If you asked my dad to describe me, he would be the first to tell you that, out of all his children, I am the one who cannot sit still. And the reason for my inability to simply be can be attributed to my mind that just won’t quit. It keeps going, going and going until it’s time to sleep, and then, it begins again the moment I wake up.
This is why everyone, including my dad, thought it was funny that I started my meditation practice. And understandably so, I was my own biggest doubter. For one thing, before being able to sit still for 15 minutes seemed impossible, and second, I thought that meditating would make me lose a big part of who I was — my drive and passion.
These two myths, along with many others, were debunked by Dan Harris in his book, 10% Happier. Dan Harris was a young ABC anchor when he had a panic attack on air for the whole of the world and YouTube to see. This, along with many other life events, led him to a personal meditation journey which he documents in the book as well as his “Ten Percent Happier” podcast and app.
Out of all the things I have learned (and continue to learn) from his books and podcast episodes, these are the two that I carry with me daily: Meditation is not the absence of thoughts but rather the acknowledgment of it. Mindfulness, which is a big part of meditation, means we do not get lost in the current of each thought.
Instead, we take the time to sit with each thought and how it makes us feel. It allows us to not just be carried by each thought because we are taking the time to pause and see it for what it is.
The reason we are often anxious is that our emotions cannot decipher between reality and our thoughts. Practicing the pause makes me less reactive, which is what I used to be. Through meditating, I have learned to take a step back and examine my thoughts and the reality of the situation.
Meditation is being present. We can easily get lost in yesterdays and tomorrows but by meditating consistently, we train our mind to focus on this moment and it makes each moment more enriching. It also helps lessen the anxiety associated with people who are future-centric.
I also used to think that my faith and a meditation practice could not co-exist but in truth, it can.
Numerous verses found in both the Old and New Testament encourage meditating on God’s word daily and that can only be done if we can quiet our mind enough to let that happen. This can be achieved through meditation.
A sermon by Pastor Steven Furtick titled “Brave the Waves” highlights the importance of taking care of our minds. You see our world is framed by our mind; the reality we see is interpreted by our thoughts. This is why some people can have joy and hope in the toughest circumstances — it’s because their mind is trained differently. They can “brave the waves” of life so to speak because they are resilient and strong in their thought life. And this is why I chose to meditate because if I can calm the storm within, I can brave any storm outside of myself.
We can train ourselves to be warriors and oddly enough, it all begins when with a pause.
GOOD news! You don’t have to read Don Quixote to enjoy Quichotte: A Novel (Random House), prize-winning author Salman Rushdie’s modern reinvention of Miguel de Cervantes’ masterwork. You’ll probably pick up on hundreds of additional references and inside jokes if you have, but Rushdie has created something that feels wholly original, even if you’ve never heard of the hopelessly romantic Spanish knight-errant who sees danger in windmills.
This cover image released by Random House shows Quichotte by Salman Rushdie. (RANDOM HOUSE VIA AP)
It does help to have an open mind, however. Rushdie’s so-called magical realism (that’s lit-crit for “making stuff up in an otherwise mostly real setting”) is on full display here. There are mastodons in New Jersey, a talking cricket (“you can call me Jiminy”) and even Oprah Winfrey has a legitimate talk-show competitor.
The crazy plot can’t truly be summarized in a 500-word review, but Rushdie tells two stories simultaneously: Quichotte’s quest to meet and live happily-ever-after with Miss Salma R., the aforementioned talk-show host of Indian origin, and the man writing his story, pen name Sam DuChamp, who has written only “modestly (un)successful” spy novels until he conceives Quichotte. The two stories bounce off each other in delightful ways, often matching each other character-for-character, before finally interweaving in a blockbuster ending that feels earned, even if not quite real.
Rushdie serves up his hallmark social criticism throughout the novel. Quichotte is introduced as a 70-year-old man of “retreating mental powers” suffering from brain damage caused by watching too much television. He lives in the present, or what Rushdie calls the age of “Anything-Can-Happen,” a time when it “was no longer possible to predict the weather, or the likelihood of war, or the outcome of elections.” Miss Salma R. is addicted to painkillers and Quichotte was a traveling pharmaceutical salesman before embarking on his quest.
Rushdie even gives Quichotte his own Sancho, dreamed to life while witnessing the Perseids meteor shower near Devils Tower in Wyoming. As in Cervantes’ novel, Sancho is the pragmatist to his father’s idealist. When Quichotte uses the lessons of “The Bachelorette” to help plan his pursuit of Salma R. — “No great quest, my boy, was ever achieved except by those with faith.” — Sancho retorts: “But if faith is all you’ve got, you’re going to lose out to the guy with the moves and the good looks.”
The book is crammed with pop-culture references like that. He may be partly satirizing America’s obsession with celebrities, but there’s no doubt that Rushdie has paid attention to the trend. Sancho again, this time in an inner monologue: “A zillion channels and nothing to hold them together. Garbage out there, and great stuff out there, too, and they both coexist at the same level of reality, both give off the same air of authority. How’s a young person supposed to tell them apart? … Every show on every network tells you the same thing: based upon a true story. … the true story is there’s no true story anymore.”
Lucky for us, there are true storytellers and Rushdie is near the top of that list. If you haven’t read him before, this is a good book to start with — it’s fabulist and funny while revealing an awful lot about the world we live in today. Plus, when you’re done, if you pronounce it correctly, you can tell friends you read Quixote.
Quichotte costs P945 and is available in leading bookstores.
Marc Tomas, former president of Ikebana International Manila Chapter 108 and member of Sogetsu Potential Manila Chapter, will conduct a workshop on Ikebana-Sogetsu-inspired flower arrangement for beginners at the Sunshine Place from 10 to 11 a.m on November 9, 16, 23 and 30.
Workshop participants will learn the basics ofthe Japanese art of flower arrangement.
Workshop participants will learn the basics of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement that gives emphasis as well on the stem, leaves and branches.
Sogetsu, a school of Ikebana was introduced in 1927, allowing the arranger freedom of expression by incorporating unconventional materials.
A reasonably-priced starter kit is available at the venue which includes, the foliage for the four sessions, kenzan and a vertical and horizontal base.
This must be a most spectacular event you could be witnessing sometime in the future: the grand reunion between you, the living, and those of your friends and loved ones who had died but who by that time will have been resurrected on a global scale.
Unbelievable? Something more of a science-fiction scenario lifted from a movie?
You are likely to say so, unless you believe the words of Jesus, founder of Christianity and vaunted to be, for millions of believers, the promised Messiah.
He prophesied, “Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things, to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28, 29)
In heaven or on earth?
Most Christians will readily say they believe in the resurrection of the dead. Coming from Jesus as recorded in the Gospel, who among them will dare doubt its truthfulness?
Now, such a marvelous prophecy surely deserves a serious analysis, does it not?
