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Bayani Fernando, a true public servant (1)
On 22 September 2023, in a freak and unfortunate accident, the country lost a man who spent much of his life in dedicated public service. Bayani Fernando, a popular, beloved three-term mayor, a two-term Congressman of Marikina, a few months Secretary of Public Works, and an eight-year Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, passed away at age 77, creating a vacuum in the kind of leadership exercised by, unfortunately, a few public servants. In a toxic atmosphere of politics, his entry into public service was a refreshing gust of wind. Putting aside his business interests (he founded the BF Group of Companies, engaged in construction, steel, manufacturing, and real estate), he plunged head-on to an unfamiliar terrain. He lost in his first try and emerged victorious in his second. Thereafter, he carved a name for himself as a strict, disciplinarian and creative Mayor of Marikina for three consecutive terms. He has become a legend in local administration. He transformed Marikina from a 4th class municipality to a model city of cleanliness and orderliness, receiving citation after citation in different fields of endeavor. As Mayor, he launched a crusade against all forms of transgressions of law. He stopped illegal vending and destroyed the confiscated food and merchandise to show he meant business. He instilled discipline among the employees. He made the dirty and odorous public toilets in City Hall look and smell like hotel restrooms. He re-settled the informal settlers, not by transferring them to other cities but by providing them with lands and shelter inside the city. Bayan as he is called by his pretty and equally dedicated public servant wife, Marides Carlos- Fernando, dredged the Marikina River of filth and garbage, developed the banks into flood control outlets, and converted both sides of the river as a park. He commenced massive repairs and cementing of roads. He built an efficient drainage system and created sidewalks all over Marikina. He established health centers in the barangays. He enforced the law on everyone, exempting no one. He removed illegally parked vehicles and enforced traffic rules strictly. He made the public market clean and stalls orderly and sectionalized. Garbage was regularly collected. Public service became efficient and prompt. Employees were courteous and sported smiles as they rendered service to Marikeños. Under his watch, the economy of Marikina grew. His other half, a UP product, from whom he derived his inspiration to serve faithfully Marikina, continued the caring Fernando kind of governance. He brought his creative and authoritative leadership as Chairman of the Metropolitan Development Authority to Metro Manila. He brought back the sidewalks to the pedestrians, which were invaded by vendors selling their wares. He forcibly evicted squatters along the railroad tracks, esteros, and those living under the bridge. He made innovative projects that dramatically lessened the chaos that used to vex Metro Manilas. He improved on the nightmarish traffic congestion. He introduced the U-turn slots and constructed food bridges that made crossing the streets convenient and safe. He was a hands-on government worker, ensuring the projects he initiated ran smoothly, and those implementing them were on their toes. He didn’t back down from pressures and resistance coming from powerful politicians and businessmen. He didn’t leave anything to chance or rely on the people he tasked to do a particular job. He had to be there inspecting, correcting, and innovating on anything he put his mind to. Tragically, this admirable character trait brought him to his demise. (To be continued) The post Bayani Fernando, a true public servant (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Laguna tourists visit EK
Enchanted Kingdom, the first and only world-class theme park in the Philippines, was recently cited by the government of Laguna for generating the highest number of same-day visitors in 2022. The recognition was conferred during the province’s celebration of the National Tourism Week 2023 and the 123rd CSC Anniversary last September 19 at the Cultural Center of Laguna — ahead of EK’s celebration of its 28th anniversary this coming October. According to Ms. Lynne Adante, EK’s head of Sales, the world-class theme park is steadfast in enhancing its products and services to create magical experiences for all its guests. “Ultimately, our goal is to provide as many magical experiences among our guests from all over the Philippines, and encourage them to keep coming back to Enchanted Kingdom and Laguna with their family and friends,” Ms. Adante said. Enchanted Kingdom can cater to in-park group reservations ranging from personal milestone celebrations to big corporate bookings, as they enjoy various themed environments in the Park’s nine zones with a variety of rides and attractions, as well as food and retail outlets. It also houses the first flying theater in the Philippines called Agila: the EKsperience, which promotes national pride as it takes guests on a thrilling journey across the Philippines. EK’s latest ride attraction, Twin Spin, a major spinning coaster, was launched in 2021 despite the challenges of the pandemic. The post Laguna tourists visit EK 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......»»
50 years later, wounds of Pinochet regime are still raw
In the basement of the presidential palace in Chile's capital, Patricia Herrera was detained and tortured for months before being sent into exile. It was early in a military dictatorship that would kill or cause the disappearance of thousands of people. Fifty years after the US-backed coup that snuffed out Chile's democracy, the wounds from all that suffering are still raw. - Torment - As she returned from class at the university, Herrera was detained by officers in plain clothes because she was "a woman and a socialist." She was 19. Herrera was taken, blindfolded, to the basement of La Moneda, as the presidential palace is called. It was then also known as "El Hoyo," or the pit, as it was one of the first detention and torture centers set up by General Augusto Pinochet's new regime after the ouster of Socialist president Salvador Allende on September 11, 1973. Allende committed suicide rather than be captured. "From the very first night we got there, there was sexual humiliation. At first I thought it was just the guard who was overdoing it with me. I did not think it was an established thing that women had to suffer sexual, in addition to political, violence," said Herrera, now 68 and a historian. Herrera was held for 14 months at the palace and in two other buildings in Santiago that were converted into torture centers by the Pinochet regime. She was then sent into an exile that would last 15 years, first in France and then in Cuba. Two commissions created to study the dictatorship concluded that at least 38,254 people were tortured under the Pinochet regime, which lasted until 1990. The basement in the presidential palace where Herrera was held was also known as Cuartel, or barracks, N°1 and is now used as office space. People taken there blindfolded could identify it because of its curved wall. On 30 August of this year, the current president, Gabriel Boric, had a plaque installed in the basement space to mark the horrors endured by around 30 people who were held there. "We want to put up a marker for everyone to see," Herrera said, "that here, in the political heart of the nation, there was a torture center." - Disappearance - Agents of the dictatorship killed 1,747 people, and detained and made another 1,469 disappear, according to an official government tally. While 307 of the disappeared have since been identified, the other 1,162 remain missing. Fifty years later, their families still wonder where they are. In 1974, when Pinochet's police detained a man named Luis Mahuida -- a 23-year-old university