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‘Sinag’ and ‘Lupa’: Light that guides and land that nourishes
In late September 2019, the Cultural Center of the Philippines mounted the son et lumiere titled “Sinag: Festival of Radiance,” accompanied by a video projected on the façade of its iconic Brutalist Main Building, dancing fountain, performances and installations, as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of one of the Philippines’ revered cultural institutions. The light show was staged again in the following years with different themes even during the imposed lockdowns in the first years of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021, serving as beacon of hope during one of the most challenging times for the arts and culture sector. The “Sinag” light-and-sound show continued to be mounted this year, fast becoming a tradition for CCP, as it commemorated its 54th founding anniversary and signaled the sector’s embarking on the road to recovery. It also recognized the sector’s perseverance and determination to continue creating and healing with its theme, “Tuloy Ang Palabas”(The Show Continues).” This year, the Main Building has remained dark and silent as it closed down in January for a three-year rehabilitation and renovation, but it came alive again from 28 September to 1 October for “Sinag 2023: Tuloy Ang Palabas.” A short video was projected on the façade, showing snippets of productions, projects and performances in the past nine months, all held in different venues outside the Main Building. The main part was a spectacle of colors and moving patterns, conceptualized by CCP light designers Camille Balistoy, Danilo Villanueva, Louie Alcoran and Shantie De Roca. This was accompanied by music by Soundridemusic and Makai-symphony, spliced by Jerry Tria. Capping the show was a video showing CCP’s reach in the country, through a map created by Reily Villaruz, as well as glimpses of performances and projects in the planning, accompanied by Jed Balsamo’s “Rurok.” As the CCP Main Building highlighted art’s role as light giver, the park beside it, CCP Liwasang KaLIKHAsan, is venue for an exhibit of installations depicting popular creatures of Philippine folklore. [caption id="attachment_191675" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Kapre. | PhotoGRAPHS by Roel Hoang Manipon FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE[/caption] The kapre, aswang and tikbalang often figure in horror stories told to children, but acclaimed artist Abdulmari “Toym” de Leon Imao, son of the late National Artist for visual arts Abdulmari Asia Imao, regarded them as nature guardians, thus the title “Tanod-Lupa.” “Tanod-Lupa” was first mounted in celebration of Earth Day on 22 April, but was brought back for the anniversary celebration, and it seems fitting for the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Imao was inspired by stories about these creatures, many of which most likely can be traced from pre-colonial times, during his childhood. “My mom is Kapampangan, and they have wonderful stories of mythology such as Apo Mallari god of Mount Pinatubo. My dad came from the South. He was a Tausug. Mindanao is also rich in stories. The Sarimanok itself is a mythical creature. My appreciation comes from a fascination from childhood and growing up with these stories and narratives from my parents,” he said. “I am very fascinated with tikbalang. There are some stories that tell that it is actually a friend. The tikbalang also has a masculine appearance, very heroic,” he added. Working together with lantern makers from San Fernando City, Pampanga, headed by Arvin Bondoc Quiwa, and using materials such welded steel, fiberglass, ropes and lanterns with LED lights, Imao reimagined the creatures to be cartoonish but still retaining some scary and mysterious qualities. [caption id="attachment_191676" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Manananggal.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_191674" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Duwende.[/caption] The bright installations of kapre, duwende, manananggal, aswang, nuno sa punso and tikbalang are scattered around the park — under a balete, in between coconut trees, among overgrown weeds and unkempt bushes — and accompanied by eerie sounds designed by TJ Ramos. The most prominent among Imao’s works is his large installation in the shape of the panolong, a decorative detail of the traditional house of the Meranaw people, and the sarimanok, a popular design motif of several Moro ethnic groups, frequently used by his father in his works. [caption id="attachment_191677" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Nuno sa punso.[/caption] “Tanod-Lupa” is a work in progress, and more installations are being planned to be added to the collection. “With themes like climate change and cultural promotion, it’s perfect for us to bring these creatures from folklore and mythologies to the forefront. We are not the only inhabitants of our environment. We share it with other beings and creatures. Our ancestors remind us that we take good care of our environment lest these ‘tanod-lupa’ come out to remind us of our shortcomings,” Imao said. The post ‘Sinag’ and ‘Lupa’: Light that guides and land that nourishes 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......»»
