CARLA BIANCA RAVANES-HIGHAM

Gail Bantiling grew up making spaces beautiful. As a child, her father, Jose, an engineer and now president of nearly 30-year-old company Trends and Concepts, encouraged her to pick out colors and flower arrangements that later on introduced her to the world of interior design.

Growing up in construction through the family business mixed with her passion for arts and interiors has developed a multi-faceted interior designer in Gail. She has become a unique mix of creativity and management.

As head of Design and Construction Management for the family business, she has successfully combined managing a business while remaining creative.

When asked how she is able to fuse the two, Gail said, “The role of a creative is to think outside of the box. In our industry we are often the rebels – we find meaning to break the rules and joy in coloring an apple yellow just because. As a manager, you are in charge of setting objectives, establishing systems to measure development – which is the exact opposite. It was an obvious challenge for me but what helped me was transforming that responsibility into a leadership role.”

Creative manager Gail Bantiling

Reflecting on the culture of Trends and Concepts, she shared, “In our company, we hate calling our higher ranks, ‘managers.’ Instead, we focus on leaders and teams.”

As a leader, she allows herself to listen to the voices of her team members, she doesn’t simply bark orders but rather encourages collaboration within her groups.

“I ask them what they think. Whatever choice we make, whatever the outcome, I always tell them to deposit it in their bank of learnings and practice sharing the experience with their teammates,” she said.

“It took awhile to couple both responsibilities but maybe if you are doing something you are really passionate about you try to work around these challenges and above all make sure you deliver to your responsibilities and still you have all the freedom in the world to paint oranges to pink. Because, why not?” she reflected.

Accordingly, the process of designing someone’s personal space is not intimidating to her at all and she, along with her team, takes it as a positive challenge.

At home in the family business

“Whatever we do we take it all as an exciting challenge. We start by listening to our clients’ vision, exchange ideas with the whole team and translate them all into unique spaces. I never look at it as intimidating rather, an exciting opportunity for me. To be able to brainstorm ideas with your client, share all the creative juices in your mind and more so, turn the vision into a reality. It sounds to me more like fulfillment.”

When asked what is the most fulfilling part of the job, Gail answered with a smile of a fulfilled woman.

“More than happy clients, it’s the fulfillment you get from seeing your team grow and love the responsibility as much as you do. It’s when they do things because they understand the value out of it and you see them work so hard because they are happy where they are. Happy employees mean happy clients, which means more opportunities for the company!” she ended.

The post Gail Bantiling forges her own path appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Once again, Manila FAME – the country’s premier lifestyle and design trade event – stands as a collective of creative enterprises. The 67th edition, slated on April 19 to 21 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, is set to a curated show built upon the intertwine of Philippine culture, design excellence, and export promotions.

Contemporary furniture and home decors are showcased at the Artisan’s village

Versatile artisanal products attuned for the modern setting from the country’s top home, fashion, holiday, and gifts designers and manufacturers take the centerstage in this event organized by Center for International Trade Exhibitions and Missions (CITEM).

More than 1,200 products were launched during the October 2017 show and CITEM aims to increase the number of new products in the April edition through multiple product development programs.

“CITEM seeks to further elevate the marketability of local crafts to cement the Philippines as a premier sourcing destination for lifestyle and design products,” CITEM deputy executive director Ma. Lourdes Mediran said.

“Working together with some of the country’s best designers and other government agencies, we provide support to our micro, small, and medium enterprises [MSMEs] to stand in the international market through incorporating local traditional materials and techniques with contemporary design aesthetics,” she added.

A number of show features from the 66th edition will return, including the highly praised Design Commune: Patterns and Palettes and the GREAT Women Project 2.

Showcasing contemporary furniture, home decors, and fashion pieces, the Artisans Village, meanwhile, has stood as a platform for MSMEs to introduce their products to global audiences.

Manila FAME is a platform for MSMEs to introduce their products to global audiences

Manila Wear, on the other hand, will collocate the Philippines top and most promising designers. The special setting aims to promote the country as an advocate of individualized and personal style of fashion.

Multi-awarded and internationally acclaimed designer Tony Gonzales will serve as the creative director for Manila FAME and lead for its product development programs.

“Through these program, we look to nurture and further hone the crafts of our design talents. We want to support the sustainability of our grassroot communities and push forward the design imprint of our country,” said Mediran.

The post Philippine culture, design excellence merge at 67th Manila FAME appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

COVER IMAGES PROVIDED BY THE TOURISM BUREAU, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS, ROC

From a manufacturing and electronic equipment-producing economy, the vibrant Republic of China (Taiwan) has emerged as a major player in global affairs, especially among its Southeast Asian neighbors.

As expressed by Representative of Taiwan, ROC to the Philippines Gary Song-Huann Lin, culture is an important instrument of diplomacy in this day and age.

President Tsai Ing-wen is Taiwan’s first female head of state AFP FILE PHOTO

“Cultural diplomacy is not limited to only art, music, dance, literature, but [also]the soul and breath of a nation like the traditions, language, cuisine, costumes, way of life, customs and beliefs, which, in general, make a people and a nation,” he told The Sunday Times Magazine during a brief visit to his office in Manila.

Through culture, according to him, humans transcend political rivalries, military conflicts and various challenges.

It is exactly in this context that President Tsai Ing-wen saw the exigency of Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy,” which reaches out to other countries in the Asia Pacific region, including the Philippines, placing tremendous weight on the “advancement of cultural diplomacy as a form of soft power.”

PH, first of priority partners

Taiwan extends food production, agriculture, health care, shelter, education, emergency response, transportation, technology, tourism, job placement, finance and infrastructure—areas that make up soft power—to 18 priority economies in Asia and the Pacific, with six countries identified as both recipients and partners of its New Southbound Policy.

With its proximity to the Luzon peninsula, the Philippines became the first country to sign a renewed bilateral agreement with Taiwan that, according to Lin, “puts in place mechanisms that make investments more transparent and the treatment of investors fairer, including provisions on how investors can seek government assistance when they run into trouble.”

Tea-leaf picking at Wenshan District in Taipei

While the investment deal signed in 1992 only covered the manufacturing sector, the agreement signed on December 7, 2017 in Manila has expanded the scope of bilateral investment to include the financial sector, infrastructure and intellectual property.

Six other deals were also signed as part of ministerial trade and economic consultations including Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on green or renewable energy, insurance industry supervision and professional training.

Taiwanese Vice Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua, who witnessed the signing between Lin and his counterpart Manila Economic Cooperative Office (MECO) representative in Taipei, Angelito Banayo, expressed how the renewed agreement with the Philippines “will inspire other Southeast Asian countries to [follow suit and]renew their investment agreements with Taiwan.”

Penghu National Scenic Area

Taiwan is aware of the Philippines’ possibility as “important gateway” to expand into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The remaining priority countries in the New Southbound Policy are Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and India.

Warmer diplomatic and cultural relations

On September 5, 2016, barely four months into office, President Tsai Ing-wen launched the New Southbound Policy “to aid in promoting regional exchange and collaboration with the 10 members of Asean and countries in South Asia like India, and Pacific heavyweights Australia and New Zealand.”

The people-centered agenda cater to four fronts: trade cooperation, talent exchanges, sharing resources and regional links. It was an update of the Go South Policy enacted by President Teng-hui Lee in 1994.

From January 28 to February 2, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a group of journalists from Southeast Asia to show how the New Southbound Policy works and affects workers, investors, immigrants, students and tourists from said countries.

Prospect Foundation officials with the Southeast Asian Press Group accompanied by Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative Ned Chou (extreme right) PHOTO COURTESY OF LAI THUY HA

Two came from Indonesia and one each from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines, represented by The Sunday Times Magazine. The six-day familiarization tour turned out to be an excellent venue for cultural and diplomatic exchanges among the participants and Taiwan’s government agencies strongly tied to the New Southbound Policy.

According to various local and national government, the New Southbound Policy goes beyond government level. They said leadership and involvement of civil society is crucial for the success of the agenda, like non-government organizations (NGOs) concerned with Southeast Asian migrant workers. In fact, an official of the National Immigration Agency told The Sunday Times Magazine that they assist even those who entered Taiwan illegally since they could well be victims of unscrupulous recruitment agencies in their homelands.

Assimilation

Of the almost 700,000 migrant workers in Taiwan, Indonesians constitute the biggest group, numbering more than 250,000; followed by Vietnamese at almost 200,000; and then Filipinos at around 150,000, mostly employed in the manufacturing and domestic sectors.

At the forefront of helping migrant workers is One-Forty Foundation, underscored as the bridge between Southeast Asian migrant workers and Taiwanese employers.

Their main objective is for migrant workers to think about their future and what they can do to help make life in

Taiwan better, according to an official of the immigration agency. This includes helping them to learn Mandarin, adapt to their new environment and update their skills in their field. It is also a platform where fellow migrants can share experiences with one another, especially from those of the same nationality.

Think tank Prospect Foundation, meanwhile, headed by I-Chung Lai, said that they have been coordinating with research and development centers in academic institutions in all priority Asean countries, including Brunei.

And while there is no direct financial assistance funnelled through partner agencies, Southeast Asian nationals are encouraged to study in Taiwan, particularly those who want to pursue doctorate and masteral as their universities have many scholarship slots available for qualified individuals.

Social integration

The Taiwanese government and its general citizenship have embraced the reality that Southeast Asians have long become an important part of their society—building families with Taiwanese partners, contributing to fiscal and economic growth and increasing the flow of human and intellectual wealth in the region.

This vibrant inter-cultural atmosphere is exemplified in areas like the Huaxin Street in New Taipei City where third generation mainlander origin returnees from Myanmar have resettled; the Indonesian neighborhood within the vicinity of the Taipei railway station; and the weekend Filipino Town (like the Chater Road in Hong Kong’s Central District) around St. Christopher’s Church in Zhongshan District in Taipei City. Thai Buddhist monks are also seen lounging around the capital city’s iconic landmark, Taipei 101.

As two Taiwanese academicians noted, these Southeast Asian communities have developed distinct cultural and economic characteristics and reshaped the human landscape of Taipei.

Taiwan Representative to the Philippines Gary Song-Huann Lin THE MANILA TIMES FILE PHOTO

“The two-way exchanges between Taiwan and Southeast Asia have thus changed the street scene in the cities and are in the process of gradually shaping new collective identity. This is a community consciousness that brings together immigrant life and culture at both local and regional levels,” Alan Yan and Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao shared with The Sunday Times Magazine. Their statement is lifted from their published treatise in the NBR – The National Bureau of Asian Research – titled “Repositioning Taiwan in Southeast Asia: Strategies to Enhance People-to-People Connectivity.”

“In the near future, it is conceivable that there will be more than a million ethnic Southeast Asians who have put down roots in Taiwan. The country will no longer be a lonesome Asian offshore isle but instead become part of the ASEAN Community as a contributing stakeholder based in solid partnership and further regional integration,” they added.

They further highlighted that the timely launch of the New Southbound Policy not only underlines the soft connectivity between Taiwan and Southeast Asia but also strengthens the partnerships between Taiwan and the region.

Common history

Taiwan’s ties with Southeast Asia predate the now familiar notion of sovereign nation states and their territorial boundaries, going back to the history of Taiwan’s aboriginal peoples.

The languages of Formosa (the name of the island given by Portuguese explorers and colonizers in the 1500s) which Taiwan aborigines speak are a part of the Austronesia language family, with influences from Southeast Asian tongues like Tagalog and Malay.

Scholars attribute this spread of languages and cultures to migration through the maritime routes linking Taiwan to various parts of Southeast Asia, starting with Luzon, which is just across the Bashi Channel from southern Taiwan.

* * *

Trial visa-free entry for Filipino passport holders

Along with the New Southbound Policy, the Taiwanese government also eased the requirements for Filipinos travelling to their shores.

Its approval by Premier Lai Ching-te was announced in late September 2017 by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Director General Winston Chen.

Filipino passport holders entering Taiwan can enjoy a free entry visa for a maximum of 14 days (much like Hong Kong) from November 1, 2017 until July 31, 2018.

It was, according to Chen, “to promote people-to-people, tourism and commercial exchanges between Taiwan and the Philippines.”

Prior to this, Filipinos could apply for the e-visa (online visa) that covers a duration of up to 30 days and valid for three months upon approval. The government also eased visa-free requirements for Filipinos who already possessed a resident card or visa for Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, any of the Schengen countries, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Both Chen and TECO in Manila expressed that the Taiwanese government hopes the Philippines will also grant their people visa-free privileges “based on reciprocity.”

Gearing toward tourism with the visa-free privilege, Taiwan is reportedly anticipating around NT$10 billion (P14 billion) from Filipino tourists this year. Department of Tourism data likewise shows that Taiwan ranks as the sixth largest visitor market in the country during the first semester in 2017.

The privilege is good for tourism, business, visitation and attending functions and events. Diplomatic and official passport holders are not eligible, and those intending to stay in Taiwan more than 14 days still need to acquire an appropriate visa, TECO said.

The requirements for a Philippine passport holder to enter Taiwan visa-free are as follows:

• Regular passport with remaining validity of at least six months from date of entry.

• Return ticket for the traveller’s next desti­na­tion, and visa for that destination if required.

• No criminal record in Taiwan.

• Proof of accommodation (hotel) booking or host/sponsor’s contact information, details of the tour or travel itinerary, or of the event or meeting.

* * *

Main tourist attractions

According to the 2018 Index of Economic Freedom released on February 2 by the Washington-based think tank The Heritage Foundation, Taiwan ranks 13th in the list among 186 countries and territories. It is also fifth among 43 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific, behind Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

And as Taiwan shifts from a manufacturing hub to a tourism destination with its many inviting spots for the whole world to see—it is worth to note some of the must-visit sites of this highly industrialized realm in the Asia-Pacific region.

Figures show that between January and August 2017, more than 1.5 million Taiwanese visited Southeast Asia while 1.3 million tourists from the Asean region visited Taiwan, an increase of 38 percent over the same period in 2016.

Sun Moon Lake Lalu Island

Taipei 101. Formerly called Taipei World Financial Center, this skyscraper was officially classified as the world’s tallest building in 2004 until the completion of Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. It still holds the record of having one of the fastest elevators in the world taking only 37 seconds to travel from the fifth floor to the 89th floor. It is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes, with the apparatus on the 88th floor an attraction by itself.

Sun Moon Lake. This is the largest inland body of water in Taiwan located at the foothills of Central Mountain Range in Nantou. Its east side resembles the sun while the west side resembles the moon, hence the name.

Surrounding the lake are numerous trails for hiking. With the majestic Wen Wu Temple, many people consider the site and its surrounding countryside as the most beautiful place in Taiwan.

Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village is a place to observe Taiwanese traditional tribal style and aboriginal traditions. It is also a theme park, equipped with modern rides like the suspended roller coaster, free-fall ride, log flume ride, water coaster and cable car. Adding beauty to the village are cherry blossoms that flower between February and March, with a festival held annually since 2001.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. This was erected in memory of Taiwan’s revered leader of 25 years. Both a landmark and a tourist attraction, the monument is surrounded by a park with the Liberty Square on the east end, the National Theater on the north and National Concert Hall on the south.

Cable cars at Formosa Aboriginal Cultural Village

National Taiwan Museum. With a collection of 10,000 items, it was set up by the colonial government of Japan in 1908, first as Taiwan Governor Museum. The museum was designed by Japanese architect Ichiro Momura and Eiichi Araki carried out by Takaishi Group with a Greek temple façade and Pantheon-like vaulted ceiling. Walls are comprised of columns, with the windows built in Renaissance style.

National Palace Museum. Containing permanent collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks, it encompasses 8,000 years of history from the Neolithic age to modern China. Most of the collections are high quality pieces of China’s emperors, notably from the Ming and Qing dynasties, sharing roots with the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City in Beijing.

* * *

Fast facts and figures

Popular name: Taiwan

Official name: Republic of China (recognized by 21 member-countries of the United Nations and the Vatican City)
Former name: Formosa

Capital : Taipei

Official language: Mandarin

Currency : New Taiwan Dollar (NT$1 is equivalent to P1.70)

Area : 36,193 square kilometers, bigger than Belgium and smaller than Switzerland.
Population : 23 million, with low 0.9 percent birth rate

Ministry of Transportation and Communications officials pose with the Southeast Asian Press Group after the forum

Mode of transportation: Cars, buses and taxis (left-hand drive), bullet train (taking only 40 minutes to travel a 170-kilometer stretch), MRT. Biking is also popular, with bicycle paths as part of government infrastructure program
Form of government: Democracy

* * *

Points of interest

Besides the capital city of Taipei, another major destination is Taichung, a major economic and cultural hub in central Taiwan, with its many industrial and manufacturing plants. It is home to the National Museum of Natural Science and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts and host to the 2018 World Flora Exposition happening in November until April 2019.

Taiwan prides itself in having an efficient MRT system

Taoyuan is the technological center with its many industrial parks and technological company headquarters,
Taiwan’s largest airport, and the Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency (ASVDA).

Kaohsiung is the industrial center of southern Taiwan complete with its own subway system. It was the host city of the 2009 World Games and home to the Republic of China Navy fleet and academy.

Jiufen is formerly a gold mining colony in the northeastern part of Taiwan, retaining the sights and structures of Japanese architecture and business atmosphere.

* * *

‘Best food in the world’

In a CNN International survey, Taiwan tops all other places as having the “best food in the world,” scoring 8,242 votes in the online survey. At far second is the Philippines, garnering 1,528 votes, followed by Italy then Thailand. Japan is at fifth, then Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Greece and Vietnam.

Cuisine is a major tourist attraction

Taiwan has a simple culinary philosophy that goes, “Eat often and eat well.” This was cited by survey respondents as one of the reasons why they voted Taiwan as number one.

The amazing blend of Min Nan, Teochew and Hokkien Chinese cuisine along with Japanese cooking could be the reason for their palatable treats.

Tainan, the oldest city, is Taiwan’s food capital, with Taipei boasting around 20 streets dedicated to snacking alone.

A comment that resonates with foodies is that every time one thinks he’s “found the best street side bao, the most incredible stinky tofu or the mind-blowing noodle soup, there’s always another Taiwanese food shop that surpasses it.”

While most Asians serve rice at the beginning of a meal along with dishes that go with it, the Taiwanese have reversed it, serving rice toward the end of the meal instead, before dessert.

“It’s to fill one up if the early servings did not bring satisfaction to the tummy,” explained a Taiwanese national to The Sunday Times Magzine.

Besides delicious food, Taiwan is also the center of Mandarin pop music culture.

* * *

Filipino sand artist wows Taiwan media

Two years ago, the Taiwanese media discovered that a Filipino factory worker in a semiconductor company is also a gifted sand artist.

Mario Subeldia with one of his works

Mario Rafa Subeldia of Lucena City, who was 29 years old then, has since performed in year-end parties, concerts, TV shows and even invited as motivational speaker in various events not only in Hsinchu City where he is based but also in Taipei and adjoining places.

Subeldia has been working there for seven years and is just completing the needed documents so he can shift careers as a teacher. He holds a Bachelor of Arts major in Public Administration from the Southern Luzon State University in Lucena City.

In January last year, he formed a group called AFACE (Arts and Fashion: A Charity Event). In coordination with the Gomaji Foundation in Taiwan, beneficiaries of their fundraising events include the Sinag Kalinga Home for the Aged in Lucban, Quezon; Lucena City indigenous people and street kids; Barangay Silangan, Mayao, Lucena City Day Care Center; and Duterte’s Kitchen, Lucena City branch.

“I help my co-OFWs who have the potential as models, artists and photographers to build their confidence and show their skills in Taiwan. This is in line with the organization’s vision and mission which is to share Filipino talents, skills and culture to the Taiwanese population,” he told The Sunday Times Magazine in a phone interview while en route to Taichung.

For the AFACE Next Top Model search for ambassadors culminating on March 18 at Hsinchu Big City, artworks of Filipino artists will be showcased with the collaboration of Marikina-based Casa De Moda designer James Paul. Proceeds will be turned over to Lucena City Social Welfare Development Office for the benefit of the Girl Crisis Center and the Reception and Action Center for Boys.

The National Immigration Agency informed The Sunday Times Magazine during the visit that there are Filipinos in the business and education sectors too.

The post Taiwan reaches out to Southeast Asia appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

When inside a time dilation box, one has time to think. Or at least one can do as much thinking as possible while surrounded by, more often than not, busy construction equipment. From inside, the rest of the world virtually ceases to move. Inside, people like Greg fix gigantic potholes until he can say that all is well, sorry for the brief inconvenience, have a pleasant day in Central Manila.

Every month, there are, on average, six boxes on the streets of CM. Most of them contain automs doing routine maintenance. Assess the magnetics here, restore the repellants there. About four times a year, due to some major accident (or the rare terrorist attack), there is a box with a living, breathing, food-consuming person inside. Who usually has integrated engineering training. Who hates getting up on Mondays. Who generally hates working in boxes. Like Greg.

IMAGE BY GERD ALTMANN VIA PIXABAY

Last March, it was some reckless trillionnaire’s son on a vintage air hovercraft, which accelerated uncontrollably until it crashed, leaving a crater in the superconducting concrete. Greg had to supervise automs inside a box for eight hours—40 seconds in normal time—before that street became fully hoverable again. This time, it was—surprise, surprise—another mall Santa Claus who didn’t check if all his autom reindeers were perfectly synchronized. Hoof entanglement led to a spectacular sleigh crash. A Merry Christmas, indeed.

As soon as the crash site was clear, Greg went to work. Aboard Ministry of Public Works Service Flyer CM-200, he went through the motions. First, project the holo-signs: “DETOUR”; “PLEASE BEAR WITH US FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 SECONDS WHILE WE ADDRESS THIS UNFORTUNATE TURN OF EVENTS.” Next, deploy the anti-tachyon field projectors. Make sure to encompass the entire affected area. When all the projectors are floating in their proper places, start core module descent while starting the dilation box formation countdown. If all goes well, the transparent anti-tachyon field will be humming before the core module even hits the street.

All went well. Greg took a moment before he started to twist circles and swipe up switches. Save for the wrecker carrying the remains of Santa’s inferno in the distance, two delivery trucks about a kilometer away, and a messenger drone off to probably break a young man’s heart on Christmas Eve, the street Greg was on was rather empty. (There were probably surveillance bats, but if he could detect them, they weren’t functioning properly). It made sense; a third of CM’s population was vacationing off-planet, another third on-planet, and the last third staying at home to listen to Dearest Leader’s Christmas message.

Suddenly, Greg remembered that he had a solo organic chicken bucket feast scheduled to arrive on his doorstep in 20 minutes, normal time. Musings on the emptiness of existence being amplified in a space where time flows faster than virtually anywhere else on Earth had to wait.

Double-tapping a succession of check boxes, Greg certified that the pothole filler was the right mix. Someone had to held liable if the mix wasn’t right. He dreaded what usually follows—the sheer boredom of closely monitoring the automs to make sure they didn’t screw up. But as soon as he commanded the filler automs to follow their programming, he noticed her, jogging across the street, six lanes away.

He wore his zoom lenses to have a better look at her. She was, of course, from his perspective, almost completely still. She was nevertheless obviously jogging, probably trying to shave off a few kilos before having a solo organic chicken bucket feast later that night. She had on a tank top, cycling shorts, rubber shoes, and all the fitness wearables on the market. Her eyes were closed—probably in the process of blinking. A bead of sweat was about to trickle down her left cheek from beside the corner of her eye. She was, thought Greg, rather pretty.

Maybe, he thought, when he’s off-duty—in about two minutes, normal time—he could catch up with her. Maybe she’d talk to him. Maybe he could arrange for them to literally run into each other. Maybe, while jogging next to each other, they could talk about how much older he feels than everyone his age, even if he’s only temporally cut off from everyone a few hours at a time. Maybe she would listen.

Ah, who am I kidding, thought Greg after a quick quality check on the fillers’ work before deploying the pavers.

The only people with whom he had a reasonable chance of connecting with were his co-workers. Everyone else thinks people in their line of work talk faster (or weirder) than most people. Two of his fellow box people were in an exclusive relationship, while the other four were in a rotational one. Ardi, who had been working in boxes decades before the others, mostly kept to himself.

There was that one time, after he got drunk during the Ministry of Public Works’ bicentennial party, when Ardi felt it was absolutely necessary to tell Greg: “Greg-I-know-we-know-what-the-afterlife’s-like; we-become-stuck-in-a-particular-point-in-spacetime; everything-moves-away; but-you’re-left-where-you-die!”

“You’re a funny guy!” a near-intoxicated Greg half-shouted in reply.

As the tester automs started streaming their analyses, Greg decided to admire the jogger for a few more minutes.

From inside the box, he saw that she had moved forward a bit, and the bead of sweat he saw earlier was already halfway down her cheek. He could see her eyes now; of course, she was wearing SenseLenses® (“Way’s all clear with SenseLenses®!”). They were light green; they complemented her cyan hair.

At that point in box time, Greg, at last, noticed him.

He was standing behind a power pylon, about 14 meters behind the jogger. He was clad in black. He had zoom lenses on. He was aiming a gun.

A jilted lover, maybe? A stalker? A state enforcer? Whoever he was, he was smiling; he had a clear shot at the jogger—his gun’s targeting laser was pointed at the back of her head—and he was taking it.

Greg felt helpless. By the time he shuts off the field, the gunman would have pulled the trigger; the photon bullet would have gone through the jogger in nanoseconds. He could shut down the field, then shout as loud as he could—or honk his flyer’s horn—perhaps, distracting the gunman until Greg could sic his automs at him. But that could also force the gunman to shoot quicker.

Maybe my emergency contact could help, thought Greg. Since he didn’t think he would be doing more than a routine post-crash patch-up, he hadn’t bothered to check who was on-call in his box’s counterpart dilation chamber at the ministry, so he felt very disappointed when he found out that that person was Ardi.
“Problem-Greg?”

“Hi Ardi. How’s your Christmas Eve so far?”

“Absolutely-nothing-atypical-before-you-contacted-yours-truly.”

“Listen, I have a situation here.” Greg described the scene as best he could without sounding like he was a little smitten, or like he wanted to interfere with what was possibly a state-sanctioned killing. When he capped off his little narrative with “Any advice?” the gunman had already started squeezing his gun’s trigger.

“Give-me-a-minute-Greg.” Ardi lowered his chamber’s anti-tachyon pulse rate a bit, making time flow there a bit slower than in Greg’s box.

“Greg, listen to me very carefully.” Greg was all ears. It was hard not to be; Ardi sounded like a deep-voiced nature documentary narrator, only a little jittery. “There is absolutely nothing you can do.”

Greg expected that answer. Ardi was known to make sense sometimes. After a deep sigh, Greg was ready to say thanks to his emergency contact, curse him, and hang up. Then he was ready to watch the pretty jogger for as long as she lived, which for him was the next 24 minutes, and for her, the next two seconds. But Ardi wasn’t done talking.

“Did I ever tell you about the time I was in a dilation chamber for 15 days?”

“Fifteen days? What are you talking about, Ardi? Nobody’s been in a box that long.”

“Oh, of course you don’t know. That was the 20th test on the sixth prototype, I think. All still under wraps. Anyway, I think that’s the record. You know why?”

“No, Ardi, I don’t. Tell me when your story becomes useful to me.”

“Oh, it probably isn’t. Or maybe it is. Anyway, I actually had sufficient provisions to keep me alive in the chamber for about 30 days. They had to let me out by Day 15 because—oh, I’m so sure!—they saw—they felt—that I was changing. Nothing atypical was happening to my body, but my mind—for the first time, I felt that my mind could stay where it was forever, outside of time, even after my body had died.”

Greg just about had it. “Goodbye, Ardi.”

“Wait!” Ardi overrode all of Greg’s controls using his emergency contact privileges. “I haven’t finished my story, Greg!”

Stuck between watching a photon bullet ever so slowly pierce through the jogger’s skull and listening to a madman, Greg believed that he must have done something in the last few days to greatly offend the Lord Who Appointed Dearest Leader, such that he had no choice but to endure one (or both) of the two tortures. That, or kill himself.

“Where was I? Oh, right. I wasn’t sure all the doctrine about the transmigration of souls was true. All I knew was that if I wanted to, I could stay at one moment in spacetime where I would know eternity. I thought that if I made a few adjustments to the controls, I could make everything outside the chamber come to a complete stop. I could stay in my body in that moment, until my body had to go. Then, I would know immortality.”

Ardi had Greg’s full attention, but hardly due to the former’s spiritual awakening rubbing off on the latter.
“Were you able to make the adjustments you wanted?”

“No. My monitor cut me off from the controls when she figured out what I was doing. As soon as I was back in normal time, I told them everything I knew. You know what they thought? They told me I had neurological damage due to excessive exposure to anti-tachyons. They had me on all sorts of anti-psychotics before they decided that I was fit to work, and only as a damned automaton supervisor. No offense.”

“None taken. Listen, Ardi, I think you’ve made your point. I should let what’s about to happen happen. She’ll probably enter a realm of timeless existence anyway, right?”

“Yes. That probably was my point. I think. Right. Anyway, Greg, do you have any other concerns? I’d like to return to my chicken dinner. I have to take my medication.”