student active in leftist politics and the father of two young daughters -- they also brought an abrupt end to the childhood of his sister Marialina Gonzalez, who was then nine years old. Their mother, Elsa Esquivel, spent all her time looking for her son; it was a full-time occupation. she dedicates herself to caring for her elderly mother and expects to carry suffering with her into her own old age. "There is no closure just because my brother is still missing. There will be no closure." looked after her brother's daughters, who were three and 11 months old when he vanished. "I stopped playing with dolls. My nieces were dolls for me," said Gonzalez. She never finished her education. She went to hundreds of places asking for her brother. Gonzalez even staged a hunger strike and recalls being arrested several times while taking part in protest marches in honor of missing people. She regrets the childhood she never had. "I was not capable of saying: 'Stop, let me be. I want to go out dancing. I want to have friends.' I kept quiet," she said. Now 59, she dedicates herself to caring for her elderly mother and expects to carry suffering with her into her own old age. "There is no closure just because my brother is still missing. There will be no closure." - Exile - The dictatorship triggered the biggest migratory movement in Chilean history. Just over 200,000 people went into exile, according to the non-governmental Chilean Human Rights Commission. Employees of the Allende government, union leaders, workers, students and farmers left the country, taking their families with them. Sweden, Mexico, Argentina, France and Venezuela were the main recipient countries. Most of the exiles were able to return home starting September 1, 1988, when the regime issued a decree allowing them back, a year and a half before the dictatorship ended. A communist activist named Shaira Sepulveda was tortured in secret prisons called Villa Grimaldi and Cuatro Alamos. After her release she left in 1976 for France, along with her husband at that time. She left relatives and friends in Santiago. "My family was here, my sister, my parents. But what really hurt was having to go to a country where you are a nobody," Sepulveda recalls. She returned to Chile 17 years later with two children, but again her family was broken apart. The eldest child could not adapt to life in Chile and returned to Europe. "I am an old woman, so my grandchildren there will barely know me," said Sepulveda, who is 74. bur-pa/vel/gm/dga/dw/bbk © Agence France-Presse The post 50 years later, wounds of Pinochet regime are still raw 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......»»
Idolizing Danny Dolor (The man I might have been if I had at least P500 million)
Here’s sharing with you Cyber Proust’s (now Proust Redux) winning piece when he joined the 2010 Philippine Star Lifestyle Journalism Contest sponsored by Rustan Commercial Corporation and the Stores Specialists, Inc. The announcement called for feature articles, as many as one could submit, about heroes, dead or alive. Cyber Proust submitted three — one about his mother; another about a blogger who tells stories about his clan and people like them, making for a good read for people interested in Philippine upper class but not necessarily high society; and this one, about Danny Dolor, Cyber Proust’s patron and benefactor when Cyber Proust had not yet declared himself rich. Here goes: My hero, my icon, the man I’d rather be When people are asked who they want to be if they ever get the chance to live their lives all over again, they almost always say they want to be the same person. If you ask me the same question, I’d have the same answer, only because I want to keep the same set of parents. But if I could keep my Dad and Mom, and still be someone else, I’d look at you straight in the eye, and declare, I want to be Danny Dolor. I can think of a hackneyed thousand and one reasons why I prefer to breathe and eat and live like Sir Danny, but let me stick to the quintessential five. First, he is rich which we all want to be. He is an art lover which I profess to be. He is a trailblazer even if he is a Libran who prefers balance, while I am an Arian who always wants to be the first. He was a good son who took care of his mother in her old age, which every good son should do especially if he were single. I am single, but I was always away from home, too busy changing and finding writing jobs. The closest I got to emulating Sir Danny was spending endless nights conversing with my mother whenever I was home during Christmas breaks. Sir Danny, on the other hand, never travelled abroad because he wanted to be by his mother’s side every night of the year. When he visited Lipa, their hometown, he would pick up his mobile phone to check on his mother and sister Fe in their Makati home, rattling off his orders to their yaya — check their temperature, don’t forget the medicine after their merienda, and so on. Finally, Danny Dolor is a good Catholic who hears Sunday Mass, fingers his beads when in the car, and joins the procession on Good Friday beside his own Mater Dolorosa. How I wish I could give away lands on which to build churches, donate thousands of portfolio bags for priests attending their annual convention, and build a museum in honor of a townsman, Alfredo Maria Obviar, who may yet be the first Filipino bishop to be beatified and, in God’s time, canonized. First conversation I am lucky to have an icon whom I have seen up close. I have seen Danny Dolor when he goes into a trance as he describes his first conversation with National Artist Atang de la Rama, to whom he became a friend and confidante, or fits of laughter as he recalls the usually funny repartee between his friends Sylvia La Torre and Oscar Obligacion when the latter was still alive. For all the secrets and fun times we have shared, I stick to calling him Sir as I did the first time I interviewed him in his thickly-carpeted, air-conditioned and perfume-smelling den. I had known about the man before I ever met him. I knew about his Tribung Pinoy which concertized all over the country in the late 1970s all the way to the mid 1980’s. I never saw them perform in person, but I read about Danny Dolor and his gang of sopranos, tenors and baritones who rendered their harana, danza, balitaw and, of course, kundiman, in schools and churches, and quixotic venues like the Culion Leper Colony in Palawan, the mental hospital and the women’s correctional where the patients and inmates cried, sang, danced and thanked him because no one ever came to sing for them. The path-breaking Danny Dolor also produced the first ever concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines featuring an all-Filipino-traditional-music repertoire. Danny Dolor’s house, at that time when I interviewed him, was along Tamarind corner Banaba in uppity Forbes Park. In the den, paintings, sculptures, plaques, and trophies vied for the attention of first-time guests. I immediately liked a Zalameda portrait of a basketball player, but what impressed me was a plaque with Latin inscriptions which, my host explained to me, was his papal award. He next brought me to the lanai, thrice as large as the den, where beside the lacquered opium bed stood a gigantic St. Joseph. He showed me a life-size oil portrait of Charito Solis, Ramon Valera ternos worn by Gloria Romero and his sister Fe, and original drawings of Darna by Mars Ravelo. The man, who knows his art, takes pride in his penchant for everything Filipino. It is an interest that goes a long way back to his childhood during the Japanese occupation. In the family hacienda where they evacuated, he listened to the farmers sing native songs. In grade one a year or two later, the young Danny sang Bayan Ko before his classmates, to the shock of the teacher who probably expected Jack and Jill. When Sir Danny was in grade school, he watched Filipino films in the movie houses along Rizal Avenue. As a high school student, he