Will the resurrection take place in heaven, as commonly believed, or will it happen on earth? More interestingly, when will it take place?
Where the tombs are
Note: The resurrected are to come out of “memorial tombs.” And where else could those tombs be found but across the earth? Definitely not in heaven!
Jesus demonstrated samples of resurrection by miracle when on separate occasions he brought back to life a young man from Nain, the young daughter of Jairus, and lastly, Jesus’ own friend, Lazarus.
Each resurrection surely brought indescribable joy to both the resurrected and their beloved ones. You could perhaps imagine them hugging each other while crying profusely.
Similarly, can we not also imagine the awesome joy the grand resurrection of all the dead will bring to billions of the risen ones and their waiting families and friends?
The Holy Book leaves no other details of how the resurrection will come about. Yet, the deeply moving drama of the resurrection miracles of Jesus should fill us with great longing for that day!
Basic truths the Resurrection reveals
Since the resurrection is a central teaching of Christianity, other beliefs regarding the dead should harmonize with it, should they not? They must fit perfectly within its framework, like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.
For instance, what does the resurrection reveal to us about the true condition of the dead? Over the centuries, those professing Christianity had been exposed to conflicting beliefs about the dead.
The long-held belief among Christendom’s mainstream religions is that the “soul,” believed to be a spirit element of a person, departs from his body at his moment of death, then keeps living on, floating as it were, until it is accepted into heaven if proven good, or cast into hell if proven bad. The soul is believed to be immortal and indestructible.
The dead’s body decays over time, a fact we can observe everywhere.
But suppose we accept the belief in an immortal soul, then comes the question: What needs to be resurrected if the soul has never died? Is it the body, as some were taught to believe? If so, then what for? Is not the soul already enjoying life in heaven — or suffering in hell?
In either case, will the idea of immortality not be inconsistent with the concept of resurrection? Logically, how do you resurrect what has not died? How can resurrection be applied to the undead?
How dead is the dead?
Contrasting the condition of the living with that of the dead, the Holy Scriptures state:
“For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward… Also, their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they no longer have any share in what is done under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6)
What about the “soul”? While the Bible speaks of the “soul” of man (“nepesh” in Hebrew”), the word never refers to a spirit entity inhabiting the human body and departing at death.
A notable Bible reference acknowledges, “Nephesh, the soul in the Old Testament means not a part of man, but the whole man — as a living being. Similarly, in the New Testament it signifies human life, the life of an individual, conscious subject.” (New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Vol. XIII p. 467)
Accordingly, when man dies, the soul — his whole being – dies with him. Life expires at death.
Rather than speak of an undying soul, the Scriptures state, “The soul that is sinning — it itself will die.” (Ezekiel 18:4)
What the Bible proves about the dead is plain and logical, and it harmonizes completely with the concept of resurrection: The dead loses all consciousness, emotions and feelings. As God had told Adam, because of sinning he would die, that is, lose life, expire, and “return to dust.” (Genesis 3:19)
Other scriptures liken the dead’s unconscious condition to someone in deep sleep.
“And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life, and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2)
No wonder, Jesus, before resurrecting Lazarus, said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am traveling there to awaken him.” (John 5:11)
Thus, our departed loved ones now exist only in our memory — and nowhere else.
Resurrection, a logical necessity
The true condition of the dead will therefore make resurrection a logical necessity.
Out of their infinite love for mankind, sinful and dying that these creatures are, Jehovah God and Jesus Christ will do the best and only right thing for them after death had claimed them — bring them back to life, wake them up from what could be an eternal slumber, and give them a new lease on life, a second chance.
Second chance for whom?
This may surprise some believers. But the Apostle Paul declared, “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15)
What price resurrection?
God’s will to raise the dead apparently exacted a high price for this new life, and he paid such a huge price for it. It was the human life of his own Son. Without the ransom sacrifice of Jesus there could never have been a resurrection.
“For since death came through a man (Adam) resurrection of the dead also comes through a man (Jesus). For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21 to 23)
“Just as the Son of Man (Jesus) came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matthew 20:28)
Resurrected with a clean slate
Those who died had paid the ultimate penalty for their sins. “For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
It is rather comforting to know that when anyone “unrighteous” dies, he is considered “acquitted from his sin.” (Romans 6:4) Therefore, when he is resurrected he is given a new lease on life with a clean slate. This must be the very purpose of resurrection. Give sinners a second chance.
Consider as an example what Jesus said to one of the two condemned criminals who were nailed beside him. After that dying man appealed to Jesus, “Remember me when you get into your Kingdom,” Jesus assured him, “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42, 43)
Does this not all the more serve to magnify God’s great love even for sinful mankind? (John 3:16)
So, those who will be resurrected as having “practiced vile things” (John 5:29) will be up for a “resurrection of judgment” in the sense that they will not be judged according to their past life but on the basis of what they will do or how they will spend their life after resurrection.
When it will take place
Evidently, the Grand Resurrection will take place when God’s Kingdom has destroyed this corrupt world system and then began transforming the Earth into a global Paradise, as foretold in Daniel 2:44, Psalms 37:9 to 11, 29, and Isaiah 65:17, 21 to 23.
Living conditions on Earth by then will have become the most ideal ever for both the living and their resurrected loved ones. Never again will death tear them apart from each other. Thus will be fulfilled the prophecy: “Death is swallowed up forever.” (1 Corinthians 15:54; Isaiah 25:8)
It will also be the ultimate answer to the Lord’s Prayer, that part that says, “Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth.” (Matthew 6:10)
The young girl my mother once was
wanted to marry a man who speaks
smooth “Tagalog.” She told me
of her childhood in Barotac Viejo,
where on evenings she would lie
on a banig and imagine
the day’s laundry as a pillow beneath
her head. She dreamed of a real mattress.
She dreamed on the cold floor.
She would like a bed
where the Tagalog man would give her
Tagalog babies. Decades later,
in a house, in a subdivision,
in Quezon City, she tells of these stories.
Her two children, taller than her,
neither speak her Ilonggo
nor her husband’s Ilokano,
just the pure, mongrel tongue of cityspeak.
It is to be understood that the woman
my mother had become now dreams —
on a proper bed, with proper pillows
and a soft mattress — of some country
far from her own, where one or both of us
children will fly and thrive and marry
someone who speaks another language, far
from the one she dreamed of as a farmer’s
daughter. Far from the one she’s now used to
as the wife of an Ilocano who speaks decent
Tagalog. Now she dreams of flying off somewhere
else where her feet will always be foreign,
and in these dreams I might have children
who have tongues on where accents —
from some distant islands — are sleeping.
In cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents leading Polish jazz pianist and composer Artur Dutkiewicz in a solo concert on November 12 at 7:30 p.m. A Piano Improvisation Workshop follows on November 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Both events are held at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).
