STA Class '71 at NVR

The Ruby Jubilarians of St. Theresita's Academy-Silay City (STA) class '71 have ongoing activities at Nature's Village Resort's ballroom and resort grounds which started September 29, Thursday. Several alumna from this STA batch came all the way from various countries abroad, with their families ---- some married to foreigners,  to be home for this big homecoming.

Red, the color of Ruby, is undoubtedly the color of the group, with over 35 participants staying over the weekend here at NVR.

Cheers to the Ruby Jubilarians of STA Class '71!

Red Aeronautics Hotel and Restaurant & Travel Management Students Tour NVR

         There were 37 students of the Technical-Vocational course on Hotel and Restaurant and Travel Management from Silay City's Red Aeronautics Technological Institute (RATI) who had a Comprehensive Resort-Hotel Tour of Nature's Village Resort (NVR) this August. Heading the group was Mr. Nicol Labanza, one of the professors of the said school's program course.

      RATI students went around to see the function halls and hotel rooms,  and were given an explanation on Sustainable Tourism as practiced in the resort i.e. recycling, reusing and redesigning of items especially railroad ties, glass ocean buoys, and wine bottles, and waste segregation.. They also went to see NVR's Village Chapel, the Campsite and Mud House, the Organic Farm and Vermicomposting Site.

DOH Certificate Training for Medical Social Workers

The Department of Health (DOH) National Center for Health Facility Development - Manila has organized another Certificate Training Seminar for Medical Social Workers from August 15-19, 2011, at the Alfredo Ballroom and Regina Room of Nature's Village Resort (NVR).

Attending this in-house seminar are 120 medical social workers from all over the country: Ilocos, NCR, Iloilo, Western Visayas Medical Center, Bacolod City and several municipalities in Negros Occidental, Leyte, representatives from the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney Institute, Veteran's Memorial Medical Center, and the Bureau of Health Facilities.

NVR supports UNO-R Young Hoteliers Society's Culinary Photography Contest

Nature's Village Resort (NVR) is one of the sponsors of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) Young Hoteliers Executive Society ( YHES) Culinary Photography Contest slated tomorrow, August 10, Wednesday, 4:00 pm at the Hospitality Management Training Center.

The photos will be displayed for one week at the Main Lobby of UNO-R starting on August 11, Thursday. This contest is open to all bonafide students of UNO-R. A People's Choice Award will be given to the photo with the highest amount of money collected before the Awarding Ceremony on August 17, which is also the Closing Ceremony of the College of Business and Administration.

STI College Bacolod's Main and Annex campuses celebrate Acquaintance Party at NVR

More than a thousand students of STI College Bacolod's Main and Annex campuses converged at the Campsite and Green Pavilion of Nature's Village Resort (NVR) last July 29, 2011, Friday, for a whole day celebration of the new academic year. The theme of the college event was White Hawaiian, with the students, faculty and staff wearing colorful Hawaiian costumes. Food stalls were put up around the Green Pavilion adding a more festive air to the occasion.

The acquaintance party started with STI's college pop band playing popular songs to the delight of all the students from the 2 campuses. The search for Mr. and Ms. STI followed. Gracing the event were STI President and CEO, Mr. Francis R. Benedicto and Ms. Myrah Joy Corrales, Administrator of STI College Bacolod. Well-known disc jockey of Easy Rock, Christian San Juan, an STI College alumnus, was the emcee of the acquaintance party. Ms. Daisy C. Moncatar, STI Guidance Counselor, was the college's group engager and organizer together with some members of the Administration Office.

STI (Systems Technology Institute) College has several campuses all over the Philippines offering courses such as Information and Communications Technology, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Business Management,  Engineering and Healthcare among others. Here in Western Visayas, STI has a strong and marked presence in Bacolod and Iloilo for the past years.

USLS-Junior Philippine Economics Society kicks off new academic year with an Acquaintance Party at NVR

The Junior Philippine Economics Society (JPES) of the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod (USLS) held their whole day Acquaintance Party here at Nature's Village Resort (NVR) last July 23, Saturday, at Camp Edgar and The Green Pavilion. The affair was graced by more than a hundred full-fledged member-students of the society from the first to fourth year levels together with some members of their college faculty.

Activities of the event included an Amazing Race-cum-Team Building in the morning organized by year-level representatives of the society and a program featuring selected students with a Greek-inspired theme. Rain or shine, the society capped their stay within NVR's natural landscape and lush greenery with some members swimming at the resort pool towards late afternoon.

NVR sponsored the acquaintance party with swimming passes which were given away as prizes for the winners of their event highlight for the day. USLS-JPES is planning another team building activity for its officers in the succeeding months.  

DSWD's Month-long Agenda: Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Region VI

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Office is holding seminars for parent leaders from all cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental since June 2011 here at Nature's Village Resort (NVR) Alfredo Hall.

