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Message of PM Anwar Ibrahim
Crisis brings out the best and the worst in man. It reveals his true persona behind the façade of photo-shopped and public relations-created images. Amidst the Israel-Hamas war, former president Rodrigo Duterte outrageously advised Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu to make “Gaza the world’s biggest cemetery.” And just recently, our ambassador to the United Kingdom twitted on social media (taken down later) that “Palestinian children should be killed . . .” These comments went viral among Moro netizens who unleashed a barrage of angry libelous words against the source. Now, juxtapose this with the public statements by regional leaders about the crisis. And from the gallery of regional statesmen, I pick Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’Seri Anwar Ibrahim whose poignant messages earned the praise of not a few, including non-Muslims. The reaction of these leaders betrays the dichotomy of opinions along religious lines. The Muslim countries, true to their affiliation with the Muslim Palestinians, as members of the World Brotherhood of Muslims or “Ummah Islamiyyah” stood should-to-shoulder with the Palestinians. On the flip side are the non-Muslims led by the United States which condemned the 7 October surprise attack by Hamas on Israel. The world is now on edge because of the strong words of revenge of rightist President Benjamin Netanyahu using the world media stage for his threats of annihilation and cutting off of basic supplies of food, medicines, water, electricity, and fuel to the Palestinians of the Muslim City of Gaza. According to jurists, these are crimes against International Humanitarian Law and other UN covenants and Geneva Conventions. And they claim that while Israel has the right to defend itself, that is not a license to commit genocide. Prime Minister Ibrahim stood tall among Muslim leaders in expressing the sentiment of his government. He had been vocal at every turn of the crisis. He must have had a premonition of the impending catastrophe. His eloquent speech before the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September, which in my book is in the same league as the “What it means to be a Muslim” speech of King Abdullah of Jordan, has earned praise from many observers. He said, “In the Middle East, the politics of dispossession continues with a vengeance with more illegal settlements being built, stripping Palestinians of land that rightfully belongs to them. This constitutes a gross violation of international law. It also poses an insurmountable obstacle to a two-state solution, not to mention the continued killings. There is also flagrant hypocrisy in dealing with the issue of Palestine. The international community must speak up against the atrocities committed towards the Palestinians even as they so vehemently speak out against human rights violations, injustice, and abusive regimes.” When the war broke out on 7 October, one of the countries that reacted immediately was Malaysia. PM Ibrahim issued a statement expressing his country’s solidarity with the struggles of the Palestinians and reiterated his indictment of the international community for its “one-sided actions regarding . . . cruelty and oppression against the Palestinians. The confiscation of land and property belonging to the Palestinian people . . . done relentlessly by the Zionists.” After the bombing of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which killed more than 500 innocent civilians, PM Ibrahim described it as being “on an insane and inhumane level. What is most regrettable is that Western countries, which speak about human rights, seem to differentiate between peoples, with some considered first-class and others as subordinates.” PM Ibrahim knows how geopolitics works. There will be consequences for standing up against the position of the world powers, the US and Europe, which had expressed total support for Israel. There might be a price to pay. Economic, trade, and political relationships might be put in jeopardy. But the Islam in him outweighed other interests. And for that, Muslims salute him. We are proud to belong to the Malay race. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Message of PM Anwar Ibrahim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Toxic? Britney tells of troubles in new memoir
Britney Spears, the dewy-eyed child star who became a global pop phenomenon and then melted down in full view of the world, tells her story Tuesday with the release of her already bestselling memoir. "The Woman In Me" is the pop princess in her own, unvarnished words, shot through with the anguish of a family she believes has failed her at every step of the way, in an industry that mercilessly devours its talent. From sharing daiquiris with her mother as a young teenager -- two years after she became a regular on "The Mickey Mouse Club" -- to the 13 years she spent as an adult in a conservatorship, the memoir details how she struggled to escape the influence of her controlling father. Until two years ago, when she got out from under the conservatorship legal relationship that she says dictated everything from her birth control choices to the set list at lucrative Las Vegas gigs. In the intervening months, Spears has married a former dancer, announced then lost a pregnancy, and is now on the road to her third divorce. The book, whose pre-orders catapulted it to the top of the Amazon best-seller list, was produced too early to include that coda with husband Sam Asghari. But readers will still have plenty to chew on. 'Harlot' Tidbits that have leaked ahead of publication include news of an abortion Spears says fellow Mickey Mouse Club alum Justin Timberlake urged her to have after she became pregnant while the couple was together. When the pair split, and his hit "Cry Me A River" appeared to be about the way he felt she had betrayed him, Spears was painted as the "harlot who'd broken the heart of America's golden boy," she writes. In reality, he was "happily running around Hollywood" while she was "comatose in Louisiana." Readers have also learned of a brief but intense affair with Irish actor and Oscar nominee Colin Farrell, what she calls "a two-week brawl." "Brawl is the only word for it -- we were all over each other, grappling so passionately it was like we were in a street fight." The noughties brought fame and notoriety to Spears in equal measure, with a passionate fan base eager for every last scrap of news about her. That collided with an aggressive paparazzi culture that delighted in capturing her partying alongside hell-raisers like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. Spears insists there were never hard drugs and that she did not have a drinking problem, but admits that she was taking Adderall, the ADHD medication. A publicly played-out bust-up with second husband Kevin Federline, and an ensuing custody fight over their two children, presaged the emotional low watermark: shaving her head and attacking a photographer's car. "Flailing those weeks without my children, I lost it, over and over again," she writes. "I didn't even really know how to take care of myself. "I'd begin to think in some ways like a child." A year later, the courts appointed her father Jamie Spears to control her money and her personal life. Over the next 13 years, she was told who she could see, and how much she could spend, and even ordered not to have more children. Yet under Jamie Spears, she would still perform as a pop icon. "Too sick to choose my own boyfriend and yet somehow healthy enough to appear on sitcoms and morning shows, and to perform for thousands of people in a different part of the world every week." "From that point on, I began to think that (my father) saw me as put on the earth for no other reason than to help their cash flow." Jamie Spears has always insisted that he had the best interests of his daughter at heart and was seeking to protect her from exploitation. The conservatorship was dissolved in 2021, but -- aside from collaborations with Elton John and will.i.am -- it has not heralded a return to creativity for Spears. "Pushing forward in my music career is not my focus at the moment," the now-41-year-old Britney writes. "It's time for me not to be someone who other people want; it's time to actually find myself.".....»»
‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life
That Taylor Swift is a great songwriter is no longer in question. What’s up for debate is whether she’s a great concert artist as well. By artist we don’t mean a gifted vocalist. The era of the pop concert as a singing showcase and a straightforward live onstage performance of recorded music ended in 1990 with Madonna’s third concert tour. Called Blond Ambition, the highly theatrical show combined music, spectacle and, most crucially, storytelling with a several-act structure based on themes or narrative arcs, deconstructed songs and elaborate sets to redefine the pop concert as performance art. It has since been the template and gold standard by which all concerts, especially those by female superstars, have been measured. Yes, even Madonna’s own subsequent tours have been assessed through the Ambition lens and, arguably, none of them has quite equaled the one that gave the world the cone bra as an icon of female sexuality and woman power. [caption id="attachment_201371" align="aligncenter" width="1987"] LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Taylor Swift attends "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" Concert Movie World Premiere at AMC The Grove 14 on October 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)[/caption] Feast for the eyes Swift’s The Eras Tour, as seen in the filmed concert currently showing in cinemas worldwide, certainly serves up a feast for the eyes. Most of it is courtesy of the massive stage consisting of a backdrop that stands several stories high, a huge main platform and a long runway that juts well into the audience floor and features its own diamond-shaped mini-stage with a “hyperactive” central hydraulic platform consisting of several mobile blocks that rise to various heights throughout the almost three-hour show. It’s not only one of the biggest stages ever built for a pop concert, but is also probably the biggest LED installation ever assembled in and outside the music world. And it’s never not in use, lighting up the cavernous 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (where the movie was filmed over three shows) with eye-popping digital images, pre-recorded videos and live footage from the concert itself. The set is so massive that it makes Swift and her troupe of dancers look like ants. But thanks to the big screens, she literally looks larger than life to the live audience at different points in the show. The film does the opposite, and is the better for it: It brings Swift into the intimate space of the cinema and, thus, closer to the audience. Eras further highlights and celebrates the main thing that has helped the 33-year-old singer-songwriter conquer the pop world, the core attribute that makes Taylor Swift Taylor Swift: relatability. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="201372,201370"] It’s all over her music: a repertoire of mostly slow and mid-tempo ballads that tell about the blush, excitement, joy, ecstasy, frustrations, confusion, sadness, heartbreak, anger and regrets of modern-day romantic relationships, in creative confessional journal prose that listeners of all ages, colors and persuasions find no difficulty accessing and plugging into. It’s all over her wholesome, winsome, non-threatening all-American girl-next-door public persona. This is on fuller display in her performance in Eras than even in her 2020 documentary movie, Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince, which chronicled mostly the period between her Reputation Tour in 2018 and the release in 2019 of her seventh studio album, Lover. Between the many floral, even pastoral, and fluid graphic images onscreen and the tasteful, immaculate set pieces, between the squarely schematic album-era sectioning and the billowy ball gowns and sparkly and sexy but modest bodysuits, between the Cheshire-Cat grin Swift wears through most of the show, even during moments in some heartbreak songs, and her dorky cheerleader energy, The Eras Tour plays like Little Miss Sunshine & The Hearty Princess. It’s all what anyone would expect from the reigning America’s Sweetheart. Thoroughly entertaining It’s a great Taylor Swift show, for sure — thoroughly entertaining and one that sends stans to Swift heaven. But it stops at being a Taylor Swift show with a faithful rendition of her songs when, for something called Eras, it should be giving audiences, both fans and casuals alike, more to chew on than what they already know and are familiar with — a recast, a reinterpretation, a recontextualization of her music and impact. [caption id="attachment_201373" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performs onstage on the first night of her "Eras Tour" at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 31, 2023. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP)[/caption] The show is content to be a pop concert about Taylor Swift. Coming almost 20 years into her career, it should’ve reached for the world outside of Taylor Swift, or even just a small part of it: What do Taylor and her songs, for instance, say about the times we are living in? The Eras Tour could have aspired to life and art, or at least something approaching it, and thereby become a truly era-defining experience. The post ‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
More choices for food and shopping at SM Supermalls in the East