Polish jazz pianist and composer Artur Dutkiewicz
Called the “Ambassador of Polish jazz” by the Jazz Forum Magazine in 2012, Dutkiewicz has appeared in more than 60 countries around the world from the USA through Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
He studied composition and arrangement where he graduated from the Jazz Department at the Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland receiving a diploma with distinction. He was a finalist of the Thelonious Monk Competition in Washington, USA.
Dutkiewicz has taken part in dozens of renowned jazz and music festivals around the world. These include the Hague’s Northsea Jazz Festival, Warsaw’s Jamboree, Hamburg’s Campnagel Theater, Bern’s Festival Kleiner Bunchen, Nuremberg’s Jazz Ost West, Cannes’ MIDEM, Milan’s Music Oggi, Paris’ Festival D`Europe Centrale, Budapest’s Sziget Festival, Havana’s Jazz Plaza Festival Tel Aviv’s Jazz Festival, Glasgow’s Jazz Festival, Duesseldorf’s Jazz Rally, Berlin’s World Culture Festival, Milan’s Notturni in Palestro Festival, Beijing’s BJ Ninegates Jazz Festival, Helsinki’s Kontu Festival and Melbourne’s International Jazz Festival.
In 2011, he performed at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin during the World Culture Festival, arranging and playing a piece for 30 pianos with pianists from around the world, gathering an audience of 35,000.
Besides playing in solo recitals, he is the leader of the Artur Dutkiewicz Trio, which plays modern jazz. His last albums “Mazurki” (solo), “Prana” and “Traveller” (trio), have been superbly received by audiences and critics alike.
An exhibit on the life and work of National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab will be launched at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts Campus on January 16, 2020.
The upcoming exhibit of National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab will showcase his life milestones and career highlights.
Designed to create awareness and celebrate Cayabyab’s music, the exhibition titled “Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika” — taken from his Metropop-winning composition sung by Hajji Alejandro — will showcase milestones of his life and works by highlighting his career as a composer, arranger, musical director, conductor, choir master, host and music educator. His projects that include concerts, recordings, theater, films and television shows will likewise be spotlighted.
The gallery will feature a grand piano to stage Cayabyab’s music, surrounded by a timeline presented through text, images and videos. His songs will be heard through curated playlists as well as with acts by the college’s students from the AB Music Production program. A listening corner and a karaoke room will be installed for those who wish to listen or sing-along to the Maestro’s melodies.
To complete the plan, Architecture and Interior Design undergraduates mentored by architect Walther Ocampo and Interior Designers Kat Correa and Lheng Vito Cruz have been tapped to design tapestries and lounge chairs inspired by Cayabyab’s compositions.
“Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika” is the first Center for Campus Art (CCA) exhibit on music. It is aligned with its objective to spotlight National Artists, recipients of the highest recognition granted by the Philippine government upon Filipino artists, designers, dancers and musicians.
To date, the CCA has generated showrooms on National Artists Ramon Valera, Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal and hosted the pieces of National Artists Manuel Conde, Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Salvador Bernal.
Produced by the Center for Campus Art under the Office of Advancement of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the show is curated by CCA Director Architect Gerry Torres and co-curated by Aji Manalo of AB Music Production.
“Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika” will run from January 17 to April 18, 2020.
The adage “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” has divided people in doing charitable works, especially public figures.
(From left) GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, GMAKF Executive Vice President and COO Rikki Escudero- Catibog, Bea Binene, GMAKF Founder and Ambassador Mel Tiangco, Rocco Nacino, Patricia Tumulak and GMA Artist Center Assistant Vice President and Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun Ferrer
How many times have people called out celebrities who spend their special days — most of the time on their birthday — at charitable institutions where they feed and give gifts to the less fortunate? Or when they go out of their comfort zones to areas ravaged by super typhoons or other natural calamities?
Regardless of their pure intent, there will always be naysayers who would point the aforementioned adage and accuse celebrities of trumpeting charity for their personal gain.
But Rocco Nacino, one of three stars who signed up as GMA Kapuso Foundation’s (GMAKF) Youth Advocates, stood firm and even shared with The Sunday Times Magazine how people of his stature can do more good when they let the public know of their charitable endeavor.
“If your goal is just to do good, then you don’t have to broadcast it. Pero sometimes, like people in my position, I would be glad to broadcast this because you’ll never know who it can really inspire,” said Nacino, who is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree in nursing, making him a perfect fit as the foundation’s advocate for health.
In his new capacity, Nacino would promote GMAKF’s health and nutrition projects such as Bisig Bayan and Give-A-Gift projects.
“That two seconds of seeing your idol on TV or maybe up close, and letting them know my story, that brief five-minute speech may spark an idea sa kanya, sa bata na [makakarining ng istorya] to maybe be a nurse as well and maybe to achieve something far greater than what I have achieved,” Nacino continued.
“There are pros and cons in broadcasting it, in choosing a side, it really depends on what your goal is. For me it’s to influence and inspire the youth and to be able to provide them that chance of hoping that they can be something in this world. So yes, you can be that little spark of hope to other people,” Nacino summarized.
“Beautiful Justice” star and budding chef-entrepreneur Bea Binene seemed to agree how celebrities can spark hope during charitable engagements.
Like Nacino, Binene was also tapped as an advocate of GMAKF. The young actress is the face of the foundation’s disaster relief efforts and is committed to help spread awareness and raise support for Operation Bayanihan relief efforts.
“It’s not just the money or the food na binibigay mo but also the ability to uplift their spirits — yung pag-encourage mo sa kanila, tapos yung pagpapasalamat ng tao — it’s really priceless,” Binene shared at their contract signing.
Completing the trio who were introduced that afternoon as Youth Advocates is host and actress Patricia Tumulak.
A graduate of Early Childhood Development Education, Tumulak understands the need for sturdy classrooms all over the Philippines making her fit as advocate of Kapuso School Development program as well as Kapuso Tulay Para Sa Kaunlaran.
“I am super happy I get to share both advocacy in education because I have [my own] passion project, ‘Push to Read Project’ where I gather kids from different barangays and conduct story telling,” Tumulak noted.
“I am here to raise awareness, to be part of this program, to be active and to make the youth realize the importance of education,” the actress added.
With their evident passion and dedication, GMAKF founder and ambassador Mel Tiangco was understandably elated on the artists’ contract signing.
“This is a big day for GMA Kapuso Foundation. For the longest time, I was hoping, praying na sana everybody — including artists and executives — in the network will join the foundation in its efforts to be of service to our people,” Tiangco enthused.
“Sa GMA merong totoong tumutulong, may totoong bumababa talaga to the bottom of the society para makapaglingkod,” the passionate executive finally added.
Besides Nacino, Binene and Tumulak, tween stars Sofia Pablo and Will Ashley are now also part of the foundation for its “Unang Hakbang Sa Kinabukasan (Education Support)” program.
