Manila Showbiz And Lifestyle

By GEORGEVAILKABRISTANTE,

PMPC(Phil.MoviePressClub)

From his blog "Manila Showbiz and Lifestyle" also farmed out in different versions to www.pmpcstarnews.com.ph Remate Online, Pilipino Mirror, Saksi, Pssst, and CMT (Columnists Monitoring Team) Update




Rizal Mayor Antonio A. Aurelio of an almost unknown, unmapped  town in Laguna province despite being named after our national hero has all reasons to smile up to his ears these days.

From being fifth-class municipality pinned at the bottom among 30 Laguna municipalities and cities, Rizal  for now the mayor  says in full confidence could easily be placed at the top twenty and yes, still climbing up to the top ranking.
A feat to reckon with considering that  Mayor Aurelio is barely two years in office yet and still counting his blessings from within andwithout. Congratulations and a heavy pat on the back for Mayor Antonio is in order.

The same effusive kudos insists Mayor Aurelio should go to   Governor  George "ER" Ejercito Estregan whose paramount support as one of his priority targets for the rehabilitation of the most disregarded  town in the  province of Laguna  help pushed  sleepy Rizal  into where it is now.
From all measurable indicators, Rizal town happily has  lifted herself  up from the former  abject social conditions of its constituency in which the town's water supply, health facilities, even peacekeeping, etc. were at the lowest rung of the former mayor's priority.

Now the landscape of the once dubbed poorest town of Laguna has virtually changed for the better.
This he shares with a group of entertainment and lifestyle journalists from Manila who he invited in time with  the formal launching of Tayak Hill, some 560 feet above sea level in the remote barangay of Tala which he envisions  along with Vice-Mayor Vice Mayor/ OIC Municipal Tourism Officer Ferdinand O. Sumague  as both a place of prayer and a tourist destination for outdoor enthusiasts, local and international.

Included in its tourism agenda is  to encourage balikbayan (returning expatriates) to visit  Rizal and give back something to the community. Mayor Aurelio discloses that contributions from balikbayans are pouring in the way of infrastructures and promotional activities in the direction.

A 30-foot concrete cross, the tallest so far in the province, is the highlight of the picturesque and breathaking view of Tayak Hill. Below  the  concrete cross is the marker of Madonna del Ghisallo, the patroness of travelers and bikers whose original shrine of Madonna del Ghisallo is in Ghisallo, Italy.
One notes that this is the first marker in the Philippines devoted to the patroness.

Gamely reaching the top of Tayak Hill on foot alongside nature-friendly trekkers led by Mayor Aurelio himself with his constituencies  (think school teachers and avowed environmentalist groups from Manila and neighboring towns), we were simply swept  and blown away by the waft of early morning  fresh air as we figured the full and enchanting view of San Pablo’s Seven Lakes from beneath our feet.

I thought to myself this is Laguna province best kept secret  for one who craves temporary spiritual shelter and hideaway from the hustle and bustle of the  vagaries of modern living.  Nature at its most unspoiled.

You must visit Tayak Hill to believe what am I saying.
Further disclosures from Mayor Aurelio revealed that Governor George "ER" Ejercito Estregan was behind the trailblazing initiative of formally opening Tayak Hil to make it a world-class tourist destination for local and overseas tourists.
In fact, Gov. "ER" was supposed to head  the said formal launch along with beauteous First Lady Mayor of Pagsanjan Maita Sanchez- Ejercito but intervening and pressing commitment  has prevented him from doing so.

We joked and consoled Mayor Aurelio by telling him that on behalf and in the absence of Gov. "ER" we took it upon ourselves to represent the Governor being his self-imposed PR/friends from the media which included  friends/ colleagues when Gov. "ER" back when was virtually a tyro in showbiz.

The self-imposed press friends in issue present at the said launch were  working entertainment press Dennis Adobas, Raymund Vargas, Favatini San and Anthony Solis who swore to stand by the Governor through thick and thin.
Mayor Antonio Aurelio was more than glad to host us for an overnight and most pleasurable stay in his humble dwelling, thank you.  
  

 Good that Senator Miguel Zubiri who was in the official guest list to grace the same occasion along with Governor "ER" and who did not make it either due to a debilitating case of flu had sent a representative in the person of the most celebrated health and sports buff Chris Tieu who is himself a well-known environmentalist.
 

The green warrior that he is like Sen. Zubiri, Chris Tieu formally announced the  opening  of Tayak Hill not only as a tourist destination but also as sanctuary for the preservation of   Mother Nature's endangered natural resources, saying that it is one of Laguna's pride worth preserving and showing to the world.

Prior to Chris Tieu's brief and encouraging speech on behalf of saving the Earth from further harm and abuse, a line-up of  inter-faith guests took turns in giving their enobling messages in-betweeen highly-moving acoustic numbers from two local lady artists singing songs of praise for Mother Nature  to several hundreds of guests gamboling atop the enchanting Tayak Hill.

 From Tayak Hill  guests were led by Mayor Aurelio's constituents and peacekeepers from the local National Police  to a nearby historical landmark called the Landing Point where tree planting led by the warrior group of Chris Tieu took place in all earnest participated in by all sectors of environmentalists present.
Someone behind our back twittered that Sen. Miguel Zubiri was well on the way to campaigning for his Senatorial bid in the coming election in the person of Chris Tieu.

We were not in the least bothered and looked away instead and set our sights at the soothing spirit of the virgin forest  about us.
The most important thing was Chris Tieu went out of his comfort zone to show to Mayor Antonio Aurelio and his constituents the value of preserving and making sustainable Tayak Hill as God's sanctuary for  nature lovers and all, tourist or not.We toast to that!