MY PUERTO GALERA (Part 2)

(A story by Stiff – Proprietor at Loudhouse Music Enterprise, lead vocalist of Rizal Underground and a musical voyager to some of the most beautiful destinations of the World)

After the rockin’ nineties I took a break in the year 2000 from the music scene to raise two little darlings of my own, SOFIA & STEPHANIE – call it a life changing moment. On holidays, we frequented ENCENADA BEACH RESORT, situated in an isolated cove and a place of serenity operated by good friends LOLOY FUENTEBELLA and wife CRISTY FUENTEBELLA. There, the kids met their gorgeous granddaughter, ANGEL and a bond was formed.

Home to the PUERTO GALERA REGGAE FESTIVAL, an annual reggae concert party that always featured some of the country’s talented reggae artists – REGGAE MISTRESS, COFFEEBREAK ISLAND, HEMP REPUBLIC, FLIPPIN SOUL STOMPERS, KAPIS, PAPADOM & TROPICAL DEPRESSION & COCO JAM, regular mainstays in this campaign. Event production is difficult in

this island, as my past experience with the Fuentebella’s organizing the PUERTO GALERA SUMMER FESTIVALS, that prompted them to seek my help to provide the PA system and band equipment which became a frequent role for most of its 10 year stint.

Quite a remarkable campaign and I take my hats off to the indefatigable LOLOY, and the fruits of his labor can be seen with the many followers that have arisen in those 10 years. I’ve only been part of 5 of those and the most memorable one was an adventure with my little girls in 2012. From small things it began in 2002 and we’ve been back every year, to this Encenada family.

In one of my visits in 2008; a 49-foot catamaran was docked in front of the resort next door that was DOLPHINBAY BEACHFRONT & DIVE RESORT. A magnetic force seemed to drag me to it since I’ve not, in my then 40 plus years of existence, had the chance to hop on a yacht for heaven’s sake. I form a bond with the resort owner and weeks later, I received an invitation to manage this budding property. Inexperienced in the hospitality business, I quickly learned from the Fuentebella’s, the art of accommodation and public relations. In one of my biggest undertakings, I organized the inauguration party, attended by media and dignitaries to promote the resort. It was just a short stint but nevertheless memorable.

Also during this time, I was a neighbor to Pinoy Rock guitar icon JUN LOPITO, a happy resident at KALAW’S PLACE and we had frequent gigs together for special events - occasionally at ENCENADA & COCO AROMA, a popular resort located in the shores of WHITE BEACH, owned by JOEL & CORADE VEYRA, former partners in crime during the PUERTO GALERA SUMMER FESTIVALS back in the nineties.

But this second coming became really special because of the bonds that were formed, united by the attraction of the Reggae Festival – reaffirmation of new and old friendships. Regularly attended by the usual suspects, stakeholders, neighbors and residents such as JING MASILUNGAN, DANG AXALAN, ODIAXALAN and the rest of the Puerto Galera family, now home to a new breed of musicians like TURTLE CLUB, MELLOW SUBMARINE, DJ JAPOY, etc.., who were featured at the “locals night” of the 2014 edition of the MALASIMBO MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL.

  

After that short stint in DOLPHINBAY, I tried my luck elsewhere. I got very lucky, in 2010, moving to Boracay for greener pastures. But in February of 2012, while still working in Boracay, I made a trip to Puerto Galera for the 2^nd edition of the MALASIMBO with my favorite host GENE DELA CRUZ. It was my first return after a couple of years and this was the perfect time to do that, meeting up with old mates & be amazed with the stunning venue & great performances.

That following May, I took another weekend off to revisit the 9^th edition of the Puerto Galera Music Festival with my kids in tow for the adventure. We took the sea and land route via RORO, Caticlan-Roxas port and land arrangement all the way to ENCENADA. It was memorable for us as a unit because we spent the whole day travelling, looking forward to seeing old friends and watching the concert that same evening at OUR PUERTO GALERA.

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