Rain can’t stop Sarbay party

GUMASA, Glan, Sarangani (May 21, 2015) - Disc Jockey Marc Marasigan and party emcee Victor Pring take a groufie with the hyped-up crowd in the VIP area of the rave party hosted by Globe Telecom during the last night of Sarbay Festival 2015 on May 16. Despite the rain, the party kept rocking until dawn, with waves of people jumping up and down to the beat. (Dave John Jugar for SARBAY DOCUMENTATION TEAM)

Sarbay citizens join clean-up party

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 21, 2015) – An event was added to Sarbay Fest on Sunday, May 17. Participants in the Sarbay Clean-up Party were given a trash bag (which was part of the environmental fee upon entrance). For every five kilos of garbage submitted by every person, a token was given in exchange, courtesy of SarBay partners Smart Telecom, Globe Telecom, 2Go, and Coca-Cola. Meanwhile, the first 50 participants who presented eight kilos of collected rubbish received a personalized SarBay shirt from Smart Telecom. (Jake Narte/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Vice Gov. Jinkee thanks Capitol employees

ALABEL, Sarangani (May 19, 2015) - Vice Governor Jinkee Jamora-Pacquiao delivers the Food for Thought during the flag ceremony sharing the verse Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” With this verse, she expressed gratitude to God in spite of the result of the fight of her husband Congressman Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Vice Gov. Jinkee also thanked the Capitol employees for their prayers and support during the fight. (Jerald S. Rubio/VICE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Vice Gov. Jinkee attends 6th Provincial Musabaqah

ALABEL, (May 19, 2015) – Vice Governor Jinkee Jamora-Pacquiao delivers her message encouraging the participants to uphold teamwork, the spirit of sportsmanship and real Islamic brotherhood, during the 6th Provincial Musabaqah at Capitol gymnasium Monday, May 18. She also commended the organizers, especially the Sulong Sarangani Program of Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, for their commitment and dedication of promoting peace and development in the province. The Musabaqah is a three-day event on May 17-19 that gathers approximately 3,500 Madaris pupils and 125 Asatidz (Madaris facilitators), parents and officials. This event is in line with the provincial government’s commitment to promote sustainable peace and development through mainstreaming the Muslim populace of the province, by staging activities that aim to promote and uphold the cultural heritage of our Muslim brothers. (Marvin N. Soler/VICE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Sarangani commends People’s Champ

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (May 19, 2015) – The Provincial Government of Sarangani headed by Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon (3^rd from left) and members of the 8th Sangguniang Panlalawigan present Resolution No. 2015-8-048 “RESOLUTION COMMENDING CONGRESSMAN AND PEOPLE’S CHAMP EMMANUEL “MANNY” PACQUIAO FOR ONCE AGAIN BRINGING JOY, PRIDE AND HONOR TO THE PHILIPPINES AND TO SARANGANI PROVINCE AS HE WON THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE”, during the People’s Champ Hero’s Welcome on May 15 at SM Gensan. The event was jointly organized by the local government units of Sarangani and General Santos City, Pacquiao Group of Companies and SM Gensan. (Quenny D. Dandan/VICE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Responsible Sarbay citizens join clean-up party

By MELODY JOY J. COSEP

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 19, 2015) – The May 15-16 SarBay Fest also celebrated its 10th year anniversary with a clean-up party by Sarbay citizens Sunday (May 17).

The largest and most famous beach and sports festival in Mindanao, and now, in the entire country, was participated in by over 100,000 locals and tourists.

The annual event comprised of activities such as Sand Sculpture, Beach Volleyball, Beach Football, Skim Boarding Competition, Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, Pinta sa Baybayon, Zumba with the Legendz, Fire Dancing Competition, Bay Bodies, Summer Party at the Bay, Foam Party, and Kite Flying Competition.  

Aside from promoting tourism in Gumasa, Glan and drawing tourists and investors to its white sand beaches, the holding of this festival is also an avenue where the activities are designed to inculcate on the stakeholders and attendees the importance of a continuous awareness campaign to protect and preserve the resources of Sarangani Bay and beaches.

As part of the local government’s thrust to enjoy SarBay while keeping it clean, the activities also included Swim Across the Bay, SarBay Bancarera, and Triathlon for the Environment for the said purpose.

This year, another one-day event was added to the celebration. On Sunday, May 17 at 6:00 in the morning, a SarBay Clean-up Party was introduced by the provincial government together with the municipality of Glan.

Everyone who was willing to partake in the “unique kind of party” was given a trash bag (which was part of the environmental fee upon entrance). For every five kilos of garbage submitted by every person, a token was given in exchange, courtesy of SarBay partners Smart Telecom, 2Go, and Coca-Cola. Meanwhile, the first 50 participants who presented eight kilos of collected rubbish received a personalized SarBay shirt from Smart Telecom.

