July 13th: Bohol Cultural Center

Hey, why are all these people blocking the AWESOME STAGE DECORATIONS? Move outta the way! =P

The first thing I remember when I walked into the Bohol Cultural Center was “Wow, that’s one of the best stage decorations I’ve seen in this whole tour!” It looked so festive! We immediately went onstage for blocking (or walking through some of our program to make sure we fit!). Then we noticed something completely unusual: there was actual air conditioning on the stage! It blew quite a lot actually, but you could only feel it if you were in the middle of the stage (rather than too close to the audience or too far back). After our blocking and sound check, we headed back to the green room to put on our costumes and make up. 

Dimiao Children's Rondalla! Look how fabulous they are!

Before our set, the Dimiao Children’s Rondalla came to perform, too! Along with playing the Lupang Hinirang, they played other Filipino songs as well. I was super impressed! Watching young rondallas play is always so great. 

After they finished, we went backstage to get ready for our set. The first half of the show went smoothly, with very few problems. The second half of the show was a bit of a problem for me... haha! Those wonderful air conditioners that cool us off from the heat and hot lights also served to blow my skirt up like an awkward bubble every now and then! Oh well, the show must go on! Other than mini costume malfunctions, the show went very well. 

After the performance, we had the opportunity to take pictures with fans and the Dimiao Children’s Rondalla. They were so sweet! It was so great to meet them. 

The IP Rondalla with Gov. Edgardo Migriño Chatto

After the show, we were tired and really excited to get back to the hotel to rest. However, we were informed that before that we would have to make a courtesy call to the governor of Bohol. How exciting! We made a quick stop to his residence, where we played one song and learned a little about the Bohol tour we would be taking the next day. Gov. Edgardo Chatto was a very amiable man. He welcomed us to his residence as if he were a relative we hadn't seen in a long time. His vision of Bohol as a sustainable ecotourism destination is quite admirable and its success is laudable as well. From the looks and feel of Tagbilaran (the capital of Bohol), he must be running his province quite efficiently. After our visit, we hopped back onto the bus and made our way to the hotel. 

While to us it felt like nearly midnight, it was only about 9 PM. We finally got a chance to eat dinner. After dinner, some of the rondalla members decided to let off some steam and take a swim in the pool. The rest of us just rested by the pool, extremely tired but not quite ready to go back to sleep. 

Eventually, a Tito came out to tell us that it was late and we had a busy day tomorrow. Cue time for all the kids to organize who was going to shower when. After all the hustle and bustle, it was finally time for bed. Get ready for a fun, full day of sightseeing and restoration, kids!


~Karina