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) — led by its chairman National Artist Virgilio Almario, executive director Al Ryan Alejandre, and deputy executive director Marichu Tellano, through its Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA) headed by Commissioner Alphonsus Tesoro — wrapped up the national celebration of indigenous peoples with a national forum dubbed as Kálkalí (Kankana-ey word for ‘conversations’) at the Maryhill School of Theology, Quezon City.
Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation no. 1906 signed in 2009 declaring every October of the year as the National Indigenous Peoples Month, this year’s celebration bannered the theme “Vital Wisdoms: Learning with the Indigenous Peoples” or Buháy na Dúnong: Pagkatúto Kasama Ang Mga Katutúbo.
The 2-day forum was composed of eight sessions which tackled the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in the Philippines featuring various speakers from IP communities and representatives from concerned sectors.
The forum kicked off with a performance from Matigsalug of BukidnonNational Artist and NCCA Chairman Virgilio Almario
The forum kicked off with a performance from Matigsalug of Bukidnon, followed by messages from the director of Center for Mission Studies of Maryhill School of Theology and SCCTA Commissioner Alphonsus Tesoro. NCCA Chairman Almario also shared a special message to the participants. The overview of the forum was delivered by the forum director Dr. Eufracio Abaya.
The first session or unang kálkalí discussed the perspective of the IP communities on their language, followed by a talk about the traditional craftsmanship for the ikalawang kálkalí.
The ikatlo at ikaapat na kálkalí talked about performance arts, rituals, and festivals as inspiration in cultural productions; and the institutional support for safeguarding ICH, respectively.
To the wrap up the first day of forum, Almario led the book launch of Ang Epikong-bayan at iba pang Araling Folklore ni E. Arsenio Manuel and Buhay ni Lam-ang.
On the second day, the ikalimang kálkalí feature the oral traditions and expressions while the ikaanim na kálkalí featured indigenous learning systems. The ikapitong kálkalí then tackled the indigenous ecological knowledges and practices.
And for the last kálkalí, the speaker tackled institutional support for safeguarding ICH.
“Bongga Ka Day,” the newest OPM musical in the thriving Philippine theater scene is now looking for cast members.
The musical, set to open in June 2020 the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila, will use the music of iconic OPM band, Hotdog.
The audition will be happening from November 11 to 13 at the House Manila, Ground Floor, Holiday Inn Express, Manila Newport City, Resorts World Manila. Registration will begin at 12 nn and auditions will run from 3 to 7 p.m.
Auditionees, male or female, must be 18 to 50 years old. On the day of audition, they must bring
1 head shot and 1 full body shot.
Finally, they must have one Hotdog song, or any song from musical theater, minus one, saved in a USB flash drive for the audition. They are also encourage to wear comfortable clothes and dancing shoes.
As a staunch pillar of Philippine arts, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) attracts different personalities at various times of the year — from aspring and professional artists, to students and members of the workforce.
However, for one to schedule a tour around the CCP, there are numerous calls and other processes to go through. This in mind, and with the concept that art is for everyone, a new tour was produced to help visitors explore CCP at their own pace and preference.
“You have to write my office, sabihin mo ilan kayo, and then mag schedule kami ng tour guide, and then saan saan yung ruta, anong araw dadating. But in this case, kahit anong araw ka dumating dito, kahit walang tao, you can already do it yourself. That’s the beauty of it,” Ariel Yonzon, CCP Associate Artistic Director of the Production and Exhibition Department told The Sunday Times Magazine.
QRated helps visitors explore CCP at their own pace and preferenceQR codes give instant access to the rich stories of the CCP Main Building.
Dubbed “QRated” — a play on “Quick Response” or “QR codes” and “curated” — it is a do-it-yourself or DIY tour done through visiting an area and scanning the QR codes with a smartphone for instant access to the rich stories of the CCP Main Building. After creating an account and connecting to the building’s intranet system or private network, the tour can already be done.
QRated includes the permanent displayed artworks of the CCP Visual Arts Collection, exhibition spaces, theaters, architectural details and other noteworthy spaces, facilities and services. The QR codes will also be changed for new exhibits.
“Marami pa [kaming art pieces]. Yung nakikita mo, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Marami kami naka-bodega and we have an extensive contemporary art collection that spans from the late ‘60s all the way to the mid ‘80s.”
Moreover, the younger generations, according to Yonzon, will be able to help those older who cannot understand QR codes therefore create more ways of communication between them.
“It welcomes everyone to an otherwise imposing building. Marami paring takot sa building na ‘to. They think we’re elitists, we’re snobbish, or only for the money, the elite and rich, but it’s not true. So this is an example of debunking the myth na pwede naman silang pumasok and have access to information,” Yonzon finally expressed.
The Philippine Embassy in Israel recently launched Balai Quezon, a museum that pays tribute to Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel Quezon’s heroic efforts to grant asylum to more than one thousand Jews during the Holocaust. Balai Quezon houses memorabilia and testimonies related to President Quezon’s open-door policy, including Celeste Lecaroz’s portrait of President Quezon rendered in spontaneous realism style.
The said painting was unveiled at the Balai Quezon opening by Lecaroz herself who flew to Israel just for the occasion, Israel’s Minster of Foreign Affairs Director Yaron Mayer, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Ernesto Corpuz, Philippine Ambassador to Israel Neal Imperial, and Honorary Consul of the Philippines in Jerusalem on South Asia Shimon Weinbaum. Honorary Consul Weimbaum commissioned the portrait and donated it to the Philippine Embassy.
President Manuel L. Quezon in spontaneous realism
In her speech, Lecaroz likened President Quezon to Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg who saved thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Germany, German Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer, and American Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King.
“Their lives prove that one person can make a difference,” said Lecaroz. “And we can all be that person who can make the difference in the lives of the people who need us desperately.”
Lecaroz hopes that Balai Quezon will inspire people to appreciate the life and leadership of President Quezon and continue his legacy. “He did not hesitate to do the right during a horrible time in history when the rest of the world looked the other way.”
Prior to Quezon’s portrait, Lecaroz painted two other spontaneous realism works that also celebrate the themes of heroism and unity. One is a painting of Mahatma Gandhi and Jose Rizal, and the other is a painting depicting sisterhood; the latter is a part of an exhibit at Galerya Amalia in Ayala Mall Aseana until November 15.
On November 14, the Cultural Center of the Philippines unveils the work of visual artists Mervy Pueblo and Atsuko Yamagata from the recently concluded 7th international art festival called the Nakanojo Biennale in Japan.
The CCP invites visitors to look into the insights of the artists in this exhibition titled “Transcendental” which address historical, contemporary and societal specters.
Pueblo and Yamagata, visual artists based in Manila, met, created and exhibited their works at the biennale that was held in Japan earlier in September.
Working both individually during their artist in residency of the biennale, Pueblo and Yamagata realized projects that respond to the physical and nonphysical realm.