“I’m all set, Ardi. You can give me back the controls now.”

The two bade each other farewell. By the time Greg had the controls back, the photon bullet was a few
centimeters away from the jogger’s head.

Immediately, Greg overrode the anti-tachyon pulse limiter. For him, the flow of time outside started to become even slower, until, from his perspective, everything outside the box came to a complete stop. By then, the photon bullet was so close to the jogger’s scalp that it had scorched a bit of her dyed hair.

Greg then guided the pavers toward the limiter; with a few well-placed shots from the paving beams, he destroyed it.

As Greg expected, in an instant, he was now beyond Ardi’s control. Or anyone else’s, in both normal and box time.

He took out some soda crackers he had in his shirt pocket. He ate them slowly while looking at the completely frozen jogger, imagining himself offering her a piece. She’d refuse politely, of course, but he’d muster up the courage to ask for her national ID number. She’d hesitate, but sensing that he’s a decent guy—and in accordance with the Universal Information Disclosure Act—she’d give it to him. Then they would start talking over the national messaging service during socialization hours—even during work time, when they were feeling a bit brazen.

Exhausted, he then slept. The automs were in power-saving mode when he woke up, meaning that he was asleep for over 24 hours in normal box time.

He then took out the first of his emergency meals. He imagined he was on his second physical date with the jogger, who, he was sure, liked rehydrated pseudo-pork stew topped with chili pepper powder. (Didn’t all fitness buffs like that?) Having had his fill, he slept again. When he woke up, the automs’ batteries were completely discharged. He did neglect to charge them properly before he flew off that night. All those nights ago.

He finished the remaining emergency meals. When he was down to his last two boxes of chicken adobo with rice variant BBM-99, he finally saw that the jogger’s thumb was hitting the shuffle tab on her ring player. What music was she into, he thought. Jazz-Rock Fusion? New Grunge? Drug War Marches? The Revitalized National Anthem on loop?

Even if she was into hard-core Synthetic Nazi-Pop, they would probably still get along. After all, cyan was his profiler-certified favorite color. Green was his second favorite.

He imagined proposing to her while they were riding the Lunar Eye. She’d say yes after exactly one heartbeat. Dearest Leader would be at their wedding. He’d be so pleased. He’d probably make that joke he always makes about kings and prima nocta. Everybody would laugh, even Greg’s dissident cousin who was kindly given a furlough to attend the wedding.

He’d probably be promoted after that, Greg thought. He’d want to be; he can’t be a box man forever. He’d rather die than become like Ardi. Maybe they’ll make him a district supervisor. After all, counting both normal and box time, he would have been in service for about a decade by then. About time he became a fat-cat bureaucrat.

While watching Dearest Leader giving his Christmas message, they’d look back on that Christmas all those years ago when they first met, before their hair started to gray. Of course, she’d still dye her hair cyan, and maybe he’d dye his hair black, given that he has to meet with executives half his age from other countries regularly.

Would they have kids? Maybe, if the state says they’re fit for it. She obviously is. He’ll have to cut down on emergency meals—really bad for potency, his co-workers keep saying.

The thought of food made his stomach rumble. He didn’t remember the last time he ate. He felt an urge to move his hands toward his chest—he realized he was having terrible heartburn. He looked at his fingernails. They looked like they hadn’t been cut for two weeks; he smelled like he hadn’t taken a bath in four.
Dream-time’s over, thought Greg.

He knew that, unlike a dilation chamber connected to a fusion plant, a mobile box like he was in was bound to lose power. Specifically, the anti-tachyon pulse emitter would cease emitting, causing the box to dissipate. Greg would then find himself integrated back into normal spacetime. The jogger would be dead that very instant. The gunman would walk away, mission accomplished. Greg and Ardi would probably share the same psychiatrist, solidifying their emerging lifelong bond.

Greg would have none of that. He didn’t know if he was going to be immortal if he killed himself before the pulse emitter died. He was pretty sure of four things.

First, in theory, an anti-tachyon can knock a photon bullet off course. Second, if he could make the anti-tachyons surrounding him fly off, one of the faster-than-light particles would almost certainly hit the photon bullet before it penetrates the jogger’s skull. Third, he can make the anti-tachyons fly off by blowing up everything inside the box.

Fourth, blowing up everything inside the box will certainly kill him. His training—as well as the climax of the year’s highest grossing action film, Impossible Fighter 6—convinced him of the scientific soundness of these motions.

Maybe it was the anti-tachyons, or the molds growing on the emergency meal he didn’t refresh, but ate anyway. Whatever it was, Greg truly wanted to save the jogger, no matter what it took.

A few crossed wires here and there, some extracted batteries strategically placed, a heater rigged to overheat—in however long it took, he was set.

“BOOM!” went the heater.

Greg’s body was annihilated in half a second. But afterward, he felt like nothing happened. He felt. Whatever he was, he was exactly when and where Ardi believed he would be—at that moment in spacetime when he died.

He was able to move about in that moment freely. He was alone, at least in that temporal-physical space. But he knew, instinctively, that being beyond time, he had access to the vastness of infinity. He had full freedom; when and where he was, there were no more boxes.

For a while, however, he very much liked staying exactly in the moment he was occupying.

After Greg’s transition, after his body disintegrated, after the photon bullet was knocked off, seconds before the gunman took aim again, the jogger looked at the wrecked construction equipment. She knew that people were
sometimes inside boxes. The look on her face was one of surprise giving way to genuine concern.

When he first saw her after he became so much more than Greg, disgruntled Ministry of Public Works employee, he believed that he could stare at her face, with those eyes searching for contact, for all eternity. He couldn’t hold her—whatever he was, he didn’t have skin, let alone hands—but he could peer through her lenses. Through her dark brown eyes. Into the trapped being within, waiting for her liberation.

For a length of time knowable only to man transformed, Greg stayed in that space, before he finally succumbed to infinity’s summons.

The post Somewhere in Central Manila, for Under a Minute on Christmas Eve appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Winning one Best Actress award after another, including a Yakushi Pearl Award in the 2017 Osaka Film Festival, Iza Calzado has bagged yet another recognition for her exceptional performance in the movie “Bliss.” This time, the dramatic actress received the accolade from no less than the prestigious National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)’s Ani ng Dangal Awards.

Iza Calzado wins anew for her role in ‘Bliss’

“Masarap mapansin sa ibang bansa ngunit walang kasing-tamis ang mabigyan ng parangal sa sarili mong bayan [It is a nice feeling to be recognized abroad but nothing feels greater than getting recognition from your motherland],” the actress shared during her acceptance speech.

An annual event, the anticipated ceremony awarded 62 outstanding artists for 2018, chosen from six arts fields namely, Cinema, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Literary Arts, Music and Visual Arts. The awarding was held on February 26 at Ayuntamiento Building in Intramuros, Manila.

Organized by NCCA, led by its chairman and National Artist Virgilio Almario and, executive director Rico Pableo Jr., deputy executive director Marichu Tellano, and Commissioner for the Arts Teddy Co, the Ani ng Dangal (meaning, harvest of honors) Awards recognizes artists, cultural workers and works that have earned international awards and accolades during the past year.

Ani ng Dangal Awards was launched in 2009 and is given as honor and recognition to artists whose works and achievements have placed the Philippines among the best in the world.

The Visual Arts awardees with Almario, Executive Director Rico Pableo, Deputy Executive Director Marichu Tellano and Visual Arts Committee Head Egai Fernandez

For its 10th year, the award was given to 32 artists in cinema, 4 artists in dance, 2 in dramatic arts, 2 in literary arts, 8 artists in music, and 14 in visual arts.

Committee on Dance head Shirley Halili Cruz presents the awardees for her category

Ani ng Dangal Awards is one of the highlights of NCCA’s celebration of National Arts Month in February. The government cultural agency has lined up several events and activities throughout the month, happening all over the country.

Below are the complete list of awardees:

Cinema
• Ai-Ai Delas Alas, “Area”
• Allen Dizon, “Bomba”
• Ana Capri, “Laut”
• Angel Locsin, “Everything About Her”
• Angeli Nicole Sanoy, “Bomba”
• Hasmine Killip, “Pamilya Ordinaryo”
• Ronwaldo Martin, “Pamilya Ordinaryo”
• Ricky Davao, “Dayang Asu”
• Brillante Mendoza, director
• Lav Diaz, director
• Louie Ignacio, director
• Raymund Ribay Gutierrez, director
• Sheron Dayoc, director
• Gino Jose, director
• Bianca Balbuena, film producer
• Jona Ballaran, costume designer
• Lawrence Fajardo, editor
• “Contestant #4”
• “E. Del Mundo”
• “Fatima Marie Torres and The Invasion Of Space Shuttle Pinas 25”
• “Flip the Record”
• “Imago”
• “Maria”
• “Paglipay”
• “Pamilya Ordinaryo”
• “Pauwi Na”
• “Pitong Kabang Palay”
• “Saving Sally”
• “Sunday Beauty Queen”
• “Women of the Weeping River”
• “1st Sem”

Committee on Dramatic Arts head Rosanna Quesada-Palm presents the achievers for her category

Drama
• Halili-Cruz Dance Company
• Kristel De Catalina
• Power Impact Dancers Sirens
• Upeeps

Dramatic Arts
• Dulaang Filipino
• Gracielle So

Literary Arts
• Gina Apostol
• Luisa Igloria

Music
• Acapellago
• Cipriano de Guzman Jr.
• Darlin Joy Baje
• Imusicapella
• Phisix
• Roi Aldric Trawon
• University of Mindanao Chorale
• UPLB Choral Ensemble

The achievers for music with NCCA officials led by National Committee on Music head Mauricia Borromeo

Visual Arts
• Ainer Brean Padrigo
• Bernard Pasatiempo Recirdo 2nd
• Danilo Victoriano
• Donell Gumiran
• Edwin Loyola
• Jaime Sumugat Singlador
• Jophel Botero Ybiosa
• Jose Melencio Brillo
• Maria Angelica Tejada
• Maria Felicity Tejada
• Martha Atienza
• Baloize Art Prize
• Ramon Castillo
• Worth Lodriga

The post Iza Calzado tops Ani ng Dangal awardees appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

An Oscar statue is unveiled on the eve of the 90th Academy Awards Ceremony on March 3 in Hollywood, California. (AFP PHOTO)

A few years ago, #OscarSoWhite ruled conversations surrounding the Academy Awards and its failure to recognize more people of color in its acting categories. This year, that hashtag could well turn into #OscarSoBlack, not because those up for awards have become more diverse, but because that color may dominate the ceremony on Sunday night (Monday morning in Manila).

Expect more attendees, particularly women, to wear black—the color of choice for proponents of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, which emerged in the wake of the sexual harassment and sexual assault revelations rocking Hollywood since last year. Expect winners and presenters to be more vocal and more political than usual. Expect the unexpected.

It remains to be seen if the changes these movements have sparked would last. They very well could, judging by their quick mobilization and momentum. But what is not going to change is that Tinseltown would continue to celebrate its finest achievements of the previous year. The eight major categories below show just how fine they were.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominees: Call Me By Your Name, by James Ivory; The Disaster Artist, by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber; Logan, by Scott Frank and James Mangold and Michael Green; Molly’s Game, by Aaron Sorkin; Mudbound, by Virgil Williams and Dee Rees.

Most likely to win: Call Me By Your Name. For one, this lauded gay coming-of-age drama is the lone Best Picture contender in this category. It already earned key precursor prizes from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta). And the idea of honoring 89-year-old Ivory, director of the hypertasteful, Oscar-winning versions of E.M. Forster’s A Room with a View and Howards End, and his splendid adaptation of André Aciman’s 2007 novel may be too irresistible to voters.

Most likely to upset: Mudbound. Like Call Me By Your Name, this much-admired adaptation of Hillary Jordan’s 2008 book, about two families—one white, one black—in 1940s Mississippi, is also nominated in other categories. A win for filmmaker Rees and collaborator Williams would continue the success African-American screenwriters have enjoyed in this category since the beginning of this decade.

Best Original Screenplay
Nominees: The Big Sick, by Emily Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani; Get Out, by Jordan Peele; Lady Bird, by Greta Gerwig; The Shape of Water, by Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, by Martin McDonagh.

Most likely to win: Get Out. Of the three categories comedian-director Jordan Peele is nominated in, this is where he is most favored to win. It would be well-deserved; his acclaimed horror-satire on racism struck nerves across America and elsewhere in February last year. That he already picked up the WGA original-script prize boosts his already strong chances.

Most likely to upset: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Voters shocked by his exclusion from the Best Director race may hand Irish-British playwright and filmmaker McDonagh the Oscar as a consolation prize. It would certainly outshine the Golden Globe and Bafta awards he received for penning the provocative and profanity-filled black comedy.

Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Mary J. Blige, in Mudbound; Allison Janney, in I, Tonya; Lesley Manville, in Phantom Thread; Laurie Metcalf, in Lady Bird; and Octavia Spencer, in The Shape of Water.

Most likely to win: Janney. For her portrayal of LaVona Golden, the abusive and colorful stage mother of retired skater Tonya Harding, Janney has been winning awards left and right. The Golden Globe, Bafta, Screen Actors Guild (SAG)—she has them all. An Oscar would not only reward her “Golden” work in her movie, but also for being such a consistently solid and dependable performer in film and especially television.

Most likely to upset: Metcalf. If voters find Janney’s LaVona too much, then Metcalf’s Marion McPherson, the exasperated mother of a complicated high-school senior nicknamed “Lady Bird,” offers a more relatable alternative. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association, National Society of Film Critics (NSFC), and National Board of Review (NBR) think so, as the prizes they gave her proved. And an Oscar would be a swell addition to her three Emmys and one Tony.

Best Supporting Actor
Nominees: Willem Dafoe, in The Florida Project; Woody Harrelson, in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Richard Jenkins, in The Shape of Water; Christopher Plummer, in All the Money in the World; Sam Rockwell, in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Most likely to win: Rockwell. As a racist and violent cop who undergoes an unexpected transformation, Rockwell garnered much praise for lending humanity to and drawing sympathy for an essentially unsympathetic character. Like Janney, he nabbed all the industry’s key precursor awards. Like her, he is much respected in Tinseltown for his rock-like reliability.

Most likely to upset: Harrelson. On any other day, screen veteran Dafoe would be the alternate pick. After all, he received several critics’ prizes—from LA and New York, and from NSFC and NBR—for his turn as a protective motel manager in The Florida Project. But the voters’ apparent love for Three Billboards could propel Harrelson, another well-liked industry player who portrays Rockwell’s cancer-stricken boss, to the top and cop that Oscar.

