NATGEO EARTH DAY RUN 2012

The National Geographic Society’s historical mission is “to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world’s cultural, historical, and natural resources.”  Its purpose is to inspire people to care about their planet, according to John M. Fahey, Jr., President and CEO since March 1998 and Chairman since January 2010. The Society is governed by a Board of Trustees whose 22 members include distinguished educators, business executives, former government officials, and conservationists.

The organization sponsors and funds scientific research and exploration. The Society publishes an official journal, National Geographic Magazine, in 34 languages. It also publishes other magazines, books, school products, maps, other publications, and web and film products in numerous languages and countries. Its educational foundation gives grants to education organizations and individuals to improve geography education. Its Committee for Research and Exploration, which has given grants for scientific research for most of the Society’s history, recently awarded its 10,000th such grant.

Its various media properties reach about 360 million people monthly. National Geographic maintains a museum for the public in its Washington, D.C., headquarters. It has helped to sponsor popular traveling exhibits, such as an early 2010s “King Tut” exhibit featuring magnificent artifacts from the tomb of the young Egyptian Pharaoh; “The Cultural Treasures of Afghanistan” which opened in May 2008 and traveled to other cities for 18 months; and an exhibition of China’sTerracotta Warriors in its Washington headquarters in 2009–10.

SEMANA SANTA 2012

Holy Week in the Christian year is the week immediately before Easter. The earliest Catholic allusion to the custom of marking this week as a whole with special observances is to be found in the Apostolical Constitutions (v. 18, 19), dating from the latter half of the 3rd century and 4th century. In this text, abstinence from flesh is commanded for all the days, while for the Friday and Sunday an absolute fast is commanded. Dionysius Alexandrinus in his canonical epistle (AD 260), refers to the 91 fasting days implying that the observance of them had already become an established usage in his time.

There is some doubt about the genuineness of an ordinance attributed to Constantine, in which abstinence from public business was enforced for the seven days immediately preceding Easter Sunday, and also for the seven which followed it; the Codex Theodosianus, however, is explicit in ordering that all actions at law should cease, and the doors of all courts of law be closed during those 15 days (1. ii. tit. viii.). Of the particular days of the “great week” the earliest to emerge into special prominence was naturally Good Friday. Next came the Sabbatum Magnum (“Great Sabbath”, i.e., Holy Saturday or Easter Eve) with its vigil, which in the early church was associated with an expectation that the second advent would occur on an Easter Sunday.

All baptized Catholics present (i.e. those who have received the “Light of Christ”) receive candles which are lit from the Paschal candle. As this symbolic “Light of Christ” spreads throughout those gathered, the darkness is decreased. A deacon, or the priest if there is no deacon, carries the Paschal Candle at the head of the entrance procession and, at three points, stops and chants the proclamation “Light of Christ” or “Christ our Light”, to which the people respond “Thanks be to God.” Once the procession concludes, the deacon or a cantor chants the Exultet (also called the “Easter Proclamation”), and, the church remaining lit only by the people’s candles and the Paschal candle, the people take their seats for the Liturgy of the Word.

LA SALLE GREEN & WHITE RUN 2012

Bonifacio Global City is a true child of the 21st century – a modern wonder of contemporary living populated by great minds and passionate hearts. From tidy roads and contemporary office blocks to storied high streets and playful parks, the city is the perfect marriage of form and function.

An environment that nurtures your passion to live, work and play. But more than a remarkable confluence of architecture, accessibility, and activity BGC is a triumph of the human spirit and great ideas.

The charm and multicultural allure of the city is a reflection of its people – residents and visitors alike who value quality living and embrace forward thinking as key to a better life. It’s in this spirit of transformative love and vision that we welcome you to explore this incredible urban oasis.

TAKBO PARA SA BANAHAW 2012

Mount Banahaw  is an active volcano on Luzon Island in the Republic of the Philippines. The three-peaked volcano complex is located between the provinces of Laguna and Quezon and is the tallest mountain in the CALABARZON region dominating the landscape for miles around.

The mountain is considered by many as a “Holy mountain” and is popular among pilgrims along with mountain climbers. Banahaw is a national park and a protected area in the Philippines since 1941, and is now called Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape covering 10,901 hectares (26,940 acres) of land.

The andesitic Banahaw volcano complex is composed of several mountains with Mount Banahaw, the largest with a maximum elevation of 2,170 metres (7,119 ft) above mean sea level. The summit is topped by a 1.5 by 3.5 kilometres (0.93 × 2.2 mi) and 210 metres (690 ft) deep crater that is breached on the southern rim believed to have been caused by the 1730 eruption.

