Bacolod City: the heart of Negros Occidental and home of some of the most beautiful sights, grandest festivals, and most delicious delicacies in the Philippines. Known as the city of smiles, it is no secret that it is a home of people with big welcoming hearts and even bigger personalities.
Talent can be found all over the Philippines. It is a testament to the versatility and skill of the Filipino people, and it is no different for the city of Bacolod, home to some of the bright student athletes of DLSU. Green Archer Kib Montalbo, Green Spiker Zim Maravilla, Green Tanker JM Ereñeta, Lady Tanker Angelie Jalauig, and Lady Tracksters Mary Anthony Diesto and Shaira Hernandez are just some of the Lasallian student athletes who hail from this proud city.
The easygoing pace
When asked to describe their hometown, the athletes would use variations of the word ‘easygoing’. “Bacolod is a very simple place, it’s very laidback, and it’s very relaxing there. It’s perfect,” Maravilla took a moment to reminisce about his hometown. The hustle and bustle of Metro Manila can be quite intimidating for people not used to the pace in the concrete jungle and adjusting can be hard, especially if tackling multiple things at once. Maravilla recounts his initial encounter of the Metro and being hit by culture shock, but after some time, he was able to power through it and settle down. He also remembers thinking about how cool it was at first being able to stay in the Metro, but mentions that the bright city lights get old really fast. Ultimately, the Green Spiker still prefers the serenity of being back home.
With the successful run of the Green Archers, a key bench player shines bright in a wide pool of talent. Montalbo has proven that bright stars can hail from places outside the capital of the Philippines, as the DLSU Green Archers’ title run would not have been possible without their key playmaker off the bench. The Green-and-White received a big lift on the defensive end from Montalbo, who hails from St. John’s Institute Bacolod. It has always been his dream to play for a big school in Manila and compete in a bigger, more intense stage like the UAAP. “Studying and playing for La Salle is an honor,” Montalbo expresses with high hopes for the Men’s Basketball title defense next season.
A home away from home
Ereñeta and Jalauig have different backstories, but both see Bacolod as a home they will always go back to. Growing up in Bacolod, Ereñeta recommends that visiting the city for only a week or two is not enough. “The place is pretty chill, it’s nice to stay there. ‘Pag one week [or] two weeks, bitin lang.” Aside from being a laid-back city, Bacolod is home to what most believe as the best chicken inasal in the country. Ereñeta narrates that he misses a certain chicken house back home that he has always loved since childhood.
Homesickness was the biggest enemy of Jalauig, who spent her childhood in Bacolod but moved to Dubai with her family when she was in the 5th grade. She recalls how hard it was to move from the province to Dubai due to cultural differences and the language barrier, but it also helped her become more pliant in different settings. Jalauig is no different from Ereñeta, though, when asked what she misses most from home, “Bacolod is known for their chicken inasal so that was the main thing I missed in Dubai kasi we don’t really cook at home.”
Their mother tongue
There are approximately 170 local dialects in the Philippines and Hiligaynon, colloquially known as Ilonggo, is one of the major dialects and is the local dialect used in Bacolod. Diesto finds comfort in speaking her mother tongue. She feels at ease expressing certain words in Ilonggo that are used differently in Tagalog, and at the same time, she finds an instant connection with other Hiligaynon speakers in the Metro. “[We become] instantly close. Doon na [magsisimula] yung friendship niyo. Tapos parang nakakahanap ka ng family somehow,” she describes the experience in meeting other Ilonggos.
A leader from the city of smiles
Hernandez, team captain of the Lady Tracksters, gives credit to the values she learned back home as foundation for her leadership. She tries her best to be supportive to her team’s endeavors, and at the same time be an “ate” to the group.
“Hiligaynons, we’re very hospitable [and] welcoming people, so in a way, as captain, I think I’m very open especially sa mga try outs namin and sa mga recruits,” Hernandez explains. She also mentions that her city and former school were very supportive and generous when it came to opportunities for student athletes. As a way of giving back, she makes it a point to be fair and big hearted towards her teammates and newcomers.
An open invitation to visit the home of the Masskara
The student athletes from Bacolod have nothing but good praises to say about their beloved hometown, and with the praises came an invitation for everyone to visit the city of smiles. The Bacolod chicken inasal and seafood are collectively what the Green-and-White players suggest. Diesto also suggests checking out the Masskara Festival, which usually happens on the third week of October. Lacson Street is the home of Bacolod’s tourism capital and food strip. Maravilla recommends trying out the different establishments, including his family’s, Pendy’s.
The city itself bleeds life on its own with the culture, people, and homegrown establishments. Talent breeds from all over the country, and with that, skilled young athletes from the provinces are given the opportunity to succeed in the Metro. It is not an easy feat to uproot one’s life and leave the place they call home. Montalbo leaves some insight for every student athlete with dreams to make it big in the Metro: “Don’t limit yourself. If you want to reach your dreams, even if it’s so far, with God, nothing is impossible.”
