Travel time to Naga via the Bicol Express trains is expected to be 10 hours, all in the comfort of new air-conditioned coaches that the Philippine National Railways recently acquired. 

photo from RIHSPI

Soon, more features will be added to the Bicol travel such as television sets and free Wifi access.

PNR NOW RUNNING

Photo by Wowee Dollente

The fully-rehabilitated PNR Bicol Express  have 3 kinds of coaches : tourist class with reclining seats and in-coach movie and sound systems

photo from vic nierva

Sleeping cars for families and for the executives

photos from RIHSPI

The family sleepers (FS) car is one where the passenger can lie down on a full-body bed-like seat with a curtain which can be drawn close to provide privacy. There are four of these "beds"- two on each side of the open-cabin, one above the other. 

The family sleeper car is big enough for four adults. Children may be able to share one bunk bed. Going up the elevated bunk-bed though was a little challenge . Look for this metal bar which could assist you in climbing up the upper level bunk.

Photos from Chito

Dining car with first class amenities.

The dining car (DC) is a semi-full service dining facility, i.e. with waiter but no kitchen at the moment which can seat 50 people at any one time.

The projected journey of less than ten hours will put the Bicol Express at a competitive advantage with buses which take a full ten hours to make the trip, while offering travelers a superior riding experience at attractive fares.

Full service at 4 round trips a day (with a six-coach, 400-passenger capacity) is expected in September in time for the pilgrimages to the Festival of the Virgin of Peñafrancia.

An additional 16 round trips will start next year.

One-day e-passport processing slated for PNP personnel and dependents

Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel and their dependents will have the rare chance of getting their e-passport processed in just one day on July 30.

PNP Director General Raul Bacalzo said that as part of the celebrations of Police Community Relations Month held every July.

The PNP leadership is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs in holding a one-day passport processing at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City for PNP personnel.

Bacalzo advised interested applicants to bring their National Statistics Office (NSO) birth certificate and at least two valid identification cards.

This year’s theme is “Matatag na Ugnayan ng Mamamayan at Kapulisan tungo sa Mapayapa at Ligtas na Pamayanan (Strong Alliance between Citizens and Police toward a Peaceful and Safe Community).” 

souce: inquirer.net