Month: October 2025

THE KINGDOM OF MABOLO: From Ancient Capital to Modern Cebu

Map of Old Cebu showing Mabolo town

Before there was Cebu City, there was Singhapala, the ancient capital of the Indianized kingdom of Cebu, founded by the legendary Sri Lumay. And right where Barangay Mabolo now stands is believed to be the heart of that ancient realm, the cradle of early Cebuano civilization.

Long before Spanish ships anchored on our shores, the land of Mabolo was already a thriving hub of trade and culture. Here, native leaders ruled, merchants from distant islands exchanged goods, and life was shaped by Indian and Malay influences. This was the Cebu that time almost forgot, the Kingdom of Mabolo, centuries before it became part of a bustling city.

As the Spanish colonial era dawned, Mabolo evolved from a royal capital into a flourishing town of farmers, traders, and the faithful. In 1850, the Mabolo Parish was established, giving the community a spiritual anchor.

The town was named after the mabolo tree, whose fruit, a type of Philippine persimmon known for its soft red velvet skin and fragrant flesh, once grew abundantly across the area.

Mabolo Tree

By the late 1800s, Mabolo stood proudly as an independent municipality, rich in tradition and community spirit. But change arrived with the American period.

Mabolo Church

In 1905, Mabolo’s independence as a town ended when it was incorporated into the growing City of Cebu, along with other nearby municipalities.

The Old bell

What was once the seat of an ancient kingdom became part of a modern metropolis. Yet beneath the concrete and city lights, Mabolo’s roots run deep, whispering the story of Singhapala, of Sri Lumay, and of a humble fruit tree that gave a kingdom its name. 🍈✨

From Spotlight to Service: The Inspiring Journey of Carol Ballesteros

Her life shows that true success is not found in titles or fame, but in the lives one inspires and transforms.

Education

From an early age, Carol Ballesteros displayed a rare blend of brilliance and versatility. A consistent honor student, she excelled not only in academics but also in leadership and the arts. She held key roles in school-based organizations, the campus publication, and the dramatics guild—early signs of her natural gift for communication and creativity.

Her most memorable student milestone came in 1981, when she represented Region 7 in a national oratorical contest in Manila. Against the country’s best young speakers, Carol emerged as Grand National Champion, a triumph that foreshadowed her future in media and public speaking.

Carol credits much of her foundation in communication and the arts to Dr. Milagros Castillo Espina, then Dean of USJ-R’s College of Arts and Sciences. Affectionately called Madame Mila, Dr. Espina recognized Carol’s potential early on, mentored her with patience and vision, and helped shape the communicator she would become.

Carol graduated summa cum laude with a degree in BS Commerce, major in Accounting, from the University of San Jose–Recoletos, where she was both an academic and Aboitiz scholar.

Later in life, her love for learning led her to pursue Biblical Studies at the International Bible Institute of London, which she completed in 2014.

TV, Media, and Hosting Journey

Carol’s name became a household fixture in Cebu media, but her career began almost by accident.

While still in college, she was invited as a guest on the local TV show Sali Kami to promote the “Close-Up Campus Coed” interschool contest. Her articulate charm and screen presence caught the producers’ attention, and before long, she was offered her own hosting role in Premyo Jamboree—at just 17 years old.

She credits Larry Abelgas, producer of Sali Kami, for discovering her and opening the door to television. With his mentorship, her career quickly flourished.

Soon after, she returned to Sali Kami as host, and by 1989—after the restoration of democracy—she joined ABS-CBN Cebu as co-host of Campus Beat under Dante Luzon. This became her gateway to a decade of hosting some of the region’s most popular shows, including Star Treat, Star Showcase, Sabado Na Gyud, Ngiga Gud, and the beloved morning show Maayong Buntag Sugbo.

She also co-hosted the weekly talk show Carol n’ Cosme, which later evolved into Home Buddies, Alas Diyes Na, and Chikahay Ta!

At the peak of her TV career, Carol appeared in an episode of Maala-ala Mo Kaya and took on a memorable villainess role in the teleserye Kapalaran. With her warmth, wit, and grace, she became one of Cebu’s most trusted faces and voices for over two decades.

Beyond TV: Corporate, PR, Academia, and Consultancy

Parallel to her television career, Carol built an equally successful path in the corporate and academic worlds.