The SM Supermalls in the East are buzzing with excitement as they welcome new food and shopping stops in their malls. These fresh additions now cater to the diverse retail and dining needs of shoppers, whether they live in or visit the East. Dine and give in to cravings with family and friends at Kuya J Restaurant at the lower ground level; authentic Japanese cuisine at Botejyu at the upper level, and juicy roasted-chicken meals at Chooks at the second level of SM Center Angono. Much-needed beauty and relaxation breaks are right next to Angono residents’ doorsteps with Gintell Rest N’ Go massage and Lay Bare waxing salon at the mall’s second level. [caption id="attachment_193392" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Botejyu solves that craving for authentic Japanese cuisine located at the upper ground level of SM Center Angono[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193393" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Roasted chicken goodness from the newly-opened Chooks at SM Center Angono[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193395" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Hair-free, silky skin is always achieved at Lay Bare Waxing Salon at SM Center Angono[/caption] Shopping after a nice sweat out playing badminton is now possible as SM Cherry Antipolo opened the first-ever badminton courts in SM Supermalls. Located at the mall’s second level, the SM Cherry Badminton Courts are composed of seven (7) full-sized Badminton courts, a fully-equipped, well-lighted sports facility that ensures optimal playing experience among enthusiasts. Also, the iconic family restaurant Shakey’s opened at the ground level of SM Cherry Antipolo. Healthy desserts and refreshments are also up for grabs from Koomi and Buko ni Juan. Upcoming tenants at SM Cherry Antipolo include Alberto Shoes, Anta, Pickup Coffee, GIB Restaurant, Rollers Skates Hub, Nephromed, IActive, and Christ’s Commission Fellowship. [caption id="attachment_193396" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SM Cherry Badminton Courts, the first-ever badminton facility in SM Supermalls, is now open at 2nd level of SM Cherry Antipolo[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193397" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Family-favorite pizza place Shakey’s is now open at SM Cherry Antipolo[/caption] SM City Masinag recently opened two (2) tech tenants at its Cyberzone – Laycom and Techfinity, catering to the varied gadget needs (and wants) of shoppers. Miguelito’s Ice Cream and Czaczacza Café also opened with a cozy nook for diners to enjoy their delicious desserts. Bibliophiles can now enjoy thrift books at Biblio located on the 2nd level near Cinema. Dentacare, Metro Wanderer Travel Services, Denz Candee Floss, and Santino’s Supreme Slice Pizza are also set to open soon. [caption id="attachment_193398" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Biblio is a happy place for book lovers located on the 2nd level of SM City Masinag[/caption] Havaianas, Sunnies Studios, and Bluelite have recently set up shop at SM City San Mateo, providing an exciting shopping destination not only for San Mateo, Rizal residents but also for those in nearby communities. Additionally, KyuKyuRamen99 and Taste of Czaczacza are now welcoming customers to savor their delectable specialties. [caption id="attachment_193399" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Ice cream, sundaes, and cold desserts are aplenty at Miguelitos Ice Cream in SM City Masinag[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193400" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Trendy and trusty Havaianas flip flops are now available at their store in SM City San Mateo[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193401" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Czaczacza Café is now open at SM City Masinag, Lower Ground Level[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193402" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Polly by S8 Concept District at SM Cherry Antipolo brings together products from small businesses in one shop – from trinkets, dinnerware, clothes, stationery, and a lot more[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193403" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Affordable yet delicious ramen is now available at Kyukyu Ramen 99 at SM City San Mateo[/caption] [caption id="attachment_193404" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Homey café plus delicious desserts at Czaczacza Café in SM City San Mateo[/caption] The post More choices for food and shopping at SM Supermalls in the East appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
REVIEW: ‘HAMILTON’ — Astonishing stagecraft
“Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s rap musical about the eponymous Founding Father, has finally landed in Manila — the first stop of a new international tour that replicates the exact production currently running on Broadway and London’s West End. This is, in other words, essentially the same production that’s won every major theater award conceivable in the West, and whose live stage recording released on Disney+ three years ago was a global success among Covid-captive home viewers. You wouldn’t immediately know all that, however, just from watching this production: Even as it brims with dazzling theatricality and refreshing erudition, it also feels surprisingly small, rid of its status as a phenomenon, pared down to human size. It’s a show that’s almost oblivious to its own celebrity, even as entrance applause (erupting to diminishing returns) dotted the first 15 minutes of its 21 September gala performance at The Theatre at Solaire. Instead, it knows when to build up to the big musical moments, which are few and far between, and does so organically and therefore quite satisfyingly. The logical progression of the narrative and individual character drama — the musical’s unassailable structural precision — are rendered very clear; put bluntly, it is a storytelling apologist’s wettest dream. Never mind that the musical itself — evidently a product of modern-day liberalism, the politics of the American Dream made manifest through the eyes of 21st-century immigrants — is by now indivisible from the very valid criticisms it has received from many corners of American scholarly thought. For the uninitiated, Hamilton tells through rap the rise of the Founding Fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, as they built America in the latter half of the 18th century. Admittedly, given what we know now and what we’ve been through since the musical premiered in New York in 2015, it feels weird, to say the least, to be watching a show that hero-worships to varying degrees the likes of Washington, Jefferson and Hamilton — all products of and complicit to the sins of their time. Moreover, the way the musical intentionally casts non-white actors to play these historically white figures (and slavers) can, depending on how one looks at it, come across as a stroke of meta subversion or “revisionist and insulting nonsense,” to quote one critic. Unique brilliance Again — all valid criticisms, which some have suggested are actually part of the musical’s unique brilliance. Watching the musical (through this particular production) in Manila, however, you entertain those thoughts mainly in retrospect. Inside the theater, it’s all those aforementioned merits — and more! — that surround you: a show that’s so technically precise in ways that highlight the material’s inventiveness, a feast of astonishing stagecraft, a display of just how good musical theater can get when given vast resources. [caption id="attachment_187901" align="aligncenter" width="1148"] DeAundre’ Woods as Aaron Burr. | photograph courtesy of IG/dre_woods[/caption] Despite the title, the crux of this production is DeAundre’ Woods’ Aaron Burr (Hamilton’s archrival, if you will). It’s a performance for which the phrase “no notes” seems to have been coined. Whenever Woods disappears from the stage, you look for him. But, more importantly, the genius of Woods’ performance is in how it becomes the anchor through which the musical itself can be better understood: as a story of wanting and longing, a warning against the folly of ambition, a morality tale run parallel to the uncertainty and messiness of nation-building. When Woods sings (and brings down the house with) Burr’s first big solo “Wait for It,” you instantly comprehend the song — and, for that matter, the musical. Arguably, Burr is the central and meatiest role here. Next to Woods’ interpretation, however, the smallness and silliness inherent to the story Hamilton tells become all the more coherent. You grasp how Hamilton and his posse were essentially just kids bumbling their way through a revolution. It’s all very grand on paper, but it’s also a journey chockfull of pettiness and foolishness — and on that stage, a history lesson that revels in its occasionally juvenile, highly accessible nature. [caption id="attachment_187903" align="aligncenter" width="1432"] JASON Arrow as Alexander Hamilton. | photograph courtesy of ig/jason arrow[/caption] Three other male performances stand out in the process: Jason Arrow’s Hamilton, who convincingly pulls off the title character’s transformation from “young, scrappy, and hungry” to world-weary; Darnell Abraham’s Washington giving gospel-preacher-showdown realness; and Brent Hill’s King George literally putting the “mad” to delectably comic effect in his interpretation of the famed mad king. [caption id="attachment_187906" align="aligncenter" width="1512"] DARNELL Abraham as George Washington. | photographs courtesy of ig/darnell abraham[/caption] [caption id="attachment_187900" align="aligncenter" width="1348"] BRENT Hill as King George. | photographs courtesy of ig/darnell abraham[/caption] Dreamcasting Elsewhere, this is a production that’s supplied with all the right parts — but, on a local stage as technologically impressive as the Theatre at Solaire (the best acoustics in Metro Manila, hands down), it also invites “dreamcasting” — permitting you to imagine in real time how certain Filipino theater performers cast in certain roles would, without a doubt, totally slay those parts. No matter: As it is, this Hamilton is one that lives up to the hype surrounding its supposed brilliance — while simultaneously earning that reputation before a live audience night after night. Among others spots of pure artistry, it has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it onstage costume change involving the terrific ensemble early in Act I, a historical battle conjured through frenzied dance, and entire scene changes and moments evoked simply through the deliberate arrangement of performers’ bodies (that climactic bullet scene, anyone?). In lieu of an arduous and expensive trip to New York or London, this production more than does the job. Hamilton runs at the Theatre at Solaire, Pasay City, until 26 November. The post REVIEW: ‘HAMILTON’ — Astonishing stagecraft appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting
The president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Nina Lim-Yuson, grew up in a family and home of Girl Scouts. Her grandmother, Pilar Hidalgo-Lim, was one of the co-founders of the GSP. “It was actually my Lola Pilar who suggested to Josefa Llanes Escoda, the GSP founder, to go to America to learn about girl scouting.” This tidbit of history, Nina shared in an online interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE. Pilar Hidalgo-Lim became GSP president, and so did Nina’s mother, Estefania Aldaba-Lim, who served as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Nina’s sister too, the eminent broadcast journalist, Cheche Lazaro, was a Girl Scout. Coming from a lineage of women achievers, Nina could not have chosen a different path. It was scouting that formally introduced the family to social responsibility, skills development and citizenship. Her brothers were also Boy Scouts. “I started when I was six years old and it was my Lola Pilar who inducted me as a Brownie. It used to be called Brownie because we were still using the American pattern,” she related. She belonged to Troop Number One, the first to be organized by the GSP national headquarters. In high school at the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School of the Philippine Women’s University, she became a junior and later a senior Girl Scout. College would briefly end her Girl Scouting as she focused on her studies. Along the way, she also danced with the Bayanihan Folk Dance Company. It was not unexpected that she would return to scouting, her first love, and her first extra-curricular activity. For the last 36 years, she has been active in various organizations and volunteer work. She founded the Museong Pambata. She is a recipient of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service and is active in its various social development efforts. What Nina brings to her post is the legacy of leadership that had been passed on to her through generations of women leaders in the family. “My Lola Pilar was my idol. She was such a nice person and I never knew her totally as a president. I knew her more as a loving lola from all the stories she related when we rode up to Baguio. “My mother, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was very career-minded. I learned naman from her a lot of things, like being thrifty and having a list of things to do. In terms of organization, she was like that. Because she was in government. And, you know, when we started Museo, while it was actually my concept, I learned a lot from her. She would call me up at 5 o’clock in the morning and she would rattle off what needed to be done, like ‘number one, number two and so on.’ That was her. And I’m glad that I worked with her for six years in Museo. She was the president and I was the executive director for six years. I took over in 2000 as president and chief executive officer. And then, I stepped down in 2017.” Girl Scouts who read and tell stories Nina was elected president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines for the term 2021-2024 during its 2021 national convention. From day one, she shared, “My purpose was to reach out to the community-based troops because we have always been school-based. Many young women now have social problems so we need to reach out to the communities through our community-based troops.” Also on top of her priorities is literacy development, a cause that she addressed even in the Museo Pambata. She explained, “My advocacy has always been education. So, I was very concerned because the Asian Development Bank reported in 2022 that the World Bank found out that our Filipino children at ages 9 and 10 cannot read. So, I felt that because girl scouting is all over the country, with 96 local councils, the organization could serve as a vehicle for improving literacy in our country. “We started the Girl Scout Storyteller project because storytelling affects the heart first before the mind. When young people start with storytelling, they will love the stories and then the written word. They would then want to read. “We now have storytelling in economically challenged communities and we have partners. We sent out 2,500 books throughout the country with the help of our partner couriers.” Initially, she sought the help of her family foundation “to give a donation. I also sought the help of Ging Montinola, who is into literacy development. Together, we founded the literacy program. We are building this fund to cover the cost of buying children’s books. We will have a storytelling contest next year.” Raising funds for Camp Escoda Nina then shifted the conversation to another major endeavor that she is spearheading as GSP president — fundraising for the 27-hectare Camp Josefa Llanes Escoda in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, which was donated by the provincial government during the term of Governor Amado Aleta, the father of consul and civic leader Fortune Ledesma. “Palayan is beautiful because it has rolling hills, but it doesn’t have electrical and water facilities and roadworks. It doesn’t have a swimming pool, and it’s so hot in Nueva Ecija. It also does not have a conference hall. This is a big one-time fundraising project because it’s for the future of the girls who are going to the camp. Because as of now, if you go camping there, you have to walk up the hills to get your drinking water. You have to make buhos to take a bath.” She recalled, “In my time as a young Girl Scout, which was of another era, we had to walk in the dark to fetch water to fill up two drums. I was so scared because there were tuko in Los Baños. That taught me to be courageous. Camps really build up your lifetime skills and attitude. Camping is very integral in girl scouting and boy scouting. So, this camp will serve a purpose. It just needs various basic facilities to make it world-class and convenient with the proper amenities, but the girls will continue to learn all those survival techniques and appreciate nature right on the camp.” She praised architect Pippo Carunungan, “who is an environmental planner. He surveyed the site and drew up everything. It will be a beautiful camp, he said, because it’s a gift of nature.” First Lady as Chief Girl Scout Nina recently led the Girl Scouts in a fundraising ball attended by the “First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, who is our Chief Girl Scout. It’s mandated in the GSP constitution that whoever is the female president of the country or the First Lady is the Chief Girl Scout. In the past, we had Imelda Marcos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. All the first ladies were all Chief Girl Scouts. “Mrs. Liza Marcos spoke before us and she promised to help. She said, ‘We will make it the best campsite.’ Everyone was excited to see her and she obliged everyone who asked to have selfie with her. She is very friendly. She is really a Girl Scout.” Nina shared, “A generous couple is sponsoring the swimming pool at P6 million, while a gentleman entrepreneur is sponsoring the perimeter fence at P1.5 million. Many other businessmen and leaders have pledged to help build this dream GSP project. “We really need to raise about 50 million to have a very good camp. But when the First Lady heard about it, she said, ‘It has to be P250 million.’ But, really, when we have the funds, we can have deep toilets that have running water instead of tabo-tabo. Since we have a little Pampanga river that runs across the camp, we can build a bridge that crosses it and then the girls can have white-water rafting there in the Pampanga river. “Camp Escoda will be a very important and significant venue for our Girl Scouts to gather, bond, learn new skills and develop as morally upright citizens of the country and the world. It is especially so because camping is integral in any Girl Scout’s life. If you don’t have camping, it’s like half of your scouting life is missing. Every Girl Scout remembers that time of her youth. And being the national camp, it will welcome Girl Scouts representing the 96 councils from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who will participate in various events and trainings.” Girl Scouts of all ages As GSP president, Nina travels to various parts of the country. “We have regional conferences aside from the meeting of the Central Board when regional heads and executives come to Manila. “I had just come from Baguio where I stayed for two-and-a-half days. I met our young Girl Scout representatives from ages 14 to 18. I enjoyed listening to them and exchanging ideas with them. I am so happy that we have a wealth of intelligent girls who want to serve the country. They are the ones who are going to take over. “It’s amazing that GSP is no longer limited to old people on the board. We finally have young ones on the board. Our Escoda committee is headed by Jade Delgado from Iloilo. Then we have Justine Bautista. She’s a psychometrician. She heads the Program Committee, which is a big committee because when we were in Baguio, we had 86 girls from all the councils throughout the country. Many of them are running for SK. “So, in my 70s now, which I don’t feel at all, I don’t take any medicines or something like that. Being with young people is what inspires me. Because at 15, 16 or 17, they already know that they have some kind of a mission.” Nina proudly shared that the venue of the Baguio conference, 'Ating Tahanan' on the South Drive was bought during the tenure of my Lola Pilar. We have four buildings there, including the houses of Senator and actor Rogelio de la Rosa and Carlos Valdes, the accountant. Lola Pilar, according to Carlos Valdes, twisted his arm to get a low price. I’m so thankful for all those who preceded me because they bought these places. It’s on South Drive which is so valuable. We even have a reserved forest behind us.” As she looks forward to the next camping and gets even busier raising funds for Camp Escoda, Nina feels elated that “every one of us in the Girl Scouts has been together in our various undertakings. The nice thing is we are now intergenerational because we try to bring in the old with experience, institutional memory and their wisdom born of their long life, and the young who are full of enthusiasm, energy and new ideas.” A star scout for a granddaughter While Nina does her part for the bright future of girl scouting in the country, her personal family too has not stopped contributing to the roster of members to this worldwide organization. Today, a granddaughter of hers, seven-year-old Rocio Yuson de Guzman, is a Star Scout. She is the daughter of Nina’s daughter, Nicky. No grandmother could have been prouder. Nina said, “Rufio loves being a star scout. When I arrived from the recent world conference in Cyprus, I came back with some badges and I gave some to Rufio who is very proud of the little badges that I got for her.” For sure, Nina will pass on not just the badges to Rufio. More importantly, she will give her granddaughter the once-in-one’s-childhood experience of being a Girl Scout and learning “the values that are identified in the Girl Scout Promise and Laws. I think that while there is so much to enjoy and learn, it is the inculcation of these values that would mold her into a well-rounded human being. As we all know, a Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted. A Girl Scout is loyal, thrifty, courteous… and so on. It’s like a mantra -- the values that one lives by. “I have reached that point when it is not about success or what one accumulates in life, whether awards or accomplishments or material things. It is more about what I can share and scouting gives me that honor and privilege — to do my part in helping mold our young girls and making them aware even at an early age that they have a mission and worthy purpose in life. It is not just about being good and outstanding on your own but it is also about helping others to become better in what they’re doing and live better lives. “And I need not look far. As a grandmother, I dote on my Star Scout granddaughter, Rufio. There’s a world out there for her to discover and in which she has a role to play and use the skills and values she will learn from scouting.” The post Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sinner, savior or both?: Trump woos evangelicals, women
Former US president Donald Trump courted evangelical Christians and women at two back-to-back Washington events on Friday -- voting blocks whose loyalties to him once seemed contradictory but have now become a well-established part of his base. The legal, moral, and sexual escapades of the scandal-plagued frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination have earned him indictments, impeachments, and public scorn in many quarters. But support among his devotees remains strong. "As a woman, I understand that he can be offensive," Joan Horswell, a 76-year-old retired nurse from Texas, told AFP. But "personally, I like him," she said at the "Pray Vote Stand" summit, put on by the conservative Christian group Family Research Council. Something of a rock star among white evangelical Protestants, 84 percent of whom voted for him in 2020, Trump also holds his own among women, having won 44 percent of their vote in the last election, according to the Pew Research Center. "This election will decide whether America will be ruled by Marxist, fascist, communist tyrants who want to smash the Judeo-Christian heritage," Trump, 77, said at the summit, "or whether America will be saved by God-fearing freedom-loving patriots like all of the people in this room." "Is he a flawed individual? Sure. But most Christians will say, we are all sinners. Jesus is not on the ballot," said William Wan, a 60-year-old Catholic engineer from Winter Garden, Florida who attended the summit. Still, Trump may strike many as offensive. He was found liable in a civil trial in May for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996. He's also set to go on trial for allegedly paying election-eve hush money to a porn star. And he was heard boasting of groping women's genitals when the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape was published, just one month before the 2016 presidential election. But lots of conservative evangelicals believe he "is the perfect man for the job precisely because he does not reflect Christian values," Kristin Du Mez, a history professor at Calvin University, told AFP. Trump's supporters "certainly like what he's done for them. But I think that many are also very comfortable with how he's done it," Du Mez said. She points to his take-no-prisoners approach in getting conservative Christians what they wanted, from ending the federal right to an abortion to recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Her book "Jesus and John Wayne" chronicles the rise of rugged masculinity ideology within white evangelical Christianity. Penny Nance, CEO of conservative Christian women's group Concerned Women for America, echoed this dogma when she introduced Trump before he spoke across town at a leadership summit for her advocacy group on Friday. "Conservative women are not looking for a pastor or a husband for president, we are looking for a bodyguard," she told the audience to cheers. "Someone willing to stick the knife in his teeth and swim the moat to our rescue from those who threaten our safety and our freedom." Melissa Deckman, CEO of the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute, points out that while some political observers had initially been surprised by the number of women willing to vote for Trump, not all women see eye-to-eye on issues of sex and sexism. "American women are far from monolithic when it comes to attitudes about gender dynamics," she told AFP in an interview. Much stronger man Trump's former vice president Mike Pence -- who is also running for the Republican 2024 nomination and spoke at the "Pray Vote Stand" summit -- brandishes authentic evangelical bona fides as a deeply religious long-time churchgoer who has described himself as "a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order." Yet only five percent of surveyed white, evangelical potential Republican primary voters said they would choose him as their nominee. Trump meanwhile would receive 56 percent of their vote, according to a July 2023 New York Times/Siena Poll. "He is the clearest kind of white evangelical poster boy out there," said Du Mez. "They might want (Pence) as a Sunday school teacher; that's not who they want in the Oval Office." Horswell, the retired nurse, thinks "Mike Pence is OK," but adds, "I think at this point in our government, we need a much stronger man." For conservative Christians, Trump's accomplishments as a "strong man" are many. He appointed three of the Supreme Court's nine justices, creating a bench that went on to overturn abortion rights. In 2020 he became the first sitting president to attend the annual anti-abortion March for Life rally in Washington. He has repeatedly expressed his opinion that gender is biological, siding against trans inclusion in women's sports and against gender-affirming care for minors. Any personality flaws take a back seat said Deckman: "The moral character, I think, matters less in some ways than what a candidate is willing to stand for and fight for." As Wan, the engineer from Florida, put it, "Many Christians would argue we're electing a president, we are not electing a chief theologian." The post Sinner, savior or both?: Trump woos evangelicals, women appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Piso sale!
Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading carrier, is giving every Juan an early Christmas gift as it brings back its trademark Piso Sale in time for the BER months. From 7 to 10 September, CEB travelers can book their flights to select domestic destinations including Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, Kalibo, and Laoag, and international destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Macau, Seoul, Singapore and Taipei for as low as P1 one-way base fare, exclusive of surcharges and other fees. The travel period will be from 1 April to 31 August 2024, allowing passengers to book ahead and score value-for-money fares. Aside from the Piso Sale, the airline is also offering a special 27-percent discount on CEB Transfers for all its routes serving Boracay, making travel to one of the world’s best island resorts much easier and more affordable. CEB currently flies to Boracay eight times daily from Manila, twice daily from Cebu, and six times weekly from Clark. CEB pioneered its trademark Piso Sale as early as 2004. Since then, many Filipinos have been able to fulfill their travel dreams and explore various local and international destinations through the airline’s signature promo. Passengers may use their existing Travel Funds to book flights and avail themselves of add-ons. CEB also offers multiple payment options, including payment centers, credit or debit cards and e-wallets. CEB currently flies to 35 domestic and 24 international destinations, spanning across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. The post Piso sale! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Menchu Katigbak: The splendid life of a society swan
Hers is a story anyone would love to tell and retell, or hear and hear again. Chances are, as in the book of Menchu, so many things are left unsaid because if these were all said, a single book would not be enough. Carmencita “Menchu” Katigbak’s story is one of love, passion, hurts and disappointments, social triumphs and power in its subtle workings, but mostly the good life and the people who live it and make it happen. She is a woman of the world in the sense of one who has lived in, explored and enjoyed New York, Bangkok, Lausanne, Paris and, her current love, Singapore. Of course, her turf is in Manila with a Capital S and Capital P (as in Power), and Lipa the hometown of her roots. [caption id="attachment_180060" align="aligncenter" width="958"] MENCHU with best friend Susie and her daughter Marivic.[/caption] At a time when the term “socialite” can come cheap, trite or even undeserved, Menchu gives the appellation dignity, respect and the awe it once inspired. Her social credentials are, of course, impeccable. For starters, she attended the Chateau Mont-Choisi, a Swiss finishing school for debutantes and pre-debs belonging to royalty and the world’s upper crust. A socialite today, in loose modern parlance, is perceived as being frivolous, one who attends parties because these men and women are party animals, or party people, as one columnist has named her weekly jottings about the social events of the day. The enjoyment of life is what defines this breed and set, and yet, while Menchu, too, knows how to enjoy, and enjoy life with gusto, there is more to her and that differentiates her from the herd. No, she does not top her charmed life with an icing of well-publicized good deeds and philanthropic beneficence, even if she actually shares her bounty with those in need. Menchu is of a different mold. She is a society swan in the manner of Truman Capote’s chums — Babe Paley, Gloria Guinness, Lee Radziwill. In our part of the world, think Chona, think Minnie, think Chito. She may well be cast in the same crème de la creme mold, glamorous denizens of the inner circles of society, at the same time, ladies who have transcended the vagaries of time. Just recently, Menchu was referred to by a diplomat friend as a global influencer, a 21st-century appellation that only a few are accorded. This one is applied to one who was once a señorita, colegiala and, yes, society girl, again in the tradition of Chona, Baby, Nelly, Chito and Ising. ‘The Katigbaks talk only to the Kalaws’ They don’t need family names, each as important as the other and of the same significance in society. Still, it’s one thing to say that she is Baby Fores, and another if she is Baby Arenas. There were two Vickys, one of national import and memory being the lovely teenager who stood as her father’s First Lady in the early 1950s, and there was the Madrigal matron, Vicky nee Abad Santos, who was low-key and the daughter of the World War II patriot, Jose Abad Santos, who refused to pledge allegiance to the flag of the enemies. Menchu shares first name distinction with Menchu delas Alas Concepcion, also of Batangueña parentage, being the daughter of banker and finance guy and public servant Don Antonio de las Alas. Both aristocrats from Batangas, the two Menchus share many distinctions beauty for one, pedigree, for the other—but that’s as far as I would say, the aforementioned traits being obvious. But to drive his point, Joe Guevarra, the humorous and well-placed columnist known for his tongue-in-cheek pronouncements, once said of the olden times, when the genealogical boundaries were well-defined, “In Lipa, the Katigbaks talk only to the Kalaws, and the Kalaws talk only to the Katigbaks.” [caption id="attachment_180057" align="aligncenter" width="998"] DINNER in Pili with Fernando and Zobel, Tessie Sy-Coson, Guilly Luchangco, Federico ‘Piki’ Lopez | photograph courtesy of MENCHU KATIGBAK[/caption] This self-confessed social climber, as his 8-to-5-and-beyond job would require him to be, admits to not having met (okay, having been introduced to…) the ebullient society hostess, traveler, culinary maven and friend-to-the-powerful Menchu Katigbak. Everything that I am writing here, I learned from the lady’s biography, Menchu, authored by lifestyle journalism icon Thelma Sioson San Juan, the two being decades-old friends. Menchu, one finds out toward the end of the book, is the inspiration for her granddaughter Isabelle’s first tome, Abu, the Sad Princess. I look back on the pages I have read, the memories of Menchu’s lifetime so far, in all its seven glorious and electrifying decades, and I dare say, the description is most apt and is true as well in real life as Menchu today is “living happily ever after” having come to terms with the many issues that confronted her at various times, but more importantly, she is today a fulfilled mother and grandmother and a believer in Jesus Christ. But that is getting ahead of the story. ‘White Matter’ by Lao Lianben Jaime Ponce de Leon, dear Jaime, the man of the hour of Philippine arts for as long as Juan Luna’s missing masterpiece, remains ensconced at the Ayala Museum – gaining for the discoverer more than a foothold in our cultural history – asked me if I was interested in writing about the socially formidable Menchu Katigbak, and I readily said yes, having seen her photographs in the select and more discriminating society pages and columns. I thought to myself it would be an opportunity to meet the lady face to face and add her to my glossary of so-called newfound friends, but that was not meant to be. I was, oh, I was treated to the next best thing – a copy of Menchu which, to someone who aspires to be a bibliophile, is all that matters in the world, except that I am first a social climber. And since I have not been allowed an audience, I take solace in the book and, as my honeyed revenge, will tell you what I feel about the lady who, I understand, could be frank and outspoken. Abrasive is too strong a word, and unfair for I am not sure if I will ever meet her in my lifetime, but I am told the lady will never mince words, that’s probably why she has legions of true friends who probably can give as much as take, or so I am imagining. [caption id="attachment_180055" align="aligncenter" width="1475"] Lunch in the kitchen in Pili with Patty Araneta (left) and Monet Recio-Schem.[/caption] A painting that Menchu has kept all these years, “White Matter” by Lao Lianben, signed and dated 1997, has been featured as one of the rare pieces to be auctioned in Leon Gallery’s forthcoming magnificent September auction, with the starting bid of P2,600,000. So, there, if you’re wondering what Jaime, who moves around the best circles, has got to do with this enigmatic swan. ‘We are not rich’ But let’s stick to what the book says. While she intersperses in her narrative personal encounters with her subject, TSJ, for the most part, devotes the pages of this book to Menchu alone, and with our cosmopolitan lady, the many friends in the upper echelons whose lives she has touched and who have touched hers in turn. Menchu, once she was ready to be told, heard it straight from her mother, “Tandaan mo, baka akala mo mayaman tayo. Hindi tayo mayaman. Kung napadala ka namin sa Switzerland at si Tita at si Tony napadala naming sa America, kasi nagpawis ako ng dugo (Remember, you may think we are rich, we are not rich. If we sent you to Switzerland and Tita and Tony to America, it was because I sweated blood). If you think you’re going to inherit something from us, banish the thought. So if you don’t study well, bahala ka sa sarili mo (you’re on your own).” The perfect words for the Asuncionista (Assumptionista) who much preferred to bake food for the gods, brownies and upside-down cakes and do naughty things like hiding the bell used to signal the start and end of class periods. Her mother, the former Charing Roxas Dimayuga, who attended Assumption Convent, dealt in buying, developing and selling homes in the gated Makati villages. She also developed horizontal and vertical commercial spaces as well as imported retazos from abroad. [caption id="attachment_180056" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Wearing the Van Cleef earrings purchased before their public launch.[/caption] Her father, Enrique Luz Katigbak, on the other hand, was a top certified public accountant, an alumnus of the Northwestern University and a director on the boards of Monte de Piedad and Philtrust banks. Of his connections, none is more eminent than his friendship with His Eminence, Rufino Cardinal Santos, archbishop of Manila and the first Filipino Cardinal of the Catholic Church. It was not a happenstance that Menchu received the sacrament of confirmation from the Cardinal himself right in the Katigbak home, the first ever that was held in a private home if any other followed at all. Like most children, Menchu recalls in the book how she detested being “slapped” by the pious prelate. If she was any pleased about her family’s closeness to the holy man, it was that the Assumption sisters did not expel her for her not-too-infrequent infractions because they went to her father if they needed something from the Cardinal. Dona Aurora Recto for a ‘guardian’ Hers was a lonely childhood since her older siblings were away. They were the triple seven, which alluded to their being born seven years apart, with Menchu as the youngest. On certain days, her parents, both busy, would deposit her in the home of the statesman Claro M. Recto where she would play with his favorite granddaughter, Techie, who had all these toys, Menchu could not help realizing her parents did not buy her a toy. She played with her jackstones while Techie had a closetful of toys, including a toy “cash register.” Techie was so generous she was giving this fancy plaything to her, but Menchu refused knowing her mother would not approve. What she remembers best of that time was the sight of Dona Aurora, the first beautiful woman she beheld in her young mind and eyes, and from her, she learned her first lessons in etiquette, because the family ate with a full complement of silverware and flatware. (To be continued) The post Menchu Katigbak: The splendid life of a society swan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Hamilton’ ticket lottery confirmed for Phl
Producers Jeffrey Seller and Michael Cassel have confirmed the Hamilton digital ticket lottery for the Metro Manila season of the international tour playing at The Theatre at Solaire from 17 September. The digital ticket lottery, known in North America as Ham4Ham, is run exclusively through TicketWorld in the Philippines. The Hamilton Lottery will have a limited number of tickets available throughout the season at a special price. Winners will have the opportunity to purchase two orchestra tickets at P800 each. The lottery will be open from 10 a.m. on 11 September through 11:59 p.m. on 13 September for tickets to performances on the week of 17 to 24 September. Subsequent Hamilton lotteries will begin on each Monday and close the following Wednesday for the upcoming week’s performances. [caption id="attachment_178871" align="aligncenter" width="735"] THE Broadway cast of ‘Hamilton’ (from left) Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos and Lin-Manuel Miranda.[/caption] To enter the lottery, sign up at TicketWorld to receive Hamilton Lottery entry access. Those who sign up must use the email address associated with their active TicketWorld account. The lottery will open at 10 a.m. every Monday and will close for entry at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday prior to the following week’s performances. Participants can enter to win the chance to purchase two tickets for the upcoming week’s performances at P800 per ticket. A one-entry-per-week limit will be applied. Winners will be notified every Thursday at 12 p.m. for the upcoming week’s performances via email from TicketWorld. The confirmation email will include a one-time-use promo code and a purchase link that will expire at 12 p.m. the following day of the receipt of the email. Winners may claim and pay for their tickets online or over the counter at TicketWorld outlets before the promo code expires. Additional rules and full terms and conditions can be found on TicketWorld site. “The digital ticket lottery, created for Hamilton fans on Broadway has been embraced with tremendous enthusiasm wherever the show has played all over the world and we know fans in Manila will be exactly the same,“ Cassel said. “It’s important that theatre is accessible for anyone who wants to see it and the digital ticket lottery allows us to introduce this transformative experience to people who may not have been able to see it otherwise.” Hamilton’s first ever international tour will premiere in Manila at The Theatre at Solaire on 17 September ahead of making its Middle East premiere at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in January 2024. More cities are expected to be announced in coming months. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre — a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics and education. It premiered on Broadway in August 2015 to wide critical and audience acclaim. The show has won Tony, Grammy and Olivier awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. The Hamilton creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical In the Heights. Scenic design is by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe. The international tour of Hamilton is produced by Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, The Public Theater and Cassel. The Manila season is presented by Michael Cassel Group and GMG Productions. Tickets to the Manila and Abu Dhabi seasons are available now at hamiltonmusical.com/international-tour. To be notified when the Hamilton lottery opens and get more updates on the ticket promo news, sign up for the Hamilton Lottery Newsletter at TicketWorld. For more information on tickets and Hamilton Lottery details, visit gmg-productions.com/hamilton/lottery. For news and updates, fans can visit hamiltonmusical.com/international-tour, instagram.com/hamiltoninternationaltour or www.facebook.com/hamiltonintltour. The post ‘Hamilton’ ticket lottery confirmed for Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IN PHOTOS: National BookFest brings trove of PH lit and comics to Davao
The National Book Development Board's first-ever Philippine Book Festival in Davao City was held in time with the city's Kadayawan festival, running from August 18 to 20 at SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang, showcasing Filipino authors, illustrators and their works and publishers of cherished Filipino literature......»»