The hashtags “#ilovecleansarbay,” “#sarbayforever,” and other promotional videos to help clean the surroundings were trending all over the social media sites, thus all followers of Sarangani Bay Festival were encouraged to participate in this pursuit.

“I love this activity. Being an environmentalist, I feel fulfilled to take part of preserving Sarangani Bay and the beaches by simply keeping my personal garbage in my trash bag and picking up other people’s waste. It’s also fun doing it because of the token I received. I’m just a bit unfortunate for not being one of the first 50 who received the shirts. I’ll wake up earlier next year, anyway. Thank you, SarBay Fest 2015 for initiating this Clean-up Party!,” stated Merit Jean Cosep, a SarBay citizen and nature lover.

The organizers of the beach festival expressed their gratitude to every responsible SarBay citizen who stayed and helped until the end of the occasion. Gumasa beach looked as clean and orderly as how they looked before SarBay Fest 2015 kicked off. (Melody Joy J. Cosep/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)

Sarbay Fest triathlon gets tougher

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 19, 2015) – The 2nd SarBay Swim-Bike-Run for the Environment triathlon tested the gears and grits of every participant as the course was designed to be more challenging this year.

Early morning on May 16, 65 triathletes answered the gun start at the white sand shore of Gumasa, Glan for the highly-anticipated triathlon organized by the provincial government and Smart Communications.

There were alterations to the usual route of the triathlon this year making the race more challenging.

However, 36 veteran triathletes were undaunted. They registered in the standard or Olympic distance which included a 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike, and 10-km run or a total of 51.5-km.

Those new in the world of triathlon registered in the sprint category. It is half the distance to be traversed in the Olympic set.

Michael Murphy, an Australian elite triathlete representing the Red Cross, expressed how challenging the race was. He won the Olympic category with a time of 2:22:43.

“The race was unbelievable. It was my first time here in Sarbay (triathlon) and it blew my expectations,” Murphy stated.

“It was one of the toughest courses I have ever been in a bike and run. But what kept me going is the cheers of the children, like there was an entire community supporting you here,” he added.

Murphy also revealed that he is planning to start a training camp in Sarangani Bay to prepare himself for the next SarBay Swim-Bike-Run triathlon of Smart and Sarangani Province.

Lea Coline Langit (2:16:48) grabbed the first place in the over-all standard female category.

Mark Alfred Arroyo and wife Collie Castillo Arroyo added a milestone in their married life as they finished the hardened triathlon. Mark finished the race in 03:01:15 while Collie followed 17 minutes later, specifically 03:18:07.

“It was a tough race but we finished it together,” said the Arroyo couple when asked to describe the triathlon.

Surprisingly, young triathletes reigned in the sprint category of the Smart Swim-Bike-Run for the Environment.

Kimi Jade Wee, 16, and Gennex Rey Combatir, 15, both from the Gensan Red Sea Lions, finished the sprint category in 2:01:50 and 1:28:00, respectively.

"It was a very hard race, especially the running course, where we have to force ourselves just to traverse the uphill and winding roads,” Combatir said. “It was crazy."

According to Nova Concepcion, senior manager of Smart Community Partnerships for Environment and Disaster Preparedness, the SarBay Swim-Bike-Run for the Environment is not just a regular triathlon, but rather, it was designed for advocacy.

“Originally, it was just a ‘bike for the environment’ but we piloted it in the SarBay Fest (as Swim-Bike-Run) because we want to have an innovative way of supporting environmental causes,” Concepcion said.

“For the past years, we have been raising an amount of support in specific advocacy, and for this year the proceeds will go to a turtle hatchery. It is just an innovative way of supporting something and Smart is known for innovation, so this is just a translation of that corporate responsibility,” she added.

Aside from supporting the Sarangani Bay Turtle Hatchery, Smart will also help the local government in the coastal clean-up after SarBay 2015 and will also conduct a release of some 100,000 bangus fingerlings.

SarBay 2015 is the tenth year of the iconic Sarangani Bay Festival of Sarangani Province. It is dubbed as the biggest beach party in Mindanao, and perhaps in the Philippines today. Web updates powered by SMART. (Ian John Lagare for SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Australian wins Sarbay triathlon

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 19, 2015) - Michael Murphy, an Australian triathlete representing the Red Cross, leads the pack of 65 competitors in the 2nd Sarbay triathlon on May 16. Murphy was the over-all male standard winner who finished the swim, bike and run in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 48 seconds. Before winning the Sarbay triathlon, he had already conquered five big triathlon events as recently placing 5th in the 2015 Place Challenge Philippines, and four major events in 2014: 1st place in Golden Triangle Thailand, 2nd place in the Challenge Philippines, 2nd place in Lang Co Vietnam, and 3rd place in Ironman 70.3 Japan. Murphy was glad to see young kids joining the triathlon. “For the kids, I think the sport here in the Philippines is growing so it’s amazing to see kids joining the sport, learning how to swim, playing active which is very important,” he said. According to Murphy, triathlon is more than just a sport but “the best about this thing is to come to destinations like this and discover new place in the world that I would not see if I am not into this sport,” and emphasized the best part is the “friendship you make”. Web updates powered by SMART. (Russell Delvo for SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Finally, Sarbay is biggest beach festival