New flavors to savor
The food and beverage world is very dynamic, It is constantly evolving, and it always has something new to offer so people do not get bored with what they eat and drink. The choices become limitless and more diverse. Below are some of the new flavors to savor on a hot and humid afternoon or a stormy evening. [caption id="attachment_150180" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PhotoGRAPHS by Dolly Dy-Zulueta FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNEAngel’s Pizza’s Creamy Spinach Sushi Bake Pizza.[/caption] Sushi bake in pizza form Sushi bake, which is a food trend that emerged during the pandemic, has been incarnated into pizza form in Angel’s Pizza’s new Creamy Spinach Sushi Bake Pizza. Inspired by this Japanese-style sushi bake, this new pizza flavor also drew inspiration from Angel’s Pizza’s Creamy Spinach Dip Pizza, so it is like a marriage of the two — a creamy spinach base with generous mounds of crabstick, Japanese mayonnaise, Sriracha sauce, strips of seaweed and chopped parsley. The Creamy Spinach Sushi Bake Pizza is available in either original hand-tossed or thin crust pizza in Medium (nine-inch pizza, good for two) at P370, Family (12-inch pizza, good for three to four) at P515, or Big Family (14-inch pizza, good for five to seven) at P655. Established in 2009, Angel’s Pizza is the fastest growing pizza brand in the Philippines. It is part of The Figaro Group, and it now has 34 stores in Metro Manila and 56 stores in the provinces. Order pizza via the Angel’s Pizza mobile app, website (www.angelspizza.com.ph), hotline (02) 8922-2222 (Metro Manila), or through GrabFood and Foodpanda. [caption id="attachment_150181" align="aligncenter" width="525"] photoGRAPH COURTESY OF Halo Halo StoryHalo Halo Story’s ube scramble.[/caption] Ube-flavored scramble Your childhood memories of ice scramble or iskrambol has always been pink icy perfection. Young Filipino entrepreneur Duncan Yu, owner of Halo Halo Story, a new growing chain of stores specializing in Halo-Halo, introduces an innovation in the new Ube Scramble. As a pre-opening treat for a new outlet at SM Centerpoint, ube scramble is ube-flavored (halayang ube) ice, imported skimmed milk powder, chocolate syrup, marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles. It is available for a limited time only at Halo Halo Story branch in SM Center Pasig and its drive-through at 42 Quezon Ave., Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City. Halo Halo Story opened its first store at SM Center Pasig almost a year ago, and it serves different variants of Halo-Halo, including Ubeng Ubeng Ube (loaded with halayang ube and artisanal ube ice cream with no added table sugar), Buko Pie, Four Cheese, and Maja Blanca. “Most of the flavors are my childhood favorites,” Yu says. “With Halo Halo Story, I wanted to bring back the vibe of how people used to go to dessert places to chat or catch up on each other’s lives. I wanted people to ‘chill’ more with our desserts.” [caption id="attachment_150178" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Kangkong King’s new salted-egg-flavored chips.[/caption] Now in salted egg flavor Kangkong King, a brand of kangkong or water spinach chips, is introducing a new flavor variant — the salted egg. Kangkong King uses 100-percent, real kangkong leaves, which are battered and then fried leaf by leaf in coconut oil to become a vegan-friendly, gluten-free and dairy-free snack that is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals and also contains antioxidants and iron. It keeps its chips fresh and healthy by using carefully sourced ingredients and controlled production. Kangkong King was established in 2019 by siblings Frank and Anne Gaw with their friends Andrew Tan Lee, Benjamin Ng and Jay Tan. Now, Kangkong King’s crispy fried water spinach chips come in seven flavors: KKK Original, BBQ, Sour Cream, Cheese, Plain (no flavoring), Sweet Corn, and Spicy. Occasionally, the brand releases limited-edition flavors, such as Honey Butter and Sinigang. Salted Egg is the newest variant. Kangkong King has kiosks located at Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Fairview, Alabang Town Center, and SM City North EDSA. Orders may also be placed online via www.kangkong.com (website), shopee.ph/kangkongkingph (Shopee), and kangkongkingph’s FB and IG pages. The post New flavors to savor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name
Anyone who had come of age in the late 1970s and the 1980s would surely know about the most famous names and faces of the younger set of the era known for the coming of age of feminism and women’s lib. The 1960s may have ushered in a cultural revolution but it was in the succeeding decades that the cataclysmic events of the decade that was, in the Philippines, would manifest in the ways and attitudes of Filipino women. I mention this phase in our history because I am sharing my thoughts on one woman whom many consider as one of the country’s most powerful, influential and successful. She is Katrina Ponce Enrile. I may not privy to the growing-up years of Katrina Ponce Enrile, and I would not have the advantage of seeing her from the point of view of someone old enough to observe the growth of a child, but as a teenager, I would occasionally read about her and see her on photographs published in newspapers and magazines, although not too frequent. I just knew she was not only well-bred and beautiful in the mestiza sense being the daughter of a striking beauty of a mother (and the granddaughter of a handsome playboy of a paternal grandfather), but that, she too was brilliant. I would assume that she got her brains from her father, one of the wonder boys of the Marcos administration. Katrina would, in time, be mentioned in juicy gossip now and then, but it was her smarts in enterprise and management that she would eventually be recognized, this notwithstanding the controversial stories that one occasionally heard of her family members. [caption id="attachment_134172" align="aligncenter" width="525"] KATRINA Ponce Enrile has always lived up to her parents ‘ expectations.