Giuliani: ‘America’s Mayor’ threatened by anti-Mafia law he spearheaded
Forty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was the fearless Mafia-busting prosecutor whose aggressive use of racketeering laws brought down New York's Five Families. On Tuesday, he was fighting for his own freedom after being ensnared by the very legal strategy he had pioneered. The man once feted as "America's Mayor" for steering the US financial hub through the horror of the 11 September 2001 attacks has experienced a stunning fall from grace. Charged with 13 felonies over the help he is alleged to have given his client and longtime friend Donald Trump in trying to subvert the 2020 presidential election, the attorney is threatened with years behind bars as his 80th birthday approaches. "It's just the next chapter in a book of lies with the purpose of framing President Donald Trump and anyone willing to take on the ruling regime," Giuliani said on X, formerly known as Twitter, after he was charged Monday. It was a typically bombastic response from the 107th mayor of New York City, who played a starring role in Trump's post-election push to cling to power through an allegedly criminal campaign of lies about voter fraud. Giuliani was charged Monday under Georgia's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Practices (RICO) statute, the plaudits he once earned squandered in a series of increasingly bizarre media appearances around the 2020 election. He is one of 18 co-defendants charged alongside Trump. 'Person of the Year' They included an unwitting cameo in a Sacha Baron Cohen movie in which Giuliani was filmed lying on a hotel bed with his hands down his pants and a post-election press conference held outside a landscaping business surrounded by a crematorium and a sex shop. At another press event, Giuliani and his allies claimed mass voter fraud without a shred of evidence as hair dye streamed in dark rivulets down the attorney's cheeks. Born in an Italian American enclave of Brooklyn on 28 May 1944, Rudolph William Louis Giuliani made his name in his 40s as a pioneering US attorney for Manhattan, using RICO to bring down the high command of the New York mob. Giuliani captured the New York mayorship in 1993 and gained national prominence in the wake of the 9/11 attacks by helping salve the shocked city's soul, earning Time Magazine's prestigious "Person of the Year" honor. "We've undergone tremendous losses, and we're going to grieve for them horribly, but New York is going to be here tomorrow morning, and it's going to be here forever," he declared. The Republican suffered his first big setback in 2008 with a disastrous bid for the White House and appeared adrift until Trump eventually brought him back into the fold. Gaffes and walk-backs After Trump was elected, he appointed Giuliani to fight a federal probe into the campaign's extensive ties to Russia, and the lawyer became a constant TV presence. But gaffes and walk-backs were as much a feature of Giuliani's lawyering as his spirited talk show diatribes -- and he led Trump into trouble as often as steering him away. Never the most reliable spokesman, Giuliani proved susceptible to seemingly unforced admissions -- contradicting Trump's denials over hush money payments to a porn star and his pursuit of a business deal in Moscow before the 2016 election. But the effort to reverse Trump's clear election loss in 2020 appears, in the end, to have sealed Giuliani's downfall. One by one, his post-election court challenges were withdrawn or dismissed as groundless. Giuliani's license to practice has been suspended in New York over his "demonstrably false" claims of a stolen election and the Bar in the nation's capital is considering disbarring him. Long before attracting the attention of a legal system that once basked in his reflected glory, Giuliani acknowledged that representing Trump could end up being his legacy. "I am afraid it will be on my gravestone. 'Rudy Giuliani: He lied for Trump,'" he told The New Yorker in 2019. "If it is, so what do I care? I'll be dead. I figure I can explain it to St. Peter." The post Giuliani: ‘America’s Mayor’ threatened by anti-Mafia law he spearheaded appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Paramount announces sale of Simon & Schuster for $1.62-B
Paramount Global said Monday it had reached an agreement to sell Simon & Schuster, a top US publisher, to private equity firm KKR for $1.62 billion. The proposed sale, if it goes through, will end a years-long effort to sell the prestigious publishing house -- whose authors include Stephen King, Colleen Hoover, and Bob Woodward -- after a tentative deal to sell the company to Penguin Random House for $2.18 billion foundered amid regulatory concerns. "We are pleased to have reached an agreement on a transaction that delivers excellent value to Paramount shareholders while also positioning Simon & Schuster for its next phase of growth with KKR," Paramount Global president and CEO Bob Bakish said in a statement Monday. After the purchase -- which Paramount said will be made entirely in cash -- Simon & Schuster will become a "standalone private company," according to the statement. The publisher will retain its existing leadership. "With KKR's support, we look forward to collaborating on new strategies that will enhance our ability to provide readers a great array of books and to give authors the best possible publication they can receive," Simon & Schuster president and CEO Jonathan Karp said in the statement. The company is the fourth largest of America's "Big Five" publishing companies, which also include HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group USA, and Macmillan Publishers. The post Paramount announces sale of Simon & Schuster for $1.62-B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Katya Angara – The journey of a woman and artist
The promising artist that Katya is today is the latest phase in a lifelong journey that began at an early age when she began drawing characters from cartoon comics. All the while she was growing up in a home that nurtured her interest in the arts, as much as it prepared her for rigorous academic training. She read early in life, in a house filled with books. In this second part of our interview, Katya shares with us how she made a number of choices that would lead to where she is today. But once upon a time, for all that had been given to her on a silver platter, she was in a quandary as to what to do with her life. But when she finally decided on what she wanted, there was no stopping the talented and smart girl who, it turned out, possessed an intellectual prowess not unlike those of her parents, the lawyer, and senator Edgardo Angara, whose affinity for the land had been impressed on his daughter, and the lady educator Gloria Manalang Angara, who opened up her daughter’s eyes and minds to the wonders of world literature and the other arts. And it was in art that the young girl did not only find solace but also healing. Here is the final part of our interview: DT: After high school, did you immediately leave for London? KA: To be honest, and I don’t want filters here, I had mental health issues at that time. I was severely depressed. Before I went to London, I went through a tumultuous period of deciding where to go with my education. So, after Poveda, I went to Woldingham (boarding school). then I did half of my BA Psychology degree at UP Diliman from late 2000 to 2002. I loved my time at Diliman but it was a tumultuous transitional period for me, so I decided to revisit pursuing university in London. Central Saint Martins, to be precise, is one of the most prestigious and distinguished art and design schools in the world DT: Around what time was this? KA: It was in 2002. I was bouncing around like I couldn’t anchor myself to one thing. Like, okay, I’m here in London already. And then, okay I’m going to study Psychology in UP. So, what’s with the leap, the sudden jump, the sudden shift? I couldn’t make up my mind. And I think that frustrated my parents for the longest time. I was also being hard on myself because I ended up causing a lot of frustration for myself. And I think that depressed me. So, you know, I’ve been diagnosed with different things. I’m bipolar. And then, I had the hallmarks of ADHD. Let’s just say that my brain works differently DT: Well, one can never be sure about oneself. KA: No, you can never be sure about yourself. And I was questioning myself. For the longest time, all those years I thought, what’s wrong with me? Why am I making all these strange decisions? Why am I behaving this way? Why do I react to people this way?”. You know, parang I shouldn’t be talking or reacting to people like this in this kind of situation. And I’m not just saying with family or what. But with my classmates in school. What drew me to art was it being a place that has its own language e. It’s a place where I can express myself. Art is also a way of healing your own wounds. It’s also a way of revealing those aspects of yourself that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. It really was a way of healing for me. And I didn’t even know that I needed it. Because again, I was a very quiet and introverted kid. I don’t know why. I couldn’t rely on people, talk to people the way I thought, or maybe people thought I should. So, you know, I kept to myself. I’d hide away in the library every recess or lunch. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. So, that carried on until my university years. Daily Tribune (DT): What did you finally take up in college? Katya Angara: Well, first I just wanted to do a purely art course. So, my foundation course to get me a degree was an Art and Design course. My first choice for this was Central Saint Martins, which continues to be ranked as one of the best art and design schools in the world. I was over the moon when I made it in. DT: What did you have to show to qualify? KA: I needed to show my work. I had some already since I was drawing a lot in my childhood and teenage years. DT: Your works are not the usual ones that use oil, watercolor, acrylic, and all that. KA: I was drawing mostly. And for some reason, I have always been more of a draftsman eh. I’m always more into drawing. I have more illustrating tendencies. DT: Like pen and paper? KA: Yes, pen and paper. Pencil, charcoal. I’ve always had a thing for dry media and pen and ink. It’s more about the control and the precision. That’s my personality. DT: That’s not easy ah. KA: It’s not easy. But you have an affinity for it. And your hands have to be steady. Which is unlikely for someone with pasmado hands like me. But that’s where I find my control eh. That’s why I like it so much. DT: So, what was it like when you showed your drawings at Central Saint Martin? KA: So, I showed my drawings because that was required during the interview. And so I went through the ropes. They asked questions like, "why do you want to do this course here?" DT: Your work must have been good to get you accepted. KA: They were fine. I think it was good enough. But there was a lot I had to improve on. I only knew that once I got into the school. Then, you told yourself, Ah, oo nga pala. There was so much I had to learn. That I could be taught. DT: How was your learning experience? KA: From the beginning, as a child, I always copied from cartoons. And they didn’t like that. They didn’t want to see any cartoons or anything like that. They wanted to see me. They wanted to see my work. My drawing from life. DT: So, how did you do that? It must have been challenging KA: So, I gave them the best of my life drawings. But when I showed them my other works, they weren’t happy with them. So, I learned from that. Being young, you got a bit crushed. But then, you realize it’s a different way of thinking. It’s a different way of doing things. Okay, there’s still so much to learn in terms of art. And it’s not the be-all and end of it all. And then, they said, “This is where you should be learning from.” And they showed me art books. They said, “Go to this gallery or this museum.” DT: How was it like living abroad? Back home, you were the daughter of a senator. KA: Which means nothing when you’re abroad. It meant nothing. Which I actually loved. It was something that I was looking for. Because I lived in a bubble back home. To my parents’ credit naman there’s a reason for that. I was very protected. They wanted to keep me safe and secure given my father’s position. So, I’d always lived in a bubble. I’d always have bodyguards and drivers and all that. And it just felt at times a little restrictive. DT: So, it was a welcome thing? KA: It was a welcome thing. Really, I felt different. I felt normal na parang my family name didn’t mean a thing. And that was refreshing. I could be anything I wanted to be. I could experiment and nobody would judge. Because in schools like that and abroad, especially in Europe, they’re so open-minded. They’re so liberal. DT: How were the teachers? KA: Oh, wonderful. Of course, you always have your favorites, right? Very varied. Depending also on what course you were taking up, whether industrial design or sculpture which I was horrible at when I tried it. I didn’t really get close to my tutors until I moved on to my actual degree. Funny enough, instead of ending up in a practical course. Which would have been like Fine Arts, Graphic Design, or even Illustration because I love drawing. You would think that I would end up in a more practical course like Fine Arts, Graphic Design, or even Illustration, I did a complete shift and I did a theoretical course. I did Curation, Art Criticism, and Art History. So, my training is as a curator and an art critic. DT: Wow, that was very intellectual. It’s good that you always read a lot. KA: Yes, I think that helped because you have to read a lot. You have to love reading. You have to like doing the research. And that served me well. Who would have known, right? But if you think about it, as long as you follow what you want to do in life, it just opens up even if you don’t intentionally seek it. Somehow it just finds you It just fell into place for me in that sense. This is not what I initially set out to do. But I think you have to allow yourself to change your mind. Parang whatever happens at the time, you change with it. You adjust to it. And it worked out beautifully for me. DT: So, were the teachers terrors? KA: Mabait naman sila. But they have very different personalities. My course leader was a lovely older lady who was really into Victorian arts and culture. As in, Victoriana lahat. She would tell you everything about English Victorian history. And she was very passionate about it. And you know, it involved a lot of writing and research. But my favorite tutor was someone who was writing about comic books. Comic books and Pop culture. So, for me, that was a revelation because I didn’t think you could take comics books and put them in the academe. You know, academic level like intellectual. Pwede pala e. Because he showed me a way. He took me under his wing and he showed me his work and from there I learned to write. And because I love comic books. I’m actually a huge geek. I’m a nerd, I’m a dork. DT: What was your thesis? [caption id="attachment_165427" align="aligncenter" width="463"] Roger Sabin was Katya's pop culture mentor at Central Saint Martins in London.