Best Actress
Nominees: Sally Hawkins, in The Shape of Water; Frances McDormand, in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Margot Robbie, in I, Tonya; Saoirse Ronan, in Lady Bird; Meryl Streep, in The Post.

Most likely to win: McDormand. If most Oscar observers and insiders are to be believed, there is no way previous winner McDormand would be denied her second Academy Award. Her ferocious turn as a grieving mother outraged by the local police’s inaction over her daughter’s rape and murder has resonated with a lot of viewers. They included Golden Globe, SAG, and Bafta voters, who gave her their lead-actress prize. For some people, her unadorned, take-no-bulls*it onscreen and offscreen persona embodies the spirit of the #TimesUp movement.

Most likely to upset: Hawkins. There is general consensus that The Shape of Water would not be as great as it is without Hawkins’ luminous performance as a mute janitress at a secret US government facility who falls for the Amazonian fish man held there. No one will complain if she clinches the Oscar instead of McDormand; that’s how fantastic she is in the film.

Best Actor
Nominees: Timothée Chalamet, in Call Me By Your Name; Daniel Day-Lewis, in Phantom Thread; Daniel Kaluuya, in Get Out; Gary Oldman, in Darkest Hour; Denzel Washington, in Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Most likely to win: Oldman. Actors who physically transformed themselves or portrayed vivid real-life figures (or both) often get the Academy’s attention (and vote). Robert de Niro in Raging Bull, Day-Lewis in My Left Foot and now Oldman in Darkest Hour proved this. The Golden Globes, SAG, and Bafta already rewarded his sensational portrayal of the larger-than-life British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Oscar is expected to follow suit.

Most likely to upset: Chalamet. Among this year’s acting nominees, 22-year-old Chalamet has been making waves the most, not only onscreen, but also on the awards circuit. His captivating turn as a 17-year-old falling in love with his father’s research assistant earned him awards from the New York and LA critics, as well as nods from other award-giving groups. If voters somehow find Oldman’s Churchill too hammy for their tastes, then Chalamet is their guy.

Best Director
Nominees: Paul Thomas Anderson, for Phantom Thread; Greta Gerwig, for Lady Bird; Jordan Peele, for Get Out; Guillermo del Toro, for The Shape of Water; Christopher Nolan, for Dunkirk.

Most likely to win: Del Toro. By most accounts, Del Toro has this in the bag. After all, he has collected trophies from several critics’ groups, Golden Globes, Bafta and, most important, the Directors Guild of America. And he is widely respected in the industry. And wouldn’t it be cool for him to finally join his good friends, fellow Mexican helmers Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Iñarritu, in the Oscar-winning directors club?

Most likely to upset: Nolan. If Nolan somehow beats Del Toro in this particular race—and it’s possible, given how many viewers marveled at how he expertly marshaled his World War 2 drama’s technical elements—it would be partly seen as making up for this category’s previous snubbing of his widely praised efforts in Memento, The Dark Knight, and Inception.

Best Picture
Nominees: Call Me By Your Name; Darkest Hour; Dunkirk; Get Out; Lady Bird; Phantom Thread; The Post; The Shape of Water; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Most likely to win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Sure, its director was not nominated, but that didn’t stop Ben Affleck’s Argo from winning five years ago. Its clinching the top prize at the Golden Globes and Bafta, as well as the SAG’s best ensemble trophy, certainly boosts its chances.

But what really makes McDonagh’s film the favorite is that it is resonating with people in a way that most, if not all its competitors are not. And it is having a significant cultural impact in the US, as the three billboards blasting Sen. Marco Rubio in the wake of the Florida school massacre on Valentine’s Day recently proved.

Most likely to upset: The Shape of Water. The last couple of years have seen movies with the highest number of Oscar nominations losing the top prize. Keeping this is mind, the prospect of Del Toro’s enthralling fantasy-romance winning may not be that hot, but it can still surprise. That it earned a leading 13 nods shows broad support, and its winning the top award at the Producers Guild of America should help.

In a time we’re grappling with gods and monsters—figurative and otherwise—and how they treat each other, The Shape of Water reflects that in a profound way.

The 90th Annual Academy Awards will be aired on HBO Asia (SkyCable and Destiny Cable channel 54, Cignal TV channel 53, and Cablelink channel 46) starting at 7:30 a.m. on March 5.

The post #TimesUp for old Hollywood order appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

CARLA BIANCA RAVANES-HIGHAM

“God has made us for a reason, for a cause, and a purpose. A purpose is what we are made to do, the reason why we were created and the cause of our living. I believe that we were each born for some higher purpose and it’s our cosmic mission to find it.”

It is safe to say that Dr. Farrah Arsenia C. Agustin-Bunch is a woman with a passionate mission. A woman determined to make a difference in the world of medicine, she is a graduate of St. Louis University in Baguio City while completing her internship in China and Scotland and also completed a Holistic Health Practice from Natural Healing College in Los Angeles, California.

Her passion stems from a deep desire to go beyond a diagnosis to determine what is the cause of a disease, particularly cancer. To fulfill her purpose, Dr. Farrah, along with her father, the world-famous herbalist, Sir Antonio Agustin. The patriarch developed the first natural cancer treatment center in the Philippines in 2000 and together with Dr. Farrah, they later on developed The Dr. Farrah Method.

The method named after her is unique because of its different approach to treating cancer.

Farrah Agustin-Bunch with actor Gabby Concepcion

“In conventional medicine, the focus is the disease, in alternative medicine, the focus is the patient,” she said.

Dr. Farrah believes in a treatment called Integrative Medicine, an approach that combines conventional medicine with alternative interventions that help overcome and compensate for the abject failures of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Her method works to reach the cause of cancer by eliminating toxins eradicating both the cancer and the cause. Treatments are entirely tailored to the individual, as works closely with her patients to determine the best way to treat them.

The Dr. Farrah Method has made Dr. Farrah the leader in the field with 15 years of experience in integrative cancer treatments as well as introducing the word “immunopathy” to the world. The cornerstone of the treatment is Boston C, invented by Dr. Farrah herself, as well as other support system necessary for the patient.

The post Fighting cancer with the ‘Dr. Farrah Method’ appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Spirit of volunteerism enlivens Filipino culture and creativity

BEHIND the spectrum, one may find the specks of color that sustain its vibrancy. In this sense, the 8,000 volunteers who helped fuel the prestige of Baguio City’s Panagbenga Festival this year have proven that unity and goodwill are the foremost components of success.

What a dumpling! The big float category winner of Panabenga 2018

In the past years, the highlands of Northern Luzon have been used to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who trek up the City of Pines every February, the chosen month to pay tribute to Baguio City’s abundance of flowers and vegetation through the Panagbenga flower festival.

Although the globally renowned festival remains popular for its flower-themed float parade and street dancers clad in floral costumes, organizers also invite celebrities, athletes, and other personalities to grace the event to further enchant the crowd and ensure they come back again and again.

Scenes from the ever-colorful street dance competition that draws thousands to Baguio every year

Now on its 23rd year, the festival anchored its activities on the theme “Celebrating culture and creativity,” and successfully amassed an estimated 1.5 million tourists.

What makes the Panagbenga festival even more remarkable, however, is the number of people who yearly help city officials in keeping the celebration peaceful, without wanting anything in return. To be sure, ensuring an orderly celebration that is as big as the Panagbenga festival is grueling and labor-intensive for its devoted organizers

Participants and volunteers
According to Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, the 8,000 volunteers to this year’s Panagbenga were comprised of Girls and Boys Scouts, medical practitioners, criminology students, and other individuals from community-oriented civic groups. He noted that about 4,500 of them were deployed in strategic areas of the city to help the Baguio City Police Office control the crowd and guarantee the safety of visitors and participants.

The mayor also said that a thousand volunteers assigned to the environmental committee, which is further comprised of students from the three major universities in the Cordillera region: University of the Philippines-Baguio, University of the Cordilleras, and Saint Louis University.

Proud of how the young people of Baguio City embraced the Panagbenga, Domogan said, “The number of people, especially the young ones who volunteered, that truly inspires us. The feeling and honor that this is their festival and contribute what they can. As you can all see, this festival is a genuine government-community partnership,” he added.

Freddie Alquiros, co-chair of the Panagbenga Flower Festival, said various foundations and companies do their share for the volunteers by providing food on the day of the fiesta, among them the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. or BFFFI.

Alquiros clarified, however, that there are adequate funds for the activities of the festival as well as for those who undertake their respective tasks, owing to the overall appeal of the festival to its long-time supporters.

“Because of the status of Panagbenga now, it isn’t difficult to market [the event]to sponsors,” he said. “They come back every year and help us.”

As a result of the overwhelming support that the festival received this year, the prizes for the grand float parade and the street dance competition had increased to P500,000 and P250,000, respectively.

Starstruck crowd
The cast of ABS-CBN’s prime teleserye “Ang Probinsyano,” led by Coco Martin roused the enthusiasm of the crowd, as the network’s entry in the float parade traversed the road. On the other hand, GMA Network also took part in the weekend festivities with the cast of television series “Sherlock Jr,” “The Stepdaughters,” and the upcoming afternoon drama series “Contessa.”

Domogan said 11 big floats, eight smaller ones, three Hall of Famers, as well as the local government’s own entry had joined the float parade this year. Apart from the country’s biggest networks, the big float category entries were the Department of Agriculture, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Kambal Pandesal-San Miguel Mills Inc., MC Master Siomai Hut Inc., International Pharmaceutical Inc., M. Lhuillier Financial Services, Sitel Philippines Corporation, Montanosa Pastoral Resources Corp./Porta Vaga Mall, and Taloy Norte Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

Star Power. GMA Network celebrities Ruru Madrid, Jak Roberto, Glaiza de Castro, Megan Young, Mikael Daez, and Matt Evans during the flower parade

Meanwhile, IPC-APTS, Igorot Man, Maybank, Palawan Pawnshop, Pradera Verde-Lubao International Balloon and Music Festival, Saleng Garden, Coca-Cola, and Universal Robina Corporation had entries in the small float category.

Winners
For the big float competition, Master Siomai won the first prize while the second and third prizes went to M Lhuillier and Sitel. On the other hand, Maybank ranked first place in the small float category, with Saleng Metro Pacific in second place and Coca-Cola in third place.

For the street dance competition, the students of Baguio Central School were declared winners in the elementary school category; the second place went to Apolinario Mabini Elementary School; and the third, to Manuel Quezon Elementary School.

In the high school level, the University of the Cordilleras High School won first prize, while the second and third prizes were bestowed to the Baguio City National High School and Pines City National High School respectively.

Saint Louis University won the first place in the open category, while the Tribu Tinungbo of Pugo, La Union earned second place honors, and Tribu Rambak of Umingan, Pangasinan, the third place.

Performance
Alquiros noted that the children at times pull together their own money to augment the expenses for the materials they need for the festival although the local government and the foundation give elementary participants a subsidy of P60,000. This, Alquiros said, allows the children to show their capability and strong desire to win the competition.

“They even make their own costume,” he said.

The festival co-chair added that it was necessary for the committee to further develop the participants’ costumes and performance, which up to this day, serve as the street dance competition’s bread-and-butter. However, the major percentage of the criteria for judging was still allotted for the cultural aspect, he said.

He added that the overall number of participants of the two competitions had increased this year. This led the committee to set a time limit for the participants in order to accommodate all of them and to conclude the activity in decent time.

“Before, because there were less number of participants, they could dance for 15 minutes for their field presentation. Now they have to do seven minutes maximum. In the street, they only have to do a three-minute spot number at most,” he said.

Also, Mayor Domogan clarified that anyone could join the Panagbenga festival street dance, as long as they follow the criteria. “We come up with general criteria because cultural aspect must be included. That’s the cultural attire of the tribes in the Cordilleras,” he said.

Looking back
Mayor Domogan related that the Panagbenga festival was born 23 years ago out of four major purposes. He said the festival up to this day serves as an opportunity for the people of Baguio City to consider themselves as members of one family, regardless of their tribal origin.

The festival also persuades them to cooperate and work together for the goal of the city. According to the mayor, the festival is an opportunity to showcase Baguio residents’ creativity, culture and tradition.

“That is why if you look at it, we have the component of culture and tradition,” he said.

Among the festival’s aims is also for the people of Baguio City to express their gratitude and appreciation for the blessings of the environment.

“One of Baguio’s major industry is tourism. If we do not include activities of nature, how can you sustain the
tourism industry?” added Domogan.

The mayor also revealed that the range of the visitors and participants of the festival continues to grow annually.

He proudly said that aside from Baguio’s sister cities, the festival was graced by participants from the provinces of Kalinga, Mountain Province, La Union, and Aurora this year, which so far has the largest contingent.

“That is also one thing that makes us happy and inspired to continue doing the festival,” he said.

This year’s edition also served as an opportune time to promote Baguio City’s inclusion to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (Unesco) creative cities list, joining Bandung and Pekalongan in Indonesia, Chiang Mai and Phuket in Thailand, and Singapore’s capital among others.

Domogan added that the Panagbenga festival is also the only festival in the Philippines that was accredited by the International Festival and Events Association (IFEA).

He said the festival earned the accreditation in 2016 and is now added to Baguio City’s numerous titles.
Infrastructure to accommodate growing demand

A great number of people from the lowlands are wondering if Baguio City ever runs out of accommodation due to the number of its regular visitors. But according to Anthony De Leon, general manager of the historic hotel Baguio Country Club, more structures will soon rise in the city, such as mid-rise residential homes that are handled by some of the country’s biggest infrastructure investors and developers.

“As far as the accommodation sector is concerned, it is very high because they know very well that the demand is really huge with regard to tourism outlook in Baguio City,” he said.

While Baguio City experiences peaks in tourist arrivals during the Panagbenga festival in February, Holy Week and summer vacation in April and May, and Christmas season in December, the recent increase owes to the 10-kilometer segment of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, or TPLEX, which extends from Binalonan to Pozorrubio, Pangasinan.

The project shortened travel time from Manila to Baguio City to only three hours from the usual six hours and benefits thousands of vehicles every day.

With the completion of TPLEX, the Summer Capital of the Philippines has become an “overnighter” for the wanderlust of Metro Manila residents seeking break from the stress of the megalopolis.

The post Panagbenga Festival 2018 appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Michael Alexander Ang will always be grateful to his family for allowing him to spread his wings somewhat farther from what they are known to do.

The third child of The Manila Times Chairman Emeritus, Dr. Dante Arevalo Ang, Michael has spent the last 12 years of his life in foreign service as Honorary Consul of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

For Michael Ang, it is both a privilege and pleasure to represent the Kingdom of Jordan in the Philippines; he is also the first diplomat from the Arab nation’s Philippine office to be elected as Dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines

This year, he brings added prestige and worthwhile responsibilities to his office as the elected Dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines—the organization of Consulates, Consulate Generals and Honorary Consulates of various countries in the Philippines who work toward the advancement of cultural and economic relations.