Atsuko Yamagata playfully explores animist processes in his works.Mervy Pueblo’s installation is interjected with coded references.
Pueblo’s installation is interjected with coded references, creating socially charged mysterious draperies that function as a portrait of our contemporary reality.
Meanwhile, Yamagata playfully explores animist processes and presents materialistic definitions of the immaterial just like how one’s journey is recorded by one’s own footprint.
Transcendental offers an immersive experience that sets the space for an examination of one’s own values and of the indelible tracks that continues even after one’s presence is relinquished.
The exhibit will have its opening on November 14, 6 p.m., at the CCP’s Bulwagang Carlos V. Francisco (Little Theater Lobby). The exhibition will run until February 9, 2020. Exhibit viewing hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours are extended until 10 p.m. on days with evening performances at the CCP Main Theater.
Born and raised in Manila, Dexter Sy has been confronted with prejudices about his Chinese name since his earliest childhood. Origin, identity, religion these are themes that he stages in his carefully and detailed new exhibition titled “Bloodline.”
The title of the show is a continuation of the artist’s project, to which he has devoted himself in an artistic way since 2015. Sy’s grandfather immigrated to the Philippines as he was forced to leave the country due to an epidemic in China.
Origin, identity and religion are the themes of the artist’s exhibition.
Fast forward to 2019, the Philippine artist’s works are once again absolute actuality because of the ongoing political events of a globalized world.
Sy’s work deals with the cultural peculiarities that arise as Filipino with Chinese roots.
The paintings of the artist are not entirely clear at its first look, hence, the viewers are asked to explore the narrative of his art. Sometimes the viewer is asked to make use of their own family history to connect to the shown painting.
Sy does not show classical family portraits, roles in the middle of a cultural patchwork that have to find their way in a world full of religious as well as spiritual and social prejudices. Instead, he consciously uses the stylistic device of family portraits and alienates them in an ironic as well as grotesque way in order to irritate the recipient in his accustomed way of looking at things.
Dy’s paintings are not entirely clear at its first glance so that viewers are asked to explore the narrative of his art.
His two-dimensional pictures in ink are descriptions of society and tell about a world between two cultures. The incarnation of his figures, which, due to their fine texture and detailed ornamentation, appear almost like mosaics or inlays from cultures long past, in white or light green, lends the depicted figures a fragile character.
Again and again, the artist’s works are peppered with spiritual figures — angels, hands folded in prayer; a person appearing with a halo; a person with a portrait of Christ and a crown of thorns. The religious character of the pictures is reinforced by the fact that Sy stages his portraits like icons. The background of his works alternates between black, red and gold — in his new series he is using white for the fist time as well.
For Sy these fragments are not meant to represent a religious quotation, the artist understands them exemplary as a synonym of spirituality. And to him, spirituality characterizes all people, regardless of their origin or religion.
“People are so ashamed of envy, but envy is very healthy in the sense that it tells you what you want. Don’t dwell or bathe in the envy but use it as information to get to know yourself better. What is it that makes you go oh, I wish I had what that person has. What is it that I want? What is this telling me? And what action can I take towards getting this thing I want?” — Lori Gottlieb
When it comes to envy, my mom gave me the wisest advice that I keep close to my heart, “When you are envious of someone, instead of being angry why don’t you try using it as an inspiration to better?”
It’s important to note however, that envy is different from jealousy. Jealousy, as writer Sarah Cy pointed out, refers to wanting a specific thing in one person’s life aka a job, a boyfriend, a gadget, etc.
Envy, on the other hand, is directed more towards a general thing. As an example, when you see a girl at the mall, you’re quick to say, “I am jealous of her purse” but envy is more general, “Wow, she seems to be a successful entrepreneur and her life is better because of it. She is inspiring me to work harder and be better so I can embody the same life.”
Jealousy is often destructive because it wishes to destroy another because it believes that no one person can have the same thing (example: I am jealous of her boyfriend and since we both can’t have him, I have to destroy her) while envy acts in the spirit of “as well.”
If someone is successful, it inspires you to work harder because you believe in your heart that someone else’s success doesn’t take away from your own. Success is not limited — there is more than enough to go around. We can all be successful because success is relative.
The unfortunate thing, however, is the fact that jealousy and envy are often intertwined and lumped together in one negative box. Jealousy is a negative, destructive emotion but envy, when looked at correctly, can fuel us to have better lives. This is why it is unfortunate that women, in particular, are told to dismiss envy as soon as they feel it. This is preposterous because one, we’re not supposed to stifle any of our emotions, whether it’s good or bad and two, understanding our envy gives us the chance to get to know ourselves better.
Understanding envy
Whenever I find myself envious of another person’s life, I take this as an opportunity to sit down with myself and reflect. I study the person (in a non-creepy way, I promise!) and examine their lives to see what made me take notice.
When I was in high school, I remember weighing as much as a pregnant woman would if she was on the last term of her pregnancy and what inspired me to get up and get moving were the women I was surrounded with. My dad’s job allowed me to be in the presence of actresses, beauty queens, and models and instead of being angry because they were blessed with good genes, I was inspired to emulate their lifestyles.
I turned my envy into curiosity and this has allowed me to gather valuable lessons that I still carry with me today. It was because of that curiosity that I learned to develop a healthy lifestyle. I didn’t sit with my envy (because inaction often leads to bitterness) instead I used it as a tool to become better.
And this is a technique that I still apply to my life today. Whenever I feel envy creeping in, I take it as a signal that I needed to self-reflect and reevaluate my life. What was it about this person that made me envious? What can I do to emulate the life that I was so envious of?
The thing is if you remain curious and honest, envy can lead you to many discoveries about yourself that you otherwise would not have known.
Turning from jealousy to envy
Without a doubt, the line between jealousy and envy is delicate. This is why we can go from simply admiring a person to actually wanting to destroy them (Blair Waldorf’s term, not mine) but the key to healthily using envy is understanding one thing: the person you are envious of is not just a character on our smartphone but a real, breathing person with their own fears, dreams, and yes, insecurities. A lot of us fall into the jealousy trap because we forget to remember that the other person is also a human being.
In truly getting to know them, we will understand that we are all the same and ironically, this gives us the confidence to pursue our dreams. When we take the person off the pedestal (oh how we love knocking people down from pedestals!), we realize that they are just like us and if they can have a life worth envying then we can too. Instead of falling into a pity party, we can end up inspired! It also reminds us that there’s no shortage of success in the world.
I repeat this because it is so important. The reason why jealousy takes over is because we come from a shortage mentality. We think that just because someone else wins it means others cannot, but they are not mutually exclusive. Someone else winning doesn’t take anything away from anyone. There is no shortage of wins in the world.
Envy reminds us of this, and this is the power envy possess. It can be used as a proponent to propel our lives into the direction that we want to go.
So, the next time that you feel envy, don’t fear it but own it because it can lead you to a life that you did not even know was possible.