listened to the Mabuhay singers over the radio. In college, he watched Tawag ng Tanghalan on television. Is it any wonder that he should mount a best-selling exhibit of movie ads from the golden years of Philippine cinema? Or that he has maintained, for more than ten years, a column in the Philippine Star, “Remember When?” featuring the movie stars and great musical talents of yesteryears? Danny Dolor is unique in that he straddles the worlds of show business and high society, which many find incompatible. Not with him who has produced movies, including Indie films, and concert tributes honoring luminaries of the silver screen like Director Hermogenes Ilagan and movie queen Carmen Rosales. His involvement in the upper strata, on the other hand, is never without a good reason. For example, he collaborated with the socialite businesswoman Nedy Tantoco in organizing the best-selling Ramon Valera retrospective exhibit. If he is chummy with the grand dame Imelda Cojuangco that’s because he is a loyal and trusted officer the Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, of which she is the chair. Every year, come Feast of the Immaculate Conception, they gather hundreds of children from depressed areas to receive their first holy communion. Imagine the mix For all of these, he takes a break from his duties as chairman of various companies that include a hospital, hotel, educational institution, bank and subdivisions. Imagine the mix — movies, music, church, business and high society. And he dances the Rigodon too. How can one not desire such completeness? There’s something though he’d rather not be said about him. In my times of need, he does not hide under his canopied bed, and in the milestones of my life, he gives me a thick red envelope. Once I ran out of cash to pay my rent, I called him up and told him that if only I could touch the tip of his pants, I was sure to have what I needed. Scolding me first for being such a cheap copy of the woman in the bible, he said Yes to my pleadings, while reminding me to help him prepare another souvenir program for yet another concert tribute for another forgotten gem of Philippine music. The man does not believe in outright charity. Not to me, anyway. And while he is patient with me, he insists that I “fix” my life for “all these things you delight in will soon come to pass” and “if you do not take care of yourself, who will?” and so on. From his mother, he passes on a classic gem, “Never do anything that people will notice from afar,” a rough translation of “Huwag kang gagawa ng kahit anong matatanaw mula sa malayo.” In short, don’t be a show-off. My hero and icon, Danny Dolor, is not only a model for living the successful and well-lived life that I dream about. He is also a saviour, a mentor and an angel who, despite the “professional distance” we keep between us as a “client” and as a “talent,” if the relationship must breed results, has come closest to being my “Tito” and best friend. Sir Danny will not be pleased with this article. He will think that I need to borrow money from him again. The post Idolizing Danny Dolor (The man I might have been if I had at least P500 million) 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......»»
Tingting Cojuangco — Christian Espiritu’s ultimate muse
Through the years of Philippine fashion history, Margarita “Tingting” de los Reyes Cojuangco has always been known as the muse of the iconic Filipino designer Christian Espiritu who recently passed away. Theirs is a friendship that had stood the test of time. Tingting was named one of the 100 beautiful women of the world by the international magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, on the occasion of its 100 founding anniversary. During the early years of the 1970s, she made it to the Hall of Fame of Manila’s Best Dressed List, an annual selection initiated by the old guard of Philippine fashion, among them Ramon Valera, Salavacion Lim Higgins of Slim’s, Pilar Romack of New Yorker Gown Salon, and Imelda Reyes of Milie’s Gowns. In the 1980s, Tingting, who graced the social pages as a teenager and a young matron, transformed into a new woman, this time as a street activist braving the firecanons and tear gas, a Yellow campaigner in the South, and finally a graduate student and scholar specializing in the ethnic muslim communities of Cotabago and Zamboanga. She would cap this with a National Defense College master’s thesis on the then rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Through it all, she kept her friendship with the man who first showed the world her potential. Christian saw in Tingting, this gangly yet beautiful teenager, a lady worth grooming and turning into an icon of fashion. Tingting thus became Christian’s muse. Chosen by her mother and grandmother, Christian made her outfit for her high school prom at Maryknoll College. It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship and collaboration that would pass through social, political and economic upheavals in this country. No matter, they were constant in each other’s lives, not minding intrigues, the cycle of fortunes and The recent demise of her original mentor and designer, Christian, brought Tingting out of her reculsive and quiet life to share with the Daily Tribune her memories of the designer who streamline Filipiniana, incorporating his knowledge as a graduate of architecture. The interview with Tingting Cojuangco follows: “He launched my modeling career” Daily Tribune (DT): How did you meet Christian? Did you go to him for your teenage formal dresses, and not only during your wedding? Tingting delos Reyes Cojuangco (TRC): My mom and grandma Lucia “Dada” admired the simplicity of his designs on the Christian Espiritu shop on their way to fetch me from Maryknoll College. [caption id="attachment_148162" align="aligncenter" width="525"] CHRISTIAN and Tingting photographed by Jaime Zobel de Ayala.[/caption] The display changed constantly but the clothes were cut simply along the revered lines of Audrey Hepburn’s and Jackie Onassis. His below the knee dresses were sleeveless, with a boat collar, 2-pin tucks under the bust accentuated the waist and hips that ended in semi straight skirt. Mom brought me into his shop at age 15 it was called “Christian” for Christian Espiritu. He launched my modeling career at 16 years old with Gilbert Perez who taught me how to pose. Mother always reminded me, a pretty face looses attraction if the voice isn’t modulated or manners are impeccable and courteousness for elders. Christian reinforced Mom’s belief, simplicity are carried off with poise, beauty and elegance. Christian’s creativeness suggested taste with ease and wealth subdued characterizing by minimalism. DT: Tell me about that wedding gown. Why did you choose him and not Valera or one of the stalwarts of the era? What was his inspiration for the gown? What did you tell him about your preferences? TRC: He made my wedding gown and the whole entourage. My in-laws wanted my wedding gown to be made by Valera a great designer of his time. But I insisted on Christian. For my wedding gown he sketched the simplest white gown, it turned out he had sequins sewed on the satin fabric one by one. He put a sheer fabric organza on top of the gown. It was very elegant for my morning wedding as the sequins shined different colors depending on the lights. That was his precision. For my wedding Christian was at home with his assistant Romulo Estrada. I recall Inno Sotto as his right hand, both dressed me up constantly. Did I have a preference in designs? He said “bahala na ako” and I agreed. That was trust and loyalty. He designed my dresses with simplicity, cut perfectly, shaping my thin body whether it was a day dress or gown. “His dresses were cut perfectly.” DT: When you were married already, did you still see him for your outfits? Which of the dresses and gowns he made for you do you remember? TRC: Yes, we had a friendship of two family’s compadres and ninangs. He did China’s wedding gown