Chilean Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Sanhueza turns over the deanship of the Consular Corps of the Philippines to Ang on December 2, 2017

This is not to say, however, that Michael refused to get his feet wet in the family’s publishing business, although he and his siblings—Anna Marie [now Thompson]and The Manila Times President and CEO Dante “Klink” 2nd—were away for a time when their father was running their earliest titles. Ang Sr. had sent them to the United States amid political turmoil in the early ‘80s.

Completing secondary education in Houston, Texas, Michael went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English Communication Arts at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. While there, he often landed in the Dean’s List until he graduated in 1995.

Eager to return to the Philippines after 13 long years living abroad, Ang Sr. asked Michael and his brother to work for him and the dutiful sons acquiesced.

On hindsight, it seems that fate nevertheless led him toward working with other nationalities as he was promptly sent abroad anew to manage their company’s small office in Hong Kong. His father assigned him to oversee the distribution of Filipino publications to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the former British Colony and nearby Macau, as well as look into other services Filipino communities may need over there. Both responsibilities naturally placed Michael in contact with various foreign agencies too.

For a brief period, he also joined his older brother in Rome, Italy where the Angs based their European distribution of publications.

Toward the end of the ‘90s, the Department of Foreign Affairs, then led by the late Blas F. Ople as secretary, began noting the Angs’ dedication toward keeping OFWs informed and protected through their businesses that the government luminary appointed Ang Sr. as Honorary Consul of Jordan.

Come the early 2000s, however, Ang Sr.’s responsibilities ballooned when the family finally bought The Manila Times Publishing Corporation, and more so when former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo tasked him to chair the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) in 2005.

With his father forced to give up his post at the Jordan Consulate, a whole new opportunity opened up for Michael—one he never even thought of pursuing but a career all the same for which he had unknowingly prepared.

Fellowship among nations —Ang and the members of the Consular Corps of the Philippines hold a welcome dinner for new Ambassadors at Belgium ambassador Michael Goffin’s residence on February 20

Today, The Sunday Times Magazine takes pride in chronicling the achievements of Michael Alexander Ang, who, despite being unable to join The Manila Times in an official capacity is still very much considered one of its own.
The Sunday Times Magazine (STM): Coming from a family entrenched in the field of publishing, how unexpected was your entry into Foreign Service?

Michael Alexander Ang (MAA): Joining the Foreign Service was never in my radar. I actually succeeded my dad Dante Ang Sr. who was the former Honorary Consul of Jordan here in Manila for about two and a half years.

Ang and US Consul Russel Brown (center) at a TV guesting on Belarus Consul Anna Marie Ablan’s public affairs program

In his particular case, he received his appointment through the former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Blas Ople. He asked my father if he would be interested in representing a country here in the Philippines as an Honorary Consul General. And after detailing the responsibilities and workload of the post, his Curriculum Vitae was turned over to the Jordanian Government through the DFA, which then submitted it to the office of the former Jordan Ambassador to Japan since they have jurisdiction over the Philippines and a couple of other countries [in terms of foreign relations]. It was finally processed through the Embassy in Tokyo and submitted it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Jordan.

After my father received the offer from former President Arroyo to join her cabinet [as Chairman of the Commission of Filipinos Overseas], he felt it was not a good idea to represent two offices. So he resigned as Honorary Consul to Jordan and the former Ambassador of Jordan. It was then that my name was shortlisted along with three other candidates in Manila and the former Ambassador of Jordan in Japan decided I was the best candidate to succeed my father.

The presentation of the 2018 Consular Corps of the Philippines’ Executive Board Members during the first general meeting on January

Then, the rest is history as they say. Back in 2005, I received a heads up from the Embassy that the Ambassador had forwarded my credentials to the Foreign Ministry in Amman, Jordan. Among my immediate responsibilities, which is unlike most of the Honorary Consuls here in Manila, I’m one of the few with the authority to issue visas.

To be clear, I do not decide who to issue the visas to, and only do so after applications have been processed by the Jordanian government particularly the Ministry of Interior which has the sole authority either to grant or deny an application.

With your work experience before this posting generally related to publishing, what adjustments did you have to make to assume the post of Honorary Consul?

It’s kind of interesting because in terms of the orientation they provide to an Honorary Consul, they walk you through the process after you are appointed, which in my particular case happened only last year when our new Consul in Tokyo came to Manila to bring some things I requested.

So when he came here, he walked me through the protocols of processing documents for authentication, application for visas, reports we need to submit to Tokyo, and money we remit back to Jordan from fees collected here. Basically procedures I had already worked out myself.

Michael Ang (second from left) was one of the speakers at the 2nd Peace Diplomacy Convention on January 22

What they reminded me was that I should attend certain meetings to represent the Jordanian government, but technically as an Honorary Consul, we don’t deal with anything that goes into politics. However, in my case, there have been several instances that my Embassy had asked me to attend particular meetings even though they are political in nature.

What then are your major responsibilities as Honorary Consul?

I have three primary responsibilities. One is to authenticate documents, two to issue visas like I said earlier, and three to attend to concerns of Jordanian nationals and their families here in the Philippines and the concerns of the government when they tell me to do so. These, of course, are aside from finding ways to improve business ties between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Jordan.

The work the position involve is very interesting. It wasn’t something I prepared myself for, not knowing I’d end up in foreign service, but it really is very challenging. It’s also very rewarding in terms of the friends and contacts that I’ve made, so that somehow in my own small way, I’m also able to contribute to The Manila Times in directing [editorial]to the right person for stories that involve the various embassies and foreign relations in general.

As Dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines, Ang holds monthly meetings with the Advisory Board

On the reverse side, I also find it fulfilling to assist my colleagues in the Consular Corps of the Philippines in developing a better understanding of the Filipino culture, the companies here and even families and individuals they come across.

What is a typical day like for the Honorary Consul of Jordan in Manila?

It’s very erratic actually. I was told that back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, there were close to 10,000 Jordanians living and studying here in the Philippines. The number has gone down significantly in the last decades to around 330 to 350. But what’s interesting is how this 300-plus population is comprised of the very students who studied here back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, who married Filipinas after graduation, started families and established businesses here. I look after the majority of these Jordanians but if we were to include other Arabs who have been issued Jordanian passports, let’s say the Palestinians, the number goes up to close to a thousand.

The organization held a charity run to raise funds for their mangrove reforestation activity in Calatagan, Batangas

So in terms of how all this affects my day, it really all depends if there is a Jordanian concern. If they call me on my mobile directly or call the Consulate and say they need the assistance of the Consul—documents that need to be authenticated, concerns of renewal or loss of passport, concerns with regards to immigration or if somebody has been arrested or detained—then we have to attend to that. It’s situations like these that change my schedule significantly.

Could you talk about your history as member of the Consular Corps of the Philippines and how it led to your election as its Dean for the year 2018?

I’ve been a member of the Consular Corps of the Philippines since 2006 and I became the member of the Executive Board about three years ago.

Last year, I was nominated and elected as the Vice Dean. And following our constitution and bylaws for the Consular Corps, as well as tradition, the only member that you really nominate and elect is the Vice Dean who then succeeds the Dean of the Corps the following year.

What’s interesting about our organizational set up is that we alternate between a career and a non-career Consul. So last year, the Dean was Camilo Sanhueza of Chile who was a career diplomat, and then for the Vice Dean, we nominate and elect from the Honorary Consuls.

Since beginning your term as Dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines, what projects have you already set out to do?

My vision, which I shared with the members of the executive board, is the desire to return to our roots. And what I mean by these roots when you talk about the Consular Corps of the Philippines is to have an understanding that we are comprised of two different sets of diplomats. We have the honorary and the career consuls so that in terms of marrying the two groups together under one umbrella, you have to be cognizant of the fact that we actually have constitution and bylaws, which provide us with rules and procedures on how we function.

In going back to that level of our foundation, I made it a point the first special meeting I convened to a review of our constitution and bylaws to make sure that everybody is on the same page—to be informed of the set of rules and parameters we have to work with.

The second meeting I convened gathered the past Deans of the Consular Corps of the Philippines who are Honorary Consuls. We also went over the constitution and bylaws, placing emphasis on the fact that it is supposed to be an open exchange of ideas and comments. This is one thing were were able to implement during Camilo’s term as last year’s dean, and it’s also something I have committed my term to—to continue to grow that aspect of going back to the basics.

As dean, I will see to the open exchange of information from all of our members, not just from the officers or the executive board but really an open exchange of ideas, thoughts, comments, even criticisms from all the members of the Consular Corps of the Philippines. In that way, we can grow more as an organization because all different points of views will be brought to the table.

Members of the Consular Corps of the Philippines attend an afternoon tea dialogue with the International Bazaar Foundation (IBF) led by Chairman Lani Cayetano (seated, second from left)

Given this head start, one thing I really want to focus on during my term is to create a legal entity for the Consular Corps of the Philippines. We’ve been around since 1972 and the format of the organization has evolved so much so that we actually have regular charities we support. Naturally, we have to raise funds for these charities yet in the 45 years we’ve been around, we have never created a legal entity for the Consular Corps of the Philippines.

So one of my main goals is that within this year, we will create either a non-profit organization or foundation to serve as the legal entity of the Consular Corps of the Philippines, which will allows us to function better as a formal and professional organization. We will have our set papers—our articles of corporation—which I believe will provide a stronger model for the international federation of honorary consuls, of which the Consular Corps of the Philippines is a member. We’re very proud to be a member of the International Federation of Consular Corps and Associations (FICAC) which has its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

Happily, based on the feedback from two presidents of the FICAC, we’ve been told they consider the Consular Corps of the Philippines as one of the most active around the world. As dean this year, I don’t want to fall short [from]expectations and am committed to find more ways for the organization to grow. Part of that means we need to further integrate our activities with the activities of the other chapters of the Consular Corps of the Philippines in Cebu and in Davao.

So far, in terms of our monthly lunch meetings, we already had Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo as guest speaker; and for the first time last February 28, we invited a panel from the Bureau of Immigration to our meeting, which you can imagine brought out a very active exchange on topics affecting all the Embassies and Consulates here.

Alongside these meetings, I’ve also spearheaded taking the Consular Corps of the Philippines on the road. The idea here is, instead of just holding activities in a closed environment—where attendees would only be from the Consular Corps and certain individuals or organizations we invite—I suggested for the group to go out, and our first stop was Adamson University. They were very kind to welcome us and host a half-day forum we organized in cooperation with the US Embassy.

At that time the US Embassy had a special envoy named Susan Jacobs whose purpose in visiting the Philippines was to encourage our government to be a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

Originally we were hoping to have 70 to 100 people in attendance—students, faculty members, representatives from several law schools in Manila, diplomats and the media—but we ended up with over 500 in the audience!

It was a great experience for our members to realize the possibility of trying different things to engage not just the consuls but also the community in our activities. At the same time, being out there shows the public what the Consular Corps is all about; that we’re not just about closed door meetings or dinners and parties, but about sharing relevant information with the public and in this case interacting with the youth.

Behind the scenes of course, one of the major activities that we have—which is an ongoing battle for us—is to find more ways to add value to the organization from the perspective of our members from the different embassies and consulates, especially the new ones. What we do is to regularly invite a representative from the DFA, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Immigration to network with the members and provide the opportunity and gain immediate feedback from these different agencies on a variety of concerns.

How have you seen the Consular Corps of the Philippines evolve since joining and taking on various positions in the organization?

Traditionally, the highlight of every year of our existence is the annual Consular Ball. To my knowledge, this event basically a Christmas party for the career and non-career consuls to get together. But then, in the same way that the organization has evolved over the years, the Consular Ball itself also evolved into its present feature as a fund-raising activity, given how the Consular Corps has gone from fellowship to charitable involvement. In saying this, we’ve never been geared toward generating money except for our charities, which again is the reason why we want it to be a legal entity as a non-profit organization that follows the laws of the Philippines.

Among our projects is a series of mangrove reforestation activities. The first was in Mindoro, then Calatagan, Batangas and the third, which we will implement this year, will be more of a community development project with an eco-concept. We’ve partnered with Conservation International for this undertaking, which will take us to communities in Silonay, Mindoro. The goal to help these communities maximize the revenue they generate from
mangrove eco-parks.

We have also maintained over the past several years a scholar, one of the children of an employee at the DFA.
We want to offer more scholarships this year through our network, maybe even extend the offer not just to children of DFA personnel but also those of employees at the Bureau of Immigration, and other specific government agencies that deal directly with Foreign Service and the Consular and Diplomatic community. This is our way to show our gratitude and appreciation to our partners from government, while emphasizing the value of education—the major thrust of the Consular Corps.

We might even revive “Brigada Eskwela” at the beginning of the new school year, which the public hardly knows we do because it isn’t easy to picture diplomats doing some cleaning and painting to reach out to the community. But we’re more than willing to do all these things.

What do you ultimately hope to achieve by the time you end your term as Dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines, and as Honorary Consul of Jordan?

I hope that in some small way, I will be able to add to what has been shared by the past deans of the Consular Corps in terms of what they have contributed to the organization. I wish to promote its continued evolution in becoming more inclusive, not just of the different Career Diplomats who arrive in the Philippines or the Honorary Consuls who are appointment by their respective countries to represent missions here in the Philippines, but of the community.

I also hope to lead the organization in being open to more possibilities and refrain from being stagnant as it has in the past. We also have to continue to fulfill our role in helping to facilitate the needs and requirements of our members and the needs of the communities and people that we engage as an organization so that we can maintain and further strong relationships among nations, the Philippine government and the public.

If I will continue to be blessed by the Jordanian government with their trust and confidence to represent them here in the Philippines, I would gladly do so for as long as they see the value of my presence, because it is truly a worthwhile endeavor.

It is indeed my honor and pleasure to represent the Kingdom of Jordan, more now as the Dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines, highlighting the fact that this is the first time that a Consul of Jordan has been elevated to top the position of a Philippine organization. In both capacities, I consider myself blessed and I wholeheartedly welcome that challenges they bring.

The post Back to basics with the Dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Those who follow the Philippine literary community know Angelo “Sarge” Lacuesta as one of the country’s top fictionists. Since he emerged in the 1990s, his mentors and peers have noted the unmistakable cadences in his language and the sharp, skillful delineation of his characters, hailing him as one of his generation’s best.

The awards Lacuesta has collected for his short fiction clearly prove his immense talent. The Palanca, National Book Award, Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book prize, Philippines Graphic’s Nick Joaquin Literary Award—it seems he has won every national literary prize available.

It is then, perhaps, natural for some to ask: What’s next for the 47-year-old advertising executive and author of “Life Before X and Other Stories,” “White Elephants: Stories,” and “Flames and Other Stories”?