It is a rare sight for people of widely different nationalities and cultures to bond together with such warm affection, although total strangers to one another.
But such scenario was seen repeatedly in various places around the world from May to November this year. This marked the series of international conventions of the religious group Jehovah’s Witnesses with the theme “Love Never Fails.”
Delegates from 142 countries, most of whom were wearing their traditional national costumes, flew several thousand miles away from home to attend the conventions of their choice among 22 venues around the world.
Caucasians, Africans, Asians, Latin Americans and Europeans converged in every convention with a singular purpose–feast on three days of spiritual banquets made up of identical programs featuring Bible-based lectures, symposiums, interviews, and colorful video dramas, all designed to motivate the attenders to cultivate “love that never fails”, a concept lifted from the Bible at 1 Corinthians 13:8.
Most conspicuous in their colorful costumes were the Japanese, Koreans, Africans, and Mexicans, among others.
Breaking down barriers of disunity
What has made Jehovah’s Witnesses stand out worldwide is their remarkable unity as an international brotherhood, despite the traditional barriers of disunity such as nationality, race, language and culture.
Even during the height of racial discrimination or apartheid in South Africa in the 1950s, it was common for white Witnesses to be seen seated comfortably together in peace with black Witnesses in their Kingdom Halls and large assemblies.
In the Middle East, the media had reported what they described as the “uncanny” rapport between Israeli and Arab Witnesses.
Filipino delegates greet their foreign counterparts during the 2019 ‘Love Never Fails’ International Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses held at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.
While the tribal wars between the Tutsis and the Hutus were turning bloody in Rwanda, Jehovah’s Witnesses on both sides defied the common hatred between their tribes and did the unexpected — they risked their lives to shelter their brethren from the opposing tribe who were desperately seeking asylum from irate mobs.
The family-like bond among the Witnesses has also been seen during calamities and disasters. In the aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda in November, 2015, relief and reconstruction volunteer teams were quickly mobilized by the Witnesses and dispatched to hardest-hit areas in Leyte and surrounding provinces. Within a few days, surviving fellow believers were provided food and clothing, some were temporarily relocated while construction volunteers were rebuilding their houses.
Brotherly love shines through once more
The out-of-this-world expressions of brotherly love among the Witnesses shone once more — this time in more peaceful and jovial settings – at the 2019 “Love Never Fails” International Convention series held in May to November.
The latest of these mammoth gatherings was held on November 1 to 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena and the adjoining SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, with a total peak attendance of 26,245. They included 5,500 foreign delegates from 68 countries and some 20,700 Filipino Witnesses from all over the archipelago.
Highly noticeable in all these conventions was the common gestures of affection shown by the delegates to one another, regardless of their nationality, language, and culture.
At the close of each convention this scenario kept repeating itself as if on cue: Delegates kept waving to each other across the stadiums, some in tears, chanting loudly, “We love you!” “We love you!”
While the foreign delegates were streaming out toward their buses on the way to their hotels, they would pause to hug the locals and heartily exchanged little souvenirs with them. Dressed in colorful Filipiniana costumes, the locals, from adults to children, formed lines stretching about a kilometer fronting the arena, raising colored placards or streamers saying “See you in Paradise!” This was an expression of the common belief of the Witnesses that Jehovah God’s Kingdom, with Jesus Christ as King, will soon transform this planet into a global Paradise where obedient humans will live forever in peace, happiness and prosperity.
Back in the day, women everywhere were relegated to the home and only thought to be fit only for marriage and motherhood. No matter how capable they were in other environments, their progress were generally limited and their opinions largely ignored. But thanks to generations of advocates for equal rights, women were eventually given the chance to pursue their potential outside the home and their voices heard.
Nevertheless, in this day and age, women still have to remain courageous from day to day as they generally face more obstacles than men in the workplace. It’s a state of mind that is necessary to succeed, just as Lyn Quiazon, the first female General Manager (GM) for After Sales of Nissan Philippines, will tell you.
Nissan Philippines’ first female After Sales General Manager Lyn Quiazon (center) with Human Resources General Manager Erik del Castillo (left) and company President and Managing Director Atsushi Najima.
Beginning at home, Quiazon described that her parents raised her to be a “a strong and confident individual.” With this, she shared that by not carrying emotional pain and learning to address the problem, she never allowed herself to be bullied. Quiazon was always interested in working in the corporate world, to lead a high-performing group and to make a positive influence. And this was the starting point of her strength and motivation as she grew older.
Her degree in Computer Engineering from the Mapua Institute of Technology saw her working in manufacturing companies in the fields of Quality Engineering and Supply Chain Management. From her early days, Quiazon was able to establish processes and policies as part of the pioneer team, which played a huge role in setting the culture of the workplace. Safe to say, Quiazon had the makings of a good leader from then on, and her more than two decades in the industry proves to be just that.
“I am an objective, logical and data-oriented person. I also ensure that all tasks are well-planned and executed in an organized manner,” Quiazon told The Sunday Times Magazine in an exclusive interview.
“In doing such, I was able to hone my influencing skills, have an in-depth learning of quality system in manufacturing, have vast experiences in process audits, dealt and worked with diverse cultures or organizations, and established the expertise of developing company procedures and policies,” she explained.
All of these experiences led to her current position, where she handles total customer satisfaction, supply chain management, and purchasing as the GM.
Getting promoted by any means is never easy, but Quiazon’s effective skills in the industry as well as her optimistic attitude became her winning point.
“I believe that the company saw my positive outlook in life during the interview. Add to that are my accomplishments in every company that I’ve worked with. Modesty aside, it could also be my strong outside and soft inside character,” the GM recalled.
“My edge over the others probably is that I am a problem solver and I make sure that I give my full commitment in whatever task is given to me and wherever I work,” she continued.
When she became the company’s first female GM, Quiazon admitted that she did not think about being different just because of her gender. She is very fortunate that her current company values diversity and inclusivity, and treats employees fairly regardless of their gender, position, and the like.
Despite being in a male-dominated industry, she has never been mistreated for being a woman as her leadership skills continue to come through while still remaining open to learning. Still, Quiazon hopes for more acceptance even outside the workplace.
“We need to accept that everyone is different and unique. We have different thinking and working styles. What is normal to me may not be normal to others and vice versa. After decades of working, I learned that working with people in a diverse organization does not always mean being constant with your working style because not all will be the same as you. As a leader, you should know how to adjust your working style with the person you are dealing with,” she enthused.
“Differences in opinions and perspectives in the workplace may sometimes cause tension. We should learn how to listen and respect the views of others, and overcome such differences for us to reach more creative ideas and solutions in the end. I see it the same way outside of workplace, respect for diversity and inclusion is as important in our social environment,” Quiazon added.