[/caption] ‘Treat everybody with respect’ But to imagine her childhood and teenage years, one would suppose that for all the comforts that she might have enjoyed while living first in Urdaneta and then Dasmarinas Village, she had had to assert herself, she had once been overheard to say: “At 10, I had to fight a little bit harder to be heard” -- which was expected if one were the only daughter of a famous lawyer of a father and a lovely talented mother, herself a respected stage actress. But no matter that she had to deal with being the daughter of awe-inspiring parents, what she had been showered with, aside from her parents’ affection, was well-meaning advice. For one, it was from her dad and mom that she first heard the word of wisdom. “Treat everybody with respect — everybody. Because you don’t know what fate will bring you or them. People that you meet when you are going up, you also meet when you are going down.” No wonder that years later, as a businesswoman, she was very thoughtful in making decisions whether she was dealing with other top businessmen, her executives or the employees who served the family company at her beck and call. “I always think of how my actions and decisions would affect others,” she said in an interview with the Daily Tribune Lifestyle. No, for all the feisty woman that we know her to be, Katrina, was not advised to be aggressively pro-active when facing a conflict. The legendary Juan Ponce Enrile, instead, cautioned his daughter: “Never throw the first punch. But if they throw the first punch, then…” This, she would take to heart whenever she had had to face corporate, social or emotional bullies, not that she is one to attract people prone to violating her rights. [caption id="attachment_134173" align="aligncenter" width="525"] As the only daughter of Juan Ponce Enrile, the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley.[/caption] One imagines her father might have preferred her to be a boy, JPE being a man’s man, but to which she would have retorted: “Dad, I don’t have to be a boy to be what I am now… Girls can do it too.” Call it outright confidence, or chutzpah, or maybe it’s Pinay pride, but Katrina is not one to be cowed. And yes, she could lead and fight and attack, but as her father would most likely say: “Only if they attack first.” Self-assured executive What I have heard of Katrina, especially from my dear friend, Carol Mercado, who was her classmate at St. Paul College, is her signature confidence. “From our youth, when she could be stubborn, she has matured steadily into a self-assured executive no wonder that she has accomplish much as an entrepreneur. “It’s a paradox that while she may have been underestimated at times and even flat out rejected, she knows how to overcome these challenges because she is one creative person and she is not one to easily bow down or to say no. But then, she is not even outright assertive. She could be very charming and before any nemesis would know it, she has gotten what she wants without lifting a finger.” It would seem that the lady would have aimed for political eminence, being the daughter of the powerful JPE, but to everyone’s surprise, she had chosen to create a name outside of her inherited box (or confines), so to speak. While she takes pride in being an Enrile, she has not taken advantage of her family name as though an amulet that would do wonders for her. Instead, she has chosen to rely on the old-fashioned values of industry, respect for others, commitment and determination. She might as well be girl scout, except more courageous, daring and trailblazing. Flexing her risk-taking muscles In her 20s, when her friends were disco dancing, she was, to use another friend’s words, “flexing her risk-taking muscle and sharpening her foresight for the first time — pivotal experiences that would shape her business sense now admired by many.” She surprised everyone when, at 26, she bought properties in Palawan. “It was a big joke to many,” she recalled. “They could not see any reason I should take the risk and invest in a place where no one dared go. It was then no man’s country and perceived to be mosquito-infested.” Today, Palawan is a safe haven from the pandemic, and, of course, an investors’ paradise. On the other hand, her parents saw a promise in her, someone who would play a key role in the family enterprises. They appointed her as Group Treasurer even before her 30th birthday, and with it the added role of overseeing the many concerns of the JAKA Group of Companies. It is quite a daunting responsibility given its extensive industrial reach –- food manufacturing and product distribution to marketing and logistics; forest plantation management; safety match manufacturing, property management and development; as well as IT, security and financial services. It would seem that, for a “beginner” in the big league, it was beyond Katrina’s grasp, and yet she lived up to her parents’ expectations. [caption id="attachment_134175" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SOME of Delimondo’s best products.