of gray and pink even if he claimed he was retired. I forced him. DT: What made him an outstanding designer? TRC: Simplicity. His dresses were cut perfectly and fabrics that didn’t crumple with pin tucks here and there. With the timelessness in the designs and his execution I could wear Christian’s couture clothes for many years. DT: You are in the Best Dressed Hall of Fame. Was he among the designers that you admired and commissioned to do your dresses? TRC: Yes and our friendship developed through the years and confidence. He never spoke bad of anybody. He would just put his hands together and smile. DT: Any unforgettable creation of his exclusively for you? Can you describe some of the gowns and dresses he made for you? TRC: I had a satin dress with a round Chinese emblem and tassel. His clothes for me were stand outs…my gowns for formal functions were of full skirts. “He said, ‘The language of fashion is refined, cultured and well-mannered.’” DT: When was the last time you saw him? Tell us about that last encounter with him. TRC: At an Elegant Women event in Diamond Hotel, Elegance…Merriam-Webster defines it as “refined grace or dignified propriety; tasteful richness of design or ornamentation; restrained beauty of style.” The Cambridge Dictionary writes “graceful and attractive in appearance or behavior.” When the project of elegant women first came up, it was for me to make a list of best dressed women. It had been done too many times now without a conclusion. I figure that there are many Filipinas who have the perfect body for dressing, who dress and accessorize well – but money and a stylist can do that. And, as the cliché goes, money cannot buy class. So, the concept evolved and we agreed on making a list of The Elegant Filipina. We also decided that, first, this project would be for a cause, and second, that I would be allowed to redefine the meaning of elegance to inspire others to contribute to one’s community, society and country by being an elegant example. While the list was handpicked by me, I sought advice to validate my choices. This panel was composed of designer Christian Espiritu, fashion entrepreneur Tina Ocampo, Monaco Consul Fortune Ledesma, Philippine Tatler’s Editor-In-Chief Anton San Diego, and Managing Editor Chit Lijauco and Pete Cura. We defined an Elegant Filipina as: He said “The woman at the center of attention knows that the language of fashion is refined, cultured and well-mannered; Commands respect in her chosen field; leaves a legacy of power and grace, beauty and sophistication, wisdom and compassion.” At the first Elegant Women event, he was elegant in his suit with a scarf wearing his trade mark of silver bracelets or varied silver rings. I called him three weeks ago and we promised to see each other. It didn’t happen. “He never mixed politics with art.” [caption id="attachment_148158" align="aligncenter" width="525"] A PORTRAIT of Christian Espiritu by Jaime Zobel de Ayala, 1987.[/caption] DT: He turned his back on his number one client, Imelda Marcos, after Ninoy died. Were you ever with Christian during the Anti-Marcos rallies? Do you recall if he was in EDSA? TRC: Christian was calm, well educated, schooled and respectful. He wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. Never mixed politics and arts. I don’t know about that. I was not with Christian rallying. For rallies I only wore blue jeans or khaki pants and trubenized blouses made of cotton white t-shirt. DT: Who are his other clients from your social set? Who were his loyal customers. TRC: I don’t know. I didn’t care nor ask. That’s not my concern. DT: How did your relationship evolve in the latter years of his life? TRC: I love him. He was part of my growing up and getting old. DT: What do you think was his greatest contribution to Philippine fashion? How did he influence the Philippine fashion industry? TRC: He kept piña alive and the Paranaque bordaderas working day to midnight in their livelihood of Filipino tradition. He used muted colors of fabric. He made women look elegant and desired without showing of their bodies. I agreed that elegance can be expensive. But elegance can be inexpensive too, but confidence and amiability are the key factors. The post Tingting Cojuangco — Christian Espiritu’s ultimate muse appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marita Tan Gaddi: Beautiful, energetic and carefree at 94
An amazing lady! That’s how I would describe the nonagenarian Marita Tan Gaddi whom I recently met when her daughter Susan Gaddi Campos, not surprisingly as gorgeous and svelte as she, invited me to a merienda at the Valle Verde Clubhouse. I first became aware of Marita — if I may dare call her by her first name — when I saw Susan’s post about her mom joining the Zumba session at the Valle Verde Country Club, her stomping ground. Realizing she is “young” at 94 and dancing like anyone from 18 to 28 to 48, I could not help being both bewildered and impressed. I told myself: “I have to meet her.” If anyone had found the fountain of youth, it had to be this lady. Rustan’s Young VIP Our introduction to each other came easy because I had met her daughter Susan more than a year earlier. A columnist in the social set section that I edit, Agile Zamora, and Susan are Facebook friends. When I saw Susan’s name on Agile’s friends list, I sent her a friend request. Hers is a familiar name from the mid-1970s when I often saw her pictures on the covers and inside pages of the iconic Women’s Journal, a lifestyle magazine that was the number one reading fare of Filipino women from the 1950s to the 1980s, among other lifestyle magazines. Susan, during her cover girl days, was a member of the Rustan’s Department Store’s Young VIP Council. These were young ladies who belonged to good families, studied in exclusive schools and typified the image of the trendy and personable young Filipina. They modelled clothes designed by Rustan’s in-house designers and well-known European couturiers. Having come across Susan again via FB, it wasn’t long before I featured her as a well-dressed do-gooding young matron — she being the founder of the Ladies of Manila, a group engaged in philanthropic projects. When I finally met Susan in person, she was, of course, with her mom, the foremost reason for our meeting. With us was Susan’s businessman husband, Bunny Kretzschmar Campos. In our conversation, Marita shared that she enjoys walking and dancing. At home, she exercises by going up and down the stairs by herself. To my surprise, she revealed that she loves crispy pata, lechon kawali, sans rival, bibingka, halo-halo and ice cream. She also drinks Coke every day. Other than dancing, she also loves to sing — both passions dating back to her youth. Daughter’s wedding gown I asked her how she had been able to overcome the challenges that she undoubtedly faced through the years. Her reply? “I just adjust to a situation. If I can do something about it, I will do my part. But if it requires something beyond my capability, I make the most of the situation.” While mother and daughter are both lovely and light in complexion, Susan pointed out, “We’re very different in temperament. She’s feisty and I’m the exact opposite.” Expectedly, their bonding moments have been memorable. “She sewed my wedding gown,” Susan said. They also counsel each other. “Her best advice to me is ‘Use your God-given talents,’” Susan confided. Of her mom’s kindness and generosity, Susan related her unforgettable story. “I was in Grade 4. The day before our class excursion, my mom asked me what I wanted to bring for snacks and, without batting an eyelash, I told her I would love to have pancakes. The following day, I wondered why my lunch and snack bag was heavy. During snack time, I was surprised to see several layers of pancakes. I shared them with some classmates but still had a lot of untouched and uneaten pancakes. While we were enjoying our break, an old woman approached us. She was begging for food so I gave her the remaining