Around town
All roads lead to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño on Saturday, Jan. 20, for the solemn procession which starts and ends there. Sunday is the feast of the Holy Child Jesus and the day of the grand Sinulog parade.
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The new consul a.h. of Belgium in Cebu, Consul Enrison T. Benedicto, was introduced during a cocktail reception at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu hosted by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium H.E. Michel Goffin. The affair also marked the official retirement of Consul Enrique L. Benedicto (dad of the new consul) as the Belgian honorary consul in Cebu.
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It is a yearly tradition of the Japanese consulate in Cebu to celebrate the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan on the first week of December. Last month, Ambassador of Japan Koji Haneda and Ihoko Hanada came to town to preside over a cocktail reception at the Manila Room of Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. From the Cebu end was head consul Counsellor/Director Chiharu Tsuruoka along with Consul/Visa officer Shigeki Furuhata and Consul Toshiya Yamada.
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Consul General Shi Yong of the People’s Republic of China interacted with Cebu media during a lunch he hosted at Tsay Cheng. Assisting him in host duties were Chief Consul Qin Yong and Consular Attache Jiang Wen.
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A lovely evening of music unfolded at Centerstage of SM Sea- side City Cebu during Concert 3 of the 2017 Classic Youth Orchestra (CYO) Concert Season Series. Dubbed “Christmas Classics,” the concert featured Dr. Ingrid Sala Santamaria on the ivory keys with guest conductor Prof. Horst-Hans Backer steering the CYO. Musical director was Prof. Reynaldo Abellana while the choir participants included the Adventist Academy Grand Choir, Sacred Heart Parish Choir, CNU Chorale, Spring Rain Voices, Core del Sto. Niño de Cebu, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Choir, Voice, San Nicolas Parish Grand Choir Soprano Maria Kim Martinez.