Above) Angelo Lacuesta
(right) discusses “A Waiting Room Companion” with Ateneo de Manila Univertsity Press Director Karina Bolasco. (Right) Cover of Lacuesta’s collection of essays

Lacuesta himself answered that question late last month at the famed Solidaridad Book Shop of National Artist for Literature F. Sionil José. There, he launched not only his fourth book of short fiction, “Coral Cove and Other Stories” (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House), but more significantly, his first collection of essays, “A Waiting Room Companion” (Ateneo de Manila University Press).

UST Publishing House describes “Coral Cove” as containing “stories that take place in the clouded past, the urgent present, and the dark future—yet all seem to happen in the same timeframe and state of mind.”

Among the 11 stories in the book, the title story and “Sparrows” are particularly noteworthy; both won the Joaquin prize in 2016 and 2013, respectively.

Lacuesta “is our top story fiction writer in these parts—the best, most brilliant bounty for our culture to celebrate…
as demonstrated of late in his newly collected modernist ficciones; one more proof of his fiction mastery,” celebrated fictionist and essayist Gregorio Brillantes wrote of the author in a blurb.

One of Lacuesta’s contemporaries, Clinton Palanca, called him “the most authentic voice among Filipino fictionists working today.”

Another, Noelle de Jesus, wrote that the stories in Lacuesta’s latest collection “are just what need to be told to those who do not know and those who do not remember: perfect for where we are right now, as a people, as a country.”

Osmotic process

As for “A Waiting Room Companion” AdMU Press Director Karina Bolasco admitted during the launch that she liked him more “as a essayist than as a fictionist.”

Noting that “essay-writing is normally [an]osmotic process,” Bolasco said “a person intuitively takes in facts and ideas, [and]allows preformed, even confused thoughts to gestate in the unconscious mind, and here is where Lacuesta [as]essayist makes his mark.”

“He consciously places the strands of language and logic in an orderly and expressive form,” she added.

“Every sentence [he writes]takes Sarge deeper into the jungle of the mind, into unexpected places, a world of hard inconsistencies created by our waking lives’ deep need to make the outside world of chaos conform to our convenience,” the publisher said.

“So elegantly he employs descriptive words, metaphors and symbols, of which our lives are full of, given by nature and faith, which touch upon the mystical and spiritual aspects of life,” she added.

According to Lacuesta, the inspiration for “A Waiting Room Companion” came from Palanca, specifically from his essay collection “The Mad Tea Party,” where he took his newspaper columns and assembled them into a book, and reorganized them.

“What I did was I took a lot of the essays I wrote for [Esquire] magazine and [rewrote]them into very personal essays,” the author said.

He cited an earlier piece on cars as an example, which, he realized, had been transformed as an essay detailing his “history in cars,” which reflected his middle-class upbringing.

“I spent a lot of time in cars as a youth, not just riding them or driving them,” the writer said.

“You can’t help but be honest when you write a personal essay. And when you write an essay, you really have to kill your ego, meaning you’re not showing off. You’re not even showing off your experience,” Lacuesta said.

“As a writer, you know that somebody else has gone through worse things, or better things, and you really have to use the singularity of your own experience to talk about it,” he added.

Although many have encouraged him to start writing a novel, Lacuesta said he “chose to remain in the short story, [because]first of all, it’s a matter of convenience for me.”

“Also, I like to think that the short story is a Filipino form, much like the short novel is a Japanese form, for example,” he added.

Whatever genre Lacuesta chooses to write in from this point forward, be it fiction or creative nonfiction, one thing is certain: he would continue to write perceptive prose that can pierce souls, write luminous narratives that illuminate minds. And Philippine literature would continue to benefit from it.

Coral Cove and Other Stories and A Waiting Room Companion are now available in bookstores.

The post New books show more ‘honest’ side of Lacuesta appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

“Sayaw Pinoy,” the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) flagship event for dance, and Fiesta Taliambong, one of the colorful feasts of the Province of Capiz, were staged together as highlights of 2018’s National Arts Month in February.

Halili Cruz of Ballet dancers

Sayaw Pinoy is the fruitful effort Shirley Halili, national committee on dance and Marichu Tellano, the deputy executive director of NCCA. The event gathered the best dancers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and had showcased award winning grooves, traditional dances and contemporary steps.

Performers included Katchry Jewel Golbin, Dante Beriong, Samuel Cezar Rubido, Apo ni Inday, Aklan Balik-Ati tribe then followed by Sayaw Pinoy dancers – PNU Siklab Sining Dance Troupe, Halili Cruz of Ballet, Sinukwan Kapampangan, Kagayon Dance Troupe, Sayaw ni Antonio of Cuartero National High School, Silak and Sarayawan Dance Company.

Rondalla performances of Pilar Community, Tapaz Community, Capiz National High School and Cañores of Panay also shared their artistry in music.

Furthermore, Capiz also put women in front with LODI: an all women-performances. PPOP: an all women-dance of Capiz National High School, the all women-live band of Inzo Arnaldo Village Integrated School, Ati Community of Dumarao, Capiz, and cultural presentations of Panay Bukidnon of Tapaz, Capiz and Capiz Federation of Persons With Disabilities.

The crowd favorite
Sinukwan Kapampangan

Fiesta Taliambong. meanwhile, is a regional event that gathers indigenous and contemporary art groups in Western Visayas to showcase works on visual arts, music, cinema, literary arts, theater arts, and dance.

Led by Alphonsus Tesoro, the commissioner for National Committee for Central Communities of NCCA, and also serving as Capiz’ tourism officer, the festival put up multi-disciplinary exhibits and performances, with highlights for Jovita Fuentes, the first National Artist for music. The event comprised of a singing competition on February 14 under her name and a vocal concert night as a tribute to her legacy on February 15 held in the heart of Roxas City.

For the fiesta’s take on visual arts, local students participated in YESO TALIAMBONG: Chalk Art in Public Spaces. They colored the gymnasium’s entrance with a large chalk art detailing Fiesta Taliambong.

Moreover, Pinta Capiz Visual Art Exhibit was showcased in Robinson’s Place, Roxas and was then moved to the gymnasium. Paintings of fishes, fisherman and other shades of humanity were displayed, influenced mostly by the local folks of Capiz, as the province is the country’s seafood capital.

Intensifying the National Arts Month celebration, Capiz honored the Capisnon artists and performing groups in Saludo, upbeat performances from CAPSU Main Choral, Dagway Sigmahanon Inc., and Likhawitan with a heart-pumping drum shed intermission of XAMPH.

The post Capiz’ colorful welcome for Arts Month appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) continues to romance the classics on its seventh concert for its 35th season titled, “PPO 7: Romancing the Classics.” Featuring Raul Sunico and Ingrid Santamaria, it will be held on the evening of March 16, at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Raul Sunico

Fresh from its successful outreach concerts in Iloilo and Antique, PPO returns to Manila under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera to perform Requiem for String Orchestra composed by Toru Takemitsu.

Music lovers will have a rare treat as Sunico and Santamaria perform Felix Mendelssohn’s “Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in A flat” with the CCP resident orchestra.

Composed by Mendelssohn when he was just 15 years old in 1824, the opus premiered in Berlin in 1825.

Sunico finished Music and Mathematics at University of the Philippines, received his Masters in Music at Juilliard School in New York, and obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree, major in Piano Performance, at the New York University. He holds the singular distinction of being the only pianist in the world to perform the four piano concertos of Sergei Rachmaninoff in a single evening.

Santamaria, on the other hand, received her music degree from the Battig Piano School, under the tutelage of her mother, Pilar Blanco Sala, followed by further studies at the Juilliard School in New York. She received a master’s degree from Sta. Isabel College in Manila, and was conferred with the Doctor of Music degree in Music Education, honoris causa, at the De La Salle University in 2006.

Ingrid Santamaria

Through the Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation, Inc., Santamaria founded the Peace Philharmonic Philippines (formerly Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra), the only orchestra group south of Manila. Her life mission is to bring live classical music to the countryside.

The seventh concert of the PPO will culminate with Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No. 4. The last of the German composer’s symphonies, it premiered in 1885 at Meiningen, Germany. Among the four symphonies composed by Brahms, Symphony No.4 is the only one ending in a minor key.

The post Sunico, Santamaria in rare duo concert with PPO appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Ballet Manila’s world premiere of “Ibong Adarna” and Tanghalang Pilipino’s “Ang Pag-uusig” (translation of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”) lead this year’s Gawad Buhay nominations, receiving 12 nods each.

Through Facebook Live, the Gawad Buhay—the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts – announced the nominations for the 2017 awards, culled from productions and performances by Philstage member-companies last year.

Tanghalang Pilipino’s ‘Ang Pag-uusig’

The FB Live event, held at the lobby of The Theatre at Solaire, was hosted by Audie Gemora and Karla Gutierrez, Philstage president and treasurer, respectively.

“Ang Pag-uusig” is Tanghalang Pilipino’s production of a new translation by Jerry Respeto of Miller’s classic play about socio-political paranoia, while the reenactment of the classic Filipino folklore features choreography by Gerardo Francisco and music by Diwa de Leon.

Next with 11 nominations is Ballet Philippines’ restaging of its Filipino-themed “The Nutcracker,” choreographed by Edna Vida and Alice Reyes, with additional choreography by Adam Sage; and Repertory Philippines’ production of Sarah Ruhl’s play, “In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play,” directed by Chris Millado, with 10 nominations.

In the musical category, 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live’s production of Disney’s “Newsies” leads with 9 nods.

Ballet Manila’s ‘Ibong Adarna’

Philstage is the only alliance of professional performing arts organizations in the Philippines. Its members include 9 Works Theatrical, Actor’s Actors Inc./The Necessary Theatre, Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Full House Theater Company (Resorts World Manila), Gantimpala Theater Foundation, Peta, Philippine Ballet Theatre, Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Red Turnip Theater, Stages, Tanghalang Pilipino and Trumpets.

Now on its 10th year, Gawad Buhay is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts.

Winners will be announced on April 12, 7 p.m., at CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater).
Hereunder is the complete list of 2017 nominations:

Outstanding Translation or Adaptation: Guelan Luarca, “Eurydice” (TP); Jerry Respeto, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP); Alan Glinoga, “Ang Buhay ni Galileo” (Peta)

Outstanding Musical Direction:Daniel Bartolome, “Newsies” (9 Works Theatrical/9WT;) Diwa de Leon, “Ibong Adarna” (BM);

Ejay Yatco, “Hair” (Rep);

Rodel Colmenar, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (Full House/RWM);
Female Lead Performance in a Play:

Roselyn Perez, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” (Rep);
Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, “Agnes of God” (Rep);

Giannina Ocampo, “In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play” (Rep); Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, “Blackbird” (TNT); Blanche Buhia, “Lukot-lukot, Bilog-bilog” (TP)

Male Lead Performance in a Play:Michael Williams, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” (Rep);
Joshua Spafford, “In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play” (Rep;) JV Ibesate, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP);
Bart Guingona, “Blackbird” (TNT); Joel Lamangan, “Ang Buhay ni Galileo” (Peta)

9 Works Theatrical’s ‘Newsies’

Female Featured Performance in a Play: Rebecca Coates, “Agnes of God” (Rep); Caisa Borromeo, “In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play” (Rep); Tami Monsod, “In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play” (Rep); Antonette Go, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP);

Lhorvie Nuevo, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP)

Male Featured Performance in a Play:Marco Viaña, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP); Jonathan Tadioan, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP);

Joshua Tayco, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP); Bodjie Pascua, “Ang Buhay ni Galileo” (Peta);
Noel Comia Jr., “Ang Buhay ni Galileo” (Peta)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical: Gian Magdangal, “Newsies” (9WT); Arman Ferrer, “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, The Musical” (GT); David Ezra, “Aurelio Sedisyoso” (TP) ;Markki Stroem, “Hair” (Rep)
George Schulze, “Hair” (Rep)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical: Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, The Musical” (GT);

Aicelle Santos, “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, The Musical” (GT);

Upeng Galang-Fernandez, “A Game of Trolls” (Peta);

Joan Bugcat, “Tagu-taguan” (Peta) Maronne Cruz, “Hair” (Rep)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical:Jef Flores, “Newsies” (9WT);

Baron Geisler, “Aurelio Sedisyoso” (TP);

Floyd Tena, “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, The Musical” (GT);

Roi Calilong, “Tagu-taguan” (Peta); Reb Atadero, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (Full House/RWM)

Male Lead Performance in Modern Dance: Rudy de Dios, “Ibong Adarna” (BM); Anselmo Dictado, “Ibong Adarna” (BM); Victor Maguad, “Moon”/from “A Gala Celebration” (BP);

Eugene Obille, “Ang Sultan”/from “The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances” (BP);

Ronelson Yadao, “Songs of the Wayfarer”/from “The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances” (BP)

Female Featured Performance in Modern Dance: Abigail Oliveiro, “Ibong Adarna” (BM); Katrene San Miguel,

“Minamahal, Sinasamba”/from “A Gala Celebration” (BP); Sarah Alejandro, “Amada”/from “The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances” (BP)

Male Featured Performance in Modern Dance: Mark Sumaylo, “Ibong Adarna” (BM); Rudolph Capongcol, “Ibong Adarna” (BM); Romeo Peralta, “Ibong Adarna” (BM); Elpidio Magat, “Ibong Adarna” (BM)
Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance:

Denise Parungao, “Swan Lake” (BP); Kim Abrogena, “La Bayadere” (Philippine Ballet Theatre/PBT); Denise
Parungao, “The Nutcracker” (BP); Jemima Reyes, “The Nutcracker” (BP);

Katherine Barkman, “Swan Lake” (BM)

Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance: Victor Maguad, “Swan Lake” (BP); Victor Maguad, “The Nutcracker” (BP); Elpidio Magat, “Snow White” BM)

Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance:

Abigail Oliveiro, “Don Quixote” (BM);Veronica Atienza, “La Bayadere” (PBT); Stephanie Cabral, “The Nutcracker” (BP)

Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance: Victor Maguad, “Grand Pas Classique”/from “A Gala Celebration” (BP);

Peter San Juan, “La Bayadere” (PBT); Gerardo Francisco, “Swan Lake” (BM);
Victor Maguad, “The Nutcracker” (BP)

Outstanding Modern Dance Production: “Ibong Adarna” (BM);

“A Gala Celebration” (BP);

“Your Highness” (BP);“Ang Sultan”/from “The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances” (BP);

“Songs of a Wayfarer”/from “The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances” (BP)
Outstanding Classical Dance Production:

“Don Quixote” (BM);

“Swan Lake” (BP); “The Nutcracker” (BP)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play: Bart Guingona, “Agnes of God” (Rep);

Chris Millado, “In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play” (Rep); Dennis Marasigan, “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP);
Topper Fabregas, “Blackbird” (TNT); Rody Vera, “Ang Buhay ni Galileo” (Peta)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical: Robbie Guevara, “Newsies” (9WT); Jaime del Mundo, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (Full House/RWM)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Modern Dance: “Ibong Adarna” (BM);
“Visions of Fire”/from “A Gala Celebration” (BP);

“Ang Sultan”/from “The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances” (BP); “Songs of a Wayfarer”/from “The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances” (BP)

Outstanding Play—Original or Translation/Adaptation: “Ang Pag-uusig” (TP)

The post ‘Ibong Adarna,’ ‘Ang Pag-uusig’ lead Gawad Buhay 2017 nominations appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

With its superb location around Metro Manila, high rise condominiums are fast becoming a favorite vantage point of cityscape photographers.