pancakes. She looked inside the bag, immediately found a place to sit and started devouring the pancakes. “When I got home, my mom asked me if I shared the pancakes with my classmates. I told her I did but I gave the rest to a pitiful old woman who was begging for food. She smiled at me and said, ‘I did the right thing,’ and that she was so pleased that a small act of kindness could go a long way.” [caption id="attachment_133786" align="aligncenter" width="525"] MARITA Gaddi[/caption] An only child According to Susan, her mom Marita “grew up in Manila. She’s half-Chinese. Her father came from mainland China, while her mother was mestiza Filipina. She was an only child. When her father suddenly passed away in Samar, they moved to Manila.” Susan related: “My mother spent most of her childhood as an intern at Sta Isabel College. She was a consistent honor student and she wrote for their school paper. During her free time, she would practice new dance steps with her friends. She enjoyed singing too. She had a beautiful voice, and they fondly called her the Jo Stafford of the Philippines. After high school, she married a pre-med student, Rodolfo Gaddi, who eventually graduated fourth place in the dental board exam. They had five children, four girls and a boy. It has been years since Marita was widowed. To this day, she has remained physically sound, mentally alert and capable of independent action, whether walking, dancing to the tune of lively music or going up and down the stairs. She also loves doing crossword puzzle. But of her many traits, her being prayerful and grateful tops the reasons for her joyful life. Fortunate woman A living testimony to the positive results of joie de vivre, Marita can openly say that even if she has defied certain rules of healthy living, she has kept her youthful strength and vitality. But on the other hand, she has always been an “action woman” in the literal sense of the word, not one to stay put and let things pass her by. “I have also been always optimistic and grateful for life’s blessings,” Marita told me with her eyes glowing and full of sincerity. If Marita is a fortunate woman, her children and grandchildren are even more fortunate for they continue to enjoy her caring and gentle presence. If at all, she is the best reminder to the younger generations that there is life beyond the usual 60 or 70 or, in this case, even 80 and 90. The Lord, indeed, has blessed her with so much grace. The post Marita Tan Gaddi: Beautiful, energetic and carefree at 94 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump found liable for sexually abusing writer
A New York jury found Donald Trump liable Tuesday for sexually abusing and defaming an American former magazine columnist and ordered the ex-president to pay her $5 million in damages. The nine jurors rejected E. Jean Carroll's accusation of rape but unanimously upheld her other complaints in the closely watched civil trial, following less than three hours of deliberations. It marks the first time Trump has faced legal consequences over a string of sexual assault allegations dating back decades -- and the former leader immediately rejected the verdict as a "disgrace." Carroll, 79, sued Trump last year, alleging that he raped her in the changing room of the luxury Bergdorf Goodman store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue in 1996. The former columnist for Elle magazine also claimed that Trump defamed her when he called her "a complete con job" after she went public with the allegation in 2019. Trump, the 76-year-old frontrunner for the Republican nomination in next year's presidential election, called her case a "hoax" and "a lie." The jury determined that Carroll had proved sexual abuse -- effectively sexual contact without consent -- by a preponderance of the evidence and awarded her $2 million. The six men and three women on the jury also said Trump should pay Carroll nearly $3 million for defamation. Following the verdict, Carroll left the Manhattan federal court smiling but did not speak to reporters. "We're very happy," said her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan. Trump slammed the outcome on his social media platform Truth Social. "I have absolutely no idea who this woman is," he wrote, using all capital letters. "This verdict is a disgrace -- a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time." Trump's 2024 campaign team said in a statement that the case was a "political endeavor" intended to derail Trump's bid to regain the White House, and that he would appeal. Carroll told the two-week-long civil trial that the assault had left her feeling "ashamed" and unable to have romantic relationships. She said it took her more than 20 years to go public because she was "frightened" by Trump. Her lawyers called to the witness stand two other women who testified that Trump sexually assaulted them decades ago. Former businesswoman Jessica Leeds said that Trump groped her in the business class section of a flight in the United States in the 1970s. Journalist Natasha Stoynoff said Trump kissed her without her consent during an interview at his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2005. Around a dozen women accused Trump of sexual misconduct ahead of the 2016 election that sent him to the White House. He has denied all the allegations and has never been prosecuted over any of them. No criminal case can stem from Carroll's lawsuit. Trump did not testify during the proceedings, nor did his defense team call any witnesses. A video of a sworn deposition he gave in October was played to the jury. In it, Trump called Carroll "a liar" and "really sick person." His lawyers argued that Carroll invented the allegation "for money, for political reasons, and for status." She filed her lawsuit under a New York law that gave victims of sexual assault a one-year window to sue their alleged abusers decades after attacks may have occurred. The burden of proof in civil proceedings is lower than in criminal trial cases when prosecutors must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was one of several legal challenges threatening to complicate Trump's bid to regain the presidency -- although the Republican's supporters have broadly stayed loyal to their champion up until now. Last month, Trump pleaded not guilty to criminal charges related to a hush-money payment made to a porn star just before the 2016 vote -- allegedly to cover up an affair. Trump is also being investigated over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the southern state of Georgia, his alleged mishandling of classified documents taken from the White House and his involvement in the storming of the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021. The post Trump found liable for sexually abusing writer appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lionel Richie, Katy Perry to play Charles coronation show
Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Andrea Bocelli will be among those performing at a concert to mark King Charles III's coronation, the BBC said on Friday. A televised Coronation Concert is being held in the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 7 -- the day after Charles is officially crowned king. BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said the coronation was a "once-in-a-generation occasion" and called the concert line-up "world-class". But recent reports have said that a number of big-name stars have turned down the gig, including Adele, Elton John, Harry Styles and the Spice Girls. They are said to have declined because of scheduling clashes or touring commitments. But the Mail on Sunday said singer Kylie Minogue had refused given increased republican sentiment in her native Australia, where Charles is also king. Some 20,000 members of the public and invited guests are set to attend in person, with the live event also broadcast on radio and online. Other confirmed performers in the lineup include opera star Bryn Terfel, the singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and composer-producer Alexis Ffrench. Perry -- who performed for US President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021 -- as well as Take That and Richie all have links to Charles's charitable foundations. Richie, who at 73 is just a year younger than the king, said the concert would be an "honor and a celebration". Bocelli has previously performed for Charles's mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September last year aged 96. He was among a star-studded lineup headlined by Diana Ross for the late monarch's Platinum Jubilee concert marking her 70th year on the throne last June. Further names for the Coronation Concert will be announced in due course, the BBC said. Despite the coronation being the first since 1953 and an event most Britons alive have never witnessed, public interest currently appears lacking. Coronation coins have been minted, special chinaware produced and even a crown emoji made to mark the occasion at Westminster Abbey. But a YouGov poll of more than 3,000 people published Friday indicated that just over a third (35 percent) "do not care very much" about the event. Just under a third (29 percent) said they "do not care at all", with apathy greatest among younger age groups. About a quarter (24 percent) of all respondents said they cared "a fair amount" and only about one in 10 people (nine percent) said they cared "a great deal". Nonetheless, 46 percent of Britons said they would likely watch or take part in celebrations, including street parties and community lunches on May 8, which has been declared a public holiday. Preparations were ongoing for the solemn religious ceremony, whose roots date back more than a millennium, and the guest list finalized. Charles's younger son Prince Harry is set to attend, despite his public criticisms of the royal family since moving to the United States in early 2020. The former British army captain's actress wife, Meghan, however, will remain in California with their two young children. The post Lionel Richie, Katy Perry to play Charles coronation show appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nograles: MECQ pushed back class resumption; DepEd ready by October
Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal were placed under the stricter MECQ from August 4 to 18 after healthcare workers called for a two-week "time-out" to allow the government to improve its pandemic response......»»
How Pinoy athletes kept winning during the lockdown
Sporting events may be suspended or canceled, but that won't stop your favorite Filipino athletes from inspiring or entertaining people as they spend their extra time off doing worthwhile activities during the lockdown period. From reaching out to affected communities to learning a new skill, here are what your idols are up to during the community quarantine. 1) Proudly serving the nation as frontliners Some athletes have taken their in-game dedication off the court, as they proudly serve the country as frontliners during the COVID-19 pandemic. MPBL players such as Bacoor City's Eric Acuña and Bacolod-Master Sardines' Jopher Custodio are currently heeding the call as frontliners for the Philippine Army, as well as their fellow soldiers UST women’s volleyball coach Kung Fu Reyes and volleyball star Jovelyn Gonzaga. Pasay Voyager's Dhon Reverente also suited up for the Philippine Navy while his teammate Jesse Bustos is serving in the frontlines in another way, using his camera as a photojournalist for a daily newspaper. 2) Raising funds and holding donation drives Your beloved players continue to exemplify teamwork in these challenging times as they help the dedicated frontliners and affected households in different parts of the country. UST student-athletes joined former Golden Tigresses star Sisi Rondina in auctioning their jerseys for a cause to donate supplies to the frontliners of Barangay Luz in Cebu City. Meanwhile, volleyball legends Alyssa Valdez and Charo Soriano led a fundraiser called "Volleyball Community Gives Back PH," which aims to supply frontliners in the country with PPEs and other essentials—with celebrities like Kathryn Bernardo and Pia Wurtzbach joining their cause. Former DLSU Lady Spikers standout and Creamline utility spiker Michele Gumabao also provided relief packs and gave them personally to the affected communities in Pampanga with the help of the group Your 200 Pesos. 3) No days off for training and getting the gains Leagues and competitions may have been put on hold, but athletes won't be stopped from keeping themselves in tiptop shape. Observing quarantine, ONE Championship's heavyweight champion Brandon Vera took his workout to the forest, preparing for his upcoming bout against Arjan Bhullar, while Team Lakay fighters, such as Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, and Joshua Pacio improvised household materials as gym equipment. National athletes, such as karateka Junna Tsukii, wushu artist Agatha Wong, and Olympic medalist Hidilyn Diaz, did rigorous training sessions at home to keep themselves in form for upcoming tournaments. High-flyer Ricci Rivero also taught his fans some basic dribbling drills to improve basketball handles—as seen in an episode of "Upfront" on LIGA cable sports channel. 4) Unlocking new skills and focusing on fave hobbies Your fave sports idols also overcame boredom by learning new skills and focusing on their favorite hobbies. For instance, DLSU Green Archers guard Aljun Melecio learned to cook scrumptious lechon while taking a time-out from the hardwood. UAAP volleyball champion and national team player Rex Intal also reminded us that he is a dedicated painter with his mixed portrait of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, channeling his passion for sports and art into one. And did you know that top local setter Jia Morado is a talented photographer? Check out her Instagram and be amazed by her works. 5) Taking their talents to TikTok Athletes joined the trending TikTok craze as a source of entertainment during the lockdown. Former UAAP stars Kim Kianna Dy and Jema Galanza posted their dance covers of Young Thug's "Relationship," and Deanna Wong took on "The Weekend" dance challenge. UST Golden Tigresses' rookie Imee Fernandez also wowed the TikTok crowd with a pre-workout dance video, which garnered over 600,000 views online. For Ateneo Blue Eagles guard SJ Belangel, TikTok has also been his avenue to overcome his shyness, doing hilarious skits online. 6) Becoming stars online No live sports to entertain the audiences? It's not a problem for these athletes who continue to provide fun content to every sports fan, with the help of ABS-CBN Sports. Catch Shaun Ildefonso as he does an entertaining commentary about everything sports on "SRSLY." Also watch Cherry Nunag’s wacky chikahan with famous athletes in "Kalye Confessions: Stay-at-Home Edition." Lastly, the lockdown won't stop the basketball conversation as Beau Belga chats with your favorite hoop idols online, while still chowing down on their fave treats on "Extra Rice with Beau Belga." Watch all of these on ABS-CBN Sports' Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and YouTube channel. Also stay tuned for more new offerings from the sports arm of ABS-CBN. These athletes have proven they are truly winners in and out of the court. While waiting for live sports to return, you can rewatch the best games of these athletes on LIGA (SD channel 86 and HD channel 183 on SKYCable) and game highlights and special features on ABS-CBN Sports' social media pages and official YouTube account. ABS-CBN Sports will continue its commitment to providing a variety of world-class, exciting, and inspiring content to every Pinoy sports fan. Visit sports.abs-cbn.com and follow @ABSCBNSports on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For updates, you may also visit www.abs-cbn.com/newsroom or follow @ABSCBNPR on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram......»»