She served as a professor in Speech and Public Speaking at USJ-R, mentoring a new generation of communicators. Professionally, she wore many hats—Account Executive at SunStar Daily for seven years, Branch Manager at Urban Bank for two, and later became the first Public Relations Manager of Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort.

Her years with Shangri-La were especially historic. She managed PR during the resort’s pre-opening in 1993 and the 1994 Miss Universe pageant, when the candidates visited the resort for their fun shoot.

She later served as PR Consultant for White Gold Club, and in 1998, took a leap into public service by running for Cebu City Councilor.

In the 2000s, Carol transitioned fully into corporate leadership—first as Communications VisMin Head at eTelecare, then as Assistant Vice President for Branding and Corporate Communications at the Aboitiz Group, a role that held special meaning as she had once been an Aboitiz scholar herself.

In 2013, she joined the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) as Vice President for Reputation Management, where she served until her early retirement in 2019. She later founded her own events, training, and consultancy firm—Carol Ballesteros, etc.

Making a Difference: Community and Faith

At her core, Carol has always been drawn to service.

At RAFI, she led communications and stakeholder engagement for the Mega Cebu Program, a visionary initiative that brought together government, business, and civil society toward a “wholesome, advanced, vibrant, equitable, and sustainable Cebu.”

Her passion for faith-based work also runs deep. In 2009, she joined Ladies of the Fellowship–Philippines, a Christian women’s organization that shares the gospel in workplaces through evangelistic dinner events. These gatherings featured inspiring testimonies from personalities such as Enchang Kaimo, Miriam Quiambao, Kuh Ledesma, and Tirso Cruz III.

A Journey Beyond COVID

In 2022, Carol moved to the United States to join her husband, Joshua Veloso Pilapil, a retired Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Both already retired, they embraced a new mission: founding The Human Project Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to nurturing resilience and wholeness in future generations by balancing intellect (IQ) with emotional intelligence (EQ).

Their flagship program, Project 12, introduces a groundbreaking education framework that integrates EQ development into the K–12 curriculum as a core subject. Officially launched in 2024–2025, Project 12 now partners with 58 pilot schools, including all 43 public schools in Dumanjug, Cebu—impacting more than 36,000 students and training over 1,600 teachers.

Through The Human Project Foundation, Carol continues her lifelong calling: empowering others, nurturing empathy, and building a society where people feel heard, understood, and valued.

A Reflection on Her Journey

Looking back, Carol sees a common thread running through the many seasons of her life—as a student leader, television host, corporate executive, and now co-founder of The Human Project Foundation.

Each stage—whether marked by triumph or trial—was an opportunity to learn, grow, and serve. She believes that victories and setbacks are not opposites but partners that shape one’s character. The wins gave her confidence; the challenges gave her depth, empathy, and resilience.

For Carol, true success is no longer measured by recognition or titles, but by the lives she uplifts and the hope she helps ignite.

Today, together with her husband Joshua, she is devoted to raising a generation that is not only intelligent but also emotionally strong, compassionate, and grounded in values.

Her story reminds us that when faith, resilience, and purpose come together, life becomes a powerful platform for inspiring and serving others.

12 Years After the Bohol Earthquake: Comparing Two Great Quakes of the Visayas

2013 Bohol Quake

It has been twelve years since the violent 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Bohol on October 15, 2013, one of the most devastating disasters to hit Central Visayas in modern times.

The quake left more than 200 people dead, injured hundreds, and damaged over 70,000 homes. Historic churches, bridges, and roads collapsed. The impact extended beyond Bohol, Cebu also suffered casualties and heavy structural damage, proving that the tremor’s reach went far beyond one island.

Now 12 years after, another major earthquake shook the region, this time a magnitude 6.9 quake centered in Bogo, northern Cebu. Though slightly weaker, it caused significant destruction in Bogo, San Remigio, Medellin, and nearby towns, where over 70 lives were lost and thousands of homes were damaged. Yet unlike the Bohol tragedy, the casualties were mostly confined to a handful of northern Cebu towns, not across multiple provinces.

Interestingly, the Bogo quake revealed a surprising geological feature , an alarming number of sinkholes, especially in San Remigio where more than a hundred were discovered. In contrast, the Bohol earthquake was more known for the dramatic rise of the North Bohol Fault or “Great Wall of Bohol”, rather than sinkholes. This shows that while both disasters shared the same regional fault system, their surface effects were remarkably different.