Nikon Philippines brand influencer Cris Magsino, for one, considers the Iris tower at DMCI Homes’ Tivoli Garden Residences as his top choice for it offers the most amazing view of the city.

‘Cityscape photography suits people who love immersing into different places, its culture and its people,’ says photographer Cris Magsino

“As a landscape and cityscape photographer, having a good vantage point is a key element to get a good composition. Tivoli Garden Residences provides several spots that offer interesting compositions for a cityscape photograph,” the photographer explained.

A multi-awarded photographer, Magsino has been shooting commercially since 2006 but only started doing serious landscape and cityscape photography in 2013 as a way to escape the pressures of commercial photography.

“Landscape photography gave me a relaxing way of doing both things I love and enjoy which are travel and photography. It is one of the genre wherein you get to enjoy nature or the city view in a relaxed pace,” he related.

“It combines the joy of travel and photography at the same time. It suits people who love the adventure of immersing one’s self into different places, its culture and its people,” Magsino added.

Aspiring photographers, he noted, should have tons of patience to be able to capture stunning landscape photos.

“The key to be a good landscape photographer is to have a lot of patience. Patience to look for the perfect spot.
Patience to wait for the perfect light. And patience to learn and develop your skills both on camera handling and post production,” the veteran photographer says.

Finally, he imparted, “With landscape photography, you are at the mercy of nature in terms of light, weather and other uncontrollable conditions. Landscape photographers learn how to react, adjust and improvise to make the most of what nature provides.”

The post A top lens man and stunning metropolitan views appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Metrobank Art and Design Excellence weaves visual arts and cultural heritage together

While visual arts and cultural heritage may seem to be two separate entities, the 2018 edition of the annual Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (Made) once again showed how to weave them together. Now on its 34th year, Made focuses on three interrelated components to continue its advocacy—“Connections Made,” “Meet the Met in MADE,” and “Masjid.”

A joint partnership between the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) and SM, it features a series of art exhibits, lectures, and workshops on art and cultural heritage.

Artist Emmanuel Garibay and masterpiece ‘Dasal Para sa Huling Taya’

This year’s works exhibit at the Art MADE Public highlights Connections Made, showing how past winners relate to each other – mentor-apprentice, young artists inspired by established and senior ones, artists related by blood, and contemporaries within artist groups of different eras.

“The exhibit aims to present the diversity and richness of influences between and among past MADE winners. It is also about tackling their themes, messaging, and styles that have changed and emerged among contemporaries over time,” said MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepeña.

Meet the Met at MADE, on the other hand, highlights the ongoing restoration program for the Manila Metropolitan Theater through an exhibit of the different decorative art elements and colorful costumes worn by actors during their theatre performances.

Jerson Samson’s ‘Barrio Tres’

Completed in 1931, the Manila Metropolitan Theatre, also known as the Met, witnessed several cycles of destruction and revival throughout its 85 years of existence. The edifice was declared a National Historical
Landmark in 1973 and a National Cultural Treasure in 2010 because of its status as the only existing Art Deco building of its scale and integrity in Asia.

As a traveling exhibition, Art MADE Public also visited the Mindanao region where it displayed images of over 30 mosques, showcasing the anatomy of Islamic architecture and their aesthetic principles in Masjid.

Art Made Public, then went to SM Lanang Premier before proceeding to its current location, SM City Dasmarinas where the exhibit can be viewed until March 12. On March 13, Art MADE Public will move to SM City Manila.

The post ART ‘MADE’ PUBLIC appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Together with Diwa Learning Systems, Bato Balani Foundation (BBFI) once again listens to inspiring stories of teachers as it opens its search for role models in the teaching profession with “The Many Faces of the Teacher” program.

BBFI believes that stories of heroism of teachers need to be told.  In the country’s more than 7,100 islands, a teacher has a story that can inspire thousand others.  His story can make every Filipino more appreciative of the valuable contribution of teachers to society.

Now on its 15th year, the search is open to  teachers  of all ages, who are actively  teaching  in private or public primary, elementary or secondary schools, colleges, and universities.  He or she must demonstrate exceptional performance in  teaching; has employed creativity, innovation, and resourcefulness in  teaching; and importantly, lives out his esteemed values  in teaching, family, and personal life.

Nominees should also have a deep sense of nationalism and are committed to teaching  for the benefit of the country and its people.  He or she must be respected in school and community and is a role model for students, colleagues, and family. He or she must also be an active member of the community and has engaged in socio-civic activities.

Among previous winners was Jesus Insilada who was  recently announced as a finalist for the Top 10 of the Global Teacher Prize 2018 by Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.  Another honoree, Ryan Homan, was also shortlisted in the same awards and made it to the Top 50.

Last year’s winners include Bernadette Gabor of Bataan, who helps inmates develop income-generating projects; Lord Jane Dordas of Capiz, who is tireless in preserving the culture of their tribe in her hometown; Aimee Lynn Barrion Dupo of Los Baños, who is a biodiversity advocate; and Ronald Reyes of Albay, who is known for creating solutions through science and is one of the  2017 TOYM awardees.

Nominations can come from partner organizations, school associations, religious  organizations, the Department of Education, and the school heads, students, and  teachers.

Criteria for evaluation are as follows:  person of integrity and morality; in good relations with students, colleagues, community members, and family; commitment and dedication to the  teaching  vocation; strength of values/principles applied in  teaching  and personal life and involvement in school and community activities.

Log on to  http://www.batobalanifoundation.org.ph/www.batobalanifoundation.org.ph to nominate a teacher  or secure a nomination form at the BBFI office on 6th Floor, PDCP Bank Center, V.A. Rufino corner Leviste Streets, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Nomination forms may be sent to

The post Bato Balani  Foundation opens nominations for model teachers appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

CARLA BIANCA RAVANES-HIGHAM

One of my fondest moments with my father is our early morning rides to and from work. My father used the rather stressful Manila traffic as an excuse to truly get into the depths of what’s happening in his children’s lives and give sound advice.

My brother and I were fortunate enough to grow up with a father who is a coach by profession and as I write this article, I have come to realize just how that has impacted our own home life. My father has coached my brother and I through life and that has made all the difference.

Through the years, my dad has always spoken about his job with fondness – he says the greatest satisfaction from it is being able to pass down what he has learned from being in the Philippine Basketball Association for over 30 years to the youngins just starting in the league. My dad was a life coach even before I have come across the term.

Today, life coaching is a profession. As Google’s former CEO stated, “Everybody needs a coach, every famous athlete, every famous performer, has somebody who’s a coach, someone who can help them see themselves as others see them.”

It is having someone on your team, cheering you on, and helping you make wise decisions. A life coach is someone who constantly has your best interest at heart, encouraging you to see your real self, and be true to that person 24/7.

One such life coach living in Manila is Charissa ‘Cha’ Cacino, founder of Art Attic Manila.

Cha says, “Life coaching has grown to be a hugely successful form of talking therapy to the extent that it has helped turn people’s lives around. A life coach is someone that looks to empower others by helping them make, meet, and exceed goals in both their personal and professional lives.”

She then adds that the coaching process “addresses specific personal projects, business successes, general conditions and transitions in the client’s personal life, relationships or profession by examining what is going on now, discovering what your obstacles and challenges are and choosing a course of action to make life what you want it to be.”

Cha says further that coaching can help people who are going through difficult seasons and working together to overcome these challenges by focusing on overhaul of mindsets, attitudes, values, and beliefs.

“It is more of a partnership. Coaching for me is helping a person move forward to positive changes in the area of mindset translating them into concrete actions towards a goal,” she explains.

She was also inspired to begin Art Attic Manila Studio that fuses together her love for arts and crafts and her desire to counsel and motivate people.

The place aims to be a safe haven for people wanting to refocus in life, find their center, and move forward, “Art Attic is where people could gather, learn new crafts, make new friends, reconnect with oneself in a space that is comfortable and cozy.”

Life coaching is really about finding a positive partner who will propel you forward and for those going through difficult time.

Cha believes finding a life coach makes all the difference.

“Finding a life coach is probably the best choice of company you make. Your coach meets you where you are and will be your partner and supporter as you find your way out of crisis towards a life of potential,” she says.
For more on Cha, visit www.artatticmanila.com

***
www.carlabiancaravanes.com

The post Life coaching and Cha Cacino of Art Attic Manila appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

Total beneficiaries from the education projects of Aboitiz Foundation increased by 34 percent in 2017 from the previous year’s 329,963 grantees.

For its thrust to provide quality and accessible public education for the Filipino youth, the figure manifested 441,840 students received assistance from all over the Philippines in 2017.

High school scholars pose for posterity after the culmination of career clinic organized by the foundation and Edukasyon.ph

A total of 1,015 education-related projects were implemented by the Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate foundation of the Aboitiz Group, as well as by various companies in the industries of power, banking and financial services, food, infrastructure, land, and construction

“The Aboitiz Foundation commits to continuously find better ways to help Filipino students to either study further, set up businesses, or be employed. We are proud of our accomplishments in education in 2017. These serve as our inspiration and our contribution to advance business and communities by co-creating safe, empowered, and sustainable ones,” Aboitiz Foundation First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Maribeth Marasigan said.

Career clinic and education fair

Representatives of Aboitiz business units and foundations with Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones (seated, third from left) during the agency’s appreciation

Most prominent of these initiatives were the Career Clinic and Taguig Education Fair organized through the partnership with Edukasyon.ph, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd). Over 700 Aboitiz Foundation high school scholars attended the Career Clinic, while 1,012 Grade 12 students attended the Taguig Education Fair.

These activities support DepEd’s K to 12 program and aim to provide additional knowledge that will help the students decide on their future career paths.

The event recognized various companies for their support for public schools nationwide through the Adopt-A-School Program.

“A key component of our initiatives’ success is the dynamic partnerships that we forge in the private and public sectors. We in the Aboitiz Group are proud to partner with DepEd in championing quality public education for the country’s next generation,” Marasigan noted.

Other initiatives

The Aboitiz Group also focused on the development of special science elementary schools (SSES) and technical-vocational high school (tech-voc HS), having already supported 11 SSES and 37 tech-voc HS to date.

Because of this support, these 11 SSES have managed to win 31 science research-related awards in regional and international contests, and 82 percent of graduates from these SSES have moved on to various science high schools.

Aboitiz Foundation scholars are a picture of happy beneficiaries

The foundation continues to provide education support in the college level through the Purposive College Scholarship Program, under which 293 scholars have graduated as of 2017. Of this number, 93 scholars have graduated with distinction, while 31 have been employed by the Aboitiz Group.

In 2017 alone, 61 scholars were able to graduate (22 with Latin honors), while two are currently employed under Aboitiz.

In terms of infrastructure, the Aboitiz Group has so far donated 2,435 “thin client” computer units, constructed 936 new classrooms nationwide, and rewired 5,431 existing classrooms, the latter of which are currently all fire-free.

Established in 1988, the purpose of the foundation is to drive change for a better world by advancing business and communities through programs in education, enterprise development, and the environment.

Since its inception, its corporate social responsibility (CSR) interventions have evolved from one-time donations to carefully designed programs that empower its beneficiaries to pursue their aspirations.

The post CSR education grantees breach 440,000 mark appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

The week that was will be remembered in Philippine history as the week the country’s House of Representatives ruled that there was probable cause to impeach Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

But for Solicitor General Jose Calida, he will look back on it as a time when he conscientiously fulfilled his duties both as the legal defender of the republic and as a faithful Christian.

Very much in the headlines as the embattled Sereno these last few days, Calida maintains that his now famous quote following the quo warranto petition he filed before the Supreme Court against the Chief Justice was genuinely meant.

“It is for all intents and purposes ‘an act of kindness’ because nullifying her appointment for failure to comply with eligibility requirements [the complete declaration of Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth]will spare her from the agony of impeachment proceedings in the Senate,” Calida reiterated in this exclusive interview with The Sunday Times Magazine.

To be fair, there was a tone of sincerity in the man’s voice as he said this, even as his desk at the Office of the Solicitor General in Makati City had been covered with newspaper articles where critics and Sereno’s camp alike had denounced his motives as politicized, a ploy and a gimmick among other accusations.

A Professor of Law at the Ateneo de Davao and an honor student throughout his entire schooling, the Solicitor General, who succinctly explained the basis of his petition in this interview (see sidebar), could only concede, “I do not expect her to agree with me, but we all saw the merciless impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona… in fact he died because of that… And I do not want Respondent Sereno, which I now call her, to suffer the same agony. Because she’s a fellow lawyer, I have empathy for her, and I sincerely believe she would be better off if those who judge her are her peers—her fellow justices—who know her better and who know the Constitution better than politicians in an impeachment trial.”

With kindness rarely attributed to lawyers, Calida—whose earliest affiliations outside government and his private practice are advocacies against crime, corruption and immorality—minces no words when asked if this virtue always finds a place in his actions and decisions, whether in a professional or personal capacity.

“Yes it does,” he declared. “And you know why? Because I am a Christian, and as a lawyer we can keep debating, but as a lawyer who is a Christian, we also have to be kind because we are all human beings with frailties.”

Simple man

If it is difficult to envision a confident and accomplished lawyer like Calida—who on record has never lost a case in the Supreme Court—to navigate the law with a sense of compassion, perhaps it may be worthwhile to look into his history as a man of humble beginnings.

“I am a simple person because my parents were simple,” he said when asked to describe himself.

Born July 7, 1950 to public school teachers in Nuevo Iloco, Davao (now the Municipality of Mawab in Compostela Valley), Calida grew up in a rural community with a nipa hut for a home.

An only child, he had to go with his parents to the public school were they taught every day since there was no one else who could look after him while they worked.

“Most of the people who live in Mindanao are migrants from other places in the Philippines,” Calida explained.