Dubbed as "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program: Rollout Capacity Building for Parent-Leaders," a pet project of the Aquino Administration, there is an expected group totalling to 500 constituents from the province that will be attending the said seminar which ends in August.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) seeks to give a conditional cash grant of P500 per family per month. To qualify in the said program, families must have children between ages 0-14 years. This program addresses the health, nutrition and education needs of the poorest of the poor in the region.

Ms. Belen P. Gebusino is DSWD's Provincial Link in Region VI.

Participants of the seminar have break-out groups to tackle their responsibility as parent-leaders of their families. Workshops include improving communication skills, getting to know oneself, learning how to work in a team, to mention a few. 

Fire Safety Seminar at NVR

The Talisay City Fire Department headed by Chief Fire Inspector Kim Celisio, with four other senior firefighters, gave a lecture on Fire Safety to Nature's Village Resort employees last July 25, 2011, Monday, 2 pm, held at the East Hall of the Village Hotel.

There were 25 employees from the Front Office, Housekeeping, Kitchen, Restaurant, Accounting and Sales departments who attended this year's seminar.

NVR employees learned the basic elements and types of fire, the different  kinds of fire extinguishers and received practical tips-cum-instructions on firefighting. The seminar ended with a practical demonstration on fire fighting using the fire extinguisher and water hose courtesy of the Talisay City Fire Department.

We're Turning NINETEEN ... and Counting!

Nature's Village Resort (NVR) Hotel and Restaurant is turning nineteen on July 4, 2011! An ASEAN Green Hotel Awardee, one of the Top 10 resort-hotel establishments in the Philippines that actively advocates sustainable hospitality, NVR is firm in its commitment to continue promoting sustainable or environment-friendly practices such as proper solid waste management, use of renewable energy, reusing and recycling items, noise control programs, vermicomposting, here in the province of Negros Occidental and in the whole country.

We invite you to come and celebrate 19 enriching years with us on July 3, Sunday, for a whole day of fun capped by our Anniversary Thanksgiving Mass at 4:00 pm.

See how much we have grown, thanks to your unflagging support!

A Whole Day of Easter Fun!

Treat family and friends this Easter Sunday to a whole day of fun here at Nature's Village Resort's Salvacion Park and Camp Edgar! Win exciting prizes every hour starting at 9:00 am up to 5:00 pm.
This year's EASTER EGG HUNT begins at 10 AM! Bring your kids and have an enjoyable Easter Sunday.
Book your huts and gazebos now to guarantee space for your party.

NVR's Summer Swimming Program

The Garcia Sanchez Swimming School started their Summer Swimming Clinic here at NVR last week!
Children as young as 1 year old joined this year's swimming course!

First Batch: April 6-19
Second Batch: April 27-May 10
Third Batch: May 11-24

The morning session begins at 8:00-9:15 am while the afternoon session starts at 4:30-5:45 pm.

For more information, you may contact Atty. Giselle Sanchez-Tan or Bebing Eulogio at 476-2103 and 434-8139. They may also be reached at 0920-9289365 or 0922-8706313.

Week-long Seminars of Government Groups this March

There are five government agencies holding their week-long seminars here at Nature's Village Resort (NVR) this month of March. Starting with the GIZ group, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), the Provincial Health Officeof Negros Occidental and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), these government groups are having an intense yet restful stay here in the village.

Seminar participants have visited the Kaigelyn Mud House and the Village Farm during their break-up sessions. Many are interested to come back with their families this summer to have a whole day, quality time with their family members.  

Mr. Palengke at NVR

Senator Mar A. Roxas was a special guest of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental in their meeting today held at the Sofia Hall of NVR from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Presided by Gov. Freddie Marañon, Jr., Sen. Roxas is here in Negros Occidental to get to know various projects and programs of the provincial government that will surely redound to the overall development of the whole province.

There is much focus now on the agricultural and coastal improvement of the province, capitalizing on the fact that Negros Occidental, the western side of Negros Island, is gifted with a 16,000-hectare coastal plain surrounded by sugarcane plantations, prawn farms and rice fields.

Pre-schoolers Enjoy their Educational Field Trip at the Village Farm!

With a fairly cool and rainy weather, more than a hundred pre-schoolers and elementary students from Silay and Bacolod still trooped to Nature's Village Resort (NVR) today for their yearly field trip! Schools like Bacolod Christian College, Don Simplicio Lizares Elementary School and Bacolod's Brgy. 4 Day Care Center organized a whole day field trip with their students accompanied by their parents.

The kids enjoyed a day of fun at the Campsite's Mud House and Agri-tourism area where they learned how to plant Organic Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Eggplant and different kinds of herbs!  They also had fun with the obstacle course and the bamboo bridges found at the farm! After lunch, even if it was drizzling a little, the kids still played in the pool!

Educational Field Trips that advocate sustainable hospitality are held here at Nature's Village Resort all year round. We also have weekly farm tour schedules where guests can simply learn organic farming and vermicomposting! Come every Wednesday or Saturday, from 11-12 nn or 4-5 pm!

The Best Value for Your Money

This is a private place where you can totally relax! It's like Eden, a garden hidden in the city.