Her life as a Filipino Champion brought her to the recent Women’s Forum in Singapore where she listened talks by influential leaders. There, Quiazon was exposed to experiences in gender discrimination in other Southeast Asian countries and hopes that women would remain strong despite the odds.
For women who are being discriminated or feel insecure, Quiazon has some simple yet motivating words: “Chin up and stand strong! Always remember that the life of a man will never be complete and happy without us women. Be confident and speak up if you get mistreated. Sharpen the saw and be the best at what you do.
“Find a mentor who believes in you and will help you unleash your optimum potential — someone who will help you grow. It will be a positive experience for that person and they will be more inclined to support you. There is no challenge that you cannot conquer if you are determined to achieve your goals and if you stand together. And once you get a seat at the table, try to make a space for someone,” she concluded.
FOR the third consecutive year, the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) Press was named Publisher of the Year in the 38th National Book Awards after garnering more prizes than any other publishing house this year.
In a post on its Facebook page last week, the National Book Development Board (NBDB) announced that seven of AdMU Press’ 15 shortlisted 2018 titles won in their respective categories.
These are Reine Arcache Melvin’s “The Betrayed: A Novel” for Novel in English; “Voices on the Waters: Conversations with Five Mindanao Writers,” edited by poet Ricardo M. de Ungria, for Anthology in English; Caroline S. Hau’s “Interpreting Rizal: Did Padre Damaso Rape Pia Alba? Reticence, Revelation and Revolution in Jose Rizal’s Novels/Daydreaming About Rizal and Tetcho on Asianism as Network and Fantasy” for Book on Literary Criticism/Literary History in English; Jose Eos Trinidad’s “Researching Philippine Realities: A Guide to Qualitative, Quantitative, and Humanities Research” for Book on Professions; Pedro Luengo’s “The Convents of Manila: Globalized Architecture during the Iberian Union” for Book on History; Marites Dañguilan Vitug’s “Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case against China” for Book in Journalism; and Benjamin C. Bagadion’s “Investing in the Unseen: Cases on Biodiversity Conservation (Source book for Development Management)” for Book in Science.
“The Betrayed,” “Voices on the Waters,” “Interpreting Rizal” and “Rock Solid” were published under AdMU Press’ Bughaw imprint; while Researching Philippine Realities was published under the Bluebooks imprint.
This is fourth time the publishing house of the Jesuit-run university clinched the National Book Awards’ top prize, winning it first in 2008.
A former publisher of the year, University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, earned four awards: Joselito D. delos Reyes’ “Finding Teo: Tula/Talambuhay” for Book of Nonfiction Prose in Filipino; Paul Alcoseba Castillo’s “Walang Iisang Salita” for Book of Poetry in Filipino; Joel H. Vega’s “Drift” for Book of Poetry in English; and Jovito V. Cariño’s “Muni: Paglalayag sa Pamimilosopiyang Filipino” for Book in the Social Sciences.
The University of the Philippines Press nabbed three: Jude Ortega’s “Seeker of Spirits” for Book of Short Fiction in English; Rody Vera’s “Tatlong Dula (na Itinanghal ng Dulaang UP)” for Anthology in Filipino; and Sir Anril Pineda Tiatco’s “Cosmopolitanism, Theatre, and the Philippines: Performing Community in a World of Strangers“ for Book on Art.
Completing the list are Emmanuel T. Barrameda’s “P’wera Bisita” (Isang Balangay Media Productions) for Book of Short Fiction in Filipino; Desiree Ann Benipayo Cua’s “Honor: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos” (Philippine World War 2 Memorial Foundation Inc.) for Book of Nonfiction Prose in English; Bob Ong’s “56” (Visprint Inc.) for Book of Essays in Filipino; Manix Abrera’s “Kikomachine Komix Blg. 14: Alaala ng Kinabukasan” (Visprint) for Graphic Literature; “Digmaan at Kapayapaan” (Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino), Lamberto E. Antonio’s translation of Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” for Translated Book; Ryan de la Cruz’s cover design and Jason Buan’s layout of “El Periodismo: 1811-1910: The First Century of Philippine Journalism Representing Vol. 3 of Aparato Bibliográfico dela Historia General de Filipinas” (Vibal Group Inc.) for Book Design.
The date and venue of the National Book Awards’ awarding ceremony are yet to be announced.
The National Book Awards was established in 1982 by the nonstock, nonprofit Manila Critics Circle (MCC). It is made up of professional literary critics, newspaper columnists and creative writers who believe that Philippine books deserve much more attention than they usually get from business, the media and the general public.
Current MCC members are National Artists for Literature Virgilio Almario and Resil B. Mojares, speculative-fiction author Dean Francis Alfar, The Philippine Star’s Juaniyo Arcellana and Danton R. Remoto, poet Michael M. Coroza, Palanca Hall of Fame inductee Isagani R. Cruz, The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Ruel S. de Vera; literature professor Shirley Lua, and the Philippines Graphic’s Joel Pablo Salud and Alma Anonas-Carpio.
For the past 11 years, the MCC has been giving out the awards in partnership with the NBDB, which is tasked to promote and support the Philippine book-publishing industry.
Beauty pageantry is entrenched in the Filipino culture. The excitement of fêting the most beautiful lass in the barrio or town initially as Reyna Elena for the Marian procession of Santacruzan dates as far back as the Spanish period.
Over time, the appreciation of pulchritude evolved into crowning Carnival Queens during the American regime in 1908. By 1926, Anita Agoncillo Noble became the very first Miss Philippines titleholder.
Unwittingly, the very first Miss Universe, Armi Kuusela of Finland, married Filipino businessman Virgilio Hilario and settled in what would be one of the pageant’s most ardent fan bases in Manila.
GAZINI GANADOS
In 1969, Gloria Diaz put the Philippines prominently on the beauty pageant map when she was crowned Miss Universe.
It took four years for the Philippines to rule the Universe again when Margarita Moran was crowned in Athens, Greece in 1973. In 1974, when the world’s most prestigious beauty pageant was held in Manila for Moran to bequeath her crown, the country’s representative, Guadalupe Sanchez, made it to the Top 10. Amparo Muñoz of Spain won the crown that year.
In 1994, when Miss Universe was held in Manila the second time, Charlene Gonzales Bonnin made it to the Top 6, with Sushmita Sen of India winning the grand prize.
Placing every so often in the years to come — including Miriam Quiambao’s First Runner-Up win in 1999 — the Philippines became a force to reckon with at the pageant when the country emerged as the only one with successive Top 5 to Top 10 finishes from 2010 onwards, starting with Venus Raj as Fourth Runner-Up.
Binibining Pilipinas 2019 winners (from left) First Runner-Up Maria Andrea Abesamis, Bb. Pilipinas-Globe Leren Mae Bautista, Bb. Pilipinas-Grand International Samantha Ashley Lo, Bb. Pilipinas-International Bea Patricia Magtanong, Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados, Bb. Pilipinas-Supranational Resham Saeed, Bb. Pilipinas-Intercontinental Emma Tiglao and Second Runner-Up Samantha Mae Bernardo
The following year, Shamcey Supsup was Third Runner-Up, and in 2012 Janine Tugonon was First Runner-Up to Olivia Culpo of USA.