[/caption] KA: Because I wanted Roger Sabin, my pop culture tutor, as my professor for my thesis, it was about a 1990s Japanese animated film called Ghost in the Shell 101. It was an animated film based on a very heavy graphic novel, a manga or Japanese comics, by Masamune Shirow. And for me, his work is revelatory. It wasn’t just the style of the Ghost in the Shell. And to think just one man could draw like this. I mean it was a very thick graphic novel. He could draw like that. And he wrote the story too. And to think you had the mental stamina to be able to write something like that and to draw. DT: You must enjoy doing comics. KA: Since I was a kid, I’ve made my own comic books. You know, I would sell my own comic books and people would actually buy them. I taught myself to draw in the comic book style. I learned them all. You know, there’s like Stan Lee of Marvel. DT: You really had it in you. KA: I had it in me. My love for comic books started by reading the ones my brother had collected over the years. He had a stash of them, so, I just devoured them. It was all very amazing to me. Kasi the drawings, the stories, these are worlds written by someone else. So, you have Marvel comics, DC comics, Dark Horse comics. [caption id="attachment_165417" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] With brother, Senator Sonny Angara, whose comic books she devoured for their cartoon figures.[/caption] Q: You didn’t idolize anybody? A: Well, I wasn’t particularly huge on the American comics. I think it was until I stumbled upon the Japanese comics or manga. That really piqued my interest to a degree I never felt before. Kasi it wasn’t just the style, which at first for me was very girly. I mean, I love the romantic comics. But I also felt myself leaning toward the darker stuff. DT: What did you like about Ghost in the Shell? KA: It’s a cyberpunk graphic novel. So, ang galing, ang ganda ng style. It was like, wow. You know, the sheer amount of detail that he puts into the drawings. I said I want to draw like this. I want to tell a story like this. But I don’t know if I was capable of telling if I had the stamina to tell something so intricate and complex. DT: When did you graduate? KA: In 2008. The BA in the UK is only three years. That’s why you take a foundation course. There’s a BA in Curation, and Communication, and criticism in Arts and Design. DT: I am told that you graduated at the top of your class. But you’re not telling me. KA: It sounds so funny kasi eh. Anyway, I graduated with first-class honors for my degree. So, basically, I was Suma Cum Laude in my batch in my year. So, that was what sealed the deal for me and my dad. Kasi for the longest time, I was kind of meandering. I was kind of flip-flopping. My mom knows this eh She goes, “You know Katya you have a tendency to be whimsical.” I am an artist eh, what can I do? Besides, I was young and I wasn’t sure. I knew what I wanted to do, which was to be in the arts but not where I wanted to go. I was asking myself if I had the stamina, the commitment, the fortitude to see it through. [caption id="attachment_165415" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Katya and mom Gloria Angara, who first ignited her interest in the arts.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_165419" align="aligncenter" width="854"] Katya with her dad, the late Senate President Edgardo Angara from whom she learned to apply the principles of nature to her art[/caption] DT: College made you really bloom. KA: Yes. It was the environment. it was the people I was with. Because I was able to go into something I really enjoyed. I wasn’t just doing homework because I was told to do homework. I loved what I was doing. I was invested in it. DT: What did you do after you graduated? KA: Apart from community work, I also worked for some small galleries. I did some work for the Victoria and Albert Museum. I tried to have experiences in bigger institutions, bigger museums, and small independent galleries. I thought that experience would hone me and make me well-rounded. With the smaller galleries, I was able to practice my curatorial background. I was able to help a lot of young artists. They don’t know how to talk about their work or they’re not confident enough to do so. So anyhow, apart from helping them put together shows, I help them speak about their work. Or offer them a perspective they have never seen or thought about. And I feel that that was helping them and I think that’s where I have been able to engage with them. It was fulfilling to help them find their voice as an artist. DT: All the while, you were all alone in London? KA: I was married actually. To a Filipino who was born in the UK, in London. He’s an Englishman, for all purposes. It didn’t work out. We have a daughter. I had a beautiful little girl with him. She lives in London with her father. She’s been here. She lived here in her early years. After she was born in 2010, I decided to move back here. Then, after four years, we went back to London because it was what my husband wanted. He and my dad had a falling out. DT: When was your first exhibit? KA: Last year. Earlier, I did a group show at the Lethaby Gallery at Central Saint Martins. So, I did it with other emerging artists. My next group show was at The Crucible. But it was for a book that Sari Ortiga had commissioned me to do. He wanted to do a series of children’s books about Philippine artists. I did mine. Mine was about Anita Magsaysay-Ho. I did the illustration. It wasn’t new to me because I had been making my own books. I would staple them myself. Although up until that point I didn’t know how to really do it professionally. I found out it could be lucrative and fulfilling. This was in 2008 when I didn’t have a daughter yet. DT: Tell me about your forthcoming show. (The current show had yet to be opened). What paintings are you showing? KA: They’re not paintings, they’re not just drawings. They’re an amalgamation. They’re what you call a compendium of everything I’ve ever done as an artist. The book illustration, and then I dabbled a bit in black-and-white photography. I like the look of black and white photography. So, I do it with my phone or a simple camera. It’s also good for taking reference photos for my work. Because if you can’t sit in the park drawing people or objects, or subjects, the next best thing is you take pictures. And you can draw from those pictures. Kaya maganda siya for reference. So, my work is that, actually. DT: So, what about your subjects? KA: Well, I’m a very central person. We live in a very conservative culture. And I have subjects that would make people say ay, you know, you shouldn’t talk about that. So, there’s no filter, it’s very raw, very natural. In London, I was able to talk to people about things like BDSM or Bondage Sado-Masochism. And you know, that can get a bad rap. Because if you do it wrong, it would look strange to anyone who is not familiar with it. Among the Japanese, there is a subculture that does that. DT: Do they consider BDSM an art form? KA: There’s a particular Japanese artist whose work I used to admire. He’s a photographer. And his subject is BDSM. There were pictures of women tied up and then there were flowers and reptiles. So it was very sexual. I found myself drawn to that because there’s the element of the dark side. Carl Jung, the psychoanalyst, talked about how we have to make our unconscious conscious. The darkness in us is unconscious. And if you don’t make your darkness conscious, it’s going to come out in other ways at some point. Meaning to say, you shouldn’t repress those sides of you. I think it is a side that’s intertwined with the creative side of me. I can’t be an artist without being sensual. Without that aspect, all that would be macabre. Which brings me to my mom again. She used to chide me for reading Stephen King when I was a kid. I’m a huge Stephen King fan. She was like, “It’s so macabre, so dark.” And I’m like, “I like it, I like his work.” He’s such a skilled writer. And I like how he could take something so mundane and make it terrifying and frightening on all levels. Stephen King said that he writes two thousand words every morning. I’m not sure if I can do that. I wanted to write na rin eh because the natural partner of my art is my writing. Because as a curator, I didn’t just read. I had to write a lot. And that’s where I honed my skills. Kasi siyempre, it’s a sword that you have to sharpen every now and then. So, for the show. I did a lot of writing. I did my own writing. DT: While we're on the talk of artists, what about the Filipino artists? Who among them do you admire? Do you have any mentors and idols? KA: Among Philippine artists, Junyee is my second father and my first artistic mentor. He is my OG sage and shaman of Philippine art, the Father of Philippine Installation Art. I'm actively lobbying for him to become National Artist soon, as no one deserves it more than he does, with his magnificent oeuvre. I'll always remember how, in a fleeing moment of impostor syndrome, he consoled me by saying that making art for myself always comes first. Love the process and the rest follows. The maverick attitude is very Junyee! And yet, he lives a modest life in the forest-like setting of his home in Los Banos, echoing the nature-loving ethos of our favorite Japanese animator, Hayao Miyazaki, creator of Toroto, Nausicaa, Spirited Away, among many other magical films. Since I was a child, Junyee saw my potential and continued to push me to have my own gallery shows, as did his longtime friend and one of my other mentors, Sari Ortiga. Sari's daughter Yasmin is a good friend and batchmate of mine from Poveda. Sari owns and runs the distinguished Crucible Gallery, and he hired me to illustrate one of the children's books for his series "Growing up with Philippine art" in 2009. It's thanks to Sari that I pushed myself to evolve as an artist, to grow outside of my comfort zone. The acclaimed visual artist and sculptor Jinggoy Buensuceso is something of a bad boy du jour of the Philippine art scene, and his dissident attitude is something I can identify with. I love the unorthodox, the sensual, the macabre, the dark stuff that delves deep into the psyche. I'm so bored of the "covers" or "riffs" of the countless Amorsolo, Basquiat, Picasso, or Rothko-type artworks that I see so much of in the local art scene. As wtih Junyee and Sari, Jinggoy has taught me how to navigate the perilous seas of art and life, echoing Junyee's advice to remain myself, in a world that often pushes us to be someone else. My three mentors, by example, taught me how to be original. DT: How many are you exhibiting? How many works? KA: Now, I have 9 complete pieces. I’d like to add another one. Honestly, medyo cramming ito because I only had two months to do the show. Normally for this kind of work - especially with the big piece I am doing - it’s a seven-foot piece. I would need, preferably to be comfortable, at least four to six months to do all this work. Kasi, there is so much nicer when you give it time to compost. To come together, to become fertile. DT: Is there enough time for one more work? A: Yes. I have one more work that I want. Because I feel that it rounds it up eh. If I do ten, I love the work that I’ve already done. Again, it’s not a painting, it’s a collage. So, I’d call it a photographic collage with paper cuttings on canvas. I wanted to treat canvas in a way that is not painting DT: Shouldn’t someone curate for you? KA: For now, I’m happy to have to do it myself. Because I feel that I’m the only one who can portray myself in a way that I feel I should be portrayed. Kasi it’s art eh. You’re trying not so much to explain yourself as you’re trying to convey who you are to somebody without being obvious. That’s art. DT: Where does Stephen, your partner, come in? [caption id="attachment_165418" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] With her partner and anchor, Stephen Lu.