[/caption] In time she would qualify as the firm’s COO and eventually CEO. Not one used to trumpeting her achievements, Katrina candidly shared: “I was able to turn around the company, helping navigate it through the debilitating Asian Financial Crisis in the mid-1990s. And when the peso devalued in 2008 to 2009, when we had [a] one dollar denominated loan which I had to quickly deal with, I was able to restructure our company and keep it afloat.” Soon, she would be trusted to manage JAKA’s investments, which “allowed me to dream of bigger things, this in the midst of an economic crisis and the pressure to survive it.” Her baby Delimondo When shopping in a supermarket or a grocery, the Filipino consumers, especially those who take their corned beef seriously, would pick the Delimondo brand. They would also put the brand’s Bolognese Pasta, Luncheon Meat, Yellowfin Tuna spreads and aromatic oils in their cart or shopping bags. Katrina confides, “Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture.” Her was a one-woman team that managed the brand’s marketing, sales and R&D. To introduce it to the market, she gave away cans of their initial recipes for free. “I wanted to offer something deliciously different, one that I enjoyed from my travels abroad.” [caption id="attachment_134174" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SHE is most proud of her baby, Delimondo.[/caption] It wasn’t long before investors would come in too aware that Delimondo operates its own plants that produce and package its own products. The company would soon expand and offers its manufacturing services to other products all the way to exporting them. In time and with Katrina at the helm, JAKA shifted to investing in other companies. But if her JAKA performance is impressive, anyone should take a look at her other achievements. To cite one, as the Philippines Overseas Telecommunications Operations director and CEO/president. She led the efforts to renew the company’s franchise that would allow it to provide the Philippines satellite services. For another, as director and president, she has brought into the Montemar Resorts Development Corporation and Montemar Beach Club Inc. not only her management expertise, but her exposure to top international resorts as a frequent guest. No wonder that Manila’s well-heeled consider these resorts as standard-bearers of local luxury travel. [caption id="attachment_134171" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture,’ said Katrina.[/caption] Transforming the upper east corner of Luzon Katrina also sits as the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority’s vice chairperson. In this role, she envisions making the province a model destination that easily rivals the country’s capital. “They’re considering appointing me as administrator. Once that post is confirmed, I will be fully committed to transforming the upper east corner of Luzon into another business area that the Philippines will be proud of.” As part of her vision, she plans to build a stronger point of economy with the available freeport and expand its potential by constructing an airport. To attract investors, she plans to boost incentives to encourage more players to relocate. “We plan to make smart cities there. I plan to make it very green. I plan to protect the lush forests. It’s really also known as the rice granary of the Philippines. I plan to push the transition from GMOs (genetically modified organism) to non-GMOs. I know that that will be a hard task but I plan to do it. I want to give the Filipinos healthy food for the next generations to come,” she states. Worthy and deserving As the only daughter of the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley. She may have grown up in Manila, travelled the whole world, but her heart has always remained in the home of her father, Juan Ponce Enrile, and it is among his people, relatives and townsmen that she intends to pursue her next dream. There is no stopping this feisty Cagayanon. For her home province, she is out to conquer the world. But then, I must insist that this is not about being her father’s daughter, although there is no denying the great influence of JPE on Katrina becoming the woman that she has become -- strong-willed, passionate, forward-thinking. Still, Katrina could only thank herself most for being herself. That she accepted the challenges that came her way and faced them head on using her own gifts and advantages – which undoubtedly brought her to her destiny, one that she has arrived at and one that she has yet to fulfill. Indeed, if the women’s movement has reached this far, and women today now enjoy key positions in government, private sector and civil society, this may be attributed to the generations of women who have looked toward the future and embraced their destinies as key players in the affairs of humanity. Katrina is one of these women and we wish her all the best. No one could be more worthy of the challenge and deserving of the honor. The post Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name 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......»»
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