In 2013, Ariella Arida was the only non-Latina to make it to the Top 5, finishing Third Runner-Up to Gabriela Isler of Venezuela. MJ Lastimosa broke the pattern in 2014 but her Top 10 placement was still good enough for beauty pageant-crazy Filipinos.
Then in 2015, Pia Wurtzbach ended the 43-year drought with a well-deserved crowning that was almost lost when Steve Harvey read his cue card wrong, and declaring Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner. The pageant had to go back on air surprising everyone for the correction to be made.
With the reigning queen a Filipina, it was auspicious to hold the pageant again in Manila 20 years later in 1994 but hometown candidate Maxine Medina could only make it as far as the Top 6.
Rachel Peters likewise made it to the Top 10 in 2017, but the following year, former Top 5 Miss World finisher Catriona Gray took another shot at representing the country in the Miss Universe pageant and proved to all she is beauty, intelligence and compassion rolled into one who was worthy of the crown.
Articulate, multi-talented and with a genuine heart for less fortunate children, the Filipino-Australian beauty from Albay was predicted to win even by the harshest critics. She proved to be as real as the hype when she nailed every phase of the contest and was crowned successor to Demi Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa in Bangkok, Thailand on December 17, 2018 amid the euphoric uproar of Filipinos watching the pageant at Impact Arena and millions watching on TV and live-streaming at home and abroad.
Gray not only raised the bar of beauty pageantry but is now considered to be of no par in any platform at this time.
From then on pageant fans have said her successor may have too large high-heeled shoes to fill.
Gazini Ganados on pageant night
With bated breath, the audience at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on June 9 excitedly waited who would be declared the most worthy flag carrier to bring a back-to-back win for the Philippines in the world’s most prestigious pageant.
Out of the 40 official Binibining Pilipinas 2019 candidates, two girls were deemed to be Gray’s worthy successor — the girl from Bataan, fresh Bar passer Bea Patricia Magtanong; and the lass from Talisay, Cebu Gazini Ganados. They both dominated the Special Awards, with Ganados winning Best in Long Gown and Face of Binibini or Miss Photogenic.
At the crucial question-and-answer portion, the 23-year-old Ganados was asked, “If you win the crown tonight, what can you do to get more women in the workplace?”
She replied, “If I win the crown tonight, what I will do is to promote my advocacy. My advocacy is for us women to fight for our rights and for elderly care and for us to be able to know that someone is loving and someone is pushing us to whatever ambitions that we have. We will be able to rise from our decisions to whatever dreams that we have, goals that we have, and we will achieve it because of those values, those wisdoms that they gave us.”
The crowd roared with applause and were content with the result if ever Ganados was proclaimed Miss Universe Philippines or Binibining Pilipinas-International.
The judges and the universe seemed to have connived. At the conclusion of the pageant, Miss International 2018 First Runner-Up Ahtisa Manalo crowned Magtanong as her successor and Gray crowned Ganados as her potential successor as Miss Universe.
Up close and personal
Born Gazini Christiana Jordi Acopiado Ganados on December 26, 1995 in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte in Mindanao to a Filipino mother and a Palestinian father, whom she never met, the future beauty queen was raised by her maternal grandparents.
Her family moved to Talisay, Cebu and resided there since she was in the sixth grade. She holds a double degree in Tourism Management and Health Care Services from the University of San Jose Recoletos in Cebu City.
Her first foray in beauty pageantry was in the Miss World Philippines 2014 where she made it to Top 13, won by Valerie Weigmann who succeeded Megan Young, the Philippines’ first-ever Miss World titleholder.
She was Miss Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation in 2016 and Miss Bohol First Runner-Up in 2017, representing the Municipality of Loon.
In an Instagram post on July 20, she addressed her Boholanon supporters, “I can’t believe I’m going to be a part of this pageant not as a candidate, but as a judge in the annual search for the quintessential Boholana beauties. This pageant is very close to my heart as I represented the Municipality of Loon in the Miss Bohol 2017 Pageant and this has propelled me to strive harder and work relentlessly to become a better version of myself!”
Being very close to her grandparents, her main advocacy is elderly care.
Also on Instagram on July 26, she shared, “My heart is full as President Duterte signed the law creating the National Commission for Senior Citizens [RA 11350]. It will be tasked to ensure the implementation of all laws and government programs aimed at ensuring the welfare of our lolos and lolas and to formulate policies for the protection and promotion of their rights. As an advocate for elderly care, I am always looking for feasible, sustainable and practical ways to help them live fully, healthy and happily. You can do your part too through acts of kindness and gratitude, big and small.”
She also thanked Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso “for uplifting the lives of the elders by encouraging local establishments to hire senior citizens and PWDs and for granting monthly allowance to the senior citizens.”
Ganados is Sustainable Development Goals Ambassador as well.
All set to sustain PH’s momentum
During the send off media conference for Ganados and the other two Binibini queens — Resham Saeed to the Miss Supranational in Poland on December 6 and Emma Tiglao to the Miss Intercontinental pageant in Egypt on December 20 — the professional ramp model under Cebu-based Origin Model & Artist Management shared that lechon would overflow on her homecoming as Miss Universe if ever.
“[There will be] free lechon here in Manila too for my homecoming,” joked the Talisay, Cebu stunner who recalled how her townmates welcomed her with a lechon festival when she won the top prize at Binibining Pilipinas in June.
“Even my float was designed like lechon,” she added laughing.
When The Sunday Times Magazine asked how she prepared for the competition given her predecessor’s sterling performance at Miss Universe last year, she replied, “We should not try to compare other girls with one another because each one is different, we have our own different stories, we’re representing different advocacies and supporting different organizations. I think the right question would be, ‘Would you be able to represent the Philippines the best way that you can?’ Thank you.”
While she used to shy away from the cameras, she said she has overcome that now and is doing great [in answering questions], making observers say that she devours the microphone [na-ngangain ng mic] during interviews.
Visiting her grandmother’s tomb on All Saints’ Day, Gazini emphatically noted, “I will always honor you in all of my victories and successes. You will always be my Universe. Today is all about you and I will always hold you deep in my heart. To the Best Nananiverse, Gihigugma ko ikaw [I love you].”
It would not be a wonder if her Nanay Remedios could be her guardian angel as she vies for the fifth Miss Universe crown for the Philippines with confirmed 92 other candidates at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia come December 8.
PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE AND ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM GAZINI
GANADOS’ INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
FOR the third consecutive year, the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) Press was named Publisher of the Year in the 38th National Book Awards after garnering more prizes than any other publishing house this year.