ALITAO RIVER 2012

The City of Tayabas (Filipino: Lungsod ng Tayabas) is a city located in Quezon. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 91,428 people. Tayabas is known for lambanog (coconut arrack) and sweet food/delicacies, as well as resorts.Tayabas is also known as the City of Festivals because of its wonderful and colorful festivals

From 1779 to 1901, Tayabas was the capital of the Province of Tayabas, now known as Quezon. In the 19th century, Tayabas was among the biggest towns in the country. Its Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel, which was enlarged in the mid-1850s, is the longest church in the country and is a lasting testament to its glorious and historic past.

In the book “The Philippines,” written by French traveler Jean Baptiste Mallat, and published in 1846, it appears that Tayabas had more than 21,000 people at that time. This was reduced to 16,000 when Lucena became an independent town in 1879. Due to low population growth during the Spanish period, this number remained unchanged until the coming of the Americans.

Tayabas is at the center of the province’s long-settled heartland, which possessed the best lands, the oldest parishes, and the most active commercial centers. The provincial heartland was described by Pres. Manuel L. Quezon as having the “richest and gayest places in the province.”

Tayabas has many places of interest. Its Casa Comunidad, a centuries-old building, is the place where Apolinario “Hermano Pule” Dela Cruz was tried and convicted in 1841. It was restored in the 1990s through funds donated by the “Friends of Casa Comunidad,” an organization of affluent Manila-based Tayabenses.

IMELDA FALLS 2012

Majayjay has the Taytay Falls. Others call it the Majayjay Falls or even Imelda Falls, because ex-First Lady Imelda Marcos financed the promotion of tourism in this place. It is a two-storey high falls located in a remote scenery where the forestry is abundant. To reach Taytay Falls, one has to go down the stone steps leading to a kilometer-long trail. Constructed in 2008, during the past, reaching Taytay Falls is a very hard task, as there were no marked trails during that time. Recently, the World Bank has sponsored the promotion of tourism in Taytay Falls.

Majayjay is a 4th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. It is located at the foot of Mt. Banahaw, and stands 1,000 feet above sea level. One hundred twenty kilometers south of Manila, it is bounded by the municipality of Magdalena on the north, by Lucban in Quezon province on the south, byLuisiana on the east, and by Liliw on the west. According to the latest census, it has a population of 23,681 people in 4,978 households.

CWC WATER SPORTS COMPLEX 2012

Camsur Watersports Complex or Camarines Sur Watersports Complex is a watersports park designed for wakeboarding, wakeskating and waterskiing. It is located within the Provincial Capitol Complex, Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur. The province of Camarines Sur, situated in southeastern part of Luzon is found in the Philippines, Southeast Asia.

Pili is a 1st class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is the second largest municipality of Camarines Sur. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 76,496 people.

The municipality of Pili has obviously gone through critical stages before it was decreed as town. It was recorded that the Spanish missionaries started promulgating Christianity as early as 1770.

It was believed that its development as a town started when the road from Pili leading to Lagonoy which was also the route to Legaspi and Naga was constructed. Furthermore, the Philippine National Railway’s (PNR) establishment of its station in the municipality paved the way for Pili to become the second largest center of commerce in the province, though next only to the city of Naga .

Modern-day Pili boasts more of its numerous improvements in education, hospitals, banking, subdivisions, convenience stores and similar edifices. Urbanization in this area may be considered as the primary reason for its increase in population.

CARAMOAN ISLANDS 2012

The Caramoan Peninsula has gained tourism popularity in recent years. After the place has been featured in the news and local television programs, local and foreign travelers started to explore the beaches of the peninsula. Caramoan is one of the National Parks of the Philippines.

Popular tourist destinations are the Caramoan National Park, the Centro, and Gota Beach, and popular activities include diving, swimming, snorkeling and spelunking.

Caramoan has been a favorite site for international franchises of Survivor. The place has hosted the Serbian version in two consecutive seasons. It has also hosted the Israel version of Survivor for three consecutive seasons. Bulgarian Survivor also filmed their fourth season there in May to July 2009. Robinson 2010, the twelfth season of the Swedish version of the franchise, was also filmed in Caramoan from May to June 2010.

The 8th season of Koh-Lanta (French edition of Survivor), was also shot entirely in Caramoan. TV director Corinne Vaillant, stated that “the powdery sand, the coconuts on Gota beach and the neighboring islets are a ‘dream’ for the French people. We chose Caramoan because it’s really wild. It’s necessary that contestants don’t see anything other than nature for them to believe that they’re really lost in the wilds.”

The 25th season of the American version of Survivor is currently being filmed in 2012, it will be set to premier in September of the same year.

SPECTACULAR SPECTRUM 2011

NAWAWALANG PARAISO 2011