The Bohol earthquake remains the more powerful and widespread of the two, claiming more lives, damaging heritage churches, and leaving a deep scar across Central Visayas. The Bogo quake, on the other hand, stands out for its localized devastation and unusual geological aftermath. Both serve as painful reminders that the Visayas lies along an active fault zone, and that preparedness remains the best defense against the earth’s next violent awakening.

A Diamond Life: Happy 75th Birthday, Pilar Pilapil

Last October 12, marked the 75th birthday of Pilar Pilapil, a name that gleams in the annals of Philippine cinema and beauty pageantry. Seventy-five years. A diamond milestone. And just like the gem, her life has been shaped by time, pressure, and fire , yet she continues to shine with quiet strength and unbreakable faith.

Born in Liloan, Cebu, Pilar grew up far from the glitter of the screen. Life was simple, sometimes harsh, but it was there she first learned resilience, a trait that would later define her. At just 17, she conquered the stage of Binibining Pilipinas, winning the Miss Universe Philippines 1967 crown. From that moment, the small-town Cebuana girl was thrust into a world of beauty, fame, and intrigue. The cameras loved her, and so did audiences.

Pilar Pilapil became one of the most respected actresses of her generation, starring in award-winning films and unforgettable dramas that spanned decades. But behind the glamour, she carried a quiet longing, for peace, for purpose, for something deeper than applause. In her own words, she was “The Woman Without a Face.” It was a metaphor for losing herself amid the fame and expectations. But through faith, she found healing.

In 1995, she became a born-again Christian, later founding the Pilar Pilapil Foundation, dedicated to helping abused women and children, those whose stories were once silenced, like hers almost was.

In 2011, the world gasped when she survived a brutal stabbing incident, left for dead in a dark field. But the woman who had already faced so many trials stood up again. She lived, forgave, and even returned to acting, a testament to her courage and faith.

Today, at 75, Pilar Pilapil is no longer the ingénue or the screen goddess, she is something rarer: a diamond woman. Tested, refined, and radiant. Her story is no longer just about beauty, but about survival, strength, and spiritual grace. Happy Diamond Birthday, Pilar Pilapil, may your light continue to inspire generations of women who dream, fall, and rise again.

How Android Phones Warned Some Cebuanos Seconds Before the Earthquake

When the magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Northern Cebu and parts of Leyte last night, many residents were caught off guard. Yet, some Cebuanos report something almost unbelievable: their Android phones buzzed with an alert just seconds before the ground shook. This has left many people asking, is it really possible for a phone to “predict” an earthquake?

Not Prediction, but Early Warning

Scientists emphasize: earthquakes cannot be predicted hours or days in advance. What phones do is different, they provide early warning.

Android smartphones come equipped with motion sensors called accelerometers, the same technology that makes your screen rotate when you tilt your phone. When an earthquake begins, even weak tremors are picked up by thousands of Android phones in the affected region.

These signals are instantly sent to Google’s servers. If enough phones detect shaking, the system confirms an earthquake and sends an alert to nearby Android phones.

Seismic waves travel slower than internet data, the warning can reach people seconds before the strongest shaking arrives.

In last night’s case, those precious seconds gave some residents time to duck under tables, move away from dangerous objects, or brace themselves.

Why Only Android Phones?

Google’s Android Earthquake Alerts System is built into Android devices (as far back as Android 5.0). That means practically any Android phone can serve as both a mini-seismometer and a warning device. iPhones, on the other hand, do not have a similar system.

While iPhone users can still receive alerts if local governments push them through telecom providers or apps, the phone itself does not detect and contribute data to a global early warning network.

Why Every Household Should Have One

Last night’s experience shows just how valuable this technology is. Even a few seconds’ warning can mean the difference between panic and preparedness.

Safety – You can drop, cover, and hold before the shaking intensifies.

Family protection – With one or two Android devices in a household, the chance of getting alerted increases.

Community contribution – Every Android phone in Cebu also helps Google’s network detect quakes faster and more accurately.

A Wake-Up Call

The reports from Cebuanos remind us that technology is now part of disaster preparedness. Earthquakes will always strike without notice , but with Android’s system, we at least get a fighting chance to prepare, even if it’s just a matter of seconds.

For households, the lesson is clear: it’s worth keeping at least one Android phone active and connected. When the ground starts to move, those seconds of warning could save lives.