How young Filipinos see their future
This semester, I’m teaching an undergraduate class in UP called “Professional Writing,” a course I designed more than 20 years ago to help English and Creative Writing majors (and other seniors in search of interesting electives) get a handle on what the “real world” out there expects of them, in the kind of everyday jobs they’re likely to land. Not Shakespeare, not Jose Garcia Villa, not lyric poetry and neither the full-length play, but rather the more mundane assignments you get paid a salary for: business letters, press releases, feature articles, AVP scripts, brochures and speeches......»»
4 World Travel Awards titles eyed
The country’s best destinations are vying for four major awards at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2023, considered the Oscars of the travel industry.The Department of Tourism on Wednesday said the Philippines earned four nominations including its back-to-back titles as the World’s Leading Beach Destination, World’s Leading Dive Destination, and World’s Leading Island Destination.The DoT is also vying for the World’s Leading Tourist Board title.“The Philippines’ track record of excellence in the travel and tourism industry continues to earn its reputation as aworld-class destination. The nation’s nomination in four distinct categories underscores its commitment to providing travelers with unparalleled experiences,” the DoT statement said.Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said that such nominations further recognizes the Philippines as an in-demand destination both for local and international travelers to this day. Growing global interest for Phl“We welcome these nominations that show growing global interest and love for the Philippines. With the natural beauty of our beaches, dive sites, and islands, the wealth of history, heritage, and culture, and the festivals, flavors, and adventures across our diverse regions, every tourist’s journey guarantees a lifetime of memories. Tourism employs over 5.35 million Filipinos who display such care and hospitality for our tourists that make the Philippine experience truly unforgettable,” she said.Established in 1993, the London-based WTA acknowledges excellence in the travel and tourism industry in three tiers: country, regional, and world awards across different categories. The post 4 World Travel Awards titles eyed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Blackpink’s Jisoo, actor Ahn Bo-hyun have called it quits
That seemed quick. It was only in August that Blackpink's Jisoo and "Itaewon Class" antagonist Ahn Bo-hyun officially confirmed they were together through YB, Jisoo's agency. "They are at a stage of getting to know each other with good feelings. Please watch over them warmly." Now just two months after that confirmation, comes the announcement that according to an insider, "Due to their busy schedules, Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun naturally drifted apart and recently decided to end their romantic relationship.".....»»
The Kid LAROI, Jungkook, Central Cee team up on ‘Too Much’
After a series of Internet-breaking teasers, The Kid LAROI has unveiled his new single and music video “Too Much,” featuring Jung Kook and Central Cee. The track is out via Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment. Uniting these stars for the very first time, the powerhouse collaboration heralds the arrival of The Kid LAROI’s full-length album, The First Time, dropping in November. “Too Much” intertwines three styles, countries and cultures, with The Kid LAROI from Australia, Jung Kook out of South Korea and Central Cee repping the UK. The track’s head-nodding bounce and glowing keys accent the back-and-forth between this trio, culminating in an instantly catchy chorus. Directed by Ramez Silyan, the visual depicts the three on various covers of a “Too Much” magazine. Highly stylized performance vignettes come complete with elite choreography Prior to the song’s arrival, Billboard had already noted the union of “three of the biggest male artists in the new class of 2020s breakout stars,” while UPROXX proclaimed, “The Kid LAROI is going global.” The post The Kid LAROI, Jungkook, Central Cee team up on ‘Too Much’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go shows full support to Filipino athletes in 19th Asian Games
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, articulated his deep sense of pride for Filipino athletes participating in the 19th Asian Games being held in Hangzhou City, China, from 23 September to 8 October. The senator personally traveled to China to show his full support for the Philippine delegation early this week. He also attended live competitions, including the recent match between Gilas Pilipinas and Iran at Zijingang Gymnasium, Zhejiang University on 3 October. “Nakapanood din tayo ng ilang live competitions, gaya na lang ng nakaraang laban ng Gilas Pilipinas kontra sa Iran," he said. “Masarap talaga ang pakiramdam bilang isang Pilipino dahil muling nagwagi ang pambato natin sa basketball na Gilas Pilipinas,” he shared. Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, expressed his appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to the athletes, coaches, national sports associations and staff, as well as the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission and other agencies who worked hard to support the Philippine delegation. "Bilang chair ng Senate Committee on Sports, taus-puso kong pinupuri at pinasasalamatan ang mga manlalaro nating ibinibigay ang lahat para itaas ang bandera ng Pilipinas sa ginaganap na kumpetisyon," he said. Meanwhile, Go also congratulated Gilas Pilipinas for their historic win over China in the semifinals on October 4, which secured their spot in the gold medal match against Jordan. He praised Justin Brownlee for his clutch performance that led the team to a stunning comeback from a 20-point deficit. The senator also expressed his excitement for the upcoming gold medal match between Gilas Pilipinas and Jordan. He said he will be cheering for the team as they aim to win the country’s first-ever Asian Games gold in basketball. The match is scheduled for 6 October. Go then lauded jiu-jitsu fighter Margarita "Meggie" Ochoa for winning the second gold medal for the Philippines on 5 October. Ochoa defeated Balqees Abdulla of the United Arab Emirates in the final match of the women's –48 kg division. She joined pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena as the country's gold medalists in this edition of the Asian Games. “Samantala, ang boxer na si Eumir Marcial ay pasok na rin sa Asian Games finals matapos niyang ma-knockout ang Syrian boxer na si Ahmad Ghousoon sa men's 80kg weight class nitong October 4. Dahil dito, haharapin ni Eumir sa finals si Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke ng China para sa gold medal. Pasok na rin si Eumir sa 2024 Paris Olympics,” Go also mentioned. As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has also been a strong advocate for increased funding for sports programs. He revealed that last year's proposed budget for the Philippine Sports Commission was approximately P200 million. However, he pushed for an additional P1 billion, thereby significantly enhancing the financial support for athletes in international competitions. "Dahil dito, nakapagbigay tayo ng pinansyal na suporta para sa mga atletang lumahok sa mga international competitions," he added. This move paved the way for the provision of financial support for athletes participating in international competitions, including the recent 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia and the ongoing Asian Games in China. Go also emphasized the importance of grassroots sports development, saying, “Tinututukan din natin ang grassroots sports development upang mahubog ang mga kabataan nasaan man sila sa bansa na nagnanais na sumabak sa mga pambansa at pandaigdigang palaro.” In line with this, he highlighted