[/caption] KA: Stephen is somewhat of an anchor for me. So, I feel comfortable, I feel more confident when he’s around. But I guess I’m okay. DT: Now, as we wind up, let’s talk about how you are like your parents and not like them. You said that your interest in the arts came from the exposure that you received from your mother, and of course, the presence of books at home. Tell me more about your father’s role in your becoming the person that you are. KA: One of my fondest memories of my father was his love of nature, gardening, and farming, which I learned from him. He was at his best and calmest when he was at his farm in Nasugbu and Baler. Whilst my father was a “man of the soil”, I learned to be an “artist of the soil”, a gardener who applies the principles of nature to my art. Hence the overlying themes of nature in my oeuvre of artwork. And the most resonant themes of philosophy (which my father also studied and applied in his life) are the themes relating to lessons learned from nature: patience, fortitude, temperance. From this I’ve become more acutely aware of life’s transience, making our time all the more precious, being grateful for small and simple pleasures, and the opportunities that come my way. The naïveté of my younger years meant that I didn’t have a complete grasp of the opportunities presented to me by my father, I took much for granted. Now I see why he did what he did, he gave me the tools to be able to achieve my full potential. Only now that I’m embracing that fire and heading in a direction that makes the most of my talents. I had impostor syndrome for the longest time. Always questioning and doubting myself. Now I can fully embrace who I am and it is cathartic. DT: In what way are you like them? KA: I have the different strengths of my parents. I’ve inherited their academic minds and cultured tastes, with an eye for detail and beauty. I have many mannerisms and behavious in common with my mum, in terms of poise and self-possession. But, she is like Audrey Hepburn and I am infinitely more of a Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn was also a very private person and something of a poet and writer. I guess it’s no surprise that I am drawn to art and writing; I am highly introspective, painfully self-aware and attuned to my moods and to the moods of others; like my Dad, I’m intuitive and know how to read people. DT: My last question is, how has art influenced you in your direction in life? And where are you going from here? KA: Being an introvert, I don’t always translate into easy social interactions with most people. So I channel it all into my art. It’s a language that best expresses my psyche, thoughts, and emotions. Working with my hands is healing and consolation for the isolation, depression, and anxiety attacks that grip me on bad days. That’s why as an artist of the soil, gardening and art go hand in hand. In the future, I can see myself tending to the land and becoming a farmer as my father was. It’s like coming home. The post Katya Angara – The journey of a woman and artist appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
22 CHORAL GROUPS TO COMPETE AT AOV INT’L CHORAL FESTIVAL
The Cultural Center of the Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Madrigal Singers, brings back the prestigious biennial choral competition, the Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival, on 20 to 23 July 2023, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. Named after the founder of the world -renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers, the late National Artist for Music Andrea O. Veneracion, the choral competition will have 22 choirs competing in the Folk Song, Equal Voices and Mixed Choir categories. The competing choral groups from Luzon are: The Archangel’s Journey Chorale from Caloocan City; BINHS’s Salinlahi Serenata Singers from Silang, Cavite; Calasiao Treble Chorus from Calasiao, Pangasinan; Coro Jesu from Makati City; De La Salle University Chorale from Manila; DYCI’s Dagalak from Bulacan; Gloria Patri Singers from Quezon City; Lighter Side Movement from Mandaluyong City; Los Cantantes De Manila from Manila; Oroquieta Chamber Singers from Lucena City, Quezon; Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo Chorale from Laguna; Philippine Normal University Chorale from Manila; Philippine Vocal Ensemble from Makati; St. Paul College Pasig High School Chorale from Pasig City; Tarlac Männerchor from Tarlac City, Tarlac; and University of Baguio Voices Chorale from Baguio City, Benguet. The Visayas and Mindanao representatives are: Silay City Chorale from Silay City, Negros Occidental; Jose Rizal Memorial State University Dimasalang Choristers from Dipolog City, Zamboang Del Norte; University of Mindanao Chorale from Davao City, Davao del Sur; University of Southeastern Philippines Harmonia Polifonica Chorale from Davao City, Davao del Sur; and Western Mindanao State University — Grand Chorale from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Sur. The Bangkok Voices from Thailand will also compete. Five renowned adjudicators who have made their marks in the international music scene will evaluate and choose the best choral group in thecountry. The jury is composed of Christo Burger (Africa), Jãnis Ozols (Europe), Virginia Bono (South America), Zimfira Poloz (North America) and Mark Anthony Carpio (Asia). Each winning choral group in the different categories will take home cash prizes and a conh shell trophy designed by artist Mary Catherine Sta. Ana. The trophy resembles a large conch shell with a wide opening through which one may imagine listening to the sound of the seas that surround the Philippine islands. The parts of the shell suggest the form of a bird singing, taking inspiration from the theory that bird songs may have influenced the development of music. The post 22 CHORAL GROUPS TO COMPETE AT AOV INT’L CHORAL FESTIVAL appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2023 National Food Fair fuses tradition, innovation
The 2023 National Food Fair, themed “Go Discover, Taste, Enjoy!”, opened on Wednesday, 12 July, in simple ceremonies headed by Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual as keynote speaker. Organized by the DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion in coordination with the DTI Regional Operations Group, the 2023 National Food Fair runs 12-16 July at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. Over 250 MSMEs from the country’s 17 regions are exhibiting their products onsite at the event venue. Simultaneously, an online national food fair on the Lazada e-commerce platform is also offering the products of participating MSMEs, for a wider market reach nationwide. Showcasing the fusion of tradition and innovation, special settings, pavilions and MSME clusters draw attention to developments that elevate traditional Filipino products to meet stringent food industry standards and be competitive in the global market. These are: · Philippine Coconut Industry Pavilion and Coconut-Based MSME Cluster · Philippine Food Industry Innovations Lounge · Philippine Fruits and Nuts Pavilion · Innovative and Biotech Products Cluster · Rural Agro-Industrial Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project Pavilion · Farm Fresh Produce Pavilion · KAPEtirya or Philippine Coffee Pavilion · Philippine Island Wine, Beer, and Juice Bar For culinary enthusiasts, renowned Filipino chefs are part of the daily program of activities, with live cooking and food preparation demonstrations, among others. The lineup includes: · The Ultimate Filipino Adobo: Stories Through the Ages book launching and cooking demonstrations (Chef Claude Tayag) · Isang Dekada ng Guevarra’s: An Inspiring Story (Chef Laudico Guevarra) · Fiesta Recipes (Chef Boy Logro) · Halal Recipes and lavish feast during social occasions (Chef Yed Dimaporo and Mustapha Ala, Jr.) · SIMPOL Recipes Using Coconut (Chef Tatung Sarthou) · Culinary Kurobuta Masterpieces (Chef Donatello Montrone) · Changing the Food Mindset: Slow Food (Chef Jam Melchor) · Plant-based Desserts (Chef Aileen of Studio Plantmaed) · Benefits of a Plant-based Diet (Chef Mylene Dolonius of Studio Plantmaed) · Healthy Daily Recipes (Chef YLYT Frixiah Manaig) · Magsaysay Center for Hospitality and Culinary Arts (Chef Eric Gruba) · The Farm at San Benito (Rose Pagcaliwagan) · Philippine Wine Mixology (Bartender Nino Cruz) The culminating highlight of this celebration of the diversity and rich heritage of Filipino food is an interactive cultural presentation of the BARMM Pagana Maguindanao, led by Mustafa Ala and Chef Yed Dimaporo. Pagana is a traditional Maguindanaon celebration that holds great cultural significance in the Maguindanao province of the Philippines. It is a festive event that brings the community together to honor and celebrate important occasions such as weddings, religious holidays or community milestones. The Pagana celebration is characterized by lively music, colorful costumes and traditional dances that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Maguindanaon people. The rhythmic beats of the kulintang ensemble, a musical ensemble composed of gongs, set the tone for the festivities, while traditional dances like the Singkil and Pangalay mesmerize the audience with their graceful movements. The event also offers a feast of traditional Maguindanaon cuisine, featuring flavorful dishes like Lininggil a Manok (chicken cooked in turmeric and coconut milk) and palapa (a spicy condiment made from chili and scallions). Pagana is not only a time of celebration but also an opportunity to strengthen community bonds, pass down cultural traditions to younger generations and showcase the rich artistic talents of the Maguindanaon people. Also part of the daily program are entrepreneurship talks and learning sessions that can offer food entrepreneurs with resources and ideas about how to strengthen and position their businesses for continued growth. The topics covered by various government agencies and partner-institutions participating in the daily program are: · Coconut-based Coffee and/or Cacao Enterprise Development Project (Department of Agriculture) · Geographical Indications and the Benefits of Registering One’s Trademark or Brand in IPOPHIL (Intellectual Property Office) · Sustainable Planting and Replanting of Local Cultivars; Natural and Healthy Coconut Vinegar; Health Benefits of Coconut (Philippine Coconut Authority) · Halal Culinary Tourism (Department of Tourism) · Bioplastic Derived from Pineapple Waste Packaging Technology; Coco-Based Food Technologies (Department of Science and Technology) · Kitchen Lab and Food Connect Plus (Philippine Trade Training Center) · Dairy and Coconut Farming, A Viable Integrated Farming Enterprise (National Dairy Authority) · Boosting Nutrition to Different MSMEs as Suppliers of Healthy Food Products (National Nutrition Council) · Healthy Food Consumption Trends and Research on Health Benefits of Philippine Herbs (Department of Health) · Franchising: A Way to Make Every Filipino Taste Your Lola’s Recipe (Philippine Franchising Association) · Accelerating Growth Through One Research and Extension in Action (UP Los Baños-Agora) · How MSMEs Can Thrive Online (Lazada) · Unilever’s Healthy and Sustainable Food Program (Unilever Philippines) · Maximizing Your Digital Marketing Potential with Analytics and Business Intelligence (Pamela Padilla) The daily program of activities is open to the public and free of charge. For the benefit of remote viewers, these are also being livestreamed on BDTP social media channels. To stay updated about the 2023 National Food Fair and other programs of the DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion, please follow the social media accounts on Facebook (DTI.BDTP), Instagram (dti.bdtp), and Twitter (@DTI_BDTP). Or email BDTP Director Marievic M. Bononan at bdtp@dti.gov.ph. The post 2023 National Food Fair fuses tradition, innovation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Leaps of faith (1)
By Katrizha Caye I. De Leon A cup of achievements, a dash of some challenges, and equal parts of motivation and setbacks — no one person knows the recipe to success. In the pursuit of legacy, people scramble every day to search for a path. With no manual around, most settle to work towards the little goals not knowing the chances of succeeding or failing. Every step taken brings one closer to achieving success. With this, many are asking: How do you spell success? One giant leap In his book “Batong Bahay,” Clarence Batan said: “Kung hindi ako matapang na nagdesisyon, siguro hanggang ngayon, ang Batong Bahay ay isang pangarap lamang (If I were not brave enough to decide, Batong Bahay would remain a dream).” Success is defined as accomplishing an aim or purpose; the first step is vital to the outcome. Eloisa Veloira, a senior fire officer, went through the long and hard way to take that step and realize her true calling. Behind her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education was the path she was afraid to take — that was to enter the Philippine National Police Academy. Veloira instead took a detour carrying her love for children and a longing for her loved ones. Filled with the hope that all the signs pointed her to the right career path, Veloira pursued the Education course. But despite her love for kids and the satisfaction of teaching, the full-time job takes all of Veloira’s time. “Even at home, I am working. There was an instance when I even brought papers to check to a team-building event, and while others were busy doing activities, I was busy checking them,” she said. The pay wasn’t better for the 34-year-old MAPEH teacher supporting her family. “I remembered crying before my father because we had the same salary even though I had my bachelor’s degree and he didn’t finish his studies,” Veloira said. Veloira deeply cares for her students; touching their lives is something she will carry throughout her lifetime. She had no regrets about pursuing Education despite the hardships. But she has realized that staying on this path might ultimately lead to losing herself and her passion for the profession. “I was issued an administrative warning due to an incident that occurred when I filled in for a co-teacher. I was confused when they sided with the parents. Even in parent-teacher conferences, some of [the parents] act like they own us and I thought to myself, ‘Is it worth it to feel like this with such a low salary?’” Veloira said. After her two-year stint in teaching, Veloira took the leap to return to the dream she had once left behind. Veloira suffered a bad fall from the proverbial leap and was unemployed for a year. But hard work pays off. After several rejections, Veloira got back on track after being accepted at the Bureau of Fire and Protection, a profession far from what she had initially pursued. Six months of rigorous training proved fruitful for Veloira; she was assigned to the San Juan City Fire Station in January 2014. Ironically, she couldn’t escape teaching altogether but had no plans to escape this time. “Throughout the journey, my patience was tested. Being a teacher became a stepping stone and until now, I can apply teaching strategies as a fire safety educator,” Veloira said. From setbacks, detours, and giant leaps of faith, Veloira emphasizes that success is not just a choice but a responsibility. “To the people like me, do what you want, pursue your passion. Don’t doubt your abilities,” she said. “At the same time, remember the responsibility it entails, so whatever your choice is, have conviction.” The post Leaps of faith (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Winning my 46th book project in 25 years with MIESCOR 50th anniversary book