“My parents were from Ilocos Norte—my mother from Paoay, and my father from Pasuquin. Separately they migrated to Mindanao—specifically Davao—precisely because they were teachers. And at that time, before the war, there were incentives given to those who would settle in Mindanao.”

Immersed in a learning environment even before reaching school age, Calida’s inherent intelligence was set off very early on.

“One day, there was this supervisor who oversees the public school who visited our place called Sawagnan—that was the name of our barrio. He became quite interested in my mother’s class because there was this little boy who was raising his hands all the time, eager to answer her questions. She wouldn’t call him though, and chose the regular students. I was what you’d call ‘saling pusa.’ Anyway, the supervisor must have been so amused by what he saw that he asked my mama, ‘Who’s that boy?’

His ‘act of kindness.’ On March 5, the Solicitor General filed a quo warranto petition against embattled Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before the Supreme Court, accompanied by Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption Chairman Dante Jimenez (left) and lawyer Eligio Mallari THE MANILA TIMES FILE PHOTOS

“She had to reply, ‘He is my son but he is not a pupil yet.’

“After that, the supervisor asked me more questions, tested me if I could read and write, and I was able to do what he bade me. So before I knew it, the supervisor ‘promoted’ me, which meant by the age of five I was already in Grade 1,” he laughed. “That’s why I was usually two years younger than my batch mates throughout the rest of my schooling.”

Calida remembers being a quiet boy growing up since he had no siblings to play with at home. His friends were basically his classmates whom he only saw on school days what with their little hut far away from the town and isolated from neighbors.

Raised with sound morals and traditional Filipino values, the young Calida, though quiet, could always be counted on to come to a classmate’s defense to do what he does to this day as Solicitor General: “To balance the injustice and serve as the tribune of the people.”

Jesuit influence

When Calida finished fourth grade at his parents’ public school, his father moved their small family to Davao City after landing a job with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). He completed the remaining years of elementary at another public school and qualified to take a scholarship test offered by Ateneo de Davao.

“I could have been the valedictorian of my batch at Davao Elementary School but because of residency issues—since I was technically a transferee—I graduated honorable mention and proceeded to try for a scholarship.

Fortunately, I topped the entrance test at Ateneo de Davao that year and was given 100-percent free tuition from high school all the way to college,” the gifted student narrated.

Now exposed to the Jesuits who, besides guided by the Latin motto “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam” (For the Greater Glory of God) in all that they do, are reputed as free-thinkers, the once introverted Calida soon found his voice and was especially attracted to the subject of philosophy.|

“I found it very exciting and very interesting to challenge ideas and beliefs, even those of the Jesuits themselves. But I appreciated my Jesuit teachers because they were sport. They don’t mind if you question them so long as you exercise the ability to form good arguments within what was just,” the proud Atenean imparted.

Good son

In 2001, Calida was appointed Undersecretary of the Department of Justice, handling among others the National Task Force on Terrorism and Internal SecurityIt was not the Jesuits, however, who inspired Calida to pursue Law as a profession but his father.

“He used to tell me that his dream was to be a lawyer, but unfortunately, his parents were financially handicapped. All the same, he was grateful to finish college with a Bachelor of Science in Education, which is why he became a teacher. In short, I took it upon myself to fulfill his dream of becoming a lawyer.”

A good son, Calida was careful in the choices he made in college, to be sure he achieved his father’s dream the best way he could. He thus majored in English at the Ateneo de Davao University as “a necessary tool for someone who wants to pursue Law.”

“Just like carpenters who must have tools, lawyers must also have their proper tools, and one of them is proficiency in the English language. You should also know how to write,” he explained.

“But since I was also interested in Philosophy and especially drawn to debates [Calida was president of the Ateneo de Davao debate team during his time], I took the course as my co-major, and both of them prepared me well for law school.”

Graduating cum laude in 1969, Calida took the next big step to make his father proud and proceeded to take up Law all the way in the big city of Manila.

Brilliant Davaoeño

A provinciano through and through—perhaps the reason why despite his stern demeanor, there remain signs of humility in the way he moves and speaks every now and then—Calida’s entry into the Ateneo de Manila’s College of Law in 1969 was the first time the boy from barrio Sawagnan had to live away from Davao.

“Initially, it was a rather difficult time for me when I moved to Manila for law school,” he admitted. “At that time, the Ateneo de Manila campus was still in Padre Faura in Ermita, and I looked for a boarding house there.”

Faced with the need to adjust from a small town life to the metropolitan scene, he remembers often moving house, unable to get settled for a variety of reasons.

“Sometimes I didn’t like the food they served so I’d move out,” he chuckled. “My parents remained in Davao where my father continued to work in GSIS, and my mother her teaching job at the same public school where I graduated. I guess I missed home but eventually, I made friends in law school and joined [the Aquila Legis]fraternity and had instant ‘brods’.”

A consistent Dean’s Lister through the next four years, Calida graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1973, immediately taking the Bar Examination with the highest grade of 100 percent in Criminal Law, 90 percent in Civil Law, and 90 percent in Taxation. The brilliant Davaoeño was only 23 years old at this promising crossroads and had his whole future ahead of him.

Homecoming

Ever the dutiful son, Calida, who successfully achieved his father’s dream of becoming a lawyer, chose to return to Davao even if he had spun dreams of his own by then of practicing law in New York.

“My father was so proud of me that the first thing he did when the Bar Exam results came out in the papers was to order a shingle with my name ‘Jose C. Calida, Attorney at Law.’ He hung it in front of our house for everyone to see,” Calida laughed fondly.

“But since I was the only child and realized my parents were getting older, I made the decision to stay in Davao and forego my plans of going to New York. At that time, Law graduates from Ateneo and the University of the Philippines only needed to present their credentials for processing and they would be accepted in the Bar of New York and California.”

Looking back, Calida has no regrets over choosing to be close to his parents, for what followed for the young lawyer nonetheless was a swift progression in his career, from joining a local law firm in Davao City to setting up his own practice, heading the legal teams of such major companies as Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc.
and Security Bank among others, and his first government appointment as Undersecretary of the Department of Justice to becoming the 48th Solicitor General of the Republic of the Philippines.

Destiny

“Being the defender of the republic is an awesome responsibility and I accept it and pursue it wholeheartedly,” Calida said of this current pinnacle of his career.

“Maybe this is my destiny—even if I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be Solicitor General. I mean, could you imagine, a boy who was born in the boondocks, with public school teachers for parents, becoming the top lawyer of the Philippines?” he said in disbelief, those traces of provinciano humility more evident than ever.

“I wish my parents were still alive so they could see me right now,” he smiled quietly.

Openly grateful for the extraordinary opportunities that came his way—from that fateful day the public school supervisor made him a student barely out of his toddler years, to becoming Solicitor General—it becomes convincing for Calida to claim that “kindness always finds its way through (his) decisions.”

“I am kind to those who are kind to me—and life has been kind to me,” he averred.

As such, he may indeed exist authentically, to borrow from Sarte’s philosophy that “we live according to our own beliefs and experiences”—in his case the total sum of the provincial lad who was raised with the value of hard work and respect; the Jesuit student encouraged to think freely for the glory of God and as a man for others; a gifted criminal lawyer; and a responsible government appointee.

And the free thinker that he is, Calida is all the more grateful to find himself in a very “unique” position of the Solicitor General.

“If you look at our seal, there are two functions there,” he pointed out. “One is ‘Republic Defender,’ so I defend the government its branches, instrumenta­lities, agencies as well as officers. But I was also given the power under the administrative code and in law to be the ‘People’s Tribune.’ That means, if my office does not agree with the position taken by a government agency, and if I think it’s for the best interest of the government—that we should not support this policy or decision—I have the discretion not to defend a government agency or instrumentality and side with the other party, and ultimately it’s the people of the Philippines.

“Now the concept of the People’s Tribune actually originated in Rome at a time when the aristocrats were the oligarchs,” he continued. “Of course there was a Senate in Rome. To balance the injustice, they created what we now call the ‘tribunate’ or ‘tribune’ who will defend the interest of those who are less fortunate in life. The scales of justice will be uneven if there is no tribune because only those oligarchs or those in power will benefit from this unequal justice. If I were to use another term, I would be the equalizer.”

And so in the final analysis, what then may a person need to equalize injustice, other than adhering to the rule of law? Solicitor General or not, the American Christian publishing veteran and author James Stuart Bell offers the following from his book, The One Year Men of the Bible: “Even if you don’t believe you have much to offer others, keep in mind that a simple act of kindness is a great equalizer.”

* * *

Career highlights and advocacies

1974: Associate, Amoguis & Gumban Law Office, Davao City

1980: Professor, Ateneo de Davao University College of Law Partner, Rama, Dureza Calida & Abarquez Law Firm, Davao City

1982: Senior Associate, Santiago, Vidanes, Jorge Law Firm, Makati City

1984: AVP for Legal and Head, Litigation Group, Security Bank, Makati City

1992: Partner, Fabregas, Calida & Remollo Law Firm, Makati City

1997: Co-founder and president of Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption

1998: Co-founder and Secretary General, Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption

2000: Member, Prosecution Team of Estrada Impeachment Trial

2001 to 2004: Department of Justice Undersecretary

Appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, then Undersecretary Jose Calida was in charge of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Witness Protection, Security and Benefits Program, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, DOJ National Task Force on Terrorism and Internal Security, and DOJ Task Force on Financial Fraud and Money Laundering.

2004: Executive Director of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB)

In this capacity, Calida conceptualized and implemented the “Barkada Kontra Droga.” The DDB’s flagship project in drug prevention and control. It was a peer-based anti-drug advocacy program empowering the youth to become change agents in their school and community. He further implemented the “Lakbay Aral Kontra Droga” and “Lakbay Kontra Droga”, which were both aimed at heightening public awareness in the government’s anti-drug policies and programs.

2005 to 2016: Return to private practice

Calida’s stellar career in private law practice spans three decades. Previously, he was the Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc. (Coyiuto Group of Companies), Chairman and President of Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency, Inc., and General Counsel of Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agency Operators, Inc.

2016 to present: Solicitor General of the Republic of the Philippines

In July 2016, Calida was appointed the 48th Solicitor General by then newly elected President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

* * *

Quo warranto explained

Excerpts from ‘The Sunday Times Magazine’ interview with Solicitor General Jose Calida on March 7, 2018

“The problem with some politicians is they are quick to criticize but they don’t really know what quo warranto is. There’s a saying that ‘a little learning is a dangerous thing.’

“As I have said, there are two separate tracks [in the case of Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno].

“Track 1, impeachment, presupposes that the appointee was qualified for the position and after he was appointed, he committed offenses, like culpable violation of the constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, treason and other crimes.

“So it is after he was appointed when he committed offenses. And there is no question as to the eligibility and the qualifications. In other words, the appointee complied with all of these things. So the proper remedy [in this scenario]is impeachment.

“But in another situation, a different track is quo warranto. Here, before the person is appointed—in others words, when he goes through the Judicial and Bar Council—in the judiciary, there are certain qualifications for eligibility that the hopeful or aspirant must possess.

“But if he does not possess all the qualifications, and he is appointed, we now question what authority do you have to hold your position when you did not actually comply with eligibility requirements beforehand.

“So in the pre-appointment—in this quo warranto—the aspirant failed to qualify. Dito naman sa impeachment, the aspirant qualified and he was appointed so this is post-appointment.

“Now they are saying, those who are hitting us, that this petition is unconstitutional but they are wrong because the constitution provides eligibility requirements and there is an important provision there in the constitution.

There is a moral eligibility requirement and that pertains to the applicant—that he must have, aside from proven competence, integrity, probity and loyalty.

“How do you assess probity? Through another constitutional requirement that you should file SALNs, which is important because it shows that you are willing to disclose your wealth or any business interests and of course pay the right taxes.

“Now if you don’t submit your SALNs, at the time when—in the case of Sereno who received millions as consultant of the government in that Piatco case—your integrity is questionable. And that is one of the important qualifications under the constitution, and also supported by law.

“So where is the unconstitutionality of quo warranto now? The state has a right to oust the person who does not hold or who holds the office illegally. Now if people will understand that, they will not accuse us that this is a conspiracy.

“This is the proper remedy for attorney Sereno’s problem and I hope I made it clear.”

INTERVIEW BY CHRISTINA ALPAD

The post The traits and triumphs of the country’s top lawyer appeared first on The Manila Times Online.

In celebration of March as National Women’s Month, the Philippine Center of International PEN (Poets and Playwrights, Essayists, and Novelists) will have authors Alice Sun-Cua, Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, and Che Sarigumba talk about and sign copies of their latest books at the Solidaridad Book Shop in Manila on March 24.

Sun-Cua will discuss “Kissing through a Handkerchief and Other Travel Tales” (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2017), her third collection of essays after the National Book Award-winning “Riding Towards the Sunrise and Other Travel Tales” (2001) and “Autumn in Madrid” (2013).

A practicing obstetrician-gynecologist, Sun-Cua writes travel essays and medical articles for Cruising, a monthly travel magazine. She is also a poet and translator. Her poems are collected in “Charted Prophesies and Other Poems” (2001), and her translation works include “Las Personas del Verbo,” poems of Jaime Gil de Biedma co-translated into English.

Katigbak-Lacuesta’s latest poetry collection is “Hush Harbor” (UST Publishing House, 2017), her fourth after “The Proxy Eros” (2008), “Burning Houses” (2013), and “Tropicalia: Poems and Translations” (collaborative work, Vagabond Press, 2016).

She has won the Palanca, Philippines Free Press, and Philippines Graphic Nick Joaquin awards for her poems; and was a delegate to several literary festivals, including the International Festival of Poetry in Medellín, Colombia.

In 2015, Katigbak-Lacuesta completed her residencywith the International Writing Program of the University of Iowa. She is the associate director for poetry of De La Salle University’s Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center.

Sarigumba’s book is her debut novel “Puso Pa Rin ang Nagpasiya” (It’s the Heart that Still Decides) (Vee Press, 2016), which bagged first prize in a story-writing contest sponsored by the National Book Development Board.

She has served as the travel and lifestyle editor of the Pilipino Mirror tabloid for five years, and is a literary reviewer in Filipino at the Philippines Graphic magazine.

Sarigumba also writes poetry and has been a member of the renowned Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo (LIRA) since 2010. She is one of the fellows of this year’s University of the Philippines National Writers Workshop in April. She has been invited to teach in the university to share her knowledge of writing and publishing.

The event will be held at the Solidaridad Book Shop, 531 Padre Faura Street, Ermita, Manila. It begins at 5:30 p.m. and is open to the public. For inquiries, please e-mail Philippine PEN at philippinepen@yahoo.com or call the Solidaridad Book Shop at (632) 2541-086.

The post Philippine PEN event to feature three female authors appeared first on The Manila Times Online.