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 19, 2015) - The biggest beach party in the Philippines, the Sarbay Fest, fires its signature fireworks at midnight Saturday, May 16, that lasted for over seven minutes. The usual fireworks display enlivens Sarbay’s night-to-dawn rave party. Organizers said the May 15-16 Sarbay Fest was attended by more than 100,000 people from all over the country. Web updates powered by SMART. (Russell Delvo for SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Sarbay kite made of bamboo

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – An eagle-inspired kite made of bamboo leaves wins the Talk N’ Text SarBay Summer Saya Kite Flying Competition on May 16. It was made by Ricardo Abayon of Poblacion Glan. The Sarbay Fest held every May is considered as the biggest beach festival in the Philippines every summer. Web updates powered by SMART. (Jake T. Narte/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Sarbay hosts firedancers

  

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – A firedancing contest heats up the Sarbay night in the biggest beach festival in the Philippines. Organizers said more than 100,000 people attended the two-day festival. Web updates powered by SMART. (Marlon Martinez/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Sarbay Festival marks 10th year

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – The clear, clean beach of Gumasa strip, Glan, is one of the reasons why thousands of people all over the country go to Sarbay Fest every May, making it the biggest summer beach festival of the Philippines. Web updates powered by SMART. (Cocoy Sexcion for SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE

Sarangani beats Bukidnon

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – Sarangani ladies slam their opponents from Bukidnon by securing two sets in a best-of-three series on May 15 during the action-packed Sarbay Festival. Web updates powered by SMART. (Jake T. Narte/SARANGANI

INFORMATION OFFICE

MTB joins Sarbay action

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – The 1st downhill mountain bike competition is one of the events of Sarbay Festival 2015. Forty participants joined the competition on May 16 to explore the hills of Gumasa. Their age brackets are 19-29 years old, 30-39 years old and the elite pro. Web updates powered by SMART. (Tres Besana/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Mayor Rivera supports Sarbay

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – Mayor Ronnel Rivera (2^nd from left) of General Santos City meets Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon (extreme left) on May 16 while he is taking a break from striding Gumasa beach with his jetski. The visit of Mayor Rivera to Sarbay Fest this year is his way of supporting the biggest beach party of the Philippines. Web updates powered by SMART. (Jake T. Narte/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

LGU leads #ilovecleansarbay campaign

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – Cleaners deployed by the local government unit (LGU) are ubiquitous in every corner to make sure the cleanliness of the Sarbay Fest on May 15 – 16. The deployment of these personnel is part of the #ilovecleansarbay campaign of Sarangani Province to ensure that Sarbay Fest is not just the biggest beach festival of the Philippines, but also the cleanest. Web updates powered by SMART. (Cocoy Sexcion for SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Foam party draws big crowd

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) - Talk N Text’s SarBay Summer Saya enliven the first night of Sarbay Festival on May 15 by throwing a foam party, gathering a crowd as big as 20,000 people. The foam party of Talk N Text is one of the featured events of Sarbay, the biggest beach festival in the Philippines. Organizers said more than 100,000 people attended the two-day festival. Web updates powered by SMART. (Jake T. Narte/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Flyboarding is in Sarbay

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 18, 2015) – Flyboarding is providing people more ways to enjoy Sarbay, the biggest summer beach festival in the Philippines. Dare to fly! It's easy and it's fun. The one flying is Mr. Guy, a professional flyboarding instructor. Noel Santiago of NPS Aqua Sports brought Mr. Guy to Sarbay. Santiago has been a Sarbay supporter since 2006, bringing in jetskis, exhibitions, and clinics through the years. Web updates powered by SMART. (Cocoy Sexcion for SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Koronadal breaks Sarbay swim record

By BEVERLY PAOYON

GLAN, Sarangani (May 16, 2015) – Palarong Pambansa swimmers from Koronadal City set a new record in Asia’s longest open sea swim race Friday (May 15).

The Koronadal City Swim Team of teenagers clocked in 44 minutes earlier than last year’s race time of 3:36:46 hours of Dadiangas Torpedoes.

The Torpedoes had dominated the swim relay for three consecutive years since 2012 but did not join the race this time.

In Sarbay Festival’s opening day race Friday (May 15), the Koronadal boys’ race time of 2:54:35 hours also erased their own 3:53:57 hours set in 2014 where they placed second in the grueling 15-kilometer swim relay called Swim-Across-the-Bay.