Exactly a week ago on 15 June, I had a contract signing with Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corporation to produce its 50th anniversary coffee table book. It was such a delight and honor to meet with its top executives and the editorial book committee to record the book signing event. This book project negotiation was started mid-November 2022 when I received a call from MIESCOR’s procurement department to inquire if I was interested to produce its 50th anniversary book. Of course, I said “YES” and finally after six months of discussions, we arrived at a win-win solution to all the many details that needed to be addressed. Creating the book content for my many books has always been such a journey of discoveries and education for me. Going through the gamut of all the stages of production, from the many interviews and photoshoots to discussions with my great book team on the concepts of the cover and styling, produces such a “high” that enables us to capture the spirit and the message of each book. [caption id="attachment_148137" align="aligncenter" width="599"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BING CARRION | MIESCOR contract signing for the company’s 50th-anniversary coffee table book.[/caption] Each of my books varies from design to content as the materials we gather dictate the outcome of the book’s narrative. However, every time I submit a complete book proposal to a client, that particular book project is done in my head. Only the execution of the details for all the pages remains to be done. Why do I do what I do best — that is capturing the milestone moments and defining stories of each of my book projects? It is because we can never underestimate the power of the written word. Long after we are gone from this earth, the books I produce create legacies of the wonderful journey of each of my subjects that are forever etched in the annals of Philippine history, life and culture. My books become the stories of generations of Filipino families, international and domestic corporations, NGOs and distinguished Asian leaders. The honor that each of my collectible coffee table books, found in select libraries around the world, accords to my many featured subjects that become part of the annals of Philippine history. As generations pass, these legacies of dreams, of character, of education, of honor are the forces that build kinship, binds our culture together, drive our people to new and challenging heights, thus creating a vibrant, a driven and innovative society with a conscience. The pages of my books always endeavor to capture the legacies that bring light, color, joy, honor and glory to each of my subjects. Their narratives become sources of deep inspiration, commitment, learning and abiding faith that produces life-defining changes and the anchor that brings meaning and direction to our lives. I shall always endeavor to write strong narratives that inspire the readers to become the best versions of themselves. This is the main reason that I write. I wake up each morning with deep joy and a grateful heart in thanksgiving to God Almighty who inspires me to do the books that uplifts the human spirit which creates a kinder, happier and wonderful world for us all. The post Winning my 46th book project in 25 years with MIESCOR 50th anniversary book appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cormac McCarthy, revered American novelist, dies at 89
Celebrated author Cormac McCarthy, an unflinching chronicler of America's bleak frontiers and grim underbelly, died on Tuesday aged 89, his publisher said. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who wrote "The Road" and "No Country for Old Men" -- both of which became feature films -- passed away at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Over his nearly six-decade-long career, McCarthy won major literary awards and gained international acclaim for a dozen sparsely written, soul-wrenching novels. Considered a demanding but honest writer, his clinical descriptions of inner torment and the backwoods of America won him a fiercely loyal following. Born on July 20, 1933, in Providence, Rhode Island, McCarthy's family moved to Tennessee when he was four years old. His father worked as a lawyer there. His given name was Charles, but he changed it to Cormac (after an Irish king) as he opted not to finish university and instead embark on a full-time career in writing. McCarthy wrote his first novel, "The Orchard Keeper," while working at a car parts shop in Chicago in the 1960s -- it was published by Random House. His editor at the time, Albert Erskine, had also worked for William Faulkner, a writer who McCarthy admired and with whom he is sometimes compared. The raw and violent book is an ode to the savage natural environment of the mountains of Tennessee, the southern US state where McCarthy grew up. McCarthy's focus on the dark contours of humanity remained the through line of his work, gaining him an ardent fan base and critical success. Following "The Orchard Keeper," McCarthy received multiple writing fellowships, including one from the Rockefeller Foundation. In 1968, he published "Outer Dark," the story of the fallout from an incestuous relationship. His next book, "Child of God," published in 1973, is about a man who heads into the Appalachian mountains to live apart from society. It contains descriptions of murder and necrophilia. By contrast, McCarthy's "Suttree," published six years later, is often described as his most humorous novel. He worked on the book, which depicts an outcast community living on the Tennessee River, on and off for some 20 years. The road In 1981, McCarthy received one of the MacArthur Foundation's so-called genius grants, and he spent the next part of his life living in El Paso, Texas on the border with Mexico -- a time that had a profound impact on his work. His next book, "Blood Meridian," was published in 1985 and marked a turning point in his career. Set in Texas and Mexico during the 1840s, it was a post-apocalyptic Western. The 1990s brought the publication of The Border Trilogy -- "All the Pretty Horses," "The Crossing," and "Cities of the Plain" -- all set in the American West. Despite Erskine's lament that "we never sold any of his books," "All the Pretty Horses" became a surprise hit, garnering a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. Hollywood took notice, and the film version was released in 2000, starring Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz. In 2008, an adaptation of his novel "No Country for Old Men" by directors Joel and Ethan Coen won four Oscars, including one for Spanish actor Javier Bardem. A year earlier, McCarthy was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for "The Road" -- the story of a father and son making their way across a post-apocalyptic landscape. Oprah Winfrey earlier named the novel one of her book club selections, giving McCarthy a massive publicity boost, and it was made into a film starring Viggo Mortensen. Sixteen years after "The Road," McCarthy's final works were a pair of companion novels -- "The Passenger" and its prequel "Stella Maris" -- both published in 2022 and tackling complex issues of grief and the nature of knowledge. Reclusive and known for living a life with few material pleasures -- for years, he lived in motels -- McCarthy was married three times and had two sons. The post Cormac McCarthy, revered American novelist, dies at 89 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pat Robertson, who made Christian right a political force, dead at 93
Pat Robertson, the soft-spoken televangelist who helped make America's Christians a powerful political force while demonizing liberals, feminists, and gays as sinners, died Thursday at the age of 93, his organization announced. The longtime host of "The 700 Club" on his huge Christian Broadcasting Network and one-time presidential candidate died at his home in Virginia Beach, according to a network statement. Robertson promoted "a worldview that believes in the inerrancy of the Bible," CBN said. "Today, his influence and legacy crisscross interests and industries that have broken barriers for countless Christian leaders and laypeople." Broadcasting "The 700 Club" daily since 1966, the avuncular Robertson promoted a literal belief in "end of times" prophecies of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel that forecast the destruction of the world to become a Christian paradise. In practice, he advocated for an extremely conservative Christianity focused on "traditional" families and a country founded on the Bible, rejecting the longstanding US principle of separation of church and state. He defined the world as riven by an epochal fight between Islam and Christianity, and meanwhile spearheaded US Christian support for Israel as the land of the "chosen" Jewish people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once called Robertson "a tremendous friend of Israel and a tremendous friend of mine." But he also drew loathing from progressives with his condemnations of feminism and LQBTQ culture as destroying America. His powerful support in 2016 for Donald Trump -- arguably helping seal Trump's presidential victory -- further widened the cultural chasm dividing the country. Marine, lawyer, minister Robertson was born on 22 March 1930 in Lexington, Virginia, the son of a conservative Democratic member of the US House of Representatives and then the Senate for 34 years. After graduating from Virginia's Washington and Lee University, in 1948 he joined the US Marines, serving in Korea. He then graduated from Yale Law School, was ordained a Baptist minister, and in short order launched in 1961 what became the massive CBN empire from a small television station in Tidewater Virginia. After CBN's early financial struggles, he named "The 700 Club" for an early core of 70 supporters who pledged $10 each month. The program mixed news, spiritual and lifestyle stories along with interviews of public figures, and became a hit, especially in rural communities across the country. That made it a mainstream stop for political candidates courting Christian voters: guests included Republican Ronald Reagan and Democrat Jimmy Carter. Robertson expanded into other media businesses, launching what became the popular, conservative "Family Channel" on cable television, and the influential Christian-based Regent University in Virginia Beach. Push into politics In 1987, he launched the Christian Coalition, seeking to bring together different Christian denominations as a force for the conservative values he espoused. Ever since, the organization has been at the forefront of the US culture wars, pressuring Congress and the White House on moral and religious issues such as abortion and the separation of church and state. In 1990, he launched the American Center for Law and Justice, a legal lobby to advance Christian religious rights against secularism in the courts. Robertson himself sought political office, running unsuccessfully in the Republican presidential primary in 1988. But what he built had a lasting impact: a conservative Christian voter bloc instrumental in bringing Trump to power and still exercising enormous influence over the Republican Party. "He shattered the stained glass window," TD Jakes, a Dallas pastor said in CBN's statement. "People of faith were taken seriously beyond the church house and into the White House." Controversies But there were controversies along the way. He courted Democratic Republic of the Congo dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, hoping to convert their countries to Christian states where gay people were banned -- while investing in diamond mining in a deal with Mobutu. In 2001, as America reeled from the September 11 attacks, Robertson endorsed the view that tolerance for lesbians, gays, and doctors carrying out abortions had drawn God's wrath on the country. In 2005, he called for the United States to assassinate then-Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war," he quipped on "The 700 Club." And last year, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "compelled by God" to attack Ukraine because it was predicted in the Book of Ezekiel as a step toward the end of times. Washington's political establishment was remarkably quiet Thursday in response to Robertson's death. Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor, said Robertson "touched so many lives and changed so many hearts." "He stood for America -- and more importantly, for truth and faith," she said. But on the left, there was little sympathy. "Robertson's death doesn't mean we must overlook his long record of extremist rhetoric," wrote Rob Boston of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "Robertson spent most of his time spreading hate, conspiracy theories, and lies," he said. The post Pat Robertson, who made Christian right a political force, dead at 93 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»