his role as the author and co-sponsor of RA 11470, which established the National Academy of Sports in New Clark City, Tarlac. "Ang NAS ay nagbibigay ng de-kalidad na edukasyon at sports training sa mga batang may potensyal na maging world-class athletes," he added. Additionally, Go filed SBN 423, or the Philippine National Games (PNG) Act, to institutionalize a national platform for athletes, especially the youth, to showcase their talents. "Sa pamamagitan ng PNG, mas maraming talento ang mabibigyan ng pagkakataon na makilala at mapabilang sa ating mga national team," he said. The senator also continues to support the implementation of sports clinics, community leagues, and the provision of sports equipment in rural areas. "Sabi ko nga palagi, ‘get into sports and stay away from drugs!’" he advised. Go called on all Filipinos to continue supporting and praying for all athletes competing in the Asian Games and other competitions. "Ang kanilang tagumpay ay tagumpay ng buong sambayanang Pilipino! Laban, Pilipinas! Ipakita natin ang puso ng Pilipino na lumalaban hanggang dulo!" he exclaimed. "Go, go, go for the gold!" he cheered. As of 5 October, the Philippines has two golds, one silver, and nine bronze medals in the ongoing Asian Games. The post Bong Go shows full support to Filipino athletes in 19th Asian Games appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Domestic aviation rebounds this year
The local aviation industry, which was badly hit by the global health crisis, is seen to achieve full recovery this year. This was according to the International Air Transport Association in a recent forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. During the Aviation Forum last week, Yuli Thompson, area manager for the IATA in Southeast Asia, said the Philippines and the rest of the Asia Pacific region’s aviation market is swiftly recovering and seeing a consistent rise in terms of growth in international and domestic travel. Thompson said passenger traffic trends for international flights in the Philippines were logged at 75 percent of 2019 levels as of June 2023. As for the Asia Pacific passenger forecast, Yuli maintained that domestic travel will fully recover in 2023, while international travel will occur sometime in 2026. Further, Asia Pacific will be seen to lead in traffic growth in the next 20 years. “However, overcoming current challenges riding on the current momentum, and meeting full recovery will require strong interventions from all players in the aviation sector,” he said. Infra investments For his part, Cebu Pacific Air chief executive officer Michael Szucs emphasized the need to invest in infrastructure, citing that “Philippine carriers will need to quadruple in size to cater to growing demand.” In her keynote speech, Secretary Grace Poe urged stakeholders to support necessary infrastructure investments, especially following the air system glitch incident earlier this year. The senator called for the acquisition of a new Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management. Poe also recommended the hiring of a third-party maintenance provider for the CNS/ATM system. “It is my hope that the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders can work together and collaborate on air transport projects which will not only generate economic growth but also provide our people with excellent and affordable public services that can improve the quality of life for all,” she said. Also filed by Poe is Senate Bill 1121 which proposes the creation of a Philippine Transportation Safety Board. Under the directive of the current Marcos administration, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Lim highlighted the government’s key priorities, including aviation safety and strengthening of learning institutions. Lim further noted the agency’s priority of strengthening the Civil Aviation Training Center and engaging with the private sector as close partners for Air Transport Skills Training and Development. “If we are able to train our air traffic controllers, we would not only meet our own requirements, but the requirements of other countries. We can develop this on an institutional basis,” said Lim. Open up the industry Kurt Edwards, director general of the International Business Aviation Council, also raised the fact that much could be gained “by opening the industry and making it more known to people.” In terms of managing safety risks, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, shared initiatives to advance safety capabilities in the aviation sector through the State Safety Program. The program employs a risk-based approach to regulations, capacity building and integration of a new organizational structure for monitoring and evaluation. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista stressed that the DOTr’s goal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through a public-private partnership agreement, which he said, will present a “landmark opportunity for economic growth, improved infrastructure, and a world-class travel experience.” Added Bautista, “We are also developing regional airports, such as the unsolicited proposals for the operations and maintenance of the Bicol International Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport.” The post Domestic aviation rebounds this year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Converge’s 2-M reach mirrors strong demand for cheap internet plans
Converge ICT Solutions Inc.'s low-cost plans have reached more than two million homes, which signifies the strong mass market demand for efficient and affordable internet services. Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy said on Monday that the company will beef up its product portfolio to better serve customers from different income groups. “We are proud to mark this milestone in our mission to leave no one behind as we empower Filipinos with world-class fiber connectivity. This is a result of our effort to expand growth opportunities through providing more affordable connectivity solutions,” Uy said. Converge finished the first half of the year with a total of 1.97 million residential subscribers, including 1.92 million postpaid and 54,000 prepaid customers. It gained over 92,000 net additional subscribers from January to June. Citing internal data, Converge said August has been its best-performing month in terms of sales. As such, analysts expect an upsurge in sales in the second half of the year. “We are encouraged by the continued growth of our residential subscriber base in the first half of 2023. This is further proof of the superiority of our broadband product, coupled with our people’s laser focus on meeting customers’ needs,” said Converge COO Jesus C. Romero. Converge has launched a prepaid product called Surf2Sawa or S2S, which is gaining traction among budget-conscious customers. The market's positive reception of the product was reflected in the 77 percent growth, with over 25,000 net additions in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter. Its postpaid subscribers sustained its steady growth as the newly-introduced low-cost postpaid plan BIDA Fiber complemented the company’s core product, FiberX, which starts at P1,500 a month with a speed of 200 Mbps. Meanwhile, BIDA Fiber costs P888 per month with a speed of 35 Mbps to connect a maximum of six devices. All three products (FiberX, BIDA, and S2S) offer unlimited data consumption. Converge presently operates the biggest fiber-to-the-home network in the country with more than 7.8 million ports nationwide, as of the first half of the year, as well as one of the country's most extensive cable systems with 670,000-kilometer fiber backbone. As of the end of June 2023, its network infrastructure has passed over 16.6 million Filipino homes, equivalent to 62.3 percent of household coverage nationwide. The post Converge’s 2-M reach mirrors strong demand for cheap internet plans appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»