DMMA (Davao Merchant Marine Academy) Swim Team 1 ranked second place this time with official record of 2:54:24 followed by Davao Tankers (2:54:36) and Tinoto Submarine (2:54:39), ranking third and fourth place respectively.

DMMA crossed the finish line first, or 11 seconds earlier than Koronadal, but a minor technical violation pulled DMMA down to the second place.

Event organizer Jonathan Duhaylungsod explained the last swimmer must be the one to tap the flaglet at the shore. In DMMA’s case, it was tapped by another swimmer.

Final declaration of winners was officially made after marshals unanimously resolved to declare DMMA the second placer instead of disqualifying it outright.

The Koronadal swimmers had just got home from the recent Palarong Pambansa in Tagum City. It took them only five days to practice in a swimming pool in their city and did not expect to beat nine other groups in the race.

They did not follow any game plan but just enjoyed the sea and “kept swimming.”

Keith Glen Joy Tuya, 15, said they just maneuvered escaping being caught up by strong currents.

“Budlay man maglangoy sa balod pero sadya man gihapon. Kung may current, kusugan lang namo pull sa dalom para makasaka kami sa babaw. Ga-glide lang kami padalom kung gapadalom na ang balod. Tapos kung may balod di lang namo gapakusgan ug langoy kay budlay man kay malumos ka gid sa tubig,” Tuya said.

“Medyo kulbal,” Tuya admitted as they are not used to swimming in open sea where currents seem unpredictable.

Duhaylungsod said the currents and waves seem favorable this time because the wind direction is coming from the north unlike with the south wind which is stronger.

Meanwhile, the all-girl group Polomolok Team A was the last to cross the finish line with an official time of 4:05:05 hours.

“We did our best to conquer Sarangani Bay,” the group proudly yelled.

“We just wanted to enjoy because we’re all girls naman. And the fact that we’re all girls at na-conquer namin yung Sarangani Bay, hindi naman lahat nakaka-conquer ng bay at nakaka-swim. At natapos naman namin though last kami. We’re still fulfilled and happy,” 21 year-old Anjala Rae Jamerlan said.

“What we wanted it to prove as a team is that although we’re all girls, what boys can do we can do as well,” Jamerlan said. Updates powered by SMART. (Beverly Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Locals rule Sarbay Bancarera

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 16, 2015) – For once a year, the pristine waters of Gumasa becomes a race circuit for bancas (small boats) as Bombo Radyo and the provincial government of Sarangani host the Bancarera of Sarbay Festival.

In this year’s Bancarera: SarBay Edition, 48 banca racers from different regions across Mindanao tried to outpace each other to prove who is the fastest among them.

These racers came from the areas of Sta. Maria, Davao Del Sur; Davao Occidental; Glan, Sarangani; Maasim, Sarangani; Parang, Maguindanao; and Toril, Davao City.

Four buoys were placed in a semi-rectangular position in the sea about 500 meters apart to serve as the checkpoints for the race.

Although the guides were placed in that way, the sea circuit was traversed circularly three times by the racers in order for them to maximize the water drifts and glides of their bancas.

It took 12 elimination rounds before the final three was derived.

Some of the bancas malfunctioned during the race, leaving their sailors upset while floating aimlessly in the calm sea of Gumasa, waiting to be rescued either by the Philippine Coast Guard or by their fellow racers.

Those who were not able to rev up their engines before the race started were able to get a second chance from race officials of Bombo Radyo. Those who still failed in the second run were disqualified.

The race, especially during the last legs of the elimination round, was intense. People were cheering hard every time there is a dead heat between banca racers.

Crowd’s shrieks grew even louder when one racer overtakes another.

Jaire Jeopil of Davao Occidental described how intense the Bancarera: SarBay 2015 edition was.

“This Bancarera in Sarangani is very lively. There are a lot of people who witnessed it and we really enjoyed the race,” Jeopil said.

Yet at the end of the race, it was Federico Canoy of Barangay Colon, Maasim who was the fastest in this year’s Bancarera: SarBay 2015, finishing the race with a time of 3:39:08.

In the finals, Canoy raced closely against Sam Bastida of Sta. Maria, Davao Del Sur (3:45:54). Contender Joviro Veresraiz of Colon, Maasim had an engine malfunction during the second lap of their race.

Canoy grabbed the P40,000 cash prize while Bastida and Veresraiz earned P20,000 and P10,000, respectively.

Both Bombo Radyo Mindanao Area Head Ricky Collado and Bombo Radyo Gensan Station Manager Jonathan Macailing graced the Bancarera: SarBay 2015 Edition.

They thanked the crowd for witnessing the Bancarera: SarBay 2015 Edition and invited everyone to join again in the Bancarera this coming Tuna Festival of General Santos in September. Web updates powered by SMART. (Ian John Lagare for SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)