My American boyfriend loves this place because he doesn't like the atmosphere in the city proper. We even invited my family to visit and have fun with us in the pool! Thanks for this beautiful place! We plan to come here again next summer!

- Contributed by sandy298464 to Trip Advisor
   Bacolod City, Philippines
   March 2010 

The International Folk Textile Art Museum at NVR

Nature’s Village takes pride in its collection of international folk textile art which  can be found in the Village Hotel and in the Village Restaurant. Many of these pieces have been acquired in the country from which they come. Some of these were given by Ms. Mara Montelibano, international folk  textile art collector and a good friend of the resort owners. All of these pieces were painstakingly made, processed or embellished by hand. 

These are collectively known as folk textile as they were made for specific purposes. They reflect traditions that are increasingly overtaken by the modern garment industry and are examples of the cultural arts and in presenting them, we hope that all our guests will understand and appreciate their value as cultural icons that are already fast disappearing in the societies of Asia. You can read about each folk textile art collection along the corridors, in the hotel rooms and function rooms and upon going up the stairwell.

Come and visit Nature's Village Resort, the only resort-hotel in Negros Occidental with an International Folk Textile Art Museum! 

We Can All Live Sustainably

Everyone is off to a fresh beginning every new year. What with all the new year's resolutions people come up with!

Here at Nature's Village Resort, we can give you two interesting tips on how you can start the new year right --- the sustainable way! And it is not so difficult as you may think!

First, resolve to think and act sustainable at all times!

Sustainability means the capacity to endure and make everything around us --- in nature, in the people we meet --- considering their beauty and goodness, endure.

How? By living some sustainable practices:

·        Don't litter. Recycle! Recycle! Recycle!

·       Try to avoid excessive waste and the use of plastic bottles (in many countries there are no plastic disposal systems). Plastic mountains are created due to irresponsible tourism practices.

·        Reduce energy consumption. Use natural light as much as you can.

         Unplug your mobile phone charger and turn off the lights when not in use.

·        Conserve water. Use a glass tumbler when brushing your teeth. Avoid letting the tap run. Take shorter showers... the average hotel guest uses over 300 liters of water per night! In a luxury hotel it is approximately 1800 liters!

        When you see or notice leaks, do something! Repair or report it immediately. 

Second, resolve to teach others to live a sustainable practice one day at a time.

Reunions, birthdays and more!

Starting off with our group of expats' early lunch today, Nature's Village Resort is jampacked with events until midnight!

The Sevilla-Labayen families had their reunion lunch today, followed by Caroline and Matess Mombay's birthdays early noon.

Tom and Mia will be having their Engagement Party tonight and back-to-back with Tatay Ricardo's 70th birthday, all to be held at the East Hall.

The Salvacion Park and resort pool facilities are teeming with kids with their moms and dads even while there's cool rain outside.

Everybody seems to be enjoying their own quiet Saturday afternoon here in the village.  

DENR on its First Mini-Conference for the Year

All the department heads of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-PENRO) had their first whole day mini-conference for the year 2011 in Nature's Village Resort's (NVR) Alfredo and Salvacion Halls. They had German consultants as speakers who are in the province to help push DENR's various projects for the year.

There were 39 participants in this event which will have its second part next week.

Optimism

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

-          Jimmy Dean

        As we begin the new year, it is always good to look back and reflect on how the past year went. Did we do well in this or that aspect? Where else can we improve? The good news is that the apparently ‘bad’ things that came our way last year are NOT exactly negative or disadvantageous to us. This is because from those seemingly bad events, we can always draw a lot of GOOD. And in fact, it is God Himself who ensures that we grow from past experience. Let us ADJUST our sails, then, to reach our destination! We can learn from the past in order to be better equipped to face the future. On two conditions though --- we are asked to be humble and teachable. Let us all together thank God for all His blessings and may each one of us be decisive to always be the best we can be in our day-to-day tasks.

Glad to be in this resort-hotel

Beginning the year 2011 here at Nature's Village Resort (NVR) means looking back and taking time out to sit down and reflect on where we are right now so as to know where we are going. We have done just that since we began this week!

After all the 'happy new year' greetings, we went ahead --- full speed! --- with our general meeting and departmental meetings' evaluations and resolutions. And the good news is, everyone's in their best element to start the year right!!!

The view of our East Garden energized each one of us as we staged our meetings in the Pergola. Held one mid-morning in this al fresco venue, and amidst the cool drizzle of the first month of the year, our Management team gently but determinedly gave us an inspiring picture of how NVR will come to be this year and beyond!

Why, the view of our ongoing Village Restaurant construction  shows much promise! And even if we started keeping our Christmas decors this week, we are on our toes to bring in the decors of the month of hearts --- to color the town red!

So friends, watch out in February as we bring you Nature's Village Resort's new face --- fresh and natural, simple but elegant --- committed to promote sustainable hospitality in and from this beautiful island of Negros.

Our aim ---  to give you the top quality service that you deserve ... simply because you are who you are, a guest who deserves the best.